Unit 1 Online Practice Exercises

Unit 1

1 . Simple Present  & Present Progressive

The Simple Present  The simple present tense is used for two main types of action:

ü  Habits Actions which happen regularly (every day, every week, etc.)

ü  States Things which do not often change (opinions, conditions, etc.)

Type of action	Examples	Explanations
HABIT	1.       Young-Mi goes to class every day. 2.      It rains a lot in Vancouver. 3.       Santos always talks about his family. 4.      Jerry spends Christmas with his parents.	"Every day" is a habit. This means that it rains often. "Always" means this is a habit. This implies that he spends Christmas with his parents every year.
State	1.      Bianca lives in Florida. 2.     Jean-Paul has red hair. 3.     Martin likes chocolate. 4.     Anna believes in God.	This is a state, because it doesn't change. Someone's hair color doesn't usually change. When we like something, usually we will always like it. Beliefs and opinions are states. They don't often change.

The Present Continuous  The present continuous tense is used for two main types of action:

ü  A temporary action happening now Something which is going on right now (but it will stop in the future)

ü  A definite plan for the future Something we intend to do, usually in the near future

Type of action	Examples	Explanations
Temporary action happening right now	1.   John is winning the game. 2.   It's raining outside. 3.   Soraya's working in the library. 4.   Sihol is spending Christmas with his family.	Right now, John is winning, but the game isn't finished yet. It's raining right now (but it may stop soon). She's working there right now. He's spending Christmas with his family right now, this year. (Maybe next year he won't.)
Definite plan for the future	1.   I'm playing soccer tomorrow. 2.   Sarah's leaving for San Francisco on Friday. 3.  The Olympics are taking place here next year. 4.  I'm having a party next week.	This plan is already arranged and definite. She has probably already bought her ticket. This is already certain. All the plans have been made.

Practice online:

 http://www.englisch-hilfen.de/en/exercises/simpre_prepro.htm

http://www.eflnet.com/grammar/presprog.php

2 . Reflexive Pronouns & Reciprocal Pronouns

Reflexive Pronouns

Reflexive pronouns indicate that the subject performs actions to or for itself; therefore, the action in the sentence passes back to the subject. Reflexive pronouns distinguish person and number.

FORMS:	Singular	Plural
First person	myself	ourselves
Second person	yourself	yourselves
Third person	himself, herself,  itself	themselves

                      

Examples:

 We tortured ourselves with the thought of the upcoming exam.

The reflexive pronoun ourselves indicates that the action of "torturing" is being reflected back to the subject: the subject "we" is both the doer and the receiver of the action.

    I told myself this would happen if I listened to Jane.

Reciprocal Pronouns

Reciprocal pronouns express an interchangeable or mutual action or relationship. There are two forms and each has a possessive case:

          each other          one another

          each other's        one another's

Examples:

    Mark and Dave greeted each other

                OR

    Mark and Dave greeted one another.

    Mark and Dan were embarrassed that they had forgotten

    each other's names.

                 OR

    Mark and Dan were embarrassed that they had forgotten

    one another's names.

Practice online:

http://www.ego4u.com/en/cram-up/grammar/pronouns/exercises?06

http://www.ptholseguera.com/freegrammar/reflexives.htm

3 . Both & Neither

      BOTH: Means the two of them / you /us.
      NEITHER: Means not one nor the other
     
      FORM:  BOTH takes a plural verb
                      Ex: We both went to the same University
          
                      NEITHER  takes singular verb
                      Ex: Neither of the boys went to the University

Practice online:
http://www.inglesmundial.com/Ingles_Intermedio_Leccion6/Ingles_Intermedio_Leccion6_Gramatica.html
http://www.ecenglish.com/learnenglish/lessons/both-neither-either-pre-intermediate-level
http://perso.wanadoo.es/autoenglish/gr.both.i.htm
http://perso.wanadoo.es/autoenglish/gr.both.p.htm

We Need Each Other

The band, Sanctus Real, formed in Toledo, Ohio , in 1996. Their fourth album, We Need Each Other (2008), was recorded in late 2007 and released in February. It received a Grammy Award nomination and spawned the single "We Need Each Other". Sanctus Real released their fifth studio album in March 2010, titled Pieces of a Real Heart. The band's music incorporates a modern alternative rock style, and has evolved from power pop to a more melodic and guitar-driven sound.

I think I caught a glimpse of a life without friends
Bitter, empty, hollow, dark and lonely
We never meant to hurt each other so can't we trust again
And take it as a chance to keep on growing

Well, I don't know why it doesn't come easy
But I know that we could be happy
If we'd only learn to love

Oh, oh, we need each other so what's the fighting for
Oh, oh, we need each other, please don't close the door
Oh, oh, we need each other through all the highs and lows
Oh, oh, we need each other 'cause no one's meant to be alone

Life revolves around the need of having someone
Causing every complicated feeling
Oh and I don't want to lose you so there is nothing wrong with
Telling me what you need to keep our love strong

Oh, it's just a part of being a family
Taking the good with the bad and the ugly
If we could only learn to love

Oh, oh, we need each other so what's the fighting for
Oh, oh, we need each other, please don't close the door
Oh, oh, we need each other through all the highs and lows
Oh, oh, we need each other and I don't wanna be alone

Oh, oh we need each other, fathers and mothers
Oh, oh we need each other, all your sisters and brothers
Oh, oh we need each other, we need friends and lovers
Oh, oh we need each other

I need you, you need me
'Cause that's the way it's meant to be
I need you, we need each other
I don't want to be alone

I need you, you need me
'Cause that's the way it's gotta be
I need you, we need each other
I don't want to be alone

Hugging

Read this New York Times article about teenagers and hugging, and watch the embedded video, Hugging is Hip. 
Does this change your idea of how Northamericans usually greet each other?
Use these materials in your classroom discussion on the ways you tend to greet each other.

