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☆☆☆☆☆A simile is when you compare the characteristics of two things by using like or as. You are saying that one thing has characteristics of another, although they may be dissimilar otherwise.
A simile is a figure of speech involving the comparison of one thing with another of a different kind, as a description using the words like or as. (ex: like a rolling stone, as quick as a flash)
Other Examples:
- He is as sneaky as a fox.
- My mom and dad were acting like teenagers!
- She is like a beautiful flower starting to bloom.
- He ran across the desert, looking almost like a road runner.
Verbs describe (i) an action, (ii) a state or (iii) an occurrence:-
- As an action word, it is something that you do, like walk or play or eat.
- As a state of being: "My name is John. I am 20 years old. I am Caucasian and my girlfriend looksgorgeous! And she has a heart of gold!"
- As an occurrence/happening: "The snow glistened on the trees tops."
1. ACTION VERBS are something that someone or something is doing, such as run, talk, play, go, cook, speak, etc.
For example, in the phrase: "He is running", the two words 'is running' is the present continuous form of the verb 'to run'.
Here are a few more examples:
- They slept late that day.
- It slid off the shelf.
- Safa played with her toys.
- She screamed as loudly as she could.
2. 'STATE' VERBS
Examples:
- Ice is cold. Puppies need a lot of care and attention. Bananas are yellow. Some people preferwinter to summer. Does life exist on other planets? Do you know what I mean?
3. 'OCCURRENCE' VERBS
Examples:
- The centenary of Florence Nightingale's death fell on Monday 10th May, 2010.
- William becomes six on Tuesday.
- A completely happy day? It happens, sometimes!
REGULAR AND IRREGULAR VERBS
With regular verbs, the past and perfect forms end with '~ed', e.g. talk/talked.
Irregular verbs do not end their past and perfect forms with '~ed'. They change quite differently e.g. speak/spoke/spoken, sing/sang/sung.
AUXILIARY VERBS are words that "help" the verb. e.g.
- In the sentence "I will run", 'will' is the helping verb, making it into a future form of the verb to run.
- In the sentence "I have run", 'have' is the helping verb, changing the main verb 'run' into it's present perfect form.
The verbs to be, to have and to do are used as auxiliary verbs. Their present, past, singular and plural forms all being used as appropriate.
MODAL AUXILIARY VERBS: can, could, may, might, would, shall, should, must, ought to.
Examples:
- I must visit my grandmother.
- You ought to do more exercise.
- Ben can ride a bike.
- My Uncle might come on Sunday.
- I could help you with your homework, but I don't know if I should (help you with your homework.)
Note that Modal Auxiliary Verbs have no infinitives.
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For more information about verbs, see 'Related links'below this box.
A grammatical construction in which an adverb is placed to and the verb stem
A compound sentence is when you combine two or more independent clauses, each of which provides a complete and separate thought. The clauses are joined to each other by conjunctions, or a semicolon.
We use coordinating or subordinating conjunctions to connect the sentences. The seven coordinating conjunctions are usually used with a comma, and their initials spell the mnemonic "fanboys."
Coordinating conjunctions
- for
- and
- nor
- but
- or
- yet
- so
- after
- although
- as
- as if
- as long as
- as though
- because
- before
- even if
- even though
- if
- if only
- in order that
- now that
- once
- rather than
- since
- so that
- than
- that
- though
- till
- unless
- until
- when
- whenever
- where
- whereas
- wherever
- while
a word or phrase apparently modifying an unintended word because of its placement in a sentence: e.g., `when young' in `when young, circuses appeal to all of us'A dangling participle is a participial phrase that precedes a main clause but doesn't clearly connect with a subject.
A participial phrase that precedes a main clause but doesn't clearly connect with a subject
After it turns 2 years old in human years, it's a dog even if it still looks like a puppy and acts like one. It's like a tennager, still acts like a kid once 13.
- A phrase or clause placed awkwardly in a sentence so that it appears to modify or refer to an unintended word.
The present participle of "dangle" is "dangling"; its past participle is "dangled."
Simple, compound, complex
two or more independent clauses connected by a coordinating conjunction.
An awkward modifier is a modifier that interrupts the flow of the sentence. =]
A modifier that interrupts the flow of the sentence
Write about an author's use of symbolism to express his or her main theme
Television is a medium driven by advertising and hence, profit.
Incorrect parallelism is a common problem in certain branches of mathematics, especially those involved in computing.
