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Grammar Basics: Unit 24 – Be, Have, and Do

Posted on 2012/03/08
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In English there are three important “helper” verbs: be, have, and do. These verbs generally are not used alone, but they are usually used together with other verbs in various forms.

be (am / is / are // was / were) + V-ing:

“be” + V-ing is used for the present continuous form.
“was / were” + V-ing is used for the past continuous form.

We’ve already looked at this some, so here we’ll just give a few examples as a quick review:

Examples:

It’s snowing right now.
Shhh! The baby’s sleeping!
Where’s Uncle John? He’s weeding in the garden.

It was snowing yesterday when we walked to school.
The baby was sleeping, until you woke him up – thanks a lot!
Last time I saw him, Uncle John was painting the garage.

be (am / is / are // was / were) + past participle:

“be” + past participle is used for the simple present passive.
“was / were” + past participle is used for the simple past passive.

We’ve also just looked at these cases. Here are a few more examples:

Examples:

The beds are made each morning by the hotel’s cleaning staff.
Janey is excited to go on her first train trip.
I’m exhausted from running up and down the stairs.

When we checked into our room, we saw that the beds were not made.
Peter was depressed to find out that he couldn’t go to summer camp this year.
When were you married?

have / has + past participle:

Recall that this is used for the present perfect:

Examples:

I’ve completed all my assignments, and done all the laundry.
He has always gone to Florida for Christmas vacation.
She’s lost her keys again!
Have you ever crossed the equator?

do / does / did + V (dictionary form):

“do / does” + V (dictionary form) is used for the simple present negative, and for questions.
“did” + V (dictionary form) is used for the simple past negative, and for questions.

Examples:

Do you often eat pizza?
He likes classical and jazz, but he doesn’t like rap.
What kind of movies do you usually watch?
I don’t think he will win the competition.
Did you ever see such a sight in your life as three blind mice?
What did you do last night?
I didn’t know that you were in the navy.

Exercises: Complete the sentences by choosing a verb from the list, and using its correct form.

Example:

The library was (build) in 1956. ==> The library was built in 1956.

do
expect
go
have
injure
make
paint
rain
think
wait

1. Where are you ______ ?
2. John ______ for the bus when his phone battery went dead.
3. They (not) ______ any bananas at the supermarket today.
4. The doctor (not) ______ the operation today – he’ll do it tomorrow.
5. Was it ______ when you woke up this morning?
6. He (not) ______ that Katy was telling the truth.
7. When was the room ______?
8. Ice cream is ______ from milk.
9. Jack was ______ when he was in the army.
10. Everybody was ______ the bad weather to come last night.

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Culture Focus: Elections – The Primary Process

Posted on 2012/03/07
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For this week’s culture focus, I thought I’d give a very brief introduction to the American primary process. The United States is in the middle of its primary elections, a process whereby eligible American citizens choose whom they want to see on the ballot for the Presidential election held later in November. Each state holds either a primary or a caucus to determine which candidates will receive delegates to the national conventions that will be held later in the year. The Democratic Party and the Republic party each have separate primaries/caucuses, generally held on the same day. Democratic delegates will attend the Democratic National Convention from August 25 – 28 in Denver, Colorado. The Republican delegates will attend the Republican National Convention from September 1 – 4 in St. Paul, Minnesota.

Each presidential candidate must receive a certain number of delegates to win his party’s nomination for the presidency: the Republican candidate needs 1191 delegates for the nomination. The Democratic situation is a bit more complicated, because of disputes over the delegates from Michigan and Florida – without the delegates from these two states, the Democratic candidate needs 2024.5 delegates for the nomination; with these two states, the number of delegates needed is 2206.5. As things stand right now (2/19), Clinton and Obama are rather close, so people are very interested in following the primary process. On the Republican side, McCain has a comfortable lead over Huckabee, so McCain will most likely be the Republican candidate.

In addition to choosing and nominating the party’s choice for Presidential candidate, it is at the conventions that each candidate will name his selection for Vice President, also known as his “running mate.” There is a great deal of speculation over who will be the running mate on both the Republican and Democratic tickets, but both sides will take into account what areas are weak politically, and nominate a running mate to compensate for his weaknesses. For example, if a candidate is concerned about his ability to woo Southern voters, he would probably strongly consider choosing a Southern politician as his running mate. (This was one of the main reasons why John Kennedy chose Lyndon Johnson as his running mate in 1960, even though Kennedy couldn’t stand the fellow. Johnson was from Texas, and Kennedy needed to win in the South in order to win the election.)

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Culture Focus: Super Tuesday

Posted on 2012/03/07
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Yesterday was “Super Tuesday” in the United States.  This is the name given to the Tuesday in March (sometimes in February) when the most states have their primaries to select delegates for the national conventions.  (Recall, it is at these national conventions where each party officially nominates its candidate for the presidential election in November.)  Why is it called “Super” Tuesday?

