Capitalization

Capitalization rules

Capitalization is the writing of a word with the first letter as upper-case letter (A,B, C,
D,...) and the rest of the word as lower-case letters (a,b,c,d,...)

This is a summary of the capitalization.

Read the capitalization rules and study the examples given.

The rules

Capitalize the first word in a sentence.

 They arrived late. They had dinner and went to sleep.

The first word in a quote.

 He said, "You are fantastic."

Capitalize " I ".

 I'm very sorry for being late. I missed the bus.

Capitalize proper nouns.

 George was furious when he heard the bad news from Alice.

Capitalize names of rivers, mountains.

 The Nile River is in Egypt.

 The highest mountain in the world is Mount Everest.

The official title of a person, the initials in someone's name are capitalized

 Dr. Lynch.
 D. H. Lawrence is a wonderful novelist.

Days of the week, months of the year, holidays are capitalized.

 We went to Paris on Monday and came back on Saturday.

 The Independence Day is in July not January.

Capitalize countries, cities, languages, nationalities.

 New York is more exciting than Seattle.

 He lives in London, but he's not English. He's Nigerian.
  He speaks English, Chinese and Japanese.

The first word in each line of a poem.

 "Who will believe my verse in time to come,

If it were fill'd with your most high deserts?
Though yet heaven knows it is but as a tomb
Which hides your life, and shows not half your parts."
Shakespeare.

Writing tips

Writing tips

These are some tips to help you in your writing.

General

The ideal English text is easy to read and understand. Good writers usually use plain
English words. So your sentences should be simple, clear and well structured.

When writing, remember the following recommendations in mind:

 use simple language

 use simple and clear sentences
 write well structured paragraphs (with a topic sentences supporting details
and a concluding sentence)
 you may use subordinate clauses but keep them short
 prefer active voice to passive voice
 avoid slang language.

Sentence

Make your sentences simple and clear.

A sentence always encloses a subject, a verb and , optionally, a complement.
Examples:

 she tells stories

 She lies

A sentence may contain subordinate clauses (relative clauses, if clauses…)

Paragraph

As to paragraphs, keep the following rules in mind:

 Concentrate on one main point per paragraph. Summarize this point in the
first sentence ( topic sentence.)
  All sentences that follow support the main point or limit its scope
(supporting sentences)
 The last sentence is a summary of the main point of the paragraph and is
used as a transition to the next paragraph. (concluding sentence)

Text

The typical structure of a text is as follows:

 (title)
 introduction
 main part
 conclusion

Make your texts interesting. Vary the lengths of your sentences. Use a short sentence to
put emphasis on an important statements. Vary the lengths of your paragraphs and avoid
one-sentence paragraphs.

There are various possibilities on how to structure your texts, e.g.:

 General to Specific:
general statement followed by details and examples
 Specific to General:
details and examples followed by a generalization:
 Known to Unknown:
provide new information based on what readers already know
 Least Important to Most Important:
catch and keep readers' attention
 Chronology (ordering by time):
e.g. in biographies

Process writing

Writing is a process. Famous successful writers follow these steps in their writing:

 Collecting the data

 Organizing the data
 Making an outline.
 The first draft.
 Editing.
 Possible reassessment of the ideas (crossing out some ideas, introducing
new ideas, rearranging ideas…)
 Final draft.

Type of texts

 Descriptive
 Argumentative
 Letters (personal and business letters)
 Cause and effects…
 Writing | Topic Sentence

  What is a topic sentence?
 The topic sentence, also called a focus sentence, is the sentence which
summarizes the principal idea of the paragraph. Although topic sentences may
appear anywhere in a paragraph, it is usually the first sentence in that paragraph.
 The topic sentence summarizes the main idea of the paragraph and adds cohesion
to a paper and helps organize ideas both within the paragraph and the whole body
of work at large.
 All the other sentences in a paragraph have to support the topic sentence by
offering more information or details about the topic. These sentences are called
supporting sentences.
 Example of a topic sentence

Louisiana hosts one of the most well known celebrations - Mardi Gras. Mardi Gras is
French for "Fat Tuesday". This holiday is sometimes called "Shrove Tuesday". People wear
masks and costumes, overturn social conventions, dance, organize competitions and
parades. Related popular practices were associated with celebrations before the fasting
and religious obligations associated with the penitential season of Lent.

 The sentence "Louisiana hosts one of the most well known celebrations - Mardi
Gras" is the topic sentence of the paragraph. The other sentences give more
information to support the topic sentence.

Linking Words

Linking words

Like other languages, English has a lot of cohesive or transitional devices and linking
words that can be used to express and join ideas.

1. Expressing addition

To add information, you can use these expressions:

Examples:

in addition, - as well as - moreover - what is more - not only...but also... - furthermore -

besides - also - too - and...

 If the project fails this will have terrible consequences not only on our
department, but also on the whole organization
 John's grades are terrible because he has been so lazy these days. In
addition to this, his relationship to his parents got worse.
 The report is badly written. Moreover, it's inaccurate.

2. Expressing contrast

To express contrast, you can use these expressions:

Examples:
although - even though - in spite of / despite - however - yet - nevertheless - nonetheless
- on the contrary - whereas - on the one hand ...but on the other hand... - conversely -
but...

