Grammar and Usage Rules, Summary and Quiz
as well as spelling and punctuation rules, are important and necessary to a language. They help us maintain the uniformity in language that needed in order for us to express our ideas precisely. Without such rules, communication would indeed de difficult. Rules demand a consistency that guarantees universality of meaning.
NOUNS : SUMMARY OF RULES
I/ CARDINAL AND ORDINAL NUMBERS:
Cardinal numbers are used
to give the number of things while ordinal numbers are used to give the exact
order or classification of things:
A. Clara
has two books.
B. Clara
has the second book.
C. Clara
has book
two.
In sentence “A” the word two
is used to show the number of the books. However in both sentences “B” and “C”
we have only one book but it’s the second one not the first or the third, so
the words “the second” and “two” are
used only to show the order of this book.
II/ MODIFIERS AND DETERMINERS:
There are some modifiers
that may be used only with count nouns (nouns that may be counted and made
plural). There are some other modifiers that can be used only with non-count
nouns (nouns that can not be counted or made plural). The third category are
the modifiers that may be used with both types; count and non-count nouns:
√ Bob needs some money. He
decided to ask some friends to give him few dollars.
√ I need plenty of money
to buy a number of T- shirts
and several blue Jeans.
FUNDAMENTALS OF ENGLISH GRAMMAR/ NOUNS
TYPES OF NOUNS:
We can classify nouns as types. Sometimes a noun
may fit into more than one type or class, depending on how it is used:
- Concert nouns: They name physical objects that our senses
can perceive (table, war, poverty,..)
- Abstract nouns : They're words for ideas, concepts, processes
or feeling (peace, war, poverty,..)
- Count nouns : A count noun is one that can be counted
and be made plural (student, students)
The following words are count - nouns:
child foot mouse
person tooth
children feet mice
people teeth
- Non - count nouns: Non - count nouns are nouns
that can not be counted, they can be divided into three groups:
* Actual masses such as: water, oil, gas, earth,
metal, cheese, butter, bread,
* Abstract nouns such as peace, war, poverty, health,
* Concert objects grouped under more general names such as furniture,
clothing, underwear, equipment, ‘’non - count noun’’ (a glass if milk-two
glasses of milk-)
The following words are non - count nouns:
air -
economics - food - homework – information - mathematics - measles - meat -
money - news - physics - politics - sand – soap.
- Proper nouns : They are used for individual persons,
places, or thing.
- Common nouns: They're used for members of a large class
of similar items (a man, a river,.)
- Compound nouns : They're made up of two
nouns. (Bedroom, bookcase, airport,
catbird...)
- Collective nouns : They're made of words representing a group of
people, animals, or objects considered as a single unit. ( family, team, crowd, herd of cattle, flock
of sheep, kit of tools, set of dishes, pack of gum,...)
FORMING THE PLURALS OF NOUNS :
Most plurals are formed by adding « s
»
Examples :
- phone /
phones
- basket /
baskets ).
But there are some exceptions :
1)
Nouns ending in s,
sh, ch, z, or x form plurals by
adding ‘’es’’
Examples :
- glass /
glasses
- tax /
taxes.
2)
Add ‘’s’’ to form plurals of letters and
numbers
Examples:
- M / M's
- 8 / 8's
3)
Nouns ending in ‘’y’’ or ‘’o’’ form plurals in
two ways :
a) If a consonant precedes the ‘’y‘’ or the ‘’o’’ add ‘’es‘’, and
change the ‘’y‘’ to ‘’i‘’:
Examples :
-
baby / babies
- tomato /
tomatoes ......).
b) If a vowel precedes the ‘’y‘’ or the ‘’o’’ add only ‘’s‘’ :
Examples :
- monkey /
monkeys
- radio /
radios....).
1)
The plurals of proper nouns are formed by adding ‘’s’’ or ‘’es‘’ for the nouns that ends already in
‘’s’’ and the article ‘’The‘’ :
Examples :
- Mary / the
Mary’s
- Jones /
The Joneses
2)
Some nouns are always used in their plural forms (
requiring plural verbs ) : ( clothes -
pants - trousers - surroundings - tongs - scissors - shorts - jeans - pliers + ARE ).
Examples :
- My pants are in the drawer.
- The
scissors are dull.
