IELTS - Grammar and Sentence Structure Quick Review 3
1. Correcting Misplaced Prepositions
**Explanation:** Prepositions must be correctly placed to clearly indicate the relationship between nouns, pronouns, and other sentence elements. Misplaced prepositions can alter the intended meaning or make sentences confusing.
- **Examples:**
- Incorrect: "He wrote the letter with a pen of gold." (Sounds like the letter is made of gold)
- Correct: "He wrote the letter with a gold pen."
- **Teaching Point:** Place prepositions so they clearly relate to the correct noun or pronoun. The relationship they describe (time, place, method, etc.) should be logical and clear.
2. Using Prepositions of Time
**Explanation:** Prepositions of time like 'at', 'in', 'on', and 'during' show when something happens. Each preposition has specific cases in which it’s used.
- **Examples:**
- Use 'at' for precise times: "Meet me at 5 PM."
- Use 'on' for days and dates: "My birthday is on Friday."
- **Teaching Point:** 'At' is for precise times, 'on' is for days and dates, and 'in' is for longer periods (months, years, seasons). 'During' indicates a period or range of time.
3. Using Prepositions of Place
**Explanation:** Prepositions of place like 'at', 'in', 'on', and 'by' describe the location or position of something or someone.
- **Examples:**
- Use 'at' for specific points: "She is waiting at the bus stop."
- Use 'in' for enclosed spaces: "He is in the garden."
- **Teaching Point:** 'At' is used for specific points, 'in' for enclosed spaces, and 'on' for surfaces. 'By', 'next to', 'beside', 'near', and 'close to' indicate proximity.
4. Correcting Redundant Prepositions
**Explanation:** Redundant prepositions are unnecessary and can be removed without changing the meaning of the sentence. They often occur due to direct translation from another language.
- **Examples:**
- Redundant: "Climb up on the ladder."
- Correct: "Climb up the ladder."
- **Teaching Point:** Avoid using extra prepositions that don’t add meaning to the sentence. In many cases, the verb itself indicates the direction or action without needing an additional preposition.
5. Prepositions in Phrasal Verbs
**Explanation:** Phrasal verbs combine a verb with a preposition or adverb, changing the original meaning of the verb. The preposition in a phrasal verb is crucial to its meaning.
- **Examples:**
- "Give up" (to quit)
- "Look after" (to take care of)
- **Teaching Point:** Phrasal verbs must be memorized as the combination of verb and preposition/adverb often creates a meaning different from the original words. Changing the preposition can change the entire meaning of the phrase.
6. Correcting Sentence Structure with Coordinating Conjunctions
**Explanation:** Coordinating conjunctions (like 'and', 'but', 'or') join clauses of equal importance. Correct use ensures clear and logical sentence structure.
- **Examples:**
- Incorrect: "He enjoys playing tennis but not to swim."
- Correct: "He enjoys playing tennis but not swimming."
- **Teaching Point:** Ensure that the sentence parts joined by coordinating conjunctions are parallel or similar in structure for clarity and flow.
7. Correcting Sentence Structure with Subordinating Conjunctions
**Explanation:** Subordinating conjunctions like 'although', 'because', 'if', 'since', and 'when' are used to connect an independent clause with a dependent clause, showing relationships like cause and effect, contrast, or condition. The dependent clause cannot stand alone and depends on the main clause for its full meaning.
- **Examples:**
- Incorrect: "Because she was tired, but she still finished her work."
- (Here, 'but' disrupts the cause-effect relationship set by 'because'.)
- Correct: "Although she was tired, she still finished her work."
- (‘Although’ introduces a contrast between being tired and completing work.)
- **Teaching Point:** The clause introduced by the subordinating conjunction should add information to the main clause that helps explain, contrast, or modify its meaning. It's important to choose the right conjunction to clearly express the intended relationship between the clauses.
8. Correcting Sentence Structure with Correlative Conjunctions
**Explanation:** Correlative conjunctions are pairs like 'either...or', 'neither...nor', 'not only...but also'. They link two equal parts of a sentence, but they need to be used correctly for the sentence to make sense.
- **Examples:**
- Incorrect: "Not only she is talented but also kind."
- Correct: "She is not only talented but also kind."
- **Teaching Point:** Ensure that the sentence structure is parallel after both parts of the correlative conjunctions. The same kind of word or phrase should follow both parts.
9. Correct Use of Relative Pronouns
**Explanation:** Relative pronouns like 'who', 'which', 'that', 'whom', and 'whose' link clauses to nouns or pronouns. They provide more information about the noun or pronoun they follow.
