analytical exposition text

Definition of Analytical Exposition
Exposition is a text that elaborates the writer‘s idea about the phenomenon surrounding. Its social function is to persuade the reader that the idea is important matter.

Generic Structure of Analytical Exposition
1. Thesis: Introducing the topic and indicating the writer’s position
2. Arguments: Explaining the arguments to support the writer’s position
3. Reiteration: Restating the writer’s position

Language Features of Analytical Exposition

• Using relational process
• Using internal conjunction
• Using causal conjunction
• Using Simple Present Tense

Example

Conventionally, students need book, pen, eraser, drawing book, ruler and such other stuff. Additionally, in this multimedia era, students need more to reach their progressive development. Students need mobile keyboards to record every presented subject easily. Of course it will need more cost but it will deserve for its function.

First, modern schools tend to apply fast transferring knowledge because the school needs to catch the target of curriculum. Every subject will tend to be given in demonstrative method. Consequently students need extra media cover the subject. Since there is a laptop on every students' desk, this method will help student to get better understanding.Secondly, finding an appropriate laptop is not difficult as it was. Recently there is an online shop which provides comprehensive information. The best is that the shop has service of online shopping. The students just need to brows that online shop, decide which computer or laptop they need, then complete the transaction. After that the laptop will be delivered to the students' houses. That is really easy and save time and money.From all of that, having mobile computer is absolutely useful for students who want to catch the best result for their study. Buying laptop online is advisable because it will cut the price. This online way is recommended since online shop also provide several laptop types. Students just need to decide which type they really need.



source: http://www.englishdirection.com/2007/12/what-is-analytical-exposition.html

conditional sentence exercise

Conditional Sentences Type I

Complete the Conditional Sentences Type I.

• If you (go) out with your friends tonight, I (watch) the football match on TV.
• I (earn) a lot of money if I (get) that job.
• If she (hurry / not) , we (miss) the bus.

Conditional Sentences Type II

Complete the Conditional Sentences Type II.

• If he (try) harder, he (reach) his goals.
• I (buy) these shoes if they (fit) .
• It (surprise / not) me if he (know / not) the answer.

Conditional Sentences Type III

Complete the Conditional Sentences Type III.

• If we (listen) to the radio, we (hear) the news.
• If you (switch) on the lights, you (fall / not) over the chair.
• She (come) to our party if she (be / not) on holiday.

Conditional Sentences Type I, II or III

Complete the Conditional Sentences with the correct form (Type I, II or III).

• If I amwill bewerehad beenwould bewould have been stronger, I'd help you carry the piano.
• If we'd seen you, we stopwill stopstoppedhad stoppedwould stopwould have stopped.
• If we meetwill meetmethad metwould meetwould have met him tomorrow, we'll say hello.
• He would have repaired the car himself if he haswill havehadhad hadwould havewould have had the tools.
• If you drop the vase, it breakswill breakbrokehad brokenwould breakwould have broken.
• If I hadn't studied, I do not passwill not passdid not passhad not passedwould not passwould not have passed the exam.
• I wouldn't go to school by bus if I havewill havehadhad hadwould havewould have had a driving licence.
• If she doesn't seewon't seehadn't seendidn't seewouldn't seewouldn't have seen him every day, she'd be lovesick.
• I don't travelwon't traveldidn't travelhadn't travelledwouldn't travelwouldn't have travelled to London if I don't get a cheap flight.
• We'd be stupid if we tellwill telltoldhad toldwould tellwould have told him about our secret. 

taken from: http://www.ego4u.com/en/cram-up/tests/conditional-sentences-3

conditional sentence: the introduction

Here are some of the most common uses of conditional sentences:

1. Uncertain events & situations

We use conditional sentences to talk about uncertain events and situations. 
Example:
Ask Mark if he is staying tonight. (He may or may not be staying)
If I see Nicky, I will convey your message. (I may or may not see Nicky) 

 

2. Conditions

An if-clause can also refer to a condition – something which must happen first, so something else can happen.
Example:
If we can get there by tomorrow morning, we can have breakfast at Mark’s place.
I will go to market tomorrow if I am able to repair my car today.

 

3. If…then

We sometimes construct sentences with if…then to emphasize that one thing depends on another. But note that we do not use if…so in this way.
Example:
If he cannot walk, then she will have to help him. (NOT …so we will have to go and see her)
If Jennifer has no enough money, then we have to lend her some money.

