Notice the element of repetition in the following sentences and decide whether it is acceptable or not. Give reasons in support of your opinion
- Democracy is the government of the people by the people for the people.
- Acceptable
Through the repetition the speaker has emphasized the importance of the people
- "I want to scale Mt. Everest I want to do scuba diving and I want to fly an aeroplane. Actually I want to do a lot of things before I die."
- Not Acceptable
The repetition ofT reveals the authors self-confidence. However the sentence could be rewritten avoiding unnecessary repetition ofwant to .and and
- New Delhi has many big big malls
- Acceptable
The repetition of big shows the speakers sense of wonder and emphasis
- In this article first I have tried to discuss the various causes of air-pollution. Then I have tried to discuss the various effects of air-pollution and finally I have tried to discuss various ways to reduce the amount of air-pollution
- Not acceptable
The repetition ofI have tried is annoying. He should have used it only once. It would have conveyed the same meaning. Secondly the repetition of air-pollution makes the sentence monotonous. The sentence would have looked good if it had been restructured using various pronouns
- "Ive failed."
- "Youve failed ? I cant believe this !"
- Acceptable
The repetition ofve failed shows the speakers sense of amazement
- The incident took place today at around 6 a.m. in the morning
- Not acceptable
The word a.m. is enough. After that in the morning is unnecessary
- Could you repeat that again please
- Not acceptable
The word repeat means again. To use the word again is annoying as its idea is there in repeat
- I am very very sorry
- Acceptable
The repetition ofvery enhances the effect
- I have planned a plan
- Not acceptable
The repetition of plan is ridiculous. The verb planned means it
- When I heard that she was staying at the Hotel Park View I decided to go to the Hotel Park View to meet her there
- Not acceptable
It is a waste of breath to use the Hotel Park View again. The speaker can easily use the word there when he uses it the second time
Read the following passages that describe a Herbal Doctor Mr Ved Prakash Goel?
- How many words have been used in each paragraph ?
Circle the words or phrases in paragraph B that replace words or phrases in paragraph A. Then join the corresponding circles with a line as shown in the example?
ans:See the paragraph A and B
Which of the two paragraphs makes better reading ? Why ? (Discuss in pairs and write your answer below)?
ans:Paragraph B makes better reading. To hear or read the same words repeatedly annoys a hearer or a reader. It is always good to use pronouns or some other words in their place if they can convey the same meanings. In paragraph B the author has done it and so it makes a better reading
Read the passage below. Underline the words that have been used to avoid repetition. Mark the words that have not been replaced or deleted with ?.
Note The words that have not been replaced or deleted are in circles
It was yet another escapade of Gopi and Gargi into the forest. The two were playing in the courtyard of the ruined castle when they heard strange sounds as if someone was ringing tiny bells in a temple. But there was none in the vicinity. They knew it. Then who was making those sounds ? Nothing of that sort had happened during any of their earlier visits. Was the castle haunted
[Were there any ghosts in it?] Suddenly this thought had a vice like grip on their minds
Naturally enough both were terrified but neither wanted to admit it. Presently the sounds became louder and louder and the duo would have fled had Gargis sharp eyes not caught a glimpse of a herd of goats grazing behind the thickets nearby. So those are the ghosts! said Gargi and both burst into laughter. They rushed to the spot to have a closer look and found that there were thirteen goats in all and each had a tiny brass bell dangling from its neck. Four (goats) were black and the rest were brown
ans: "Were there any ghosts in it ?" should be deleted; goats should be replaced by of them
D. Read Passage 1 below and then fill in the blanks in Passage 2 with one word each. You may choose words from the ones you underlined in the exercise C. Which makes a better reading-Passage 1 or Passage 2 ? Why
Passage 1
Moina and Debi are students of class IX. Moina and Debi are great friends although Moina and Debi dont study at the same school. Moina has never played cricket and Debi has never played cricket too but Moina and Debi are crazy about cricket. So far Moina and Debi have together watched ten international matches played by their country India. Four of these matches were played in different foreign countries and six of these matches were played in their country India
