ENGLISH GRAMMAR (yb)

#031 IS 'MIGHT' PAST TENSE OR FUTURE TENSE?

2011-02-24T16:58:00.000-08:00

Question What 'part of speech' is 'might' ?
'Might' was originally a past tense of the auxiliary verb 'may'.
It was particularly useful in reporting speech, where the reporting verb was in past tense.
e.g. : He said that he might come.
The reporting verb 'said' is in past tense. The verb in the reported clause 'may' , became 'might'.

Question : What is the implication of 'Might' as a modal verb?
'Might' indicates 'a probability of 50% , a la its basic form 'may'.
We can use the analogy of 'a coin tossed into the sky' , to estimate the implications of 'might' or 'may'.
A coin thrown into the sky , say a 100 times, when it (coin) falls may show up 50 times heads and 50 times tails, with about a 10% deviation on either side.
He 'may come' - this sentence carries an implication that he 'may not come' . It indicates a near 50% probability on either side.

Question : Is it reasonable to say 'He might come'?
This usage is quite common and it has become acceptable.
The present tense form of 'may' seems more appropriate, because the event (of his coming) is yet to take place.

Question : Can 'might' be used in simple past tense?
This is taking place in reported speech (indirect speech).
Example : He said that he might come. (Past tense).
Example : He says that he may come (Present tense).
It is difficult to trace a stand alone usage for the 'might' past tense usage. We can see the 'present perfect tense usage' everywhere:
Example : He might have come.
This sentence augurs well with the implication of 50% probability of the event in the immediate past. The speaker is estimating/forecasting/guessing.

Question : Is it reasonable to say 'Might you try some coffee?'
We can find some current usage.
The speaker seems to intend a 50% probability.
Use of 'might' as a form of past tense , has been given a 'bye'.
We can probably use : 'May you please try some coffee?' .
But, some interpreters say that use of 'may' in seeking permissions is too formal.

Question : Doesn't 'might' mean ability and power?
We can say that there are two mights. This 'might' , we can call 'might 2'.
Example : Money is might.

Question : Is it reasonable to say 'It might rain tomorrow?'
It may be difficult for us to accept this usage, if we go by the literal interpretations that 'might' refers to past tense and 'tomorrow' refers to future tense.
The usage has come to stay.
Some grammarians say that 'It might rain tomorrow' is less positive than 'It may rain tomorrow'. Can we say that this interpretation implies: 'It may rain' refers to a 50% probability and 'it might rain' refers to a 40% probability?

Question : Is it reasonable to say 'You might pay a little attention to your weight.' ?
Some grammarians say that 'might' can be used to convey 'a degree of dissatisfaction'.
The usage has come to stay.
I, personally prefer the usage 'You may please pay....' construction.

Modal verbs are supporting verbs (also called auxiliary verbs). They indicate the manner in which the speaker intends the action of the verb used by him is to have its effect. The verb may indicate a duty, ethical obligation, possibility, impossibility, probability, necessity, compulsiveness etc.

#030 VARIED USES OF THE MODAL VERB 'COULD'

2011-02-22T22:33:00.000-08:00

'Could' is the past tense of the modal verb 'can'.
'Could' like its present tense 'can' should ordinarily express 'ability'
'Could' acquired a slightly distant meaning, over decades and centuries of use.
'Example #1'
Usage of 'Could' in making polite requests:
'Could I speak to Mr.....?'
This is said to be a politer form than--
'Can I speak to Mr.....'.
How? It is not clear. Usage, probably justifies the 'politeness'.
Another funny thing is : 'Could' is a verb of past tense. How it is being used in a request which refers to a future action which depends on granting of permission by the other person?
'Example #2'
'Could' represents ability, isn't it? Let us now see, how it gained a meaning of 'having ability, but not doing it' .
We could come out of the emergency exit, when the coach caught fire. (This according to interpreters, means: We had the ability to come out of the emergency window, but we did not use that ability.)

They suggest the following alternatives:
1. We 'were able to come' out of the emergency window ....etc.
2. We 'managed to come' out of the emergency window ...etc.

The interpreters are willing to accept the negative usage:
We 'could not' come out of the emergency window. Its latch was too rigid to open.

Some interpreters consider 'could' as less positive than 'can' and 'may'
'Example #3'
I could attend the wedding. (This is said to be less positive than 'I can attend the wedding'.)
'Could attend' should actually refer to a thing of past. But, it is not clear how some speakers are using it to refer to future ability/possibility/probability.

'One observation on the development of usage of 'could' to seek permission or grant permission
'Example #4'
The Manager nodded his head and said to the employee: "You can go."
The Manager nodded his head and told the employee that he could go.
We can deduce an interpretation here: The employee was earlier not enabled to go. He is now enabled by the Manager, to go. We can also justify the use of past tense 'could' here, because the verb in the reported clause is to be in line with the reporting verb 'told'.

Another example of negative connotation of 'could'
He 'could have accepted ' the job.
We get here, a negative implication that he has not accepted the job.

#029 Usage of the modal verb 'would'

2011-02-21T20:51:00.000-08:00

What part of speech is 'would' ?
'Would' was originally a past tense of the auxiliary verb (supporting verb) 'will'.
It was particularly useful in reporting speech, where the reporting verb was in past tense.
e.g. : He said that he would come.
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'Would' is a modal verb.
'Would' indicates past habit. 'Would' here, nearly means = 'used to'.
He would, during his adolescence, go to a free library and read volumes of old newspapers for hours together.
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Is it correct to say : "I would like to speak to Mr....."
The speaker, is indicating his preference here. He is expressing his desire or wish. A simple present tense usage like :
"I wish to speak to Mr....."
"I desire to speak to Mr...."
seems to be sufficient. The wish or desire is to get fulfilled at some time later, say some minutes.
"I shall like to speak to Mr....." may, perhaps, be sufficient.
But "would - the past tense form of 'will' " has entered the arena to express a wish.
------>>'Shall like to speak to Mr.', 'will like to speak to Mr.', 'would like to speak Mr. ...' etc. have some condescending tone. This may probably go well when a superior speaks to some subordinate.
------->> A more polite approach appears to be, to say : 'Please permit me to speak to Mr.....'. We can also go for other choices such as : 'May I speak to Mr.... ', 'Can I speak to Mr. ....' etc.

Compare the usage of 'would be' with the attributive adjective 'prospective'.
The attributive adjective 'prospective' has a positive connotation. It indicates the future prospects.
We can use would-be also as an attributive adjective. But, somehow, this adjective has derived a negative connotation of frustration and non-fulfillment.
e.g. 'would-be holliwood film star'. (Somebody wanted to go to holliwood and become a star; but apparently did not succeed.)

How about the usage of 'would have been' ?
'Would have been' too has a similar negative connotation. We get an indication of non-fulfillment.
e.g. Ms. Clinton would have been the President of United States, had she succeeded in getting the Democratic Nomination.

Should I use 'shall' or 'will' ?

2011-02-21T08:02:00.000-08:00

Should I use 'shall' or 'will'?

Traditional principles
*Use 'shall' to indicate simple future intention, when the subject is in first person. e.g.: I shall come, we shall come. (There is no certainty or determination.)
*Use 'will' to indicate simple future intention, when the subject is in second or third person. e.g.: You will come, he will come, she will come, it will come, they will come.
*Use 'will' to indicate certainty or determination, when the subject is in first person. e.g.: I will come, we will come.
*Use 'shall' to indicate certainty or determination, when the subject is in second or third person. e.g.: You shall come, he shall come, she shall come, it shall come, they shall come
The degree of determination and certainty is slightly less than 'should'. 'Should' imposes a duty. When somebody says 'you shall come' , he means that he is speaking with such a degree of certainty that it becomes a near-duty for the other person to come.

Current usage
'Will' has lost its certainty in all the persons. It, nowadays indicates just simple future.

e.g. I will come. (The 'will' has lost its 'will power' in current usage.) We cannot find any definiteness or determination in today's conversations.

Suggestion
I feel that it will be better for us to adhere to the traditional principles of 'shall - will ' distinction.

Usage 'should'
'Should' was originally the past tense of 'shall'. Some people use it in the same sense even now, particularly in indirect speech (reported speech). 'Should' is gradually settling itself in the meaning of a duty.

#027 DOERS - TRANSITIVE VERBS - OBJECTS

2010-06-22T08:25:00.000-07:00

TRANSITIVE VERB

transit = movement or transfer.
transitive= the person/thing which transfers.
transitive verb = A verb which transfers the effect of its action to an object.

Basic principles

*The object of the transitive verb should follow the verb as closely as possible. The meaning may get distorted , if the distance between the two increases.

*The transitive verb should refer to its 'doer' (performer of the action , often the subject), as directly as possible. The doer should precede the transitive verb, and they must be as close as possible.

*Short crisp sentences following the word order subject + transitive verb + object (SVO) will do this job very effectively.

This world, unfortunately, is not such a simple world. Great authors wrote lengthy sentences. Publishing houses patronise lengthy sentences. Examination-paper-setters use lengthy sentences.

The following GMAT question demonstrates it:

`Studying the fruit fly, a household nuisance but a time-honored experimental subject, has enabled the secrets of how embryos develop to begin to be unraveled by scientists.
(A) Studying the fruit fly, a household nuisance but a time-honored experimental subject, has enabled the secrets of how embryos develop to begin to be unraveled by scientists.

(B) By the study of the fruit fly, a household nuisance and also a time-honored experimental subject, it was possible for the secrets of how embryos develop to begin to be unraveled by scientists.

(C) By studying a household nuisance but a time-honored experimental subject, the fruit fly enabled scientist to begin to unravel the secrets of how embryos develop.

(D) By studying the fruit fly, a household nuisance and also a time-honored experimental subject, the secrets of how embryos develop are beginning to be unraveled by scientist.

(E) The study of the fruit fly, a household nuisance but a time-honored experimental subject, has enabled scientist to begin to unravel the secrets of how embryos develop.

Ans: E. A is incorrect because secrets cannot be the object of the transitive verb enable. Enable whom? the scientist. C and E have this combination. Who enabled? C says that the fruit fly enabled. 'Study' is the doer of the action enable.

I invite your views and corrections, if I have gone wrong anywhere.

#000 Search from 500 Grammar rules

2010-06-19T21:36:00.000-07:00

You can search here for the basic principles of grammar. These are not hard and fast rules. Those who are writing examinations have to exercise greater care and caution about preciseness of grammar rules. For others, we can use functional English. I plan to study and add to this blog more principles of grammar , probably raising the number to 1000.

Care : This search is case sensitive .

Example: Type here 'adverbial qualification' and click search button. You will see all such grammar rules which contain the phrase 'adverbial qualification'.

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=Sentences are group of words.`
=Sentences must make complete sense.`
=Interrogatives ask questions .`
=Imperatives make commands .`
=An entreaty is grammatically an imperative .`
=Exclamatives express strong feelings .`
= Declarative sentences make statements .`
= Assertive sentences make assertions and statements .`
= A subject is what we speak about in a sentence .`
= Predicate tells something about the subject .`
= Should every sentence start with its subject ?`
= Imperative sentences can omit subject .`
= Phrases need not make complete sense .`
= A clause must have a subject and a predicate .`
= A principal clause in a sentence must make complete sense .`
= A subordinate clause in a sentence need not make complete sense .`
= The designation of a word as a part of speech depends on its usage .`
= Noun can be name of a person , place or thing .`
= An adjective adds something to the meaning of a noun .`
= Pronoun is a word used in place of a noun .`
= Verb can express action or state .`
= Adverb can add meaning to an adjective / adverb / verb .`
= A preposition comes before a noun .`
= Conjunctions can join sentences or words .`
= We can use an interjection to express feelings and surprises .`
= We can use the word hotel with the ' indefinite article ' a or an depending on how we pronounce the aspirate .`
= Interjections express feelings .`
= The adjective ' common ' in ' common noun ' means ' shared by all ' .`

= The adjective ' proper ' in ' proper noun ' means ' one's own ' .`
= A collective noun speaks of things as one whole .`
= Many abstract nouns have their origin in adjectives .`
= Names of arts are abstract nouns .`
= Names of sciences are abstract nouns .`
= Abstract nouns can express quality .`
= Abstract nouns can express state .`
= Abstract nouns can express action .`
= ' Laughter ' is an abstract noun .`
= Abstract nouns can independently speak of qualities ; the qualities may be of concrete nouns .`
= Verbs can give rise to abstract nouns .`
= Common nouns can give rise to abstract nouns .`
= Every common noun need not be countable .`
= Abstract nouns are uncountable as long as they do not become common nouns .`
= Gold and milk are examples of uncountables .`
= Uncountable nouns do not have plural forms .`
= The collective noun for cattle is ' herd ' .`
= Masculine gender denotes male sex .`
= Feminine gender denotes female sex .`
= Common gender can denote a male or female sex .`
= Neuter gender suits for lifeless things .`
= Gender in some languages does not denote a physiological sex .`
= Some languages arbitrarily allocate gender to words .`
= Personified objects can have a masculine or feminine gender .`
= Sun is masculine in English .`
= Moon is feminine in English .`
= Summer is masculine in English grammar .`
= Winter is masculine in English grammar .`
= Time is male in English grammar .`
= Some grammarians consider death as masculine ; death is to be neuter .`
= Some grammarians treat earth as feminine ; earth is to be neuter .`
= Some grammarians view ' spring ' as feminine; spring is to be neuter .`
= Some grammarians feel that ' nature ' is feminine .`
= Some grammarians feel that ' autumn ' is feminine .`
= Is justice feminine ?`
= Is mercy feminine ?`
= Is peace feminine ?`
= Is hope feminine ?`
= Is charity feminine ?`
= Sometimes a ship can be feminine .`
= The feminine for ' bachelor ' is ' maid ' or ' spinster ' .`
= The feminine for a buck is a doe .`
= The feminine for a bullock is a heifer .`
= The feminine for a horse is a mare .`
= The feminine for a hart ( stag ) is a roe .`
= The feminine for a frier is a nun .`
= The feminine for a mouse is a doe .`
= The feminine for a colt is a filly .`
= The masculine for a duck is a drake .`
= The masculine for a bee is a drone .`
= The feminine for an earl is a countess .`
= The feminine for a gander is a goose .`
= The feminine for a ram is a ewe .`
= The feminine for a red stag is a hind .`
= A singular noun denotes only one person or thing .`
= A plural noun denotes more than one person or thing .`
= The grammar of Sanskrit language has three numbers .`
= The plural for a dynamo is dynamos .`
= The plural for a buffalo is buffaloes .`
= The plural for a mango is mangoes ; but for a kilo , kilos .`
= The plural for a thief is thieves , but the plural for a chief is chiefs .`
= The plural for a knife is knives , but the plural for a safe is safes .`
= Some nouns form their plural by changing an inside vowel .`
= The plural for trout (a sort of riverine fish) is trout .`
= Scissors are plural .`
= Bellows are plural .`
= Tongs are plural .`
= Pincers are plural .`
= Spectacles are plural .`
= Trousers are plural .`
= Drawers are plural .`
= Breeches are plural .`
= Jeans are plural .`
= Tights are plural .`
= Shorts are plural .`
= Pyjamas are plural .`
= Annals are plural .`
= Thanks are plural .`
= Proceeds of sales are plural .`
= Tidings are plural .`
= Environs are plural .`
= Nuptials are plural .`
= Obsequies are plural .`
= Assets are often plural .`
= Chattels are often plural .`
= Alms are plural in current English .`
= Riches are plural in current English .`
= Eves ( projecting border of a roof ) , are plural .`
= Mathematics is singular .`
= Physics is singular .`
= Electronics is singular .`
= New is often singular .`
= Measles is singular .`
= Mumps is singular .`
= Rickets is singular .`
= Billiards is singular .`
= Droughts is singular .`
= Innings is singular .`
= Means ( wealth ) are plural .`
= Means can be singular or plural .`
= Poultry are plural .`
= Cattle are plural .`
= Vermin are plural .`
= People are plural .`
= Gentry are plural .`
= Peoples refer to people of different countries .`
= We should add 's' to the principal word , while converting composite words into plural .`
= Erratum is singular for errata .`
= Indices are plural for index .`
= Radii are plural for radius .`
= Axes are plural for axis .`
= Crises are plural for crisis .`
= Bases are plural for basis .`
= Analyses are plural for analysis .`
= Banditti is also a plural for a bandit .`
= Cherubim is also a plural for cherub .`
= Seraphim is also a plural for seraph .`
= Brethren refer to members of same society whereas brothers refer to sons of same father .`
= Cloths refer to different kinds of fabrics .`
= Dies refer to stamps used in coining and dice refer to gambling cubes .`
= Indexes refer to table of contents in books .`
= Indices refer to algebric signs .`
= Pennies are number of coins and pence refer to amount in value .`
= Lights in plural refer to lamps .`
= Practices in plural refer to habits .`
= Colors in plural may refer to flags of a regiment .`
= Customs in plural may refer to export and import duties .`
= Effects in plural have a meaning of property .`
= Manners in plural may also refer to correct behavior .`
= Pains in plural can also mean care and exertion .`
= Premises in plural may refer to buildings .`
= Premise in singular refers only to a proposition .`
= Quarters in plural can also refer to lodgings .`
= Spectacles in plural can also refer to eye glasses .`
= Letters in plural can refer to epistles as well as literature .`
= Dregs ( sediment ) was singular earlier , but are plural now .`
= Airs- in plural are affected manners .`
= Abstract Nouns have no plural .`
= Some abstract nouns can be converted into countable nouns .`
= Names of many substances are uncountables .`
= A noun will be in subjective case when it is used as a subject .`
= Subject verb agreement requires that verb should conform to the person and number of the subject .`
= Adjective used at the end of a sentence , if it describes a subject , becomes a subject complement .`
= A subordinate conjunction is useful in complex sentences .`
= A subordinate conjunction does not join two equal rank clauses .`
= A coordinating conjunction links two equal rank clauses /sentences .`
= ' And ' is an example of a coordinate conjunction .`
= Every common noun need not be a countable noun .`
= All conjunctions are not coordinating .`
= Certain adjectives like ' perfect ' do not have a comparative degree .`
= Verbs need conjugation to indicate past tense , present tense third person singular , and progressive tense .`
= Many verbs of emotion do not have a progressive tense .`
= A complex sentence must have at least two clauses .`
= A compound sentence must have at least two principal clauses .`
= We can use coordinate conjunctions to link two words or two sentences .`
= The correlative conjunctions come in pairs .`
= ' Either - or ' is an example of a correlative conjunction .`
= A clause used as a noun , becomes a noun clause .`
= The noun clauses can be used either as subjects or objects .`
= A phrase used as a noun , becomes a noun phrase .`
= The noun phrases can be used either as subjects or objects .`
= A clause used as an adjective , becomes an adjective clause or an adjectival clause .`
= The adjectival clauses can be used to qualify subjects or objects .`
= A phrase used as an adjective , becomes an adjective phrase or an adjectival phrase .`
= The adjectival phrases can be used to qualify subjects or objects .`

