English Learning by Al Boz

idioms5

2009-06-21T12:55:00.000-07:00

drop in - visit someone casually without planning
drop out - abandon some organized activity; leave; quit
drop over - visit someone casually
fall behind - not progress at required pace
fall off - decrease; lose weight
fall through - fail; not be accomplished
fill in - substitute
find out - learn
fly back - return by air
fly over - fly to where someone is
get ahead - make progress
get along - have a friendly relationship
get around - circulate; move about
get away - escape
get by - manage; either just barely or with a minimum of effort
get in - enter
get off - descend from leave
get on - enter (a vehicle); mount (a horse, etc.)
get on/along - progress; be compatible
get up - rise
get through - finish
give out - become exhausted
give up - surrender; fail to finish
go back - return
go off - explode
go on - happen; continue
go out - stop burning; leave one's residence
go over - go; succeed
grow up - mature
hang around - remain idly; dawdle
hang up - replace a telephone receive on its hook
hold on - grasp tightly; persevere; wait while telephoning
hold out - continue to resist; persevere; persist
keep on - continue
keep up - maintain the required pace or standard; continue
let up - diminish in intensity
lie down - recline
look on - be a spectator
make out - progress; succeed
make up - become reconciled
move over - move to the side
pan out - turn out well; be successful
pass out - become unconscious
pass on - die

pick up - grow; increase
pull in - arrive
pull out - deport
pull through - survive (barely)
ride over - ride to where someone is
run away - escape; leave; leave quickly without permission
run down - slowly lose power so as to stop functioning
run off - depart running; drain
sell out - sell the ownership or responsibility
settle up - pay one's bills or debts
show off - boast by words or actions
show up - arrive; appear unexpectedly
shut up - stop talking
slow up - reduce speed
stand by - wait; be prepared to assist
stand up - stand; rise from sitting; last; endure
stay over - remain at someone's house overnight or longer
step aside - move to one side
take off - leave the ground
take over - assume command
talk back - answer impolitely
throw up - vomit
turn around - turn so that one is facing another direction
turn in - go to bed
turn out - succeed; come; appear, as at a public meeting
turn up - arrive; be found unexpectedly
wait up - remain awake in anticipation
wake up - awaken
walk back - return on foot to where one was
walk over - walk to where someone is
wash out - fade or disappear from washing
watch out - be careful
wear off - fade; disappear through use or time
wear out - become unusable through use; become used up
work out - be successful

the end, I hope it was helpful

idioms4

2009-06-21T12:54:00.000-07:00

pass out - distribute
pass up - not take advantage of (as an opportunity)
pass on - transmit
pay back - repay
pay off - discharge a debt completely; give someone his final pay
pick up - come to meet an escort; lift with hands or fingers; learn casually;
initiate an association publicly
play down - minimize
play up - emphasize
point out - indicate
pull down - pull in a downward direction; raze
push across - cause to be understood or accepted
put off - postpone
put on - dress in; deceive or fool
put up - preserve (food); receive as an overnight guest
quiet down - be quiet
ring up - the telephone
rinse off - rinse the surface of
rinse out - rinse the inside of
rule out - eliminate
run down - trace; disparage; hit with a vehicle
run off - cause to depart; reproduce mechanically
save up - accumulate
see through - complete; in spite of difficulties
see off - accompany someone to the beginning of a trip
send back - send to a place where formerly located
send over - send to where someone is
set up - arrange
show off - exhibit ostentatiously
shut off - cause to cease functioning
slow up - cause to move more slowly
spell out - enumerate; state in detail
stand up - fail to keep an appointment with
sweep out - sweep the inside of
take back - return; retract a statement
take down - remove from a high position; write from dictation
take in - understood; fool; deceive; make smaller (in sewing)
take over - take; assume command of
tear down - destroy
tear up - tear into small pieces
tell off - scold; reprimand
think over - consider
think through - consider from beginning to end
think up - create; invent
throw away - discard
throw over - reject
tie up - tie securely or tight
tire out - cause to be exhausted

touch up - repair
try on - put on a garment to verify the fit
try out - test
turn down - refuse; lower the volume
turn out - produce; force into exile, extinguish (a light)
wash off - wash the surface of
wash out - wash the inside of
wear out - use until no longer usable; tire greatly
wind up - finish, tighten the spring of a watch or machine
wipe off - wipe the surface of
wipe out - wipe the inside of; decimate
work out - solve
write down - record
write out - write down every detail; spell out
write up - compose; prepare (a document)
Inseparable
back out of - desert; fail to keep a promise
bear down on - lean on; browbeat
bear on - have to do with
bear up under - endure
break in on - interrupt
break into - interrupt
call for - come to get; require
care for - like; guard; supervise; maintain
carry on with - continue
catch up with - cover the distance between oneself and
check up on - examine; verify
come across - find accidentally
come along with - accompany; make progress
come by - find accidentally
come down with - become ill with
come out with - utter; produce
come up with - utter; produce
count on - rely on
cut in on - interrupt
disagree with - cause illness or discomfort to
do away with - abolish
do without - deprive oneself of
drop in at/on - visit casually without planning
drop out of - leave; quit
face up to - acknowledge
fall behind in - lag; not progress at required pace
fall back on - use for emergency purpose
fall out with - quarrel with

