PREFACEDistinction in English: Grammar Handbook is a quick reference book for all secondary school students. By addressing the functional aspect of grammar, students develop their knowledge of grammar and an understanding of the purposeful use of language at the word, phrase, sentence and text levels.
Each unit begins with a chapter opener that introduces grammar items within a meaningful context that is familiar to students, for example an article in a magazine, to provide exposure to the use of grammar. Grammatical rules and structures are further defi ned and elaborated on, and examples illustrate the effective use of these grammar items in sentences. These examples are coded systematically, with primary grammar items in blue and secondary grammar items in bold text, providing a clear guide to important terms, words and meanings. Practices at the end of each unit provide ample opportunities to revise and consolidate students’ understanding of grammar.
This book serves as a complete grammar resource for students with the aim of building their grammar skills. A strong foundation in grammar and its usage will enable students to use the language accurately, fl uently and appropriately for different purposes, audiences and contexts. With a strong knowledge of grammar, students will be able to apply their skills to the other areas of language learning, namely listening, reading, speaking and writing, and hence become effective users of the English language.
Phyllis G. L. ChewToh Weng Choy
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CONTENTSSection A: Grammar at Word and Phrase Levels
Unit 1 Nouns
What Are Nouns? Types of Nouns
Proper NounsCommon Nouns Countable NounsUncountable Nouns Collective NounsPair NounsCompound NounsGerunds
Formation of Nouns Possessive Forms of NounsGender of NounsPlural Forms of Nouns
Regular Plural NounsIrregular Plural NounsInvariable Plural Nouns
Exercises
Unit 2 Determiners
What Are Determiners?Types of Determiners
ArticlesDefi nite ArticleIndefi nite ArticleZero Article
Quantifi ersPossessivesDemonstrativesInterrogatives
Exercises
Unit 3 Pronouns
What Are Pronouns?Types of Pronouns
Personal PronounsSubject PronounsObject PronounsThird Person Personal Pronouns
Possessive PronounsRefl exive and Intensive PronounsInterrogative PronounsRelative PronounsDemonstrative PronounsReciprocal PronounsIndefi nite Pronouns
Exercises
Unit 4 Adjectives
What Are Adjectives?Types of AdjectivesFormation of AdjectivesPosition of AdjectivesComparison of AdjectivesOrder of AdjectivesAdjectives or Nouns?Adjectives or Adverbs?Exercises
Unit 5 Verbs
What Are Verbs?Main VerbsAuxiliary Verbs
Types of VerbsForms of Verbs
Infi nitivesParticiplesRegular and Irregular Verbs
Transitive and Intransitive VerbsPhrasal VerbsSubject-Verb AgreementExercises
1
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39
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18
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53
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71
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Unit 6 Tenses
What Are Tenses?Types of Tenses
Simple Present TenseSimple Past TensePresent ContinuousPast ContinuousPresent PerfectPast PerfectPresent Perfect ContinuousPast Perfect ContinuousFuture Time
Exercises
Unit 7 Modals
What Are Modals?Types of Modals
Indicating AbilityIndicating Possibility or TentativenessConveying Necessity or ObligationConveying Intention or DeterminationMaking SuggestionsMaking RequestsIndicating PermissionIndicating Past Habits
Semi-ModalsExercises
Unit 8 Adverbs
What Are Adverbs?Types of Adverbs
Adverbs of TimeAdverbs of FrequencyAdverbs of DurationAdverbs of PlaceAdverbs of MannerAdverbs of DegreeLinking AdverbsSentence Adverbs
Formation of AdverbsPosition of AdverbsComparison of AdverbsExercises
Unit 9 Prepositions
What Are Prepositions?Types of PrepositionsPosition of PrepositionsPrepositions Used With Nouns, Adjectives and VerbsExercises
Unit 10 Phrases
What Are Phrases?Types of Phrases
Noun PhrasesVerb PhrasesPrepositional PhrasesAdjectival PhrasesAdverbial Phrases
Exercises
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127
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134
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101
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115
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Section A: Grammar at Word and Phrase Levels
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Section B: Grammar at Sentence Level
Unit 11 Sentences
What Are Sentences?Expansion of Sentences
Simple SentencesCompound SentencesComplex Sentences
Types of SentencesDeclarative SentencesInterrogative SentencesImperative SentencesExistential SentencesNegative SentencesExclamatory SentencesConditional SentencesSubjunctive SentencesTag Questions
Exercises
Unit 12 Active and Passive Voice
What Are Active Voice and Passive Voice?The Active VoiceThe Passive VoiceExercises
Unit 13 Direct and Indirect Speech
What Are Direct and Indirect Speech?Direct SpeechIndirect SpeechChanging Direct to Indirect SpeechExercises
Unit 14 Punctuation
What Is Punctuation?Types of Punctuation
Full StopQuestion MarkExclamation MarkCommaColonSemi-colonApostropheQuotation MarksDashEllipsis PointsBrackets or ParenthesesHyphenCapitalisation
Exercises
148
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193
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171
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180
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Section C: Grammar at Text Level
Section D: Practical Application of Grammar
Unit 15 Cohesion
What Is Cohesion?Types of Cohesive Devices
ReferenceEllipsis and SubstitutionLexical CohesionConnectors
Exercises
Unit 16 Text Types
What Are Text Types?Types of Texts
PoetryPersonal RecountsNarrativesProceduresLetters and E-mailsFactual RecountsInformation ReportsExplanationsExpositions
Exercise
Unit 17 Sample Exam: Paper 1
Appendices Appendix A: List of Irregular Noun PluralsAppendix B: List of Irregular VerbsAppendix C: List of Phrasal Verbs
Answers
Index
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241
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252
261
225
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Nouns
Gina has just moved into a new city. At her new school, she is bullied by some nasty classmates. One day, she runs into a secret room and gets transported to a strange place. It is a beautiful world where dinosaurs still roam and humans have magical powers.
