English Lessons

We already explored the importance of auxiliary verbs in English grammar here: Missing Auxiliaries. To refresh your memory, auxiliary verbs are helper verbs – they are small action words that can help to express the mood or tense of regular verbs. “Auxiliary” means “to help or support”, and that is exactly what auxiliary verbs do.

 

Step 1 is recognizing where you need an auxiliary verb, to affect the tense/mood of a main verb.

Step 2 is ensuring agreement between the subject and the auxiliary verb (in addition to the main verb).

 

Auxiliary-Verb Agreement Rules

Refresher:

10 modal auxiliary verbs  -  verbs which are only auxiliary, and are never used alone:
can, could, may, might, ought, shall, should, will, would, and must

All 24 auxiliary verbs (including modal verbs):
am, is, are, shall, should, be, being, been, was, were, will, would, has, have, had, do, does, did, can, could, may, might, must, ought

The key is to make sure the number of the subject matches the number of the verb.

 
Singular subjects = singular form of auxiliary verbs. 
Plural subjects = plural form of auxiliary verbs.

Examples:

• Some of the books are missing. (are = plural;  is = singular)
• She does not have your red bag. (does not = singular;  do not = plural)
• The vegetables were growing in the sun. (were = plural; was = singular) 

 

 

Fixing Auxiliary-Verb Agreement Mistakes with WhiteSmoke

Auxiliary-Verb Agreement Error #1:

Amy’s parents is going to the theatre tomorrow.

WhiteSmoke’s Suggestion:

WhiteSmoke’s Explanation:
The subject is plural (Amy’s parents), so the auxiliary verb “are” is plural.  “Is” is the singular and therefore incorrect verb form.

Auxiliary-Verb Agreement Error #2:

Look how much rain are falling outside!

WhiteSmoke’s Suggestion:

WhiteSmoke’s Explanation:

The subject is single, or a countable noun (rain), so the auxiliary verb “is” is singular.  “Are” is the plural, and therefore incorrect verb form.

Auxiliary-Verb Agreement Error #3:

My little brother do his homework before he goes to sleep.

Whitesmoke’s Suggestion(s):

WhiteSmoke’s Explanation:
The subject is single (my little brother), so the auxiliary verb “does” is singular.  “Do” is the plural, and therefore incorrect verb form.

 

This post belongs to the WhiteSmoke Blog - the original article can be viewed here - Auxiliary-Verb Agreement

admin grammar

In English, as in several other languages, there are words that sound the same but mean different things. These similar-sounding but different-meaning words are homonyms. The word “homonym” comes from the Greek for “same name”. Some homonyms are especially confusing and hard to tell apart - in other words, which spelling corresponds with which meaning.

 

Homonyms are really tricky, even for native English speakers. A correctly spelled-word can be used in an incorrect-way, creating a special kind of spelling mistake. When the wrong spelling of a homonym is used, this is a contextual spelling mistake. Contextual spelling errors usually significantly change the meaning of a sentence, and typically sound pretty ridiculous.

So, it is very important to recognize common contextual spelling mistakes, and to learn the different spellings/meanings of each homonym.

Here are some of the most commonly confused English homonyms:

 

Their / They’re / There:

• Their - 3rd person plural possessive
  Their house is on top of a hill.
• They’re - Conjugation: “they” + “are”
  They’re always late to class.
• There - Location description
  Her bag is over there.

Its / It’s

• Its - Possession of an object without a gender
  Look at that car; its windows are broken.
• It’s - Conjugation: “it” + “has / is”
  It’s not fair!
  It’s raining today.
  It’s been three days since I saw you.

Accept / Except

• Accept - To approve; include; take in something
  Please accept my apologies.
• Except - Without; not including
  Everyone came to the party except Luis.

Your / You’re

• Your - Possessive; belonging to “you”
  It’s your turn.
• You’re - Conjugation: “you” + “are”
  I feel like you’re upset.

To / Too / Two

• To - Preposition; also precedes infinitives
  This plane is flying to Hawaii.
  It’s a good deed to donate money to the poor.
• Too - Agreement; excess
  Yeah, me too!
  There’s too much pollution in the air these days.
• Two - Amount
  I sleep on two pillows instead of one.

