Upload
madhusiva
View
222
Download
0
Embed Size (px)
Citation preview
8/13/2019 Why Communications Skills Are So Important
http://slidepdf.com/reader/full/why-communications-skills-are-so-important 1/65
Why communications Skills are so Important
The purpose of communication is to get your message across to others. This is a
process that involves both the sender of the message and the receiver. This process
leaves room for error, with messages often misinterpreted by one or more of the parties
involved. This cause unnecessary confusion and counter productivity.
In fact, a message is successful only when both the sender and the receiver
perceive it in the same way.
By successfully getting your message across, you convey your thoughts and
ideas effectively. When not successful, the thoughts and ideas that you convey do not
necessarily reflect your own, causing a communications breakdown and creating
roadblocks that stand in the way of your goals - both personally and professionally.
In a recent survey of recruiters from companies with more than 50,000
employees, communication skills were cited as the single more important decisive
factor in choosing managers. The survey, conducted by the University of Pittsburgh's
Katz Business School, points out that communication skills, including written and oral
presentations, as well as an ability to work with others, are the main factor contributing
to job success.
In spite of the increasing importance placed on communication skills, many
individuals continue to struggle with this, unable to communicate their thoughts and
ideas effectively - whether in verbal or written format. This inability makes it nearly
impossible for them to compete effectively in the workplace, and stands in the way of
career progression.
Getting your message across is paramount to progressing. To do this, you must
understand what your message is, what audience you are sending it to, and how it will
be perceived, you must also weigh-in he circumstances surrounding your
communications, such as situational and cultural context.
8/13/2019 Why Communications Skills Are So Important
http://slidepdf.com/reader/full/why-communications-skills-are-so-important 2/65
Communications Skills - The Importance of Removing Barriers
Communications barriers can pop-up at every stage of the communication
process (which consists of sender message, channel, receiver, feedback and context-) and have the potential to create misunderstanding and confusion.
To be an effective communicator and to get your point across withou*
misunderstanding and confusion, your goal should be to lessen the frequency of these
barriers at each stage of this process with clear, concise, accurate, well -planned
communications. We follow the process through below:
Sender
To establish yourself as an effective communicator, you must first establish
credibility. In the business arena, this involves displaying knowledge of the subject, the
auidence and the context in which the message is delivered.
You must also know your audience (individuals or groups to which you are
delivering your message). Failure to understand who you are communicating to will
result in delivering messages that are misunderstood.
Message...
Next, consider the message itself. Written, oral and nonverbal communications
are effected by the sender's tone, method of organization, validity of the argument,
what is communicated and what is left out, as well as your individual style of
communicating. Messages also have intellectual and emotional components, with
intellect allowing us the ability to reason and emotion allowing us to present
motivational appeals, ultimately changing minds and actions.
Channel....
Messages are conveyed through channels, with verbal including face-to- face
meetings, telephone and video conferencing; and written including letters, emails,
memos and reports.
8/13/2019 Why Communications Skills Are So Important
http://slidepdf.com/reader/full/why-communications-skills-are-so-important 3/65
8/13/2019 Why Communications Skills Are So Important
http://slidepdf.com/reader/full/why-communications-skills-are-so-important 4/65
L 1109
B.E./B.Tech. DEGREE EXAMINATION, MAY/JUNE 2006.
First Semester
Civil Engineering
HS 1101-ENGLISH
(Common to All Branches of Engineering and Technology Except Marine Engineering)
(Regulation 2004)
Time : Three hours Maximum : 100 marks
Answer ALL questions.
PART A — (10 x 2 = 20 marks)
1. Write a single sentence definition for each of the following in about twenty words.
(a) Battery
(b) Dynamo.
2. Make compound nouns (noun + noun) of the following expressions.
(a) The process of communicating to different places in the world using satellites.
(b) A cylinder that is filled with gas.
(c) A narrow long tube that is made of metal.
(d) A department that assures the quality of raw materials and finished goods in anindustry.
3. Fill in the blanks with suitable prepositions/articles.
Children have been playing ------------------- toys---------------- ages. In fact, --------------very early toys are said — ----------------- be made ---------------- 2000 B.C. ----------------
toy is not simply --------------------- object ------ -------------- amusement; it can beeducative also.
8/13/2019 Why Communications Skills Are So Important
http://slidepdf.com/reader/full/why-communications-skills-are-so-important 5/65
4. Correct the mistakes in the following passage:
The two thieves shaved all the money among themselves without infoi none of there
other two friends whom help is required to loot the money the unsuspected traveller
who travel from Chennai to Vijayawada.
5. Change the following into impersonal passive:
(a) They have successfully installed the new machinery in the factory.
(b) A skilled operator can carry out many operations on a CNC machine
6. Fill in the blanks in the following sentences with the proper forms of the v given in
brackets by adding suitable prefixes/suffixes.
(a) The
(b)
(value).
The -----test.
(c) The ------------------
(answer) by many of the students.
(d) The Manager ordered the immediate
(use) machines.
(time) help given by the coach was very ----------------
(care) ------------------ (listen) succeeded in the liste
— (comprehend) questions were not ---------------------
(remove) ol
Choose the correct meanings for the words in bold type in the folios sentences
from the ones given in brackets.
(a) The unexpected influx of refugees from the border towns severely affe the
already scarce resources of the city.
(light, insufficient, inefficient, poor)
(b) The new material is very ductile and can be easily moulded into shape.
(useful, beautiful, flexible, effective)
(c) The patient was greatly relieved when the doctor informed him that
tumour was not a malignant one.
(malicious, curable, severe, very harmful)
(d) The home team suffered an ignominous defeat in their match agai the
visitors.
(enormous, great, disgraceful, emotional)
Fill in the blanks with the correct forms of the verbs given in brackets.
Computers ------------------ (become) so indispensable today, that everyone of------------------- (think) that computer skills,------------------------- (be) very essent
for any job. So, every year thousands of students ----------------------- (join) the ma
institutes offering computer education.
7.
8.
L Hi
8/13/2019 Why Communications Skills Are So Important
http://slidepdf.com/reader/full/why-communications-skills-are-so-important 6/65
9. Complete the following statements mentioning the conditions in which something will
happen.
(a) If the furnace temperature reaches 400 degree centigrade ------------------------- .
(b) If the raw materials had come in time ---------------------------- .
10. Fill in the blanks with appropriate phrasal verbs using the clues given in '
brackets.
(a) The aircraft will ------------------ ---- fuel in another half an hour, (exhaust)
(b) One should not ------------------
(exceed)
— the stipulated speed limit on this road.
(c) This chapter ---------------------- different kinds of fuel, (consider)
(d) On his father’s death, he
Company, (assumed control)
------------------- the management of the
PART B — (5 x 16 = 80 marks)
11. Read the following passage and answer the questions that follow:
The launching of the first satellite by the Russians in 1957 began with what was
known as the ‘space race’, the first stage of which culminated with the Americans
landing on the moon twelve years later. A whole range of satellites now orbit the Earth
and are used for a variety of purposes.
LOW ORBIT SATELLITES, the typical height of which varies from 150 to 450
kilometers, are of little use for telecommunications for they are only in line of sight of
each earth station for about 15 minutes. Their rotation period around the Earth is
about one and a half hours and their main use is remote sensing, a field in which
digital processing techniques are proving especially valuable. A low orbit satellite
equipped with a multispectral scanner system (MSS), can observe the Earth in great
detail providing us with extremely accurate information about agriculture, forestry,
water resources and pollution patterns. It also has a multitude of applications in such
fields as weather forecasting, environmental monitoring, geology, oceanography and
cartography. There are important defence implications too, since they can be used to
‘spy’ on the activities of a potential enemy.
Medium altitude satellites are used for telecommunications, especially in countries
which cover a vast geographical area like the earlier USSR. They ‘fly’ at a typical
height of 9,000 to 18,000 kilometers, orbiting the Earth in a period of five to twelve
hours. They are in line of sight of the earth station between two and four hours.
The most important type of satellite for telecommunications is the geosynchronous
or geostationary satellite positioned over the Equator at a height of 35,800
kilometers. Its rotation period is 24 hours, the same as the Earth’s, and consequently,
seen from the Earth, this type of satellite appears to remain motionless in the sky. It
is within line of sight of an earth station for its entire life.
