Video News #43 - Free English Gifts of the Month - November 2020

get your learning gifts for the month of November 2020

source https://www.englishclass101.com/lesson/video-news-43-free-english-gifts-of-the-month-november-2020

Ask Alisha: Your English Questions Answered #124 - A vs. An Indefinite Articles in English - Basic English Grammar

learn about indefinite articles

source https://www.englishclass101.com/lesson/ask-alisha-your-english-questions-answered-124-a-vs-an-indefinite-articles-in-english-basic-english-grammar

Andy Farley

New Entry: 'Andy Farley' has just been added to the Cockney Rhyming Slang area of UsingEnglish.com. This entry is only available in our members' area.

source https://www.usingenglish.com/members/idioms/view.php?entry_id=27444

Queer as a three-dollar bill

New Entry: 'Queer as a three-dollar bill' has just been added to the Idioms area of UsingEnglish.com.

source https://www.usingenglish.com/reference/idioms/queer+as+a+three-dollar+bill.html

Poke one's nose

New Entry: 'Poke one's nose' has just been added to the Idioms area of UsingEnglish.com.

source https://www.usingenglish.com/reference/idioms/poke+one%27s+nose.html

Hairy eyeball

New Entry: 'Hairy eyeball' has just been added to the Idioms area of UsingEnglish.com.

source https://www.usingenglish.com/reference/idioms/hairy+eyeball.html

Clue in on

New Entry: 'Clue in on' has just been added to the Phrasal Verbs area of UsingEnglish.com.

source https://www.usingenglish.com/reference/phrasal-verbs/clue.html#Clue-in-on

Cultural differences in emailing

New Entry: 'Cultural differences in emailing' has just been added to the Articles area of UsingEnglish.com.

source https://www.usingenglish.com/articles/cultural-differences-in-emailing.html

Indefinite Pronouns in Negative Sentences

Imagine you are listening to music in English. Perhaps you hear a few words from "Something," performed by The Beatles.    Something in the way she moves  Attracts me like no other lover  You might wonder about the title, or name, of the song. The word something belongs to a group of words known as expanded indefinite pronouns. We will explore some of these terms today. But first, let us begin with a few definitions.  Definitions and problems  In another Everyday Grammar program, we reported on expanded indefinite pronouns. Expanded indefinite pronouns are words that end in –thing, -body, or –one. Examples include something, anybody, everyone, or nothing.  Make sure you read our earlier story if you have questions about how native speakers make such words.  Many English learners face a problem when trying to use expanded indefinite pronouns. It is unclear how native English speakers use these unusual pronouns - especially when they appear in negative or affirmative sentences.  Negative sentences have the word ‘no,’ ‘not’ or sometimes another negative word such as ‘never.’  Affirmative sentences are statements that have a positive meaning. They generally do not have a negative word.  In general, the negative word determines, or decides, the pronoun that is used. Let us explore this idea in more detail.  Some vs. any  English speakers often use expanded pronouns with “some-” in affirmative sentences, as in:  Would you like something sweet to eat?  Yes, I would like something sweet.  But, expanded pronouns with the word “any” often appear in negative sentences, as in:  Did you see something?  No, I didn’t see anything.  Or:  Did you see somebody?  No, I didn’t see anybody.  Take our earlier example about sweets. Imagine how the sentence would change if it were negative:  Would you like something sweet to eat?  No thanks – I don’t feel like anything sweet.  What about no- and every- ?  In general, English speakers use expanded pronouns with the word “no” in statements that do not have another negative word. In other words, sentences with pronouns such as “nothing,” “no one,” or “nobody” rarely if ever have other negative terms such “no” or “never.”  Imagine you are watching an American crime show on television (TV). Perhaps the police are questioning a suspect.  What did you see?  I saw nothing.  But if the suspect used another negative word, the sentence would change, as in:  What did you see?  I didn’t (did not) see anything.  Our final expanded indefinite pronouns today begin with the word “every-.” Such words are flexible, meaning they can appear in affirmative or negative sentences. Here are a few examples:  I spoke to everyone.  I didn’t speak to everyone.  I agreed with everything she said.  I didn’t agree with everything she said.  Closing thoughts  Remember that you might hear native speakers use expanded indefinite pronouns in different ways. The goal of this report was to give you an idea of how English speakers often use such pronouns. Our goal was not to tell you how native speakers always use these pronouns.  At the beginning of this report, you heard part of "Something" by The Beatles.  Something in the way she moves  Attracts me like no other lover  The next time you watch a TV show or movie in English, try to listen for examples of expanded indefinite pronouns. Listen to how and when the speakers use each pronoun. In other words, pay attention to these words, in the same way that The Beatles were paying close attention to the woman in the song.  With time, patience, and repetition, you might one day think to yourself: There is nothing too difficult about these pronouns. Or maybe: I cannot think of anything easier than English grammar.  I’m John Russell.  John Russell wrote this report for VOA Learning English. George Grow was the editor.  ______________________________________________________________ Words in This Story    grammar – n. the structure and whole system of a language  attract – v. to cause (someone) to like or be interested in something — usually used as (be) attracted  indefinite – adj. unclear in meaning or detail    We want to hear from you. Write to us in the Comments Section. 

source https://learningenglish.voanews.com/a/indefinite-pronouns-in-negative-sentences-everyday-grammar/5639398.html

Indefinite Pronouns in Negative Sentences

source https://av.voanews.com/clips/VLE/2020/10/29/301d57e2-ea2e-4f54-931d-c7c1de23630e_hq.mp3

