User talk:Azam218/sandbox

Grammar Pattern 8: Conditional Questions (These questions use "would" and "could" but they are NOT polite questions! Instead, they are questions about "possibilities". These questions are VERY good for starting interesting conversations.) Model Sentence Would you like to travel to the moon some day?

Pronunciation Practice - Repeat each question out loud! 1. Would you like to visit London? (Yes, I would. / No, I wouldn't.) 2. Could you take a train to work next week? (Yes, we could. / No, we couldn't.) 3. Should we study this for the test? (Yes, you should. / No, you shouldn't.) 4. Would you have studied harder as a student? [If you had another chance.] (Yes, I would have. / No, I wouldn't have.) 5. Could you have found a better way? (Yes, I could have. / No, I couldn't have. 6. Should you have asked for help before the test? (Yes, we should have. / No, we shouldn't have.) Conversation Practice - Ask these questions to your friends! 1. Would you like to travel in space? 2. Would you like to visit the moon? 3. Could a lion beat an alligator in a fight? 4. Could a time machine be built in the future? 5. Should we spend more time at work or with our families? 6. Should we give money to poor people on the streets? Discussion – Give longer answers to these questions. 1. Would you enjoy flying an airplane by yourself? 2. Could we have a cheap electric car in the future? 3. Should cloning (making a "copy" of people!) be allowed in the future? 4. What should people do to make our world cleaner? 5. How could we make a million dollars in a short time? 6. Where should we put all of the world's garbage? (This is one of the best ways to start interesting conversations in English! Learn them well, listen for your speaking partner's answer. Finally ask follow-up questions to keep on talking on any topic in English.) Model Sentence Have you ever been to China?

Pronunciation Practice - Repeat each question out loud! 1. Have you been to California? 2. Have you seen any good movies recently? 3. Have you ever seen a ghost? 4. Has your sisters seen your new car? 5. Has English become easier or more difficult for you? 6. Has your hometown changed a lot in the past ten years? Conversation Practice - Ask these questions to your friends! 1. Have you read any good books this year? 2. Have you travelled somewhere interesting in your life? 3. Have you ever tried a dangerous sport? 4. Have you studied a foreign language other then English? 5. Has anyone told you an interesting story recently? Discussion – Give longer answers to these questions. 1. Would you enjoy flying an airplane by yourself? 2. Could we have a cheap electric car in the future? 3. Should cloning (making a "copy" of people!) be allowed in the future? 4. What should people do to make our world cleaner? 5. How could we make a million dollars in a short time? 6. Where should we put all of the world's garbage? (This is one of the best ways to start interesting conversations in English! Learn them well, listen for your speaking partner's answer. Finally ask follow-up questions to keep on talking on any topic in English.) Model Sentence Have you ever been to China?

Pronunciation Practice - Repeat each question out loud! 1. Have you been to California? 2. Have you seen any good movies recently? 3. Have you ever seen a ghost? 4. Has your sisters seen your new car? 5. Has English become easier or more difficult for you? 6. Has your hometown changed a lot in the past ten years? Conversation Practice - Ask these questions to your friends! 1. Have you read any good books this year? 2. Have you travelled somewhere interesting in your life? 3. Have you ever tried a dangerous sport? 4. Have you studied a foreign language other then English? 5. Has anyone told you an interesting story recently? Discussion – Give longer answers to these questions. 1. Would you enjoy flying an airplane by yourself? 2. Could we have a cheap electric car in the future? 3. Should cloning (making a "copy" of people!) be allowed in the future? 4. What should people do to make our world cleaner? 5. How could we make a million dollars in a short time? 6. Where should we put all of the world's garbage? Grammar Pattern 10: Questions with "Which" (This is a good pattern when you want to know your speaking partner's choice or what he/she likes. After you hear your partner's answer, you can ask another question to "follow up". Have fun!) Model Sentence Which do you like better, fish or meat?

Pronunciation Practice - Repeat each question out loud! 1. Which do you like more, TV or movies? 2. Which do you prefer, bread or rice? 3. Which season is your favorite? 4. Which time of the year is best in your hometown? 5. Which is more interesting, watching sports or playing sports? Conversation Practice - Ask these questions to your friends! 1. Which sport is your favorite? 2. Which job is best for you? 3. Which sound in English is hardest for you to make? 4. Which do you like more, reading books or listening to music? 5. Which did you enjoy more, your high school days or your elementary school days? Discussion Practice - Give longer answers to these questions. 1. Which is more important to you, being rich or being happy? 2. Which do you think is more dangerous, eating too much or driving too fast? Grammar Pattern 10: Questions with "Which" (This is a good pattern when you want to know your speaking partner's choice or what he/she likes. After you hear your partner's answer, you can ask another question to "follow up". Have fun!) Model Sentence Which do you like better, fish or meat?

