Showing posts with label Grammer. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Grammer. Show all posts
Friday, June 1, 2012
Can we use quotation as exclamations with example
Quotations as exclamations
A - Did you hear that Mohan collapsed in the hospital?
B - My God! What happened to him?
A - He wasn't actually ill. He took his wife for a surgery and he was looking after her.
B - Mm... Mm...
A - Last night he suddenly collapsed.
B - Isn't it a pity!
A - Why do you go so early, Ramesh?
B - I do some extra typing work before I go to office.
A - And you always come very late. Why?
B - I do designing for another company after office.
A - Aren't you working hard!
A - Who's that tall girl over there?
B - That's Devi, my daughter.
A - Devi! Has not she grown since I saw her last.
Mm... (With high rising pitch) means Sorry, I didn't hear you.
A - Did Ravi called me this morning?
B - Mm...
A - Did Ravi called me?
B • No, he didn't.
Mm... mm... (With falling pitch) means 'Yes I agree'
A - Railway is faster than the Highway, isn't it?
B - Mm... Mm... more expensive as well.
A - That's true, but it's clean and reliable...
(Exclamation In each of the following group are in order of greater and greater feelings.
A - I've won the Junior Chess Championship, uncle.
B - That's great) Keep it up.
A - Thank you very much, uncle.
A - I'm first in the class, Dad!
B - That's wonderful, darling.
A - I scored 96 for Maths and 89 for Science.
C - That's fantastic Minu dear.
A - Thank you Dad... and Thank you Mum.
A - Did you know David got a scholarship?
B - Fantastic! What's it like?
A - It's a free Engineering seat at the Anna University.
B - Oh, isn't she clever.
Oh dear! Oh my God! Damm! Blast!! Oh hell! Bloody hell!!! (These
are used when something bad happens. But the ones with asterisks
are taboo... i.e., they are not in POLITE USE. Don't use them unless
you have to make a very strong impression especially 'Bloody hell!').
We often use the exclamation mark (!) with the exclamations in
writing. Though it is not very necessary, the exclamation mark
expresses a stronger feeling.
Oh hell:
Eg:- Oh hell! Somehow I messed the whole thing up.
Oh! Well! These are used to express
My goodness! Good heavens! one's surprise. You mean this is a surprise.
My God! Good God!
Monday, May 28, 2012
How to use Exclamation in English with what and how
Dhayan and Prabha had been engaged for about a year and a half and they haven't married yet. My God! I didn't realize that it has been that long.
Exclamations with 'What* and "How*.
A - Did you hear that the President of America has resigned!
B - What a surprise!
A - Yes, but two other Presidents have resigned in the past.
B - Ah! I see. Who were they?
A - One was Richard Nixon, the other I just can't remember.
A - We have lost the World Cup to Australia...
B - What a shame!
A - No, but the guys played well, they are unlucky.
B - I don't agree. We didn't have good bowlers..
A - How unfortunate!
A - Jane, do you like this countryside?
| B - | Of Course! What a lovely day! |
| A - | Look at those huge trees with yellow leaves and red flowers. |
| B - A |
How wonderful! And it smells good. Yes. How cool and quiet it is |
| A- | Look at this building, Banu. |
| B - | What's it called Harish? |
| A - | It's called the Colosseum of Rome. |
| B - | How big! And how strange! |
| A - | This is where they held the early Olympics. |
B - What terrible weather we're having for this time of the year!
A - Yes. Usually it is not so hot in September.
B - It is really strange?
A - Did you hear that the Principal has dismissed all the students from a class?
B - How silly! What happened actually?
A - They have boycotted their term exam it seems.
B - What an awful example is this!
A - This will not solve the problem Some Principals are still in their Victorian days
A - Did you enjoy your summer holiday?
B - Ugh... We had been having such a terrible weather?
A - Was it that bad?
B - Why, the temperature was 106°C. The highest recorded in 96 years.
A - Oh my God!
Monday, April 2, 2012
what is prefix with simple example
II. Look at these words.
incompetent speechless
A prefix is a syllable, which we put at the beginning of a
word to form a new word. For example by putting the prefix ‘in’
before the word ‘competent’ we form the word ‘incompetent’.
Similarly a suffix is a syllable, which we put at the end of a word to
form a new word. For example by adding the suffix ‘-less’ to the
word ‘speech’ we form the word speechless.
Task: Add suitable prefixes / suffixes to the words in capitals
at the end of each sentence, to fill in the blanks.
Look at the examples first.
e.g. 1. The dog was beaten
by its owner for its…………… OBEDIENCE
2. Sita’s mother shouts at
her for her …………………nature WILL
Answer: (1) disobedience (2) wilful
1. The audience expressed their……
by shouting and booing. PLEASURE
2. Our teacher is very strict.
She will not allow anyone to ……… BEHAVE
Thursday, March 29, 2012
example of regular and irregular verbs
He became incompetent at his work.
S V C A
You have learnt the different elements of a sentence, with
examples, in your earlier classes. Try to understand more about
sentence structure and how it is used in the written and spoken
contexts.
Task: The elements of sentences are given below. Pick out
sentences for each pattern from the previous units of
your course book and see how each element is
complementary to the other.
1. S V O
2. S V C
3. S V C A
4. S V O C
D. Vocabulary
I. Look at the base form of the verbs and their other forms
given below.
Present tense Past tense Past Participle
look looked looked
play played jumped
climb climbed climbed
The above verbs in the present tense have taken the suffix
‘-ed’ in the past tense and past participle form. The majority of
English verbs do so.
Now look at the table below
through a slight change in the base form of the verbs.
Task: The irregular and regular verbs are mixed in the bowl
kept below. Sort them out into regular verbs and
irregular verbs. Serve this to people with ‘vitamin verb
deficiency’.
Sunday, March 25, 2012
English grammar - connectors
This is a short story. It begins with the noun, ‘Raicharan’.
And the sentences that follow have the personal pronoun ‘he’. The
pronoun ‘he’ is the substitute for the noun in the preceding sentence.
It serves as a connector. Similarly note the words or phrases in the
beginning of sentences – ‘As time went on,’ ‘Presently’, ‘About
the time’, ‘Then came’, etc. They are used to give meaning and
hold sentences together.
Connectors are words and phrases that help to bring about
the logical connection between sentences.
Task: Read the following paragraph carefully.
It is about a man from South India who came to Karnasuvarna,
which was a city somewhere near the modern Bhagalpur, in Bihar.
This man, it is written, wore around his waist copper plates, and on
his head he carried a lighted torch. Staff in hand, with proud bearing
and lofty steps, he wandered about in this strange attire. And when
anyone asked him the reason for his curious attire, he told him that
his wisdom was so great that he was afraid his belly would burst if
he did not wear copper plates around it. And because he was moved
with pity for the ignorant people around him, who lived in darkness,
he carried the light on his head.
Now underline the connectors in the above passage.
VI. Let us understand the relation between the different
elements of a sentence.
Normally a sentence comprises five units. They are 1. Subject
(S) 2. Verb (V) 3. Complement (C) 4. Object (O) 5. Adjunct (A) or Adverbial.
Raicharan warned the child.
S V O
Sunday, January 22, 2012
Grammar Exercise - Subjcct Verb Object
F. Grammar
Look at the following sentences.
1. Trees/ preserve/ the soil.
S V O
2. The neem trees / are grown/ in villages and towns.
S V A
3. We/ have planted/ neem saplings/ in our school campus.
S V O A
4. Trees / give / us / shade.
S V IO DO
5. The villagers / call / the neem tree / their village pharmacy.
S V O C
6. The neem trees / are / useful / in many ways.
S V C A
Note: A sentence is a group of words arranged in a specific order which makes complete sense. It comprises smaller units called elements. They are: Subject (S), Verb (V), Complement (C), Object (O) and Adjunct (A).
Subject : It denotes the person or thing about which something is said. It can be a noun, a pronoun, an infinitive, a gerund, a noun phrase or clause.
Verb : Write, read... are called transitive verbs. Trasitive verbs have objects. Sleep, come, go, become.... are called intransitive verbs. They have no objects. If the transitive verbs have two objects (answer to what and to whom) they are called ditransitive verbs.
Object : The object that answers the question ‘what’ is the DO. The object that answers the question ‘to whom’ is IO.
Complement : It completes the predicate of a sentence. It is an essential part. The subject complement describes or characterises the subject. The object complement describes or characterises the object.
Adjunct : It gives additional meaning. It answers to the question how (manner), when (time), where (place) etc.
