English learning thread

My problem is on using the word SHALL and WILL. Je nikisema " I SHALL go", "I WILL go" which sentence is correct and why.
 
niachiemimi said:
My problem is on using the word SHALL and WILL. Je nikisema " I SHALL go", "I WILL go" which sentence is correct and why.
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By Richard Nordquist
Richard Nordquist, Ph.D. in English, is professor emeritus of rhetoric and English at Armstrong Atlantic State University.

In contemporary American English, the auxiliary verb SHALL is rarely used.

In British English, SHALL and WILL are often used interchangeably with no difference of meaning in most circumstances.

Internationally, WILL is now the standard choice for expressing future plans and expectations.

However, in first-person questions SHALL is often used to express politeness, and in legal statements, SHALL is used with a third-person subject for stating requirements.
 
Thanks Tokyo 40 for the above elaboration. myself I am also learning this Language let's me add some points but you may correct me where I shall make a mistake; I and WE goes with SHALL . HE,SHE,IT and YOU & THEY goes with WILL. THIS IS A FUTURE TENSE. But note that we can use WILL with the first persons singular and plural if we want to indicate promise intention; willingness, determination, threat or command.. but are not used in interrogative forms. eg I shall come to see you tommorrow.
We shall go together.
They will wait for you tomorrow. He will study in Europe in the year to come.
 

It is my pleasure to assist in any way I can.

You make perfect sense in your explanation.

It really comes down to this: do you want to speak like an American or like a British?

Here are more examples of their fight to confuse English learners in other parts of the world:


As with CAN versus COULD and MAY as opposed to MIGHT, there are certain ‘rules’ in standard British English grammar regarding the distinction between WILL and SHALL which you should be aware of, even if the current consensus is that these two verbs are generally interchangeable in most, but not all, situations.

The situation is slightly different in American English, too.

I shall be in Japan, but you will be in New York.

The verb will is used in a number of ways, but we chiefly use it (followed by the infinitive of another verb) to talk about the future:

1. Hopefully, we will have a very good election.
2. Life in the village will never be the same again.
3. When will you go to New York?
4. I will be in Japan this time next year.

The negative form is WILL NOT which is often shortened to WON'T:

6. These phones will not be available till next year.
7. We will not understand the situation until the facts have been collected.

HOWEVER, In traditional British grammar, the rule is that WILL should only be used with second and third person pronouns (you; he, she, it, they).

With first person pronouns (I and we), the ‘correct’ verb to talk about the future is SHALL. This means that strictly speaking, examples 1, 4, and 7 are ungrammatical, and should instead read:

Hopefully, we SHALL have a very good election.
I SHALL be in Japan this time next year.
We SHALL not understand the situation until the facts have been collected.

In practice, however, and especially when speaking, people are more likely to shorten WILL and SHALL when these verbs are used with pronouns (we’ll, they’ll, etc) and therefore there’s no need to worry too much about the distinction when referring to the future, unless you’re writing in a very formal situation or having to conform to an organization’s style guide.

Equally, not all varieties of British English use ‘shall’ in these senses. Some varieties of English, including Scottish and Irish English, tend to use ‘will’ instead of ‘shall’ when talking about the future, no matter if it’s with the first, second, or third person pronoun.

Traditional grammar dictates that I and WE should be accompanied by WILL in such situations, whereas SHALL is used with you, he, she, it, and they:

I will ensure that every single cent is spent on the project for which it was intended.
We won’t put up with this situation any longer!
You shall not leave the house after 9pm.

Again, this distinction is LESS STRICTLY followed nowadays, but it’s advisable to be aware of it if you’re writing formal English.

Given that legalese is very formal, you’re likely to see SHALL in legal documents or in rules and regulations:

The primary residence of the children SHALL remain with the mother.

Will you stop that!

WILL but never SHALL, is also used to ask or order someone to do something:

√ Will you buy some bread while you’re at the shops?
√ Will you stop making that noise!
X Make me a coffee, shall you?
X Shall you sit down now!

