Prepositions for MP students: ABTA Test Papers and............

• Poisoning by arsenic is a slow process; it is due to a gradual build up of poison in the human body. ( Page no-166 )
• The old man rose with a great effort and took the bowl in his shaking hands and went to the other basket. (Page no-182)
• " The best way to combat illegal trading in animals is to keep a strong vigil and to form a joint action committee of officials of Forest Department and police'', said wild life experts. (Page 1970
• On the occasion of Rabindra Jayanti an inter-school recitation competition was organised by our school. (Page no-213 )
• When we walk along the beach we come by seashells lying on the sand where they have been washed out by waves. ( Page no-228 )
• Vivekananda wanted the youth to ridicule , oppose and then accept the fact , instead of blindly believing it. ( Page no-244 )
• I flew out of Heathroe airport under stormy skies. A group of young British men dressed  in ill-fitting Hazers filled the back of the plane, and one of them took the seat beside me . He read out the emergency instructions twice with great concentration. ( Page no-259 )

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                                               The use of Present Perfect Tense

We use present perfect tense when we want to say or assert that some actions have been completed.

• I have read the new book. ( I have finished the reading.)
• Ranjit Guha has created a new FB group. ( It has already been done. )

or to negate something: I have not taken your pen.
or to ask if something has been done: Have you seen Madhumita?

We also use Present Perfect Tense when we want to look back from the present to the past.

• I have broken my watch so I don't know what time . ( The watch was broken sometime ago in the near past. The effect is still there. I do not possess a watch now so I cant tell you the time.)
• They have cancelled the meeting. ( The action was done earlier. )
• Mamoni has taken my copy. I don't have one. ( Mamoni took it sometime ago.)

When we look back we often use the words 'just' or 'already' or 'yet'

• Apratim has already decided to leave the present company. 
• Debnath has't arrived yet. ( Negative )
• I have just done it. ( Not so long ago )
• They have already met. ( So they need no introduction. )
• Have you spoken to him yet? ( There is a doubt. )

This tense can also be used to look back on more distant past.

• We have been to Delhi many times in the past.
• Ranjit has done this type of job many times before.
• We have talked about it in the past also.

We use 'ever' and 'never'

• Have you ever been to Pelling.?
• I have never visited Sikkim in my life.
• I have never considered buying a car.

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                          Present Continuous Tense

We have discussed about where we can use this tense in our earlier lessons  Let us examine the following sentences written in the present continuous tense and see if we can learnt a bit more about this tense.

• It is raining.
• Look Sutista is trying to pull Debilina's hair.
• I am not looking. My eyes are closed tight.

In the above mentioned sentences we have used the present continuous tense to convey the meaning that the action is happening at this present moment. It may not last. It is true now. I don't think it will remain true in the long term. It is raining. ( it is true now but it may stop raining any moment from now.) In the second sentence: Sutista is pulling Debolina's hair. ( It is true at this moment because I can see it but Sutista may stop pulling Debolina's hair any moment from now.) In the third sentence I say that I AM NOT LOOKING. It is true because my eyes are closed tight. So we are using the present continuous tense in conditions or situations which we see as temporary or short term.

• I am looking for a suitable job.
• Apratim is thinking about leaving the present job.
• They are considering making an appeal against the judgement.
• Is Shramana getting enough sleep/

In the above sentences the present continuous tense has been used to describe the present situation which is temporary. When we ask=Is Shramana getting enough sleep?, what we mean to say is that we are worried about her health and we assume or guess that she is not getting enough sleep. No action is taking place. Yet we are using the present continuous tense. 

Sometimes we also use present continuous tense to indicate a future action. Something is going to happen in near future or in future. This is either our assumption or we are certain or sure about it.

• I am meeting Pritha at 6 this evening. ( I have made a prior appointment with her. So the meeting is definitely going to take place. )
• They aren't arriving until Sunday.( Againg we are sure about it because we have definite information about their date of arrival. )
• We are going to stay at Hotel Sikkim Aurora from 3rd to 6th Dec, 2015. ( The reservation has been made in advance by Ranjit Guha.) ( This is August and the action is going to take place in December which is a long time distance away but we are sure that this is happening. We are certain about that. )
• Isn't Sukanya and Apratim coming to dinner tonight? ( We are not sure. So we are asking this question to be sure. Once we are sure about their coming we can make the necessary arrangement. )

So we can see that we can use different tenses in a number of ways. It gives us a lot of flexibility.  We can use the present continuous tense instead of simple future tense also.  Let us take the following example-

• Debnath will go to Kolkata tomorrow. ( We can use the following sentence to mean the same thing or to give the following impression- Debnath is going to Kolkatta tomorrow.

