OU Degree 3rd Sem English Unit 2 Vocabulary, Grammar
We often see the difference between British and American English in terms of spelling Ex: “colo(, “labor”, check (instead of colour, labour, cheque) ‘The most noticeable difference between British and American english is Vocabulary.
The words are different to refer the something:
Exercise -1.
Read the American English word in italic with a British English word
1. Where did you buy the drapes ? They are beautiful
2. The elevator is out of order. Please use the stairs.
3. I would Like toy a new purse
4. Have you been to Rashi’s new apartment yet? It is huge and beautiful
5. I have fever. Please bring me some medicines from the drug store.
6. On my way to city, I shall stop by to fill my car with gas.
7. Please dear the baggage from aisle
8. I am planning to go on a tour after my second semester
9. The buses are off the roads. Let’s get back home by a cab.
10. Look at my closet! It is full of new dresses.
Answers:
| American English | British English |
| drapes | Curtain |
| Elevator | Lift |
| purse | Wallet |
| Apartment | Flat |
| Drug | Pharmacy |
| Gas | Petrol |
| Baggage | Luggage |
| Semester | Term |
| Cab | Taxi |
| Closet | Wardrobe |
Exercise – II
Replace the British English word in italics with an American English word.
Yesterday, I drove to the city in my car. I stopped infront of a Cash point to ask for directions. A young boy told me to take a left twin at the crossroads and ask again at the petrol station. There, a man told me to take the first exit after the flyover. On the way, I saw lorries carrying goods. After I had crossed a huge flat. I parked my car and walked to the stadium to watch football match
| British English | American English |
| Car | Cab |
| Cashpoint | atm |
| Crossroads | Inter section |
| Petrol | gasoline |
| Flyover | Overpass |
| trucks | lorry |
| Flat | apartment |
| football | soccer |
Exercise – III.
Fill in the blanks with appropriate words
1. In London, you buy biscuits at the confectioners in the US you buy _______
2. In the US you take a cab; in the UK you take a _______
3. In the UK you wear trousers, in the US you wear______
4. In the US, you plan to go on a location; in the UK, you go on _______
5. You wait in a queue to board a bus in the UK, in the US, you wait in a _______
6. In the US, a period is put at the end of every sentence, in the UK a is put _______
7. In the UK, you click your photo; in the US you take your _______
8. In the US, you talk on a cell phone; in the UK, you talk on a _______
9. In the UK schools ‘time to ble’ is displayed on the notice boards, in the US_____ is displayed.
10. When there is a blackout in the UK, you light a torch; in the US, you use a_______
Answers :
1. cookies
2. taxi
3. pants
4. holiday
5. line
6. full stop
7. picture
8. mobile phone
9. schedule
10. flash
Exercise -IV.
Using the ItallcLzed words as clues, Identify whether the following sentences are in British English (BE) (or) American English (AE) Give the alternative word.
1. Have you seen the moues that released yesterday?
2. I’ve applied for my driving licence.
3. Please submit your resume by tomorrow
4. I left my room key at the reception.
5. I displayed the poster on the notice board.
6. The Janitor opened the rooms when we arrived.
7. His car bonnet was badly damaged In the accident
8. The parking lot was full
9. He asked me to call him tomorrow
10. I am very food of my motorcycle
Answers:
1. Movies: Films
2. Drivers licence : Transporting
3. Resume : Cumcuium vitae
4. Reception : Front desk
5. Noticeboard: Bulletin Board
6. Jonitor: Caretaker
7. Bonnet: Hood
8. Parking : Car parking
9. Call : Telephone
10. Motor Cycle : Motor bike
Grammar : Voice
Voice describes the relationship between the verb and the subject
i. Active Voice
When the subject is does of the action, the verb is said to be In the active voice Rishi ate the mango
The verb ‘ate’ Is in active voice because the subject of the sentence ‘Rishi’ is performing the action expressed by the verb.
ii. Passive Voice
The mango was eaten by Rishi the verbal phrase was eaten’ is in the passive voice because the subject (The mango) is the receiver of the action. We should always use the active voice when there is no direct object or when the object is not imporant.
