wk 13 lecture esl pointers

8/14/2019 Wk 13 Lecture ESL Pointers

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ESL PointersESL PointersEnglish Skills for Academic StudiesEnglish Skills for Academic Studies

John LanganJohn Langan

(pp 361-374)(pp 361-374)

Chapter Five


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Articles with Count and

Noncount Nouns

ArticlesArticlesarenounmarkers:they signalsignalthat a noun will follow.

There are indefinite articlesindefinite articles and

a definite article.a definite article.


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Indefinite Articles

The indefinite articles areAA andANAN..

Use aa before a word thatbeginsbegins

with awith a consonantconsonant soundsound..

EX.: A car; a piano; a uniform

Use an before a word that beginsbegins

with awith a vowelvowel soundsound..

EX. An effort; an office; an honor


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The Definite Article

Thedefinite article is:

THETHE


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Articles An article may immediately precede aimmediately precede a

nounnoun::a smile

the reason

Or it may be separated from thebe separated from the

noun by modifiersnoun by modifiers::a slight smile

the very best reason


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Count Nouns Count nouns name people, places,people, places,

things, or ideasthings, or ideas that can be

counted and made into plurals.EXS.:EXS.:

teacher-- teachers

restroom-- restroomsjoke-- jokes


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Noncount Nouns

Noncount nouns are things or ideas that

cannot be countedcannot be counted. CommonCommonnoncount nouns include:noncount nouns include:

Abstractions and EmotionsAbstractions and Emotions:: anger, bravery

Activities:Activities: baseball, jogging

Foods:Foods: bread,cheese

Gases and vapors:Gases and vapors: air, smoke, steamLiquids:Liquids: blood, tea, water

Materials that come in bulk form:Materials that come in bulk form: cloth, dust, sand

Natural occurrences:Natural occurrences: rain, snow


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Qualifiers

The quantityquantity of a noncount noun can

be expressed with a word or words

called a qualifier:qualifier:Some, a lot of, a unit of, etc.


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Using a or an with Nonspecific

Singular Count Nouns Use a or an with

singular nouns that aresingular nouns that are

nonspecificnonspecific. A noun is

nonspecific when the

reader doesnt knowits specific identity.

Ex: A left-

hander facesspecial

challenges with

right-handed

tools.


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When its identityWhen its identity

is suggested byis suggested by

the general contextthe general context:At Willys dinner last night,

the service was terrible

and the food was worse.

Using the with Specific Nouns

A noun is specific in the following cases:A noun is specific in the following cases:

When it has already

been mentioned once:Today, our cat proudly

brought a baby

bird into the house.

Luckily the bird

was still alive.

Whenitisidentifiedbyawordorphrase

in thesentence:Thepocketsintheboyspantsareoftenfilled withsandanddirt.

When it is precededWhen it is preceded

by a superlative adjectiveby a superlative adjective

(best, biggest, wisest)

Thebiggest wishI have

evermade just cametrue.

When it isWhen it is

uniqueunique: There

will be an

eclipse ofthe

moon tonight.


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Omitting Articles

articles with nonspecificnonspecificpluralsplurals

and noncount nounsand noncount nouns,, that is, whenthey refer to something in general::

Pockets didnt exist until the end of the 1700s.Pockets didnt exist until the end of the 1700s.

Iris serves her children homemade lemonade.Iris serves her children homemade lemonade.


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Using The with Proper Nouns

Do Not usethethefor most singular proper

nouns, including names of the following:

People and animalsPeople and animals

Continents, states, cities, streets, and parksContinents, states, cities, streets, and parks

Most countriesMost countries

Individual bodies of water, islands, andIndividual bodies of water, islands, and

mountains.mountains.


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Using The with Proper Nouns

Usethethe for the following types of

proper nouns:

Plural proper nouns (The Turners; The

United States)

Names of large geographic areas, deserts,

oceans, seas, and rivers (The Black Sea)

Names with the format the__ of___ (The

Fourth of July)


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Incorr

ect:

Incorr

ect:Th

emanager

he

aske

dDmit

ritolocku

ptonight.

Correct:

Correct:T

hemana

gerask

ed

Dmitritolock

upton

ight.

Correct

:Cor

rect:H

easkedDmit

ri

tolock

upton

ight

Subjects and verbs A particular subject can be used only once in

a clause. Dont repeatDont repeata subject in the same clauseby following a noun with a pronoun.

