STRUCTURE
AND WRITTEN EXPRESSION
The
second section of the TOEFL test is the
Structure and Written Expression section. This section
consists of forty questions. The time to complete the forty questions in this
section is twenty-five minutes. There
are two types of questions in the Structure and Written Expression section
of the TOEFL test :
Structure
( questions 1 – 15 ) consist of fifteen sentences in which part
of the sentence has been replaced with a blank. Each sentence is followed by
four answer choices. We must choose the answer that completes the sentence in a
grammatically correct way.
Written
Expression ( questions 16 – 40 ) consist of twenty-five sentences in
which four words or groups of words have been underlined. We must choose the
underlined word or group of words that is not correct.
THE
STRUCTURE QUESTIONS
The questions in
this section are multiple-choice questions in which we must choose the letter
of the answer that best completes the sentence.
Example :
..........--is taking a trip to New York.
( A ) They
( B ) When
( C ) The Woman
( D ) Her
STRATEGIES FOR THE STRUCTURE QUESTION
1. First
study the sentence. Our purpose is to determine what is needed to complete
the sentence correctly.
2. Then
study each answer based on how well it completes the sentence. Eliminate
answers that do
not
complete the sentence correctly.
3. Do not
try to eliminate incorrect answers by looking only at the answers. The
incorrect answers
are
generally correct by themselves. The incorrect answer are generally incorrect
only when used to
complete
the sentence.
4. Never
leave any answer blank. Be sure to answer each question even if you are
unsure of the
correct
response.
5. Do not
spend too much time on the Structure questions. Be sure to leave adequate
time for the
Written
Expression questions.
I. SENTENCE WITH ONE CLAUSE
ü Some
sentences in English have just one subject and verb, and it is very important
for us to find the subject and verb in these sentences.
ü We
should be able to do the following in sentences with one subject and verb:
1) be
sure the sentence has a subject and a verb.
2) be
careful of objects of prepositions and appositives when we are looking for the
subject.
3) be
careful of present participles and past participles when we are looking for the
verb.
Skill
1 : Be
Sure The Sentence Has a Subject and a Verb.
Example:
1. _______ was backed up for miles on the
freeway.
( A )
Yesterday
( B ) In
the morning
( C )
Traffic
( D )
Cars
2. The boy ______ going to the movies with a
friend.
( A ) he
is
( B ) he
always was
( C ) is
relaxing
( D )
will be
The
following chart outlines what we should remember about subjects and verbs :
A simple sentence
in English must have at least one subject and one verb
|
Exercise
1 :
Indicate if the
sentences are correct ( C ) or incorrect ( I ) !
1. Last week went fishing for trout at the
nearby mountain lake.(C/I)
2. A schedule of the day’s events can be
obtained at the front desk. ( C/ I )
3. A job on the day shift or the night shift
at the plant available.( C/ I )
Skill
2 :
Be Careful of Objects of Prepositions.
An object
of a preposition is a noun, pronoun, gerund or noun clause that comes after a
preposition, such as in, at, of, to,
behind, by, on, and so on, to form a prepositional phrase.
Example 1: (After his exams) Tom will take a
trip (by boat)
Example 2: With his friend _______ found the movie
theatre.
(
A ) has
(
B ) he
(
C ) later
(
D ) when
The following chart
outlines the key information that we should remember about object of
preposition :
A preposition is
followed by a noun, pronoun, gerund, or noun clause that is called an object
of the preposition.If a word is an object of a preposition, it is not the
subject.
|
Exercise
2 :
Indicate if the
sentences are correct ( C ) or incorrect ( I ) !
1.
The interviews by radio broadcasters were
carried live by the station.(C/I )
2.
In the last possible moment before take off took his seat in the
airplane (C /I)
3.
At the neighbourhood flower shop, flowers
in quantities of a dozen or a half dozen can be delivered for free.(C/I)
Skill
3: Be Careful of Appositives
Example:
 |
Sally, the best student in the
class, got an A on the exam.
