Conversation:

Shirley:  Hi, Juan.  Do you mind if I sit here?

Juan:  Be my guest.  It’s a free country.

Shirley:  Would you rather I leave you alone?

Juan:  No, no.  I have to kill time anyway before my dentist appointment.  I hate to bring this up, but I don’t think I’ve forgiven you for standing me up that time you asked me over.  Where did you go, and why didn’t you call me?

Shirley:  Actually, that’s the reason I wanted to talk to you in person.  Do you remember when I told you about Stan, my old boyfriend?

Juan:  Yes, I remember.  I thought you were over him?  How is old Stanley anyway?

Shirley:  It’s not Stanley.  Stan is short for Stanton, remember?  He came back last week, and we got back together again.  That’s why I haven’t phoned you.

Juan:  Well isn’t that just fine!  I guess I can rule out a relationship between us now.   Is there anything I can say to change your mind?

Shirley:  No Juan, save your breath.  I’ve made up my mind.  Stan is the one for me.

Juan:  Well, I hope you two will be very happy together.

Click on the audio recording  below to hear the lesson.

Vocabulary:

rather:  prefer
forgiven:  stopped being angry
fine:  okay
one:  person

Idioms:

• be my guest                                                       do what you want without getting permission
• leave (someone/something) alone      don’t disturb
• kill time                                                              spend time waiting
• bring up                                                             introduce (a topic) / raise (a child)
• stand (someone) up                                   cancel a date without telling the other person
• ask (someone) over                                    invite (someone) to one’s home
• in person                                                          in front of one another
• be over (someone)                                       no longer love (someone)
• short for                                                           a shorter name (nickname) for
• rule out                                                             eliminate as a possibility
• save one’s breath                                         saying anything will have no effect
• make up one’s mind                                  decide

Notes:

Be my guest and feel free are similar in meaning, but be my guest is used alone.  Feel free can be used alone or with an infinitive phrase.  Example:  Feel free to eat what you want in the kitchen.

kill time and have time to kill have similar meanings, but have time to kill means “have extra time.” Example:  I have time to kill before my interview.  Do you want to go for coffee?

Bring up has 2 meanings:  The other meaning is “raise (a child).”  Example:  I was brought up in Riverside, California..

In person and face to face have the same meaning.

 

© 2013 Ambien Malecot

 

by Ali Slaight

a Canadian singer-songwriter who wrote this song in 2007 .  It’s from her debut album “The Story of Your Life.”

There are 4 ways you can use adjectives and adverbs to compare 2 things.

1.  The first way is to add “-er” to the end of one-syllable adjectives or adverbs.  Also put than right before the second thing you’re comparing.

The pattern is:  A [verb] _____er than B 

Examples:
My brother is stronger than you think.
His sister falls asleep faster than he does.
The house on the corner is older than yours.

• If the second thing being compared is not stated afterwards, do not use than.

Examples:
I know your father is tall, but mine is taller.  (There’s no than your father after taller.)
(BUT:  My father is taller than your father.)
He works hard, but his brother works harder. (There’s no than he works after harder.)
(BUT:  His brother works harder than he works.)

• If a one-syllable adjective ends in one vowel and one consonant, then double the consonant when adding –er.  If a 2-syllable adjective ends in one vowel and one consonant, and the accent is on the last syllable, then double the consonant when adding –er.

Examples:
They live in a bigger house than we do.  (big:  i (vowel) + g (consonant))
Susan is fatter than her sister.  (fat:  a (vowel) + t (consonant))
I need to be thinner to fit into those pants.  (… thinner than I am to fit …)  (thin:  i (vowel) + n (consonant))

• There are 3 irregular adjectives: good, bad, and far.  The comparative forms are better, worse, and farther (or further.)
• There are 3 irregular adverbs:  well, badly and far.  The comparative forms are better, worse, and farther (or further.)

Examples:
This is a better book than the last one.
This restaurant is worse than the last one we ate at.
Nepal is a farther (further) destination than Egypt.
She’s feeling better today than she did yesterday.
He did worse on his exam than you did.
They live farther (further) away than we do.

