Generative Grammar

Generative Grammar

'A Generative grammar is a system of analysis usually identified with linguistics. By its means a language can be viewed as a set of rules, finite in numbers that can produce sentences'

By Mukesh Sharma

Broadly speaking, a language is nothing but a group of sentences. If one is able to produce correct sentences, one is said to have learnt the language.

Since the main purpose of studying the Grammar is to learn to understand, write and speak standardized English, and common English grammar fails to teach this in totality, a need of generative grammar is felt.

The Oxford Advance Lerner’s Dictionary describes the term generative grammar as: “a grammar that describes a language by giving a set of rules which can be used to produce all the possible sentences in that language.”

The term generative grammar was first used by linguist Noam Chomsky in United States of America who developed the theory of generative grammar in 1957 – syntactic structures. Throwing light on the subject, Britannica Encyclopedia reveals:

“A generative grammar is a system of analysis usually identified with linguistics. By its means a language can be viewed as a set of rules, finite in number that can produce sentences.”

There was total disagreement among the linguists in accepting any of propagated theories of generative grammar which could be considered “as the best model for the generation of sentences as well as for the description of natural languages.” Moreover, no generative grammar has ever been written which might help the non-native speakers of English language to learn sentence-making without learning the English grammar in detail or doing any translation from mother tongue to English with the help of set rules of commonly used English grammar.

Why should you read this book?

This book of Generative Grammar for English Language is based on the concept of Root Elements. From 0 to 9, there are 10 digits. These 10 digits have given birth to infinite numbers. Seven suras are the basis of all the musical notes ever developed by man. According to Hindu philosophy, all this material world – animate or inanimate, is made up of five Root Elements – Earth, Fire, Air, Water and space. Such parent element can be termed as Root Elements. There can be innumerable superficial and seemingly distinctive probabilities born out of Root Elements. This is applicable to language too. With the help of Root Sentences, one can learn to generate sentences without the hassle of grammar or without doing any translation. One can enjoy the unique experience of sentence-making using root sentences, which are mostly common to all the languages. One can’t think beyond these Root Sentences. The knowledge of Root sentences helps you to generate hundreds of sentences rather playfully on any object or person. The unique features of this book are as follows:

1.     It seeks to help students who wish to learn English as their second language, and want to learn sentence-making without any translation from mother tongue to English or without learning the common English grammar in detail.

2.      It helps you to think directly in English.

3.      It helps you to develop thoughts.

4.      It seeks to help you to write/speak 500 words on any object/person extempore.

5.      It helps you to know traditional grammar without learning it.

Author, sincerely believes that a determined and diligent English language aspirant would find this book worth-reading. Author is confident that the esteemed readers would realize that the book has potential to change the concept of English learning.

The book, a bestseller, is available on Amazon.in. Very soon, it will available as e- book too.

Secrets of Good English

Secrets of Good English

Learn to understand, think, write and speak good English used in English newspaper, Competitive Exams, and in daily life by the English

By Mukesh Sharma

‘English’, says a Hindi medium UPSC aspirant from Bihar (India) sarcastically: “it is not simply a language in India; it is a symbol of status; it is a symbol of class; it is a symbol of intellect; if you don’t know this language, you will be looked upon as a savage.” ”By an estimate, just two per cent people have command over English language, and virtually they call the shots in the country.” he adds further spitefully.

No doubt, the acerbic comments of the student do carry the weight and are not without substance. In fact, it reflects the majority of Hindi medium UPSC aspirants from Hindi heartland with abysmally poor English; they struggle with English like anything at Mukherjee Nagar, north Delhi. “The selection of Hindi medium students is rather negligible in comparison to English medium students in UPSC exams/other administrative services,” reveals a disgruntled student.

True, a mad dash for English-acquisition can be witnessed among government services aspirants. Their number is in legion.

The problem is that the conventional English Grammar doesn’t help in writing/speaking. Translation from mother tongue to English often leads to non-standardized sentences and fractured English Without good vocabulary, one can’t think correctly and write accurately.

