Second Conditional

24 May 2014 by Diane

The Second Conditional is used to talk about a present or future hypothetical situation.

IF + SUBJECT + VERB (PAST) , SUBJECT + WOULD (COULD / MAY / MIGHT) + BASE VERB

ex. If I won the lottery, I would buy a new car.  

I would forgive him if he apologized to me.

Remember: Use “WERE” with I/HE/SHE/IT if the situation is IMPOSSIBLE or VERY UNLIKELY.

ex. If I were able to fly, I would travel all around the world.  (This is impossible!)

If I were a millionaire, I would quit my job. (This is very unlikely!)

Here’s a second conditional joke...

second conditional.jpeg

Adjectives with ED and ING endings

10 May 2014 by Diane

When describing feelings the -ED form of the adjective is used.

Example:

I felt bored when I watch the news.

I was really excited during the volleyball game.

NOT

I felt boring when I watched the news.

I was really exciting during the soccer match.

When describing things the -ING form of the adjective is used.


More CORRECT examples:

Documentaries are really interesting.        
I am
interested in documentaries.

The sickness is worrying.
The sickness makes me feel
worried.

The news is depressing.        
The news makes me feel
depressed.        

The test was confusing.                

I was confused when I was taking the test.

adjectives.png

Some common adjectives that can be used in both an -ED and an -ING form:

annoyed

annoying

amused

amusing

bored

boring

challenged

challenging

confused

confusing

depressed

depressing

dissapointed

disappointing

disgusted

disgusting

encouraged

encouraging

embarrassed

embarrassing

entertained

entertaining

excited

exciting

fascinated

fascinating

frightened

frightening

frustrated

frustrating

interested

interesting

irritated

irritating

overwhelmed

overwhelming

relaxed

relaxing

satisfied

satisfying

shocked

shocking

surprised

surprising

surprised

surprising

tired

tiring

terrified

terrifying

worried

worrying


Little or a little? Few or a few?

07 May 2014 by Diane

LITTLE / A LITTLE  used with non-countable nouns

+ a little = some (positive meaning)                        -  little = hardly any (negative meaning)

 

ex. I need a little money. (I need some money.)

     I need little money. (I need hardly any money.)

FEW / A FEW  used with countable nouns

+ a few = some (positive meaning)                        -  few = hardly any (negative meaning)

ex. A few friends visited me. (Some friends visited me.)

a few.png
Few friends visited me. (Hardly any friends visited me.)

few.png

 

Agree Like a Native Speaker

01 May 2014 by Diane

To agree with a positive statement:

SO + AUXILIARY / MODAL VERB + PRONOUN

*Auxiliary verbs are helping verbs (BE, DO, HAVE & modal verbs)

ex. I am hungry.
He should exercise more.
I will go to the party.
She can sing well.

Agree: So am I.  
Agree: So
should she.
Agree: So
will they.
Agree: So
 can we.

If there is no auxiliary verb, we must use do.

ex. I like to play soccer.

Agree: So do I.        

        

Past tense

ex. I was hungry.  
I watched a movie last night.        

Agree: So was he.  
Agree: So
did my parents.

*We can also say, “ME TOO!”

 

To agree with a negative statement: 

NEITHER + AUXILIARY / MODAL VERB + PRONOUN

ex.  I’m not from here.        
You shouldn’t eat fast food.
I don’t like to eat vegetables.
He won’t talk to her ever again.
He can’t dance.         

Agree: Neither is she.
Agree: Neither
should I.    
Agree: Neither
does he.  
Agree: Neither
 will I.
Agree: Neither
can I.

 

Past tense

ex. I wasn’t there.         
I didn’t call him.

Agree: Neither was I.
Agree: Neither
did I.

*We can also say, “ME NEITHER!”

        

To disagree with a positive statement:

PRONOUN + AUXILIARY / MODAL VERB + NOT

ex. I like tea without sugar.          
You should go to the party.         

I’m tired.                                                        
He will forgive her.                

They can sing well.

Disagree: She does not (doesn’t).
Disagree: I
should not (shouldn’t).      
Disagree: She
is not.
Disagree: I
won’t.
Disagree: I
can’t.

Past tense

ex. She was happy.                        

They ate pizza.

Disagree: I wasn’t.
Disagree: I
didn’t.

                

To disagree with a negative statement:

 PRONOUN + AUXILIARY / MODAL VERB

 

ex. She doesn’t want to go.                                       
I shouldn’t sign up for classes.                 

They’re not going to the party.        

He won’t drive.                        

He can’t dance.

Disagree: I do. 
Disagree: You
should.    
Disagree: I
am.               
Disagree: I
will. 
Disagree: She
can.

                

Past tense

ex. He wasn’t there.                 

She didn’t call him.

Disagree: She was.
Disagree: I did.

                

ALL vs EVERY

28 April 2014 by Diane

ALL and EVERY have similar meanings but are used in different structures.

ALL + PLURAL NOUN        

EVERY + SINGULAR NOUN

ex. All children should go to school.        

ex. Every child should go to school.

All vegetables are healthy.

Every vegetable is healthy.

ALL can be used before a determiner (ex. the, this/that, these/those, my...)

ex. All the items in the store were on sale!

I sent an email to all my friends.

ALL can be used with uncountable nouns.

ex. I like all music.

In the future I hope that all poverty is gone!

*Often if the noun is uncountable, we use the article “the” after
ALL.

ex. He finished all (of) the work.
He reviewed
all (of) the documents.

all his work.png

ALL is used to describe the duration of an activity, meaning the complete amount.  

For example, let’s look at the difference between the following two sentences:

1. She has been at work ALL day.
Meaning: from the beginning of the day until the end of the day / from morning until night


2. She worked
EVERY day this week.

Meaning: Sunday, Monday, Tuesday, Wednesday, Thursday, Friday and Saturday

And another example:

1. I can’t believe he ate ALL the cake.

Meaning: There is one cake.  He ate the whole thing!

2. I can’t believe he ate
EVERY cake.

Meaning: There are many cakes.  He ate every cake.