Example:
1. _______ , George, is attending the
lecture.
( A )
Right now
( B )
Happily
( C )
Because of the time
( D ) My
friend
2. ______ , Sarah rarely misses her
basketball shots.
( A ) An
excellent basketball player.
( B ) An
excellent basketball player is.
( C )
Sarah is an excellent basketball player.
( D ) Her
excellent basketball play.
The following chart
outlines the key information that we should remember about appositives :
An appositive is a noun that comes
before or after another noun and is generally set off from the noun with
commas. If a word is an appositive, it is not the subject. The following
appositive structures are both possible in English.
|
S APP
V
Tom,
a really good mechanic, is fixing
the car.
|
APP S V
A really good mechanic, Tom is fixing
the car.
|
Exercise
3 :
Indicate if the
sentences are correct ( C ) or incorrect ( I ) !
1. The son of
the previous owner, the new owner is undertaking some fairly broad changes in
management policy. ( C / I )
2. Last
semester, a friend, graduated cum laude
from the university.( C / I )
3. Valentine’s
Day, February 14,is a special holiday for sweethearts.( C / I )
Skill
4: Be Careful of Present Participles.
Example:
The child
_______ playing in the yard is my son.
( A ) now
( B ) is
( C ) he
( D ) was
A
present participle is the –ing form of the verb. ( talking,
playing ).
The present
participle can be:
1. part of the verb
2. an adjective
It is part of the verb when it is accompanied by some form of the verb be. It is an adjective
when it is not accompanied by some
form of the verb be.
|
1. The
boy is standing in the corner.
2. The
boy standing in the corner was naughty.
|
Exercise
4 :
Indicate if the
sentences are correct ( C ) or incorrect ( I ) !
1. The
companies offering the lowest prices will have the most customers. ( C / I )
2. Those
travellers are completing their trip on Delta should report to Gate Three. (C /
I )
3. The
artisans were demonstrating various handicrafts at booths throughout the fair.(
C / I )
Skill
5: Be careful of Past Participle.
Example:
The
packages _______ mailed at the post office will arrive Monday.
( A )
have
( B )
were
( C )
them
( D )
just
The following chart
outlines what we should remember about past participles :
A
past participle often end in –ed, but there are also many
irregular past participles. For many verbs, including –ed verbs, the simple
past and the past participle are the same and can be easily confused. The –ed
form of the verb can be:
1. The simple past :
She painted this picture.
2. The past participle of a verb:
She has painted this picture.
3. An adjective:
The picture painted by Karen is now in a museum.
|
Exercise
5 :
Indicate if the
sentences are correct ( C ) or incorrect ( I ) !
1. The money was offered by the client was not
accepted. ( C / I )
2.
The car listed in the advertisement had
already stalled. ( C / I )
3.
The chapters were taught by the professor
this morning will be on next week’s exam.( C / I )
TOEFL
Review Exercise
Choose the letter of
the word or group of words that best complete the sentence!
1. The North
Plate River ….. from Wyoming into Nebbraska.
(A) it flowed
(B) flows
(C) flowing
(D) with
flowing water
2. ..........
Biloxi received its name from a Sioux word meaning “first people”.
(A) The city
of
(B) Located in
(C) It is in
(D) The tour
included
3. A pride of
lions .......... up to forty lions, including one to three males, female, and
cubs.
( A ) can
contain
( B ) it contains
( C ) contain
( D )
containing
II. Sentences
with Multiple Clauses
Skill
6: Use Coordinate Connectors Correctly
R Many
sentences in English have more than one clause.
R Clause
is a group of words containing a subject and a verb.
R When
we have two clauses in an English sentence, we must connect the two clauses
correctly. One way to connect two clauses is to use and, but, or, so, yet between the
clauses.
Example:
Tom
is singing and Paul is dancing.
Tom
is tall,
but
Paul is short.
Tom
must write
the letter, or Paul will do it.
Tom
told
a joke, so Paul laughed.
Tom
is
tired, yet he is not going to sleep.