However, if you want to express yourself more politely in such requests, it’s better to use WOULD or COULD:

Could you buy some bread while you’re at the shops?
Make me a coffee, would you?

SHALL is used for suggestions or offers, or to ask for advice:

Shall I shut the door?
Where shall we go today?
Shall we go for a drink?
Shall we dance?

source:blog.oxforddictionaries.com
 
Ntuzu said:
Good...you are right!
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I don't know if Marire knows but "you people" is quite impolite to use.

I know "nyie watu" does not sound harsh or impolite but it is quite impolite in English, in my opinion.

"YOU people " is implying that the people are of a lesser class or are primitive in some ways if you compare them with the SPEAKER.

I would suggest " you guys" as alternative words. It is softer and commonly used in English, especially American English to mean the same soft Swahili words of "nyie watu".

I know it is a very common saying in Tanzania and the speaker meant no disrespect.
 
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Positive! That sounds impolite!

That's why I wanted you to give us assistance of this language more widely! Basically first in formal language!
 
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Wakuu asanteni sana kwa fafanuzi zenu nzuri

Jioni hii nilipenda mnipatie usaidizi kidogo Wa matumizi ya neno moja "Inspite of"

Ningeomba mnipatie fafanuzi ya undani Zaidi huku mkinionyesha mabadiliko Ya viwakilishi vyote vzr kwa mapana Zaidi!
 
Ntuzu said:
Wakuu asanteni sana kwa fafanuzi zenu nzuri

Jioni hii nilipenda mnipatie usaidizi kidogo Wa matumizi ya neno moja "Inspite of"

Ningeomba mnipatie fafanuzi ya undani Zaidi huku mkinionyesha mabadiliko Ya viwakilishi vyote vzr kwa mapana Zaidi!
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"In spite of" and "despite" are prepositional expressions.

"In spite of" and "despite" have a similar meaning to "although"or "even though".

They express a contrast between two things. They are both more common in writing than in speaking. "Despite" is a little more formal than "in spite of".

We usually use "in spite of" and "despite" with a noun:

1. He got the job in spite of his prison record.

2. John’s company is doing extremely well despite the recession.

We can also use "in spite of" and "despite" with -ing:

1. He was very fast in spite of being terribly overweight.

2. They arrived late despite leaving in plenty of time.

Warning:

We don’t use a "that-clause" after "in spite of " or "despite" .

We use "in spite of the fact that" or "despite the fact that":

When they arrived at Tokyo it was hot, in spite of the fact that it was only the end of April.

Incorrect...IN SPITE OF THAT it was only the end of April.

"In spite of" is written as three separate words.

1. They enjoyed the rides at Disneyland in spite of the long queues. (or … despite the long queues.)

Incorrect ... inspite the long queues or … despite of the long queues.

source:dictionary.cambridge.org

More explanation:

"Despite" and "in spite of" mean exactly the same, but "despite" is more common than "in spite of".

"Despite" and "in spite of" are prepositions. Both expressions can be followed by a noun or noun-equivalent.

1. I enjoyed the movie despite having a headache.

2. I enjoyed the movie in spite of having a headache.

Both expressions are used for saying that something happens although something else might have prevented it.

1. The government went ahead with its decision to build the nuclear power station despite / in spite of widespread opposition.


"Despite" and "in spite of" CANNOT be directly followed by a "that-clause". Before a that-clause, we use the expression the fact.

1. He still loves her despite the fact that she cheated on him.

2. He still loves her in spite of the fact that she cheated on him.

3. Many people are successful despite the fact that they do not have a university degree.

Incorrect... Many people are successful despite THAT they do not have a university degree.)

Despite yourself

To do something "despite yourself" is to do it even though you didn’t intend to.

1. The boy found the money on the table and took it despite himself.
(The boy had no intention to take the money; he took it, nonetheless.)


Never use "of" after "despite".
Always use " of " after "in spite".