Pronunciation Practice - Repeat each question out loud! 1. Which do you like more, TV or movies? 2. Which do you prefer, bread or rice? 3. Which season is your favorite? 4. Which time of the year is best in your hometown? 5. Which is more interesting, watching sports or playing sports? Conversation Practice - Ask these questions to your friends! 1. Which sport is your favorite? 2. Which job is best for you? 3. Which sound in English is hardest for you to make? 4. Which do you like more, reading books or listening to music? 5. Which did you enjoy more, your high school days or your elementary school days? Discussion Practice - Give longer answers to these questions. 1. Which is more important to you, being rich or being happy? 2. Which do you think is more dangerous, eating too much or driving too fast? Grammar Pattern 11 Simple Sentences with "Be" (am / is / are) Model Sentence We are not from this city. This pattern is a very easy but important pattern. Be sure to say these perfectly! Especially be careful of the different forms - "I am", "We are", "They are", "He is" or "She is". You have to say these correctly every time or people will be confused. Pronunciation Practice - Repeat each sentence out loud! 1. I am from New York. 2. He is a teacher. 3. She is my friend. 4. We are married. 5. They are not married. 6. You are a good student. Conversation Practice - Ask these questions to your friends! 1. What is your name? (My name is ...) 2. Where are you from? (I am from ...) 3. What is your job? (I am a ...) 4. Are you married? (Yes I am. / No I'm not.) 5. Is your friend a good student? (Yes she is. / No she isn't, she's a ...) 6. Are your parents teachers? (Yes they are. / No, they are ...) Grammar Pattern 12 Past Sentences with "Be" (was / were) Model Sentence We were hungry last night.

Use the past of "Be" to describe places, people, or things that happened before now. Pay close attention to the different times we us "was" (He was... / She was... / I was...) and "were" (We were... / They were...). These are easy sentences, but you must do them perfectly! Good luck. Pronunciation Practice - Repeat each sentence out loud! 1. I was a lazy student. 2. He was tired yesterday. 3. She was my neighbor. 4. We were classmates. 5. They were not classmates. 6. You were a cute child. Conversation Practice - Ask these questions to your friends! 1. Were you a good student in high school? 2. Were you tired when you woke up this morning? 3. Was she your friend? 4. Were they in the same job? 5. Was he fat as a child? 6. Was yesterday a hot day? Grammar Pattern 13 Simple Sentences with "Have" (or "Has") Model Sentence We have a little money. This is a very easy pattern, but very common, so be sure to say each sentence perfectly! Be careful - although we say "I have" or "We have", it is different with "he" or "she". We must say "He has" or "She has". Pronunciation Practice - Repeat each sentence out loud! 1. I have good books. 2. She has two brothers. 3. He has one sister. 4. We have no time. 5. They have a house in the city. 6. You have good pronunciation in English! Conversation Practice - Ask these questions to your friends! 1. Do you have any brothers or sisters? 2. What good books do you have for studying English? 3. Does your friend have good English pronunciation? 4. What kind of home does your family have? 5. Do your parents have good jobs? 6. Does your hometown have good parks? Grammar Pattern 14 Past Sentences with "Had" Model Sentence I had a yellow bicycle. The past of "have" is very easy - it is always "had". (I had, you had, we had, she had, he had, they had) Just remember to use it when you are talking about a time in the past. Pronunciation Practice - Repeat each sentence out loud! 1. I had a blue and red pen. 2. She had a good teacher last year. 3. He had a dog. (not now) 4. We had a big dinner. 5. They had money. 6. You had English classes two years ago. Conversation Practice - Ask these questions to your friends! 1. Did you have a big lunch today? 2. Did your parents have English class in school? 3. Did you have any good teachers in school? 4. What kind of toys did you have as a child? 5. What did you have for breakfast this morning? 6. Where did you have dinner last night?

Grammar Pattern 15 Simple Sentences with "be" + "ing" Model Sentence We are studying English now. This pattern describes actions that are happening now (so we use "be", not "was") and continue (so we use "ing"). Pronunciation Practice - Repeat each sentence out loud! 1. I am eating dinner. 2. She is riding a bicycle. 3. He is playing the guitar. 4. We are playing tennis. 5. They are singing. 6. You are reading English! Conversation Practice - Ask these questions to your friends! 1. What's your mother doing now? (She's reading a book. / She's getting ready for bed.) 2. What are your parents doing now? (They're eating dinner. / They're sleeping. / They're watching TV.) 3. Where are you going? (I'm going to work. / I'm going to my friend's home.) 4. Who are they talking to? (They're talking to ...) 5. Are you studying English now? (Yes I'm studying very hard! / No I'm hardly studying!) Grammar Pattern 16 Past Sentences with "be" + "ing" Model Sentence We were eating dinner last night at this time. This pattern describes actions that happened now, so we use "was" or "were", not "is", "am" or "are". We use "ing" to show the action continued. It was not an action that was quickly finished! Because the action continues, it is possible that another action happened at the same time. Pronunciation Practice - Repeat each sentence out loud! 1. I was sleeping (at 4 o'clock this morning). 2. She was eating dinner (at 6 o'clock last night). 3. He was coming home (last night after work). 4. We were talking on the telephone. 5. They were running. 6. You were studying English in junior high school. Conversation Practice - Ask these questions to your friends! 