Monthly Archives: March 2013

Crossword – Irregular Verbs 14

Posted on 2013/03/24
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irregular14
Across
1 After examining the wound, the doctor (rebind) the patient’s arm. (7)
3 The peasant was happy that the nobleman (forgive) him all his debt. (7)
5 Everyone who (partake) of the secret ceremony was arrested and tried for heresy. (7)
7 At the end of the western, the cowboy (ride) on his horse off into the sunset. (4)
8 (Do) you remember to return your library book? (3)
10 My father (teach) me how to change the oil in my car. (6)
11 The baron (overeat) at the sumptuous feast and became very ill. (7)
12 The judge ordered the thief to make restitution for all the money he had (steal). (6)
14 The tutor would not let the pupil rest until he had (relearn) all the vocabulary he had forgotten. (8)
15 I (bet) my money on the bob-tail nag, somebody (bet) on the bay! (3)
16 The secretary felt bad because her boss had (misunderstand) the point she was trying to make. (13)
18 Goldilocks (sit) on Baby Bear’s chair, and it broke into pieces. (3)
21 Mother was unhappy that dandelions and other weeds (overrun) her garden. (7)
23 The petals (strew) about the aisle by the flower girl created a beautiful, floral carpet for the bride to march down. (6)
26 When Jack (outgrow) the Sunday suit Grandmother had bought him, his mother sold it at a garage sale. (7)
28 Courtney (win) her third chess game against Michael. (3)
29 The baby is too young to eat by himself, so he must be spoon-(feed). (5-3)
30 The children (dig) in the garden, looking for fishing worms. (3)

Down
2 The wounded soldier (bleed) to death before the medics could tend to his wounds. (4)
3 The dress Mother sewed for Aunt Polly (fit) her perfectly. (3)
4 The recipe says to coat the dough with (beat) egg to produce a shiny crust. (6)
5 In college Father (proofread) papers to earn some spending money. (9)
6 The email had to be (resend) because the agent claimed he hadn’t received it. (6)
8 As a boy, Grandfather (daydream) about having his own restaurant. (9)
9 The company that always lets itself be (undercut) by the competition will not survive. (8)
10 The experimental aircraft was test-(fly) several times to determine weak points that needed refining. (4-5)
13 (Leave) to their own devices, the leaderless group of boys constantly got into trouble. (4)
15 As the twig is (bend), so is the tree inclined. (4)
17 We have (strive) long and hard to win this contest. (7)
18 Has little Tommy Tucker (sing) for his supper? (4)
19 When I crawled under the barbed wire fence, I (tear) a large hole in my pants. (4)
20 Have you (set) the table for supper yet? (3)
22 We (arise) early and left on our trip before the sun was even up. (5)
23 Millions of people (see) the shooting on live TV. (3)
24 He has (run) in the Boston Marathon, so he must be a top athlete. (3)
25 Do you think the English test (be) easy, or hard? (3)
27 The Pied Piper (rid) the town of Hamlin of its rats. (3)

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Idiom Focus: Common English Idioms 19

Posted on 2013/03/23
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Every Saturday I’ll give you a couple of idioms to learn.  An idiom is a saying or phrase whose meaning cannot be taken from the literal meanings of the words.  Currently, we’re looking at some common English idioms.

miss the boat:  miss an opportunity, too late to take advantage of something

Example:

I should have gone to medical school and become a doctor.  I really missed the boat on that one.

next to nothing:  very inexpensive

Example:

There’s a great sale at the sporting goods store.  I got these skis for next to nothing.

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Grammar Basics: Unit 62 – Whose is this? It’s mine / yours, etc. (Solution)

Posted on 2013/03/22
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Exercises.  Complete the following sentences, using one of the possessive pronouns:  mine, ours, yours, his, hers, theirs.

Example:

These are my shoes.  They’re _______. ==> These are my shoes.  They’re mine.

