This link below will give you basic grammar information. All you need to know about Articles, Tenses, Direct/indirect speech, sentences, subject-object-predicate. You name it, you got it here.It's all here!
http://www.studyandexam.com/learn-english.html
Saturday, October 26, 2013
Articles
Articles
English language has two articles, “the and a/an”. An article is used for a noun. An article like an adjective modifies a noun.
For example, a book, the book, a cup, the cup, an umbrella, the umbrella
The article “the” is called definite article and the article “a/an” is called indefinite article.
For example, a book, the book, a cup, the cup, an umbrella, the umbrella
The article “the” is called definite article and the article “a/an” is called indefinite article.
Types of Articles
There are two articles in English language.
1. Indefinite article: a/an
2. Definite article: the
1. Indefinite article: a/an
2. Definite article: the
An article is used before a noun or an adjective modifying a noun.
Definite Article: (the)
The definite article "the" is used for a definite, specific or particular noun.
Example. He bought the shirt.
The article “the” before the noun “shirt” in above sentence means that the shirt, he bought, is a specific or particular shirt and not any shirt.
Example. He bought the shirt.
The article “the” before the noun “shirt” in above sentence means that the shirt, he bought, is a specific or particular shirt and not any shirt.
Indefinite Article: (a/an)
The definite article “a/an” is used for indefinite, non-specific or non-particular (common) noun.
Example. He bought a shirt.
The article “a” before shirt in above sentence means that the shirt he bought is any shirt and not a specific shirt.
Example. He bought a shirt.
The article “a” before shirt in above sentence means that the shirt he bought is any shirt and not a specific shirt.
Rules for using Indefinite Article (a/an)
The article form “a” is used before a word (singular) beginning with a consonant, or a vowel with a consonant sound.
e.g. a book, a cat, a camera, a university, a European
e.g. a book, a cat, a camera, a university, a European
The article form “an” is used before a word (singular) beginning with a vowel (a, e, i, o, u) or consonant with vowel sound (or beginning with mute h ).
e.g. an apple, an elephant, an umbrella, an hour,
e.g. an apple, an elephant, an umbrella, an hour,
1. Before a singular noun which is countable
e.g. He bought a book
She is eating an apple.
e.g. He bought a book
She is eating an apple.
2. Before a singular noun which refers to a class of things.
e.g. An orange is rich in vitamins.
e.g. An orange is rich in vitamins.
3. Before a name of a profession
e.g. She wants to be a doctor
He is an engineer.
e.g. She wants to be a doctor
He is an engineer.
4. For certain expressions of quantity
e.g. a lot of, a few, a couple, a dozen
e.g. a lot of, a few, a couple, a dozen
5. For certain numbers.
e.g. a hundred, a thousand, a million
e.g. a hundred, a thousand, a million
6. Before a singular, countable noun in exclamation.
e.g. What a beautiful flower!
What a nice shirt!
7. Article a/an is not used before uncountable nouns
e.g. water, milk, sand etc
e.g. What a beautiful flower!
What a nice shirt!
7. Article a/an is not used before uncountable nouns
e.g. water, milk, sand etc
Rules for using definite Article (the)
The article “the” can be used both before a singular and plural noun according to the following grammatical rules. e.g. the book, the books
1. Before the place, object or group of object which is unique or considered to be unique and geographical region and points on globe.
e.g. the earth, the moon, the sky, the stars, the north pole, the equator
2. For a noun which becomes definite or particular because it is already mentioned and is being mentioned a second time.
e.g. The teacher helped a student and the student became happy.
3. For a noun made specific or definite in a clause or a phrase.
e.g. The old lady, The girl with blue eyes, The boy that I saw, The nice red shirt
4. Before superlatives, and first, second,.. etc, and only
e.g. The best day, The only method, the second month,
5. Before a phrase composed of a proper and common noun
e.g. The New York city, The river Nile, The library of Congress
6. Before the names of organizations
e.g. The Association of Chartered Accountants, The World Health Organization
7. Before names of scientific principles, theories, laws etc. e.g. the Pythagorean theorem, the laws of Newton, The Fahrenheit Scale. But no article will be used for these names if written in forms like, Newton’s Law, Dalton’s Law of Partial Pressures, Hook’s Law of Elasticity
8. Article “the” is not used for names of universities if written in forms like Oxford University, Yale University, Columbia University. But article “the” is used if names of university are written in forms like The University of Oxford, The University of Yale, The University of Toronto.