Know / No

• Know - To have knowledge
  Melissa, do you know Harry?
• No - Negative
  Since last month there has been no rain.

For a long list of other English homonyms read here

 

Fixing Contextual Spelling Mistakes with WhiteSmoke

One of WhiteSmoke’s unique features is the ability of its grammar checker to spot contextual spelling mistakes. Since technically these words are spelled correctly, it is necessary for a grammar checker to read and understand the entire sentence, in order to spot mistakes like these. Luckily, WhiteSmoke can do this!

Example # 1: I don’t no how to swim.

WhiteSmoke’s Suggestion:

Example # 2: Their is so much snow on the ground!

WhiteSmoke’s Suggestion:

Example # 3: Your the best player on our team.

WhiteSmoke’s Suggestion:

This post belongs to the WhiteSmoke Blog - the original article can be viewed here - Common Errors - Contextual Spelling

admin grammar

The comma is a punctuation mark, mainly used to separate phrases within the same sentence.  Commas can make written sentences easier to read, because they allow for slight pauses between ideas.  

Introductory phrases are phrases that introduce the rest of the sentence.  They are usually followed by a comma.  

Commas have similar uses in many languages, especially European languages.  However, the rules of usage regarding commas can differ from language to language.  It is a common mistake for even native English speakers to forget commas after introductory phrases.  This can make the sentence a little confusing.  

Commas and Introductory Phrases - The Rules

Inserting a comma after an introductory phrase is an excellent way to increase the clarity of a sentence.  It is useful sometimes to imagine saying the sentence out loud, and imagine if a pause is needed after the first phrase.  

Introductory phrases can include:

adverbial phrases
Usually, Luckily, Interestingly, Apparently, etc.

participial phrases
Having already finished his dinner; While sleeping; Receiving his instructions, etc.

prepositional phrases
On the other hand, At first, Since last Friday 
    
A comma is not needed if the introductory phrase is immediately followed by the verb it modifies.
Out of the trees flew a flock of birds; Walking directly toward her was her boss.

Fixing Missing Commas after Introductory Phrases with WhiteSmoke

Example #1:

In other words it's important to combine a healthy diet with exercise.

Whitesmoke’s Suggestion:




Whitesmoke’s Explanation:

“Introductory expressions need to be followed by a comma.”

Example #2:

To prevent her from falling he reached out to grab her hands.

Whitesmoke’s Suggestion:



Whitesmoke’s Explanation:

“This sentence requires a comma to separate its phrases and to improve clarity. . . An introductory or dependent clause has to be separated from the main clause by a comma."

Example #3:

In conclusion we don't think you are right for the job.

Whitesmoke’s Suggestion:



Whitesmoke’s Explanation:

“Introductory expressions need to be followed by a comma . . . An introductory expression at the beginning of a sentence must be followed by a comma, which separates it from the following phrase."
This post belongs to the WhiteSmoke Blog - the original article can be viewed here - Commas after Introductory Phrases

http://www.whitesmoke.com/blog/ ESL, grammar, lessons, punctuation english, english lessons, ESL, grammar

Commas can drastically change the meaning of a sentence.  Take a look at the following examples:

• Mr. Smith said Dave should be arrested.
• Mr. Smith, said Dave, should be arrested.

In the first example, Mr. Smith is saying that Dave should be arrested.  In the second example, Dave is saying that Mr. Smith should be arrested.  The only difference between the two sentences is commas.

Just learn a few basic rules and you will be able to use commas effectively and correctly.

 

Place a Comma After Introductory Words and Phrases

The comma separates the introduction from the rest of the sentence.

• Eventually, we will find a cure.
• For my first trick, I will pull a rabbit out of a hat.

 

Use Commas to Set Off Clauses

Use commas to separate a non-essential phrase or clause from the rest of the sentence.  A clause is non-essential if it can be removed without changing the meaning of the sentence or making the sentence incomplete.

• We will, eventually, find a cure.
• Kurosawa, the famous filmmaker, was the guest of honour.

Remember, if a clause is essential to the meaning of the sentence, it does not need commas.

