4th year middle school English subject Summary.

❖ The comparative of Equality/Inferiority :

➢ To compare between two equal items « = » I use : first item +verb +as+ adj+ as+ second item . e .g : Statue of
Martyrs is as beautiful as Statue of liberty .
➢ To compare between two unequal items « ≠ » I use: First item + verb+ not as+ adj +as +second item .e .g :
Yousra is not as funny as Yasmine .
➢ Note : To know what to use in a certain task I check if there was (Too, also) I use comparative of equality
« = » .If there was an adj ending in « er » I use comparative of inferiority.
❖ I pronounce /ai/ /ei/ :

/ai/ /ei/
Hi, fly, bye, like, life, height, inside, childhood, time, try, Famous, weight, place, teenager, age, ate, plate.
cry.

❖ The comperative of Superiority :

➢ Short adj : one or two vowels e.g :old/large. When I have a short adj I use :First item+verb+ short
adj+er+Than+second item e.g : Our house is bigger than your house.
➢ Note : When I have a ‘ cvc ‘ (consonant vowel consonant) adj ,I double the last letter before adding ‘er’ e.g : fat=
fatter.
➢ Long adj : three or more vowels e.g : famous/beautiful. When I have a long adj I use :First item+verb+more+long
adj+than+second item. e.g : Algeria is more beautiful than France.
➢ Irregular adjectives : when I have an irregular adj I use : First item+verb+irregular adj+ than+second item e.g :
Books are better than newspapers.

Irregular adj superiority

Bad Worse
Little Less
Far Farther/ Further
Good Better

❖ The passive voice : Object +was/were+past participle+by+subject

➢ Active form : A fire destroyed the bulding.
➢ Passive form : The bulding was destroyed by a fire.
❖ Cause and Effect :

Cause (as, since, because) Effect (so, therefor,as a result)

to know the cause in the sentence I ask ‘why’. ➢ Nabila was a fan of Leonardo Davenci, so she
➢ I didn’t go to school because I was ill. visited his house.
➢ As I was ill, I didn’t go to school. ➢ I don’t like football.Therefor,I don’t watch it.
➢ I didn’t go to school since I was ill. ➢ He didn’t revise well. As a result, he failed.
Note : as, since, because can be placed in the beginning of Note : * so, therefor,as a result are only placed in the
the sentence or in the middle. middle
*(as, because, since)+the cause+the rest of the sentence. *first sentence+•+(therefor,as a result)+ ,+effect.
*sentence+(as, because, since)+the cause.

❖ The Superlative of Superiority : To compare a single item with a group I use :

➢ subject+verb+the+short adj+est. e.g : Meriem is the youngest child.
➢ subject + verb+the+most+long adj. e.g : She is the most beautiful girl in the class.
➢ subject +verb+ the+irrugular adj. e.g : My father is the best.

Irregular adj Superlative

Good Best
 bad Worst
little Least
far Fartherest/furtherest

❖ The simple present : I use the simple present in general facts and repeated actions .
➢ I/you/we/they==== omit « to » e.g : (to play)= play .
➢ He/She/It === omit « to » add « s » e.g : (to read)= reads .
➢ If the verb ends in (ss, sh, ch,x,o) add « es » e.g : misses, washes, watches, fixes, goes .
➢ If the verb ends with ( Y ) we replace it with=== « ies » if it wasn’t proceeded by a vowel e .g : study= studies.

❖ The simple past : I use the simple past to talk about an action that started and ended in the past.
➢ To form the s.past i use : v. stem+ed . e.g : to work= worked.
➢ If the verb was irregular, check the list.

❖ I pronounce /t/d/id/ : Final « ed ».

➢ « ed » is pronounced /id/ after /t/d/ e.g : decided.
➢ « ed » is pronounced /t/ after /p/f/k/θ/ʈʃ/s/ʃ/ e.g : helped.
➢ « ed » is pronounced /d/ after /b/g/j/l/m/n/ŋ/ð/z/ʤ/r/ and all vowels e.g : changed.
❖ The past continuous (when/while) :
➢ To form the past continuous I use : v.to be in the simple past(was/were)+v.stem+ing e.g: I was
writing.
➢ I use when/while when I have two actions (two verbs) the second action interrupts (cuts) the first
action, the first action is long I use the past continuous tense the second is short I use the simple

(past
long action short action
continuous)
simple past

past tense.
➢ Note: *past continuous+when+simple past.