9. Article “the” is not used for names of countries of places. e.g. New York, America, Mexico, Japan, London. But article “the” is used for a name, if it expresses a group of place, states, or land. e.g. The United States, The Philippines, The Netherlands
DIRECT-INDIRECT SPEECH
Table for change in tense of reported speech for all TENSES.
TENSE CHANGE - IN - INDIRECT SPEECH
Present simple tense into Past simple
Present Continuous tense into Past continuous
Present Perfect tense into Pas perfect
Present Perfect Continuous into Past perfect continuous
Past simple into Past Perfect
Past Continuous into Past Perfect Continuous
Past Perfect into Past Perfect
Future simple, will into would
Future Continuous, will be into would be
Future Perfect, will have into would have
Present simple tense into Past simple
Present Continuous tense into Past continuous
Present Perfect tense into Pas perfect
Present Perfect Continuous into Past perfect continuous
Past simple into Past Perfect
Past Continuous into Past Perfect Continuous
Past Perfect into Past Perfect
Future simple, will into would
Future Continuous, will be into would be
Future Perfect, will have into would have
Examples.
DIRECT SPEECH | INDIRECT SPEECH |
PRESENT TENSE | |
PRESENT SIMPLE changes into PAST SIMPLE | |
He said, “I write a letter”
She said, “he goes to school daily” They said, “we love our country” He said, “he does not like computer” |
He said that he wrote a letter.
He said that he did not like computer.He said that she went to school daily. They said that they loved their country |
PRESENT CONTINUOUS changes into PAST CONTINUOUS | |
He said, “he is listening to the music”
She said, “I am washing my clothes” They said, “we are enjoying the weather” I said, “it is raining” She said, “I am not laughing” |
He said that he was listening to the music.
She said that she was washing her clothes. They said that they were not enjoying the weather. She said that she was not laughing. |
PRESENT PERFECT changes into PAST PERFECT | |
She said, “he has finished his work”
He said, “I have started a job” I said, “she have eaten the meal” They said, “we have not gone to New York. |
She said that he had finished his work.
They said that they had not gone to New York.He said that he had started a job. I said that she had eaten the meal. |
PRESENT PERFECT CONTINUOUS changes into PAST PERFECT CONTINUOUS | |
He said, “I have been studying since 3 O’clock”
She said, “It has been raining for three days.” I said, “She has been working in this office since 2007” |
He said that he had been studying since 3 O’clock.
She said that it been raining for three days. I said that she had been working in this office since 2007. |
PAST TENSE | |
PAST SIMPLE changes into PAST PERFECT | |
He said to me, “you answered correctly”
John said, “they went to cinema” He said, “I made a table” She said, “I didn’t buy a car” |
He said to me that I had answered correctly.
She said that she had not bought a car.John said that they had gone to cinema. He said that he had made a table. |
PAST CONTINUOUS changes into PAST PERFECT CONTINUOUS | |
They said, “we were enjoying the weather”
He said to me, “ I was waiting for you” I said, “It was raining” She said, “I was not laughing” |
They said that they had been enjoying.
He said to me that he had been waiting for me. I said that it had been raining. She said that she not been laughing. |
PAST PERFECT changes into PAST PERFECT (tense does not change) | |
She said, “She had visited a doctor”
He said, “I had started a business” I said, “she had eaten the meal” They said, “we had not gone to New York. |
She said that she had visited a doctor.
He said that he had started a business. I said that she had eaten the meal. They said they had not gone to New York. |
FUTURE TENSE | |
FUTURE SIMPLE TENSE
| |
He said, “I will study the book”
She said, “I will buy a computer” They said to me, “we will send you gifts” I said, “I will not take the exam” |
He said that he would study the book.
I said that I would not take the exam.She said that she would buy a computer. They said to me that they would send you gifts. |
FUTURE CONTINUOUS TENSE
| |
I said to him, “ I will be waiting for him”
She said,” I will be shifting to new home” He said, “I will be working hard” He said, “he will not be flying kite” |
I said to him that I would be waiting for him.
She said that she would be shifting to a new home. He said that he would be working hard. She said that he would not be flying kites. |
FUTURE PERFECT TENSE
| |
He said, “I will have finished the work”
She said, “they will have passed the examination” He said, “I will have gone” |
He said that he would have finished the work.