 Brain drain has terrible consequences on the developing

countries. Nevertheless, nothing has been done to solve the problem or at
least reduce its negative effects.
 In spite of / despite Fred's old age, he goes jogging every morning.
 Although she's very nice, her classmates hate her.
 They have got two children, a boy and girl. The boy takes after his
father whereas the girl takes after the mother.

3. Expressing cause and effect

To express cause and effect, you can use these expressions:

Examples:

consequently - as a consequence - as a result - therefore - because of this - for this reason

- because - since - as - for - due to - owing to

 She remained silent, for she was so depressed to talk.

 We can't go to Sue's party because we'll be busy working on our project.
 The plane was delayed because of the foggy weather.
 He had spent most of his time hanging around instead of revising his
lessons. Consequently, he had a lot of trouble answering the exam
questions.

5. Expressing purpose

To express purpose use the following words:

Examples:

in order to - in order not to - sa as to - so as not to - to - not to

 She wakes up early in order to be on time to work.

 They visited him so as to offer their condolences for the death of his wife
 He helped the new policewoman so as not to fail in her first mission.

4. Summarizing

To summarize, you can use the following expressions:

Examples:

in conclusion - to conclude - to sum up - in a nutshell - in brief - in short - all in all -

everything considered...
 Yes or No Questions

Types of questions

There are two types of questions:

 Yes or no questions
 Wh questions

Yes-no questions

Yes or no questions are questions whose expected answer is either "yes" or "no".

How to form yes-no questions

In English, a special word order (Verb Subject Object) is used to form yes-no questions.

Examples:

Affirmative Yes or No Question

They are American Are they American?
She is nice Is she nice?

The rules

1. If the main verb of the sentence is "to be", simply invert the subject and the verb to be:

Examples:

 They are American. — Are they American?

 They are nice. — Are they nice?

2. If the sentence includes a main verb and another or other helping (auxiliary) verb(s),
invert the subject and the (first) helping (auxiliary) verb.

Examples:

 They are visiting Paris. — Are they visiting Paris?

 She has done the housework. — Has she done the housework
 Nancy has been working all night long. — Has Nancy been working all night
long?
 He will be reading the book. — Will he be reading the book?

3. If the sentence includes a verb which is not the verb "to be" and doesn't include a
helping (auxiliary) verb, the transformation is more complex.
a. If the verb is in the present tense, add either do or does and put the main verb in its
base form:

 do if the subject is the first person singular, second person singular,

first person plural, second person plural and third person plural (I,
you, we, they)
Examples:
I like apples. — Do you like apples?
They go to a high school. — Do they go to a high school?
 does if the subject is the third person singular (he, she, it).
Examples:
Nancy reads a lot. — Does Nancy read a lot?
He hates basketball. — Does he hate basketball?

b.If the verb is in the past tense, add did and put the main verb in its base form:

Examples:

 He discovered the truth. — Did he discover the truth?

 She wrote a nice essay. — Did she write a nice essay?
 They did the homework. — Did they do the homework?
671

Grammar Exercise - Yes or No Questions

Do the exercise below on yes or no questions and click on the button

to check your answers.

(Before doing the exercises you may want to read the lesson on yes or no questions)

Transform these sentences into a yes or no question

1. He loves this town.

2. They like soccer.

3. She can drive a lorry.

4. They are nice.

5. They went to the swimming pool.

6. She wastes her money on jewelery.

7. He decided to leave his wife.

 8. She wakes up early.

9. They should revise their lessons.

10. He was born in this town.

Wh questions (Question Words)

Types of questions

There are two types of questions:

 Yes or no questions
 Wh questions

Question words

Question words are also called wh questions because they include the letters 'W' and 'H'.

Question
Meaning Examples
words
who person Who's that? That's Nancy.
where place Where do you live? In Boston
reason Why do you sleep early? Because I've got to get
why
up early
when time When do you go to work? At 7:00
how manner How do you go? By car
what object, idea or action What do you do? I am an engineer
which choice Which one do you prefer? The red one.
whose possession Whose is this book? It's Alan's.
 whom object of the verb Whom did you meet? I met the manager.
description What kind of music do you like? I like quiet
what kind
songs
what time time What time did you come home?
quantity (countable) How many students are there? There are
how many
twenty.
amount, price How much time have we got? Ten minutes
how much
(uncountable)
duration, length How long did you stay in that hotel? For two
how long
weeks.
how often frequency How often do you go to the gym? Twice a week.
how far distance How far is your school? It's one mile far.
how old age How old are you? I'm 16.
how come reason How come I didn't see you at the party?

Asking questions

1.If you ask about the subject of the sentence, simply add the question word at the
beginning:

Example:
James writes good poems. — Who writes good poems?

2.If you ask about the predicate of the sentence (the part of a sentence which contains
the verb and gives information about the subject), there are three options:

 If there is a helping (auxiliary) verb that precedes the main verb ( for
example: can, is, are, was, were, will, would...), add the question word
and invert the subject and the helping (auxiliary) verb.
Examples:
He can speak Chinese. — What can he speak?
They are leaving tonight. — When are they leaving?
 If you ask about the predicate and there is no helping (auxiliary) verb and
the verb is "to be", simply add the question word and invert the subject and
the verb.
Example:
The play was interesting. — How was the play?
 If there is no helping (auxiliary) verb in the the predicate and the main verb
is not "to be", add the auxiliary "do" in the appropriate form.
Examples:
They go to the movies every Saturday. — Where do they go every
Saturday?
He wakes up early. — When does he wake up?
They sent a letter. — What did they send?

