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Grammar
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Composition
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Study Skills
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Technology/Canvas
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Content
Adjective Clauses
Adverbial Clauses
Articles
Commas
Gerunds & Infinitives
Passive Voice
Sentences and Clauses
Subject-Verb Agreement
The Verb Tenses
Word Order
Adjective Clauses
What is it?
Adjectives are words that describe or modify another person or thing in the sentence. The Article — a, an, and the — are adjectives.
- the tall professor
- the lugubrious lieutenant
- a solid commitment
- a month's pay
- a six-year-old child
- the unhappiest, richest man
Adjectives are words that describe the qualities or states of being of nouns: enormous, doglike, silly, yellow, fun, fast. They can also describe the quantity of nouns: many, few, millions, eleven. The Articles — a, an, and the — are adjectives: the tall professor, a solid commitment.
Adjectives modify nouns
Most students learn that adjectives are words that modify (describe) nouns. Adjectives do not modify verbs or adverbs or other adjectives.
Example: Margot wore a beautiful hat to the pie-eating contest.
In the sentence above, the adjective is easy to spot because it comes immediately before the nouns they modify.
How to Use It?
Adjectives tell the reader how much—or how many—of something you’re talking about, which thing you want passed to you, or which kind of something you want.
Example: Please use three white flowers in the arrangement.
Three and white are modifying flowers.
Often, when adjectives are used together, you should separate them with a comma or conjunction.
I’m looking for a small, good-tempered dog to keep as a pet.
My new dog is small and good-tempered.
Source: http://guidetogrammar.org/grammar/adjectives.htm#a-_adjectives
Adjectives are words that describe or modify another person or thing in the sentence. The Article — a, an, and the — are adjectives.
- the tall professor
- the lugubrious lieutenant
- a solid commitment
- a month's pay
- a six-year-old child
- the unhappiest, richest man
Adjectives are words that describe the qualities or states of being of nouns: enormous, doglike, silly, yellow, fun, fast. They can also describe the quantity of nouns: many, few, millions, eleven. The Articles — a, an, and the — are adjectives: the tall professor, a solid commitment.
Adjectives modify nouns
Most students learn that adjectives are words that modify (describe) nouns. Adjectives do not modify verbs or adverbs or other adjectives.
Example: Margot wore a beautiful hat to the pie-eating contest.
In the sentence above, the adjective is easy to spot because it comes immediately before the nouns they modify.
How to Use It?
Adjectives tell the reader how much—or how many—of something you’re talking about, which thing you want passed to you, or which kind of something you want.
Example: Please use three white flowers in the arrangement.
Three and white are modifying flowers.
Often, when adjectives are used together, you should separate them with a comma or conjunction.
I’m looking for a small, good-tempered dog to keep as a pet.
My new dog is small and good-tempered.
Source: http://guidetogrammar.org/grammar/adjectives.htm#a-_adjectives
Adverbial Clauses
What is it?
Adverbs are words that modify a verb (He drove slowly. — How did he drive? an adjective (He drove a very fast car. — How fast was his car?), another adverb (She moved quite slowly down the aisle. — How slowly did she move?) Adverbs often tell when, where, why, or under what conditions something happens or happened. Adverbs frequently end in -ly; however, many words and phrases not ending in -ly serve an adverbial function and an -ly ending is not a guarantee that a word is an adverb. The words lovely, lonely, motherly, friendly, neighborly, for instance, are adjectives.
How to use it?
If a group of words containing a subject and verb acts as an adverb (modifying the verb of a sentence), it is called an Adverb Clause.
- When this class is over, we're going to the movies.
When a group of words not containing a subject and verb acts as an adverb, it is called an adverbial phrase.
- She works on holidays.
- They lived in Canada during the war.
Adverbs can modify adjectives, but an adjective cannot modify an adverb.
Adverbs can have comparative and superlative forms to show degree like adjectives.
- Walk faster if you want to keep up with me.
- The student who reads fastest will finish first.
We often use more and most, less and least to show degree with adverbs.
A handful of adverbs have two forms, one that ends in -ly and one that doesn't. In certain cases, the two forms have different meanings:
- He arrived late.
- Lately, he couldn't seem to be on time for anything.
Adverbs often function as intensifiers, conveying a greater or lesser emphasis to something.
Kinds of Adverbs
Adverbs of Manner
- She moved slowly and spoke quietly.
Adverbs of Place
- She has lived on the island all her life.
- She still lives there now.
Adverbs of Frequency
- She takes the boat to the mainland every day.
- She often goes by herself.
Adverbs of Time
- She tries to get back before dark.
- It's starting to get dark now.
- She finished her tea first.
- She left early.
Adverbs of Purpose
- She drives her boat slowly to avoid hitting the rocks.
- She shops in several stores to get the best buys.
Source: http://guidetogrammar.org/grammar/adverbs.htm
Articles
What is it?
Articles are similar to adjectives in that they modify nouns, but unlike adjectives, they don’t really describe a noun; they just identify a noun. Articles are the smallest of the small but still serve an important function. We have three articles in the English language: a, an and the.
The is the definite article, which means it refers to a specific noun in a group.
A or an is the indefinite article, which means it refers to any member of a group. You would use the indefinite article when you aren’t trying to distinguish a particular noun.
How to Use It?
Indefinite Article
An comes before a vowel sound, and a comes before a consonant sound. Let’s look at a few examples with a and an
- a box
- a unicorn (pronounced “yoo. . . “)
- a one-armed bandit (pronounced “won. . . “)
- an apple
- an hour (the h is silent)
- an heir (pronounced “air”)
Definite Article
The definite article the is used when the referent of the noun phrase is assumed to be unique or known from the context.
For example, in the sentence “The boy with glasses was looking at the moon,” we can assume that, in this context, the reference is to only one boy and only one moon.
Source:https://courses.lumenlearning.com/englishcomp1/chapter/text-articles/
Articles are similar to adjectives in that they modify nouns, but unlike adjectives, they don’t really describe a noun; they just identify a noun. Articles are the smallest of the small but still serve an important function. We have three articles in the English language: a, an and the.
The is the definite article, which means it refers to a specific noun in a group.
