Name : Nur Islamiyah

Id number : A 122 23 005

Assignment : advanced English grammar

1. provide an original example sentence illustrating each of the following concept.

underline the pertinent word(s) in the example.
a. copula be,
b. a copular verb other than be
c. an auxiliary function of be
d. collective noun subject
e. noncount noun subject
f. third person singular present inflection
g. the proximity principle
h. the nonintervention principle
i. subject-verb agreement with a clausal subject
2. What are two structural reasons for distinguishing the copula be from other verbs in
English?
3. In what instances should your ESL/EFL student be aware that verbs must agree with
subjects in person and number? also, in what instances does subject-verb agreement
not apply?
4. Name and illustrated two cases where a traditional subject-verb agreement rule is not
supported by current usage.

Test your ability to apply what you know.

5. if your student produce the following, and they want to speak and write standard
English, what would you tell them?
a. Is you from Mexico?
b. Felix go to school every day.
c. I tired.
d. Nora wills read the book.
e. they sings in a choir.
f. I don't be angry anymore.
6. what will you say to a high-intermediate ESL/EFL student who complains to you that
you correct mistakes in this composition when he writes sentence like this one, but
that he hears native speakers say things like this all the time?
Either my roommates or my friend Bill are you going to buy the
refreshments.
7. how would you present the rules for fractions and percentages to an intermediate-
level high school ESL/EFL class? what contexts would you provide to help them
have meaningful practice?
8. Some noun plurals are irregular (men, mice), and some have a change from -f (sg.) to
-ves (pl.), such as wife/wives. How would you review irregular noun plurals with a
low-intermediate ESL/EFL class?
9. If a student asks you which is correct in the following pair of sentences, how would
you answer?
(The students are disappointed that the football team is no longer undefeated.)

The majority is upset at the loss.

The majority are upset at the loss.
Answer:

1. Here is some additional information about the concepts mentioned:

 Copula be: Copula be is a term used to describe the verb "be" when it functions
as a linking verb that connects the subject of a sentence with a subject
complement, describing or identifying it. For example, in the sentence "She is a
doctor," the verb "is" functions as a copula be, linking the subject "She" with the
subject complement "a doctor."
 Copular verb other than be: Besides the verb "be," there are other copular verbs
that also link the subject of a sentence with a subject complement. Examples of
copular verbs other than "be" include "seem," "become," "appear," "remain," and
"feel." For instance, in the sentence "He became a superstar overnight," the verb
"became" serves as a copular verb, linking the subject "He" with the subject
complement "a superstar overnight."
 Auxiliary function of be: The verb "be" also functions as an auxiliary verb in
English to form various tenses and aspects. For example, in the sentence "I am
going to be studying abroad," the verb "am" acts as an auxiliary verb, helping to
form the continuous aspect and indicating the present tense.
 Collective noun subject: A collective noun refers to a singular noun that
represents a group of individuals or things. Examples include "team," "family,"
"audience," and "committee." In the sentence "The team is celebrating their
victory," the collective noun "team" is the subject, and the singular verb form "is"
is used to agree with it.
 Noncount noun subject: Noncount nouns, also known as uncountable or mass
nouns, are nouns that cannot be counted and do not have a plural form. Examples
include "water," "information," "furniture," and "advice." In the sentence "Water
is essential for survival," the noncount noun "water" is the subject, and the
singular verb form "is" is used to agree with it.
 Third person singular present inflection: In English, verbs typically change their
form when used with third person singular subjects in the present tense. This
change often involves adding an "-s" or "-es" ending to the base form of the verb.
For example, in the sentence "He runs every morning," the verb "run" is in its
base form, but when used with the third person singular subject "He," it takes the
inflection "s" to become "runs."
 Proximity principle: The proximity principle in language refers to the tendency
for words or phrases that are semantically related or conceptually connected to
appear close to each other in a sentence. This principle helps to ensure clarity and
coherence in communication. For example, in the sentence "The book and the
pen are on the table," the words "book" and "pen" are placed close together to
indicate their spatial relationship with the object "table."
 Nonintervention principle: The nonintervention principle is a concept in
linguistics that suggests that the order of words in a sentence should reflect the
intended meaning and avoid unnecessary interference or rearrangement. It
emphasizes that the structure of a sentence should not be altered unless there is a
specific reason to do so. This principle helps to maintain clarity and avoid
ambiguity in language.
 Subject-verb agreement with a clausal subject: Subject-verb agreement is the
grammatical rule that states that the subject of a sentence must agree in number
 and person with the verb. When the subject of a sentence is a clause (a group of
words with a subject and a predicate), the verb must still agree with the subject.
For example, in the sentence "What she says matters a lot," the subject is the
clause "What she says," and the singular verb form "matters" agrees with it.

