grammar handbook basic module
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PROFESSIONAL ENGLISH INTRODUCTION MODULE ENGINEERING HANDBOOKTeacher Alejandra Cabrera CasillasThe course is divided into different sections which are as follows:
1. Grammar (30%)2. Vocabulary (30%)3. Reading Comprehension Skills (40%)
Grammar:
Students will be able to identify the parts of speech. Students will be introduced to the following aspects of sentence structure: subjects and
predicates, simple clauses, complex and compound sentences. Students will be introduced to the following punctuation marks: comma, apostrophe, semi-colon,
colon, quotation marks, end marks and capitalization. Students will understand and practice the following aspects of grammar: pronoun case, tenses
and verbal phrases.
1. Parts of speech and their functions within sentences Nouns and nominals (infinitives, gerunds, etc.) Articles Verbs Pronouns Adjectives Adverbs Prepositions Conjunctions Interjections
2. THE MAIN ELEMENTS OF THE SENTENCE Subject Verbs and verb phrases Direct and indirect object(s) Complements with verbs that express feeling, appearing, being and seeming Modifiers (Adjectives and Adverbs) Clauses Phrases Prepositions and Prepositional Phrases
2 A. Types of sentences and their syntax Sentence structure Simple Compound Complex Basic & variations on basic sentence patterns
3. Verb Usage Agreement Tense Sequence and consistency of tenses Regular Verbs Irregular Verbs Active or passive voice Modals Phrasal verbs
Introducing:
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To be
FORM SUBJECT BE VERB Contraction EXAMPLE
affirmativesentences
( + )
1st person I am I'm I'm here.
2nd person you are you're You're busy.
3rd person he is he's He's a friend.
3rd person she is she's She's a doctor.
3rd person it is it's It's cold today.
1st person pl. we are we're We're hungry.
2nd person pl. you are you're You're beautiful.
3rd person pl. they are they're They're asleep.
SUBJECT BE VERB Contraction EXAMPLE
negativesentences
( - )
I am not I'm not I'm not thirsty.
you are notyou aren't you're not
You aren't here. You're not a cat!
he is nothe isn't he's not
He isn't there. He's not at home.
she is notshe isn't she's not
She isn't a mother. She's not an actress.
it is notit isn't it's not
It isn't warm today. It's not too hot today.
we are notwe aren't we're not
We aren't asleep. We're not sleepy.
you are notyou aren't you're not
You aren't tired.You're not at work.
they are notthey aren't they're not
They aren't here.They're not at work.
BE VERB & SUBJECT (+) Short Answer (-) Short Answer
questions( ? )
Am I correct? Yes, I am. No, I'm not.
Are you tired? Yes, you are.No, you aren't.No, you're not.
Is he asleep? Yes, he is.No, he isn't. No, he's not.
Is she here? Yes, she is.No, she isn't. No, she's not.
Is it warm? Yes, it is.No, it isn't. No, it's not.
Are we students? Yes, we are. No, we aren't. No, we're not.
E.I. ALEJANDRA CABRERA CASILLAS C.P.E. 2
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Are you thirsty? Yes, you are.No, you aren't. No, you're not.
Are they here? Yes, they are.No, they aren't. No, they're not.
There is and there are are important parts of the English language. Use "there is" with a singular nouns. (There is a pencil). Use "there is" with a non-countable nouns. (There is milk in the fridge.). Use "there are" with a plural nouns. (There are a pencil).
There is/are
There + to be (noun or pronoun) (prepositional phrase)There is a rug on the floor.There is a man at the door.There are two girls on the floor.There are many students at the school.There is only one cat in Canada.There is a letter in the box.
The Eight Parts of Speech Noun: A word which is a person, place, thing or idea. Examples: Mount Everest, book, horse, Peter, strength, car, Empire State Building, China, house, child Pronoun: A word that is used to take the place of a noun. Examples: I, they, their, ourselves, itself, your, my, nobody, who, which, her, we Adjective: A word that is used to describe a noun or pronoun. Examples: proud, purple, French, few, this, huge, sad, second, none Verb: A word that indicates an action, being or state or being. Examples: play, run, think, study, smell, wait, be, drive, renounce, fill Adverb: A word that is used to describe a verb which tells how, where, or when something is done. Examples: carefully, often, very, intelligently, quite, too, rarely, never Conjunction: A word that is used to join words or groups of words. Examples: and, or, but, neither, because, while, since, although Preposition: A word used indicating the relationship of a noun or pronoun to another word. Examples: in, until, of, from, after, under, beyond, across, toward Interjection: A single word used to express strong emotion. Examples: Wow! Ah! Oh! No!
ARTICLESFirst the good news: There are only three articles in English: a, an, and the. There are two types of articles indefinite 'a' and 'an' or definite 'the'. You also need to know when not to use an article.
Indefinite articles - a and an (determiners) A and an are indefinite articles. They refer to something not specifically known to the person you are communicating with.A and an are used before nouns that introduce something or someone you have not mentioned before:
For example:"I saw an elephant this morning." "I ate a banana for lunch."
A and an are also used when talking about your profession:-
For example:"I am an English teacher." "I am a builder."
You use a when the noun you are referring to begins with a consonant (b, c, d, f, g, h, j, k, l, m, n, p, q, r, s, t, v, w, x, y or z), for example, "a city", "a factory", and "a hotel". You use an when the noun you are referring to begins with a vowel (a, e, i, o, u)
E.I. ALEJANDRA CABRERA CASILLAS C.P.E. 3
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Pronunciation changes this rule. It's the sound that matters, not the spelling.
If the next word begins with a consonant sound when we say it, for example, "university" then we use a. If the next word begins with a vowel sound when we say it, for example "hour" then we use an.We say "university" with a "y" sound at the beginning as though it were spelt "youniversity".So, "a university" IS correct.We say "hour" with a silent h as though it were spelt "our".So, "an hour" IS correct.
EXERCISE A, An, The or NothingWrite a, an, the or nothing in the gaps.
1. This is ___ easy question.2. Please speak ___ little louder.3. May I have your ___ phone number?4. I have never seen ___ UFO.5. May I ask you ___ question?6. David is ___ best student in our class.
7. What is ___ name of the next station?8. He has ___ my car today.9. I went to ___ sea during my summer
vacation.10. Is there ___ public telephone near
here?
Famous People - A Quiz on Articles
Write a, an, the or nothing in the gaps.
E.I. ALEJANDRA CABRERA CASILLAS C.P.E. 4
1. Albert Einstein was ___ famous scientist.a. ab. anc. thed. X [Nothing]
2. Einstein was born in ___ Germany in 1879.a. ab. anc. thed. X [Nothing]
3. Einstein won ___ Nobel Prize in Physics in 1921.a. ab. anc. thed. X [Nothing]
4. Einstein left his country and lived in ___ States until he died in 1955.a. ab. anc. thed. X [Nothing]
5. Einstein is known for his theory of ___ relativity.a. ab. anc. thed. X [Nothing]
6. Roentgen was ___ German physicist who discovered x-rays, revolutionizing medical diagnosis. a. ab. anc. thed. X [Nothing]
7. Roentgen won ___ 1901 Nobel Prize.a. ab. anc. thed. X [Nothing]
8. Mandela was born in ___ South Africa.a. ab. an
c. thed. X [Nothing]
9. Mandela was ___ first President elected in ___ South Africa after ___ Apartheid was revoked. a. a / the / theb. the / X / Xc. a / X / thed. the / the / the
10. Mandela was imprisoned for ___ nearly 30 years for his anti-apartheid activities.a. ab. anc. thed. X [Nothing]
11. Mother Teresa was ___ Roman Catholic nun.a. ab. anc. thed. X [Nothing]
12. Mother Teresa became famous for her hard work with ___ poor.a. ab. anc. thed. X [Nothing]
13. She was ___ founder of ___ order of nuns called the Missionaries of Charity.a. a / anb. a / Xc. the / X [Nothing]d. the / an
14. Mother Teresa lived in ___ Calcutta, India.a. ab. anc. thed. X [Nothing]
15. Mother Teresa received ___ her Nobel Peace Prize in 1979.a. ab. anc. thed. X [Nothing]
PRONOUNSThere are two types of personal pronouns (subject and object):
Subject pronouns are the 'who' or 'what' the sentence is about:I, you, he, she, it, we, they are all subject pronouns
Object pronouns are the receivers of the action or they come after prepositions Adjectives are always followed by nouns and they show possession( my book, his car, our
interesting English lesson)
SUBJECT PRONOUNS (who-what the sentence is about)
ADJECTIVES (PRONOUNS)(modify the nouns showing possession)
OBJECT PRONOUNS (who-what acted upon ”receiving the action”;after prepositions)
POSSESSIVE PRONOUNS
SELF
I my_______ me mine myself You your______ you yours yourself He his_______ him his himself She her_______ her hers herself It its_______ it its itself We our______ us ours ourselves You your______ you yours yourselves They their______ them theirs themselves
WHO/WHAT/WHICH AS PRONOUNSSometimes the questions words can work aspronouns.Relative clauses with who/whichwho: when we talk about peoplewhich: when we talk about thingswhose: instead of his/her or their
We also use that for who/which.
Choose the correct reflexive pronouns and fill in the squares.
myself - yourself - himself - herself - itself - ourselves - yourselves - themselves
1) Robert made this T-shirt
2) Lisa did the homework
3) We helped to some cola at the party.
4) Emma, did you take the photo all by ?
5) I wrote this poem .
6) He cut with the knife while he was doing the dishes.
7) The lion can defend .
8) My mother often talks to .
9) Tim and Gerry, if you want more milk, help .
10) Alice and Doris collected the stickers .
Fill in the squares
am sitting on the sofa. 2) are watching TV. 3) Are from England? 4)
is going home. 5) are playing football. 6) is a wonderful day today.
7) are speaking English. 8) Is Kevin's sister? 9) are swimming in the
pool. 10) they in the cinema?
Which object form of the personal pronoun can substitute the underlined phrase in the sentence?1) The teacher always gives the students homework.
me
them
you2) I am reading the book to my little sister.
her
us
him3) The boys are riding their bikes.
it
them
her4) My father is writing a letter to John.
me
her
him
5) I don't know the answer.
she
her
it6) Sally is going to Anne.
her
him
me7) Open the window, please.
it
them
us8) Can you tell the people the way to the airport, please?
you
them
us9) The books are for Peter.
him
her
you10) Can you help my sister and me, please?
her
me
us
Fill in the squares with the correct possessive determiners. (my, his, your, our, their, etc.)
Example: I have got a sister. ___ name is Susan.
Answer: I have got a sister. Her name is Susan.Hi Daniel,
name is John. This is friend Jason. He's 12. sister is nine.
pet is a budgie. name is Dickens. Jason and I go to the same school. There are
450 boys and girls in school. Jason's form teacher is Mrs. Peterson. She has got a pet, too.
pet is a tortoise. Our form teacher is Mr. Smith. I like lessons. He has two
dogs. The dogs love to play in garden. Now I have a question for you. What's pet?
Yours,John
Choose one of the following relative pronouns who, which or whose from the dropdown menu.
1) I talked to the girl car had broken down in front of the shop.
2) Mr Richards, is a taxi driver, lives on the corner.
3) We often visit our aunt in Norwich is in East Anglia.
4) This is the girl comes from Spain.
5) That's Peter, the boy has just arrived at the airport.
6) Thank you very much for your e-mail was very interesting.
