SOFT SKILLS

(BAS 105)

Unit-1 Applied Grammar and Usage

Syllabus : Applied Grammar Transformation of Sentences: Simple, Compound and

Complex, Subject-verb agreement, Prefix and Suffix, Advanced Vocabulary:
Antonyms, Synonyms, Homophones, Homophones, New word Formation, Select
word power.

CO 1 - Students will be enabled to understand the correct usage of grammar

TRANSFORMATION OF SENTENCES

(SIMPLE, COMPOUND, COMPLEX SENTENCES)

Simple sentence: A Simple sentence is also called an independent clause. It contains a

Subject and a Verb, and it expresses a complete thought.

E.g.
a) Some students like to study in the morning.
b) Mother ordered a birthday cake.
 Compound sentence: A compound sentence consists of two main clauses of equal
importance, joined together with a conjunction.

e.g. a) I like coffee and she likes tea.

b) I can go to college or study at home.

Complex sentence: A complex sentence consists of an independent clause and one or

more dependent clauses.

e.g. a) After the storm hit the town, trees lay broken in the streets.
b) I am glad to know that he had succeeded.

Conversion of simple sentence into complex sentences a) By expanding a word or

a phrase into a noun clause
1. Simple
: I was glad to know of his success.

Complex
: I was glad to know that he had succeeded.
2. Simple
: He pleaded ignorance of the law.

Complex
: He pleaded that he was ignorant of the law.

3. Simple
: The report of his failure has surprised us all.

Complex
: The report that he has failed has surprised us all.
b) By expanding a word or a phrase into an adjective clause

1. Simple
 : A dead man tells no tales.

Complex
: A man who is dead tells no tales.

2. Simple
: The boy with the blue shirt is our Captain.

Complex
: The boy who is wearing blue shirt is our Captain.

3. Simple
: I still remember the joys of my childhood.

Complex
: I still remember the joys which I experienced in my childhood.

c) By expanding a word or a phrase into an adverb clause

1. Simple
: He felt sorry on finding out his mistake. (Time) Complex : He felt sorry when he
found out his mistake.

2. Simple
: Being rich, he can afford this expensive treatment. (Cause/ reason) Complex : As he is
rich, he can afford this expensive treatment.

3. Simple
: He is too simple minded to see through the game. (Result/ consequence) Complex :
He is so simple minded that he can not see through the game.

4. Simple
 : He is working day and night to improve his prospects. (Purpose) Complex : He
is working day and night so that he may improve his prospects.

Conversion of complex sentences into simple sentences a) By converting a noun

clause into a word or a phrase

1. Complex
: I am responsible for what I do.

Simple
: I am responsible for my actions.

2. Complex
: He wanted to know why he had been dismissed.

Simple
: He wanted to know the reason for his dismissal.

b) By converting an adjective clause into a word or a phrase 1. Complex :

All that glitters is not gold.

Simple
: All glittering things are not gold.

2. Complex
: He can not forget the losses that he has suffered.

Simple
: He can not forget the losses suffered by him.
 c) By converting an adverb clause into a word or a phrase 1. Complex : You
may do it when you please.

Simple
: You may do it at your pleasure.

2. Complex
: Because he was ill, he stayed at home.

Simple
: He stayed at home on account of his illness.

Conversion of Simple sentences into Compound sentences a) By using

Cumulative Conjunctions like, and, not only…but also, etc.

1. Simple
: Taking off his clothes, he jumped into the river.

Compound : He took off his clothes and jumped into the river.

2. Simple
: In addition to useful advice, he gave me financial help.

Compound : He gave me not only a useful advice but also a financial help.

b) By using Adversative Conjunctions like, but, still, yet, etc.

1. Simple
: In spite of very bad weather, they succeeded in conquering Mt. Everest.

Compound : The weather was very bad, still they succeeded in conquering Mt. Everest.

2. Simple
 : He had every qualification for the post except sincerity.

Compound : He had ever qualification for the post, but he was not sincere.

c) By using Alternative Conjunctions like, or, otherwise, else, etc.

1. Simple
: You must take rich diet to gain weight.

Compound : You must take rich diet, or you will not gain weight.
2. Simple

: Take another step at the peril of your life.

Compound : Don’t take another step, else your life will be at the peril.

