Download 1 KEY ENGLISH GRAMMAR WORKSHEET # 5: PRONOUNS

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KEY
ENGLISH GRAMMAR
WORKSHEET # 5: PRONOUNS (CONT’D)
A. Explain grammatically:
1. Why is it possible to say a great deal of advice but not a great deal of cattle? §§8.8.6; 8.8.6.1
The quantifier a great deal of can be used with uncountable nouns (such as advice) but not with
countable nouns in the plural (such as cattle, which is always plural). The quantifier a great
many can be used with countable nouns in the plural.
2. Why does the indefinite article occur with liar in sentence (a) but not in sentence (b)?
a. She didn’t know what a liar he had been.
b. She didn’t know what liar had told him that. Svartvik/Sager §260
The indefinite article is used in indirect exclamations (in front of a countable noun in the
singular) but not in indirect questions. Sentence (a) is an indirect exclamation; sentence (b) is an
indirect question.
If you are not sure whether a sentence is an indirect question or not, try making it direct:
-What a liar he has been! (exclamation)
-What liar told him that? (question)
B. Explain the difference in meaning between
1.
a. He has a few friends.
b. He has few friends. §8.8.5
a few = some (it has a positive meaning)
few = not very many (it has a negative meaning)
2.
a. I had to take some medicine that was unpleasant.
b. I had to take some medicine, which was unpleasant. §§8.6; 8.6.1; 8.6.2
a- medicine is the antecedent (The medicine was unpleasant.)
The clause “that was unpleasant” is a defining relative clause.
b- take some medicine is the antecedent (The experience was unpleasant.)
The clause “which was unpleasant” is a non-defining relative clause.
3.
a. We didn’t understand some of his arguments.
b. We didn’t understand any of his arguments. §8.8.1.1
a- There were a few of his arguments we did not understand, but we understood
others. (affirmative)
b- We understood none of his arguments. (negative)
Note: any has an unlimited reference, and some has a limited reference
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C. It or there? Choose the correct pronoun. §§ 8.1.2.1; 8.1.2.2
1. It/There was a hurricane last night.
THERE is used as the preparatory subject when the extraposed subject is a noun phrase:
a hurricane. This rule applies even when we are talking about the weather.
2. What caused all this damage? It/There was a hurricane.
An empty IT is used when referring back to something that has already been mentioned.
3. It/There is time for a cup of tea before we start.
THERE is used when we are talking about a period of time—time we have at our disposal.
4. It/There is time for a cup of tea. I haven’t had any all day.
Normally, IT is used when we are talking about time. (VATT-regeln: Väder, Avstånd, Tid,
Temperatur) In this case, we are talking about a point in time, not a period of time.
5. It/There is at least a mile to the nearest shop.
Normally, IT is used when we are talking about distance. (VATT-regeln: Väder, Avstånd, Tid,
Temperatur)
6. It/There is still a mile left to go.
THERE is used as the preparatory subject when the extraposed subject is a noun phrase: a
mile. This rule applies even when we are talking about distance.
7. It/There is very windy at present, don’t you think?
Normally, IT is used when we are talking about the weather. (VATT-regeln: Väder, Avstånd,
Tid, Temperatur)
8. It/There has been a lot of chilly weather recently.
Normally, IT is used when we are talking about the weather. (VATT-regeln: Väder, Avstånd,
Tid, Temperatur) However, when the extraposed subject is a noun phrase, THERE must be
used instead. In this case, the noun phrase consists of a quantifier+an adjective+‘weather’:
‘ a lot of chilly weather’.
9. It/There would appear to have been a mistake from start to finish.
An empty IT is used when referring back to something that has already been mentioned.
10. It/There would appear to have been a mistake somewhere.
The extraposed subject is a noun phrase: a mistake
11. It/There must be something wrong with him.
The extraposed subject is a noun phrase: something
12. It/There is a fact that he is guilty.
The extraposed subject is a finite clause: that he is guilty
13. It/There is the fact that he is guilty to be considered.
The extraposed subject is a noun phrase: the fact that he is guilty
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14. It/There remains to be seen whether the clouds will break.
The extraposed subject is a finite clause: whether the clouds will break
15. It/There remains a lot of unfinished business between us, Angela said to him.
The extraposed subject is a noun phrase: a lot of unfinished business
16. It/There is difficult to understand why she loves him.
The extraposed subject is a finite clause: why she loves him
D. Revision: concord
Select the appropriate present tense form of the verb. Give reasons for your choices.
1. be
The news was good. §§4.3.1; 4.3.2
News is an uncountable noun, and therefore singular.
2. be
His clothes are expensive. §4.4.2.2
Clothes is a plural noun.
3. be
Knowledge of the matters is needed. §§4.3.1; 4.3.2
Knowledge is an uncountable noun, and therefore singular.
