a or an · web viewthe difference is shown in the following pair of sentences. here sweet is an...

A or An?

"A" goes before all words that begin with consonants. a cat a dog a purple onion a buffalo a big apple

with one exception: Use an before unsounded h.

an honorable peace an honest error

"An" goes before all words that begin with vowels: an apricot an egg an Indian an orbit an uprising

with one exception: When u makes the same sound as the y in you, then a is used.

a union a united front a unicorn a used napkin a U.S. ship

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A or An? Exercise

In the following phrases, supply either a or an:

1. ____ bingo game

2. ____ idiot

3. ____ good job

4. ____ rotten plum

5. ____ used fork

6. ____ uncle

7. ____ historian

8. ____ apple

9. ____ hair

10. ____ artichoke

11. ____ horrible movie

12. ____ opera

13. ____ fine opera

14. ____ television

15. ____ earthquake

16. ____ icicle

17. ____ plant

18. ____ eggplant

19. ____ honorable discharge

20. ____ intelligent man

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21. ____ table

22. ____ up stairway

23. ____ paper clip

24. ____ animal

25. ____ usual feeling

26. ____ interest

27. ____ alibi

28. ____ early bird

29. ____ couch

30. ____ airplane

31. ____ grade

32. ____ pair

33. ____ idea

34. ____ energy level


Adjective or Adverb?

Basic Rules

1. Adjectives modify nouns. Adverbs modify verbs, adjectives, and other adverbs.

You can recognize adverbs easily because many of them are formed by adding -ly to an adjective.

Here are some sentences that demonstrate some of the differences between an adjective and an adverb by showing what is being modified in each sentence. In each sentence, light blue arrows identify adjectives and green arrows identify adverbs.

Here careless is an adjective that modifies the proper noun Richard.

Here carelessly is an adverb that modifies the verb talks.

Here happy is an adjective that modifies the proper noun Priya and extremely is an adverb that modifies the adjective happy.Here quickly is an adverb that modifies the verb finished and unusually is an adverb that modifies the adverb quickly.

Adverbs can't modify nouns, as you can see from the following incorrect sentences.


He is a quietly man.

The correct sentence should say He is a quiet man.

I have a happily dog.

The correct sentence should say I have a happy dog.

On the other hand, it's sometimes easy to make the mistake of using an adjective to modify a verb, as the incorrect sentences below show.

He talks careless about your wife.

The correct sentence should say He talks carelessly about your wife.

He is breathing normal again.

The correct sentence should say He is breathing normally again.

2. An adjective always follows a form of the verb to be when it modifies the noun before the verb.

Here are some examples that show this rule. Light blue arrows point from the adjective to the noun that it modifies.


3. Likewise, an adjective always follows a sense verb or a verb of appearance -- feel, taste, smell, sound, look, appear, and seem -- when it modifies the noun before the verb.

Here are some examples that show this rule. Light blue arrows point from the adjective to the noun it modifies.

Here bad is an adjective that modifies the noun cough. Using the adverb badly here would not make sense, because it would mean her cough isn't very good at sounding.

Here awful is an adjective that modifies the noun oil. Using the adverb awfully here would not make sense, because it would mean that castor oil isn't very good at tasting.

Here fresh is an adjective that modifies the noun air. Using the adverb freshly here would not make sense, because it would mean that the air has a sense of smell that it uses in a fresh manner.

Here unhappy is an adjective that modifies the pronoun she. Using the adverb unhappily here would not make sense, because it would mean that she isn't very good at seeming.

Here dark is an adjective that modifies the noun images. Using the adverb darkly here would not make sense, because it would mean that the images were suddenly popping into view in a dark manner.

Be careful to notice whether the word modifies the subject or the verb in the sentence. If the word modifies the subject, you should use an


adjective. If the word modifies the verb, you should use an adverb. The difference is shown in the following pair of sentences.

Here sweet is an adjective that modifies the noun apple. Using the adverb sweetly here would not make sense, because it would mean that the apple can smell things in a sweet manner.

Here carefully is an adverb that modifies the verb smells. Using the adjective careful here would not make sense, because it would mean that the dog gives off an odor of carefulness.

Avoiding Common Errors

Bad or Badly?

When you want to describe how you feel, you should use an adjective (Why? Feel is a sense verb; see rule #3 above). So you'd say, "I feel bad." Saying you feel badly would be like saying you play football badly. It would mean that you are unable to feel, as though your hands were partially numb.

Good or Well?

Good is an adjective, so you do not do good or live good, but you do well and live well. Remember, though, that an adjective follows sense-verbs and be-verbs, so you also feel good, look good, smell good, are good, have been good, etc. (Refer to rule #3 above for more information about sense verbs and verbs of appearance.)

Confusion can occur because well can function either as an adverb or an adjective. When well is used as an adjective, it means "not sick" or "in good health." For this specific sense of well, it's OK to say you feel well or are well -- for example, after recovering from an illness. When not used in this health-related sense, however, well functions as an adverb; for example, "I did well on my exam."

Double-negatives

Scarcely and hardly are already negative adverbs. To add another negative term is redundant, because in English only one negative is ever used at a time


They found scarcely any animals on the island. (not scarcely no...)Hardly anyone came to the party. (not hardly no one...)

Sure or Surely?

Sure is an adjective, and surely is an adverb. Sure is also used in the idiomatic expression sure to be. Surely can be used as a sentence-adverb. Here are some examples that show different uses of sure and surely. Light blue arrows indicate adjectives and green arrows indicate adverbs.

Here sure is an adjective that modifies the pronoun I.

Here surely is an adverb that modifies the adjective ready.

Here sure to be is an idiomatic phrase that functions as an adjective that modifies the pronoun she.

Here surely is an adverb that modifies the verb has been.

Real or Really?

Real is an adjective, and really is an adverb. Here are some examples that demonstrate the difference between real and really. Light blue arrows indicate adjectives and green arrows indicate adverbs.

Here really is an adverb that modifies the adverb well.

Here really is an adverb that modifies the verb phrase going out.


Here real is an adjective that modifies the noun problems.

Near or Nearly?

Near can function as a verb, adverb, adjective, or preposition. Nearly is used as an adverb to mean "in a close manner" or "almost but not quite." Here are some examples that demonstrate the differences between various uses of near and nearly. Light blue arrows indicate adjectives and green arrows indicate adverbs. Subjects and verbs are marked in purple.

Here neared is a verb in the past tense.

Here nearly is an adverb that modifies the verb finished.

Here near is an adjective that modifies the noun future.

Here near is an adverb of place that modifies the verb crept.

Here nearly is an adverb that modifies the verb related.

Here near is a preposition. The prepositional phase near the end of the movie modifies the


noun scene.


Adjective or Adverb Exercise #1

Choose the correct item from the choices in the parentheses:

1. He (correct, correctly) defined the terms. The answer sounded (correctly, correct).

2. She (quickly, quick) adjusted the fees. She adapted (quick, quickly) to any situation.

3. He measured the floor (exact, exactly). They proved to be (perfectly, perfect) (exact, exactly) measurements.

4. The stillness of the tomb was (awfully, awful). The tomb was (awfully, awful) still.

5. It was a (dangerously, dangerous) lake to swim in. The man was (dangerous, dangerously) drunk. The gas smelled (dangerously, dangerous).

6. She performed (magnificent, magnificently). It was a (magnificent, magnificently) beautiful performance.

7. Her voice sounds (beautifully, beautiful). She sang the song (exact, exactly) as it was written. We heard it (perfectly, perfect).

8. He was a very (sensibly, sensible) person. He acted very (sensible, sensibly).

9. Mike wrote too (slow, slowly) on the exam. He always writes (slow, slowly).

10. Talk (softly, soft) or don't talk at all. The music played (softly, soft).

11. Andrea knows the material very (good, well). She always treats us (good, well).

12. You must send payments (regular, regularly). We deal on a (strictly, strict) cash basis.

13. The mechanic's tools were (well, good). The foreman said that his work was (good, well) done.


14. She worked (careful, carefully) with the sick child. She was a very (careful, carefully) worker.

15. He did not pass the course as (easy, easily) as he thought he would.

16. I find this novel very (interesting, interestingly). It was (interesting, interestingly) written.


Adjective or Adverb Exercise #2

In the following sentences, cross out the incorrect words and write in the correct form in the blanks. If the sentence is correct as it is, write "correct" in the blank.

1. Terrence plays quarterback as well as Brian._______________

2. The game hadn't hardly begun before it started to rain.____________

3. This was sure a mild winter.__________________

4. Jane behaves more pleasant than Joan.________________

5. When you are a parent, you will think different about children.___________

6. I felt badly about not having done good on my final exams._____________

7. Whether you win is not near as important as how you play._____________

8. Asian music often sounds oddly to Western listeners.______________

9. Does your car run well enough to enter the race?_________________

10. I felt safely enough to go out at night on my own._________________

11. You can see the distant mountains clear with these binoculars.______________

12. Our team was real sharp last Saturday afternoon during the game.___________


Adjectives with Countable and Uncountable Nouns

Some/Any:

Both modify countable and uncountable nouns.

There is some water on the floor.There are some Mexicans here.

Do you have any food?Do you have any apples?

Much/Many:

MUCH modifies only uncountable nouns.

They have much money in the bank.

MANY modifies only countable nouns.

Many Americans travel to Europe.

A lot of/lots of:

These are informal substitutes for MUCH and MANY. They are used with uncountable nouns when they mean MUCH and with countable nouns when they mean MANY.

They have lots of money in the bank.A lot of Americans travel to Europe.