Conversion of Compound sentences into simple sentences a) By using

Prepositional phrase

1. Compound : He is a Russian by birth, but he speaks Hindi like his mother tongue.

Simple
: In spite of being a Russian by birth, He speaks Hindi like his mother tongue.

2. Compound : This book is not beautifully printed, but is free from mistakes also.

Simple
: Besides being beautifully printed, this book is free from mistakes.

b) By using Participle
 1. Compound : The umpire found the light poor and decided to call off the day’s play.

Simple

: Finding the light poor, the umpire decided to call off the day’s play.

c) By using Infinitive

1. Compound : You must observe austerity, or you will not become morally strong.

Simple
: You must observe austerity to become morally strong.

Conversion of Compound sentences into complex sentences a) Compound sentences

with Cumulative conjunctions, and 1. Compound : He wanted to win the prize and worked
hard.

Complex
: He worked hard so that he might win the prize.

b) Compound sentences with Adversative conjunctions like but, still,

however, nevertheless etc.

1. Compound : Attend you classes regularly, or you will fall short of attendance.

Complex
: If you do not attend your classes regularly, you will fall short of attendance.

c) Compound sentences with Alternative conjunctions like or, otherwise, else,

therefore either…or etc.
1. Compound : I can not afford to buy many books, therefore I usually study
in the library.
 Complex
: Since I can not afford to buy many books, I usually study in the library.

Conversion of Complex sentences into Compound sentences a) By using

Cumulative conjunctions, and 1. Complex

: Everybody knows that man is mortal.

Compound : Man is mortal and this fact everybody knows.

2. Complex
: If I am right, I should be supported.

Compound : I may be right and in that case I should be supported.

b) By using Adversative conjunctions like but, still, however, nevertheless etc.

1. Complex
: Although they lost the match, they were not disgraced.

Compound : They lost the match, but they were not disgraced.

c) By using Alternative conjunctions like or, otherwise, else, either…or etc.

1. Complex

: If you don’t surrender your arms immediately, you will be shot dead.

Compound : Surrender your arms immediately, or you will be shot dead.

 Exercise 1. Identify the following sentences, whether Simple, Compound or
Complex Sentence 1. All the flights have been cancelled owing to the bad weather.

Ans. Simple sentence

2. He had many faults, but he was a good man at

heart. Ans. Compound sentence

3. It has been ages since I saw you.

Ans. Complex sentence

4. The fact that he is silent proves his guilt.

Ans. Simple sentence

5. He finished his work and put away his books.

Ans. Compound sentence

SUBJECT–VERB AGREEMENT

The ‘subject’ should agree with the ‘verb’ in number and person. A sentence that has a
singular subject is accompanied by a singular verb. On the other hand, a sentence that has a
plural subject should have a plural verb. The complex subject of the sentence is followed by
a verb that agrees with the main noun in the subject.
He plays in the playground. (singular subject) They play in the playground. (plural subject)
There are some nouns that can be treated as both singular and plural forms.
The government has (have) announced its (their) new employment scheme.

Other words that can have either singular or plural verbs are school, class, department, team,
university, press, public, crowd, firm, committee, community, family, generation, electorate,
group, jury, orchestra, and the names of specific organizations such as the Reserve Bank of
India, Infosys, Maruti, and BBC.
However, in the following sentence, a singular form is preferred and you would say
The orchestra is about to play.

This cannot be ‘ The orchestra are ...’ as you are referring to the orchestra as a unit, and
not as the individuals comprising it.
There are some nouns that are plural and take a plural verb, such as premises,
particulars, belongings, clothes, goods, earnings, surroundings, stairs, riches,
savings, congratulations, and thanks.
Congratulations are due to you on your
grand success. His belongings are kept in
the locker for safety.
Plural verbs are used with the nouns such as police, people, and staff. Some
nouns always end in -s and look as if they are plural, but when we use them as the
subject of a sentence, they have a singular verb as shown in the following sentence:
The news about the kidney racket is very disturbing.
Other words that end in -s and take a singular verb are means (method or money);
academic disciplines, e.g., mathematics, physics, statistics, linguistics, economics, phonetics,
and politics;

In academic disciplines:
Politics is the favourite of many students in
this university. Statistics was always the
most feared subject for students. Economics
has only recently been added to the course
list. But in general use:
What are your politics? (political beliefs)
The statistics are not indicative of this fact. (information shown in numbers) The
economics of the project are not very encouraging. (the finances)
When a subject is made up of two or more items joined by either ... or or neither ... nor,
we use a singular verb if the last item is singular (although a plural verb is sometimes used in
informal English) and a plural verb if the last item is plural.
Either the classroom or the auditorium is a good place to
hold the lecture. Neither the secretary nor his
representatives are to join the club.
Either the teachers or the principal is/are to blame for the problem in the school.