Walkman: the music player revolution

Neil and Georgina take a nostalgic look back at the 1980s and the birth of the Walkman.

source http://www.bbc.co.uk/programmes/p08wsqhx

Ask Alisha: Your English Questions Answered #125 - How to Improve Your English Spelling Skills?

learn how to improve your english spelling skills

source https://www.englishclass101.com/lesson/ask-alisha-your-english-questions-answered-125-how-to-improve-your-english-spelling-skills

Ask Alisha: Your English Questions Answered #123 - When to Use Continuous form vs Future form in English - Basic English Grammar

learn when to use continuous form vs future form

source https://www.englishclass101.com/lesson/ask-alisha-your-english-questions-answered-123-when-to-use-continuous-form-vs-future-form-in-english-basic-english-grammar

English Grammar Made Easy S1 #136 - How to Use "Of"

learn how to use "of"

source https://www.englishclass101.com/lesson/english-grammar-made-easy-136-how-to-use-of

Ask Alisha: Your English Questions Answered #131 - What's the difference in English between: Too, Also, Even, Likewise and As well

learn the difference between "too," "also," "even," "likewise," and "as well"

source https://www.englishclass101.com/lesson/ask-alisha-your-english-questions-answered-131-whats-the-difference-in-english-between-too-also-even-likewise-and-as-well

Doomscrolling

Learn a word about the addiction to looking at depressing news on social media.

source http://www.bbc.co.uk/programmes/p08wf942

Silent Letters and Rhyming Words Activities

New Entry: 'Silent Letters and Rhyming Words Activities' has just been added to the Lesson Plans area of UsingEnglish.com.

source https://www.usingenglish.com/teachers/lesson-plans/view-silent-letters-and-rhyming-words-activities/

Time- Flashcard Memory Games

New Entry: 'Time- Flashcard Memory Games' has just been added to the Lesson Plans area of UsingEnglish.com.

source https://www.usingenglish.com/teachers/lesson-plans/view-time-flashcard-memory-games/

Learning Strategies #63 - Tips For Beginners: 6 ways our language learning program helps you review.

discover effective strategies and tips for learning english

source https://www.englishclass101.com/lesson/learning-strategies-63-tips-for-beginners-6-ways-our-language-learning-program-helps-you-review

Everyday Grammar: Past Participles, Part 1

source https://learningenglish.voanews.com/a/5631422.html

News #290 - Do You Have These Top 4 English Learning Fears? We’ll Tell You How To Beat Them

Learn how to beat your fears and keep them from stopping your learning

source https://www.englishclass101.com/lesson/news-290-do-you-have-these-top-4-english-learning-fears-well-tell-you-how-to-beat-them

Taking Adjectives to the Extreme

A friend of mine had a very small wedding last weekend. Only close family attended in person. Everyone else, myself included, watched the ceremony in real time on YouTube. My friend, the bride, looked very, very pretty. She and her new husband were very happy. And I was very glad to see them take this step together. You probably noticed that I used the word “very” repeatedly in my story. I did it to demonstrate this point: Rather than repeat an intensifier too often, we can usually choose stronger adjectives. We call the strongest adjectives non-gradable, or extreme, adjectives. Extreme adjectives are the subject of today’s Everyday Grammar program. How do extreme adjectives work? An adjective is a word that describes the qualities of a noun. Most adjectives in English are gradable: There can be different levels to their qualities.   Take the word “funny,” which is a gradable adjective. Someone or something can be, for example, kind of funny, pretty funny, very funny or extremely funny. I used adverbs (such as “kind of” and “pretty”) to show how strong (or weak) the humor is. Extreme adjectives work a bit differently. They are words that mean extremely + adjective. For example, the adjective “hilarious” means extremely funny. Generally, we do not say someone or something is “kind of hilarious” or “very hilarious” because “hilarious” itself already expresses the idea of being extremely funny. As an English learner, you probably already know some extreme adjectives. Here are a few common ones: exhausted, which means extremely tired excellent, which means extremely good freezing, which means extremely cold delicious, which means extremely tasty huge, which means extremely large With extreme adjectives, there are a few basic rules. However, English is a constantly evolving language. So, exceptions to these rules continue to grow. Rule #1: comparatives, superlatives With that in mind, let’s discuss the first rule. Gradable adjectives have comparative and superlative forms while extreme adjectives usually do not. Here are some examples for gradable adjectives: funny, funnier, the funniest good, better, the best tasty, tastier, the tastiest Someone might say, for example, “This dish is tastier than that one” or “It is the tastiest dish I have ever had.” With extreme adjectives, we usually avoid comparatives and superlatives. The adjective “excellent” is an example. It means extremely good. Native speakers generally would not say “This show is more excellent than that one” or “It is the most excellent show.” But over the years, spoken English has influenced grammar rules. So, you might hear some extreme adjectives in comparative or superlative form. Take the adjective “delicious.” A person might say, “This is the most delicious dish I have ever had.” It would not be considered wrong, even in written English. Knowing which extreme adjectives have these exceptions comes with time and experience. It is not something to memorize from a list. Rule #2: use other adverbs Now, let’s talk about the second rule. With extreme adjectives, we avoid using most adverbs that suggest varying degree, or level. Many adverbs express the degree of a gradable adjective. You heard some earlier, such as “kind of” in kind of funny and “very” in very good. Other common ones include a bit, a little, and rather. For instance, you could say, “Her house is a bit cold” or “That story is rather dull.” The words “cold” and “dull” are gradable adjectives. But with extreme adjectives, we often avoid using these adverbs. For example, it might sound strange to say, “Her house is a bit freezing” or “That man is rather gorgeous.” Yet, we can use other adverbs with extreme adjectives for stronger emphasis. Generally, adverbs that express the meaning of totality are used with extreme adjectives. Some examples are totally, utterly, absolutely and completely. Listen to how they are used in sentences: That comedian is absolutely hilarious. I am totally exhausted. The rug looks completely filthy. Rule #3: adverbs for both Now, onto rule number three. This is more of an exception to rule number two. Only a few adverbs can be used with both gradable adjectives and non-gradable (extreme) adjectives. They include pretty, really, so and fairly. Listen to these speakers using a couple of these adverbs with both gradable and non-gradable adjectives: My parents are pretty tired.  My parents are pretty exhausted. This painting is so nice. This painting is so beautiful. What can you do? So, what can you do with the information you learned today? Here is something you might enjoy: Choose a day to focus on adjectives. On that day, listen and look for adjectives wherever English is used. When you hear or see one, ask yourself if it is gradable or extreme and if an adverb is used with it. Write down the sentence you heard or saw the words in and note where you found them. This will help you remember them better later on. I’m Alice Bryant.   Alice Bryant wrote this story for Learning English. Ashley Thompson was the editor. _______________________________________________________________   Words in This Story   bride – n. a woman who has just married or is about to be married glad – adj.  feeling pleasure, joy, or delight intensifier – n. a word (such as really or very) that gives force or emphasis to a statement evolving - adj. changing slowly, often into a better, more complex, or more advanced state  dish - n. food that is prepared in a particular way varying - adj. differing in size, amount, degree or nature dull – adj. not exciting or interesting emphasis – n. a forceful quality in the way something is said or written rug – n.  a piece of thick, heavy material that is used to cover usually a section of a floor focus - v. to direct your attention or effort at something specific

