Search results for 'tag:Literature tag:Adverbs' matching tags 'Literature' and 'Adverbs'

Re: visited + object OR visited + adverb of location

ClarkePeters — Wed, 24 Oct 2007 06:54:49 GMT

Thanks Clive,
This is my first foray into grammar with my adult students (I usually teach conversation, literature, news English and the like). So this question really threw me for a loop. I was teaching adverbs at the time (using "soon" in " I will visit Europe soon") so this is how the question came up.

Your examples are great.

My interview experience.

Bird Of Paradise — Mon, 10 Sep 2007 20:07:48 GMT

I belong to a country where English is used as a second language, so it is not my first language. A few days ago I appeared in an interview for the post of English Teacher. I want to share a few points of that interview for your worthy comments.

I use A for interviewer and B for myself.

After the formal greetings,

A: Introduce yourself.

B. Sir, I have come from Swabiâ¦..

Donât say âI have come fromâ say âI come fromâ

Then I was asked some questions in English Literature and then,

How many moods are there in English Grammar?
Sir, there are three moods in English grammar, Indicative, imperative and subjunctive.

Can we use Model auxiliary with infinite clause.
Yes sir, we can.

How? Give an example.
For example âI will goâ

What is an infinite clause?
A clause, which doesnât show tense.

No. You are wrong.

Ok, tell my in how many ways can we use a subordinate clause?
Well sir, there are different kinds of subordinate clauseâ¦

No, no. Just tell me exactly in how many ways can we use it, like with subject-verb, subject-adverb etc.
Sorry sir.(it was really confusing for me.)

A. Ok, âHe is marriedâ which part of speech is married?

B. Sir, it the past participle form of the verb marry and here it is used as an adjective.

These are some of the point of my interview. Please give some comments. Thanks.

Re: a reader aloud, straight-faced humour and unsurpassed

Clive — Fri, 13 Apr 2007 12:56:54 GMT

Hi,

Can you please explain to me more thoroughly the meaning of the sentence ( i can't get the idea here)

'As a reader aloud of his own work, Andersen was unsurpassed, and this tale ( the ugly duckling) is always a favourite'

Andersen sometimes read his own work aloud, to other people. No other author did this kind of thing better than Andersen. The story, 'The Ugly Duckling', was a favourite with the audiences who listened to him.

Moreover, in my opinion, 'aloud' is a adverb, and it shouldn't be used after a noun 'reader', is this a grammatical error? No, it's just an unusual word order. Certain kinds of unusual word orders are found in literature sometimes.

Best wishes, Clive

Re: Proper use of adverb of frequency

Aperisic — Wed, 23 Aug 2006 10:42:00 GMT

CalifJim wrote:
For a native it is far easier

I often wonder if that is true! Especially when it comes to explaining it all.

CJ

The trouble with a native is that they have a "natural" feeling, but for those who want to learn language that is not helpful. For a native it is very difficult to explain why something is the way it is, because they know how it is and really never thought about why. Nevertheless, event they follow the logical pattern, but usually they cannot discern it. The rules I know are almost without an exception regarded as advanced, but there is nothing advanced in them. You definitely should be relatively smarter in order to follow them, but if you want to learn a new language that is a premise, isn't it.

However, the logic behind the grammar rules must be relatively simple, because not all people in UK or USA or Australia... are geniuses and they all speak the language using, even if local, the group of logical guidelines.

When you learn a foreign language you have rules and tests that strictly follow these rules. However, absurd is that when a native tries to solve these tests they make sometimes even more mistakes than those who learn the language. Sorry, but what language a foreigner wants to learn then, some foreign variant of English? Or maybe Brits or Americans are so proud of their knowledge of English that foreigners are forbidden to enter the realm of higher society. I am ironic here slightly. Back to the track.

The position of adverb is to be decided upon their logic and effect. There are groups of adverbs based on their function that are commonly positioned before a verb, after a verb, before a auxiliary verb... This is not something you have to learn by heart (some things you have to, though, like: I am, you are, he is, it is... because that is easier than to read and remember the book about the origin "am" "are" "is"...) but you have to be aware that they do have their normal position.

Here is an example

I hit.

I hit hard. is OK

I hard hit. is not OK, but not just because the rule says that hard must go after the verb

The reason is that if you place hard before hit, there is a great confusion about hit: is it a verb or it is a noun. I [what] hard hit

I hit very hard. is OK

I hit so hard. is OK

I hit the ball.

I hit the ball hard. is OK

I hit hard the ball. is not usual

The place of hard between hit and the ball is not common because the object the ball is usually more important for the action to hit than the adverb hard. However, I can create a sentence when this position is acceptable

I hit hard the ball, but I was very soft with his face.

