ACHARYA INSTITUTE OF TECHNOLOGY

Soladevanahalli, Bengaluru – 560107

DEPARTMENT OF HUMANITIES

COMMUNICATIVE ENGLISH
(BENGK106)

Ms. Aparna Rajalakshmi

Department of HUMANITIES
Acharya Institute of Technology
Soladevanahalli, Bengaluru – 560107
2024-25
 ACHARYA INSTITUTE OF TECHNOLOGY
DEPARTMENT OF HUMANITIES

I. COURSE OBJECTIVES

The course Communicative English (BENGK106) will enable the students,

• To know about Fundamentals of Communicative English and Communication Skills in
general.
• To train to identify the nuances of phonetics, intonation and enhance pronunciation skills for
better Communication skills.
• To impart basic English grammar and essentials of important language skills.
• To enhance with English vocabulary and language proficiency for better communication skills.
• To learn about Techniques of Information Transfer through presentation.

II. COURSE OUTCOMES (COS)

At the end of the course Communicative English (BENGK106) the student will be able to:
• CO1 Understand and apply the Fundamentals of Communication Skills in their communication
skills.
• CO2 Identify the nuances of phonetics, intonation and enhance pronunciation skills.
• CO3 To impart basic English grammar and essentials of language skills as per present
requirement.
• CO4 Understand and use all types of English vocabulary and language proficiency.
• CO5 Adopt the Techniques of Information Transfer through presentation.

Prepared by: Aparna Rajalakshmi

COMMUNICATIVE ENGLISH– Department of Humanities
2|Page
 ACHARYA INSTITUTE OF TECHNOLOGY
DEPARTMENT OF HUMANITIES

TABLE OF CONTENTS

COMMUNICATIVE ENGLISH

Course Code BENGK106 Semester I

MODULE – 03: BASIC ENGLISH COMMUNICATIVE GRAMMAR AND

VOCABULARY PART -1

SYLLABUS CONTENT

1. PARTS OF SPEECH
2. SUBJECT- VERB AGREEMENT
3. ARTICLES
4. PREPOSITIONS
5. QUESTION TAGS
6. ONE WORD SUBSTITUTES
7. INTRODUCTION TO VOCABULARY
8. HOMOPHONES
9. HOMONYMS
10. ANTONYMS
11. SYNONYMS

Prepared by: Aparna Rajalakshmi

COMMUNICATIVE ENGLISH– Department of Humanities
3|Page
 ACHARYA INSTITUTE OF TECHNOLOGY
DEPARTMENT OF HUMANITIES

MODULE 3

BASIC ENGLISH COMMUNICATIVE GRAMMAR AND VOCABULARY

PART -1

BASIC GRAMMAR

1) Parts of Speech
Parts of speech are categories that classify words based on their function in a sentence. In English, there are
eight main parts of speech:
1. Nouns
Definition: A noun is a word that names a person, place, thing, or idea.
e.g.: Harish, Nagpur, ball, truth, happiness
i. Proper Nouns: The name of particular person, place, or thing. (e.g., London, Sarah, Sita).
ii. Common Nouns: Name given to every person or thing of the same kind or same class. General
names. (e.g., city, girl, man, teacher, boy).
iii. Concrete Nouns: Things that can be perceived by the senses (e.g., apple, music).
iv. Abstract Nouns: Ideas or concepts that cannot be sensed physically. Name of an idea, quality,
condition or a state of mind that cannot be touched, seen, tasted, or experienced. (e.g., freedom,
love, anger, wisdom, honesty).
v. Collective Nouns: Names of groups. Name of a number of people or things taken together and
spoken as one whole. (e.g., team, family, audience, government).
eg: A swarm of bees, a flock of birds, a fleet of ship, a pack of wolves, a pride of lions.
vi. Countable and Uncountable Nouns: Nouns that can be counted. (e.g. books, pens, chocolates)
are countable nouns.
Nouns that cannot be counted are uncountable nouns (e.g., sand, water).

