Method

1. Cook noodles per package instructions (usually 3-4 minutes), drain, and rinse with cold
water and toss with 1 Tbsp Sesame Oil. Keep aside.
2. Heat 2 Tbsp Oil in a large wok style pan on HIGH heat.
3. Add Ginger and Garlic and cook for 30 seconds.
4. Add Onions and cook for 30 seconds.
5. Add Carrots and allow them to soften just a little.
6. Add Cabbage, Bell Pepper and Baby Corn. Toss well and cook for 1 minute.
7. Push veggies to one side of wok and break an egg in the pan.
8. Scramble the egg until cooked and mix together with the veggies.
9. Add Black Pepper and mix.
10. Toss Noodles once before adding them to the pan.
11. Add White Vinegar, Soy Sauce, Hoisin Sauce and Red Chili Sauce. Mix well to coat all
noodles.
12. Taste and adjust any of the sauces.
13. Garnish with Green Onions and serve hot.

Describing an Object

Example-1
Touch screen is a video display screen that receives an input from the finger touch.
The screen is covered with a plastic layer. There are invisible beams of infrared light behind
the screen. The user enters data by touching icons or menus on the screen. Most touch screen
computers use sensors to detect touch of a finger. Touch screen is commonly used in ATMs,
multinational companies etc.

Example-2
A trackball can be used as an alternative to a mouse. This device has buttons similar
to those on a mouse. It has a large rotating ball on the top. The body of the track ball is not
moved. The ball is rolled with fingers. The position of the cursor on the screen is controlled
by rotating the ball.
An advantage of the trackball is that it takes less space to move than mouse. Trackball
is often included in laptop computers. It can also be used as a separate input device along
with standard desktop computers.

Describing People
Example
Vanita: Hi mam! I am Vanita. I have recently joined in this college, could I know about our
staff?
Kavya: Ofcourse, the first cabin is for the HOD Dr. J. Animesh. He is a tall, slim, black-
eyed, Curly haired and a well natured person.
Vanita: And the next cabin?
Kavya: It‘s Surana Sir‘s. He is an elderly man, good natured and the senior most of all.
Vanita: Who is in the third cabin?
Kavya: It‘s Subhashini mam. She is a friendly lady with a fair complexion. Three more
ladies are in that cabin MS. Lavanya a calm lady, MS. Madavi the youngest one in the
department and MS. Sahithi the thin lady.
Vanita: Thank you for the information. I have a class now. I will talk to you later.
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Describing a Situation

Example
My colleague was a sensitive person. She would keep a watch on who was saying
what to her, and build it up into something entirely different. This became very difficult for
everyone around her that finally a group of us decided to tell her to change her ways,or else,
leave.
She decided to leave, as she felt too hurt to cope with what had been said.
Although I do enjoy the sensitive side of life, I thank God everyday that I am not an
excessively sensitive person.

Exercises

Write a few short descriptive paragraphs describing the city transport, your College, your
friends, the place where you live, the market area etc.

Describing Objects
1. Refrigerator
2. Oven
3. A Telephone
4. Washing Machine
5. Wrist watch
6. A Rupee Coin
7. Cell phone
8. Lap top
9. Printer
10. Pen drive

Describing Places
1. Goa
2. Describe your college
3. Agra
4. Amritsar (Golden temple)
5. Ladakh
6. Your state
7. Kulu
8. Manali
9. Ooty
10. Araku Valley

Describing People
1. Your Principal
2. Mother Teresa
3. Nelson Mandela
4. Michael Jackson
5. Indira Gandhi
6. Sachin Tendulkar
7. Rabindranath Tagore
8. Amarthya Sen
9. Mahatma Gandhi

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 10. Subash Chandra Bose

Describing Events/Situations
1. Annual day of your college/school
2. A football match
3. Bike Racing
4. 1st day in Engineering
5. Unforgettable day/moment
6. Day of your inter result
7. Describe how you spent your last birthday
8. Describe how you spent summer vacation
9. A Chess tournament

Sequence of tenses
Tense (noun): a form of a verb used to indicate the time, and sometimes the continuation or
completion of an action in relation to the time of speaking.

Simple Forms
Present Tense: Present tense expresses an unchanging, repeated, or reoccurring action or
situation that exists only now. It can also represent Universal truth.

Example Meaning
Unchanging
The mountains are tall and white.
action
Every year, the school council Recurring
elects new members. action
Pb is the chemical symbol for
Universal truth
lead.

Past Tense: Past tense expresses an action or situation that was started and finished in the
past. Most past tense verbs end in -ed. The irregular verbs have special past tense forms
which must be memorized.

Example Form
Regular -ed
W.W.II ended in 1945.
past
Ernest Hemmingway wrote "The Irregular
Old Man and the Sea." form

Future Tense: Future tense expresses an action or situation that will occur in the future. This
tense is formed by using will/shall with the simple form of the verb.

The speaker of the House will finish her term in May of 1998.

The future tense can also be expressed by using am, is, or are with going to.

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 The surgeon is going to perform the first bypass in Minnesota.

We can also use the present tense form with an adverb or adverbial phrase to show future
time.
The president speaks tomorrow. (Tomorrow is a future time adverb.)

Progressive Forms
Present Progressive Tense: Present progressive tense describes an ongoing action that is
happening at the same time the statement is written. This tense is formed by using am/is/are
with the verb form ending in -ing.
The sociologist is examining the effects that racial discrimination has on society.

Past Progressive Tense: Past progressive tense describes a past action which was happening
when another action occurred. This tense is formed by using was/were with the verb form
ending in -ing.

The explorer was explaining the lastest discovery in Egypt when protests began on the
streets.

