english grammar

THE VERB Transitive and Intransitive Verbs A Verb is a word that tells or asserts something about a person or thing. Verb comes from the Latin verbum, a word. It is so called because it is the most important word in a sentence. A Verb may tell us- What a person or thing does; as, Hari laughs. The clock strikes. What is done to a person or thing ; as, Hari is scolded. The window is broken. What a person or thing is; as, The cat is dead. Glass is brittle. I feel sorry. Def:- A Verb is a word used to tell or assert something about some person or thing. A Verb often consists of more than one word; as, The girls were singing. I have learnt my lesson. The watch has been found. Read these sentences:- The boy kicks the football. The boy laughs loudly. In sentence 1, the action denoted by the verb kicks passes over from the doer or subject boy to some Object football. The verb kicks is, therefore, called a Transitive Verb. (Transitive means passing ove...

MOOD The simplest use of a Verb is to make a statement of fact or ask a question ; as, I write to my brother every week. Who wrote that letter? But a Verb may also be used to express a command; as. Write neatly. Or a Verb may be used to express a mere supposition ; as, If I were you, I would not do it. These different modes or manners in which a Verb may be used to express an action are called Moods. (Lat. modus, manner.) Def- Mood is the mode or manner in which the action denoted by the Verb is represented. There are three Moods in English:-Indicative, Imperative, Subjunctive. Indicative Mood The Indicative Mood is used: (1) To make a statement of fact; as, Rama goes to school daily. We are taught Arithmetic. He writes legibly. Napoleon died at St. Helena. The child is alive. To ask a question; as, Have you found your book? Are you well? In each of these sentences the Verb in italics is said to be in the Indicative Mood. Th...

THE CORRECT USE OF SOME ADJECTIVES Some, any- To express quantity or degree some is used normally in affirmative sentences, any in negative or interrogative sentences. I will buy some mangoes. I will not buy any mangoes. Have you bought any mangoes? But any can be used after if in affirmative sentences. If you need any money I will help you. Some is used in questions which are really offers/requests or which expect the answer “yes”. Will you have some ice-cream? (Offer) Could you lend me some money? (Request) Did you buy some clothes? (= I expect you did.) Each, every.- Each and every are similar in meaning, but every is a stronger word than each; it means, 'each without exception'. Each is used in speaking of two or more things; every is used only in speaking of more than two. Each directs attention to the individuals forming any group, every to the total group. Each is used only when the number in the group is limited and definite; every when the nu...

COMPARISON OF ADJECTIVES  . Read these sentences: Rama's mango is sweet. Hari's mango is sweeter than Rama's. Govind's mango is the sweetest of all. In sentence 1, the adjective sweet merely tells us that Rama's mango has the quality of sweetness, without saying how much of this quality it has. In sentence 2, the adjective sweeter tells us that Hari's mango, compared with Rama's, has more of the quality of sweetness. In sentence 3, the adjective sweetest tells us that of all these mangoes Govind's mango has the greatest amount or highest degree of the quality of sweetness. We thus see that Adjectives change in form (sweet, sweeter, sweetest) to show comparison. They are called the three Degrees of Comparison. The Adjective sweet is said to be in the Positive Degree. The Adjective sweeter is said to be in the Comparative Degree. The Adjective sweetest is said to be in the Superlative Degree. The Posi...

ADJECTIVES USED AS NOUNS  Adjectives are often used as Nouns. (1) As Plural Nouns denoting a class of persons; as, The cautious (= cautious persons) are not always cowards. The rich (= rich people) know not how the poor (= poor people) live. The wicked (= wicked people) flee when no man pursueth, but the righteous (= righteous people) are bold as a lion. Blessed are the meek. As Singular Nouns denoting some abstract quality; as, The future (= futurity) is unknown to us. He is a lover of the beautiful (= beauty in general) Some Adjectives actually become Nouns, and are hence used in both numbers:- (a) Those derived from Proper Nouns; as, Australians, Canadians, Italians.- (b) Some denoting persons; as, juniors, seniors, mortals, inferiors, superiors, nobles, criminals, savages, elders, minors. (c) A few denoting things generally; as. secrets, totals, liquids, solids, valuables. [Some adjectives arc used as Nouns only in (he plural; as, valuables, eatables] ...

THE ADJECTIVE  Read the following sentences :- Sita is a clever girl. (Girl of what kind1?) I don't like that boy, (Which boy ?) He gave me five mangoes. (How many mangoes?) There is little time for preparation. (How much time ?) In sentence 1, ‘clever’ shows what kind of girl Sita is; or, in other words, ‘clever’ describes the girl Sita. In sentence 2, ‘that’ points out which boy is meant. In sentence 3, ‘five’ shows how many mangoes he gave me. In sentence 4, ‘little’ shows how much time there is for preparation. A word used with a noun to describe or point out, the person, animal, place or thing which the noun names, or to tell the number or quantity, is called an Adjective. So we may define an Adjective as a word used with a noun to add something for its meaning. [Adjective means added to.] Look at the following sentences:- The lazy boy was punished. The boy is lazy. In sentence 1, the Adjective lazy is used along with the noun boy as an epithet ...