snow

Friday, February 28, 2014

TYPES OF NOUN


DEFINITION: Noun is a word which is used to name something as a person, animal, thing and place. There are six kinds of noun in English.
1) Proper Noun
2) Common Noun
3) Abstract Noun
4) Collective Noun
5) Compound Noun
6) Material Noun

1) PROPER NOUN
DEFINITION: Proper Noun is a name of particular thing, person, animal and place. On the other hand, proper noun is always written with a capital letter at the beginning of the word.
Example: Dara, New York, Cambodia, John, Angkor Wat…

2) COMMON NOUN
DEFINITION: Common Noun is a name which is given in common to everyone (person, thing, animal…..).
Example: Man, teacher, doctor, dog, cat, house, chair…

3) ABSTRACT NOUN
DEFINITION: Abstract Noun is the name of idea, quality and action that is the name of something we can’t touch, see, smell and taste.
Example:
Idea: Advice, ambition, wish...
- Quality: Goodness, kindness, darkness...
- Action: Talking, movement, discussion..
NOTE: Some Abstract Nouns can make from many kinds of adjective, verb and common noun.
a) Abstract Noun makes from adjective.
Adjective
Abstractive Noun
dark
poor
wise
honest
darkness
poverty
wisdom
honesty
b) Abstract Noun makes from verb.
Verb
Abstractive Noun
hope
regret
help
promise
hope
regret
help
promise
c) Abstract Noun is quite different from verb.
Verb
Abstractive Noun
live
die
know
advise
life
death
knowledge
advice
Verb Abstractive Noun
d) Abstract Noun makes from common noun.
Common Noun
Abstractive Noun
man
friend
hero
infant
manhood
friendship
heroism
infancy

4) COLLECTIVE NOUN
DEFINITION: Collective Noun is a name of number or collection of person, thing and animal taken together and spoken as a whole.
Example: Army, committee, family, nation, association, community…

5) COMPOUND NOUN
DEFINITION: Compound Nouns are the nouns that are combined between one word with another word and can make from many kinds of noun, adjective and verb.
Noun/ Adjective/verb
Noun
Common Noun
sun
strong
walking
light
man
stick
sunlight
strongman
walking-stick

6) MATERIAL NOUN
DEFINITION: Material Noun is the name of particular object.
Example: Chair, table, car, book, pen, house, radio…

Monday, February 03, 2014

How to use 'MAKE'

Make

Subject + make + object + bare infinitive (infinitive without 'to') 

'Make' can mean 'force someone to do something that he or she doesn't want to do':
  • His mother made him clean his room.
  • The teacher made us study very hard.
It can also be used to mean 'cause someone to do something' (the thing can be good or bad):
  • That film made me cry.
  • My brother often makes me laugh.
If we use 'make' in the passive, we use the infinitive with 'to' instead of the bare infinitive:
  • She was made to work on Saturday, even though she hated working at weekends.
We can also use subject + make + object + adjective. This means 'cause the object to be the adjective' (the adjective can be good or bad):
  • Her story made me really happy.
  • The traffic jam made us late.

Wednesday, January 29, 2014

Definite and indefinite articles

Use: 
1) Use a before a singular noun.
   I've got a brother and a sister.
Use an if the noun begins with a vowel.
   I've got an aunt in Texas.
2) Use plural nouns or uncountable nouns to talk about things in general. Don't use an article here.

I like cats.
Dolphins are very intelligent.
Crime is increasing.

3) Use the to talk about one particular thing, or a particular group of things.
Books are interesting. The book on the table is interesting.
Children are noisy. The children in this class are noisy.
4) Use a to introduce a new thing or person. Use the when you already know this person or thing.
There is a restaurant near my house. The restaurant serves good food.
5) Use the when there is only one of these things.
    The moon is very big tonight.
My dad is the only doctor in our village.
Joe is the best student in the class.
 
6) Use the when there are many things, but it is clear which one you mean.
   Let's go to the pub! We need to go to the supermarket. 
7) Most 'general' nouns do not use an article.
Life is not the same as it used to be NOT: The life
Health is important to everyone. NOT: The health…
We're worried about pollution. NOT: The pollution…

But some general nouns use the:
the environment People are increasingly worried about the environment. 
the weather What's the weather like today? 
the countryside I love walking in the countryside.
the sea / ocean I'd love to live near the sea. 
the radio There's an interesting programme on the radio. 
the theatre / cinema We went to the theatre last night. 
the economy The economy is affecting everyone. 
Common mistakes:
1) Some students use the when they talk about things in general.
I love the romantic films! => love romantic films!

2) Some students use singular nouns without a or the.
I want book about the weather. => I want a book about the weather.
3) Some students use the when they talk about things in general.
I want the book about the weather. => I want a book about the weather.

Monday, January 27, 2014

will / be going to for prediction

Use:

Both be going to and will can be used to predict future events. In many cases they can be used interchangeably. 
Experts believe that the recession will continue.
Experts believe that the recession is going to continue.
However, in some cases they are used differently:
  • Use going to when there is evidence about what is going to happen.
Look at the time! We’re going to be late!
  • Use will / won’t when guessing about the future.
I bet Robin will be late again.
  • Will is often used with phrases such as I think…, I expect…, I don’t think…I bet… , I’m sure…, I doubt if/that…  when making predictions
  • It is more common to use I don’t think + will, not I think + won’t
I think it won’t rain => I don’t think it will rain

Form:

be going to
Positive
I
am / ‘m
going to
verb (infinitive form)
you / we / they
are / ‘re
he / she / it
is / ‘s
Negative
I
‘m not
going  to
verb (infinitive form)
you
aren’t    OR   ‘re not
he / she / it
isn’t      OR     ‘s not

Questions
Am
I
going  to
verb (infinitive form) ?
Are
you / we / they
Is
he / she / it
Short Answers

Yes,
I am.
No,
I’m not.
you / we / they are.
you / we / they    ‘re not / aren’t
he / she / it is.
he / she / it ‘s not / isn’t
will
Positive / Negative

I / You / He / She / It  / We / They
will
verb (infinitive form).
won’t

Will
I / you / he / she / it  / we / they /
verb (infinitive form)?