She said that they would have passed the examination. He said that he would have gone. |
Note: The tense of reported speech may not change if reported speech is a universal truth though its reporting verb belongs to past tense.
Examples.
Direct speech: He said, “Mathematics is a science”
Indirect Speech: He said that mathematics is a science.
Direct speech: He said, “Sun rises in east”
Indirect Speech: He said that sun rises in east.
Examples.
Direct speech: He said, “Mathematics is a science”
Indirect Speech: He said that mathematics is a science.
Direct speech: He said, “Sun rises in east”
Indirect Speech: He said that sun rises in east.
(Tense didn't change because reported speech is a universal truth thought its reporting verb belongs to past tense)
A 10 year old blogger
Hey class i understand that most of you don't get to check out the net, but this link below i urge you to go through at least once, and those who can do that, please pass the word around to your friends, see how a ten year old boy from Thimphu is blogging. And we know that in our class everybody is above ten right? So if he can do it, i believe you can too, i have faith in you people, so please please please, come and join. Read the reviews, they are great!!
http://singye.bt/sample-page/#comment-76
http://singye.bt/sample-page/#comment-76
Tuesday, August 27, 2013
Class this is a simplified version on how to write a book review compared to my last post on writing a book review. Please go through before writing your reviews.
I. Introduction Paragraph: This should include the title of the book (underlined),
the author’s name, the type of book and a brief introduction to the book in
general so as to grip the reader’s attention.
II. Body: You have to explain what the book is about and then write your opinion
about the book and how successful it is. Explain the author’s purpose on the main
themes of the book. DO NOT WRITE IN THE FIRST PERSON.
For Fiction: Briefly describe the main setting, the point of view from which the
story is being told, and a brief overview of the main characters of the story. Then
focus on one main character in the story and explain that characters personality,
physical attributes, and how the story is developed through this character. Next,
give a plot summary along with a sequence of events that took place in the
narrative, which includes the climax and resolution of the story.
For Non Fiction: Give a general overview of the author’s topic, main points and
arguments. Write what the book is focusing on and the important conclusion. III. Analysis and Evaluation: Analyze and critique (review and evaluate) the book.
Consider the following questions that will help in doing this:
For Fiction:
1. Did the author achieve his or her purpose?
2. Is the writing effective, powerful, difficult, beautiful, and gripping?
3. What are the strengths and weaknesses of the book? (Style of writing,
clear or confusing, order of events, depiction of characters, etc.)
For Non Fiction:
1. What are the author’s qualifications to write about the subject?
2. Do you agree with the author’s arguments and conclusions?
3. Your overall response to the book (do not write in first person). Did
you find the book interesting, moving, dull…?
4. Would you recommend it to others? Why or why not?
IV. Conclusion: Briefly conclude by wrapping up your thoughts together. You may say what an impression the book left with you, or emphasize what you want your reader to know about it.
I. Introduction Paragraph: This should include the title of the book (underlined),
the author’s name, the type of book and a brief introduction to the book in
general so as to grip the reader’s attention.
II. Body: You have to explain what the book is about and then write your opinion
about the book and how successful it is. Explain the author’s purpose on the main
themes of the book. DO NOT WRITE IN THE FIRST PERSON.
For Fiction: Briefly describe the main setting, the point of view from which the
story is being told, and a brief overview of the main characters of the story. Then
focus on one main character in the story and explain that characters personality,
physical attributes, and how the story is developed through this character. Next,
give a plot summary along with a sequence of events that took place in the
narrative, which includes the climax and resolution of the story.
For Non Fiction: Give a general overview of the author’s topic, main points and
arguments. Write what the book is focusing on and the important conclusion. III. Analysis and Evaluation: Analyze and critique (review and evaluate) the book.
Consider the following questions that will help in doing this:
For Fiction:
1. Did the author achieve his or her purpose?
2. Is the writing effective, powerful, difficult, beautiful, and gripping?
3. What are the strengths and weaknesses of the book? (Style of writing,
clear or confusing, order of events, depiction of characters, etc.)
For Non Fiction:
1. What are the author’s qualifications to write about the subject?
2. Do you agree with the author’s arguments and conclusions?
3. Your overall response to the book (do not write in first person). Did
you find the book interesting, moving, dull…?