1. What were you doing yesterday at this time? (I was working. / I was eating lunch. / I wasn't doing anything special.) 2. What was your father doing this morning at 8? (He was ...) 3. What were your parents doing last week? (They were ...) 4. Were you studying English last night? (Yes I was studying. / No I wasn't studying.) 5. Were you working or studying five years ago? Grammar Pattern 17 Noun + Verb + Noun Model Sentence My sister enjoys tennis. This is another very basic pattern. You should try to say it as easily as your own name! Be careful to add an "s" after most verbs if the first noun is "he" or "she". We say "I enjoy" but "She enjoys". Got it? Pronunciation Practice - Repeat each sentence out loud! 1. I want coffee. 2. He enjoys steak. 3. She loves money. 4. They finished work. 5. My sister went to New York. Conversation Practice - Practice these questions with your friends. Be sure to answer with the Noun + Verb + Noun pattern! 1. Do you enjoy coffee? 2. Do you enjoy tea? 3. Does your mother love cars? 4. Does your father like art? 5. Did you finish your work? 6. Where did you go yesterday? Grammar Pattern 18 Longer Noun + Verb + Noun Model Sentence My younger brother Sam drinks beer. This pattern is similar to Pattern 17, however the first noun (the subject of the sentence) can sometimes be a very long "noun phrase". For example, look at the model sentence above. Instead of "Sam drinks beer" which only has one word (Sam) as the subject, the model has four words ("My younger brother Sam") as the subject. This adds useful information and helps us to communicate more effectively. Or look at Pronunciation Practice sentence 5 below - the first noun phrase has nine words! Using noun phrases easily takes practice but when you can say them well, your speaking will be much more fluent. Pronunciation Practice - Repeat each sentence out loud! 1. My older sister wants coffee. 2. My friend Joe from Hawaii enjoys tea. 3. The brother of my best friend enjoys steak. 4. The woman who works in that shop loves money. 5. My older sister's friend who works in that shop went to New York. Conversation Practice - Ask these questions to your friends! 1. What does your older sister (or younger sister) like to drink? 2. Do you have a friend from another city? Does he enjoy tea? 3. Who do you know that enjoys steak? 4. What kind of people love money? 5. Do you know anyone who has travelled to another city? Grammar Pattern 19 Noun + Verb + Longer Noun Model Sentence This is my favorite book. Pattern 18 has a longer verb at the beginning of the sentence. In Pattern 19, however, the longer verb comes at the end. The model sentence shows a "noun phrase" with three words ("my favorite book"). Pronunciation Practice sentence 9 has a noun phrase with six words ("their work on the business deal"). Of course, there is no limit to the possible length of a noun phrase. (Let's try a looooooooooong example! "These lessons are the most useful lessons on English grammar and sentence patterns in any country on Earth or on any website now, in the past, and in the future"!) Pronunciation Practice - Repeat each sentence out loud! 1. That is my house. 2. The women are famous lawyers. 3. He loves to play the guitar. 4. He enjoys steak with potatos. 5. I hate to drive during rush hour! 6. She's crazy about playing tennis. 7. I love to drive down country roads! 8. I want hot coffee with no milk or sugar. 9. They finished their work on the business deal. Conversation Practice - Ask these questions to your friends! 1. What do you love to do? 2. Are you crazy about any sport? 3. How do you drink your tea? 4. What kind of coffee do you like? 5. What work have you finished recently? 6. What kind of worker are you? 7. What kind of worker is your father? Grammar Pattern 20 Noun + Verb + Verb + Noun Model Sentence She can speak Japanese. Patterns 20, 21 and 22 have two verbs together in the middle of each sentence. Pattern 20 has two simple verbs together without "to" or "ing". In the Model Sentence, the two verbs are "can" and "speak". Although this pattern (Pattern 20) is quite simple, it is important to know the difference between this pattern and the next two (Pattern 21 and Pattern 22). Pronunciation Practice - Repeat each sentence out loud! 1. We can read books. 2. I can't hear the music. 3. You will see her. 4. We won't visit him.b> 5. I don't know them. 6. I do know them. ("do" makes it stronger – "I really DO know them"!) Conversation Practice - Ask these questions to your friends! 1. What can you do well? 2. What can't you do very well? 3. Will you go somewhere tonight? 4. Will you visit anyone tomorrow? 5. Do you know the Marx brothers? (Groucho, Harpo and Chico, not Karl!) 6. Did you study English yesterday? Grammar Pattern 21 Noun + Verb + "to" + Verb + Noun Model Sentence He likes to sleep late. Pattern 21 has two verbs together in the middle of each sentence, linked by "to". In the Model Sentence above, the verb "likes" is followed by "to sleep". When you read English and see two verbs linked with "to", try to remember the first verb. That verb should always be followed by a verb in the "infinitive" form - that is a verb with "to". The most common verbs followed by "to" (followed by the "infinitive") are "want", "hope", "try", "ask", "expect" and "care". Notice that these verbs are all involved, in some way, with the future. (The verb "like" can be used with "to" or with "ing", as you will see with Pattern 22!) Pronunciation Practice - Repeat each sentence out loud! 1. We like to read books. 2. They want to eat soup. 3. She hopes to teach English. 4. He tries to improve his writing. 5. I stopped to eat dinner. Conversation Practice - Ask these questions to your friends! 1. What do you like to read? 2. What do you want to eat for dinner tonight? 3. Where do you hope to work in the future? 