Christopher Isherwood (1904–86) an English writer of novels and plays. The musical show Cabaret was based on a story in his 1939 collection Goodbye to Berlin, and much of his other writing is based on his experiences in Germany before World War II. He also wrote three plays with W H Auden. In 1939 he moved with Auden to the US and later became a US citizen. Kasuo Ishiguro (1954– ) a writer born in Japan who now lives in London. His books include A Pale View of Hills (1982), An Artist of the Floating World (1986) and The Remains … Continue reading P@ul’s ‘On Writers’ : 3 | Sushanta Paul

V S Naipaul (Vidiadhar Surajprasad Naipaul 1932– ) a writer of novels, short stories and travel books, born in Trinidad, who has lived in Britain since 1950. He is perhaps best known for his comic novels, many of them set in the West Indies, including A House for Mr Biswas (1961). He received the Nobel Prize for literature in 2001. Eugene O’Neill (1888–1953) a US writer of plays who received the 1936 Nobel Prize for literature. He won Pulitzer Prizes for his best-known play, Long Day’s Journey into Night, and for Beyond the Horizon (1920), Anna Christie (1922) and Strange … Continue reading P@ul’s ‘On Writers’ : 4 | Sushanta Paul

Correct the following sentences if necessary: 392. His remarks infer that he is unhappy in his married life. I implied from his remarks that he was unhappy. 393. A number of students was absent from class today. 394. A chair has four feet. 395. A general leads an army. 396. A landlord rents out a house. 397. A nice cold breeze is blowing. 398. A week has past since I saw her. 399. After we went there. 400. Akib and Adib are the same age but Akib is older than Adib. 401. All that glitters are not gold. 402. All … Continue reading P@ul’s Write Right : 5

Correct the following sentences if necessary:   A) UNNECESSARY PREPOSITIONS 295. Answer any five of the follow­ing questions. Your answer to this question is wrong. You must reply/respond to my questions. 296.We approached near the camp. He is approaching to 80. 297.He asked to the teacher about it. He enquired where I lived. 298.They attacked against the enemy. They suddenly made an attack on us. The police are launching an attack on drug dealers. 299. I am awaiting for their reply. 300.The dog balanced with a ball on its nose. We tried to strike a balance between justice and mercy. … Continue reading P@ul’s Write Right : 4

A) Fill in the gaps using infinitives where necessary: 1. ___ err is human. 2. I taught him ___ read. 3. He is about ___ die. 4. He seems ___ be an honest man. 5. He appears ___ be a rich man. 6. We take him ___ be a fool. 7. The old man is too weak ___ walk. 8. I am glad ___ receive your letter. 9. This is a house ____ let. 10. We went to the field ___ see the game. 11. I walked fast ___ avail the bus. 12. ___ speaking the truth, he is an … Continue reading P@ul’s Practice Sheet on Infinitives, Participles and Gerund : 1

Fill in the blanks with appropriate word/ words: 1) Your pay is high___for your work. 2) You won’t be unsuccessful___you work. 3) He was sentenced___death for murder. 4) The sun___ set. We began our match. 5) Her___life was spent in the East. 6) The beggar was found___at the door. 7) I was not used to___. 8) It is high time you___the room. 9) We showed him___to do it. 10) ___that glitters is not gold. 11) If I___won a lottery I would have set up an English School. 12) Death is___to dishonour. 13) We heard her___. 14) He acted as if … Continue reading P@ul’s Miscellaneous Grammatical Items : 1

A) Match the half of the sentences in column A with the sentences nearest in from column B. Join them with an appropriate pronoun (that, which, or who). Column A 1. There were three people in the room 2. There was a narrow bridge 3. There are still people in the world 4. There was a small stream 5. There have been rumours 6. There aren’t many workers 7. There are a lot of toys in the shop 8. There was a man at the “barbecue Column B a. have never seen a television. b. the finance minister is going … Continue reading P@ul’s Practice Sheet on Linkers/ The Linking Words

Directions: A certain portion of the following sentences are underlined. If that portion is incorrect, then choose the best answer from the options. If no error exists, mark A on the answer sheet. 1.With the exception of Faruk and I, everyone in the class finished the assignment before the bell rang. (A) Faruk and I, everyone in the class finished (B) Faruk and me, everyone in the class finished (C) Faruk and me, everyone in the class had finished. (D) Faruk and I, everyone in the class had finished. (E) Faruk and me everyone in the class finished. 2.He has … Continue reading P@ul’s Sentence Correction

Synonyms Directions: For each word written in capital letter, select a word having the similar meaning. ANECDOTE (A) antidote (B) article (C) anger (D) fable (E) ancestor PERTURB (A) pretend (B) deregulate (C) agitate (D) tutor (E) arrive REITERATE (A) reverend (B) dream (C) repeat (D) tremor (E) misery RAMIFICATION (A) precision (B) consequences (C) report (D) cognizance (E) legality INADVERTENT (A) unintentional (B) inadequate (C) inertia (D) inundate (E) ingest EMOLUMENT (A) entertainment (B) excitement (C) reprimand (D) pay (E) praise AUGMENT (A) shrink (B) plastic (C) contract (D) extend (E) slip SUSTAINABLE (A) transient (B) endurable (C) relevant … Continue reading P@ul’s Synonyms & Antonyms