1.    This is my sandwich.  It’s mine.
2.    That is our dog.  It’s ours.
3.    This is your sweater.  It’s yours.
4.    These are his books.  They’re his.
5.    That is their car.  It’s theirs.
6.    These are her sunglasses.  They’re hers.
7.    That is their house.  It’s theirs.
8.    This is our new sofa.  It’s ours.
9.    That’s my laptop.  It’s mine.
10.    This is your pen.  It’s yours.
11.    That is his cell phone.  It’s his.
12.    Those are her gym shoes.  They’re hers.

 

Exercises.  Choose the right form of the possessive.

Example:

Those are not (my/mine) shoes.  (My/Mine) are brown. ==> Those are not my shoes.  Mine are brown.

1.    I’ve met her parents, but I don’t know their names.
2.    At whose house do you want to have the surprise party?  Yours or ours?
3.    Be sure to take your project home.  I’ve got mine.
4.    My dog is smarter than yours.
5.    I took the money out of my pocket and put it in her purse.
6.    The Smiths had some old books, so we sold theirs, along with ours, at a garage sale.
7.    Whose backpack is this?  Yours or hers?
8.    The Jones send their children to camp every summer.
9.    The teacher reminded us to bring all our books home to study over the holidays.
10.    Your garden is bigger than mine, isn’t it?

 

Exercises.  Complete the sentences using the phrase “friend(s) of mine / yours,” etc.

Example:

I saw an old _______ the other day.  ==> I saw an old friend of mine the other day.

1.    After the show, Jack and Jill went out with some friends of theirs.
2.    Mother had lunch with a high school friend of hers.
3.    If you gossip about my brother, you’re no friend of mine!
4.    When we went out for a walk, we ran into a friend of ours.
5.    Once a month, my uncle goes fishing with a friend of his.
6.    I was just writing a letter to a friend of mine.
7.    Grandmother and Grandfather went on a cruise with some friends of theirs.
8.    My sister got into a fight with a friend of hers, and now they’re not talking.
9.    Aunt Molly got the recipe from a friend of hers.
10.    We asked a friend of ours to take care of our dog while we were on vacation.

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Grammar Basics: Unit 62 – Whose is this? It’s mine / yours, etc.

Posted on 2013/03/21
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Last time we looked at possessive adjectives, which MUST have a noun following them:

(possessive adjective) + N:  my, your, his, her, its, our, their

my alarm
your keys
his book
her father
its tail
our children
your hats
their pictures

Now, let’s look at possessive pronouns, which do NOT have a noun following them:

First person Second person Third person
Singular mine yours his, hers
Plural ours yours theirs

 Pattern:  (possessive pronoun) + (nothing)

Examples:

Where did you get your book?  I bought mine from the local bookstore. (= I bought my book)
I found a pen – is it yours? (= is it your pen)
Mary is done with her project, but Jack didn’t finish his. (= Jack didn’t finish his project)
Mother told me that the sweater on the sofa is hers.  (= the sweater is her sweater)
Did you see the Wilsons got a new tent?  It looks just like ours. (= it looks just like our tent)
John and Susan said that the dog barking last night wasn’t theirs. (= the dog wasn’t their dog)

Note:  The possessive pronouns are used when showing possession with the preposition “of.”

Examples:

A friend of mine gave me that book.  (not friend of me)
That dog of hers is nothing but a troublemaker. (not dog of her)
The Wilsons went out for dinner with some friends of theirs.  (not friends of them)
A neighbor of ours recently got a new car.  (not neighbor of us)

To ask about possession, use “whose”:

Examples:

Whose cell phone is this?  It’s mine.

or (if it’s clear what item is meant)

Whose is this?  It’s mine.

Whose glasses are these?  / Whose are these?  They’re Jack’s.

 

Exercises.  Complete the following sentences, using one of the possessive pronouns:  mine, ours, yours, his, hers, theirs.

Example:

These are my shoes.  They’re _______. ==> These are my shoes.  They’re mine.

