This document provides an overview and guidelines for an English proficiency seminar aimed at promoting unity and professional development. It covers topics such as subject-verb agreement rules, correct usage of commonly confused words, methods of speech delivery including welcome speeches and closing remarks, and writing the basic business letter. For subject-verb agreement, 11 rules are outlined. Common errors in word usage such as your/you're and its/it's are explained. Forms of speeches including welcome, opening remarks, inspirational, and closing are defined. Guidelines are provided for writing business letters, including the sender's address, date, inside address, salutation, body, closing, and enclosures. Block, modified block, and semi-block letter

1. ENGLISH
PROFICIENCY
SEMINAR
For MPRE: Promoting UnityTowards Professional and
Interpersonal Growth and Development
Prepared by: English Department

2. TOPICS:
Part I: Subject – Verb Agreement
Part II: Correct Usage
Part III: Methods of Speech Delivery
Part IV: Writing the Basic Business Letter
Part V: Phonetics
2

3. SUBJECT – VERB
AGREEMENT RULES

4. Rule 1
If the subject is singular, the verb must be singular too.
Ex:
She writes every day.
The participant expressed satisfaction with their
job. They are currently in a managerial role at the
organization.

5. Rule 2
If the subject is plural, the verb must also be plural.
Example:
They write every day.

6. Rule 3
• When the subject of the sentence is composed of two or more
nouns or pronouns connected by and, use a plural verb.
Example:
The doctoral student and the committee
members write every day.
The percentage of employees who called in
sick and the number of employees who left their jobs
within 2 years are reflective of the level of job satisfaction.

7. Rule 4
• When there is one subject and more than one verb, the verbs
throughout the sentence must agree with the subject.
Ex:
Interviews are one way to collect data
and allow researchers to gain an in-depth
understanding of participants.
An assumption is something that is generally accepted as
true and is an important consideration when conducting
a doctoral study.

8. Rule 5
• When a phrase comes between the subject and the verb, remember
that the verb still agrees with the subject, not the noun or pronoun in
the phrase following the subject of the sentence.
Example:
The student, as well as the committee members, is excited.
The student with all the master’s degrees is very motivated.
Strategies that the teacher uses to encourage classroom
participation include using small groups and clarifying
expectations.
The focus of the interviews was nine purposively selected
participants.

9. Rule 6
•When two or more singular nouns or pronouns are
connected by "or" or "nor," use a singular verb.
Example:
The chairperson or the CEO approves the proposal
before proceeding.

10. Rule 7
• When a compound subject contains both a singular and a
plural noun or pronoun joined by "or" or "nor," the verb
should agree with the part of the subject that is closest to the
verb. This is also called the rule of proximity.
Example:
The student or the committee members write every
day.
The committee members or the student writes every
day.

11. Rule 8
• The words and phrases "each," "each one," "either," "neither,"
"everyone," "everybody," "anyone," "anybody," "nobody,"
"somebody," "someone," and "no one" are singular and
require a singular verb.
Example:
“Each of the participants was willing to be recorded.”
“Neither alternative hypothesis was accepted.”
“I will offer a $5 gift card
to everybody who participates in the study.”
“No one was available to meet with me at the preferred
times.”

12. Rule 9
•Noncount nouns take a singular verb.
Example:
Education is the key to success.
Diabetes affects many people around the world.
The information obtained from the business
owners was relevant to include in the study.
The research I found on the topic was limited.

13. Rule 10
•Some countable nouns in English such as earnings, goods,
odds, surroundings, proceeds, contents, and valuables only
have a plural form and take a plural verb.
Example:
The earnings for this quarter exceed expectations.
The proceeds from the sale go to support the
homeless population in the city.
Locally produced goods have the advantage of
shorter supply chains.

14. Rule 11
•In sentences beginning with "there is" or "there are," the
subject follows the verb. Since "there" is not the subject,
the verb agrees with what follows the verb.
Example:
There is little administrative support.
There are many factors affecting teacher retention.

15. Rule 12
•Collective nouns are words that imply more than one
person but are considered singular and take a singular
verb. Some examples are "group," "team," "committee,"
"family," and "class”.
Example:
The group meets every week.
The committee agrees on the quality of the writing.

16. LET’S PRACTICE!

17. Choose the sentence in which the subject and verb agree.
A) This singer, along with a few others, play the
harmonica on stage.
B) This singer, along with a few others, plays the
harmonica on stage.

18. Choose the sentence in which the subject and verb agree.
A) Either Cassie or Marie pays the employees this
afternoon.
B) Either Cassie or Marie pay the employees this
afternoon.

19. Choose the sentence in which the subject and verb agree.
A) Either the sculpture or the paintings are in the
museum today.
B) Either the sculpture or the paintings is in the
museum today.

20. Choose the sentence in which the subject and verb agree.
A) Each of the dancers twirls brilliantly.
B) Each of the dancers twirl brilliantly.

21. Choose the sentence in which the subject and verb agree.
A) Everybody at the party was enjoying the food.
B) Everybody at the party were enjoying the food.