7) The man, father is a professor, forgot his umbrella.
8) The children, shouted in the street, are not from our school.
9) The car, driver is a young man, is from Ireland.
10) What did you do with the money your mother lent you?
Choose the correct pronouns.
myself, yourself, himself, herself, itself, ourselves, yourselves, themselves or each other.
Example: Michael and Henry have known __________ since 2000.
Answer: Michael and Henry have known each other since 2000.
1) Sandra and Angela haven't met for a long time.
2) My friends enjoyed very much at the concert.
3) Tim repaired his car .
4) We helped with our report.
5) People often give presents at Christmas.
6) I bought a new camera.
7) Chris, did you do the Maths homework ?
8) They looked at and smiled.
9) Ron and Tom often write e-mails to because they're good friends.
10) Ann only thinks of . She's an egoist.
NounsA noun is a person, a place, or a thing.Jimmy read a book in the park.Jimmy is a noun because it is a person's name.Book is a noun because it is a thing.Park is a noun because it is a place.
Directions: Underline the nouns in the sentences below.1. Andrew is eating a peach. (2 nouns)2. Chester flew a kite in the park. (3 nouns)3. The clock was broken. (1 noun)4. Mr. Jones corrected the test. (2 nouns)5. Six dogs ran across the sidewalk. (2 nouns)6. Michael is reading an exciting book about plants. (3 nouns)7. Molly painted a pretty picture. (2 nouns)8. Cindy played the guitar. (2 nouns)9. Jake answered the question correctly. (2 nouns)10. Adam dribbled the basketball. (2 nouns)11. Kyle munched on cookies. (2 nouns)12. Heather drove her car to work. (3 nouns)
Directions: Tell whether each noun below is a person, a place, or a thing.
1. John ______________2. cafeteria _______________3. flower _______________4. bedroom _______________5. woman _______________6. firefighter _______________
7. newspaper _______________8. Florida _______________9. breakfast _______________10. raindrop _______________11. jar _______________12. Dr. Cone _______________
Directions: Write a sentence about a turtle. Be sure the sentence has 8or more words in it. Underline all of the nouns.____________________________________________________________________________________________________________________
PLURAL NOUNSThe plural form of most nouns is created simply by adding the letter s.
more than one snake = snakes more than one ski = skis more than one Barrymore = Barrymores
Words that end in -ch, x, s or s-like sounds, however, will require an -es for the plural: more than one witch = witches more than one box = boxes more than one gas = gases more than one bus = buses more than one kiss = kisses more than one Jones = Joneses
There are several nouns that have irregular plural forms. Plurals formed in this way are sometimes called mutated (or mutating) plurals.
more than one child = children more than one woman = women more than one man = men more than one person = people more than one goose = geese more than one mouse = mice more than one barracks = barracks more than one deer = deer
And, finally, there are nouns that maintain their Latin or Greek form in the plural. (See media and data and alumni, below.)
more than one nucleus = nuclei more than one syllabus = syllabi more than one focus = foci more than one fungus = fungi more than one cactus = cacti (cactuses is acceptable) more than one thesis = theses more than one crisis = crises* more than one phenomenon = phenomena more than one index = indices (indexes is acceptable) more than one appendix = appendices (appendixes is acceptable) more than one criterion = criteria
*Note the pronunciation of this word, crises: the second syllable sounds like ease. More than one base in the game of baseball is bases, but more than one basis for an argument, say, is also bases, and then we pronounce the word basease.A handful of nouns appear to be plural in form but take a singular verb:
The news is bad. Gymnastics is fun to watch. Economics/mathematics/statistics is said to be difficult. ("Economics" can sometimes be a
plural concept, as in "The economics of the situation demand that . . . .")Numerical expressions are usually singular, but can be plural if the individuals within a numerical group are acting individually:
Fifty thousand dollars is a lot of money. One-half of the faculty is retiring this summer. One-half of the faculty have doctorates.
Fifty percent of the students have voted already.And another handful of nouns might seem to be singular in nature but take a plural form and always use a plural verb:
My pants are torn. (Nowadays you will sometimes see this word as a singular "pant" [meaning one pair of pants] especially in clothing ads, but most writers would regard that as an affectation.)
Her scissors were stolen. The glasses have slipped down his nose again.
When a noun names the title of something or is a word being used as a word, it is singular whether the word takes a singular form or not.
Faces is the name of the new restaurant downtown. Okies, which most people regard as a disparaging word, was first used to describe the
residents of Oklahoma during the 1930s. Chelmsley Brothers is the best moving company in town. Postcards is my favorite novel. The term Okies was used to describe the residents of Oklahoma during the 1930s. (In this
sentence, the word Okies is actually an appositive for the singular subject, "term.")Special CasesWith words that end in a consonant and a y, you'll need to change the y to an i and add es.
more than one baby = babies more than one gallery = galleries
(Notice the difference between this and galleys, where the final y is not preceded by a consonant.)
more than one reality = realitiesThis rule does not apply to proper nouns:
more than one Kennedy = KennedysWords that end in o create special problems.
more than one potato = potatoes more than one hero = heroes
. . . however . . . more than one memo = memos more than one cello = cellos
. . . and for words where another vowel comes before the o . . . more than one stereo = stereos
Plurals of words that end in -f or -fe usually change the f sound to a v sound and add s or -es. more than one knife = knives more than one leaf = leaves more than one hoof = hooves more than one life = lives more than one self = selves more than one elf = elves
There are, however, exceptions: more than one dwarf = dwarfs more than one roof = roofs
When in doubt, as always, consult a dictionary. Some dictionaries, for instance, will list both wharfs and wharves as acceptable plural forms of wharf. The online version of Merriam-Webster's WWWebster Dictionary should help.
Collective Nouns, Company Names, Family Names, Sports TeamsThere are, further, so called collective nouns, which are singular when we think of them as groups and plural when we think of the individuals acting within the whole (which happens sometimes, but not often).
audiencebandclasscommitteecrowd
familyflockgroupheapherd
kindlot[the] numberpublicstaff
dozen jury team
Thus, if we're talking about eggs, we could say "A dozen is probably not enough." But if we're talking partying with our friends, we could say, "A dozen are coming over this afternoon." The jury delivers its verdict. [But] The jury came in and took their seats. We could say the Tokyo String Quartet is one of the best string ensembles in the world, but we could say the Beatles were some of the most famous singers in history. Generally, band names and musical groups take singular or plural verbs depending on the form of their names: "The Mamas and the Papas were one of the best groups of the 70s" and "Metallica is my favorite band." Note that "the number" is a singular collective noun. "The number of applicants is steadily increasing." "A number," on the other hand, is a plural form: "There are several students in the lobby. A number are here to see the president."Collective nouns are count nouns which means they, themselves, can be pluralized: a university has several athletic teams and classes. And the immigrant families kept watch over their herds and flocks.The word following the phrase one of the (as an object of the preposition of) will always be plural.
One of the reasons we do this is that it rains a lot in spring. One of the students in this room is responsible.
Notice, though, that the verb ("is") agrees with one, which is singular, and not with the object of the preposition, which is always plural. When a family name (a proper noun) is pluralized, we almost always simply add an "s." So we go to visit the Smiths, the Kennedys, the Grays, etc.When a family name ends in s, x, ch, sh, or z, however, we form the plural by added -es, as in the Marches, the Joneses, the Maddoxes, the Bushes, the Rodriguezes. Do not form a family name plural by using an apostrophe; that device is reserved for creating possessive forms.When a proper noun ends in an "s" with a hard "z" sound, we don't add any ending to form the plural: "The Chambers are coming to dinner" (not the Chamberses); "The Hodges used to live here" (not the Hodgeses). There are exceptions even to this: we say "The Joneses are coming over," and we'd probably write "The Stevenses are coming, too." A modest proposal: women whose last names end in "s" (pronounced "z") should marry and take the names of men whose last names do not end with that sound, and eventually this problem will disappear.The names of companies and other organizations are usually regarded as singular, regardless of their ending: "General Motors has announced its fall lineup of new vehicles." Try to avoid the inconsistency that is almost inevitable when you think of corporate entities as a group of individuals: "General Motors has announced their fall lineup of new vehicles." But note that some inconsistency is acceptable in all but the most formal writing: "Ford has announced its breakup with Firestone Tires. Their cars will no longer use tires built by Firestone." Some writers will use a plural verb when a plural construction such as "Associates" is part of the company's title or when the title consists of a series of names: "Upton, Vernon, and Gridley are moving to new law offices next week" or "Shadrach, Meshach, Abednego & Associates have won all their cases this year." Singular verbs and pronouns would be correct in those sentences, also.The names of sports teams, on the other hand, are treated as plurals, regardless of the form of that name. We would write that "The Yankees have signed a new third baseman" and "The Yankees are a great organization" (even if we're Red Sox fans) and that "For two years in a row, the Utah Jazz have attempted to draft a big man." When we refer to a team by the city in which it resides, however, we use the singular, as in "Dallas has attempted to secure the services of two assistant coaches that Green Bay hopes to keep." (This is decidedly not a British practice. In the UK, the city or country names by which British newspapers refer to soccer teams, for example, are used as plurals — a practice that seems odd and inconsistent to American ears: "A minute's silence will precede the game at Le Stadium today, when Toulouse play Munster, and tomorrow at Lansdowne Road, when Leinster attempt to reach their first European final by beating Perpignan" [report in the online London Times].)
SPECIAL PLURALSSometimes you don't add -s or -es to a noun to make it plural.Read each sentence. Figure out the plural of the word inparenthesis and write it on the line. If you need help, look theword up in the dictionary.
1. Mrs. Jones has two ________________________. (child)2. A flock of ________________________ just flew overhead. (goose)3. Three ________________________ scurried through the kitchen. (mouse)4. Mother cut the sandwich into two ________________________. (half)
5. The dental hygienist cleaned my ________________________. (tooth)6. The ________________________ at the bus stop had umbrellas. (woman)7. Grandpa sharpened the ________________________ in the kitchen. (knife)8. Those ________________________ were making a lot of noise. (person)9. Mama bought two ________________________ of bread. (loaf)10. The ________________________ were fixing the hole in the street. (man)11. I heard a pack of ________________________ in the forest. (wolf)12. The farmer had a dozen ________________________. (sheep)
ADJECTIVESAn adjective modifies a noun or a pronoun by describing, identifying, or quantifying words. An adjective usually precedes the noun or the pronoun which it modifies.In the following examples, the highlighted words are adjectives:
The truck-shaped balloon floated over the treetops. Mrs. Morrison papered her kitchen walls with hideous wall paper. The small boat foundered on the wine dark sea. The coal mines are dark and dank. Many stores have already begun to play irritating Christmas music. A battered music box sat on the mahogany sideboard. The back room was filled with large, yellow rain boots.
An adjective can be modified by an adverb, or by a phrase or clause functioning as an adverb. In the sentence
My husband knits intricately patterned mittens. for example, the adverb "intricately" modifies the adjective "patterned."Some nouns, many pronouns, and many participle phrases can also act as adjectives. In the sentence
Eleanor listened to the muffled sounds of the radio hidden under her pillow. for example, both highlighted adjectives are past participles.Grammarians also consider articles ("the," "a," "an") to be adjectives.Possessive AdjectivesA possessive adjective ("my," "your," "his," "her," "its," "our," "their") is similar or identical to a possessive pronoun; however, it is used as an adjective and modifies a noun or a noun phrase, as in the following sentences:
I can't complete my assignment because I don't have the textbook. Demonstrative AdjectivesThe demonstrative adjectives "this," "these," "that," "those," and "what" are identical to the demonstrative pronouns, but are used as adjectives to modify nouns or noun phrases, as in the following sentences:
When the librarian tripped over that cord, she dropped a pile of books. In this sentence, the demonstrative adjective "that" modifies the noun "cord" and the noun phrase "that cord" is the object of the preposition "over."
