Section A : Composition Writing Chapter - 1 : …...Section A : Composition Writing Chapter - 1 : Descriptive Composition Introduction The word descriptive means “full of description”

Section A : Composition Writing

Chapter - 1 : Descriptive Composition

IntroductionThe word descriptive means “full of description”. To write descriptive composition following points shall be co sidered.• It must consist of some factual description (like “A Visit to the Taj Mahal”)• It should have simple, clear and concise language, which should be vivid. The words should be capable of paint-

ing a mental picture.• Whichever thing, like person, place, scene or process is been describing, should be appealing to the readers

senses. • It must describe your feelings and emotions. It helps in connecting you with the reader deeply.• Present an organized and logical description. It should not be flowery, abstract or imaginative. It should have

some facts.• Composition should create a clear impression on the reader’s mind which will bring familiarity and appreciation

in his/her mind about the topic.• Leave a beautiful impression by giving your personal experiences. This helps the reader to engage with the text

intelligently.

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Chapter - 2 : Narrative Composition

IntroductionA Narrative Essay consists of the narration of some event, or series of events. The emphasis of this essay should be on movement, time-sequence and concrete details. Time sequence can be changed from Prsent to Past, providing a flashback. Examples are :

1. A journey or a voyage

2. A visit to a hill station

3. An accident or a natural disaster (eg: a flood, a storm, an earthquake, a landslide, a motor-car accident, a ship-wreck)

4. A story (real or imaginary)

5. A sad experience of my life

6. Biographies (eg. life of Ashoka)

7. Incidents (eg. a street quarrel, a festival or a wedding)Often the word ‘narrative’ is synonymous with the narration of a story (The story is a fiction or a non-fiction). Some-times there is a narrator, a character or a series of characters who tells the story. Sometimes, as with most non-fiction, the author himself/ herself is the narrator. You are narrator of your own lives all the time.You can add dialogues, characters, an element of drama, graphic details, creation of vivid pictures and descriptions to actually recreate the experience for your listeners or readers.To write the best narrative composition, we should follow the following suggestions :• Use the past tense to describe a past incident• Write from our own personal experience.• Do not make any vague statements or philosophical comments.• Use contrast and comparison to add variety and interest.

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[2 ] Oswaal ICSE Section-wise Notes & Summary, ENGLISH PAPER-I (LANGUAGE), Class-X

Chapter - 3 : Argumentative (Debatic) Composition

IntroductionAs the name suggests, it is an Argumentative type or Debatic type of composition. A debate is a formal argument or discussion on certain topic or subject on which people express their different opinions. In this type of composition, the person is free to express his views by writing either in favour or against the topic.Example: “Books are good friends”. We can opt for or against the motion. If we agree, then we should opt “for” but if we disagree then we should opt for “Against” the motion.In Argumentative/Debatic Composition, the writer arrives at a conclusion through reason. In this type of writing, you are required to put forward your ideas and opinions on a controversial subject. It should consist of a central theme developed into a definite conclusion. First of all, decide what to say in the conclusion and then plan your arguments consistently, leading to conclusion. You may be asked to discuss, pass a judgment or deal with a quotation in which you are expected to consider both sides of the theme. Support your arguments by facts and reasons. The following qualities are expected in an argumentive composition:– A genuine interest in the topic. Presentation of adequate arguments. The ability to see both sides of argument. The ability to take account of objections and to make your way through them towards a considered position. The ability to present forcefully a clear conclusion.

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Chapter- 4: Short Stories

Introduction Story writing is a creative art which requires creative thinking, planning and mastery of narrative skills and good language. A short story could be fictive or imaginary. It’s a logical ordering of events. It may relate to one incidentally. It must have an attractive proper introduction, middle part and good ending. It must have a proper background, a setting of time and place, characters (human or non-humans), dialogue etc.Examples : 1. A Haunted House 2. The Diamond Necklace etc. An individual should keep the following points in his/her mind while writing a story:• Try to show enmity between two persons, opposition, one person against a powerful force, society, state, etc.

and some conflict in your story.• Try to create suspense and surprise in the story because they are two essential features of a good story.• A turn or twist at the end makes a story more interesting.• A few characters/one single narrator should be there.• There should be proper setting, dialogue.• Preferably write in past tense. However, present tense may also be used.• Place and time of the story should be defined.• Clarity in the consequence of the story.

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Chapter- 5: Picture Composition

Introduction In the Picture composition, the Picture serves as a stimulus to which you are excepted to respond. You are asked to study the picture, which is supposed to spark off an idea, which could be the basic of your essay, story, feelings or thoughts.The Picture is likely to be a dramatic, one depicting people in action, an event or a place. First of all, you must study the picture and see whether you can write a story or a description based on it. This type of assignment gives enough rein to your imagination. The response is open : – ended and a situation can be interpreted in a number of ways.You may write one of the following, based on the picture: (1) a story, (2) a description; (3) an account of what the picture suggests to you.

Oswaal CBSE Section-wise Notes & Summary, ENGLISH PAPER-I (LANGUAGE), Class-X [ 3]

1. A story based on the picture.

(a) Since a story must have a basic plot, characters and an atmosphere, invent them on the basis of the theme of the picture.

(b) In order to appeal to the reader’s imagination, show that you are one of the characters in the picture.

(c) Show your interaction with other characters.

(d) Remember that the story must have an atmosphere, a climax and a resolution.

2. Description based on the picture.

(a) Mere description of the picture is not accepted.

(b) Pay attention to the details, such as facial expressions, gestures, clothes, postures, etc. as shown in the picture. These will help you to have a better understanding of the theme suggested by the picture.

(c) Begin your description by concentrating on the details given in the picture and then widen the focus to take a broader view.

(d) Establish interesting connections between the details chosen by you, and the picture as a whole.

3. An account of thoughts and feelings suggested by the picture. Here the picture becomes a starting point, giving the writer freedom to use his imagination.

Introduction: Brief description of the stimulus of the picture and its immediate effect on the writer.

Body of the composition: Thoughts and feelings triggered off by the picture.

