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Would, should and could are three auxiliary verbs.

Would

Technically, would is the past tense of will, but it is an auxiliary verb that has
many uses, some of which even express the present tense. It can be used in the
following ways:

 To ask questions:

Would you like some coleslaw? = Do you want some coleslaw?


Would you turn in your assignment now? = Please turn in your assignment now.

 With who, what, when, where, why, how:

How would the neighbors react?


What would you do if I sang out of tune?
In the two sentences above, would means about the same thing as will.

 To make polite requests:

I would like more coleslaw, please. = I want more coleslaw, please.


I would like you to sit down now. = I want you to sit down now.

 To show a different response if the past had been different:

I would have helped you if I had known you were stranded.


(I didn't know that you were stranded. This "not knowing" occurred before my not
helping you.)

John would've missed the trail if Mary hadn't waited for him at the stream.
(First Mary waited for him. If her response had been to not wait, then next John
would have been on the wrong trail.)

 To tone down strong, controversial statements-not recommended in formal


essays:

I would have to say that you're acting a bit immature.


Here would has a similar meaning to do but less emphatic.
 To explain an outcome to a hypothetical situation:

Should I win a million dollars, I would fix up my house.


Think of should as if, and would as will.

 To show habitual past action:

Helen would sob whenever John would leave home.


Think of would as did.

 To show repetitive past action:

For a moment the plane would be airborne, then it would bump back down along
the hard earth.
(The plane was in the air and then back on the ground several times.)

 To show preference between two choices, used with rather or sooner:

I would sooner die than face them. = I prefer death in place of facing them.
I would rather handwrite than type. = I prefer handwriting instead in typing.

However, the second choice may by implied but not stated:

I would rather die.


Implied is that I would rather die than...do whatever it is that the context has
provided as an alternative to dying.

 To show wish or desire:

Those people would allow gambling. = Those people want to allow gambling.
Would it were so. = I wish it were so. (Infrequently used)
We wish that he would go. = We want him to go.

 To show intention or plan:

She said she would come. = She said she was planning to come.

 To show choice:
I would put off the test if I could.
This means my choice is to delay taking the test, but I do not have the ability to
delay taking it.

 To express doubt:

The answer would seem to be correct. = The answer is probably correct.

 To show future likelihoods relative to past action:

He calculated that he would get to the camp around 6 p.m. The men would have
dinner ready for him.
The first sentence means he believed his camp arrival time was going to be about
6:00 p.m. The "calculating" (or believing) happened in the past, yet the arrival is
going to occur later. The second sentence predicts that, at that future time, dinner
will be ready for him.

 Strange but true: Notice how changing have to had can change the


way would works:

Would you had changed your mind. = I wish you had changed your mind.
Would you have changed your mind. = If circumstances had been different, is it
possible that you might have changed your mind?

Should
Technically, should is the past tense of shall, but it is an auxiliary verb with a few
uses, not all of which are in the past tense, namely, the following:

 To ask questions:

Should you have erased the disk? = Were you supposed to have erased it?
Should I turn in my assignment now? = Am I supposed to turn in my assignment
now?
Here, should means about the same thing as ought.

 To show obligation:

You should floss and brush your teeth after every meal.
Think of should as supposed to, as in the previous example, but here to make a
persuasive statement.
 To show a possible future event:

If I should find your coat, I will be sure to call you.


Think of should as do; furthermore, should could be left out of the above sentence,
leaving, "If I find your coat, I will be sure to call you." Alternately, if could be left
out of the sentence: "Should I find your coat, I will be sure to call you."

 To express a hypothetical situation:

Should you wish to do so, you may have hot tea and biscuits. = If you wish to do
so, you may have hot tea and biscuits.

 To express what is likely:

With an early start, they should be here by noon.


Think of should as ought to or probably will.

 To politely express a request or direct statement:

I should like to go home now. = I want to go home now.


I should think that a healthy forest program is essential to any presidential
victory.= I think that a healthy forest program is essential to any presidential
victory.

Could
Technically, could is the past tense of can, but it is an auxiliary verb with a few
uses, not all of which are in the past tense, namely the following:

 As the past tense of can:

In those days, all the people could build houses. = In those days, all the people had
the ability to build houses.

 To ask questions:

Could you have erased the disk? = Is it possible that you erased the disk?
Could I leave now? = May I leave now; am I allowed to leave now?

