Question tags are basically short questions which appear at the end of the sentences. When it comes to day to day speech or any kind of informal writing the use of question tags is very common. But the use of these tags is very uncommon in case of formal writing. Some of the examples of question tags are as follows:
It is very hot, isn’t it?
She sings well, doesn’t she? Or if you want to put in another way you can say, She sings well, doesn’t she?
Generally the trend is that in case of informal sentences the negative form is written in short which means instead of writing is not it we tend to write isn’t it. But this style of contraction can be used only in case of informal writings but in case of formal writings we should use the full form like, They said they would finish the work in six months, did they not?
If we had to write this same sentence in an informal tone we would have written it in the form: They said they would finish the work in six months, didn’t they?
The main purpose of using question tags is to find whether something which is said is true or not. The tags are also used ... Read more...
Posted in English Tips, Grammar |
When you are writing the English language it is very obvious that you will be using the capital letters as well as the small letters. But the use of capital letters is not that easy, you need to follow certain rules if you want to use capital letters when you are writing the English language. For example, when you are writing a letter you will not be using capital letters throughout the letter. There are certain rules which you need to follow. On the other hand at certain places if you are not using capital letters it is considered a grammatical mistake. So when you are writing the academic writings you need to be certain of the rules and then use them accordingly.
In the first place it is said that the personal pronoun “I” should always be written in capital letters. For example, I love coffee.
In the second place it is recommended when you are beginning a sentence or a speech it is expected that you use upper case or capital letters. For instance, I am planning to go for a movie this weekend.
Thirdly, it is recommended that when you are using short forms like UNO or NATO you are supposed to write them in c... Read more...
Posted in English Tips |
As you progress in the study of grammar you are gradually taught to combine two or more simple sentences into a single complex sentence. The main purpose of doing so is to make the sentence crisp. But unless you know the proper rules you are not in a position to combine two or more simple sentences into a complex one.
The rules which are given below should always be followed by you as you try to combine two or more complex sentences. In the first place it is recommended that you convert one simple sentence into a principal clause and the other simple sentences into sub-ordinate clauses.
When you are using a noun clause in a complex sentence it does the job of a noun in the sentence. In fact the noun clause in a sentence can act as a subject or an object of the verb which is present in the principal clause.
Some of the examples are as follows:
Simple Sentences: A good environment is essential for happiness in life. He believes this.
Complex Sentence: He believes that a good environment is essential for happiness in life.
Simple Sentences: Cou... Read more...
Posted in English Tips, Grammar |
Hyphens are an integral part of the punctuation and it is important for you to have adequate knowledge about the commonly used punctuation marks. In fact if you are not very sure as to where to use the various punctuation marks you are not in a position to present a flawless written document. As far as hyphen is considered a lot of confusion arises because many people have a tendency to replace the hyphen with a dash but that is not the correct way.
The hyphen has several uses in the English language. The various forms in which hyphen is used are as follows:
In the first place it is used when a prefix is added to some of the words. Some of the examples in which hyphen is used in the prefixes are as follows re-enter and re-examine. But all words which have a prefix do not follow the same rule. In this regard it can be said in case of words like undo or reorganize you do not use the hyphen. Keep in mind that when you are using hyphen in any words they need to be dependent on one another like the words “ex-wife” and “re-edit”. As you are using these if you have any doubt it is advised that you refer to the dictiona... Read more...
Posted in Grammar |
The words which end with ‘ar’, ‘er’, ‘or’, ‘our’, ‘re’, ‘ure’, ‘ur’ are generally confusing because they have more or less similar pronunciation. And due to this often people tend to make mistakes in the spellings of these words. It might become difficult to decide which to use. In order to avoid any kind of mistakes it is important that you have a clear idea about these words. In order to develop a better idea you can just have a look at some of these words ending with ‘ar’, ‘er’, ‘or’, ‘our’, ‘re’, ‘ure’, ‘ur’. Taking cue from these words you should be in a position which is the right kind of ending for each of the word.
There are certain words which end with “ar” but you may tend to confuse these words ending with “er”. There are some common words even with which we tend to make mistakes. Some of the common words which end with “ar” are as follows: pillar, calendar, vicar, scholar, particular, pedlar, beggar, grammar, similar, solar, altar, circular and a lot more. Many of the times you must have experienced that some of your friends spell the word “gram... Read more...
Posted in Grammar |
One of the basic things that you need to know as a learner of the English language is that you should know the rules of grammar while at the same time improve your vocabulary. Vocabulary refers to the list of words that you should know in order to communicate with others in everyday life in English.