3 L 1109
8/13/2019 Why Communications Skills Are So Important
http://slidepdf.com/reader/full/why-communications-skills-are-so-important 7/65
A communication satellite is, in essence of microwave relay station wh: receives
signals in a given frequency band and retransmits them at a differ* frequency to
avoid problems of interference between the weak incoming sigx and the powerful
retransmitted signal. The equipment which receives a sign amplifies it, changes its
frequency and then retransmits it, is called transponder. A satellite can handle large
amounts of traffic which it can sei over vast areas of the Earth. It therefore
represents a relatively cheap way transmitting information over long distances. For
countries which do n already have sophisticated cable or microwave networks the
use of a satelli can be extremely beneficial as it can be used in their place.
The first satellite were seen as a way of communicating with people who live in
isolated areas of the world. As a result, earth stations began to appear in tlj remotest
parts of the globe. The cost of satellite communication began to fa steadily and,
consequently, satellites have to compete with submarine cable as a way of linkingcontinents cheaply. With the arrival of optical underse cables, however, a more
balanced intercontinental circuits between the two ar likely. Satellites were soon
used to broadcast TV programmes ‘live’ from on side of the Earth to the other, and
then to link up computer terminals ii different parts of the world. The use of digital
transmission and multiplexing techniques has led to an enormous increase in the
capacity of satellites.
The international organization INTELSAT was created in 1964 to provide
international communication services by satellite. In 1983 it operated and owned 16
space crafts in geosynchronous orbit representing an investmen: over three billion
US dollars. In 1983 it handled two thirds of all international telephone and data
communications and transmitted virtually all live international television
broadcasts. 109 nations are members of INTELSAT Between 1979 and 1983
INTELSAT’S traffic doubled, yet its communicationi charges decreased, despite a
73% rise in the worldwide cost of living indez during that period.
(i) For each of the following pick out the correct response from the option given,based on the passage. ( 4 x 1 =
4
(1) The main use of the low orbit satellites is
(A) spying
(B) remote sensing
(C) weather forecasting
(D) environmental monitoring.
(2) A communication satellite is better than other communicati:-
means, because
(A) it is reliable
(B) it is quick
(C) it is cost-effective
(D) it is sophisticated.
8/13/2019 Why Communications Skills Are So Important
http://slidepdf.com/reader/full/why-communications-skills-are-so-important 8/65
(3) Communication satellites are not merely used for
(A) broadcasting TV programmes ‘live’ from one country to another
(B) linking computer terminals all over the world
(C) sending messages from one part of the world to another
(D) spying defence installations of other countries.
(4) Satellite communication was first used for
(A) testing the advances in electronics
(B) contacting people living in isolated areas
(C) improving relations between the nations
(D) reducing the cost of communication.
(ii) Say, on the basis of the passage, if the following statements are true or false:
(6 x1 = 6)
(1) Geosynchronous satellites are stationary and motionless.
(2) Low orbit satellites can be seen by earth stations once in every 15 minutes.
(3) Medium altitude satellites are positioned at a height of 9000 to 18000 KMs.
(4) A transponder strengthens the weak signals received from the earth.
(5) International communication through satellites came into effect in 1983.
(6) Optical fibre cables reduce the load on satellite communication.
(iii) Pick out from the passage, the single words that mean: ( 6 x 1 = 6)
(1) reaching the highest point of some activity
(2) possible future effects or results
(3) exact
(4) as a result
(5) to be all alone
(6) act of getting in the path of something.
5 L 1109
8/13/2019 Why Communications Skills Are So Important
http://slidepdf.com/reader/full/why-communications-skills-are-so-important 9/65
Two groups of sentences are given. The sentences are not in the proper ord Choose
any one group of sentences and rearrange them in the proper ordi Write the first
few words of each sentence in your answer. (Don’t give just t. number of sentences).
(a) (i) For example, more than two decades ago, Eye surgeons realized tlvalue of laser to treat eye defects.
(ii) Where the cancer can be directly and accurately attacked last treatment
does well.
(iii) It is so fine that only the target is attacked and its intensity i enough to
destroy harmful cells.
(iv) Thus early cancer of the cervix has been widely and successful] treated.
(v) It is valuable because the beam can be focussed to spot one fiftieth the
thickness of a human hair.
(vi) For cancer treatment the diseased cells must be killed while ther
healthy neighbours are left unharmed.
(vii) This type of cervix cancer is easy to reach.
(viii) Today the use of laser for treating eye defects has incre enormously.
(ix) When the laser strikes that inaccessible spot, it releases a chemi that
kills these cells.
(x) While military scientists test lasers against satellites, surgeons usd
them as accurate scalpels.
(xi) Now its pin-point blasting power is used to destroy harmful can cells.
(xii) For cancers that are less accessible, through a new technique, patient
is injected with a chemical that attaches itself to the c cells.
Or
(b) (i) They are better at sports than right-handed people.
(ii) However, they are not as good at mathematics and languages.
(iii) Left-handed people can do certain things better than right-hanrt*
people.
(iv) The reason for this lies in the construction of the brain.
(v) Therefore, left-handed people are better at music, sports and d"
6 L 11
8/13/2019 Why Communications Skills Are So Important
http://slidepdf.com/reader/full/why-communications-skills-are-so-important 10/65
(vi) The left controls reasoning or logical thinking.
(vii) In left-handed people, the right hemisphere of the brain is highly-developed.
(viii) They are better at music and dance too.
(ix) But right-handed people are better at mathematics and languages.
(x) So the right-handed people are better at mathematics andlanguages.
(xi) On the other hand, the left hemisphere is highly developed in right-handed persons.
(xii) The brain’s right hemisphere controls ability in sports, music and dance.
13. (a) Write a letter to your friend in a village about your experiences in theEngineering College. Tell him how you got admission and who guided youin your choice of college and branch. Inform him the value of your branchand also of the kind of teaching you are getting in your college and howit is different from your school education. Also tell him how you like yourcourse and what your future plans are. Assume suitable names andaddresses.
Or
M/s Infosys Technologies, Bangalore are offering educationalscholarships to students of engineering based on their merit and
performance in extra-curr icular activities. You want to apply for this andyou require copies of your certificates and a letter of recommendationfrom your Principal regarding your achievements in extra-curricularactivities. Write a letter to your principal, requesting him to permit youto take photocopies of the certificates, you had submitted to the college atthe time of admission. You require them to be sent with your scholarshipapplication. Also ask him to issue you a letter of recommendation aboutyour extra-curricular activities.
Describe an ordinary bicycle and point out why its use has to be popularised in today’s world. Highlight its advantages over powered vehicles. Limit your answer to about 200 words.
Or
(b) Describe the interior of a crowded bus as seen from its inside. Highlight its
conveniences in a state like Tamil Nadu and also point out the disadvantages ofthis mode of transport. Limit your answer to about 200 words.
(b)
14. (a)
7 L 1109
8/13/2019 Why Communications Skills Are So Important
http://slidepdf.com/reader/full/why-communications-skills-are-so-important 11/65
15. (a) Today, the use of cement has increased enormously. Building activitie have gone upmany fold, thanks to the liberal sanction of house buildin loans by variousagencies. Naturally, the demand for cement is high these industries- are makinggood profits. But, not many people know a the manufacture of cement from ricehusk; that is equally strong 23cement. An equal weight of rice husk and limesludge (i.e. the waste lin~r sediment that is available in plenty in sugar and otherindustries) art mixed thoroughly so that it becomes a paste. This mixture is madeinn cakes of desired shape and manageable size and these cakes are dr.completely in sunlight. Once they are dry, they are burnt in the open a the ash iscollected. This ash is ground to a fine powder and what obtained is rice huskcement.
Transform the above information into a flow chart.
Or
(b) Mr. Raghuraman considers himself a good manager of his money affr He prepares a definite budget for his salary of Rs. 20,000/- and sticks tc as far as possible. This is how he spends his salary for food, provisio and milk heallocates Rs. 8,000/- for rent he allocates Rs. 3,000 - Transport charges take upRs. 1,000/- of his salary. For entertainme electricity and newspapers his budget provision is Rs. 2,000. For b ready for guests and visitors and for theirhospitality he has earmar Rs. 2,000/-. He saves Rs. 3,000/- through his P.F.and keeps the rest reserve.
Convey the above information in a pie-chart.
8 L 11
8/13/2019 Why Communications Skills Are So Important
http://slidepdf.com/reader/full/why-communications-skills-are-so-important 12/65
L 1111
B.E./B.Tech. DEGREE EXAMINATION, MAY/JUNE 2006.
Second Semester HS 1151 — ENGLISH — II (Common to all
Branches except Marine Engineering) (Regulations 2004)
Time : Three hours Maximum : 100 marks
Answer ALL questions.