Example:
A power
failure occurred, ______ the lamps went out.
(A)
then
(B) so
(C) later
(D)
next
The following chart
lists the coordinate connectors and the sentence pattern used with them :
Coordinate Connectors: and, but, or, so,
yet
|
S V Coordinate connector S V
She laughed, but she wanted to cry
|
Exercise
6 :
Indicate if the
sentences are correct ( C ) or incorrect ( I ) !
1. The software should be used on a laptop
computer, and this computer is not a laptop. ( C / I )
2. The rain clouds can be seen in the distance,
but no has fallen. ( C / I )
3. They are trying to sell their house, it has
been on the market for two months. (C/I)
Skill
7 : Use Adverb Time and Cause
Connectors Correctly
Sentences with
adverb clauses have two basic patterns in English.
Example: I will sign the check before
you leave.
Before you
leave, I will sign the check.
Example:
_______
was late, I missed the appointment.
(A) I
(B) Because
(C) The train
(D) Since
he
The following chart
list adverb time and cause connectors and the sentence patterns used with them
:
Adverb Time and Cause Connectors
|
|||||
Time
|
Cause
|
||||
after
as
as
long as
|
as
soon as
before
by
the time
|
once
since
until
|
When
whenever
while
|
As
because
in
as much as
|
now
that
since
|
S V adverb connector
S V
Teresa went
inside because it was
raining
|
|||||
adverb
connector S V S V
Because it
was raining, Teresa went inside
|
|||||
Exercise
7 :
Indicate if the
sentences are correct ( C ) or incorrect ( I ) !
1. Since
the bank closes in less than an hour, the deposits need to be tallied
immediately. ( C / I )
2. Their
backgrounds are thoroughly investigated before are admitted to the
organization. ( C / I )
3.
The citizens are becoming more and more
incensed about traffic accidents whenever the accidents occur at that
intersection. ( C / I )
Skill
8: Use Other Adverb Connectors
Correctly
Adverb
clauses not only can express the ideas of time
and cause, but also can express contrast, condition, manner, and place.
Example:
Ø I
will leave
at 7:00 if I am ready.
Ø Although
I was late, I managed to
catch the train.
Example:
You will
get a good grade on the exam provided _____.
(A) studying (C)
to study
(B) study (D) you study
The
following chart lists the adverb contrast, condition, manner, and place
connectors and the sentence patterns used with them :
Other Adverb Connectors
|
|||
Condition
|
Contrast
|
Manner
|
Place
|
If
in
case
provided
providing
unless
whether
|
Although
even
though
though
while
whereas
otherwise
|
as
in
that
|
where
wherever
|
S V adverb
connector S
V
Bob
went to school even though he felt
sick.
|
|||
adverb
connector S V,
S V
Even though Bob felt
sick, he went to school.
|
|||
Exercise
8 :
Indicate if the
sentences are correct ( C ) or incorrect ( I ) !
1.
It is impossible to enter that program
if you lack experience as a teacher. (C / I)
2.
Commandant left strict orders about the
passes, several soldiers left the post anyway. ( C / I )
3.
No one is admitted to the academy
unless he or she fulfil the education requirement. ( C / I )
TOEFL
Review Exercise :
Choose the letter of
the word or group of words that best complete the sentence!
1.
The president of the United States
appoints the cabinet members, …………. appointments are subject to Senate approval.
(
A ) their
(
B ) with their
(
C ) because their
(
D ) but their
2. The prisoners were prevented from
speaking to reporters because ………..
(
A ) not wanting the story in the papers
(
B ) the story in the papers the superintendent did not want
(
C ) the public to hear the story
(
D ) the superintendent did not want the story in the papers.
3.
Like Thomas Berger’s fictional
character Little Big Man, Lauderdale managed to find himself where ..........
of important event took place.
(
A ) it was an extraordinary number
(
B ) there was an extraordinary number
(
C ) an extraordinary number
(
D ) an extraordinary number existed
III. More Sentences with Multiple Clauses
Skill
9: Use Noun Clause Connectors Correctly
Ø A
noun clause is a clause that functions as a noun.