- **Examples:**
- "The person who called you is my friend." (‘who’ refers to ‘the person’)
- "The book that I read was interesting." (‘that’ refers to ‘the book’)
- **Teaching Point:** Choose the relative pronoun based on what it refers to (use 'who' for people, 'which' for things, 'that' for both) and ensure it correctly connects the clauses to provide clarity.
10. Correct Use of Demonstrative Pronouns
**Explanation:** Demonstrative pronouns like 'this', 'that', 'these', and 'those' point to specific nouns. 'This' and 'these' refer to something near in time or space, while 'that' and 'those' refer to something farther away.
- **Examples:**
- "This is my favorite song." (referring to something close or immediate)
- "Those were the best days of my life." (referring to something distant in time)
- **Teaching Point:** Use demonstrative pronouns to indicate proximity or distance, both physically and temporally. Make sure it’s clear what noun the pronoun is referring to.
11. Correcting Errors in Subject-Predicate Agreement
**Explanation:** The subject and predicate (the part of the sentence containing the verb) must agree in number. Singular subjects need singular predicates, and plural subjects need plural predicates.
- **Examples:**
- Incorrect: "The list of items are on the table." (‘The list’ is singular)
- Correct: "The list of items is on the table."
- **Teaching Point:** Ensure that the main subject of your sentence (not a subject in a modifying phrase) agrees with the verb. Singular subjects take singular verbs, and plural subjects take plural verbs.
12. Correcting Misuse of Gerunds and Infinitives
**Explanation:** Gerunds (verb+ing) and infinitives (to+verb) can function as nouns, but they're not always interchangeable. Some verbs and adjectives are followed by only gerunds or only infinitives.
- **Examples:**
- Correct: "I enjoy swimming." (‘enjoy’ is followed by a gerund)
- Correct: "I decided to swim." (‘decided’ is followed by an infinitive)
- **Teaching Point:** Learn which verbs and adjectives are typically followed by gerunds and which are followed by infinitives. Using the wrong form can change the meaning or make the sentence incorrect.
13. Correcting Tense Consistency Errors
**Explanation:** Maintain the same verb tense throughout a sentence or connected clauses unless a change in time frame is indicated. Tense shifts can confuse the reader about when actions are happening.
- **Examples:**
- Incorrect: "She was walking to the market and buys some fruit."
- Correct: "She was walking to the market and bought some fruit."
- **Teaching Point:** Keep verb tenses consistent in a sentence. Change tenses only when moving from one time frame to another, and ensure the change is logical and clear.
14. Correcting Parallel Structure in Sentences
**Explanation:** Parallel structure (or parallelism) means using the same pattern of words to show that two or more ideas have the same level of importance. This can happen at the word, phrase, or clause level.
- **Examples:**
- Incorrect: "She likes reading, to bake, and jogging."
- Correct: "She likes reading, baking, and jogging."
- **Teaching Point:** Use the same grammatical form for similar elements in a sentence (e.g., all gerunds, all infinitives, all noun phrases). This creates a rhythm and balance in your writing, making it easier to read and understand.
15. Correcting Misused Transition Words
**Explanation:** Transition words like 'however', 'therefore', 'moreover', and 'consequently' link ideas and help the flow of a sentence. Misusing them can disrupt the logic and clarity of your writing.
- **Examples:**
- Incorrect: "He was late. However, he missed the bus." (‘However’ suggests contrast, but this is a cause-effect situation.)
- Correct: "He was late. Therefore, he missed the bus."
- **Teaching Point:** Choose transition words that accurately reflect the relationship between your ideas. ‘However’ and ‘nevertheless’ show contrast, while ‘therefore’ and ‘consequently’ indicate a cause-effect relationship.
16. Punctuation Errors in Complex Sentences
**Explanation:** Complex sentences, which combine an independent clause with one or more dependent clauses, often require careful punctuation to clarify the relationship between the clauses and enhance readability.
- **Examples:**
- Incorrect: "While I was cooking I heard a noise." (The lack of punctuation makes it hard to separate the two clauses.)
- Correct: "While I was cooking, I heard a noise." (A comma after the dependent clause 'While I was cooking' clearly separates it from the independent clause 'I heard a noise.')
- **Teaching Point:** In complex sentences, especially when the dependent clause comes before the independent clause, use a comma to separate them. This helps to clearly delineate the start and end of each thought, making the sentence easier to read and understand.
17. Correcting Misuse of Colons and Semicolons
**Explanation:** Colons are used to introduce lists, quotes, or further explanation; semicolons link closely related independent clauses or separate items in a complex list.