PART A — (10 x 2 - 20 marks)
1. Match the words in Column „A‟ with their meanings in Column „B‟: (4x | = 2)
A B
(a) indispensable (i) a reciprocal action or effect
(b) repercussion (ii) necessary
(c) afforestation (iii) nourishment
(d) nutrition (iv) expansion of forests.
2. Fill in the blank spaces below with the appropriate forms of the words :
Noun Adjective Person concerned
(a) ecology ecological ---------------------------
(b) nature natural ---------------------------
(c) history ------------------------------
(d) environment environmental —
historian
3. Add suitable prefixes - hyper, ultra, sub - to the following words to match the
meanings given against them :
(a)
(b)
(c)
(d)
• continent
■ sen
sitive
• marine
(4 x | = 2)
large land mass, not large enough to be
called a continent
abnormally or excessively sensitive
a very bright blue colour
abnormal blood pressure
8/13/2019 Why Communications Skills Are So Important
http://slidepdf.com/reader/full/why-communications-skills-are-so-important 13/65
4. Make sentences expressing purpose using the hints below : ( 2 x 1
=
Example : aerial - receive broadcast signals
An aerial is used to receive broadcast signals.
(a) an experiment: demonstrates a principle
(b) a flowchart: represents a process as a series of steps.
5. Fill in the blanks with two forms of the nouns given, the first one referrinran action and the second one to a substance :
Verb Noun 1
(a) explode ------------------
(b) absorb ------------------
Noun 2
Rewrite the following expressions as shown in the given example : (4 x -=•
Example : The pipe is three feet long
Answer : a 3-foot long pipe
(a) a flask with a capacity of 5 litres
(b) a lamp of a power of 40 watts
(c) a conference lasting for three days
(d) an expedition of three weeks
Select any TWO from the words given in the box and use them as nouns
verbs in separate sentences : (4 x-j-
e.g. project
(a) The project (N) was implemented last year.
(b) The picture was projected (V) on the screen
object, conduct, subject
Fill in the blanks in the following sentences using suitable tense form verbs
given in brackets : (4x t
(a) The film director -
(b) My grandparents
(c) My aunt ------------
(d) Water ---------------
(meet) the child-
star two year;
(arrive) last Sunday.
(boil) at 100 degrees Celsius.
IS!
8/13/2019 Why Communications Skills Are So Important
http://slidepdf.com/reader/full/why-communications-skills-are-so-important 14/65
9. Fill in the blanks in the following passage with suitable prepositions :
( 4 x 1 = 2 )
Artificial Intelligence (AI) is the science --------------------------------- ; ---- developing
computers that can learn and follow instructions -----------------------*- ------------------
great accuracy and speed. An example ------------------------------------ AI is the use--------------------------- expert systems.
10. Edit the following by correcting the mistakes in grammar, spelling and punctuation :
(8x | =2)
cycling genrates no noise pollution and emision many of us who use scooters and
cars for short trips may start walking or bicycling if the suroundings were more
plesant and the roads safer and more convenient.
PART B — (5 x 16 = 80 marks)
11. Read the passage and answer the questions that follow it:
Dried food
Centuries ago, man discovered that removing moisture from food helps to
preserve it, and that the easiest way to do this is to expose the food to sun and wind.
In this way the North American Indians produce pemmican (dried meat ground into
powder and made into cakes), the Scandinavians make stockfish and the Arabs
dried dates and ‘apricot leather’.
All foods contain water - cabbage and other leaf vegetables contain as much as
93% water, potatoes and other root vegetables 80%, lean meat 75% and fish
anything from 80% to 60% depending on how fatty it is. If this water is removed, the
activity of the bacteria which cause food to go bad is checked.
Fruit is sun-dried in Asia Minor, Greece, Spain and other Mediterranean
countries, and also in California, South Africa and Australia. The methods used
vary, but in general, the fruit is spread out on trays in drying yards in the hot sun.
In order to prevent darkening, pears, peaches and apricots are exposed to the fumes
of burning sulphur before drying. Plums, for making prunes, and certain varieties of
grapes for making raisins and currants, are dipped in an alkaline solution in order
to crack the skins of the fruit slightly and remove their wax coating, so increasing
the rate of drying.
Nowadays most foods are dried mechanically. The conventional method of
such dehydration is to put food in chambers through which hot air is blown at
temperatures of about 110° C at entry to about 43°C at exit. This is the usual
method for drying such things as vegetables, minced meat, and fish.
Liquids such as milk, coffee, tea, soups and eggs may be dried by pouring
them over a heated horizontal steel cylinder or by spraying them into a chamber
through which a current of hot air passes. In the first case, the dried material is
scraped off the roller as a thin film which is then broken up into small, though still
relatively coarse flakes. In the second process it falls to the
3 L 1111
8/13/2019 Why Communications Skills Are So Important
http://slidepdf.com/reader/full/why-communications-skills-are-so-important 15/65
ottom of the chamber as a fine powder. Where recognizable pieces of meat a
egetables are required, as in soup, the ingredients are dried separately a: then
mixed.
Dried foods take up less room and weigh less than the same food pack-: in
cans or frozen, and they do not need to be stored in special conditions. F; these
reasons they are invaluable to climbers, explorers and soldiers in bat:, who have
little storage space. They are also popular with housewives beca it takes so little
time to cook them. Usually it is just a case of replacing dried-out moisture with
oiling water.
(i) Write the response which best reflects the meaning of the ten
( 6 x 1 =
(1)
(2)
(3)
(4)
(5)
The open-air method of drying food.
(A) is the one most commonly used today
(B) was invented by the American Indians
(C) has been known for hundreds of years
(D) tends to be unhygienic.
Bacteria which cause food to go bad
(A) cannot live in sunlight
(B) are killed by drying
(C) are in no way dependent on the water content
(D) have their activity greatly reduced by
drying.
Fruit is sun dried
(A) always by the same method
(B) generally on trays
(C) in every country in the world
(D) by spreading it out under glass
panels.
Sulphur fumes are used before drying some fruits
(A) to dry them more quickly
to preserve their colour
to prevent the skin from cracking
to kill off bacteria.
Powdered coffee is made
(A) by spraying the liquid over a cylinder
in one of two different ways
(B)
(C)
(D)
(B)
(C)
(D)
L 111]
8/13/2019 Why Communications Skills Are So Important
http://slidepdf.com/reader/full/why-communications-skills-are-so-important 16/65
(6) If soup requires recognizable pieces of meat, they are
(A) treated separately
(B) allowed to fall to the bottom of the drying chamber
(C) mixed in later as a fine powder
(D) sold separately in sealed plastic bags.
(ii) State whether the following statements are True or False : ( 4 x 1 = 4)
(1) The water content is greater in green vegetables than in lean meat.
(2) Nowadays vegetables are most commonly dried on horizontal cylinders.
(3) Dried foods are used by soldiers and climbers.
(4) Housewives like dried foods because they taste better.
(iii) Choose the definition which best reflects the meaning of the word as it is used
in the text : ( 6 x 1 = 6)
(1) expose to
(.A) dried Iish
(B) salted fish
(C) cooked fish
(D) stored fish
(3) checked
(A) looked over
(B) supervised
(C) stopped
(D) verified
(4) prunes
(A) dried sulphur
(B) dried plums
(C) types of grape
(D) fruit cuttings
5 L 1111
8/13/2019 Why Communications Skills Are So Important
http://slidepdf.com/reader/full/why-communications-skills-are-so-important 17/65
dehydration (A)
heating
mechanization
(D) drying
invaluable
worthless
useful
(D) free of charge
Read the following advertisement published in ‘The Hindu’ dated 20.-: and
write a letter of application. Prepare the resume that needs tc enclosed
with the letter of application.
Godrej Company requires PRODUCTION MANAGER for its factorr near
Chennai.
Qualifications — Graduate in Mechanical Engineering
Work Experience — Two years experience in a Product: ■
Department of manufacturing plan:
preferably steel furniture manufacturing.
Send your application to the following address
The Executive Director.
Godrej Company Limited.
45, Greams Road,
Chennai — 600 035
Write a letter of complaint to the editor of a newspaper about scar::' water
in Chennai. Your letter should also suggest suitable solutias tackle the
problem of scarcity of water in the city.
Write a set of eight instructions that people could follow to keej College
Campus clean.
Write a set of eight important instructions that will help to contrc 1
pollution in cities.
8/13/2019 Why Communications Skills Are So Important
http://slidepdf.com/reader/full/why-communications-skills-are-so-important 18/65
14. (a) Imagine that you have to conduct a two-day conference in your college.
Prepare a checklist of eight important activities that you would like to do for
the smooth conduct of the conference. Give a suitable title for the checklist.