= A clause used as an adverb , becomes an adverb clause or an adverbial clause .`
= The adverb clauses can be used to qualify adjectives , adverbs and verbs .`
= A phrase used as an adverb , becomes an adverb phrase or an adverbial phrase .`
= The adverbial phrases can be used to qualify adjectives , adverbs and verbs .`
= The adjectival phrases are phrases used as adjectives .`
= The adjectival phrase can describe a subject or an object .`
= A noun used as a subject , will be in nominative case or subjective case .`
= A noun used as an object , will be in objective case .`
= Objective case is also called accusative case .`
= Indirect objects stay in dative case .`
= Prepositions have the nouns following them as their objects.
= Nouns following prepositions will be in accusative case .`
= A preposition governs its objects ( words following the prepositions) .`
= We should not use degrees of comparison for adjectives which do not admit comparison .`
= 'The' is an example of a definite article , beside being a demonstrative adjective .`
= 'This' and 'That' are also demonstrative adjectives .`
= 'A , an , the ' etc. are also called determiners .`
= 'My' is also called a determiner , beside being a possessive adjective .`
= 'Each' is both a distributive pronoun and a distributive adjective .`
= The distributive pronouns are usually singular .`

= A demonstrative adjective draws attention of the listener towards its noun .`

= The attributive adjectives are placed before their nouns .`

= In the phrase 'Democratic Party' , 'Democratic' is an attributive adjective .`

= Some adjectives can be used only attributively , which means that they can be placed only before their nouns .`

= The term ' apposition ' refers to ' placing two words side by side ' .`

= Indefinite article 'a' is to be used before words starting with consonant sounds .`

= Indefinite article 'an' is to be used before words starting with vowel sounds .`

= Grammars have not designated the ' articles ' as separate parts of speech; they are adjectives .`

= The word attribute refers to some quality or characteristic; adjectives describe the attributes of their objects .`

= A clause is a group of words with a subject and a predicate .`

= The clauses are useful in constructing complex and compound sentences .`

= A simple sentence can have only one clause .`

= We can use adverbial clauses to describe adjectives , verbs and adverbs .`

= A phrase is a group of words , with incomplete meaning .`

= We can use phrases , when we are unable to find a single word to express the desired idea .`

= A bare infinitive comes without the prefix of 'to' before the verb .`

= An emphatic pronoun emphasizes or stresses the role of the subject in the verb's action .`

= The emphatic pronouns closely remember reflexive pronouns and we should practise distinguishing between them.`

= The gerund is a verbal noun .`

= We get gerunds when we use verbs as nouns .`

= We can use ' have as an independent possessive verb ' to indicate ownership or possession .`

= We can use ' have in perfect tense ' to indicate actions just completed .`

= We can use ' have plus to infinitive ' to indicate commitments , duties and engagements to be fulfilled .`

= Horse and house are examples of aspirates .`

= We pronounce an aspirate with a breathing .`

= An interrogative does the questioning work .`

= An interrogative adjective both questions and describes its object .`

= We use an inflection when we change a noun to make it plural .`

= A verb of incomplete predication needs a complement to complete the meaning of the sentence .`

= Backchaining is a technique of pronunciation , where the last syllable is taught first .`

= Past , present and future are the three basic tenses .`

= The ' be , been , being , is , are , was , were ' show our condition and existence , and are referred to as - be forms .`
= Conjunctive pronoun is another name for relative pronoun .`
= A conjunctive pronoun does the work of a conjunction and a pronoun .`
= The word ' hour ' starts with a vowel sound .`
= The word ' honest ' starts with a vowel sound .`
= The word ' heir ' starts with a vowel sound .`
= The word ' university ' begins with a consonant sound .`
= The word ' union ' starts with a consonant sound .`
= The word ' one ' begins with a consonant sound 'w' .`
= We use definite article to refer to a person or thing already spoken about .`
= We can use the definite article before a word which represents a whole class .`
= We can use definite article before names of seas .`
= We can use definite article before names of oceans .`
= We can use definite article before names of rivers .`
= We can use definite article before names of canals .`
= We can use definite article before names of deserts .`
= We can use definite article before names of islands .`
= We can use definite article before names of mountain ranges .`
= We can use definite article before names of countries which include words like kingdom , republic .`
= Ukraine can be prefixed with definite article .`
= Netherlands can be prefixed with definite article .`
= Names of some books can be prefixed with definite article .`
= We can use the definite article before names of unique things .`
= We can use the definite article before adjective plus proper noun .`
= We can use 'the' before an adjective in superlative degree .`
= We can use 'the' before ordinals .`
= We can use 'the' before musical instruments .`
= We can use 'the' before an adjective where the noun is understood .`
= Use of 'the' adds a superlativ force to a word .`
= 'The more the better' is an example of use of the definite article as an adverb .`
= 'An Obama' is an example of use of indefinite article in a vague sense .`
= Most names of substances are uncountable nouns .`
= Most abstract nouns are uncountable nouns .`
= We can normally omit articles before names of relations .`
= We can omit articles before predicative nouns denoting a unique position .`
= The predicative nouns speak something about the subject .`
= We can omit articles between a transitive verb and its object .`
= Prefixing of one article is sufficient for a combined double designation of only one incumbent .`

= I , we , you , he , she , it and they -- are personal pronouns .`

= The third personal pronouns are also demonstrative pronouns .`

= Me- is an example of accusative case or objective case .`

= My , our , your , his , her , its , their-- can also be called possessive adjectives .`

= Pronominal adjectives are formed from pronouns .`

= In 'It rains' , rains-- is an impersonal verb .`

= In 'It rains' , it-- is an impersonal pronoun .`

= In 'It rains' it is example of an indefinite nominative or impersonal pronoun.`

= A personal pronoun should adhere to its antecedent noun .`
= Pronoun representing a collective noun , should be in singular number .`

= Simile is the most popular figure of speech .`

= Poets use optimum use of figures of speech when compared to business persons .`

= "Shall have been singing" is an example of future perfect continuous tense .`

= Shall after second and third person pronouns , indicates determination and certainty , in future tense .`

= The collective nouns signifying separate individuals are to be represented by plural pronouns .`

= Two singular subjects joined by and , need plural pronouns .`

= Two singular subjects joined by and preceded by words like 'each' and 'every' need singular pronouns .`

= A pronoun referring to first and second person antecedents at the same time , must be in the first person plural.`

= A pronoun referring to first and third person antecedents at the same time must be in the first person plural.`

= A pronoun referring to second and third person antecedents at the same time , must be in the second person .`

= The first person pronouns I , and we , trail behind pronouns of other persons , as a matter of courtesy .`

= This- is a demonstrative pronoun .`

= This- as a demonstrative adjective precedes its noun .`

= Any- is an example of an indefinite pronoun .`

= One- is an example of an indefinite pronoun as well as a numerical adjective .`

= Some- is an example of an indefinite adjective .`

= Somebody- is an example of an indefinite pronoun .`

= Plural pronouns they-their-them are are preferred to avoid gender orientation .`

= The genitive case is also called possessive case .`

= Whose- is an example of possessive adjective , interrogative adjective and relative pronoun .`

= Whose- is in genitive case .`

= Interrogative words do not have gender and number .`

= Which- has the same form both in nominative and accusative .`

= Which- is a relative pronoun .`

= Which- is an interrogative pronoun and a relative pronoun .`

= That- has no genitive case .`

= That- has no possessive case .`

= What- can be an interrogative pronoun and a relative pronoun .`

= What- as a relative pronoun is singular .`

= What- can be in nominative case or in accusative case .`

= Who- can refer only to persons and not things .`

= Who- can be singular or plural .`

= Whose- can speak of animals and things also .`

= Which- can be for animals apart from things without life .`
= Which- restricts information about the antecedent .`

= Which- is a restrictive reflective pronoun .`

= Which- is a defining reflective pronoun .`

= The relative pronoun that - is preferred with reference to persons .`

= The relative pronoun which - is preferred with reference to things .`

= The accusative relative pronoun may be omitted .`

= Omission of accusative relative pronoun is more common in spoken English .`

= Omission of nominative relative pronoun occasionally takes place in colloquial English .`

= The omission of antecedent of a relative pronoun can be found in poetry .`

= A relative pronoun should be of the same number and person as the antecedent .`

= The case of a relative pronoun depends on the verb in the clause in which it occurs .`

= The relative pronoun should be very close to the antecedent .`

= Relative pronouns placed away from their antecedents can lead to unintended meanings .`

= Whoever - is an example of a compound relative pronoun .`

= Whosoever - is an example of a compound relative pronoun .`

= Whichever - is an example of a compound relative pronoun .`

= Whatever - is an example of a compound relative pronoun .`

= Whatsoever - is an example of a compound relative pronoun .`

= The compound relative pronouns need not express their antecedents .`

= What is used of things only .`

= Which implies selection between or among the available few .`

= Ask-group verbs can take both direct and indirect objects .`

= Ask-fell-give-offer-promise are some verbs in the ask-group .`

= Some reflexive verbs have only implied objects .`

= The intransitive verbs do not have objects to pass on action .`

= A transitive verb can pass on its action to its object .`

= The come-go group verbs pass on their action to the subject or to nobody .`

= A verb can be made of more than one word .`

= The mono-transitive verbs can have only one object .`

= The di-transitive verbs can have two objects .`

= The complex transitive verbs can have an object and a complement .`

= The lexical verbs are the main verbs as against auxiliary verbs which are only supporting verbs .`

= The cognate transitive verbs take akin objects , or objects which are similar in meaning .`

= The cognate accusative case refers to a situation where a verb takes an object which is akin in meaning to it .`
= The verbs of incomplete predication need complements to complete the meaning .`

= The complements usually consist of predicative nouns or predicative adjectives .`

= No preposition need precede all- followed by a time expression .`

= No preposition is required before any- followed by a time expression .`

= No preposition is needed before each- followed by a time expression .`

= No preposition need precede every- followed by a time expression .`

= In- is the preferred preposition before a street .`

= At- is the preferred preposition before a house number and a street .`

= On- is a good preposition before a place treated as a surface .`

= Prepositions normally have nouns or pronouns as their objects .`

= Prepositions can exceptionally have time adverbs as objects (eg. by then) .

= The prepositional object , if it is a pronoun , should be in objective case ( accusative case ) .`

= The object of a verb , if it is a pronoun , should be in objective case ( accusative case ) .`

= Which often serves as a conjunction apart from as a relative pronoun , in which case an additional conjunction becomes redundant .`

= We can use a conjunction to join two relative clauses referring to the same antecedent .`

= A definite word will better than a relative pronoun , particularly ' which ' .`

= The number and person of a verb in a clause which has a relative pronoun as subject, should agree with the number and person of its antecedent .`

= The case ( nominative / accusative ) is important while choosing between who and whom (eg. Who do you think, Obama is?) .`

= ' Either ' is a distributive pronoun ; even if it represents a collection , it should be in singular .`

= ' Neither ' is a singular distributive pronoun .`

= ' None ' can be singular or plural depending on context .`

= ' One ' is an indefinite pronoun .`

= We should use the indefinite pronoun 'one' throughout the sentence (not 'his')(eg. One has a right to choose one's relgion) .`

= Better we change the structure of a sentence , when repeating the indefinite pronoun 'one' results in an awkward construction .`

= Anybody , everyone etc. now-a-days accept plural pronouns them/them/their to avoid controversies of feminine discrimination .`

= Possessive pronouns should agree with their antecedents in gender , number and person .`

= A pronoun functioning as a complement of the verb ' to be ' should be in nominative case (old rule)(eg. It was he.) `

= A pronoun functioning as a complement of the verb ' to be ' may be in objective form ( relaxed usage )(eg. It was him.) `

= We have to use possessive signs (apostrophe) for all possessive nouns which qualify (work as adjectives) a noun (eg. President's and Prime Minister's guards) .`

= We can suffix the apostrophe to the second noun , if two nouns in possessive case are in apposition (eg. Obama, the President's residence) .`

= We should confine use of genitive case (possessive case) to names of living beings and personified objects (eg. Nature's bounty) .`

= Use of genitive case (possessive case) is a relaxed usage in case of stereotyped phrases like 'a lion's mane' .`

= Genitive case (possessive case) is a customary usage in case of space or time (eg. a day's time) .`

= A singular subject joined to other words by means of 'with' needs a singular verb (eg. The Mayor, with his Corporators, is present) .`

= A singular subject joined to other words by means of 'as well as' needs a singular verb (eg. Dollar , as well as, Euro is falling.) .`

= Two singular subjects joined by ' or ' need a singular verb .`

= Two singular subjects joined by ' nor ' need a singular verb .`

= Two singular subjects joined by ' and ' need a plural verb(eg. Oil and water do not mix) .`

= Two singular subjects joined by ' and ' , if they denote a single composite idea, we can use a singular verb (eg. Bread and butter is a daily need.) .`

= One singular subject and another plural subject joined by 'and' need a plural verb; the plural subject should be close to the verb (eg. Neither the Prime Minister nor his Cabinet members are present.) .`

= Subjects of different persons , connected by ' or ' or ' nor ' , need a verb which agrees with the nearest subject (eg. Neither he nor you are present.) .`

= Indirect speech , while reporting exclamations , is introduced using some exclamatory or wish-verb .`

= The reporting verb , in indirect speech , while asking questions , can use some inquisitive verbs like asked , enquired etc .`

= The reporting verb , in indirect speech , while making commands and requests , will use some command-request verbs like commanded , ordered , requested, shouted and urged .`

= Imperative sentences , when converted into Indirect speech, use to-infinitives in the indirect speech clause (eg. He asked her to come) .`

= A verb of simple present tense in the indirect clause , gets converted into simple past tense , if the reporting verb is in simple past tense .`

= A verb of present continuous tense in the indirect clause , gets converted into past continuous tense , if the reporting verb is in simple past tense .`

= A verb of present perfect tense in the indirect clause , gets converted into past perfect tense , if the reporting verb is in simple past tense past tense (eg. direct: He said 'I have done my work'; indirect: He said that he had done his work.) .`

= A verb of simple past tense in the indirect clause, gets converted into past perfect tense , if the reporting verb is in simple past tense (eg. direct: He said 'I did my work'; indirect: He said that he had done his work.) .`

= Shall- inside the quotes of direct speech , becomes should- in the indirect clause in reporting speech , if the reporting verb is in simple past tense .`

= Will- inside the quotes of direct speech , can become 'would or could' in the indirect clause in reporting speech, if the reporting verb is in simple past tense.`

= Tense of the verb in indirect clause does not change, even if the reporting verb is in past tense , when the statement in indirect clause continues to be relevant i.e. the condition continues. This is a relaxation to the basic rule of conversion of tense. We can use either form. (eg. He said that she continues to be sick) .`

= Tense of the verb in indirect clause does not change, even if the reporting verb is in past tense , when the statement in indirect clause is a universal truth (eg. Copernicus argued that Earth is spherical.) .`

= Tenses within the quotes of direct speech do not change in indirect clause of reporting speech , when the reporting verb is in present tense (eg. He says 'I was sick'; indirect: He says that he was sick.) .`

= Pronouns in the indirect clause of reporting speech , should relate to the hearer of the new sentence rather than the original speaker (eg. direct: She said to you 'He does not like me'. indirect: She told you that he did not like her.) .`

= Words of nearness within the quotes of direct speech , become words of remoteness in the indirect clause of reporting speech. This conversion takes place only when the actual place of speaking has changed (eg. He says 'We shall solve the problem here. Indirect: He says that we shall solve the problem here.) .`

= Words of proximity of time within the quotes of direct speech , become words of remoteness in the indirect clause of reporting speech. This conversion takes place only when the actual time of speaking has changed (eg. He says 'We shall, now, solve the problem' indirect: He says that we shall now solve the problem) .`

= Past tense in the principal clause of a complex sentence need not be followed by a past tense in the subordinate clause if it reflects a universal truth (eg. Galileo argued that Earth is spherical.) .`

= A subordinate clause introduced by 'than' , need not be in past tense , even if the principal verb is in past tense .`

= The tense of subordinate clause can be in any tense , if the principal verb is in future tense .`

= The tense of subordinate clause can be in any tense depending on sense , if the principal verb is in present tense (eg. She thinks that she is right -or- She thinks that she was right -or- She thinks that she will be right.) .`

= Sequential relationship of tense between the principal verb and the subordinate verb in complex sentences , is important in case of adverb clause of purpose (eg. She eats so that she may live) .`

= Sequential relationship of tense between the principal verb and the subordinate verb in complex sentences , is important in case of noun clauses .`

= Illative conjunctions express an inference (eg. for , so , therefore , yet) .`

= Alternative conjunctions express a choice (eg. either - or ) .`

= Adversative conjunctions express contrasts (eg. but) .`

= Cumulative conjunctions or copulative conjunctions just "couple" the sentences (eg. and) .`

= We can use a participle to synthesize sentences (eg. The constable, chasing the thief, caught him). Chasing- is the participle here .`

= We can use nouns in apposition to synthesize sentences (eg. Obama, the American President lives in the White House.). Obama is the first noun. American President is the second noun. Placing side by side, is called apposition.

= Participle is a 'verbal adjective'. We get a participle when we use a verb as an adjective. 'Running' is the participle in the phrase 'running train'. Running is adjective (verbal noun) because it describes the noun 'train'. `

= A present participle is a verbal adjective used in present tense . The action of the verb does not come to an end. (eg. 'running train'. The train is still running.) The present participle will usually be in active voice .`

= A past participle is a verbal adjective used in past tense . The action of the verb should have been completed. The past participle will usually be in passive voice. (eg. the arrested criminal. The criminal was arrested by the police. ) .

