English 101

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Online TESOL Course – Grammar
Unit 1 | Welcome
Parts of Speech – Nouns
Important information
Welcome to Teach International’s Grammar Course Online! Please read this information
carefully, as it will help you navigate the course smoothly and successfully.
It is important to understand that grammar, unlike mathematics, is not 2+2=4. There are set
rules, but many native speakers don’t know the rules, or often ‘break’ the rules. What you
decide is acceptable usage for your students is really important to consider. Also, we often
would use English differently in spoken and written discourse. If your students speak using
incorrect grammar, it doesn't always mean they will write it incorrectly. But, at the end of
the day, there are rules, which should be followed and are what you should go by in certain
cases where you may be inclined to use one form over another or in which you are unsure.
Course Structure
The Grammar Course Online is divided into 12 Units and one exam. Each unit contains
information to read and activities to complete as you go. Once you complete ALL 12 units,
including the activities, you will be able to sit the exam.
Please take the time to read the material thoroughly and to complete the activities
carefully. Both are an important part of your training and they will only make you a better
teacher.
Activities
Interspersed within the units are activities to complete. They are multiple-choice questions:
You must choose the BEST answer from the options given. This doesn’t necessarily mean
that no other answer could be correct. We are looking for the most appropriate answer.
The result (correct or incorrect) is automatically generated and given to you immediately
after you submit ALL answers (that is, if there are 4 questions, you will know whether your
answers are correct after you submit all 4 answers).
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If you get one or more answers wrong, try not to go back and just click on another option….
Reflect and, if necessary, read the material again. This will only enhance your learning.
Once you answer the questions correctly, you will be able to move on, but not until then.
Before you start

Ideally, you should complete each unit in one sitting. There are activities throughout the
units, so if you do not complete them all, you will lose your work!
Tip
Keep a record of your answers, in case you don't have enough time to complete the whole
unit, or you get disconnected. If you do, then all you need to do next time is fill in the
answers you recorded until you reach the point where you left off.

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Unit 1 | Module 1: What are Nouns?
The first part of speech we'll take a look at is nouns. What are nouns? Nouns are the first
words we grasp when learning a new language. They are the key words, the content words,
the words you use to make yourself understood as a toddler first learning to speak, or as a
tourist travelling abroad with a new language.
A noun is a person, a place, a thing, a quality. It answers the question "who" or "what".
For example:
Who is talking?
A child
The parrot
The actor
What is your favourite subject?
Science
Mathematics
History
What do you want most in life?
Happiness
Wealth
Success
Those are all nouns!

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Unit 1 | Module 2: Common and Proper Nouns
Most nouns are common. This means we don't capitalise them.
But some nouns are proper nouns. A proper noun is the name we use for people,
organisations, places, etc. We capitalise these.
Names of people - John, Mr. Miyagi, Dr. Phillips, etc.

Names of places - Cairns, New Zealand, Europe, etc.
Names of organisations or companies - Ford, McDonald's, Sony, etc.
Months, days of the week - January, Monday, etc.
Books, films - War and Peace, Star Trek, etc.
Hint: Remember, sometimes we capitalise words that are not proper nouns simply because
they are being used as a title or in a sign. For example: "Please do not Walk on the Grass".
We only capitalise the important or key words. Another example. "Grammar Course
Syllabus"
Hint: A very common habit among English speakers is to print in all capitals. If this is your
habit, it is important that you learn to use capital letters only in titles or for proper nouns!
Set a good example for your students!

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Unit 1 | Module 3
3.0 : Concrete and Abstract nouns
Let's take a look at the difference between concrete and abstract nouns.
Concrete nouns name things that can actually be sensed. These are some examples:
We see a squirrel.
We taste the chilli.
We hear a song.
We smell the aroma.
We feel a shiver.
Abstract nouns refer to qualities not directly sensed, like:
freedom
success
pride
envy
empathy
happiness
sadness
Activity: The following was written by the naturalist Gerald Durrell and is taken from his
"Golden Bats and Pink Pigeons". Read the paragraph and then list, on a piece of paper, in
order, all the nouns that you find.
"Any naturalist at certain moments has experienced a thrill at the beauty and complexity of
life, and a feeling of depression that one lifetime is an unfairly short span in such a paradise
of wonders as the world is. You get this feeling when, for the first time, you see the beauty,
variety, and lushness of a tropical rainforest, with its maze of a thousand different trees,
each bedecked with garlands of orchids, enmeshed in a web of creepers. There are so many
species that you cannot believe that number of different forms have evolved."
Try to read from noun to noun, skipping over all the connecting and structure words. See
how your mind fills in many of the ideas, and how you gather meaning from the context of
the nouns?

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Unit 1 | Module 3
3.1 : Using Articles to Identify Nouns
"The" is a definite article. It defines the noun. If the word "the" can be used right before the
word, then it's a noun.
" That is the ."

Try it with these words: sky, strategy, over, car, anger.
"The" is called a determiner, or indicator, of a noun.

It is a grammatical signpost to alert you that a noun will follow.
HOWEVER, while the word "the" should always make sense in front of a noun, it is not
always necessary. Consider these examples:
Kittens are cute.

The kittens are cute.
Both are grammatically correct, but the word "the" is not used both times.
Here are two more articles: "a" and "an". These are indefinite articles.
A tree provides shade.

An apple is a healthy treat.
An indefinite article also helps you determine whether the word is a noun, but it is less
defined than "the".
For example:
I want to buy a house. (not a particular house, but any house) I want to buy the house on
Peel St. (a specific, or definite, house)

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Unit 1 | Module 4: Possessive nouns
Possessive nouns answer the question "Whose?" and tells us who or what owns something.
If a noun is singular, just add an apostrophe and an "s".
Jason - Jason's bag

Kylie - Kylie's sister
the dog - the dog's toy
If the noun is plural and ends in an "s", just add an apostrophe
the ladies - the ladies' room

the countries - the countries' citizens
my sisters - my sisters' families
If the noun is plural and does not end in an "s", add an apostrophe and an "s"
her children - her children's books

the people - the people's rights
the sheep - the sheep's owners

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Unit 1 | Module 5: Nouns as Modifiers
When nouns are used as adjectives, (to modify another noun), they are used in their
singular form.
For example,
We say "vegetable soup" not "vegetables soup".

We say "office building" not "offices building".
The word "office" modifies the word "building".
One very common mistake your students will make is when they are using numbers as an
adjective, or modifier. Check out these examples:
We took a "five-day course". - not a "five days course"

It had a "two-hour test". - not a "two hours test"
I have a "six-year-old" boy. - not a "six years old boy"
Hint: When you are correcting mistakes like this with your conversational English students,
you do not need to tell them "it's a noun used as a modifier". That kind of language is
intimidating, and not important language for them to know, unless they are studying at a
high academic level. Just give them clear, correct examples to follow.
Unit 1 | Module 6: Countable and Uncountable Nouns
Countable nouns are things we can count.

For example:
pens (Can we count pens? Sure! "One pen… two pens… three pens…")
apples
fingers
cups
chairs
computers
What about these nouns. Do you think these are countable?
houses (Can we count houses? Again, yes! "One house… two houses… three
houses…")
feet - This one's a bit tricky because the plural form is not regular like the others. It
doesn't just have an "s" added to "foot". But still, you can count feet. "One foot, two
feet, three feet, etc." So it's countable.
people - Tricky, again. But definitely countable.

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Unit 1 | Module 7: Countable / Uncountable Nouns Continued
Uncountable nouns are substances, concepts, etc. that we cannot count as individual
elements. For example, we can't count milk. (We can't say "one milk, two milks, three milks,
etc.")
There are many types of uncountable nouns:
Fluids - water, coffee, tea, milk, oil, soup, petrol, blood, etc.
Solids - ice, cheese, meat, iron, silver, glass, paper, wood, cotton, wool, etc.
Gases - steam, air, oxygen, smoke, pollution
Particles - rice, sand, corn, dirt, flour, grass, hair, salt, etc.
Abstract nouns such as: love, courage, education, information, sleep, truth, energy,
etc.
Fields of study: chemistry, engineering, anthropology, sociology, etc.
Natural phenomena: weather, dew, fog, hail, heat, humidity, lightning, gravity, etc.
Note: There are some words which are categorised as uncountable nouns, but, may be
used colloquially as countable, for example sugar. "How many sugars would you like in your
coffee?" "One, thanks."

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So let's compare how we use countable and uncountable nouns. It comes very naturally for
you - you know exactly what sounds right - but when you are introducing
countable/uncountable to your students, it will help to give them some patterns to follow.
In some languages all nouns are countable and in others all are uncountable, so as with
every grammar point, we need to make this as clear as possible for them (and for you!)
Countable Nouns Uncountable Nouns
You can use "a" and "an" Never use "a" or "an" or numbers in
and numbersin front of the noun. front of the noun.
an apple / three apples weather

a person / ten people information
luggage
You can use "the" in front of the You can use "the" in front of the noun.
noun.
the porridge
the computer the music
the family the power
the people
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Here are some other differences between countable and uncountable nouns.
General
Form
Use "many" or "a few" Use "a lot" or "some" or "a

little"
many papers
a few children a lot of time
some sugar
a little information
Question
Form
Use "How many" as the Use "How much" as the

question form. question form.
How many TVs do How much milk would

you have? you like?
How many cars are How much power does
there? this car have?
Negative
Form
Use "not many" in the Use "not much" in the

negative form negative form.
Q. How many apples do you Q. How much juice do you

have? have?
A. Not many. A. Not much.
I don't have many apples. I don't have much juice.

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Unit 1 | Module 10
10.0: Countable / Uncountable Nouns Continued
We use quantifiers or expressions of quantity all the time when talking about
uncountables.
You can't say "three flours" but you can say "three cups of flour".
How else might you measure - or "count" - flour?
a cup of flour
half a cup of flour
a bag of flour
a handful of flour
How about "counting" beef?
a kilo of beef
a side of beef
a dish of beef
These are called quantifiers, and we use them all the time when using uncountables.
Think of three different ways to "count" each of the following:
1. water
2. rice
3. oil
4. meat
5. soup
Hint: Can you see how food is a great tool to teach the difference between countables and
uncountables?

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Unit 1 | Module 10
10.1: Countable / Uncountable Nouns Continued
Sometimes the same noun can be used in a countable and uncountable form, and usually
the meaning changes.
For example:
Noise
Countable - We heard several loud noises last night!
Uncountable -There is a lot of noise to get used to here.
Hair
Countable - I had a hair in my soup!
Uncountable -You have such lovely thick hair!
Work
Countable -That was one of his best works.
Uncountable - I'm so happy to have some time off work!
There are more. Can you think of both an uncountable and a countable form for the words
"room" and "time"?
The no-fail test to determining whether a noun is countable, uncountable or both: put it
into a question. To ask about the quantity of nouns we use “How much” for uncountable or
“How many” for countable nouns. You will know right away which one sounds correct:
How much money does he have? Correct, so “money” is uncountable.

How many money does he have? Incorrect, so “money” is not countable.
How much houses does he have? Incorrect, so “houses” is not uncountable.

How many houses does he have? Correct, so “houses” is countable.
How much paper does he have? Correct, so “paper” is uncountable.

How many papers does he have to mark? Correct, so “papers” is also countable!