A or an is the indefinite article, which means it refers to any member of a group. You would use the indefinite article when you aren’t trying to distinguish a particular noun.
How to Use It?
Indefinite Article
An comes before a vowel sound, and a comes before a consonant sound. Let’s look at a few examples with a and an
- a box
- a unicorn (pronounced “yoo. . . “)
- a one-armed bandit (pronounced “won. . . “)
- an apple
- an hour (the h is silent)
- an heir (pronounced “air”)
Definite Article
The definite article the is used when the referent of the noun phrase is assumed to be unique or known from the context.
For example, in the sentence “The boy with glasses was looking at the moon,” we can assume that, in this context, the reference is to only one boy and only one moon.
Source:https://courses.lumenlearning.com/englishcomp1/chapter/text-articles/
Commas
What Is a Comma?
A comma indicates a smaller break in a sentence. Some writers think of a comma as a soft pause—a punctuation mark that separates words, clauses, or ideas within a sentence.
How to Use it?
Use a comma to separate the elements in a series (three or more things), including the last two. Example: "He hit the ball, dropped the bat, and ran to first base."
Use a comma + a little conjunction (and, but, for, nor, yet, or, so) to connect two independent clauses.
Example: "He hit the ball well, but he ran toward third base."
Use a comma to set off introductory elements.
Example: "Running toward third base, he suddenly realized how stupid he looked."
Use a comma to set off parenthetical elements.
Example: "The Founders Bridge, which spans the Connecticut River, is falling down."
Use a comma to set off quoted elements.
Example: “Summing up this argument, Peter Coveney writes, "The purpose and strength of the romantic image of the child had been above all to establish a relation between childhood and adult consciousness."
Use commas to set off phrases that express contrast.
Example: Some say the world will end in ice, not fire.
Use a comma to avoid confusion. This is often a matter of consistently applying rule #3.
Example: For most the year is already finished.
Example: For most, the year is already finished.
Never use only one comma between a subject and its verb. "Believing completely and positively in oneself is essential for success." [Although readers might pause after the word "oneself," there is no reason to put a comma there.]
For More Practice Click Here
http://guidetogrammar.org/grammar/commas.htm
A comma indicates a smaller break in a sentence. Some writers think of a comma as a soft pause—a punctuation mark that separates words, clauses, or ideas within a sentence.
How to Use it?
Use a comma to separate the elements in a series (three or more things), including the last two. Example: "He hit the ball, dropped the bat, and ran to first base."
Use a comma + a little conjunction (and, but, for, nor, yet, or, so) to connect two independent clauses.
Example: "He hit the ball well, but he ran toward third base."
Use a comma to set off introductory elements.
Example: "Running toward third base, he suddenly realized how stupid he looked."
Use a comma to set off parenthetical elements.
Example: "The Founders Bridge, which spans the Connecticut River, is falling down."
Use a comma to set off quoted elements.
Example: “Summing up this argument, Peter Coveney writes, "The purpose and strength of the romantic image of the child had been above all to establish a relation between childhood and adult consciousness."
Use commas to set off phrases that express contrast.
Example: Some say the world will end in ice, not fire.
Use a comma to avoid confusion. This is often a matter of consistently applying rule #3.
Example: For most the year is already finished.
Example: For most, the year is already finished.
Never use only one comma between a subject and its verb. "Believing completely and positively in oneself is essential for success." [Although readers might pause after the word "oneself," there is no reason to put a comma there.]
For More Practice Click Here
http://guidetogrammar.org/grammar/commas.htm
Gerunds & Infinitives
What is it?
Both gerunds and infinitives can be nouns, which means they can do just about anything that a noun can do. Although they name things, like other nouns, they normally name activities rather than people or objects. Here are five noun-uses of gerunds and infinitives (and one additional non-noun use, the adjective complement, that we throw in here, free of charge).
How to use It?
Gerunds and infinitives can both function as the subject of a sentence:
- Playing basketball takes up too much of her time.
- To play basketball for UConn is her favorite fantasy.
It is not impossible for an infinitive to appear at the beginning of a sentence as the subject (as in Ib), but it is more common for an infinitive to appear as a Subject Complement:
- Her favorite fantasy is to play basketball for UConn.
The gerund can also play this role:
- Her favorite fantasy is playing basketball for UConn.
Both of these verbal forms can further identify a noun when they play the role of Noun Complement and Appositive:
- Her desire to play basketball for UConn became an obsession.
- I could never understand her desire to play basketball for UConn.
- Her one burning desire in life, playing basketball for UConn, seemed a goal within reach.
Infinitive phrases often follow certain adjectives. When this happens, the infinitive is said to play the role of Adjective Complement. (This is not a noun function, but we will include it here nonetheless.)
- She was hesitant to tell the coach of her plan.
- She was reluctant to tell her parents, also.
- But she would not have been content to play high school ball forever.
Although we do not find many infinitives in this next category, it is not uncommon to find gerunds taking on the role of Object of a Preposition:
- She wrote a newspaper article about dealing with college recruiters.
- She thanked her coach for helping her to deal with the pressure.
Two prepositions, except and but, will sometimes take an infinitive.
- The committee had no choice except to elect Frog bellow chairperson.
- What is left for us but to pack up our belongings and leave?
And, finally, both gerunds and infinitives can act as a Direct Object:
- Here, however, all kinds of decisions have to be made, and some of these decisions will seem quite arbitrary. The next section is about making the choice between gerund and infinitive forms as direct object.
For More Practice Click Here
http://guidetogrammar.org/grammar/gerunds.htm
Both gerunds and infinitives can be nouns, which means they can do just about anything that a noun can do. Although they name things, like other nouns, they normally name activities rather than people or objects. Here are five noun-uses of gerunds and infinitives (and one additional non-noun use, the adjective complement, that we throw in here, free of charge).
How to use It?
Gerunds and infinitives can both function as the subject of a sentence:
- Playing basketball takes up too much of her time.
- To play basketball for UConn is her favorite fantasy.
It is not impossible for an infinitive to appear at the beginning of a sentence as the subject (as in Ib), but it is more common for an infinitive to appear as a Subject Complement:
- Her favorite fantasy is to play basketball for UConn.
