ENGLISH LESSON 6 ABILITY VERBS‏(İngilizce Dersler 6)

28/11/2007 · Kategori: English Lesson

ABILITY VERBS

Can+ infinitive (without to )

be able to+infinitive

be capable of+ gerund

One ocasión in the past

managed + infinitive

succeded in+ gerund

I was capable of riding a bike when I was 3 years old

 

a) Can and be able to

Can and be able to are both used to express ability.

However can only has present tense (can) and past tense (could) forms. If another form of the verb is required be able to is used.

Present:

She can/ is able to speak three languages fluently

 

Past:

She could/ was able to read when she was two

 

Infinitive:

I'd like to be able to ski

 

Present perfect:

He's never been able to save money

 

Will/ future

She'll be able to drive to work when she passes her test

 

b) Present ability

We use can or be able to talk about present ability. Be able to is more formal than Can.

I can run faster than you

He is able to speak without moving his lips

 

The negative form of can is can't or cannot. To form the negative of be able to , not is used before able. You can also use be unable to.

I cannot understand why she married him

 

Many of my students aren't able to/are unable to pronounce the word “thaught” correctly.

Be capable of+gerund

Can also be used to express ability. It means to have the ability , capacity or potential to do something.

The team has some excellent players and is capable of wining the championship

 

The negative form be incapable of+ gerund can be used or not can be placed before capable.

She's incapable / isn't capable of looking after herself

 

c) Past ability

When we talk about general ability in the past both could/ and was/ were able to are possible.

She could sing really well when she was a child

My grandfather could play the trumpet when was 90.

 

Be capable of also can be used in the past.

Joe wasn't capable of making toast without burning it

 

Whe we talk about ability to do something on one ocasión in the past could is not possible, instead was/ were able to/ managed to+ infinitive, or succeded in+ gerund have to be used.

I managed to / was able to speak to Frank last night

Firefighters succeded in controlling the flames

 

 

However could can be used for ability on one ocasión when it is used with verb of the senses: see, smell, hear, feel, sense, taste.

I knew my wife had arrived, I could smell her perfume

 

When we talk about inability to do something on one ocasión in the past couldn't / weren't/ wasn't able to / didn't manage to and din't succeded in are all possible.

I couldn't do the homework, it was too dificult

I didn't manage / wasn't able to repair the washing machine

 

 

Lesson 5. reporter speech/ reporting verbs/ reporting questions&

25/11/2007 · Kategori: English Lesson

lesson 5. reporter speech/ reporting verbs/ reporting questions

REPORTER SPEECH

When we use reporter speech , changes may have to be made to verb tenses, pronoums and certain words indicating place and time.

 

DIRECT SPEECH REPORTER SPEECH

Present Simple Present Continuous

I work in an office He said he worked in an office

 

Present Continuos Past Continuos

We're going away on holiday She said they were going away

on holiday

 

Present Perfect Past Perfect

I've know her for a long time. He said he'd known her for a long time.

 

Present Perfect Continuos Past Perfect Continuos

He's been playing tennis, she said She said he'd been playing

tennis

Past Simple Past Perfect

I saw Nigel in town , he said He said that he had seen Nigel

in Town

 

Past Continuous Past Perfect Continuous

We're trying to help him , she said She said they had been trying

to help him

 

The modal verbs will, must , and can , change to would, had to, might and could.

No changes:

Past Perfect

He had never spoken about it before, she said

She said he had never spoken about him before.

Modal Verbs: Would, might , could, should ought to .

You should go to the doctor's he said

He said I should go to the doctor's

If the statement being reported is still true.

I like fish , she said

She said she likes fish

If the reporting verbs is in present

It's 40º in Athens at the moment

Jeremy say it's 40º in Athens at the moment

 

Pronoums in direct speech may have to change when we use reported speech.

I'll see you soon said Peter

Peter said he would see me soon

The following changes may also need to be made to words indicating place and time.