2. There are two structural reasons for distinguishing the copula "be" from other
verbs in English:

a. Subject-Complement Linking: The copula "be" is unique in its function as a

linking verb that connects the subject of a sentence with a subject
complement. The subject complement provides additional information about
the subject, describing or identifying it. For example, in the sentence "She is
a doctor," the copula "is" linking the subject "She" with the subject
complement "a doctor." This linking function is specific to the copula "be"
and distinguishes it from other verbs that do not perform this role.

b. Lack of Action or State Change: Unlike most other verbs in English, the
copula "be" does not indicate action or state change. Instead, it primarily
serves a grammatical function of equating or attributing qualities or
characteristics to the subject. It expresses a state of being or existence rather
than an action. For example, in the sentence "He is happy," the copula "is"
does not denote an action but rather signifies the state of being happy. This
distinction in the nature of the verb sets the copula "be" apart structurally
from other verbs that primarily convey actions or state changes.

3. ESL/EFL students should be aware of subject-verb agreement in the following

instances:

a. Singular and Plural Subjects: Verbs must agree with the number of the
subject. If the subject is singular, the verb should be in the singular form. If
the subject is plural, the verb should be in the plural form. For example:

 Singular: "She sings beautifully."

 Plural: "They sing in the choir."

b. Third Person Singular: In the present tense, verbs need to agree with third
person singular subjects (he, she, it). For third person singular subjects, an "-s"
or "-es" ending is added to regular verbs. For example:

 "He plays the guitar."

 "She watches television."

c. Modal Verbs: Modal verbs (such as can, could, may, might, must, should,
would, etc.) do not change their form based on the subject. They remain the
same regardless of the subject. For example:

 "She can swim."

 "They can swim."
 d. Noncount Nouns: Noncount nouns are singular and do not have a plural form.
Verbs used with noncount nouns are always in the singular form. For example:

 "Water is essential for life."

 "The information is accurate."

Subject-verb agreement does not apply in the following instances:

a. Imperative Sentences: In imperative sentences, where a

command or request is given, the subject is often implied (you)
and the verb is in the base form. For example:

 "Close the door."

 "Please sit down."

b. Infinitives: When verbs are used in their infinitive form (to +

base form), subject-verb agreement does not apply. For example:

 "She wants to sing."

 "They need to study."

c. Subordinate Clauses: In subordinate clauses, the verb may not

agree with the subject of the main clause. The verb in the
subordinate clause is determined by its own subject. For example:

 "The cat, which is black, jumps."

 "He believes that they are right."

d. Non-finite Verb Forms: Non-finite verb forms, such as gerunds (-

ing form) and participles (-ed, -en, -ing forms), do not change
based on subject-verb agreement. For example:

 "Running is good for health."

 "The broken vase needs to be replaced."

It is important for ESL/EFL students to understand subject-verb

agreement rules and be able to apply them correctly in most
cases. However, they should also be aware of exceptions and
situations where subject-verb agreement does not apply.
4. Two cases where a traditional subject-verb agreement rule is not always
supported by current usage are:

a. Singular "They":
Traditionally, "they" is considered a plural pronoun, and subject-verb
agreement would require a plural verb. However, in contemporary usage,
"they" is often used as a gender-neutral pronoun to refer to a singular
individual whose gender is unknown or non-binary. In these cases, "they"
is paired with a singular verb form. For example:
 Traditional: "Everyone should bring their own books."
 Contemporary: "Everyone should bring their own book."
 b. Proximity Agreement:
In traditional subject-verb agreement, the verb agrees with the
grammatical number of the subject, regardless of the proximity of other
nouns. However, in certain cases, especially in informal or colloquial
speech, proximity agreement can occur, where the verb agrees with the
closest noun rather than the subject. For example:
 Traditional: "A group of students is studying."
 Proximity Agreement: "A group of students are studying."
These examples demonstrate how language is dynamic and evolves over
time. Contemporary usage may challenge or expand traditional subject-
verb agreement rules to accommodate shifts in grammar and societal
norms. It is important for learners to be aware of both traditional and
current usage to effectively navigate and communicate in English.

5. If a student produces the following sentences and wants to speak and write
standard English, here is what I would tell them:

a. "Is you from Mexico?" → Corrected: "Are you from Mexico?"

