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Here's the folder to drop your speaking individual task. Submit by Friday 18th.

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Here's the folder to drop your speaking individual task. Submit by Friday 18th.

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Look at these examples to see how zero, first and second conditionals are used.

If you freeze water, it becomes solid.
If it rains tomorrow, I'll take the car.
If I lived closer to the cinema, I would go more often.

Try this exercise to test your grammar.

Read the explanation to learn more.

Grammar explanation

Conditionals describe the result of a certain condition. The if clause tells you the condition ( If you study hard) and the main clause tells you the result ( you will pass your exams). The order of the clauses does not change the meaning.

If you study hard, you will pass your exams.
You will pass your exams if you study hard.

Conditional sentences are often divided into different types.

Zero conditional

We use the zero conditional to talk about things that are generally true, especially for laws and rules.

If I drink too much coffee, I can't sleep at night.
Ice melts if you heat it.
When the sun goes down, it gets dark.

The structure is: if/w hen + present simple >> present simple.

First conditional

We use the first conditional when we talk about future situations we believe are real or possible.

If it doesn't rain tomorrow, we'll go to the beach.
Arsenal will be top of the league if they win.
When I finish work, I'll call you.

In first conditional sentences, the structure is usually: if/ when + present simple >> will + infinitive.

It is also common to use this structure with unless, as long as, as soon as or in case instead of if.

I'll leave as soon as the babysitter arrives.
I don't want to stay in London unless I get a well-paid job.
I'll give you a key in case I'm not at home.
You can go to the party, as long as you're back by midnight.

Second conditional

The second conditional is used to imagine present or future situations that are impossible or unlikely in reality.

If we had a garden, we could have a cat.
If I won a lot of money, I'd buy a big house in the country.
I wouldn't worry if I were you.

The structure is usually: if + past simple >> + would + infinitive.

When if is followed by the verb be, it is grammatically correct to say if I were, if he were, if she were and if it were. However, it is also common to hear these structures with was, especially in the he/ she form.

If I were you, I wouldn't mention it.
If she was prime minister, she would invest more money in schools.
He would travel more if he was younger.

Do this exercise to test your grammar again.

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Look at these examples to see how zero, first and second conditionals are used. If you freeze water, it becomes solid. If it rains tomorrow, I'll take the car. If I lived closer to the cinema, I would go more often. Try this exercise to test your grammar.

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May or might? Both words are part of a special set of verbs known as modal auxiliary verbs, which means that they're used together with other verbs to talk about permission, possibility, suggestions, etc. Over the years, the usage recommendations regarding might and may have become more flexible, but there are still points which you should be aware of, especially if you're writing or speaking in formal situations. For a quick overview, check out this video. Below the video, you'll find some written-out guidelines to the main issues:

May or might overview

The verb may is used in five main ways:

to talk about a possible situation: Those reports may prove to be false.

to politely ask for permission to do something: May we come in?

to politely give someone permission to do something: That's all for now, you may go.

to admit that something is the case before stating a contrasting fact: The chorus may look silly, but they sound wonderful.

to express a wish or hope: May they be very happy in the future.

Basically, might is the past tense of may. It therefore seems logical for grammatical sticklers to argue that if you're talking about a possible situation in the present or the future, you should always use the present tense, may:
If you're feeling queasy, you may eat less and lose weight.
And, equally, if you're referring to something which could have been the case in the past, the past tense, might, is said (by the grammatically orthodox) to be correct:
For all we know, she might have been undergoing counselling.
However, people don't often make this distinction in today's English, and it's generally acceptable to use either may and might to talk about the present/future or the past:

Distinctions between may and might

So the general rule is that may and might are usually interchangeable when talking about possible situations. However, there are a few differences in usage between may and might and it's useful, especially if you're writing for school, college, or work, to know when each is more appropriate.
1. May have versus might have
If you don't know the truth about a possible past situation at the time of speaking or writing, you can use may have or might have:

If you're referring to a possibility in the past but you know that it didn't actually happen, it's preferable to use might have:

√ Rose assured us that she was well, but she might have been badly hurt.
X Rose assured us that she was well, but she may have been badly hurt.
2. Degrees of possibility
Some authorities on English usage state that it's better to use may when you think the chances of something being the case are likely and to use might when it is unlikely (though in practice, this distinction isn't always clear-cut):

They may visit Ireland in the near future.
[The speaker believes that there's a fairly good chance that they may go to Ireland]

The woman looked as if she might have been in her late 40s.
[The speaker wasn't very sure about the woman's age, but made a tentative guess]

However, it's preferable to use might rather than may if you're talking about a hypothetical or conditional scenario:

If I were Dutch I might see immigration differently.
[I'm not Dutch, I'm an American talking about a theoretical situation]

If you go to bed earlier, you might feel better tomorrow.
[I think that perhaps you would feel better if you went to bed earlier]

3. Reported speech

You should change may into might when reporting past direct speech (what someone has said):

" I may go out of business". [her actual words]

