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Verbs as Complements

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How to use Verbs as Complements

1) This construction is used with the verbs listed below:

VERB+ GERUND (VERB-ING)

 

admit delay miss regret risk
appreciate deny postpone report suggest
avoid enjoy practice resent  
can’t help finish quit resist
consider mind recall resume

 

The sentence construction would be as follows:

SUBJECT+ VERB+ GERUND+ COMPLEMENT+ MODIFIER

Examples:

I enjoy studying English at the CBA.

He considered traveling to Europe for the summer, but he doesn’t have enough funds.

 

2) This construction is used with the verbs listed below:

VERB+ INFINITIVE (TO VERB)

 

agree expect intend prepare try
attempt fail learn pretend want
claim forget mean propose wish
decide have need refuse  
demand hesitate offer seem
desire hope plan tend

 

Examples:

I decided to refuse the invitation.

He pretended to be someone else.

She forgot to bring her keys.

 

 3) With the following Verbs the Sentence doesn’t change meaning if you use the gerund (ing) or the infinitive

begin continue
like prefer
can’t stand start
love hate

 

VERB+ GERUND (VERB-ING)

  or

VERB+ INFINITIVE (TO VERB)

 

 4) With the following Verbs the Sentence has Different Meaning

 Stop

Remember

Forget

 

VERB+ GERUND (VERB-ING) – Means forever

Example:

She stopped studying Engineering when she got pregnant.  

Meaning she won’t study Engineering any more.  She stopped studying forever.

or

VERB+ INFINITIVE (TO VERB)

 Example:

She stopped to study English when I called her. 

Meaning that she will continue to study after her break.

 

5) Use of prepositions with the -Ing Form

VERB+ PREPOSITION+ VERB-ING

List of Prepositions that use this construction:

as a result of from in view of thanks to
at in of through
because of in exchange for on account of with
by means of in return for on the strength of without
by virtue of in spite of out of  
for fear of in the face of owing to
for lack of in the light of  
for want of

 EXCEPTION:  But, except.

Example:

He hid the wallet, for fear of being stolen.

She was really famous, as a result of acting as Mary in the Jesus Christ film.

Courage in the Face of Eviction Nightmare

 

6) Use of Adjectives with the infinitive form

ADJECTIVES + INFINITIVE

 

Construction:

VERB+ ADJECTIVE+ TO VERB

 

List of adjectives that use this construction: 

able dangerous good ready
anxious difficult hard strange
boring eager pleased usual
common easy prepared  

 Examples:

I’m pleased to meet you

It’s difficult to understand some people.

I’m prepared to take this test.

Rafael is eager to meet you.

 

7) Use a Pronoun before the Infinitive form 

Certain verbs require the following construction:

SUBJECT+ VERB+ PRONOUN+ TO VERB

 

Allow    Ask

Beg

 Convince  Expect

Instruct

 Invite   Order

Permit

 PersuadePrepare

Promise

 RemindUrge

Want

 

The pronouns to be used are object pronouns: ME, YOU, HIM, HER, IT, US, YOU, THEM.

 Example:

He orders her to study for the test.

My mother promised me to take me to the mall.

Rahima convinced him to purchase an expensive purse.

 

8) Use the -ing (gerung) form of a verb after the possessive form.

 

SUBJECT+ VERB+ POSSESSIVE FORM+ VERB-ING

 

Possessive form: MINE, YOURS, HIS, HERS, ITS, YOURS, OURS, THEM, MY, YOU , HIS HER, ITS, YOURS,  THEIR.

Example:

I understand her feeling.

 

9) Use of the verb need with different nouns (living and things) 

With living things use need and the infinitive form of the verb.

LIVING THING+ NEED+ INFINITIVE

George needs to work out more often.

THING+ NEED+ GERUND (ING)TO BE+ PAST PARTICIPLE

The blender needs to be repaired.

The blanket needs to be cleaned.

 

10) Use of subjunctives

 

SUBJECT+ VERB+ THAT+ SUBJECT+ VERB WORD + ….+

 

Joe prefers that she speak with him personally.

 

VERBS WITH THAT:

AdviceAsk

Command

Decree

 DemandDesire

Insist

 

 MoveOrder

Prefer

 

 RecommendRequest

Require

 

 StipulateSuggest

Urge

 

 

NOUNS WITH THAT:

Recommendation

Requirement

Suggestion

 

ADJECTIVES WITH THAT

 

IT+ BE+ ADJECTIVE+ THAT+ SUBJECT+ VERB WORD

 

 

AdvisedImperative

Important

 MandatoryNecessary

Obligatory

 ProposedRecommended

Require

 SuggestedUrgent

 

 

 

 

Verb Phrase & Tenses

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Verb phrase berdasarkan traditional grammar adalah kelompok kata berupa main verb (kata kerja utama( dan auxiliary verb (kata kerja bantu), sedangkan berdasarkan generative grammar adalah predicate — main verb beserta seluruh elemen yang melengkapinya: auxiliary verb, complement (objek kalimat), dan/atau modifier, namun tidak termasuk subjek kalimat.

Verb Phrase
Traditional Grammar main verb
Generative Grammar +/- auxiliary verb + main verb +/- complement +/- modifier

Keterangan:

  • Complement (objek kalimat)  dibutuhkan jika kata kerja utama berupa transitive verb.
  • Modifier dapat berupa adjective, adverb, atau konstruksi lain yang berfungsi seperti salah satu dari part of speech tersebut.

Tabel Verb Phrase: Traditional vs Generative Grammar

Contoh Kalimat Verb Phrase Verb Phrase
Traditional Grammar Generative Grammar
He sleeps without a pillow.
(Dia tidur tanpa bantal.)		 sleeps sleeps without a pillow
I will ask you a question.
(Saya akan menanyakan satu pertanyaan kepadamu.)		 will ask will ask you a question

Lebih banyak Contoh Verb Phrase

Contoh-contoh verb phrase berikut berdasarkan traditional grammar. Keterangan: Verb phrase = bold.

Contoh Kalimat Verb Phrase Keterangan
I enjoy swimming.
(Saya menikmati berenang.)		 enjoy = main verb
You should see a doctor during pregnancy.
(Kamu seharusnya mengunjungi dokter selama hamil.)		 should = modal auxiliary verb;
see = main verb
It has just been raining in Bandung.
(Baru saja turun hujan di Bandung.)		 has, been = auxiliary verb;
just = adverb (modifier);
raining = main verb berupa present participle
That is yours.
(Itu milikmu.)		 is = main verb berupa linking verb
He has worked at the office since January.
(Dia telah bekerja di kantor itu sejak Januari.)		 has = auxiliary verb;
worked = main verb berupa past participle

 

  1. TENSE

 

  1.            Simple Present Tense

Simple Present Tense digunakan untuk menyatakan sesuatu hal yang terus-menerus dilakukan, kegiatan sehari-hari, dan juga untuk menyatakan atau menyebutkan suatu fakta atau kebenaran umum. Dalam Simple Present Tense, kata kerja (verb) yang digunakan adalah kata kerja (verb) bentuk awal.