*********************************Happy learning friends.

spk-25/8/15

                             

                        

                                       Tenses revisited

    We have discussed about Tenses at the beginning of our journey. I am sure you have learnt how to use tenses properly. Let us re-visit the tenses once more. We have to do it every now and then to refresh our memory. There is no scope for complacency in study. We should remember that we are trying to learn English as a second language and so who have remain alert all the time lest we should make any silly mistakes. 

The use of Present Simple Tense( Present Idefinite)= Let us study the following sentences---

• Apratim goes to office regularly.
• Debnath does not come to my place very often.
• The news usually starts at 6 every evening.
• Does Ranjit usuall takes bread and butter at breakfast?

In these sentences we have used the present indefinite form of the related verbs. We are stating some actions or events which are permanent in nature and intent. Let us now examine the following set of sentences------------

• Pinki and Debnath have a daughter.
• The Earth moves round the sun.
• Water freezes at 0degree C or 32 degree F.
• The Ganga flows through the plains of UP and Bihar.

We are just stating some facts which are not temporary events or happenings. Let us now take some more examples-----

• The monsoon usually sets in June every year.
• The plane takes off at 8 tomorrow morning.
• Ramadan does not starts for another two weeks.
• Does the class begin at 10 or 11?

In the above mentioned sentences we are talking about some future events which are yet to happen. We have used Simple Present Tense instead of Simple Future tense. Study the following bunch of sentences---

• Mamoni doesn't agree with me on this point.
• I think Madumita is wrong.
• Sutista does not want me to do the job.
• Do you understand what i am trying to say?

In the above mentioned sentences we are talking about our thoughts and feelings and ideas at the time of speaking. We also use the Simple present Tense to express the following.

1. Regular activities------Ramkrishna plays tennis on week  ends.

Facts known about the future---We leave at 10 in the morning on next Sunday.
It should be kept in mind that simple present tense is a very tense because we can use it in many ways.

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           Articles and prepositions lessons from ABTA Test Papers for MP students
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• What is the most dreadful menace facing India today is the rise of communalism. We all should fight against it collectively.
• Letter-writing is no doubt a lost art.It was killed by penny post and modern hurry. When Cowper, Byron, Lamb and Carlyle wrote their immortal letters, the world was a leisurely place where there time to indulge in the luxury of writing to your friends.
• We went into the parlour and sat down. There was an old fellow there smoking a long clay pipe, and we naturally began to chat.
• Robert Frost was born in California in 1874. He was a major American poet. He was awarded the Pulitzer prize several times.
• A father and a son died after a tree fell upon there tea shop. It was caused by a ten minute storm.
• I was born into a middle class Tamil family in the island town of Rameswaram in the erstwhile Madras state.
• My elder brother is five years senior to me.He lives in Mumbai. He is an MBBS and is fond of serving the poor.

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You can notice from the above lessons that the task is relatively easy. If you study the use of common prepositions from a standard grammar book you will score full marks. Four marks are allotted for articles+ prepositions, four mars for transformation and four marks for  phrasal verbs. All of you can score full marks in this section if you pay a little attention. Solve two or three papers every day and you will definitely remember your article and prepositions.

Now I beg to draw your attention to appropriate prepositions. Don't ask for any explanations. Just lay your hand on a good grammar book and read the list of appropriate prepositions again and again. Better make it a habit with you. Write your own sentences using the prepositions you have learnt. And see the magic! Take one small step at a time. You will definitely travel a long distance in no time.
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                Phrasal verbs for MP students and ...........................

 We are almost finished with our list of phrasal verbs, There are many more phrasal verbs and newer uses are being recorded. We shall discuss about some of them along the way. First of all let us finish our job at hand. My purpose has been to help the ordinary students who have limited access to guidance or who cannot afford the fees for private tuition.

