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Résultats 1 à 25 de 60 (page 1 de 3)
Qualifying or classifying adjective?
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An English quiz in which the user must determine whether an adjective in a sentence is a qualifying adjective or a classifying adjective.
In English, there are two categories of descriptive adjectives: qualifying adjectives and classifying adjectives.Qualifying adjectives describe the characteristics, qualities or faults of a person, place or thing. They are gradable, which means that they can be preceded by an adverb of degree, such as very, somewhat or really.Classifying adjectives categorize the people, places or things they describe. They express permanent or absolute characteristics and cannot be graded.In the sentences below, determine whether the adjective in square brackets is a qualifying adjective or a classifying adjective.1. Marie is an expert on [Italian] cuisine.qualifying adjectiveclassifying adjective2. We've chosen a partially [shaded] camp site.qualifying adjectiveclassifying adjective3. You look quite [rested] today.qualifying adjectiveclassifying adjective4. Taylor listens to [classical] music every night before bed.qualifying adjectiveclassifying adjective5. Jordan finally got rid of that [old], olive green chair!qualifying adjectiveclassifying adjective6. Salvador Dalí is one of the most famous [surrealist] painters of the 20th century.qualifying adjectiveclassifying adjective7. My grandma makes the [best] apple pie in the world!qualifying adjectiveclassifying adjective8. The dog is becoming more and more [aggressive] as it gets older.qualifying adjectiveclassifying adjective9. Drew won a gold medal in [alpine] skiing.qualifying adjectiveclassifying adjective10. Alex has three magnificent [Persian] cats and one beautiful standard poodle.qualifying adjectiveclassifying adjective
Source : Jeux du Portail linguistique du Canada
Bad vs. badly
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A quiz on when to use the adjective bad and the adverb badly.
1. After eating his restaurant meal, Miguel felt quite .badbadly2. If she is caught cheating, things will go very for Emily.badbadly3. Meat goes if it is not refrigerated or frozen.badbadly4. When confronted by his boss, Malcolm handled the situation .badbadly5. Although our mother played the piano , we children cherish the memory today.badbadly6. In the morning, Jamila needs coffee .badbadly7. We all feel for Alice: she lost her partner of 55 years.badbadly8. I never got caught for that misdeed, but I always felt about it.badbadly
Source : Jeux du Portail linguistique du Canada
Poor or poorly?
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A quiz on when to use poorand poorly.
Poor is an adjective; it can be used before a noun or after a linking verb. However, poorly can be either an adjective or an adverb. As an adjective, it follows a linking verb and means “sick” or “unwell”; as an adverb, it modifies an action verb and answers the question “how.”Using these clues, see if you can fill in the blanks below with the correct choice.1. Chloé rarely consumes vegetables and seems to relish fried foods. That child eats so .poorpoorly2. Because of macular degeneration, Sylvain’s eyesight is becoming .poorpoorly3. Agathe barely ate her supper; she’s feeling .poorpoorly4. With only one breadwinner now, the family lives quite .poorpoorly5. The food at the restaurant was of quality.poorpoorly6. Tony speaks French, English and Farsi fluently, but he speaks Spanish .poorpoorly7. The weather in Weyburn, Saskatchewan, is today.poorpoorly8. Rafael was so full of anxiety the night before the exam that he slept .poorpoorly9. The children looked for days after the accident.poorpoorly
Source : Jeux du Portail linguistique du Canada
hyphens: compound adjectives
On this page Hyphenate Noun-plus-adjective compounds Noun-plus-participle compounds Noun-plus-gerund compounds Adjective-plus-noun compounds and participle-plus-noun compounds Adjective-plus-participle compounds Adjective-plus-noun-plus-“ed” compounds Preposition-plus-noun compounds Compounds ending in adverbs Compounds containing verbs Compounds of three or more words Compound proper adjectives Compounds containing colours Do not hyphenate Additional information Hyphenate Noun-plus-adjective compounds Hyphenate compounds with the structure noun-plus-adjective, whether they’re used before the noun or after the verb: He bought duty-free goods. / The goods were duty-free. Invest in tax-exempt bonds. / The bonds are tax-exempt. Noun-plus-participle compounds Hyphenate noun-plus-participle compounds regardless of the position: They skied down the snow-capped mountains. / The mountains were snow-capped. This was a time-consuming activity. / This activity was time-consuming. Exceptions: A number of noun-plus-participle compounds, including handwritten and handmade, are written as one word. Noun-plus-gerund compounds Hyphenate two-word compound adjectives consisting of a noun plus a gerund when they come before the noun: the decision-making process a problem-solving approach a profit-sharing plan a tape-recording session Adjective-plus-noun compounds and participle-plus-noun compounds Hyphenate adjective-plus-noun and participle-plus-noun compounds that modify another noun: present-day Derby full-time employment large-scale development special-interest groups working-class neighbourhoods compressed-air engine Also hyphenate adjective-plus-noun and participle-plus-noun compounds when they come after a linking verb (for example, be) and act as an adjective: The development was large-scale. Her position is full-time. But don’t hyphenate when they follow an action verb and they don’t act as an adjective: Development proceeded on a large scale. He works full time. Adjective-plus-participle compounds Hyphenate adjective-plus-participle compounds, whether they’re used before the noun or after it: Taradiddle is an odd-sounding word. / The word is odd-sounding. He was a smooth-talking con artist. / The con artist was smooth-talking. Adjective-plus-noun-plus-“ed” compounds Hyphenate compounds made up of an adjective plus a noun to which the