Posts Tagged ‘without’

Words Commonly Used Part II

December 28th, 2009 in English for children

Bring and take

Use bring when something is being moved towards the speaker.

Bring me a glass of water. (Here the water is being moved towards the speaker.)

Use take when something is being moved away from the area of the speaker.

I must take this paper with me. (Here the paper remains with me but it is being moved away from my area because I am also moving.)
I will take my brother with me when I go abroad. (Both my brother and I are moving away from my area.)
Bring that file to me at my desk. (Here the file is being moved towards I, the speaker.)
Should I take her a cup of tea in the bed?

Like and as

Like is either a verb or a preposition. It cannot be used as a conjunction. As is a conjunction.

She talks and walks like her mother does. (Wrong – Here ‘like’ is used as a conjunction.)
She talks and walks as her mother does. (Right)
She talks and walks like her mother. (Right – Here ‘like’ is used as a preposition.)

Note that a preposition is always followed by a noun. A conjunction is followed by a noun and verb.

Without and unless

Without is a preposition. It is followed by a noun or noun equivalent. Unless is a conjunction. It is followed by a clause (noun + verb).

Compare:

We cannot play without his permission. (Here the preposition without is followed by the noun ‘his permission’.)
We cannot play unless he gives us permission. (Here the conjunction unless is followed by the clause ‘he gives us permission’.)

Exercise

Correct the following sentences.

1.    I like these kind of apples.
2.    Do you like this sort of meat pies?
3.    These kinds of car is very fast.
4.    I won’t believe this sorts of lies.
5.    She lay the book on the chest of drawers.
6.    He likes to lay in the sun for several hours.

Answers

1.    I like these kinds of apples.
2.    Do you like this sort of meat pie?
3.    This kind of car is very fast.
4.    I won’t believe these sorts of lies.
5.    She laid the book on the chest of drawers.
6.    He likes to lie in the sun for several hours.