source https://learningenglish.voanews.com/a/taking-adjectives-to-the-extreme/5630124.html

Taking Adjectives to the Extreme

source https://av.voanews.com/clips/VLE/2020/10/22/af5f3054-116a-4097-8b48-551961a30bc4_hq.mp3

Could humans live in underwater cities?

Hear about projects to create liveable underwater habitats and learn new vocabulary.

source http://www.bbc.co.uk/programmes/p08w0lh2

ALLCAPatriots

New Entry: 'ALLCAPatriots' has just been added to the Slang area of UsingEnglish.com. This entry is only available in our members' area.

source https://www.usingenglish.com/members/idioms/view.php?entry_id=27442

Adverbs of Manner Games

New Entry: 'Adverbs of Manner Games' has just been added to the Lesson Plans area of UsingEnglish.com.

source https://www.usingenglish.com/teachers/lesson-plans/view-adverbs-of-manner-games/

Adjectives and Animals- Mix and Match

New Entry: 'Adjectives and Animals- Mix and Match' has just been added to the Lesson Plans area of UsingEnglish.com.

source https://www.usingenglish.com/teachers/lesson-plans/view-adjectives-and-animals-mix-and-match/

English Grammar Made Easy S1 #135 - Just vs Only

learn the difference between: just & only

source https://www.englishclass101.com/lesson/english-grammar-made-easy-135-just-vs-only

Ask Alisha: Your English Questions Answered #130 - How to Correctly Use Phrasal Verbs in English?

learn how to use phrasal verbs

source https://www.englishclass101.com/lesson/ask-alisha-your-english-questions-answered-130-how-to-correctly-use-phrasal-verbs-in-english

Ask Alisha: Your English Questions Answered #128 - How to Pronounce Words with two R Sounds in American English?

learn how to pronounce words with two r sounds

source https://www.englishclass101.com/lesson/ask-alisha-your-english-questions-answered-128-how-to-pronounce-words-with-two-r-sounds-in-american-english

Crowdsourcing

Learn a word that might be useful when you’re developing an idea and need help.

source http://www.bbc.co.uk/programmes/p08vqpx0

Extensive Reading in English for Beginners #25 - Homes in the USA

learn about homes in the USA and improve your reading skills

source https://www.englishclass101.com/lesson/extensive-reading-in-english-for-beginners-25-homes-in-the-usa

Learning Strategies #62 - The Best Way to Learn English & Remember Everything

discover effective strategies and tips for learning english

source https://www.englishclass101.com/lesson/learning-strategies-62-the-best-way-to-learn-english-remember-everything

Everyday Grammar: Expressing Regret: I Wish I Had

source https://learningenglish.voanews.com/a/5615656.html

English Vocab Builder S1 #199 - Nutrition: Common Terms

learn essential vocabulary for talking about nutrition

source https://www.englishclass101.com/lesson/english-vocab-builder-199-nutrition-common-terms