Grammar Exercises - Wh questions

 Do the exrcises on question words and click on the button to check
your answers.

(Before doing the exercises you may want to read the lesson on question words)

Choose the correct question words

1.
do you live? - I live in London.
2.
's that girl? - She's my sister.
3.
do you go to school? - By bus.
4.
do banks open? - At eight O'clock.
5.
are you wearing that coat? - Because it's hot!

Write question about the words in bold.

Example:

He drank juice. - What did he drink?

1. They went to Spain.

2. He writes novels.

3. Lacy likes soccer

4. The girls watched a serial.

5. He discovered the truth.

Warning

Before submitting the test, check the following:

 Punctuation and capitalization

 Spelling
 Spaces (don't add any unnecessary spaces)

Grammar Exercise - Question Words

Do the exercises below on quantifiers and click on the button to check
your answers.

(Before doing the exercises you may want to read the lesson on wh-questions)

Choose the correct question word

1. are you going tomorrow?

2. are you traveling?
3. would you like to have
for dessert?
4. are you crying ?
5. one do you like?
6. do you feel today?
7. time are leaving?
8. book is this?
9. has broken this vase?

Tag Questions

Definition

A tag question is a grammatical structure. It refers to a declarative statement or an

imperative that are modified to become a question by adding an interrogative fragment.

Use

Tag questions:

 can be considered as an indicator of politeness, emphasis, or irony;

 they may suggest confidence or lack of confidence;
 they may be confrontational or tentative;
 in legal settings, tag questions can be found in leading question.

Form

Tag questions vary according to different factors such as the choice of auxiliary, the
negation.

The structure is generally as follows:

Affirmative statement Negative Tag

he likes him doesn't he?
 Negative statement Affirmative Tag
she doesn't care about him does she?

Examples

Statements

Affirmative statement Negative tag

He is excellent at languages, isn't he?
You were late, weren't you?
They are working on a new project, aren't they?
She writes good poems, doesn't she?
We have worked hard to earn this money, haven't we?
He called her, didn't he?
You should see a doctor, shouldn't you?
He can drive, can't he?
You will help us, won't you?

Negative statement Affirmative tag

He isn't an athlete, is he?
They weren't early, were they?
You aren't writing a new book, are you?
She doesn't work in a hospital, does she?
He hasn't found the solution, has he?
You didn't visit the museum, did you?
We shouldn't sleep late, should we?
You won't tell her, will you?

Imperatives

Imperative Tag
keep quiet, won't you ?
will you?
would you?
could you?

Questions with like

Uses of like in questions

The word like is used in different ways to ask questions. Such questions with like may
have different meanings.

Like may be used to ask questions about:

 Personality or the characteristics of something.

 Preferences.
 Physical appearance.
 Hobbies.

The word like in these question is used either as a verb or as a preposition.

Talking about personality or the characteristics of something

Like can be used to ask about personality or the characteristics of something:

Example:

 What's your friend like? → He's nice.

 What's the house like? → It's huge.
 What was the weather like? → It was sunny.

Like in the above examples is used as a preposition.

Talking about about preferences

Like can be used to talk about preferences.

Examples:

 What would you like to eat? → Fish, please.

 What would you like to do next weekend? → Go sightseeing.

Like is used in these questions as a verb.

Talking about physical appearance or resemblance

Like may be used in questions to ask about physical appearance.

Examples:

 What does he look like? → He is tall and has got black long hair.
 What does she look like? → She is beautiful. She has brown eyes and short
black hair.
 Who do you look like? → I look just like my father.
 Who does she look like? → She looks like her grandmother.

Like in the above questions is used as a preposition.

Talking about hobbies

To ask about hobbies, use like in questions as follows:

 What does he like doing? → He likes singing.

 What do you like doing? → I like reading.

Like in these examples is used as a verb.

Simple Present
Affirmative She drinks.
Negative She does not drink.
Interrogative Does she drink?
Form I, you we they play | he, she, it plays
 action in the present taking place once, never or several times
 facts
Uses  actions taking place one after another
 action set by a timetable or schedule

Present Progressive
Affirmative He is reading.
Negative He is not reading.
Interrogative Is he reading?
Form To be (in the simple present) + verb + ing
 action taking place at the moment of speaking
Uses  action arranged for the future

Simple Past
Affirmative I cried.
Negative I did not cry
Interrogative Did I cry?
Regular verbs: Verb + ed | Irregular verbs: forms differ and should be
Form
learned by heart. This is a list of irregular verbs
 action in the past taking place once, never or several times
Uses  actions taking place one after another
 Past Progressive
Affirmative He was driving.
Negative He was not driving.
Interrogative Was he driving?
Form to be (in the simple past) + verb + ing
 action going on at a certain time in the past
 actions taking place at the same time
Uses
 action in the past that is interrupted by another action