Task 1 : Read the following anecdote. Identify the sentence patterns. Circle the number corresponding to the correct pattern of the sentence. The first one is done for you.
1. S V
2. S V O
3. S V A
4. S V O A
5. S V O A A
6. S V IO DO
7. S V A A
A penguin joke
1. A man and his wife were walking along a street. 1 2 3 4 5 6 7
2. They came across a penguin. 1 2 3 4 5 6 7
3. They were surprised. 1 2 3 4 5 6 7
4. They thought for a while. 1 2 3 4 5 6 7
5. They took it to the police station. 1 2 3 4 5 6 7
6. The policeman asked them to take it to the zoo. 1 2 3 4 5 6 7
7. The policeman was walking down the same street the next day. 1 2 3 4 5 6 7
8. He saw the couple again. 1 2 3 4 5 6 7
9. He saw the penguin in their hands. 1 2 3 4 5 6 7
10. They gave him the explanation. 1 2 3 4 5 6 7
11. “We took her to the zoo yesterday.” 1 2 3 4 5 6 7
12. “We take her to the Golden beach now.” 1 2 3 4 5 6 7
Task 2: Make sentences of your own using the sentence patterns SVC, SVO, SVA, SVOA, SVCA. Use the given picture to make sentences.
Look at the following sentences.
1. Trees/ preserve/ the soil.
S V O
2. The neem trees / are grown/ in villages and towns.
S V A
3. We/ have planted/ neem saplings/ in our school campus.
S V O A
4. Trees / give / us / shade.
S V IO DO
5. The villagers / call / the neem tree / their village pharmacy.
S V O C
6. The neem trees / are / useful / in many ways.
S V C A
Note: A sentence is a group of words arranged in a specific order which makes complete sense. It comprises smaller units called elements. They are: Subject (S), Verb (V), Complement (C), Object (O) and Adjunct (A).
Subject : It denotes the person or thing about which something is said. It can be a noun, a pronoun, an infinitive, a gerund, a noun phrase or clause.
Verb : Write, read... are called transitive verbs. Trasitive verbs have objects. Sleep, come, go, become.... are called intransitive verbs. They have no objects. If the transitive verbs have two objects (answer to what and to whom) they are called ditransitive verbs.
Object : The object that answers the question ‘what’ is the DO. The object that answers the question ‘to whom’ is IO.
Complement : It completes the predicate of a sentence. It is an essential part. The subject complement describes or characterises the subject. The object complement describes or characterises the object.
Adjunct : It gives additional meaning. It answers to the question how (manner), when (time), where (place) etc.
Task 1 : Read the following anecdote. Identify the sentence patterns. Circle the number corresponding to the correct pattern of the sentence. The first one is done for you.
1. S V
2. S V O
3. S V A
4. S V O A
5. S V O A A
6. S V IO DO
7. S V A A
A penguin joke
1. A man and his wife were walking along a street. 1 2 3 4 5 6 7
2. They came across a penguin. 1 2 3 4 5 6 7
3. They were surprised. 1 2 3 4 5 6 7
4. They thought for a while. 1 2 3 4 5 6 7
5. They took it to the police station. 1 2 3 4 5 6 7
6. The policeman asked them to take it to the zoo. 1 2 3 4 5 6 7
7. The policeman was walking down the same street the next day. 1 2 3 4 5 6 7
8. He saw the couple again. 1 2 3 4 5 6 7
9. He saw the penguin in their hands. 1 2 3 4 5 6 7
10. They gave him the explanation. 1 2 3 4 5 6 7
11. “We took her to the zoo yesterday.” 1 2 3 4 5 6 7
12. “We take her to the Golden beach now.” 1 2 3 4 5 6 7
Task 2: Make sentences of your own using the sentence patterns SVC, SVO, SVA, SVOA, SVCA. Use the given picture to make sentences.
Monday, November 7, 2011
usage of numbers in English sentence
USAGE PROBLEMS AND ERRORS 1
You have learn already that usage refers to the customary manner in which a language is spoken or written by its educated users; and that unless you are careful you are likely to be trapped into ‘problems’ or ‘errors’ leading to communication of wrong meanings.
Further to some of these problems you learnt previously, this unit helps you to be aware of other types of common usage problems/ errors. Classified under different heads, the problems are presented with relevant explanations and ways to avoid them in your use of English.
Number: is the form of a word that indicates whether the word is singular or plural.
A word that refers to one person or thing is singular in number.A
word that refers to more than one is plural in number.
Agreement of Subject and Verb:
A verb should agree with its subject in number.
Singular subjects take singular verbs
Examples: My grandfather trains dogs.
The senator is in favour of the bill.
They own and operate a video store.
Like the one-word verb in each of these examples, a verb phrase must also agree in number with its subject. The number of a verb phrase is indicated by the form of its first auxiliary (helping) verb.
Examples: This song was performed by Bonnie Raitt. (singular subject and verb phrase)
These songs were performed by Bonnie Raitt. (plural subject and verb phrase)
Intervening phrases and clauses:
The number of the subject is not changed by a phrase or a clause following the subject.
Examples: This tape is by the Boston Pops Orchestra.
This tape of songs is by the Boston Pops Orchestra. (The prepositional phrase of songs does not affect the number of the subject tape.)
The characters represent abstract ideas.
The characters in an allegory represent abstract ideas. (The prepositional phrase in an allegory does not affect the number of the subject characters.)
The number of the subject is also not affected when the subject is followed by a phrase that begins with an expression such as along with, as well as, in addition to, and together with.
Examples: The history teacher, as well as her students, was fascinated by the exhibit of artefacts at the DusableMuseum of African History. (singular subject and verb)
The history students, as well as their teacher, were fascinated by the exhibit of articles at the DusableMuseum of African American History. (plural subject and verb)
Task: Identifying subjects and verbs that Agree in Number - For each of the following sentences, identify the subject of the verb in parentheses. Then choose the verb form that agrees in number with the subject.
Example: The many varieties of American quilts (reflect, reflects) the spirit of the people who developed them. varieties – reflect
1. The abilities that someone needs to make a quilt (include, includes) patience, coordination, and a good sense of colour and design.
2. A scrap-bag full of colourful bits of cotton and wool fabrics (was put, were put) to good use in a quilt.
3. Amish quilts, which are often brightly coloured, (seem, seems) to convey the joyous spirits of their makers.
4. Several quilters, gathering at one person’s home for a quilting bee, often (work, works) on a quilt together.
5. Quilts designed by the Amish usually (include, includes) only solid- colour fabrics, not patterned ones.
6. This quilt, which features colours typical to Amish quilts, (glow, glows) with red, purple, blue, pink, and green.
You have learn already that usage refers to the customary manner in which a language is spoken or written by its educated users; and that unless you are careful you are likely to be trapped into ‘problems’ or ‘errors’ leading to communication of wrong meanings.
Further to some of these problems you learnt previously, this unit helps you to be aware of other types of common usage problems/ errors. Classified under different heads, the problems are presented with relevant explanations and ways to avoid them in your use of English.
Number: is the form of a word that indicates whether the word is singular or plural.
A word that refers to one person or thing is singular in number.A
word that refers to more than one is plural in number.
Agreement of Subject and Verb:
A verb should agree with its subject in number.
Singular subjects take singular verbs
Examples: My grandfather trains dogs.
The senator is in favour of the bill.
They own and operate a video store.
Like the one-word verb in each of these examples, a verb phrase must also agree in number with its subject. The number of a verb phrase is indicated by the form of its first auxiliary (helping) verb.
Examples: This song was performed by Bonnie Raitt. (singular subject and verb phrase)
These songs were performed by Bonnie Raitt. (plural subject and verb phrase)
Intervening phrases and clauses:
The number of the subject is not changed by a phrase or a clause following the subject.
Examples: This tape is by the Boston Pops Orchestra.
This tape of songs is by the Boston Pops Orchestra. (The prepositional phrase of songs does not affect the number of the subject tape.)
The characters represent abstract ideas.
The characters in an allegory represent abstract ideas. (The prepositional phrase in an allegory does not affect the number of the subject characters.)
The number of the subject is also not affected when the subject is followed by a phrase that begins with an expression such as along with, as well as, in addition to, and together with.
Examples: The history teacher, as well as her students, was fascinated by the exhibit of artefacts at the DusableMuseum of African History. (singular subject and verb)
The history students, as well as their teacher, were fascinated by the exhibit of articles at the DusableMuseum of African American History. (plural subject and verb)
Task: Identifying subjects and verbs that Agree in Number - For each of the following sentences, identify the subject of the verb in parentheses. Then choose the verb form that agrees in number with the subject.
