Chapter 8

CHAPTER 8
GRAMMAR
SUBJECT-VERB AGREEMENT
Objectives: To know subject-verb agreement rules

To apply subject-verb agreement rules in speaking and writing
A sentence consists of a subject and a verb. The subject may be a noun or a pronoun. The
verb must agree with its subject. A singular subject takes a singular verb; a plural
subject takes a plural verb. The common rules for subject-verb agreement are as
follows:
Rule 1: A singular subject must have a singular verb.
Examples: The rich lady owns a resort hotel by the sea.

She also has several chalets in Cameron Highlands.
Rule 2: A plural subject must have a plural verb.
Examples: Wealthy Malays send their children to prestigious and expensive

private schools.
Malaysians are very caring people. They donate generously to
various charities.
Rule 3: If a sentence has two subjects joined by the conjunction and, the plural form of
the verb is used.
Examples: My brother and his family are in Spain.

Her son and daughter speak excellent English.
Rule 4: When a sentence begins with the word There, the verb agrees with the subject.
The subject comes after the verb.
Examples: There are many oak trees lining the boulevard.

There is a beggar sleeping on the pavement.
Rule 5: The following words are singular in meaning, so they take singular verbs:
anybody, anyone, each, every, everyone, no one, none, someone, something
Examples: No one knows where our secret hideout is.
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228
Every employee is well-rewarded in this college.

None of the statements is true.
Rule 6: Collective nouns can be either singular or plural, depending on the context.
Some examples of collective nouns are: association, audience, committee, club,
company, family, federation, jury, staff, team.
Examples: The committee proposes that the TESOL conference be held in

Malaysia.
The committee cast their votes in favour of the proposal.
Rule 7: Units of money, distance and time are considered singular subjects if they come
before the verb and plural subject if they come after the verb.
Examples: Six kilometres is a really long walk.

Eight hours is the standard number of working hours
per day for government servants.
Five ringgit is all he has in his wallet now.
There are two hundred kilometers more to Taiping.
There are one hundred and twenty minutes in two hours.
There are three hundred ringgit in the drawer. (RM300 is
regarded as separate ringgit notes)
Rule 8: Certain nouns end with an -s but they are singular in nature. They are plural
subjects. These nouns therefore agree with singular verbs.
– subjects of study, such as statistics, mathematics, physics
– activities, such as aerobics, gymnastics
– diseases, such as mumps, measles
– sports, such as athletics
– nouns, such as notes, news, comics
Examples: The news is broadcast at prime time on television.

Mathematics is a difficult subject.
Aerobics is a popular form of exercise.
Measles is an infectious disease but it is not dangerous.
Rule 9: The following words indicate many, or more than one, so they take plural verbs:
both, both...and, several, many, few, others, people
Examples: Both Farid and Arif are good students.

Few people exercise regularly nowadays.
Several of the crew members plan to abandon the ship.
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Rule 10: When you use the following structures: either...or, neither... nor and
not only...but also..., the verb must agree with the noun closest to it.
Examples: Neither the Principal nor his assistants are available at the moment.
Not only the airline industry but also the shipping industry is hard
hit by the economic depression.
Rule 11: In sentences which have the following expressions: ...as well as...,
...together with..., ...accompanied by..., the verbs agree with the true subjects.
Examples: The captain, as well as his crew, is now in the dining hall.
The prisoner, accompanied by armed guards, is in the High
Court
right now.
Rule 12: If a sentence has a fraction or percentage followed by a noun, the verb agrees
with the noun not the fraction or percentage.
Examples: Three-quarters of this building is vacant.

Fifty per cent of the furniture needs to be sold.
Rule 13: Nouns that refer to nationality (e.g. the English, the French) take plural verbs.
Nouns that refer to language (e.g. French, Arabic) take singular verbs.
Examples: Bahasa Malaysia is the national language of Malaysia.

