ENGLISH V

UNIT 1
ENGINEERING IN HISTORY.
THE HISTORY OF ENGINEERING

UNIT I - MODULE I - GRAMMAR

Affixes
In English words can be formed from a Root (base +affixes (prefixes and
suffixes) For example from the root faith which means fé, we can have
some other words adding prefixes and suffixes, Example:

PREFIX ROOT (BASE) SUFFIX

FAITH
FAITHFUL (FIEL) FUL
UN UNFAITHFUL
(INFIEL

A prefix added to a base changes the meaning of the word: unfaithful

(infiel)
A suffix added to a base changes the grammatical characteristic of the
word: faith (fe) (noun) faithful (fiel) (adjective)

Some of the following prefixes can be difficult for a Spanish speaker to

manage There are also some prepositions which can be placed before
the base and change the meaning of the word.

PREFIX BASE NEW WORD

Fore tell foretell
Off shore offshore
Over weight Overweight
 Under weight underweight
Back yard backyard

A suffix does not change the meaning of the word but it changed its
grammatical characteristic. There are suffixes to indicate nouns,
adjectives, and adverbs, For example:

Root (Base) Suffix New word Grammar

Characteristic
Develop ment development noun
Improve ment improvement noun
Pay ment payment noun

Dark ness darkness noun

Sick ness sickness noun

Music Ian musician noun

technic Ian technician noun

Technic Al Technical activity adjective

Care ful careful adjective
Care less careless adjective
count less countless adjective
white ish whitish adjective
 small er smaller adjective
Tall est The tallest Adjective

Care ful Careful adjective

Careful ly carefully adverb
Careless ly carelessly adverb

Exercise 1.

Using the above information, choose the correct meaning of the

underlined word.

1. What he told us is unbelievable .

a. easy to believe b. difficult to believe

2. The technician disconnected the wires.

a. linked the wires b. separated the wires

3. It is difficult to trust on a dishonest person.

a. a person who tell the truth b. a person who tell lies

4. At the meeting, there arguments and counterarguments.

a. ideas in favor b. ideas against

5. No matter antiwar demonstrations, the situation does not change

 a. demonstrations in favor of war b. demonstrations against the
war

6. Some people think politicians are unreliable; some others think

they are dependable.
a. people we cannot trust on b. People we can trust on.

7. Some engineers are good paid, but others are underpaid.

a. they don’t receive enough salary b. they receive good
salary

8. In nature, some species do not coexist.

a. live together b. live separated

9. Electricians have to be careful with electricity. They must

disconnect wires before starting any work.
a. plug d. unplug

ING USE

-Ing is a suffix which has different meanings depending on the context

and the position it has in a sentence

ING can be used in progressive tenses. In this case the main verb of the
sentence shall be preceded by the auxiliary be. The main verb shall have
the suffix ING. (This structure is used to indicate an activity being
performed at the moment) Example: I am writing a book at the moment.

If the sentence needs to be expresses in a perfect continuous tense, the

structure should be subject +have (has( +been + main verb+ ing.
Example: I have been writing this book since a year ago.
Pay attention to the different uses of -ing as part of the continuous tense.

Sentence tense Meaning

Michael is submitting a proposal Present Something

progressive happening at
the moment
His friends were submitting a Past Something
similar proposal a year ago. progressive which
happened in
the past
He and his family will be going Future Something
on vacation in June progressive planned for the
future

They have not been paying Present Something

attention to the expenses of the progressive which has been
trip. happening up to
the present
They will have been visiting many Future Something
place. progressive which will be
happening in
the future

ING can be found in a noun position.

Subject verb object

Writing essays Is not easy for us
Waking fast Is by physicians
recommended
 Her cooking was delicious
This training Is excellent for my new job.
In this political campaign there was not much
advertising

ING can be found after a form of the verb to be, acting as

noun.

His favorite hobby is walking

Their favorite sport was fishing in the
river
His problem was making the
wrong
decision,

ING can be used as an object after certain verbs:

I miss talking to him .

They enjoy playing soccer
He Said He will
consider
accepting your
invitation
You better stop studying now; it
is too late.

ING is commonly used as an object of a preposition:

My sister needs to wear glasses for
reading You better complete your work
before leaving.
We just came back from doing sports.

ING is also used as adjective.

The class was very interesting

The way she writes Is fascinating
This mall Is changing
It Is a shopping
center
We bought a teaching
machine.
 VERBS FOLLOWED BY ING

Verbs followed by ing are also the ones of thinking: remember, forget,
imagine, think of. Don’t forget going to the party. Remember bringing
your contribution.

Verbs can be followed by to +ing: I look forward to hearing from you

soon. The thief confessed stealing the money from the purse. In some
companies you cannot object to working until late.

If a verb if followed by a preposition, the verb after bears ing: In a

company, workers normally begin by checking at the door. My daughter
insisted on wearing jeans to the party Environmental offices don’t
approve cutting trees
Sometimes, they noise at parties prevent neighbors from sleeping.

Verbs like overhear, notice, feel, observe, watch can be followed by an

object and then by an infinitive without to. Example: I saw the boys
watching the girls.
 VERBS + OBJECT + ING

Sometimes there are verbs followed by an object + ing. If the verb is

followed by a possessive + ing, it can be considered formal style:

My mother recalled me buying the groceries

My mother recalled my buying the groceries (formal)

The professor reminded his students checking the homework.

The professor reminded their checking the homework.

Verbs normally followed by ing are the ones showing like or dislike,
for example: hate, object to, love, detest, disapprove. Example:
Some people love going to the cinema, other love going to the disco,
but most of them hate waiting on lines.

Exercises

Complete each sentence with the corresponding form of the verb and
write in parenthesis the grammatical function of the -ing form.

Sentence Grammatical function of - ing

Customs office has been changing VERBS FOLLOWED BY ING
recently,
This machine is for teaching ING CAN BE FOUND AFTER A FORM OF
THE VERB TO BE, ACTING AS NOUN.
languages,
The meal was very satisfying ING IS ALSO USED AS ADJECTIVE

We need a melting pot PRESENT PROGRESSIVE

I normally use a pen for writing my VERBS + OBJECT + ING

letters,
 He learned to speak by speaking
Living in large cities is expensive
Some living species have to adjust
ING IS COMMONLY USED AS AN
OBJECT OF A PREPOSITION
ING CAN BE FOUND IN A NOUN
POSITION
PRESENT PROGRESSIVE

to new environments.
While living in that island, he wrote PAST PROGRESSIVE

his first science book.

Exercises: Complete the following sentences with an appropriate form

of the verb.
asking struggling getting accepting
playing participating going driving having stealing

1. Please remind me ______Going_______to the party

2. My nice hate ________Having__________his father away from
home
3. I did not hear the lady ____Asking______for help.
4. It is difficult for the president ______Accepting________the
decision of the group
5. After the game, no body will forget players
_____Struggling_______ to win.
6. There are people ______Stealing________bank accounts from
their computers.
7. I have an oral presentation so I need to concentrate on
_____Getting______it completed.
8. The accident prevented him from _______Playing________ for
several weeks.
9. Tourists in Britain and Australia find it strange
_____Driving_______on the left.
10. Although they denied ______Participating_____in the
event, the video was a real proof of their participation.