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Ngữ pháp trong tiếng Anh: Grammar in use! Grammar in Conversational Language

The document discusses differences between grammar used in written versus conversational English. In conversation, question words like "when", "who" and auxiliary verbs are often contracted, for example "when's" instead of "when is". These contractions are common in speech but not usually seen in formal writing. The document provides many examples of conversational contractions compared to their full written forms.

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49 views5 pages

Ngữ pháp trong tiếng Anh: Grammar in use! Grammar in Conversational Language

The document discusses differences between grammar used in written versus conversational English. In conversation, question words like "when", "who" and auxiliary verbs are often contracted, for example "when's" instead of "when is". These contractions are common in speech but not usually seen in formal writing. The document provides many examples of conversational contractions compared to their full written forms.

Uploaded by

manhhungbk
Copyright
© Attribution Non-Commercial (BY-NC)
We take content rights seriously. If you suspect this is your content, claim it here.
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Download as DOC, PDF, TXT or read online on Scribd
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Ngữ pháp trong tiếng Anh

Grammar in use!

Grammar in Conversational Language

Gởi: Sat Oct 09, 2004 9:58 am

Tiêu đề: Grammar in use!


The grammar used in written language and the grammar used
in conversational language are often quite different.
In fact, what's normal, common, and acceptable in spoken
language is often considered wrong in written language.
For that reason, we'll take a look, in the next several Hints,
at what some of these differences are.
3. Information ("Wh-") Questions

Written English

In written language, Information ("Wh-") questions have


several forms:
BE: Questions about the Subject
Wh-* + BE + other words
Who is at the door?
How many people are here?
Which office is Mr. Smith's?

BE: Questions about Information after the Subject

Wh-* + BE + subject + other words

Where is Ahmed?
When are your office hours?
Why is Ricardo absent today?
What is that man's name?

Verbs with Auxiliaries: Questions about the Subject

Wh-* + AUX + verb + other words

Who can speak French?


How many people will be there?
Which person might help us?
Who has been absent 10 times?
How many people have finished the test?

Verbs with Auxiliaries: Questions about


Information After the Subject

Wh-* + AUX + subject + verb + other words

What languages can you speak?


When will your parents arrive?
Why have you been absent so often?
What time should I arrive?
How often has Ricardo been absent?
Who(m) have you talked to about this problem?

Verbs without Auxiliaries: Questions about the Subject

Wh-* + verb + other words

Who speaks French?


How many people live here?
Which professor teaches this class?

Verbs without Auxiliaries: Questions about


Information After the Subject

Wh-* + DO / DOES / DID + subject + verb + other words

What languages do you speak?


When did your parents arrive?
Why do you miss class so often?
What time does he expect to arrive?
How often do you see Ricardo?
Who(m) did you talk to about this problem?

______________________________________________

Conversational English
In everyday conversation, information ("Wh-") questions
(especially those with BE, will, does, has, have, did, and had)
often use contractions--contractions that are often heard in
speaking, but almost never used in writing.

Examples: BE

When's, Who's, Which's, Why's, Where's, What's, How's


When're, Who're, Which're, Why're, Where're, What're, How're

Examples: Will

When'll, Who'll, Which'll, Why'll, Where'll, What'll, How'll


How many'll, How often'll, What time'll

Examples: Does

When's, Who's, Which's, Why's, Where's, What's, How's

Examples: Has

When's, Who's, Which's, Why's, Where's, What's, How's

Examples: Have

When've, Who(m)'ve, Which've, Why've, Where've, What've,


How've, How many've, How often've

Examples: Did

When'd, Who'd, Which'd, Why'd, Where'd, What'd,


How'd, How many'd, How often'd

Examples: Had

When'd, Who'd, Which'd, Why'd, Where'd, What'd,


How'd, How many'd, How often'd

Examples: Complete Questions


When's the party? ( = When is the party?)

Why's Luz angry? ( = Why is Luz angry?)

When'll the party be? ( = When will the party be?)

What time'll you arrive? ( = What time will you arrive?)

What time'll you be arriving? ( = What time will you be


arriving?)

When's he want to leave? ( = When does he want to leave?)

When's he going to leave? ( = When is he going to leave?)

When's she been absent? ( = When has she been absent?)

What's she want? ( = What does she want?)

How often've you been absent? ( = How often have


you been absent?)

What've you done? ( = What have you done?)

When'd they arrive? ( = When did they arrive?)

Where'd he go? ( = Where did he go?)

Who'd he been talking to? ( = Who had he been talking to?)

How many times'd he been absent before today?


(How many times had he been absent before today?)

____________________________________

Important: Contractions like the ones above are very common


in spoken English, but they are very uncommon (and generally
not appropriate!) in written English.

____________________________________
Special Notes:

1. Notice that 's can mean is, has, has or does.


To know which one is meant, listen for the words
after 's:
Where's he from? ('s = is)
Where's he been? ('s = has)
What's he want? ('s = does)

2. Notice also that 'd can mean did or had. To know


which one is meant, listen for the words after 'd:
When'd he arrive? ( 'd = When did he arrive?)

Where'd he lived before he moved here?


('d = Where had he lived before he moved here?)

3.* Some "Wh-" words are single words (Who,


Why, Where, How, etc.) and some are more
than one word:
How often, What time,
How many, etc.).

Some "Wh-" words also contain nouns or


other words as part of the "Wh-" expression:

Which ___ , What ___ ,


What kind of ___ ,
How many ___ , etc.

Remember:

The contractions heard in relaxed, everyday conversation


are frequently heard in speaking even though they are
often not acceptable in writing!

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