CAT 2011 Workshop Series

The Genesis of this workshop

How students approach English questions in the CAT Why they do it this way Can it be corrected? Can the English section be handled as mathematically or logically as the other sections? Is there a method to the madness?

How we will achieve this goal

Revise some important concepts in English Grammar Review application through examples
Probably not today

Extend understanding all the way to CAT pattern and CAT level questions
Not today

Broad Timetable

Today Cover concepts related to Verbs and Subjects/Objects Week 2 Cover concepts related to Adjectives, Adverbs, Prepositions and Conjunctions Week 3 Applying our understanding to crack VA Week 4 Applying our understanding to crack RC

A new way of looking at English

Grammar not a set of arbitrary rules There is a logic to the entire substructure Every rule can be truly understood and then used

Makes English very easy to understand and English questions very easy to crack

What is a sentence?

Words strung together Communicates an idea About what? What do you wish to say about that?

Therefore, a sentence has to have

Something + something about that something Something Subject Something about that something Predicate

Making a sentence

Subject Has to stand for a thing Predicate An action related to the subject
Performed by
Performed on

Predicate can be
Just action Action + ?????

Simple Sentences

Just 2 words Basic sentence Subject + Verb More is optional Even in long sentences, Subject + Verb is the core
Look for the core Critical in improving

comprehension

Examples of Basic Sentences

Subject I She He Birds Verb do sings bowls fly

Forming longer sentences

Add what you wish to to the basic sentence 3 places to add bits
_____ + Subject + Verb
Subject + _____ + Verb Subject + Verb + _____

More than 1 of the above

Examples of longer sentences

I play cricket

I Subject; A thing play Verb Cricket Object What the action is directed at

Examples of longer sentences

The movie was very touching

The movie Subject; A thing was Verb touching Describes the subject

very Tells us how touching

Examples of longer sentences

The Indian team won by an innings and 75 runs

The Indian team Subject; A thing

won Verb
an innings and 75 runs A quantity (a thing) by relates won to the quantity an innings and 75 runs Answers the question How big was the victory?

Examples of longer sentences

The train reached New Delhi Railway Station at 7:20 am

The train Subject; A thing

reached Verb
New Delhi Railway Station Describes the place reached More about the verb 7:20 am identifies a thing, time

Examples of longer sentences

The train reached New Delhi Railway Station at 7:20 am

at relates the verb reached to the thing 7:20 am at 7:20 am Tells us the time the train reached More about the verb

Examples of longer sentences

Tigers are ferocious mammals that live in the forests of India, Java, Sumatra and Siberia

Tigers The Subject; A thing

are, live Verb

ferocious mammals Describes tigers

ferocious Tells us more about the describing word mammals

Examples of longer sentences

Tigers are ferocious mammals that live in the forests of India, Java, Sumatra and Siberia

that Relates ferocious mammals to some other things the forests of India, Java, Sumatra and Siberia A place (A thing) in Relates live to the place the forests of India, Java, Sumatra and Siberia Answers the question Where?

Examples of longer sentences

Tigers are ferocious mammals that live in the forests of India, Java, Sumatra and Siberia

in the forests of India, Java, Sumatra and Siberia Tells us more about the verb live identifies the place that live in the forests of India, Java, Sumatra and Siberia tells us about the thing ferocious mammals

Examples of longer sentences

Tigers are ferocious mammals that live in the forests of India, Java, Sumatra and Siberia

India, Java, Sumatra and Siberia Identifies 4 locations by their names of Relates the thing the forests to the set of locations India, Java, Sumatra and Siberia of India, Java, Sumatra and Siberia Tells us more about the thing the forests

What is common to all these

The core - Subject + verb - defines the idea conveyed in the sentence The rest tells us
More about one of these
More about whatever we say about one of these Called complements things that add to the

base

Hence, Subject + verb is the most important thing to learn

An observation

A role for every word Understanding this is the key

Roles of words / strings of words

Things Actions More about things and actions Relate things and actions to other things and actions Connect ideas to form more complex ideas