Do you tend to take hugging as seriously as Martin Neufeld, author of "The Hugging Life"?



You may also enjoy the Free Hugs Campaign page, where you can find their video and the history of the movement.

Birth Order and Romantic Compatibility

If you want to know all about birth order and personality characteristics, go to birthorders.com

Both, Either, Neither, Nor and So

Take this online quiz and find out what cats and teenagers have in common.

ego4u quiz

A Heavy Collocation

Some collocations with heavy

CERTAIN TYPES OF WEATHER You can talk about:
• a heavy snowfall / heavy snow
• a heavy frost
• heavy rain
• a heavy storm
• heavy (storm) clouds
(But probably not, for example, a heavy typhoon or a heavy hurricane). 

WORK SCHEDULES You can talk about:
• a heavy schedule
• a heavy workload
• heavy day at the office
EATING, SLEEPING, DRINKING, SMOKING You can be a...
• heavy eater
• heavy sleeper
• heavy drinker
• heavy smoker
You can also eat a heavy lunch and certain types of cakes and sweets can be very heavy. (Fruit cake, for example is very heavy - eat a lot and you'll probably feel sick). 

TOO MUCH OF SOMETHING We can talk about:
• heavy make-up
• heavy traffic
DIFFICULT TO UNDERSTAND You can talk about:
• heavy reading material
• a heavy discussion
(But probably not a heavy explanation). You can also say that a person speaks English with a heavy foreign accent (also a strong foreign accent). 

RELATING TO LARGE AMOUNTS OF MONEY We often use this with large amounts money that we are unhappy about paying:
• If you park your car in the wrong place, you may have to pay a heavy fine.
• An investor can suffer heavy losses on the stock exchange.
(But probably not, for example, heavy phone bill. We would be more likely to say huge phone bill or hefty phone bill.

Short exercise

Rewrite the following sentences, using the word heavy.
1. Our office has been very busy today.
   - We've had a ______.
2. My brother smokes two packets of cigarettes a day.
   - My brother's ______.
3. Pierre's English is quite good, but he sounds very French.
   - Pierre speaks English with ______.
4. I'm sorry I'm late. I got stuck in a traffic jam.
   - I'm sorry I'm late. The traffic ______.
5. I dropped a candy wrapper on the street in Singapore and they fined me $400.
   - I dropped a candy wrapper on the street in Singapore and I was given ______.
6. She's quite pretty, but make-up is a bit excessive.
   - I wish she wouldn't wear such ______.
7. It was very frosty when we got up this morning.
   - The frost ______.

---

Thomas' Personal Information

You can copy some questions from Thomas' interview to use with your classmates.

Now you have all the information you need to write a paragraph about Thomas.

Identical Strangers

Paula Bernstein and Elyse Schein we're separated at birth in a secret twins study. They found each other as adults.

Reflexive Pronoun Quiz

Take this online quiz to see if you have mastered the use of reflexive pronouns.

Reflexive pronoun quiz

Reflexive Pronouns

Friends in Low Places

To have friends in high places is to know important people who can help you get what you want. The opposite situation was not usually expressed by switching high for low; that is, until the release of the song "Friends in Low Places" by American country music artist Garth Brooks. According to one of the song's composers, the idea of the song was born when he and some friends went out for lunch one day. When the check came, he realized he had forgotten his money. He was asked how he was going to pay for the meal, and he replied, "Don't worry. I have friends in low places. I know the cook."
"Friends in Low Places" entered the charts on August 18, 1990. It reached number one on October 6 and remained there for four weeks, but it is still popular in karaoke and as a sing-along party song. Brooks said once "We've had a lot of fun with that song, but it's nothing to base your values on."

Blame it all on my roots,

I showed up in boots,

And ruined your black tie affair.

The last one to know,

The last one to show,

I was the last one you thought you'd see there.

And I saw a surprise,

When I took his glass of champange,

I toasted you,

Said, Honey, we may be through,

But you'll never hear me complain,

(Chorus)

'Cause I got friends in low places,

Where the whiskey drowns,

And the beer chases my blues away,

But, I'll be okay.

Now I'm not big on social graces,

Think I'll slip on down to the oasis,

Oh I got friends,
In low places

I guess I was wrong 

I just don't belong
but then I've been there before,

Everything's alright
I'll just say goodnight 

and I'll show myself to the door.
Hey I didn't mean to cause a big scene

just give me an hour and then,

I'll be as high as that Ivory Tower
and you'll never know,

Chorus

Chorus

Identical Twins

An insight into the life of identical twins.

Some Strong Examples

A few examples of phrases using strong - for which weak is not a true opposite

strong-arm INFORMAL using physical force or violence. He tried to get his way through strong-arm tactics.

strong drink - drink containing much alcohol. She can't tolerate strong drink.

strong-minded - having a strong, unyielding mind or will. 

strong room  A strongly built fireproof room designed for the safekeeping of money or valuables.
strong silent type -A man of action who is reserved and masks his feelings. She always falls for the strong silent type.
strong suit. An area in which someone or something excels, as in  Writing is her strong suit. 


come on strong - SLANG to make a striking impression, often in an aggressive way

Artful Practice

For a little fun, and a little review of  reflexive pronouns, take a look at this presentation on Vincent VanGogh from starfall.com.
When you finish the VanGogh piece, keep going and look at Georges Seurat, Paul Gauguin, Marc Chagall, Ernie Barnes and Dorothy Strait. Each has something to say about the artist and about learning English.