2. CONCRETE, SPECIFIC NOUNS AND MODIFIERS
ABSTRACT : CONCRETE:
*TRANSPORTACION *CARS
*U.S. DOLARS *DIME
*CHILDHOOD *CHILD
*NUTRITION *BROCCOLI
GENERAL SPECIFIC
*PETS *ROVER
*STORES *MURPHY’S DRUGS
*TEACHERS *MY ENGLISH
PROFESSOR

3. Up in the tree, a bird sang, its voice warm and
melodious. Nearby, an animal crouched, watching
the bird. Emotion made the animal’s eyes glitter.
Stealthily it began to slink forward, body to the
ground. It was only a little distance from the bird
when another animal dashed toward it from the
next yard. As the first animal fled, the bird flew
down and perched confidently on the second
animal’s head.

4. WORDS AND PHRASES THAT DESCRIBE NOUNS AND
VERBS
 Madeline was pretty girl with nice brown
eyes. Fair-skinned laughing
 The city housing manager pointed out a
row of old wooden houses.
peeling and crumbling

5. A, AN OR THE
Nouns are either count nouns or noncount
nous.
COUNT NOUNS NONCOUNT NOUNS
SINGULAR PLURAL INFORMATION
ISLAND ISLANDS HOMEWORK
CHILD CHILDREN JUSTICE
RATIO RATIOS SUCCES

6. 1. You must use an article before a singular count noun.
an island the child a ratio
Execeptions: Singular proper nouns
Italy Pearl Street Lake Erie
2. Use a or an with a singular count noun when you haven´t specified
one particular thing or induvidual.
 There is a problem with this approach.
*Readers don´t know what the problem is yet.
 We all appreciate an understanding friend.
*Any understanding friend, not a particular one.
3. Use the with a singular count noun in the following cases.
 The noun has already been mentioned.
 The noun is made specific by elements that follow it.
 The noun is made specific by the context.
 The noun names a unique person, place or thing

7. 4. Usethe with plural count nouns in the following cases.
 The noun is made specific by elements that follow it.
The novels that I like best focus on characters rather than events.
 The noun is made specific by context.
We saw a play tonight. The actors were from London.
 The noun is a proper noun referring to a country or a set of
lakes, mountain range, or islands.
The United States The Rocky Mountains
The Great Lakes The Bahamas.
5. Use some (any in any negative sentences) or no article with
noncount nouns if the noun is not specific
They asked for some information at the tourist center.
There isn´t any homework for tomorrow.
The citizens are demanding justice.
6. Use the with noncount nouns if the noun is specific because it has
been previously mentioned, it is clear from the context, or it has
modifiers.
We ordered some new skiing equipment. After the equipment arrived, we decided
we didn´t need it

8. 1. REPLACE STATIC VERBS WITH ACTION VERBS
 This problem will soon become evident.
erupt
sprawl onto
 The outer suburbs of los L.A are in the hills beyond the San Fernando Valley.
2. AVOID WEAK ACTION VERBS
bakes
 He makes good.
sings wonderfully
 She has a wonderful singing voice.
3. CHANGE NOUNS BACK TO VERBS
 Few biographies of FDR have given a satisfactory explanation of the disastrous Yalta
conference.
Satisfactorily explained

9. When a verb is in the ACTIVE VOICE, the person or thing performing
the action is the subject.
The active voice hepls readers visualize what happens and who
does it.
actor ative-voice verb direct object,
recipient of action
Juana collects the tickets.
When a verb is in the PASSIVE VOICE, the recipient of the action
becomes the subject, and there is no object.
subject of action passice-voice verb agent of action in
prepositional phrase
The tickets are taken by Juana