• I saw a man walking in the street.  The man, who wore brown shoes, went into a bookstore.  (The fact that he wore brown shoes is not important to the sentence.  It is just an extra bit of information.)
• I saw two men walking in the street.  The man who wore brown shoes went into a bookstore.  (The brown shoes are now essential to the sentence.  The brown shoes tell us which man went into the bookstore.)

 

Place a Comma After a Subordinate Clause

A subordinate clause at the beginning of the sentence should be followed by a comma.  If the subordinate clause is at the end of the sentence, a comma is not required.

• Because it is raining, we will have to stay home.
• We will have to stay home because it is raining.

There are many more rules for comma use, but the rules above will keep you from making the most common comma errors.

This post belongs to the WhiteSmoke Blog - the original article can be viewed here - Using Commas Correctly

admin punctuation

Hyphens are used to link words that function as a single adjective before a noun.  They are used with compound numbers, and to avoid confusion or awkward letter combinations.  Hyphens are also used with certain prefixes and suffixes and in certain special cases.

 

Compound Adjectives

Use hyphens when more than one word acts as a single adjective, if the adjective comes before the noun it modifies.  For example:

• It is a well-loved toy.  (Uses a hyphen because the adjective comes before the noun)
• The toy is well loved.  (No hyphen because the adjective comes after the noun)

• He is a ten-year-old boy.  The boy is ten years old.
• Have some sugar-coated candy.  The candy is sugar coated.

If two words do not form an adjective, they should not be linked with a hyphen.

• We have a sign-in sheet. (Uses a hyphen because "sign-in" is an adjective describing the sheet)
• Please sign in when you arrive. (No hyphen because "sign in" is an action, not an adjective)

 

Compound Numbers

Hyphenate compound numbers.

• twenty-two, eighty-eight, forty-nine

But not: one hundred, ten thousand, one hundred and six

 

Use Hyphens to Avoid Confusion

Use hyphens whenever a prefix would create an ambiguous word.  For example, after you do something you can redo it.  However, if you fine someone, you would have to re-fine them (because refine means something else).

 

Use Hyphens to Avoid Awkward Letter Combinations

Use a hyphen after a prefix to avoid repeating the same letter too many times.  Here are some examples:

• Re-engineer, pre-existing, semi-interested

 

Use Hyphens with Certain Prefixes and Suffixes

Use hyphens with the prefixes "all" (all-inclusive), "ex" (ex-wife), and "self" (self-inflicted).  Use hyphens with the suffix "elect" (president-elect).

 

Special Cases

Use a hyphen if you want to add a prefix to a capitalized word (pro-English, anti-French).  Use hyphens with numbers or letters (a salary in the mid-six figures, the mid-40s, the pre-DVD movie industry).

This post belongs to the WhiteSmoke Blog - the original article can be viewed here - Using Hyphens

admin punctuation

Different punctuation marks are used to end different kinds of sentences. How do you know which ones to use? Check out these simple tips on how to end your sentences. Here are three basic punctuation marks that are used at the end of a sentence.

• 1. Period

  The period is used at the end of a declarative sentence, which is a sentence that states an idea. Below are examples:

      Our house is five minutes away.
      She looks really happy.

  A period is also used to end an imperative sentence that does not convey excitement or urgency. See the following examples:

      Drink your milk.
      Do your homework.

• 2. Question Mark

  The question mark, as its name suggests, is used to end a question. This is shown in the following examples:

      What is your name?
      Where are we going?

• 3. Exclamation Point

  The exclamation point is used at the end of an exclamatory sentence or a sentence that expresses strong feelings, such as excitement and urgency. Check out these examples:

      The house is on fire!
      That’s wonderful!

There you have it: the three basic punctuation marks that are used to end different kinds of sentences. Now, you have an idea of how to use a period, a question mark, and an exclamation point to end a sentence. If you are unsure of which punctuation to use, you can always consult WhiteSmoke’s online punctuation checker. A punctuation checker is a practical tool that anyone who wishes to learn English should have.