4. What are you trying to improve in your life? 5. Do you sometimes stop on your way home from work? Why Grammar Pattern 22 Noun + Verb + "ing" + Verb + Noun Model Sentence She remembers dancing under the stars! Pattern 22 has two verbs together in the middle of each sentence, with the second verb using "ing". In the Model Sentence above, the verb "remembers" is followed by "dancing". Besides "remember", other common verbs that are followed by "ing" are "enjoy", "prefer" "consider" and sometimes "like". Verb phrases, such as "think about" or "believe in" can also be followed by a verb with "ing". In some ways, the second verb with "ing" functions as a noun - we "enjoy something" or "prefer something" or "remember something". Pronunciation Practice - Repeat each sentence out loud! 1. He enjoys playing tennis. 2. Do you enjoy reading? 3. What do you enjoy doing on the weekend? 4. I tried studying Japanese. 5. We remember visiting Washington three years ago. 6. They like swimming very much. (The verb "like" can be followed by "to" OR "ing"!) Conversation Practice - Ask these questions to your friends! 1. Do you enjoy playing tennis? 2. What sport do you enjoy playing the most? 3. Do you try learning many new things? 4. Can you remember doing anything special last week? 5. What do you remember thinking when you started learning English? 6. Do you like studying English? 7. What do you like studying besides English? Grammar Pattern 23 Noun + Verb + Adjective Model Sentence We are very busy. Pattern 23 is basically quite easy. However, the adjective at the end can sometimes be a phrase that is quite long. The adjective in the Model Sentence above is "busy", but it could also be "very busy" or "really very busy" or even "so busy that we cannot get all of our work done today"! Pronunciation Practice - Repeat each sentence out loud! 1. They are hungry. 2. They are not very hungry. 3. The teachers are lazy. 4. The teachers are very lazy. 5. The teachers are not very lazy. 6. She seems very happy. 7. Your sisters seems to be very happy. Conversation Practice - Ask these questions to your friends! 1. Are you tired now? 2. How do you feel today? 3. Were your high school teachers hard working? 4. Is your boss hard working or lazy? 5. You seem to be very happy. Are you? rammar Pattern 24 Noun + Verb + Time or Place Model Sentence Next month is summer. Pattern 24 is similar to Sentence Pattern 23, except that the adjective at the end can be replaced by words showing a time or a place. The Model Sentence is quite simple - the time is just "summer". In the Pronunciation Practice section, you can see longer possible phrases such as "in the restaurant" or "later in the week". Even very long phrases can be used. For example, "We ate during the exciting football match between Germany and Brazil that was won by Germany by a score of two to one". Most of the time, it is much simpler, though, so you can practicing the sentences below is enough! Pronunciation Practice - Repeat each sentence out loud! 1. Tomorrow is Wednesday. 2. She is coming to our house. 3. She is coming today. 4. We will eat later. 5. We will eat later today. 6. We will eat Chinese food later in the week. 7. We will eat in the restaurant. 8. You can visit next week. 9. She is there. 10. Birds are in the sky. Conversation Practice - Ask these questions to your friends! 1. What day is tomorrow? 2. What day was yesterday? 3. When will you eat next? 4. Where will you eat dinner? 5. What can you often see in the sky? 6. What can you often see on a mountain? Grammar Pattern 25 Noun + Verb + Manner Model Sentence My students are learning quickly. Sentence Pattern 25 is similar to Patterns 23 and 24. The only difference is that the last part shows the "manner", or "how" the action is done. This is a very common pattern used in conversations, so discussion questions are included at the end. In this pattern, it is often possible to move the "manner" (the final adverb or adverbial phrase) in front of the verb. Those possibilities are shown below after each practice sentence. Pronunciation Practice - Repeat each sentence out loud! 1. Birds are flying slowly. (The birds are slowly flying.) 2. The children were eating hungrily. (The children were hungrily eating.) 3. Those children play noisily. (Those children noisily play.) 4. My friends work eagerly. (My friends eagerly work.) 5. Can you finish your work in less than an hour? Conversation Practice - Ask these questions to your friends! 1. How do fish usually swim? (quickly? slowly?) 2. How well did you learn as a student? (slowly? eagerly?) 3. Do your friends study actively? 4. Will you speak English fluently in 3 years? 5. Did you study hard as a high school student? (Do NOT use "hardly" here. "Hardly" is a special word in English that means "not very much"!) Discussion Questions – Give longer answers to these questions. 1. Can you speak English fluently now? 2. How will you learn to speak English better? 3. Do you always work hard at your job? 4. What activities do you do enthusiastically? Grammar Pattern 26 Noun + Verb + Long Phrase Model Sentence She asked me when the movie would begin. Sentence Pattern 26 uses "connectors" such as "when", "where", "who", "why" and "that" to build on Patterns 23, 24 and 25. This pattern allows you to add much more information when you are communicating in English. Pronunciation Practice - Repeat each sentence out loud! 1. He was sleeping when the telephone rang. 2. They were waiting where the road curves. 3. She was wondering why the weather was so cold. 4. I want to know who will cook dinner tonight. 5. This is the book that I bought yesterday. Conversation Practice - Ask these questions to your friends! 1. Where were you when the sun came up this morning? 2. Have you been to a city where there is lots of rain? 3. Why is the weather colder in winter than in summer? 4. Do you know who the President of China is? 5. When is the time that you study best? ("That" is not necessary! "When is the time you study best" is okay, too!)