Germans speak with a strong guttural sound.
EXERCISE A
Read the paragraph below and identify the subjects and the verbs. Write the subjects
and the verbs in the table provided at the end of the paragraph. The first one has
been done for you.
Scientists learn about the earth's interior by studying volcanoes. Volcanoes are found in
many parts of the world. Sometimes, deep cracks form from the earth's core to its crust.
Due to various geological factors, a volcano erupts. Then, gases and hot molten rock
called lava spew out of the earth. Some volcanoes throw gases and ashes high into the air.
In some other cases, the lava flows quietly through the cracks onto the earth's surface.
Scientists study ashes, lava and the gases that come out during a volcanic
eruption. They wear specially designed suits to protect their bodies from the intense heat
and fire.
Adapted from:
Reading for Concepts by
Phoenix Learning Resources
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Subject Verb
1 scientists learn
2
3
4
5
6
7
8
9
10
EXERCISE B
Underline the correct verb for each of the sentences below.
1 The girls ( is, are ) taking a break from their studies.

2 The student ( is, are ) one of the suspects in the bully case.
3 His friends ( is, are ) willing to help him with his project.
4 The artistes ( is, are ) able to perform well with enough practice.
5 The late P Ramlee ( is, are ) a famous name in the film industry.
6 Hang Tuah ( is, are ) a legendary Malay warrior.
7 The leader and the group members ( is, are ) in the midst of their discussion.
8 The producer and his production crew ( is, are ) still filming the final scene of the
movie.
9 The government and other agencies ( is, are ) working very closely to cripple the
syndicate responsible for distributing pirated compact discs.
10 The residents in the neighbourhood ( is, are ) in the final stages of preparing the
memorandum, which they will present to their local representative in Parliament.
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EXERCISE C
Fill in the blanks with the correct form of the verbs given in brackets. The verb
must agree with the subject in each sentence.
1 Either Noris or Kamsiah __________ (have) the suitcase.

2 Chemistry __________ (be) my favourite subject.
3 Both the successful lawyers __________ (be) from the same law firm.
4 Twenty-two kilometres __________ (seem) too far to walk in 30 minutes.
5 There __________ (be) a lot of oil in this can.
6 The list of things to buy _____________ (include) three jars of jam and three
loaves of bread.
7 Everybody _____________ (leave) the apartment whenever the fire alarm
_____________ (go) off.
8 The clinic is closed. The doctor, as well as the nurses, __________ (have) measles.
9 There __________ (be) sixty minutes in one hour.
10 Three of the students always _____________ (arrive) later than the others.
11 Neither Azmi nor his friends _________ (know) the answer.
12 No two babies in the world __________ (have) the same growth rate.
13 RM200,000 __________ (be) too much to pay for a one-bedroom house.
14 One of the ways to travel in Malaysia __________ (be) by train.
15 Either the executives or the clerks __________ (have) their coffee break.
EXERCISE D
Underline all the subjects in the sentence below and circle the correct verbs.
e.g.: Daud and his friends plan / plans to visit Pulau Redang during
the long weekend break.
1 They are / is angry with the way the events have turned out.
2 Encik Rahim, as well as his family, was / were away when the lightning struck.
3 That lovely lady whom you saw yesterday, are / is the model most sought after by
fashion magazines and media agents.
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4 The demonstrators outside the factory is / are a group of violent and rowdy people.
5 The railway workers works / work round the clock whenever there is a railroad
accident.
6 Search and Wings is / are popular rock groups in Malaysia.
7 Rahul are / is not satisfied with his present performance in class.
8 The old car is / are up for sale.
9 Swans is / are graceful creatures.
10 Cashew nuts, as well as other nuts, are / is good for health.
EXERCISE E
Fill in the blanks with the correct form of the verbs given in brackets.
1 My elder brother _____________ (enjoy) travelling, especially in our beautiful

country Malaysia.
2 When he _____________ (travel), he usually _____________ (take) along his
automatic zoom camera.
3 My brother _____________ (love) to capture exciting moments of his holidays
on film.
4 He _____________ (like) to send the photographs he _____________ (take)
during his holidays to photo contests.
5 He often _____________ (walk) away with great prizes whenever he
_____________ (enter) a photo contest.
6 The Malaysia Tourism Agency and Lensa film distributors _____________
(organise) the Cuti-cuti Malaysia Photo Contest every year.
7 The competition ____________ (be) one of the many events organised to
encourage Malaysians to spend their vacations in Malaysia.
8 Contestants usually _____________ (submit) three 4R-sized photographs that
_____________ (capture) the most enjoyable moments of their holidays.
9 They ____________ (have) to take the photographs using Lensa film and process
them at any Lensa photo processing shop.
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10 The closing date for the Cuti-cuti Malaysia Photo contest 2005 _____________ (be)
the end of next month. I _____________ (expect) my brother to win the contest this
year too.
EXERCISE F
For each of the following sentences, put a tick ( √ ) if the verb agrees with the
subject. Put a cross ( X ) if the wrong verb is used and write the correct verb in the
space provided. The first one has been done for you.
e.g.: The hotels in Port Dickson is full ___X_____ ___are___