1.    This is my sandwich.  It’s _______.
2.    That is our dog.  It’s _______.
3.    This is your sweater.  It’s _______.
4.    These are his books.  They’re _______.
5.    That is their car.  It’s _______.
6.    These are her sunglasses.  They’re _______.
7.    That is their house.  It’s _______.
8.    This is our new sofa.  It’s _______.
9.    That’s my laptop.  It’s _______.
10.    This is your pen.  It’s _______.
11.    That is his cell phone.  It’s _______.
12.    Those are her gym shoes.  They’re _______.

 

Exercises.  Choose the right form of the possessive.

Example:

Those are not (my/mine) shoes.  (My/Mine) are brown. ==> Those are not my shoes.  Mine are brown.

1.    I’ve met (her/hers) parents, but I don’t know (their/theirs) names.
2.    At whose house do you want to have the surprise party?  (Your/Yours) or (our/ours)?
3.    Be sure to take (your/yours) project home.  I’ve got (my/mine).
4.    (My/Mine) dog is smarter than (your/yours).
5.    I took the money out of (my/mine) pocket and put it in (her/hers) purse.
6.    The Smiths had some old books, so we sold (their/theirs), along with (our/ours), at a garage sale.
7.    Whose backpack is this?  (Your/Yours) or (her/hers)?
8.    The Jones send (their/theirs) children to camp every summer.
9.    The teacher reminded us to bring all (our/ours) books home to study over the holidays.
10.    (Your/Yours) garden is bigger than (my/mine), isn’t it?

 

Exercises.  Complete the sentences using the phrase “friend(s) of mine / yours,” etc.

Example:

I saw an old _______ the other day.  ==> I saw an old friend of mine the other day.

1.    After the show, Jack and Jill went out with some _______.
2.    Mother had lunch with a high school _______.
3.    If you gossip about my brother, you’re no _______!
4.    When we went out for a walk, we ran into a _______.
5.    Once a month, my uncle goes fishing with a _______.
6.    I was just writing a letter to a _______.
7.    Grandmother and Grandfather went on a cruise with some _______.
8.    My sister got into a fight with a _______, and now they’re not talking.
9.    Aunt Molly got the recipe from a _______.
10.    We asked a _______ to take care of our dog while we were on vacation.

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Culture Focus: Baby Showers

Posted on 2013/03/20
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pregnantWhat is a baby shower?  A baby shower is a type of party for a mother-to-be.  In American culture, when a woman is expecting her first child, it is common for friends and relatives (usually, women) of the mother-to-be to hold a baby shower for her.

Why do people have a baby shower for an expectant mother?  The purpose of a baby shower is to provide the expectant mother with items that she would need to take care of a baby.  It is to help her get ready for her “blessed event.”

What types of things make good baby shower presents?  Clothes, toys, and diapers are, of course, practical gifts that are greatly appreciated, but there are other things that also come in rather handy:  strollers, car seats, baby buggies, cribs, and playpens are some examples of “big-ticket items” (things that tend to be somewhat pricier) that generally top an expectant mother’s wish list, along with cute baby clothes, blankets, and receiving sets.  Often, a group of friends or relatives might get together and “pitch in” (contribute) towards the cost of one of these big-ticket items, thus blessing the mother-to-be with a stroller or other large gift without it being too much of a financial burden on any single individual.  Other ideas for baby shower gifts include handmade blankets, sweaters, hats, booties, or similar items that can be passed down from baby to baby, eventually becoming a family heirloom.

What are some other benefits to having a baby shower?  Besides providing financial support for a new baby in the form of presents, a baby shower can also provide a new mother with emotional and moral support from the other women there, particularly if they have already experienced motherhood themselves.  Advice, suggestions, and tips for dealing with a fussy newborn or other unfamiliar situation can give the expectant mother wisdom, guidance, and confidence, thus helping her to adjust to her new role as mother.  Sometimes there is nothing like talking to someone who’s been in your shoes, and knows what you’re going through!