Present Perfect Simple

Affirmative They have slept.
Negative They have not slept.
Interrogative Have they slept?
Have / has + past participle (past participle of regular verbs: verb +
Form ed | Past participle of irregular verbs: forms differ and should be
learned by heart. This is a list of irregular verbs)
 emphasis is on the result (not the duration)
 action that started in the past & is still going on
Uses  action that stopped recently
 finished action that has an influence on the present

Present Perfect Progressive

Affirmative He has been thinking.
Negative He has not been thinking.
Interrogative Has he been thinking?
Form have or has + been + verb + ing
 putting emphasis on the course or duration (not the result)
 action that recently stopped or is still going on
Uses
 finished action that influenced the present

Past Perfect Simple

Affirmative She had won.
Negative She had not won.
Interrogative Had she won?
had + past participle (past participle of regular verbs: verb + ed | Past
Form participle of irregular verbs: forms differ and should be learned by
heart. This is a list of irregular verbs)
 action taking place before a certain time in the past
 sometimes interchangeable with past perfect progressive
Uses
 putting emphasis only on the fact (not the duration)

Past Perfect Progressive

Affirmative He had been waiting.
Negative He had not been waiting.
Interrogative Had he been waiting?
Form had + been + verb + ing
  action taking place before a certain time in the past
 sometimes interchangeable with past perfect simple
Uses
 putting emphasis on the duration or course of an action

Future Simple
Affirmative I will open the door.
Negative I will not open the door.
Interrogative Will you open the door?
Form will + verb
 We use the simple future for instant decisions.
 We use the simple future when we predict a future situation
Uses  We use the simple future in conditional sentences type one.
(More on conditional sentences here)

Future Plan
(going to)
Affirmative He is going to clean the car.
Negative He is not going to clean the car.
Interrogative Is he going to clean the car?
Form to be (in the simple present) + going + to + verb
 to express the future when we intend to do something or have
decided to do something but did not arrange it. It is just an
Uses intention.
 predictions in the future

Future Plan
(Present Progressive)
Affirmative He is traveling to Egypt next week.
Negative He is not traveling to Egypt next week.
Interrogative Is he traveling to Egypt next week?
Form to be (in the simple present) + verb + ing
 when we say what we have planned and arranged to do at a
specific time in the future. These are fixed plans with definite
Uses
time and/or place.

Future Progressive
Affirmative She will be listening to music.
Negative She will not be listening to music.
Interrogative Will she be listening to music?
Form will + be + verb + ing
 action that is going on at a certain time in the future
Uses  action that is sure to happen in the near future

Future Perfect
Affirmative He will have spoken.
Negative He will not have spoken.
Interrogative Will he have spoken?
will + have + past participle (past participle of regular verbs: verb +
Form ed | Past participle of irregular verbs: forms differ and should be
learned by heart. This is a list of irregular verbs)
 action that will be finished at a certain time in the future
Uses

Future Perfect Progressive

Affirmative You will have been studying.
Negative You will not have been studying.
Interrogative Will you have been studying?
Form will + have + been + verb + ing
 action taking place before a certain time in the future
Uses  putting emphasis on the course of an action

Conditional Simple
Affirmative We would relax.
Negative We would not relax.
Interrogative Would we relax ?
Form would + verb
 action that might take place
Uses

Conditional Progressive
Affirmative He would be writing.
Negative He would not be writing.
Interrogative Would he be writing?
Form would + be + verb + ing
 action that might take place
Uses  putting emphasis on the course / duration of the action

Conditional Perfect
Affirmative He would have written.
Negative He would not have written.
Interrogative Would he have written?
would + have + past participle (past participle of regular verbs: verb +
Form ed | Past participle of irregular verbs: forms differ and should be
learned by heart This is a list of irregular verbs)
 action that might have taken place in the past
Uses

Conditional Perfect Progressive

Affirmative She would have been sleeping.
Negative She would not have sleeping speaking.
Interrogative Would she have been sleeping?
Form would + have + been + verb + ing
Uses  action that might have taken place in the past
  puts emphasis on the course / duration of the action

Spelling of the -ed forms

The spelling of the simple past form (-ed forms)

You will learn the spelling of the simple past form (-ed form.) But before you continue the
lesson study the following examples and try to see how the verbs are spelled.

Verbs ending in a...

1. silent e 2. vowel + y 3. consonant + y 4. other forms
close = closed marry = married visit = visited
die = died play = played carry = carried miss = missed
phone = phoned destroy = destroyed study = studied watch = watched
show = showed finish = finished
fix = fixed
buzz = buzzed

The rules of the simple past tense forms:

Here are the rules:

1. Regular verbs ending in a silent e take /-d/ in the simple past and past
participle:
Example:
close=closed
2. Regular verbs ending in a vowel + y take /-ed/ in the simple past and past
participle:
Example:
play=played
3. Regular verbs ending in a consonant + y take /-ied/ in the simple past and
past participle (the y becomes an i followed by /-ed/)
Example:
marry=married
4. All the other regular vebs take /-ed/ in the simple past and past participle.
Example:
visit=visited
Special cases of the -ed forms:

Follow these rules when there is a consonant after a vowel (stop, ban, open, offer...)

