Subject/ Verb Inversion

Subject/ Verb Inversion

Normal sentence:  I understood the lessons.

Inversion: Did you understand the lessons?

Normal sentence: You like shopping?

Inversion: Do you like shopping?

Negative adverbs

Never

Never have I been in such an embarrassing situation before.

Seldom

Seldom does he calls me.

Hardly

Hardly could I believe that he was a thief.

Rarely

Rarely can she eat such delicious food.

Adverbs phrases

Not only … but also

Not only did he write the book but he also designed the cover.

No sooner … than

No sooner had he arrived home than it rained.

Only when

Only when he needs me does he calls me.

Here and there

Here

Here comes the teacher!

There

There stood a statue.

Conditional sentences

Normal sentence: If he had informed me earlier, I would have helped him.

Inversion: Had he informed me earlier, I would have helped him.

 

Normal sentence: If she had left sooner, she wouldn’t have got wet in the rain.

Inversion: Had she left sooner, she wouldn’t have got wet in the rain.

 

Structure: “So + Adj … that”

Normal sentence: Jim was so kind that everybody loved him.

Inversion: So kind was Jim that everybody loved him.

Normal sentence: The cartoon was so funny that all the kids laughed.

Inversion: So funny was the cartoon that all the kids laughed.

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Indefinite and Definite Articles

       

           Indefinite and Definite Articles

The words a, an, and the are special adjectives called articles.

Indefinite Articles-a, an

an-used before singular count nouns beginning with a vowel (a, e, i, o, u) or vowel sound:

• an apple, an elephant, an issue, an orange

a-used before singular count nouns beginning with consonants (other than a, e, i, o, u):

• a stamp, a desk, a TV, a cup, a book

Definite Article-the

Can be used before singular and plural, count and non-count nouns

1. Indefinite Article (a, an)

Used before singular nouns that are unspecified:

• a pencil
• an orange

Used before number collectives and some numbers:

• a dozen
• a gallon

Used before a singular noun followed by a restrictive modifier:

• a girl who was wearing a yellow hat

Used with nouns to form adverbial phrases of quantity, amount, or degree:

• I felt a bit depressed.

2. Definite Article (the)

Used to indicate a noun that is definite or has been previously specified in the context:

• Please close the door.
• I like the clothes you gave me.

Used to indicate a noun that is unique:

• Praise the Lord!
• The Columbia River is near here.

Used to designate a natural phenomenon:

• The nights get shorter in the summer.
• The wind is blowing so hard.

Used to refer to a time period:

• I was very naive in the past.
• This song was very popular in the 1990s.

Used to indicate all the members of a family:

• I invited the Bakers for dinner.
• This medicine was invented by the Smir.
  
  
  Rule #1 - Specific identity not known: Use the indefinite article a or an only with a singular count noun whose specific identity is not known to the reader. Use a before nouns that begin with a consonant sound, and use an before nouns that begin with a vowel sound.
  • Use the article a or an to indicate any non-specified member of a group or category.

  I think an animal is in the garage
  That man is a scoundrel.
  We are looking for an apartment.

  • Use the article a or an to indicate one in number (as opposed to more than one).

  I own a cat and two dogs.

  • Use the article a before a consonant sound, and use an before a vowel sound.

  a boy, an apple

  ◊ Sometimes an adjective comes between the article and noun:

  an unhappy boy, a red apple

  • The plural form of a or an is some. Use some to indicate an unspecified, limited amount (but more than one).

  an apple, some apples

  Rule #2 - Specific identity known: Use the definite article the with any noun (whether singular or plural, count or noncountable) when the specific identity of the noun is known to the reader, as in the following situations:
  • Use the article the when a particular noun has already been mentioned previously.

  I ate an apple yesterday. The apple was juicy and delicious.

  • Use the article the when an adjective, phrase, or clause describing the noun clarifies or restricts its identity.
  The boy sitting next to me raised his hand.
  Thank you for the advice you gave me.
  • Use the article the when the noun refers to something or someone that is unique.
  the theory of relativity
  the 2003 federal budget
  Rule #3 - All things or things in general: Use no article with plural count nouns or any noncountable nouns used to mean all or in general.
  Trees are beautiful in the fall. (All trees are beautiful in the fall.)
  He was asking for advice. (He was asking for advice in general.)
  I do not like coffee. (I do not like all coffee in general.)
  