Now Then

Today That day

This morning That morning

Tomorrow The next/ following day

Next week The next/ following week

Yesterday The day before/ the previous day

Two days ago Two days before/ earlier

Last Week The week before/ the previous week

Here There

Come Go

This, that, these and those may change to the.

That book you lent me is really boring, he said

He said the book I had lent him was really boring

REPORTING VERBS

Tell is used with a direct object

He told me (that) he was getting married

Say and Explain are used without a direct object

She said (that) she was ill (not she said me)

They can however be used with an indirect object

I explained to them (that) I'd left my passport at home (not I explained them)

Some reporting verbs can be used with an infinitive.

Verb+ object / pronoum + infinitive with to

Advise, ask, encourage, invite, order, persuade, recommend, remind, tell, urge, warn.

Don't forget to phone Jim, he told her

He remind her to phone Jim

Verb+ infinitive without to

Offer, promise, refuse, threaten.

I'll help you mend the car if you like

He offered to help me mend the car

The following patterns can be used after both recommend and suggest.

He recommend/ Suggest (that) I (should) eat less sugar

She recomended/Suggested joining a youth club

The infinitive with to can only be used after recommend.

REPORTING QUESTIONS

When we report questions we make the same changes to verb tenses, pronoums, and words indicating place and time as we do when we report statements. The following changes are also made:

Auxilary verbs:

Auxilary verbs, do, does, and did are omited

Word order:

Is the same as that of a statement

Punctuation:

Questions marks are not used

Yes/ No question:

If there is no question word ( what, where, who,etc) in the direct question we use if or whether.

Does she smoke?

He asked if/ whether she smoked

Ask

a) Requests (Ask+object+ infintive with to )

Can you help me , please?

He asked me to help me

b) Questions

Can you ride a horse?

She asked if I could ride a horse

Tell

 

a) Command ( Tell+object+ infinitive with to)

Put your coat on

She told him to put his coat on

b) Statement

I can't find my coat

He told her (that) he couldn't find his coat

English Lesson 4 SO, NEITHER, NOR (İngilizce Dersler 4)

25/11/2007 · Kategori: English Lesson

 

To indicte that we have same feelings with positive statements we use So, and for negative statements neither or nor.

I'm feeling tired.So am I (I'm feeling tired too)

I never read newspapers. Neither do I ( I don't read either)

 

You have to put so and neither at the begining of the sentence. The order of words after so and neither the verb is before the subject.

I passed the exam and so did Tom – Not Som Tom did

You can use nor instead of neither

I can't remember his name. Nor can I / neither can I

 

If we're agree with a positive statement we use so + auxiliary verb/ modal verb+ pronoum.

I like tea without sugar. So do I

 

To agree with a negative statement we use nor/neither+ auxiliary verb/ modal verb+ pronoum.

I don't like tea with sugar. Nor do I /neither do I

 

To disagree with a positive statement we use pronoum+auxiliar/modal verb+not(n't) .

I like tea with sugar. I don't

 

To disagree with a negative statement we use pronoum+ auxiliar/modal verb.

I don't like tea with sugar. I do

 


Complete each of the space below with so ,neither or nor  and an appropiate auxiliary verb
 
He can't drive and ____________________
 
I'm older than Harry and _______________ is Ron
 
He never writtes to me  and ____________________ Colin
 
Her parents  are going to France , and ________ are mine
 
Seamus came to the party , and _______________ did Dean
 
I've already seen that film and _____________ has Neville
 
Hermione won't tell anyone and ___________________ I
 
I feel tired. ___________
 
I watched TV last night ____________
 
I won't be in London next week____________________
 
I live in a small town_____________
 
I'd like to go to the moon __________________
 
I can't play thetrumpet_______________________
 
 
 

English Lesson 3 (Passive)

24/11/2007 · Kategori: English Lesson

PASSIVE

Only verb with an object (transitive verbs) can be made passive.