Surprisingly India has lost no match where Moina and Debi were present in the stands. Moina claims that she is more passionate about the game of cricket than Debi. Debi says she is more passionate about the game than Moina
Passage 2
Moina and Debi are students of class IX ...... are great friends although they dont study at the same school has ...... ever played any cricket but ...... are crazy about ...... especially one day matches. So far the ...... have watched 10 matches together all involving India. Surprisingly
India has lost ...... of them. Four of these matches were played in different foreign countries and the ...... in India ...... girl claims that she is more passionate about the game than the other
ans:They Neither they it two none rest Each
E. Ratna and Rajshree are two sisters. Ratna teaches English in a college and her sister Rajshree works in a bank. Rajshree is younger than Ratna. Ratna and Rajshree wear their hair long. Ratna likes eating ice-cream while Rajshree likes eating pastries. Ratna is not interested in sports. Rajshree is also not interested in sports. Rajshree is married to Utlam. Utlam is an engineer. Ratna is married to Sujit. Sujit is a businessman. Ratna has a daughter and a son. Rajshree has a daughter and a son too
Rewrite the passage above such that there is no unnecessary repetition in it
Ratna and Rajshree are two sisters. Ratna teaches English in a college and her sister Rajshree works in a hank. Rajshree is younger than Ratna. Both wear their hair long. Ratna likes eating ice-cream while Rajshree likes pastries. Neither is interested in sports. Rajshree is married to Utlam. He is an engineer. Ratna is married to Sujit. He is a businessman. Each has a daughter and a son
F. What do you think of repetition in the following passage ? Do you think all of it is had ? Can you improve the passage by removing instances of unnecessary repetition
Chores
- Chores ! Chores! Chores ! Chores are boring ! Scrubbing toilets cleaning sinks and washing bathtubs take up a lot of my time and are not fun at all
-
- Toilets ! When youre scrubbing toilets make sure they are not stinky. Ive scrubbed one before and I was lucky it didnt stink. I think toilets are one of the hardest things to scrub in the bathroom because it is hard to get up around the rim
- Sinks are one of the easiest things to clean in the bathroom because they have no rims and they are small. I have cleaned one before and it was pretty easy
- Bathtubs ever washed one ? They are big they are deep and it is hard to get up around the sides. The bathtub is the hardest I think to wash in the bathroom
- All chores are boring especially making my bed. Cleaning my room is OK because I have to organize and I like organizing. Dusting is the worst: dust set down pick up dust set down
- There are so many things to dust and its no fun.
Chores arent the worst but theyre definitely not the best!
Source : Teaching that Makes Sense
(http://www.ttms. org/writing_quality/writing_quality.htm)
ans:All of it is certainly not bad. However chores has been repeated four times in the first sentence. The 4th chores can be replaced by They. Last phrases in the 4th and 5th paragraph can be removed-in the bathroom and dust set down
We can rewrite using pronouns at appropriate places where repetition occurs
G. Substitution
1.We often use pronouns to make links between sentences and to avoid repetition?
Read the following extract from the story The Two Gentlemen of Verona
"Of course everything is so difficult now food so scarce and dear we could not keep going unless we charged a fee. But every week Lucias brothers have made their payment." She added simply "I do not know what they do I do not ask. Work is scarce in Verona. But whatever it is I know they do it well."
Work with your partner and answer these questions
- In the first line everything refers to
- In the first line everything refers to the things that are to be bought
- The phrase their payment (line 3) refers to
- The phrase their payment refers to the payment due to Lucias brothers.
- They in the third line refers to
- They refers to Lucias brothers
- The speaker says I do not ask. What does the speaker not ask ? Whom
- The speaker does not ask Lucias brothers what they do to earn the money
- Whatever it is. (line 4) Here it refers to
- It refers to the work Lucias brothers do
- Who do the pronouns T and She refer to
- Both T and She refer to the speaker
2.Substitution in formal writing?
