nộp language functions

8/21/2019 np language functions

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Agreeing and disadgreeing in English

In English conversations, people often say that they agree or disagreewith each other. There are many ways of agreeing or disagreeing and theone you use depends on how strongly you agree or disagree. Here's a listof some common expressions.

Agreeing in English

"I think you're right."

"I agree with you."

Strong agreement

"I couldn't agree with you more."

"ou're a!solutely right."

"I agree entirely."

"I totally agree."

Partly agreeing

"I agree with you up to a point, !ut"

"That's #uite true, !ut"

"I agree with you in principle, !ut"

Disagreeing

"I'm not sure I agree with you."

"$I'm afraid% I don't agree."

"$I'm afraid% I disagree."

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"$I'm afraid% I can't agree with you."

"$I'm afraid% I don't share your opinion."

Note

hen you disagree with someone in English, you can often sound morepolite !y using a phrase such as "I'm afraid"

Disagreeing strongly

"I don't agree at all."

"I totally disagree."

"I couldn't agree with you less."

Complaining in English

hen complaining in English, it helps to !e polite. This page will helpyou with this important English speaking skill.

In a shop

ou're in a shop and the assistant gives you the wrong change.

"Excuse me, I think you've given me the wrong change", or "(orry, Ithink this change is wrong. I gave you )*+, not )&+."

In a hotel

"Excuse me, !ut there's a pro!lem with the heating in my room."

"(orry to !other you, !ut I think there's something wrong with the airconditioning."

"I'm afraid I have to make a complaint. (ome money has gone missingfrom my hotel room."

"I'm afraid there's a slight pro!lem with my room the !ed hasn't !eenmade."

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hen people apologise, they normally say "sorry" and offer to put thesituation right.

"Excuse me, !ut there's a pro!lem with the heating."

"I'm sorry I'll get someone to check it for you."

or "(orry to hear that I'll send someone up."

Speaking tip

-lthough you may find it strange to use the word sorrywhen youcomplain, English speakers consider it polite. It will help you get what

you want

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English greetings

0irst impressions are important, so here's a guide to using the rightexpression.

Greetings

Two friends meeting

0riends often say "Hi" to each other. Then they often ask a general

#uestion, such as "How are you1" or "How are things1" or "How's life1"

The reply to this #uestion is normally positive.

"0ine thanks, and you1"

"0ine thanks, what a!out yourself1"

"2ot !ad." 3r "4an't complain."

Greeting people you don't know

ou can use "Hello" with people you don't know, !ut a more formalgreeting is "5ood morning 6 afternoon 6 evening."

The other person normally replies with the same greeting as you haveused and then makes polite conversation, such as "How was your trip1"or "7id you find our office easily1"

Introduing yourself

At an informal party

"Hello, I'm 8aria." 3r "Hello, my name's 8aria."

The reply could !e9

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"Hi, I'm (arah." 3r "Hello 8aria, I'm (arah." 3r "2ice to meet you, I'm(arah."

At work!related e"ents

"I'd like to introduce myself. I'm 8aria, from english;home."

3r, "ohn1""(arah, I'd like you to meet my colleague >ohn."

(arah says9

"=leased to meet you, >ohn." 3r "2ice to meet you, >ohn."

>ohn could say9

"2ice to meet you too, (arah." 3r "Hello, (arah."

Introduing lients

"8r 8itchell, I'd like to introduce you to my manager, Henry


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"=leased to meet you." 3r "5ood to meet you."

Speaking Tip

"#ow do you do$"is #uite formal for @ritish English speakers and thereply to this #uestion is to repeat the phrase, "#ow do you do$"$asstrange as that may sound%

At a more informal party

hen you introduce two of your friends to each other, you can simplysay, ">ohn, this is (arah."

Cultural onsiderations

-t work, one person may have higher status your !oss, or a client, forexample. It's polite to address them as 8r 6 8s until the situation

!ecomes more informal.

If someone says, "=lease call me $Henry%", you know you can use firstnames. If someone uses your first name, you can use their first name too.

=eople in European and Englishspeaking cultures often shake handswhen they meet someone for the first time.

A 7on't forget to smile :-)

Introduing people hat's your name1 ho are you1

8y name is ... I am ... 8y friends call me ... ou can call me ... Haven't we met $!efore%1 es, I think we have. 2o, I don't think we have. I think we've already met.

I don't think we've met $!efore%. This is ...

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8eet ... Have you met ...1 es, I have. 2o, I haven't.

es, I think I have. 2o, I don't think I have. Hello, ... $name% 2ice to meet you. $informal% =leased to meet you. How do you do1 $formal% 2ice to see you. 2ice to see you again.

%aking appointments

Cseful phrases for making and changing appointments.

Asking to meet

"-re you availa!le on the &Dth1"

"4an we meet on the &Bth1"

"How does the /rd sound to you1"

"-re you free next week1"

"ould 0riday suit you1"

"Is next Tuesday convenient for you1""hat a!out sometime next week1"

Agreeing on a date

"es, Thursday is fine.""Thursday suits me.""Thursday would !e perfect."

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Suggesting a different date

"I'm afraid I can't on the /rd. hat a!out the Bth1"

"I'm sorry, I won't !e a!le to make it on 8onday. 4ould we meet on

Tuesday instead1"

"-h, ednesday is going to !e a little difficult. I'd much prefer 0riday, ifthat's alright with you."

"I really don't think I can on the &Dth. 4an we meet up on the &th1"

Setting a time

"hat sort of time would suit you1"

"Is /pm a good time for you1"

"If possi!le, I'd like to meet in the morning."

"How does *pm sound to you1"

Changing the arrangement

"ou know we were going to meet next 0riday1 ell, I'm very sorry, !utsomething urgent has come up."

"I'm afraid that I'm not going to !e a!le to meet you after all. 4an we fixanother time1"

"(omething has Fust cropped up and I won't !e a!le to meet you this

afternoon. 4an we make another time1"

%aking generalisations

English speakers often prefer to make generalisations, rather than sayingsomething is a fact. hen you make generalisations, you will sound lessdirect and sure of yourself and therefore more open to other people'ssuggestions and ideas. =eople will think you're friendly

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To show that something is generally true

tend to

"I tend to agree with you."$I agree with most of what you say.%

"I tend to go to !ed early in winter."$I normally go to !ed early in winter.%

ha"e a tendeny to

"The English have a tendency to drink tea, not coffee."2ote9 ha"e a tendeny tois used more in written than in spoken English.