 

Rumus dan Contoh Kalimat Simple Present Tense

Mengekspresikan kalimat Simple Present Tense yang menggunakan kata kerja (VERB)

 

(+) Subject + Verb 1 + Object

(-)  Subject + DON’T / DOESN’T + Verb 1 + Object

(?) DO / DOES + Subject + Verb 1 + Object?

(?) Question Word + DO/ DOES + Subject + Verb 1?

 

 

  1.            Present Continuous Tense

Tense ini digunakan untuk menyebut perubahan bentuk kata kerja berdasarkan waktu terjadinya. Dalam pengertian Present Continuous Tense merupakan tense bentuk yang menunjuk pada tindakan yang sedang berlangsung sekarang atau ketika pembicaraan itu sedang berlangsung. Jadi tindakan itu sudah dimulai, dan belum berakhir ketika pembicaraan itu berlangsung. Selain itu, tense ini juga bisa digunakan untuk bentuk tindakan yang berlangsung hanya untuk jangka waktu yang singkat. Kita juga bisa menggunakan tense ini untuk membicarakan suatu perubahan atau perkembangan yang sedang berlangsung dalam rentang waktu yang lama. Selain itu, tense ini juga bisa dipakai untuk menyebut suatu tindakan yang akan di dilakukan di masa depan (perencanaan). Umumnya, tense ini juga biasa disebut Present Progressive Tense.

 

Berikut rumus present continuous tense untuk membuat kalimat-kalimat

 

  1. Positif:

subject + to be (am, is, are) + Verb – ing + object

Contoh : I am watching TV now

 

  1. Negatif :

subject + to be + not + verb – ing + object

Contoh : Mr. Khanafi is not going to Jakarta atau

Mr. Khanafi isn’t going to Jakarta

 

  1. Tanya :

to be + subject + verb – ing + object

Is Mrs. Annisa cooking in the kitchen ?

 

 

III.            Present Perfect Tense

Present Perfect Tense menekankan pada PERFECT nya itu. Perfect kan artinya “sempurna”. Bukan sempurna karena cantik seperti Gita Gutawa, tetapi sempurna yang berarti “selesai, sudah, beres, baru saja usai, dsb”. Jadi, kalau Anda menekankan pada “SUDAH” nya itu maka gunakanlah Present Perfect Tense ini. Contoh yang paling mengena misalnya: Dia baru saja pergi (She has just gone).

 

Rumusnya Present Perfect Tense begini:

Positif: S + have/has + V3

Negatif: S + have/sas Not + V3

Tanya:   Have/has + S + V3

Nah, setelah Subject (S) maka pakai “have” atau “has” sesuai pasangannya. Have dalam konteks ini artinya adalah: sudah, telah, barusan. Yang aneh dalam bahasa inggris Have + ES bukan Haves tetapi HAS. Jadi pasangannya begini:

 

He, She, It, John, Merry, Mufli : Has

You, We, They, Ellen and Budi: Have

 

 

  1.            Present Perfect Continuous

Present perfect continuous tense digunakan untuk menyatakan tindakan atau peristiwa yang sudah mulai terjadi pada waktu lampau dan masih sedang berlangsung sampai sekarang.

 

Pola kalimat:

(+) S + have/has + been + V-ing

(-) S + have/has + not + been + V-ing

(?) Have/has + S + been + V-ing

 

 

  1.            Simple Past Tense

Simple past tense adalah suatu bentuk kata kerja sederhana untuk menunjukkan bahwa suatu peristiwa/ kejadian yang dilakukan pada masa lampau dan diketahui pula waktu terjadinya peristiwa atau kejadian tersebut.

 

Rumus simple pas tense

Rumus simple past tense ada 2, yaitu rumus simple past tense (verbal) dan (nominal);

 

  1. Verbal

(+) S + Verb-2 + O + adverb

(- ) S + did + not + Verb-1 + O + adverb

(?) Did + S + Verb-1 + O + adverb ?

 

  1. Nominal

(+) S + tobe-2 (was/ were) + Complement (adjective/ noun (pronoun)/ adverb )

(- ) S + tobe-2 (was/ were) + not + Complement (adjective/ noun (pronoun)/ adverb )

(?) Tobe-2 (was/ were) + S + Complement (adjective/ noun (pronoun)/ adverb ) ?

 

 

  1.            Past Continuous Tense

Dalam Pengertiannya Past Continuous Tense mengungkapkan tindakan di masa lalu yang sedang berlangsung. tindakan kadang dapat juga disela oleh sesuatu. bentuk tenses bahasa inggris ini disebut juga Past Progressive Tense.

Past continuous Tense ini dibentuk dengan bantuan “to be” kata kerja, dalam bentuk lampau, ditambah dengan present participle dari kata kerja (dengan-ing akhir).

 

Rumus past continuous tense untuk membuat kalimat

Positif (+)

Subject + to be (was/were) + verb-ing + object

Negatif (-)

Subject + was/were + not + verb-ing + object

Tanya (?)

– was/were + subject + verb-ing + object ?

 

 

VII.            Past Perfect Tense

Past perfect tense digunakan untuk menghubungkan kegiatan yang terjadi pada waktu lampau sebelumnya  dengan kegiatan yang terjadi pada waktu lampau setelahnya. Perhatikan contoh di bawah ini:

 

I had eaten when she came to my house. ( Saya sudah makan ketika dia datang kerumahku).

 

Pada contoh di atas, terdapat dua kegiatan yang sama-sama terjadi pada masa lampau. “she came to my house” adalah kegiatan yang terjadi pada waktu lampau, sebelum kegiatan ini terjadi, ada kegitan lain yang lebih dulu selesai sebelum kegiatan tersebut, yaitu “ makan/eat pada kalimat “I had eaten”.

 

Pola kalimat:

 

Positif               : Subject + had + V3

Negative           : Subject + had + not + v3

Pertanyaan       : Had + subject + V3 + ?

 

VIII.            Past Perfect Continuous Tense

Past perfect continuous tense digunakan untuk menyatakan peristiwa atau kegiatan yang telah dan sedang berlangsung sebelum peristiwa lain terjadi di masa lampau.

 

Pola kalimat:

(+) S + had + been + V-ing

(-) S + had + not + been + V-ing

(?) Had + S + been + V-ing

 

 

  1.            Simple Future Tense

Dalam membuat suatu kalimat, tentu tidak cukup dengan mengungkapkan kejadian saat ini saja. dalam mengekspresikan sesuatu, perlu juga mengungkapkan apa yang telah terjadi atau apa yang akan terjadi. Untuk mengungkapkan yang akan terjadi di masa depan, kita membutuhkan future tense. Di antara semua bentuk Future tense, Simple Future Tense adalah yang paling umum digunakan dalam banyak situasi, contoh ketika kita membuat janji, prediksi atau rencana. Dalam pengertian Simple Future Tense biasa disebut juga dengan Present Future Tense.

 

Rumus Simple Future Tense

  1. Positif

Subject + will/shall + verb I + object

Subject + am/is/are + going to + verb I + object

 

  1. Negatif

Subject + will/shall + verb I + object

Subject + am/is/are + not + going to + verb I + object

 

  1. Pertanyaan

Will/shall + subject + verb I + object

Am/is/are + subject + going to + verb I + object

 

  1.            Future Continuous Tense

Pengertian Kalimat Future Continuous tense pada umumnya digunakan untuk menandakan bahwa kita akan berada ditengah-tengah suatu kejadian dalam waktu tertentu di masa depan. Future Continuous dikenal juga dengan sebutan Present Future Continuous.

