THE WRITTEN EXPRESSION QUESTIONS

+ Each question in this section consists of one sentence in which four words or
groups of words have been underlined.
+ We must choose the underlined word or group of words that is not correct
Example :
1) The final delivery of the day is the importantest.
! " #
$) The boo%s that & read was interesting.
! " #
Problems with Subject / Verb Areeme!t
1 &f the subject of a sentence is si!ul"r# then the $erb must be si!ul"r%
1 &f the subject of the sentence is &lur"l# then the $erb must be &lur"l%
1 n s on a verb usually indicates that a verb is singular' while an s on "
!ou! usually indicates that the noun is &lur"l. (#o not forget irregular
plurals of nouns' such as wome!# chil're!' and &eo&le).
Example : : The boy wal%s to school.
The boys wal% to school.
S(ill )* + ,"(e Verbs Aree "-ter Pre&ositio!"l Phr"ses
- )repositional phrases can come between the sub*ect and the verb.
- &f the ob*ect of the preposition is singular and the sub*ect is plural' or if
the ob*ect of the preposition is plural and the sub*ect is singular.
Example : : The %ey to the doors is in the drawer.
The %eys to the door are in the drawer.
1
Str"teies -or The Writte! E.&ressio! Questio!s
1 /irst# loo( "t the u!'erli!e' wor's or rou&s o- wor's% We want to
see if we can spot which of the four answer choices is not correct.
1 I- we h"$e bee! u!"ble to -i!' the error b0 loo(i! o!l0 "t the -our
u!'erli!e' e.&ressio!s# the! re"' the com&lete se!te!ce% +ften an
underlined expression is incorrect because of something in another part
of the sentence.
The following chart outlines the %ey information that we should understand
about sub*ect , verb agreement with prepositional phrases :
E.ercise )* +
&ndicate if the following sentences are correct (" ) or incorrect (& ) -
1. The climbers on the sheer face of the mountain need to be rescued (",&).
$. The interrogation' conducted by three police officers' have lasted for
several hours. ( " , & ).
.. The tenants in the apartment next to mine is giving a party this evening
( " , & ).
S(ill )1 + ,"(e Verbs Aree A-ter E.&ressio!s o- Qu"!tit0
= particular agreement problem occurs when the sub*ect is an expression
of quantity' such as all, most# or some# followed by the preposition of.
= &n this situation' the sub*ect ( all, most# or some ) can be singular or
plural' depending on what follows the preposition o-%
Example : # ll ( of the book) was interesting
singular
# ll ( of the books ) were interesting
plural
# ll (of the information) was interesting
uncountable
$
Subject / Verb Areeme!t with the Pre&ositio!"l Phr"ses
S 2 &re&ositio!"l &hr"ses 3 V
Whe! " prepositional phrases comes betwee! the subject "!' the verb# be sure
th"t the $erb "rees with the subject
The following chart outlines the %ey information that we should understand
about sub*ect , verb agreement after expressions of quantity :
E.ercise )1 +
&ndicate if the following sentences are correct (") or incorrect (& ) -
1. The witness saw that most of the fire in the hills was extinguished ( " ,
& )
$. /ome of the animals from the 0oo was released into the animal preserve.
( " , & )
.. ll of the students in the class taught by )rofessor 1oberts is required to
turn in their term papers next 2onday. ( " , & )
S(ill )) + ,"(e I!$erte' Verbs Aree
We have seen that sometimes in English the sub*ect comes after the
verb.
When the sub*ect and verb are inverted' it can be difficult to locate them'
and it can therefore be a problem to ma%e them agree
Example : (!ehind the house) were the bycycles & wanted.
(!ehind the houses) was the bycycle & wanted.
.
Subject / Verb Areeme!t A-ter E.&ressio!s o- Qu"!tit0
all
most
some o- the 2 object 3 V
half
Whe! "! e.&ressio! o- 4u"!tit0 is the subject# the $erb "rees with the
object
The following chart outlines the %ey information that we should understand
about sub*ect , verb agreement after inverted verbs :
E.ercise )) +
&ndicate if the following sentences are correct (" ) or incorrect (& ) -
1. +nly once this morning were the letters delivered by the campus mail
service. ( " , & )
$. round the corner and to the right is the rooms that have been assigned
to that program. ( " , & )
.. What in the world is the children trying to do 3 ( " , & )
S(ill )5 + ,"(e Verbs Aree "-ter 6ert"i! Wor's
"ertain words in English are always grammatically si!ul"r' even though they
might have &lur"l me"!i!s.
Example : Everybody is going to the theater.
The following chart lists the grammatically singular words that have plural
meanings :
4
Subject / $erb Areeme!t A-ter I!$erte' Verbs
question
negative
place V S
condition ( no if )
comparison
A-ter 4uestio! wor's# !e"ti$e e.&ressio!s# &l"ce e.&ressio!s# co!'itio!s
without if, "!' com&"riso!s# the verb "rees with the subject# which m"0
be "-ter the verb.
Subject / Verb Areeme!t A-ter 6ert"i! Wor's
These wor's or e.&ressio! "re r"mm"tic"ll0 si!ul"r# so the0 t"(e
si!ul"r $erbs +
anybody everybody nobody somebody each ( + noun )
anyone everyone no one someone every (+ noun)
anything everything nothing something
E.ercise )5 +
&ndicate if the sentences are correct (") or incorrect (&) -
1. &t is impossible to believe that somebody actually admire that man (",&)
$. Each of the doctors in the building needs to have a separate reception
area ( " , & )
.. The president felt that no one were better suited for the position of chief
staff advisor ( " , & )
TOE/7 E.ercise +
"hoose the letter of the underlined word or group of words that is not correct. -
1. Each number in a binary system are formed from only two symbols.
! " #
$. /cientists at the medical center is trying to determine if there is a
! "
relationship between saccharine and cancer.
#
.. +n the rim of the 5ilauea volcano in the 6awaiian &slands are a hotel
! "
called the 7olcano 6otel.
#
Problems with P"r"llel Structure
- &n good English an attemp should be made to ma%e that language as even
balanced as possible.
- This balance is called 8parallel structure9.
- We can achieve parallel structure by ma%ing the forms of words as similar as
possible.
Example : 1 & li%e to sing & li%e to sing and to dance "
1 & li%e dancing & li%e singing and dancing "
1 & li%e to singing and dancing ( it is not parallel ) &
- There are several situations in which we should be particularly careful of
parallel structure.
- )arallel structures are required in the following situations :
1. with coordinate con*unctions' such as and, but, or
$. with paired con*unctions' such as both...and, either...or,
neither...nor, not only...but also
.. with comparisons.
:
S(ill )8 + Use P"r"llel Structure with 6oor'i!"te 6o!juctio!s
1 The *ob of coordinate con*uctions (and, but, or) is to *oin together equal
expressions.
1 &n other words' what is on one side of these words must be parallel to what is
on the other side.
Examples of two !ou!s *oined by a coordinate con*unction :
1 & need to tal% to the manager or the assistant manager.
1 /he is not a teacher but a lawyer.
1 ;ou can choose from activities such as hi%ing and %aya%ing.
Examples of two $erbs *oined by a coordinate con*unction :
1 6e only eats and sleeps when he ta%es a vacation.
1 /he invites us to her home but never tal%s with us.
1 ;ou can stay home or go to the movies with us.
Examples of two "'jecti$es *oined by a coordinate con*unction :
1 2y boss is sincare and nice.
1 The exam that he gave was short but difficult
1 "lass can be interesting or boring
Examples of two &hr"ses *oined by a coordinate con*unction :
1 There are students in the classrom and in front of the building.
1 The papers are on my des% or in the drawer.
1 The chec%s will be ready not at no o n but at 1:<<
Examples of two cl"uses *oined by a coordinate con*unction :
1 They are not interested in what you say or what you do.
1 & am here because & have to be and because & want to be
1 2r !rown li%es to go home early ' but his wife prefers to stay late.
The following chart outlines the use of plural structures with coordinate
con*unctions :
=
P"r"llel Structure with coor'i!"te co!juctio! :

