Tag: Sentence

How to speak English fluently?

It is not at all difficult to speak English fluently. If you know basic sentence construction, you can begin immediately. There may be some of you  who have been studying English for many years. You know how to read and write English but when it comes to speaking English, cat gets your tongue. You loose your confidence. This is the first thing you should do if you wish to speak English fluently.
 Say goodbye to your fear – your hesitation – your inhibition:
Remember, how you learnt to speak when you were a child. You simply babbled. You imitated whatever sounds were produced around you. And in this way you learnt to speak very, very fast. This is what you have to remember when it comes to speaking fluent English. Just speak. Don’t hanker after the rules. They inhibit learning. Nobody ever taught you the rules of your language when you were a child. And still you speak correctly. So is the case with English. Use it, play with it like a child and you will see how fast you begin to speak English.

  
Some useful tips to begin speaking English:
  • Look out for people who speak English. Converse with them. Don’t be afraid of making mistakes. Ask your friends or relatives or teachers, who know better English, to correct you, In this way you will learn correct English and not incorrect English.
  • Picture reading: Take any picture and describe it.
  • Read and Tell: Read a story and retell it in your own words.
  • Describe your daily activities.
  • Learn a new English word everyday and use it in sentences of your own.
  • Read a new English book everymonth.
  • Read aloud: If you know how to read English, then read aloud. In this way you familiarize yourself with English sounds and become comfortable with the language.
  • Use a mirror: If you cannot get a partner to converse with, stand in front of the mirror and speak. Create situations and dialogues and speak. This way you not only think in English but also see and hear yourself speak English. Begin with topics you are familiar with or are interested in – cooking gardening, shopping, travelling, etc.
  • Keep a dictionary handy: If you are not sure of a word or you come across a new word, check its meaning in a good dictionary. Look for its pronunciation and also some sample sentences. This way you will know how, where and when to use a word or a phrase.
  • Listen to English: Listen to English news broadcasts, watch English programmes and movies. Pay attention to the pronunciation. If you want to be understood by native speakers, you have to come closer to their way of speaking. That doesn’t mean you have to try and copy their accent. With so many varieties of English, what you have to achieve is approximation to standard spoken English for international intelligibility.
  • Self- help books: There are many self-help books available which can help you in the beginning. These boks have situational dialogues. You can read them aloud and use them when you find yourself in a similar situation.
  • Use Internet: If you are computer friendly, then internet can be a great resource of learning English.
  • Record yourself: This is both great fun and great learning. Record yourself and see your progress.
Use all your resources and surround yourself with English but above all have fun.

Use of Let

Use of Let
  • When we want to do something, or we want to be allowed to do something, we may start the sentence with Let me……
Example:
1.  Tina wants to carry her mother’s purse.
Tina: Let me carry your purse.
2.  Jack wants to go for a picnic with his friends.
Jack: Let me go for a picnic with my friends.
3.  Sheena wants to learn music.  
Sheena: Let me learn music.
4.  Ron is bored with his toys and wants to play outside.
Ron: Let me play outside.
  • We use Let to offer to do something for others.
Example:
5.  Mark to his teacher: Let me carry your books.
6.  A blind man is trying to cross the road. Ruth comes to his aid: Let me help you cross the road.
7.  Mark’s friend has a bad cold. He offers to take her to the doctor: Let me take you to the doctor.
8.  Rita’s grandmother is looking for her  knitting needles. She offers to find them: Let me find your needles.
  • We use let’s to suggest an idea or a plan that includes the speaker. Let’s is a short form of Let us.
1.  I am tired. Let’s rest for sometime.
2.  I am hot. Let’s have a cool drink.
3.  I am hungry. Let’s have some cookies.
4.  The car is very dirty. Let’s clean the car.

Comparisons

  • Study the following sentences:
  1. John is a tall boy.
  2. John is taller than Jack.
  3. John is the tallest boy in the class.

 

  • The first sentence is a statement. We are not comparing John with any other boy. We simply say that John is a tall boy.
  • In the second sentence, we use the word taller. It shows comparison between two boys John and Jack. We show that one is taller than the other.
  • In the third sentence, we use the words the tallest. It shows that no one in the class is as tall as John. He is the tallest boy in the class.

