Handout Prepared by: Akhila Narayanan

I. Double Negatives: A double negative is when two negative words are used together in the same
sentence.
If the two negative words are talking about the same thing, they cancel each other out - so the message
becomes positive.

If any two of the above words are combined in the same idea, the sentence will be positive (the opposite
to what you intended).
E.g.1 I am not going to pay no bills.
E.g.2 She can’t make friends with nobody.

II. Infinitives: Consists of the preposition ‘to’ plus a verb (in its base form) and they function as a subject,
direct object, subject complement, adjective, or adverb in a sentence.
1. To wait seemed foolish when decisive action was required. (subject)
2. Everyone wanted to go. (direct object)
3. His ambition is to fly. (subject complement)
4. He lacked the strength to resist. (adjective)
5. We must study to learn. (adverb)

III. Parallelism: A rule, which says that elements in a sentence that are grammatically similar should also
share a similar/ symmetrical structure.
1. This generator is inexpensive, noiseless and it is easily operated.
2. This course is challenging and an inspiration.
3. She is not only proficient in deskwork but also marketing.
4. I have written both to their branch office and head office.
5. He would neither study at home nor would he go to school.
6. He got money from both the plaintiff ad the defendant.
7. In the class he is hated both by the boys and girls.

I. Double Negatives: A double negative is when two negative words are used together in the same
sentence.
If the two negative words are talking about the same thing, they cancel each other out - so the message
becomes positive.

If any two of the above words are combined in the same idea, the sentence will be positive (the opposite
to what you intended).
E.g.1 I am not going to pay no bills.
E.g.2 She can’t make friends with nobody.

II. Infinitives: Consists of the preposition ‘to’ plus a verb (in its base form) and they function as a subject,
direct object, subject complement, adjective, or adverb in a sentence.

1. To wait seemed foolish when decisive action was required. (subject)

2. Everyone wanted to go. (direct object)
3. His ambition is to fly. (subject complement)
4. He lacked the strength to resist. (adjective)
5. We must study to learn. (adverb)

III. Parallelism: A rule, which says that elements in a sentence that are grammatically similar should also
share a similar/ symmetrical structure.
1. This generator is inexpensive, noiseless and it is easily operated.
2. This course is challenging and an inspiration.
3. She is not only proficient in deskwork but also marketing.
4. I have written both to their branch office and head office.
Handout Prepared by: Akhila Narayanan
 Handout Prepared by: Akhila Narayanan
5. He would neither study at home nor would he go to school.
6. He got money from both the plaintiff ad the defendant.
7. In the class he is hated both by the boys and girls.
IV. Choose the right one:
1. a. I fell down from the bike b. I fell off the bike. c. I fell out of the bike.
2. a. It’s important that all the members of a jury are disinterested parties.
b. It’s important that all the members of a jury are uninterested parties.
3. a. His anger is marked by pretension that all his well.
b. His anger is marked by a pretense that all is well.

V. Insert indeed/ in fact/ even in the appropriate blanks.

a. Chef Hammer loves Mexican food. ___________ it is his favorite cuisine.
b. He travels a lot. ______________ he has been to Italy many times.
c. While he looks Italian, ___________ he is Mexican.
d. It makes him very happy ___________.
e. He once entertained over two hundred people, ______________ a lot of people.
f. He _______ did the cooking all by himself.

VI. Match the phrases with the ‘to infinitive’ to make correct sentences.
To get a better view, in order not to upset, to take out some money, in order to get a good seat, to go home
a. I went to the cash machine ______________.
b. We got there early __________________.
c. I don’t think you should talk about it _____________________them.
d. She stood on his shoulders ___________________.
e. She was unable to __________________ of illness.
VII. Identify the error.
a. He didn’t scarcely recognize me.
b. Their earnings are such that they find it difficult to make both ends to meet.
c. You couldn’t hardly expect that to happen.
d. Yesterday, my friend and I went to buy ornaments from a jewellery close to my place.

IV. Choose the right one:

1. a. I fell down from the bike b. I fell off the bike. c. I fell out of the bike.
2. a. It’s important that all the members of a jury are disinterested parties.
b. It’s important that all the members of a jury are uninterested parties.
3. a. His anger is marked by pretension that all his well.
b. His anger is marked by a pretense that all is well.

V. Insert indeed/ in fact/ even in the appropriate blanks.

a. Chef Hammer loves Mexican food. ___________ it is his favorite cuisine.
b. He travels a lot. ______________ he has been to Italy many times.
c. While he looks Italian, ___________ he is Mexican.
d. It makes him very happy ___________.
e. He once entertained over two hundred people, ______________ a lot of people.
f. He _______ did the cooking all by himself.

VI. Match the phrases with the ‘to infinitive’ to make correct sentences.
To get a better view, in order not to upset, to take out some money, in order to get a good seat, to go home
a. I went to the cash machine ______________.
b. We got there early __________________.
c. I don’t think you should talk about it _____________________them.
d. She stood on his shoulders ___________________.
e. She was unable to __________________ of illness.
VII. Identify the error.
a. He didn’t scarcely recognize me.
b. Their earnings are such that they find it difficult to make both ends to meet.
c. You couldn’t hardly expect that to happen.
d. Yesterday, my friend and I went to buy ornaments from a jewellery close to my place.

Handout Prepared by: Akhila Narayanan