Grammar and vocabulary are therefore the twin major aspects of the language and you can learn them using traditional means or through ordinary easy methods. You need to study the rules, read books on miscellaneous topics in the language and pay attention to the instructions and signs on products of everyday use.
Look Up a Grammar Book: A grammar book will acquaint you with the rules of the language and increase your vocabulary. These books can be purchased online or from stores and explain the basic principles of formulation and construction of sentences, subject-verb agreement and help you with useful words which recur in the language.
By going through the rules continuously, you can use the grammar and vocabulary books for getting a basic understanding of the language and then apply the laws to eve... Read more...
Tags: adjective, correct grammar, dictionary, English, english language, example, Grammar, grammar book, online, rules of grammar, sentences, verb, Verbs, vocabulary, writing an essay
Posted in Grammar |
Stay corrected the next time you speak wrong English! Okay, here’s how to proceed. First off, remember the thumb rule – Communication. The person who is keen to learn the nuances of the language should know that their writing should be correct grammatically.
Several word processing tools are equipped with programs for grammar correction, although since the rules governing the language are miscellaneous, there are actually a few programs that identify the grammatical errors. Moreover, if the program identifies the mistake, it cannot suggest solutions as that requires knowing about the intention of the author. Hence, it is best that the tool for grammar correction should not be automatic, but manual.
Practice reading aloud. Remember that the basis of any language is oral. Kids learn to speak before learning to read. This makes some people understand and identify errors in the language when heard, rather than when they are read. Reading makes the mind agile to pick up problems such as misspelled words, typographic errors, and spelling errors, quickly and effortlessly, which the consci... Read more...
Tags: English, Grammar, grammatical error, grammatical errors, language, noun, pronunciation, punctuation, sentence, sentences, spelling error, verb, Verbs, word processing, writer
Posted in English Tips |
The agreement of the verb with the subject happens to be one of the major ingredients in the understanding and learning of English grammar. It is nothing but the following of a few simple rules. The subject as well as verb of each clause should be in agreement with the number. However, despite the apparent simplicity of the rule, you will often come across people who get the subject and verb wrong in so many sentences. It is important to understand the basics of writing and reading English grammar.
If you are to write and speak the language properly, it is important to give the learner lots of options to practice the agreement of the verb with the subject. Make ensure that the activities that are given for practice are interactive and fun to learn. This will help them master the fundamentals and basics of the language.
Practice Interesting Exercises
Make sure about a Newspaper Search: Offer the learner with a newspaper and make sure that they choose a story which is of interest to them. The kids’ section of the newspapers is of interest to the persons or learners and these hav... Read more...
Tags: English, english grammar, Grammar, help, language, learner, option, paragraph, person, sentence, sentences, simple sentence, simple sentences, verb, Verbs, writer
Posted in Verbs |
Irrespective of the language that you are trying to pick up, one thing to remember while you are in the learning process is that you should be interactive. Whether it is English, Spanish or French, speaking or writing the language will make sense when you follow the rues of the language. If you follow the rules of grammar, it will make you as a writer or speaker look professional. The best way to learn English is perhaps through worksheets and grammar exercises. This is the best way to pick the language up, something that reading English books or listening to CDs does not give you.
English is an intricate language and hence, its nuances may be a tad tough to get. The matter is perhaps true if you are an English native, but are not aware of the rules of the language. However, you need to understand the little details of the grammar and learn to apply the concrete written and spoken principles to each lesson that you learn. One of the best ways through which this can be done is through the interactive approach.
Communication is the Key
Practice makes Perfect: First of all, you sho... Read more...
Tags: adjective, conjunction, English, english grammar, example, Grammar, grammatical error, grammatical errors, language, learner, rules of grammar, sentences, verb, Verbs, writer
Posted in Grammar, Learn English |
If you are bored learning English through grammar, writing and reading, try music. Yes, music and songs are what we are talking about. One of the best ways to learn the basics of English grammar and its appropriate usage is through English songs. You will come across websites that help you learn the language with the help of aids like CDs where the lyrics have been subtitled.
Students who have English as their second language learn the language through reading stories and working on grammar exercises. However, as an alternative, you’d be delighted if you knew that the language can be mastered through music! Listening to English music can help enhance your vocabulary, hearing capacity, grammar and pronunciation.
Learning English is Fun and Interactive
Choose the music that you prefer and can usually understand. You can choose between folk, pop, jazz or rock or recordings by your favored artists. It is best to start with songs which do not challenge your comprehensibility too much. Keep the incomprehensible lyrics for later. If your level of English is l... Read more...
Tags: English, english grammar, Grammar, language, native speaker, pronunciation, rhythm, second language, subtitle, text, vocabulary, way, web, Word
Posted in Grammar, Learn English |
