Verb Rules 2

(continuation of verb rules)

8. Both, several, many and few take plural verbs.
ex. Few are really listening.
9. Every, each, neither, either, anyone, someone, everyone, everybody, and anybody take singular verbs.
ex. Each is entitled to his own opinion.
10. Not all nouns ending in 's' require plural verbs. Some nouns are plural in form but take singular verbs. (ex. mathematics, measles, politics, physics, billiards, mumps, civics, molasses)
ex. Politics is a dangerous game.
11. Some nouns have no singular form like pants, pliers, tweezers, tongs, scissors, etc. They denote pairs and take plural verbs.
ex. Where are my glasses?
12. Collective nouns take singular verbs when the group acts as a unit, but if they are thought of individually, they take plural verbs.
ex. The faculty is taking care of the new activity.
The faculty are going to take their lunch.
13. For Math computations, singular verbs are used.
ex. Seven and eight is fifteen.

(These are but some verb rules. There are others which I did not mention anymore for they might be too complicated or they are already included in the discussion of the tenses. )

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Verb Rules

Below are verb rules we should know:

1. Verbs should agree with the number of the subject.
ex. The three shirts I bought are all pink. (The subject 'three shirts' is plural, so 'are' is the verb used.)
2. Compound subjects that means only one person or thing should take a singular verb.
ex. The CEO and Creative Manager of the company is Miss White. (Miss White has two positions in the company-the CEO and Creative Manager, so the verb 'is' was used.)
3. Compound subjects introduced by each and every are regarded as singular and therefore takes a singular verb.
ex. Every bird, cat and dog is welcome at her place.
4. Subjects joined by 'either...or' and 'neither...nor' follows the number of the subject nearer the verb.
ex. Either the boys or Riza is not telling the truth. (The subject 'Riza' is nearer the verb, so the verb is singular.)
5. The number of a noun in a phrase does not affect the number of the verb. The verb still follows the number of the subject and not the phrase.
ex. One of the girls is crying. (The subject is not the girls but just one of them.)
6. If a singular subject is followed by phrases like 'as well as', 'together with', 'along with, 'with' or 'including', the verb will still be singular.
ex. The mayor as well as his councilors is to be awarded this afternoon. (The subject is the mayor.)
7. 'It' is always followed by 'is'.
ex. It is the Jacintos, not the Dizons who will be there.

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Properties of Verbs

Verbs have 5 properties. They are:

1. Person-states the identity of the subject
1st person-the one speaking (I, we)
2nd person-the one spoken to (you)
3rd person-the one spoken of (they, he, she, it)

2. Number-singular or plural

3. Voice-expresses who did the action and who received it
Active-If the subject performed the action, the sentence is in the active voice.
ex. Julia made the cake. (Julia, the subject, performed the action of making the cake.)
Passive-If the subject received the action, the sentence is in the passive voice.
ex. The cake was made by Julia. (The cake which is the subject receives the action of being made.)
4. Mood-expresses the mood towards the action or state of being
Indicative-when the sentence is presented as a fact
ex. The earth is the third planet from the sun.
Imperative-when the sentence is presented as a command
ex. Go to your room.
Subjunctive-when the sentence is one of doubt or condition
ex. If I were Kurt, I would do that.

5. Tense-denotes the time of the action (Click the tenses below to read more about them.)
Simple Present
Simple Past
Simple Future
Present Perfect
Past Perfect
Future Perfect
Present Continuous/Present Progressive
Past Continuous/Past Progressive
Future Continuous/Future Progressive
Present Perfect Continuous/Present Perfect Progressive
Past Perfect Continuous/Past Perfect Progressive
Future Perfect Continuous/Future Perfect Progressive

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Verbs

What are verbs? They are words that express action or state of being. There are 3 classes of verbs.

1. Transitive-This kind of verb requires an object in order for its meaning to be complete.
ex. Larry killed the snake. (If we will just say, "Larry killed," the meaning would be unclear and incomplete, so we need to add an the object of the verb 'the snake'.
2. Intransitive-This kind of verb does not need an object to complete its meaning.
ex. Mia ran. (As short as it may seem, this sentence is already complete and does not need an object for the verb 'ran'.)
3. Copulative-This kind of verb does not do any action but just expresses a state of being. It links the subject to the predicate.
ex. Therese is a student. ('Is' does not do any action but just links the subject to the predicate.)