Little/Few:

LITTLE modifies only uncountable nouns.

He had little food in the house.

FEW modifies only countable nouns.

There are a few doctors in town.


A little bit of:

This phrase is informal and always precedes an uncountable noun.

There is a little bit of pepper in the soup.

Enough:

ENOUGH modifies both countable and uncountable nouns.

There is enough money to buy a car.I have enough books to read.

Plenty of:

This phrase modifies both countable and uncountable nouns.

They have plenty of money in the bank.There are plenty of millionaires in Switzerland.

No:

NO modifies both countable and uncountable nouns.

There is no time to finish now.There are no squirrels in the park.


The Use and Non-Use of Articles

Definition of articles

English has two types of articles: definite (the) and indefinite (a, an.) The use of these articles depends mainly on whether you are referring to any member of a group, or to a specific member of a group:

1. Indefinite Articles: a and an

A and an signal that the noun modified is indefinite, referring to any member of a group. These indefinite articles are used with singular nouns when the noun is general; the corresponding indefinite quantity word some is used for plural general nouns. The rule is:

a + singular noun beginning with a consonant: a boy an + singular noun beginning with a vowel: an elephant a + singular noun beginning with a consonant sound: a user (sounds like

'yoo-zer,' i.e. begins with a consonant 'y' sound, so 'an' is used) some + plural noun: some girls

If the noun is modified by an adjective, the choice between a and an depends on the initial sound of the adjective that immediately follows the article:

a broken egg an unusual problem a European country (sounds like 'yer-o-pi-an,' i.e. begins with consonant 'y'

sound)

Note also that in English, the indefinite articles are used to indicate membership in a profession, nation, or religion.

I am a teacher. Brian is an Irishman. Seiko is a practicing Buddhist.


2. Definite Article: the

The definite article is used before singular and plural nouns when the noun is particular or specific. The signals that the noun is definite, that it refers to a particular member of a group. Compare the indefinite and definite articles in the following examples:

Indefinite (a or an) Definite (the)

Singular a dog (any dog)an apple (any apple)

the dog (that specific dog)the apple (that specific apple)

Plural some dogs (any dogs)some apples (any apples)

the dogs (those specific dogs)the apples (those specific apples)

The is not used with noncountable nouns referring to something in a general sense:

[no article] Coffee is a popular drink.[no article] Japanese was his native language.[no article] Intelligence is difficult to quantify.

The is used with noncountable nouns that are made more specific by a limiting modifying phrase or clause:

The coffee in my cup is too hot to drink.The Japanese he speaks is often heard in the countryside.The intelligence of animals is variable but undeniable.

The is also used when a noun refers to something unique:

the White Housethe theory of relativitythe 1999 federal budget

Note: Geographical uses of the

Do not use the before:

names of countries (Italy, Mexico, Bolivia) except the Netherlands and the US names of cities, towns, or states (Seoul, Manitoba, Miami) names of streets (Washington Blvd., Main St.) names of lakes and bays (Lake Titicaca, Lake Erie) except with a group of

lakes like the Great Lakes names of mountains (Mount Everest, Mount Fuji) except with ranges of

mountains like the Andes or the Rockies or unusual names like the Matterhorn names of continents (Asia, Europe)


names of islands (Easter Island, Maui, Key West) except with island chains like the Aleutians, the Hebrides, or the Canary Islands

Do use the before:

names of rivers, oceans and seas (the Nile, the Pacific) points on the globe (the Equator, the North Pole) geographical areas (the Middle East, the West) deserts, forests, gulfs, and peninsulas (the Sahara, the Persian Gulf, the Black

Forest, the Iberian Peninsula)

Further Uses of Articles

In addition, use of a, an and the also depends on whether the noun following the article possesses one of these paired qualities:

Countable vs. noncountable First vs. subsequent mention General vs. specific

1. Countable vs. Noncountable

A and an are used if the noun can be counted.

I stepped in a puddle. (How many puddles did you step in? Just one. Therefore, use a.)

I drank a glass of milk. (Glasses of milk can be counted)

I saw an apple tree. (Apple trees can be counted)

The must be used when the noun cannot be counted.


I dove into the water. (How many waters did you dive into? The question doesn't make any sense because water is noncountable. Therefore, use the.)

I saw the milk spill. (How many milks? Milk cannot be counted)

I admired the foliage. (How many foliages? Foliage cannot be counted)

2. First vs. Subsequent Mention

A or an is used to introduce a noun when it is mentioned for the first time in a piece of writing. The is used afterward each time you mention that same noun.

An awards ceremony at the Kremlin would not normally have attracted so much attention. But when it was leaked that Soviet President Konstantin Chernenko would be presenting medals to three cosmonauts, interest in the ceremony intensified. Time, Sept. 17, 1984.

Note: There is and there are can be used to introduce an indefinite noun at the beginning of a paragraph or essay.

There is a robin in the tree outside my window. When my cat jumps up on the desk, the robin flies away.

3. General vs. Specific

A, an, and the can all be used to indicate that a noun refers to the whole class to which individual countable nouns belong. This use of articles is called generic, from the Latin word meaning "class."


A tiger is a dangerous animal. (any individual tiger)The tiger is a dangerous animal. (all tigers: tiger as a generic category)

The difference between the indefinite a and an and the generic a and an is that the former means any one member of a class while the latter means all of the members of a class.

The omission of articles also expresses a generic (or general) meaning:

no article with a plural noun: Tigers are dangerous animals. (all tigers)no article with a noncountable noun: Anger is a destructive emotion. (any kind of anger)

Omission of Articles

While some nouns combine with one article or the other based on whether they are countable or noncountable, others simply never take either article. Some common types of nouns that don't take an article are:

1. Names of languages and nationalitiesa. Chinese

b. English c. Spanish d. Russian

2. Names of sportsa. volleyball

b. hockey c. baseball

3. Names of academic subjectsa. mathematics

b. biology c. history d. computer science

Articles Exercise #1

Directions: Fill in the blank with the appropriate article, a, an, or the, or leave the space blank if no article is needed.

1. I want ____ apple from that basket.

2. ____ church on the corner is progressive.


3. Miss Lin speaks ____ Chinese.

4. I borrowed ____ pencil from your pile of pencils and pens.

5. One of the students said, "____ professor is late today."

6 Eli likes to play ____ volleyball.

7. I bought ____ umbrella to go out in the rain.

8. My daughter is learning to play ____ violin at her school.

9. Please give me ____ cake that is on the counter.

10. I lived on ____ Main Street when I first came to town.

11. Albany is the capital of ____ New York State.

12. My husband's family speaks ____ Polish.

13. ____ apple a day keeps the doctor away.

14. ____ ink in my pen is red.

15. Our neighbors have ____ cat and ____ dog.


Articles Exercise #2

Directions: Write the following paragraphs, inserting a, an, and the where needed.

1. I have horse of my own. I call her Pretty Girl. She is intelligent

animal, but she is not thoroughbred horse. I could never enter her in

race, even if I wanted to. But I do not want to. She is companion, for

my own pleasure. I took her swimming day or two ago.

2. Horse knows when he is going to race. How does he know? His

breakfast was scanty. (He is angry about that.) He does not have

saddle on his back. He is being led, not ridden, to grandstand. He is led

under grandstand into unusual, special stall. Horse is nervous.

Sometimes he does not know what to do when starting gate flies open

and track is before him. If he does not begin to run instantly, other

horses are already ahead of him. During race, when he sees another

horse just ahead of him, he will try to pass him. Sometimes jockey

holds him back to save his energy for last stretch. Eventually horse

gets to run as fast as he can.

Exercise boy, watching owner's favorite jockey riding horse he has

exercised day after day, says nothing. Secretly, he is planning for day

when he will be jockey himself, and his horse will be first to cross finish

line.


3. Most people have fewer hours to give to time-consuming activities

of clubs than they used to have, but most people in small town belong

to club or two. One of clubs is likely to be social and benevolent

organization, such as Rotary or Elks. Business people are likely to

belong, also to either Kiwanis Club or Lions. Such business people's

organizations may meet as often as once a week in one of private

dining rooms of town's leading hotel for lunch. They have good lunch,

hear good program, and continue their fundraising program for worthy

organization, such as local hospital.


Count and Noncount Nouns (with Plurals, Articles, and Quantity Words)

Section 1: Definition of Count and Noncount nouns

Count or Noncount?

The main difference between count and noncount nouns is whether you can count the things they refer to or not.

Count nouns refer to things that exist as separate and distinct individual units. They usually refer to what can be perceived by the senses.

Examples:

tablechairword

fingerremarkgirl

bottleawardcandidate

Example sentences:

I stepped in a puddle. (How many puddles did you step in? Just one.)

I drank a glass of milk. (Glasses of milk can be counted)

I saw an apple tree. (Apple trees can be counted)


Noncount nouns refer to things that can't be counted because they are thought of as wholes that can't be cut into parts. They often refer to abstractions and occasionally have a collective meaning (for example, furniture).

Examples:

angerfurniturewarmth

courageeducationleisure

progressweatherprecision

Example Sentences:

I dove into the water. (How many waters did you dive into? The question doesn't make any sense; therefore water is noncountable.)

I saw the milk spill. (How many milks? Milk cannot be counted.)

I admired the foliage. (How many foliages? Foliage cannot be counted.)

Think of the batter from which a cake is made. Before you put the batter into the oven, it can't be divided into parts because it's a thick liquid. Once it has been baked, it becomes solid enough to be cut into pieces. Noncount nouns are like cake batter; count nouns are like pieces of cake


Note: Since the issue is complicated and almost no rule is absolute, there will be exceptions to the above definitions; however, we can show some general patterns. Bear in mind that what is countable in another language may not be countable in English, and vice versa.

