GRAMMAR IV
CLAUSES
FINITE
Finite means bound by the tense of sentence.
Finite verbs must agree with the number and person of its subject.
EXAMPLES
He works at the office.
Since he had made his decision, he walked off.
I'll be home around ten if my train is on time.
NON-FINITE
Non-finite are not bound by subject verb agreement.
Non-finite are an extension of a sentence and sometimes can be left out. Depending on the situations or context, the sentence will still make sense.
There are three kinds
1. Infinite can be used as a complement of a verb or as the subject of a sentence.
To accomplish, such a task is amazing.
2. Partiples
Present Participle
Verb + -ing
Taking the book, Sam left the library.
Past Participle
Verb + -d/-ed
Tired, he dropped to the floor.
Perfect Participle
Having + -d/-ed/-en
Having eaten his dinner, Tom went to sleep.
3. Gerund like the present participle, a gerund also ends in -ing. But a gerund acts as a verbal noun.
Walking can be a great exercise.
COLLOCATIONS
A collocation is a two or more words that often go together.
These collocations just sound right to native English speakers, who use them all the time.
Why learn collocations?
1. Give you the most natural way to say something.
Quick shower.
2. You will have alternative and richer ways of expressing yourself.
Do exam.
Types of collocations
1. Adverb + Adjective (Happy married)
2. Adjective + Noun (Key issue)
3. Noun + Noun (Sense of pride)
4. Noun + Verb (Lion roar)
5. Verb + Noun (Do homework)
6. Verb + Preposition (Run out of money)
7. Verb + Adverb (Whipered Softly)
COMPOUNDS
A compound word is two or more words linked together to produce a word with a new meaning.
Car park
Post office
Shoelace
IDIOMS
They are groups of words in a fixed order that have a meaning that cannot be guessed by knowing the meaning of the individual words.
A BLESSING IN DISGUISE used when something seems bad or unlucky at first but results in something good happening later.
THE BEST OF BOTH WORLDS used when you can enjoy the advantages or the benefits of two different things at the same time.
OUT OF HAND When a situation is not under control.
VERB
TENSES
Four present tenses
Four past tenses
Four Future Tenses
MOOD
Indicative
Imperative
Subjunctive
INDICATIVE
The indicative mood expresses statements of facts or questions.
EXAMPLES
The U.S. goverment includes the legislative, executive, and judicial branches.
What is the longest river in the world?
IMPERATIVE
The imperative mood expresses direct requests or commands.
EXAMPLES
Feed the dog, and take out the garbage.
SUBJUNCTIVE
The subjunctive mood expresses wishes, conditions contrary to fact, and requests and commands.
EXAMPLES
I wish I were sitting in the bleachers at the Daystona 500.
God bless you.
We distiguishe two main uses of the present subjunctive.
MANDATIVE SUBJUNCTIVE
The mandative subjunctive is used in a that-clause after an expression of such notions as demands, recommendation, proposal, intention.
EXAMPLE
The employees demanded that he resign.
FORMULAIC (OPERATIVE) SUBJUNCTIVE
Formulaic subjunctive is used in certain set expressions.
EXAMPLES
God save the Queen.
Heaven forbid that...
PAST SUBJUNCTIVE
The past subjunctive is hypothetical in meaning. It is used in conditional and concessive clauses and in subordinate clauses after wish and suppose.
EXAMPLES
If I were a rich woman, I would...
I wish the journey were over.
Subjunctive were is often replaced in non-formal style by indicative was.
I wish I were. - I wish you were. - I wish he were. - I wish they were.
UNREAL TIME
IT'S TIME
These are followed by past simple or continuous, though the time referred to is unreal.
It's time we left.
WISHES
PRESENT/FUTURE TIME
These are wishes where you want to change a present/future state.
I wish I had a motorbike.
I wish I was going on holiday with next week.
WOULD
Would is used when the speaker wants somebody or something else to change.
I wish he would change his mind and marry Jane.
I wish it would stop raining.
PAST TIME
As with present wishes, the verb form after wish is one stage further back in the past. These are wishes referring to a past even, which cannot be changed.
I wish I hadn't eaten so much.
This use of wish is common after if only to express regrets.
HOPE
Wishes about simple future events are expressed with hope.
I hope it doesn't (won´t) rain tomorrow.
I hope you(´ll) have a lovely time in Portugal.
I'D RATHER/I PREFER (FOLLOWED BY A CLAUSE)
I'd rather is followed by past verb forms in the same way as wishes about the present. It expresses preference about actions.
I'd rather you didn't smoke in here.
I'd prefer can be used in the same way, but note that prefer in this type of sentence has an object it.
I'd prefer it if you didn't go.
I'd prefer is not followed by an unreal verb form in other situations.
I'd prefer tea or coffee.
AS IF, AS THOUGH
Real and unreal. The verb form here depends on whether the situation is true or unreal.
I feel as if an express train had hit me. (It didn't hit me)
The more colloquial like does not require this verb form change.
You look like you've just seen a ghost.
SUPPOSE AND IMAGINE
Understood conditions. The conditional part of these sentence is often understood but not stated.
Suppose someone told you that I was a spy!
FORMAL SUBJUNCTIVE
After the verb such as demand, insist, suggest, require which involve an implied obligation, the subjunctive may be used in formal style. This is has only one form, that of the infinitive, and there is no third person or past form. The verb be has be for all forms.
The school Principal suggested that he be awarded a schoolshirp.
FORMULAIC SUBJUNCTIVE
They are fixed expressions all using subjunctive.
God save the queen!