120 Grammar lessons

 13. Article a – correct use 

The article 'a' placed in front of a noun conveys the idea of 'one'. When writing about two separate objects, a second 'a' must be used. 

If the two objects are considered as one, then the second 'a' may be left out.

 • Incorrect: I have a hammer and chisel. 

• Correct: I have a hammer and a chisel. (Here we are talking about two separate objects.)

 • Incorrect: She has a son and daughter. 

• Correct: She has a son and a daughter. 

• Incorrect: The mechanic used a block and a tackle to lift the machine. 

• Correct: The mechanic used a block and tackle to lift the machine. (Here we are talking about one object.) 

14. Ask and ask for 

Ask for: ask somebody to give something 

Ask: ask somebody to tell something 

• He asked me for a loan. (NOT He asked me a loan.)

 • They asked ten dollars for the book. 

• If you don't know the answer, ask the teacher. • Don't ask me my name. (NOT Don’t ask me for my name)  

15. At first and first 

At first is used to talk about the beginning of a situation. 

It is often followed by but. 

In other cases, we usually use first.

 • At first everything seemed fine, but then things started going wrong. 

• I first met her at a restaurant. 

Anyhow; Somehow: Articles

 11. Anyhow and somehow 

• Incorrect: He did it anyhow. 

• Correct: He managed to do it somehow. 

• Incorrect: He keeps his things somehow in his desk.

 • Correct: He keeps his things anyhow in his desk. (= He doesn’t keep his things in order.) 

• Incorrect: He may not come but somehow I shall. 

• Correct: He may not come but anyhow I shall. (= I will certainly come.) 

Use 'anyhow' to mean 'in disorder'. ‘Anyhow’ can also mean 'for certain'. 

12. Articles 

The misuse of the and a is very common. 

Here are the basic rules for the use and omission of articles. 

Proper nouns (e.g. John, Alice and India) do not take articles. 

• Incorrect: The John is my friend. 

• Correct: John is my friend. 

• Incorrect: The Tokyo is a big city. 

• Correct: Tokyo is a big city. 

A singular common noun (e.g. boy, cat, tree, book, apple etc.) must have an article.

 • Incorrect: There is cat on roof. 

• Correct: There is a cat on the roof. A plural common noun cannot be used with the article a. It is usually used with no article, though 'some' is sometimes used before it. Compare: 

• A spider has eight legs. • Spiders have eight legs. 

Remember that a noun can be common in one sentence and proper in another sentence. A superlative adjective is usually used with the. 

• Incorrect: He is best player in the team.

 • Correct: He is the best player in the team.

13. Article a – correct use 

The article 'a' placed in front of a noun conveys the idea of 'one'. When writing about two separate objects, a second 'a' must be used. 

If the two objects are considered as one, then the second 'a' may be left out.

 • Incorrect: I have a hammer and chisel. 

• Correct: I have a hammer and a chisel. (Here we are talking about two separate objects.)

 • Incorrect: She has a son and daughter. 

• Correct: She has a son and a daughter. 

• Incorrect: The mechanic used a block and a tackle to lift the machine. 

• Correct: The mechanic used a block and tackle to lift the machine. (Here we are talking about one object.) 

Some Grammar lessons we should keep in mind.

 1. According to 

• Incorrect: According to me, she should have resigned earlier. • 

Correct: In my opinion, she should have resigned earlier. We do not give our own opinions with according to. 

2. Across and through 

The difference between across and through is similar to the difference between on and in. We use through to talk about movement in three dimensional spaces with things on all sides. 

• We walked across the field. (= We were on the field.) 

• We walked through the wood. (= We were in the wood.) 

3. Adjectives ending in -ly

• Incorrect: She smiled friendly. 

• Correct: She smiled in a friendly way.

• Incorrect: He laughed silly. • 

Correct: He gave a silly laugh Here the error lies in using an adjective instead of an adverb. 

We use adverbs to modify verbs. Most adverbs end in –ly; there are also a few adjectives that end in – ly. Examples are: costly, friendly, lively, likely, lonely, lovely, silly and ugly. There are no adverbs costly/costlily or friendly/friendlily. 

4. Ago and before • 

Incorrect: His father died three years before. 

• Correct: His father died three years ago. 

Ago is used to count back from the present. It is used with a past tense and a time expression. 

Before is used when you date back from any point of time which is made specific. • I saw him two years before I went to England. 

5. All and every • 

Incorrect: Every children need love. 

• Correct: Every child needs love. 

• Incorrect: All the light was out. 

• Correct: All the lights were out. Every is used with a singular noun. All is used with a plural noun. 

6. All right and alright The standard spelling is all right, but alright is more common although many people consider it incorrect. 

7. Already and all ready 

• Incorrect: We are already for the show. 

• Correct: We are all ready for the show. 

• Incorrect: They have all ready arrived. 

• Correct: They have already arrived. All ready means ‘all are ready’. Already means 'by now' or 'sooner than expected'. 

• The train had already left before we reached the station. 

• The patient had already died before the doctor arrived. 

 8. Alternate and alternative 

Alternative means 'different', 'instead', 'on the other hand'. 

• We will make an alternative arrangement if these plans don't suit you. 

• I had to go. There was no alternative. Alternate means 'every second' or 'in turns'. He only comes to work on alternate days. 

9. Altogether and all together 

Altogether means ‘entirely’ or ‘everything considered’. 

• I don’t altogether agree. 

• It is altogether wrong to ill-treat animals. All together simply means ‘everybody / everything together’.

 • They all went out together. 

• She put the glasses all together in the sink. 

10. Any and some 

Both some and any suggest an indefinite amount or number. Some is more common in affirmative clauses. Any is used in questions and negative clauses. Compare:

 • I need some pencils. (NOT I need any pencils.) 

• Have you got any pencils? • Sorry, I haven't got any pencils. 

 

The poem of the day

 

The Delight Song of Tsoai-talee BY N. SCOTT MOMADAY

I am a feather on the bright sky I am the blue horse that runs in the plain I am the fish that rolls, shining, in the water I am the shadow that follows a child I am the evening light, the lustre of meadows I am an eagle playing with the wind I am a cluster of bright beads I am the farthest star I am the cold of dawn I am the roaring of the rain I am the glitter on the crust of the snow I am the long track of the moon in a lake I am a flame of four colors I am a deer standing away in the dusk I am a field of sumac and the pomme blanche I am an angle of geese in the winter sky I am the hunger of a young wolf I am the whole dream of these things You see, I am alive, I am alive I stand in good relation to the earth I stand in good relation to the gods I stand in good relation to all that is beautiful I stand in good relation to the daughter of Tsen-tainte You see, I am alive, I am alive