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Grammar Basics: Unit 33 – should

Posted on 2012/04/10
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“should” is used with a verb in its infinitive form.  It has the same form for all persons and number:

Pattern:

I / you / he, she, it / we / they “should” + V (inf.)

When you “should” do something, that means it is a good thing to do, or it is the right thing to do:

It’s cold out – you should put on a coat.  (It is a good thing for you to put on a coat.)
You should brush your teeth after every meal.  (It is a good thing for you to brush your teeth after every meal.)
You should help your neighbor if he is having trouble.  (Helping your neighbor is the right thing to do.)

To use the negative, put “not” between “should” and its verb:

Pattern:

I / you / he, she, it / we / they “should not” + V (inf.)

When you “should not” do something, that means it is not a good thing to do, or it is the wrong thing to do:

Tom should not work so hard.  (It is not a good thing for Tom to work so hard.)
You should not be rude.  (Being rude is not the right thing to do.)
Jane should not be late for class.  (Being late for class is not the right thing to do.)

Many times we give advice by saying, “I think you should…”:

I think you should go visit your mother.
I think Jack should get a haircut.
Matt thinks Susan should buy a new car.

For the negative form:  “I don’t think you should…”:

I don’t think you should give James a hard time.
I don’t think Jack and Jill should go up the hill.
Mr. Miller doesn’t think Peter should go into second grade yet.

If we want to ask someone for advice, we can say  “Do you think I should…?”:

Do you think I should go to Hawaii for vacation?
Do you think I should buy this necktie?
Do you think I should invite Sam to the party?

Note:  “should” is not the same as “have to”.

  • “Have to” means there is an obligation.
  • “Should” does not imply obligation.  It only means that it is a good idea.

Instead of saying “should,” you can also say “ought to”:

I think you ought to go visit your mother.
You ought to brush your teeth after every meal.
Do you think I ought to buy this necktie?

Exercises:  Complete the following sentences, using “you should” + and one of the following verbs:

Example:

If you are tired, _________ to bed.  (go) ==>  If you are tired, you should go to bed.

Use these verbs:

apologize
bring
clean
go
lock
put
turn off
watch
water
wear

1.    When you go swimming, ______________ swim goggles.
2.    If you are going to the party, ______________ a gift.
3.    When you plant some seeds, ______________ them.
4.    If you gain weight, ______________ on a diet.
5.    If you hurt someone, ______________ to them.
6.    That’s a very interesting TV program.  ______________ it.
7.    If you get your clothes dirty, ______________ them in the laundry.
8.    When you have finished, ______________ the lights.
9.    If you’re leaving the house, ______________ the door.
10.    If you make a mess, ______________ it up.

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Crossword – Basic Vocabulary 10 (solution)

Posted on 2012/04/09
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crossword puzzle solution

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Writing Assignment: At a Church (Solution)

Posted on 2012/04/07
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Listening to preaching
1.    Where is this picture taken?
This picture is taken inside a church.

2.    What are the people doing?
The people are sitting and listening to the man talk.

3.    Who is the man in the front?
The man in the front is the pastor (minister).

4.    What is he doing?
The pastor is talking.

5.    What kind of benches are the people sitting in?
The benches that the people are sitting in are called pews.

6.    What is the wooden lectern behind the man called?
The wooden lectern behind the man is called a pulpit.

7.    What kind of book might the people have with them?
The people might have a Bible with them.

8.    What kind of book might be in the people’s seat?
A hymnal (songbook) might be in the pew.

9.    What kind of music might there be in a church service?
In a church service there might be piano music, or organ music, or choir music.

10.    What kind of songs do the people sing?
The songs that the people sing are called hymns.  Sometimes they also sing praise songs.

11.    Who else might sing in church?
The choir might sing in church, or maybe a soloist.

12.    What part of the church are the people in?
The people are in the part of the church that is called the sanctuary.

13.    If you need help finding a seat, whom can you ask?
If you can’t find a place to sit down, you can ask an usher for help.

14.    What do people do when they go to church?
When people go to church, they sing songs, read the Scriptures, pray, and listen to the pastor talk.

15.    What can you read at a church to help you follow the different parts of a service?
You can read a bulletin to help you follow the different parts of a church service.

16.    Who does most of the talking at a church service?
The pastor does most of the talking at a church service.

17.    What is the pastor’s talk usually called?
The pastor’s talk is usually called a sermon.

18.    What is it called when people give money to the church?
When people give money to the church, it is usually called an offering.