Explanation: The subject "you" requires the plural form of the verb "to be,"
which is "are."

b. "Felix go to school every day." → Corrected: "Felix goes to school every

day."
Explanation: The subject "Felix" is in the third person singular, so the verb
"go" should be changed to its third person singular form, which is "goes."

c. "I tired." → Corrected: "I am tired."

Explanation: The verb "tired" should be in the past participle form, which
requires the auxiliary verb "am" to create the present tense of the verb "to
be."

d. "Nora wills read the book." → Corrected: "Nora will read the book."
Explanation: The verb "wills" should be changed to the base form "will"
when used with the auxiliary verb "will" to indicate future tense.

e. "They sings in a choir." → Corrected: "They sing in a choir."

Explanation: The subject "they" is plural, so the verb "sings" needs to be
changed to the base form "sing" to agree with the subject.

f. "I don't be angry anymore." → Corrected: "I am not angry anymore."

Explanation: The verb "be" should be changed to the present tense form "am"
when used with the negative auxiliary verb "do not" to indicate the negation
of the verb "to be."

By providing these corrections and explanations, the student can learn the
appropriate verb forms and structures to use in standard English.
6. When a high-intermediate ESL/EFL student expresses frustration about
corrections in their writing while noticing native speakers making similar errors, I
would provide the following response:

I understand that it can be confusing and frustrating to see native

speakers make similar mistakes to the ones you are being corrected on. However,
it is important to remember that native speakers can also make errors or use
informal language in their everyday conversations. When it comes to writing and
formal communication, we strive to adhere to standard grammar rules and
conventions.
In the sentence you mentioned, "Either my roommates or my friend Bill
are you going to buy the refreshments," there is subject-verb disagreement. The
correct form would be, "Either my roommates or my friend Bill is going to buy
the refreshments." The verb "is" agreeing with the singular subject "my friend
Bill."
While you may encounter native speakers using similar phrases in
informal conversations, it is crucial to differentiate between informal speech and
formal writing. In formal writing, we aim to follow the rules and guidelines of
standard English to ensure clarity and accuracy.
By focusing on improving your writing skills and adhering to standard
grammar rules, you will be better equipped to communicate effectively in formal
settings, such as academic or professional contexts. Remember that language
learning is a journey, and continuous practice and exposure will help you refine
your skills over time.

7. When presenting the rules for fractions and percentages to an intermediate-level

high school ESL/EFL class, it's important to provide clear explanations
accompanied by relevant contexts and meaningful practice. Here's an approach
you could take:

a. Introduction:
 Start by explaining that fractions and percentages are common ways
of expressing parts of a whole or comparing quantities.
 Emphasize that fractions represent a part of a whole, while
percentages represent parts out of 100.

b. Fractions:
 Explain that fractions consist of a numerator (top number) and a
denominator (bottom number).
 Demonstrate how to read fractions aloud using the words
"numerator" and "denominator."
 Provide examples of fractions and their meanings, both in terms of
numerical value and real-world contexts. For instance:
 "1/2" can represent half of a pizza or half of an hour.
 "3/4" can represent three out of four apples or three-quarters of a
cup.

c. Percentages:
 Explain that percentages are a way to express parts out of 100 and
are denoted by the symbol "%."
  Show how percentages can be converted into fractions and vice versa.
For example:
 "50%" is equivalent to "1/2."
 "25%" is equivalent to "1/4."

d. Meaningful Practice:

 Provide real-life contexts and activities where students can practice

working with fractions and percentages, such as:
 Recipe conversions: Give students a recipe and have them
calculate ingredient amounts based on fractions or percentages.
 Shopping scenarios: Present examples of sales or discounts and
ask students to calculate the discounted prices using percentages.
 Data analysis: Provide students with graphs or charts involving
fractions or percentages and ask them to interpret the information.

e. Guided Exercises and Feedback:

 Offer guided exercises where students solve problems involving

fractions and percentages.
 Provide immediate feedback and explanations for any errors or
misconceptions.
 Encourage peer collaboration and discussions to enhance
understanding.
f. Ongoing Practice and Reinforcement:

 Assign homework exercises or online resources for additional

practice.
 Incorporate fractions and percentages into regular classroom
activities, such as discussions, presentations, or problem-solving
tasks.
 Offer periodic quizzes or assessments to assess students' progress and
provide targeted feedback.

