isl english language proficiency

56
ISL M2 Identify nouns, pronouns, adjectives Parts of Speech - Nouns Top of Form node 199 'What type of noun is woman?' You probably know that a noun is a type of 'thing'. For example 'table' and 'car' are both types of nouns. Here we take a look at all the different types of nouns there are and how to spot them: concrete nouns As above, 'car' and 'table' are concrete nouns. These are the nouns which we can touch, see, feel, smell and hear. Basically, these are nouns which we are connected to our senses. 'What a delicious apple.' 'Please open the window.' 'I put it in my pocket.' proper nouns Proper nouns are the names of people and places. We use capital letters with proper nouns. 'Jack will go shopping tomorrow.' 'She comes from Russia.' 'The Nile is the longest river.' common nouns Common nouns are nouns which describe a group of objects. For example, Oxford University is a proper noun because it is the name of a place. University is a common noun because it refers to a group. Common nouns are used to describe groups of people. Coffee shops are popular.' 'He took his children to the zoo.' 'I'd rather live in the city.'

Upload: gayahsuparman

Post on 10-Apr-2018

247 views

Category:

Documents


0 download

TRANSCRIPT

Page 1: Isl English Language Proficiency

8/8/2019 Isl English Language Proficiency

http://slidepdf.com/reader/full/isl-english-language-proficiency 1/56

ISL M2

Identify nouns, pronouns, adjectives

Parts of Speech - NounsTop of Form

node 199

'What type of noun is woman?'

You probably know that a noun is a type of 'thing'. For example 'table' and 'car' are both typesof nouns. Here we take a look at all the different types of nouns there are and how to spotthem:

concrete nouns

As above, 'car' and 'table' are concrete nouns. These are the nouns which we can touch, see,feel, smell and hear. Basically, these are nouns which we are connected to our senses.

'What a delicious apple.''Please open the window.''I put it in my pocket.'

proper nouns

Proper nouns are the names of people and places. We use capital letters with proper nouns.

'Jack will go shopping tomorrow.''She comes from Russia.'

'The Nile is the longest river.'

common nouns

Common nouns are nouns which describe a group of objects. For example, Oxford Universityis a proper noun because it is the name of a place. University is a common noun because itrefers to a group. Common nouns are used to describe groups of people.

Coffee shops are popular.''He took his children to the zoo.''I'd rather live in the city.'

Page 2: Isl English Language Proficiency

8/8/2019 Isl English Language Proficiency

http://slidepdf.com/reader/full/isl-english-language-proficiency 2/56

abstract nouns

These nouns refer to things which we can't experience with our senses. Abstract nouns refer to emotions (love, hate), states (peace, beauty), concepts (faith, truth) and movements(education, progress). The following suffixes are used with abstract nouns:

-tion• -ism

• -ity

• -ment

• -ness

• -age

• -ence

• -ship

• -ability

• -acy

'He takes a lot of pride in his work.''India has an interesting culture.''Do you ever give to charity?'

collective nouns

Collective nouns refer to a group of people, animals or things.

'A flock of birds.''A herd of cattle.'

'My family is important to me.'

pronouns

Pronouns are used instead of nouns to describe people and things.

'That bag is his.''I am here.''It is good.'

countable nouns

Countable nouns can be used to describe singular nouns (car) and plural nouns (cars)

'Where is my hat?''Where are my hats?''The girl is pretty.''The girls are pretty.'

uncountable nouns

Also known as mass nouns, uncountable nouns only use the singular. They are nouns whichcan't be counted. We can use 'the' with uncountable nouns, but not 'a' or 'an'.

'Can you lend me some money?''The grass is very green.'

'I hate rain.'

Page 3: Isl English Language Proficiency

8/8/2019 Isl English Language Proficiency

http://slidepdf.com/reader/full/isl-english-language-proficiency 3/56

Parts of Speech: PronounsPronoun: a word that replaces a noun without specifying a name.

 —  He was tired.

In this sentence, he is the pronoun, replacing the name of the person who was tired (“Jack was tired”) or some other identifier (“The boy was tired”).

Antecedent: the word to which a pronoun refers.

 —Because Jack left in a hurry, he forgot his lunch.

In this sentence, Jack is the antecedent and he is the pronoun.

 

Types of Pronouns

Demonstrative pronouns: the words this, these, that , and those, which replace a noun.

 — This is unacceptable.

Indefinite pronoun: a pronoun that indicates unspecified quantities or degrees.

 — Most were appalled by the prime minister’s lies.

Intensive pronoun: a pronoun that emphasizes the word to which it refers.

 —The stars themselves use this skin cream.

Interrogative pronoun: a pronoun that initiates a question.

 — Who called this afternoon?

Objective personal pronouns: the words me, you, her , him, it , us, and them, used to indicate

that the pronoun is functioning as an object. —She was glad that he gave her his trust.

Personal pronoun: personal pronouns all fall into one of three persons, which indicate towhom the pronoun refers.

• First person: expresses the identity of the speaker.

 —  I was driving my car.

• Second person: addresses the speaker’s listener.

 — You were driving your car.

• Third person: refers to someone who is neither the speaker nor the listener.

 — They were riding in her car.

Possessive personal pronoun: a pronoun that indicates possession or ownership.

 —She was glad that he gave her its key.

Reflexive pronoun: a pronoun that refers to the subject of the sentence.

 —The cat keeps itself clean.

Relative pronoun: a pronoun that links one phrase or clause to another.

 —He would speak to whoever had answers.

Subjective personal pronoun: a pronoun that acts as a subject rather than as an object.

 — She was glad that he gave her its key.

Page 4: Isl English Language Proficiency

8/8/2019 Isl English Language Proficiency

http://slidepdf.com/reader/full/isl-english-language-proficiency 4/56

Parts of Speech: AdjectivesAdjective: a word that describes or modifies nouns and pronouns.

1. Types of adjectives

○ Demonstrative adjectives: the words this, that , these, and those, which specify

nouns. Demonstrative adjectives are similar to demonstrative pronouns, butindicate particular nouns rather than replace them.

 — This chair is more comfortable than that chair.

○ Indefinite adjectives: adjectives that refer to unspecified quantities. Similar to

indefinite pronouns, but used in relation to particular nouns.

 — Most people would rather have a few close friends than many shallowacquaintances.

○ Interrogative adjectives: adjectives that initiate questions by requesting

specification.

 — Which car do you want to take?

 — What movie did you see?

○ Possessive adjectives: adjectives that indicate ownership or possession.

 —  His t-shirt was stained with blood.

 —Julianne was frustrated; no one was sympathetic to her idea.

2. Degrees of adjectives: in comparing nouns, adjectives change by degree depending onthe number of objects being compared.

○ Positive degree: an adjective modifying a single object.

 — happy

○ Comparative degree: an adjective implying a comparison between two objects.

 — happier 

○ Superlative degree: an adjective implying a comparison among three or more

objects.

 — happiest 3. Participle: an adjective formed from a verb.

○ Present participle: describes action in the present; made by adding –ing to a

verb and using it as an adjective.

 —The running man was slower than the galloping horse.

○ Past participle: describes action in the past; takes an irregular form.

 — Grown men should know better than to throw temper tantrums.

Adjectives are words used to describe nouns.

Page 5: Isl English Language Proficiency

8/8/2019 Isl English Language Proficiency

http://slidepdf.com/reader/full/isl-english-language-proficiency 5/56

Adjectives give more information about a noun.