fill in for - substitute for
get ahead of - surpass; beat
get around - evade; avoid
get away with - do without being caught or punished
get by with - manage with a minimum of effort
get down to - become serious about; consider
get in - enter (a vehicle)
get off - descend from; leave
get on - enter (a vehicle); mount
get on with - proceed with
get through with - terminate, finish
go back on - desert; fail to keep (a promise)
go for - like a great deal
go in for - be interested in; participate in
go on with - continue
go over - review
go with - harmonize with; look pleasing together
go without - abstain from
hang around - remain idly in the vicinity of
hear from - receive a communication from
hear of - learn about (sometimes accidentally)
hit on - discover accidentally
hold on to - grasp tightly
hold out against - resist
keep at - persevere at
keep to - persist in; continue
keep up with - maintain the pace of
lie down on - evade; fail to do
live on - support or sustain oneself by means of
live up to - maintain the standard demanded of
look after - take care of
look back on - remember nostalgically
look down on - feel superior to
look forward to - anticipate
look up to - respect; admire
make up for - compensate for
pass on - transmit
pick on - tease; bully
play up to - flatter for personal advantage
put up with - tolerate
read up on - search out information on
run against - compete against in an election
run away with - leave; escape from
run for - campaign for
see about - consider; arrange
see to - arrange; supervise
settle on - decide on; choose
stand for - represent; permit
stand up for - support; demand
stand up to - resist
stick to - persist
stick up for - support; defend
take after - resemble
talk back to - answer impolitely
talk over - discuss
tell on - report misbehavior to authority
touch on - mention briefly
turn into - become
wait on - serve
wait up for - not go to bed while waiting for
watch out for - be careful for
Intransitive
back down - retreat from a position in an argument
back out - desert; fail to keep a promise
back up - move backwards
bear up - endure
blow in - drop in to visit unexpectedly
blow over - pass without doing harm
blow up - explode; lose one's temper
call up - telephone
calm down - become calm
carry on - continue as before; misbehave
catch on - understand
catch up - cover the distance between oneself and a moving goal
check up - investigate
check out - leave; pay one's bill
cheer up - become cheerful
clear out - leave
clear up - become clear
close down - close permanently
close up - close temporarily
came about - happen
come along - accompany; make progress
come back - return
come by - visit someone in his home
come out - appear; make a social debut
come over - come to someone's house, to where someone is
come through - succeed
come to - regain consciousness
cut in - interrupt
die away - fade; diminish
die down - fade; diminish
die off/out - disappear; become extinct
dress up - don fancy or unusual clothes
drive back - return by car

idioms3

2009-06-21T12:52:00.000-07:00

Separable
add up - add
back up - cause to move backwards; support; blow up; cause to explode; destroy by explosives
break down - analyze; list the parts of separately
break into - go into a house or room forcibly; suddenly; begin; bring about - cause to happen
bring off - accomplish
bring on - cause
bring out - publish; emphasize
bring over - bring
bring to - revive
bring up - raise; care for from childhood
brush out - brush the inside of
burn down - destroy by burning
burn up - consume by fire
buy out - by the other person's share of a business
buy up - buy the whole supply of
call off - cancel; order away
call up - telephone; summon for military service
calm down - become calm
carry on - continue
carry out - fulfill; complete; accomplish; perform
carry over - carry; continue at anoher time or place
cheer up - cause to become cheerful
chew up - chew thoroughly
chop up - chop into small pieces
clean off - clean the surface of
clean out - clean the inside of
clean up - clarify; tidy
clear out - clear the surface of
clear up - clear the inside of
close down - close permanently
close up - close temporarily
count in - include
count out - exclude
count up - calculate; count; add to a total
cross out - eliminate
cut off - interrupt; sever; amputate
cut out - eliminate; delete
cut down - reduce in quantity
draw up - write; compose (a document)
dress up - put clothes on; adorn
dust out - dust the inside of
eat up - eat completely
figure out - interpret; understand
figure up - compute
fill in - complete (a printed form)
fill out - complete (a printed form)
fill up - fill completely (a container)
find out - discover
fix up - repair; arrange in a suitable manner
get across - cause to be understood
give back - return
give out - distribute; announce
give up - surrender something
hand down - deliver; pronounce formally; leave as an inheritance
hand over - yield control of
hang up - suspend
have on - be dressed in
have over - entertain someone informally at one's home
hold off - delay; restrain
hold up - delay; rob; threaten with a weapon
keep up - continue; keep the same pace
leave out - omit
let down - disappoint
let out - release from confinement; make larger (in sewing)
light up - light; illuminate thoroughly
live down - live in such a way as to cause something to be forgotten
make over - remake
move over - move to the side

idioms 2

2009-06-21T12:51:00.000-07:00

Some particles can be separated from the verb so that a noun and pronoun can be inserted, and some particles
can't be separated from the verb. In addition, some phrases are intransitive, meaning they cannot take a direct
object.
Separable
add up (meaning: to
add)
Correct: She added up the total on her calculator.
Correct: She
it
added
up on her calculator.
Inseparable get around (meaning:
to evade)
Correct: She always gets around the rules.
Incorrect: She always gets the rules around (This construction
makes no sense in English.)
catch on (meaning: Correct: After I explained the math problem, she began to
Intransitive to understand)
catch on.
Incorrect: She began to catch on the math problem.
(catch on
cannot take a direct object in this meaning.)
Correct: She began to catch on
the math problem. (the
to
word
to makes a
the math problem
n
indirect object, which is
acceptable in this meaning.)
Unfortunately, there is usually no indicator whether an idiomatic phrase is separable, inseparable, or
intransitive.
In most cases the phrases must simply be memorized. Below is a partial list of each kind of phrase.