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Unit 1 | Module 11
11.0: Example Activity: Back-to-back Trolley
Activity type Back-to-back – Pairs

Grammar Countable and uncountable nouns
Functions To describe the contents of a shopping trolley
Vocabulary milk, bananas, apples, orange juice, biscuits, tomatoes, bread,
chocolate, fish, meat, potatoes, chips, soap, washing detergent,
etc.
Age group All ages
Resources One set of worksheets 28a and 28b per pair
Procedure 1. Place students in pairs and ask them to sit back to back.
2. Give each student in the pair one of the worksheets.
3. Students ask each other questions about the contents of their

shopping trolleys, eg.
“Are there any biscuits in the trolley? Yes, there are some/ No,
there aren’t any.
“Is there any milk in the trolley? Yes, there is some/ No, there
isn’t any.
4. Ask a pair to report on the contents of the trolleys.

Option Make up more trolleys for variety and to practise vocabulary you
have been teaching.

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Unit 1 | Module 11
11.1: Example Activity: Survivor
Activity type Role Play – Pairs

Grammar Countable and uncountable nouns
Functions To ask about what can be found on a deserted island
Vocabulary food, fruit, toilets, showers, reality TV show, survivor, deserted
island, etc.
Age group All ages
Resources One set of worksheet 31a for every two pairs
Procedure 1. Brainstorm with the class some items that could be found and
some that could be useful on a deserted island. Write them on
the board.
2. In pairs, student A is going participate on the reality TV show

Survivor as a tribe member. Student B is the director of the show
and has a list of what is on the island (from worksheet 31a).
3. The tribe member asks the director questions about what is on

the island, eg.:
Word Bank
Food
Fruit
Toilets
Showers
Books
“Are there any sleeping bags on the island?”
“Are there any animals on the island?”
“Is there any water on the island?”
“Is there any chocolate on the island?”

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4. The director replies according to the list.
5. Swap roles and lists. There are four different lists.

Tip You may have to pre-teach some of the vocabulary on the lists.
You could generate interest by asking whether anyone in the
class watches Survivor or a variation of it.

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Unit 2 | Welcome
Pronouns and Prepositions
Unit 2 | Module 1
1.0 : Pronouns and prepositions
Pronouns
Pronouns are small words that take the place of a noun. We can use a pronoun
instead of a noun. Pronouns are words
like: he, you, ours, themselves, some, each...
If we didn't have pronouns, we would have to repeat a lot of nouns. We would have
to say things like:
Is that your mum's car? I like your mum's taste in cars. Your mum is cool.
But with pronouns, we can say:
Is that your mum's car? It's cool.
Pronouns make sentences lighter and less repetitive.
Let's look at some different types of pronouns.

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Unit 2 | Module 1
1.1 : Subject Pronouns
Subject pronouns show us that the pronoun is acting as the subject of the sentence.
The subject is the person or thing doing the action. Subject pronouns go before the
verb. These are the subject pronouns:
I I drink coffee every day.

You You look great in that dress!
He He doesn't usually arrive at work this late.
She She is not here today.
It It is in the parking lot under the big maple tree.
We We will meet you tomorrow morning at church.
You You are always welcome to come for dinner!
They They moved to our neighbourhood over a year
ago.
A subject pronoun doesn't have to always be at the start of the sentence:
Later in the afternoon, they will drop off their daughter.

Even though it was raining, we went to the outdoor concert.
Are you going to the baseball game tomorrow?

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Unit 2 | Module 1
1.2 : Object Pronouns
While subject pronouns do the action, object pronouns receive the action of a verb.
These are the object pronouns:
Me He gave me the money last night.

(Me is the object of the verb gave.)
You I heard you play the piano at your recital.

(You is the object of the verb heard.)
Her The doctor gave her some stronger medicine.

(Her is the object of the verb )
Him I have known him since I moved to Auckland.

(Him is the object of the verb )
It Perhaps you can put it next to the newspaper.

(It is the object of the verb )
Us My mum always wakes us in the morning.

(Us is the object of the verb )
Them She told them to go to sleep.

(Them is the object of the verb )

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Unit 2 | Module 1
1.3 : Possessive Pronouns
Possessive pronouns show us who or what owns something. The following are possessive
pronouns:
Mine
Yours
His
Hers
Ours
Theirs
Possessive pronouns and possessive adjectives can be easily mistaken for the other.
Adjectives like my, her, and their describe a noun. My car. His suitcase. Their house.
We'll take a closer look at those in the next unit.
But possessive pronouns are not followed by nouns – they stand alone. They answer the
question, “whose?”
The green tennis shoes are mine.

I think the piece of pie in the fridge is yours.
The car next to the house is his.
My TV is not as new as hers.
Don't forget that the lawn chairs in the garage are ours.
I can't believe that all those kids are theirs!
A possessive pronoun can also begin a sentence:
Hers are over there on the counter.

Ours aren't so healthy these days.

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Unit 2 | Module 1
1.4 : Reflexive Pronouns
Reflexive Pronouns are used to refer back to the subject of the clause or sentence. Here
they are:
I asked myself why I had been so rude to the customer at

Myself
the cake-shop.
Yourself You can teach yourself Spanish if you are self-disciplined.
Himself /
He has to give himself the right kind of medication.
herself
The remote control can't move itself! Where did you put
Itself
it?
We laughed at ourselves after the stupid mistake we

Ourselves
made.
I wanted to help you with the assignment, but you'll have

Yourselves
to do it yourselves.
Themselves Jason and Chris made that website by themselves.

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Unit 2 | Module 1
1.5 : Pronouns – reviewed
So there we go! Four types of pronouns and their meanings and use are actually quite clear
from the name:
Subject Pronouns – “do” the action

Object Pronouns – “receive” the action
Possessive Pronouns – answer the question “whose?”
Reflexive Pronouns – refer back to the subject
Again, as a Communicative ESL teacher, you won't often be referring to the names of these
pronouns. Your main strategy as a teacher is to model the English … give your students
samples of the grammar. Make sentences. Make dialogues. Make it REAL.
Just handing them a list of different types of pronouns is not effective. Having them
memorise lists is not effective. Getting them to practise the pronouns in situations that
apply to themselves IS effective.
There are more types of pronouns, and more ways to use them, but we have covered the
ones you will be using most commonly. Familiarise yourself with them so that you are able
to model it correctly.

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Unit 2 | Module 2
2.0 : Prepositions
Well done! Now, let's talk about prepositions. In your mind, you may be thinking,
“Prepositions… sounds so familiar.“ Yes, just like the other parts of speech we've done so
far, prepositions are very useful and common.
In English, most grammar rules can be broken. Almost all rules have exceptions. But guess
what? Here is a rule that has no exceptions:
A preposition is never followed by a verb – always a noun.
By nouns we mean any of the following:
Noun table, car, love
Proper noun Argentina, Victoria
Pronoun me, you, him
Noun group the big cat, my first love
Gerund swimming, watching, etc.
(A gerund looks like a verb but acts like a noun. Don't

worry – you haven't learnt that yet but you will!)
Prepositions are words like:
In
On
At
Over
Beyond
Under
Next to
Your students will continually be confused, exasperated and maybe even infuriated by
prepositions! Why? They are so simple!

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Not if English is not your first language!

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We say we are at the hospital to visit a friend who is in the hospital.

We can put a sign on the door or at the door.
We sleep in bed, on the couch, at a friend's house.
The party is in December, on a Sunday, at 3pm.
Woahhh… see how confusing it gets?
Let's see if we can make things a bit clearer, and divide things up a bit.

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Unit 2 | Module 2
2.1 : Prepositions of Place
1. Prepositions of Place: at, in, on
Generally, this is how we use these prepositions:
at for a point
in for an enclosed space

on for a surface
at - point in – enclosed space on - surface
at the stoplights in the bedroom on the table
at the exit in Brisbane on the rug
at the window in my purse on the menu
at the beginning of the book in a supermarket on the wall
at the end of my street in my CD player on the page
at the bank in the box on the ceiling
With prepositions, there are also some uses which are standard for us, but for your students
will be entirely unclear until they hear them many times. For example:
on the left, on the right

on radio, on television
on my way
at Christmas
at present
at the same time

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Unit 2 | Module 2
2.2 : Prepositions of Time
2. Prepositions of Time: at, in, on
"Waiiiiit a minute. Those are the same words! At, in and on! How can
Q.
they be prepositions of place AND of time?"
A. "Ahhh, the beauty of English."
at - for a precise time

in - for months, years, decades and other long periods of time
on - for days and dates
At – precise time In – long periods On – days and dates
at 2:00 in the winter on Wednesday
at noon in 2008 on your birthday
at lunchtime in the 50's on the last day of October
at sunset in December on the 10th
at 10pm in the Dark Ages on Christmas Day
at the moment in the past/future on 5 July
With the word “weekend”, you may find some people say “at the weekend” and others may
say “on the weekend”. Generally speaking, “on the weekend” is American usage; both are
acceptable simply because they are both used!
A very common mistake for ESL students to make is to say phrases such as:
In Tuesday morning
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Unit 2 | Module 2
In Saturday afternoon

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They make this mistake because we've taught them to say “in the afternoon” and “in the
morning”.
But because the name of the day comes first, the rule “on Monday” “on Tuesday”, etc. will
apply.
So,
On Tuesday morning
On Saturday afternoon
Other common mistakes are, for example:
Incorrect: on last Tuesday I went home on last Tuesday
Correct: last Tuesday I went home last Tuesday
Incorrect: at every Christmas I call my mum at every Christmas
Correct: every Christmas I call my mum every Christmas
Incorrect: in this morning Let's go to the market in this morning.
Correct: this morning Let's go to the market this morning.
The rule? When we use last, every, this and next, we do not use a preposition.
Simple rules such as this will help you to give clear and accurate examples to your students.

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Unit 2 | Module 2
2.2: Prepositions of Time
2. Prepositions of Time: at, in, on
"Waiiiiit a minute. Those are the same words! At, in and on! How can
Q.
they be prepositions of place AND of time?"
A. "Ahhh, the beauty of English."
at - for a precise time

in - for months, years, decades and other long periods of time
- for days and dates
on
At – precise time In – long periods On – days and dates
at 2:00 in the winter on Wednesday
at noon in 2008 on your birthday
at lunchtime in the 50's on the last day of October
at sunset in December on the 10th
at 10pm in the Dark Ages on Christmas Day
at the moment in the past/future on 5 July
With the word “weekend”, you may find some people say “at the weekend” and others may
say “on the weekend”. Generally speaking, “on the weekend” is American usage; both are
acceptable simply because they are both used!
A very common mistake for ESL students to make is to say phrases such as:

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In Tuesday morning
In Saturday afternoon
They make this mistake because we've taught them to say “in the afternoon” and “in the
morning”.
But because the name of the day comes first, the rule “on Monday” “on Tuesday”, etc. will
apply.
So,
On Tuesday morning
On Saturday afternoon
Other common mistakes are, for example:
Incorrect: on last Tuesday I went home on last Tuesday
Correct: last Tuesday I went home last Tuesday
Incorrect: at every Christmas I call my mum at every Christmas
Correct: every Christmas I call my mum every Christmas
Incorrect: in this morning Let's go to the market in this morning.
Correct: this morning Let's go to the market this morning.
The rule? When we use last, every, this and next, we do not use a preposition.
Simple rules such as this will help you to give clear and accurate examples to your students.

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Unit 2 | Module 3
3.0 : Example Activity: Draw the Pictures using Prepositions

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Unit 2 | Module 3
3.1 : Example Activity: Lost in Japan

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Unit 3 | Welcome
Adjectives and Adverbs
Unit 3 | Module 1
1.0 : Adjectives - What are They?
Adjectives are useful words; they tell us more about nouns or pronouns.
Sometimes we call them “modifiers”.
When it comes to adjectives, we usually think about common adjectives such as:
big
small
hot
cold
long
short
beautiful
ugly
powerful
weak
There are many other types of adjectives. Let’s have a look at some:
Comparative Adjectives The blue bicycle is bigger than the red bicycle.
Superlative Adjectives The yellow car is the biggest.
Possessive Adjectives That’s my pen!
Demonstrative Adjectives This pencil is red.
Interrogative Adjectives Which house is yours?
Okay, let’s take a look at them a bit more in depth.