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Renovation Ongoing

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Position of Adjectives

Where can we find adjectives in a sentence? Usually, they come before the noun they modify.
ex. She is a pretty and elegant woman.

Sometimes, however, for emphatic purposes, the adjective is placed after the noun.
ex. She is a woman, pretty and elegant.

Adjectives can also be placed after a verb, thereby, connecting the adjective to the subject. In this case, it's called a predicate adjective.
ex. He is a tall.

An adjective can also be put after the direct object of a verb. It might be used to modify the object and at the same time complete the meaning of the verb.
ex. She made her friend sing. (See here, 'she' did not make her friend. 'She' made her sing.)

CLICK HERE TO TRY SOME ADJECTIVE EXERCISES

Adjectives (Rules)

This post is all about adjective rules. They are as follows:

• The article 'a' (if you remember, it's a limiting adjective) is used before words starting with a consonant sound. Remember, it's the sound we're talking about here, not the letter. The word "uniform" for instance starts with the vowel 'u', but it has the consonant sound of 'y' (it's pronounced like 'yuniversity'); hence, we use 'a' before 'uniform', not 'an'. (ex. a uniform)
• The article 'an' (also a limiting adjective) is used before words beginning with a vowel sound (not letter). (ex. an hour, an apple)
• The demonstrative adjective (that, this, those, these) must agree with the noun it modifies. For instance, if the noun is plural, it should also be plural. (ex. These oranges are ripe for the picking.)
• The comparative form of the adjective should be used when only 2 subjects are being compared. (ex. Jessie is taller than Edlyn.)
• The superlative form of the adjective should be used only when there are 3 or more subjects being compared. (ex. Joyce is the most intelligent girl in her class.)
• Usually, when adjectives are of 2 or more than 2 syllables, their comparative forms are made by adding the word 'more' (ex. more beautiful) and for superlative forms, we add the word 'most' (ex. most beautiful).
• There are some adjectives that cannot be compared. They are called absolute adjectives. (ex. dead, round, final, empty)
• Do not use double comparatives. (ex. 'more faster' is WRONG)
• Do not use double superlatives. (ex. 'most tallest' is WRONG)
• Some adjectives have irregular forms when being compared. For these adjectives we do not add 'er' or 'est' nor do we use 'more' and 'most'. (ex. good-better-best)

CLICK HERE TO TRY SOME ADJECTIVE EXERCISES

Adjectives (Degrees of Comparison)

Adjectives have 3 degrees of comparison. They are as follows:

Positive------sweet (Positive degree is used when describing one person/thing only.)
Comparative-sweeter (Comparative degree is used when two things/people are compared.)
Superlative--sweetest (Superlative degree is used when 3 or more things/people are compared.)

As can be seen in the picture, the degrees of comparison maybe in an ascending or descending order.

CLICK HERE TO TRY SOME ADJECTIVE EXERCISES

Adjectives

What words can you think of to describe this photo? As for me, I can think of words such as "serene", "inspiring", and "beautiful". Those describing words are called "ADJECTIVES". Grammatically speaking, adjectives are words that modify nouns or pronouns. Adjectives have 2 major classifications-descriptive and limiting.

Descriptive Adjectives-states the quality or condition of whatever is described
*examples: young, tall, handsome, quiet, soft

There are 2 types of descriptive adjectives:
Proper Adjectives-are those that have been derived from proper nouns, and thus the name proper adjectives (ex. Mexican taco, Giordano shirt) The italized words were derived from proper nouns and they are used to describe the things mentioned.
Common adjectives-don't use words derived from proper nouns (ex. old, sweet, heavy)

Limiting Adjectives-are adjectives that indicate number, quantity or just limits in one way or another. There are many types of limiting adjectives.

Demonstrative-that, this, those, these (ex. That book is mine.)
Numerical-ordinal(first, second, third...) and cardinal(1,2,3...) numbers that are used to modify nouns (ex. The first movie I've ever seen was Terminator.)
Interrogative-what, which (ex. What is your name?)
Identifying-same, similar, such (ex. I have heard of such stories before.)
Article-a, an, the (The apple I bought is on the table.)

CLICK HERE TO TRY SOME ADJECTIVE EXERCISES

Pronoun Rules 3

This is the last installment of my pronoun rules topic. Wheeew!^^ At last we've come to the final set of rules.

