curs practic engleza 2

Unit 8

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In this unit you will learn:

 Coordinate Conjunctions
 Subordinate Conjunctions
Number of Nouns
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Reading
Read the following fragment from Pride and Prejudice by Jane Austen. Pay attention to the
conjunctions. Underline the coordinate conjunctions with one line and the subordinate ones
with two lines:
Mary wished to say something very sensible, but knew not how.
“While Mary is adjusting her ideas,” he continued, “let us return to Mr. Bingley.” “I am sick of Mr.
Bingley,” cried his wife.
“I am sorry to hear that; but why did not you tell me so before? If I had known as much this
morning I certainly would not have called on him. It is very unlucky; but as I have actually paid
the visit, we cannot escape the acquaintance now.” The astonishment of the ladies was just
what he wished; that of Mrs. Bennet perhaps surpassing the rest; though, when the first tumult
of joy was over, she began to declare that it was what she had expected all the while.
“How good it was in you, my dear Mr. Bennet! But I knew I should persuade you at last. I was
sure you loved your girls too well to neglect such an acquaintance. Well, how pleased I am! and
it is such a good joke, too, that you should have gone this morning and never said a word about
it till now.” “Now, Kitty, you may cough as much as you choose,” said Mr. Bennet; and, as he
spoke, he left the room, fatigued with the raptures of his wife.
Ways with Words
1. In the last sentence from the text, the preposition with appears. Now learn some expressions
containing the preposition with:
with due regard for/ with all due deference to = cu tot respectul cuvenit;

with an eye to = urmãrind, fãrã a pierde din vedere;
with the exception of = cu excepţia cã;
with full steam on = cu toatã viteza înainte;
with reason = pe drept, pe bunã dreptate;
with reference/ respect to = în privinţa, referitor, cu privire la;
with a view of = în scopul de a;
as with = la fel ca şi;
together with = împreunã cu;
to do away with = a înlãtura, a termina cu.
Now practise these expressions in sentences of your own.
2. Read the following sentence taken from the same text: she began to declare that it was what
she had expected all the while.
How do you translate in all the while? Now learn some expressions with the adjective all.
beyond all doubt = în afarã de orice îndoialã;
all at once = dintr-o datã;
all the better = cu atât mai bine;
all in all = în întregime, cu totul;
all in good time = toate la timpul lor;
all the more as = cu atât mai mult cu cât;
all over = peste tot;
all worn out = complet uzat;
first of all = înainte de toate;
of all kinds = de toate felurile;
that is about all = ca, asta-i tot;
it is all one to them = le este tot una;


once for all = o datã pentru totdeauna.
Now practise these expressions in sentences of your own.

Grammar Reference 1
The Conjunction
Conjunctions join words, phrases and clauses:
He slipped and fell on the floor.
He moved quickly but quietly.
Please watch my baggage while I buy my train ticket.
Coordinate Conjunctions


Coordinate conjunctions join units that are equal grammatically ( have the same
function in the sentence):

He slipped and fell on the floor. (And joins two verbs)
He moved quickly but quietly. (But joins two adverbs)


Conjunctions both...and, not only... (but also), either...or, neither...nor make the
connection more intense. They are also called correlative conjunctions:

Both Lisa and I will go to the party.
Not only did she have two helpings, she also had dessert!
Either my husband or I can drive you home.
Neither money nor power can make him happy.


The second noun determines the number of the verb with neither... nor and either...or:

Neither the teacher nor THE STUDENTS are allowed to wear jeans.
Neither the students nor THE TEACHER is allowed to wear jeans.
Punctuation with Coordinate Conjunctions



A comma is not necessary when only two elements (two words, two phrases, two
clauses) are joined by a coordinate conjunction.


The doctor told him not to smoke or drink.


However, if three or more units are joined, use commas after the first and second units.
This is called a serial comma.

Men, women, and children are welcome.
It is not compulsory to use a comma before the last unit: Men, women and children are
welcome.
Subordinate Conjunctions


Subordinate conjunctions join elements of unequal rank. Here are some common
subordinate conjunctions: after, although, as, as much as, because, before, how, if, since,
that, unless, what, when, where, who, whom

She never saw him after he left town.
He got a ticket because he was speeding.
She has been very ill since her operation.
Controlled Practice 1
1. Complete each sentence with an appropriate coordinate or subordinate conjunction:
A journey to the National Parks of the United States is a rare and unforgettable walk on the wild
side. It is to feel once more the power of the old myths, to once again know that the land is the
cradle of life, a. ………. nature is the hand setting b. ……… craddle endlessly rocking.