Or
(b) Imagine that you are the Branch Manager of State Bank of India. You have been
asked to attend a one-day training programme in Delhi. Prepare a checklist of
eight important items that have to be checked just before starting the journey
for the training programme.
15. (a) Write two paragraphs, one, on the importance of forest resources and the
other on the measures that you would recommend to preserve forest
resources. (200 words).
Or
(b) Write two paragraphs each not exceeding 200 words comparing the human brain
with a computer.
7 L 1111
8/13/2019 Why Communications Skills Are So Important
http://slidepdf.com/reader/full/why-communications-skills-are-so-important 19/65
CONTENTS
TECHNICAL ENGLISH(Common to all branches of B.E. / B.Tech)
Unit -1 Focus on Language
Word formation with prefixes and suffixes - synonyms and antonyms - compounds
- subject - verb agreement - tenses (simple present, continuous, present perfect,
smple past, past continuous, past perfect future) - impersonal passive -
comparative adjectives - purpose and functio' and effect - imperatives - gerund -
preposition
Unit - il Reading I
Predicting the content - skimming the text for the gist - identifying the topic -
guessing the meaning of words from contexts - scanning for information -
transfer of information - cloze reading.
Unit - III Reading II
Note - Make, guide and open: providing a suitable title - identifying m
supporting ideas - listing ideas using a numbering scheme - understa'
organization of text - understanding discourse coherence - sequencing of s
Unit-IV Writing I
Writing definitions and descriptions - paragraph writing (topic sentece an: unit,
coherence and use of cohesive expressions) - Formal letters: permission for
practical training, application for job with biodata, letter to ~r of a newspaper). -
Business letters: calling for quotation, asking for cla placing order, letter of
complaint - sending an E-mail
Unit-V Writing II
Making recommendations by using modal auxiliary verbs like should, rmsd to etc.
- preparation of checklists - giving instructions - essay writing.
8/13/2019 Why Communications Skills Are So Important
http://slidepdf.com/reader/full/why-communications-skills-are-so-important 20/65
INDEX
Ex.
No.
Date Topic Mark Teacher's
Signature
8/13/2019 Why Communications Skills Are So Important
http://slidepdf.com/reader/full/why-communications-skills-are-so-important 21/65
8/13/2019 Why Communications Skills Are So Important
http://slidepdf.com/reader/full/why-communications-skills-are-so-important 22/65
FOCUS ON LANGUAGE
I Word Formation with Prefixes and Suffixes
WORD FORMATION
Primary Words-Those not compounded or derived or developed from other words.
e.g. Good, house, red ,hope, beauty etc.
Compound Words- Those formed by joining two or more simple words, e.g.
undertake, moonlight, man-of-war
Primary derivatives- Those formed by making some change in the body of simple
words.
e.g. bond from bind, breach from break etc.* The past tenses of primary words formed by some change in the body of the word
are not usually referred to as derivatives.
Secondary Derivatives -Words formed by additions are called Secondary
Derivatives
An addition to the beginning of a word is a PREFIX and an addition to the end is a
SUFFIX.
SECONDARY DERIVATIVES
PREFIXES (A few examples) English
Prefix Meaning Examples
A- On, in / out, from Asleep , ashore, / arise awake, alight
Be- by Beside, besmear
For / Fore Thoroughly / before Forgive / forbear/ forecast, foretell
In- in Income, inland, inlay
Mis- wrong Misjudge, mislead
Over- Above, beyond Overflow, override
To- this To-night, to-day, to-morrow u„-
Not / to reverse an action Unkind, unhappy / untie, unfold
Under- Beneath, below Undergo, underground, undersell
With- Against, back Withdraw, withstand, withhold
8/13/2019 Why Communications Skills Are So Important
http://slidepdf.com/reader/full/why-communications-skills-are-so-important 23/65
Latin
Prefix Meaning Examples
Ab / a / abs from, away Abuse, abstract, avert
Ad/ac/ af/ ag /al/ an/ ap/ ar/ as/at/a to Adjoin, accord, affect, aggi
allege, announce, appoint, £
assign, attach, avail Ambi/ amb/ am On both sides,
around
Ambiguous, ambition, ampi
Ante/anti/an before Antedate, anticipate, ancestt
Bene- well Benediction, benefit
Bis / bi / bin Twice, two Biscuit, binocular, bisect
Circum/ circu around Circumnavigate, circumfera
circuit Con / col/com/ cor With, together Contend, collect, combine, a Contra/counter against Contradict, counteract, coud
De- down Descend, dethrone, depose
Dis/ dif /di apart Disjoin, differ, divide
Demi half demigod
Ex /ef /e Out of Extract, effect
extra Beyond,
outside, of
Extraordinary, extravagant 1
In/ il/im/ ir /en / em / In, into / not Invade, illustrate, immerse, denact, embrace/insecure, ilid
imprudent, irregular Inter/intro/enter Among,
within
Intervene, introduce, enterjJ
Male/mal 111, badly Malevolent, malcontent Non not nonsense
Ob/oc/of In the way
of,against
Object,occupy,offend
pen almost Penultimate, peninsula
Per / pel through Pervade,pellucid
_ _ ...... after Postscript, postdate, postp: ■ Pre- before Prefix,prevent,predict
Pro/ por / pur for Portray,pronoun,pursue
Re- Back, again Return,reclaim,refund.reofni
retro backwards Retrospect,retrograde
Se apart Separate, seduce
semi half Semicircle,semicolon Sub/suc/suf/sug/sum/sup/sur/sus under Subdue, succeed, suffer.s
mon,
cnner nhnv Superfine, superfluous
Trans/tra/tres across Transmit, traverse, tresniiii
Vice- In place of Vice-principal
•J
8/13/2019 Why Communications Skills Are So Important
http://slidepdf.com/reader/full/why-communications-skills-are-so-important 24/65
Greek Prefixes
Prefixes Meaning Examples A1 an Without, not Atheist, anarchy, apathy amphi Around, on both sides Amphitheatere, amphibious ana Up, back Anachronism, analysis
Anti /ant against Antipathy, antagonist Arch/archi chief Archbishop, architect auto self Autocrat, autobiography cata down Cataract, catastrophe, catalogue di twice dilemma dia through Diameter, diagonal dys badly Dyspepsia, dysentry En/ em in Encyclopaedia,emblem epi upon Epilogue, epitaph eu well Eulogy, euphony Ex/ec Out of Exodus, eccentric hemi half Hemisphere homo like Homonym, homogenous hyper Over, beyond Hypertension, hyperbole hypo under Hypothesis, hypocrite mono Alone, single Monoplane, monopoly pan all Panacea, panorama, pantheism para Beside, by the side of Parallel, paradox, parasite peri round Perimeter, periscope Philo/phil love Philosophy, philanthropy pro before Prophesy, programme Syn/ sym/
syl/ sy With, together Synonym, sympathy, syllable, system
ultra excessive Ultra sonic, ultraviolet, ultramodern
Exercise 1
1. Change the following words into their opposites by adding suitable
prefixes:
a) Ability
b) violence
c) fortune
d) legal
3
8/13/2019 Why Communications Skills Are So Important
http://slidepdf.com/reader/full/why-communications-skills-are-so-important 25/65
e) like
f) regular
g) moral
h) suitable
2. Form the antonyms of the following words by adding suitable negatr
prefixes:
a) conventional
b) Nutrition
c) humanize
d) sufficient
e) relenting
f) sensitive
g) advantage
h) purity
8/13/2019 Why Communications Skills Are So Important
http://slidepdf.com/reader/full/why-communications-skills-are-so-important 26/65
4. Add suitable prefixes to the following words to match the meaning given
against them:
■ standard — not having the required quantity
• sonic — having a speed greater than sound
— active — too active
-natural — that cannot be explained by laws of science
-impose — to put one image on top another
atomic — smaller than an atom
marine — a bright blue colour
SUFFIXES
LATIN AND ENGLISH SUFFIXES
OF NOUNS
Type Suffixes Examples Denoting agent or doer -er/ -ar/ -or/ -yer/ emperor, saviour,amateur,
-er/ -eer,-ier,-ary Interpreter, painter, lawyer, sailor, beggar
-ster Spinster, gangster -ter Daughter, father -ain-an,-en,-on Chieftain, artisan, citizen,
surgeon -ate, -ee,-ey,-y Advocate, trustee, attorney, deputy
Denoting state, action,
condition, being Freedom, wisdom, martyrdom “UUlll
-hood/ -head - - * — ̂ -- - Childhood manhood Godhead
-lock/-ledge Wedlock, knowledge -ness Darkness, goodness, sweetness -red Kindred, hatred -ship Hardship, friendship, lordship -th Health, stealth, growth -age Bondage , marriage, breakage,
leakage
5
8/13/2019 Why Communications Skills Are So Important
http://slidepdf.com/reader/full/why-communications-skills-are-so-important 27/65
Type Suffixes Examples -ance/ -ence Abundance, assistance, excellence
-cy Fancy, lunacy, accuracy -ion Action, union -ice/ -ise Service, cowardice, exercise -ment Punishment, judgement -mony Testimony, matrimony -tude Magnitude, gratitude -ty Cruelty, frailty -ure Pleasure, censure -y Misery, victory
Forming Diminutives -el / le Satchel, kernel -en Maiden, kitten, chicken | -let leaflet -ling Weakling, duckling -ock Hillock, bullock
-cule /,-ule,/ - cel/ -sel/ -el, -/le
Minuscule, globule, parcel,damsel, chapel, circle
-et, ette Owlet, trumpet, cigarette, coquette
Denoting place -ary,-ery,-ry Dispensary, library, nunner- -ter,tre Cloister, theatre
OF ADJECTIVES
Suffix Meaning denoted Examples -ed having Gifted, talented, leame:
-en Made of Wooden, woollen, go'
-fill Full of Playful, fruitful, joyfu.-ish Somewhat like Reddish, girlish
-less Free from, without Fearless, hopeless ,s
-ly_ like Godly, sprightly
-some With the quality of Wholesome, quarrels :q
-ward Inclining to Forward, wayward
-al National, regal, mort^
-an /- ane Human, mundane
-ar Familiar, regular
-ary Contrary, necessary
-ate Fortunate, obstinate
-ble/- ible /able Feeble,sensible
-esque Picturesque , grotesq _e
-id Humid, vivid
-ile Servile, fragile, juvenufc I
-me Feminine, canine.
