The idea of this discussion is practicing good written English. My idea is the following. I will explain you some grammar and ask you to do some task. I can't promis to check out your replies daily, but you will get my reply in a few days for sure. I will be very glad to hear your ideas about my future tasks.
You need to be a member of MyEnglishClub to add comments!
Replies
In fact I want to ask if the action "read" still continue till the time we speak, what should we write?
Danny Clark said:
Dear Belinda! Welcome to our group! Unfortunately, only 4, 6 and 8 are correct. I'd like to say we are not testing learners here. This group is for you to learn. If you read all comments from the very beginning, you will hopefuly find out all your mistakes. If you don't, Dan or I will explain, OK?
Hi and thanks Tanya for your complete explanation.
My friends! I am planning to tell you about all groups of prepositions, but now I am posting the explanations about the prepositions of time. Looking through your answers on my last blog, I see you have true problems with such prepositions. So, here are my explanations. If you read them attentively, you will be able to correct most of your mistakes in the last test.
Here you are!
Prepositions in expression of time
1. The preposition in
in July
in September
in 1996
in the 19th century
in summer
in the summer of 2015
in the morning
in the afternoon
in the evening
He will be back in two weeks (i.e, two weeks later)
2. The preposition at
at night
at 6 o'clock
at midnight
at Christmas
at Easter
at the end of the week
at the same time
3. The preposition on
on Sunday
I have no idea what to do on the weekend.
He is on business trip now.
on the 25th of December
on May 1
on Good Friday
on Easter Sunday
on my birthday
4. Other prepositions
After classes I went to the gym.
We met 6 years ago
before Christmas
· by (not later than a special time)
I will be back by Thursday
· during (through the whole of a period of time)
Children have a lot of fun during the holidays (in this case it is important when the action takes place)
· for (period of time)
He has been on vacation for three weeks (in this case it is important how long the action has been taking place)
· from ... to/from... till/until (two points form a period)
from Monday till Wednesday
from Monday until Wednesday
· past (time of the day)
23 minutes past 6 (6:23) (American is after: 23 minutes after 6)
· per/a (the number of times during the mentioned period)
You should take these pills 3 times a/per day after meals.
· since (in the intervening period between the time mentioned and the time under consideration)
He has been on vacation since Monday
She left and hasn’t called since.
· till/until (no later than a special time)
till must be followed by a noun/noun phrase. For example:
I was waiting for him till midnight.
until may be followed either by a noun/noun phrase or by a subordinate clause. Both a main and a subordinate clauses must be affirmative.
I had been waiting for him until I went to sleep.
If a main clause is negative we should use until after.
Don’t leave until after I call you.
· to (time of the day)
23 minutes to 6 (5:37) (American is before: 23 minutes before 6)
· up to (not more than a special time)
You should exercise up to an hour a day
· within (during a period of time, but not later)
I expect him back within an hour.
Another example with SUCH.
After taking some medication he felt such relief that he rolled out of his bed at once.
Here you are!
Onee-chan said:
Dear friends! Today we will tell you about inversion in English grammar. Here is the paragraph from Tanya's grammar book and an exercise for you to practice.
Inversion
Inversion means putting the verb before the subject.
It is a literary technique in which the normal order of words is reversed, generally for emphasis
or special effect. It makes a sentence sound striking or unusual. It also sounds quite formal.
Sentences with inversion are less common in everyday English.
In a sentence with no special effect or emphasis, the normal order of words is retained.
Example 1 : I have never seen such a beautiful rose.
Example 2 : Never have I seen such a beautiful rose.
In example 2 inversion is used to emphasize the fact that in your whole lifetime
you have not seen such a beautiful rose.
It is advisable for language learners to avoid using most of the emphatic inverted constructions described below. It is necessary to understand inversion, but it is better to use standard, ordinary word order in your own speech and writing.
Cases of inversion that you really need to use in your speech include questions, the construction "there is, there are", sentences beginning with "here" or "there", and responses like "So do I; Neither do I". Examples of other inverted constructions are given here in two variants for comparison of inverted and standard word order.
Note:
The words "standard word order; normal word order; ordinary word order" (that is, first the subject, then the verb) do not mean that inverted word order (that is, first the verb, then the subject) is incorrect or abnormal.