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Unit 3 | Module 1
1.1 : Comparative Adjectives
When we compare two things, we use comparative adjectives.
The cat is bigger than the mouse.
The house is bigger than the tree.
My book is bigger than your book.
The pattern is important:
bigger
hotter
warmer
faster
easier
When your students see the pattern, it’s easier for them, so be sure to make it clear!
Now, can we say:
“My new vacuum cleaner is powerfuller than the old one”?
or
“John is interestinger than Stan”?
Of course not. So when do we use “er”?
We use “er” for one-syllable adjectives and those ending in “y”.
big bigger
short shorter
easy easier

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pretty prettier

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Adjectives consisting of two syllables not ending in 'y' or more syllables use “more”:
powerful more powerful
interesting more interesting
comfortable more comfortable
amazing more amazing
Of course for you it’s natural – it’s very easy for native English speakers to know exactly
whether to use “er” or “more”.
Your students will really benefit, however, from you showing the patterns and giving them
lots of practice with it.

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Unit 3 | Module 1
1.2 : Superlative Adjectives
Well, we just learnt comparative adjectives are used to compare two things.
When we are comparing three or more things, however, we use superlative adjectives.
big bigger the biggest
hot hotter the hottest
The math test was the easiest.
Those green shoes are the smallest.
Today was the hottest day so far this summer.
Pretty simple!
When it comes to adjectives with three or more syllables, we follow the same pattern as
with comparative adjectives:
powerful more powerful the most powerful
interesting more interesting the most interesting
comfortable more comfortable the most comfortable
amazing more amazing the most amazing
Now, irregular forms. Ahhh… always irregulars.
Here are the two common irregular forms of adjectives:
bad worse the worst
good better the best

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Adjectives ending in 'y'

Sometimes they are thought of as irregular, but really they are not. There is a simple pattern
they follow:
'friendly' becomes 'friendlier'

'bubbly' becomes 'bubblier'
'crazy' becomes 'crazier'
The pattern is: the 'y' turns into an 'i'.

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Unit 3 | Module 2: Possessive Adjectives
Some grammar terms are easier to understand than others, simply thanks to their name.
So can you guess what a possessive adjective might be?
What is a “possessive” type of word that might fit in the blank here?
That’s book.
Or here?
Jack lost wallet.
It’s “my” and “his”! These are possessive adjectives.
Here they are:
my
your
his
her
its
our
their
Learning possessive adjectives is not so difficult for your students. There is one tricky part
though.
You may have been confused by this all your life, actually…
WHAT is the difference between “it’s” and “its”?
We expect possessives to have apostrophes:
My brother’s friend.
The doctor’s office.
That man’s wife.
BUT when it comes to possessive adjectives, there are NO APOSTROPHES.
You can tell that cat really loves its owner.

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Canada is really proud of its athletes at the winter games.

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So when do we use “it’s”? We use “it’s” for contractions:
It’s a beautiful day.(It is a beautiful day)
I love my new cooking class. I’m so glad it’s held on Sundays! (I am so glad it is held on
Sundays!)

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Unit 3 | Module 3: Demonstrative Adjectives
Here’s another term whose name helps you determine its meaning.
Demonstrative adjectives answer the question which one(s)?
That, this, those, and these are called demonstrative adjectives.
That sofa is old, but this sofa is new.
These are the best CDs I have. Those are just some old ones I don’t care about anymore.
this --- that --- these --- those
“So why is it called an adjective? I thought adjectives were words like “red”, “big”, “hot”
and “comfortable”! “
Well, an adjective answers the question “Which one?”
A. The cat is under the bed.
B: Which cat?
A. The black cat.
The big cat.
The overweight cat.
My cat.
This cat.
That cat.
black, big, overweight, my, this, that = all adjectives
But be careful!
The words that, this, those and these can also act as pronouns!
Remember… A pronoun takes the place of a noun.
An adjective describes a noun, or answers the question “which

one?”.

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Look at the difference:
This vacuum cleaner is This answers the question “which one?” so it is an

noisy. adjective.
This is noisy. This takes the place of the noun so it is a pronoun.
Interrogative Adjectives
Interrogative adjectives help to ask about something.
What book are you reading?

Which singers are the best?
Whose book did you borrow?
An interrogative adjective is an adjective used to modify a noun or pronoun. In the

sentences above, the words what, which and whose are used with the
nouns book, singers and book respectively. Since these words are used with nouns to ask
questions, they are called Interrogative Adjectives.
Let’s review the adjectives we’ve learnt:
bigger, hotter, more comfortable ,etc comparative adjectives
biggest, hottest, most comfortable, etc superlative adjectives
my, his, their, her, etc possessive adjectives
this, that, these, those, etc demonstrative adjectives
what, which, whose, etc interrogative adjectives

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Unit 3 | Module 4
4.0 : Adverbs - What are They?
Do you remember learning that adverbs are “ly” words?
Okay, maybe you don’t remember, but that is one common definition of adverbs.
The truth is, there are all kinds of adverbs.
An adverb can modify (give more information about) a verb:
Juanita sings beautifully. (How does Juanita sing?)
She always drinks coffee in the morning. (How often does she drink coffee?)
My friend lives nearby.(Where does your friend live?)
An adverb can also modify an adjective:
She is quite late today.
I’m really upset that you said that.
An adverb can even modify a whole sentence:
Apparently, she had no idea that her mother was in an accident.
Obviously you don’t understand.
Many adverbs end in “ly”, but not all “ly” words are adverbs!
Adverbs: easily, slowly, lightly, angrily
Not adverbs: friendly, pimply, lively --- they are adjectives because they describe something

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Adverbs of Manner Adverbs of Frequency
I walked slowly. I always drink coffee in the morning.

She slept silently. He never watches TV on weekdays.
Adverbs of Degree Interrogative Adverbs
I am very happy about the results. Where do you live?

That dress is too expensive. How did you know that?

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Unit 3 | Module 4
4.1 : Adverbs of Manner and Frequency
Adverbs of Manner
Adverbs of manner answer the question “how”.
Think of the title “manner”, which indeed indicates “how”.
How are you talking? I am talking quietly.
How is she eating? She is eating noisily.
How are they dancing? They are dancing gracefully.
Most adverbs of manner end in “ly”.
But be careful! There are, as usual, irregulars.
That athlete swims well. (not “goodly”).

My co-worker types fast. (not ”fastly”)
Hint: The main thing to remember with irregulars is not to introduce them right away to
your students. Make things clear, show patterns as much as possible. After your students
understand the regular forms of a new grammar structure, you can introduce the irregulars.
Adverbs of Frequency
Adverbs of Frequency answer the question "How often?"
I always eat dinner with my husband.

We are usually on time for our meetings.
She sometimes forgets to call me.
Here is a chart commonly used in ESL teaching to help with showing adverbs of frequency:
100% always
80% almost always / usually
50% sometimes
20% seldom / almost never

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0% never

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Unit 3 | Module 4
4.2 : Adverbs of Degree and Interrogative Adverbs
Adverbs of Degree
Adverbs of degree tell us about the intensity or degree of an action, an adjective or another
adverb.
Here are some common adverbs of degree:
Almost, extremely, quite, just, too, enough, hardly, completely, very
I’m not sure if I’m quite ready.

I’m almost finished.
I’ve hardly begun this exam!
Is your new coat big enough?
She’s too late – let’s go.
That painting is very beautiful!
Hint: Your students will have a problem understanding the difference

between too and very. It will help them if you explain that too indicates a problem.
This house is very big.
This house is too big.
You know the difference – make sure your students do, too!
Interrogative Adverbs
Interrogative adverbs ask the questions.
when When are you going to the store?
where Where is her new car?
why Why is Tom standing there?
how How did she get to the airport?
Please note the different ways you can use how:
With an adverb:
How often do you go to the gym?

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How quickly can she run the 500-metre race?

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With an adjective:
How big is your new swimming pool?

How heavy is that bag?
To ask the question “In what way?”
How do you get to work every day?

How do I make muffins?
With much and many:
How much water do you want?

How many children do you have?
Well done… you’ve completed the unit Adjectives and Adverbs!

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Unit 3 | Module 5: Example Activity: This is my new boyfriend / girlfriend!

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Unit 4 | Welcome
Conjunctions and Interjections
Unit 4 | Module 1
1.0 : Conjunctions
Certainly nobody could define "conjunctions" as colourfully as Webster:
"Some words are satisfied spending an evening at home, alone, eating ice-cream right out of
the box, watching Seinfeld re-runs on TV, or reading a good book. Others aren't happy
unless they're out on the town, mixing it up with other words; they're joiners and they just
can't help themselves."
Conjunctions are JOINERS. Basically, they connect ideas. They allow us to make longer more
complex sentences. To help you remember, consider that the word conjunction comes from
the base conjoin.
Here we introduce two main types of conjunctions: Coordinating conjunctions and

correlative conjunctions.

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Unit 4 | Module 1
1.1 : Coordinating Conjunctions
Let's take a look at the difference:
1. Coordinating Conjunctions
These are the most common conjunctions, and also some of the most common words in the
English language: There are seven, and they can be remembered by using the acronym
FANBOYS with the first letters of the words:
For
And
Nor
But
Or
Yet
So
Carlo decided to act as president , for his father's absence was taking a toll on
the company.
for We have decided to terminate our contract, for you have clearly not honoured
it.
She won three awards, for her performance in that film was remarkable.
Mark watched TV and waited for his girlfriend to come home.

and My mum works at the supermarket and my dad is a fruit farmer.
Save as much money as you can and you will see great rewards.
You should not assume he is ill, nor should you suggest he is insane.
nor Neither men nor women are immune to cancer.
I am not a fan of extreme political views - neither conservative nor liberal.
I don't like playing tennis but maybe you can teach me.
but He never called me from work but that doesn't mean he wasn't there.
Nobody attended the session but everybody went to the reception.

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or You can go with Daniel to the movies or you can stay at work with the rest of
us.

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I'll have the coffee or the hot chocolate if you don't mind.
They must really like the heat or they wouldn't stay in the tropics so long!
They wanted to visit us in Melbourne, yet they never left Sydney.

yet I like most sports, yet cycling has never really attracted me.
The doctor said Lisa's x-rays were fine, yet she is still having trouble breathing.
The girls will be a bit late today, so please wait until they arrive before you
begin.
so There have been some robberies in our community lately, so we are taking extra
precautions.
I've been sick for almost three days, so I have to work extra hard next week.
Do you notice that some of the conjunctions are so much more common than others?
English is such a fluid language. Where "yet" and "nor" were once a much more standard
part of English, they now often seem to us to make a sentence weighty and sometimes even
stuffy.
However, academic and formal English is strongly affected by the use of some of the less
casual words, and that applies to conjunctions as well. Be careful about saying to your
students, "Oh we never use that word... that's too formal." Or "That's too casual". It is the
temptation of many English teachers to do so, but watch what you say, and don't turn your
students off some words or expressions simply because they are not immediately useful. It's
a fine line - knowing what's useful and what isn't. Your ongoing experience will help you
decide what is best for your students to be learning.

