Before I attended the EG 1471, I feel it will be hard to learn English back from basic. I thought it will be like correcting the wrong guess you made in a Sudoku puzzle. Nevertheless, I managed to learn many things such as the sentence structure, connective words and basic grammars.
However, I feel that I am still weak in my grammar. For example, when I am doing the text-editing exercises, I felt that either the passage contained mistake that I need to find or I could not find a single mistake out of it.
Hopefully, I will be able to sort this out as soon as possible.
Thursday, September 18, 2008
Sunday, September 14, 2008
Port folio task 2
It is important to learn how to write proper sentences as it helps to relate your thoughts to a reader. Of course, it also shows how much you understand English. However, that is something that I am lacking.
The first and foremost thing is to understand the type of sentence structure (simple, compound and complex) and how they are written.
A simple sentence contains only one clause.
For example: The teacher scolded me in class.
This simple sentence has one independent clause which contains one subject, "the teacher", and one predicate "scolded me in class"
A compound sentence contains the two independent clauses
For example: Orange is a fruit; it is a rich source of vitamin C.
"Orange is a fruit" and "it is a rich source of vitamin C" are 2 independent clauses joined by a semicolon.
A complex sentence contains the one independent clause and at least one dependent clause.
For example: I ate the apple that you bought.
"I ate the apple" is an independent clause while "that you bought" is a dependent clauses.
A complex-compound sentence contains at least two independent clauses and one or more dependent clauses.
For example: I know that you were saving the apple for later but I still went ahead to eat the apple that you just bought.
"I know that you were saving the apple for later" and "I still went ahead to eat the apple" are the independent clauses while "that you just bought" is the dependent clause.
After being able to identify the different type of sentences, the next thing is to learn how I can write these sentences. Since English has many connecting words and punctuations that can link ideas together, be it contradicting or similar, I am able to use them to construct a proper sentence
However, all this is useless if I do not put them into practice. As the saying goes, “Practice makes perfect”; practice allow me to get use of the correct form of writing. This is a tedious process as it means reading, writing and speaking more. Of course I will need to practice the correct thing, which means I will need someone to correct me. So this is where someone comes in and corrects me. Reading also helps in this area as books, newspaper and magazines are usually written by well trained writers and are also audit before they are publish. Reading correct form of writing will familiarize me with correct sentence structure.
Sound easy? So why not try some simple exercise:
The first and foremost thing is to understand the type of sentence structure (simple, compound and complex) and how they are written.
A simple sentence contains only one clause.
For example: The teacher scolded me in class.
This simple sentence has one independent clause which contains one subject, "the teacher", and one predicate "scolded me in class"
A compound sentence contains the two independent clauses
For example: Orange is a fruit; it is a rich source of vitamin C.
"Orange is a fruit" and "it is a rich source of vitamin C" are 2 independent clauses joined by a semicolon.
A complex sentence contains the one independent clause and at least one dependent clause.
For example: I ate the apple that you bought.
"I ate the apple" is an independent clause while "that you bought" is a dependent clauses.
A complex-compound sentence contains at least two independent clauses and one or more dependent clauses.
For example: I know that you were saving the apple for later but I still went ahead to eat the apple that you just bought.
"I know that you were saving the apple for later" and "I still went ahead to eat the apple" are the independent clauses while "that you just bought" is the dependent clause.
After being able to identify the different type of sentences, the next thing is to learn how I can write these sentences. Since English has many connecting words and punctuations that can link ideas together, be it contradicting or similar, I am able to use them to construct a proper sentence
However, all this is useless if I do not put them into practice. As the saying goes, “Practice makes perfect”; practice allow me to get use of the correct form of writing. This is a tedious process as it means reading, writing and speaking more. Of course I will need to practice the correct thing, which means I will need someone to correct me. So this is where someone comes in and corrects me. Reading also helps in this area as books, newspaper and magazines are usually written by well trained writers and are also audit before they are publish. Reading correct form of writing will familiarize me with correct sentence structure.
Sound easy? So why not try some simple exercise:
In the backyard, the dog barked and howled at the cat.
Some voters want special consideration that accounts for their handicaps.
Gene thought that Finny wanted venerability, but Finny, who did not care, thought that he was just being a friend.
I ate dinner and left home.
Thursday, September 11, 2008
Writing Assignment 1
Imagine living in a place without television to watch, hot water to bathe with or computers to calculate your data. Your life will be full of dullness and inconveniences. Technology has become the necessity of our life but it does not come about easily. One of the challenges faced was people’s resistance to new ways of doing things. We will look at the causes for such a mindset and the effects that will arise.
New technology is brought about when there is a need to solve a common problem. One example is medical technology. The medicines on the shelves of a pharmacy are for people suffering from a particular illness. However, every individual has a unique genetic composition so the particular medicine may not be suitable. This explains why some people will need to change their medication several times before they get well. The next example is computer based technology. According to summary of a survey found in Professor Henry’s research paper(1994), “computer based technology can cause resistance on the part of end-users, because it is difficult to learn.” Computers and software are not something that one can grasp in a day. The functions available are numerous and may require days of exploring and playing with these functions before one can start to use it properly. Hence, people shun new technology as they are not made for individuals.
Another reason to resist new technology is it creates new problems while solving the current problems faced. One example is the firewall technology on the internet. In order to prevent malicious attacks from viruses and hackers, networks are under surveillance and this causes a slowdown in the exchange of information.
These are factors that lead people to resist new technology, the very thing that we thought of as necessity. Without new technology, there will be no change in our life. This is not just about conveniences, it is about survival-people who are suffering from terminal illness will need to resign to death or global warming will continue to worsen, melting the ice at the North and South poles, thus flooding low lying areas.
In conclusion, people’s resistance to new technology comes from the fact that the technology does not cater to their individual requirement or they do not gain much from it but rather suffered more. However, we cannot overlook the fact that technology has helped us in the last few centuries. Simply ignoring new technology may mean the end of the world.
Henry, J.W. (1994). Resistance to Computer-based Technology in the Workplace. Executive Development, 7(1), 20-23.
New technology is brought about when there is a need to solve a common problem. One example is medical technology. The medicines on the shelves of a pharmacy are for people suffering from a particular illness. However, every individual has a unique genetic composition so the particular medicine may not be suitable. This explains why some people will need to change their medication several times before they get well. The next example is computer based technology. According to summary of a survey found in Professor Henry’s research paper(1994), “computer based technology can cause resistance on the part of end-users, because it is difficult to learn.” Computers and software are not something that one can grasp in a day. The functions available are numerous and may require days of exploring and playing with these functions before one can start to use it properly. Hence, people shun new technology as they are not made for individuals.
Another reason to resist new technology is it creates new problems while solving the current problems faced. One example is the firewall technology on the internet. In order to prevent malicious attacks from viruses and hackers, networks are under surveillance and this causes a slowdown in the exchange of information.
These are factors that lead people to resist new technology, the very thing that we thought of as necessity. Without new technology, there will be no change in our life. This is not just about conveniences, it is about survival-people who are suffering from terminal illness will need to resign to death or global warming will continue to worsen, melting the ice at the North and South poles, thus flooding low lying areas.
In conclusion, people’s resistance to new technology comes from the fact that the technology does not cater to their individual requirement or they do not gain much from it but rather suffered more. However, we cannot overlook the fact that technology has helped us in the last few centuries. Simply ignoring new technology may mean the end of the world.
Henry, J.W. (1994). Resistance to Computer-based Technology in the Workplace. Executive Development, 7(1), 20-23.
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