Prepositions and Verbs

Objects that pair with prepositions function differently from direct and indirect objects, which follow verbs.

Subj + verb + [prepositions + object]

These nouns and verbs reference a preposition and modify the action of the larger sentence. For example:

He sat [in the basement] [of the building], [among the boxes], reading a book [on his break].

the prepositional objects are “basement,” “building,” “boxes,” and “break.”

Like direct objects, prepositional objects receive the action of the subject in the sentences yet need a preposition for the sentence to make sense.

Subj + verb + [preposition + (prepositional object)]

I live [in the (forest)].
She sits [on the (ground)].
We’ll meet [at the (park)].
I play [with the (kids)].
The birds fly [into the (sky)].

REME Feedback – war money

1) Many developed countries spend a large amount of money every year on manufacturing weapons to defend themselves although they are actually not at war. paraphrase, then thesis

2) Why is this the case? List your reaasons. first, second

3) Do you think these countries should spend the money on helping citizens of poor countries? Talk about for both side

Intro

So let’s see what’s happening. In the intro paragraph, we see a paraphrase of 1) and a thesis for 3):

“In is a fact that many developed countries spend a huge amount of money every year on developing and manufacturing weapons to defend themselves although they are not at war with any other country. ”

Then the 2nd sentence which is the thesis and addresses 3):

“In the meantime, millions of people in underdeveloped countries still live in extreme poverty and are in desperate need of fresh water, food and basic medicine.”

The author is saying this is in fact happening.

First Paragraph address the questions “Why is this the case?”

For the first paragraph, the author answers 1) by saying there are two reasons. Remember that when we have a question, we need to list points to answer the question:

1) “The main one is that many leaders and politicians in developed countries are realists who tend to view conflicts, both domestic and international ones, as imminent threats to national security.”

He then backs it up with some examples and data. Then he addresses the second reason, which is lobbying:

2) Besides this hard-line attitude of government heads and politicians, there is another factor at play in this matter. Successful lobbying in parliament…etc

The second paragraph address the next issue which is 3) the author is saying ‘yes we should help!’:

“In the light of this come people have come with the idea that rich countries should use the money currently spend on making weapons to help people living in poor countries”.

When we see a ‘should’ in a question, we should argue for both sides. The author argues why rich countries should use money to help the poor, and then he also goes to the other side and says that he understands most rich countries are already generous donors and have their plates full.

Essay Types

ref – https://inkforall.com/ai-writing-tools/essay-outline-tool/for-and-against-essay-outline/

For and against

A for-and-against essay is an argumentative essay that requires writers to formulate arguments for and against the main topic. After presenting both arguments, the author will then choose a side and explain the reason for their decision.

Should fast food companies be allowed to aim their marketing at children?

Introduction paragraph – Paraphrase and thesis
[For companies be allowed to market to children] Body Paragraph
[Against companies be allowed to market to children] Body Paragraph
[Writer’s Opinion] Body Paragraph
Conclusion Paragraph

Whenever you see a ‘should’. It means you are to write for and against. Analyze both sides.

Problem–Solution

A problem is outlined, and one or more solutions are described. The author justifies why one particular solution is the most appropriate.

Outline the arguments given by supporters and critics of genetically modified food. Give your opinion on the issue.

Introduction paragraph – Paraphrase and thesis
[Supporters of genetically modified food] Body Paragraph
[Critics of genetically modified food] Body Paragraph
[Writer’s Opinion] Body Paragraph
Conclusion Paragraph

Childhood obesity is a growing problem in many parts of the world. How can this be most effectively dealt with?

Introduction paragraph – Paraphrase and thesis
[Supporters of ‘your solution to childhood obesity’] Body Paragraph
[Critics of ‘your solution to childhood obesity’] Body Paragraph
[Writer’s Opinion] Body Paragraph
Conclusion Paragraph

Cause and Effect

You may be asked to describe a situation and suggest what caused it. Alternatively, you may have to write about the effects something has had.