 

4. If meaning “if it is true”

Another common use of if is to mean “if it is true that” or if it is the case that”
Example:
If you were in New York, why didn’t you come and see us?
If it will help you, I will lend you some money 

 

5. Unlikely, imaginary or untrue situations

Past (or special) tenses can be used to give the idea that something is unlikely, imaginary or untrue.
Example:
If I married you, we would both be unhappy. (Past tense used to talk about an imaginary future situation).

 

Position of if clauses

Note that an if-clause can come at the beginning or end of a sentence. When an if-clause comes first, it is often separated by comma. Compare:

If you eat too much, you get fat.
You get fat if you eat too much. 

 

Zero, first, second & third conditionals

Most student grammars focus on four common patters with if which are often called zero, first, second and third conditionals as given below:

Zero conditional (used to talk about the general or scientific conditions which are always true)

If + present - infinitive

E.g. If you heat water, it boils. 

First conditional (used to talk about the future consequences of a specific event or situations)

If + present - will + infinitive

E.g. If we play tennis I will win. 

Second conditional (used to talk about unlikely, imaginary or untrue events or situations)

If + past – would + infinitive

E.g. If we played tennis, I would win. 

Third conditional (used to talk about things that didn't happened in the past and the consequence if they had happened)

If + past perfect – would have + past participle

E.g. If we had played tennis, I would have won.

taken from: http://www.conditionalsentences.org/

passive voice theory

Use of Passive

Passive voice is used when the focus is on the action. It is not important or not known, however, who or what is performing the action.

Example: My bike was stolen.

In the example above, the focus is on the fact that my bike was stolen. I do not know, however, who did it.

Sometimes a statement in passive is more polite than active voice, as the following example shows:

Example: A mistake was made.

In this case, I focus on the fact that a mistake was made, but I do not blame anyone (e.g. You have made a mistake.).

 

Form of Passive

Subject + finite form of to be + Past Participle (3rd column of irregular verbs)

Example: A letter was written.

When rewriting active sentences in passive voice, note the following:

• the object of the active sentence becomes the subject of the passive sentence
• the finite form of the verb is changed (to be + past participle)
• the subject of the active sentence becomes the object of the passive sentence (or is dropped)

 

Examples of Passive 

Tense		Subject	Verb	Object
Simple Present	Active:	Rita	writes	a letter.
	Passive:	A letter	is written	by Rita.
Simple Past	Active:	Rita	wrote	a letter.
	Passive:	A letter	was written	by Rita.
Present Perfect	Active:	Rita	has written	a letter.
	Passive:	A letter	has been written	by Rita.
Future I	Active:	Rita	will write	a letter.
	Passive:	A letter	will be written	by Rita.

Examples of Passive 

Tense		Subject	Verb	Object
Present Progressive	Active:	Rita	is writing	a letter.
	Passive:	A letter	is being written	by Rita.
Past Progressive	Active:	Rita	was writing	a letter.
	Passive:	A letter	was being written	by Rita.
Past Perfect	Active:	Rita	had written	a letter.
	Passive:	A letter	had been written	by Rita.
Future II	Active:	Rita	will have written	a letter.
	Passive:	A letter	will have been written	by Rita.
Conditional I	Active:	Rita	would write	a letter.
	Passive:	A letter	would be written	by Rita.
Conditional II	Active:	Rita	would have written	a letter.
	Passive:	A letter	would have been written	by Rita.

 

Passive Sentences with Two Objects 

Rewriting an active sentence with two objects in passive voice means that one of the two objects becomes the subject, the other one remains an object. Which object to transform into a subject depends on what you want to put the focus on.

	Subject	Verb	Object 1	Object 2
Active:	Rita	wrote	a letter	to me.
Passive:	A letter	was written	to me	by Rita.
Passive:	I	was written	a letter	by Rita.

.

As you can see in the examples, adding by Rita does not sound very elegant. That’s why it is usually dropped.

 

Personal and Impersonal Passive

Personal Passive simply means that the object of the active sentence becomes the subject of the passive sentence. So every verb that needs an object (transitive verb) can form a personal passive.

Example: They build houses. – Houses are built.

Verbs without an object (intransitive verb) normally cannot form a personal passive sentence (as there is no object that can become the subject of the passive sentence). If you want to use an intransitive verb in passive voice, you need an impersonal construction – therefore this passive is called Impersonal Passive.