4. be
His family is old. §4.4.4
Family is a collective noun. Collective nouns take the singular when you have the
group (as a unit) in mind, and they take the plural when you have the separate
individuals in mind. Here, only the singular is possible.
5. disagree
Members of the committee disagree on the matter.
Subject-verb agreement: the head of the noun phrase (members) must agree with
the verb.
6. have
The homeless have nowhere to go. §§6.4; 6.4.1; 6.4.3.1
The homeless is a nominalised adjective (an adjective that functions as a noun). In
English, adjectives can only be nominalised when they have a generic meaning (i.e.
when they refer to all of something), but not when they refer to something specific.
This is why it is not possible to say The homeless has… (about a specific person).
More about this later.
7. be
The police are coming. §4.4.2.2
Police is a plural noun, so it has to be followed by a plural verb. If you want to talk
about a specific police officer (in the singular), you need to add something: police
officer, policeman, policewoman.
8. believe
People believe everything. §4.4.2.2
People is also a plural noun. It can never be singular, except when it means
‘folkslag’, ‘nation’.
9. be
Two hundred dollars is needed to cover the expenses. 4.4.5.2
Singular unit of measurement → singular verb
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10. be
What you see here is/are the crown jewels.
If the clause (What you see here) is the subject, then the verb should be singular.
If the plural noun phrase (the Crown Jewels) is the subject, then the verb should be
plural. Either interpretation is fine.
11. have
The Times has changed. §4.2
Titles always take the singular.
12. have
Times have changed.
Plural noun → plural verb
13. be
The Dead is a story by James Joyce. §4.2
Titles always take the singular.
14. be
There (is/) are a boy and a girl in the picture. §4.4.5.2
The singular is acceptable but quite informal. In formal language, the plural is
normally used when two items are coordinated with and.
15. be
There are a lot of things to do. §8.1.2.1
Subject-verb agreement: the verb has to agree with the head in the noun phrase
(things). Please note that the (extraposed) subject consists of the noun phrase a lot
of things.
E. Revision: the -ing form. Explain why the -ing form is used in the following sentences:
1. The drug user thinks no one is noticing. §5.5; 5.5.2
The ing-form is used in the progressive form (BE + Ving), to indicate something ongoing.
2. I know what I am talking about, having had the disease all my life. §5.1
The ing-form is used in reduced clauses, in this instance instead of an adverbial of reason
(“since I have had…”).
3. The corporate press denies having heard of it. §§5.1; 5.7.3
The ing-form is used after certain verbs, in this instance deny.
4. He was rarely there and didn’t seem to have an opinion about her having a lover.
§§5.1; 10.4.4.1
The ing-form is used after prepositions, in this instance about. Note that the preposition does not
have to be the immediately preceding word, but it does have to govern the verb.
5. Mike Figgis has been having some peculiar dreams recently. §5.1
The ing-form is used in the progressive form (BE + Ving), to indicate a series of events.
6. I like having time to read my paper. §§5.1; 5.7.3
The ing-form is used after certain verbs, in this instance like. Note that like can also be followed
by the infinitive, depending on the context: the ing-form is used about things that are true in
general (always), and the infinitive is used about the future.
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7. It’s a problem having just one connection per institution. §3.4.1
The ing-form is used when the verb is the subject: in this instance, the subject is extraposed.
8. A Cup run can make the difference between having to sell a player at the end of the season to
survive or not. §§5.1; 10.4.4.1
The ing-form is used after prepositions, in this instance between.
F. Most of the following sentences contain errors that are often made. Correct the sentences
that are wrong.
1. I don’t know much people in this town. §4.4.2.2; 8.8.6
→ many
People is a plural noun, so it takes a plural quantifier.
2. None of my two brothers knew about my plans. §8.8.2
→ Neither
Neither is used when there are two of something. None is used when there are three or more,
or when the noun is uncountable (none of the oil/water/air/freedom/etc).
3. I haven’t heard something from him for a long time. §8.8.1.1
→ anything
General rule: Something is normally used in affirmative clauses and anything is normally used
in negative and interrogative clauses.
4. We have a great deal of problems. §8.8.6
→ a great many
Problems is a plural noun, so it takes a plural quantifier. A great deal of is used to quantify
uncountable nouns (a great deal of air).
5. The most people would agree with you. §8.8.5
The definite article is not used with most when it means “De flesta” / ”Det mesta”.
6. I didn’t buy nothing at the supermarket.
→ anything
Avoid double negatives (though they sometimes occur, especially in very informal American
English).
7. There is one ticket too much. §8.8.5
→ many
Use many after too (even in expressions where Swedish has mycket).
8. His both children were there. §8.8.3
→ two
It is not possible for the possessive pronoun to precede “both”. These are your choices:
•His two children = Hans båda barn (neutral)
•Both /of/ his children = Båda hans barn (emphatic)
It is also possible to say “His children were both there”.