In many countries, there has been a sharp rise in the amount of convenience food consumed. Why do you think this it?

Introduction paragraph – Paraphrase and thesis
[Supporters of ‘Why you think it is’] Body Paragraph
[Critics of ‘Why you think it is’] Body Paragraph
[Writer’s Opinion] Body Paragraph
Conclusion Paragraph

Essay Structure

Although there are different types of academic essay, the overall structure and principles tend to be the same.

Introduction

The first paragraph presents a general overview of what the piece of writing is going to be about and provides important background information. Paraphrase + Thesis

Body paragraphs

These develop the main ideas outlined in the introduction and include relevant evidence and supporting information of the prompt.

Conclusion

The last paragraph presents a short summary of the essay topic and the conclusions or recommendations of the writer.

Object Complements

ref – https://www.superenglishgrammar.com/2024/05/object-complement.html

List of verbs that take object complements:

‘Is’ test

He paints the wall green. wall ‘is’ green
We found the house empty. house ‘is’ empty
We consider the matter very important. matter ‘is’ important
I find the dish repulsive. dish ‘is’ repulsive
That case made the lawyer famous. lawyer ‘is’ famous
We name our daughter Lexus. daughter ‘is’ Lexus
The Americans elect Trump president. Trump ‘is’ president
The boss declares the store bankrupt.
The boulder knocks the man unconscious.
I got him angry. he ‘is’ angry.
He considers me a fool. I ‘am’ a fool.

He painted the wall green.

We found the house empty.

We consider the matter very important

find – I find the dish repulsive

make – That case made the lawyer famous.

name – We name our daughter Benz.

consider – I consider you a failure.

color – We paint the house blue.

elect – The americans elect Trump president.

declare – The boss declares the store bankrupt.

knock – The boulder knocks the man unconscious.

shoot – We shoot the ball far.

get – I got him angry.

consider – We consider this matter very important.

Nouns as Object Complements

They elected John leader. (“leader” = noun object complement; “John” = direct object)
I named the dog cracker. (“cracker” = noun object complement; “the dog” = direct object)
He considers me a fool. (“a fool” = noun object complement; “me” = direct object)

Noun Phrases as Object Complements

He made me a better person. (“a better person” = noun phrase as object complement; “me” = direct object)

The students elected John class leader. (“class leader” = noun phrase as object complement; “John” = direct object)

The workers consider Smith their true representative. (“their true representative” = noun phrase as object complement; “Smith” = direct object)

Adjectives as Object Complements

An adjective object complement describes the direct object, providing additional information about its qualities or state.

The judges found her innocent. (“innocent” = adjective as object complement; “her” = direct object)

I’ll paint my office green. (“green” = adjective as object complement; “my office” = direct object)

The company found him able. (“able” = adjective as object complement; “him” = direct object)

Adjective Phrases as Object Complements

Adjective phrases, a group of words whose head word is an adjective, can function as an object complement.

The company found her worthy of the position. (“worthy of the position” = adjective phrase as object complement; “her” = direct object)

b. The judges declared him guilty of the crime. (“guilty of the crime” = adjective phrase as object complement; “him” = direct object)

c. They painted their house light blue. (“light blue” = adjective phrase as object complement; “their house” = direct object)

Relative Clause as object complement:

A relative clause, a group of words containing a subject and predicate and describing and giving more information about a noun or pronoun, can also be used as an object complement.

For examples:

Hard work made me what I am today. (“what I am today” = relative clause as object complement; “me” direct object)

I like the room that’s painted blue. (“that’s painted blue” = relative clause as object complement; “the room” = direct object)

I can’t tell the person who doesn’t listen to me. (“who doesn’t listen to me” = relative clause as object complement; “the person” = direct object)

Gerund Phrase as Object Complement

A gerund or gerund phrase, verb+ing, can also act as an object complement and give us more information about an object in a sentence.