Example: he says – it is said

Impersonal Passive is not as common in English as in some other languages (e.g. German, Latin). In English, Impersonal Passive is only possible with verbs of perception (e. g. say, think, know).

Example: They say that women live longer than men. – It is said that women live longer than men.

Although Impersonal Passive is possible here, Personal Passive is more common.

Example: They say that women live longer than men. – Women are said to live longer than men.

The subject of the subordinate clause (women) goes to the beginning of the sentence; the verb of perception is put into passive voice. The rest of the sentence is added using an infinitive construction with 'to' (certain auxiliary verbs and that are dropped).

Sometimes the term Personal Passive is used in English lessons if the indirect object of an active sentence is to become the subject of the passive sentence.

 

 

taken from: http://www.ego4u.com/en/cram-up/grammar/passive

 

 

Reported Speech Exercise

Top of Form

Mixed Exercise 1

Complete the sentences in reported speech. Note whether the sentence is a request, a statement or a question.

1. He said, "I like this song."
   → He said
2. "Where is your sister?" she asked me.
   → She asked me
3. "I don't speak Italian," she said.
   → She said
4. "Say hello to Jim," they said.
   → They asked me
5. "The film began at seven o'clock," he said.
   → He said
6. "Don't play on the grass, boys," she said.
   → She told the boys
7. "Where have you spent your money?" she asked him.
   → She asked him
8. "I never make mistakes," he said.
   → He said
9. "Does she know Robert?" he wanted to know.
   → He wanted to know
10. "Don't try this at home," the stuntman told the audience.
    → The stuntman advised the audience

Bottom of Form

Top of Form

Mixed Exercise 2

Complete the sentences in reported speech. Note whether the sentence is a request, a statement or a question and whether you have to change the tenses or not.

1. "I was very tired," she said.
   → She said
2. "Be careful, Ben," she said.
   → She told Ben
3. "I will get myself a drink," she says.
   → She says
4. "Why haven't you phoned me?" he asked me.
   → He wondered
5. "I cannot drive them home," he said.
   → He said
6. "Peter, do you prefer tea or coffee?" she says.
   → She asks Peter
7. "Where did you spend your holidays last year?" she asked me.
   → She asked me
8. He said, "Don't go too far."
   → He advised her
9. "Have you been shopping?" he asked us.
   → He wanted to know
10. "Don't make so much noise," he says.
    → He asks us

Bottom of Form

reported speech theory

If we report what another person has said, we usually do not use the speaker’s exact words (direct speech), but reported (indirect) speech. Therefore, you need to learn how to transform direct speech into reported speech. The structure is a little different depending on whether you want to transform a statement, question or request.

 

Statements

When transforming statements, check whether you have to change:

• pronouns
• present tense verbs (3rd person singular)
• place and time expressions
• tenses (backshift)

Type	Example
direct speech	“I speak English.”
reported speech (no backshift)	He says that he speaks English.
reported speech (backshift)	He said that he spoke English.

 

Questions

When transforming questions, check whether you have to change:

• pronouns
• present tense verbs (3rd person singular)
• place and time expressions
• tenses (backshift)

Also note that you have to:

• transform the question into an indirect question
• use the interrogative or if / whether

Type		Example
with question word	direct speech	“Why don’t you speak English?”
	reported speech	He asked me why I didn’t speak English.
without question word	direct speech	“Do you speak English?”
	reported speech	He asked me whether / if I spoke English.

 

Requests

When transforming questions, check whether you have to change:

• pronouns
• place and time expressions

Type	Example
direct speech	“Carol, speak English.“
reported speech	He told Carol to speak English.

 

 

Additional Information and Exeptions

Apart from the above mentioned basic rules, there are further aspects that you should keep in mind, for example:

• main clauses connected with and / but
• tense of the introductory clause
• reported speech for difficult tenses
• exeptions for backshift
• requests with must, should, ought to and let’s 

simple past tense theory

1. Simple past,form


Regular verbs: base+ed
e.g. walked, showed, watched, played, smiled, stopped

Irregular verbs: went, came, bought, etc.



Simple Past: be, have, do:

Subject	Verb
	Be	Have	Do
I	was	had	did
You	were	had	did
He,she, it	was	had	did
We	were	had	did
You	were	had	did
They	were	had	did

Affirmative

1. I was in Japan last year
2. She had a headache yesterday.
3. We did our homework last night.

Negative and interrogative

Note:
For the negative and interrogative simple past form of “do” as an ordinary verb, use the auxiliary “do”, e.g. We didn’t do our homework last night. The negative of “have” in the simple past is usually formed using the auxiliary “do”, but sometimes by simply adding not or the contraction “n’t”.

