Singular and Plural
Read the following text.
There are many things in my kitchen at home. In the refrigerator, there are some apples and some oranges. There is some cheese, some butter and some oil. I have a few pieces of beef but there isn't any fish. In the kitchen, there are many pictures on the walls and my children like to put pictures on the refrigerator. Sometimes, I have some men friends visit me and we make lunch together. At other times, I have women friends visit me and we have dinner together.Forming the plural in English is very easy. Add '-s' to any singular word Example: apple - apples and you have made the plural! Some words are formed differently:• Words ending in '-y'. Add '-ies' if '-y' is follows a consonant Example: candy - candies, jelly - jellies• Words ending in '-ch'. Add '-es' Example: watch - watches, peach - peaches• Words ending in '-s'. Add '-es' Example: grass - grasses, glass - glassesSome important exceptions to the plural rule include:• man - men• woman - women• person - people• child - children•
Finish the sentences with the singular or plural form of the nouns.
Example: There is a ____ on the table.
Answer: There is a book on the table.
1) The cat is sitting on my .2) There are five on my desk.3) I have two .4) They are riding their .5) We have a .6) How many do you have in your bag?7) My mother has a new .8) There are three windows in the .9) Susan has four .10) There is one on the floor
…………………………………………………………..
English nouns can be classified as count (singular and plural) and non-count. The singular form is used when considering the noun as a single item (count) or entity (non-count). brick dog airplane person foot water sugar truth educationThe plural form is used when considering more than one of the same item. Non-count nouns do not have a plural form.bricks dogs airplanes people feetThings to be aware of:Regular pluralsMost plurals are formed by adding -s or -es to the singular noun: boys cars pens pills pronounce /z/cats rocks tips chiefs pronounce /s/kisses watches boxes dishes pronounce /Iz/In some cases, there are special spelling rules that need to be considered when forming the plural.knives hobbies quizzesIrregular pluralsSome nouns take on a different form in the plural: women teeth mice children peopleNon-count nounsNon-count nouns do not have a plural form; however, some nouns can be used in both the count and non-count sense: I have a lot of experience. I have a lot of experiences.Third-person singular "-s"Singular and non-count nouns (in the third person) require the "-s" form of the verb in the present tense.The girl loves painting.My dog likes to eat meat. Johnny lives next door to Jenny. Milk contains nutrients. Tommy has two hobbies. Jerry is from Colorado. Singular count nouns require an article (the, a, an) unlessthey are "proper" nounsMr. Jones went to Arizona.they are preceded by a possessiveMy mother loves my father.they are preceded by this, that, each, every, either, neither, or one.Each man contributed one dollar.(Wrong: Apple is on table. [Articles are required.])The/An apple is on the table.Plural nouns and singular non-count nouns do not require an article in the "generic" sense:Water is important for plants.However, they require articles (the, some) in most other cases.Please put some wine in the glasses.
Finish the sentences with the singular or plural form of the nouns.
Example: There is a ____ on the table.
Answer: There is a book on the table.
1) The cat is sitting on my .2) There are five on my desk.3) I have two .4) They are riding their .5) We have a .6) How many do you have in your bag?7) My mother has a new .8) There are three windows in the .9) Susan has four .10) There is one on the floor
…………………………………………………………..
English nouns can be classified as count (singular and plural) and non-count. The singular form is used when considering the noun as a single item (count) or entity (non-count). brick dog airplane person foot water sugar truth educationThe plural form is used when considering more than one of the same item. Non-count nouns do not have a plural form.bricks dogs airplanes people feetThings to be aware of:Regular pluralsMost plurals are formed by adding -s or -es to the singular noun: boys cars pens pills pronounce /z/cats rocks tips chiefs pronounce /s/kisses watches boxes dishes pronounce /Iz/In some cases, there are special spelling rules that need to be considered when forming the plural.knives hobbies quizzesIrregular pluralsSome nouns take on a different form in the plural: women teeth mice children peopleNon-count nounsNon-count nouns do not have a plural form; however, some nouns can be used in both the count and non-count sense: I have a lot of experience. I have a lot of experiences.Third-person singular "-s"Singular and non-count nouns (in the third person) require the "-s" form of the verb in the present tense.The girl loves painting.My dog likes to eat meat. Johnny lives next door to Jenny. Milk contains nutrients. Tommy has two hobbies. Jerry is from Colorado. Singular count nouns require an article (the, a, an) unlessthey are "proper" nounsMr. Jones went to Arizona.they are preceded by a possessiveMy mother loves my father.they are preceded by this, that, each, every, either, neither, or one.Each man contributed one dollar.(Wrong: Apple is on table. [Articles are required.])The/An apple is on the table.Plural nouns and singular non-count nouns do not require an article in the "generic" sense:Water is important for plants.However, they require articles (the, some) in most other cases.Please put some wine in the glasses.