This apartment needs to be fumigated. Here "this" modifies "apartment" and the noun phrase "this apartment" is the subject of the sentence.
Even though my friend preferred those plates, I bought these. In the subordinate clause, "those" modifies "plates" and the noun phrase "those plates" is the object of the verb "preferred." In the independent clause, "these" is the direct object of the verb "bought."Note that the relationship between a demonstrative adjective and a demonstrative pronoun is similar to the relationship between a possessive adjective and a possessive pronoun, or to that between an interrogative adjective and an interrogative pronoun.
Interrogative AdjectivesAn interrogative adjective ("which" or "what") is like an interrogative pronoun, except that it modifies a noun or noun phrase rather than standing on its own (see also demonstrative adjectives and possessive adjectives):
Which plants should be watered twice a week? Like other adjectives, "which" can be used to modify a noun or a noun phrase. In this example, "which" modifies "plants" and the noun phrase "which paints" is the subject of the compound verb "should be watered":
What book are you reading? In this sentence, "what" modifies "book" and the noun phrase "what book" is the direct object of the compound verb "are reading."
Indefinite AdjectivesAn indefinite adjective is similar to an indefinite pronoun, except that it modifies a noun, pronoun, or noun phrase, as in the following sentences:
Many people believe that corporations are under-taxed. The indefinite adjective "many" modifies the noun "people" and the noun phrase "many people" is the subject of the sentence.
I will send you any mail that arrives after you have moved to Sudbury. The indefinite adjective "any" modifies the noun "mail" and the noun phrase "any mail" is the direct object of the compound verb "will send."
They found a few goldfish floating belly up in the swan pound. In this example the indefinite adjective modifies the noun "goldfish" and the noun phrase is the direct object of the verb "found":
The title of Kelly's favourite game is "All dogs go to heaven." Here the indefinite pronoun "all" modifies "dogs" and the full title is a subject complement.
NEGATIVE FEELINGSafraidangryannoyed anxious arrogant ashamed awful badbewilderedbored condemnedconfused creepycruel
dangerous defeated defiantdepresseddisgusteddisturbeddoubtful eerie embarrassedenviousevilfierce foolishfrightened
grievingfrantic guilty helplesshungry hurt ill jealous lonelymad naughtynervous obnoxiousoutrageous panicky repulsive
safescaredshy sleepysorestrange tense terrible tiredtroubledunusual upsetuptightweary wicked
POSITIVE FEELINGS
agreeablealert amused brave bright charming cheerfulcomfortablecooperativecourageousdelightfuldetermined eager elated
enchantingencouraging energeticenthusiasticexcited exuberantfaithful fantasticfriendlyfrowningfunny gentle glorious good
happy healthy helpfulhilariousinnocent jollykind lively lovely lucky obedientperfect proud relaxed
relievedsilly smiling splendid successful thoughtfulvictoriousvivaciouswell wittywonderful
Neutral Feelings
alrightcalm different
fairfine OK
pleasant puzzled
Appearance Condition
adorablealert average beautifulblonde bloody blushing bright clean clearcloudy colourfulconcerned crowded curious cute dark dirty drab
distinctdull elegantfancy filthyglamorousgleaminggracefulgrotesque homely light misty motionless muddy plain poisedquaintscary shiny
smoggy sparkling spotlessstormy strange ugly unsightlyunusual
alivebrainy broken busy carefulcautious clever crazy damaged dead difficulteasyfake falsefamous forward fragileguilty helpful
helplessimportant impossibleinfamousinnocent inquisitive mad modern open outgoing outstandingpoor powerfulpuzzled real rich right robustsane
scary shy sleepystupid super tame thicktiredwild wrong
Adjectives
Fill in the missing words into the gaps.
Positive Comparative Superlative
sweet
plain
important
heavy
different
boring
crazy
flat
silly
exciting
Underline the adverbs1. John sat silently waiting for the bus.2. I 'm free tomorrow. Shall we meet at seven ?
3. Jane is a very slow driver. She drives her car slowly.
4. We sometimes get so confused.
5. I was especially pleased to hear that.
6. I like to watch television often.
7. Jane called the police immediately.8. Adverbs are generally grouped into five categories namely Place, Manner, Time, Frequency and Degree.
9. We will meet here after the party .
10. Tom drives slowly but safely.
11. I tasted the cake carefully .
12. He played excellently. He is clearly an excellent player.
13. Peter sang his song very quietly .
14. I know that he can type more rapidly.
VERBSVerbs are words that express actions.There are two classifications of verbs in English.First is Regular and Irregular.
Regular Verbs ListThere are thousands of regular verbs in English. This is a list of 600 of the more common regular verbs. Note that there are some spelling variations in American English (for example, "practise" becomes "practice" in American English).
accept add admire admit advise afford agree alert
allow amuse analyse announc
e annoy answer apologis
e appear
applaud appreciat
e approve argue arrange arrest arrive ask
attach attack attempt attend attract avoid
back bake balance ban bang bare bat bathe battle beam
beg behave belong bleach bless blind blink blot blush boast
boil bolt bomb book bore borrow bounce bow box brake
brake branch breathe bruise brush bubble bump burn bury buzz
calculate call camp care carry carve cause challeng
e change charge chase cheat check cheer chew
choke chop claim clap clean clear clip close coach coil collect colour comb command communi
cate
compare compete complai
n complete concentr
ate concern confess confuse connect consider consist contain continue copy correct
cough count cover crack crash crawl cross crush cry cure curl curve cycle
dam damage dance dare decay deceive decide decorate delay delight
deliver depend describe desert deserve destroy detect develop disagree disappea
r
disapprove
disarm discover dislike divide double doubt drag drain dream
dress drip drop drown drum dry dust
earn educate embarras
s employ empty
end enjoy enter entertain escape examine
excite excuse exercise exist expand expect
explain explode extend
encourage
face fade fail fancy fasten fax fear fence
fetch file fill film fire fit fix flap
flash float flood flow flower fold follow fool
force form found frame frighten fry
gather gaze glow glue
grab grate grease greet
grin grip groan guarante
e
guard guess guide
hammer hand handle hang happen harass
harm hate haunt head heal heap
heat help hook hop hope hover
hug hum hunt hurry
identify ignore imagine impress improve include
increase influence inform inject injure instruct
intend interest interfere interrupt introduce invent
invite irritate itch
jail jam
jog join
joke judge
juggle jump
kick kill
kiss kneel
knit knock
knot
label land last laugh launch
learn level license lick lie
lighten like list listen live
load lock long look love
man manage march mark marry match mate
matter measure meddle melt memoris
e mend mess up
milk mine miss mix moan moor mourn
move muddle mug multiply murder
nail name
need nest
nod note
notice number
obey object observe
obtain occur offend
offer open order
overflow owe own
pack paddle paint park part pass paste pat pause
permit phone pick pinch pine place plan plant play
pop possess post pour practise pray preach precede prefer
prevent prick print produce program promise protect provide pull
peck pedal peel peep perform
please plug point poke polish
prepare present preserve press pretend
pump punch puncture punish push
question queue race radiate rain raise reach realise receive recognis
e record reduce reflect
refuse regret reign reject rejoice relax release rely remain remembe
r remind
remove repair repeat replace reply report reproduc
e request rescue retire return
rhyme rinse risk rob rock roll rot rub ruin rule rush
sack sail satisfy save saw scare scatter scold scorch scrape scratch scream screw scribble scrub seal search separate serve settle shade share shave shelter
shiver shock shop shrug sigh sign signal sin sip ski skip slap slip slow smash smell smile smoke snatch sneeze sniff snore snow soak
soothe sound spare spark sparkle spell spill spoil spot spray sprout squash squeak squeal squeeze stain stamp stare start stay steer step stir stitch
stop store strap strengthe
n stretch strip stroke stuff subtract succeed suck suffer suggest suit supply support suppose surprise surround suspect suspend switch
talk tame tap taste tease telephon
e tempt terrify test thank
thaw tick tickle tie time tip tire touch tour tow
trace trade train transport trap travel treat tremble trick trip
trot trouble trust try tug tumble turn twist type
undress unfasten
unite unlock
unpack untidy
use
vanish visit wail wait walk
waste watch water
whirl whisper whistle
work worry wrap
wander want warm warn wash
wave weigh welcome whine whip
wink wipe wish wobble wonder
wreck wrestle wriggle
x-ray yawn yell zip zoom
IRREGULAR VERBS
Present Past Past Participle
Be(ser)
was, were (era,eran)
Been (sido)
become (convertirse en)
became (se convirtió en)
become (convertirse en)
begin (comenzar)
began (comenzó)
Begun(Comenzado)
Blow (soplar)
blew (soplaron)
blown (soplado)
break (romper)
broke (rompió)
broken (roto)
bring (llevar)
brought (trajo)
brought (trajo)
build (construir)
built (construido)
built (construido)
burst (explosió)
Burst(explosión)
burst (explisión)
buy (comprar)
bought (compraron)
bought (compraron)
catch (cojer)
Caught(capturado)
caught (capturado)
choose (elejir)
chose (eligió)
chosen (preferido)
come (venir)
Came(vino)
come (venir)
cut (cortar)
cut (cortar)
cut (cortar)
deal (negociar)
dealt (tratado)
dealt (tratado)
do (hacer)
did (hizo)
done (hecho)
drink () drank () drunk ()
drive () drove () driven ()
eat () ate () eaten ()
fall () fell () fallen ()
feed () fed () fed ()
feel () felt () felt ()
fight () fought () fought ()
find () found () found ()
fly () flew () flown ()
forbid forbade forbidden
forget () forgot () forgotten ()
forgive () forgave () forgiven ()
freeze () froze () frozen ()
get () got () gotten ()
give () gave () given ()
go () went () gone ()
grow () grew () grown ()
have () had () had ()
hear () heard () heard ()
hide () hid () hidden ()
hold () held () held ()
hurt () hurt () hurt ()
keep () kept () kept ()
know () knew () known ()
lay () laid () laid ()
lead () led () led ()
leave () left () left ()
let () let () let ()
lie () lay () lain ()
lose () lost () lost ()
make () made () made ()
meet () met () met ()
pay () paid () paid ()
quit () quit () quit ()
read () read () read ()
ride () rode () ridden ()
ring () rang () rung ()
rise () rose () risen ()
run () ran () run ()
say () said () said ()
see () saw () seen ()
seek () sought () sought ()
sell () sold () sold ()
send () sent () sent ()
shake () shook () shaken ()
shine () shone () shone ()
sing () sang () sung ()
sit () sat () sat ()
sleep () slept () slept ()
speak () spoke () spoken ()
spend () spent () spent ()
spring () sprang () sprung ()
stand () stood () stood ()
steal () stole () stolen ()
swim () swam () swum ()
swing () swung () swung ()
take () took () taken ()
teach () taught () taught ()
tear () tore () torn ()
tell told told
think () thought () thought ()
throw () threw () thrown ()
understand () understood understood
wake () woke (waked) () woken (waked) ()
wear () wore () worn ()
win () won () won ()
write () wrote () written ()
LIE versus LAY Present Past Past Participle
lie, lying (to tell a falsehood) I lied to my mother. I have lied under oath.
lie, lying (to recline)I lay on the bed because I was tired.