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Unit 4 | Module 1
1.2 : Correlative Conjunctions
2. Correlative Conjunctions
Correlative conjunctions are always used in pairs, joining sentence elements that should be
grammatically equal. Here are some common correlative conjunctions:
I'm not as interested in skiing as I am in swimming.

as...as
She is not as late as Julio.
He is neither a leader nor a follower.

neither...nor
Neither man nor beast can tame the heart.
They are not only very stingy but also extremely unkind.
not only...but also She not only made lunch for me but also dropped me off at my
appointment.
Both eating lots of vegetables and taking a walk every day will
both...and help you stay healthy.
I like both photography and travel writing.
Whether you leave our company or stay, I will be happy to give

whether...or you a reference.
I'm not sure whether Madonna is still singing or has retired.
Oh, I'm sure that the dog will either be barking or jumping
either...or around when you arrive.
Juanita will be either absent or late.

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Unit 4 | Module 1
1.3 : Interjections
And now, Interjections.
Interjections are usually one or two-word expressions that often come at the beginning of a
sentence or are used alone. They are words like "Oh!" or "Ummm" or "No way!!".
Interjections don't really have grammatical value but are very common in every language,
and usually used more in spoken than written English.
Interjections are used to show strong or sudden emotions like surprise, disgust, excitement,
thought, happiness, etc.
Some common interjections include the following:
Yuck
Oh no!
Umm?
Yahoo!
Wow!
Well?
There are many many more. Can you think of any that you use often?
So would you introduce interjections to your students? Absolutely! At first thought, some
English teachers tend to think that interjections are "sloppy English" or not useful.
When somebody learning English is able to correctly use English interjections in place of
ones in their own language, they immediately sound more natural and comfortable with the
language. Interjections are a fabulous little language tool that you can model and bring into
the classroom naturally. English learners like to use "Oh my God!" because they hear it in
the movies all the time, but why not give them some more colourful interjections to add to
their vocabulary?
It is very important to teach students ALL English; by this we are not implying that we should
teach students how to swear! But students do need to be aware of all “colours” of language.
If we censored, so to speak, what language we expose them to, then we run the risk of
leaving them vulnerable to mistake and even embarrassment. In this example of “Oh my
God!”, if we did not show or explain how and why this is used so much in movies, daily life,
etc. students could a) misunderstand (perhaps think that the person is praying!) and/or b)
use it inappropriately themselves. As language teachers it is our job to teach students
language as it is used, but most importantly, teach them how and when to use it
APPROPRIATELY, so they don’t get into trouble and so they can slowly but surely start to
understand connotation and context.
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Unit 5 | Welcome
Verbs Part 1 - Simple & Continuous Tenses
Unit 5 | Module 1: The Simple Present Tense
We use the simple present a lot in our daily speech. This is how we use it:
For repeated acts of routine or habit
I wash my face every morning.

She works at the local video store.
My boss always gets to work early in the morning.
For facts or general truths
The Earth is round.

His sister likes camping.
Many Europeans speak English.
Sometimes, the imperative is confused with the simple present tense. Have a look:
Go to sleep at 10pm. (imperative)

I go to sleep at 10pm. (simple present)
Can you tell the difference?
In the first, no pronoun is used (I), whereas in the second you need to use a pronoun (such
as I, You, We, etc.)
The imperative is used to give orders, commands and instructions. If you read a recipe, for
example, it will usually be written in the imperative: "Peel the potatoes. Boil them for 5
minutes. Remove from pan."

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Unit 5 | Module 2
2.0: The Simple Past Tense

The Simple Past is used to describe an action, an event, or a condition that happened in the
past, sometime before NOW.
Hint: It’s always good to use key words when teaching grammar. A great key word to use
with the simple past tense is “yesterday”.
Yesterday I walked to the store.

Yesterday my sister played the piano and cooked dinner.
Yesterday I watched TV and listened to the radio.
See how we are using simple forms? When you introduce new grammar to your students,
you need to do the same. The first time your students use any new grammar form, you need
to show them clear examples.
Keep it simple!
What is the regular form of the simple past tense? It’s “ed” endings to the simple forms.
I walked.
I talked.
I cooked.
I played.
Always teach your students regular forms before throwing in irregular forms.
But there are so many irregular, often-used forms of the past tense, and your students need
to begin learning these almost right away.
Simple present - Every day I eat.

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Simple past - Yesterday I ate.

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Simple present - Every day I go to school.

Simple past - Yesterday I went to school.
Simple present - Every day I sing.

Simple past - Yesterday I sang.
Hint: Try to avoid teaching forms by just repeating “eat-ate” “sing-sang”, etc. It’s best to use
these words in sentences. Get your students using full sentences from day one! “Every day
I eat…. Yesterday I ate”, etc.

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Unit 5 | Module 2
2.1: The Simple Future Tense
We use the future tense to talk about anything that is going to happen after NOW, any
time in the future.
Your friend walks in the room with his arms full of heavy books. He says, “Oh no, I think
some of these are falling!”
You run up to him and say:
A. “Oh, I’ll help you!”

B. “Oh, I’m going to help you.”
Which is correct – A or B?
Actually, neither is incorrect, both “will” and “going to” are used to talk about the future,
often interchangeably. Yet, sometimes the difference in meaning is significant. Which one
do you think sounds better? A or B?
If you chose A, then you can see why you are needed to teach English overseas – because
you know what sounds right and can model it.
If you chose B, well… then… it’s good you’re doing this course!
Let’s try another example:
Your mother is telling you about her evening plans.
A. “First, I will meet Lois for dinner, then we will go to see that new Brad Pitt movie.”
B. “First, I’m going to meet Lois for dinner, then we’re going to see that new Brad Pitt
movie.”
Which do you think sounds better? A or B?
If you think B sounds better, you’re among the majority of native English speakers.
Somebody who is learning English as a second language would more likely choose A.
Let’s take a look at the different uses of future with “will” and “going to”.
Your students will ask you what the difference is, so it’s good for you to know how to show
them.
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WILL
1. We use “will” when we are making a promise or commitment.
I’ll take you out for your birthday.

He said he will do my tax return for me if I’m too busy.
The president always says he’ll cut taxes but it never happens!
2. We use “will” when we are stating a spur-of-the-moment decision about the future.
Oh, the phone’s ringing – I’ll get it!

I’ll walk you to your car.
I’ll help you with that.
3. We use “will” when we are making a prediction about the future.
I think it will rain tomorrow.

My sister will do very well on her exam!
The dog will be much happier in his new home.
GOING TO
We use “going to” when we are stating a plan or intention for the future; something you
know for sure will happen.
I’m going to eat dinner in a few minutes.

He’s going to have a long day.
If it rains, I’m going to stay home.
Hints:
1. The rules above are not absolute. We often spontaneously use “will” and “going to”
interchangeably. Above is a guide to get your students started on knowing how to sound
like a native speaker when they talk about the future.
2. It is natural to use contractions like “I’ll” or “We’ll” and even slang like “I’m gonna”. Your
students hear you use it and will follow your model. That is fine –BUT- first make sure they
are comfortable with the full forms of “I will” and “I am going to”.

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Unit 5 | Module 3: The Present Continuous Tense
Now you’re familiar with three of the twelve tenses:
Simple Present - I eat bread every day.

Simple Past - I ate bread yesterday.
Simple Future - I am going to eat bread tomorrow.
Let's move on to the Continuous Tenses.
The present continuous tense is also sometimes referred to as the present progressive
tense. This will probably be the very first tense your students will learn.
To help you remember what the continuous tenses are, just imagine an action that is
continuing and hasn’t ended yet. With the present continuous, this means the action is
happening in the present.
Remember we said it’s good to use key words when introducing a new verb tense?
With present continuous, these key words are NOW or RIGHT NOW.
Look at these examples:
(Right now) I’m watching TV.

(Right now) Larry is eating lunch.
(Right now) my parents are having a vacation in Fiji.
A present continuous action…
started in the past (maybe a year ago, maybe yesterday, maybe a minute ago)
is happening now
will end sometime in the future (maybe in two years, maybe tomorrow, maybe in
30 seconds)
Here are some actions that could have started a few minutes ago and may end just a few
minutes from now:

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I am talking on the telephone.

He is listening to music.
She is walking to the store.
Can you think of a few more?
Here are some actions that may have started last week and will end about a week or two
from now:
They are staying at their friends’ home in Germany.

She is writing an essay for her history class.
We are waiting for our car to be fixed.
Can you think of a few more?
Now, can you think of some actions that may have started a year or two ago and will end
at an unknown time in the future?
How about these…
We are saving money for a new house.

I am studying at the University of Southern Queensland.
She is travelling around the world.
Can you see that present continuous is simply something that started in the past and will
end in the future? It’s really simple!
English language learners have a tough time knowing when to use present continuous and
when to use the simple present. It comes quite naturally to native English speakers.
Hint: Sometimes we use the present continuous tense to talk about… the future! Yes, we
do it often! Have you ever said something like this: “Tomorrow I’m going to school.” “Next
weekend we’re staying home.” Woah… present continuous to talk about the future? Yes

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Unit 5 | Module 4: The Past Continuous Tense
We just looked at the present continuous tense, which describes an action happening NOW.
So then it naturally follows that the past continuous tense describes an action happening at
some point in the PAST.
Take a look at these examples:
Yesterday at 3pm, I was watching TV.

Last night at 10:00, we were driving home.
Last week at lunch, I think I was eating lunch with my friend.
We sometimes use the past continuous with “while”.
I was watching TV while my sister was feeding the baby.

My friends were partying while I was at home sleeping.
The babies were crawling around while their mums were watching them.
See the pattern? (continuing action) + while + (continuing action)
You try it!

Complete these sentences aloud using the same format:
She was driving while…

I was listening to the radio while…
My son and his friends were eating pizza while…
We also often use the past continuous with “when”.
I was preparing lunch when you called.

She was driving to work when the accident happened.
I was skiing when I broke my leg.

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So what’s the difference between using “when” and “while”?

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Well, compare the two, look at the patterns and see if you can figure it out.
What’s the difference between these two?
I was preparing lunch while you were calling your friend.

I was preparing lunch when you called.
While = two continuing actions were happening simultaneously

When = one continuing action was occurring when a short complete action occurred.
I was walking down the street while my friend was roller-blading next to me.
Walking = a continuing action

Rollerblading = a continuing action
I was walking down the street when the rain started.

Walking = a continuing action
Started = a short complete action

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Unit 5 | Module 5: The Future Continuous Tense
Okay! If this is the present continuous:
I am listening to classical music on my radio.
And if this is the past continuous:
I was listening to classical music on my radio.
Then what do you suppose is the future continuous?
Present continuous: I am walking.

Past continuous: I was walking.
Future continuous: ?
This is the future continuous form:
At 7am, I will be sleeping.

Tomorrow night I’ll be studying, so please don’t call.
Next weekend we’ll be driving up north with my in-laws.
That’s it! Simple isn’t it?
Now, not ALL verbs can be used in the present, past or future continuous form.
I eat
I am eating
I walk
I am walking
Those make sense, right?
How about these:

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I see
I am seeing
I love
I am loving
No, we don’t say “I am seeing a car” or “I am loving my mother”, do we?

We say, “I see a car” and “I love my mother”.
These are verbs we don’t usually use continuous tense with:
hate, like, love, need, prefer, want, wish

believe, imagine, know, mean, realise, recognise, remember, suppose, understand
belong, concern, consist, contain, depend, involve, matter, need, owe, own, possess
appear, resemble, seem,
hear, see
Here are some examples:
I love pizza. not I am loving pizza.

I believe you are right. not I am believing you are right.
That depends on the weather. not That is depending on the weather.