Section 2: Uses of Count and Noncount Nouns

PluralizingThe Rule

From the definitions of mass and count given above you may have already guessed the rule for pluralizing them:

most count nouns pluralize with -s noncount nouns don't pluralize at all

This rule works for all of the nouns in the lists of examples in the first section. Check this rule for yourself before reading further.

An Exception to the Rule

For a number of nouns, the rule needs slight revision. Certain nouns in English belong to both classes: they have both a noncount and a count meaning. Normally the noncount meaning is abstract and general and the count meaning concrete and specific. Compare:

Count I've had some difficulties finding a job. (refers to a number of specific

problems) The talks will take place in the Krannert building. (refers to a number of

specific lectures) The city was filled with bright lights and harsh sounds. (refers to a

number of specific lights and noises)

Noncount

She succeeded in school with little difficulty. (refers to the general idea of school being difficult)

I dislike idle talk. (refers to talking in general) Light travels faster than sound. (refers to the way light and sound

behave in general)

Note: A special case of the use of noncount nouns in a count sense has to do with classification. Sometimes a usually noncount noun can be understood as one item separate and distinct from other items of


the same category. The nouns that function in this way often denote foods and beverages: food(s), drink(s), wine(s), bread(s), coffee(s), fruit(s), and so on. Examples:

There are several French wines to choose from. (= kinds of wine) I prefer Sumatran coffees to Colombian. (= kinds of coffee) We use a variety of different batters in our bakery. (= kinds of batter)

A recent entry into this class is homework, which at least among some students has the count plural homeworks in addition to its noncount use. (For example, "You're missing three of the homeworks from the first part of the course.") Because this usage is not firmly established and is likely to be considered nonstandard, you should check with your instructor before using it in writing.

A Revision of the Rule

These exceptions require that the rule for pluralizing be revised: count nouns and nouns used in a count sense pluralize; noncount nouns and nouns used in a noncount sense do not.

The two possibilities in each half of the rule require different choices. If you know that a particular noun must be either count or noncount and cannot be both, you need to decide only if it is possible to pluralize the noun. On the other hand, if you know that a particular noun may be used in either a count or noncount sense, then you need to decide whether it is appropriate to pluralize.

To summarize, we may put the rule in a chart, like this:

Pluralizes with -s

Doesn't Pluralize

Count Noun XX

Count Use XX

Noncount Noun

XX

Noncount Use XX


Articles

Nouns and Articles

Choosing which article to use (if any) with a noun is a complex matter because the range of choices depends on whether the noun in question is 1) count or noncount and 2) singular or plural. Both count nouns (whether singular or plural) and noncount nouns take articles.

Combinations of Nouns and Articles

The following chart shows which articles go with which kinds of nouns. Notice that this, that, these, and those have been included because, like the, they mark the noun that they modify as definite, which means that the noun refers 1) to a unique individual or 2) to some person, event, or object known to both the writer and reader from their general knowledge or from what has been previously mentioned in a piece of writing.

a, an the this, that

these, those

no article

Count singular

XX XX XX

Count plural

XX XX XX

Noncount

XX XX XX

Count Singular:I ate an apple.I rode the bus.Does she live in this house? No, she lives in that house over there.

Count Plural:I like to feed the birds.Do you want these books? No, I want those books up there.Cats are interesting pets.


Noncount:The water is cold.This milk is going sour.Music helps me relax.

Quantity Terms

The following chart shows which quantity words go with which kinds of nouns. Note that quantity words can be used in combinations such as many more, many fewer, much more, and much less, any of which can be preceded by how to form questions or relative clauses. Negatives like not and no can also be applied to many of these terms.

much, less, little, a little, very little

some, any, most, more, all, a lot of, no, none of the

many, both, several, few/fewer/fewest, a few, one of the, a couple of

each, every, any, one

Count singular

XX

Count plural

XX XX

Noncount

XX XX

Examples:

Count Singular:I practice every day.I'd like one donut, please.

Count Plural:Can I have some chips?She has a lot of books, and many are autographed.I have fewer pencils than you.


Noncount:Can I have some water?She has a lot of strength, and much is due to her upbringing.I have less courage than you.

Count and Noncount Nouns Exercises

Count and Noncount Nouns

Exercise 1

Are the following nouns count or noncount? Put an N next to the noncount nouns and a C next to the count nouns. If the noun can be either noncount or count depending on the context, put a D next to it.

__world __textbook__acid __smoking __poetry __applause __thought

__banana __conduct __progress __biology __essay__crystal __shopping

Exercise 2

Put an X next to the words in the following list that can be used as either count or noncount nouns, depending on the context.

__defense __beauty __garbage__experience__baggage

__rain __rug__nature__bag__emotion


Exercise 3

Fill in the blank with the form of the noun in parentheses that is appropriate to the grammatical context of the sentence and the meaning of the passage as a whole.

Diabetes: Beyond the Basics

Because diabetes can cause devastating _________ (damage, damages) to virtually all body ________ (system, systems), people with diabetes should not underrate the seriousness of their disease. Learning to live with a chronic ________ (illness, illnesses) such as diabetes must be an ongoing process.

The Hospital's Center for Family Life Education is sponsoring a five-part educational series on diabetes. The series will begin on April 30 and continue through May 29. The _________ (program, programs) will be held in the second floor classroom of the Education Center from 7-9 p.m.

The diabetes series is free and open to the public and will be of specific _________ (interest, interests) to people who have diabetes and their families and friends.

Exercise 4

On the basis of the rules for using articles discussed in the chapter "Count and Noncount Nouns," which combinations of words below are permitted and which ones aren't? Put an X next to the incorrect combinations.

a table these person this furniture

that assignment

a boy

the poetrya difficulty

a research this eggs

those argument


Exercise 5

Fill in the blanks with the appropriate article if one is needed.

The Computer Jungle

Though you can make ____ decision on purely economic grounds, buying ____ computer is often more like joining ____ religious cult. Buy ____ Apple, for example, and almost by default you join Apple chairman Steve Jobs in his crusade against IBM. Every machine has its "users' groups" and ____ band of loyal enthusiasts who tout its merits. That makes it all ____ more difficult for ____ uninitiated to decide what machine to buy. Students have ____ huge advantage, however. The computer companies are so eager for students' business (it builds "brand loyalty") that many offer huge discounts.

In the past six months, IBM, Apple, and others have brought out new computers, and ____ fierce competition has forced prices down. Also, time is on your side: next year at ____ time you'll have even more choice and more computing power and features for ____ same price. On ____ other hand, this will probably be true for many years. So for those who need or want ____ computer now, it's a great time to buy one.


Count and Noncount Nouns (with Articles and Adjectives)

Countable Nouns

Countable nouns refer to things that we can count. Such nouns can take either singular or plural form.

Concrete nouns may be countable. There are a dozen flowers in the vase.He ate an apple for a snack.

Collective nouns are countable.

She attended three classes today.London is home to several orchestras.

Some proper nouns are countable.

There are many Greeks living in New York.The Vanderbilts would throw lavish parties at their Newport summer mansion.

Uncountable Nouns

Uncountable nouns refer to things that we cannot count. Such nouns take only singular form.

Abstract nouns are uncountable. The price of freedom is constant vigilance.Her writing shows maturity and intelligence.

Some concrete nouns are uncountable (when understood in their undivided sense).

The price of oil has stabilized recently.May I borrow some rice?

While uncountable nouns do not generally take a plural form, sometimes they may be pluralized when used in a countable sense. The difference between the uncountable and countable meanings of nouns that are used in either sense can be seen in the following chart:


Uncountable Sense Countable Sense

Art is often called an imitation of life.

Life is precious.

He likes to eat pizza.

Religion has been a powerful force in history.

She has beautiful skin.

Dr. Moulton is an expert in ancient Greek sculpture.

We use only recycled paper in our office.

I read a book about the folk arts of Sweden.

A cat has nine lives.

How many pizzas should we order?

Many religions are practiced in the United States.

The hull of a kayak is made of animal skins.

We have several sculptures in our home.

Where are those important papers?

Using Articles with Countable and Uncountable Nouns

A countable noun always takes either the indefinite (a, an) or definite (the) article when it is singular. When plural, it takes the definite article if it refers to a definite, specific group and no article if it is used in a general sense.

The guest of honor arrived late.You are welcome as a guest in our home.The guests at your party yesterday made a lot of noise.Guests are welcome here anytime.

Uncountable nouns never take the indefinite article (a or an), but they do take singular verbs. The is sometimes used with uncountable nouns in the same way it is used with plural countable nouns, that is, to refer to a specific object, group, or idea.

Information is a precious commodity in our computerized world.The information in your files is correct.


Sugar has become more expensive recently.Please pass me the sugar.

Categories of Uncountable Nouns

Abstract Material Generic Non-Plurals with - s

advicehelpinformationknowledgetroubleworkenjoymentfunrecreationrelaxation

meatricebreadcakecoffeeice creamwateroilgrasshair

fruitwildlifeequipmentmachineryfurnituremailluggagejewelryclothingmoney

mathematicseconomicsphysicscivicsethicsmumpsmeaslesnewstennis(other games)

Quantity Adjectives with Countable and Uncountable Nouns

Some, Any

Both words modify either countable or uncountable nouns.

There are some cookies in the jar. (countable)There is some water on the floor. (uncountable)

Did you eat any food? (uncountable)Do you serve any vegetarian dishes? (countable)

Much, Many

Much modifies only uncountable nouns.