To show how ommon something is

Generally speaking

"5enerally speaking, more men than women use the internet."

In most ases

"In most cases, wars are caused !y land disputes."

In some ases

"In some cases, English !eaches are unsafe for swimming."

In a large num&er of ases

"In a large num!er of cases, o!esity is caused !y overeating."

%ostly, often, sometimes

$These words go !efore the main ver!, or after the ver! to &e%

"e are mostly concerned with costs."

"They mostly go to the cinema at weekends."


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"Eating chocolate sometimes causes migraines."

"He is sometimes difficult to work with."

"English people often complain a!out the weather."

Speaking Tip

-lthough you may find it strange to avoid saying exactly what you mean,!eing a!le to make generalisations is a speaking skill that will make yousound much more like a native English speaker.

%aking in"itations

How to make and accept invitations in English.

"hat are you doing next (aturday1 e're having some people over for ameal. ould you like to come1"

"-re you free next Thursday1"

"-re you doing anything next weekend1"

"ould you !e interested in coming to the cinema with me tonight1"

"How do you fancy going out for a meal at the weekend1"

Aepting

"ould you like to"

"I'd love to, thanks."

"That's very kind of you, thanks."

"That sounds lovely, thanks."

"7o you fancy coming to the cinema tonight1 "

"hat a great idea, thanks."

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Delining

"ould you like to come over for dinner on (aturday1"

"That's very kind of you, !ut actually I'm doing something else on

(aturday."

"ell, I'd love to, !ut I'm already going out to the cinema."

"I'm really sorry, !ut I've got something else on."

"I really don't think I can I'm supposed to !e doing something else."

Speaking Tip

It's important to !e polite when you decline an invitation. e normallygive a reason why we can't do something and either apologise, or usewords like "atually" or "really".

%aking offers

English speakers make offers all the time in conversation.

They say things like9Can I ?

Shall I ?

Would you like me to ?

Csing these common English phrases and !eing a!le to accept andreFect offers will make you sound polite and helpful.

"4an I help you1"

"(hall I open the window for you1"

"ould you like another coffee1"

"ould you like me to answer the phone1"

"I'll do the photocopying, if you like."

Shall, anand willare followed !y the ver! without to.

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Shallis more formal than an. ould you like(is followed either !y anoun, or !y the ver! withto.

)esponding to offers

These English dialogues show you ways to accept or reFect offers madeto you.

"4an I help you1""es please. I'd like to know what time the train leaves."

"4an I help you1""No thanks, I'm Fust looking." $In a shop.%

"(hall I open the window for you1""es please. That would !e very kind of you."

"ould you like another coffee1""Nothanks." 3r, "No thank you."

"ould you like another coffee1""es please, that would !e lovely." 3r, "es please, I'd love one."

"ould you like me to answer the phone1""If you wouldn't mind." 3r, "If you could."$7on't answer "es, I would", as this sounds like you expect someone todo it for you.%

"I'll do the photocopying, if you like.""It's 3, I can do it." 3r, "7on't worry, I'll do it.

"3r, "Thank you, that would !e great."

Speaking tip

ith a little practice, you'll find it easy to use these English expressions.They'll help you sound !oth natural and confident.

%aking preditions

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hen we want to say what we think will happen in the future in English,we can either use willfollowed !y the ver! without to, or &egoing tofollowed !y the ver!.

"hat do you think will happennext year1""2ext week is going to &every !usy, I think."

"There won't &ea rise in house prices next year."

"He isn't going to winthe election."

@ecause we also use willto talk a!out intentions and strong decisions, we

often use &egoing toto sound less emotional."Hewon'thelp us" can mean that he has decided not to help us. @ut "Heisn't going tohelp us" doesn't have this negative implication. It soundsmore like a prediction and a simple, nonemotional fact perhaps he isn'ta!le to help us.

Preditions &ased on what you know now

e can make predictions !ased on what we can see now. To do this, weuse &egoing toand the ver! $not will%.

0or example9

"atch out ou're going to hitthat car in front."

"It's going to &ea lovely day today not a cloud in the sky."

%aking re*uests

hen you ask someone to do something for you, or ask if you can dosomething, it's important to sound polite. Here are some of the commonways that you can do this.

Asking someone to do something for you

"4ould you open the door for me, please1"

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"ould you mind opening the door for me, please1"

"4an you open the door for me, please1'

Speaking tip

Couldand anare followed !y the ver! without to.ould you mindisfollowed !y the ver! and!ing.

Asking if you an do something

"4an I use your computer, please1"

"4ould I !orrow some money from you, please1"

"7o you mind if I turn up the heating1"

"ould you mind if I turned up the heating1"

Speaking tip

Couldis more polite that an.

"Do you mind if("is followed !y the ver! in thepresent tense, !ut"would you mind if("is followed !y the ver! in thepast tense.

hen you're using these two sentences, don't useplease. It's alreadypolite enough

Speaking a&out hopes in English

There are a num!er of expressions you can use to show your hopes andpreferences.

#opes

I'm hoping for $noun% $"I'm hoping for a new cell phone."%

I'm hoping to get $"I'm hoping to get a new phone."%

I would like

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I really want $Csing "want" can !e impolite unless you are talking to aclose friend or family mem!er.%

(omething I've always wanted is

I'd !e delighted 6 over the moon if $"I'd !e delighted if you gave me anew watch."%

hat I'd like more than anything else is

3n my 4hristmas wish list is

Preferenes

I'd rather have $noun% $"I'd rather have tickets to the opera."%

I'd rather you $simple past% $"I'd rather you saved your money."%

I'd prefer $noun% $"I'd prefer some money for the new house."%

I'd prefer it if you $simple past% $"I'd prefer it if you gave some money tocharity."%

.. would !e more suita!le 6 would !e !etter

If I had a choice, I would go for

If it's all the same to you, . $"If it's all the same to you, I'd like some!ook tokens."%

Suggestions in English

The following English words and expressions are all used to makesuggestions and give advice to people.

should

"ou should try to practise English.""ou shouldn't translate too much."

hy don't you

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"hy don't you Foin an English clu!1"

ought to

"ou ought to read more."