Grammar Pattern 27 Long Noun + Long Verb Model Sentence The 25-year-old man in the park is trying to fly a kite. This sentence pattern uses two "phrases", first a "long noun" and then a "long verb", to communicate a simple idea with several details. In the Model Sentence above, the first part (the long noun) shows us that it is a rather young man and where he is. The second part (the long verb) shows us what he is doing and that he is "trying" but maybe not succeeding! Pronunciation Practice - Repeat each sentence out loud! 1. The seven students are studying now. 2. The seven happy students are studying very hard. 3. Some young teachers were talking. 4. Some young, intelligent teachers were talking. 5. The cats and dogs had been sleeping. (Before they woke up!) Conversation Practice - Ask these questions to your friends! 1. What are your parents doing now? 2. How hard were your friends studying as university students? 3. What had you been doing before you started this lesson? 4. What are you and your friends doing today? 5. Where are you and your family going to eat dinner tonight? Grammar Pattern 28 Long Noun + Long Verb + Adjective or Adverb Model Sentence A yellow bird was flying quickly across the sky. Now that we have mastered Sentence Pattern 27, we can add an adverb or adjective at the end to make even more interesting sentences. The examples below are enough to show you how... Pronunciation Practice - Repeat each sentence out loud! 1. The happy students have been studying hard. 2. Three teachers are talking to tired students. 3. A fat cat is looking for some little mice. 4. A driver of a fast car cannot stop very quickly. 5. Good students from London are thinking about a large, delicious dinner! Conversation Practice - Answer these questions with a full sentence. 1. How do happy workers do their jobs? 2. What do fat cats often look for? 3. What kind of students think about really special dinners? 4. How easily can a driver of a big car change directions? 5. What kind of students need help from their hard working teachers? Grammar Pattern 29 Noun + Verb + Noun + Movement Model Sentence The boss gave some advice to his workers. The end of Sentence Pattern 29 is usually called an "indirect object". What does that really mean? It means there is some kind of movement - something is moving to another place. For example, in the Model Sentence above, what happened to the advice? It "moved" from the boss to the workers. Most grammar books make this pattern seem very difficult, but it's not. Just learn the sentences below! Pronunciation Practice - Repeat each sentence out loud! 1. She gave the keys to her friend. 2. My brother threw a bone at the dog. 3. My sister moved her home to the city center. 4. We put the old magazines into the garbage bin. 5. The swimmer threw himself into the water. Conversation Practice - Ask these questions to your friends! 1. Do you give any kind words to your coworkers? 2. What nice gifts have you given to your parents? 3. What kind of things have you put on top of your television? 4. What can you throw at (or to) your dog? 5. Where do you usually put old newspapers? 6. Which part of the city do you want to move to? Grammar Pattern 30 Noun + Place + Verb + Noun or Adjective Model Sentence A hungry dog in the street is looking for food. This pattern is a little more difficult than previous sentence patterns but it is based on a combination of those patterns. The Model Sentence, for example, starts with a long noun (A hungry dog) as subject, then mentions the place (in the street) followed by a verb (is looking) then a final phrase (for food). Your English will become more fluent if you can say the sentences below easily. Remember, "practice makes perfect"! Pronunciation Practice - Repeat each sentence out loud! 1. The apple on the table looks delicious. 2. Two cats under the bed look scared! 3. My friend in Australia wants a new job. 4. A group of people near the door seem very happy. 5. Some people in our city want to build a new train station. Conversation Practice - Ask these questions to your friends! 1. What do the decorations in your house look like? 2. What do dogs under the dining room table seem to want? 3. Are your friends in other cities happy to live there? 4. Who in your city wants to make changes? 5. What food in your home is not very fresh? Grammar Pattern 31 Noun + Verb + Long Noun + Place Model Sentence I saw a very interesting show in the theater. Look at the Model Sentence to understand this very common grammar pattern. The first noun ("I" - the subject) and the verb ("saw") are very simple. Then we have a long noun ("a very interesting show") followed by the place ("in a theater"). Say the Pronunciation Practice sentences until you can say them perfectly. Pronunciation Practice - Repeat each sentence out loud! 1. We have two bottles of milk in the fridge. 2. He ate six big juicy hamburgers in the park. 3. There is half a loaf of bread on the table. 4. We can buy five pounds of meat from the supermarket. 5. The woman was driving a beautiful sports car up the mountain. Conversation Practice - Ask these questions to your friends! 1. What do you have to drink in your refrigerator (fridge)? 2. Have you seen some really interesting movies in a theater? 3. What kinds of vegetables can you buy in your local supermarket? 4. What special foods do you cook at home? 5. What special foods do you eat in a restaurant? Grammar Pattern 32 There is / There are Model Sentence There is a big dog in front of the house. Use this simple grammar pattern to start lots of conversations. Start with "There is" when talking about one thing or start your conversation with "There are" if you are talking about two or more things. Then explain what (in the Model Sentence the "what" is "a big dog") and explain where ("in front of the house") and you have a good sentence! There are three discussion questions at the end to get you started using this sentence pattern in real conversations. Have fun! Pronunciation Practice - Repeat each sentence out loud! 1. There are three people in my family. 2. There is a book on the table. 3. There aren't any eggs in the refrigerator. 4. There isn't any time left in the game. 5. There are only a few cars on the road. 6. There are too many cars on the road. Conversation Practice - Ask these questions to your friends! 1. Are there many people in your family? 2. How many people work in your office? 3. Are there too many cars in your city? 4. Is there too much pollution in your hometown? 5. Is there any cheese in your refrigerator? Discussion Questions - Give longer answers to these questions. 1. Do you think there are too many people in the world? 2. Are there people in this world that you admire? 3. Is there a special place that you want to visit? Grammar Pattern 33 There was / There were Model Sentence There was a big storm last night. This grammar pattern is similar to sentence pattern 32, except that it is in the past. Use this in conversations about things that happened before now. It's quite easy, so be sure to learn these sentences until you can say them perfectly. Pronunciation Practice - Repeat each sentence out loud! 1. There were seventeen students in the class. 2. There was a tall student sitting in the front. 3. There was a big earthquake in China a few years ago. 4. Was there a party last night? 