For examples:

She found him stealing the money. (“stealing the money” = gerund phrase as object complement; “him” = direct object)

I found her sleeping in the office. (“sleeping in the office” = gerund phrase as object complement; “her” = direct object)

They caught him helping the criminal. (“helping the criminal” = gerund phrase as object complement; “him” = direct object)

Infinitive Phrase as Object Complement

An infinitive phrase, a group of words whose head word is an infinitive, can function as an object complement and give us more information about an object within a sentence.

For examples:

He wants me to be his spoken English tutor. (“to be his spoken English tutor” = infinitive as object complement; “me” = direct object)

I want you to be my spiritual guru. (“to be my spiritual guru” = infinitive as object complement; “you” = direct object)

I encourage you to be an online tutor. (“to be an online tutor” = infinitive as object complement; “you” = direct object)

Prepositional Phrase as Object Complement

She considers the project in its final stages.
We found the book on the shelf.
They named the team after their hometown.
The committee elected him as their spokesperson.
I always want my coffee with a dash of cinnamon.
The teacher left the students in a state of confusion.
The artist painted the wall with vivid colors.
The coach deemed the players ineligible for the tournament.

Participial Phrases as Object Complements

A participial phrase, a group of words usually ending in:

  • -ing [present participle]
  • -ed [past participle]

can also do the task of an object complement and give us more information about an object in the sentence.

For examples:

I saw the cat bleeding. (“bleeding” present participle as object complement; “the cat” = direct object)

I like the argument presented. (“presented” = past participle as object complement; “the argument” = direct object)

I take the medicine prescribed. (“prescribed” = past participle as object complement; “the medicine” = direct object)

Comparing Object Complements with Other Elements

1. Object Complement vs Direct Object:

  • An object complement identifies or describes a direct object:
    subj – transitive verb – direct object <-- [object complement]
  • A direct object receives the action performed by the subject of a sentence.
    subj – transitive verb – direct object

Compare the object complement with the direct object below:

Example of Object Complement:

He painted his office yellow. (“yellow” = object complement which describes the direct object “his office”)

Example of Direct Object:

I have eaten the apple. (“the apple” = direct object which receives the action of “eating” performed by the subject “I”)

2. Object Complement vs Subject Complement:

An object complement is used after a direct object, and it gives us more information about the direct object

a subject complement is used after a linking verb, and it gives us more information about the subject of the sentence.

Example of Object Complement:

We found him innocent. (“innocent” = object complement used after the direct object “him”)

Example of Subject Complement:

John is innocent. (“innocent” subject complement used after the linking verb “is”)

3. Adjectives Modifying Nouns vs Adjective Object Complements:

Adjectives modifying nouns are different from the adjectives that are used as object complements. Adjectives modifying nouns are generally used before the words they modify,

Adjectives used as object complements are the adjectives that are used after direct objects.

(Note that the adjectives are in bold and the modified words are italicized in the following examples.)

Example of Adjective Modifying Noun:

My new bike is very fast. (“new” = adjective modifying the noun used before the noun it modifies: “bike”)

Example of Adjective Used as Object Complement:

They painted the bike blue. (“blue” = object complement used after the direct object it modifies: “the bike”)

4. Object Complements vs Adverbs:

An object complement completes the direct object,
whereas an adverb modifies a verb, adjective or another adverb.

Example of Object Complement:

I called the man a fool. (“a fool” = object complement completing the direct object “the man”)

Example of Adverb:

I called the man yesterday. (“yesterday” = adverb modifying the verb “called”)

Practice Correction on sample essay

my correction
My comments

Some people regard increasing business and cultural contact between countries as a positive development. Others, however, feel that this will lead to the loss of national identities.

Discuss both views and give your opinion.

Your introduction:

Most recently, whether increasing business and cultural contact between countries is a positive development stimulates wider discussion. Some people consider it as a beneficial trend, while others believe that this will lead to the loss of national identities. Let’s delve into both perspectives before giving my opinion.

Paraphrase


After a dependent clause ‘Most recently’, we should not start an independent clause with the subjugate ‘whether’. Find the proper subject instead.