If I were you+ I'd(

"If I were you, I'd watch more television."

A-ll these expressions are followed !y a verb, without to. 0or example9"He shouldvisit the Eiffel Tower." $2ot "he should tovisit the EiffelTower."%

suggestand reommendeither use a "er& , ing"I suggest visiting the Eiffel Tower." $e should all go.%

!use that , lausewithout to"I suggest that you visit the Eiffel Tower." $I'm not going.%

!use anoun"I recommend the lasagne." $It's a very good dish to choose in this

restaurant.%

ad"ise

"I advise you to !uy a good dictionary."

-dvice is an uncounta!le noun. This means that we can't say an ad"ie.Instead, we say some ad"ieor a piee of ad"ie.

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"Have you considered"

"=erhaps we could"

"7o you think it's a good idea to"

Talking a&out fear

There are many words and expressions for talking a!out fear.

ords

-fraid9 "-re you afraid ofthe dark1"0rightened9 "Imfrightened ofspiders."(cared9 "Hes sared ofmaking mistakes."0eel uneasy9 "Ifelt a &it uneasywhen I walked home in the dark."(pooked9 J8y cats are easily spooked!efore a thunderstorm.KTerrified9 J(he was a!solutely terrifiedwhen she heard the noise.K=etrified9 JThe !uilding !egan to shake and we were allpetrified.K

E-pressions

a terrifying ordealsend shivers down my spinegive me goose!umps $goose!umps are when your skin has little !umpson it%make the hairs on the !ack of my neck stand up $dogs also do this whenthey are scared%scare the hell out of me

!e scared shitless 6 shit scared $@ritish slang vulgar%

!e !ricking it $@ritish slang vulgar%frighten the life out of meshake with fear

Fump out of my skin

E-amples

3ne of the !est horror films I have seen is JThe @lair itch =roFectK. Ittells the story of a terrifying ordealin the woods of northern C(-. (omeof the scenes in the film sent shi"ers down my spine, especially the onewhen the students run out of the tent in the middle of the night. hen

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they go !ack, one of the guys rucksack has !een emptied. hen thatsame guy goes missing the next day, itgi"es you goose&umps.

There are some fa!ulous sound effects, especially the ones of the wind!lowing and howling. hen you hear the crying voices at the end of thefilm, it will make the hairs on the &ak of your nek stand up.

=erhaps the scariest part of the film is at the end, when you see one of thesurviving students literally shake with fearin the corner of the !asement.It certainlyfrightened the life out ofthe girl when she saw him, and I.umped out of my skinat the end when the camera stopped filming. Thefilm sared the hell out of mefor weeks afterwards, and Im ashamed tosay that I wouldnt go into an empty room in the house unless there was

someone there with me.

Talking a&out likes and dislikes in English

There's a whole range of English expressions you can use to talk a!outhow much you like or dislike something.

If you lo"e something"I lo"eeating icecream."

"I adoresun!athing."

If you like something a lot

"(he'sfondof chocolate."

"I likeswimming very much."

If you like something

"He uite likesgoing to the cinema."

"I likecooking."

If you neither like nor dislike something"I don't minddoing the housework."

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If you don't like something

"(he doesn't likecooking very much."

"He'snot "ery fondofdoing the gardening."

"I dislikewasting time."

If you really dislike something

"I don't likesport at all."

"He an't standhis !oss."

"(he an't &earcooking in a dirty kitchen."

"I hatecrowded supermarkets."

"He detests!eing late."

"(he loathescelery."

Speaking tips

Dislikeis #uite formal.

/ond ofis normally used to talk a!out food or people.

The 'oa' in loatherhymes with the 'oa' in &oat.

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Grammar Note

To talk a!out your general likes or dislikes, follow this pattern9 likesomething or like doingsomething.

Common mistake

@e careful where you put "ery muhor a lot. These words should goafter the thing that you like.

0or example, "I like reading very much." 23T "I like very muchreading."

Talking a&out pro&a&ility in English

There are many ways of saying that something will pro!a!ly or possi!lyhappen.

Pro&a&le

&ound toL certain9 "They are !ound to succeed"

sure toL certain9 "He is sure to win the championship."

likely toL pro!a!le9 "e are likely to win the contract."

definiteL sure9 "He's a definite frontrunner for the Fo!"

#robable9 "It's pro!a!le that we will !e on holiday around then."

likely9 "-n election is likely next year."

will definitely happen9 "There will definitely !e a storm later."

will pro&a&ly happen9 "They will pro!a!ly take on more staff."

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Possi&le

may9 "e may !e a!le to help you."

might9 "There might !e a holiday next month I'm not sure."

ould9 "There could !e a !ug in the system."

( is possi&le9 "7o you think he will resign1" "es, that's possi!le."

( is unlikely9 "It's unlikely that she will move."

will possi&ly9 "(he'll possi!ly tell us tomorrow."

pro&a&ly won't9 "They pro!a!ly won't hear until next week."

definitely won't9 "I definitely won't go to the party."

( is highly unlikely9 "It's highly unlikely that the company will expand."

Note

@e careful of the word order."7efinitely" and "pro!a!ly" come after "will" $in positive sentences% and

!efore "won't" in negative sentences.

0ariations

ou can add words to alter the strength of pro!a!ility9

highlylikely 6 unlikely $L very likely 6 unlikely%

*uitelikely 6 pro!a!le 6 possi!le $L more likely, pro!a!le or possi!le%

couldpossi&ly1pro&a&ly

most definitely won't 23 e"en more unlikely4

Talking a&out the weather

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It's true @ritish people often start a conversation with strangers andfriends !y talking a!out the weather. -s weather is a neutral topic ofconversation, it's usually safe to use it to strike up a conversation at the

!us stop, in a shop, or with a neigh!our over the garden fence.