= We can convert a complex sentence into a simple sentence by converting the subordinate clause into a phrase (eg. He has a car which is five-year old; simple: He has a five-year old car) .`

= We can convert a simple sentence into a compound sentence by enlarging a word or phrase into a coordinate clause (Simple: Corruption is rampant in India. Compound: India has corruption and it is rampant.) .`

= Sentences with intransitive verbs do not have a passive voice (eg. Obama is taller than Ms. Hillary Clinton.) .`

= We can sometimes presume the subject of a sentence while converting from passive voice to active voice (eg. passive: My purse has been stolen. Active: Somebody has stolen my purse.) .`

= We can prefer active voice when the doer is more important than the bearer of verb's action .`

= We can prefer passive voice when the doer is not important or where it will be hurtful to think of the doer. (eg. She was made pregnant (by somebody, is omitted.)) .`

= We can replace the phrase 'too + adjective' with 'so + adjective + that' structure (eg. The problem is too difficult to solve. change: The problem is so difficult that we cannot solve.) .`

= Alternative conjunctions are also called disjunctive conjunctions (eg. either-or) .`

= Compound conjunctions are phrases used as conjunctions (eg. even if , in order that , as if , as soon as , as well as, inasmuch as) .`

= Correlative conjunctions are conjunctions used in pairs (eg. either-or, not only-but also) .`

= Correlative conjunctions are also called correlatives .`

= Conjunctions just join two words or sentences whereas prepositions have their objects and govern them .`

= Conjunctions just join two words or sentences whereas relative pronouns refer to their antecedents , apart from joining two clauses or phrases (I know the Bank that Benjamin Franklin founded.) .`

= Conjunctions just join two words or sentences whereas relative adverbs modify their verbs , apart from joining two clauses or phrases (eg. I do not know where he lives.) .`

= Transitive verbs like discuss , order , stress need no prepositions after them (eg. We have discussed the matter.) .`

= Idiomatic usage of some verb sets like addicted, assisted , believe, needs verb + preposition + gerund; we cannot use to-infinitive (eg. believe in bribing (not believe to bribe)) .`

= Some verbs admit usage of both verb + preposition + gerund, and verb + to-infinitive constructions (eg. She is afraid of talking to me ; She is afraid to talk to me.) .`

= Some verbs admit only verb + to-infinitive construction and not verb + preposition + gerund construction (eg. I refuse to say anything (not I refuse saying anything)).`

= The phrase 'by + type of transport' is used when the reference is to a general means of transport (eg. We came by train) .`

= Prepositions like ' on , in ' are used when referring to particular means of transport (eg. We came in the morning train (not by morning train)) .`

= Idiomatic expression 'On foot' is used when a person comes walking (eg. We came on foot (not by foot)) .`

= ' In an hour ' indicates at the end of one hour; ' within an hour ' indicates anytime before the end of one hour .`

= Phrasal verbs can be formed by joining verbs and adverbs (eg. laze around , peel off) .`

= ' Around , away , here , off , there ' etc. are place/space adverbs .`

= Phrasal verbs may have a changed meaning , different from their original verb (eg. passed away -- died , look after --take care of) .`

= Certain adjectives , nouns and verbs may have gerunds and to-infinitives following them (eg. ready to join) .`

= Nouns used as attributive adjectives usually take a singular form (eg. computer keys) ; a few nouns take plural form also .`

= Collocations are special associations between two or more words; substitution of one word with another word of similar meaning is not possible (eg. red wine is a collocation ; rose wine is not a collocation because it is not in use) .`

= Some adjectives have specific nouns of collocation ; that means we cannot use the adjective before all the nouns (eg. hack branches of a tree, but not hack hair) .`

= Some idioms use imaginative expressions consisting of proverbs and sayings (eg. kicked the bucket -- died (in a derogative sense) .`

= Idioms can be short expressions used for a particular purpose (eg. Go to hell; damn it!) .`

= Some idioms have fixed form and we cannot substitute words , leaving some exceptions (eg. damn it! ; bury the hatchet) .`

= We can substitute some words in some idioms, with other words (eg. vanish into thin air, disappear into thin air).`

= We can use many transitive phrasal verbs in passive voice (eg. They called off the agitation - The agitation was called off by them) .`

= We cannot , in case of inseparable phrasal verbs , alienate the preposition/adverb of a phrasal verb from its verb (eg. eat out; We cannot say 'eat the dinner out). If such separation is possible, we cannot consider the verb as a phrasal verb. It is just a verb + preposition .`

= We can, in case of separable phrasal verbs , place some words such as objects between two words in a phrasal verb.`

= Phrasal verbs can also be called multi word verbs .`

= Objects of separable transitive phrasal verbs , if the objects are pronouns like it , are to be placed between the verb and its particle (eg. He sent her away) .`

= Objects of phrasal verbs , if the objects are long phrases , should be placed after the particles (He sent away all the consignments which have been returned by the buyers) .`

= Phrasal verbs can have idiomatic meanings i.e. meanings which differ from the apparent meanings (eg. hang around) .`

= We should distinguish between the words used in informal style of Spoken English and the words used in formal style, though their meanings may be same .`

= The verb and its particle are compulsorily separable by the verb's object , in case of some separable phrasal verbs. (mess somebody/something around) .`

= Some linking verbs can be used with either an adjective or a noun phrase as complements (eg. She became the Prime Minister. It became clear) .`

= Some transitive linking verbs take objects as well as adjectives as complements (Americans elected Obama their President) .`

= Most intransitively used verbs are followed by prepositions (He left to New York.) .`

= Some transitive verbs need prepositions or adverbs, after the objects .`

= Adverbs intensify adjectives. Collocational linkages (special relationships) between the adverbs and adjectives are to be taken into account .`

= Determiners give an indication about the inflections to be made to nouns and conjugations to be made to verbs (eg. Each person gets a toffee. Each indicates that the noun 'person' should be in singular form and that the verb 'get' should be in third person singular form) .`

= Uncountable nouns are also called uncount nouns or mass nouns (eg. milk, rice) .`

= Countable nouns when in singular form , need a determiner such as 'a' before them (eg. She bought a book. 'a' is the determiner.) .`

= Nouns can have countable meanings and uncountable meanings. Nouns with uncountable meanings will not have plurals (eg. She leave irregular spaces between words. We do not have space to keep the PC.) .`

= We can use uncountable nouns also with determiners such as 'much' which indicate uncountable nature of the noun ( I spent much time reading.) .`

= Uncountable nouns when used as subjects make their verbs singular (Wheat is cheap in Australia) .`

= Some uncountable nouns like furniture may have constituent individual units which can be indicated by using partitives such as 'three pieces of furniture' .`

= Things having two parts joined together such as 'scissors' always have a plural form .`

= Some plural nouns refer to groups of animals/people and they look 'singular' , but are really plural (eg. cattle, police) .`

= Some ever singular nouns need determiners before , and prepositions after , the words (eg. a boost to ...) .`

= American English prefers singular form of nouns which refer to groups (eg. The Government is). The British English allows both forms (eg. The Government is / The Government are) .`

= Some uncountable nouns , particularly those which refer to groups , have both singular and plural forms (eg. The staff is ... / The staff are ...). This is in British English. American English prefers only the singular form .`

= Some adjectives invariably follow their nouns (eg. gallore) .`

= Many intransitive verbs have prepositional phrases or adverbial phrases following them (eg. come + (to me) ) .`

= Some transitive verbs have noun phrases following them (She teaches working women , how to write short stories.) .`

= Some verbs allow -ing phrases to follow (eg. He never stops drinking.) .`

= Some verbs have pronouns as objects followed by an -ing phrase (eg. First model: I like him singing. Here 'him' is the object. I like him when he is singing. Second model : I like his singing. Here 'singing' is the object. 'His' is the possessive pronoun-cum-possessive adjective.) .`

= 'Her' is both a possessive pronoun-cum-adjective and an objective pronoun. (eg. Use of comma clarifies the position. First model: I like her , singing. 'Her' is the object. Meaning: I like her when she sings. Second model: I like, her singing. 'Singing' is the object. What type of singing or whose singing? Her singing. 'Her' is an attributive adjective .`

= Some verbs have twin uses i.e. both in direct speech before quotes and as a reporting verb before 'that' (eg. 'Mother is not at home', she told him.) .`

= Some verbs allow four patterns : verb + bare infinitive ; verb + ing phrase (gerund) ; verb + wh clause; verb + a noun or noun phrase .`

= Verbs like 'suspect' do not have progressive tense (continuous tense). We have to keep in mind that -ing forms of these verbs can be used as participles (verbal adjectives).

= A predicative adjective completes the predicate. It is said to have been used predicatively (eg. The house is in ruins.) .`

= The word 'it' becomes a provisional subject when the real subject follows or used as a complement (eg. It is easy to blame the Government. The real subject is "To blame / Blaming the Government".) .`

= The subordinate conjunction 'that' is useful in introducing noun clauses (eg. He is afraid that he will be bitten by a dog. -- He is afraid of being bitten by a dog. Afraid of what? "being bitten by a dog" or "be bitten by a dog". Alternatively, we can say that "that he will be bitten by a dog" describes the adjective afraid, and hence the clause is an adverbial clause) .`

= Extension of a verb is its 'adverbial qualification' (eg. He spoke in an inaudible tone. How did he speak? "in an inaudible tone" describes or qualifies the verb) .`

= Enlargement of a subject is its attributive adjective (eg. The British Prime Minister spoke briefly. Prime Minister is the subject-word. 'The' and 'British' are enlargements or attributes and form a part of the complete subject.) .`

#026 - Principles of Grammar starting with 'A'

2010-06-03T14:47:00.000-07:00

I am not deliberately using the phrase 'Grammar rules' , because grammar rules are not Government made statutes .

We do not have a grammar administrative body in the world just as we do not have an internet administrative body.

The principles of grammar have evolved over centuries.

Native English speakers, sometimes , deviated / skipped from the logical grammar.

Errors may become customary and traditional and sentences with illogical grammar may become grammatical principles in the name of 'idioms' and Idiomatic English .

Languages are living things. Hence, we cannot say that something is correct English and something else is bad English.

Here is a small quiz based on the principles / terms of grammar starting with 'A'. This quiz is not exhaustive, but I have tried to make it somewhat representative of different facets.

I shall try to correct my errors , if you will please bring them to my notice .

apposition , attributive adjective , attributive adjectives , abstract noun , adjective , adverb , article , articles , attribute , attributively , adjective clause , adjective clauses , adverbial clause , adverbial clauses , adjective phrase , adjectival phrase , adjective phrases , adjectival phrases , adverb phrases , adverbial phrases , adverb phrase , adverbial phrases.

Fill up the blanks choosing appropriate words from the above list:

1: = The term ' ____ ' refers to placing two words side by side ' .,
2: = In the phrase 'Democratic Party' , 'Democratic' is an ____ .,
3: = The ____ are placed before their nouns .,
4: = ' Laughter ' is an ____ .,
5: = An ____ adds something to the meaning of a noun .,
6: = Adverb can add meaning to an adjective / ____ / verb .,
7: = We can use the word hotel with the ' indefinite ____ ' a or an depending on how we pronounce the aspirate .,
8: = Grammars have not designated the ' ____ ' as separate parts of speech; they are adjectives .,
9: = The word ____ refers to some quality or characteristic; adjectives describe the attributes of their objects .,
10: = Some adjectives can be used only ____ , which means that they can be placed only before their nouns .,

11: = A clause used as an adjective , becomes an ____ or an adjectival clause .,
12: = A clause used as an adverb , becomes an adverb clause or an ____ .,
13: = We can use ____ to describe adjectives , verbs and adverbs .,
14: = A phrase used as an adjective , becomes an ____ or an adjectival phrase .,
15: = The ____ can describe a subject or an object .,
16: = The ____ can be used to qualify subjects or objects .,
17: = The ____ can be used to qualify adjectives , adverbs and verbs .,
18: = A phrase used as an adverb , becomes an ____ or an adverbial phrase .

Hover your mouse here to see the suggested answers

#025 USE OF PLURAL-PAST-SUPPORTINGVERB 'WERE' IN SUBJUNCTIVE MOOD

2010-03-02T04:39:00.001-08:00

Subjunctive mood expresses the mood of a verb.

*A verb in subjunctive mood can express a wish.
Example: God bless you.
Long live the Queen.

Observation: Note the use of simple PRESENT tense without any conjugations, here.

*A verb in subjunctive mood makes statements of impossibilities and improbabilities.

Example:
If I were the President of U.S., I would have stopped the attacks on civilian targets.

ObservationMy becoming the President of U.S. is an impossibility.
Note the use of the plural-past-supporting-verb "were" for the first person I.

Blogger's comment: It is not clear, who first started the use of plural-past-supporting-verb "were".

"I shall stop the attacks on civilian targets, if I am the President of U.S."
"I would have stopped the attacks on civilian targets, if I was the President of U.S."

The above sentences would have also been correct, had English been a logical language. English occasionally throws away logic into garbage dump.

See the following statement:

I shall donate one dollar, if I get ten dollars.

The mood is not subjunctive here. Reason: I have a probability or possibility of getting ten dollars. It is not impossible. I have, hence, used the right tense i.e. the future tense "I shall donate". "If" when used in conditions, is normally followed by a verb in simple present tense.

SOME QUOTES OF IMPOSSIBILITIES
I have more memories than if I were a thousand years old. ? Charles Baudelaire.

If I were a girl , I'd despair. The supply of good women far exceeds that of the men who deserve them. ? Robert Graves.

If I were a grave-digger or even a hangman, there are some people I could work for with a great deal of enjoyment ? Douglas Jerrold.

If I were a writer, how I would enjoy being told the novel is
dead? Don Delillo.

If music be the food of love, play on.
Shakespeare in Twelfth Night. Rem: Music can never be the food of love. Impossibility.

If I were two-faced, would I be wearing this one?
Lincoln. REM: How can Lincoln have two faces?

If I were a man I wouldn't bother to change while there are women like that around. ? Ann Oakley.
If I were a man I would always be laughing at myself. ? Yoko Ono.

If I were a side dish , he hadn't ordered. ? Ring Lardner.

If I were a woman I would kiss as many of you as had beards that
pleased me, complexions that liked me and breaths that I defied not ?
William Shakespeare.

I would want him to do everything for me and wait on me as
if I were a princess. But that is not the way at all. ?

If I were a piece in a game of chess, when my opponent says of it: That piece cannot be moved. ? Soren Kierkegaard.

#024 HOW TO CONSTRUCT THE SUBJECT OF A SENTENCE?

2010-02-15T23:17:00.000-08:00

CONSTRUCTING THE 'SUBJECT' OF A SENTENCE

A sentence consists of a subject and a predicate.

The part about which the sentence speaks - somebody/something/topic - is the subject. What is spoken about the subject is the predicate.

The subject of the sentence defines the boundary for the predicate. The predicate has to speak about the subject-- its state/action.

Sentences opening with "subject" draw the attention of the listener/reader to the subject. Subject is the face and head of the sentence. Predicate is the body of the sentence. We get drawn to the face of a person first and later we move to the other body-parts later normally, unless the body-parts are conspicuous and extra-ordinary enough to pull us away from face. Skillful construction of subject of a sentence is, hence, very important.

The simplest way to build a subject in a sentence is to straight-away use a noun and start the sentence with it.

Some examples:

I like tea.
REM: The speaker is telling about himself/herself and affirming his/her own likes. 'I' is, hence, the subject. 'Like' is the transitive verb. Like what? Ans. 'tea'. Tea is the object. The sentence structure used is 'SVO' (subject, verb, object).

Please take tea.
REM: The subject here is 'You'. Imperative sentences (commands, entreaties, requests etc.) have their subjects in second person i.e. 'you'.
We have to infer the existence of 'you'; hence the full sentence becomes:
You, please, take tea..
REM: 'You' is the subject. 'Please' is a courtesy adverb, describing the verb 'take'. The sentence 'Please take tea' is the predicate part.

Adding attributes to subject.
A subject, need not be a bare noun. It can have some attributes (special characteristics, embellishments). We can place the attributes before the subject. We can also place embellishments after the subjects, depending on convenience.

Examples
The tall girl drew everybody's attention.
REM: 'Girl' is the subject. 'The' is a demonstrative adjective, an attribute of the girl, meaning 'that girl'. 'Tall' is another attribute of the girl, which describes the height of the girl.

Elizabeth, the tallest girl in the party, drew everybody's attention.
REM: 'Elizabeth' is the subject here. 'The tallest girl in the party' is her embellishment. The phrase is placed after the subject.
Another observation: Elizabeth is one noun. 'The tallest girl in the party' is another noun (noun-phrase used as noun). These two are placed side by side. We can call this side-by-side position of two nouns as juxtaposition.

Example of a sentence, which does not start with 'subject'
Sweet are the uses of adversity.
REM: We can get a better picture by rewriting the sentence as:
The uses of adversity, are sweet.
'The uses of adversity' is the subject here. 'Sweet' is the adjective complement for the subject. 'Are' is the verb of incomplete predication.

Example, where the subject is embellished with an adjective clause.
Uneasy lies the head, that wears the crown..
REM: We can get a better picture by rewriting the sentence as:
The head that wears the crown, lies, uneasy.. 'That wears the crown' is the clause used as adjective (adjective clause) to embellish the subject 'head'.

EXAMPLE WHERE A 'NOUN CLAUSE' IS USED AS SUBJECT
'Whether US will invade Iran' is a hypothetical question.
REM: 'Is' the verb of incomplete predication. 'A hypothetical question' is the adjective complement which describes the subject: "Whether US will invade Iran".
To identify the subject, we can use the following question:
What is a hypothetical question?
Ans: "Whether US will invade Iran".

#023 USE OF 'MIGHT' TO CONVEY REPROACH, HOW FAR CORRECT?

2010-01-24T08:57:00.000-08:00

Modal Verb 'Might'

*'May' and 'might' both are modal verbs.
* Modal verbs indicate 'mode' of the action.
* Probability, possibility, certainty, duty and obligation, intensity of duty are some modes.
*'Might' is the past tense of 'may'.
*'May' indicates probability.
*'Might' should indicate 'probabilities' in past tense.

E.g.: The murder might have taken place at 12.00 noon yesterday.

'Might' here clearly indicates a probability.

Please, now see, the following sentence:

You might pay a little greater attention to your dress.

It is difficult to find probabilities, here. The speaker, probably, is giving freedom to the receiver either to pay or not to pay more attention to dress.

We may revise the sentence as under, if we want to be puritan about correctness of tense:

You, may please, pay a little greater ....

We can even communicate directly, though the meaning changes a little:

Please, if you do not mind, pay a little greater ....

I propose the use of two terms here:

1. Active grammar: Grammar which we use in our outward communications.

English has approximately 100 pure grammar rules. Following these rules, improves the clarity of our communication. We can write, reasonably correct English, following these rules.

2. Passive grammar: Grammar which we use in deciphering and interpreting our inbox messages.

English has approximately 500 grammar usages. Some of these usages, are against traditional grammar rules. The usages have become acceptable, owing to their continuous usage or popularity, and when others use them we have to accept them in their popular sense, leaving aside the pure grammar rules.

E.g.: 'If I were the Prime Minister of Britain....' . .

'Were' is a supporting verb of 'past tense'. Speakers are using it today to indicate 'impossibilities' and 'subjunctive mood'.

#022 What should be the sequence of multiple attributive adjectives?

2010-01-20T20:26:00.000-08:00

Order of adjectives placed before nouns

Adjectives describe nouns (and noun-phrases).
Attributive adjectives precede the nouns.
We can use any number of attributive adjectives before the nouns; hence the term 'multiple attributive adjectives'.

What should be the order or sequence of multiple attributives adjectives?

Formula: OSQ ShAC NMTP.

O = Opinion (adjectives which express opinions e.g. good, bad, etc.).
S = Size (big, small etc.).
Q = Quantity (physical quantity).
Sh = Shape.
A = Age.
C = Color.
N = Number.
M = Material.
T = Type.
P = Purpose.

E.g. Accordion is a portable musical instrument.