There Is Something Strange about Indefinite Pronouns

Today on Everyday Grammar, our subject is indefinite pronouns. The pronouns we will consider today end with words such as “thing,” “body,” and “one.”  Think about words such as nothing, something, everyone, and anybody. They are sometimes called expanded indefinite pronouns. Such pronouns are unusual and can be very interesting, as we will see.  Pronouns  Pronouns are words that take the place of nouns. Indefinite pronouns refer to people or things that are unknown or unclear.  First, let’s talk about how we arrive at expanded indefinite pronouns. In English, a few short and fairly common words have the ability to expand or grow. Take, for example, words such as every, any, no, and some. We can expand them by adding another word, such as body, thing, and one, to the ending.    Unusual things  Unlike most nouns, expanded indefinite pronouns can be modified by a single adjective. What is unusual about that, you ask? The adjective can, in some cases, come after the pronoun.  Consider this example:  I think that something strange is happening here.  In this sentence, the word something is the subject of a clause. The adjective strange comes after it.  In general, sentences have adjectives that come before nouns or after a linking verb, as in:  He is a strange man.  That man seems strange.  Another unusual thing about these expanded indefinite pronouns is that when they show possession, they need an apostrophe followed by the letter “s.” Yet other pronouns that show possession, such as mine or his, do not have an apostrophe + “s.”  Consider these examples:  Somebody’s phone is on the chair.  Everyone’s concerns were ignored!  When expanded indefinite pronouns are the subject of the sentence, English speakers treat them as singular in terms of the verb - even if the pronouns refer to many people.  For example, an English speaker might invite a group of people to dinner by saying:  Everybody is invited to dinner.  Here, everybody clearly means many people. But because it is the sentence subject, the verb is singular.  After our fictional dinner invitation, a person might say:  Everyone plans to be there!  Very unusual  But here is where things get a little strange. When the expanded indefinite pronoun is not the subject of the sentence, English speakers often use the pronoun they. This makes sense since everybody or everyone generally means several people. Consider this:  After everyone arrived for dinner, they played a football game.  But, because there are questions about the meaning of these indefinite pronouns, English speakers also use they when talking about one person. Consider this example:  Someone sent me a text message yesterday, but they didn’t say their name. I didn’t write back to them.  The reason the English speaker used they is because the pronoun someone is not clear. It gives no information about the person’s sex. It could be a man or a woman. Since gender is unclear, English speakers use the term they as a kind of gender-neutral pronoun.  Closing thoughts  When you read books written in English or watch American television shows, pay attention to how native speakers use the group of indefinite pronouns that we talked about today.  Listen for subject-verb agreement. Ask yourself about what the indefinite pronoun is doing in the sentence. Consider why the speaker used an indefinite pronoun instead of another pronoun. These questions may be difficult. But remember this: With hard work, anything is possible.  I’m Ashley Thompson.  And I’m John Russell.    John Russell wrote this story for VOA Learning English. George Grow was the editor.  * They is the subject form. Their and them are the possessive and objective forms, respectively.  _____________________________________________________________   Words in This Story    indefinite – adj. not clear in meaning or detail  refer to – phrasal verb to have a direct connection or relationship to (something)  modify – v. grammar : to limit or describe the meaning of (a word or group of words)  clause – n. grammar : a part of a sentence that has its own subject and verb  apostrophe – n. the mark ʼ used to show the possessive form of a noun (as in “Lee's book” or “the tree's leaves”)  fictional – adj. meaning or involving a story or literature created from one’s imagination    We want to hear from you. Write to us in the Comments Section.   

source https://learningenglish.voanews.com/a/there-is-something-strange-about-indefinite-pronouns/5622756.html

There Is Something Strange about Indefinite Pronouns

source https://av.voanews.com/clips/VLE/2020/10/15/f98f18d6-77ce-471b-b09f-6b2b8503c477_hq.mp3

There is Something Strange About These Indefinite Pronouns

source https://av.voanews.com/clips/VLE/2020/10/15/f98f18d6-77ce-471b-b09f-6b2b8503c477_hq.mp3

Throwback Thursday S1 #41 - Practicing Ending -Ed Sounds

learn about ending -ed sounds (three sounds)

source https://www.englishclass101.com/lesson/english-grammar-made-easy-41-practicing-ending-ed-sounds-three-sounds

Ask Alisha: Your English Questions Answered #120 - Present perfect + ever/never - Basic English Grammar

learn how to use present perfect + ever/never

source https://www.englishclass101.com/lesson/ask-alisha-your-english-questions-answered-120-present-perfect-evernever-basic-english-grammar

Ask Alisha: Your English Questions Answered #121 - A while / for a while / in a while: What is the difference in English?

learn the difference between "a while," "for a while," and "in a while"

source https://www.englishclass101.com/lesson/ask-alisha-your-english-questions-answered-121-a-while-for-a-while-in-a-while-what-is-the-difference-in-english

Hacking help for US elections

Rob and Sam discuss plans in the US to reduce the risk of cyber-attacks on election day.

source http://www.bbc.co.uk/programmes/p08vc1ry

How Many Are There- Trivia Quiz

New Entry: 'How Many Are There- Trivia Quiz' has just been added to the Lesson Plans area of UsingEnglish.com.

source https://www.usingenglish.com/teachers/lesson-plans/view-how-many-are-there-trivia-quiz/

Learning Strategies #60 - The Satisfaction of Reaching Goals

discover effective strategies and tips for learning english

source https://www.englishclass101.com/lesson/learning-strategies-60-the-satisfaction-of-reaching-goals

One step at a time

When you’re trying something new, it’s best not to rush.

source http://www.bbc.co.uk/programmes/p08v3xk6

Give me a list of everyone who ____ coming.

