"Until" vs "As long as"

Until can be used both as a preposition and as a conjunction. Until is used to express a
point of time in the future
Until (preposition) 1. Up to the time of: We danced until dawn.
2. Before (a specified time): She can't leave until Friday
Until (conjunction) 1. Up to the time that: We walked until it got dark.
2. Before: You cannot leave until your work is finished.
3. To the point or extent that: I talked until I was hoarse

As long as means that one thing will occur while another thing is still true
As long as (conjunction) 1. During the time that: I'll stay as long as you need me.
2. Since: As long as you've offered, I accept.
3. On the condition that: I will cooperate as long as I am notified on time.

Idiom
1. For the period of time that, as in You may keep the book as long as you want, that is,
keep it for whatever time you wish to.
2. Also, so long as. Since, because, as in Please pick up some milk as long as you are
going to the store, or So long as you're here, you might as well stay for dinner.
3. Also, so long as; just so. Provided that, as in As long as you don't expect it by
tomorrow, I'll make the drawing, or So long as sales are greater than returns, the
company will make a profit, or You may have another cookie, just so you don't take the
last one.
Source: http://www.answers.com
1. In order to express a future idea. after as long as, we use a present tense.
e.g - As long as I live, I shall smoke no more cigarettes
2. Before a number, as long as can be used to suggest great length
e.g - The discussion can last as long as six hours

Posted by Prachi Pareekh at Monday, November 12, 2007 Links to this post
Labels: 'Until" vs "As long as"

Tuesday, October 30, 2007

Verb, Infinitive, Gerund - 1
Below is the list of Verbs generally followed by an infinitive with to
agree
appear - e.g Her health appeared to be worse
arrange
ask
attempt
care
claim
dare
decide - e.g We decided to go to Hawaii
demand
deserve
endeavor
expect
fail
get
grow
happen
hasten
help
hesitate
hope
hurry
intend
leap
learn
long
make (passive)
manage
neglect
offer
pay
plan - e.g We plan to go to India this year

pledge
pretend
refuse - e.g: I refuse(verb) to lie(infinitive) to my friends
resolve
say
seek
seem
struggle
swear
tend
vow
want
would like - e.g We would like to leave now
wish
yearn
Verbs + infinitive with to or a gerund:
attempt
begin - e.g He began singing; He began to sing
can't bear
continue
dread - e.g She dreaded taking the risk; She dreaded to think of the consequences of
her actions
forget
go on
hate
intend
love - e.g She loves to dance; She loves dancing
mean
plan
prefer
propose
regret
remember
start
stop - e.g He stopped drinking; He stopped to rest for a few minutes
try
Verbs + object + infinitive with to or a gerund

admit
allow
consider
forbid
imagine
keep(in order to) - e.g The attackers kept hostages to prevent the police from
entering; She kept talking.
need - e.g He need to call his boss; The house needs cleaning
permit
require

Posted by Prachi Pareekh at Tuesday, October 30, 2007 Links to this post
Labels: Gerund - 1, Infinitive, Verb

Tuesday, June 19, 2007

Usage of "One"
In sentences that contain the phrase one of.....
1. In simple form one of or one of the, a singular verb is used.
e.g - One of the books is missing from my cupboard.
2. In sentences that contain phrases one of those who or one of the
things that, a plural verb is used.
e.g - He is one of our employees who are always alert.
3. When only precedes one of /one of those, a singular verb is used.
(Do not mix this rule with the 2nd rule stated above)
e.g - Ram is the only one of our employees who is always alert.
Posted by Prachi Pareekh at Tuesday, June 19, 2007 Links to this post
Labels: Usage of one

Monday, April 02, 2007

Aim to vs Aim at

Aim to (idiom)
Meaning - Try or intend to do something.
e.g : We aim to please, or She aims to fly to California.
Correct usage: aim to + verb

Aim at (idiom)
Meaning - Direct a missile or criticism at something or someone.
e.g: In his last speech the President took aim at the opposition
leader.
Correct usage: aim at + noun
Posted by Prachi Pareekh at Monday, April 02, 2007 Links to this post
Labels: Aim to vs Aim at, gmat idioms

Saturday, March 17, 2007

Different from vs Different than
Different from means not the same.
e.g -- Sara's taste is different from mine.
Different than -- In US English, than is an alternative to from before a
clause.
e.g -- Sara's appearance was very different than I'd expected.
NOTE : On GMAT different than is generally always wrong when comparing
two nouns. Different than is only correct when a sentence compares a noun
and a clause.
Hence if on GMAT sentence correction you come across a question
comparing two nouns and choice with the word different then look for a
choice without the phrase different than
Posted by Prachi Pareekh at Saturday, March 17, 2007 Links to this post