• If an adjective has 2 syllables ending with a y, change the y to i and then add –er.

Examples:
The driving test is easier than you think.
Her parents are friendlier than his are.
His brother is lazier than he is.

2. The second way to make a comparison is with “more.”

The pattern is:  A [verb] more _____ than B

• Most 2-syllable adjectives take more.

Examples:
Sandra was always more mature than her sister.
He’s already more skillful than he was before.
I’ve always been more honest with you than you’ve been with me.

• However, the following 2-syllable adjectives use –er or more but not both at the same time.

able        angry        clever       common       cruel        friendly       gentle        handsome       narrow       pleasant       polite       quiet       simple       sour

Examples:
He keeps getting more handsome every time I see him.  (…more handsome than he was before…)
He keeps getting handsomer every time I see him.
Tattoos are more common nowadays than they used to be.
Tattoos are commoner nowadays than they used to be.
Life was more simple in those days.  (…than life these days.)
Life was simpler in those days.

• All other 2-syllable adjectives take more.

Examples:
I want you to be more careful than you usually are.
He needs to learn to be more social if he wants to make friends.  (… more social than he is now…)
The students were more nervous before this test than before any of the others they’ve taken.

• All adjectives with 3 or more syllables use more.

Examples:
He was more intelligent than his older brother.
That toothpaste is more effective than the other one.
The film about penguins was more interesting than anything else we saw.

• Exception:  The adjective fun can be used 2 different ways:

Fun as an adjective:
This is a more fun way to do the job.
This is a funner way to do the job.

Fun as a noun can only be used one way:
This is more fun than we’ve had in years.

• All adverbs with -ly  use more.

Examples:
She learns more quickly than anyone else in the class.
He makes friends more easily than I do.
They drive more carefully when the children are in the car.

• Exception:  Although early ends in -ly, it’s not like other -ly adverbs.
My brother gets up earlier than I do.  (NOT: more early than…)

• To give more information about how big the difference is, use much, a lot, or far to say the difference is big.  Use a little, a bit, or a little bit to say the difference is little.

Examples:
I was much more hard-working at your age than you are.
She’s a lot easier to talk to than your mother.
Vancouver is far bigger than Victoria.
I’m a little more confident this time than last time.
She’s a bit taller than her twin sister.
His friend is a little bit more experienced than he is.

• You can also use more alone with no adverb.

Examples:
She loves him more than me.
My uncle gave my sister more than he gave me.
I got a better mark because I studied more than you did.

• With the verbs BE and DO, there is an educated and an informal way to state the second thing that is compared.

Examples:
He’s very organized, but she’s more organized than he is. (educated)
He’s very organized, but she’s more organized than him. (informal)
NOT:  He’s very organized, but she’s more organized than he. (too formal)
She’s not cleverer than I am. (educated)
She’s not cleverer than me. (informal)
NOT:  She’s not cleverer than I.  (too formal)
We were more afraid of losing than they were.  (educated)
We were more afraid of losing than them.  (informal)
NOT:  We were more afraid of losing than they.  (too formal)
They did better at bowling than we did.  (educated)
They did better at bowling than us.  (informal)
NOT:  They did better at bowling than we.  (too formal)

3. The third way to make a comparison is with “less.”

The pattern is:  A [verb] less _____ than B

Examples:
The new model was less popular than the old one.
She uses bad language less often than her brother does.
Your muffins were far less tasty than last time.   (…than your muffins last time.)

• You can also use less with no adjective or adverb.

Examples:
Her commuting time is a lot less than it used to be.
My brother studied a little less than I did.
That number was less than I thought.

• Don’t use less with one-syllable adjectives.  Instead, use not as _____ as.

(See one-syllable adjective examples below.)

• Use less for things that are singular (uncountable), but use fewer for things that are plural (countable.)  If you want to sound educated, learn when to use less and when to use fewer.  You’ll speak English with better grammar than many native speakers who have forgotten the difference.