2. Pronouns: Pronouns replace nouns in a sentence to avoid repetition.

i. Personal Pronouns: Stand in for people (e.g., he, she, it).
ii. Possessive Pronoun: Show ownership (e.g., his, her, their).

Prepared by: Aparna Rajalakshmi

COMMUNICATIVE ENGLISH– Department of Humanities
4|Page
 ACHARYA INSTITUTE OF TECHNOLOGY
DEPARTMENT OF HUMANITIES

iii. Demonstrative Pronouns: Point to specific things (e.g., this, those).

iv. Relative Pronouns: Introduce relative clauses (e.g., who, which).
v. Interrogative Pronouns: Used to ask questions (e.g., who, what).
vi. Reflexive Pronouns: Indicate the subject also receives the action (e.g., myself, yourself).

3. Verbs: Verbs express actions, occurrences, or states of being.

i. Action Verbs: Show actions (e.g., run, read).
ii. Auxiliary (Helping) Verbs: Support the main verb (e.g., have, will).
iii. Modal Verbs: Express necessity or possibility (e.g., can, might).

4. Adjectives: Adjectives describe or modify nouns or pronouns.

i. Descriptive Adjectives: Describe qualities (e.g., blue, tall).
ii. Quantitative Adjectives: Indicate quantity (e.g., some, few).
iii. Demonstrative Adjectives: Point to specific items (e.g., that, these).
iv. Possessive Adjectives: Show ownership (e.g., my, their).
v. Interrogative Adjectives: Used in questions (e.g., which, what).

5. Adverbs: Adverbs modify verbs, adjectives, or other adverbs, often describing how, when, where, or to
what extent.
i. Adverbs of Manner: Describe how something happens (e.g., quickly, softly).
ii. Adverbs of Time: Indicate when something happens (e.g., yesterday, soon).
iii. Adverbs of Place: Indicate where something happens (e.g., here, there).
iv. Adverbs of Degree: Describe the intensity or extent (e.g., very, almost).
v. Adverbs of Frequency: Indicate how often (e.g., always, seldom).

6. Prepositions: Prepositions show the relationship between a noun or pronoun and other words in a
sentence, often indicating location, time, or direction.
Examples: in, on, at, over, under, through

Prepared by: Aparna Rajalakshmi

COMMUNICATIVE ENGLISH– Department of Humanities
5|Page
 ACHARYA INSTITUTE OF TECHNOLOGY
DEPARTMENT OF HUMANITIES

7. Conjunctions: Conjunctions connect words, phrases, or clauses.

i. Coordinating Conjunctions: Connect elements of equal importance (e.g., and, but, or).
ii. Subordinating Conjunctions: Introduce dependent clauses (e.g., because, although).
iii. Correlative Conjunctions: Work in pairs (e.g., either...or, neither...nor).

8. Interjections: Interjections are words or phrases that express strong emotion or reaction.
Examples: wow, ouch, hey, oh.

2)Subject-Verb Agreement
Subject-verb agreement means that the subject of a sentence and the verb must agree in number: both must
be singular, or both must be plural. Proper subject-verb agreement is crucial for clear communication and
grammatical accuracy.
Key Rules
1. Singular subjects take singular verbs, and plural subjects take plural verbs.
o Singular: The cat runs fast.
o Plural: The cats run fast.
o She runs every morning. (Singular subject and verb)
o They run every morning. (Plural subject and verb)
o The dogs bark loudly

2. Subjects joined by "and" take a plural verb.

o Tom and Jerry are best friends.
o John and Mary are coming to the party. (Plural)

3. When subjects are joined by "or" or "nor," the verb agrees with the subject closest to it.
o Either the teacher or the students are going to clean the room.
o Neither the students nor the teacher is available.

