This may seem like an easy piece of grammar to learn.  If the subject is singular, the verb is in the singular form, and if the subject is plural, the verb is in the plural form.

Examples:
He takes cream and sugar in his coffee.
They take cream and sugar in their coffee.

Her smart phone is an iPhone.
Their smart phones are both Samsungs.

And of course if there are 2 or more subjects joined with and, the verb is plural.

Examples:
John and Paul are leaving for Europe tomorrow morning.
Cats and dogs generally don’t like each other.

NOTE:  Don’t be confused when there is a clause or phrase between the subject and its verb.

Examples:
The man who is feeding the pigeons is homeless.
The colors of the rainbow are beautiful.

However, there are some subjects that are more challenging and must be learned.

Subjects that are singular:

•  Gerunds:

Examples:
Playing video games is his favorite activity.
Studying before a test is a good idea.

BUT:  2 or more gerunds joined by and take a plural verb

Walking and swimming are good ways to exercise.

•  Any word with any, some, no, and every:

Examples:
I don’t know if anyone is coming.  (others: anybody, anything)
Somebody is at the door.  (others: someone, something)
Nothing bad is going to happen.  (no one, nobody)
Everyone in this room has to leave.  (everybody, everything)

•  Each, every and one: (Be careful because sometimes these can be followed by plural nouns, but they’re still singular.)

Examples:
Each student in this school has to take this course.
Each one of those cars has had a previous owner.
Every answer on her test is correct.
Every one of these teas comes from Asia.
One student was late for class.
One of the cars that he owns is a Mercedes.

Subjects that can be singular or plural:

•  There and here are either singular or plural depending on the noun that follows. (The noun that follows is really the true subject.)

Examples:
There’s no reason to get upset.  (reason is singular)
There are two ways to solve this problem.  (ways is plural)

NOTE:  Many English speakers get lazy about this grammar and use only there’s for everything, singular or plural.  [There’s two ways to solve this problem.]

There was a fly in my soup.
There were many kinds of wines at the tasting.
Here is the information that I found.
Here are the answers to the last test you took.
Here was a man who could be trusted.
Here were people who could think for themselves.

Watch out!  If a noun is in a prepositional phrase, it cannot be the subject of the verb.

Examples:
The books on the table need to be put away.  (table is not the subject of need)
Julia, just like her friends, loves to hang out at the coffee shop.  (friends is not the subject of loves)

•  A lot , all, none, some, (fractions) and (percentages):  Unlike the examples above, for these words, you must look at the noun in the following prepositional phrase to see if they take a singular or plural verb.

Examples:

A lot of his advice was very useful.  (a lot is singular because advice is singular)
A lot of my classmates were from other countries.  (a lot is plural because classmates is plural)

All of the work is finally finished.  (all is singular because work is singular)
All of the universities she applied to are in New England.  (all is plural because universities is plural)

None of the information was useful.  (none is singular because information is singular)
None of his answers were correct.  (none is plural because answers is plural)

Some of the furniture needs to be cleaned.  (some is singular because furniture is singular)
Some of his friends are planning a surprise party for him.  (some is plural because friends is plural)

Three quarters of the student body wants a new class president.
Three quarters of the students want a new class president.

Eighty percent of the homework is easy.
Eighty percent of the exercises are easy

NOTE:  When the words all, any, more, most and some are used as adjectives, the following noun (countable or uncountable) determines if the verb is singular or plural.

Examples:
All the grapes are on the kitchen counter.
All the fruit is on the kitchen counter.

Any answers you can give are greatly appreciated.
Any money you can give is greatly appreciated.

More trees produce more oxygen.
More phytoplankton produces more oxygen.

Most jobs pay very little.
Most work pays very little.

Some suitcases are very light and easy to carry.
Some baggage is very light and easy to carry.

•  With question words the real subject is after the verb, so you have to look at the following noun to see if the verb should be singular or plural.

Examples:
Who are the brothers inviting to their party?
What is the teacher going to put on the test?
Where are all my friends going?
When is our final exam?
Why are those people staring at us?
How is your grandmother?

•  Nouns that look plural but are really singular: economics, mathematics , measles, the news, politics, physics, and statistics.

Examples:
The news is not good.
Measles is mostly a childhood disease.
Basic mathematics is used in daily life.

•  Nouns that look singular but are really plural: couple, majority, minority, and police

Examples:
The couple have finally arrived.
The majority like the food in the cafeteria.
A minority are natural blonds.
The police were present at the demonstration.

