unit 13-life events
LIFE EVENTS
1. VOCABULARY
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Collocations
A collocation is two or more words that often go together. These combinations just sound "right" to native English speakers, who use them all the time. On the other hand, other combinations may be unnatural and just sound "wrong". Look at these examples:
A collocation is two or more words that often go together. These combinations just sound "right" to native English speakers, who use them all the time. On the other hand, other combinations may be unnatural and just sound "wrong". Look at these examples:
Natural in English
the fast train fast food a quick shower a quick meal |
Unnatural in English
the quick train quick food a fast shower a fast meal |
How to learn collocations
- Be aware of collocations, and try to recognize them when you see or hear them.
- Treat collocations as single blocks of language. Think of them as individual blocks or chunks, and learn strongly support, not strongly + support.
- When you learn a new word, write down other words that collocate with it (remember rightly, remember distinctly, remember vaguely, remember vividly).
- Read as much as possible. Reading is an excellent way to learn vocabulary and collocations in context and naturally.
- Revise what you learn regularly.
- Practice using new collocations in context as soon as possible after learning them.
- Learn collocations in groups that work for you. You could learn them by topic (time, number, weather, money, family) or by a particular word (take action, take a chance, take an exam).
- You can find information on collocations in any good learner's dictionary. And you can also find specialized dictionaries of collocations.
Types of Collocation
There are several different types of collocation made from combinations of verb, noun, adjective etc. Some of the most common types are:
There are several different types of collocation made from combinations of verb, noun, adjective etc. Some of the most common types are:
- Adverb + Adjective: completely satisfied (NOT downright satisfied)
- Adjective + Noun: excruciating pain (NOT excruciating joy)
- Noun + Noun: a surge of anger (NOT a rush of anger)
- Noun + Verb: lions roar (NOT lions shout)
- Verb + Noun: commit suicide (NOT undertake suicide)
- Verb + Expression With Preposition: burst into tears (NOT blow up in tears)
- Verb + Adverb: wave frantically (NOT wave feverishly)
Some common verbs
HAVE
have a bath have a drink have a good time have a haircut have a holiday have a problem have a relationship have a rest have lunch have sympathy TAKE
take a break take a chance take a look take a rest take a seat take a taxi take an exam take notes take someone's place take someone's temperature PAY
pay a fine pay attention pay by credit card pay cash pay interest pay someone a compliment pay someone a visit pay the bill pay the price pay your respects COME
come close come complete with come direct come early come first come into view come last come late come on time come prepared come right back come second come to a compromise come to a decision come to an agreement come to an end come to a standstill come to terms with come to a total of come under attack |
DO
do business do nothing do someone a favour do the cooking do the housework do the shopping do the washing up do your best do your hair do your homework BREAK
break a habit break a leg break a promise break a record break a window break someone's heart break the ice break the law break the news to someone break the rules SAFE
save electricity save energy save money save one's strength save someone a seat save someone's life save something to a disk save space save time save yourself the trouble GO
go abroad go astray go bad go bald go bankrupt go blind go crazy go dark go deaf go fishing go mad go missing go on foot go online go out of business go overseas go quiet go sailing go to war go yellow |
MAKE
make a difference make a mess make a mistake make a noise make an effort make furniture make money make progress make room make trouble CATCH
catch a ball catch a bus catch a chill catch a cold catch a thief catch fire catch sight of catch someone's attention catch someone's eye catch the flu KEEP
keep a diary keep a promise keep a secret keep an appointment keep calm keep control keep in touch keep quiet keep someone's place keep the change GET
get a job get a shock get angry get divorced get drunk get frightened get home get lost get married get nowhere get permission get pregnant get ready get started get the impression get the message get the sack get upset get wet get worried |
Other kinds of collocations
TIme
bang on time dead on time early 12th century free time from dawn till dusk great deal of time late 20th century make time for next few days past few weeks right on time run out of time save time spare time spend some time take your time tell someone the time time goes by time passes waste time |
Business English
annual turnover bear in mind break off negotiations cease trading chair a meeting close a deal close a meeting come to the point dismiss an offer draw a conclusion draw your attention to launch a new product lay off staff go bankrupt go into partnership make a loss make a profit market forces sales figures take on staff |
Classifiers
a ball of string a bar of chocolate a bottle of water a bunch of carrots a cube of sugar a pack of cards a pad of paper |
2. GRAMMAR
Past Perfect Simple and Past Perfect Continuous
The past perfect emphasizes something that happened before another past event that has already been mentioned.
