UNIT 49

E-COMMERCE
Learning Objective:
By the end of this unit, you will be able to learn about vocabularies related to e-commerce
and online shopping and produce a paragraph about it.
A. LET’S LEARN
Please look at the picture and discuss it with your friends next to you. Use the following
questions to guide your discussion.

1. What does the picture probably imply?

2. Please share your experience in shopping online!

B. Grammar

☛ Subject/verb agreement is simple: if the subject of a sentence is singular, then the

verb must be singular; if the subject of the sentence is plural, then the verb must be
plural. An s on a verb usually indicates that a verb is singular, while an s on a noun
usually indicates that the noun is plural. (Do not forget irregular plurals of nouns such as
women, children, and people.)

The boy walks to school.

The boys walk to school.

In the first example, the singular subject boy requires a singular verb, walks. In the
second example, the plural subject boys requires a plural verb, walk.
Sometimes prepositional phrases can come between the subject and the verb on the
sentence completion, and this can cause confusion. If the object of the preposition is
singular and the subject is plural, or if the object of the preposition is plural and the
subject is singular, there can be a problem in making the subject and verb agree.

The door (to the rooms) are* locked.

SINGULAR PLURAL

The doors (to the room) is" locked.

PLURAL SINGULAR

(* indicates an error)

In the first example, we might think that rooms is the subject because it comes directly in
front of the verb are. However, rooms is not the subject because it is the object of the
preposition to. The subject of the sentence is door, so the verb should be is. In the second
example, we might think that room is the subject because it comes directly in front of the
verb is. We should recognize in this example that room is not the subject because it is the
object of the preposition to. Because the subject of the sentence is doors, the verb should
be are.

The following chart outlines the key information that we should understand about
subject/verb agreement with prepositional phrases.

SUBJECT/VERB AGREEMENT WITH PREPOSITIONAL PHRASES

S (prepositional phrase) V

When a prepositional phrase comes between the subject and the verb, be sure that
the verb agrees with the subject.

☛ A particular agreement problem occurs when the subject is an expression of quantity

such as all, most, or some followed by the preposition of. In this situation, the subject
(all, most, or some) can be singular or plural, depending on what follows the preposition
of.

Most (of the meal) was delicious.

SINGULAR

Most (of the meals) were delicious.

PLURAL
 Most (of the food) was delicious.

UNCOUNTABLE

In the first example, the subject most refers to the singular noun meal, so the correct verb
is therefore the singular verb was. In the second example, the subject most refers to the
plural noun meals, so the correct verb is the plural verb were. In the third example, the
subject most refers to the uncountable noun food, so the correct verb is therefore the
singular verb was.
These sentences contain examples of the types of problems that are common
on the sentence completion.
All (of the book) were* interesting.
Half (of the students) is* late to the class.
ln the first example, the plural verb were should be the singular verb was because the
subject all refers to the singular noun book. In the second example, the singular verb is
should be the plural verb are because the subject half' refers to the plural noun students.

The following chart outlines the key information that we should understand
about subject/verb agreement after expressions of quantity.

SUBJECT/VERB AGREEMENT AFTER EXPRESSIONS OF QUANTITY

all
most
some of the (object) V
half
part

When an expression of quantity using of is the subject the verb agrees with the
object.

☛ Certain words in English are always grammatically singular, even though they might
have plural meanings.
Everybody in the theatre are watching* the film attentively.

Even though we understand from this example that a lot of people are watching the film,
everybody is singular and requires a singular verb. The plural verb are watching should be
changed to the singular verb is watching.
 The following chart lists the grammatically singular words that have plural
meanings.

SUBJECT/VERB AGREEMENT AFTER CERTAIN WORDS

These words or expressions are grammatically singular, so they take singular
verbs:
anybody everybody nobody somebody each (+noun)
anyone everyone no one someone every (+noun)
anything everything nothing something

B. LET’S PRACTICE
Please listen to the video https://youtu.be/3w4t1dYCayM, then share your understanding
from the video about the steps to buy something online.