Page no-876 (ABTA TEST PAPERS)

1. My grandfather will recover soon.( My grandfather will come round  soon. )= come round

Page no-886 ( The question paper is a bit different . You have been asked to fill in the blanks with appropriate phrasal verbs. )

1. The rainy season sets in every year in June.( begins )
2. Never look down upon the poor. ( hate )
3. Cholera has broken out in our locality. ( suddenly spread )
4. Our ambitious project has fallen through due to lack of money. ( has failed )

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We have completed the grammar portion from the ABTA Test papers. We have deliberately left out the article and preposition part. I have already discussed how the article and common prepositions are

                                          to be used. We make a lot of mistakes with the prepositions. My suggestion to you is very simple. As there is no hard and fast rules we have to follow the conventions. The best way to learn the use of correct prepositions is to read story books by eminent authors and writers. Follow them and try to remember them. There are certain common prepositions which are used according to their meaning. As for examples--- we know the meaning of on, up, over and above. These four common prepositions indicate something is 'up' something. But each of them has a slightly different meaning. 

1. Put the book on the table.

2. Stand up on the bench.

3.Do not sit on the broken chair.

If you study these sentences you will surely notice that when something is touching something we use on. ON is also used as a time preposition.

Apratim is coming here on 15th instant or on Monday.

UP means something going up. It is not touching anything. 

The balloon is going up. 

ABOVE means very high----The sun is shining above our head.

OVER means crossing something, moving up and above and then again touching the ground. 

There is a bridge over the river. You cannot build a bridge on, up or above the river, can you ?

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Phrasal verbs for MP students and .............

Page no-764

1. The rioting crowd retreated when police reinforcements arrived. ( The rioting crowd fell back when police reinforcement arrived. )= fall back
2. He was devastated when the Judge's verdict opposed him.( he was devastated when the Judge's verdict went against him. )= go against
3. The experienced teacher can express her idea well. ( The experienced teacher can put across her idea well. )= put across.
4. If you accidentally find my keys, please inform me. ( If you come across my keys, please inform me.)= come across

Page no-770

1. He saved much money. ( He put by much money. )= put by
2. I consider him as my master. ( I look upon him as my master. )= look upon
3. Price of petrol is increasing. (Price of petrol is going up. )=go up
4. She is trained to support the poor. ( She is trained to deal with the poor. )= to deal with

Page no-799

1. The match had to be postponed. ( The match had to be put off. )=put off
2. My proposal was immediately rejected. ( My proposal was immediately turned down.)= turn down
3. Have you read this novel ? ( Have you gone through this novel ?)= go through
4. You must not surrender to the enemy. ( You must not give in to the enemy.)= give in

Page no-810

1. The mayor rejected the offer. ( The mayor turned down the offer. ) = turn down

The other three verbs are read, in search of ( it is a prepositional phrase) and published. The corresponding phrasal verbs are;: gone through, looking for and brought out. 

Page no-824

1. They assured us to inquire the matter. ( They assured us to look into the matter.)= look into
2. I shall not neglect your proposal. ( I shall not turn down your proposal. )=turn down
3. Please note the name of the book. ( Please take down the name of the book. )= take down
4. We shall have to stick to our promise that we shall return today. ( We shall have to stand to promise that we shall return today. )= stand to 

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Many people believe that in this age of smart phones and computers sms, e-mails, twitter, whats up, messenger and so many such modern method of communications the traditional letter writing has become a lost art, People do not write letters any more. WE ARE ALWAYS IN A HURRY. But whare is our destination? We don't know for sure. You are always receiving messages from you friends and relatives and if you possess a smart phone you are receiving whats up messages all the time. But if you are a MP or HS student you have no option but to write letters. You may not write them in your real life but you have learn how to write letters-both personal and formal-because it is in your syllabus. So? We shall discuss how to write such letters in our next lesson. There are certain pro-forma or lay-out which you have to follow or the examiner will deduct marks. It is actually not so difficult as people think. It is another way of communication. One kind of monologue, if you like. If you know the basic English you can write beautiful letters.Till begin our next lesson jot down your thoughts on what you want to write to your friend. Take care.

=========================================================================spk/19/8/15