By combining clear explanations, relevant contexts, and meaningful

practice, students will have a stronger understanding of fractions and
percentages, enabling them to apply this knowledge in various real-life
situations.
8. When reviewing irregular noun plurals with a low-intermediate ESL/EFL class,
it's important to provide clear explanations and practice opportunities. Here's a
suggested approach:

a. Introduction:
 Explain that in English, most nouns form their plurals by adding "-s" or
"-es" to the singular form (e.g., cat/cats, dog/dogs).
 Mention that some nouns have irregular plural forms, which means they
don't follow the usual pattern.
 Give examples of irregular plurals, such as "man/men," "mouse/mice,"
and "woman/women."
b. Categorizing Irregular Plurals:
 Group the irregular plurals into different categories based on the type of
change.
 For example, one category could be nouns that change the vowel sound
(e.g., "man/men," "woman/women").
 Another category could be nouns that have a change from "-f" or "-fe" to
"-ves" (e.g., "wife/wives," "leaf/leaves").
c. Explanation and Practice:
 Focus on one category at a time and explain the rules for forming the
plural.
 For example, for nouns that change the vowel sound, explain that the
vowel sound in the plural form is different from the singular.
 Provide a list of words from that category and ask students to practice
saying the singular and plural forms aloud.
 Then, give them exercises where they need to fill in the blanks with the
correct plural form.

d. Visual Aids and Mnemonics:

 Use visual aids such as flashcards or pictures to help students remember
the irregular plurals.
 Mnemonics can also be helpful. For example, to remember
"mouse/mice," you can say, "One mouse, two mice, like a house, like a
lice."
 Encourage students to create their own mnemonics or associations to
remember the irregular plurals.

e. Games and Activities:

 Engage students in interactive games and activities to reinforce their
understanding of irregular plurals.
 Play a memory matching game where they have to match the singular
and plural forms.
 Use a "fill in the blanks" activity where students have to write the correct
plural form for given nouns.
 Create a group activity where students take turns making sentences using
both the singular and plural forms of irregular nouns.

f. Review and Reinforcement:

 Regularly review the irregular plurals in subsequent lessons to reinforce
learning.
 Include irregular plurals in vocabulary quizzes or other assessments.
 Encourage students to use irregular plurals in their spoken and written
communication.
 Remember to provide ample opportunities for students to practice and
use the irregular plurals in context. By combining explanations, visual
aids, mnemonics, games, and ongoing review, you can help your low-
intermediate ESL/EFL learners become more confident in using irregular
noun plurals.
9. In the pair of sentences you provided, both versions can be considered correct,
but they convey slightly different meanings. Here's how you can explain it to the
student:

a. "The majority is upset at the loss" implies that the majority is seen as a
single entity or group acting as one unit. In this case, "majority" is treated
as a singular noun, and we use the singular form of the verb "is."

b. On the other hand, "The majority are upset at the loss" suggests that the
majority is seen as a collection of individuals, each expressing their own
upset or disappointment. Here, "majority" is treated as a plural noun, and
we use the plural form of the verb "are."

So, whether you choose to use "is" or "are" depends on how you want to
emphasize the perception of the majority – as a single entity or as a group of
individuals.

In formal or academic writing, it is more common to use the singular form

("is") with "majority." However, in informal or conversational contexts, you
may hear both singular and plural forms being used interchangeably.

Ultimately, it's important to note that the choice between "is" and "are" in this
specific context is a matter of stylistic preference and the intended emphasis
on the perception of the majority.
 Exercise
1. Provide an original example sentence illustrating each of the following
concepts. Underline the pertinent word(s) in your example:
a. noun phrase e. adjective phrase
b. prepositional phrase f. adverb modifying adjective
c. subject g. singular determiner
d. predicate h. plural determiner

2. Draw partially specified tree diagrams for the sentence modifiers and subjects
in the following sentences, using the phrase structure rules given in this
chapter:

a. The girls whispered.

b. Fortunately, his two brothers worked very quickly.
c. Surely, next Monday is a holiday.
d. The very young child cried.
e. The Medal of Freedom is the highest honor.

Test your ability to apply what you know.

3. If your students produce the following, what rules of Standard English have
they not followed?

a. "The ink black stained his shirt.

b. "John ran for shelter because was raining.
c. Those women are striking for peace.

4. Distinguish between the following pairs by saying which is marked and

which is unmarked. and, with the marked order, say what might be the
circumstances in which it is used.
a. My name is Alison. Alison is my name.
b. Coffee, I drink, but tea, I do not. I drink coffee, but I do not drink tea.
c. I live in a yellow house. I live in a house yellow like the sun.

