English for Today IRREGULAR PLURALS (3)

31. Ovum- Ova
32. Ox- Oxen
33. Oasis- Oases
34. Parenthesis- Parentheses
35. Phenomenon- Phenomena
36. Radius- Radia
37. Synopsis- Synopses
38. Stratum- Strata
39. Symposium- Symposia
40. Stadium- Stadia/ Stadiums
41. Syllabus- Syllabi/ Syllabuses
42. Terminus- Termini
43. Tempo- Tempos
44. Thesis- Theses
45. Vertebra- Verbrae
46. Vertex- Vertices or Vertexes
47. Vortex- Vortexes or Vortices
48. Yo-yo- Yo-yoos
49. Yes- Yeses or Yesses
50. Zebra- Zebra or Zebra

English for Today IRREGULAR PLURALS (2)

16. Datum- Data
17. Ellipsis- Ellipses
18. Formula- Formulas(Art); Formulae(Sc)
19. Forum- Forums
20. Genus- Genera
21. Genius- Geniuses
22. Hypothesis- Hypotheses
23. Index- Indices
24. Larva- Larvae
25. Memorandum- Memoranda
26. Matrix- Matrices
27. Medium- Media; mediums
28. Metropolis- Metropolises
29. Nucleus- Nuclei
30. Nebula- Nebulae

To be continued.

English for Today - IRREGULAR PLURALS:

These are nouns that do not form their plural forms by the addition of 's' or 'es'. The nouns should be learnt by heart. Fifty of them will be given in this lecture series:

1. Analysis- Analyses
2. Alga- Algae
3. Axis- Axes
4. Antenna- Antennae(insects) Antennas(radio or television aerial)
5. Addendum- Addenda
6. Agendum(old)- Agenda(old)
7. Agenda(old)- Agendas(new)
8. Apex- Apexes or Apices
9. Appendix- Appendices(book) Appendixes(body)
10. Alumna- Alumnae
11. Basis- Bases
12. Bacterium- Bacteria
13.Crises- Crises
14. Circus- Circuses
15. Diagnosis- Diagnoses

To be continued.

AUXILIARY VERBS (3)

6. Used to: It performs the following functions:

a. It is used to express an old habit which has remained: I am used to taking coffee without milk.
b. It is also used to express a frequent action in the past but which has ceased: He used to steal his uncle's money.

7. Will: It performs the following functions:

a. It is used to make a polite request: Will you send this letter for me, please?
b. It shows readiness or willingness: I will wash the car tomorrow.
c. It is used to describe habits in the past or present: She will listen to music alone in her room for hours.
d. It is used for talking about or predicting the future: He will marry next year, won't he?

Lecture continues on Monday. Have a great festivity!

AUXILIARY VERBS (2)

4. Ought: It has only one form and it is commonly used to express an obligation that is right, advisable, or desirable: We ought to have visited the governor. You ought to have married the man that sponsored you in the university


5. May: It performs the following functions:

a. It is used to indicate or ask for permission: May I bring the chairs into the hall?
b. It is used to indicate possibility: This coat may be Peter's
c.  It shows purpose: I will write today so that Kunle may know when to expect me.
d. It expresses wishes and hopes: May you live long to reap the fruits of your labour
 
To be continued

AUXILIARY VERBS

An auxiliary verb is a verb that cannot stand on its own. They are used to help main verbs. The two types of auxiliary verbs are primary auxiliary verbs and modal auxiliary verbs. This lecture will concentrate on modal auxiliary verbs.


USES OF MODAL AUXILIARY VERBS


1. CAN performs the following functions:
a. It expresses permission: You can wear my pair of trousers to office.
b. It shows capacity or ability: Kunle can kill a lion.


2. COULD performs the following functions:
a. It serves as the past tense of can: Kunle could kill a lion as a young man.
b. It is used to express politeness: Could you excuse me please?


3. MUST perform the following functions:
a. It expresses probability: joy did well in her exam. She must have attended a good extra moral lesson
b. It expresses certainty: Every man born of a woman must die
c. It expresses obligation: You must balance your account before leaving the bank.
d. It expresses necessity: You must live a holy life to have an open access to God


To be continued.

VERBS WRONGLY USED WITH PREPOSITIONS

10. Comprise: This is often mistaken for 'consist', which goes with 'of'. 'Comprise' does not take 'of': The class consists of more girls than boys (right). The class comprises of more girls than boys (wrong) The class comprises more girls than boys (right)

11. Order: The verb does not go with 'for' when it means to make an arrangement to buy: We have ordered for two pairs of shoes (wrong). We have ordered two pairs of shoes (right). However, when 'order' is used as a noun, it takes 'of': We have placed an order for two pairs of shoes.

