The 1st way is with because, which can go in the middle or at the beginning of the sentence. However, because is most often used in the middle of the sentence.
Examples:
We’re going to the store because we need some milk.
ALSO: Because we need some milk, we’re going to the store. (less often used)
The police searched his home because they wanted to find the murder weapon.
ALSO: Because the police wanted to find the murder weapon, they searched his home. (less often used)
I read late into the night because I wanted to finish the book.
ALSO: Because I wanted to finish the book, I read late into the night. (less often used)
Another way to use because is with the preposition of. After these words you can only use a noun object, not a subject and verb. Because of can be used at the beginning or in the middle of a sentence.
Examples: Because ofthe rain, they had to cancel the game.
ALSO: They had to cancel the game because ofthe rain.
Because ofcheating on his exam, Johnny was suspended from school.
ALSO: Johnny was suspended from school because ofcheating on his exam.
NOTE: If the noun object of the preposition (of) is a verb, it must be in the gerund (noun) form (cheating.)
Because ofthe noise next door, I wasn’t able to study.
ALSO: I wasn’t able to study because of the noise next door.
The 2nd way is with since, which also can go in the middle or at the beginning. However, since is most often used at the beginning of the sentence.
Examples: Since we need some more milk, we’re going to the store.
ALSO: We’re going to the store since we need some milk. (less often used)
Since the police wanted to find the murder weapon, they searched his home.
ALSO: The police searched his home since they wanted to find the murder weapon. (less often used)
Since I wanted to challenge myself, I went bungee jumping.
ALSO: I went bungee jumping since I wanted to challenge myself. (less often used)
The 3rd way is with so that, which must be followed by one of the modals: can, could, may, might, will, would, must or have to. The word that can be dropped.
Examples:
We’re going to the store so that we can get some milk.
We’re going to the store so we can get some milk.
The police searched his home so that they could find the murder weapon.
The police searched his home so they could find the murder weapon.
I went bungee jumping so that I would challenge myself.
I went bungee jumping so I would challenge myself.
The 4th way is with for, which must be followed by a noun.
Examples:
We’re going to the store for some milk.
The police searched his home for the murder weapon.
I went bungee jumping for the personal challenge.
The 5th way is with to, which must be followed by a verb (the infinitive.)
Examples:
We’re going to the store toget some milk.
The police searched is home tofind the murder weapon.
I went bungee jumping tochallenge myself.
Study this page and when you think you’re ready, do the following exercise.
This is the story of how Hollywood turned into the movie capital of the world. It started in 1853 when there was just a single adobe hut in the area. Slowly the area developed, and by 1870 there were many ranches in the area, which was then called Cahuenga Valley. One of these ranches, the E.C. Hurd ranch, was sold to a developer named H.J. Whitley, who wanted to build a small town. By 1900 there was a post office, a newspaper, two stores and a small hotel. The luxurious Hollywood Hotel was built by Whitney, whose company, Los Pacific Boulevard and Development Company, needed a place where land buyers could stay the night. This hotel would later become the home for many of the biggest stars in Hollywood. On the other side of the country, an inventor named Thomas Edison (yes, the same person who invented the light bulb) invented the motion picture camera, which was called a kinetograph. He had patents on this equipment, which meant that if anyone wanted to use it or even make it themselves, they would have to pay Mr. Edison. However, his company was located in Menlo Park, New Jersey, far away from the two main cities where films were made, Chicago and New York City. Filmmakers in these far off cities didn’t want to pay him, so Edison decided to strike back. He hired criminals to break into movie studios in these two cities, break all the equipment, and burn the film they found. These men were also ordered to attack the actors. It became too dangerous for these companies, so they moved west, far away from Edison and his thugs. They needed a place that was close to Mexico so they could escape if the police came for them, and a place that had good light all year long so they could make films outdoors. They found such a place in Hollywood. By 1914, 52 companies were located there, including Paramount Pictures and Warner Brothers Studios.
Click on the audio recording below to hear the lesson.
