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EEEMod1(20X8) © CAMBRIDGE INTERNATIONAL COLLEGE ISBN 0 948182 68 7

A Warm Welcome from the Executives,Staff and Tutors of

Cambridge International College - Britain

STUDY & TRAINING GUIDE FOR MODULE ONE ON

ESSENTIAL EVERYDAYENGLISH

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STUDY GUIDE FOR MODULE ONEA full ‘Study & Training Guide’ will accompany the

Study or Training Manual(s) you will receive soon by airmail post or courier.

This Study Guide - like all our Study & Training Materials - has been written by professionals; experts in the Training of many hundreds of thousands of ambitious men and women in countries all over the world. It is therefore essential that you:-

Read this Study Guide carefully and thoroughly BEFORE you start to read and study Module One, which is the first ‘Study Section’ of a CIC Study & Training Manual you will receive for the Program for which you have been enrolled.

Follow the Study Guide exactly, stage by stage and step by step - if you fail to do so, you might not succeed in your Study & Training or pass the Examination for the CIC Diploma.

STAGE ONE

Learning how to really STUDY the College’s Study & Training Manual(s) provided - including THOROUGHLY READING this Study Guide, and the full ‘Study & Training Guide’ which you will soon receive by airmail post or courier.

STAGE TWO

Studying in accordance with the professional advice and instructions given

STAGE THREE

Answering Self-Assessment Test Questions/Exercises

STAGE FOUR

Assessing - or having someone assess for you - the standard of your answers to the Self-Assessment Test

STAGE FIVE

Preparing for your Final Examination

STAGE SIX

Sitting the Final Examination

Remember: your CIC Program has been planned by experts. To be certain of gaining the greatest benefit from the Program, it is essential that you follow precisely each one of the SIX stages in the Program, as described above.

STAGE ONE is your thorough reading of this ‘Study Guide’

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ABOUT CIC STUDY & TRAINING MANUALSA CIC Study & Training Manual (which comprises 6 Modules - the first Module of which follows) supplied by the College as part of your Program is NOT simply a text book. It must therefore not be read simply from cover to cover like a text book or another publication. It MUST be studied, Module by Module, exactly as explained in the following pages. Each CIC Study & Training Manual has been designed and written by specialists, with wide experience of teaching people in countries all over the world to become managers, administrators, supervisors, sales and accounting personnel, business-people, and professionals in many other fields.

Therefore, it is in your own best interests that you use the Study & Training Manuals in the way CIC’s experts recommend. By doing so, you should be able to learn easily and enjoyably, and master the contents of the Manuals in a relatively short period of time - and then sit the Final Examination with confidence. Every Study & Training Manual is written in clear and easy to understand English, and the meanings of any “uncommon” words, with which you might not be familiar, are fully explained; so you should not encounter any problems in your Studies and Training.

But should you fail to fully grasp anything - after making a thorough and genuine attempt to understand the text - you will be welcome to write to the College for assistance. You must state the exact page number(s) in the Study & Training Manual, the paragraph(s) and line(s) which you do not understand. If you do not give full details of a problem, our Tutors will be unable to assist you, and your Training will be delayed unnecessarily.

Start now by reading carefully the following pages about Stages Two, Three and Four. Do NOT, however, start studying the first Study & Training Manual until you are certain you understand how you are to do so.

STAGE TWO - STUDYING A CIC MODULESTEP 1

Once you have read page 1 of this document fully and carefully, turn to the first study section - called Module One - of Study or Training Manual One.

Read the whole of Module One at your normal reading pace, without trying to memorise every topic covered or fact stated, but trying to get “the feel” of what is dealt with in the Module as a whole.

STEP 2

Start reading the Module again from the beginning, this time reading more slowly, paragraph by paragraph and section by section. Make brief notes of any points, sentences, paragraphs or sections which you feel need your further study, consideration or thought. Try to absorb and memorise all the important topics covered in the Module.

STEP 3

Start reading the Module again from its start, this time paying particular attention to - and if necessary studying more thoroughly - those parts which were the subject of your earlier notes. Do not pass on to other parts or topics until you are certain you fully understand and remember those parts you earlier noted as requiring your special attention. Try to fix everything taught firmly in your mind.

Note: You might not wish to, or be able to, carry out Steps 1, 2 and 3 one after the other. You could, for instance, carry out Steps 1 and 2 and then take Step 3 after a break.