1. We enjoyed the evening despite the bad weather.

2. We enjoyed the evening in spite of the bad weather.

3. She always looks cheerful in spite of / despite her problems.

The same ideas can be expressed using "though" and "although".

1. We enjoyed the evening though / although the weather was bad.

2. She always looks cheerful though / although she has many problems.

Note that "though"and "although" are conjunctions. They should be followed by a clause.

source:englishgrammar.org
 

Thanx a lot.
 
The difference between look, see and watch.

LOOK, SEE and WATCH can easily confuse students of English as they all relate to actions done with our EYES.

The difference between the three verbs can be explained in the following way...SEE if you can undertand!

SEE is the ordinary verb to say that something ‘comes to our eyes’. It doesn’t necessarily mean that we are paying attention.

1. I saw Joe yesterday.
2. Suddenly I saw something strange.

Progressive forms of SEE are not normally used with this meaning.

1. I can see an elephant.
Incorrect: I am seeing a elephant.

"What you see is what you get".

Meaning:

1) There is nothing hidden.
What you are looking at is the real thing.
2) In computing, the way something displays on the screen is the way it will display in print (or other media) -- hence the acronym WYSIWYG.

Although the acronym WYSIWYG originated with computing, the actual saying "What you see is what you get" predates computing, being used for example by salesmen to assure customers of the quality of their product.

LOOK at

When we LOOK at something we are trying to see what it is – we are paying attention. Note that we can SEE something even if we don’t want to, but we can only LOOK at something deliberately.

1. He looked at the baby with his eyes full of love.
Incorrect: He saw the baby with his eyes full of love.

1. She looked at the picture.
2. Look here.

Note that LOOK is followed by a preposition when there is an object. When there is no object, there is no preposition.

1. Look at the photo.
Incorrect: Look the photo.

2. Look here.
Incorrect: Look at here.

WATCH

WATCH has more or less the same meaning as LOOK.
We usually use WATCH to talk about looking at events that change or develop.

1. Did you watch the football match yesterday?
Incorrect: Did you look at the football match yesterday?

2. What are you doing? I am watching the TV serial.

3. Watch him – I am certain he is up to something.

WATCH is normally used with TV.

1. Don’t spend too much time watching TV.

Both WATCH and SEE can be used to talk about films and TV programs.

1. We watched/saw a great film yesterday.

SEE can be followed by IF and WEATHER.

LOOK and WATCH are not normally followed by IF and WEATHER.

1. Let’s see whether she is in.
Incorrect: Let’s watch/look whether she is in.

2. See if there is any food left.
Incorrect: Look/watch if there is any food left.


"It's not what you look at that matters, it's what you see."
- Henry David Thoreau
American philosopher (1870-1862)




Do you see a face, or a man on a horse and a girl by a river? Did you even see the stone arch over the river?

What do you see, or do you usually just look?
It’s only human to not see everything. There is just too much to see and process, so our minds delete that which it believes to be unnecessary.

Even when you carefully examine the same thing as another person, you might see something completely different.

Why is observation important?
Even when we see the same thing, we don’t all see things the same.

How often have do you get into arguments with your wife or colleagues about something you looked at, but didn’t see as well as you probably should have.

Sometimes the tiniest details hold a clue, or even the solution, to whatever you are working on.

Good police detectives have this skill to look for tiny details to solve a case.

Subtle changes in someone’s behavior might be your only clue that something is going on. Think about parents with teenagers in the house. Poor observation skills might stop a parent from helping a child bullied at school or providing proper sexual education.

Where can I apply this in your life?
A passenger in a car being driven down a route you usually take as the driver, see many things you hadn’t noticed as the driver.
Your eyes were only focused on the road, to drive your family safety, and missed seeing a cute child waving at you.

What do you look at on a regular basis, but don’t always see? Perhaps a family member, co-workers, or friends? Not just how they look, but what their needs are, what their wants and desires are, what they might be trying to tell you that you aren’t noticing.

While observation implies the use of your eyes, you must be careful not to miss other clues.

How can you improve your observation skills?