Conclusion: Rounding off the thoughts, feelings and insights.qq

Section B : Letter Writing

Chapter - 6 : Letter Writing

Introduction Man is a social animal. As such he has to interact with other human beings. He has to be in contact with friends, relatives and others who are living at distant places. Besides, he has to communicate with offices, business firms etc. No doubt, there are fast means of conveying messages these days. Important decisions concerning business, whether in the field of trade or industry have to be conveyed without delay. Delay means loss of business. But these means are no substitute for a letter which says in black and white, what otherwise you would have said verbally.Letter writing is an art. Drafting a good letter is like designing a good dress or constructing a well-planned house. A letter conveys information and gives an impression of the personality of the writer. A letter may change the course of your life by winning a friend, healing a wound or getting a job. An application letter for your first job will be the most important one that you ever have written. You can succeed or fail through the first impression that you make. Letter writing is an art which improves with practice.A personal letter becomes a substitute for chatting. William Couper in a letter to friend remarked, “When I read your letter, I hear you talk; I have talking letters clearly.” Success in life mainly depends on the ability to write good letters. This applies especially to business letters. Letters are said to make or mar our fortune. A good letter is much more than a mere piece of paper on which few words are written. How to write a good letter? Let us hear the advice of Earl of Chesterfield in this respect: “Let your letter be written as accurately as you are able - I mean as to language, grammar, and stops; but as to the matter of it, the less trouble you give yourself, the better it will be. Letters should be easy and natural and convey to the persons to whom we send what we should say if we’re with them.”Letters can be broadly divided into the following categories: 1. Informal letters: (a) Letters to friends (b) Letters to blood relations (c) Letters to acquaintances 2. Formal letters: (a) Business letters (b) Letters to authorities (c) Letters to editors


I. Informal Letters/ Personal LettersInformal/ Personal letters are those that are written to friends, blood relations (father, mother, brother, sister, uncle, aunt, etc.). There are letters of congratulations written to a friend on his brilliant success in the examination; condo-lences, thanks for a gift to your parents and other blood relations. They are written in simple, familiar and informal style. The language should suit the occasion we are writing about. A personal letter should be without formalities, but it should not be without form. The ideas should be arranged in suitable paragraphs.

BOARD MARKING SCHEMEIn the ICSE examination, the Informal/ Personal Letter has a maximum of 10 marks divided as follows:

Format / Layout : 2½ marksBody / Subject Matter : 2½ marks

Expression : 5 marks

LAYOUT OF INFORMAL LETTERSThe traditional pattern of the layout of Personal letters is given below.

(1) Address of the Writer

The address of the writer is placed at the top right-hand corner of the page. Do not write your name above the address. Each part of the address should be on a separate line — these may be straight or staggered. Your address might look like any of these (in block or indented form with or without punctuation).

(i) Block type with punctuation:192, Residency Road,Bengaluru - 560025

(ii) Block type without punctuation:192 Residency RoadBengaluru - 560025

(iii) Indented with punctuation:192, Residency Road,Bengaluru - 560025

(iv) Indented without punctuation:192 Residency RoadBengaluru - 560025

(2) Date

The date of the letter tells you when the letter was written. It should be written under the last line of the address. Leave a little space between the address and the date as follows:

78, Prithviraj Road,Delhi-110003

4th November, 2013

It is advisable to write the date in full, as shown above. There is a comma after the month. If your address is punctuated, put a full stop after the year, 2013. The full stop is not necessary, if the address is not punctuated. Note that th in 4th is on the line, i.e., it is written as 4th and not 4th. No full stop is necessary after h as th are the last two letters of the word, fourth. The same principle holds good for 1st, 2nd, 3rd, etc. Abbreviated forms of writing the date 3/3/13, 3.III.13 or Sept. 8, 13, are not considered appropriate by some and should therefore, be avoided.

Letters

Formal LettersInformal Letters

(

(

(

(

(

(


(3) Greeting or Salutation

After writing your address and the date, write the Salutation on the left-hand side of the page. The Greeting or Salutation has a line to itself and is followed by a comma. The form of greeting will depend upon your closeness to the person to whom you are writing, as:

To whom GreetingClose relatives My dear Mummy, Dear Uncle John, Dear Grandma, Dear Rohan, etc.

Close friends Dear Meena, My dear Suzane, etc.

Acquaintances Dear Mr. Gupta, Dear Miss Kate, etc.

(4) Opening Sentence The opening sentence should either be in response to an earlier communication or have a reference to the subject

of the letter. Sometimes, it may be general in nature. Avoid sentences like “How are you?” “Hope everything is fine with you.” “How is the weather?” Here are some examples of how to begin the first sentence of a letter:

It was very kind of you ……………

Thank you for your letter which I have received just now.

I have to apologies for ………………

I congratulate you on your success ………………

The whole family was shocked to know ………………

(5) Body of the Letter

The body of the letter consists of the subject matter. You may write about two or three paragraphs.

[The following excerpt is taken from “The Last Letter”, as Jawaharlal Nehru preferred to call it, which he wrote from Dehradun prison in 1933, to Indira Gandhi. It gives us a glimpse into the thought process of a father, who went on to shape the destiny of India.]

Great empires have risen and fallen and been forgotten by man for thousands of years, till their remains were dug up again by patient explorers from under the sands that covered them. And yet, many an idea, many a fancy, has survived and proved stronger and more persistent than the empire.

The past brings us many gifts; indeed, all that we have today is culture, civilisation, science, or knowledge of some aspects of the truth. It is a gift of the distant or recent past to us. It is right that we acknowledge our obli-gation to the past. But the past does not exhaust our duty or obligation; we owe a duty to the future also, and perhaps that obligation is even greater than the one we owe to the past. For the past is past and done with; we cannot change it; the future is yet to come and perhaps we may be able to shape it a little.

(6) Concluding Sentence

The concluding sentence rounds off the subject matter or conveys love to the family members or good wishes to friends and acquaintances. Some examples of concluding sentences which leave a friendly impression are:

Kindly convey my best wishes to our friends.

Give my love to Grandma.

Kindly let me know if I can be of any help.

(7) Subscription or Leave-taking

To whom Leave-takingClose relatives Yours affectionately, Your affectionate daughter, (uncle, sister, nephew, etc.), Your lov-

ingly, Your loving granddaughter/grandson

Friends Yours sincerely,

Acquaintances Yours sincerely,

Note: The leave-taking must be written at the bottom of the letter, on the right-hand side of the page. The first letter of the subscription must begin with a capital letter, e.g., ‘Yours sincerely’. There is a comma at the end of the subscription.


(8) Signature or Name of the Writer The signature or name of the writer comes below the subscription. Use only your first name for this purpose in

the personal letters; as: Yours sincerely, Ankit (9) Address or Superscription The address or superscription on the envelope is not required to be carried out in the ICSE Examination, unless

the question requires you to do so. The address can be written as: Miss Meeta Anand, 25, Elphinstone Road, Mumbai - 400013

Important Tips:

1. Follow a logical or chronological order.

2. Give an interesting introduction and conclusion.

3. Divide your letter into paragraphs.

4. Use simple and direct language. Be specific about what you want to state.

5. Try to be complete and provide a suitable conclusion.

6. Postscript at the end is a sign of confused thinking.

7. To understand the question better, read the question at least three times.

Five C’s in Letter WritingIt is important to follow the five C’s in letter writing. They are as follows:

1. Clear: Try not to beat about the bush when writing a letter. Every word should come across as something that is understood.

2. Concise: Do not ramble. Be concise and make your words go straight to the point.

3. Courteous: Sometimes words can come across a lot harsher on paper. So, do not be offensive. It always pays to be polite.

4. Correct: Double check your spelling, grammar and punctuation. There is nothing worse than trying to read a letter full of mistakes.

5. Complete: Make sure that you do not change your opinion midstream. Try to write what all you want to say and conclude your letter.

Format of a Informal Letter Comments25, Begum Bazar

Hyderabad-500012,3rd March, 20......