19.    What does the pastor often do at the end of the service?
At the end of the service, the pastor often gives a short blessing, or benediction.

20.    What might the people do after the service?
After the service, the people might have fellowship together, eating doughnuts and drinking coffee, or even having a potluck dinner.

Paragraph:  At a Church Service

When you go to a church service, you are often welcomed at the door by greeters, or an usher.  They can help you to find a seat in the sanctuary, and will give you a bulletin for the service.  The bulletin has the order of the service, and it often has announcements and other useful information for the congregation (the people attending the church service).  Sometimes people are engaged in quiet contemplation before the service starts, but other people like to say hello to their friends.  Many times the organist or pianist will play a short piece of music just before the services starts.  This short piece of music is called a prelude.  Then the church service starts:  sometimes with a prayer, sometimes with a song, sometimes with a responsive reading or a call to worship.  After that, several songs or hymns are sung.  Then it is time for prayers to be said.  After prayers come some announcements, and an offering is taken.  Then the choir sings, followed by a brief prayer, and the pastor gives his sermon.  After the sermon generally comes another brief prayer, and a closing hymn.  Finally, the pastor dismisses the congregation with a blessing, or benediction.

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Writing Assignment: At a Church

Posted on 2012/04/06
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Going to Worship
Vocabulary

pastor
minister
sermon
Bible
hymnal
hymn
sing
pew
usher
offering
offering plate
bulletin
aisle
pulpit
choir
sanctuary
organ
organist
piano
pianist
choir director
service
fellowship
cross
pray
prayer
communion / Lord’s supper
Lord’s prayer
creed
benediction

1.    Where is this picture taken?
2.    What are the people doing?
3.    Who is the man in the front?
4.    What is he doing?
5.    What kind of benches are the people sitting in?
6.    What is the wooden lectern behind the man called?
7.    What kind of book might the people have with them?
8.    What kind of book might be in the people’s seat?
9.    What kind of music might there be in a church service?
10.    What kind of songs do the people sing?
11.    Who else might sing in church?
12.    What part of the church are the people in?
13.    If you need help finding a seat, whom can you ask?
14.    What do people do when they go to church?
15.    What can you read at a church to help you follow the different parts of a service?
16.    Who does most of the talking at a church service?
17.    What is the pastor’s talk usually called?
18.    What is it called when people give money to the church?
19.    What does the pastor often do at the end of the service?
20.    What might the people do after the service?

Paragraph:  At a Church Service

Have you ever been to a Christian church service?  What was it like – inspiring, interesting, boring?  Were there a lot of people attending?  Write a brief paragraph describing a time you attended a church service, or some other religious service if you haven’t been to a Christian church.

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Grammar Basics: Unit 32 – must (Solutions)

Posted on 2012/04/06
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Exercises:  Complete the sentences. Use “must be” and one of the following verbs.

Example:

Your sister had a new baby? Congratulations! You must be (hungry, happy, tired)!  ==> You must be happy!

  1. Jack worked all night. He must be tired.
  2. It must be windy. I see everyone is using an umbrella.
  3. Class is canceled today. Mrs. Smith must be sick.
  4. John just sits on the couch and sighs. He must be bored.
  5. Mary gets straight As every semester. She must be very smart.

Exercises:  Complete the sentences. Use “must” and one of the following verbs.

Example:

Everything in Susie’s room is pink. She must (hate, like, know) the color pink.  ==> She must like the color pink.

  1. Miss Brown teaches two kindergarten classes every day. She must have the patience of Job.
  2. Tom studied for six hours last night. He must know all the material well enough for the test by now.
  3. The Jones have a large vegetable garden. They must eat plenty of fresh vegetables in the summer.
  4. Jane used to have long hair, but now it’s short. She must have gotten a haircut.
  5. Jack seems to know so much. He must read a lot.

Exercises:  Complete the sentences. Use “must” and one of the following verbs.

Example:

You are going to Disneyworld for your vacation? You must (take, give, bring) a lot of pictures.  ==> You must take a lot of pictures.

  1. Hospital visiting hours are over. You must go home now.
  2. All passengers must have their passports ready when going through Customs.
  3. In most states, you must be 21 to drink alcohol.
  4. You must sign this form before submitting it to the office.
  5. You must do your homework if you want to pass the test.

Exercises:  Complete the sentences. Use “must” or “must not”.

Example:

Jack never goes out after work. He (must / must not) like socializing.  ==> He must not like socializing.