I would start with easy things to do. Spend an afternoon looking for everything red around you, where ever you are.
The next day, do the same with another color. If you were going to spend a long day driving, try to find all the blue two door cars, or people driving the same car as yours.

Did your wife get new clothes? Did your son change his hairstyle? Is someone more grumpy or sad than usual?

sources:
philosiblog.com
englishpractice.com
 
Death of a Salesman
by Arthur Miller

Willy Loman, a mercurial sixty-year old salesman with calluses on his hands, returns home tired and confused.

His wife Linda greets him, but worries that he has smashed the car.

He reassures her that nothing has happened, but tells her that he only got as far as Yonkers and does not remember all of the details of his trip; he kept swerving onto the shoulder of the road, and had to drive slowly to return home.

Linda tells him that he needs to rest his mind, and that he should work in New York, but he feels that he is not needed there.

He thinks that if Frank Wagner were alive he would be in charge of New York, but his son, Howard, does not appreciate him as much.

Linda tells him how Happy, his younger son, took Biff, his eldest son, out on a double-date, and it was nice to see them both at home.

She reminds Willy not to lose his temper with Biff, but Willy feels that there is an undercurrent of resentment in Biff.

Linda says that Biff is crestfallen and admires Willy. They argue about whether or not Biff is lazy, and Willy believes that Biff is a person who will get started later in life, like Edison or B.F. Goodrich.

Biff Loman, at thirty-four, is well-built but not at all self-assured. Happy, two years younger, is equally tall and powerful, but is confused because he has never risked failure.

The two brothers discuss their father, thinking that his condition is deteriorating. Biff wonders why his father mocks him, but Happy says that he merely wants Biff to live up to his potential.

Biff claims he has had twenty or thirty different jobs since he left home before the war, but has been fired from each.

He reminisces about herding cattle and wistfully remembers working outdoors.

Biff worries that he is still merely a boy, while Happy says that despite the fact that he has his own car, apartment, and plenty of women he is still unfulfilled.

Happy believes that he should not have to take orders at work from men over whom he is physically superior.

He also talks about how he has no respect for the women he seduces, and really wants a woman with character, such as their mother.

Biff thinks that he may try again to work for Bill Oliver, for whom he worked years ago but quit after stealing a carton of basketballs from him.

The play shifts in time to the Loman house years before, when Biff and Happy were teenagers.

Willy reminds the teenage Biff not to make promises to any girls, because they will always believe what you tell them and he is too young to consider them seriously.

Happy brags that he is losing weight, while Biff shows Willy a football he took from the locker room.

Willy claims that someday he'll have his own business like Charley, their next door neighbor. His business will be bigger than Charley's, because Charley is "liked, but not well-liked."

Willy brags about meeting the mayor of Providence and knowing the finest people in New England.

Bernard, Charley's son, enters and tells Willy that he is worried that Biff will fail math class and not be able to attend UVA.

Willy tells Bernard not to be a pest and to leave. After Bernard leaves, Willy tells his sons that Bernard, like Charley, is liked but not well-liked.

Willy claims that, although Bernard gets the best grades in school, in the business world it is personality that matters and that his sons will succeed.

After the boys leave, Linda enters and Willy discusses his worry that people don't respect him. Linda reassures him and points out that his sons idolize him.

A nameless woman puts on a scarf and Willy tells her that he gets lonely and worries about his business.

The woman claims that she picked Willy for his sense of humor, and Willy promises to see her the next time he is in Boston.

Willy, back in the kitchen with Linda, scolds her for mending her own stocking, claiming that she should not have to do such menial things.

He goes out on the porch, where he tells Bernard to give Biff the answers to the Regents exam.

Bernard refuses because it is a State exam. Linda tells Willy that Biff is too rough with the girls, while Bernard says that Biff is driving without a license and will flunk math.

Willy, who hears the voice of the woman from the hotel room, screams at Linda that there is nothing wrong with Biff, and asks her if she wants her son to be a worm like Bernard. Linda, in tears, exits into the living room.

