Among is used for more than two persons or things. I distributed the clothes among those eight beggars.
Rule 13:
BY is used to mean:
(a)according to; from the evidence of By my watch, it is 10.30.
(b)to denote the doer of an action in the passive voice.
The thief was beaten by the policeman.
Rule 14:
Prepositions from, since, for with reference to time From. Since indicate a point of time.
(a) I have not seen her since Monday.
I have not seen her from August.
For indicates a length or period of time.
(b) I have not seen her for six months.’
Exercise -12
Correct the error relating to the use of prepositions in each of the following sentences:
1.Sugar sells in ten rupees per kilogram.
2.I congratulate upon her success in the examination.
3.What is the time with your watch?
4.You must travel with a bus to reach in time.
5.Among you and me, he is definitely in the wrong.
6.John divided his property among his two sons.
7.He is suffering with malaria.
8.He has been working since five years.
9.It has been raining from morning.
10.He has been here above eight hours.
UNIT-VII
CORRECT USE OF CONJUNCTIONS
A Conjunction is a word which connects words, phrases, clauses or sentences. It also brings about relationship between the elements which are thus joined. There are two types of conjunctions:
(i)Co-ordinate conjunctions
(ii)Subordinate conjunctions
A Co-ordinate Conjunction joins two clauses or sentences of equal rank. Also, it joins two words of equal grammatical rank.
And, but, for, nor, or, but, otherwise, else, also, either - or, neither - nor etc. are the chief co-ordinate conjunctions.
Examples:
He went to the hospital and met the doctor Dr. Rao and Dr. Reddy are the best friends
The co-ordinate conjunctions are of four kinds
1.Cumulative conjunction A conjunction which adds one statement or fact to another is a cumulative conjunction.
Example:
The professor as well as the lecturer has accepted to conduct the examination next week.
The following are the cumulative conjunctions:
Not only — but also,
Both — and, as well as
too, also, moreover etc.
2. Alternative conjunctions: A conjunction of this kind expresses a choice between two alternatives.
Either — or, neither --- nor, otherwise, else, etc. are alternative conjunctions.
Examples:
She is good neither at games nor. at studies. Work hard, otherwise you will fail.
3.Adversative Conjunctions: An adversative conjunction expresses a contrast between two facts or statements.
Only, however, but, still, yet, whereas, nevertheless, etc, are adversative conjunctions.
Examples:
She was angry, but she kept quiet.
She hates me, yet I love her.
4.Illative conjunctions: Such a conjunction shows that a statement or fact is proved or inferred from another.
Therefore, hence, so, consequently, for etc., are illative conjunctions.
Example:
He is honest and amiable, hence he is revered.
5.The Subordinate Conjunctions are the conjunctions that connect the subordinate clauses to the main clauses in sentences.
The adverbial clauses are usually connected to the main clauses by means of the subordinate conjunctions:
The following are some sentences in which important subordinate conjunctions are used.
i)The patient had died before the doctor arrived.
ii)We eat so that we may live.
iii)He behaved in such a manner that all disliked him.
Note: There are some words which are used both as conjunctions and as prepositions.
Conjunctions Prepositions
We went home after he We went home after
came to the office the sunset.
I went to bed early, for I I shall do it for him.
was tired.
Exercise-13
Correct the errors relating to the use of conjunctions in each of the following sentences.
1.It had been raining.
2.Your action was either just or fair.
3.As I was ill, so I did not go to college.
4.Both of you as well as your brother are at fault.
5.I shall not come unless I am not invited.
6.Unless you have no objection, I shall see you tomorrow.
7.Walk carefully lest you should not fall down.
8.He works hard because he may get first division.
9.I am glad when you have come to discuss the problem frankly.
10.God made the world so man made the town.
UNIT-VIII
CORRECT USE OF ARTICLES
In English there are two types of articles:
(i)The Indefinite Articles
(ii)The Definite Article
The Indefinite Articles: A and An (Please note that 'An' is a variant of 'A'.)
The Definite Article: The
Notes:
1.A or An is used before a singular countable noun.
2.The choice between A and An wholly depends on the pronunciation of the word.
3.In English the 'spelling of a word' is different from the 'pronunciation' of the word'.
4.An is used before the word the pronunciation of which starts with a vowel.
5.There are 44 sounds (each is given a symbol from the International Phonetic Alphabet).
6.Out of the 44 sounds, there are 20 vowels and 24 consonants.
7.Please note that, strictly speaking, A E l O U are not vowels but just letters of the English Alphabet having 26 letters.