Singular Plural Rules
Introduction to Singular/Plural Inconsistency
Everything within a sentence should be either singular or plural. For example, "Everyone has their own idea of the American Dream" should either be "Everyone has his or her own idea of the American Dream" or "People all have their own ideas about the American Dream." But you can’t have "everyone" having "their" idea. It generally doesn’t matter whether you choose to make sentences singular or plural; just choose one and stick with it, both within sentences and between sentences (i.e., throughout the paragraph). If you don't understand the example that was just shown here is a hint: plural subjects (nouns) must agree with plural verbs. Also, singular subjects must agree with singular verbs. This section could have been titled subject/verb agreement.
Singular/Plural Inconsistency generally arises because of the problem of gender-specific pronouns. For example, people know, if they think about it, that "everyone" has his or her own idea, but it sounds wordy to say it that way, so people switch to plural because "they" is gender-neutral (i.e., it can refer to men, women, or a mix of both). We do it in verbal conversation all the time, but when you’re writing, you need to observe the rules of formal writing. So if "Everyone has his or her own idea" sounds wordy to you, that’s fine; choose plural and go with "People all have their own ideas."
Note that "People all have their own ideas about the American Dream." Different people have different ideas; they don’t all have one idea about something. But plural people can share one thing; a husband and wife can have "a life," if you mean the life they live together, but if you’re talking about their individual lives, then you would have to say so. For example:
My grandmother and grandfather had a long and happy life in Desert Hot Springs, California. {talks about the life they shared}
OR
My grandmother and grandfather devoted their lives to the care of their family. {My grandmother and grandfather had separate lives – my grandfather passed away several years ago but my grandmother is still living – and each devoted his or her life to the care of the family they had together}
Plurals of Nouns:
1. Add an "s" to form the plural of most nouns.
o zebra -- zebras
o piano -- pianos
o block -- blocks
2. If the word ends in any of the following hissing sounds: s, z, x, ch, or sh, add an "es" to form the plural.
o zebra -- zebras
o piano -- pianos
o block -- blocks
3. If the word ends in a vowel plus "y", add "s".
o trolley -- trolleys
o ray -- rays
o key -- keys
4. If the word ends in a consonant "y", change the "y" into an "ie" and add "s".
o baby -- babies
o daisy -- daisies
o fairy -- fairies
5. If the word ends in "is" change the "is" to "es".
o synopsis -- synopses
o thesis -- theses
o metastasis -- metastases
6. A few words that end in "fe" or "f" have plurals formed by "ves".
o wife -- wives
o knife -- knives
o shelf -- shelves
o elf -- elves
7. Words that end in "o" can often have two plural forms, but some can only have one plural form. Consider the following guidelines:
o If the word ends in a vowel plus "o", just add a "s".
stereo -- stereos
fascia -- fascias
imbroglio -- imbroglios
o If a musical term ends in "o", just add a "s".
solo -- solos
piano -- pianos
piccolo -- piccolos
cello -- cellos
o Some words can be formed with either a "s" or and "os".
avocados/avocadoes
cargos/cargoes
innuendos/innuendoes
lassos/lassoes
peccadillos/peccadilloes
(there are other pairs like this)
Note that the spell-check in most word processors will usually
recognize only one of these forms as legitimate, which is fine.
8. The plurals of numbers, single capital letters, or acronyms take a single "s" with no apostrophe:
o 10s
o Zs
o ATMs
Subject and Noun Agreement:
1. When two or more nouns or pronouns that are connected by and are the subject of a sentence, use a plural verb.
o Right: George and his buddies are going to the concert.
o Wrong: George and his buddies is going to the concert.
Because they are connected by and they are considered as a group of things, and the verb must reflect the plurality of the group.
2. When two or more nouns or pronouns that are connected by or or nor are the subject of a sentence, use a singular verb.
o Right: The knife or the candlestick is the murder weapon.
o Wrong: The knife or the candlestick are the murder weapon.
Because they are connected by or or nor they are considered separately, and the verb must reflect that uniqueness (singularity).
3. Compound subjects (more than one noun) are tricky. When there is both a singular noun and a plural noun forming the compound, the verb form must agree with the noun that is closest.
o Consider: The woman plays hard. -or- The women play hard.
o Right: The men or the woman plays hard.
o Wrong: The man or the woman play hard.
Note than the noun closest to the verb, woman, is singular so the verb, plays, must agree as it would if there were only woman as the subject.
We can also turn that around:
o Right: The man or the women play hard.
o Wrong: The man or the women plays hard.
Again, note the noun closest to the verb.
4. Phrases that are inserted between the subject and the verb can cause confusion. Consider the sentence without the phrase to clarify the proper usage.
o Consider: One is empty. [Leaving out the phrase.]
o Right: One of the jars is empty.
o Wrong: One of the jars are empty.