 If there is a consonant after a stressed vowel at the end of the word, double
the consonant
stop – stopped
ban - banned
swap - swapped
 If the vowel is not stressed, we do not double it:
open - opened (Here the stress is on'o', not the 'e'.)
offer - offered ( Here the stress is on 'o', not the 'e'.)

In British English we double the last l even though the last vowel is not stressed. Here are
some examples:

 travel - travelled
 cancel - cancelled
 level - levelled
 marvel - marvelled

Exercise on the spelling of the ed forms.

Learning Strategies

Learning strategies

Learning strategies or study skills determine the approach for achieving the learning
objectives. The strategies are usually tied to your needs and interests to enhance learning
and are based on many types of learning styles.

Here are some strategies that can help you be successful in your studies.

Set small, achievable goals

Start with small steps to reach higher targets.

1. For example, try to learn 5 new English vocabulary items every day.
2. Set a 30 minutes study session every day.
3. Learn the lyrics of an English song every now and then.
4. Read a short English text every day.

Setting small targets is much better than setting huge goals that you cannot achieve.
Remember that "small drops of water make the mighty ocean"

Plan your studies

Planning your studies gives meaning to your work. If you know all the steps necessary to
achieve a goal and these steps are written down on a piece of paper, it will be easy for
you, then, to see the whole picture.

Be motivated

The secret to success is that you should be motivated to learn. Try to avoid boredom by
having fun in what you do. Try to find a positive aspect to studying English.

1. Read about what you are interested in (hobbies, fields of interest...)

2. Watch your favourite films in English
3. Listen to your favourite English songs and learn the lyrics.
4. Write your diary in English.
5. Read about your favorite stars in...

Remember, we learn better and fast things we really want to learn.

Manage your time

In order to manage your time successfully, having an awareness of what your goals are will
assist you in prioritizing your activities. Time management provides you with the
opportunity to create a schedule that works for you, not for others. This personal touch
gives you the flexibility to include the things that are most important to you.

Set a reward for yourself

Set a reward for yourself that you can look forward to. For example, when you reach a
goal, give yourself a reward:

1. Watch a movie.
2. have a delicious snack.
3. Meet your friends.
4. Go to the café.

Study skills - Preparing for exams

How to prepare for exams

Exam Success

Success in exams is determined by many intrinsic factors. Because motivation represents

an essential element of success, it should be born in mind that no preparation might yield
positive results if you are demotivated. So the first thing to do is to try to ask yourself
what motivates you to pass the exam. Do you seek a financially rewarding job? Do you
want to attend a university course? Or is it just a need to realize a dream? What ever
motivates you is the crucial drive for your success!

In addition to motivation, you must have a realistic strategy towards success. This involves
steps before and during the exam.
Tips for Success

Before the exam:

 You need to plan and organize in an orderly way.

 You need to set preparation timetables and set measurable, attainable and
realistic goals.
 Each subject should be given its due importance.
 You must use mind maps, short notes summaries to revise lessons.
 Previous exams can be of great help to students by reading them and familiarizing
themselves with format, marking scheme, language, terminology, types of
questions…
 You must also set a time for sleep and relaxation.

During the exam:

 While sitting for the exam, You should read the instructions carefully and check all
the pages.
 Students should consider which questions they will answer first and which they
should leave for later. For example, it might be helpful to start planning the most
difficult questions, but answer the easier questions first.
 It is also preferable to plan timing according to the number of questions and marks
for each.
 Managing stress is an important factor. One tip that might work for students is
taking deep breaths now and then.
 Quotes about Success

 Success is detrmined by many factors some of them are intrinsic while others are
extrinsic. This is a list of famous quotes about success.

 A belief
 I've always believed that if you put in the work, the results will
come.
 Michael Jordan
 A failure
 Show me a thoroughly satisfied man and I will show you a failure.
 Thomas A. Edison
 A man's growth
 A man's growth is seen in the successive choirs of his friends.
 Ralph Waldo Emerson
 A pessimist versus an optimist
 A pessimist sees the difficulty in every opportunity; an optimist sees
the opportunity in every difficulty.
 Winston Churchill
 Accepting failure
 I can accept failure, everyone fails at something. But I can't accept
not trying.
 Michael Jordan
 Against it
 Kites rise highest against the wind, not with it.
 Winston Churchill
 All great deeds
 All great deeds and all great thoughts have a ridiculous beginning.
Great works are often born on a street corner or in a restaurant's
revolving door.
 Albert Camus
 An artist cannot fail
 An artist cannot fail; it is a success to be one.
 Charles Horton Cooley
 Don't become discouraged
 Nearly every man who develops an idea works it up to the point where it
looks impossible, and then he gets discouraged. That's not the place to
become discouraged.
 Thomas A. Edison
 Dreams and success
 If one advances confidently in the direction of his dreams, and endeavors to
live the life which he has imagined, he will meet with success unexpected
in common hours.
 Henry David Thoreau
 Easy or difficult
 All things are difficult before they are easy.
 Thomas Fuller
 From failure to failure
 Success consists of going from failure to failure without loss of enthusiasm.
 Winston Churchill
 Glory
 Our greatest glory is not in never falling but in rising everytime we fall.
 Author unknown
 Happiness and success
 Your success and happiness lies in you. Resolve to keep happy, and your joy
and you shall form an invincible host against difficulties.
 Helen Keller
Successful life
 A positive mind leads to positive life and a positive life guides
to a successful life.
Noman Shahzad
 Vocabulary - Youth