12. Lack: This does not take 'of' when it is used as a verb: We lack of many things in this house (wrong). We lack many things in this house (right). When 'lack' is used as a noun, it takes 'of': The project was abandoned for lack of fund.

VERBS WRONGLY USED WITH PREPOSITIONS (3)

7. Solicit - This verb does not take the preposition 'for': We are soliciting for your support(wrong). We are soliciting your support (right)

8. Discuss - Discuss doesn't attract the preposition 'about': We are discussing about the ASUU strike. We are discussing the ASUU strike. However, the noun discussion can attract the preposition 'on': We had a discussion on the effect of inflation in developing countries.

9. Stress - It does not take the preposition 'on': My boss stressed on the need to come early. My boss stressed the need to come early.

 To be continued

VERBS WRONGLY USED WITH PREPOSITIONS (2)

4. Emphasize: This verb does not take the preposition 'on': The teacher emphasized on the point(wrong). The teacher emphasized the point(right). However, the noun 'emphasis' can attract on: You need not lay emphasis on one point.

5. Vow: It does not take the preposition 'of' as a verb but it does as a noun. The manager vowed of never helping him again(wrong). The manager vowed never to help him again(right) You must take vows of honesty and obedience(right)

6. Request: It does not take the preposition 'of' as a verb but it takes the preposition 'for' as a noun: He requested for more details(wrong). He requested more details(right). He made a request for more details(right)
  
To be continued...

VERBS WRONGLY USED WITH PREPOSITIONS

1. Seek: It means 'look for'. It therefore does not take 'for': I am seeking for your help (wrong). I am seeking your help (right)

2. Demand: When 'demand' is used as a verb, it does not go with the preposition 'for': The students are demanding for new ceiling fans (wrong) The students are demanding new ceiling fans (right). However, when demand is used as a noun, it takes the preposition 'for': you can make a demand for whatever you need.

3. Enter: When it means to 'physically go in', it does not take the preposition 'into': We entered the warehouse at 8am (right) we entered into the warehouse at 8am (wrong). However, it takes the preposition 'into' when it means to begin or start: I entered into an agreement with him yesterday.

To be continued

English for Today CONCORD

13.Collective nouns: Collective nouns are singular nouns  which refer to a group, e.g., audience, class, family, flock etc. A collective noun takes a singular verb when the group acts as a whole: The audience is so large.
A collective noun takes a plural verb when the members of the group are considered to be acting individually: The audience were throwing flowers onto the stage.

14. Concord of time, distance, money and measurement: Nouns that represent these items take the singular verb even when they appear like plural: Twenty million dollars has been spent on the project. Forty kilometers is what we have to cover.  Twenty minutes was spent on registration of participants. Four weeks is enough for the investigation.

15. Number of Concord: When article 'a' precedes 'number of' in subject position, the plural noun that follows is seen in diversity and the verb will be plural. And when 'the' precedes, the plural noun is seen in unity and the verb will be singular: A number of people come here daily. The number of students was alarming.

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English for Today CONCORD

10. Singular nouns that appear like plurals such as title of books: Romeo and Juliet; diseases: measles; games: Snakes and ladders; subjects: Physics take singular verb, e.g., Statistics has many formulae. Snakes and ladder is not a common game. Romeo and Juliet is a classic.

11. Summation Plural Concord: Nouns that have two parts such as scissors, trousers, binoculars, glasses take plural verb, e.g., Your trousers are nice. Your glasses are nice, where did you get them?
However, these nouns can attract a singular verb when they are used with partitives(units of quantification), e.g., Your pair of glasses is nice, where did you get it?
  
To be continued.

English for Today CONCORD

9. Fraction and percentage concord: When fraction and percentage are used in the subject position of a sentence, the noun that follows determines the verb: Fifty percent of the WORK HAS been done. Two-third of the STUDENTS LEAVE on campus.


10. More than concord: When 'more than' is used in the subject position, the verb is again determined by the noun that follows 'more than': More than two HAWKERS COME here daily. More than one HAWKER COMES here daily.


11. Semi coordinating conjunction concord: When conjunctions such as: with, together with, as well as, in association with, along with, join two subjects, the verb is determined by the first part of the subject: KUNLE as well as his siblings COMES here often. THE GIRLS together with their younger brother LIVE here.