Examples:
He has less hair than he used to have.  (“hair” is uncountable.  You cannot say “hairs.”)
They made fewer mistakes than last time.  (“mistakes” is countable because it is plural.)
NOT:  They made less mistakes than last time.  (Although many people say this, it is still considered incorrect.)
I used to have a lot of patience, but now I have less.  (“patience” is uncountable.  You cannot say “patiences.”)
She prefers frozen yogurt because it has fewer calories than ice cream.  (“calories” is countable because it is plural.)
NOT:  She prefers frozen yogurt because it has less calories.

4. The fourth way to make a comparison is with as ____ as

The pattern is:  A [verb] as _____ as B.  

Examples:
His uncle is as strong as a horse.
He gets up in the morning as early as I do.
This knife is as sharp as a razor.

• In the negative  A [verb] not as _____ as B  means that A is less _____ than B, and you can make the comparison both ways.

Examples:
I’m not as energized today as I was yesterday.
I’m less energized today than I was yesterday
This book wasn’t as interesting as the one I read last week.
This book was less interesting than the one I read last week.
Her present boss is not as demanding as her former boss.
Her present boss is less demanding than her former boss.

• However, with one-syllable adjectives, most English speakers use not as _____ as

Examples:
He was not as far out to sea as he thought.
(NOT often used:  He was less far out to sea than he thought.)
He didn’t do as well  as he thought he would.
(NOT often used:  He did less well than he thought he would.)
Our cookies are not as sweet as our competitor’s.
(NOT often used:  Our cookies are less sweet than our competitor’s.)

• You can drop the last as if the second part of the comparison doesn’t follow.

Examples:
Now that she lives near the school, she doesn’t have to walk as far.  (…as far as she used to walk.)
I know you paid over $65,000 for your car, but my car was not as expensive.  (…not as expensive as your car.)
I really enjoyed this movie.  The last one we saw wasn’t as good.  (… wasn’t as good as this movie.)

© 2013 Ambien Malecot

 

This vocabulary is not just for people who love birds.  It’s for all ESL learners because these are birds that are generally known by people who speak English.

This is a bluejay

The blue jay is found in North America east of the Rocky Mountains in southern Canada south to the Gulf of Mexico and east to the Atlantic Ocean.

 

 

This is a crane

The crane is found almost everywhere except South America.  They eat almost anything from rats to insects to berries.

 

 

 

 

This is a crow

Crows are found everywhere except South America.  They are very intelligent animals.  They can even use tools.

 

 

 

 

This is a duck

Ducks are found on or near water.  They have webbed feet to paddle with.  They eat a variety of food such as plants, fish and insects.

 

 

 

 

This is an eagle

Eagles are found all over the world.  They are hunting birds that eat small animals including fish.

 

 

 

 

This is a goose

Geese are found on or near water.  They like to group together and mate for life.  They migrate south every winter.

 

 

 

 

This is a hawk

Hawks like open areas where they can hunt for a variety of small animals.   They are found all over North and Central America and the West Indies.

 

 

 

 

 

This is a hummingbird

Hummingbirds are among the smallest birds in the world.  They can stay in one place in the air by flapping their wings very, very fast.  They are the only birds able to fly backwards.

 

 

 

This is a kiwi

These birds live in New Zealand and can’t fly.  They are about the size of a chicken, but lay much larger eggs.  In fact the kiwi’s eggs are the largest in relation to their body size of any bird in the world.

 

 

This is an ostrich

The ostrich is a large bird found in Africa.  It can’t fly but is the fastest running bird in the world.  It can run up to about 70 km. per hour.

 

 

 

 

 

This is an owl

Owls are nighttime hunting birds that eat small animals, insects and other birds.  They are found all over the world.  They can turn their heads 270 degrees because their necks have more bones than other birds.

 

 

This is a parakeet

The parakeet is the most popular pet bird kept in cages in people’s homes.  They eat seeds.  Some of these birds can be trained to speak words.

 

 

 

This is a parrot

These birds live in tropical and subtropical areas of the earth.  They are very colorful and intelligent birds.  They eat seeds, nuts, and fruits.  Many parrots can learn to say words.