during the school holidays.
1 A digital camera is a useful piece of _________ _________

equipment.
2 Swimming is a good form of exercise. _________ _________
3 Peace and quiet are important factors in _________ _________
helping patients to recover quickly from
their illnesses.
4 Fauzan visit his parents every month. _________ _________
5 The committee members has unanimously _________ _________
passed a vote of no confidence in the
leadership of the chairman of the party.
6 Ten kilograms of books is a heavy load _________ _________
for a Year One student to carry.
7 Mathematics is not my favourite subject. _________ _________
8 No news is good news. _________ _________
9 Six hundred ringgit are too much to pay _________ _________
for this jeans.
10 The residents' association has decided to _________ _________
honour Encik Tajul for his dedicated
service, hard work and contribution to
the community.
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NOUN-PRONOUN AGREEMENT
Objectives: To know that the pronoun used must agree with the noun it refers to
To apply noun-pronoun agreement in speaking and writing
In many languages, the personal pronoun for a man and a woman is the same.
However, in English, if you are talking about:
 a woman or a girl, you must continue to refer to the person as she or her;
 a boy or man, you must continue to refer to the person as he or him;
 an animal or something inanimate, you use it;
 two or more people, you continue to refer to the people as they or them.
Example:
Salmah enjoys swimming. She goes to the pool every day and swims for an hour.
She swims well and her strokes are beautiful. It is such a pleasure to watch her.
Salmah is a girl and the pronouns used are those for a girl.
A singular pronoun is used to refer to a singular noun and a plural pronoun is used to
refer to a plural noun.
Singular Pronouns
Singular Nouns
Subject Object Possessive
Abu he him his

the girl she her her/hers
the dog it it its
I me my/mine
Plural Pronouns
Plural Nouns
Subject Object Possessive
David and I we us our/ours

the ladies they them their/theirs
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Examples:
1. Anuar is here. He is at the door.

2. I see Anuar every morning. I give him a lift to work.
3. Anuar has a new car. The car is his.
4. Anuar and I are talking about his car.
5. Both Fendi and Azman are going to their class.
6. They are taking their books with them.
Sometimes, certain expressions may be represented by singular or plural pronouns. You

must determine whether the subject indicates ‘ONE’ or ‘MANY’.
Use a singular pronoun if the subject means ‘ONE’ and use a plural pronoun if the
subject means ‘MANY’.
Examples:
1. Everyone is ready to play his part in the concert.

2. Is anyone bringing her husband to the party?
3. Neither the manager nor the employees are getting their pay.
4. Not only Mr. Ghan but also Mrs. Ghan is inviting her friends for dinner.
5. The committee is presenting its decisions.
6. The committee are casting their votes.
EXERCISE A
Fill in the blanks below with pronouns. Make sure that the pronoun agrees with the
noun which is being referred to.
1 Mrs. Selva lived a hard life. __________ has no money to spend on luxuries.
2 Suzie felt very tired. What __________ needed was sleep.
3 I told the man that __________ should forget about doing business here.
4 The walls are now blue. __________ have just been painted.
5 Rashidi has a Siamese kitten. __________ has blue eyes.
6 I wish the baby would stop crying. __________ kept me up all night.
7 Malaysia is a prosperous country. __________ has a fast-growing economy.
8 Mangosteens are delicious but, be careful, __________ may stain your clothes.
9 I need to sleep more. __________ am feeling tired.
10 Mr. Chan, the lecturer, is late. I don’t think we should wait for __________.
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11 The kittens are playing under the house. I hope no one disturbs __________.
12 My nephews are leaving for London tomorrow. __________ will be away for a
month.
13 The people waited eagerly for the speaker, En. Ali, to arrive. __________ had
waited a long time to listen to __________.
14 I told him that books were meant for reading, not for sitting on, but __________
ignored __________ and sat on __________ anyway.
EXERCISE B
Circle the nouns / pronouns and fill in the blanks with the correct pronouns.
Make certain that each pronoun agrees with its noun. No. 1 has been done for you.
1 Every one of the nurses does her work well.

