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Grammar problems

gkisseberth

Germany

Hi all,

I am an English teacher working in Colombia and I have a question for the English learners.

What is the most difficult part of English grammar for you? (what gives you the most trouble, or is the hardest for you to remember?

  

08:28 PM Oct 27 2007 |

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NRLHOSSAIN

Bangladesh

Thank you for your easy reference.Can you pls tell me to start a story or any type of writing such as journy by train i decided i will write regading this matter.Is there have any mendatory option  to write in present ,past and future tense. Kindly give your comment.

Thank you. Hossain

01:45 PM Oct 28 2007 |

gkisseberth

Germany

Thank you for your easy reference.Can you pls tell me to start a story or any type of writing such as journy by train i decided i will write regading this matter.Is there have any mendatory option  to write in present ,past and future tense. Kindly give your comment.

 

It's not mandatory to write in any particular tense when writing something like a journal. It all depends on what you want to talk about.

If you are talking about things that you already did, use past tense (We arrived in Cologne last night) or past progressive (I was shopping for souvenirs)

You can use the future tenses to talk about your plans (Tomorrow I will go hiking  or  I am going to sleep very well tonight)

You can use present tenses sometimes when talking about the past to make your writing sound more dramatic

So it really depends on what you want to talk about.  

 

02:41 PM Oct 28 2007 |

cherrye

cherrye

Philippines

Hi!

1.) I am having difficulty using "there is" and "there are. 

Example: There's some slipper in the shoe rack.

Should it be -> There are some slippers in the shoe rack? (because of the word "some", slippers automatically becomes plural therefore we use "there are"(?)

or ->  (to stick to a singular form it has to be -> There is a slipper in the shoe rack. (?)

Example: There are a lot of things I must do now.

Should it be -> There are lots of things i must do now? (Delete "a" and put "s" after lot(s) because the things = plural(?) 

 

2.) What comes before and after…

Example:

I have also some apartments that are occupied now but will be available soon.

or—> I also have some apartments that are…..

What is the correct one? 

 

3.) Singular or plural for the verb?

Example :

She often make mistakes.

She often makes mistakes.

 

Kindly advise. I have been speaking in English in slang manner at most times that i tend to confuse myself what is the correct grammar. Please help me.

 

Thank you! 

 

 

 

 

08:40 PM Oct 28 2007 |

gkisseberth

Germany

Grammar problems
01:40 PM Oct 28 2007

Hi!

1.) I am having difficulty using "there is" and "there are. 

Example: There's some slipper in the shoe rack.

Should it be -> There are some slippers in the shoe rack? (because of the word "some", slippers automatically becomes plural therefore we use "there are"(?)

Yes, the correct sentence should be "There are some slipppers in the shoe rack"

You would normally talk about slippers-plural, and using the word "some" means you are talking about more than one. You have to make sure the verb agrees in number with the subject. In this sentence the subject is plural (slippers) so the verb must be also (are) 

 

Example: There are a lot of things I must do now.

Should it be -> There are lots of things i must do now? (Delete "a" and put "s" after lot(s) because the things = plural(?) 

Both forms would be correct. The important thing is that you use there are, not there is, because the subject (things) is plural.

"a lot" and "lots" are equal in meaning

2.) What comes before and after…

Example:

I have also some apartments that are occupied now but will be available soon.

or—> I also have some apartments that are…..

What is the correct one?    the second sentence is correct.

also is an adverb, and usually they go BEFORE verbs, except the verb "to be" when they go AFTER the verb

Examples:      I usually take the bus to work.    I am usually on time for work. 

                      Pete also takes the bus.          Pete is also my boss.   

 

3.) Singular or plural for the verb?

Example :

She often make mistakes.

She often makes mistakes.    CORRECT

After 3rd person singular (he she it) use form of the verb ending in "s"   it's not really plural. I know it's confusing that plural nouns and some singular verbs both have the "s" ending.

09:06 PM Oct 28 2007 |

cherrye

cherrye

Philippines

Thank you for a quick reply.

With #3.) She often makes mistakes. —is the correct one.

The word "often" does not affect the relationship of SHE to MAKES?

I apologize for getting back to you again regarding this. But this is actually one of my habitual mistake.

 

 

10:25 PM Oct 28 2007 |

gkisseberth

Germany

Grammar problems
 

With #3.) She often makes mistakes. —is the correct one.

The word "often" does not affect the relationship of SHEMAKES? to

I apologize for getting back to you again regarding this. But this is actually one of my habitual mistake.

You don't have to apologize for asking questions. It's always better to seek clarification if you don't understand.

To answer your question, NO… the adverb "often" doesn't change the form of the verb you would use. It changes the meaning of the sentence, but you would still use MAKES instead of MAKE.

10:30 PM Oct 28 2007 |

cherrye

cherrye

Philippines

Another question:

Thank you for the information that you gave me.  (is this correct?)

Or it should be : Thank you for the information you gave me.(or both are the correct?)

Kindly correct these sentences for me: Yesterday, I went to the mall to play bowling. When i arrived there, I saw a friend who  studied with me last semester.

or

I went to the mall to play bowling yesterday. I saw my friend who went to study with me last semester when i arrived there. 

Both might be wrong.

* I do not want to overuse the comma but i also do not want to make continuous statements without breaking the idea that might confuse the reader. How do i work this out?

01:32 PM Oct 29 2007 |

NRLHOSSAIN

Bangladesh

 

 1.   While i was going to shopping ,my father called me in my mobile.

2. If i had enough books I would pass the examination.

3. I  might be happy if you call me .

4. Let me infrom to him ,we are coming tomorrow by bus in our office.

5. I am looking forward to hear from you.

Can you please find the above sentence written by me whither it is correct or not. In my my previous email i tried to understand my problem. I will be grateful if you would reply my question.

Thank you—Hossain Bangladesh  

01:53 PM Oct 29 2007 |

swany

Viet Nam

You're wonderful, qkisseberth. Thanks for all your replies. Now i'm studying E to pass the next IELTS, i must get marks 6.5, but i realize all my skills are very bad, especially my writing, it's really difficult, i don't know how i have to improve my writing. My vocabulary is terrible. i learn and i forget it …at once T_T, especially academic words. Sometimes i ask myself that i must learn this word for what, just because it's the first time i've seen that and maybe it's the last. So u can give me some advice to write better and learn new words. Thanks in advance!!!

02:10 PM Oct 29 2007 |

NRLHOSSAIN

Bangladesh

Dear Teacher

Please comment my following sentence whither it is inorder to readable. Can you please show me how can i bring out long sentence into a simple sentence from my below writings.

As a Bengali people english is difficult subject for me. When i tried to convert english from my language sometimes i do mistake. My collegues who seat with me all the times inside of me asks me what do you all this times in this internet site. To learn english is my great hobby. From my boyhood i had a desire to speak english with a forighner.But accent is a difficult factor to like me learner.

02:20 PM Oct 29 2007 |