I.            SYNTAX

1)      Relative clauses

a)      Careful! Make sure you use the correct word:

Who, (that) = person / that, which = thing/ where = place / whose = possession

La fois où => not a place!!! the time when /(that)

La voiture qui => not a person!!! The car that/which

That can be omitted when it is the object, but not when it is the subject of the sentence:

The cheese that smells a lot = the cheese (Subj) smells/ The cheese (that) I like = I like the cheese (Obj)

Whose + noun is used for possession and replaces my/your/his/her/our/their + noun

We saw a friend. His sister knows you. => We saw a friend whose sister knows you.

b)      Relative clauses and punctuation

If the relative clause defines the antecedent, it cannot be deleted, and you cannot use a comma:

The woman who/that lives next door is a doctor. (the woman is a doctor = which woman???)

If the relative clause describes or gives us extra information about a defined antecedent, you use commas:

My brother, who lives next door, is a doctor. (my brother: defined person) (you can’t use that here)

If the clause comments on the entire sentence (=ce qui, ce que), you must use which (no “that” or “what”)

I passed the exam, which is quite surprising when you know that I didn’t study!

ð  “The exam” is not surprising! It is “the fact that I passed” which is surprising.

2)      Other subordinate clauses

Some link words are used with a full proposition, while others are used with an infinitive or a particular construction. Here is a non-exhaustive list with values:

Proposition (= subject + conjugated verb)

Because/ As / Since – CAUSE (parce que, comme, puisque)

So/ Therefore – CONSEQUENCE (donc)

If – CONDITION (si)

Whether – YES/NO HYPOTHESIS (se demander si – oui (ou non) )

As long as/ provided that/ on condition that – CONDITION (tant que, à condition que)

Unless + positive (à moins que)= only if + negative (seulement si) – NEGATIVE CONDITION

Although…/ Even though …– OPPOSITION (unexpected - bien que)

…., while/ whereas – OPPOSITION (contrast) (alors que, tandis que)

…., but – CONTRADICTION (mais)

As/ While – SIMULTANEITY (pendant que)

Other construction

Due to/  Because of + Noun – CAUSE (en raison de, à cause de)

To/ In order to/ So as to + Infinitive – AIM, GOAL (pour) => ne pas traduire pour + verbe par “for”!

By + V-ing – MEANS (moyen: “en faisant …”)

In spite of/ Despite + Noun = OPPOSITION (malgré + nom)

   

  II.            PUNCTUATION

, comma

: colon

! exclamation mark

(   ) parentheses, brackets

’ apostrophe

. full stop

; semi-colon

? question mark

“  ” speech/quotation marks

- hyphen

1)      English punctuation – common mistakes

a)      When typing a document on the computer, DO NOT insert spaces before the following signs: ! ? : .

Français : Il dit : « Je pars! » // English: He said: “I’m leaving!”

Note: to prevent Word and other programs from automatically inserting spaces, you need to select “English” as a language for the grammatical correction and spell checker.

b)      Do not use a question mark at the end of an indirect question:

Example: I would like to know why he left. (not ?)

c)       Do not use an excessive number of commas or “and/but/or/so” in a sentence. Make several sentences instead! It is usually better to use short sentences in English.

Incorrect: I wrote a letter to him and I told him that I was unhappy with him and I wanted him to call me more often but he never answered so I broke up with him.

Incorrect: We went to the museum, we saw a lot of paintings, we also watched some documentaries, and we found them really interesting, so we stayed even longer, but then we were tired, so we wanted to leave, we took the bus back home, we ate, we went to bed.

d)      It is preferable not to start a sentence with “And … / But… /So…”. Use a comma or a different link word instead.

Incorrect: I told him to stop. But he continued.

Prefer: I told him to stop, but he continued. OR I told him to stop. However, he continued.

2)      Punctuation in compound sentences

a)      There are seven coordinating conjunctions: and, but, for, or, nor, so, yet. Use a comma before the conjunction.

Example: I am really worried about him, but he doesn’t care.

INCORRECT: I saw the movie and, I really liked it. (comma in the wrong place)

INCORRECT: I saw the movie, I really liked it. (you need to link the sentences with “and”)

b)      Examples of dependent markers are as follows: because, before, since, while, although, if, until, when, after, as, as if.

If you start the sentence with one, you need to use a comma between the propositions:

Example: If you arrive late, there won’t be any food left for you.

If you use it in the middle of the sentence, you do not need a comma:

Example: There wasn’t any food left for him because he arrived too late to the party.

c)       Examples of independent markers are the following: therefore, moreover, thus, consequently, however, also. You need to use a semi-colon before the marker, and a comma after it.

Example: He was late for his exam; moreover, he had forgotten to bring a pen and paper.

 

=>  REVIEW EXERCISE: exercise Week6 Syntax

=>  IF YOUR SCORE WAS LOWER THAN 90% ON THESE EXERCISES, READ MORE AND DO ADDITIONAL EXERCISES:

English grammar in use (with answers) [425 MUR] (+ CD-ROM in Centre de Langues Salle Multimedia)

Units 92-96 (relative clauses - select appropriate chapters)

Grammaire raisonnée 2 [425 PER] (livre + livret de corrigé des exercices)

                Chapitre 16 (relatives), Chapitre 20 (subordonnées)

Modifié le: vendredi 27 février 2015, 21:38