USE OF PARTICIPLE

USE OF PARTICIPLE

We have seen that participles qualify nouns or pronouns. They may be used:

(1) Attributively; as-

A rolling stone gathers no moss.

A lost opportunity never returns.

(2) Predicatively; as-

           The man seems worried.

           He kept me waiting.

(3) Absolutely with a noun or pronoun going before; as-

           The weather being fine, I went out.

           Many having arrived, we were freed from anxiety.

           Weather permitting; there will be a garden party at government house tomorrow.

           God willing, we shall have another good monsoon.

           The sea being smooth, we went for sail.

           The wind having failed, the crew set to work with a will.

           His master being absent, the business was neglected.

           The wind being favorable, they embarked.

It will be seen that in each of the above sentences the participle with the noun or pronoun going before it, forms a phrase independent of the rest of the sentence. Such a phrase is called an absolute phrase; and a noun or pronoun so used with a participle is called a Nominative Absolute.

An absolute phrase can be easily changed into a subordinate clause; as-

Spring advancing, the swallows appear.

The sea being smooth, we went for sail.

God willing, we shall have another good monsoon.

SUBJUNCTIVE

SUBJUNCTIVE

The subjunctive in English is the simple form of the verb when used after certain verbs indicating that one person wants another person to do something.

Advise, demand, insist, propose, prefer, require, suggest, request, ask, recommend, command, urge, order, decree.

NOTE: The verb want itself is not one of these verbs. In the following rule, verb indicates one of the above verbs.

Subject + verb+ that + subject + [verb in simple form]..

The doctor suggested that his patient stop smoking.

We proposed that he take a vacation.

I move that we adjourn until this afternoon.

The simple form of the verb is also used after impersonal expressions with the same meaning as the above verbs.

The adjectives that fit into this formula include the following.

Advised, recommended, proposed, urgent, obligatory, important, necessary, mandatory, suggested, required, imperative.

In the following rule, adjective indicates one of the above adjectives.

It+be adjective + that + subject +[verb in simple form].. (Any tense)

It is necessary that he find the books.

It was urgent that she leave at once.

It has been proposed that we change the topic.

PRONOUN ANTECEDENT AGREEMENT

PRONOUN ANTECEDENT AGREEMENT

When a pronoun is used in place of a noun, the noun that it replaced is called the antecedent of that pronoun.

Manisha says she is tired.

[Here Manisha is the antecedent of she]

Because a pronoun renames, or stands in place of its antecedent, the pronoun should be as similar to the antecedent as possible. This means that the pronoun should agree in both number and gender with its antecedent.

**Always use a plural pronoun to represent two or more antecedents connected by and

Jack and Jackey are on their way up the hill.

Rony and his wife deserve whatever awards they receive.

But you should also remember the exception.

The treasurer and secretary submitted his reports.

The treasurer and the secretary submitted their reports.

**When two antecedents are connected by or, nor, either – or, neither --- nor, the pronoun should agree in number and person with the nearer antecedent.

Neither the manager nor the players gave freely

of their time.

**The phrase connected with a preposition does not affect on determining the antecedent of a sentence.

The students of this class have learnt their lessons.

**When antecedents are preceded by each, either, neither, every, many a, the pronoun should be always singular.

Each of the boys has done his duty.

**When locating the antecedent, ignore explanatory phrases beginning with as well as, in addition to, and not, together with, accompanied by or with, rather than etc. Here pronoun should be according to its real antecedent.

Jony, as well as his brother, is on his way.

**Collective nouns such as committee jury, faculty, class, crowd, army etc. May be either singer or plural depending upon their meaning in the sentence. So when you are referring to that group as a single unit, use a singular pronoun.

The class had its picture taken.

The Jury brought in their split verdict.

**Any Proper nouns such as company names or language name are generally considered as singular. So they require singular pronouns as well as singular verb fir grammatical correctness.

Lever Brothers is having its biggest storewide sale in years.

ILLOGICAL PARTICIPLE MODIFIER

ILLOGICAL PARTICIPLE MODIFIER

We have seen that participles are usually used as phrases in sentences. It is important that each of these phrases be used properly in the sentence so that its relationship with other words in the sentence is absolutely clear. If it is not, the result is dangling modifier.