比如:
Increased business and cultural contact between countries have caused widespread debate. One group considers it to be a mutually beneficial trend, while an opposing group believes that it will lead to a loss of national identity.

Thesis


Don’t say ‘before giving my opinion’. Just list write out your opinion.


比如: This essay delve into both perspectives and argue that traveling is not only beneficial, but educational as well.

Body 1


Remember that the prompt wants you to [Discuss both views]. So I see here that you are discussing ‘increasing business and cultural contact’ here.

You have a good mini-thesis but it’s a run on sentence.

Your body 1:
The primary purpose of boosting business and cultural contact between countries is to promote the economic development and let people enjoy all kinds of culture form different countries over the long haul,which can improve people’s happiness. In addition, by increasing business and cultural contact can produce more job opportunities, such as translators, workers, which reduce extremely great job pressure in our society. Many people have more chances to go abroad to broaden their horizons and acquire more knowledge about this world. Most importantly, students who want to go abroad for further education can have more chances to be admitted by their ideal university, which help them have a better life in the future.

可以这样说:
The primary purpose of (boosting/encouraging/increasing) business and cultural contact between countries is to promote economic development and let the citizens enjoy the others’ culture. Over the long haul, this improves happiness.


Be care of run on sentences. Also, you need to define ‘workers’ because its very broad. For example, translators is good! It’s very specific.

可以这样说:
In addition, by increasing business and cultural contact, the respective countries will create more job opportunities such as translators, laborers, and corporate talents. This economic exchange will greatly reduce job pressure for the people.

可以这样说:
People will have more opportunities to travel abroad, which gives them a worldly education and as a result, broadens their horizons.


Most importantly, there may be students in the host country who are tired of being stuck in a hypercompetitive academic environment. By investing in exchange with a partner country, those students can enjoy more scholastic choices offered by the partnership.

Body 2


Remember that the prompt wants you to [Discuss both views]. So I see here that you are discussing why we SHOULD NOT have an exchange.

You body 2:
On the other hand, a quantity of people think that this will lead to the loss of national identities.They think that after most people eat the same food as the other countries and wear the similar clothes for a long period,they will think all of people form the world are friends and have no ethnic discrimination.By exposing the culture from other countries or being sent to the overseas to get education when people were young,they will have different ways to consider their life styles and study habits,and then learn form each other.


I’m not following your logic. You’re saying:

1) After people eat the same food and wear same clothes as citizens from other countries..
2) Think that people all over the world are friends
3) This world has no ethnic discrimination
4) “they will have different ways to consider their life styles and study habits,and then learn form each other.”

Then? How does it discuss why WE SHOULD NOT have the exchange?


Where’s your opinion!? Do you want more exchange? or less exchange? why?

In conclusion,I believe that increasing business and cultural contacts between countries has many benefits ,which not only improve individual development and happiness ,but also solve a variety of problems in society.

Evaluation

Task Response – 4
One part of the prompt is addressed (should exchange).
But the other side (should NOT exchange) is not clear.
Did not give personal opinion (body) either. It is stated in the conclusion, but I need to see the body about it.

Coherence – 5.5
Writer has stated some good points on why we should exchange. But the part about “loss of national identities” is not clear. I don’t follow at all.

Lexical Resource – 5.5
discrimination
long hual
delve
primary
habit

GRA – 5

Lots of run on simple sentences.
Mostly continuous tense, and present simple.
Wrong usage: a quantity of people, all of people

4, 5.5, 5.5, 5.5 = overall 5

Phrases to use

  • The company would cease operations.
  • Her actions has been exceedingly cruel.
  • The announcement was the dire culmination of a personal crisis.
  • The dark skies ominously foreshadowed his fate on a social media account, expressing his somber farewell.
  • epilogue – a section or speech at the end of a book or play that serves as a comment on or a conclusion to what has happened.

  • This tragic epilogue was the abrupt end to a tragic whirlwind saga that started less than a year earlier.