 Youth vocabulary
 This is a thematic list of vocabulary items related to youth
 Adolescence:
 The period of time in a person's life when they are developing into an adult
 Delinquent:
 A delinquent is one who fails to do that which is required by law or
by duty when such failure is minor in nature.
 The term is often used to refer to a juvenile who commits a minor criminal
act - juvenile delinquents.
 Grow up:
 Phrasal verb - to gradually become an adult:
I grew up in Scotland (= I lived in Scotland when I was young).
Taking responsibility for yourself is part of the process of growing up.
 Generation gap:
 A generation gap is a popular term used to describe big differences
between people of a younger generation and their elders. This can be
defined as occurring "when older and younger people do not understand
 each other because of their different experiences, opinions, habits and
behavior.
"Most misunderstandings that occur between parents and children are due
to generation gap."
 Street / abandoned children:
 Street children are the result of violence in their immediate social
environment, either as observers or as victims.
 Teenager:
 A young person between 13 and 19 years old.
 Teens:
 Plural noun."Both my daughters are in their teens"."He's in his
early/mid/late teens"
 Juvenile:
 Relating to a young person who is not yet old enough to be considered an
adult.
 Juvenile violence / crime / delinquency:
 Juvenile delinquency refers to criminal acts performed by juvenile.
" There is a high rate of juvenile delinquency in this area."
 Youth:
 The period of your life when you are young, or the state of being young
 Young lady / man:
 Used when you are speaking angrily to a young person:
Mind your language, young lady!
 Youth involvement / engagement:
 Youth involvement in political, social, environmental and economic
processes is an investment opportunity that shouldn't be missed.
 Youth organizations:
 Youth organizations should consider organizing information campaigns and
educational and training programs in order to sensitize youth to the
personally and socially detrimental effects of violence in the family,
community and society.
 Youth leadership:
 Young people are emerging as political leaders in anti globalization ,
environmental and social change movement
 Vocabulary - Home (Rooms and Objects)

 This is a list of vocabulary items related to home
 Rooms and Places in the Home
 Bedroom
 A room used for sleeping in.
 Living room (UK also sitting room, AUSTRALIAN ENGLISH also lounge room)
 The room in a house or apartment that is used for relaxing, and entertaining
guests, but not usually for eating.
 Bathroom
 A room with a bath and/or shower and often a toilet.
 Hall
 The area just inside the main entrance of a house, apartment or other
building which leads to other rooms and usually to the stairs.
 Utility room
 Usually just for washing machine, freezer etc.
 Shed
 A separated building from the house usually for storing garden tools.
 Loft
 Space in the roof of the house usually used only for storage.
 Attic
 Room in the roof space of a house (could be lived in.)
 Cellar
 Room below ground level without any windows used for storage.
 Basement
 Room below ground level, with windows, used for living and working.
 Landing
 Flat area at the top of a staircase.
 Hall
 Open area as you come into the house.
 Porch
 Covered area before the entrance door.
 Pantry or larder
 Large cupboard used, especially in the past, for storing food.
 Terrace or patio
 Paved area between the house and garden for sitting and eating, etc.
 Study
 A room for reading, writing, studying in.
 Balcony
 An area with a wall or bars around it that is joined to the outside wall of a
building on an upper level.
 Types of houses / Places Where People Live
 House
 A building which people, usually one family, live in.
 Detached house
 Describes a house that is not connected to any other building.
 Semi detached house
 A house that is semi-detached is one that is joined to another similar house
on only one side.
 Apartment (UK usually flat)
 A set of rooms for living in, especially on one floor of a building.
 Terraced house
 A house that is joined to the houses on either side of it by shared walls.
 Cottage
 A small house, usually in the countryside.
 Bungalow
 A house that has only one story/floor.
 Bedsit
 A rented room which has a bed, table, chairs and somewhere to cook in it.
 Villa
 A house usually in the countryside or near the sea, particularly in southern
Europe, and often one which people can rent for a holiday.
 Time share
 A holiday house or apartment which is owned by several different people,
each of whom is able to use it for a particular period of the year.
 Weather:

What's the weather like? It's rainy.

cloudy.
windy.
snowy.
 sunny.
nice.
fine.
cold.
warm.
hot.

Occupations

List of occupations (jobs)

This is an illustrated list of vocabulary items related to jobs (or occupations)

a baker a butcher a carpenter a cook

a farmer a fireman a fisherman a gardener

a hairdresser a journalist a judge a lawyer

a mason a mechanic a painter a plumber

 a policeman a postman a secretary a singer

a soldier a taxi driver a teacher a waiter

a pilot an engineer a doctor a nurse

a goldsmith an actor a shoe-shine boy a tailor

Remember:

1. For some jobs, it's important to distinguish between the feminine and the masculine
uses:

Male Female
a policeman a policewoman
a waiter a waitress
an actor an actress

2. The indefinite article:

 "a" is used before a consonant:

Examples: a postman, a teacher...
 "an" is used before a vowel:
Examples: an engineer, an actor..