How much money will we need?They ate so much cake that they started to feel sick.Much effort will be required to solve this problem.

Many modifies only countable nouns.


How many children do you have?They had so many books that they had to stack them in the hall.Many Americans travel to Europe each year.

A lot of, Lots of

These words are informal substitutes for much and many.

Lots of effort will be required to solve this problem. (uncountable)A lot of Americans travel to Europe each year. (countable)

Little, Quite a little, Few, Quite a few

Little and quite a little modify only uncountable nouns.

We had a little ice cream after dinner.They offered little help for my problem. (meaning "only a small amount")They offered quite a little help for my problem. (meaning "a large amount") (See quite a bit of, below.)

Few and quite a few modify only countable nouns.

A few doctors from the hospital play on the softball team.Few restaurants in this town offer vegetarian dishes. (meaning "only a small number")Quite a few restaurants in this town offer vegetarian dishes. (meaning "a large number")

A little bit of, Quite a bit of

These informal phrases usually precede uncountable nouns. Quite a bit of has the same meaning as quite a little and is used more commonly.

There's a little bit of pepper in the soup. (meaning "a small amount")There's quite a bit of pepper in the soup. (meaning "a large amount")

Enough

This word modifies both countable and uncountable nouns.

I don't have enough potatoes to make the soup.We have enough money to buy a car.

Plenty of

This term modifies both countable and uncountable nouns.

There are plenty of mountains in Switzerland.She has plenty of money in the bank.


No

This word modifies both countable and uncountable nouns.

There were no squirrels in the park today.We have no time left to finish the project.


Quantity Terms with Count and Noncount Nouns: Exercises

In the following sentences, substitute one of these expressions for the underlined words:

little quite a little or quite a bit of few quite a few

To clarify, little means "not much," but quite a little (or quite a bit of) means "a rather large amount." Few means "not many," but quite a few means "a rather large number."

1. A rather large number of students have trouble with economics

2. It requires a rather large amount of reading.

3. Not many advisors spend as much time with their students.

4. He hasn't much hope of passing his exams.

5. George's advisor spends a rather large amount of time with him.

6. He doesn't know many people in the class.

7. Bill doesn't spend much money on clothes.

8. She spends a rather large amount of money on CDs.

9. He doesn't have many suits.

10. He doesn't understand much of the reading.


Writing Numbers

Although usage varies, most people spell out numbers that can be expressed in one or two words and use figures for other numbers:

Here are some examples of specific situations.

Days and Years

December 12, 1965 or 12 December 1965A.D. 1066in 1900in 1971-72 or in 1971-1972the eighties, the twentieth centurythe 1980's or the 1980s

Time of Day

8:00 A.M. (or) a.m. (or) eight o'clock in the morning4:30 P.M. (or) p.m. (or) half-past four in the afternoon

Addresses

16 Tenth Street 350 West 114 Street

Identification Numbers

Room 8Channel 18Interstate 65Henry VIII

www.english-workshop.com

Wordsover two poundssix million dollarsafter thirty-one yearseighty-three people

Figuresafter 126 daysonly $31.506,381 bushels4.78 liters

39

Page and Division of Books and Plays

page 30chapter 6in act 3, scene 2 (or) in Act III, Scene ii

Decimals and Percentages

a 2.7 average13 1/4 percent.037 metric ton

Large Round Numbers

four billion dollars (or) $4 billion16,500,000 (or) 16.5 million

Notes on Usage Repeat numbers in legal or commercial writing.

The bill will not exceed one hundred (100) dollars.

Numbers in series and statistics should be consistent.

two apples, six oranges, and three bananasNOT: two apples, 6 oranges, and 3 bananas115 feet by 90 feet (or) 115' x 90'scores of 25-6 (or) scores of 25 to 6The vote was 9 in favor and 5 opposed

Write out numbers beginning sentences.

Six percent of the group failed.NOT: 6% of the group failed.

Use a combination of figures and words for numbers when such a combination will keep your writing clear.


Unclear: The club celebrated the birthdays of 6 90-year-olds who were born in the city. (may cause the reader to read '690' as one number.)

Clearer: The club celebrated the birthdays of six 90-year-olds who were born in the city.


Writing Numbers: Exercise

Correct any errors in number usage in the following sentences by writing the correction to the left of the sentence. If the sentence is correct, mark C on the line to the left.

________ 1.351 people attended the performance.

________ 2.There were one hundred and thirty-five pieces in the puzzle.

________ 3.Class started at eight-thirty A.M. in Room Twenty.________ 4. In the sixties there were sit-ins at 100's of colleges.________ 5.Every afternoon at two o'clock the chimes rang.

________ 6.The stock deal, which involved $4.5 billion, paid a twelve and a half percent dividend.

________ 7.The Lafayette television station is Channel Eighteen.________ 8.They needed eight ten-foot poles for the construction.

________ 9.The vote was 126 in favor of the action and only sixteen opposed.

________ 10.The assignment was to read chapter 6, pages 31-39.

________ 11.Only fifty percent of high school students go on to college.

________ 12.We were assigned a report of about 10 pages in length.


Prepositions of Location: At, In, On

Prepositions expressing spatial relations are of two kinds: prepositions of location and prepositions of direction. Both kinds may be either positive or negative. Prepositions of location appear with verbs describing states or conditions, especially be; prepositions of direction appear with verbs of motion. This handout deals with positive prepositions of location that sometimes cause difficulty: at, on, and in.

The handout is divided into two sections. The first explains the spatial relationships expressed by the three prepositions. The second examines more closely the uses of in and on.

Dimensions and Prepositions

Prepositions differ according to the number of dimensions they refer to. We can group them into three classes using concepts from geometry: point, surface, and area or volume.

Point

Prepositions in this group indicate that the noun that follows them is treated as a point in relation to which another object is positioned.

Surface

Prepositions in this group indicate that the position of an object is defined with respect to a surface on which it rests.

Area/Volume

Prepositions in this group indicate that an object lies within the boundaries of an area or within the confines of a volume.

Notice that although in geometry surface and area go together because both are two-dimensional, in grammar area and volume go together because the same prepositions are used for both.

In light of these descriptions, at, on, and in can be classified as follows:


at ....... point

on ....... surface

in ....... area/volume

The meanings of the three prepositions can be illustrated with some sample sentences:

1) My car is at the house.

2) There is a new roof on the house.

3) The house is in Tippecanoe county.


4) There are five rooms in the house, which has a lovely fireplace in the living room.

All of these sentences answer a question of the form, "Where is _______?" but each gives different information. Before going on, explain to yourself the spatial relations shown in each sentence.

1) locates a car in relation to a house, understood as a fixed point. 2) treats the house as a surface upon which another object, the roof, is placed. 3) locates the house within a geographical area. 4) treats the house as a three-dimensional structure that can be divided into smaller volumes, namely, rooms, inside one of which is an object, the fireplace.

Using "at"

At calls for further comment. Because it is the least specific of the prepositions in its spatial orientation, it has a great variety of uses. Here are some of them:

location

5a) Tom is waiting for his sister at the bank.

5b) Sue spent the whole afternoon at the fair.


destination

6a) We arrived at the house.

6b) The waiter was at our table immediately.

direction

7a) The policeman leaped at the assailant.

7b) The dog jumped at my face and really scared me.

In 5a), the bank can be understood as a point defining Tom's location, much as in 1) above. It makes less sense to think of a fair as a point in 5b) since fairs are usually spread out over a fairly large area. Probably at is used in this case just because it is the least specific preposition; it defines Sue's location with respect to the fair rather than some other place. In 6a), at exhibits its cause/effect relationship with to, which cannot be used here: arrival at a place is the result of going to it. For more on this relationship, see Prepositions of Direction: To, (On)to,


(In)to. 7a) and 7b) show that with certain verbs of motion at may be used with the same meaning as its directional counterpart to, that is, direction toward something. Again, see the directional prepositions handout.

In the remainder of the handout, we will look at special problems that arise in choosing between in and on.

"in" and "on"

1. Nouns denoting enclosed spaces, such as a field or a window, take both on and in. The prepositions have their normal meanings with these nouns: on is used when the space is considered as a surface, in when the space is presented as an area:

Three players are practicing on the field. (surface)

Three cows are grazing in the field. (area)

The frost made patterns on the window. (surface)


A face appeared in the window. (area)

Notice that in implies that the field is enclosed, whereas on implies only that the following noun denotes a surface and not necessarily an enclosed area:

The sheep are grazing in the pasture. (enclosed by a fence)

The cattle are grazing on the open range. (not enclosed by a fence )

Three players are on the basketball court. (not enclosed)


Three players are on the soccer field. (not enclosed)

Two boxers are in the ring. (enclosed by ropes)

2. When the area has metaphorical instead of actual boundaries, such as when field means "academic discipline," in is used:

She is a leading researcher in the bioengineering field.

3. Several common uses of in and on occur with street. The first two follow the general pattern of in and on usage. The third is an idiom that must be learned as a unit.

a) The children are playing in the street.

b) Our house is on Third Street.

c) He declared bankruptcy last week, and now he's out on the street. (This is an idiom meaning that he's poor.)


In a) the street is understood as an area enclosed by the sidewalks on either side. Compare b) with the discussion of sentence 3) in the first section. Here on locates the house on either side of Third Street: it doesn't mean that the street is a surface on which the house sits. Because the street is understood as a line next to which the house is situated, on functions much like at in its normal use: it locates the house in relation to the street but does not specify the exact address. For that purpose, at is used because the address is like a particular point on the line. Compare: "Our house is at 323 Third Street." In c) out on the street is an idiom meaning "poor" or "destitute."