Two-Part (Phrasal) Verbs (Idioms)

2009-06-21T12:50:00.000-07:00

Two-Part (Phrasal) Verbs (Idioms)
Many verbs in English are followed by an adverb or a preposition (also called a particle), and these two-part
verbs,
also called phrasal verbs, are different from verbs with helpers
The particle that follows the verb changes the meaning of the phrasal verb in idiomatic ways:
VERB MEANING EXAMPLE
drop off decline gradually The hill dropped off near the river.
drop off(2) fall asleep While doing his homework, he dropped off
drop off(3)
stop and give something to
someone
Would you drop this off at the post office?
drop out cease to participate After two laps, the runner dropped out

Verbs

2009-05-22T21:39:00.002-07:00

Verbs describe actions or states of being. Example verbs are "run," "be," and "look."
Active and Passive Verbs
Verbs have an active and passive quality. Active verbs "do":

run
write
inspect
prepare

Passive verbs describe states of being and suggest no action:

be
am
is
are
was
were
being
been

Sentences written with passive verbs become passive sentences.

Grammar Expert
Lay vs. Lie
The distinction between "lay" and "lie" is subtle and sometimes confusing. "Lay" and "lie" are both verbs, but of different form.
"Lay" is always used as an action applied to some object. "Lay" describes the action of placing something down.
"Lie" describes the condition of being placed down.
Examples:

I lay the cards on the table.

-- "Lay" is an action applied to "cards."

The cards lie on the table.

-- "Lie" describes the condition of "cards."

The past-tense form of "lay" is "laid." The past-tense form of "lie" is "lay." This also causes confusion because of the similarity of spelling with the present tense "lay."

I lie the cards on the table.
The cards laid on the table.
I laid the cards on the table.

-- "Laid" is the past-tense form of "lay." "Laid" describes an action applied to "cards."

The cards lay on the table.

-- "Lay" is the past-tense form of "lie." "Lay" describes the condition of "cards."

Grammar Expert
Subject and Verb Agreement
The subject of a sentence or clause must agree in number with the verb associated with it. For example, the following sentence is incorrect:

The shipment were delivered to your warehouse.

The subject, "shipment," is a singular noun, and the verb, "were," refers to a plural noun. The singular verb "was" must be substituted for "were" to correct the sentence:

The shipment was delivered to your warehouse.

Most problems with subject and verb agreement involve the choice between "is" or "are" and "was" or "were." Other verbs may be incorrectly used as well. The rules for subject and verb agreement are simple:
1. Use the singular form of the verb when the subject is a singular noun. "Is" and "was" are singular verbs.
2. Use the plural form of the verb when the subject is a plural noun. "Are" and "were" are plural verbs.

Grammar Expert

Verb Agreement with Collective Subjects
When the subject of a sentence or clause is a collective noun, such as "crowd" or "group," the subject is in fact singular, since it refers to a single unit comprising several things. Use the singular form of the verb in this case.

A group of anxious reporters were blocking the exit.

-- The collective subject "group" is singular.

A group of anxious reporters was blocking the exit.
Management are opposed to this approach.

-- "Management" is the singular collective subject.

Management is opposed to this approach.
The box of trophies were reported stolen.

-- "Box" is the singular collective subject.

The box of trophies was reported stolen.

When individual members of a collective subject are identified, treat the subject as plural :

Several members of the audience were noisy.
The audience was quiet.

Grammar Expert
Verb Agreement with Compound Subjects
Compound subjects joined by "and" are normally treated like plural subjects, even if the individual parts are singular:

Your ticket and itinerary are ready.
That behavior and attitude are no longer tolerated.
Both John and Mary are going.

When the conjunction joining two parts of a compound subject is "or" or "nor," the verb must agree with the part closest to it:

Either the chairman or the members cancel the motion.

-- The verb "cancel" is closest to the plural "members."

Either the members or the chairman cancels the motion.

-- The verb "cancels" is closest to the singular "chairman."

Neither the cow, the pig, nor the chickens have been fed today.

-- The verb "have" is closest to the plural "chickens."

Neither the chickens, the pig, nor the cow has been fed today.

-- The verb "has" is closest to the singular "cow."

Neither Fred nor Sam was here today.

-- The verb "was" is associated with the singular "Sam."

When the subject contains the word "either," use the singular form of the verb.

Either Bill or Barb are going.
Either Bill or Barb is going.
Either of us are going.
Either of us is going.
Either person are capable.
Either person is capable.

Grammar Expert
Verb Agreement with "ics" Words
Words ending in "ics," such as "statistics," "mathematics," "graphics," "physics," and "politics," are normally treated as singular collective nouns. When the word is preceded by an article (e.g., "a," "an," or "the") or a preposition (e.g., "of"), or modified by an adjective, treat it as a plural noun.

Mathematics are my best subject.
Mathematics is my best subject.
The graphics for your book design is ready.

-- "The" is an article.

The graphics for your book design are ready.
The physics of planetary motion is beyond my grasp.
The physics of planetary motion are beyond my grasp.

Grammar Expert
Verb Agreement with Indefinite Subjects
When the subject is an indefinite word such as "all," "most," or "some," the word referred to by the subject determines whether the verb is singular or plural. If the referenced word is plural use the plural verb form.

Most of the cars is on sale.

-- The indefinite subject "most" refers to the plural "cars."

Most of the cars are on sale.
Most of the car were damaged.

-- "Most" refers to the singular "car."

Most of the car was damaged.
None of the cars was damaged.
None of the cars were damaged.
The majority of students has passed.
The majority of students have passed.
Thirty-three percent of our customers wants better service.
Thirty-three percent of our customers want better service.

When the subject is "one" in a phrase like "one of the," the noun referred to by "one" is always plural, so the verb is plural.