• A pronoun used in apposition (Apposition means the other word is just used for additional explanation, but it refers to the same thing/person. For instance, "They, Danny and Leila, are members of the organization." Danny and Leila are the same as the "they" used in the sentence.) should be in the same case as the word/words it's in apposition. Thus, in the sentence, "We, Harry and I will be there in a minute," 'we' refers to 'Harry and I', so they should be using the same case. 'We' is in the nominative case; hence, I used "Harry and I" instead of "Harry and me". ('Me' is in the objective case and therefore will make the sentence grammatically incorrect if I used it there.)
• Don't complicate things by using compound personal pronouns when single personal pronouns would have been enough. For instance, don't turn "Is this for Dianne and me?" into "Is this for Dianne and myself?"
• Don't let interrupters (expressions placed between who and its verbs) affect the case of the pronoun.
• Remember that 'whose' and 'who's' are different. 'Whose' asks who owns something. 'Who's' is the contraction of 'who is'.

Okay, so that's it for now. If there are some pronoun rules I may have forgotten to mention, just let me know. You are very welcome to share your knowledge with us.^^

CLICK HERE TO TRY SOME PRONOUN EXERCISES

Pronoun Rules 2

You probably have already read the first part of the pronoun rules. If not, here's your chance to go over it before you continue reading. Now, below, is the continuation of the pronoun rules.

• If personal pronouns that already end in 's' are in the possessive case, they are spelled without an apostrophe. (ex. yours, theirs, ours)
• Pronouns used after words like am, is, are, was, were in order to complete the verb's meaning or to identify the subject should be in the nominative case. (ex. This is she.) 'She' is used after the word (copulative verb) 'is' and 'she' identifies the subject; thus, the sentence is correct. However, nowadays, although grammatically incorrect, people already use "This is her/him," more often than we hear people say, "This is she/he." It has become so widely used, I think it's become grammatically acceptable.
• The pronoun 'who' should refer only to rational creatures and 'which' should be used for irrational creatures and inanimate objects.
• Each other is used when 2 people are being talked about, but one another should be used if the people involved are 3 or more.

This topic will be continued in the next post. Thanks for reading. I know it might sound difficult, but take it this way. At least it's not only your English skills that get enhanced, but also your analytic skills.^^

CLICK HERE TO TRY SOME PRONOUN EXERCISES

Pronoun Rules

I hope you haven't had enough of pronouns just yet because there are quite a number of rules we have to discuss about it before I proceed to another topic. ^^Okay, so you already know the meaning of pronouns and the types of pronouns, now let's talk about the rules.

Pronoun Rules

• When the pronoun is used as a subject of a verb, it should be in the nominative case. (You would know if it's the subject of a verb when that pronoun is the one doing the action expressed by the verb. For instance, "He likes apples." 'He' is the one doing the action of liking, so 'he' is the subject of the verb 'likes'. 'He' is in the nominative case, that's why the sentence is right. If we used "Him", the sentence would be wrong, because 'him' is in the objective case.
  
• When the pronoun is used as the object of a verb, it should be in the objective case. (How do we know if a pronoun is used as the object of a verb? If the pronoun is being acted upon, meaning the verb expresses an action done to the pronoun, then, it is in the objective case and thus requires an objective pronoun. For instance, in the sentence, "I called her." The one receiving the action of 'calling' is her, not 'I'; hence, 'her' is the object of the verb. The sentence is right because 'her' is in the objective case.
  
• When the pronoun is used as the object of a preposition, it should be in the objective case. (In the sentence, "The food is for him," 'him' is used as the subject of the preposition 'for'; thus, it's just right that the pronoun used is in the objective case. Just imagine if we used 'he' instead of 'him'. It would sound really weird. "The food is for he.")
  
• A pronoun should always agree with its antecedent in person. number and gender. If the noun or pronoun antecedent is singular, first person, female, the pronoun should also be like that.
  
• The pronouns anyone, anybody, everyone, everybody, and each are referred to by singular pronouns. (ex. Everyone is doing his best.)

The subject on pronoun rules is a bit long, so I'll divide it into parts. This is the first part. In the next posts, you'll see the continuation of the rules.

CLICK HERE TO TRY SOME PRONOUN EXERCISES

Types of Pronouns

I wrote about the meaning of pronouns and told you about its seven types. I started by explaining the personal pronouns and its cases, number, gender and person. Now, we're going to go through the other types of pronouns.

Impersonal Pronouns-Contrary to personal pronouns that refer to someone or something, impersonal pronouns stand for nothing definite. For instance, in the sentence-"It is time." What does 'it' signify? Nothing. It just made the sentence complete, that's all there is to it. In this case, the pronoun 'it' is impersonal.