 To show possibility:
You could study harder than you do. = You have the potential to study harder than
you do.
He knew the sunset could be spectacular. = He knew that the sunset was sometimes
spectacular.

 To express tentativeness or politeness:

I could be wrong. = I may be wrong.


Could you come over here, please? = Please come here.

compose \kəm-ˈpōz\ v_ _1. a. to form by putting together; b. to form the substance


of; c. to produce by composition
comprise \kəm-ˈprīz\ v_ _1. to include especially within a particular scope; 2. to be
made up of; 3. compose, constitute
consist \kən-ˈsist\ v_ _1. lie, reside (used with in); 2. a. exist, be; b. to be capable of
existing; 3. to be compsed or made up (used with of); 4. to be consistent

Comprise means "is made up of" or "consists of." The whole comprises the parts.

Compose means "make up" or "make." The parts compose the whole.

Comprise:

The rock comprises three minerals.

Our solar system comprises one star, nine major planets, and numerous moons,
asteroids, comets.

Marcia composed a lovely jewelry set, comprised of dark and light green Austrian
crystal beads. The cake is comprised of flour, sugar, and some other stuff.”
The United States comprises fifty individual states.

Compose:

The rock is composed of three minerals.

Three minerals compose the rock

Fifty individual states compose the United States

The United States is composed of fifty individual states

Consist of:

The United States consists of fifty individual states

The set also consists of black jets.


 The day we visited, our picnic lunch consisted of apples, sandwiches, &
lemonade.

Advice and advise:

Advice is a noun. It is a recommendation. e.g.


 His advice was sound and everyone listened to him.
 I am seeking your advice because you are more experienced in such
matters.
 I turned down that bribe on your advice.
 Take my advice and quit your day job to focus on your startup business.
Advise is a verb. It means "to give advice" and therefore refers to the act of giving
advice. e.g.
 I would advise you to submit your resignation in view of this scandal.
 My lawyer has advised me to settle this matter out of court.
 She has a strictly advisory role in this project.
 I am advising three doctoral students for their thesis.

Practicable and practical:


practicable = able to be done or put into action
practical=real,realistic.

This plan is practicable. We have the budget and the time. We can do it! 

If considered practicable the suggestions will be forwarded to the H.T. for approval


and implementation.

It is unlikely that the use of simulation in the assessments of patients will


prove practicable in the foreseeable future.

Compare to and compare with:

To look at either the similarities or the differences between two things, usecompare


to.

To look at both the similarities and the differences between two things,


usecompare with.

Scientists compare the human brain to a computer. (Unlike things)

The police compared the forged signature with the original. (Like things)
Viable and workable:

Jim is not economically viable because he is homeless.

Taking out the animals from the ecosystem made it weaker and less viable for the
animals to survive.

That sounds like a perfectly workable system to me.

There is however still work to be done to make the law workable at the second
reading.

Such a system has already proved workable in the USA.

This is a very workable area, which has enabled me to have regular contact with all
schools.

November Lily bulbs can still be planted if the ground is still workable.

Subordinating conjunction:

A subordinating conjunction joins a subordinate clause to a main clause.

A subordinating conjunction joins a subordinate (dependent) clause to a main


(independent) clause:

The following is a list of the most common subordinating conjunctions.

after how till ( or 'til)


although if unless
as inasmuch   until
as if in order that when
as long as lest whenever
as much as now that where
as soon as provided (that)   wherever
as though since while
because so that
before than
even if that
even though    though

An adverb clause is always introduced by a subordinating conjunction. A noun


clause and adjective clause sometimes are.

Adverb clause: Before you go, sign the log book.

Noun clause: He asked if he could leave early.

Adjective clause: That is the place where he was last seen.

A subordinating conjunction is always followed by a clause. Many subordinating


conjunctions can be other parts of speech.

Adverb:Jill came tumbling after.

Preposition: Jill came tumbling after Jack.

Subordinating Conjunction: Jill came tumbling after Jack had fallen.

Possessive adjective:

Possessive adjectives, also known as possessive determiners, are a part of


speech that modifies a noun by attributing possession (or other sense of belonging)
to someone or something. In English, the words my, your and her are examples.
Definition: Possesive adjectives are used to show ownership or possession. The
possessive adjectives are:

Subject pronoun Possessive adjective


I my
you your
he his
she her
it its
we our
they their

A possessive adjective is similar or identical to a possessive pronoun; however, it


is used as an adjective and modifies a noun or a noun phrase.