Yes, jars is a plural noun but the phrase specifies one of the jars.
o Right: Mia, along with her teammates, is tense. [The basic sentence is, "Mia is tense."]
o Wrong: Mia, along with her teammates, are tense.
Note that if the sentence were structured so as to compound the subjects, then the rule above would apply.
o Consider: Mia or her teammates are tense.
5. Be careful with contractions.
Don't is a contraction of do not. It should be used with a plural subject.
o They don’t like it.
o Republicans don’t support that policy.
o Quarks don’t subdivide.
Doesn’t is a contraction of does not. It should be used with a singular subject.
o He doesn’t like it.
o The President doesn’t support that policy.
o A dollar doesn’t buy as much as it once did.
EXCEPTION: When using the pronouns I or you, the contraction don’t is the proper form.
o I don’t like it.
o You don’t like it.
6. Some words and phrases are singular and require a singular verb. They are:
anybody anyone each each one
either neither everyone nobody
no one somebody someone
o Consider: Each is empty. [Leaving out the phrase.]
o Right: Each of the jars is empty.
o Wrong: Each of the jars are empty.
o Consider: Someone is lying. [Leaving out the phrase.]
o Right: Someone in this room is lying.
o Wrong: Someone in this room are lying.
7. There are nouns that have an "s" on the end that are, nevertheless, singular. Think about what they are. Measles is a disease. It is news, and there are no such things as newses (sic). These nouns require a singular verb. Some examples are:
civics mathematics physics stasis
measles news tuberculosis basis
Example: Mathematics is necessary for that major.
SPECIAL CASE: When referring to dollars as things, it requires a plural verb. When referring to an amount of money in dollars, it requires a singular verb.
o Right: Ten-thousand dollars is a tidy amount.
o Wrong: Ten-thousand dollars are a tidy amount.
o Right: Dollars are the preferred medium of exchange.
o Wrong: Dollars is the preferred medium of exchange.
8. There are some nouns that refer to things that have two or more parts to them and the subject is, therefore, plural. Again, think about what they are and the two or more parts that they’re made of.
pliers tweezers shears trousers
pants slacks shoes lips
ears feet sides margins
o The pliers are rusty.
o My toes are cold.
o The slacks are made of wool.
9. When a sentence begins with there is or there are the subject is following the verb. The verb must then agree with the following subject. In other words, there is not the subject. In the following examples the subject is in italics and the verb is underlined.
o There are many logs.
o There are too many people to be counted.
o There are a few simple rules that apply.
o There is a log.
o There is but one who stands to be counted.
o There is a simple rule that applies.
10. Some nouns refer to a collection or group but are considered singular. Family is a good example. A family has more than one member by definition but is a recognizable entity in itself, and is therefore considered singular.
family team inventory group
set class committee membership
o Their family holds a reunion every year.
o The inventory is counted today.
o The committee decides on matters of policy.
EXCEPTION: When referring to a portion or distinct members of the group the plural verb is used.
o Her family are disagreeing with each other.
MASCULINE-FEMININE
In Grammar-Nouns, there are FOUR GENDERS.
1. Masculine gender:
A noun is said to be in the Masculine gender if it refers to a male character or member of a species.
Man, lion, hero, boy, king, horse and actor are nouns of masculine gender.
Example:
• A boy is playing in the play-ground.
• Hero of the movie is not a native of this country.
In these sentences the words “boy” and “hero” are masculine-gender nouns.
The next in the Noun-Gender is feminine gender.
2. Feminine gender:
A noun is said to be in the feminine gender if it refers to a female member of a species.
Woman, lioness, heroine, girl, mare, niece, empress, cow and actress are few of the feminine-gender nouns that we use.
Example:
• A girl is playing in the play-ground.
• Heroine of the movie is not a native of this country.
In these sentences the words “girl” and “heroine” are feminine-gender nouns.
The next in the Noun-Gender is common gender.
3. Common gender:
A noun is said to be in Common gender if it refers to a member of species which can be a male or a female.
Child, student, friend, applicant, candidate, servant, member,
parliamentarian and leader are few of the common-gender nouns.
Example:
• A child is playing in the play-ground.
• A Parliamentarian should have command over his language.
In these sentences the words, “child” and “parliamentarian” are nouns of common gender.
The next in the Noun-Gender is neuter gender.
4. Neuter gender:
A noun is said to be in the neuter gender if it refers to a member of a species which is neither a male nor a female.
Normally nouns referring to lifeless objects are in neuter nouns.
Chair, table, tree, star, mountain, street, book, car, school,
paper, pencil and computer are few of the neuter nouns which We use regularly.
Example:
• Computer has brought about drastic changes in our lives.
• Tree is cleansing the air.
• Stars are not visible in the day-time.
• Books are our best friends.
In these sentences the words, “computer”, “tree”, “stars” and “books” are the neuter-gender nouns.
