The base form of the verb is the form of verb in which the verb appears in the dictionary i.e it is free from agreement, tense, or participle endings. The base form of verb is used after:
1. The subjunctive mood
e.g: The deal requires that industrialists join the union
2. The modal auxiliary
e.g: I can speak Mandarin
3. The infinitive marker to
e.g: It is time to go
4. After verbs of seeing or hearing
e.g: We watched them play Cricket
Tuesday, October 30, 2007
Monday, January 22, 2007
Coordinating Conjunctions
A coordinating conjunction joins two or more grammatically equal structures.
The seven coordinating conjunctions are remembered as "A.B. Fonsy" : and, but, for, or, nor, so, yet.
e.g -
1). Bad weather set in, so we left.
2). The federal government could raise taxes, or it could reduce expenditures.
The seven coordinating conjunctions are remembered as "A.B. Fonsy" : and, but, for, or, nor, so, yet.
e.g -
1). Bad weather set in, so we left.
2). The federal government could raise taxes, or it could reduce expenditures.
Joining Independent Clauses
The independent clauses (IC) of a compound sentence must generally be joined in one of the following 3 ways:
1. IC ; IC
2. IC , conjunction IC
3. IC ; conjunctive adverb (placement optional), IC
In general
1. Use a semicolon alone when the clauses are short comparatively and relation between them is obvious.
e.g - Self-denial is not a virtue; it is only the effect of prudence on rascality.
2. Use a coordinating conjunction ( and, but, for, or, nor, so, yet) when you want to indicate the relation clearly.
e.g - The firefighters fought hard, yet they could not save the building.
3. Use a conjunctive adverb when it can show the relation more precisely than a conjunction does.
e.g - Alice supplemented her class instruction with weekly visits to a tutor; thus her writing steadily improved.
1. IC ; IC
2. IC , conjunction IC
3. IC ; conjunctive adverb (placement optional), IC
In general
1. Use a semicolon alone when the clauses are short comparatively and relation between them is obvious.
e.g - Self-denial is not a virtue; it is only the effect of prudence on rascality.
2. Use a coordinating conjunction ( and, but, for, or, nor, so, yet) when you want to indicate the relation clearly.
e.g - The firefighters fought hard, yet they could not save the building.
3. Use a conjunctive adverb when it can show the relation more precisely than a conjunction does.
e.g - Alice supplemented her class instruction with weekly visits to a tutor; thus her writing steadily improved.
Tuesday, October 17, 2006
Noun Phrase
A noun phrase is a group of words that does the work of a noun. A noun phrase is either a pronoun or any group of words that can be replaced by a pronoun.
e.g 'they', 'bicycles', and 'the bicycles' are noun phrases, but 'bicycle' is just a noun, as you can see in these sentences (in which the noun phrases are all in italics)
Q: Do you like bicycles?
A: Yes, I like them.
Q: Do you like the bicycles over there?
A: Yes, they are nice.
Q: Do you like the bicycle I bought last week?
A: Yes, I like it. (Note: 'It' refers to 'the bicycle', not 'bicycle')
Structures of Noun phrases -
Noun premodifiers - Modifiers before the noun are called pre-modifiers. (modify means to limit, restrict, characterize, or otherwise focus meaning). All of the pre-modifiers that are present and the noun together form a noun phrase .
Noun Post-Modifiers - Modifiers coming after a noun are called post-modifiers.
1). NOUN PHRASE -- pre-modifiers + noun
e.g --
a). White house ; here white is a premodifier and house is a noun.
b). The three old Democratic legislators ; here the three old Democratic is premodifier and legislators is a noun.
2). NOUN PHRASE -- noun + post-modifiers. (The most common post-modifier is prepositional phrases).
e.g --
a). The glass on the table ; here on the table is the post-modifier
b). The boy in the store ; here in the store is the post-modifier.
3). NOUN PHRASE -- pre-modifier + noun + post-modifier.
