English GrammarEnglish Grammar

Parts Parts ofof

SpeechSpeech

Eight Parts of SpeechEight Parts of Speech

NounsPronouns

Adjectives Adverbs

Adverbs

Conj unct ionsConj unct ions

Prepositions

Verbs

InterjectionsInterjections

Word that namesWord that names

� A PersonA Person

� An IdeaAn Idea

� A ThingA Thing

� A PlaceA Place

Kinds of NounsKinds of NounsKinds of NounsKinds of Nouns

Common Nouns boy girl

Proper Nouns John Mary

Singular Nouns boy girl

Plural Nouns boys girls

Singular Possessive boy’s girl’s

Plural Possessive boys’ girls’

A word that expresses action or otherwise helps to make a

statement

Action LinkingLinking

“be” verbs&

tastefeel

soundlook

appearbecome

seemgrow

remainstay

SubjectSubject

predicatepredicate

Every sentence Every sentence mustmust have have

aa

Kinds of VerbsKinds of Verbs� Action verbs express Action verbs express

mental or physical mental or physical actionaction..

� Linking verbs make a Linking verbs make a statement by statement by

connectingconnecting the the subject with a word subject with a word

that describes or that describes or explains it.explains it.

He rode the horse to victory.

He has been sick.

The pronoun is a word used in place of one or more nouns.It may stand for a person, place, thing, or idea.

The pronoun is a word used in place of one or more nouns.It may stand for a person, place, thing, or idea.

Personal Pronouns

I, me, mine

you, your, yours

she, her, hers,

it, its

we,us, our, ours

they, them, their,

theirs

myself

yourself

Indefinite Pronounsanybody

eacheithernone

someone, one, etc. Interrogative Pronounswhowhomwhat

whichwhose

Demonstrative Pronounsthisthat

thesethose

Modifies or describes a noun or pronoun.

Is that a wool sweater?

Just give me five minutes.

Did you lose your addressbook?

Answers these questions:

Modifies or describesa verb, an adjective,or another adverb.

Modifies or describesa verb, an adjective,or another adverb.

Answers the questions:Answers the questions:

How?How?He ran quickly.He ran quickly.

She left yesterday.She left yesterday.When?When?

We went there.We went there. Where?Where?

It was too hot!It was too hot! To what degree or how much?To what degree or how much?

InterrogativeAdverbs

introduce questionsHow did you break your

leg?

When does your plane leave?

How often do you run?

Where did you put the mouse trap?

A preposition introduces a noun or pronoun or a phrase or clause functioning in the sentence

as a noun. The word or word group that thepreposition introduces is its object.

They received a postcard from Bobby telling

about his trip to Canada.

The preposition never stands alone!

prepositionnoun

pronoun

object ofpreposition

preposition object

can have more thanone object

object can have modifiers

You can press those leaves under glass.

Her telegram to Nina and Ralph brought good news.

It happened during the last examination.

Some Common Prepositions

aboardaboutaboveacrossafter

against alongamongaround

atbefore

behindbelow

beneathbeside

betweenbeyond

bydown during except

for

fromin

intolikeofoffon

overpastsince

through

throughoutto

towardunder

underneathuntilup

uponwith

withinwithout

The conjunction

A conjunction is a word that joins wordsor groups of words.

and

or

buteither/or

neither/nor

The interjection

is an exclamatory word that expressesemotion

Goodness! What a cute baby!

Wow! Look at thatsunset!

Assignment 3Assignment 3

Use Use to/onto/on or or forfor and fill up the and fill up the blanksblanks

Gram temp

Indian Speech Indian Speech PatternsPatterns

AA - - Think in English and speak in EnglishThink in English and speak in English

For example:For example:Indian speaker: How much time will it be?Indian speaker: How much time will it be?Should say: How much time will it take?Should say: How much time will it take?

B -B - Incorrect substitution between Incorrect substitution between ‘since’ and ‘for’.‘since’ and ‘for’.

Assignment 4Assignment 4

Use Use forfor or or sincesince and fill and fill up the blanksup the blanks

C - Subject-Verb Agreement

of grammar!

A singular subject demands a singular verb; a plural subject demands a plural verb. That is the simple principle behind subject-verb agreement.

This presentation will explore some of the difficulties we have with subject-verb agreement and provide some notes about avoiding agreement problems in our own writing.

Indefinite pronouns such as everyone and everybody feel plural to some writers, but they are always singular — and take a singular verb.

Everyone associated with the project is proud to be part of the effort.

Someone has to be responsible.

Don’t be confused by phrases that come between the subject pronoun and its verb — phrases that may contain plural words.

Each of the project partners is responsible for writing a chapter summary.

The verb that accompanies pronouns such as all and some will be determined by whether the pronoun is referring to something that is COUNTABLE or not.

Some of the students in the cafeteria have voted already.

Some of the grain was ruined by the flood.

“Students” is countable, but we cannot count “the grain”; it is one lump, one quantity.

None is usually regarded as singular, but it can be used as a plural pronoun.

None of the representatives has indicated how he or she will vote. OR None of the representatives have indicated how they will vote.

In formal writing, when either and neither appear as a subject alone (without their sidekicks or and nor), they are singular. This is true even though the subject seems to be two things.

Neither of these choices appears to be satisfactory.

The purchasing office will lend me a company car or compensate me for travel expenses. Either is fine with me.

When either and neither act as correlative conjunctions, the subject that is closer to the verb determines the number (singular or plural form) of the verb.

Neither the principal nor the teachers are at fault.

Either the teachers or the principal has to be responsible for the year-end festival.

Has either the President or his aides been in touch with you?

When an expletive construction (there is, there are, here is, etc.) begins a sentence, the subject (which determines the number of the verb) comes after the verb.

