ENGLISH V

UNIT 1
ENGINEERING IN HISTORY.
THE HISTORY OF ENGINEERING

UNIT I - MODULE I - GRAMMAR

Affixes
In English words can be formed from a Root (base +affixes (prefixes and suffixes)
For example from the root faith which means fé, we can have some other words
adding prefixes and suffixes, Example:

PREFIX ROOT (BASE) SUFFIX

FAITH
FAITHFUL (FIEL) FUL
UN UNFAITHFUL (INFIEL

A prefix added to a base changes the meaning of the word: unfaithful (infiel)
A suffix added to a base changes the grammatical characteristic of the word: faith (fe)
(noun) faithful (fiel) (adjective)

Some of the following prefixes can be difficult for a Spanish speaker to manage
There are also some prepositions which can be placed before the base and change
the meaning of the word.

PREFIX BASE NEW WORD

Fore tell foretell
Off shore offshore
Over weight Overweight
Under weight underweight
Back yard backyard
A suffix does not change the meaning of the word but it changed its grammatical
characteristic. There are suffixes to indicate nouns, adjectives, and adverbs, For
example:

Root (Base) Suffix New word Grammar

Characteristic
Develop ment development noun
Improve ment improvement noun
Pay ment payment noun

Dark ness darkness noun

Sick ness sickness noun

Music Ian musician noun

technic Ian technician noun

Technic Al Technical activity adjective

Care ful careful adjective
Care less careless adjective
count less countless adjective
white ish whitish adjective
small er smaller adjective
Tall est The tallest Adjective

Care ful Careful adjective

Careful ly carefully adverb
Careless ly carelessly adverb
Exercise 1.

Using the above information, choose the correct meaning of the underlined word.

1. What he told us is unbelievable .

a. easy to believe b. difficult to believe

2. The technician disconnected the wires.

a. linked the wires b. separated the wires

3. It is difficult to trust on a dishonest person.

a. a person who tell the truth b. a person who tell lies

4. At the meeting, there arguments and counterarguments.

a. ideas in favor b. ideas against

5. No matter antiwar demonstrations, the situation does not change

a. demonstrations in favor of war b. demonstrations against the war

6. Some people think politicians are unreliable; some others think they are
dependable.
a. people we cannot trust on b. People we can trust on.

7. Some engineers are good paid, but others are underpaid.

a. they don’t receive enough salary b. they receive good salary

8. In nature, some species do not coexist.

a. live together b. live separated

9. Electricians have to be careful with electricity. They must disconnect wires

before starting any work.
a. plug d. unplug
 ING USE

-Ing is a suffix which has different meanings depending on the context and the position
it has in a sentence

ING can be used in progressive tenses. In this case the main verb of the sentence
shall be preceded by the auxiliary be. The main verb shall have the suffix ING. (This
structure is used to indicate an activity being performed at the moment) Example: I am
writing a book at the moment.

If the sentence needs to be expresses in a perfect continuous tense, the structure

should be subject +have (has( +been + main verb+ ing. Example: I have been writing
this book since a year ago.

Pay attention to the different uses of -ing as part of the continuous tense.

Sentence tense Meaning

Michael is submitting a proposal Present Something

progressive happening at the
moment
His friends were submitting a similar Past progressive Something which
proposal a year ago. happened in the
past
He and his family will be going on Future progressive Something
vacation in June planned for the
future

They have not been paying attention to Present Something which

the expenses of the trip. progressive has been
happening up to
the present
They will have been visiting many place. Future progressive Something which
will be happening
in the future
 ING can be found in a noun position.

Subject verb object

Writing essays Is not easy for us
Waking fast Is recommended by physicians
Her cooking was delicious
This training Is excellent for my new job.
In this political campaign there was not much advertising

ING can be found after a form of the verb to be, acting as noun.

His favorite hobby is walking

Their favorite sport was fishing in the river
His problem was making the wrong
decision,

ING can be used as an object after certain verbs:

I miss talking to him .

They enjoy playing soccer
He Said He will consider
accepting your
invitation
You better stop studying now; it is
too late.

ING is commonly used as an object of a preposition:

My sister needs to wear glasses for reading

You better complete your work before leaving.
We just came back from doing sports.
 ING is also used as adjective.

The class was very interesting

The way she writes Is fascinating
This mall Is changing
It Is a shopping center
We bought a teaching
machine.
 VERBS FOLLOWED BY ING

Verbs followed by ing are also the ones of thinking: remember, forget, imagine, think
of. Don’t forget going to the party. Remember bringing your contribution.

Verbs can be followed by to +ing: I look forward to hearing from you soon. The thief
confessed stealing the money from the purse. In some companies you cannot object to
working until late.

If a verb if followed by a preposition, the verb after bears ing: In a company, workers
normally begin by checking at the door. My daughter insisted on wearing jeans to the
party Environmental offices don’t approve cutting trees
Sometimes, they noise at parties prevent neighbors from sleeping.

Verbs like overhear, notice, feel, observe, watch can be followed by an object and
then by an infinitive without to. Example: I saw the boys watching the girls.

VERBS + OBJECT + ING

Sometimes there are verbs followed by an object + ing. If the verb is followed by a
possessive + ing, it can be considered formal style:

My mother recalled me buying the groceries

My mother recalled my buying the groceries (formal)

The professor reminded his students checking the homework.

The professor reminded their checking the homework.

Verbs normally followed by ing are the ones showing like or dislike, for example:
hate, object to, love, detest, disapprove. Example: Some people love going to the
cinema, other love going to the disco, but most of them hate waiting on lines.
Exercises

Complete each sentence with the corresponding form of the verb and write in
parenthesis the grammatical function of the -ing form.

Sentence Grammatical function of - ing

Customs office has been changing
recently,
This machine is for teaching languages,
The meal was very satisfying
We need a melting pot
I normally use a pen for writing my letters,
He learned to speak by speaking
Living in large cities is expensive
Some living species have to adjust to new
environments.
While living in that island, he wrote his
first science book.

Exercises: Complete the following sentences with an appropriate form of the verb.
asking struggling getting accepting
playing participating going driving
having stealing

1. Please remind me _____________to the party

2. My nice hate __________________his father away from home
3. I did not hear the lady __________for help.
4. It is difficult for the president ______________the decision of the group
5. After the game, no body will forget players ____________ to win.
6. There are people ______________bank accounts from their computers.
7. I have an oral presentation so I need to concentrate on ___________it
completed.
8. The accident prevented him from _______________ for several weeks.
9. Tourists in Britain and Australia find it strange ____________on the left.
10. Although they denied ___________in the event, the video was a real proof of
their participation.