Some e-amples of on"ersation starters

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"e're in forfrost tonight."

"They're e-petingsnow in the north."

"I hear that showers are oming our way."

#uman attri&utes

e also attri!ute human features to the weather, almost as if the weathercan decide what to do9

"The sun's trying to come out."

"It's !een trying to rain all morning."

"It's finally decided to rain."

5nderstanding the foreast

8any @ritish people are keen gardeners, and they keep a close eye on theweather forecast. Here are some of the weather features which can worrygardeners9

a hard frost!liMMard 6 galeforce conditionshailstones

prolonged rain!lustery winda drought

Here are some more temperate conditions which gardeners like9

mild weathersunny spellslight driMMle

Talking a&out your family

English Noca!ulary for talking a!out your family.

6our family tree

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our closest relatives are yourparents9 your motherandfatherO andyour si&lings$&rothersor sisters%. If your mother or father is not an onlyhild, you also have auntsand6or unles. -n aunt is the sister of yourmother or father, while an uncle is the !rother of your mother or father.

our female child is called your daughter, and your male child is yourson.

If your aunts or uncles have children, they are yourfirst ousins. $InEnglish, the word cousin is used, whether the cousin is female or male.%our female cousin is your mother $or father's% niee, while a malecousin is the nephewof your mother and father.

In!laws

hen you marry, your hus!and $or wife's% family !ecome your in!laws.The mother of your spouse$hus!and or wife% is your mother!in!lawandhis or her father !ecomes yourfather!in!law. The term inlaw is alsoused to descri!e your relationship with the spouses of your si!lings. (othe hus!and of your sister !ecomes your &rother!in!law, while the sisterof your hus!and !ecomes your sister!in!law. If you are a woman, you

!ecome the daughter!in!lawof your hus!and's parents, and if you are a

man, you !ecome the son!in!lawof your wife's parents. The same terminlaw is used for all generations. The hus!and of your aunt is still yourmother's !rotherinlaw, for example.

Grandparents1grandhildren

The parents of your parents are yourgrandparents-grandmotherandgrandfather. ou are theirgrandhildren either agranddaughteror agrandson. If your grandparent has a sister, she is yourgreat!aunt. If yourgrandparent has a !rother, he is yourgreat!unle. $-nd you are either hisor hergreat!nieeorgreat!nephew.%

The mother of your grandmother or grandfather is yourgreat!grandmother. The father is yourgreat!grandfather. If you go !ackanother generation, the grandmother of your grandmother 6 grandfather isyourgreat!great!grandmother. The grandfather of your grandparent

!ecomes yourgreat!great!grandfather.

Seond families

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If your mother or father remarries, you can ac#uire a new family and setof relatives. 0or example, if your father marries a second wife, she

!ecomes your step!mother. -ny children she already has !ecome yourstep!sistersor step!&rothers.

If your mother or father remarries and has children, they !ecome yourhalf!&rothersor half!sisters.

ou might also hear people talking a!out their &iologial!rother 6 sisteretc, to mean a !rother who is related !y !lood, rather than !y marriage.

Types of family

nulear familyL mother, father and children9 "The traditional @ritishfamily unit is a nuclear family."

single!parent1one!parent familyL a family which only has one parent$!ecause the parents are divorced, or !ecause one of the parents hasdied%9 "There are more and more singleparent families in the C."

immediate familyL your closest relatives9 "3nly immediate familymem!ers attended the funeral."

e-tended familyL your entire family9 "The wedding invitations were sentto the entire extended family."

lose!knit familyL a family where the mem!ers have close relationshipswith each other9 "They are a closeknit family."

dysfuntional familyL a family where the mem!ers have seriouspro!lems with each other9 "He comes from a rather dysfunctionalfamily."

&lood relati"eL a relative connected to you !y "!lood" rather thanthrough marriage9 "(he's not a !lood relative, !ut we're still very close."

E-pressions with family

family gatheringL a meeting 6 cele!ration of family mem!ers9 "There's a

small family gathering next week."

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family resem&laneL where mem!ers of the family look 6 act similar9"ou can see a distinct family resem!lance !etween the father and theson."

to start a familyL to start having children9 "They want to wait a coupleof years !efore starting a family."

to run in the familyL a characteristic that is common among familymem!ers9 "@aldness runs in his family."

to &ring up1raise a familyL to have and look after children9 "It's difficultto raise a family on one income."

a family arL a car !ig enough to transport a family9 "The Nolvo Estateis a popular family car."

family!si7eL large #uantity item9 "e need to !uy familysiMe packets of!iscuits"

family!friendlyL a policy that favours families9 "This hotel is familyfriendly."

family dotorL a doctor who looks after general medical needs9 "Thereare a num!er of good family doctors in this area."

family manL a man who prefers to spend his time with his family9 ">ohnis a family man."

family "aluesL traditional ideas a!out what a family should !e9 "(omepolitical parties often emphasise family values and the importance ofmarriage."

family nameL surname9 "hat's your family name1"

Desri&ing family relationships

4hildren often #uarrel with each other, and these arguments ors*ua&&les are often #uickly resolved. In fact, si&ling ri"alry$thecompetition !etween !rothers and sisters% is #uite common.

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8ore seriously, if arguments continue into adulthood,family feudscandevelop where !oth sides can end up hating each other and even trying tohurt or destroy each other.

- person who no longer speaks to a family mem!er is estranged fromhis6her family. 3ften estrangement is voluntary. However, if parentsdecide they no longer want anything to do with their children, they utthem off$L !reak off communiation%, or even disinheritthem. $7ecidenot to leave them anything when they die.%

8ost people feel loyalty to their family, and will defend family mem!erssaying "#e 1 She's family". There's also a saying "8lood's thiker thanwater"which means that your family ties are stronger than any other

relationships.

Telling a story

- useful skill in English is to !e a!le to tell a story or an anecdote.-necdotes are short stories a!out something that happened to you or tosomeone you know.

#ow to startTraditional stories often start with the phrase "9ne upon a time".However, if you are going to tell your story after someone else hasalready spoken, you can say something like9

That reminds me0unny you should say that. 7id I ever tell you a!outHearing your story reminds me of when

(omething similar happened to me.

