SKILL 50: USE PREDICATE ADJECTIVES

As you know a predicative adjective modifies  the subject of the sentence , so it appearsafter a linking verb such as the verb ''Be''. It cannot appear directly in front  of the noun that it describes.

I'm going to show you some examples: 

The snake on the rock was alive. CORRECT

The alive snake was lying on the rock. INCORRECT

we are going to anilez that In the first example, the predicate adjective alive is used correctly after the liking verb was to describe the subject snake. In the second example, the predicate adjective alive is used incorrectly in front of the noun snake. In this position, the adjective live should be used.

Predicate adjectives                         Forms used in front of noun

Alike                           ---like, similar

Alive                           ---live, living

Alone                         --- lone

Afraid                         --- frightened

Asleep                         --- sleeping

A predicate adjective appears after a linking verb such as be. It cannot appear directly in front of the noun that it describes.

If you want to know more about this skill and grammatical rules, watch the following video: CLIC HERE

SKILL 51: USE -ED AND -ING ADJECTIVES CORRECTLY

The first thing you have to know is that, adjectives are words that describe the qualities or states of being of nouns: enormous, doglike, silly, yellow, fun, fast. They can also describe the quantity of nouns: many, few, millions, eleven.

In the structure part of the TOEFL test there are verbs that can be used as adjectives, verbs ending in -ed and -ing.

The woman cleans the car.

                     VERB

The cleaning woman worked on the car.

    ADJECTIVE

The woman put the cleaned car back in the garage.

                            ADJECTIVE

In the first example, cleans is the verb of the sentence. In the second example, cleaning is a verbal adjective describing woman. In the third example, cleaned is a verbal adjective describing car.

-ED AND -ING ADJECTIVES

TYPE	MEANING	USE	EXAMPLE
-ING	Active	It does the action of the verb.	… the happily playing children…. (The children play.)
-ED	Passive	It receives the action of the verb.	… the frequently played record… (Someone plays the record.)

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SKILL 52: USE ARTICLES WITH SINGULAR NOUNS

A singular noun must have an article (a/an, the) or some other determiner such as my or each. A plural noun or an uncountable noun may or may not have an article.

Let's see the following examples:

I have money. -------(Uncountable--- no article needed)

I have books. --------(Countable plural--- no article needed)

I have a book. -------(Countable singular--- article needed)

Examples:

Articles	Countable Singular nouns	Countable Plural nouns	Uncountable nouns
Indefinite (General)	a dollar an apple	___dollars ___apples	___money ___juice
Definite (Specific)	The dollar The apple	The dollars The apples	The money The juice

If you want to study more about this sueful skill, watch the following video:  CLIC HERE FOR WATCHING

SKILL 53:DISTINGUISH A AND AN

You have to know that we use an before words that start with a vowel sound, and a when they start with a consonant sound. The reason is very simple: the consonant ending sound of n in an helps to distinguish the two words. Otherwise, the vowel sounds would run together. It is actually very difficult to say "a hour" - your tongue gets stuck in the back of your mouth. It's much easier to say "an hour".

"A" comes before a consonant/consonant sound:

    A bird

    A kite

    A helicopter
    A horse

"An" comes before a vowel/vowel sound:

An ant

An ostrich

An elevator

Depending on where you are from, you can say "an historical event" if you only pronounce the "i" (you pronounce the vowel sound) and not the "h." That's how we say it in California, but we would write it as "a historical event."


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SKILL 54: MAKE ARTICLES AGREE WITH NOUNS

You must be careful of agreement between indefinite article and the noun. A common agreement error is to use the singular indefinite article with a plural noun.

    for example:

X    He saw a new movies

√    He saw a new movie

       He saw new movies

Problems with articles...

YOU SHOULD NEVER USE A OR AN WITH A PLURAL NOUN!

• The definite article “the” is for both singular and plural nouns

• The indefinite article “a/an” is used only with singular nouns.

