Special Use of Some Phrases / Words for HSC Examination

Special Use of Words and Phrases

Question Pattern for Examination

       Complete the sentences with suitable phrase/ words given in the box:-

as if	have to	as soon as	it	was born
let alone	would rather	there	had better	what if

a)         We ––– pay a visit to Cox’s Bazar than the Sundarbans. We have already visited the Sundarbans.

b)         The storm was raging violently. We got out ––– it abated.

c)      Fardin is always boastful of his uncles. He talks ––– they were the most powerful men in the country.

d)        My college is far away from our house. I ––– walk a long way to go to my college.

e)         Jasim Uddin is a rural poet. He ––– in 1903 in a village named Tambulkhana in Faridpur.

f)          ––– is very hot today. Load shedding is aggravating the situation.

g)         Maruf cannot earn 50 marks ––– 80 marks. He is a student of average standard.

h)         ––– are many mango trees around our home. They give us very sweet mangoes.

i)          Faiaz seems to be weak. He ––– consult an experienced doctor.

j)         The river is calm. ––– we swim in the river? To swim in the river is a nice experience.

Important Words and Phrases:

·         Be born / is born / Was born

·         Have to

·         Would rather

·         Had better

·         Let alone

·         As soon as

·         There/it

·         Would you mind                      

·         What if              

·         As if/As Though  

·         No sooner had / Scarcely had / Hardly had                  

·         What`s ……like/What`s it like   

·         What does…….look like    

·         Used to  

·         It is time/It is high time

·         In case

·         So that

·         Lest

·         Unless

·         In order to 

·         Till/ Until

·         If

·         With a view to

·         So that / in order that

Usages of some important words and phrases:

Be Born:

“Be Born” is used in passive form to express birth place and birth date of a person.

For Example:

·         Kazi Nazrul Islam was born in Churulia of West Bengal.

·         Bangab ndu Sheikh Mujibur Rahman was born in 1920 in Tungipara of Gopal gonj district.

·         How many children are born every year in Bangladesh?

Have To:

“Have To” is used to express strong obligation.

For Example:

·         Deforestation is a matter of great  concern. We have to take necessary steps against cutting down of trees.

·         We have to educate all and work hard to develop our country.

·         We have discussed for a long time. We can’t take much time any more. We have to come to a conclusion.

Would rather:

“Would rather ” is used to express comparison  and preference between two persons/things.

For Example:

·         To tell a lie is a great sin. I would rather die than tell a lie.

·         Sohel is a very good natured boy. He would rather stay at home than mix with the bad boys.

·         You would rather build your own house than live in a rented house.

Had better:

“Had better” is used to express moral obligation.

For Example:

·         Rina’s dress looks very dirty. She had better buy a new dress.

·         It is raining outside. You had better take an umbrella.

·         Sheela is suffering from fever. She had better see a doctor.

Let alone:

“Let alone” is used to express something that can’t be imagined.

For Example:

·         Rahman is a poor man. He can’t buy a mobile phone let alone a car.

·         Our learners develop a very poor skill of writing. They can’t write fairly well even

in Bangla let alone English.

·         His economic condition is very poor. He can’t afford per meal a day let alone square meal.

What if:

“What if” is used to express the fear of happening something.

For Example:

·         Helmet should be used while driving a motorcycle what if you were driving your bike and met a serious accident?

·         Rina: what if we miss the bus? Mina: we will take a taxi.

·         The authority of DU cut ties with Pakistan what if the govt. of BD takes initiatives to cut off diplomatic relation with Pakistan?

What’s it like:

“What’s it like” is used to express the feelings or emotions of a person.

For Example:

·         What’s it like swimming in the sea? It seems very heroic to me.

·         I have never travelled by air What’s it like flying in the sky?

·         What’s it like Living in Bangladesh? you seem to be very happy with your friend in Bangladesh.

What does…….look like?

“What does…….look like?” is used to express the appearance of a person or an object.

For Example:

·         What does a peacock look like?

·         What does albatross look like?

·         What does the frozen mountain peak look like?

Introductory There:

“Introductory There” is used to express the existence of something.

For Example:

·         There lived a mighty warrior named Kubla Khan.