They sent the letter. The letter was sent

They arrived late (cannot be made passive)

 

Verbs with both direct and indirect objects can be made passive in two ways.

They sent me the letter. The letter was sent to me / I was sent the letter

 

Some transitive verbs cannot be made passive in some uses. For example like and love

I like this place

 

Focus on important information

By placing the object at the begining of the sentence, the passive can change the focus of interest in a sentence

United were beaten by Arsenal

 

The passive is used in a variety of contexts . Notice how to agent (person who does the action) is unimportant, unknown or relear for the situation

Impersonal statement:

Students are asked not to smoke

 

When the agent is unknown

My bike has bee stolen ! / Someone/they have stolen my bike

 

When the agent is obvious

Mr. Jones will be arrested

 

How something was done

The box was opened with a knife

 

Reporting Verbs

The passive is often used with say, belive, know , understand, and similar verbs in reported speech to avoid an impersonal they or people

People say that John Wilson lives in N.Y

John Wilson is said to live in N.Y

 

Other verbs forms can also be reported in this way

They say John Wilson is travelling in Africa

John wilson is said to be travellin in Africa

People say John Wilson has arrived in Australia

John Wilson is said to have arrived in Australia

 

Have/Get something done

When someone does some work for us we can use have something done

Last Year I had new tiles put on the roof

I'm having my hair cut this afternoon

 

The same construction can describe bad luck caused by unspecified person :

Peter had his car stolen last week, and then he had his leg broken playing football

 

Using get can also suggest managing to do something difficult

It was difficult but we got the painting done in the end

 

Needs doing

This is an idiomatic way of expressing a pasive sentence where a thing or person needs some kind of action.

The floor is fifthy . It's needs to be cleaned

The floor is fifthy. It needs cleaning

 

Verbs and prepositions

The preposition stays with the verb in a passive sentence.

People shouted at the Prime Minister during his speech.

The Prime Minister was shouted at during his speech.

 

Other problems

Be born is a passive form but does not work, have an obvious passive meaning .

I was born near Kyoto

 

Make ( when meaning force) is followed by to in the passive

They made David work hard

David was made to work hard

 

Because the agent is unimportant , unknown or obvious it is often not included. If we want to say who does the action, we use by.

This letter was delivered this morning

This letter was deliverd this morning by courier

We use an active verb to say what does the subject does

My grandfatehr was a builder. He built this house in 1930

It's a big company . It employs two hundred people

The passive is be ( is , was, have been ,etc) + past participle

 

Present simple

Active : clean (s)

Passive : am, is , are cleaned

Somebody cleans this room every day

This room is cleaned every day

 

Past simple

Active: Cleaned

Passive : was / were cleaned

Somebody cleaned this room yesterday

This room was cleaned yesterday

 

Infinitive

Active :To clean

Passive : to be cleaned

Somebody will clean the room later

The room will be cleaned later

 

Present Perfect

Active: have / has cleaned

Passive: have/ have been cleaned

The room looks nice. Somebody has cleaned it

The room looks nice. It has been cleaned

 

Past Perfect

Active: had cleaned

Passive: Had been cleaned

The room looked nice. Somebody had cleaned it

The room looked nice. It had been cleaned

 

Present Continuous

Active: Am/ is/ are cleaning

Passive: Am/ is/ are being cleaning

Somebody is cleaning the room at the moment

The room is being cleaning at the moment

 

Past Continuous

Active: Was/ were cleaning

Passive: Was/ were being cleaned

Somebody was cleaning the room when I arrived

The room was being cleaned when I arrived

 

Some verbs can have two objects.

We gave the police the information = we gave the information to the police.

 

So it's possible to make two passive sentences

The police were given the information or the information was given to the police

 

Other verbs that can have two objects are : ask, offer, pay, show, teach, tell

When we use these verbs in the passive , most often we begin with the person

I was offered the job but I refused it (they offered me the job)

Have you been shown the new machine? Has anybody shown you ?