Use adjectives to make your writing more interesting.

"Fast, fun, new, old, red, ugly" are all

adjectives. They describe a noun.

READ THESE EXAMPLES: 

It's a fast car. It's a fun car. It's a new car.

It's an old car. It's a red car. It's an ugly car.

Adjectives can come BEFORE the NOUN(adjective + noun)

EXAMPLES: 

It's an expensive bicycle. It's a racing

bicycle. It's a red bicycle.

Adjectives can come AFTER a BE verb. (BE +adjective)

EXAMPLES: 

  The butterfly is pretty. The butterfly is

blue. Butterflies are interesting.

Nouns can also work as adjectives. A noun

can help describe an object.

EXAMPLES: 

It's a business meeting. They're having a job

interview. It's a school conference.

Page 6: Isl English Language Proficiency

8/8/2019 Isl English Language Proficiency

http://slidepdf.com/reader/full/isl-english-language-proficiency 6/56

Present participles (-ing verbs) can also

work as adjectives.

EXAMPLES: 

Baseball is an exciting game. Baseball is

interesting. It's an interesting game.

Past participles (verb 3) can also work as

adjectives.

EXAMPLES: 

 The man is tired. The exhausted man fell

asleep. He was worn out by work today.

Adjectives can be hyphenated.

EXAMPLES: 

 The computer-generated error message made

the program freeze.

My friend isn't very good at do-it-yourself 

projects.

Numbers can be used as adjectives.

EXAMPLES: 

 That's a three-ton

truck.

 The man is a thirty-seven-year-old

trucker.

In his 20-year career, he's never had an

accident.

Page 7: Isl English Language Proficiency

8/8/2019 Isl English Language Proficiency

http://slidepdf.com/reader/full/isl-english-language-proficiency 7/56

Adjectives can be used to compare things.

EXAMPLES: Cats are softer than dogs. My cat is the cutest

cat I know.

Page 8: Isl English Language Proficiency

8/8/2019 Isl English Language Proficiency

http://slidepdf.com/reader/full/isl-english-language-proficiency 8/56

Penang assembly ceiling collapses2010/05/01

By Lee Keng [email protected]

GEORGE TOWN: With just three days before the state assembly convenes on Monday, theentire ceiling above the public gallery of the building collapsed yesterday. No one wasinjured in the 3.30pm incident.

The damaged ceiling was directly above the gallery where members of the press and publicare usually seated.

State Legislative Speaker Datuk Abdul Halim Hussain, when contacted, said the incidentwould not affect the sitting starting on Monday until Thursday.

"We are waiting for a full report on the actual cause of the incident from the state PublicWorks Department."

Contrary to the state government's core governance based on the principles of Competency,

Accountability and Transparency (CAT), scores of reporters, alerted of the incident, were prevented from entering the main compound of the assembly building for more than an hour.

The entire ceiling of the public gallery at the Penang assembly building collapsed yesterday. NST picture by Ramdzan Masiam

Page 9: Isl English Language Proficiency

8/8/2019 Isl English Language Proficiency

http://slidepdf.com/reader/full/isl-english-language-proficiency 9/56

Two policemen on duty said they had instructions not to allow reporters from entering the premises. The main gates leading to the building were then closed. The cost of the damagehas yet to be estimated.

This is the second incident where the building's ceilings had collapsed.

On July 23 in 2008, parts of the ceiling at the lobby of the building collapsed forcingreporters covering the sitting to scramble to safety.

Page 10: Isl English Language Proficiency

8/8/2019 Isl English Language Proficiency

http://slidepdf.com/reader/full/isl-english-language-proficiency 10/56

1Malaysia fund for kids2010/05/01

By Aidi Amin and Evangeline [email protected]

SERDANG: Prime Minister's wife Datin Seri Rosmah Mansor has proposed the setting up of a special trust fund for children's development.

She suggested that corporate bodies channel their contributions to the fund which should benamed the 1Malaysia Children Trust.

"I urge all corporate bodies to take a new approach towards corporate social responsibility indeveloping the children's potential in this country.

"I would like to suggest that all companies allocate a part of their CSR budgets to the fund,"she said after launching DRB-Hicom Hope Camp 2010 at Universiti Putra Malaysiayesterday.

The 1Malaysia Children Trust fund would be used to improve public facilities for childrensuch as the building of a children's hospital.

Later, Rosmah, on behalf of Yayasan Harapan Kanak-Kanak Malaysia (YHKM), received acheque of RM70,000 from DRB-Hicom automotive division group director, Datuk Nik Hamdam Nik Hassan, for the camp.

She also distributed 13 computers to 12 schools and an orphanage under YHKM's community

 project.

Page 11: Isl English Language Proficiency

8/8/2019 Isl English Language Proficiency

http://slidepdf.com/reader/full/isl-english-language-proficiency 11/56

Keeping fit with

capoeira2010/04/26

MEENA [email protected]

It is more than a form of martial arts. Capoeirais a game of movement, writes MEENASREENIVASAN

THERE are hundreds of workouts and exerciseregimes, why opt for capoeira? This is a mix of 

 body and soul, dance and fight, and instrumentsand voices. Its history and culture owe much toBrazil’s fascinating hybrid of Latin, African andEuropean roots dating from early colonial times.Officially recognised as Brazil’s national sport,it has become a popular form of exercise allover the world and is catching on here as well.This is no surprise as it is considered one of themost comprehensive forms of physicalconditioning and is an integrated balance of mind, strength, rhythm, agility and harmony. If itisn’t already obvious from the superb bodies that capoeristas have, the exercise offers

impressive health benefits that include strength, flexibility, cardio, stamina and overallfitness.

Some capoeiristas are even on par with yoga practitioners in terms flexibility. They arealways moving around on their hands doing handstands, rolls and poses that build upper bodystrength. They also perform jumping kicks and movements which improve leg strength. Withconstant repetition of movements and techniques, this form of martial arts makes for a greatform of exercise and also helps develop an individual holistically. It may take a while to

 become fit but once you start taking capoeira seriously, you will surely be a picture of health.If you’d like to give capoeira a shot, or if you are curious about it, read on for some basicmoves. Capoerista trainer Rubens Carlos de Oliveira, better known as Professor Pimbal, who

teaches at Purple Yogis (www.purpleyogis.com.my) in Bangsar, Kuala Lumpur , shows ushow to get started on this “game” of movement as he calls it. Having attained a brown belt incapoeira, he affirms it as excellent for overall body toning. “I started training in capoeira atnine years old in school. It was part of the physical education, Colegio Depois, and I startedto train with my brothers and friends,” he says.

In 1995, a friend invited him to train in capoeira EBC. “I was charmed by the methods of training, techniques and focus on fight. The magic that surrounds capoeira — in the dance,fight, musicality of the instruments and energy of each person — is great!”

Page 12: Isl English Language Proficiency

8/8/2019 Isl English Language Proficiency

http://slidepdf.com/reader/full/isl-english-language-proficiency 12/56

ISL M3

Parts of speech – verbs/adverbs

Parts of Speech: VerbsBy Melissa Donovan

Verbs are action words, one of the eight parts of speech. They are also one of the twoessential components in forming a complete sentence.

In language, verbs are the most active of all the parts of speech. A well chosen verb cancommunicate action through imagery. For example, “She struts” says a lot more than “Shewalks.”