Example: The many varieties of American quilts (reflect, reflects) the spirit of the people who developed them. varieties – reflect
1. The abilities that someone needs to make a quilt (include, includes) patience, coordination, and a good sense of colour and design.
2. A scrap-bag full of colourful bits of cotton and wool fabrics (was put, were put) to good use in a quilt.
3. Amish quilts, which are often brightly coloured, (seem, seems) to convey the joyous spirits of their makers.
4. Several quilters, gathering at one person’s home for a quilting bee, often (work, works) on a quilt together.
5. Quilts designed by the Amish usually (include, includes) only solid- colour fabrics, not patterned ones.
6. This quilt, which features colours typical to Amish quilts, (glow, glows) with red, purple, blue, pink, and green.
Thursday, November 3, 2011
what is indefinite pronouns
Indefinite Pronouns
The following indefinite pronouns are singular:
one, anybody, anyone, each, either, everybody, everyone, neither, nobody, no one, somebody and someone
Examples: Neither of the books contains any illustrations.
Everyone in the Pep Club is wearing the school colours.
One of the most beautiful places in North Carolina is the Joyce Kilmer Memorial Forest.
The following indefinite pronouns are plural: both, few, many and several
Examples: Both of the poems were written by Claude McKay.
Many of our words are derived from Latin.
Several of the juniors have volunteered.
The following indefinite pronouns may be singular or plural: all, any, most, none and some
These pronouns are singular when they refer to singular words and are plural when they refer to plural words.
Examples: Some of her artwork is beautiful. (Some refers to the singular noun artwork)
Some of her paintings are beautiful. (Some refers to the plural noun paintings.)
The following indefinite pronouns are singular:
one, anybody, anyone, each, either, everybody, everyone, neither, nobody, no one, somebody and someone
Examples: Neither of the books contains any illustrations.
Everyone in the Pep Club is wearing the school colours.
One of the most beautiful places in North Carolina is the Joyce Kilmer Memorial Forest.
The following indefinite pronouns are plural: both, few, many and several
Examples: Both of the poems were written by Claude McKay.
Many of our words are derived from Latin.
Several of the juniors have volunteered.
The following indefinite pronouns may be singular or plural: all, any, most, none and some
These pronouns are singular when they refer to singular words and are plural when they refer to plural words.
Examples: Some of her artwork is beautiful. (Some refers to the singular noun artwork)
Some of her paintings are beautiful. (Some refers to the plural noun paintings.)
Saturday, September 3, 2011
Understand Question tags with example and exercise
"Do you have a pen?"
You ask this question because you do not know if the person has a pen.
Now if you thought the person had a pen but you were in doubt, you would ask the
question thus :
"You have a pen, haven't you?"
If you thought the person did not have a pen, but you weren't sure and wanted to
confirm it, you would ask,
"You don't have a pen, do you?"
Note that the first part of your question is a statement followed by a question tag. If
the statement is affirmative, the tag will be negative and if the statement is negative,
the tag will be affirmative. The tag will take the pronoun in the place of the noun in the
statement.
example. This lesson is easy, isn't it?
Students of Std X have no time to waste, have they?
You can study well, can't you?
The bell has not rung, has it?
The sun sets in the west, doesn't it?
People shouldn't be rude to one another, should they?
Exercise - Form question tags for the following statements.
1. The bus is early today,___ ?
2. There is no water in the tank, ___ ?
3. People ought to keep the streets clean,___ ?
4. 1 shall carry the bags for you, ___?
5. The conductor will not give you change for Rs. lo/-, ___?
6. Our team will win the match, ___?
7. The flag has four colours on it, ____ ?
8. 1 haven't answered your questions, ___ ?
9. Plants give out oxygen during the day, ___?
10. You should treat each other with respect, ___?
Tuesday, August 30, 2011
Name of the organisation - Singular or Plural
The name of an organisation, though plural in form, usually takes a singular verb:
Examples:
The United Nations was formed in 1945.
Avalon Textiles is located on King Street.
The names of some organisations, however, may take singular or plural verbs. When the name refers to the organisation as a unit, it takes a singular verb. When the name refers to the members of the organisation, it takes a plural verb.
Examples:
The New YorkYankees has won the World Series twentytwo times.
(The New YorkYankees has won as a unit.)
The New YorkYankees are signing autographs.
(The players are signing autographs.)
Note: Many nouns ending in -ics, such as acoustics, athletics, ethics, politics, statistics, and tactics, may be singular or plural.
Examples:
Statistics is a collection of mathematical data.
The statistics are misleading.
If you do not know whether a noun that is plural in form is ingular or plural in meaning, refer to a dictionary.
Subjects preceded by ‘every’ or ‘many a’ take singular verbs:
Examples:
Every sophomore and junior is participating.
Many a person supports the cause.
Task: Selecting the Correct Verb - For each of the following sentences, choose the correct verb form in parentheses.
1. The girl guides (is, are) a scouting organisation that began inGreat Britain.
2. (Does, Do) every boy and girl in the city schools vote in the student council elections?
3. Two teaspoonfuls of cornstarch combined with a small amount of cold water (makes, make) an ideal thickener for many sauces.
4. One indication of African Americans’ influence on our culture (is, are) the use of many black originated slang expressions by people of other ethnic backgrounds.
5. “Seventeen Syllables” (recounts, recount) the story of a Japanese American family.
6. This (doesn’t, don’t) make sense to me.
7. Microelectronics, the area of electronics dealing with the design and application of microcircuits, (has, have) made possible many of the tremendous advances in computers and robotics in recent years.
8. There (is, are) many a slip between the cup and the lip, as my grandpa says.
9. When she is doing needlepoint, Aunt Chandra’s scissors always (hang, hangs) around her neck on a red ribbon.
10. The majority of high school juniors (think, thinks) that computer literacy is important.
Examples:
The United Nations was formed in 1945.
Avalon Textiles is located on King Street.
The names of some organisations, however, may take singular or plural verbs. When the name refers to the organisation as a unit, it takes a singular verb. When the name refers to the members of the organisation, it takes a plural verb.
Examples:
The New YorkYankees has won the World Series twentytwo times.
(The New YorkYankees has won as a unit.)
The New YorkYankees are signing autographs.
(The players are signing autographs.)
Note: Many nouns ending in -ics, such as acoustics, athletics, ethics, politics, statistics, and tactics, may be singular or plural.
Examples:
Statistics is a collection of mathematical data.
The statistics are misleading.
If you do not know whether a noun that is plural in form is ingular or plural in meaning, refer to a dictionary.
Subjects preceded by ‘every’ or ‘many a’ take singular verbs:
Examples:
Every sophomore and junior is participating.
Many a person supports the cause.
Task: Selecting the Correct Verb - For each of the following sentences, choose the correct verb form in parentheses.
1. The girl guides (is, are) a scouting organisation that began inGreat Britain.
2. (Does, Do) every boy and girl in the city schools vote in the student council elections?
3. Two teaspoonfuls of cornstarch combined with a small amount of cold water (makes, make) an ideal thickener for many sauces.
4. One indication of African Americans’ influence on our culture (is, are) the use of many black originated slang expressions by people of other ethnic backgrounds.
5. “Seventeen Syllables” (recounts, recount) the story of a Japanese American family.
6. This (doesn’t, don’t) make sense to me.
7. Microelectronics, the area of electronics dealing with the design and application of microcircuits, (has, have) made possible many of the tremendous advances in computers and robotics in recent years.
8. There (is, are) many a slip between the cup and the lip, as my grandpa says.
9. When she is doing needlepoint, Aunt Chandra’s scissors always (hang, hangs) around her neck on a red ribbon.
10. The majority of high school juniors (think, thinks) that computer literacy is important.
Saturday, August 27, 2011
Type of Direct speech and Indirect speech with examples
Statements (Direct speech and Indirect speech)
(Direct speech) "What can I do for you?" the Headmaster asked the boy.
"I have come to ask you for a scholarship", the boy said.
(Indirect speech) The Headmaster asked the boy what he could do for him.
The boy replied that he had come to ask him for a scholarship.
Interrogatives (Yes or No questions)
(Indirect speech) The doctor asked the patient, "Do you smoke?"
(Indirect speech) The doctor asked the patient whether (if) he smoked.
Interrogative wh questions
Direct speech - The teacher said to the boys, "Where do you want to go?"