Now that you’ve learned the basic use of the articles a, an, and the, you’re ready for a more complete understanding.

Articles are dropped when used with Proper nouns:  (Proper nouns are capitalized names.)

Examples:
Microsoft has its head office in Redmond, Washington.
George got a managerial job at McDonald’s.

Exception:  If the proper noun has a “dictionary word” as part of the name, put the before the name because the proper noun is used as an adjective.

Examples:
The Nile River is the longest river in the world.  (Nile is used as an adjective for River.)
The New York Stock Exchange is the world’s largest.
The Hawaiian Islands are in the middle of the Pacific Ocean.
The Rocky Mountains separate British Columbia from Alberta.

NOTE:  You can sometimes drop the “dictionary word” if it’s commonly known, but the is still used.

Examples:
The Nile is the longest river in the world.  (River has been dropped.)
The Rockies separate British Columbia from Alberta.  [Rockies = Rocky Mountains and mountains has been dropped.)
The Pacific is the largest ocean in the world.  (Ocean has been dropped.)

Exceptions:  Mount, Mountain, Lake, City, Street/Road/Avenue/Boulevard (etc.), State (when last), New, North(ern), South(ern), East(ern), and West(ern) are “dictionary words” but the is not used.

Examples:
Mount Everest is the highest mountain in the world.
Whistler Mountain is a ski resort north of Vancouver.
Lake Louise is a tourist attraction in the Rocky Mountains.
New York City has a population of over 8 million people.
BUT:  The city of Vancouver gets half of its annual rainfall from November to January. (“city” is not part of the name)
The skytrain runs under Cambie Street.
Abbey Road was an album by the Beatles.
She went to school in New York State.  (BUT …in the state of New York.)
New Brunswick has an almost equal number of French and English speakers.
The state capital of North Dakota is Bismarck.
They moved here from Northern Ireland.
South Africa has eleven official languages.

BUT:  When north, east, south and west are used as a general area, the is used.

Examples:
In the American revolution, the North fought against the South.
Many manufactured products come from the East.
For most of the 20^th century, the developed countries were mostly in the West.

The is used when a proper noun is used as an adjective (to describe a noun.)

Examples:
The San Francisco earthquake of 1906 caused fires that lasted for several days
(The earthquake in San Francisco)

The Chicago fire of 1871 destroyed over 17,000 buildings.
(The fire in Chicago)

The New York countryside is full of forests.
(The countryside in New York)

No article is used with general nouns (nouns that refer to all of something):

Examples:
Gold is an expensive metal.
You should drink water everyday.
Honesty is a good quality to have.

However, if the noun isn’t used in a general way, then the is used.

Examples:
The gold in this ring is expensive.
You shouldn’t drink the water from the tap.
The honesty of that man is unquestionable.

The past perfect is a verb tense that is learned by students at an advanced level.  It is used for an action that happened before another action in the simple past.  Look at these two examples:

Examples:
When I got home, my roommate went to bed.
(My roommate went to bed after I got home.)

When I got home, my roommate had gone to bed.
(My roommate went to bed before I got home.)

The past perfect is most often used in a sentence with a verb in the simple past or a time in the past.  The word already is often used to emphasize that the action in the past perfect tense occurred before the action in the simple past tense.

Examples:
The movie had already started by the time we arrived.
She hadn’t made up her mind until late last night.
Had you read the book before you saw the movie?

Sometimes the past perfect can be the only verb in a sentence, but it refers to an action that is already stated.

Examples:
“Why was Johnny sad?  Did you punish him for something?”
“Yes, he had drawn pictures all over the wall in the living room.”
(Drawing pictures was before being punished.)

“Why didn’t your son run in the race?”
“He had broken a toe the day before.”
(Breaking a toe was before not running in the race.)

Generally speaking, the past perfect is used less and less in today’s English, especially when it’s already clear which action happened before the other.  This is especially true with the words: before, after and until.  With these 3 words and sometimes with the word when, it’s clear which action happened first.  Therefore, it’s not necessary to use the past perfect, and most English speakers use the simple past.

Examples:
He had finished all his homework before he went to bed.
He finished all his homework before he went to bed.  (also correct)
(It’s clear that finishing his homework is before going to bed.)

After he had fallen asleep on the sofa, his wife turned off the light.
After he fell asleep on the sofa, his wife turned off the light.  (also correct)
(It’s clear that his falling asleep is before his wife’s getting into bed.)