The interrogative form of “have” in the simple past normally uses the auxiliary “do”.

• They weren’t in Rio last summer.
• We hadn’t any money.
• We didn’t have time to visit the Eiffel Tower.
• We didn’t do our exercises this morning.
• Were they in Iceland last January?
• Did you have a bicycle when you were a boy?
• Did you do much climbing in Switzerland?

Simple past, regular verbs

Affirmative
Subject	verb + ed
I	washed
Negative
Subject	did not	infinitive without to
They	didn’t	visit …
Interrogative
Did	subject	infinitive without to
Did	she	arrive…?
Interrogative negative
Did not	subject	infinitive without to
Didn’t	you	like..?

Example:
to walk, simple past.

Affirmative	Negative	Interrogative
I walked	I didn’t walk	Did I walk?
You walked	You didn’t walk	Did you walk?
He,she,it walked	He didn’t walk	Did he walk?
We walked	We didn’t walk	Did we walk?
You walked	You didn’t walk	Did you walk?
They walked	They didn’t walk	Did they walk?

Note: For
the negative and interrogative form of all verbs in the simple past, always use the auxiliary ‘did”.
Examples: 

Simple past, irregular verbs

to go
a. He went to a club last night.
b. Did he go to the cinema last night?
c. He didn’t go to bed early last night.

to give
d. We gave her a doll for her birthday.
e. They didn’t give John their new address.
f. Did Barry give you my passport?

to come
g. My parents came to visit me last July.
h. We didn’t come because it was raining.
i. Did he come to your party last week?


2. Simple past, function
The simple past is used to talk about a completed action in a time before now. Duration is not important. The time of the action can be in the recent past or the distant past.

• John Cabot sailed to America in 1498.
• My father died last year.
• He lived in Fiji in 1976.
• We crossed the Channel yesterday.

You always use the simple past when you say when something happened, so it is associated with certain past time expressions
Examples:

• frequency:often,sometimes, always;
• a definite point in time:last week, when I was a child, yesterday, six weeks ago.
• an indefinite point in time:the other day, ages ago, a long time ago etc.

Note: the
word ago is a useful way of expressing the distance into the past. It is placed after the period of time e.g. a week ago, three years ago, a minute ago.

Examples:
a. Yesterday, I arrived in Geneva.
b. She finished her work at seven o’clock.
c. We saw a good film last week.
d. I went to the theatre last night.
e. She played the piano when she was a child.
f. He sent me a letter six months ago.
g. Peter left five minutes ago.

Useful Links

• The English4Today Grammar: Simple Past Section
• Irregular Verbs (shows the past form for irregular verbs)

simple past tense exercises

          A. Complete the sentence with the correct verb forms

1. I ……(wait) for a phone call, but my friend …….(not call)
2. We ……(invite) some friends over, and we….. (cook) great meal.
3. I ……(not need) any umbrella.
4. She actually ……(not enjoy) the party.
5. The rain …….(pour) so hard last night and the weather …… (be) so cold.
6. She …………………(not be) interested in the movie because she ………………….(not understand) it.
7. My English …. (not be) very good , so I ….. (take) English classes.
8. yesterday, my roommate and I …. (clean) and …..(shop).
9.    A: …… you …..(go) out last night?

 B: yes. I…… (go) to the cinema and I …. (have)   a great night.

10.   A: …… you ……(eat) any breakfast this morning?

B: No. I …. (get up) late. But I …. (buy) a cup  of coffee.

B. Re-write the sentence in past form

—  Example:

Tim usually gets up at 5.00.

 Yesterday he got up at 5.00

1. Tim usually wakes up early. Yesterday morning……..
2. Tim usually walks to work. Yesterday…..
3. Tim is usually late for work. Yesterday…..
4. Tim usually has a sandwich for lunch. Yesterday……
5. Tim usually goes out in the evening. Yesterday evening….
6. Tim usually sleeps very well. Last night……

C. Re-write the passage in simple past form.

Monday, May 31^st 2010

                Benny and I take a street car to the theme park yesterday. We ride on the ferris wheel and the roller coaster. On Monday night, I take Benny to a movie at the multiplex. The movie has really interesting sound effects.

This morning, I bicycle with my sister. I feel pretty tired, so I stay home and watch TV.