Prepared by: Aparna Rajalakshmi

COMMUNICATIVE ENGLISH– Department of Humanities
6|Page
 ACHARYA INSTITUTE OF TECHNOLOGY
DEPARTMENT OF HUMANITIES

4."Each," "every," and "no" followed by singular subjects take a singular verb.
o Each student has a unique talent.
o No cat likes water.
o Everyone likes ice cream. (Singular)
o Somebody is knocking at the door. (Singular)

5. When a sentence starts with "there" or "here," the verb agrees with the true subject that follows.
o There is a book on the table.
o Here are the keys.

6. Indefinite pronouns like "everyone," "someone," "nobody," and "each" are singular and take singular
verbs.
o Everyone wants to succeed.
o Nobody knows the answer.

7. Some indefinite pronouns (e.g., all, some) can be singular or plural depending on the noun they refer to.
o All of the cake is gone. (cake is singular)
o All of the cookies are gone. (cookies is plural)

8. Subjects that express a quantity or measurement usually take a singular verb

o Ten dollars is enough.
o Five kilometres is a long distance

10.Titles of books, movies, and other singular units take a singular verb.
o "The Chronicles of Narnia" is a popular series.

11. When using phrases like "along with," "as well as," or "in addition to," the verb agrees with the main
subject only.
o The manager, along with his team, is attending the meeting.
o The book, as well as the pen, was on the table.

Prepared by: Aparna Rajalakshmi

COMMUNICATIVE ENGLISH– Department of Humanities
7|Page
 ACHARYA INSTITUTE OF TECHNOLOGY
DEPARTMENT OF HUMANITIES

3.Articles in English Grammar

Articles are a type of determiner in English and are used before nouns to clarify whether the noun is
specific or general. There are three articles in English: "a," "an," and "the."
Articles are divided into two categories: Definite and Indefinite.

1. The Definite Article: "The"

"The" is called the definite article and is used to refer to a specific or known noun. It points to a particular
item, one that the speaker and listener both know about or have mentioned before.

Rules for Using "The":

❖ Before specific or unique nouns:
Example: The sun, the earth, the President.
❖ When both the speaker and listener know the thing being talked about:
Example: Please close the door. (specific door, known to both speaker and listener)
❖ With superlatives and ordinal numbers:
Example: The best student, the first time.
❖ With names of geographical areas, rivers, mountain ranges, groups of islands, and oceans:
Example: The Himalayas, the Pacific Ocean, the Netherlands.
❖ Before adjectives used as nouns to represent groups of people:
Example: The rich, the poor.
❖ With the names of certain buildings, institutions, and landmarks:
Example: The Eiffel Tower, the Empire State Building.

2. The Indefinite Articles: "A" and "An"

"A" and "An" are indefinite articles used to refer to a non-specific noun, often when the noun is mentioned
for the first time or is one of many.
Rules for Using "A" and "An":
❖ "A" is used before words that begin with a consonant sound:

Prepared by: Aparna Rajalakshmi

COMMUNICATIVE ENGLISH– Department of Humanities
8|Page
 ACHARYA INSTITUTE OF TECHNOLOGY
DEPARTMENT OF HUMANITIES

Example: a book, a university (university begins with a "yu" sound, which is a consonant sound).
❖ "An" is used before words that begin with a vowel sound (a, e, i, o, u):
Example: an apple, an hour (hour begins with a silent "h" and has a vowel sound).
❖ When referring to something for the first time:
Example: I saw a movie last night. The movie was exciting.
❖ When referring to a member of a group or class:
Example: She is a doctor. (one of many doctors)
❖ For exclamations with "what" and "such":
Example: What a beautiful day! Such an interesting book!

Prepositions
A preposition is a word that shows the relationship between a noun or pronoun and other words in a
sentence. Prepositions typically indicate relationships of time, place, direction, and manner. They are
essential for creating clear and structured sentences.
1. Types of Prepositions
A. Prepositions of Place: Show the location of something.
Examples: in, on, at, under, above, beside, behind, between
o She is in the room.
o The book is on the table.
o They are at the bus stop.
B. Prepositions of Time
Examples: in, on, at, before, after, during, since, until
o He was born in 1999.
o Her birthday is on Monday.
o The meeting starts at 9 a.m.
C. Prepositions of Direction
Examples: to, into, towards, from, over, through
o She is going to the market.
o He walked into the room.