Definite Pronouns-They are pronouns that demonstrate (that's why they are also referred to as demonstrative pronouns). The definite pronouns are this, these, that, and those.

Indefinite Pronouns-These are pronouns that do refer to someone or something but don't express exactly who or what it is. There are about 40 of these pronouns. Some examples are all, some, any, more, most.

Relative Pronouns-They are pronouns that refer to an antecedent and are there to introduce a dependent clause. For instance, when I say, "I talked to the man who smiled at me." 'Who' is the relative pronoun that introduces the dependent clause "who smiled at me" and the antecedent I was referring to was the 'man'. Who, which and that are relative pronouns. Remember though that 'which' refer to irrational creatures and inanimate objects whereas 'who' refers to people. 'That', on the other hand can refer to both.

Reciprocal Pronouns-They are pronouns that express a mutual relationship between or among individuals. 'Each other' and 'One another' are reciprocal pronouns. 'Each other' is used when we're talking only of 2 individuals. 'One another' is used when the antecedent refers to more than 2 individuals.

Interrogative Pronouns-Need I say more? The name says it all.^^ They are pronouns used to ask questions. Who, whose, whom, which, and what are interrogative pronouns. (Why and how aren't included although they're question words because they're not pronouns)

My next post will be about Pronoun Rules.

CLICK HERE TO TRY SOME PRONOUN EXERCISES

Pronouns

What is a pronoun? It's a word used to replace nouns. Why do we have to replace nouns? Just imagine if you were to talk to someone about your friend Eddy. You have a lot to say about Eddy...that Eddy is nice, Eddy is smart, Eddy is like this and like that. Wouldn't it be so tiring and redundant to say his name over and over? That's why we need pronouns. So, instead of always referring to someone or something by his/her or its name, we can use he, she, it, and other pronouns. There are 7 types of pronouns: personal, impersonal, definite, indefinite, relative, reciprocal and interrogative. Let's discuss them one by one starting with Personal Pronouns.

Personal Pronouns -is the type of pronoun we're probably most familiar with because they refer to the speaker, the one addressed and anyone or anything for that matter. Personal pronouns have person, number, gender and case, just like nouns.

Person
1st person-I, we (used when the subject is the speaker)
2nd person-you (when the subject is the one talked to)
3rd person-he, she, it, they (when the subject is spoken of)

Number
Singular-I, you, he, she, it
Plural-we, you, they

Gender
Masculine-he
Feminine-she
Common-I, we, you, they
Neuter-it

Case
Nominative-I, you, she, he, it, we, they
Possessive-my, mine, your, yours, his, hers, its, our, ours, their, theirs
Objective-me, you, him, her, it, us, them

The other types of pronouns will be in the next post.

The English Word With the Most Number of Definitions

Of all the English words, which has the most definitions? Answer: set

I tried to find how many definitions the said word has, and guess how many I found? WhenI looked up the meaning of set on the online dictionary, I found 100 meanings! Do you want to find out what they are? (the word meanings below came from http://dictionary.reference.com/search?q=set)
*According to Oxford dictionary, there are 192 meanings!

