Tuesday, May 3, 2011
Thursday, April 28, 2011
Conditionals
Here are some fundamental points you need to know to understand conditionals:
• A conditional sentence is a complex sentence that consists of a main clause and a subordinate clause.
• The main clause is also called the result clause.
• The subordinate clause typically begins with the adverbial subordinator if. This clause is usually called the if clause and presents a condition.
• You can order the two clauses in two ways:
There are basically three kinds of conditionals:
1. True in the present/future:
2. Untrue in the present/future:
3. Untrue in the past:
Keep in mind that you will find different names and labels to describe these structures, e.g.: factual, contrary to fact, real, unreal, predictive, etc.; but they all refer to the same three situations.
Once you understand these three, you can move onto other sub-categories using modal verbs, going to, and to be.
• A conditional sentence is a complex sentence that consists of a main clause and a subordinate clause.
• The main clause is also called the result clause.
• The subordinate clause typically begins with the adverbial subordinator if. This clause is usually called the if clause and presents a condition.
• You can order the two clauses in two ways:
If I go, George will go.
George will go if I go.
(Notice the change in punctuation.)
There are basically three kinds of conditionals:
1. True in the present/future:
If I win the lottery, I buy a car.
If I win the lottery, I will buy a car.
2. Untrue in the present/future:
If I had enough money, I would buy a car.
3. Untrue in the past:
If I had had enough money, I would have bought a car.
Keep in mind that you will find different names and labels to describe these structures, e.g.: factual, contrary to fact, real, unreal, predictive, etc.; but they all refer to the same three situations.
Once you understand these three, you can move onto other sub-categories using modal verbs, going to, and to be.
Monday, February 7, 2011
Superlative Adjectives
• Adjectives that en in y, change the y to i and add est.
- Dry = driest
- Healthy = healthiest
- Big = biggest
- Hot = hottest
- Thin = thinnest
Comparative Adjectives
- Dry = drier
- Healthy = healthier
• Add er to adjectives that end in le, er, ow
- Noble = nobler / simple = simpler
- Clever = cleverer / slender = slenderer
- Narrow = narrower / shallow = shalower
• Double the last letter of adjectives such as:
- Big = bigger
- Hot = hotter
- Thin = thinner
Monday, October 13, 2008
Compound Nouns
A compound noun is a noun that is made up of two or more words. Most compound nouns in English are formed by nouns modified by other nouns or adjectives.
For example:
The words tooth and paste are each nouns in their own right, but if you join them together they form a new word: toothpaste.
The word black is an adjective and board is a noun, but if you join them together they form a new word: blackboard.
In both these example the first word modifies or describes the second word, telling us what kind of object or person it is, or what its purpose is. And the second part identifies the object or person in question.
Compound nouns can also be formed using the following combinations of words:
The two parts may be written in a number of ways:
1. Sometimes the two words are joined together. Example: tooth + paste = toothpaste bed + room = bedroom
2. Sometimes they are joined using a hyphen. Example: check-in.
3. Sometimes they appear as two separate words. Example: full moon.
A good dictionary will tell you how you should write each compound noun.
For example:
The words tooth and paste are each nouns in their own right, but if you join them together they form a new word: toothpaste.
The word black is an adjective and board is a noun, but if you join them together they form a new word: blackboard.
In both these example the first word modifies or describes the second word, telling us what kind of object or person it is, or what its purpose is. And the second part identifies the object or person in question.
Compound nouns can also be formed using the following combinations of words:
The two parts may be written in a number of ways:1. Sometimes the two words are joined together. Example: tooth + paste = toothpaste bed + room = bedroom
2. Sometimes they are joined using a hyphen. Example: check-in.
3. Sometimes they appear as two separate words. Example: full moon.
A good dictionary will tell you how you should write each compound noun.
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