by R. S. Karunaratne

Subject - verb agreement in positive questions

We form positive questions by placing the ‘be’ verb before the subject. Let’s study how positive statements are turned into positive questions.

Statement: He is a teacher.
Question: Is he a teacher?

Statement: Ram was your classmate.
Question: Was Ram your classmate?

Statement: Some policemen are dishonest.
Question: Are some policemen dishonest?

Statement: The robbers were hiding in a cave.
Question: Were the robbers hiding in a cave?

Statement: I am an accountant.
Question: Am I an accountant?

Statement: You are a lawyer.
Question: Are you a lawyer?

We form questions with most verbs by changing them to their base form and adding the verbs ‘do’ or ‘does’ before the subject.

Statement: Neela sings well.
Question: Does Neela sing well?

Statement: Silva writes neatly.
Question: Does Silva write neatly?

Statement: Dogs bark at strangers.
Question: Do dogs bark at strangers?

Statement: I work in a factory.
Question: Do I work in a factory?

Statement: We work hard to earn money.
Question: Do we work hard to earn money?

When there is an auxiliary verb (helping verb) in addition to the main verb we form the question by placing the auxiliary verb before the subject.

Statement: Kanchana has bought a new house.
Question: Has Kanchana bought a new house?

Statement: Kasturi is running after the dog.
Question: Is Kasturi running after the dog?

Statement: I have met you somewhere.
Question: Have I met you somewhere?

Statement: We are going to contest in the general elections.
Question: Are we going to contest in the general elections?

Statement: Somebody has seen him stealing the money.
Question: Has somebody seen him stealing the money?

We form questions with ‘has’ and ‘have’ in formal English.

Has she a degree in English?
Has Hema an umbrella?
Have they exercise books and pens?
Have we enough money?
Have you a good memory?

[Activity]

Underline the correct verb in the following sentences. Check your answers with the key.

1. Are / Is the salary you earn enough to support your family?
2. Have / Has the students finished their work?
3. Is / Does the electrician still working upstairs?
4. Has / Is this car very expensive?
5. Does / Is he willing to do the night shift?
6. Was / Were their performance above average?
7. Do / Are the birds come to your garden?
8. Is / Are the crowd waiting to see me?
9. Does / Do you know the latest news?
10. Is / Are that the train they imported from India?

Key:

1. Is 2. Have 3. Is 4. Is 5. Is 6. Was 7. Do 8. Is 9. Do 10. Is

Like electricity, words have tremendous power. If you know a large number of words and how to use them, you will always have an edge over the others. Here’s an interesting quiz to gauge your word power and increase your vocabulary. Find the meaning for the words in bold type in each sentence and check your answers with the key.

1. What seemed to be a serious charge against the minister turned out to be quite immaterial.

(a) unimportant
(b) important
(c) demanding

2. The judge threatened to incarcerate anyone who disturbed the court proceedings.

(a) praise
(b) imprison
(c) fine

3. An indeterminate number of workers participated in the protest rally.

(a) small
(b) large
(c) indefinite

4. My neighbour is a litigious person who is currently involved in several cases.

(a) cruel
(b) given to carrying on lawsuits
(c) kind

5. The judge was not moved by the miscreant’s plea for mitigation.

(a) criminal
(b) innocent person
(c) social worker

6. Newspapers are careful to use the term “alleged perpetrator” when describing a suspect.

(a) a person who pleads not guilty
(b) a person who pleads guilty
(c) a person who commits an offence

7. Lord Keynes was an avant-garde economist who lived before the World War I.

(a) eminent
(b) lover of peace
(c) leader of a movement

8. Although I was good in English, mathematics proved to be my bete-noire.

(a) something I disliked
(b) something I cherished
(c) something I ignored

9. The speaker was applauded for his bon mot on the political situation.

(a) witticism
(b) silence
(c) speech

10. Following the student’s gauche behaviour, the teacher asked him to leave the class.

(a) good
(b) awkward
(c) innocent

Key:

1. (a) 2. (b) 3. (c) 4. (b) 5. (a) 6. (c) 7. (c) 8. (a) 9. (a) 10. (b)

Starters:

How to express purpose

We use certain prepositions such as ‘to’ and ‘for’ to express purpose.