SET
verb, set, set·ting, noun, adjective, interjection
–verb (used with object)
1. to put (something or someone) in a particular place: to set a vase on a table.
2. to place in a particular position or posture: Set the baby on his feet.
3. to place in some relation to something or someone: We set a supervisor over the new workers. 4. to put into some condition: to set a house on fire.
5. to put or apply: to set fire to a house.
6. to put in the proper position: to set a chair back on its feet.
7. to put in the proper or desired order or condition for use: to set a trap.
8. to distribute or arrange china, silver, etc., for use on (a table): to set the table for dinner.
9. to place (the hair, esp. when wet) on rollers, in clips, or the like, so that the hair will assume a particular style.
10. to put (a price or value) upon something: He set $7500 as the right amount for the car. The teacher sets a high value on neatness.
11. to fix the value of at a certain amount or rate; value: He set the car at $500. She sets neatness at a high value.
12. to post, station, or appoint for the purpose of performing some duty: to set spies on a person.
13. to determine or fix definitely: to set a time limit.
14. to resolve or decide upon: to set a wedding date.
15. to cause to pass into a given state or condition: to set one's mind at rest; to set a prisoner free.
16. to direct or settle resolutely or wishfully: to set one's mind to a task.
17. to present as a model; place before others as a standard: to set a good example.
18. to establish for others to follow: to set a fast pace.
19. to prescribe or assign, as a task.
20. to adjust (a mechanism) so as to control its performance.
21. to adjust the hands of (a clock or watch) according to a certain standard: I always set my watch by the clock in the library.
22. to adjust (a timer, alarm of a clock, etc.) so as to sound when desired: He set the alarm for seven o'clock.
23. to fix or mount (a gem or the like) in a frame or setting.
24. to ornament or stud with gems or the like: a bracelet set with pearls.
25. to cause to sit; seat: to set a child in a highchair.
26. to put (a hen) on eggs to hatch them.
27. to place (eggs) under a hen or in an incubator for hatching.
28. to place or plant firmly: to set a flagpole in concrete.
29. to put into a fixed, rigid, or settled state, as the face, muscles, etc.
30. to fix at a given point or calibration: to set the dial on an oven; to set a micrometer.
31. to tighten (often fol. by up): to set nuts well up.
32. to cause to take a particular direction: to set one's course to the south.
33. Surgery. to put (a broken or dislocated bone) back in position.
34. (of a hunting dog) to indicate the position of (game) by standing stiffly and pointing with the muzzle.
35. Music.
a.
to fit, as words to music.
b.
to arrange for musical performance.
c.
to arrange (music) for certain voices or instruments.
36. Theater.
a.
to arrange the scenery, properties, lights, etc., on (a stage) for an act or scene.
b.
to prepare (a scene) for dramatic performance.
37. Nautical. to spread and secure (a sail) so as to catch the wind.
38. Printing.
a.
to arrange (type) in the order required for printing.
b.
to put together types corresponding to (copy); compose in type: to set an article.
39. Baking. to put aside (a substance to which yeast has been added) in order that it may rise.
40. to change into curd: to set milk with rennet.
41. to cause (glue, mortar, or the like) to become fixed or hard.
42. to urge, goad, or encourage to attack: to set the hounds on a trespasser.
43. Bridge. to cause (the opposing partnership or their contract) to fall short: We set them two tricks at four spades. Only perfect defense could set four spades.
44. to affix or apply, as by stamping: The king set his seal to the decree.
45. to fix or engage (a fishhook) firmly into the jaws of a fish by pulling hard on the line once the fish has taken the bait.
46. to sharpen or put a keen edge on (a blade, knife, razor, etc.) by honing or grinding.
47. to fix the length, width, and shape of (yarn, fabric, etc.).
48. Carpentry. to sink (a nail head) with a nail set.
49. to bend or form to the proper shape, as a saw tooth or a spring.
50. to bend the teeth of (a saw) outward from the blade alternately on both sides in order to make a cut wider than the blade itself. –verb (used without object)
51. to pass below the horizon; sink: The sun sets early in winter.
52. to decline; wane.
53. to assume a fixed or rigid state, as the countenance or the muscles.
54. (of the hair) to be placed temporarily on rollers, in clips, or the like, in order to assume a particular style: Long hair sets more easily than short hair.
55. to become firm, solid, or permanent, as mortar, glue, cement, or a dye, due to drying or physical or chemical change.
56. to sit on eggs to hatch them, as a hen.
57. to hang or fit, as clothes.
58. to begin to move; start (usually fol. by forth, out, off, etc.).
59. (of a flower's ovary) to develop into a fruit.
60. (of a hunting dog) to indicate the position of game.
61. to have a certain direction or course, as a wind, current, or the like.
62. Nautical. (of a sail) to be spread so as to catch the wind.
63. Printing. (of type) to occupy a certain width: This copy sets to forty picas.
64. Nonstandard. sit: Come in and set a spell. –noun
65. the act or state of setting or the state of being set.
66. a collection of articles designed for use together: a set of china; a chess set.
67. a collection, each member of which is adapted for a special use in a particular operation: a set of golf clubs; a set of carving knives.
68. a number, group, or combination of things of similar nature, design, or function: a set of ideas. 69. a series of volumes by one author, about one subject, etc.
70. a number, company, or group of persons associated by common interests, occupations, conventions, or status: a set of murderous thieves; the smart set.
71. the fit, as of an article of clothing: the set of his coat.
72. fixed direction, bent, or inclination: The set of his mind was obvious.
73. bearing or carriage: the set of one's shoulders.
74. the assumption of a fixed, rigid, or hard state, as by mortar or glue.
75. the arrangement of the hair in a particular style: How much does the beauty parlor charge for a shampoo and set?
76. a plate for holding a tool or die.
77. an apparatus for receiving radio or television programs; receiver.
78. Philately. a group of stamps that form a complete series.
79. Tennis. a unit of a match, consisting of a group of not fewer than six games with a margin of at least two games between the winner and loser: He won the match in straight sets of 6–3, 6–4, 6–4.
80. a construction representing a place or scene in which the action takes place in a stage, motion-picture, or television production.
81. Machinery.
a.
the bending out of the points of alternate teeth of a saw in opposite directions.
b.
a permanent deformation or displacement of an object or part.
c.
a tool for giving a certain form to something, as a saw tooth.
82. a chisel having a wide blade for dividing bricks.
83. Horticulture. a young plant, or a slip, tuber, or the like, suitable for planting.
84. Dance.
a.
the number of couples required to execute a quadrille or the like.
b.
a series of movements or figures that make up a quadrille or the like.
85. Music.
a.
a group of pieces played by a band, as in a night club, and followed by an intermission.
b.
the period during which these pieces are played.
86. Bridge. a failure to take the number of tricks specified by one's contract: Our being vulnerable made the set even more costly.
87. Nautical.
a.
the direction of a wind, current, etc.
b.
the form or arrangement of the sails, spars, etc., of a vessel.
c.
suit (def. 12).
88. Psychology. a temporary state of an organism characterized by a readiness to respond to certain stimuli in a specific way.
89. Mining. a timber frame bracing or supporting the walls or roof of a shaft or stope.
90. Carpentry. nail set.
91. Mathematics. a collection of objects or elements classed together.
92. Printing. the width of a body of type.
93. sett (def. 3). –adjective
94. fixed or prescribed beforehand: a set time; set rules.
95. specified; fixed: The hall holds a set number of people.
96. deliberately composed; customary: set phrases.
97. fixed; rigid: a set smile.
98. resolved or determined; habitually or stubbornly fixed: to be set in one's opinions.
99. completely prepared; ready: Is everyone set? –interjection
100. (in calling the start of a race): Ready! Set! Go!