Your AddressSpaceDateSpaceSalutation

Body of the LetterSpaceSubscriptionSpaceSignature(First name only)

My dear _____________________________________________ /___________________________________________________________________________________________________________ __________

Yours sincerely,

Roshan


BOARD MARKING SCHEMEFormat: 2½ marks

Body: 2½ marks Name of game – ½ mark Reason for liking – ½ mark + ½ mark (2 reasons) Why friend should like it – ½ mark + ½ mark (2 reasons)

Expression: 5 marks

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II. Formal LettersFormal Letters are official letters written to people in their official capacity or written to a firm. They are formal

in nature. Nothing in such letters should be personal or intimate. They deal with subjects, such as inquiry, ordering, transfer of money, reference, request, booking, complaint, loss and apology. Whatever matter is being set out in your letter should be correct, kept to the point, and it should have a formal tone.

LAYOUT OF FORMAL LETTERS

1. Writer’s Address and Date These are written in the same way as in a personal letter. 2. Name and Address of the Receiver These are inserted immediately after the address of the sender and the date, but on the left-hand side of the

letter. It is a business practice not to indent the name and address of the addressee. Here are three examples of the name and address of the addressees: (i) an individual, (ii) a firm and (iii) an unknown addressee.

(i) The Principal (ii) Messrs. Kumar and Sons Bishop Cotton Girls’ School C-1 Connaught Place St. Marks Road, New Delhi-110001 Bengaluru-560001 (iii) The Advertiser/s Box No. 181 The Times’ Publishing House New Bailey Road Patna – 801503 3. Salutation It is written a little below the name and address of the addressee. It is not a normal practice to indent the salutation

in a formal letter, i.e., it must be vertically in line with the name and address of the addressee. A comma after the salutation is mandatory. The salutation varies according to the person/s addressed. It may be according to the man, lady or the business firm, the letter is addressed to, as: Dear Sir, Dear Madam, Dear Sir/Madam (if you are not sure of the gender of the person addressed) or Dear Sirs.

4. Business Heading The subject with which the letter deals is indicated by a business heading that is written in the middle of the

writing space between the salutation and the first paragraph. It is underlined and makes the subsequent filing of the letter easier.

5. Opening Sentence It should either be in response to an earlier communication or have a reference to the topic of the letter. Here are

some useful suggestions for effective opening sentences: (i) This has reference to your letter dated 10th November, 20…. (ii) Thank you for your letter of 28th June, 20… (iii) I wish to apply for the position of …….. advertised in The Times of India. (iv) I would like to inquire ……………….


6. Body of the LetterDivide this part of the letter into paragraphs. Maintain the official tone throughout.

7. Concluding SentenceThe concluding sentence varies according to the topic of the letter.

(i) We shall be expecting some positive response from your department. (ii) I shall be grateful if my application will be favourably considered. (iii) I am anxiously awaiting a favorable reply. 8. Subscription Yours faithfully/yours truly are the usual subscription in a formal letter. It is written at the bottom of the letter on

the right-hand side of the page. “Yours” begins with capital Y and “faithfully ” with a small f. The comma after faithfully is mandatory.

9. Signature As against the first name in the case of personal letters, writing the name (or the initials) and surname are

mandatory and are to be legibly written under the subscription in all formal letters. This would enable the recipient to know to whom he should direct the reply.

If the signature is not legible, the full name in capital letters, within brackets, should be written again under the signature. Note that a male writer signs, for example, as P. L. Gupta (no Mr. is needed). A female writer signs, for example, Deepa Pandey (Mrs. Or Miss may be written within brackets), as,

(i) P.L. Gupta (ii) Deepa Pandey (Miss)

Salutation and Subscription

Letter being sent to Salutation Subscription

A person in an official capacity or one who is not known to you

Dear Sir,Dear Madam,

Yours faithfully,Yours truly,

The press, i.e., the Editor of a news-paper

Sir, Yours faithfully,Yours truly,

A company or a partnership firm Dear Sirs, Yours faithfully,Yours truly,

LAYOUT OF FORMAL LETTERS

Convent Girls’ High SchoolMazagaonMumbai – 400010

5th April, 20 …

CommentsYour Address

SpaceDateSpace

Receiver’s Address

SalutationHeadingBody of the letterSpaceSubscriptionSignature(Name in capitals)with designation

Champion BookstoreCarter Road, Bandra (East)Mumbai -400051Dear ___________, _______________Heading___________________ // ____________________________________________________________________

Your faithfully, Ratna Kulkarni(RATNA KULKARNI)Principal

Suggested Specimen of Formal Letter(Issued by Board)


BOARD MARKING SCHEMEFormat: 3 marks

Body: 1 mark (Two Complaints – ½ mark + ½ mark(Buns & cutlets stale, plates dirty))1 mark (Two Suggestions – ½ mark + ½ mark(Fresh snacks, basic hygiene))

Expression: 5 marks

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Section C : Notice Writing & E-mail Writing

Chapter - 7 : Notice and E-mail Writing

(I) Notice Writing

IntroductionA notice is a very short piece of writing which is usually formal in style. It is widely used by individuals and organiza-

tions to announce events and celebrations, births and deaths, occasions like inaugurations or sales, to issue public in-

structions, to make appeals and to extend invitations, besides, issue notices of termination to the employees or another

way round, i.e., notice of leaving the job from the employee to the employer.

Most notices are written to give information to a large number of people together by putting up the information on the

notice board. Many of them are pinned up or posted on special boards meant for this specific purpose only. There must

be one or more such notice board in the school and other organizations. Whereas notices issued by the government

department and other big organizations also appear in various newspapers.

How to Write a Notice? Writing an effective notice is a kind of art that can be acquired with practice with keeping some basic points in mind

while writing them out. Your notice should give complete information and must be written in a clear and lucid style and

in an easily understandable language.Notices can be categorized under the following heads:

1. Meeting should have :

a. Date, time, place Agenda, Purpose, Objective

b. Chief Presiding Person (if any)

c. Additional Information

d. Audience/invitees etc

e. Contact Address

2. Events or Functions should have:

a. Name of the event

b. Occasion Date, Time, Duration

c. Venue of the event/ Function

d. Audience, Invitees etc

e. Additional information (if any)

f. Contact Address


3. Lost/ Found should have :

a. Name of the article lost or found

b. Date, place, time of losing / finding the article

c. Specific marks for identification contents i.e. details regarding its shape, size, colour etc.

d. Person to be contacted for details

e. When and where to contact

f. Reward (if any)

4. Tours & Camps should have:

a. Name of the place/ destination

b. Duration, Occasion, date and number of days

c. Expenditure/ Cost per head

d. Additional Information (if any)

e. Things to be carried

f. Contact Address

While Writing a Notice Remember• Name of the organization, Institution or Office issuing it.• Write the notice within a box.• Date of issuing of a particular notice.• Use passive voice as far as possible.• Use bold letters and catchy slogans to enhance the visual appeal of your notice.• A suitable description/eye-catching caption or heading or title to hold the immediate attention of the reader.• The purpose for which it has been written like calling a meeting, drawing attention, making an appeal or inform-

ing the general public about some issue of concern etc.• Write the notice in third person (Avoid First Person)• Details of schedule i.e date, time, venue, programme, duration etc. in case the notice is about an event to be held

in the near future.• Designation of the issuing authority must be mentioned.