What else happens at a baby shower?  Like most other parties, food is involved.  Usually, the food that is served at a baby shower is “finger food.”  Finger food is food that can be eaten with the fingers – in other words, no silverware is necessary.  This includes foods such as sandwiches, fruits, and the like.  But this is not a strict rule, as often there are also foods like salads and cakes, which would be much easier to eat using a spoon or fork rather than one’s fingers alone!  Other activities at a baby shower would include games:  guessing how big the baby will be, when the baby will be born, or identifying baby food by taste are some examples of games played at a baby shower.

When is a baby shower held?  There is no hard-and-fast rule as to when to have a baby shower.  A baby shower may be held before the baby is born, usually towards the end of the pregnancy (in the last trimester).  Other times, a baby shower may be held after the baby is born.  This might be the case, for example, if the mother has a boy after having several girls – although she would already have a stroller, crib, and plenty of “girl things,” she would no doubt appreciate clothes and toys that are specifically for boys, especially if she didn’t know in advance that the baby was going to be a boy!

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Grammar Basics: Unit 61 – My / his /their, etc. (Solution)

Posted on 2013/03/20
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Exercises.  Use a possessive adjective (my, your, his, hers, its, our, their) to complete the sentences.

Example:

John scratched _______ head.  ==> John scratched his head.

1.    Jack grabbed the dog by its collar.
2.    Mr. and Mrs. Smith showed me their new house.
3.    I took off my shoes and ran barefoot through the grass.
4.    If you want, you can bring your mother to the party.
5.    I told my brother to leave me alone.
6.    Somehow the garbage can has lost its lid.
7.    We have room in our car, if you’d like to ride with us.
8.    Mrs. Brown read her favorite novel every day during lunch.
9.    Have you seen my glasses?  I can’t find them anywhere.
10.    The football player broke his ankle playing tennis.
11.    We listened to Mr. Jones practice his speech for the convention.
12.    I was disappointed to find out my painting didn’t win a prize.
13.    The farmer went to town to sell his pumpkins at the market.
14.    Ladies and gentlemen, please fasten your seat belts.
15.    I asked the musician for his autograph.
16.    Please put your plate in the sink when you’ve finished eating.
17.    We gave our band director a gift when he retired.
18.    I thought I told you to clean your room.
19.    Jack and Jill announced their engagement at the party last week.
20.    Some of the younger boy scouts had trouble setting up their tents.
21.    Class, take out your books and turn to page 42.
22.    The bride pulled the veil over her face.
23.    The empty barrel was tipped over and lying on its side.
24.    We haven’t planned our vacation yet.
25.    If you get lost, you can always give me a call on your cell phone.

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Grammar Basics: Unit 61 – My / his /their, etc.

Posted on 2013/03/19
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Possessive adjectives are used to show ownership.

The possessive adjectives are:

First person Second person Third person
Singular my your his, hers, its
Plural our your their

Since the possessive adjectives are used to show ownership, they are always followed by a noun.

Pattern:  (possessive adjective) + N

Examples:

I was late for class today.  My alarm did not go off this morning for some reason.
Did you find your house keys yet?
Bill has a book.  His book is old.
My grandmother had a tough life.  When her father died, she had to quit school.
The cat howled when it got its tail caught in the door.
Our children like to play chess.
Men, please remove your hats while the national anthem is playing.
Did John and Jane show you their vacation pictures?

Note:
its and it’s have the same pronunciation, but they do NOT have the same meaning:

it’s – it is:

It’s (It is) very windy today.

its – possessive adjective:

The tree has lost all its leaves.

Are you confused about whether you should use “its” or “it’s”?  Substitute “it is” for “it’s.”
•    If your sentence still makes sense, then “it’s” was correct.
•    If your sentence does not make sense, then you need “its” instead.

Example:

It’s very windy today. ==> It is very windy today.

This makes sense.  “it’s” is correct.