 

 

 

 

This is a peacock

The peacock is native to India but has been introduced to many areas of the world.  They eat berries and seeds but also hunt snakes, lizards and  small rodents.  Only the males have a fan of feathers like in this picture.

 

 

 

This is a pelican

The pelican is found all over the world near water.  They have a sack under their bill that can hold fish that they eat.  The largest of these birds have a wing span of 3 meters.

 

 

This is a penguin

Penguins are found from Antarctica to the equator, but not in the northern hemisphere. They can’t fly but they can swim because their wings are flippers.

 

 

 

 

This is a pigeon

Pigeons, also called doves, are found all over the world, especially in cities.  They eat seeds fruits and plants.  These birds have strong wing muscles and are strong flyers.

 

 

 

This is a robin

The robin is found in woodlands, farmland and cities all over North America.  They eat soft insects, fruits and berries.  Most of these birds fly south for the winter.

 

 

 

 

This is a seagull

Seagulls are found near open water all over the world.  They have webbed feet to paddle on water.  They are good at stealing food from other animals. They can drink salt water.

 

 

 

This is a sparrow

Sparrows are small birds that are found in cities all over the world.  They eat seeds and small insects.  They often build their nests on buildings.

 

 

 

 

This is a swan

Swans are found in temperate areas near water all over the world, except Africa, northern South America and Central America.  They are big birds and have webbed feet.  They eat plants that grow under the water.

 

 

This is a woodpecker

The woodpecker is found in forest and woodland areas all over the world, except Australia, New Zealand and Madagascar.  They make holes in trees to eat the insects that live there.

 

 

 

 

 

 

by Ali Slaight

Written in 2008, this song was also the title of her first album.  This song reached the top 10 in Canada in February 2009.

Do you ever stop and wonder where this road will take you?
What’s around the corner; will it make or break you?
Is this your destination, or is it the start of something new?

What will you accomplish; which way will the wind blow
For every door that closes, find an open window
And everyone is watching as you write the story of your life, of your life

And you won’t look back ’cause it feels so right
And no matter what, it’ll be alright
In the brightest day or the darkest night
You will find yourself in the story of, in the story of your life

Will you do the choosing, or be the lucky one that’s chosen
Will you recognize the greatness in your smallest moments
And every step you’re taking, you’ll write another chapter
In the story of your life

And you won’t look back ‘cause it feels so right
And no matter what, it’ll be alright
In the brightest day or the darkest night
You will find yourself in the story of, in the story of your life

Everything you are, and everything you do
Anything you want, it’s right in front of you
It’s right in front of you

And if I turn left, or if I go right
No matter what, I’ll be alright
Standing in the shadows or the spotlight
Here I find myself in the story of my life

And you won’t look back ‘cause it feels so right
And no matter what, it’ll be alright
In the brightest day or the darkest night
You will find yourself in the story of, in the story of your life

Vocabulary:

wonder:  imagine in my mind
make or break you:  make you successful or destroy you
destination:  the place that you’re going to
accomplish:  make or do something you’re proud of
’cause:  because
no matter what:  if any of the possibilities happen
recognize:  know
greatness:  importance
chapter:  small part of a bigger story
shadows:  dark places
spotlight:  the brightest place

© 2015 Ambien Malecot for vocabulary lesson only 

 

The file you specified does not exist.

area:  general place, all the space inside of a border
I lost my umbrella in the area by the bicycles.
The area of British Columbia is just under 945,ooo square kilometers. 

button:  the round object pushed through a hole to keep your clothing closed
His best shirt was missing a button, so he couldn’t wear it.
There were thirty buttons down the back of the dress.

definition:  the meaning of a word or group of words
This is a new word for me.  I have to look up its definition.
The definition of the word ‘cease’ is to stop an activity.

fog:   a cloud on the ground
The fog caused traffic accidents all over the city.
All the mountains were hidden by the thick fog.

helmet:  protection worn on the head
It’s the law in Vancouver to wear a bicycle helmet when riding on the road.
He had an extra helmet so she could ride on the back of his motorcycle.