Format of Notice Writing


BOARD MARKING SCHEME FOR NOTICEHeading : Must be appropriate to the event (Not Notice) 1 mark

Date : ½ mark

Time : ½ mark

Venue : (Hall/Auditorium + Location)e.g. Sandra Hall; St Lawrence School

½ + ½ mark

Name of event : War with words (Inter-School Debate) 1 mark

For whom? Details of Target Audience, invitees etc. 1 mark

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(II) E-MailsE-mail is short form of ‘Electronic Mail’ Similar to a letter; it is sent via the internet to the recipient. An e-mail address is required to receive the e-mail, and that address is unique to the user. E-mail is information stored on a computer that is exchanged between two users over telecommunication. More plainly, e-mail is a message that may contain text, files, images, or other attachments sent through a network to a specified, individual or group of individuals. E-mail is a store and forward method of composing, sending, storing and receiving messages over electronic communication systems. It is the quickest way to communicate in writing.

Points to Remember While Composing E-MailsSubject:• It should be brief.• It should give a clue to the content of the message.• Salutation:

• Dear Sir/First Name of the Person.Opening Statement:• Begin with a pleasantry or greeting.• When replying to a message-Thank you for your message/I received your message.

Paragraphs:• Each main idea should be in a separate paragraph, making it easy for the reader to understand the message.• Use complete sentence (No SMS language)

Complimentary Close:• Regards/Love• Names• It’s a common etiquette to end your e-mail with “Thank you”, “Sincerely”, Best regards” etc.

Style:Just like letters, emails can be formal and informal. Companies, Organization, govt. Dept and officers use formal emails which are written like formal letters for official communication.Informal emails are personal emails between friends, relatives and are written in a friendly and conversational style.

BOARD MARKING SCHEME FOR E-MAILTo : (A complete plausible e mail id)

e.g. [email protected]½ mark

Subject : (must be appropriate to given topic) ½ mark

Salutation : ½ mark

Opening and Closing sentence : ½ + ½ mark

Subscription : ½ mark

Expression : 2 marks


Format of an E-mail

To : Use a complete probable email id (For example, [email protected])Subject : (The subject should be suitable to the given topic)Salutation : Opening SentenceContent Message Closing SentenceSubscription Full Name/DesignationWhen writing an Official E-mail, the following points should be noted:@ Use a formal tone or style.@ Convey the message in clear and simple language.@ Avoid short forms such as LOL/ROFL or SMS vocabulary and spellings like ‘u r gr8’@ Follow the conventional rules of punctuationUse of Capital Letters carefully(in general, writing a word all in Capital Letter is considered rude)@ Follow the of NetiquetteNetiquette is a term used to indicate Internet etiquette, courtesy and consideration for others found using shared services, mailing lists, and so on

*Note: At times one has to send a copy of the e-mail to another person or persons. It is given in Cc.

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Section D : Unseen Passages

Chapter - 8 : Unseen Passages of Comprehension

Introduction The word ‘comprehension’ means, the ability to understand. A passage is given with some questions to test the stu-dent’s reading skills. This exercise trains a student to read closely and understand the ideas contained in it.In the ICSE examination, this type of question carries 20 marks. The passage carries three types of questions:(a) Vocabulary(b) Short Questions(c) Summary Writing

Guidelines (i) Reading of the passage

(a) Read the passage quickly at first to get an overall view of what it contains. It is known as ‘skimming’.

(b) Re-read the passage slowly in order to understand it thoroughly. It is known as ‘scanning’.

(c) You may read the given questions before reading the passage slowly and carefully. You may underline the line/lines containing the answer. It will later help you write the answers quickly.

(ii) How to write the answers

(a) Vocabulary A set of five words or phrases is picked out from the passage.

1. You are expected to explain each word or phrase in the context of the passage, i.e., the word or phrase as it means in the passage and not its literal or dictionary meaning.


2. Read the sentence carefully as well as the sentence above and below it to understand its meaning completely. 3. You must also pay careful attention to the form and tense of the word. The answer must be given in the same

form and tense e.g. (a) Abandoned. (Note, it is in the past tense, so the answer must also be in the past tense) Ans: left

(b) Resounding. (In the present continuous tense) Ans: echoing.

4. It is not expected that you will know the meaning of every word given but you can guess the meaning from what is being written about it in the passage.

(b) Short Answer Questions

How to attempt the short questions in the passage?

1. Read the passage quickly to get a basic idea of what is being expressed in the passage.

2. Now go back to the beginning of the passage once again without reading the questions and read the passag-eslowly so as to grasp each word and sentence clearly. Do not read the questions immediately after the first reading as the mind is then diverted towards looking for the answers rather than understanding the passage thoroughly. The passage usually contains hidden answers which are not visible on the surface. The answers have to be deduced and this can only be done if the passage is comprehended properly.

3. Once you have comprehended the passage thoroughly, go through the questions. The questions usually have more than one part attached to them. Make sure that each part is understood and attempted accordingly.

4. Now look for the answers in the passage. Care must be taken to see that a sentence is not lifted from the pas-sage. You must write the answers in your own words to gain full marks. Sometimes, you are asked to quote the line in the passage which brings out the meaning of a particular word in the passage. Only in that case, lifting is allowed. Write briefly and to the point.

(c) Summary Writing

How to write the Summary?

Summary writing requires condensing skills and, to make a good summary you have to write it twice in the number of words required.

Remember, you must not exceed the prescribed word limit. (Usually 50 words)

1. Read the questions carefully to understand which section of the passage is the answer required from, i.e., if it is required from the former half of the passage, the latter half of the passage or from the entire passage. Usually, the question is expected to be asked from only a particular section of the passage.

2. It is suggested that you use the Column technique to make a rough draft of the required answer. It is time saving and will help you to keep within your word limit. Mark off 10 lines of your answer script and assign five words to every line. Thus, you will get a grid of 50 blocks to fit in 60 words. You can do any kind of corrections in this grid itself.

3. Make sure you have included all the relevant details that the question demands. Also check to see that you have satisfactorily answered each part of the question.

4. Usually articles (a, an, the) are not included in the counting of words but just to be on the safer side, include the articles also in the total of 60 words. Remember, your answer must not be less than 55 words and must not exceed 65 words.

5. You may now rewrite the answer neatly which you have chalked out in the grid.

Answering Tip Draw the meaning from the context and use the correct form in the answer word as in the question word. This can be solved to

a large extent by putting the answer word into the blank created by the question word in the passage. Write answers in your own

words, and learn to differentiate when a question requires a direct quote from the passage. Drawing a grid with only one word per

cell is a good practice for precise writing. Practice narrating an episode in correct sequential/ linear order. Rearrange jumbled

sentences in a correct sequence.