4. Would you recommend it to others? Why or why not?
IV. Conclusion: Briefly conclude by wrapping up your thoughts together. You may say what an impression the book left with you, or emphasize what you want your reader to know about it.
Sunday, August 18, 2013
Active - Passive ; Rule
Active Voice
|
Passive Voice
|
Simple
present (love)
|
am/is/are
+ Pp
|
Simple
past (loved)
|
was/were
+ Pp
|
shall/will
+ V
|
shall/will
+ be + Pp
|
are
+..ing
|
is/am/are
+ being + Pp
|
was/were
+ ing
|
was/were
+ being + Pp
|
shall
+ be + ing
|
No
Passive
|
has/have
+ Pp
|
has/have
+ been+ Pp
|
had
+Pp
|
had
+ been + Pp
|
shall/will
+ have + Pp
|
shall/will
+ have + been + Pp
|
Writing a Good Book Review
Writing
a Good Book Review
Introduce
the type of book.
- Identify the book by author, title, and sometimes publishing information.
- Specify the type of book (for example, fiction, nonfiction, biography, autobiography). Help your readers to review with perception.
- Mention the book's theme.
- Sometimes you will need to include background to enable reader to place the book into a specific context. For example, you might want to describe the general problem the book addresses or earlier work the author or others have done.
Briefly
summarize the content
- For a nonfiction book, provide an overview, including paraphrases and quotations, of the book's thesis and primary supporting points.
- For a work of fiction, briefly review the story line for readers; be careful not to give away anything that would lessen the suspense for readers.
Provide
your reactions to the book
- Describe the book: Is it interesting, memorable, entertaining, instructive? Why?
- Respond to the author's opinions: What do you agree with? And why? What do you disagree with? And why?
- Explore issues the book raises: What possibilities does the book suggest? Explain. What matters does the book leave out? Explain.
- Relate your argument to other books or authors: Support your argument for or against the author's opinions by bringing in other authors you agree with.
- Relate the book to larger issues: How did the book affect you? How have your opinions about the topic changed? How is the book related to our own life.
Conclude
by summarizing your ideas
- Close with a direct comment on the book, and close together issues raised in the review. Briefly restate your main points and if you like, you can offer advice for others who might want to read.
Key Questions to be answered:
1. What was the story about?
2. Who is the main character in the story?
3. What do the characters do in the story
4. In which point of view the story is written?
5. Who all are the minor characters in the story?
6. Who is your favorite character in the story?
7. What is the theme of the story?
8. Who is the author?
SYLLABLES
We pronounce (speak) words through sounds. These
sounds are carried by vowels and consonants. We know that vowels are the
very soul of a language. No word can be formed without a vowel-sound. But a word may have two or more vowels. Each vowel is
generally attached to one or two consonants. These consonants and the vowel
attached to them form a unit of
pronunciation. This unit is called a syllable. Remember that a syllable may
be a complete word in itself; as-
a so cat sky but lot
or may form a part of a word. In this case, the word
may have more syllables; as-
a) sis - ter
b) hap – py
c) vo - wel
1 2 1 2 1
2
a)
un – der – stand b)yes
– ter – day c) in – tel
– li - gent
1
2 3 1 2
3 1
2 3 4
d)
in – ter – nation – al – ism
1
2 3 4
5
What is a syllable?
A syllable is the smallest unit of pronunciation forming a complete word
or part of a word.
Activity:
Syllabicate the following words:
a) father
b) crocodile
c) pronunciation
d) holiday
e) re-commendatory
Friday, April 19, 2013
State your case !! 8B students
The following pictures were taken when the class was asked to
state their case to the jury in the class. Pardon the poor quality of
the picture... it was taken from my mobile. Sorry class the video could not upload.
Writing formal letters
BLOCK FORM (leave letter)
Teachers' Colony
House # F-101
Tsimalakha
Chukha, Bhutan
April 19, 2013
The Class Teacher
8B
Tsimalakha LSS
Chukha
Dear Madam,
I am Sonam Pema of your class, roll number 12. As I have been suffering from fever and head-ache since yesterday, I am unable to attend my classes. So, I request you to grant me leave for two days from today so that i can go for a check up at Thimphu hospital. After that, I will attend my classes as regularly as I do now.