6) Some nouns are plural in form but singular in
construction (requiring singular forms):
(electronics
- mathematics - genetics - gymnastics - news -
7)
Some nouns have the same plural and singular forms :
Examples
:
-
swine / swine
-
salmon / salmon
-
sheep / sheep
-
moose / moose ...).
8)
Some form the plural by applying the plural forming rules of the
language form Which the Word originated ( usually Latin ): ( datum / data - crisis / crises - alumnus /
alumni - index / indices - antenna / antennae ..).
9)
Some are irregular and must be memorized :
Examples :
- child /
children - mouse / mice
- foot /
feet - tooth / teeth
- goose /
geese - wife / wives
- loaf /
loaves - woman / women....)
ARTICLES
« A »
and « AN » are indefinite articles and are used only
with singular nouns (a bird - an item
) they mean not a particular one, but any one.
When I say,«
I want an apple » I mean that I want one apple and not more, but, I also mean
that I’m not saying which particular apple I want.
« The » is a definite article used with both
singular and plural nouns ( the
bird - the birds the item the items). It
means a particular one. When I say, « I want the apple » I mean that apple in your hand, or on the desk,
or that you promised me, a particular apple.
* Give me an apple (any apple).
* Give me the apple (a particular apple).
FUNDAMENTALS OF ENGLISH GRAMMAR- PRONOUNS
DEFINITION:
Pronouns are words that can take a place of the Noun, usually to avoid repetition. They
must agree with their antecedents in number, gender and case.
Pronouns are usually divided into four main parts ‘’
sections ‘’:
Pronouns are words which are used to substitute or replace nouns to avoid repetition, emphasize or for other reasons. We have four main types of pronouns:
v Subject pronouns are used to replace the subject of
a sentence ( the doer of the action ),
while Object pronouns substitute for the object of the sentence (
receiver of the action ).
v Possessive pronouns are used to show possession and
ownership.
√ That’s my money, It’s not yours or
hers.
v Reflexive or emphatic pronouns are used only to
emphasize that the subject of the
sentence is the actual performer of the
action. They can never be used as the main
subject of a sentence.
√ The
president, himself, told me the truth.
N.B: Subjective
pronouns are used to replace the subject of the sentence while objective
pronouns substitute for the receiver of the action
which is the object.
Ø Clara visits Linda.
Ø She visits
her.
So, when we want to
use a subject pronoun we should look for the doer of the action in the
sentence. However, to use an object pronoun we should search for the receiver
of the action.
PERSONAL PRONOUNS :
They
do not have complete meaning in themselves. They always refer to some nouns
which we call the antecedents of the pronouns.
The
following chart shows the personal pronouns arranged according to number (singular, plural), gender (masculine, feminine, neuter), case (subjective, objective, possessive)
and person (first, second,
third...).
Personal Pronouns are usually
divided into three main parts:
# Subjective pronouns:
Example:
- Jack has a
part time job. He works at a fast food restaurant.
# Objective pronouns:
Example:
- The
teacher graded the student’s papers last night. She returned them during
class the next day.
# Possessive pronouns:
Example:
- That book
is mine. Those are yours.
Possessive:
- Pronouns are not
followed immediately by a noun, they stand alone.
- Adjectives are
followed immediately by a noun, they do not stand alone.
#
My book is here, your books are over there.
Examples:
- Mr Bob
has just been promoted. He is
a captain now. (Subjective)
- Tom,
John, and Freed are good friends. We like them a lot. (Objective)
- He just
bought a car. It's a new one (neuter)
III) REFLEXIVE PRONOUNS:
They are
used to refer back to the subject of a sentence or to give emphasis to someone
or something mentioned. Examples:
- The
engineer burned himself (subject)
- She herself
repaired the computer (emphasis)
The reflexive pronouns are :
Example: - I did the job myself.
The reflexive pronouns may occur in any of the objective positions
but they can never used as the subject of a sentence: Examples:
- Linda and myself
are eating lunch (wrong).
- Linda
and I are eating lunch (correct).
RELATIVE PRONOUNS:
They not
only refer to antecedents but also introduce dependent clauses.
Those relative pronouns are:
which : refers
to animals or thing.
Who : refers to
people.
That : refers to both
people and things.
N . B :
* Whose
is the possessive form of who and it can refer to people or animals.
* Whom is the objective form of who and
it refers only to people.
DEMONSTRATIVE PRONOUNS:
The
demonstrative pronouns ‘’this, these / that,
those‘’ refer directly to
their nouns, but this and these usually refer to things near the speaker in
space or in time, while that and those refer to things at a greater
distance. Example:
- This is
my coat.