She said she might go out of business. [reported speech]
4. To show annoyance
If you want to express annoyance or criticism because someone could or should have done something that they* didn't do, you should always use might rather than may:
5. Polite requests and suggestions
When politely or formally making a request, asking for information, or making a suggestion, might is regarded as preferable to may:

Don't you think you might be a little old for him?
I ask the Court to glance briefly at the judgment of Sir Harry Gibbs?
6. Expressing a wish or hope
If you want to express a wish or hope, then may is always the correct word to use:

7. Asking for and giving permission

When politely asking for permission to do something, it's acceptable to use may or might, but nowadays might is regarded as very formal. May is considered more polite than the most typical way of asking permission in English, using can:

I borrow your pen? [polite] I borrow your pen? [polite and very formal] I borrow your pen? [less polite; considered by some to be incorrect usage]

When giving (or refusing) permission, only may and can are acceptable:

√ Yes, you may (borrow my pen). [polite] √ Yes, you can (borrow my pen). [less polite] X Yes, you might (borrow my pen).
√ No, you may not (borrow my pen). [polite] √ No, you can't (borrow my pen). [less polite] X No, you might not (borrow my pen).

*I know the singular use of causes some of you to wince, but please read my earlier post on the subject before commenting!

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May or might? Both words are part of a special set of verbs known as modal auxiliary verbs, which means that they're used together with other verbs to talk about permission, possibility, suggestions, etc.

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Like may and might, can and could cause a lot of confusion.

Understanding how all the modal verbs are used is vital to speaking and writing English effectively and idiomatically, so let's explore the meanings and uses of c an and could. Given that these are quite complex verbs, I'd like to focus on explaining some key points (otherwise this post would be verging on a book chapter, lengthwise). If you're interested in exploring other issues, I recommend consulting a reference book, such as Practical English Usage by Michael Swan, which is written for learners of English but which is also useful for native English speakers who don't have specialist grammatical knowledge.

Can and could

The main ways in which the verb can is used are given below. In some cases, could functions as the past tense of can, but there are some important usage differences between the two.
1.) Can is used to say that someone or something is able to do something, either now, or as a natural characteristic, as a continuing skill, as something learnt: After five operations, today he can walk and run.
A sea snake can live its whole life without ever touching land.

We tend to use could as the past tense of can to talk about ability in the past:

I could hear Beth sniggering and cringed in embarrassment.

Mozart could play the piano blindfolded.
By the 1970s, jumbo jets could fly almost anywhere non-stop. By joining a club or gym, you can meet so many people. Parents can save money by booking their holiday outside the peak season. I can go to London tomorrow as I've got the day off.

We use could to talk about less definite aspects of possibility or suggested options, either now or in the future:
We could go for a walk now and then have dinner. There could be a storm later. She could be in line for a top government job.
It would be acceptable to use can in the first example, where a suggestion is being discussed ( We can go for a walk now...), but this would make the suggestion or option more definite. It's not idiomatic English to use can in the second and third examples though, which refer to a hypothetical future situation which, although possible, may well not happen:

[It's also possible to use may and might here, rather than could.]

We use could have to refer to something that was an option or generally possible in the past but didn't happen:

She never stopped daydreaming about the life she could have lived in Greece.
3.) Can is used to talk about being allowed to do something now or in general:
Resorts can only be built on deserted islands, and must have their own generators.
You can have an hour for lunch, except on Fridays.

If you're referring to a general past situation when something was allowed, use could:

The Americans were under instructions that no-one could smoke indoors.

But if something was only permitted on a particular past occasion, it is more common to use a different wording rather than could, for example:
I was allowed to leave work early today as I had to go to the dentist.

See the section on Can and could versus may and might below with regard to asking for permission, making requests, etc.

Could

So far, we've seen that could is often used as the past tense of can. Other important meanings and uses include the following.

Use could (not can) to refer to conditional situations, in which something has to happen or be the case in order for someone to be able to do something or for something else to occur:

We could buy a new sofa if we stop eating takeaway meals every night.

People often use could (never can) to talk about completely unrealistic situations, so as to deliberately exaggerate how they're feeling at a particular time:

To refer to a past unrealistic situation or strong inclination, use could have:

She was so thirsty, she could have drunk a gallon of water.
He irritated me so much that I could have screamed.

Could have is also used (in a similar way to might) to show annoyance when you think someone should have done something, but they didn't:

You could have told me that she wouldn't be at work today!

This section provides more information on some points outlined in the may and might post, concentrating on the way these verbs are used to make offers and requests and to ask for and give permission.
1.) Requests and offers

When making a request for something, the most usual way to do this in everyday English is to use can or could:

I have two coffees please? [more polite than can]

Although can and could are perfectly acceptable, some people prefer to use may in such cases, as it's regarded as more polite and more formal:

Nowadays, using might to make requests is generally reserved for very formal situations and to make the request sound more like a polite suggestion than a firm instruction:
I ask the Court to glance briefly at the judgment of Sir Harry Gibbs? 2.) Asking for and giving/refusing permission

When making an offer, can is the most frequent way of doing this in everyday English; could is used when we want the offer to sound more tentative; may is more formal and more polite:

The most typical way of asking for permission in today's English is to use can, or if you want to sound more polite, could:

Although this is part of standard English, many people believe that can and could are incorrect within the context of permission and should be reserved for talking only about ability and possibility, and thus it is advisable to use may in more formal writing and speaking ( might is regarded as very formal):

When giving (or refusing) permission, only can (or can't) and may (or may not) are acceptable, can being subject to the same caveats as when asking permission to do something:

√ Yes, you can (borrow my pen) [everyday English, considered incorrect by some]

[more polite/formal]

[everyday English, considered incorrect by some]

Incidentally, can, could, and might would be acceptable answers if you wanted to express possibility or conditionality rather than give permission. For example: yes, you could borrow my pen would imply that yes, if I had a pen, it would be possible for you to borrow it.