One of the toasters is broken.
One of the toasters are broken.
She is one of the people who works in my office.
She is one of the people who work in my office.

Grammar Expert
Verb Agreement with Measured Subjects
A singular subject quantified by a measurement is treated as a singular, so use the singular form of the verb.

Eight feet of electrical cord are required.

-- "Cord" is the singular subject.

Eight feet of electrical cord is required.
The purchase price were three million dollars.

-- "Price" is the subject.

The purchase price was three million dollars.

If the subject is plural, and the measurement specifies the number or quantity, use the plural form of the verb.

Forty boxes of popcorn was sold.

-- "Boxes" is the plural subject.

Forty boxes of popcorn were sold.
Three million dollars was raised for the homeless.

-- "Dollars" is the plural subject.

Three million dollars were raised for the homeless.

Treat the fractional part of a singular subject as singular:

Three-quarters of the pie is gone.

Treat the fractional part of a collection consisting of more than one as plural :

Three-quarters of the pies are gone.

Grammar Expert
Distinguishing the Subject
The subject is the "who" or "what" about which the sentence or clause is written. Distinguishing the subject of a sentence or clause is important to knowing which form of verb to use.

The main reason the report was delivered late are the people in the copy room.

-- "Reason" is the subject, not "people."

The main reason the report was delivered late is the people in the copy room.
Snowstorms is the leading cause of employee lateness this month.

-- "Snowstorms" is the subject, not "cause."

Snowstorms are the leading cause of employee lateness this month.
The interest we receive from our investments are a major source of income.

-- "Interest" is the subject, not "investments."

The interest we receive from our investments is a major source of income.
Which one of the folders are being kept?

-- "One" is the subject, not "folders."

Which one of the folders is being kept?
There was three men waiting to see me when I returned.

-- "Men" is the plural subject.

There were three men waiting to see me when I returned.

Grammar Expert
Verb Agreement with Problem Subjects
Certain subjects cause confusion because they seem singular but are really plural, or vice versa.
Nouns which denote pairs are always treated as plural , and so take plural verbs :

The scissors is in the drawer.
The scissors are in the drawer.
My pants is in the wash.
My pants are in the wash.

Similar words for pairs:

reins scales
shears spectacles
tongs trousers
tweezers pliers

The pronoun "you" is treated as plural, even if it refers to a single person:

You is sitting in my chair.
You are sitting in my chair.

Grammar Expert
Verb Tense
Verb tense indicates when an action or state occurs over time. Verbs can be expressed in three tenses: past, present, and future:

They agreed with the proposal.

-- "Agreed" is the past-tense verb

They agree with the proposal.

-- Present tense

They will agree with the proposal.

-- Future tense

Sentences containing more than one clause sometimes present a problem, since each clause contains its own verb. Normally, all verbs in a sentence are in the same tense. Exceptions exist, however.
When the verb in the independent clause is in the past tense, the verb in a dependent clause is also usually in the past tense:

They said they agreed with the proposal.

-- Both "said" and "agreed" are past-tense verbs

He informed me he had written the letter weeks ago.

-- Both "informed" and "had written" are past-tense verbs

When the verb in the independent clause is in the future tense, the verb in a dependent clause is usually in the present tense. This is true because the independent clause verb places the time of the remainder of the sentence in the future:

They will say they agree with the proposal.

-- "Will say" is in the future tense, but "agree" is in the present tense

When the verb in the independent clause is in the present tense, the verb in a dependent clause can be in any tense, depending on the time ordering of actions:

We need a new projector because the one was have was broken.

-- "Need" is a present-tense verb, and "was" is past-tense

We need a new projector because the one we have is broken.

-- Both "need" and "is" are present-tense verbs

We need a new projector because the one we have will break soon.

-- "Will break" is a future-tense verb

Grammar Expert
Split Infinitives
A split infinitive is an adverb inserted between the word "to" and an infinitive verb:

I decided to quickly leave.

The split infinitive is considered weak by some people. The word "to" and the infinitive verb really form a single unit. Inserting an adverb between them makes them separate, so they lose their association. Moving the adverb following the infinitive verb may be preferable:

I decided to leave quickly.

Note that moving the adverb ahead of the word "to" results in ambiguity:

I decided quickly to leave.

-- Does "quickly" apply to "decided" or to "leave"?

Don't substitute "and" for "to" when forming infinitive verbs.

I will try and come if I have time.
I will try to come if I have time.

Grammar Expert
Participles
Participles are verb forms that usually end in "ed" ( past tense ) or "ing" ( present tense ).
A participle at the beginning of a sentence must have a noun or pronoun subject or a "dangling participle" results:

Having opened the window, the room was noticeable cooler.

-- The subject of the participle "having" is missing, so the participle "dangles"

Noticing their poor performance, the stocks were sold.
While skiing yesterday, my nose was frostbitten.

Correct these sentences by providing subjects for the participles:

Peter having opened the window, the room was noticeably cooler.
Noticing their poor performance, Wayne sold the stocks.
While I was skiing yesterday, my nose was frostbitten.

The gerund also ends in "ing," but is really a verb transformed to a noun:

Her skating is excellent.

-- "Skating" is the gerund

Pronoun Gender

2009-05-22T21:39:00.001-07:00

Pronouns in English are distinguished based on the gender of the person to which the pronoun refers:

Bill sprained his ankle.

-- "His" is the male pronoun

Mary lost her book.