ending -ed has been added, in any position in the sentence: able-bodied many-sided short-handed strong-willed Preposition-plus-noun compounds Hyphenate compound adjectives made up of a preposition and a noun: after-tax income in-service courses on a per-gram basis out-of-province benefits Compounds ending in adverbs Hyphenate compound adjectives that end with an adverb of direction or place (in, out, down, up, etc.) when they precede the noun: a built-up area a drive-by shooting all-out competition the trickle-down theory Compounds containing verbs Hyphenate a compound adjective that contains a finite verb: a pay-as-you-go approach a would-be writer a work-to-rule campaign Compounds of three or more words Hyphenate compound adjectives of three or more words that include an adverb or a preposition and are used before the noun: a long-drawn-out affair an up-to-date approach the cost-of-living index a subject-by-subject analysis on-the-job training Compound proper adjectives Hyphenate compound proper adjectives that form a true compound: the Anglo-Saxon period the Sino-Russian border the Austro-Hungarian Empire Greco-Roman art an Asian-Canadian author But don’t hyphenate those in which a proper adjective is combined with a simple modifier: Latin American governments Middle Eastern affairs North American interests Central Asian republics Compounds containing colours Hyphenate compound adjectives made up of two colours, whether they’re placed before or after the noun: It was covered with blue-green algae. It was blue-green. Hyphenate compound adjectives containing a colour that ends with the suffix -ish only when they precede the noun: The tree had bluish-green leaves. Don’t hyphenate adjectives indicating a specific shade (even if they precede the noun): dark green paint a bright red dress strawberry blond hair Do not hyphenate Don’t hyphenate French or foreign words used as adjectives or placed in italics: a pure laine Quebecker their a priori reasoning a fare bella figura mindset (Note, however, that adjectives already hyphenated in French or foreign languages retain their hyphen in English: avant-garde filmmaking, a laissez-faire approach, etc.) Don’t hyphenate proper nouns used as adjectives: a Privy Council decision a New York State chartered bank Don’t hyphenate words in quotation marks: a “zero tolerance” approach Don’t hyphenate chemical terms used as adjectives: a calcium nitrate deposit a sodium chloride solution Additional information hyphens: compounds beginning with adverbs hyphens: suspended compounds hyphens: nouns with gerundsSource : Writing Tips Plus (difficultés et règles de la langue anglaise)
subject complement
A complement (spelled with an e) is something that completes. And a subject complement is something that completes our idea of the subject of a sentence by giving us more information about it. Usually, the subject complement is a noun, a pronoun or an adjective. Location in the sentence A subject complement is found in the predicate of a sentence (the part of the sentence that contains the verb and makes a statement about the subject). The subject complement follows a linking verb (a verb that expresses a state of being). A verb of being is called a linking verb because it simply links the subject with the subject complement, without expressing any action. In a sentence with a linking verb and a subject complement, the subject is not doing anything; instead, the subject is being something. Our most common linking verb is the verb be and its forms am, is, are, was, were, been and being. In addition, the verbs seem, appear, become, grow, look, feel, sound, smell and taste can all act as linking verbs. Examples Here are some examples of sentences with linking verbs and subject complements: Jan is an excellent doctor. Here, the subject complement is the noun doctor (along with its modifiers an excellent), which tells us something about the subject Jan; the verb is simply links them without expressing any action. The winners of the bubble-tea-drinking contest are you and Wang. In the above example, the pronoun you and the noun Wang are the subject complements identifying the subject winners; the verb are simply links them without expressing any action. Arabella’s recipe for turnip cordial tasted unusual. Here, the subject complement unusual is an adjective describing the subject recipe; the verb tasted simply links them without expressing any action. The players seem excited about the upcoming game. In this last example, the subject complement excited is an adjective describing the subject players; the verb seem simply links them without expressing any action.Source : Writing Tips Plus (difficultés et règles de la langue anglaise)
overall, over all
The overused adjective overall can be left out entirely or a more precise synonym can be used instead. Depending on the context, choose one of the following: absolute, aggregate, average, comprehensive, general, supreme, total, or whole. The (overall) goal of the provincial program is full employment. The final figures show an overall (total, absolute, average, general) increase in sales. The adverb phrase over all expresses the idea of “all things considered,” and is written in two words. Over all, I would say the party was a great success.Source : Writing Tips Plus (difficultés et règles de la langue anglaise)
Inuk, Inuit (Linguistic recommendation from the Translation Bureau)