To the west, on the Olympic Peninsula, is the brooding, primordial coastline of Olympic National
Park. The great rocks rising from the sea were once a part of the landmass. c. …….. the
relentless sea chiseled away the softer stone, creating the haunting monoliths rising from the
tides. Along this coast, and beyond, into the Olympic Mountains, is one of the most diverse
wilderness areas in North America. Within the park are alpine meadows, majestic white-robed
peaks, d. …….. some sixty active glaciers slow-sliding their relentless way down from the heights.
On the western slopes of the mountains, there is a remarkable rainforest.
In Wyoming are the rugged, majestic battlements and spires of the Teton Mountains. e. most
mountain ranges, the Tetons have no foothills. They rise dramatically to a height of almost
14,000 feet. Although relatively small, the Colorado River must surely be the most powerful
river of them all. For the Colorado River carved the Grand Canyon. To travel from one end of the


canyon to the other would be a journey of 277 serpentine miles. Sometimes the walls of the
canyon are less than a half mile wide.
Far to the south and the east of the Colorado are the gentle waters of f. …….. may be the most
unusual river in the world. The Seminoles called it "Pa-hay-okee," g. …….. "Grassy Water." Here
is the central feature of Everglades National Park. A river that is 100 miles long, 50 miles wide,
and averages only 6 inches deep. Slowly flowing through the entire southern reaches of the
Florida Peninsula, the Everglades teems with an extraordinary variety of life. Within its labyrinth
of cypress swamps, hammocks, islands and hyacinth pools, live more than 350 species of birds.
Sea. Mountain. River. Each has had a powerful impact on human experience. h. …….. perhaps
the most ancient influence has been the forest. Within the National Parks of North America
there are vast reaches of forest. On the slopes of the Sierra Nevada, the giant sequoias are the
survivors of a forest realm that has endured for millennia. Some of these patriarchs have stood
for more than 2000 years. They are the largest living things on earth. Far to the east, there is a
more gentle forest. In the ancient mountains of southern Appalachia, in Shenandoah National
Park i. …….. in Great Smoky Mountains National Park, are seemingly endless groves of oak,
hickory, maple and other hardwoods. To walk these cool, serene, vaulted byways is to feel an
intimacy with nature rarely found in this modern world where man and nature are too often

strangers. These are softer mountains, laying comfortably on the earth as if sleeping within their
counterpanes of mist. The Cherokee called these woodlands "The Place of Blue Smoke."
Bryce Canyon seems like an enchanted city built by mythical giants long departed. There are
castles and whimsical skylines, arches, minarets, towers, all cut from stone by the delicate, j.
…….. powerful hand of water, time and wind. Some of the walls are 600 feet long and 200 feet
high. Within the avenues of the city are magnificent silent shapes k. ……… seem to have once
been alive.
Eighty miles west of Bryce Canyon are the massive walls and towers of Zion National Park.
l. …….. the formations of Bryce are delicately carved, the temples of Zion seem to have been
hacked from the earth with bold, powerful strokes. Vertical canyon walls rise thousands of feet
from the valley floor.
m. …….1794, n. ……..Captain George Vancouver first explored these shores, the glacier has
receded more than 75 miles. No longer shrouded in ice, the bay is a theater where one of
nature's most spectacular dramas is performed. Here is where glaciers come to die.
The lands and landscapes of Yosemite are a banquet for the eye o. ……..for the soul. Here within
the valley and in the high country are stone cliffs towering taller than anything man has made.
Waterfalls dance in the heights like angels in lace and then fall thundering through the sunlight
into the lap of the valley. Here are glacial lakes and alpine meadows and streams of liquid


crystal. Among the marvels of Yosemite are two so powerful they will dwell in the eye of the
mind forever.
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Grammar Reference 2
Number of nouns

Nouns are made plural by adding:
-s: book-books, tool-tools
-es to singular nouns ending in -s, -z, -x, -ch, -sh, -ss, -o: bus-buses, box-boxes, match-matches,
brush-brushes, potato- potatoes (But: photo-photos)
-ves to nouns ending in -f(e): knife-knives, leaf-leaves, shelf-shelves (But: roof-roofs, proofproofs, cliff-cliffs, handkerchief-handkerchiefs)
-ies to nouns ending in consonant + y: lady-ladies
-s to nouns ending in vowel + y: toy-toys
Note: dwarf-dwarfs/dwarves; hoof-hooves/hoofs; scarf-scarfs/scarves


