AMERICAN ENGLISH ACCENT

American English Rules

1° The letter “T” between 2 vowel sounds is pronounced like “R” ….’broken d” / /

E.g. -Greeting / / - Party / / -Meeting/

/
- Better / /; Water/ / 30 thirty/ / - 40/ /

2°. The letter “T” between “N” and a vowel is not pronounced!

E.g. – A painter / / -Twenty/ / - International/

/
- 95 ninety nine / / - I wanted to say …./ / - Countable/

3°. The letter “R” followed by a vowel is pronounced as if there were a “U” or “W” sound in the
middle
E.g. –Alright / /; Remember/ / -Rumble/ /
- Royal / / Best Regards / / -Radio / /

4° The letter “G” in the ending “-ing” is not pronounced

E.g. – I’m talking about you / am tokin’ebau…/
- Off course your daughter has become impolite but beating her is never a solution /b

Exercises
 Betty bought a bit of better butter /…………………………………………………………………………………../
 We met a lot of people writing letter /…………………………………………………………………………../
 Remember what I said about her /………………………………………………………………………………../
 What are you talking about? /………………………………………………………………………………………./

Reading Passage for vibration : INCREDIBLE BUT TRUE

The story that’s gonna follow happen’d in New York City several years
ago. Back in 1920 there was a big criminal n’ Mafia gangster who was livin’
in Chicago his name was Al Capone. His parents came from Italy. He knew
a lot o’ things about how to make a crime. He was nicknamed “Scarface”.
He constructed a big factory to manufacture hard Liquors bu’ coz of his
illegal business and Tax Evasion the U.S government arrested him with his
$ 100. 000 .0000 n’ found out some links with his crime committin’
actions. That’s why it’s incredible bu’ True

Reading Passage: WHAT DO I NEED TO KNOW ABOUT THE USA

If you wanna make a journey to the United States you should know English very well n’ you should
have all your travel papers ready. When you arrive in the Uncle Sam you should produce your
passport to the immigration Service otherwise they gonna put you in jail once you’re inside
America.

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 EXPRESSIONS FOR AGREEING AND DISAGREEING IN A DEBATE
Starting an opinion
 in my opinion… ………………………………………………………………
 The way I see it… ………………………………………………………………
 If you want my honest opinion… ………………………………………………………………
 According to Lisa… ………………………………………………………………
 As far as I’m concerned… ………………………………………………………………
 If you ask me… ………………………………………………………………
Asking for an opinion
 What’s your idea? ………………………………………………………………
 What are your thoughts on all of this? ………………………………………………………………
 How do you feel about that? ………………………………………………………………
 Do you have anything to say about this? ………………………………………………………………
 What do you think? ………………………………………………………………
 Do you agree? ………………………………………………………………
 Wouldn’t you say anything? ………………………………………………………………
Expressing agreement
 I agree with you ………………………………………………………….
 That’s so true …………………………………………………………….
 That’s for sure…………………………………………………………..
 (slang) Tell me about it! ………………………………………………..
 You’re absolutely right. ……………………………………………….
 Absolutely……………………………………………………………..
 That’s exactly how I feel……………………………………..
 Exactly. …………………………………………………………..
 I’m afraid I agree with James. ……………………………..
 I have to side with Jack on this point ……………………..
 No doubt about it…………………………………………………….
(Agree with negative statement)
 Me neither. ………………………………………………………………
(weak)
 I suppose so./ I guess so ………………………………………………………………
 You’ve got a point there. ………………………………………………………………
 I was just going to say that ………………………………………………………………

Expressing disagreement
(Strong)
 No way ………………………………………………………………
 I’m afraid I disagree. ………………………………………………………………
 I totally disagree ………………………………………………………………
 I beg to differ. ………………………………………………………………
 I’d say the exact opposite ………………………………………………………………
 Not necessarily ………………………………………………………………
 That’s not always the case. ………………………………………………………………
 No, I’m not so sure about that. ………………………………………………………………
Interruptions
Can I add something here? ………………………………………………………………………………
Is it okay if I jump in for a second? ……………………………………………………………………………………
If I might add something… ……………………………………………………………………………………………………..

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Can I throw my two cents in? ……………………………………………………………………………………………………..
Sorry to interrupt, but… ……………………………………………………………………………………………………..
After accidentally interrupting someone
Sorry, go ahead. ……………………………………………………………………………………………………..
Sorry, you were saying… ……………………………………………………………………………………………………..
After being interrupted
You didn’t let me finish. ……………………………………………………………………………………………………..
Settling an argument
Let’s just move on, shall we? ……………………………………………………………………………………………………..
Let’s drop it. ……………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………..

