Unit 9 Online Practice Exercises

1. Vocabulary: The World

http://www.englishexercises.org/makeagame/viewgame.asp?id=3749

http://www.englishexercises.org/makeagame/viewgame.asp?id=5450

http://www.englishexercises.org/makeagame/viewgame.asp?id=1656

http://www.englishexercises.org/makeagame/viewgame.asp?id=3230

http://www.englishexercises.org/makeagame/viewgame.asp?id=6605

2. What are comparative adjectives?

Comparative adjectives are used to compare the difference between 2 nouns, or a collective noun.

Note: Superlative adjectives are used to compare 3 or more nouns.

Examples:

•The black dog is older than the white dog.

•My house is bigger than my sister's house.

•The yellow hat is more expensive than the green hat.

The Rules for using Comparative Adjectives

"Than" is usually used after the comparative adjective.
-er is added to the end of a 1-syllable adjective	cold - colder small – smaller tall – taller	The winter is colder than the summer. The green hat is smaller than the yellow hat. Most basketball players are taller than me.
-er is added to the end of an adjective with 2 syllables, if the word ends in -y.	early - earlier happy – happier crazy - crazier	I came home earlier than my sister. I am happier now than 1 year ago. My friend is crazier than me.
"More" or "less" is used for adjectives that have 2 syllables, if the word doesn't end in -y. Adjectives that end in -y, change the -y to i and add -ed.	honest - more honest difficult- more difficult modern - more modern	The policeman are more honest than criminals. The last test was more difficult than the test today. Our generation is more modern, than our parents generation.
"More" or "less" is used for  adjectives that have 3 or more syllables	expensive - more expensive comfortable - more comfortable	My car is less expensive then my sister's car. The chair is more comfortable, then the green chair.
Adjectives that end in -e, only -r is added to end of the adjective.	nice – nicer safe - safer	The beach is nicer then that park. Airplanes are safer then cars.
Adjective that end in with a consonant, vowel, consonant - the last consonant is doubled.	big –bigger hot -hotter	My house is bigger than, my sister’s house. The summer is hotter than the winter

Structure Of Competitive Adjectives

There are two ways to form comparative adjectives, depending on the length of the adjective.

Adjectives with 1 syllable or adjectives with 2 syllables, if the word ends in -y, then

-er is added to the end of the word.

Notes:

• Adjectives ending in -y; change the -y to -i and add -er.
• Adjectives that end with a consonant, vowel, consonant - the last consonant is doubled and -er is added to the end of the adjective.

Examples:

•cold - colder •small - smaller •tall - taller

•early - earlier •happy - happier •crazy - crazier

•big -bigger •fat-fatter •hot -hotter

Adjectives with 3 more syllables, and words with 2 syllables that don't end in -y. The word "more" or "less" is placed before the adjective.

Note: Adjectives that end in -e, only -r is added to end of the adjective.

Examples:

•honest   - more honest •difficult- more difficult •modern  - more modern

•expensive     - more expensive •difficult       - more difficult •comfortable - more comfortable

Note: "Than" is usually used after the comparative adjective.

Irregular Comparatives

• Good - Better
• Bad  - Worse
• Far  - Farther/Further

Exercises:
http://www.englishexercises.org/makeagame/viewgame.asp?id=2070
http://www.englishexercises.org/makeagame/viewgame.asp?id=6302
http://www.englishexercises.org/makeagame/viewgame.asp?id=2065
http://www.englishexercises.org/makeagame/viewgame.asp?id=6702
http://www.englishexercises.org/makeagame/viewgame.asp?id=332
http://www.englishexercises.org/makeagame/viewgame.asp?id=4216
http://www.englishexercises.org/makeagame/viewgame.asp?id=7232
http://www.englishexercises.org/makeagame/viewgame.asp?id=3219
http://www.englishexercises.org/makeagame/viewgame.asp?id=1899

3. Months, Seasons & Weather
    http://www.englishexercises.org/exercise.asp?id=2244
    http://www.englishexercises.org/makeagame/viewgame.asp?id=4901
    http://www.englishexercises.org/makeagame/viewgame.asp?id=4901
    http://www.englishexercises.org/makeagame/viewgame.asp?id=222
    http://www.englishexercises.org/makeagame/viewgame.asp?id=29
    http://www.englishexercises.org/makeagame/viewgame.asp?id=4999