Verbs are also flexible. Add the -ing suffix to a verb to make a noun ( He revised his ownwriting  ). Verbs can also function as adjectives (We have a running dialog). Basically, youcan have a lot of fun with verbs, tweaking them to suit your own writerly purposes. But firstyou have to understand what they are and what role they fulfill.

Verbs Defined

As previously stated, a verb is one of the parts of speech and it’s an action word. The types of action that are represented by verbs are as follows:

Action: walk, run, dance, write, think, talk 

Occurrence: shimmer, breakdownState of Being: sit, sleep, be

It’s not necessary to classify verbs based on action, occurrence, and state of being. These are just examples so you can better identify verbs. Some people might say there is no action in “Iam.” However, am (a form of the verb “to be”) is most definitely an action — it’s the actionof being (from the verb to be).

Sentence Diagramming and Parts of Speech

If you’ve ever attempted sentence diagramming, you probably started out by learning toidentify nouns and verbs. For a sentence to be complete, it must contain one of each of these

two parts of speech. In sentence diagramming, the noun is the subject, and the verb is the predicate.

I write.

In the sentence “I write,” the noun/subject is “I.” The verb/predicate is “write.” This is basicgrammar and the most elementary sentence structure possible. It’s a good thing for a writer toknow.

Transitive and Intransitive Verbs

In a sentence, the verb is connected to one or more nouns. At the very least, there is a noun performing the action of the verb (I eat) or receiving the action (The cookies were eaten).

Two nouns can be impacted by the same verb (I eat cookies). The number of nouns that averb affects in a sentence is referred to as the verb’s valence or valency.

Page 13: Isl English Language Proficiency

8/8/2019 Isl English Language Proficiency

http://slidepdf.com/reader/full/isl-english-language-proficiency 13/56

Intransitive verbs have valency 1. In other words, the verb is only tied to the sentence’ssubject (I eat). I is the subject and eat is the predicate. In this sentence, eat is an intransitiveverb.

Transitive verbs have valency 2. The verb is tied to two words in the sentence – the subjectand the object (I eat cookies). I is the subject, eat is the predicate, and the word cookies is the

direct object. In this sentence, eat is a transitive verb.

All verbs must have valency. There is no such thing as a verb with zero valency. In order for there to be an action, that action has be performed or received by somebody or something. Inother words, verbs need nouns in order to exist. Even if the noun isn’t directly stated (Run!),it is implied (You run!).

Verbal Nouns

Gerunds

If you add -ing to a verb and use it as a noun, you’re using a gerund:

Reading books is fun.In the sentence above, reading (normally a verb) is used as a noun. The verb in the sentenceis “is.”

Infinitives

The infinitive form of a verb is its raw form. The classic example of an infinitive is “to be.”Other infinitives include to see, to run, to dance, etc.

Like gerunds, infinitives can function as nouns.

Running is like jogging.

To err is human.

In the example sentences above, the underlined verbs (gerunds in the first sentence, infinitivein the second) are functioning as nouns or more specifically, as verbal nouns.

Agreement

In sentences, verbs must be in agreement with the words they impact. There are several typesof verb agreement, including tense and number agreement. Other languages (such as Spanishand French) also mandate gender agreement.

What does verb agreement mean to a writer? Well, your verbs have to match up to your nouns. When it comes to agreement, English writers and speakers are lucky because we don’thave nearly as many agreements to consider as some other languages have.

Tense

Tense can be a challenge for people who are new to speaking or writing English (and for English natives learning any other language). Verb tense agreement warrants its own, lengthyarticle, so we’ll keep it simple here and just demonstrate the absolute basics.

If something happens in the past, the verb has to be in past tense. You cannot say “She waswrites” or “He is danced” (although these phrases might fit nicely in a poem). What you cansay is “She was writing” or “She wrote.” You can say “He is dancing” or “He dances.”

It’s important to learn tense and understand how to put verbs into past tense because muchwriting is done in past tense. Stories – entire novels – are often written in past tense and it’snot at all uncommon for past and present tense to both appear in a single work.

Most native English speakers naturally grasp tense, which is why we won’t get into a lengthydiscussion about it here. Mismatched verb tenses can be a giveaway of folks for whom

Page 14: Isl English Language Proficiency

8/8/2019 Isl English Language Proficiency

http://slidepdf.com/reader/full/isl-english-language-proficiency 14/56

English is a second language. It’s just one of those mistakes natives rarely make. However, ascan be seen in the poetic examples above, mixing up tense can produce some endearing

 phrases, which may be used in some types of writing, such as poetry. However, erroneoustense agreement in a formal paper or business communication is never a good idea.

Third Person, Singular, Present

The only other strict agreement in English is the third person, singular, present tense of averb, which takes an -s. That’s a mouthful, so here’s an example:

I run.

You run.

He/she runs.

They run.

We run.

For the record, what we’ve just done here is we conjugated the verb “to run.” Verb

conjugation is not much fun in English. As you can see, “run” doesn’t get conjugated all thatmuch, the only exception is when it’s attached to “he” or “she,” in which case it takes an -s.Also for the record, conjugating verbs in French or Spanish is far more exciting.

 Are there any grammar issues that you’re struggling with? Parts of speech you don’t quiteunderstand? Got questions about verbs? Participles? Types of verbs? Share your thoughts byleaving a comment.

Parts of Speech - Adverbs

Main Page: Parts of Speech 

Page Contents

1. Adverbs

1.

1. Adverbs of Manner

2. Adverbs of Place3. Adverbs of Time

4. Adverbs of Degree

5. Linking Adverbs (or conjuntival adverbs)

6. Stance

7. Adding in Positive and Negative Sentences

8. Prepositional Adverbs (or Particles)

9. Phrasal Verbs

Page 15: Isl English Language Proficiency

8/8/2019 Isl English Language Proficiency

http://slidepdf.com/reader/full/isl-english-language-proficiency 15/56

AdverbsAn adverb is a word that describes or modifies a verb, an adjective or another

adverb. The class adverb is also a home for unwanted words, which do not easily

fit into the other categories. Therefore, the words in this class are not a uniform

group.

Sometimes adverbs modify pronouns:

 Almost everyone gave something. Nearly all of them came.

Naturally, some will argue that these words are adjectives. Of course, they

function as adjectives in these sentences. Yet they are quite unlike adjectives in

other uses.

Adverbs of Manner

 These adverbs tell us how something is done. They answer the question, "How".

quickly, slowly, elegantly, rationally, thoughtfully, clumsily, expertly

For example:

He ran fast. How did he run? The word fast tells us how he ran and is an adverb.

And

He thoughtfully read the book. How did he read the book? thoughtfully tells us

how he read the book and is an adverb.

Adverbs of Place

 These tell us where the action of the verb happened. They answer the question,

"Where?"

here, there, everywhere, above, below

For example:

She went upstairs. Where did she go? And the answer is the adverb, upstairs.

Adverbs of Time

Adverbs of time often answer the question, "When".

 These tell us when something happened. They answer the question, "When?"

now, later, yesterday, immediately, generally

For example:

He received the letter yesterday. When did he receive the letter? And the

answer is the adverb, yesterday .

Page 16: Isl English Language Proficiency

8/8/2019 Isl English Language Proficiency

http://slidepdf.com/reader/full/isl-english-language-proficiency 16/56

Others refer to a period of time:

never, always, just, long

Examples:

She will never do it. Will you be long? I have just done it. We always have to

wait.