This post belongs to the WhiteSmoke Blog - the original article can be viewed here - 3 Tips for Using the Correct End of Sentence Marker

admin punctuation

Punctuation marks that are not placed where they should be give a negative impression of the writer as much as bad grammar does. When proofreading your work, an online punctuation checker will be helpful. It will help you to avoid committing the most common punctuation mistakes people make, three of which are given here:

 

• 1. Writing Sentence Fragments

  Sentence fragments are not complete sentences but they can be made a part of sentences. You should avoid using them, as such. For example:

  I would go there. If I could.

  There should be no period before the sentence fragment “if I could”. Instead, the fragment should be made part of the sentence, so that it reads like this:

  I would go there if I could.

• 2. Using the Comma Splice

  The comma splice joins two independent clauses with a comma. Below is an example.

  I saw the itinerary, I want to join.

  In this sentence, a comma connects two independent clauses. To correct this, you can either put a period after the first independent clause or add a conjunction after the comma.

  I saw the itinerary. I want to join.
  I saw the itinerary, and I want to join.

• 3. Putting Apostrophes for Plural Forms of Nouns

  Another common mistake is adding apostrophes to plural nouns. Below are examples.

  The orange’s are really sweet.
  The kid’s will be performing in a musical.

  The apostrophes in these examples should be omitted.

There you have it: three of the most common punctuation mistakes you should watch out for. Be mindful of sentence fragments, the comma splice, and apostrophes. As previously mentioned, WhiteSmoke’s grammar checker will also help clean up your punctuation errors, helping you spot things that you might otherwise miss. In any event, editing with your eyes or editing with WhiteSmoke 2009, correcting errors of punctuation is important for the quality of your text.

This post belongs to the WhiteSmoke Blog - the original article can be viewed here - 3 Common Mistakes in English Punctuation

admin punctuation

The WhiteSmoke grammar checker is a core feature of the WhiteSmoke desktop application, and certainly the most powerful grammar checkers on the market. In this tutorial, we will introduce you to the grammar check feature, and demonstrate by example how it works, and how it compares with grammar checkers in other products.

 

Introduction - The WhiteSmoke Interface

 

 

 

 

Once you select a text for checking and click the WhiteSmoke Key, WhiteSmoke launches. Immediately, WhiteSmoke makes an analysis of the text and marks all corrections and suggestions in a logical manner. As you can see above, the lower portion of the text area features a summary of the errors in, or suggestions for, the text. Green is the color for grammar errors. 

 

WhiteSmoke detects grammar errors by analyzing the text, sentence by sentence, and determining if the parts of speech are correct in the given context. Let’s look closer at the first sentence, "Meredith made decision a long time ago not to write books ever again.", and the 6th sentence, "Maybe learn something completely different, such carpentry."

 

The Grammar Checker in Action

 

Example 1 

 

 

 

In the first sentence, WhiteSmoke has detected a problem with the use of the word "decision". Note how an error has been detected, but the first suggestion, "decisions" is not necessarily the correct one - this is because there are several possibilities here, depending on the meaning of the sentence. 

 

 

 

 

Clicking on "More…" we see a few more suggestions from WhiteSmoke, including the one we will select for this sentence - "the decision". 

 

Here in the first sentence we see a common error made by native and non-native speakers alike - that of the missing determiner. Non-Native speakers often make this error when learning the language as many other languages do not use determiners in this way. Native speakers often make this error due to fast typing, or typing without reading. In both cases, WhiteSmoke can detect and correct the error.

 

 

Example 2

 

In our second example, the sixth sentence, we have another common missing word error. Did you notice it the first time you read the sentence? Our brains often correct what we read as we read it, and so many of us miss such errors when we write. Here WhiteSmoke detects and corrects the missing word, making the sentence grammatically correct.

 

 

 

 

Compared to Other Grammar Checkers

Now, for the sake of comparison, let’s take these two complete sentences and check them with MS Word’s grammar checker - by far the most widely used grammar checker available.

 

 

 

 

As you can see, MS Word cannot detect the missing determiner or the missing word in the phrase. If you checked this passage only with MS Word, you would be sending your reader a text with significant grammar errors.

 

Safely Checked with WhiteSmoke

This concludes the first WhiteSmoke Tutorial on the WhiteSmoke Blog. Stay tuned for more insights into how WhiteSmoke works.