• One very common agreement error is to use the singular

indefinite “a/an” with a plural noun.

He saw a new movies.--- (incorrect)

He saw a new movie. -----(singular)

He saw new movies -------(plural)

I hope that this explanation has been useful to you, as well as the examples that I have attached, go ahead.

Watch the following video for more examples.

CLIC FOR WATCHING HERE

SKILL 55: DISTINGUISH SPECIFIC AND GENERAL IDEAS

With countable singular nouns, it is possible to use either the definite or the indefinite article. BUT THEY HAVE DIFFERENT MEANINGS.

      ¨A or An (versus) THE¨

   

• A or An:

1. Use it when there are many, and you don´t know which one it is.

2. Use it when there are many, and you don´t care which one it is.

Example:

       Tom will bring a book tomorrow. (Any book)

• THE:

1. Use it when it is the only one.

2. Use it when there are many, and you and your listener know which one it is.

The definite and indefinite articles have different meanings.

    A or AN = General idea

Use when there are many, and you do not know or you do not care which one it is.

     THE = Specific idea

  

Use when it is the only one.

Use when there are many, and you know which one it is.

      Example:

"Mario will bring the book tomorrow"

(It means, there is one specific book that Mario will bring tomorrow)

"Mario will bring a book tomorrow"

(It means, Mario will bring anyone book)

If you want to learn more about this skill, I recommend you to watch the following video: CLIC HERE FOR WATCHING

SKILL 56 RECOGNIZE INCORRECT PREPOSITIONS

We have to understand that prepositions are not only used to show time or place because they are also used in combination with verbs, adjectives, nouns, and in many common set expressions. We cannot list all prepositions, but some important groups are:

1. Verb + Preposition

    depend on lead to

2. Adjective/Participle + Preposition

    surprised at famous for

3. Noun + Preposition

   example of possibility of

4. Other Combinations with Prepositions

     as a result of in addition to

5. Prepositions of Time and Place

     on May 16 in Washington

6. Prepositions in Common Expressions

    at present in general.

     Example:

"The game was called on because of rain"

In this example, "on" is an incorrect preposition. The preposition must be "off" (Called off means canceled) to make sense of the sentence.

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SKILL 57: RECOGNIZE WHEN PREPOSITIONS HAVE BEEN OMITTED

Sometimes a necessary preposition has been omitted from a sentence in written expression questions on the TOEFL test.

      For example:

X Can you wait me after the game?

✔ Can you wait for me after the game?

Sometimes a necessary preposition has been omitted from a sentence in the Written Expression section of the TOEFL test.

Can you wait me after the game.

It should be: wait for me

• Sometimes an incorrect preposition is given in a sentence in the Written Expression section of the TOEFL test.

The game was called on because of the rain.

 It must be called off – (canceled)

I knew I could count in you to do a good job.

It must be count on someone

This is an useful skill that we can apply when we are in the TOEFL test, because it is very important to know about prepositions and some difference that can exist.

If you want to learn and practice more about this skill, you can watch the following video: CLIC HERE FOR WATCHING

SKILL58: DISTINGUISH MAKE AND DO

"Do" and "make" are two verbs that are frequently confused in English. Both can be translated as "to do", but there are some differences in their meaning. In general, "do" considers the action more, while using "make" we refer more to the result of the action.

"Do" is used for actions, activities and jobs. It is used in a broad sense, as to "perform". In general, these actions and activities do not produce a physical object.

EXAMPLE:

The students are doing the assignments. 

"Make" is used in the sense of "manufacture", "elaborate" or "create". It is used for activities that create something that can be touched, a physical object.

EXAMPLE:

She likes to make her own clothes.

There are many expressions that use "make". In many of these, the meaning of "make" is not "manufacture" or "do" and very often "do" seems more appropriate, but they are established expressions, so you have to memorize them.

Make and Do can be confused because their meanings are so similar. You should learn to distinguish them.

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