The gerund can also play this role:
- Her favorite fantasy is playing basketball for UConn.
Both of these verbal forms can further identify a noun when they play the role of Noun Complement and Appositive:
- Her desire to play basketball for UConn became an obsession.
- I could never understand her desire to play basketball for UConn.
- Her one burning desire in life, playing basketball for UConn, seemed a goal within reach.
Infinitive phrases often follow certain adjectives. When this happens, the infinitive is said to play the role of Adjective Complement. (This is not a noun function, but we will include it here nonetheless.)
- She was hesitant to tell the coach of her plan.
- She was reluctant to tell her parents, also.
- But she would not have been content to play high school ball forever.
Although we do not find many infinitives in this next category, it is not uncommon to find gerunds taking on the role of Object of a Preposition:
- She wrote a newspaper article about dealing with college recruiters.
- She thanked her coach for helping her to deal with the pressure.
Two prepositions, except and but, will sometimes take an infinitive.
- The committee had no choice except to elect Frog bellow chairperson.
- What is left for us but to pack up our belongings and leave?
And, finally, both gerunds and infinitives can act as a Direct Object:
- Here, however, all kinds of decisions have to be made, and some of these decisions will seem quite arbitrary. The next section is about making the choice between gerund and infinitive forms as direct object.
For More Practice Click Here
http://guidetogrammar.org/grammar/gerunds.htm
Passive Voice
What is it?
Passive and Active Voices
Verbs are also said to be either active (The executive committee approved the new policy) or passive (The new policy was approved by the executive committee) in voice. In the active voice, the subject and verb relationship is straightforward: the subject is a be-er or a do-er and the verb moves the sentence along. In the passive voice, the subject of the sentence is neither a do-er or a be-er, but is acted upon by some other agent or by something unnamed (The new policy was approved). Computerized grammar checkers can pick out a passive voice construction from miles away and ask you to revise it to a more active construction. There is nothing inherently wrong with the passive voice, but if you can say the same thing in the active mode, do so (see exceptions below). Your text will have more pizzazz as a result, since passive verb constructions tend to lie about in their pajamas and avoid actual work.
How to use it?
The passive voice is especially helpful (and even regarded as mandatory) in scientific or technical writing or lab reports, where the actor is not really important but the process or principle being described is of ultimate importance.
- Instead of writing "I poured 20 cc of acid into the beaker," we would write "Twenty cc of acid is/was poured into the beaker." The passive voice is also useful when describing, say, a mechanical process in which the details of process are much more important than anyone's taking responsibility for the action:
- "The first coat of primer paint is applied immediately after the acid rinse." We use the passive voice to good effect in a paragraph in which we wish to shift emphasis from what was the object in a first sentence to what becomes the subject in subsequent sentences.
- The executive committee approved an entirely new policy for dealing with academic suspension and withdrawal. The policy had been written by a subcommittee on student behavior.
Source: http://guidetogrammar.org/grammar/passive.htm
For more practice click below
http://a4esl.org/q/h/vm/active-passive.html
Passive and Active Voices
Verbs are also said to be either active (The executive committee approved the new policy) or passive (The new policy was approved by the executive committee) in voice. In the active voice, the subject and verb relationship is straightforward: the subject is a be-er or a do-er and the verb moves the sentence along. In the passive voice, the subject of the sentence is neither a do-er or a be-er, but is acted upon by some other agent or by something unnamed (The new policy was approved). Computerized grammar checkers can pick out a passive voice construction from miles away and ask you to revise it to a more active construction. There is nothing inherently wrong with the passive voice, but if you can say the same thing in the active mode, do so (see exceptions below). Your text will have more pizzazz as a result, since passive verb constructions tend to lie about in their pajamas and avoid actual work.
How to use it?
The passive voice is especially helpful (and even regarded as mandatory) in scientific or technical writing or lab reports, where the actor is not really important but the process or principle being described is of ultimate importance.
- Instead of writing "I poured 20 cc of acid into the beaker," we would write "Twenty cc of acid is/was poured into the beaker." The passive voice is also useful when describing, say, a mechanical process in which the details of process are much more important than anyone's taking responsibility for the action:
- "The first coat of primer paint is applied immediately after the acid rinse." We use the passive voice to good effect in a paragraph in which we wish to shift emphasis from what was the object in a first sentence to what becomes the subject in subsequent sentences.
- The executive committee approved an entirely new policy for dealing with academic suspension and withdrawal. The policy had been written by a subcommittee on student behavior.
Source: http://guidetogrammar.org/grammar/passive.htm
For more practice click below
http://a4esl.org/q/h/vm/active-passive.html
Sentences and Clauses
What is it?
A clause is a group of words that has both a subject and a predicate. Every complete sentence is made up of at least one clause.
- Michael bought a new computer. (One sentence, one clause)
- Michael bought a new computer, but he still has the old one. (One sentence, two clauses)
- Although he still has his old one, Michael now has a new computer. (One sentence, two clauses)
How to use it?
There are two kind of clauses: Independent and dependent.
An independent clause (or main clause) makes sense by itself. It expresses a complete thought.
- Michael bought a new computer. (One independent clause)
- Michael bought a new computer, but he still has the old one. [Two independent clauses (Coordinating conjunctions don't count as part of the clause.)]
- Although he still has his old one, Michael now has a new computer. (Only the second clause is independent.)
A dependent clause (or subordinate clause) does not make sense by itself. It does not express a complete thought.
-Although he still has his old one. (Without the independent clause, a dependent clause is a sentence fragment.)
A dependent clause is normally preceded by a subordinating conjunction, a relative pronoun, or another term that indicates that it is dependent. Only when attached with an independent clause does a dependent clause make sense.
-Although he still has his old one. (Although is a subordinating conjunction.)
-He still has his old one. (Without the conjunction, the clause becomes independent.)
-Michael now has a new computer although he still has his old one. (Combined with an independent clause, the dependent clause makes sense.)
Dependent clauses can come after, before, or in the middle of the independent clause.
-Michael now has a new computer although he still has his old one. (Dependent clause after an independent clause)
-Although he still has his old one, Michael now has a new computer. (Dependent clause before the independent clause)
-Michael, although he still has his old one, now has a new computer. (Dependent clause inside the independent clause)
Compound sentences
What is it?