New Entry: 'Give me a list of everyone who ____ coming.' has just been added to the Language Polls area of UsingEnglish.com.

source https://www.usingenglish.com/poll/1234.html

Everyday Grammar: Expressing Regret: I Should Have

source https://learningenglish.voanews.com/a/5613883.html

Finding Participles in News Headlines

source https://av.voanews.com/clips/VLE/2020/10/09/01cbbac2-3790-4a16-bf8a-365ed1108fee_hq.mp3

Finding Participles in News Headlines

I was reading The New York Times newspaper this morning and came across a headline that read “Laughter May Be Effective Medicine for These Trying Times.” A news headline is a very short summary of a news story that appears above the story, usually in large letters. The Times headline got me thinking about how much the world could use some laughter right now. Because I love grammar, I also thought about ways headlines and sentences are the same and different. To keep headlines short and catchy, English-based news groups use a few methods. Some, for example, leave out any form of the verb “be.” Many also leave out the words “a,” “an” and “the.” And, most use the present verb tense. These are just a few examples. All in all, there are more similarities than differences between headlines and complete sentences. That is why headlines can teach us about English grammar, including about participles. Some English learners find these word forms difficult. On recent Everyday Grammar programs, we talked about present participles and past participles. On today’s program, we will identify participles in news headlines and review them using a “test yourself” format. Present participles Let me begin by reviewing present participles. They are very common in English-language news headlines. As a reminder, the present participle is a word form that ends in -ing and has specific functions in English. For instance, it is used in all continuous tenses. The word “studying” in “You are studying English” is an example. In addition, some participles are adjectives, such as the word “shocking” in the sentence “His words were shocking.” Listen for the present participle word in the following headline, which I mentioned earlier from the New York Times newspaper. Decide whether the word is: a-an adjective b-part of a continuous verb (or) c-neither   Here’s the headline again: Laughter May Be Effective Medicine for These Trying Times Did you find the present participle? It is the word “trying.” Now, take a look at the phrase “trying times.” The word “trying” describes the noun “times” so, in this headline, “trying” is an adjective. The answer is a. “Trying times” means a period of difficulty. Now, look at the headline again. Have any words been left out that prevent it from being a complete sentence? You can tell us later in the comments and do the same for the other headlines. Here is another one, this time from the VOA Learning English website. This headline has two present participles in it. We will focus on the first one. Listen to the headline and decide whether the word “becoming” is: a-an adjective b-part of a continuous verb (or) c-neither Here it is: World Becoming Less Accepting of Migrants, Poll Finds   Did you decide on what “becoming” is? It is part of a continuous verb tense – in this case, the present continuous. So the answer is b. Notably, the word “is” was left out before “becoming,” so it may not have been immediately clear that you were looking at a continuous verb tense. Remember: Headlines often do not include the verb “be.” Past participles Now let’s review past participles, which are also common in news headlines. To refresh your memory, the past participle is a word form that often ends in -ed and has three main functions in English. It is used in all perfect verb tenses, as in “I have visited that museum.” It is also used in passive verbs, as in, “He is taken to school by his father.” Additionally, some past participles are adjectives, like in the sentence “The animal is scared.” Past participles can have endings other than -ed since there are 200 irregular verbs in English. They may have any of several endings, such as -n, as in the words “seen” and “taken.” Or they may look like a base verb, as in the words “run” “cut” and “cost.” Listen for the past participle in this headline from The Associated Press news service. Decide whether the word is: a-an adjective b-part of a passive verb c-part of a perfect verb Here’s the headline: Pennsylvania online voter services restored following outage   Did you find the past participle? It is the word “restored.” And it is part of the passive verb “are restored,” so the answer is b. That one was not easy, since the headline left out the verb “be.” Remember that, in passive voice, the person or thing performing the action of the verb is often not mentioned. That is true for many headlines, as it helps to keep them short. OK, now let’s take a look at a headline from the CNN website. Listen carefully for the past participle word and decide whether it is: a-an adjective b-part of a passive verb c-part of a perfect verb Here it is: Nobel Prize awarded for discovery of Hepatitis C   Did you find the past participle? It is the word “awarded.” Like the earlier example, this headline required you to think about what word might be missing – the verb “be” in this case. And “awarded” is part of the passive verb “is awarded.” So the answer is b. Well, I hope you enjoyed examining these headlines for participles. If you had trouble with them, do not worry! You can learn more about participles on our recent programs. I’m Alice Bryant.   Alice Bryant wrote this story for Learning English. Caty Weaver was the editor. _________________________________________________________________   Find Missing Words   Now, you try it! Examine the four headlines from today's story. Decide which words have been left out. Then, write the headlines as complete sentences in the comments. If there are no words missing, write "nothing missing." Here they are again: Laughter May Be Effective Medicine for These Trying Times World Becoming Less Accepting of Migrants, Poll Finds Pennsylvania online voter services restored following outage Nobel Prize awarded for discovery of Hepatitis C​ ________________________________________________________________   Words in This Story   summary – n. a brief statement that gives the most important information about something tense – n. a form of a verb that is used to show when an action happened review – v. to study or look at something again function – n. the special purpose or activity for which a thing exists or is used mention – v.  to briefly talk about, write about, or refer to something or someone phrase - a group of two or more words that express a single idea but do not usually form a complete sentence focus – v. to direct your attention or effort at something specific poll – n. an activity in which many people are asked a question or questions to find out what most people think about something irregular – adj. not normal or usual outage – n. a period when a power supply or other service is not available or when equipment is closed down   

source https://learningenglish.voanews.com/a/examining-participles-through-news-headlines/5612546.html

