Study English Grammar » Grammar http://www.studyenglishgrammar.com Free English Grammar Tips & Blog Sun, 24 Apr 2011 16:34:47 +0000 en hourly 1 http://wordpress.org/?v=3.3.1 Use of Question Tags http://www.studyenglishgrammar.com/grammar/use-of-question-tags.htm http://www.studyenglishgrammar.com/grammar/use-of-question-tags.htm#comments Sun, 24 Apr 2011 16:34:47 +0000 Study English Grammar http://www.studyenglishgrammar.com/?p=341 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...

]]> http://www.studyenglishgrammar.com/grammar/use-of-question-tags.htm/feed 1 Rules to combine two or more simple sentences into a single complex sentence http://www.studyenglishgrammar.com/grammar/rules-to-combine-two-or-more-simple-sentences-into-a-single-complex-sentence.htm http://www.studyenglishgrammar.com/grammar/rules-to-combine-two-or-more-simple-sentences-into-a-single-complex-sentence.htm#comments Wed, 20 Apr 2011 01:29:59 +0000 Study English Grammar http://www.studyenglishgrammar.com/?p=337 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...

]]> http://www.studyenglishgrammar.com/grammar/rules-to-combine-two-or-more-simple-sentences-into-a-single-complex-sentence.htm/feed 0 Proper usage of Hyphens http://www.studyenglishgrammar.com/grammar/proper-usage-of-hyphens.htm http://www.studyenglishgrammar.com/grammar/proper-usage-of-hyphens.htm#comments Tue, 19 Apr 2011 03:28:34 +0000 Study English Grammar http://www.studyenglishgrammar.com/?p=335 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...

]]> http://www.studyenglishgrammar.com/grammar/proper-usage-of-hyphens.htm/feed 0 Words ending in ‘ar’, ‘er’, ‘or’, ‘our’,‘re’, ‘ure’, ‘ur’ http://www.studyenglishgrammar.com/grammar/words-ending-in-%e2%80%98ar%e2%80%99-%e2%80%98er%e2%80%99-%e2%80%98or%e2%80%99-%e2%80%98our%e2%80%99%e2%80%98re%e2%80%99-%e2%80%98ure%e2%80%99-%e2%80%98ur%e2%80%99.htm http://www.studyenglishgrammar.com/grammar/words-ending-in-%e2%80%98ar%e2%80%99-%e2%80%98er%e2%80%99-%e2%80%98or%e2%80%99-%e2%80%98our%e2%80%99%e2%80%98re%e2%80%99-%e2%80%98ure%e2%80%99-%e2%80%98ur%e2%80%99.htm#comments Tue, 19 Apr 2011 01:28:27 +0000 Study English Grammar http://www.studyenglishgrammar.com/?p=333 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...

]]> http://www.studyenglishgrammar.com/grammar/words-ending-in-%e2%80%98ar%e2%80%99-%e2%80%98er%e2%80%99-%e2%80%98or%e2%80%99-%e2%80%98our%e2%80%99%e2%80%98re%e2%80%99-%e2%80%98ure%e2%80%99-%e2%80%98ur%e2%80%99.htm/feed 0 Master English Vocabulary and Grammar http://www.studyenglishgrammar.com/grammar/master-english-vocabulary-and-grammar.htm http://www.studyenglishgrammar.com/grammar/master-english-vocabulary-and-grammar.htm#comments Mon, 03 Jan 2011 04:55:52 +0000 Study English Grammar http://www.studyenglishgrammar.com/?p=329 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...

]]> http://www.studyenglishgrammar.com/grammar/master-english-vocabulary-and-grammar.htm/feed 0 English Grammar Made Easy – Learn as You Interact http://www.studyenglishgrammar.com/grammar/english-grammar-made-easy-%e2%80%93-learn-as-you-interact.htm http://www.studyenglishgrammar.com/grammar/english-grammar-made-easy-%e2%80%93-learn-as-you-interact.htm#comments Mon, 03 Jan 2011 04:50:05 +0000 Study English Grammar http://www.studyenglishgrammar.com/?p=323 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...

]]> http://www.studyenglishgrammar.com/grammar/english-grammar-made-easy-%e2%80%93-learn-as-you-interact.htm/feed 0 Use Music to Learn English the Fun Way http://www.studyenglishgrammar.com/grammar/use-music-to-learn-english-the-fun-way.htm http://www.studyenglishgrammar.com/grammar/use-music-to-learn-english-the-fun-way.htm#comments Mon, 03 Jan 2011 04:40:42 +0000 Study English Grammar http://www.studyenglishgrammar.com/?p=319 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...