Some nouns form their plural irregularly

man-men, woman-women, foot-feet, tooth-teeth, goose-geese, louse-lice, mouse-mice,
child-children, ox-oxen, person-people


Foreign plurals

- datum-data, medium-media (but: museums, asylums)
- nucleus-nuclei, stimulus-stimuli, genius-genii (spirits)/geniuses (men of genius) (but: bonuses,
geniuses, viruses)
- alga-algae, larva-larvae, formula-formulae/formulas (but: dilemmas, villas, diplomas)
- index-indices (algebraic signs) /indexes (tables of contents), appendix-appendices (in
books)/appendixes (anatomical)


- analysis-analyses, axis-axes, basis-bases, crisis-crises, diagnosis-diagnoses, hypothesishypotheses, thesis-theses
- phenomenon-phenomena, criterion-criteria (but: demons, neurones, protons, ganglions)


Some nouns remain unchanged in the plural:

Craft, cod, deer, fish, Japanese, means, plaice, salmon, sheep, squid, species, series, spacecraft,
trout


Some nouns are only plural:

a. arms (weapons), belongings, cattle, clothes, congratulations, earnings, goods, groceries,
greens (vegetables), lodgings, oats, odds (chances), outskirts, people, police, premises
(building), regards, remains, riches, savings, surroundings, thanks, etc.
b. garments, tools and instruments consisting of two parts: binoculars, compasses, glasses,
jeans, pants, pliers, pyjamas, scales, scissors, spectacles, trousers, etc.


collective nouns can take either a singular or a plural verb, according top the meaning.

The staff were not in agreement with the new rules. (We refer to the individual members)
The staff of the school consists of fifty people. (We refer to the group as a unit)
Some collective nouns are:
audience, choir, class, clergy, club, committee, company, crew, crowd, family, firm,
government, jury, orchestra, public, team, union, youth, etc.


Some nouns have different meanings when turned into plural:

Air (atmosphere)-airs (behaviour)
Cloth (a piece of material)-clothes (garments)
Compass (a magnetic compass)-compasses (an instrument for drawing circles)
Content (what is written or spoken about in a piece of writing, speech)-contents (the things

contained in a box, place, etc.)
Custom (a traditional event)-customs (the government department which collects taxes on
imported goods)
Damage(harm done to something)-damages (monetary compensation)


Experience (gaining knowledge or skill over a period)-experiences (activities/events one has
done/lived through)
Fund (a sum of money saved for a purpose)-funds (money)
Glass (a drinking receptacle)-glasses (spectacles)
Hair (the hairy part of the head)-hairs (fine strands growing from the skin)
Look (a style, an expression)-looks (a person’s appearance)
Manner (a way in which something is done)-manners (social behaviour; customs)
Minute (sixty seconds)-minutes (notes taken as a record of a meeting)
Relation (a connection)-relations (members of the same family)
Scale (the relative size of something)-scales (an instrument for weighing)
Spectacle (an object of attention)-spectacles (glasses; also specs)
Spirit (a person’s soul or mind; a magical creature)-spirits (a person’s feelings; a strong
alcoholic drink)
Wood (the hard material trees are made of)-woods (small forests)
Work (employment)-works (the moving parts of a machine; a place of manufacturing
processes)
Note:
Some of the above nouns have their own regular plurals: minute/minutes


Compound nouns form their plural by adding –s/-es:

a. to the noun if the compound has only one noun: passer-by – passers-by
b. to the second noun if the compound consists of two nouns: cupboard – cupboards

c. to the first noun if the compound consists of two nouns connected with a preposition:
mother-in-law – mothers-in-law
d. at the end of the compound if it does not contain any nouns: breakdown – breakdowns
Controlled Practice 2
1. Complete this newspaper article. Choose the correct singular or plural form in the brackets:


Clayton Factory for Milchester
The Clayton Clothing Company is going to build a new factory in Milchester. (This/These)
(new/s) (was/were) announced by company chairman Mr David Clayton yesterday. Mr Clayton
spent the morning in Milchester before returning to the Clayton headquarters at Granby.
The Clayton company (has/have) been in existence for 130 years and (is/are) famous for its
“Polymode” (good/s) The slogans “You’re never alone with a pair of Polymode (trouser/s)” and
“Polymode (jean/s) (is/are) the (one/s) for you” are well known. The company’s profit last year
of two million pounds (was/were) the highest in the clothing business.
Mr Clayton will not say how (much/many) new (job/s) there will be, but the (information/s) that
there will be (work/s) (is/are) hard to find at the moment, and 2,000 unemployed people
(is/are) a high figure for a small town.
2. Make the nouns in these sentences plural. Make all other changes which are necessary:
a. This child is a naughty one.; b. That phenomenon was interpreted by the geologists.; c. I need
to buy some kerosene for my stove.; d. When I entered the room, he was taking a book from
the shelf.; e. Where have you put that box?
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3. Select the form you consider appropriate in each of the following sentences:
a. His (brother-in-laws /brothers-in-law) have committed several crimes.
b. Three (basketful /basketfuls) of oranges have been gathered so far.

c. (Ninety-year-olds /ninety-years-old) don’t need to use (toothbrushes /teethbrushes).
d. They keep talking about the legend of (men-eaters /man-eaters).
e. The (women doctors /woman doctors) I met there are professionals.
f.

Milk has lots of (by-products /bys-products).

g. George didn’t count his (footsteps /feetsteps) from the station to the library because he
considered it useless.
h. I don’t like (two-hour-walks /two-hours-walks).
i.

(Mothers-in-laws /mothers-in-law) are considered by some men real shrews.


j.

The (commander-in-chiefs /commanders-in chief) decided to surrender.

4. Fill in the correct plural for the words in brackets:
a. Mars and Venus revolve on their (axis) like the Earth.
b. It can be hilarious if translators make mistakes in their (analysis).
c. (Oasis) save sometimes Bedouins’ lives.
d. A great deal of (datum) was stolen from our computers.
e. All grammar books contain (index).
f.

Jack will send some (memorandum) to the President.

g. He doesn’t like spending his time playing with mathematical (formula).

h. Ten (addendum) had been proposed before they arrived.
i.

He knows almost all (genus) of animals.

j.

You have to finish your (thesis) before the first of July.

k. As a President, he had to face many international (crisis).
l.

The (criterion) of success must be found through experience.

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UNIT 9

In this unit you will learn:

 Gender of Nouns
 Countable/Uncountable Nouns
 Synthetical/ Analytical/ Double Genitive

Reading
Read the following fragment from Chapter 2 (The Glorious Whitewasher) of Tom Sawyer by
Mark Twain. Underline the nouns and divide them into concrete, abstract, proper and common
nouns:
SATURDAY MORNING was come, and all the summer world was bright and fresh, and brimming
with life. There was a song in every heart; and if the heart was young the music issued at the
lips. There was cheer in every face and a spring in every step. The locust trees were in bloom and
the fragrance of the blossoms filled the air. Cardiff Hill, beyond the village and above it, was
green with vegetation, and it lay just far enough away to seem a Delectable Land, dreamy,
reposeful, and inviting.
Tom appeared on the sidewalk with a bucket of whitewash and a long-handled brush. He
surveyed the fence, and all gladness left him and a deep melancholy settled down upon his
spirit. Thirty yards of board fence, nine feet high.
Life to him seemed hollow, and existence but a burden. Sighing, he dipped his brush and passed
it along the topmost plank; repeated the operation; did it again; compared the insignificant
whitewashed streak with the far-reaching continent of unwhite washed fence, and sat down on
a tree-box discouraged. Jim came skipping out at the gate with a tin pail, and singing “Buffalo
Gals.” Bringing water from the town pump had always been hateful work in Tom’s eyes, before,
but now it did not strike him so. He remembered that there was company at the pump.
White, mulatto, and negro boys and girls were always there waiting their turns, resting, trading
playthings, quarreling, fighting, skylarking. And he remembered that although the pump was
only a hundred and fifty yards off, Jim never got back with a bucket of water under an hour- and
even then somebody generally had to go after him. Tom said:


“Say, Jim, I’ll fetch the water if you’ll whitewash some.” Jim shook his head and said:

“Can’t, Mars Tom. Ole missis, she tole me I got to go an’ git dis water an’ not stop foolin’ roun’
wid anybody. She say she spec’ Mars Tom gwine to ax me to whitewash, an’ she tole me go
‘long an’ ‘tend to my own business- she ‘lowed she’d ‘tend to de whitewashin’.” “O, never you
mind what she said, Jim. That’s the way she always talks.
Gimme the bucket- I won’t be gone only a minute. She won’t ever know.”
Ways with Words
1. Try to translate Jim’s speech. It is very hard to understand what he is saying due to the fact
that first of all he speaks American English, and he is highly uneducated, so he can’t properly
speak.
Learn some Americanisms which you might need when you hear spoken American English.
The following are expressions typical of North American English. They are used only in informal
speech:
He's gonna wait here.