Unit 8 Online Practice Exercises

1. Simple Present & Present Progressive

Simple Present	Present Progressive
infinitive (3rd person singular: infinitive + 's') I speak you speak he / she / it speaks we speak they speak	form of 'be' and verb + ing I am speaking you are speaking he / she / it is speaking we are speaking they are speaking
Exceptions
Exceptions when adding 's' : For can, may, might, must, do not add s. Example: he can, she may, it must After o, ch, sh or s, add es. Example: do - he does, wash - she washes After a consonant, the final consonant y becomes ie. (but: not after a vowel) Example: worry - he worries but: play - he plays	Exceptions when adding 'ing' : Silent e is dropped. (but: does not apply for -ee) Example: come - coming but: agree - agreeing After a short, stressed vowel, the final consonant is doubled. Example: sit - sitting After a vowel, the final consonant l is doubled in British English (but not in American English). Example: travel - travelling (British English) but: traveling (American English) Final ie becomes y. Example: lie - lying

Use

In general or right now?

Do you want to express that something happens in general or that something is happening right now?

Simple Present	Present Progressive
in general (regularly, often, never) Colin plays football every Tuesday. present actions happening one after another First Colin plays football, then he watches TV.	right now Look! Colin is playing football now. also for several actions happening at the same time Colin is playing football and Anne is watching.
Signal Words Simple Present Present Progressive
always every ... often normally usually sometimes seldom never first then	at the moment at this moment today now right now Listen! Look!
Note: The following verbs are usually only used in Simple Present: be, have, hear, know, like, love, see, smell, think, want

Timetable / Schedule or arrangement?

Do you want to express that something is arranged for the near future? Or do you refer to a time set by a timetable or schedule?

Simple Present	Present Progressive
action set by a timetable or schedule The film starts at 8 pm.	arrangement for the near future I am going to the cinema tonight.

Daily routine or just for a limited period of time?

Do you want to talk about a daily routine? Or do you want to emphasis that something is only going on for a limited (rather short) period of time?

Simple Present	Present Progressive
daily routine Bob works in a restaurant.	only for a limited period of time (does not have to happen directly at the moment of speaking) Jenny is working in a restaurant this week.

Certain Verbs

The following verbs are usually only used in Simple Present (not in the progressive form).

• state: be, cost, fit, mean, suit
  Example: We are on holiday.
• possession: belong, have
  Example: Sam has a cat.
• senses: feel, hear, see, smell, taste, touch
  Example: He feels the cold.
• feelings: hate, hope, like, love, prefer, regret, want, wish
  Example: Jane loves pizza.
• brain work: believe, know, think, understand
  Example: I believe you.
• Introductory clauses for direct speech: answer, ask, reply, say
  Example: “I am watching TV,“ he says.

Exercises:
http://www.ego4u.com/en/cram-up/grammar/simpre-prepro/tests?test1
http://www.ego4u.com/en/cram-up/grammar/simpre-prepro/tests?test2
http://www.ego4u.com/en/cram-up/grammar/simpre-prepro/tests?test3
http://www.ego4u.com/en/cram-up/grammar/simpre-prepro/exercises
http://www.ego4u.com/en/cram-up/grammar/simpre-prepro/exercises?ex02
http://www.ego4u.com/en/cram-up/grammar/simpre-prepro/exercises?ex03
http://www.ego4u.com/en/cram-up/grammar/simpre-prepro/exercises?ex04
http://www.ego4u.com/en/cram-up/grammar/simpre-prepro/exercises?ex05
http://www.ego4u.com/en/cram-up/grammar/simpre-prepro/exercises?ex06
http://www.ego4u.com/en/cram-up/grammar/simpre-prepro/exercises?ex07
http://www.ego4u.com/en/cram-up/grammar/simpre-prepro/exercises?ex08
http://www.ego4u.com/en/cram-up/grammar/simpre-prepro/exercises?ex09
http://www.ego4u.com/en/cram-up/grammar/simpre-prepro/exercises?ex10
http://www.ego4u.com/en/cram-up/grammar/simpre-prepro/exercises?ex11
http://www.ego4u.com/en/cram-up/grammar/simpre-prepro/exercises?ex12

2. Vocabulary: Transportation
    http://www.englishexercises.org/makeagame/viewgame.asp?id=2883
    http://www.englishexercises.org/makeagame/viewgame.asp?id=3794
    http://www.englishexercises.org/makeagame/viewgame.asp?id=5725



3. Present Progressive

    

The present progressive puts emphasis on the course or duration of an action.

The present progressive is used for actions going on in the moment of speaking and for actions taking place only for a short period of time. It is also used to express development and actions that are arranged for the near future.

Present progressive is also known as present continuous.

Form:
Use a form of to be and the infinite verb plus -ing.

