English Grammar Exercises For High-school Students 186115

English Grammar Exercises for high-school students TEACHER: Hồ Thúy Loan

English Grammar Exercises for high-school students 1.

NOUNS AND PHRASES..................................................................................................................... 2

2.

SUBJECT-VERB AGREEMENT ........................................................................................................... 4

3.

QUANTIFIERS................................................................................................................................... 7

4.

ADVERBS ......................................................................................................................................... 7

5.

COMPARISON OF ADJECTIVES & ADVERDS .................................................................................... 7

6.

THE USE OF SOME ENGLISH TENSES ............................................................................................... 7

7.

VERBS FOLLOWED BY GERUND OR THE TO-INFINITIVE .................................................................. 7

8.

NOTES OF USING THE VERBS DO & MAKE .................................................................................... 10

9.

NOTES OF USING MODEL VERBS .................................................................................................. 11

10.

IVE VOICE .......................................................................................................................... 13

11.

PREPOSITIONS ........................................................................................................................... 15

12.

SENTENCE BUILDING ................................................................................................................. 17

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1. NOUNS AND PHRASES Nouns are often used to talk about people, places, animals, things, events, actions or ideas  People: man, women, teacher  Place: home, office, town, countryside  Animal: cat, dog, tiger, monkey  Thing: table, car, book, money  Event or action: weeding, theft, robbery, cooking  Event or idea: time, result, security, conclusion  All common nouns can be divided into two groups: countable nouns and uncountable nouns.  Countable nouns are used to refer to people, objects and places which can be counted. These nouns have singular and plural forms.  Singular countable nouns: a doctor, one pen, a park  Plural countable nouns: some doctors, two pens, many parks Countable nouns can takes singular or plural verbs.  Singular verbs:

+

Plural verbs:

This house is large.

These houses are large.

That student is intelligent.

Those students are intelligent.

 A determiner a / an is often used before singular countable nouns; a is used before consonant sounds; an is used before vowel sounds.  A pupil

an apple

A pencil

an egg

 Uncountable nouns are used to refer to things which cannot be seen as separate and which cannot be counted. These nouns do not have plural forms. Happiness, music, beauty Milk, sugar, water Uncountable nouns always take singular verbs. 2

Milk is good for our body. Rice was very cheap last year. A determiner a / an is not used before uncountable nouns. A milk,

a sugar

However we can say a glass of milk, a pound of sugar.  There are some nouns which are considered uncountable in English but countable in other languages. Some of them often go with a countable expression. Uncountable Nouns

Countable Nouns

Advice

A piece of advice

Bread

A loaf / piece of bread

Furniture

A piece of furniture

Information

A piece of information

Luggage

Apiece of luggage

Money

A sum of money

News

A piece of news

Work

A piece of work

 Some and any can be used before plural countable nouns and uncountable nouns. Some is common in positive sentences and any is common in questions and negative sentences. There is some sugar in the jar. There are some pictures on the wall. We don’t need any eggs in the fridge?  A noun phrase is a group of words consisting of a basic noun (B.N) and one or many modifiers (M) of that basic noun. The merchants of ancient Egypt M

B.N

M

Many beautiful girls M

B.N 3

 In a noun phrase there can be determiners, quantifiers and modifiers as well as nouns. Determiners are the articles (a, the); demonstratives (this, that, these, those) and possessives (my, your…). They come before the noun. A book

my pen

this bag

Quantifiers are words / expressions like a lot of, many, much, a few, a little, every, each, all, most, both, some, half, any, no, etc. They also come before the noun. A lot of books

two cars

half an hour

Modifiers  A noun can be modified by an adjective or by another noun. A small chair

the exact time

Some glass bottles

an emergency landing

 It can also be modified by a prepositional phrase or an adverb phrase. The spring of 2002

the women inside

 Modifying clauses often come after nouns in noun phrases. The answers which we receive are sometimes not reliable.  A noun phrase can be one word Pupils do not go to school on Sundays. (countable noun) Diamond is very expensive. (uncountable noun) We go to work by bus. (pronoun)

2. SUBJECT-VERB AGREEMENT Subject-verb agreement means choosing the correct singular or plural verb after the subject. The boys are studying in the room. The elevator works well.  When the two singular subjects are ed by and, the verb is plural. My sister and my brother are students.

