Please Read: These tasks are designed to help you think about the English language and how it works. It should also help you decide what kind of review you need. Your answers to the tasks may also be referred to in an interview, so it might be useful for you to make a copy of this task. You may wish to refer to a grammar reference book such as: Michael Swan, Practical English Usage, Oxford University Press, 1995 Please write by hand if you’re not submitting this by e-mail. I. LANGUAGE A. Grammar Look at the incorrect sentences below and: a) correct the verb; b) name the tense; c) comment briefly on the use of the correct tense. Example: I took a shower when the doorbell rang. Correction: I was taking a shower when the doorbell rang. Tense: Past continuous/progressive Use: An action already in progress at a particular time in the past. 1.
I had been to France two years ago.
Correction: I went to France two years ago. Tense: Past tense Use: To describe an action or event of the past. 2. I’ve been understanding you all along. Correction: I’ve understood you all along. Tense: Present perfect Use: To describe an action in the unspecified past, with relevance to the present. 3. Look at the sky! It will rain. Correction: Look at the sky! It is going to rain. Tense: Future
Use: To express an action or event that has not occurred yet but will or might occur in the future.
B. Meaning How would you explain to a foreign learner the difference in meaning between the following sets of sentences? Example: A. I like going to the beach. B. I’d like to go to the beach. Explanation: A: Means ‘I like it in general’ and describes someone’s habits/hobbies. B: Means ‘I want’ to go - at some future time, maybe tomorrow. 1. She remembered meeting him. She remembered to meet him. Explanation: A. Means ‘She has met him before’ and remembers him from then. B. Means ‘She had agreed to meet him’ and remembered to do so. 2. I used to play tennis. I am used to playing tennis. I played tennis. Explanation: A. Means ‘I have played tennis is the past but not anymore’. B. Means ‘I play tennis regularly’ C. Means ‘I played the game recently’ 3. If he works hard, he’ll pass the exam. If he worked hard, he’d pass the exam. Explanation: A. Means there is a certainty that he will pass the exam in the near future, provided he puts in hard work B. Means there is a possibility that he might pass the exam, if he works hard.
C. Functions 1. Look at the following sentences and decide what function is being used in each case. The first one has been done for you. Sentence Function Do you fancy coming to the cinema invitation tonight? Open the window will you? requisition Could you tell me the way to the requisition cinema? Why don’t you buy the blue one? suggestion Would you like some tea? offer Could you help me out please? requisition I am afraid I am not satisfied with opinion the service. Today is a good day. Do not touch my phone. I would like that. What are you doing? Well done!
opinion order response question appreciation
2. What other functions can you think of that haven’t been expressed by the sentences above? Write them in the spaces provided in the table above along with examples. 3. Consider the following requests. All are asking the same thing, but using different language: 1.Would you help me out? 2.Do me a favour and help me out? 3.Could you possibly help me out? 4.Help me out will you? 3. 1. Give examples of three other ways we could make this request. • Will you be able to help me out?
• Would you mind helping me out? • Is it possible for you to help me out?
3. 2. What factors are important in deciding which of these forms should be used? The usage of these forms depends on the place of use and degree of familiarity between the speaker and the one to whom the statement is addressed. 3. 3. Which exponent of request would you choose to teach to a beginner class? Why? I would choose to start with modal forms including ‘could’ and ‘would’. This is because beginners might not know the usage of each of the forms and might use them inappropriately. Wrong usage can get them into a difficult situation where they might come across as impolite and rude. D. Vocabulary How would you explain, in simple terms, the difference between these words? 1. trip/journey Trip: A trip usually involves more than one single journey. Trips can be day trips, round trips and business trips. E.g. He has gone on a business trip to Malaysia. Journey: One piece of travel (going from one place to another) – usually a long distance. E.g. How long did your journey to India take? 2. assume/presume Assume: Means to suppose that something is true without any real proof. Presume: Means to suppose or to guess the outcome of something without proof of non-contrary evidence. 3. fat/plump The two words mean exactly the same thing. The difference lies only in the degree of politeness. Fat: Has a negative connotation and is considered to be impolite. Plump: Slightly fat in a fairly pleasant way – often used to avoid saying the word fat.
E. Phonology Indicate the number of syllables and the main stress in the following words, using: l stressed syllable O unstressed syllable example: geological ooloo 1. 2. 3. 4. 5. 6. 7. 8. 9.
temperature - loo milk bottle - o ol demand - ol (a) present - lo (to) present - ol advertise - loo photographic - oolo colleague - lo photograph - lo o