Finding Participles in News Headlines

I was reading The New York Times newspaper this morning and came across a headline that read “Laughter May Be Effective Medicine for These Trying Times.” A news headline is a very short summary of a news story that appears above the story, usually in large letters. The Times headline got me thinking about how much the world could use some laughter right now. Because I love grammar, I also thought about ways headlines and sentences are the same and different. To keep headlines short and catchy, English-based news groups use a few methods. Some, for example, leave out any form of the verb “be.” Many also leave out the words “a,” “an” and “the.” And, most use the present verb tense. These are just a few examples. All in all, there are more similarities than differences between headlines and complete sentences. That is why headlines can teach us about English grammar, including about participles. Some English learners find these word forms difficult. On recent Everyday Grammar programs, we talked about present participles and past participles. On today’s program, we will identify participles in news headlines and review them using a “test yourself” format. Present participles Let me begin by reviewing present participles. They are very common in English-language news headlines. As a reminder, the present participle is a word form that ends in -ing and has specific functions in English. For instance, it is used in all continuous tenses. The word “studying” in “You are studying English” is an example. In addition, some participles are adjectives, such as the word “shocking” in the sentence “His words were shocking.” Listen for the present participle word in the following headline, which I mentioned earlier from the New York Times newspaper. Decide whether the word is: a-an adjective b-part of a continuous verb (or) c-neither   Here’s the headline again: Laughter May Be Effective Medicine for These Trying Times Did you find the present participle? It is the word “trying.” Now, take a look at the phrase “trying times.” The word “trying” describes the noun “times” so, in this headline, “trying” is an adjective. The answer is b. “Trying times” means a period of difficulty. Now, look at the headline again. Have any words been left out that prevent it from being a complete sentence? You can tell us later in the comments and do the same for the other headlines. Here is another one, this time from the VOA Learning English website. This headline has two present participles in it. We will focus on the first one. Listen to the headline and decide whether the word “becoming” is: a-an adjective b-part of a continuous verb (or) c-neither Here it is: World Becoming Less Accepting of Migrants, Poll Finds   Did you decide on what “becoming” is? It is part of a continuous verb tense – in this case, the present continuous. So the answer is a. Notably, the word “is” was left out before “becoming,” so it may not have been immediately clear that you were looking at a continuous verb tense. Remember: Headlines often do not include the verb “be.” Past participles Now let’s review past participles, which are also common in news headlines. To refresh your memory, the past participle is a word form that often ends in -ed and has three main functions in English. It is used in all perfect verb tenses, as in “I have visited that museum.” It is also used in passive verbs, as in, “He is taken to school by his father.” Additionally, some past participles are adjectives, like in the sentence “The animal is scared.” Past participles can have endings other than -ed since there are 200 irregular verbs in English. They may have any of several endings, such as -n, as in the words “seen” and “taken.” Or they may look like a base verb, as in the words “run” “cut” and “cost.” Listen for the past participle in this headline from The Associated Press news service. Decide whether the word is: a-an adjective b-part of a passive verb c-part of a perfect verb Here’s the headline: Pennsylvania online voter services restored following outage   Did you find the past participle? It is the word “restored.” And it is part of the passive verb “are restored,” so the answer is b. That one was not easy, since the headline left out the verb “be.” Remember that, in passive voice, the person or thing performing the action of the verb is often not mentioned. That is true for many headlines, as it helps to keep them short. OK, now let’s take a look at a headline from the CNN website. Listen carefully for the past participle word and decide whether it is: a-an adjective b-part of a passive verb c-part of a perfect verb Here it is:        Nobel Prize awarded for discovery of Hepatitis C   Did you find the past participle? It is the word “awarded.” Like the earlier example, this headline required you to think about what word might be missing – the verb “be” in this case. And “awarded” is part of the passive verb “is awarded.” So the answer is c. Well, I hope you enjoyed examining these headlines for participles. If you had trouble with them, do not worry! You can learn more about participles on our recent programs. I’m Alice Bryant.   Alice Bryant wrote this story for Learning English. Caty Weaver was the editor. _________________________________________________________________   Find Missing Words   Now, you try it! Examine the four headlines from today's story. Decide which words have been left out. Then, write the headlines as complete sentences in the comments. If there are no words missing, write "nothing missing." Here they are again: Laughter May Be Effective Medicine for These Trying Times World Becoming Less Accepting of Migrants, Poll Finds Pennsylvania online voter services restored following outage Nobel Prize awarded for discovery of Hepatitis C​ ________________________________________________________________   Words in This Story   summary – n. a brief statement that gives the most important information about something tense – n. a form of a verb that is used to show when an action happened review – v. to study or look at something again function – n. the special purpose or activity for which a thing exists or is used mention – v.  to briefly talk about, write about, or refer to something or someone phrase - a group of two or more words that express a single idea but do not usually form a complete sentence focus – v. to direct your attention or effort at something specific poll – n. an activity in which many people are asked a question or questions to find out what most people think about something irregular – adj. not normal or usual outage – n. a period when a power supply or other service is not available or when equipment is closed down   

source https://learningenglish.voanews.com/a/examining-participles-through-news-headlines/5612546.html

Words with Silent Letters- Discussion Questions

New Entry: 'Words with Silent Letters- Discussion Questions' has just been added to the Lesson Plans area of UsingEnglish.com.

source https://www.usingenglish.com/teachers/lesson-plans/view-words-with-silent-letters-discussion-questions/

Is a rainbow brown? – Colours Mix and Match

New Entry: 'Is a rainbow brown? – Colours Mix and Match' has just been added to the Lesson Plans area of UsingEnglish.com.

source https://www.usingenglish.com/teachers/lesson-plans/view-is-a-rainbow-brown-colours-mix-and-match/

Do chimps have the same emotions as us?