Kalimat Future Continuous tense juga memiliki 2 bentuk yaitu “will” dan “going to” memiliki makna yang sama dan bisa saling menggantikan saat digunakan. Berbeda dengan penggunaan pada simple future tense.

 

Berikut rumus future continuous tense

  1. Kalimat Future continus tense positif (+)

Subject + will/shall + be + verb-ing + object

  1. Kalimat future continuous tense negatif (-)

Subject + will/shall + not + verb-ing + object

  1. Kalimat future continuous tense interrogative atau kalimat tanya (?)

Will/shall + subject + be + verb-ing + object

 

  1.            Future Perfect Tense

Future Perfect Tense digunakan untuk menyatakan sesuatu yang “Sudah terjadi, tetapi AKAN”. Akan sudah gitu loh. Kalau Anda buka lagi pelajaran bahasa Inggris tentang Future Continuous Tense maka Future Perfect Tense ini pun akan sangat mudah difahami. Siapa bilang “sudah” itu hanya dulu? Sudah bisa juga “akan”!. Future artinya Akan, Perfect artinya sudah

 

Rumus Future Perfect Tense

Positif: S + will + have + V3

Negatif: S + will + not + have + V3

Tanya: Will + S + have + V3

 

 

XII.            Future Perfect Continuous Tense

Biasanya dalam kehidupan sehari hari kita akan menggunakan kalimat kalimat dengan struktur Future Perfect Continuous tense bahasa inggris ini dengan tujuan untuk menceritakan kejadian kejadian yang akan berlangsung pada waktu tertentu di masa depan.

 

Berikut ini adalah rumus yang digunakan untuk membuat kalimat dengan struktur Future continues tense secara tepat dan sesuai dengan grammar yang berlaku.

  1. Rumus untuk kalimat positif (+)

Subject + shall/will + have + been + verb-ing + object

  1. Rumus untuk kalimat negatif (-)

Subject + shall/will + not + have + been + verb-ing + object

  1. Rumus untuk kalimat interrogative atau kalimat tanya (?)

Shall/will + subject + have + been + verb-ing + object?

 

 

Soal latihan :

Tentukan lah jenis kalimat dibawah ini..

  1. My grandmother will have been visiting us tomorrow morning.
  2. Will You have worked?
  3. She had not been sleeping when he walked in.
  4. He has gone
  5. Tomorrow, they are going to go to Jakarta.
  6. I wasn’t hungry. I had just eaten.
  7. They have been talking on the phone for thirty minutes.
  8. The teacher went to the school yesterday

Jawaban :

  1. Future Perfect Continuous Tense
  2. Future Perfect Tense
  3. Past Perfect Continuous Tense
  4. Present Perfect Tense
  5. Present Continuous Tense
  6. Past Perfect Tense
  7. Present Perfect Continuous
  8. simple past tense

 

Subject-Verb Agreement

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See the section on Plurals for additional help with subject-verb agreement!

1.The indefinite pronouns anyone, everyone, someone, no one, nobody are always singular and, therefore, require singular verbs.

 

Everyone has done his or her homework.

Somebody has left her purse.

 

Some indefinite pronouns — such as all, some — are singular or plural depending on what they’re referring to. (Is the thing referred to countable or not?) Be careful choosing a verb to accompany such pronouns.

 

Some of the beads are missing.

Some of the water is gone.

 

On the other hand, there is one indefinite pronoun, none, that can be either singular or plural; it often doesn’t matter whether you use a singular or a plural verb — unless something else in the sentence determines its number. (Writers generally think of none as meaning not any and will choose a plural verb, as in “None of the engines are working,” but when something else makes us regard none as meaning not one, we want a singular verb, as in “None of the food is fresh.”)

 

None of you claims responsibility for this incident?

None of you claim responsibility for this incident?

None of the students have done their homework. (In this last example, the word their precludes the use of the singular verb.

  1. Some indefinite pronouns are particularly troublesome Everyone and everybody (listed above, also) certainly feel like more than one person and, therefore, students are sometimes tempted to use a plural verb with them. They are always singular, though. Each is often followed by a prepositional phrase ending in a plural word (Each of the cars), thus confusing the verb choice. Each, too, is always singular and requires a singular verb.

 

Everyone has finished his or her homework.

 

You would always say, “Everybody is here.” This means that the word is singular and nothing will change that.

Each of the students is responsible for doing his or her work in the library.

Don’t let the word “students” confuse you; the subject is each and each is always singular — Each is responsible.

3.Phrases such as together with, as well as, and along with are not the same as and. The phrase introduced by as well as or along with will modify the earlier word (mayor in this case), but it does not compound the subjects (as the word and would do).

 

The mayor as well as his brothers is going to prison.

The mayor and his brothers are going to jail.

 

4.The pronouns neither and either are singular and require singular verbs even though they seem to be referring, in a sense, to two things.

 

Neither of the two traffic lights is working.

Which shirt do you want for Christmas?

Either is fine with me.

 

In informal writing, neither and either sometimes take a plural verb when these pronouns are followed by a prepositional phrase beginning with of. This is particularly true of interrogative constructions: “Have either of you two clowns read the assignment?” “Are either of you taking this seriously?” Burchfield calls this “a clash between notional and actual agreement.”*

5.The conjunction or does not conjoin (as and does): when nor or or is used the subject closer to the verb determines the number of the verb. Whether the subject comes before or after e verb doesn’t matter; the proximity determines the number.

 

Either my father or my brothers are going to sell the house.

Neither my brothers nor my father is going to sell the house.

Are either my brothers or my father responsible?

Is either my father or my brothers responsible?

 

Because a sentence like “Neither my brothers nor my father is going to sell the house” sounds peculiar, it is probably a good idea to put the plural subject closer to the verb whenever that is possible.

6.The words there and here are never subjects.

 

There are two reasons [plural subject] for this.

There is no reason for this.

Here are two apples.

 

With these constructions (called expletive constructions), the subject follows the verb but still determines the number of the verb.

7.Verbs in the present tense for third-person, singular subjects (he, she, it and anything those words can stand for) have s-endings. Other verbs do not add s-endings.

 

He loves and she loves and they love_ and

 

8.Sometimes modifiers will get betwen a subject and its verb, but these modifiers must not confuse the agreement between the subject and its verb.

The mayor, who has been convicted along with his four brothers on four counts of various crimes but who also seems, like a cat, to have several political lives, is finally going to jail.

 

9.Sometimes nouns take weird forms and can fool us into thinking they’re plural when they’re really singular and vice-versa. Consult the section on the Plural Forms of Nouns and the section on Collective Nouns for additional help. Words such as glasses, pants, pliers, and scissors are regarded as plural (and require plural verbs) unless they’re preceded the phrase pair of (in which case the word pair becomes the subject).

 

My glasses were on the bed.

My pants were torn.

A pair of plaid trousers is in the closet.