=

He is going to wait here.

They wanna come at five.

=

They want to come at five.

I gotta go now.

I have got to go now.

=

I otta be there at noon.

=

I ought to be there at noon.

He ain't * at home.

=

He is not at home.

* Ain't means am not, isn't, aren't. It is less frequently used than the other Americanisms.
2. In the sentence: There was a song in every heart, the preposition in introduces an Adverbial
of place. Now let’s learn some expressions containing the preposition in:
in all probability = dupã toate probabilitãţile;
in all together = în total;
in the beginning = la început;
in contrast to/with = în contrast cu;
in common with = în comun cu;
in itself = în sine;


in order to/ that = ca sã, pentru ca;
in particular = în special;
in the place of/ in lieu of = în loc de;
in practice = în principiu;
in progress = în curs de;
in print = tipãrit;
in return for = în schimbul a;

in quantity = în cantitate;
in search of = în cãutare de;
in spite of = în ciuda faptului cã;
in such a manner = în aşa mod;
in sum = pe scurt, în douã vorbe;
in that = în aceea cã;
in token of = în semn de, ca dovadã;
in turn = cu rândul;
to be interested in = a fi interesat de;
to result in = a avea ca rezultat;
to succeed in (+doing sth.) = a avea succes în; a reuşi în.(e.g. She succeeded in passing the
exam).
Now practice these expressions in sentences of your own.
3. Look for the preposition at in the text. How many times does it appear? Now learn some
expressions containing the preposition at:
at best = în cel mai bun caz;
at a disadvantage = în dezavantaj;
at ease = liniştit, pe îndelete;


at full load = cu sarcinã plinã/ totalã;
at intervals = la intervale, intermitent;
at liberty = fãrã restricţii, liber;
at most = cel mult;
at once = imediat;
at request = la cerere;
at right angle = la unghi drept;
at stake = în joc;
Now practise these expressions in sentences of your own.
Grammar Reference

The Noun
There are four kinds of nouns in English:
abstract nouns (love, freedom thought);
common/concrete nouns (book, table);
collective nouns (family, herd);
proper nouns (Greg, London).
Gender
Masculine: men and boys (he)
Feminine: women, girls, cars, ships, countries (she)
Neuter: babies, animals, things (it)
Notes:
- Babies and animals are referred to as male or female when we know their sex.
- Cars, ships and countries are sometimes referred to as female but the neuter is more
common in modern English.




Most common nouns referring to people have the same form whether male or female:
teacher (man or woman), doctor, etc.



Some common nouns referring to people have different forms for male and female:

Actor – actress

gentleman – lady

policeman – policewoman

Barman – barmaid

heir – heiress

steward – stewardess

Bachelor – spinster

husband – wife

son – daughter

Boy – girl

hero – heroine

uncle – aunt

Bridegroom – bride

host – hostess

widower – widow

Duke – duchess

monk – nun

waiter – waitress

Emperor – empress

nephew – niece

Father – mother

prince – princess



Some common nouns referring to animals have different forms for male and female:

Bull – cow

cock – hen

tiger – tigress

Drake – duck

gander – goose

stag – doe

Dog – bitch

lion – lioness

stallion – mare

Countable/uncountable nouns
Countable nouns are those which can be counted: one book, two books, three books. Countable
nouns can be singular or plural: This cup is empty. These cups are full.
Uncountable nouns are those which cannot be counted. Uncountable nouns can only be
singular: The water is cold. The weather is fine. The coal has a good quality.
They take a singular verb and are not used with a/an. The words some, any, no, (a) little, much,
plenty of etc can be used with uncountable nouns.
Uncountable nouns are:
Names of substances (materials, liquids, gases. etc): leather, paper, wood, metal, silver, water,
coffee, bread, meat, butter, wine, flour
Activities and sports: running, swimming, shopping, gardening, football, tennis