**When the two phrases do not share a common subject, we call the participial phrase an illogical participial modifier. Actually, the subject of the participial phrase is understood rather than explicit. Remember that the Noun appearing after the comma must be the logical subject of the participial modifier.

After jumping out of a boat, the shark bit the man. [Incorrect: We understand that the actual subject of the verb jumping is the man; therefore, immediately after the common, we must mention the man.]

After jumping out of a boat, the man was bitten by a shark.

**Sometimes the participial phrase is preceded by a preposition. by upon before after while

After preparing the dinner, Michelle will read a book. By working a ten-hour day for four days, we can have a long weekend.

** The perfect form (having + verb in past participle) is used to indicate that the action of the participial phrase took place before that of the main verb.

(not)+having+[verb in past participle] .... noun

Having finished their supper, the boys went out to play. Not having read the book, she could not answer the question.

**The participial phrase can also be used to express an idea in the passive voice, in which the subject was responsible for the action.

Sometimes a participial modifier in passive voice is reduced by dropping the “have been” and using the past participial alone.

Attacked by an angry mob, the gashes in the boy's throats were life threatening. [Incorrect]

[Note that attacked means the same as having been attacked. The actual subject of verb attacked is the boy; therefore, reference to him must appear immediately after the comma]

Attacked by an angry mob, the boy suffered life threatening gashes in his throat. [Correct]

Observe the corrected form of the following illogical participle modifiers.

Before singing the school song, a poem was recited.

[Incorrect]

Before singing the school song, the students recited a poem. [Correct]

**In other cases, sometimes participles are not used but there may have a modifier phrase without any participle. This situation also demands the same kind of logical relationship.

Unable to swim, a lifeguard rescued me. [Incorrect]

Unable to swim, I was rescued by a lifeguard. [Correct]

To determine its value, the book will be appraised.

[Incorrect]

To determine its value, we will have the book appraised. [Correct]

Ex: Correct Vs Incorrect

Exercise: Correct the words if the underlined word is used incorrectly.

1.     Intergalactic adventures are what many of today’s animation consists of.

2.     Little scientists doubt the existence of an ozone hole over the polar regions.

3.     Yachting attracts many of the world’s most famous and wealthy people.

4.     There are adult literacy classes for the workers, much of whom never graduated from high school.

5.     The rhinoceros has few natural enemies.

6.     The artist Vincent van Gogh received little recognition during his lifetime.

7.     Heavy fines and jail sentences have made few difference in preventing antelope poaching.

8.     Tropical fish and song birds give many pleasure to people who need to relax.

9.     Scientists have managed to clone that kind of protein genes, but only as an exercise in basic research.

10.                        The most renowned of America’s metalworker, Samuel Yellin, designed the ironwork for the New York Federal Reserve Bank.

11.                        The childrens were counting the toys they had collected during the festivities.

12.                        On the outskirts of the town, calf are frequently seen grazing in the meadows.

13.                        The police officer gave some advices on crime prevention at the community meeting.

14.                        One series of grammar book that was used in the experimental class was written by the students themselves.

15.                        Ultrasound bounces sound wave off the internal structure of the body.

16.                        A landslide at a mining site uncovered a brownish yellow stone which yielded 650 gram of gold.

17.                        For two century, Madrid’s Plaza Mayor has servedas the city’s chief forum.

18.                        Putting radio collars on bears helps scientists to gather important informations concerning the bears’ movements.

19.                        Lorenzo Ruiz, the first Filipino saints, was born about 1600 in Binondo to a Chinese father and a Tagala mother.

20.                        America was discovered and inhabited thousands of years before the Europeans arrived.

Answer Key:

1. much

2. Few

3. correct

4. many

5. correct

6. correct

7. little

8. much

9. researches

10. metalworkers

11. children

12. calves

13. advice

14. books

15. waves

16. grams

17. centuries

18. information

19. saint

20. correct

Exercise: Subject Verb Agreement

Exercise on Subject-Verb agreement:

1. Nondurable goods –––– for immediate use and are often less expensive than durable goods.

A. is intended

B. are intended

C. intent

D. intends

There –––– photographs and graphs in this book that meet the needs of instructions in introductory courses.

