Gerunds & Infinitives

It's about time we started looking at some new grammar aspects. We're going to start with a selection of verbs that are followed either by a gerund or an infinitive. Click on the icon to see the list.

Then we have some verbs that have one meaning when they are followed by a gerund and a different one if an infinitive follows. This is a presentation explaining each case.

And finally, here is a video of Jennifer explaining the use of Gerunds and Infinitives. It's a very clear explanation with examples, though rather slow. Just in case you didn't come to class the day we saw this.

PRESENT PERFECT CONTINUOUS

In unit 4, section Grammar: Duration, the present perfect continuous is mentioned and a few examples given. For a more thorough,detailed explanation and practice exercises, download this pdf file and print it out.

CLICK HERE TO START DOWNLOADING

Next, you can check the Grammar Challenge from the BBC and take the quizzes they suggest. CLICK ON THE IMAGE

Top five regrets of the dying

What do you think will wish had been different in your life when you see your life coming to an end? Apparently, most of the dying regret similar things. Read this article by a palliative care nurse and find out what they are.

 Top Five Regrets of the Dying

WATCH "FRIENDS" AND PRACTISE CONDITIONALS

To watch Friends season 6 episode 15 "The One that Could Have Been", click here.
You will need to find a video link that works and follow instructions.  Select "Internet links" and then "You Tube". Then click on "Watch as  a free user". Good luck!!

SCRIPT: http://www.livesinabox.com/friends/season6/615maybe.htm

WISHES, REGRETS AND CONDITIONALS

To download this grammar exercise sheet, click HERE

Around a castle

Relative pronouns practice and revision

 

Environment interaction sample

For last week's topic Emmi and I decided to act out a conversation in front of the class, so you have accurate guidelines on what to do in the oral exam. 

The situation in context

 We're doing a degree in Environmental science. Emmi is a sophomore whereas I'm a freshman. We've been selected to write an article for the university magazine about environmental issues in our region. We're meeting to discuss the topic and see what ideas we can come up with together. Let's see what we sorted out:

   

Nice structures to be used in an oral exam

Toya

Emmi

... and how we tend to act... I remember seeing some pictures... It’s high time something was done about that. Sewage and waste waters have been dumped into Mar Menor. Something should be done about... If we surveyed the locals we could include some of their perspectives. .... after people had separated... Nothing was done. Some people could have solar pannels installed on their roofs. (have something done)

How exciting! So you used to take the bus. You’re forced to pollute. Due to... Even though the changes haven’t been significant, the biodiversity has still been affected. If people knew more about the topic of environmental issues, then they would be more interested in making changes. Agriculture is affected by periods of severe drought. The initiative has to be taken by the government. Let’s get to writing!

of course don't forget question tags!

And vocabulary 

As regards Invironmental issues Cutbacks Industrial impact Sewage & waste waters Oysters, sea horses Droughts Gather opinions Waste collection system Draw attention Solar panels  Subsidize	Car exhaust fumes Promote environmental awareness City council Cardboard Organic waste That’s pretty shocking The three Rs: reuse, reduce & recycle Hydropower Windpower

Structures with a present tense to talk about the future

There are quite a few structures in English that require a present tense although they refer to the future. Let's take a look at a few examples:

If                                                     early, I'll give you a call.
Unless                                              early I won't be able to meet you.
In case                                             early I'll book the restaurant.
As long as                                          early I'll see you tonight.
When         the meeting finishes     I'll text you.
Until                                                 I won't be able to contact you.
After                                                I'll come round.
Before                                             I'll tell you what time I could meet.
As soon as                                       I'll drop by the pub.


Let's practise with a listening activity. 

You are going to listen to a man talking to a group of people about something they are going to do the next day. Fill in the gaps while you listen:

 

1. We're going .............. the weather gets much worse.
2. .................. that it doesn't rain too heavily tonight, I'll see you back here at 6 o'clock.
3. We won't reach the top of the mountain ................. we set out early.
4. You need a whistle ...................... you get separated from the rest of the group.
5. ................... you didn't bring large cameras.
6. ................... we all stay together, we'll have a great time.
7. I .................. you'd come a few weeks ago.
8. .................. we had dinner now.

Conditionals - Listening practice

As I told you in class, we're not going to see conditionals Type zero or one this year. However, here you have a listening that includes all four types. Listen to the audio twice. The first time, answer the questions, and then fill in the gaps with the right tenses the second time you listen to it. Piece of cake!


You are going to hear a spy, known as Double X, talking to his boss, Mr Seymour, about a photograph which Mr Seymour gives him. 

TASK 1. Answer the questions.

1. What does Mr Seymour want Double X to do? 

2. Why doesn't Mr. Seymour give Double X a better photo?

3. Who sent the photo to Mr. Seymour?

4. Why is the photo fuzzy?

5. How is it possible to make the picture clearer?

6. Who is in the photo?

7. Can you guess who sent the photo to Mr. Seymour, and why? 

TASK 2. Fill in the gaps.

1. If you .................. him, I ......................... extremely pleased.
2. If we .............. a better picture, we .................... it to you.
3. If she ................... us that, I ............................ to ask for your help.
4. It ................ me somewhere to start if I ......... where she'd phoned from.