4. In and on are also used with means of transportation: in is used with a car, on with public or commercial means of transportation:

in the caron the buson the planeon the trainon the ship

Some speakers of English make a further distinction for public modes of transportation, using in when the carrier is stationary and on when it is in motion.

My wife stayed in/on the bus while I got out at the rest stop.The passengers sat in/on the plane awaiting takeoff.


Prepositions of Location: At, In, On: Exercises

Complete the following sentences with the correct preposition: at, in, or on.

1. Will you wait for me _____ the bus stop?

2. Jane is _____ her bedroom.

3. Daria's books are lying _____ the floor.

4. The girls didn't want to spend a long time _____ the carnival.

5. I let the cat sit _____ my lap, but then suddenly it jumped _____ my face!

6. Do you live _____ the city or _____ the country?

7. Trent arrived _____ the school building just in time.

8. The rancher built a fence to keep his cows _____ the pasture.

9. Kevin and Mack are out practicing _____ the football field.

10. From afar, Heathcliff could see a light _____ the window.

11. The old house had so much grime _____ the windows that Bradley could hardly see inside.

12. The shepherd boy grazed his flock _____ the grassy hillside.

13. The audience threw tomatoes _____ the terrible comedian.

14. Wrestling isn't real; those guys _____ the ring are just pretending.

15. David works _____ the field of network administration, while Marty works _____ web design.

16. The car stalled and got stuck _____ the street.

17. Audrey lives _____ Third Street.


18. If William doesn't make any money on his book, he'll be out _____ the street.

19. I'll use my cellular phone when I'm _____ the bus, but never while I'm _____ the car.

20. Passengers are not allowed to use electronic devices _____ airplanes during takeoff and landing.


Prepositions of Direction: To, On (to), In (to)

Prepositions of Direction: To, On(to), In(to)

This section explains prepositions that express movement toward something: to, onto, and into. First, the prepositions will be introduced as a group. Then, the special uses of each one will be discussed.

To, into, and onto correspond respectively to the prepositions of location at, in, and on. Each pair can be defined by the same spatial relations of point, line/surface, or area/volume. To learn more about the spatial relationships expressed by these pairs of prepositions, read the first section of "Prepositions of Location: At, On, and In" before you start reading this section.

Introduction

1. The basic preposition of a direction is 'to'.

TO: signifies orientation toward a goal

When the goal is physical, such as a destination, "to" implies movement in the direction of the goal.

(1) Sa'id returned to his apartment.

When the goal is not a physical place, for instance, an action, "to" marks a verb; it is attached as an infinitive and expresses purpose. The preposition may occur alone or in the phrase in order.

(2) Li Ling washed her dog (in order) to rid it of fleas.


The two uses can also occur together in a single sentence:

2. The other two prepositions of direction are compounds formed by adding "to" to the corresponding prepositions of location.

The preposition of location determines the meaning of the preposition of direction.

ON + TO = onto: signifies movement toward a surface

IN + TO = into: signifies movement toward the interior of a volume

("To" is part of the directional preposition toward, and the two mean about the same thing.)


3. With many verbs of motion, "on" and "in" have a directional meaning and can be used along with "onto" and "into".

(See the sections below for some exceptions to this rule.) This is why "to" is inside parentheses in the title of the handout, showing that it is somewhat optional with the compound prepositions. Thus, the following sentences are roughly synonymous:

(4) Tai-shing jumped in/into the pool.

(5) Porfirio fell on/onto the floor.

(6) The crab washed up on/onto the shore.

To the extent that these pairs do differ, the compound preposition conveys the completion of an action, while the simple preposition points to the position of the subject as a result of that action. This distinction helps us understand how directional and locational prepositions are related: they stand in the relationship of cause and effect.

Completion of an Action

Position of Subject

(7) Jean fell on(to) the floor.

Jean is on the floor.


(8) Susumu dived in(to) the water.

Susumu is in the water.

Uses of "to"

To occurs with several classes of verbs.

1. verb + to + infinitive

Verbs in this group express willingness, desire, intention, or obligation.

willingness: be willing, consent, refuse desire: desire, want, wish, like, ask, request, prefer intention: intend, plan, prepare obligation: be obligated, have, need

Examples:

(9) I refuse to allow you to intimidate me with your threats.(10) I'd like to ask her how long she's been skiing.(11) I plan to graduate this summer.(12) Henry had to pay his tuition at the Bursar's office.

2. In other cases "to" is used as an ordinary preposition.

verbs of communication: listen, speak (but not tell), relate, appeal (in the sense of 'plead,' not 'be attractive')

verbs of movement: move, go, transfer, walk/run/swim/ride/drive/ fly, travel

Except for transfer, all the verbs in (2b) can take toward as well as to. However, "to" suggests movement toward a specific destination, while


"toward" suggests movement in a general direction, without necessarily arriving at a destination:

(13) Drive toward the city limits and turn north.

(Drive in the direction of the city limits; turnoff may be before arriving there.)

(14) The plane was headed toward a mountain.

(It was headed in the direction of a mountain; it may not have reached or hit the mountain.)

(15) Take me to the airport, please.

(I actually want to arrive at the airport.)


Uses of "onto"

1. Onto can generally be replaced by on with verbs of motion.

(16) Dietrich jumped on(to) the mat.

(17) Huan fell on(to) the floor.

(18) Athena climbed on(to) the back of the truck.

2. Some verbs of motion express the idea that the subject causes itself or some physical object to be situated in a certain place (compare #15-17 above).

Of these verbs, some take only "on". Others take both on and onto, with the latter being preferred by some speakers.

(19) The plane landed on the runway. (not onto the runway)(20) Sam hung the decoration on the Christmas tree. (not onto the tree)(21) He placed the package on the table. (not onto the table)(22) Joanna spilled her Coke on the rug. (not onto the rug)(23) Samir moved the chair on(to) the deck.(24) The crane lowered the roof on(to) the house.(25) The baby threw the pot on(to) the floor.


Verbs taking only "on" are rare: set may be another one, and so perhaps is put. Other verbs taking both prepositions are raise, scatter (when it takes a direct object), pour, and add.

(26) The farmer scattered seed on(to) the fertile ground.(27) We're adding on a wing at the back of the building.(28) We're adding a porch onto the house.

In (27), on is really part of the verb, while in (28) onto is a simple preposition. This contrast points to a fairly important and general rule:

Simple prepositions can combine with verbs, but compound prepositions cannot.

Note also that in (27), the word "on" has its ordinary meaning of a position on a surface, but in this case the surface is vertical rather than horizontal-- the side of a building. The use of "onto" in (28) is like its use in (24) and (25) above.

3. There are a number of verb-preposition combinations which are formally like "add on" but have the meaning "of continuing or resuming an action" when used in the imperative mood.

(Not all of them have the force of a command.) Except for hang, which takes both on and onto, they all occur only with on. The meanings of these combinations, some of which are idiomatic, are given in parentheses.

Hang on(to the rope)! ('continue to grasp tightly') carry on ('resume what you were doing') sail on ('resume or continue sailing') dream on ('continue dreaming'; a humorous way of saying 'that is an

unattainable goal') lead on ('resume or continue leading us') rock on ('continue playing rock music')


Uses of "into"

1. With verbs of motion, "into" and "in" are interchangeable except when the preposition is the last word or occurs directly before an adverbial of time, manner, or frequency.

In this case only in (or inside) can be used.

(29) The patient went into the doctor's office.(30) The patient went in. (not into)(31) Our new neighbors moved into the house next door yesterday. ('to take up residence in a new home')(32) Our new neighbors moved in yesterday.

In (32), the last word is the time adverbial yesterday, so the object of the preposition in (32) can be omitted. Of course, in an information question, "into" also can be last word except for an adverbial when its object is questioned by a wh- word:

(34) Now what kind of trouble has she gotten herself into?(35) Now what sort of trouble is she in?

2. Verbs expressing stationary position take only "on" or "in" with the ordinary meanings of those prepositions.

If a verb allows the object of the preposition to be omitted, the construction may have an idiomatic meaning.

(36) The cat sat on the mat.


(37) The doctor is in his office.

(38) The doctor is in. ('available for consultation')

In(to) has two special uses with move.

3. When "move in" is followed by a purpose clause, it has the sense of "approach".

(39) The lion moved in for the kill.(40) The police moved in to rescue the hostages inside the building.

In (39) and (40) "in" is part of the verb, so "into" cannot be used; We cannot say: "The lion moved into for the kill."

4. When "into" is used with move, it functions as an ordinary preposition to convey the idea of moving something from one place to another.

(41) We'll move your brother's old bed into your room.

This use of "into" is like the use of onto illustrated in (24)-(27) and (29).


Prepositions of Direction: To, On (to), In (to): Exercises

Complete the following sentences with the correct preposition: to, toward, on, onto, in, or into. Some sentences may have more than one possible correct answer. Remember that a few verbs of motion take only "on" rather than "onto."

