Category: Grammar
Cliché and clichéd…
From class today… A red rose on Valentine’s Day is a cliché. It is so cliché how teachers bang on about uniform. In horror films it is cliché how someone does exactly what they are told not to. There are so many cliché in Twilight that my head melted. Oh, a white dress at a wedding. That’s not a massive cliché. No-o-o-o… A book about … Continue reading Cliché and clichéd…
S1 Grammar Baseline Test
Spring Grammar Test
Grammar Baseline Test
Tautology
I went there personally. 4G cell phones are a new innovation. The evening sunset was beautiful. I need a new hot water heater. Charlie told his mother he made it for her with his own hands. My first priority is to lose weight. There is a lot of frozen ice on the road. I know it’s true because I heard it with my own ears. … Continue reading Tautology
Grammar – Ready Reckoner
Grammar Q-Cards
Give a common noun Give a proper noun Give an abstract noun Give a concrete noun Give a collective noun Give a pronoun What is the SUBJECT of a sentence What is the OBJECT of a sentence Give the definite article Give an indefinite article Give an adverb Conjugate the verb “to eat” (present tense) Conjugate the verb “to run” (present tense) Conjugate the verb … Continue reading Grammar Q-Cards
Malapropisms
This came up twice today. “Alan, it’s a Catch 23 situation.”“Alan, it’s Catch 22 situation.” “He’s gone and upset the apple-tart.”“He’s gone and upset the apple cart.” “Now is as good a time as many…” “Now is as good a time as any…” “The new Sky paper view.” “The new Sky pay per view.” “… like walking through a mindfield.” “…like walking through a minefield.” “There’s … Continue reading Malapropisms
Verbs, Nouns, Adjectives
A basic game of basic grammatical concepts. A noun is a naming word;A verb is a doing word;An adjective is a describing word. http://www.zondle.com/ZC.aspx?id=f4f67075-8460-48ee-b699-1c3a62f17ea6&width=450 Continue reading Verbs, Nouns, Adjectives
There, Their, They’re
Intermediate 2 – Spelling Errors
1. There2. They’re3. Their4. Consequences5. Probably – Probly6. Deny7. Denies8. Social9. Realises10. Actually11. Embarrassed12. Grateful13. Disgusted14. Fiance15. Refused16. Suspense17. Audience18. Themselves19. Status20. Sheila Continue reading Intermediate 2 – Spelling Errors
Basic errors you can learn to eliminate
• Was = Only ONE thing• Were = plural (more than one thing) • Don’t begin a sentence with “And”, “So”, “Well” or “Also”. • Avoid repetition • Avoid “then” • Avoid beginning sentences with “The”, “A”, “An”, “Another”…Try to use “If” or the gerund (“-ing”) • Avoid saying “Sort of” or “In a way”. They make your writing sound vague. The bus was late. … Continue reading Basic errors you can learn to eliminate
The Oatmeal – Semi-colon
For those of you interested, the Oatmeal’s Semi-Colon guide is here. Continue reading The Oatmeal – Semi-colon
Collective Nouns
As we looked at in today’s class, here is a nice website that covers hundreds of collective nouns. And here are some that have been made up. Continue reading Collective Nouns
The Semi-Colon – Explained
Higher – Essay Problems
From today’s class… Spelling Losing, Disapprove, Tries, A lot, Immediate, Possessed, Appropriate, Affection, Effect, Affected, Wonder, Hindley, Woman, Niece, Honourable, Jealous, Aggressive, Okay, 1950s, Phallic, Specifically, Subtly, Foreshadowing, Unrequited, infinite, Supposedly, Peculiar, Immigrants Common Errors The Devil’s Wife is not a sonnet – it is a poem composed of five sections, one of which is a sonnet The lighting of Eddie’s cigar by Catherine is … Continue reading Higher – Essay Problems
Higher Syntax and Grammar
A Sentence A sentence is a group of words which contains a verb and makes complete sense.It may be a statement, a question, an exclamation or a command. “John is sitting down.”“Is John sitting down?”“John is sitting down!”“Sit down, John.” The subject is the topic being discussed.The predicate is what is said about the subject and contains the verb of the sentence. The dog (subject) … Continue reading Higher Syntax and Grammar
Higher – Points of Style
Very Avoid the use of very . It is overused. Everything is very interesting, very striking, very difficult, etc. etc. and in the end, this becomes very, very boring indeed. Overused phrases Another overused phrase is ‘It is very interesting to note that …’ and similar phrases. Observe the following sentence with and without the phrase: ‘[It is very interesting to notice how] Hardy sets … Continue reading Higher – Points of Style
Punctuation
Learning the functions of the punctuation marks which follow should not take long as a lot of it is common sense. Secure understanding of this will mean you can answer Analysis or Structure Questions in Close Reading with greater confidence and so score full marks. The CommaThe comma is always an indication of a brief pause in speech. The reason for the pause may be … Continue reading Punctuation
S1 – Grammar
The gerund is the –ing form of the verb.A clause makes a single point in a sentence.A conjunction joins clauses together. First-person narrative – ISecond-person narrative – YouThird-person narrative – He/She/It/Red Riding Hood Continue reading S1 – Grammar