NOTE:
a. Collective nouns, even if they refer to living-beings, are used as neuter-nouns.
Example:
i. The army is doing its task.
ii. The police are called to manage the situation.
In these sentences the nouns (army and police) refer to only living-beings. But they are used only as neuter-nouns.
b.Objects noted for their power, strength, and violence are used as Masculine gender nouns.
The sun, summer, time, death etc… are masculine-gender nouns.
Example:
i. The sun is so scorching now that we can not go out now to face him without an umbrella.
ii. The death is cruel. He is as certain as tomorrow.
In these sentences the words “sun” and “death” have been used as Masculine-gender nouns.
c. Objects noted for their beauty, gentleness and grace are used as feminine-gender nouns.
The moon, the earth, spring, charity etc… are feminine-gender nouns.
Example:
i. The moon is so bright at this time that she induces romantic mood in us.
ii. The earth is patient. Her beauty is spoiled day-by-day.
The masculine-genders and their respective feminine-genders have been given below for your reference.
Masculine Feminine
abbot Abbess
actor Actress
Alexander Alexandra
bachelor Spinster
baron baroness
beau Belle
billy-goat nanny-goat
boar Sow
boy Girl
bridegroom Bride
brother Sister
buck Doe
buck-rabbit doe-rabbit
bull Cow
bull-calf cow-calf
bullock Heifer
Cecil Cecilia
Charles Charlotte
Christian Christina
Clarence Clara
cock Hen
cock-sparrow hen-sparrow
colt Filly
count countess
dog Bitch
drake Duck
duke duchess
earl countess
emperor empress
enchanter enchantress
father Mother
father-in-law mother-in-law
fiance Fiancée
Francis Frances
friar Nun
gander Goose
gentleman Lady
George Georgina
god goddess
grandfather grandmother
hart Hind
he She
he-goat she-goat
headmaster headmistress
heir heiress
Henry Henrietta
hero heroine
him Her
host hostess
hound Brach
husband Wife
John Joan
Joseph Josephine
king Queen
lad Lass
landlord landlady
lion Lioness
lord Lady
male Female
male-child female-child
man Woman
manservant maidservant
marquis marchioness
masseur masseuse
master mistress
mayor mayoress
monk Nun
Mr Mrs
nephew Niece
Oliver Olive
Patrick Patricia
Paul Pauline
postman postwoman
postmaster postmistress
priest priestess
prince princess
ram Ewe
Robert Roberta
shepherd shepherdess
sir Madam
sire dam
son daughter
son-in-law daughter-in-law
sorcerer sorceress
stag hind
stallion mare
steer heifer
stepfather stepmother
stepson stepdaughter
steward stewardess
Sultan Sultana
tiger tigress
tutor governess
uncle aunt
Victor Victoria
waiter waitress
widower widow
William Wilhelmina
wizard witch
Subject and Predicate
Written by tutor Charlotte C.
Understanding Subject and Predicate is the key to good sentence writing. The subject of a complete sentence is who or what the sentence is about, and the predicate tells about that subject.
The dog ran.
The dog is the subject of the sentence, because the sentence is telling something about that dog. And what is it telling? It says that the dog ran. So in this example the subject is “dog” and the predicate is “ran.”
The dog ran after the cat.
Here we have more detail, but the subject is still “dog.” How can we know that the subject is “dog” and not “cat” since the sentence seems to be about both animals?
To determine the subject of a sentence, first find the verb and then ask “who?” or “what?” In this sentence, the verb is “ran.” If we ask, “who ran?” the answer is, “the dog ran.” This is how we know that “dog” is the subject of the sentence.
What is the subject in the following sentence:
Yesterday after lunch the students were complaining about the short recess.
The sentence is telling about several different things: yesterday, lunch, students, and recess. How can we know which of those is the subject of the sentence? We first find the verb: “were complaining.” Next we ask, “who were complaining?” And immediately we recognize that “the students” are the subject of the sentence. The predicate always includes the verb, and tells something about the subject; in this example, we see that the students “were complaining about the short recess.”
The "Understood You"
In some sentences the subject is not so easy to find. Here is an example of a sentence that seems to have no subject:
Go sit down in that chair.
We see the verb is “go sit,” but who is doing that action? The only noun present is “chair” but certainly the chair is not about to “go sit!”
In this sentence the speaker is giving a direct command to another person, and might have said, “You go sit down in that chair.” The rule to remember for a sentence that is a command is that if the subject is not named, we can assume that subject is “you.”
"There" is Not the Subject
Another example to watch for is a sentence that begins with “there” and has a form of the verb “to be.” Even though the word “there” is at the beginning of the sentence, next to the verb, it is not the subject. See if you can find the subject and predicate in this sentence:
There were three different desserts arranged on the table.
