2. This country's fertile land, together with the fertile land of other countries,
| A | B |
are being used in a worldwide crop utilization project.
| C | D |
ANSWER: (C) is the answer since this sentence needs a verb that agrees with the singular subject "land». (A) is used correctly because it is the expression "together with" that adds to the subject. (B) is the correct adjective "other" to refer to countries. (D) is the correct adjective to describe the project.
The following collective nouns use singular verbs: everyone, everything, everybody, neither, somebody, one of, each of , every.
The following words use "is" although they end with an "s" and may seem plural:
United States, statistics, physics, mathematics, economics, news.
The following expressions also use "is":
Time Expressions: Two minutes is better than nothing.
Money Expressions: Fifty dollars is a lot of money for a blouse.
Distance Expressions: Three miles is a good distance for a morning walk.
DIRECTIONS: Choose the best phrase or word which is grammatically incorrect.
1. People who gets a lot done know ahead of time what is important to them.
| A | B | C | D |
.
ANSWER: (A) is the answer because the verb form "gets" – present tense
Singular form – does not agree with “people” which is plural. (B) is correct because it is the present tense, plural form for the subject “people”. (C) is correct because it is the correct wording of the phrase “ahead of time”. (D) is the correct noun clause that serves as the direct object of the verb “know”.
2. According to the philosophy of the German George Wilhelm Frierich Hegel,
A
art, religion, and philosophy is the bases of the highest spiritual development.
B C D
ANSWER: (B) is the answer because the verb is not correct. The subject is a . compound subject – art, religion, and philosophy – so the verb should be plural, "are». (C) is correct because it is the plural form of "basis», and the plural form is needed due to the compound subject. (D) is correct because the superlative form is used with "the».
3. A book on mathematics are going to help out when the time comes.
A B C D
ANSWER: (C) is the answer because the verb is not correct. The subject is "book" so the verb should be singular, "is». Even if the word "mathematics" had been the subject, it should be treated as singular. (A) is correct because reference is made to any book on mathematics. (B) is correct because books are "on" or about a particular subject. (D) is correct because it gives the correct time frame.
4. The three elements of speed, strength, and technique is vital to karate expertise.
A B C D
ANSWER: (C) is the answer because the subject is "the three elements" followed by a prepositional phrase explaining what the three elements are – speed, strength, and technique – so the verb should be plural, "are». (A) is correct because the preposition introduces what the three elements are. (B) adds the third element. (D) is the correct preposition following "vital».
4. In the Gothic Cathedral of Boyeux is Romanesque sections dating from the
A B C
twelfth century.
D
ANSWER: (B) is the answer because the verb is not in the correct number. The subject is "Romanesque sections" a plural subject, which requires a plural verb. The correct plural verb form should be "are». (A) is correct because it is a correct expression to say where something is located. (C) is correct because "dating" tells from when the sections date. (D) tells from what century the sections date.
V. WORD USAGE ERROR AREAS
Word Form Errors: Prefixes and Suffixes
Word form errors are made when the sentence includes a verb or adjective form used incorrectly as a noun, or a noun form used incorrectly as an adjective or verb. There is a very logical way to recognize if the word is in its proper form.
Basic knowledge of the English language, especially a familiarity with its numerous prefixes, can help build vocabulary and also strengthen spelling. For example, if one knows that "inter" means "between" and "intra" means "within», one is not likely to spell "intramural" "intermural». (The former means within the limits or limits of a city, college, etc.)
The following table lists some common Latin and Greek prefixes which are part of the foundation of the English language.
PREFIX MEANING EXAMPLE
Ab-, a, abs away, from abstain
Ad- to, toward adjacent
Ante- before antecedent
Anti- against antidote
Bi- two bisect
Cata-, cat-, cath- down cataclysm
Contra- against contrary
Circum- around circumlocution
De- down, from decline
di- twice diatonic
dis-, di- apart, away dissolve
epi-, ep-, eph- upon, among epidemic
ex-, e- out of, from extricate
hyper- beyond, over hyperactive
in- in, into instill
inter- among, between intercede
intra- within intramural
meta-, met- along, with metaphysics
mono- one monolith
ob- against obstruct
para-, par- beside parallel
per- through permeate
pre- before prehistoric
pro- before project
super- above superior
tele-, tel- across television
trans- far transpose
ultra- beyond ultraviolet
A suffix is a syllable added to a word that affects its meaning. When a suffix is added to a word, it does not change its meaning radically, but it does change the verb it has in a sentence.
