TV
DEECET - 2014
-
To inform someone about something
VOCABULARY A speech or a written passage, however short or large, is essentially a group of sentences and a sentence, in its turn, is a group of words. A rich stock of words thus becomes quite logically an essential prerequisite of language ability development. General reading like newspapers and magazines is always advisable as through sentences one can have an idea of their use and variations rather than simple denotations. One of the mistakes many of us make is to use a word that is similar to another word but means completely different. Words that confuse us have similar spellings or pronunciations. Pay attention to the sample list given below: l Adverse: Not good Averse: Not to be inclined to do something l Appraise: To assess the value of something Apprise: To inform someone about something l Beside: By the side of Besides: In addition to l Collaborate: To work with someone to achieve something Corroborate: To establish the truth of something l Credible: Believable Creditable: Deserving praise l Eminent: Famous Imminent: Something that will happen very soon l Fair: Just; average; light-skinned Fare: The amount of money that you pay to travel by train, bus etc. l Forbear: Refrain from Forebear: Ancestor l Immemorial: Existing longer ago than anyone can remember Memorable: Worth remembering l Alternate: Every other Alternative: One of two or more options Practice Questions Directions (1-20):Complete the sentences given below with an appropriate word from the two words in brackets. 1. This is a ------ point, so we have to discuss it. (moot, mute) 2. Ramu was given a fee ------. (waver, waiver) 3. We were taken round the company's -------. (premises, premise) 4. Have you seen the old ------ shop? (stationary, stationery) 5. Sita is very -------. (photograph, photogenic) 6. Let us -------- to the auditorium. (proceed, precede) 7. We are not ------- to the idea of moving to Bangalore. ( adverse, averse) 8. Nothing can -------- the fact that she is married. (altar, alter) 9. Children are frightened of thunder and -------. (lightning, lightening) 10. The Mississippi is the ------- river of the United States. (principal, principle) 11. What shall I do if someone speaks to me -------? (there, their) 12. The curator feeds the lions ------ once a day. (meet, meat) 13. As examinations are fast approaching we should not ------ our time. (waste, waist) 14. Her performance in the finals is just ------. (fair, fare) 15. He walked across the dry ------. (plane, plain) 16. Your answer to the problem is ------. (write, right) 17. It is rude to ------ at people. (stair, stare) 18. Please -------- for your turn. (weight, wait) 19. Sheela's mother ------ sweets for the party. (made, maid) 20. In Hindu marriage each ------- has a meaning. (rite, right) Directions (21-30): In each group one word is wrongly spelt. Find the wrongly spelt word. 21. A) Submitted B) Admitted C) Comitted D) Omitted 22. A) Brillient B) Valiant C) Salient D) Radiant 23. A) Recuperate B) Regulate C) Reinstate D) Seperate 24. A) Cease B) Seize C) Beseige D) Beseech 25. A) Carrier B) Carreer C) Courier D) Barrier 26. A) Whether B) Wheter C) Weather D) Whither 27. A) Embarrassment B) Embarrass C) Embrasment D) Embarrassed 28. A) Persistent B) Presistent C) Pressed D)Precision 29. A) Professional B) Proficient C) Profusely D) Prosicute 30. A) Eligeble B) Legible C) Illiterate D) Legitimate Directions (31-40): Out of the four alternatives, choose the one which best expresses the meaning of the given word and indicate the answer. 31. Censure A) Criticise B) Appreciate C) Blame D) Abuse 32. Diligent A) Industrious B) Indifferent C) Intelligent D) Energetic 33. Contemplation A) Consideration B) Meditation C) Deliberation D) Speculation 34. Adulation A) Duration B) Argument C) Flattery D) Institution 35. Quiver A) Quarrel B) Quicken C) Waver D) Tremble 36. August A) Common B) Ridiculous C) Dignified D) Petty 37. Embezzle A) Misappropriate B) Balance C) Clear D) Remunerate 38. Corpulent A) Gaunt B) Obese C) Lean D) Emaciated 39. Wretched A) Poor B) Insane C) Foolish D) Strained 40. Precarious A) Cautious B) Critical C) Perilous D) Brittle Directions (41-50): Choose the word opposite in meaning to the given word and choose the correct alternative. 41. ANIMOSITY A) Love B) Lust C) Luck D) Loss 42. ALTERCATION A) Explanation B) Challenge C) Compromise D) Opposition 43. COAX A) Dull B) Dissuade C) Active D) Speed 44. ERUDITE A) Educated B) Unscholarly C) Scholarly D) Possessive 45. AFFLUENT A) High B) Poor C) Rare D) Fluent 46. TRANSITORINESS A) Evanescence B) Vacillation C) Impertinence D) Longevity 47. OPAQUE A) Enigmatic B) Translucent C) Scholarly D) Capacious 48. OBLITERATE A) Exculpate B) Lacerate C) Bemuse D) Forge 49. CHEERFUL A) Exultant B) Morbid C) Doctrinaire D) Livid 50. ACRID A) Saccharine B) Astringent C) Emollient D) Placid ANSWERS 1) Moot 2) Waiver 3) Premises 4) Stationery 5) Photogenic 6) Proceed 7) Averse 8) Alter 9) Lightning 10) Principal 11) There 12) Meat 13) Waste 14) Fair 15) Plain 16) Right 17) Stare 18) Wait 19) Made 20) Rite 21) C 22) A 23) D 24) C 25) B 26) B 27) C 28) B 29) D 30) A 31) A 32) A 33) B 34) C 35) D 36) C 37) A 38) B 39) A 40) C 41) A 42) C 43) B 44) B 45) B 46) D 47) B 48) D 49) D 50) A. -
Wisdom is preferable to riches