5. Were there many people at the meeting yesterday? Conversation Practice - Ask these questions to your friends! 1. Was there a special event that changed your life? 2. Were there many good teachers in your high school? 3. Was there a McDonald's in your town when you were a child? 4. Were there interesting TV shows on TV when you were a child? 5. How many TV stations were there in your hometown 20 years ago? Grammar Pattern 34 English Articles Model Sentence A man jumped into the river. Who was the man?. Articles are one of the most difficult points of English grammar for ESL students. Learn the sentences in this lesson will make it easier for you. In English, we often start with "a" and "an" which are called "indefinite articles". These are used with something we don't know well. We can then continue with "the", which is a "definite article". We use "the" with something we know. The practice sentences in this grammar lesson are in pairs - the first sentence uses an indefinite article but then we know the topic, so the second sentence uses a definite article. Pronunciation Practice - Repeat each sentence out loud! 1a. There is a man next to the table. (We don't know who he is yet.) 1b. The man is from Sydney. (Now we know him, at least a little!) 2a. A man came to our office this morning. (Who? We don't know.) 2b. The man wanted to meet our boss. (Now we know him a little.) 3. The Nile is a river in Egypt. (Everybody knows it.) 4. There is a river in my hometown called the Genesee River. 5. Put this fruit in the kitchen. (We know that every house has a kitchen.) Conversation Practice - Ask these questions to your friends! 1a. Do you have a pet? 1b. What is the pet's name? 2a. Is there a lake near your hometown? 2b. Is the lake big or small? 3. Where is the Mississippi River? 4. What is the capital city of France? Grammar Pattern 35 English Determiners Model Sentence Those two cars belong to this company. The most common English determiners are some, a few, many, these, those, and that. We use determiners in English to show how much or how many things you are talking about. In other words, we add important information to our conversations which helps us communicate more effectively. Learn the sentence patterns below to practice the most useful determiners in English. Pronunciation Practice - Repeat each sentence out loud! 1. Those people are not my coworkers. 2. These books are mine but these are not. 3. Give me that book on the table. 4. Some of these magazines are interesting but many are not. 5. I like a few movies but not many. Conversation Practice - Ask these questions to your friends! 1. Do you have many books in your home? 2. What things do you have only a few of? 3. What are some things you really enjoy? 4. Think of something you really hate. What is that? 5. Think of some things you want to do. What are those things? Grammar Pattern 36 English Sentences with "it" Model Sentence It is very cloudy today. Some English sentences don't have a grammatical subject, so we can use "it" as a kind of "empty subject". We often use "it" in English to talk about time and weather. Practice the sentences below and your English conversation will be much more colloquial! Pronunciation Practice - Repeat each sentence out loud! 1. What time is it? (It's 3 o'clock.) 2. What's it like outside? (It's cold and windy.) 3. It's a great day today! 4. It's Wednesday. 5. It's 2010. (Or "This year (not it!) is 2010".) Conversation Practice - Ask these questions to your friends! 1. What will the weather be like tomorrow? (It will be...) 2. What's the date today? 3. Is it the weekend yet? (Yes it is. / No it's not. It's ...) 4. Is it raining right now? 5. Will it snow tomorrow?

Grammar Pattern 37 Either / Neither / Too / So Model Sentence They don't agree and neither do I! In English grammar, we use words such as "Either", "Neither", "Too" or "So" to show agreement during a conversation. Use one of these expressions to give answers. Pronunciation Practice - Repeat each sentence out loud! 1. She seems very tired. (I am too!) 2. I want to go home. (So do I!) 3. I don't like this TV show. (I don't either!) 4. I am not happy with this class. (Neither am I!) 5. We don't want to go out tonight. How about you? (I don't either.) Conversation Practice - Ask these questions to your friends! 1. How does your sister (or brother) feel now? How about you? 2. Do you have a million dollars? How about your friends? 3. Have your friends been to South Africa? How about you? 4. Can your parents fly an airplane? What about you? 5. Which country were you born in? What about your brother? (or sister?)

Send this page to a friend: Click here! Grammar Pattern 38 Comparing Actions in English Model Sentence They must work harder. OR He can read more quickly than me. We have two ways to compare things in English grammer. With short words, we add "-er" at the end of a word (such as "work harder" in the Model Sentence) or we use "more" before a word (as in "more quickly"). Practice the grammar points by using the sentences below. Pronunciation Practice - Repeat each sentence out loud! 1. We must study harder if we want to succeed. 2. You can run more quickly if you are in a hurry. 3. They spoke louder because nobody could hear them. 4. She drove more slowly to avoid an accident. 5. I will think more carefully before answering next time. Conversation Practice - Ask these questions to your friends! 1. What do you want to do more seriously? 2. Is there anything you can do more quickly than your friends? 3. Is there anything you do more slowly than your friends? 4. When should people speak louder than normal? 5. When should people speak more softly than normal? 6. What should people try to do more carefully? Grammar Pattern 39 Comparing Things in English Model Sentence Their car is more powerful than my car is. Similar to English Sentence Pattern 38, this pattern makes a comparison. However, English Sentence Pattern 39 compares two things, not two actions. Generally, shorter words will use "er" (be + adjective + -er + than) but longer words use "more" (be + more (or less!) + adjective + than) to make this comparison. Pronunciation Practice - Repeat each sentence out loud! 1. My new apartment building is taller than my old one. 2. My new teacher is more interesting than the previous one. 3. Her older brother is less successful than she is. 4. Our new computer is faster than our old computer. 5. We are better students than they are. Conversation Practice - Ask these questions to your friends! 1. What do you do better than other people? 2. What do you do less well than others? 3. Who usually studies harder than you do? 4. Who can run faster than your mother? 5. What is more interesting than studying English? English Grammar Pattern 40 Comparing Three or More Things in English Model Sentence That book is the most interesting book in our house When we describe three or more things using English grammar, we not use "er" or "more". Instead, we use "the" with "-est" or "the most". It's a small change from English Sentence Pattern 38 and English Sentence Pattern 39 so you should master this pattern easily! Pronunciation Practice - Repeat each sentence out loud! 1. That TV program is the most interesting, don't you agree? 