 

10.Some words end in -s and appear to be plural but are really singular and require singular verbs.

 

The news from the front is bad.

Measles is a dangerous disease for pregnant women.

 

On the other hand, some words ending in -s refer to a single thing but are nonetheless plural and require a plural verb.

 

My assets were wiped out in the depression.

The average worker’s earnings have gone up dramatically.

Our thanks go to the workers who supported the union.

 

The names of sports teams that do not end in “s” will take a plural verb: the Miami Heat have been looking … , The Connecticut Sun are hoping that new talent … . See the section on plurals for help with this problem.

11.Fractional expressions such as half of, a part of, a percentage of, a majority of are sometimes singular and sometimes plural, depending on the meaning. (The same is true, of course, when all, any, more, most and some act as subjects.) Sums and products of mathematical processes are expressed as singular and require singular verbs. The expression “more than one” (oddly enough) takes a singular verb: “More than one student has tried this.”

 

Some of the voters are still angry.

A large percentage of the older population is voting against her.

Two-fifths of the troops were lost in the battle.

Two-fifths of the vineyard was destroyed by fire.

Forty percent of the students are in favor of changing the policy.

Forty percent of the student body is in favor of changing the policy.

Two and two is four.

Four times four divided by two is eight.

 

12.If your sentence compounds a positive and a negative subject and one is plural, the other singular, the verb should agree with the positive subject.

 

The department members but not the chair have decided not to teach on Valentine’s Day.

It is not the faculty members but the president who decides this issue.

It was the speaker, not his ideas, that has provoked the students to riot.

RULES

What Are the Rules?

  1. Subjects and verbs must agree in number. This is the cornerstone rule that forms the background of the concept.

The dog growls when he is angry. The dogs growl when they are angry.

 

  1. Don’t get confused by the words that come between the subject and verb; they do not affect agreement.

 

The dog, who is chewing on my jeans, is usually very good.

 

  1. Prepositional phrases between the subject and verb usually do not affect agreement.

 

The colors of the rainbow are beautiful.

 

  1. When sentences start with “there” or “here,” the subject will always be placed after the verb, so care needs to be taken to identify it correctly.

 

There is a problem with the balance sheet. Here are the papers you requested.

 

  1. Subjects don’t always come before verbs in questions. Make sure you accurately identify the subject before deciding on the proper verb form to use.

 

Does Lefty usually eat grass? Where are the pieces of this puzzle.

 

  1. If two subjects are joined by and, they typically require a plural verb form.

 

The cow and the pig are jumping over the moon.

 

  1. The verb is singular if the two subjects separated by and refer to the same person or thing.

 

Red beans and rice is my mom’s favorite dish.

 

  1. If one of the words each, every, or no comes before the subject, the verb is singular.

 

No smoking or drinking is allowed. Every man and woman is required to check in.

 

  1. If the subjects are both singular and are connected by the words or, nor, neither/nor, either/or, and not only/but also the verb is singular.

 

Jessica or Christian is to blame for the accident.

 

  1. The only time when the object of the preposition factors into the decision of plural or singular verb forms is when noun and pronoun subjects like some, half, none, more, all, etc. are followed by a prepositional phrase. In these sentences, the object of the preposition determines the form of the verb.

 

All of the chicken is gone. All of the chickens are gone.

 

  1. The singular verb form is usually used for units of measurement or time.

 

Four quarts of oil was required to get the car running.

 

  1. If the subjects are both plural and are connected by the words or, nor, neither/nor, either/or, and not only/but also, the verb is plural.

 

Dogs and cats are both available at the pound.

 

  1. If one subject is singular and one plural and the words are connected by the words or, nor, neither/nor, either/or, and not only/but also, you use the verb form of the subject that is nearest the verb.

 

Either the bears or the lion has escaped from the zoo. Neither the lion nor the bears have escaped from the zoo.

 

  1. Indefinite pronouns typically take singular verbs. *

 

Everybody wants to be loved.

 

  1. * Except for the pronouns (few, many, several, both, all, some) that always take the plural form.

 

Few were left alive after the flood.

 

  1. If two infinitives are separated by and they take the plural form of the verb.

 

To walk and to chew gum require great skill.

 

  1. When gerunds are used as the subject of a sentence, they take the singular verb form of the verb; but, when they are linked by and, they take the plural form.

 

Standing in the water was a bad idea. Swimming in the ocean and playing drums are my hobbies.

 

  1. Collective nouns like herd, senate, class, crowd, etc. usually take a singular verb form.

 

The herd is stampeding.

 

  1. Titles of books, movies, novels, etc. are treated as singular and take a singular verb.

 

The Burbs is a movie starring Tom Hanks.

 

  1. Final Rule – Remember, only the subject affects the verb!

 

 

 

SUBJECT, VERB, MODIFIER & COMPLEMENT

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SUBJECT

Subject adalah tentang apa atau siapa yang dibicarakan dalam suatu kalimat atau klausa. Adapun subjek dapat berupa orang, hewan, benda, maupun konsep abstrak.

Setiap complete subject pada dasarnya dibangun oleh satu atau lebih noun atau pronoun dengan/tanpa tambahan modifier(s) yang dapat berupa article (the, an, an), adjective, dan prepositional phrase. Adapun gerund dan infinitive dapat pula menempati posisi subjek.

Contoh:

His new car tax has already been paid by his assistant.

Lia and I were eating our lunch on the kitchen table.

The very big boarding school in this country was built in 1980.

Simple Subject and Simple Predicate

Simple subject berupa noun atau pronoun tunggal, dengan mengesampingkan modifier(s)-nya. Sedangkan simple predicate berupa verb atau compound verb tunggal.

Contoh Kalimat   :

His new car tax has already been paid by his assistant.

(Pajak mobil baru dia telah dibayar oleh asistennya.)

Simple Subject     : tax

Simple Predicate : by his assistant

Keterangan           : his new car = (pre) modifier; by his assistant = prepositional phrase

The very big boarding school in this country was built in 1980.

(Sekolah asrama yang sangat besar di negara ini dibangun tahun 1980.)

Simple Subject     : school

Simple Predicate : was built

Keterangan           : the very big boarding= (pre) modifier; in this country = (post) modifier;

in 1980 = prepositional phrase

Open the door! (Buka pintu!)

Simple Subject     : “you”

Simple Predicate : open

Keterangan           : Pada kalimat imperative, subjek tidak ditulis karena dianggap sudah cukup dimengerti; door = direct object.

His Uncle Cal will not arrive on time.

(Paman Cal tidak akan tiba tepat waktu.)

Simple Subject     : Uncle Cal

Simple Predicate : will arrive

Keterangan           : his = possessive; not = adverb; on time= prepositional phrase

There was a hounted house.

(Disana ada rumah berhantu.)

Simple Subject     : house

Simple Predicate : was

Keterangan           : there = adverb; haunted = participle; a = article

Running may be hard for overweight people.

(Lari mungkin sulit untuk orang yang kelebihan berat badan.)

Simple Subject     : running

Simple Predicate : may be

Keterangan           : running = gerund; hard = adjective; for overweight people = prepositional phrase

To travel is a bad idea.

(Bepergian merupakan ide yang buruk.)