  1. Matt rides a bike every day, even in the winter. He must not have a car.
  2. Jane has the flu. She must not feel very well.
  3. Tom works at the zoo. He must like animals.
  4. Grandpa needs a magnifying glass to read the paper. He must not see very well.
  5. Mary’s pie has won a blue ribbon at the county fair. She must be a good cook.

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Grammar Basics: Unit 32 – must

Posted on 2012/04/05
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“must” is used with another verb in its infinitive form. “must” does not change for either person or count.

Pattern:

I / you / he, she, it / we / they “must” + V (inf. form)

The negative “not” comes between “must” and its verb:

“must not” + V (inf. form)

“must” is used in two different ways:

1 – to indicate something that we believe to be true
2 – to indicate that doing something is an obligation or necessity

1 – must: belief that something is truepublic transportation - a must in the city

In this sense, it is very similar to “probably”:

John dislikes driving, so I think he must take the train to work. (I think he probably takes the train to work, since he dislikes driving.)

You haven’t eaten all day? You must be hungry! (You are probably hungry!)

I called the Petersons, but no one answered. They must not be home. (They are probably not home.)

There are several newspapers on the neighbor’s driveway. They must be on vacation. (They are probably on vacation.)

2 – must: something is an obligation or necessity

You must be quiet in the library.

All drivers must stop at a red light.

If you want dessert, you must finish your dinner.

It’s quiet hours now in the dormitory. You must not play loud music.

Note: “must not” can be contracted: “mustn’t”

You mustn’t play loud music.

Note: We can also use “have to” in the positive sentences above:

You have to be quiet in the library.

All drivers have to stop at a red light.

If you want dessert, you have to finish your dinner.

For the negative, use “should not”:

It’s quiet hours now in the dormitory. You should not play loud music.

If we need the past tense, we use “had to” and not “must”:

You had to be quiet in the library.

All drivers had to stop at a red light.

If you wanted dessert, you had to finish your dinner.

Exercises:  Complete the sentences. Use “must be” and one of the following verbs.

Example:

Your sister had a new baby? Congratulations! You must be (hungry, happy, tired)!  ==> You must be happy!

  1. Jack worked all night. He must be (hungry, happy, tired).
  2. It must be (cold, raining, windy). I see everyone is using an umbrella.
  3. Class is canceled today. Mrs. Smith must be (sick, hungry, short).
  4. John just sits on the couch and sighs. He must be (busy, hot, bored).
  5. Mary gets straight As every semester. She must be (dumb, very smart, tall).

Exercises:  Complete the sentences. Use “must” and one of the following verbs.

Example:

Everything in Susie’s room is pink She must (hate, like, know) the color pink.  ==> She must like the color pink.

  1. Miss Brown teaches two kindergarten classes every day. She must (know, have, like) the patience of Job.
  2. Tom studied for six hours last night. He must (know, write, see) all the material well enough for the test by now.
  3. The Jones have a large vegetable garden. They must (drink, wash, eat) plenty of fresh vegetables in the summer.
  4. Jane used to have long hair, but now it’s short. She must (have, be, seem) gotten a haircut.
  5. Jack seems to know so much. He must (write, read, talk) a lot.

Exercises:  Complete the sentences. Use “must” and one of the following verbs.

Example:

You are going to Disneyworld for your vacation? You must (take, give, bring) a lot of pictures.  ==> You must take a lot of pictures.

  1. Hospital visiting hours are over. You must (go, leave, stay) home now.
  2. All passengers must (eat, have, read) their passports ready when going through Customs.
  3. In most states, you must (have, be, am) 21 to drink alcohol.
  4. You must (close, look, sign) this form before submitting it to the office.
  5. You must (do, listen, work) your homework if you want to pass the test.

Exercises:  Complete the sentences. Use “must” or “must not”.

Example:

Jack never goes out after work. He (must / must not) like socializing.  ==> He must not like socializing.

  1. Matt rides a bike every day, even in the winter. He (must / must not) have a car.
  2. Jane has the flu. She (must / must not) feel very well.
  3. Tom works at the zoo. He (must / must not) like animals.
  4. Grandpa needs a magnifying glass to read the paper. He (must / must not) see very well.
  5. Mary’s pie has won a blue ribbon at the county fair. She (must / must not) be a good cook.

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Grammar Basics: Unit 31 – can and could (Solutions)

Posted on 2012/04/04
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Exercises:  Using the given clues, write sentences using “can.” If there is a question mark, make a question using “can.”