2. This TV program is the funniest, don't you think so? 3. Our teacher is the most boring teacher in ther world, isn't he? 4. This is the tallest building in the city, right? 5. She is the worst English speaker I know! Conversation Practice - Ask these questions to your friends! 1. Who is the best English speaker you know? 2. Who is the worst English speaker you know? 3. What is the funniest TV show you have ever seen? 4. What do you think is the most interesting city in the world? 5. Which is the longest river in the world? English Grammar Pattern 41 Noun + "Be" + Adjectives Model Sentence The bread was warm, soft and tasty. Learners of English often use single adjective to describe an object. In this grammar pattern, students should try to use two or more adjectives together at the end of each sentence. For many students, this is a question of pronunciation more than grammar. In any case, practice always makes perfect. Pronunciation Practice - Repeat each sentence out loud! 1. The air was clean, cool and fresh. 2. The car was fast and powerful. 3. My sister is intelligent, beautiful and charming. 4. We were hungry, thirsty and tired. 5. The weather was cold, windy and rainy. Conversation Practice - Ask these questions to your friends! 1. How can you describe your family members? 2. What is your best friend like? 3. What is the weather like today? 4. What was the weather like yesterday? 5. Can you describe your favorite food? 6. What special food did you eat yesterday? English Grammar Pattern 42 Noun + Place + "Be" + Adjectives Model Sentence The people in the car were hot and tired. This grammar pattern is similar to English Sentence Pattern 41 with the only difference being that you tell us "where" (a place) you saw the thing being described by the adjectives. It's a little bit longer than the previous pattern, so practice saying it until you can say it easily. Pronunciation Practice - Repeat each sentence out loud! 1. The air by the sea is clean, cool and fresh. 2. The woman next to the boat was tall, beautiful and dangerous! 3. A friendly dog in your home can be fun and interesting. 4. Ten of the students in the classroom were sleepy, bored, and restless. 5. My friend from Spain is hard working and intelligent. Conversation Practice - Ask these questions to your friends! 1. Are students in an English classroom usually bored and sleepy? 2. How can we describe workers in your country? 3. What activities do you think are fun and interesting? 4. Where can you find activities that are fun and interesting? 5. Have you ever met a woman who is tall, beautiful and dangerous? Where??? English Grammar Pattern 42 Noun + Place + "Be" + Adjectives Model Sentence The people in the car were hot and tired. This grammar pattern is similar to English Sentence Pattern 41 with the only difference being that you tell us "where" (a place) you saw the thing being described by the adjectives. It's a little bit longer than the previous pattern, so practice saying it until you can say it easily. Pronunciation Practice - Repeat each sentence out loud! 1. The air by the sea is clean, cool and fresh. 2. The woman next to the boat was tall, beautiful and dangerous! 3. A friendly dog in your home can be fun and interesting. 4. Ten of the students in the classroom were sleepy, bored, and restless. 5. My friend from Spain is hard working and intelligent. Conversation Practice - Ask these questions to your friends! 1. Are students in an English classroom usually bored and sleepy? 2. How can we describe workers in your country? 3. What activities do you think are fun and interesting? 4. Where can you find activities that are fun and interesting? 5. Have you ever met a woman who is tall, beautiful and dangerous? Where??? English Grammar Pattern 43 Long Nouns with Question Words Model Sentence "Whoever smiles first is the loser!" OR "The loser is whoever smiles first!" Although this grammar pattern is similar to English Sentence Pattern 18 it is much more challenging. We make the longer noun in this pattern using "question words" for example, the Model Sentences above use "whoever smiles first" either at the beginning or the end of the sentence. When you get used to this sentence pattern, it will seem quite easy, so keep trying! Pronunciation Practice - Repeat each sentence out loud! 1. Whoever finishes first is the winner. (The winner is whoever finishes first.) 2. Whenever we arrive we'll have a party. (We'll have a party whenever we arrive.) 3. Whichever bus comes first, we'll take. (We'll take whichever bus comes first.) 4. Wherever we go, it will be fun. (It will be fun wherever we go.) 5. Whatever you do, we will support you. (We will support you whatever you do.) Conversation Practice - Ask these questions to your friends! 1. Who will win a basketball match? (Whoever scores the most points...) 2. Where can we find good Chinese food in Beijing? (Wherever you go...) 3. When do you like eating pizza? (Whenever I'm hungry!) 4. What kind of movies do you watch? (Whatever is playing at the cinema...) 5. Which kind of computer do you want to buy? (Whichever is cheaper...) English Grammar Pattern 44 Question + Preposition + Noun Model Sentence "What's the reason for doing it this way? This grammar pattern begins with a full question, not just a question word. In the Model Sentence, "What's the reason" is a question. Then "doing it this way" is a noun. Between the question and the noun, we have a preposition "for" to link the two. This is not a very easy pattern, but it's quite useful! Pronunciation Practice - Repeat each sentence out loud! 1. What's the problem with the car? (The problem with the car is...) 2. What's the matter with this tea? 3. What's the solution to this problem? 4. Who's the author of this book? 5. Where's the manager of this store? Conversation Practice - Ask these questions to your friends! 1. Who is the leader in your company? 2. What's the name of your hometown? 3. Where's the capital city of your country? 4. How is the food in your favorite restaurant? 5. When is the biggest festival in your country or city? English Grammar Pattern 45 Very Long Noun + Verb Model Sentence A bicycle with blue handlebars and a red seat almost hit me! Sentence Pattern 45 includes some very long noun phrases. The subject in the Model Sentence (underlined) has 9 words. The fifth sentence in the Pronunication Practice section has 16 words! You will have to practice hard to be able say these kinds of sentences, but you will be truly fluent if you can. Pronunciation Practice - Repeat each sentence out loud! 1. The boy who bought the fresh oranges on Wednesday returned today. 2. My coworker with the incredibly beautiful girlfriend is getting married soon. 3. A day in the sun without any work to do is a wonderful day! 4. Three days of working hard without any breaks will make you very tired! 5. A teacher with some very good ideas for helping students improve their English quickly and efficiently is a great teacher! Conversation Practice - Ask these questions to your friends! 1. How many days of working hard without a break have you done before? 2. What kind of day is a wonderful day for you? 3. Have you ever met a woman with an incredibly handsome boyfriend? 4. Do you know any teachers with good ideas for helping students improve their English more quickly and easily than usual?