- That is your shoe.
N . B : * The
indefinite pronoun ‘’ ONE ‘’ means
anyone or everyone or someone.
* The following
pronouns are used with singular verbs:
anyone -
everyone - someone - everything - something - anybody - everybody - somebody -
no one - nobody - nothing - anything.
Example:
- Somebody is
absent.
- Everyone is
here.
NOTES:
- When pronouns
are in apposition they are appositives and they must agree with the nouns or
pronouns they name in number, gender, and case:
(poor) - They have asked for two
volunteers, you and I.
(better) - They have asked for two volunteers, you
and me.
(The
object of asked is volunteers and the words in apposition to it must be in the
objective case).
(poor) - Us girls are going shopping.
(better) - We girls are going shopping.
(Girls is the subject, so the pronoun in apposition to it
must also be in the subjective case).
QUIZ ENGLISH GRAMMAR- NOUNS & PRONOUNS
1.
The mother took…………...…..sick dog to the doctor.
a) her
b) its
c) those
d) his
2.
Where is …………………………….….book?
a) me
b) an
c) these
d) my
3.
I bought a new CD, but now I can’t find…..….
a) them
b) they
c) it
d) him
4.
Please give the new books to……………….…
a) him and I
b) he and I
c) me and he
d) him and
me
5.
The commanding officer………………….will
inspect the barracks.
a) themselves
b) himself
c) ourselves
d) itself
6.
My mother lost…………………………..keys.
a) hers
b) his
c) it’s
d) her
7.
Give me that book! It’s………………………..
a) mine
b) himself
c) herself
d) ourselves
8.
I don’t want to be in a class with ….…….
student who speaks Spanish all the time.
a) others
b) other
c) another
d) some others
9.
My wife hurt………………………………
a) himself
b) sheself
c) ourself
d) herself
10.
The car …………..I bought was a bargain.
a) who
b) which
c) whom
d) what
11.
Mind
your own business.
This is an argument between………….……...…..
a) Joe and I
b) He and I
c) Him and I
d) Him and
me.
12.
He gave ………….bicycles for Christmas.
a) My brother and I
b) My
brother and me
c) I and my brother
d) Me brother and I.
13.
That is …………….……………..……car.
a) me
b) my
c) he
d) him
14.
My father
took……..car to the repair shop yesterday.
a) her
b) his
c) its
d) me.
15.
The girls did this report all by…………….
a) herselves
b) theyselves
c) themselves
d) theirselves
16.
I want to thank you for inviting my wife
and……………………………to dinner.
a) I
b) me
c) we
d) he.
1. Tito was the only foreigner
……..…….I saw 9. Do you know the woman ………. was
hurt
at the convention. in the accident?
(A) whom (A) which
(B) which (B) whom
(C) who (C) who
(D) what (D)
whose
2. They forgot about …….…….them to join us 10. I would like to leave a message for ……… if
for lunch. I may.
(A) us to ask (A)
they
(B) us asking (B) them
(C) our asking (C)
their
(D) we asking (D)
theirs
3. Our host family always invites my roommate 11. A few of …………….. are planning to drive
and ………..….to
their house on Sundays.
Florida during spring break.
(A)
me (A)
who
(B) my (B) us girls
(C) I (C)
girls we
(D) mine (D)
girls
4. Because they usually receive the same
score 12. This is the woman …….….…. the
artist said
on standardized examination, there is often posed as a model for the
painting.
disagreement as to ……………..is the
better (A) who
(A)
who (B) whom
(B) which (C)
which
(C) whom (D)
whose
(D) whose
13. Of those
who took the exam with Jane and
5. I really appreciate ……. to help me, but I
am …………….. I am the
only one who studied
sure that I will be able to manage by myself for it.
(A) you to offer (A)
he
(B) your offering
(B)
his
(C) that you offer (C) him
(D) that you are offering (D) himself
6. Let you and …………….. agree to settle our 14. Two of notebooks ………... Tom had lost on
differences without
involving any of
the the bus were returned to the main desk at his
other students. dormitory.
(A) I (A)
what
(B) myself (B)
who
(C) me (C) which
(D) my (D)
whose
7. If you had told us earlier ………….. he was, 15. He didn’t seem to mind ………………… TV
we could have
introduced him at the meeting. while he Was trying to study.