Still others, sometimes called adverbs of frequency, answer the question,

"How often?"

often, seldom, sometimes, never

For example:

He mows the lawn weekly. How often does he mow the lawn? The answer

weekly, gives us the adverb.

Adverbs of Degree

 These often modify an adjective. They answer the question, "To what extent?"

very, too, slightly, excessively, so, quite, rather

For example:

 The horse is too tired.

Linking Adverbs (or conjuntival adverbs)

Linking adverbs link the current sentence to a previous one. They are sometimes

called transition words. They differ from conjunctions, which link nouns, phrases

or clauses. Unlike a conjunction, linking adverbs can often be omitted without

making the sentence ungrammatical.

 They include:

hence, afterwards, then, nonetheless, therefore, beforehand

Words which are normally considered conjunctions, such as and , but , for , nor ,

 yet , and or are considered linking adverbs when they begin a sentence.

Conjunctions cannot be used to begin a sentence, because they link two words

or two clauses, not two sentences. But words which look like conjunctions, when

acting as linking adverbs, can be so used. For instance:

Page 17: Isl English Language Proficiency

8/8/2019 Isl English Language Proficiency

http://slidepdf.com/reader/full/isl-english-language-proficiency 17/56

She hated cricket. And she hated soccer even more. She hated cricket. She

hated soccer even more.

 And is a linking adverb not a conjunction. It, unlike a conjunction, can be omittedwithout drastically affecting the sentences. Also, unlike a conjunction, it does not

link two words or clauses, but links two sentences.

Because they link sentences, not clauses, linking adverbs are always preceded

by a full stop or a semicolon. For instance:

Bob does not like sport; hence, he isn't coming to the game. Bob does not

like sport; he isn't coming to the game.

Or

Bob does not like sport. Hence, he isn't coming to the game. Bob does not

like sport. He isn't coming to the game.

In the above sentences, we can omit the linking adverb, hence, and the

sentences remain grammatical and still make sense. (Of course, we also need to

omit the comma, and need to capitalise the first word of the sentence).

Stance

 These often show the speakers attitude or emotion and include:

probably, perhaps, surely, oddly, actually, officially, obviously, clearly, wisely,

morally, disgustingly

Adding in Positive and Negative Sentences

Some adverbs have the effect of adding or subtracting.

I went fishing. So did Harry.

I went fishing. Harry went too.

I went fishing. Harry went also.

 The adverbs so, also and too add some of the meaning of the first sentence in

the pairs above to the second one. They have the idea of in addition.

In these sentences:

 Teresa did not go. Nor did I. (I, too, did not go.)

 Teresa did not go. Neither did I.

 Teresa did not go. I didn't either .

Page 18: Isl English Language Proficiency

8/8/2019 Isl English Language Proficiency

http://slidepdf.com/reader/full/isl-english-language-proficiency 18/56

 The words nor , neither and either also have the idea of in addition (too), and are

used in negative expressions.

Words used like this include:

neither, nor, too, so, either, else, also

Prepositional Adverbs (or Particles)

Prepositional adverbs have the word form of a preposition, but function as an

adverb, that is they modify verbs, often saying where the action takes place. For

example:

• Some shady characters were hanging around.

• We stayed in.

• Put that down!

• It was living inside.

• She lives opposite.• We examined it through and through.

All the words in bold above are prepositional adverbs. They differ from

prepositions in that they modify a verb (adverbial) and they do not stand before

a noun.

Prepositional adverbs are used to form phrasal verbs. When they do this, they

change the meaning of the verb. That is, act as an adverb by modifying a verb.

For instance:

Phrasal Verbs

Example Alternative

I looked the word up. I looked up the word.

She brought up an

interesting point in the

meeting.

She brought an interesting

point up in the meeting.

Oh! Have they fallen out

[had a quarrel] again?(No object)

 They have decided to give

smoking up.

 They have decided to give

up smoking.

A verb plus prepositional adverb is a phrasal verb only when the verb's meaning

changes. Also it is often possible to place the object of the verb (if there is one)

between the verb and the prepositional adverb. Phrasal verbs differ from

prepositional verbs in the previous mentioned two ways.

See comparison of phrasal verbs and prepositional verbs.

Page 19: Isl English Language Proficiency

8/8/2019 Isl English Language Proficiency

http://slidepdf.com/reader/full/isl-english-language-proficiency 19/56

Phrasal Verbs

Phrasal verbs are composed of a verb and a prepositional adverb. The

prepositional adverb, which has the word form of a preposition, modifies the verb

and changes its literal meaning. In addition, the prepositional adverb can be

precede the object as a Noun Phrase, or follow it, as in the examples in the table

below. If the object is a pronoun, it must come before the particle (prepositional

adverb).

Phrasal Verbs

Example Alternative

 The lift has broken down. (No object)

She brought up an

interesting point in the

meeting.

She brought up it in the

meeting.

She brought an interesting

point up in the meeting.She brought it up in the

meeting.

Oh! Have they fallen out

[had a quarrel] again?(No object)

 They have decided to give

smoking up.

 They have decided to give it

up.

 They have decided to give

up smoking.

 They have decided to give

up it.

His children are grown up. (No object)

I looked the word up.

I looked it up.

I looked up the word.

I looked up it.

She put the meeting off .

She put it off .

She put off the meeting.

She put off it.

 They ran the dog over. They ran over the dog.

Page 20: Isl English Language Proficiency

8/8/2019 Isl English Language Proficiency

http://slidepdf.com/reader/full/isl-english-language-proficiency 20/56

We turned off the tv. We turned the tv off .

 The phrasal verbs, shown in bold, differ in meaning from the literal form of the

verb. They differ from prepositional verbs.

Page 21: Isl English Language Proficiency

8/8/2019 Isl English Language Proficiency

http://slidepdf.com/reader/full/isl-english-language-proficiency 21/56

ISL M4

Identify and compare simple, progressive, perfect tenses used in the text

provided.

Simple Present TenseI

sing

How do we make the Simple Present Tense?

subje

ct+

auxiliary

verb+

main

verb

do base

There are three important exceptions:

1. For positive sentences, we do not normally use the auxiliary.

2. For the 3rd person singular (he, she, it), we add s to the main verb or esto the auxiliary.

3. For the verb to be, we do not use an auxiliary, even for questions andnegatives.

Look at these examples with the main verb like:

  subjectauxiliary

verb 

main

verb 

+

I, you, we,

theylike

coffee

.

He, she, it likescoffee

.

-

I, you, we,

theydo

no

tlike

coffee

.

He, she, it doesno

tlike

coffee

.

? Do I, you, we,

they

like coffee

?

Page 22: Isl English Language Proficiency

8/8/2019 Isl English Language Proficiency

http://slidepdf.com/reader/full/isl-english-language-proficiency 22/56

Does he, she, it likecoffee

?

Look at these examples with the main verb be. Notice that there is no auxiliary:

  subjectmain

verb 

+

I amFrenc

h.

 You, we,

theyare

Frenc

h.

He, she, it isFrenc

h.

-

I amno

told.

 You, we,

theyare

no

told.

He, she, it is not

old.

?

Am I late?

Areyou, we,

theylate?

Is he, she, it late?

How do we use the Simple Present Tense?