·         There lived a wise man but he was not known to all.

·         There are many rivers in Bangladesh. The rivers abound with plenty of fishes.

As if/As though:

“As if/As though” is used to express the similarity between two persons/objects.

Note:    i) Present Simple + As if/ as though   +Past Simple              ii) Past Simple+ As if/ as though + Past Perfect

For Example:

·         He always acts as if/as though he were smarter than anyone.

·         He talks as if/as though he knew everything.

·         He pretends as if/as though he were a mad.

As soon as:

“As soon as” is used to say that something  happens immediately after something else.

For Example:

·         The play will start as soon as the rain stops.

·         As soon as the mother heard the news, she cried loudly.

·         Panic seized me as soon as I heard his roaring voice.

No sooner had …than/Scarcely had …when/ hardly had …when or before

 “No sooner had ………than / Scarcely had ……when / hardly had …when or before” is used to say that something  happens immediately after something else.

For Example:

·         No sooner had the students seen their teacher than they entered the class.

·         Scarcely had the students seen their teacher when they entered the class.

·         Hardly had the students seen their teacher when or before they entered the class.

Used to:

“Used to” is used to express the past habits of a person.

For Example:

·         I used to swim in the river when I was a boy.

·         He used to do many harmful activities.

·         I used to bathe in the pond but now I have stopped.

It’s time/ It is high time:“It’s time/ It is high time” is used to say something in an emphatic way that it should happen or be done right now.

Past Simple Tense is used after it's time/it’s high time

Note to remember: If Subject is not used after it's time/ It is high time, infinitive form of verb is used after it’s time/ it’s high time.

For Example:

·         It’s time/ It is high time You left this place.

·         It’s time/ It is high time people stopped corruption.

·         It’s time/ It is high time to study seriously.

Unless:

Unless means the same as  ‘if… not’ (Negative if clause).

Unless is used  instead of  “if …not”  in conditional sentences of all types.For Example:

·         Unless he came, I would not go.

·         I would not help him unless he wanted.

·         Unless he studied seriously during home quarantine, he could not get chance in Dhaka University.

Would you mind:

“Would you mind” is used for asking politely for doing something.

Note: (Verb+ing) form is used after Would you mind.

For Example:

·         It is raining heavily. Would you mind closing the window?

·         Would you mind eating sea fish?

·         Would you mind taking tea with me?

Lest:

Lest is used in order to avoid/prevent the risk of happening something.

Note: Subject+ should/might is used after Lest.

For Example:

·         She studies hard lest she should get GPA 5.

·         Walk fast lest you should miss the train.

·         He climbed up a tree lest the bear might attack him.

In order that/so that:

“In order that / so that “ is used to indicate the purpose of an action.

For Example:

·         He studies medicine so that he may be a doctor.

·         We should keep the environment free from pollution in order that we may live a healthy life.

·         There are many obstacles in our way to success. We must work hard so that we can overcome those obstacles.

Till/ Until:

“ Till /Until” is used to indicate when something will happen, begin, or end.

Till can be used both in affirmative and negative sentences but Until is always used in affirmative sentences.

For Example:

·         Please wait here till/until I come back.

·         Rina waited until she got her result.

·         They waited till we did not reach the station.

With a view to:

 “With a view to” is used to suggest the purpose of an action. (Verb +ing ) is used after with a view to.

For Example:

·         He came to me with a view to drinking a glass of water.

·         All of us have to work hard with a view to achieving success.

·         They came to you with a view to saying sorry.

If:

First ConditionIf +Present Simple, Future Simple

For Example:

·         If we waste our time, all evil thoughts will crowd our brain.

·         If it rains, I will not go out.

·         If you waste your time, you will suffer in the long run.

Second ConditionIf+ Past Simple, Sub + would/could/might + base form of verb

For Example:

·         If he came, I would go

·         I would help him if he wanted

·         If he studied seriously during home quarantine, he would get chance in Dhaka University.

Third ConditionIf +Past Perfect, Sub + would have/could have/might have + Past Participle form of verb.  

For Example:

·         If I had seen him, I would have told him the matter.

·         If you had started earlier, you would not have missed the bus.

·         If I had been a king, I would have helped the poor.