*While+past continuous+simple past.

❖ The present perfect (never/ever/since/for): I use the present perfect to talk about an action that
started in the past and ended in the simple present. To form the present perfect I use: to have in the simple
present (have/has)+past participle e.g: I have finished.
➢ Never/Ever/Since/For are time markers used to express time in a general way ( we don’t have a specific date).
➢ Since/for are placed before the last of the sentence e.g:* He has played football since childhood.

* You have studied for long time.

❖ Forming adjectives using : ( in,um,im,ir,il,dis.)

I use the prefixes in,un,dis,il,ir,im to form the antonyms (the opposites) of adjectives. e.g: kind ≠ unkind.
➢ I add the prefix “im” to adjectives beginning with “m , p” e.g: mature≠ immature/ polite≠ impolite.
➢ I add the prefix “il” to adjectives beginning with “l” e.g: legal≠ illagal.
➢ I add the prefix “ir” to adjectives beginning with “r” e.g: responsible≠ irresponsible.
➢ Adjectives that we dealt with:
Dishonest, unkind, illetrate, incapable, irresponsible, impolite, unfriendly, uncaring, illoyal,
insincere, intolerant, immature, illegal.

❖ Forming adjectives using: ( ful/less):

I use the suffixes “less” ful” to form adjectives from nouns. e.g: help= helpful.
 Generally the suffix “”less” has a negative meaning while “ful” has a positive meaning.
e.g: cheer=cheerful=cheerless / care=careful=careless.

❖ Comparison and contrast( like/unlike/whereas): to express differences or similarities between people or

items I use like, unlike, whereas.
➢ “Like” has the same meaning of “as” (=) e.g: I want to be a painter like Pablo Picasso.
➢ “Unlike” and “whereas” have the opposite meaning(≠) e.g:
• She hates fruits unlike her sisters who love it.
• She hates fruits whereas her sisters love them.

Note: * like/unlike can be placed both in the beginning and at the end.

* Whereas is placed only in the middle.

❖ The imperative “recommendations/advice/instructions”

I use the imperative (v.stem) when giving recommendations, advice and instructions e.g:
• Take your umbrella, it is raining. (advice)
• Don’t go in that way it is dangerous. (recommendation)
• Turn on the oven 5 mins before preparing the cake. (instruction)
❖ If clause (type 1) :
I use the conditional type one to talk about a possible situation.
Forms: * If + simple present + future (will+V.stem). e.g : If you study hard, you will pass your BEM exam.
* If + simple present +Imperative. e.g : If you meet her, say hi.

❖ Sequencers( first……finally):
➢ To sequence (put in order) various steps/ arguments, I use the following words: first/firstly,
second/secondly,third/thirdly, next, then, afterthat,finally.
➢ These sequencers can be used in describing a tour, an argumentative text or a cooking recipe.

❖ I pronounce final “s” /s/z/iz/ :