We use the simple present tense when:

• the action is general

• the action happens all the time, or habitually, in the past, present andfuture

• the action is not only happening now

• the statement is always true

 John drives a taxi.

Page 23: Isl English Language Proficiency

8/8/2019 Isl English Language Proficiency

http://slidepdf.com/reader/full/isl-english-language-proficiency 23/56

past present future

It is John's job to drive a taxi. He does it every day. Past, present and

future.

Look at these examples:

• I live in New York.

•  The Moon goes round the Earth.

•  John drives a taxi.

• He does not drive a bus.

We do not work at night.• Do you play football?

 Note that with the verb to be, we can also use the simple present tense for situations that arenot general. We can use the simple present tense to talk about now. Look at these examplesof the verb "to be" in the simple present tense - some of them are general, some of them arenow:

Am I right?

 Tara is not at home.

 You are happy.

pastprese

nt

futur

e

 The situation is now.

 

I am not fat.

Why are you so beautiful?

Ram is tall.

past present future

 The situation is general. Past, present and

future.

Page 24: Isl English Language Proficiency

8/8/2019 Isl English Language Proficiency

http://slidepdf.com/reader/full/isl-english-language-proficiency 24/56

 

Time to fly your kite!2010/04/30

EDWIN WONG

EDWIN WONG poses how to be a pilot, engineer, weatherman all in one and in very easysteps at that

THE humble kite, or "layang layang" as many of us have come to know it, runs far deeper than meets the eye meets.

What many of us see as a leisurely, evening past time actually has a fascinating history that isas colourful as the variety of kites that can be found.

In 637, a Korean General of Silla, Kim Yu-sin, rallied his troops to defeat rebels by lofting akite with a straw man that looked like a burning ball flying through the sky.

Russian chronicles mention Prince Oleg of Novgorod using kites during the siege of Constantinople in 906 AD, where "he crafted horses and men of paper, armed and gilded, andlifted them into the air over the city; and the Greeks saw them and feared".

Apart from being used in military applications, kites have also been successfully used for scientific purposes, radio communications, power generation, as well as transportation andsports.

History An invention of the famous 5th Century BC Chinese philosophers Mozi and Lu Ban,the humble kite was first used more than 2,800 years ago in China, where materials ideal for kite building were readily available — silk fabric for sail material, fine high-tensile-strengthsilk for flying line, and resilient bamboo for a strong, lightweight framework.

The period between 1860 and 1910 became the "golden age of kiting", where they were usedfor scientific purposes, especially in meteorology, aeronautics, wireless communications and

 photography.

Materials Kites typically consist of one or more spars to which a paper or fabric sail isattached, although some, such as foil kites, have no spars at all.

Classic kites use bamboo, rattan, or some other strong but flexible wood for the spars, paper or light fabrics such as silk for the sails, and are flown on string or twine. Modern kites use

Page 25: Isl English Language Proficiency

8/8/2019 Isl English Language Proficiency

http://slidepdf.com/reader/full/isl-english-language-proficiency 25/56

synthetic materials, such as ripstop nylon or more exotic fabrics for the sails, fibreglass or carbon fibre for the spars, and dacron or dyneema for the kite lines.

Kites come in many different shapes, forms, and sizes — from flat geometric designs, boxesand other three-dimensional forms to modern sparless inflatable designs.

Designs often emulate flying insects, birds and other beasts, both real and mythical. Thefinest Chinese kites are made from split bamboo (usually golden bamboo), covered with silk,and hand painted.

On larger kites, clever hinges and latches allow the kite to be disassembled and compactlyfolded for storage or transport. Cheaper mass-produced kites are often made from printed

 polyester rather than silk.

Why fly kites? Here is a hobby that provides pleasure, entertainment and education all year long.

Pleasure that is best described by this line from Wordsworth: "My heart leaps up when I behold a rainbow in the sky." In the words of the great poet, that very same feeling will cometo us as we see our kites — the ones that we made with our hands — flying so proudly highin the sky above! Entertainment in the many hours you keep yourself engaged designing,

 building, testing, fine-tuning and seeing your kite soar away! Besides having a healthy open-air appeal, there are many educational aspects of kites.

Making a kite itself is an activity that develops skills. However simple it may seem, a kitemust be properly made if it is to fly. Far from being a toy, kites are akin to an aircraft, where

aerodynamic skills are required for a successful flight. It also introduces you to the concept of conformity with basic principles. Fail to confirm and you will experience failure.

Successful kite flying also introduces you to meteorology since the weather and flying arealways closely related. The study of the weather, especially how it affects flight patterns, isno different from how a pilot steers his/her aircraft through stormy weather.

Then of course, there is the creative element. Kite making appeals to the imagination. Thereis freedom of choice, and encourages experimentations in design.

How do kites fly? Kites are heavier than air, and yet the air supports it just as water supportsa boat.

 Not only that, air lifts kites, the same way it lifts the wings of an aeroplane, enabling the kiteto climb upwards.

Kites need a strong wind to soar. They are eager to climb and attain an overhead position, andthe greater wind pressure and stronger pull on the line will cause the kite to assume an anglethat will respond readily to the upward thrust.

In summary, a kite in flight is subject to the influence of four forces — resistance, upwardthrust, downward pull and propulsion. How's that for educational value? Lessons from the

Page 26: Isl English Language Proficiency

8/8/2019 Isl English Language Proficiency

http://slidepdf.com/reader/full/isl-english-language-proficiency 26/56

weatherman One of the most crucial factors that will determine how well your kite will soar is the weather.

The higher the clouds, the better the weather is likely to be. In particular, three factors are keyto managing the weather — movement, change and colour.

Some lessons from the weatherman When small cirrus clouds thicken and become lower, it isa sign that rain is on the way. "Cirro-cumulus" heralds the approach of rain, and on occasion,thunder. When cumulus clouds expand early in the day, it is a warning that rain will fall later.

When clouds do not thicken, and appear to be at a standstill or only moving slowly, then itmeans fine weather is expected.

Sky colours also reveal if rain is coming, where the colour of clouds are associated withchanges in the weather true to the old saying: "Red sky at night, sheperd's delight. Red sky in

the morning, sheperd's warning." A watery yellow sunset is a sign of coming rain, a brightyellow sunset is a token of approaching high wind. A golden ring around the moon is awarning that a storm is on the way.

Just as clouds are an index of weather changes, so is the wind. Remember, wind is both friendand foe to kite flyers! Although there are hundreds of different types of kites you can make,let's look at one of the easiest to make.

Pegtop KiteThe Pegtop is an easy-to-make kite with the framework comprising a simple, two-piece unit.When this is covered, and a bridle and tail is added, it is ready to fly!