GRAMMAR LESSON: Most used connecting words

1. So that: I need some money so that I can buy something to eat
2. In order to/that :
He is looking for a job in order to feed his family
In order to succeed at school, she could have an extra course with her teacher
3. Because of:
Congolese say that if they are suffering today, it’s because of Mobutu.
4. Unless: You can’t pass the border unless you show your passport to the immigration
5. Provided that: I will give you money provided that you work hard
6. By dint of : By dint of a hard work, Chinese are dominating the world economically
By dint of working hard, he has become millionaire
7. Whereas : Man is always strong whereas woman is a weak being

CONJUGATION REVIEW
THE SIMPLE PRESENT
AFFIRMATIVE FORM NEGATIVE FORM QUESTION FORM NEGATIVE QUESTION
Add S to the verb of S+ don’t +Verb Do +S +Verb? Don’t +S +Verb?
He, She and It. He/She/it +doesn’t +V Does +S+Verb? Doesn’t +S+Verb?
NOTE: The examples are provided by students!

Conjugation Review: THE PRESENT COUNTINUOUS/PROGRESSIVE

We use the present continuous/progressive to express an action that takes place at the same
moment with the speech
Be (Present) + Verb + ing
Examples:
 The doctor is treating the patient at the moment
 Maria’s watching TV in the living room
 My sister’s washing up in the kitchen while my mother’s cooking
 The guests are having their lunch in the dining room
 Who is singing outside?
 What are you doing? - I am reading a Newspaper
 Why is the baby crying? - He is crying because he is hungry

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Conjugation Review: The PAST CONTINUOUS/PROGRESSIVE

Be (Past) + Verb + ing

Rule: We use the past continuous when two past actions (One interrupting the other and one
longer than the other) happened at the same time:
(N.B. We usually use the connecting words WHEN and WHILE to make the sentences difference
clear)
Examples:
1. I was taking a shower when you called me. (when you called me, I was taking a shower)
2. Bob and Carol were living in Chicago when their first child was born.
(When Bob and Carol’s first child was born, they were living in Chicago)
3. Someone called me when I was taking bath.
Note: Two long actions can also happen at the same time:

Example:
 While the chairman was speaking, everyone was listening intently.
 When I entered the house, my father was watching TV, my mother was ironing clothes, my
young sister was cooking in the kitchen and my young brother was doing his homework

THE SIMPLE PAST

We use the simple Past to talk about things that had happened at a specific time in the past.
(Finished actions or situations that began and ended before now)

The simple past is the French “Imparfait” only for the auxiliary verbs: “To be, To have, Can, May
etc.)
- I was sick - I had much money last month - I couldn’t come yesterday
But it is the French “Passé-composé, Plus-que-parfait and Passé simple” for the rest of verbs
- I called you yesterday - I stopped the car

To make the SIMPLE PAST affirmative form you must know the category of the verb:
REGULAR VERB or IRREGULAR VERB ?
1. REGULAR VERBS

Affirmative Negative Interrrogativ Interrogative negative

Subject + Verb + ed S + didn’t + Verb Did + S + Verb? Didn’t +Subject + Verb?
Example:
To work worked To dance danced
To brush brushed To stop stopped
To start started To need needed
 I brush my teeth every morning. This morning I brushed my teeth.
 Terry worked in a bank from 1987 to 1998.
 Yesterday it rained in the morning. It stopped at lunchtime.
 We enjoyed the party last night. We danced a lot
Exercises
Complete the sentence using one of these verbs in the simple past:

Brush die enjoy end happen rain stay want start

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 1. I…………………………………………….my teeth three times yesterday
2. The concert………………………………...at 7:30 and………………..……………….…….at 10 o’clock.
3. When I was child, I…………………………………………..to be doctor.
4. The accident…………………..last Sunday afternoon.
5. It’s a nice day today, but yesterday it……………………………….all day.
6. We …………………….our vacation last year. We ……………………….at a very nice hotel
7. Johny’s grandfather………………………….when he was 90 year old.

2. IRREGULAR VERB
Affirmative Negative Interrrogativ Interrogative
negative
S + past form of a verb (see the list) S + didn’t + V Did + S + Verb? Didn’t +Subject + V?