It seemed strange. not It was seeming strange

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Unit 5 | Module 6: Example Activity: Blind Date

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Unit 6 | Welcome
Verbs Part 2 - Perfect & Perfect Continuous Tenses
Unit 6 | Module 1: The Present Perfect tense
The Present Perfect tense is a useful tense! The key word that will help you remember the
Present Perfect tense is forms of the verb "have". Actually it's "have" + the past participle
form of a verb.
Look:
She has finally completed her degree!

Korea has become a popular teaching destination.
I have started cooking dinner.
I have eaten pasta three times this week.
We use the Present Perfect to say that an action happened at an unspecified time before
now.
Wait, read that again.
We use the Present Perfect to say that an action happened at an unspecified time before
now.
What does that mean?
Well, take a look at these sentences, where the time is specified:
Yesterday I walked the dog.

She ate lunch at 1pm today.
When I worked in New York, I had hardly any free time.
That day it rained so hard!
Because the time is very specific, we use the simple past tense:

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Now take a look at these examples again, where the time is NOT specified or not important:
sometime in the past

She has finally completed her degree!
Korea has become a popular teaching sometime in the past
destination.
sometime in the past

I have started cooking dinner.
exactly when did I eat pasta? Not
really important. Sometime in the
I have eaten pasta three times this week.
past.
For many language learners, the concept of "unspecified time" is very difficult to grasp. This
is why you may hear your students say "I started cooking dinner" or "She arrived" instead of
"I have started cooking dinner" and "She has arrived". They may also say "Yesterday, I have
watched TV."
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As with any grammar point, it is always important to look for patterns and make it as clear
as you can for your students. Breaking ideas into topics or themes is helpful.

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With that in mind, let's take a look at some of the more common ways that we use the
Present Perfect:
1. Experience
What is important here is IF you did something or IF something happened, not WHEN.
I have seen that movie more than ten
when? Not important.
times!

She has been to Mexico City.

They have never eaten Japanese food.
Have you ever tried sky-diving? when? Not important.
2. A change over time

I have completed the assignment.
Yesterday I wasn't finished; now I am.
It has started raining.

An hour ago, it was not raining; now, it is.
She has cut her hair very short!

This morning her hair was long; now it's short.
Taxes have really gone up over the last few years.

Five years ago they were reasonable; now they are very high.
3. Actions not yet Completed

Here an action started in the past and has not yet finished. We usually use for and sincewith
this use of Present Perfect:
I've lived here for 18 months.

She has studied Greek since her trip to Athens.
We haven't seen her for a long time.
4. Accomplishments
I've finished my homework!
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Man has finally landed on the moon.
Canada has won the gold medal in ice hockey.

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Unit 6 | Module 2
2.0: Remember!
We use the Present Perfect to describe something that happened sometime before now.
But when, exactly?
It's not important, or not specified.
Sometimes we can narrow down that unspecified time, and talk about our whole life.
I've been to London, Tokyo and Rio de Janeiro.
Sometimes we narrow it down to a year:

I have not had the flu at all this year.
Sometimes we narrow it down to a month:

This month, I've been to the movies three times.
Or how about just today?

I've eaten a turkey sandwich and that's it!

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Unit 6 | Module 2
2.1 : Now, how do we FORM the Present Perfect tense?
For us it's very easy. It comes naturally, because we are native speakers of English.
"I've never tried Korean food" sounds better than "I never tried Korean food".
"I've already seen that movie" sounds better than "I already saw that movie."
But what is the actual formation of this verb tense?
It goes like this:
Subject + a form of "have" + past participle
Eeek! Past Participle? What's that? Oh, relax, take a look:
I have watched...
She has flown...
They have been...
He has gone...
Simple Present Simple Past Past Participle
Eat Ate Eaten
Sit Sat Sat
Swim Swam Swum
Ride Rode Ridden
Drink Drank Drunk
Eat-ate-eaten, drink-drank-drunk, swim-swam-swum, it comes so naturally for us native

speakers of English.
However, why is there no pattern?
Ridden, swum, drunk, sat, eaten: it's no wonder English learners get frustrated.

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So aside from shoving a whole table like the one above - but with 100 verbs - at your
students and insisting they memorise it, how can you effectively teach them the Present
Perfect?
By modeling it! If charts and memorisation were effective, you wouldn't be needed
overseas.
But why not initiate a few dialogues and get them to practise.
Teacher: I have never been to Russia. Have you ever been to Russia?
Student: Yes! I have been to Russia or No, I have never been to Russia.
Suddenly it becomes much more meaningful to your students.
The main thing to remember about the Present Perfect is that it refers to an unspecified
time in the past.

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Unit 6 | Module 2
2.2 : The Past Perfect tense
Okay, now, if this is the PRESENT Perfect Tense:
I have finished.
Then it makes sense that this is the PAST Perfect Tense:
I had finished.
"Have" becomes "had" and changes the whole meaning of the sentence.
Remember we said the Present Perfect refers to an unspecified time before now?
Well, the Past Perfect refers to an unspecified time before sometime in the past.
Let's make a visual comparison using the timelines. Imagine you are caught in a traffic jam
on the way to the airport to catch a flight. Upon arrival you are told that "the
plane has already left."
You go back home and tell your family that "the plane had already left."

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Some more examples of how we use Past Perfect. Look at how we are talking about "the
past in the past".
She had already been to the store. (by the time I went to the store)
I had never been to Tokyo before my holiday last winter.
Had your parents already divorced when you got married?

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Unit 6 | Module 2
2.3 : The Future Perfect tense
Okay, quick review:
Present I have worked at K-Mart for 12

(before now)
Perfect years.
(by the time I

Past Perfect I had worked at K-Mart for 12 years.
retired)
And now, a new one. Yup you guessed it: FUTURE Perfect!
It's a natural progression, really.
talks about the past in the

Present = Have present
Past = Had talks about the past in the past
Future = Will have talks about the past in the future
The Past in the Future? What the ??!
Sure, take a look:
I will have worked at K-Mart for 12 years by the time I retire.

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He will have finished the housework by noon.
You will have eaten all the doughnuts when you eat that one!

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Unit 6 | Module 2
2.4 : The Present Perfect Continuous
Well, now you've learnt nine verb tenses.
I walk.
I am walking.
I walked.
I will walk.
I was walking.
I will be walking.
I have walked.
I had walked.
I will have walked.
Wow! Can you remember the names of each of the tenses? Now, just three more tenses,
then we're done. (Done the tenses, not the whole grammar course - nice try!)
Okay, with the perfect tenses still in mind, take a look at these examples:
I have been walking for eight hours.

I had been walking for eight hours.
I will have been walking for eight hours.
These are a combination of continuous and perfect tenses!
Remember the Present Continuous? I am walking.
And the Present Perfect? I have walked.
So if we add them together, what do we get?
I am walking + I have walked = I have been walking.
This is the Present Perfect Continuous tense.
There are two ways we can use the Present Perfect Continuous.
1. To talk about an action that started in the past and is continuing now.
I've been waiting for almost an hour!

She's been reading that book all night.
They've been watching TV since the game started.
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2. To talk about an action that was continuing until very recently.
You look tired. Have you been working hard?

I would love to go skiing this morning. It looks like its been snowing.
The room smells funny. Leslie must have been smoking.

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Unit 6 | Module 2
2.5 : The Past Perfect Continuous tense
So if this is the Present Perfect Continuous tense:
I've been waiting for two hours.
Can you try to guess what the Past Perfect Continuous tense is?
At this point you should be noticing patterns.
I have been waiting for two hours. Present Perfect Continuous
I had been waiting for two hours Past Perfect Continuous
And now, when do we use this tense?

Remember we said the Past Perfect refers to an unspecified time before sometime in the
past.
(I had finished the gardening by noon.)
Well the Past Perfect Continuous is the same, except it refers to a continuing action in the
past before another time in the past.
The driver had been drinking so he failed the breath test administered by the police.
I wasn't surprised that Jared was late. He'd been working late for several weeks.
I was so tired last weekend because I hadn't been sleeping well.
They had been writing letters for years before they met.

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Unit 6 | Module 2
2.6 : The Future Perfect Continuous tense
Okay! Last one,
These are the two you have just learnt:
I have been waiting for two hours. Present Perfect Continuous
I had been waiting for two hours. Past Perfect Continuous
And now, of course:
I will have been waiting for two

Future Perfect Continuous
hours.
The future perfect continuous refers to a continuing action in the future before another
time in the future.
She will have been working for 12 hours by the time I relieve her.
I'll wake him up at 4:00. By then he'll have been sleeping long enough.
Will they have been watching TV when we arrive?

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Hint: It's very important to rememberUnit 6 | Module

something about 2the perfect tenses. Often we do not
use the technically correct version. Here is an example:
Instead of saying : "I have already washed the dishes" we may say "I already washed the
dishes". We have a tendency of slipping into the past tense instead of using the 'present
perfect' tense. This is a perfect (no pun intended!) example of how English is always in a
state of change. What was not acceptable to say or write 10, 20 or 50 years ago may now be
okay. Sometimes this is laziness on the part of speakers, other times ignorance, but often
it's just a reflection on changing habits.
Try to become aware of your speaking style and habits, and check if the words and tenses
you use are correct. If they are not, then ask yourself if it is because of ignorance, laziness or
poor examples in your life, or simply a reflection on a communal change in speaking or
writing style.
The more familiar you are with grammar rules and your own style of speaking the better
you will be able to teach your students.

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Unit 6 | Module 2
2.7: Review and practice
Yay!!! You made it through and now you're familiar with ALL the verb tenses!
Can you think of an example sentence for each of them?
Simple Present
Simple Past
Simple Future
Present Continuous
Past Continuous
Future Continuous
Present Perfect
Past Perfect
Future Perfect
Present Perfect Continuous

Past Perfect Continuous
Future Perfect Continuous

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Unit 6 | Module 3: Example Activity: What are/is you/he/they doing?

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Unit 7 | Welcome
Conditionals
Unit 7 | Module 1
1.0 : Introduction
It’s a Friday evening, and you’re still sitting at work. This is the third evening in a row that
you’ve had to work overtime, and you’re tired. “That’s it…”, you think, “I need a raise.” On
Monday you approach your boss and tell him that you’ve been working hard, and deserve a
salary increase.
Your boss nods his head thoughtfully, and finally replies, “You’re right. You do deserve to be
paid more, and I will raise your salary... on one condition.”
How might he begin his next sentence? If he is setting conditions, then he will probably
begin his next sentence with the word “if.”
“If you agree to train somebody to assist you with your office duties…”
The English grammar structure of conditionals almost always involves an “if” in the
sentence.
Teaching the use of “if” can get tricky, if you don’t organise yourself and your examples. You
must be aware of the different types of conditionals, and introduce them one at a time to
your students.
In this unit, we’ll take a look at three conditionals: First, Second and Third.

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Unit 7 | Module 1
1.1 : First Conditional
Look at these examples:
If he is late, I will wait for him.

If it rains, we can watch a movie at home.
If she has enough time, she will join us.
Is it possible that he will be late? Yes!

Is it possible that it will rain? Yes!
Is it possible that she will have enough time? Yes!
The probability of each of these conditions or situations happening is quite high.
This is the structure we use:
If condition or situation result
If Simple present Simple future
If my mother calls I’ll talk to her for a while.
If it’s cold again tomorrow we will turn on the heater.
If Simple present Simple present
If it rains we don’t have outside playtime.
If the baby cries her mother calms her down.
If Simple present Imperative
If he gives you a hard time just tell him to call me.
If you fail your test ask if you can write it again.
Take a good look at the three different kinds of first conditional in the chart above and
familiarise yourself with it!
For the first conditional the probability is high – remember that!