]]> http://www.studyenglishgrammar.com/grammar/use-music-to-learn-english-the-fun-way.htm/feed 0 When to Use ‘Contiguous’, ‘Continuous’, and ‘Continual’ in English Grammar http://www.studyenglishgrammar.com/grammar/when-to-use-%e2%80%98contiguous%e2%80%99-%e2%80%98continuous%e2%80%99-and-%e2%80%98continual%e2%80%99-in-english-grammar.htm http://www.studyenglishgrammar.com/grammar/when-to-use-%e2%80%98contiguous%e2%80%99-%e2%80%98continuous%e2%80%99-and-%e2%80%98continual%e2%80%99-in-english-grammar.htm#comments Sun, 19 Dec 2010 16:08:19 +0000 Study English Grammar http://www.studyenglishgrammar.com/?p=317 There are a lot of words in English grammar that people are confused with where to use. Some of them are ‘contiguous’, ‘continuous’, and ‘continual’. This is why the writer should learn all about the rules for using the words appropriately. As a professional writer you need to know the rules of grammar that should be applied in a sentence which will save you the confusion while constructing a sentence.

‘Contiguous’

First off, you should determine if there is a list of different events or things that are being dealt with and whether these things touch time and space. In that case, choose ‘contiguous’. This is a word that means ‘adjacent’, ‘conterminous’, or ‘neighboring’. The word ‘contiguous’ is generally used in the context of discussing “48 contiguous states” excluding Hawaii and Alaska as they do not border each other. Less commonly, the word is used to describe a particular list of events which are adjacent to one another on a time line. ‘Contiguous’ can be used as an adverb, adjective, or noun.

‘Continuous’

In case you ... Read more...

]]> http://www.studyenglishgrammar.com/grammar/when-to-use-%e2%80%98contiguous%e2%80%99-%e2%80%98continuous%e2%80%99-and-%e2%80%98continual%e2%80%99-in-english-grammar.htm/feed 1 When Should You Use ‘Allot’, ‘A Lot’ and ‘Alot’? http://www.studyenglishgrammar.com/grammar/when-should-you-use-%e2%80%98allot%e2%80%99-%e2%80%98a-lot%e2%80%99-and-%e2%80%98alot%e2%80%99.htm http://www.studyenglishgrammar.com/grammar/when-should-you-use-%e2%80%98allot%e2%80%99-%e2%80%98a-lot%e2%80%99-and-%e2%80%98alot%e2%80%99.htm#comments Fri, 17 Dec 2010 16:06:54 +0000 Study English Grammar http://www.studyenglishgrammar.com/?p=315 If you want to be a pro at English grammar, you need to have basic grammatical skills. Instead of just being important for the examinations that test the subject, grammatical skills are also relevant in the way you communicate to others. In fact, spellings are more important for written tests and evaluations. If you are into a job that requires business writing to be done, you should be specific about the cases that require using words like ‘allot’, ‘a lot’ and ‘a lot’.

For instance you are typing a paper, and you write the word ‘alot’. There is a little red line that appears, but you are clueless about whether you should choose ‘a lot’ or ‘allot’.

‘Allot’

This is a word that means ‘to divide’, ‘accord’, ‘administer’, ‘dispense’, ‘distribute’ or ‘give out’. Here’s an example of using the word in a sentence: “They allotted six square feet space per family”. You must have guessed by now that the word ‘allot’ is used to refer to divide, apportion or grant something. “The raffle tickets were allotted to the class”.

‘A... Read more...

]]> http://www.studyenglishgrammar.com/grammar/when-should-you-use-%e2%80%98allot%e2%80%99-%e2%80%98a-lot%e2%80%99-and-%e2%80%98alot%e2%80%99.htm/feed 0 Use ‘There’, ‘Their’, and ‘They’re’ Appropriately http://www.studyenglishgrammar.com/grammar/use-there-their-and-theyre-appropriately.htm http://www.studyenglishgrammar.com/grammar/use-there-their-and-theyre-appropriately.htm#comments Wed, 15 Dec 2010 15:05:34 +0000 Study English Grammar http://www.studyenglishgrammar.com/?p=313 There are lots of subtle intricacies in English grammar and one of them is the problem that people are faced with when they use ‘there’, ‘their’, and ‘they’re’ in a sentence. Although the pronunciations of the three words are the same, it becomes a tad tough to distinguish their usage according to circumstances. Remember that there are different spellings for every word.

‘There’

‘There’ is used while referring to a place, irrespective of whether it is material or immaterial. In the case of the former, it would be “over there next to the building”, and in the latter something like “it is tough to live there”. Common examples indicating the word are:

  • There is a bookshop at Camden Avenue.
  • The textbooks are lying there on the floor.
  • There are several documents required for investigation.

‘There’ is used along with the verb ‘be’ (including ‘is’, ‘are’, ‘were’, ‘was’, ‘am’ etc.) for indicating that something exists, or for mentioning something for the first time. F... Read more...

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