He has lain in the grass.
lay, laying (to put, place) I laid the baby in her cradle.We have laid the dishes on the table.
After laying down his weapon, the soldier lay down to sleep. Will you lay out my clothes while I lie down to rest?
SIT versus SET Present Past Past Participle
sit (to be seated or come to resting position)
I sat in my favorite chair. You have sat there for three hours.
set (to put or place) I set my glass on the table.She has set her books on my desk again.
Let's set the table before we sit down to rest.
RISE versus RAISE Present Past Past Participle
rise (steady or customary upward movement)
The balloon rose into the air.He has risen to a position of power.
raise (to cause to rise)They raised their hands because they knew the answer.
I have raised the curtain many times.
FILL IN THE SQUARES
The boy raised the flag just before the sun rose.
Put in the missing forms of the verbs.
Example: _____ - spoke - _______
Answer: speak - spoke - spoken
1) - went -
2) - - done
3) run - -
4) - stood -
5) see - -
6) - - come
7) have - -
8) - - lost
9) - read -
10) think - -
11) tell - -
12) - sat -
13) - - said
14) find - -
15) - left -
Write the forms of the following irregular verbs into the correct column:
saw, sink, flown, draw, stolen, gone, rung, tear, forgot, taken Infinitive Simple Past Past Participle
Find the regular verb in each line and write it into the gap.
Example: say, lose, dance, sing - _____
Answer: say, lose, dance, sing - dance
1) read, feel, play, see -
2) listen, do, go, make -
3) know, help, say, think -
4) like, write, forget, eat -
5) take, bring, cut, clean -
6) watch, be, have, meet -
7) put, buy, cook, teach -
8) catch, find, answer, lose -
9) want, tell, win, sit -
10) sell, build, drink, open -
Fill in the missing phrases into the correct gaps. Mind the spelling. Do not forget to fill in the personal pronoun.
Do NOT use contracted forms.
Simple Present Simple Past Present Perfect
it has closed
he has suffered
she washed
they swapped
he has worried
we have saved
you phoned
it stopped
they have tried
you stayed
Check
1
2
3
4 5
6
7
8
9
10
11 12
13 14
15
16
17 18
19
20
21
22
23
Check Across: 1) Past Participle of RIDE 2) Simple Past of SAY 3) Past Participle of SINK 5) Simple Past of MEAN 7) Simple Past of FIGHT 9) Past Participle of BET 10) Simple Past of SPEND 12) Infinitive of LOST 13) Infinitive of COST 14) Infinitive of TORN 17) Past Participle of SEND 18) Simple Past of HANG 21) Simple Past of THINK 22) Infinitive of WORE 23) Past Participle of FORGET Down: 1) Past Participle of RISE 2) Simple Past of SLEEP 4) Past Participle of KNOW 6) Infinitive of CAUGHT 8) Simple Past of HOLD 9) Simple Past of BECOME 10) Simple Past of SHINE 11) Past Participle of TEACH 15) Simple Past of BUY 16) Simple Past of FEEL 17) Past Participle of SHOW 19) Simple Past of GET 20) Simple Past of LIECollocations
have do makehave a bathhave a drink
have a good timehave a haircuthave a holidayhave a problem
have a relationshiphave a resthave lunch
have sympathy
do businessdo nothing
do someone a favourdo the cooking
do the houseworkdo the shopping
do the washing updo your bestdo your hair
do your homework
make a differencemake a mess
make a mistakemake a noise
make an effortmake furnituremake money
make progressmake room
make troubletake break catch
take a breaktake a chancetake a looktake a resttake a seattake a taxi
take an examtake notes
take someone's placetake someone's temperature
break a habitbreak a leg
break a promisebreak a record
break a windowbreak someone's heart
break the icebreak the law
break the news to someonebreak the rules
catch a ballcatch a buscatch a chillcatch a coldcatch a thief
catch firecatch sight of
catch someone's attentioncatch someone's eye
catch the flupay save keep
pay a finepay attention
pay by credit cardpay cash
pay interestpay someone a compliment
pay someone a visitpay the bill
pay the pricepay your respects
save electricitysave energysave money
save one's strengthsave someone a seatsave someone's life
save something to a disksave spacesave time
save yourself the trouble
keep a diarykeep a promisekeep a secret
keep an appointmentkeep calm
keep controlkeep in touch
keep quietkeep someone's place
keep the changecome go get
come closecome complete with
come directcome earlycome first
come into view
go abroadgo astraygo badgo bald
go bankruptgo blind
get a jobget a shockget angry
get divorcedget drunk
get frightened
come lastcome late
come on timecome prepared
come right backcome second
come to a compromisecome to a decision
come to an agreementcome to an end
come to a standstillcome to terms withcome to a total ofcome under attack
go crazygo darkgo deaf
go fishinggo mad
go missinggo on footgo online
go out of businessgo overseas
go quietgo sailinggo to wargo yellow
get homeget lost
get marriedget nowhere
get permissionget pregnant
get readyget started
get the impressionget the message
get the sackget upsetget wet
get worried
PHRASAL VERBSDefinition:A phrasal verb consists of a verb and a preposition or adverb that modifies or changes the meaning; 'give up' is a phrasal verb that means 'stop doing' something, which is very different from 'give'. The word or words that modify a verb in this manner can also go under the name particle. Phrasal verbs can be divided into groups:Intransitive verbsThese don't take an objectThey had an argument, but they've made up now.Inseparable verbsThe object must come after the particle.They are looking after their grandchildren.Separable verbsWith some separable verbs, the object must come between the verb and the particle:The quality of their work sets them apart from their rivals.With some separable verbs, the object can before or after the particle, though when a pronoun is used it comes before the particle:Turn the TV off.Turn off the TV.Turn it off.PREPOSITIONSPrepositions must be learned as prepositional phrases.Preposition Use - in / at / on - prepositions of placeINUse 'in' with spaces:
in a room / in a building in a garden / in a park
Use 'in' with bodies of water:in the water in the sea in a river
Use 'in' with lines:in a row / in a line in a queue
ATUse 'at' with places:
at the bus-stop at the door at the cinema at the end of the street
Use 'at' with places on a page:at the top of the page at the bottom of the
page Use 'at' in groups of people:
at the back of the class at the front of the class
ONUse 'on' with surfaces:
on the ceiling / on the wall / on the floor
on the table Use 'on' with small islands:
I stayed on Maui. Use 'on' with directions:
on the left
on the right straight on
IMPORTANT NOTESIn / at / on the cornerWe say 'in the corner of a room', but 'at the corner (or 'on the corner') of a street'In / at / on the front
We say 'in the front / in the back' of a car We say 'at the front / at the back' of buildings / groups of people We say 'on the front / on the back' of a piece of paper
INUse 'in' with static (non-movement) verbs and cities, countries, states, etc.:
stay in the USA work in New York
ATUse 'at' with static (non-movement) verbs and places:
at the cinema at work at home
TOUse 'to' with verbs of movement such as go, come, drive, etc.:
go to work drive to California
IMPORTANT NOTESThe use of ' ' (nothing)
With verbs of movement and the noun 'home' - He went home. - they drove home.
With the verb 'visit' - She visited France last summer. TIMEINUse 'in' months and years and periods of time:
in January in 1978 in the twenties
Use 'in' a period of time in the future:in a few weeks in a couple of days
ATUse 'at' with precise time:
at six o'clock at 10.30 at two p.m.
ONUse 'on' with days of the week:
on Monday on Fridays
Use 'on' with specific calendar days:on Christmas day on October 22nd
IMPORTANT NOTESin the morning / afternoon / evening - at nightWe say in the morning, afternoon or evening BUT we say 'at night'
Noun Prepositions FOR Use 'for' preceded by the following nouns:
a check for (amount of money) Example: She gave me a check for $50.
a demand for something
Example: Unfortunately, there wasn't enough demand for our product.
a need for something Example: There is a real need for discipline in this class.
a reason for something Example: I have a reason for doing that!
IN Use 'in' preceded by the following nouns:
a rise in something Example: There has been a rise in prices recently.
an increase in something Example: We have seen many increases in production levels.
a fall in something Example: There has been a fall in prices recently.
a decrease in something Example: We have seen many decreases in production levels.
OF Use 'of' preceded by the following nouns:
a cause of something Example: She is the cause of all his problems.
a photograph OR a picture of something or someone Example: He took a photograph of the mountains.
TO Use 'to' preceded by the following nouns:
damage to something Example: I did a lot of damage to my car the other day.
an invitation to a celebration of some type Example: We were invited to their wedding.
reaction to something Example: Her reaction to his behavior was quite funny.
a solution to a problem Example: He provided the solution to our financial situation.
an attitude to something (or TOWARDS something) Example: Your attitude to your problems doesn't help them get resolved.
WITH Use 'with' preceded by the following nouns:
a relationship with someone or something Example: My relationship with Mary is wonderful.
a connection with someone or something Example: His connections with the CIA are very limited.
a contact with someone or something Example: Have you had any contact with Sarah?
BETWEEN Use 'between' preceded by the following nouns:
a connection between TWO things Example: There is no connection between the two crimes.
a relationship between TWO things Example: The relationship between the two friends was very strong.
a contact between TWO things Example: There is little contact between the two parents.
a difference between TWO things Example: There is no difference between those two colors.
Use 'by' with the following nouns:to pay by check (credit card)
Example: I paid the bill by check.to do something by accident
Example: I broke the vase by mistake.
to do something by mistake Example: I'm afraid I brought the wrong book by mistake.
to do something by chance Example: I saw Jack at the supermarket by chance.
a play, song, book, etc. by someone Example: The opera 'Otello' is by Giuseppe Verdi.FORUse 'for' with the following nouns:
(to go / come) for a walk Example: Let's go for a walk.
(to go / come) for a swim Example: We went for a swim as soon as we arrived.
(to go / come) for a drink Example: Would you like to come over for a drink?
(to go / come) for a visit Example: I'd love to come for a visit sometime.
(to have something) for breakfast / lunch / dinner / supper (US English) Example: I had bacon and eggs for breakfast.
INUse 'in' with the following nouns:
to be OR to fall in love with someone Example: I fell in love with my wife at first sight.
in my opinion Example: In my opinion, we need to invest in some development.
a need for something ONUse 'on' with the following nouns:
(to be) on fire Example: Help! The house is on fire!
(to be) on the telephone / phone Example: I think Tom is on the phone at the moment.
on television Example: There is a good film on television tonight.
on the radio Example: Mahler's fifth was on the radio last night.
(to be / go) on a diet Example: I really need to go on a diet.
(to be / go) on strike Example: The sanitary engineers have gone on strike again.
(to be / go) on holiday (UK English) / vacation (American English) Example: I really need to go on vacation soon.
(to be / go) business Example: He went away this weekend on business.
(to be / go) on a trip Example: We were on a trip this past weekend.
(to be / go) a tour Example: Have you ever been on a tour of the French countryside?
(to be / go) on an excursion Example: We went on an excursion to Versailles when we were in Paris.
CONJUNCTIONSAmong the coordinating conjunctions, the most common, of course, are and, but, and or. It might be helpful to explore the uses of these three little words. The examples below by no means exhaust the possible meanings of these conjunctions.