(1ndirect speech - The teacher asked the students where they wanted to go.
imperative sentences
D.speech - The teacher said to the boys, "Don't write on both sides of the
paper."
(Indirect speech). The teacher asked the boys not to write on both sides of the
paper
Exclamatory sentences
D.Speech - "What a beautiful view it is!" said my friend.
My friend said that it was a very beautiful view.
Note: When a sentence in the direct speech is transformed into the reported speech, it
undergoes certain changes. Can you identify them?
(Direct speech) "What can I do for you?" the Headmaster asked the boy.
"I have come to ask you for a scholarship", the boy said.
(Indirect speech) The Headmaster asked the boy what he could do for him.
The boy replied that he had come to ask him for a scholarship.
Interrogatives (Yes or No questions)
(Indirect speech) The doctor asked the patient, "Do you smoke?"
(Indirect speech) The doctor asked the patient whether (if) he smoked.
Interrogative wh questions
Direct speech - The teacher said to the boys, "Where do you want to go?"
(1ndirect speech - The teacher asked the students where they wanted to go.
imperative sentences
D.speech - The teacher said to the boys, "Don't write on both sides of the
paper."
(Indirect speech). The teacher asked the boys not to write on both sides of the
paper
Exclamatory sentences
D.Speech - "What a beautiful view it is!" said my friend.
My friend said that it was a very beautiful view.
Note: When a sentence in the direct speech is transformed into the reported speech, it
undergoes certain changes. Can you identify them?
Wednesday, August 24, 2011
Avoiding Misplaced modifiers and two - way modifiers
Misplaced Modifiers:
A modifying phrase or clause that sounds awkward because it modifies the wrong word or group of words is called a misplaced modifier.
Avoid using a misplaced modifier:
To correct a misplaced modifier, place the phrase or clause as close as possible to the word or words you intend it to modify.
Misplaced : Uncle Bill saw a dog gnawing a bone on his way to work. (Was the dog on his way to work?)
Clear : On his way to work, Uncle Bill saw a dog gnawing a bone.
Misplaced : They were delighted to see a field of daffodils climbing up the hill.
Clear : Climbing up the hill, they were delighted to see a field of daffodils.
Misplaced : The anxious hunter watched the raging lion come charging at him while readying a bow and arrow.
Clear : While readying a bow and arrow, the anxious hunter watched the raging lion come charging at him
Two-Way Modifiers:
Avoid placing a phrase or clause so that it seems to modify either of two words. Such a misplaced modifier is often called a twoway, or squinting modifier.
Misplaced The prime minister said in the press interview her opponent spoke honestly. (Did the prime minister speak in the press interview, or did her opponent?)
Clear In the press interview, the Prime Minister said her opponent spoke honestly.
Clear The Prime minister said her opponent spoke honestly in the press interview.
Misplaced The Mayor said when the city council met he would discuss the proposed budget.
Clear When the city council met, the Mayor said he would discuss the proposed budget.
Clear The Mayor said he would discuss the proposed budget when the city council met.
Misplaced The manager told the two rookies after the game to report to the dugout.
Clear After the game, the manager told the two rookies to report to the dugout.
Clear The manager told the two rookies to report to the dugout after the game.
Task: Revising sentences by correcting misplaced modifiers - The following sentences contain misplaced modifiers. Revise each sentence so that its meaning is clear and correct.
Example:
We listened eagerly to the stories told by Scheherazade in
The Arabian Nights, munching peanuts and crackers.
Munching peanuts and crackers, we listened eagerly to
the stories told by Scheherazade in The Arabian Nights.
1. Louise projected the photographs on a large screen that she had taken at the zoo.
2. Mr. Martinez promised in the morning he would tell a NativeAmerican trickster tale.
3. I pointed to the fish tank and showed my friends my new puffer, swelling with pride.
4. Roshan said during an interview Richard gave him inspiration to become a writer.
5. I talked about the problem I had in writing my first draft withMohan, and he said he had the same problem.
6. My aunt had finally mastered the art of making stuffed cabbage, filled with a sense of accomplishment.
Dangling Modifiers:
A modifying phrase or clause that does not sensibly modify a word or words in a sentence is called a dangling modifier.
Avoid using a dangling modifier
You may correct a dangling modifier by adding a word or words that the phrase or clause can sensibly refer to or by adding a word or words to the phrase or clause.
Dangling Having selected a college, a trip to the campus was planned. (Who selected a college?)
Clear Having selected a college, my friend and I planned a trip to the campus.
Clear After we selected a college, my friend and I planned a trip to the campus.
Dangling After winning the Pulitzer prize for poetry, the novelMaud Martha was written.
Clear After winning the Pulitzer prize for poetry, GwendolynBrooks wrote the novel Maud Martha.
Clear After Gwendolyn Brooks won the Pulitzer Prize for poetry, she wrote the novel Maud Martha.
Dangling While correcting papers, the message came from the principal.
Clear While correcting papers, the teacher received the message from the principal.
Clear While the teacher was correcting papers, the message came from the principal.
Note:A few dangling modifiers have become standard in idiomatic expressions.
Examples:
Generally speaking, Americans now have a longer life
expectancy than ever before.
To be honest, the party was rather boring
A modifying phrase or clause that sounds awkward because it modifies the wrong word or group of words is called a misplaced modifier.
Avoid using a misplaced modifier:
To correct a misplaced modifier, place the phrase or clause as close as possible to the word or words you intend it to modify.
Misplaced : Uncle Bill saw a dog gnawing a bone on his way to work. (Was the dog on his way to work?)
Clear : On his way to work, Uncle Bill saw a dog gnawing a bone.
Misplaced : They were delighted to see a field of daffodils climbing up the hill.
Clear : Climbing up the hill, they were delighted to see a field of daffodils.
Misplaced : The anxious hunter watched the raging lion come charging at him while readying a bow and arrow.
Clear : While readying a bow and arrow, the anxious hunter watched the raging lion come charging at him
Two-Way Modifiers:
Avoid placing a phrase or clause so that it seems to modify either of two words. Such a misplaced modifier is often called a twoway, or squinting modifier.
Misplaced The prime minister said in the press interview her opponent spoke honestly. (Did the prime minister speak in the press interview, or did her opponent?)
Clear In the press interview, the Prime Minister said her opponent spoke honestly.
Clear The Prime minister said her opponent spoke honestly in the press interview.
Misplaced The Mayor said when the city council met he would discuss the proposed budget.
Clear When the city council met, the Mayor said he would discuss the proposed budget.
Clear The Mayor said he would discuss the proposed budget when the city council met.
Misplaced The manager told the two rookies after the game to report to the dugout.
Clear After the game, the manager told the two rookies to report to the dugout.
Clear The manager told the two rookies to report to the dugout after the game.
Task: Revising sentences by correcting misplaced modifiers - The following sentences contain misplaced modifiers. Revise each sentence so that its meaning is clear and correct.
Example:
We listened eagerly to the stories told by Scheherazade in
The Arabian Nights, munching peanuts and crackers.
Munching peanuts and crackers, we listened eagerly to
the stories told by Scheherazade in The Arabian Nights.
1. Louise projected the photographs on a large screen that she had taken at the zoo.
2. Mr. Martinez promised in the morning he would tell a NativeAmerican trickster tale.
3. I pointed to the fish tank and showed my friends my new puffer, swelling with pride.
4. Roshan said during an interview Richard gave him inspiration to become a writer.
5. I talked about the problem I had in writing my first draft withMohan, and he said he had the same problem.
6. My aunt had finally mastered the art of making stuffed cabbage, filled with a sense of accomplishment.
Dangling Modifiers:
A modifying phrase or clause that does not sensibly modify a word or words in a sentence is called a dangling modifier.
Avoid using a dangling modifier
You may correct a dangling modifier by adding a word or words that the phrase or clause can sensibly refer to or by adding a word or words to the phrase or clause.
Dangling Having selected a college, a trip to the campus was planned. (Who selected a college?)
Clear Having selected a college, my friend and I planned a trip to the campus.
Clear After we selected a college, my friend and I planned a trip to the campus.
Dangling After winning the Pulitzer prize for poetry, the novelMaud Martha was written.
Clear After winning the Pulitzer prize for poetry, GwendolynBrooks wrote the novel Maud Martha.
Clear After Gwendolyn Brooks won the Pulitzer Prize for poetry, she wrote the novel Maud Martha.
Dangling While correcting papers, the message came from the principal.
Clear While correcting papers, the teacher received the message from the principal.
Clear While the teacher was correcting papers, the message came from the principal.
Note:A few dangling modifiers have become standard in idiomatic expressions.