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Unit 7 | Module 1
1.2 : Second Conditional
With the second conditional, we go into conditions and situations that are much less
probable, maybe even highly improbable. Check out the examples:
If I won the lottery, I would go on a world trip!

If I had more time, I would take Spanish lessons.
If Mr. Yamazaki lived in Australia, he would play golf every day.
would/should/could/might + base
If Simple Past
form of verb
If she ate too much she should take a walk.
we could always have lunch

If I worked at your company
together.
If he asked you to marry him would you say no?
If they crashed your car you would have to rent one.
Remember with the second conditional that the situation is highly improbable.
Continuing the following pattern can help both you and your students remember the
second conditional.
1. I'm not hungry. But if I were hungry…

2. I don’t like rock music. But if I liked rock music…
3. I don’t have a lot of free time. But if I had a lot of free time…
4. My sister doesn’t live in Europe. But if she lived in Europe…
5. The sun doesn’t shine much here. But if it shone more…
6. I don’t eat meat. But…
7. He doesn’t write well. But…
8. My dog doesn’t like playing with the ball. But…
9. He doesn’t live near me. But…
10. This city doesn’t have a baseball team. But…
Hint: With the second conditional, “were” replaces “was” – even if it doesn’t sound right to
you!
For example:
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If I were not late, I would stay for a cup of coffee.

If I were tall, I would wear more short skirts!
Remember the famous song? If I were a rich man…

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Unit 7 | Module 1
1.3 : Third Conditional
Well, with the third conditional, not only does the probability of the condition drop, it no
longer exists! It’s too late to change the situation, and we can only talk about the past. No
more present and future!
Look:
If I had eaten any more, I would have exploded! (But I didn’t.)

If he had asked Tracy out, I’m sure she would have said yes. (But he didn’t.)
If Maria had completed high school, she would not have had problems getting this job. (But
she didn’t.)
would/should/could/might have +
If past perfect
past participle
you had told me about

If I would have gone.
your concert,
we wouldn’t have missed the

If the bus had been on time,
plane.
you had entered the

If we might have won a free trip!
contest,
they had got (or gotten) I’m sure they’d have had big
If
married, problems.
There you go – three forms of conditionals!
All forms of conditionals are often used in the question form as well.
For example…
What will you do if it rains?

Where will Ricardo stay if he goes to Canada?
Would you eat sushi more often if your wife liked it?
Would your family call you if you moved overseas?

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Would you have watched TV if I had come over?

Would his sister have written that book if she hadn’t travelled overseas?
As you can see, conditionals would be a great way to stimulate discussion in your class!
Can you think of some good songs using conditionals? Songs are a great way to practise new
grammar points!

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Unit 8 | Welcome
Idioms, Phrasal Verbs and Proverbs
Unit 8 | Module 1
1.0 : What are Phrasal Verbs?

Phrasal verbs are simply phrases which consist of a verb in combination with
a preposition or adverb, or both.
Here are some examples of phrasal verbs:
look after
make up
run into
ESL learners worldwide struggle with phrasal verbs because the meanings are usually
impossible to guess just by knowing the definition of the verb in the combination.
For example, a student may be very familiar with the verb “put” but have no idea what “put
off” means. See how there is so little connection between the two?
Let’s look at those examples again:
To “look after” somebody means to take care of them, to see to their safety.
To “look after” something means to take care of something, to see that it gets done.
Those definitions would be difficult to guess simply by knowing what “look” means!
To “make up” means to repair a rift in a relationship; to apologise and forgive.

No clear connection to “make”!
To “run into” someone means to meet someone unintentionally.

To “run into” something means to hit it while walking or driving.
You’ve probably never thought about the difference between simple verbs and phrasal
verbs. The truth is we use hundreds of phrasal verbs in our daily speech.
Here are some more examples:
calm down
cool off
bring up
try on

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put back
look like

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Pretty useful English, isn't it? That's what we are always trying to do for our students - teach
them useful English.
So let’s look a bit more at phrasal verbs.

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Unit 8 | Module 1
1.1 : Transitive vs. Intransitive Verbs
Verbs can be transitive or intransitive.
A transitive verb is followed by an object.
Examples:
She threw out the newspaper.

I look forward to your concert!
Don’t forget to pick up the videos.
He loves to wait on his customers.
An intransitive verb is not followed by an object.
Examples:
He finally gave in.

Why don’t we eat out tonight?
He told his sister to shut up.
Call me if the children begin to act up.
Unit 8 | Module 2: Separable vs. inseparable Verbs
Transitive verbs can be either separable or inseparable.
Separable - The object may be placed between the two parts of the phrasal verb.
Examples:
She took off her shoes.

She took her shoes off.
I wish you’d clean up that mess
I wish you’d clean that mess up.
Inseparable – The object may not be placed between the two parts of the phrasal verb.
Examples:
They looked for the dog in the park.

We talked about his ex-girlfriend all evening.
You’ll have to get rid of that cough before your concert!
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She doesn’t get along with her neighbours.

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Unit 8 | Module 3
3.0: What are Idioms?
Idioms are words, phrases or expressions that are not to be taken literally.
Your students may know the words “to rain” and they may know what a “dog” and a “cat”
are. Those words are quite straightforward, and easy to learn.
But do they know what “It’s raining cats and dogs” means? They probably would not be
able to guess the meaning.
It’s not really raining cats and dogs, is it? It’s raining hard. That’s what makes it an idiom.
Our speech is full of idioms that we may not be aware of. Your students all know the value
of learning idioms, and they need and want to use them in their English speech. When is the
last time you heard of a company that was in the red? Have you ever bitten off more than
you can chew? Do you like to go with the flow? All idioms.
More Examples:
feeling blue
rub someone up the wrong way
get up on the wrong side of bed
sleep on it
two-faced
wet behind the ears
be on the ball
See how the literal meanings are different than the idiomatic meanings?

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Unit 8 | Module 3
3.1 : Categories of Idioms
dioms can be divided into many different categories. Here are a few:
Body Part Idioms:
to eye somebody
all thumbs
have a heart-to-heart talk
have cold feet
Food Idioms:
piece of cake
cheesy
butter somebody up
bring home the bacon
Colour Idioms:
green with envy

in the black
green thumb
feeling blue
Animal Idioms:
raining cats and dogs

something’s fishy
ratrace
a little birdie told me
There are lots of categories you can use to help your students remember idioms –
relationship idioms, sports idioms, weather idioms, etc.
Hint: As a teacher you must remember to choose idioms that are most useful, not just pull
some new idioms into your lesson simply because they fit the “theme”, for example “colour
idioms”.
Stick to useful idioms, and make sure your students have opportunities to use them in
context!

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Unit 8 | Module 3
3.2 : Slang in the ESL Classroom
The Cambridge Dictionary defines slang as “very informal language that is usually spoken
rather than written”.
Look at the slang in the following conversation:
Dan: Hey Reg, what’s up?

Reg: Oh, just wondering if you’ll ever get a move on with the housework.
Dan: Don’t get huffy – I’ll get around to it in a sec.
Reg: I’ve really had it with your procrastination.
Slang is common in our daily speech!
So as English teachers, should we bring slang into the classroom? Absolutely! As with idioms
and phrasal verbs, slang should be introduced even in the beginner classrooms.
Imagine if you always give your students a formal greeting like “Good morning, how are
you?” and then they hear you say to a native English speaker friend, “Hey, what’s up?”
English is oozing with slang. When your students listen to English lyrics in songs or watch
English TV, they are being thrown slang, so part of your job as a teacher is to help them both
understand and be understood. Introducing slang is part of that.
However, keep a few things in mind:
1. Use your discretion with slang. It’s ok to bring some local slang into your classroom
for fun, but give them useful English, always! Aussie or Kiwi slang may be fun for a
laugh and to help them get a little insight into your culture, but will it help them
outside of your classroom? It depends on their motivations for learning. American
slang too, for example, can differ greatly depending on socio-economic status and
geographical location. Make sure the slang you teach is useful.
2. Always teach “correct”, formal English before introducing the slang.
Unit 8 | Module 3
3.3 : Proverbs in the ESL Classroom
Here are some English proverbs that are often used.
All that glitters is not gold.

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Unit 8 | Module 3
Don’t judge a book by its cover.

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The grass is always greener on the other side of the fence.

It’s no use crying over spilt milk.
Beggars can’t be choosers.
Better late than never.
How many of them have you used?

Do you think some of your students will have similar proverbs in their own language?
Do you think that using proverbs would help your students express what they want to say?

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Unit 9 | Welcome
Active/Passive Voice and Direct/Reported Speech
Unit 9 | Module 1: What is Active and Passive Voice?
When we talk about the “voice” that a verb is in, we are indicating whether the subject of
the sentence is either performing or receiving the action.
It is actually quite simple to determine if a sentence is written in passive or active. Take a

look:
The subject (boy) performs the

The boy kicked the ball. active voice
action
The ball was kicked by the The subject (ball) receives the
passive voice
boy. action
More examples of active voice:
The man rode his bike to the store.

I watched TV all night.
Yesterday, my mum cut my hair.
The computer broke down early this morning.
I think it's on the table.
More examples of passive voice:
The baby was taken to the doctor.

Our garbage is usually collected on Wednesdays.
Three children were hit by the truck.
The entire class was given a one-week extension.
Her books were left on the table.
The choice of using active or passive voice is not as much a matter of which is grammatically
correct, but more a matter of style – deciding what the implication of the sentence is.
We use passive voice when:

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1. The performer of the action is not as important as the receiver:
My hair was cut much too short last summer!

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My computer was fixed by the technician earlier in the day.
2. The performer of the action is unknown.
The posters will be removed late tonight.
The doors have not been locked.
Often a sentence using a passive voice is much weaker, or too wordy (hence the name
“passive”!).
The trip was enjoyed by me.
The history exam was completed by the high school students.
They don’t sound quite right, do they? We use the active voice to bring attention to the
subject.
Passive and active voices can be used in all the tenses. Here are some examples:
Present Continuous:
Brenda is helping Adrianne. active
Adrianne is being helped by Brenda. passive
Present Perfect:
Sandy and Scott have completed the
active
mowing.
The mowing has been completed by
passive
Sandy and Scott.
Here are some examples where both the active and passive voices can be used well,
depending on the speaker’s intentions:
I have sent the gifts. active

The gifts have been sent. passive
My company gave me a new office. active

I was given a new office by my company. passive
She must practise Spanish regularly. active

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Spanish has to be regularly practised (to be passive
learnt).

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Remember: Do not use the expressions “Passive Tense” or “Active Tense”. These are voices,
not tenses!

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Unit 9 | Module 2
2.0: Direct and Reported (Indirect) Speech
Cory says he is ill. Later that day you see Cory's girlfriend and want to tell her what Cory
said.
You can say:
“Cory is ill.”
That is direct speech, because you are repeating exactly what Cory said.
Or you can say,
“Cory said he was ill.”
That is reported speech (sometimes called “indirect speech”), and you usually talk about it
in the past (because obviously the person (Cory) said it in the past).
It is okay to use “that” but not necessary. Cory said that he was ill.
In general, when we use reported speech, we switch to a tense that is “further back” on the
timeline. For example, present tense would change to past:
There are several things Adam says on the phone to you:
Direct Speech Reported Speech
“I am hungry.” He said that he was hungry.
“I have to go.” He said that he had to go.
“It’s late.” He said that it was late.
As present changes to past, present continuous changes to past continuous, and so on…
Have a look at the following and take note of the connections:
Simple Present Simple Past

I am hungry. She said that she was hungry.