English Trivia

I was surfing the net when I stumbled upon some trivia about the English language at http://www.corsinet.com/trivia/j-triv.html and I couldn't help but read them. I will share some of them with you right now.

1. What do you call a person/expert who studies caves? Nope, not a cave explorer and certainly not a caveman.^^ That person is called a speleologist. Cool huh?

2. Do you know why we call computer errors and problems 'bugs'? It's because of a computer at Harvard which malfunctioned in 1945. Grace Hopper who investigated the problem found a moth in one of the computer's circuits and removed it. From that day on, whenever computer problems are encountered, it's said to have a 'bug'.

3. Ever wondered where the expression "wear your heart on your sleeve" came from? It can be traced from the Middle Ages when men and women drew names from a bowl to see who their valentines would be. The name they picked would be worn on their sleeves for a week.

10 Tips on How to Speak Effectively in Public

How can we speak effectively in public? This post shows you how.

1. We should look our best. Although people aren’t supposed to ‘judge the book by its cover’, some people unconsciously tend to do that. If we don’t look credible enough, they may not even start listening to what we have to say. I’m not saying we ought to wear gowns or tuxedos, but simply wear clothes fit for the occasion. Our clothes should be neat and free of wrinkles (unless it’s the clothes’ style), not too loud that people would rather stare at it than us. We should be pleasant-looking, and I’m not only referring to our clothes but our faces and gestures as well.

2. We should know how to stress our point. A speech, like a song has a variety of notes, tempo and loudness. A singer who just screeches all the way from the beginning to the end will not be listened to, no matter how talentedly-highpitched she is. Same with delivering a speech. We ought to know when to stay silent, when to pause, when to speak loudly, when to whisper, when to speak fast, when to slow down, etc. or else we would sound monotonous and the main points of our speech would not be understood or remembered well.

3. We should be humble. We should admit it when we make mistakes during our speech and to apologize for that mistake. There are times we may forget a certain term. Instead of pausing for a long time or using a word we’re not sure of, it’s better to ask our listeners. Do not be ashamed to do this. Listeners would appreciate your humility and even relate to you more because they know you are just like them, a human capable of making mistakes and forgetting things, a great or famous person, yet, still human, like them, and this makes the listeners love you more.