Examples:
Generally speaking, Americans now have a longer life
expectancy than ever before.
To be honest, the party was rather boring
Wednesday, August 17, 2011
Singular and Plural with Expression Example
An expression of an amount may be singular or plural: An expression of an amount is singular when the amount is thought of as a unit and is plural when the amount is thought of as many parts.
Examples:
Five thousand bricks is a heavy load for this truck. (The bricks are thought of as a unit).
Five thousand bricks are what we need. (The bricks are thought of separately).
A fraction or a percentage is singular when it refers to a singular word and is plural when it refers to a plural word.
Examples:
One fourth of the student body is employed part-time after school. (The fraction refers to the singular noun student body.)
One fourth of the students are employed after school. (The fraction refers to the plural noun students.)
Seventy-five percent of the junior class is sixteen years old. (The percentage refers to the singular noun class.)
Seventy-five percent of the juniors are sixteen years old. (The percentage refers to the plural noun juniors.)
Expressions of measurement (length, weight, capacity, area) are usually singular.
Examples:
Four and seven-tenths inches is the diameter of a CD.
Eight fluid ounces equals one cup.
Two hundred kilometres was the distance we flew in the hot-air balloon.
Note: In the expression of number, the word number is singular when preceded by the and is plural when preceded by a.
Examples:
The number of students taking computer courses has increased.
A number of students taking computer courses belong to the Computer Club.
Task: Selecting verbs that agree with their subjects - For each of the following sentences, identify the subject of each verb in parentheses. Then choose the verb form that agrees
in number with the subject.
Example: The band (is, are) tuning their instruments. band - are
1. The gigantic Colossus of Rhodes (was, were) one of the SevenWonders of the AncientWorld.
2. The stage crew (is, are) working together to make a rapid scene change for Hamlet’s entrance.
3. On display in the entrance to the library, there (is, are) several oil paintings of famous local people.
4. In our block alone, over two hundred rupees (was, were) collected for the Cancer Society.
5. Rice and dhal (is, are) often served as a main dish at lunch.
6. Either brisk walks or jogging (serves, serve) as daily exercise.
7. A number of the seeds (has, have) failed to sprout.
The title of a creative work (such as a book, song, film, or painting) or the name of a country (even if it is plural in form) takes a singular verb:
Examples: Those who ride the night winds was written by the poetNikki Giovanni.
“Tales from the Vienna Woods” is only one of Johann
Strauss’s most popular waltzes.
The United States calls its flag “Old Glory”.
The Philippines comprises more than 7,000 islands.
Examples:
Five thousand bricks is a heavy load for this truck. (The bricks are thought of as a unit).
Five thousand bricks are what we need. (The bricks are thought of separately).
A fraction or a percentage is singular when it refers to a singular word and is plural when it refers to a plural word.
Examples:
One fourth of the student body is employed part-time after school. (The fraction refers to the singular noun student body.)
One fourth of the students are employed after school. (The fraction refers to the plural noun students.)
Seventy-five percent of the junior class is sixteen years old. (The percentage refers to the singular noun class.)
Seventy-five percent of the juniors are sixteen years old. (The percentage refers to the plural noun juniors.)
Expressions of measurement (length, weight, capacity, area) are usually singular.
Examples:
Four and seven-tenths inches is the diameter of a CD.
Eight fluid ounces equals one cup.
Two hundred kilometres was the distance we flew in the hot-air balloon.
Note: In the expression of number, the word number is singular when preceded by the and is plural when preceded by a.
Examples:
The number of students taking computer courses has increased.
A number of students taking computer courses belong to the Computer Club.
Task: Selecting verbs that agree with their subjects - For each of the following sentences, identify the subject of each verb in parentheses. Then choose the verb form that agrees
in number with the subject.
Example: The band (is, are) tuning their instruments. band - are
1. The gigantic Colossus of Rhodes (was, were) one of the SevenWonders of the AncientWorld.
2. The stage crew (is, are) working together to make a rapid scene change for Hamlet’s entrance.
3. On display in the entrance to the library, there (is, are) several oil paintings of famous local people.
4. In our block alone, over two hundred rupees (was, were) collected for the Cancer Society.
5. Rice and dhal (is, are) often served as a main dish at lunch.
6. Either brisk walks or jogging (serves, serve) as daily exercise.
7. A number of the seeds (has, have) failed to sprout.
The title of a creative work (such as a book, song, film, or painting) or the name of a country (even if it is plural in form) takes a singular verb:
Examples: Those who ride the night winds was written by the poetNikki Giovanni.
“Tales from the Vienna Woods” is only one of Johann
Strauss’s most popular waltzes.
The United States calls its flag “Old Glory”.
The Philippines comprises more than 7,000 islands.
Monday, August 15, 2011
Back to Square One , Beat around/about the Bush
Back to Square One
Our design for a solar-powered washing machine didn’t work, soit’s back to square one.
Meaning: return to the beginning because of a failure to accomplish the desired result.
Origin: There are many board and street games that have squares or boxes. Each player must start at the first square and try to advance to the finish line or last box to win. If, for any reason, you have to go back to square one, you’re starting over from the beginning. A similar
saying is “back to the drawing board”, where architects begin blueprints or sketches for each project. When a project fails to work out, you may have to start over again from the original drawings to improve your chances for success.
Beat around/about the Bush
“Stop beating about the bush. What exactly are you doing now?”
Meaning: to avoid answering a question; to approach something carefully or in a roundabout way.
Origin: This expression goes all the way back to the 1500s when hunters hired people called beaters to drive small animals out of the bushes so the hunters could get a better shot at them. The problem for the beaters was that they might drive the birds or rabbits or foxes out
too soon. They had to be careful not to drive the animals into the open before the hunters arrived. So the beaters might use their long sticks “around the bush” rather than directly on it. Today, the expression “to beat around the bush” means talking about things in a roundabout way without giving clear answers or coming to the point.
Our design for a solar-powered washing machine didn’t work, soit’s back to square one.
Meaning: return to the beginning because of a failure to accomplish the desired result.
Origin: There are many board and street games that have squares or boxes. Each player must start at the first square and try to advance to the finish line or last box to win. If, for any reason, you have to go back to square one, you’re starting over from the beginning. A similar
saying is “back to the drawing board”, where architects begin blueprints or sketches for each project. When a project fails to work out, you may have to start over again from the original drawings to improve your chances for success.
Beat around/about the Bush
“Stop beating about the bush. What exactly are you doing now?”
Meaning: to avoid answering a question; to approach something carefully or in a roundabout way.
Origin: This expression goes all the way back to the 1500s when hunters hired people called beaters to drive small animals out of the bushes so the hunters could get a better shot at them. The problem for the beaters was that they might drive the birds or rabbits or foxes out
too soon. They had to be careful not to drive the animals into the open before the hunters arrived. So the beaters might use their long sticks “around the bush” rather than directly on it. Today, the expression “to beat around the bush” means talking about things in a roundabout way without giving clear answers or coming to the point.
Wednesday, July 20, 2011
Dangling Modifiers and Double Negative Modifiers
Task: Revising sentences by correcting Dangling Modifiers - The following sentences contain dangling modifiers. Revise each sentence so that its meaning is clear and correct.
Example:
Waiting at the bus stop, my older brother drove by in his new car.
While I was waiting at the bus stop, my older brother drove by in his new car.
1. Frightened by our presence, the rabbit’s ears perked up and its nose twitched.
2. To interpret this poem, a knowledge of mythology is helpful.
3. All bundled up in a blanket, the baby’s first outing was a brief one.
4. When performing onstage, the microphone should not be placed too near the speaker cones.
5. To be a good opera singer, clear enunciation is extremely important.
6. To help colonial soldiers during the Revolutionary War, Solomon’s efforts raised money to buy food and clothing.
The Double Negative:
A double negative is a construction in which two negative words are used where one is enough. Although acceptable until Shakespeare’s time, double negatives are now considered non-standard.
Non-standard She has not read none of Nadine Gordimer’s books.
Standard She had not read any of Nadine Gordimer’s books.
Standard She has read none of Nadine Gordimer’s books.
Non-standard I do not know nothing about the Peloponnesian War.
Standard I do not know anything about the Peloponnesian War.
Standard I know nothing about the Peloponnesian War.
Nonstandard Grandma said that she hadn’t never seen another pumpkin that was as large as this one.
Standard Grandma said that she hadn’t ever seen another pumpkin that was as large as this one.
Standard Grandma said that she had never seen another pumpkin that was as large as this one.