EXAMPLES:
1. The struggle for survival is the most basic of all natural instincts.
(adding suffix -al to verb survive)
2. The fact that he had not been to see her lay like a weight on his conscience.
(adding suffix -t to verb weigh)
3. The general form of African government today is democracy.
(adding suffix - ment to verb govern)
Learn to recognize these “Suffixes for Nouns”
SUFFIX MEANING EXAMPLE
-acy quality of being or having candidacy, diplomacy
-age collection of, condition of salvage, carriage
-al pertaining to, having the character of refusal, denial
-an pertaining to, one concerned with artisan, partisan
-ance quality of fragrance, romance
-ancy quality of buoyancy, vagrancy
-ar pertaining to scholar
-ard one who subscribes to excess drunkard
-ation action or process of determination,
imagination
-dom state or condition of being freedom, kingdom
-ence quality of being patience, diligence
-ency quality of being emergency, efficiency
-er a person or thing connected with labourer, worker
-ss used to form feminine hostess, tigress
-hood state of being statehood, motherhood
-ice condition avarice, malice
-ism belief in schism, communism
-ite one connected with Israelite, plebiscite
-ity quality of security, celebrity
-ment result of bombardment,
department
-ness state or quality of being kindness, sadness
- or state of tutor, dictator
-ship condition of ambassadorship
partnership
-sion act of diversion, convertion
-th result of action growth, wealth
-tion act of dedication, celebration
-ty state of being modesty, frailty
Learn to recognize these “Suffixes for Adjectives”
SUFFIX MEANING Example
-able capable of movable, repairable
-ac pertaining to maniac, cardiac
-al having the character of terminal, thermal
-ar pertaining to circular, cellular
-ary connected with imaginary, sedentary
-ful possessing the quality of hasteful, spiteful
-ible able to be visible, reversible
-ish having the quality of mannish, boyish
-ive tending to secretive, evasive
-less without endless, countless
-ous full of gracious, spacious
-ulent abounding in succulent,
fraudulent
-y quality of nosy, greedy
Learn to recognize these “Suffixes for Verbs”.
SUFFIX MEANING Example
-ate characterized by facilitate, dedicate
-en to make deepen, thicken
-ify to make, to do something quantify, qualify
-ize to make, to do something, to subject to criticize, fertilize
Learn to recognize these “Suffixes for Adverbs”.
SUFFIX MEANING Example
-ly in a specified manner commonly, quietly
-fold having specified number of parts tenfold, manifold
-ward toward inward, outward
-wise in a specified manner lengthwise,
otherwise
WORD CHOICE ERRORS
Correlative Conjunctions
The following words go together:
either ……………….or
neither……………….nor
not only ……………..but (also)
whether………………or
both ………………….and
Also note that if an adjective follows one, an adjective must follow the other. If a noun follows one, a noun or pronoun must follow the other.
EXAMPLE:
1. Illustrator Mercer Mayer has won awards for his drawings of ………. adult and children’s books.
(A) the two
(B) both
(C) together
(D) also
ANSWER: (B) is correct because it completes the correlative conjunction pair: both … and. (A) is not correct because it means that the illustrator won the awards for only two books. (C) is incorrect because it attempts to use “together” as an adjective, an incorrect form. (D) “also” is used to add on, but nothing is there to add on to.
Parallel Structures
Parallel structure is the same form of two or more grammatically related elements. Whenever words or phrases are joined by a coordinating conjunction (and, but, or, nor), they should have the same form.
EXAMPLE: 1. The review was very critical of the film, citing the poor photography, weak plot, and ___________.
(A) also including the boring dialogue
(B) boring dialogue
(C) while the dialogue was boring
(D) but the dialogue was boring
ANSWER: (B) is a noun form, just like "photography" and "plot», the other areas criticized by the review. Connect the same elements with "and», which is supplied. The other answers begin with conjunctions which would make the sentence confusing and incorrect. Oppose two different ideas with "but». "While" indicates an importance of time. "Also" includes another idea which may be similar or different.