#ow to tell your story

0irst of all, your story should !e #uite short. Try to keep it grammaticallysimple as well, so that it is easy to follow.

8ake it easy for the listener to understand !y using se#uencing andlinking words9

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Se*uening wordsThese words show the chronological se#uence of events.

0irst of all, I $packed my suitcase%(econdly, I . $made sure I had all my documents%=reviously $!efore that% .. I changed some money.Then I $called a taxi for the airport%okes areoften in the present tense9

- man walks into a !ar and orders a !eer.

e also use the present tense to give a dramatic narrative effect9

The year is &+BB. In medieval England people are worried that the king,Harold, is not strong enough to fight off a 2orman invasion.

However, we generally usepast formsto talk a!out past events. If youtell your story in chronological order, you can use the past simple9

I dou!le checked my reservation. I packed my suitcase, and then I calleda taxi.

*G
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Cse thepast ontinuousto descri!e activities in progress at the time ofyour story, or to descri!e the !ackground.

The sun was shining and it was a !eautiful day. e were driving alongthe motorway #uite steadily until we suddenly saw in front of us thewarning lights to slow down. e were heading towards a huge tail!ack.

(ometimes, you might want to avoid telling your story as onechronological event after the other. ou can use thepast perfet$simpleand continuous% to add more interest to your story !y talking a!out eventsthat happened !efore the events in your story9

I dou!le checked my reservation, which I had made three days

previously.

I wanted to visit some friends who had !een living in 0rance for the lastfive years.

0oa&ulary

Try to use a wide range of words to make your story more interesting.Pemem!er that you can "exaggerate" when you tell a story, so instead of

using words like "nice" or "!ad", experiment with more interestingwords, such as "!eautiful", "fa!ulous", "wonderful", "horri!le", "awful"or "terri!le".

0inally remem!er that you are telling a story not giving a lecture.


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doctor will pro!a!ly also take your pulseto check that your heart rateisnormal.

- doctor uses a stethosopeto listen to your !reathing particularly ifyou have a heart or hest infetion, or a condition such as asthma.

3f course, you can also visit the doctor for a huge range of other reasons.4hildren need to have their in.etionsand if you are going a!road onholiday, you might also need to have inFections against infetiousdiseases. In winter, you can also get a flu "aineso that you won't getthe flu.

If you need medication, a doctor will write you apresription. ou can

get yourpresription filledat a chemist.

0or more serious medical conditions, you can get a referral to a liniora hospital. ou might need &lood testsdone, or you might need an;!ray,or you might need to see a speialist.

ords that desri&e &eha"iour

The -Q of English word and phrases that descri!e &eha"iour.

A

ati"eL always doing something9 "(he's an active person and neverwants to stay in."

aggressi"e$!eing angry or threatening9 "He's aggressive and starts

arguments."am&itiousL wanting to succeed9 "He's am!itious and wants to lead thecompany."

argumentati"eL always arguing with people9 "He won't accept what yousay he's argumentative and loves to disagree"

arrogantL thinking you are !etter than anyone else9 "He always !ehaves

as if no!ody else's opinion is important "I find him very arrogant."

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asserti"eL !eing confident, so people can't force you to do things youdon't want to do9 "It's important to !e assertive at work."

8

&ad!temperedL in a !ad mood9 "hat's got into him lately1 He's so !adtempered."

&ig!headedL thinking you're very important or clever9 "I've never metanyone so !igheaded"

&ossyL telling people what to do all the time9 "He's so !ossy he neverlets me do things the way I want to do them."

C

arelessL not taking care9 "He's a careless driver "I'm sure he'll have anaccident."

aringL wanting to help people9 "8y !oss is caring and often asks mehow things are going."

atty$ saying nasty or spiteful things a!out other people9 "I know youdon't like her, !ut calling her names is a !it catty."

autious$!eing careful, so that you avoid mistakes9 "He's cautiousa!out investing money in the stock market."

harmingL pleasant and likea!le9 "hat a charming man"

heekyL !eing rude or disrespectful9 "It was a !it cheeky of him to ask

for more money."

%leverL intelligent9 "(he's a clever student and picks things up #uickly."

oneitedL thinking you're very clever, or !etter than others9 "He's soconceited he thinks everyone should admire him."

onsientiousL doing something carefully, !ecause you want to do itwell9 "(he's a conscientious student and always does her homework."

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onsiderateL thinking and caring a!out others9 "8y neigh!our !roughtme flowers when I was in hospital he's very considerate." $"That wasconsiderate of him."%

oyL pretending to !e shy so that you don't have to give information9"He's very coy a!out his #ualifications may!e he doesn't have any."

reati"eL someone who can make or design things, or can think ofsolutions to a pro!lem9 "(he's creative and artistic."

uriousL wanting to know things9 "I'm curious to find out what youthink of the situation."

DdeeitfulL trying to make people think something, so that you get whatyou want9 "He lied to get this Fo! he's so deceitful."

doile$ #uiet and su!missive9 "(he's a docile child and always does whatshe's told."

dogmatiL wanting others to accept your ideas without discussion9 "He's

a dogmatic politician and always thinks he's right."

domineeringL trying to control other people9 "He's loud anddomineering in the office it's difficult to get him to listen to us."

E

enthusiasti%L having a lot of interest in something9 "He's an enthusiasticsupporter of e#ual rights."

e&%itable L someone who easily gets excited9 "He gets very excita!lea!out politics it's one of his passions in life."

e&trovertedL outgoing and lively9 "(he's extroverted and loves goingout with people."

'

(aith(ul L !eing loyal to someone or something9 "(he's a faithful friend."

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(i%kleL changing your mind and !eing unpredicta!le9 "=oliticians can !efickle when it suits them"

(laky L slightly unsta!le and unrelia!le9 "(he's a little flaky at times, !utotherwise she's a good worker."

(ull o( himsel(L acting proud of yourself9 "He was full of himself afterhe got the promotion it got annoying after a while."

(unnyL making other people laugh9 "He can !e extremely funny whenhe's in the mood."

(ussyL only liking certain things9 "(he's fussy a!out what she wears."