A sentence with several independent clauses.
-The clown frightened the little girl, and she ran off screaming.
How to use it?
Use Coordinate Conjunctions to connect independent clauses.
For
And
Nor
But
Or
Yet
So
Always use a comma before the Coordinating Conjunctions if you are connecting independent clauses.
-The Freedom Riders departed on May 4, 1961, and they were determined to travel through many southern states.
Complex sentences
What is it?
A sentence that includes one independent and at least one dependent clause.
-They went for a walk even though it was raining,
How to use it?
One of the clauses usually starts with a subordinate conjunction indicating the subordinate clause.
-after, although, as, because, before, even if, even though, if, in order, rather than since, so that, than, that, though, unless, until, when, whenever, where, whereas, wherever, whether, while
If you start the sentence with the subordinate clause, use a comma to separate it from the Independent Clause.
- Even though it was raining, they went for a walk.
Source: https://www.englishgrammar101.com/module-10/clauses/lesson-1/what-is-a-clause
A clause is a group of words that has both a subject and a predicate. Every complete sentence is made up of at least one clause.
- Michael bought a new computer. (One sentence, one clause)
- Michael bought a new computer, but he still has the old one. (One sentence, two clauses)
- Although he still has his old one, Michael now has a new computer. (One sentence, two clauses)
How to use it?
There are two kind of clauses: Independent and dependent.
An independent clause (or main clause) makes sense by itself. It expresses a complete thought.
- Michael bought a new computer. (One independent clause)
- Michael bought a new computer, but he still has the old one. [Two independent clauses (Coordinating conjunctions don't count as part of the clause.)]
- Although he still has his old one, Michael now has a new computer. (Only the second clause is independent.)
A dependent clause (or subordinate clause) does not make sense by itself. It does not express a complete thought.
-Although he still has his old one. (Without the independent clause, a dependent clause is a sentence fragment.)
A dependent clause is normally preceded by a subordinating conjunction, a relative pronoun, or another term that indicates that it is dependent. Only when attached with an independent clause does a dependent clause make sense.
-Although he still has his old one. (Although is a subordinating conjunction.)
-He still has his old one. (Without the conjunction, the clause becomes independent.)
-Michael now has a new computer although he still has his old one. (Combined with an independent clause, the dependent clause makes sense.)
Dependent clauses can come after, before, or in the middle of the independent clause.
-Michael now has a new computer although he still has his old one. (Dependent clause after an independent clause)
-Although he still has his old one, Michael now has a new computer. (Dependent clause before the independent clause)
-Michael, although he still has his old one, now has a new computer. (Dependent clause inside the independent clause)
Compound sentences
What is it?
A sentence with several independent clauses.
-The clown frightened the little girl, and she ran off screaming.
How to use it?
Use Coordinate Conjunctions to connect independent clauses.
For
And
Nor
But
Or
Yet
So
Always use a comma before the Coordinating Conjunctions if you are connecting independent clauses.
-The Freedom Riders departed on May 4, 1961, and they were determined to travel through many southern states.
Complex sentences
What is it?
A sentence that includes one independent and at least one dependent clause.
-They went for a walk even though it was raining,
How to use it?
One of the clauses usually starts with a subordinate conjunction indicating the subordinate clause.
-after, although, as, because, before, even if, even though, if, in order, rather than since, so that, than, that, though, unless, until, when, whenever, where, whereas, wherever, whether, while
If you start the sentence with the subordinate clause, use a comma to separate it from the Independent Clause.
- Even though it was raining, they went for a walk.
Source: https://www.englishgrammar101.com/module-10/clauses/lesson-1/what-is-a-clause
Subject - Verb Agreement
What is it?
Every complete sentence has a subject (person or thing) and a verb (action). The subject is the person or thing that does the action in a sentence.
Whether you're writing or speaking, it's important to use the verb form that matches with a sentence's subject. This is called subject-verb agreement. In the present tense for example, singular nouns and plural nouns each require a different verb form.
-One bird flies across the sky.
- Two birds fly across the sky.
How to use it?
Subject-verb agreement usually only matters in tenses that use the present, such as the simple present, present perfect, and present progressive. That's because the present has two forms while most other tenses only have one. Let's compare the simple present and simple past tenses. Singular subjects need singular verbs; plural subjects need plural verbs.
-My brother is a nutritionist.
-My sisters are mathematicians.
The Exception: To Be
The verb to be is often the exception to the rule, and this case is no different. It's the only verb that has two past tense forms, so you'll have to pay extra attention to it.
-He was in the wrong place at the wrong time.
-They were in the wrong place at the wrong time.
The indefinite pronouns anyone, everyone, someone, no one, nobody are always singular and, therefore, require singular verbs.
-Everyone has done his or her homework.
-Somebody has left her purse.
Some indefinite pronouns — such as all, some — are singular or plural depending on what they're referring to. (Is the thing referred to countable or not?) Be careful choosing a verb to accompany such pronouns.
-Some of the beads are missing.
-Some of the water is gone.
On the other hand, there is one indefinite pronoun, none, that can be either singular or plural.
-None of you claims responsibility for this incident.
-None of you claim responsibility for this incident.
-None of the students have done their homework. (In this last example, the word their precludes the use of the singular verb.
Some indefinite pronouns are particularly troublesome Everyone and everybody certainly feel like more than one person and, therefore, students are sometimes tempted to use a plural verb with them. They are always singular, though. Each is often followed by a prepositional phrase ending in a plural word (Each of the cars), thus confusing the verb choice. Each, too, is always singular and requires a singular verb.
-Everyone has finished his or her homework.
-You would always say, "Everybody is here."
This means that the word is singular, and nothing will change that.
-Each of the students is responsible for doing his or her work in the library.
Don't let the word "students" confuse you; the subject is each and each is always singular — Each is responsible.
Phrases such as together with, as well as, and along with are not the same as and. The phrase introduced by as well as or along with will modify the earlier word (mayor in this case), but it does not compound the subjects (as the word and would do).
-The mayor as well as his brothers is going to prison.
-The mayor and his brothers are going to jail.
The pronouns neither and either are singular and require singular verbs even though they seem to be referring, in a sense, to two things.
