Passages: Unit 1

Friends & Family

9 June 2008

Unit 1 Passages Prepared by Stephen Smith

In this Chapter you will learn:

Structure:
Gerunds
Noun

Clauses ideas

Reading & Writing

Main

9 June 2008

Unit 1 Passages Prepared by Stephen Smith

What is a gerund?

A gerund is a noun that is formed from a verb by adding ing to the base verb (V1)
Simple
VERB

gerund
+ ing

Eating ice cream is wonderful.

There can also be perfect gerunds

Perfect

gerund
+ past participle

Having

Having passed the entrance exam was cause for celebration.

Unit 1 Passages Prepared by Stephen Smith 3

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Notes on Gerunds
Gerunds can have modifiers (e.g. prepositional phrases) to make gerund phrases Be careful, gerunds look the same as present participles Some words ending in ing may not be gerunds, they may be nouns A gerund must have a verb as its base
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The Functions of Gerunds

FUNCTION
Subject Object of a verb Subject Complement Object of a preposition

EXAMPLES
Studying is an effective way to get an A. Tongchai enjoys swimming in the sea. Johns problem is sleeping in class. I read a book about programming.

NOTES: A gerund or gerund phrase always acts like a noun A gerund or gerund phrase can be replaced by the pronoun it Gerunds are often used in compound nouns (be careful of present participle adjectives)
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Verbs Commonly Followed by Gerunds

Enjoy
I
I I

enjoy teaching English.

avoid going to loud discos.

Avoid Dont mind

dont mind helping students who ask for help.

9 June 2008

Unit 1 Passages Prepared by Stephen Smith

Verb Phrases Commonly Followed by Gerunds

Insist on
My
I

mother insists on calling me every day.

Feel like (going)

dont feel like studying today. is into designing web pages.

Be into
She

9 June 2008

Unit 1 Passages Prepared by Stephen Smith

More Verbs/Verb Phrases Commonly Followed by Gerunds

admit anticipate delay deny forgive imagine involve keep (on) mention miss postpone practice recall tolerate understand

appreciate discuss be worth cant help complete consider

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recommend have trouble regret risk spend time suggest give up forget about count on approve of
8

dislike dread escape finish

Unit 1 Passages Prepared by Stephen Smith

Verbs which can take either the gerund or infinitive with no change of meaning
Begin Cant bear Like Love
I cant stand being alone for Christmas.

Cant stand Neglect

Continue
Hate
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Prefer
Start

I cant stand to be alone for Christmas.

Unit 1 Passages Prepared by Stephen Smith

Topic Sentences
The topic sentence expresses the main idea of a paragraph. It is usually the first sentence, but also can be the last sentence or even in the middle of a paragraph. Almost every paragraph has a topic sentence.

9 June 2008

Unit 1 Passages Prepared by Stephen Smith

10

Noun Clauses

First, lets review what a clause is.

A clause is a group of words containing a subject and a verb.

9 June 2008

Unit 1 Passages Prepared by Stephen Smith

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Noun Clauses
A noun clause acts as a single noun in a sentence. A noun clause begins with a clause connector

NOUN CLAUSE CONNECTORS what when where why whether whatever whenever
SUBJECT, VERB,

who if dont work.

how that

NOUN CLAUSE (AS A SUBJECT COMPLEMENT) CONNECTOR, SUBJECT, VERB

A holiday
CONNECTOR,

is

when

you
VERB

NOUN CLAUSE (AS A SUBJECT) SUBJECT, VERB,

Why
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Steve

is ugly

is

a mystery.
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Unit 1 Passages Prepared by Stephen Smith

Noun Clauses

Sometimes the connector can be a subject of the clause

NOUN CLAUSE CONNECTOR/SUBJECTS

what whatever
SUBJECT, VERB,

which whichever
CONNECTOR,

who whoever

NOUN CLAUSE AS OBJECT VERB

know
What

who
happened

passed the exam.

VERB

NOUN CLAUSE AS SUBJECT CONNECTOR, VERB,

was

great.
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9 June 2008

Unit 1 Passages Prepared by Stephen Smith