Ø Because
the noun clause is a noun, it is used in a sentence as either an object of a verb, an object of a preposition, or the subject of the sentence.
Example:
 |
I know when he
will arrive ( Noun Clause as
object of verb )
 |
I am concerned about when he
will arrive ( NC as object of
prep.)
When he will
arrive is not important.( Noun Clause as subject )
Example:
______ was
late caused many problems
(A) That he
(B) The driver
(C) There
(D) Because
The following chart
lists the noun connectors and the sentence patterns used with them:
Noun Clause Connectors
|
 Examples |
Ø what,
when, where, why, how
Ø whatever,
whenever
Ø whether,
if
Ø that
|
S V Noun
connector S V
I
know what you
did
|
 Noun
connector S V
V
What you
did was wrong
|
|
Noun
clause connectors were used to introduce noun subject clause or noun object
clauses
|
|
Exercise
9 :
Indicate if the
sentences are correct ( C ) or incorrect ( I ) !
1.
When the season starts is determined by
the weather. ( C / I )
2.
The manual tells how the device should
be built. ( C / I )
3.
The schedule indicated if the teams would
be playing in the final game. (C/I)
Skill
10 : Use Noun Clause Connector / Subjects Correctly
In some
cases a noun clause connector is not just a connector; a noun clause connector
can also be the subject of the clause at the same time.
Example:
v 
I do not know what is in the box. à NC as object of verb
I do not know what is in the box. à NC as object of verb |
v
We are
concerned about who will do the
work à NC as object of preposition
v 
Whoever is coming to the party must bring a gift à NC as subject
Whoever is coming to the party must bring a gift à NC as subject
Example:
______
was on television made me angry.
(A) It
(B) The story
(C) What
(D) When
The following chart
lists the noun clause connector / subjects and the sentence patterns used with
them :
Noun
clause connector/subject : who what which
whoever whatever whichever
|
  S
V Noun
connector/subject V
I know what happened
|
 
Noun connector/subject
V V
What happened was
great
|
Exercise
10 :
Indicate if the
sentences are correct ( C ) or incorrect ( I ) !
1.
The game show contestant was able to
respond to whatever was asked.(C/I)
2. You should find out which the best physics
department. ( C / I )
3.
The employee was unhappy about what was
added to his job description.( C / I )
Skill
11 : Use Adjective Clause Connectors Correctly
v An
adjective clause is a clause that describe a noun.
v Because
the clause is an adjective, it is positioned directly after the noun that it
describes.
Example:
ü The
woman is filling the glass that she put on the table.
ü 
The glass that she put on the table contains milk.
The glass that she put on the table contains milk. |
Example:
The gift
______ selected for the bride was rather expensive.
(A) because
(B) was
(C) since
(D) which we
The following chart
lists the adjective clause connectors and the sentence patterns used with them
:
Adjective Clause Connectors
|
||
Whom
for people
|
Which
for things
|
that
for people or
things
|
  S
V adjective connector S
V
I like the book which you
recommended
|
||
  S adjective
connectors S
V V
The book which you recommended was interesting
|
||
Exercise
11 :
Indicate if the
sentences are correct ( C ) or incorrect ( I ) !
1.
It is important to fill out the form in
the way that you have been instructed. ( C / I )
2.
The car which I have been driving for
five years for sale at a really good price .( C / I )
3.
I just finished reading the novel whom
the professor suggested for my book report.
(C/ I )
Skill
12 : Use Adjective Clause Connector / Subjects Correctly
*In some cases an
adjective clause connector is not just a connector
*An adjective clause
connector can also be the subject of the clause at the same time.
Example:
ü The
woman is filling the glass that is
on the table.
ü 
The glass that is on the table contains milk.
The glass that is on the table contains milk.
Example:
______ is
on the table has four sections.