On this page A note about the recommendation “Inuk” and “Inuit” used as nouns “Inuk” and “Inuit” used as adjectives Additional information A note about the recommendation The Translation Bureau recommends using the terms Inuk and Inuit both as nouns and as adjectives in English. Inuit can be used adjectivally in all contexts. However, Inuk can be used only to modify one person, in keeping with its sense in Inuktitut, the language from which it is borrowed. “Inuk” and “Inuit” used as nouns A concern for reconciliation and inclusivity requires that, when referring to Indigenous persons, we use the terms preferred by the community. Thus, we refer to the traditional inhabitants of Canada’s northern regions and Arctic coastline by the terms Inuk and Inuit. Inuk is the singular noun, used to refer to one person, regardless of gender. It is always capitalized and can be preceded by a definite or indefinite article: He is the first Inuk to have been called to the Nunavut Bar. She is an Inuk from Kuujjuaq in northeastern Quebec. Inuit is the plural noun. It is always capitalized. Because the word Inuit is already plural in form in Inuktitut, it is used in English without the English plural ending “s”: Correct: Inuit are working to preserve their language. Incorrect: Inuits are working to preserve their language. Since Inuit means "the people" in Inuktitut, do not use the definite article “the” or the word “people” in combination with Inuit: Correct: Inuit use traditional hunting methods. Incorrect: The Inuit use traditional hunting methods. Incorrect: The Inuit people use traditional hunting methods. Note: In addition to singular and plural forms, Inuktitut has a dual form used to refer to two people: Inuuk. Although Inuuk is used less frequently in English, it is still accepted. “Inuk” and “Inuit” used as adjectives Either Inuk or Inuit can be used as an adjective to describe a person. These terms are always capitalized: The Inuk Elder was honoured for contributions to the community. This award-winning Inuit designer combines fashion and tradition. But the adjective Inuk can be used only to describe one person, never two or more. With plural nouns referring to human beings, the adjective that’s used is Inuit: The non-profit organization is the voice of Inuit women in Canada. The website showcases original art created by Inuit artists. In addition, Inuk is never used to modify anything non-human. The adjective used to describe one or more places, things, qualities or ideas is Inuit: This Inuit hamlet is a cultural hub in summer. Traditional Inuit garments were made from animal skins and fur. Inuit hospitality is legendary. In the Inuit concept of health, the mind, body, spirit and environment are interconnected. Additional information Update on the words “Inuk” and “Inuit” (blog post) Inuit, inuk (Recommandation linguistique du Bureau de la traduction) (in French only)Source : Writing Tips Plus (difficultés et règles de la langue anglaise)
forward, forwards
Forward is an adverb, an adjective, a verb and a noun. Please step forward when your name is called. [adverb] Without reverse gear, we are limited to a forward motion. [adjective] I will forward that email immediately. [verb] In hockey, soccer and football a forward plays on the front line. [noun] Forwards is a variant form of the adverb and is becoming rare. She rocked gently backwards and forwards (or backward and forward).Source : Writing Tips Plus (difficultés et règles de la langue anglaise)
3 stylistic differences between English and French
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An English blog post to help translation clients understand three basic differences between English and French.
You have a translation in front of you, from English to French or from French to English. From the very first line, nothing seems to match. So how do you know if you have a good translation? An awareness of some of the stylistic differences between English and French may provide some helpful insight.
1. Word order
English first qualifies something and then names it, as in the case of “Chinese food,” where “food” expresses the main concept and “Chinese,” the category. In French, the equivalent would be mets chinois. Here, the main concept is expressed first and then qualified. What are we talking about? Food. What type of food? Chinese.
The same difference can be observed in a sentence like “He ran downstairs.” French would say il descendit l’escalier en courant. In this example, English expresses the action with the verb ran, while French expresses the action with the complement en courant; the order is therefore reversed.
So when you’re assessing a translation, it’s normal to feel as though you have to “read backwards.”
2. Prepositions
French uses more prepositions than English. In English, a noun can qualify another. But in French, this practice is not as common; in most cases, a preposition is needed to combine two nouns. For example, “ball gown” wouldn’t be translated as robe bal, but as robe de bal; “management report” would become rapport à la direction or rapport de la direction; and “knitting needles” would be translated as aiguilles à tricoter.
Furthermore, French and English do not always use the same prepositions. Here are a few examples:
Examples of differences in English and French prepositional usage
English prepositions
Equivalent French prepositions
A report by the chief financial officer (not of)
Un rapport du dirigeant principal des finances (not par)
This order is payable on receipt (not at)
Cette commande est payable à la livraison (not sur)
I was waiting for the bus (the preposition cannot be omitted)
J’attendais l’autobus (not pour)
3. Gender
It’s well known that English, unlike French, does not use grammatical gender, a fact that can cause headaches for those learning English but most especially for those translating it.
In French, since the masculine form prevails over the feminine, the translator may choose to change the word order or use a synonym to simplify agreement between an adjective or a participle and the word it qualifies. So a phrase such as “relevant results and data” could be translated in different ways, depending on the context.
Ways to translate “relevant results and data” and explanations of the strategies used
Possible translations
Strategy
Résultats et données pertinents
The French adjective pertinents is masculine plural. However, since it comes immediately after the French noun données, which is feminine, the Francophone reader might wonder if there is an agreement error.
Données et résultats pertinents
The feminine noun données changes position so that the phrase ends with a masculine noun, making the agreement more natural.
Résultats et données utiles
The adjective utiles is used because it has the same form in both genders.
On the other hand, in the last example, going from French to English, the translator could decide to use “relevant” rather than “useful,” since agreement is not an issue.