 

The passive of doing/ seeing is being/done, being seen, etc

Active: I dont like people telling me what to do

Passive: I don't like being told what to do

 

Sometimes you can use Get instead of be in the passive

There was a fight at the party but nobody got hurt

I'm surprised Anna didn't get offered the job

 

You can use get to say that something happens to somebody or something specially if this unplanned or unexpected.

Our dog got run over by a car

 

You can use get only when things happen or change. You can't use get in this sentence

He was a mystery man. Nothing was known about him (not got known

 

English Lesson 2(Conditional)

23/11/2007 · Kategori: English Lesson

0 conditional

If+ present simple or imperative

We use the 0 conditional to talk about situations wich are always true. It has the same meaning as when, whenever, or every time in such sentences

Every day situations

My eyes hurt if I spend too long on the computer

Scientifics parts

If you mix blue and yelow, you get green

Instructions if+ imperative

If you don't know the answer make an intellegent guess

 

1st Conditional

If+ present simple, will+ infinitive without to

Use: to describe what may possible happen

A first conditional describes a real or likely situation. A present tense is used after if but the times refered to is the future. Will/ won't are common in the result clause.

If you fall , I won't be able to catch you!

This means that there's a real possibility this will happen.

Going to can be used instead of will.

If it rains we're going to get wet

The modal verb can is also common in first conditional sentences.

If the cases are too heavy. I can help you carry them

 

 

 

Unless, provide, as long as.

Unless-if not

Unless you leave at once, I'll call the police

If you don't leave at once, I'll call the police.

Provided – On the condition that

Provided you leave now, you will cath the train

With the imperative.

It's common to use the imperative instead of if.

Get me some cigarretes and I'll pay you later.

With should

We can use should instead of if in a conditional sentence. It means if by any chance... and makes the action less likely .

Should you see John, can you give him a message?

When

We use when for things wich are sure to happen.

I'm going shopping this afternoon. When I go shopping I'll buy some food.

2nd Conditional

If+ past simple, would+ infinitive without to

A second conditional describes an unreal or imaginary situation.

If you fell, you would hurt yourself

This means that there's a small possibility that this will happen . The situation and its result are imagined.

The modal verbs might and could are common in 2nd conditional.

 

 

If you became a millionary you might be unhappy

Were

Were is often used instead of wsain formal language.

If I were taller , I'd join the basket ball team

Were to

Were to is an another way of expressing

If they were to offer me the job , Id' turn it down

3rd conditional

If+ past perfect , would/ might/ could have + past participle

With if:

A third conditional describes an unreal or imaginary situation in the past .

If John had studied more, he would have got better marks

This means that John didn't study more. A past situations , different to the one that really happened is imagined.

The modal verbs might and could are common in this kind of sentences.

If you had tried harder , you might have succeeded

Mixed conditional

If+ past perfect, would+ infinitive without to

Combination of a second and third conditional. They can express an imaginary past event and a possible o probable present result.

If you had listened to my advice , you would not be in this situation now

 

English Lesson 1 (Modal Verbs)

18/11/2007 · Kategori: English Lesson

1. LESSON

 

Today we will learn modal verb present and past

 I will send you  exercices, and at the end a short review of modal verbs that you can consult.

 

Modal verbs:

 

  • AbIlIty - Can and be able to .

Can like all modal verbs cannot be used in an infinitive or continuous form. We use be able to in situation where we need this forms. (Bütün modal verb'ler gibi mastar ve sürekli form burada da kullanılamaz. Bu durumda "be able to" yapısı kullanılır.)

 

Ex. I 'd like to be able to swim . Not being able to swim is annoying

 

that can , is only in present and in past ( could ), if you can't use can in other forms, you have to use be able . you can't say you will can see the mountains.

 

I have to use "to" or not ?