1. Anna has returned ______ her home town.

2. The dog jumped ______ the lake.

3. Are the boys still swimming ______ the pool?

4. Thomas fell ______ the floor.

5. The plane landed ______ the runway.

6. We drove _____ the river for an hour, but turned north before we reached it.

7. The kids climbed ______ the monkey bars.

8. Joanna got ______ Fred's car.

9. The baby spilled his cereal ______ the floor.

10. We cried to the man on the ladder, "Hang ______!"

11. I just called ______ say I love you.

12. Matthew and Michelle moved the table ______ the dining room.

13. Allan left your keys ______ the table.

14. Dr. Karper apologized for interrupting us, and told us to carry ______ with our discussion.

15. I'd like ______ ask you a question.

16. Pat drove Mike ______ the airport.


17. Glenn almost fell ______ the river.

18. The waitress noticed that there was no more Diet Pepsi ______ Marty's glass.

19. Lee and Sarah took the bus that was heading ______ the university.

20. Mary Sue jumped ______ the stage and danced.


Prepositions of Spatial Relationship

aboveWrite your name above the line.

across Draw a line across the page.

against She leans against the tree.

ahead of The girl is ahead of the boy.

along There is lace along the edge of the cloth.

among He is among the trees.

around Draw a circle around the answer.


behind The boy is behind the girl.

below Write your name below the line.

beneath He sat beneath the tree.

beside The girl is standing beside the boy.

between She is between two trees.

from He came from the house.

in front of The girl is in front of the boy.


inside He is inside the house.

nearby There is a tree nearby the house.

off His hat is off.

out of He came out of the house.

through She went through the door.

toward She is walking toward the house.

under He is hiding under the table.


within Please mark only within the circle.


Prepositions of Time, of Place, and to Introduce Objects

One point in time

On is used with days:

I will see you on Monday. The week begins on Sunday.

At is used with noon, night, midnight, and with the time of day:

My plane leaves at noon. The movie starts at 6 p.m.

In is used with other parts of the day, with months, with years, with seasons:

He likes to read in the afternoon. The days are long in August. The book was published in 1999. The flowers will bloom in spring.

Extended time

To express extended time, English uses the following prepositions: since, for, by, from—to, from-until, during,(with)in

She has been gone since yesterday. (She left yesterday and has not returned.)

I'm going to Paris for two weeks. (I will spend two weeks there.) The movie showed from August to October. (Beginning in August and ending

in October.) The decorations were up from spring until fall. (Beginning in spring and

ending in fall.) I watch TV during the evening. (For some period of time in the evening.) We must finish the project within a year. (No longer than a year.)


Place

To express notions of place, English uses the following prepositions: to talk about the point itself: in, to express something contained: inside, to talk about the surface: on, to talk about a general vicinity, at. For more detail, see our handouts on Prepositions of Location and Prepositions of Direction.

There is a wasp in the room. Put the present inside the box. I left your keys on the table. She was waiting at the corner.

Higher than a point

To express notions of an object being higher than a point, English uses the following prepositions: over, above. For more detail, see our handout on Prepositions of Spatial Relationship.

He threw the ball over the roof. Hang that picture above the couch.

Lower than a point

To express notions of an object being higher than a point, English uses the following prepositions: under, underneath, beneath, below. For more detail, see our handout on Prepositions of Spatial Relationship.

The rabbit burrowed under the ground. The child hid underneath the blanket. We relaxed in the shade beneath the branches. The valley is below sea-level.


http://owl.english.purdue.edu/handouts/print/esl/eslprep3.html


http://owl.english.purdue.edu/handouts/print/esl/eslprep.html


Close to a point

To express notions of an object being close toa point, English uses the following prepositions: near, by, next to, between, among, opposite. For more detail, see our handout on Prepositions of Spatial Relationship.

She lives near the school. There is an ice cream shop by the store. An oak tree grows next to my house The house is between Elm Street and Maple Street. I found my pen lying among the books. The bathroom is opposite that room.

To introduce objects of verbs

English uses the following prepositions to introduce objects of the following verbs.

At: glance, laugh, look, rejoice, smile, stare She took a quick glance at her reflection.

(exception with mirror: She took a quick glance in the mirror.) You didn't laugh at his joke. I'm looking at the computer monitor. We rejoiced at his safe rescue. That pretty girl smiled at you. Stop staring at me.

Of: approve, consist, smell I don't approve of his speech. My contribution to the article consists of many pages. He came home smelling of alcohol.

Of (or about): dream, think I dream of finishing college in four years. Can you think of a number between one and ten? I am thinking about this problem.




For: call, hope, look, wait, watch, wish Did someone call for a taxi? He hopes for a raise in salary next year. I'm looking for my keys. We'll wait for her here. You go buy the tickets and I'll watch for the train. If you wish for an "A" in this class, you must work hard.


CapitalsThis section lists some guidelines for capitalization. If you have a question about whether a specific word should be capitalized that doesn't fit under one of these rules, try checking a dictionary to see if the word is capitalized there.

Use capital letters in the following ways:

• The first words of a sentence example: When he tells a joke, he sometimes forgets the punch line.

• The pronoun "I" example: The last time I visited Atlanta was several years ago.

• Proper nouns

(the names of specific people, places, organizations, and sometimes things)

examples:

Worrill Fabrication CompanyGolden Gate BridgeSupreme Court

Livingston, MissouriAtlantic OceanMothers Against Drunk Driving

• Family relationships

(when used as proper names)

examples: I sent a thank-you note to Aunt Abigail, but not to my other aunts. Here is a present I bought for Mother.Did you buy a present for your mother?

• The names of God, specific deities, religious figures, and holy books

examples:

God the Fatherthe Virgin Marythe Biblethe Greek gods

MosesShivaBuddhaZeus


Exception: Do not capitalize the non-specific use of the word "god."

example: The word "polytheistic" means the worship of more than one god.

• Titles preceding names, but not title that follow names

examples: She worked as the assistant to Mayor Hanolovi. I was able to interview Miriam Moss, mayor of Littonville.

• Directions that are names

(North, South, East, and West when used as sections of the country, but not as compass directions)

examples: The Patels have moved to the Southwest. Jim’s house is two miles north of Otterbein.

• The days of the week, the months of the year, and holidays

(but not the seasons used generally)

examples:

HalloweenOctoberFriday

winterspringfall

Exception: Seasons are capitalized when used in a title.

example: The Fall 1999 semester

• The names of countries, nationalities, and specific languages

examples:

Costa RicaSpanish

FrenchEnglish

• The first word in a sentence that is a direct quote example: Emerson once said, "A foolish consistency is the hobgoblin of little minds."


• The major words in the titles of books, articles, and songs

(but not short prepositions or the articles "the," "a," or "an," if they are not the first word of the title)

example: One of Ringo’s favorite books is The Catcher in the Rye.

• Members of national, political, racial, social, civic, and athletic groups

examples:

Green Bay PackersAfrican-AmericansAnti-Semitic

DemocratsFriends of the WildernessChinese

• Periods and events

(but not century numbers)

examples:

Victorian EraGreat Depression

Constitutional Conventionsixteenth century

• Trademarks examples:

PepsiHonda

IBMMicrosoft Word

• Words and abbreviations of specific names

(but not names of things that came from specific things but are now general types)

examples:

FreudianNBCpasteurize

UNfrench friesitalics


Two-Part (Phrasal) Verbs (Idioms)

Many verbs in English are followed by an adverb or a preposition (also called a particle), and these two-part verbs, also called phrasal verbs, are different from verbs with helpers. (For more about verbs with helpers, visit http://owl.english.purdue.edu/handouts/esl/eslverbaux.html.)

The particle that follows the verb changes the meaning of the phrasal verb in idiomatic ways:

VERB MEANING EXAMPLE

drop off decline gradually The hill dropped off near the river.

drop off(2) fall asleep While doing his homework,

he dropped off.

drop off(3)

stop and give something to someone

Would you drop this off at the post office?

drop out cease to participate After two laps, the runner dropped out.


Some particles can be separated from the verb so that a noun and pronoun can be inserted, and some particles can't be separated from the verb. In addition, some phrases are intransitive, meaning they cannot take a direct object.

Separableadd up (meaning: to add)

Correct: She added up the total on her calculator.

Correct: She added it up on her calculator.

Inseparableget around (meaning: to evade)

Correct: She always gets around the rules.

Incorrect: She always gets the rules around (This construction makes no sense in English.)

Intransitive catch on (meaning: to understand)

Correct: After I explained the math problem, she began to catch on.

Incorrect: She began to catch on the math problem. (catch on cannot take a direct object in this meaning.)

Correct: She began to catch on to the math problem. (the word to makes the math problem an indirect object, which is acceptable in this meaning.)


Unfortunately, there is usually no indicator whether an idiomatic phrase is separable, inseparable, or intransitive. In most cases the phrases must simply be memorized. Here are some partial lists of each kind of phrase.