Hear Jane Goodall talk about the deep connections between humans and the great apes.

source http://www.bbc.co.uk/programmes/p08tmhfq

Throwback Thursday S1 #112 - The Third Conditional

learn about the third conditional (If i had [past participle], I would/could/should/might...)

source https://www.englishclass101.com/lesson/english-grammar-made-easy-112-the-third-conditional

Finding Participles in News Headlines

source https://av.voanews.com/clips/VLE/2020/10/07/8a8b811e-895a-475a-bd8e-380ac3d94488_hq.mp3

Learning Strategies #56 - Top 5 Ways to Speak More English

discover effective strategies and tips for learning english

source https://www.englishclass101.com/lesson/learning-strategies-56-top-5-ways-to-speak-more-english

English Grammar Made Easy S1 #133 - How to Express Humility

learn how to express humility

source https://www.englishclass101.com/lesson/english-grammar-made-easy-133-how-to-express-humility

Learning Strategies #57 - Do You Have These 4 English Learning Fears?

discover effective strategies and tips for learning english

source https://www.englishclass101.com/lesson/learning-strategies-57-do-you-have-these-4-english-learning-fears

Monthly Review Video #25 - English October 2020 Review - How to Match Your Routine to Language Learning

discover your new learning strategies and free resources of the month.

source https://www.englishclass101.com/lesson/monthly-review-video-25-english-october-2020-review-how-to-match-your-routine-to-language-learning

Bog-standard

How do you describe something that is standard, ordinary and nothing special?

source http://www.bbc.co.uk/programmes/p08tfdnb

The Present Participle

source https://av.voanews.com/clips/VLE/2020/10/05/4554bebe-8903-43fb-a760-9d4524015436_original.mp3

Puke up

New Entry: 'Puke up' has just been added to the Phrasal Verbs area of UsingEnglish.com.

source https://www.usingenglish.com/reference/phrasal-verbs/puke.html#Puke-up

What Are Reciprocal Pronouns?

  The Sixth Sense is a famous American movie. The 1999 film tells the story of a young boy who has an unusual issue. He claims that he can see dead people.  In the film, the boy describes his problem:  "I see dead people....Walking around like regular people. They don't see each other. They only see what they want to see..."    Today on Everyday Grammar, we will explore some of the words that you just heard. We also will explain a pronoun that the boy used – the words “each other.” This term is an example of a reciprocal pronoun.  But first, let's start with a few definitions.  Pronouns  Pronouns are words that take the place of a noun. Words such as I, me, or my are personal pronouns. The word you choose depends on how it is used in a sentence. For example, personal pronouns can act as the subject or object. They can also show possession. This is known as the possessive case.  When using the first person, the subject pronoun is I, and the object pronoun is me. The possessive pronoun is my. Some grammar books use the term possessive adjective in place of the term possessive pronoun.* Reciprocal pronouns  What exactly are reciprocal pronouns?  Reciprocal is a word that describes a relationship in which people or groups do something similar, as in this sentence:  Mark helped Bob, and Bob helped Mark.  In newspapers, you might read about reciprocal trade agreements. Consider an imaginary trade deal between two countries. Country A reduces taxes on goods from Country B. And in return, Country B lowers taxes on goods from Country A.  In grammar, reciprocal pronouns are pronouns that refer to a previously named noun. They suggest that one person or group does something to or for another person or group. In exchange, that person or group does something to or for the first person or group.  Luckily, there are only two reciprocal pronouns you need to know. They are “each other” and “one another.”  Consider our earlier example.  Mark helped Bob, and Bob helped Mark.  With a reciprocal pronoun, the sentence would become:  Mark and Bob helped each other.  The pronoun each other refers to two people: Mark and Bob.  Reciprocal pronouns have two common uses. First, they can act as objects referring to previously named nouns, as in our example about Mark and Bob.  Second, they can act as determiners - words that mark nouns - in the possessive case. Here is an example:  Mark and Bob even do each other’s homework!  Now you might be wondering about the second reciprocal pronoun, “one another.” How is it different from “each other?”  In general, “each other” refers to two nouns, while “one another” refers to three or more nouns. Here is an example:  All the players on the team help one another with their homework.  Knowing the difference between “each other” and “one another” is important for a very strict writing test.  But to be honest, when talking with a native English speaker, you do not need to worry too much about the difference. Sometimes native speakers use “each other” to refer to three or more.  What is most important is that you understand the idea of reciprocal pronouns and how they act in a sentence.  Closing thoughts  At the beginning of this report, you heard a few lines from the movie The Sixth Sense:  "They don't see each other."  You will hear native English speakers use reciprocal pronouns in many other films, television shows, and news stories. Listen carefully to how native speakers use them.  A piece of advice for you. When you use “each other” in speaking, pay careful attention to the “ch” sound at the end of “each.” It is a difficult sound for speakers of many languages. I’m John Russell.    John Russell wrote this story for VOA Learning English. George Grow was the editor.  *There are alternate forms of the possessive case. My and mine are two examples. My acts as a determiner - a marker of a noun. Mine takes the place of the noun head word.  _______________________________________________________________   Words in This Story    pronoun – n. grammar: a word (such as I, he, she, you, it, we, or they) that is used instead of a noun or noun phrase  grammar – n. the whole system of a language or of languages refer to - v. to have a direct connection or relationship to (someone or something)  previously – adv. formerly; earlier or before  strict – adj. severe; firm or uncompromising    We want to hear from you. Write to us in the Comments Section.   

source https://learningenglish.voanews.com/a/what-are-reciprocal-pronouns-/5603918.html

Colours- Guessing Game

New Entry: 'Colours- Guessing Game' has just been added to the Lesson Plans area of UsingEnglish.com.

