OR
-
The students in my coaching are better prepared than those in other coachings.
(look at the pronoun those that takes place of the students, rather than repetition of noun)
Synthetic oils burn less efficiently than natural oils.
In this case, what is compared is not the two types of oil, but how well each type of oil burns.
-
Synthetic oils burn less efficiently than natural oil burn.
Another way through replacement verb do or does
-
wristy players hits less efficiently than do Non-wristy players
-
wristy players hits less efficiently than non- wristy players does.
HOW TO LOCATE ABSURD COMPARISONS QUESTIONS?
Words such as than, as, similar to and like (one which indicates comparison)
EG: Doctors sometimes have difficulty diagnosing viral pneumonia because the early symptoms of this potentially deadly illness are often quite similar to the common cold.
-
Are often quite similar to the common cold
-
Often resembles that of the common cold
-
Are often quite similar to those of common cold
-
Are often quite similar to the common cold’s symptom
-
Quite often are, like the common cold, similar
(similar to suggests the comparison)
The symptoms of one illness are being compared directly to another illness. A and E are ruled out as they don’t make any comparison of symptoms. B uses replacement pronoun that, since symptoms is plural hence singular that would not work. Choice D last word is symptom which is singular, hence C is the correct answer.
-
Error of tenses: when he was younger he sang three hours everyday and has played guitar too.
Clause when he was younger- indicates past. Hence the two verbs that follow should be in the past tense as well. Has played (present perfect tense) inconsistent with played (the simple past tense)
-
When he was younger he sang three hours everyday and played guitar too.
ILLUSTRATION OF TENSES (REFER TO THE TABLE):
A sentence that begins in one tense should generally stay in that tense. For example, a sentence that begins in the present perfect (which describes an action that has happened in the past, but is potentially going on in the present as well) should stay in the present as well.
-
Tense
|
Application
|
Present
|
He studies three hours a day
|
Simple past
|
When he was younger, he studied three hours a day
|
Present perfect
|
He has studied three hours a day for the last several yeras
|
Past perfect
|
He had studied three hours a day until he took admission
|
future
|
He will study three hours a day starting tomorrow
|
He has walked three miles a day for the last several years and has never complained. One exception to this rule is a sentence that contains the past perfect (in which one action in the past happened before another action in the past). By definition any action set in the past perfect must have another action that comes after it. Set in the simple past.
He had ridden his motorcycle for two hours when it ran out of gas. The only exceptions to this rule come up when one action in a sentence clearly precedes another.
The dinosaurs are extinct now, but they were once present on the earth in large numbers. In this case, the sentence clearly refers to two different time periods: now, which requires the present tense, and a period long ago, which requires the past tense.
HOW TO LOCATE TENSE ERRORS?
Plan A: look for changes in verb tense in the sentence.
Plan B: look for changes in verb tense in the answer choices.
Eg: A doctor at the Amsterdam clinic maintains that if children eat a diet high in vitamins and took vitamins supplements, they will be less likely to catch the common cold.
-
Took vitamin suuplements, they will be less likely to catch
-
Took vitamin supplements they are less likely to catch
-
Take vitamin supplements, they were less likely of catching
-
Take vitamin supplements, they will be less likely of catching
-
Take vitamin supplements, they are less likely to catch
EXPLANATION:
A and B eliminated as they don’t have take. C is eliminated as it puts rest of the sentence in past tense. D eliminated because of incorrect idiomatic expression likely of catching. Therefore, E is the correct choice.
THE NUMBER OF IS SINGULAR
A NUMBER OF IS PLURAL
-
Error of mismatch subject and verb:
A verb is supposed to agree with its subject.
The number of cases of domestic violence are increasing every year.
Subject is number which is singular, of cases of domestic violence modifies the subject. Verb: are which is plural.
-
The number of cases of domestic violence is increasing every year.
-
Singular nouns
|
Singular pronouns
|
The Netherlands (name of city,state, country, etc)
|
Each
|
Tom or John (any two singular nouns connected by or)
|
Everyone
|
The family
|
Everybody
|
The audience
|
Nobody
|
Politics
|
|
Measles
|
|
The number
|
|
The amount
|
|
A list or series of actions set off by commas. Every item in the list or series should take the same form.
Keep the same tense throughout the sentence
-
ERRORS OF IDIOMATIC EXPRESSION:
There is little doubt that large corporations are indebted for the small companies that broke new ground in laser optics.
The administration of a small daily dose of aspirin has not only been shown to lower the risk of heart attack, and it has also been shown to help relieve the suffering of arthritis.