-ive Active, sportive
-lent Corpulent, turbulent
-ose/ -ous Verbose , dangeroi^
8/13/2019 Why Communications Skills Are So Important
http://slidepdf.com/reader/full/why-communications-skills-are-so-important 28/65
OF VERBS
-ate Assassinate, graduate
implicate -esce Coalesce, acquiesce -fy Simplify, purify,terrify ,
- ish Publish, punish,banish
OF ADVERBS
Suffixes Meaning Examples -ly like Boldly, wisely -ward/ wards Turning to Upwards, homeward,
backwards -way/ -ways Anyway, always - wise Manner, mode Likewise, otherwise
GREEK SUFFIXES
Suffix Examples -ic / ique Angelic, phonetic, unique -ist Artist, chemist -isk Obelisk, asterisk -ism, -asm Patriotism, enthusiasm -ize Civilize, criticize -sis,-sy Crisis, analysis, heresy
-e/-y Catastrophe, monarchy, philosophy.
EXERCISE 2
I Form adjectives form the following nouns by adding suitable suffixes :
1. Circumstance
2. Habit
3. Miser
4. Labour
5. circuit
7
8/13/2019 Why Communications Skills Are So Important
http://slidepdf.com/reader/full/why-communications-skills-are-so-important 29/65
II Form Verbs from:
1. Friend
2. Bath
3. Fertile
4. Clean
5. sweet.
6. Critic
III Form nouns from:
1. Sustain
2. confess,
3. attach
4. attain
5. fortify
6. oblige
7. give
8. cruel
9. hate
10. govern
11. sweet
8/13/2019 Why Communications Skills Are So Important
http://slidepdf.com/reader/full/why-communications-skills-are-so-important 30/65
IV Form Adjectives from:
1. Muscle
2. Hazard
3. Worth
4. Quarrel
5. Admire
6. Thirst
7. God
Fill in with suitable words to form different parts of speech
Noun Verb Adjective Adverb
Application
Electric
Industrialize
Dramatically
pure
reliability
destruct
rleviomlv
develop
exhibitive
enviously
VII Make nouns from the verbs given below by adding suitable suffixes:
1) improve
2) vibrate
3) maintain
4 refer
9
8/13/2019 Why Communications Skills Are So Important
http://slidepdf.com/reader/full/why-communications-skills-are-so-important 31/65
VIII Form adjectives from the nouns by adding suffixes like „ -al‟ and „ icaP:
1) physics
2) nature
3) tradition
4) season
5) biochemistry
6) environment
7) technology
8) reason
IX. Make nouns from verbs given below by adding suitable suffixes:
(-tion, -ment, -ence, -ance)
1) cultivate
2) invest
3) accept
X Complete the following table in an appropriate manner:
NOUN VERB ADJECTIVE ADV
derive
generation
developmental
devioush
recovery
rely
exhibit
destructible
8/13/2019 Why Communications Skills Are So Important
http://slidepdf.com/reader/full/why-communications-skills-are-so-important 32/65
NOUN VERB ADJECTIVE ADVERB
solution
environmental
reflectively
fractionally
verb
regrettable
require
peacefully
experiment
conclusive
favourite
laboriously
intensify
operative
system
clear
signify
vibrantly
informative
dispose
continuous
motivation
speculatively
explode
critic
stagnation
11
8/13/2019 Why Communications Skills Are So Important
http://slidepdf.com/reader/full/why-communications-skills-are-so-important 33/65
* The longest word in English is “Antidisestablishmentarianism”. It has prefixes-
„anti‟ and„dis‟ and three suffixes- „ment‟/arian‟ and „ism.
8/13/2019 Why Communications Skills Are So Important
http://slidepdf.com/reader/full/why-communications-skills-are-so-important 34/65
SYNONYMS AND ANTONYMS
Synonyms are words or expression that has the same or nearly the same meaning
as another in the same language.
For e.g. big and large , small and tiny
A large box will hold all the books. („Big‟ can be used here instead of
„large‟)
The smallest detail was taken into consideration. („Tiniest‟ can be substituted for
„smallest‟ here)
However, synonyms cannot always be substituted because though they may mean
the same ,there is a slight difference in usage.
For e.g. „begin‟, „start‟ and „commence‟ are synonyms.
However, You can “start the car” but you cannot “begin the car” or “commence
the car”.
Exercise 3
1. Give two sentences using the words “begin” and “commence”.
2. Match the words in Column „A‟ with their meanings in column „B‟
A B objective severe
hazard aim
spell choice
stringent A condition caused by magical powers
core Something that rouses people to activity
stimulus Innermost part
option danger
13
8/13/2019 Why Communications Skills Are So Important
http://slidepdf.com/reader/full/why-communications-skills-are-so-important 35/65
countless
tranquil
B
generate
Extended walking
produce numerous
trekking Calm, peaceful
amalgamation Giving out rays
chip Bringing together
radiation Getting completely exhausted
depletion Device composed of silicon
B
contamination intensify
fission misuse
aggravate Division of the atom
abuse pollution
panorama Probe, measure
gauge enthusiasm
transact View,scene
zeal Conduct, perform
B
prevalent Naturally skilled worker
radical existent
artisan extreme
coagulum The make-up of a page
extraction Being out of date
layout Being placed under water
obsolescence Obtaining juices by pressing, cr
submergence Thick, sticky ,solid mass
8/13/2019 Why Communications Skills Are So Important
http://slidepdf.com/reader/full/why-communications-skills-are-so-important 36/65
A B
proposition possibility
prospect Idea, plan
A set of rules A set of rules
inedible forbid
afforestation importance
regimen Unfit to eat
primacy friendliness
bonhomie Expansion of forests
A B vandalism occupation
vocation violence Renowned illness Globe calculate
disadvantage
drawback upkeep
estimate famous
ATM 1 UfN x IVn
An antonym is a word that means the opposite of another word.
For example, „rich‟ and „poor‟ are antonyms. „Old‟ has two antonym s
=‟young‟ and „new‟.
Very often, adding a prefix to the word can form the antonym of a word:
For example- the addition of „un‟ to „happy‟ gives us “unhappy” the antonym of
“happy”.