“Super Tuesday” gets its name from the important role it plays in presidential election politics.  Since it is the day when the most states have their primaries, it means that there is the potential to win more delegates on this day than any other single primary / caucus day.  This year, in 2012, there are a total of 410 delegates up for grabs for Republican candidates.  These 410 delegates come from primaries in the following states:  Georgia (76), Idaho (32), Massachusetts (41), North Dakota (28), Ohio (66), Oklahoma (43), Tennessee (58), Vermont (17), and Virginia (49), along with delegates from a two-week caucus in Alaska from March 6 – 24.  Since the primaries that are held on Super Tuesday are spread throughout the nation (instead being concentrated in a particular region), this means that Super Tuesday can, in a sense, be regarded as a kind of test for the presidential candidates – if a candidate does well on Super Tuesday, he will probably do well in a national election, and it makes him a more attractive candidate for the nomination. Many times, the candidate that wins most of the delegates from Super Tuesday will go on to get his party’s nomination.

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Grammar Basics: Unit 23 – Passive, Part II (Solutions)

Posted on 2012/03/07
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Exercises: Use the present continuous (is/are being…) or the present perfect (has/have been…) with the words in the parentheses to complete the sentences.

Example:

The tree (cut) down tomorrow.==> The tree is being cut down tomorrow.

1. Don’t sit down on the sofa. It’s being cleaned right now.
2. We’re being invited to a wedding on Saturday, so keep your schedule open for that day.
3. The president’s speech is being broadcast on TV tonight.
4. You’ll have to wait to do the laundry. The washing machine is being fixed.
5. Our living room is being painted, so we are spending the day at the mall.
6. Your grandmother’s wedding dress has been repaired, cleaned, and boxed up, so it’s as good as new.
7. The window has been broken! Which one of the neighborhood kids did it, do you think?
8. Twelve trees have been cut down to make space for a swimming pool.
9. Sorry I’m late. The bus has been tied up in traffic for 30 minutes.
10. The grass has already been mowed, so you can cross that off your chore list.

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Grammar Basics: Unit 23 – Passive, Part II

Posted on 2012/03/06
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In addition to having simple present passive (“is done”) and simple past passive (“was done”), we also have the present continuous passive and the present perfect passive. As before, the passive indicates that the doer of the action is unspecified.

Present Continuous Passive: is/are being …

Examples:

Please take the stairs – the elevator is being fixed. (= someone is fixing the elevator)
Tom is being picked up after school. (= someone is picking Tom up after school)
We can’t check into our hotel room yet – it’s (it is) being cleaned right now. (= someone is cleaning the room now)

Present Perfect Passive: has/have been …

Examples:

You don’t have to take the stairs anymore – the elevator has been fixed. (= someone has fixed it)
Tom has already been picked up – he doesn’t need a ride now. (= someone has already picked up Tom)
Let’s check into our room now – it’s (it has) been cleaned. (= someone has cleaned the room)

 

Exercises: Use the present continuous (is/are being…) or the present perfect (has/have been…) with the words in the parentheses to complete the sentences.

Example:

The tree (cut) down tomorrow.==> The tree is being cut down tomorrow.

1. Don’t sit down on the sofa. It (clean) right now.
2. We (invite) to a wedding on Saturday, so keep your schedule open for that day.
3. The president’s speech (broadcast) on TV tonight.
4. You’ll have to wait to do the laundry. The washing machine (fix).
5. Our living room (paint), so we are spending the day at the mall.
6. Your grandmother’s wedding dress (repair / clean / and box up), so it’s as good as new.
7. The window (break)! Which one of the neighborhood kids did it, do you think?
8. Twelve trees (cut) down to make space for a swimming pool.
9. Sorry I’m late. The bus (tie) up in traffic for 30 minutes.
10. The grass (already / mow), so you can cross that off your chore list.

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Education Focus: ACT

Posted on 2012/03/05
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In this Educational Focus, let’s take a look at the other college aptitude test that American juniors and seniors typically take as part of the college admissions process: the ACT.

First given in 1959, the ACT is not as well known as the SAT, even though it is accepted by all four-year colleges and universities in the U.S. As a general rule, colleges and universities on the East and West Coasts tend to prefer the SAT, whereas the ACT is the test of choice for students planning on attending schools in the Midwest and South.

Like the SAT, the ACT is administered on a Saturday, and students who cannot take the test on Saturday for religious reasons can request at registration to take the test the following Sunday. The test is generally offered six times a year: September, October, December, February, April, and June.