Prepared by: Aparna Rajalakshmi

COMMUNICATIVE ENGLISH– Department of Humanities
9|Page
 ACHARYA INSTITUTE OF TECHNOLOGY
DEPARTMENT OF HUMANITIES

o The dog ran towards the gate.

D. Prepositions of Manner
Examples: by, with, like, as
o The book was written by the author.

Preposition Type Preposition Type Example

At She is at the office.

On The book is on the table.
In He lives in New York.
Place Near The school is near the park.
Between The coffee shop is between the bank
and the library.

At The meeting starts at 10 a.m

On We have a test on Monday.
In He graduated in 2019.
Time Before | Finish your homework before dinner
After I will call you after 6 p.m.

To He is going to the store.

Into She walked into the room.
Direction Toward They are walking toward the park
Across The bridge goes across the river.
through She walked through the crowd

Prepared by: Aparna Rajalakshmi

COMMUNICATIVE ENGLISH– Department of Humanities
10 | P a g e
 ACHARYA INSTITUTE OF TECHNOLOGY
DEPARTMENT OF HUMANITIES

Question Tags
Question tags are short questions added to the end of statements to confirm information or ask for
agreement. They are commonly used in spoken English to turn a statement into a question, often seeking
confirmation or agreement from the listener.
Rules for Forming Question Tags
1.Positive Statement, Negative Tag: When the main sentence is positive, the question tag is negative.
o She is coming, isn’t she?
o You are coming, aren’t you?
2.Negative Statement, Positive Tag: When the main sentence is negative, the question tag is positive.
o You don’t like coffee, do you?
o They haven’t finished the project, have they?
3.Use of Auxiliary Verbs: If the sentence has an auxiliary verb (e.g., is, are, was, were, can, should), the
auxiliary verb is repeated in the question tag.
o They have left, haven’t they?
o My father will come soon, won’t he?
4.No Auxiliary Verb in the Statement: If there’s no auxiliary verb in the sentence, use a form of do in the
question tag.
o You like ice cream, don’t you?
o Your sister likes to play chess, doesn’t she?
o He visited the museum yesterday, didn’t he?
5.Pronoun Consistency: The pronoun in the question tag must match the subject of the main sentence.
o John can swim, can’t he?
6.Use of "shall" with "Let’s": For sentences that start with Let’s, the tag is usually shall we.
o Let’s go for a walk, shall we?
7.Negative Words in Sentences: If a sentence has negative words (e.g., never, no one, nobody), it takes a
positive question tag.
o She never complains, does she?
8.Using "I am" in Statements: When the statement starts with "I am," the tag is aren’t I
o "I am your teacher, aren’t I?"

Prepared by: Aparna Rajalakshmi

COMMUNICATIVE ENGLISH– Department of Humanities
11 | P a g e
 ACHARYA INSTITUTE OF TECHNOLOGY
DEPARTMENT OF HUMANITIES

Examples of Question Tags with Different Types of Statements

Statement Question Tag

She’s going to the party, | isn’t she?

You don’t like football do you?

They have finished their work haven’t they?

You play the guitar don’t you?

Let’s go for a coffee shall we?

She has never been there, Has she?

Open the window, will you?

I am the best candidate aren’t I?

Nobody was in the room were they?

One-Word Substitutes
One-word substitutes are single words that replace a group of words or an entire phrase. They make
sentences more concise, clear, and effective, especially in formal writing. Using one-word substitutes also
helps avoid redundancy and improves overall language fluency.