Exercises
What did you do yesterday? Write true sentences, positive or negative
1. I took bath last night before sleeping, How about you?.....................................................
2. I had a nice vacation. How about you?...............................................................................
3. I left the work early. How about you?................................................................................
4. I slept well last night. How about you?..............................................................................
What did you do yesterday? Write true sentences, positive or negative.
1. (get up before 7 o’clock)………………………………………………………………………………………………
2. (take a shower)……………………………………………………………………………………………………………..
3. (buy a magazine)……………………………………………………………………………………………………………
4. (eat meat)……………………………………………………………………………………………………………………..
5. (go to bed before 10:30)………………………………………………………………………………………………..

N.B. To show when an action or a situation happened in the past, we use some particular words and
phrases (time adverbials) such as:
 Yesterday
 Last_________ (last night, last week, last month, last year, last Tuesday, last summer)
 A/an/one____ago (An/one minute ago, A/one hour ago, One week ago, one month ago)
 (plural number or expression)____ago -(Two minutes ago, several days ago, many years ago)
 The day before yesterday
 Two days ago
 The_____before last
 Past dates (In 1998, On July 21st, during 1995, in the 20th century, last Christmas, )
 Past events (On my last birthday, at the beginning of my class, during my childhood, when I….)

Conjugation Review: The NEAR FUTURE

Construction: Subject + to be (simple present) +going to +Verb

Examples:
 I am going to do my homework this evening ………………………………………………………………………..
 You are going to help me with ideas …………………………………………………………………………………….
 He is going to explain us something ………………………………………………………………………………….
 She is going to cook for the family soon……………………………………………………………………………….
 It’s going to be dangerous for you, you must pay attention !
 We are going to speak a good English when we end our training at BBC

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 They are going to come tomorrow morning ………………………………………………………………………..

 I’m not going to help you ……………………………………………………………………………………………………

 She’s not going to give birth now ……………………………………………………………………………………..
 We’re not going do what he says ……………………………………………………………………………………..
 No one is going to work tomorrow! ………………………………………………………………………………..
 Nobody is going to accept your proposal! ………………………………………………………………………..

 Are you going to help him? ……………………………………………………………………………………………….

 Is he going to participate to the process? ……………………………………………………………………….
 Are they also going to attend the course next week? ………………………………………………………

 Are you not going to tell him the truth? ……………………………………………………………………………

 Aren’t you going to find a solution for her? ……………………………………………………………………..
 Is it not going to rain today? ……………………………………………………………………………………………

Practical Reading

Reading Text 1 : BUYING A NEW CAR

Mr. and Mrs. Stone are going to buy a new car. They are going to look at many
different kinds of cars. Mr. Stone is going choose the color. Mrs. Stone is going to
decide about the model. They want to buy a small car. Mrs. Stone is going to buy a car
this week

Reading Text: BUYING A USED CAR

N.B. : Americanism ( );( )

Bob and Evelyn white are gonna buy a used car. They’re gonna look at used cars in
many places. They don’t wanna spend a lot of money, that’s why they’re gonna buy a
used car. Today, they’re gonna look at small cars. They wanna choose a car soon. They
need another car. Their old car doesn’t run.

CONVERSATION: “ AN AFTERNOON IN THE KITCHEN”

Situation: Mrs. Anderson is baking cakes when her daughter Debbie gets home from School .

Debbie : Mom, I am home.

Mother: How was school? How did you do on the test?
Debbie : School was Ok, and I did great on the test . Mom, I
was so worried about that test, but now I feel great.
Ouf ! What a relief!
Mother: I am glad to hear that. You’ve been studying so hard
the past few weeks. Now, you can relax and enjoy life.
Debbie : What are you cooking? It smells so good.
Mother: I’m baking cakes. This is your favorite carrot cake
Debbie : It looks really yummy. And I see muffins over there
too. You were busy, weren’t you?
Mother: yes, Jeff has to take something to school tomorrow. So
those muffins are for him. Don’t touch them.

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Debbie : Can I have a piece of carrot cake? I wanna enjoy life right now!
Mother: Can’t you wait until after dinner
Debbie : it looks inviting and I bet it is delicious. No, I don’t wanna wait! Can I, mom?
Mother: Ok, go ahead!