As you can see, English and French don’t work the same way. For that reason, it’s very difficult to assess the quality of a translation without understanding the stylistic differences between the two languages.
Ultimately, it all depends on how much confidence you have in your translator. For more information on this topic, I recommend reading the post “Translation: Let's trust the professionals (opens in new window),” also published on this blog. Don't hesitate to ask your translator questions and explain your needs. In return, be prepared to answer your translator’s questions. The more you collaborate, the better the translation will be. And in the process, you’ll be sure to discover other stylistic differences. Feel free to share them in the comment section below.
View bibliography
Delisle, Jean. La traduction raisonnée: Manuel d’initiation à la traduction professionnelle de l’anglais vers le français. 2nd ed. Ottawa: Ottawa UP, 2003.
Canada. Translation Bureau. Clés de la rédaction (opens in new window, French only).
Canada. Translation Bureau. Writing Tips Plus (opens in new window).
Eastwood, John. Oxford Learner’s Grammar. New York: Oxford UP, 2005.
Québec. Office québécois de la langue française. Banque de dépannage linguistique (opens in new window, French only).
Vinay, Jean-Paul, and Jean Darbelnet. Stylistique comparée du français et de l'anglais. Montreal: Beauchemin, 1990.
Translated by Josephine Versace, Language Portal of Canada
Source : Blogue Nos langues (billets de collaborateurs et collaboratrices)
Agile adverbs
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An English-language quiz on the position of adverbs.
Adverbs enjoy agility. They can move around in a sentence with relative ease, appearing sometimes before or after the verb, sometimes between the helping verb and the main verb, and sometimes at the beginning or end of the sentence. However, some basic rules do govern the position of certain adverbs and adverbial phrases. Put your knowledge of adverb positioning to the test with the quiz below.1. In which of the following sentences does "often" appear in the most appropriate position?Halima often can remember exact dates and times.Halima can often remember exact dates and times.Halima can remember often exact dates and times.2. In which of the following sentences does "gradually" appear in the correct position?Gradually, the department implemented the new communications policy.The department implemented gradually the new communications policy.The department implemented the gradually new communications policy.3. In which of the following sentences is the order of adverbs and adverbial phrases most appropriate?Francis practises diligently for his recital every day for an hour.Francis practises diligently every day for an hour for his recital.Francis practises diligently for an hour every day for his recital.4. Select the more emphatic position for "painstakingly" in the following sentence.Painstakingly, Helen reviewed every figure in each of the tables.Helen painstakingly reviewed every figure in each of the tables.Helen reviewed painstakingly every figure in each of the tables.5. In which of the following sentences is the order of adverbial phrases most appropriate?Zoë rescued her cat outside a mall from a box on a cold fall night.Zoë rescued her cat on a cold fall night from a box outside a mall.Zoë rescued her cat from a box outside a mall on a cold fall night.6. In which of the following sentences does "especially" appear in an appropriate position?Andrew's advice to travel with hand-luggage was practical especially.Andrew's advice to travel with hand-luggage especially was practicalAndrew's advice to travel with hand-luggage was especially practical.7. In which of the following sentences is the order of adverbial phrases more appropriate?Maria drinks tea before breakfast every morning of the work week.Maria drinks tea every morning of the work week before breakfast.either a) or b)
Source : Jeux du Portail linguistique du Canada
The parts of speech: Introduction
Traditional grammar classifies words based on eight parts of speech: the verb, the noun, the pronoun, the adjective, the adverb, the preposition, the conjunction and the interjection. Each part of speech explains not what the word is, but how the word is used. In fact, the same word can be a noun in one sentence and a verb or adjective in another. The next examples show how the part of speech of a word can change from one sentence to the next. Following these examples is a series of sections on the individual parts of speech and an exercise. Example Explanation Books are made of ink, paper and glue. In this sentence, books is a noun, the subject of the sentence. Joe waits patiently while Bridget books the tickets. Here books is a verb and its subject is Bridget. We walk down the street. In this sentence, walk is a verb and its subject is the pronoun we. The letter carrier stood on the walk. In this example, walk is a noun that is part of a prepositional phrase describing where the letter carrier stood. The town council decided to build a new jail. Here jail is a noun, which is the object of the infinitive phrase to build. The police officer told us that if we did not leave immediately he would jail us. Here jail is part of the compound verb would jail. The parents heard high-pitched cries in the middle of the night. In this sentence, cries is a noun acting as the direct object of the verb heard. Their colicky baby cries all night long and all day long. Here cries is a verb that describes the actions of the subject of the sentence, i.e. the baby. The next sections explain each of the parts of speech in detail. When you have finished looking at them, you might want to test yourself by trying the exercise. The details Verb - Next Page Noun Pronoun Adjective Adverb Preposition Conjunction Interjection Review exercise: Parts of speechSource : HyperGrammar 2 (notions de base de la grammaire anglaise)
Review exercise: Parts of speech
Identify the part of speech of the highlighted word in each of the following sentences. 1. The clown chased a dog around the ring and then fell flat on her face. verb noun pronoun adjective adverb preposition conjunction interjection 2. The geese indolently waddled across the intersection. verb noun pronoun adjective adverb preposition conjunction interjection 3. Yikes! I’m late for work. verb noun pronoun adjective adverb preposition conjunction…Source : HyperGrammar 2 (notions de base de la grammaire anglaise)
old, older, elder
Elder and eldest are normally reserved for people. Use elder when comparing two people and eldest when comparing three or more. Lianna always admired her elder brother. The eldest person attending the reunion will receive a plaque. The title elder is often used for senior or highly respected members of a family or community. Having survived years of hardship, the elders were said to be very wise. As a title, Elder is often capitalized. Although barely middle–aged, Jacob was elected to the Board of Elders of his church. Sixteenth–century painters Lucas Cranach the Elder and Lucas Cranach the Younger were father and son. Old, older and oldest refer to either people or things. Use older when comparing two people or things and oldest when comparing three or more. Lianna always admired her older brother. The oldest person attending the reunion will receive a plaque. Houses in Halifax are older than those in Calgary. In the oldest office buildings, there are very few telephone connections.Source : Writing Tips Plus (difficultés et règles de la langue anglaise)
Adjectives: Keep them in order!