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Present Continuous Past Continuous

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I’m waiting for the bus. He said that he was waiting for the bus.
Present Perfect Past Perfect

I have been to Europe three times. She said that she had been to Europe three times.
Present Perfect Continuous Past Perfect Continuous

She has been watching TV for twenty She said that she had been watching TV for
minutes. twenty minutes.
Simple Past Past Perfect

I cooked dinner for my mum. She said that she had cooked dinner for her mum.

Past Continuous
He said that he had been watching TV when I
I was watching TV when you called.
called.
Past Perfect Past Perfect (no change)

They had completed the entire exam. He said that they had completed the entire exam.
Past Perfect Continuous (no change)

She said that she had been studying Latin for 15
I had been studying Latin for 15 years.
years.
There are some other verb forms that change too:
Will becomes would

I will help you.
She said that she would help me.
Can becomes could

I can’t see.
She said that she couldn’t see.
May becomes might

I may be late.
She said that she might be late.
Time references also change:
Today becomes that day

I have to go to the dentist today.
She said that she had to go to the dentist that day.
Tomorrow becomes the next day

I will call you tomorrow.
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He said that he would call me the next day.

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Here becomes there

I want to stay here.
She said that she wanted to stay there.
Now becomes then

I am eating now.
He said that he was eating then.
This year becomes that year

This year is cold!
He said that that year was cold.
Yesterday becomes the day before

Yesterday we watched three movies.
They said they had watched three movies the day before.
When we're giving orders (these are called imperatives), we introduce the infinitive forms
(ie. To go, to walk, etc):
Go home.
He told me to go home.
Please go home. (or Could you please go home?)

She asked me to go home.
Don’t smoke in here.

He told me not to smoke in here.

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Unit 9 | Module 2
2.1 : Examples where verbs don't follow the rules
Now, let’s look at some examples where verbs don’t follow the rules.
Again, Cory says, “I’m sick.”
Two days later you meet Cory’s girlfriend and you say to her, “Cory said that he was sick”
because you don’t know if he is still sick. You’re reporting.
But what if it wasn’t two days later… what if it was two minutes later? You would say, “Cory
said that he is sick” Because you can be quite sure he’s still sick.
Usually we can use the time context to help us understand what is said.
Sometimes things get confusing when more than one verb is used in a sentence.
For example, Mayumi tells you:
“I was working at Universal Studios when I got married.”
She said that she had been working at Universal Studios when she had got married.
Hmmm. Sounds a bit wordy and awkward, right?
How about:
She said she was working at Universal Studios when she got married.
It doesn’t exactly follow the rules we laid out, but sounds more comfortable, right?
This is another perfect example of how you as a native English speaker can tell your
students what “sounds right”.

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Unit 9 | Module 2
2.2 : Example Activity: What I can do

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Unit 10 | Welcome
Modals
Unit 10 | Module 1
1.0: Introduction
Modals are verbs which have different characteristics than other verbs. Here are the six
most commonly used modal verbs:
Can
Could
Should
May
Might
Must
Here are three major differences between modal verbs and other verbs:
1. Many modal verbs can’t be used in the past or future tenses.
Example
Non-modal verb I walked to the store – past tense Correct
Modal verbs I canned walk to the store – past tense Incorrect
2. Modal verbs can’t be used in the third person with an added ‘s’ or ‘es’
Example
Non-modal verb Tania works in Auckland. Correct
Modal verbs Tania cans work in Auckland. Incorrect
3. Modals cannot be followed by the full infinitive (to + verb), only by the bare infinitive.
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Example
Non-modal verb I love to go to the movies. Correct
Modal verbs I can to go to the movies. Incorrect
Non-modal verb I love go to the movies. Incorrect
Modal verb I can go to the movies. Correct

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Unit 10 | Module 1
1.1 : Can
Modals can get very complicated, because we use them in so many different ways! Let’s
take a look:
1. Can
We use can:
• To talk about possibility or ability

• To make requests
• To ask for or give permission
Can Mr. Bruno cook as well as his wife?

Can Can you throw the baseball with your left hand?
possibility or ability
Also used: able to
Is Mr. Bruno able to cook as well as his wife?
Can Can you please close the door as you leave?

To make requests Can you turn down that music?
You can wear my clothes whenever I’m out of town.

I can drive mum’s car today.
Can
For permission
Also used: may or allowed to
You may wear my clothes.
I’m allowed to drive mum’s car today.

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Unit 10 | Module 1
1.2 : Could
We use could:
• To make requests
• As the past for ‘can’ with possibility or ability
Could you open the window please?

Could you and your children help me with these boxes?
Could
Could you teach me how to play that chord on the
To make requests guitar?
Using could is more formal and polite than using can.
Could
My sister could paint with her toes!
As the past for can with
Their dog could take the post out of their mailbox!
possibility or ability
Could you hear him clearly at the concert?
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Unit 10 | Module 1
1.3 : Should
We use should:
• To give advice or an opinion

• When something is not right or as we expect it should be
• To say that we expect something to happen
You really should stop seeing him – he’s trouble!

Should If you want to lose weight, you should take a walk every
To give advice or an opinion morning.
The government should not collect such high taxes on
cigarettes!
Why is Brenda not here? She should be helping you.

Should The kids should be with their father, not with their
When something is not right neighbour.
or as we expect it should be That cat should have more energy – I wonder what’s
wrong.
You’ve been working so hard for so long – you should get

a raise soon.
Should
We should have no problem finding a good school for
To say that we expect
you in Melbourne.
something to happen
Her final exam scores were very high so she should easily
get into university.
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Unit 10 | Module 1
1.4 : May
We use may:
• to make requests for permission

• to express possibility
May May I have a moment of your time?

to make requests for May Tina come over to play with us?
permission May I teach you how to play that better?
Using may to make requests is more formal and polite

than using can.
She may call you in the morning but I doubt it.

May
I’ve heard it may rain this weekend.
to express possibility
Adam said he thinks he may just pick his wife up at the
office.
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Unit 10 | Module 1
1.5 : Might
We use might:
to make requests for permission

to express possibility
Might Might I have a moment of your time?

To make requests for Might Tina come over to play with us?
permission Might I teach you how to play that better?
Using might to make requests is more formal and polite

than using can.
Might She might call you in the morning but I doubt it.
To express possibility I’ve heard it might rain this weekend.
Adam said he thinks he might just pick his wife up at the
office.
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Unit 10 | Module 1
1.6 : Must
We use must:
to show strong obligation or necessity

to say we feel sure something is true
Must
To show strong obligation or I must meet your mother before she goes back to Europe!
necessity You must stop smoking or you will end up in the same
condition as your father.
April is quickly approaching; we must decide where we
want to hold the reception!
Must
You’ve been jogging for almost an hour. You must be
to say we feel sure something
tired!
is true
You're going to vote for Senator Johannson? You must be
kidding!
That package must be really heavy, I'll help you.
Unit 10 | Module 2: Example Activity: Can you ......... ? Bingo!
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Unit 11 | Welcome
Gerunds and Infinitives
Unit 11 | Module 1
1.0: Introduction
Remember in the verbs unit, you learnt that the infinitive form of a verb is “to ”.
These are infinitives:
to swim
to eat
to consider
to die
to invest
etc.
Many of your students will have trouble distinguishing between infinitives and gerunds. So
what is a gerund?
Most simply put, a gerund (pronounced jare-und) is a word that looks like a verb but acts
like a noun.
Huh?
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Unit 11 | Module 1
1.1: Gerunds – description
Check it out:
I like fish. fish is a noun
I like beer beer is a noun
I like my friends. friends is a noun
I like this
computer is a noun
computer.
So far so good, right? These are nouns as you have learnt them – “person, place or thing”.
Now look:
swimming is a noun (though it looks like a

I like swimming.
verb!)
I like watching TV. watching is a noun
I like eating veggies. eating is a noun
I like surfing. surfing is a noun
In those examples, like is the verb and the “ing” words are nouns.
They look like verbs but are actually nouns. They are IMPOSTORS!
If you are affronted by a noun pretending to be a verb, stand your ground, refer to your
newly acquired grammatical prowess, and call a spade a spade. Or in this case, a gerund a
gerund. You can do it!
Look at these comparisons as another way we use gerunds.
Kids are fun. kids is a noun
Summertime is fun. summertime is a noun
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That park is fun. park is a noun
Nicola is fun. Nicola is a noun
And now, the same form, but with gerunds:
Playing trivia is fun. playing is a noun (though it looks like a verb!)
Cooking Italian food is fun. cooking is a noun
Going out with friends is fun. going is a noun
Playing ice-hockey with my Canadian playing is a noun

boyfriend is fun.
Here are some other ways we use gerunds. Remember, they can easily be disguised as
verbs, so again, note carefully how they are actually used as nouns.
In the evenings my friends and I like watching TV. Staying home is really the best way to
spend free time, I think. My mum wants me to learn a new language, study cooking, or even
do more shopping. I guess I’m lazy. Oh well, it beats spending money.
As you can see, like all nouns, gerunds can act as objects:
For example: I
Like is the verb; Swimming is the object.
like swimming.
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Unit 11 | Module 1
1.2 : Comparison of Gerunds and Infinitives
Let’s compare gerunds and infinitives for a moment:
She likes cooking. (gerund) – grammatically correct, and sounds natural, right?
She likes to cook. (infinitive) – grammatically correct, and sounds natural, right?
Playing for the Boston Red Sox is his ultimate fantasy. (gerund) – grammatically correct, and
sounds natural
To play for the Boston Red Sox is his ultimate fantasy. (infinitive) – grammatically correct,
but sounds unnatural
Infinitives are not usually used as a subject (To swim is fun), but as an object (I love to
swim).
Infinitives and gerunds, when used as nouns, usually name activities (swimming, to swim,
cooking, to cook) – not people (Dr. Brown, the baby) or objects (the radio, a cat).
When you show clear patterns to your students, they are able to follow them.
If you give examples like “Swimming is fun”, “Cooking is fun”, “Watching TV is fun”, and
practise that with them, then they are easily able to plug in other gerunds.
The problem comes when it is not clear whether to use gerunds or infinitives. This problem
comes when we use the gerund or infinitive form as a direct object because the situations
are often highly arbitrary.
It’s not usually a problem for us, because we have grown up or somehow become
accustomed to hearing correct English, and it is very natural. It’s true! See… which of these
sound correct?
I regret talking about his ex-wife in front of him.
or
I regret to talk about his ex-wife in front of him.
How about these two:
Have you decided to give up smoking?
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or
Have you decided giving up smoking?
And which of these two sounds correct:
I’d like to avoid missing the train.
Or
I’d like to avoid to miss the train.
Hopefully, for each of those examples, you chose the first sentence as the one that sounds
most natural. If you didn’t… well, um, it’s good you’re taking this course!
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Unit 11 | Module 1
1.3 : Examples...
Some verbs can easily be followed by either a gerund or an infinitive:
prefer
I prefer to watch TV.
I prefer watching TV.
hate
She hates doing the dishes.
She hates to do the dishes.
fear
continue
like
love
start
That’s just a short list - there are many more which you’ll come across as you need to teach
them.
The verbs below are among many that are usually followed by a gerund.
finish
Have you finished preparing the lunch yet?
(not Have you finished to prepare the lunch yet?)
avoid
cease
commence
enjoy
dread
mention
And now, those that are usually followed by infinitives:
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plan
We plan to get married next autumn.
(not We plan getting married next autumn.)
forget
Don’t forget to turn off the iron!
deserve
expect
afford
agree
begin
want
promise
neglect
Sometimes when students mix up gerunds or infinitives, it is simply a matter of a

grammatical mistake, but the meaning is not affected, and we understand what they mean.
But sometimes it can make a big difference in meaning!
Consider the following:
Did you remember to stop at the store?