2 Both Zain and Ismadi are handing in __________ essays.
3 The committee is planning __________ budget this year.
4 Everybody working in this office parks __________ car in the basement.
5 The staff submit __________ own results to the office after every examination.
6 The book has lost __________ cover. Somebody has torn __________ off.
7 If one wants to be successful in life, __________ needs to work hard.
8 Everybody who took part did __________ best to try and win the trophy.
9 Something brushed against my face. I was sure that __________ wasn’t human.
Both the children are not in __________ rooms. Ronnie is riding __________
bicycle in the garden, while __________ sister is playing with __________ dolls.
10 The popular Michael Jackson is in Malaysia to sing for __________ fans. Now,
__________ is performing at the Civic Centre. Whenever __________ begins a
new song, the audience cheer loudly and some clap __________ hands.
11 Puan Zita is shopping with __________ son, Talib. She wants to buy __________
a present for __________ birthday. __________ are now at Suria, KLCC.
__________ is very crowded. The crowds are rushing to do __________ last-
minute shopping before Hari Raya.
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12 Zamhuri is a business student at Kolej UNITI. __________ is in __________

final year. __________ wishes to finish __________ course soon, and then further
__________ studies in a local university. Both __________ parents are hoping
that __________ son will become a businessman one day.
13 Su, Jenny and Yani were good friends of __________. __________ went to the
same school and lived on the same street. __________ liked all three of
__________, but I really liked Jenny best. __________ was such a thoughtful girl.
Yani was all right for a boy, but __________ was too interested in football.
__________ preferred badminton.
14 Kartina quickly ran to a nearby police station. __________ told a policeman what
had happened. He looked at __________ very seriously and then asked
__________ for the number on the licence plate. Kartina told __________.
__________ took down the details very slowly. Then, he yelled to some other
policemen. __________ nodded their heads and left the building. Kartina had no
idea what was happening. Would __________ find __________ car?
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READING
Revision Exercises
Objective: To revise the skills learned in the previous chapters
EXERCISE A
Read the following passage and answer the questions that follow.
I Cactuses are mostly found in hot, dry deserts where it hardly ever rains.
Cactuses do not need much water to grow. Some types of cactus need
water only once a year. They store water in their thick skin.
II There are many types of cactuses. One type of cactus is called the giant
saguaro cactus. This cactus can grow as tall as a four-storey building. 5
Another type is called the old man cactus as the thorns of the cactus which
are soft, wooly and white, resemble an old man’s beard. There is also the
prickly pear cactus. It has fruits which look like a pear and can be eaten.
III Many people prefer cactuses to other plants for different reasons. Some
love the uniqueness of the shapes. Others prefer cactuses because cactuses 10
are easy to take care of as they do not need much water.
IV Cactuses are usually sold in nurseries and supermarkets. The price varies
according to the types and sizes of the cactus. The more common type they
are, the lower their prices. If you want to include cactuses as one of the
plants in your garden, you can begin with the less expensive ones. 15
1 What do the following words in the passage refer to?
a) where (line 1) __________________________________________

b) their (line 3) __________________________________________
c) It (line 8) __________________________________________
d) Some (line 9) __________________________________________
e) they (line 11) __________________________________________
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2 Use your dictionary to find the meanings of the following words as they are used
in the passage.
a) store (line 3) __________________________________________

b) resemble (line 7) __________________________________________
c) prickly (line 8) __________________________________________
d) uniqueness (line 10) __________________________________________
e) varies (line 12) __________________________________________
3 Answer the following questions in complete sentences. Your answers should be

based on the passage.
a) Where do cactus plants grow?

____________________________________________________________
____________________________________________________________
b) Where does a cactus store water?

____________________________________________________________
____________________________________________________________
c) Why do people call the saguaro cactus, ‘the giant’ cactus?
____________________________________________________________
____________________________________________________________
d) Name three kinds of cactuses.
i ______________________________________________________
ii ______________________________________________________
iii ______________________________________________________
e) List down two reasons why people prefer cactuses to other plants.
____________________________________________________________
____________________________________________________________
f) How are the cactus plants priced?
____________________________________________________________
____________________________________________________________
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g) Write down the topic sentence of paragraph I.