-- "Her" is the female pronoun

English does not have a singular gender -independent personal pronoun. Traditionally, the singular pronoun "he" has been used to refer to both sexes, but this is now regarded as sexist:

Anyone who wants lunch must present his ticket at the counter.

This problem can be removed in two ways.
The first method is to use "he or she" or "he/she" in place of "he":

Anyone who wants lunch must present his or her ticket at the counter.

The second method is to use a plural indefinite pronoun in place of the singular:

All people who want lunch must present their tickets at the counter.

The third method is to rewrite the sentence to eliminate indefinite pronouns entirely:

If you want lunch, present your ticket at the counter.

Note that the following sentence is incorrect, because the plural pronoun "their" is inconsistent with the singular indefinite pronoun "everyone":

Everyone who wants lunch must present their tickets at the counter.

When using pronouns to stand for compound subjects whose individual parts are of mixed gender, use at least one pronoun of each gender:

Either Jim or Helen will bring his car or her car.
Either Jim will bring his car or Helen will bring hers.

Who vs. Whom

2009-05-22T21:38:00.002-07:00

Use "who" when the pronoun is the subject of a verb:

People who live in glass houses shouldn't throw stones.

-- "Who" is the subject of the verb "live."

Use "whom" when the pronoun is the object of a verb or the object of a preposition:

She asked to whom I was referring.

-- "Whom" is the object of the preposition "to."

Whose vs. "Of Which"

2009-05-22T21:38:00.001-07:00

"Whose" can be used to avoid awkward "of which" references:

Our club, of which the membership is 350, is devoted to dog breeding.

Better:

Our club, whose membership is 350, is devoted to dog breeding.

"Whose" can also be used in reference to inanimate objects:

The dandelion, whose cheerful yellow flower brightens many lawns in spring, is considered a weed.

Pronouns following the Verb "To Be"

2009-05-22T21:37:00.002-07:00

When a pronoun follows a form of the verb "to be," use the nominative case ("I," "you," "she," "he," "it," "we," "they," and "who").

It was me who called yesterday.
It was I who called yesterday.
This is her.
This is she.

That vs. Which

2009-05-22T21:37:00.001-07:00

Use "which" with either the defining clause or the descriptive clause.
Use "that" only with a defining clause.
Examples:

The movie that I saw last night was enjoyable.

-- "That I saw last night" is a defining clause; "which I saw last night" could also be used here.

The movie, which I saw last night, was enjoyable.

-- "Which I saw last night" is a descriptive clause.

She ate the apple which was in the bowl.

-- "Which was in the bowl" is a defining clause; it defines which specific apple.

She ate the apple, which was in the bowl.

-- "Which was in the bowl" is a descriptive clause; it describes the location of the apple but doesn't specify which apple. Note the use of the comma.

You or yourself

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Use pronouns ending in "self" only when the pronoun refers to the subject:

He brings shame on himself.

-- "He" is the subject; "himself" refers to "he."

His deeds bring shame on him.

-- "Deeds" is the subject.

His generosity speaks for itself.

-- "Generosity" is the subject; "itself" refers to "generosity."

Don't use the "self" form of pronouns after a comparison.

A good worker like yourself is an inspiration to all employees.
A good worker like you is an inspiration to all employees.

Possessive Pronouns

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Like possessive nouns, a possessive pronoun owns or possesses. The manner in which possession is indicated varies with the type of pronoun: personal or indefinite.
Personal pronouns (e.g., I, he, and her) change case to show possession:

I: my or mine
us: our or ours
you: your or yours
he: his
she: hers
it: its
them: their

The possessive form of the pronoun "it" (its) is often mistakenly written "it's." It's" is a contraction for "it is."
Indefinite pronouns are made possessive by adding "'s":

To everyone's surprise, he arrived on time.
Please let me know if anyone's schedule changes.

When an indefinite pronoun followed by "else" is made possessive, apply the "'s" to the "else":

He hasn't sold anyone else's products in his store for ten years.
Margaret's clothes are unpacked, but everyone else's are still in the suitcases.

Plural Pronouns

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Pronouns, like nouns, have singular and plural forms. Plural pronouns take the place of plural nouns. Singular pronouns take the place of singular nouns.

The mob of customers shouted their objections.

-- The plural pronoun "their" refers to the singular collective noun “mob."

The mob of customers shouted its objections.
The customers shouted their objections.

Pronoun agreement is especially confusing when indefinite pronouns such as "everyone," "everybody," "anyone," and "anybody" are used.
Treat "everyone" and "everybody" as plural pronouns:

Does everyone have their tickets ready?
I told everybody to stay in their seats.

Singular indefinite pronouns, such as "anyone," "anybody," "a person," "someone," and "somebody" present problems because there are no singular gender-indefinite personal pronouns in English.

Its vs. It's

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One of the most confusing aspects of English for many people is the distinction between "its" and "it's."
"It's" (with the apostrophe ) is a contraction for "it is":

It's a beautiful day.
It's hard to tell what you're thinking.
I looked in the cupboard but it's not there.

"Its" (without the apostrophe ) is the possessive form of the pronoun "it":

The dog had chewed through its leash.
We admired both the finish of the piano and its rich tone.
The award was presented to the club and its president.

One way to remember the distinction is to associate "its" with other possessive pronouns ending in "s": his, hers, and theirs.

Compound Pronouns

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Compound pronouns involve a pronoun and a noun or another pronoun.
Unlike nouns, the case of pronouns changes based on their function. This is especially confusing with compound pronouns. For example, in the following sentences, the case of the pronoun "I" changes to "me":

Jim and I sat with her.
Jim and me sat with her.
She sat with Jim and I.
She sat with Jim and me.