Conjugation Review: THE PRESENT PERFECT

Construction: Subject + have/has + PAST PARTICIPLE

Examples:
 You have seen that movie many times
 Have you seen that movie many times?
 You have not seen that movie many times

Rule 1: You cannot use the present perfect with specific time expressions such as: Yesterday, one
year ago, last week, when I was a child, when I lived in Japan, at that moment, that day, one day, etc. )

Rule 2: We can use the present perfect with unspecific expressions such as: Ever, never, once, many
times, before, so far, already, yet, etc.
Examples:
 I have seen that movie twenty times ..................................................................................
 I think I have met him once before …………………………………………………………………………………..
 There have been many earthquakes in California …………………………………………………………..
 People have traveled to the moon …………………………………………………………………………………
 People have not travel to Mars ………………………………………………………………………………………
 Have you read the book yet? …………………………………………………………………………………………
 Nobody has ever climbed that mountain ………………………………………………………………………
Rule 3: You can use the present perfect to describe your experience. It is like saying, “I have the
experience of …….’. You can also Use the same sentence in negative to say you have never had a
certain experience.”
 I have been to France.
(N.B. This sentence means that you have had an experience of being in France. Maybe you have been there once, or
several times)

 I have been to France three times ……………………………………………………………………………………….

 I have never been to France ……………………………………………………………………………………………….
 I think I have seen that movie before ……………………………………………………………………………….
 He has never traveled by train ……………………………………………………………………………………………….
 Joan has studied two foreign languages ……………………………………………………………………………….
 A: Have you ever met him? …………………………………………………………………………………………………..
B: No, I have not met him: …………………………………………………………………………………………..
 A: Have you been to Mexico City? ……………………………………………………………………………
B: Yes, I have, Many times. ………………………………………………………………………………………
 A: Have you ever driven a car there? ……………………………………………………………………..
B: No, I’ve never driven in Mexico City …………………………………………………………………..
Rule 4: We often use the present perfect to talk about change that has happened over a period of
time.
Examples:
 You have grown since the last time I saw you.
 The Government has become more interested in arts education

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  Japanese has become one of the most popular courses at university since the Asian studies
program was established.
 My English has really improved since I moved to Australia.

Rule 5 : For an incomplete action you are expecting (meaning that you are still waiting for the
action to happen)
Examples:
 James has not finished his homework yet. ……………………………………………………………………….
 Susan hasn’t mastered English. But she can communicate. ………………………………………………
 Bill has still not arrived ………………………………………………………………………………………………………
 The rain hasn’t stopped. ……………………………………………………………………………………………………..

Rule 6 : We also use the present perfect to list the accomplishments of individuals and humanity.
You cannot mention a specific time , otherwise you need the simple past instead!

Examples:
1. Man has walked on the moon …………………………………………………………………………………….
2. Our son has learned how to read ………………………………………………………………………………
3. Doctors have cured many deadly diseases ………………………………………………………….
4. Scientists have split the atom …………………………………………………………………………...

Rule 7 : We also use the present perfect to talk about several different actions which have occurred
in the past at a different times. Present perfect suggests the process is not complete and more
actions are possible.

Examples:
 The army has attacked that city five times
 I have had four quizzes and five tests so far this semester
 We have had many major problems while working on this project.
 She has talked to several specialists about her problem, nobody knows she is sick

Reading Text: A COMMITTEE ACTION

A committee of four has met to plan a party. They have met three times already.
Today is the last meeting. The committee has planned to have a party on Saturday
.Saturday is the best day to make a party. The party is going to be in a large hotel.
There’s going to be lots of food and music for dancing

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Conjugation Review: SIMPLE PAST vs PRESENT PERFECT

TIME

FINISHED TIME UNFINISHED TIME

SIMPLE PAST PRESENT PERFECT

I worked hard I haved work hard

->Yesterday ->this week
->last week ->this semester
->last month -> this January
-> since January
-> since 6.A

LUBUMBASHI ZOO
E.g. I visited Lubumbashi last Sunday
I have visited Lubumbashi several times in my life N.B. (My life time is still going on)

Conversation: AT M. FORREST SQUARE

Situation: Every year JMX TEAM, an American hip-hop music band holds a concert at M. Forrest
SQUARE. Alex and his two friends are heading toward the M.F square to attend the concert.

Alex: Hey, Robert, Jimmy, there’s a musical concert on M. Forrest

Square today. D’U wanna go n’ see the band play?
Robert: I’m done with my homework, I can go
Jimmy : Me too. Let’s go.
Our three guys are soon in the street walking and chatting …..