Travel vocabulary

This is a list of vocabulary items related to travel

I go by, I go on means of transport

I go by plane or I fly

car I drive

ship I sail

bicycle/bike I ride

motorcycle/motorbike

bus

I go on horse I ride

foot I walk

Useful travel expressions

General travel vocabulary

Public transportation (British public transport) is a system of vehicles such as buses and
trains which operate at regular times on fixed routes and are used by the public.

Means of transport

The road / the highway / the port / the airport

Arrival / departure time

Where's the information desk, please?

To commute is to make the same journey regularly between work and home.

It's exhausting commuting from Brighton to London every day.

A journey is traveling from one place to another, especially in a vehicle.

I love going on long journeys.

To journey (verb - usually used with adverb or preposition) = to travel somewhere.

We journeyed south.

At the airport

Show me your passport, please!

l'm here on business / vacation

l'm traveling alone / with my family

Customs is the place at a port, airport or border where travellers' bags are looked at to
find out if any goods are being carried illegally

Customs officer is a person whose job is to look inside travellers' bags to make certain
they are not taking goods into a country without paying taxes

Anything to declare?

No, there's nothing to declare / Nothing to declare

You've got a lot of baggage! Why don't you use the baggage cart

How much is a one-way ticket (British usually single) to New York?

If you make a round trip, you go on a journey and return to where you started from.

A journey in an aircraft is a flight. Flight also means an aircraft that is making a

particular journey

I'll never forget my first flight.

Flight 474 to Buenos Aires is now boarding at gate 9

First class / Business class / Economy class

What time does the plane for.... take off / land?

Check-in is the place at an airport where you show your ticket so that you can be told
where you will be sitting.

A representative from the tour company will meet you at the check-in.

At the train station

How much is a ticket to...?

Direct / transfer train

Is there a reduced fare for children / large families?

Where is the station?

Where can we buy tickets?

What time will the train to...leave?

Where is platform number ...?

By ship / boat
A ferry (boat) is a boat or ship for taking passengers and often vehicles across an area of
water, especially as a regular service.

We're going across to France by/on the ferry.

A cruise is a journey on a large ship for pleasure, during which you visit several places

By bus / coach

Where is the the bus station, please?

When does the bus leave for...?

How many stops before...?

A bus with/without air-conditioner

By car

Where is the parking lot, please?

Where can I park my car?

Can I park my car here?

Where can I rent a car?

I would like to rent a car for.... days / weeks.

The car costs £30 a day to rent, but you get unlimited mileage (= no charge for the miles
traveled)

A car breakdown

I had a breakdown (= my car stopped working) in the middle of the road

A garage is a place where cars are repaired.

The car's still at the garage getting fixed.

Where can I find a garage to repair my car?

Insurance

I'll need to take out extra car insurance for another driver.

Vocabulary - Science and technology

Science and technology vocabulary

 English for specific purposes.

This is a list of vocabulary items related to science and technology for English learners.

Technhology:

1. The application of science, especially to industrial or commercial objectives.

2. The scientific method and material used to achieve a commercial or industrial
objective.

Science:

1.The observation, identification, description, experimental investigation, and theoretical

explanation of phenomena.
2.Knowledge, especially knowledge that is gained through experience.

Scientific discipline:

A particular branch of scientific knowledge such as social science, natural science,

mathematics ...

Scientific / technological advances:

There have been enormous scientific and technological advances in the last decade.

Computer age:

The current era as characterized by the development, applications, and socio-political

consequences of computer technology.

Computer addiction:

An obsessive addiction to computer use sometimes known as Dependency.

"Spending too much time in front of the computer can lead to computer addiction."

Technological tools:

"Technological tools such as the computer,robot, telescopes, space crafts, nuclear

energy, satellite... have changed our life styles."

Information / communication technology:

The development, installation, and implementation of computer systems and applications.

"Information technology can be a valuable means of development."

Space technology:

Space technology is related to entering space, maintaining and using systems during
flights and returning people and things from space.

Scientific experiments:
A method of investigating particular types of research questions or solving particular types
of problems. The experiment is a cornerstone in the empirical approach to acquiring
deeper knowledge about the world and is used in both natural sciences as well as in social
sciences. An experiment is defined, in science, as a method of investigating less known
fields, solving practical problems and proving theoretical assumptions.
" More sophisticated technologies are necessary for scientific experiments."

Digital divide:

The gap between those with regular, effective access to digital and information
technology, and those without it.
"It's alarming to see that the digital divide between the poor countries and the rich
countries is getting deeper and deeper.

Emotions: feelings of happiness, sadness and anger

This is a list of vocabulary items related to emotions

Happiness
Expression Definition Example
happy / glad marked by pleasure, satisfaction, or joy. She seemed to be the happiest
bride I've ever seen.
content / satisfied or showing satisfaction with She was a contented wife.
contented things as they are.
elated exultantly proud and joyful; in high The winner felt elated and excited.
spirits.
joyful full of joy. It was a joyful occasion.
joyous full of or characterized by joy. I heard a joyous laughter.
euphoric exaggerated feeling of well-being or They received a euphoric welcome
elation.
delighted feeling or showing great pleasure. She had a delighted smile.
gleeful exuberantly or triumphantly joyful. She gave a gleeful smile.
mirthful full of mirth; merry or amusing. A mirthful laughter.
jubilant feeling or expressing great happiness I met a jubilant crowd.
and triumph.