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STAGE THREE - ANSWERING SELF-ASSESSMENT TESTS

STEP 4

When you feel that you have fully understood and learned everything taught in the whole Module (and if necessary after a further careful read through it) turn to the Self-Assessment Test set at the end of it, and read the Questions/Exercises in it carefully. You do not have to attempt to answer any or all of the Questions/Exercises in the Test, but it is best that you do so, to the best of your abilities. The reasons for this are:-

By comparing your answers with the Recommended Answers printed in the Appendix at the end of the Module (or after the final Module in a Manual) you will be able to assess whether you really have mastered everything taught in the Module, or whether you need to study again any part or parts of it.

By answering Questions/Exercises and comparing your attempts with the Recommended Answers, you will gain experience - and confidence - in attempting Test and Final Examination Questions/Exercises in the future. Treat the Self-Assessment Tests as being ‘Past Examination Papers’.

Professional Advice on Answering Self-Assessment Test (and Examination) Questions and Exercises

1. You may answer the Questions/Exercises in a Self-Assessment Test in any order you like, but it is best that you attempt all of them.

2. Read very carefully the first Question/Exercise you select, to be quite certain that you really understand it and what it requires you to do, because:

some Questions/Exercises might require you to give full “written” answers;

some Questions/Exercises (called “multiple-choice questions”) might require you only to place ticks in boxes against correct/incorrect statements.

In your Final Examination you could lose marks if you attempt a Question/Exercise in the wrong way, or if you misread and/or misunderstand a Question/Exercise and write about something which is not relevant or required.

3. Try to answer the Question/Exercise under ‘true Test or Examination conditions’, that is, WITHOUT referring back to the relevant section or pages of the Module or to any notes you have made - and certainly WITHOUT referring to the Recommended Answers. Try to limit to about two hours the time you spend on answering a set of Questions/Exercises; in your Final Examination you will have only two hours.

4. Although you are going to check your Self-Assessment Test answers yourself (or have a friend, relative or colleague assess them for you) practise writing “written” answers:-

in clear, easy-to-read handwriting;

and

in good, grammatical language.

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STAGE FOUR - ASSESSING YOUR ANSWERSSTEP 5

When you have answered all the Questions/Exercises set in Self-Assessment Test One to the best of your ability, compare them (or ask a friend, relative or a colleague/senior at work to compare them) with the Recommended Answers to that Test, printed in the Appendix at the end of the Module (or the last Module in a Manual.) In any case, you should thoroughly study the Recommended Answers because:-

As we have already explained, they will help you to assess whether you have really understood everything taught in the Module;

and

They will teach you how the Questions/Exercises in subsequent Self-Assessment Tests, Progress Tests and in your Final Examination should be answered: clearly, accurately and factually (with suitable examples when necessary) showing your knowledge and understanding, with details and explanation, and how they should be planned and well-laid out for maximum effect and marks.

MARKS AND AWARDS

To assist in the assessment and grading of your answers, the maximum number of marks which can be earned for each answer to a Self-Assessment Test Question/Exercise is stated in brackets at the end of each one.

The maximum number of marks for any one Test is 100.

Your answers should be assessed fairly and critically. Marks should be awarded for facts included in your answer to a Question/Exercise, for details, explanations and descriptions, for presentation and for neatness. It is not, of course, to be expected that your answers will be identical to all those in the Appendix. However, your answers should contain the same facts, although they might be given in a different order or sequence - and any examples you give should be as appropriate to the Questions/Exercises as those given in the relevant “Recommended” Answers.

Add together the marks awarded for all your answers to the Questions/Exercises in a Self-Assessment Test, and enter the total (out of 100) in the “Award” column in the Progress Chart which you will find with the full ‘Study & Training Guide’ when you receive it. Also enter in the “Matters Requiring Further Study” column the number(s) of any Question(s)/Exercise(s) for which you did not achieve high marks.

GRADES

Here is a guide to the grade your Self-Assessment Test Work has achieved, based on the number of marks awarded for it:

50% to 59% PASS 60% to 64% HIGH PASS 65% to 74% MERIT 75% to 84% HIGH MERIT 85% to 94% DISTINCTION 95% to 100% HIGH DISTINCTION

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The Examiner who assesses your Final Examination answers will take into account that English might not be your national or main language. Nevertheless, to be able to assess whether you really have learned what we have taught you, he or she will need to be able to read and understand what you have written. You could lose marks if the Examiner cannot read or understand easily what you have written.

5. Pay particular attention to neatness and to layout, to spelling and to punctuation.

6. When “written” answers are required, make sure what you write is relevant to the Question/Exercise, and concentrate on quality - demonstrating your knowledge and understanding of facts, techniques, theories, etc. - rather than on quantity alone. Write fully and clearly, but to the point. If you write long, rambling Final Examination answers, you will waste time, and the Examiner will deduct marks; so practise the right way!