A N D a. To suggest that one idea is chronologically sequential to
another: "Tashonda sent in her applications and waited by the phone for a response."
b. To suggest that one idea is the result of another: "Willie heard the weather report and promptly boarded up his house."
c. To suggest that one idea is in contrast to another (frequently replaced by but in this usage): "Juanita is brilliant and Shalimar has a pleasant personality.
d. To suggest an element of surprise (sometimes replaced by yet in this usage): "Hartford is a rich city and suffers from many symptoms of urban blight."
e. To suggest that one clause is dependent upon another, conditionally (usually the first clause is an imperative): "Use your credit cards frequently and you'll soon find yourself deep in debt."
f. To suggest a kind of "comment" on the first clause: "Charlie became addicted to gambling — and that surprised no one who knew him."
B U T a. To suggest a contrast that is unexpected in light of the first
clause: "Joey lost a fortune in the stock market, but he still seems able to live quite comfortably."
b. To suggest in an affirmative sense what the first part of the sentence implied in a negative way (sometimes replaced by on the contrary): "The club never invested foolishly, but used the services of a sage investment counselor."
c. To connect two ideas with the meaning of "with the exception of" (and then the second word takes over as subject): "Everybody but Goldenbreath is trying out for the team."
O R a. To suggest that only one possibility can be realized,
excluding one or the other: "You can study hard for this exam or you can fail."
b. To suggest the inclusive combination of alternatives: "We can broil chicken on the grill tonight, or we can just eat leftovers.
c. To suggest a refinement of the first clause: "Smith College is the premier all-women's college in the country, or so it seems to most Smith College alumnae."
d. To suggest a restatement or "correction" of the first part of the sentence: "There are no rattlesnakes in this canyon, or so our guide tells us."
e. To suggest a negative condition: "The New Hampshire state motto is the rather grim "Live free or die."
f. To suggest a negative alternative without the use of an imperative (see use of and above): "They must approve his political style or they wouldn't keep electing him mayor."
A University Grammar of English by Randolph Quirk and Sidney Greenbaum. Longman Group: Essex, England. 1993.
T h e O t h e r s . . .The conjunction NOR is not extinct, but it is not used nearly as often as the other conjunctions, so it might feel a bit odd when nor does come up in conversation or writing. Its most common use is as the little brother in the correlative pair, neither-nor (see below):
He is neither sane nor brilliant.
That is neither what I said nor what I meant.>It can be used with other negative expressions:
That is not what I meant to say, nor should you interpret my statement as an admission of guilt.
It is possible to use nor without a preceding negative element, but it is unusual and, to an extent, rather stuffy:
George's handshake is as good as any written contract, nor has he ever proven untrustworthy.
The word YET functions sometimes as an adverb and has several meanings: in addition ("yet another cause of trouble" or "a simple yet noble woman"), even ("yet more expensive"), still ("he is yet a novice"), eventually ("they may yet win"), and so soon as now ("he's not here yet"). It also functions as a coordinating conjunction meaning something like "nevertheless" or "but." The word yet seems to carry an element of distinctiveness that but can seldom register.
John plays basketball well, yet his favorite sport is badminton.
The visitors complained loudly about the heat, yet they continued to play golf every day.
In sentences such as the second one, above, the pronoun subject of the second clause ("they," in this case) is often left out. When that happens, the comma preceding the conjunction might also disappear: "The visitors complained loudly yet continued to play golf every day."Yet is sometimes combined with other conjunctions, but or and. It would not be unusual to see and yet in sentences like the ones above. This usage is acceptable.The word FOR is most often used as a preposition, of course, but it does serve, on rare occasions, as a coordinating conjunction. Some people regard the conjunction for as rather highfalutin and literary, and it does tend to add a bit of weightiness to the text. Beginning a sentence with the conjunction "for" is probably not a good idea, except when you're singing "For he's a jolly good fellow. "For" has serious sequential implications and in its use the order of thoughts is more important than it is, say, with because or since. Its function is to introduce the reason for the preceding clause:
John thought he had a good chance to get the job, for his father was on the company's board of trustees.
Most of the visitors were happy just sitting around in the shade, for it had been a long, dusty journey on the train.
Be careful of the conjunction SO. Sometimes it can connect two independent clauses along with a comma, but sometimes it can't. For instance, in this sentence,
Soto is not the only Olympic athlete in his family, so are his brother, sister, and his Uncle Chet.
where the word so means "as well" or "in addition," most careful writers would use a semicolon between the two independent clauses. In the following sentence, where so is acting like a minor-league "therefore," the conjunction and the comma are adequate to the task:
Soto has always been nervous in large gatherings, so it is no surprise that he avoids crowds of his adoring fans.
Sometimes, at the beginning of a sentence, so will act as a kind of summing up device or transition, and when it does, it is often set off from the rest of the sentence with a comma:
So, the sheriff peremptorily removed the child from the custody of his parents.
A SENTENCE
1. A sentence is a group of words that makes sense on its own.
2. A sentence has a subject and a predicate.3. The predicate can be formed by several words and
phrases.
Choose a subject from the box to complete each sentence.A big spiderA gray dolphinA buzzing beeMy motherMy notebook
My closetThe houseplantThe eye doctorThe space alien
1. ______________________ has lots of clothes in it.2. ______________________ looked for nectar in the flower.3. ______________________ checked my vision.4. ______________________ needs soil, water, and sunlight.5. ______________________ landed the UFO.6. ______________________ jumped in the sea.7. ______________________ was upset because I broke her favorite vase.8. ______________________ is filled with stories that I wrote.9. ______________________ spun a web in the doorway.
Choose a predicate from the box to complete each sentence.planted flowers.barked all night long.blew in the wind.fixed the sink.ate crickets.slept in her crib.drove me to school.cut the boy's hair.flew the airplane
1. The gardener ______________________________________.2. The pilot ______________________________________.3. The little puppy ______________________________________.4. The barber ______________________________________.5. James' baby sister ______________________________________.
6. The flag ______________________________________.7. The lizard ______________________________________.8. The plumber ______________________________________.9. The bus driver ______________________________________.
There are 5 Basic Sentence Patterns (affirmative)o Subject + Verb
SUBJECT VERBI run.Pete runs.They run.
o Subject + Verb + Object SUBJECT VERB OBJECTWe eat pizza.Susan studies English.I buy clothes.
o Subject + Verb + Complement
SUBJECT VERB COMPLEMENT
WHAT WHERE WHEN
I bought a book in the library yesterday.He is tired.
Susan became an engineer.They got a fabulous painting.
Will and Susan jog in the park.
o Subject + Verb + Indirect Object + Direct Object
SUBJECT VERB INDIRECT OBJECT DIRECT OBJECTI read her the news.Mother gave us our allowance.
o Subject + Verb + Object + Complement SUBJECT VERB OBJECT COMPLEMENT
WHAT WHERE WHENHe left the door open.We elected him president of the U.S.A.They named her Jane.
5 Basic Sentence Patterns (negative)o Subject + Verb
SUBJECT AUXILIARY +NOT+VERBI can’t run.Pete isn’t running.They haven’t run.
o Subject + Verb + Object SUBJECT AUXILIARY +NOT+VERB OBJECTWe don’t eat pizza.Susan doesn’t study English.
I won’t buy clothes.
o Subject + Verb + Complement
SUBJECT AUXILIARY +NOT+VERB
COMPLEMENT
WHAT WHERE WHEN
I bought a book in the library yesterday.He is tired.
Susan became an engineer.They got a fabulous painting.
Will and Susan jog in the park.
o Subject + Verb + Indirect Object + Direct Object
SUBJECT AUXILIARY +NOT+VERB
INDIRECT OBJECT DIRECT OBJECT
I chouldn’t read her the news.Mother couldn’t give us our allowance.
o Subject + Verb + Object + Complement SUBJECT AUXILIARY
+NOT+VERBOBJECT COMPLEMENT
WHAT WHERE WHENHe didn’t leave the door open.We shouldn’t have elected him president of the U.S.A.They named her Jane.
INTERROGATIVE SENTENCES PATTERNSThere are 2 kinds of questions in English: “Yes/No Answer” questions and “Complete Answers” questions.Yes/No Questions.
AUXILIARY VERB
SUBJECT MAIN VERB
COMPLEMENT ANSWER
Do you have money? Yes, I do. No, I don’t.Has he got a cell phone? Yes, he has. No, he hasn’t.
QUESTION EXPRESSION-WORD
AUXILIARY VERB SUBJECT MAIN VERB COMPLEMENT?
Where can I find a café?ANSWER: There is one on Montejo Avenue.What kind of music do you like?ANSWER: I like rock and classical music. NOTE: The “Who” can have a special pattern:WHO AUXILIARY MAIN VERB COMPLEMENT?Who can answer the phone?Who XXXXXXXXXXX wants a banana?
Simple SubjectsThe complete subject of a sentence tells who or what the sentence isabout.example: The huge, green, slimy alien from Mars waved to us.
The simple subject also tells who or what the sentence is about, but itdoesn't have all of the descriptive words. The simple subject is usually justa single noun. It’s important to be able to distinguish the simple subject in order to translate a sentence correctly.example: The huge, green, slimy alien from Mars waved to us.
EXERCISE 1Underline the complete subject of each sentence below. Then, circle the simplesubject.1. The brown and green turtle hides in its shell.2. The angry chef slammed the pots and pans.3. Every child in town wants that toy.4. The little, spotted dog wagged his tail because he was happy to see us.5. Edward's youngest brother plays the guitar very well.6. The soldier guarded the fort.7. My next-door neighbor makes the best stew in the world.8. Kim's favorite breakfast cereal was on sale this week.
EXERCISE 2Unscramble the sentences below. Write the unscrambled sentences on the lines.Draw a circle around the simple subject in each sentence.1. mother My sing loves to songs.___________________________________________________________2. wagon's broken. The wheel is red___________________________________________________________3. his bicycle. rode a with green man A jacket___________________________________________________________4. lost. is gray The stapler___________________________________________________________5. playful litter of A wiggled puppies the floor. kitchen around___________________________________________________________
Simple PredicatesThe complete predicate of a sentence tells what the subject does or is. It includes the verb and all other details that help describe what is going on.example: My mother cleaned the living room.The simple predicate is the main verb in the predicate that tells what the subject does.example: My mother cleaned the living room.
Read each sentence. Draw a line under the complete predicate. Circle the simple predicate.1. Jordan slept on the sofa.2. A tiny mosquito landed on my arm.3. The gray spider spun a beautiful web.4. The window in my bedroom blew open.5. My friends and I played lacrosse in the field behind the school.6. Sara picked up a stick from the ground.
7. The brown cow grazed in the meadow.8. Mark sneezed loudly.9. We played darts in the garage.10. Marcia baked a chocolate cake in the oven.11. The candles on the birthday cake burned brightly.12. Isabella opened up her umbrella.
CLAUSESIndependent Clause (IC)An independent clause is a group of words that contains a subject and verb and expresses a complete thought. An independent clause is a sentence. Example: Jim studied in the Sweet Shop for his chemistry quiz. (IC)
Dependent Clause (DC)A dependent clause is a group of words that contains a subject and verb but does not express a complete thought. A dependent clause cannot be a sentence. Often a dependent clause is marked by a dependent marker word. Example: When Jim studied in the Sweet Shop for his chemistry quiz . . . (DC)(What happened when he studied? The thought is incomplete.)