This sentence follows the sequence of 'TP'.
Portable - an adjective of type.
Musical - is the adjective of purpose.

Let us rewrite the sentence:

Accordion is a musical portable instrument.

This cannot be wrong, theoretically, but the order looks awkward, because it is not in use.

*I am unable to trace the authority for this principle/practice.
*I shall try to quote the authority here, as soon as I am able to trace.
*Using this principle improves clarity of the sentence.
*Dividing line between different types of adjectives, can sometimes be, thin.

#021 Active grammar - passive grammar classification

2010-01-10T18:56:00.000-08:00

Changes in use of grammar

We have, in vocabulary, the classification of active vocabulary and passive vocabulary. Active vocabulary refers to the words we use in our communications. Passive vocabulary refers to the words we use in interpreting and understanding the communications received from others.

Grammar also needs a similar classification. I am not sure, whether others have started making such classification.

Active Grammar
Grammar which we use in our conversations and written communications.

Passive Grammar
Grammar which we use in interpreting and understanding the communications from others.

Why this active grammar - passive grammar classification is important?
The grammar used by the traditional grammarians remains static. The current and contemporary grammar is dynamic. It changes with changes in usage habits.

E.g. : The traditional grammar indicates the 'first person, simple future' using:
I shall come

and the 'first person, certainty/determination' using:

I will come.

Vice versa, is the case in respect of second and third person pronouns 'you, he, she, it and they'.

This distinction has vanished in the modern usage.

We cannot deduce true meaning of an inbox message using the traditional grammar, if the other person has employed 'the modern usage'.

We have to determine from the context whether the speaker/writer has employed the traditional grammar or the modern grammar and then narrow down the meaning.

We cannot, therefore, find fault with somebody's communication, if it says 'I will come tomorrow' and the sender fails to turn up the next day.

What should our active grammar be?

Active grammar, is the grammar we employ in our communications.

We have to choose traditional grammar if our listeners/readers are going to be scholars and modern grammar if our listeners/readers are going to be the general population, may be netizens, customers, suppliers etc.

E.g. : 'I will come tomorrow' of the traditional grammar, in the modern usage, does not any longer indicate the determination.

We may have to use 'I will come tomorrow certainly/without fail.' to indicate certainty, keeping in mind the needs of the modern users of 'will'.

#020 Does 'simple past tense' compulsorily need use of an adverb of 'past tense'?

2010-01-04T21:09:00.000-08:00

'simple past tense'

Simple past tense indicates an action completed in the past.
Time adverbs are content words which add meaningful content to a sentence.
Context, sometimes, gives us the meaning.

E.g.: I didn't sleep.
Presumption: yesterday night.
Clearer: I did not sleep last night.
Clearer: I did not sleep during duty hours, through out my service.

Acceptable: We fought for our independence.
Presumption: Can't presume when the fight took place.
Clearer: We fought for our independence in 1776.
Alternate: We can, probably, use a past perfect form, if the time is not important.
We had fought for our independence.

We can use a manner adverb, if the manner is more impotant:

We had (valiantly) fought (valiantly) for our independence (valiantly).

We can add m-adverb and t-adverb, if both are important:

We (valiantly) fought (valiantly) for our independence (valiantly) in 1776.

#019 VERBS NOT USED IN A CONTINOUS FORM

2010-01-04T20:17:00.000-08:00

Are there verbs which do not have 'progressives'?

Some grammarians do not favor use of some verbs in continuous forms. The meaning of the verb is important, in choosing whether to use it in a continuous sense or not. The verbs can be used in a continuous form, if we intend a tangible meaning, instead of some abstract idea. The dividing line is very thin in this respect. The current tendency is to use continuous forms at user's discretion.

Verbs of 'appearance'
appear, look, seem etc.

Verbs of 'emotion'
desire, feel, like, love, hate, hope, prefer, refuse.

Verbs of 'perception'
hear, notice, recognise, see, smell.

Verbs of 'possession'
belong to, contain, consist of, have.

Verbs of 'thought'
agree, believe, consider, forget, imagine, know, mean, mind, remember, suppose, trust, understand.

E.g.:
Not preferred: The President is wanting to see you.
Preferred: The President wants to see you.

Not preferred: She is smelling something obnoxious and odious. She is wanting to clean the house.

Preferred: She smells something obnoxious and odious. She wants to clean the house.

Not preferred: He is having a flat.
Preferred: He has a flat.
Reason: A verb of possession cannot have a continous form.

See the difference below:

Acceptable: My wife is having lunch.
Reason: The intention here, does not appear to express possession of lunch.

Acceptable: I bought a house belonging to Smiths.
Reason: 'Belonging' here is a present participle i.e. adjective. It describes the house. 'Belonging' = 'which belongs to' here.

Example from Paradise Lost 5:

And all the sea, from one entire globose
Stretched into longitude; which having passed ,( PL- 5 ) .

Explanation: Here, 'having passed' does not indicate possession. The form is also not continuous. Hence, this is acceptable.

#018 CAN WE USE PHRASES AS PREPOSITONS?

2009-12-27T08:40:00.000-08:00

I have added some search tools on the twelve books of John Milton's Paradise Lost. You may like to have a look at it. Click.

PHRASAL PREPOSITIONS

A phrase is a group of words.
Phrases can be used as prepositions.
We can call such phrases as 'phrasal prepositions' or 'phrase prepositions'.

Here is a small quiz based on phrasal prepositions.

Choice Box
According to
agreeably to
along with
away from
because of
by dint of
by means of
by reason of
by virtue of
by way of
conformity to
for the sake of
in accordance with
in addition to
in behalf of
on behalf of
in case of
in comparison to
in compliance with
in consequence of
in course of
in favor of
in front of
in lieu of
in order to
in place of
in reference to
in regard to
in spite of
instead of
in the event of
on account of
owing to
with a view to
with an eye to
with reference to
with regard to
Note: Some of these phrasal prepositions have become slightly obsolete. The sentence box below has only commonly used phrase prepositions.

PHRASE/CLAUSE/SENTENCE BOX
1. A mistake ____ the name does nothing, when we are certain of the person .
2. Cut your coat ___ to your cloth.
3. The wisdom of many doctors ___ the healing art is poor.
4. A patient should combat his disease, ____ the doctors.
5. A low land can become a marsh ____ poor drainage.
6. I shall ever try to drive all evils ____ my heart and keep my love in flower, knowing that thou hast thy seat in the inmost shrine of my heart . (Gitanjali) .
7. A modest person does not seek publicity ____ his dignity.
8. Governors and Presidents can face impeachment ___ their lasciviousness.
9. Police have to use force ___ violence.
10. Did Obama become President ___ his merit?
11. A Government can borrow from its people ___ , printing new notes. The first step does not increase money supply and inflation.
12. The Company distributed free drinks ___ introduction.
13. We do not, sometimes, succeed ___ our best efforts.
14. The superior man acquaints himself with many sayings of antiquity and many deeds of the past, ____ strengthen his character thereby. (Milton) .
15. The Government may offer an unemployment allowance ___ a job.

HOVER YOUR MOUSE HERE TO SEE ANSWERs.

#017 PARTICIPLES WHICH HAVE BECOME PREPOSITIONS OWING TO CONTINUOUS USE

2009-12-26T21:50:00.000-08:00

PARTICIPLES WHICH HAVE BECOME PREPOSITIONS OWING TO CONTINUOUS USE

Present participles end with '-ing'.
They are adjectives.
They should have a noun following them.

E.g. 'Travelling salesman'. Meaning: A salesman who travels.

Some participles have, owing to continuous use, in a fixed sense of prepositions, have nearly become prepositions.

Choice Box
Barring = except;
concerning = about;
considering = taking into account.
during = at the time of, while;
notwithstanding = in spite of;
pending = in the meantime, meanwhile, awaiting something to complete;
regarding = about;
respecting = with regard to, about;
touching = with regard to, about;

Phrase/Clause/Sentence Box
1. What did Bush do ____ his tenure?
2. Every State, ____ Alabama, is supporting gay marriages.
3. ____ this matter, the Government has not yet made any decision.
4. A disputation is a verbal contest ____ the truth of some fact. (Webster's Unabridged Dictionary).
5. Obama is silent ____ corruption.
6. ____ the Banking Sector reforms, the Obama went ahead releasing funds to sick banks.
7. _____ their criminal connections and records, many unscrupulous persons get elected to Congress and Senate.
8. ____ his age, the Court gave him a mild punishment.
9. A question is made ____ the laws, not concerning persons .
10. Except ____ the nine months before he draws his first breath, no man manages his affairs as well as a tree does. (Shaw) .

Answers. Hover your mouse here.

Word of the week
Vibrissa = hair in the nostrils of a person.

#017 CLAUSE - PHRASE DIFFERENCE

2009-12-24T08:48:00.000-08:00

CLAUSE - PHRASE DIFFERENCE - discussion-cum-quiz

How to distinguish a clause from a phrase?

Ans: Phrase is just a group of words. Clause has two additional components. 1. A subject; 2. a predicate, particularly a verb.

EXAMPLES
Phrase: They stopped the battle at Sunset.

Clause: They stopped the battle when evening came.
'Evening' is the subject in the clause. 'Came' is the verb in the clause. These two are in addition to the main subject 'they' and the main verb 'stopped'.

Is this sentence a complex sentence?

Ans: You are right. We have a main clause and one or more subordinate clauses in a complex sentence.
'They stopped the battle' is the main clause, because it has a completed meaning. 'When the evening came' is the subordinate clause, because the meaning is incomplete.

QUIZ

Identify whether the following are phrases/clauses and if so what type.

1. Money lenders thrive wherever they go. ANSWER.

2. Where you start is not as important as where you finish . ANSWER.

3. Govern a family as you would cook a small fish; very gently ANSWER.

4. Those who stand in the middle of the road , may be run over. ANSWER.

5. Nothing can survive on the Venus . ANSWER.

6. The court is like a palace built of marble . ANSWER.

7. A stitch in time saves nine. ANSWER.

8. Bill Clinton enjoyed playing saxophone. ANSWER.

9. I know that I can no longer smoke. ANSWER.

10. Do whatever you can. ANSWER.

016 NOUN PHRASES

2009-12-19T08:53:00.000-08:00

Noun Phrases

1. What are noun phrases?Phrases which do the work of a noun are 'noun phrases'.

2. How to recognise a noun phrase in a sentence?We use nouns either as subjects or objects in a sentence. Noun phrases also do the work of a 'subject' or an 'object'.

3. How to recognise a subject?a) The thing about which / person about whom the sentence is speaking is the subject.
b) Most sentences start with subjects.
c) Subjects tend to be doers of actions.

4. How to recognise an object?a) The objects follow transitive verbs.
b) We can ask a question like 'what, whom, which etc.' on a transitive verb.

E.g. : An entangled fish has to die.
PARSING
'An entangled fish' is the subject.
'Has' is the verb.
Has what?
'To die' is the object. It is a noun.
'To' + verb is called 'to infinitive'. 'To infinitives' can be used as nouns. There are two words in a 'to-infinitive'. Hence, we can treat a to-infinitive as a noun phrase.

Another example:

It is lawful for women and children to discharge offices by proxy.
We, now, question: What is lawful? "To discharge offices by proxy" is lawful. Thus, "To discharge offices by proxy" is a Noun-phrase.

#015 MPT adverbs

2009-12-19T00:23:00.000-08:00

MPT adverbs

1. M- adverbs are Manner adverbs; e.g. 'well'.
2. P- adverbs are Place adverbs; e.g. 'here', 'in Chicago'.
3. T- adverbs are Time adverbs; e.g. 'yesterday'.

4. English is a syntactic language; means: word order dependent language.
5. Change of word order may change meaning.

6. The order of adverbs in a sentence influences the meaning.

7. Experience has taught that the following order of adverbs does good work.

MPT order i.e manner-place-time order.

8. E.g.: Milton wrote profusely and meticulously, in England, from 1630 to 1640.

Parsing
Milton- subject.
wrote-verb.
profusely- manner adverb1.
meticulously- manner adverb2.
in England- place adverb.
from 1630 - time adverb1.
to 1640 - time adverb2.

#001 DANGLING PARTICIPLE

2009-12-18T10:49:00.000-08:00

Dangling participles are also known as dangling modifiers.

This is a favorite topic of the question-paper-setters and examiners of various English proficiency tests and examinations. Questions on the topic regularly appear in tests, with the caption 'Identify the part in which there is an error' or 'Correct the error in the following sentence'.

1. Participle = Verbal adjective. (Use of verb as adjective).
2. Present participle = Participle in present tense. E. g. moving train. 'Moving' is the present participle. It is the adjective for the noun train.
3. Dangling = hanging loosely.
4. When does a participle dangle?
An adjective or a participle should be as close as possible to the noun it modifies. The right place for it is just before the noun. The adjective may mislead that it is modifying the noun 'y' instead of the noun 'x', if the distance is more. Consequently an awkward meaning may result.

E.g. : Walking on the road, a lorry hit him.

Who was walking on the road? He was walking on the road. The pronoun 'him' is at the end of the sentence. 'Lorry' is more proximate to the adjective-(present-participle) 'walking'. Readers, during quick reads, may get a dazzled impression that 'lorry was walking'. The reader has to spend a little more time, to deduce the correct meaning. We may have to reset the sentence as under:

While (he) was walking on the road, he was hit by a lorry.
While he was walking on the road, a lorry hit him.

I, personally prefer to start the sentence using Subject + Verb + Object + time adverbial clause. We can take into account the American preferences for 'active voice. We can go for a third alternative as under:

A lorry him, while he was walking on the road.

Another example:

Standing near the fence, a snake bit him.

We have to apply the same logic, as above: Who was standing near the fence? He or the snake?
We have to revise the sentence to improve clarity.

When he was standing near the fence, a snake bit him.
When he was standing near the fence, he was bit by a snake.
He was bit by a snake, when/while he was standing near the fence.
A snake bit him, when/while he was standing near the fence. (etc.)

AN EXAMPLE FROM GMAT QUESTIONS

Although just inside the orbit of Jupiter, amateur astronomers with good telescopes should be able to see the comet within the next few weeks.
(A) Although just inside the orbit of
(B)Although it is just inside the orbit of
(C) Just inside the orbit of
(D) Orbiting just inside
(E) Having orbited just inside
Ans : b. This is a good example of dangling participle.
Who is inside the orbit? It is not the astronomer? It is the comet.

#002 MANNER-ADVERBIAL-PHRASES

2009-12-17T23:29:00.000-08:00

1. Phrases are group of words.
2. We can use phrases as adverbs.
3. Phrases which are used as adverbs, are adverbial phrases.
4. Adverbs can describe verbs, adjectives, and other adverbs.
5. Adverbs which describe the manner of the 'action' of the verbs, are 'Manner
-adverbs'.
6. Adverbial phrases which describe the manner of the action of the verbs, are
'Manner-adverbial-phrases'.
7. We can use manner adverbs, and manner-adverbial-phrases, to describe adjectives and other adverbs also. These are less common.

The selection box below contains some manner-adverbial-phrases.

Selection Box
in a prefactory manner
in a rage
in soft tones
in such a manner
in thousand ways
in what manner
sailing over the Missisipi river
with every sentiment
without reasons
without seeming to dictate
with one stone

QUESTION Box
1. The Chairman spoke ___ .
2. ____ a lover makes himself acceptable to his beloved, has been an unsolved question for centuries.
3. A democratic administrator has to execute his policies ___ that he does not hurt public sentiments.
4. This maniac is affected ___ in the world.
5. Kill two birds ____ .
6. A sweet temper can control ____ .
7. Only fools lounge at street corners ____ .
8. The crowd rampaged ____ .
9. Villains can speak ___ .
10. Scams can take place in ___ .
11. The ship sank ____.

ANSWERS

We use a large number of manner-adverbial-phrases in our day-to-day conversations and communications, unconsciously, like an experienced byker who does not worry about balancing the handle bar and regulating the throttle.

This post is just a refresher.

#003 TIME-ADVERBIAL-PHRASES

2009-12-17T06:48:00.001-08:00

1. Phrase is a group of words.
2. Adverbs describe verbs, adjectives and other adverbs.
3. We can use phrases as adverbs; such phrases, we call as adverbial phrases.
4. The selection box below shows some examples of phrases culled from proverbs.
5. Users, normally place the time-adverbial-phrases, at the end of a sentence.
6. We can locate time-adverbial-phrases at other places also, provided an awkward joining does not result or the sentence does not get an ambiguous meaning.
7. A time-adverbial clause has a subject + verb. A time-adverbial-phrase does not have.

Fill up the blanks, selecting appropriate words from the Choice Box.

SELECTION BOX:
at all times, at five, at last, before he was born, before very long, in a day, in three days, in those days, just now, once upon a time.

QUESTION BOX: *
1* Mr. Putin was President of Russia, ____ . ANSWER .

2* Politicians forget their promises ____ . ANSWER .

3* I have switched on the TV ___. ANSWER .

4* Rome was not built____y ANSWER .

5*Swine Flu was not known ____ ANSWER .

6* He that will thrive, must rise____e ANSWER .

7* No man is wise____ ANSWER .

8* The pitcher goes often to the well but is broken____ ANSWER .

9* Fish and company stink____ ANSWER .

10* He who pleased everybody died____ ANSWER .

#003 TIME-ADVERBIAL-PHRASES

2009-12-17T06:48:00.000-08:00

1. Phrase is a group of words.
2. Adverbs describe verbs, adjectives and other adverbs.
3. We can use phrases as adverbs; such phrases, we call as adverbial phrases.
4. The selection box below shows some examples of phrases culled from proverbs.
5. Users, normally place the time-adverbial-phrases, at the end of a sentence.
6. We can locate time-adverbial-phrases at other places also, provided an awkward joining does not result or the sentence does not get an ambiguous meaning.

Fill up the blanks, selecting appropriate words from the Choice Box.

SELECTION BOX:
at all times, at five, at last, before he was born, before very long, in a

day, in three days, in those days, just now

QUESTION BOX: *
1* Mr. Putin was President of Russia, ____ .
title= ' once upon a time ' > ANSWER .

2* Politicians forget their promises ____ .
title= ' before very long ' > ANSWER .

3* I have switched on the TV ___. ANSWER .

4* Rome was not built____y ANSWER .

5*Swine Flu was not known ____ ANSWER .

6* He that will thrive, must rise____e
title= ' at five ' > ANSWER .

7* No man is wise____ ANSWER .

8* The pitcher goes often to the well but is broken____
'cursor:hand;' title= ' at last ' > ANSWER .

9* Fish and company stink____ ANSWER .

10* He who pleased everybody died____
' before he was born ' > ANSWER .

#004 PLACE-ADVERBIAL-PHRASES

2009-12-12T21:34:00.001-08:00

Phrase is a group of words.

We can use phrases as adverbs.

We call such phrases as 'adverbial phrases'.

In other words:-

'Adverbial phrases' are phrases which are used as adverbs.

