Articles, part 2

A...An...The...

Even thought there are only three articles in English, the rules on how to use these can get rather complicated.

Learning articles in English is best done through practice and study-- but it takes time, as there are lots of rules (and exceptions to the rules) to consider.

• (1) If articles are a struggle for you, I highly recommend getting a copy of The Article Book, by Tom Cole, University of Michigan Press. It contains clear explanations of the 50 rules for article use with lots of practice activities to help you understand  and remember them.

• (2) For a quick explanation of the rules- and a short practice quiz, visit the EC learn English Page here.

• (3) For another basic explanations of the uses of A/An/The, please visit the "English Pages" explanation page here.

• (4) To practice with these, click here, and complete English Pages exercises 7-11

• (5) If you like the English Pages explanations, check out the more advanced rules now here
• (6) Now, to practice there, click here and complete exercises 12-30

• (7) If you like lots of examples, you can review article rules at the Frankfurt International School page

• (8) For another comprehensive (advanced and very thorough) explanation of article use (with practice activities), visit the"Grammar Quizzes" page here.

Practice with commas

Struggling with commas? (You are not alone!)

Here are a few links to helpful explanations:

• Explanation page 1
• Explanation page 2

 

And here are some great practice activities:

• (1) 10 question commas practice quiz (explained after you choose your answer for each)
• (2) Comma quiz 2 from chompchomp
• (3) longer comma quiz (a challenge!)

Indirect Reported Speech

What is indirect reported speech? My teacher told me that this grammar form is very important in writing, but my friends all ask me if this is necessary to learn.

The answer is yes, it is important.

Unfortunately, it is also a little bit complicated.

But that is what makes it so much fun! (right?)

What are the rules?

Click here for a link to a great explanation and some practice. (You must write your answers on a piece of paper, but then you can check them, as the correct answers are also provided)

There are a few things to remember when using reported speech:

1) Verb forms change. We often call this “backshift.”

• EXAMPLE: “I have seen that movie,” she said. (quoted speech)
• She said she HAD SEEN that movie. (indirect reported speech)
• Click here to see how this works.

2) Pronouns will generally change

• EXAMPLE: ” I gave you the money,” he said. (quoted)
• He said HE had given ME the money. (reported)
• CLICK HERE TO PRACTICE with pronoun changes (*the verbs do not change here)

3) Many time words and expressions will change

• EXAMPLE: “I will call you next week,” she said. (quoted)
• She said she would call me THE FOLLOWING WEEK. (reported)

4) Many place references will change

• EXAMPLE: “She’s driving  here tonight,” me sister told me on the phone. (quoted)
• She said she was driving THERE tonight. (reported)
• CLICK HERE TO PRACTICE with pronoun and place changes (*the verbs do not change here)

5) Of course, punctuation changes, too.

• EXAMPLE: “Have you ever eaten peanut butter?” I asked them.
• I asked them if they had ever eaten peanut butter. (notice: no quotation marks OR question mark here)

And there are 4 basic ways to form indirect reported speech:

1) For commands, requests and invitations:

• Watch a simple clear video about reported commands
• Practice 1: commands
• Practice 2: requests
• Practice 3: negative requests
• Practice 4: requests

2) For general affirmative and negative statements

• Watch a video that explains these first two types of reported speech
• Practice 1: statements
• Practice 2: more statements
• Practice 3: statements with time expressions
• Practice 4: statements with change in time and place

3) For questions with QUESTION WORDS

4) For YES/NO questions

• Watch a video that explains these reported speech questions
• Practice 1
• Practice 2
• Practice 3
• Practice 4: questions with time expressions

 Are you ready to practice with all of these types of reported speech?

• General Practice 1
• General Practice 2
• General Practice 3 (there are 8 exercises here)

Parallel Structure

Parallel structure is a challenge for both native and non-native speakers of English.

However, it is very important in high-quality academic writing.

Birds on parallel telephone wires

So, what is parallel structure?

• Watch this SMRT English video that clearly explains and illustrates how parallel structure works.

• And here is another explanation from the Purdue Writing Lab: CLICK HERE

• Finally, here is a printable handout (with pictures to help illustrate the concept!) from chompchomp: CLICK HERE

Parallel structure is CHALLENGING! Everyone could benefit from some extra practice with parallel structure...

Here are some websites to help:

Practice 1 (click "start here"- and turn down the volume if you are in the library!)

Practice 2 (click "start here")

Practice 3 (This one focuses specifically on parallel gerunds- a good exercise to start with)

Practice 4 (This one you can print or do on paper- and check the answers on page 2)
Practice 5 (click "start here")
Practice 6 (20 questions)
Practice 7 (click "start here")
 

Conditional Sentences (If clauses)

As an introduction, here are a few sentences that use conditional forms:

• If we study the rules for conditional sentences, we will be able to use them properly. (Future Real Conditional)

• However, if the rules weren’t so complicated, they would be a lot easier to learn!  (Present Unreal Conditional)

 

There are  FOUR types of conditional sentences (also called “if clauses”) in English:

1)  Let's looks at this sentence: When I go to school, I bring my backpack.

 This form is called... “Present Real Conditional”   (or “Zero Conditional”)

(*This one is the easiest to use and understand!)

• Form: If/When… present simple, …..present simple…..
• Use: something that is always true
• Example 2: If the weather is nice, she walks to work.
• (or She walks to work if the weather is nice.)

2)  Here is another kind of sentence: When Jimmy has time, he will help you with your homework.

This sentence means:  Jimmy is really going to help you when he has time later.