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However, if the two subjects together express something which is seen as a single thing, the verb is singular. Milk and cheese is what I need to buy.  When the two subjects are ed by as well as, together with, along with, accompanied by, the verb is usually singular if the first subject is singular and plural if it is plural, My son, together with his friends, is going to travel around the world. The students, as well as their teacher, have not arrived yet.  When the two subjects are ed by either … or, neither … nor, or not only … but also the verb is usually singular if the second subject is singular and plural if it is plural. Our room is too crowded – either a table or two chairs have to be moved out. Neither her friends nor she has arrived.  The verb in sentences beginning with there and here often agrees with the subject that comes after it or at the end of the sentence. There comes the bus. Here are your keys.  A linking verb must agree with its subject, not with the complement. The best hope for the future is our children. Our children are the best hope for the future.  Verbs should agree with the relative-pronoun subjects: who, which, and that. The boss likes the worker who always arrives on time.  When a collective noun is used to mean a single group or unit, it takes a singular verb; but when it refers to the individual of the groups, it takes a plural verb. My family have decided to move to Ho Chi Minh City. The average American family has 3.5 . Some collective nouns are: army, audience, class, family, firm, staff, government, committee, faculty, group, herd, public, and team  Nouns indicating amounts, quantities often take singular verbs, Fifteen minutes isn’t enough for the students to finish this test. 5

Five miles is too much for me to run in one day. Twenty dollars is an unreasonable price for the necklace.  Some singular nouns like statistics, physics, tactics, electronics, athletics, politics, news, measles, economics, mathematics, the United States look plural but usually take singular verbs. Physics was his major study in college.  Indefinite pronouns like anybody, anyone, anything, nobody, no one, nothing, somebody, someone, each, something, everybody, everyone, and everything often take singular verbs. Nobody has cleaned the floor for months. Every elementary school teacher is going to take this examination.  Expressions beginning with one of normally have plural nouns but take singular verbs. One of my friends is going to visit Ha Noi next week.  Other quantifying expressions are: None of + the + uncountable noun + singular verb None of the money has been found. None of + the + plural noun + plural verb None of the students have finished the exam yet. A number of + plural noun + plural verb A number of applicants have been interviewed, The number of + plural noun + singular verb The number of days in a week is seven.

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3. QUANTIFIERS 4. ADVERBS 5. COMPARISON OF ADJECTIVES & ADVERDS 6. THE USE OF SOME ENGLISH TENSES 7. VERBS FOLLOWED BY GERUND OR THE TO-INFINITIVE  In sentences some verbs can take another verb as a complement. The verbs functioning as the complement must be in the to-infinitive (to + base form of verb) form or they must be in the gerund (verb + -ing) form. She decided to move to another city. She hates answering the telephone after midnight. Verbs That Always Followed by the To-Infinitive  The following verbs take a to-Infinitive as a complement. Agree

choose

hope

prepare

train

Aim

claim

learn

pretend

try

Appear

decide

long

promise

turn out

Arrange

demand

hesitate

prove

undertake

Ask

expect

manage

refuse

want

Attempt

fail

need

seek

wish

Beg

forget

neglect

seem

would hate

Can’t effort

guarantee

offer

swear

would like

Can’t wait

happen omit

omit

tend

would love

Cause

help

plan

threaten

I learnt to drive when I was 30. The boss asked the secretary to stay for dinner.

Verbs That Always Followed by the Gerund 7

 The following verbs / expressions takes a gerund as a complement.

