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.
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1. After I (to come) home, I (to read) all night long. ...After I had come home, I read all night long.
2. I (to hear) the phone (to ring) when I (to take) a shower..... I heard the phone ringing when I took a shower.
3. She thought she (not to be able) to come to her friend's party the next day..... She thought she would not be able to come to her friend's party the next day.
4. He said, he (to be about to) leave when the mailman (to bring) a telegramm.He said he was about to leave when the mailman brought a telegram.
5. He said he (not to sleep) all night long. He said he did not sleep all night long./ he said he had not slept all night long. if I say the first one, is it wrong?
6. She said she (to be shopping) next afternoon. She said she would be shopping next afternoon.
7. I (not to know) he (to leave). I did not know he would leave. ( if he leave later)/ I did not know he had left ( if he left before knowing).
8. When he (to return) back home, he (to feel) he was very tired and (to decide) to recline. When he returned back home, he felt he was very tired and decided to recline.
Dear Moon! I am so sorry we haven't noticed your reply earlier. So, let me tell you what is wrong.
2. The last predicate should be in the Past Progressive Tense as the phone was ringing while I was taking a shower.
3. It is correct, but you omited "be" after WOULD.
4. Sorry, it is wrong. He said it in the morning/afternoon after the sleepless night.
6. Again, you omited 'be'. It must be WOULD BE SHOPPING.
7. If you have chosen the present tense in the main clause, it is more reasonable to use the Present Perfect in the subordinate clause. But the Simple Past is not so dramatic. However, we meant this sentence describes the past action.
Thanks for trying. And why not to do all the exercise?
1- After I came home,I read all night long
2- I heard the phone ringing when I took a shower.
3- She thought she wouldn't ablle to come to her friend's party the next day.
4- He said he slept all night long
6- She said she would shopping next afternoon.
7- I don't know he left
8- when he returned back home , he felt he was very tired & decided to recline.
Dear Yalda! Thanks for the explanations. Everything is correct now and, of course, you are welcome in all our activities.
Dear Yalda Hakim! (I think your first name is Hakim, isn't it?) Now, I see you have read my explanations! Ha-ha! Only 7 is still wrong. And you haven't omited anything, you have just shifted the numeration.
Hi, dear Yalda! This test turned out to be not that easy for you! Here are your mistakes: 1, 4, 5, 7, 10, 15(16), 19(20).
Will you try to correct them yourself after reading the theory more attentively?
Dear friends! Having been teaching English for so many years, I see that many students have true problems with adverbs. I hope you will read what I have written and ask me questions if you have some. The following are basic grammar rules. Of course, in some particular sentences they may be violated because of this or that reason. So, I would like you to ask me the particular questions with examples, OK? Well, I am starting!
The greatest problem with adverbs is where to place them in a sentence. Let's make a plan of this topic.
1. Parenthesis
2. Adverbs with different predicates (simple, compound, complex)
3. Adverbs used with the gerund
4. Adverbs with the infinitive
5. Adverbs with the participle.
6. Adverbs with adjectives.
Let's start from the beginning.
1. A parenthesis is one word or an expression that can be placed before a subject. Some adverbs can be used like that but not those we use in a sentence’s body. I have never seen the list of such adverbs and I doubt if there is one. I will list the most usable:
However, anyway, therefore, hence, nevertheless, moreover, also, since , yet (as however) and many others.
In good dictionaries they should be marked in the appropriate way.
2. How to use an adverb describing a predicate.
It depends on the tenses. First of all, there are some adverbs that are placed only inside a predicate.
They are:
often, usually, generally, rarely, seldom, sometimes, hardly (mostly the Simple Tenses)
still (mostly Continuous)
just, never, ever, already, always (mostly the Perfect Tenses)
I say "mostly" because they can be used in other tenses.
Let's consider some examples.
a) The Simple Present and Past Tenses.
We should place an adverb before all verbs (predicates) except "be":
I usually get up early.
I don’t usually get up early.
She rarely missed classes.
Does she rarely miss classes?
I just wanted to say what I mean.
If a predicate is "be", we place an adverb after it.
He is often late.
She is still single.
The same is about other adverbs:
I occasionally have a rest at the sea.
He is occasionally late for class.
b) Present and Past Continuous
Being used with all compounds (the predicates consisting of two parts), an adverb must be before a notional verb:
I am still thinking about you.
Are you still studying at school?
He was attentively listening to what he was told.
c) Present and Past Perfect and Perfect Continuous.