What I am saying is that while anyone reads about the position of a typical adverb it is advisable to try to figure out what could be the reason for such rule. Soon or later the logic is going to pop out. The rules are only the extraction of the logic you usually and unfortunately have to find for yourself. You can't memorize a complete grammar of any language - nobody can.

However, to pass that test one has to follow the given guidelines as long as it one's to bear. In some such cases I can't help, because for several rules there is no general agreement about the grammar rules and it is up to their school, teacher or literature. Worst of all I can give a wrong instruction because in my literature it says something else or I might not understand the problem.

So here are the two examples of a frequency adverb to complete the story

She seldom speaks while she drives a car.

She speaks seldom in her car.

[People in the forums constantly ask "which answer is correct and why". I am talking here about their need to know why and almost without an exception you can find why.]

between/among

BW2/3 — Tue, 06 Jun 2006 07:59:24 GMT

Perhaps underlying the debate is that familar, false opposition set up between different kinds of fiction, according to which enjoyable novels are held to be somehow slightly lowbrow, and a novel is not considered true literature unless it is a tiny bit dull.

Question,

" Underlying the debate " why is not " the underlying debate " ? Is it because the adverb word " perhaps " in front of " underlying "

Can the word " between " change to " among " ?

Does the word " between " mean " which......lowbrow" and " a novel.........dull" ?

Is that possible in a relative phrase clause to introduce the rest of the clause that a subject is plural and another is singluar ?

for example,

to which enjoyable novels are held to be somehow slightly lowbrow, and a novel is not considered true literature unless it is a tiny bit dull.

Re: did

Welkins2139 — Sun, 04 Jun 2006 11:48:43 GMT

Maybe,

Your sentence is formal or literature type.

I think auxiliary + subject has to be used after expressions contain " only "

If you delete " did ",

The sentence will be like,

Only after she died, I realized that she was actually a nice person. ( is this sentence ok ?)

A comma is necessary because an " after" adverb dependent clause is at the beginning.

I think the adverb "only " modifis " after.....died"

and the " only...... died " modifies the whole indenpdent sentence " I..............person"

Re: a passage need polishing.

Crux_online — Sun, 27 Nov 2005 15:22:05 GMT

Hly2004 wrote:
The author adopted a unique narrating way to link the there unrelated scenarios organically and accurately, by parallel development, cross narration, head-to-tail conjugation, and meticulous care. Readers, under these circumstances, gradually culminate in the most pleasant stage, making the story climbing to the climax without noticing. And to our surprise, the author brings us back from the nearly crazy mania to reality and sense, revealing the authorâs top-notch story-telling skill.

Some proposed changes:
The author adopted (used/employed are good, too) a unique narration style to link the three unrelated scenarios organically [deleted] through parallel development, cross narration, and head-to-tail conjugation with meticulous care. The reader[optional:, under these circumstances,] gradually becomes absorbed, unaware of the approaching climax.. The author is then able to bring the reader back [deleted] to reality and sense, revealing the authorâs top-notch story-telling skill.

With the changes:
The author adopted a unique narration style to link the three unrelated scenarios organically through parallel development, cross narration, and head-to-tail conjugation with meticulous care. The reader gradually becomes absorbed, unaware of the approaching climax.. The author is then able to bring the reader back to reality and sense, revealing the authorâs top-notch story-telling skill.

See how this fits into the rest of the literature and determine whether it is what you're wanting. Also, who is your target audience? Whether and to what extent you use idiomatic expressions will depend on your target audience.

I recommend that you get a lot of feedback and multiple versions before committing to a final version. Some writers are strong proponents of brevity--reducing the passage to its core meaning without the unecessary flourish of adjectives and adverbs. Others are equally strong proponents of the flourish, believing that the imagery should be created by the author, leaving the reader to enjoy the story (or passage) without the burden of conjuring the scene as for themselves.

There are also some very 'artsy' techniques that you can investigate and begin to incorporate into your prose, such as alliteration or the use of meter. These are concepts you'll normally find discussed in the context of poetry, but are very useful in other types of writing as well.

You will use different techniques on different writings. Your perfect passage will be in there somewhere.

C

Re: phrasal verbs

CalifJim — Tue, 01 Nov 2005 16:01:38 GMT

Hi, Pieanne,

If you research the literature on this topic you will find that different authors prefer different terminology. I've seen it called "adverb", "preposition", and "particle". "preposition" is popular among the transformational grammarians. They theorize that prepositions do not need objects to be considered prepositions. Personally, I prefer "particle". It seems to be the most neutral description.

