Q&A - PSLE English

[harish_thiyagrajan.023307hotmail.023307com]

All the best to students writing PSLE tomorrow!

[tianzhu]

Hi TAS and Learning Partners


Thank you for helping to answer some of the questions in this thread. I am sure many parents and students appreciate it.

I find English a difficult subject; it’s not easy to secure good grades in it.

May I check with you, does the school teacher explain the grammar rules behind the answers?

Best wishes

[iFruit]

Learning Partners:

lightbulb:

Hi,


I'm still a little confused about the majority/minority question as my teacher has never introduced this to me.

A minority of the students (sleep/sleeps) early at night.
The minority of the students (sleep/sleeps) early at night.

A majority of the students (play/plays) computer games at night.
The majority of the students (play/plays) computer games at night.

The student's majority (play/plays) computer games at night.
The student's minority (sleep/sleeps) early at night.

Please reply only if you are totally sure about this and try to reply ASAP as my english PSLE is tmrw. Sorry for the hurry!

Thanks

Hi lightbulb,

1. A minority of the students (sleep) early at night.
2. The minority of the students (sleeps) early at night.

3. A majority of the students (play) computer games at night.
4. The majority of the students (plays) computer games at night.

5. The student's majority (plays) computer games at night. (The noun that does the action here is 'majority'.)
6. The student's minority (sleeps) early at night. (The noun that does the action is 'minority.)



Note 1: (5) and (6) are very awkward-sounding and we usually do not use such sentences.



Note 2: The rule to remember is that when we use the following phrases:

- a number of
- a majority of
- a minority

the word 'a' renders the phrases indefinite which means that they simply refer to the nouns in the plural form.


But:

- the number of
- the majority
- the minority

are singular because these phrases refer to specific values and each of these values is singular.

Eg: The number of fish in the pond has decreased over the past month.

In the above example, 'the number of fish' is a value and this value is a singular noun so the verb used is 'has decreased'.



Learning Partners

Hi LP,

Could you clarify why this is correct?

\"The majority of the students (plays) computer games at night.\"

I think \"The majority\" is singular but \"The majority of students\" should be plural.

For example,

\"The majority of students like principal.\"
\"The majority of students don't like principal.\"
\"The majority likes president.\"
\"The majority doesn't like president.\"

On the other hand the following don't sound right.

\"The majority of students doesn't like principal.\"
\"The majority of students likes principal.

[The Alternative Story]

iFruit:

Hi LP,

Could you clarify why this is correct?

\"The majority of the students (plays) computer games at night.\"

I think \"The majority\" is singular but \"The majority of students\" should be plural.

For example,

\"The majority of students like principal.\"
\"The majority of students don't like principal.\"
\"The majority likes president.\"
\"The majority doesn't like president.\"

On the other hand the following don't sound right.

\"The majority of students doesn't like principal.\"
\"The majority of students likes principal.

Hi ifruit,

We have discussed this topic before and our discussion can be found
here:
http://www.kiasuparents.com/kiasu/forum/viewtopic.php?t=2074&postdays=0&postorder=asc&start=150

This is a confusing part of English. There is quite a lot of debate to
what is right and what is wrong.

Basically, to remember:

a) When 'majority' and 'minority' is used by itself, it is
singular because it refers to one group.

Example:
- The majority has decided.

b) When 'majority' and 'minority' is used with a plural noun,
it is plural.

Example:
- The majority of pupils have decided to go for recess now.

In this example, the focus is on the individual students
that make up the majority of students and not the group.

It does not matter if it is 'A majority' or 'the majority',
as long as it is used alone, it is singular, if it is used
with plural nouns, it becomes plural as the emphasis is not
on the group but on the individual students.

TAS

[iFruit]

The Alternative Story:

iFruit:

Hi LP,

Could you clarify why this is correct?

\"The majority of the students (plays) computer games at night.\"

I think \"The majority\" is singular but \"The majority of students\" should be plural.

For example,

\"The majority of students like principal.\"
\"The majority of students don't like principal.\"
\"The majority likes president.\"
\"The majority doesn't like president.\"

On the other hand the following don't sound right.

\"The majority of students doesn't like principal.\"
\"The majority of students likes principal.

Hi ifruit,

We have discussed this topic before and our discussion can be found
here:
http://www.kiasuparents.com/kiasu/forum/viewtopic.php?t=2074&postdays=0&postorder=asc&start=150

This is a confusing part of English. There is quite a lot of debate to
what is right and what is wrong.

Basically, to remember:

a) When 'majority' and 'minority' is used by itself, it is
singular because it refers to one group.

Example:
- The majority has decided.

b) When 'majority' and 'minority' is used with a plural noun,
it is plural.

Example:
- The majority of pupils have decided to go for recess now.

In this example, the focus is on the individual students
that make up the majority of students and not the group.

It does not matter if it is 'A majority' or 'the majority',
as long as it is used alone, it is singular, if it is used
with plural nouns, it becomes plural as the emphasis is not
on the group but on the individual students.

TAS

Hi TAS,

Agreed.

So the correct answers for lightbulb should be

1. A minority of the students (sleep) early at night.
2. The minority of the students (sleep) early at night.

3. A majority of the students (play) computer games at night.
4. The majority of the students (play) computer games at night.

5. The students' majority (plays) computer games at night.
6. The students' minority (sleeps) early at night.

[atutor2001]

Au:

I too agree that the answer is shuddered. But my teacher said it was cringed. :?

Don't worry. Teacher can also make mistake. Should be shuddered.

[hermes173]

Hi all P6-ers, good luck for your coming PSLE!

[harish_thiyagrajan.023307hotmail.023307com]

Thanks Fongg.

Fongg:

Au:

May I know the answer for his question?

If only you ________ to me earler, I could have helped you.
(1)come
(2)came
(3)has come
(4)had come

_______ winning the singing contest, she has received many offers to sing professionally.
(1)For
(2)Since
(3)Unless
(4)Despite

Thanks in advance!

I think the answer for the first one should be (4) and answer for second is (2). Are you a PSLE student, if so, all the best for you exams tomorrow!!

[youngtay]

Hi,


http://www.orlesson.org/orp/09En/2009-P6-Eng-SA2-Nanyang.pdf

Question 18. She stepped outside and ___when a cold wind blew.
1.cringed
2.flinched
3.cowered
4.shuddered

ws's ans is (2)?

Best wishes

[autumnbronze]

Nebbermind:

Learning Partners:

[quote=\"youngtay\"]Hi. Pls help


She stepped outside and ____when a cold wind blew.
1) cringed
2) flinched
3) cowered
4) shuddered

May I know what is the answer? TIA

Hi TAS and Tianzhu, we have a different take on this question.

(1) cringed - recoiled in fear or embarrassment
(2) flinched - recoiled in fear or pain
(3) cowered - crouched in fear
(4) shuddered - trembled in fear or from cold

Note that 'recoil' means 'draw back' while 'shudder' means to tremble/shiver.

Technically, it is possible to recoil from the cold but the more common reaction is to shiver (hence shudder).

It is true that if used creatively, we can pair 'cringe' with 'cold'.

However, in the definitive sense, the association between 'shudder' and and 'cold' is much stronger than that between 'cringe' and 'cold'.

As mentioned in our previous posts, when there are two possible answers, the more correct answer (in our local school context) would be the one that is more commonly applied.

Thus, our choice for this question is (4) shuddered.


Learning Partners

I kinda agree with LP. Thought we would usually use 'cringe' as a emotional reaction while 'shudder' more a reaction to external factors.[/quote]I am for \"shudder\" as the answer.

Apart from the definition, \"cringe\" just doesn't sound right.