A. is many

B. are many

C. many

D. many more

3. Flower experts –––– three main classes of cultivated roses.

A. recognition

B. they recognize

C. recognize

D. recognizes

4. Each of the displayed antique garments –––– of praise and admiration.

A. worthy

B. worth

C. are worthy

D. is worthy

5. Almost all vegetarian diets contain fewer calories than diets that –––– meat.

A. it includes

B. they include

C. include

D. including

6. When the winter palace caught on fire, all of its library ––––

A. were destroyed

B. destroyed

C. was destroyed

D. it destroyed

7. Syndicated news –––– than news from independent agents.

A. are cheaper and faster

B. is cheaper and faster

C. are cheap and fast

D. is cheap and fast

8. None of the departments in the university –––– advance the students, reading skills.

A. it set out to

B. setting out

C. set out to

D. they set out to

9. Cold pressing –––– less oil from a plant than do other processes.

A. removes

B. removing

C. it removes

D. they remove

10. While reporters listen to a communication, –––– the points the speaker is making.

A. evaluate

B. the evaluation

C. he evaluates

D. they evaluate

Answer Keys: 1. b 2. b 3. c 4. d 5. c 6. c 7. b 8. c 9. a 10. d

Exercise: Sentence Completion 3

Exercise: Sentence completion

1. With the discovery of –– alternative fuel source, oil prices dropped significantly.

A. a potential

B. a feasible

C. a possible

D. a variant

E. an inexpensive

2. The product of a –– religious home, he often found ––in prayer.

A. zealously—distraction

B. devoutly—solace

C. vigorously—comfort

D. fanatically—misgivings

E. pious—answers

3. Our ––– objections finally got us thrown out of the stadium.

A. hurled

B. modest

C. wary

D. vocal

E. pliant

4. Only a single wall still stood in mute––to Nature’s force.

A. evidence

B. tribute

C. remainder

D. memory

E. testimony

5. Human senses are designed to ------ specific stimuli, and after a focus is achieved, other sensory data is……….

A. look for—heightened

B. respond to—insulated

C. concentrate on—discounted

D. favor—added up

E. create—born

6. Immigrants arriving in a new country have the special problem of––their established behaviors and learning new habits whose results are––

A. abandoning—uncertain

B. strengthening—different

C. controlling—guaranteed

D. loosening—definite

E. maintaining—simpler

7. The majority report issued by the committee was completely––, extolling in great detail the plan's strengths but failing to mention at all its ––

A. comprehensive—proposal

B. unbiased—weaknesses

C. one-sided—shortcomings

D. printed—good points

E. skewed—defenders

8. The teacher's prick was hurt when he discovered that half his class had –– the exam.

A. enjoyed

B. reassessed

C. flunked

D. redeemed

E. interpreted

9. Organic farming is more labor intensive and thus initially more ____, but its long-term costs may be less than those of conventional farming.

A. uncommon

B. stylish

C. restrained

D. expensive

E. difficult

10. Because the law and custom require that a definite determination be made, the judge is forced to behave as if the verdict is------, when in fact the evidence may not be -------.

A. negotiable . . . persuasive

B. justified . . . accessible

C. unassailable . . . insubstantial

D. incontrovertible . . . admissible

E. self-evident. . . conclusive

11. The recent Oxford edition of the works of Shakespeare is –– because it not only departs frequently from the readings of most other modern editions, but also challenges many of the basic –– of textual criticism.

A. controversial . . conventions

B. typical. . innovations

C. inadequate . . norms

D. curious . . projects

E. pretentious . . explanations

12. The early form of writing known as Linear B was -----in 1952, but no one has yet succeeded in the ----- of the still more ancient Linear A.

A. superseded . . explanation

B. encoded . . transcription

C. obliterated . . analysis

D. deciphered . . interpretation

E. discovered . . obfuscation

13. The fundamental –– between dogs and cats is for the

most part a myth; members of these species often

coexist ––.

