Lesson 158--Interesting English

 

 

As English teachers we often try to make something slightly complicated much easier for students to understand.  This is not always a good thing.  My students often quote their teacher and tell me that a comes before countable nouns that start with a consonant and an before countable nouns that start with a vowel.

This sounds like a good rule, but isn't.  It isn't starting with a vowel, but starting with a vowel sound.  The following are some examples which prove this.

a university

a uniform

Despite starting with a vowel, the starting sound is a consonant sound.

an hour

an honour

an MBA

an NBA player

an FBI agent

Despite starting with a consonant, the starting sound in a vowel sound.

Lesson 157--In spite of and although (and their friends)

Taking a look at some connectors.

 

Learning how to use connectors is vital (very important) in English.  This lesson, like the last one, will tackle some of these.  Today's are

 

despite, in spite of	+ noun/gerund
even though, though, although	+ clause

 

All of these words connect a contrast, or unexpected connection.

examples

despite and in spite of function the same.

Despite the weather, I wasn't cold.

In spite of the weather, I wasn't cold.

notice a change in punctuation when the clauses are reversed (the meaning has not changed).

I wasn't cold despite the weather.

I wasn't cold in spite of the weather.

For the most part although, though, and even though function the same.

 

Although it was raining, I didn't get wet.

Even though it was raining, I didn't get wet.

Though it was raining, I didn't get wet.

notice a change in punctuation when the clauses are reversed (the meaning has not changed).

I didn't get wet although it was raining.

I didn't get wet even though it was raining.

I didn't get wet though it was raining.

Lesson 156--Because vs Because of

Taking a look at some connectors.

 

Learning how to use connectors is vital (very important) in English.  The next couple of lessons will tackle some of these.

The first is because and because of (and due to).  While they look very similar, and they both explain a cause or reason, they function very differently.

Because + clause           

Because of + noun/gerund.

Due to + noun/gerund.

 

Note the different punctuation when the clauses are reversed.

I was late because there was a delay on the subway.

Because there was a delay on the subway, I was late.

I was late because of a subway delay.

Because of a subway delay, I was late.

I was late due to a subway delay.

Due to a subway delay, I was late.

 

Quiz

Make equivalent sentences.  Click on the text marked quiz answers to access the site with the answers.

 

Because of the rain, I got really wet.

I got soaked_______________it was raining.

 

I was late because I overslept.

____________ to my oversleeping, I was late.

 

I skipped breakfast because I felt sick.

I skipped breakfast ______of my sick feeling.

 

Because I got good marks, my father bought me a car.

My father bought me a car____________my _____________.

Lesson 155--Describing probability

 

There are lots of ways of saying something may or may not happen.  In today's lesson, we will look at several of them.  I have indicated both strong and weak probability in the sentences.  Pay attention to the differences in singular and plural.

 

The chances of that happening are low/high.

The chance of that happening is low/high.

The odds of that happening are low/high.

The probability of that happening is low/high.

The possibility of that happening is low/high

The likelihood of that happening is low/high.

That will/won't likely happen.

That is/isn't likely to happen.

examples

The chances of Jim winning the lottery are low.

The odds of Maria being home are low.

Lesson 154--Stalling for Time (part two)

 

 

Sometimes, when you want to ask something, but need a little bit of time to get it right, you can employ some stalling tactics.  Most of you already know the popular "er, uhmmm, well, and other noises.  The second lesson in this series is focused on longer sentences--which will give you more time to think about what you want to ask.  I hope you find them useful.  Use these sentences before you ask your question if you need time to form your question.

 

Pre Questions

Let me ask you something.

Let me ask you one thing.

I've got a question.

I've got a few questions.

There's one question I've got to ask.

Let me just ask you a few questions.

Let me get this straight.

There's something I want to know (first).

There are a few things that I want to know.

What I want to know is......

What I would like to ask you is.....

Lesson 153--Stalling for Time (part one)

 

Sometimes, when you want to say something, but need a little bit of time to get it right, you can employ some stalling tactics.  Most of you already know the popular "er, uhmmm, well, and other noises.  We call them filler words.  Today's lesson is focused on longer sentences--which will give you even more time to think about what you want to say.

Use the following sentences while you are thinking about what you want to say.

Statements

Let me tell you something.

Let me tell you one thing.

Let's just get this straight.

Let me explain something to you.

Let me just make one thing clear.

Let me just make something clear.

Let me make something perfectly clear.

I've got something to say.

I've got something to tell you.

Listen to what I am going to tell you.