➢ “S” is pronounced /iz/ after /s/z/ʃ/ᴣ/tʃ/dᴣ/ i.e. (s,ss,x,ce,sh,ch,ge) e.g: watches;
➢ “S” is pronounced /z/ after /b/d/g/v/l/m/n/r/ŋ/ð/ + all vowels . e.g : has, decides .
➢ “S” is pronounced /s/ after /p/k/f/θ/t/ e.g: works ,helps.
 ❖ Synonyms and Antonyms you • army = ‫جيش‬
might need: • soldier = ‫جندي‬
• Known =famous≠ unknown ≠‫مشهور‬ • protect =‫يحمي‬
=‫غير مشهور‬ • hope =‫أمل‬
• height≠ weight = ‫ارتفاع ≠ وزن‬ • Also= too= ‫أيضا‬
• old =ancient ≠ new =‫قديم ≠جديد‬ • refugee = ‫الجئ‬
• Long ≠ short = ‫طويل ≠قصير‬ • camp = ‫مخيم‬
• far≠ near= ‫بعيد≠ قريب‬ • struggle= ‫كفاح‬
• Tourist guide= ‫دليل سياحي‬ • childhood= ‫طفولة‬
• tour = ‫جولة‬ • adolescence= ‫مراهقة‬
• tourists = ‫سياح‬ • Youth = ‫فترة الشباب‬
• Coach = ‫عربة‬ • elder hood= ‫الشيخوخة‬
• around the world = ‫العالم حول‬ • innocence = ‫البراءة‬
• Beautiful ≠ugly= ‫جميل≠ بشع‬ • period = ‫فترة‬
• smart= intelligent ≠stupid ‫ذكي≠غبي‬ • success≠ failure= ‫نجاح≠فشل‬
• plight= hard situation≠ ease • succeed ≠fail= ‫يفشل≠ ينجح‬
‫معضلة= حال صعب ≠ حال سهل‬ • Society =‫مجتمع‬
• revolution=war‫حرب = ثورة‬ • Community =‫مجتمع‬
• peace=idependence =‫استقالل‬ • Charity= ‫عمل خيري‬
‫السالم‬ • Citizenship = ‫مواطنة‬
• Warrior= fighter ‫محارب= مقاتل‬ • Citizen =‫مواطن‬
• arrest = catch ≠release= let go ‫يلقي‬ • responsible = ‫مسؤول‬
‫القبض على≠يطلق سراح‬ • duty = ‫واجب‬
• martyr = ‫شهيد‬ • Right = ‫حق‬
• Trap = ‫فخ‬ • Advice = ‫نصيحة‬
• Association = / ‫جمعية‬ • Advise = ‫ينصح‬
• Join = ‫ينظم إلى‬ • Goals/ aims ‫أهداف‬

❖ Steps in writing a paragraph: (samples)

1- A famous landmark “monument”: I start like this;
One of the most famous landmarks in Algeria/ the world is ( I write the name of the
landmark). It is located in (I write the exact place), It was built in (I write the date of
construction) by ( I write the name of the constructor). A lot of tourists from all over the
world visit it because it is breath taking. its architecture is so beautiful, its height is ……/ It
is……m , it weighs….../ its weight is….. ( I talk more about the landmark)…………… Finally, I
advise you to visit it; it is really one of a kind.

2- A famous figure: I start like this;

One of the great/famous/outstanding (Algerian) writers/actors/martyrs…… .(I write the
name of the figure), he/ she was born on (I write the date of birth) in (I write the place of
birth). (I write the name of the figure) is known of his/her special personality, (I add some
adjectives “smart, courageous…etc”)…….. ( I talk about the works of the figure” his/her films,
books, wars participated in…….)
3- Childhood memories / life experience: I start like this;
In my life I went through many periods and experiences that made me build my
personality, I met a lot of people during those periods starting from childhood. I remember
that my childhood was wonderful as any child I used to play all the time with my friends in
the neighborhood from the morning till the afternoon, we enjoyed playing ball games,
chasing and hide and seek. When I turned six years old I started school, primary school was a
new experience for me where I met new friends and new people. I was (I write my former
personality features)……………………………… and that made my life (I write how did my
personality influenced my life then)………. I had a best friend called (I write the name of my
best friend)………….(I finish talking about childhood and life).

4- Charity work “ volunteering” :

What is charity the one may ask? Charity work is volunteering time, energy and
sometimes money for the benefit of poor and people in need. It makes the community
better and makes citizens more bounded to each other. Sometimes charity is done in groups
called associations and others it can be done by one person. If you want to do charity, don’t
hesitate. It doesn’t matter if you do not have money or stuff to give; the most important is
that you thought of helping. Your help can be moral, be nice to people and support them by
saying good words or advising them. Charity makes the world a better place, be helpful to
people.
5- Advising a friend:
Life is hard and serious, it is true that it takes your effort and energy but you have to be
brave and fight for yourself and your dreams. Listen to the advice of your parents and never
disobey what they say. Clear your goals and follow your interests. Base your life on your own
experience, do not listen to pessimistic people, be optimistic. Work hard and balance
between your heart and mind. Believe in god first and in yourself. Pave your way to success
with your own hands. Help people in need and you will be helped in your need. Strengthen
your abilities, learn new things every time, learn languages and enjoy your life. It is true that
life is challenging but it is short, be undefeatable and you will win against life.

Best of Luck in your BEM exam