Place-adverbial-phrases indicate place or location.

EXAMPLE

'in Detroit'. 'In' is the preposition, which among other

things, indicates a location. Detroit is a proper noun. It is

the object of the preposition 'in'. Thus 'in Detroit' is a

prepositional phrase.

'In Detroit' is also a place-adverbial-phrase because we can use

it to indicate place of an action.

E.g.: "MNBD Bank is 'in Detroit' ".

'In Detroit' describes the verb 'is' (A be/location/existence

verb). 'In Detroit', therefore, is a 'place-adverbial-phrase.'

DISTINCTION BETWEEN ADJECTIVE PHRASES AND ADVERBIAL

PHRASES

We can use a phrase as an adjective. Such phrases become

adjectival phrases. We shall see, how we can use 'in Detroit'

as an adjectival phrase:

E.g.: "Banks in Detroit, are strong".

'Banks in Detroit' is the subject. 'In Detroit' describes the

Banks which are in Detroit. 'Strong' is another quality of the

Banks. 'Strong' is an adjective. It is used at the end of the

sentence. It is an 'adjective complement' or a 'complementary

adjective'.

QUIZ
Study, whether the following phrases are adjectival phrases or place-adverbial phrases and observe their location. Hover your mouse on the word 'ANSWER', to compare your answer with my view.

Cabbage is a winter vegetable in some European countriesANSWER.
A cat in gloves catches no mice ANSWER.
Forest blazes take place in Australia and California ANSWER.
A fox is not taken twice in the same snare ANSWER.

Hawkers do roaring business in moving trains ANSWER.

An old dog barks not in vain ANSWER.

January and February are excellent winter months in RussiaANSWER.

Skiing is a popular winter sport in the Republic of Mari El ANSWER.

Wicked deeds done in secret are as visible as a flash of lightning to the eyes of God ANSWER.

The European Union is the biggest market in the world ANSWER.

We cannot learn winter warfare in Sahara desert ANSWER.

Up to forty a woman has only forty springs in her heart ANSWER.
Sheep and cows are rare in Chinese hinterland ANSWER.

All bread is not baked in one oven ANSWER.

All cats are grey in the dark ANSWER.

An apology in the original sense was a pleading off from some imputationANSWER.

Honorable descent is in all nations greatly esteemedANSWER.

We find from the above examples, a place-adverbial-phrase easily fits itself at the end of a sentence.

Most of the above sentences are proverbs; not my own.

We shall take up 'time-adverbial-phrases' in the next post.

#005 SPLIT INFINITIVE, MEANING and DISCUSSION ON USAGE

2009-12-07T21:54:00.000-08:00

What is split infinitive?

The barest form of verb without any conjugations for number, person and tense, is 'bare infinitive'.

The preposition 'to' + bare infinitive = 'to infinitive'.

The to-infinitive is like a compound word. The preposition 'to' and its object (normally noun, but in this case 'verb'), we cannot separate.

Example

'to come' : We cannot insert a word between the two. Thus, the usage 'to kindly come' becomes incorrect, according to traditional grammar, because the adverb 'kindly' splits (separates) the two elements of the 'to-infinitive'.

Not acceptable, according to traditional grammarians: "I request you to kindly come".

They suggest the following rewritten sentences:

"I request you kindly to come."

or

"I request you to come kindly."

MY PERSONAL VIEW AS BLOGGER- of course not binding on readers

*We can prefer to avoid an adverb that modifies the bare form of a verb which is an integral part of a 'to-infinitive'.

*English is a syntactic language. Meaning: Word order is important. Change of word order, may change, meaning.

*The best position for an adjective or an adverb, is, before the word it describes. The practice of 'split-infinitive' might have emerged following this principle. Reason: The adverb 'kindly' describes the verb 'come'. 'To kindly come', is hence, logical, but grammar does not permit.

*The split infinitive does not fit well in many sentences, and placing the adverb elsewhere gives a clearer meaning.

Examples from George Bernard Shaw's play, 'The Doctor's Dilemma'

1. He pats Ridgeon on the shoulder and goes out, turning for a moment at the door to look meditatively at Emmy.

Usage of 'to meditatively look at Emmy', would have been probably awkward.

2. They have just telephoned from the hospital that you are to come instantly--a patient on the point of death.

Rem:Usage of 'to instantly come' may be awkward.

3. I did not mean to behave badly.

Rem:Usage of 'to badly behave' may be awkward.

4. He completely loses his temper and begins to walk excitedly.

Rem: May be awkward to say 'to excitedly walk'.

*We have the second best practice of placing the adverb, after the verb it describes.

'I request you to come kindly.' does not result in an awkward construction, when the adverb is a 'complement' (completes the sentence). We shall suppose that there is another adverb, a time-adverb, at the end:

Example:
"I request you to come kindly tomorrow."

Here, though kindly is supposed to qualify the verb 'come', we get an impression that 'kindly' is qualifying 'tomorrow'.

Discussion of the first suggested sentence

"I request you kindly to come."

We get an impression, that the adverb 'kindly' is describing the verb 'request', whereas 'kindly' is intended for 'come'.

SUMMARY

We have to avoid 'split infinitive', if we wish to adhere to grammar.

We have to avoid awkward / ambiguous constructions, if we wish to concentrate on clarity.

I suggest that we can go for simpler constructions:

Example
"Please come tomorrow."

We can go for 'Could you please+ construction', if we wish to show utmost courtesy.

"Could you please come tomorrow?"

Some communicators use, slightly lengthy constructions such as:

"We shall appreciate if you will please come tomorrow."

or

"We shall be obliged if you will please come tomorrow."

Some communicators add the adverb 'greatly' to sound 'greater courtesy':

"We shall greatly appreciate..."
"We shall be greatly obliged..."
etc.

#006 TO + BASIC FORM OF VERB VS. TO + PREPOSITION DISCUSSION

2009-12-07T08:34:00.000-08:00

We change the form of a verb to indicate its tense.

We also change the form of a verb-in-present-tense to indicate that the subject is in third-person-singular.

We use the base form of a verb in simple present tense. Exception: Subject in third person-singular number.

E.g. : I come, we come, you come, they come. Exceptions: He comes; she comes; it comes. Mr. Anthony comes.

We are fortunate that English does not have gender-based inflections and conjugations of verb. Many world languages have.

The bare verb form is called bare infinitive. Finite means somemthing which has dimensions. A finite verb can reflect number, person of the subject and tense. An infinitive does not have any such bonds. The examples given above I come, we come, etc. have nothing to do with bare infinitive; because in the above examples the verb has a tense, and reflects the number and person of the subject.

It is a practice to call the prepositon "to + bare infinitive" as "to infinitive".

MY PERSONAL VIEW AS A BLOGGER

The 'to-infinitive' has only one characteristic of a verb. It takes an object, if the verb is a transitive verb.

Example: The Bank | has agreed | to | grant a loan.

'Grant' is a transitive verb. It takes 'a loan' as its object.

--------------------------------------

The preposition 'to's object should be a noun. We shall arrive at this reasoning in the following example:-

E.g. 1: Mr. Bush | agreed | to resign.

'Mr. Bush' is the subject.
'Agreed' is an intransitive verb. We use prepositions to link the actions of the intransitive verbs with other nouns. 'To' in the above sentence, hence, becomes a preposition.
'resign' is the object.

Only a noun/noun-phrase/noun-clause, can work as a subject/object. Thus, the bare infinitive 'resign' has become a noun.

E.g. 2: To err | is | human.

'To err' is the subject.
'Is' is the verb.
'Human' is the complementary adjective (or adjective complement).

This Pope's quote, is using, 'to err' as subject.

We can use only a noun/noun-phrase/noun-clause as a subject.

We can take 'to-err' as a compound-word.

'Erring' is the verbal-noun (gerund) form of 'to-err'.

E.g. : Erring | is | human.

'Erring' is the subject.
'Is' is the verb.
'Human' is the adjective.

This sentence has not become popular, probably because, Alexander Pope had not used it. 'Erring' is popular as an adjective i.e. present participle.

E.g. : erring brother; erring friend; erring love; erring men; erring sister; erring soul; erring spirit.

'To' preposition + its object, serve well to show destination or direction; place or time or purpose.

Let us see another proverb:-

"It is better to die with honor than to live in infamy."

'It' appears, in this sentence, to be the subject. It is only an introductory subject at the best. The real subject is 'To-die with honor' and after removing its embellishments, 'to-die' remains as the subject.

'Than' is the preposition. 'To-live in infamy' is its object. After removing embellishments, 'to-live' becomes the preposition "than's" object.

Both 'to-live' and 'to-die' thus are nouns.

Another observation: 'live' and 'die' are intransitive verbs. Hence they needed the use of preposition + its object i.e. -- with + honor, in + infamy. Honor and infamy are objects and hence nouns (vice versa).

Identify whether the following phrases of George Bernard Shaw in his play 'The Doctor's Dilemma', are to infinitives / to + objects. Hover your mouse on the word 'answer' to see the 'suggested answer'.

I have deleted the too common prepositional objects like 'to me', 'to us', 'to you', 'to him', 'to her', 'to it', 'to them' etc. Hence, you will find occasional jumps in serial numbers.

1: to the tidy doctorANSWER.

2: to walkANSWER.

3: to face the corner we see nothing of the other two wallsANSWER.

4: to dust the couchANSWER.

5: to the doorANSWER.

6: to see the doctorANSWER.

7: to come bothering me when IANSWER.

8: to swearANSWER.

9: to be his name nowANSWER.

10: to talk to him about scienceANSWER.

11: to come up on his way to the hospitalANSWER.

12: to congratulate youANSWER.

13: to alter the name in the letters if you havntANSWER.

14: to itANSWER.

15: to have done it years agoANSWER.

16: to retireANSWER.

17: to buy a fashionable practiceANSWER.

18: to MondayANSWER.

19: to make someANSWER.

20: to a twelveANSWER.

21: to congratulate youANSWER.

22: to lunch on Saturday next weekANSWER.

23: to HertfordANSWER.

24: to be the first to congratulate youANSWER.

25: to speak of Sir Patrick Cullen as old Paddy CullenANSWER.

29: to you a bitANSWER.

30: to give yourself the airs of ageANSWER.

31: to me nowANSWER.

32: to my poor dear old fatherANSWER.

33: to be proud ofANSWER.

34: to cure consumptionANSWER.

36: to an old manANSWER.

37: to tell me you dont remember the woman with the tuberculosis ulcer on her armANSWER.

38: to cure her with KochANSWER.

39: to take the chance when an experiment is necessaryANSWER.

40: to cure sometimes killsANSWER.

43: to make your white blood corpuscles eat themANSWER.

44: to in practice is thisANSWER.

45: to know whether the patient is in the positive or the negative phaseANSWER.

46: to the laboratory at StANSWER.

47: to kill a man I should kill him that wayANSWER.

48: to me again about people who have no appointmentsANSWER.

49: to wait a bitANSWER.

50: to congratulate youANSWER.

52: to the poor ladyANSWER.

53: to happenANSWER.

54: to me very prettyANSWER.

55: to dieANSWER.

56: to set your teeth and finish the job fastANSWER.

57: to be a surgeonANSWER.

58: to the ladyANSWER.

59: to the consoleANSWER.

60: to chloroformANSWER.

61: to Ridgeon and shakes hands with himANSWER.

62: to go about with nuciform sacsANSWER.

63: to take the sponges outANSWER.

64: to the doorANSWER.

65: to talk to that ladyANSWER.

66: to tell that ladyANSWER.

67: to that poor girlANSWER.

68: to unite at the sound of his voiceANSWER.

69: to the order of knighthoodANSWER.

70: to have that growth taken off her vocal cordsANSWER.

71: to his feetANSWER.

72: to hear that I have tried his opsonin treatment on little Prince Henry with complete successANSWER.

73: to you carefullyANSWER.

74: to bed I packed himANSWER.

76: to the papers and try to discredit scienceANSWER.

77: to your generationANSWER.

78: to struggle with the diffidence of poverty and relegation to the poorer middle classANSWER.

79: to offer my humble congratulationsANSWER.

80: to say I havnt a notion what your great discovery isANSWER.

81: to be rather keen on scienceANSWER.

82: to be a lot of thingsANSWER.

83: to read the medical papers at firstANSWER.

84: to correlate your observations at the bedsideANSWER.

85: to hear you physicians and general practitioners talking about clinical experienceANSWER.

86: to talkANSWER.

87: to EgyptANSWER.

88: to inspire confidenceANSWER.

89: to sell a hair restorerANSWER.

90: to sympathize with my patientsANSWER.

91: to have a lookANSWER.

92: to offer a prescription to a great man like youANSWER.

94: to see that you disapprove of drugsANSWER.

95: to believe in bottles of doctorANSWER.

96: to stimulate the phagocytesANSWER.

97: to hear my poor old father talking againANSWER.

98: to declare his belief that smallpox inoculation was goodANSWER.

99: to the new idea with immense interest and excitementANSWER.

100: to have beenANSWER.

101: to stimulate the phagocytesANSWER.

102: to give you a liftANSWER.

103: to have met youANSWER.

105: to the door with himANSWER.

106: to lunch with me some day this weekANSWER.

107: to spareANSWER.

109: to go roundANSWER.

110: to know the difference between a vaccine and an antiANSWER.

111: to keep them horses standing in the draughtANSWER.

114: to behave myself before I learnt you to do itANSWER.

115: to be with their poor patientsANSWER.

116: to look meditatively at Emmy and sayANSWER.

118: to send her awayANSWER.

119: to please meANSWER.

120: to talk about themselves to youANSWER.

121: to start withANSWER.

122: to have a strong hint to goANSWER.

123: to the glassANSWER.

124: to the writingANSWER.

125: to sit down on the couchANSWER.

126: to the beauty of womenANSWER.

127: to see youANSWER.

129: to be quiet and selfANSWER.

130: to think of those ten patients as ten shipwrecked men on a raftANSWER.

131: to understand and to face itANSWER.

132: to say anything wrongANSWER.

133: to the window and studies itANSWER.

135: to beginANSWER.

137: to come instantlyANSWER.

138: to come in and say thatANSWER.

139: to do a very serious thingANSWER.

140: to save the life of a great manANSWER.

141: to kill another man for his sakeANSWER.

144: to come to a dinner at the Star and Garter at RichmondANSWER.

145: to a dinner to celebrate my knighthoodANSWER.

146: to have been a bachelorsANSWER.

147: to forget itANSWER.

148: to the door and hold your tongueANSWER.

149: to time the long trajectory of a distant train and the measured clucking of oars coming up from the Thames in the valley belowANSWER.

150: to the hotel is on their rightANSWER.

151: to work the telephoneANSWER.

152: to goANSWER.

153: to bed before elevenANSWER.

154: to be ashamed of yourselfANSWER.

155: to askANSWER.

156: to have met himANSWER.

158: to console herANSWER.

159: to be a doctorANSWER.

160: to take care of themselvesANSWER.

161: to this menu cardANSWER.

162: to tear itANSWER.

164: to have met youANSWER.

166: to his seat next Sir PatrickANSWER.

167: to have left you like thisANSWER.

168: to have got a case really worth savingANSWER.

169: to drinkANSWER.

170: to the chequeANSWER.

171: to me quite frankly before dinner as to the pressure of money difficulties on an artistANSWER.

172: to see how happy it made himANSWER.

173: to Walpole with growing perturbationANSWER.

175: to leave her a good deal aloneANSWER.

177: to look seriousANSWER.

178: to look unconcernedANSWER.

179: to keep it to myselfANSWER.

180: to your dinner after all your kindnessANSWER.

181: to lend him halfANSWER.

182: to sayANSWER.

183: to get away from the painful subject by addingANSWER.

184: to have kept the sketch and got it autographedANSWER.

185: to put up with your Philistine twaddleANSWER.

186: to a stranger like thatANSWER.

187: to say NoANSWER.

188: to pleaseANSWER.

189: to thatANSWER.

190: to persuade me that he was one of the chosen peopleANSWER.

192: to say that Jews are never rogues and thievesANSWER.

193: to say you called me to ask whether the motor has come back from the station yetANSWER.

194: to askANSWER.

196: to catch the train with the woman he brought with himANSWER.

197: to go back into serviceANSWER.

198: to start withANSWER.

199: to be uncharitableANSWER.

200: to thinkANSWER.

201: to find himANSWER.

203: to be content with that for the presentANSWER.

204: to care of this gentlemanANSWER.

205: to save this fellowANSWER.

207: to sayANSWER.

208: to the restANSWER.

209: to moveANSWER.

212: to judgeANSWER.

213: to go through life and find all the pictures bad but all the men and women goodANSWER.

214: to say off-hand which I should prefer to do withoutANSWER.

215: to be made simple for youANSWER.

216: to marry his widowANSWER.

219: to replace a dead man than a good pictureANSWER.

220: to pictures and statues and plays and brass bands because its men and women are not good enough to comfort its poor aching soulANSWER.

221: to the inner rooms is in the opposite wallANSWER.

222: to the leftANSWER.

223: to him very anxiously about another matterANSWER.

225: to ask meANSWER.

226: to spare your little fortuneANSWER.

227: to borrow again until you have first asked meANSWER.

228: to me to have you by me to guard me against living too much in the skiesANSWER.

229: to finish themANSWER.

230: to accept money in advanceANSWER.

231: to liveANSWER.

232: to pay except on deliveryANSWER.

233: to have what they pay forANSWER.

234: to be goodANSWER.

235: to work steadilyANSWER.

236: to go in and order all the really good things they have for youANSWER.

237: to insist on comingANSWER.

238: to cure a rising artistANSWER.

239: to see youANSWER.

240: to comeANSWER.

242: to me a fortnight ago when she first called on meANSWER.

243: to have her coming to me for moneyANSWER.

244: to live on if I diedANSWER.

245: to look at your drawingsANSWER.

246: to sound my wretched lungANSWER.

247: to work it is thisANSWER.

248: to JenniferANSWER.

249: to the transactionANSWER.

250: to find some other means of getting itANSWER.

251: to explainANSWER.

252: to buy some of my thingsANSWER.

253: to open itANSWER.

254: to have knownANSWER.

255: to borrow 150 pounds from meANSWER.

256: to you in confidenceANSWER.

257: to speak to you in confidenceANSWER.

259: to WalpoleANSWER.

261: to payANSWER.

262: to clean poor Blenkinsop out of his last halfANSWER.

263: to settle thisANSWER.

265: to know a young woman named Minnie TinwellANSWER.

267: to thinkANSWER.

268: to appreciate JenniferANSWER.

269: to say that she carried her marriage certificate in her face and in her characterANSWER.

270: to look you in the faceANSWER.

271: to compare with thatANSWER.

272: to borrow four times as much to spend on herANSWER.

273: to have livedANSWER.

274: to you that you were utterly wrong on the moral pointANSWER.

275: to the steward of a linerANSWER.

