Two ways to use possessive case pronouns:
1.3.1 like an adjective, to modify a noun My, your, his, her, our, their
1.3.2 Standing alone, and not modifying a noun Mine, yours, hers, ours, theirs
E.g. the mechanic asked Dr. Chen if the violin in the back seat was his.
2. An interrogative疑问 pronoun introduces a question.
E.g. Who, whom, whose, which
An indefinite pronoun refers to an unspecified person, place, thing, or idea. E.g. all, anyone, anything, both, each
A relative pronoun is used to introduce a subordinate clause.
E.g. an independent clause can stand alone as a sentence –a subordinate clause cannot.
E.g. who, whom, which, that
E.g. Sean Connery was the first actor who portrayed the secret agent James Bond. (A subordinate clause) Tricky:
1. Using the pronouns who and whom
Who is in the subjective case and must be used as the subject of a verb. Whom is in the objective case
2. Than or as
Eduardo is better dancer than I.
My dog barks at my sister as much as
PART 6
Singular and plural
Singular words refer to one person, place, thing, or idea.
Plural nouns are usually formed by adding “s” or “es” to the singular form. Exceptions: man ---men, woman ---women, child---children, leaf ---leaves
Indefinite pronouns:
1. Always singular: each, one, neither, anybody, somebody, nobody, anyone. 2. Always plural : both ,few ,may ,others ,
3. Singular or plural Sanam pronouns: some ,any ,none ,all ,most
e.g. Some of pie was eaten. Some of the students were late. TIP:
1. How to tell if the sanam pronoun is singular or plural:
Look at the prepositional 介词 phrase that follows the sanam pronoun.判断是用复数还是单数，取决于介词词组是单数还是复数。
2. The collective noun: group ,team, class ,flock committee, family
2.1 When the noun refers to the group as a whole, use a singular verb. (used in
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majority of cases)
The team is ready for the game.
2.2 When the noun refers to the group as individuals, use a plural verb. The team are dressing in the locker room. Tricky:
1. A subject that describes an amount is singular. One million dollars is a lot of money.
Fine minutes in the dentist?s chair feels like a long time.
2. The phrase “the number “is singular, the phrase “a number” is plural.
Subject –verb agreement Tricky: a compound subject
1. And: A and B are going bowling. Two exceptions:
If the two parts together make up one thing, use a singular verb. The skull and crossbones was a famous pirate symbol.
If the two parts of the compound subject are preceded by “each” or “every” ,use a singular verb.
Each pot and pan was washed and carefully put away.
2. OR if the parts of the compound subject are joined by the conjunction “or”, the verb should match the subject that is closest to the verb.
Either Andre?s parents or Andre has left an umbrella in the closet. The students or their teacher is expected to close the room. Tricky:
Words like “as well as “and “in addition to “do not create a compound subject. The principal, as well as her husband, was a special guest at the awards banquet. 3. When words separate the subject and verb, finding the subject may be tricky. Tip:
Eliminate prepositional phase before trying to identify the subject.
The distance between the Earth and the more distant stars of our galaxy is difficult to measure.
4. When the subject follows the verb, finding the subject may be tricky. Tip:
In a question or in sentence beginning with “there “or “here,” the subject usually follows the verb.
Are the computers ready for installation?
There is a good reason for my lateness this morning.
Gender pronouns
Masculine: he, him, his Feminine: she, her, hers Neuter: it, its. Plural pronouns
Any gender: They, them, their
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Part 8
Parallelisms Rule:
1. When listing two or more things, qualities, or actions, describe them in
parallel grammatical forms.
e.g. America?s founders were prepared to risk everything: their property, their reputations ,and their lives.
A marine recruit is expected to be fit in his physique, tough in his psychology, and mature in his emotions.
2. Use parallelism to link related ideas and emphasize the relationships among
them.
E.g. love of country is admirable, but today it is necessary to love humanity in general. Rewrite: love of country is admirable, but today love of humanity is necessary.
I agree with Jack?s political views, but his way of expressing them is something I don?t agree with. Rewrite:
I agree with Jack?s political views, but I disagree with the way he express them.