Sincerely,
Sonam Pema
INDENTED FORM
Teachers' Colony
House # F-101
Tsimalakha
Chukha, Bhutan
April 19, 2013
The Class Teacher
8B
Tsimalakha LSS
Chukha
Dear Madam,
I am Sonam Pema of your class, roll number 12. As I have been suffering from fever and head-ache since yesterday, I am unable to attend my classes. So, I request you to grant me leave for two days from today so that i can go for a check up at Thimphu hospital. After that, I will attend my classes as regularly as I do now.
Sincerely,
Sonam Pema
Teachers' Colony
House # F-101
Tsimalakha
Chukha, Bhutan
April 19, 2013
The Class Teacher
8B
Tsimalakha LSS
Chukha
Dear Madam,
I am Sonam Pema of your class, roll number 12. As I have been suffering from fever and head-ache since yesterday, I am unable to attend my classes. So, I request you to grant me leave for two days from today so that i can go for a check up at Thimphu hospital. After that, I will attend my classes as regularly as I do now.
Sincerely,
Sonam Pema
INDENTED FORM
Teachers' Colony
House # F-101
Tsimalakha
Chukha, Bhutan
April 19, 2013
The Class Teacher
8B
Tsimalakha LSS
Chukha
Dear Madam,
I am Sonam Pema of your class, roll number 12. As I have been suffering from fever and head-ache since yesterday, I am unable to attend my classes. So, I request you to grant me leave for two days from today so that i can go for a check up at Thimphu hospital. After that, I will attend my classes as regularly as I do now.
Sincerely,
Sonam Pema
I am an (your class
level) student at (School/collegename). I am enrolled in the
(Degree/program name) and my (Roll number or student ID). Due to (reason
for leave) on the (Date of event/issue), I will not be able to attend
classes from (Dates of leave)
Read more at: Template of a Student Leave Letter http://www.stepbystep.com/template-of-student-leave-letter-2764/
Read more at: Template of a Student Leave Letter http://www.stepbystep.com/template-of-student-leave-letter-2764/
I am an (your class
level) student at (School/collegename). I am enrolled in the
(Degree/program name) and my (Roll number or student ID). Due to (reason
for leave) on the (Date of event/issue), I will not be able to attend
classes from (Dates of leave)
Read more at: Template of a Student Leave Letter http://www.stepbystep.com/template-of-student-leave-letter-2764/
Read more at: Template of a Student Leave Letter http://www.stepbystep.com/template-of-student-leave-letter-2764/
Thursday, April 18, 2013
Anne Frank: Diary of a young girl.
 |
| Anne Frank's original Diary |
Over one million children under the age of sixteen died in in
World War II, not because of the bombs, but because they did not fit in
as Hitler’s image of the "perfect" German.
Many children and their parents living in countries, which had been invaded by the Germans, were imprisoned and killed because they were Jewish.
Who was Anne Frank?
Anne Frank was an ordinary German Jewish girl. She enjoyed playing with her toys, riding her bike and going to the seaside.
Why is Anne Frank Famous?
Anne Frank is well known because of her diary. It was
first published as a book, in Dutch, in 1947. Since then, millions of
people have read the thoughts and hopes of one young girl and have been
inspired by them.
Why were Jews imprisoned and killed during World War Two ?
Hitler wanted to create what he saw was the perfect
German, this meant that anyone who did not fit into his perfect image
was persecuted (ill treated) and/or killed. Hitler persecuted German
citizens who were Jewish, Gypsies, or otherwise "undesirables".
How many people were killed because of their religion?
By the end of World War II, six million Jews were killed because they were, in Hitler's eyes, 'different'.
What was life like for a Jew living in Germany?
Anne Frank and other Jews were forced to think they were
lower and inadequate to everyone else just because they had a different
religious belief.Many laws were made of what Jews could and couldn't do, Anne describes some of these in her diary:
“Jews were required to wear a yellow star, Jews were forbidden to use trams, Jews were required to turn in their bicycles,Jews were forbidden to use any public sports centres, Jews were not allowed to watch any form of entertainment and so on”
Why is Anne Frank's diary important?
Through her diary "The Diary of Anne Frank",
people all over the world are able to see what life as a persecuted Jew
was like during World War II; thus gaining an appreciation for the
sacrifices people made in the struggle to stay alive. Anne describes in her diary how she felt while she was in hiding, and how it was very hard to survive in such a small living space.
- When did Anne receive her diary and what was the occasion?
Anne received on her 13th birthday in 1942, a diary from her parents. - What did she name her diary?