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An English-language quiz on the order of cumulative adjectives.
In English, a series of adjectives before a noun is often cumulative, so that they build meaning progressively in one direction and are not reversible. For example, one adjective might modify another (light blue sky), or one adjective might modify the unit formed by the next adjective plus the noun (shiny new car).Cumulative adjectives are usually arranged in a specific order from left to right, according to the type of adjective: determiner (a, the, some, many, etc.); opinion (good, difficult, important, etc.); size; age; shape; colour; origin; material; purpose; noun used as an adjective.On the basis of this information, see if you can select the usual order for the adjectives in the following sentences.1. boys waited impatiently in line to audition for the role of Dennis the Menace.Several rambunctious littleSeveral little rambunctiousLittle rambunctious several2. Irene used her tablecloth to dress her table for Easter brunch.white new Irish linennew Irish white linennew white Irish linen3. Roberto purchased a divider for his loft to separate his office space from his living room.decorative room bamboodecorative bamboo roombamboo decorative room4. Lilly picked up a bottle on her recent trip to Italy.glass Murano perfumeMurano glass perfumeMurano perfume glass5. The afterschool activities program owes its success in large part to the volunteers.many dedicated seniormany senior dedicateddedicated senior many6. The grocery store chain dramatically increased sales with the development of app.a new innovative Smartphonean innovative new Smartphonea new Smartphone innovative7. A bench is a stylish alternative to shelves for additional storage space.leather rectangular blackblack rectangular leatherrectangular black leather8. Bridget just made an offer on house.an octagonal unique white bricka unique octagonal white bricka white brick unique octagonal
Source : Jeux du Portail linguistique du Canada
Update on the words “Inuk” and “Inuit”
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An English blog post on the use of the words “Inuit” and “Inuk.”
In 2009, the Translation Bureau issued a recommendation on the use of the terms “Inuk” and “Inuit.” The Bureau has now published a new recommendation that reflects the current usage in 2023.
Background
In 2009, the Translation Bureau recommended that the term “Inuit” be used in English as a plural noun and as an adjective, and that the term “Inuk” be used only as a singular noun. However, the use of these terms in English has evolved with the passage of time, and the Translation Bureau has therefore revised its recommendation to keep abreast of modern usage.
Recommendation
The Translation Bureau continues to recommend the use of “Inuit” as a plural noun and the use of “Inuk” as a singular noun in reference to persons, in keeping with the meaning of these terms in Inuktitut.
It’s now acceptable to use “Inuk” as an adjective also. But there’s an important caveat: “Inuk” can be used only to modify a person, never an object. And it must be used with a singular noun, not a plural one:
An Inuk singer won the Indigenous Music Award for best album.
With plural nouns designating people, and with all other nouns, whether singular or plural, the adjective to use is “Inuit”:
A group of Inuit drummers is performing at the music festival.
The children were captivated by the storyteller’s account of the Inuit legend.
“Inuit” can also be used in place of “Inuk” with singular nouns designating people:
The Inuit sculptor works in soapstone.
For more specific information, consult the Translation Bureau’s Linguistic Recommendation on “Inuk” and “Inuit (opens in new tab).”
Meaning in Inuktitut
It’s important to note that in Inuktitut, the noun “Inuit” is plural in form and refers to several persons. Therefore, it remains invariable in English, and an “s” should not be added to the end of the word to pluralize it.
In addition, because “Inuit” means “the people,” it would be redundant to say “the Inuit people” in English. “Inuit” is used alone as the plural noun:
Preserving cultural traditions is of great importance to Inuit. (not “to Inuit people” or “to the Inuit people”)
Certain terms relating to Indigenous realities, including the terms “Inuk” and “Inuit,” are addressed in the Guide on Equity, Diversity and Inclusion Terminology (opens in new tab), which a large number of federal departments and agencies contributed to. It’s important that Indigenous realities be taken into consideration in any discussion about equity, diversity and inclusion, which, like reconciliation, are priorities for the Government of Canada. The Translation Bureau’s recommendation in regard to the use of “Inuk” and “Inuit” as nouns corresponds to the information provided in the Guide, which underwent extensive discussion and consultation.