15
8/13/2019 Why Communications Skills Are So Important
http://slidepdf.com/reader/full/why-communications-skills-are-so-important 37/65
Exercise -4
Write the antonyms of the following words :
remember
fragment
objective
Brief
Ambiguity
Gentle
Hidden
Early
Freedom
Descent
Formal
Inferiority
understand
8/13/2019 Why Communications Skills Are So Important
http://slidepdf.com/reader/full/why-communications-skills-are-so-important 38/65
Exercise 5
Match the words with those which is opposite in meaning to the given word :
A B
crude usefulness Harmony classified
Miscellaneous discord
Futility refined
Cursory Frugal
Mortal friendly
Hostile prosperity
• Simple Adversity
Extravagant thorough
Ponderous immortal
A B Frugal submit
Maverick mobile
retaliate corrupt
Intentional contraction
Stationary exit
Expansion conformist
converge expensive
horizontal diverge
blunt vertical
Entrance sharp
17
8/13/2019 Why Communications Skills Are So Important
http://slidepdf.com/reader/full/why-communications-skills-are-so-important 39/65
Cheap
B
destruct
light artificial
natural modem
scrupulous incapable
capable extinguish
visible increase
decrease limited
traditional unscrupulous
construct costly
adequate manual
B
permit invisible
value insufficient
represent stop
visible misrepresent
rise devalue 1
improve illogical
sufficient fall
logical deteriorate
toxification unfortunate
fortunate detoxification
8/13/2019 Why Communications Skills Are So Important
http://slidepdf.com/reader/full/why-communications-skills-are-so-important 40/65
Ill EXPANDING NOMINAL COMPOUNDS
A nominal compound is a group of two or more words forming a single
unit.
Nominal compounds are usually formed by bringing together an adjective and a
noun.
For example- blackboard, wet steam, cooling towers and so on. Very often nouns
and gerunds too are combined with the nouns but here they take on adjectival forms. For
example - steel bar, grease gun , running water ,walking stick and so on.
Expansion of nominal compounds are done in order to make their meaning
clearer.
For example - “Temperature drop” can be expanded to “Drop in temperature”.
However, it is important that the most suitable words are used for the expansion.
Exercise 1 Expand the nominal compounds given below in order to bring out their«
meaning:
1. Spark plug -
2. Petrol engine -
3. Machine testing conditions
4. Condenser extraction pump
19
8/13/2019 Why Communications Skills Are So Important
http://slidepdf.com/reader/full/why-communications-skills-are-so-important 41/65
5. Cylinder condensation losses
6. Heat content
7. Steam consumption
8. Heat treatment
9. Cooling towers
10. Butt weld
11. Friction losses
12. Water tube
13. Turret lathe
14. Generator power output
15. Mercury thermometer
16. Concrete structure
17. Cylinder walls
18. Stop valve
19. Nickel alloy
20. Roller mill
21. Power cable
8/13/2019 Why Communications Skills Are So Important
http://slidepdf.com/reader/full/why-communications-skills-are-so-important 42/65
22. Cylinder head design
23. Workshop machinery
24. Gear mechanism
25. Lock nut
26. Silver extraction
27. Space travel
28. Telephone operator
29. Information centre
30. Computer network
31. Tax exemption
32. Powerhouse
33. Resources utilization
34. Calculation speed
8/13/2019 Why Communications Skills Are So Important
http://slidepdf.com/reader/full/why-communications-skills-are-so-important 43/65
SUBJECT ~ VERB AGREEMENT
There are three persons in English - The First -1., We The
Second - You
The Third - He, She, It, They, Ram, Gopi, Sarala
„s‟ is added to any English main verb if the subject is in third person in
number and the verb in the Simple Present Tense.
THE VERB MUST AGREE WITH ITS SUBJECT IN NUMBE
PERSON
The following rules will guide subject-verb agreement:
1. Two or more singular subjects connected by „and‟ us verb in the
plural.
e.g. Ram and Shyam are here.
Fire and water do not agree.
Sita, Gita and Radha go to the same school.
a) However, if the two singular nouns refer to the same thing then
the verb is singular.
e.g. The director and actor is dead.
The politician and playwright has won the aware
8/13/2019 Why Communications Skills Are So Important
http://slidepdf.com/reader/full/why-communications-skills-are-so-important 44/65
By the death of Gokhale a great statesman and patriot was lost to India.
b) If two subjects together express one idea, the verb may be singular . The
horse and carriage js at the door.
Slow and steady wins the race.
c) If the singular subjects are preceded by „each‟ or „every‟ the verb is usually
singular.
e.g. Each girl and boy was given a book.
Every man, woman and child has to be vaccinated.
Each village and town has its own problems.
2) When two or more singular subjects are connected by „or‟, „nor‟,
„either...or‟, „neither...nor‟ the verb is in agreement with the subject
nearest to it.
e.g. No nook or comer was left unexplored.
Neither he nor I was present.
Either Robinson or Usha has attended the seminar.
3) However, when the subjects are joined by „or‟ ,‟nor‟ are of different
numbers, the verb must be in agreement with the nearest subject.
e.g. Neither the Principal nor the teachers were present.
Ram or his friends have done this.
4) When the subject joined by „or or „nor‟ are of different persons then the
verb agrees in person to the subject nearest to it.
e.g. Either he or I am mistaken.
Neither she nor her children watch television.
23
8/13/2019 Why Communications Skills Are So Important
http://slidepdf.com/reader/full/why-communications-skills-are-so-important 45/65
5) A collective noun takes a singular verb when the collection is thought of as
a whole; a Plural verb when the individuals of which it is composed are
thought of:
e.g. The Court has adjourned for the day.
The military were called out.
6) Some nouns plural in form but singular in meaning take a singular verb.
e.g. The news is true .
Politics is a way of life with him.
7) When two subjects are joined by the following conjunctions, the verb
agrees „with‟ the first subject („together with‟, „in addition to‟, as well as,
along with).
e.g. John, as well as James, deserves praise.
Ram, as well as Shyam and Gopi, is fond of spicy food.
8) When the subject of the verb is a relative pronoun , the verb agrees with
the antecedent of the relative pronoun.
e.g. I, who am your friend, will stand by you.
9) When the plural noun denotes a specific quantity, amount or distance
considered as a whole, the verb is singular .
e.g. Ten thousand rupees has to be paid in advance.
10) When the subject happens to be a nominal group such as “One of the...”,
“Two of the...” etc. the verb is in agreement with the first subject.
e.g. One of the boys has won a prize.
24
8/13/2019 Why Communications Skills Are So Important
http://slidepdf.com/reader/full/why-communications-skills-are-so-important 46/65
However when the phrase „one of the „ is followed by relative pronouns such as
„who‟, „which‟, „that‟ the verb is plural ,as the verb is to agree with the immediate
antecedent.
e.g. Lalitha is one of the girls who have been selected in the campus
interview.
11) „A number of‟, „Some of, ‟most of, „a lot of% „a great deal or, „plenty of, „lots
of, „one third of „(all fractions) take the plural verb when they refer to
number of persons.
e.g. Some of the boys are very intelligent.
Lots of people have been killed.
Exercise 2
In each of the following sentences supply a verb in agreement with the subject.
1. Two and two __________ four.
2. The great poet and novelist __________ dead..
3. I as well as Shyam ___________ to go.
4. Two-thirds of the city ___________ in ruins.
5. “Tom Brown‟s Schooldays” __________ highly interesting.
6. Each of the boys ____________ rewarded.
7. She is one of the best mothers that ______________ ever lived.
8. Rama, and not you, ___________ has won the prize.
9. The quality of mangoes ______ not good.
25
8/13/2019 Why Communications Skills Are So Important
http://slidepdf.com/reader/full/why-communications-skills-are-so-important 47/65
10. Mathematics ____ a branch of study in school.
11. The chief with his followers _____________ present here.
12. The cost of all articles ___________ risen.
13. Which one of these umbrellas ___________ yours.
14. The horse and trap ____________ been waiting for a long time.
15. Every leaf and every flower ____________ stripped off the tree.
16. Five rupees _____ an excessive price for this pen-knife.
17. He and I ___________ well.
18. Either Abdul or Amit _______ stolen the watch.
19. He and his friend __________ arrived.
20. Each of the sisters _______ clever.
21. Neither of them ______ remarkable for precision.
22. The formation of paragraphs ____________ very important.
23. A good man and useful citizen ___________ passed away.
24. One of the arguments he offered ___________ (seem, seems) especially
convincing.
8/13/2019 Why Communications Skills Are So Important
http://slidepdf.com/reader/full/why-communications-skills-are-so-important 48/65
TENSES
Tense is the form in which a verb is placed in a sentence. It shows the time of
action and the state of action. There are three main divisions of tense in English. They
are Present, Past and Future. Each of these has four forms of its own.Thus we get twelve
tense forms which an English Verb can assume. In case the verb is a transitive one taking
an object, we get eight tense forms in the passive voice. There are four tense forms
which do not have corresponding tense forms in the passive voice. The following table
shows these tense forms in terms of sentences. The verb “write” is used.