and
( same structure ) but ( same structure )
or
and
(same structure)' (same structure) but ( same structure )
or
E.ercise )8 +
&ndicate if the sentences are correct (") or incorrect ( & )
1. /he held *obs as a typist' a house%eeper' and in a restaurant. ( " , & )
$. The report you are loo%ing for could be in the file or on the des%. ( " , & )
.. /he wor%s very hard but usually gets below > average grades. ( " , &)
S(ill )9 + Use P"r"llel Structure with P"ire' 6o!ju!ctio!s%
The paired con*unctions both .............and, either........or, neither............nor
and not only.....but also require parallel structures.
Example :
& %now both where you went and what you did.
Either 2ar% or /ue has the boo%.
The tic%ets are neither in my poc%et nor in my purse.
6e is not only an excellent student but also an outstanding athlete.
6e wants either to go by train or to go by plane.
6e wants to go either by train or by plane.
6e wants to go by either train or plane.
6e wants either to go by train or by plane (&t is not parallel' so it is not correct)
The following chart outlines the use of parallel structure with paired con*uction:
E.ercise )9 +
&ndicate if the sentences are correct ( " ) or incorrect ( & ) -
1. ccording to the syllabus' you can either write a paper or you can ta%e an
exam. ( " , & )
$. &t would be both noticed and appreciated if you could finish the wor%
before you leave .( " , & )
?
P"r"llel Structure with P"ire' 6o!juctio!s
2 s"me structure 3 2s"me structure3
both
either
neither
not only
and
or
nor
but also
.. /he would li%e neither to see a movie or to go bowling. ( " , & )
S(ill ): + Use P"r"llel Structure With 6om&"riso!s
1 When we ma%e a comparison' we point out the similarities or differences
between two things' and those similarities or differences must be in parallel
form.
1 We can recogni0e a comparison showing how two things are different from
the er ............ than or the more ...... than
Example :
2y school is farther than your school.
To be rich is better than to be poor.
What is written is more easily understood than what is spo%en.
1 comparison showing how two things are the same might contain as ..... as
or expressions such as the same as or similar to.
Example :
Their car is as big as a small house.
1enting those apartments costs about the same as leasing them.
The wor% that & did is similar to the wor% that you did.
The following chart outlines the use of parallel structures with comparisons :
E.ercise ): +
&ndicate if each sentence is correct ( " ) or incorrect ( & ) -
1 6is research for the thesis was more useful than hers. ( " , & )
$ #ining in a restaurant is more fun than to eat at home. ( " , & )
. & want a new secretary who is as efficient as the previous one. ( " , & )
@
P"r"llel Structure With 6om&"riso!s
2 s"me structure ) 2 s"me structure 3
more ....... than
- er ....... than
less ...... than
as ..... as
the same ....... as
similar ........ to
TOE/7 E.ercise
"hoose the letter of the underlined word or group of words that is not
correct-
1. Aire extinguishers can contain liquefied gas' dry chemicals' or watery.
! " #
$. The B./. "ongress cosists of both the /enate as well as the 6ouse of
! " #
1epresentative .
..The prison population in this state' now at an all time high' is higher than
! "
any state.
#