Incorrect:Incorrect: The girl who danced

with you she is my cousin.

Correct:Correct: The girl whodanced with you is my cousin.


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Including Pronoun Subjects and

Linking Verbs Every clause, other than aEvery clause, other than a

command, must have a subject and acommand, must have a subject and a

verb.verb. Incorrect:Incorrect: The Grand Canyonis in Arizona. Is 217 miles long.

Correct:Correct: The Grand Canyon is

in Arizona. It isIt is 217 miles long.

Incorrect:Incorrect: Angelitas piano

teacher very patient.

Correct:Correct: Angelitas piano

teacherisvery patient.


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Including There and Here at the

Beginning of clauses A linking verb, usually in the form ofto beto be,follows the wordsthere and herethere and here when they

begin a clause. In these cases, the verb comes

before the subject.

Ex.: There

are masks in

every cultureon Earth.

Remember not toRemember not to

omit there or here!

Incorrect: Are several

chickens in the Benson

yard.


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Not Using the Progressive Tense

of Certain Verbs Progressive tenses express actions oractions or

conditions still in progressconditions still in progress at a

particular time. They are made up offorms offorms ofbebe plus theplus the -ing-ing form of theform of the

main verbmain verb..

Ex.: George will be taking classes this summer.George will be taking classes this summer.


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Not Using the Progressive Tenses

of Certain Verbs Verbs for mental statesmental states, the sensesthe senses,

possessionpossession, an inclusionan inclusion are normally

not usedin the progressive tenses.

Incorrect:Incorrect: All during the movie they

were hearing whispers behind them.

Correct:Correct: All during the movie theyheardwhispers behind them.

Exs.:


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Not Using the Progressive Tense

of Certain Verbs

Thoughts, attitudes and desires:Thoughts, attitudes and desires: agree, believe, imagine,know, like, love, prefer, think, understand, want, wish

Sense perceptionsSense perceptions:: hear, see, smell, taste

Appearances:Appearances: appear, seem

PossessionPossession: belong, have, own, possessInclusion:Inclusion: contain, include


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Using Only Transitive Verbs for

the Passive Voice OnlyOnlytransitivetransitiveverbs can haveaapassivepassiveformform. Intransitive verbs

cannot be used in the passive voice. Incorrect:Incorrect: If you dont fix those brakes,

an accident may be happened.

Correct: If you dont fix those brakes, anaccident may happen.


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Using Gerunds and Infinitives

After Verbs A GerundA Gerund is the -ing-ingform of a verb

that is used as a noun, e.g., For

Walter, eatingeatingis a daylong activity.

An infinitive is to plus the basic form

of the verb, e.g., to eatto eat. It can

function as an adverb , adjective, or

noun.


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Following The Order of Adjectives

AdjectivesAdjectivesmodify nouns and pronouns.

An adjective usually comesdirectlydirectly

beforebefore the word it describes or after a linkingverb.

That is an angry man.

The man is angry.


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Typical Order of Adjectives in A

Series If there is more than one adjectivemore than one adjective for the same noun, they follow this order:

1. Article or other noun marker (a, an, the, Lees, this. . .)

2. Opinion adjective (dull, handsome, unfair. . .)3. Size (big, huge, little. . .)

4. Shape (long, short, round. . .)

5. Age (ancient, medieval, old. . .)

6. Color (blue, green, red. . .)

7. Nationality (Italian, Korean, Mexican. . .)8. Religion (Buddhist, Catholic, Jewish)

9. Material (cardboard, gold, marble)

10. Noun used as an adjective (house call, tea bag. . .)


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Using the Present and Past

Participles as Adjectives A participle used as an adjective may precedemay precede

the word it describes:

It may also follow the linking verb and

describe the subject of the sentence:

Use the present participle to describe

whoever or whatever causesa feeling:

Use the past participle to describe whoever

or whatever experiences the feeling:

That was an exciting ballgame.

The ballgame was exciting.

An embarrassing incident

The embarrassed parents


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Prepositions Used for Time and

Place

Use onon,, inin,, and atat to refer to timeand place.Time

On a specific day: on Monday, on January 1

In a part of a day: in the morning, in the daytimeIn a month or a year: in December, in 1776

In a period of time: in an hour, in a few days

Ata specific time: at 10:00 A.M., at midnight

PlaceOn a surface: on the desk, on the counter

In a place that is enclosed: in my room, in the office

Ata specific location: at the mall, at his house

wk 13 lecture esl pointers

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