Note: Avoid the common error of using n’t, the contraction of not, with another negative word, especially barely, hardly, or scarcely.
Nonstandard I can’t hardly take another step in these new boots.
Standard I can hardly take another step in these new boots.
Nonstandard The film is so long that we couldn’t scarcely see it in one class period.
Standard The film is so long that we could scarcely see it in one class period.
The words ‘but’ and ‘only’ are considered negative words when they are used as adverbs meaning ‘no more than’. In such cases, the use of another negative word with ‘but’ or ‘only’ is considered informal.
Task: Revising sentences to eliminate double negatives - Revise each of the following sentences to eliminate the double negative. Although the following sentences can be corrected in more than one way, you need to give only one revision.
Example:
He hadn’t no pencils on his desk.
He had no pencils on his desk.
Or
He hadn’t any pencils on his desk.
1. Tom didn’t have no time to buy the books.
2. Haven’t none of you seen the dog?
3. Isn’t nobody else interested in going to visit the exhibition this morning?
4. We haven’t but one day to visit the fair.
5. She didn’t contribute nothing to the project.
6. The lights were so dim that we couldn’t barely see.
Example:
Waiting at the bus stop, my older brother drove by in his new car.
While I was waiting at the bus stop, my older brother drove by in his new car.
1. Frightened by our presence, the rabbit’s ears perked up and its nose twitched.
2. To interpret this poem, a knowledge of mythology is helpful.
3. All bundled up in a blanket, the baby’s first outing was a brief one.
4. When performing onstage, the microphone should not be placed too near the speaker cones.
5. To be a good opera singer, clear enunciation is extremely important.
6. To help colonial soldiers during the Revolutionary War, Solomon’s efforts raised money to buy food and clothing.
The Double Negative:
A double negative is a construction in which two negative words are used where one is enough. Although acceptable until Shakespeare’s time, double negatives are now considered non-standard.
Non-standard She has not read none of Nadine Gordimer’s books.
Standard She had not read any of Nadine Gordimer’s books.
Standard She has read none of Nadine Gordimer’s books.
Non-standard I do not know nothing about the Peloponnesian War.
Standard I do not know anything about the Peloponnesian War.
Standard I know nothing about the Peloponnesian War.
Nonstandard Grandma said that she hadn’t never seen another pumpkin that was as large as this one.
Standard Grandma said that she hadn’t ever seen another pumpkin that was as large as this one.
Standard Grandma said that she had never seen another pumpkin that was as large as this one.
Note: Avoid the common error of using n’t, the contraction of not, with another negative word, especially barely, hardly, or scarcely.
Nonstandard I can’t hardly take another step in these new boots.
Standard I can hardly take another step in these new boots.
Nonstandard The film is so long that we couldn’t scarcely see it in one class period.
Standard The film is so long that we could scarcely see it in one class period.
The words ‘but’ and ‘only’ are considered negative words when they are used as adverbs meaning ‘no more than’. In such cases, the use of another negative word with ‘but’ or ‘only’ is considered informal.
Task: Revising sentences to eliminate double negatives - Revise each of the following sentences to eliminate the double negative. Although the following sentences can be corrected in more than one way, you need to give only one revision.
Example:
He hadn’t no pencils on his desk.
He had no pencils on his desk.
Or
He hadn’t any pencils on his desk.
1. Tom didn’t have no time to buy the books.
2. Haven’t none of you seen the dog?
3. Isn’t nobody else interested in going to visit the exhibition this morning?
4. We haven’t but one day to visit the fair.
5. She didn’t contribute nothing to the project.
6. The lights were so dim that we couldn’t barely see.
Thursday, July 7, 2011
Collective Noun - Singular or Plural
None of the equipment was damaged. (None refers to the singular noun equipment)
None of the machines were damaged. (None refers to the plural noun machines.)
Most of the food has been eaten. (Most refers to the singular noun food)
Most of the sandwiches have been eaten. (Most refers to the plural noun sandwiches)
Note: The word none is singular when it means “ not one” and plural when it means “ not any.”
Examples:
None of the hats fits. (No one fits)
None of the hats fit. (Not any fit)
Task: Identifying Subjects and Verbs that agree in Number -For each of the following sentences, identify the subjectof the verb in parentheses. Then choose the verb form that agrees in number with the subject.
Example: Not one of the pears (look, looks) ripe. one-looks
1. Many of the recipes in this cookbook (is, are) adaptable tomicrowave cooking.
2. Neither of my parents (has, have) any trouble using the metric system.
3. I know that all the workers (is, are) proud to help restore the Statue of Liberty.
4. Most of the English classes in my school (stresses, stress) composition skills.
5. Few of the students (was, were) able to spell bureaucracy correctly.
6. (Do, Does) each of you know what you’re supposed to bring tomorrow?
Compound Subjects
A compound subject is two or more subjects that have the same verb.
Subjects joined by ‘and’ usually take a plural verb:
Examples: Basil and thyme are plants of the mint family.
A compound subject may name a single person or thing. Such a compound subject takes a singular verb.
Examples: The secretary and treasurer is Govind. (one person)Grilled chicken and rice is the restaurant’s specialty.
(one dish)
Singular subjects joined by ‘or’ or ‘nor’ take a singular verb:
Examples: Neither Juan nor Jeff wants to see the movie.
Either Faridha or Tara plans to report on Latha.
Has your mother or your father met your teacher?
When a singular subject and a plural subject are joined by ‘or’ or ‘nor’, the verb agrees with the subject nearer the verb:
Examples: Neither the performers nor the director was eager to rehearse the scene again. (The singular subject director is nearer the verb.)
Neither the director nor the performers were eager to rehearse the scene again. (The plural subject performers is nearer the verb.)
Task: Correcting Errors in Subject-Verb Agreement - Most of the following sentences contain verbs that do not agree with their subjects. If the verb does not agree, give the correct form of the verb. If the verb agrees with its subject, write C.
Example: Each of the issues were resolved. was
1. One or both of the Shakespearean plays about Henry IV are likely to be performed this summer.
2. The effective date of the new regulations for nuclear power plants have not yet been determined.
3. The fact that compact discs do not wear out and do not have to be flipped over make them attractive.
4. The sales representative, with the help of her assistant, are making plans to expand her territory.
5. Not one of the speakers in the debate on South America were eager to suggest a solution to the problem.
6. Neither the proposals of the air traffic controllers nor the report of the FAA’s committee have been heeded.
Collective nouns may be either singular or plural:
A collective noun is singular in form but names a group of persons or things.
A collective noun takes a singular verb when the noun refers to the group as a unit and takes a plural verb when the noun refers to the parts or members of the group.
Singular : The band practices every day.(The band practices as a unit.)
Plural : The band buy their own uniforms.(The members of the band buy separate uniforms.)
Singular : The tour group is on the bus.(The group as a unit is on the bus).
Plural : The tour group are talking about what they expect to see. (The members of the group are talking to one another).
Singular : A flock of geese is flying over. (The flock is flying as a unit.)
Plural : The flock of geese are joining together in a V-shaped
formation. (The members of the flock are joining together.)
None of the machines were damaged. (None refers to the plural noun machines.)
Most of the food has been eaten. (Most refers to the singular noun food)
Most of the sandwiches have been eaten. (Most refers to the plural noun sandwiches)
Note: The word none is singular when it means “ not one” and plural when it means “ not any.”
Examples:
None of the hats fits. (No one fits)
None of the hats fit. (Not any fit)
Task: Identifying Subjects and Verbs that agree in Number -For each of the following sentences, identify the subjectof the verb in parentheses. Then choose the verb form that agrees in number with the subject.
Example: Not one of the pears (look, looks) ripe. one-looks
1. Many of the recipes in this cookbook (is, are) adaptable tomicrowave cooking.
2. Neither of my parents (has, have) any trouble using the metric system.
3. I know that all the workers (is, are) proud to help restore the Statue of Liberty.
4. Most of the English classes in my school (stresses, stress) composition skills.
5. Few of the students (was, were) able to spell bureaucracy correctly.
6. (Do, Does) each of you know what you’re supposed to bring tomorrow?
Compound Subjects
A compound subject is two or more subjects that have the same verb.
Subjects joined by ‘and’ usually take a plural verb:
Examples: Basil and thyme are plants of the mint family.
A compound subject may name a single person or thing. Such a compound subject takes a singular verb.
Examples: The secretary and treasurer is Govind. (one person)Grilled chicken and rice is the restaurant’s specialty.