As you can see, the terms “Inuk” and “Inuit” are perhaps a little more complex than you might originally have thought. But with the explanations and examples given here and in our recommendation, you’ll have no trouble mastering their correct use.
Source : Blogue Nos langues (billets de collaborateurs et collaboratrices)
A question of sound, not sight: “A” or “an”
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An English-language quiz on the use of the indefinite articles a and an.
Would you say an NHL referee or a NHL referee? It's an NHL referee. The indefinite article an is used before all vowel sounds except the long u sound (a united stand) and before the silent h (an honourable politician). And since the first letter of NHL makes the vowel sound en, it takes the article an.Here are some questions to test your knowledge.1. ATV (all-terrain vehicle)aan2. audit reviewaan3. hard diskaan4. UN (United Nations) conferenceaan5. NDP (New Democratic Party) memberaan6. hearingaan7. HD (high-definition) televisionaan8. NATO (North Atlantic Treaty Organization) publicationaan9. CPR (cardiopulmonary resuscitation) courseaan10. FTA (free trade area) tariffaan Note: Adapted from Charles Skeete's article "A Question of Sound, Not Sight" in Terminology Update, Vol. 29, No. 3, 1996, p. 14.
Source : Jeux du Portail linguistique du Canada
demonstrative pronouns, demonstrative adjectives
A pronoun is a word that takes the place of a noun. A demonstrative pronoun is a pronoun used to point something out. The demonstrative pronouns are this, that, these and those. This vs. that The singular demonstrative pronouns are this and that. This is used to point out something near to the speaker in space or time: I brought this from home. That indicates something more distant: My memory stick? I forgot that at home. These and those The demonstrative pronouns have plural forms, used to replace a plural noun. The plural of this is these: I’ll take these. They’re perfect! The plural of that is those: Those are chameleons. Demonstrative adjectives The demonstrative pronouns can act as demonstrative adjectives when placed before a noun: This house is my grandmother’s. That car belongs to Joe. I’ll take these sandals. Those chameleons look a little off-colour; are they well? Tip: Avoid using the redundant phrase these ones or those ones. Instead, simply use the demonstrative pronoun these or those.Source : Writing Tips Plus (difficultés et règles de la langue anglaise)
Know your adjectives
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An English quiz on general knowledge about adjectives.
An adjective is a word that describes or modifies a noun or pronoun. Adjectives tell us what kind of thing or person is being described, how much or how many there are, which one(s) we mean, or whom the person or thing belongs to. For example, the words amazing, red, several, five, this, every, whose and their are adjectives.How much do you know about adjectives? To find out, answer the following questions.1. In the sentence "Open the green door," what type of adjective is "green"?attributivepredicate2. Predicate adjectives come after an action verb.truefalse3. In which sentence is the adjective "afraid" correctly placed?The afraid dog ran away when it heard the thunder.The dog was afraid when it heard the thunder, so it ran away.4. Which word is a demonstrative adjective in the sentence "These crayons are mine; those are yours."thosethese5. What type of adjectives are "my," "her," "its" and "their"?demonstrativepossessive6. Which sentence contains an interrogative adjective?What colour is your car?What is the colour of your car?7. In the sentence "The pie is the tastiest dessert on the menu," which form is the adjective in?superlativecomparative8. Which of the two sentences uses the comparative form of the adjective "gentle" correctly?The golden retriever is more gentle than the chihuahua.The golden retriever is more gentler than the chihuahua.9. How do you form the superlative of adjectives with three syllables or more?add -est to the adjectiveput "most" in front of the adjective10. Should you say "John is the taller of the two brothers" or "John is the tallest of the two brothers"?tallertallest
Source : Jeux du Portail linguistique du Canada
Modifiers: Introduction
A modifier can be an adjective, an adverb, or a phrase or clause acting as an adjective or adverb. In every case, the basic principle is the same: the modifier adds information to another element in the sentence. In this module, you will begin by working with single-word modifiers—adjectives and adverbs—but the information here will also apply to phrases and clauses that act as modifiers. The details Using adverbs and adjectives - Next Page Using the comparative and superlative Misplaced and dangling modifiers Review exercise: Adverbs and adjectives Review exercise: Identifying misplaced or dangling modifiers Review exercise: Fixing misplaced modifiersSource : HyperGrammar 2 (notions de base de la grammaire anglaise)
inclusive, inclusively
When writing a range of dates, use the adjective inclusive rather than the adverb inclusively. I collected the information from March 1 to April 25 inclusive.Source : Writing Tips Plus (difficultés et règles de la langue anglaise)
Adjective
An adjective modifies a noun or a pronoun by describing, identifying or quantifying it. An adjective usually precedes the noun or pronoun that it modifies. In the following examples, the words in italics are adjectives: The truck-shaped hot-air balloon floated over the treetops. Joe covered his bedroom walls with hideous posters. The small boat foundered on the wine-dark sea. The coal mines are dark and dank. Many stores have already begun to play irritating Christmas music. A battered music box sat on the mahogany sideboard. The mud room was filled with large, yellow rain boots. An adjective can be modified by an adverb or by a phrase or clause functioning as an adverb. In the following sentence, the adverb intricately modifies the adjective patterned: My husband knits intricately patterned mittens. Some nouns, many pronouns and many participle phrases can also act as adjectives. In the following sentence, both highlighted adjectives are past participles: Eleanor listened to the muffled sounds of the radio hidden under her