Faculty of Education and Languages HBEL1203 Language Description Copyright © Open University Malaysia (OUM) HBEL1203 LANGUAGE DESCRIPTION Chung Han Teik Komathy Senathy Rajah Ong Siow Kim Copyright © Open University Malaysia (OUM) Project Directors: Prof Dato’ Dr Mansor Fadzil Assoc Prof Dr Chung Han Tek Open University Malaysia Module Writers: Chung Han Teik Komathy Senathy Rajah Ong Siow Kim Moderator: Chung Han Teik Developed by: Centre for Instructional Design and Technology Open University Malaysia First Edition, January 2007 Second Edition, August 2015 (rs) Copyright © Open University Malaysia (OUM), August 2015, HBEL1203 All rights reserved. No part of this work may be reproduced in any form or by any means without the written permission of the President, Open University Malaysia (OUM). Copyright © Open University Malaysia (OUM) Table of Contents Course Guide xi - xv Topic 1 Nouns and Pronouns 1 1.1 Nouns 2 1.1.1 Types of Nouns 3 1.1.2 Number: Singular and Plural 6 1.1.3 Collective Nouns 9 1.2 Pronouns 10 Summary 18 Key Terms 19 Self-Test 1 19 Self-Test 2 20 References 21 Topic 2 Verbs 22 2.1 Verb Forms 22 2.1.1 Regular and Irregular Verbs 25 2.2 Verb Functions 25 2.2.1 Main and Auxiliary Verbs 26 2.2.2 Extensive and Intensive Verbs 34 2.2.3 Transitive and Intransitive Verbs 37 2.2.4 Finite and Non-Finite Verbs 40 Summary 43 Key Terms 44 Self-Test 1 44 Self-Test 2 44 References 45 Topic 3 Tenses 46 3.1 Tenses: Forms 47 3.2 Tenses: Functions 53 3.2.1 Present Tenses 53 3.2.2 Past Tenses 57 3.2.3 Future Tenses 62 3.3 Dynamic and Stative Verbs 65 Summary 67 Key Terms 67 Self-Test 1 68 Copyright © Open University Malaysia (OUM) iv TABLE OF CONTENTS Self-Test 2 70 References 71 Topic 4 Voice and Concord 72 4.1 Voice 73 4.1.1 Forms 73 4.1.2 Functions 80 4.2 Concord 82 4.2.1 Concord Where the Subject is a Noun 82 4.2.2 Concord Where the Subject is a Pronoun 82 4.2.3 Concord Where the Subject is a Non-Finite Clause 83 4.2.4 Concord Where the Subject is a Finite Clause 83 Summary 96 Key Terms 96 Self-Test 1 97 Self-Test 2 98 References 98 Topic 5 Determiners and Adjectives 100 5.1 Determiners 101 5.1.1 Definition 102 5.1.2 Types of Determiner 102 5.1.3 Determiners or Pronouns? 104 5.1.4 Order of Determiners 106 5.2 Adjectives 107 5.2.1 Definition 108 5.2.2 Types of Adjectives 108 Summary 117 Key Terms 118 Self-Test 1 118 Self-Test 2 118 Self-Test 3 119 References 120 Topic 6 Adverbs and Prepositions 122 6.1 Adverbs 123 6.1.1 Formation of Adverbs 123 6.1.2 Functions of Adverbs 125 6.2 Prepositions 134 6.2.1 Forms of Prepositions 135 6.2.2 Types of Prepositions (Functions) 136 Summary 144 Key Terms 144 Copyright © Open University Malaysia (OUM) TABLE OF CONTENTS v Self-Test 1 145 Self-Test 2 146 References 147 Topic 7 Conjunctions and Sentence Types 148 7.1 Conjunctions 149 7.1.1 Coordinating Conjunctions 150 7.1.2 Correlative Conjunctions 153 7.1.3 Subordinating Conjunctions 156 7.2 Sentence Types 161 7.2.1 Simple Sentences 162 7.2.2 Compound Sentences 163 7.2.3 Complex Sentences 165 Summary 169 Key Terms 169 Self-Test 1 169 Self-Test 2 171 References 172 Topic 8 Phrases and Clauses 174 8.1 Phrases vs Clauses 175 8.2 Phrases 180 8.3 Clauses 186 8.3.1 Finite Clauses 186 8.3.2 Non-Finite Clauses 196 Summary 199 Key Terms 199 Self-Test 1 200 Self-Test 2 201 References 202 Topic 9 Sentence Patterns 203 9.1 Subject and Predicate 204 9.2 Basic Sentence Patterns 207 9.2.1 Sentence Pattern I: S V 207 9.2.2 Sentence Pattern II: S V Od 208 9.2.3 Sentence Pattern III: S V Cs 210 9.2.4 Sentence Pattern IV: S V A 212 9.2.5 Sentence Pattern V: S V Oi Od 214 9.2.6 Sentence Pattern VI: S V Od Co 216 9.2.7 Sentence Pattern VII: S V Od A 218 Summary 222 Key Terms 223 Copyright © Open University Malaysia (OUM) vi TABLE OF CONTENTS Self-Test 1 223 Self-Test 2 224 References 225 Topic 10 Spelling Rules and Punctuation 227 10.1 Adverbs 228 10.1.1 Common Spelling Rules 229 10.2 Punctuation 234 10.2.1 Definition of Punctuation 234 10.2.2 Types of Punctuation 236 10.2.3 Functions of Punctuations 236 Summary 244 Key Terms 245 Self-Test 1 245 Self-Test 2 246 Self-Test 3 246 References 247 Answers 249 Copyright © Open University Malaysia (OUM) COURSE GUIDE Copyright © Open University Malaysia (OUM) Copyright © Open University Malaysia (OUM) COURSE GUIDE ix COURSE GUIDE DESCRIPTION You must read this Course Guide carefully from the beginning to the end. It tells you briefly what the course is about and how you can work your way through the course material. It also suggests the amount of time you are likely to spend in order to complete the course