by R. S. Karunaratne

Use of ‘who’ in different contexts

‘Who’ is a question pronoun used to ask about people. It is also used to identify the person you are talking about. Sometimes, it is used to add extra information about people.

1. We use ‘who’ to ask which person does something.

Who phoned you this morning?

Who’s going to dance with you?

Who can help me in this matter?

Who built the Minneriya tank?

Who succeeded Mayadunne in the Sitavaka kingdom?

2. We use ‘who’ to ask about the identity of somebody.

Who was Sapumal Kumaraya?

Who lent you Rs. 5,000?

Who stole my bracelet?

Who is waiting at the gate?

Who brought these beautiful flowers?

3. We use ‘who’ to ask about the person who is the object of a verb, or the object of a preposition.

Who do you prefer: Marina or Shyama?

Who were you talking to?

4. We use ‘who’ to ask a question about somebody indirectly. This is a polite form.

Do you know who he is?

Do you know who she married?

Can you tell me who is in charge here?

Will he know who is following him?

Does he know who stole his purse?

5. We use ‘who’ to identify the exact person we are referring to.

The manager who you should meet is on leave.

Do you know the man who delivers your letters?

I want to know who opened my letters.

The police want to arrest the man who raised a false alarm.

The man who scolded you is not here today.

6. We use ‘who’ to add extra information about someone we are talking about.

Perera, who you met at the party, is an editor of a newspaper.

Rukmani Devi, who died in a car crash, was an actor and singer. (‘actor’ is used for both males and females today)

Martin Wickramasinghe, who wrote Gamperaliya was a journalist.

7. Some verbs frequently come before ‘who’.

I don’t know who took my pen.

We cannot decide who should participate in the debate.

Did he ever mention who is responsible for the loss of Rs. 10,000?

She didn’t say who was going abroad.

I didn’t ask who is coming for dinner.

I wonder who phoned me from office.

They don’t care who gets the blame.

I can’t remember who gave me this umbrella.

Please tell me who told you such a lie.

Can you see who is leading the race?

8.Certain nouns and Pronouns come before ‘who’.

Those who live in glass houses should not throw stones.

People who are dishonest should be avoided.

Someone who had taken my pen didn’t return it.

Anyone who can spare Rs. 20 can buy a sweep ticket.

The man who taught us manners is shouting at children!

The woman who is at the gate is my aunt.

The person who wanted to meet you is not here today.

9. Set phrases

A: Where’s Sam?

B: Who knows? He may have gone home.

(To show that not only you but also others don’t know where he is)

A: Don’t paste posters on the walls.

B: Who cares? The walls are not mine.

(I don’t care)

A: Who’s there?

B: Carlo

(to ask who is at the door)

A: Could I speak to Nilmini?

B: Certainly. Who’s calling?

(Who’s is phoning?)

Current English usage

What you learn at school has to be supplemented by new words and expressions used by leading writers and grammarians. Here is another set of current English words and expressions to enrich your vocabulery.

1. Contemporary

The word originally meant “living or happening at the same time.” For instance, Shakespeare and Marlowe were contemporary playwrights. J. R. Jayewardene and R. Premadasa were contemporary politicians.

Today the word contemporary also means “happening at the present time.”

So, we talk about contemporary art and contemporary literature. In modern English it can also mean “modern.” So, we talk about contemporary designs.

2. Contemptible and contemptuous

Both are adjectives formed from the noun contempt. However, they have different meanings. Contemptibe means “deserving contempt” as in. “The contemptible youth robbed the disabled man begging on the street.” Contemptuous means “feeling or showing contempt,” as in “Some employers have a contemptuous attitude towards their employees.”

3. Continual and continuous

Continual means “frequently repeated.” For instance, we experience continual rain throughout the week. You can be disturbed by the continual ringing of your telephone.

Continuous means “without a break or interruption.” We had continuous rain from 9 a.m. to 9.30 a.m. Similarly some old people experience a continuous period of ill health.Convalescence

Note the spelling with “sc” combination. The word means “recovery after an illness.” Ben had to undergo a long convalescence after his heart operation.

5. Council and counsel

Council means an assembly of people as in ‘village council’ or ‘Town Council.’ Counsel means ‘advice.’ She received counsel from a professional.

6. Councillor and counsellor

Councillor is a member of a council.

Counsellor is somebody who gives advice.There are professional counsellors and psychology counsellors. In American English counsellor becomes counselor.

7. Credible, creditable and credulous

Credible means ‘believable.’ Her account of the accident is credible. Creditable means ‘deserving praise.’ The actor gave a creditable performance. Credulous means “gullible.” Credulous people tend to believe everything others tell them.

8. Crisis

Crisis means a ‘turning point.’ In modern English crisis means ‘any worrying or troublesome situation.’ The plural of crisis is crises.

Starters :

Active and passive voice

Part II

When we change a sentence from the active voice to the passive voice, the tense of the verb does not change. Note how this is done in the following sentences.

Active voice

1. Swarna cleans the blackboard every day.

2. Rower chased the milkman.

3. Mr Perera teaches English.

4. The mason is building a wall.

5. Wimala punished her daughter.

Passive voice

1. The blackboard is cleaned by Swarna every day.

2. The milkman was chased by Rowers.

3. English is taught by Mr Perera.

4. A wall is being built by the mason.

5. The daughter was punished by Wimala.

As in all the other sentences, the verb has to agree with the subject of the sentence.

Active voice

1. Sam kicked the ball.

2. My grandmother plants a tree on her birthday.

3. The principal summoned the errant boy to his office.

4. The tiger attacked the tourist.

5. Doctors treat patients.

Passive voice

1. The ball was kicked by Sam.

2. A tree is planted by my grandmother on her birthday.

3. The errant boy was summoned by the principal to his office.

4. The tourist was attacked by the tiger.

5. Patients are treated by doctors.

Activity

Change the following active voice sentences to the passive voice. Check your answers with the key.

1. Elephants fear fire.

2. Children love music.

3.Amaradeva's music soothed me.

4. The boy swept the classroom.

5. Snakes swallow rats.

6. Mary fried potatoes.

7. Anula is reading a novel.

8. Rosy made a doll.

9. Savitry is typing letters.

10. A bee stung a tourist.

**********

[Key]

1. Fire is feared by elephants.

2. Music is loved by children.

3. I was soothed by Amaradeva's music.

4. The classroom was swept by the boy.

5. Rats are swallowed by snakes.

6. Potatoes were fried by Mary.

7. A novel is being read by Anula.

8. A doll was made by Rosy.

9. Letters are being typed by Savitry.

10. A tourist was stung by a bee.