A. antipathy . . amiably

B. disharmony.. uneasily

C. compatibility . . together

D. relationship . . peacefully

E. difference . . placidly

14. His opponent found it extremely frustrating that the governors solid support from the voting public was not eroded by his ––– of significant issues.

A. exaggeration

B. misapprehension

C. discussion

D. selection

E. acknowledgment

15. Our spokesperson seems to be uncertain of our eventual victory but ––– facing the alternative, as if merely admitting the possibility of defeat would lead to the dread thing itself.

A. unsure of

B. deterred from

C. fearful of

D. certain of

E. helped by

Answer Keys:

1.     e 2. b 3. d 4. e 5. c 6. a 7. c 8. c 9. d 10. e11. a 12. d 13. a 14. b 15. c

Exercise: ADVERB

Exercise: ADVERB 01

1.     Pesticides are necessary to maintain high crop yields in a world with a decreasing acreage of arable land and a steadily expanding population.

2.     Millions of dollars are donated year to the Red Cross to aid people in disaster-struck areas.

3.     Scientists can observe a chemical’s effect in rats and reasonable expect a like effect in humans.

4.     In communes, land and products are collective owned.

5.     The mildly paranoid person may lead a relatively normal life.

6.     In early American colonial settlements, secular education was virtual nonexistent.

7.     While undeniable appealing, burros have also been destructive.

8.     The anthropologist unearthed rows of large stones, clearly the foundation of another building.

9.     Because of his family ties, he frequent came back to the town.

10.                        The departure appears to have taken place hastily.

Answer keys:

1.     correct 2. yearly 3. reasonably 4. collectively 5. correct 6. virtually

7. undeniably 8. correct 9. frequently 10. correct

Exercise: ADVERBS 02

1. By the end of the 1950s, portions of the Atlantic around New York had become----.

A. extremely dirty

B. extreme dirtiness

C. more dirty

D. extremely dirtily

2. Because so much of the Sudan is dry land, irrigation ---- for farming.

A. essentially

B. is essential

C. has essentially

D. has essential

3. Pilots who prepare for military careers train on the ground ---- in the air.

A. as good as

B. as well as

C. well as

D. good as

4. None of the exercises provides students with practice in understanding ---- questions.

A. really difficult

B. real difficult

C. reality, difficulty

D. really, difficulty

5. Saul Bellow has ---- life in Chicago where he spent his childhood.

A. vivid portrayal

B. vividly portrayed

C. vividly portrays

D. vivid portrait

6. Knight Dunlop conducted his famous photography experiment ---- sixty years ago.

A. nearing

B. nears

C. near

D. nearly

7. The elder person whose spouse dies may find it -- -- to adjust to living alone.

A. particularly hard

B. particular, hard

C. hardly particular

D. hard, particularly

8. Beethoven’s nephew became his pupil, but this relationship turned out ----.

A. bad

B. badly

C. worst

D. more badly

9. Edgar Degas was ---- visual information about faces, movement, and light.

A. constant accumulation

B. constantly accumulate

C. constantly accumulating

D. constant, accumulated

10. People who are ---- cannot tell light from dark.

A. blind totally

B. a total blind

C. totally blind

D. totally blindly

Answer keys:

1.     a 2. b 3. b 4. a 5. b 6. d 7. a 8. b 9. c 10. c

CAUSATIVE VERBS

CAUSATIVE VERBS

Make, Let, Help, Have, Get

Have

Remember that Have can be used as a causative. In a causative, a person does not perform an action directly.

Have has even less force and authority than Get.

Subject + have + someone + verb word

My English teacher had us give oral report

Subject + have + something + participle

I want to have this book renewed, please

Avoid using an infinitive or an-ing form instead of a verb word after a person in a causative with Have. Avoid using a verb word or an infinitive instead of a participle after a thing in a causative with have.

Examples:

Incorrect: Tom had a tooth fill.

Correct: Tom had a tooth filled.

Incorrect: Have you had your temperature taking yet?

Correct: Have you had your temperature taken yet?

Incorrect: They had their lawyer to change their will.

Correct: They had their lawyer change their will.