Prema didn’t have any milk at home.
She wanted some milk.
So, she went to the supermarket to buy some milk.

Question: Where are you going?
Answer: To school.

Question: Why did you go to the park?
Answer: To play with my friends.

Question: Why did you turn on the radio?
Answer: To listen to the news.

Question: Why are you going to France?
Answer: To learn French.

Question: Why do you want Rs 2,000?
Answer: To buy some books.

Question: Why did you go to hospital?
Answer: To see a patient.

‘To’ is normally used before a verb. We can use ‘for’ before a noun.

Question: Why did you go to the supermarket?
Answer: For some milk.

Question: Why are you going to Malaysia?
Answer: For a holiday.

Question: Why do you want money?
Answer: For food.

Question: Why are you waiting here?
Answer: For my friend.

[Activity]

Fill in the blanks with ‘to’ or ‘for’. Check your answers with key.

1. Renu went to the supermarket ......... buy some milk.
2. The driver stopped his car at a petrol station ....... some petrol.
3. Question: Why are you walking ....... office? Answer: I haven’t got any money ....... a trishaw.
4. The tourist went to a big hotel..... have lunch.
5. I want to go to university ....... study psychology.
6. Velayuthan is going to Paris ...... meet his aunt.
7. Nelum is going to Colombo tomorrow ......... an interview.
8. I came to office late today. I didn’t have time even........ have a cup of tea.
9. Do you need so much money ..... live?
10. I live in a small room. There is no space ....... a big table.

Key:

1. to 2. for 3. to, for 4. to 5. to 6. to 7. for 8. to 9. to 10. for

Fun with proverbs

Proverbs are pithy sayings full of folk wisdom. Match the parts of proverbs in column ‘A’ with those in column ‘B’. Check your answers with the key.

[Column A]

1. A friend in need
2. All that glitters
3. Kill not the goose
4. Hope springs eternal
5. God helps
6. Honesty is the
7. More haste,
8. Make hay
9. Honey was not made
10. Two heads are
11. Where ignorance is bliss,
12. Strike while
13. Knowledge is
14. Better late
15. Look before
16. The leopard cannot
17. A man is known
18. Man proposes;
19. Misfortunes
20. One man’s meat

[Column B]

A. is another man’s poison.
B. best policy.
C. in the human breast.
D. by his friends.
E. never come singly.
F. that lays the golden eggs.
G. for the mouth of an ass.
H. God disposes.
I. is a friend indeed.
J. ‘tis folly to be wise.
K. change its spots.
L. less speed.
M. power.
N. is not gold.
O. than never.
P. you leap.
Q. the iron is hot.
R. while the sun shines.
S. better than one.
T. those who help themselves.

Key:

1. I 2. N 3. F 4. C 5. T 6. B 7. L 8. R 9. G 10. S 11. J 12. Q 13. M 14. O 15. P 16. K 17. D 18. H 19. E 20. A

Subject and verb

Underline the correct verb that agrees with the subject in the following sentences. Check your answers with the key.

1. Not one of the students know / knows the answer.
2. The people living in this town has / have no steady income.
3. The news of her mother’s death was / were conveyed to the relatives.
4. Four and four makes / make eight.
5. Rani as well as Iranthi has / have come for practice.
6. Neither my brother nor my sister was / were present in the classroom.
7. Either you or I am / are to blame.
8. Neither Hemasiri nor Kavindu is / are guilty of the offence.
9. The teacher, with her students, was / were seen at the Zoological Gardens.
10. Rice and curry is / are ideal for lunch.
11. Gulliver’s Travels has / have been popular among children.
12. Politics is / are not meant for students.
13. Each of the errant students was / were punished.
14. Everybody says / say that you are a naughty girl.
15. Fifty rupees is / are not enough for my travelling.

Key:

1. knows 2. have 3. was 4. make 5. has 6. was 7. am 8. is 9. was 10. is 11. has 12. is 3. was 14. says 15. is