-Neither of the two traffic lights is working.
-Which shirt do you want for Christmas? Either is fine with me.
Verbs in the present tense for third-person, singular subjects (he, she, it and anything those words can stand for) have s-endings. Other verbs do not add s-endings.
-He loves and she loves and they love …
Words such as glasses, pants, pliers, and scissors are regarded as plural (and require plural verbs) unless they're preceded the phrase pair of (in which case the word pair becomes the subject).
-My glasses were on the bed.
-My pants were torn.
-A pair of plaid trousers is in the closet.
Some words end in -s and appear to be plural but are really singular and require singular verbs.
-The news from the front is bad.
-Measles is a dangerous disease for pregnant women.
If your sentence compounds a positive and a negative subject and one is plural, the other singular, the verb should agree with the positive subject.
-The department members but not the chair have decided not to teach on Valentine's Day.
-It is not the faculty members but the president who decides this issue.
-It was the speaker, not his ideas, that has provoked the students to riot.
Sources: https://www.englishgrammar101.com/module-4/verbs-agreement-and-challenges/lesson-1/agreement-of-verbs
http://guidetogrammar.org/grammar/sv_agr.htm
Every complete sentence has a subject (person or thing) and a verb (action). The subject is the person or thing that does the action in a sentence.
Whether you're writing or speaking, it's important to use the verb form that matches with a sentence's subject. This is called subject-verb agreement. In the present tense for example, singular nouns and plural nouns each require a different verb form.
-One bird flies across the sky.
- Two birds fly across the sky.
How to use it?
Subject-verb agreement usually only matters in tenses that use the present, such as the simple present, present perfect, and present progressive. That's because the present has two forms while most other tenses only have one. Let's compare the simple present and simple past tenses. Singular subjects need singular verbs; plural subjects need plural verbs.
-My brother is a nutritionist.
-My sisters are mathematicians.
The Exception: To Be
The verb to be is often the exception to the rule, and this case is no different. It's the only verb that has two past tense forms, so you'll have to pay extra attention to it.
-He was in the wrong place at the wrong time.
-They were in the wrong place at the wrong time.
The indefinite pronouns anyone, everyone, someone, no one, nobody are always singular and, therefore, require singular verbs.
-Everyone has done his or her homework.
-Somebody has left her purse.
Some indefinite pronouns — such as all, some — are singular or plural depending on what they're referring to. (Is the thing referred to countable or not?) Be careful choosing a verb to accompany such pronouns.
-Some of the beads are missing.
-Some of the water is gone.
On the other hand, there is one indefinite pronoun, none, that can be either singular or plural.
-None of you claims responsibility for this incident.
-None of you claim responsibility for this incident.
-None of the students have done their homework. (In this last example, the word their precludes the use of the singular verb.
Some indefinite pronouns are particularly troublesome Everyone and everybody certainly feel like more than one person and, therefore, students are sometimes tempted to use a plural verb with them. They are always singular, though. Each is often followed by a prepositional phrase ending in a plural word (Each of the cars), thus confusing the verb choice. Each, too, is always singular and requires a singular verb.
-Everyone has finished his or her homework.
-You would always say, "Everybody is here."
This means that the word is singular, and nothing will change that.
-Each of the students is responsible for doing his or her work in the library.
Don't let the word "students" confuse you; the subject is each and each is always singular — Each is responsible.
Phrases such as together with, as well as, and along with are not the same as and. The phrase introduced by as well as or along with will modify the earlier word (mayor in this case), but it does not compound the subjects (as the word and would do).
-The mayor as well as his brothers is going to prison.
-The mayor and his brothers are going to jail.
The pronouns neither and either are singular and require singular verbs even though they seem to be referring, in a sense, to two things.
-Neither of the two traffic lights is working.
-Which shirt do you want for Christmas? Either is fine with me.
Verbs in the present tense for third-person, singular subjects (he, she, it and anything those words can stand for) have s-endings. Other verbs do not add s-endings.
-He loves and she loves and they love …
Words such as glasses, pants, pliers, and scissors are regarded as plural (and require plural verbs) unless they're preceded the phrase pair of (in which case the word pair becomes the subject).
-My glasses were on the bed.
-My pants were torn.
-A pair of plaid trousers is in the closet.
Some words end in -s and appear to be plural but are really singular and require singular verbs.
-The news from the front is bad.
-Measles is a dangerous disease for pregnant women.
If your sentence compounds a positive and a negative subject and one is plural, the other singular, the verb should agree with the positive subject.
-The department members but not the chair have decided not to teach on Valentine's Day.
-It is not the faculty members but the president who decides this issue.
-It was the speaker, not his ideas, that has provoked the students to riot.
Sources: https://www.englishgrammar101.com/module-4/verbs-agreement-and-challenges/lesson-1/agreement-of-verbs
http://guidetogrammar.org/grammar/sv_agr.htm
The Verb Tenses
Simple Aspect
Simple Present
What is it?
The simple present (also called present simple or present indefinite) is a verb tense which is used to show repetition, habit or generalization. Less commonly, the simple present can be used to talk about scheduled actions in the near future and, in some cases, actions happening now.
Simple Present Forms
The simple present is just the base form of the verb. Questions are made with do and negative forms are made with do not.
Example: Statement: You speak English.
Question: Do you speak English?
Negative: You do not speak English.
In the third person singular, -s or -es is added. Questions are made with does and negative forms are made with does not.
Example: Statement: He speaks English.
Question: Does he speak English?
Negative: He does not speak English.
How to use it?
USE 1 Repeated Actions
Use the simple present to express the idea that an action is repeated or usual. The action can be a habit, a hobby, a daily event, a scheduled event or something that often happens. It can also be something a person often forgets or usually does not do.
Examples: The train leaves every morning at 8 AM.
The train does not leave at 9 AM.
When does the train usually leave?
Every twelve months, the Earth circles the Sun.
Does the Sun circle the Earth?
USE 2 Facts or Generalizations
The simple present can also indicate the speaker believes that a fact was true before, is true now, and will be true in the future. It is not important if the speaker is correct about the fact. It is also used to make generalizations about people or things.
Examples: Cats like milk.
