TOPIC: Blast from the Past

1. Functional language

Social expressions

2. Vocabulary

Exclamatory forms & phrases

Adverbs of degree

3. Pronunciation

Word Stress
Compound nouns
Compound adjectives
Compound verbs: phrasal

4. Grammar

Emphatic forms: do, does, did

Past forms: used to/be used to/get used to
Present Perfect Simple/Continuous
Past Perfect Simple/Continuous

5. Writing

Punctuation

1
1. Functional language
Social Expressions

When we are talking and chatting, we use a lot of idiomatic expressions.

SPEAKER 1 SPEAKER 2

Cheers! Cheers! Here’s to our friendship!

Long time no see I know! It’s good to see you again.

Sorry, I’m late It doesn’t matter. Better late than never.

How is it going? Pretty good, thanks. How about you?

Thank you so much for your help You’re welcome. Don’t mention it.

I’m afraid I can’t come tonight. Never mind. Perhaps another time!

Do you mind closing the window? Not at all. I’m quite cold too.

Can you hand me over that book? Sure. Here you are!

What time does the shop shut? I have no idea, sorry.

This is so expensive. I don’t think it’s worth it. Yes, but it’s such good quality.

I’ve failed my driving test again. What a pity! Better luck next time.

I’ve passed my driving test at last! Congratulations! I knew you could do it!

Have you heard of the author “Paul Auster”? Well, the name rings a bell.

Excuse me. Could I just squeeze past? Sure, go ahead.

One week left until the holiday! I can hardly wait. I’m really looking forward to it.

See you. Have a good weekend. Thanks. Same to you.

2
Socialising

Here are some more common English expressions which will be useful in many
different situations:

Someone sneezes. What do you say?

Bless you!

You’re just going to start eating. What do you

say?

Bon appetit!
Enjoy your meal!

Someone thanks you for something. What do you

say?

Don’t mention it!

You’re welcome!
My pleasure!

Your friend is ill. What do you say?

I hope you feel better soon.

I hope you get better soon.

You need the salt. It’s at the other end of the table. What do you say?

Could you pass the salt, please?

A friend spilt coffee on your new T-shirt. What do you say?

Never mind.
It doesn’t matter.
Don’t worry!

3
A colleague gives you a birthday present. What do you say?

That’s very kind of you!

You really shouldn’t have!

A friend offers to give you a lift home. What do you say?

That would be nice, thank you.

That’s very kind of you.

A friend can’t come to dinner. What do you say?

What a pity! Maybe next time.

Refuse an invitation politely.

I’d love to come, but I’m afraid I have to….

You want someone to pass your greetings on to another person. What do you say?

Give my regards to….

Remember me to….

You’ve just finished chatting to a friend. What do you say?

Bye, see you soon!

See you later.

4
2. Vocabulary
Exclamatory forms & phrases

An exclamatory sentence is used to express a sudden emotion. It could be fear,

anger, anxiety, admiration, excitement etc.

Here are some tips for constructing exclamatory sentences:

Use what a before a singular noun.

What a surprise!
What a pleasant evening!
What a foolish guy!
What a nuisance he is!

Before an abstract noun or a plural noun, use what without a.

What awful weather!

What child-like innocence!
What sweetheart!
What treachery!

Use how before a modifying adjective, an adverb or a verb.

How clever of you!

How very extraordinary!
How ridiculous!
How noble of him to do that!

Some other common exclamatory phrases:

Gosh, it is freezing!
Good heavens!
Ouch, that really hurts!
Wow, that was exciting!
Hooray!
Oh, that’s amazing!

5
Adverbs of degree

They are adverbs that modify adjectives or other adverbs. They normally go before the
adjective or adverb which they modify.

STRONG MEDIUM WEAK

extremely rather slightly

completely pretty a bit

totally quite not at all

absolutely fairly

entirely

really

very

In general: quite is a little stronger than fairly; rather is stronger than quite; pretty is
similar to rather, but more informal.

Compare:

fairly____________quite_______rather/pretty_____________very

We use quite before a/an, but fairly and pretty after a.

Ex: It was quite an interesting film/ It was a pretty interesting film

We can use rather before or after a/an.

Ex: It was rather an interesting film/ It was a rather interesting film.

Quite and rather can also modify verbs. They go before a full verb, but after an auxiliary
verb.

Ex: She quite enjoyed the film.

I rather like driving at night.

He’s quite enjoying himself.

Only rather can be used before comparatives.

Ex: rather colder rather more expensive

6
3. Pronunciation
Word Stress

Word stress is the magic key to understanding spoken English. Native speakers of
English use word stress naturally. Word stress is so natural for them that they don’t
even know they use it.