pillow. Note that grammarians also consider articles (the, a, an) to be adjectives. Possessive adjectives A possessive adjective (my, your, his, her, its, our, their) is similar or identical to a possessive pronoun; however, it is used as an adjective and modifies a noun or noun phrase, as in the following: Example Explanation I can’t complete my assignment because I don’t have the textbook. The possessive adjective my modifies assignment, and the noun phrase my assignment functions as an object. Note that the possessive pronoun form mine never modifies a noun or noun phrase. What is your phone number? The possessive adjective your modifies the noun phrase phone number. The entire noun phrase your phone number functions as a subject complement. Note that the possessive pronoun form yours never modifies a noun or noun phrase. The bakery sold his favourite type of bread. The possessive adjective his modifies the noun phrase favourite type of bread. The entire noun phrase his favourite type of bread is the direct object of the verb sold. After many years, Magda returned to her homeland. The possessive adjective her modifies the noun homeland. The noun phrase her homeland is the object of the preposition to. Note also that the possessive pronoun form hers never modifies a noun or noun phrase. We have lost our way in this wood. The possessive adjective our modifies the noun way. The noun phrase our way is the direct object of the compound verb have lost. Note that the possessive pronoun form ours never modifies a noun or noun phrase. In many fairy tales, children are neglected by their parents. The possessive adjective their modifies parents. The noun phrase their parents is the object of the preposition by. Note that the possessive pronoun form theirs never modifies a noun or noun phrase. The cat chased its tail down the stairs. The possessive adjective its modifies tail. The noun phrase its tail is the object of the verb chased. Note that its is the possessive adjective and it’s is a contraction for it is. Demonstrative adjectives A demonstrative adjective (this, these, that, those and what) is identical to a demonstrative pronoun but is used as an adjective to modify a noun or noun phrase, as in the following: Example Explanation When the librarian tripped over that cord, she dropped a pile of books. The demonstrative adjective that modifies the noun cord. The noun phrase that cord is the object of the preposition over. This apartment needs to be fumigated. The demonstrative adjective this modifies the noun apartment. The noun phrase this apartment is the subject of the sentence. Even though my friend preferred those CDs, I bought these. The demonstrative adjective those in the subordinate clause modifies CDs. The noun phrase those CDs is the object of the verb preferred.(In the independent clause, these stands alone as the direct object of the verb bought and is therefore a demonstrative pronoun, not a demonstrative adjective.) Note that the relationship between a demonstrative adjective and a demonstrative pronoun is similar to the relationship between a possessive adjective and a possessive pronoun, or to that between an interrogative adjective and an interrogative pronoun. Interrogative adjectives An interrogative adjective (which or what) is like an interrogative pronoun, except that it modifies a noun or noun phrase rather than standing on its own, as in the following: Example Explanation Which plants should be watered twice a week? The interrogative adjective which modifies the noun plants. The noun phrase which plants is the subject of the compound verb should be watered. What book are you reading? The interrogative adjective what modifies the noun book. The noun phrase what book is the direct object of the compound verb are reading. Indefinite adjectives An indefinite adjective is similar to an indefinite pronoun, except that it modifies a noun, pronoun or noun phrase, as in the following: Example Explanation Many people believe that corporations are insufficiently taxed. The indefinite adjective many modifies the noun people. The noun phrase many people is the subject of the sentence. I will send you any mail that arrives after you have moved to Sudbury. The indefinite adjective any modifies the noun mail. The noun phrase any mail is the direct object of the compound verb will send. The caretakers found a few goldfish floating belly-up in the pond. The indefinite adjective few modifies the noun goldfish. The noun phrase a few goldfish is the direct object of the verb found. The title of the next short story on our list is “All Summer in a Day.” The indefinite pronoun all modifies summer. The title “All Summer in a Day” is a subject complement of the verb is.Source : HyperGrammar 2 (notions de base de la grammaire anglaise)
back up, backup
The phrasal verb is spelled as two words, with no hyphen: back up. Have you backed up your data today? The noun and adjective are spelled as one word, with no hyphen: backup. Habib has agreed to be my backup at tomorrow’s meeting. My hard disk crashed and I had no backup disk.Source : Writing Tips Plus (difficultés et règles de la langue anglaise)
Pronoun reference
Pronouns generally refer to other words called antecedents because they generally appear before the pronoun. A pronoun’s antecedent may be either a noun or another pronoun, but in either case it must be clear what the antecedent is. Consider this example: Bridget told Ruth that she would take Joe to the barn dance. It is not clear whether the pronoun she in this sentence refers to Ruth or Bridget. A pronoun must refer unmistakably to a single antecedent. If not, readers will never know with certainty who is going to the barn dance with whom. Single antecedent If there is more than one possible antecedent for a personal pronoun in a sentence, make sure that the pronoun clearly refers to only one of them: [WRONG] In the jacket Alyson had borrowed, Maria found the ring she had lost. The personal pronoun she could refer to either Alyson or Maria. [WRONG] Jerry called Steve twelve times while he was in Vancouver. The pronoun he could refer either to Jerry or to Steve. Specific versus implied antecedent Make sure that a pronoun refers to a specific rather than an implicit antecedent. When an antecedent is implied instead of