English composition lecture by Sir Mazhar Elahi.

Lecture theme: identify your weak points and work on them. Don’t let subconscious mind interfere,
stay present minded. Read carefully, sense the friction, dissect then do.

Sentence correction (Errors identify)

1- In the accident one of my arms was broke and my legs bruised.

2- I cannot by no means allow you to do so.
3- My father said he never remembered having read a more enjoyable book.
4- You’ve been working very hard for the last two years isn’t it?
5- He not only come there for swimming but also for coaching new swimmers.
6- I who have no choice to meet him would rather go with you instead of sitting at home.
7- Going up the hill, an old temple was seen.
8- They only work when they have no money.

(10 minutes exercise.)

Imp. Techniques can help (50%) if average student, good student (100%)

(iii)(Tenses, voices, narration, punctuation, modal verbs, parts of speech)+ (I) reading skills improve&
must work practically on these grammar parts/Parts of grammar.

1- (ii)Reading the sentence to have a comprehensive understanding.

 Reading with sensibility (sense will guide about errors in structure)
2- Sense the friction, (Logical sense seems disturbed)
3- Spotting the error (location ) and its nature
4- Fixing the error.

6 types of questions (6 logical errors)

1-Subject verb agreement - linked with sentence structure i.e. parts of grammar.

2-Modifiers -linked with vocabulary (lexical understanding)

3-parallelism

4- Pronoun Reference Error- which pronoun linking to which subject

5-Diction –Vocabulary

6-Redundancy

 I-Subject-Verb Agreement

4sentence structure;

_Simple
English composition lecture by Sir Mazhar Elahi.

_Compound

_Complex

_Compound complex

7patterns

Subject (Doer of action i.e. human, animal, org. Entity. Anything doing action& he, she, it, I, we, they)
+verb/helping verb (If subject Plural/giving plural sense, plural verb will be used) +object

I.e.

_He play(s) cricket present indefinite

_He has played cricket present perfect

_You have played cricket.

_You play cricket.

_He has been given a chance (Passive)

_The resolution about this law has been passed unanimously.

Solution:

The resolution about this law (object& it is phrase itself can play subject as well) has been passed
unanimously. (No subject in this sentence)

Definition: In any sentence, verb must agree with the subject in person as well as in number.

I.e. i_Not only the principle but also the teachers(is/are) playing .

Solution:

not only(phrase) the principle but also (Phrase h_ after it subject py focus hota h) the teachers (is/are)
playing. (Phrase combination inition – check (I)phrase sense &sentence sense)

ii- The Principal, as well as the teachers,(is/are) playing.

Solution;

The principal, (commas helped understand subject is principle) as well as the teachers,(non-essential
information is given in commas) (is/are) playing.

NSR (Nearest subject rule), FSR; Farthest subject Rule (Techniques of subject-verb agreement)

_Identify which subject is the main subject and then analyze whether it is singular or plural and then
accordingly apply any one of these ;NSR/FSR.

ii- Modifier (To modify/to shape)

English composition lecture by Sir Mazhar Elahi.

I.e. He walks (These words doesn’t make sense)

He walks briskly (swiftly) _now picture in mind is clear.

_Verb means (action /doing word). Briskly cleared the verb (walks)

3 modifiers;

i_Adverb (Something that adds to the verb & tells us about the nature/type of the action

ii_Adjective (Any good/bad i.e. something about the noun or pronoun) tall boy, clever boy etc.

I.e.

Chic and smart, the travel agency could not help admiring the model’s clothes.

The travel could not help admiring the model’s chic and smart clothes.

iii_Participles (modify the noun)

I.e. walking down the road, my hat flew off.

(Add while then write)

While (participle) Walking down the road, my (possessive pronoun) hat flew off.

iii- Parallelism

If a sentence expresses many ideas that are similar to each other (by nature, by type), they should be in
same grammatical form/construction.

I.e.

You’ve been working very hard for the last two years, isn’t it?

You’ve been (construction/structure) working very hard for the last two years. Haven’t you been?

I.e.

He desired (nature)(main verb), to make (verb) a lot of money(1 idea)a that he might earn a good
reputation(2idea).

He desired to make a lot of money and to earn a good reputation

 Jb aik verb laga hua ho or Dosri form lgani ho Tu;

‘To’ laga k verb ki first form lgaty hain /to laga k 4th form lgaty hain.

4- Pronoun Reference Error (Subject-Pronoun agreement)

Prounoun missing or misplaced (Sentence k kids subject ko refer Kr rah h yh identify Ni Kr rah ho ga)
English composition lecture by Sir Mazhar Elahi.

I.e.

The minister met the manager and he recognized him

The minister met the manager and recognized him. (The minister)

The minister met the manager who recognized him (The manager)

Ya pronoun ko omit kr do ya correction krna ho gi for clear understanding.

5-Diction (Words/Vocabulary) lexical mistakes

Its/it’s . Adept, adapt, adopt, principle, principal etc.

6-Redundancy (needless repetition)

I.e.

We must combine three departments into one.

We must combine three department. (Reading sensibility is required for correcting redundancy)

Verb agreement (10) main Rules.

1- When two subjects (Doer of action) are joined by ‘and’, the verb is plural.
I.e. my friend and his mother (two diff. Subjects not noun) ARE (plural verb) in Town.

2- When two singular nouns joined by ‘And’ but they refer to same person or thing, they verb is
singular.

I.e. a) the captain and the coach of the team HAS BEEN/IS/DOES sacked. (Singular noun, singular verb)

b) The captain and the coach of the team HAVE BEEN sacked. (plural/diff. Nouns, plural verb)

3) Indefinite pronouns like everyone, each one, someone, no one, any one, no body, somebody etch,
verb is always singular.

I.e.

Everyone here in this class is intelligent

4) when any of these; ‘few , many m several, both all some’ is used with countable noun then verb is
plural.

I.e. Some MEN (Countable) are needed in the battle

5) When any of these; ‘few, many m several, both all some’ is used with uncountable noun then verb is
singular.
English composition lecture by Sir Mazhar Elahi.

I.e. Some milk (Uncountable) is spoilt.

6) When the percentage or a part of something is mentioned with plural sense/plural meaning, plural
verb is used.

I.e. 40 out of 100 children ARE malnourished.

7) a) If two subjects joined by ‘either, or’/ ‘neither, nor’ are of different persons, the verb must agree
with the noun NEAREST TO IT (NSR)

I.E. Neither you (1subject) nor your dog/s (singular /plural & nearest subject-2) KNOWS/KNOW (Singular
helping verb/plural helping verb) how to behave.

b)neither/Either if they are used as pronouns, they are treated as singular.

Either (pronoun) of these books is fine for CSS.

Either of you go there. (Tum KA lafz common h, second pronoun –singular)

*********** The End ********

Advice : Start reading from 300 words essay; first know you, your; strengths, weaknesses, then make
strategy accordingly. Apply common sense, understand first all types of essay, their components then
attempt.