Functions of Nouns

Subject (S) - a noun or pronoun partnered with a predicate verb.

A subject

1. does an action with an action verb

2. exists with a verb of being

3. is renamed or described after a verb of being or a linking verb

4. is acted upon with a passive verb

Object of Preposition (OP) - a noun or pronoun answering "whom" or "what" after

a preposition in a a prepositional phrase.
Direct Object (DO) - a noun or pronoun answering "whom" or "what" after an action
verb. A direct object "receives" or is the "object" of the action.

Retained Object (RO) - a noun or pronoun answering "whom" or "what" after a passive
verb.

Indirect Object (IO) - a noun or pronoun answering "to whom/what" or "for whom/what"
after an action verb.

An indirect object

 always precedes a direct object

 never has the word “to” or “for” stated

Subjective Complement (SC) - a noun, pronoun, or adjective that renames or

describes (equals) the subject after a verb of being or a linking verb.
Objective Complement (OC) - a noun, pronoun, or adjective that renames or describes
(equals) the direct object.

Test for OC: insert "to be" between the DO and the OC

Appositive (App) - a noun or pronoun that renames another noun; An appositive is

usually placed next to the noun it renames..

Gourmet renames the noun Joe. Therefore, gourmet is an appositive

of Joe.
 When an appositive is not placed next to the noun it renames, the appositive
is called a delayed appositive.

A delayed appositive may rename the word it in some sentence

constructions.

https://webapps.towson.edu/ows/nouns.aspx#Direct Object

The gerund phrase is recounting the vote. It functions as an object of a

preposition (against).

Manny argued strongly against recounting the vote.

Your answer:

Your answer: direct object Link to objects of prepositions. 2. The gerund

phrase is swimming at the beach. It functions as a subject.

Most of the time, swimming at the beach is safe.

Your answer:

Your answer: object of preposition Link to subjects.

3. The gerund phrase is making reservations for overnight guests at the hotel.
It functions as a subjective complement.

My job is making reservations for overnight guests at the hotel.

Your answer:

Your answer: subjective complement Link to subjective complements.

4. The gerund phrase is typing two hundred words per minute. It functions as
an appositive.

His greatest asset, typing two hundred words per minute, has earned him a
better position at the company

Your answer:

Your answer: subjective complemen Link to appositives.

5. The gerund getting up early on Saturdays. It functions as a direct object.

Joe doesn't like getting up early on Saturdays.

Your answer:

Your answer: direct object Link to direct objects.

6. The gerund phrase is saving the dog's life. It functions as an object of a

preposition (after)..

After saving the dog's life, the young man was given an award.

Your answer:

Your answer: direct object Link to objects of prepositions.

7. The gerund phrase is smiling at the camera. It functions as a direct object.

Marion always enjoys smiling at the camera.

Your answer:
Your answer: object of preposition Link to direct objects.

8. The gerund phrase is dissecting animals. It functions as an object of a

preposition (about).

The science lab posts stringent rules about dissecting animals.

Your answer:

Your answer:appositive Link to objects of prepositions.

9. The gerund phrase is the meeting of the student council. It functions as

an object of a preposition (to).

The students didn't want to bring the speaker to the meeting of the student
council.

Your answer:

Your answer: direct object Link to objects of prepositions.

10. The gerund phrase is prohibiting the use of cell phones on campus. It
functions as an appositive.

The school proposed a new rule: prohibiting the use of cell phones on
campus.

Your answer:

Your answer:direct object Link to appositives.

Back to Exercise
The Past Real Conditional describes what you used to do in particular real-life situations. It suggests
that your habits have changed and you do not usually do these things today.

If I went out with my friends, I usually spent the whole night out. I can’t do that anymore.
When I had time off, I always travelled. Now I’m too busy.
When he was younger, he walked everywhere. Now he uses his car.
I had more time for my hobbies when I was younger.

Used to with the Past Real Conditional

To express the idea of a habit that happened in the past but stopped the form 'used to' is used. The
following examples have the same meaning as the examples above:
If I went out with my friends, I used to spend the whole night out. I can't do that anymore.
When I had time off, I used to travel. Now I'm too busy.
When he was younger, he used to walk everywhere. Now he uses his car.
I used to have more time for my hobbies when I was younger.

