CXC ENGLISH

Hello there. Today we look at another poem on the 2018-2020 English B syllabus, and, as always, we offer you some exercises to test your skills in English A. Read on, and enjoy!

ENGLISH B— Poetry (2018-2020) Today’s poem for discussion is God’s Grandeur by Gerard Manley Hopkins.

The world is charged with the grandeur of God. It will flame out, like shining from shook foil; It gathers to a greatness, like the ooze of oil Crushed. Why do men then now not reck his rod? Generations have trod, have trod, have trod; And all is seared with trade; bleared, smeared with toil; And wears man's smudge and shares man's smell: the soil Is bare now, nor can foot feel, being shod.

And for all this, nature is never spent; There lives the dearest freshness deep down things; And though the last lights off the black West went Oh, morning, at the brown brink eastward, springs — Because the Holy Ghost over the bent World broods with warm breast and with ah! bright wings

Look at the words in these lists. They are very similar in meaning, and yet there is a shade of difference. Ask yourself what situation would be suitable for each word in the list. A good starting point is to divide the words into those with positive connotations, those with negative connotations, and those that are fairly neutral.

BCHere are words describing the emotion you might feel towards another perA son. Think about relationships in which each might be appropriate: deference, reverence, respect, liking, attachment, sympathy, interest, concern, love, honour, esteem, affection. Here are words that might describe a movie, a work of art, a piece of music. Think of a situation that would be suitable for each of the words: Exciting, mesmerizing, thrilling, evocative, disturbing, provocative, irritating, touching, sensuous. Do you approve or disapprove of people who are very careful about how they spend their money? Which of these words are approving, and which are disapproving? Thrifty, stingy, mean, extravagant, economical, frugal, sparing, prudent, spendthrift, miserly

Sometimes a verb is separated from its subject by several words. Always check back to find the real subject. Here is an example: THE LOCAL DOCTOR, who is in charge of two clinics and a total of 11 nurses, HAS gone on leave.

Although the verb HAS is next to the plural word “nurses”, it actually refers to the subject “doctor”, and so is singular.

In this example, the clause “who is in charge of two clinics and a total of 11 nurses” is in parenthesis. This means that the whole clause could be taken out of the sentence, and the sentence would still make sense. Try it and see. Some other parenthetical items that are similar to that clause are as follows: “Along with”, “together with”, “as well as”, “accompanied by”, “in addition to”. Here is a simple summary of what we have just explained:

Tom and Anand ARE coming tonight. (Tom and Anand = plural subject) •

• • Study these two sentences: Ameeka is one of the students who HAVE chosen to study French. (Students who have chosen = plural)

Ameeka is the only one of the students who HAS chosen to study French. (The only one who has…= singular)

Here is an exercise to help you revise what you have just learnt about making the verb agree with the subject. Select the correct form of the verb from the pair in italics.

1

NOT-QUITE SYNONYMS FINDING THE REAL SUBJECT

Tom, along with Anand, IS coming tonight.

Tom, as well as Anand, IS coming tonight. Tom, accompanied by Anand, IS coming tonight.

ONE OF…THE ONLY ONE TIME TO PRACTISE

The club’s president, along with several senior members, airport to welcome their counterparts from Trinidad. Colin is one of the technicians who was/were made for upgrading the laboratory facilities. dissatisfied with the proposals

Cherille is the only member of the group of students who making Caribbean Studies compulsory.

was/were

at the objects/object to

Despite warnings of high tides, the intrepid fisherman, assisted by his two sons, pushes/push off from the shore. His toothbrush, together with some chewing gum, a pack of cards and three rubber bands, tumbles/tumble out as he tips up the bag. An overweight woman and her dog enters/enter the store just minutes before closing time. The sound of seagulls screeching and seals barking mingles/mingle howling of the wind and the thunderous pounding of the waves. with the

This tribal custom is enforced by strict taboos, the violation of which brings/bring about the death of the offender.

Time to practice 1 The president…was, 2 technicians who were, 3 only one who objects, 4 fisherman…pushes, 5 toothbrush…tumbles, 6 woman and dog enter, 7 sound… mingles, 8 violation…brings.