Robert: Hey look at that sport car. Isn’t it neat? HOLLERING AT A CONCERT
Alex: That’s exactly the kind o’ car that I want once I get a good job. I bet it is very fast; I want
mine to be red, though.
Robert : Keep on dreaming Alex. That car costs a fortune.
Alex : It doesn’t hurt to set high expectations. Maybe one day I’ll make a lot of money, and I
might surprise you.
Jimmy: Talking about cars, why is the traffic so heavy today?
Alex : People are probably heading toward the Square for the concert. The band does play pretty
good music. You gonna enjoy this evening, I tell you. There’s gonna be a lot of stomping
around, and definitely a lot of hollering.
Robert: Hmm. It sounds like fun.

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 CONVERSATION: LOOKING FOR A JOB
Situation: John just graduated with a bachelor degree in Finance. As a result, he wants to find a job
in his field of studies instead of continuing to hold his current Payroll
position.

Nancy: Hi. It is good to see you, John.

John: Same here, Nancy. It has been a long time since I last saw you.
Nancy: Yes, the last time we saw each other was New Year’s Eve.
How are you doing?
John: I am doing OK. It would be better if I have a new job right now.
Nancy: You are looking for a new job? Late for job
John: I already finished my studies and graduated last week. Now, I wanna get a job in the Finance
field. Payroll is not exactly Finance.
Nancy: How long have you been looking for a new job?
John: I just started this week.
Nancy: Didn’t you have any interviews with those firms that came to our campus last month? I
believe quite a few companies came to recruit students for their Finance departments.
John: I could only get one interview with DHL Company because of my heavy work-schedule. A
month has already gone by, and I have not heard from them. I guess I did not make it.
Nancy: Don’t worry, John. You always did well in school. I know your good grades will help you get
a job soon. Besides, the job market is pretty good right now, and all companies need
financial analysts.
John: I hope so.
Nancy: You have prepared a resume, right?
John: Yes.
Nancy: Did you e-mail your resume to a lot of companies? How about recruiting agencies?
John: I have sent it to a dozen companies already. No, I have not thought about recruiting agencies.
But, I do look closely at the employment ads listed in the newspaper everyday.
Nancy: All right. You gotta keep faith!

GRAMMAR LESSON: MODIFIERS OF NOUNS

Adjectives clauses and adjectives phrases
1°) ADJECTIVE CLAUSES
a) Pattern A
 Commencement, which is a graduation ceremony, was last night
 My sister, who received a B.A degree, graduated last year.
 My brother, whose major was economics, is a teacher.
 Kindergarten is for children who are five years old.
 High school is for children whose knowledge is more advanced
 Some people attend training centers, which are vocational education institutions
b) Pattern B
 The subject(which) I prefer is science
 The sport (which) I am active is football
 The man (whom) I spoke to is a faculty professor
 The year (when) I was a freshmen was difficult
 The library(that) I study in is quiet

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  The woman (to) whom I sent a letter is my aunt
 The cakes (which) were on the fire burnt
 The boy ( with whom) I went to the library is my cousin
 The boss (whose) house is built near the river in Golf area is my uncle
 We went to visit the hills (whose) tops are always covered by snow in winter
 The topic (on which) we are debating is childish !

Students’ exercises: Provide five (5) examples using the above pattern !
1. …………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………
2. ………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………
3. …………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………
4. ………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………….
5. ………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………..

2°) ADJECTIVES PHRASES

- Students in high-school get advanced knowledge
- Graduates of secondary school receive diplomas
- Students with good grades make the honor roll
- The professor on the faculty in my uncle
- The school near New York City is a private academy.
- A Ph. D from a university is an advanced degree
- The student majoring in languages plans to teach
- Students wishing to register should see the registrar
- Students training to be doctors must attend college
- Classes taught at universities are more advanced
- Football enjoyed by students is extracurricular
Students’ exercises: Provide (5) examples using the above pattern !
1. ……………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………
2. ……………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………
3. ……………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………
4. …………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………….
5. ………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………
………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………
3°) COMPARISON
Adjectives clauses and adjectives phrases
Students in high-school get advanced knowledge
……………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………
Students who are in high school get advanced knowledge
…………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………
The student majoring in languages plans to teach
………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………….
The student who is majoring in languages plans to teach
…………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………
The student who is majoring in languages plans to teach
………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………..
Football , enjoyed by the students, is extracurricular
………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………..
Football which is enjoyed by the students is extracurricular
………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………..

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A FUNNY CONVERSATION: THE DOCTOR AND THE PAINTER

A famous painter was worried about his sick dog, which had a badly inflamed throat. But he knew
that a doctor wouldn’t examine a dog. So, in order to get a specialist to come to his house to look at
his dog, he decided to pretend that he himself was the one who was ill. This artist was a very selfish
man, so in spite of the fact that it was past midnight, he called a prominent throat specialist.

