EF 2/3 Most Common Verb Tenses

VERB TENSES

simple present- habitual action, usually do, regularly, normally

HIGH FREQUENCY

“We go to school every morning.”

“He drinks coffee.”

“She skis.”

“She lives in Vancouver.”

present progressive- action happening right now

HIGH FREQUENCY

“I am answering a question.”

needs helping verb, auxiliary verb

simple past- one event in past, finished

HIGH FREQUENCY

“We did/ wrote a test.”

“I played soccer with my son.”

past progressive-  action happening in the past

HIGH FREQUENCY

“I was answering a question.”

“She was watching a movie last night.”

needs helping verb, auxiliary verb

simple future- one event in the future

HIGH FREQUENCY

“will”- modal

“He will eat lunch after school.”

“She will pick up the kids at 3.”

future progressive- action happening in the future

LOWER FREQUENCY

“I will be driving to Burnaby tonight.”

needs helping verb, auxiliary verb

REPLACE “I will drive to Burnaby tonight.”

present perfect- started in the past until now

HIGH FREQUENCY

“I have lived in Vancouver for 10 years.”

present perfect progressive- action started in the past until now

HIGH FREQUENCY

“I have been living in Vancouver for 10 years.”

“She has been training for a 5k race.”

past perfect- event started in the past, finished in the past

LOW FREQUENCY

“She had lived in Japan for six years.”

REPLACE with simple past “She lived in Japan for six years.”

past perfect progressive- action started in the past, finished in the past

VERY LOW FREQUENCY

“She had been living in Japan for six years.”

future perfect- event will start in the future, will finish in the future

VERY VERY LOW FREQUENCY

“She will have finished making supper by 6 o’clock.”

future perfect progressive - action will start in the future, will finish in the future

VERY VERY VERY LOW FREQUENCY

“She will have been making supper for 40 minutes by 6 o’clock.”

E10/ EF7 talk

simple sentences

compound sentences

complex sentences       -adjective clauses

                                                -adverb clauses

                                                -noun clauses

basic familiarity with English

inauthentic, not real English

lack of exposure to real English

function in English

expectation is higher

uses English

opportunity to speak

make opportunity

building vocabulary, retaining vocabulary

          -make sentences-writing original example sentence

          (not sure if authentic)

         

          -read free newspapers, learn authentic phrasing

          -watch TV

          PASSIVE

          -ACTIVE engagement with English

-old

-no strong foundation

-courage

-brave

-take chances

-connect English with real life

English 10 sentence combining

2.       We found Judy who was wandering in the bedroom and        worrying about her decision to buy the little house.- SOUNDS LIKE HASNT BOUGHT HOUSE YET

          We found Judy wandering in the bedroom, worrying about her       decision about having bought the little house.- SOUNDS LIKE BOUGHT HOUSE- NOT SURE IF RIGHT CHOICE

          We found Judy wandering in the bedroom.  She was worrying        about her decision about having bought the little house.

          We found Judy.  She was wandering in the bedroom and       worrying about her decision to buy the little house.

3.       Everyone began to choose a job.

          Everyone chose a job and began.

          Everyone chose and began a job.

4.       Jim vacuumed the cobwebs in every corner.  Helen dismantled shelves and threw the pieces on the growing garbage pile/ growing pile of garbage.  I attacked the cupboards.

Jim vacuumed the cobwebs in every corner while Helen dismantled shelves and threw the pieces on the growing garbage pile/ growing pile of garbage; meanwhile, I attacked the cupboards.

5.       The house was slowly prepared for painting.

The house was prepared for painting slowly.

Slowly, the house was prepared for painting.- STYLE

We slowly prepared the house for painting.

WILLIAM STRONG- sentence variety. choice

DIFFERENT EMPHASIS- DIFFERENT INTENTIONS

6.       The scaffolding was delivered at noon, and the first can of paint was opened with ceremony.

7.       One month and many gallons of paint later, Judy’s home was ready for the next work crew, the movers.

EF2/3 adverb clause exercises

Whenever you have time, you should come over for dinner.

Whenever you have time, remember to see the doctor.

We could go to the park after the rain stopped.