276: to say to me unless we were married I went through the ceremony to please her and to preserve her selfANSWER.

277: to understandANSWER.

279: to do with this daisyANSWER.

280: to church and feel good about itANSWER.

281: to be allowed to defy the criminal law of the landANSWER.

282: to decent peopleANSWER.

286: to walk excitedly aboutANSWER.

287: to harp on the subject of deathANSWER.

288: to put me in prison sooner or laterANSWER.

289: to take you by the scruff of your neckANSWER.

290: to keep it out of court afterwardsANSWER.

291: to address to me in my own houseANSWER.

292: to get them over before my wife comes backANSWER.

293: to save this reptileANSWER.

294: to rememberANSWER.

295: to hear no moreANSWER.

296: to set up to be exactly a SupermanANSWER.

297: to explainANSWER.

298: to be very popular as an excuse for putting sand in sugar and water in milkANSWER.

300: to him piteouslyANSWER.

301: to shock youANSWER.

303: to me that heANSWER.

304: to let you do itANSWER.

305: to let you cut me up for nothingANSWER.

306: to his stool in high dudgeonANSWER.

307: to appeal to now but Sir Ralph Bloomfield BoningtonANSWER.

308: to the Brompton HospitalANSWER.

309: to say NoANSWER.

310: to go into the question of whether my patients are of any use either to themselves or anyone elseANSWER.

311: to stop to argue about their merits I should have to give up threeANSWER.

312: to argueANSWER.

314: to excuse meANSWER.

315: to look at itANSWER.

316: to him from the throneANSWER.

317: to have itANSWER.

318: to have it myselfANSWER.

319: to lookANSWER.

320: to give it to youANSWER.

322: to your houseANSWER.

323: to take it at twelveANSWER.

325: to a belief in morality after allANSWER.

326: to see youANSWER.

327: to learn that heANSWER.

328: to accept thisANSWER.

329: to be nothing but fearANSWER.

330: to the character of the caseANSWER.

331: to excuse meANSWER.

333: to take the patient in handANSWER.

335: to protestANSWER.

336: to lock things upANSWER.

337: to MahometANSWER.

338: to be very gratefulANSWER.

339: to have himANSWER.

341: to BlenkinsopANSWER.

343: to say against himANSWER.

344: to tell me any wrong thing he has doneANSWER.

345: to faceANSWER.

346: to me to make room for him as your patientANSWER.

347: to keep telling me thatANSWER.

348: to me just for a few minutesANSWER.

349: to noticeANSWER.

350: to one dreamANSWER.

351: to waste myselfANSWER.

352: to me like a childANSWER.

353: to refuse what I am going to ask you to doANSWER.

354: to test youANSWER.

355: to the wallANSWER.

356: to follow himANSWER.

357: to be killed because his wife has too high an opinion of himANSWER.

358: to prey on the lungs themselvesANSWER.

359: to do anythingANSWER.

361: to LouisANSWER.

362: to deal with himANSWER.

363: to CornwallANSWER.

364: to think of it beforeANSWER.

365: to him and help to carry him inANSWER.

366: to act on its description and reportsANSWER.

367: to get them wrongANSWER.

369: to wait a few minutes to humor himANSWER.

370: to be paidANSWER.

371: to DubedatANSWER.

372: to let us have a few words aboutANSWER.

373: to dieANSWER.

374: to myselfANSWER.

375: to keep me going for a few minutesANSWER.

376: to add soda water when Sir Patrick corrects himANSWER.

377: to look beautifulANSWER.

378: to point at you and say ANSWER.

379: to come to Cornwall with me and get wellANSWER.

380: to tearsANSWER.

381: to keep you standing aboutANSWER.

382: to remember it nowANSWER.

383: to disappoint the poor little wormsANSWER.

384: to hang my pictures at the oneANSWER.

385: to worry aboutANSWER.

386: to be awfully afraid of deathANSWER.

387: to think that our marriage was all an affectationANSWER.

388: to the other fellow too much about meANSWER.

389: to say to you fellowsANSWER.

390: to see anything but JenniferANSWER.

394: to liveANSWER.

395: to live up to my idealANSWER.

396: to see whether he is deadANSWER.

397: to rest my head on your bosomANSWER.

398: to sleepANSWER.

399: to go to sleepANSWER.

400: to know is the newspaper man hereANSWER.

401: to silence himANSWER.

403: to follow herANSWER.

404: to judgeANSWER.

405: to marry againANSWER.

406: to carry the interview any furtherANSWER.

408: to be a WidowANSWER.

409: to write an article on How It Feels to be Turned Out of the HouseANSWER.

411: to read the cardANSWER.

413: to some purposeANSWER.

414: to money and womenANSWER.

415: to blackmail me if IANSWER.

416: to prove that their ways are the right waysANSWER.

417: to follow it rather than harp on the weaknesses that have perished with himANSWER.

418: to speakANSWER.

419: to damnation add The readiness is allANSWER.

420: to be ridiculedANSWER.

421: to clear outANSWER.

422: to the doorANSWER.

424: to themANSWER.

426: to cover her deadANSWER.

427: to the entranceANSWER.

428: to the printers to hurry them upANSWER.

429: to come before the crowdANSWER.

431: to see about themANSWER.

432: to the table for a magnifying glassANSWER.

433: to the wallANSWER.

434: to put the glass down on the deskANSWER.

435: to be funny when people die any more than it ceases to be serious when people laughANSWER.

437: to be put down by lawANSWER.

438: to knowANSWER.

439: to look at his picturesANSWER.

440: to you living things have no soulsANSWER.

441: to say such a silly thing as that to anybody but a woman whose mind you despiseANSWER.

442: to put him into the hands of men who defend the torture of animals because they are only brutesANSWER.

443: to me nowANSWER.

444: to take a splinter out of the mastiffANSWER.

445: to yourselfANSWER.

446: to LouisANSWER.

447: to tell youANSWER.

448: to heavenANSWER.

449: to offend youANSWER.

450: to tell me that it was to gratify a miserable jealousy that you deliberatelyANSWER.

452: to keep aliveANSWER.

453: to my faceANSWER.

454: to kill a great oneANSWER.

455: to care for youANSWER.

456: to them now, whenever I am tired or sadANSWER.

458: to her heart in a paroxysm of remorseANSWER.

459: to care for an elderly manANSWER.

460: to sacrifice everybodyANSWER.

461: to puzzle meANSWER.

463: to say that you have married againANSWER.

#007- DISCUSSION ON PREPOSITIONS

2009-12-02T16:10:00.000-08:00

Use of prepositions, is for some students, including me, a nightmare. I have spent, some thought processes, on prepositions. I, present some of my ideas and perceptions, here.

MEANING of 'PREPOSITION'
The prefix 'pre' means 'before'. 'Position' means location or placement. A preposition comes before its object; e.g. "to New York."; "to 2009."; "to bankruptcy." etc.

The relationship between a preposition and its object, we can compare, to the relationship of a mother with its child. The mother comes first. The child follows.

We use only nouns (or their equivalent) as the objects of preposition.

Word have multiple uses. We can use adverb as nouns.

EXAMPLES

E.g. 'She sang from morning to evening'. Dictionaries may classify 'morning' and 'evening' are time adverbs. In the prepositional phrase 'from morning'- morning is a noun. In 'to evening'- 'evening' is a noun.

A child can come with dress and jewellery. A noun can also come with its embellishments (decorations) which are, naturally, adjectives. The adjectives also form an integral part of the preposition's objects. E.g. 'the morning' = 'that morning'; 'the evening' = 'that evening'.

E.g.: The book is on the table.. 'On' is the preposition. 'The table' is the object of the preposition. 'The' means 'that'. 'The table' means 'that table'. 'The' is a demonstrative adjective in 'the table".

What is the function of 'on'?

'On' indicates how its object 'table' is connected to words outside it. It shows, how the 'table' is related to the book.

While parsing (breaking a sentence into its grammatical parts) sentences, we should take a preposition and its object as one unit.

Another example:
He went to New York. Parsing: He- subject. Went- verb. 'To New York'- preposition and its object. The preposition 'to' gives an indication about the direction and journey of something towards the preposition's object. 'To' may lead to a place, point of time, state, etc.

I furnish below some examples of 'to+' prepositional objects used by George Bernard Shaw in his play 'The Doctor's Dilemma'.

1. to the transaction.
2. to the cheque.
3. to an informal apprenticeship. (Apprenticeship is the noun. Others i.e. 'an', 'informal' are embellishments.)
4. to the tidy doctor.
5. to a child.
6. to the console.
7. to the fireplace.
8. to electric lighting.
9. to this day.
10. to his table; to bed side; to my studio.
11. to the hospital; to the hotel.
12. to a twelve ounce bottle of water.
13. to lunch.
14. to inoculation; to chloroform.
15. to the imagination.
16. to St. Moritz; to Egypt; to Sir Patrick; to Walpole.
17. to another doctor. ('Another' is only an embellishment).
18. to your fascination. ('Your' is only a possessive adjective).
19. to the souls of animals.('Soul' is the prepositional object. 'Of animals' is only an embellishment or an adjectival phrase).
20. to be funny when people die. ("Be funny when people die" is a state. The entire set is a noun i.e. a noun phrase used as a noun).
21. to be serious when people laugh. ("Be serious when people laugh" is a state. The entire set is a noun i.e. a noun phrase used as a noun).

#008 ROLE-PLAY: WORDS AND PARTS OF SPEECH

2009-12-01T20:36:00.000-08:00

Dictionary definitions of words, contain an indication, about their parts of speech, such as 'n', 'vt', 'vit', adj, adv etc.

Experience shows that we cannot confine ourselves within the framework of these rigid definitions.

The part-of-speech demarcations in grammar have the same value as the role demarkations in bureaucratic organisations. A software engineer may have to do the work of a sale representative and vice versa. The cross-usage becomes unavoidable for flexibility even in organisations which follow the most formal functional boundaries. Some organisations permit and encourage the tresspassing of role-definitions. Some organisations tolerate.

English language permits free cross-usage i.e. use of noun as adjective, adjective as noun, noun as adverb, adverb as noun, adjective as adverb, adverb as adjective, etc. We can have any number of permutations and combinations.

EXAMPLE:
This is a great country. The word 'this' is a subject-pronoun-noun.

I am leaving this morning. The word 'this' is an adjective. 'Morning' is a noun.

I am catching the morning train. The word 'morning' is adjective. 'Train' is noun.

I have bought my train ticket. The word 'train' has become an adjective. 'Ticket' is noun.

Does ABC Express have travelling train ticket examiners? - Here, 'travelling' is adj 1. 'Train' is adverb. Ticket is adj 2. Examiner is the noun. What type of examiner? - Ticket examiner. What type of ticket? - train ticket. If the word train describes the the nature of ticket which is an adjective, the train becomes an adverb.

We cannot take train as adjective because in 'train examiner', the examiner examines trains and not tickets.

Use of many adverbs and many adjectives can reduce clarity. Yet we cannot avoid. Another example:-

"Chief General Manager". What type of Manager? 'General' is the adjective which describes him. The adverb 'Chief' describes the adjective 'General', in the sense that he is Chief among the 'General Managers'. We have to use the phrase 'Chief Manager' if he is a chief among Managers.

The Quiz part is here now:
QUIZ USING GEORGE BERNARD SHAW'S VOCABULARY. WORK: DOCTOR'S DILEMMA.
Note: I have abridged and revised the sentences to extract the words/phrases we need for our grammatical/vocabulary study.
I have selected sentences which use a phrase structure of 'adverb-adjective-noun'. Identify the 'part of speech' of the capitalised word.

1: Newspapers sell their reports to IDLY curious people. ANSWER
2: Cutler Walpole is an ENERGETIC, unhesitating man of forty. ANSWER
3: Jennifer, beautifully dressed and APPARENTLY very happy and prosperous, comes into the gallery.ANSWER

4: Walpole has a cleanly modelled face, very decisive and symmetrical about the shortish,
salient, RATHER pretty nose, and the three trimly turned corners made by his chin and jaws.ANSWER

5: Ridgeon's face is a GOOD DEAL lined.ANSWER

6: The lines in Ridgeon's face are those of overwork and restless SCEPTICISM.ANSWER

7: It is an entirely different BACILLUS.ANSWER

8: Every one of these INTERESTING little creatures has an imitator.ANSWER

9: It is what I suppose you would call a fashionable practice, a smart practice, a practice AMONG THE BEST PEOPLE. ANSWER

10: Well, if you apply ANY scientific test known to me, you will achieve a reductio
ad absurdum . ANSWER

SOME THOUGHT-PROVOKING QUESTIONS ON ROLE-PLAY
We need not limit grammar issues and questions to grammar. They extend even to our life. We are only ONE individuals as persons. We play multiple roles of a 'father', 'mother', 'brother', 'sister', 'employer', 'employee',
'seller', 'buyer', 'citizen' ... We shift our roles very fast in a day. We, sometimes, stick on to our roles and argue within ourselves and with others, raising stress within us and within those with whom we interact. Quick painless switches from one role to another seem to help us become happier.

009- WHY do we use PAST PARTICIPLES?

2009-11-29T22:45:00.000-08:00

Speakers and writers, sometimes, have a compulsion to describe persons/things i.e. nouns. They may find it difficult to identify/recall a suitable adjective, owing to shortage of adjectives in their own active vocabulary or in the vocabulary of the language. A practice of using the past tense forms of the verbs as adjectives, might have started, consequently. This is my guess.

IMPORTANT
*Past participles have a passive sense. The described noun should have received the result of the transitive. Transitive verbs work well, as past participles.

Example: printed paper = paper which has been / was printed.

*Intransitive verbs do not have passive voice. They, therefore, serve less as past participles.

Example: dead person = person who died.

WHAT IS PARSING?

Parsing = dividing a sentence into parts and describing the grammar of each word or part.

Question:
"He was defeated."
"He was a defeated person."
How should we parse the word 'defeated' in these two sentences?

Ans: What type of person was he? - 'A defeated person'. Here the word defeated is a past participle.

Should we take the phrase "was defeated" as one verb? (was- supporting verb, defeated- main verb). We can do this.

Alternative: The suporting verbs 'is' and 'was' have the value of 'be', 'been', 'being'. They indicate existence of somebody or something (Sanskrit: 'bhavati' = exist; 'asti' = is.) Now, what is the condition of the existence of 'he'? Ans: 'defeated condition/state'. Hence we can take a view that 'defeated' has a double role of being main verb as well as the adjective.

We can see this clearly, while using a natural adjective like 'strong'.

He is strong. (Here 'strong' is not a verbal adjective i.e. participle. It is a straight adjective-word.)

Summary: We have many choices. 1) Use natural adjectives, if we have vocabulary. 2) Use a present participle, where the action is continuing. 3) Use a past participle where the action is complete and the noun is the receiver of the action. 4) Use adjective phrases i.e. use phrases as adjectives. 5) Use adjective clauses i.e. use clauses as adjectives.

Using phrases and clauses, makes sentences, clumsy and lengthy, because we use more words. But, sometimes, we cannot avoid, because the listener's/reader's passive vocabulary may be limited.

Example: We cannot say to a five year old child: "You are a procrasting person". The child may have a vocabulary of about 500 words only. We have to rewrite the sentence to bring it within the child's vocabulary.

Literary masters like Dr. Samuel Johnson, Milton, Shakespeare have used every possible method and technique in describing the subjects and objects of their discourse.

We have, a need to write crisply, in these days. Hence, we may have to follow simple sentence structures like SV (Subject-Verb), SVO (Subject-verb-object), SVPO (Subject-verb-preposition-pObject).

Now, the quiz part:-

CHOICE BOX
1 Edged
2 threatened
3 confessed
4 uttered
5 bandaged
6 entangled
7 enraged
8 enlightened
9 endeared
10 gained

QUESTION BOX
Sentences 1 to 4 use attributive adjectives. Sentences 5 and 6 use complementary adjectives. Sentences 7 and 8 have annexed adjectives (adjective following its noun). Sentences 9 and 10 employ attributive adjectives.
1 An ___ed orphan loves its mentor.
2 An ___ed urban transport policy cannot ignore the pedestrians.
3 An ___ed wife can kick her husband; or vice versa.
4 An ___ed fish has to die.
5 She wants to kiss; but her lips are ___ed.
6 The law pays little regard to words rashly ____.
7 A fault ____ed is half redressed.
8 A penny saved is a penny ___ed.
9 A ____ed blow is seldom given.
10 Children and fools must not play with ___ed tools.

SUGGESTED ANSWERS:1- endeared ,2- enlightened,3- enraged, 4- entangled, 5- bandaged, 6- uttered, 7- confessed, 8- gained, 9- threatened, 10- edged.

ONE THOUGHT-PROVOKING QUESTION
Will we be/ Are we- in active state or passive state, when we exist? We may believe that we are in passive state, if we construe that God has placed us on this Earth in a living state.

Another view: The act of our being born, may not be an act of our choice. The act of choosing to continue to exist (live?) is an active decision, because we can, if we have the courage (and need?) to exercise the option of choosing to die. We can live in real 'active voice', if we imbibe some atheist thinking.

I shall not impose these ideas, anyway. I place these, just for your info.

010 FOUR WAYS OF USING A VERB

2009-11-24T06:19:00.000-08:00

We can use a verb in four ways. 1: as verb. 2: as noun (also called "verbal noun or gerund" ). 3: as an adjective in present tense, called "present participle". 4: as an adjective in past tense + passive voice, called "past participle".

When a verb with 'ing' is used as a 'noun', it has four applications:

1: using as subject.
2: using as object.
3: using as a preposition's object.

Examples:
Smoking is bad for health. ("Smoking" is used as a noun, and subject.)
Another example, a proverb:
"The moon does not heed the barking of dogs."

The moon- is the subject; does not heed- is the verb. Heed- is a transitive verb. Heed what? Heed the barking- is the answer. It is the object. Hence barking is the object and noun here. It is gerund.

VERBS AS ADJECTIVES.

Let sleeping dogs lie.

The word 'sleeping' describes the condition of the dogs. Hence is is adjective. The act of sleeping is continuing (dogs which sleep or which are sleeping) i.e. present. Hence, sleeping- here is a present participle.

Past Participles- need greater discussion. We shall take them up in a separate post.

WHY DOES ENGLISH LANGUAGE NEED GERUNDS AND PRESENT PARTICIPLES?

Some users may experience difficulties in identifying a right noun, while making sentences. Adding 'ing' to a verb and using it as a noun, might have led to the evolution of gerunds.

Eg: Smoking is injurious. What other alternative noun is available if we do not use 'smoking' as gerund?

Some users may experience hardships in in identifying a right adjective while describing nouns. Adding 'ing' to a verb and using it as an adjective is practically convenient.

Eg: a moving train (the train which is moving/in motion).