She didn’t go to bed until she had done all her chores.
She didn’t go to bed until she did all her chores.  (also correct)
(It’s clear that doing all her chores is before going to bed.)

He started practicing his guitar as soon as he had gotten home.
He started practicing his guitar as soon as he got home.  (also correct)
(It’s clear that getting home is before practicing his guitar.)

When the children had finished their homework, they put their books away.
When the children finished their homework, they put their books away.
(It’s clear that finishing their homework is before putting their books away.)

BUT when it is not clear which action happened first, you must use the past perfect for the first action.

When the movie finished, everyone had left the theatre.  (Leaving the theatre was before the movie finished.)
When the movie finished, everyone left the theatre.  (Leaving the theatre was after the movie finished.)
(It’s not clear which action happened first, so the past perfect is used in the first example.)

When two actions happen at the same time or almost the same time, use the simple past for both actions.

Examples:
When I arrived at work, I turned on the lights.  (Arriving at work and turning on the lights is at almost the same time.)
She screamed when she opened her present.  (Screaming and opening her present are at the same time.)

In reported speech when you add the words showing that a speaker said something, those words become the second action, and if the other action is in the simple past, it is changed to the past perfect because it happened before the person reported it.

Examples:
He said, “I crashed the car into a tree.”
He said that he had crashed the car into a tree.
(Crashing the car is before saying it.)

She told him, “You left the milk out last night.”
She told him that he had left the milk out last night.
(Leaving the milk out is before telling him.)

We asked them, “Did you win the game?”
We asked them if they had won the game.
(Winning the game is before asking them.)

Also in reported speech, if the original verb in quoted speech is in the present perfect, it is changed to the past perfect.

Examples:
He said, “My brother has been home all week with the flu.”  (quoted speech)
He said that his brother had been home all week with the flu.  (reported speech)

She told me, “I’ve seen that movie four times.”  (quoted speech)
She told me that she had seen that movie four times.  (reported speech)

We asked her, “Have you ever gone abroad?”  (quoted speech)
We asked her if she had ever gone abroad.  (reported speech)

© 2013 Ambien Malecot

There’s no easy way to know which preposition follows an adjective.  The best way to learn this grammar is to learn the adjective and preposition together.  If there’s a verb after the preposition, it must of course be in the gerund form.  Here is a list of the most common adjective + preposition combinations:

absent from:   She’s been absent from class for a week.
afraid of:  She says she’s not afraid of anything.
angry with (at) / about:  She’s angry with (at) her sister.  (both with and at are correct before a person or animal)
He’s angry about the weather.  (use about before a thing)
ashamed of (someone) for / about:  I’m ashamed of myself for lying to my mother.  (for is used before a reason)
They’re both ashamed about their behavior.
aware of:  I wasn’t aware of any problems they were having.
bad at:  He’s bad at remembering names.
based on:  The movie is based on a real-life story.
bored with:  They stopped playing because they were bored with the game.
capable of:  I don’t think he’s capable of murder.
certain of:  I left my wallet right here.  I’m certain of it.
clever at:  She’s quite clever at solving puzzles.
close to:  We all live close to our parent’s house.
compared to (with):  Compared to (with) yesterday it’s much warmer.  (no difference between to and with)
concerned about:  They’re concerned about their son joining the army.
content with:  I’m content with my apartment and don’t want to move.
different from:  This tea tastes different from the tea we had yesterday.
disappointed in (with):  His father was disappointed in (with) him.   (no difference between in and with)
done with:  Could you pass the salt when you’re done with it
dressed in:  Everyone was dressed in black for the funeral.
embarrassed about:  I’m embarrassed about the way I acted last night.
engaged to:  She just got engaged to a wonderful man.
equal to:  Your success will be equal to the amount of work you do.
equipped with:  This car is equipped with GPS.  (Global Positioning System)
excited about:  Everyone is excited about the arrival of the Queen.
familiar with:  I’m not familiar with that language.
famous for:  Thomas Edison is most famous for the invention of the light bulb.
far from:  The place we’re going is far from here.
fond of:  My girlfriend is very fond of chocolates.
free of:  This food is free of artificial colors and flavors.
friendly to (with):  It’s important to be friendly to (with) your coworkers.   (no difference between to and with)
frightened of / about / by:  She seems to be frightened of the dog.  (use of before an ongoing source)
She’s frightened about losing her home.  (use about before a situation)
She was frightened by the loud noise.  (use by before a single source)
furious at (someone) for / about:  She’s furious at him for staying out so late.   (use at before a person or animal)
They’re furious about the decrease in their pensions.  (use about before a thing)
glad about:  I’m glad about your acceptance to university.
good at / with:  He’s good at sports.  (use at before activities)
He’s good with his hands.  (use with before tools)
grateful (to someone) for:  We’re grateful to you for lending us the money.
We’re grateful for all we have.  (to someone can be dropped)
guilty of:  I’m not guilty of this crime.
happy about (with):  They’re not happy about (with) all the delays.  (no difference between about and with)
inferior to:  This cell phone is inferior to the iPhone.
innocent of:  I believe you’re innocent of the charges.
interested in:  He’s been interested in flying for as long as I’ve known him.
involved in:  I don’t want to get involved in your business.
jealous of:  He’s jealous of his ex-girlfriend’s new boyfriend.
known for:  This restaurant is known for its cheesecake.
lucky at:  I’ve never seen someone so lucky at poker.
made of / from / by / for:  This table is made of reclaimed wood.  (use of for the material)
This table is made from the wood of an old ship.  (use from for the origin)
This table is made by Uhuru, a company in New York City. (use by for the maker)
This table is made for people who love wood furniture.  (use for for the destination)
married to:  They’ve been married to each other for twenty years.
necessary (for someone) to:  It’s not necessary for you to help clean up.
It’s not necessary to clean up tonight.  (for someone can be dropped)
nervous about:  I’m nervous about my first day on the job.
next to:  He put his keys next to his wallet.
opposite of:  The opposite of love is indifference, not hate.
patient with:  She’s always very patient with her students.
perfect for:  Those earrings are perfect for my wife.
polite to:  They’ve taught their children to always be polite to other people.
possible (for someone) to:  Is it possible for people to live on Mars?
Is it possible to live on Mars?  (for someone can be dropped)
proud of (someone) for / to:  She’s proud of her daughter for telling the truth.
She’s proud to represent her company at the conference.
related to:  Are you related to Mark Zuckerberg, the founder of Facebook?
responsible for:  Because of his mental illness, he was not responsible for his actions.
satisfied with:  I feel satisfied with my job.
scared of:  Don’t be scared of trying something new.
shy about:  He’s shy about speaking in public.
sick of / with:  I’m sick of watching TV all the time.  Let’s go out.  (sick of means tired of)
I think she’s sick with the flu.  (sick with means physically sick)
slow at:  He’s a little slow at math, but he can usually get the right answer.
sorry for (about):  I’m sorry for the way I acted yesterday.   (no difference between for and about)
superior to:  These speakers are superior to the ones in the other store.
sure of (about):  Are you sure of your answer?  (no difference between of and about)
surprised at (someone) for / by:  I’m not at all surprised at him for making that decision.  (use at before a person or animal)
I’m not at all surprised by his decision.  (use by before a thing)
terrified of:  My sister is terrified of spiders
tired of / from:  Aren’t you tired of spending your whole day inside?  (tired of means you don’t want to do it anymore)
Aren’t you tired from all the activity during the holidays?  (tired from means physically tired)
typical of (for)(someone) to:  It’s typical of her to be late.  (no difference between of and for)
upset with (at) (someone) for / about:  I’m upset with (at) him for breaking the vase.  (no difference between with and at)
I’m upset about the change in government.
worried about:  Are you worried about the weather on your wedding day?
wrong with:  There’s nothing wrong with putting yourself first.

© 2013 Ambien Malecot

When asking for or giving permission, 3 modal verbs are used: can, could and may.  Although many people think that may is more polite than the other 2, all 3 are equally polite, especially if you add please.  You can ask for permission either for yourself or for someone else.  Remember that the verb after these modals is always in the simple form.

Examples:
Can I please use your washroom?
Can my friend get a free sample too, please?

Could I just get my money back, please?
Could my child please stay here until I get back?

May I please have another slice of cake?
May my mother have this seat, please?

(Notice that please can go either before the simple form verb or at the end of the sentence.)

Negative permission is called prohibition.  Use can and may in the negative to indicate that someone doesn’t have permission.

Examples:
You can’t park your car in my neighbor’s driveway.
Your friend cannot stay here overnight.

BUT NOT:  You could not smoke in this room. (which is past ability, not prohibition)

You may not leave class early.
Your dog may not lie on the sofa.
(Note:  You cannot contract may not (mayn’t.))

Besides these 3 modals you can also ask permission with Is it alright/okay (with you) if …, Do you mind if…, and Would you mind if…. 