 

  • Let us look at some more examples:
  1. Grandfather is older than grandfather.
  2. Fanny is prettier than Lizzy.
  3. The poor are happier than the rich.
  4. Tina’s dress is more beautiful than Kuku’s dress.
  5. An elephant is bigger than a lion.

These sentences show comparisons between two things. We use the -er form of the word or we use more. We also use the word than.

 

  • Now look at these sentences:
  1. The whale is the largest animal.
  2. This is the finest silk.
  3. Sam is the fastest child I have ever seen.
  4. The giraffe has the tallest neck.
  5. He is the most intelligent boy in the class.

 

We show comparison among more than two objects by using the –est form of an adjective – smallest, shortest, bravest. Sometimes, we use most with the adjective – most beautiful, most interesting. We also use the with the –est form.

Yesterday, Today and Tomorrow

  • Look at the following sentences and notice time change and verb change:

 

  1. I wake up at 7o’clock everyday.
  2. I woke up at 6 o’clock yesterday.
  3. Tomorrow, I will wake up at 7 o’clock again.

 

  1. We go to Delhi every month.
  2. We went to Delhi last month.
  3. We will go to Delhi next month.

 

The first sentence in both the groups expresses habitual activity.

The second sentence in both the groups expresses past activity.

The third sentence in both the groups expresses future activity.

The words wake, woke, go and went are Verbs.

Wake and go denote action which is done in the present time.

Woke and went denote action which was done in the past time.

When we add will/shall to wake and go, we express action which will be done in the future time.

  • Verbs are, along with Nouns, the most important words in a sentence. They express actions. When the time of an action changes, the Verb also changes.

 

  • Let us look at some more examples:

 

Present (Today) Past (Yesterday) Future (Tomorrow)
We work We worked We shall work
You sleep You slept You will sleep
They run They ran They will run
I eat I ate I will eat
We speak We spoke We shall speak

 

  • Some Verbs have the same form in both Present and Past; as,
We read We read We shall read
It costs It cost It will cost
I bet I bet I will bet
The Sun sets The Sun set The Sun will set

Pronouns

Pronouns – Words Used in Place of Nouns

Look at the following sentence groups:

1. Alice is a little girl.

Alice is pretty.

Alice has an umbrella.

The umbrella is very colourful.

2. Listen to Alex.

Alex is singing.

John and Alan are Alex’s friends.

John and Alan have come to hear Alex.

Alex is glad to see John and Alan.

We can write these sentences as:

1. Alice is a little girl.

She is pretty.

She has an umbrella.

It is very colourful.

2. Listen to Alex.

He is singing.

John and Alan are his friends.

They have come to hear him.

He is glad to see them.

In sentence group 1, we have used she for Alice and it for Umbrella.

In sentence group 2, we have used he, his and him for Alex; they and them for John and Alan.

By writing like this we avoid repetition and make our sentences better.

Such words which are used for or in place of a noun are called Pronouns.

The word Pronoun means ‘for a noun’.

Now read the following sentences carefully and note that the words in bold italics are Pronouns:

Teacher: Lucy, show me the drawing book

Lucy: I forgot to bring it, sir.

Here, me stands for the teacher. I stands for Lucy, and it stands for the drawing book. Teacher, Lucy and drawing book are Nouns. Me, I, and it are used in place of Nouns.

Jack and Jill: We want to go to the park. Will you allow us, mother?

Mother: Yes, but come back soon, else your father will get angry.

Here, we, us, and your stand for Jack and Jill and You stands for mother.

Jack, Jill and mother are nouns. We, us, you, your, are words used in place of Nouns.

A Pronoun is a word used instead of a Noun.

I, Me, my, you, your, he, him, his, she, her, it, its, we, us, our, they, them, there are some common Pronouns.

