Participle Phrases
When participles combine with other words, we get participle phrases. Underline the participle phrases in the following sentences. Standing at the gate, he was bitten by a snake. Running fast, he overtook his opponents....
Category: Grammar
Common Errors In The Use Of Participles
Study the examples given below. I was feeling bored. I decided to watch a movie. We can combine these two sentences using a present participle. We can write: Feeling bored, I decided to watch...
Parallel Structures
Parallel construction Your writing will be clearer if you use parallel construction. By parallel construction, we mean words or expressions of similar form. Consider the sentence given below. Alice likes sewing, painting and to...
Ought To
Ought is a modal auxiliary verb. There is no –s in the third person singular. She ought to understand. (NOT She oughts to …) Ought is different from other auxiliary verbs. It is used with to We ought to respect...
In And Into, On And Onto
We use in and on to talk about the positions of objects – where they are. We use into and onto to talk about directions and destinations – where things are going. She is in the bedroom. (Position) She ran into the room. (Direction) She was...
Position Of Only And Even
The focusing adverbs only and even refer to particular parts of a sentence, so they should go immediately before the word modified by them. Study the examples given below and note how the meaning...
Preposition On
On is used for position on a surface. There is a big spider on the ceiling. The cat is on the roof. That picture would look better on the other wall. On can mean attached to. Why do you wear...
Cases Where Relative Pronouns Are Omitted
Relative pronouns are words like that, who, which, whom, whose, where, when and why. The most common relative pronouns in English are who, whom, whose, that and which. In certain situations the words what, when and where can also function as relative pronouns. Relative pronouns introduce relative...
Cases Where Articles Are Omitted
We do not normally use articles with plural or uncountable nouns when we are talking about people or things in general. I don’t drink coffee. (NOT I don’t drink the coffee.) She loves cats....
Cases Where A/An Cannot Be Used
The indefinite article a/an cannot be used with plural or uncountable nouns. Books give knowledge. (NOT A books give knowledge.) Rice is rich in carbohydrates. (NOT The rice is…) I adore dogs and cats....