With Is it alright/okay (with you) if and Do you mind if… always use the present simple form of the verb.

Examples:
Is it alright if my friend comes with us?
Is it okay with you if I don’t stay long?

Do you mind if I close the window?
Do you mind if I sit down?

After Would you mind if…, you can use the present simple or the past simple tense, and there’s no difference in meaning.

Examples:
Would you mind if I get something to eat?
Would you mind if I got something to eat?

Would you mind if I leave early?
Would you mind if I left early?

NOTE: To give permission when someone uses the expressions Do you mind if… and Would you mind if…, say, “No, not at all,” or “No, go ahead.”  Without these extra words after “No,” the listener may think you’re not giving permission.  If you don’t want to give permission, don’t just say “Yes,” but say “Yes I do” or “Yes I would.”

Conversation:

Brian:  Is it alright if I leave early today?  I have a job interview this afternoon.

Teacher:  Sure.  No problem.  Just remember to do your homework for tomorrow.

Brian:  Could I do it on the weekend.  I have a test in math tomorrow and I have to study.

Teacher:  You can’t skip your homework in this class.  Without practice you won’t learn as well.

Brian:  I understand, but I’ve really got a lot to do tonight.   Would you mind if I skip it this once?

Teacher:  No, not at all.  I guess one time won’t hurt.

Brian:  Thanks.

© 2013 Ambien Malecot

There’s no easy way to know which preposition follows a noun.  The best way to learn this grammar is to learn the noun and preposition together.  If there’s a verb after the preposition, it must of course be in the gerund form.  Here is a list of the most common noun + preposition combinations:

attention to:  His attention to detail is excellent.
cause of:  What is the cause of all this pollution?
component of:  Liquid hydrogen is one component of rocket fuel.
contribution to:  The scientist made many important contributions to his field.
cure for:  There’s no cure for the common cold.
decrease in:  There has been a decrease in crime over the last decade.
demand for:  There’s not much demand for paper bags anymore.
difficulty with:  She’s been having difficulty with her oldest daughter lately.
effect of (something) on (something / someone):  The effect of pollution on the children is severe.
example of:  Give me an example of the unfairness that you’ve experienced.
exception to:  The only exception to this rule is when you’re sick.
excuse for:  There’s no excuse for being late.
experience with: I’ve had no experience with this type of problem.
expert on [or in]:  He’s an expert on European history.
form of:  Watching TV is a form of homework in ESL classes.
group of:  A group of students is meeting after lunch to discuss the final exam.
improvement in:  There’s been no improvement in your father’s health.
increase in:  In the late 1940s there was a sharp increase in population.
influence on:  My grandfather had a big influence on my choice of career.
interest in:  She has no interest in astronomy.
origin of:  What is the origin of this word?
possibility of:  There’s absolutely no possibility of our arrival on time.
price of:  The price of gasoline has been increasing.
probability of:  There’s a 60% possibility of rain tomorrow.
quality of:  The quality of cars made in that country is quite high.
reason for:  There’s no good reason for forgetting your anniversary.
reliance on:  He’s developed a reliance on sleeping pills.
solution to:  I don’t see an easy solution to this problem.
supply of:  We have a good supply of ice for the party.
team of:  A team of doctors is on its way to the affected area.

© 2013 Ambien Malecot

There’s no easy way to know which preposition follows a verb.  The best way to learn this grammar is to learn the verb and preposition together.  If there’s a verb after the preposition, it must of course be in the gerund form.  Here is a list of the most common verb + preposition combinations:

account for:  How do you account for the missing $500
accuse (someone) of:  The police accused him of murder.
adjust to:  It will take him a while to adjust to the the new culture.
agree with / to / on:  I don’t agree with you.
She won’t agree to separate bank accounts.
We don’t agree on many things, but we agree on this.
apologize for:  He apologized for forgetting to pick her up.
apply to:  She’s going to apply to at least three universities.
approve of:  I don’t approve of your new boyfriend.
argue with:  He argues with his brother all the time.
arrive at:  They arrived at school at 8:30.
ask for:  Go to the teacher and ask for help.
attach (something) to: They want you to attach a photo to your application form.
begin with:  Why don’t we begin with your personal information
believe in:  The children still believe in Santa Claus.
belong to: Those glasses don’t belong to me.
blame (someone) for:  She blames me for everything that goes wrong.
care about / for:  I don’t care about winning.
She cares for her sick mother.
compare (something/someone) with:  Compare Coke with Pepsi and you’ll find that Pepsi is sweeter.
compete with:  The shelves come in a box complete with instructions on how to assemble.
complain about:  It’s upsetting to be around people who complain about things all the time.
concentrate on:  I’ll make dinner, and you concentrate on finishing your homework.
consist of:  This recipe consists of flour, milk, eggs, honey and vanilla.
contribute to:  Cars that use gasoline contribute to global warming.
cooperate with:  We only want team members who can cooperate with each other.
count on:  You can count on me to support you for class president.  (=depend on)
cover (something/someone) with:  He covered her with a blanket after she fell asleep on the sofa.
deal with:  How do you deal with a child who won’t obey you?
decide on:  It’s time to decide on a wall color for this room.
depend on:  We know we can depend on our babysitter.
devote to:  Everyone knows she’s devoted to her family.
dream of / about:  Last night I dreamed of (about) hiking across a desert.
engage in:  The children are not allowed to engage in online chat rooms.
escape from:  Three men escaped from prison over the weekend.
excel in:  His son excels in math and science.
fight for:  The rebels are fighting for independence.
forgive (someone) for:  She’ll never forgive him for missing her birthday party.
hide (something) from (someone):  The parents hid the presents from their children.
hope for:  This is the best outcome I could ever hope for.
insist on:  I insist on seeing the manager.
interfere with:  It’s a bad idea to interfere with a police investigation.
look forward to:  We look forward to your arrival in our beautiful city.
object to:  She objects to anyone calling her by her first name.
participate in:  If you don’t want to participate in the game, you can leave now.
pay for:  He paid for his purchase with a credit card.
plan on:  I didn’t plan on anyone getting hurt.
pray for:  Let’s pray for sunshine on the day of the picnic.
prevent (someone) from:  We need to prevent him from hurting himself.
protect (someone) from:  There are many vaccines to protect you from disease.
provide (someone) with:  The school provided each student with a laptop computer.
recover from:  It took her ten days to recover from her surgery.
refer to:  He referred to a dictionary to check the spelling
rely on:  She relies on her father for financial support.
rescue (someone) from:  We rescued our cat from the SPCA.
respond to:  She wouldn’t respond to our questions.
result in:  The information we gave the police resulted in his arrest.
search for:  They searched for the perfect pizza.
shout at:  Don’t shout at the children.
stare at:  Would you please stop staring at me?
stop (someone) from:  My friend stopped me from making a big mistake.
subscribe to:  How many years have you subscribed to this magazine?
substitute for:  Sometimes there’s no substitute for hard work.
succeed in:  He succeeded in opening the locked door.
take advantage of:  We should take advantage of the 2-for-1 sale.
take care of:  She has to take care of her younger sister this weekend.
thank (someone) for:  Thank you for inviting me to your wonderful party.
vote for:  Who are you going to vote for?
wait for:  Wait for me in front of the library.

© 2013 Ambien Malecot

Prepositions are short words, but it can be challenging to learn how to use them.  Following is a list of the most common expressions starting with the prepositions at, by, for, in and on:

at best / worst:  At best we’ll be finished by midnight, and at worst we’ll be up all night.
at birth / death:  She had blue eyes at birth, but now they’re brown.
at first / last:  At first, we thought he was a shy, but he’s not really.
at once:  Come here at once!  (= immediately)
at present:  At present we’ve had 35,000 visitors to our website.
at random:  The computer picks a number at random.  (= by chance)
at the moment:  He’s not home at the moment.
at the peak (of):  These grapes are at the peak of ripeness.  (= at perfect)

by car / boat / bus / plane / train:  He gets to work by car.  (= in a car)
by chance:  By chance have you seen my keys?
by far:  She is by far the best player on the team.
by hand:  This hat was made by hand in Peru.

for example:  Italian food, for example pizza, is delicious.
for free:  The store is giving away key chains for free.
for good:  He stopped smoking for good.  (= forever)
for instance:  I have trouble remembering things, for instance names.
for later:  I’m going to save this piece of pie for later tonight.
for now:  I’ve had enough food for now, but I may be hungry later.