(A) The notebook
(B) The notebook which
(C) Because the notebook
(D) In the notebook
The following chart
lists the adjective clause connector / subjects and the sentence patterns used
with them :
Adjective Clause Connector / Subjects
|
||
Who
(for people)
|
Which
(for things)
|
That
(for people or
things)
|
 
S V adjective
connector/subject V
She needs a secretary who types fast
|
||
 
S adjective
connector/subject V
V
A secretary
who
types fast
is invaluable
|
||
Exercise
12 :
Indicate if the
sentences are correct ( C ) or incorrect ( I ) !
1. The ice cream that is served in the
restaurant has a smooth, creamy texture. ( C / I )
2.
The cars are trying to enter the
freeway system are lined up for blocks.(C/I)
3.
I have great respect for everyone who on the Dean’s List. ( C / I )
TOEFL
Review Exercise :
Choose the letter of
the word or group of words that best complete the sentence!
1. Dolphins
form extremely complicated allegiances and ………. continually change.
( A )
enmities that
( B
) that are enmities
( C )
enmities that are
( D )
that enmities
2. Scientist
are now beginning to conduct experiments on ……… trigger different sorts of
health risks.
( A
) noise pollution can
( B
) that noise pollution
( C
) how noise pollution
( D
) how noise pollution can
3. The
Apollo 11 astronauts ………….. of the
Earth’s inhabitants witnessed on the famous first moonwalk on July
20, 1969, were Neil Armstrong and Buzz
Aldrin.
(
A ) whom
(
B ) whom millions
(
C ) were some
(
D ) whom some were
IV.
Sentences with Reduced Clause
It is possible in
English for a clause to appear in a complete form or in a reduced form.
v My
friend should be on the train which is
arriving at the station now (adjective clauses)
v Although
it was not really difficult,
the exam took a lot of time (adverb clauses)
Skill
13 : Use Reduced Adjective Clauses Correctly
Adjective
clause can appear in a reduced form. In
the reduced form, the adjective clause connector and the be-verb that
directly follow it are omitted.
Example: 1
The woman
who
is waving to us is the tour guide.
The
letter which was written last week
arrived today.
The
pitcher that is on the table
is full of iced tea.
If there is no be-verb
in the adjective clause, it is still possible to have a reduced form.
Example:
appearing
I don’t understand
the article which appears in
today’s paper.
It should be noted
that not all adjective clauses can appear in reduced form. An adjective clause
can only be reduced if the connector is also a subject.
Example:
v The
woman that I just met is the tour guide (do not reduce).
v The
letter which you sent me arrived yesterday (do not reduce).
Some adjective
clauses are set off from the rest of the sentence with commas, and these
adjective clauses can also be reduced.
Example:
v The
president, who is now preparing to give a speech, is meeting with his
advisors.
v The
president, now preparing to give a speech, is meeting with his advisors.
v Now
preparing to give a speech, the president is meeting with his
advisors.
Example:
______ on
several different television programs, the witness gave conflicting accounts of
what had happened.
(A) He
appeared
(B) Who appeared
(C) Appearing
(D) Appears
Reduced Adjective Clauses:
ü To reduced an
adjective clause, omit the adjective clause connector / subject and the be-verb.
ü If there is no be-verb,
omit the connector/subject and change the main verb to the-ing form.
ü Only reduce an
adjective clause if the connector/subject is directly followed by the verb.
ü If an adjective
clause is set off with commas, the reduced clause can be moved to the front
of the sentence.
|
Exercise
13 :
Indicate if the
sentences are correct ( C ) or incorrect ( I ) !
1. We will have to return the merchandise
purchased yesterday at that Broadway. ( C / I )
2. The children sat in the fancy restaurant found
it difficult to behave. (C/I )
3. Serving a term of four years, the mayor of the
town will face reelection next year. ( C / I )
Skill
14: Use Reduced Adverb Clause
Correctly
In reduced form, the
adverb connector remains, but the
subject and be-verb are omitted.
Example:
·
Although
he is rather unwell, the speaker will take part in the seminar.
·
When
you are ready, you can begin your speech.