Sadness
Expression Definition Example
sad / unhappy feeling or showing sorrow. I can't bear the tears of a sad child.
feel blue feel sad. She's feeling blue after what has happened to
her son.
feel low / feel dispirited or be sad and I am feeling low because my best friend is
down gloomy. very ill.
depressed low in spirit; downcast. He was depressed by the loss of his son.
downhearted marked by low spirits. Fans were downhearted by the the defeat.

Anger
Expression Definition Example
angry experience a strong of displeasure or She was angry about the insult.
hostility.
cross be quite angry. I was cross with her because she
didn't invite me to her party.
annoyed aroused to impatience or anger. Her comments have always annoyed
me.
irritated made impatient, annoyed or angry. Her tone irritated him.
mad angry, resentful. Are you mad at me because I didn't
come to your party?
furious very angry. My father was furious because I
went out without his permission.
vexed annoyed, frustrated, or worried. I'm vexed with you
indignant feeling or showing anger or annoyance at She was indignant at being the
what is perceived as unfair treatment. object of suspicion.
irate extremely angry; enraged. She received an irate letter from her
husband.
seething be filled with intense but unexpressed He was inwardly seething at the
anger. offense.

Dialogues

Easy English Conversations

between Two Students

Easy English Conversations Index

This is a typical Easy English Conversations between Two Students.

Characters

Saniya and Sandhiya

Saniya : In which class are you studying?

Sandhiya : I am in Eighth Standard. What about you?

Saniya : I am in Ninth Standard.

Sandhiya : Do you come to school by bus?

Saniya : Yes. I travel by bus. I have to catch Route No. 24 bus.

Sandhiya : It has passed on just 15 minutes before.

Saniya : There is another bus at 4.45 p.m.

Sandhiya : Who is he leaning on the iron pole?

Saniya : He is a beggar. He is a trouble to the passengers.

Sandhiya : He seems to be blind.

Saniya : We must help the blind people.

asy English Conversations

at Grammar Class
Easy English Conversations Index

This is a typical Easy English Conversations at Grammar Class.

Characters
 Mala and Teacher

Teacher : Mala, Stand up. What am I teaching now?

Mala : Sir, you are teaching grammar.

Teacher : Sundar, look at the board. See the word. Grammar : IS the spelling correct?

Mala : Yes, Sir. The spelling is correct.

Teacher : I am now going to teach you about nouns. What is a noun?

Mala : A noun is the name of a person, a place or a thing.

Teacher : Kolkata is a big city. Here are two nouns.

Mala : Sir! What are they?

Teacher : Kolkata and city.

Mala : What kind of nouns are they, Sir?

Teacher : Kolkata is a proper noun and City is a common noun.

Easy English Conversations

about The English Teacher
Easy English Conversations Index

This is a typical Easy English Conversations about The English Teacher.

Characters

Teacher and Sanjay

Teacher : Where is Kannan?

Sanjay : Sir, He is absent to-day.

Teacher : Why is he absent?

Sanjay : Sir, he has gone to Tiruppur to attend his sister's marriage.

Teacher : Has he sent the leave letter through you?

Sanjay : No, Sir.

Teacher : Then it is very bad. You must not be absent without leave letter.

Sanjay : Yes, Sir.

Teacher : Have you answered the paragraph questions?

Sanjay : Yes, sir. We have.

Teacher : Boys, Look at that picture on the wall.

Sanjay : Who is he?

Teacher : He is a Bengali Poet named Tagore.

Sanjay : Sir, I know about him very well. He got Nobel Prize for literature.

Easy English Conversations

about Late Coming
Easy English Conversations Index

This is a typical Easy English Conversations about Late Coming.

Characters

Teacher and Vinodh

Teacher : Vinodh, why are you late today?

Vinodh : I came on foot. I have an injury in my leg.

Teacher : Yesterday also you came late to English class.

Vinodh : I came with my father in bike. We were held up in traffic jam. I will not excuse
you hereafter.

Teacher : How many marks did you score in English I paper?

Vinodh : I scored 60% sir.

Teacher : In English II Paper?

Vinodh : I scored 48% only.

Teacher : Then you are careless in learning grammar.

Vinodh : I shall try to improve, Sir.

Easy English Conversations

about Computer
Easy English Conversations Index

This is a typical Easy English Conversations about Computer.

Characters

Teacher and Student

Teacher : Kamesh, Do you know how to operate?

Student : Sir, I am learning.

Teacher : When did you start training?

Student : Only two days back Sir.

Teacher : Be confident. Don't be shy. Can you see the programme?

Student : Yes Sir. It is well planned.

Teacher : There is your friend Mugesh. Look at him.

Student : He is also having training under Mr. Gopal only from yesterday.

Teacher : How much time will you take?

Student : I will take only 30 minutes, Sir.

Teacher : Our H.M. will go round all the computer classes today .

Student : Yes Sir. We are happy to meet him.