CONJUGATION OF THE VERB „WRITE‟
Active Passive
Present Tense :
1. She writes poetry (Simple present) 1. Poetry is written by her.
2. She is writing Poetry 2. Poetry is being written by her.
(Present continuous)
3. She has written Poetry 3. Poetry has been written by her.
(Present perfect tense)
4. She has been writing Poetry 4. No form.
(Present perfectContinuous tense)
27
8/13/2019 Why Communications Skills Are So Important
http://slidepdf.com/reader/full/why-communications-skills-are-so-important 49/65
Past Tense :
1. She wrote poetry.(Simple past)
2. She was writing poetry (Past
continuous tense)
3. She had written poetry (Past
perfect tense)
4. She had been writing poetry (Past
perfect continuous Tense)
1. Poetry was written by her
2. Poetry was being written
3. Poetry had been written by
4. No form.
Future Tense:
1. She will write poetry.
(Simple Future tense)
2. She will be writing poetry. (Future
continuous Tense)
3. She will have written poetry.
(Future perfect ense)
4.She will have been writing poetry.
(Future perfect continuous tense )
1. Poetry will be written by her.
2. No form.
3. Poetry will have been written
by her
4. No form.
8/13/2019 Why Communications Skills Are So Important
http://slidepdf.com/reader/full/why-communications-skills-are-so-important 50/65
1) TENSES AND THEIR USES
The Simple Present expresses
1. a habitual action.
e.g. (a) He gets up at 5 O „ clock in the morning every day.
2. General truths.
e.g. (a) The sun rises in the east, (b) Two and two make four.
3. an action in progress at the time of speaking, e.g.
(a) See how it rains! (b) There he goes!
4. a historical past in a narrative.
e.g. (a) Kovalan leaves Madhavi and comes home.
He and his wife Kannaki leave for Madurai.
5. the future events aspart of a programme already time-tabled, e.g.
(a) They go to UK next month.
(b) The Charminar leaves at 8.30 tonight
The following verbs are usually used in simple present tense..
(e.g) See, hear, smell, notice, recognize, appear, look, seem, want, wish, desire, feel,
like, love, hate, hope, refuse, prefer, think, suppose, believe, agree, consider, trust,
forget, remember, know, imagine, understand, mean, mind, own, possess, belong to,
contain, consist of etc.,
29
8/13/2019 Why Communications Skills Are So Important
http://slidepdf.com/reader/full/why-communications-skills-are-so-important 51/65
The Present Continuous tense denotes
1. an action going on at the time of speaking, e.g.
(a) It is raining, (b) They are dancing.
2. an action temporary not actually happeneing at the time of speaking, e.g.
(a) I am presently reading. The Alchemist.
3. a planned action that is to take place in the near future e.g. (a) His wife is
coming back tomorrow.
(b) We are going to the Cinema tonight.
4. a habitual action that persistently continues, e.g. (a) She is always lying.
(b) You are being stupid.
The Present Perfect tense denotes .
1. an action completed in the near past, e.g. (a) He has just left.
(b) The clock has just struck five
2. a past action whose time is not definite, e.g. (a) Have you read „Leaves of
Grass‟?
8/13/2019 Why Communications Skills Are So Important
http://slidepdf.com/reader/full/why-communications-skills-are-so-important 52/65
3. a past action or event whose effect is felt in the present, e.g. (a) They have
done their work.
(b) She has got an „A! in Chemistry..
4. an action beginning at some time past continuing to the present, e.g. (a) I
have known him for ten years now.
(b) We have met for a long time.
The following adverbs usually go with present perfect tense
e.g. just, often, never, ever, so far, till now, yet, already, since, today, this week,
this month, etc.,
Present Perfect Continuous tense denotes
(1) an action beginning at a point of time in the past and still continuing.&
e.g. (a) It has been raining since last evening.
(b) They have been raising the building for months on end now. Simple
Past tense denotes
1. a completed past action.
e.g. (a) He returned yesterday.
(b) I received your letter last Friday.
2. a habitual action in the past.
e.g. (a) He worked for 12 hrs. a day in those days.
(b) She always walked to the station.
31
8/13/2019 Why Communications Skills Are So Important
http://slidepdf.com/reader/full/why-communications-skills-are-so-important 53/65
Past Continuous tense denotes
1) an action that is going on at some time in the past. The time of need not
necessarily be indicated.
e.g. (a) It was getting darker as we went on talking.
(b) They were working in the garden all morning.
2) Simple past and past continuous are used together when the speaks of
two actions in the past, the second one taking place middle of the first
continuing action.
e.g. (a) It was still raining when we set out.
Past Perfect tense denotes
1. an action completed before a certain moment in the past, e.g. (a) I had
just then arrived.
(b) He had lost his book and had to borrow a copy of the book friend.
2. two actions in the past, the earlier one being placed in the past perf and
the following one in the simple past.
e.g. (a) The train had left before we reached the station.
3. Past Perfect in Indirect Speech: A Present Perfect tense in the dir speech
changes
8/13/2019 Why Communications Skills Are So Important
http://slidepdf.com/reader/full/why-communications-skills-are-so-important 54/65
To a Past Perfect Tense
e.g. (a) She said, “ I have been in the states for ten years”.
She said that she had been in the states for ten years.
Even the simple past changes to past perfect tense usually.
e.g.(a) He said, “ I knew her well”.
He said that he had known her well.
Past Perfect Continuous tense denotes
(i) an action beginning before a certain point in the past and continuous upto that
time.
e.g. (a) At that time, they had been living in London for about ten years.
(b) When I visited the school at my own town last year, my English teacher
had already been there for twenty years.
Simple Future tense denotes
1) an action that is to take place in future, e.g. (a) He will meet me tomorrow.
(b) I shall return your book this week end.
Note: These forms express pure future without involving any intention.
33
8/13/2019 Why Communications Skills Are So Important
http://slidepdf.com/reader/full/why-communications-skills-are-so-important 55/65
Future Continuous tense denotes
1. an action going on at some time in future, e.g. (a) She will be
still reading the book.
(b) When we come back home our children will be watching T Note:
This tense is also used for future events planned, e.g. (a) They will be
staying here till Sunday.
(b) Our uncle will be visiting us next week.
Future Perfect Tense denotes
1. the completion of an action by a certain time in the future.
e.g. (a) I think that you will have repaid your arrears by the time I m next
week.
Future Perfect Continuous Tense denotes
1. an action still going on over a period of time that will end in the fu e.g. (a) By
next January, they will have been living in Chennai for fi\ (b) When they
complete repaying the house loans sometime next they will have been living in
the house for fifteen years.
8/13/2019 Why Communications Skills Are So Important
http://slidepdf.com/reader/full/why-communications-skills-are-so-important 56/65
EXERCISE I
Fill in the blanks each with the correct form of verb in brackets.
1. She __________ (dance) in competitions.
2. The last train ____________ (leave) at midnight.
3. He ______ {live) beside the sea.
4. The aeroplane ________ (fly) at 2,000 metres.
5. She always __________ (lose) her glasses and ___________ (ask) me to look for
them.
6. A woman ________ (wave) from the attic and a fireman _____________ (go) up a
ladder to help her.
7. He usually _________ (speak) so quickly that I __________ (not understand) him.
8. The children ________ (be) frightened because it _______ (get) dark.
9. When I _________ (look) for my passport, I _______________ (find) this old
photograph.
10. Here are your shoes; I _________ (clean) them.
11.1 can‟t go out because I ___________ (not finish) my work.
12. The actors __________ (arrive) yesterday and __________ (start) rehearsals early
this morning.
13. 1___ (meet) him last June.
35
8/13/2019 Why Communications Skills Are So Important
http://slidepdf.com/reader/full/why-communications-skills-are-so-important 57/65
15. We _______ (walk) for three hours.
16. She _______ (drive) the same car since 1975.
17. We _______________ (face) terrible weather since last month.
18.1 _________ (know) the result in a week.
19. Perhaps he _________ (arrive) in time for lunch.
20. We have just got to the top in time. The Sun _____________ (rise) in a
21. In a few days time we _____________ (fly) over Egypt.
22. By this time next year I ____________________ (earn) my own living.
23. By the end of the term he ___________________ (read) all the twelve v
24. When you come back I _________________ (finish) all the house work
25. By next winter they ___________________ (build) four houses in that
Exercise II
Fill in the blanks each with the correct verb form given in brackets:
1. The old beggar______________ (bit) by a mad dog. He _______________
hospital at once. He __________________________ _ (treat) for it
__________ (discharge) from the hospital.
2. When Ramanujam _________________ (be) twenty two years ol
________ (take) a clerical position in the Madras Port Trust office to si
his mother who ________ _(live) with him. While he ____________ (work) as a
he ___________ (continue) to work on Mathematical numbers an
(do) not want to sto even (eat).