*ood-natured L kind and thoughtful9 "(he's goodnatured and alwaystries to help."

*rum#yL someone who tends to !e in a !ad mood9 "He's alwaysgrumpy in the morning and never says 'hello'."

+

ha##y-*o-lu%kyL not worrying a!out what might happen in the future9"He's a !it happygolucky and doesn't think a!out the future."

I

im#ulsive $ doing things without thinking first9 "If he sees something helikes, he Fust !uys it he can !e so impulsive at times"

in%onsiderateL not considering other people or their feelings9 "It was alittle inconsiderate of him not to give you a getwell card."

introverted L opposite of extroverted9 "He was introverted as a teenager,!ut !ecame more confident as he got older."

inventiveL a!le to think up new ideas9 "-s head of 8arketing, he canoften think of inventive ways to keep his customers happy."

irritatin* L annoying others9 "He can !e very irritating to work with."

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okeyL making Fokes9 "ou're in a Fokey mood today, !ut we've gotwork to do"

olly L happy and cheerful9 "It was the weekend and everyone was in aFolly mood."

kindL thoughtful and caring9 "8y neigh!our is kind she looked aftermy cat when I was on holiday."

/

loud-mouthed L someone who talks a lot and often says offensivethings9 "7on't worry a!out what he said he's loudmouthed at times."

loyalL someone who is faithful and stands !y you9 "His colleagues wereloyal to him when he was having pro!lems with his !oss."

0

mani%L !ehaving in a slightly craMy way9 "e're a !it manic at themoment we're rushing to finish the work !efore our deadline."

mani#ulativeL trying to get people to do what you want, !y influencingor deceiving them9 "(he's very manipulative when she wants something."

moodyL having unpredicta!le moods9 "(ome people think he's moody you never know if he's happy or grumpy."

N

nervousL uncomforta!le with a situation9 "I'm always nervous !efore anexam."

old-(ashionedL !ehaving or thinking in a way that isn't modern9 "He's a

!it oldfashioned and thinks women shouldn't work."

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o#inionated L having strong opinions9 "He's opinionated and dogmatic the last person you want to negotiate with."

1

#assive L not assertive doing what other people want you to do withoutarguing9 "He's passive at work, !ut domineering at home."

#er(e%tionnist L someone who wants perfection9 "Her !oss is aperfectionnist no spelling mistakes are allowed."

#ersuasiveL !eing a!le to persuade people to do things or to accept yourideas9 "He's a persuasive talker."

#i%kyL only liking certain things or people9 "(he's picky a!out herfriends."

#lay(ulL someone who likes to play and have fun9 "ou're in a playfulmood today"

#leasantL nice and polite9 "The !ank manager was pleasant to metoday."

#oliteL showing good manners9 "(he's polite and never forgets to say'please' or 'thank you'."

#ra*mati%L !eing practical and aware of your limitations9 "(he'spragmatic at work and only does what she can."

2

ui%k-tem#eredL getting angry #uickly9 "He was #uicktempered whenhe was young, !ut he's more relaxed now."

!

reserved L keeping your ideas and thoughts to yourself9 "He's reserved,!ut polite."

rudeL impolite9 "He's very rude and never says 'please' or 'thank you'."

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S

s%atter-brained 3 s%atty L someone who often forgets things9 "7on't youremem!er where you put your wallet1 ou're so scatter!rained"

seriousL not lighthearted9 "He's a serious student and always does hishomework."

shyL #uiet, !ecause you are not very confident9 "He's so shy and hatessaying anything to people he doesn't know."

sin%ereL saying what you !elieve $opposite of insin%ere%9 "He's sincerein his !eliefs."

sla#dash L doing your work #uickly and carelessly9 "He's got a veryslapdash attitude I dou!t he'll ever !ecome a lawyer."

slimyL trying to get what you want !y !eing overfriendly9 "That man isso slimy he makes me feel sick"

slyL doing things in a secretive way9 "ou never know what he's up to he's sly and manipulative."

s#ite(ulL trying to hurt other people !ecause you didn't get what youwanted9 "If she doesn't get what she wants, she can !e #uite spiteful."

4

thou*ht(ul $ someone who thinks a lot9 "He's a thoughtful person andwon't do anything unless he has considered the conse#uences."

thou*htlessL not thinking a!out people or the conse#uences of youractions9 "I'm sure he didn't mean to !e rude he can !e thoughtless attimes."

trust5orthyL someone you can trust9 "8y accountant is reallytrustworthy."

6

volatile#uickly changing moods9 "He's easily excita!le and prettyvolatile."

/B


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W

5ittyL !eing a!le to make other people laugh !y what you say9 "He'switty and charming the perfect person to invite to a party."

Personalities

-. L -dFective -7N. L -dver! I78. L Idiom 2. L 2oun N. L Ner!

%yni%al

-. seeing little or no good in other people, !elieving thatpeople are only interested in themselves and are notsincere. 4ynical suggests a dis!elief in the sincerity ofhuman motives

e%%entri% -. having strange, unusual or a!normal ha!its or tastesThis term is less insulting than strange, weird or bizarre.

e*otisti%al-. thinking too highly of oneself, considering oneself

!etter than others.

ima*inative -. creative, having much imagination

inde%isive-. una!le to decide #uickly, not knowing what choice tomake

#i%ky -. hard to please, too careful in choosing something

sensible -. practical, reasona!le, something that makes sense

sensitive-. easily feels emotion, easily hurt emotionally can bepositive or negative

so#histi%ated -. representing high culture, very experienced in life

thou*ht(ul -. often doing things to make other people feel good

)ephrasing

(ometimes we say things that other people don't understand, or we givethe wrong impression.

This is an example conversation where one person says something thatthe other person thinks is strange.

:5I


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I)ENE:"hat do you mean1"

:5I


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7on't !e afraid to repeat what you're saying, especially if you can do it ina slightly different way.

Gi"ing ad"ie in English

There are many ways of giving advice in English. Here are some of themore common expressions.

"If I were you, I would"

"Have you thought a!out"

"ou really ought to" $'ought' is pronounced 'ort'%

"hy don't you"

"In your position, I would"

"ou should perhaps"

"ou could always"

E-amples

If someone says "I'm having pro!lems learning English", you could say9

"If I were you, I'd sign up for an English course."