Birds do not like milk.
Do pigs like milk?
Windows are made of glass.
Windows are not made of wood.
Simple Past
What is it?
The simple past is formed using the verb + ed. In addition, there are many verbs with irregular past forms. Questions are made with did and negative forms are made with did not.
Example: Statement: You called Debbie.
Question: Did you call Debbie?
Negative: You did not call Debbie.
How to use it?
USE 1 Completed Action in the Past
Use the simple past to express the idea that an action started and finished at a specific time in the past. Sometimes, the speaker may not actually mention the specific time, but they do have one specific time in mind.
Examples: I saw a movie yesterday.
I didn't see a play yesterday.
Did you have dinner last night?
USE 2 A Series of Completed Actions
We use the simple past to list a series of completed actions in the past. These actions happen 1st, 2nd, 3rd, 4th, and so on.
Examples: I finished work, walked to the beach, and found a nice place to swim.
Did you add flour, pour in the milk, and then add the eggs?
USE 3 Duration in the Past
The simple past can be used with a duration which starts and stops in the past. A duration is a longer action often indicated by expressions such as: for two years, for five minutes, all day, all year, etc.
Examples: I lived in Brazil for two years.
They sat at the beach all day.
They did not stay at the party the entire time.
Simple Future
What is it?
Simple future has two different forms in English: "will" and "be going to." Both "will" and "be going to" refer to a specific time in the future.
FORM Will
[will + VERB]
Examples: You will help him later.
Will you help him later?
You will not help him later.
FORM Be Going To
[am/is/are + going to + VERB]
Examples: You are going to meet Jane tonight.
Are you going to meet Jane tonight?
You are not going to meet Jane tonight.
How to use it?
USE 1 "Will" to Express a Voluntary Action
"Will" often suggests that a speaker will do something voluntarily. A voluntary action is one the speaker offers to do for someone else. Often, we use "will" to respond to someone else's complaint or request for help. Similarly, we use "will not" or "won't" when we refuse to voluntarily do something.
Examples: I will send you the information when I get it.
Will you help me move this heavy table?
I will not do your homework for you.
USE 2 "Will" to Express a Promise
"Will" is usually used in promises.
Examples: I will call you when I arrive.
I promise I will not tell him about the surprise party.
I won't tell anyone your secret.
USE 3 "Be going to" to Express a Plan
"Be going to" expresses that something is a plan. It expresses the idea that a person intends to do something in the future. It does not matter whether the plan is realistic or not.
Examples: He is going to spend his vacation in Hawaii.
I'm going to be an actor when I grow up.
Who are you going to invite to the party?
Progressive Aspect
Present Progressive
What is it?
The present progressive is formed using am/is/are + present participle. Questions are indicated by inverting the subject and am/is/are. Negatives are made with not.
Example: Statement: You are watching TV.
Question: Are you watching TV?
Negative: You are not watching TV.
How to use it?
USE 1 Now
Use the present progressive with normal verbs to express the idea that something is happening now, at this very moment. It can also be used to show that something is not happening now.
Examples: You are learning English now.
You are not swimming now.
Are you sleeping?
USE 2 Longer Actions in Progress Now
In English, "now" can mean: this second, today, this month, this year, this century, and so on. Sometimes, we use the present continuous to say that we are in the process of doing a longer action which is in progress; however, we might not be doing it at this exact second.
Examples: I am studying to become a doctor.
I am not studying to become a dentist.
Are you working on any special projects at work?
USE 3 Repetition and Irritation with "Always"
The present progressive with words such as "always" or "constantly" expresses the idea that something irritating or shocking often happens.
Examples: She is always coming to class late.
He is constantly talking. I wish he would shut up.
I don't like them because they are always complaining.
Past Progressive
What is it?
The past progressive is formed using was/were + present participle. Questions are indicated by inverting the subject and was/were. Negatives are made with not.
Example: Statement: You were studying when she called.
Question: Were you studying when she called?
Negative: You were not studying when she called.
How to use it?
USE 1 Interrupted Action in the Past
Use the past progressive to indicate that a longer action in the past was interrupted. The interruption is usually a shorter action in the simple past. Remember this can be a real interruption or just an interruption in time.
Examples: I was watching TV when she called.
What were you doing when the earthquake started?
While John was sleeping last night, someone stole his car.
USE 2 Specific Time as an Interruption
You can also use a specific time as an interruption.
Examples: Last night at 6 PM, I was eating dinner.
At midnight, we were still driving through the desert.
Yesterday at this time, I was sitting at my desk at work.
USE 3 Parallel Actions
When you use the past progressive with two actions in the same sentence, it expresses the idea that both actions were happening at the same time. The actions are parallel.
Examples: I was studying while he was making dinner.
Were you listening while he was talking?
I wasn't paying attention while I was writing the letter, so I made several mistakes.
Future Progressive
What is it?
Future progressive has two different forms: "will be doing " and "be going to be doing."
FORM Future Progressive with "Will"
[will be + present participle]
Examples: You will be waiting for her when her plane arrives tonight.
Will you be waiting for her when her plane arrives tonight?
You will not be waiting for her when her plane arrives tonight.
FORM Future Progressive with "Be Going To "
[am/is/are + going to be + present participle]
Examples: You are going to be waiting for her when her plane arrives tonight.
Are you going to be waiting for her when her plane arrives tonight?
You are not going to be waiting for her when her plane arrives tonight.
How to use it?
USE 1 Interrupted Action in the Future
Use the future progressive to indicate that a longer action in the future will be interrupted by a shorter action in the future. Remember this can be a real interruption or just an interruption in time.
Examples: I will be watching TV when she arrives tonight.
I will be waiting for you when your bus arrives.
He will be studying at the library tonight, so he will not see Jennifer when she arrives.
USE 2 Specific Time as an Interruption in the Future
To using short actions as interruptions, you can also use a specific time as an interruption.
Examples: Tonight at 6 PM, I am going to be eating dinner.
At midnight tonight, we will still be driving through the desert.
USE 3 Parallel Actions in the Future
When you use the future progressive with two actions in the same sentence, it expresses the idea that both actions will be happening at the same time. The actions are parallel.
Examples: I am going to be studying and he is going to be making dinner.