Simple Subject     : to travel

Simple Predicate : is

Keterangan           :  to travel = infinitive;  is = linking verb; a bad idea = subject complement

VERB

Verb (kata kerja) adalah suatu kata yang berfungsi untuk menunjukkan tindakan dari subject, menunjukkan peristiwa atau keadaan. Verb merupakan satu dari delapan part of speech. Kata kerja bahasa Inggris tidak selalu berbentuk simple (satu kata), melainkan mungkin berupa frasa hasil kombinasi dengan particle menjadi phrasal verb (get in, make up, read over).

Macam-Macam dan Contoh Verb

Beberapa macam dan contoh verb antara lain sebagai berikut.

Transitive dan Intransitive: Transitive diikuti direct object (contoh kalimat: The boy kicked the ball), sedangkan intransitive tidak (contoh kalimat: Cheryl often sneezes while cleaning).

Regular dan Irregular: Pada bentuk regular, past tense dan participle didapat dengan menambahkan suffix–ed pada base form sedangkan pada irregular, caranya lebih bervariasi.

Action dan Stative: Action (eat, play) menyatakan bahwa sesuatu terjadi, sedangkan stative (love, need) menyatakan kondisi yang cenderung tetap.

Finite dan Non-Finite: Finite dipengaruhi tense dan subject-verb agreement, sedangkan non-finite tidak.

Linking Verb: menghubungkan subject of a sentence dengan deskripsinya (contoh kalimat: She is young and beautiful).

Causative: Kata kerja untuk menunjukkan bahwa subjek tidak bertanggungjawab langsung terhadap aksi yang terjadi (contoh kalimat: I had my house renovated last week).

COMPLEMENT

Biasanya berupa noun (kata benda) atau noun phrase (frasa kata benda), biasanya terdapat setelah verb pada kalimat aktif. Complement menjawab pertanyaan what (apa) atau siapa (whom).

contoh:

Sarijon bought a cake yesterday

What did Sarijon buy yesterday?  –> a cake.

He saw Tony at the movie

Whom did he see at the movie? –> Tony

I explain pharmacology to my students

What do I explain to my students? –> pharmacology

{Catatan: Setiap kalimat tidak harus mempunyai complement}

 

MODIFIER

Modifier menjelaskan time (waktu), place (tempat), atau manner (cara) dari sebuah aksi atau perbuatan. Bentuk yang paling umum dari modifier adalah prepositional phrase (kelompok kata yang dimulai dengan sebuah preposition dan diakhiri dengan sebuah noun.

Preposition = on, out, under, behind, etc…

Modifier menjawab pertanyaan when (kapan), where (dimana), atau how (bagaimana). Contoh:

John bought a book at a book fair

Where did John buy a book? –> at a book fair

She is driving very fast

How is she driving? –> very fast

I posted my application yesterday

When do I post my application? –> yesterday

So, seperti ini unsur-unsur Subject, Verb, Complement dan Modifier dalam contoh kalimat:

We   studied   grammar   last week.

S            V                  C                M

Pertanyaan:

George memasak makan malam

Henry dan Marcia telah mengunjungi presiden

Kami makan siang di restoran ini hari ini

Pat harus membeli bensin kemarin

Pohon tumbuh

Saat itu hujan pukul tujuh pagi ini

Dia membuka buku

Harry mencuci piring sekarang

Dia membuka buku

Paul, William, dan Marry sedang menonton televisi beberapa menit yang lalu.

Jawaban:

George / adalah memasak / makan malam / malam

(subjek) (frase verba) (pelengkap) (pengubah waktu)

Henry dan Marcia / telah mengunjungi / presiden

(subjek) (frase verba) (pelengkap)

Kami / makan / siang / di restoran ini / hari

(tergantung) (frase verba) (pelengkap) (modifikator tempat) (pengubah waktu)

Pat / harus membeli / bensin / kemarin

(subjek) (frase verba) (pelengkap) (pengubah waktu)

Pohon / tumbuh

(subjek) (frase verba)

Hal / hujan / at 07:00 pagi ini

(subjek) (frase verba) (pengubah waktu)

Dia / membuka / bukunya

(subjek) (frase verba) (pelengkap)

Harry / sedang mencuci / piring / sekarang

(subjek) (frase verba) (pelengkap) (pengubah waktu)

Dia / membuka / bukunya

(subjek) (frase verba) (pelengkap)

Paul, William, dan Marry / sedang menonton / televisi / beberapa menit yang lalu

(subjek) (frase verba) (pelengkap) (pengubah waktu)

 

STYLE IN WRITTEN ENGLISH 2

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PARTICIPLES AS ADJECTIVES

Adjective adalah kata sifat dan fungsinya untuk menjelaskan kata benda. Participial adjective adalah adjective (kata sifat) yang berbentuk V+ing (Present Participle) dan V+ed (Past Participle).

 

   Contoh Participles As Adjectives :

1)      So much work was (overwhelming). The staff are (overwhelmed).

(Begitu banyak pekerjaan yang (berlebihan). Staf (kewalahan)).

2)      I was so (entertained) by the movie. The movie was very(entertaining).

(Aku begitu (dihibur) oleh film. Film ini sangat (menghibur)).

3)      The direction to the hotel was (confusing). The driver was (confused).

(Arah ke hotel ini (membingungkan). Sopir itu (bingung)).

 

PARALEL CONTRUCTION

Correlative Conjunction adalah sebuah kata hubung yang biasanya digunakan berpasang untuk dapat menyatakan hubungan sejajar dan selaras antara dua kata atau klausa seperti sebagai subject, object dan klausa lainnya. Sifat hubungan keduanya biasanya secara gramatikal bersifat paralel ( berkedudukan sejajar ) itulah kenapa biasanya materi ini juga disebut Parallel Construction.

 

Contoh Paralel Contruction :

1)      You should study hard otherwise you will be left behind.

(Anda harus belajar keras jika tidak, anda akan tertinggal).

2)      I will go unless it rains.

(Aku akan pergi kecuali hujan).

3)      I like either singing songs or playing music.

(Aku suka lagu baik bernyanyi atau bermain musik).

 

Redundancy 

adalah kata-kata yang tidak perlu dalam sebuah kalimat. Redundancy adalah pengulangan ide yang tidak perlu.

  1. Penggunaan kata atau frase yang tidak perlu.

–          Redundant : The room was red in colour.

–          Benar : The room was red

  1. Pengulangan nounatau pronounyang tidak perlu.

–          Redundant :.Thelma she ran into her room and slammed the door.

–          Benar : Thelma ran into her room and slammed the door.

  1. Penggunaan frase yang terlalu boros yang sebenarnya ada adverbyang bisa digunakan.

–          Wordy : He looked at me in a threatening manner.

–          Padat   : He looked at me threateningly.

Sumber : Fanani, Achmad. ,2009. Tips-tips terbaik lolos TOEFL, Jogjakarta: Mitra Pelajar.

 

Indirect Object

adalah noun, pronoun, atau noun substitute yang menerangkan untuk siapa atau apa sesuatu dilakukan oleh action verb. Objek ini menjawab pertanyaan “to/for whom” atau “to/for what”. Suatu kata kerja diikuti indirect object hanya jika memiliki direct object. Kedua objek tersebut selalu orang, tempat, benda, binatang, maupun hal yang berbeda.