Sample part 2 essay – students learn a foreign language

Rewrite – 40 minutes (part 2)

Some people think that [all school students should learn a foreign language]. Others [think that a student should not be required to learn a foreign language if he or she does not have talent for it].

Discuss both these views and give your own opinion.

Paraphrase:

Nowadays most school students are required to learn at least one foreign language as part of their studies.

Thesis:

A lot of people support this practice, while others hold the view that a student should not be required to learn a foreign language if he or she does not have talent in it.

[side a – why we should learn a foreign language!]

It is understandable that so many parents and teachers think that a student should learn a foreign language. They believe that in this increasingly globalized world, foreign language skills are indeed important if a student is to become a knowledgeable and socially-respected person. In addition to that, mastering a foreign language will give a student a distinct advantage over others who are monolingual, enabling him or her to have more choices and opportunities later in life, especially in terms of college educationa dn employment.

[side b – should not be required]

However, people who think a student should not be required to learn a foreign language do have a point. They argue that students should be given the right to make their own decisions on this issue based on their own interests, talents and life goals. They also claim that knowledge of a foreign language is not absolutely essential for a student’s future success, career-related or otherwise, and that it therefore should not be compulsory for a student to learn a foreign language at school if he or she has no interest or talent in it.

[give your own opinion]

Personally, I tend to side with the view that a student should be given the right to decide whether or not to learn a foreign language. I do think a student should be forced to study a second language when he or she has absolutely no talent or interest in it. At the end of the day, without foreign language skills, a student can still become a well-balanced, intelligent and successful person. In shortr, foreign language skills are indeepd important, but they are in no way essential. I think foreign languages courses should be listed as optional at school. For students who choose not to study any foreign language at school, they can always start learning one later in their life when they genuinely feel they want or need to.

IELTS writing (Part 1) tips

Task 1:
The bar chart shows the amount of foreign direct investment in India and China from 2014 and 2019.
Summarize the information by selecting and reporting the main features, and make comparisons where relevant.

Cut it into small pieces. Divide and Conquer. Describe accurately.

Introduction – Paraphrase the problem

The bar chart shows the amount of foreign direct investment in India and China from 2014 and 2019.

The bar chart shows = The chart illustrates

the amount of foreign direct investment =
the level of outside investment in the economies

in India and China from 2014 and 2019. = of India and China between 2014 and 2019.

The chart illustrates the level of outside investment in the economies of India and China between 2014 and 2019.

Overview – “Overall, [ruler method –> trend 1, trend 2]”

Ruler Method – put a ruler and try to match as many of the graphs as you can. That is general, overall trend.

Key – Look for 2 to 3 most obvious main features.

Overall,

Obvious trend 1 from Ruler Method:
trend 1 – expenditure in China declined steadily throughout the period but fluctuated in India.

Obvious thing 2 from Ruler Method:
trend 2 – Despite this, the total amount of money that flowed into China was higher than in India.

Overall, expenditure in China declined steadily throughout the period but fluctuated in India. Despite this, the total amount of money that flowed into China was higher than in India.

Details Paragraph

A – China

The Chinese economy received just under eight billion in 2014, which fell to around sixty billion in 2015 and 2016.

After a slight decrease in 2017, there was a massive resurgence to a high point of more than $100 billion in 2018 before receding to just over $40 billion in 2019.

B – India

In 2014, foreign outlays into India’s economy reached more than twenty billion, then rose significantly to approximately sixty billion in 2015 and 2016 before falling back to 2014 levels in 2017.

In 2018, there was another dramatic increase to just below sixty billion, before returning to around twenty billion in 2019.

Last paragraph – compare more specific data

2015 was the only year India’s investment exceeded that of China’s, with values slightly over sixty billion and values slight below sixty billion, respectively.

Use vocabulary to describe Data

steadily
decline
fluctuate
recede
resurge (resurgence)
rose significantly
reached more
dropped
fallen
increased dramatically
slightly over
approximately