"Have you thought a!out going to the C for a couple of weeks1"

"ou really ought to watch English television."

"hy don't you read more English !ooks1"

"In your position, I would try and practise speaking English."

"ou should perhaps look at the englishathome.com we!site."

"ou could always get a penpal."

Gi"ing your opinions

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There are many ways to give your opinions when speaking English. Theexact English expression you use depends on how strongyour opinion is.

Gi"ing your opinion neutrally

"I think"

"I feel that"

"In my opinion"

"-s far as I'm concerned"

"-s I see it"

"In my view"

"I tend to think that"

Gi"ing a strong opinion

"I'm a!solutely convinced that"

"I'm sure that"

"I strongly !elieve that"

"I have no dou!t that"

English e-pressions for asking someone's opinion

"hat do you think1"

"hat's your view1"

"How do you see the situation1"

Speaking Tip

Try to practise using these expressions, so that your speech sounds morevaried

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#ow to ask for things in English

-sking for things in English doesn't need to !e stressful. >ust remem!ersome key phrases, and you'll !e a!le to deal with most situations

smoothly and confidently

Asking lerks or at help desks

$Hello.% 4an 6 4ould I have .. please1 $0alling intonation%

$5ood morning.% 4an 6 4ould you give 6 get me .. please1

$5ood evening.% - ta!le for two, please.

Interrupting people to ask them for something

Excuse me

. 7o you know if1. 7o you have1. 7o you accept . $credit cards%1

. Is this the right way for. $the =ost 3ffice%1. 4ould you tell me if . $there's a =ost 3ffice near here%1

In more formal situations

Excuse me

. ould you mind . $keeping an eye on my luggage1%. I wonder if you could . $move your suitcase a little.%

)esponding to *uestions

ou ask for something, then the person you have asked needs moreinformation. He or she asks you a #uestion. If you haven't expected this,you can "play for time" say something to give you time to think. (aysomething like "3h", "-h", "Cm", or "Er" to give you a second or two toformulate an answer. Pemem!er, complete silence makes the other

person feel uneasy

:&


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ou9 "Two tickets to 5lasgow, please."4lerk9 "(ingle or return1"ou9 "Cm, return please. e're coming !ack tomorrow."

$ou are at the !ureau de change%4lerk9 How would you like your money1ou9 3h, er, three tens and a five, please.

ou9 "Hello. 4an I have a leaflet a!out


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ou can use "es, please" or "2o, thank you" in response to a #uestion9

"ould you like salad with your piMMa1""es, please" or "2o, thank you."

Say =e-use me=

If you ask someone who is doing something else, remem!er to say"excuse me"9

"Excuse me, do yo have this dress in a smaller siMe1" $In a shop%"Excuse me, do you know where the nearest !ank is1" $3n the street%

Struture of an e-ample on"ersation&. 4lerk greets you

$5ood morning.% How can I help you1hat can I do for you1

*. ou ask for something

Hello. I'd like some information a!out4an I have.Three stamps for Europe, please.

/. 4lerk asks you a #uestion

(ingle or return1-irmail or surface mail1

:. ou answer

3h, er, single thanks.Cm, let me see. -irmail please.

?. 4lerk asks you if you need anything else

ill that !e all1$Is there% anything else1

B. ou answer

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-h, actually I'd also like2o, that's it thanks 6 thank you.

#ow to e-press shok in English

It is sometimes difficult to say how you feel in unexpected situations,such as natural disasters, especially when you feel sad. Here's a list ofsome common expressions to help you express shock and dis!elief.

Shok

I was shocked to hear

The news came as a complete shock.e're all in complete shock.Everyone's reeling from the shock ofIt happened out of the !lue.ho could have predicted it1I $Fust% can't get over .e were completely taken a!ack !yI was Fust stunned !y

Dis&elief

I Fust can't !elieveIt's un!elieva!le.I 6 ou Fust can't imagineords can't descri!e $how I feel a!out 6 the terri!le devastation etc%There's no way it could have happened.

Saying how &ad something is

It's so awful.It's terri!le 6 hat terri!le news.It's a tragedy.It's a catastrophe $pronounced "ca tas tra fee" with the stress on "tas"%This is the worst thing that could have happened.

#ow to keep the on"ersation going

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hat can you say when you want to encourage people to keep talking toyou1

Try making a comment or asking a #uestion it shows the other person

you're interested in what they are saying.Here are some examples of what you can say9

%aking omments

"2o" to show surprise.

"I don't !elieve it" to show surprise.

"ow" to show admiration or surprise.

"That's incredi!le 6 amaMing 6 un!elieva!le" to show great interest in thesu!Fect of conversation.

"How awful 6 terri!le" to show sympathy with someone else's !ad news.

Asking *uestions

"Peally1" to show surprise.

"-nd you1" when someone asks you how you are.

"7id you1" can !e used to encourage someone to tell their story.

0or example, "I saw her last night", "7id you1" "es, she was with oneof her friends, and she."

#ow to make a &ooking in English

8aking a !ooking in English does not have to !e complicated. In fact, ifyou keep the information concise, you will find it easy

Starting the on"ersation

I'd like to..

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. !ook a dou!le room $for two nights from 8onday * -ugust to%

. !ook a ta!le $for two at pm tomorrow night%

. !ook a flight $from


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4ould you confirm my !ooking1

hat time should I arrive1 $for theatres, restaurants%

hat time do I have to check in 6 do I have to check out1 $for flights,

hotels%

Is there an ensuite !athroom1 $for hotels%

Speaking tips

Pemem!er the essential information9 how many nights $at a hotel%

how many people $at a restaurant or the theatre% what time $for a flight or at a restaurant% how much does it cost $for a flight, theatre tickets or a hotel room%

Pesearch the voca!ulary you need !efore you make a call9 what type of theatre seat you need what type of hotel room you want where you want to sit on the plane

Pemem!er to pronounce num!ers and letters clearly.

hen you spell something or give a num!er, speak slowly and emphasisethe important information.