source https://www.usingenglish.com/teachers/lesson-plans/view-colours-guessing-game/

Classroom Instructions- Number & Word Recognition TPR Practice

New Entry: 'Classroom Instructions- Number & Word Recognition TPR Practice' has just been added to the Lesson Plans area of UsingEnglish.com.

source https://www.usingenglish.com/teachers/lesson-plans/view-classroom-instructions-number-word-recognition-tpr-practice/

Extensive Reading in English for Beginners #24 - Homes around the world

learn about homes around the world and improve your reading skills

source https://www.englishclass101.com/lesson/extensive-reading-in-english-for-beginners-24-homes-around-the-world

English Vocab Builder S1 #198 - Books and Magazines: Common Terms

learn essential vocabulary for talking about books and magazines

source https://www.englishclass101.com/lesson/english-vocab-builder-198-books-and-magazines-common-terms

Ask Alisha: Your English Questions Answered #112 - That vs Which: Difference and Comparison - Basic English Grammar

learn the difference between "that" and "which"

source https://www.englishclass101.com/lesson/ask-alisha-your-english-questions-answered-112-that-vs-which-difference-and-comparison-basic-english-grammar

What Are Reciprocal Pronouns?

  The Sixth Sense is a famous American movie. The 1999 film tells the story of a young boy who has an unusual issue. He claims that he can see dead people.  In the film, the boy describes his problem:  "I see dead people....Walking around like regular people. They don't see each other. They only see what they want to see..."    Today on Everyday Grammar, we will explore some of the words that you just heard. We also will explain a pronoun that the boy used – the words “each other.” This term is an example of a reciprocal pronoun.  But first, let's start with a few definitions.  Pronouns  Pronouns are words that take the place of a noun. Words such as I, me, or my are personal pronouns. The word you choose depends on how it is used in a sentence. For example, personal pronouns can act as the subject or object. They can also show possession. This is known as the possessive case.  When using the first person, the subject pronoun is I, and the object pronoun is me. The possessive pronoun is my. Some grammar books use the term possessive adjective in place of the term possessive pronoun.  Reciprocal pronouns  What exactly are reciprocal pronouns?  Reciprocal is a word that describes a relationship in which people or groups do something similar, as in this sentence:  Mark helped Bob, and Bob helped Mark.  In newspapers, you might read about reciprocal trade agreements. Consider an imaginary trade deal between two countries. Country A reduces taxes on goods from Country B. And in return, Country B lowers taxes on goods from Country A.  In grammar, reciprocal pronouns are pronouns that refer to a previously named noun. They suggest that one person or group does something to or for another person or group. In exchange, that person or group does something to or for the first person or group.  Luckily, there are only two reciprocal pronouns you need to know. They are “each other” and “one another.”  Consider our earlier example.  Mark helped Bob, and Bob helped Mark.  With a reciprocal pronoun, the sentence would become:  Mark and Bob helped each other.  The pronoun each other refers to two people: Mark and Bob.  Reciprocal pronouns have two common uses. First, they can act as objects referring to previously named nouns, as in our example about Mark and Bob.  Second, they can act as determiners - words that mark nouns - in the possessive case. Here is an example:  Mark and Bob even do each other’s homework!  Now you might be wondering about the second reciprocal pronoun, “one another.” How is it different from “each other?”  In general, “each other” refers to two nouns, while “one another” refers to three or more nouns. Here is an example:  All the players on the team help one another with their homework.  Knowing the difference between “each other” and “one another” is important for a very strict writing test.  But to be honest, when talking with a native English speaker, you do not need to worry too much about the difference. Sometimes native speakers use “each other” to refer to three or more.  What is most important is that you understand the idea of reciprocal pronouns and how they act in a sentence.  Closing thoughts  At the beginning of this report, you heard a few lines from the movie The Sixth Sense:  "They don't see each other."  You will hear native English speakers use reciprocal pronouns in many other films, television shows, and news stories. Listen carefully to how native speakers use them.  A piece of advice for you. When you use “each other” in speaking, pay careful attention to the “ch” sound at the end of “each.” It is a difficult sound for speakers of many languages. I’m John Russell.    John Russell wrote this story for VOA Learning English. George Grow was the editor.  _______________________________________________________________   Words in This Story    pronoun – n. grammar: a word (such as I, he, she, you, it, we, or they) that is used instead of a noun or noun phrase  grammar – n. the whole system of a language or of languages refer to - v. to have a direct connection or relationship to (someone or something)  previously – adv. formerly; earlier or before  strict – adj. severe; firm or uncompromising    We want to hear from you. Write to us in the Comments Section.   

source https://learningenglish.voanews.com/a/what-are-reciprocal-pronouns-/5603918.html

What Are Reciprocal Pronouns?

source https://av.voanews.com/clips/VLE/2020/10/01/87496a14-b701-4aff-8087-6bef124727cf_hq.mp3

Throw in the sponge

New Entry: 'Throw in the sponge' has just been added to the Idioms area of UsingEnglish.com.

source https://www.usingenglish.com/reference/idioms/throw+in+the+sponge.html

How to deal with difficult questions in a presentation

New Entry: 'How to deal with difficult questions in a presentation' has just been added to the Articles area of UsingEnglish.com.

source https://www.usingenglish.com/articles/how-to-deal-with-difficult-questions-in-presentation.html

How can we make the web a better place?

Neil and Sam talk about the subject and teach you vocabulary along the way.

source http://www.bbc.co.uk/programmes/p08t1r21