Appreciate

detest

give up

miss

risk

Avoid

dislike

imagine

postpone

save

Can’t face

dread

involve

practice

suggest

Can’t help

enjoy

it’s (not) worth

quit

there’s no

Can’t stand

escape

it’s no good

recall

tolerate

Carry on

excuse

it’s no use

recollect

understand

Confess

fancy

justify

regret

Consider

feel like

keep

report

Delay

finish

mention

resent

The thief itted stealing the money She always avoids meeting me.  The following verbs take a gerund as a complement when there is no object but get a to-infinitive as a complement when there is an object. Advice

allow

encourage

permit

recommend

We don’t allow smoking here We don’t allow our personnel to smoke here.  The following verbs can take either a to-infinitive or a gerund as a complement with no change in meaning. Begin

continue

hesitate

like

prefer

Can’t stand

hate

intend

love

start

After a while the journalists began to ask questions. After a while the journalists began asking questions.  The following verbs can take either a to-infinitive or a gerund as a complement with different meanings.  or forget + to-infinitive refers to the necessary actions. or forget + gerund refers to the memories of the past. 8

Did you to give the documents to Frederick? I can’t turning off the electricity.  Stop + to-infinitive refers to the purpose. Stop + gerund means to end or to give up an action. We stopped to buy a drink at Mr. William’s shop. You should stop smoking.  Need + to-infinitive refers to the action of a concrete subject. Need + gerund has a ive sense. Jack needs to buy a new computer. This computer needs repairing.  Mean + to-infinitive has the sense of “intend”. Mean + gerund expresses the result or what is involved in something. Sorry, I did not mean to hurt your feelings. Buying that company means making higher profits.  Regret + to-infinitive refers to a present action, especially when giving bad news. Regret + gerund has the sense of “feeling sorry” about something in the past. We regret to inform you that the Multi Ray is no longer available. I regret wasting so much time when I was a student.  Try + to-infinitive has the sense of “attempt to do something”. Try + gerund means to do something which might solve the problem. Our sales manager is trying to find another job. When the computer jams, try closing an application with Control-AltDelete buttons. Example: 1. Jane is a nurse, but she is trying to find a new job. Although she enjoys looking after people, nursing is not very well paid, and she cannot afford to pay her bills. She finds it impossible to live on such a low salary without overdrawing her at the bank. Her flat needs redecorating and she would like to buy a car. She managed to earn enough last year for a short holiday by saving some 9

extra money in her spare time, and this year, she is hoping to visit some friends in . She has stopped going to the theatre, which used to be one of her greatest pleasures. She is thinking of working in America, where she could earn a higher salary in a private hospital, but would prefer to stay in this country if possible. She likes being able to see her parents whenever she wants to. A friend of hers went to America after leaving university, but began missing her friends so badly that she had to come back.

8. NOTES OF USING THE VERBS DO & MAKE DO  Do is often used when speakers don’t want to refer exactly to what activity they are talking about. It is often used with words like thing, something, nothing, anything, everything, and what. She did a very strange thing. I like doing nothing. What shall we do?  Do is often used in the structure “do + verb + -ing” to talk about activities that take a certain time, or are repeated (for example jobs and hobbies). There is usually a determiner before the –ing form. During the holidays I’m going to do some walking, some swimming and a lot of reading.  Do is often used to talk about work and jobs. I’m going to do the shopping next Sunday.

MAKE  Make is often used to talk about constructing, building, creating, etc. He’s old enough to make his own bed now. I’ve just made a cake. They intend to make a boat. 10

 Common Fixed Expressions  Do good, harm, business, one’s best, a favor, sport, exercise, one’s hair, one’s teeth, one’s duty, etc.  Make a journey, an offer, an arrangement, a suggestion, a decision, an attempt, an effort, an excuse, an exception, a mistake, a noise, a phone call, money, a profit, a fortune, a bed, a fire, a progress, love, peace, war. Example: Karin doesn’t like doing housework. However, she does most of cooking. Last night, she made very good dinner. She also made dessert. Her roommate, Leslie, usually does the dishes. Karin doesn’t have a washer or dryer, so she has to go to the launderette to do her laundry. Karin tries to make her bed every morning. When Karin has friends over, they often make a mess.

