One word substitution-3

•  Intentional destruction of ethnic group- Genocide ( as Hitler did )
• Interval between two events-----Interlude
• Killing of another human being---Homicide
• Language difficult  to understand or comprehend--Jargon ( Today this word is used in a broader sense too ie; political jargon, mathematical jargon etc.)
• Large-scale departure of people from one country to another country/one place to another due to political or other reasons---Exodus ( Remember the Great Exodus )
• List of explanation of words-- Glossary ( generally appended at the end of a serious book )
• List of goods with their price-- Invoice ( A term used frequently in business and commerce field)
• Longing for something gone by/past memories- Nostalgia
• Loud talks or speeches--Harangue ( Politicians practise it )
• Man having the qualities of a woman-- Effeminate ( It is not regarded as a positive compliment either by a man or a woman)
•  Man of lax moral--Licentious ( You are sure to meet so many of them around you)
• Man whose wife has been unfaithful to him- Cuckold ( Being paid/repaid by the same coin?)
• Mania for setting fire- Pyromania
• Mania for stealing things--Kleptomania ( A bit different from shop-lifting )
• Mania for talking--Logo Mania ( Indian politicians excel in this art form )
• Mania for being important-- Megalomania ( Most Indian political leaders--especially our PM are Megalomaniac)
• Member of a band of robbers-- Brigand

Murdering of a husband by a wife-- Matricide

• Old age when a person behaves like a fool-- Dotage
• One who believes that everything is predetermined- Fatalist
• One who believes that pleasure is the only good-- Hedonist
•  One who betrays one-- Traitor

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We have discussed about Gerund and Participle. These two words are formed from verbs as root words. A gerund is used as a noun and a participle. There is another type of participle in English language. It is called THE PAST PARTICIPLE. We use this verb form in the Perfect Tenses and we can not write the Passive form without using the Past Participle Form of a verb.
Another important use of this form is that we can use it as an ADJECTIVE in many cases.
Examples: Don't sit on the broken chair. This is an imported mobile phone. They served us boiled eggs with dried fruits. I have found my lost watch.

We should remember one important thing about these terms. A Gerund has no gender, number or person. Similarly participial adjectives have no degrees.
                                                                     Happy learning

                              One word substitution--2

•  Cure for all disease---Panacea
• Custom of having many wives---Poligamy
• Custom of having only one wife.. Monogamy
• Custom of having many husbands-- Poliandry
• Dealing in counterfeit things--Forgery
• Disease which spreads by contact-- Contagious
• Equal in rank----Peer
• Fault that may be forgiven--Venial
• Favouring own kith and kin-- Nepotism
• First speech-- Maiden speech/ Maiden century etc.
• Funny imitation of a song/poem--Parody
•  Giving up throne by the king---Abdication
• Going back and forth--- Shuttle ( as in the case of shuttle train/ shuttle bus
•  Food items agreeing with one's taste--- Palatable
• Govt. by a single person/ dictator-- Autocracy
• Cracy of the demos ( Rule by the people) -----Democracy
• Group of three novels----Trilogy
• Incapable of being wounded-- Invulnerable ( opposite= vulnerable )
• In charge of museum/cricket pitch--Curator
• Indifference to pleasure or pain-- Stoicism
• Intentional destruction of a racial/ethnic group-- Gemocide
• Killing of another human being---Homicide
• Interval between two events--Interlude
• Language difficult to understand or comprehend--Jargon ( this word is now used in a broader sense)
• Large-scale departure of people from one country/place to another for political or other reasons-- Exodus ( Remember the Biblical Exodus?)
• List of explanations of words appended at the end of a serious book-- Glossary
• List of goods with their price---Invoice
• Longing for something gone by(bygone)---Nostalgia
• Loop of rope is called--Noose
• Loud talk or speech-- Harangue ( Indian political leaders have patented this word !!)
• Man having the qualities of a woman--Effiminate
• Man of lax moral--Licentious
• Man whose wife has been unfaithful to him--Cuckold ( The opposite happens all the time, doesn't it?)

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In English language Gerund, Participle and Past participle play a very important role. We form a

Gerund and a present Participle by adding ''ing'' at the end of a verb. A Gerund, a Participle and the continuous form of a verb has the same look and pronunciation but the uses are different. A Gerund is used as a noun and does the work of a noun. A present participle does the work of an adjective. Look at the following sentences:
1. The girl is dancing. (verb- present continuous tense)
2.Dancing is my passion. ( gerund)
3. I have bought a dancing doll for my sister. ( participle)
Just think about these sentences. You will definitely understand the differences.
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                                                                         TOPIARY