Vocabulary:
turned into: became capital: most important city adobe hut: a one-room house made with mud bricks developed: grew bigger and better ranches: places where cattle and other animals are raised for food developer: a person who builds buildings where there were none before luxurious: richly decorated and looking rich patent: the ownership of an invention strike back: do something to the other person like they did to you criminals: people who have done illegal things break into: break a door or window so you can enter studio: a place where art is done thugs: gang of bad men
Pronunciation Exercise: Listen and repeat the above vocabulary on the audio file below.
a former member of the famous British group, the Beatles, who wrote this song in May, 1971. It was his best selling song of his single career.
Imagine there’s no heaven It’s easy if you try No hell below us Above us only sky Imagine all the people living for today
Imagine there’s no countries It isn’t hard to do Nothing to kill or die for And no religion too Imagine all the people Living life in peace
You might say I’m a dreamer But I’m not the only one I hope someday you’ll join us And the world will live as one
Imagine no possessions I wonder if you can No need for greed or hunger A brotherhood of man Imagine all the people Sharing all the world
You may say I’m a dreamer But I’m not the only one I hope someday you’ll join us And the world will live as one
Vocabulary:
heaven: a reward after you die for living a good life hell: a punishment after you die for living a bad life dreamer: a person with a dream of a better world possessions: things that belong only to you greed: the wanting of more and more for yourself only brotherhood: all the people who share the same ideals sharing: letting other people use what you have
head of the Webspam team at Google, a company he joined as a software engineer in 2000. He wrote the first version of SafeSearch, Google’s parental control program.
First preview the vocabulary below. Then do the exercise by first reading a single question and then listening for the answer. When you hear the answer, pause the video and answer the question. Then read the next question and do the same thing. If you get the answer wrong, then go back to where the answer is given and listen again.
Barbara: Hi Suzanne. I don’t mean to break in on your phone call, but I’ve got to ask you a question.
Suzanne: That’s okay. I was about to hang up anyway. (To the phone) Judy, I’ll call you back later. Bye. (To Barbara) Now how can I help you?
Barbara: You know about fashion. Do you think this green blouse goes with these khaki shorts?
Suzanne: I’d say yes. This season that combination of colors has taken off. Ow, my toothache is coming back. I guess the pain killer I took this morning is starting to wear off. I promised to take sandwiches to the picnic this afternoon, but I think I’d better see the dentist instead.
Barbara: The school picnic? Oh no, I forgot about it. What time does it get under way?
Suzanne: It’s supposed to start at noon. I hope this rain lets up, and it turns into a nice day.
Barbara: Me too. I forgot all about the party, but I can’t go anyway. I have no shoes to wear with this outfit.
Suzanne: Why don’t you run down to the campus clothing store and buy some?
Barbara: I wish I could, but I’ve got no money. My parents cut off my allowance last week because my father got laid off from his IT job.
Suzanne: That’s awful. By the way, what’s IT stand for?
Barbara: It stands for the Information technology.
Suzanne:Ow, not again! I’ve got to do something about this tooth.
Barbara: Why don’t you go see the dentist now. I’ll take over and make the sandwiches for you.
Vocabulary:
khaki: a light shade of yellow-brown similar to tan or beige combination: two things together ow: a word you say when you’re in pain pain killer: medicine to stop pain had better: should instead: in place of something else supposed to: scheduled to outfit: top and bottom clothing together allowance: weekly or monthly spending money given by parents awful: terrible
Idioms:
• break in on interrupt a conversation
• about to almost ready to (do something)
• go with look good together (clothes)
• take off become popular / remove clothing / leave the ground
• wear offdisappear gradually
• get under way begin
• let up become less severe (wind, storm, noise)
• turn into change into
• cut off discontinue (a service)
• lay (someone) off stop (someone’s) employment because of lack of work.
• stand for represent
• take overtake control
Notes:
Take off has 3 meanings: Another meaning is “remove clothing.” Example: Take off your sweater if you’re too hot. The other meaning is “leave the ground.” Example: My plane didn’t take offfor three hours because of fog.
Let up and die down have the same meaning.