Example:
- The singer performed for an hour
- The teacher taught very well Nominalisation Converting a verb, adjective or adverb into a noun or a noun phrase is called “nominalisation”.
Example :
The participant could not arrive a conclusion on anything
The participants could not conclude anything
Exercise – I.
Rewrite the following sentences, changing the noun forms to verb forms.
1. They only made a translation of previous studies.
2. We held a discussion on an important topic.
3. They could not reach an agreement on any issue.
4. We put forth a proposal for an alternative plan.
5. The police conducted an investigation into the matter.
6. Buyers should make a comparison between competing products.
7. Researchers were asked to make an analysis of the results.
8. The members raised an objection to the new proposal.
9. The company made a decision to expand its reach.
10. We did not get a chance to give an explanation.
Answers :
I. They only translated the previous studies.
2. We discussed an important topic.
3. They could not agree on any issue.
4. We proposed an alternative plan.
5. The police investigated the matter.
6. Buyers should compare competing products.
7. Researchers were asked to analyse the results.
8. The members objected to he new proposal.
9. The company decided to expand the each.
10. We did not get a chance to explain (or) we got no chance to explain.
Exercise – II.
Convert the following sentences from the active voice with passive voice
1. Han ate six puns at dinner.
2. My friend has completed the work.
3. Sunita changed the bed sheet.
4. Sara ran the hurdle race in record time.
5. My mom painted the picture in one day.
6. The student wrote a brilliant review.
7. Thousands of tourists view the Taj Mahal every year.
8. The Indian team will play the game tomorrow.
9. The manager will give you your job.
10. The landlord painted the hose to let it out.
Answers :
1. Six puns were eaten by Han at dinner.
2. The work has been completed by my friend.
3. The bedsheet was changed by Sunita.
4. The hudle race was run by Sara in record time.
5. The picture was painted by mom in one day.
6. There view was written by the student brilliantly.
7. Taj Mahal is viewed by thousands of tourists every year.
8. The game will be played by the Indian team tomorrow.
9. Your job will be given to you by the manager.
10. The house was painted by the landlord to be let out.
Exercise – III.
Convert the following sentences from the passive voice into active voice
1. A refresher course will be attended by the faculty every year.
2. An application for the new job was sent by her.
3. A beautiful picture was painted by Tony.
4. That song has been sung really sweetly by the choir.
5. By whom were you asked to write?
6. Wildlife was destroyed by the forest fire.
7. Money was donated by Sam to the orphanage.
8. For the college fest, two skirts will be performed by Suma.
9. The experiment was conducted by the science teacher.
10. All the arrangements will be made by the event manager
Answers:
1. Every year the faculty will attend a refresher course.
2. She sent an application for a new job.
3. Tony painted a beautiful picture.
4. The choir has sung really a sweet song.
5. Who asked you to write?
6. The forest fire destroyed wildlife.
7. Sam donated travel to the orphanage.
8. Suma will perform two skits for the college fast.
9. The science teacher conducted the experiment
10. The event manager will make all the arrangements
Exercise – IV
Read the following passage written in the passive voice Rewrite It using the active voice
Last year, a cyclone was expenenced by my family and me for the first time. It was severe and caused much damage to our house, The damage was caused by its strong gales of wind of 170 miles per hour along with heavy rains. The old banyan tree in our courtyard was uprooted and thrown across the roof of our house, creating a huge cave through which the rain water poured in.
Our drawing room was flooded with water, which rose to a height of two feet. When we began to think that the storm was over, we heard a huge crash and peeped out of the window to see that our van had been hit by our neighbour’s fallen neem tree, breaking the roof and smashing all the windows. For the first time myself and my family experienced a cyclone last year.
It was severe aid caused much damage to our house. Its strong gales of wind of 170 miles per hour aton. with heavy rains caused the damage. It uprooted the old banyan tree in our Courtyard and threw it across the roof of our house. Creating a huge cave through which the rain water poured in. Water ‘nose to a height of two feet flooding our drawing room.
As we thought that the storm was over, we heard a huge crash. Peeping out of the window, we saw our neighbours neem tree had tallen hitting our van, breaking the roof and smashing all the windows.