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Section E : Grammar

Chapter - 9 : Verb forms (Tenses)

Introduction A verb expresses an action, the time of action, event or state. Time can be Present, Past or Future. The verb indicates the time by certain changes in its form. These changes are called ‘Tense’ changes. We all know that, tenses largely fall under three categories: 1. The Present Tense 2. The Past Tense 3. The Future TenseThese tenses are further subdivided into four categories.

1. Present Tense (a) Simple Present Tense — The form of the verb is the basic word as used in the dictionary form.

Examples:

(1) I always take tea without sugar.

(2) Tarun steps forward and drives the ball to the cover boundary.

(3) Tasmania lies to the South of Australia.

(b) Present Continuous — am + verb + ing / is + verb + ing / are + verb + ing

(1) I am practicing Yoga these days.

(2) The children are watching television.

(3) He is thinking about the problem in Physics.

(c) Present Perfect — The form of this tense is the auxiliary, has or have, and Past Participle.

(1) Arundhati Roy has written a new novel.

(2) I have known him for ten years. (It implies that, I shall know him.)

(d) Present Perfect Continuous — The form of tense is has / have + been + Present Participle form of the verb.

(1) I have been waiting here since eight O’clock.

(2) He has been ill since last Sunday.

2. Past Tense

(a) Simple Past Tense — The tense used here refers to actions or events completed in the past.

(1) Eva left home a week ago.

(2) Akbar was a great king.

(3) I saw him in the garden. (i.e., when I was there)

(b) Past Continuous Tense — The form of this tense is auxiliary, was / were, and Present Participle (ing) verb.

(1) I was listening to the BBC news in Hindi.

(2) While I was fumbling for money in my purse, my friend paid the bus fare.

(3) Just as they were leaving the house, the phone rang.

(c) Past Perfect Tense — The form of this tense is had + Past Participle.

(1) By the time the fireman arrived, the fire had spread to several floors of the mall.

(2) By four O’clock, the board had interviewed thirty candidates.


(3) The patient had died when the doctor arrived. (d) Past Perfect Continuous — The form of this tense is had been + Present Participle (ing) verb. (1) They had been preparing for the test for a week. (2) The mason had been building the wall since morning. (3) Her eyes were red. It was obvious she had been crying.

3. Future Tense (a) Simple Future Tense (1) We shall meet you next year. (2) The test match with New Zealand will begin next week. (3) Our school team will play the final table-tennis tournament tomorrow. (b) Future Continuous Tense — The form of this tense is will / shall + be + (ing) verb (1) She will be singing. (2) The minister will be taking great risks on his visit to Kargil. (3) They shall be coming this evening. (c) Future Perfect Tense — The form of this tense is will / shall + have + Past Participle form of verb. (1) By June, we shall have covered fifty percent of the syllabus. (2) By this time next year, he will have become an engineer. (3) I expect you will have changed your mind by tomorrow. (d) Future Perfect Continuous Tense — The form of this tense is will / shall + have been + (ing) verb. (1) By the end of this year, we shall have been living in Bangalore for five years. (2) I will have retired by the year 2020. (3) I shall have been writing for half an hour when this lesson ends.

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Chapter - 10 : Prepositions

Introduction A Preposition is a word placed before a noun or a pronoun to show its relation to some other word, to indicate place, position and time.Example— He is ruined for life.Prepositions sometimes follow the words they govern, particularly, the relative pronoun that is never governed by a preposition preceding it.Examples– (i) This book I cannot part with. (ii) Where do you come from? (iii) He is the man that I spoke of.Meanings and uses of certain prepositions: 1. About means : (a) Concerning— I knew nothing about athletics. (b) Around— She wrapped the wool about her finger. (c) Close to, nearby— It is about 7 o’clock. She is about to die. 2. Against means : (a) Opposed to— The students complained against the teacher. (b) Close to— Put the almirah against the wall. (c) Provision for— Health insurance can provide against the loss of income. 3. After means: (a) Behind in place or time — He came after me. He came after the appointed time. (b) In search or pursuit of — They came after the thief. He hankers after riches.


(c) In imitation of, in accordance with — He is a man after my liking. (d) He is named after his grandfather. (d) Notwithstanding — After all, he is a clever boy. 4. At means : (a) Place — He lives at Bogra. (b) Time — He came at 6 o’clock (c) Value — The house is priced at ` 5,00,000 (d) Degree — The train runs at a high speed. (e) Occupation — He is at work. (f) Direction — The dog ran at me. (g) Consequence — You will do it at your risk. 5. Before means : (a) In front of– Vijay stood before me. (b) Priority of time– He will come before this. (c) Priority of choice– I wish for death before dishonour. 6. Behind means: (a) At the back of– He sat behind me. (b) Lateness in time or place– You are behind time, You are behind the class. 7. Beside means: (a) By the side of– He stood beside me. (b) Out of– He is beside himself with joy. 8. By means: (a) Nearness in place or time– Sit by me. He will come by noon. (b) Agency— The work was done by me. (c) According to— It is ten o’clock by my watch. (d) Manner— I caught him by the leg. Pay me by installments. (e) Measure— Cloth is sold by the metre. He is taller by four inches. (f) Appeal— I swear by God. 9. For means: (a) In the place of— He acted for my father. (b) In exchange for— I bought it for fifty rupees. (c) In favour of, on behalf of— I shall vote for you. I speak for my class. (d) On account of— He did it for me. I am sorry for you. (e) For the purpose of— She is not fit for the job. He gasped for breath. (f) In point of— He is intelligent for his age He is brave for a boy. (g) In the direction of— He left for Delhi. (h) In spite of— For all his wealth, he is unhappy. (i) During— I have known Rahul for three years. (j) To the extent of— He can be trusted for the job. 10. From means: (a) Starting-point, origin, cause— He comes from home. He acted from a wicked motive. He died from the injury. (b) Separation, distinction– I do not know him from his brother. 11. In means: (a) Place— He lives in Kolkata. (b) Time— He will come in an hour. (c) State— He is in danger. He died in poverty. (d) Point of reference— He is firm in his opinions. 12. Of means: (a) Proceeding from, origin, cause— He comes of a noble family. He died of fever.