4. We should develop a clean sense of humor. Relating to the above mentioned tip on humility, it’s not embarrassing to make mistakes or forget things especially when you have a good sense of humor to save the day. Instead of that instant becoming one of your most embarrassing experiences, it might even become one of your speech’s highlights depending on how you carry yourself. Let me point out though, that it’s a clean sense of humor I’m talking about, because I’ve heard some speeches before that relied on toilet humor and/or ‘for adults only jokes’ (you know what I mean)and the listeners, me included were not amused at all. Some might even be offended and walk out. So, be careful with the jokes, okay?

5. We should talk to the listeners not just with our lips but our eyes too. Even if we have a prepared speech (which speakers usually don’t memorize), we should not glue our eyes on it. It’s probably better if we just write outlines of our speech and not the word per word thing, for we might just be tempted to look at it more. If it’s an outline, we wouldn’t rely on that sheet of paper before us. Instead of looking on the prepared speech sheet, we should be looking at our listeners. Don’t just focus on one though (even if there’s a really gorgeous guy or girl in the audience who caught your attention). Look from left to right or right to left slowly; look at nearly everyone. Look them in the eyes, try to see if they understand your point. Let’s not look at trees or the stage’s ceiling or floor. We are talking to the people, so it’s them we ought to look at. Let’s make sure though that the way we look at them is not in any way offending though. And what we’re saying should be in harmony with how we look at them.

6. We should use our gestures well. If you’re a conductor in an orchestra, I’d understand why you have a lot of hand gestures (just kidding!^^), but if not, minimize it. We don’t want the audience to be distracted with our unnecessary movements while we talk. Our gestures should be governed by what we say and what we want to point out. We should avoid having a memorized gesture like children are taught when reciting a poem in grade school. (we’re not kids anymore, so it’s not cute anymore^^)

7. We should use appropriate language. There’s no need to use terribly deep-no one-else-has-heard-of terms or expressions to impress the listeners. Instead of gaining admirers, we might even lose them. Speak with simplicity and sincerity. Speak your audience’s language, meaning, make your language appropriate for their level of understanding and appreciation.
8. We should connect to our listeners. Let’s not speak as if we’re on a stage in an empty hall. We should talk to them. Some speakers even go to the point of going down the stage and talking to individuals, making the audience feel that they are important and that it’s not a one-way communication speech, but a discussion and that their thoughts matter. We don’t always have to do this. It depends on the occasion, the listeners and the time allotted for our speech. I would just like to point out that speakers who make their audience feel that he is not the center of attention but them (the listeners) win their respect more.

9. We should believe in what we are saying. If we don’t sound convinced by what we say, we can’t expect anyone to believe it. In the first place, there’s no need to be shy when asked to speak in public because the fact that you are asked to speak to the audience already means that you have authority in that area you will be talking about, and that those people already believe in you to begin with. So, let’s prove them right and not waste their trust.
10. We should be able to inspire our listeners to take action. This skill is probably not that easy to develop, but it’s the skill that separates good speakers from great ones. Why? Because even if people enjoyed our speech and listened to it, if whatever action we expect from them afterwards was not realized, then, our talk might have been in vain. It might have been good for the moment, but not one that will be remembered or change lives.

I hope you learned a lot from these tips. I will write more tips and articles to share with you soon. If there are topics regarding English you would like me to discuss, kindly let me know. I’ll see what I can do for you.

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Test Your Vocabulary

I've just added the game 'Match Up' so that you can test your English vocabulary skills. The game is actually harder than I thought, but it is informative. I think writers would be able to make use of the word meanings they would get from this game. Try it. If you really can't guess the synonym or if you would like to know the actual meanings of the words in simple English, you can make use of the dictionary widget below it. Enjoy the game!^^

I'll make it up to you!

It's been quite some time since I last posted on this blog, primarily because I was busy working. Now, however, I have more time to post again, so expect to hear from me again from now on. I would like to apologize to my readers for my long absence. I would also like to thank you all for still dropping by. Let me make it up to you by posting the topics you request. Yes, I'm opening my doors to your suggestions on what topic on English you would want me to discuss. Just email me at da_soriano27@yahoo.com, OR write your comments on any of my posts here, for you to request a topic you'd like to learn or clarify. You can also share your English knowledge (exercises, lessons, trivia, games on English, etc.) here (send me the details and I'll post them for you, together with a link to your blog or site)Thank you.