Example:

Tom / sing well ==> Tom can sing well.
She / speak Italian / not ==> She can’t speak Italian.
John / poker / ? ==> Can John play poker?

  1. Walter can drive a car.
  2. We can’t come to the party.
  3. I can ice skate.
  4. Can you swim?
  5. Bill can go to the picnic.
  6. Can we go on vacation this summer?
  7. They can’t buy a house.
  8. Can you shut the window?
  9. Sally can cook dinner.
  10. Tim can’t stay up late.

Exercises:  Determine whether to use “can” or “could” with the given verb in the following sentences.

Example:

I wasn’t busy, so I (come) to the party. ==> I wasn’t busy, so I could come to the party.
Dan is sick. He (go, not) to the football game. ==> Dan is sick. He can’t go to the football game.

  1. After eating a whole pizza, James was full. He couldn’t eat another bite of food.
  2. Louis is blind. He can’t read that book.
  3. Mark is in high school, so he can attend summer camp this year.
  4. We couldn’t go swimming at the outdoor pool because there was a thunderstorm.
  5. We have finished packing, so we can leave on our trip as soon as you’re ready.
  6. John didn’t finish his homework in time, so he couldn’t go skiing with us.
  7. On a clear day, you can see forever.
  8. We had an extra seat in the car, so we could give Mary a ride to the train station.
  9. If you’re tired, you can take a quick nap before dinner.
  10. The weather was nice, so we could go camping at the state park last weekend.

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Grammar Basics: Unit 31 – can and could

Posted on 2012/04/03
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“can” is used to indicate the ability to do something. It is used with a verb in the infinitive form:

can + V (inf.) …

Examples:

I can play the piano.thinking about the next move
Shelia can ride a bike.
The twins can play chess.
We can go to the museum tomorrow.

Note: “can” is the same, regardless of person and number. First person singular, third person plural – it doesn’t matter :).

To make a question, switch the order of “can” and its subject:

Can you play the piano?
Can Jack ride a bike?
Can they play checkers?

To negate, put “not” between “can” and its verb: “can not”, which is written as one word ==> “cannot”

I cannot lift this heavy suitcase.
They cannot come because of bad weather.
Sam cannot speak Chinese.

Note: “cannot” is usually contracted to “can’t.” Thus we have:

I can’t lift this heavy suitcase.
They can’t come because of bad weather.
Sam can’t speak Chinese.

All the examples we’ve given thus far use “can” or “can’t” in the present or future tense. To speak of ability in the past tense, we use “could” (“could not” or “couldn’t” for the negation):

The neighbors were noisy, so I couldn’t sleep at all last night.
James could eat a whole pizza when he was a teenager.
They could stay up all night when they were in college.

Other Notes:

1) Sometimes “can” / “can’t” is used for permission rather than ability:

You can’t use your cell phone in the library.
Tom can’t go visit Becky. He has to whitewash the fence.
Can I have a drink of water?

2) In asking permission, “could” is a more polite form to use than “can”:

Can I have a drink of water? ==> Could I have a drink of water?
Can my friend sit here? ==> Could my friend sit here?
Can you open the window? ==> Could you open the window?

 

Exercises:  Using the given clues, write sentences using “can.” If there is a question mark, make a question using “can.”

Example:

Tom / sing well ==> Tom can sing well.
She / speak Italian / not ==> She can’t speak Italian.
John / poker / ? ==> Can John play poker?

  1. Walter / drive / a car
  2. We / come / to the party / not
  3. I / ice skate
  4. You / swim / ?
  5. Bill / go / to the picnic
  6. We / go on vacation / this summer / ?
  7. They / buy a house / not
  8. You / shut / the window / ?
  9. Sally / cook / dinner
  10. Tim / stay up / late / not

Exercises:  Determine whether to use “can” or “could” with the given verb in the following sentences.

Example:

I wasn’t busy, so I (come) to the party. ==> I wasn’t busy, so I could come to the party.
Dan is sick. He (go, not) to the football game. ==> Dan is sick. He can’t go to the football game.

  1. After eating a whole pizza, James was full. He (eat, not) another bite of food.
  2. Louis is blind. He (read, not) that book.
  3. Mark is in high school, so he (attend) summer camp this year.
  4. We (go, not) swimming at the outdoor pool because there was a thunderstorm.
  5. We have finished packing, so we (leave) on our trip as soon as you’re ready.
  6. John didn’t finish his homework in time, so he (go, not) skiing with us.
  7. On a clear day, you (see) forever.
  8. We had an extra seat in the car, so we (give) Mary a ride to the train station.
  9. If you’re tired, you (take) a quick nap before dinner.
  10. The weather was nice, so we (go) camping at the state park last weekend.