Now, here is the quiz part- a list of ten verbs, with the suffix 'ing'. Fill up the blanks in the Question Box, selecting a suitable word. The sentences are proverbs. Click 'show ANS' button to see suggested answers. Please also determine for yourself whether the verb is used as a gerund (verbal noun) or as a prssent participle (verbal adjective) or as simply a verb.

SELECTION BOX:
beginning ,
being ,
borrowing ,
falling ,
fishing ,
going ,
growing ,
killing ,
reading ,
speaking.

QUESTION BOX:
1- An honest tale speeds best, ___ plainly told.
2- It is good ___ in troubled waters.
3- Nothing must be done hastily but ___ of fleas.
4- He who likes ___ dislikes paying.
5- The camel ___ to seek horns, lost his ears.
6- Be not afraid of ___ slowly, be afraid only of standing still(Chinese Proverb).
7- A bad ____ makes a bad ending.
8- The ____ out of lovers is the renewing of love.
9- He that has a great nose thinks everybody is ___ of it.
10- Drink nothing without seeing it; sign nothing without ___ it(Spanish Proverb).

SUGGESTED ANSWERS: 1- being (present participle, describes the honest tale),2- fishing (gerund) ,3- killing (gerund) ,4- borrowing (gerund) ,5- going (describes the camel, hence present participle).,6- growing (Preposition's object i.e. noun/gerund) ,7- beginning (gerund) ,8- falling (gerund) ,9- speaking (verb) ,10- reading (preposition's object i.e. noun).

011 ADJECTIVES USED IN THE FILM 'CINDERELLA- EVER AFTER'

2009-11-22T20:55:00.000-08:00

"Cinderella- Ever After" is an amazing film with Drew Barrimore in the title role.

This script has about 1500 sentences. Most of these sentences are very short and crisp. The adjectives used are, by and large, are of the common variety. But, they have been used quite effectively.

Here is an analysis of the adjectives used in the film's script.

Commonly used adjectives such as - big, small, great, safe, simple - I have left out.

Some of the important adjectives culled by me from the film are:-

1- absurd ,
2- astonishing ,
3- careful ,
4- certain ,
5- clumsy ,
6- even ,
7- exciting ,
8- festive ,
9- fuzzy ,
10- insidious ,
11- known ,
12- mighty ,
13- pathetic ,
14- rabid ,
15- remarkable ,
16- royal ,
17- second ,
18- selfish ,
19- slippery ,
20- soft ,
21- telling ,
22- valuable ,
23- waiting ,
24- wealthy ,
25- whispering ,
26- wild ,
27- willing ,
28- wonderful.

Here is a small quiz based on the adjectives used in the film:

Fill in the blanks, selecting appropriate words from the Choice Box.

SELECTION BOX:
Addicted ,
dangerous ,
grateful ,
horrible ,
insidious ,
lucky ,
natural ,
perfect ,
little ,
secret

QUESTION BOX:
1- You ____ little snipe.,
2- Excuse me, Sire, but there is nothing ___ about it.
3- (Henry) Do you really think there is only one ____ mate?
4- Of all the _____ jokes, making your mother a Countesse...,
5- Then, let's say, God puts two people on earth, and they are ____ enough to find one another.
6- He was _____ to the written word.
7- I was very _____ to her.
8- I had hoped to present a ____ lady.
9- Baroness, you are on ____ ground.,
10- You tire me out. Don't want to let that happen. A ____ scream so loud. Why did you let that happen?

SUGGESTED ANSWERS: 1: horrible 2: natural. 3: perfect. 4: insidious. 5: lucky. 6. addicted. 7. grateful. 8. little. 9. dangerous. 10. secret.

012 ADJECTIVES USED IN THE FILM 'AMERICA'S SWEET-HEARTS'

2009-11-22T00:16:00.000-08:00

012 ADJECTIVES USED IN THE FILM 'AMERICA'S SWEET-HEARTS'

Adjectives embellish nouns. Writers use nouns either as subjects or objects in a sentence. Bare mentioning of subjects and objects in a sentence do not often present a complete picture of them. Describing them, using adjectives, makes them contentful.

Sometimes, adjectives make sentences lengthy. Yet, they are important as content words.

I furnish below a list of some adjectives used in the film "America's Sweet-Hearts", a Julia Roberts and Catherin Zeta-Jones movie. The list is interesting.

Alike,amazing,awake,beautiful,bright,bright,busy,calm,charming,clear,comfortable,
complete,confused,cool,crazy,cut,cute,cute,dead,deep,delicate,delightful,different,
difficult,dirty,dramatic,dry,early,entertaining,even,excited,fabulous,fair,fantastic,fast,
fat,few,fine,first,free,fresh,full,funny,future,gentle,gorgeous,grateful,great,green,
half,handsome,happy,hard,healthy,high,holistic,horrible,hot,huge,hungry,hurt,icky,
important,incredible,jealous,kind,lame,last,late,left,light,living,loud,lovely,lying,married,material,mean,near,nervous,nice,open,past,perfect,plain,possible,powerful,precious,
present,pretty,psychotic,public,puffy,quiet,ready,real,red,responsible,rich, ridiculous, right, romantic,rough,round,sad,safe,same,second,serious,shocking,shut,sick,smiling,spiritual,
standing,straight, strange,strong,stupid,sweet,talented,tall,tan,tart,tasty,tender,tense,tense,terrible,
terrific,thin,tired,tough,true,unbelievable,understood,upset,utter,valuable,waiting,warm,
whole,wild,wise,worried,wrong,young,free,true.

Here is a small review-quiz based on the sentences used in the film: Fill-in the blanks with suitable adjectives and ocmpare the adjectives used by you with those used in the film by the actors.

Please bring errors and corrections to my notice.

1: What was said about my penis is completely _____.
2: You're just asking an _____ lot.
3: Hi, Gwen, you look _____, tonight.
4: Must've been _____, working with Hal Weidmann.
5: l have beautiful bags that are _____, for the press.
6: All of a sudden, I am so clear, it's _____.
7: You look _____,.
8: You have this _____, effect on people.
9: She's only here to salvage her _____, career.
10:I have only seen the beginning. But it is _____.

SUGGESTED ANSWERS (those used in the film): 1: false. 2: awful. 3. wonderful. 4: exciting. 5: exclusive. 6. ridiculous. 7. terrific. 8. powerful. 9. precious. 10. fantastic.

#013 USE OF ADJECTIVE 'BAD' AND ITS OBJECTS

2009-11-19T04:19:00.000-08:00

Adjectives, we can classify, into three types.
1. Attributive Adjectives:- We have to place these adjectives in front of the objects they describe/modify.
e.g. the phrase: white paper. White is the attribute. Paper is the object.
e.g.2: strong boy.

2. Complementary Adjectives:- Adjectives which complete the meaning of a sentence, when used at the end of sentences, are complementary adjectives. This happens when verbs are of incomplete predication, i.e. they do not complete the meaning of a sentence. The Oxford Advance Learner's Dictionary gives a good example for this type of adjective:
"It is a country where corruption is rife ."
We may not be able to use the phrase 'rife corruption'.

3. Adjectives which can be used in both the ways:-
The strong boy came here. (attributive usage).
The boy is strong. (complementary usage).
He has a bald head. (attributive).
His head is bald. (complementary).

I suggest that, for the sake of a sort of uniformity, we should, as far as possible, try to use attributive adjectives.

4. A noun can have any number of adjectives, both attributive and complementary.

Example: See this usage by the poet Rabindranath Tagore in his Gitanjali:

My house is all dark and lonesome--lend me your light!.

Note: 'My' is attributive adjective. It is also a possessive adjective, because it indicates ownership. 'Dark house, lonesome house' become attributive adjectives. The poet used them as complementary adjectives.

Note: The Readers may not find the above classification in some grammar books/ web sites. There are other classifications too.

The word 'bad' is an adjective, which can be used both before its object and elsewhere in the sentence. Here is a small quiz based on the objects* of 'bad'.

*Objects = nouns which the adjective 'bad' describes.

Transitive verbs have their objects. Prepositions have their objects. Adjectives describe and modify nouns. I do not find it senseless to call the nouns described by adjectives, as objects of adjectives.

Please fill in the blanks selecting appropriate words from the Choice Box.

The sentences used in the Sentences Box are proverbs used in the English language. You can make following observations from the proverbs:

1. Two words are contrasted. The objects of the adjective 'bad' are opposite in meaning to the subject or the other keyword in the sentence.

2. You can also see how proverbs evolve out of conflicts between two extremes in human lives.

CHOICE BOX
1. thief. 2. counsellor. 3. good. 4. master. 5. son. 6. calf. 7. supper. 8. lenders. 9. company. 10. wives.

SENTENCE BOX
1: All are good lasses, but whence come the BAD ____ ?
2: Better be alone than in BAD ____.
3: Great spenders are BAD ____.
4: He that spares the BAD injures the ___ .
5: Hope is a good breakfast, but a BAD ____ .
6: Many a good cow has a BAD ____.
7: Many a good father has but a BAD ____ .
8: Money is a good servant but a BAD ____ .
9: Nothing so BAD, as not to be ___ for something.
10: Self is a BAD ____ .
11: The receiver is as BAD as the ___ .

SUGGESTED ANSWERS: 1. wives; 2. company. 3. lenders. 4. supper. 5. calf. 6. son. 7. master. 8. good. 9. counsellor. 10. thief.

#014 THREE RULES FOR DISTINGUISHING BETWEEN VERB+ PREPOSITION COMBINATIONS AND PHRASAL VERBS

2009-11-16T16:13:00.000-08:00

Here is a beautiful lesson from the Georgia State University, Atlanta, library. The piece is by Pat Byrd at the University. Very clear and crisp piece. With examples. Worth reading. Click the link below to read it:-

Georgia State University - Pat Byrd - Three rules to distinguish between verb + prep. combinations and phrasal verbs.

#151, Questions 1501 to 1510, Parts of Speech

2008-09-12T04:12:00.000-07:00

Here is a small quiz. It aims to refresh our grammar skills.

The Choice Box contains a list of some roles played by words/phrases in the paragraph quote below.

The Passage quoted here is from "Yom Kippur Litturgy", a Jewish Liturgy book called "Gates of Repentence". The questions 1501 to 1510 contain words and phrases, whose role play in grammar, you have to identify. You may note down yr. answers on a small piece of paper.

You may, if you wish, check your answers by clicking: Click.

CHOICE BOX
Role in the sentence
Abstract noun
Adjective
Adverb of frequency
Common noun
Gerund (verbal noun)
Gerund used as subject
Infinitive
Noun of quality
Object
Pronoun used as object
Object of a preposition.
Preposition
Pronoun

"Now is the time for turning. The leaves are beginning to turn from green to red to orange. The birds are beginning to turn and are heading once more toward the south. The animals are beginning to turn to storing their food for the winter. For leaves, birds and animals, turning comes instinctively. But for us, turning does not come so easily. It takes an act of will for us to make a turn. It means breaking old habits. It means admitting that we have been wrong, and this is never easy. It means losing face. It means starting all over again. And this is always painful. It means saying I am sorry. It means recognizing that we have the ability to change. These things are terribly hard to do. But unless we turn, we will be trapped forever in yesterday's ways. Lord help us to turn, from callousness to sensitivity, from hostility to love, from pettiness to purpose, from envy to contentment, from carelessness to discipline, from fear to faith. Turn us around, O Lord, and bring us back toward you. Revive our lives as at the beginning, and turn us toward each other, Lord, for in isolation there is no life."

1501. Now is the time for turning.

1502. The leaves are beginning to turn from green to red to orange.

1503. The birds are beginning to turn and are heading once more toward(s) the south.

1504. The animals are beginning to turn to storing their food for the winter. For leaves, birds and animals, turning comes instinctively. But for us, turning does not come so easily.

1505. It takes an act of will for us to make a turn.

1506. It means breaking old habits. It means admitting that we have been wrong, and this is never easy.

1507. It means losing face. It means starting all over again. And this is always painful.

1508. It means saying I am sorry. It means recognizing that we have the ability to change.

1509. These things are terribly hard to do. But unless we turn, we will be trapped forever in yesterday's ways. Lord help us to turn, from callousness to sensitivity, from hostility to love, from pettiness to purpose, from envy to contentment, from carelessness to discipline, from fear to faith.

1510. Turn us around, O Lord, and bring us back toward you. Revive our lives as at the beginning, and turn us toward each other, Lord, for in isolation there is no life.

#192 , MULTIPLE CHOICE GRAMMAR QUESTIONS 1911 TO 1920

2008-02-26T21:02:00.000-08:00

The ruling parties all over the world while away their elected tenure in intra-party rivalries and squabbles over sharing the power and pelf.

a) Use of conjunction 'while' as verb b) Use of the compound word 'intra-party' instead of 'inter-party' c) Incorrect preposition 'over' d) No error.

1912. Identify the type of grammatical error in the following sentence:

The politicians and poets have one thing in common: the initial letter 'P'; they preach like angels and live like criminals. .

a) Superfluous colon;
b) Superfluous semicolon;
c) Too many principal verbs
d) Inappropriate use of coordinate conjunction instead of the contextually more meaningful subordinating conjunction 'but'.

1913. Identify the type of grammatical error in the following sentence:

The President of US may ignore the recommendations of the Congress, if he finds that such recommendations are not congenial to good governance. Can he .

a) Erroneous auxiliary in the principal clause
b) Erroneous auxiliary in the tag question
c) Incorrect simple present tense in the condition
d) No error.

1914. Identify the type of grammatical error in the following sentence:

I do not think, Obama can be able to win the election in 2008.

a) Erroneous comma splice omitting 'that'
b) Tautology 'can' and 'able to'
c) Omission of definite article before '2008'
d) No error.

1915. Identify the type of grammatical error in the following sentence:

The Prime Minister congratulated the Chess Maestro on him comfortably annexing the World Chess Crown..

a) Omission of present perfect tense
b) Use of 'maestro' instead of the word 'master'
c) Use of third person pronoun in objective case of the third person pronoun instead of possessive case
d) No error.

1916. Identify the type of grammatical error in the following sentence:

The Fiat running at its full throttle, can scarcely overtake a BMW running on a diesel engine.

a) Erroneous gerund
b) Erroneous participle
c) Tautology
d) No error.

1917. Identify the type of grammatical error in the following sentence:

God willing, I shall participate in the forthcoming Vintage Car Ralley and bring laurels to my country. .

a) Incorrect form of participal adjective
b) Erroneous gerund
c) Inappropriate auxiliary
d) No error.

1918. Identify the type of grammatical error in the following sentence:

The polished manners of the Presidential aspirants definitely do contribute to their ability to garner more votes.

a)Incorrect form of participal adjective
b)Tautology in affirmation
c) Superfluous infinitive
d) No error.

1919. Identify the type of grammatical error in the following sentence:

At that time, he was erecting a power transmission tower in Oregon for the past 6 months .

a)Use of past perfect continuous tense;
b) Use of demonstrative pronoun instead of the definite article
c) Use of a single digit number instead of expressing the numeral in words
d) No error.

1920. Identify the type of grammatical error in the following sentence:

The Courts do not distinguish between verbal evidence by mouth and documentary evidence as long as there are corroborative circumstances.

a) NOt using better phrase'oral evidence'
b) Not comma splicing 'as long as'
c) Incorrect tense
d) No error.

#193 , GRAMMAR QUESTIONS 1921 TO 1930

2008-02-26T05:09:00.000-08:00

Multiple Choice Questions Test in English Grammar
This Multiple Choice Question Quiz contains 10 questions in ENGLISH GRAMMAR. Pl. try to answer them by noting answers on a piece of paper. Then compare your answers to standard answers and explanations by clicking the following link.
[Click].

CLARIFICATION
Some friends asked me: "Why are you calling for identification of the nature of error, instead of seeking the reader to correct the sentence? What is required, is applied grammar and not pedantic theoretical jargon!"

Reply: To trace errors in a sentence, a person should know what to search for! If he uses the terminology of grammar, rarely will he miss the target. If any discussion becomes necessary when the error is committed by some other person, the person tracing the error should be able to convince the other person with reasoning. Using grammatical terminology helps in carrying out logical work methods in grammar check.

1921. Identify the type of grammatical error in the following sentence.

There is little hope of his survival, as doctors say that he may not recover.

a)Inappropriate adjective 'little' b) Use of 'may' instead of 'might' c) Use of inappropriate conjunction 'as' instead of 'since' d) No error.

1922. Identify the type of grammatical error in the following sentence.

Breakfast over, we went on a sight-seeing tour of the City, without delay.

a)Dangling participle b) Impersonl attribute c) Split infinitive d) No error.

1923. Identify the type of grammatical error in the following sentence.

The entry of French colonialists into North-West Africa, is a fatal event in Algerian History.

a) Unnecessary definite article at the beginning of sentence b) Erroneous preposition 'into' c) Erroneous adjective 'fatal'. d) No error.

1924. Identify the type of grammatical error in the following sentence.

Many train services on the route will have to be suspended, if the torrential rains continue for want of fuel.

a)Unnecessary future perfect tense 'will have to be' b) Superfluous definite article after 'if' c) Inappropriate word order of adverbal phrase complement d) No error.

1925. Identify the type of grammatical error in the following sentence.

The opposition leaders made apposite remarks against the vicissitudes of the British Foreign Policy of the last month.

a) Erroneous modifier 'apposite' b) Erroneous conjunction 'against' c) Superflous Capitalisation of 'British Foreign Policy' d) No error.

1926. Identify the type of grammatical error in the following sentence.

The soldiers of the first legion have borne the brunt of the invasion by the Chinese Armed Forces in 1958, amidst hostile climatic conditions.

a) Inappropriate present perfect tense instead of simple past tense b) Incorrect spelling of the word 'borne' c)Incorrect use of the adjective 'hostile' as adverb d) No error.

1927. Identify the type of grammatical error in the following sentence.

The Prime Minister is so tongue-tied, he could not repel the wild accusations made by the Opposition in the Parliament.

a) Omission of the subordinating conjunction 'that' b)Incorrect sequence of tenses c) Superfluous definite article in the place adverb d) No error.

1928. Identify the type of grammatical error in the following sentence.

The reason that our inflation rate fell, is because our Central Bank had kept the lending rates low.

a) Omission of past perfect tense in principal clause b) Superfluous past perfect tense in the subordinate clause c) Use of tautology in 'reason is' and 'because' d) No error.

1929. Identify the type of grammatical error in the following sentence.

I die that France may live.

a) Use of that as subordinating conjunction, to introduce adverb clause of time b) Use of 'that' instead of the phrase 'in order that' c) Omission of auxiliary 'shall' d) No error.

1930. Identify the type of grammatical error in the following sentence.

The party is too eager to join the United Front, only it has no representation in Parliament.

a) Use of only in the meaning of but b) Superfluous adverb 'too' c) Omission of definite article before 'Parliament' d) No error.

#194 , GRAMMAR QUESTIONS 1931 TO 1940

2008-02-08T00:34:00.000-08:00

This is one of the most outstanding films that have originated at the Hollywood.

a) Subject verb disagreement b) Inappropriate form of superlative c) Incorrect tense of the subordinate clause d) No error.