Use:

• am with the personal pronoun I
• is with the personal pronouns he, she or it (or the singular form of nouns)
• are with the personal pronouns you, we, they (or the plural form of nouns)

	Affirmative	Negative	Question
I	I am playing.	I am not playing.	Am I playing?
he, she, it	He is playing.	He is not playing.	Is he playing?
you, we, they	You are playing.	You are not playing.	Are you playing?

Tips on how to form negative sentences and questions

• In negative sentences, we put not between the form of be and the verb.
• In questions, we simply swop the places of subject and the form of be.

Exercices:
http://www.ego4u.com/en/cram-up/grammar/present-progressive/form/exercises
http://www.ego4u.com/en/cram-up/grammar/present-progressive/form/exercises?form02
http://www.ego4u.com/en/cram-up/grammar/present-progressive/form/exercises?form03
http://www.ego4u.com/en/cram-up/grammar/present-progressive/form/exercises?form04
http://www.ego4u.com/en/cram-up/grammar/present-progressive/form/exercises?form05

Present Progressive - Exceptions in Spelling

• A single, silent e at the end of the word is dropped before ing.

example: come - coming
I am coming home. You are coming home. He is coming home.

But: ee at the end of the word is not changed

example: agree - agreeing

• The final consonant after a short, stressed vowel is doubled before ing.

example: sit - sitting
I am sitting on the sofa. You are sitting on the sofa. He is sitting on the sofa.

• The letter l as final consonant after a vowel is always doubled before ing.

example: travel - travelling
I am travelling around. You are travelling around. He is travelling around.

Mind: This applies only for British English; in American English there is usually only one l.

• An ie at the end of a word becomes y before ing.

example: lie - lying
I am lying in bed. You are lying in bed. He is lying in bed.

Exercises:

http://www.ego4u.com/en/cram-up/grammar/present-progressive/exceptions/exercises

http://www.ego4u.com/en/cram-up/grammar/present-progressive/exceptions/exercises?exceptions02

NYC Weather

The weather in NYC goes from one extreme to another.


WINTER

SUMMER



Check out the weather in NYC at the NYCTourist page

Rain Songs

Here are two songs about the rain that almost every child in the US knows. Like all popular songs they have many versions with slightly different words.

It's Rainy

Vacation plans

Sally and Mark talk about vacations.

The Weather

Listen to the conversations about weather - then listen again with subtitles.

What's the Weather Like?

Practice describing the weather.






What's the weather usually like in Maracaibo? ... and in NYC?


What kind of weather do you like? ....don't like?

Weather Vocabulary

Listen and repeat words related to the weather.

Comparing Cities

If you could live anywhere, where in the world would you like to live? Here's a list of the 10 Most Liveable Cities in the world to help you choose. It is based on the findings of numerous surveys such as Mercer's Quality of Living Index and the Economist's Urban Liveability Index.




Where would you most like to visit?...or live?  Why?

Comparing Modes of Transport

Listen to the descriptions of four ways to get to the station. Then answer the questions about what you heard.


How to Get to the Train Station

What Causes Earth's Seasons?

Are there seasons in Venezuela?

Why don't we have winter in Maracaibo?

Which season do you think you like the best?

30 Days ...

This is a traditional teaching rhyme used to identify which months have 30 days and which have 31 days. "Hath" is an old form of "has", no longer used except in poetry and old texts.


Try to repeat and memorize the verses.

Comparatives - Comparisons

Review the lesson on comparative adjectives, and listen to the interview with an artist.

Big and Small

Review the use of big and small - then answer the questions at the end.

Summer Poetry

When people live through four seasons a year, summer is a time for enjoying the outdoors, for relaxed days and lazy nights - as described in this poem by Carl Sandburg.

Back Yard
Shine on, O moon of summer. Shine to the leaves of grass, catalpa and oak, All silver under your rain to-night. An Italian boy is sending songs to you to-night from an accordion. A Polish boy is out with his best girl; they marry next month;      to-night they are throwing you kisses. An old man next door is dreaming over a sheen that sits in a      cherry tree in his back yard. The clocks say I must go—I stay here sitting on the back porch drinking      white thoughts you rain down.      Shine on, O moon, Shake out more and more silver changes. If you enjoyed this poem, read more... Carl Sandburg

Comparatives

Practice with comparatives.

Our World from Space

The Known Universe takes viewers from the Himalayas through our atmosphere and the inky black of space to the afterglow of the Big Bang. Every star, planet, and quasar seen in the film is possible because of the world's most complete four-dimensional map of the universe, the Digital Universe Atlas that is maintained and updated by astrophysicists at the American Museum of Natural History. The new film, created by the Museum, is part of an exhibition, Visions of the Cosmos: From the Milky Ocean to an Evolving Universe, at the Rubin Museum of Art in Manhattan through May 2010.