Prepared by: Aparna Rajalakshmi

COMMUNICATIVE ENGLISH– Department of Humanities
12 | P a g e
 ACHARYA INSTITUTE OF TECHNOLOGY
DEPARTMENT OF HUMANITIES

1. One who is present everywhere - Omnipresent

2. One who does not make mistakes - Infallible
3. One who has no money - Pauper
4. One who loves books – Bibliophile
5. One who can speak two languages - Bilingual
6. One who loves mankind-Philanthropist
7. One who hates mankind – Misanthropist
8. One who looks at the bright side of things - Optimist
9. One who looks at the dark side of things - Pessimist
10. One who doubts the existence of God- Agnostic
11. One who pretends to be what he is not - Hypocrite
12. One who copies/steals from other writers - Plagiarist
13. One who hates women - Misogynist
14. One who knows many languages - Polyglot
15. One who thinks only of himself – Egoist
16. One who goes on foot - Pedestrian
17. One who does not believe in God- Atheist
18. A Government by the people - Democracy
19. A Government by a king or queen - Monarchy
20. A Government by the officials - Bureaucracy
21. That which cannot be avoided - Inevitable
22. Practice of having several wives - Polygamy
23. Practice of having several husbands - Polyandry
24. People who work together - Colleagues
25. That which cannot be satisfied – Insatiable
26.A person who doesn’t consume alcohol - Teetotaler
27.A person who compiles dictionary -Calligrapher
28.Saying things in roundabout way - Circumlocution
29.The day of judgement – Doomsday
30. One who believes in God- Theist

Prepared by: Aparna Rajalakshmi

COMMUNICATIVE ENGLISH– Department of Humanities
13 | P a g e
 ACHARYA INSTITUTE OF TECHNOLOGY
DEPARTMENT OF HUMANITIES

Introduction to Vocabulary
Vocabulary is the collection of words that an individual knows and uses in a language. It forms the
foundation of effective communication, as words allow us to express ideas, emotions, and information
clearly. A strong vocabulary enhances one’s ability to communicate more effectively and increases
comprehension in reading and listening.
Active Vocabulary
Active vocabulary refers to the words a person actively uses in speaking or writing. These words are
readily available and familiar, allowing effective communication.
- Frequently used in daily conversations and writing.
- Recalled easily and effortlessly.
- Reflects the speaker's or writer's fluency and confidence.
Passive Vocabulary
Passive vocabulary includes words a person recognizes and understands but does not regularly use in
speech or writing. These words are part of a person’s comprehension but may require effort to recall or use
actively.
- Known through reading or listening.
- Understood in context but not actively employed.
- Expands over time with exposure to new content.

Types of Vocabulary
Vocabulary can be categorized into different types based on its use and purpose:
1. Reading Vocabulary: The words one can understand when reading. Reading vocabulary grows as a
person is exposed to more texts and varied subjects.
2. Listening Vocabulary: The words one can comprehend while listening to others. It is often larger than
spoken vocabulary, as understanding doesn’t require perfect knowledge of pronunciation.
3. Speaking Vocabulary: The words one uses in speech. This vocabulary is often more limited than
listening or reading vocabulary but is crucial for clear verbal communication.
4. Writing Vocabulary: The words one can comfortably use when writing. Writing vocabulary can also be

Prepared by: Aparna Rajalakshmi

COMMUNICATIVE ENGLISH– Department of Humanities
14 | P a g e
 ACHARYA INSTITUTE OF TECHNOLOGY
DEPARTMENT OF HUMANITIES

more limited than reading or listening vocabulary, as writing requires better precision and correctness.
Homophones, Homonyms, and Homographs

1. Homophones: Words that sound the same but have different meanings and spellings.
- Examples: pair (a set of two) and pear (a type of fruit)
- write (to record words) and right (correct or opposite of left).
o 1.Hear – Here
o 2. Mail – Male
o 3. Pair – Pear
o 4. Sale – Sail
o 5. Sight – Site
o 6. Weak – Week
o 7. Right – Write
o 8. Peace – Piece
o 9. Weather – Whether
o 10.Flour – Flower