Problems with 6om&"r"ti$e "!' Su&erl"ti$es +
S(ill ); + /orm 6om&"r"ti$es "!' Su&erl"ti$es 6orrectl0
1 The comparative is formed with either er or more and than
1 &n the comparative' -er is used with short ad*ectives such as tall# and more is
used with longer adjectives such as beautiful.
Example : C !ob is taller th"! 1on.
C /ally is more beautiful than /aron.
=The superlative is formed with the' either Cest or most' and sometimnes in'
of, or a that- clause.
=&n the superlative' -est is used with short ad*ectives such as tall ' and most is
used with longer ad*ectives such as beautiful.
Example : !ob is the tallest man in the room
/ally is the most beautiful of all the women at the party.
The spider over there is the largest one that & have ever seen.
he fastest runner wins the race 2no in, of, or that 3
D
The following chart outlines the possible forms of comparatives and
superlatives:
E.ercise ); +
&ndicate if the sentences are correct (" ) or incorect ( & ) -
1. +xygen is abundanter than nitrogen. (", & )
$. The directions to the exercise say to choose the most appropriate
response. ( " , & )
.. The lesson you are stadying now is the most importantest lesson that you
will have. (" , & )
S(ill )< + Use 6om&"r"ti$es "!' Su&erl"ti$es 6orrectl0
=The comparative and superlative have different uses' and we should
understand these different uses to answer such questions correctly -
=The comparative is used to compare two equal things.
Example : = The history class is larger than the math class.
= 2ary is more intelligent than /ue.
The superlative is used when there are more than two items to compare and we
want to show the one that is the best' the biggest' or in some way the most
outstanding.
Example : = The history class is the largest in the school.
= 2ary is the most intelligent of all the students in the class.
The following chart outlines the uses of comparatives and superlatives :
1<
he form of comparatives and superlatives
more (long ad*ective)
"omparative : (short ad*ective) E er than
/uperlative :the most 2long ad*ectiv3 maybe in, of, that
(short ad*ective E est )
he uses of comparatives and superlatives
The com&"r"ti$e is use' to com&"re t!o equal things%
The su&erl"ti$e is use' to show which one of many is i! some w"0 the
most outst"!'i!.
E.ercise )< +
&ndicate if the sentences are correct ( " ) or incorrect ( & ) -
1. 6arvard is probably the most prestigious university in the Bnited /tates.
( " , & )
$. 1honda is more hard wor%ing of the class. ( " , & )
.. The engineers hired this year have more experience than those hired last
year. ( " , & )
S(ill )= + Use The Irreul"r er, -er Structure 6orrectl0
n irregular comparative structure that has been appearing frequently on the
T+EAF test consists of two parallel comparatives introduced by the.
Example : he harder he tried' the further he fell behind.
he older the children are' the more their parents expect from
them.
&n this type of sentence' the and the comparison can be followed by a number
of different structures.
Example : he more children you have' the bigger the house you need.
he harder you wor%' the more you accomplish.
he greater the experience' the higher the salary.
The following chart outlines this irregular -er, -er structure :
E.ercise )= +
&ndicate if the sentences are correct ( " ) or incorect ( & ) -
1. The hotter the food is' harder it is to eat . ( " , & )
11
he -er, -er structure
The -er 2s"me structure3# The -er 2s"me structure3
more more
This t0&e o- se!te!ce may or may not i!clu'e " $erb
$. The warmer the weather' the greater the attendance at the outdoor
concert . ( " , & )
.. The more you say' the worst the situation will be. ( " , & )
TOE/7 E.ercise
"hoose the letter of the underlineed word or group of words that is not correct -
1. "ertain types of sna%es have been %nown to survive fasts more as a year
! " #
long .
$. The gri00ly bear' which can grow up to eight feet tall' has been called
! "
a more dangerous animal of Gorth merica.
#
.. "laimate' soil type' and availability of water are the most critical factors
!
than selecting the best type of grass for a lawn.
" #
Problems with The /orm o- The Verb
+ &t is common in the Written Expression Huestion on the T+EAF test for
the verbs to be formed incorrectly.
+ Therefore' we should be familiar with the following verb forms :
>"se /orm Prese!t
Prese!t
P"rtici&le
P"st
P"st
P"rtici&le
Wal% walk (s) walking walked walked
6ear hear (s) hearing heard heard
"oo% cook (s) cooking cooked cooked
/ing sing (s) singing sang sung
"ome come (s) coming came come
!egin begin (s) beginning began begun
S(ill 5* + A-ter "ave# Use The P"st P"rtici&le
Whenever we see the helping verb have in any of its forms 2have, has, having,
had)' be sure that the verb that follows it is in the past participle form.
Example : They had wal%ed to school.
We have seen the show.
6e has ta%en the test.
6aving eaten' he went to school.
/he should have done the wor%.
We should be sure that if we have a sub*ect and a past participle' we also have
the verb have.
1$
This problem is particularly common with those verbs ( such as sing, sang,
sung) that change from present to past to past participle by changing only the
vowel.
Example : 2y friend sang the choir. , 2y friend has sung the choir.
6e became angry at his friend. , 6e has become angry at his
friend.
The boat san% in the ocean. , The boat has sun% in the ocean.
The following chart outlines the use of verb forms after have.
Verb -orms "-ter have H"$e ? &"st &"rtici&le
E.ercise 5* +
&ndicate if the sentences are correct ( " ) or incorrect ( & ) -
1. The young girl drun% a glass of mil% . ( " , & )
$. !efore she left' she had as%ed her mother for permission. ( " , & )
.. 6aving finished the term paper' he began studying for the exam .( " , & )
S(ill 51 + A-ter #e, Use The Prese!t P"rtici&le or The P"st P"rtici&le
The verb be in any of its forms (am, is, are, !as, !ere, be, been, being) can be
followed by another verb. This verb should be in the &rese!t &"rtici&le or the
&"st &"rtici&le -orm..
Example :
1. We are doing our homewor%.
$. The homewor% was done early.
.. Tom is ta%ing the boo%.
4. The boo% was ta%en by Tom.
The following chart outlines the use of verb forms after be:
Verb -orms "-ter be
>e ? 2 1 3 &rese!t &"rtici&le
2 ) 3 &"st &"rtici&le
E.ercise 51 +
&ndicate if the sentences are correct ( " ) or incorrect ( & ) -
1. t 1$:<< /am is eat his lunch. ( " , & )
$. We are meeting them later today. ( " , & )
.. The message was too% by the receptionist. ( " , & )
1.
S(ill 5) + A-ter Will ,$ould# or Other ,o'"ls# Use The >"se /orm o- The
Verb
Whenever we see a modal' such as !ill, !ould, shall, should, can, could, may,
might' or must we should be sure that the verb that follows it is in its base form.
Example : The boat will leave at .:<<.
The doctor may arrive soon.
The students must ta%e the exam.
The following chart outlines the use of verb forms after modals :
Verbs /orms A-ter ,o'"ls
,o'"l ? b"se -orm o- the $erb
E.ercise 5) +
&ndicate if the sentences are correct ( " ) or incorrect ( & ) -
1. The salescler% might lower the price. ( " , & )
$. The television movie will finishes in a few minutes. ( " , & )
.. /hould everyone arrive by @:<< 3 ( " , & )
TOE/7 E.ercise
"hoose the letter of the underlined word or group of words that is not correct -
1. 6elium has the most low boiling point of all substances.
! " #
$. There is twentyCsix bones in the human foot' fourteen of them in the toes.
! " #
.. Extension of the countdown hold to fourteen hours was order to give
!
crews more time to repair wiring and clear away equipment.
" #
14
Problem with The Use o- The Verb
S(ill 55 + @!ow Whe! to Use The P"st with The Prese!t
1 2any different problems in using the correct verb tense are possible in
English
1 &f a sentence has both a past tense and a present tense' the sentence is
incorrect.
Example : 6e took the money when he wants it ( incorrect)
1 The bove example can be corrected in several ways' depending on the
desired meaning.
Example : 6e took the money when he wanted it
6e takes the money when he wants it
1 &t is necessary to point out' however' that it is possible for a logical sentence
in English to have both the past and the present tense.
Example : & know that he took the money yesterday
1 When we see a sentence on the T+EAF test with both the past and the
present tense' we must chec% the meaning of the sentence carefully to see if
it is logical in English.
The following chart outlines the use of the past tense with the present tense in
English.
Usi! The P"st with The Prese!t
1 &f we see a sentence with one verb in the past and one verb in the
present, the sentence is probably incorrect
$ 6owever' it is possible for a correct sentence to have both past and
present together
. &f we see the past and present together' we must chec% the meaning to
determine whether or not the sentence is correct

E.ercise 55 +
&ndicate if the sentences are correct ( " ) or incorrect. ( & ) -
1. & tell him the truth when he as%ed me the question. ( " , & )
$. & understand that you were angry. ( " , & )
.. When he was a child' he always goes to the circus. ( " , & )
1:
S(ill 58 + Use "ave "!' "ad 6orrectl0
Two tenses that are often confused are the &rese!t &er-ect (have E past
participle ) and the &"st &er-ect (had E past participle)
=The present perfect ( have E past participle) refers to the period of time from
the past until the present
Example : /ue has lived in Fos ngeles for ten years.
=!ecause the present perfect refers to period of time from the past until the
present' it is not correct in a sentence that indicate past only.
Example : %t the start of the nineteenth century, Thomas Iefferson
has become president of the B/
became
Everytime Iim wor%ed on his car' he has improved it
improved
=The past perfect (had E past participle) refer to a period of time that started
in the past and ended in the past, before something else happened in the
past.
Example : /ue had lived in Fos ngeles for ten years when she moved
to /an #iego
=!ecause the past perfect begins in the past and ends in the past' it is
generally not correct in the the same sentence with the present tense.
Example : Tom had finished the exam when the teacher collects the
paper collected
The following chart outlines the uses of the present perfect and the past perfect :
Usi! 2h"$e ? &"st &"rtici&le3 "!' 2h"' ? &"st &"rtici&le3
Te!se /orm ,e"!i! Use
present
perfect
h"$e E past
participle
past up to now not with a past tense
JJ
past
perfect
H"' E past
participle
before past up to
past
not with a present
tense
JJ Except when the time expression since is part of the sentence (see s%ill .:)
1=
E.ercise 58 +
&ndicate if the sentences are correct ( " ) or incorrect ( & ) -
1. & have always li%ed the designs that are on the cover. ( " , &)
$. !ecause her proporsal had been re*ected' she is depressed. ( " , & )
.. The students have registered for classes before the semester started. ( ",& )
S(ill 59 + Use The 6orrect Te!se with Time E.&ressio!s
+ften in Written Expression questions on the T+EAF test there is a time
expression that clearly indicates what verb tense is needed in the sentence.
Examples : We moved to Gew ;or% in &'().
We had left there by &'').
We have lived in /an Arancisco since &'''.
/ome additional time expressions that clearly indicate the correct tense are
ago, last and lately
Examples : /he got a *ob t!o years ago.
/he started wor%ing last !eek.
/he has wor%ed very hard lately.
The following chart lists time expressions that indicate the correct verb tense :
Usi! 6orrect Te!ses with Time E.&ressio!
P"st Per-ect Sim&le P"st Prese!t Per-ect
by ( &'* ))
( t!o years ) ago
last ( year )
in ( &'*) )
since (&'*) )
lately
E.ercises 59 +
&ndicate if the sentences are correct ( " ) or incorrect ( & ) -
1. The phone rang incessantly last night . ( " , & )
$. They have finished contacting everyone by 4:<< yesterday .( " , & )
.. The pilgrims have arrived in the Gew World in 1=1$. ( " , & )
S(ill 5: + Use The 6orrect Te!se with $ill "!' Would
"ertain combinations of verbs are very common in English. +ne is the
combination of the simple present and !ill
1?
Example : & kno! that they !ill arrive soon.
& kne! that he !ould arrive.
&t is certain that he !ill graduate.
&t !as certain that he !ould graduate.