1. The backbone is formed from 0.6cm by 1cm stripwood, 46cm in length and is notched atthe bottom end. It must be straight and smooth.2. For the curved top, use a flexible piece of split cane about 0.6cm in diameter and 41cm inlength, and notch it at the ends. Suitable cane may be obtained from handicraft or horticultureshops.3. The cane is curved to a bow shape, as shown. The shaping is more easily done if the caneis subjected to dry heat, such as a gas jet or electric fire. This prevents cracking or splitting.4. The bow is held in position bya bowstring, tied at each end. Use thin, strong string becauseit has to withstand considerable strain. The depth of the curve at the centre is 9cm.5. Secure the cane at its centre to the top of the backbone. Use glue and bind with strong

thread. Apply glue to the binding to prevent it from slipping. Make a neat, firm joint. Thestrength of the framework depends on this.6. The next stage is to complete the bracing of the framework. Use thin, strong string. Tie thisto one end of the curved top. From there take it to the bottom of the backbone and up to theother end of the top. This string should not be too taut as most of the strain is taken up by the

 bowstring. The framework is now complete, and is ready for covering.7. For the cover, use tissue or unbleached greaseproof paper! (For a larger size kite, sayabove 91cm, it would be better to use a lightweight cloth cover.)8. Place the framework on the paper and with a pencil, mark out the shape of the cover.Allow a margin of 3.8cm all round and cut out. At this point, the cover may be decorated.9. Attach the cover to the framework, be careful not to crease or tear the paper. Apply glue to

the backbone, and stick the cover to it and set aside for a little while for the glue to dry.10. Finally, cut narrow V-shaped slits at intervals around the margin. Apply glue to the

Page 27: Isl English Language Proficiency

8/8/2019 Isl English Language Proficiency

http://slidepdf.com/reader/full/isl-english-language-proficiency 27/56

curved top, and to the outer half of the margin. Fold this over and fasten it down around thetop and the outer strings. A 7.6cm folded reinforcing strips may be glued around the stringsand the top.The kite may be embellished with tassels or fringes. If fringes are chosen, then two loops of string are tied to the ends of the bow and the bottom of the backbone.

If tassels are chosen, they would hang from the ends of the curved top.And there you have it. Your very own kite!So next time someone tells you to “go fly your kite”, you may want to actually consider it.After all, veteran kite flyers will tell you that it’s very much like flying an airplane, only thatinstead of just being a pilot, you also get to be the engineer, designer and flight controller!

Page 28: Isl English Language Proficiency

8/8/2019 Isl English Language Proficiency

http://slidepdf.com/reader/full/isl-english-language-proficiency 28/56

Performing arts workshop for kids2010/04/30

FONG LI [email protected]

TO sing, dance and act in a drama — the freedom of expression allows a child to grow inconfidence and to discover within the ability to excel.

With this in mind, FusionExcel International will be holding a “Hope For Children” WorldDay Carnival on May 29 in Kuala Lumpur in conjunction with International Children’s Dayon June 1.

Leading up to the day itself, a musical theatre workshop will be held with West End professionals from the United Kingdom.

Children aged 8 to 18 will be exposed to the world of performing arts in the workshop.

Dance, drama and singing will be the focus as the facilitators strive to bring out the innatetalent in every child.

The workshop will follow themes from films that feature high school life. Think Glee. With30-hour rehearsals spread out before the carnival, the children will have ample time to

 prepare for a musical performance on that day.

A scene from Glee. The musical theatre workshop hopes to expose children to the world of  performing arts

Page 29: Isl English Language Proficiency

8/8/2019 Isl English Language Proficiency

http://slidepdf.com/reader/full/isl-english-language-proficiency 29/56

They will receive certificates for completion of the workshop.

Only 60 places are available, so act now. FusionExcel International will be approaching localchildren’s homes to inform them of the event and where to audition.

Auditions will be held today and tomorrow from 10am to 4pm at FusionExcel’s headquarters(Lot 8230, Jalan 222A, Section 51A, 46100 Petaling Jaya).

Call 012-203 2317 (Maggie Loo) to sign up. Children will need to sing a few lines from aself-selected song and read some dialogue given by the organisers.

Page 30: Isl English Language Proficiency

8/8/2019 Isl English Language Proficiency

http://slidepdf.com/reader/full/isl-english-language-proficiency 30/56

ISL M5

Sentence types; simple, compound, complex

Sentences: Simple, Compound, and Complex

Experienced writers use a variety of sentences to make their writing interestingand lively. Too many simple sentences, for example, will sound choppy andimmature while too many long sentences will be difficult to read and hard tounderstand.

This page contains definitions of simple, compound, and complex sentenceswith many simple examples. The purpose of these examples is to help theESL/EFL learner to identify sentence basics including identification of sentencesin the short quizzes that follow. After that, it will be possible to analyze morecomplex sentences varieties.

SIMPLE SENTENCE

A simple sentence, also called an independent clause, contains a subject and averb, and it expresses a complete thought. In the following simple sentences,subjects are in yellow, and verbs are in green.

A. Some students like to study in the mornings.

B. Juan and Arturo play football every afternoon.

C. Alicia goes to the library and studies every day.

The three examples above are all simple sentences. Note that sentence Bcontains a compound subject, and sentence C contains a compound verb.Simple sentences, therefore, contain a subject and verb and express a completethought, but they can also contain a compound subjects or verbs.

COMPOUND SENTENCE 

A compound sentence contains two independent clauses joined by acoordinator. The coordinators are as follows: for, and, nor, but, or, yet, so.

(Helpful hint: The first letter of each of the coordinators spells FANBOYS.)Except for very short sentences, coordinators are always preceded by a comma.In the following compound sentences, subjects are in yellow, verbs are in green,and the coordinators and the commas that precede them are in red.

A. I tried to speak Spanish, and my friend tried to speak English.

B. Alejandro played football, so Maria went shopping.

C. Alejandro played football, for Maria went shopping.

The above three sentences are compound sentences. Each sentence contains

Page 31: Isl English Language Proficiency

8/8/2019 Isl English Language Proficiency

http://slidepdf.com/reader/full/isl-english-language-proficiency 31/56

two independent clauses, and they are joined by a coordinator with a commapreceding it. Note how the conscious use of coordinators can change therelationship between the clauses. Sentences B and C, for example, areidentical except for the coordinators. In sentence B, which action occurred

first? Obviously, "Alejandro played football" first, and as a consequence, "Mariawent shopping. In sentence C, "Maria went shopping" first. In sentence C,"Alejandro played football" because, possibly, he didn't have anything else todo, for or because "Maria went shopping." How can the use of othercoordinators change the relationship between the two clauses? Whatimplications would the use of "yet" or "but" have on the meaning of thesentence?

COMPLEX SENTENCE 

A complex sentence has an independent clause joined by one or moredependent 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, subjects are in yellow,verbs are in green, and the subordinators and their commas (when required) arein red.

 

A. When he handed in his homework, he forgot to give the teacher the

last page.

B. The teacher returned the homework after she noticed the error.

C. The students are studying because they have a test tomorrow.D. After they finished studying, Juan and Maria went to the movies.

E. Juan and Maria went to the movies after they finished studying.

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 independentclause begins the sentence with subordinators in the middle as in sentences B,C, and E, no comma is required. If a comma is placed before the subordinatorsin sentences B, C, and E, it is wrong.

Note that sentences D and E are the same except sentence D begins with the

dependent clause which is followed by a comma, and sentence E begins withthe independent clause which contains no comma. The comma after thedependent clause in sentence D is required, and experienced listeners of Englishwill often hear a slight pause there. In sentence E, however, there will be nopause when the independent clause begins the sentence.

COMPLEX SENTENCES / ADJECTIVE CLAUSES

Finally, sentences containing adjective clauses (or dependent clauses) are also complex because they contain an independent clause and a dependent clause. The subjects, verbs,and subordinators are marked the same as in the previous sentences, and in thesesentences, the independent clauses are also underlined.