Here, this blogger seeks to reveal the secrets of good English through his very well acclaimed and acknowledged book entitled ‘Secrets of Good English’ by Mukesh Sharma, a bestseller and a FIVE STAR rated book on Amazon.in

The salient features of the book are:

1.      How to think in English

The book seeks to help the second language learner of English to think in English that too without translation and hassle of Grammar with the help of 20 ROOT SENTENCES. As all the numbers are born out of 0-9 digits, all sentences also come out of root-sentences. If words are names of things, sentences are actions that occur in time – present, past and future. Based on action, sentences can be divided into four categories – affirmation, interrogation, Negative and Passive. When 20 Root sentence are studied in this way. The total comes out to be 123. It means there are 123 ways to think in English. No English sentence can exist beyond that. If Hindi/Mother tongue is mapped on each English sentence, one is able to make his/her mind to think in English directly- no ongoing mental translation process.

2.      Know grammar without learning

Of 123 sentences, each sentence has a syntactical formula i.e. grammatical arrangement of the words in a sentence. So, while making sentences, one learns grammatical rules without learning it.

3.      English, a language of phrases

The English language, expertise lies in the knowledge that which ‘verb’ pairs with which ‘noun’ e.g. wear belt etc., and which adjective goes with which noun e.g. incessant rain etc. Thus the words make standardized collocations, and it makes the basis of good English or standardized English The book discusses such collocations which are based on root words/key words at length. It, dramatically, augments the vocabulary used in English newspaper, competitive exam and in daily life by the English.

4.      English for life

The problem with the majority of students is that they study English as a subject to pass out 100^th or 12^th that too through rote-learning. They don’t study it as a language which is a part of life – human life, society, politics, nature, religion, God, and universe. Unless one has the knowledge of words related to different aspects of life, one can never acquire the practical knowledge of English language. And the prime purpose of English paper of all the competitive exams is to gauze the practical knowledge of English of the candidates. This book discusses the words related to different aspect of life – right from birth to death. If you don’t have words, you can never have thoughts.

If you are confused, not able to understand, write and speak good English even after BA/MA, and have tried several institutions/books to master English, you must read this book.

This blogger and author of the book sincerely believes that the valued readers/students would find the book very useful. Take it from me, the book has potential to change the world of your English language. The book can be purchased from Amazon.in.

BUY YOUR COPY NOW

https://www.amazon.in/Secrets-Good-English-Mukesh-Sharma/dp/818974500X

Of Note making

Of Note-making

An exercise in making short notes of a given passage with the help of headline, subheadings, recognizable abbreviations and arithmetic symbols

By Mukesh Sharma

When there were no tape-recorders/mobiles,  jotting down notes was the only option for the journos to cover any interview, event, incident or happening. However with the advent of internet, life has changed phenomenally. But to students, note-making is still a popular choice to take down notes in the class. And, of course, in academic exams at senior secondary level, note-making is also one of the questions in English paper as per CBSE syllabus where examinees are asked to make notes of a given passage; it is also one of the compulsory questions in several competitive exams for government services.

Note-making

As far as exams are concerned, note-making is an exercise in making short-notes of a given passage with the help of headline, subheadings, recognizable abbreviations and arithmetic symbols.

Ground rules

While making notes of a given passage, the student must keep in mind certain important points that reflect the characteristic of notes, as follows:

1.       All important sentences/main points of the given passage must be given an appropriate sub- heading.

2.       If the main point under sub-heading  has many other important details, it must be mentioned through points.

3.       If point has other inevitable details, it must be mentioned with proper indentation.

4.       Use keywords to denote certain ideas with the help of abbreviation e.g. UNO, NCERT, etc. and arithmetic symbols such as > <,  kg, %, etc.

5.       As used by the newspaper, use coined short words e.g. SC, govt., Eng., etc.

6.       Use invented words e.g. edu., mfg, etc.

7.       Must follow the logical sequence of ideas/thoughts discussed in the passage.

8.       Must include important information in brief.

9.       Must be short to the point.

10.   Give a suitable headline/title to the given passage.

Suggest standardized format

Though a student can go by his/her own format that conforms to all above said important characteristics of  note-making, generally speaking, the under mentioned suggested standardized format may help the students in attempting the question on note-making, easily, comfortably and confidently.