First find the verb: “were arranged.” Then ask, “who or what were arranged?” The answer is “three different desserts,” which is the correct subject.
Simple Subject and Simple Predicate
The subject of a sentence includes the noun or pronoun along with all the words that modify, or describe it. The simple subject is the noun or pronoun all by itself.
The light blue shirt with the colorful pattern was her favorite top.
In this sentence “shirt” is the simple subject, and all the descriptive words tell us more about that shirt. The subject is “shirt” and all its modifiers (the light blue shirt with the colorful pattern), but the simple subject is simply “shirt.”
The predicate of a sentence is based on the simple predicate, which is the verb. All the other words in the predicate tell more about the subject, and some of the words can modify the verb. In the example above, the word “was” is the verb, and therefore it is the simple predicate.
Compound Subject and Compound Predicate
Sometimes a sentence has a compound subject, when there are two or more nouns in the subject:
Bobby and his friends ran outside to play basketball.
The verb is “ran” and we ask, “who ran?” The answer is “Bobby and his friends” which comprise the subject.
A compound predicate includes two or more verbs that relate to the subject:
The little girl picked up her doll and climbed into bed.
The verbs are “picked up” and “climbed.” We ask, “who picked up? who climbed?” The answer is the same for both verbs: “the little girl.”
Writing Better Sentences
How can knowing about Subject and Predicate help you become a better writer? Take a look at the following examples and see if you can find the subjects and predicates.
At the movies with friends and eating popcorn with lots of butter and salt.
The rapidly approaching train on the rickety tracks, shivering as it rounded the curve.
The rapidly approaching train on the rickety tracks, shivering as it rounded the curve.
Both examples have action, and both are telling something about the nouns, but neither one is an actual sentence because neither one has Subject and Predicate. Let’s rewrite the examples and create complete sentences:
1. While we were at the movies, my friends and I were eating popcorn with lots of butter and salt.
Now we can find the verb, “were eating,” and ask “who?” The answer is a compound subject, “my friends and I.”
2. The rapidly approaching train swerved on the rickety tracks, shivering as it rounded the curve.
OR
The rapidly approaching train shivered as it rounded the curve on the rickety tracks.
OR
The rapidly approaching train shivered as it rounded the curve on the rickety tracks.
Both rewrites of this example now include a verb, “swerved” or “shivered,” with “train” as the same subject in each version.
Subject and Verb Agreement
One more important point to keep in mind is that the subject and predicate must “agree” in number:
The man holding the boxes is next in line.
Even though the word “boxes” is plural, the verb is singular because the subject of the sentence is the singular noun “man.” Remember that when deciding if the verb should be singular or plural, only consider the subject of the sentence!
What Is the Predicate of a Sentence? (with Examples)
The predicate is the part of a sentence (or clause) which tells us what the subject does or is. To put it another way, the predicate is everything that is not the subject.
At the heart of the predicate is a verb. In addition to the verb, a predicate can contain direct objects, indirect objects, and various kinds of phrases. A sentence has two parts: the subject and the predicate. The subject is what the sentence is about, and the predicate is a comment about the subject. |
Examples of Predicates of Sentences
Here are some examples of predicates. In each example, the predicate of the sentence is shaded and the verb in the predicate is in bold.
· Elvis lives.
· Adam lives in Bangor.
· The telegram contained exciting news.
· The girls in our office are experienced instructors.
· They are experienced instructors, who acquired their experience in France.
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Predicates in Clauses
A clause contains a subject and predicate too. The examples below are all clauses not sentences. The predicate is shaded and the verb of the clause is in bold.
· who lives with her mother
(The subject is the relative pronoun who.)
· which was somewhat unexpected
(The subject is the relative pronoun which.)
· that points to the North Pole
(The subject is the relative pronoun that.)
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Predicates within Predicates
It is common for a clause to feature within a sentence predicate. For example:
· who lives with our mother
(This is a clause. It is has its own subject and predicate.)
· Jane is my youngest sister, who lives with our mother.
(Notice how the clause who lives with our mother (which has its own subject and predicate) is part of the longer sentence predicate.)
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Predicate in a Sentence Starting There
When a sentence starts "There" + [verb to be], the word there is the not the subject. It is part of the predicate. Look at this example:
· There is a guy who works down our chip shop who swears he's Elvis.
The subject is a guy who works down our chip shop who swears he's Elvis. Everything else is the predicate. It helps if you write it like this:
· A guy who works down our chip shop who swears he's Elvis is there.
In structure, it is no different from this:
· He is here.
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Clauses And Phrases
What Are Clauses? (with Examples)
A clause is a group of words that includes a subject and a verb.
A clause can be distinguished from a phrase, which does not contain a subject and a verb (e.g., in the afternoon, drinking from the bowl).
An independent clause can express a complete thought (and can be a standalone sentence). A dependent clause is usually a supporting part of a sentence, and it cannot stand by itself as a meaningful proposition (idea).