DEECET - 2014 English ARTICLES 'A/An' is an indefinite article and 'The' is a definite article. Let us see a few tips pertaining to the usage of articles: 1. 'A' is used before words beginning with a consonant sound. 'A' is used before words like university, useful, unicorn, union, European and one, etc., because these words begin with a consonant sound. E.g. I saw an one-eyed man. (Incorrect) I saw a one-eyed man. (Correct) 2. 'An' is used before words beginning with a vowel sound. The words, honest, heir, honour etc. take 'an' before them as they begin with a vowel sound. E.g. It is a honour to him. (Incorrect) It is an honour to him. (Correct) 3. 'The' is used: 1. Before the names of rivers, seas, holy books, group of islands, deserts, newspapers and oceans. E.g. My uncle lives in United States of America. (Incorrect) My uncle lives in the United States of America. (Correct) 2. As an adverb before compa- ratives. E.g. The higher you climb colder it gets. (Incorrect) The higher you climb the colder it gets. (Correct) 3. Before superlatives. E.g. She is cleverest girl in the class. (Incorrect) She is the cleverest girl in the class. (Correct) 4. When the object is unique. E.g. the earth, the sky, the sun 5. Before a proper noun, when it is qualified by an adjective. E.g. The immortal Kalidas. 6. With a class of things. E.g. The dog is a faithful animal. 7. Before musical instruments. E.g. I know how to play the Saxophone. 8. Before an adjective, when the noun is hidden. E.g. The rich should be kind and helpful. 4. Omission of article: 1. Before names of materials. E.g. Platinum is an expensive metal. 2. Before a common noun used in its widest sense. E.g. Man is mortal. 3. Usually before proper names. E.g. Delhi is the capital of India. 4. Before abstract nouns used in general sense. E.g. Wisdom is preferable to riches. 5. Before languages. E.g. English is an international language. 6. Before names of relations. E.g. Father is very happy today. 7. Before predicative nouns denoting a unique position that is normally held at one time by one person only. E.g. He was elected secretary of the Board. 8. Before places visited for their primary purpose. E.g. She goes to the college. (Incorrect) She goes to college. (Correct) SEQUENCE OF TENSES We have studied the agreement of subject and verb in one of our previous session. Yet another area which needs to be carefully studied is the sequence of tenses. Let us see the tips regarding this. 1. If the verb in the main clause is in the present tense, the verb in the sub-ordinate clause can be in any tense. E.g. He thinks that she works hard. The boy says that he will do his homework. 2. If the verb in the main clause is in the past tense, the verb in the subordinate clause must be in any of the past tense forms only. E.g. She replied that she had no money with her. They found that he was dishonest. DIRECT AND INDIRECT SPEECH While changing a sentence from direct speech to reported speech the following rules should be borne in mind: 1. The reported words are not placed within inverted commas. 2. No comma is placed after said. 3. The reported speech is introduced by the conjunction that. 4. The tense of the verb is changed from the Present to the Past. 5. Words showing nearness are changed into words showing distance. 6. The Introductory Verb in questions is changed to ask, inquire, demand, or some other word having a similar meaning. 7. The Introductory Verb in reporting a Command or a Request is changed to request, order, command, beseech, advise, or some other word having a similar sense. 8. In reporting an Exclamation or a Wish the Introductory Verb is changed to wish, exclaim, pray, cry, bless, or some other similar verb. ACTIVE AND PASSIVE VOICE A verb is in the active voice when the person or thing denoted by the subject is the doer of the action. A verb is in the passive voice when the person or thing denoted by the subject is the receiver of the action. Rules for changing a sentence from active to passive: 1. Identify the subject, the verb and the object: SVO 2. Change the object into subject 3. Put the suitable helping verb or auxiliary verb. In case helping verb is given, use the same. But note that the helping verb given agrees with the object. 4. Change the verb into past participle of the verb. 5. Add the preposition "by" 6. Change the subject into object. QUESTION TAGS Question tags are formed with the auxiliary or modal verb from the statement and the appropriate subject. 1. A positive statement is followed by a negative question tag. (Auxiliary+n't+pronoun?) 2. A negative statement is followed by a positive question tag. (Auxiliary +pronoun?) 3. The question tag uses the same verb as the main part of the sentence. If there is an auxiliary verb ('have', 'be') then the question tag is made with the auxiliary verb. 4. If the main part of the sentence doesn't have an auxiliary verb, the question tag uses an appropriate form of 'do'. 5. When the verb in the main sentence is in the present simple we form the question tag with do / does. 6. If the verb is in the past simple we use did. 7. If there is a modal verb in the main part of the sentence the question tag uses the same modal verb. Note: Be careful with question tags in sentences that start with 'I am'. The question tag for 'I am' is 'aren't I?
Advertisement