After the rain stopped, we began to leave the restaurant.

After the rain stopped, my daughter rode her bicycle in the playground.

When the day ends, I go to sleep.

When the day ends, you clean the kitchen.

When the day ended, I finished my work.

I  like to go to a nightclub when the day ends.

After her husband died, she felt lonely.

She remarried after her husband died.

If you help me, I can pass the test.

If you want to help me, that/it would be great/ awesome.

If you want to help me, please take care of my daughter for a few hours.

Although the weather doesn’t look good, we will still have our picnic on the beach.

When the movie ended, I left the cinema/theatre.

Everyone was crying when the movie ended.

When the movie ends, we will go out for supper.

Since the office closes at five o’clock, I should get going.

I am getting ready to go.

Nobody is in there since the office closes at five o’clock.

Since the office closes at five o’clock, I can’t finish my work.

Began the tenants’ meeting began, we had a short conference about the rent increases.

Because its dark out, you’d better not go/ you’d better stay at home.

Because it’s dark out, take the dog when you walk through the neighborhood.

Because it’s dark out, take this flashlight/torch.

EF2/3 adverb clauses

when- state of being

“I was cooking supper when the phone rang.”

“When I was 12, I lived in my grandmother’s house.”

“When I was a child, I learned how to sew.”

while- longer activity

“I was cooking supper while the phone rang.”

“I was cooking supper while my daughter was reading a book.”

“I was cooking supper while my son watched TV.”

before

“He came home before she did.”

“I finished the test before the class was over.”

“I finished the test before 12:35.” –NOT ADVERB CLAUSE

after

“The kids went to bed after supper.”-NOT ADVERB CLAUSE

“The kids went to bed after they had supper.”

because

“You can do it because you are a hardworking learner.”

if

“It would be wonderful if you could do that.”

since – two meanings- TIME, BECAUSE

“He will have a nap since (because) he feels tired.”

“He has lived in Vancouver since 1992.”-NOT ADVERB CLAUSE

“He has lived in Vancouver since he moved here in 1992.”

although/ though/ even though

“He is going to the park although it is raining.”

“You keep studying English even though it is difficult sometimes.”

unless

I will go to the park unless it rains.

if

I won’t go to the park if it rains.

unless

You can pass the class unless you don’t study.

if

You can pass the class if you study.

as___ as ___

My son can run as quickly as I can.

You are as smart as she is.

He works as hard as his sister does.

You speak English as well as I do.

until

I will wait until you get home.

You will practice the piano until you can play the song.

She will stand there until the bus comes.

till- casual, good for talking

where

I know where the store is.

wherever

You can sit wherever you want.

EF2/3 transitional terms with semicolons

1.     The lawyer arrived in Victoria yesterday, but his secretary ..

3.     The truck driver shook his fist at the pedestrian, and he shouted at him.

I bought a new car, and I will show it to you.

compound sentences:

, and , but , so , or

It is cold, so he is wearing a sweater.

It is cold; he is wearing a sweater.

; semicolon

semicomma

It is cold; therefore, he is wearing a sweater.

It is cold.  Therefore, he is wearing a sweater.

He likes skiing, and he likes skating. COMPOUND

He likes skiing; he likes skating. COMPOUND

He likes skiing; also, he likes skating. COMPOUND

He likes skiing.  Also, he likes skating. 2 SIMPLES

He likes skiing; and, he likes skating.

The lawyer arrived in Victoria yesterday.  However, his secretary left for Nanaimo this morning.

The truck driver shook his fist at the pedestrian; also, he shouted at him.

The truck driver shook his fist at the pedestrian; also, he shouted at him.

Though Questions for "There Will Come Soft Rains" class work

“There Will Come Soft Rains”

Discussion Questions

1.    How does Bradbury use personification in the story?

2.    What is the significance of the line “the ruined city gave off a

radioactive glow”?

3.    What are the “silhouette[s] in paint”?

4.    How does the house try to save itself?

5.    How is the fire personified?

6.    Find key words that suggest the frenzy of the final moments.

7.    What affect is created by all the personification contrasted with the

absence of human activity.

8.    What is the theme of this story?