Incorrect: I like they way you had the beautician done your hair.

Correct: I like the way you had the beautician do your hair.

Incorrect: We are going to have our car fix before we go to Toronto.

Correct: We are going to have our car fixed before we go to Toronto.

Get

Remember that Get can be used as a causative. In a causative, a person does not perform an action directly.

Get has less force and authority than Make.

Subject + get + someone + infinitive

Let’s get David to go with us

Subject + get + something + participle

Let’s get our car fixed first

Avoid using a verb word instead on an infinitive after a person in a causative with Get.  Avoid using a verb word instead of a participle after things in a causative with Get.

Examples:

Incorrect: Do you think we can get Karen takes us to San Diego?

Correct: Do you think that we can get Karen to take us to San Diego?

Incorrect: I want to get the house paint before winter.

Correct: I want to get the house painted before winter.

Incorrect: Let’s get some of our money exchange for dollars.

Correct: Let’s get some of our money exchanged for dollars.

Incorrect: Nora got her mother’s wedding dress to alter so that it fit perfectly.

Correct: Nora got her mother’s wedding dress altered so that it fit perfectly.

Incorrect: We will have to get someone fixing the phone right away.

Correct: We will have to get someone to fix the phone right away.

Make

Remember that Make can be used as a causative. In a causative, a person does not perform an action directly. The person causes it to happen by forcing another person to do it.

Subject + make + someone + verb word

His mother made him take his medicine

Subject + make + something + verb word

I made the machine work

Avoid using an infinitive or an-ing form instead of a verb word after a person or thing in a causative with Make.

Examples:

Incorrect: She made the baby to take a nap.

Correct: She made the baby take a nap.

Incorrect: Professor Rogers didn’t make us typed up our lab reports.

Correct: Professor Rogers didn’t make us type up our lab reports.

Incorrect: Are you going to make your daughter to work part time in the store this summer?

Correct: Are you going to make your daughter work part time in the store this summer?

Incorrect: I can’t seem to make this dishwasher running.

Correct: I can’t seem to make this dishwasher run.

Incorrect: Patsy makes everyone doing his share around the house.

Correct: Patsy makes everyone do his share around the house.

Let

Remember that Let can be used as a causative. In a causative, a person does not perform an action directly. With Let, a person gives permission for another person to do it.

Subject + let + someone + verb word

His mother let him go to school

Subject + let + something + verb word

I am letting this machine cool

Avoid using an infinitive or an –ing form instead of a verb word after a person or thing in a causative with LET.

Examples:

Incorrect: Professor Baker let us to write a paper instead of taking a final exam.

Correct: Professor Baker let us write a paper instead of taking a final exam.

Incorrect: When I was learning to drive, my Dad let me using his car.

Correct: When I was learning to drive, my Dad let me use his car.

Incorrect: Would you let us the borrow your notes?

Correct: Would you let us borrow your notes?

Incorrect: Larry is so good-hearted, he lets people took advantage of him.

Correct: Larry is so good hearted, he lets people take advantage of him.

Incorrect: Don’t let that bothers you.

Correct: Don’t let that bother you.

Help

Remember that Help can be used as a causative. In accusative, a person does not perform an action directly. With Help, a person assists another person to do it.

Subject + help + someone/something + verb word/infinitive

He is helping me type my paper.

He is helping me to type my paper.

Avoid using an –ing form instead of a verb word or an infinitive after a person in a causative with Help.

Examples:

Incorrect: Her husband always helps her that she does the laundry.

Correct: Her husband always helps her do the laundry.

Or, Her husband always helps her to do the laundry.

Incorrect: Don’t you help each other the study for tests?

Correct: Don’t you help each other study for tests?

or, Don’t you help each other to study for tests?

Incorrect: My teacher helped me getting this job.

Correct: My teacher helped me get this job.

or, My teacher helped me to get this job.

Incorrect: Bob said that he would thelp our finding the place.

Correct: Bob said that he would help us find the place.

Or, Bob said that he would help us to find the place.

Incorrect: This book should help you understanding the lecture.

Correct: This book should help you understand the lecture.

Or, This book should help you to understand the lecture.