Formalising the roles - Parts of Speech

The roles that words and strings of words play in a sentence

Noun

Adverb Preposition Conjunction

Pronoun
Verb

Adjective

Interjection

Introduction to Verbs

Words that denote action No sentence can be without one or more verbs

Verbs and Time

All action takes place at some time Understanding the role of time critical Action words in English of 2 types
Those that denote time Verbs in form and

function Those that do not denote time Verbs in form but not in function

The 5 forms of Verbs in English

Present Past Past Participle Present Participle

Infinitive

The 5 forms of Verbs

Present
Speak

Past
Spoke

Past Present Participle Participle

Spoken Speaking

Infinitive
To speak

The 5 forms of Verbs

Present
Speak Eat

Past
Spoke

Past Present Participle Participle

Spoken Speaking

Infinitive
To speak

The 5 forms of Verbs

Present
Speak Eat

Past
Spoke Ate

Past Present Participle Participle

Spoken Speaking

Infinitive
To speak

The 5 forms of Verbs

Present
Speak Eat

Past
Spoke Ate

Past Present Participle Participle

Spoken Eaten Speaking

Infinitive
To speak

The 5 forms of Verbs

Present
Speak Eat

Past
Spoke Ate

Past Present Participle Participle

Spoken Eaten Speaking Eating

Infinitive
To speak

The 5 forms of Verbs

Present
Speak Eat

Past
Spoke Ate

Past Present Participle Participle

Spoken Eaten Speaking Eating

Infinitive
To speak To eat

The 5 forms of Verbs

Present
Speak Eat Drink

Past
Spoke Ate

Past Present Participle Participle

Spoken Eaten Speaking Eating

Infinitive
To speak To eat

The 5 forms of Verbs

Present
Speak Eat Drink

Past
Spoke Ate Drank

Past Present Participle Participle

Spoken Eaten Speaking Eating

Infinitive
To speak To eat

The 5 forms of Verbs

Present
Speak Eat Drink

Past
Spoke Ate Drank

Past Present Participle Participle

Spoken Eaten Drunk Speaking Eating

Infinitive
To speak To eat

The 5 forms of Verbs

Present
Speak Eat Drink

Past
Spoke Ate Drank

Past Present Participle Participle

Spoken Eaten Drunk Speaking Eating Drinking

Infinitive
To speak To eat

The 5 forms of Verbs

Present
Speak Eat Drink

Past
Spoke Ate Drank

Past Present Participle Participle

Spoken Eaten Drunk Speaking Eating Drinking

Infinitive
To speak To eat To drink

The 5 forms of Verbs

Present
Speak Eat Drink Teach

Past
Spoke Ate Drank

Past Present Participle Participle

Spoken Eaten Drunk Speaking Eating Drinking

Infinitive
To speak To eat To drink

The 5 forms of Verbs

Present
Speak Eat Drink Teach

Past
Spoke Ate Drank Taught

Past Present Participle Participle

Spoken Eaten Drunk Speaking Eating Drinking

Infinitive
To speak To eat To drink

The 5 forms of Verbs

Present
Speak Eat Drink Teach

Past
Spoke Ate Drank Taught

Past Present Participle Participle

Spoken Eaten Drunk Taught Speaking Eating Drinking

Infinitive
To speak To eat To drink

The 5 forms of Verbs

Present
Speak Eat Drink Teach

Past
Spoke Ate Drank Taught

Past Present Participle Participle

Spoken Eaten Drunk Taught Speaking Eating Drinking Teaching

Infinitive
To speak To eat To drink

The 5 forms of Verbs

Present
Speak Eat Drink Teach

Past
Spoke Ate Drank Taught

Past Present Participle Participle

Spoken Eaten Drunk Taught Speaking Eating Drinking Teaching

Infinitive
To speak To eat To drink To teach

The 5 forms of Verbs

Present
Speak Eat Drink Teach Go

Past
Spoke Ate Drank Taught

Past Present Participle Participle

Spoken Eaten Drunk Taught Speaking Eating Drinking Teaching

