Subject-Verb Agreement and Common Errors - V

 

Subject-Verb Agreement and Common Errors - V

Dear readers, in the previous post we discussed some of the common errors associated with Subject-Verb Agreement that English as non-native speakers encounter in their daily conversation. In continuation with that, this present post highlights the common errors that people tend to commit in terms of Subject-Verb Agreement. 

Mostly we commit mistakes based on subject-verb agreement in our English. We should learn that verb agrees with subject. If a subject is singular, it takes a singular verb; and if a subject is plural, it takes a plural verb. Let us look at some of the common errors that we might encounter in our daily conversations in terms of Errors due to Proximity.

Errors due to Proximity

Usually, the Verb is made to agree in Number with a Noun near it, instead of its proper Subject. Examples:

⦁ The character of my friends are good. 

⦁ The character of my friends is good. (Here the focus is on 'character', not 'friends'.)

⦁ One of my relatives are working in Chennai. 

⦁ One of my relatives is working in Chennai. (Here the Subject is 'one' i.e., singular, not 'relatives', therefore 'is' should be used.)

⦁ By that time, three months' salary were due.  

⦁ By that time, three months' salary was due. (Here the Subject is 'salary' not 'months', so the Verb must be singular.)

⦁ The quality of the vegetables are good. 

⦁ The quality of the vegetables is good. (Here the Subject is 'quality' not 'vegetables', so the Verb must be singular.)

⦁ The price of these new books have risen.

⦁ The price of these new books has risen. (Here the Subject is 'price' not 'books', so the Verb must be singular. If the subject is plural, we should use 'have'.)

⦁ A series of programmes have been planned for the Gurupuja celebrations.

⦁ A series of programmes has been planned for the Gurupuja celebrations. (Here the Subject is 'A series' i.e., singular, not 'programmes', so the Verb must be singular. If the subject is plural, we should use 'have'.)

 Let us discuss some more ideas on the same topic in the next post. 

Author:

Dr. K. Nandhakumar

Assistant Professor of English

Sri Ramakrishna Mission Vidyalaya College of Arts and Science (Autonomous)

Coimbatore- 641 020

Connotation/Attitudes of Quantifiers

 Connotation/Attitudes of Quantifiers

 A few and few (for countable) as well as a little and little (for uncountable nouns) may seem very similar, but they actually hold very different connotations.

A few and a little indicate that the speaker feels positively about the quantity he/she is describing: though he/she may not have much, it is enough. Few and little indicates the speaker feels negatively about the quantity: he/she is lacking in the noun and would like more if it were available. 

Examples:

• I have a little money for lunch. ⇒ I have enough money for lunch. 

• I have little money for lunch. ⇒ I do not have enough money for lunch. 

• The scientist has a few techniques which she can use to determine his product. ⇒ The scientist has enough techniques which she can use to determine his product. 

• The scientist has few techniques which she can use to determine his product.⇒ The scientist does not have enough techniques which she can she use to determine his product.

AUTHOR

Dr L Suresh

Assistant Professor of English

Sri Ramakrishna Mission Vidyalaya College of Arts and Science

Coimbatore - 641020

Contact: 9944138137

e-mail ID: sureshenglit@rmv.ac.in

Subject-Verb Agreement and Common Errors - IV

 

Subject-Verb Agreement and Common Errors - IV

    Dear readers, in the previous post we discussed some of the common errors associated with Subject-Verb Agreement that English as non-native speakers encounter in their daily conversation. In continuation with that, this present post highlights the common errors that people tend to commit in terms of Subject-Verb Agreement. 

Mostly we commit mistakes based on subject-verb agreement in our English. We should learn that verb agrees with subject. If a subject is singular, it takes a singular verb; and if a subject is plural, it takes a plural verb. Let us look at some of the common errors that we might encounter in our daily conversations.

Either, neither, each, every one, many a must be followed by a singular verb. Examples:

• Either of my friends are honest.
• Either of my friends is honest.
• Neither of the answers are correct.
• Neither of the answers is correct.
• Each of your gifts were wonderful.
• Each of your gifts was wonderful.
• Every one of my relatives have got a government job.
• Every one of my relatives has got a government job.
• Many a person are sincere in returning debts.
• Many a person is sincere in returning debts.