The noun together with all pre- and post-modifiers constitutes a single unit, a noun phrase that indicates the complete reference.
e.g -- The boys on top of the house are ...... here The is the pre-modifier, boys is the noun, on top of the house is the post-modifier.
e.g 'they', 'bicycles', and 'the bicycles' are noun phrases, but 'bicycle' is just a noun, as you can see in these sentences (in which the noun phrases are all in italics)
Q: Do you like bicycles?
A: Yes, I like them.
Q: Do you like the bicycles over there?
A: Yes, they are nice.
Q: Do you like the bicycle I bought last week?
A: Yes, I like it. (Note: 'It' refers to 'the bicycle', not 'bicycle')
Structures of Noun phrases -
Noun premodifiers - Modifiers before the noun are called pre-modifiers. (modify means to limit, restrict, characterize, or otherwise focus meaning). All of the pre-modifiers that are present and the noun together form a noun phrase .
Noun Post-Modifiers - Modifiers coming after a noun are called post-modifiers.
1). NOUN PHRASE -- pre-modifiers + noun
e.g --
a). White house ; here white is a premodifier and house is a noun.
b). The three old Democratic legislators ; here the three old Democratic is premodifier and legislators is a noun.
2). NOUN PHRASE -- noun + post-modifiers. (The most common post-modifier is prepositional phrases).
e.g --
a). The glass on the table ; here on the table is the post-modifier
b). The boy in the store ; here in the store is the post-modifier.
3). NOUN PHRASE -- pre-modifier + noun + post-modifier.
The noun together with all pre- and post-modifiers constitutes a single unit, a noun phrase that indicates the complete reference.
e.g -- The boys on top of the house are ...... here The is the pre-modifier, boys is the noun, on top of the house is the post-modifier.
What is a Phrase ?
Phrase - A group of words, which makes sense, but not complete sense, is called a Phrase. It is a group of related words without a Subject and a Verb.
Words/group of words in italics are phrases in examples below -
1). The sun rises in the east.
2). Humpty Dumpty sat on a wall.
3). She wore a hat with blue trimming.
4). The accident on the bridge was not serious.
5). The girl with red hair is an artist.
Words/group of words in italics are phrases in examples below -
1). The sun rises in the east.
2). Humpty Dumpty sat on a wall.
3). She wore a hat with blue trimming.
4). The accident on the bridge was not serious.
5). The girl with red hair is an artist.
Saturday, July 15, 2006
What is a Clause ?
Clause - A group of Subject - Predicate construction is called a Clause. OR A Subject and a Predicate form a clause. OR Such a group of words which forms part of a sentence, and contains a Subject and a Predicate, is called a Clause.
Group of words in italics are clauses in examples below -
1). He has a chain which is made of gold.- (which - subject ; is made of gold - predicate).
2). I think that you have made a mistake - ( you - subject ; have made a mistake - predicate).
Independent Clause - can stand alone or makes a coomplete sense in itself.
e.g - Ram writes stories.
(Ram - subject ; writes stories - predicate)
Note - A simple sentence has just one clause, called an independent clause.
Dependent Clause or Subordinate Clause - The dependent clause cannot stand alone as a short but complete sentence.
e.g - When Ram writes stories, he observes other people closely.
(Ram - subject ; when writes stories - predicate) -- The word when signals that additional words are needed to complete its meaning.
Links -
dependent and independent clause
what is a clause?
Clauses
Group of words in italics are clauses in examples below -
1). He has a chain which is made of gold.- (which - subject ; is made of gold - predicate).
2). I think that you have made a mistake - ( you - subject ; have made a mistake - predicate).
Independent Clause - can stand alone or makes a coomplete sense in itself.
e.g - Ram writes stories.
(Ram - subject ; writes stories - predicate)
Note - A simple sentence has just one clause, called an independent clause.
Dependent Clause or Subordinate Clause - The dependent clause cannot stand alone as a short but complete sentence.
e.g - When Ram writes stories, he observes other people closely.