To be continued....

English for Today CONCORD

6. All Concord - When 'all' refers to people, it takes the plural verb; when it refers to things, it takes the singular verb: How is the family? All are fine. How is everything? All is well


7. Parenthetical Concord - Any part of the subject that merely adds to the meaning of the head noun does not take part in controlling the verb: NIGERIA in all her sectors IS getting back to life with this new administration.


8.Double Title Concord - When two titles refer to a single person, the second of the two titles will not attract an article and the verb must be singular: The proprietor and administrator of Tendermate school is my brother-in-law.
 
To be continued

English for Today CONCORD

3. Many a/an concord: When 'many a/an' is used in the subject position, it is followed by a singular noun and a singular verb: Many a man is not responsible at home.

4. One of concord: When 'one of' is used in the subject position, it is followed by a plural noun and a singular verb: One of the students comes from Oyo every day.

5. Indefinite pronoun concord: Indefinite pronouns like: everyone, everybody, everything, anyone, someone, no one, something, everything attract singular verb: Everybody is looking happy today.

To be continued

English for Today CONCORD: Subject(noun)-Verb agreement.

Central to learning concord is the pluralisation system in English. Nouns are pluralised by adding -s or -es to the words: boy-boys, box-boxes. The reverse is the case with verbs. When a verb takes -s, it is singular and when it does not it is plural: sings-sing, dances- dance.

15 RULES OF CONCORD IN ENGLISH

1. A singular noun takes a singular verb and a plural noun takes a plural verb:

The boys sing

The boy sings

Kunle and Bode are here

Kunle is here

2. PROXIMITY CONCORD: When 'either...or', 'neither...nor', 'not only...but also' are used in the subject position, the verb agrees with the nearer subject:

Either the boys or the girl is coming today Neither the teacher nor the students are interested in the excursion.

To be continued

English for Today - ARTICLES

4. The indefinite article is usually given to a countable noun when it is mentioned for the first time and subsequently it can attract the definite article: A lecturer came on sabbatical to my school. The lecturer is a professor.

5. The names of international organisations and countries that have 'Nations', 'Kingdom', 'States' attached to them should also take the definite article: The United States; The United Kingdom, The USSR.

6. Certain common nouns don't take 'the' when they have their regular usages: office, home, hospital, bed etc. I'm on bed(not on the bed); I'm going to church(not to the church)

7. Finally, article 'a' precedes consonant sounds(not necessarily consonant letters) and article 'an' precedes vowel sounds(not necessarily vowel letters) e.g., a union; an umbrella, a student; an SS2 student.

ARTICLES

ARTICLES: These are the definite article(the) and the indefinite articles (a) and (an).
Uses:

1. The title of newspapers and magazines should have the definite article: The Punch, The Sun


2. Countable nouns take both the definite and the indefinite articles: a book/the book, a car/the car


3.Uncountable nouns take only the definite article: the salt, the water


4. The definite article should precede family names and the name should take an 's': The Bamgboses, The Tinubus.


  To be continued

English for Today COLLOCATIONS: more examples

9. Not only-but also: When 'not only' is used, it should be followed by 'but also':
He is not only poor but also dirty(right)
He is not only poor, he is dirty(wrong)

10. With a view to/in view of/the view of: When any of these is used, it should be followed by an -ing verb and not just a verb: He went abroad with a view to finding a business partner(right)
He went abroad with a view to find a business partner(wrong)


11. Sympathize with/ sympathetic to/ sympathy for: The church sympathizes with you(right). We are sympathetic to you(right). Don't you have sympathy for people?(Right)


12. With regard to/ as regards: There is no 's' in the former but there is in the latter: With regard to your request, we are not relenting in our effort(right). As regards your request, we are very much on it.

English for Today COLLOCATIONS: more examples

4. Although-yet(not but): Although he was invited yet he was not welcome.

5. Prone-to(this is used for something negative): He is prone to infection.


6. Quote-off hand(not off head) and quote off hand means to recite: Although the poem was long yet Yinka quoted the lines off hand.


7. Learn- by heart. This means to memorize: It was a long poem but he learnt it by heart.


8. Looking forward-to. This should be followed by an -ing verb or a noun but never a verb:
I am looking forward to seeing your family(right)
I am looking forward to a day of absolute freedom(right)
I am looking forward to see your family(wrong)


To be continued