A: So why did he drop out of university?
B: He had been struggling and he just decided he had had enough.
The past perfect emphasizes something that happened before another past event that has already been mentioned.
A: So why did he drop out of university?
B: He had been struggling and he just decided he had had enough.
A - Had you ever tried to invent things or reinvent things before creating this instrument in particular? B - Yes, I have made a lot of strange musical instruments in my workshop over the years. (the asnwer was made with the present perfect) A- (Before the Nu) Had you ever invented any other kind of didgeridoo?
B - I had made a three-note didgeridoo and a slide didgeridoo. Before he performed the song, he had practiced it at home many times. |
Present perfect: to refer to a general past experience, but also for events or actions that could occur again in the future. (Erik is an inventor, he invented things in the past and it's likely he'll invent more things in the future.) Past Perfect Simple: It's mainly used to refer to actions or events that took place before a specific period in time.
It's used to refer to specific actions or events that occurred in the past and we understand that those two other didgeridoos were made before the Nu. It must be clear to the listener either through context or the use of time expressions, such as before 2012, by the age of 30, ... |
Structure of the Past Perfect
I had left before he arrived.
|
I hadn't left before he arrived.
|
Had I left before he arrived?
|
Yes, I had.
No, I hadn't. |
Past Perfect Continuous
When I met Erik, he had been working on the Nu for a few years.
It must be clear to the speaker and the listener what those points were: we can use the simple past to refer to that later action or event. When I saw Erik's dirty hands and happy smile, I knew he had been working in his workshop. I was happy that Paul got a new job. He had been working for a great opportunity. I have been working hard on this piece, so I can play it much better now. |
Past Perfect Continuous (or Progressive): it refers to an action or event that was in progress before another past point in time.
|
SPEAKING
1. Think about a time you cheated in an exam
2. Think about a time you had an accident or injury
3. Think about a time you met a celebrity.
4. Think about an exciting sporting event you attended to.
WRITING
Writing a story
If you want to know how to write a story, click on the links below:
How to write a short story
How to write a short story + example
TOPIC:
A magazine has asked its readers to send their stories about (choose one) (225 words):
- A time you cheated in an exam.
- A time you had an accident or a sport injury.
- A time you met a celebrity.
- A time you went to an exciting sporting event.
- A story of your life or someone else's life (including the vocabulary we've seen in class about life events).
- A romantic/ supernatural/ strange story that happened to you or someone else.
3. LISTENING
clean-cut- clearly outlined; neat: clean-cut lines of a ship
down-to-earth- sensible; practical; realistic
to be a jerk- a stupid or ignorant person
to be better off (without)- in more favorable circumstances, esp. financially
to call it a day- to stop work or other activity (in the case of the conversation from the listening, to split up)
to come across to provide what is expected
to commute- to travel some distance regularly between one's home and one's place of work
to flick through- to read or look at (a book, newspaper, etc) quickly.
how come?- to show concern or surprise about a fact.
to lead (a double life)- to cause to act, feel, think, or behave in a certain way; induce; influence: he led me to believe that he would go
to retrain- to train again (to do exercises and prepare for a specific purpose)
to split up (with)- (a couple splitting up / they split up after years of marriage) to become separated or parted through disagreement
upbringing- the education of a person during his formative years.
one-night stand- (rollo de una noche).
tantrum- (pataleta)
clean-cut- clearly outlined; neat: clean-cut lines of a ship
down-to-earth- sensible; practical; realistic
to be a jerk- a stupid or ignorant person
to be better off (without)- in more favorable circumstances, esp. financially
to call it a day- to stop work or other activity (in the case of the conversation from the listening, to split up)
to come across to provide what is expected
to commute- to travel some distance regularly between one's home and one's place of work
to flick through- to read or look at (a book, newspaper, etc) quickly.
how come?- to show concern or surprise about a fact.
to lead (a double life)- to cause to act, feel, think, or behave in a certain way; induce; influence: he led me to believe that he would go
to retrain- to train again (to do exercises and prepare for a specific purpose)
to split up (with)- (a couple splitting up / they split up after years of marriage) to become separated or parted through disagreement
upbringing- the education of a person during his formative years.
one-night stand- (rollo de una noche).
tantrum- (pataleta)
5. DEVELOPING CONVERSATIONS
Showing Certainty
Certainty is the state of being completely confident or having no doubt about something.