If/When

Both 'if' and 'when' are used with the Past Real Conditional. 'If' suggests that something happened
less often. 'When' suggests something happened more frequently.
If I had time off, I travelled. – I rarely had time off.
When I had time off, I travelled – I regularly had time off.

Past Unreal Conditional

The Past Unreal Conditional is used to talk about imaginary situations in the past. It is used to
imagine different outcomes due to different decisions or actions in different circumstances:
If I had gone out less, I would probably have studied more.
I would have travelled more if I had had more time.
If I had studied French at school, I would have got the job.
Danny would have got the promotion if he hadn't insulted the boss's wife.

With the Past Unreal Conditional only 'if' can be used when the situations discussed are imaginary.
'When' cannot be used.

Conditionals and modals

There are some special conditional forms for modal verbs in English:
would have + can = could have
would have + shall = should have
would have + may = might have
The words "can," "shall" and "may" cannot be used with "would have." Instead, they must be used in
these special forms:
 If I had gone to England I could have studied interior design.
If he had time, he might have come to meet us.
When Sarah asked me to come to the party, I should have gone.

Lesson by Tristan, teacher at EC Malta English school

Now complete the following using the correct form:

 1. Peter _ to Paris with us if he’d had time.

would have gone

would go

 2. If Sarah _ that her colleagues were going to be so difficult, she would never have taken
the job.

knew

had known

 3. When we were children, we _ the weekends at my grandmother’s.

spend

used to spend

 4. I used to hate it when our teachers _ sarcastic to us in class.

had been

were

 5. If I _ the chance, I would have gone to live in Tuscany.

had

had had
 6. When Peter moved to another city, I _ with him.

should have gone

should go

 7. Anne _ you if you had asked her.

might help

might have helped

 8. If I _ a higher salary, I probably would have stayed with the company.

were offered

had been offered

Present Unreal

Did you hear about that guy who won 180 million dollars in the lottery? If I (win) that
much money, I (quit) my job the next day. I (travel) around the world
and (stay) in the most luxurious hotels. If I (want) anything, I
(buy) it. If I (see) a beautiful Mercedes that I wanted, I
(buy) it. If I wanted to stay in a beautiful hotel and the hotel (be) full, I
(buy) the hotel and make them give me a room. I (can) do anything in the
world if I had 180 million dollars ... Oh, I am starting to sound a little materialistic... Well... I
(do) good things with the money as well. If anybody (need) help, I
(give) them some money to help them out. I (donate) money to
charities. I (give) money to help support the arts. If I (win) that much
money, I wouldn't keep it all for myself. I (help) as many people as possible.
Present Real and Unreal Conditionals
Michael: Sharon, I am having some problems at work, and I was wondering if you might be able
to give me some advice.

Sharon: Sure, what's the problem?

Michael: The computer sales business is more difficult than I thought. When customers
(come) in to look at the new computer models, they often (ask) me
which model they should buy. If they (ask) me to suggest a model, I
(be) usually quite honest with them. Most computer users don't need a very
advanced computer; they just need a basic model which they can use for word-processing,
bookkeeping and Internet access. If I am honest and I (recommend) one of the
cheaper models, my boss (get) angry at me. He always says that a good
salesperson can convince a customer to buy one of the more expensive advanced models. I
don't really feel comfortable doing that. What would you do in my situation? Isn't it wrong to
make them buy something which they don't need?

Sharon: I think you should help your customers make an intelligent decision. If I
(be) you, I (educate) the customers. I (teach) them how to
make a good decision by themselves. I (make, not) the decision for them. When a
customer (ask) a question, answer it honestly. You don't need to lie to the
customer, and you don't need to make the decision for them.

Michael: When I (sell) an inexpensive computer to a customer, my boss

(complain) that I am not trying hard enough. What would you tell him?

Sharon: If I (be) in your situation, I (tell) him that I wasn't comfortable

forcing customers to buy products which they don't need. Tell him that you don't want to lie to
honest people, and that you want to provide them with good service. Remind him that when
customers (get) good service, they (return) to a store and spend more
money.

Michael: I think that's a great idea. He (might) change his mind if I said that to him.
Maybe he (realize) that good service is the most important thing to consumers.
And, of course, I (feel) much more comfortable if I (be) able to be
honest with the customers. Thanks for your advice.