  
  Additional Information Regarding the Use of Articles
  • When indicating an unspecified, limited amount of a count or noncountable noun, use some.
  My cousin was seeking some advice from a counselor (not advice in general or advice about everything, but a limited amount of advice).
  I would love some coffee right now (not coffee in general, but a limited amount of coffee).
  We might get rain tomorrow. Some rain would be good for the crops (a certain amount of rain, as opposed to rain in general).
  There are some drops of water on the table (a limited number, but more than one drop).
  • Noncountable nouns are those which usually cannot be counted. Following are some common examples:
  ◊ Certain food and drink items: bacon, beef, bread, broccoli, butter, cabbage, candy, cauliflower, celery, cereal, cheese, chicken, chocolate, coffee, corn, cream, fish, flour, fruit, ice cream, lettuce, meat, milk, oil, pasta, rice, salt, spinach, sugar, tea, water, wine, yogurt
  ◊ Certain nonfood substances: air, cement, coal, dirt, gasoline, gold, paper, petroleum, plastic, rain, silver, snow, soap, steel, wood, wool
  ◊ Most abstract nouns: advice, anger, beauty, confidence, courage, employment, fun, happiness, health, honesty, information, intelligence, knowledge, love, poverty, satisfaction, truth, wealth
  ◊ Areas of study: history, math, biology, etc.
  ◊ Sports: soccer, football, baseball, hockey, etc.
  ◊ Languages: Chinese, Spanish, Russian, English, etc.
  ◊ Other: clothing, equipment, furniture, homework, jewelry, luggage, lumber, machinery, mail, money, news, poetry, pollution, research, scenery, traffic, transportation, violence, weather, work
  • Geographical names are confusing because some require the and some do not.
  ◊ Use the with: united countries, large regions, deserts, peninsulas, oceans, seas, gulfs, canals, rivers, mountain ranges, groups of islands
  the Gobi Desert
  the United Arab Emirates
  the Sacramento River
  the Aleutians
  ◊ Do not use the with: streets, parks, cities, states, counties, most countries, continents, bays, single lakes, single mountains, islands
  Japan
  Bangladesh
  Examples of the Use of Articles
  I do not want a gun in my house (any gun).
  The gun is in his closet (implies there is a specific gun).
  I am afraid of guns (all guns in general).
  She sent me a postcard from Italy (an unspecific postcard - not a letter, not an e-mail).
  It's the postcard that I have in my office (one specific postcard).
  Getting postcards makes me want to travel (any postcard in general).
  I have a dog (one dog).
  The dog is very friendly (the dog that I have already mentioned).
  Dogs make great pets (dogs in general).
  Greta needs furniture in her apartment (furniture is a noncountable noun).
  She is going to select the furniture that she needs (the specific furniture that she needs).
  She hopes to find some furniture this weekend (an unspecified, limited amount of furniture).
  We are going to see the Statue of Liberty this weekend (the only Statue of Liberty).

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        Verb: Definition and Examples

What is a Verb?

A verb can be considered as one of the most important parts of a sentence. You probably already know that a sentence must be composed of a subject and a predicate, so what makes a verb so important? Well, the verb is the main component of a predicate. Without it, there won’t be a sentence, just a bunch of words with an incomplete thought. Simply defined, the verb is a part of speech which is used to demonstrate an action or a state of being.

What are the Different Kinds of Verbs?

Your primary school teachers must have defined verb as an “action word.” That is right, however, verbs are more than just words that express an action done physically like:

run, jump, dance, write, kick, etc.

In reality, verbs may also refer to an action done mentally such as:

think, ponder, guess, imagine, wonder, etc.

1. Normal Verbs and Non-Continuous Verbs

The first type of verb used to express physical action is called  a Normal Verb, while the second one, which refers to an action you can’t see someone do, is called a Non-Continuous Verb.

Sample Sentences:

• SAKIL laughed hysterically.
• The verb in this sentence is laughed and the subject who does the action is SAKIL.

•  SHUVO and his sisters conquered the Seven Kingdoms.
• The verb is conquered, while the subject in this sentence is SHUVO and his sisters.

• Darth Vader thought of an evil plan to get rid of Darth MAHI.
• Thought is the mental action word done by the subject Darth Vader in the sentence above.

• I wonder what will happen on the next episode.
• The pronoun, I, is the subject in the last sentence and the verb is wonder.