Jim

Re: HELP ME .....

davkett — Sat, 17 Sep 2005 15:54:58 GMT

For the rest, Kela, I'm going to give you hints (in blue), so that you can try to improve things yourself. (A repeated problem is your use of indefinite pronouns--for instance, writing 'he' when the reader doesn't know which person 'he' refers to.

Rommel described himself as a boy who doesnât like to participate in any activities, he demonstrated that he was interested in other kind (plural) of hobbies. (Two sentences.)

He was good at drawing Japaneseâs (punctuation) cartoons but it wasnât enough (for what?). It was a dramatically (adverb/adjective?) situation for him (who?) because he (who?) didnât know what he (who?) should be from (preposition) Rommel.

He couldnât believe that it was possible for a boy to be in fourth grade if he couldnât read, and he couldn't believe that noone had done anything about it. He couldnât do anything to change it (what?).

For a long time, he continued teaching at the same school. He was working hard for (preposition) obtain a certificate from a very prestigious university in Michigan where the students was (plural) improving themselves. All of them had done so except Rommel.

He couldnât understand how nobody had paid attention to Rommelâs problem. He (does this teacher have a name?) had a meeting with a fellow teacher, who had reached a stupid (word choice) conclusion about him: "Rommel canât read, thatâs all". While his classmates were reading or writing (comma) Rommel was doing something else.

He (who?) believed that he was a clever guy, because he (who?) didn't have any problem about learn (present participle) math.

Rommel could understand the plots of books that the teacher read for his students to improve their reading abilities. Rommel participated in the speeches and he lived the story that the teacher tells (past tense) them.

After that (what?), he (who?) made an important decision. He tried a new teaching plan. Even though, he didnât receive compensation for it, the teacher spent an extra few minutes each day with Rommel, reading together an interesting and amazing book, Harry Potter.

His method was unusual. The teacher would read a line from the book, then Rommel would be asked to recognize one of the words. If he couldnât do it, he would receive a punishment, a soft pinch. If he could identify the word (comma) the teacher would continue telling him the story.

After many long weeks, in spite of practice (present participle) a lot, Rommel was still not able to to read. He felt disappointed and guilty about it. But the truth was that the whole educational system was at fault because nothing had been done to resolve the problem.

Rommelâs teacher likes (past tense) so much to read. He had a lot of different kinds of books in his small apartment. He gave Rommel a special gift, a VCR tape and a book that might help him to make an extra effort.

This gift created new opportunities for the two of them to spend more hours together, until, finally, Rommel could read. They had worked hard until they obtained a good result. The teacher encouraged Rommel to immerse himself in the amazing world of literature.

He taught ~~since~~ him the elemental things, and how ~~he had~~ to pronounce each letter until he could recognize all of them. Rommel, like (article) good draftsman, --he-- was able to create an ingenious system that helped him to remember his lesson. He created a picture for each ~~one~~ letter (period) If he couldnât remember a letter, he would check its picture on the wall.

After a long time of hard work, Rommel began reading in front of some classmates and also before the woman who had never believed in his ability to do it. Rommel was gradually able to read any kind of literature and he enjoyed doing it. Donât stop him now.

Now he has to learn to write. And he has begun to do so, with a little help from his dear teacher.

Re: please help me

WaÃ¯ti — Wed, 07 Sep 2005 18:49:56 GMT

So you would be Dominik from Koln ? Nice meeting you..
I've tried reviewing part of your text : addition or changes in purple, removals with the # sign. Plus question mark on 'insightfully' : you're supposed to use an adverb here but I don't think there is one derived from the adjective insightful. And question mark on 'unforgettable' : not sure whether it means 'so great you cannnot forget it' or 'so bad you cannot forget it'...

Kolndom wrote:

issue:

In the age of television, reading books is not as important as it once was. People can learn as much ## watching television as they can ## reading books.

my response:

Are books becoming relatively unimportant in the age of television? Even though television propagates information faster, reading book is still of great value today, because books describe facts more precisely, analyze topics more insightfully (?), and serves as the foundation of literature.
Books provide more precise information about certain facts. According to common sense, it would take a book# reader much more time to read about a certain person or event than ### a audience would spend ## watching TV programs about the same thing. Consequently, unlike television which aims at delivering the audience with the general information concerning a person or event within the shortest possible time, books are often cap#able of providing more complete information and precise description about the person or event. For example, two years ago, when Chinese people recovered from the disaster of SARS, there were many TV programs or books reviewing the unforgettable (?) past (?) seven months. What we saw on the TV program was no more than operation room, patients, doctors and officers of the public health ministry. On the other side, we could find much richer information in books concerning this issue, from first case found in Guangdong to first death in Peking, from the origin of the virus to the treatment of the disease, from the withholding of information at the beginning to the public awareness of it finally. In this way, book provides us a wider range of information than TV does.