Let us now run through some important rules.

Use the singular verb in the following cases:
(a) With words such as any of, none of, the majority of, a lot of, plenty of, all (of
) some (of ) and an unaccountable noun
(b) With every and each (normally used with a singular noun): Every room in this
guest house has an attached kitchen.
Each of the boys plays well.
(c) With everyone, everybody, and everything, (every one is two words when the
meaning is each one).
Every one in the audience is considered for inclusion in the workshop. Use the
plural verb in the following cases:
With a/the majority of, a number of, a lot of, plenty of, all (of ), and some (of ) and
plural noun, we use a plural verb. But if we say the number of, we use a singular verb.
The number of tigers in the country is decreasing.
but
A number of reports have been questioned. A lot of
lectures are planned. Plenty of showrooms now accept
credit cards.

Use either the singular or the plural verb in the following cases:
With any of, each of, either of, neither of, and none of, usually a singular verb is used.
The plural verb is used in informal style.
I doubt if any of them knows where the illegal arms are hidden.
Neither of the popular Indian games has (have) got international recognition so far.
Some phrases with a plural form are thought of as singular and, therefore, take a
singular verb. These include phrases referring to measurements, amounts, and quantities as
shown in the following examples:
Three quarters of a ton is too much.
The three hundred rupees I earned was kept in the locker.
When a subject has two or more items joined by and, a plural verb is used. However,
phrases connected by and can also be followed by singular verbs if you think of them as
making up a single item, as in the following sentences:
 Choco pie and ice cream is Amrit’s favourite
at the moment. Research and development
involves myriad of activities.
After per cent (also percent or %), we use singular verb.
An inflation of 10 per cent per annum makes a big
difference in any economy. A 75 per cent likelihood of
winning is worth the effort.

WORD FORMATION: PREFIXES AND SUFFIXES

A Prefix is a word that is added at the beginning of the root word to form a new word. A
prefix word does not have any meaning of its own but when added to a root word it modifies
the meaning of the word. Prefix makes a word negative, indicate opinion or show repetition.
Prefix examples: ● Un (Prefix) + Happy (Root Word) = Unhappy (new word) ● Dis (Prefix)
+ Organised (Root word) = Disorganised (new word)

Like Prefixes, Suffixes are also words that are added to the root word to form a new word
but suffixes are added at the end of the root word. Suffix does change the meaning of the
word it is added to but not make the word opposite or negative like prefix do, it simply
changes the class of the root word like a verb is changed into an adjective by adding a suffix.
Suffix
examples: ● Forget (root word) + Ful (Suffix) = Forgetful (New word) ● Happy (root word)
+ Ness (Suffix) = Happiness (New word)

SYNONYMS AND ANTONYMS

Synonyms are words that have the same, or almost the same, meaning as another word. You
can say an “easy task” or a “simple task” because easy and simple are synonyms. The
English language is full of pairs of words that have subtle distinctions between them. All
writers, professionals and beginners alike, face the challenge of choosing the most
appropriate synonym to best convey their ideas. When you pay particular attention to
synonyms in your writing, it comes across to your reader. The sentences become much more
clear and rich in meaning.
Antonyms are words that have the opposite meaning of a given word. The study of antonyms will not only help
you choose the most appropriate word as you write; it will also sharpen your overall sense of language. One
great strategy to increase your vocabulary is to learn groups of words including the antonyms. You can learn
justice, law, right and injustice, corruption and dishonesty.

Homonym:
In English, homonym is a word that sounds the same as another word but differs in meaning.
Homonyms can refer to both homophones and homographs.
Example: I hope you are not lying to me.
My books are lying on the table.

Homophone : A homophone is a word that is pronounced the same as another word but
differs in meaning and is spelled differently.
Example: Please try not to (waste, waist) paper.

Homographs : are words with the same spelling but having more than one meaning.
Example: The wind is blowing hard.
I have to wind my clock.