Examples of Independent Clauses
Here are some examples of independent clauses (shaded):
· Tara ate a cheese roll after she watched the news.
(Tara ate a cheese roll is an independent clause. It works as a standalone sentence.)
· Even though his mother was a driving instructor, my cousin failed his driving test six times.
· A computer once beat me at chess, but it was no match for me at kick boxing. (Louis Hector Berlioz)
Examples of Dependent Clauses
Here are the same examples with the dependent clauses shaded:
· Tara ate a cheese roll after she watched the news.
(The clause after she watched the news is a dependent clause. It does not work as a standalone sentence.)
· Even though his mother was a driving instructor, my cousin failed his driving test six times.
· A computer once beat me at chess, but it was no match for me at kick boxing.
·
These three dependent clauses (or subordinate clauses as they're also called) could have been independent clauses. However, the opening word(s) (in these examples after, Even though, and but) turned them into dependent clauses. The opening words are known as dependent words, the main type of which is subordinating conjunctions.
How Are Clauses Used in Sentences?
Clauses can play a variety of roles in sentences. A clause can act as a noun, an adjective, or an adverb.
Noun Clauses
· I cannot remember what I said last night.
(In this example, the clause acts like a noun.)
Compare the example above to this:
· I cannot remember my speech.
(speech = noun)
Read more about noun clauses.
Adjective Clauses
· My dog, who usually refuses to go near the water, dived in the canal to chase a water vole.
(In this example, the clause acts like an adjective.)
Compare the example above to this:
· My water-shy dog dived in the canal to chase a water vole.
(water-shy = adjective)
Read more about adjective clauses.
If an adjective clause could be removed without wrecking the sentence (i.e., it just adds additional information), then it should be offset with commas. (You could equally use brackets or dashes.) A clause which can be safely removed is called a non-restrictive clause. A restrictive clause, on the other hand, is one which cannot be removed because it's essential to the sentence. Restrictive clauses are not offset with commas. For example:
· The man who lives next door is getting ruder.
(This is an example of a restrictive clause. You cannot remove it. There are no commas.)
· Councilors Simon Smith, who lives next door, is getting ruder.
(This is an example of a non-restrictive clause. You can remove it. It's just additional information. That's why there are commas around it.)
Read more about using commas with which and who.
Adverbial Clauses
· He lost his double chin after he gave up beer.
(In this example, the clause acts like an adverb.)
Compare the example above to this:
· He lost his double chin recently.
(recently = adverb)
What Is a Phrase? (With Examples)
A phrase is a group of words that stand together as a single unit, typically as part of a clause or a sentence.
A phrase does not contain a subject and verb and, consequently, cannot convey a complete thought. A phrase contrasts with a clause. A clause does contain a subject and verb, and it can convey a complete idea.
Here Are Some Examples of Phrases
Here are some examples of phrases in a well-known quote by Shirley Temple:
· I stopped believing in Santa Claus when my mother took me to see him in a department store, and he asked for my autograph. (Shirley Temple)
(This phrase acts like a noun. It is the direct object of the verb stopped. This phrase is a gerund phrase.)
· I stopped believing in Santa Claus when my mother took me to see him in a department store, and he asked for my autograph.
(This phrase acts like a noun. It is the subject of the adverbial clause when my mother took me to see him in a department store.)
· I stopped believing in Santa Claus when my mother took me to see him in a department store, and he asked for my autograph.
(This phrase acts like a noun. It is the object of the preposition for.)
· I stopped believing in Santa Claus when my mother took me to see him in a department store, and he asked for my autograph.
(This phrase acts like an adverb. It tells us where the activity took place. It is an adverb of place.)
The Hierarchy of Word Units
The hierarchy of word units is:
· Word (e.g., Shark)
(A word is the smallest meaningful unit.)
· Phrase (e.g., A seven-foot tiger shark)
(A phrase is a single piece of information made up of more than one word. It will not contain a subject and a verb.)
· Clause (e.g., When a seven-foot tiger shark arrived...)
(A clause is a single piece of information made up of more than one word which contains a subject and a verb.)
· Sentence (e.g., A seven-foot tiger shark arrived.)
(A sentence conveys a complete idea. It must contain at least one clause. Note: A clause that stands alone as a sentence is known as an independent clause.)
· Complex Sentence (e.g., When a seven-foot tiger shark arrived, the crew stopped fishing.)
(A complex sentence is an independent clause supported by at least one other clause.)
· Compound Sentence (e.g., A seven-foot tiger shark arrived, and the crew stopped fishing.)
(A compound sentence is a sentence made up of at least two independent clauses.)