Take over is similar to fill in for, but take over is used for a short task, while fill in for is used for longer work like a job.
The present perfect is generally the first perfect tense that students learn after the simple tenses and the present and past continuous. This tense can be confusing at first, but here is an explanation that you may understand better.
First, the formation of the presentperfect is with the auxiliary verb have followed by the past participle of the main verb. The auxiliary have is often contracted to ‘ve and has to ‘s. Past participles usually end in –ed, but the irregular ones have to be memorized. This takes time, but you will learn them all eventually. Study the irregular ones well because they are the most often used.
Examples: I haveknown her for a long time. (I’veknown her for a long time.) We havevisited them several times. (We’vevisited them several times.) She hasbeen a wonderful house guest. (She’sbeen a wonderful house guest.)
To form the negative, put not (n’t) after the auxiliary verb (have or has).
Examples: They haven’tseen each other for weeks. She hasn’t come back from the store yet.
To form a question, put the auxiliary verb (have or has) before the subject.
Examples: Have you finished washing the car? Has she found a new apartment?
Now that you know how to form the presentperfect, let’s look at how to use it. There are 3 uses.
The first use:
The presentperfect is used for a one-time action in the past but with no time stated for that action. In other words, if you don’t know when the action happened, then use the present perfect. However, if you do know the time of the action, use the simple past.
Examples: I’veseen that movie. (no time stated) I saw that movie last weekend. (last weekend is the time)
They havegone home. (no time stated) They went home an hour ago. (an hour ago is the time)
He’sfallen off his bicycle. (no time stated) He fell off his bicycle on his way home. (on his way home is the time)
Have you forgotten your keys? (no time stated) Did you forget your keys this morning? (this morning is the time)
However, if the time stated is still ongoing (still happening) then use the presentperfect.
Examples: I’vehad three cups of coffee this morning. (It’s still this morning)
I had three cups of coffee this morning. (It’s not this morning any longer) This yearour teamhaswon every game. (It’s still this year) Last yearour teamwon every game. (It’s not last year any longer) He’sbeen sick this week. (It’s still this week)
He was sick last week. (It’s not last week any longer)
This use of the presentperfect often has the words before and lately, which are used for one-time past actions with no time.
Examples: Haven’t you heard that joke before? She’sbeen absent a lot lately.
The presentperfect can also be used with the words already, always, just, recently and yet, but these words can also take the simple past informally.
Examples: She’salreadygotten the letter. (formal) She alreadygot the letter. (informal)
Have you alwaysdone the right thing? (formal) Did you alwaysdo the right thing? (informal)
We’vejustdiscovered that we have the wrong address. (formal) We justdiscovered that we have the wrong address. (informal)
He hasrecentlygone back to Spain for family reasons. (formal) He recentlywent back to Spain for family reasons. (informal)
They haven’teaten yet. (formal) They didn’teat yet. (informal)
The second use:
The presentperfect is used for past actions that happened more than once and may happen again. Often, but not always, the number of times is stated, such as two, three, or four. There can also be words that are used like numbers, such as: a couple (2), a lot(20), a few (3), always, ever, many (20), never (0), no (0), often, and several (6). Most of the time, you will use the presentperfect with these words. However, if the actions are finished and not still ongoing, use the simple past.