                            
                                         One word substitution  

•   A dramatic performance---------------Masque
• A man of odd habits---------------------Eccentric
• A man who dances to the tune of his wife----Henpecked
• A nation engaged in war---------------Belligerent ( this term can be applied to a person too 0
• A person behind time-----Antiquated ( we can apply this term to other things or opinion too )
• A person who wants to throw his establishment---Anarchist ( It is a political term. The British termed many of our freedom fighters as anarchists.)
• A place of good weather--Sanatorium ( Nowadays the term refers to a place where mental patients are treated )
• A place for washing dishes adjoining kitchen--Scullery
• A religious song----------Hymn/ Mantra
• A remarkable talent-----Prodigy
• A short but amusing story---Anecdote
• A verse letter------------------Epistle
• Act of killing one's wife---Uxoricide  ( Dont do it)
• An animal story with a moral-----Fable
• An unknown person -------Anonymous
• Animals living both on land and water----Amphibian
• Appointed by two parties to settle a dispute--Arbiter ( The Honourable Court can also appoint an arbiter if the two disputing parties agree)
• Art of cutting trees and bushes into ornamental shapes--Topiary
• At the same time-----Contemporary ( This can apply to persons also )
• Award given after death---Posthumous

These one word substitutions are very helpful in writing a good composition. Some more will be added in the next lesson.

                                                                     Happy Deepavali

                             Joining of sentences---2

•  The boy lost the book. He said this to us.= The boy said to us that he had lost the book.
• I met an old friend after a long time. He could not recognise me at once. = My old friend could not recognise me at once because I met him after a long time./ After a long time I met an old friend who could not recognise me at once.
• The sun gives us heat and light. The sun is one of the stars in the universe.= The sun which gives us heat and light is one of the stars in the universe./ The sun which is one of the stars in the universe , gives us heat and light.
• He works very hard. His object is to maintain his family.= He works very hard to maintain his family.(Simple)/ He works very hard because he has to maintain his family.( Complex )
• This is the boy. His father saw you yesterday. =This is the boy whose father saw you yesterday.
• This is the place. Here poet Rabindranath was born. = This is the place where poet Rabindranath was born. ( Complex )/ This is the birthplace of poet Rabindranath. ( Simple )
• Columbus died in 1506. He discovered America.= Columbus who discovered America, died in 1506.
•  Have you seen the car? The car was following us.= Have you seen the car which was following us? ( Complex )/ Have you seen the car following us? ( Simple)
• The players' kits have been stolen. I know the players. =I know the players whose kits have been stolen.
• You met a gentleman last week. He is my cousin.=The gentleman whom you met last week is my cousin.
• The sun came out. Everything looked cheerful.=When the sun came out everything looked cheerful.
• You must ask the Headmaster's permission. You want to go out early.= If you want to go out early you must ask the Headmaster's permission.
• Cork is lighter than water. It floats on water.= As cork is lighter than water it floats on water.
• It is very cold now. It is the month of January.= As it is the month of January it is very cold now..
• I hear a scream. It is frightening.= I hear a frightening scream. ( Simple )
• My sister has lost her watch. It is a costly watch.= My sister has lost her costly watch. (Simple)
• I walk for heath everyday. I walk in the morning.= Every morning I walk for health. ( simple )
• My friend promises to come on a visit. He will come on Saturday.= My friend promises to come on a visit on Saturday.
• A body was found last week. The police is trying to identify the body.= The police is trying to identify the body which they found last week.
• I went to see the doctor. The doctor told me to rest for a few days.= I went to meet the doctor who told me to rest for a few days.
• She told me her address.   I wrote the address on a piece of paper.=I wrote the address which she gave me on a piece of paper.
• The man answered the phone. He told me that you were out.= The man who ansewred the phone told me that you were out.

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                                                  CHANGE THE VOICE

• Please post the letter.= You are requested to post the letter.
• Shut the door.= let the door be shut.
• I received a phone call.= A phone call was received by me.
• We call the tiger our national animal.= The tiger is called our national animal.
• Someone wrote this letter in the nineteenth century.= This letter was in the nineteenth century by someone.
• They gave each of the participants a handsome prize.= each of the participants was given a handsome prize by them.
• Let the door be shut.= Shut the door.
• Honey tastes sweet.= Honey is sweet when it is tasted.
• Respect your parents.= Your parents should be respected.
• We expect him to come any moment.= he is expected to come any moment.
• The chair is broken.= Someone has broken the chair. ( Passive to active )
• I have lost my new mobile phone.= My new mobile phone is lost.