Confusion

I think my statistics counter is not working.  It says nobody checked their results from the quiz.  Is that true?  Did you have difficulty finding them?  Let me know so I can correct the problem.

If you didn't do the quiz, take some time to try it.  If you have any questions, do not hesitate to put them in the comment box.

Lesson 152--Phrasal Verb Quiz

Phrasal Verb Quiz

 

Choose the best phrasal verb for your answer.  When you are done, click on the Quiz Answers link in the top right corner of this blog to check your answers.  Remember to check you answers because some of them might surprise you.

 

1. I went to the station to __________ my friend.

a) pick out b) pick apart c) pick up

2. To fix my computer I had to ___________ my hard drive.

a) take off b) take apart c) take up

3.  When Maria no longer loved Peter she ________ the wedding.

a) called off b) called on c) called for

4. Bob asked his daughter to __________ the town.

a) show her cousin off b) show her cousin to c) show her cousin around

5. Santiago ________ doing his homework.

a) put off b) put back c) put away

6. Pablo ____________ the job offer because the salary was too low.

a) turned down b) turned away c) turned off

7. The police _________ the bank robbery.

a) looked forward to b) looked after c) looked into

8. After failing his exam, Peter _______ his PS4.

a) gave up b) gave into c) gave out

9. Madeline _______ flour while she was baking cookies.

a) ran into b) ran away from c) ran out of

10.  After dinner the children_______ to their homework.

a) got hold of b) got away with c) got down to

Lesson 151--Words like can

In English there are lots of ways to say the same thing.  For today's blog I have decided to show you a few of them.  While they mean the same thing, you should note that the grammatical structure of the sentences are quite different.

 

I can play the guitar.  (can + base form)

I am able to play the guitar. (be able to + base form)

I am capable of playing the guitar. (capable of + gerund or noun)

I have the ability to play the guitar. (have the ability to + base form)

I know how to play the guitar. (know how to + base form)

Lesson 150--Useful Vocabulary

A Step in the Right Direction

 

meaning:         progress toward some goal

                        something positive

 

Jimmy wanted to lose 20Kgs, so losing 5Kgs was a step in the right direction.

Joining the gym was a step in the right direction, but going every day was an even better one.

collocations

take a step in the right direction

Lesson 149--Using the word stay

Stay + adjectives

 

 

to use stay this way means to maintain/keep that same feeling or attitude

 

List

stay calm

stay awake

stay still

stay happy

stay alive

stay hungry

stay below

 examples

 

The temperature is expected to stay below zero degrees.
Jimmy stayed awake all night waiting for his friend.
The Colonel told him to stay still and not move.
It was a tense moment, but Jennifer stayed calm.

Lesson 148--sleeping in vs oversleeping

sleep in versus oversleep

 

to sleep in means to purposefully sleep longer than normal.

examples

I always sleep in on Sunday.

Marsha had nothing to do on Saturday, so she slept in.

Greg works hard but loves sleeping in when he can.

 

to oversleep means to sleep later than you intended, and probably means that you probably missed something.

 

examples

Bob overslept and was late for work.

Oversleeping caused Jim to lose his job.

James set the alarm, but was so tired that he overslept.

Lesson 147--Get Someone's Attention

A great phrasal verb that you should know is

 

Get someone's attention/catch someone's attention

examples

I got waiter's attention when I was ready to order.
Jimmy tried to get the teacher's attention during the test.
Maria caught everyone's attention when she entered the dance.  Her dress was amazing.
It was so noisy that Greg had to shout to get the bartender's attention.

related vocabulary

attention getting/ attention grabbing (adjective)
attention getter/ attention grabber (noun)

Lesson 146--improvising

 

 

Sometimes you need to explain that you don't have a plan or that you are going to improvise.  These are some expressions which can be used to explain that.

do it on the fly

With no time to rehearse their story, they decided to do it on the fly.

Jimmy didn't bother writing a speech.  He decided to do it on the fly.

make it up as you go

There is no script for the play.  They just make it up as they go along.

Lesson 145--Grammar of New Year's Resolutions

New Year's Day is a good day to make resolutions.  The grammar for this is pretty straightforward.  You need to use the future tense.

 

In the new year, I will eat better.

In 2014, I will do all my homework.

 

If you want to impress your teacher (or the English speaker in your life) you might consider using the Future Perfect

By the end of 2014 + will+past participle

 

By the end of 2014, I will have lost 5kgs.

By the end of 2014, I will have read 4 English novels.

By the end of 2014, I will have learned English fluently.

Give it a try.  Your teacher will definitely be impressed.