(b) Possession— This is the house of Charles. (c) Material— This is a chain of gold. (d) Apposition— He lives in the city of Chennai. (e) About— I do not know anything of it. (f) Separation— He is devoid of intelligence. 13. On, Upon means: (a) Contact— Kolkata stands on the Hooghly. Sit on the bench. (b) Time—Come on Monday. He was born on that day. (c) Dependence, in accordance with— He acted upon my advice. (d) Just after, in consequence of— On hearing this, they all filled. (e) Because of— He congratulated me on my success. (f) Concerning— He has written a book on politics. 14. Over means: (a) Above— The sun looks over the earth. (b) More than— He is over fifty years old. (c) On the other side of— He lives over the road. 15. Since and For are Prepositions of time. For indicates a period of time in the past, since indicates a specific point of time in the past to the present and is

preceded by a verb in some perfect tense: (i) We lived in Delhi for ten long years. (ii) We have been living in Delhi since 1996. (iii) The city has been under curfew since the riots started. (iv) The country has been under military rule for sixteen years. 16. Through means: (a) Passing from one end of an opening or a passage to the other : He passed through the wood. (b) From the beginning to the end of an activity or situation : He is too old to sit through a long concert. 17. To means : (a) Direction towards— He has gone to Chennai. (b) Adaptation— He is a boy to my mind. It does not stand to reason. (c) Comparison— As three is to nine, so is four to twelve. (d) Purpose— I went to see him. (f) Result— Water has turned to ice. He was crushed to death. I learnt to my surprise that he had gone away. 18. Under means : (a) Less than— The price is under ten rupees. (b) In subordination to— The volunteers are under me. The case is under trial. (c) Below— He stood under the tree. (d) Represented by— He travelled under a disguise. 19. With means: (a) Accompanied by— I went there with my father. (b) Point or reference— He is popular with the people. He found fault with me. (c) Instrument— He did it with his own hand. (d) In spite of— With all this fault, I respect him. Distinction between : (a) By and with : By is put before the agent; as— The lady was attacked by a thief. With is put before the instru-

ment with which anything is done, as— Do not rub with this eraser. (b) In and After : In is used in the sense of after the lapse of a period of time; as— I shall come back in an hour

(after the lapse of an hour). After is used with a period of past time; as– I returned after an hour. (c) In and Into : In denotes presence or existence within; as— I was in the house. Into denotes motion inward and

change of condition; as– She went into the house. Translate the passage into English. (d) Between and Among : Between is used with reference to persons or things; as— Divide the sweets between Rama

and Shyama. Among is used with reference to more than two; as— The old lady distributed rice among the beggars. (e) Since and From : Since denotes a point of time with reference to past time and can never be used for present


or future time; as— I have been suffering from fever since Monday last. From is used with reference to past, present and future times; as— She was absent from Monday to Saturday.

I shall go to school from tomorrow. (f) In and At : In is used with reference to a large place, extensive operations, indefinite space or time; as— My

mother lives in England. I was born in 1948. At is used when speaking of small towns and villages and exact time; as— He lives at Alopibagh in Allahabad.

She returned at 3 p.m. (g) For and Since: For is used before a Noun denoting a period of time; as— We have not seen him for five days. Since is used before a Noun denoting a point of time; as— I have been suffering from toothache since last Tuesday.

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Chapter - 11 : Combination of Sentences / Connectors

Introduction Combination of two or more Simple Sentences into one Simple Sentence. The combination of two or more separate sentences into one new sentence is called Synthesis. A Simple Sentence has only one finite verb. Hence, in order to combine two or more sentences into one Simple Sentence, we must use only one finite verb and do away with the others. This can be done in two ways- either by using different parts of speech or by changing the extra finite verbs into non-finite verbs.Simple Sentences can be combined into one Simple Sentence as follows:

(a) By using Adjectives (i) A soldier had a horse. The soldier was brave. A brave soldier had a horse. (ii) The traveller made many discoveries. They were wonderful. The traveller made many wonderful discoveries.

(b) By using an Adverb or Adverbial phrase

(i) It was sunset. The children had not finished the game

The children had not finished the game by sunset.

(ii) The train was crowded. That is unusual.

The train was unusually crowded.

(c) By using an Infinitive

She works very hard. She wants to succeed in life.

She works very hard to succeed in life.

(d) By using a Participle

Turn to the right. You will find the bank.

Turning to the right, you will find the bank.

(e) By using a Noun or a Phrase in Apposition

Newton was a great scientist. He made many discoveries.

Newton, a great scientist, made many discoveries.

(f) By using a Preposition with a Noun or a Gerund

(i) He is poor. He is honest. In spite of being poor, he is honest. (ii) He made a promise. He kept it also. Besides making a promise, he kept it. (g) By using an Absolute Phrase

(i) The weather was pleasant. We went for a walk.

The weather being pleasant, we went for a walk.

(ii) The sun set. We came in

The sun having set, we came in.Combination of two or more Simple Sentences into one Compound SentenceSimple Sentences may be combined to form Compound Sentences by using Coordinating Conjunctions. Such conjunc-


tions join together the clause that are independent of each other or clauses which are of equal rank. There are four kinds of Coordinating Conjunctions-Cumulative, Adversative, Alternative and Illative. (a) Cumulative Conjunctions: (e.g., and, both..... and not, only..... but also, not less than, as well as, etc.) add one statement

to another.

1. He is a musician. He is a painter.

He is both a musician and a painter.

2. He is a fool. He is a knave. He is not only a fool, but also a knave.

3. Mona is guilty. Anu is guilty no less. Anu is no less guilty than Mona.

(b) Adversative Conjunctions : (e.g., but, still, yet, nevertheless, however, etc.) are used to express opposition or contrast

between two statements. 1. He is poor. He is happy. He is poor, still he is happy.

2. She was annoyed. She kept quiet. She was annoyed, yet she kept quiet.

3. He fell down. He persevered. He fell down, nevertheless he persevered.

(c) Alternative Conjunctions : (e.g. or, either....... or, neither.....nor, etc) suggest a choice between the two statements.

1. He must apologies. He will be punished. He must apologies or he will be punished.

2. He is not strong. He is not brave. He is neither strong nor brave. (d) Illative Conjunctions: (e.g., therefore, so, for, etc.) join sentences in which one statement is inferred from the other.

1. He was found guilty. He was punished. He was found guilty, therefore he was punished.

2. He is weak. He cannot run fast. He is weak, so he cannot run fast.

Combination of Simple Sentences into one Complex SentenceSimple Sentences can be combined into Complex Sentences by using Noun Clauses, Adjective Clauses, or Adverb Clauses.Noun Clauses : A noun clause is a group of words, which contains a Subject and a Predicate of its own, and does the work

of a noun; as: He told me that the film had been cancelled.

He told me what ? “that the film has been cancelled”.

Therefore, it is a noun clause that does the work of a noun. The sun rises in the east. This is obvious. That the sun rises in the east is obvious.

Adjective Clauses : Simple Sentences may be combined into one Complex Sentence by introducing an Adjective

Clause using who, whom, whose or which, and the Relative Adverb, where or why; as:

1. My aunt met her niece. She is now a teacher.

My aunt met her niece, who is now a teacher.

2. You kept it somewhere. Tell me the place.

Tell me the place, where you kept it.

Adverb Clauses : Two or more Simple Sentences may be combined into one Complex Sentence by introducing

Adverb Clauses, using Subordinating Conjunctions as : if, since, because, unless, when, whose, while,

thought, as until, before and that; as:


1. The bell rang. The classes began.

When the bell rang, the classes began.

2. You will pass. Work hard.

You will pass if you work hard.

3. He ran fast. He wanted to come first in the race. He ran fast so that he might come first in the race.

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Chapter - 12 : Transformation of sentences

Introduction

To transform a sentence is to change it from one grammatical form to another without altering its sense. The following examples will show how it is possible to change the form of a sentence without changing its meaning. Such a process is known as the Conversion or Transformation of Sentence.