Games ending in –s: billiards, darts, bowls, dominos etc
Diseases ending in –s: mumps, rickets
Names of subjects: history, mathematics, music, physics
Languages: Russian, Greek, German, English
Abstract nouns: love, hope, advice, information, intelligence, beauty, hunger, poverty
Collective nouns: furniture, luggage, equipment, accommodation, traffic
Nouns which may be uncountable or countable
Some nouns are uncountable when we talk about the substance, material or abstract concept
but countable when we talk about one specific item.
Chicken/a chicken, stone/a atone, hope/ a hope, education/an education
Some nouns which are usually uncountable can be countable when we refer to a particular
variety.
Wine/an excellent wine, fruit/ a very sweet fruit
In informal English, drinks and some types of food which are normally uncountable can be
counted, particularly when we are making an order in a restaurant
Many uncountable nouns can be made countable by means of partitives:

a piece of cake/information/baggage/advice/furniture/work/equipment;
a glass of water/beer/wine; a slice of bread

a tube of toothpaste

a jar of jam;

a loaf of bread

a bar of soap/chocolate

a sheet of paper;

a pot of tea

a blade of grass

an item of news;

a cup of tea

a flash of lightning

a drop of water/oil;

a lump of sugar

a clap of thunder

a box of chocolates;

a game of chess

a cube of ice

a metre of cloth;

a kilo of meat

a roast of meat

a packet of biscuits;

a bottle of wine

a pint of beer


a pound of flour;

a whiff of garlic

a gust of wind

a puff of smoke

a beam of light

a breath of fresh air

a strip/acre of land

a pile of rubbish

an article of clothing

a grain of sand

a stack of hay

a ball of string

a set of cutlery

a word of advice

a roar of laughter

an attack of fever

a state of emergency a stroke of luck

a piece of music

a wink of sleep

a feat of passion

The Genitive/Possessive Case
Form:

o The ‘S Genitive/the Synthetical Genitive: the boy’s hat, the boys’ hat
o The OF Genitive/the Analytical Genitive: the director of the museum
o Double Genitive: a work of Milton’s
1. The Inflected/Synthetical Genitive (the ‘S Genitive)
Form:


‘s is used with singular and plural nouns not ending in –s: a man’s job, men’s work, the
butcher’s (shop), a child’s voice, the children’s room



A simple apostrophe (‘) is used with plural nouns ending in –s: the girls’ school, the
Smiths’ car



Other names ending in –s can take ‘s or the apostrophe alone: Mr Jones’s/ Mr Jones’
house



With compounds, the last word takes the ‘s: my brother-in-law’s guitar



‘s can only be used after initials: the MP’s briefcase, the VIP’s escort



‘s is omitted in the phrase for … sake: for goodness sake



‘s is often added to a noun phrase (the group genitive): the Duke of York’s eldest son

If joint possession is intended, the apostrophe is placed on the last element: Tom and Mary’s
baby


Individual possession requires an apostrophe with each element of the series: America’s and
England’s problems.


The local genitive is used to denote institutions of various kinds (restaurants, churches,
theatres, etc), a home, a shop: at Joe’s, at the chemist’s, at my parents’ (home)

The synthetical genitive (‘s genitive) is used after:


nouns denoting people or other beings (animate nouns): John’s lecture, my parents’
advice, the horse’s neck, the dog’s bark



nouns denoting measurement, time, space, quantity, size, distance, weight: a two
months’ practice, yesterday’s newspaper



in expressions of money + worth: ten dollars’ worth of sugar



collective nouns: the government’s decisions, the Parliament’s laws



geographical names, vehicles, natural phenomena, etc.: England’s mountains, the
spaceship’s crew, the afternoon’s heat.



names of seasons, months, days: a winter’s day/a winter day



some expressions (these have an alternative with of): the water’s edge, at his journey’s
end, the water’s surface, for charity’s sake



some other expressions (they do not have an alternative with of): at arm’s length, within
arm’s reach, at a stone’s throw, their money’s worth



some idiomatic expressions: to one’s heart’s content, to my mind’s eye, to a hair’s
breadth, at one’s wit’s end, a bird’s eye view

2. The OF Genitive
Form:
It is formed by means of a noun which is preceded by the preposition of: the cover of the book.
It is mainly used with inanimate nouns
Usage:


In titles and formal speech or written text: the Poetical Works of Alfred Tennyson, the
welfare of the people




If a genitive governs another genitive, the former is expressed by the of- phrase: the
house of my sister’s neighbour



