ID0004_M2AA2_Pointers6-10
Versión: Septiembre 2012
Revisor: Darlene González Miy
Pointers 6 to 10 by Jonathan W. Fleeton
Pointer 6 What’s wrong with this sentence?
Recycled paper? Sure, it is for use.
Watch these videos about prefixes and suffixes:
• Video: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=xv8RmPhrNWY
Video:http://www.myenglishpages.com/site_php_files/vocabulary-exercise-
•
affixes.php
Figure 1. Recycle sign
(Prole, 2009).
Check word forms. Check for agreement and reference.(Pay attention to prefixes and suffixes.)
Prefixes are letters or groups of letters that are added to the beginnings of words to change their meanings.
Unlike suffixes, prefixes do not normally change the class of the word. Some common prefixes are re-, dis-,
un-, co-, pre-, sub-, be- and out-.
Examples of prefixes and how they change the meaning of the word
Prefix
redisuncopresubdeout-
Definition
do or make again
reverses the meaning
reverses the meaning
together
before
under or below
do the opposite of
more or better than others
Root Word
write (verb)
appear (verb)
fasten (verb)
exist (verb)
register (verb)
contract (verb)
select (verb)
run (verb)
New Word
rewrite (verb)
disappear (verb)
unfasten (verb)
co-exist (verb)
pre-register (verb)
subcontract (verb)
deselect (verb)
outrun (verb)
Table 1. Examples of prefixes and their use.
Suffixes are groups of letters that are added to the end of words that change the meaning of the word and
change it to a different word group. Some common suffixes are -ation,- ment, -ure,-ence/-ance, -al and -y.
Examples of suffixes and how the meaning of the root word and the word group changes
1
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escrito de la Universidad Virtual del Estado de Guanajuato.
ID0004_M2AA2_Pointers6-10
Versión: Septiembre 2012
Revisor: Darlene González Miy
Root Word (verbs)
observe (verb)
conceal (verb)
disclose (verb)
depend (verb)
comply (verb)
survive (verb)
deliver (verb)
New Word / New Word Group
observation (noun or adjective)
concealment (noun)
disclosure (noun)
dependence (noun)
compliance (noun)
survival (noun)
delivery (noun)
Table 2. Root words and the words derived from them.
Read this resource
-
http://www.ucalgary.ca/uofc/eduweb/grammar/marking/grammark.htm
Examples
•
•
•
•
I was waiting for the deliver of my new TV. (wrong)
I was waiting for the delivery of my new TV. (correct)
If you already did your homework, then you don’t need to write it. (wrong)
If you already did your homework, then you don’t need to rewrite it. (correct)
Pointer 7 Look at the picture and answer: What’s wrong with these
sentences?
•
The client today asked for this meeting, where is
everybody?
•
I don’t know, our boss told me: At office, several
people is.
Figure 2. Conference Room (Cfi02,
2010).
Check word order. Inversion of subject and verb.
There are many rules pertaining to correct word order. Once you learn to identify and classify your words,
clauses and phrases you will quickly learn the correct and logical order of words in your writings and in your
speech. You have learned how to change words to different word groups with suffixes. Now you can see
that by changing words may change their location and how they are used in sentences.
2
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sistema impreso, electrónico, magnético, incluyendo el fotocopiado, la fotografía, la grabación o un sistema de recuperación de la información, sin la autorización por
escrito de la Universidad Virtual del Estado de Guanajuato.
ID0004_M2AA2_Pointers6-10
Versión: Septiembre 2012
Revisor: Darlene González Miy
Example: Let’s change the noun wood to the adjective wooden.
This table is made from wood.
This is a wooden table.
Note: In English, the adjective normally comes before the noun.
No matter what the word or what the clause or phrase, all have specific locations in sentences where and
where they may not be used. Some require helper words while others require that you omit the helper
words.
Examples
The boss yesterday asked for our reports. (Wrong)
The boss asked for our reports yesterday. (Correct)
Yesterday, the boss asked for our reports. (Correct)
Time expressions are usually put at the end of a sentence.
If you don't want to put emphasis on the time, you can also put the adverb of time at the beginning of the sentence.
I often go swimming in the morning.
He doesn’t always play tennis on Fridays.
We are usually home in the evenings.
I have never been to a rock concert.
Some time expressions are adverbs of frequency (often, always, never, usually). These are usually put before the
main verb (except for 'be' as a main verb).
The president of the company asked his staff to think of a solution quickly. (Wrong)
Here the adverb quickly is in the wrong location. This should be used to modify the verb think.