22. CORRECT USAGE

23. YOUR
The word ‘your’ is a
possessive adjective. It refers
to, or is associated with the
person or people that the
speaker is speaking to.
“Your keys are on the table.”
YOU’RE
‘You’re’ is the contraction of
‘you are’.
“I know you’re a doctor.”

24. IT’S ITS
Its is the possessive form of
it and denotes ownership of
or belonging to.
“The cat hissed when the dog
stole its catnip.”
It’s is a contraction meaning
it is or it has.
“It’s not your fault if she
doesn’t show up to the meeting
in time.”

25. TO TOO
To is a very common word
that performs many
different functions, such as
expressing direction and
indicating an object or
recipient
“I’m driving to the office.”
Too means “also” or “to an
excessive degree”
“I’m going, too”
“too much”

26. WHO WHOM
Who should be used to refer
to the subject of a sentence.
“Who would like to go on
vacation?”
Whom should be used to
refer to the object of a verb
or preposition.
“To whom was the letter
addressed?”

27. ADVICE ADVISE
“advice” (with a C) is a
noun: an opinion or
recommendation offered as
a guide to action
“The blog gives good advice
for first home buyers. “
“advise” (with an S) is a
verb, which means to
recommend, or to give
information to someone
“Please advise her to stop
smoking, as she refuses to listen
to me.”

28. IN BEHALF ON BEHALF
In behalf of means “for the
benefit, advantage, or
interest of” in acting as an
agent, friend, or benefactor.
“Mrs. Brown offers much in
behalf of her students to help
them receive scholarships.”
On behalf of means “as the
agent of,” “in place of,” or “on
the part of.” Another way to
think of it is “as representing”
someone or something.
“On behalf of all who couldn’t
be here tonight, I want to say
thank you for your support.

29. FILL IN FILL OUT FILL UP
It is used to mean these:
-supply something that’s
missing.
-enter something (one
field or a few fields only;
not the whole form) on a
form.
-substitute for an absent
colleague at work.
“Please fill in the blanks
on the Test A of your
exam.”
It means to complete a
form or a survey by
supplying the needed
information.
“Please fill out the
document and send to me
after you are done with all
the information being
asked.”
It means to make full or
fill a container (or
anything) with
something up.
“The gasoline boy filled up
the tank with gasoline.”

30. IN ON AT
“In” usually refers to
period of time.
“I was born in 1986.”
“He'll visit them in
October.”
“The ski resort is closed in
summer.”
“on” is used with dates
and named days of the
week.
“We're going to the theatre
on Wednesday evening.”
“Let's have a coffee on
Friday morning.”
“It's his birthday on
Saturday.”
“At” is used in reference
to specific times on the
clock or points of time in
the day.
“The train arrives at 3:30.”
“I’m going shopping at
lunchtime.”

31. THEIR THERE THEY’RE
The word their is the
possessive form of the
pronoun they. Often
followed by a noun, their
indicates ownership and
describes something
owned by one or more
persons.
Someone left their purse on
the subway.
There is often used to
denote a specific
location.
“We will meet there after
work and head to the
concert together.”
Last but not least, they’re
is a contraction that
means “they are.”
“Did you hear they’re both
retiring after this school
year?”

32. LET’S PRACTICE!

33. YOUR or YOU’RE
What happened to _______ cat?
I know _______ a doctor.
your
you’re

34. ITS or IT’S
Even though the house was run-down,
_____ still had its charms.
He misplaced the dog’s leash, but he
thinks _____in his car.
its
it’s

35. ADVICE or ADVISE
It is best to get legal ______ from your
lawyer before you take any legal
action.
My teachers ______ us to revise our
subjects regularly.
advice
advise

36. FILL IN, FILL OUT or FILL UP
Mom said, “Don’t ______ your stomach
with junk food!”
“Please ______ the name field on this
form.”
fill up
fill in

37. IN, ON OR AT
The meeting will finish ____ 5:30.
He grew up ___ the seventies. That's the
period of time between 1970 and 1980.
The interview is ____ the 29th of April.
at
in
on

38. THEIR, THEY’RE OR THERE
______ isn’t enough time.
______ group doesn’t have enough time.
______ running out of time.
There
Their
They’re

39. FORMS OF
SPEECHES

40. WELCOME
SPEECH

41. •How to write a Welcome
Speech
•The person who is writing the
welcome speech should write each
speech in a unique manner so that
the people feel good about the host.

42. •Writing a proper welcome speech to
everyone makes everyone feel
wanted, and each person is given
importance.
•The purpose of writing a welcome
speech inspires people who have
come to the host’s place.

44. OPENING
REMARKS

45. •The opening remarks are what entice
the audience to listen with interest or
not want to participate at all.
•Give this, short opening remarks for a
program are quite significant and
should be both lengthy enough to
appropriately address everyone in the
room and concise enough to avoid
boredom.

46. Example
Distinguished members, Dear colleagues,
On behalf of Secretary-General António Guterres, it is a pleasure to welcome
you today.
As you know, the Department of Economic and Social Affairs (UNDESA) co-
chairs the UN interagency task team on science, technology and innovation
for the SDGs, and it is also my pleasure to welcome you in my capacity as
USG of DESA…
We look forward to your insightful moderating of the panels at the Forum to
help drive towards these conclusions.
We also look forward to your insights from your own experience – as well as
from your participation in the exhibition and other events – to help take
forward the work of the TFM.