stated explicitly, the reader has to guess the meaning of the sentence. [WRONG] John put a bullet in his gun and shot it. The pronoun it can refer either to the noun gun or to the implied object of the verb shot. [WRONG] If I told him he had a beautiful body would he hold it against me? The pronoun it can refer to the noun body or to the entire statement. [WRONG] The union reached an agreement on Ruth’s fine, but it took time. The pronoun it can refer to the noun union or to the implied process of decision making. Possessives and ajectives as antecedents You should not use adjectives or nouns and pronouns in the possessive case as antecedents because reference to them will be ambiguous: In Ruth’s apology she told Jerry she’d loved him for years. In this case, the pronoun she seems to refer to the noun phrase Ruth’s apology. However, the pronoun she was probably meant to refer to the possessive noun Ruth’s. Jerry wore that awful green shirt; it was his favourite colour. In this example, the pronoun it seems to refer to the noun shirt, although it was probably meant to refer to the adjective green. Misuse of pronouns referring to titles When drafting a document, do not start an opening paragraph with a pronoun referring directly to the title. Often the title appears on a separate page, and as a result the opening is confusing. Imagine, for example, a document entitled How to Sew Green Shirts. You should not begin the first paragraph with a sentence such as This is not as easy as it looks. The writer probably wanted the pronoun this to refer to the idea of sewing shirts, but since the idea is not in the body of the text itself, the reference does not make sense. Using it, they and you In conversation people often use expressions such as It says in this book that . . . and In my home town they say that . . . . These constructions are informal and allow ideas to be presented casually, without supporting evidence. For formal writing, however, these constructions are either too imprecise or too wordy. [WRONG] In my biography it says that I was born in Whitehorse. It is unclear in the biography what says that the speaker was born in Whitehorse. [WRONG] In the restaurant they gave me someone else’s linguine. Who gave the speaker someone else’s linguine? It would be better to rewrite these two sentences as follows: [RIGHT] My biography states that I was born in Whitehorse. [RIGHT] In the restaurant, the server gave me someone else’s linguine. In these revised sentences, there is no doubt about what or who is doing what. The same basic rule applies to the pronoun you. In informal conversation and instructional writing, English speakers often use the pronoun you to mean a hypothetical person or people in general. Formal writing, however, needs to be more precise, and you should be used only when the author would like to address the reader directly (as I am doing here). Consider this example: [WRONG] In the fourteenth century, you had to struggle to survive. In this case, you obviously does not refer to the reader (who was not alive during the fourteenth century). The sentence can be easily edited so that it expresses the idea more precisely, [RIGHT] In the fourteenth century, people had to struggle to survive. Or even better yet, [RIGHT] In the fourteenth century, English peasant farmers had to struggle to survive. Using it consistently There are three common uses of the pronoun it: As an idiom It is snowing. To postpone the subject It is untrue that a rhinoceros can run faster than me. As a personal pronoun I wanted a rhinoceros for my birthday, but did not get it. All three uses are found in formal writing, but the pronoun it should not be used more than once within a single sentence to avoid awkwardness: [WRONG] When it is my birthday, I hope to receive a rhinoceros, and I will walk it often. It would be better to eliminate the first (idiomatic) it: On my birthday, I hope to receive a rhinoceros, and I will walk it often. Using who, which and that Writers, editors and publishers have had difficulty establishing clear guidelines for using the relative pronouns who, which and that in formal writing. However, during the last fifty years they have generally agreed that the pronoun who refers to people and may also refer to animals that have names: My mother, who gave me a potbellied pig, must love me very much. My pig, whom I call Spike, wanders at will through the house. The pronoun which refers to animals and things: The pig, which is a much maligned and misunderstood animal, is really quite affectionate. Lastly, the pronoun that refers to animals or things and occasionally to people when they are anonymous or part of a group: The hamster that hid behind the television went missing for days. Shaggy dogs that like to swim in the bathtub cause plumbing and enamelling problems for their owners. The answer that everyone missed was Etruscan.Source : HyperGrammar 2 (notions de base de la grammaire anglaise)
Review exercise: Adverbs and adjectives
Choose the correct answer for each of the following sentences. 1. Many people have tried to sell us vacuum cleaners, but you are certainly one of the placeholder for the answer salespeople we have met. more persuasive most persuasive 2. The sound quality of this film is poor, and the picture is focused placeholder for the answer. bad badly 3. My brother’s roommate this year is placeholder for the answer than the graduate student he lived with last…Source : HyperGrammar 2 (notions de base de la grammaire anglaise)
hyphens: suspended compounds
When two or more compound adjectives contain the same word, to avoid repetition, writers usually omit that word from the compound(s) at the beginning of the series. Thus, first-class and second-class fares becomes simply first- and second-class fares, with the word class omitted in the first compound adjective. Note that the hyphen before the omitted word is retained: first- and second-class fares (not first and second-class fares). This structure is called a “suspended compound.” Here are some more examples: high- and low-pressure turbine interest- or revenue-producing schemes short- and long-term plans two-, four- and six-metre widthsSource : Writing Tips Plus (difficultés et règles de la langue anglaise)
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