Pictures
Session 1, 30 April 2019
Most of you said, they wanted to improve their communication skills, based on good grammatical foundations. Therefore, two main foci will be grammar, and vocabulary.
Language is made up of various aspects, its main two pillars being grammar and vocabulary. It is possible to generate meaning without grammar: "Yesterday. Pub. Friends. Good times." is a sentence that can be fully understood. To make meaningful sentences without proper vocabulary, on the other hand, is not reasonable: "Your table ate my cat.".
Session 2, 7 May 2019
Simple mode focusses on a fact, a habit, a routine, around the time speaking.
Continuous (progressive) mode focusses on an action, or process, at the time speaking.
The present simple describes facts and regularities around now.
Fact: Water boils at 100°C.
Habit: I usually drink water.
Regularity: Every morning I get up at 6am.
Key words: they force us to use simple mode.
The present continuous describes processes happening around the time speaking.
Small: I am reading this (right now).
Big: I am reading an interesting book (at the moment).
Spelling rules are also pronunciation rules, and vice versa.
See the grammar section for spelling rules.
Higher Writing Test Part 2: Report
We looked at titles, functional vocabulary and phrases (see SB p77), linking words (and how they basically work), the report structure, paragraphs, sentences, and verb tenses.
See the writing section for mor input.
Session 3, 21 May 2019
The past simple is used to make facts about the past, e.g. telling a story.
Regular verbs take the ending -ed (walked, lied, hammered, etc.).
Irregular verbs can be categorized into three groups:
1.) no change: cut - cut - cut
2.) 1 change: buy - bought - bought
3.) 2 changes:
3a) break - broke - broken
3b) take - took - taken
The past continuous is used to describe ongoing actions (processes) in the past:
'Yesterday at 7 I was eating dinner.' means that I started eating before 7, and ended eating dinner after seven. If an ongoing process in the past is interrupted by a new element to the story, this is signalled by the use of the past simple form: 'When I was eating dinner, the telephone rang.'
See grammar for irregular verbs and exercises.
Session 4, 6 June 2019
Example sentences:
1.) I have lost my key. (result: I don't have a key now.)
2.) We have just bought a house. (result: we own a house now.)
3.) This is the first time I have driven a car.
Example sentences:
1.) Paul has been learning English for three years. (he is still learning)
2.) I have been trying to call her the whole morning. (assumingly unsuccessful attempt; recently stopped)
Session 5, 18 June 2019
will-future
a) spontaneous decisions/offers: I'll help with your homework.
b) expectations: I'll be in the office at 9.
c) weather forecast: It will be sunny at the weekend.
The use of will-future indicates that the future is only likely to happen and, therefore, also likely not to happen.
going to-future
a) decisions: I'm going to live in Canada next year.
(=I have decided to do so, so I know this is going to happen.)
b) knowledge & experience: He is not going to give you your money back. (=I have made some experience with this person, so I can tell.)
Links concerning your homework
1.) go to grammar section
2.) go to grammar section
3.) go to vocabulary section
4.) check your note books ;-)
Session 7, 6 August 2019
Session 8, 10 August 2019
Defining relative clauses define the noun (house) or noun phrase (this beautiful house) directly before the noun and do not use commas. In the example, 'house' is defined by having green blinds, in contrast to the ones having blue blinds.
Non-defining relative clauses do not define but give extra information. Therefore, 'My brother' is defined by being an architect an not by living in Hong Kong. The extra information is to be found after or between commas.
In relative clauses we use relative pronouns to make reference to persons, things, concepts or places. Relative pronouns signal the beginning of the subordinate relative clause. 'That' is not used in non-defining relative clauses.
The first sentence, without commas, is defining. This means that only girls with skirts are nice. (Girls not wearing skirts are not nice.)
The second sentence, with commas, is non-defining. In this sentence, all girls are nice, and they may wear skirts.
The BEC Higher Reading Test lasts 60 minutes and consists of six parts. The three first parts we have looked at. You can find more tests in Reading.
Writing formal letters (or emails) is the second part of the BEC Higher Writing Test. The word limit of 200-250 words must be met. You can find more writings in Writing.
Session 9, 27 August 2019
Session 10, 12 September 2019
Session 11, 26 September 2019
Session 12, 28 September 2019