Contoh :

–          The manager gave him no choice. –> Gave no choice to whom?

–          My uncle donated his salary to charity. –> Donated his salary to what?

 

STYLE IN WRITTEN ENGLISH

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DEFINITIONS AND EXAMPLES

QUESTION

     Question tag adalah pertanyaan pendek yang ditambahkan di akhir pernyataan (declarative sentence) untuk menanyakan informasi atau meminta persetujuan.

Contoh question tag:

1)      They will attend the seminar, won’t they?

(Mereka akan menghadiri seminar kan?).

2)      They can’t write a letter, can they?

(Mereka tidak dapat menulis sebuah surat, bukan?).

3)      Your sister doesn’t like doll, does she? No, she doesn’t.

(Kakak perempuanmu tidak suka boneka, bukan? Tidak).

 

SAY OR TELL

Say dan Tell mempunyai arti yang sedikit berbeda, yaitu “berkata” dan “mengatakan”. Dalam tata bahasa (Grammar) Bahasa Inggris, terutama dalam topik Reported Speech, keduanya mempunyai pola yang berbeda.

 

Contoh Say and Tell :

1           1)   –    Will you come with us tomorrow?

(Maukah kau ikut dengan kami besok?).

–          He asked me if I would go with them the following day.

(Dia bertanya apakah saya akan pergi bersama mereka pada hari berikutnya).

2           2)   –      I didn’t do it! (Aku tidak melakukannya!)

–          He said that he hadn’t done it. (Dia mengatakan bahwa dia tidak melakukannya).

3           3)  –      I’ll bring the book back tomorrow.

(Aku akan membawa buku itu kembali besok).

–          She said that she would bring the book back the following day.

(Dia mengatakan bahwa dia akan membawa buku itu kembali keesokan harinya).

 

Sequence Of Tenses

  1. Apabila ada dua kejadian yang terjadi secara berurutan langsung, maka tenses yang dipakai adalahsimple past dan simple past.

Ciri-ciri : tidak ada jeda waktu dan biasanya ada sebab akibat

Contoh :

–          after he closed the door, he went to bed

–          After she arrived, the bus left

Conjunction : after, before, when, as soon as

  1. Apabila ada dua kejadian yang terjadi secara berurutan tidak langsung, maka tenses yang dipakai adalah past perfect dan simple past.

Ciri-ciri : kejadian mana yang pertama dalam kalimat itu menggunakan past perfect,dan     kejadian yang kedua menggunakan past tense.      

Contoh :

–          they went on holiday after they had taken an exam

–          Before the police came, the thief had left

Conjunction : as soon as, after, before, when

  1. Apabila ada kejadian pertama sudah berlangsung beberapa saat pada durasi waktu tertentu ketika kejadian kedua terjadi, maka tenses yang dipakai adalah past perfect continuous dan simple past.

Contoh:

–          when I visited her yesterday, she had been studying for two hours

–          They had been playing futsal for an hour when we came

  1. Apabila kejadian pertama berlangsung ketika kejadian kedua terjadi, maka tenses yang dipakai adalah past continuous dan simple past.

Contoh :

–          I was watching TV while she knocked at the door

–          I was writing a letter when my mother called me

Conjunction : when, while, as

  1. Apabila ada dua kejadian yang terjadi secara bersamaan maka tenses yang dipakai adalah past continuous dan past continuous.

Contoh:

–           my father was reading magazine while my mother was cooking

–          I was studying when my brother was sleeping

Sumber : http://masisan18.blogspot.com/2011/02/sequence-of-tense-konsep-dua-kejadian.html

 

ANTECENDENES OF PRONOUN

      Pronoun adalah kata yang digunakan untuk menggantikan noun, noun phrase, noun clause, pronoun lain, maupun konstruksi lain yang berakting sebagai noun. Di dalam suatu kalimat, kata ini dapat mengarah pada noun yang sudah disebutkan sebelumnya. Sedangkan antecedent adalah kata, phrase, atau clause yang dirujuk atau digantikan oleh pronoun. Di dalam suatu kalimat, biasanya antecedent berada sebelum pronoun.

 

    Contoh Antecendenes Of Pronoun :

1)      To get rich, the man gave his money away to charity.

(Untuk menjadi kaya, pria tersebut mendonasikan uangnya untuk amal).

2)      You should submit the report to your teacher immediately.

(Kamu harus menyerahkan laporan tersebut kepada gurumu secepatnya).

3)      Luna and Iin have decided to do over their task.

(Luna dan Iin telah memutuskan untuk mengerjakan kembali tugas mereka).

 

 

Relative Clauses and Relative Pronouns

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Relative Clause

This is a clause that generally modifies a noun or a noun phrase and is often introduced by a relative pronoun (which, that, who, whom, whose). A relative clause connects ideas by using pronouns that relate to something previously mentioned and allows the writer to combine two independent clauses into one sentence. A relative clause is also known as an adjective clause. There are two types of relative clauses: restrictive and nonrestrictive.

Here are a few examples:

  • The book that she read was important for her literature review. (restrictive)
  • The participants who were interviewed volunteered to be part of the study. (restrictive)
  • Walden University, which is entirely online, has main administrative offices in Baltimore and Minneapolis. (nonrestrictive)

Relative Pronouns

  Referring to a human Referring to something other than a human Possessive
Restrictive who, whom, that* which, that** whose
Nonrestrictive (with commas) who, whom which whose

*In APA, per Section 3.22, use who or whom instead of that when referring to a human.

**Although both which and that are grammatically correct in restrictive clauses, APA prefers that for restrictive clauses. See APA Section 3.22 for more information on this.

Restrictive Clauses

Restrictive Clause

A restrictive clause restricts or defines the meaning of a noun or noun phrase and provides necessary information about the noun in the sentence.  It is not separated from the rest of the sentence by commas. Restrictive clauses are more common in writing than nonrestrictive clauses. A restrictive clause is also sometimes referred to as an essential clause or phrase.

Here are a few examples:

  • The student who sits in the back of the room asks a lot of questions.
  • The results that I obtained may invoke positive social change.
  • The journalist whose story I read yesterday has won prizes for her work.

When the relative pronoun functions as the object of the sentence, it can (and usually is) omitted from the relative clause.

Here are a few examples:

  • The results that I obtained may invoke positive social change.
  • The article that I requested did not arrive on time.
  • The participants who I interviewed met me at the local library.

Nonrestrictive Clauses

Nonrestrictive Clause

A nonrestrictive clause adds additional information to a sentence. It is usually a proper noun or a common noun that refers to a unique person, thing, or event. It uses commas to show that the information is additional. The commas almost act like parentheses within the sentence. If the information between the commas is omitted, readers will still understand the overall meaning of the sentence. A nonrestrictive clause is also known as a nonessential clause or phrase.

Here are a few examples:

  • I want to thank my father, Mark Smith, for all of his love and support.
    • With the nonrestrictive clause omitted: I want to thank my father for all of his love and support.
  • The hypothesis, which I tested throughout the research, was rejected.
    • With the nonrestrictive clause omitted: The hypothesis was rejected.
  • I have found the article, which I have been looking for.
    • With the nonrestrictive clause omitted: I have found the article.

