26 april 2010

1. Learn all primes
2. Finish 700-800 level questions in stats, pnc and probability

SUBJECT VERB AGREEMENT

1. Singular nouns and pronouns joined by the word “and” are generally plural.
Example: Gold and silver are precious metals.

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2. However, if the nouns suggest one idea, or refer to the same person or the same thing then the verb is singular.
Example:The novelist and the great poet is dead. (This sentence is about a single person who was a novelist and also a poet)

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3. “Does not” should be used only with a singular subject. “Do not” should be used only with a plural subject.
Example: She does not like to write.

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4. When two or more singular subjects are connected with each other by: “nor” and “ or” , then the verb must be singular.
Example: Neither the student nor the teacher was interested in taking the class.

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5. When the subjects joined by “nor” and “or” are of different persons, in that case the verb agrees with the subject nearer to it.
Example: Neither the lecturer nor the students want to attend the farewell. ( in this construction, want agrees with students )

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6. “Each”, “everyone”, “everybody”, “nobody” must be followed by a singular verb.
Example: Nobody expects to fail when they start a business.

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7. There are some nouns that are plural in form but have a singular meaning. These subjects will take a singular verb.
Example: The news is bad.

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8. “There is” and “there are” agree with the noun that follows.
Example: There are students in the room.

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9. Collective nouns take a singular verb, such as: group, team, committee, class, and family.
Example: The committee has issued its report.

AGENDA FOR 24TH APRIL 2010

1. Math theory from personal notes - Morning before 10 am
2. OG12 complete (start) -  till 3 pm Afternoon
3. 31 papers (start) - evening session

Painful Pairs

1. Like vs As
Like is used to compare nouns.
Eg: “I look like my brother”.
Like is used in hypothetical situations.
Eg: “The drum sounded like thunder”
Like + verb is Wrong
Eg: “Like I said…”

As is used to compare actions, trends, verbs, clauses and phrases.
Eg1: “do as I do”
Eg2: “As in the 60s, the 70’s too witnessed a lot of hippy music”
Eg3: “He jumped as his predecessor”.
As is used in real situations.
Eg: “As a detective, he solved the puzzle”.
As + verb is Right.
Eg: “As I said…”

2. Many vs Much
‘Many’ is used for countable occurrences or items.
Eg: Many stars, many books, many scholars, many dioxins.
‘Much’ is used for non-countable occurrences or items.
Eg: Much thought, much time, much milk, much noise.


2. Little vs Few
‘Little’ is used for countable nouns, and is used with singular form.
Eg1: There's little wine left in the bottle.
Eg2: I've put a little sugar into your coffee.
‘A few’ and ‘few’ refer to count nouns, and are used with the plural form
Eg1: There are a few students in that classroom.
Eg2: He says few applicants have presented themselves.

‘A little’ is a positive expression, whereas ‘little’ is negative.
‘A few’ is a positive expression, whereas ‘few’ is negative.
Eg1: He's got little money left. – meaning hardly any
Eg2: I have few friends in Chicago. – meaning hardly any
Eg3: He's got a little money left. – meaning some
Eg4: I have a few friends in Chicago. – meaning some