Page 32: Isl English Language Proficiency

8/8/2019 Isl English Language Proficiency

http://slidepdf.com/reader/full/isl-english-language-proficiency 32/56

A. The woman who(m) my mom talked to sells cosmetics .

B. The book that Jonathan read is on the shelf .

C. The house which AbrahAM Lincoln was born in is still standing .

D. The town where I grew up is in the United States .

Adjective Clauses are studied in this site separately, but for now it is important to knowthat sentences containing adjective clauses are complex.

CONCLUSION

Are sure you now know the differences between simple, compound, andcomplex sentences? Click QUICK QUIZ to find out. This quiz is just sixsentences. The key is to look for the subjects and verbs first.

Another quiz, this one about Helen Keller contains ten sentences.

These quiz sentences based on the short story, The Americanization of Shadrach Cohen, by Bruno Lessing.Quick Quiz: Shadrach

After each quiz, click GRADE QUIZ to see your score immediately.

Remember that with the skill to write good simple, compound, and complexsentences, you will have the flexibility to (1) convey your ideas precisely and (2)entertain with sentence variety at the same time! Good luck with theseexercises!

Page 33: Isl English Language Proficiency

8/8/2019 Isl English Language Proficiency

http://slidepdf.com/reader/full/isl-english-language-proficiency 33/56

Page 34: Isl English Language Proficiency

8/8/2019 Isl English Language Proficiency

http://slidepdf.com/reader/full/isl-english-language-proficiency 34/56

June has rented an apartment. Has June rented an apartment?

Jen has been living here since 1969. Has Jen been living here since 1969?

If there is one verb, and the verb is not a form of be, the process is more complex.

1. Add Do to the beginning of the sentence.

The Johnsons live in that house. Do the Johnsons live in that house?

2. If the main verb "carries" a third person singular s, move the s to Do, making it Does.

Jane drives a car. Do Jane drives a car? (Not finishedyet!)

Does Jane drive a car? (Goodquestion!)

3. If the main verb "carries" past tense, move the past tense to Do, making it

Did .

Joan played basketball last night. Do Joan played basketball? (Not finishedyet!)

Did Joan play basketball? (Good question!)

In conversation, most questions are asked of the second person (you) and answered inthe first (I).

A: Are you from California?

B: No, I'm from Oregon. Are you?

A: Yes, I'm from Hollywood.

B: Do you know any movie stars?

A: No, I don't go out at night.

In British English, the main verb have sometimes functions like be in questions. This isnot common in American English.

Statement Question

You have a pet ferret. Have you a pet ferret? (British)

Do you have a pet ferret? (American)

Page 35: Isl English Language Proficiency

8/8/2019 Isl English Language Proficiency

http://slidepdf.com/reader/full/isl-english-language-proficiency 35/56

Page 36: Isl English Language Proficiency

8/8/2019 Isl English Language Proficiency

http://slidepdf.com/reader/full/isl-english-language-proficiency 36/56

italicized in the following sentences.I can do it.They are leaving.I have eaten my lunch.I should have finished my homework.

To make a question using the predicate pattern, first form a yes/noquestion by inverting the subject and (first) auxiliary verb. Then, addthe appropriate wh- word to the beginning of the sentence.

(You will leave some time.) ? will you leaveWhen will youleave?

(He is doing something.) ? is he doingWhat is he doing?

(They have been somewhere.) ? have they beenWhere have they

 been?If there is no auxiliary and the verb is "be," invert the subject andverb, then add the appropriate wh- word to the beginning of thesentence.

(He is someone.) ? is heWho is he?

(The meeting was some time.) ? was the meetingWhen was themeeting?

If there is no auxiliary and the verb is not "be," add do to the beginning of the sentence. Then add the appropriate wh-questionword. Be sure to "transfer" the tense and number from the main verbto the word do.

(You want something.) ? do you wantWhat do you want?

(You went somewhere.) ? did you go ( past tense)Where did you go?

(She likes something.) ? does she like (third  person -s)What does she like?

Page 37: Isl English Language Proficiency

8/8/2019 Isl English Language Proficiency

http://slidepdf.com/reader/full/isl-english-language-proficiency 37/56

Tag questionFrom Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia

 Jump to: navigation, search

 This article does not cite any references or sources.

Please help improve this article by adding citations to reliable sources. Unsourced

material may be challenged and removed. (December 2006)

A question tag or tag question is a grammatical structure in which a declarative statement or an imperative is turned into a question by adding an interrogative fragment (the "tag"). Theterm "question tag" is generally preferred by British grammarians, while their Americancounterparts prefer "tag question".

Contents[hide]

• 1 Forms and uses

• 2 Tag questions in English

○ 2.1 Auxiliary

○ 2.2 Negation

○ 2.3 Intonation

○ 2.4 Emphasis

○ 2.5 Variant forms

2.5.1 False tag in Welsh English

• 3 Tag questions in the Celtic languages

• 4 See also

• 5 References

[edit] Forms and uses

In most languages, tag questions are more common in colloquial spoken usage than in formalwritten usage. They can be an indicator of  politeness, emphasis, or  irony. They may suggestconfidence or lack of confidence; they may be confrontational or tentative. Some examplesshowing the wide variety of structure possible in English are:

• Open the window, will you?

• She doesn't really want those apples, does she?

• You'd better stop now, hadn't you?

• So you thought it would be a good idea to reprogram the computer, did you?

• It's quite an achievement, isn't it , to win a Nobel prize!

• Oh I must, must I?

• I just adore Beethoven, don't you?

Page 38: Isl English Language Proficiency

8/8/2019 Isl English Language Proficiency

http://slidepdf.com/reader/full/isl-english-language-proficiency 38/56

• I'm coming with you, all right?

• You've been there, right?

• Easier said than done, eh?

• You went there, no?

Some languages have a fixed phrase for the tag question, such as Russian не правда ли? (nottrue?), French n'est-ce pas? ("is it not?") and German (known as "Refrainfrage") such as"nicht wahr?", "ne?", "gell?", or "oder?" . Some languages (notably English and the Celticlanguages) construct their question tags to match the preceding clause for every sentence, andare therefore quite variable: you've been here before, haven't you? You didn't buy it, did youetc.

Care should be taken by the confident speaker to make certain that any tag questions are notmistaken for a leading question.

[edit] Tag questions in English

English tag questions, when they have the grammatical form of a question, are atypicallycomplex, because they vary according to four factors: the choice of auxiliary, the negation,the intonation pattern and the emphasis.

[edit] Auxiliary

The English tag question is made up of an auxiliary verb and a pronoun. The auxiliary has toagree with the tense, aspect and modality of the verb in the preceding sentence. If the verb isin the perfect tense, for example, the tag question uses has or have; if the verb is in a present

 progressive form, the tag is formed with am, are, is; if the verb is in a tense which does notnormally use an auxiliary, like the present simple, the auxiliary is taken from the emphatic doform; and if the sentence has a modal auxiliary, this is echoed in the tag:

• He's read this book, hasn't he?

• He read this book, didn't he?

• He's reading this book, isn't he?

• He reads a lot of books, doesn't he?

• He'll read this book, won't he?

• He should read this book, shouldn't he?

• He can read this book, can't he?

A special case occurs when the main verb is to be in a simple tense. Here the tag questionrepeats the main verb, not an auxiliary:

• This is a book, isn't it?

(Not doesn't it?, as the normal rules for present simple would suggest.)

If the main verb is to have, either solution is possible:

• He has a book, hasn't he?

• He has a book, doesn't he?

