Lesson 3

Verbs

Infinitive
Gerund

To + Verb Verb + ing

e.g to eat e.g eating

to sleep sleeping
to run running

Exercise Using Infinitive/ Gerund

1. Avoid _____(mix) with bad girls.

2. She enjoyed _____(bask) in the sun.
3. _____(see)is _____(believe).
4. The tree was easy to _____(climb).

Adverb
Definition:

Errors:

1. Use of ‘Very’ and ‘Much’

a. Very is used as a degree → qualifies something (adj/adverbs) → e.g. She is very
intelligent. Whereas Much is used comparative degree → e.g. She is looking much
weaker than usual.

b. Very is used with present participle → e.g. The scenery is very charming. Whereas
Much is used with past participle → e.g. The policy of the government was much
criticised.

(Note: Participle is a form of a verb that can be used as:

I. An adjective
II. To create verb tense → present
III. To create passive voice)

c. Some past participles use very instead of much. For example

i. I am very tired.
ii. I am very satisfied with your work
Lesson 3

d. Sometime Very is used to modify much → e.g. I am very much interested in staging
plays.

e. Sometimes Much is also used with too → e.g. The question is much too simple for
me.

2. Use of ‘Too’
a. Shows higher degree of desirability
b. Should not be used instead of ‘very’ and ‘much’
c. Too → followed by → infinitive → negative sense → e.g. He is too lazy to work hard.
d. Too → preceded by → Only → +ve sense → e.g. He was only too glad to see his
family.
e. Too much → used before a noun → e.g. He takes too much sugar in his tea
f. Too → can also mean → ‘also’
3. Enough
a. It means sufficient → always used in +ve sense → placed after the adjective/adverb
but placed before a noun → e.g. He is tall enough to reach the shelf.
4. Quite
a. It means entirely, fully/completely → e.g. She is quite right → it has a weakening
effect when used with an adjective/adverb → e.g. It is quite good.
5. Hardly
a. It means can but with difficulty → e.g. He has hardly any friends.
6. Barely
a. It means no more than → e.g. I can barely see it.
7. Scarcely
a. It means almost not→ e.g. I can scarcely have enough to eat
8. Of course
a. Natural inevitable consequences
9. Certainly
a. Definitely

Subject Verb Agreement

1. Singular subject is followed by a singular verb
2. Plural subject → plural verb
3. Subject → infinitive/part of sentence → singular verb
4. Two or more singular subjects → connected by “and” → plural verb
5. Two or more nouns → joined by “and” → referring to a single person → verb singular → e.g.
He being a general and historian has observed this.
6. Two subjects joined by “and” → expressing one idea → singular verb → e.g. slow and steady
wins the race.
7. Two singular subjects preceded by each/every → verb singular → e.g. Every boy and girl was
happy.