Anne called her diary 'Kitty'.
Quick Facts about the life of Anne Frank
- June 12, 1929 - Anne Frank born in Frankfurt, Germany.
- Her parents were Otto and Edith Frank
- Anne Frank's sister was called Margot
- Her father was an officer in the German army in World War I
- 1933 - Adolf Hitler's Nazi party come to power in Germany
Hitler begins his campaign against the Jews - Anne Frank and her family move to Amsterdam 1933 where they hope to be safe from the Nazi Germans.
- May, 1940 - the Germans invade the Netherlands
- May 1942 - all Jews aged six and older are required to wear a yellow Star of David on their clothes to set them apart from non-Jews.
- Jews are arrested just for being Jews.
- June 14 1943 - Anne starts writing her diary
- July 6, 1942 - Frank family go into hiding
- August 4, 1944 - Their hiding place is discovered and they are arrested.
- September 3, 1944 - Frank family are transported to the Auschwitz death camp in Poland.
- October, 1944, Anne and Margot are transported from Auschwitz to the Bergen-Belsen concentration camp in Germany.
- March 1945 - Anne dies in the Bergen-Belsen concentration camp, from Typhus.
Retrieved on 18.4.13. 8.50pm from http://www.chiddingstone.kent.sch.uk/homework/war/annefrank.html
Saturday, April 13, 2013
Friday, April 12, 2013
Sunday, April 7, 2013
The Nest By Robert Zacks
synopsis
Mending Wall
The speaker
immediately tells us that something is amiss in the countryside.
Something is there that does not like walls. He and his
neighbor must get together every spring to walk the whole length of the
stone wall that separates their properties, and to fix places where the
wall has crumbled.
Then, our speaker begins to question the need for walls. He grows apples and his neighbor grows pine trees. His neighbor says that "good fences make good neighbors." The speaker becomes a bit mischievous in the spring weather, and wonders if he can try to make his neighbor reconsider the wall. His neighbor looks like a menacing caveman as he puts a rock into the wall, and repeats, "Good fences makes good neighbors."
The poem literally says that a stone wall separates the speaker's property from his neighbor's. Every year the wall is damaged from harsh weather and hunters. In the spring, the two neighbors walk the wall and jointly make repairs. Also, the speaker sees no reason for keeping the wall because there are no cows to be contained or anything, only apple and pine trees.
The theme is that you won't get to know a person unless you put down your wall or barrier.
The speaker can be characterized as philosophical, amiable, and unconvinced. The philosophical aspect comes from figurative language and diction such as when the speaker says that "spring is the mischief in [him]" (line 28). The speaker is also amiable for he friendly converses with his neighbor about the necessity of the wall. The speaker remains unconvinced about why the neighbor wants to keep the wall. Lastly, the speaker's tone is one that is yearnful and inquiring for change and an end to the wall.
One auditory observation in the poem is its harmonious and dramatic quality that is created through the device of euphony. Also, a cold and harsh sounding quality is produced through the repetition of stones and boulders. Additionally, there's a cacophonous auditory quality that's produced by the improper grammar visible in line one that says "something there is that doesn't love a wall". It grabs the reader's attention.
The structure of this poem is that it is blank verse with no stanza breaks, obvious end rhymes, or rhyming patterns. The writer's intention with this form is that it sustains the natural speech and conversational quality of the poem. Also, the poem's physical structure and appearance on the paper resembles a solid stone wall which would explain the reason for no breaks.
One of the main literary devices visible in this poem is metaphors and figurative language. Its presence is all throughout the poem from beginning to end. This device functions to display ambiguity and inspire all kinds of interpretations of the text. It also functions as a means of portraying humor, which is discernible when the speaker tells the neighbor "[his] apple trees will never get across and eat the cones under his pines" (lines 25-26).
Another poetic device that's observable all throughout the poem is visual imagery. It produces a beneficial effect by aiding the speaker in elaborating the details of mending the wall. This can be discerned in line two and three because every winter, "the frozen ground-swell spills the upper boulders in the sun" (lines 2-3).
Another perceivable device is diction. There are at least ten lines throughout this poem that noticeably portray the speaker's intentional word choice. Diction functions to develop ambiguity such that is seen in line one. In addition, it provides emphasis in order to draw and focus the reader's attention on a certain concept or idea. This can be distinguished when the speaker states "there where it is we do not need the wall", because it is a main concept discussed (line 23).