(Ram - subject ; when writes stories - predicate) -- The word when signals that additional words are needed to complete its meaning.
Links -
dependent and independent clause
what is a clause?
Clauses
Thursday, April 27, 2006
Grammer - Subject and Predicate
What is a subject?
The subject is the person, place, or thing that acts, is acted on, or is described in the sentence.
There are three types of subjects:-
1). Simple subject - a noun or a pronoun
she
he
cat
city
2). Complete subject - a noun or a pronoun plus any modifiers
the black cat
the clouds in the sky
his big house
the hungary lion
3). Compound subject - two or more subjects joined by a conjunction
Peter or Harry
the cat and the mouse
she and I
a bat and a ball
What is a predicate?
The predicate usually follows the subject , tells what the subject does, has, or is, what is done to it, or where it is.It is the action or description that occurs in the sentence.
Like subjects, there are three types of predicates:-
1). Simple predicate - a complete verb (a verb and any helping verbs)
stand
was dancing
could have sung
is sleeping
2). Complete predicate - a simple predicate plus all modifiers
sit on the couch
was singing sweetly
could have danced across the floor
was reading loudly
3). Compound predicate – two or more predicates with the same subject
was singing quietly and sweetly
could have danced across the floor and stayed awake all night
sit on the couch or sit on the floor
play cards or watch television
Generally all sentences need a subject and a predicate.
Simple
Subject Peter
Complete
Subject My friend Peter-------
Compound
Subject Peter and I
Simple
Predicate jumped
Complete
Predicate jumped on the bed
Compound
Predicate jumped on the bed and fell on the floor
Subject + Predicate
1). Peter jumped.
2). Peter and I jumped.
3). My friend Peter jumped on the bed.
4). Peter jumped on the bed and fell on the floor.
5). Peter and I jumped on the bed.
NOTE :- A command is the only type of sentence that has no subject. The subject (“you”) is implied. E.g
1). Stop.
Implied subject - you
Predicate - stop
2). Read the book.
Implied subject - you
Predicate - read the book
3). Stand up
Implied subject - you
Predicate – stand up
The subject is the person, place, or thing that acts, is acted on, or is described in the sentence.
There are three types of subjects:-
1). Simple subject - a noun or a pronoun
she
he
cat
city
2). Complete subject - a noun or a pronoun plus any modifiers
the black cat
the clouds in the sky
his big house
the hungary lion
3). Compound subject - two or more subjects joined by a conjunction
Peter or Harry
the cat and the mouse
she and I
a bat and a ball
What is a predicate?
The predicate usually follows the subject , tells what the subject does, has, or is, what is done to it, or where it is.It is the action or description that occurs in the sentence.
Like subjects, there are three types of predicates:-
1). Simple predicate - a complete verb (a verb and any helping verbs)
stand
was dancing
could have sung
is sleeping
2). Complete predicate - a simple predicate plus all modifiers
sit on the couch
was singing sweetly
could have danced across the floor
was reading loudly
3). Compound predicate – two or more predicates with the same subject
was singing quietly and sweetly
could have danced across the floor and stayed awake all night
sit on the couch or sit on the floor
play cards or watch television
Generally all sentences need a subject and a predicate.
Simple
Subject Peter
Complete
Subject My friend Peter-------
Compound
Subject Peter and I
Simple
Predicate jumped
Complete
Predicate jumped on the bed
Compound
Predicate jumped on the bed and fell on the floor
Subject + Predicate
1). Peter jumped.
2). Peter and I jumped.
3). My friend Peter jumped on the bed.
4). Peter jumped on the bed and fell on the floor.
5). Peter and I jumped on the bed.
NOTE :- A command is the only type of sentence that has no subject. The subject (“you”) is implied. E.g
1). Stop.
Implied subject - you
Predicate - stop
2). Read the book.
Implied subject - you
Predicate - read the book
3). Stand up
Implied subject - you
Predicate – stand up
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