Examples: I’veeaten at that restaurant threetimes. (and I may eat there again (ongoing)) I ate at that restaurant three times last month. (finished and not ongoing)
I’veseen that movie a couple of times. (and I may see it again (ongoing)) I saw that movie a couple of times. (and I probably won’t see it again (not ongoing))
We’vesent out a lot ofemails. (and we may send more (ongoing)) We sent out a lot of emails last week. (finished and not ongoing)
There havebeena few robberies in this neighborhood. (and there may still be more (ongoing)) There werea few robberies in this neighborhood before I moved here. (There haven’t been any robberies since then (not ongoing))
They‘vealwaystaken their holidays in August. (and they still are (ongoing)) They alwaystook their holidays in August. (but they aren’t anymore (not ongoing))
Have you evergotten his phone number? (You might still get it (ongoing)) Did you everget his phone number when you were coworkers? (You’re not coworkers any longer (not ongoing))
I’vetalkedto them many times. (and I may talk to them again (ongoing) I talked to them many times when I lived next door. (I don’t live next door anymore (not ongoing))
He’sneverseen Vancouver in the winter. (but he may in the future (ongoing)) He never saw Vancouver in the winter. (and he probably won’t (not ongoing))
There hasbeenno rain for weeks. (but there may be rain in the future (ongoing)) There wasno rain for weeks last summer. (finished and not ongoing)
We’veoftengone out to eat. (and we probably will in the future (ongoing)) We oftenwent out to eat when we lived in San Diego. (finished and not ongoing)
She hasmadeseveral bad choices in her life. (and she may make more (ongoing)) She madeseveral bad choices in her life. (She’s finished making bad choices (not ongoing))
The third use:
The presentperfect is used for an action that started in the past and continues to the present. In other words, the action is still ongoing. These words are often used with this use of the presentperfect: for, since, so far, to date, and up to now.
Examples: They havelived in that house for twenty years. (and they still live there (ongoing)) She’staken piano lessons since she was five years old. (and she still does (ongoing)) So farwe’vemade $160 washing cars. (and we’re still washing cars (ongoing)) To dateI’veseen six of his films. (and I will continue to watch more (ongoing)) The dogs havebeen very quiet up to now. (and they are still quiet (ongoing))
Watch out for the word for, and use the simple past if the action is finished.
Examples: She lived in California for ten years. (She doesn’t live there anymore (not ongoing)) I babysat the neighbor’s daughter for two weeks last summer. (This happened last summer (not ongoing))
Use these flashcards to help you study the irregular past participles.
When you think you’re ready, do the following exercise.
This song was given to her dad Nat King Cole by Charlie Chaplin, who wrote the song. Chaplin composed the music in 1936, and John Turner and Geoffrey Parsons added the lyrics and title in 1954.
Smile though your heart is aching Smile even though it’s breaking When there are clouds in the sky You’ll get by if you
Smile through your fear and sorrow Smile and maybe, maybe tomorrow You’ll see the sun come shining through Oh, just for you
Come on and light up your face with gladness Hide every little trace of sadness Although a tear may be Ever so near, well
That’s the time you must keep on trying Smile, what’s the use in crying You’ll find that life is still worthwhile Oh, if you, if you just smile
Oh, that’s the time that you must keep on trying Smile, tell me what’s the use in crying You’ll find that life is still worthwhile Oh if you, if you just, just smile Ooo Smile
athlete: a person who plays sports She’s been an athlete all her life but a runner for the past two years only, His father was a Gold Medal Olympic athlete.
birth: the act of being born. The birth of the King’s son was celebrated throughout the country. She gave birth to triplets.
criminal: a person who has done a crime He would never let his daughter marry a criminal. Johnny has been a criminal for most of his life.
dust: dirt that falls from the air onto things Her home was messy, and there was dust on all the furniture. When the sunlight came through the winfdow, you could see dust in the air.
garage: the room where you keep your car The Wilsons have a two-car garage, so they keep their boat on one side. This weekend we are cleaning out the garage.
habit: an action that you do all the time She’s in the habit of getting up early on Sunday mornings. Smoking is a bad habit.
introduction: a presentation of one person to another Bill Gates is a man who needs no introduction. After the introductions, everyone sat down for dinner.
permission: the agreement of someone else to do something He gave his daughter permission to take the family car. Do I have your permission to speak to your son?
promise: an assurance that something will be done He gave her his promise that he would return in one year. A promise is a promise, so of course I’ll do it.
sheet: any large and flat material and, including the sheets on your bed Thursdays were the days when she washed all the sheets. To prepare the room for painting, sheets of packing paper were put all over the floor
truth: exactly what happened Tell me the truth – did you take that money? Her friend told her the truth about her boyfriend.
valley: flat land with mountains all around My grandparents have a farm in a beautiful valley. There are twenty-five ranches in this valley.
Pronunciation Exercise: Listen and repeat the above vocabulary on the audio file below.