[edit] Negation

English tag questions may contain a negation, but need not. When there is no specialemphasis, the rule of thumb often applies that a positive sentence has a negative tag and vice

versa:

Page 39: Isl English Language Proficiency

8/8/2019 Isl English Language Proficiency

http://slidepdf.com/reader/full/isl-english-language-proficiency 39/56

• She is French, isn't she?

• She's not French, is she?

These are sometimes called "balanced tag questions". However, it has been estimated that innormal conversation, as many as 40%-50%[1] of tags break this rule. "Unbalanced tagquestions" (positive to positive or negative to negative) may be used for ironic or confrontational effects:

• Do listen, will you?

• Oh, I'm lazy, am I?

•  Jack: I refuse to spend Sunday at your mother's house! Jill: Oh you do, do you? We'll see about that!

•  Jack: I just won't go back! Jill: Oh you won't, won't you?

Patterns of negation can show regional variations. In North East Scotland, for example, positive to positive is used when no special effect is desired:

• This pizza's fine, is it? (standard English: This pizza's delicious, isn't it?)

 Note the following variations in the negation when the auxiliary is the I form of the copula:

• England (and America, Australia, etc.): Clever, aren't I?

• Scotland/Northern Ireland: Clever, amn't I?

• nonstandard dialects: Clever, ain't I?

[edit] Intonation

English tag questions can have a rising or a falling intonation pattern. This is contrasted withPolish, French or German, for example, where all tags rise. As a rule, the English rising

 pattern is used when soliciting information or motivating an action, that is, when some sort of 

response is required. Since normal English yes/no questions have rising patterns (e.g. Are youcoming?), these tags make a grammatical statement into a real question:

• You're coming, aren't you?

• Do listen, will you?

• Let's have a beer, shall we?

The falling pattern is used to underline a statement. The statement itself ends with a falling pattern, and the tag sounds like an echo, strengthening the pattern. Most English tag questionshave this falling pattern.

• He doesn't know what he's doing, does he?

This is really boring, isn't it?Sometimes the rising tag goes with the positive to positive pattern to create a confrontationaleffect:

• He was the best in the class, was he? (rising: the speaker is challengingthis thesis, or perhaps expressing surprised interest)

• He was the best in the class, wasn't he? (falling: the speaker holds thisopinion)

• Be careful, will you? (rising: expresses irritation)

• Take care, won't you? (falling: expresses concern)

Sometimes the same words may have different patterns depending on the situation or implication.

Page 40: Isl English Language Proficiency

8/8/2019 Isl English Language Proficiency

http://slidepdf.com/reader/full/isl-english-language-proficiency 40/56

• You don't remember my name, do you? (rising: expresses surprise)

• You don't remember my name, do you? (falling: expresses amusement orresignation)

• Your name's Mary, isn't it? (rising: expresses uncertainty)

Your name's Mary, isn't it? (falling: expresses confidence)It is interesting that as an all-purpose tag the London set-phrase innit (for "isn't it") is onlyused with falling patterns:

• He doesn't know what he's doing, innit?

• He was the best in the class, innit?

On the other hand, the adverbial tag questions (alright? OK? etc.) are almost always foundwith rising patterns. An occasional exception is surely.

[edit] Emphasis

English tag questions are normally stressed on the verb, but the stress is on the pronoun if 

there is a change of person.

• I don't like peas, do you?

• I like peas, don't you?

This is often a rising tag (especially when the tag contains no negation), or the intonation pattern may be the typically English fall-rise.

In French, this would be expressed with et toi?, which is also a kind of tag question.

[edit] Variant forms

There are a number of variant forms that exist in particular dialects of English. These are

generally invariant, regardless of verb, person or negativity.The tag right? is essentially equivalent to the Spanish ¿verdad?. It is common in a number of dialects across the UK and US.

The tag eh? is of Scottish origin, and can be heard across much of Scotland, New Zealand,Canada and the North-Eastern United States. In Central Scotland (in and around Stirling andFalkirk), this exists in the form eh no? which is again invariant.

 [ edit  ] False tag in Welsh English

It is often erroneously assumed that Welsh speakers of English use a tag question to make anemphatic statement, eg: Lovely day, isn't it?

However, this is instead a cleft sentence of the form: Lovely day, is in it.This has its roots in the Welsh language, and this type of cleft features in all extant Celticlanguages. The lack of verb at the start of this construction coupled with the lack of risingintonation mark this as distinct from tag questions, which are used in Welsh English in thesame manner as the majority of the UK.

Page 41: Isl English Language Proficiency

8/8/2019 Isl English Language Proficiency

http://slidepdf.com/reader/full/isl-english-language-proficiency 41/56

WEEK 2

Page 42: Isl English Language Proficiency

8/8/2019 Isl English Language Proficiency

http://slidepdf.com/reader/full/isl-english-language-proficiency 42/56

WEEK 3

Page 43: Isl English Language Proficiency

8/8/2019 Isl English Language Proficiency

http://slidepdf.com/reader/full/isl-english-language-proficiency 43/56

WEEK 4

Page 44: Isl English Language Proficiency

8/8/2019 Isl English Language Proficiency

http://slidepdf.com/reader/full/isl-english-language-proficiency 44/56

WEEK 5

Page 45: Isl English Language Proficiency

8/8/2019 Isl English Language Proficiency

http://slidepdf.com/reader/full/isl-english-language-proficiency 45/56

WEEK 6

Page 46: Isl English Language Proficiency

8/8/2019 Isl English Language Proficiency

http://slidepdf.com/reader/full/isl-english-language-proficiency 46/56

WEEK 7

Page 47: Isl English Language Proficiency

8/8/2019 Isl English Language Proficiency

http://slidepdf.com/reader/full/isl-english-language-proficiency 47/56

WEEK 8

Page 48: Isl English Language Proficiency

8/8/2019 Isl English Language Proficiency

http://slidepdf.com/reader/full/isl-english-language-proficiency 48/56

WEEK 9

Page 49: Isl English Language Proficiency

8/8/2019 Isl English Language Proficiency

http://slidepdf.com/reader/full/isl-english-language-proficiency 49/56

WEEK 10

Page 50: Isl English Language Proficiency

8/8/2019 Isl English Language Proficiency

http://slidepdf.com/reader/full/isl-english-language-proficiency 50/56

WEEK 13

Page 51: Isl English Language Proficiency

8/8/2019 Isl English Language Proficiency

http://slidepdf.com/reader/full/isl-english-language-proficiency 51/56

WEEK 14

Page 52: Isl English Language Proficiency

8/8/2019 Isl English Language Proficiency

http://slidepdf.com/reader/full/isl-english-language-proficiency 52/56

WEEK 15

Page 53: Isl English Language Proficiency

8/8/2019 Isl English Language Proficiency

http://slidepdf.com/reader/full/isl-english-language-proficiency 53/56

WEEK 16

Page 54: Isl English Language Proficiency

8/8/2019 Isl English Language Proficiency

http://slidepdf.com/reader/full/isl-english-language-proficiency 54/56

WEEK 17

Page 55: Isl English Language Proficiency

8/8/2019 Isl English Language Proficiency

http://slidepdf.com/reader/full/isl-english-language-proficiency 55/56

WEEK 18

Page 56: Isl English Language Proficiency

8/8/2019 Isl English Language Proficiency

http://slidepdf.com/reader/full/isl-english-language-proficiency 56/56