Q&A - PSLE English

[Muffins]

actually, nebbermind, it's \"knows\"


Vry common question PSLE people like to ask (biggie hint here).

We must pay our attention to the word \"one\". Once there is that word in the sentence, it cuts off the rest of the plural. The sentence would be interpreted like this: Apart from the three men, he is the one that knows where the treasure is hidden.

Cheers!

[iFruit]

Muffins:

actually, nebbermind, it's \"knows\"


Vry common question PSLE people like to ask (biggie hint here).

We must pay our attention to the word \"one\". Once there is that word in the sentence, it cuts off the rest of the plural. The sentence would be interpreted like this: Apart from the three men, he is the one that knows where the treasure is hidden.

Cheers!

I beg to differ. I think it should be \"know\". The sentence implies that all three men know where the treasure is hidden and that two of them are dead leaving only the old man in the know.

So it should be,

“We must find the old man! He’s one of three men who know where the treasure is hidden and the two other men are dead,” shouted Ben urgently.

Where it becomes \"knows\" is when only one person out of three is referred, like

\"Only one out of the three men knows where treasure is hidden.\"

[atutor2001]

iFruit:

Muffins:

actually, nebbermind, it's \"knows\"


Vry common question PSLE people like to ask (biggie hint here).

We must pay our attention to the word \"one\". Once there is that word in the sentence, it cuts off the rest of the plural. The sentence would be interpreted like this: Apart from the three men, he is the one that knows where the treasure is hidden.

Cheers!

I beg to differ. I think it should be \"know\". The sentence implies that all three men know where the treasure is hidden and that two of them are dead leaving only the old man in the know.

So it should be,

“We must find the old man! He’s one of three men who know where the treasure is hidden and the two other men are dead,” shouted Ben urgently.

Where it becomes \"knows\" is when only one person out of three is referred, like

\"Only one out of the three men knows where treasure is hidden.\"

Ya should be \"know\". I remember it being discussed discussed earlier in this thread.

[snowman.022851697]

The emphasis is placed on the one man that’s still alive. The other two men are extra information. Furthermore, it looks and sounds strange with ‘know’.

[atutor2001]

snowman.697:

The emphasis is placed on the one man that's still alive. The other two men are extra information. Furthermore, it looks and sounds strange with 'know'.

This link might help

http://forums.about.com/n/pfx/forum.aspx?tsn=1&nav=messages&webtag=ab-grammar&tid=11

[meimeitan]

Hi All,


May I know what the child should use in Eng Oral if he/she wants to say that he / she is in the scence?

(1) If I am in the scence, I will ........
(2) If I were in the scence, I would .......

Which one is correct? Thanks.

meimeitan :?:

[rains]

meimeitan:

Hi All,


May I know what the child should use in Eng Oral if he/she wants to say that he / she is in the scence?

(1) If I am in the scence, I will ........
(2) If I were in the scence, I would .......

Which one is correct? Thanks.

meimeitan :?:

I should think (2) is better as the child wasn't at the scene at that point in time.

[meimeitan]

Hi!


How do the other professionals think?

Thanks. :lol:

meimeitan

[atutor2001]

meimeitan:

Hi All,


May I know what the child should use in Eng Oral if he/she wants to say that he / she is in the scence?

(1) If I am in the scence, I will ........
(2) If I were in the scence, I would .......

Which one is correct? Thanks.

meimeitan :?:

This link may be of help : http://www.edufind.com/english/grammar/if1.cfm

If the child was indeed at the scene, the \"if clause\" should not be used. The sentence will be \"I was at the scene....\"

Below is a summary of my understanding of how \"if clauses\" are to be used :

Type 0 is used for \"fact\", events that will always be true -
\"If you drop the glass, if will shatter into pieces.

Type I is used for events that can happen -
\"If you come, I will buy you lunch.\"
(there is a possibility that you will come)

Type II is used for events that is unlikely to happen -
\"If he asked me, I would help him.\"
(but he won't asked me or he probably won't because we are enemies)

Type III is used for events that can't happen because it has already occurred -
\"If he had asked me, I would have helped him.\"
(the event is already over and the fact is he didn't asked me at that time)

Back to your question. The oral is based on a given picture and we have to assume that the event has already happened. Therefore, it is not possible for the child to be at the scene. In such case, type III should be used :

If I had been at the scene, I would have ......

ps

Type II is also used for events that are \"false\"

\"If I were Lady Gaga, I would .....
(I can never be lady gaga :lol: )

[meimeitan]

Dear atutor 2001


Thks a lot!

meimeitan