Sunday, December 19, 2010

Where to start?
To be able to write grammatically correct sentences in English, first of all, you need to know what is a noun and what is a verb. This is because, all sentences are build up from at least a noun and a verb. Basically, nouns mean the name of everything in this world (people, animals, things and places). Whereas verbs basically refer to actions. Nouns: boy, cat, chair, school Verbs: eat, play, sleep Verb 'to be': am, is, are In an active sentence, you will start with a noun which is followed by a verb: Eg: (noun) (verb) [A cat] [eats] fish. Eg: (noun) (verb 'to be') [The chair] [is] big.

Friday, November 5, 2010

Types of Sentences (Simple Sentences)
I believe that a writer must know how to define simple, compound, and complex sentences before they can use them correctly. Once a writer knows how to write a simple sentence, it will be easier to write both compound and complex sentences. With these three sentence types, it is possible to write good essays, with good sentence variety. SIMPLE SENTENCES A simple sentence contains a subject and a predicate, and it expresses a complete thought. In the following simple sentences, subjects are in yellow, and predicate are in green. A. Some students like to B. Johan and Ali play C. Alicia goes to the library and studies every day. study football late at every night. evening.

The three examples above are all simple sentences. Note that sentence B contains a compound subject (Johan and Ali), and sentence C contains a compound verb (goes to the library and studies) in the predicate. Simple sentences, therefore, contain a subject

and verb and express a complete thought, but they can also contain a compound subjects or verbs.

Friday, November 5, 2010

Types of Sentences (Complex Sentences)
We may form Complex Sentences by using one of the two patterns below: When I looked into the mirror, I saw a pretty woman. I saw a pretty woman when I looked into the mirror. Until Johan attended SERI ABIM, he had no focus in life. Johan had no focus in life until he attended SERI ABIM. Joining words (subordinating conjunctions): As, As if, Because, Since, Although, Even though, When, While, Until, Unless, Where, etc. Pattern 1 Pattern 2 Joining word Subject + Predicate, Subject + Predicate. Subject + Predicate joining word Subject + Predicate.

It is important to know that sentences containing adjective clauses are also complex: The woman whom my mom talked to is her cousin. The cat that Johan found was dead. The town where I grew up is in Johor. Subject + Adjective Clause + Predicate

riday, November 5, 2010

Types of Sentences (Compound Sentences)
We may form Compound Sentences by: 1. Using a Comma and a Joining Word (For, And, Nor, But, Or, Yet, and So) The teacher lectured for over an hour, and his students slept soundly. The students studied hard, for they feared they might fail the test. Aminah had a test the next day, so she studied all night long. Subject 2. + Predicate, Using joining a word Subject + Predicate.

Semicolon.

The teacher lectured for over an hour; his students slept soundly. The students studied hard; they feared they might fail the test. Aminah studied all night long; she had a test the next day. Subject + Predicate ; Subject + Predicate.

3. Using a Semicolon, a Transition Word (however, therefore, in fact, on the other hand, nonetheless, besides, instead, then, moreover, similarly, nevertheless, etc.) and a Comma. The flower was beautiful; however, it smelled awful. Salmah did all her homework; then, she went to sleep. Ali studied for the test all weekend; therefore, he expected a good grade on the test. Subject + Predicate ; transition word, Subject + Predicate.