Yes. You have to use 

 

Ex. I will be able to run

 

  • Certainty and uncertainty- Must and Can’t

 

These words have a meaning relating to certainty . They're used  to make deductions . This is when we're sure or almost sure  about something because it is logical. This usage is specially common with the verb BE

 

Ex. You must be tired after your long journey ( I'm sure you're)

That Can't be Sue. She's in Brazil (I'm sure it's not possible)

 

  • May/Might and Could

 

This words allow express uncertainty  or possibility . Could is not used with Not in this context.

 

Ex. I might go out. I don't know.

 

This possibility or permission ?

Means perhaps , maybe .

 

  • should and ought to 

These words are both used for obligation, but they have also the meaning related to certainty They're used when we expect that something will happen .

 

Ex. Brenda Should be home by now (I expect that she is)

 

OBLIGATION

 

  • Must and Have to .

 

Must is used when the speaker personally feels something is important  and Have to,  is used when the situation make something necessary.

 

Ex. You must start working harder

You have to turn left here (is the law)

 

  • MUSN'T AND DON'T HAVE TO

 

Musn't describes something wich is prohibited, Don't have to describes something wich is not necessary .

 

Ex. You mustn't leave now (is not allowed)

You don't have to leave now ( it's not necesary, you have a choice )

 

  • SHOULD AND OUGHT TO

 

These words have the same meaning , They're used to say what is the bes thing to do,They can be used to give some advice an opinion, instrucctions , etc

 

We should do something different for our holidays this year

I think you should see a doctor. You ought not to smoke if you 're pregnant.

 

  • HAD BETTER

 

This phrase gives strong advice about how to stop something going wrong. It can refer present or future.

 

Ex. I think you had better leave now. You had better  not drive .

 

second part 

 

MODAL VERB PAST

 

  • Ability- Could and Was able to

 

To talk about general past ability we use could .

 

EX. When I was youngI could run very fast

       

 

 

To talk about one specific past action we use was able to

 

This is generaly or for a time ?

For a time, specific you have to use was able to

Like this example. Luckily  Mary was able to help us .

 

  • MUST HAVE AND CAN'T HAVE

 

These are used to make logical deductions about past actions.

 

Ex. I must have left my wallet in the car (I'm sure I did )

Jim can't have noticed you (I'm sure he didn't )

 

  • MAY HAVE, MIGHT HAVE AND COULD HAVE

 

These express possibility  or uncertainty about past actions

 

Jean Might have missed the train (perhaps she did )

 He may not have recived the letter (perhaps he didn't )

You could have been killed (it was a possiblity )

 

Might and may are so similar, maybe first is may and after is might and could is a possibilty .

Might is when is lower probability .

 

  • WAS / WERE TO HAVE

This describes something wich was suposed to happen, but didn't it is formal in use.

 

He was to have left yesterday - this means, he was supposed to leave but he didn't )

 

MODAL PAST VERB- IN OBLIGATION

 

  • HAD TO

Must has not past form. So we used had to

 

Ex. Sorry I'm late . I had to take the children to school

The question form is Did you have to ?  - Did you have to work yesterday ?

 

  • SHOULD HAVE/ OUGHT TO HAVE

 

These express the feeling that a mistake was made. There is a criticism.

 

Ex. I should have posted this letter yesterday. (I didn't do the right thing)

You shouldn't have told me the answer (you were wrong to do so )

 

  • NEEDN'T AND DIDN'T HAVE TO

 

This is past necessity 

 

  • needn't have + past partIcIple

 

Is used to talk about an action wich is unnecesary

 

Ex. I needn't have (done) something

 

This means I did something but now I know that it was not necessary

ex. I needn't have prepared so much food for the party ( and I prepared a lot)

 

  • DIdn't  need to + InfInItIve

 

Is used to talk about an action

 

I didn't need to..- means it was not necessary for me to do , and I knew this at the time, and I didn't 

 

Ex. I didn't need to get up earlier- so I didn't

 

 

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