Interrogative Sentences

Interrogative Sentences – Asking Questions

  • Compare the following sentences:
  1. I am happy.                                                          1. Am I happy?
  2. She is sad.                                                             2. Is she sad?
  3. John is absent.                                                     3. Is John absent?
  4. It is cold.                                                                4. Is it cold?
  5. David’s clothes are dirty.                                   5. Are David’s clothes dirty?
  6. The children were playing in the park.            6. Were the children playing in the park?
  7. These grapes are sour.                                       7. Are these grapes sour?
  8. You have a watch.                                                8. Do you have a watch?
  9. They will come tomorrow.                                  9. Will they come tomorrow?
  10. She can drive a car.                                              10. Can she drive a car?
  • The sentences on the left-hand side tell something. They are called statements.
  • The sentences on the right-hand side ask questions. They are called interrogative sentences.
  • A sentence that asks a question is called an interrogative sentence.
  • We put a question mark (?) at the end of an interrogative sentence.

  • Formation of interrogative sentences:

  1. In sentences beginning with I am/He is/You are/John was, we put am, is, are, was etc. before the subject.
  2. In sentences beginning with He has/You have/I had, etc. we put has/have/had, before the subject.
  3. If the Verb is made up of two words, we put the first word before the subject.
  • Now study the following sentences carefully and see which words change their place:

  1. I am reading a book.                                              1. Am I reading a book?
  2. He is busy now.                                                       2. Is he busy now?
  3. The windows are open.                                         3. Are the windows open?
  4. Jane and Jenny are sisters.                                    4.  Are Jane and Jenny (they) sisters?
  5. She was absent yesterday.                                    5. Was she absent yesterday?
  6. You were not well yesterday.                                6. Were you not well yesterday?
  7. He had no money in his wallet.                             7. Had he no money in his wallet?
  8. Rita has a doll.                                                           8. Has Rita a doll?
  9. The students will go for a picnic tomorrow 9. Will the students go for a picnic tomorrow?
  10. The basket is full of red apples.                              10. Is the basket full of red apples?
  • Questions also begin with words like who, what, why, when, where, how, how many do/does, did, can, will, shall etc. For example:

  1. What is your name?
  2. How old are you?
  3. How many books do you have?
  4. Why is the market closed?
  5. What is Sheela doing?
  6. Where has father gone?
  7. Who is singing?
  8. Did you go to school?
  9. Did the teacher give you a test?
  10. Can you drive car?
  11. Will you come tomorrow?
  12. Shall I meet you at the station?

Negative Sentences

 

  • Compare the following sentences:

 

  1. I am happy.                                                         1. I am not happy.
  2. He is lazy.                                                             2. He is not lazy.
  3. She is honest.                                                      3. She is not honest.
  4. The mangoes are ripe.                                       4. The mangoes are not ripe.
  5. The food was enough.                                        5. The food was not enough.
  6. There is some water in the jug.                         6. There is no water in the jug.
  7. They have some money.                                     7. They have no money.
  8. He had a fast car.                                                  8. He had no fast car.
  9. She is watering the plants.                                  9. She is not watering the plants.
  10. They have reached Paris.                                    10. They have not reached Paris.

 

  • The sentences on the left-hand side are positive statements. The sentences on the right –hand side have not or no in them. They are negative sentences.  A sentence having not or no in them is called a Negative Sentence.
  • Note: When the Verb is made up of two or more words (Sentence – 9 and 10), we put not/no after the first word to make the sentence, Negative.

 

  • Now compare the following sentences:

 

  1. Close the doors and windows.                        1.  Do not/Don’t close the doors and windows.
  2. Go out of the room.                                          2.  Do not/Don’t go out of the room.
  3. Stand up.                                                             3.  Do not/Don’t stand up.
  4. Read this aloud.                                                  4.  Do not/Don’t read this aloud.
  5. Keep quiet.                                                           5.  Do not/Don’t keep quiet.

 

  • To make a command sentence, negative, we put do not/don’t at the beginning of the sentence. Don’t is the short form of ‘do not’.

 

 

 

The Sentence

The Sentence

 

  • Look at these groups of words:
  1. Mary has
  2. Mary has a little
  3. Mary has a little lamb.
  • The first two groups of words do not have complete meaning.
  • The third group has a complete meaning.
  • The third group of words is a Sentence.
  • A Sentence is a group of words that makes complete sense i.e. it has a complete meaning.
  • We always begin a Sentence with a capital letter and put a full stop (.) at the end of a Sentence.
  • We always write the word ‘I’ as a capital letter.

 

  • Let us look at some more groups of words:
  1. A bird
  2. on the tree
  3. A bird is sitting on the tree.