9. NOTES OF USING MODEL VERBS Model verbs are can, could, may, might, will, would, shall, should, ought to, must, need, etc.  Model verbs have no s-form for the third person singular, ing-form and past participle.  Model verbs are considered auxiliary in negative and question sentences. He can’t speak English. Can he speak English?  Model verbs are always followed by a base form of verb. Use  Can is used to show general ability, opportunity, permission, request, possibility and impossibility. I can speak Chinese. Can you swim? I have some free time, I can help her now. I can drive Susan’s car when she is out of town. Can you give me a lift to school? 11

Anyone can become rich and famous if they know the right people. Learning a language can be a real challenge.  Could is used to show possibility in the past, condition and polite request. John could be the one who stole the money. If I had more time, I could travel around the world. Could I have something to drink?  May is used to show possibility, permission and requests. Jack may be upset. I can’t really tell if he is annoyed or tired. You may leave the table when you finish your dinner. May I make a phone call?  Might is used to show possibility, condition, suggestion and request. I’m not sure how got to work. She might have taken the bus. If I entered the contest, I might actually win. You might try the cheese cake. Might I have something to drink?  Shall is used to show future action, volunteering, promising and inevitability. The marketing director shall be replaced by someone from the New York office. Fred shall be there by 8:00. I shall take care of everything for you. I shall make the travel arrangements. There’s no need to worry.  Should is used to show advisability, obligation, expectation, and probability. People with high cholesterol should eat low fat foods. Sarah shouldn’t smoke so much. It’s not good for her health. I should be at work before 9:00. We should return the video before the video rental store closes. Susan should have arrived in New York last week. Let’s call her and see what she is up to.  Must is used to show certainty, recommendation and necessity. That must have been the right restaurant. There are no other restaurants on this street. 12

You must take some time off and get some rest. You must have a permit to enter the national park.  Must not is used to show prohibition. You must not swim in that river. It’s full of crocodiles.  Would is used to show imagination, past of will and repetition in past. If I were President, I would cut the cost of education. He told me he would be here before 8:00. When I was a kid, I would always go to the beach.  Ought to is used to show advisability, expectation and probability. Margaret ought to come to the fitness center with us tonight. Margaret ought to exercise more. She ought to have received the package yesterday.

10.

IVE VOICE

 In English, sentences can be performed in either active or ive voice. In active sentences the subject is the doer of the action, the focus is on the agent. In ive sentences the subject receives the action, the focus is on the action, Active: The executive committee approved the new policy. ive: The new policy was approved by the executive committee.  Sometimes a ive sentence is preferred to an active one, especially when the agent of the active sentence is unknown or not relevant. My purse was stolen when I was doing the shopping. Form Subject + be + past participle (p.p.) (+ by)

Tenses

Forms of ive Verb

Simple Present

Am / is / are + p.p.

Present Continuous

am / is / are + being + p.p.

Simple Past

Was/ were + p.p. 13

Past Continuous

Was / were + being + p.p.

Simple Future

Will / shall + be + p.p.

Future Perfect

Will / have + been + p.p.

Present Perfect

Have / has + been + p.p.

Past Perfect

Had + been + p.p.

Model Verbs

Can / could / should / may / might / would … + be + p.p.

Other Expressions

Have to, used to, be going to + be + p.p.

Ways of Changing an Active Sentence into a ive One To change an active sentence into a ive one, follow these steps:  Put the object of the active sentence at the beginning of the ive sentence.  Put the verb be after the new subject of the ive sentence. This verb be must be in the same tense as the main verb in the active sentence and agrees in number with the new subject. However, if there is a model verb in the active sentence, put it right after the new subject of the ive sentence, then put the verb be in the bare infinitive form after the model verb.  Put the main verb in the active sentence after the verb be, an this verb must be in the past participle form.  Finally, put by + the subject of the active sentence after the main verb in the ive sentence. (This can be eliminated if we don’t want to refer to the subject of the active sentence.) Tenses

Examples

Simple Present

She takes the books.  The books are taken by her.

Present Continuous

The pupils are doing the exercises.  The exercises are being done by the pupils.

Simple Past

The flood destroyed hundreds of houses last year.

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 Hundreds of houses were destroyed last year. Past Continuous

The committee was considering some new projects.  Some new projects were being considered by the committee.

Simple Future

We will see you off tomorrow.  You will be seen off tomorrow.