idea:  a creative thought
I have an idea.  We should throw her a surprise party.
He had the crazy idea that she would marry him.

liquid:  any material that acts like water
Water, oil and alcohol are all liquids.
My doctor wants me to drink lots of liquids everyday.

metal:  a hard material used to make things
Old cars can be sold for their metal.
Everything but the road surface of the bridge is made of metal.

opposite:  the thing that is most unlike something else
The opposite of right is wrong.
He told her he wasn’t going to go and then did the opposite.

prisoner:  a person who is put in prison or jail
His great grandfather was a prisoner of war in Germany In 1944.
All the prisoners are locked in their cells overnight.

suggestion:  an idea one person gives to another
Her suggestion was to combine the classes for the day.
May I make a suggestion?

zero:   nothing
His bank account went down to zero.
The team lost by a score of six to zero.

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.

© 2013 Ambien Malecot

 

by Kris Allen

an American musician who won season 8 of American Idol.  This song was released  on November 17, 2009.

Sometimes we fall down, can’t get back up
We’re hiding behind skin that’s too tough
How come we don’t say I love you enough? ‘
Till it’s to late, it’s not too late

Our hearts are hungry for a food that won’t come
And we could make a feast from these crumbs
And we’re all staring down the barrel of a gun
So if your life flashed before you, what would you wish you would’ve done?

Yeah, we gotta start looking at the hands of the time we’ve been given
If this is all we got, then we gotta start thinking
If every second counts on a clock that’s ticking
Gotta live like we’re dying
We only got 86,400 seconds in a day to
Turn it all around or to throw it all away
We gotta tell ’em that we love ’em while we got the chance to say
Gotta live like we’re dying

And if your plane fell out of the skies
Who would you call with your last goodbye?
Should be so careful who we left out of our lives
And when we long for absolution, there will be no one on the line

Yeah, we gotta start looking at the hands of the time we’ve been given
If this is all we got, then we gotta start thinking
If every second counts on a clock that’s ticking
Gotta live like we’re dying
We only got 86,400 seconds in a day to
 Turn it all around or to throw it all away
We gotta tell ’em that we love ’em while we got the chance to say
Gotta live like we’re dying, oh, like we’re dying, oh, like we’re dying
Like we’re dying, oh, like we’re dying

We only got 86,400 seconds in a day to
Turn it all around or to throw it all away
Gotta tell ’em that we love ’em while we got the chance to say
Gotta live like we’re dying

You never know a good thing till it’s gone
You never see a crash till it’s head on
Why do we think we’re right when we’re dead wrong?
You never know a good thing till it’s gone

Yeah, gotta start looking at the hands of the time we’ve been given
If this is all we got, then we gotta start thinking
If every second counts on a clock that’s ticking
Gotta live like we’re dying
We only got 86,400 seconds in a day to
Turn it all around or to throw it all away
Gotta tell ’em that we love ’em while we got the chance to say
Gotta live like we’re dying, oh, like we’re dying, oh, like we’re dying
Like we’re dying, oh, like we’re dying

Vocabulary:

get back up:  stand up again
skin that’s too tough:  strong protection against our feelings getting hurt
feast:  large meal for many people
crumbs:  small pieces of food that are not eaten
staring down:  looking into with fear
barrel:  the longest part where the bullet comes out
life flashed before you:  you saw your whole life in a second
gotta:  have got to / have to
hands:  the things that point to the numbers of a clock
counts:  is important
ticking:  making a noise every second
turn it all around:  make it all better
’em:  them
left out:  didn’t include
long for absolution:  want forgiveness
on the line:  on the telephone
crash:  when a vehicle hits something
head on:  coming right at you from the front
dead wrong: absolutely wrong

© 2015 Ambien Malecot for vocabulary lesson only

The conditional is used when a result depends on something else to happen first, when something else is required before a result can happen.  There are 4 conditionals – a  general, a future, a present, and a past.  To learn this grammar, you need to memorize a pattern first.  You will see this pattern in the examples below.