8.The indefinite article 'a' is used before
(a)a word beginning with a letter having a consonant sound, e.g. a book, a man, a dinner.
(b)a word that begins with a letter (like O) with the sound like 'wa' e.g. a one-rupee note, a one-eyed man etc.
©a word beginning with 'u' or ‘eu' giving the consonant of 'yu'.
Examples: a university, a European.
9.The indefinite article 'an' is used before:
(a)a word beginning with a letter like a, e, i, o, u having a vowel sound.
Examples: an apple, an egg, an umbrella, an idiot, etc.
(b)a word beginning with 'h' but the pronunciation starts with a vowel.
Examples: an heir, an hour, an honest man, etc.
©an abbreviation, the first letter of which is 'M' examples: an M.L.A., an M.P., an M.Com an S.D.O an F.R.C.S., an X-mas gift etc.
SOME IMPORTANT RULES REGARDING THE ARTICLES
Rule 1:
A or An is not used before:
(a)plural nouns: a books, a universities, a dinners etc. (wrong)
(b)uncountable nouns: an advices, an information etc. (wrong)
(c )names of meals:
Example:
Let us have dinner (correct)
Let us have a dinner (incorrect)
Note: An indefinite article can be used before names of meals when these are preceded by an adjective.
Example:
She gave me a good breakfast at 8 a.m.
A or An is used in the following ways:
Rule 2:
Before the word 'most' when it is used in the sense of very or much or exceedingly.
Examples:
Sreedhar is a most intelligent student.
This is a most unfortunate event.
Rule 3:
Before a singular countable noun which is used as an example to represent a class.
Example:
A cow is a useful animal
Note: It must be borne in mind that 'man' or 'woman', when used in a general sense to represent 'mankind' as a whole, never takes an article.
Examples:
Man is mortal.
Woman is man's better half.
Rule 4:
With a noun complement. This includes names of professions.
Examples:
He is an actor.
She is a good dancer.
It was an accident.
*The words underlined are noun complements. Also called subject complements.Rule 5:
In certain phrases: a cold, a pain, on an average, make a noise, make an effort, make a mistake, a fever etc.
Rule 6:
With certain numbers : a hundred, a thousand, a million etc.
Rule 7:
'A' can be used before Mr./ Miss/ Mrs. + name Examples:
a Mr. Bose, a Mrs. Bose, etc.
Note:
A Mr. Bose denotes a person who is called Bose, and implies that he is a stranger to the speaker.
Mr. Bose, without 'a', implies that the speaker knows Mr. Bose, or knows of his existence.
Rule 8:
Before a proper noun to make it a common noun.
Examples:
Mohan is a Newton (a great scientist)
Amaresh is a Shakespeare (a great dramatist)
Rule 9:
Before certain uncountable nouns preceded by
nouns + of
Examples:
a piece of advice, a bit of news, a drop of water etc.
Rule 10:
After the words many, rather, such, quite etc. in certain structures.
Examples:
Many a friend of mine is attending the party.
Such a show cannot be arranged now.
He is rather a fool to take such decisions.
Rule 11:
In certain expressions of quantity Examples:
a lot of, a couple, a great many, a good deal of, a good many, a great deal of, a few, a little etc.
THE is used in the following ways
Rule 12:
Before a noun denoting a hospital, temple, school, college, prison etc. If its purpose or use is not referred to or say if used not in its primary purpose. Example:
He has gone to the hospital to visit a friend - Where he is employed?
Rule 13:
Before an adjective in the superlative degree.
Michael is the tallest boy in the class.
Rule 14:
With nouns indicating what is unique.
Examples:
the sun, the moon, the sky, the earth, the equator etc.
Rule 15:
Before an abstract noun or a material if it is used with an adjunct (a qualifying clause)
(or when there is a particular reference to the material noun)
Example:
The gold you have brought from the U.S.A is of good quality.
Rule 16:
Before a singular countable noun which picks out one individual, object, etc. as representative of a class.
Example:
The tiger is a ferocious animal.
Note:
All the following sentences mean the same thing.
The tiger is a fierce animal
A tiger is a fierce animal
Tigers are fierce animals
Rule 17:
The is used before certain adjectives to give a plural meaning.
Examples:
rich, poor, dead, sick, healthy, deaf, blind etc.
the rich = rich people
the poor = poor people
Rule 18:
With certain adjectives indicating nationality
Examples:
the Dutch, the Spanish, the Chinese, the Burmese etc.
Rule 19:
Before 'only' and ordinal numbers, such first, second, millionth etc.
Examples:
All the students of the first year are invited.
The second example is not correct.