[...]... Basic Grammar Putting It to Work Practice in Determining the Case of Pronouns 25 Making Pronouns Agree with Antecedents Background Basic Grammar Putting It to Work Practice in Making Pronouns Agree 26 Making Pronouns Clear Background Basic Grammar Putting It to Work Practice in Providing Clear Antecedents 27 Using the Right Modifiers Background Basic Grammar ... 143 *43 143 49 *5* J 5i 151 !52 x 52 J 53 154 154 J 55 J 55 156 156 157 *59 159 160 161 161 162 162 164 164 164 165 165 165 166 166 167 169 170 173 Parti THE ESSENTIALS OF ENGLISH GRAMMAR In Part I you will find a clear and concise summary of English g r a m m a r : its forms, principles, and basic terminology T h e material is presented in non-technical language and in easy, natural steps, beginning... Accurately 28 Using the Right Connectives Background Basic Grammar Putting It to Work Practice in Using the Right Connectives 29 Making Sentences Complete and Unified Background Basic Grammar Putting It to Work Practice in Writing Complete Sentences Practice in Writing Unified Sentences 30 Placing Modifiers Clearly Background Basic Grammar Putting It to Work Practice in Making Modifiers... tossed violently in the high wind certain words are more essential than others The complete sub­ ject is The upper branches of the tree; but the main word is branches This is called the simple subject The complete predicate is tossed violently in the high wind; but the main word is tossed This is called the verb, or simple predicate Reduced to its essentials the sentence becomes: branches tossed You might... leave the house 6 PREPOSITIONAL PHRASES P h r a s e s ; Prepositions and Their Objects A phrase may be any short group of words It's a convenient term in grammar A prepositional phrase is simply a particular kind of phrase; but it is so common in English and so easy to identify— that you might as well get used to it from the start If you can recognize the prepositional phrases in a sentence, you will... beginning with there: There is a fire in the fireplace The verb is is—a very common little verb What is? The answer is fire Afire is in the fireplace Sentences of this construction are very common in English The word there is never the subject; it's a signal that the sentence is transposed—that the subject follows the verb There were pictures on all the walls Verb: were What were ? Pictures There will... 9 Don't expect any help from me 10 In a severe storm that weak spot in the dike would probably be pierced 4 COMPOUND CONSTRUCTIONS The word compound means having two or more parts used frequently in grammar A subject may be compound: It is a word Basketball and football are challenging baseball as the national sport Boxers and German shepherds are often used as Seeing-Eye dogs For different temperaments,... seen or heard anything about the concert ? 5 COMPLEMENTS Identification of C o m p l e m e n t s The word complement (not to be confused with compliment) comes from the same root as the word complete In grammar a comple­ ment is a word that completes the predicate Its normal position is after the verb, and it is, of course, part of the predicate Many verbs require complements to make sense: Harriet made... Jack is my cousin The end of the war brought peace and prosperity Cake and cousin are complements "Peace and prosperity^ is a compound complement A complement, unlike the subject and the verb, is not an essential part of every sentence Some verbs do not require complements: The ship disappeared over the horizon He talks incessantly Finally the train stopped Disappeared what ? Talks what ? Stopped what... 30 Placing Modifiers Clearly Background Basic Grammar Putting It to Work Practice in Making Modifiers Clear "3 "3 114 116 TABLE O F C O N T E N T S 31 Organizing Sentences Logically Background Basic Grammar Putting It to Work Practice in Organizing Sentence Elements (Parallel Structure) 146 PART I I I x ANSWERS TO PRACTICE EXERCISES Answers to Practice Exercises Chapter 1 Chapter 2 Chapter 3 . Peking University. (24155-6) (continued on back flap) Essential English Grammar