There are several explanations for the Civil War.

Here come Joe and his two brothers.

If the management team takes this attitude, there is very little latitude for negotiation.

Be careful when lengthy or numerous modifying phrases come between the subject and its verb.

Tim Berners-Lee, one of America’s most prominent computer scientists and —as a founder of the World Wide Web Consortium — one of the most important figures in the development of the Internet, has been working quietly at M.I.T. for many years.

The fact that the plural “scientists” and “figures” appear in this sentence has no effect on our choice of a singular verb, “has.”

Assignment 5Assignment 5

Subject-Verb AgreementSubject-Verb Agreement

D -D - Overuse or Omission of Overuse or Omission of Articles ‘a’,’an’ and ‘the’.Articles ‘a’,’an’ and ‘the’.� For example:For example:Indian speaker:Indian speaker: “Please give me your first “Please give me your first

name and the last name.”name and the last name.”Should say:Should say: “Please give me your first and “Please give me your first and

last name.”last name.”

Assignment 6Assignment 6

ArticlesArticles

E -E - Confusion in Tenses Confusion in Tenses

� The The simple present tensesimple present tense is often confused is often confused with the with the present continuous tensepresent continuous tense. .

The Simple Present The Simple Present TenseTense

The simple present tense is used for two The simple present tense is used for two mainmain types of action: types of action:

� HabitsHabitsActions which happen regularly (every day, Actions which happen regularly (every day, everyevery week, etc.)week, etc.)

� StatesStatesThings which do not often change Things which do not often change (opinions, conditions, etc.)(opinions, conditions, etc.)

Simple Present Tense- ‘Habits’Simple Present Tense- ‘Habits’

Some examples will help to make this clearer: Some examples will help to make this clearer: � Young-Mi goes to class every day.Young-Mi goes to class every day."Every day" is a habit."Every day" is a habit.� It rains a lot in Vancouver.It rains a lot in Vancouver.This means that it rains often.This means that it rains often.� Santos Santos alwaysalways talks about his family. talks about his family."Always" means this is a habit."Always" means this is a habit.

Simple Present Tense- “States”Simple Present Tense- “States”

� Jerry spends Christmas with his parents.Jerry spends Christmas with his parents.This implies that he spends Christmas This implies that he spends Christmas

with his parents every year.with his parents every year.� Bianca lives in Florida.Bianca lives in Florida.

This is a state, because it doesn't change.This is a state, because it doesn't change.� Jean-Paul has red hair.Jean-Paul has red hair.

Hair color usually doesn’t changeHair color usually doesn’t change

The Present Continuous TenseThe Present Continuous Tense

� The present continuous tense is used for The present continuous tense is used for two main types of action: two main types of action:

1.A temporary action happening now1.A temporary action happening now- Something which is Something which is going on right nowgoing on right now (but (but

it will stop in the future)it will stop in the future)2.A definite plan for the future2.A definite plan for the future- - Something we intend to do, usually in the Something we intend to do, usually in the

near futurenear future

ExamplesExamples

1.Temporary action happening right now1.Temporary action happening right now� John is winning the game.John is winning the game.Right now, John is winning, but the game isn't Right now, John is winning, but the game isn't

finished yet.finished yet.2.Definite plan for the future2.Definite plan for the futureI’m playing soccer tomorrow.I’m playing soccer tomorrow.This plan is already arranged and fixedThis plan is already arranged and fixed..

Assignment 7Assignment 7

Present Simple or Present Present Simple or Present ContinuousContinuous

F -F - Avoiding Redundancies Avoiding Redundancies

The needless repetition of an idea in a The needless repetition of an idea in a different word, phrase, or sentence can different word, phrase, or sentence can make your speech make your speech redundant.redundant.

Some examples :Some examples :Past history, Added bonus, ATM machine, Past history, Added bonus, ATM machine, Top priority, CAD design, component Top priority, CAD design, component parts, combined together, DOS operating parts, combined together, DOS operating system.system.

G -G - Avoiding the use of Word Tags Avoiding the use of Word Tags

1.Pass me the book, na.1.Pass me the book, na.2.I have done the job, ok.2.I have done the job, ok.3.Today is a nice day, ya.3.Today is a nice day, ya.4.What hard luck, man.4.What hard luck, man.5.Tell me what, da.5.Tell me what, da.

Grammatical OffensesGrammatical Offenses

1. Me and my friends went to the 1 . Me and my friends went to the movies.movies. ""My friends and I went to the movies." My friends and I went to the movies."

2.Throwed instead of threw.2.Throwed instead of threw. "He "He throwed up his arms, then he throwed down throwed up his arms, then he throwed down the weapon," the weapon," ““He threw up his arms, then he threw down He threw up his arms, then he threw down the weapon”.the weapon”.

Assignment 8: Statements with Assignment 8: Statements with errorserrors

1. Next month we will be having our 1st wedding 1. Next month we will be having our 1st wedding anniversary.anniversary.

2. I’m glad they are our neighbors, they are so nice 2. I’m glad they are our neighbors, they are so nice people.people.

3. It was so lovely weather that we decided to have a 3. It was so lovely weather that we decided to have a picnic.picnic.

4. He throwed the weapon when he saw his enemy.4. He throwed the weapon when he saw his enemy.5. I am enjoying working in this company.5. I am enjoying working in this company.

� 6. I must take an appointment with the 6. I must take an appointment with the doctor.doctor.

� 7. What he is afraid of?7. What he is afraid of?� 8. This house is being built 20 years ago.8. This house is being built 20 years ago.� 9. When you are coming?9. When you are coming?� 10. It is getting late. I must go to home now.10. It is getting late. I must go to home now.  

Cont..Assignment Cont..Assignment