Grammar

Introductory it: exercise

Introductory it: exercise It can be used in ‘cleft sentences’ with who- and that-clauses to emphasize one part of a sentence. Study the following sentence. My mother took John to the theater yesterday. It was my mother who took John to the theater yesterday. (Emphasis on ‘my mother’) It was John that my mother took to the theater yesterday. (Emphasis on ‘Peter’) Rewrite the following sentences using it. 1. John threw the book into the......

Position of subordinate clauses A subordinating conjunction and its clause can go either before or after the main clause (depending on what is to be emphasized). If you need money, just let me know. Just let me know if you need money. Although the necklace was expensive, she bought it. She bought the necklace although it was expensive. Because she was too angry, she tore up the letter. She tore up the letter because she was too angry. I......

Expressions without prepositions Some common expressions are used without prepositions. Verbs without prepositions Some verbs are normally followed by direct objects without prepositions. Examples are: enter, discuss, marry, lack, resemble, approach etc. We entered the compound. (NOT We entered into the compound.) Let’s discuss your plans. (NOT Let’s discuss about your plans.) She lacks tact. (NOT She lacks in tact.) The baby resembles its......

Grammar terms with M Main clause A clause which is capable of making a complete sentence by itself. A sentence must have at least one main clause. A simple sentence consists of only a single main clause. Example: John wrote a letter. In a compound sentence, there are two main clauses connected by and. Susie cooked dinner and Jane washed the clothes. Malapropism The use of a wrong word, often especially when another word of similar sound......

Uses of that That can be used as an adjective and a pronoun. It is the singular form of those. Compare: Look at that man over there. Look at those men over there. As an adjective that can refer to either people or things. This photograph is much better than that photograph. That boy says that he is tired. When that is used as a pronoun without a noun, it can only refer to things. Compare: Look at that photograph. OR Look at that. Ask......

Shall and will exercise Fill in the blanks using will or shall. 1. ……………………… the messenger wait for the reply? 2. …………………….. I carry this bag for you? 3. He …………………………. be talking all the time without doing anything. 4. This machine …………………….. work well without giving you any trouble. 5. ……………………….. you give me your dictionary? 6. ……………………… you be kind enough to lend me your car? 7. On receipt of this letter you ……………………….. leave for Mumbai......

The qualifying infinitive The qualifying infinitive may be used: 1) to qualify a noun like an adjective Give me something to drink. Give me a chair to sit. It was a sight to see. This is a thing to admire. 2) to qualify a verb like an adverb I came to see you. We are going to play the match. It is going to rain. 3) to qualify an adjective like an adverb The book is nice to read. This picture is beautiful to look at. 4) to qualify a......

Uses of the participle – part II Participles are also used in absolute phrases with a noun or pronoun going before them. God willing, we shall meet again.The fog having lifted, the plane took off. Notes: Each of these absolute phrases can be transformed into a subordinate clause. If God is willing, we shall meet again.When the fog had lifted, the plane took off. A common error As the participle is a verbal adjective it should......

Singular and plural nouns The label number refers to the grammatical category which relates to the number of countable objects in the world. In English, number is important with nouns. An English noun exhibits a two-way distinction of number: a singular form and a plural form. The singular form denotes one of something. Examples are: tree, cat, flower, girl, boy etc. The plural form denotes two or more of something. Examples are:......

Verbs not used in progressive forms Some verbs are not used in progressive forms. I love you. (NOT I am loving you.) I like this color. (NOT I am liking this color.) I rang her up because I wanted to speak. (NOT I rang her up because I was wanting to speak.) Many of these non-progressive verbs refer to states rather than actions. Common non-progressive verbs Here is a list of some common verbs which are......

More about noun clauses – part 2 A noun clause can be used in apposition to a noun or a pronoun. Study the following sentences. Your statement that you didn’t take the money can’t be believed. His belief that someday he would succeed cheered him through his failures. The news that he is alive made us happy. The belief that the soul is immortal is almost universal. Noun clause as the complement......

Articles with countable and uncountable nouns Countable nouns are the names of separate people or objects which we can count. Uncountable nouns are the names of materials, liquids and other things which we do not see as separate objects. We can use the indefinite article (a/an) with singular countable nouns. A plural countable noun cannot be used with indefinite articles. Countable nouns (both singular and plural)......