Furthermore, symbolism of the wall is another device that is visible mostly in the heart of the poem. This stone wall symbolizes a divide between properties that puts up confinements and boundaries. This symbol develops a theme of barrier-building and segregation. The symbol of this wall also functions to develop the character of the neighbor as having an ancient and old fashioned way of thinking, which is noticeable through words such as "spells" and "elves" and an "old-stone savage".
Finally, irony is a device that's distinguishable in this poem. It is portrayed in several humorous remarks by the speaker, throughout the poem. The irony of the wall is that the speaker and his neighbor rebuild the wall every spring, only to have it broken again next year. Mending the wall is a pointless act because it will inevitably be damaged once again.
Then, our speaker begins to question the need for walls. He grows apples and his neighbor grows pine trees. His neighbor says that "good fences make good neighbors." The speaker becomes a bit mischievous in the spring weather, and wonders if he can try to make his neighbor reconsider the wall. His neighbor looks like a menacing caveman as he puts a rock into the wall, and repeats, "Good fences makes good neighbors."
The poem literally says that a stone wall separates the speaker's property from his neighbor's. Every year the wall is damaged from harsh weather and hunters. In the spring, the two neighbors walk the wall and jointly make repairs. Also, the speaker sees no reason for keeping the wall because there are no cows to be contained or anything, only apple and pine trees.
The theme is that you won't get to know a person unless you put down your wall or barrier.
The speaker can be characterized as philosophical, amiable, and unconvinced. The philosophical aspect comes from figurative language and diction such as when the speaker says that "spring is the mischief in [him]" (line 28). The speaker is also amiable for he friendly converses with his neighbor about the necessity of the wall. The speaker remains unconvinced about why the neighbor wants to keep the wall. Lastly, the speaker's tone is one that is yearnful and inquiring for change and an end to the wall.
One auditory observation in the poem is its harmonious and dramatic quality that is created through the device of euphony. Also, a cold and harsh sounding quality is produced through the repetition of stones and boulders. Additionally, there's a cacophonous auditory quality that's produced by the improper grammar visible in line one that says "something there is that doesn't love a wall". It grabs the reader's attention.
The structure of this poem is that it is blank verse with no stanza breaks, obvious end rhymes, or rhyming patterns. The writer's intention with this form is that it sustains the natural speech and conversational quality of the poem. Also, the poem's physical structure and appearance on the paper resembles a solid stone wall which would explain the reason for no breaks.
One of the main literary devices visible in this poem is metaphors and figurative language. Its presence is all throughout the poem from beginning to end. This device functions to display ambiguity and inspire all kinds of interpretations of the text. It also functions as a means of portraying humor, which is discernible when the speaker tells the neighbor "[his] apple trees will never get across and eat the cones under his pines" (lines 25-26).
Another poetic device that's observable all throughout the poem is visual imagery. It produces a beneficial effect by aiding the speaker in elaborating the details of mending the wall. This can be discerned in line two and three because every winter, "the frozen ground-swell spills the upper boulders in the sun" (lines 2-3).
Another perceivable device is diction. There are at least ten lines throughout this poem that noticeably portray the speaker's intentional word choice. Diction functions to develop ambiguity such that is seen in line one. In addition, it provides emphasis in order to draw and focus the reader's attention on a certain concept or idea. This can be distinguished when the speaker states "there where it is we do not need the wall", because it is a main concept discussed (line 23).
Furthermore, symbolism of the wall is another device that is visible mostly in the heart of the poem. This stone wall symbolizes a divide between properties that puts up confinements and boundaries. This symbol develops a theme of barrier-building and segregation. The symbol of this wall also functions to develop the character of the neighbor as having an ancient and old fashioned way of thinking, which is noticeable through words such as "spells" and "elves" and an "old-stone savage".
Finally, irony is a device that's distinguishable in this poem. It is portrayed in several humorous remarks by the speaker, throughout the poem. The irony of the wall is that the speaker and his neighbor rebuild the wall every spring, only to have it broken again next year. Mending the wall is a pointless act because it will inevitably be damaged once again.
Mending Wall by Robert Frost
Robert Frost
Robert Lee Frost was an American poet. He is highly regarded for his realistic depictions of rural life and his command of American colloquial speech. His work frequently employed settings from rural life in New England in the early twentieth century, using them to examine complex social and philosophical themes. A popular and often-quoted poet, Frost was honored frequently during his lifetime, receiving four Pulitzer Prizes for Poetry.
