The English Grammar and Usage Tutorial Thread

[la_flash]

^^ Let me try...

He has been trying to learn english for a long time now.

He had been cleaning his garage when the visitors came.

Go figure !!!

======================================================

[tophe_17]

SarahJparker: Oh, I forgot the "s". Post edited.

[[G]erald™]

How about 'yung won't, wouldn't??? Nakakalito e....

[flimmeryrose741]

won't = will not, future
wouldn't - wouuld not, past

[onecarlos]

reject

[onecarlos]

Dear PEX,

The plural form of Forum is Fora. "Forums" is colloquial.

[SUX2BÜ]

Both are acceptable as the plural forms of the word forum in standard English.

You want the colloquial forms? Try powwow or groupthink.

[KuyaDanny]

"The Working Filipino Powwow" - I like it.

[onecarlos]

Dear PEX,

We do not say “e-mails” to refer to more than one e-mail.

[KuyaDanny]

I like that reminder, too.

[SUX2BÜ]

Listen up, kids.

The Dreaded "Did"

One of the most common mistakes in the English language is the abuse of the past form of the verb when used with "did" in questions or sentences (usually in the negative or when emphasizing the affirmative).

The verb used with "did" should always take the base form (eat is the base form, not ate; drink for drank, call for calls, and so on).

Examples:

CORRECT: Did you go to school?
INCORRECT: Did you went to school?

go is the base form of the past verb went

CORRECT: Yes, I did eat that! (emphasis on the affirmative)
INCORRECT: Yes, I did ate that!

CORRECT: No, I didn't eat that! (in the negative)
INCORRECT: No, I didn't ate that.

eat is the base form of the past verb ate

[SUX2BÜ]

"The Working Filipino Powwow" - I like it.

Yeah, why can't we be informal sometimes?

[SUX2BÜ]

Dear PEX,

We do not say “e-mails” to refer to more than one e-mail.

I already discussed about mass and count nouns before. Kuya Danny might want to help us find that discussion.

While it is true that "e-mail" is based on the word "mail", which follows the same rules when it comes to mass and count nouns, a lot of people use "e-mails" and forget about the rules all together. I'd say that "e-mails" is only used colloquially and should be treated as just "roughly" okay.

[mac_bolan00]

i wanna learn to wrinte in royal english, ala winston churchill.

[SUX2BÜ]

Queen's (or King's) English.

You're in the right thread, my apprentice.

[KuyaDanny]

I already discussed about mass and count nouns before. Kuya Danny might want to help us find that discussion.

That discussion was made in a Buhay Pinoy thread called YOU'RE, not YOUR! I have copied the relevant posts and attached them here. They appear as posts #45 - #49 of this thread.

[KuyaDanny]

Professor Polyhistor,

Help us distinguish between SEVERE and SEVER, please.

[SUX2BÜ]

That discussion was made in a Buhay Pinoy thread called YOU'RE, not YOUR! I have copied the relevant posts and attached them here. They appear as posts #45 - #49 of this thread.

Thanks, KuyaDanny!

[SUX2BÜ]

Professor Polyhistor,

Help us distinguish between SEVERE and SEVER, please.

Severe (pronounced /suh-VEER/ or /seh-VEER/) is always used as an adjective to mean harsh as in "severe punishment", or grave or dangerous as in the example, "Her severe health problems have affected her dexterity."

Notice that severe is followed by a noun or a compound noun (punishment, health problems, et cetera) because, just like other adjectives, it describes persons, things, places, et cetera.

Sever (pronounced /SEV-er/), on the other hand, is used as a verb like in “to sever relations”, meaning to discontinue relations, or to separate or cut something, usually from the aggregate or the whole like in the example, “The serial killer severs the heads of his victims.”

Note, however, that once used with “-ed”, aside from being the past or past participle form (Example: Paramount Pictures just severed its ties to Tom Cruise's production company.), sever becomes an adjective like in the example, “The severed head was found in the suspect’s car.”

[Bazooka_Joe]

kelan ba ang tamang paggamit ng mga 'to?

She received the package from Fedex.
She has received the package from Fedex.
She had received the package from Fedex.

Thanks!