Future Perfect

The students will have written many compositions.  Many compositions will have been written by the students.

Present Perfect

The factory has bought several equipment.  Several equipment has been bought by the factory.

Past Perfect

She had had dinner before I came.  Dinner had been had before I came.

Model Verbs

You should close the windows.  The windows should be closed.

Other Expressions

There are going to build a big house.  A big house is going to be built.

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PREPOSITIONS

Prepositions are usually used before nouns to give additional information in a sentence. Prepositions are often to show position or time.  Prepositions of Time and Date: in / at / on  Preposition in is used with months, years, and periods of time or a period of time in the future. In January, in 1978, in the twenties, in a few weeks, in a couple of days  Preposition at is used with precise time. At six o’clock, at 10:30, at two p.m.  Preposition on is used with days of the week or with specific calendar days. On Monday, on Christmas day, on October 22nd 15

 Other expressions In the morning, in the afternoon, in the evening, at night  Prepositions of Place: in / at / on  Preposition in is used with spaces, with bodies of water or with lines. In a room, in a building, in a garden, in a park, in the water, in the sea, in the river, in a row, in a line, in a queue  Preposition at is used with places, with places on a page or in groups of people. At the bus-stop, at the door, at the cinema, at the end of the street, at the top of the page, at the bottom of the page, at the back of the class, at the front of the class.  Preposition on is used with surfaces or directions. On the ceiling, on the wall, on the floor, on the table, on the left, on the right  Other expressions On / at the corner of a street, in the corner of a room, at the front / the back of buildings, on the front / the back of a piece of paper  Prepositions of Movement (in / at / to)  Preposition in is used with non-movement verbs an cities, countries, states, etc. Stay in the U.S.A, work in the New York  Preposition at is used with places At the cinema, at work, at home  Preposition to is used with verbs of movement such as go, come, drive, etc. Go to work, drive to California  Some Other Prepositions: for / during  Preposition for is used with a period of time For three weeks, for many years  Preposition during is used with a noun to express when something happens. During class, during my vacation, during the discussion  Prepositions after Adjectives

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Adjectives

Prepositions

Afraid, ahead, aware, capable, confident, full

of

Available, difficult, late, perfect, useful

for

Clever, present, quick, skillful

at

Acquainted, crowded, friendly, popular

with

Interested, rich, successful

in

Absent, different, safe

from

Confused, sad, serious

about

Acceptable, accustomed, agreeable, contrary, harmful,

to

important, kind, lucky, open, pleasant, similar

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SENTENCE BUILDING

A sentence is a group of words which express a complete meaning. Sentences can usually have a subject and a predicate. Mr. Brown arrived early  A sentence can have main clauses and subordinate clauses. He came late because he got the traffic.  A main clause shows a complete thought and it can stand alone as a sentence. We are student.  Subordinate clauses cannot stand alone and are linked by subordinating conjunctions to main clauses in complex sentences. It is impossible to reach a decision because we lack sufficient information. As the market is so sluggish, we shall have to reduce our prices, even though it may mean a reduction in our gross profit.  A simple sentence consists of a main clause. Marry had a little lamb. I’m poor.  A compound sentence consists of two or more main clauses. The phone rang and there was a knock at the door. 17

 A complex sentence consists of one main clause and one or more subordinate clauses. When I came, they were having dinner.  Sentences can be classified into four main types: declarative sentences, interrogative sentences, imperative sentences, and exclamatory sentences.  A declarative sentence expresses a statement. The car is green.  An interrogative sentence refers to a question. Is the car yours?  An imperative sentence expresses a command or a request. Drive carefully.  An exclamatory sentence expresses strong, surprise feeling. Not him! Basic Sentence Patterns  Subject + Intransitive Verb The moon rose. I swim. We breathe.  Subject + Transitive Verb + Object I drive a car. They are having dinner. She takes a book.  Subject + Verb + Complement I am busy. They look sick. Joe became a doctor.  Subject + Verb + Indirect Object + Direct Object I gave her a book. She teaches us English. Will you do me a favor? 18

 Subject + Verb + Object + Complement I left the door open. We elected him president. They named her Lee.

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