The format and scoring of the ACT differs from the SAT. Students taking the ACT are tested in four areas: English, Math, Reading, and Science Reasoning, with an optional writing portion that was added in 2005. The scores for each subject range from 1 – 36. In addition to individual subject scores, students also receive a composite score, which is the average of all four tests. All the subject tests (with the exception of the writing test, of course) are multiple choice tests. Unlike the SAT, however, there is no penalty for wrong answers, so it is advantageous to guess if one does not know the answer.

English

The English section of the test is 45 minutes in length, and consists of 75 questions on usage, grammar, punctuation, and rhetorical skills.

Mathematics

The mathematics section of the test is 60 questions and 60 minutes in length. Topics covered include pre-algebra, elementary algebra, intermediate algebra, coordinate geometry, geometry, and elementary trigonometry. Calculators are permitted, but only if they are not on a list of prohibited models, or are modified according to the ACT’s calculator policy. The mathematics section is the only section in which there are five answer choices rather than four.

Reading

The reading section of the test is 35 minutes in length, and consists of 40 questions based on reading comprehension. Types of reading passages include prose fiction, social science, humanities, and natural science.

Science Reasoning

The science reasoning section of the test is also a 40-question, 35-minute test. Rather than testing specific scientific knowledge, students are asked to read passages of a more technical or scientific nature, and then answer questions based on these passages. The questions are designed to assess the student’s ability to interpret, analyze, and evaluate the information in the passages, as well as test the student’s ability to reason and solve problems.

Writing (Optional)

The optional writing section of the ACT mirrors that of the SAT. It is 30 minutes long, and students are to write an essay based on a given prompt. Two readers each evaluate the essay and assign it a score of 1 – 6 (6 being best). Essays that are blank, off-topic, not written in English, not written in no. 2 pencil, or illegible automatically receive a score of 0.

Although the ACT is an assessment for students planning to attend college, some states, such as Colorado and Illinois, require all high school students (whether or not they intend to go to college) to take the ACT as a way of assessing school performance.

Based on data from college-bound seniors who took the ACT in 2006, the median composite score was between 20 and 21. Students who scored 28 or better were in the 90th percentile (meaning that students with a score of 28 or more were in the upper 10% of all test-takers).

There is no official conversion chart between SAT scores and ACT scores; however, some colleges have established their own charts, based on scores of students who took both tests. For comparison, the following is a chart used by the University of California:

SAT (out of 1600)……..ACT Composite

1600…………………………..36
1560-1590…………………35
1520-1550…………………34
1480-1510…………………33
1440-1470…………………32
1400-1430…………………31
1360-1390…………………30
1320-1350…………………29
1280-1310…………………28
1240-1270…………………27
1200-1230…………………26
1160-1190…………………25
1120-1150…………………24
1080-1110…………………23
1040-1070…………………22
1000-1030…………………21
960-990…………………….20
920-950…………………….19
880-910…………………….18
840-870…………………….17
800-830…………………….16
760-790…………………….15
720-750…………………….14
680-710…………………….13
640-670…………………….12
600-630…………………….11

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Crossword – Basic Vocabulary 6 (solution)

Posted on 2012/03/05
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Crossword – Basic Vocabulary 6

Posted on 2012/03/04
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crossword puzzle

 
Across
2 customer (6)
5 the sound a snake makes (4)
7 a large musical instrument played by pressing some of its 88 black and white keys (5)
8 conjunction used for comparing two things (2)
9 personal pronoun for 2nd person, singular or plural (3)
11 a device used to measure how hot or cold something is (11)
16 shape (4)
18 a set of books that give detailed information about various topics (12)
19 an adverb used when emphasizing the degree or amount of something by saying what the result is (2)
20 to fail to look after someone or something properly (7)
21 an infectious disease that is like a very bad cold (9)
22 frozen water (3)
24 deciding or influencing (11)
27 someone that acts on behalf of somebody else, like a representative (5)
29 a solid substance made of fat or oil, commonly used for making candles (3)
30 next to (8)
33 the space between two straight lines or surfaces that join each other, measured in degrees (5)
34 any thing, event, situation,e etc, when it is not important to specifiy which (8)
36 a statement that is not strong enough to express how good, bad, etc something really is (14)

Down
1 the space above the earth, where the sun, clouds, stars, etc are (3)
2 the ability to behave in a sensible way and make practical decisions (11)
3 the part of an object that is farthest from its center (4)
4 to move or go with someone or something from one place to another (4)
6 a particular type of solid, liquid, or gas (9)
7 to move something to a particular place or position, especially with your hands (3)
10 to combine with oxygen, especially in a way that causes rust (9)
12 reflexive form of “he” (7)
13 the fifth month (3)
14 a message sent by telegraph (8)
15 something that is typical of a particular group or thing (14)
17 not closed (4)
20 what someone or something is called (4)
21 a thought, idea, or suggestion (4)
23 a black and white water bird that lives at the South Pole (7)
25 prepared or available for service, action, or progress (5)
26 a weapon that shoots bullets (3)
28 the number between eleven and thirteen, also called “a dozen” (6)
31 what a bird lays and sits on in her nest to make baby birds (3)
32 a preposition used to say where someone or something goes (2)
33 a word used to show how far back in the past something happened (3)
34 a small insect that lives in large groups (3)
35 to fasten things together using a piece of string or a rope (3)

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Idiom Focus: Animal Idioms 11

Posted on 2012/03/03
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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.

every dog has his day: Everyone will get an opportunity.

