Category: Class

In standard English, there should only be one negative form in the subject-predicate structure. 

The negative form is created by using negative words such as nobody, no one, nowhere, nothing.
Example:

The negative form may also be created by making the verb negative.
Example:

However, there are cases when we hear double and even triple negatives being used in some regional dialects of English and other languages worldwide. This is mostly used in informal conversation and is not acceptable in formal contexts especially in writing.

Double Negative
This is created by adding a negation to the verb and to words that modify the noun or the object of the verb.
Example:

Double Negation with Adjectives and Adverbs  ( not + negative adjective/adverb )
You can use ‘not’ + a negative adjective or adverb to make your sentence less strong. By using this form, the overall meaning of the sentence becomes positive but it shows that the writer is fully aware of it. This is mainly used in formal writing.
Example:

We use capital letters for the first word of a sentence and for a proper noun.

Rules:

1. Names of countries, cities, streets, planets, religions, companies are all proper nouns so you have to capitalise them. 

2. Do not capitalise seasons.

3. Capitalise words that come from the names of places such as nationalities, languages and adjectives that refer to the people or things from a particular place. Adjectives and nouns that come from the names of religions must be capitalised as well.

4. The most important words in film, music and book titles are capitalised. A person’s job title is also capitalised only when it is used before the name of the person.

Ellipsis in English grammar is when words have been intentionally left out to make the sentences more concise instead of having wordy sentences.

Despite the omission of words, the use of ellipsis should not affect the completeness and correctness of the sentence.

Examples:

Two Types of Ellipsis

1. Situational Ellipsis

This type of ellipsis is mostly used in speaking in informal conversation. 

We exclude grammatical words like articles, pronouns, prepositions, and to shorten responses to questions.

Examples:

2. Textual Ellipsis

This type of ellipsis is used in both speaking and writing. This choice of omission takes place since we can easily understand the context from the surrounding text. It is also more related to specific grammar rules.

a. After “and” and “but”

In coordinated clauses joined together by ‘and‘, ‘but’ and ‘or’, some words in the latter clause are often omitted since they have been brought up in the first clause.

Examples:

b. Adverbial and Relative Clauses

To reduce adverbial clauses, textual ellipsis is also used. This is done by discarding the subject and the auxiliary verb after the conjunctions while, when, after, before.

To reduce relative clauses, sometimes the relative pronoun and auxiliary verb ‘be’ are discarded.

The past continuous describes ongoing events or actions in the past.
Structure:

Functions of the Past Continuous:
To describe the background of a story before telling more about what happened.

To talk about an unfinished action that was stopped by another action or event.

To talk about actions or events that were happening at a certain time.

Difference in meaning:

When my mother left home, I prepared my breakfast. – I started preparing my breakfast after she left.

When my mother left home, I was preparing breakfast. – I started preparing my breakfast before she left home.

Tips:
1. Always remember the form be + ing.

2. Spell correctly.
If a verb ends in e, remove the e then add -ing.
live = She was living in Madrid.

If a verb ends in one vowel and one consonant, double the final consonant then add -ing.
sit = He was sitting down.

Exception: For verbs ending in w and y, do not double the consonant.
draw = He was drawing.
pray = They were praying.