If there is no be-verb
in the adverb clause, the subject is omitted and the main verb is changed into
the –ing form.
Example:
feeling
ü Although he feels
rather sick, the speaker will take part in the seminar.
giving
ü When you give
your speech, you should speak loudly and distinctly .
Example:
When
______ , you are free to leave
(A) the
finished report
(B) finished with the report
(C) the report
(D) is
the report finished
It should be noted
that not all adverb clauses can appear in a reduced form, and a number of
adverb clauses can only be reduced if the verb is in the passive form.
Example:
v Once you submit your
thesis,
you will graduate (active-does not reduce)
v Once it is
submitted,
your thesis will be received (passive –
does reduce)
The following chart
lists the structures for reduced adverb, clauses and which adverb clause
connector can be used in a reduced form :
Reduced Adverb Clauses
|
|||||
Time
|
condition
|
contrast
|
place
|
manner
|
|
reduces in Active
|
after
before
since
while
|
if
unless
whether
|
although
though
|
||
reduces in Passive
|
Once
until
when
whenever
|
if
unless
whether
|
although
though
|
where
wherever
|
as
|
ü To
reduce an adverb clause, omit the
subject and the be-verb from the adverb clause
ü If
there is no be-verb, then omit
the subject and change the verb to the –ing form
|
|||||
Exercise
14 :
Indicate if the
sentences are correct ( C ) or incorrect ( I ) !
1.
If not completely satisfied, you can
return the product to the manufacture. ( C / I )
2.
Steve has had to learn how to cook and
clean since left home.( C/I)
3.
The
ointment can be applied where needed. ( C / I )
TOEFL
Review Exercise :
Choose the letter of
the word or group of words that best complete the sentence!
1.
When .......... nests during spring
nesting season, Canadian geese are fiercely territorial.
(
A ) building ( C ) built
(
B ) are building ( D ) are built
2. In 1870, Calvin, along with Adirondack
hunter Alvah Dunning, made the first
known ascent of Seward Mountain, .......... far from roads or trails.
(
A ) a remote peak
(
B ) it is a remote peak
(
C ) which a remote peak
( D )
which it is a remote peak
3.
Kokanee salmon begin to deteriorate and
die soon .......... at the age of four.
(
A ) they spawn
(
B ) after spawning
(
C ) spawn
(
D ) spawned the salmon
V. Sentences with Inverted Subjects and
Verbs
§ Subject
and verbs are inverted in a variety of situation in English.
§ Inverted
subjects and verbs occur most often in the formation of a question.
§ To
form a question with a helping verb (be,
have, can, could, will, would, etc), the subject and helping verb are
inverted.
Example : J He can go to the movies.
J Can
he go to the movies ?
J She
was sick yesterday.
J Was
she sick yesterday ?
J You
told me the truth.
J Did
you tell me the truth ?
The most common
problems with inverted subjects and verbs on the TOEFL test occur in the
following situations :
1) with
question words such as what, when, where, why, and how
2) after
some place expressions
3) after
negative expression
4) in
some conditionals
5) after
some comparisons
Skill
15 : Invert The Subject and Verb with Question Words
R There
is some confusion about when to invert the subject and verb after question
words such as what, when, where, why, and how
R The
question words can have two very different functions in a sentence.
1. They
can introduce a question, and in this case the subject and verb that follow are
inverted
Example : * What is the homework ?
* When can I leave ?
* Where are you going
?
2. They
can join together two classes, and in this case the subject and verb that
follow are not inverted.
Example :
* I
do not know what the homework is
* When I can
leave, I will take the first train
* Do you know where you
are going ?
° In
each of these examples there are two
clauses joined by a question word.
° Notice
that the subjects and verbs that follow the question words what, when, and where are not inverted in this case.
Example
in the structure section of the TOEFL
test
The
lawyer asked the client why …………it
(A) did
he do
(B) did
he
(C) he
did
(D) did
The following
chart lists the question words and their
sentence patterns:
Inverted
Subjects and Verbs with Question Words
|
||||
who what when where why how
|
||||
When the question
word introduces a question, the subject and verb are inverted
V S ?
