1

Assignment
Assignment Code: EEG-O2/BEGE-I02
TMA/2011-12
Max. Marks: 100

Note: Answer all questions
1. Write short notes on the following:
Nasal consonants in English:

Stress and rhythm in connected speech:
In connected speech we put words together to form phrases and sentences, but we do not
stress all the words. We stress some words in each sentence and leave the others
unstressed. We stress those words in a sentence that are important for the meaning of
the sentence. If the meaning of a sentence does not require any words to be specially
stressed, then we stress the content words and leave the grammatical words. Content
words are nouns, main verbs, adjectives, adverbs, question words, and
demonstrative pronouns. Structure words or grammatical words are articles,
prepositions, pronouns, auxiliary verbs, and conjunctions. If a content word has more
than one syllable, we stress only one of its syllables, and it is the syllable which has the
stress when the word is said by itself.
The rhythm of English speech depends on stressed syllables occurring at regular intervals
of time, whatever be the number of unstressed syllables between two stressed syllables.
In order to make this happen, we use short or contracted forms of a number of structure
words, and these are called their weak forms. It is important to use the weak forms in
English speech in order to maintain the rhythm of English.

2
Auxiliary verbs:

3
Conversion:

4
2a Write down the phonetic symbol for the diphthongs represented by the
underlined letter(s) in the following words according to British R.P.

bite
boil

house

cheer

air

poor

chair

idea

bound

joy

5
2b Give examples of the following descriptions of English consonants. The first one
is done for you. (5)
Voiced
bilabial
stop/plosiv
e 4 b /
stop/plosive 4 b /
Voiced
palate-
alveolar
affricate


Glottal
fricative

Voiceless
alveolar
fricative

Bilabial
nasal
Velar nasal

6
2c Divide the following words into their constituent morphemes:
multinational multi +national
miscalculation mis +calculation
unbearable un +bearable
comparative com +paritve
receptionist reception +ist

7
3a. What do you understand by derivational and inflectional affixes? In what
respects are they different and similar? Give examples. (15)

8
3b. Add prefixes to the following words. Write what type of prefix (negative,
reversative, number, degree, etc.) it is:
able unable negative
national international location
compose decompose reversative
noon forenoon Time
associate co-associate degree/rank/size

4a Make sentences on the following patterns (one sentence for one pattern):

S V O C A We painted the house green again
S V IO DO Her cousin often showed visitors the capital
S V DO The manager helped us gladly
S V DO OC They called the anonymous benefactor a saint.
S V Angry customers complain.

4b Read the passage and insert a/an, the at the appropriate place. (10)
Hina: You all know why I've called this meeting. The Funtime Park has had a serious
drop in income over a last 6 months. Liza has circulated a report in which she makes it
clear that she feels this is only a temporary setback and she expects the Park to return to
profitability in the first half of next year. Now, we have three options facing us: one is to
close the Park completely; the second is to keep it open but on a much reduced scale and
therefore cut cost and the third, is to continue as before. I think we've all had time to
analyze the figures so I'd like to confine this meeting to your assessment and conclusions.
Hiten, how do you see it?
Hiten: Very dimly, I'm afraid. I see no evidence that the Park will return to profitability
next year or for that matter at any time in the foreseeable future.

9
5a Supply the correct forms of the verbs given in brackets: (5)
He was having his lunch when the bell rang (ring).
She usually gets up at 5 but this week she got up late because she has holidays. (get up)
I married him and went to England. (go)
He built this house in 1950. (build)
J ohn had come before Mary came. (come)

5b Fill in the blanks with appropriate prepositions:
Radha is sitting in the front row. . .
A window in the master bedroom is broken. ...
The notification will be obeyed by all.
He died of T.B.
He was killed by a sword.

5c Use the following words in sentences as directed:
Rain (verb) J ohn ran to the store, after the rain stopped
Water (verb) J ohn drank the cold water
Light (adjective) J ohn put on the light bulb
Trip (noun) J ohn went on a trip to Delhi.
Air (noun) J ohn took a deep breath in fresh air.

5d Label the following sentences as simple, complex, and compound:
She likes tea. Simple
My brother is an athlete. Simple
Everybody knows that the Earth is round. Complex
He is the one whom I like most. Complex
You can go by train or you can take a bus. Compund