The films of Stanley Kubrick are visually striking, intellectually challenging, and with a strong satiric content. Rewrite:
The films of Stanley Kubrick are visually striking, intellectually challenging, and with strongly satiric讽刺的.
3. When using parallel construction, build to a climax高潮.
Tip：
When you?re presenting a number of ideas in a sequence, it?s best to end with the most interesting, most important, or most dramatic item.
Visitors to America?s heartland fall in love with the field of waving grain, the endless skies, and the giant hamburgers. Rewrite ：
Visitors to America?s heartland fall in love with the giant hamburgers, the field of waving grain, and the endless skies 4. Active verb and passive verb
When making an apple pie, first slice the apples, and then mix them with sugar and lemon juice. Using Ellipsis省略
Ellipsis is used to avoid needless repetition.
To test the correct use of ellipsis re-insert the same omitted words and make sure sentence makes sense.
E.g. labor has agreed to cooperate with management, and management (has
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agreed to cooperate) with labor. 加入红色部分文字后make sense ,所以可以省略。
With pleasure ,life is intolerable; without purpose ,(life is )meaningless.红色部分可以省略。
For generations, fishing boats have and do navigate the waters of Chesapeake Bay.红色部分作者试图省略，但是不对。
Rewrite：
For generations, fishing boats have navigated the waters of Chesapeake Bay, and they still do.
No true warm-water fish could exist in the Arctic, and certainly could not thrive there.
Rewrite:
A true warm-water fish could not exist in the Arctic, and certainly could not thrive there.
Part 9 Punctuation
Comma
1. Use a comma逗号 to set off开始 a modifying phase or clause at the start of
a sentence.
E.g. lost is thought, peter didn?t hear Andre?s question.
Harry Truman, the thirty-third persistent of the United States, was born in Missouri.
2. Don?t use commas to set off a word or phrase which is essential to
understanding the meaning of the sentence.
E.g. the historian Doris Kearns Goodwin wrote a famous book about something.
My uncle Jerry is an expert driver.
3. Use a comma to separate two independent clauses that are linked with a
coordinating conjunction.
Six coordinating conjunction: and- or – nor –for –but –yet
E.g. French wines are considered the finest in the world, but many other countries also produce excellent wine. Exception: I hear and I obey.
4. Use commas to separate items in a list. Separate three or more items in a list
with commas.
E.g. The exhibit of Spanish art included paintings by A, B, and C. Miriam drove up in a small, battered ,rusty station wagon运货马车. Semicolons 分号
1. Use a semicolon to separate two independent clauses where no
coordinating conjunction is used.
E.g. if you see a parking spot on the street, put your car there; otherwise, use a parking lot.
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2. Use a semicolon to separate items in a list when the items
themselves contain commas.
E.g. among the leading figures at the Constitutional Convention were Thomas Jefferson, a planter from Virginia; Alexander Hamilton, an aide to Washington during the revolution; and James Madison, a legislator from Massachusetts.
Colons 冒号
Use a colon to indicate that what follows is equivalent to what precedes the colon.
Tip: when used correctly, the colon can often be replaced with the words “that is “or “in other words.”
E.g. the silent movie era produced three comic geniuses: A and B.
Quotation 引号
1. Use single quotation marks to set off the words in a quotation within a
quotation.
King declared,“I have a dream that one day this nation will rise up and live out the true meaning of its creed,? we hold these truths to be self –evident, that all men are created equal.?”
2. Don?t use quotation marks for emphasis or to cast doubt.
Avoid: Special today: “fresh” corn on the cob.
3. Marks should be included in quotation.
parentheses括号
Use parentheses to set off words or phrases that interrupt the meaning of a sentence. Everyone in Los Angeles (at least everyone I know) seems to be writing a screenplay.电影剧本
John Lennon (1942- 1980) was a member of the Beatles, the most famous group in the history of pop music.
Dash 破折号 Someone had taken the file from the mayor?s desk-but who?
Parker claimed –with some justification- that his enemies were being hypocritical.虚伪的
Ellipses 省略号
Use ellipse to indicate words omitted from a quotation or to signal the trailing –off of the end of a sentence.
As Lincoln once remarked,”you can fool all of the people some of the time.. but you can?t fool all of the people all of the time.? The house is dark; I wonder why…
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