1. Sentences containing the Adverb ‘too’ 1. She is too proud to apologize.

She is so proud that she will not apologize.

2. He is too honest to accept a bribe.

He is so honest that he will not accept a bribe.

3. The news is too good to be true.

The news is so good that it cannot be true.

4. He is too old to learn things.

He is so old that he cannot learn things.

5. This tree is too high for me to climb.

This tree is so high that I cannot climb it.

2. Modes of expressing a ConditionThe following are some of the common ways of expressing a condition:

1. By the use of the Conjunction ‘If’ or ‘unless’ ; as,

If a king rules justly, his subjects love him.

Unless a king rules justly, his subjects do not love him.

You will succeed, if you work hard.

Unless you work hard, you will not succeed.

2. By the use of Conjunction ‘If’ understood; as,

Were I a rich man, I should be generous.

Had he been wise, he would not have accepted the offer.

Should he meet me, he would recognize me.

3. By the use of a Conjunctional Phrase; as:

But that he is [if he were not] a good man, I should not have helped him in his distress.

In case he does not behave properly, he will be dismissed.

4. By the use of a Participle Phrase; as,

Supposing it were true, how should we act?


I shall buy the book provided that it is cheap.

5. By the use of the Imperative Mood; as,

Take care of the pence, and the pounds will take care of themselves.

Work hard, and you will pass.

Spare the rod and spoil the child.

Persevere, and you will succeed.

6. By the use of the Preposition ‘but’ followed by a phrase as objects; as,

But for his help [ = If he had not got his help], he would have failed in his mission.

7. By the use of the Phrase ‘one more’; as,

One more effort [ = If you make one more effort], and you are sure to succeed.

One more such opportunity, and we are made.

8. By the use of an Interrogative Sentence followed by an imperative ones as,

Have you done your homework? Then come in.

[Come in, if you have done your homework].

Are you anxious to pass? Then work hard.

3. Ways of expressing a Concession or ContrastThe following are some of the common ways of expressing a Clause denoting Concession or Contrast:

1. By the Conjunction ‘though’ or ‘although’: as,

He is honest , though (or although) he is poor.

He failed, though (or although) he worked hard.

A book’s a book, although there is nothing in it.

2. By the Conjunction ‘as’ : as.

Poor as he is, he is honest.

Beautiful as she is, she is not vain.

3. By the Relative Adverb ‘however’ followed by some Adjective or Adverb; as,

However rich he may be, he is not contented.

However hard he may try, he will not succeed.

4. By the Preposition ‘not withstanding’ followed by a Noun Clause : as,

He is still discontented, notwithstanding that [= although] he gets more salary than he deserves.

5. By the ‘Phrases’ ‘at the same time’, ‘all the same’; as,

He is rich; at the same time he is not proud.

He is rich; all the same he is not proud.

6. By an Absolute Participle, followed by a Noun Clause; as,

Admitting that he is strong, he is timid.

7. By the Adverb ‘indeed’ followed by the Conjunction ‘but’; as,

He is rich indeed, but he does not help the poor. [Although he is rich, yet he does not help the poor.]

8. By the Phrases ‘nevertheless’, none the less; as,

Bali is my friend, nevertheless I do not trust him.

9. By the Conjunction ‘even if’; as:

Such a reform would not take the country far, even if it were necessary.


4. Interchange of the Degrees of Comparison

The following examples will show that it is possible to change the Degree of Comparison of an Adjective or Adverb in a sentence, without altering its meaning:

1. Positive. He is as strong as Hercules.

Comparative. Hercules is not stronger than he.

2. Comparative. Afzal is more intelligent than Ahmad.

Positive. Ahmad is not as intelligent as Afzal.

3. Positive. No other metal is as useful as iron.

Comparative. Iron is more useful than any other metal.

Superlative. Iron is the most useful of all metals.

4. Positive. No other town in India is as big as Mumbai.

Comparative. Mumbai is bigger than any other town in India.

Superlative. Mumbai is the biggest town in India.

5. Positive. Some boys are as industrious as Krishna.

Comparative. Krishna is not more industrious than some other boys. [Or, Some boys are not less industrious than Krishna]. Superlative. Krishna is not the most industrious of all boys. 6. Positive. I have never seen so beautiful a diamond as this. Comparative. This is more beautiful than any other diamond that I have ever seen. Superlative. This is the most beautiful diamond that I have ever seen. 7. Positive. No other country in the world is as rich as America. Comparative. America is richer than any other country in the world. Superlative. America is the richest country in the world. 8. Positive. Very few kings were as great as Ashoka. Comparative. Ashoka was greater than most of the other kings. Superlative. Ashoka was one of the greatest kings.

5. Interchange of Active and Passive VoicesA sentence in the Active form can be changed into the Passive form, and vice versa : 1. Active. The people crowned him king. Passive. He was crowned king by the people. 2. Active. The teacher gave him a prize. Passive. He was given a prize by the teacher. A prize was given to him by the teacher. 3. Active. Who taught you French? Passive. By whom was French taught to you? 4. Active. One cannot gather grapes from thistles. Passive. Grapes cannot be gathered from thistles. 5. Active. Give the order. Passive. Let the order be given. 6. Active. Enter by the left door. Passive. You are requested to enter by the left door. 7. Active. It is time to close the shop. Passive. It is time for the shop to be closed. 8. Active. One should keep one’s promises. Passive. Promises should be kept. 9. Active. Who called you names? Passive. By whom were you called names?


10. Active. The Greeks expected to win the international trophy. Passive. It was expected by the Greeks that they would win the international trophy. 11. Active. Pay this bill today. Passive. Let this bill be paid today. 12. Passive. Our plan has been discovered. Active. Someone has discovered our plan. 13. Passive. Our army has been defeated. Active. The enemy has defeated our army 14. Passive. This is too good for us to expect. Active. This is too good to be expected. 15. Passive. What cannot be cured must be endured. Active. Men must endure what they cannot cure. NOTE: The Passive Voice is used when the Subject of the Active Voice is unknown, unimportant or vague (e.g., people, they,

person, somebody); also when the person or thing acted upon is to be made prominent; as, Pens are made of steel. He was killed in the last War. All the thieves have been arrested Our team has been defeated.

6. Interchange of Affirmative and Negative Sentences(a) An Affirmative Sentence can be changed into the Negative form without altering its meaning:

1. Affirmative. You are richer than I

Negative. I am not as rich as you are.

2. Affirmative. As soon as the thief saw the policeman, he ran away.

Negative. No sooner did the thief see the policeman, than he ran away.

3. Affirmative. Ashoka was the wisest king that ever reigned in India.

Negative. No other king as wise as Ashoka ever reigned in India.

4. Affirmative. Few women can keep a secret.

Negative. Not many women can keep a secret.

5. Affirmative. I was doubtful whether it was Ashok.

Negative. I was not sure that it was Ashok.