Note-making format

How to start

1.        Read the passage carefully to have the idea of theme/central idea under discussion.

2.       Underline the leading sentence/outline in each para that leads to development of a fact in the para.

3.       Look at the last para that concludes the theme/central idea.

4.       Give the central idea/theme discussed in the passage a headline.

5.       Now give each para a sub-heading based on the fact/idea discussed.

6.       Mark related/relevant details and mention it as point-1, point-2, and so on.

 7.       Underline the words/key words that can be abbreviated and any increase or decrease of something may be mentioned through arithmetic symbols

Specimen

Question:

On the basis of your reading of the passage, make notes on it using recognizable abbreviation (minimum-4) wherever necessary. Use a format that you consider appropriate. Also suggest a suitable title.

Write a summary of the passage in 80 words.

Toddlers with graying hair, an 8 year old with high pressure and cholesterol, a pre-adolescent who has the physique of a 20 year old – the sign are ominous. Biological clocks in children are ticking rapidly and the rate at which their organs are aging in faster than their chronological age.

The country’s medical fraternity may take pride in improving life expectancy, but  the spurt in life style disease, especially among children has resulted in premature aging. This means the increase life expectancy doesn’t necessary translate into improved quality of life. Every organ in human body has an age and when a child suffers from life style disease like cholesterol and diabetes, his or her organ takes a beating. Thus the functionality of eight year old child’s organ is that of a 30 years old. Manifestation of their problems are evident, with children as young as sporting glasses, early sign of facial hair in boys.

Doctors in India say that they are treating more children with ailments usually associated with adults.

Diabetes and hypertension is leading to stress on organs. Children’s organ are aging, though they may be young in terms of years. Genetic factors account for a meager 20 % of premature aging. The main reasons are the environmental and dietary. Pediatric obesity, which is reaching epidemic proportion, high stress level, sedentary and changing lifestyles and various chemical used in food contribute to premature aging.

When diabetes sets in at an early stage, the child’s blood vessels start stiffening which happens only in older people. Technically, we are starting at a scenario where the child is aging much faster than his chronological age.

Courtesy: Times of India

                                                                                                                                                           

Answer

Premature Aging

Toddler with grey hair -1

      a)      BC > CA -1

Lifestyle disease – 2

       a)      Chol and Diabetes

        b)      Org. has age

Main reasons – 3

        a)      Env and diet – 1

        b)      Genetics – 20% - 2

        c)       PO (Pediatric obesity) –3

         d)      Sedentary lifestyle – 4

Diabetes early age-4

       a)      Aging of CA(chronological age)

Keywords:

BC – Biological Clock

CA – Chronological Age

Org- Organs

PO- Pediatric obesity

Summary 

PREMATURE AGING

Biological clocks in children are ticking faster than chronological age. Children with grey hair, high BP and cholesterol, are getting older than their age. Life style disease like diabetes and cholesterol are causing pre mature aging. Genetics is responsible just 20%. But environment and diet coupled with sedentary lifestyle are causing pre mature aging among children.

Mind you, practice improves the skill. All kinds of writing needs only three things : practice, practice and practice.

Of Report-Writing

Of Report-writing

Besides competitive exams, it is one of the important parts of work in administrative services

By Mukesh Sharma

In the morning and I will

Report-writing is an exercise in giving words to an observation made about some happenings and penning it down in a right order without missing any important/key fact. In other words, it is a brief about an event or incident based on investigation/research work carried out by the official concerned for the submission to authority concerned.

Of Report-Writing

In administrative services, report-writing is an important part of the work. As an appointed officer, IO (investigation officer), the Commission or an instituted Committee, one is directed to hold inquiry into any contentious matter and file report on findings.