While Ellen is reading, Tim will be watching television.
Perfect Aspect
Present Perfect
What is it?
The present perfect is a verb tense which is used to show that an action has taken place once or many times before now. The present perfect is most frequently used to talk about experiences or changes that have taken place, but there are other less common uses as well.
The present perfect is formed using has/have + past participle. Questions are indicated by inverting the subject and has/have. Negatives are made with not.
Example: Statement: You have seen that movie many times.
Question: Have you seen that movie many times?
Negative: You have not seen that movie many times.
How to use it?
USE 1 Unspecified Time Before Now
We use the present perfect to say that an action happened at an unspecified time before now. We CAN use the present perfect with unspecific expressions such as: ever, never, once, many times, several times, before, so far, already, yet, etc.
Examples: I have seen that movie twenty times.
I think I have met him once before.
There have been many earthquakes in California.
You can use the present perfect to describe your experience. It is like saying, "I have the experience of..."
Examples: I have been to France.
I have been to France three times.
I have never been to France.
We often use the present perfect to talk about change that has happened over a period of time.
Examples: You have grown since the last time I saw you.
The government has become more interested in arts education.
My English has really improved since I moved to Australia.
Past Perfect
What is it?
The past perfect is a verb tense which is used to show that an action took place once or many times before another point in the past.
The past perfect is formed using had + past participle. Questions are indicated by inverting the subject and had. Negatives are made with not.
Example: Statement: You had studied English before you moved to New York.
Question: Had you studied English before you moved to New York?
Negative: You had not studied English before you moved to New York.
How to use it?
USE 1 Completed Action Before Something in the Past
The past perfect expresses the idea that something occurred before another action in the past. It can also show that something happened before a specific time in the past.
Examples: I had never seen such a beautiful beach before I went to Kauai.
I did not have any money because I had lost my wallet.
Had Susan ever studied Thai before she moved to Thailand?
USE 2 Duration Before Something in the Past (Non-Continuous Verbs)
We use the past perfect to show that something started in the past and continued up until another action in the past.
Examples: We had had that car for ten years before it broke down.
By the time Alex finished his studies, he had been in London for over eight years.
Future Perfect
What is it?
Future perfect has two different forms: "will have done" and "be going to have done."
FORM Future Perfect with "Will"
[will have + past participle]
Examples: You will have perfected your English by the time you come back from the U.S.
Will you have perfected your English by the time you come back from the U.S.?
You will not have perfected your English by the time you come back from the U.S.
FORM Future Perfect with "Be Going To"
[am/is/are + going to have + past participle]
Examples: You are going to have perfected your English by the time you come back from the U.S.
Are you going to have perfected your English by the time you come back from the U.S.?
You are not going to have perfected your English by the time you come back from the U.S.
How to use it?
USE 1 Completed Action Before Something in the Future
The future perfect expresses the idea that something will occur before another action in the future. It can also show that something will happen before a specific time in the future.
Examples: By next November, I will have received my promotion.
I am not going to have finished this test by 3 o'clock.
How many countries are you going to have visited by the time you turn 50?
USE 2 Duration Before Something in the Future (Non-Continuous Verbs)
We use the future perfect to show that something will continue up until another action in the future.
Examples: I will have been in London for six months by the time I leave.
By Monday, Susan is going to have had my book for a week.
REMEMBER No Future in Time Clauses
Like all future forms, the future perfect cannot be used in clauses beginning with time expressions such as: when, while, before, after, by the time, as soon as, if, unless, etc.
Examples: I am going to see a movie when I will have finished my homework. Not Correct
I am going to see a movie when I have finished my homework. Correct
Source: https://www.englishpage.com/
For More Practice Click Here
https://www.englishpage.com/
Word Order
What is it?
Word order refers to the way words are arranged in a sentence. Most English sentences (clauses) conform to the SVO word order. This means that the Subject comes before the Verb, which comes before the Object.
-I (S) bought (V) a new computer (O).
-She (S) doesn't like (V) dogs (O).
-Why did you (S) do (V) that (O)?
The standard word order in English is: Subject + Verb + Object. To determine the proper sequence of words, you need to understand what the subject, verb and object(s) are.
Subject: typically a noun or pronoun—the person, place or thing
Verb: the action or state of being
Object: the word or group of words influenced by the verb
The sequence of words is critical when communicating in English because it can impact the meaning of what you’re trying to say. The sentence, “The chicken crossed the road” and “The road crossed the chicken” take on two different meanings because the subject and object are inverted. The same would be true if the verb was used out of order, for example: “Crossed the road the chicken.”
Here’s one for you to try. Choose the correct word order for the group of words below:
A. Dropped the boy the ball.
B. The boy dropped the ball.
C. The ball dropped the boy.
If you chose option B, you would be correct. If not, consider listening to English conversations to help build your skills and pick up on these patterns. Do this often and you’ll be a word-order expert in no time!
How to use it?
The basic word order of an English sentence is Subject + Predicate (Verb).
The predicate is the part of the sentence that tells something about the subject. The predicate always includes the verb.
So, Subject + Predicate/Verb word order can be broken down into smaller pieces like this:
subject + verb
Or
Subject + verb + object
Let's review the definitions of these parts of speech.
- subject = noun or pronoun
- The person, place, or thing that the sentence is about.
- verb = action or state of being
- one verb or a verb phrase
- object = the noun or nouns that receives the action of the verb or is affected by the action of the verb
Unlike some languages, English usually requires you to put the subject near the beginning of the sentence before the verb. Native speakers rarely stray from this word order in correct English.
Examples: Look for the correct word order in this example.
subject + verb + object
Example: Correct: The teacher taught.
Incorrect: Taught the teacher.
To make sentences more descriptive and complex, we add adjectives, adverbs, and indirect objects.
Word order: adjectives
Adjectives are words that describe nouns. There are many adjectives in English. Here are a few:
happy sad funny blue large
quiet pretty three green simple
We can make sentences more descriptive by adding adjectives to describe the subjects and objects in a sentence.
Adjectives often come before the noun that they describe.
Examples:
The smart teacher taught the quiet students.
The happy students listened to the serious teacher.