Early years
Robert Frost was born in San Francisco, California, to journalist William Prescott Frost, Jr., and Isabelle Moodie. His mother was of Scottish descent, and his father descended from Nicholas Frost of Tiverton, Devon, England, who had sailed to New Hampshire in 1634 on the Wolfrana.
Frost's father was a teacher and later an editor of the San Francisco Evening Bulletin (which afterwards merged into the San Francisco Examiner), and an unsuccessful candidate for city tax collector. After his father's death in May 5, 1885, in due time the family moved across the country to Lawrence, Massachusetts under the patronage of (Robert's grandfather) William Frost, Sr., who was an overseer at a New England mill. Frost graduated from Lawrence High School in 1892. Frost's mother joined the Swedenborgian church and had him baptized in it, but he left it as an adult.
Despite his later association with rural life, Frost grew up in the city, and published his first poem in his high school's magazine. He attended Dartmouth College long enough to be accepted into the Theta Delta Chi fraternity. Frost returned home to teach and to work at various jobs including delivering newspapers and factory labor. He did not enjoy these jobs at all, feeling his true calling as a poet.
Nothing Gold Can Stay
Nature's first green is gold,
Her hardest hue to hold.
Her early leaf's a flower;
But only so an hour.
Then leaf subsides to leaf,
So Eden sank to grief,
So dawn goes down to day
Nothing gold can stay.
Her hardest hue to hold.
Her early leaf's a flower;
But only so an hour.
Then leaf subsides to leaf,
So Eden sank to grief,
So dawn goes down to day
Nothing gold can stay.
-Robert Frost
Summary of the poem.
In the poem the speaker refers to Nature's beauty which can never
remain.
"Nature's first green is gold
Her hardest hue
to hold"
These lines above somehow represents the spring time when nature is alive and
vibrant. Plants, trees, and flowers thrive and become something of value
to a keen observer. The statement that green is gold almost seems like a
contradiction. However, the speaker is not using the word gold in a
literal sense, but in a figurative way implying that the beauty of
nature is something precious and valuable. Because, of the uncaring and
unyielding seasonal changes, that golden green will not endure as it
succumbs to the unforgiving elements.
Her early leaf's a flower;
But only so an hour.
But only so an hour.
Then leaf subsides to leaf,
The speaker also mentions a flower
that only lasts an hour. Again the speaker reiterates the limited time
nature has to display its beauty.
So Eden sank to grief,
The poem continues describing leaves
that eventually subside comparing them to the fall of Eden, which also
was unable to remain "gold."
So dawn goes down to day
Nothing gold can stay.
Nothing gold can stay.
Finally the poem closes with its final
couplet. The reference
to dawn going down to day may be another emphasis on the cyclical
process that occurs within nature. The final line of the poem seems
strikingly negative and contains no signs of hope.
On the surface, this poem may simply be an observation of
nature's cycle. In the springtime, nature thrives and displays lush
images of life and purity. However, it gradually decays leaf by leaf and
dies.
Frost uses his vivid description of nature as a
metaphor to depict yet another cycle that occurs within our lives.
Frost leaves us a few hints that help us to uncover this other cycle.
Sunday, March 10, 2013
genre: poetry
Dreams: Langston Hughes
Text: Class VIII English, Unit ONE
This is a poem that tells you to hold on to your dream and to catch it fast before its too late. If you don't have a dream then life is a bird with broken wing or a barren field. The poet uses simile to express this idea in the poem.
A simile is a type of figurative language that does not mean exactly what it says, that makes a comparision between two otherwise unalike objects or ideas by connesting them with words "like" or "as." Similes allow author to emphasize a certain characteristic of an object by comparing that object to an unrelated object that is an example of that characteristic.
Dreams: Langston Hughes
Text: Class VIII English, Unit ONE
This is a poem that tells you to hold on to your dream and to catch it fast before its too late. If you don't have a dream then life is a bird with broken wing or a barren field. The poet uses simile to express this idea in the poem.
A simile is a type of figurative language that does not mean exactly what it says, that makes a comparision between two otherwise unalike objects or ideas by connesting them with words "like" or "as." Similes allow author to emphasize a certain characteristic of an object by comparing that object to an unrelated object that is an example of that characteristic.
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