Separable

add up - addback up - cause to move backwards; support; blow up; cause to explode; destroy by explosivesbreak down - analyze; list the parts of separatelybreak into - go into a house or room forcibly; suddenly; begin; bring about - cause to happenbring off - accomplishbring on - causebring out - publish; emphasizebring over - bringbring to - revivebring up - raise; care for from childhoodbrush out - brush the inside ofburn down - destroy by burningburn up - consume by firebuy out - by the other person's share of a businessbuy up - buy the whole supply ofcall off - cancel; order awaycall up - telephone; summon for military servicecalm down - become calmcarry on - continuecarry out - fulfill; complete; accomplish; performcarry over - carry; continue at another time or placecheer up - cause to become cheerfulchew up - chew thoroughlychop up - chop into small piecesclean off - clean the surface ofclean out - clean the inside ofclean up - clarify; tidyclear out - clear the surface ofclear up - clear the inside ofclose down - close permanentlyclose up - close temporarilycount in - includecount out - excludecount up - calculate; count; add to a totalcross out - eliminatecut off - interrupt; sever; amputate


cut out - eliminate; deletecut down - reduce in quantitydraw up - write; compose (a document)dress up - put clothes on; adorndust out - dust the inside ofeat up - eat completelyfigure out - interpret; understandfigure up - computefill in - complete (a printed form)fill out - complete (a printed form)fill up - fill completely (a container)find out - discoverfix up - repair; arrange in a suitable mannerget across - cause to be understoodgive back - returngive out - distribute; announcegive up - surrender somethinghand down - deliver; pronounce formally; leave as an inheritancehand over - yield control ofhang up - suspendhave on - be dressed inhave over - entertain someone informally at one's homehold off - delay; restrainhold up - delay; rob; threaten with a weaponkeep up - continue; keep the same paceleave out - omitlet down - disappointlet out - release from confinement; make larger (in sewing)light up - light; illuminate thoroughlylive down - live in such a way as to cause something to be forgottenmake over - remakemove over - move to the sidepass out - distributepass up - not take advantage of (as an opportunity)pass on - transmitpay back - repaypay off - discharge a debt completely; give someone his final paypick up - come to meet an escort; lift with hands or fingers; learn casually;initiate an association publiclyplay down - minimizeplay up - emphasizepoint out - indicatepull down - pull in a downward direction; razepush across - cause to be understood or acceptedput off - postpone


put on - dress in; deceive or foolput up - preserve (food); receive as an overnight guestquiet down - be quietring up - the telephonerinse off - rinse the surface ofrinse out - rinse the inside ofrule out - eliminaterun down - trace; disparage; hit with a vehiclerun off - cause to depart; reproduce mechanicallysave up - accumulatesee through - complete; in spite of difficultiessee off - accompany someone to the beginning of a tripsend back - send to a place where formerly locatedsend over - send to where someone isset up - arrangeshow off - exhibit ostentatiouslyshut off - cause to cease functioningslow up - cause to move more slowlyspell out - enumerate; state in detailstand up - fail to keep an appointment withsweep out - sweep the inside oftake back - return; retract a statementtake down - remove from a high position; write from dictationtake in - understood; fool; deceive; make smaller (in sewing)take over - take; assume command oftear down - destroytear up - tear into small piecestell off - scold; reprimandthink over - considerthink through - consider from beginning to endthink up - create; inventthrow away - discardthrow over - rejecttie up - tie securely or tighttire out - cause to be exhaustedtouch up - repairtry on - put on a garment to verify the fittry out - testturn down - refuse; lower the volumeturn out - produce; force into exile, extinguish (a light)wash off - wash the surface ofwash out - wash the inside ofwear out - use until no longer usable; tire greatlywind up - finish, tighten the spring of a watch or machinewipe off - wipe the surface ofwipe out - wipe the inside of; decimate


work out - solvewrite down - recordwrite out - write down every detail; spell outwrite up - compose; prepare (a document)

Inseparable

back out of - desert; fail to keep a promisebear down on - lean on; browbeatbear on - have to do withbear up under - endurebreak in on - interruptbreak into - interruptcall for - come to get; requirecare for - like; guard; supervise; maintaincarry on with - continuecatch up with - cover the distance between oneself andcheck up on - examine; verifycome across - find accidentallycome along with - accompany; make progresscome by - find accidentallycome down with - become ill withcome out with - utter; producecome up with - utter; producecount on - rely oncut in on - interruptdisagree with - cause illness or discomfort todo away with - abolishdo without - deprive oneself ofdrop in at/on - visit casually without planningdrop out of - leave; quitface up to - acknowledgefall behind in - lag; not progress at required pacefall back on - use for emergency purposefall out with - quarrel withfill in for - substitute forget ahead of - surpass; beatget around - evade; avoidget away with - do without being caught or punishedget by with - manage with a minimum of effortget down to - become serious about; considerget in - enter (a vehicle)get off - descend from; leaveget on - enter (a vehicle); mountget on with - proceed withget through with - terminate, finish


go back on - desert; fail to keep (a promise)go for - like a great dealgo in for - be interested in; participate ingo on with - continuego over - reviewgo with - harmonize with; look pleasing togethergo without - abstain fromhang around - remain idly in the vicinity ofhear from - receive a communication fromhear of - learn about (sometimes accidentally)hit on - discover accidentallyhold on to - grasp tightlyhold out against - resistkeep at - persevere atkeep to - persist in; continuekeep up with - maintain the pace oflie down on - evade; fail to dolive on - support or sustain oneself by means oflive up to - maintain the standard demanded oflook after - take care oflook back on - remember nostalgicallylook down on - feel superior tolook forward to - anticipatelook up to - respect; admiremake up for - compensate forpass on - transmitpick on - tease; bullyplay up to - flatter for personal advantageput up with - tolerateread up on - search out information onrun against - compete against in an electionrun away with - leave; escape fromrun for - campaign forsee about - consider; arrangesee to - arrange; supervisesettle on - decide on; choosestand for - represent; permitstand up for - support; demandstand up to - resiststick to - persiststick up for - support; defendtake after - resembletalk back to - answer impolitelytalk over - discusstell on - report misbehavior to authoritytouch on - mention briefly


turn into - becomewait on - servewait up for - not go to bed while waiting forwatch out for - be careful for

Intransitiveback down - retreat from a position in an argumentback out - desert; fail to keep a promiseback up - move backwardsbear up - endureblow in - drop in to visit unexpectedlyblow over - pass without doing harmblow up - explode; lose one's tempercall up - telephonecalm down - become calmcarry on - continue as before; misbehavecatch on - understandcatch up - cover the distance between oneself and a moving goalcheck up - investigatecheck out - leave; pay one's billcheer up - become cheerfulclear out - leaveclear up - become clearclose down - close permanentlyclose up - close temporarilycame about - happencome along - accompany; make progresscome back - returncome by - visit someone in his homecome out - appear; make a social debutcome over - come to someone's house, to where someone iscome through - succeedcome to - regain consciousnesscut in - interruptdie away - fade; diminishdie down - fade; diminishdie off/out - disappear; become extinctdress up - don fancy or unusual clothesdrive back - return by cardrop in - visit someone casually without planningdrop out - abandon some organized activity; leave; quitdrop over - visit someone casuallyfall behind - not progress at required pacefall off - decrease; lose weightfall through - fail; not be accomplished


fill in - substitutefind out - learnfly back - return by airfly over - fly to where someone isget ahead - make progressget along - have a friendly relationshipget around - circulate; move aboutget away - escapeget by - manage; either just barely or with a minimum of effortget in - enterget off - descend from leaveget on - enter (a vehicle); mount (a horse, etc.)get on/along - progress; be compatibleget up - riseget through - finishgive out - become exhaustedgive up - surrender; fail to finishgo back - returngo off - explodego on - happen; continuego out - stop burning; leave one's residencego over - go; succeedgrow up - maturehang around - remain idly; dawdlehang up - replace a telephone receive on its hookhold on - grasp tightly; persevere; wait while telephoninghold out - continue to resist; persevere; persistkeep on - continuekeep up - maintain the required pace or standard; continuelet up - diminish in intensitylie down - reclinelook on - be a spectatormake out - progress; succeedmake up - become reconciledmove over - move to the sidepan out - turn out well; be successfulpass out - become unconsciouspass on - diepick up - grow; increasepull in - arrivepull out - deportpull through - survive (barely)ride over - ride to where someone isrun away - escape; leave; leave quickly without permissionrun down - slowly lose power so as to stop functioningrun off - depart running; drain


sell out - sell the ownership or responsibilitysettle up - pay one's bills or debtsshow off - boast by words or actionsshow up - arrive; appear unexpectedlyshut up - stop talkingslow up - reduce speedstand by - wait; be prepared to assiststand up - stand; rise from sitting; last; endurestay over - remain at someone's house overnight or longerstep aside - move to one sidetake off - leave the groundtake over - assume commandtalk back - answer impolitelythrow up - vomitturn around - turn so that one is facing another directionturn in - go to bedturn out - succeed; come; appear, as at a public meetingturn up - arrive; be found unexpectedlywait up - remain awake in anticipationwake up - awakenwalk back - return on foot to where one waswalk over - walk to where someone iswash out - fade or disappear from washingwatch out - be carefulwear off - fade; disappear through use or timewear out - become unusable through use; become used upwork out - be successful


A or An? Answer Key

1. a bingo game

2. an idiot

3. a good job

4. a rotten plum

5. a used fork

6. an uncle

7. a historian

8. an apple

9. a hair

10. an artichoke

11. a horrible movie

12. an opera

13. a fine opera

14. a television

15. an earthquake

16. an icicle

17. a plant

18. an eggplant

19. an honorable discharge

20. an intelligent man


21. a table

22. an up stairway

23. a paper clip

24. an animal

25. a usual feeling

26. an interest

27. an alibi

28. an early bird

29. a couch

30. an airplane

31. a grade

32. a pair

33. an idea

34. an energy level


Adjective or Adverb Exercise #1 Answers

Circle the correct from in the parentheses:

1. He correctly defined the terms. The answer sounded correct.

2. She quickly adjusted the fees. She adapted quickly to any situation.

3. He measured the floor exactly. They proved to be perfectly exact measurements.

4. The stillness of the tomb was awful. The tomb was awfully still.

5. It was a dangerous lake to swim in. The man was dangerously drunk. The gas smelled dangerous.

6. She performed magnificently. It was a magnificently beautiful performance.

7. Her voice sounds beautiful. She sang the song exactly as it was written. We heard it perfectly.

8. He was very sensible person. He acted very sensibly.

9. Mike wrote too slowly on the exam. He always writes slowly.

10. Talk softly or don't talk at all. The music played softly.

11. Andrea knows the material very well. She always treats us well.

12. You must send payments regularly. We deal on a strictly cash basis.

13. The mechanic's tools were good. The foreman said that his work was well done.

14. She worked carefully with the sick child. She was a very careful worker.


15. He did not pass the course as easily as he thought he would.

16. I find this novel very interesting. It was interestingly written.


Adjective or Adverb Exercise #2 Answers

In the following sentences, cross out the incorrect modifiers and write in the correct form in the blanks. If the sentence is correct as it is, write "correct" in the blank.