Use these flashcards to help you study.
When you think you’re ready, do the following exercise.
Many students confuse these six adverbs, so here is an explanation of how to use them.
Very means a lot. It is used before adjectivesandadverbs to make them stronger. It is the opposite of a little.
Examples:
I know he’s going to be verytired after his long trip. (He’s going to be much more than a little tired.)
We are both veryinterested in science. (We’re much more than a little interested.)
She learns veryquickly. (She learns more quickly than normal.)
In the negativevery doesn’t mean a lot. It means nothing, but people like to use it anyway.
Examples:
She doesn’t know him verywell. (She doesn’t know him well.)
They don’t have verymuch money. (They don’t have much money.)
I’mnot a verygood singer. (I’m not a good singer.)
Also, you can say very very, which makes it even stronger.
Examples:
She knows me very verywell.
I’m very veryproud of you.
Really has the same meaning as very, but really can be used before an adjective, an adverb and a verb.
Examples:
She was reallytired, so she went to bed.
He walked home reallyslowly.
I reallylike this city.
NOTE: You cannot say: I verylike this city. Very cannot be used before a verb but only before an adjective or an adverb.
Also, you can say really really, which makes it even stronger.
Examples:
She is a really really good athlete.
I was really really sad to hear the bad news.
Quite is also strong and means the same thing as very and really. Like really, it is used before adjectives, adverbs and verbs.
Examples:
I’ve been quitetired these past couple days.
She sings quitebeautifully.
We quitelike that painting, so we’re going to hang it in the living room.
Pretty is a little less strong than very. It is used before adjectivesandadverbs but not before verbs.
Examples:
This soup tastes prettybad. (which is not as bad as verybad)
I think she sings prettywell. (which is not as well as verywell)
I’m prettytired after a long day of skiing. (which is not as tired as verytired)
So is stronger than very. Use it when very isn’t strong enough. It is used before adjectives, adverbs but not before verbs.
Examples:
I’m sotired of hearing the neighbors argue. (more than verytired)
She talks sofast that sometimes I don’t understand what she says. (more than veryfast)
We’re soglad you decided to come work for us. (more than veryglad)
Also, use so(adjective/adverb)that when a reason or a result is stated. You can drop that if you want to.
Examples:
They were sogratefulthat we had helped them. (Our helping them was the reason they were grateful.)
She sang sobeautifully people in the audience started to cry. (People starting to cry was the result of her singing.)
You were soexcitedthat you had won the contest. (Your winning the contest was the reason you were excited.)
Too is the strongest, and is used when something cannot be done. The thing that cannot be done starts with to. You don’t have to state what cannot be done, however, if it was stated earlier. It is used before adjectives, adverbs but not before verbs.
Examples:
They were tootiredto play another game. (Playing another game could not be done.)
They were walking tooslowlyto get to school on time. (Getting to school on time could not be done.)
It’s toolateto do anything about it. (Nothing can be done.)
BUT NOT: The team was too excited about their win. (Nothing cannot be done.) CORRECT: The team was very/really/soexcited about their win.
So let’s review:
Very goes before an adjective or an adverb but NOT a verb. It is strong.
Really can go before an adjective, an adverb or a verb. It is just as strong as very.
Quite can go before an adjective, an adverb or a verb. It is just as strong as very.
Pretty can go only before an adjective or an adverb. Use it to make the word a little stronger. It is the weakest of the six words.
So is used when very isn’t strong enough. It is used before an adjective or an adverb. It’s also used when a reason or result follows.
Too is used when something cannot be done. That thing starts with to. It is used before an adjective or an adverb.
Study this page and when you’re ready, do the exercise below.
a Greek-American author best known for her news website The Huffington Post. She was named number 12 in Forbes’ Magazine’s first-ever list of the Most Influential Women in Media.
First preview the vocabulary below. Then do the exercise by first reading a single question and then listening for the answer. When you hear the answer, pause the video and answer the question. Then read the next question and do the same thing. If you get the answer wrong, then go back to where the answer is given and listen again.
