Some Common Structures

8/8/2019 Some Common Structures

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SOME COMMON STRUCTURES

Another and Other(S)1. spelling of another

Another is one word. He's bought another car . (NOT ...an other car .)

2. 'additional, extra'Another can mean 'an additional, extra'. It is used with singular countable nouns.

Could I have another piece of bread ?Another can be used without a noun, or with one, if the meaning is clear from what has come before.

Those cakes are wonderful. Could I have another (one)?With uncountable and plural nouns, we normally usemore , notother , with this meaning.

Would you like some more meat? (NOT ... other meat ?)Would you like some more peas? (NOT ...other peas ?)

However, we can use another before a plural noun in expressions with few or a number. I'm staying for another few weeks . We need another three chairs .

3. 'alternative'(An)other can also mean (an) alternative', 'besides / instead of this/these'.

I think we should paint it another color . Have you got any other cakes , or are these the only ones?

Other people often means 'people besides oneself'.Why don't you think more about other people ?

4. other and othersWhenother is used with a noun it has no plural form.

Where are the other photos ? (NOT ...the others photos ?)But used alone, without a noun, it can have a plural form.

I've got one lot of photos. Where are the others ?These are too small. Have you got any others ?

Normally, other(s) is only used alone if it refers to a noun that has been mentioned before. An exception icommon plural use of (the) others to mean (the) other people.

He never thinks of others. Jake's arrived - I must tell the others.

BUT NOTOn the phone, one cannot see the other or He never listens to another .5. not used like an adjective

Other is a determiner or pronoun; it is not used exactly like an adjective. So it cannot normally have an adit, or be used after a link verb.

I'd prefer a completely different color . (NOT ...a completely other color .)You look different with a beard . (NOT:You look other ... )

another, a/an + adjective

Plural expressions of quantity can be used withanother and witha/an + adjective .

I want to stay for another three weeks .We'll needan extra ten pounds .He's been waiting for a good two hours .She spenta happy ten minutes looking through the photos.I've hada very busy three days .

Note also the expressiona good many/few + plural (informal).I've lain awakea good many nights worrying about you.I bet that house could tella good few stories .

about to About + infinitive (withto) means 'going to very soon'; 'just going to'.

Don't go out now - we're about to have lunch.



I was about to go to bed when the telephone rang. Not about to can mean 'unwilling to'. I'm not about to pay 100 dollars for that dress.

supposed to Be supposed + infinitive is used to say what people have to do (or not do) according to the rules or the law, orwhat is (not) expected to happen.

Catholics are supposed to go to church on Sundays.We're supposed to pay the Council Tax at the beginning of the month.You're not supposed to park on double yellow lines.

There is often a suggestion that things do not happen as planned or expected.This country is supposed to be a democracy.

Lucy was supposed to come to lunch. What's happened?Cats are supposed to be afraid of dogs, but ours isn't.

Questions with supposed to can suggest that there are problems.The train's already left. What are we supposed to do now?

How am I supposed to finish all this work by ten o'clock?That's a lovely picture, but what's it supposed to be?

Another use of supposed to is to say what is generally believed. He's supposed to be quite rich, you know.This stuff is supposed to kill flies. Let's try it.

Note the pronunciation: Isa'pausttal, not Isa'pauzdtal.

Be + infinitive: I am to . . . ,you are to . . . etc

1. Plans and arrangements: He is to visit NigeriaWe use this structure in a formal style to talk about official and other plans and arrangements.

The President is to visit Nigeria next month.We are to get a 10 per cent wage rise in June.

I felt nervous because I was soon to leave home for the first time.A perfect infinitive can be used to show that a planned event did not happen.

I was to have started work last week, but I changed my mind.

2. 'fate': We were to meet againAnother use is to talk about things which are/were 'hidden in the future', fated to happen.

I thought we were saying goodbye for ever. But we were to meet again, many years later, under very strangecircumstances.

3. Pre-conditions: If we are to get there in time ...The structure is common in if-clauses, when the main clause expresses a pre-condition - something that musfirst if something else is to happen.

If we are to get there by lunchtime we had better hurry. He knew he would have to work hard if he was to pass his exam.

4. Orders: You are to do your homework

The structure is used to give orders, often by parents speaking to children.You are to do your homework before you watch Tv.She can go to the party, but she's not to be back late.

5. be + passive infinitive: It is not to be removed Be + passive infinitive is often used in notices and instructions.

am/are/is (not) to be + past participleThis cover is not to be removed.Sometimes only the passive infinitive is used.To be taken three times a day after meals. (on a medicine bottle)

Some other common expressions with be + passive infinitive:There's nothing to be done. She was nowhere to be found.

I looked out of the window, but there was nothing to be seen.



6. Tenses Note that this structure exists only in present and past tenses. We cannot say that somebodyhas been to go somewheror will/must be to go somewhere.Participle structures (being to go ) are not possible either.