The tree has lost all it’s leaves. ==> The tree has lost all it is leaves.

This does not make sense, so “it’s” is wrong – use “its” instead:  The tree has lost all its leaves.

Exercises.  Use a possessive adjective (my, your, his, hers, its, our, their) to complete the sentences.

Example:

John scratched _______ head.  ==> John scratched his head.

1.    Jack grabbed the dog by _______ collar.
2.    Mr. and Mrs. Smith showed me _______ new house.
3.    I took off _______ shoes and ran barefoot through the grass.
4.    If you want, you can bring _______ mother to the party.
5.    I told _______ brother to leave me alone.
6.    Somehow the garbage can has lost _______ lid.
7.    We have room in _______ car, if you’d like to ride with us.
8.    Mrs. Brown read _______ favorite novel every day during lunch.
9.    Have you seen _______ glasses?  I can’t find them anywhere.
10.    The football player broke _______ ankle playing tennis.
11.    We listened to Mr. Jones practice _______ speech for the convention.
12.    I was disappointed to find out _______ painting didn’t win a prize.
13.    The farmer went to town to sell _______ pumpkins at the market.
14.    Ladies and gentlemen, please fasten _______ seat belts.
15.    I asked the musician for _______ autograph.
16.    Please put _______ plate in the sink when you’ve finished eating.
17.    We gave _______ band director a gift when he retired.
18.    I thought I told you to clean _______ room.
19.    Jack and Jill announced _______ engagement at the party last week.
20.    Some of the younger boy scouts had trouble setting up _______ tents.
21.    Class, take out _______ books and turn to page 42.
22.    The bride pulled the veil over _______ face.
23.    The empty barrel was tipped over and lying on _______ side.
24.    We haven’t planned _______ vacation yet.
25.    If you get lost, you can always give me a call on _______ cell phone.

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Crossword – Basic Vocabulary 38 (Solution)

Posted on 2013/03/18
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basic vocab 38-sol

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Crossword – Basic Vocabulary 38

Posted on 2013/03/17
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basic vocab 38
Across
1 Clothing fastener (6)
6 In every place (10)
8 Empty (6)
9 Seeing organ (3)
10 Number of people living in a place (10)
13 Writing liquid (3)
14 Copy (12)
16 Without manners (4)
18 To feel sorry about something you did, and wish that you hadn’t done it (6)
21 Not outer (5)
23 A word used when talking about something that might have happened (2)
24 Upstair seats at a theater (7)
26 Underground part of a plant (4)
29 Collection (3)
30 Weapon (3)
31 Truthful (6)
33 Protection for written work (9)
35 Earth that is dug in a mine for gold, silver, etc. (3)
36 Once more (5)
37 None (2)
38 Fuel (3)

Down
1 The things that a person or animal does (8)
2 Until (4)
3 Daily paper (9)
4 How sensitive something is (11)
5 Boyfriend / Girlfriend (10)
7 Opposite of odd (4)
11 Undergarments (13)
12 Curve (3)
14 Opposition (10)
15 Eight, _____ , ten (4)
17 Preposition (2)
19 Diplomatic office (7)
20 Also (3)
22 Birthday or greeting ____ (4)
25 As different as ____ and day (5)
27 Machine for cooling (3)
28 Used for boiling water (3)
30 Not bad (4)
32 Slide (4)
34 Pot and ____ (3)

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Idiom Focus: Common English Idioms 18

Posted on 2013/03/16
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Every Saturday I’ll give you a couple of idioms to learn.  An idiom is a saying or phrase whose meaning cannot be taken from the literal meanings of the words.  Currently, we’re looking at some common English idioms.

look down on someone:  hold someone in contempt, have disdain for someone

Example:

Mr. Smith always looked down on us because Father worked in a factory instead of an office.

make ends meet:  live so income (at least) matches expenses, live within one’s means, not spend more than one makes

Example:

Mother had to take a part-time job just to make ends meet.

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