Dependent Marker Word (DM)A dependent marker word is a word added to the beginning of an independent clause that makes it into a dependent clause. Example: When Jim studied in the Sweet Shop for his chemistry quiz, it was very noisy. (DM)Some common dependent markers are: after, although, as, as if, because, before, even if, even though, if, in order to, since, though, unless, until, whatever, when, whenever, whether, and while.
Connecting dependent and independent clausesThere are two types of words that can be used as connectors at the beginning of an independent clause: coordinating conjunctions and independent marker words.
1. Coordinating Conjunction (CC)The seven coordinating conjunctions used as connecting words at the beginning of an independent clause are and, but, for, or, nor, so, and yet. When the second independent clause in a sentence begins with a coordinating conjunction, a comma is needed before the coordinating conjunction: Example: Jim studied in the Sweet Shop for his chemistry quiz, but it was hard to concentrate because of the noise. (CC)
2. Independent Marker Word (IM)An independent marker word is a connecting word used at the beginning of an independent clause. These words can always begin a sentence that can stand alone. When the second independent clause in a sentence has an independent marker word, a semicolon is needed before the independent marker word. Example: Jim studied in the Sweet Shop for his chemistry quiz; however, it was hard to concentrate because of the noise. (IM)Some common independent markers are: also, consequently, furthermore, however, moreover, nevertheless, and therefore.
COMPOUND SENTENCE A compound sentence contains two independent clauses joined by a coordinator. The coordinators are as follows: for, and, nor, but, or, yet, so. Except for very short sentences, coordinators are always preceded by a comma. In the following compound sentences, the first sentence is highlighted. My brother studied Education, and my sister studied Architecture. My friend was playing soccer, but I went to the cinema.
The above two sentences are compound sentences. Each sentence contains two independent clauses, and they are joined by a coordinator with a comma preceding it. Note how the conscious use of coordinators can change the relationship between the clauses
COMPLEX SENTENCE A complex sentence has an independent clause joined by one or more dependent clauses. A complex sentence always has a subordinator such as because, since, after, although, or when or a relative pronoun such as that, who, or which. In the following complex sentences, one clause is highlighted. A.He had to hand in his homework before he could check it. B. He commited many mistakes that’s why he failed his subject. C. While I went shopping, my daughter was at work.When a complex sentence begins with a subordinator such as sentences A and D, a comma is required at the end of the dependent clause. When the independent clause begins the sentence with subordinators in the
middle as in sentences A and B, no comma is required. If a comma is placed before the subordinators in these cases it is wrong.
PHRASES
Phrases are group of words that are used in sentences to help you communicate accurately. They can’t be used without a sentence and the most important are the prepositional phrases.
Into the houseOver the fenceAround the corner
Prepositions and phrases have been introduced in the preposition section of this handbook.
Tenses in EnglishIn English, there are three basic tenses: present, past, and future. Each has a perfect form, indicating completed action; each has a progressive form, indicating ongoing action; and each has a perfect progressive form, indicating ongoing action that will be completed at some definite time. Here is a list of examples of these tenses and their definitions:
Simple Forms Progressive Forms Perfect Forms Perfect Progressive Forms
Present take/s am/is/are taking have/has taken have/has been taking
Past took was/were taking had taken had been taking
Future will/shall take will be taking will have taken will have been taking
Simple FormsPresent TensePresent tense expresses an unchanging, repeated, or reoccurring action or situation that exists only now. It can also represent a widespread truth.
Example Meaning
The mountains are tall and white. Unchanging action
Every year, the school council elects new members. Recurring action
Pb is the chemical symbol for lead. Widespread truth
Past TensePast tense expresses an action or situation that was started and finished in the past. Most past tense verbs end in -ed. The irregular verbs have special past tense forms which must be memorized.
Example Form
W.W.II ended in 1945. Regular -ed past
Ernest Hemmingway wrote "The Old Man and the Sea." Irregular form
Future TenseFuture tense expresses an action or situation that will occur in the future. This tense is formed by using will/shall with the simple form of the verb.
The speaker of the House will finish her term in May of 1998.The future tense can also be expressed by using am, is, or are with going to.
The surgeon is going to perform the first bypass in Minnesota.
We can also use the present tense form with an adverb or adverbial phrase to show future time.The president speaks tomorrow. (Tomorrow is a future time adverb.)
Progressive FormsPresent Progressive TensePresent progressive tense describes an ongoing action that is happening at the same time the statement is written. This tense is formed by using am/is/are with the verb form ending in -ing.
The sociologist is examining the effects that racial discrimination has on society.Past Progressive TensePast progressive tense describes a past action which was happening when another action occurred. This tense is formed by using was/were with the verb form ending in -ing.
The explorer was explaining the lastest discovery in Egypt when protests began on the streets.Future Progressive TenseFuture progressive tense describes an ongoing or continuous action that will take place in the future. This tense is formed by using will be or shall be with the verb form ending in -ing.Dr. Jones will be presenting ongoing research on sexist language next week.
Perfect FormsPresent Perfect TensePresent perfect tense describes an action that happened at an indefinite time in the past or that began in the past and continues in the present.This tense is formed by using has/have with the past participle of the verb. Most past participles end in -ed. Irregular verbs have special past participles that must be memorized.
Example Meaning
The researchers have traveled to many countries in order to collect more significant data.
At an indefinite time
Women have voted in presidential elections since 1921. Continues in the present
Past Perfect TensePast perfect tense describes an action that took place in the past before another past action. This tense is formed by using had with the past participle of the verb.
By the time the troops arrived, the war had ended.Future Perfect TenseFuture perfect tense describes an action that will occur in the future before some other action. This tense is formed by using will have with the past participle of the verb.By the time the troops arrive, the combat group will have spent several weeks waiting.
Perfect Progressive FormsPresent Perfect ProgressivePresent perfect progressive tense describes an action that began in the past, continues in the present, and may continue into the future. This tense is formed by using has/have been and the present participle of the verb (the verb form ending in -ing). The CEO has been considering a transfer to the state of Texas where profits would be larger.Past Perfect ProgressivePast perfect progressive tense describes a past, ongoing action that was completed before some other past action. This tense is formed by using had been and the present perfect of the verb (the verb form ending in -ing).
Before the budget cuts, the students had been participating in many extracurricular activities.Future Perfect ProgressiveFuture perfect progressive tense describes a future, ongoing action that will occur before some specified future time. This tense is formed by using will have been and the present participle of the verb (the verb form ending in -ing).
By the year 2020, linguists will have been studying and defining the Indo-European language family for more than 200 years.
ADVERBS
Adverbs -- Common List in American English
An ADVERB modifies a verb. It helps to tell "how," "when" or "where" the action took place. An adverb can also modify another adverb. Such as "She ran very quickly to the store."
73. nearly 74. neatly 75. nervously 76. never 77. noisily 78. not 79. obediently 80. obnoxiously 81. often 82. only 83. painfully 84. perfectly 85. politely 86. poorly 87. powerfully
97. reluctantly 98. repeatedly 99. rightfully 100.roughly 101.rudely 102.sadly 103.safely 104.seldom 105.selfishly 106.seriously 107.shakily 108.sharply 109.shrilly 110.shyly 111.silently
121.sternly 122.successfully 123.suddenly 124.suspiciously 125.swiftly 126.tenderly 127.tensely 128.thoughtfully 129.tightly 130.tomorrow 131.too 132.truthfully 133.unexpectedl
y 134.very
1. accidentally 2. afterwards 3. almost 4. always 5. angrily 6. annually 7. anxiously 8. awkwardly 9. badly 10. blindly 11. boastfully 12. boldly 13. bravely 14. briefly 15. brightly 16. busily 17. calmly 18. carefully 19. carelessly 20. cautiously 21. cheerfully 22. clearly 23. correctly 24. courageously
25. crossly 26. cruelly 27. daily 28. defiantly 29. deliberately 30. doubtfully 31. easily 32. elegantly 33. enormously 34. enthusiastically 35. equally 36. even 37. eventually 38. exactly 39. faithfully 40. far 41. fast 42. fatally 43. fiercely 44. fondly 45. foolishly 46. fortunately 47. frantically 48. gently
49. gladly 50. gracefully 51. greedily 52. happily 53. hastily 54. honestly 55. hourly 56. hungrily 57. innocently 58. inquisitively 59. irritably 60. joyously 61. justly 62. kindly 63. lazily 64. less 65. loosely 66. loudly 67. madly 68. merrily 69. monthly 70. more 71. mortally 72. mysteriously
88. promptly 89. punctually 90. quickly 91. quietly 92. rapidly 93. rarely 94. really 95. recklessly 96. regularly
112.sleepily 113.slowly 114.smoothly 115.softly 116.solemnly 117.sometimes 118.soon 119.speedily 120.stealthily
135.victoriously 136.violently 137.vivaciously 138.warmly 139.weakly 140.wearily 141.well 142.wildly 143.yearly 144.yesterday
Grammar practice - Identify Adverbs in sentences
Identify each adverb in sentences by clicking on it. After completing this exercise click [Next Adverbs Quiz] button to get next set of sentences.Remember that an adverb is a part of speech that describes or modifies a verb, an adjective, another adverb, clause, or sentence.
Find 7 Adverbs and underline them
1. The Adverb is one of the most important parts of English Grammar.
2. An adverb typically describes a verb, adjective, or adverb. 3. An adverb can be placed anywhere in a sentence. 4. Adverbs are generally grouped into five categories namely Place,
Manner, Time, Frequency and Degree. 5. Adding the suffix -ly to an adjective commonly turns it into an
adverb. 6. Using adverbs makes your sentences more precise and interesting. 7. Fill in the words in brackets as adjective or adverb like in the
example.
Fill in the gaps with an adverb or an adjective.Example: Peter works ______ (slow).
Answer: Peter works slowly.1) He quickly reads a book. (quick)2) Mandy is a pretty girl. (pretty)3) The class is terribly loud today. (terrible)4) Max is a good singer. (good)5) You can easyly open this tin. (easy)
6) It's a terrible day today. (terrible)7) She sings the song goodly. (good)8) He is a careful driver. (careful)9) He drives the car carefully. (careful)10) The dog barks loudly. (loud)
Fill in the words in brackets as adjective or adverb like in the example.
Example: Peter works ______ (slow).
Answer: Peter works slowly.1) The bus driver was seriusly injured. (serious)2) Kevin is extremely clever. (extreme)3) This hamburger tastes awful. (awful)4) Be careful with this glass of milk. It's hot. (careful)5) Robin looks sad. What's the matter with him? (sad)6) Jack is terribly upset about losing his keys. (terrible)
7) This steak smells good. (good)8) Our basketball team played badly last Friday. (bad)9) Don't speak so fast. I can't understand you. (fast)10) Maria slowly opened her present. (slow)
PrepositionsWhile conjunctions and conjunctive adverbs typically show the relationship between two clauses, prepositions typically show connections between ideas within clauses.
UNDERLINE THE PREPOSITION AND CIRCLE THE PREPOSITIONAL PHRASE
1. The internet company finally made a profit after two years of losses2. The sailing class took the boats out despite the lack of wind.3. Some prepositions are multi-word prepositions (for example, in spite of):4. Marcia had to take a leave of absence because of illness.5. In contrast to most people on my dormitory floor, I like to go to bed early.6. In all of the examples above, the preposition is followed by a noun phrase,
which is called the "object" of the preposition. In the last two examples above, the objects of the prepositions are illness and most people on my dormitory floor.