 

 
 

                         Joining of sentences
 There are 93 days more before the MP Examinations for the academic year 2015-16 begin. As they say 'it is knocking at the door'. This is the most important examination of the student's life for more than one reasons. He/she is very young and immature. And a bit nervous too. A student needs proper guidance and advice at this stage. If he/she can keep his/her nerve and fare well in this examination it will do him/her a world of good. He/she will get a tremendous boost up if he/she does well. He/she will feel confident that he/she can crack any examination if he/she applies his/her mind to it. On the other hand if he/she fail to achieve good grades it will dampen his/her spirit and his/her self-confidence will take a nose-dive. My friendly advice would be not to think about the outcome. Just treat is as another class test and study normally as you have been doing so far. Don't waste your time and the result will take care of itself. For the next few days let us brush up our grammar lessons once again. Let us start with joining of sentences.

• Th e boy was lazy. He was punished. ( Single)= The boy was punished for being lazy. (simple) or The boy was punished as /because he was lazy.
• He was a famous man. His fame spread throughout the world. ( Join with a nominal compound) = He was a world famous man.
•  The little children saw the giant. He was playing in the garden. (use a relative clause) = The little children saw the giant who was playing in the garden. { The children saw the giant playing in the garden.= simple }
• I borrowed a book from the library. I have the return it today. (Relative clause)= Today I have to return the book which i borrowed from the library.
• He gave me a pen. It was green in colour.. (Relative clause )= He gave me a pen which was green in colour.
• Shakespeare was a great playwright. He wrote Othello. ( relative clause )= Shakespeare who wrote Othello was a great playwright. or Shakespeare who was a great playwright, wrote Othello.
• Have you seen my brother? He is an MA in English. ( single) Have you seen my brother who is an MA in English?
• Mahatma Gandhi was a true son of the soil. It is known to all. ( single) = It is known to all that Mahatma Gandhi was a true son of the soil.

• My parents went to Shillong. It is a beautiful hill-town.( single)= My parents to Shillong which is a beautiful hill-town.
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                                                       Idioms and phrases
 Here are some more useful idioms for the readers. We all know that English is a living language and 

 it is but natural that  there can be no limit to learning any particular aspect of the language. Almost every day the new idioms and phrases are being added. You have to flow with the tide, as they say or you will lag behind. Please don't rest on your oars.

• as deaf as a post (very deaf)= It is useless to tell him anything for he is as deaf as a post.
• an apple of discord ( a disputed matter )= Kashmir is an apple of discord between India and Pakistan and it will remain so till the dooms day.
• listen to reason ( accept logic )= My father is so egoistic that he would never listen to reason however hard you may try.
• without rhyme and reason ( illogical )= There is no rhyme and reason in banning the consumption of cow-meat. After all food should be a personal choice and the Govt. have no business in telling people what they should or should not eat.
• a bolt from the blue ( all of a sudden )= The news of his uncle's death at such a young age came as a bolt from the blue. He was not prepared for it

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Some advice for the MP students who are appearing for this year's ( 2015-16 ) MP Examinations.
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1. Don't burn midnight oil. In simple language , don't keep late night. Remember : a tired brain does not absorb much. It is better to get a full night's sleep.
2. Get up early in the morning. Do some free hand exercises or take a walk in the open before you sit down to study.
3. You have completed your Test Examinations. It is expected that you have already covered your allotted syllabus. So take no additional pressure upon yourself.
4. Make your own routine on a weekly basis for the month of November. You know your strong as well as your weak points. Plant your routine accordingly. At the end of the month reassess your priorities and make your plan of study for the next month.
5. Consult your notes and write them afresh. Write your answers as if you are in the exam room. Try to finish it before time. Check them. Repeat the procedure at least four times a month. Ask your parents to keep an watch on you.
6. Shun your mobile phone, smart phone , tabs or laptop for three months unless it is absolutely necessary.
7. Listen to music and watch a game of your favourite sport on TV or watch your favourite movies form time to time to get rid of your boredom or built-up anxiety. These activities will help you relax.

                                                  Feel confident. NOT OVERCONFIDENT.
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               Idioms and phrases

Happy Vijoya greetings to all the readers. Hope you have enjoyed your puja days with great deal of festivities and joy with your close friends and relatives. My Muslim friends have observed their Muharram with due respect and in tearful remembrance of the tragic death and supreme sacrifice of Hassan and Hussein.

It is now time for going back to the grindstone. As far as i remember we were discussing about the use of idioms. Let us resume our journey into the mysterious and fascinating world of the WORD.

• argue the toss ( to dispute a decision )= I am not going to argue the toss with the umpire.
• a tough customer ( a difficult person to deal with )= It is very difficult to convince Ranjit. He is a very tough customer.
• the Midas touch ( whatever one touches turns into gold=success )= It seems that Dhoni has lost his Midas touch with the cricket bat; he is no longer the great finisher of the game. 
• throw in the towel ( give up and admit defeat )= In the 5th ODI India threw in the towel after Rahane got out.
• have a sweet tooth ( fond of eating sweets )= My blood sugar level has increased alarmingly ,yet I can't give up eating sweet dishes. I have a sugar tooth since my childhood days.