Defining Relative Clauses

Use:       

Use defining relative clauses to give information about a noun in a sentence. The listener or reader NEEDS this information to understand the sentence.
A doctor is a person who cures sick people.
The girl who sits next to me at work has a bag just like yours.
Form:
  • Use who to give more information about a person.
An architect is a person who designs buildings.
  • Use which or that to give more information about a thing.
A corkscrew is a thing which you use to open bottles.
The book that you gave me for my birthday is really interesting.
  • Use where to give more information about a place.
That’s the place where we got married.
The town where my uncle lives is a few miles from here.
  • Because non-defining relative clauses give essential information, no commas (,) are needed.
  • If the noun which the relative clause describes (usually at the beginning of the sentence) is the OBJECT of the sentence, you can delete which, that or who.
The man who is wearing the blue suit is my brother.
The man is the subject of the sentence. You cannot delete who.
The man (who) George is talking to is my brother.
George is the subject of the sentence. 
The man is the object of the sentence. 
(The sentence can be rewritten: George is talking to a man. The man is my brother). So you can delete who.
The book you lent me is really good. 
You is the subject of the sentence. 
The book is the object of the sentence. 
(The sentence can be rewritten: You lent me a book. The book is really goodWhich / that is not necessary.)
The book which is on the table is really good.
The book is the subject of the sentence. (The sentence can be rewritten: The book is on the table. It’s really goodWhich / that is necessary.)

Mixed Conditionals

Use:       

Mixed conditional sentences combine two different conditional patterns. 
Several patterns can be used:
  • mixed first conditional sentences
First conditional sentences can use a variety of modal verbs.
If + present simple, can / may / might / will / should + verb (infinitive)
If you give me some money, I can buy some milk.
If I finish my homework, may I go out with my friends?
If you switch the photocopier off and on again, it should work.
First conditional sentences can also use going to, as well as will.
If + present simple, going to + verb (infinitive)
If you don’t get ready soon, we’re going to be late!
The present continuous and going to can also appear in the If clause
If you’re going to the shop, can you buy me some cola?
If you’re going to pay him, make sure you get a receipt.
The present perfect may also appear in the If clause.
If you’ve finished your work, you can go home.
  • mixed third / second conditional
This combination describes an imagined event in the past and the present result. 
If + past perfect, would + verb (infinitive)
If he'd taken the medicine, he wouldn't still be sick.
He wouldn’t still be sick if he’d taken the medicine.
  • mixed second / third conditional
This combination describes a situation which is never true, and the past consequence of this situation.
If + past simple, would have + verb (infinitive)
If you were better at speaking in public, the presentation would have been more successful.
The presentation would have been more successful if you were better at speaking in public.

Sunday, January 26, 2014

Possessive ‘s

Use:

Possessive adjectives after a name and before a noun.
They tell you who owns something.
This is John’s coat. 
Is this Tina’s bag?
Don’t use ‘s after things. 
I clean the garden’s pond every week. =>           I clean the pond in the garden every week.
What’s the book’s name?                           =>           What’s the name of the book
You can usually use ‘s after organisations and groups of people.
It’s the government’s decision.   OR          It’s the decision of the government. 
Tom is the company’s new  director.        OR          Tom is the new director of the company.
You can use ‘s after time expressions.
What time is tomorrow’s meeting?
  
You can sometimes use ‘s after countries and cities.
India’s population is rising.
But you cannot do this if it refers to a person.
I met London’s mayor last week.              =>           I met the mayor of London last week.
England’s Queen is well-known. =>           The Queen of England is well-known.
Form:
  • To make the possessive form, add ’s to the end of the name.
Is that Jack’s bag?
  • With two names, only add ‘s to the second name.
That’s Jane and Harry’s house.                NOT        That’s Jane’s and Harry’s house.
  • If something belongs to two or more people, put the apostrophe(‘) after the plural s. Do not write a second s.
My parents’ house is really big. NOT        My parents’s house is really big.

However, if the plural noun is irregular, write the apostrophe (‘) before the S.
The children’s party was great. NOT        The childrens’ party was great. 

Demonstrative adjectives

Use:
This:                       Use this to talk about something which is near you.
                                                How much is this bag?

These:                  Use these to talk about two or more things which are nearyou.                                                
                                                Are these your keys?
That:                      Use that to talk about one thing which is far from you.
                                                Is that your house?
Those:                  Use those to talk about two or more things which are far from you.
                                                Who are those children over there?
                                                
Use This, That, These and Those:
  • Before the verb be.
                This is my sister / Those are my children.
  • Before a noun:
                That cake looks delicious! These bags are expensive!
Make questions this way:
                Is this / that your sister?               
                Are these / those your children?
You can contract is after that
                That is my dad.                                 =>           That’s my dad.
But do not contract is after this.
                This’s my dad.                                 =>           This is my dad.
Do not contract are after These / Those.
                
Common mistakes
Always use a verb in sentences with this, that, these and those.
This lovely bag.                                                =>           This is a lovely bag / This bag is lovely.
Simple adjectives
Use:
Simple adjectives are describing words.
  • They can go before nouns.
                That’s a nice car.
  • They can also follow the verbs be, look, feel, smell, sound and taste.
This food looks nice.  It smells delicious! The cake is lovely!