The present should be used with !ill and the past should used with !ould# they
generally should not be mixed.
Example : & kno! that he !ould arrive soon incorrect
&t !as certain that he !ill graduate incorrect

The following chart outlines the use of tenses with !ill and !ould :
Usi! 6orrect Te!ses with $ill "!' $ould
Verb ,e"!i! Use
!ill
!ould
after the present
after the past
do not use !ith past
do not use !ith present
Gote : There is different modal !ould that is used to ma%e polite requests.
This type of !ould is often used with the present tense
Example : & !ould li%e to %now if you have a pencil that & could borrow.
E.ercise 5: +
&ndicate if the sentences are correct ( " ) or incorrect ( & ) -
1. 6e %new that he will be able to pass the exam. ( ", & )
$. & thin% that & will leave tomorrow . ( " , & )
.. )aul did not say when he will finish the pro*ect. ( " , & )
TOE/7 E.ercise
"hoose the letter of the underlined word or group of words that is not correct -
1. To determine an ob*ectKs force' the mass and speed of the ob*ect must be
! "
measure.
#
$. The most common time for tornados to occur are in the afternoon or
! "
or evening on a hot' humid spring day.
"
.. utoma%ers Gissan and Aord and several aerospace research facilities in

Lreat !ritain are wor%ing lately to apply active noise cancellation to entire
! " #
cars and plane.
1@
Problem with P"ssi$e Verbs
=The difference between an active and a passive verb is that the sub*ect in a
active sentence does the action of the verb' and the sub*ect in a passive
sentence receives the action of the verb.
=To convert a sentence from active to passive' two changes must be made.
1. The sub*ect of the active sentence becomes the ob*ect of the passive
sentence' while the ob*ect of the active sentence becomes the sub*ect of
the passive sentence.
$. The verb in the passive sentence is formed by putting the helping verb be
in the same form as the verb in the active sentence and than adding the
past participle of this verb.
Example : 2argaret !rote the letter
/ 7 +
The letter was written by 2argaret
/ 7 +
S(ill 5; + Use The 6orrect /orm o- the P"ssi$e
Leneral )attern :
Gote : &n the scientific text' a sentence is often written in a passive form
because the important idea is not who did something but what is done
1D
ctive )assive
S ? V ? O S ? be ? V5 ? b0 Ae!t
/orm"ti! The P"ssi$e
"T&7E : (a) The reserach wor%ers face the sample problems.
)//&7E : (b) The sample problems are faced by the research wor%ers
Aorm of the passive : be E past participle
&n the passive# the object of an active verb becomes the
subject of the passive verb: 8the sample problems9 in (a)
becomes the sub*ect of the passive verb in (b)
(a) and (b) have the same meaning
"T&7E : (c ) n accident happened
)//&7E : (d) (none)
+nly transitive verbs (verbs that are followed by an ob*ect)
are used in passive. &t is not possible to use verbs such as
happen, sleep, come, and seem (intransitive verbs) in the
passive
Acti$e P"ssi$e
Simple Present 2ary conducts a research. research is conducted by 2ary
Present Progresive 2ary is conducting a research. research is being conducted by 2ary
Present Perfect 2ary has conducted a research. research has been conducted by 2ary
Simple Past 2ary conducted a research. research !as conducted by 2ary
Past Progresive 2ary !as conducting a research. research !as being conducted by 2ary
Past Perfect 2ary had conducted a research. research had been conducted by 2ary
Simple Future 2ary !ill conduct a research. research !ill be conducted by 2ary
be going to 2ary is going to conduct a research. research is going to be conducted by 2ary
Future Perfect 2ary !ill have conducted a research. research !ill have been conducted by 2ary
$<
THE PASSIVE /OR, O/ ,OAA7S ANA SI,I7AR EXPRESSIONS
T6E )//&7E A+12 + modal be E past participle
(a) The professor of Aluid dynamics !ill be invented to the &nternational "onference in &T/.
(b) Alowcharting can+t be restricted by a particular program on any particular.
(c) The components should be restored in one box to avoid damage.
(d) /ynthetic polymers may be used to increase flammability.
(e) This theory had better be applied to the next experiment.
(f) This research ought to be completed before Iune 1st .
(g) The program has to be conducted in proper wor%ing order.
(h) The plenary is supposed to be held after dinner.
THE PASTBPASSIVE /OR, + modal E have been E past participle
(i) The final report of steel acrh bridge design should have been sent last wee%.
(*) This harbour must have been constructed over $<< years ago.
(%) The road ought to have been asphalted two days ago.
$1
E.ercise 5; +
&ndicate if the sentences are correct ( " ) or incorrect ( & ) -
1. The boy had never be stung by a bee ( " , & )
$. The suits were hung in the closet when they were returned from the
cleaners ( " , & )
.. 2oney is lending by the credit union to those who want to buy homes (",& )
S(ill 5< + Reco!iCe Acti$e "!' P"ssi$e ,e"!i!s
1 When there is no ob*ect (with or without by ) after a verb' we must loo% at
the meaning of the sentence to determine if the verb should be active or
passive.
Example : We mailed the package at the post office.
The letter was mailed by us today before noon.
The letter was mailed today before noon.
1 To determine that such a sentence is incorrect' we must study the meaning of
the sub*ect and the verb.
1 We must as% ourselves if the sub*ect does the action of the verb (so an active
verb is needed) or if the sub*ect receives the action of the verb (so a passive
verb is needed).
The following chart outlines the difference in meaning between active and
passive verbs :
Acti$e "!' P"ssi$e ,e"!i!s
Acti$e The subject does the "ctio! o- the $erb
P"ssi$e The subject receives the "ctio! o- the $erb
E.ercise 5< +
&ndicate if the sentences are correct ( " ) or incorrect ( & ) -
1. The car par%ed in a noCpar%ing 0one. ( " , & )
$. The physics exam began *ust a few minutes ago .( " , & )
.. Everything to organi0e the picnic has already done .( " , & )
$$
TOE/7 E.ercise
"hoose the letter of the underlined word or group of words that is not correct -
1. )articular issues that concern teenagers were covering in the halfChour
! " #
program.
$. Electrical impulses may also pic%ed up by the optic nerve.
! " #
.. Wor%ers training for a specific *ob have a strong possibility of being
! "
replace by a machine.
#
Problems with Nou!s
S(ill 5= + Use The 6orrect Si!ul"r or Plur"l Nou!
problem that is common in Written Expression questions of the T+EAF
test is a singular noun used where a plural noun is needed' or a plural noun
used where a singular noun is needed.
Example : +n the table there were many dishes.
The Fab assistant finished every test.
&n written expression of the T+EAF test' we should watch very carefully for
%ey words' such as each, every, a, one, and single that indicate that a noun
should be singular.
We should also watch carefully for such %ey words as many' several, both,
various, and t!o (or any other number except one) that indicate that a noun
should be plural.
The following chart lists the %ey words that indicate to us whether a noun should
be singular or plural :
@e0 Wor's -or Si!ul"r "!' Plur"l Nou!s
/or si!ul"r Nou!s each every single one a
/or Plur"l Nou!s both t!o many several various