____________________________________________________________
____________________________________________________________
4 Write (T) in the boxes next to the statements which are true and (F) in the boxes
next to the statements which are false according to the passage.
a) Cactus plants can survive without water for a year.
b) It is difficult to grow cactuses.
c) Only a few people prefer cactuses to any other plants.
d) Cactuses are cheaper if they are easily found.
e) Many cactus plants obtained their names from their shapes and
sizes.
EXERCISE B
I All baby turtles start their lives alone. Baby sea turtles climb out of their
shells on their own. They do not need a mother or father to help them as
they are able to take care of themselves. They scramble from their nest
under the sand and walk on their tiny new flippers to the water. They find
their way to the sea and look for food such as small fish, snails and insects 5
that they can eat. When it is time for them to lay eggs, these turtles will
come back to shore. They dig their nests after sunset and then lay their eggs
and cover them with sand. Later, after they have rested, they will return to
the sea.
II Turtles can live in many places and eat a variety of food. Many turtles live 10
in water like the oceans, ponds or muddy river bottoms. Some turtles live in
hot desert sands. To protect themselves from the hot sun, desert turtles
often find shelter in the ground. Some turtles live in damp woods. They eat
insects, leaves, green shoots and berries. They can live for weeks without
any food and drink. This is because they are able to store food in the form 15
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of fat in their bodies. Therefore, wherever they live, turtles do not need to
hunt for their food all the time.
III Turtles are found in various sizes. The size of the smallest is as small as a
child’s hand. The leatherback turtle on the other hand, is as big as a baby
elephant. Turtles are the slowest-moving animals on earth. Their life span 20
is much longer than other animals. Turtles have roamed the earth for a very
long time but in all these years, their living and eating habits have not
changed.
1 What do the following words in the passage refer to?

a) They (line 2) __________________________________________
b) food (line 5) __________________________________________
c) them (line 8) __________________________________________
d) water (line 11) __________________________________________
e) their (line 16) __________________________________________
2 Circle next to the word which is closest in meaning as used in the passage.
a) scramble (line 3) means (i) lie down
(ii) climb out
(iii) stay away
b) muddy (line 11) means (i) clear
(ii) cloudy
(iii) dirty
c) shelter (line 13) means (i) protection
(ii) home
(iii) house
d) hunt (line 17) means (i) keep
(ii) buy
(iii) look
e) roamed (line 21) means (i) wandered
(ii) drifted
(iii) floated

a) How do the baby turtles get to the water?

____________________________________________________________
____________________________________________________________
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b) When do the sea turtles come back to shore?

____________________________________________________________
____________________________________________________________
c) What do the turtles do after they have laid their eggs?
____________________________________________________________
____________________________________________________________
d) Why don’t turtles need to hunt for their food all the time?
____________________________________________________________
____________________________________________________________
e) Name five places where turtles live.
(i) ______________________________________________________
(ii) ______________________________________________________
(iii) ______________________________________________________
(iv) ______________________________________________________
(v) ______________________________________________________
f) What do turtles normally eat?
____________________________________________________________
____________________________________________________________
g) What are turtles known as?
____________________________________________________________
____________________________________________________________
h) Write down the topic sentence of paragraph II.
____________________________________________________________
____________________________________________________________
i) Give two supporting details found in paragraph II
(i) ______________________________________________________
(ii) ______________________________________________________
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4 Write (T) in the boxes next to the statements which are true and (F) in the boxes
next to the statements which are false according to the passage.
a) Baby turtles need their parents in order to survive.
b) Turtles only lay eggs at night.
c) Turtles have to look for their food every day.
d) Turtles find their food in the ground.
e) Turtles do not move very fast.
EXERCISE C
I Basketball is a popular indoor team sport in the United States (U.S.). It is a