Comparison of Adjectives
Adjectives and adverbs have three forms that show a greater or lesser degree of the characteristic of the basic word: the positive, the comparative, and the superlative. The basic word is called the positive. The comparative is used to refer to two persons, things, or groups. The superlative is used to refer to more than two people, things, or groups; it indicates the greatest or least degree of the quality named Most adjectives of one syllable become comparative by adding "er" to the ending and become superlative by adding "est" to the ending. In adjectives ending with "y", the "y" changes to "i" before adding the endings.
Examples of comparison of adjectives:
POSITIVE COMPARATIVE SUPERLATIVE
little littler, less littlest, least
happy happier happiest
late later latest
brave braver bravest
lovely lovelier loveliest
long longer longest
friendly friendlier friendliest
fast faster fastest
shrewd shrewder shrewdest
tall taller tallest
Adjectives of two or more syllables usually form their comparative degree by adding "more" (or "less") and form their superlative degree by adding "most" (or "least"). Examples of comparison of adjectives of two or more syllables:
POSITIVE COMPARATIVE SUPERLATIVE
handsome more handsome most handsome
less handsome least handsome
timid more timid most timid
less timid least timid
tentative more tentative most tentative
less tentative least tentative
valuable more valuable most valuable
less valuable least valuable
endearing more endearing most endearing
less endearing least endearing
Some adjectives are irregular; their comparatives and superlatives are formed by changes in the words themselves.
Examples of comparison of irregular adjectives:
POSITIVE COMPARATIVE SUPERLATIVE
good better best
many more most
much
some
bad worse worst
little less least
far farther farthest
further furthest
DEFINITION: farther – referring to a physical distance.
further – referring to a differing degree, time, or quality.
Adverbs are compared in the same way as adjectives of more than one syllable: by adding “more” (or “less”) for the comparative degree and “most” (or “least”) for the superlative.
Examples of comparison of adverbs:
POSITIVE COMPARATIVE SUPERLATIVE
easily more easily most easily
less easily least easily
quickly more quickly most quickly
less quickly least quickly
truthfully more truthfully most truthfully
Some adverbs are irregular; some add “er”, “est”.
Examples of comparison of irregular adverbs:
POSITIVE COMPARATIVE SUPERLATIVE
little less least
well better best
far farther farthest
badly worse worst
fast faster fastest
soon sooner soonest
much more most
hard harder hardest
close closer closest
The comparative and superlative indicate not only the differences in the degree of the quality named, but also in the number of things discussed.
Use the comparative to compare two things:
Mary is the more lazy of the two.
I’ve tasted creamier cheese than this.
James is the shorter of the two boys.
Of the two, I like Gail better.
My teacher is kinder than yours.
This book is more interesting than that one.
Use the superlative to compare more than two things:
Mary is the laziest girl I know.
This is the creamiest cheese I've ever tasted.
James is the shortest boy in the class.
Of those five people, I liked Gail best.
My teacher is the kindest in the school.
This book is the most interesting of the three.
There are some words to which comparison does not apply, since they already indicate the highest degree of a quality:
Here are some examples:
immediately superlative first
last very unique
uniquely universally perfect
perfectly exact complete
correct dead deadly
preferable round perpendicularly
square third supreme
totally infinitely immortal
ERRORS TO AVOID IN COMPARISON
Do not combine two superlatives:
NO: That was the most bravest thing he ever did.
YES: That was the bravest thing he ever did.
NO: He grew up to be the most handsomest boy in the town.
YES: He grew up to be the most handsome boy in the town.
Do not combine two comparatives:
NO: Mary was more friendlier than Susan.
YES: Mary was friendlier than Susan.
NO: The puppy was more timider last week.
YES: The puppy was more timid last week.
COMPARISON WITH "OTHER», "ELSE" OR "OF ALL"
A common mistake when comparing members of a group is to forget to indicate that the item being held up for comparison is still a part of the rest of the group to which it is being compared. The addition of "other" or "else" to the comparative makes this relationship more clear. If the superlative is used, adding "of all" makes the meaning more definite and emphatic.
NO: She is a better piano player than any pianist in our group.
(Is she part of the group?)
YES: She is a better piano player than any other pianist in our group.
(It is now clear that she is a member of the group.)
NO: Our dog is smarter than any on the block. (
Does the dog live on the block!)
YES: Our dog is smarter than any other on the block.
(Now it is obvious that the dog lives on the block.)