Standard word order and inverted word order have different uses. For example, inverted word order is necessary in questions, which means that inverted word order is normal word order for questions.
.
Typical cases of inversion
Inversion in questions
The most common type of inversion in English consists in moving the auxiliary verb into the position before the subject. This type of inversion is most often used in questions. For example:
Did Lena go to the park yesterday?
Has she found her keys?
Will he come to the party?
Is this story long?
How long is this story?
Construction "there is, there are"
Inversion is required in the construction "there is, there are" and in cases where a modal verb or a main verb is used in such constructions.
There are a few books on the table.
There must be a reason for it.
Once upon a time, there lived an old man in a small house by the sea.
Inversion after "here" and "there"
Inversion takes place in sentences beginning with the adverb "here" or "there". Some phrases beginning with "here" or "there" have idiomatic character.
Here is the book you asked for.
Here comes my friend.
Here comes my bus.
There goes the bell.
There goes my money!
If the subject of the sentence beginning with "here" or "there" is expressed by a personal pronoun, the verb is placed after the subject.
Here it is. Here you are. There you go.
Here he comes. There he goes.
.
Constructions with "so" and "neither"
Inversion is required in responses like "So do I" and "Neither do I".
I like coffee. – So do I.
I don't like coffee. – Neither do I.
She will wait for them. – So will I.
Inversion is also required in compound sentences with such constructions.
I like coffee, and so does Ella.
I don't like coffee, and neither does Ella.
She will wait for them, and so will I.
She won't wait for them, and neither will I.
Conditional sentences
Inversion is required in the subordinate clause of conditional sentences in which the subordinating conjunction "if" is omitted. If the conjunction "if" is used, inversion is not used. Compare these conditional sentences in which inverted word order and standard word order are used.
Should my son call, ask him to wait for me at home. – If my son should call, ask him to wait for me at home. If my son calls, ask him to wait for me at home.
Had I known it, I would have helped him. – If I had known it, I would have helped him.
Inversion after direct speech
Inversion takes place in constructions with verbs like "said, asked, replied" placed after direct speech.
"I'll help you," said Anton.
"What's the problem?" asked the driver.
But if the subject of such constructions is expressed by a personal pronoun, the verb is placed after the subject.
.
"Thank you for your help," she said.
"Don't mention it," he answered.
If verbs like "said, asked, replied" are used in compound tense forms, or if there is a direct object after "ask", inversion is not used. For example: "I'll help you," Anton will say. "What's the problem?" the driver asked her.
Standard word order is also used in constructions with verbs like "said, asked, replied" placed after direct speech, especially in American English. For example: "I'll help you," Anton said. "What's the problem?" the driver asked.
If verbs like "said, asked, replied" stand before direct speech, inversion is not used: Nina said, "Let's go home."
Inversion in exclamatory sentences
Inversion is sometimes used for emphasis in exclamatory sentences. Compare inverted and standard word order in the following exclamatory sentences.
Oh my, am I hungry! – I'm so hungry!
Oh boy, was she mad! – She was so mad!
Have we got a surprise for you! – We've got a surprise for you!
May all your wishes come true!
How beautiful are these roses! – How beautiful these roses are!
Inversion depending on the beginning of the sentence
The following cases of inversion occur when some parts of the sentence, for example, the adverbial modifier of place or direction, come at the beginning of the sentence. Inversion in such cases consists in moving the auxiliary verb, and in some cases the main verb (i.e., the whole tense form), into the position before the subject.
Such types of inversion are used for emphasis, mostly in literary works. It is advisable for language learners to use standard word order in such cases. The examples below are given in pairs: Inverted word order – Standard word order.
Inversion after "so", "such", "as"
So unhappy looked the boy that we gave him all the sweets that we had. – The boy looked so unhappy that we gave him all the sweets that we had.
Such was her disappointment that she started to cry. – Her disappointment was so strong that she started to cry.
Owls live in tree hollows, as do squirrels. – Owls and squirrels live in tree hollows.
As was the custom, three fighters and three shooters were chosen.
Inversion after adjectives and participles
Gone are the days when he was young and full of energy. – The days when he was young and full of energy are gone.