game played within the confined space of a court. The court is only about 94
ft by 50 ft. Therefore, there is not much room to move about. In a game, a ball
which is made of leather is thrown through a basket (hoop or net) to score
points. There are two baskets which are fixed on two backboards 10 ft from 5
the floor at both ends of the court. Each basket is 18 inches in diameter.
II Basketball is a fast moving game. The actual playing time varies between 32
minutes to an hour depending upon the level of the game. The game is played
between two teams. Each team will have 12 players and a coach. At any one
time during the game, only 5 players from each team are permitted on court. 10
Their positions are known as guards (2 players), forwards (2 players) and a
centre. The centre position usually has the tallest player on the team. In the
game, the leather ball is passed from one player to another. This is done by
throwing or bouncing it. The ball cannot be kicked or carried at any point in
the game. 15
III The coach in each team plays a very important role in the game. He has the
responsibility of seeing that his team is able to perform their best at each
game. The coach of either side is allowed to call ‘timeouts’ during the game
to advise the team on tactics and strategies. During this time the coaches can
also substitute players who are injured, disqualified or tired with players 20
from the reserved bench. A player is not allowed to play if he has five fouls.
He will be disqualified and is required to leave the court. Fouls are mistakes
made by players in the game like running with the ball or kicking the ball.
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IV The game first drew international interest in the 1904 Olympic Games in St.
Louis, Missouri, United States. Many countries which did not know about 25
the game became interested in it. The rules of the game had been translated
into 30 languages by 1913. It was estimated that during that year more than
20 million people were playing the game throughout the world. Today,
basketball is played in more countries than any other team game. It remains
among the most popular sports in the United States. 30
1 What do the following words refer to?

a) It (line 1) __________________________________________
b) which (line 5) __________________________________________
c) Their (line 11) __________________________________________
d) who (line 20) __________________________________________
e) He (line 22) __________________________________________

a) In which country is basketball very popular?

____________________________________________________________
____________________________________________________________
b) What is the ball made of?
____________________________________________________________
____________________________________________________________
c) How many players in each team are allowed to be on the court at one time?
____________________________________________________________
____________________________________________________________
d) What is the role of a coach?
____________________________________________________________
____________________________________________________________
e) Why do the coaches need to call for ‘timeouts’?
____________________________________________________________
____________________________________________________________
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f) When is a player disqualified from playing in the game?

____________________________________________________________
____________________________________________________________
g) When did the game first draw international interest?

____________________________________________________________
____________________________________________________________
h) Why were the rules of the game translated into 30 languages?

____________________________________________________________
____________________________________________________________
i) Write down the topic sentence of paragraph III.
____________________________________________________________
____________________________________________________________
j) Write down 2 supporting details of paragraph III.
____________________________________________________________
____________________________________________________________
3 Two of the following statements are false. Write (F) in the boxes next to the
statements which are false.
a) Each team is allowed only 5 fouls.
b) The guards of the team are responsible for calling ‘timeouts’.
c) The ball can be passed from one player to another by kicking it.
d) In 1913, more than 20 million people around the world played

basketball.
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4 Based on the passage, match the words in the box with their meanings.
Word Meaning
confined all over
permitted replace
substitute attracted
drew allowed
throughout limited
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WRITING
Writing a Paragraph
Objective: To be able to write good paragraphs
A paragraph is made up of
1. A topic sentence
2. Supporting details
3. A concluding sentence
In the previous chapter, we have already learned how to write supporting details based on
a given topic sentence. In this chapter, we are going to learn how to write a concluding
sentence.
A Concluding Sentence is used to end the supporting details in a paragraph. It

summarises the main idea of the paragraph. Different types of paragraphs need different
concluding sentences.
For example:
 a summary of the main idea
 a restatement of the topic sentence
 a comment or an opinion
Example:
A cat licks itself clean after it has eaten. Its tongue serves as a comb and a towel.
It really combs and cleans its fur. After licking its fur, the cat looks clean and
graceful. Perhaps this is why many people like to keep cats as pets.
Concluding Sentence: Perhaps this is why many people like to keep cats as pets.
(a comment or an opinion)
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EXERCISE A
Write supporting details and a concluding sentence for the following topic sentences.
1 Topic Sentence : My father is a very strict person.

Supporting Details : 1) __________________________________________
2) __________________________________________
3) __________________________________________
Concluding Sentence : _____________________________________________
2 Topic Sentence : A computer is a useful tool.

2) __________________________________________
3) __________________________________________
3 Topic Sentence : The library is a good place to study.