While the object of a preposition is generally a noun phrase, prepositions can also be followed by a "gerund" instead of a noun phrase. A gerund is a VERB + ing form that behaves in many ways like a noun phrase. In the following example, the object of the (multi-word) prepositions are the gerunds swimming and cycling.In spite of studying all night, I still did badly on the midterm.
A triathlon involves swimming and cycling in addition to running.
It is important to recognize that sometimes the structure CONJUNCTION + CLAUSE can be abbreviated to PREPOSITION + GERUND. Compare the following sentence pairs:
It's not easy to communicate in sign language while you're driving.It's not easy to communicate in sign language while driving.
He had a heart attack because he worked too hard.He had a heart attack because of working too hard.
In the first pair of sentences, while in the first sentence is a conjunction that introduces the clause while you're driving; while in the second sentence is a preposition following by the gerund driving. In the second pair of sentences, because in the first sentence is a conjunction that introduces the clause because he worked so hard; because of in the second sentence is a preposition following
PREPOSITIONS
IN-TO-ON-AT (FOR PLACE)INUse 'in' with spaces:
in a room / in a building
in a garden / in a park
Use 'in' with bodies of water: in the water in the sea in a river
Use 'in' with lines:
in a row / in a line in a queue
ATUse 'at' with places:
at the bus-stop at the door at the cinema at the end of the
street
ONUse 'on' with surfaces:
on the ceiling / on the wall / on the floor
on the table Use 'on' with small islands:
I stayed on Maui. Use 'on' with directions:
on the left on the right
straight on TOUse 'to' with movement from one place to another:
I went to school. Did you go to
work? Let's go to the
shopping mall. DO NOT Use 'to' with 'home'
IN-AT-ON (FOR TIME)IN Use 'in' months and years and periods of time:
in January in 1978 in the twenties
Use 'in' a period of time in the future:
in a few weeks in a couple of
days
AT Use 'at' with precise time:
at six o'clock at 10.30 at two p.m.
ON Use 'on' with days of the week:
on Monday on Fridays
Use 'on' with specific calendar days:
on Christmas day
on October 22nd
IMPORTANT NOTES in the morning / afternoon / evening - at night We say in the morning, afternoon or evening BUT we say 'at night'
Put in the correct preposition.
Example: He concentrates __ physics.
Answer: He concentrates on physics.
1) My friend is good playing volleyball.
2) She complains bullying.
3) They are afraid losing the match.
4) She doesn't feel working on the computer.
5) We are looking forward going out at the weekend.
6) Laura dreams living on a small island.
7) Andrew apologized being late.
8) Do you agree staying in a foreign country?
9) The girls insisted going out with Kerry.
10) Edward thinks climbing trees this afternoon.
Match the phrases on the right with the verbs on the left.
hang
listen
talk
go
arrive
look
sleep
lie
wait
hide
Write the correct prepositions into the gaps.
Example: Look! The people are getting ___ the train.
Answer: Look! The people are getting on the train.
1) She was born 2004.
2) They are waiting the bus.
3) Don't forget to bring some flowers you.
4) I haven't smoked ages.
5) You can look up the word dictionary.
6) She is allergic insect stings.
7) I'm looking my keys. Have you found them?
8) The song was written Madonna.
9) He likes to travel Spain in summer.
10) The police car chased the robbers the streets.
Fill in the gaps
I'm Peter and I live Germany. summer I like to travel Italy,
because the weather and the people there. Last summer I took a plane Munich
to Rome. the airport we went to our hotel bus. We stopped a
small restaurant for a quick meal. The driver parked the bus the restaurant. Nobody could
find the bus and the driver, so we waited the restaurant one hour. The
driver was walking the small park the restaurant which we did not know. So
we were very angry him. But my holidays were great. We sat campfires and
went dancing the early mornings.
PARTS OF THE SENTENCE
SUBJECT
ARTICLE ADJECTIVE NOUNThe beautiful ladySome restless kidsThose interesting articles
VERB
AUXILIARY VERB ADVERB MAIN VERBhave never talkedcan move
always eats
COMPLEMENT
WHAT WHERE WHENpizza at home everydayengineering at universityher hair in the mornings
THE MAIN ELEMENTS OF THE SENTENCE Subject Verbs and verb phrases Modifiers (Adjectives and Adverbs) Clauses Phrases Prepositions and Prepositional Phrases
Every complete sentence contains two parts: a subject and a predicate. The subject is what (or whom) the sentence is about, while the predicate tells something about the subject.
SUBJECT VERB COMPLEMENT
WHAT WHERE WHEN
Judy and her dog run on the beach.
SUBJECT
ARTICLE ADJECTIVES NOUNThe Handsome, strong men
VERB
AUXILIARY ADVERB MAIN VERBHasn’t often gone
COMPLEMENT
WHAT WHERE WHENa toy to his daughter in the restaurant yesterday
PREPOSITIONAL PHRASES
PREPOSITION ARTICLE ADJECTIVES NOUNtowards the roaring sea
Indicate whether each sentence is simple, compound, or complex.1. Sara began planning her summer vacation in December.
1. ? Simple2. ? Compound3. ? Complex
2. Because I left the play early, I missed the surprise ending.1. ? Simple2. ? Compound3. ? Complex
3. Tanya was invited to a party, so she wants to buy a new outfit.
1. ? Simple2. ? Compound3. ? Complex
4. After Alison finished playing the video game, she shut down the computer.
1. ? Simple2. ? Compound3. ? Complex
5. Because of rain, the baseball game was postponed.1. ? Simple2. ? Compound3. ? Complex
6. For Halloween, each of the children had dressed up as a different Disney character; however, not one of them had dressed up as Mickey Mouse.
1. ? Simple2. ? Compound3. ? Complex
7. Some of the books in the library will be given to charity.1. ? Simple2. ? Compound3. ? Complex
8. After the hurricane, many of the offices needed new carpeting.1. ? Simple2. ? Compound3. ? Complex
9. The meaning of this poem is difficult to understand.1. ? Simple2. ? Compound3. ? Complex
10. Joe and his brother went fishing last weekend and caught lots of fish.
1. ? Simple2. ? Compound3. ? Complex
11. Duane doesn't think he passed the test, although he studied several hours last night.
1. ? Simple2. ? Compound3. ? Complex
12. The team had won the championship last year and was determined to win it again.
1. ? Simple2. ? Compound3. ? Complex
13. Since we bought our new wide-screen television, the prices have dropped dramatically.
1. ? Simple2. ? Compound3. ? Complex
14. My father and mother ate too much at our family reunion.1. ? Simple2. ? Compound3. ? Complex
15. Fiona became interesting in long-distance running several years ago; in fact, she ran in the New York Marathon last year.
1. ? Simple2. ? Compound3. ? Complex
Exercises in Recognizing and Correcting Sentence FragmentsExercise 1 Each numbered set of words below is set up as a complete sentence (i.e., it begins with a capital letter and ends with a full stop or question mark. Indicate which ones are indeed complete sentences (that is, all right in the present form) and which ones are incomplete (that is, are sentence fragments). See if you can identify what essential part is missing in each sentence fragment (subject, verb, predicate).1. I read the book yesterday evening after dinner. 2. While reading the book yesterday evening after dinner. 3. There is the car which ran into me on the street. 4. Which ran into me on the street. 5. For example, that man over there. 6. The woman who talked to you in the corridor is my English professor. 7. Who talked to me in the corridor. 8. Who talked to you in the corridor? 9. Considering all the factors in this case, I think that he is guilty. 10. Considering all the factors in this case. 11. That he is guilty. 12. Which was a stupid thing to do. 13. Consuming illegal drugs can be very risky. Especially hard drugs like heroin or crack cocaine.Exercise 2In each of the following groups of sentences identify the sentence fragments (note that they may not all have sentence fragments). Correct the fragment. 1. We all agreed that the accused person was guilty. Considering all the evidence. Which is the verdict the jury reached. 2. Which is the better of the two cars? For example, these two over here. 3. In the World Cup I bet money on the European countries who fought against the Germans in World War II. That is, on England, France, Holland, Scotland, and Croatia. Which turned out to be a smart plan. 4. Hamlet constantly postpones killing Claudius. As far as I can see, not having any clear excuse but always thinking about something which will enable him to avoid taking a good opportunity. 5. There are many references in this poem to the fertility of nature. For example, phrases like "fruitfulness," "harvest ready," and "ripe." 6. The experiment which I carried out last Tuesday, in which we asked fifteen people to come into the laboratory and have their reflexes measured, was a great success. 7. She said many interesting things about her adventures. That on different expeditions she had climbed Mt McKinley, paddled down the Amazon River, and gone across Africa in a balloon. 8. I don't understand the basic details of the argument. The initial assumptions and the definition of human nature being totally ambiguous. 9. Where did you camp last night? We found a place on an island in the middle of the lake. Where there was a prepared camping spot. 10. I walked into my new English class yesterday night. It was full of eager students. Who sat there waiting for me to start talking. 11. My brother always likes to take chances. Especially with extreme sports.Exercise 3Identify (by underlining) the sentence fragments in the following passage. Then rewrite the passage correcting the sentence fragments. Do not change the basic sense or attend to anything other than the fragments. I like to visit the college gymnasium regularly for exercise. There is a weight room there with lots of equipment. For example, Stairmaster machines, weights, a rowing machine, and exercise mats. I do some warm-up routines and then start on the Stairmaster. Which is a fine way to get a good cardiovascular workout. The full routine taking about forty minutes, without a break. The supervisor there gave me some good advice about the stretching
exercises. That I should hold the positions longer. Otherwise the effects do not really work well. I took her advice. Doing various yoga routines for ninety seconds each, which seems like a long time, but being worth it in the long run. Because otherwise I don't warm up properly. And I've set myself a long-term program for 30-minute sessions on the Stairmaster. Two weeks on Level 4, another two on Level 5, three weeks on Level 6, and then a month on Level 7. And then maybe holding steady on Level 8. The only thing I don't like is the music. Which often features rap lyrics full of swearwords.. I don't like to complain, but it really annoys me. Considering all the other kinds of music they could play. Which would be a lot more enjoyable. Where do some people get their musical taste?Final AdviceIf sentence fragment is an error which crops up frequently in your own style, then the most effective immediate remedy is to simplify your style drastically. Write short, clear sentences on the subject-verb-object pattern. Confine yourself to saying things as simply as possible, in sentences with relatively few words. The result may sound too simple and repetitive, but if you are still unsure how to avoid a sentence fragment, then you will have to resort to something like that in order to keep the sentences correct. Here is a sample of such a simplified style.Illegal drugs are an important social problem. Every year consumption increases. The police keep fighting the drug war. But they do not seem to succeed. Prices of drugs on the street continue to decline. Attacks on those who produce drugs have no effect. Many people are arrested. The courts send many of these to jail. But the problem continues. Maybe we should re-think what we are doing. Maybe we are just wasting our money.Notice that all the sentences have fewer than ten words. Such a style is choppy and simple, but it is clear. And it avoids creating sentence fragments.Put the words in order to make correct sentences.