E.ercise 5= +
&ndicate if the sentences are correct ( " ) or incorrect ( & ) -
1. The automotive shop stoc%ed many part for the various types of 6ondas .
( " , & )
$. Every receipt must be removed from the cashierKs drawer and tallied (" ,& )
.. The salescler% demonstrated various additional way that the machine could
be used . ( " , & )
$.
S(ill 8* + Aisti!uish 6ou!t"ble "!' U!cou!t"ble Nou!s
= &n English nouns are classified as countable or uncountable.
= "ountable Gouns : C Gouns that can be counted' such as : book' pencil
C "an come in quantities of one, t!o, or a hundred'
etc
= Bncountable Gouns: C Gouns that cannot be counted' because they
come in some indeterminate qauntity or mass'
such as milk, happiness etc
C re often liquid items' such as !ater, oil,
shampoo.
C "an also refer to abstract ideas' such as security,
friendship, or hope.
= &t is important for us to recogni0e the difference between countable and
uncountable nouns when we come across such %ey words as much and
many
Example : 6e has seen many foreign films
6e didnKt have much fun at the movies
The following chart lists the %ey words that indicate to us whether a noun should
be countable or uncountable :
@e0 wor's -or 6ou!t"ble "!' U!cou!t"ble Nou!s
/or 6ou!t"ble Nou!s many number fe! fe!er
/or U!cou!t"ble Nou!s much amount little less
E.ercise 8* +
&ndicate if the sentences are correct ( " ) or incorrect ( & ) -
1. 6e received little notice that the bill would have to be paid in full . ( " , & )
$. The police had few opportunities to catch the thief who had committed a
large amount of crimes . ( " , & )
.. ;ou will have fewer problems with your income taxes if you get
professional help. ( " , & )
S(ill 81 + Reco!iCe Irreul"r Plur"ls o- Nou!s
= 2any nouns in English have irregular plurals.
= The irregular forms that are the most problematic are plural forms that do
not end in s.
$4
Example :
#ifferent criteria were used to evaluate the performers.
The following chart lists the irregular plurals that we should become familiar
with :
,rregular -lurals
Vowel ch"!e
man / me! foot , -eet goose , eese
woman , wome! tooth , teeth mouse , mice
A'' Be! child , chil're! ox , o.e!
S"me "s si!ul"r
deer , 'eer salmon , s"lmo! trout / trout
fish , -ish sheep , shee&
B is B es
analysis , "!"l0ses diagnosis , 'i"!oses synthesis / s0!theses
axis , ".es hypothesis , h0&otheses
crisis / crises parenthesis , &"re!theses thesis / theses
E!'s i! D "
bacterium , b"cteri" datum , '"t" creterion , criteri"
curriculum , curricul" phenomenon , &he!ome!"
B us Bi
alumnus , "lum!i fungus , -u!i stimulus , stimuli
bacillus / b"cilli nucleus / !uclei syllabus , s0ll"bi
cactus , c"cti radius , r"'ii
E.ercise 81 +
&ndicate if the sentences are correct ( " ) or incorrect ( & ) -
1. )arentheses is needed around that expression. ( " , & )
$. 6e wants to go on a fishing trip this wee%end because he has heard that the
fish are running. ( " , & )
.. The syllabi for the courses is included in the pac%et of materials. ( " , & )
S(ill 8) + Aisti!uish The Perso! -rom The Thi!
= Gouns in English can refer to persons or things.
= /ometimes in the written expression questions on the T+EAF test the
person is used in the place of thing' or the thing is used in place of the
person.
Example :
1 1alph Gader is an authori.ation in the field of consumer affairs
(incorrect)
1 1alph Gader is an outhority in the field of consumer affairs (correct)
1 There are many *ob opportunities in accountant . (incorrect)
1 There are many *ob opportunities in accounting. (correct)
E.ercise 8) +
&ndicate if the sentences are correct ( " ) or incorrect ( & ) -
1. &n the evening he relaxes in front of the fire and writes long poets. ( " , & )
$:
$. /ervice in the restaurant was slow because one coo% had called in sic%.
( " , & )
.. The sculpture wor%ed from sunrise until sunset on his new pro*ect. ( " , & )
TOE/7 E.ercises
"hoose the letter of the underlined word or group of words that is not correct-
1. Temperature indicates on a bimetallic thermometer by the amount that the
! " #
bimetallic strip bends.
$. 2any of the food consumed by penguins consists of fish obtained from the
! " #
ocean.
.. !efore the newspaper became widespread' a town crier has wal%ed
! "
throughout a village or town singing out the news.

Problems with Pro!ou!s
= )ronouns are words' such as he, she, or it, that ta%e the place of Gouns.
= The following pronoun problems are the most common on the T+EAF test :
1 distinguishing sub*ect and ob*ect pronouns
$ distinguishing possessive pronouns and possessive ad*ectives
. chec%ing pronoun reference for agreement
S(ill 85 + Aisti!uish Subject "!' Object Pro!ou!s
We should be able to recogni0e subject and object &ro!ou!s
Subject Object
, me
you you
he him
she her
,t it
!e us
they them
$=
= A subject &ro!ou! is used as the subject o- " $erb
= A! object &ro!ou! can be used as the object o- " $erb or the object o- "
&re&ositio!%
Example :
1 /ally gave the book to 0ohn
1 /he gave it to him
1 "im and the girl are going shopping (incorrect)
He
1 The gift was intended for you and , (incorrect)
me
E.ercise 85 +
&ndicate if the sentences are correct ( " ) or incorrect ( & ) -
1. The worst problem with it is that he can not afford it . ( " , & )
$. They saw /teve and & at the movies last night after class. ( " , & )
.. )erhaps you would li%e to go to the seminar with they and their friends.
( " , & )
S(ill 88 + Aisti!uish Possessi$e A'jecti$es "!' Pro!ou!s
= )ossessive ad*ectives and pronouns both show who or what Eow!sE a noun.
= possessive ad*ective 'escribes " !ou! : it must be accompanied by a
noun
Example :
C They lent me their boo%.
d*
= possessive pronoun t"(es the &l"ce o- " !ou! : it can not be
accompained by a noun
Example :
C They lent me theirs
)ronoun
= I!correct examples of )ronoun :
Example : C Each morning they read theirs newspapers
C "ould you give me your3
The following chart outlines the possessives and their uses :
$?
Possessi$e A'jecti$es Possessi$e Pro!ou!s
my mine
your yours
his his
her hers
its -
our ours
their theirs
must be a ccompanied by
a noun
c"!!ot be accompanied by a
noun
E.ercise 88 +
&ndicate if the sentences are correct ( " ) or incorrect ( & ) -
1. &f she borrows your coat' then you should be able to borrow
her. ( ",& )
$. Each pot and pan in her %itchen has its own place on the shelf. ( " , & )
.. 2ary and 2ar% invited theirs parents to see their new apartment.(" , & )
S(ill 89 + 6hec( Pro!ou! Re-ere!ce -or Areeme!t
= We should chec% each of pronouns and possessives for agreement.
Example :
1 The boys will cause trouble if you let them correct
1 The boys will cause trouble if you let him incorrect
1 Everyone must give his name correct
1 Everyone must give their name incorrect
E.ercise 89 +
&ndicate if the sentences are correct ( " ) or incorrect ( & ) -
1. &f a person really wants to succeed' they must always wor% hard .( " , & )
$. &f you see the students from the math class' could you return their exam
papers to them.( " , & )
.. /ome friends and & went to see a movie' and afterwards we wrote a
critique about them.( " , & )
TOE/7 E.ercise
"hoose the letter of the underlined words or group of words that is not correct -
1. The latest medical report indicated that the patientKs temperature was near

normal and their lungs were partially cleared.
$@
! " #
$. 2ost oxygen atoms have eight neutrons' but a small amount have nine or
! " #

ten.
.. When )aine expressed his belief in independence' he praised by the
! "
public.
#