-
Not only-but also
|
Not so much-as-
|
Defined as
|
Regard as
|
Neither-nor
|
Modeled after
|
Based on
|
A result of
|
To result in
|
A debate over
|
Either or
|
A dispute over
|
A responsibility to
|
Responsible for
|
Different from
|
A consequence of
|
So-as to be-
|
So that
|
Depicted as
|
Define as
|
As greart as
|
As good as, or better than
|
Attributed to
|
Credited with
|
According to
|
Agree with
|
Appear to
|
Because of
|
Choose from
|
Conclude that
|
Contributed to
|
Depend on
|
Different from
|
Due to
|
In order to
|
Instead of
|
Rather than
|
Subject to
|
Worry about
|
Think of – as
|
See-as
|
Target-as
|
Prohibit from
|
Distinguish between
|
Distinguish from
|
-
ERROR OF QUANTIFICATION:
On the flight to Los Angeles, Nancy had to choose among two dinner entrees. (Between as among is used for more than two)
-
Two items
|
More than two items
|
Between
|
among
|
More
|
Most
|
Better
|
Best
|
less
|
Least
|
-
Could I have fewer soup please
-
Less since soup is liquid and cannot be counted.
-
Countable items
|
Non-countable items
|
Fewer
|
Less
|
Number
|
Amount, quantity
|
Many
|
much
|
Of the many electoral promise facing the Government as it meets to review its progress of the first 100 days, the issue of black money is for certain the more troublesome (is certainly the most troublesome)
MORE DETAILED LEARNING OF ENGLISH GRAMMAR, RULES AND THEIR USES:
PREPOSITIONS:
TIME:
-
On: days of the week—on Monday
-
In: months/seasons—in August/in winter, the time of the day—in the afternoon, year—in 2014, after a certain period of time—in an hour
-
At: for night—at night, for weekend—at the weekend, a certain point of time—at half past nine
-
Since: from a certain point of time in the past till now---since 1980
-
For: over a certain period of time (past till now) –for 20 years
-
Ago: a certain time in the past—2 years ago
-
Before: earlier than a certain point of time—befor 20 hours
-
To: telling the time—ten to six (5:50)
-
Past: telling the time—ten past six (6:10)
-
To / till/ until: marking the beginning and end of a period of time—from Monday to / till Friday
-
Till / until: in the sense of how long something is going to last—he is on holiday until Friday
-
By: in the sense of at the latest—I will be back by 6’o clock, upto a certain time—by 11’o clock, I had read five pages.
PLACE (POSITION AND DIRECTION):
-
In: room, building, street, town, country—in the kitchen, in London; book, paper, etc—in the book; car, taxi—in the car, in a taxi; picture, world—in the picture, in the world
-
At: meaning next, by an object—at the door, at the station; for table—at the table; for events—at a concert, at the party; places where you are to do something typical (watch a film, study, play, etc)—at the cinema, at a playground
-
On: attached—to the picture on the wall; for a place with a river—Lucknow lies on the bank of Gomati; being on a surface—on the table; for a certain side (left hand)—on the left; for a floor in a house—on the first floor; for public transport—on the bus; for television radio—on Tv, on the radio
-
By, next to, beside: left or right of somebody or something—Jane is standing by/next to/ beside the car
-
Under: on the ground, lower than (or covered by) something else—the bag is under the table
-
Below: lower than something else but above ground—the fish are below the surface
-
Over: covered by something else—put a jacket over your shirt; meaning more than—over 16 years of age; getting to the other side (also across)—walk over the bridge; overcoming and obstacle—climb over the wall
-
Above: higher than something else, but not directly over it—a path above the lake
-
Across: getting to the other side (also over)—walk across the bridge; getting to the other side—swim across the lake
-
Through: something with limits on top, bottom and the sides—drive through the tunnel
-
To: movement to a person or building—go to the cinema; movement to a place or country—go to London / Ireland; for bed—go to bed
-
Into: enter a room/ a building—go into the kitchen / the house
-
Towards: movement In the direction of something (but not directly to it)—go 5 step towards the house
-
Onto: movement to the top of something—jump on to the table
-
From: in the sense of where from—a flower from the garden
OTHER IMPORTANT PREPOSITIONS:
-
From: who ave it—a present from Jane
-
Of: who/ what does it belong to—a page of the book; what does it show—the picture of the palace
-
By: who made it—a book by Mark Twain
-
On: walking or riding on horse back—on foot, on horse back; entering a public transport vehicle—get on the bus
-
In: entering a car/ Taxi—get in the car
-
Off: leaving a public transport vehicle—get off the train
-
Out of: leaving a car/taxi—get out of the taxi
-
By: rise or fall of something—prices have risen by 10 percent; travelling (other than walking or horse riding)—by car/by bus
-
At: for age—she learned Russian at 45
-
About: for topics, meaning what about—we were talking about you.