8/13/2019 Why Communications Skills Are So Important
http://slidepdf.com/reader/full/why-communications-skills-are-so-important 58/65
3. I ___________ (come) in very last night and unfortunately the dog
___________ (wake) up and ___ __________ (start) to bark. This __________ (wake)
my mother who ________ (be) upstairs.
4. A decade ago the most vehement opposition to
computerization ______________ (come) from people who ______________ (believe)
that it ________ (will) lead to unemployment. The hue and cry __________ (be) based
on the argument that computers ____________ (will) aggravate the unemployment
situations by taking jobs away from human beings.
5. The India Mark II __________________ (be) a deep - well hand pump
________ (use) in villages all over the world. It ____________ ( do) not look very
special but it ___________ (change) the lives of millions of people. That is why
it _____________ (call) the „miracle‟- pump.
6. Two centuries ago, an English Judge in India _________________ _(notice) that
several words in Sanskrit closely ____________ (resemble) some words in Greek
and Latin. A systematic study _____________________ (reveal) that many modern
languages _________ (descend) from a common parent language. For example,
the Sanskrit word for father „Pita‟ ______________ (be) quite like the Latin word
„Pater‟ meaning „father‟.
7. The day ___________ (start) terribly. My alarm did not go off and I
______ (leave) the house with only one hour to spare before the flight
________ (be) due to take off. Luckily there was very little traffic and I
_______________ (arrive) at the airport with 30 minutes to spare. I
_______ (check) in at the gate and shouted for a coffee. I ___________ (sit) down, the
announcer ___________ (call) my flight. I ____________ (drink) my coffee quickly,
too quickly infact as I spilt some on my shirt.
37
8/13/2019 Why Communications Skills Are So Important
http://slidepdf.com/reader/full/why-communications-skills-are-so-important 59/65
w) him quite well when I (be) young.
8. After the bee _____________ (take) a decision they fly to the spot to set
house. Of the two sites, bees ______________ (identify) they choose the one
at a longer distance. Once the bee ______________ (go) inside the chamber
ground it ______________ (march) up and down, measuring the volume
potential home site. After the messenger bee __________________ (inform) tht
worker bees of the position of the food source they ______________ (leave)
hive.
Exercise III
Put the verbs given in brackets in the following in their correct tense In some
cases more than one answer is possible.
1. He suddenly ________ (remember) that he _________ (lock) the gate that e\
2. It ______ (be) raining since morning.
3. If I _____ (work) hard, I __________ (succeed).
4. At this moment I ________ (do) an exercise on tenses.
6. That silly girl always _________ (make) stupid remarks.
7. He _______ (work) for four hours when I ____________ (arrive) here.
8. He told me that he ________ (help) me if he __________ (can).
9. “I _______ (be) happier if I ___________ (have) no money”.
10.1 wish the train
before dark.
(not, arrive) so late so that I (get) h
8/13/2019 Why Communications Skills Are So Important
http://slidepdf.com/reader/full/why-communications-skills-are-so-important 60/65
11. If he ________ (arrive) tomorrow he will be in time for the interview.
12. If you_____________ ( be) less lazy, you would make more progress.
13. The politician __________ (declare) that his party __________ (stand) for peace
and security.
14. Why do you always __________ (make) such idiotic mistakes?
15. You _____ (spill) the tea if your hand _____ (shake) as it ____________ (do) now.
16. No sooner I ________ (reach) the college, than the bell __________ (ring).
17. Even the best of students ________ (make) such mistakes.
18. Where _____ (be) you this morning? I __________ (ring) you up several times?
19.1 _______ (lose) my pen, please help me and find it.
20. After she _______ (work) at the college for two years, she ___________ (decide)
to give up teaching
39
8/13/2019 Why Communications Skills Are So Important
http://slidepdf.com/reader/full/why-communications-skills-are-so-important 61/65
IMPERSONAL PASSIVE
In the Impersonal voice, the agent (With „by‟) is omitted.
Rule:
Active Voice: Subject+ Verb+ Object + Other words.
Passive Voice: Object+ Verb+ Past participle+ Other word:
Examples: 1. They sell mangoes here.Mangoes are sold here.
2. They opened the shop only last week. The shop was opened only
last week.
The Impersonal Passive voice has the following uses
1. When there is no mention of the doer of the action, e.g.
(a) The rubbish has not yet been collected.
(b) Your chest will be x -rayed.
(c) The clothes will be washed every day.
2. When the doer is not known.
e.g (a) The leader has been murdered (b) Her car has been stolen.
3. When the subject of the verb happens to be „people‟.
e.g. (a) He is expected to be on time.
(b) English is spoken all over the world.
8/13/2019 Why Communications Skills Are So Important
http://slidepdf.com/reader/full/why-communications-skills-are-so-important 62/65
4. When the subject of the verb is the indefinite pronoun ‟one‟.
e.g. (a) A terrible accident of this kind is witnessed every day.(A terrible accident of this kind is witnessed every day by some one.)
5. When the action is more important than the doer of the action.
e.g. (a) The bungalow at the street end has been sold for 50 lakhs.
(b) A new Dental College has been raised.
6. When the speaker is not mentioned for the psychological reason.
e.g. (a) Late comers will be fined.
(b) Strikers will be dismissed.
The Impersonal passive form is made use of in Lab test reports, project
reports, and other research papers such as Dissertation, Thesis etc.,
Note: We can adopt the Impersonal Passive form as one of the ways of providing
technical information in writing.
Imagine that you have completed the following lab test. Attempt a report.
1) Estimate the amount of calcium present in the volume of the given solution
2) Make up the given solution of calcium salt to 100 ml., in a standard flask.
3) Pipette out 20ml. of the solution into a 500 ml. beaker.
4) Add a few drops of methyl orange and ammonium hydroxide till the solution
turns yellow..
8/13/2019 Why Communications Skills Are So Important
http://slidepdf.com/reader/full/why-communications-skills-are-so-important 63/65
5) Add 20 ml. of ammonium oxalate solution with a few dro] hydrochloric
acid.
6) Heat the whole of the solution for 30 minutes and allow it to settle.
7) Filter the ammonium oxalate in a crucible ( a pot in which meta heated)
8) Heat the precipitate in a hot air oven at 100-115 C.
9) Cool and weigh the precipitate.
10) From the weight, calculate the amount of calcium by the us~_al forn
ANSWER:
The amount of calcium present in the volume of the given so should be
estimated.The given solution of calcium sal: should be made 100 ml. in a
standard flask.20 ml. of the solution should be pipetted out 500 ml. beaker. A few
drops of methyl orange and ammonium hydr should be added to the solution till
it is turned to yellow 2 . :: am me oxalate solution should be added to a few
drops of hydrochloric a::d whole of the solution is heated for 30 minutes and
allowed to settle ammonium oxalate should be filtered .in a crucible. The
precipitate shoo heated in a hot oven at 100-115 C. The precipitate should be
cooled, amount of calcium should be calculated from the weight taken
8/13/2019 Why Communications Skills Are So Important
http://slidepdf.com/reader/full/why-communications-skills-are-so-important 64/65
EXERCISE: I
Change into Impersonal passive form:
1) We have introduced several innovations in the design of the latest
automobile .(Nov.1994)
2) They have made a mistake in passing these orders. (NOv.,94)
3) The Police have arrested yet another fraudulent finance company
proprietor. (Apr.,99)
4) The writer has focused attention on the emerging trends of technology.
(M.Q.P.2001)
5) A skilled operator can carry out many operations on the lathe. (M.Q.P.
Apr.,2001)
6) You can lubricate low-speed bearings with grease. (Apr., 2000)
7) We can cast this type of metal into very complicated shapes.
(Apr.,2000&2001)
43
8/13/2019 Why Communications Skills Are So Important
http://slidepdf.com/reader/full/why-communications-skills-are-so-important 65/65
8) They constructed this house forty years ago. (Nov.,1999)
9) We boil a little water in a can untill the steam fills the can.
10) We clamp the two metal plates together. (Oct.,97 &No
11) I took 20ml., of solution in a test tube. (Apr., 1998)
12) We use the community - type hybrid solar cooker for c large
quantity of food. (Apr, 1995)
13) They made expeditions into the middle and west of the c often
under the most difficult conditions. (Apr., 2001)
14) You must take care not to damage the machinery. (M.Q.P 94,96
&97., Oct., 98)
15) This will prevent damage to the shaft. (Nov., 1999)