#ow to respond appropriately in speial situations

4ertain situations need special voca!ulary

Congratulations>

ou can say Congratulationsin many circumstances, such as forweddings, promotions, passing exams, or to the parents and family of anew !a!y.

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ell done>

ou can say this to someone who has passed an exam or achievedsomething difficult like a promotion.

8irthdays

The most usual ways of referring to someone's !irthday are !y saying#appy 8irthday>or more formally,%any happy returns>

4ultural note9 (ome !irthdays are more special than others in @ritain.our &Gth !irthday is special as you then !ecome an official adult. In the

past, *& was the age of adulthood, and some people still cele!rate it in a

special way !y giving silver keys, which represent the key to the door.

8efore an e-am or something diffiult

ish someone good luck !efore something difficult, !y saying Goodluk>@ut if people are superstitious and !elieve that saying "5ood luck"will have the opposite effect, you could also hear8reak a leg>

If someone has failed at something, you can say8ad luk>

Toasting

-t parties and gatherings, you might !e asked to drink a toasttocele!rate a happy event.

#ere's to (

:et's drink to(

:adies and Gentlemen+ =The 8ride and Groom=?

Please raise your glasses to(

riting to someone who has passed an e-am

If you are writing a card or a letter to someone who has passed an exam,

you can use the following expressions9

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ell done> It's a fantasti result?

Congratulations on passing> 6ou deser"e it after so muh hard work?

riting wedding ards

Here are a couple of standard phrases to write on wedding cards9

Congratulations> ishing you many happy years together?

ishing you the &est of luk in your future together?

riting in sad situations

In difficult situations you can writeI was so sorry to hear that (?

If you are writing to the relatives of someone who has died, you can alsowrite

I was deeply saddened to hear(

orPlease aept my deepest ondolenes on the death of(

$ou can replace "I" with "e", such as "e were very sad to hearthat"%

#ow to say what's important

(ometimes you need to say how important things are to you. These areall common ways of telling someone what your priorities are.

In a .o& inter"iew

"The most important thing for me is that the Fo! is challenging."

"hat's really important to me is !eing a!le to learn something new."

"The most crucial thing for me is to !e valued !y my colleagues."

"The most vital thing is knowing that I am doing a good Fo!."

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"hat really motivates me is learning a!out new ways of doingsomething."

"I'm extremely interested in learning more a!out the market."

"In terms of priorities, I am most interested in getting results. In addition,I would like to develop my marketing skills."

"-s far as my priorities go, getting results is the most important."

"-t the top of my list of priorities is feeling appreciated."

"The least important thing is salary."

#ow to talk a&out illness

(ometimes you don't feel very well, !ut you're not really ill. Here aresome common expressions that you can use to descri!e general "achesand pains" and some useful "sympathetic" responses.

General ahes and pains

"I feel a !it under the weather."

"I'm not feeling very well."

"I think I'm going down with a cold. I've got a sore throat."

"I've got a slight headache." $3r toothache6stomach ache6!ackache%=ronounced "ake" as in "cake".

"I'm not sleeping very well at the moment."

"I feel a little faint."

"I've got a nagging pain in my shoulder." $nagging L a pain that won't goaway%

"I've got a splitting headache I hope it's not a migraine."

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Sympatheti responses

"I'm sorry to hear that."

"ou don't look very well."

"ou look a little pale."

"8ay!e you're going down with something. There's a !ug going around."

"8ay!e you should go home and get some rest."

"hy don't you go home and have a liedown."

%ild illness

"I have a !it of a stomach !ug."

"I think I've got a !it of a temperature."

"I have a touch of flu." $0lu L influenMa%

"I've got a nasty cough." $pronounced "coff"%

:earn English with tele"ision

Television is great for learning English. The pictures make it easier tounderstand than radio and !ecause you can see who's talking, you get a

!etter idea of what people mean. >ust watch their "!ody language"

atch programmes that you find enFoya!le and entertaining whatever

you watch will help you to improve your English.

Here's the en*lish7homeguide to learning as much as possi!le whilewatching English television9

9nly wath programmes you find interesting.


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@eep a note&ooknear to your television, so that you can Fot down anynew words or expressions that you hear. This is especially useful if the

programme you are watching has !een su!titled into your language.

Try to wath English tele"ision regularly. Even if you can only watch &?minutes a day, you'll !e amaMed how much you learn.

Don't worry if you don't understand e"erything English television isnormally aimed at native English language speakers. =rogrammes ofteninclude difficult words and expressions. If the programme you'rewatching is full of unknown words, Fust concentrate on understanding thegeneral meaning.

E"en artoons and hildren's programmes are usefulwhen learningEnglish and #uiM shows are useful for learning how to ask and answer#uestions in English.

@eep a noteof television programmes and presenters that you find easyto understand and try to watch them regularly. 7oing this will increaseyour confidence and give you a sense of achievement.

%aking appointments

Cseful phrases for making and changing appointments.

Asking to meet

"-re you availa!le on the &Dth1"

"4an we meet on the &Bth1""How does the /rd sound to you1"

"-re you free next week1"

"ould 0riday suit you1"

"Is next Tuesday convenient for you1"

"hat a!out sometime next week1"

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Agreeing on a date

"es, Thursday is fine.""Thursday suits me.""Thursday would !e perfect."

Suggesting a different date

"I'm afraid I can't on the /rd. hat a!out the Bth1"

"I'm sorry, I won't !e a!le to make it on 8onday. 4ould we meet onTuesday instead1"

"-h, ednesday is going to !e a little difficult. I'd much prefer 0riday, ifthat's alright with you."

"I really don't think I can on the &Dth. 4an we meet up on the &th1"

Setting a time

"hat sort of time would suit you1"

"Is /pm a good time for you1"

"If possi!le, I'd like to meet in the morning."

"How does *pm sound to you1"

Changing the arrangement

"ou know we were going to meet next 0riday1 ell, I'm very sorry, !ut

something urgent has come up."

"I'm afraid that I'm not going to !e a!le to meet you after all. 4an we fixanother time1"

"(omething has Fust cropped up and I won't !e a!le to meet you thisafternoon. 4an we make another time1"

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