CARDINAL NUMBERS:
1 through 1000000. Hundred and tens are separated by ánd’in british English. In Ameriacn English and is not necessary. 110—one hundred and ten, 1250—one thousand, two hundred and fifty.
Hundreds: á’or óne’a hundred, one hundred, á’can only stand at the beginning of a number. 2100—two thousand one hundred.
Thousands and millions: a thousand / one thousand. 201,000—two hundred and one thousand. The number 1,000,00,00 – billion; 1,00,00,00,00—trillion.
Singular or plural: numbers are usually written in singular. Two hundred euros, several thousand light years.
The plural is only used with dozen, hundred, thousand, million, billion, if they are not modified by another number or expression. (eg: a few, several)
Hundreds of euros, thousands of light years.
ORDINAL NUMBER:
Ist –first, 2nd- second, 9th – ninth and so on.
Just add th to the cardinal number, four-fourth, eleven- eleventh.
Exceptions: one-first, two-second, three-third, five-fifth, eight-eighth, nine-ninth, twelve-twelfth.
In compound ordinal numbers—only the last figure is written as an ordinal number. 421= four hundred and twenty-first.
Figure: when expressed as figures, the last two letters of written words are added to the ordinal number. First=1st, second=2nd, third=3rd, twenty-sixth=26th, hundred and first = 101st.
Titles: in names for kings and queens—ordinal numbers are written in Roman Numbers. In spoken English, the definite article is used before the ordinal number.
charlesII—Charles the second, Edward vi—Edward the sixth.
A.M= anti meridian, P.M= post meridian
BODY PARTS:
Arm, eye, eyebrow, belly, leg, breast, thumb, elbow, fist, finger, foot (plural feet), ankle, buttocks, hair, neck, nail, hand, wrist, hip, chin, knee, head, lip, mouth, nose, nostril, upper arm, thigh, ear, bottom, bum, back, underarm, forearm, lower leg, shoulder, forehead, waist, calf, (calves), cheek, eyelash, lash, tooth (teeth), toe, tongue
STATING YOUR OPINIONS:
It seems to me that, in my opinion, I am of the opinion that…., In my experience, as far as I understand/can see, as I see it, from my point of view, as far as I know, from what I know, I might be wrong but, if I am not mistaken, I believe one can safely say, it is claimed that, I must admit that, I cannot deny that, I can imagine that, I think / believe/suppose, personally I think, that is why I think, I am sure/certain/convinced that, I am not sure/certain, but, I am not sure, because I don’t know the situation exactly, I am not convinced that, I have read that, I am of mixed opinion (about/on), I am of mixed opinions abot / on this, I have no opinion on this matter.
OUTLINING FACTS:
The fact is that, the truth of the matter is that, the main point is that, this proves that, this satisfy/substantiate/testify the claim, what it comes down/boils down to is that, the bottom line is that, it is obvious that, it is certain that, one can say that, it is clear that, there is no doubt that.
AGREEING AND DISAGREEING:
Agremment: there are many reasons for, there is no doubt about it that, I simply must agree with that, I am of the same opinion, I am of the same opinion as the author, I completely/absolutely agree with the author, likewise I also
Qualified disagrrement: it is only partly true that, I can agree with that only with reservation, that seems obvious, but, that is not necessary so, it is not as simple as it seems, under certain circumstances
Disagreement: there is more to it than that, the problem is that, my contention is that, I (very much) doubt whether, this is in complete contradiction to, what is even worse, I am of different opinion because, I cannot share this/ that/ the view, I cannot agree with this idea, what I object to is, unlike the author I think.
LINKING ARGUMENTS:
First of all I think; not only that, but I also think that; not only are they… they are also; they are not.. nor are they; there are various/ several/ many reasons for this; first,…./firstly; second,…secondly; moreover…/furthermore,…./in addition…; another significant point is that; finally; on the one hand,… on the other hand…,; in contrast to this is…; because of; that is why; after all; the reason is that; in that respect; the result of this is that; another aspect/ point is that; it is because; although it is true that…it would be wrong to claim that; thay may sometimes be true, but….; one could argue that… but..;
PROVIDING EXAMPLES:
Take for example (the case of); look at; for instance; for example; let me give you an example.
ADDITION AND CONCLUSIONS:
Most probably; it appears to be; it is important to mention that; as I already indicated; in other words; I am most concerned about; I would like to repeat once again that. I should like to emphasis that; I would just like to add; so all in all I believe that; in summing up t can be said that; weighing the pros and cons, I come to the conclusion that.
CONJUNCTIONS:
-
But/still/however
|
Especially/mainly/partucularly
|
Before
|
As/because/sine
|
So that
|
Then/after that
|
That’s why/so
|
Either…or
|
After all
|
After
|
Of course
|
Though/although/even though
|
Or
|
As soon as
|
As long as
|
Finally/eventually
|
In spite of/even so/all the same
|
Perhaps
|
Above all
|
Neither….nor
|
Because
|
First of all
|
For example /for instance
|
|
EASILY CONFUSED WORDS:
-
Both, either, neither, nor and so
-
Both…..and….= I like both cats and dogs
-
So= Jane like cats. So do I.