 Let us discuss some more ideas on the same topic in the next post. 

Author:

Dr. K. Nandhakumar

Assistant Professor of English

Sri Ramakrishna Mission Vidyalaya College of Arts and Science (Autonomous)

Coimbatore- 641 020

Quantifiers

 Quantifiers

A quantifier is a word that usually goes before a noun to express the quantity of the object; for example, a little milk. Most quantifiers are followed by a noun, though it is also possible to use them without the noun when it is clear what we are referring to. For example,

Do you want some milk? – Just a little. (It’s clear that I mean ‘a little milk’.)

There are quantifiers to describe large quantities (a lot, much, many), small quantities (a little, a bit, a few) and undefined quantities (some, any). There are also quantifiers that express the idea of a sufficient amount (enough, plenty).

There are some quantifiers that have a similar meaning but differ because one is used with countable nouns and the other is used with uncountable nouns. Countable nouns are things that we can count; for example, a table, two chairs. Uncountable nouns are things that we cannot count and only have a singular form; for example, some furniture, some fruit.

AUTHOR

Dr L Suresh

Assistant Professor of English

Sri Ramakrishna Mission Vidyalaya College of Arts and Science

Coimbatore - 641020

Contact: 9944138137

e-mail ID: sureshenglit@rmv.ac.in

Demonstrative Adjectives and Demonstrative Pronouns

 Demonstrative Adjectives

Demonstrative adjectives are used in order to describe or specify an object.

Examples of demonstrative adjectives are this, that, these and those. Their position and function in a sentence is what differentiates them from demonstrative pronouns

Eg: Can I take this bag to put in all my clothes?

Here, ‘this’ describes the bag.

Demonstrative Pronouns

Demonstrative pronouns, on the other hand, are used instead of a noun. It points out to the subject or object doing or receiving the action in the sentence

Examples of demonstrative pronouns are this, that, these and those.

Eg: You can take this to put in all your clothes.

Here, ‘this’ is the demonstrative pronoun that substitutes the noun ‘bag’.

AUTHOR

Dr L Suresh

Assistant Professor of English

Sri Ramakrishna Mission Vidyalaya College of Arts and Science

Coimbatore - 641020

Contact: 9944138137

e-mail ID: sureshenglit@rmv.ac.in

Subject-Verb Agreement and Common Errors - III

Subject-Verb Agreement and Common Errors - III

Dear readers, in the previous post we discussed some of the common errors associated with Subject-Verb Agreement that English as non-native speakers encounter in their daily conversation. In continuation with that, this present post highlights the common errors that people tend to commit in terms of Subject-Verb Agreement. 

Mostly we commit mistakes based on subject-verb agreement in our English. We should learn that verb agrees with subject. If a subject is singular, it takes a singular verb; and if a subject is plural, it takes a plural verb. Let us look at some of the common errors that we might encounter in our daily conversations.

Either Chief Minister or his ministers is visiting the flood situation.     (Incorrect)

Either Chief Minister or his ministers are visiting the flood situation. (Correct)

When we use either-or, the verb takes the singular or plural form depending on the subject closest to the verb. 

Neither my friends nor I are going to movie tonight.                 (Incorrect)

Neither my friends nor I am going to movie tonight.                 (Correct)

This example with neither-or indicates that the verb can be singular or plural depending on the subject closest to the verb.

Everyone are fine at home.                         (Incorrect)

Everyone is fine at home.                                 (Correct)

When we use everyone, everything, everybody, anybody and somebody the verb should be in singular form. 

Nobody are here.                                         (Incorrect)

Nobody is here.                                         (Correct)

The words like everybody, everyone, everything, nobody, and nothing always take singular verb only. 

Thangaraj, as well as his friends, want to present me a gift.                 (Incorrect)

Thangaraj, as well as his friends, wants to present me a gift.                 (Correct)

The phrases like ‘as well as’ and ‘together with’ do not change the number of the subject. If the subject is singular, the verb is singular.  If the subject is plural, the verb is plural. 

 Let us discuss some more ideas on the same topic in the next post. 