A tribe of humans welcomes her and tells her that they heard of her from a prophecy. She is the only person who can stop the storm that would destroy their planet. Gina discovers that she has incredible powers, but she also fi nds out that her home planet might die if she saves the alien world.
She is forced to choose between a home that does not welcome her and a planet that worships her. What will Gina choose?
G
G
ina's C
hoice
G
ina's C
hoice
U N I T 1
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What Are Nouns?Nouns are the names of people, animals, places, titles, things or abstract qualities.
ExamplesShe has just moved into a new city.One day, she runs into a secret room.She fi nds out that her home planet might die.
Types of NounsProper Nouns
Proper nouns f are specifi c names for people, animals, places, things or titles. Proper nouns begin with capital letters.
The table shows some proper nouns.
Person Mr Ramasamy, Mrs Lim, Michelangelo
Place Germany, France, Kuala Lumpur
Thing Google, Picasa, Yahoo
Title Datuk, Her Excellency, His Highness
ExamplesMr Ramasamy won the fi rst prize in the lottery last week.Kuala Lumpur is the capital of Malaysia.Google is a popular search engine.
Common NounsCommon nouns f are general names for people, animals, places or things.
Some examples of common nouns are boy, chair, cliff, hair and lion.
ExamplesThe boy laughed.The chair is over there.The lion ate hungrily.
Common nouns can be divided into concrete nouns and abstract nouns. f
Common nouns can be countable or uncountable. f
NounsUnit 1
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Concrete nouns f are things that can be seen or touched.
ExamplesI picked up the box.The cat fell asleep.She rowed across the river.
Abstract nouns f are non-concrete things or specifi c personal qualities.
ExamplesShe loves music.My art teacher loves nature.The buffalo is a creature of great strength and endurance.
Countable NounsCountable nouns f are nouns that can be counted. They have plural forms.
Some examples of countable nouns are boat, car, hen, lamp and pen.
ExamplesHe saw two cars speeding away.There are at least fi fty lamps here.Paul bought a dozen pens.
More information can be found on p. 27, Quantifi ers.
Some f abstract nouns such as development, diffi culty, idea, misery and skill are countable in certain contexts. Such nouns can be plural or singular.
ExamplesThe new developments in the takeover battle were closely watched by the public.Kate encountered many diffi culties in her work for the school.Will came up with many new ideas for his team’s project.
Some nouns such as f arrears, arts (the humanities), clothes, condolences, congratulations, goods, police, riches and thanks are always plural.
ExamplesOur clothes were stained and torn after we crawled through the bushes.His sincere congratulations were much appreciated by the couple.The police were quick to apprehend the thief who attacked the old lady.
Nouns Unit 1
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The word fruit can be either countable or uncountable. We take fruit as uncountable when referring to fruit in general. We use fruits as a countable noun when we want to emphasise the fact that there are different types of fruits involved.
ExamplesThere is fruit in the basket.There are three fruits in the basket, including an apple, a guava and a cherry.
We do not use the indefi nite articles a and an with uncountable nouns. Instead, we use the defi nite article the to refer to a specifi c object.
Indefi nite articles f (a, an) are used with countable nouns. If the noun begins with a vowel (the ‘a’, ‘e’, ‘i’, ‘o’ and ‘u’ sounds), we use an, but if the noun begins with a consonant (any other sound), we use a. We use the defi nite article the when something is one of a kind or when the item has already been mentioned.
ExamplesThat man is a teacher from Whirlwind Secondary School.Tammy rode on an elephant for her performance. The elephant was huge.You should not look directly at the sun.
More information can be found on p. 19, Articles.
Uncountable NounsUncountable nouns f are nouns that cannot be counted.
Some examples of uncountable nouns are fl our, ice, milk, sand and water.
ExamplesMy father poured fl our into a measuring cup.There was a lot of ice in the bucket one hour ago.David took some water and poured it over the soil.
Other abstract nouns such as f beauty, cowardice, despair, honesty, ignorance, intelligence, sadness and wealth cannot be counted. Such nouns are taken as singular.
Nouns such as f clothing, equipment, furniture, information, machinery and scenery are taken as uncountable and hence have no plural form.
NounsUnit 1
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