5. It ................ a bit clearer if you ............ at it with your eyes half closed.

Conditionals, I wish, It's time, I'd rather

Unreal Past

The past tense is sometimes used in English to refer to an 'unreal' situation. So, although the tense is the past, we are usually talking about the present, e.g. in a Type 2 conditional sentence:

If I won the lottery, I would travel around the world.

Although won is in the past tense, we are talking about a hypothetical situation that might exist now or at any time, but we are not referring to the past. We call this use the unreal past.

Other situations where this occurs are:

• after other words and expressions like 'if' (supposing, if only, what if);
• after the verb 'to wish';
• after the expression 'I'd rather..'

Expressions like 'if'

The following expressions can be used to introduce hypothetical situations:
- supposing, if only, what if. They are followed by a past tense to indicate that the condition they introduce is unreal:

• Supposing I won the lottery... (= but we know this is unlikely)
• What if we moved to another country? (= that would be quite unexpected)
• If only I had more time. (= but I haven't).

These expressions can also introduce hypothetical situations in the past and then they are followed by the past perfect.

Examples:

• If only I hadn't  cheated in the exam (= I did and it was a mistake because the invigilator caught me and I failed)
• What if I had told you before? (I didn't, but I can imagine what would have happened)

The verb to wish

The verb to wish is followed by an 'unreal' past tense when we want to talk about situations in the present that we are not happy about but cannot change:

• I wish I had more time (=but I haven't)
• She wishes she was more practical (= but she's not)
• We wish we could come to your party (= but we can't)

When we want to talk about situations in the past that we are not happy about or actions that we regret, we use the verb to wish followed by the past perfect:

• I wish I hadn't said that (= but I did)
• He wishes he hadn't bought the car (= but he did buy it)
• I wish I had taken that job in New York (= but I didn't, so I'm stuck in Bristol)

NOTE: When we want to talk about situations we are not happy about and where we want someone else to change them, we use to wish followed by would + infinitive.

• I wish you wouldn't squeeze the toothpaste from the middle! (= I want you to change your habits)

I'd rather and it's time...

These two expressions are also followed by an unreal past. The verb is in the past tense, but the situation is in the present.

When we want to talk about a course of action we would prefer someone else to take, we use I'd rather + past tense:

• I'd rather you went.
• He'd rather you called the police.
• I'd rather you didn't hunt elephants.

NOTE: the stress can be important in these sentences, to show what our preference is:

• I'd rather you went = not me,
• I'd rather you went = don't stay
• He'd rather you called the police = he doesn't want to
• He'd rather you called the police = not the ambulance service

Similarly, when we want to say that now is a suitable moment to do something, either for ourselves or for someone else, we use it's time + past tense:

• It's (high) time I went.
• Don't you think it's time you had a haircut?

Order of Adjectives - a bit of practice

I'm going to give you 7 sentences with their adjectives and nouns in brackets, so you can finish them up.

1. She was wearing a .....             

(brown    old      large    coat)

2. The island had a ......

(golden     sandy    long    beach)

3. Leila bought a .....

(silk    white    beautiful   scarf)

4. He was wearing ......  

(leather   smart  new   shoes)

5. What a ......   it is!

(sunny   lovely   morning)

6.It's a ....

(red    Victorian   pretty   building )

7. There's an .....   

(expensive  Volvo  new   car)

An insight into grammar - Order of adjectives

One of the grammar aspects that we have to see in detail this year is how adjectives work, and the order they follow in the sentence. To do so, we'll start by listening to some adverts that provide a wide variety of them.

   LISTENING (Unit 7 - Grammar for First Certificate)

Listening - Modals for obligation and necessity

Listen to this conversation between Chris and Alice.



Among the following sentences, choose the ones that are true.

1. Alice has left school because she is a trainee in a restaurant to become a chef.
2. Chris is in charge of the Kitchen at a hotel.
3. Alice reckons the job must be very enjoyable.
4. Working in an important hotel implies meeting a lot of famous people.
5. Chris works very long hours, specially in the summer.
6. Once the food is cooked he can go home and relax.
7. He had more time off in his previous job.
8. Alice is determined to become a chef.

Reported Speech - An article

This is an article from the magazine Think in English that provides a detailed explanation on when and how to use Reported Speech. It's easy to read and a great way to revise this structure, which you should be using naturally at this stage. Click on the images to download.

Page 1: Indirect statement, tense changes and auxiliary verbs

Page 2: Say vs tell, reporting verbs and other changes

 

Page 3: Questions, Requests, Commands & Recommendations

            

Gerunds & Infinitives II

I'll just leave here a couple of links more, so can have as much practice as you can take!!! Just click on the exercise number to give it a try. The more you practise, the higher probability of remembering when to use either a gerund or an infinitive (with or without to) when it comes to real communication.

PRACTICE 1             PRACTICE 2          

If you remember, we also mentioned, though just briefly, that we usually place a gerund after prepositions, except in a few cases. This is an exercise to practise which prepositions go after certain verbs. Enjoy!

PRACTICE 3

To & For

Just a couple of links here to help you understand their use better.

BBC Learning English        and       What is "for" for?

Other and Another

A video explaining how to use OTHER & ANOTHER properly

And here you have a couple of exercises to practise:

Exercise 1       Exercise 2