To determine which is correct, remove all parts of the compound except the pronoun in question, then read back the sentence to make sure it is still correct. Let's try this on the first pair of example sentences:

I sat with her.
Me sat with her.

"Me sat with her" is clearly wrong, and "I sat with her" is correct. Now let's check the second pair of sentences:

She sat with I.
She sat with me.

The correct case is "me," not "I."

Pronouns following Comparisons

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Sentences involving comparisons often contain implied verbs. The missing verbs sometimes make it difficult to tell which pronoun case is correct. For example, which of the following sentences is correct?

He can't type as quickly as I.
He can't type as quickly as me.

To determine which is correct, fill in the implied verbs:

He can't type as quickly as I can.
He can't type as quickly as me can.

The first sentence is clearly correct. More examples follow.

She is taller than him.
She is taller than he (is).
We have a smaller yard than them.
We have a smaller yard than they (do).
I want a hat like him.
I want a hat like his.

Sometimes leaving the verb implied makes a sentence ambiguous, as in the following example:

She likes him better than me.

This sentence can be interpreted in two ways:

She likes him better than I do.
She likes him more than she likes me.

Pronoun Case

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Pronouns have different forms based on their function within a sentence. Pronoun case refers to the different forms a pronoun can take.
There are three pronoun cases: nominative, objective, and possessive. The nominative case is used for the person speaking. The objective case is used for the person spoken about. The possessive case is used for the person spoken to.

Nominative Objective Possessive
he him his
I me mine, my
it it its
she her hers
they them their, theirs
we us our, ours
who whom whose
whoever whomever whosever
you you your, yours

Use the nominative case when the pronoun is the subject of a sentence or a clause:

I wrote the letter.

-- "I" is the subject pronoun.

Use the possessive case to modify a preceding or following noun:

My car is in the shop.

-- "My" is the pronoun

That car of mine is in the shop.

-- "Mine" is the pronoun

Use the objective case when the pronoun is a direct object, indirect object, or the object of a preposition:

Yesterday she told me.

-- "Me" is the object.

She told me about what happened.

-- "Me" is the object.

It was told to me by her.

-- "Me" is the object of the preposition "to."

Pronouns

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Pronouns are words that stand for and take the place of nouns.
Compound pronouns: How to tell whether to write "he and I" or "he and me."
Who or whom: How to tell whether to write "to who I was speaking" or "to whom I was speaking."
That or which: How to tell whether to write "the sweater that I wore" or "the sweater which I wore."
Whose or of-which: How to tell whether to write "the car whose tires are bald" or "the car of which the tires are bald."
It's or its: How to tell whether to write "the cat ate its dinner" or "the cat ate it's dinner."
You or yourself: How to tell whether to write "a person like you" or "a person like yourself."
Pronouns in comparisons: How to tell whether to write "she likes him as much as I" or "she likes him as much as me."

Pronouns following 'to be': How to tell whether to write "It was I who called" or "It was me who called."
Plural pronouns: Pronouns that stand for multiple things.
Pronoun gender: Pronouns that stand for male or female people.

Prepositions

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Prepositions link the object of a sentence or clause to the noun or verb named before it.
A preposition defines the relationship between a noun or verb and an object . Prepositions normally appear before the object :

I gave the book to Joan.

-- Preposition "to" links object "Joan" to noun "book"

We were surprised by the storm.

-- Preposition "by" links object "storm" to verb "surprised"

Common prepositions include

above about across after
against along among around
at before behind below
beneath beside between beyond
by down during except
for from in inside
into like near of
off on since to
toward through under until
up upon with within

Usually, the object follows the preposition. A preposition appearing at the end of a sentence sometimes sounds awkward because we expect to find an object:

This is the present we bought the wrapping paper for.
We bought the wrapping paper for this present.

Another danger in placing the preposition at the end of a sentence lies in separating the preposition from the object with too many words:

She gave me the newspaper she had walked over two miles to the store for.
She gave me the newspaper for which she had walked over two miles to the store.

Chose the preposition appropriate for the verb and object:

accompanied by a person
accompanied with a thing
accused of a wrong
accused by a person
in accordance to a rule
in accordance with a person
agree to (or about an idea)
agree with a person
correspond to an object
correspond with a person
differ from a person or thing
differ with a person
part from a person
part with a thing

Be careful of suspended prepositions separated by conjunctions . The suspended preposition must be appropriate for each verb :

I am proud and pleased for you.

-- Preposition "for" is incorrect with "proud"

I am proud of and pleased for you.

Parts of Speech

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Adjectives
Adjectives are descriptive words. They can make sentences more interesting by adding color and detail. They can make sentences more exact by qualifying things and actions.
Adjectives always modify nouns. .

Comparative adjectives describe by comparing with something else. Example comparative adjectives include "warmer," "more quickly," and "less difficult."
Superlative adjectives describe by comparing with two or more other things. Superlative adjectives state which thing possesses the most or least of some characteristic. Example superlative adjectives are "warmest," "most quickly," and "least difficult."
Comparative Adjectives
The comparative forms of adjectives compare whatever is described with one other thing. Comparatives are formed by adding the suffix "er" or the words "more" or "less."
Use the suffix "er" when the adjective has one syllable: "quicker," "darker," "louder."
Precede the adjective by "more" or "less" when it has two or more syllables: "more lucky," "more handsome," "less harmonious."
Mixing the two forms is redundant (and incorrect). Use "quicker" instead of "more quicker," for example.
Some comparative adjectives have irregular forms:

worse
inner

Good vs. Well

Many writers are unsure of the distinction between "good" and "well."
"Good" is an adjective, so it normally modifies a noun. "Well" is an adverb, so it normally modifies a verb or an adjective.