Idioms and Proverbs
If you say, “The cat's out of the bag” instead of “The secret is given away,” you're using an idiom. The meaning of an idiom is different from the actual meaning of the words used. “An apple a day keeps the doctor away” is a proverb. Proverbs are old but familiar sayings that usually give advice. Both idioms and proverbs are part of our daily speech. Many are very old and have interesting histories. See how many of these sayings you know.
An idiom is a phrase that has a meaning of its own that cannot be understood from the meanings of its individual words.
Here are some examples of idioms:
· to be fed up with means to be tired and annoyed with something that has been happening for too long
· to rub someone the wrong way means to irritate someone
· by the skin of your teeth means that something was successful, but only just barely. “She passed the test by the skin of her teeth” means she almost didn’t pass.
A proverb is a short popular saying that gives advice about how people should behave or that expresses a belief that is generally thought to be true. Here are some examples:
· Don’t cry over spilled milk.
· Those who live in glass houses shouldn’t throw stones.
· A stitch in time saves nine.
Like idioms, proverbs often have a meaning that is greater than the meaning of the individual words put together, but in a different way than idioms. The literal meaning of an idiom usually doesn’t make sense, and idioms can be almost impossible to understand unless you have learned or heard them before.
A proverb is usually a sentence that evokes a sense of wisdom. While most of the time it can refer to a certain sense of wisdom, proverbs are mere expressions of truth based on common sense or practicality.
Ex Once bitten, twice shy.
Carpe diem!
When the cat is away, the mouse will play.
An idiom is a string of words that when taken together has a meaning different to its literal interpretation. The meaning should be taken figuratively.
Example
To keep one's head above the water= to manage a situation.
IDIOMS BASED ON NATURE:
1. a breath of fresh air
Said about a new, fresh, and imaginative approach, a change that feels good.
Example:
The president says that the country needs a breath of fresh air.
2. add fuel to the fire
(Also add fuel to the flames) to make a problem worse; to say or do something that makes a bad situation worse.
Example:
Don't add fuel to the fire by laughing at him. He is furious about what you have already done
3. Be in deep water
To be in serious trouble.
Example:
The government is in deep water because of its plans for tax increases.
4. be in hot water
to be in a difficult situation
Example:
He was in hot water because of his speech about racism.
6. beat around the bush
To treat a topic, without mentioning its main points, often intentionally, because the topic is difficult or unpleasant.
Example:
Stop beating around the bush and tell me what the problem is!
7. castles in the air
Plans that are unlikely to happen.
Example:
Before you start building castles in the air, just think how much all this is likely to cost.
8. come under fire
to be subject of criricism.
Example:
The president has come under fire for his decision to postpone the elections.
9. against the wind
to work to achieve something that is difficult because most people would oppose it.
Example:
The journalist is sailing against the wind in his attempt to change people's negative attitude towards that politician.
10. Up in the air
Uncertain, unsettled.
Example:
The future of the company is still up in the air.
11. vanish into the air
to disappear.
Example:
The money just vanished into the air. I can't find it anywhere.
12. walk on air
very excited or happy.
Example:
He was walking on air after he passed the exam.
13. when it rains, it pours
(Also, it never rains but it pours) said when bad things occur in large numbers.
Example:
First, he had a terrible accident. Then, his wife had a heart attack. Really when it rains, it pours.
14. sell ice to Eskimos
To persuade people to go against their best interests or to accept something unnecessary or preposterous.
Example:
He's such a smooth talker, he could sell ice to Eskimos.
IDIOMS ON PARTS OF THE BODY
1.an arm and a leg
a lot of money.
Example:
These glasses cost me an arm and a leg.
2.an eye for an eye
(also, an eye for an eye and a tooth for a tooth.) said to suggest that punishment should equal the crime. At the root of this principle is that one of the purposes of the law is to provide equitable retribution for an offended party.
Example:
In some countries, justice operates on the principle of an eye for an eye. That is, if you kill someone, you deserve to die.
3.big mouth
said about someone who tend to say things which are meant to be kept secret.
Example:
He is such a big mouth. He told them everything.
4.bite your lip
to make an effort not to react to something.
Example:
He didn't like the management of the business but he had to bite his lip.
5. at your mother's knee
said about something that you learned when you were a child.
Example:
She learned to sing at her mother's knee.
6.bring to knees
to destroy or defeat someone or something.
Example:
Sanctions were imposed in an attempt to bring the country to its knees.
The strikes brought the economy to its knees.
The strikes brought the economy to its knees.
7.. easy on the ear
something (music, voice...) pleasant to listen to.
Example:
His music is easy on the ear.
8. easy on the eye
attractive, pleasant to look at.
Example:
Her paintings are easy on the eye.
9. face the music
said when someone accepts to confront the unpleasant consequences of one's actions.
Example:
After failing to manage the crisis, the manager had to face the music.
10 fall on deaf ears
Of a request, complaint, etc, to be ignored.
Example:
Every time I ask him to do something for me, it falls on deaf ears.