With nouns coming from adjectives: the contempt of the rich



When the governing noun is modified by a long phrase or clause: the intelligence of the
woman across the street

3. The Double Genitive
Form:
It is made up of the inflected genitive (‘s) and the of genitive: a nephew of Queen Mary’s, lyrics
of Hugo’s, two friends of Jack’s
Compare:

A portrait of Dali (one portraying him) – a portrait of Dali’s (one painted by or belonging to him)
Controlled Practice
1. Translate into English:
a. Inventatorul telefonului este Graham Bell.; b. S-au fãcut progrese semnificative în medicină şi
s-au descoperit medicamente împotriva cancerului .; c. El foloseşte multe maşini-unelte produse
in Franta.; d. Doi prieteni de-ai lui John i-au făcut o surpriză de ziua lui.; e. Tatãl studentului a
venit la universitate sã vorbeascã cu profesorul de chimie.
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2. Translate into English, taking into account the form of uncountable nouns:
a. Aceasta este o mobilă prea veche pentru gustul nostru.
b. Orice informaţie despre jaful de la bancă este vitală.
c. Nu mai am strop de energie ca să urc şi panta aceasta.
d. Un fulger urmat de un tunet asurzitor i-au speriat pe copii.


e. Alaltăieri am cumpărat cinci săpunuri şi astăzi nu găsesc nici unul.
f.

Bagajul meu se află între cele două doamne grase.

g. Mi-a dat un sfat foarte important: să nu mănânc pâine după miezul nopţii.
h. I-am rugat să ne cumpere patru pâini de Extrapan.
i.

A băut trei cafele şi l-a apucat ameţeala.

j.

Povestea din război cu o pasiune extraordinară.

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3. Match:

a bunch of

beads

a bundle of

stars

a fleet of

beer

a cluster of

rags

a clump of

grapes

a flight of

trees

a string of

taxis

a crate of

flowers

a pack of

stairs

a bouquet of

cards

a burst of

energy

an attack of

laughter


a hint of

abuse

an ounce of

trouble

a stroke of

fever

a wink of

luck

a feat of

sleep

a term of

endurance

a word of

imprisonment

a state of

emergency

4. Use the correct form of the verb:
1. The audience (is, are) asked to pay attention to the speech.
2. My family (has, have) been living in that chalet for years.
3. The majority (was, were) against the war.
4. That team (is, are) all children.
5. Mathematics (was, were) my favourite subject.
6. Politics (is, are) a matter of no interest to me.
7. The police (has, have) been chasing the thieves for weeks.
8. The audience (has, have) just come back and (is, are) taking (its, their) seats.
9. Your heroics (was, were) useless in that situation.
5. Put into the possessive and carry out any necessary changes in the wordings of the
sentences:
a. Mary, the daughter of the baker, is my best friend.
b. I have done that for the sake of my cousin George.
c. During the holiday of three weeks of their friends, the children had to go to the
mountains.
d. The novels of Dickens and Hardy are very often read nowadays.
e. The nephew of Chris and Liz is very smart.
f.

She took the coat of somebody else.

g. There is a magazine belonging to Mr. Smith in almost every country.


h. There was a great variety of cars for the disabled in the fair.
i.

The speech of the President was received with applause.

j.

Cotroceni Palace is the residence of the President of Romania.

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6. Rewrite the following sentences using the underlined words in the possessive case. Make any
other necessary changes in the wordings of the sentences:
a. The jam I bought weighed half a kilogram.
b. Mike bought some flowers costing a dollar.

c. The trek to the next city was ninety kilometres.
d. The movie lasted three hours.
e. They granted them an interview lasting half an hour.
f.

His mother bought some books which cost ten pounds.

g. I have seen a building of 450 metres in the city of Atlanta.
h. The man on the street weighs 250 kilograms.
i.

It was a journey of ten days.

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7. Supply the correct collective nouns. Choose from the following: bevy, bunch, swarm, row,
fleet, pack, colony, clump, board:
a. My cousin was bitten by a ……… of bees.
b. She ate a ……… of grapes in two minutes.
c. Although the forest caught fire, some ………… of trees were still untouched.
d. A ……….. of buildings was destroyed by the earthquake.
e. The teacher told them that wolves attack in ……… .
f.

George bought Mary a box of chocolates and a ……… of flowers on her birthday.

g. The …………. of managers decided to buy the product.
h. A ………… of ships had been sent to rescue the survivors.
i.