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Crossword – Basic Vocabulary 9 (solution)

Posted on 2012/04/02
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crossword puzzle solution

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Writing Assignment: At a Barber Shop (Solution)

Posted on 2012/03/31
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In the Barber's Chair

1.    Where is this picture taken?
This picture is taken inside a barber shop.

2.    What kind of chair is the man sitting in?
The man is sitting in a barber’s chair, or a barber’s stool.

3.    What is the man in the barber’s stool doing?
The man in the barber’s stool is getting a shave.

4.    What is on the man’s face?
There is shaving cream, or shaving lather, on the man’s face.

5.    What is the barber doing?
The barber is holding a razor.  He is shaving the man in the barber’s stool.

6.    What tools can a barber use when giving a haircut?
The tools that a barber can use when giving a haircut are scissors (or shears), a razor, clippers, and a comb or brush.

7.    What tools can a barber use when he gives a shave?
The tools that a barber can use when giving a shave are a razor and a shaving brush.

8.    What must a barber do if his razor or scissors are dull?
If the razor or scissors are dull, the barber must sharpen them.  The razor can be sharpened using a barber’s strop, and the scissors can be sharpened by a scissors grinder.

9.    What other things might a barber have to take care of hair?
Some other things that a barber might have to take care of hair are combs, brushes, hair tonics, and gels.

10.    What can you use to make your hair look neat?
You can use a comb or a brush to make your hair look neat.

11.    How can you ask the barber to remove your beard or mustache?
You can ask for a shave if you want the barber to remove your beard or mustache.

12.    What is a slang expression for “getting your hair cut”?
“Getting your ears lowered” is a slang expression that means “getting your hair cut”:  Where are you going? —I’m going to get my ears lowered.

13.    What can you say to the barber if you want only a little bit of hair cut off?
If you want only a little bit of hair cut off, you can ask the barber for a trim.

14.    What can you say to the barber if you want a lot of hair cut off?
If you want a lot of hair cut off, you can ask the barber for a buzz cut, or a crew cut.

15.    What does the barber do to protect your clothes from hair clippings?
To protect your clothes from hair clippings, the barber will put a cape over your chest.

16.    If there are a lot of customers waiting, how can the barber keep track of who is next to get a haircut?
If there are a lot of customers waiting, the barber can keep track of who is next by having you take a number, and wait your turn.

17.    What can you do at the barbershop while waiting for your turn?
While you’re waiting for your turn at the barber shop, you can read a magazine or a newspaper.  Some barber shops have a TV that you can watch.

18.    What kind of sign does a barber often have outside his shop?
Many times a barber has a barber’s pole outside his shop.  This is a traditional sign or symbol for a barber.

19.    What are some different kinds of cuts a man might get?
Some of the different cuts a man might get are a crew cut (buzz cut), a bowl cut, a flat top, a Mohawk, or a jarhead cut (military cut).

20.    What else could you get at some barber shops, besides a haircut or a shave?
At some barber shops, you can also get your shoes shined.

Paragraph:  At a Barber Shop

Jimmy went to the barber shop.  His mother had given him money for a haircut, because his hair was getting long and it was hanging in his eyes.  He opened the door to the shop and greeted the barber, Mr. Williams.  Mr. Williams told him it would be about a ten-minute wait, so he could just have a seat.  Jimmy sat down in a chair and picked up the sports pages of the newspaper.  He didn’t care much for reading, but he liked to read about his favorite teams.  Before he knew it, Mr. Williams told him it was his turn.  Jimmy went over and sat in the barber’s stool.  Jimmy was a regular customer of Mr. Williams, so Mr. Williams knew exactly how Jimmy wanted his hair cut – a classic, Caesar cut.  Mr. Williams was an experienced barber, and he liked using a razor rather than scissors for cutting hair whenever possible.  He put a cape on Jimmy and began cutting with the razor.  He combed and cut, and combed again, all around Jimmy’s head.  Finally, Mr. Williams took his scissors for some light trimming, then handed Jimmy a mirror so he could see how he looked.  Jimmy looked all around, and nodded with satisfaction.  He paid Mr. Williams for the haircut and went home.

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