11. get in someone's hair
Annoy someone.
Example:
I know that the children get in your hair, but you should try not to let it upset you so much.
12. get something off your chest
To reveal something that is worrying you or making you feel guilty in order to feel relieved.
Example:
She felt relieved when she got it off her chest. She had felt guilty for years.
13. give somebody a leg up
to help someone to achieve something, especially at work.
Example:
They agreed to give her a leg up.
14. Give your eye teeth for something
said when you want to have or do something very much.
Example:
She'd give her eye teeth for a straight blond hair.
15. Tear your hair out
said when you are feeling a lot of anxiety over a problem.
Example:
He's been tearing his hair out over his deteriorated relationship with his wife.
IDIOMS ON TIME
1.against the clock
To work or race against the clock means to do something as fast as possible and try to finish it before a deadline.
Example:
The students were racing against the clock to finish the paper before the deadline.
2.beat the clock
To do something before a deadline.
Example:They managed to beat the clock and arrive a few minutes before the conference started.
3.clock on
To register one's arrival at work
Example:They clocked on as soon as they arrived at work.
4.in a split second
in just very short time.
Example::Every thing was calm. But just in a split second a storm hit the whole region causing a lot of victims.
5.moment of truth
A deciding instant; the time when a test determines or makes it apparent whether something will succeed.
Example:This is the moment of truth, answer the questions of the test.
6.name the day
fix the date of an important event, especially marriage.
Example:Sarah and John are going to name the day soon.
7.not for a minute
not at all.
Example:I don't want you to fail in your project. Not for a minute.
8.now or never
said when you have to do something right now because you may not get another chance to do it later.
Example:
This is your chance. It's now or never!
9.question of time
(also a matter of time) said about something that will surely happen.
Example:
The criminal will be arrested. It's just a question of time.
10. up to the minute
the most modern
Example:
The internet is an excellent source of up to the minute news.
11watch the clock
To keep noticing the clock because you are eager to stop what you are doing.
Example:
If you are someone who watches the clock, then this job is not for you.
12 zero hour
the time when something is planned to begin (military)
Example:
"This is the zero hour for the attack," said the sergeant.
13. under the wire
At the last minute; before the deadline; barely on time; nearly late.
Example:
He turned his report just under the wire.
14. clock out
(Also clock off) To register one's departure from work.
Example:
They clocked out early in order to be on time for the concert.
15. ahead of one's time
in advance of concurrent commonly accepted ideas; showing characteristics of changes yet to be; present in one's work before later advances in the field.
Example:
With his new scientific discoveries, he was ahead of his time.
With his new scientific discoveries, he was ahead of his time.
PROVERBS
What are proverbs?
Proverbs and sayings are short statements of wisdom or advice
that are transmitted from generation to generation
and have passed into general use.
Proverbs and sayings are short statements of wisdom or advice
that are transmitted from generation to generation
and have passed into general use.
1. A poor workman blames his tools.
Meaning: A person who blames other’s for his failures.
Meaning: A person who blames other’s for his failures.
2. A bird in the hand is worth two in the bush.
Meaning: Be grateful for whatever you have.
Meaning: Be grateful for whatever you have.
3. Action speaks louder than words:
Meaning: One should implement his actions, rather than keep talking about them.
Meaning: One should implement his actions, rather than keep talking about them.
4. A Jack of all trades is a master of none.
Meaning One should excel in one skill rather than dabbling in too many.
Meaning One should excel in one skill rather than dabbling in too many.
5. A Penny saved is a Penny earned.
Meaning: One must understand the importance of saving money.
Meaning: One must understand the importance of saving money.
6. A merry heart makes a long life.
Meaning: Being happy brings good health.
Meaning: Being happy brings good health.
7. A stitch in time saves nine.
Meaning: One should avoid procrastinating (postpone or delay needlessly)
Meaning: One should avoid procrastinating (postpone or delay needlessly)
8. A little learning is a dangerous thing.
Meaning: One should have full knowledge, rather than spreading incomplete information.
Meaning: One should have full knowledge, rather than spreading incomplete information.
9. A person is known by the company he keeps.
Meaning: One is judged according to the friends he has.
Meaning: One is judged according to the friends he has.
10. As you sow, so shall you reap.
Meaning: As you do to others, the same comes back to you.
Meaning: As you do to others, the same comes back to you.
11. All that glitters is not gold.
Meaning: One should not be led by appearance.
Meaning: One should not be led by appearance.
12. Old is gold.
Meaning: The past has important lessons in our present.
Meaning: The past has important lessons in our present.
13. An empty purse frightens away friends.
Meaning: When one's financial situation deteriorates, friends tend to disappear.
14. An idle brain is the devil's workshop.
Meaning: When you work you avoid temptation.
15. Any time means no time.
Meaning: If the date of an event remains vague, it will never happen.
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