Pronoun

Choose the correct personal pronoun.

 

1) _______ am sitting on the sofa.

2) _______are watching TV.

3) Are _______from England?

4) _______is going home.

5) _______are playing football.

6) _______is a wonderful day today.

7) _______are speaking English.

8) Is _______Kevin's sister?

9) _______are swimming in the pool.

10)_______they in the cinema?

identify the word

Is the Bold word a verb, a noun or an adjective?

He always goes for a walk. Noun
We always walk into the town. Verb

1. Mark wanted to talk to Daniel ………………………………
2. Mark wanted a talk with Daniel …………………………………
3. The car is not very clean. …………………………………
4. Doesn’t anyone clean the car ………………………………
5. They went to a fabulous show in New York. …… …………………………..
6. Mark wanted to show Daniel his photos. ….…………………………….
7. Laura though Henry looked beautiful. ………………………………..
8. A strange thought came into Rita’s head. ……………………………….
9. He said, “I am quite tired now.” …………………………………
10. Studying all night had tired Andrew out …………………………………

Buzan: mind maps make you smarter

Note Taking using Mind Maps

Formal letter

Rules for Writing Formal Letters in English

In English there are a number of conventions that should be used when writing a formal or business letter. Furthermore, you try to write as simply and as clearly as possible, and not to make the letter longer than necessary. Remember not to use informal language like contractions.

Addresses:

1) Your Address
The return address should be written in the top right-hand corner of the letter.

2) The Address of the person you are writing to
The inside address should be written on the left, starting below your address.

Date:

Different people put the date on different sides of the page. You can write this on the right or the left on the line after the address you are writing to. Write the month as a word.

Salutation or greeting:

1) Dear Sir or Madam,
If you do not know the name of the person you are writing to, use this. It is always advisable to try to find out a name.

2) Dear Mr Jenkins,
If you know the name, use the title (Mr, Mrs, Miss or Ms, Dr, etc.) and the surname only. If you are writing to a woman and do not know if she uses Mrs or Miss, you can use Ms, which is for married and single women.

Ending a letter:

1) Yours faithfullyIf you do not know the name of the person, end the letter this way.

2) Yours sincerely
If you know the name of the person, end the letter this way.

3) Your signature
Sign your name, then print it underneath the signature. If you think the person you are writing to might not know whether you are male of female, put you title in brackets after your name.

Content of a Formal Letter

First paragraph
The first paragraph should be short and state the purpose of the letter- to make an enquiry, complain, request something, etc.
The paragraph or paragraphs in the middle of the letter should contain the relevant information behind the writing of the letter. Most letters in English are not very long, so keep the information to the essentials and concentrate on organising it in a clear and logical manner rather than expanding too much.
Last Paragraph
The last paragraph of a formal letter should state what action you expect the recipient to take- to refund, send you information, etc.

Abbreviations Used in Letter Writing

The following abbreviations are widely used in letters:

• asap = as soon as possible
• cc = carbon copy (when you send a copy of a letter to more than one person, you use this abbreviation to let them know)
• enc. = enclosure (when you include other papers with your letter)
• pp = per procurationem (A Latin phrase meaning that you are signing the letter on somebody else's behalf; if they are not there to sign it themselves, etc)
• ps = postscript (when you want to add something after you've finished and signed it)
• pto (informal) = please turn over (to make sure that the other person knows the letter continues on the other side of the page)
• RSVP = please reply

Outline: A Covering Letter

A covering letter is the one that accompanies your CV when you are applying for a job. Here is a fairly conventional plan for the layout of the paragraphs.

Opening Paragraph
Briefly identify yourself and the position you are applying for. Add how you found out about the vacancy.

Paragraph 2
Give the reasons why you are interested in working for the company and why you wish to be considered for that particular post. State your relevant qualifications and experience, as well as your personal qualities that make you a suitable candidate.

Paragraph 3
Inform them that you have enclosed your current CV and add any further information that you think could help your case.

Closing Paragraph
Give your availability for interview, thank them for their consideration, restate your interest and close the letter.

Outline: A Letter of Enquiry

A letter of enquiry is when you are approaching a company speculatively, that is you are making an approach without their having advertised or announced a vacancy.

Opening Paragraph
Introduce yourself briefly and give your reason for writing. Let them know of the kind of position you are seeking, why you are interested and how you heard about them.

Paragraph 2
Show why their company in particular interests you, mention your qualifications and experience along with any further details that might make them interested in seeing you.

Paragraph 3
Refer to your enclosed CV and draw their attention to any particularly important points you would like them to focus on in it.

Closing Paragraph
Thank them, explain your availability for interview and restate your enthusiasm for their company and desire to be considered for posts that might as yet be unavailable.

singular or plural in sentences

Choose the correct verb. Mind the noun (singular or plural).(is/are)

 

1) Ladies and gentlemen. Here _______ the news.

2) Where _____ my jeans.

3) Further information ________ available in the office.

4) The stairs ______ over there, Sir.

5) The furniture in our classroom_______ uncomfortable.

6) The USA _______ a very nice country.

7) Your sunglasses ________ on the table.

8) Homework _______ boring.

9) The scissors on the table ________ mine.

10) Physics ______ not easy.