successfully. Please keep on referring to the Course Guide as you go through the course material as it will help you to clarify important study components or points that you might miss or overlook. INTRODUCTION HBEL1203 Language Description is one of the courses offered by the Faculty of Education and Languages at Open University Malaysia (OUM). This course is worth 3 credit hours and should be covered over 15 weeks. COURSE AUDIENCE HBEL1203 Language Description is a compulsory course for all students of the Bachelor of Teaching (Hons.) programme, majoring or minoring in TESL. As an open and distance learner, you should be able to learn independently and optimise the learning modes and environment available to you. Before you begin this course, please confirm the course material, the course requirements and how the course is conducted. STUDY SCHEDULE It is a standard OUM practice that learners accumulate 40 study hours for every credit hour As such, for a three-credit hour course, you are expected to spend 120 study hours. Table 1 gives an estimation of how the 120 study hours could be accumulated. Copyright © Open University Malaysia (OUM) x COURSE GUIDE Table 1: Estimation of Time Accumulation of Study Hours Study Study Activities Hours Briefly go through the course content and participate in initial discussion 3 Study the module 60 Attend 3 to 5 tutorial sessions 10 Online participation 12 Revision 15 Assignment(s), Test(s) and Examination(s) 20 Total Study Hours Accumulated 120 COURSE OUTCOMES By the end of this course, you should be able to: 1." Explain in a systematic way the grammatical system of the English language; 2." Use rules of grammar accurately and effectively in appropriate contexts; 3." Analyse grammatical errors and describe relevant grammar rules; 4." Analyse sentence patterns in terms of form and function; and 5." Interpret the grammar component in the English language syllabus and the curriculum specifications for primary schools. COURSE SYNOPSIS The ultimate purpose of teaching this component is to develop studentsÊ overall grammatical competence. Course tutors should, therefore, bear in mind the importance of grammatical accuracy in the studentsÊ language. However, this course should not be conducted as a proficiency course per se, and the strategies used should reflect those used in teaching a Language Description component. There may be some lecture input, but most sessions will involve active student participation, including discovery and awareness-raising activities to formulate rules and explanations for the use of selected grammatical features. Students will also be expected to investigate the use of grammatical features in authentic samples of language, and to compare the treatment of selected features in Copyright © Open University Malaysia (OUM) COURSE GUIDE xi different grammar books and teaching materials. Constant reference to a good dictionary for grammatical information should also be an important feature of the course. This course is divided into 10 topics. The synopsis for each topic can be listed as follows: Topic 1 introduces the two major word classes of English grammar: nouns and pronouns. These two word classes belong to the noun group. The topic will take students through a series of language awareness activities and some language proficiency exercises. The language awareness activities will sensitise students to the characteristics and the grammar rules related to the forms and functions of nouns and pronouns, while the language proficiency exercises provide practice on the use of these two word classes in meaningful contexts. Topic 2 introduces students to verbs, their forms and functions. English verbs exist in five basic forms. They are the base form, -s form, past form, -ing form and -ed form. The verb forms may be regular or irregular and students will learn the criteria used to distinguish them. In terms of function, English verbs may be used as main or auxiliary verbs, extensive or intensive verbs, and transitive or intransitive verbs. These verbs can further be classified as finite or non-finite verbs, depending on how they are used. This topic will take students through a series of language awareness activities to sensitise them to the features of different verb types in terms of form and function. Topic 3 deals with tenses. The tenses will be covered are Simple Present, Simple Past, Simple Future, Present Perfect, Past Perfect, Present Continuous, Past Continuous, Future Continuous, Present Perfect Continuous, Past Perfect Continuous and Future Perfect Continuous.