6. Affirmative. It always pours when it rains.

Negative. In never rains but it pours.

7. Affirmative. Everybody will admit that he did his best.

Negative. Nobody will deny that he did his best.

(b) In the same way, a Negative Sentence can be changed into an Affirmative Sentence without changing its meaning:

8. Negative. None but the brave deserve the fair.

Affirmative. The brave alone deserve the fair.

9. Negative. No sooner did the bell ring than the students went into the classroom.

Affirmative. As soon as the bell rang, the students went into the classroom.

10. Negative. There is no smoke without fire.

Affirmative. Where there is smoke there is fire.

11. Negative. There is nobody who believes in his honesty.

Affirmative. Everybody believes in his honesty.

12. Negative. There was no one present who did not praise his speech.

Affirmative. Everyone who was present praised his speech.


7. Interchange of Interrogative and Assertive Sentences(a) Changing Questions into Statements. 1. Interrogative. Is he not a fool to do such a deed?

Assertive. He is a fool to do such a deed.

2. Interrogative. Is not blood thicker than water?

Assertive. Blood is thicker than water.

3. Interrogative. Can the leopard change his spots?

Assertive. The leopard cannot change his spots.

4. Interrogative. Were we born simply to die?

Assertive. We were not born simply to die.

5. Interrogative. What though the field be lost?

Assertive. It does not matter though the field be lost.

6. Interrogative. Can you ever forget her kindness to us?

Assertive. We can never forget her kindness to us.

7. Interrogative. Is there anything greater than love?

Assertive. There is nothing greater than love.

8. Interrogative. Who would not cry when struck?

Assertive. Everyone would cry when struck.

9. Interrogative. Who can surpass her in loneliness?

Assertive. No one can surpass her in loneliness.

10. Interrogative. How can man die better than facing fearful odds?

Assertive. Man cannot die better than facing fearful odds.

11. Interrogative. When can their glory fade?

Assertive. Their glory can never fade.

(b) Changing Statements into Questions. 12. Assertive There is nothing better than a busy life.

Interrogative. Is there anything better than a busy life?

13. Assertive. Prevention is better than cure.

Interrogative. Is not prevention better than cure?

14. Assertive. Nobody can deny that honesty is the best policy?

Interrogative. Who can deny that honesty is the best policy?

15. Assertive. We shall never forget our national heroes.

Interrogative. Shall we ever forget our national heroes?

8. Interchange of Exclamatory and Assertive Sentences.(a) Changing Exclamations into Assertions.

1. Exclamatory. O for a lodge in some vast wilderness!

Assertive. I ardently wish for a lodge in some vast wilderness.

2. Exclamatory. O what a fall was there, my countrymen!

Assertive. That was a terrible fall, my countrymen

3. Exclamatory How sweet the moonlight sleeps upon this bank!

Assertive The moonlight sleeps most sweetly upon this bank.

4. Exclamatory. What a piece of work is man!

Assertive. Man is a wonderful piece of work.

5. Exclamatory. Alas! that youth should pass away so soon!

Assertive. It is sad to think that youth should pass away so soon.


(b) Chance Assertions into Exclamations 6. Assertive. I wish I had the wings of a dove.

Exclamatory. O that I had the wings of a dove!

7. Assertive. It is a very horrible sight.

Exclamatory. What a horrible sight!

8. Assertive. She dances very beautiful.

Exclamatory. How beautiful she dances!

9. Assertive. It is very sad that we should have to part.

Exclamatory. Alas! that we should have to part!

10. Assertive. It was very stupid of me to forget her name.

Exclamatory. How stupid of me to forget her name!

9. The Substitution of One Part of Speech for AnotherStudy carefully the following examples: 1. He promised his support to the motion. He promised to support the motion. 2. He gave me help ungrudgingly. He did not grudge me help. 3. A dog is wonderfully faithful. The faithfulness of a dog is wonderful. 4. Man is at times inclined to act dishonestly. Man is at times inclined to dishonesty. 5. He acted in this deliberately. This act of his was deliberate. 6. It was not his intention to harm you. He did not harm you intentionally. 7. It is probable that he will come tomorrow. He will probably come tomorrow. 8. It was a fortunate thing that you were absent. Fortunately you were absent. 9. It is quite evident that he has been insulted. Evidently he has been insulted. 10. He is careless in everything that he does. Everything that he does is done carelessly. 11. He was very generous to all. He treated all very generously. 12. He examined the whole case carefully. He examined the whole case with much care. 13. They passed an anxious time. They passed the time anxiously. 14. It is apparently a new hat. It appears to be a new hat. 1. Conversion of Simple Sentences to Compound Sentences

A Simple Sentence can be changed into a Compound Sentence by enlarging a word or a phrase into a Coordinate Clause:

Simple : In spite of his riches, he is unhappy.

Compound : He is very rich, but still he is unhappy.

Simple : Failing prompt payment, the goods must be returned to us.

Compound : You must either make prompt payment or return the goods to us.


2. Conversion of Compound Sentences to Simple Sentences

A Compound Sentence may be changed into a Simple Sentence as follows:

• By substituting a Participle for a Finite Verb: Compound : She finished her work and went to bed. Simple : Having finished her work, she went to bed.

• By substituting a Preposition for a Clause: Compound : She cleaned the statue and then decorated it. Simple: After cleaning the statue, she decorated it.

• By substituting an Infinitive for a Clause: Compound : You must hurry up or you will miss the train. Simple: You must hurry up so as not to miss the train.

3. Conversion of Simple Sentences to Complex Sentences

A Simple Sentence can be changed into a Complex Sentence by expanding a word or phrase into a Subordinate Clause.

Simple : He confessed his fault.

Complex : He confessed that he was at fault.

Simple : A man of wisdom is respected by all.

Complex : A man who is wise is respected by all.

4. Conversion of Complex Sentences to Simple Sentences

A Complex Sentence can be converted to a Simple Sentence by changing a Noun Clause, an Adjective Clause or and Adverb Clause, as shown below:

Noun Clause

Complex : Tell me where you live.

Simple : Tell my your address.

Adjective Clause

Complex : Time which is once lost is lost forever.

Simple : Time once lost is lost forever.

Adverb Clause: Complex : When he had finished his work, he went out to play. Simple : Having finished his work, he went out to play. 5. Conversion of Compound Sentences to Complex Sentences

It is possible to change a Compound Sentence to a Complex Sentence by changing one of the Coordinate Clauses to a Subordinate Clause.

Compound : He is poor, but he is honest. Complex : Although he is poor, he is honest. Compound : Waste not, want not. Complex : If you do not waste, you will not want. 6. Conversion of Complex Sentences to Compound Sentences We can change a Complex Sentence to a Compound Sentence by changing a Subordinate Clause into a Coordi-

nate Clause: Complex : If you do not work hard, you will not pass. Compound : You must work hard or you will not pass.

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Section A : Composition Writing Chapter - 1 : …...Section A : Composition Writing Chapter - 1 : Descriptive Composition Introduction The word descriptive means “full of description”