My car is running good.

-- "Running" is a verb.

My car is running well.
The new product has sold good in the first quarter.

-- "Sold" is a verb.

The new product has sold well in the first quarter.
The new product has had good sales in the first quarter.

-- "Sales" is a noun.

These guidelines also apply to the adjective "bad" and the adverb "badly."

We did bad in the product-evaluation tests.

-- "Did" is a verb.

We did badly in the product-evaluation tests.

Superlative Adjectives
The superlative forms of adjectives compare whatever is described with at least two other things. Superlative adjectives state which thing in a collection of things possesses the least or most of some characteristic.
Form superlatives by adding the suffix "est" or the words "most" or "least."
Use the suffix "est" when the adjective has one syllable: "quickest," "darkest," "loudest."
Precede the adjective by "most" or "least" when it has two or more syllables: "most lucky," "most handsome," "least harmonious."
Mixing the two forms is redundant (and incorrect). Use "quickest" instead of "most quickest," for example.
Some superlative adjectives have irregular forms:

worst
innermost

Adverbs
Adverbs modify verbs, adjectives, or other adverbs.
Related topics:

Comparative adverbs form part of a comparison with one other thing:

more quickly
less loudly

Superlative adverbs form part of a comparison with two or more other things:

most quickly
least loudly

Split infinitives: Adverbs inserted between "to" and an infinitive verb .

Comparative Adverbs
Use "more" or "less" when the modifier is an adverb: "more quickly," "more darkly," "less loudly."

Superlative Adverbs
Use "most" or "least" when the modifier is an adverb: "most quickly," "most darkly," "least loudly."

Articles
Articles are simple adjectives .
Articles always precede nouns, and identify which noun is referred to.
"A" or "an" are indefinite articles. They refer to any noun :

a house
an apple
a possibility

"The" is a definite article. It refers to one specific noun :

the house
the apple
the possibility

"A" precedes nouns that begin with a consonant sound. "An" precedes nouns that begin with a vowel sound. Note that the first letter of a noun need not be a vowel or consonant for these rules to apply:

a box
a unit
a university
a union
an item
an hour
an heir
an honor

Conjunctions
A conjunction is a joining word that links related words, phrases, and clauses.
Common conjunctions:
and after although as because
before but how or while
if nor once so what
since that though unless

till until
when where whether
why

Do not use "and who," "and which," or "and that" in a sentence unless there is a preceding "who," "which," or "that":

The man I met yesterday and who gave me his theater tickets called this morning.
The man who I met yesterday and who gave me his theater tickets called this morning.

Don't follow "come," "go," or "try" with "and." Use the preposition "to" instead:

I'll try and call you next week.
I'll try to call you next week.

Always use "or" after "either":

Either Elaine or Carol will meet you at the airport.

Always use "nor" after "neither":

Neither Elaine nor Carol are ready, so I will pick you up at the airport.

Generally, use "or" after "not." If the items are closely related, substitute "nor" for "or":

This weather is not fit for skating or swimming.
This weather is not fit for man nor beast.
The tornado had not damaged the house or the car.
He could not rely on friend nor relative.

Interjections
Interjections express strong emotions or exclamations:

oh
whew
damn

Nouns
Nouns represent objects, such as people, places, and things. Nouns can also represent ideas, such as hunger, emotions, or laws. Nouns for classes of people, places and things are called common nouns. Nouns that are the specific names of people, places, and things are proper nouns.
Nouns have the quality of number. A noun representing one object (or less than one, in the case of a part) is singular, while a noun representing more than one is plural.
For example, "the tree" refers to a single tree, so "tree" is singular. "The top of the tree" refers to part of a single tree, so "top of the tree" is singular. "The trees" refers to two or more trees, so "trees" is plural.
Nouns also have the quality of ownership. Nouns having this quality are called possessives. For example, the noun "John" is possessive in the sentence, "We wrapped John's shirt."
Plural Nouns
Plural nouns refer to more than one thing.
A noun is plural even if it is only fractionally greater than one:

one-and-a-half pies

The plural of most nouns is formed by adding the suffix "s." Nouns ending in "s," "z," "x," "ch," or "sh" are made plural by adding the suffix "es":

dog dogs
horse horses
thought thoughts
pickle pickles
waltz waltzes
match matches

Make nouns ending in "y" plural by changing the "y" to "ies," unless the "y" was preceded by a vowel, in which case use just the suffix "s":

duty duties
frailty frailties
key keys
quality qualities
play plays

Nouns ending in "o" are often made plural by adding the suffix "es" (there are exceptions, though -- check the dictionary to be sure):

echo echoes
tomato tomatoes
potato potatoes
zero zeroes or zeros
radio radios

Certain nouns are made plural by adding the suffix "en":

ox oxen
brother bretheren
child children

Some nouns are made plural by changing their vowels:

foot feet
goose geese
louse lice
man men
tooth teeth
woman women

The names of hunted animals have the same forms in the singular and plural:

quail
deer
moose
fish
trout
salmon

Nouns of foreign origin have various exceptional plural forms:

antenna antennae
bacterium bacteria
cactus cacti
cello celli
concerto concerti
criterion criteria
curriculum curricula
datum data
focus foci
formula formulae
larva larvae
medium media
memorandum memoranda
phenomenon phenomena
referendum referenda
syllabus syllabi
vertebra vertebrae
virtuoso virtuosi