(A) who (A) their
watching
(B) which (B)
that they watch
(C)
whom (C)
them watching
(D) whoever (D)
them to watch
8. I always ask my sister and ……... for advice.
(A) her
(B) she
(C) hers
(D) herself
Exercise
I: Fill in the blanks with the appropriate
words to complete the following sentences:
1.
Most people
want……………………..…….
a.
the freedom
b.
many freedom
c.
freedom
d.
lots freedom
2.
I want to buy………………...….…cigarettes.
a.
a
b.
some
c.
an
d.
a few of
3.
The teacher gives……….………..homework.
a.
too much
b.
many
c.
lot
d.
a
4.
Please may I have……….………..…..coffee.
a.
any
b.
both
c.
some
d.
much.
5.
I lost ………………………….…..….money.
a.
all
b.
my all
c.
all of me
d.
all of my
6.
I want a picture of……….…….…..elephants.
a.
the three
b.
those three
c.
them three
d.
this three
7.
There are ………….....cars in the parking lot.
a.
too much
b.
some much
c.
too many
d.
some many
8.
I bought……………………...……..…..book.
a.
some old
b.
old
c.
these old
d.
an old
9.
The police said they captured…….….robbery suspects.
a.
both of
b.
the both
c.
one
d.
both of the
10.
To get 100 on
the ECL test is
extremely difficult. ……….students manage to do that.
a.
few
b.
a few
c.
some
d.
many
11.
I bought
…………….….pies for the buffet.
a.
a
b.
one
c.
an
d.
several
12.
Tell
………………..students that they will
take the test.
a.
all of five
b.
the all five
c.
all five
d.
all the of five.
13.
The kids
ate………….candy before supper.
a.
too many
b.
some of
c.
lot
d.
too much.
14.
I bought
…….……….roses for my mother.
a.
severals red beautiful
b.
beautiful red
several
c.
beautiful several red
d.
several beautiful red.
15.
I like
studying.……..……kind of exercise.
a.
this
b.
these
c.
those
d.
many.
16.
People in
some countries don’t have…..……
a.
same freedoms
b.
those freedom
c.
the freedom
d.
freedom.
17.
I don’t
like………….…..…...….exercises.
a.
this
b.
these
c.
those
d.
them.
1. Please go to ……….……. pick up
your ID card. 9. It’s shame that you have …..…….. time in New
(A) third window York on the tour.
(B) the window three (A)
so few
(C) window third (B) so little
(D)
the third window (C)
a few
(D)
a little
2. May I have two …………….... instead of
beans, 10. We haven’t had ……….news from
the disaster
please?
since the earthquake.
(A) corn’s ear (A)
many
(B) ear of corns (B)
quite a few
(C) corn ears (C) much
(D)
ears of corn (D) some
3. If
you want to find
good information about
graduate programs in
the United States,
look 11. Bob F. Kennedy was …..…….. of the U.S.A.
in ……………..….. of the College
Blue Books. (A)
he thirty-five president
(A) volume two (B) the thirty-fifth president
(B) volume second (C)
the president thirty-fifth
(C) the volume two (D) president the
thirty-five
(D) a few dollar
4. Let’s buy our tickets while I still
have………….. 12. I’ll have a cup of tea and ……………………..
left. (A)
two toasts
(A) a few
money (B)
two piece of toasts
(B) a few dollar (C)
two piece of toast
(C) a
few dollars (D) two pieces of toast
(D)
few moneys
|
5. The
assignment for Monday
was to read
…………………………….. in your text
books.
(A) Chapter tenth
11. The ticket agent said that the plane would
be
(B) the chapter
ten
boarding at_________
(C) chapter the
tenth (A) the gate six
(D) the
tenth chapter
(B)
sixth gate
(C) gate six
6. I always put my best ………..
...in a safe-deposit (D) the
six gate
box.
(A)
jewelries
(B) jewlry’s pieces
(C) pieces of jewelry
(D)
piece of jewelries
7. I will need ……...….. about the climate before
I 14. The Chicago bus is parked at________
make a final decision. (A)
the lane two
(A)
a few informations (B) the two lane
(B) a few
information (C) lane two
(C)
a little informations (D) lane the two
(D)
a little information
15. We
8. Sending ……...… express mail” costs about ten (A) many s
times
as much as sending it “regular delivery.”
(C) many
(A)
mails (D) much homework
(B) a mail
(C)
a piece of mail
(D)
pieces of a mail