Doctor : Hello! This is Dr. KNOW-IT-ALL

Artist : Oh, Doctor KNOW-IT-ALL, you must come to my house immediately.
Doctor : Sir! I’m a famous throat specialist. I only see patients during the day, and by
appointment.
Artist : But…but doctor, I’m the celebrated portrait painter, Raphael Depicter, and this is an
emergency.
Doctor : I’ve had a busy day, and I have to operate very early tomorrow morning. Can’t you wait
until tomorrow afternoon?
Artist : Oh, no, doctor! That would be too late. I beg you , please come right away. And hurry!
Doctor: Very well. Since you are Raphael Depicter, I’ll make an exception. I’ll come right away.

When Doctor KNOW-IT-ALL arrived at Mr. Depicter’s house and saw that the patient was not the
artist but his dog, he was furious. But immediately he thought of a plan to get even. Hiding his anger,
he said calmly.

Doctor: I can’t tell you right now what’s the matter with your dog, but this medicine will alleviate it.
I’ll study the case and call you when I’ve made the diagnosis.
At midnight of the following day Mr. Depicter was awakened when his phone rang.
Artist : Who is it?
Doctor: This is Doctor KNOW-IT-ALL. Mr. Depicter, come quickly to my house, it’s urgent!
Artist : But Doctor, it’s past twelve! Besides, early tomorrow morning I have an appointment to
paint the portrait of a very important person. Can’t you wait until tomorrow afternoon?
Doctor: Oh, no! That would be too late! And what I have to say is too important to discuss over the
phone. Please hurry!
Mr. Depicter, thinking it was about his dog’s illness, jumped out of the bed, got dressed, and ran to
the doctor’s house.
Artist : Doctor, doctor! What’s the matter? Why did you call me at this time of the night?
Doctor: I’m very concerned about something, and I must know the answer right now.
Artist : All right, all right. What is it?
Doctor: Please tell me, how much would you charge me to paint my house?

PHRASAL VERBS
Phrasal verbs are usually two-word phrases consisting of verb + adverb or verb + preposition.
having its special meaning not deriving from the main verb.

Note: Phrasal verbs are mainly used in spoken English and informal texts

For example:
 look up – consult a reference book (look a word up in a dictionary)
 look for – seek (look for her ring)

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  look forward – anticipate with pleasure (look forward to meeting someone)
Position of the Particle(Adverb or preposition)
In some cases the particle is placed either after the verb or after the object.
Example:
Write down the word
Write the word down
If the object is a pronoun, however, the particle has to be placed after the pronoun (object).
Example:
 Write it down.
 Your photo album. Put it down
 Your jacket. Take it off
N.B. To discover more about phrasal verbs , you have to buy the syllabus of “phrasal verbs”.

The Use of: “ONE OF”: used with a plural noun

- One of my friends - One of my best friends - One of the guests was late - For the benefit of
one of the children – I’m in the office with one of the deans.

The Use of : “NONE OF”: it may be followed by a plural or by an uncountable noun.

 None of Betty’s friends
 None of the food
N.B. When the phrase is the subject of a clause, the verb agrees in number with the noun which
follows “of ”
 None of Betty’s friends like to go swimming
 None of the food is left

DIRECT and INDIRECT/REPORTED SPEECH:

Direct speech Reported/Indirect speech

Simple Present Simple Past
Past tense Past tense
Present perfect Past perfect
Future tense conditional
Examples:
Direct speech : Jack says “I am sick”
Indirect speech : Jack said that he was sick
Direct speech : “ I was away for a while”
Indirect speech : He told me that he was away for a while”
Direct speech : She says “ I have finished my job”
Indirect speech: She says that she had finished her Job
Direct speech : John Mary said “ my father will travel tomorrow”
Indirect speech : John Mary said his father would travel the next day

Note: Let’s students do more exercises on their own as classroom exercises or homework!

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FUNNY CONVERSATION: THE SECRET OF A LONG LIFE
I’m John Doe. I’m a Journalist with an important magazine. The other day I saw a white-haired man
sitting on the porch in front of his house. I could see the wrinkles in his face and neck, and his
wrinkled hands. Articles on the secrets of living to an advanced age are always popular with our
readers, so I decided to pursue this story and discover the secret of this man’s long life. As I
approached him, I said:

John: Sir, would it bother you if I talked with you for just a moment?
Man: Not at all. On the contrary, it would delight me. I get very bored sitting here, even for a short
time. Until a little while ago I lived a full and active life without a moment’s rest.
John: Well, they say that a lot of activity helps one live a long time
Man: That’s true, very true. I still feel very well, although my step has slowed down a little.

