English Grammar Demystified
[...]... ABOUT THE ENGLISH SENTENCE This page intentionally left blank CHAPTER 1 The Essential Elements of the English Sentence In this chapter you will learn: Subject and Verb Sentence Fragments and Run-Ons Time and Number: Agreement Between Subject and Verb Perfect Verb Tenses Irregular Verbs 3 4 English Grammar Demystified Subject and Verb Although it would not be very interesting, the simplest English sentence... concludes with a final exam with one hundred multiplechoice questions that test your knowledge of all the grammar and usage content of the book A good score on this exam is 75 percent The English Grammar Demystified chapters are meant to be studied consecutively From the first chapter on, you will build your English language skills, one upon the other Don’t skip anything! The only chapters that may (and probably... avoided a serious injury this time Irregular Verbs If English is your first language, you probably switch from tense to tense with great ease—that is, with regular verbs People are much more likely to have problems 20 English Grammar Demystified with the tenses of irregular verbs The spellings of these verbs change to a greater degree to indicate tense—and English has quite a few of them Perhaps you’ve heard... installing an air-conditioning system in your plant Are you ready to go ahead with it? Can you call me tomorrow at 11 A.M to plan the project? 12 English Grammar Demystified Time and Number: Agreement Between Subject and Verb In any list of common errors in English, lack of agreement between subject and verb ranks high For example: The berries in my cereal tastes so sweet To correct an agreement error,... workplace, informal English doesn’t always work, especially in written communications Look at this memo: MEMO From: Claire To: Gino Re: Office Supplies Got enough supplies? In this case, there have to be many questions in the reader’s mind What supplies is Claire asking about? For what period of time is Claire inquiring—this quarter, next month, this afternoon? Better: 8 English Grammar Demystified MEMO... will lay in the grass all day 2 I waked up too late to eat breakfast 21 22 English Grammar Demystified 3 Mike swum the entire way 4 I layed my keys on the counter and now they‘re gone 5 The child reported that he had runned all the way home We usually learn the correct use of irregular verbs very naturally as we learn to speak English For some people it is more difficult than for others We all need to... VERB TENSE IN PARAGRAPHS The verb tenses in the previous written practice section were likely easy to determine You have just made decisions about tense in single sentences, and you can do 14 English Grammar Demystified this for verbs in paragraphs, too There is one additional consideration: That is, is the tense consistent throughout the paragraph? Read the following paragraph, and decide if the writer... following sentences, see if there is agreement in number between the subject and verb Correct any errors in agreement 1 House prices changes every month 2 The Blake family go camping every summer 16 English Grammar Demystified 3 The painter and his hired men takes time to do a very neat job 4 Interferences such as a phone call or visitor keeps me from finishing my work 5 My friend, with his children in tow,... they threaten the child? No, it’s the bully (singular subject) who threatens the child Find the subject and the verb in the following example Does the verb agree with the subject in number? 18 English Grammar Demystified A woman in workout clothes walk into the gym What is the verb? Walk is the verb Who walks: Does the woman walk? Or do the clothes walk? Of course, the woman walks Woman is the singular... part of the brain is completely inactive, don’t believe everything you read or hear 5 Larry says he’ll be right on time tomorrow I’ll believe it when I see it 6 When you’ve finished unpacking 10 English Grammar Demystified 7 Being a first-time homeowner and living on a very tight budget 8 The menacing figure walking swiftly through the park 9 The community organized a march for food donations many people . and spoken English. As you begin English Grammar Demystifi ed, get ready for a different learning experience. English Grammar Demystifi ed will help you better understand and use the English language,. book takes a different approach from the usual English improvement text. In the fi rst two parts of this book, you will learn the basics of English grammar with a thorough overview of the parts. multiple- choice questions that test your knowledge of all the grammar and usage content of the book. A good score on this exam is 75 percent. The English Grammar Demystifi ed chapters are meant to be studied