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Nouns  singular in form but plural in meaning:

Folk

Do you agree the noun “folk” is singular in form but plural in meaning?

The kampong folk in Ulu naman have been waiting for treated/piped water for ages.

People (singular form) Vs Peoples (plural form)

When we use the collective noun “people”, we may use it in a general / specific sense.

There are so many people in town on Sunday.  

The people here are upset with high rate of crimes.

The noun “peoples” refer to different races /ethnic groups. 

[The peoples all over the world] want (the principles of democracy) to be up-kept at all costs.

Poultry 

[The poultry {that I keep}] are organic and healthy because I always give them organic foods and I take good care of them.

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Everyday  Vs  Every day

The compound word  ‘everyday’ is an attributive adjective and so it is always placed before a noun to modify it.

The phrase ‘every day’ is an adverb of time.  So,

Washing dishes is my everyday routine work.

                                  XX

I wash dishes every day.

                            ~~~~~~~~

May be      Vs     Maybe      

The phrase ‘may be’ is a verb phrase.

The compound word ‘maybe’ is an adverb. 

He may be late today.

Maybe he will help us this time. 

(The compound word ‘maybe’ can be replaced by the adverb ‘perhaps’. )

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Being able to F1

Not being able to F1

[*Being able to speak several dialects and languages] *puts Alice in the advantageous position as a tour guide.

[F2……………………………………………]singular verb………………………..

=======subject-verb agreement  (double check and see if it is true)

1.   Being able to swim so well, [Ramah] always takes part in the swimming competitions.                                                     &

2.   Ramah always takes part in the swimming competitions,  being able to swim so well.

3.   Ramah, being able to swim so well, always takes part in the swimming competitions.

*As *Ramah is able to swim so well, he always takes part in the swimming competitions. 

It is a complex sentence.  “As Ramah is able to swim so well” is a subordinate clause and “he always takes part in ……….” the main clause.

The subjects of both clauses refer to the same person “Raman”.  In the case like this,  you may treat the subordinate clause / adverbial clause “As Ramah is able to swim so well ”, just omit “As Raman…..” and change “is” into “being”.  That’s it.

Now “being able to swim so well” has changed “the status” from an adverbial clause which has the subject and a verb into an adverbial phrase which has no subject.

A phrase is just a string of related words like “in the kitchen, at the airport,  an old car, very carefully, very careful, take part, put on……………………..”

Hence you may put the adverbial phrase “being able to swim………” in front of the sentence (1); at the back of the sentence (2) and immediately after the subject (3).

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[S] can /could + F1

[S] be able to F1

      Be +adj + to F1

[Tutula] can jump really high.

Tutula is able to jump really high.

[The children] can sing so well.

[The children] are able to sing so well. 

[Lina] could keep a German Shepherd years ago.

[Lina] was able to keep ………………………………….

[Peter and Paul] could go out at night last year.

[Peter and Paul] were able to go ….. …………….

--------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Be:  am/is/are    being       was/were       been

Be able to F1

   F1                          F3

am/ is ----------------   was

are     ----------------   were

Perfect tenses  : Verb-to-be

Present Perfect                   Past Perfect               Future Perfect

have/ has been                  had been                   shall/will have been

Tita has been able to go travelling since 10years ago.  He is going again this coming December.  He enjoys travelling around.

[Jack] had been able to stay there peacefully until   [a nasty neighbour ] moved in.                                                          conj                                   

Sisi will have been able to get the scholarship to study in Taiwan if she gets credit in the Chinese subject.

Modal verbs

Modal verb + be able to F1

Modal verb + have been able to F1

Siew Ling may be /might be able to visit her aunt in New Zealand when [she] goes there next month.

Helena must have been able to earn a lot as [she] always goes for brandy goods.

[George and his neighbours] ought to have been able to stand guard to night-watch to prevent the rampant burglary

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Modal verbs with Perfect Tense

Modal verb + have F4                 (Active voice)

Modal verb + have been F4         (Passive voice)

can/ could

may / might

shall/ should  have F4 / have been F4

will/ would

must

ought to

[Tom] could have broken (the window panes) as he was playing ball here just now.

[The window panes] could have been broken by Tom………….

Someone might have stolen (Hassan’s old bicycle).

[Hassan’s old bicycle] might have been stolen by someone.

[Henry] should not have said (such things) in public.

                      ~~

[Such things] should not have been said in public by Henry.

***shall /will have F4 / have been F4  -----Future Perfect Tense

[Tina] must have told (Tita) about the incidence.

[Tita] must have been told about the incidence by Tina. 

[Yoyo] should have cleared up the mess. 

[The mess] should have been cleared up by Yoyo.

                                                       &

[Joyce] ought to have kept (the secret) for Peter.

[The secret] ought to have been kept by Joyce for Peter.

&:  adverbial particle associated with the verbs:  get up,  clear up, wake up,

    back up, put up, put on, take off,