The conversation continued in that vein for a while. Although I try to be very considerate about
obtaining information from older people, it seemed to me that it would now be all right to begin to
ask some discrete questions.

John: Would it bother you if I smoked a cigarette?

Man: Not at all
John: I’d offer you one, but I suppose you don’t smoke, or drink, or ……
Man: On the contrary! I’ve always smoked my head off. And until a little while ago i went dancing
every night. And as for alcoholic drinks…..
John: Do you mean to say that you’ve done all these things all your life?
Man: Of course. Why does that surprise you much?
John: I’ve always been told that doing those things is bad for the health
Man: Ridiculous!
John: I suppose that you have another secret….a lot of fruit…….vegetables…….a lot of exercise in
the fresh air……
Man: Don’t be silly! I hate exercise in the fresh air, and I don’t like any kind of vegetables.
John: This is incredible!
Man: What do you mean, incredible? What are you talking about?
John: Just that I can’t understand how you have been able to live like that and to have lasted so
long. So tell me, how old are you?
Man: me? I’m twenty seven why?

FIRST, SECOND, & THIRD CONDITIONAL

1. First conditional: If I have enough money, I will go to Japan.
2. Second conditional: If I had enough money, I would go to Japan.
3. Third conditional: If I had had enough money, I would have gone to Japan.

Conditional clause Main clause

1. If + Present Tense will + inf / present tense / imperative
a. If you help me with some food (if + pres),
I will help you with your homework. (will + inf)
b. If the sum of the digits of a number is divisible by three,
the number is divisible by three (Pres. tense)
c. If you see Mr Fox tonight, tell him I am ill. (imperative).
2. If + Past Tense would + inf
3. If + Past Perfect Tense would have + past participle
N.B. We do not normally use will or would in the conditional clause,
only in the main clause.

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 ACTIVE VOICE vs PASSIVE VOICE
INFINITIVE
Active Infinitive to clean (nettoyer)
Passive Infinitive to be cleaned (être nettoyé)
Past Infinitive to have cleaned (avoir nettoyé)
Passive past infinitive to have been cleaned (avoir été nettoyé)

Simple Continous
Simple Past is cleaned is being cleaned
Simple Past was cleaned was being cleaned
future will be cleaned will be being cleaned
Present Perfect has been cleaned No form
Past Perfect had been cleaned

Tenses EXAMPLES
Active Passive
Present tense A sees B B is seen by A
Present continuous A is seeing B B is being seen by A
Past tense A saw B B was seen by A
Past continuous A was seeing B B was being seen by A
Present perfect A has seen B B has been seen by A
Future tense A will see B B will be seen by A

1. (A) Somebody has stolen my car. = (P) My car has been stolen.
2. (A) They are building a new office = (P) A new office is being built
3. (P) A new cancer treatment has been discovered by scientists in Sweden
4. (P) The suspect was questioned before being released.
5. (P) I've been invited to a party.
(N.B: in example 4 and 5 we don’t care who questioned the suspect, maybe the police, security
guards etc. and we don’t want to mention who invited.)
Other examples:
 Soccer is played in most countries
 My car is being repaired — ………………………………………….ma voiture est en train d'être réparé
 The eclipse was seen only in the northern hemisphere
 My hair was being cut when the accident happened.
 The fugitive has been arrested — ……………………………….. on a arrêté le fugitif.
 A new version of Linux will be released soon
 Computer discs should be defragmented regularly
 My car must have been stolen; it's no longer where I left it

EXERCISE: Change These active sentences to Passive voice

 They cancelled all flights because of fog. ……………………………………………………………………………..
 Millions of people have read that book. …………………………………………………………………………….
 The police are looking for the missing paintings. ……………………………………………………………………
 Workmen were cleaning the entry to the museum………………………………………………………………
 He invited me to the party……………………………………………………………………………………………………
 They have not opened the doors yet. …………………………………………………………………………………..
 Somebody will deliver the package before 9 o'clock. ……………………………………………………………..