A report can be classified into three categories:

1.       Report by an official concerned to authority.

2.       Report (news) by a reporter for a newspaper.

3.       Report for school/college magazine by a student (report writing in exams)

Report to Authority

As far as a report is concerned, it can be just a two line or a voluminous one running into hundreds of pages like the bound volumes of a book. Usually in government services, a high ranking official is appointed as IO to inquiry into the lapses/ allegations of subordination, misconduct or abuse of power by an accused employee of a department, and file the report to authority concerned. Courts also order an inquiry into a petitioned complaint where IO (a police officer) is directed to inquiry into a case and file the report before the Court. CAG (Comptroller Auditor General) constitutional body authorized to examine and audit the accounts of government departments/organizations and file the annual report. While filing report, the official concerned follows an standardized format as under:

Title

Title of the matter under investigation

By line

 Name of IO

Date and Place

Date and place

Introduction

Report in nutshell

Investigation and outcome

Details of investigation and outcome

Conclusion and recommendation

Conclusion drawn and recommendation

Report for newspaper

The duty of a reporter/ journalist working with a newspaper is to collect the news worthy information about some happening/event/incident in the largest interest of public, and disseminate it through the newspaper what is called a news story. News paper reports also follow a standardized format. Look at the diagram as under:

All news stories follow an inverted pyramid format which is standardized format. In fact, a news story is a collection of facts. And the facts are arranged in descending order of importance. The most important fact goes to top and the least important goes to bottom. In other words, the most important fact makes the headline and the least important fact makes the tail. The standardized contents of a news story/report are as follows:

Headline

The most important fact makes the headline; it is always catchy capable of attracting the attention of the reader; it also tells the complete story in nutshell; it is, mostly, in present, and is also anti-grammar and anti-syntax.

By line

It is the name of the reporter/journalist who has filed the report/news.

Date and Place

Just beneath the byline, date and place is also mentioned from where the news has been reported/ filed.

Intro

The very first Para of a news story in journalism is called INTRO that conforms to 5w and 1H (who, where, what, when, why and How). It means even the very first Para gives the complete information about the news in nutshell.

Paras

In a news story, paras are not interconnected. Each Para presents a new fact. And these facts are arranged in descending order of importance. Thus, the more important precedes  the less important one. And the least important makes the tail of the story.

Report in exams

Attempting a question on report-writing in exams also follows a standardized format as acknowledge and approved by the CBSE at school level. Look at the diagram below:

Specimen 

Question:

 You are Sanjay / Sarita, Head of English Literature club of your college, Ramjas college, University of Delhi. Your college organized a debate on " Rote-learning is killing the creativity". Write a report in 125 words. Use invented details.

Answer:

Rote-learning Kills Creativity 

“The rote-learning which is a product of wrong education system, is killing the creativity of young learners” said Mr. Raman Chauhan, one of the participants in the debate, organized by the English literature club on 15 December, 2019, in the auditorium, Ramjas College, North campus, Delhi University.

The fierce debate was organized under the aegis of ZEE TV hosted by Mr. Sandeep Chaudhary and the panelist were Sh. Deepak Karlekar, Vice Chancellor, DU, Chetan Bhagat, writer Mrs. Rosy Joan, HOD, English Department, St. Stephen College, DU.

The rote-learning,” said Rajni Kapoor. “It is the very basis of learning. A child begins to learn by imitation and repetition. All of us must have mugged up tables at our primary school level only by rote-learning.”

“Rote-learning inhibits thinking process” said Ritu Raj, yet another participant. “Our exam system promotes rote-learning. It measures the capacity of the students to store the material. It doesn’t assay their creativity.”

Raman Chauhan begged the best speaker award and the awards were conferred on by the Vice Chancellor. The other participants were given conciliation prizes.

The total 7 participants took part in the debate. Raman Chauhan, Rajni Kapoor, Shiva Garg, Sachin Tomar, Ramesh Singh, Ramlal and Preeti Garg.