This form is called... “Future Real Conditional”  (or “First Conditional”)

• Form: If/When……present simple,……..will+verb…..  OR If….present simple,…..am/is/are going to + verb…../
• Use: a real future possibility
• Example 2:  If I have time tomorrow, I am going to finish my shopping.
• (or I am going to finish my shopping if I have time tomorrow.)
• (This means: It is really possible that I will have time tomorrow. If I do have time, my plan is to finish my shopping.)

Here are some links for more information and practice: 

• Click here for an explanation of "future real conditional"
• Practice 1
• Practice 2
• Practice 3
• Practice 4
• Practice 5
• Practice 6 (negatives)
• Practice 7   

3) Let's look at another form: If I had more money, I would buy a vacation home in Greece.

This sentence means: I don't have a lot of money now. I'm imagining what I would if I had more money. I would buy a home in Greece. 

This form is called...  "Present/Future Unreal Conditional" (or "Second Conditional") 

• Form: If….past simple, ….. would+ verb…..
• Use: an imaginary (hypothetical) present or future situation; possible but unlikely
• Example 2: If she won the lottery next week, she would buy a bigger house immediately.
• (or She would buy a bigger house if she won the lottery next week.)
• (This means: She probably isn’t going to win the lottery next week, but if she does, she will buy a bigger home.

Here are some links for more information and practice: 

• Click here for an explanation of this conditional form
• Practice 1
• Practice 2
• Practice 3
• Practice 4
• Practice 5 (negative)
• Practice 6

4) Here is one more conditional form: If I had brought my own car, I would have driven you home after the party.

This sentence means: I didn't bring my car to the party, and I didn't drive you home. But if I had brought it, I would have given you a ride home.

This form is called...  'Unreal Past Conditional" (or "Third Conditional") 

• Form: If….had+past participle,….. would+have+past participle…..
• Use: an imaginary past situation; an impossible situation, because we are talking about the past
• Example 2: If she hadn’t forgotten her sister’s birthday, they wouldn’t have quarreled.
• (or They wouldn’t have quarreled if she hadn’t forgotten her sister’s birthday.)
• (This means: She forgot her sister’s birthday, and they quarreled. But if she hadn’t forgotten it, they would not have quarreled.)

Here are some links for more information and practice: 

Click here for an explanation of "third conditional"

Here is another explanation

Practice 1

Practice 2

Practice 3

Practice 4

Practice 5 (negative)

Practice 6

Adjective Clauses, Part 2 (Commas)

We know that an adjective clause is a group of words that begins with a relative pronoun, has its own subject, verb, and idea, and is used to give us more information about a noun in a sentence. (See Adjective Clauses: Part 1 for more information).

Click here for a review of adjective clauses

Let's look at these two examples:

• People who can’t swim should not jump off the boat. (*notice there are no commas)
• My Uncle John, who couldn’t swim, did not jump off the boat. (*commas!)

But what about these commas? How do we know when we need them?

Adjective clauses can fall into these two categories:

1. Identifying (*no commas)

• (These are also sometimes called “ESSENTIAL,” “RESTRICTIVE,” or “DEFINING” adjective clauses)
• They give us information that IDENTIFIES a noun in the sentence
• They are NECESSARY to understand who or what we are talking about
• Will often start with “that” instead of “which”
• No commas needed
• EXAMPLE: People who can’t swim should not jump off the boat. (We need the adjective clause to identify which people we are talking about. Who should not jump off the boat?)

2. Non-Identifying (*commas needed)

(These are also sometimes called “NON-ESSENTIAL,”  “NON-RESTRICTIVE,” or “NON-DEFINING” adjective clauses)

Give us extra information about a noun in the sentence, describes a noun in the sentence

BUT they are not necessary to understand who or what we are talking about

Cannot start with “that” (“which” is used for objects)

Comma before, comma after (to separate it from the main clause)

EXAMPLE: My Uncle John, who couldn’t swim, did not jump off the boat. (The adjective clause is helpful and gives us important information, BUT we do not need it to identify my Uncle John.)

Here is a little YouTube video of a teacher explaining restrictive and non-restrictive clauses with some good, clear examples. CLICK HERE.

For practice, try these exercises:

Practice 1 (an explanation, followed by an exercise. You must decided if each clauses is IDENTIFYING or NON-IDENTIFYING)
Practice 2 (this must be printed. The first exercise is related to commas- the second is not!)
Practice 3 (a good one!)



 

Adverb Clauses and Subordinate Conjunctions

Complex sentences with adverb clauses are formed when we connect two clauses with a subordinate conjunction. They are formed by connecting one independent clause with one dependent clause. (The adverb clause is the dependent one)

These conjunctions are called “SUBORDINATE CONJUNCTIONS,” or “SUBORDINATING CONJUNCTIONS“

The clause that begin with the subordinate conjunction is called an adverb clause.

EXAMPLE: Although she loves chocolate, she tried to avoid eating it.

• Although= subordinate conjunction
• Although she loves chocolate= adverb clause (a dependent clause)
  
• She tried to avoid eating it= (in case you are curious!) this part of the complex sentence is called an independent clause

Click here for a list of common subordinate conjunctions (My English Teacher.Net)

And here is a short video lesson on these (and coordinating conjunctions) from Khan Academy

If you would like some practice with adverb clauses, try these activities:

• Practice 1 (Multiple choice practice from English Grammar)
  
• Practice 2 (Multiple choice, from Learn English Feel Good)
  
• Practice 3 (Simple, printable exercise from English for Everyone)
  
• Practice 4 (Short, multi choice exercise from the English Language Centre at the University of Victoria)
  
• Practice 5 (Another short, simple exercise from UVIC, applying these conjunctions)