1932. Identify the nature of grammatical error in the following sentence:

Who did you approach at the Cannes Film Festival to exhibit your film last year?

a) Incorrect nominative case of interrogative pronoun b) Incorrect form of infinitive c) Incorrect inversion d) No error.

1933. Identify the nature of grammatical error in the following sentence:

The flowers imported from Denmark smell sweetly.

a) Superfluous definite article b) Incorrect form of adjective c) Omission of the relative pronoun 'which' d) No error.

1934. Identify the nature of grammatical error in the following sentence:

Seldom had this small city seen a more costlier Circus.

a) Superfluous inversion b) Unnecessary past perfect tense c) Double negative d) No error.

1935. Identify the nature of grammatical error in the following sentence:

If availability of abundant clean drinking water is a criterion for chosing a city to settle at, Detroit will be more preferable to Chicago.

a) Lengthy noun phrase as subject b) Incorrect tense of the principal verb c) Double comparative d) No error.

1936. Identify the nature of grammatical error in the following sentence:

The coexistence of the Parliamentary form of democracy in harmony with traditional monarchy is the most unique feature of the British life style.

a) Lengthy noun phrase as subject b) double superlative c) Too many and incorrect prepositions d) No error.

1937. Identify the nature of grammatical error in the following sentence:

At Leads, I have seen the most perfect form of English language speaking style in the entire United Kingdom.

a) Double superlative b) Inappropriate present perfect tense c)Superfluous definite article in 'in the entire' d) No error.

1938. Identify the nature of grammatical error in the following sentence:

The Bank Authorities dismissed the Accountant and Joint-Custodian who was the kingpin in the pilferage of cash held in the Currency Chest at their New York Branch.

a) Omission of definite article before 'Join-Custodian' b) Ambiguous pronoun 'their' c) Incorrect number of the 'be form' verb d) No error.

1939. Identify the nature of grammatical error in the following sentence:

The twin evils of corruption and nepotism at lower levels were not rampant in those days.

a) Use of adverb phase 'in those days' instead of a simple time adverb 'then' b) Subject-verb disagreement c) Incorrect use of the adjective 'rampant' d) No error.

1940. Identify the nature of grammatical error in the following sentence:

When I saw him, he was playing tennis.

a) Omission of past perfect tense in the subordinate clause b) Omission of past perfect continuous tense in the principal clause c) Omission of definite earticle d) No error.

#195 , GRAMMAR QUESTIONS 1941 TO 1950

2008-02-06T20:33:00.000-08:00

Multiple Choice Questions Test in English Grammar
This Multiple Choice Question Quiz contains 10 questions in ENGLISH GRAMMAR. Pl. try to answer them by noting answers on a piece of paper. Then compare your answers to standard answers and explanations by clicking the following link.
[Click].

1941. Identify the nature of grammatical error in the following sentence:

The book, with its contents in toto, have been banned.

a) Use of a plural verb for a subject in singular number b) Omission of apostrophe c)Omission of complement d) No error.

1942. Identify the nature of grammatical error in the following sentence:

"Either the opposition or I am foolish", said the Chief Minister.

a) Superfluous definite article b) Incorrect conjunction c) Error of proximity in subject-verb agreement d) No error.

1943. Identify the nature of grammatical error in the following sentence:

It was him who hit a century, when all the other batsmen failed to reach the double digits.

a) Incorrect tense of subordinate verb b) Use of objective case for a pronoun which is a complement of the verb 'to be' c) Incorrect conjunction d) No error.

1944. Identify the nature of grammatical error in the following sentence:

My car gave me trouble, which is the cause of my absence at the Conference.

a) Omission of present perfect tense b) Not using the demonstrative pronoun 'this' instead of 'which' c) Superfluous definite article d) No error.

1945. Identify the nature of grammatical error in the following sentence:

The outgoing President is feeling that he should get a second opportunity to serve.

a) Incorrect conjunction b) Use of continuous tense of the principal verb c)Incorrect past tene for the auxiliary in the subordinate clause d) No error.

1946. Identify the nature of grammatical error in the following sentence:

The Governor is seeing his village for the first time after his elevation to the high post.

a) Superfluous definite article b) Incorrect continuous tense of the verb c)Incorrect adverb d) No error.

1947. Identify the nature of grammatical error in the following sentence:

The opposition leaders are disagreeing with everything the Secretary of the State says.

a) Incorrect continuous tense b) Incorrect preposition after the principal verb c) Superfluous definite article in 'of the State' d) No error.

1948. Identify the nature of grammatical error in the following sentence:

Not that he loved France less, but that he loved the dollars and the opportunities more, he preferred to settle down in U.S.

a)Omission of definite article before 'France' b) Use of 'that' in the meaning of 'because' c) superfluous conjunction 'but' d) No error.

1949. Identify the nature of grammatical error in the following sentence:

Love not sleep, lest thou come to poverty. Open thine eyes and thou shall be satisfied with bread! (Proverbs 20:13)

a) Omission of should after 'lest' b) Superfluous inversion c) Omission of 'thy' before sleep d) No error.

1950. Identify the nature of grammatical error in the following sentence:

Pick him up, and throw him in the plot of the field of Naboth the Jezreelite. (Kings:9:25)

a) Separation of phrasal verb 'pick up' by inserting a pronoun b) Incorrect preposition 'in' instead of 'into' c) omission of definite article before 'Naboth' d) No error.

#196 , GRAMMAR QUESTIONS 1951 TO 1960

2008-02-05T22:59:00.000-08:00

Multiple Choice Questions Test in English Grammar
This Multiple Choice Question Quiz contains 10 questions relating to English Literature and VOCABULARY. Pl. try to answer them by noting answers on a piece of paper. Then compare your answers to standard answers and explanations by clicking the following link.
[Click].

1951. Identify the nature of grammatical error in the following sentence:

It is not reasonable to say that the right of extinguishing one's own life is founded in the law of the nature and cannot be superseded by the laws of the Government.

a)Use of 'to infinitive' instead of preposition + gerund b) Incorrect tense of verb in the first sentence of the subordinate clause c) omission of subject in the second sentence of the subordinate clause d)No error.

1952. Identify the nature of grammatical error in the following sentence:

The Officials of the Housing Corporation said that they are contacting the beneficiaries of the houses under construction.

a) Incorrect article in the subject b)Incorrect tense of reporting verb c)Incorrect sequences of tenses d)No error.

1953. Identify the nature of grammatical error in the following sentence:

I shall appreciate you attending the seminar, accompanied by your supporting staff.

a) Incorrect auxiliary b) Omission of possessive case with gerund for its modifiers c)Incorrect preposition in the adverbial d)No error.

1954. Identify the nature of grammatical error in the following sentence:

According to some social scientists, alcoholism as well as debauchery are the causes for the breaking up of the institution of family in Europe.

a)Subject-verb disagreement b)Unnecessary use of gerund c)Incorrect indefinite pronoun d) No error.

1955. Identify the nature of grammatical error in the following sentence:

Aiming at discovering a Sea route to India, Columbus sailed from Palos la de Frontera, on the 3rd August 1492, arriving at the Dominicia on the 2nd November, 1493.

a)Use of participle instead of to infinitive in the opening clause; b) Unnecessary definite articles before dates; c)Incorrect use of present participle to express a future (non-contemporaneous)action; d)No error.

1956. Identify the nature of grammatical error in the following sentence:

What is wanted are not huge building and hostel complexes for the College premises, but a combination of dedicated faculty and students.

a)Inappropriate conjunction; b) use of 'building and hostel' as singulars; c) Agreement of verb with complement instead of the subject; d)No error.

1957. Identify the nature of grammatical error in the following sentence:

I never have injured anybody and never will.

a)Split infinitive; b)omission of inversion; c)Use of two auxiliaries with one principal verb; d)No error.

1958. Identify the nature of grammatical error in the following sentence:

He seems to enjoy his stay at Springfield last year.

a)Incorrect tense of principal verb; b) Use of 'to infinitive in present tense' instead of 'to infinitive in present perfect tense'; c)Ambiguous meaning; d)No error.

1959. Identify the nature of grammatical error in the following sentence:

Being a hot day, I did not venture out on my marketing campaigns.

a)Hanging participle; b)Incorrect tense of principal verb; c)Incorrect prepositions d) No error.

1960. Identify the nature of grammatical error in the following sentence:

Considering his merit, John Edwards should have done better at the outings in his Presidential Campaign.

a)Hanging participle; b)Improper auxiliary; c)Improper adverb of place in the adverbial; d)No error.

#197 , GRAMMAR QUESTIONS 1961 TO 1970

2008-02-05T02:29:00.000-08:00

Multiple Choice Questions Test in English Grammar
This Multiple Choice Question Quiz contains 10 questions relating to English Literature and VOCABULARY. Pl. try to answer them by noting answers on a piece of paper. Then compare your answers to standard answers and explanations by clicking the following link.
[Click]

1961. Identify the nature of grammatical error in the following sentence:

The murderers of the Prime Minister, were hung at the Central Jail, yesterday.

a)Superfluous indefinite articles b)Incorrect use of a strong verb as a weak verb (incorrect diction) c)Incorrect tense of auxiliary;
d)No error.

1962. Identify the nature of grammatical error in the following sentence:

How dare you to challenge me in the Cricket Stadium?

a)Superfluous definite article b)Use of 'to infinitive' instead of 'plain infinitive'; d)No error.

1963. Identify the nature of grammatical error in the following sentence:

There are many different peoples in Asia.

a)Incorrect plural of 'be' form; b)error of tautology in using adverb c)Incorrect plural subject; d)No error.

1964. Identify the nature of grammatical error in the following sentence:

The queen eats several spoonfuls of sugar every day.

a)Superfluous definite article before the subject b)Incorrect adverb of number c)Incorrect plural of 'spoonful' d)No error.

1965. Identify the nature of grammatical error in the following sentence:

The copper is a commercially useful metal.

a)Superfluous definite article before the name of a metal b) Superfluous indefinite article c)Incorrect adverb d)No error.

1966. Which of the following statements is correct about the following sentence?

Smoking and drinking offer themselves for your choice; this leads to enlargement of liver and that to lung cancer.

a)Grammatically incorrect, but not clumsy. b)Grammatically correct, incorrect and ambiguous in meaning. c)Grammatically correct, but needs efforts to grasp the meaning. d)Alright.

1967. Identify the nature of grammatical error in the following sentence:

The soldiers received a reward each.

a)Incorrect location of distributive pronoun; b)Incorrect number of the subject; c)Omission of present perfect tense; d)No error.

1968. Identify the nature of grammatical error in the following sentence:

What use is it, anyway?

a)Omission of a preposition before the subject b)Incorrect complement c)Unnecessary inversion; d)No error.

1969. Identify the nature of grammatical error in the following sentence:
After much effort, he got an opportunity of meeting the President of France.
a)Superfluous definite article b)Superfluous indefinite article; c)Incorrect tense
d)No error.

1970. Identify the nature of grammatical error in the following sentence:

Except a man be born again, he cannot see the Kingdom of God. (John 3:1-7)

a)Incorrect use of 'except' as conjunction b)Omission of 'Unless' c)Omission of the definite article before God d)No error.

#198 , GRAMMAR QUESTIONS 1971 TO 1980

2008-02-03T23:12:00.000-08:00

Multiple Choice Questions Test in English Grammar
This Multiple Choice Question Quiz contains 10 questions relating to English Literature and VOCABULARY. Pl. try to answer them by noting answers on a piece of paper. Then compare your answers to standard answers and explanations by clicking the following link.
[Click].

1971. Identify the nature of grammatical error in the following sentence:

Walking along the palm groves, the snake bit me.

a) Incorrect preposition in the subordinate clause b)Incorrect form of past tense in the principal clause c)dangling participle d)No error.

1972. The grammatically correct, the following sentence is not precise. Identify the possible clause:

We conducted a thorough enquiry into the allegations against him.

a)Use of cliches b)Use of tautology c)Use of nominalisation d)The sentence is adequately precise.

1973. Identify the nature of grammatical error in the following sentence:

The agenda items first must be discussed.

a)Unnecessary definite article in noun phrase b)Inappropriate location of auxiliary verb c)Unnecessary 'be' form.

1974. Identify the nature of grammatical error in the following sentence:

All what Satan did led to his condemnation.

a)Improper relative pronoun b)incorrect tense in subordinate clause c)superfluous preposition.

1975. Identify the nature of grammatical error in the following sentence:

Two kilograms of coffee powder approximately cost five pounds.

a)Incorrect preposition in noun phrase b)Incorrect location of adverb c)Incorrect number of verb d)No error.

1976. Identify the nature of grammatical error in the following sentence:

When I lived at Brooklyn, I would go to a church twice a week.

a)Incorrect tense in subordinate clause b)Incorrect tense in principal clause c)Incorrect article d) No error.

1977. Identify the nature of grammatical error in the following sentence:

As she wants to win the Olympic gold, the Tennis-queen is working hard.

a)Incorrect preposition in the subordinate clause; b)Incorrct tense c) Incorrect adverbial d)No error.

1978. Identify the nature of grammatical error in the following sentence:

My brother met with an accident, while he drove a car.

a)Incorrect preposition in principal clause b)Omission of present perfect tense in principal clause c)Omission of progressive verb in the subordinate clause d) No error.

1979. Identify the nature of grammatical error in the following sentence:

I lived in this house since time immemorial. Nobody can evict me.

a)Omission of present perfect continuous tense in the first sentence b) Use of demonstrative pronoun instead of definite article c)Incorrect indefinite noun in the second sentence d)No error.

1980. Identify the nature of grammatical error in the following sentence:

Either of them are capable of winning the Presidential election.

a)Incorrect number of auxiliary verb b)superfluous definite article c)Incorrect case of the third person pronoun d) No error.

#199 , GRAMMAR QUESTIONS 1981 TO 1990

2008-02-02T21:42:00.000-08:00

Multiple Choice Questions Test in English Grammar
This Multiple Choice Question Quiz contains 10 questions relating to English Literature and VOCABULARY. Pl. try to answer them by noting answers on a piece of paper. Then compare your answers to standard answers and explanations by clicking the following link.
[Click]

1981. Identify the nature of grammatical error in the following sentence:

Adam asked Eve where was she going in haste.

a) Use of simple past tense instead of past perfect tense; b) Incorrect preposition c)Unnecessary inversion of interrogative adverb, which was used as conjunction d) No error.

1982. Identify the nature of grammatical error in the following sentence:

A ferocious lion is resembled by the leader.

a)Incorrect article b)Incorrect attributive adjective c) Use of passive voice for a verb which does not allow a construction of passive voice d) No error.

1983. Identify the nature of grammatical error in the following sentence:

It is time Sachin Tendulkar retires from Cricket.

a)Omission of conjunction 'that' b)Incorrect use of present tense instead of past tense c) Omission of definite article in the adverbial.

1984. Identify the nature of grammatical error in the following sentence:

She likes him because he was handsome and communicative.

a)Incorrect simple present tense in the principal clause b) Incorrect sequence of tenses c) Incorrect attributive adjectives d) No error.
1985. Identify the nature of grammatical error in the following sentence:

Seldom Crusoe left his cave without closing its doors.

a)Omission of inverted form of verb. b)use of seldom instead of rarely c) Missing apostrophe in 'its' d) No error.

1986. Identify the nature of grammatical error in the following sentence:

I want you to buy your ticket and travel.

a) Omission of infinitive b)Omission of imperative c)Omission of the time adverb 'then' d) No error.

1987. Identify the nature of grammatical error in the following sentence:

Yourself committed the offense.

a)Singular reflective pronoun b)Use of reflective pronoun as subject c)Incorrect tense d)Unnecessary definite article.

1988. Identify the nature of grammatical error in the following sentence:

It was me who averted him from getting addicted to alcohol.

a)Objective case of first person pronoun in subject b)Use of interrogative pronoun as conjunction c)use of 'addicted to' instead of 'addiction of' d) No error.

1989. Identify the nature of grammatical error in the following sentence:

Sita saw a golden deer in the forest. Its lustrous gold-colored spots bewitched her.

a)Incorrect attributive adjectives b)Superfluous definite article c)Incorrect adverb d) No error.

1990. Identify the nature of grammatical error in the following sentence:

Lebanon has seen many crisis.

a)Superfluous present perfect tense b)Incorrect number of object c) Incorrect attributive adjective.

#200 , GRAMMAR QUESTIONS 1991 TO 2000

2008-02-01T23:55:00.000-08:00

Multiple Choice Questions Test in English Grammar
This Multiple Choice Question Quiz contains 10 questions relating to English Literature and VOCABULARY. Pl. try to answer them by noting answers on a piece of paper. Then compare your answers to standard answers and explanations by clicking the following link.
[Click].

1991. Identify the nature of grammatical error in the following sentence:

How long you will take to complete this work?

a)Incorrect auxiliary verb b)Superfluous infinitive c) Non-inversion of interrogative adverb d)No error.

1992. Identify the nature of grammatical error in the following sentence:

The constable reached at the station after the train had left.

a)Superflous preposition suffixed to the verb b)Simple past tense is improper c)Superflous past perfect tense in the subordinate clause d) No error.

1993. Identify the nature of grammatical error in the following sentence:

The fort of Windsor is a place of historic importance.

a)Incorrect form of attributive adjective b)Superfluous definite article c) Incorrect preposition d) No error.

1994. Identify the nature of grammatical error in the following sentence:

It is also necessary that every voter must vote in the election.

a)No error b)Incorrect adverb c)Inappropriate auxiliary d) Unnecesary definite article.

1995. Identify the nature of grammatical error in the following sentence:

A Member of Parliament neither has executive powers nor judicial powers.

a)Incorrect article b)Incorrect word order of correlative conjunction c) Incorrect verb d) No error.

1996. Identify the nature of grammatical error in the following sentence:

Every Citizen in Cape Town is having a car.

a)Incorrect adjective for the subject b)Incorrect progressive for the stative verb c) Superfluous indefinite article.

1997. Identify the nature of grammatical error in the following sentence:

Though blind, the boy can be able to recite Bible.

a)Inappropriate subordinate clause b)Superflous structure of the verb c)Incorrect infinitive d) No error.

1998. Identify the nature of grammatical error in the following sentence:

The College will not employ an aged stupid person like me.

a)Superflous definite article b)Incorrect auxiliary verb c)Inappropriate word order of adjectives d) No error.

1999. Identify the nature of grammatical error in the following sentence:

The United States is more better than Canada in matters of immigration.

a)Superfluous definite article b)Superfluous adjective in degrees of comparison c)Inappropriate preposition. d) No error.

2000. Identify the nature of grammatical error in the following sentence:

Who is the tennis-player who won the 2004 Olympics Gold Medal?

a)Incorrect verb b)Incorrect/superfluous interrogative pronoun c)Incorrect conjunction d)No error.