 

This post belongs to the WhiteSmoke Blog - the original article can be viewed here - Tutorial: The WhiteSmoke Grammar Checker

admin lessons

Commas can drastically change the meaning of a sentence.  Take a look at the following examples:

• Mr. Smith said Dave should be arrested.
• Mr. Smith, said Dave, should be arrested.

In the first example, Mr. Smith is saying that Dave should be arrested.  In the second example, Dave is saying that Mr. Smith should be arrested.  The only difference between the two sentences is commas.

Just learn a few basic rules and you will be able to use commas effectively and correctly.

 

Place a Comma After Introductory Words and Phrases

The comma separates the introduction from the rest of the sentence.

• Eventually, we will find a cure.
• For my first trick, I will pull a rabbit out of a hat.

 

Use Commas to Set Off Clauses

Use commas to separate a non-essential phrase or clause from the rest of the sentence.  A clause is non-essential if it can be removed without changing the meaning of the sentence or making the sentence incomplete.

• We will, eventually, find a cure.
• Kurosawa, the famous filmmaker, was the guest of honour.

Remember, if a clause is essential to the meaning of the sentence, it does not need commas.

• I saw a man walking in the street.  The man, who wore brown shoes, went into a bookstore.  (The fact that he wore brown shoes is not important to the sentence.  It is just an extra bit of information.)
• I saw two men walking in the street.  The man who wore brown shoes went into a bookstore.  (The brown shoes are now essential to the sentence.  The brown shoes tell us which man went into the bookstore.)

 

Place a Comma After a Subordinate Clause

A subordinate clause at the beginning of the sentence should be followed by a comma.  If the subordinate clause is at the end of the sentence, a comma is not required.

• Because it is raining, we will have to stay home.
• We will have to stay home because it is raining.

There are many more rules for comma use, but the rules above will keep you from making the most common comma errors.

This post belongs to the WhiteSmoke Blog - the original article can be viewed here - Using Commas Correctly

http://www.whitesmoke.com/blog/ ESL, grammar, lessons, punctuation english, english lessons, ESL, grammar

Hyphens are used to link words that function as a single adjective before a noun.  They are used with compound numbers, and to avoid confusion or awkward letter combinations.  Hyphens are also used with certain prefixes and suffixes and in certain special cases.

 

Compound Adjectives

Use hyphens when more than one word acts as a single adjective, if the adjective comes before the noun it modifies.  For example:

• It is a well-loved toy.  (Uses a hyphen because the adjective comes before the noun)
• The toy is well loved.  (No hyphen because the adjective comes after the noun)

• He is a ten-year-old boy.  The boy is ten years old.
• Have some sugar-coated candy.  The candy is sugar coated.

If two words do not form an adjective, they should not be linked with a hyphen.

• We have a sign-in sheet. (Uses a hyphen because "sign-in" is an adjective describing the sheet)
• Please sign in when you arrive. (No hyphen because "sign in" is an action, not an adjective)

 

Compound Numbers

Hyphenate compound numbers.

• twenty-two, eighty-eight, forty-nine

But not: one hundred, ten thousand, one hundred and six

 

Use Hyphens to Avoid Confusion

Use hyphens whenever a prefix would create an ambiguous word.  For example, after you do something you can redo it.  However, if you fine someone, you would have to re-fine them (because refine means something else).

 

Use Hyphens to Avoid Awkward Letter Combinations

Use a hyphen after a prefix to avoid repeating the same letter too many times.  Here are some examples:

• Re-engineer, pre-existing, semi-interested

 

Use Hyphens with Certain Prefixes and Suffixes

Use hyphens with the prefixes "all" (all-inclusive), "ex" (ex-wife), and "self" (self-inflicted).  Use hyphens with the suffix "elect" (president-elect).

 

Special Cases

Use a hyphen if you want to add a prefix to a capitalized word (pro-English, anti-French).  Use hyphens with numbers or letters (a salary in the mid-six figures, the mid-40s, the pre-DVD movie industry).

This post belongs to the WhiteSmoke Blog - the original article can be viewed here - Using Hyphens

http://www.whitesmoke.com/blog/ ESL, grammar, lessons, punctuation english, english lessons, ESL, grammar