There are stressed and not stressed syllables in a word. The syllables that are not
stressed are weak or quiet. Fluent speakers of English listen for the STRESSED
syllables, not the weak syllables. If you use word stress in your speech, you will
instantly and automatically improve your pronunciation and your comprehension.

Word Stress in compound nouns

Compound words usually consist of two words (two components) that may be written
separately, with a hyphen, or as one word.

Examples of compound words: toothpaste; flashlight; night club; go out; light-green;

twenty-five

In compound nouns, both components (both words) are stressed. Primary stress falls
on the first component (the first word), even if the two words are written separately.
Usually, the second component is a noun. The first component may be a noun, a
gerund, an adjective, or a verb.

FOOTball GREENhouse

ARMchair EVENING dress

MAILbox READING test

PHOTOgraph WALKING stick

HIGH school SUMMERtime

HIGHway MOBILE pone

WRITING desk STONE age

SWIMMING pool DARKroom

HOT dog NIGHT school

Use the link to the Oxford online dictionary to check the transcription of compound
nouns and to listen to their pronunciation.

7
Word Stress in compound adjectives

Both parts of compound adjectives are stressed. Stronger stress usually falls on the
second component of two-word compound adjectives.

dark-GREEN cold-BLOODED

light-BROWN well-KNOWN

bright-RED good-LOOKING

handMADE easyGOING

self-CONSCIOUS duty-FREE

Word Stress in phrasal verbs

Phrasal verbs with postpositions (with adverbial particles) are compound verbs in which
both components are stressed, usually with stronger stress on the postposition.

'fall aPART 'come BACK

'turn aWAY come IN

'break DOWN 'break THROUGH

'break IN 'go ON

'take OFF 'give UP

Word Stress in compound nouns formed from a phrasal verb

If a compound noun is formed from a phrasal verb, primary stress in it falls on the first
component, and the noun is usually written as a single word or with a hyphen.

GETaway UPbringing

BREAKdown TAKE(-)off

MAKE-up DOWNfall

8
4. Grammar

Emphatic auxiliary DO
Emphatic Forms: Do/does – Did

As you know, we usually only use the auxiliary verb do to make the negative and
question forms of present simple and past simple tenses, not in positive (affirmative)
forms.

I work He works We worked She worked

I don’t work He doesn’t work We didn’t work She didn’t work

Do you work? Does he work? Did you work? Did she work?

So when we want to add emphasis to present simple or past simple tenses, we need to
add auxiliary do, remembering to use the main verb in the base form. This is
sometimes called emphatic do:

Present simple - She doesn't like cheese, does she?

But she does like cheese! In fact she loves it.
I don't like cottage cheese, but I do like blue cheese.

Past simple - You said you would phone me!

I did phone you! But you didn't answer.
OK, I didn't phone you, but I did send you an SMS.

We also use the emphatic auxiliary do) to stress that we feel strongly about something.
(emotive emphasis)

She does look good in that dress.

I did enjoy that party last night.
I never did understand what he saw in her.

We use also use emphatic do in present simple to strengthen an imperative.

Do try this cake, it's delicious.

Do come in and take a seat, please!

9
Past Forms: Used to - Be used to / Get used to

People often get confused about the use of used to + infinitive and be/get used to +
‘ing’ form because they look similar. They are, however, completely different.

Used to + infinitive

We use ‘used to’ to talk about things that happened in the past – actions or
states – that no longer happen now.

She used to be a long distance runner when she was younger.

I used to eat meat but I became a vegetarian 5 years ago.

The negative is ‘didn’t use to’ and questions are formed with ‘Did you use to
…?’
* There is no present tense equivalent of ‘used to’. To talk about present habits
we use the present simple and an adverb of frequency (usually, always, often,
never, etc.)
I often eat at the Japanese restaurant in the city centre.

Be used to / Get used to + verb+ing

If you are used to something, you are accustomed to it – you don’t find it
unusual. If you get used to something or you are getting used to something
you are becoming accustomed to it – it was strange, now it’s not so strange.

I found Russian food very strange at first but I’m used to it now.
I’m getting used to driving on the left.

Both ‘be used to’ and ‘get used to’ are followed by a noun (or pronoun) or the
gerund – the ‘ing’ form of a verb.

I can’t get used to getting up so early. I’m tired all the time.
He’s not used to the weather here yet. He’s finding it very cold.

‘Be/get used to’ can be used with past, present and future tenses.

You might find it strange at first but you’ll soon get used to it.
He wasn’t used to the heat and he caught sunstroke.