The general conditional:

This conditional is used when the same action always produces the same result.

The pattern in the present is:  present simple or present continuous in the if (dependent) clause, and the present simple in the main (independent) clause.

Examples in the present:
If it is raining, I always take my umbrella.  (Every time it rains, I take my umbrella.)
If it’s Tuesday, it’s my turn to make dinner. (I always make dinner on Tuesdays.)
If water freezes, it expands  (This is a scientific fact, so it always happens.)
If she is going for a walk, she always takes her dog.  (Every time she goes for a walk, she takes her dog.)

Examples in the past:
If I brought flowers to my wife, she was happy.  (She was always happy when I brought her flowers.)
If she cheated on a test, she felt guilty.  (Every time she cheated, she felt guilty.)

Note:  All these examples can also use when in place of if (but then it’s no longer a conditional sentence.)

Example:
When it’s raining, I always take my umbrella.
When it’s Tuesday, it’s my turn to make dinner.
When I brought flowers to my wife, she was happy.
When she cheated on a test, she felt guilty.

The future conditional, also known as conditional I or the future possible:

This conditional is used when the result is a real possibility in the future.

The pattern is:  simple present in the if clause, and one of the future tenses in the main clause.  The future can be expressed by will, going to, the present continuous, or the future continuous.

Examples:
If I win the lottery, I will travel around the world first class.
If Maria studies hard, she’s going to pass.
If we finish our project, we’re eating out tonight.
If he wins the game, he‘ll be celebrating all night.

In the main clause, in addition to will (and the other futures) you can also use can for ability, may for possibility, should for advice, and must (or have to) for necessity.

Examples:
If I earn enough money this summer, I can travel to Europe in the fall.  (I will have the ability to travel to Europe.)
If he drives all day, he may be too tired to go out with us.  (There is the possibility that he will be tired.)
If Alicia’s tooth continues to hurt, she should see her dentist.  (Advice for Alicia.)
If you see this missing girl anywhere, you must call the police immediately.  (It is necessary to call the police if you see her.)

The present conditional, also known as conditional II or the present unreal:

This conditional is used for a result you can only imagine because the action that could produce that result is not real.

The pattern is:  simple past in the if clause, and would + simple verb form in the main clause.

Examples:
If I had more money, I would live in a better apartment.  (But I don’t have more money.)
If they visited us more often, they would get to know us better.  (But they don’t visit us very often.
If Peter stopped smoking, he would have more energy.  (But Peter isn’t going to stop smoking.)
If he lost his wedding ring, his wife would never forgive him.  (But he hasn’t lost his ring.)

In the main clause, in addition to would you can also use could for ability, might for possibility, should for advice and would have to for necessity.

Examples;
If I got a second job, I could earn enough money to buy a car.  (I will have the ability to earn enough money.)
If she started wearing makeup, she might look prettier.  (There is a possibility of looking prettier.)
If Bryan hurt his knee, he should go to the nurse’s office.  (Advice for Bryan.)
If we arrived late, we would have to report to the office before going to class.  (When we were late, it was necessary to report to the office.)

Note:  If the verb in the main clause is be, then was changes to were.

Examples:
If I were you, I would tell him the truth.
If my father were here, he would know what to do.
If your boyfriend were serious, he would ask you to marry him.

One last thing about all these conditionals.  In all the examples above, the If clause is before the main clause, and there’s a comma ( , ) at the end of that clause.  You can also state the conditional with the if clause after the main clause with no comma used.

Examples:
I always take my umbrella if it’s raining.
I’ll travel around the world first class if I win the lottery.
I would live in a better apartment if I had more money.

Here is a summary of the 3 patterns:

General conditional  (Conditional O):

If it rains, I always take my umbrella.

Future conditional  (Conditional I):

If it rains tomorrow, I’ll take my umbrella.

Present conditional  (Conditional II):

If it rained, I would take my umbrella.

Review these 3 conditionals, and then do the exercises below.

© 2013 Ambien Malecot

 

Conversation:

Mrs. Dix:  Jason, could I have a word with you?