The president of the company asked his staff to quickly think of a solution. (Correct)
The most common word order of the core parts of a sentence in English is
subject + verb + object
the subject comes before the verb in all but a few special situations. In these situations the word order of
the core parts is inverted and the verb is placed before the subject: just as it is in all direct questions.
Inverted word order is needed
1. When a sentence begins with there.
a) There is no basis for this complaint.
b) There are few excuses that bosses will accept.
2. When a sentence begins with a prepositional phrase, has an intransitive verb as a main verb, and
states a location.
3
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sistema impreso, electrónico, magnético, incluyendo el fotocopiado, la fotografía, la grabación o un sistema de recuperación de la información, sin la autorización por
escrito de la Universidad Virtual del Estado de Guanajuato.
ID0004_M2AA2_Pointers6-10
Versión: Septiembre 2012
Revisor: Darlene González Miy
a) On the corner stood a police officer.
b) In the box were several old photographs.
3. In conditional sentences without if or unless.
a) (If he asked her, she would surely help him.)
Were he to ask her, she would surely help him.
b) (If he had known, he would have come.)
Had he known, he would have come.
4. When a sentence begins with a negative word or expression such as never.
a) Not only didthey go to the meeting but they also stayed until the end.
b) Never has the world faced so many problems.
5. When a sentence begins with only and a time expression, the subject and verb of the main clause
are inverted.
a) Only once was John late for work.
b) Only after her mother died, did she know loneliness.
6. When an adverb such as down, in, out, up is placed at the beginning of the sentence, the verb is
placed before the subject if the subject is a noun.
a) Down came the rain.
b) In walked the manager with his reports in hand.
7. When a sentence begins with few, such, so, little unless this word modifies a noun.
a) Little did she know that she had been promoted to vice-president.
b) So great was her love for her family that she sacrificed everything for them.
8. When a passive verb is split and the main verb begins the sentence.
a) Held as hostages were several employees.
b) Discovered at the bottom of the lake were two small gold bars.
Although inverted word order is required in the situations listed above, normal word order (subject + verb +
object) is required in indirect questions. No inversion is possible.
1. The man asked where the bus station was.
2. The reporters want to know when the president will give his speech.
Now read this resource
-
http://linguapress.com/grammar/word-order.htm
4
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sistema impreso, electrónico, magnético, incluyendo el fotocopiado, la fotografía, la grabación o un sistema de recuperación de la información, sin la autorización por
escrito de la Universidad Virtual del Estado de Guanajuato.
ID0004_M2AA2_Pointers6-10
Versión: Septiembre 2012
Revisor: Darlene González Miy
Pointer 8 Look at the picture and answer: What’s wrong with this
sentence?
Sure, sure, the people are busy.
They like to walk, think and calling by cell-phone!
Figure 3. Busy people (Roberts,
2009).
Check for parallel structure. Be sure that the parallel structure of the sentence agrees.
Using parallel structure means that by using the same pattern of words in a sentence it shows that
each of the words or ideas has the same importance. If you are using the gerund form of verbs then
use the same form for all of the verbs related to the idea.
Examples
• The children like to play quickly, quietly and happy. (wrong)
• The children like to play quickly, quietly and happily. (correct)
Examples
• He likes to eat, watch TV and playing video games. (wrong)
• He likes to eat, watch TV and play video games. (correct)
Read this resource
-
http://owl.english.purdue.edu/owl/resource/623/01/
Don’t mix forms!
5
©UVEG. Derechos reservados. Esta obra no puede ser reproducida, modificada, distribuida, ni transmitida, parcial o totalmente, mediante cualquier medio, método o
sistema impreso, electrónico, magnético, incluyendo el fotocopiado, la fotografía, la grabación o un sistema de recuperación de la información, sin la autorización por
escrito de la Universidad Virtual del Estado de Guanajuato.
ID0004_M2AA2_Pointers6-10
Versión: Septiembre 2012
Revisor: Darlene González Miy
Pointer 9 Look at the picture and answer: What’s wrong with this sentence?
What a beautiful pink flower! The purplish pinky and roseate
gerbera.
Figure 4. Beautiful Pink Gerbra
flower (Roberts, 2009)
Check for unnecessary repetition.
Unnecessary repetition in sentences can be very frustrating as many words can be very similar but
may take on different meanings in different context. Be careful not to use words, in the same
sentence, that have the same meaning.
Problem areas are with pronouns and proper nouns. If a proper noun is used in the sentence then
the subject (personal) pronoun is not used. Other forms of pronouns may be used but never a
proper noun with a subject pronoun.
