Friday 25 March 2022

Grammar Questions: Subject -Verb Agreement




1.

2.

Anonymous:

There is a large number of students.

There are a large number of students.

Which one is correct and why?

I think the first one.Thank you!

There are a large number of students.


Plural are is correct. "Number" in this sense is known as a quantificational noun. It's rather special in that it is 'number transparent', so the form of the verb depends, not on the head of the underlined noun phrase, the singular "number", but on the of-phrase that complements it. The meaning of "number" is such that the complement must be plural, thus the verb must also be plural.

Courtesy : Google 

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8.


9.

Wednesday 23 March 2022

 8. O GOD! HOW LONG WILL YOU BE A SILENT SPECTATOR?

O God! How long will You be a silent spectator, and say nothing:

When the cruel Corona Virus, like the savage jungle Kings,

Keeps prowling and pouncing on the helpless human beings,

To mince, munch and devour them with its invisible and fatal sting?


O God! How long will You watch it quietly and callously, with no concern:

When the carnivorous Corona Virus, like the heinous and impious Ruler of the hell's,

Keeps ringing least audibly the hapless human beings' imminent death bells,

And, drags them, as the voracious vultures do, either to be entombed, or to be burned?


O God! I am sanguine, You will neither wish nor relish men being killed any longer,

Or else, You know it well, not a Soul shall survive to sing, "None but God is stronger!"


RELIGIOUSLY SPEAKING.....

No, no Religion, all over the world, has ever been established,

To preach heinous hatred, vicious violence, callous cruelty, or insane intolerance!

No Religion should ever be, for the unjust and the unethical, a secure Shield;

Every Religion should ever be a means to Morality and Spiritualism to attain Deliverance!


No, no Religion, across the globe, has ever been set up in vain,

To be misused to bait the gudgeons and sturgeons of sordid self-interests!

So, no Religion should ever be, for the hateful hypocrites and the blasphemous brokers, a safe haven,

Every Religion should ever be pursued to be blessed with eternal Rests!


No, no Religion, on Earth, has ever been conceived of as an ostentation,or an excuse,

To flaunt, to fleece, or to exploit the credulous masses to reap cheap profits profuse!

No Religion should ever be rubbed to cleanse the filth of sins, with the self-suiting soaps of scriptures,

Every Religion should ever be followed to fetch us Salvations after our departures!


Let none of us sacrifice our respective Religions to materialize our meanest motives,

Let none of us play politics in the name of Religion to suffer endlessly, as the mundane Captives!

41. THE 'ORDER ' OF THE DAY


Today, the birthday of a son is, with pomp and pageantry, celebrated,

Even much before the wedding of an engaged couple is due to be held;

India's Captain, with the honour of 'The player of the Tournament', is felicitated,

Even much before the ensuing World Cup is about to be scheduled and played!


Today, Veracity is grilled and tried,

In the illegitimate Court of Absurdity;

Ah! Honesty and Rectitude are fried,

On the red and irrational Pan of Falsity!


Today, Virtue is vehemently kicked,

Under the violent Feet of Vice;

While Injustice is praised and peaked,

In the Domain of ill-gotten Power and Price!


Today, Humility is a hapless Chicken,

In the Offensive Abattoir of Oppression;

While smothered Simplicity is sunken,

In the stinky Gutter of Exploitation!


Today, Liberty is a shackled and suffocated Slave,

Inside the inhuman and unscrupulous Enclave;

Though the higher does one endeavour to fly,

At the lower bottom one's Dreams shattered lie!


Today, Peace is fiercely festered,

In the Prison of Violence and brutality;

Conscience is piercingly pestered,

With the whip of Indecency and Vulgarity!


Today, money is the means to measure and Gauge,

Muscles seize Powers; Flattery and Influence snatch applause!

Humanity is a stifling Captive in the doorless and Cruel Cage,

The way of the Day is to ignore and crush one's own solemn Pledge!


Today, tongues are replaced with deadly Arms,

Serenity and Harmony with disruptive Storms;

Beauty is scaled and measured in Kilos and Grams,

Alas! Wounds are treated to heal with incurable Harms!


Today, Flesh is worshipped at the cost of Morality

In the Bestial Brothels of Lust and Sense Gratification;

Ah! At the stake of Rationality, Continence and Fidelity,

Scorching all the Shames are weighed Vanity and Fashion!


Today, Proper Nouns wear the Boots,

Common Nouns put on the Caps;

Plants flourish and prosper without roots,

'Nothings' replenish the infinite and the invisible Gaps!


Today, blossom on the coloured lips, countless sham smiles,

Laws without Executions do adorn the office Files;

Undeserving Hands do grab Awards in dubious Styles,

Those, who can't even walk, win Laurels in the Marathons of miles!


Today Solace-like Perfumes, are jetted on the fair Skin,

A needle is substituted for a piece of Pin;

Gems are treasured in a dusty and destitute Dust-bin,

Lavish detergents of delusions are used to cleanse the rigid Sin!


Today, you must be skilled enough to chatter, cheat and gab,

Else, you will lag behind the rest; and will fall haplessly flat;

Vanity and ostentation are universally a Fab,

To be diplomatic, sycophantic and hypocritical is to be wise and smart!


Today, Religion is an easy and accessible Excuse,

For the war Mongers and the frantic Fanatics;

They are born to inflame the atmosphere and abuse,

Power and Position for narrow profits by nasty Politics!