To be of + noun = to have : Có (dùng đểchỉ tính chất hoặc tình cảm )Mary is of a gentle nature: Mary có bản chất tử tế

to be of + noun :nhấn mạnh cho danh từ đứng đằng sauThe newly-opened restaurant is of(ở ngay) the Leceister Square

To be + to + verb : là dạng cấu tạo đặc biệt được sử dụng trong những trường hợp sau:*Để truyền đạt các mệnh lệnh hoặc các chỉ dẫn từ ngôi thứ nhất qua ngôi thứ 2 đến ngôi thứ 3

No one is to leave this building without the permission of the police*Dùng với mệnh đềIf khi mệnh đề chính diễn đạt một câu tiền điều kiện:Một điều phải xảy ra trước nhấđiều khác xảy ra.(Nếu muốn…thì phải…)

Ex1:If we are to get there by lunch time we had better hurry.Ex2:Smt must be done quickly if the endangered birds are to be saved.Ex3:he knew he would have to work hard if he was to pass his exam

*Được dùng để thông báo những yêu cầu xin chỉ dẫnHe asked the air traffic control where he was to land

*Được dùng rất phổ biến để truyền đạt một dự định.một sự sắp đặt,đặc biệt khi nó là chính thức.Ex1:She is to get married next monthEx2:the expedition is to start in a week Ex3:We were to get a ten percent wage rise in june

*Cấu trúc này rất thông dụng trên báo chí,khi là tựa đề báo thìto be được bỏ đi để tiêt kiệm chỗ.The Primer Minister(is) to make a statement tomorrow.

were + S + to +verb = if + S + were + to + verb= thế nếu (diễn đạt 1 giả thuyết)Were I to tell you that he passed his exam,would you believe me.

was/were + to+ verb :Để diễn đạt ý tưởng về một số mệnh đã định sẵnEx1: They said goodbye without knowing that they were never to meet again.Ex2: Since 1840, American Presidents elected in years ending in zero were to be died (have been desdie) in office

to be about + verb =near future (sắp sửa)They are about to leave

Trong một số dạng câu đặc biệtBe + adj…. mở đầu cho một ngữ = tỏ ra …

Be careless( tỏ ra bất cẩn) in national park where there are bears around and the result are likely to indeed

Be + subject + noun/noun phrase/adjective = cho dù làTo have technique is to possess the physical expertise to perform whatever steps a given work may cthey simple or complex

(Có được kĩ thuật là sẽ có được sự điêu luyện về mặt cơ thể để thực hiện bất kì những bước vũ nào màđịnh sẵn có thể bao gồm,cho dù là chúng đơn giản hay phức tạp)

at, on and in: timeat + clock time at + weekend, public holidayin + part of day in + longer periodon + particular day

1. clock times: at I usually get up at six o'clock.

I'll meet you at 4.15. Phone me at lunch time.At is usually left out before what time in an informal style.



What time does your train leave?

2. parts of the day: in I work best in the morning. three o'clock in the afternoonWe usually go out in the evening.

Note the difference between in the night (mostly used to mean 'during one particular night') and at night any night). Compare:

I had to get up in the night. I often work at night.

In an informal style, we sometimes use plurals (days etc) with no preposition.Would you rather work days or nights ?

We use on if we say which morning/ afternoon etc we are talking about, or if we describe the morning/aSee you on Monday morning.We met on a cold afternoon in early spring.

3. days: on I'll ring you on Tuesday. My birthday's on March 21st.They're having a party on Christmas Day.

In an informal style we sometimes leave outon. I'm seeing her Sunday morning.

We use plurals (Sundays, Mondays etc) to talk about repeated actions.We usually go and see Granny on Sundays.

4. public holidays and weekends: atWe use at to talk about the whole of the holidaysat Christmas, New Year, Easter and Thanksgiving (AmE).

We're having the roof repaired at Easter.But we use on to talk about one day of the holiday.

Come and see us on Christmas Day.What are you doing on Easter Monday?

British people sayat the weekend ; Americans useon .What did you do at the weekend?

5. longer periods: in It happened in the week after Christmas.

I was born in March.Our house was built in the 15th century.

Kent is beautiful in spring. He died in 1616.

6. other uses of inIn can also be used to say how soon something will happen, and to say how long something takes to hap

Ask me again in three or four days. I can run 200 metres in about 30 seconds.

The expression in ... 's time is used to say how soon something will happen, not how long something takCompare:

I'll see you again in a month's time. It'll be ready in three weeks' time.

He wrote the book in a month. (NOT in a month's time.)In American English, in can be used in negative sentences, like for , to talk about periods up to the present. I haven't seen her in years.

7. expressions with no prepositionAt/on/in are not normally used in expressions of time beforenext, last, this, that (sometimes),one, any (in aninformal style),each, every, some, all.

See you next week. Come any time. Are you free this morning? I didn't feel very well that week. I'm at home every evening. Let's meet one day.We stayed all day.

These prepositions are not normally used, either, before yesterday, the day before yesterday, tomorrow o

after tomorrow.



What are you doing the day after tomorrow?And prepositions are usually dropped in questions beginning What/Which + expression of time, and in awhich only contain an expression of time.

What day is the meeting?Which week did you say you're on holiday?What time are you learning? - Eight o'clock.

Some Common Structures

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