What are they
?
|
||||
When the question
word connects two clauses, the subject and verb that follow inverted
S V S V
I know
what they are
|
Exercise
15 :
Indicate if the
sentences are correct ( C ) or incorrect ( I ) !
1.
The phone company is not certain when
will the new directories be ready. ( C / I )
2.
The professor does not understand
why so many students did poorly on the
exam. ( C / I )
3.
How new students can get information
about parking ? ( C / I )
Skill
16 : Invert The Subject and Verb
with Place Expressions
R After
ideas expressing place, the subject and the verb sometimes invert in English.
R This
can happen with single words expressing place, such as here, there, or nowhere
Examples
:
° Here is the book
that you lent me.
° There are the keys that I though I lost
° Nowhere have I seen such beautiful weather.
R The
subject and verb can also be inverted after prepositional phrases expressing
place.
Examples
:
§ In
the closet are the clothes that you want.
§ Around
the corner is Sam’s house.
§ Beyond
the mountains lies the town where you will live.
R It
is important to understand that the
subject and verb will invert after place expressions at the beginning of a
sentence only when the place expression is necessary to complete the sentence.
Example :
Ø In
the forest are many exotic
birds
(
the subject birds and verb are inverted because the place
expression in the forest is needed
to complete the idea many
exotic birds are…… )
Ø In
the forest I walked
for many hours
( the
subject I and the verb
walked are not inverted
because the idea I walked for many hours is
complete without the place expression in
the forest; the place expression is therefore not needed to complete
the sentence )
Example in the structure section of the TOEFL test :
On the
second level of the parking lot ………..
( A ) is
empty
( B ) are
empty
( C ) some
empty stalls are
( D ) are
some empty stalls
The following chart lists the sentence
patterns used with place expressions :
Inverted Subjects and Verbs with Place
Expressions
|
||||
When a place
expression at the front of the sentence is necessary to complete the
sentence, the subject and verb that follow are inverted
V S
In the classroom were some old desks
|
||||
When a place expression at the front of the sentence
contains extra information that is not needed to complete
the sentence, the subject and verb that follow are not inverted.
S V
In the classroom I studied very hard
|
Exercise
16 :
Indicate if the
sentences are correct ( C ) or incorrect ( I ) !
1. In front of the
house were some giant trees. ( C / I )
2. There a big
house is on the corner. ( C / I )
3. In the cave was a
vast treasure of gems and jewels. ( C / I )
Skill 17: Invert
The Subject and Verb with Negatives
R The
subject and verb can also be inverted
after certain negatives and related expressions.
R When
negative expressions, such as no, not, or never, come at the beginning
of a sentence, the subject and
verb are inverted.
Example :
v Not
once did I miss
a question.
v Never has Mr.Jones
taken a vacation.
v At
no time can the woman talk on the telephone.
° Certain
word in English, such as hardly, barely, scarcely, and only, act like
negatives.
If one of
these words comes at the beginning of a
sentence, the subject and verb are also inverted.
Examples
:
Ø Hardly
ever does
he take time off.
Ø (This
means that he almost never takes time
off. )
Ø Only
once did
the manager issue overtime paychecks.
Ø (This
means that the manager almost never issued overtime paychecks. )
R When
a negative expression appears in front of a subject and verb in the middle of a
sentence, the subject and verb are also inverted. This happens often with the
negative words neither and nor.
Examples
:
§ I
do not want to go, and neither does
Tom.
§ The
secretary is not attending the meeting, nor is
her boss.
Example of the structure section of the TOEFL test :
Only
in extremely dangerous situations….. stopped.
(A) will be the printing presses
(B) the
printing presses will be
(C) that
the printing presses will be
(D) will
the printing presses be
The following chart
list the negative expressions and the sentence pattern used with them:
Inverted
Subjects and Verbs with Negatives
|
||||
no not never neither nor
barely hardly only rarely scarcely seldom
|
||||
When a negative
expression appears in
front of a subject and verb (at the beginning of a sentence or in the middle of a
sentence ) the subject and verb are inverted
V S
Rarely were they so happy
|
Exercise
17 :
Indicate if the
sentences are correct ( C ) or incorrect ( I ) !