English Grammar Pattern 46 Modified Adjectives Model Sentence That's a truly wonderful story. Adjectives "modify" or change nouns by adding more information about the nouns. In other words, nouns can be described in more detail using adjectives. Not only nouns, but also adjectives can be described, or "modified". In the Model Sentence, "wonderful" is an adjective which is modified or described by the word "truly". Recite the practice sentences below to learn how to modify adjectives yourself. Pronunciation Practice - Repeat each sentence out loud! 1. Is that a good book? Yes, it's a very exciting story. 2. Is your car new or old? It's quite an old car. 3. Does your friend like to dance? No, she's not a very active person. 4. Are your parents interested in travelling? No, they are extremely hard working so they usually don't leave the city. 5. Do you live in a quiet neighborhood? No, it's quite noisy because there are many cars. Conversation Practice - Ask these questions to your friends! 1. Can you describe your home or apartment? 2. What kind of neighborhood do you live in? 3. Are you the kind of person who has enough time to travel? 4. Can you tell us what kind of movies or TV programs you enjoy? 5. Is your friend the type of person who will go dancing often? English Grammar Pattern 47 Adverbs with "When" Model Sentence We like to wake up when the sun rises. Adverbs modify verbs. In other words, adverbs give more information about verbs. In the Model Sentence, the verb is "wake up". We can show the time of waking up by using an expression with "when" - "when the sun rises". This is a very common pattern in English, but students often struggle with it. Just practice this grammar pattern a few times, however, and you'll master it very soon. Pronunciation Practice - Repeat each sentence out loud! 1. I usually eat when my brother eats. 2. They normally sleep when the sun goes down. 3. She doesn't study when the weekend comes. 4. We need an umbrella when it's raining. 5. My cousin travels when he doesn't have a lot of work to do. Conversation Practice - Ask these questions to your friends! 1. What do you like to do when the weekend comes? 2. Do you always have an umbrella when it rains? 3. Do you always carry an umbrella when it doesn't rain? 4. Is there a regular time when you go to bed? 5. When do you think is the best time to travel? English Grammar Pattern 48 Adjectives with "Who" Model Sentence A good friend is a person who will help you in difficult times. Who is "a person" in the Model Sentence above? We can use many adjectives to describe this person. In English, ordinary adjectives come before the noun - "he is a good person" or "she is a happy person". In this grammar pattern, however, we have a longer adjective that describes this person using a phrase introduced by "who". So we know this person will help others when they have trouble. This is a good way to add important meaning to your communication in English. Learn it well and use it often! Pronunciation Practice - Repeat each sentence out loud! 1. I have a friend who likes to jump out of airplanes. 2. My sister is a person who sleeps until noon. 3. Learners of English are people who really hope to succeed! 4. A good musician is a perfectionist who practices every day. 5. Joe is a teacher who likes to laugh. Conversation Practice - Ask these questions to your friends! 1. Do you know anybody who can fix a broken computer? 2. Do you have a friend who can play the guitar? 3. Who is a famous person who appears often on TV? 4. Are you the type of person who likes to wake up early? 5. Was there a teacher who really helped you a lot? English Grammar Pattern 49 "Do you think...?" Model Sentence Do you think they can win the game? Sentence Pattern 49 is a basic Yes / No question but with a longer noun phrase at the end. This is one of the most common conversation starters in English, so learn it perfectly! Pronunciation Practice - Repeat each sentence out loud! 1. Do you think it will rain tomorrow? 2. Do you think they'll come here next week? 3. Does she think he will return home in the future? 4. Did they think we would pay the bill for them? 5. Do you think they will come here tomorrow? Conversation Practice - Ask these questions to your friends! 1. Do you think you can speak English better than before? 2. Does your father think you are a good student? 3. Did you think you could become a great English speaker? 4. Did you think you could quickly start speaking English fluently? 5. Do you think you will learn another language after English? English Grammar Pattern 50 "What do you think...?" Model Sentence What do you think is the best type of music? Sentence Pattern 50 is another one of the most common conversation starters in English. You can use this pattern in almost any situation, so use it often. Pronunciation Practice - Repeat each sentence out loud! 1. What do you think he will do? 2. What do you think the weather will be like tomorrow? 3. When do you think they'll come here? 4. Who does she think will return in the future? 5. Where do you think the show will begin? Conversation Practice - Ask these questions to your friends! 1. What do you think you will do next week? 2. What does your mother think you should do in your career? 3. When do you think you can speak English perfectly? 4. Who do you think is the best singer in the world? 5. Where do you think is the most beautiful city in the world?