When you are sure that something will or will not happen in the future, use these expressions.
For example to the question:
"Will Tom pass the exam?"
you may respond as follows:
Yes, I'm absolutely sure/ quite sure/ certain/ positive
he will/ definitely.
certainly.
of course.
or
No, he won't.
definitely not.
certainly not.
of course not.
Showing Uncertainty
Uncertainty is when nothing is ever decided or sure.
When you are not sure whether something or someone will or will not happen, use the following expressions.
For example, to the question:
"Will Tom follow a career in business?"
you may respond as follows:
Well,
it's possible,
it's impossible,
it might be,
it might not be,
it could happen,
I suppose,
but
I wouldn't like to say for certain.
I'm not sure.
I doubt it.
I have my own doubts.
it's doubtful.
It's highly / very unlikely.
you never know of course, no one can know for certain.
I can't tell you for sure.
According to the Student's Book, use this vocabulary to do activity 5.B in order to use expressions related with uncertainty:
According ...
Apparently ...
As far as I know ...
As I understand it ...
From what I've heard ...
I was told ...
For activity 6. Conversation Practice, use these expressions:
Did you hear about ...?
Did you know ...?
Showing Certainty
Certainty is the state of being completely confident or having no doubt about something.
When you are sure that something will or will not happen in the future, use these expressions.
For example to the question:
"Will Tom pass the exam?"
you may respond as follows:
Yes, I'm absolutely sure/ quite sure/ certain/ positive
he will/ definitely.
certainly.
of course.
or
No, he won't.
definitely not.
certainly not.
of course not.
Showing Uncertainty
Uncertainty is when nothing is ever decided or sure.
When you are not sure whether something or someone will or will not happen, use the following expressions.
For example, to the question:
"Will Tom follow a career in business?"
you may respond as follows:
Well,
it's possible,
it's impossible,
it might be,
it might not be,
it could happen,
I suppose,
but
I wouldn't like to say for certain.
I'm not sure.
I doubt it.
I have my own doubts.
it's doubtful.
It's highly / very unlikely.
you never know of course, no one can know for certain.
I can't tell you for sure.
According to the Student's Book, use this vocabulary to do activity 5.B in order to use expressions related with uncertainty:
According ...
Apparently ...
As far as I know ...
As I understand it ...
From what I've heard ...
I was told ...
For activity 6. Conversation Practice, use these expressions:
Did you hear about ...?
Did you know ...?
8.GRAMMAR
Be always -ing/ wish and would
Be always -ing/ wish and would
1. Present Continuous + always / constantly to emphasise that a habit never stops or has no exceptions.
I am always telling you to flush the toilet before you leave the bathroom.
I am constantly telling you to flush the toilet before you leave the bathroom.
2. Present Continuous + always to show you find something annoying, but it can also emphasise unusual things you like.
I can't stand him. He is always calling me a lot of times along the day.
· you find something annoying.
He's very romantic. He's always buying me roses and writing me poems.
· to emphasise unusual things you like.
Don't use the Present Continuous to emphasise things that never happen (in that case, use a Present Simple).
Present Continuous:
Present Simple:
He is never flushing the toilet before leaving the bathroom.=> He never flushes the toilet before leaving the bathroom.
Let's see two possible uses of wish:
1. wish + would(n't) + verb to show you want people to behave differently.
I wish the kids would help out more.
(They don't usually.)
I wish he wouldn't shout so much.
(He shouts a lot.)
2. wish + he / she was(n't) - or were(n't) to describe how we want people's character to be different.
I wish he was less strict. He punishes us too hard.= I wish he were less strict. He punishes us too hard.
I wish she wasn't so lazy. She never does anything.=I wish she weren't so lazy. She never does anything.
I am always telling you to flush the toilet before you leave the bathroom.
I am constantly telling you to flush the toilet before you leave the bathroom.
2. Present Continuous + always to show you find something annoying, but it can also emphasise unusual things you like.
I can't stand him. He is always calling me a lot of times along the day.
· you find something annoying.
He's very romantic. He's always buying me roses and writing me poems.
· to emphasise unusual things you like.