(one dish)
Singular subjects joined by ‘or’ or ‘nor’ take a singular verb:
Examples: Neither Juan nor Jeff wants to see the movie.
Either Faridha or Tara plans to report on Latha.
Has your mother or your father met your teacher?
When a singular subject and a plural subject are joined by ‘or’ or ‘nor’, the verb agrees with the subject nearer the verb:
Examples: Neither the performers nor the director was eager to rehearse the scene again. (The singular subject director is nearer the verb.)
Neither the director nor the performers were eager to rehearse the scene again. (The plural subject performers is nearer the verb.)
Task: Correcting Errors in Subject-Verb Agreement - Most of the following sentences contain verbs that do not agree with their subjects. If the verb does not agree, give the correct form of the verb. If the verb agrees with its subject, write C.
Example: Each of the issues were resolved. was
1. One or both of the Shakespearean plays about Henry IV are likely to be performed this summer.
2. The effective date of the new regulations for nuclear power plants have not yet been determined.
3. The fact that compact discs do not wear out and do not have to be flipped over make them attractive.
4. The sales representative, with the help of her assistant, are making plans to expand her territory.
5. Not one of the speakers in the debate on South America were eager to suggest a solution to the problem.
6. Neither the proposals of the air traffic controllers nor the report of the FAA’s committee have been heeded.
Collective nouns may be either singular or plural:
A collective noun is singular in form but names a group of persons or things.
A collective noun takes a singular verb when the noun refers to the group as a unit and takes a plural verb when the noun refers to the parts or members of the group.
Singular : The band practices every day.(The band practices as a unit.)
Plural : The band buy their own uniforms.(The members of the band buy separate uniforms.)
Singular : The tour group is on the bus.(The group as a unit is on the bus).
Plural : The tour group are talking about what they expect to see. (The members of the group are talking to one another).
Singular : A flock of geese is flying over. (The flock is flying as a unit.)
Plural : The flock of geese are joining together in a V-shaped
formation. (The members of the flock are joining together.)
Sunday, July 3, 2011
Creator Hands - Topic for English Discussion - Grammar - Conjunction
Creator’s hands
Everything is good
when it leaves the Creator’s hands;
Everything degenerates
while in the hands of man.
Do you agree with this saying?
If yes, how do things degenerate in the hands of man?
If no, why not?
THEME FOCUS
Do you know?
1. A female mouse is ready to have babies when she is seven weeks old.
2. The swift (a bird) sleeps, feeds and even mates while it is flying.
3. The male penguin incubates the eggs laid by the female until it hatches about two months later.
4. Whenever a stick insect is attacked it falls to the ground and lies stills so that it cannot be seen by its enemy.
5.A sperm whale can spend over an hour under water before it comes to the surface to breathe.
6. An orb spider weaves its web after it fixes threads in a box shape.
7. As soon as a lizard flicks out its tongue it can pick up signals about food.
GRAMMAR FOCUS
In all the sentences above each has a main clause and an
adverbial clause of time, having one of the following as
conjunction: when, while, until, whenever, before, as soon as,
after.
In sentence 1, ‘when’ is used to talk about two events that happen
at the same time, sometimes if one causes the other.
e.g. When you press the button, the door opens automatically.
In sentence 2, ‘while’ is used to show two longer actions that go
on at the same time.
e.g. While I was reading my lesson, all others at home were
watching TV.
In sentence 3, ‘until’ is used to say how far away a future event is.
e.g. I was reading the newspaper in the library until my friend
joined me.
In sentence 4, ‘whenever’ is used to denote the action repeatedly
occurring.
e.g. Whenever my friend called me over phone, I was not able to
be at home to receive it.
In sentence 5, ‘before’ is used when the action in the main clause
continues until the time represented in the adverbial clause.
e.g. My friend used to live with me before he got a transfer to
Madurai.
In sentence 6, ‘after’ is used to denote two separate actions taking
place one after the other.
e.g. After you switch on the computer, press ENTER key.
In sentence 7, ‘as soon as’ is used to mean ‘immediately after’.
e.g. As soon as I turned the ignition key, the engine started.
Caution
In the use of ‘before’ and ‘until’, depending upon the context (a)
both may be interchangeably used (b) only ‘before’ can be used or (c)
only ‘until’ can be used.
‘until’ or ‘before’
e.g. I didn’t like yoga until/before I tried.
Only ‘before’ (at some time before)
e.g. I left home before my father arrived.
Only ‘until’ (upto the time)
e.g.Wait here until the bus number 72 comes.
TASK 1: Match the sentence parts from A with their
corresponding parts in B:
TASK 2: Underline the appropriate conjunction from the two
printed in bold letters:
1. While / Whenever I go in the rain I catch cold.
2. Immediately after / before I get up in the morning I sneeze
many times.
3. While / when I take the medicines prescribed by the doctor they
cause side effects.
4. Sneezing stops until / soon after I take the medicines.
5. Until / Once I stop taking the medicines, cold relapses.
TASK 3: Fill in the blanks with the conjunctions given below:
before, until, while, when, after
Sometimes it rains ……… the sun shines. We call this a sun
shower. ……… strong winds blow it rains from the clouds that
are far away. Sometimes ……... the sun shines it may rain from
very high clouds. The clouds disappear ……... the rain can reach
the ground. Children enjoy these showers jumping in the open air
……... these rains stop.
Everything is good
when it leaves the Creator’s hands;
Everything degenerates
while in the hands of man.
Do you agree with this saying?
If yes, how do things degenerate in the hands of man?
If no, why not?
THEME FOCUS
Do you know?
1. A female mouse is ready to have babies when she is seven weeks old.
2. The swift (a bird) sleeps, feeds and even mates while it is flying.
3. The male penguin incubates the eggs laid by the female until it hatches about two months later.
4. Whenever a stick insect is attacked it falls to the ground and lies stills so that it cannot be seen by its enemy.
5.A sperm whale can spend over an hour under water before it comes to the surface to breathe.
6. An orb spider weaves its web after it fixes threads in a box shape.
7. As soon as a lizard flicks out its tongue it can pick up signals about food.
GRAMMAR FOCUS
In all the sentences above each has a main clause and an
adverbial clause of time, having one of the following as
conjunction: when, while, until, whenever, before, as soon as,
after.
In sentence 1, ‘when’ is used to talk about two events that happen
at the same time, sometimes if one causes the other.
e.g. When you press the button, the door opens automatically.
In sentence 2, ‘while’ is used to show two longer actions that go
on at the same time.
e.g. While I was reading my lesson, all others at home were
watching TV.
In sentence 3, ‘until’ is used to say how far away a future event is.
e.g. I was reading the newspaper in the library until my friend
joined me.
In sentence 4, ‘whenever’ is used to denote the action repeatedly
occurring.
e.g. Whenever my friend called me over phone, I was not able to
be at home to receive it.
In sentence 5, ‘before’ is used when the action in the main clause
continues until the time represented in the adverbial clause.
e.g. My friend used to live with me before he got a transfer to
Madurai.
In sentence 6, ‘after’ is used to denote two separate actions taking
place one after the other.
e.g. After you switch on the computer, press ENTER key.
In sentence 7, ‘as soon as’ is used to mean ‘immediately after’.
e.g. As soon as I turned the ignition key, the engine started.
Caution
In the use of ‘before’ and ‘until’, depending upon the context (a)
both may be interchangeably used (b) only ‘before’ can be used or (c)
only ‘until’ can be used.
‘until’ or ‘before’
e.g. I didn’t like yoga until/before I tried.
Only ‘before’ (at some time before)
e.g. I left home before my father arrived.
Only ‘until’ (upto the time)
e.g.Wait here until the bus number 72 comes.
TASK 1: Match the sentence parts from A with their
corresponding parts in B:
TASK 2: Underline the appropriate conjunction from the two
printed in bold letters:
1. While / Whenever I go in the rain I catch cold.
2. Immediately after / before I get up in the morning I sneeze
many times.
3. While / when I take the medicines prescribed by the doctor they
cause side effects.
4. Sneezing stops until / soon after I take the medicines.
5. Until / Once I stop taking the medicines, cold relapses.
TASK 3: Fill in the blanks with the conjunctions given below:
before, until, while, when, after
Sometimes it rains ……… the sun shines. We call this a sun
shower. ……… strong winds blow it rains from the clouds that
are far away. Sometimes ……... the sun shines it may rain from
very high clouds. The clouds disappear ……... the rain can reach
the ground. Children enjoy these showers jumping in the open air
……... these rains stop.
