Separable Verbs

You can insert a noun or pronoun after the first word:

For example: “call back”

Noun: Call back John. = OK

Noun: Call John back. = OK

Pronoun: Call him back. = OK

 

ask in (to invite inside)

ask out (to invite on a date)

back away (to move away)

back down (to move back)

back off (to move back)

break down (to separate into basic parts)

break off (to snap; to cancel)

break in (a baseball glove)

break up (to separate)

bring about (a change)

Simple Past

FORM

[VERB+ed] or irregular verbs

Examples:

·       You called Debbie.

·       Did you call Debbie?

·       You did not call Debbie.

Complete List of Simple Past Forms

Completed Action in the Past

Use the Simple Past to express the idea that an action started and finished at a specific time in the past. Sometimes, the speaker may not actually mention the specific time, but they do have one specific time in mind.

Examples:

·       I saw a movie yesterday.

·       I didn't see a play yesterday.

·       Last year, I traveled to Japan.

·       Last year, I didn't travel to Korea.

·       Did you have dinner last night?

·       She washed her car.

·       He didn't wash his car.

Simple Present

FORM

[VERB] + s/es in third person

Examples:

·       You speak English.

·       Do you speak English?

·       You do not speak English.

Repeated Actions

Use the Simple Present to express the idea that an action is repeated or usual. The action can be a habit, a hobby, a daily event, a scheduled event or something that often happens. It can also be something a person often forgets or usually does not do.

Examples:

What is a relative clause?

We can use relative clauses to join two English sentences, or to give more information about something.

I bought a new car. It is very fast.
→ I bought a new car that is very fast.

She lives in New York. She likes living in New York.
→ She lives in New York, which she likes.

Defining and Non-defining

A defining relative clause tells which noun we are talking about:

• I like the woman who lives next door.
  (If I don’t say ‘who lives next door’, then we don’t know which woman I mean)

A non-defining relative clause gives us extra information about something. We don’t need this information to understand the sentence.

• I live in London, which has some fantastic parks.
  (Everybody knows where London is, ‘which has some fantastic parks’ is extra information)

English Pronunciation

By: Lynn Bo

1. What is an accent?

A. A carryover of speech sounds from your native language to your second language.

B. A speech or language disorder.

C. A personality trait/characteristic

2. Where should the tongue be when making the American /th/ sound?

A. behind the teeth

B. between the upper teeth and the bottom lip

C. between the teeth

D. Lying at the bottom of the mouth

Academic Writing

Instructions: To get started, click here and then on one of the Practice Topics on the left and read the introduction. Then click on the exercise links to do exercises.

Important: You should complete the Practice Topics activities before looking at the analysis of the sample essay.

Table of Contents:

TOPIC SENTENCES AND THEIR SUPPORT IN A PARAGRAPH

BUILDING A PARAGRAPH

INCORPORATING SOURCES WITHIN PARAGRAPHS

DIFFERENT TYPES OF PARAGRAPHS IN AN ESSAY

Introduction to Segmental Phonology: Consonant Table

The purpose of this page is to generate dynamic distinctive feature tables. It selects segments from the set of consonants currently found in the feature database based on three types of information: language specific phoneme sets, phonetic filters, and phonological filters. Use the three panels below to generate feature tables.

Introduction to Segmental Phonology: Consonant Table

Writing Styles and Standards in English

 

Most grammar and style books and references speak of various ways in which the language is used. We hear of standard English and nonstandard English. We hear of formal or informal speech. What do these terms mean, and how can they help us. (Note: sometimes the words standard and nonstandard are capitalized when used in this context. Whichever way you choose, be consistent.)

Where Does This Come From?

Different languages and cultures will look to various authorities to set standards for their language. In some cases there are none. Let me use a few illustrations from other lands and languages.
In China, the standard pronunciation for Mandarin Chinese is the dialect of the Xi'an region. This was an early capital of the China, and so most Chinese see it as closest to the origin of the language.
France established the French Academy to rule on what is proper in the French language. The Academy sets the standards, and the French textbooks follow them. Since the 1960's when most French colonies became independent, the French Academy has included members from former colonies so that the standards are applied as widely as possible.

Rules for Prepositions in, on, at, to

by Rick Shur

Basic Rules for Time

A. at a time

B. on a day

C. in a month (season, year, decade, century)

Basic Rules for Place

D. at an address

E. on a street

F. in an area (neighborhood, town, borough, state,
country, continent, ocean, world, universe)

Special Rules

1. look at and listen to

2. to with verbs of desire, necessity, expectation

love to, like to, hate to, want to, need to, have to,
hope
to, expect to

3. at night

in the morning, in the afternoon, in the evening

4. on transportation

on the bus, on the train, on the subway, on a plane,
on a
jet, on a ship, on a bicycle, on a motorcycle, on a
surfboard, on a
skateboard

Interjections

Hi! That's an interjection.

"Interjection" is a big name for a little word. Interjections are short exclamations like Oh!, Um or Ah! They have no real grammatical value but we use them quite often, usually more in speaking than in writing. When interjections are inserted into a sentence, they have no grammatical connection to the sentence. An interjection is sometimes followed by an exclamation mark (!) when written.

Here are some interjections with examples:

Nonprogressive Verbs

Although these verbs are happening at the present, in this very moment, they use simple present tense.  These verbs talk about or describe mental states, emotional states, possession, sense perceptions, or other existing states.

Verbs that change meaning according to tense:

I think you are nice. (Opinion)

I am thinking about that problem. (Action – considering)

She feels sick. (Health)

She is feeling the cat’s fur. (Action – touching)

I have a new car. (Possession)

Expressions with the progressive tense.

I am having a good time.  I am having lunch. (Eating)  I am having a baby.  I am having trouble with this.  I am having a party.

You look beautiful. She looks cold. (Perception)

I am looking for my keys. I am looking out the window. (Action)

This soup tastes wonderful. (Perception)

The cook is tasting the soup.  The chef is tasting the dish. (Action)

You appear to be ill. You look like you’re ill. (Perception)

He is appearing on stage in Vegas. (Action)

This soup smells great! (Perception)

Look at John.  He is smelling the roses. (Action)

He weighs too much. (State – condition)

He is weighing the vegetables. (Action)

I see the car. (Perception)

I am seeing a doctor. (Consulting/visiting) I am seeing Bob. (Dating)

He is a nice person.  (State – condition)

He is being nice. (Action = behaving; a temporary characteristic)

He is being foolish, nice, kind, lazy, careful, patient, silly, rude, polite, and impolite. (Some of the most common – expressions)

Nonprogressive Verbs or Nonaction Verbs

Exercise

The present continuous tense

The present continuous tense is used for two main types of action:

Here are some examples:

When you are sure you understand the topic clearly, you can click on "First exercise" to continue.

The simple present tense

The simple present tense is used for two main types of action:

Some examples will help to make this clearer:

The simple present tense is often confused with the present continuous tense.