Search results for 'tag:English grammar tag:Using English' matching tags 'English grammar' and 'Using English'

stative passive

Believer — Tue, 27 Nov 2007 09:50:04 GMT

Hi,

I was checking out the book by Betty Schrampfer Azar called Understanding and Using English Grammar, third edition, for more information on stative passive and saw these sentences in Chart 11-5, page 225:

(g) Ann broke the window yesterday.

(h) The window was broken by Ann.

(i) Now the window is broken.

I think its side explanation has noted that the past participle functions as an adjective. Of g, h, and i, the sentence showing the characteristics of stative passive is i. Is 'broken' in the 'i' sentence an adjective? How would a person make sure that it is not a past participle?

Re: can't have been (followed by nationality)

Huynguyen — Wed, 04 Apr 2007 15:20:30 GMT

Hi Jingtian,
In my opinion, your guess is right. This type of sentence is used to express the degrees of certainty. In the first conversation, two speakers are discussing the girl they have met somewhere else before, so they use the presnt perfect tense here. And in the second conversation, two speakers are discussing the girl who is (maybe) at the same place with them. I mean with the presence of the girl while they are discussing her. So they use the present tense here.

But someone told me that a person might change his/her nationality, therefore, "She can't have been Danish. She must have been Swedish" actually meant that it was impossible that she was Danish then and it was certain that she was Swedish then.

I dont quite understand you here. It's sure that when the speaker use this type of sentence, he/she, basing on some clues (in this situation I think it must be the appearance of the girl), believes that it is impossible for the girl to have been Danish, but Swedish.

Also, the phrase "cant/counldnt have + p.p." is used to express that the speaker is 99% sure of his/her statement ; and the phrase "must have + p.p." is only 95% sure (according to Understanding and Using English Grammar)

P/S: Please correct me if I'm wrong

looking for keys of English Grammar book ISBN 0-13-958661-X

MadeInUSSR — Wed, 10 May 2006 10:57:07 GMT

I have this book "understanding and using English Grammar third edition" (ISBN 0-13-958661-X) but there are no keys... may be someone has this book just with keys (it must be ISBN 0-13-020552-4)
Can you take photo ofr keys or smth like...or may be these keys exist online?
Thanx

Re: the different between "to call" and "calling"

SpoonfedBaby — Thu, 01 Sep 2005 03:34:57 GMT

Hello everybody,

This question has been already answered. This is a general rule that I find very useful.

Understanding and Using English Grammar wrote:

Forget + infinitive= forget to perform a responsibility, duty, or task, as in "Sam often forgets to lock the door."

Forget + gerund = forget something that happened in the past, as in "I'll never forget seeing the Alps for the first time."

SFB

Re: Can someone check my punctuation.

Pyewacket — Tue, 16 Aug 2005 02:20:39 GMT

Mister Micawber wrote:

(in spite of Betty Azar, whoever she may be)

Betty Schrampfer Azar wrote the Understanding and Using English Grammar series and is one of the most respected ESL/EFL materials writers in the TESOL field. I'd say her name is as well known in TESOL research as Marianne Celce-Murcia and Diane Larsen-Freeman.

http://www.eslminiconf.net/april/azar.html (bio and link to her books)

I'd recommend that you check out her series -- it's quite comprehensive.

Pyewacket

How to find the azar's book anwer key

unix77 — Sat, 07 May 2005 01:43:29 GMT

Hi all

Any one have learn english by using azar's book " undertanding and using english grammar" third edition ? I need to know the key answer to compare with my answer, please share it to me

thanks

Re: How to improve English grammar without reading grammar book?:^)

taiwandave — Wed, 09 Jun 2004 20:22:42 GMT

Susan,

I understand the frustration you are feeling. Your language, Chinese, is what linguists call an "isolating language". All information, such as the time an action occurred, is conveyed by the choice and order of words in a sentence. There are no verb tenses. There are no plurals. In fact, individual words are never altered:

He went there yesterday to buy eggs. (English)
He yesterday go there buy egg. (Chinese)

English is what is called an "inflecting language". Verbs in English are modified to convey temporal information:

I drink beer. (something I do habitually)
I drank beer last night. (past tense)
I have drunk a lot of beer this week. (past perfect)
I have been drinking beer for years. (present perfect progressive)

These sentences, if translated literally from Chinese to English, would read as follows:

I drink beer.
I yesterday night drink beer.
I this week drink a lot beer.
I drink beer many year.

The danger in deciding to "skip grammar" and go directly to using English is that your sentences will look a lot like the above.

Students whose mother tongue is also an inflecting language may have an easier time than Chinese learners in aquiring English grammatical structures.

Studying grammar may at first seem dull, but once your grammar starts improving, you'll be thrilled by the difference this makes in how well you can communicate. Good luck!

Re: English Grammar

HKese — Fri, 12 Dec 2003 15:22:07 GMT

Not TOEFL, I am taking a course named "Analyzing English Grammar". These questions are discussing the "very" common errors in using English.