Problem with A'jecti$es "!' A'$erbs
= +ften adverbs are formed by adding ly to adjectives, and these Dly adverbs
are very easy to recogni0e.
The following examples show adverbs that are formed by adding -ly to
ad*ectives :
A'jecti$e A'$erb
recent recently
public publicly
evident evidently

= 6owever there are many adverbs in English that do not end in >ly .These
adverbs can be recogni0ed from their meanings.
- They can describe !hen something happens (often, soon, later)
- "o! something happens ( fast, hard, !ell )
- $here something happens ( here, there, no!here )
= There are three s%ills involving ad*ectives and adverbs that will help us on
the written expression section of the T+EAF test :
- %nowing when to use ad*ectives and adverbs
- using ad*ectives rather than adverbs after lin%ing verbs
- positioning ad*ectives and adverbs correctly
S(ill 8: + Use >"sic A'jecti$es "!' A'$erbs 6orrectl0
= d*ectives and adverbs have very different uses.
d*ectives have only one *ob : the0 'escribe !ou!s or &ro!ou!s
/he is a beautiful woman
adjective noun
$D
/he is beautiful
pronoun adjective
dverb do three different things. The0 'escribes $erbs# "'jecti$es# or other
"'$erbs%
/he sings beautifully
verb adverb
/he is a beautifully dressed woman
adverb adjective noun
/he is a truly beautifully dressed woman
adverb adverb adjective noun
The following chart outlines the important information that we should remember
about the basic use of ad*ectives and verbs :
>"sic Use o- A'jecti$es "!' A'$erbs
A'jecti$es d*ectives describe nouns or pronouns
A'$erbs dverbs describe verbs, adjectives, or other adverbs
E.ercise 8: +
&ndicate if the sentences are correct ( " ) or incorrect ( & ) -
1. The mother was pleasant surprised when her daughter came to visit. ( " , & )
$. The salespeople frequently visit the East "oast for trade shows. ( " , & )
.. 6e was driving an expensively sports car. ( " , & )
S(ill 8; + Use A'jecti$es "-ter 7i!(i! Verbs
= Lenerally an adverb rather than an ad*ective will come dirrectly after a verb
bec"use the "'$erb is 'escribi! the $erb.
/he spo%e nicely
verb adverb
.<
= 6owever' we must be careful if the verb is a linking verb.
linking verb is followed by an ad*ective rather than an adverb.
/he loo%s nice
subject adjective
= We should be sure to use an ad*ective rather than an adverb after a lin%ing
verb.
= The ad*ective that goes with the lin%ing verb does not always directly
follow the ling%ing verb.
6e seems unusually nice
subject adverb adjevtive
The following chart list commonly used lin%ing verbs and outlines the different
uses of ad*ectives and adverbs after regular verbs and lin%ing verbs :
%djectives and %dverbs after 1erbs
2 Subject 3 ? 2reul"r $erb 3 ? 2 "'$erb 3
regular verb is followed by an adverb. The adverb describes the verb
2 Subject 3 ? 2li!(i! $erb 3 ? 2 "'jecti$e 3
ling%ing verb is followed by an ad*ective. The ad*ective describes the
sub*ect
2subject3 ? 2li!(i! $erb3 ? 2"'$erb3 ? 2"'jecti$e3
&t is possible that a lin%ing verb is followed by an adverb and an ad*ective.
The adverb describes the ad*ective and the ad*ective describes the sub*ect
7i!(i! $erbs + appear fell seem
be look smell
become prove taste
.1
E.ercise 8; +
&ndicate if the sentences are correct ( " ) or incorrect ( & ) -
1. The parents seem angrily about the childKs report card. ( " , & )
$. The spea%er tal%ed %nowingly about prehistoric fossils. ( " , & )
.. fter she dran% the lemonade' the ca%e tasted too sweetly to her. ( " , & )
S(ill 8< + Positio! A'jecti$es "!' A'$erbs 6orrectl0
= There are two common errors of position ad*ectives and adverbs that we
should bewere of :
=the position of ad*ectives with the nouns they describe
=the position of adverbs with ob*ects
Examples :
- The information important is on the first page . ( & )
noun adjective
- 6e has ta%en recently an English course . ( & )
Adv object
- 2ecently he has ta%en an English course. ( " )
- 6e has recently ta%en an English course. ( " )
- 6e has ta%en an English course recently. ( " )
The following chart outlines the %ey points that we should remember about the
position of ad*ectives and adverbs :
he -osition of %djectives and %dverbs
A'jecti$es
oneCword adjective comes before the noun it describes.
&t does not come directly after.
A'$erbs
n adverb can appear in many positions. &t cannot be used
between a verb and its ob*ect.
E.ercise 8< +
&ndicate if the sentences are correct ( " ) or incorrect ( & ) -
1. The store opened with a sale fantastic. ( " , & )
$. The pharmacist has always filled out order quic%ly. ( " , & )
.. The political candidates expressed their opposing views. ( " , & )
TOE/7 E.ercise
"hoose the letter of the underlined word or group of words that is not correct -
1. The "olorado 1iver reaches their maximum height during
pril and 2ay.
.$
! " #
$. )lant proteins tend to have few amino acids than proteins from animals
! "
sources.
#
.. The 7i%ing spacecraft has landed on 2ars in Iuly of 1D?=.
! " #


