All About English Creative Writing

[Passerby]

Ah Soh:

Hi, Anyone can recommend a good creative writing learning center near bukit batok or Jurong East? I am looking for a program that teach good foundation in Grammar and apply them in writing compo for P2. Thanks.

You may wish to check out The Write Place (http://www.mexxi3.com). It is run by Ms Liza Tan who has published several good compo books. There is however a long waiting list for the classes.

[Ah Soh]

Thanks Passerby. Will check that out.

[The Alternative Story]

smurfette3:

Hi TAS,


Your free trial includes the materials? So if my ds attends, can he take home the materials too?

Would like to ask if you have any more vacancy for your holiday classes for Love to write at the East? tks!

Hi smurfette3,

Yes our free trial includes the materials. Your ds can also take home the
materials. We do have vacancy for our holiday classes in the East.

TAS

[The Alternative Story]

Ophoph:

Which is correct

1.I like dogs because I can teach it tricks
2.I like dogs because I can teach them tricks

Tks

Hi Ophoph,

The correct answer should be (2). 'Dogs' is plural so the correct
pronoun should be 'them' and not 'it.

TAS

[optimistforum]

Hi TAS


Can you please help, on the following \"recognition of a sentence\" type question?


Re-write the following, putting a capital at the beginning of each, and a question mark at the end of those sentences that ask questions and a full stop at the end of those that do not ask questions:

1. give a ride on your scooter

TAS, it looks like a subordinating clause. One could argue it has a subject and verb (Is the subject \"your\" or \"scooter\"? And, is the verb \"Give\" or \"ride\"). I suspect that the subject and verb are \"scooter\" and \"Give\".

Also, is it a statement or a question?

Yours, very perplexed

Optimistforum

[The Alternative Story]

optimistforum:

Hi TAS


Can you please help, on the following \"recognition of a sentence\" type question?


Re-write the following, putting a capital at the beginning of each, and a question mark at the end of those sentences that ask questions and a full stop at the end of those that do not ask questions:

1. give a ride on your scooter

TAS, it looks like a subordinating clause. One could argue it has a subject and verb (Is the subject \"your\" or \"scooter\"? And, is the verb \"Give\" or \"ride\"). I suspect that the subject and verb are \"scooter\" and \"Give\".

Also, is it a statement or a question?

Yours, very perplexed

Optimistforum

Hi Optimistforum,

The following statement that you gave is an example of
an imperative command.

For imperative commands (eg: 'Give the toy to your
brother!'), the subject is implied and it is always the same.
The subject is 'you'.

Hence if we analyse the statement and break it down, it would
look like this:

Subject: (You) - implied
Object: (Me) - implied: Give (me) a ride on your scooter
Object: (a ride on your scooter)


Parts of speech: (verb, noun, adjective etc)
Verb: (Give)
Noun: (a ride/scooter)

TAS

[KRR]

Hi TAS,


I have been reading your explanations for the grammar questions and greatly impressed.
In one of your synthesis explanations on UNLESS u have mentioned

S&T example 1

- UNLESS

Things to note:

1) The condition in the sentence should be after 'unless'.

2) There should be one positive part in the sentence and one
negative.

My question is

The crops will be ruined if it does not rain soon.
Unless ___________________________________

My answer is: Unless it rains soon, the crops will be ruined.

However in this question \"one part positive and other part negative rule\" does not seem to work.
Is my answer wrong?

Thank u in advance for ur reply.

KRR

[The Alternative Story]

KRR:

Hi TAS,


I have been reading your explanations for the grammar questions and greatly impressed.
In one of your synthesis explanations on UNLESS u have mentioned

S&T example 1

- UNLESS

Things to note:

1) The condition in the sentence should be after 'unless'.

2) There should be one positive part in the sentence and one
negative.

My question is

The crops will be ruined if it does not rain soon.
Unless ___________________________________

My answer is: Unless it rains soon, the crops will be ruined.

However in this question \"one part positive and other part negative rule\" does not seem to work.
Is my answer wrong?

Thank u in advance for ur reply.

KRR

Hi KRR,

Your answer is not wrong

Here, when we mention that one part is negative and one part is
positive, it is taken in the context of the sentence.

Usually, we will take 'it rains' to be negative. However, 'it rains'
in this context is positive, as you would need rain for the crops
to grow.

So the answer is still correct:

'Unless it rains soon (positive), the crops will be ruined' (negative)

TAS

[KRR]

Hi KRR,


Your answer is not wrong

Here, when we mention that one part is negative and one part is
positive, it is taken in the context of the sentence.

Usually, we will take 'it rains' to be negative. However, 'it rains'
in this context is positive, as you would need rain for the crops
to grow.

So the answer is still correct:

'Unless it rains soon (positive), the crops will be ruined' (negative)

TAS[/quote]

Clear explanation. Thank so much.

KRR

[LadyBug3]

Hi TAS,


What do you mean by 'building tension'? I read in your book about it and can understand but how to get a child to understand it better? :?