In these tenses we place an adverb after have/has/had:
He has never been like that!
Has he ever been like that?
She has just arrived.
I have already been waiting for you for an hour!
How long have you already been waiting?
He knew the way as he had often been there before.
d) Future simple and continuous.
In these tenses an adverb should be after "will":
When I leave, I will often call you.
You will still be sleeping when I come back.
e) Future Perfect and Perfect Continuous.
An adverb should be after have:
I will have already got my diploma before you arrive.
She will have constantly been studying English for a year before you arrive.
There are a few adverbs always used at the end of a sentence. They are:
yet, lately, recently, before:
He hasn't come, yet.
I have seen him recently/lately.
Most of adverbs (except above-mentioned) can be used either inside(before) a predicate or after objects:
He attentively listened to my story
or
He listened to my story attentively.
If there is one object, it is of no matter where to place an adverb. However, if there are a few objects or some complex object, it is better to place an adverb inside a predicate:
He kindly presented her a great car (two objects).
I attentively listened to him telling about his trip (complex object, participle).
3. If an adverb is used as a definition of a gerund, it is always placed directly after a gerund (if there are no objects) or after all objects:
She doesn't approve of his driving carelessly.
I would appreciate your sending me the documents immediately.
4. If an adverb is used as a definition of an infinitive, there may be two cases:
a) An adverb belongs to the group of the adverbs placed only inside a predicate. Such an adverb is used before an infinitive:
He promised never to do it again.
b) all other adverbs are used after an infinitive phrase:
I like to read slowly and attentively.
5. If an adverb is used as a definition of a participle, there may be a few cases:
a) The Participle II (used as a definition of a noun). In this case we place an adverb before a participle:
The newly painted fence was still wet.
I couldn't go to sleep because of a noisily crying baby.
He managed to notice the light hardly being seen in the twilight.
b) The Participle I (used as a modifier of action or time). There may be two cases:
1) if there are no objects after a participle, an adverb is placed after a participle at the end of a sentence:
The children were crossing the street laughing loudly.
But it should be before a participle at the beginning of a sentence.
Loudly laughing, the children were crossing the street.
2) If there are objects or other modifiers after a participle, an adverb is usually placed before it:
I saw a men slowly walking to the gate.
If we use perfect forms , we usually place an adverb like this:
Having quickly eaten his dinner he rushed out.
She fainted having been suddenly informed about the crash.
As you can see, the principles of using adverbs defining predicates and verbals are the same.
6. If we use adverbs with adjectives we place an adverb before an adjective:
This book is very informative and interesting.
He turned out to be unexpectedly knowledgeable .
I hope, my explanations are clear enough. But if you still have some questions, just ask them. I am always glad to help.
And now, here is an exercise for you to practice. Your task is to find the right place of an adverb in brackets.
My dear friends! Analyzing the results of the tests on the prepositions I see you need to improve your knowledge a little. I have already given some explanations about the prepositions of time. And now, I'd like to tell a little more about the prepositions of location and action.
First, about the prepositions of location. They are the easiest as each preposition defines only one location. A preposition depends only on the position of the objects relative to each other. It is like in geometry. You should imagine the location of an object using such terms as lines, volumes, surfaces and so on. That is why it will be very useful for you to see the pictures demonsrating this idea. I'd like to give you one example:
The train is in the station on the 2d way at the 5th platform. And now, imagine the train. It is inside the Rail Road Station standing on the rails very close to the platform. Have you got the main idea?
Now, about the prepositions of action. They are not that easy as many of them have a few uses. In fact, each of them defines only one action, but it is not so easy to recognize it. The prepositions of action are mostly used in phrasal verbs which are considered to be idioms. But if you learn a little more about the prepositions and the general idea of phrasal verbs, most of them will not sound alian.
As there is no possibility to add graphic information, I am attaching the file where you will find some useful information on prepositions. I hope, you will find this information to be useful.
Thanks for your attention!
prepositions.doc
Thank you. I'll follow the thread.
Dear Ann! The tense depends on what you would like to empasize.
1. If you mean you haven't finished reading, yet, you are still reading, you should say
I am still reading.
2. If you mean you have been reading for some time before you say this phrase, it should be
I have been reading for a few hours (for long, etc)
3. If you mean you came home some time ago and started reading and you have been or/and still reading at the moment, you should say something like this:
I came home at 6 pm and have been reading since.
If it is not clear enough, just ask your questions, please!
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