A ………… of termites was eating my furniture.

j.

A …………. of boys was laughing at the clown.

8. Put in the missing partitive:
Stretch, acre, sip, spell, scrap, pinch, bowl, drop(2), litre, lock, hint, metre, beam, gust.
a. You should add a ……… of salt and mix the ingredients.
b. A ……… of cloth is enough to clean the table.
c. She wrote the address on a ………… of paper.
d. This morning a ………. of wind broke two windows of my house.
e. My neighbours send for the police at the slightest ……….. of trouble.
f.

They would like a ………… of pineapple juice.

g. George has never drunk beer so he tried a ………. of mine.
h. They will open a new ……….. of road between Tokyo and Osaka.
i.

A ……… of light from your candle was enough to find the lost ring.

j.

A ………. of soup will help you get rid of your nausea.

k. They went inside as they had felt a ………. of rain.
l.

That ………. of land is very rich in oil.

m. The painting needs a ………. of green here and it will be perfect.
n. The killer cut a …….. of hair of the victim to have a souvenir.
o. They’ve had ………… of good weather so far.


9. Translate into English:
a. Divorţul copiilor vecinilor noştri va avea loc luna viitoare.
b. Spune-i domnului Cole, amantul prietenei vărului meu, că dacă îl prind îi rup oasele!
c. Casa cea nouă a administratorului parcului naţional al oraşului nostru are cel puţin
treizeci de camere.
d. Am putea să ne întâlnim la şcoală, nu avem de mers mai mult de 15 minute de la
aeroport.
e. Are 93 de ani şi la vârsta ei o călătorie de 12 ore cu trenul este sinucidere curată.
f.

O turmă de oi mi-a invadat curtea; fii atent, turma ta se împrăştie în toate direcţiile!

g. Face bagajele de cel puţin patru ore; dacă ea avea un singur bagaj nu dura atât de mult.
h. Trebuie să aflăm toate informaţiile necesare; fiecare informaţie este vitală.
i.

Piesa noastră de mobilier este foarte modernă dar mobila de dinainte de război era de
mare clasă.

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10. Write a before the nouns which are used as countable nouns:
a. I am lucky to have had … very good education. … Education does not just take place at
school.
b. … Beauty is my favourite concern. Mary is … real beauty.
c. His eyes are not very sensitive to … light. Is there … light in Mike’s room?
d. Tom has proved of … great help to me. I have to call my family because I desperately
need … help.
e. I don’t usually drink … tea. I’ll have two cappuccinos and … whisky, please.


f. He has … great love of art. Sometimes … love can solve all the problems.
g. You can’t get a job without … experience. I’m so glad I read it: it was … wonderful
experience.
h. The statue is built of … marble. That is … beautiful stone.
i. … Fear is a protective, natural human feeling. He has … terrible fear of snakes.

j. You were so hungry that you ate … whole turkey. I like red meat but I don’t eat … pork.
k. John thinks that’s … really beautiful painting. … Painting can be a really relaxing activity.
l. I usually eat … fruit for dinner. That’s … very unusual fruit. What is it?
m. This meal has … potato in it. Would you like … baked potato?
11. Choose the right word from the brackets:
a. The scissors (was/were) on the table a few minutes ago.
b. His luggage (was/were) found without much effort.
c. A (little/few) knowledge (is/are) as dangerous as having none.
d. (much./many) women on the boat (was/were) getting seasick from the waves.
e. There (is/are) several means of reaching the chalet on daylight.
f. Billiards (is/are) a very interesting game.
g. The news printed in that magazine (is/are) always accurate.
h. We should buy (much/many) furniture; there (isn’t/aren’t) (much/many) chairs and tables
here.
i. How (much/many) information do you need to get it done?
j. You gave me (much/many) ideas about the job but very (little/few) advice.
12. Fill in the blanks with one of the following words: bar, bit, item, piece, slice:
a. He wanted to buy a … of chocolate but the shop was closed.
b. There are three outrageous … of news in today’s paper.
c. I cut several … of bread for my kid sister.
d. They will buy a new … of furniture for their bedroom.
e. We are allowed to take four … of luggage in our trip.
f. With a … luck you can still catch the train.
g. You can’t eat that … of cold beef left because it is off.
h. This is a … of good advice, you should take it into consideration.
13. Use either the analytical or the synthetical genitive with the nouns in brackets: