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Kamis, 24 Maret 2011

Countable and Uncountable Noun


Definition
Countable nouns are easy to recognize. They are things that we can count.

Uncountable nouns are substances, concepts etc that we cannot divide into separate elements. We cannot "count" them.

Analysis
Countable nouns can be singular or plural. When a countable noun is singular, we must use a word like a/the/my/this with it.

Its usually treat uncountable nouns as singular. Do not usually use the indefinite article a/an with uncountable nouns. We cannot say "an information" or "a music". But we can say a something of.

Examples
ü  countable nouns :
a.       dog, cat, animal, man, person
b.      bottle, box, litre
c.       coin, note, dollar
d.      cup, plate, fork
e.      table, chair, suitcase, bag
ü  Countable nouns can be singular or plural :
a.       My dog is playing
b.      My dogs are hungry
ü  We can use the indefinite article a/an with countable nouns :
a.       A dog is an animal.
ü  When a countable noun is singular, we must use a word like a/the/my/this with it :
a.       I want an orange. (not I want orange.)
b.      Where is my bottle? (not where is bottle?)
ü  When a countable noun is plural, we can use it alone :
a.       I like oranges.
b.      Bottles can break.
ü  We can use some and any with countable nouns :
a.       I’ve got some dollars.
b.      Have you got any pens?
ü  We can use a few and many with countable nouns :
a.       I’ve got a few dollars.
b.      I haven’t got many pens.
Here are some more examples of countable and uncountable nouns :
Countable
Uncountable
dollar
money
song
music
suitcase
luggage
table
furniture
battery
electricity
bottle
wine
report
information
tip
advice
journey
travel
job
work
view
scenery
When you learn a new word, it's a good idea to learn whether it's countable or uncountable.

Degrees of Comparison

Definition
In English grammar the degree of comparison of an adjective or adverb that describes the relational value of one thing with something in another clause of a sentence. An adjective may simply describe a quality, (the positive); it may compare the quality with that of another of its kind (comparative degree); and it may compare the quality with many or all others (superlative degree).
In other languages it may describe a very large degree of a particular quality (in Semitic linguistics, called an elative).

Analysis
1)      Positive Degree
As ( adjective/adverb) as is used to say that the two parts of a comparation are equal or the same in some way.
2)      Comparative Degree
The comparative compares “this/these” to “that/these”.
Form :
ü  Suffix – er           : for one syllable word
ü  More/Less          : for more than one syllable word
3)      Superlative Degree
The superlative compares one part of a whole group to all the rest of the group.
Form :
ü  Suffix – est                         : for one syllable word
ü  The most .. / The least .. : for more than one syllable word

Example
a.       Jim is 20 years old. Tom is 20 years old.
Jim is as old as Tom.
b.      Jim is 20 years old. Anna is 15 years old.
Jim is older than Anna.
c.       This book is more expensive than that one.
d.      This building is the highest building in this town.
e.      This test is the most difficult test i’ve ever know

Active and Passive Sentences


·  
Definition
Sentences can be active or passive. Therefore, tenses also have "active forms" and "passive forms." You must learn to recognize the difference to successfully speak English.

Active Form
       : In active sentences, the thing doing the action is the subject of the sentence and the thing receiving the action is the object. Most sentences are active.

Passive Form     : In passive sentences, the thing receiving the action is the subject of the sentence and the thing doing the action is optionally included near the end of the sentence. You can use the passive form if you think that the thing receiving the action is more important or should be emphasized. You can also use the passive form if you do not know who is doing the action or if you do not want to mention who is doing the action.

Analysis
1)      Simple present tense
Active   : S + v1 (s/es) + O
Passive                 : O + to be + v3 + by S
2)      Present continuous
Active   : S + to be + v1 ing + O
Passive                 : O + to be + being + v3 + by S
3)      Present perfect
Active   : S + have/has + v3 + O
Passive : O + to be + being + v3 + by S
4)      Present perfect continuous
Active   : S + have/has + been + v1 ing + O
Passive : O + have/has + been + v3 + by S
5)      Past tense
Active   : S + v2 + O
Passive : O + was/were + v3 + by S
6)      Past continuous
Active   : S + was/were + v1 ing + O
Passive : O + was/were + being + v3 + by S
7)      Past perfect
Active   : S + had + v3 + O
Passive : O + had + been + v3 + by S
8)      Past perfect continuous
Active   : S + had been + v1 ing + O
Passive : O + had been + being + v3 + by S
9)      Simple future
Active   : S + modals + v1 + O
Passive : O + modals + be + v3 + by S
10)   Future continouos
Active   : S + modals be + v1 ing + O
Passive : O + modals be + being + v3 + by S
11)   Future perfect
Active   : S + modals + have + v3 + O
Passive : O + modals + have been + v3 + by S
12)   Future perfect continouos
Active   : S + modals + have been + v1 ing + O
Passive : O + modals + have been + being + v3 + by S
13)   Past future
Active   : S + modals past + v1 + O
Passive : O + modals past + be + v3 + by S
14)   Past future continouos
Active   : S + modals past + be + v1 ing + O
Passive : O + modals past + be + being + v3 + by S
15)   Past future perfect
Active   : S + modals past + have + v3 + O
Passive : O + modals + have been + v3 + by S
16)   Past future perfect continouos
Active   : S + modals past + have been + v1 ing + O
Passive : O + modals past + have been + being + v3 + by S

Example
a.       Simple present
Active   :  She sweeps the floor everyday
Passive : The floor is swept by her everyday
b.      Present continouos
Active   :  Sheila is sweeping the floor now
Passive : The floor is being swept by Sheila now
c.       Present perfect
Active   : Jane has swept the floor
Passive : The floor has been sweept by Jane
d.      Past tense
Active   : He swept the floor
Passive : The floor was swept by him
e.      Past continouos
Active   : They were sweeping the floor
Passive : The floor was being swept by them

Reported Speech


§     Definition
Reported Speech (also referred to as 'indirect speech') refers to a sentence reporting what someone has said. It is almost always used in spoken English.

§     Analysis
ü  If the reporting verb (i.e. said) is in the past, the reported clause is in a past form. This form is usually one step back into the past from the original.
ü  If simple present, present perfect or the future is used in the reporting verb (i.e. says) the tense is retained.

§     Examples

Tenses
Direct / Reported Speech
Simple present:
I said, “She is busy”. - I said she was busy.
Present continuous:
I said, “I am working now”. - I said I was working now
Simple past:
I said, “She was here this morning”. - I said she was here this morning. or
I said she had been here this morning.
Past continuous:
I said “She was studying all yesterday” - I said she was studying all yesterday. or
I said she had been studying all yesterday
Present perfect:
I said, “She has worked here for 5 years.” - I said she had worked here for 5 years.
Past perfect:
I said, “She had worked here for 5 years.” - I said she had worked here for 5 years.
Future:
I said, “She will work here from July.” - I said she would work here from July.
Future continuous:
I said, “We’ll be living here for 6 months.” - I said we would be living here for 6 months.
Can:
I said, “She can play the piano well.” - I said she could play the piano well.



Source :
1.       Buku Pintar Tenses by Anik M. Indriastuti, M.Hum
2.       Practical Complete – English Grammar by M. J. Lado (Titik Terang)
3.       Buku Hafalan Luar Kepala Bahasa Inggris SMP – Forum Tentor