- **Examples:**
- Colon: "He has three options: run, fight, or surrender."
- Semicolon: "She loves Paris; it's her favorite city."
- **Teaching Point:** Use a colon to introduce an element or list, and a semicolon to link closely related but separate ideas. Remember, what comes after a colon must be closely related to what comes before it.
18. Sentence Completion with Correct Prepositions
**Explanation:** Completing sentences with the correct prepositions is crucial for meaning and clarity. Prepositions connect nouns or pronouns to other words in a sentence and show relationships like direction, place, time, and manner.
- **Examples:**
- Incorrect: "She is good on painting."
- Correct: "She is good at painting."
- **Teaching Point:** Pay attention to the specific prepositions that follow certain verbs, adjectives, and nouns. The right preposition can completely change the meaning of a sentence.
19. Correcting Sentence Structure in Comparative and Superlative Forms
**Explanation:** Comparatives (e.g., 'bigger', 'more interesting') are used to compare two things; superlatives (e.g., 'biggest', 'most interesting') are used to compare one thing with the entire group.
- **Examples:**
- Comparative: "She is taller than her sister."
- Superlative: "She is the tallest in her family."
- **Teaching Point:** Use comparatives for one-to-one comparisons and superlatives when comparing one thing against a group. Ensure adjectives are changed correctly to form comparatives and superlatives (e.g., 'happy' to 'happier' or 'happiest').
20. Correcting Sentences with Incorrectly Used Modals
**Explanation:** Modals are auxiliary verbs (like 'can', 'must', 'should') that express ability, possibility, permission, or obligation. Using the wrong modal can change the meaning or make the sentence grammatically incorrect.
- **Examples:**
- Incorrect: "She must to go to the store." (‘to’ is not needed after modals)
- Correct: "She must go to the store."
- **Teaching Point:** Choose the correct modal based on the meaning you want to convey and remember not to use 'to' after modals. For example, 'can' for ability, 'must' for obligation, 'might' for possibility, etc.
21. Sentence Structure with Causative Verbs
**Explanation:** Causative verbs (like 'make', 'let', 'have', 'get') are used to indicate that one person causes another person to do something. They are often followed by a noun or pronoun and a base verb.
- **Examples:**
- "She made her brother apologize." ('Made' is causing the brother to take action.)
- "He got his friend to help him." ('Got' is causing the friend to take action.)
- **Teaching Point:** Use causative verbs to show that someone or something is causing an action to happen. The structure is usually causative verb + person + base form of the action verb.
22. Correcting Inversions in Sentences
**Explanation:** Inversions involve reversing the normal word order, especially after negative adverbials (like 'never', 'rarely', 'seldom') or in questions. They can add emphasis or stylistic variation to writing.
- **Examples:**
- Standard: "I have never seen such beauty."
- Inverted: "Never have I seen such beauty."
- **Teaching Point:** Use inversion for emphasis or style, especially after negative adverbials. In questions, the auxiliary verb often comes before the subject ('Are you coming?').
23. Using Correct Question Forms
**Explanation:** Questions in English need to follow specific structures, such as using auxiliary verbs (do/does/did) for simple tenses, or inverting the subject and auxiliary verb.
- **Examples:**
- "What did she say?" (auxiliary 'did' + subject 'she')
- "Is he going home?" (inversion of 'is' and 'he')
- **Teaching Point:** Remember to use the auxiliary verb at the beginning of the question for simple tenses, and invert the subject and auxiliary verb. For 'wh' questions, start with the 'wh' word followed by the auxiliary, then the subject, then the main verb.
24. Correcting Errors in Reported Speech
**Explanation:** When transforming direct speech into reported speech, tense changes are often required. The tense typically shifts back one step (e.g., present to past) and pronouns may change to suit the new speaker's perspective.
- **Examples:**
- Direct: "I am going to the store," she said.
- Reported: "She said she was going to the store."
- **Teaching Point:** Shift the verb tense back (present to past, past to past perfect, etc.) in reported speech. Also, adjust pronouns and time expressions ('today' to 'that day', 'tomorrow' to 'the next day') as necessary.
25. Correcting Sentences with Modal Perfect
**Explanation:** Modal perfects combine modals (like 'could', 'might', 'should') with 'have' and a past participle to talk about past probabilities, speculations, or missed opportunities.
- **Examples:**
- "She might have taken the wrong train." (It’s possible she took the wrong train.)
- "He should have studied more for the exam." (He didn't study enough, and it's a missed opportunity.)
- **Teaching Point:** Use modal perfects to speculate about the past or express regret. Remember the structure: modal + have + past participle.