The play returns to the present, where Willy tells Happy how he nearly drove into a kid in Yonkers, and wonders why he didn't go to Alaska with his brother Ben, who ended up with diamond mines and came out of the jungle rich at the age of twenty-one.

Happy tells his father that he will enable him to retire.

Charley enters, and he and Willy play cards. Charley offers Willy a job, which insults him, and they argue over the ceiling that Willy put up in his living room.

Willy tells Charley that Ben died several weeks ago in Africa.

Willy hallucinates that Ben enters, carrying a valise and umbrella, and asks about their mother.

Charley becomes unnerved by Willy's hallucination and leaves.

The play returns to the past, where Willy introduces his sons to Ben, whom he calls a great man.

Ben in turn boasts that his father was a great man and inventor. Willy shows off his sons to Ben, who tells them never to fight fair with a stranger, for they will never get out of the jungle that way.

Charley reprimands Willy for letting his sons steal from the nearby construction site, but Willy says that his kids are a couple of "fearless characters."

While Charley says that the jails are full of fearless characters, Ben says that so is the stock exchange.

The play returns to the present, where Happy and Biff ask Linda how long Willy has been talking to himself.

Linda claims that this has been going on for years, and she would have told Biff if she had had an address at which she could contact him.

She confronts Biff about his animosity toward Willy, but Biff claims that he is trying to change his behavior.

He tells Linda that she should dye her hair again, for he doesn't want his mother to look old.

Linda asks Biff if he cares about Willy; if he does not, he cannot care about her.

Finally, she tells her sons that Willy has attempted suicide by trying to drive his car off a bridge, and by hooking a tube up to the gas heater in the basement.

She says that Willy is not a great man, but is a human being and "attention must be paid" to him.

Biff relents and promises not to fight with his father. He tells his parents that he will go to see Bill Oliver to talk about a sporting goods business he could start with Happy.

Willy claims that if Biff had stayed with Oliver he would be on top by now.

The next day, Willy sits in the kitchen, feeling rested for the first time in months.

Linda claims that Biff has a new, hopeful attitude, and the two dream of buying a little place in the country.

Willy says that he will talk to Howard Wagner today and ask to be taken off the road.

As soon as Willy leaves, Linda gets a phone call from Biff. She tells him that the pipe Willy connected to the gas heater is gone.

At the office of Howard Wagner, Willy's boss, Howard shows Willy his new wire recorder as Willy attempts to ask for a job in New York.

Howard insists that Willy is a road man, but Willy claims that it is time for him to be more settled.

He has the right to it because he has been in the firm since Howard was a child, and even named him.

Willy claims that there is no room for personality or friendship in the salesman position anymore, and begs for any sort of salary, giving lower and lower figures.

Willy insists that Howard's father made promises to him.

Howard leaves, and Willy leans on his desk, turning on the wire recorder.

This frightens Willy, who shouts for Howard.

Howard returns, exasperated, and fires Willy, telling him that he needs a good, long rest and should rely on his sons instead of working.

Willy hallucinates that Ben enters and Linda, as a young woman, tells Willy that he should stay in New York.

Not everybody has to conquer the world and Frank Wagner promised that Willy will someday be a member of the firm.

Willy tells the younger versions of Biff and Happy that it's "who you know" that matters.

Bernard arrives, and begs Biff to let him carry his helmet to the big game at Ebbets Field, while Willy becomes insulted that Charley may have forgotten about the game.

The play returns to the present day, where the adult Bernard sits in his father's office.

His father's secretary, Jenny, enters and tells Bernard that Willy is shouting in the hallway.

Willy talks to Bernard, who will argue a case in Washington soon, and whose wife has just given birth to their second son.

Willy wonders why Biff's life ended after the Ebbets Field game, and Bernard asks why Willy didn't make Biff to go summer school so that he could go to UVA.

Bernard pinpoints the timing of Biff's failures to his visit to his father in New England, after which Biff burned his UVA sneakers.

He wonders what happened during that visit. Charley enters, and tells Willy that Bernard will argue a case in front of the Supreme Court.