47. Inspirational speech
It is a kind of speech that persuades or convinces
people that they can succeed and win in life.
Inspirational speeches would often include success
and uplifting stories and real-life situations and
experiences that the speaker thinks the people
listening to it will be moved and inspired to do
greater and better things in their life.

48. Example
Lately, times have been tough. We have seen resources go down and
workloads go up, we have seen uncertainty rise.
We have all sacrificed. We have given up time with our families; our
work has cut into our personal lives, we have lost our sense of
balance. I know some of us come to work every day filled with fear,
resignation, and doubt…
The best we can do in challenging times is appreciate each other and
celebrate what we have accomplished. Know that despite our
challenges, we are still making a difference.

49. Closing remarks
It is the last sentence, paragraph or concluding part
of your speech or presentation. They are also referred
to as 'concluding remarks'. In a speech/presentation,
the outset and the conclusion are 2 essentials. It
leaves an impact on the audience and makes your
speech/presentation eloquent.

50. Example

51. WRITING THE
BASIC BUSINESS
LETTER

52. SENDER'S ADDRESS
The sender's address usually is included in letterhead. If
you are not using letterhead, include the sender's address
at the top of the letter one line above the date. Do not
write the sender's name or title, as it is included in the
letter's closing. Include only the street address, city, and
zip code.

53. DATE
The date line is used to indicate the date the letter was
written. However, if your letter is completed over a
number of days, use the date it was finished in the date
line.

54. INSIDE ADDRESS
The inside address is the recipient's address. It is always
best to write to a specific individual at the firm to which
you are writing. If you do not have the person's name, do
some research by calling the company or speaking with
employees from the company.

55. SALUTATION
Use the same name as the inside address, including the
personal title. If you know the person and typically
address them by their first name, it is acceptable to use
only the first name in the salutation (for example: Dear
Lucy:)

56. BODY
For block and modified block formats, single space and left
justify each paragraph within the body of the letter. Leave a
blank line between each paragraph. When writing a business
letter, be careful to remember that conciseness is very
important. In the first paragraph, consider a friendly opening
and then a statement of the main point. The next paragraph
should begin justifying the importance of the main point. In
the next few paragraphs, continue justification with
background information and supporting details. The closing
paragraph should restate the purpose of the letter and, in
some cases, request some type of action.

57. CLOSING
The closing begins at the same vertical point as your date
and one line after the last body paragraph. Capitalize the
first word only (for example: Thank you) and leave four
lines between the closing and the sender's name for a
signature. If a colon follows the salutation, a comma
should follow the closing; otherwise, there is no
punctuation after the closing.

58. ENCLOSURE
If you have enclosed any documents along with the letter,
such as a resume, you indicate this simply by typing
Enclosures below the closing. As an option, you may list
the name of each document you are including in the
envelope. For instance, if you have included many
documents and need to ensure that the recipient is aware
of each document, it may be a good idea to list the names.

59. A NOTE ABOUT
FORMAT AND FONT IN
BUSINESS LETTERS

60. BLOCK FORMAT
When writing business letters, you must pay special
attention to the format and font used. The most common
layout of a business letter is known as block format. Using
this format, the entire letter is left justified and single
spaced except for a double space between paragraphs.

63. MODIFIED BLOCK
Another widely utilized format is known as modified
block format. In this type, the body of the letter and the
sender's and recipient's addresses are left justified and
single-spaced. However, for the date and closing, tab to
the center point and begin to type.

66. SEMI BLOCK
The final, and least used, style is semi-block. It is much
like the modified block style except that each paragraph is
indented instead of left justified.
Keep in mind that different organizations have different
format requirements for their professional
communication. The format of your business letter may
need to be flexible to reflect variables like letterheads and
templates. The examples presented are merely guides.

69. FONTS
Another important factor in the readability of a letter is the
font. The generally accepted font is Times New Roman,
size 12, although other fonts such as Arial may be used.
When choosing a font, always consider your audience. If
you are writing to a conservative company, you may want
to use Times New Roman. However, if you are writing to
a more liberal company, you have a little more freedom
when choosing fonts.

70. PHONETICS

71. TONGUE TWISTER
Tom threw Tim three thumbtacks

72. She sells seashells by the seashore

73. How much wood would a woodchuck chuck
if a woodchuck could chuck wood?
He would chuck, he would, as much as he
could, and chuck as much wood
As a woodchuck would if a woodchuck
could chuck wood

74. I thought a thought.
But the thought I thought
Wasn’t the thought I thought I thought.
If the thought I thought I thought,
Had been the thought I thought,
I wouldn’t have thought I thought.

76. Minekaniko nang mekaniko ni Monico
ang makina nang manika ni Monica.

77. Pitumpu’t pitong puting putong
ipinirito ng puting patong papito-pito

78. Nakakapagpabagabag kapag
kinakabag ka.

79. Thank you!
79