2. Homonyms: Words that have the same spelling and pronunciation but different meanings. Homonyms
can be tricky because they rely on context to clarify meaning.
- Examples: address (to speak to) – address(location)
o Bank (riverbank) – Bank (financial institution)
o Bat (an animal) – Bat (used in sports)
o Bark (sound of a dog) – Bark (outer layer of a tree)
o Watch (to observe) – Watch (a timepiece)
o Spring (season) – Spring (a coil)
o Book (to reserve) – Book (a reading material)
o Light (not heavy) – Light (illumination)
o Match (a game) – Match (a stick for making fire)
o Nail (a body part) – Nail (a metal fastener)
o Park (to leave a vehicle) – Park (a recreational area)

Prepared by: Aparna Rajalakshmi

COMMUNICATIVE ENGLISH– Department of Humanities
15 | P a g e
 ACHARYA INSTITUTE OF TECHNOLOGY
DEPARTMENT OF HUMANITIES

3. Homographs: Words that have the same spelling but may have different meanings and, at times,
different pronunciations.
- Examples:
o Lead (to guide) – Lead (a metal)
o Tear (to rip) – Tear (drop of water from the eye)
o Bow (to bend) – Bow (a weapon for shooting arrows)
o Wind (moving air) – Wind (to twist or turn)
o Minute (60 seconds) – Minute (very small)
o Bass (a type of fish) – Bass (low musical sound)
o Row (a line) – Row (a quarrel)
o Desert (abandon) – Desert (a dry, arid region)
o Object (a thing) – Object (to oppose)
o Record (to store information) – Record (a music album)

Antonyms and Synonyms

1. Antonyms: Words with opposite meanings. Antonyms enrich language by helping express contrast or
clarify ideas.
happy -opposite of sad
begin -opposite of end
strong -opposite of weak
o Affable × Unfriendly, Rude
o Baffle × Clarify, Enlighten
o Brawny × Weak, Frail
o Callous × Compassionate, Sensitive
o Fair × Unfair, Biased
o Flashy × Plain, Modest
o Funny× Serious, Boring
o Happy× Sad, Miserable
o Hardworking× Lazy, Idle

Prepared by: Aparna Rajalakshmi

COMMUNICATIVE ENGLISH– Department of Humanities
16 | P a g e
 ACHARYA INSTITUTE OF TECHNOLOGY
DEPARTMENT OF HUMANITIES

o Honest × Dishonest, Deceitful

o Hypocrisy × Sincerity, Honesty
o Important × Unimportant, Trivial
o Intelligent × Unintelligent, Stupid
o Introvert × Extrovert, Outgoing
o Kind × Cruel, Unkind
o Lazy × Active, Energetic
o 17.sane× insane

2. Synonyms: Words with similar or nearly the same meanings. Synonyms allow us to add variety to
speech and writing, avoiding repetition and enhancing expressiveness.
big -synonym for large
small -synonym for tiny
fast -synonym for quick.

o affable: friendly
o baffle: confuse, deceive
o brawny: muscular
o callous: unkind, cruel
o fair: just, objective, impartial, unbiased
o flashy: showy, gaudy
o funny: humorous, comical, hilarious, hysterical
o happy: humorous, comical, hilarious, hysterical
o hardworking: diligent, determined, enterprising
o honest: honourable, fair, sincere, trustworthy
o hypocrisy: duplicity, falseness
o important: required, substantial, vital, essential, primary, requisite, critical
o intelligent: smart, bright, brilliant, sharp
o introvert: shy, bashful, quiet, withdrawn
o kind: thoughtful, considerate, amiable, gracious

Prepared by: Aparna Rajalakshmi

COMMUNICATIVE ENGLISH– Department of Humanities
17 | P a g e
 ACHARYA INSTITUTE OF TECHNOLOGY
DEPARTMENT OF HUMANITIES

o lazy: idle, lackadaisical, lethargic

o 0ppulence: abundance, affluence

******************

Prepared by: Aparna Rajalakshmi

COMMUNICATIVE ENGLISH– Department of Humanities
18 | P a g e