,ORE PRO>7E,S WITH AAFE6TIVES
This section deals with a few problems that are related only to ad*ectives :
1 ly ad*ectives
$ predicate ad*ectives
. ed and -ing ad*ectives
S(ill 8= + Reco!iCe Dl0 "'jecti$es
= Lenerally when a word ends in -ly in English' it is an adverb.
= 6owever' there are a few words ending in >ly that are ad*ectives' and these
-ly ad*ectives can cause confusion in the written expression section of the
T+EAF test.
The manager turned in his !eekly report
adj noun
The following chart lists common -ly ad*ectives that can appear in English :
-ly adjectives
costly likely daily !uarterly northerly
early lively hourly weekly easterly
friendly lonely monthly yearly southerly
kindly manly nightly lovely westerly
E.ercise 8= +
&ndicate if the sentences are correct ( " ) or incorrect ( & ) -
..
1. Aederal taxes are yearly taxes which must be paid every pril.( " , & )
$. t the fashion show' the new seasonally fashions will be shown. ( " , & )
.. #o you want to go to the early movie or the lately movie 3 ( " , & )
S(ill 9* + Use Pre'ic"te A'jecti$es 6orrectl0
= "ertain ad*ectives appear only in the predicate of the sentence.
= They appear after a lin%ing verb such as be' and they cannot appear directly
in front of the nouns that they describe.
The sna%e on the roc% was alive ( " )
The alive sna%e was lying on the roc% ( & )
The following chart lists some common predicate ad*ectives and the
coresponding forms that can be used in front of the noun :
-redicate %djectives
alike
alive
alone
afraid
asleep
like, similar
live, living
lone
frightened
sleeping
predicate ad*ective appears after a lin%ing verb such as
be. &t cannot appear directly in front of the noun that it
describes
E.ercise 9* +
&ndicate if the sentences are correct ( " ) or incorrect ( & ) -
1. The two brothers do not loo% at all ali%e. ( " , & )
$. 2y friend brought the alive lobster to my house and expected me to coo% it. (
" , & )
.. re you going to be lone in the house tonight 3 ( " , & )
S(ill 91 + Use D EA "!' D ING A'jecti$es 6orrectl0
= 7erb forms ending in -ed and -ing can be used as ad*ectives.
= The verbal ad*ectives cleaned and cleaning come from the verb to clean.
The woman cleans the car.
.4
verb
The cleaning woman wor%ed on the car.
adjective
The woman put the cleaned car bac% in the garage.
adjective
= 7erbal ad*ectives ending in -ed and an -ing can be confused in the written
expression section of the T+EAF test
- The cleaning car ...............
(the cleaning car is not correct because a car cannot do the action of
cleaning)
- The cleaned woman .....
(the cleaned woman is not correct because a woman cannot receive
the action of the verb clean )
The following chart outlines the %ey information that we should remember about
-ed and -ing ad*ectives :
-34 and -,56 d*ectives
Bi! active &t does the action of the
verb
......the happily playing
children...... (The children
play)
Be' passive &t receives the action of
the verb
.....the frequently played
record.... (/omeone plays the
record )
E.ercise 91 +
&ndicate if the sentences are correct ( " ) or incorrect ( & ) -
1. The teacher gave a qui0 on the *ust completing lesson. ( " , & )
$. There is a fascinating movie at the theater tonight. ( " , & )
.. They thought that it had been a very satisfied dinner. ( " , & )
TOE/7 E.ercise
"hoose the letter of the underlined word or group of words that is not correct -
1. Aactor analysis is used to discover how many abilities are involve in
! " #
.:
intelligence test performance.
$. +ne of the early orders of marine mammals' manatees have evolved more than
!
fifty million years ago from land animals.
" #
.. #olphins and chimps are li%e in that they have been shown to have language
! " #
s%ills.

Problems with Articles
= rticles are very difficult to learn' because there are :
- many rules
- many exeptions
- many special cases
= Gouns in English can be either countable or uncountable. &f a noun is
countable' it must be either singular or plural.
= There are two types of articles :
- definite (specific )
- indefinite (general )
Article
6ou!t"ble
Si!ul"r
Nou!s
6ou!t"ble
Plur"l
Nou!s
U!cou!t"ble
Nou!s
,ndefinite
(6eneral)
a dollar
an apple
CC dollars
CC apples
CCCmoney
CCCCC*uice
4efinite (specific)
the dollar
the apple
the dollars
the apples
the money
the *uice
S(ill 9) + Use Articles with Si!ul"r Nou!s
= We can see from the chart that if a noun is either countable plural or
uncountable' it is possible to have either the definite article the or no article
(indefinite).
= With all countable singular nouns' however we must have an article (unless
we have another determiner such as my or each ).
Example :
=& have money (uncountable > no article needed)
=& have books (countable plural > no article needed )
=& have a book (countable singular > article needed)
.=
The following chart outlines the %ey information that we should remember
about articles with singular nouns :
%rticles !ith /ingular 5ouns
singular noun must have an article (a, an, the ) or some other
determiner such as my or each. ( plural noun or an uncountable noun
may or may not have an article ).
E.ercise 9) +
&ndicate if the sentences are correct ( " ) or incorrect ( & ) -
1. /he is ta%ing trip with friends. ( " , & )
$. &n my yard there are flowers' trees' and grass. ( " , & )
.. The manager sent memo to his employees. ( " , & )
S(ill 95 + Aisti!uish % "!' %5
= The basic difference between a and an is that a is used in front of
consonants and an is used in front of vowels ( a, e, i , o, u ) :
=a boo% an orange
=a man an illness
=a page an automobile
= There are two exceptions to this rule : u and h. When u is pronounced li%e
the consonant y ( as in usual )' it is preceded by the article a rather than
an.
= When h is not pronounced ( as in honor )' it is preceded by the article
an rather than a .
)ronounce the following examples :
a university an unhappy man a hospital an honor
a unit an understanding a heart an herb
The following chart outlines the %ey information about the use of a and
an :
% and %5
.?
% % is used in front of a singular noun with a consonant sound
%5 %5 is used in front of a singular noun with a vo!el sound
!e careful of nouns beginning with 6 or B. They may have a vowel or a
consonant sound.
E.ercise 95 +
&ndicate if the sentences are correct ( " ) or incorrect ( & ) -
1. The dishwasher quit his *ob because he was ma%ing only four dollars a hour. (
" , & )
$. &t was an unexpected disappointment to receive a re*ection letter from the
university. ( " , & )
.. &t is raining' so you should bring a umbrella. ( " , & )
S(ill 98 + ,"(e Articles Aree with Nou!s
= The definite article (the) is used for both singular and plural nouns.
= The use of the indefinite article is different for singular and plural nouns
Example :
1 6e saw a new movie. ( singular )
1 6e saw new movies. ( plural )
1 They traveled to a nearby mountain. ( singular )
1 They traveled to nearby mountains. ( plural )
1 #o you have another boo% 3 ( singular )
1 #o you have other boo%s 3 ( plural )
The following chart states the %ey point for us to remember about the agreement
of articles with nouns :
%greement of %rticles !ith 5ouns
We should never use a or an with a plural Goun
E.ercise 98 +
.@
&ndicate if the sentences are correct ( " ) or incorrect ( & ) -
1. /he went to school in a local community. ( " , & )
$. The doctor used an other pills. ( " , & )
.. &t is necessary to have a farm or land of your own . ( " , & )
S(ill 99 + Aisti!uish S&eci-ic "!' Ge!er"l I'e"s +
= With countable singular nouns it is possible to use either the definite or the
indefinite article' but they have different meaning.
= The indefinite article is used to refer to one specific noun :
Example :
- Tom will bring the boo% tomorrow.
( There is one specific boo% that Tom will bring tomorrow.)
- 6e will arrive on the first Tuesday in Iuly.
( There is only one first Tuesday in Iuly .)
- 6e sailed on the )acific +cean.
( There is only one )acific +cean .)
= The definite article is used when the noun could be one of several different
different nouns.
=Tom will bring a boo% tomorrow.
( Tom will bring any one boo%.)
=6e will arive on a Tuesday in Iuly.
( 6e will arrive on one of four Tuesdays in Iuly.)
=6e sailed on an ocean.
(6e sailed in any one of the worldKs oceans.)
The following chart outlines the %ey information that we should
understand about specific and general ideas :
/pecific and 6eneral ,deas
Article ,e"!i! Uses
% or
%n
general idea
+ Bse when there are many ' and we do not
kno! which one it is.
+ Bse when there are many' and we do not
care which one it is.
The specific idea
+ Bse when it is the only one
+ Bse when there are many ' and we kno!
which one it is.
.D
E.ercise 99 +
&ndicate if the sentences are correct ( " ) or incorrect ( & ) -
1. 6e too% a trip on a /na%e 1iver. ( " , & )
$. &Kll meet you at the library later. ( " , & )
.. The ball hit a child on a head. ( " , & )
TOE/7 E.ercise
"hoose the letter of the underlined word or group of words that is not correct -
1. +peras can be broadly classified as either comedies or they are tragedies.
! " #
$. Tungsten has the highest melting point of all metals' and for this reason it is