Future Progressive Tense: Future progressive tense describes an ongoing or continuous

action that will take place in the future. This tense is formed by using will be or shall be with
the verb form ending in -ing.

Dr. Jones will be presenting ongoing research on sexist language next week.

Perfect Forms
Present Perfect Tense: Present perfect tense describes an action that happened at an
indefinite time in the past or that began in the past and continues in the present.This tense is
formed by using has/have with the past participle of the verb. Most past participles end in -
ed. Irregular verbs have special past participles that must be memorized.

Example Meaning
The researchers have traveled to many
At an indefinite
countries in order to collect more significant
time
data.
Women have voted in presidential elections Continues in the
since 1921. present

Past Perfect Tense: Past perfect tense describes an action that took place in the past before
another past action. This tense is formed by using had with the past participle of the verb.

By the time the troops arrived, the war had ended.

Future Perfect Tense: Future perfect tense describes an action that will occur in the future
before some other action. This tense is formed by using will have with the past participle of
the verb.
By the time the troops arrive, the combat group will have spent several weeks waiting.
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Perfect Progressive Forms
Present Perfect Progressive: Present perfect progressive tense describes an action that
began in the past, continues in the present, and may continue into the future. This tense is
formed by using has/have been and the present participle of the verb (the verb form ending
in -ing).
The CEO has been considering a transfer to the state of Texas where profits would be
larger.
Past Perfect Progressive: Past perfect progressive tense describes a past, ongoing action that
was completed before some other past action. This tense is formed by using had been and the
present perfect of the verb (the verb form ending in -ing).
Before the budget cuts, the students had been participating in many extracurricular
activities.
Future Perfect Progressive: Future perfect progressive tense describes a future, ongoing
action that will occur before some specified future time. This tense is formed by using will
have been and the present participle of the verb (the verb form ending in -ing).

Question Tags
A question tag is phrase that is added at the end of a statement in order to turn it into a
question or check that the statement is correct.
The following rules are used while framing question tags.
1. After negative statements we use the ordinary interrogative.
Ex: They did not come yesterday, did they?
2. After affirmative statement we use the negative interrogative.
Ex: They came yesterday, didn‟t they?
3. The corresponding pronoun is used for the subject.
Ex: The children are playing, aren‟t they?
4. The ‗do‘ form is used when the statement is in simple present or simple past tense.
Ex: Chinna speaks English fluently, doesn‟t he?
5. We use ―can you or could you‖ after a request with an imperative.
Ex: Give me an example, could you?
6. The tag ―will you‖ is used after imperatives starting with ―don‘t‖.
Ex: Don‟t make noise, will you?
7. The tag ―shall we‖ is used after suggestions starting with ―Let‘s‖.
Ex: Let‟s have a cup of coffee, shall we?

One Word Substitutes

―One word substitutes‖ as the phrase indicates itself are the words that replace group of
words or a full sentence effectively, without changing the original meaning of the sentence or
phrases. Like the word ―Autobiography‖ can be used in place of the sentence ―The life story
of a man written by himself‖. It is important to write precisely and speak in a single word. In
English language there are lots of single words for a group of words that can be used
effectively to make the writing to the point that too without losing the meaning of the context.
1. A speech by an actor at the end of a play = epilogue
2. A name opted by a writer = Pseudonym
3. Of unknown authorship = anonymous
4. Taking one‘s own life = suicide

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 5. A person concerned with practical results = pragmatist
6. A political leader who tries to stir up people = Demagogue
7. Animals living on land and in water = Amphibians
8. A person with long experience = veteran
9. Atonement for one‘s sins = repentance
10. A man of odd habits = Eccentric
11. A person who derives pleasure by inflicting pain on others = Sadist
12. A general pardon of political offender = Amnesty
13. A person who is made to bear the blame due to others = Scapegoat
14. A person who pays much attention to his clothes and appearance = Dandy
15. A person hard to please = Fastidious
16. A person who considers himself superior to others in culture and intellect = Highbrow
17. A wishful longing for something one has known in the past = Nostalgia
18. The art of cutting trees and bushes in to ornamental shapes = Topiary
19. An associate in an office or institution = Colleague
20. A person who believes in God = Theist
21. A person who does not believe in God = Atheist
22. Witty, Clever, Retort = Repartee
23. A child who stays away from school without any good reason = Truant
24. One who compiles a dictionary = Lexicographer
25. One who does not care for literature and art = Philistine
26. One who totally abstains from alcoholic drinks = Teetotaler
27. A house for storing grains = granary
28. A person who is neither intelligent nor dull(average) = Mediocre
29. A person who dances to the tune of his wife = Henpecked
30. Branch of medicine which deals with the problems of the old = Geriatrics
31. Careful in performing duties = Punctilious
32. A person who gives written testimony for use in a law court = deponent
33. Equal in rank, merit or quality = Peer
34. Indifference to pleasure or pain = Stoicism
35. Using of new words = Coinage
36. Fruit garden = Orchard
37. Person who gives himself up to luxury and sexual pleasures = voluptuary
38. One who is likable = Amiable
39. One copies the writing of others = Plagiarist (Plagiarism)
40. Journey to a holy place = Pilgrimage
41. Worship of idols = Idolatry
42. One who ruins statues of gods = Iconoclast
43. One who is honorably discharged from service = Emeritus
44. A place of ideal peace and happiness = Elysium
45. Printed notice of Somebody‘s death = Obituary
46. A story in verse = Ballad
47. One knowing everything = Omniscient
48. One who is present everywhere = Omnipresent
49. One who is all powerful = Omnipotent
50. One who invents new things = Inventor/scientist

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