Of Precis-writing

Of Precis-writing

All kinds of writings need practice. It is like swimming; more you swim, more you learn to keep yourself afloat; more you write, more you learn to be prolific. Practice whets the skill

By Mukesh Sharma

A goldsmith knows how to make alluring ornaments using pure gold and other metals, and he also knows how to separate pure gold from the other metals to work out the price of an ornament. In the same way, a well articulated and balanced write-up is also an amalgamation of main idea or skeletal idea and the supporting details, endorsing it. And of course the art of précis-writing lies in separating main ideas from inconsequential or ornamental details and get to the crux of the matter.

Precis-writing is an important and compulsory question in English paper at academic level as well as in competitive exams for A & B categories of government services. However, it appears rather a tough question to answer correctly and confidently for the students from Hindi medium with poor knowledge of English language.

Mind you, such question can’t be attempted with rote-learning – sheer knowledge of grammar rules, translation and so-called mugged up vocabulary. It requires good understanding of English language  -  English syntax and practical use of standardized phrases (English is a language of phrases) i.e. which ‘verb’ collocates with which noun. In other words, only a well-read man can write well; reading leads to writing, and hearing leads to speaking in the acquisition of a language. Here this blogger seeks to suggest the students the easiest way to attempt the questions on précis-writing.

Of Precis-writing

What is a précis? Précis is a French word which is pronounced as ‘precees’ and it means ‘summary’, and précis-writing is summarizing. Grammatically speaking, it is an exercise in comprehension and compression; it is an ability to grasp quickly and accurately what is read or heard, and reproduce it quickly and concisely.

Before, précis-writing is discussed practically, it is necessary for the students to know certain ground rules:

1.    A student is supposed to compress the given passage to one third. It means, if there are twenty lines, it must be reduced to six lines.

2.   A précis should be written in own words. It should not be a patch work, a usual pitfall for the students.

3.   It must be self-contained and completed. In other words, it must convey the main idea or message fully and clearly. If one reads it, one should not feel that something is amiss or need to refer to the original.

4.   There is no need to follow the original order of thought as described in the original passage. One can come up with one’s own thought sequence provided there is no digression from original context.

5.   Indirect speech is preferred to direct speech – no inverted coma statement/sentences.

6.   If possible, make use of one-word substitution to shrink a detailed thought.

7.   Look for the leading sentences or outline of paras to summarize the passage.

8.   While writing a précis, omit examples, comparisons, contrast, digression and other inconsequential details given in original passage.

9.   Read and re-read and suggest a suitable title asked to your drafted précis.

Specimen:

Passage

To majority of UPSC aspirants, the exam which is rated as toughest, remains a mystery. Despite firm determination, and incessant hard work, the candidates are not able to crack the exam, and usually the buck is passed on the failed aspirants for their unpreparedness and incomplete studies.

“A thorough study of past years papers and its format, helps one to work out a probable trend for the next paper, and it means 30% preparation has been completed” says a successful candidate. “Next 20% count for your ability and capability to answer question to the point with good time management and rest 40% depends on tactical acquirement of special knowledge related to the particular subject, and of course 10% is left for luck,” adds a successful candidate.

Success is 90% perspiration and 10% inspiration. Nothing is impossible. Hope never dies and possibilities never end.

Précis

Secret of Success

Despite hard work, majority of candidates are not able to crack UPSC and the success remains a mystery, and the cause of failure is attributed to unpreparedness of candidates. One of the successful candidates says that right knowledge of question paper's format, ability to answer quickly to the point and acquirement of special knowledge related to subject, matter a lot. Further success is 90% hard work and 10% luck.

Taking clue from the example, students may try précis-writing on the questions asked in previous years of exams.

It is not only in exams but also in practical life, the art of précis-writing is of great value. Lawyers use it for taking briefings from client. Businessmen use it for jotting down important points. Government official use it for taking notes. Journalists use it to ink interviews/press meetings.

All kind of writings need practice. It is like swimming; more you swim, more you learn to keep yourself afloat; more you write, more you learn to be prolific. Practice whets your skill.