Preposition

Q1 - He was very good ____ us when we were in trouble.

           a.at
           b.to
           c.Either could be used here

Q2 - She's good ____ learning languages.

          a.at
          b.for
          c.Either could be used here

Q3 - Vegetables are good ____ you.

          a.to
          b.for
          c.Either could be used here

Q4 - It was good ____ you to write to them.

         a.to
         b.of
         c.Either could be used here

Q5 - It was good ____ see them there.

       a.for
       b.to
       c.Either could be used here

Q6 - He was a horrible man; I couldn't see any good ____ him.

       a.of
       b.in
       c.Either could be used here

Q7 - Nothing will destroy it; it will last ____ good.

     a.to
     b.for
     c.Either could be used here

Q8 - I'll do it for the good ____ the team.

     a.of
     b.at
     c.Either could be used here

Q9 - It's good ____ be back.

    a.to
    b.at
    c.Either could be used here

Q10 - She's good ____ her job.

    a.to
    b.at
    c.Either could be used here

tips for memorising

Conjuctions

Q1 - She went out ____ the rain.

            a. although
            b. despite
            c.Either could be used here.

 

Q2 - She went out ____ it was raining.

          a.although
          b.despite
          c.Either could be used here.

 

Q3 - She went out ____ the fact that it was raining.

           a.although
           b.despite
           c.Either could be used here.

 

Q4 - ____ she didn't like it, I enjoyed it a lot.

          a.Though
          b. Although
          c.Either could be used here.

 

Q5 - It was good, ____ expensive.

          a.though
          b.despite
          c.Either could be used here.

 

Q6 - I was late. _____, the others were all on time.

         a.Although
         b.However
         c.Despite

 

Q7 - ____ I was late, the others were all on time.

        a.Although
        b.However
        c.Despite

 

Q8 - They managed it ____ I wasn't there.

         a.although
         b.despite
         c.however

 

Q9 - They managed it ____ the fact that I wasn't there.

        a.although
        b.however
        c.despite

 

Q10 - ____ tired, he managed to finish it on time.

         a.Though
         b.Despite
         c.Either could be used here.

 

 

Q11 - ____ hard she tried, she still couldn't manage it.

         a.However
         b.Despite
         c.Though
         d.Although

 

 

Q12 - 'You did it!'

 

         a.'I didn't enjoy it much, though.'
         b.'I didn't enjoy it much, although.'

 

 

Q13 - ____ of the opportunity, no one bothered.

        a.Despite
        b.In spite
        c.Although
        d.Though

Ways to improve our GRAMMAR

Steps

1.  
   Speak in English, assuming English is the language whose grammar you wish to improve upon. English is a universal language, and its importance is increasing in our daily lives. Learning grammar can be hard if we don't really know how to speak English. Improve your grammar by continual practise. Your speech will reflect patterns you hear, and the rest will fall into place. Find a friend who can speak to you in English, and move on. Whenever you feel stuck, ask!
   • Learning another language, however, will also help you appreciate the importance of grammar.
2.  
   Make a plan. Try to get an overview of English grammar from a text book or online resource. Note the grammar points you need to work on and plan to work on each for at least a few days.
3.  
   Find a tutor. Some of us may disagree with the idea of going to a teacher for grammar lessons, but why not? If you are looking for an alternative, practice grammar using online exercises. There are a number of sites that offer exercises on a range of topics. While using a computer to type a document, grammar checkers can be very helpful too.
4.  
   Identify common mistakes. People who speak the same language often make the same mistakes in English grammar. For example, many Russian speakers have trouble using "a" and "the" in English. Find out what grammar points are often difficult for speakers of your native language. Pay extra attention to learning those grammar points.
5.  
   Find some grammar exercises. To learn English grammar well, you'll need to practice each grammar point until you can use it easily. Look for a book of grammar exercises that also has answers. Online activities and quizzes can also help. Focus on just one grammar point each time you study.
6.  
   Pay close attention to grammar when you read English. When you're trying to learn correct English grammar, it's not enough to understand general idea of what you read. You'll need to understand exactly why each sentence is written that way. When you read a sentence, ask yourself if can make similar sentences. If you can't or you're not sure, find text book exercises for those grammar points and practice.
7.  
   Translate from your native language into English. When you write or speak your own thoughts, it's easy to avoid complicated grammar. When you translate, you have to work with whatever is on the page, even if the grammar is difficult. Start translating simple things like advertisements and then move to newspapers and magazine articles. Translating dialog in plays is another good way to practice.
8.  
   Read and practice. The more you read, the better you get with your vocabulary. It improves grammar too. If possible, read aloud. Functional grammar deals with the way in which words and word order are used in social perspectives to get the message across. However, if you have a sudden dislike towards heavy grammar books, try the 'parrot method.' This refers to listening and repeating things as many times as possible, so it becomes natural for you to say it that way.
9.  
   Reading aloud is simpler. Why? Because you eventually are listening to correct grammar as you read it; watching television also helps. It works better if we watch what we are really interested in, although the BBC is always a great option. The English spoken in America is different from that spoken in England. Some parts of spelling and grammar vary between the two countries as well.
10.  
    Ask native speakers for advice. If you know any native English speakers, ask if they could check some of your writing now and then. If there are no native English speakers near you, look online for language-learning forums or language-exchange sites. Just remember if the native speaker is not a teacher, he or she may not be able to explain grammar rules.

HOW can we improve our english?

What to choose in our learning zone to build your English skills?


Improve your reading and vocabulary:

• learn new words with our short stories.
• look up a word in dictionary.
• use books with audiocassettes/CDs
• use the different  multimedia software available in our workstations
• surf websites on reading and vocabulary.

• Improve your writing and grammar:
• use a book that corresponds to your level
• check the spelling of words in dictionaries
• surf websites on writing and grammar.

      Improve your speaking and pronunciation:

• practise with our audiocassets and cd's.
• use the dictionaries to learn phonetics and phonology
• surf websites on speaking.
  

Improve your listening:

• practise with our audiocassets and cd's.
• watch our DVD and videos
• surf websites on english.

Prepare for EFL Exams:

• have a look at the material that can help you prepare effectively for any EFL exams
• surf websites on EFL exams.