Charley offers Willy a job, which he refuses out of pride.

Charley criticizes Willy for thinking that personality is the only thing that matters in business.

Willy remarks that a person is worth more dead than alive, and tells Charley that, even though they dislike one another, Charley is the only friend he has.

At the restaurant where Willy is to meet his sons, Happy flirts with a woman and tells her that Biff is a quarterback with the New York giants.

Biff admits to Happy that he did a terrible thing during his meeting with Bill Oliver.

Bill did not remember Biff, who pocketed his fountain pen before he left.

Biff insists that they tell their father about this tonight.

Willy arrives and tells his sons that he was fired.

Although Biff tries to lie to Willy about his meeting, Biff and Willy fight. Biff finally gives up and tries to explain.

As this occurs, Willy hallucinates about arguing with the younger version of Biff.

Miss Forsythe, the woman with whom Happy was flirting, returns with another woman and prepares to go out on a double date with Happy and Biff. Happy denies that Willy is their father.

Willy imagines being back in the hotel room in Boston with the woman.

The teenage Biff arrives at the hotel and tells Willy that he failed math class, and begs his father to talk to Mr. Birnbaum.

Biff hears the woman, who is hiding in the bathroom.

Willy lies to Biff, telling him that the woman is merely there to take a shower because she is staying in the next room and her shower is broken.

Biff realizes what is going on. Willy throws the woman out, and she yells at him for breaking the promises he made to her.

Willy admits the affair to Biff, but promises that the woman meant nothing to him and that he was lonely.

At the restaurant, the waiter helps Willy and tells him that his sons left with two women.

Willy insists on finding a seed store so that he can do some planting.

When Biff and Happy return home, they give their mother flowers. She asks them if they care whether their father lives or dies, and says that they would not even abandon a stranger at the restaurant as they did their father.

Willy is planting in the garden. He imagines talking to Ben about his funeral, and claims that people will come from all over the country to his funeral, because he is well known.

Ben says that Willy will be a coward if he commits suicide.

Willy tells Biff that he cut his life down for spite, and refuses to take the blame for Biff's failure.

Biff confronts him about the rubber tube attached to the gas heater, and tells his mother that it was he, not Willy, who took it away.

Biff also admits that his parents could not contact him because he was in jail for three months.

Biff insists that men like he and Willy are a dime a dozen, but Willy claims otherwise.

Biff cries for his father, asking him to give up his dreams, but Willy is merely amazed that he would cry for his father.

Happy vows to get married and settle down, while everybody but Willy goes to sleep.

Willy talks to Ben, then rushes out of the house and speeds out away in his car.

Happy and Biff come downstairs in jackets, while Linda walks out in mourning clothes and places flowers on Willy's grave.

Only his wife, sons, and Charley attend Willy's funeral.

Linda wonders where everybody else is, and says that they have made their final house payment and are free and clear after thirty-five years.

Biff claims that Willy had the wrong dreams, but Charley says that a salesman must dream, and that for a salesman there is no rock bottom in life.

Biff asks Happy to leave the city with him, but Happy vows to stay in New York and prove that his father did not die in vain.

Everybody leaves but Linda, who remains at the grave and talks about how she made the final house payment.

source:gradesaver.com
 


The wording ''you guys'' in my opinion still sound awkward,only that it will be useful if and only if you are addressing a specific group especially of youth type.I would suggest the use of the phrase like ''ladies and gents'',''my friends'',''my colleagues'' etc
 

Thank you for your commentary.

I meant the phrases to be used in an informal environment.

You are absolutely right about the use of your phrases in formal / informal settings.

I'm not sure about Tanzania, but the phrases "hey guys" and "you guys" are used by both children, teens and adults in America and Canada, in an informal environment.

"Hey guys" can also be used as an informal greeting like "hi" but in plural form.

I was also trying to find better words than " you people" in the phrase used:

What's happening you people?

In this case, in an informal setting we can say:

1. What's happening you guys?
 
Basic English Grammar Lesson for Beginners.