Now, please read the text and fill in the gaps.

Do We Really Need Cash Anymore?
When the Covid-19 Pandemic spread around the globe, many banks took action. The
Federal Reserve began to quarantine money, while in some regions of China, banknotes
were taken away and disinfected. 1) …. The public responded positively in the UK, the
number of contactless payments increased by 36% between 2020 and 2021.
Today, many people are embracing the cashless economy. After all, it comes with many
advantages. For a start, it’s safer, as cash is easily stolen. 2) …. Mobile payments are
even more secure. As well as that, all your transactions are logged, making record-
keeping far simpler. 3) …. Cashless transactions make it easier for them to collect data,
identify economic trends and detect fraud.
 However, it seems as if we are just not ready to say goodbye to cash for good. Recent
data shows that cash has made a comeback since the cost of living started to rise steeply.
4) …. It was the case during USA’s Great Depression and in Iceland during the Credit
Crunch of 2008. Using notes and coins helps people budget, whereas, with electronic
payments, it’s harder to keep track of where your money is going.
Even if cash payments do not vanish entirely, our economies are transitioning to become
far less reliant on cash than they once were. And while switching to electronic payments
is simple and convenient for many people, this is not true for everyone. 5) …. An
increasing number of stores have stopped accepting cash payments altogether, meaning
that such people may become more marginalized. Moreover, alongside the decline in
cash usage, the number of ATMs and local banks has dropped significantly. 6) ….
Despite the popularity of electronic transactions, it’s clear that they will not become the
sole transaction method, at least in the near future. And as companies rush towards
finding ever more convenient transaction methods, it is important not to abandon those
who prefer to pay in the traditional way.
Choose one of the following sentences to fill the blanks in the above text.
a. Credit and debit cards are too, but it is possible to trace payments and cancel the
cards.
b. At the same time, banks encouraged the public to avoid using cash and make
electronic payments where possible.
c. This makes access to cash increasingly hard for those who depend on it.
d. Banks, businesses and governments are also keen to make the transition.
e. That’s not unusual since people tend to prefer having paper money at hand when
times are hard.
f. The most cash-friendly societies in the world, China and Sweden, utilize innovative
ways to make quick, simple payments.
g. There are concerns about those who rely on cash, such as the homeless, the
undocumented or the elderly.

B. Grammar
In questions 1–5, each sentence has 4 highlighted words or phrases. The 4 highlighted
parts of the sentence are marked A, B, C and D. Identify the 1 highlighted word or phrase
that must be changed in order for the sentence to be correct.

1. With its diverse culture and natural beauty Indonesia attract millions of tourists
every
A B C
year.
D
2. All of the tourists visiting Bali enjoys its stunning beaches and vibrant culture.
A B C D
3. The islands in the east of Indonesia with the rich biodiversity is popular among
nature
A B C D
lovers.
4. Anyone who has visited the island of Bali, known for its stunning beaches, cherish
the
A B C D
memories of its beauty.

5. The temple on the slopes of the volcanoes near Yogyakarta are the remnants of the
A B C
ancient civilizations.
D

C. TAKE HOME ASSIGNMENT

Choose the letter of the underlined word or group of words that is not correct.

1. In Indonesia there is more than 700 languages spoken by different ethnic groups.
A B C D
2. Before the arrival of the Europeans Indonesia were ruled by various kingdoms and
A B C
empires, such as Srivijaya, Majapahit, and Mataram.
D
3. Borobudur, having been restored several times, stand as a testament to Indonesia’s
A B C D
Buddhist heritage.

4. Half of the people who has explored the ancient temples of Yogyakarta on Java
A B
return home with a deeper appreciation for history.
C D
5. Rendang, originated from the Minangkabau ethnic group, is often serving at
A B
ceremonial occasions and to honour guests.
C D