Infinitive
To speak To eat To drink To teach

The 5 forms of Verbs

Present
Speak Eat Drink Teach Go

Past
Spoke Ate Drank Taught Went

Past Present Participle Participle

Spoken Eaten Drunk Taught Speaking Eating Drinking Teaching

Infinitive
To speak To eat To drink To teach

The 5 forms of Verbs

Present
Speak Eat Drink Teach Go

Past
Spoke Ate Drank Taught Went

Past Present Participle Participle

Spoken Eaten Drunk Taught Gone Speaking Eating Drinking Teaching

Infinitive
To speak To eat To drink To teach

The 5 forms of Verbs

Present
Speak Eat Drink Teach Go

Past
Spoke Ate Drank Taught Went

Past Present Participle Participle

Spoken Eaten Drunk Taught Gone Speaking Eating Drinking Teaching Going

Infinitive
To speak To eat To drink To teach

The 5 forms of Verbs

Present
Speak Eat Drink Teach Go

Past
Spoke Ate Drank Taught Went

Past Present Participle Participle

Spoken Eaten Drunk Taught Gone Speaking Eating Drinking Teaching Going

Infinitive
To speak To eat To drink To teach To go

The 5 forms of Verbs

Present
Speak Eat Drink Teach Go Sing

Past
Spoke Ate Drank Taught Went

Past Present Participle Participle

Spoken Eaten Drunk Taught Gone Speaking Eating Drinking Teaching Going

Infinitive
To speak To eat To drink To teach To go

The 5 forms of Verbs

Present
Speak Eat Drink Teach Go Sing

Past
Spoke Ate Drank Taught Went Sang

Past Present Participle Participle

Spoken Eaten Drunk Taught Gone Speaking Eating Drinking Teaching Going

Infinitive
To speak To eat To drink To teach To go

The 5 forms of Verbs

Present
Speak Eat Drink Teach Go Sing

Past
Spoke Ate Drank Taught Went Sang

Past Present Participle Participle

Spoken Eaten Drunk Taught Gone Sung Speaking Eating Drinking Teaching Going

Infinitive
To speak To eat To drink To teach To go

The 5 forms of Verbs

Present
Speak Eat Drink Teach Go Sing

Past
Spoke Ate Drank Taught Went Sang

Past Present Participle Participle

Spoken Eaten Drunk Taught Gone Sung Speaking Eating Drinking Teaching Going Singing

Infinitive
To speak To eat To drink To teach To go

The 5 forms of Verbs

Present
Speak Eat Drink Teach Go Sing

Past
Spoke Ate Drank Taught Went Sang

Past Present Participle Participle

Spoken Eaten Drunk Taught Gone Sung Speaking Eating Drinking Teaching Going Singing

Infinitive
To speak To eat To drink To teach To go To sing

The 5 forms of Verbs

Present
Speak Eat Drink Teach Go Sing Reach

Past
Spoke Ate Drank Taught Went Sang

Past Present Participle Participle

Spoken Eaten Drunk Taught Gone Sung Speaking Eating Drinking Teaching Going Singing

Infinitive
To speak To eat To drink To teach To go To sing

The 5 forms of Verbs

Present
Speak Eat Drink Teach Go Sing Reach

Past
Spoke Ate Drank Taught Went Sang Reached

Past Present Participle Participle

Spoken Eaten Drunk Taught Gone Sung Speaking Eating Drinking Teaching Going Singing

Infinitive
To speak To eat To drink To teach To go To sing

The 5 forms of Verbs

Present
Speak Eat Drink Teach Go Sing Reach

Past
Spoke Ate Drank Taught Went Sang Reached

Past Present Participle Participle

Spoken Eaten Drunk Taught Gone Sung Reached Speaking Eating Drinking Teaching Going Singing

Infinitive
To speak To eat To drink To teach To go To sing

The 5 forms of Verbs

Present
Speak Eat Drink Teach Go Sing Reach

Past
Spoke Ate Drank Taught Went Sang Reached

Past Present Participle Participle

Spoken Eaten Drunk Taught Gone Sung Reached Speaking Eating Drinking Teaching Going Singing Reaching