Sentence- framing, Key to Good Writing

Sentence- framing, Key to Good Writing

Writing is like drawing water from well; more one draws the water, more it gets clear and clean

By Mukesh Sharma

The sentence-framing should not be confused with sentence-making. Based on translation from mother tongue/first language to English, the sentence- making is taught to students who learn English as a second language, through tenses and modals at school level. Though dependent on basic rules of sentence- making, the sentence framing is a syntactical ability of the writer to couch thoughts into suitable sentences, and draw a pen-portrait for the visualization of the scene and to enable the readers to feel the described situations. The Grammarians call it ‘composition’ or ‘synthesis’.

Be it a student or an ordinary educated person, sentence-framing is the most common problem. One can afford to speak badly but can’t take liberty with the written sentences. If one has confusion about the meaning of a word/ phrase, one can look it up in dictionary. If one has confusion about the correctness of a sentence, no dictionary is available to verify the correctness of the sentence. The most of the student-writers make the serious syntactical errors, and continue to drag it on even without the knowledge of its incorrectness.

Confusion over sentence-framing

The best way to learn sentence-framing is to read at least two English newspapers seriously daily without fail. It gives the idea to describe the same event/ incident in two different ways. To a learner, imitation is the easiest way to learn an ‘art’. Apart from sense, an avid reader must study the sentence-framing used by the scribe / journo in the newspapers for writing Headline, News stories, Editorials, Feature, Articles and Commentative writes -up.   

Before actual sentence-framing is discussed, it is inevitable to know how the mind reacts to the acquisition of a second language. Mother tongue is picked up through repeated hearing, and relating the words / sentences to things and situations that too without the knowledge of grammar. Of course, English can be picked up, if one lives among native speakers. This blogger has met scores of men/ women from Punjab settled in UK/US. They speak English with British/ US accent although they don’t know to write or read. It is easier to pick up a language than to learn as one picks up to sing a song like the singer even without the knowledge of ragas or suras just by repeatedly listening. Hearing and reading are the modes to pick up a language that further helps to read and write.

Moreover, right from first standard to PG level, students read number of text-books prescribed in syllabus. During this academic pursuit, the mind is fed with the great number of sentences, and whenever, a student sits down to write something, mind starts ‘supplying’ the readymade sentences which are already there in the mind. It doesn’t make any new sentence. If an attempt is made to think and make a new sentence, the mind makes it through translation from Hindi to English. So, the need is to feed the mind with the standardized sentences related to different situations of life to write well, as much as possible. 

However, to be a good writer, one must know how to mould sentences according to the need of thoughts, and here comes the sentence-framing. All the writers use THREE TYPES OF SENTENCES to express their thoughts.

1.   Simple sentence: A sentence which has one subject and one predicate with one finite verb.

Simple sentences are short and emphatic. It helps to create a staccato effect. It is used for clarity and emphasis. Besides children story books, it is extensively used in poetic expressions. Here are a few examples:

i.)    He was injured. He couldn’t walk.

ii.)    We are not alone. There is moon. There are trees. There is wind. Over and above, there is God.

iii.)    Making tea in kitchen, she burns her fingers

-    Born and brought up in a village, she was unknown to tea.

-    Learning English is not difficult.

-    (using participles)

-    Hinduism, one of the oldest religions, is observed in India and Nepal.

-    You have to work hard to become somebody in life (Using ‘infinite’)

Fair is foul, and foul is fair - Macbeth, Shakespeare

2.   Compound sentence:  A sentence which is made up of Principal or Main clauses where two independent clauses are connected to each other with a connective (co-coordinating conjunction) such as : for, or , therefore, so, yet, but, and, still, nevertheless, however, only, it is used for brevity and explicability. For example:
  i.)        Parents scold you, for they love you.

ii.)        Hurry up or we will get late.

iii.)       He was lazy; therefore he didn’t get any work.

iv.)       I don’t have cash, so I will withdraw from ATM.

v.)        He is not well off, yet he will never compromise with his principle.

vi.)        He may be honest, but I can’t trust him.

vii.)      He is rich and he can buy out

viii.)     She was annoyed, still she kept quiet

ix.)        He failed, nevertheless he didn’t lose heart.

x.)        The parents give their children the boat; they can’t however meet all the demands.
xi.)    She knows English; only she can’t speak eloquently.