If you just started learning English, you first need to know some basic rules of the language. Developing a solid foundation in English grammar will not only help you create your own sentences correctly but will also make it easier to improve your communication skills in both spoken and written English.

I will explain the basic rules of the language step by step.

Today let's start with NOUNS.

Singular and Plural Nouns
A noun names a person, place, thing, or idea.

Usually, the first page of a grammar book tells you about nouns.

Nouns give names of concrete or abstract things in our lives.

As babies learn "mom," "dad," or "milk" as their first word, nouns should be the first topic when you study a foreign language.

For the plural form of most nouns, add s.

bottle – bottles
cup – cups
pencil – pencils
desk – desks
sticker – stickers
window – windows

For nouns that end in ch, x, s, or s sounds, add es.

box – boxes
watch – watches
moss – mosses
bus – buses

For nouns ending in f or fe, change f to v and add es.

wolf – wolves
wife – wives
leaf – leaves
life – lives

Some nouns have different plural forms.

child – children
woman – women
man – men
mouse – mice
goose – geese

Nouns ending in vowels like y or o do not have definite rules.

baby – babies
toy – toys
kidney – kidneys
potato – potatoes
memo – memos
stereo – stereos

A few nouns have the same singular and plural forms.

sheep – sheep
deer – deer
series – series
species – species

QUIZ 1.1

Choose the correct form of the noun in each sentence.

1. I have three (child, children).

2. There are five (man, men) and one (woman, women).

3. ( Baby, Babies) play with bottles as toys.

4. I put two big (potato, potatoes) in the lunch box.

5. A few men wear (watch, watches).

6. I put a (memo, memos) on the desk.

7. I saw a (mouse, mice) running by.

8. There are few (bus, buses) on the road today.

Answers to the Quiz 1.1 will be given before the start of the next lesson.

The next lesson will be:
Count-Nouns and Non-Count Nouns
 
Answers to Quiz 1.1
1) children
2) men, woman
3) Babies
4) potatoes
5) watches
6) memo
7) mouse
8) buses

Count Nouns vs. Non-Count Nouns

Count nouns

pen, computer, bottle, spoon, desk, cup, television, chair, shoe, finger, flower, camera, stick, balloon, book, table, comb, etc.

Take an s to form the plural.

pens, computers, bottles, spoons, desks, cups, televisions, chairs, shoes, fingers, flowers, cameras, sticks, balloons, books, tables, combs, etc.

Work with expressions such as (a few, few, many, some, every, each, these, and the number of).

a few pens, a few computers, many bottles, some spoons, every desk, each cup, these televisions, the number of chairs, a few shoes, a few fingers, many flowers, some cameras, every stick, each balloon, these books, the number of tables, many combs, etc.

Work with appropriate articles (a, an, or the).

a pen, the computer, a bottle, the spoon, a desk, the cup, a television, the chair, a shoe, the finger, a flower, the camera, a stick, the balloon, a book, the table, a comb, etc.

Do NOT work with much (for example, you would never say "much pens" or "much computers").

Non-count nouns

Cannot be counted.
They usually express a group or a type.

water, wood, ice, air, oxygen, English, Spanish, traffic, furniture, milk, wine, sugar, rice, meat, flour, soccer, sunshine, etc.

Generally cannot be pluralized.

Work both with and without an article (a, an, or the), depending on the context of the sentence.

Sugar is sweet.
The sunshine is beautiful.
I drink milk.
He eats rice.
We watch soccer together.
The wood is burning.

Work with expressions such as (some, any, enough, this, that, and much).

We ate some rice and milk.
I hope to see some sunshine today.
This meat is good.
She does not speak much Spanish.
Do you see any traffic on the road?
That wine is very old.

Do NOT work with expressions such as (these, those, every, each, either, or neither).

QUIZ 2.1

Choose all of the non-count nouns in the following list:

wine, student, pen, water, wind, milk, computer, furniture, cup, rice, box, watch, potato, wood

Next lesson: Possessive nouns.
 