Today, battles, broils and wars are won,

With the weapons of deceit and sorcery;

Myriads of greedy henchmen are honoured,

For their crafty and devilish chicanery!


Today, discipline is deadly dented with the Axes of Executions,

On the plinth of Autocracy and Anarchy are built the civilized Nations!

Patriotism is adjudged on the basis of Treachery and Treason,

True Martyrs are those who fight not, but put the country in a prison!


Today, Nectar brims up to the human vessels' edges,

But, the insides of the hearts abound with dross and dredges;

Societies stand on the strongest pretext Peg,

Substance and Solidarity are replaced by Vapours and Vagaries vague!


Today, the Teachers and the Taught have hardly any bearings,

Upon their thoughts, actions, characters and demeanour;

The former parrot the things, and the latter pick up only those that fetch luxurious livings,

Both lead grand life Styles sans any vital and salubrious grandeur!


The scrumptious diet of Today is Mendacity,

Deadly Deception is the prime Duty;

The only Truth that prevails everywhere is Futility,

Illusive hallucinations are a steady source of Serenity!


Today, wild eyes cast dull, dreary and distorted visions,

Credulous hearts are trapped in seasoned Temptations;

Roam and prowl, nights and days, the lusty and vigorous Horses,

But, alas, they reach the hateful Hells due to the Innocent Victims' Curses!


Today, those who backbite their bosses, and piss

At the same spot where they shelter for respite, and dine;

They rise like the morning Sun, and never their Success train miss,

They are flattered nonstop by the fans who give them Ten out of Nine!


Today, those who shout "Mera Bharat Mahan!"

Take to their heels, regrettably, to settle in the Lands Foreign;

When they feel their profits are too petty for their narrow personal gain,

They leave forever their Mother and Motherland, though they are "Greater than the Heaven!"


Today, Terrorism, Extremism and Communalism are fostered, fattened and perpetuated,

Under the cloaks of Patriotism, Crusade and National Liberty;

To get knowledge - Mobiles and Social-Media - for books and schools, are substituted,

Fast Food complements human nutrients; UREA, pesticides Soil's fertility!


In an enchanting chorus of chants, say

They all "Kam Nam Ki Satya Hai!"

Most of them are armed for and enamoured of the same irresistible prey,

There are very few who are not in the mad, weird and wild fray!


The colour of Today is bizarrely bleak and densely Dark,

The way of living, in a nutshell, is Loose enough and Slack;

Apples of discord and Sodom mark the barren Parks,

Alas! The dead tender Votes; but the Watchdogs neither bite nor bark!


Today, Simplicity is sliced with the pretentious Sword of Complexity,

Illusion depressingly despoils the significance of Reality;

Infidelity and Betrayal sermonize on the Sweet Taste of Integrity,

Miserliness and Evanescence preach the Value of Generosity and Perpetuity!


Today, artificial, appealing and entrapping tears are tactfully shed,

To buy deluxe flight tickets; attend night clubs; and earn rich bread!

To procure the Certificates and jobs of one's own choicest Grade,

Powers and positions are misused; flesh is served and black money paid!


Today, books are praised and authors extolled as inspiring without being read,

Green foods are exhorted most as healthy and nutritious without being cooked and fed!

Tramps, rogues and vagabonds are applauded as cultured and thoroughbred,

The paths of the saints are showered with flowers though never known to tread!


Thus, the multi-coloured Face of Today is past description,

Maintaining Self-esteem and Self-restraint is the best Solution;

Not being swayed by the hollow Fads and shallow Sensation,

One can retain Peace, maintain Equilibrium and attain Liberation!


Wednesday 16 March 2022

ICSE APPLIED GRAMMAR PART 2






1. REPORTED SPEECH



A. ASSERTIVE SENTENCES

i.


ii.


B. IMPERATIVE  SENTENCES

i.

ii.


C. EXCLAMATORY SENTENCES

i.


D. INTERROGATIVE SENTENCES


i.

ii.


E. MISCELLANEOUS SENTENCES



Wednesday 9 March 2022

 LET'S THINK AGAIN AND AGAIN!


Let's think again and again:

While travelling by our life's train,

"How wisely we have set our destination,

And how sensibly spent the price of our perspiration!"

GRAMMAR: THE ADJECTIVES & THEIR KINDS




A.


B. KINDS OF ADJECTIVES

1. ADJECTIVES OF QUALITY OR DESCRIPTIVE ADJECTIVES

2. ADJECTIVES OF QUANTITY

his life. " And we say: "all his life" and not "his all life".

3. ADJECTIVES OF NUMBER

a.


b.


4. DEMONSTRATIVE ADJECTIVES


5.  INTERROGATIVE ADJECTIVES


6. POSSESSIVE ADJECTIVES

a.


b.


7. EXCLAMATORY ADJECTIVES

When the word "What' is used with a noun in exclamation, it is called an Exclamatory Adjectives.

Examples of Exclamatory Adjectives:

What an idea!

What a blessing!

What a foolishness!

What management!

What a large house you have!

What a wonderful feeling!

What a piece of work is, man!

What a beautiful rose it is!


8. EMPHATIC ADJECTIVES


9. PROPER ADJECTIVES

10. PARTICIPIAL ADJECTIVES


11. NOUNS USED AS ADJECTIVES


12. ADJECTIVES USED AS NM NOUNS