3.   Complex sentence:  A sentence which has one independent clause and one or more dependent clauses that usually begins with dependent clause and connected together with a connective (subordinate conjunctions) such as :after, although, as, because, before, even though, if, since, though, unless, until, when, whenever, whereas, while. For example:

- After her first degrees, she decided to get a job.

- Although, she was poor in English, she cracked IAS.

- As netas are corrupt, the people have become indifferent to the issue of corruption.

- Because of financial problems, he couldn’t sustain his business.

- Before you fill up the form, read the instructions.

- Even though he is poor, he can’t be dishonest.

- If he works hard, he can succeed.

- Since he is sick, he can’t attend class.

- Though he is genius, he can’t crack IAS.

- Unless you work hard, you can’t succeed.

- Until he comes, you will have to wait.

- When I reached station, the train had left.

- Whenever you need me, you can turn to me.

- Some netas pretend to be global whereas Modi is a pure nationalist.
- While there is sun, we can make hay.

Furthermore, there are certain standardized phrases extensively used by the writers/ journalist to maintain flow of thoughts from once sentence to other or form one paragraph to another. For example:

-   Over 50 percent people are below poverty line in India. As a matter of fact, the most of the netas are corrupt.

-   For no apparent reasons, she turned down his proposal.

-   Infact there is cut throat competition; it is not easy to start a new business.

-   It passes belief that people like Asaram can commit rape.

-   Parents always scold their children for their mistakes.  Needless to say, they care for their kids.

-   The students study day and night to crack IAS exams. Obviously, the success doesn’t come cheap.

-   As a servant of public, netas live king’s life. On the contrary, public, the master live in abject poverty.

-   The most of the netas roll in money. Surprisingly enough, they have no personal business.

-   The rich are getting richer and the poor are getting poorer. Undoubtedly, democracy has been replaced with ‘lootocracy’.

Besides sentence-framing, yet another common problem faced by the student- writers is the ‘sequence of tenses’. It is usual pit-fall for the students. Here, the students must follow certain established rules:

1. Past tense in Principle clause must follow Past tense in the Subordinate clause too. For example:

-   The court found out that he was not guilty.

-   All students worked hard so that they might crack SSC.

Exceptions

i)  In case of universal truth, past may be followed by present tense:

-     Gandhi said that non-violence is key to peace.

ii) If subordinate clause is introduces by ’than’, a past tense in principle clause may be followed by any tense as required in subordinate clause.

iii)   She loved him more than she loves her own children.

-      The people liked Indira Gandhi more than they like Rahul Gandhi

2.   Present or Future tense in principle clause may be followed by any tense as required.

-  People think that he did commit the crime

-  People can’t believe that he committed the crime.

Exceptions

- Subordinate  clause denoting’ purpose’ must be in present, if principle clause is present or Future:

People work hard so that they may earn.

Since writers/ scholars maintain that English Grammar is more confusing than comprehensive, it is better to study the sentence-framing, and style of established writers and develop a distinctive diction. Look at the lucid prose/ style/ word play. While addressing the senators on government, David E. Lilienthal says:

   “Any form of government, therefore, and any institutions which make men means rather than ends, which exalt the state or any other institutions above the importance of men, which place arbitrary power over men as a fundamental tenet of government, are contrary to that conception, and therefore, I am deeply opposed to them.” 

After the assassination of Gandhiji, Jawaharlal Nehru addressed the nation with the words:

   “Friends and comrades, the light has gone out of our lives and there is darkness everywhere. . . . The light has gone out, I said, and yet I was wrong. For the light that shone in this country was no ordinary light. The light that has illumined this country for these many years will illumine this country for many more years . . . .”

Mind you, writing is a matter of practice. It is like drawing water from well. More one draws the water more it gets clear and clean. Life is the best school. One continues to learn until the last breath. So live life long as a student in this vast world.