often use in equipment that must withstand high temperatures.
! "
.. Whereas there are fortyC three ant species in Lreat !ritain' the same amount of
! "
ant species can be found in a single tree in )eru.
#
Problem with Pre&ositio!s
= )repositions can be used in two ways :
+ in a literal way
+ in an idiomatic way
= &n the literal use' the preposition means exactly what we expect.
Example :
1 The boy ran up the hill.
( The boy went in the direction up rather than down. )
1 /he went in the house.
( /he went into rather than out of the house. )
= &n the idiomatic use' the preposition appears in an idiomatic expression'
that is' it is meaning in this expression has nothing to do with the literal
meaning.
Example :
4<
- & call up my friend.
( o call up someone means to telephone someone .)
- 6e succeeded in passing the course.
( The word in is has nothing to do with the meaning of into or
inside, it is simply idiomatic that the word in is used after the verb
succeed . )
There are two common types of problems with prepositions that we should
expect :
- incorrect prepositions
- omitted prepositions
S(ill 9: + Reco!iCe I!corect Pre&ositio!s
= /ometimes an incorrect preposition is given in a sentence in written
expression section on the T+EAF test.
Example :
- The game was called on because of rain . ( incorrect )
( to visit )
- The game was called off because of rain . ( correct )
( canceled )
- & %new & could count in you to do a good *ob. ( incorrect )
- & %new & could count on you to do a good *ob. ( correct )
E.ercise 9: +
&ndicate if the sentences are correct ( " ) or incorrect ( & ) -
1. fter school many students participate in sports. ( " , & )
$. & %now & can rely in you to be here on time. ( " , & )
.. &f you need more light to read' turn on the lamp next to you. ( " , & )
S(ill 9; + Reco!iCe Whe! Pre&ositio!s H"$e >ee! Omitte'
= /ometimes a necessary preposition has been omitted from a sentence in
written expression questions on the T+EAF test :
Example :
- "an you !ait me after the game 3 ( incorrect )
- "an you !ait for me after the game 3 ( correct )
- & plan attending the meeting 3 ( incorrect )
- & plan on attending the meeting 3 ( correct )
41
E.ercise 9; +
&ndicate if the sentences are correct ( " ) or incorrect ( & ) -
1. &f you ta%e this *ob' it will be necessary to deal other departments.( " , & )
$. Each child too% one coo%ie from the plate.( " , & )
.. &n the discussion' 1ob sided the rest . ( " , & )
TOE/7 E.ercise
"hoose the letter of the underlined word or group of words that is not correct -
1. The body depends in food as its primary source of energy.
! " #
$. 1egular programming was interrupted to broadcast a special news bulletins.
! " #
.. /ulfa drugs had been used to treat bacterial infection until penicillin becomes
! "
widely available.
#
Problems with Us"e
= &n English certain groups of words have similar uses' the following
problems are the most common :
1 when to use make and do
$ when to use like' unlike, and alike
. when to use other, another, and others
S(ill 9< + Aisti!uish 7ake "!' 4o
= 7ake and do can be confused in English becuase their meaning are so
similar
= 7ake often has the idea of creating or constructing.
The following expressions show some of the possible uses of make :
- /he li%es to make her own clothes.
- Would you li%e to make a ca%e for dessert 3
- &f you make a mista%e' you should correct it.
- 6e was unable to make a response to the threat.
= 4o often has the idea of completing or performing.
The following expressions show some of the possible uses of do :
Example :
- This morning she did all the dishes.
4$
- The students are doing the assignments.
- The *anitors did the wor% they were assigned.
- ;ou can do your laundry at the laundromat.
E.ercise 9< +
&ndicate if the sentences are correct ( " ) or incorrect ( & ) -
1. The biology student did several mista%es in the lab report. ( " , & )
$. & hope that you will be able to do me a favor this afternoon. ( " , & )
.. Go matter what *ob she has' she always ma%es her best.( " , & )
S(ill 9= + Aisti!uish 8ike, %like, "!' 9nlike
= 8ike, alike and unlike are easily confused because they loo% so similar and
they have many different uses.
= There are several structures with like, alike and unlike that we should be
familiar with.
= The ad*ective alike and like (see /%ill :< )
Example :
- Iohn and Tom are alike.
(%like as a predicate ad*ective means similar' describing 0ohn and
om )
- Iohn and Tom wor%ed in a like manner.
( 8ike as ad*ective form means similar )
= The prepositions like and unlike' which have apposite meanings must be
followed by ob*ects.
Example :
Iohn is ( like Tom )
( 8ike as preposition means Tom and Iohn are similar )
Iohn is (unlike Tom. )
( 9nlike as preposition means Tom and Iohn are not similar )
= The preposition like and unlike can also be used at the beginning of a
sentence
Example :
(8ike Tom)' Iohn is tall.
( 8ike as a preposition means that Tom is tall. )
4.
9nlike Tom' Iohn is tall
(9nlike as preposition means that Tom is not tall )
The following chart outlines the structures and meanings of sentences with
like, alike and unlike :
like , alike, and unlike
Gr"mm"r ,e"!i! Use
like
alike
ad*ective
ad*ective
similar
similar
- s an ad*ective' li(e is used before a noun
- s an ad*ective' "li(e is used after lin%ing verb
like
unlik
e
prepositio
n
prepositio
n
similar
different
- !oth prepositions are followed by ob*ects.
- They can both be used in many positions'
including at the beginning of the sentence.
E.ercise 9= +
&ndicate if the sentences are correct ( " ) or incorrect ( & ) -
1. The two routes you have chosen for the trip are li%e.( " , & )
$. The science boo%s this semester are li%e the boo%s used last semester. ( " , & )
.. li%e the restaurant where we usually eat' this new restaurant has earlyCbird
specials. ( " , & )
S(ill :* + Aisti!uish :ther, %nother, "!' :thers
= To decide how to use each of them correctly' we must consider three things:
1 if it is singular or plural
$ if it is definite ( the ) or indefinite (a, an 3
. if it is an adjective ( it appears with a noun ) or a pronoun ( it appear
s by itself )
/ingular -lural
,ndefinite
& have another boo%. (ad*ective)
& have another. (pronoun)
& have other boo%s (ad*)
& have others. (pron)
4efinite
& have the other boo%. (ad*ective)
& have the other. (pronoun)
& have the other boo%s (ad*)
& have the others (pro)
E.ercise :* +
&ndicate if the sentences are correct ( " ) or incorrect ( & ) -
44
1. &t is essential to complete the first program before wor%ing on the others.(",&)
$. The waitress will bring you the another bowl of soup if you want. ( " , & )
.. ;ou should pac% another pair of shoes in case that pair gets soa%ed. ( " , & )
TOE/7 E.ercise
"hoose the letter of the underlined word or group of words that is not correct -
1. Titania' photograped by "oyager # in 1D@=' has significantly fewer craters
! "
than another moons of Branus.
#
$. The author Arancis /cott 5ey Ait0gerald is better %now as A. /cott Ait0gerald.
! " #
.. The result of the failure to plan for the future is that a child from an urban
!
area must be too% to the country to see nature.
" #
4: