Q&A - PSLE English

[Mum1113]

pixiedust:

Let me give this a go :

Team is a collective noun. The verb can be singular or plural - depends on whether you think of the group as one unit or a number of people - but the selected choice must be in agreement with the rest of the sentence. Hence, the answer is 'are' due to the 'their best' as you have explained.

\"The team is full of enthusiasm and ready to give its best.\" is also correct.

Thanks pixiedust !

[Mum1113]

ridcully:

Spot on, pixiedust! You're a twinkling star!

thanks R, yes agree pixiedust is twinkle twinkle star !

[ridcully]

Kloggy:

1. The form teacher reprimanded our class in the hall. We were too playful and noisy.

In the hall, ___________________________

Ans (a) : In the hall, the form teacher reprimanded our class for being too playful and noisy.
Ans (b) : In the hall, the form teacher reprimanded us for being too playful and noisy.

Are both answer acceptable?

I would say (a) is preferred. You should only use a pronoun if the antecedent (what the pronoun refers to) is unambiguously clear. In (b) the pronoun 'us' does not have an antecedent: It could be referring to simply two students rather than a whole class.

Kloggy:

2. The notorious girls broke into a shop. Mrs Lam warned them.
_______________ despite ______________________

DD ans : The notorious girls broke into a shop despite Mrs Lam's warning.
Teacher's ans : The notorious girls broke into a shop despite that Mrs Lam had warned them.

I thought DD's answer sounds reasonable. What's your view ?

Your DD's answer is correct and the teacher's is wrong. 'Despite' is a preposition and should be followed by a noun or noun equivalent. Your DD's 'Mrs Lam's warning' is a noun phrase whereas the teacher's 'that Mrs Lam had warned them' is a relative clause.

Kloggy:

3. The delinquent continued playing truant. The social worker warned him.
___________________ despite ____________________

This question seems similar to (2) above and therefore DD gave a similar answer. But, again it is wrong and the teacher gave a different answer this time.

DD ans : The delinquent continued playing truant despite the social worker's warning.
Teacher's ans : The delinquent continued playing truant despite the warning from the social worker.

Both answers are correct.

It is difficult to correct a teacher who relies upon set answers rather than having a deep feel for the structure of the language.

Hope that helps.
Rgds
R

[meimeitan]

Hi


Here got one more question.

He would only free the captive after he had seen the money.
Not until __________________________________________.

Thanks.

[ridcully]

meimeitan:

He would only free the captive after he had seen the money.

Not until __________________________________________.

Not until he had seen the money would he free the captive.

Rgds
R

[meimeitan]

Hi Ridcully


Can the answer be like that:

Not until he had seen the money, he would not free the captive.

[ridcully]

meimeitan:

Can the answer be like that:


Not until he had seen the money, he would not free the captive.

If you use double-negatives, you will tie yourself in knots...

Your two 'nots' cancel each other out and make your main clause positive. In effect, you are saying the nonsensical:
Until he had seen the money, he would free the captive.

You can write:
Until he had seen the money, he would not free the captive.
He would not free the captive until he had seen the money.

Rgds
R

[carebear]

Mother screamed at my brother and ____ when she saw us fighting for the third time.


My answer is "I", but the school teacher marked my DD’s answer, "me" as correct.

Is it I or me ?

TIA.

[ridcully]

carebear:

Mother screamed at my brother and ____ when she saw us fighting for the third time.


My answer is \"I\", but the school teacher marked my DD's answer, \"me\" as correct.

Is it I or me ?

TIA.

Need to use the object pronoun 'me' because the person referred to is on the receiving end of being screamed at.

Compare:

Mother and I screamed at my brother.

Here, it is the mother and the person referred to doing the screaming; thus, the subject pronoun 'I' is used.

Rgds
R

[meimeitan]

Hi Ridcully


Many thanks