While that is sometimes used in restrictive clauses, it is not allowed in nonrestrictive clauses.

  • CORRECT: Minneapolis, which has a population of about 400,000, is the largest city in Minnesota.
  • INCORRECT: Minneapolis, that has a population of about 400,000, is the largest city in Minnesota.
  • CORRECT: I had to fix my printer, which I bought less than a year ago.
  • INCORRECT: I had to fix my printer, that I bought less than a year ago.

A relative pronoun cannot be deleted in a nonrestrictive clause.

  • CORRECT: Minneapolis, which has a population of about 400,000, is the largest city in Minnesota.
  • INCORRECT: Minneapolis, has a population of about 400,000, is the largest city in Minnesota.
  • CORRECT: I had to fix my printer, which I bought less than a year ago.
  • INCORRECT: I had to fix my printer, I bought less than a year ago.

Reduced Relative Clauses

In academic writing, relative clauses are often reduced for a more concise style. This also creates more sentence variety. When reducing a relative clause, it is necessary to delete the relative pronoun and either delete or change the verb. Here are some examples:

  • Gun control is a controversial issue that is about personal rights. (be + prepositional phrase)
  • The steps that were followed were explained in the Methods section. (passive)
  • Other researchers who are exploring the same topic have discovered similar solutions. (progressive verb tense)
  • Participants who were available to meet in my office completed their interview there. (be + able adjective)
  • Some of the subjects lived in urban areas that had with high crime rates. (have as a main verb is replaced by with)
  • In this paper, I reviewed many research articles that addressed addressing the topic of gun control. (linking verbs or verbs describing facts can be changed to –ing clauses)
  • The changes that are to be implemented with the new curriculum revisions are outlined in the handout. (to clauses)

 

PRONOUN

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What is a Pronoun?

 

In grammar, a pronoun is defined as a word or phrase that may be substituted for a noun or noun phrase, which once replaced, is known as the pronoun’s antecedent. How is this possible? In a nutshell, it’s because pronouns can do everything that nouns can do. A pronoun can act as a subject, direct object, indirect object, object of the preposition, and more.

Without pronouns, we’d have to keep on repeating nouns, and that would make our speech and writing repetitive, not to mention cumbersome. Most pronouns are very short words. Examples include:

 

He

She

They

It

We

Who

 

As mentioned, pronouns are usually used to replace nouns, however they can also stand in for certain adverbs, adjectives, and other pronouns. Anytime you want to talk about a person, animal, place or thing, you can use pronouns to make your speech or writing flow better.

 

Here are some examples:

 

INSTEAD OF: Luma is a good athlete.

 

She is a good athlete. (The pronoun she replaces Luma.)

 

INSTEAD OF: The beans and tomatoes are fresh-picked.

 

They are fresh-picked. (The pronoun they replaces the beans and tomatoes.)

 

Often a pronoun takes the place of a particular noun. This noun is known as the antecedent. A pronoun “refers to,” or directs your thoughts toward, its antecedent.

 

Let’s call Luma and ask her to join the team. (Her is a pronoun; Luma is its antecedent.)

 

To find a pronoun’s antecedent, ask yourself what that pronoun refers to. What does her refer to in the sentence above—that is, who is the her? The her in the sentence is Luma; therefore, Luma is the antecedent.

Types of Pronouns

Subjective Pronouns

 

Pronouns

 

A subjective pronoun acts as the subject of a sentence—it performs the action of the verb. The subjective pronouns are he, I, it, she, they, we, and you.

 

He spends ages looking out the window.

 

After lunch, she and I went to the planetarium.

 

Objective Pronouns

 

An objective pronoun acts as the object of a sentence—it receives the action of the verb. The objective pronouns are her, him, it, me, them, us, and you.

 

Cousin Eldred gave me a trombone.

 

Take a picture of him, not us!

 

Possessive Pronouns

 

A possessive pronoun tells you who owns something. The possessive pronouns are hers, his, its, mine, ours, theirs, and yours.

 

The red basket is mine.

 

Yours is on the coffee table.

 

Demonstrative Pronouns

 

A demonstrative pronoun points out a noun. The demonstrative pronouns are that, these, this, and those.

 

That is a good idea.

 

These are hilarious cartoons.

 

A demonstrative pronoun may look like a demonstrative adjective, but it is used differently in a sentence: it acts as a pronoun, taking the place of a noun.

Interrogative Pronouns

 

An interrogative pronoun is used in a question. It helps to ask about something. The interrogative pronouns are what, which, who, whom, and compound words ending in “ever,” such as whatever, whichever, whoever, and whomever.

 

What on earth is that?

 

Who ate the last Fig Newton?

 

An interrogative pronoun may look like an interrogative adjective, but it is used differently in a sentence: it acts as a pronoun, taking the place of a noun.

Indefinite Pronouns

 

An indefinite pronoun refers to an indefinite, or general, person or thing. Indefinite pronouns include all, any, both, each, everyone, few, many, neither, none, nothing, several, some, and somebody.

 

Something smells good.

 

Many like salsa with their chips.

 

An indefinite pronoun may look like an indefinite adjective, but it is used differently in a sentence: it acts as a pronoun, taking the place of a noun.

Relative Pronouns

 

A relative pronoun introduces a clause, or part of a sentence, that describes a noun. The relative pronouns are that, which, who, and whom.

 

You should bring the book that you love most.

 

That introduces “you love most,” which describes the book.

 

Hector is a photographer who does great work.

 

Who introduces “does great work,” which describes Hector.

Reflexive Pronouns

 

A reflexive pronoun refers back to the subject of a sentence. The reflexive pronouns are herself, himself, itself, myself, ourselves, themselves, and yourselves. Each of these words can also act as an intensive pronoun (see below).

 

I learned a lot about myself at summer camp. (Myself refers back to I.)

 

They should divide the berries among themselves. (Themselves refers back to they.)

 

Intensive Pronouns

 

An intensive pronoun emphasizes its antecedent (the noun that comes before it). The intensive pronouns are herself, himself, itself, myself, ourselves, themselves, and yourselves. Each of these words can also act as a reflective pronoun (see above).

 

I myself don’t like eggs.

 

The queen herself visited our class.

Pronoun Rules

 

There are a few important rules for using pronouns. As you read through these rules and the examples in the next section, notice how the pronoun rules are followed. Soon you’ll see that pronouns are easy to work with.

 

Subject pronouns may be used to begin sentences. For example: We did a great job.

Subject pronouns may also be used to rename the subject. For example: It was she who decided we should go to Hawaii.

Indefinite pronouns don’t have antecedents. They are capable of standing on their own. For example: No one likes the sound of fingernails on a chalkboard.

Object pronouns are used as direct objects, indirect objects, and objects of prepositions. These include: you, me, him, her, us, them, and it. For example: David talked to her about the mistake.

Possessive pronouns show ownership. They do not need apostrophes. For example: The cat washed its whiskers.

 

Examples of Pronouns

 

In the following examples, the pronouns are italicized.