 

  1. Cats and milk
  2. Cats love
  3. Cats love milk.

 

  1. Birds and wings
  2. Birds fly with
  3. Birds fly with their wings.

 

  1. The girls
  2. The girls are
  3. The girls are playing.

 

  • The first two groups of words in each group are incomplete.
  • The third group of words has complete meaning.
  • They all are Sentences.

 

  • It is also important that the words in a sentence are in their proper order. Look at the following groups of words:
  1. Toys balls are
  2. Clothes the dry are
  3. Plays she the violin
  4. Black is crow the

 

  • We cannot call these groups of words, Sentences, because they are not in their proper order. Their meaning is not clear. Let us put them in their proper order:
  1. Balls are toys.
  2. The clothes are dry.
  3. She plays the violin.
  4. The crow is black.

 

  • Now, these groups of words make sense. They are meaningful and can be called sentences.

Basic Sentence Patterns

Basic Sentence Patterns

To learn a language (in our case English), at the preliminary stage, it helps if we know the Basic Sentence Patterns. And if we are able to make Basic Sentences, transformation becomes easy i.e. from Affirmative (Positive) to Negative and Interrogative (Question), Active to Passive or Simple to Compound and Complex (use of more than one finite verbs).

Note – A Finite Verb has a tense and has a subject with which it agrees in number and person; e.g. sleep is finite in the sentence Babies sleep most of the time and looks is finite in the sentence The old man looks ill. But go in the sentence She wants to go is non-finite as it has no variation of tense and does not have a subject.

Most of the English Subject-and-Predicate sentences are built on the following principles. The Sentence has a framework consisting of Subject, Verb and Whatever Completer(s) – Direct Object, Indirect Object, and Complement. They come in a fixed word order. Let’s study them with the help of examples:

  1. Subject + Verb(S + V) – Cats mew.
  2. Subject + Verb + Complement(S + V + C) – Cats are animals.
  3. Subject +Verb + Direct Object(S + V + O) – Cathy likes cats.
  4. Subject + Verb + Indirect Object + Direct Object(S + V +I +O) – Cathy gives them milk.
  5. Subject + Verb + Direct Object + Object Complement(S + V + O + O/C) – Milk makes them fat.

In the first sentence- Cats mew(S+V) – ‘mew’ is an intransitive verb i.e. it does not need/take a Direct Object to complete its meaning. Let us look at some more examples based on this pattern:

  1. Birds fly.
  2. The peacock danced.
  3. Stars twinkle.
  4. The sun shines.

The verbs used in these sentences are intransitive verbs as they do not take an object. But we can expand these sentences by adding an adverbial (Adv.) or prepositional phrase (PP) or a time element (TE).

  1. Birds fly in the sky. (PP)
  2. The peacock danced beautifully. (Adv.)
  3. Stars twinkle at night. (TE)
  4. The sun shines brightly. (Adv.)

Let us look at some more sentence patterns:

  • Subject + Verb (be- type and become- type) + Noun

Be-type verbs – am, is, are, was, were.

Some become- type verbs – look, remain, turn, and continue.

  1. I am a teacher.
  2. Thomas is a doctor.
  3. They are students.
  4. He was a gentleman.
  5. They were friends.
  6. Julia became an actress.
  • Subject + verb (be-type and become-type) + Adjective

Become-type verbs for this pattern – look, seem, appear, become, taste, turn, sound, smell.

  1. Sheena is honest.
  2. Models are pretty.
  3. William appeared handsome.
  4. The crowd turned nasty.
  • Subject + Verb (be-type) + Adverbial
  1. Ron is here.
  2. They are upstairs.
  3. Nobody is there.
  4. The students are in the class.
  • Subject + Verb (have-type) + Noun

Have-type Verbs – have, has, had, cost, resemble, etc.

  1. Mr. Gibson had a red car.
  2. She resembles her mother.
  3. They own a beautiful bungalow.
  4. Susan has a good sense of humour.
  • It + Verb (be-type) + Time/Atmosphere/ Weather/Distance etc.
  1. It is five O’clock.
  2. It is cold.
  3. It is raining.
  4. It is hundred Kms. from here.