That's all for now: I hope this has clarified some aspects of can and could. More on modals in future blogs!

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Like may and might, can and could cause a lot of confusion. Understanding how all the modal verbs are used is vital to speaking and writing English effectively and idiomatically, so let's explore the meanings and uses of c an and could.

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JAN 8TH 2019
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INDIVIDUAL TASK.
Question:
Which one do you prefer: online or in-store(offline) shopping? State your choice and give your opinion. Get your opinion recorded and upload the video file right here on this wall.
Note that the duration of your video should be around five minutes.
Have fun speaking guys! :D

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Hi it's me Teacher Has, using a diff.account. Kindly download this attachment. We'll be using this grammar material during grammar lessons.

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Hi it's me Teacher Has, using a diff.account. Kindly download this attachment. We'll be using this grammar material during grammar lessons.

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I found this website for listening practice..It has a lot of news that can be listen in 3 level..I suggest this website to those who want to practice for listening :)

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English news and easy articles for students of English

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News in Levels « World News for Students of English

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We write news in three different levels of English. We want to help you understand English more. Now all students can enjoy reading and listening to news.

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What is a collocation?

A collocation is two or more words that often go together. These combinations just sound "right" to native English speakers, who use them all the time. On the other hand, other combinations may be unnatural and just sound "wrong". Look at these examples:

Why learn collocations?

Your language will be more natural and more easily understood.

You will have alternative and richer ways of expressing yourself.

It is easier for our brains to remember and use language in chunks or blocks rather than as single words.

How to learn collocations

Be aware of collocations, and try to recognize them when you see or hear them.

Treat collocations as single blocks of language. Think of them as individual blocks or chunks, and learn strongly support, not strongly + support.

When you learn a new word, write down other words that collocate with it (remember rightly, remember distinctly, remember vaguely, remember vividly).

Read as much as possible. Reading is an excellent way to learn vocabulary and collocations in context and naturally.

Revise what you learn regularly. Practise using new collocations in context as soon as possible after learning them.

Learn collocations in groups that work for you. You could learn them by topic (time, number, weather, money, family) or by a particular word (take action, take a chance, take an exam).

You can find information on collocations in any good learner's dictionary. And you can also find specialized dictionaries of collocations.

Tell me who you go with and I'll tell you who you areSaying

Types of collocation

There are several different types of collocation made from combinations of verb, noun, adjective etc. Some of the most common types are:

adverb + adjective: completely satisfied (NOT downright satisfied)

adjective + noun: excruciating pain (NOT excruciating joy)

noun + noun: a surge of anger (NOT a rush of anger)

noun + verb: lions roar (NOT lions shout)

verb + noun: commit suicide (NOT undertake suicide)

verb + expression with preposition: burst into tears (NOT blow up in tears)

verb + adverb: wave frantically (NOT wave feverishly)

Sample Collocations

There are several different types of collocation. Collocations can be adjective + adverb, noun + noun, verb + noun and so on. Below you can see seven main types of collocation in sample sentences.
1. adverb + adjective

Invading that country was an utterly stupid thing to do.

We entered a richly decorated room.

Are you fully aware of the implications of your action?

2. adjective + noun

The doctor ordered him to take regular exercise.

The Titanic sank on its maiden voyage.

He was writhing on the ground in excruciating pain.

3. noun + noun

Let's give Mr Jones a round of applause.

The ceasefire agreement came into effect at 11am.

I'd like to buy two bars of soap please.

4. noun + verb

The lion started to roar when it heard the dog barking.

Snow was falling as our plane took off.

The bomb went off when he started the car engine.

5. verb + noun

The prisoner was hanged for committing murder.

I always try to do my homework in the morning, after making my bed.

He has been asked to give a presentation about his work.

6. verb + expression with preposition

We had to return home because we had run out of money.

At first her eyes filled with horror, and then she burst into tears.

Their behaviour was enough to drive anybody to crime.

7. verb + adverb

She placed her keys gently on the table and sat down.

Mary whispered softly in John's ear.

I vaguely remember that it was growing dark when we left.

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What collocations are and why it's a good idea to learn them. For ESL learners and teachers. With examples and quizzes.

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Pls get this done by this week. Kindly rewrite or print out the questions.

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Pls get this done by this week. Kindly rewrite or print out the questions.

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COLLOCATIONS PRACTICE