 

We are going on vacation.

Don’t tell me that you can’t go with us.

Anybody who says it won’t be fun has no clue what they are talking about.

These are terribly steep stairs.

We ran into each other at the mall.

I’m not sure which is worse: rain or snow.

It is one of the nicest Italian restaurants in town.

Richard stared at himself in the mirror.

The laundry isn’t going to do itself.

Someone spilled orange juice all over the countertop!

Pronoun Exercises

The following exercises will help you gain greater understanding about how pronouns work. Choose the best answer to complete each sentence.

  1. This is __________ speaking.
    1. John
    2. He
    3. He john
    4. Am
  2. Greg is as smart as __________ is.
    1. I
    2. me
    3. she
    4. we
  3. The dog chewed on __________ favorite toy.
    1. it’s
    2. it is
    3. its’
    4. its
  4. It could have been __________ .
    1. Jerry
    2. anyone
    3. better
    4. more difficult
  5. Terry is taller than __________ am.
    1. I
    2. me
    3. she
    4. we

Answers

  1. B. This is he speaking.
  2. C. Greg is as smart as she is.
  3. D. The dog chewed on its favorite toy.
  4. B. It could have been anyone.
  5. A. Terry is taller than I am.

 

PROBLEM VOCABULARY AND PREPOSITIONS

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The following words are often misused by native english speakers as well as non native speakers. Sometimes the spelling are so similiar that people fail to distinguish between them. Others are pronounced exactly the same, but they are spelled differently and have different meanings. Words in the letter category are called homonyms. Study the words, parts of speecg (noun, verb, etc)

 

ANGEL (noun) –a spiritual or heavenly being. The christmas card portayed a choir of angels hovering over the shephereds.

 

ANGEL (noun) –a figure out formed by two lines meetin at a common point. The carpenters placed the plunks at right angle.

 

Confusingly related words

 

  1. Advice, Advise

Advice : Opinion given someone (noun form)

Advise  : Act of giving an opinion (verb form)

  • She can give you a good advice will make you to be a better person
  • I can find the best way to advise your brother

 

  1. Affect, Effect

Affect  : Mean influence (usually a verb)

Effect   : End result of influence (usually a noun)

  • This supplement can affect my concentration on work
  • The effect of Tsunami was devasting

 

  1. Save, Safe

Save     : Mean to keep or to save (verb)

Safe     : Mean giving protection (adjective)

  • Please save this document
  • I feel safe with you

 

 

The following suggestion will be useful in helping you improve ytour vocabulary.

  1. Read well-written books,magazines, and newspapers, magazines such astimes and newsweek.
  2. Look up every word that are unfamiliar to you in the practice test in this book and in other reading material. keep a notebook of an familiar words, write the word,the definition,and an original sentences in your notebook and study it often.
  1. Study the problem vocabulary items and two-word verbs (verbal idioms) in this book.
  2. review your vocabulary word notebook often,repetition will help you to remember the meaning of difficult words

 

PASSIVE VOICE & CAUSATIVE HAVE

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Passive Form

In passive sentences, the thing receiving the action is the subject of the sentence and the thing doing the action is optionally included near the end of the sentence. You can use the passive form if you think that the thing receiving the action is more important or should be emphasized. You can also use the passive form if you do not know who is doing the action or if you do not want to mention who is doing the action.

[Thing receiving action] + [be] + [past participle of verb] + [by] + [thing doing action]

Examples:

  • The students (subject recieving action) are taught (passive verb) by the professor. (doing action)
  • The dishes (subject recieving action) are washed (passive verb) by john. (doing action)

Simple Present : Once a week, the house is cleaned by Tom.

Simple Past : The car was repaired by Sam.

Simple Future (will) : The work will be finished by 5:00 PM.

Simple Future (be going to) : A beautiful dinner is going to be made by Sally tonight.

Present Continuous : Right now, the letter is being written by Sarah.

Present Perfect : That castle has been visited by many tourists.

Present Perfect Continuous : Recently, the work has been being done by John.

Past Perfect : Many cars had been repaired by George before he received his mechanic’s license.

Past Perfect Continuous : The restaurant’s fantastic dinners had been being prepared by Chef Jones for two years before he moved to Paris.

Causative Verbs

The English verbs let, make, have, get, and help are called causative verbs because they cause something else to happen.

Here are some specific examples of how causative verbs work in English sentences.

LET , permit something to happen

Grammatical structure:

  • LET + PERSON/THING + VERB (base form)

Examples:

  • I don’t let my kids watch violent movies.
  • Mary’s father won’t let her adopt a puppy because he’s allergic to dogs.
  • Our boss doesn’t let us eat lunch at our desks; we have to eat in the cafeteria.
  • Oops! I wasn’t paying attention while cooking, and I let the food
  • Don’t let the advertising expenses surpass $1000.

Remember: The past tense of let is also let; there is no change!

Note: The verbs allow and permit are more formal ways to say “let.” However, with allow and permit, we use to + verb:

  • I don’t allow my kids to watch violent movies.
  • Our boss doesn’t permit us to eat lunch at our desks.

MAKE , force or require someone to take an action

Grammatical structure:

  • MAKE + PERSON + VERB (base form)

Examples:

  • After Billy broke the neighbor’s window, his parents made him pay for it.
  • My ex-boyfriend loved sci-fi and made me watch every episode of his favorite show.
  • The teacher made all the students rewrite their papers, because the first drafts were not acceptable.

Note: When using the verbs force and require, we must use to + verb.

  • The school requires the students to wear 
    “Require” often implies that there is a rule.
  • The hijacker forced the pilots to take the plane in a different direction.
    “Force” often implies violence, threats, or extremely strong pressure

HAVE,  give someone else the responsibility to do something

Grammatical structure:

  • HAVE + PERSON + VERB (base form)
  • HAVE + THING + PAST PARTICIPLE OF VERB

Examples of grammatical structure #1:

  • I’ll have my assistant call you to reschedule the appointment.
  • The businessman had his secretary make copies of the report.

Examples of grammatical structure #2:

  • I’m going to have my hair cut 
  • We’re having our house painted this weekend.
  • Bob had his teeth whitened; his smile looks great!
  • My washing machine is broken; I need to have it

Note: In informal speech, we often use get in these cases:

  • I’m going to get my hair cut 
  • We’re getting our house painted this weekend.
  • Bob got his teeth whitened; his smile looks great!
  • My washing machine is broken; I need to get it

 

GET,  convince/encourage someone to do something

Grammatical structure:

  • GET + PERSON + TO + VERB

Examples:

  • How can we get all the employees to arrive on time?
  • My husband hates housework; I can never get him to wash the dishes!
  • I was nervous about eating sushi, but my brother got me to try it at a Japanese restaurant.
  • The non-profit got a professional photographer to take photos at the event for free.

HELP, assist someone in doing something

Grammatical structure:

  • HELP + PERSON + VERB (base form)
  • HELP + PERSON + TO + VERB

After “help,” you can use “to” or not – both ways are correct. In general, the form without “to” is more common:

  • He helped me carry the boxes.
  • He helped me to carry the boxes.
  • Reading before bed helps me
  • Reading before bed helps me to relax.

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