Examples
• Mr. Jones, he takes his dog for a walk every evening after dinner. (wrong)
Mr. Jones is a proper noun. He is a subject (personal) pronoun.
• Mr. Jones takes his dog for a walk every evening after dinner. (correct)
• Mr. Jones is our neighbor. He takes his dog for a walk every evening after dinner.
(correct)
Examples
• She is a very fast, quick learner. (wrong)
Fast and quick are adjectives that have the same meaning.
• She is a very fast learner. (correct)
• She is a very quick learner. (correct)
6
©UVEG. Derechos reservados. Esta obra no puede ser reproducida, modificada, distribuida, ni transmitida, parcial o totalmente, mediante cualquier medio, método o
sistema impreso, electrónico, magnético, incluyendo el fotocopiado, la fotografía, la grabación o un sistema de recuperación de la información, sin la autorización por
escrito de la Universidad Virtual del Estado de Guanajuato.
ID0004_M2AA2_Pointers6-10
Versión: Septiembre 2012
Revisor: Darlene González Miy
Read this resource
-
http://beidaenglish.com/tag/writing-skills/
Pointer 10 Look at the picture and answer: What’s wrong with these
sentences?
This is a picture of Vancouver. The city is above the lake,
those clouds are on the city and there is no smog above the
picture.
Watch this video
•
•
•
•
•
•
Figure 5. Vancouver, Downtown
(Be, 2010).
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=L4jIC5HLBdM
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=EaXTyFtQx9o
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=G0-Y7-tnDK0
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=uHmOHhl7saQ
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=l8q30E7-eNc
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=clDL8QfKzmA
Check for correct word usage. Pay particular attention to and learn your prepositions.
Many words may have similar meanings and many words may look correct but have very different
meanings.
There are 6 verbs that cause problems in correct usage because their meanings are similar and
some of their forms are irregular. These 6 verbs are sit, set, lie, lay, rise and raise. Look these words
up in a dictionary if you are unsure of its meaning. You will have to know their meanings to complete
your exercises.
Three of these verbs (sit, lie and rise) are never followed by a direct object and are never in the
passive form. The other three verbs (set, lay and rise) are followed by direct objects and can be
passive in form.
The verbs take, make and do cause special problems in correct usage. The choice of which verb to
use depends on the direct object that follows rather than on the dictionary meaning of the verb.
The use of these verbs will become clearer when you work with them in your exercises.
7
©UVEG. Derechos reservados. Esta obra no puede ser reproducida, modificada, distribuida, ni transmitida, parcial o totalmente, mediante cualquier medio, método o
sistema impreso, electrónico, magnético, incluyendo el fotocopiado, la fotografía, la grabación o un sistema de recuperación de la información, sin la autorización por
escrito de la Universidad Virtual del Estado de Guanajuato.
ID0004_M2AA2_Pointers6-10
Versión: Septiembre 2012
Revisor: Darlene González Miy
Read this resource
-
http://grammar.ccc.commnet.edu/grammar/prepositions.htm
Examples
• She is interested for learning English. (wrong)
• She is interested in learning English. (correct)
• I was born in March 21st. (wrong)
• I was born on March 21st. (correct)
Image references Be, V. (2010). Vancouver, Downtown [digital picture]. Obtained on October 6th from
http://www.sxc.hu/photo/1303363 (Used under sxc.hu free of charge license)
Lloyd-Roberts, B. (2009). Beautiful Pink Gerbra flower [digital picture]. Obtained on October 6th from
http://www.sxc.hu/photo/1205613 (Used under sxc.hu free of charge license)
Lloyd-Roberts, B. (2009). Busy people [digital picture]. Obtained on October 6th from
http://www.sxc.hu/photo/1182637 (Used under sxc.hu free of charge license)
Prole, I. (2009). Recycle sign [digital illustration]. Obtained on October 6th from
http://www.sxc.hu/photo/1226369 (Used under sxc.hu free of charge license)
Cfi02 (2010). Conference Room. Obtained on October 6th from http://www.sxc.hu/photo/1257552 (Used under
sxc.hu free of charge license)
8
©UVEG. Derechos reservados. Esta obra no puede ser reproducida, modificada, distribuida, ni transmitida, parcial o totalmente, mediante cualquier medio, método o
sistema impreso, electrónico, magnético, incluyendo el fotocopiado, la fotografía, la grabación o un sistema de recuperación de la información, sin la autorización por
escrito de la Universidad Virtual del Estado de Guanajuato.