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 COMPARATIVE ADJECTIVES
Rule : We use “comparative adjectives” to compare too things :
A) For short adjectives : (word of one syllable)
adj. +er than
E.g. - Kinshasa is hotter than Lubumbashi - Bangkok is more crowded than Abhu Dhabi
-TOYOTA runs faster than TATA - He speaks quicker than I do me .
- That car is smaller than this one - N.B : Dry = drier

B) For short adjectives (2 syllables) :

more + adjective
Not ending in “ y “
E.g.: - This movie is more boring than the first we saw
-My Grandpa is more tired than grandma
Adjective + ier + than
Exception : for adjectives ending in “y “ =
-My cousin is funnier
-Didier was a quiet guy, but now he has become noisier
-His child is crazier than the neighbor’s

C) Long adjectives (Word of 3 syllables) More +adjectives

Eg - Buying a new car is more expensive today

-I believe this book is more interesting than the last we read
- Two years ago I didn’t have a good furniture, but now my living room is more
comfortable
Irregular adjectives
Good better This one is better
Bad worse This situation is worse than before
Far further I need further information on how to book her in BBC
Old older(elder) I’m older than you
Much More I need more time to do this work
N.B1. The opposite of “ More “ is “ Less” : - The book I red yesterday was less
interesting?
We can also use more with “ nouns” - There are more rooms in the Karavia Hotel.
Exercise1 : Write the opposite of comparative forms
Example : Newer /older
1 . cleaner / d………. 5 . hotter / c………….
2 . smaller / b……… 6 . more modern / o ………
3 . worse /b………. 7 . more dangerous / S……….er
4 . shorter / l………… 8 . more beautiful / u …………..

Exercise 2 : Write the comparative of the adjectives

1 . The south of England is usually ………………………………….( hot) than the north
2 . This beach is……………………………………………………………….( crowded ) than it was last month
3 . My English is ……………………………………………( good ) than it was last year
4 . James is ………………………………………..( happy ) than h was last week
5 . This book …………………………………………………. ( interesting ) than the last one
6 . I think Sundays are …………………………………… ( boring ) than Saturdays

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7 . I’m ………………………………………(young) than my wife

SUPERLATIVE ADJECTIVES
We use superlative adjectives to compare three or more things.
Types of adjective:
One-Syllable Adjectives : Adjective + est

 Don’t go that way, it’s the longest of all

 My Car is the nicest in my street
N.B. Adjectives ending in “Y” change the ‘Y’ in ‘I’
Adjectives ending in consonant + vowel+ consonant= double the last consonant

Two-Syllable Adjectives ending in “Y”: Adjective + est

 Today is the sunniest day in the week
 Your story was the funniest I had ever heard

Two-Syllable Adjectives not ending in “Y”: Most + adjective

 Yesterday I watched the most boring film in my life

 That was the most important book

Three or More-syllable Adjectives: Most + adjective

 A dictionary is the most expensive book in that bookshop
 Grand KARAVIA is the most comfortable hotel in Lubumbashi
Exception: irregular adjectives
Regular Adjective Comparative Superlative
Good Better Best
Well
Far Farther Farther
further Furthest
Bad worse The worst
Much More Most
Many
Old Older/elder The eldest
N.B.
1. We say: “The best place in the world”(not ‘of the world’¨/ ‘not ‘for the world’)
2. When we say “More or less + Adjective” in Comparative, this becomes “ the Most or the Least +
Adjective” in Superlative
EXERCICE 1. Fill in the gaps with the superlatives of the adjectives in the box:
BIG COMMON DRY EXPENSIVE FAR LONG
1. Which city has the ………………………………………………………….population?
2. Which language has the …………………………………………………………………alphabet?
3. Which place is the ……………………………………………………………………………..in the world
4. Where is the …………………………………………..................hotel in the world.
5. Which capital city is the …………………………………………….from the equator.

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 EXERCISE 2. Fill in the gaps with the comparatives or the superlatives adjectives
1. I think the ………………………………………………………………….(beautiful) City in Spain is Granada.
2. New Zealand is one of the ………………………………………(wet) places in the world.
3. Some people say Liverpool is the ……………………………………………(friendly) city in England
4. Which is…………………………………………………………….;(long), the Mississippi or the Amazon?
5. London is…………………………………………….(sunny) than Edinburgh
6. Which is the ……………………………………(cheap) way to get from Lubumbashi to
Johannesburg?

 I wish I had known about the party. I would have gone if I had known. (I didn’t know)
 It was a stupid thing to say. I wish I hadn’t said it. ( but I said it)

MORE OR GRAMMAR LESSONS

(Teacher selection)

Guidelines: ALTHOUGH, EVEN THOUGH, THOUGH, SUCH AS, SUCH, TAG QUESTIONS,SHOULD,
either, NEITHER, ETC

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