Author:

Dr. K. Nandhakumar

Assistant Professor of English

Sri Ramakrishna Mission Vidyalaya College of Arts and Science (Autonomous)

Coimbatore- 641 020

English Expressions

English Expressions

1. Catch On

-         To understand or realize something.

Ex: She finally caught on to what the man was telling her.  

2. Keep an ear to the ground

          - To listen for new information.

          Ex: I will keep an ear to the ground for any updates on the project.

3. A quick buck

          - An easy way to make money quickly.

          Ex: Translation work is boring for me, but it’s a quick buck.

4. Wear out

          - When something is damaged or weakened from use and age.

Ex: The carpet looks worn out, we should replace it.

5. Count on

          - To rely on someone for support when you need it most.

          Ex: I can always count on my best friend to be there for me.

  

10 USEFUL TELEPHONE PHRASAL VERBS

 

Personal and Impersonal Passive Voice

 

Personal Passive

When we put an object of an active sentence into passive, it becomes subject of the passive sentence.

• Active sentence → The professor gave the students the books.
• Passive sentence → The students were given the books.

We sometimes use a pronoun for the students or the books in its subject form (here: they).

• Active sentence → The professor gave them the books.
• Passive sentence → They were given the books.

We very often leave out the by-agent in the passive sentence (here: by the professor).

Impersonal Passive 

The phrase It is said ... is an impersonal passive construction. This construction is used informally. It is said ... is used when one doesn't want to, or is unable to, site legitimate sources for what you are saying. It is, essentially, a way of claiming any position without justifying it.

• Passive sentence 1 → It is said that children are afraid of ghosts.
• Passive sentence 2 → Children are said to be afraid of ghosts.

The correct active sentence would be:

• Active sentence → People say that children are afraid of ghosts.

AUTHOR

Dr L Suresh

Assistant Professor of English

Sri Ramakrishna Mission Vidyalaya College of Arts and Science

Coimbatore - 641020

Contact: 9944138137

e-mail ID: sureshenglit@rmv.ac.in

English Expressions

                                                    English Expressions

1. Eyeball it

          - Sometimes you do not need an exact measurement: a rough estimate is good enough. When you estimate an amount of something based on how it looks, you can say you are eyeballing it.

Ex: I have made this recipe often, so I did not bother to measure out a cup of rice; I just eyeballed it.

2. Living hand to mouth

          - This means you barely earn enough to survive: any money that comes into your hand is immediately spent on food to put in your mouth.

          Ex: I don’t make much from my job as a cashier, but I can make ends meet.  

3. A Stone’s throw from

          - a short distance

          Ex: The college is just a stone’s throw from his house.

4. Put something on ice

          - To stop the progress on something or put it on hold.

          Ex: Hey I need you to work on this project that’s due today so you will have to put what you are doing on ice.

5. Fortune favours the bold

          - Taking a risk can pay off.

          Ex: There is only a 10% chance of success but the payout is 20 times higher if I win. You know what they say, fortune favours the bold. 

Error Spotting

                                                                   Error Spotting

Error spotting is a systematic way of identifying and rectifying the mistakes in a sentence. It is commonly used while proofreading written documents. In error spotting, the candidate has to find the grammatical errors in the given paragraph using systematic rules that are already defined.

There are basically four kinds of sentences in English Grammar: declarative, exclamatory, imperative, and interrogatory. Identifying the type of sentence is necessary to know which specific part of speech needs correction.

There are eight parts of speech in English Grammar: interjection, adjective, pronoun, verb, noun, preposition, adverb, and conjunction. For finding the part of speech of any sentence, check the function and role of words in a sentence. 

• If the word is a naming word, like having a name of any place, person and so forth, then the sentence is a noun. 
• If the word is replacing the noun, then it is the pronoun. 
• If the word is showing an action, then it is the verb. 
• If the word depicts the quality of a noun, then it is an adjective. 
• If the word is modifying the verb and adjective, it is an adverb. 
• If the word connects the other words, then it is a conjunction. 
• If the word describes the relationship between noun and pronoun, then it is a proposition. 

AUTHOR

Dr L Suresh

Assistant Professor of English

Sri Ramakrishna Mission Vidyalaya College of Arts and Science

Coimbatore - 641020

Contact: 9944138137

e-mail ID: sureshenglit@rmv.ac.in