Don't use the Present Continuous to emphasise things that never happen (in that case, use a Present Simple).
Present Continuous:
Present Simple:
He is never flushing the toilet before leaving the bathroom.=> He never flushes the toilet before leaving the bathroom.
Let's see two possible uses of wish:
1. wish + would(n't) + verb to show you want people to behave differently.
I wish the kids would help out more.
(They don't usually.)
I wish he wouldn't shout so much.
(He shouts a lot.)
2. wish + he / she was(n't) - or were(n't) to describe how we want people's character to be different.
I wish he was less strict. He punishes us too hard.= I wish he were less strict. He punishes us too hard.
I wish she wasn't so lazy. She never does anything.=I wish she weren't so lazy. She never does anything.
9. READING
Avoiding conflicts
Avoiding conflicts
Do you hate to argue? Are you one of those people who do not like a confrontation? If you answer yes, here's one article with tips on how to avoid a conflict.
http://smallbusiness.chron.com/avoid-conflict-people-742.html
Now, watch the following video and answer the True/ False statements.
http://smallbusiness.chron.com/avoid-conflict-people-742.html
Now, watch the following video and answer the True/ False statements.
1. Confrontations are scary because they don't allow us to think clearly .
2. When we argue we think about the things we said at the moment of the argument.
3. He compares the feeling of arguing with giving a talk in front of a lot of people.
4. When we get into an argument we are subjecting another person to our own rules.
5. If the person keeps yelling, don't turn around and walk away.
6. The best way to move through confrontation is to walk away.
Answers
1. T
2. F (the things we could have said)
3. T
4. F (we're subjecting ourselves to another person's rules)
5. F (turn around and walk away)
6. T
If you want to read more about how to avoid conflicts, click on the link below:
More tips on how to avoid conflicts
2. When we argue we think about the things we said at the moment of the argument.
3. He compares the feeling of arguing with giving a talk in front of a lot of people.
4. When we get into an argument we are subjecting another person to our own rules.
5. If the person keeps yelling, don't turn around and walk away.
6. The best way to move through confrontation is to walk away.
Answers
1. T
2. F (the things we could have said)
3. T
4. F (we're subjecting ourselves to another person's rules)
5. F (turn around and walk away)
6. T
If you want to read more about how to avoid conflicts, click on the link below:
More tips on how to avoid conflicts
Conflicts are a fact of life. They occur when the needs of one person interfere with the needs of another, and the parties disagree on how to meet their needs. A conflict can be unpleasant and hurt relationships. However, if handled effectively, it also provides the opportunity to enrich and deepen relationships and help us learn more about ourselves.
SPEAKING
Here are a couple of situations that generate a conflict. Role-play them with your partner and eventually try to solve them.
Situation1
I want to save money to take a vacation; she/he wants to save money to buy a car.
Situation2
I want to spend time with my friends; he/she wants us to spend time only with each other.
Situation3
'You never clean the house. I'm tired of doing all the work'.
Situation4
'Your friends are obnoxious. I'm tired of them always coming over and making noise and messes!'
REMEMBER TO:
1. LISTEN for facts and feelings.
2. COMMUNICATE assertively. This means stating your wants and needs in a respectful and honest manner,
3. TOLERANCE and respect. Try to be in the other person's shoes. Consider his/her viewpoint.
4. FOCUS on the issue.
5. EXPECT the positive.
Here are a couple of situations that generate a conflict. Role-play them with your partner and eventually try to solve them.
Situation1
I want to save money to take a vacation; she/he wants to save money to buy a car.
Situation2
I want to spend time with my friends; he/she wants us to spend time only with each other.
Situation3
'You never clean the house. I'm tired of doing all the work'.
Situation4
'Your friends are obnoxious. I'm tired of them always coming over and making noise and messes!'
REMEMBER TO:
1. LISTEN for facts and feelings.
2. COMMUNICATE assertively. This means stating your wants and needs in a respectful and honest manner,
3. TOLERANCE and respect. Try to be in the other person's shoes. Consider his/her viewpoint.
4. FOCUS on the issue.
5. EXPECT the positive.
How to avoid money conflicts in marriage
IDIOM: A fool and his money are soon parted- It means that stupid people spend their money without thinking about it enough.
11. SPEAKING
Download the vocabulary here:
Download the vocabulary here:
vocabulary_11speaking_life_events_.doc | |
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