1. Never the boy
wrote to his sisters. ( C / I )
2. On no occasion
did they say that to me. ( C / I )
3. Steve did not win
the prize, nor did he expect to do so.( C / I )
Skill
18 : Invert The Subject and Verb
with Conditionals
R In
certain conditional structure, the subject and verb may also be inverted
R This
can occur when the helping verb in the conditional clause is had, should, or were, and the conditional connector if
is omitted.
Examples :
ü if he had
taken more time, the results would
have been better .
Had he taken more
time, the results would have been better.
ü I would
help you if I were
in a position to help.
I
would help you were I in a position to help.
ü If you should arrive before 6:00, just give me a call.
Should you arrive before
6:00, just give me a call.
Example
in the structure section of the TOEFL test :
The report would have been accepted …….in checking its
accuracy.
a. if more care
b. more
care had been taken
c. had
taken more care
d. had
more care been taken
R The
following chart lists the conditional verbs that may invert and the sentence
patterns used with them :
Inverted
Subjects and Verbs with Conditionals
|
had should were
|
When the verb in the conditional clause is had,
should, or were, it is possible to omit if and invert the subject and
verb
( omitted if ) V S
Were he here, he would help
|
It is also
possible to keep if. Then the
subject and verb are not, inverted
If S V
If he were here, he would help
|
Exercise
18 :
Indicate if the
sentences are correct ( C ) or incorrect ( I ) !
1.
Were our neighbours a bit more
friendly, it would somewhat easier to get to know them. ( C / I )
2.
There are plenty of blankets in the
closet if should you get cold during the
night. ( C / I )
3.
Has he enough vacation days left this
year, he will take two full weeks off in December. ( C / I )
Skill 19 : Invert
The Subject and Verb with Comparisons
R An
inverted subject and verb may also occur after a comparison.
R There
have been a number of inverted comparisons on TOEFL test, so we should be
familiar with this structure.
Example :
° My sister
spends more hours in the office than
John.
° My sister
spends more hours in the
office than John does.
° My sister
spends more hours in the office than
does John..
Example in the
structure section of the TOEFL test:
The results
of the current experiment appear to be more consistent than……the results of any
previous tests.
(A) them
(B) were
(C) they
were
(D) were
they
The following chart lists the sentence
patterns used with comparisons :
Inverted
Subjects and Verbs with Comparisons
|
||
The subject and
verb may invert after a comparison.
The following
structures are both possible.
|
||
S V n S V
We were more
prepared than the
other performers were
|
||
S V V S
We were more prepared than were
the other performers
|
||
Note : A subject – verb inversion after a
comparison sounds rather formal
|
Exercise
19 :
Indicate if the
sentences are correct ( C ) or incorrect ( I ) !
1.
This candidate has received more votes
than has any other candidate in previous years. ( C / I )
2.
Obviously we were much more impressed
with the performance than did other members of the audience. ( C / I )
3.
The film that we saw last night at the
festival was far better than any of the other films. ( C / I )
TOEFL
Review Exercise :
Choose the letter of
the word or group of words that best complete the sentence!
1. Rarely ..........
located near city lights or at lower elevations.
( A ) observatories are
( B ) are
( C ) in the observatories
( D ) are observatories
2. There are
geographic, economic, and cultural reasons why ......... around the world.
( A ) diets differ
( B ) do diets differ
( C ) are diets different
( D ) to differ a diet
3. Were______
millions of dollars each year replenishing eroding beaches, the
coastline would be changing even more
rapidly.
( A ) the
US Army Corps of Engineers not spending
( B ) the
US Army Corps of Engineers not spend
( C ) the
US Army Corps of Engineers does not spend
( D ) not
spending the US Army Corps of Engineers
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