2. Linking Verb

Aside from the Normal Verbs and Non-Continuous Verbs, there is another type which is called the Linking Verb.

As the name suggests, a linking verb is a kind of verb that links a subject to the complement. A complement is the part of a sentence which modifies or provides more information about the subject. Examples of linking verbs are:

am, is, was, are, were, has been, might have been, become, etc.

The words listed above are just some of the “true linking verbs.” They are called that way because they have no other functions but to serve as linking verbs. However, just like some people, certain verbs also have dual personalities. Take a look at the two sentences below:

• SALLU tasted the exotic food.
• The exotic food tasted great!

In the first sentence, you can easily say that the italicized word is an action word done by SALLU. However, in the second sentence, the same word has a different function. It serves as a linking verb that connects exotic food with the word, great.

What are Multi-Part Verbs?

The auxiliary verbs, also called “helping verbs,” allow you to write in various verb tenses and voices when combined with a base or main verb.

Take a look at the examples below:

• I was given a two-week notice by the sales agent.
•  It must have been raining very hard.
• The main verb is raining and the auxiliary verbs are must have been.
• The sentence above is written in the passive voice.  Was is the auxiliary verb and given is the main verb.

• 
  
• 
  

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Interjection: Definition and Examples

   

      Interjection: Definition and Examples

What are the Structures and Importance of Interjections?

Interjections can come in the form of a single word, a phrase, or even a short clause. Aside from that, they are usually (but not always) placed at the beginning of a sentence. The importance of interjections lies in the fact that they can convey feelings that may sometimes be neglected in the sentence.

Take for example, the sentence “That book is about vampires.”

One person can write it as:

1. That book is about vampires.

2. That book is about vampires.

But then again, another person might use an interjection to show the same feeling of disgust (as in sentence number 2):

3. Eww ! That book is about vampires.

So you see from the sentence above that the word “eww” conveys the emotional response to what is said in the sentence. It can act as a replacement for emoticons and are more appropriate to use in writing, especially in character dialogues.

What are the Different Kinds of Interjections?

Below are the different kinds of interjections:

• Adjectives that are used as interjections.

Examples:

• Nice! You got a Monster Kill in your first game!
• Sweet! I got a Pc for my birthday!
• Good! Now we can move on to the next lesson.

The italicized words in the sample sentences above are just some of the adjectives that can be used as interjections.

• Nouns or noun phrases that are used as interjections.

Examples:

• Congratulations, you won the match.
• Hello! How are you?
• Holy cow! I forgot my keys!

The italicized parts of the sentences above are just some of the nouns that can be used as interjections.

• Short clauses that are used as interjections.

Example:

• Mahi is our chemistry teacher. Oh, the horror!

The short clause that is italicized in the example above functions as an interjection.

• Some interjections are sounds.

Examples:

• Ugh! I’m never doing that again!
• Whew! That was really close!
• Uh-oh! Dude, I think we’re in serious trouble.

How do You Punctuate Interjections?

Since interjections convey different kinds of emotions, there are also different ways to punctuate them.

• Exclamation point

The exclamation point is the most commonly used punctuation mark for interjections. Obviously, it is used to communicate strong emotions such as surprise, excitement, or anger.

Examples:

• I just replaced your sugar with salt!
• Hooray! I got the job!
• Hey! Stop messing with me!
• Ouch! That must’ve hurt really bad!
• Oh! They’re here!
• Boo-yah! This is the bomb!
• Are you still going to eat that? Yuck!
• Yahoo! I got my Christmas bonus!
• Eek! There’s a flying cockroach!

• Period or comma

For weaker emotions, a period or a comma will suffice.

Examples:

• What’s the answer to number 24?
• Meh, who cares?
• Ah, that feels great!
• Oh well, what’s done is done.
• Well, what did your mom say?
• Um… I don’t think so.
• Hmm, your house always smells like freshly brewed coffee.

• Question mark

If you intend to use interjections to express uncertainty or disbelief, it is more appropriate to use a question mark.

Examples:

• Huh? What did you just say?
• What? You still haven’t submitted your project?
• Oh, really? I never thought he’s that kind of guy.

What are Other Examples of Interjections?

• Duh
• Oh
• Oops
• Ha
• Yikes
• Whoa
• Yum
• Eh
• Wow
• Yo
• Yippee
• Alas
• Dear
• Oh
• Uh-huh
• Phew
• Indeed
• Cool
• Wicked

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