Shaded parts (rules) in the grammar section

Page 8

ARTICLES

 

Indefinite articles a and an are used with singular nouns to indicate a type or kind of something.

Use a before a consonant sound: a car, a girl, a loft, a wagon.

Use an before a vowel sound: an apple, an error, an item, an oven.

The definite article the is used with singular or plural nouns to indicate something specific: the car, the apple, the girl, the girls.

The student borrowed a book. (A specific student borrowed some book.)

A student borrowed the book. (Some student borrowed a specific book.)

 

Page 10

 

CHOOSING SUBJECTS

 

In some languages, a noun and a pronoun can be used together as a subject, but in English you must choose one.

Incorrect: My teacher she wrote the book for our class.

Correct:   My teacher wrote the book for our class.

Or

                  She wrote the book for our class

 

Page 14

PHRASAL VERBS

 

Sometimes a verb consists of more than one word. This type of verb is called a phrasal verb. It consists of a verb and an adverbial particle such as down, on or up. The adverbial particle may explain that something is completed as in “finish up” or “close down”. Some phrasal verbs use idioms such as “she ran up a huge bill” or “the old building cries out for repairs.

The literal meaning of ran up or cries out don’t explain the verb’s action.

Most phrasal verbs can be separated by pronouns or short noun phrases.

Examples:

I picked Joe’s uncle up at noon.

I picked him up at noon.

 

Some phrasal verbs can’t be separated.

Example:

We went over the paper together.

 

Standard dictionaries may not include phrasal verbs. If you can’t understand a phrasal verb in context refer to a dictionary like the Longman Dictionary of American English or The Collins Cobuild Dictionary.

 

Page 16

   

A NOTE ON FRAGMENTS

 

Incomplete sentences that fail to express a complete thought are called Fragments, a common writing error. Although sometimes written for emphasis, fragments should be avoided in college writing.

 

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INCLUDING ALL VERBS

 All parts of the verb phrase must be included to create a complete sentence. Be sure to include helping and linking verbs where needed.

Sentence needing helping verb: The popularity of basketball is growing.

Sentence needing linking verb:  It is widespread in Latin America.

 

Page 37

  

PREPOSITIONS

Prepositions are words that express relationships between ideas, usually regrading time and place.

 

above                     below                     near                       to

across                    during                    of                           toward

after                       except                    off                         under

against                   for                         outside                   with

along                     from                      over                       within

around                   inside                     past                        without

before                              like                        since

 

Page 39

 

INDEFINITE PRONOUNS

 

Singular indefinite pronouns

Another                 each                       everything             nothing

Anybody               either                     neither                   somebody

Anyone                  everybody             nobody                  someone

Anything               everyone                no one                   something

Everyone is invited.        Something seems wrong.          Nothing was taken.

 

Plural indefinite pronouns

Both                       few                        many                     several

Both are late                    Few are interested           Many were broken

Indefinite pronouns that can be singular or plural depending on meaning

All               more            none            some            any              most

 Money was stolen. Some was recovered.       (Some refers to money ‘singular’).

The houses burned. Some are destroyed.        (Some refers to houses ‘plural’).

 

Page 44

 

WRITING ON THE WEB

 

Using a search engine such as Yahoo!, Google or AltaVista, enter terms such as subject verb agreement, verbs, and verb agreement to locate current sites of interest.

1.    Read online articles form magazines or newspapers and notice the number of group words such as Committee, Jury, or Senate.

2.    Send an e-mail to a friend and make sure you choose the right verbs in sentences containing “either-or” and “which”.