2) __________________________________________
3) __________________________________________
4 Topic Sentence : Pulau Langkawi is a major tourist destination in

Malaysia.
2) __________________________________________
3) __________________________________________
5 Topic Sentence : Education is vital in today’s world.

2) __________________________________________
3) __________________________________________
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We have learned about some linking words in Chapter 6. Linking words are words that
join sentences together. We use linking words to make our sentences flow. Here are more
linking words to help you write a good paragraph.
Linking Words Function

At first, First, Secondly, Next, Another show steps, process or sequence
Finally
In addition, Furthermore, Moreover show similar ideas
In contrast, However show opposite ideas
For example, Such as show example
In conclusion show conclusion
EXERCISE B
Write down the supporting details for the topic sentence below. The linking words
are given to help you.
Topic Sentence : There are many reasons why learning the English language is
important.
Supporting Details:
Firstly, _________________________________________________________________
Secondly, _______________________________________________________________
Thirdly, _________________________________________________________________
Therefore, _______________________________________________________________
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Writing Narrative and Descriptive Paragraphs
Objective: To be able to write good narrative and descriptive paragraphs
Narrative Paragraph
A narrative paragraph tells us about a sequence of events. It usually describes events

which happened in the past. Therefore, the Past Tense form of the verb is used. Linking
words should also be used to show the sequence of the events.
Example 1:
Yesterday, my younger brother made a peanut butter and banana sandwich.

First, he toasted two slices of bread. Then, he spread peanut butter on each
slice of the bread. Next, he peeled a banana and cut it into slices and placed
the slices on the bread. Finally, he cut the sandwich in half and ate it.
Example 2:
Last Saturday, Jim took part in a school play. While waiting for his turn to
go on stage, he practised his lines once more. Next, he placed the King’s
crown on his head. As Jim looked into the mirror, he heard his name called.
It was time for him to go on stage. He waved and smiled as he was walking
towards the centre of the stage. Then, he acted out his part as the King.
After he had finished, the audience clapped. Finally, when Jim came out to
take a bow, everyone cheered. He was a star for that night.
EXERCISE A
Write a paragraph of about 60 – 80 words on an event which happened during your

semester break. You may use the following questions as a guide.
 Where did you go?

 What did you do?
 Whom did you go with?
 Did you enjoy the semester break?
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251
During the semester break my friends and I went to ______________________________

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EXERCISE B
Write a paragraph of about 60 – 80 words on your preparations for the final

examination for last semester.
I started preparing early for my final examination. _______________________________

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252
Descriptive Paragraph
A Descriptive Paragraph is a paragraph which uses your observation and experience to

describe a thing, a person, a place or a process.
When you write, you may ask the following questions:
a) What / Whom are you describing?

b) What is the aim of the description?
c) How should you write the description?
d) Who will read your description?
Example 1: Description of a Thing
A handphone or mobile phone is an electronic telecommunication device. Most

current handphones connect to a cellular network of base stations, which in turn
interconnected to the public switched telephone network. Until the mid to late
1980s, most handphones were sufficiently large that they were often permanently
installed in vehicles as car phones. Currently the vast majority of handphones are
handheld. In addition to the standard voice function of a telephone, a handphone
can support many additional services such as SMS for text messaging, packet
switching for access to the Internet, and MMS for sending and receiving photos
and videos.
Example 2: Description of a Person / Personality
Mrs. Adam is my English teacher. She is from England. She is thirty-five years
old. She is 5' 6" tall and weighs 120 pounds. She has blonde hair and blue eyes.
Mrs. Adam is married to a Malaysian and has two beautiful children. She always
makes our English lessons interesting. She likes to joke in class. She also listens
to our problems and gives useful advice whenever needed. My friends and I like
Mrs. Adam very much. We are very lucky to have her as our English teacher.
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253
Example 3: Description of a Place
Yazid just bought a house in Taman Intan. The area is surrounded by trees and
there is a beautiful lake nearby. The house has a large living room with 4
bedrooms, 3 attached bathrooms and a kitchen with built-in cabinets. It also has a
wide car porch for Yazid’s new Proton Saga. The land area outside the house is
big enough for Yazid to build a small rock garden. Yazid cannot wait to move
into the house at the end of this month.
Example 4: Description of a Process
There are several steps that you must follow when you want to cook crispy fried
chicken. First, cut the whole chicken into small pieces. Then, you add salt and
pepper to the chicken. Let it marinate for about 30 minutes. Next, you beat an egg
and dip the chicken in. Then, heat up some oil in a frying pan. Next, you coat the
chicken with some corn flour and fry until it is crispy, golden brown. You can
serve it with tomato or chilli sauce and rice or baked potato.
EXERCISE A
In about 60 – 80 words, write a paragraph describing your best friend.
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254
EXERCISE B
In about 60 – 80 words, write a paragraph describing your room.
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EXERCISE C
In about 60 – 80 words, write a paragraph describing how you prepare your