Word order: adverbs
We can also make sentences more descriptive and complex by adding adverbs. An adverb is a word that describes or gives more information about a verb, an adjective, another adverb, or even an entire sentence. There are many adverbs in English. Here are a few:
yesterday quickly really heavily fast sometimes
hard suddenly today too never very
Examples:
- The teacher quickly taught the students.
- Yesterday, the teacher taught the students.
- Yesterday, the teacher quickly taught the students.
- The teacher quickly taught the students yesterday.
Word order: indirect object
An indirect object is a person or thing that the action is done to or for.
A direct object is a person or thing that is affected by the action of the verb. The direct object receives the action of the verb.
Word order of the indirect object is important in English. The indirect object usually comes right before the direct object, but not always.
The indirect object can be placed before or after the direct object in a sentence depending on whether you use the preposition "to."
The indirect object comes after the direct object when it is formed with the preposition to. When it is placed here, it is called the object of the preposition.
Example:
He gave flowers.
He gave flowers to his mother.
Sources:
http://esl.fis.edu/grammar/rules/order.htm
https://www.toeflgoanywhere.org/importance-word-order-english
https://www.really-learn-english.com/word-order-in-english.html
Word order refers to the way words are arranged in a sentence. Most English sentences (clauses) conform to the SVO word order. This means that the Subject comes before the Verb, which comes before the Object.
-I (S) bought (V) a new computer (O).
-She (S) doesn't like (V) dogs (O).
-Why did you (S) do (V) that (O)?
The standard word order in English is: Subject + Verb + Object. To determine the proper sequence of words, you need to understand what the subject, verb and object(s) are.
Subject: typically a noun or pronoun—the person, place or thing
Verb: the action or state of being
Object: the word or group of words influenced by the verb
The sequence of words is critical when communicating in English because it can impact the meaning of what you’re trying to say. The sentence, “The chicken crossed the road” and “The road crossed the chicken” take on two different meanings because the subject and object are inverted. The same would be true if the verb was used out of order, for example: “Crossed the road the chicken.”
Here’s one for you to try. Choose the correct word order for the group of words below:
A. Dropped the boy the ball.
B. The boy dropped the ball.
C. The ball dropped the boy.
If you chose option B, you would be correct. If not, consider listening to English conversations to help build your skills and pick up on these patterns. Do this often and you’ll be a word-order expert in no time!
How to use it?
The basic word order of an English sentence is Subject + Predicate (Verb).
The predicate is the part of the sentence that tells something about the subject. The predicate always includes the verb.
So, Subject + Predicate/Verb word order can be broken down into smaller pieces like this:
subject + verb
Or
Subject + verb + object
Let's review the definitions of these parts of speech.
- subject = noun or pronoun
- The person, place, or thing that the sentence is about.
- verb = action or state of being
- one verb or a verb phrase
- object = the noun or nouns that receives the action of the verb or is affected by the action of the verb
Unlike some languages, English usually requires you to put the subject near the beginning of the sentence before the verb. Native speakers rarely stray from this word order in correct English.
Examples: Look for the correct word order in this example.
subject + verb + object
Example: Correct: The teacher taught.
Incorrect: Taught the teacher.
To make sentences more descriptive and complex, we add adjectives, adverbs, and indirect objects.
Word order: adjectives
Adjectives are words that describe nouns. There are many adjectives in English. Here are a few:
happy sad funny blue large
quiet pretty three green simple
We can make sentences more descriptive by adding adjectives to describe the subjects and objects in a sentence.
Adjectives often come before the noun that they describe.
Examples:
The smart teacher taught the quiet students.
The happy students listened to the serious teacher.
Word order: adverbs
We can also make sentences more descriptive and complex by adding adverbs. An adverb is a word that describes or gives more information about a verb, an adjective, another adverb, or even an entire sentence. There are many adverbs in English. Here are a few:
yesterday quickly really heavily fast sometimes
hard suddenly today too never very
Examples:
- The teacher quickly taught the students.
- Yesterday, the teacher taught the students.
- Yesterday, the teacher quickly taught the students.
- The teacher quickly taught the students yesterday.
Word order: indirect object
An indirect object is a person or thing that the action is done to or for.
A direct object is a person or thing that is affected by the action of the verb. The direct object receives the action of the verb.
Word order of the indirect object is important in English. The indirect object usually comes right before the direct object, but not always.
The indirect object can be placed before or after the direct object in a sentence depending on whether you use the preposition "to."
The indirect object comes after the direct object when it is formed with the preposition to. When it is placed here, it is called the object of the preposition.
Example:
He gave flowers.
He gave flowers to his mother.
Sources:
http://esl.fis.edu/grammar/rules/order.htm
https://www.toeflgoanywhere.org/importance-word-order-english
https://www.really-learn-english.com/word-order-in-english.html
Writing a Thesis Statement and a Paragraph
Paragraph Structure Thesis Statement Plagiarism Writing an Essay Introduction Body Paragraphs Conclusion Types of Essays Process Analysis Essay Evaluation Essay Persuasion Narration |
ContentMoving from Short-Term to Long-Term Memory Organize Your Time Reading and Studying Textbooks Growth Mindset Why We Procrastinate How Memory Works How to Take Notes Assess Your Study Habits
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Growth MindsetDeveloped by Dr. Carol Dweck, psychologist who has been researching the way we learn for 30 years. It can profoundly affect the way you lead your life.
There are two types of mindset and how those mindsets view ability: • A fixed mindset believes that you cannot learn and grow. You cannot learn from your mistakes and cannot change. • A Growth Mindset believes that you learn from mistakes. You can keep growing and never stop learning. Every mistake is an opportunity to learn. Research shows that when you have a Growth Mindset, you are more likely to succeed in life and at school. Re If you find yourself worrying about succeeding in college, ask yourself instead if you can implement or improve your use of some of these strategies.
Can you make more time for learning? One approach is to create a regular study schedule and make sure you allow yourself ample time. Only break away from your committed schedule if an extreme situation prevents you from sticking to it. Another strategy to consider implementing is group study. For example, rather than relying just on your own knowledge, notes, and skills, try studying with other students in your classes. Studying in a group or with a buddy gives you a chance to ask questions and talk about concepts. |