Answers to QUIZ 2.1
wine, water, wind, milk, furniture, rice, wood

Possessive Nouns

Possessive nouns are used to indicate ownership.

Possessive nouns usually are formed by adding an apostrophe (') and s.

John's book.
Kerry's car.
Grandma's mirror.

When a noun is plural and ends in s, just add an apostrophe (').

The kids' toys.
My parents' house.
The teachers' lounge.

If two people own one thing, add the apostrophe and s to the second person only.

John and Mary's new house.
David and Sue's wedding.
Tom and Doug's car.

If two people own separate things, add the apostrophe and s for each person.

Susan's and Beth's books.
Jean's and Dan's pants.
Ben's and Jim's offices.

QUIZ 3.1

Which of the following sentence is NOT correct?

1. Dr. Hunts has a new computer.

2. Dr. Hunts's new computer is working well.

3. Dr. Hunts' computer is new.

Next lesson is Pronoun
 
Answer to Quiz 3.1
Number 2 is wrong.


Pronouns
A pronoun takes the place of a noun.

Example story:

Mary is one of the heads of the BSS Corporation.
Mary works with Mr. James and Mr. James' son Tom.
Mr. James and Mr. James' son Tom are experts in biochemistry.
Mary, Mr. James, and Tom researched and invented a drug for cancer treatment.

If the story above is written using pronouns:

Mary is one of the heads of the BSS Corporation. She works with Mr. James and his son Tom. He and his son are experts in biochemistry. They researched and invented a drug for cancer treatment.

Personal Pronouns

Personal pronouns refer to a person:

I go to school.
You are a student.
They are Koreans.
He works here.
We gave her food.

The word ‘it' refers to an object:

I drank it.
It is big.
They cut it into halves.


MEMORIZE THIS:

Subject Pronoun
I, you, he, she, it, we , you , they

Object Pronoun
me, you, him, her, it, us, you, them

Possessive Adjectives
my, your, his, her, its, our, your, their

Possessive Pronoun
mine, yours, his, hers, its, ours, yours, theirs

Reflexive Pronoun
myself, yourself, himself, herself, itself, ourselves, yourselves, themselves


QUIZ 4.1


Pronoun exercises:

Topics: Identify pronouns, choose the correct pronoun, and use pronouns in sentences.


Part 1
Select the correct options from the choices given in brackets.

1. How many times has Bill told a lie to (his / him) father?

2. Where did Sally go with (she / her) friends yesterday?

3. I love going to the park with Mark, even though (he / him) is a little odd.

4. The cat was taking care of (its / his) young.

5. The dog was chasing (her / its) tail.

6. Many students wonder where (they / them) will end up after college.

7. A parent always wonders if (he or she / they) are doing the best for the kids.

8. How many times did Mr. Johnson have to tell you to stay out of (his / he / him) yard?

9. I don’t know what’s gotten into the dogs but (them / they) have been barking all day.

10. Look at the mother and father bird building (their / its) nest in the tree.

Part 2
Finish the following sentences by supplying appropriate pronouns in the spaces provided.

1. Plows were invented in Mesopotamia more than 5,000 years ago, and ________ vastly improved agriculture and crop production.

2. John Deer was an American Blacksmith, and ________ developed great improvements to the design and structure of the plow.

3. His wife believed in what he was doing and _______ supported him in all of his experiments and business ventures.

4. The road to starting a business was hard and John wondered at times if _______ will ever see his dream come true.

5. American farmers experimented and tried out John’s new plow design and __________ were very impressed with its strength and quality.

6. John Deere sold thousands of plows when he first began to produce and market _______.

7. John Deere moved in Illinois to help his business because ________ was a central spot for farmers and a great place to market his plow.

8. In 1861, Deere incorporated his company and today _________ name is famous for quality tractors and farming equipment.

9. Many agricultural associates in the country recommend _______ brand of tractor to farmers.

10. John Deer probably had no idea how successful _____ would become.

Next lesson : BE Verbs
 
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