To make compound nouns plural, make the most significant part plural using the rules listed above (the most significant part is the part described by the rest of the compound):

arm-chairs
foot-stools
attorneys-general
major-generals
brothers-in-law
hangers-on
maids-of-honor

Possessive Nouns
Possessive nouns own or possess. What they possess can be other nouns ("the car's windshield") or qualities ("the mind's eye," "a moment's notice").
The quality of possession is usually assigned to a noun using the apostrophe.
For singular nouns, form the possessive by adding the suffix "'s." This applies whether the singular noun ends in "s" or not:

Jerry's truck
at year's end
Gus's clothing
the business's concerns
the cat's pyjamas

There are some exceptions to this rule:

Achilles' heel
Jesus' word
goodness' sake

The suffix "'s" can be used even if the noun is an inanimate object.

the car's radiator
the house's roof
my computer's keyboard

Some people prefer to denote possession of inanimate objects using "of":

the radiator of the car
the roof of the house
the keyboard of my computer

For plural nouns, form the possessive by adding a single apostrophe as a suffix:

the girls' picnic
secretaries' day
the boys' coats
the people's choice
the men's room

When two or more nouns jointly possess something, apply the possessive form to the last noun only:

John and Mary's house
Barnes and Noble's products
Thomas and Son's Hardware

When two or more nouns individually possess something similar, apply the possessive form to all nouns:

John's and Mary's birth certificates

When a compound noun possesses, place the "'s" at the end:

my mother-in-law's house
the attorney-general's office

Use "of" to denote possession when the name of the possessor is long or awkward.
Awkward:

the First National Bank of New York's assets
Joe's brother's doctor's cousin
the maids-of-honor's dresses
my brothers-in-law's homes

Better:

the assets of the First National Bank of New York
the cousin of the doctor of Joe's brother
the dresses of the maids-of-honor
the homes of my brothers-in-law

Proper Nouns
Proper nouns are the names of specific people, places, and things. Proper nouns are normally capitalized:

John Smith
The United States of America
the Empire State Building
Florida
Hayes Modem 56000

Lets learn some English now..

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Detailed Table of Contents
Sentences
A sentence is a collection of words arranged to make a complete thought. Each sentence has a subject, which the sentence is about, and a predicate, which is an action or state relating to the subject. A sentence must express a complete thought. A sentence must make sense on its own:

When he was in school.
I knew him when he was in school.
Christopher's father.
The man who came to the door was Christopher's father.

Sentences are constructed from clauses. A sentence may have exactly one clause, or it may consist of several.
Sentences may be grouped to form paragraphs.

Clauses
A clause is a major part of a sentence. A clause contains a subject and a predicate. There are two main types of clauses.
Independent clauses are complete thoughts and can stand alone as sentences.
Dependent clauses support independent clauses but cannot stand alone.

Dependent Clauses
A dependent clause cannot stand by itself. Dependent clauses are usually introduced by conjunctions:

Because we were tired, we went to bed early.

-- "Because we were tired" is the dependent clause.

To be complete, a sentence must contain an independent clause; the dependent clause is optional.
A sentence may contain several dependent clauses, usually separated by commas:

Because we were tired, and had nothing to do, we went to bed early.

-- Both "because we were tired" and "and had nothing to do" are dependent clauses.

In sentences containing more than one clause , the subject of each clause should be the same or at least closely related:

I met Sandra at the party and the music was very loud.

This problem can be corrected by rewriting to use two sentences or by rewriting so the same subject is used throughout:

I met Sandra at the party. The music at the party was very loud.

-- Two sentences are preferable since two distinct ideas are being expressed

I met Sandra at the party and I thought the music was very loud.

Independent Clauses
An independent clause can stand alone as a complete sentence:

We went to bed early because we were tired.

-- "We went to bed early" is the independent clause.

I received your letter and opened it immediately.

-- "I received your letter" is the independent clause.

A sentence may contain several independent clauses, joined by commas and conjunctions or semicolons:

We went to bed early, yet we were not tired.
I wanted to mow the lawn, but the lawnmower was broken.
I called her yesterday; she was not at home.

A sentence may contain an independent clause and one or more dependent clauses:

We went to bed early because it was dark.
I received your letter, opened it, but didn't read it.
The wind howled through a mouse-sized hole in the door on the night of the great flood.

Objects
The object is the thing acted on by the subject, the thing on which the subject acts, or the condition of the subject:

John kicked the ball.

-- "Ball" is the object (the subject John acts on the object)

The ball hit John.

-- "Ball" is the object (the object acts on the subject John)

John is happy.

-- "Happy" is the object (the object is the condition of the subject John)

Paragraphs
A paragraph is a collection of sentences, all of which contribute to a single theme. Each paragraph should have one -- and only one -- point to make.
Phrases
A phrase is a collection of words that modifies or connects. A phrase does not contain both a subject and a verb:

by the time
we will have
he had not
Predicates
The predicate expresses action about or the condition of the subject of a sentence or clause. The predicate contains a verb, object, and modifiers such as adjectives and adverbs:

I read the report yesterday.

-- The predicate is "read the report yesterday."

The black bear reared up on its hind paws.

-- The predicate is "reared up on its hind paws."

Because we were tired, we went to bed.

-- The predicate of the independent clause is "went to bed." The predicate of the dependent clause is "were tired."
Subjects
The subject is the person, place, thing, or idea about which a sentence or clause is written:

We went to bed.

-- "We" is the subject.

She wore the dress that she wore last week.

-- "She" is the subject.

I don't like the new policies.

-- "I" is the subject.

The subject of a sentence is contained in the sentence's independent clause.