in a book / a magazine / the newspaper:  Did you read that information in a magazine?
in a car:  They traveled to Mexico in a car.
in a row:  She won three games in a row.  (= in sequence)
in charge (of):  Who’s in charge of the music for the party?  (= has responsibility)
in common (with):  I have nothing in common with him.
in danger (of):  You’re in danger of becoming addicted to the pills.
in detail:  Explain to me in detail what happened.
in existence:  The blue whale is the largest animal in existence.  (= living now)
in general:  In general, the buses in this city are on time.
in practice:  In practice this system doesn’t work very well.  (= doing it)
in style:  She shops at the best stores and is always in style.  (= well dressed)
in the front / middle / back:  We like to sit in the front of the classroom.
in the past / present / future:  In the past it took days and days to do research.
in the world:  There are over seven billion people in the world.
in theory:  In theory it looks like it would work.  (= as an idea)

on a bus / boat / plane / train:  They came to Vancouver on a bus.
on earth:  I wouldn’t marry you if you were the last man on earth.
on fire:  Get out quickly; the house is on fire.  (= burning)
on foot:  His car broke down, so he had to come home on foot.
on purpose:  She stepped on his foot on purpose.  (= knowing what she’s doing)
on television / TV:  He has the most popular talk show on television.
on the Internet:  There are many dating services on the Internet.
on the other hand:  He’s very smart, but on the other hand he’s disorganized.
on the radio:  I heard that song on the radio.
on the whole:  On the whole, people in this city are friendly.

Study these expressions, and when you think you’re ready, do the following exercise.

© 2013 Ambien Malecot

The verb tenses you’ve learned so far have all been in the active voice.  In the active voice the subject does the verb.  We usually don’t tell you this because in the beginning it’s not important.  In the passive voice the subject does not do the verb.  This is because the subject in the passive voice is the object in the active voice.

Examples:

The dog bit the boy.  (active)
The boy was bitten by the dog.  (passive)

A thief stole his motorcycle.  (active)
His motorcycle was stolen by a thief.   (passive)

The police arrested the thieves.  (active)
The thieves were arrested by the police.   (passive)

To form the passive, put the verb be in the same tense as the main verb in the active sentence, and then add the past participle of this main verb.  The subject in the active sentence is put after the verb in a prepositional phrase starting with by. It is then called the agent.

Examples:

My friends and I finished the job in three days.  (active)
The job was finished in three days by my friends and me. (agent = my friends and me)
Note:  I changes to me because it is now an object, not a subject.

Most of the students passed the test.  (active)
The test was passed by most of the students. (agent = most of the students)

His grandfather built a tree house in the back yard.  (active)
A tree house was built in the back yard by his grandfather. (agent = his grandfather)

If there is a modal verb, then put be after the modal in the passive.

Examples:

The children must do all homework before bedtime.  (active)
All homework must be done by the children before bedtime.

I couldn’t read his handwriting.  (active)
His handwriting couldn’t be read by me.

He promised me that he would finish everything by Friday.  (active)
He promised me that everything would be finished by Friday.

If there is no object in an active sentence, then the sentence cannot be made passive.

Examples:

We all went to the movies after dinner.  (We went who / what? = no answer / no object)

After the movie, everyone was crying.  (Everyone was crying who / what? = no answer / no object)

The agent in the passive voice can go after the verb or at the end of the sentence.

Examples:

Parents teach their children to be polite.  (active)
Children are taught to be polite by their parents.
OR:  Children are taught by their parents to be polite. (agent = their parents)

Her mother named her after her grandmother.  (active)
She was named after her grandmother by her mother.
OR:  She was named by her mother after her grandmother. [agent = her mother]

His parents gave him a laptop on his graduation from high school.  (active)
He was given a laptop by his parents on his graduation from high school.
OR:  He was given a laptop on his graduation from high school by his parents.  [agent = his parents]

The agent is dropped in the passive voice for 3 reasons.

Reason 1:

When the subject is not important (it doesn’t add any real information), then you can drop it, especially when it’s they, people, someone or any other general subject.

Examples:

People call this river the Columbia River.  (active)
This river is called the Columbia River.  (passive) (by people is not important)

Someone lost this cell phone on the bus.  (active)
This cell phone was lost on the bus.  (passive) (by someone is not important)

They grow lots of rice in Asia.   (active)
Lots of rice is grown in Asia.  (passive) (by them is not important)

Reason 2:

When the subject is unknown. (no one knows)

Examples:

Someone stole my bike.
My bike was stolen. (by someone is unknown)

They broke the mirror in the move.
The mirror was broken in the move. (by them is unknown)

I know someone will buy that car today.
I know that car will be bought today. (by someone is unknown)

Reason 3:

When the subject is obvious (everyone knows who it is.)