Infinitive
To speak To eat To drink To teach To go To sing

The 5 forms of Verbs

Present
Speak Eat Drink Teach Go Sing Reach

Past
Spoke Ate Drank Taught Went Sang Reached

Past Present Participle Participle

Spoken Eaten Drunk Taught Gone Sung Reached Speaking Eating Drinking Teaching Going Singing Reaching

Infinitive
To speak To eat To drink To teach To go To sing To reach

The 5 forms and Time

Only Present and Past forms denote time automatically

Verbs in form and function Also called Finite Verbs

Past Participle and Present Participle do not denote time

Verbs in form but not in function Also called Non-Finite Verbs Made finite using Auxiliary Verbs

Infinitive can NEVER be made to denote time

The role of auxiliary verbs

Commonly known as helping verbs The most important aspect of verbs in English Bring time in Convert concept of action to particular action

Auxiliary verbs in English

Do Does Did Be

Was Were Has Have

Am
Is

Had
Will

Are

Auxiliary verbs in action

Past Participle (Original) sung Past Participle made finite Has sung Had sung Present Participle (Original) singing Present Participle made finite Is singing Are singing

Was sung
Were sung Are sung Will be sung Will have been sung

Was singing
Were singing Has been singing Had been singing Will have been singing

Importance in sentence construction

Every sentence HAS TO HAVE one finite verb Subject + Present/Past forms is alright Subject + Past/Present Participle/Infinitive is not alright

Subject + Suitable auxiliary + Past/Present Participle is alright

How do you know the right structure?

English is a powerful language Logical relationship between ideas and structure Important aspects of the idea that you should be clear about
Relationship between subject and action What kind of action and reference to action

you wish to make

Two important aspects of verbs

Voice

Addresses the relationship between the subject and the action Addresses
the kind of action the speaker wishes to

Tense

talk of the kind of reference to action the speaker wishes to make

About Voice

Two voices - Active and Passive Active voice when subject is actively engaging in action
I did the job

Passive voice when subject is passive and action is undertaken UPON it

The job was done

Introducing Tenses

How many tenses are there in English?

3? ?? 20

12 in Active Voice 8 in Passive Voice

Labelling the Tenses

Simple

Continuous

Perfect

Perfect Continuous

2 aspects of Tenses

Form Which combination of words to use

Which of the 5 forms to use? Which auxiliary/auxiliaries to use, in which

form and in which order?

Function When to use each combination

12 Tenses in Active Voice An Example

Present Simple Ram eats rice Past Ram ate rice Future Ram will eat rice

Continuous
Perfect Perfect Continuous

Ram is eating rice

Ram was eating rice

Ram will be eating rice

Ram has eaten Ram had eaten Ram will have rice rice eaten rice Ram has been Ram had been Ram will have eating rice eating rice been eating rice

Generalising the 12 Tenses

Present Past Future Simple Subject - Verb in Present Tense Object Continuous Subject - am/is/are + Present Participle Object Perfect Subject - has/have + Past Participle Object Perfect Continuous Subject - has/have + been + Present Participle - Object Subject - Verb in Past Tense - Object Subject will + Verb in Present Tense Object Subject - was/were Subject - will/shall + + Present Participle be + Present - Object Participle Object Subject - had + Past Subject will + Participle - Object have + Past Participle Object Subject - had + Subject - will + have been + Present + been + Present Participle - Object Participle Object

8 Tenses in Passive Voice An Example

Present
Simple Continuous Perfect Rice is eaten by Ram Rice is being eaten by Ram Rice has been eaten by Ram

Past

Future

Rice was eaten Rice will be by Ram eaten by Ram Rice was being X eaten by Ram Rice had been Rice will have eaten by Ram been eaten by Ram

Perfect Continuous

Generalising the 8 Tenses

Present Past Future Simple Subject - is/are + Past participle + by Object Subject - is/are + being + Past participle + by Object Subject - has/have + been + Past participle + by Object X Subject was/were+ Past participle + by Object Subject - was/were + being + Past participle + by Object Subject - had + been + Past participle + by Object X Subject - will/shall + be + Past participle + by Object X Subject - will + have + been + Past participle + by Object X

Continuous

Perfect

Perfect Continuous

Why so many Tenses?