Look at this piece of formal writing
The Deputy Commissioner and the Commissioner of Police were the Chief Guest and the Guest of Honour respectively. The former delivered the key note address and the latter gave away the prizes to the winners
Complete the following table using information from the text above
The Deputy Commissioner = the Chief Guest
The Commissioner of Police = Guest of Honour
The former = The Deputy Commissioner
The latter = The Commissioner of Police
Study the use of the words underlined in the text
- Why are they used
- They are used to avoid repetition
- Why do you think they are not commonly used in spoken English
- They are not commonly used in spoken English for the sake of clarity. They cause unnecessary strain on the listeners mind. The reader can go back to the previous sentence but not the hearer
Rewrite the following texts
Use the former the latter and respectively to avoid repetition
- Anand likes History and Joel likes Mathematics. It is interesting to note that Anand is the son of a Mathematics teacher while Joels father is a teacher of History
- Anand likes History and Joel likes Mathematics. It is interesting to note that the former is the son of a Mathematics teacher while the latters father is a teacher of History
- Seema the monitor of class IX and Ramesh the monitor of class X were asked to meet the Principal before they went home
- Seema and Ramesh the monitors of class IX and X respectively were asked to meet the Principal before they went home
3.Other types of substitution
Study the following sentences?
4Use any of the above types of substitution to improve the following sentences?
- Flendian Whalers killed more minkes in 2010 than they killed in 2000
- Flendian Whalers killed more minkes in 2010 than they did in 2000
- The fishermen were condemned for catching so many small fish. They said they caught so many small fish because they had to earn a living
- The fishermen were condemned for catching so many small fish. They said they did so because they had to earn a living
- The light racquet was ineffective but the heavy racquet was difficult to handle
- The light racquet was ineffective but the heavy one was difficult to handle
- The rains are very unpredictable in Shillong. We were advised to come prepared for rainy weather conditions
- The rains are very unpredictable in Shillong. We were advised to come prepared for them
- Mr Chopra entertained the guests very well. Mrs Chopra also entertained the guests very well
- Mr Chopra entertained the guests very well. So did Mrs Chopra
- What is lying outside in the garden
Its one of the two umbrellas we bought yesterday. Didnt you see the umbrella in the lobby
- Its one of the two umbrellas we bought yesterday. Didnt you see the one in the lobby
- A : "I wont stay away from school tomorrow."
- "I should hope you will not stay away from school tomorrow."
- "I wont stay away from school tomorrow
- "I should hope so.
5.Omission?
Sometimes we can avoid repetition by omitting certain words and phrases. Which words or phrases have been left out in the following examples ? Is the meaning in all of them clear in spite of the omission ?
Oil is not found in the north but copper is.
is = is found in the north
What has been omitted in the following sentences
- A : "Did she find out who had stolen her purse ?"
- B : "No she didnt."
- didnt = ____________________
- You take my book and Ill take Indus when she gets back
- Indus = ____________________
- If I dont get it to you tomorrow Ill send it the day after
- The day after = ____________________
- Firstly add four grams then another four then another four until the mixture has solidified
- Another four/ another = ____________________
- There were a number of graduates who were earning more than I was
- was = ____________________
- I think we need coaching more than they do
- do = ____________________
- A : "I can tell you what I know."
- B : "You neednt. Im not asking you to."
- neednt = ____________________
- to = ____________________
- A: "Do you visit the doctor regularly
- B: "No I cant afford to."
- to = ____________________
ans:
- = didnt find out who had stolen her purse
- = Indus book
- = The day after tomorrow
- = another four grams
- = was earning
- = need coaching
- = neednt tell me what you know = to tell me what you know
- = to visit the doctor regularly
6.Complete the following conversation between two sisters with suitable substitute words?
- Mitali : Did you buy the dress you had seen in the shop
- Chetali : No I _______
- Mitali : But why ? You liked _______ didnt you
- Chetali : I had second thoughts about it. Well I thought I would wear one of _______ instead
- You have so many of them in your wardrobe
- Mitali : I _______ but _______ are all designer dresses unlike the cheap stuff you wear and I am
- not going to let you touch _______ of them. Do you understand
- Chetali : Thats not fair
- Mitali : It _______. Everyone should wear their own dresses. So youd better go and bnv that
- dress before someone else _______
Go back to the Unit 8 on Comparisons. Where can you find examples of substitution and omission in it