1. her apple a mother baby . the gave red 2. . apple baby eat to tried the the 3. too . his small mouth was 4. . didn't teeth he and have any 5. apple brother took his the .6. trunks in woodpecker the . tree holes makes 7. hits with sharp its trunk it the tree . beak Comma Splices and Fused Sentences – Exercise 1 http://chompchomp.com/exercises.htm
Directions: Determine whether the items below are comma splices or fused sentences. 1. Julie is a real hypochondriac when her stomach hurts, she is certain that she has a bleeding ulcer, and if she has a backache, she believes that she has cancer of the spine. A. comma splice B. fused sentence
2. My cat Buster loves to nap on warm appliances when he sleeps on top of the television, his tail swipes the screen like a windshield wiper. A. comma splice B. fused sentence
3. During English class, Anthony kept flirting with RaShaunda because his behavior was keeping Shenicka from understanding the lecture, Shenicka whacked him over the head with her heavy dictionary. A. comma splice
B. fused sentence
4. In preparation for the quiz, La'Mia studied comma splices and fused sentences until she thought her brain would burst, finally, she put away her notes, convinced that she would remember the rules even on her death bed. A. comma splice B. fused sentence
5. At the back of the classroom, Nina sat with her arms crossed, glaring at her teacher, Mr. Beane, her body language indicated that English was her least favorite subject. A. comma splice B. fused sentence
6. When Matt shaved his head, his mother worried that he had joined a cult the real reason for the bald head, however, was that Matt could get more attention and sympathy from girls who thought he was sick with a dread disease. A. comma splice B. fused sentence 7. Mike loves to play computer games, especially Tomb Raider, he imagines that all of the villains are his problems, and he gets great satisfaction blasting them to bits. A. comma splice B. fused sentence 8. Cindy's mumbling often gets her in trouble just the other day, in fact, her stylist misunderstood Cindy's instructions and dyed her hair blue after Cindy asked him to trim the ends. A. comma splice B. fused sentence 9. Clyde knew that he should be saving money for next semester's tuition he spent every paycheck, however, on gold jewelry and expensive dinners for his greedy girlfriend Gloria. A. comma splice B. fused sentence 10. At the campus coffee cart, Gini makes the best drinks her sweet cream latte, a blend of vanilla ice cream and espresso, will put on the pounds, but its cool, smooth taste is worth a trip to the gym. A. comma splice B. fused sentence 11. Josie, Don's Cairn terrier, will bark at anything that moves, squirrels, wind blown leaves, passing cars, and her own shadow will start her yapping. A. comma splice B. fused sentence 12. Because his glasses were so thick, Quincy refused to get contacts, he worried that equally thick contact lenses would make him look like a bug-eyed space alien. A. comma splice B. fused sentence 13. Madison believed that the best job in the universe would be to work as a crew member on the star ship Enterprise since this job existed only on television, Madison settled for clerking at a neighborhood comic book store that sold Star Trek memorabilia. A. comma splice B. fused sentence 14. Michelle is terrified of spiders, so when she found one in the bathroom, she panicked, refusing to shower for three days to use the restroom, she drove to her neighborhood gas station. A. comma splice
B. fused sentence 15. When Jim threw his back out while helping his wife Nancy move the sofa, he feared the treatment the doctor would recommend, a week's worth of bed rest during the nicest week in April would certainly wreck Jim's golf plans. A. comma splice B. fused sentence 16. Sima was so sleepy after her marathon studying session for calculus that she ordered a triple espresso before going to class once the caffeine kicked in, Sima knew that she wouldn't doze off on Dr. Ribley. A. comma splice B. fused sentence 17. Rachel painstakingly ironed her linen shirt all the while, she was thinking how pointless this chore was since linen begins to wrinkle the moment after the last button is fastened. A. comma splice B. fused sentence 18. Jeremiah likes to put peanut butter on his pancakes instead of syrup, the smell is appealing, but I wouldn't want to eat anything so sticky that early in the morning. A. comma splice B. fused sentence 19. Clarence couldn't believe that the hardware store was selling garden rakes for only $1.99 each when he brought home twenty of them, his wife Marie just shook her head and squeezed them into a garage stuffed full of her husband's other "good buys." A. comma splice B. fused sentence 20. Orange juice, toast, and cereal might be a healthy breakfast, but Ricardo always hits the snooze button on his alarm too many times all he can grab is a stale pastry and soda. A. comma splice B. fused sentence
©1997 - 2011 by Robin L. Simmons All Rights 3. Verb Usage
VOCABULARY
Rank Word Rank Word Rank Word Rank Word Rank Word
1 the 11 it 21 this 31 or 41 so
2 be 12 for 22 but 32 an 42 up
3 to 13 not 23 his 33 will 43 out
4 of 14 on 24 by 34 my 44 if
5 and 15 with 25 from 35 one 45 about
6 a 16 he 26 they 36 all 46 who
7 in 17 as 27 we 37 would 47 get
8 that 18 you 28 say 38 there 48 which
9 have 19 do 29 her 39 their 49 go
10 I 20 at 30 she 40 what 50 me
Rank Word Rank Word Rank Word Rank Word Rank Word
51 when 61 people 71 than 81 back 91 even
52 make 62 into 72 then 82 after 92 new
53 can 63 year 73 now 83 use 93 want
54 like 64 your 74 look 84 two 94 because
55 time 65 good 75 only 85 how 95 any
56 no 66 some 76 come 86 our 96 these
57 just 67 could 77 its 87 work 97 give
58 him 68 them 78 over 88 first 98 day
59 know 69 see 79 think 89 well 99 most
60 take 70 other 80 also 90 way 100 us
Most Common Nouns in English in Alphabetical Order with Example Sentences –
age The age of my daughter is three.
air The air is quite clear today.
anger His anger knows no limits.
animal I'm not sure of the name of that animal over there in that cage.
answer He provided an excellent answer to my question.
apple I love a good red apple after dinner.
area This area is intended for recreation
arm He put his arm out for inspection.
art It would be difficult to live without art.
atom One of the smallest elements is the atom.
baby She put her baby into its crib.
back I turned my back on that outrageous man.
ball He hit the ball out of the park.
band The band played until three in the morning.
bank The bank closes at three in the afternoon.
bar Let's go to the bar and get a beer.
base He works at the base on the otherside of town.
bat If you look up there you can see a bat flying between the trees.
bear The bear is a dangerous but playful animal.
beauty The countryside is splendid in its beauty.
bell He rang the bell to signal the end of class.
bird Do you know the name of that bird on that branch?
bit Could you hand me that bit for this drill?
block He picked up the block of wood and began to work on it.
blood Look at the blood on the floor! What's happened?
blow He received a mighty blow from his opponent in the boxing match.
board Use that board over there to cover up the window.
boat He bought a new boat for his birthday.
body He left the body at the side of the road.
bone I found a prehistoric bone in the desert.
book You should read this book!
bottom You will find the coin at the bottom of the lake.
box I put the extra clothes into that box.
boy Do you see that boy over there?
branch There is a bird on that branch.
bread Could you get some bread when you go to the supermarket?
break I'll take a five minute break and then get back to work.
brother My brother lives in Seattle.
call Give me a call when you arrive.
camp I set up camp at the edge of the wood.
capital The capital of Washington state is Olympia.
captain The captain told his crew to raise the sail.
car He drove his car very fast.
card Let me give you my business card.
care She received excellent care at the hospital.
case You will find the bottle of wine in that case over there.
cat My cat is four years old.
cause I'm sure his lack of understanding was the cause of his failure.
cell The cell is one of nature's wonders.
cent If I had every cent I have wasted I would be a very rich man indeed.
century Last century was at times horrific and at times marvelous.
chair Let me get a chair and sit down.
chance If you just give him a chance you will see how capable he really is.
change I need a change in my life!
character Her character can be very frustrating at times.
chick He picked up the little chick that had just been born.
chief Just a moment, I need to speak to the chief.
child He gave the child a dime.
children We have five children!
chord The pianist played the marvelous chord.
circle Draw a circle on a piece of paper and write your ideas in it.
city Life in a city can be both wonderful and frustrating.
class He came to class late.
climb The climb to the top of the peak was challenging.
clock We need a new clock for the livingroom.
cloud The cloud appeared on the horizon and I knew it would rain soon.
coast Let's go to the coast for the weekend.
coat It's cold outside! Make sure to put your coat on.
cold The cold in this room is unbearable.
colony The British established the colony in 1876.
color That is it's true color!
column I read his latest column in the New York Times.
company He's worked for that company for over five years.
condition Has his condition improved?
consonant That is a consonant that you don't have in your language.
continent She lives on a different continent.
copy Can you give me a copy of that report?
corn This corn is so sweet! Where did you get it?
cost You can buy a used car at a low cost.
cotton Cotton is used to make many different types of clothes.
country He lives in a country where free speech is not allowed.
course I'm taking a computer course at the local college.
cover The cover of this week's issue is really shocking.
cow He has a cow that he milks every day.
crop This year's crop was excellent.
cross He hang a cross over his desk.
crowd That crowd went wild at his last statement.
cry Her cry could be heard above the crowd.
current The current is really strong in that river.
cut How did you get that cut?
dad I visited my dad last week.
dance Would you like to go to the dance with me this Saturday?
danger There is great danger in those woods.
day What a great day!
dead Many people belive the dead come back to haunt.
deal I made a deal with Smith's.
death His death disturbed her greatly.
decimal The decimal was 5/6.
degree He will soon receive his degree.
design Her design won the best project of the year award.
dictionary Look that up in the dictionary if you don't understand.
division I work in the sales division.
doctor You'd better see a doctor about that cough.
dog My daughter would love to have a dog.
dollar He paid top dollar for that car.
door Let me open the door for you.
double He was Clint Eastwood's double.
draw I lost the draw and so I have to go last.
dream She same him clearly in her dream last night.
dress She wore that pretty blue dress to the party.
drink Would you like a drink? - Maybe a gin and tonic?
drive The drive up to the canyon was beautiful.
drop The drop was almost 500 meters straight down!
duck Do you see that cute duck swimming over there?
ear Lend me an ear and I will tell you an interesting story.
earth He moved about two tons of earth this weekend.
ease The ease with which he plays tennis shows how often he plays.
east The east will always be different from the west.
edge Be careful! Don't get too close to the edge!
effect We still don't know the long term effect his actions will have.
egg Would you like your egg boiled or fried?
eight There are eight in the room.
element One important element is hard study.
end We are nearing the end of the journey.
enemy His enemy Jed attacked him.
energy She has so much energy! Just think of all the different things she does
SUFFIXES AND PREFIXES
Common Prefixes
Prefix Meaning Example
pre- beforeThey will show a sneak preview of the movie.
un- not The plot was unbelievable!
dis- not I disagree with you on that point.
re- again She will rewrite that part of the story.
mis- not I must have misunderstood her.
im- not That is impossible.
bi- two She rides a bicycle to school.
de- not The airlines are deregulated.
Common Suffixes
suffixMeaning
Example
-er doerMrs. Solomon is an outstanding teacher.
-able able to The plot was unbelievable!
-ous full of Exploring space can be dangerous.
-nessstate of being
She will filled with happiness.
-ful full of The train ride was wonderful.
-ly or -y like She talked gently.
-mentstate of
That part of government passes laws.
SUFFIXES THAT FORM NOUNS
AGE, AL, ANCE, ENCE, EE, ER, MENT, NESS
SUFFIXES THAT FORM ADJECTIVES
ABLE, AL, ARY, ISH, OUS, ING, ED
SUFFIXES THAT FORM ADVERBS
LY, WARDS, WISE
SUFFIXES THAT FORM VERBS
EN, IFY, IZE, ISE