Examples:

The teacher gave him a C on his composition.
He was given a C on his competition. (by teachers is obvious because only teachers mark compositions)

The police arrested him late yesterday afternoon.
He was arrested late yesterday afternoon. (by the police is obvious because only the police arrest people)

An artist painted a mural on the side of the building.
A mural was painted on the side of the building. (by an artist is obvious because only artists paint)

However, when the agent is important, such as a name, you must include it in the sentence.

Examples:

Alexander Graham Bell invented the telephone.  (active)
The telephone was invented by Alexander Graham Bell.

Leonardo DaVinci painted the Mona Lisa.  (active)
The Mona Lisa was painted by Leonardo DaVinci.

The Ford Motor Company produced the first Model T Ford in 1908.  (active)
The first Model T Ford was produced in 1908 by the Ford Motor Company.

When there is both a direct object and an indirect object, either one can be the subject of the passive voice, but it is more common to use the indirect object.

Examples:

My parents gave me a bicycle for my birthday.
I was given a bicycle for my birthday.  (commonly used)
A bicycle was given to me for my birthday.  (not often used)

After the ballet, they presented her with a bouquet of flowers.
After the ballet, she was presented with a bouquet of flowers.  (commonly used)
After the ballet, a bouquet of flowers was presented to her.  (not often used)

They told him their secret.
He was told their secret.  [commonly used]
Their secret was told to him.  [not often used]

The verb get can also be used in place of be.  Get is most often used:

When the result is negative.

Examples:

A fire destroyed the factory.  (active)
The factory got destroyed in a fire.  (destroyed is a negative result)
OR:  The factory was destroyed in a fire.

Her boss fired her for her sloppy and incomplete work.  (active)
She got fired for her sloppy and incomplete work.  (sloppy and incomplete are negative)
OR:  She was fired for her sloppy and incomplete work.

If he tells the truth, his parents won’t punish him.  (active)
If he tells the truth, he won’t get punished.  (punished is negative)
OR:  If he tells the truth, he won’t be punished.

When the result happened because of some action that was done.

Examples:

They finally painted the porch.  (active)
The porch finally got painted.  (action = painting)
OR:  The porch was finally painted.

The Canadian people elected Pierre Trudeau Prime Minister in 1968.  (active)
Pierre Trudeau got elected Prime Minister in 1968.  (action = running for election)
OR:  Pierre Trudeau was elected Prime Minister in 1968.

Did the company reimburse you for the meal yesterday?  (active)
Did you get reimbursed for the meal yesterday?   (action = asking the company)
OR:  Were you reimbursed for the meal yesterday?

© 2013 Ambien Malecot

Subjects, such as I, the boy, and everyone, come before verbs, but objects come after verbs. There are 2 kinds of objects:

Direct objects answer the question “who” or “what.”

Examples:
My roommate lost his keys.  My roommate lost what? – his keys.
I know the answer.  I know what? – the answer.
She loves her boyfriend.  She loves who? – her boyfriend.

Indirect objects answer the question “to whom” or “to what” (sometimes “for whom” or “for what”) and are used together with direct objects.

Examples:
I gave the dog a bone.
I gave a bone to what? – the dog.

He bought a diamond ring for his girlfriend.
He bought a diamond ring for whom? – his girlfriend.

We told the police officer the truth.
We told the truth to whom? – the police officer.

Direct and indirect object pronouns can replace the nouns:

Examples:
My roommate lost them. (his keys)
I know it. (the answer)
She loves him. (her boyfriend)
I gave it a bone. (the dog)
He introduced her to them. (his girlfriend / his parents)
We told him the truth. (the police officer)

Object pronouns are used after prepositions.

Examples:
Would you come to the dance with me this Saturday night?
I did all of this for you.
Because of them, I decided to join the team.
This is between you and me, so don’t tell anyone.
She sits across from us in class.

The list of direct and indirect object pronouns is:

Me, you, him, her, it, one, us, them

Note:  It replaces nouns beginning with the, this or that.
One replaces nouns beginning with a.

If you put the indirect object before the direct object, don’t use to (sometimes for.) However, if you put the direct object first, then use to (sometimes for) before the indirect object.

Examples:
I gave her my phone number.
I gave my phone number to her.
I gave her it.
I gave it to her.

She bought me a T-shirt.
She bought a T-shirt for me.
She bought me one.
She bought one for me.

They told us their reasons.
They told their reasons to us.
They told us them.
They told them to us.

© 2013 Ambien Malecot