Special problems you need to know

1. only

‘Only certain types of cases were recognized’

Adverbs of variable position, like ‘only’, nearly’, ‘just’ may be placed immediately in front of particular words when emphasizing them.

Examples: He lent it only to me (=not you)

He only lent it to me (= didn’t give it)

Exercise 1. Read the following sentences, putting in the given adverb.

1. He is a little boy (only), but he broke the window with his ball (nearly).

2. He isn’t late, but he was last time (nearly).

3. You can never prove it to be true because it isn’t so (just).

4. I am going for a walk (just).

5. Mary can swim now (nearly).

6. She has come in (just).

7. Civil cases have to be proved ‘on the balance of probabilities’ (only).

8. So far we have considered some divisions of law, and briefly discussed what is meant by law in general terms (only).

9. Local customs are an exception to the general law of the land, and will operate in that particular area (only).

2. Importance – subjunctive verbs

‘… the King ruled that equity should prevail’

Remember that the following verbs are used before that, (should) and the verb word clause to express importance.

ask propose

demand recommend

desire request

insist suggest

prefer urge

rule order

Exercise 2. Choose the incorrect word or phrase and correct it.

1. The doctor suggested that she will not smoke.

2. I propose that the vote is secret ballot.

3. The foreign student advisor recommended that she studied more English before enrolling at the university.

4. The law requires that everyone has his car checked at least once a year.

5. She insisted that they would give her a receipt.

6. Less moderate members of Congress are insisting that changes in the social security system are made.

3. Importance – nouns derived from subjunctive verbs

‘… that is an order that the defendant pay a sum of money to the plaintiff by way of compensation’.

Remember that the following nouns are used in this pattern:

demand recommendation

insistence request

preference requirement

proposal suggestion

rule order

The recommendation that we (should) be evaluated was approved.

Exercise 3. Choose the incorrect word or phrase and correct it

1. He complied with the requirement that all graduate students in education would write a thesis.

2. The committee refused the request that the prerequisite shall be waived.

3. She ignored the suggestion that she gets more exercise.

4. The terrorist’s demand that the airline provides a plane will not be met by the deadline.

5. He regretted not having followed his advisor’s recommendation that he dropping the class.

6. It is the recommendation of many psychologists that a learner to use mental images to associate words and remember names.