10
REVIEWING VERB TENSES 2
Present Perfect Simple/Continuous

FORM USES EXAMPLES

PRESENT PERFECT We use the present perfect

SIMPLE simple to talk about:
a. I have lost his phone
(+) have/has + past a. An action that took place number.
participle at an unstated time in
the past but has present
relevance
(-) have/has + not + past b. An action that began in
participle the past and continues b. I’ve worked with her for the
up to the present, last two years.
usually with for and
(?) Have/has + subject + since We’ve known each other
past participle since we were at school.
c. With certain time
expressions such as c. They have just arrived.
just, already, yet, ever, She has already finished
never, this morning, her shift.
this week Have you ever been to
London?

PRESENT PERFECT We use the present perfect

CONTINUOUS continuous to talk about:

(+) have/has been + a. An action that began in a. We’ve been waiting here
verb+ing the past and continues for over two hours.
until the present without
interruption (with for,
(-) have/has + not been + since)
verb+ing b. An action that has just b. Mary has been running
finished and still (she’s still tired)
(?) Have/has + subject + influences the present
been + verb+ing

11
Past Perfect Simple/Continuous

FORM USES EXAMPLES

PAST PERFECT SIMPLE We use the past perfect

simple to talk about:
(+) had + past participle a. By the time I arrived, they
had all left.

a. An activity that When I got there, she had

(-) had+ not + past happened before
participle already had lunch
another activity / time in
the past

(?) Had + subject + past

participle

PAST PERFECT We use the past perfect

CONTINUOUS continuous to talk about:

(+) had been + verb+ing a. An action which was in

progress before a a. The grass was wet
second action / definite because it had been
time in the past, and raining all night long
(-) had + not + been +
verb+ing which was completed
before then.

(?) Had + subject + been +

verb+ing

12
5. Writing
Punctuation

Punctuation does matter. It is a very important part of writing. Punctuation shows both
the grammatical structure and the meaning of a sentence. So in order to make your
writing clear, pay strict attention to punctuation.

Look at the following pairs of sentences to see how the punctuation changes the
meaning:
Spanish teenagers who enjoy reality shows watch TV a lot.
(Among Spanish teenagers, those who enjoy reality shows watch TV a lot)

Spanish teenagers, who enjoy reality shows, watch TV a lot.

(All Spanish teenagers enjoy reality shows and watch TV a lot)

Thus, punctuation is simply about a series of conventions that make it easier for
readers to follow your train of thought.

A complete sentence (one thought or idea) is indicated by a full stop (.).

A pause in the flow of thought, for example, to allow additional information, is indicated
by a comma (,).
A semicolon (;) is used to indicate a fuller pause than a comma, but not the final end of
the sentence.
A colon (:) is used to indicate the beginning of a list.

Here are the basic punctuation symbols, rules and uses:

PUNCTUATION USES EXAMPLES

I (the personal pronoun) He asked me why I had left
early
The first word of a sentence The weather was lovely

Days of the week, months, Tuesday, April, Christmas,

holidays, etc. New Year’s Eve
Capital Letters
The words in book titles (except The Girl on the Train
prepositions, articles or by Paula Hawkins
conjunctions)

The first word of a quotation in “Please bring me your

direct speech book.” She said

The opening/closing of letters Dear Sir, Yours faithfully

Proper nouns London, Mrs. Adams, Jayne

13
PUNCTUATION USES EXAMPLES
At the end of sentences They left quite late.
. After contractions Mr. Collins / Mrs. Brown
To end an indirect question She asked me where I had
Full stop been.
To separate hours and We’ll meet at 3.30. (Br.E)
minutes
In a sentence beginning If the weather improves,
, with a subordinate clause, we’ll go out.
or to separate two main I drink coffee, but I don’t
Comma clauses drink tea.
To separate a non-defining William Shakespeare, who
clause from the rest of the was a famous playwright,
sentence was from…..
After certain connectors To sum up, we were….
To separate a question tag You love him, don’t you?
from the rest of the
sentence
To separate direct speech “I like him very much,” she
from the reporting verb said.
To join clauses not linked Night was falling; he knew
by connectors all was lost.
; To join clauses linked by She is rather ill; however,
connectors you shouldn’t worry.
Semi-colon

To introduce a list There are several kinds of

flowers here: roses,
: carnations, hydrangeas…
To separate hours and I’ll see you at 8:30. (AmE)
Colon minutes

To show possession This is Mary’s flat.

’ For contracted forms He isn’t working today.

Apostrophe

Shows the beginning/end “I enjoy travelling abroad,”

of a direct quotation she said.
“
Used for showing a I love the film “The English
Inverted commas name/title Patient”.

14