Friday, June 24, 2011
Understand Idioms - Ace up your Sleeve & Achilles’ Heel
Ace up your Sleeve
“I don’t know how Henry is going to get his mom to buy him a bike, but I’m sure he has an ace up his sleeve”.
Meaning: a surprise or secret advantage, especially something tricky that is kept hidden until needed.
Origin: Back in the 1500s most people didn’t have pockets in their clothes, so they kept things in their sleeves. Later on, magicians hid objects, even small live animals, up their sleeves and then pulled them out unexpectedly to surprise their audiences. In the 1800s dishonest card players secretly slipped a winning card, often an ace, up their sleeves and pulled it out when nobody was looking to win the game.
Achilles’ Heel
I’m an ‘A’ student in math and science, but English is my Achilles’ heel.
Meaning: the one weakness, fault, flaw, or vulnerable spot in one’s otherwise strong character.
Origin: In the Iliad, the famous story about the TrojanWar by theGreek poet Homer, Achilles was a great hero and warrior. However,he had one weak spot, the heel of one foot. When he was a baby, his mother wanted to be certain that her son could never be harmed, so
she dipped little Achilles upside-down in the magical River Styx. Wherever the water touched his body, he became invulnerable. But since she was holding him by his heel, that part of him never got wet. Years later Achilles was killed in the TrojanWar by an enemy who shot a poisoned arrow into his heel.
“I don’t know how Henry is going to get his mom to buy him a bike, but I’m sure he has an ace up his sleeve”.
Meaning: a surprise or secret advantage, especially something tricky that is kept hidden until needed.
Origin: Back in the 1500s most people didn’t have pockets in their clothes, so they kept things in their sleeves. Later on, magicians hid objects, even small live animals, up their sleeves and then pulled them out unexpectedly to surprise their audiences. In the 1800s dishonest card players secretly slipped a winning card, often an ace, up their sleeves and pulled it out when nobody was looking to win the game.
Achilles’ Heel
I’m an ‘A’ student in math and science, but English is my Achilles’ heel.
Meaning: the one weakness, fault, flaw, or vulnerable spot in one’s otherwise strong character.
Origin: In the Iliad, the famous story about the TrojanWar by theGreek poet Homer, Achilles was a great hero and warrior. However,he had one weak spot, the heel of one foot. When he was a baby, his mother wanted to be certain that her son could never be harmed, so
she dipped little Achilles upside-down in the magical River Styx. Wherever the water touched his body, he became invulnerable. But since she was holding him by his heel, that part of him never got wet. Years later Achilles was killed in the TrojanWar by an enemy who shot a poisoned arrow into his heel.
Thursday, June 23, 2011
Idioms - Add Fuel to the Fire, All Ears & Apple of your Eye Meaning in English
Add Fuel to the Fire
“I was already angry with you, and when you forgot to pick me up, that really added fuel to the fire”.
Meaning: to make a bad situation worse; to do or say something that causes more trouble, makes someone angrier.
Origin: Thousands of years ago the famous Roman historian Livy used this expression. If you pour water on a fire, it goes out. But if you put fuel (like coal or wood) on a fire, you make it burn hotter and brighter. If “fire” represents any kind of trouble, then anything you do to make that trouble worse is “fuel”. A similar expression is “fan the flames”.
All Ears
“You said you had something important to tell me. I’m all ears!”
Meaning: eager to listen; sharply attentive; curious
Origin: The ear is the organ by which a person hears. So, if we figuratively say that you’re “all ears,” it means that at that moment you’re keenly listening to whatever is being said. It’s as if no other part of your body mattered except your ears. This idiom is about three
centuries old.
Apple of your Eye
“Kareem is the apple of my eye”.
Meaning: a person/thing that is greatly loved/treasured/ adored.
Origin: This saying is used in the Bible. Ancient people thought that the pupil of the eye was solid and shaped like an apple. The pupil (“apple of the eye”) was precious because without it, you couldn’t see.
“I was already angry with you, and when you forgot to pick me up, that really added fuel to the fire”.
Meaning: to make a bad situation worse; to do or say something that causes more trouble, makes someone angrier.
Origin: Thousands of years ago the famous Roman historian Livy used this expression. If you pour water on a fire, it goes out. But if you put fuel (like coal or wood) on a fire, you make it burn hotter and brighter. If “fire” represents any kind of trouble, then anything you do to make that trouble worse is “fuel”. A similar expression is “fan the flames”.
All Ears
“You said you had something important to tell me. I’m all ears!”
Meaning: eager to listen; sharply attentive; curious
Origin: The ear is the organ by which a person hears. So, if we figuratively say that you’re “all ears,” it means that at that moment you’re keenly listening to whatever is being said. It’s as if no other part of your body mattered except your ears. This idiom is about three
centuries old.
Apple of your Eye
“Kareem is the apple of my eye”.
Meaning: a person/thing that is greatly loved/treasured/ adored.
Origin: This saying is used in the Bible. Ancient people thought that the pupil of the eye was solid and shaped like an apple. The pupil (“apple of the eye”) was precious because without it, you couldn’t see.
Tuesday, June 21, 2011
What are Idioms and where did come from
IDIOMS
What are idioms?
Idioms are groups of words with special, specific meanings. They are often confusing because the meaning of the whole group of words that form an idiom has little, often nothing, to do with the meanings of the words taken one by one.
Idioms appear in every language, and English has thousands of them.
In order to understand a language, you must know what the idioms in that language mean. If you try to figure out the meaning of an idiom literally, word by word, you will get befuddled. You have to know its “hidden” meaning.
For instance, to “let the cat out of the bag” means to reveal a secret. Today the phrase has nothing to do with a cat or a bag, but hundreds of years ago, it actually did.
We use idioms:
• to be different
• to play with words
• to be amusing or witty
• to put other people at ease, even in the most formal situations
• to communicate more clearly and more visually
• to express something which other words do not quite express
Where did all these idioms come from?
Idioms come from all different sources, from the Bible to horse racing, from ancient fables to modern slang. Sometimes famous authors and storytellers such as Homer, Aesop, Geoffrey Chaucer, or William Shakespeare made them up to add spark to their writings.
The authors were popular, so the expressions they created became popular. Often, however, we don’t know the name of the first author or speaker who used a particular expression.
Some idioms come from Native-American customs (“bury the hatchet”) and others from African-American speech (“chill out”).
Some became popular because they rhyme (“snug as a bug in a rug”) or have alliteration (“spic and span”). Some idioms originated as colloquialisms (informal speech) or slang (casual, playful, non-standard language). Some were well-known proverbs and adages (short sayings that express practical, basic truths). Some popular idioms began as folksy sayings used in particular regions of the country and spoken in local dialects. Many came from other
countries, although most of the idioms in this book are Americanisms. Some idioms go back in time to the ancient Greeks and Romans, thousands of years ago. Others are more recent.
What are idioms?
Idioms are groups of words with special, specific meanings. They are often confusing because the meaning of the whole group of words that form an idiom has little, often nothing, to do with the meanings of the words taken one by one.
Idioms appear in every language, and English has thousands of them.
In order to understand a language, you must know what the idioms in that language mean. If you try to figure out the meaning of an idiom literally, word by word, you will get befuddled. You have to know its “hidden” meaning.
For instance, to “let the cat out of the bag” means to reveal a secret. Today the phrase has nothing to do with a cat or a bag, but hundreds of years ago, it actually did.
We use idioms:
• to be different
• to play with words
• to be amusing or witty
• to put other people at ease, even in the most formal situations
• to communicate more clearly and more visually
• to express something which other words do not quite express
Where did all these idioms come from?
Idioms come from all different sources, from the Bible to horse racing, from ancient fables to modern slang. Sometimes famous authors and storytellers such as Homer, Aesop, Geoffrey Chaucer, or William Shakespeare made them up to add spark to their writings.
The authors were popular, so the expressions they created became popular. Often, however, we don’t know the name of the first author or speaker who used a particular expression.
Some idioms come from Native-American customs (“bury the hatchet”) and others from African-American speech (“chill out”).
Some became popular because they rhyme (“snug as a bug in a rug”) or have alliteration (“spic and span”). Some idioms originated as colloquialisms (informal speech) or slang (casual, playful, non-standard language). Some were well-known proverbs and adages (short sayings that express practical, basic truths). Some popular idioms began as folksy sayings used in particular regions of the country and spoken in local dialects. Many came from other
countries, although most of the idioms in this book are Americanisms. Some idioms go back in time to the ancient Greeks and Romans, thousands of years ago. Others are more recent.
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