Jason:  Sure Mrs. Dix.  What’s up?

Mrs. Dix:  I’ve put up with your poor behavior for weeks now, and I won’t stand for it in my class anymore.  If you continue to fool around, I’m going to ask you to leave the class.

Jason:  I’m sorry Mrs. Dix.  It’s just that I’m finding this class somewhat difficult.  For example, I can’t come up with an idea for my class project, and I’m having trouble keeping track of when everything is due.

Mrs. Dix:  Have you tried using a personal organizer?  It’s especially good for people on the go.

Jason:  No, I never thought of that.  Thanks for the tip.

Mrs. Dix:  I should also point out that the deadline for your project idea is this Friday.  It really burns me up when students miss deadlines, so make sure you don’t miss it.  I suggest you look over a list of project titles from last term to give you some ideas.  They’re posted outside my office.

Jason:  That’s a good idea, Mrs. Dix.  I guess I’ve got my work cut out for me.  I’ll have a look at the list and get in touch with you before Friday.

Click on the audio recording  below to hear the lesson.

Vocabulary:

behavior:  the way someone acts
somewhat:  a little
project:  an independent production by a student that takes time to complete
due:  supposed to be given to the teacher
personal organizer:  a weekly calendar book
especially:  really
tip:  advice
deadline:  last possible date
titles:  names that students give to their projects to say what the work is about
term:  the length of a class, usually 3 to 4 months
posted:  put on the wall for everyone to read

Idioms:

• have a word (with someone)           have a short private conversation
• put up with                                               tolerate
• won’t stand for                                       not allow to be done
• fool around                                              waste time by playing
• come up with                                          create, think of
• keep track (of)                                       keep informed about
• on the go                                                    always busy, always moving
• point out                                                   indicate
• burn (someone) up                             make (someone) angry
• look over                                                   read quickly
• have one’s work cut out for one   have a hard job that one must do
• get in touch (with)                              communicate by phone, e-mail, or text message

Notes:

Won’t stand for and won’t sit still for mean the same thing.

Come up with and dream up mean the same thing.

On the go and on the run mean the same thing.

© 2004 Ambien Malecot

 

The file you specified does not exist.

adult:   a grown up person
You can’t vote until you are legally an adult.
A teenage driver must have an adult in the car when he drives.

bucket:  a container with a handle used to hold a liquid.
If you’re going to wash the car, you’ll need a bucket full of warm soapy water.
It took buckets full of water to put out the kitchen fire.

citizen:  a legal member of a country.
My cousin is a citizen of both Canadian and Britain.
If you want to become a citizen of Canada, it will take you three years.

cupboard:  a hanging closet with shelves inside to store things.
He built a row of cupboards in the garage for all his tools.
The wine glasses are in the cupboard above the sink in the kitchen.

favor:  something you do to help someone
Could you please do me a big favor?
After Tom helped his sister move, she returned the favor and introduced him to her roommate.

handkerchief:  a small cloth carried in a pocket to blow your nose with.
He gave her his handkerchief after she started to cry.
In the pocket of his white suit jacket, there was a red handkerchief.

landlord:  a person who owns and rents out homes to other people
His landlord told him that his rent would go up five percent in January.
When the dishwasher started making noise, she called the landlord and told him.

musician:  a person who makes music.
The musicians who play outside for money are called buskers.
Glenn Gould was an extraordinary Canadian musician on the piano.

president:  the person who is responsible for an organization, a company or a country
Juliana was elected president of the yacht club.
The President of the United States has more power than the Prime Minister of Canada.

relative:  a person who is related by blood
All my relatives live back home in my native country.
Albert Einstein was a relative of hers, so that’s why she’s so smart.

sponge:  a squeezable pad that soaks up water used for cleaning.
Get the sponge and clean up that spilled water on the floor.
He washed the car with a sponge and some soapy warm water.

temperature:  the measurement of heat
What is the average temperature of Mexico?
Johnny had a fever, so his mother took his temperature to see how high it was.

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.

© 2013 Ambien Malecot