1. Terrence plays quarterback as well as Brian. correct

2. The game hadn't hardly begun before it started to rain. had

3. This was sure a mild winter. surely

4. Jane behaves more pleasant than Joan. pleasantly

5. When you are a parent, you will think different about children. differently

6. I felt badly about not having done good on my final exams. bad, well

7. Whether you win is not near as important as how you play. nearly

8. Asian music often sounds oddly to Western listeners. odd

9. Does your car run well enough to enter the race? correct

10. I felt safely enough to go out at night on my own. safe

11. You can see the distant mountains clear with these binoculars. clearly

12. Our team was real sharp last Saturday afternoon during the game. really


Articles Exercise #1: Answer Key

1. I want an apple from that basket.

2. The church on the corner is progressive.

3. Miss Lin speaks Chinese. (no article needed)

4. I borrowed a pencil from your pile of pencils and pens.

5. One of the students said, "The professor is late today."

6. Eli likes to play volleyball. (no article needed)

7. I bought an umbrella to go out in the rain.

8. My daughter is learning to play the violin at her school.

9. Please give me the cake that is on the counter.

10. I lived on Main Street when I first came to town. (no article needed)

11. Albany is the capital of New York State. (no article needed)

12. My husband's family speaks Polish. (no article needed)

13. An apple a day keeps the doctor away.

14. The ink in my pen is red.

15. Our neighbors have a cat and a dog.


Articles Exercise #2 Answer Key

1. I have a horse of my own. I call her Pretty Girl. She is an intelligent animal, but she is not a thoroughbred horse. I could never enter her in a race, even if I wanted to. But I do not want to. She is a companion, for my own pleasure. I took her swimming a day or two ago.

2. A horse knows when he is going to race. How does he know? His breakfast was scanty. (He is angry about that.) He does not have a saddle on his back. He is being led, not ridden, to the grandstand. He is led under the grandstand into an unusual, special stall. The horse is nervous. Sometimes he does not know what to do when the starting gate flies open and the track is before him. If he does not begin to run instantly, other horses are already ahead of him. During the race, when he sees another horse just ahead of him, he will try to pass him. Sometimes the jockey holds him back to save his energy for the last stretch. Eventually the horse gets to run as fast as he can. The exercise boy, watching the owner's favorite jockey riding the horse he has exercised day after day, says nothing. Secretly, he is planning for the day when he will be jockey himself, and his horse will be the first to cross the finish line.

3. Most working people have fewer hours to give to time-consuming activities of clubs than they used to have, but most people in a small town belong to a club or two. One of the clubs is likely to be a social and benevolent organization, such as the Rotary or Elks. Business people are likely to belong, also to either the Kiwanis Club or the Lions. Such business people's organizations may meet as often as once a week in one of the private dining rooms of the town's leading hotel for lunch. They have a good lunch, hear a good program, and continue their fundraising program for a worthy organization, such as a local hospital.


Answers to Count and Noncount Noun Exercises

Count and Noncount Nouns

Exercise 1

Are the following nouns count or noncount? Put an N next to the noncount nouns and a C next to the count nouns. If the noun can be either noncount or count depending on the context, put a D next to it.

world C textbook C acid D smoking Npoetry Napplause Nthought D

banana C conduct Nprogress Nbiology Nessay C crystal D shopping N

Exercise 2

Put an X next to the words in the following list that can be used as either count or noncount nouns, depending on the context.

defense Xbeauty X garbage ___ experience X baggage ___

rain X rug ___ nature ___ bag ___ emotion X

Exercise 3

Fill in the blank with the form of the noun in parentheses that is appropriate to the grammatical context of the sentence and the meaning of the passage as a whole.


Diabetes: Beyond the Basics

Because diabetes can cause devastating damage to virtually all body systems, people with diabetes should not underrate the seriousness of their disease. Learning to live with a chronic illness such as diabetes must be an ongoing process.

The Hospital's Center for Family Life Education is sponsoring a five-part educational series on diabetes. The series will begin on April 30 and continue through May 29. The program will be held in the second floor classroom of the Education Center from 7-9 p.m.

The diabetes series is free and open to the public and will be of specific interest to people who have diabetes and their families and friends.

Exercise 4

On the basis of the rules for using articles, which combinations of words below are permitted and which ones aren't? Put an X next to the incorrect combinations.

____ a table X these person ____ this furniture____ that assignment ____ a boy

____ the poetry____ a difficultyX a research X this eggs X those argument

Exercise 5

Fill in the blanks with the appropriate article if one is needed.

The Computer Jungle

Though you can make the decision on purely economic grounds, buying a computer is often more like joining a religious cult. Buy an Apple, for example, and almost by default you join Apple chairman Steve Jobs in his crusade against IBM. Every machine has its "users' groups" and a band of loyal enthusiasts who tout its merits. That makes it all the more difficult for the uninitiated to decide what


machine to buy. Students have a huge advantage, however. The computer companies are so eager for students' business (it builds "brand loyalty") that many offer huge discounts.

In the past six months, IBM, Apple, and others have brought out new computers, and the fierce competition has forced prices down. Also, time is on your side: next year at this time you'll have even more choice and more computing power and features for the same price. On the other hand, this will probably be true for many years. So for those who need or want a computer now, it's a great time to buy one.


Quantity Terms with Count and Noncount Nouns: Answers

1. Quite a few students have trouble with economics.

2. It requires quite a little or quite a bit of* reading.

3. Few advisors spend as much time with their students.

4. He has little hope of passing his exams.

5. George's advisor spends quite a little or quite a bit of time with him.

6. He knows few people in the class.

7. Bill spends little money on clothes.

8. She spends quite a little or quite a bit of money on CDs.

9. He has few suits.

10. He understands little of the reading.


Writing Numbers: Exercise

The errors in number usage are corrected here. Those that were correct in the exercise have a "C" to the left of the sentence.

Three hundred fifty-one 1.351 people attended the performance.

C 2.There were one hundred and thirty-five pieces in the puzzle.

8:30 A.M. 3.Class started at eight-thirty A.M. in Room Twenty.

hundreds 4. In the sixties there were sit-ins at 100's of colleges.

C 5.Every afternoon at two o'clock the chimes rang.

12.5 6.The stock deal, which involved $4.5 billion, paid a twelve and a half percent dividend.

18 7.The Lafayette television station is Channel Eighteen.

C 8.They needed eight ten-foot poles for the construction.

16 9.The vote was 126 in favor of the action and only sixteen opposed.

C 10.The assignment was to read chapter 6, pages 31-39.

50 11.Only fifty percent of high school students go on to college.

ten 12.We were assigned a report of about 10 pages in length.


Prepositions of Location: At, In, On: ExercisesComplete the following sentences with the correct preposition: at, in, or on.

1. Will you wait for me at the bus stop?

2. Jane is in her bedroom.

3. Daria's books are lying on the floor.

4. The girls didn't want to spend a long time at the carnival.

5. I let the cat sit on my lap, but then suddenly it jumped at my face!

6. Do you live in the city or in the country?

7. Trent arrived at the school building just in time.

8. The rancher built a fence to keep his cows in the pasture.

9. Kevin and Mack are out practicing on the football field.

10. From afar, Heathcliff could see a light in the window.

11. The old house had so much grime on the windows that Bradley could hardly see inside.

12. The shepherd boy grazed his flock on the grassy hillside.

13. The audience threw tomatoes at the terrible comedian.

14. Wrestling isn't real; those guys in the ring are just pretending.

15. David works in the field of network administration, while Marty works in web design.

16. The car stalled and got stuck in the street.

17. Audrey lives on Third Street.


18. If William doesn't make any money on his book, he'll be out on the street.

19. I'll use my cellular phone when I'm on the bus, but never while I'm in the car.

20. Passengers are not allowed to use electronic devices on airplanes during takeoff and landing.


Prepositions of Direction: To, On (to), In (to): ExercisesComplete the following sentences with the correct preposition: to, toward, on, onto, in, or into. Some sentences may have more than one possible correct answer. Remember that a few verbs of motion take only "on" rather than "onto."

1. Anna has returned to her home town.

2. The dog jumped in / into the lake.

3. Are the boys still swimming in the pool?

4. Thomas fell on / onto the floor.

5. The plane landed on the runway.

6. We drove toward the river for an hour, but turned north before we reached it.

7. The kids climbed on / onto the monkey bars.

8. Joanna got in / into Fred's car.

9. The baby spilled his cereal on the floor.

10. We cried to the man on the ladder, "Hang on!"

11. I just called to say I love you.

12. Matthew and Michelle moved the table into the dining room.

13. Allan left your keys on the table.

14. Dr. Karper apologized for interrupting us, and told us to carry on with our discussion.

15. I'd like to ask you a question.

16. Pat drove Mike to the airport.

17. Glenn almost fell in / into the river.


18. The waitress noticed that there was no more Diet Pepsi in Marty's glass.

19. Lee and Sarah took the bus that was heading toward the university.

20. Mary Sue jumped on / onto the stage and danced


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