Blessed are the pure in heart.
Beautiful was her singing. – Her singing was beautiful.
Inversion after adverbial modifiers of place and time
Right in front of him stood a huge two-headed dragon. – A huge two-headed dragon stood right in front of him.
In the middle of the road was sitting a strange old man dressed in black. – A strange old man dressed in black was sitting in the middle of the road.
Now is your turn.
Inversion after postpositions
The doors opened, and out ran several people. – Several people ran out when the doors opened.
Up went hundreds of toy balloons. – Hundreds of toy balloons went up.
But if the subject is expressed by a personal pronoun, the verb stands after the subject.
Are you ready? Off we go!
Out he ran. – He ran out.
Note: Direct object at the beginning of the sentence
Direct object is sometimes placed at the beginning of the sentence for emphasis. In such cases, the subject usually stands after the object, and the predicate follows the subject; that is, inverted word order is generally not used if the object is moved. Compare:
That we don't know. – We don't know that.
Those people I can ask. – I can ask those people.
Red dresses she doesn't like. – She doesn't like red dresses.
Inversion in negative constructions
Inversion is required in negative sentences beginning with the following negative adverbs and adverbial phrases: never; never before; not only...but also; not until; no sooner; at no time; on no account; under no circumstances..
Inversion also takes place in sentences beginning with the following adverbs and adverbial phrases used in a negative sense: rarely; seldom; hardly; scarcely; little; only when; only after; only then, no sooner.
Inverted negative constructions are used for emphasis, mostly in formal writing and in literary works.
If you don't need or don't want to use emphatic inverted negative constructions, don't put the above-mentioned expressions at the beginning of the sentence.
Compare the following examples of inverted and standard word order in sentences with such negative constructions. The first sentence in each group has inverted order of words.
Examples:
Never before have I felt such fear. – I have never felt such fear before.
Not only did he spill coffee everywhere, but he also broke my favorite vase. – He not only spilled coffee everywhere but also broke my favorite vase.
Not until much later did I understand the significance of that event. – I understood the significance of that event much later.
No sooner had she put down the phone than it started to ring again. – As soon as she put down the phone, it started to ring again. The phone started to ring again as soon as she put down the receiver.
At no time should you let him out of your sight. – You should not let him out of your sight at any time. Don't let him out of your sight even for a second.
Under no circumstances can she be held responsible for his actions. – She cannot be held responsible for his actions.
Rarely have I seen such a magnificent view. – I have rarely seen such a magnificent view.
Seldom do we realize what our actions might lead to. – We seldom realize what our actions might lead to.
.
Little did he know what his fate had in store for him. – He did not know what his fate had in store for him..
Hardly had I stepped into the house when the light went out. – I had hardly stepped into the house when the light went out.
Scarcely had he said it when the magician appeared. – He had scarcely said it when the magician appeared.
Only when I arrived at the hotel did I notice that my travel bag was missing. – I noticed that my travel bag was missing only when I arrived at the hotel.
Only after my guest left did I remember his name. – I remembered my guest's name only after he left.
Now, here is the exercise. Your task is to rewrite the sentences below using inversion.
Onee-chan! Please, let me read that text as that example doesn't sound right. As to 11, I will, just a few minutes.
Dear Teacher Danny,
I was so technical. hehe.. I actually had read it, but I was also stubborn to stay with my answers. Why...?
I look at this example:
Inversion after "so", "such", "as"
So unhappy did the boy look that we gave him all the sweets that we had. –
The boy looked so unhappy that we gave him all the sweets that we had.
So that I wrote my first answers (10 & 12) and actually I'm still confused with the answers from teacher Tanya...
For number 11, would you mind to give us another example of the inversion after 'such'?
Thank you...:)
Dear Onee-chan! I've just told Peppo that Tanya gave more explanations yesterday. You should read them for sure. In our group we don't test you, we just try to help you learn some complicated things. So, you may read all comments. The idea is for you to understand how to use such grammar constructions. But it was a good shot! Only three points are wrong: 10-12. There should be complete inversion. Just read Tanya's comment on the previous page, OK? And ask your questions!
-
5
-
6
-
7
-
8
-
9
of 11 Next