Figures of speech – Simile and Metaphor A figure of speech is a departure from the ordinary form of expression. It is employed to produce a greater effect. There are four different kinds of figures of speech. 1. Those based on resemblance Examples are: simile, metaphor, personification and apostrophe 2. Those based on contrast Examples are: antithesis and epigram 3. Those based on association Examples are: metonymy and synecdoche 4.......

Figures of Speech – Part II We have seen that a metaphor is an implied simile. Every simile can be compressed into a metaphor and every metaphor can be expanded into a simile. Compare: Life is like a dream. (Simile)Life is a dream. (Metaphor) Personification In personification inanimate objects and abstract ideas are spoken of as if they have life and intelligence. Example Pride goeth forth on horseback, grand and gay’But......

Figures of Speech – Part III AntithesisIn antithesis, a striking contrast of words or sentiments is expressed in the same sentence. It is employed to secure emphasis. Examples are given below: Man proposes, God disposes. Not that I loved Caesar less, but that I loved Rome more. Oxymoron Oxymoron is a special form of antithesis. Here two contradictory qualities of the same thing are predicted at once. So innocent arch, so cunningly simple. She......

Figure of Speech Part III Metonymy Metonymy literally means a change of name. In metonymy an object is denoted by the name of something which is generally associated with it. For example The Bench, for the judges The laurel, for success Bluejackets, for sailors Red-coats, for British sailors The Crown, for the king Since there are different kinds of association between objects, there areseveral varieties of metonymy. For example,......

Uses of the verb have The verb have is used in a number of ways in English. It can be used as an auxiliary verb. It can also be used as an ordinary verb. As an ordinary verb have indicates ideas such as possession of objects, individual characteristics, relationships etc. Examples: He has a brother in Germany. She has long hair. The baby has blue eyes. I have two kids. Notes Have is used in the present tense when the subject is a plural......

When to spell out numbers Many writers have difficulty figuring out when to write numbers in words or figures. There are some general rules but these are not applicable in all contexts. The following guidelines should, nevertheless, help. The numbers of Kings and Queens should be written in Roman characters. Examples: Elizabeth II, Louis XIV Ordinal numbers up to twelfth should be written in words except in dates. He finished second.......

Personal pronouns I, we, you, he, she, they and it are called personal pronouns because they stand for the three persons: the person speaking the person spoken to the person spoken of The pronouns I and we, which refer to the person or persons speaking are said to be the personal pronouns of the first person. I am fed up. We have to go. The pronoun you, which refers to the person or persons spoken to, is said to be a personal pronoun......

Correct Use of Personal Pronouns A personal pronoun must be of the same number, gender and person as the noun it stands for. John is a good boy. He loves and respects his parents and teachers. (Here the pronoun he is of the same number, gender and person as the noun John.) Alice is my sister. She lives abroad. (Here the pronoun she is of the same number, gender and person as the noun Alice.) The students worked hard. Their teacher praised......

Non-finite verbs Read the following sentences: John thinks that he is a great artist. I wish to learn English. In sentence 1, the verb thinks has a subject. Its form is determined by the number and person of its subject, namely John. Verbs which are thus limited by number and person of their subject are called finite verbs. Note that all verbs in the indicative, imperative and subjunctive moods are finite, because they have subjects and......

Passive Voice Exercise Change the following sentences from the Active voice to the passive voice. 1. The boy killed the spider. 2. The woodcutter felled the trees. 3. Columbus discovered America. 4. The master praised the boy. 5. The police arrested the thief. 6. The boys were making kites. 7. He has written a novel. 8. We will conquer the enemy. 9. The hunter shot the tiger. 10. Your manners irritate me. 11. He made a very remarkable......

Grammar

Introductory it: exercise

Position of subordinate clauses

Expressions without prepositions

Grammar terms with M

Uses of that

Shall and will exercise

The qualifying infinitive

Uses of the participle – part II

Singular and plural nouns

Verbs not used in progressive forms

More about noun clauses – part 2

Articles with countable and uncountable nouns

Figures of speech – Simile and Metaphor

Figures of Speech – Part II

Figures of Speech – Part III

Figure of Speech Part III

Uses of the verb have

When to spell out numbers

Personal pronouns

Correct Use of Personal Pronouns

Non-finite verbs

Passive Voice Exercise

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