favourite food.
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255
SPEAKING
Interview
Objective: To practise using the simple future tense learnt in chapter 7 in an

interview
Work with a partner. Interview him or her about some future plans. Ask questions such as
What will you do when …?

Where will you go after …?
Will you … while you …?
Take notes and then write a short paragraph about your classmate’s plans.
Example:
Soo Mi is going to get married next year. Before she gets married, she’s going to
return home to visit her family. While she’s away, she’ll miss her boyfriend, but
she’ll write him every day.
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CHAPTER 8

Objectives: To know subject-verb agreement rules

Rule 1: A singular subject must have a singular verb.

Examples: The rich lady owns a resort hotel by the sea.

Rule 2: A plural subject must have a plural verb.

Examples: Wealthy Malays send their children to prestigious and expensive

Examples: My brother and his family are in Spain.

Examples: There are many oak trees lining the boulevard.

Examples: No one knows where our secret hideout is.

Every employee is well-rewarded in this college.

Examples: The committee proposes that the TESOL conference be held in

Examples: Six kilometres is a really long walk.

Examples: The news is broadcast at prime time on television.

Examples: Both Farid and Arif are good students.

Examples: Three-quarters of this building is vacant.

Examples: Bahasa Malaysia is the national language of Malaysia.

Underline the correct verb for each of the sentences below.

1 The girls ( is, are ) taking a break from their studies.

1 Either Noris or Kamsiah __________ (have) the suitcase.

1 My elder brother _____________ (enjoy) travelling, especially in our beautiful

e.g.: The hotels in Port Dickson is full ___X_____ ___are___

1 A digital camera is a useful piece of _________ _________

Abu he him his

David and I we us our/ours

1. Anuar is here. He is at the door.

Sometimes, certain expressions may be represented by singular or plural pronouns. You

1. Everyone is ready to play his part in the concert.

1 Every one of the nurses does her work well.

12 Zamhuri is a business student at Kolej UNITI. __________ is in __________

Objective: To revise the skills learned in the previous chapters

1 What do the following words in the passage refer to?

a) where (line 1) __________________________________________

a) store (line 3) __________________________________________

3 Answer the following questions in complete sentences. Your answers should be

a) Where do cactus plants grow?

b) Where does a cactus store water?

g) Write down the topic sentence of paragraph I.

a) Cactus plants can survive without water for a year.

b) It is difficult to grow cactuses.

c) Only a few people prefer cactuses to any other plants.

d) Cactuses are cheaper if they are easily found.

1 What do the following words in the passage refer to?

3 Answer the following questions in complete sentences. Your answers should be

a) How do the baby turtles get to the water?

b) When do the sea turtles come back to shore?

a) Baby turtles need their parents in order to survive.

b) Turtles only lay eggs at night.

c) Turtles have to look for their food every day.

d) Turtles find their food in the ground.

e) Turtles do not move very fast.

I Basketball is a popular indoor team sport in the United States (U.S.). It is a

1 What do the following words refer to?

2 Answer the following questions in complete sentences. Your answers should be

a) In which country is basketball very popular?

f) When is a player disqualified from playing in the game?

g) When did the game first draw international interest?

h) Why were the rules of the game translated into 30 languages?

a) Each team is allowed only 5 fouls.

b) The guards of the team are responsible for calling ‘timeouts’.

d) In 1913, more than 20 million people around the world played

Objective: To be able to write good paragraphs

A Concluding Sentence is used to end the supporting details in a paragraph. It

1 Topic Sentence : My father is a very strict person.

e.g.: The hotels in Port Dickson is full _X_ _are___

1 A digital camera is a useful piece of _ _

12 Zamhuri is a business student at Kolej UNITI. is in