For example:

 I can't complete my assignment because I don't have the textbook.


* In this sentence, the possessive adjective "my" modifies the noun
"assignment".
 What is your phone number?
* Here the possessive adjective "your" is used to modify the noun phrase
"phone number"
 The cat chased its ball down the stairs and into the backyard.
* In this sentence, the possessive adjective "its" modifies "ball".

Gerund:

In English, the gerund is identical in form to the present participle (ending in -ing)


and can behave as a verb within a clause (so that it may be modified by
an adverb or have an object), but the clause as a whole (sometimes consisting of
only one word, the gerund itself) acts as a noun within the larger sentence. For
example: Eating this cake is easy.
In "Eating this cake is easy," "eating this cake," although traditionally known as
a phrase, is referred to as a non-finite clause in modern linguistics. "Eating" is the
verb in the clause, while "this cake" is the object of the verb. "Eating this cake"
acts as a noun phrase within the sentence as a whole, though; the subject of the
sentence is "cake."

Gerunds function as nouns. Thus, gerunds will be subjects, subject


complements, direct objects, indirect objects, and objects of prepositions.

Present participles, on the other hand, complete progressive verbs or act


as modifiers.

Examples:

Since Francisco was five years old, swimming has been his passion.

Swimming = subject of the verb has been.

Francisco's first love is swimming.

Swimming = subject complement of the verb is.

Francisco enjoys swimming more than spending time with his girlfriend


Diana.

Swimming = direct object of the verb enjoys.

Francisco gives swimming all of his energy and time.

Swimming = indirect object of the verb gives.

When Francisco wore dive fins to class, everyone knew that he was
devoted toswimming.

Swimming = object of the preposition to.

Finite verb:
Definition:

A form of a verb that shows agreement with a subject and is marked for tense.


Contrast with nonfinite verb (or verbal).

If there is just one verb in a sentence, it is finite. Finite verbs are sometimes
called tensed verbs.

 "The base, third person singular, and past tenseare finite forms of


verbs because they can be contrasted for tense (present and past), and marked for
person (1st, 2nd, and 3rd) and number(singular and plural).

 Finite verbs can be recognized by their form and their position in the
sentence. Here are some of the things to look for when you are trying to
identify the finite verbs in a sentence:

Finite verbs are often groups of words that include such auxiliary
verbs as can, must, have, and be: can be suffering, must eat, will have
gone.

Finite verbs usually follow their subjects: He coughs. The


documents had compromised him. They will have gone.

Finite verbs surround their subjects when some forms of a question


are asked: Ishe coughing? Did they celebrate?

Most finite verbs can take an -ed or a -d at the end of the word to
indicate time in the past: cough, coughed; celebrate, celebrated. A
hundred or so finite verbs do not have these endings [see Principal
Parts of Irregular Verbs].

Droping or retaining the final E in suffix:

Whether to drop the final -e on some English words before adding a suffix can be
confusing for some English speakers.

1. When the suffix begins with a vowel then the final -e is usually dropped:

Suffi
Stem New word
x
-able define definable
-age store storage
-ed save saved
-est sure surest
-ing joke joking
-ion illustrate illustration
-or orate orator
-ory mandate mandatory
-ous fame famous
 
Exceptions
-able trace traceable
-ous courage courageous

When the word ends in two vowels, the final e is usually not dropped:

Double vowels
-ed shoe shoed
-ing flee fleeing
 
Exception
-ing argue arguing
2. When the suffix begins with a consonant the final -e is usually not dropped.

Suffi
stem stem+suffix
x
-ly time timely
  sure surely
  late lately
 
-ment atone atonement
manage management
base basement
 
-ness sedate sedateness
like likeness
bare bareness

Except for words that end with ue, which drop the e:

-ly true truly


due duly
-
argue argument
ment

If a root word ends with a silent “e,” drop the “e” before adding a suffix
that begins with a vowel.
 
The following words end with a silent “e” – come, take, bake, and hope.

 
The following words also end in a silent “e”: state, use, nine, like
If you wanted to add a suffix that did not begin with a vowel, would you
have to drop the “e”?  No, you would not.
 
state + ment = statement                use + ful = useful
ninety + ty = ninety                         like + ly = like

spelling mistakes:

remedies:

try to read more eng. books speak in eng, at least 2hrs daily practice makes a man
perfect

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