Example:

He’s been working for his dad for years, ever since he graduated from college. Someday he’ll take over the family business – every dog has his day, after all.

fraidy cat: Someone who scares easily, usually used by children. Also called a scairdy cat.

Example:

I dare you to ring Boo Radley’s doorbell – just go ahead and do it, you fraidy cat!

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Writing Assignment: The Subway (Solution)

Posted on 2012/03/03
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Riding the crowded subway

 
1.    What are these people doing?
They are riding on the subway.

2.    Where might they be going?
They might be going to work or to school.

3.    How crowded is this subway train?
It is rather crowded.  There is standing room only – there are no seats left for someone to sit down.

4.    Are there more people standing, or more people sitting?
There are more people standing than there are sitting.

5.    What do people usually hold on to if they have to ride standing up?
If people have to ride standing up, they usually hold on to a strap, or a pole.

6.    Does a subway train usually have seats or benches?
A subway train usually has benches.

7.    What do people usually do if they are carrying baggage or packages?
If people have baggage or packages, they usually put them on the floor, or on one of the overhead racks.

8.    What do people often do when they ride on a subway train?
People riding on a subway train often read a book or newspaper, or listen to music.  Some people even sleep.

9.    What do you need to get on the subway train?
You need a ticket, token, or fare card to get on the subway train.

10.    Where can you buy a ticket?
You can buy a ticket at the ticket window, or at a ticket vending machine.  You can also get your fare card reloaded at these places too.

11.    What kind of gate do people usually pass through to get into the subway?
You have to pass through the turnstile to get into the subway.  You swipe your ticket or fare card, and the turnstile will let you into the subway.

12.    What do you call the place where you get on and get off the subway train?
You get on and off the subway train at the station.

13.    How can you tell where to get on and get off?
A subway map or guide can tell you where you need to get on and off.

14.    What do you do if you have to take more than one line to get to your destination?
If you have to take more than one line to get to your destination, you need to transfer to the other line.

15.    How can you tell if your stop is next?
You can look at the subway map or guide to see if your stop is next, or you can listen to the announcement.

16.    What kind of subway train has fewer stops than normal?
An express train has fewer stops than normal.

17.    What might you see on the walls of the subway train?
You might see advertisements on the walls of the subway trains.

18.    What kind of doors does a subway train usually have?
A subway train usually has sliding doors.  You have to be careful that your coat or bag doesn’t get caught in the doors as they close.

19.    What sort of safety equipment would you see in a subway?
You see fire extinguishers in a subway.

20.    What else might you see in a subway?
You might see vending machines, newspaper stands, and other little shops in a subway.

Paragraph:  The Subway

If you live in a city, a subway is a very convenient way to get around.  You don’t have to deal with traffic and parking, so you can usually get to your destination quicker than driving.  Many big cities have an extensive subway line, so you can get to almost any place in the city quickly, easily, and economically.

Paying the far is easy.  You can buy a fare card with a set amount, and swipe the card every time you go through the turnstile to ride the subway.  When the card gets low, you can reload the card with money and continue using it.  Some places even have fare cards with different decorations, so you can collect the various designs.

A subway map or guide is a very handy item to have, especially if you are not familiar with the system.  The map will tell you where the different lines will take you, so you can plan out your trip and determine which lines you need to take, which station you need to get on at, which station you need to transfer lines, and which station to get off at.  What I like to do is highlight the stations I need to get off at, so I can keep track of where I’m going and not get lost.

Because the subway is so convenient, many people ride the subway.  Sometimes it is very crowded, especially during the morning rush and the afternoon rush.  If you ride the subway during the rush times, you will probably have to stand.  Sometimes there are so many people standing, it looks like wall-to-wall people!  In some places there are so many people waiting to get on the subway that there are “pushers” to help get as many people on the subway car as possible, although I must admit I have never seen “pushers.”

Sometimes if there are elderly people, pregnant women, or someone traveling with very small children, other people will stand up and offer their seat to one of these others, so they don’t have to stand up.  That is a nice thing to do, don’t you think?

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