There is a lot of variety in

The kind of action we wish to refer to The kind of reference to action we wish to

make

The English language provides a framework for each one

The variety in referring to Action Aspects of time

3 aspects of time associated with any action

Speaking time Reference time

Action time

Tenses it gives rise to

Past, Present and Future
Perfect Tenses

Understanding the aspects of time

Speaking time The time when the sentence is spoken

Always the present

Action time The time when the action is said to take place/be taking place
Reference time The point in time from which the speaker chooses to view the action

Possible relationships between ST, AT and RT

ST vs RT
ST = RT - Present ST > RT - Past ST < RT Future

RT vs AT
RT = AT Simple Tenses

RT > AT Perfect Tenses

RT < AT Not possible

The variety in referring to Action Nature of action

Attainment of status of completion

Simple Tenses Perfect Tenses

Being in progress
Continuous Tenses Perfect Continuous Tenses

Summarising the method

Nature of Attainment of Being in action status of progress completion RT vs AT RT = AT Simple Tenses Continuous Tenses RT > AT Perfect Tenses Perfect Continuous Tenses

The time-line method of choosing the Tense

Reference time Action time

Earlier

Later

Speaking time Where the 3 arrows fall relative to each other and the nature of the action decide the tense

The time-line method of choosing the Tense

Reference time Action time

Earlier

Later

Speaking time All 3 at the same place, Attainment of status of completion Simple Present Tense

The special case of the Simple Present Tense

There is no such thing as the present or instantaneous action The present is either the future or quickly becomes the past All action takes some time Hence, Simple Present Tense refers only to habits and repetitive natural phenomena
He eats (does eat) rice The sun rises (does rise) in the east

The time-line method of choosing the Tense

Reference time

Earlier

Later

Action time RT < ST, RT = AT, Attainment of status of completion Simple Past Tense

Speaking time

The time-line method of choosing the Tense

Reference time

Earlier

Later

Action time RT > ST, RT = AT, Attainment of status of completion Simple Future Tense

Speaking time

The time-line method of choosing the Tense

Reference time Action time

Earlier

Later

Speaking time ST, RT and AT the same, Being in progress Present Continuous Tense

The time-line method of choosing the Tense

Reference time

Earlier

Later

Action time RT < ST, RT = AT, Being in progress Past Continuous Tense

Speaking time

The time-line method of choosing the Tense

Reference time

Earlier

Later

Action time RT > ST, RT = AT, Being in progress Future Continuous Tense

Speaking time

The time-line method of choosing the Tense

Action time Reference time

Earlier

Later

Speaking time RT = ST, RT > AT, Attainment of status of completion Present Perfect Tense

The time-line method of choosing the Tense

Reference time

Earlier

Later

Action time

Speaking time

RT < ST, RT > AT, Attainment of status of completion Past Perfect Tense

The time-line method of choosing the Tense

Reference time

Earlier

Later

Speaking time Action time RT > ST, RT > AT, Attainment of status of completion Future Perfect Tense

The time-line method of choosing the Tense

Action time Reference time

Earlier

Later

Speaking time RT = ST, RT > AT, Being in progress Present Perfect Continuous Tense

The time-line method of choosing the Tense

Reference time

Earlier

Later

Action time

Speaking time

RT < ST, RT > AT, Being in progress Past Perfect Continuous Tense

The time-line method of choosing the Tense

Reference time

Earlier

Later

Speaking time

Action time

RT > ST, RT > AT, Being in progress Future Perfect Continuous Tense

How does this help us

Gives a framework to work with Be clear about the idea you wish to communicate Identify the voice and tense you need to use

Pick the correct combination of verb and auxiliary verb