-
Not….either= Jane doesn’t like cats. I don’t like cats either
-
Neither/nor= Jane doesn’t like cats. Neither do I / nor do I
-
Neither….nor= I like neither cats nor dogs. Neither Jane nor I like cats.
-
Since—if the starting point is given (two o’clock, last Friday)
-
For—if the period of time is given (twenty minutes, two days, one year)
-
Some and any: used for countable and uncountable nouns. In general, we could say that some means a few/ a little any means none in negative clause or a few/ a little in question
-
Positive claue: in positive clauses, we usually go for some. Eg: I have bought some bread. I have bought some apples.
-
Negative clause: not, any. I have not bought any bread. I have not bought any apples. Question any; have you bought any bread? Have you bought any apples?
-
Compound words with some and any: something—anything, someone—anyone, somewhere—anywhere, somehow—anyhow. Note: some and any have to be used with a noun; while compound words with some and any can stand on their own. I have bought some bread. I have bought something. However, some and any need not stand directly before the noun. Sometimes, the noun appears somewhere before some or any and is not repeated. So if you are not sure whether to use some or something, check if there is a noun in the sentence that you can place after some. Eg: I do not have to buy bread. Rachel has always bought some (bread); exceptions: we usually use some in positive clauses but after never, without, hardly, we use any. Eg: we never go anywhere. She did her homework without any help. There is hardly anyone here. Also in if clauses, we usually use any. Eg: if there is anything to do, just call me
-
Questions with some: we usuaaly use any in questions. But if we expect or want the other to answer, yes: we use some. Eg: have you got any brothers and sisters? Some people have brothers or sisters, others don’t: we cannot expect the answer to be yes. Would you like some biscuits? We offer something and want to encourage the others to say yes.
-
Little and few: both a little and a few means some. If a noun is in singular, we use a little; a little money. If a noun is in plural we use a few; a few friends. Countable nouns have a singular and plural form. In plural, these nouns can be used with a number. Countable noun takes a few. Eg: 4 friends= a few friend. Uncountable nouns can only be used in singular; and cannot be used with a number. Uncountable takes a little. Eg: we cant say that 3 water = a little water. 3 drops of water would be correct. Because drop is correct. A little money is correct; of corse you can count money—but then you would name the currency and say that you have got 3 euros and not 3 money.
-
A little/ a few or little / few: without the article, the words have a limiting or negative meaning. A little=some; little= hardly any. I need a little money = I need some money; I need little money = I need hardly any money. A few = some; few = hardly any. A few friends visited me = some friends visired me. Few friends visited me = hardly any friends visited me. Without the article, little / few sounds rather formal. That’s why we don’t use them very often in everyday English. A negative sentence with much / many is more common here. I need little money = I do not need much money. Few friends visited me = not many friends visited me.
-
Much and many: the word much and many means a lot of. Much is singular noun; much money. Many is plural niun; many friends. In everyday English, we normally use much / many only in questions and negative clauses. How much money have you got? Carla does not have many friends. In positive clauses with so, or too, we also use much / many. Carla has so many friends. She has as many friends as Sue. Kevin has too much money. In all other positive clauses, however, we prefer expressions like a lot of/ lots of. Carla has a lot of / lots of friend. Kevin has a lot of / lots of money. In formal texts, however, much / many are also common in positive clauses. This you will notice when you will read English news. Countable nouns—100 friends= many friends. Uncountable nouns—100 money (incorrect) = much money.
-
Who and which: who for people, which for animals and inanimated things. Relative pronouns: you witnessed a Dacoit hide outs and now you have to narrate the set up to the police. “This is the place (which) Gabbar used as hide out. The man (who) was on the tank had a rifle. He had beards (which) made him look like a Dacoit. Gabbar came with a lady (who) was wearing red saree. The woman (who) danced was very beautiful. The glasses (which) were thrown on the surface were dangeorous. The people (who) acoompanied gabbar were all drinking wine. The rifle (which) Jay held was black. The man (who) was tied was shouting and abusing. They tossed the coin (which) was not fair ”
-
Must not and need not: must not—prohibition (not allowed), under no circumstances; need not—optional (not necessary). The team must not have more than 11 players on a field during a match, but there need not be 11 players playing for each team.
-
Weather and whether: whether the weather be fine, or whether the weather be not, whether the weather be cold or whether the weather be hot. We will weather the weather whatever the weather be whether we like it or not.
Dostları ilə paylaş: |