Did you remember stopping at the store?
See how the meaning is completely different?

The first example could be used in this kind of context: “I needed you to pick up some milk
at the store. Did you remember to stop and get it?”
The second example: “You seem to have forgotten all the details of that night. How about
stopping at the store – do you remember that?”
I stopped smoking this morning.

I stopped to smoke this morning.
Perhaps Tina’s computer needs repairing.

Perhaps Tina needs to repair her computer.
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Unit 11 | Example Activity: Help me, help me!
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Unit 11 | Revision
As your students begin to excel in English (under your outstanding tutelage, of course!),
they’ll really struggle with prepositions. We mentioned this in the prepositions unit.
Do you remember what prepositions are? In, on, under, at, about, etc.
Gerunds are often used with prepositions. It goes like this:
adjective + preposition + gerund
interested + in + swimming
scared + of + dying
dedicated + to + continuing development
Here are a lot more:
accustomed to done with limited to

afraid of envious of patient with
angry at excited about prepared for
annoyed with exposed to proud of
aware of familiar with related to
bored with filled with relevant to
capable of finished with remembered for
committed to fond of responsible for
concerned about grateful for satisfied with
connected to guilty of scared of
content with innocent of terrified of
convinced of interested in tired of
crowded with involved in upset with
dedicated to used to
Now, take a good look at that list.

Choose a couple, and try making a sentence using just a regular noun (not a gerund).
For example: I’m finished with the exam.
Now try it again with a gerund. For example: I’m finished with studying.
See how the prepositions in the table follow no pattern? Imagine how overwhelming and
frustrating it must be to students of English who are trying to learn how to use prepositions.
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Practise, practise, practise with your students! Give them dialogues, role-plays, and lots of
opportunities to use combinations like this. If you teach it just once and then leave it, they
won’t remember it. If you throw them a copy of the above table and then test them on it
and leave it, they won’t remember it. Make it real!
“I’m terrified of flying! What are you terrified of doing? What is Graham terrified of doing?”
Have a conversation about fear. Give them a writing assignment. Have them work in pairs.
Make it real! Make it useful!
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Unit 12 | Welcome
Fine-tuning your Own English
Unit 12 | Module 1
1.0: Introduction
Though you may be very comfortable with and fluent in English, it is very important that you
continually keep an eye on your writing and speaking habits. Sloppy English habits are
rampant among people from all backgrounds, sometimes out of laziness and other times
out of ignorance.
Now, remember your students want to be understood. But once you can understand them,
do you stop helping them perfect their language skills? Do you forget about the importance
of pronunciation? Of course not. So just because your language has worked for you in the
past, don’t assume you’re “perfect” in English. Your students will “call you on it”….
Guaranteed.
Sometimes the problem with slang or poor grammar is that it is almost like a regional dialect
from your country.
Sometimes the problem is that it comes across as being either immature or uneducated.
Set your standards high for yourself and be sure you are writing and speaking correctly!
We’ll take a look at three problem areas for native English speakers:
1. Commonly confused words

2. Incomplete Sentences
3. Punctuation
This should give you a handle on the most troublesome areas for English speakers, and set
you on your way.
Let’s go!
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Unit 12 | Module 1
1.1 : Commonly Confused Words
There, their and they’re
To be fair, the common misuse of these words is a result more often of typos and the writer
not concentrating, than of confusion of the meanings. But because the pronunciation of
them all is the same, it’s often difficult for some people to remember which one to use in
which situation.
there – shows placement

I’ve heard that Brisbane has a great little lagoon in the beach, but I’ve never been there.
their – possessive form of “them”

They took their surfboards along to California.
they’re – a contraction for “they are”

They’re not staying in the hotel this week.
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Unit 12 | Module 1
1.2 : Your and You're
Your and You're
Again, the misuse of these two words often comes not from ignorance, but rather from
laziness or not concentrating. Take care to use them correctly!
Your – a possessive adjective.

Don’t forget to call your mother!
You’re – a contraction for “You are”

You’re not going to join us for lunch?
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Unit 12 | Module 1
1.3 : i.e. and e.g.
These are Latin abbreviations. Because so few people study Latin anymore, the meanings
and proper use of these two abbreviations seem to be getting lost. Let’s clear it up!
i.e. is short for the latin term “id est” which means “that is”.
You should use i.e. when you want to briefly explain or clarify what you just said or wrote.
You must register for our course within two days to qualify for the discount i.e. usually by
Wednesday.
When you want to give one or more examples of what you are talking about, then use e.g.
(exempli gratia)
I’d love to visit some of the larger cosmopolitan cities in America e.g. Chicago, New York, Los
Angeles.
These days, many people write eg. and ie. instead of e.g. and i.e. According to grammarians
this is becoming acceptable.
However, a clear understanding and ability to use them correctly is important!
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Unit 12 | Module 1
1.4 : to, too and two
Two, everyone knows, is the number 2.

There are only two people in that band.
Too – can be used in two (2) ways:

1. As an adverb describing an adjective: too hot, too cold, too big, too small
She’s too small to go on the roller coaster.
2. To mean “also”
My sister said she is going to the concert next week, so I think I will go too.
To – We won’t go into all the uses of “to” here, but if it doesn’t mean “2” or “also”, then you
can assume you use “to” (not “two” or “too”). Confused? Nah. Here are some examples of
“to”:
I think I would like to go to Asia to teach English to the businessmen at Mitsubishi.
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Unit 12 | Module 1
1.5 : who's and whose
Whose is the possessive form of who (or, occasionally, which). It means "belonging to
whom or which."
This dog belongs to the lady whose car was towed earlier.
Whose computer is this?
Who's is a contraction of who is or who has. An apostrophe replaces the missing letters.
Who’s (who is) going to order pizza with me?

I don’t know who’s (who is) living in that apartment these days.
Who’s (who has) been to Ankara?
Still confused?
Whose indicates belonging, and who’s must make sense when it’s expanded without the
apostrophe.
Who’s coat is this? ? expand it to: “Who is coat is this?” – and BAM! It doesn’t make sense!
(If it does make sense, go take a break and try again)
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Unit 12 | Module 2
2.0: You can choose!
1. Conjunction - Ooooooh, do you remember what conjunctions are? Remember “conjoin”?

FANBOYS?
For – And – Nor – But – Or – Yet – So
I don’t want to go to the hospital + because + I think he doesn’t want to see me.
2. Semi-colon - The semi-colon acts like a full stop, or period, but has less power. It makes
the reader pause as they are reading, but not completely stop. If you use a semi-colon, the
sentences you are joining should really be related to each other.
I don’t want to go to the hospital; I think he doesn’t want to see me.
Aaaaah… doesn’t that look better? (Yes.)
Here are a couple more examples:
I looked all over the house for your new streetmap; I even looked under the fridge!
It’s time to go; I’m tired of waiting.
A semi-colon is stronger than a comma (which cannot be used to glue two independent
clauses together) but has more flow than a period. Using semi-colons correctly is an easy
way to immediately and dramatically improve the quality of your writing!
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Unit 12 | Module 2
2.1: Hyphen / Dash
We use a dash to show a sudden break in thought or to show a sudden change in tone. Take
a look at these examples.
I failed my English test on Monday, I got a speeding ticket last night and this morning my
baby girl got very sick – it’s not my week!
The new student looked like a younger version of Robert Redford – much to our delight –
but we didn’t get a chance to talk to him.
"A dash is sometimes used in place of brackets. It is a punctuation mark. A hyphen, on the
other hand, is used to join two words. For example:
user-friendly
ex-wife
sad-looking
green-eyed
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Unit 12 | Examples..
Okay, now that you’ve seen those examples, let’s look at the other sentences in the activity
you just finished:
He doesn’t watch TV very often because he is so busy.

This sentence is correct because it uses the conjunction “because”.
Sometimes when the children are playing, their mother studies English; she’s really
improving!
This sentence is correct because it uses that beautiful semi-colon!
When the sun sets, the whole neighbourhood gets quiet, everyone is settling down.
This sentence is incorrect.
There are two independent clauses:

1. When the sun sets, the whole neighbourhood gets quiet.
2. Everyone is settling down.
So what’s the best way to join them? You decide:
When the sun sets, the whole neighbourhood gets quiet because everyone is settling down.
When the sun sets, the whole neighbourhood gets quiet; everyone is settling down.
When the sun sets, the whole neighbourhood gets quiet – everyone is settling down.
And the last one:
It’s cold outside today, take your sweater

This sentence is incorrect.
Which solution do you prefer?
It’s cold outside today; take your sweater.

It’s cold outside today so take your sweater.
It’s cold outside today – take your sweater.
Start analysing your own English!
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Unit 12 | Punctuation
We’ve already dealt with the semi-colon.
We’ll assume you correctly use commas and periods.
Just a quick word on question marks and exclamation marks.
Unless you are sitting in an online chatroom and want to express that you just spilt your
drink all over your keyboard (for example “I just spilled my drink all over my
keyboard!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!”), remember this:
Multiple exclamation marks or question marks are really NOT okay. (!)
The expression and power behind your statement should come from your words. Repeated
exclamation or question marks not only dulls the effect, but displays an immature writing
style.
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Teach International

Online TESOL Course – Grammar

Teach International all rights reserved 2019 1

Before you start

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Unit 1 | Module 1: What are Nouns?

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Unit 1 | Module 2: Common and Proper Nouns

Most nouns are common. This means we don't capitalise them.

Names of people - John, Mr. Miyagi, Dr. Phillips, etc.

Teach International all rights reserved 2019 4

3.0 : Concrete and Abstract nouns

Abstract nouns refer to qualities not directly sensed, like:

Teach International all rights reserved 2019 5

3.1 : Using Articles to Identify Nouns

" That is the ."

"The" is called a determiner, or indicator, of a noun.

Kittens are cute.

A tree provides shade.

Teach International all rights reserved 2019 6

Unit 1 | Module 4: Possessive nouns

If a noun is singular, just add an apostrophe and an "s".

Jason - Jason's bag

If the noun is plural and ends in an "s", just add an apostrophe

the ladies - the ladies' room

her children - her children's books

Teach International all rights reserved 2019 7

Unit 1 | Module 5: Nouns as Modifiers

We say "vegetable soup" not "vegetables soup".

We took a "five-day course". - not a "five days course"

Unit 1 | Module 6: Countable and Uncountable Nouns

Countable nouns are things we can count.

What about these nouns. Do you think these are countable?

Teach International all rights reserved 2019 8

Unit 1 | Module 7: Countable / Uncountable Nouns Continued

There are many types of uncountable nouns:

Teach International all rights reserved 2019 9

Unit 1 | Module 8: Countable / Uncountable Nouns Continued

Countable Nouns Uncountable Nouns

an apple / three apples weather

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Unit 1 | Module 9: Countable / Uncountable Nouns Continued

Use "many" or "a few" Use "a lot" or "some" or "a

Use "How many" as the Use "How much" as the

How many TVs do How much milk would

Use "not many" in the Use "not much" in the

Q. How many apples do you Q. How much juice do you

A. Not many. A. Not much.

I don't have many apples. I don't have much juice.

10.0: Countable / Uncountable Nouns Continued

How about "counting" beef?

Think of three different ways to "count" each of the following:

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10.1: Countable / Uncountable Nouns Continued

How much money does he have? Correct, so “money” is uncountable.

How much houses does he have? Incorrect, so “houses” is not uncountable.

How much paper does he have? Correct, so “paper” is uncountable.

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11.0: Example Activity: Back-to-back Trolley