5. Using these three words, illustrate all possible word order typologies. Say
which typology (e.g., SOV) each order illustrates.
chocolate likes everyone
 Answer:
1.
a. The red apple is juicy and delicious.
b. The cat is hiding under the bed.
c. She is a talented singer.
d. The dog chased the ball in the park.
e. The book is very interesting.
f. The extremely loud alarm woke me up.
g. A cat walked by the window.
h. Several birds were perched on the tree.

2.
a. The girls whispered

S
______|______
| |
NP VP
| |
Det V
| |
The girls
b. Fortunately, his two brothers worked very quickly.

S
_______|_______
| |
ADVP VP
| |
Fortunately VAdvP
|
Worked
c. Surely, next Monday is a holiday

S
______|______
 | |
ADVP NP
| |
Surely Next Monday
|
is
|
a holiday
d. The very young child cried.

S
______|______
| |
NP VP
| |
Det V
| |
The AdjP
|
very
|
AdjP
|
young
|
child
|
Cried
e. The Medal of Freedom is the highest honor.

S
______|______
| |
NP VP
| |
Det V
| |
The Nominal
|
of freedom
|
is
|
the highest honor

3.
 a. "The ink black stained his shirt."
The rule of Standard English that has not been followed in this sentence is
the order of adjectives. In English, adjectives generally follow a specific
order when they modify a noun. The correct order is: opinion, size, age,
shape, color, origin, material, and purpose. In this sentence, the adjective
"black" should come before "ink" to follow the correct order: "The black
ink stained his shirt."

b. "John ran for shelter because was raining."

The rule of Standard English that has not been followed in this sentence is
the use of subject-verb agreement. The sentence should be written as:
"John ran for shelter because it was raining." The subject "it" should be
used to agree with the singular verb "was."

c. "Those women are striking for peace."

The rule of Standard English that has not been followed in this sentence is
the use of the preposition "against" instead of "for." The correct sentence
should be: "Those women are striking for peace." "Striking for peace"
means that the women are protesting or demonstrating in support of peace.
Using "against" would imply that they are protesting or demonstrating in
opposition to peace.

4.
a. My name is Alison. Alison is my name.
In this pair, the unmarked form is "My name is Alison." It follows the
typical subject-verb-object word order found in English sentences. The
marked form is "Alison is my name." This order is less common in
declarative statements, where the subject typically comes before the verb.
The marked form might be used for emphasis or in a context where the
speaker wants to highlight the name "Alison" as the focus of the sentence.

b. Coffee, I drink, but tea, I do not. I drink coffee, but I do not drink tea.
In this pair, the unmarked form is "I drink coffee, but I do not drink tea." It
follows the standard subject-verb-object sentence structure. The marked
form is "Coffee, I drink, but tea, I do not." This order, known as fronting or
topicalization, places the object ("coffee" and "tea") at the beginning of the
sentence for emphasis or to highlight the contrast between the two items. It
might be used in a context where the speaker wants to draw attention to
their preference for coffee and their lack of preference for tea.

c. I live in a yellow house. I live in a house yellow like the sun.

In this pair, the unmarked form is "I live in a yellow house." It uses the
typical adjective-noun word order in English. The marked form is "I live
in a house yellow like the sun." This order places the adjective ("yellow")
after the noun ("house"), which deviates from the usual order. The marked
form might be used for poetic or stylistic purposes, where the speaker
 wants to create a specific imagery or draw attention to the adjective
"yellow" and its comparison to the sun.

5.
a. Chocolate likes everyone. (SVO)
This is an example of the Subject-Verb-Object (SVO) word order
typology, where the subject "chocolate" comes first, followed by
the verb "likes," and then the object "everyone."

b. Likes chocolate everyone. (VSO)

This is an example of the Verb-Subject-Object (VSO) word order
typology, where the verb "likes" comes first, followed by the
subject "chocolate," and then the object "everyone."

c. Chocolate everyone likes. (SOV)

This is an example of the Subject-Object-Verb (SOV) word order
typology, where the subject "chocolate" comes first, followed by
the object "everyone," and then the verb "likes."

d. Likes everyone chocolate. (VOS)

This is an example of the Verb-Object-Subject (VOS) word order
typology, where the verb "likes" comes first, followed by the object
"everyone," and then the subject "chocolate."

e. Everyone likes chocolate. (OVS)

This is an example of the Object-Verb-Subject (OVS) word order
typology, where the object "everyone" comes first, followed by the
verb "likes," and then the subject "chocolate."

f. Everyone chocolate likes. (OSV)

This is an example of the Object-Subject-Verb (OSV) word order
typology, where the object "everyone" comes first, followed by the
subject "chocolate," and then the verb "likes."