Labels: Different from vs Different than, gmat idioms

Monday, January 22, 2007

Editing Comma Splice
Comma splice is the error of joining two independent clauses with nothing but a
comma.
Comma splice has two main forms 1). Run on sentence joined by a comma alone. (Run on sentences are independent
clauses that have not been joined correctly).
e.g - Some gourmets like the new French cooking, others find it dull. - incorrect comma splice run-on.
2). Run on sentence joined by a comma and a word that is not a coordinating
conjunction.
e.g - Some gourmets like the new French cooking, however, others find it dull. incorrect - comma splice run-on.
There are 4 ways to revise a run on sentence.
1). Use a comma and a coordinating conjunction.
e.g - Some gourmets like the new French cooking, but others find it dull. - Correct
2). Make the clauses into seperate sentences.
e.g - Some gourmets like the new French cooking. Others find it dull. - Correct
3). Restructure the sentence i.e convert an independent clause to
subordinate/dependent clause.
e.g - Although some gourmets like the new French cooking, others find it dull. Correct
4). Use a semicolon.

e.g Some gourmets like the new French cooking; others find it dull. - Correct
OR
Some gourmets like the new French cooking; however, others find it dull. - Correct.
OG 10th - Ques number 10 - Example of Comma splice run-on.
10. However much United States voters may agree that there is waste in government
and that the government as a whole spends beyond its means, it is difficult to find
broad support for a movement toward a minimal state.
(A) However much United States voters may agree that
(E) There is agreement among United States voters that
A is the correct answer.
E - incorrect
E starts with an independent rather than a subordinate clause i.e
(There is agreement among United States voters that there is waste in
government and that the government as a whole spends beyond its means)
and
separates its two independent clauses with a comma hence creates a run-on sentence.
There is agreement among United States voters that there is waste in government and
that the government as a whole spends beyond its means -- Independent clause
It is difficult to find broad support for a movement toward a minimal state. -Independent clause
Posted by Prachi Pareekh at Monday, January 22, 2007 Links to this post
Labels: Comma Splice

Tuesday, September 26, 2006

Would vs Used to
1). Used to can refer to repeated actions and events in the past, in the same way as
would.

e.g
Sometimes he used to bring me little presents without saying why.
Sometimes he would bring me little presents without saying why.
2). Only used to, not would can refer to past states.
e.g
I used to have an old Rolls-Royce. (NOT - I would have an old Rolls-Royce.)
3). We use used to, not would, to talk about regular and important habitual behaviour.
e.g
I used to smoke. (NOT- I would smoke.)
Posted by Prachi Pareekh at Tuesday, September 26, 2006 Links to this post

Would - Uses
Would is a modal auxiliary verb.
Would is used as a softer less definite form of will, in some cases as past of will.
1). In indirect speech, would is used after past reporting verbs where will was used in
direct speech.
e.g
Tomorrow will be fine - DIRECT
The forcast said the next day would be fine - INDIRECT
2). Future in past tense - Would is used to express the idea of "future in the past" - to
talk about a past action which had not yet happened at the time we are talking about.
e.g
In Berlin, he first met the woman he would one day marry.
There was a chance that my letter would arrive in time.

3). Would is used in polite requests and offers as a softer form of will.
e.g
Would you open the window, please?
If you would come this way.....
4). Would can refer to past willingness of a general kind, but not to willingness to do
something on a particular past occassion.
e.g
She would hoover, dust and iron, but she didn't like doing windows.
She agreed to come and see me . (NOT - She would come and see me)
But would not can be used to refer to a refusal on a particular past occassion.
e.g
I asked her very politely, but she wouldn't tell me.
5). Conditional auxiliary: I would....if - Would is often used as an auxiliary with verbs
that refer to unnreal or uncertain situations - for example in sentences with if.
e.g
I would tell you if I knew.
It would have been nice if he'd thanked you.
6). Typical behaviour - Would is used as the past of will to talk about typical behaviour
in the past.
e.g
When she was old, she would sit in the corner talking to herself for hours.
Sentences with stressed would can be used to criticise people's behaviour.
e.g

He was a nice boy, but he would talk about himself all the time.
Stressed would can also be used to criticise a single past action - the meaning is ' that's
typical of you '
e.g
You would tell Sania about the party - I didn't want to invite her.
Posted by Prachi Pareekh at Tuesday, September 26, 2006 Links to this post
Labels: Would - Uses
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