7. The Questions set in our Self-Assessment and Progress Tests should be treated as being “Past Examination Questions”. Therefore, you should read and study carefully the ‘recommended answers’ we provide because they form an integral and essential part of the Study & Training Program as a whole. Read the wording of each Question/Exercise carefully, and note, in particular, how our answer to each is presented and explained fully and clearly - not too briefly; whilst at the same time being detailed, but not over-long and rambling. To gain high marks, your own answers should certainly be no shorter or less detailed than our Recommended Answers.

It is important that your own answers to Test and (in due course) Examination Questions/Exercises are presented in a similar clear, detailed and easy to read style, to ensure that you receive the best possible marks and award in due course for your Examination Work. Brief, incomplete answers, or lists of unexplained “bullet points”, are not sufficient to gain good marks. It is better for you to write in more detail than too little, so long as your answers are clear and relevant. Include examples where helpful, and use wisely all the “time allowed” (usually two hours) in which to write full, well-explained answers. Plan your answers, and ensure that you answer all sections or parts of each question.

An Assessor needs to be shown by your answers that you really have understood what we have taught you in the Modules - and that you could implement and use the various subject-matters in practical work situations - so make sure your answers demonstrate that!

8. When you have finished writing your answer, read through what you have written to see whether you have left out anything, and whether you can spot - and correct - any errors or omissions you might have made.

Warning: some Questions/Exercises comprise two or more parts; make certain you have answered all parts.

9. Attempt the next Question/Exercise in the Self-Assessment Test in the same manner as we have explained in 1 to 7 above, and so on until all the Questions/Exercises in the Test have been attempted.

Note: There is no limit on how much time you spend on studying a Module before answering the Self-Assessment Test set on it, and some Modules are, of course, longer than others. You will, however, normally need to spend between twelve and fifteen hours on the thorough study of each Module - and that time may be spread over a number of days if necessary - plus approximately two hours on answering the Self-Assessment Test on each Module.

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STEP 6

Study again thoroughly the section(s) of the Module relating to the Question(s)/Exercise(s) to which your answers did not achieve high marks. It is important that you understand where or why you went wrong, so that you will not make the same mistake(s) again.

STEP 7

When you receive the complete Study or Training Manual One** from the College by airmail post, ‘revise’ - study again - Module One printed in it, and then turn to Module Two and proceed to study it thoroughly in exactly the same way as explained in Steps 1, 2 and 3 in this ‘Study Guide’.

When you have completed your thorough study, follow steps 4, 5 and 6 for the Self-Assessment Test on Module 2.

Continue in the same way with each of Modules 3, 4, 5 and 6 until you have attempted and assessed your work to Self-Assessment Test 6, and have completed the study of Study or Training Manual One. But - and this is important - study the Modules one by one; complete Steps 1 to 6 on each Module before you proceed to the next one (unless during the course of your reading you are referred to another Module).

**Note: When you receive Study or Training Manual One by airmail post or courier, it will be accompanied by a 24-page ‘Study & Training Guide’ (containing a ‘Progress Chart’) which you MUST read very carefully before starting your study of Module Two.

Above are scenes from a Graduation Ceremony held in Egypt attended by College Vice Principal, David Lawson, who presented awards to CIC Members from Egypt, Saudi Arabia, Kuwait, Qatar, Libya, Yemen (middle left) and Nigeria (bottom left)

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ESSENTIAL EVERYDAY ENGLISHModule One

CONTENTS

Module One - English Words 9

Capital and small letters Vowels and syllables Consonants One, two, three letter words Longer words Forming words Kinds of words (“parts of speech”): nouns pronouns adjectives verbs adverbs conjunctions prepositions exclamations

Recommended Answers to Self-Assessment Test One 20

You will find the Contents/Syllabus of what you will learn in Modules 2 to 12 of this Program starting on page 22

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ENGLISH WORDS

The English Alphabet

We start this Program by reminding you of some of the matters you should have learned about in your earlier study of English.

You learned that words are made up of letters. There are very many different words in the English Language. But they are all made up by using one or more of only twenty-six (26) letters. Together the 26 letters form what is called the ‘English Alphabet’.

Each letter in the English Alphabet can be written:

as a ‘large’ LETTER, which might also be called a ‘CAPITAL’ letter,

OR

as a ‘small’ letter.

In this Program you will learn when to use capital letters and when to use small letters.

In case you have forgotten, here is a list of the 26 letters in the English Alphabet in both their capital and small forms, and with the names of the letters.

Name Capital Small Name Capital Small

1. ay A a 14. en N n 2. bee B b 15. oh O o 3. see C c 16. pee P p 4. dee D d 17. kyoo Q q 5. ee E e 18. ar R r 6. ef F f 19. es S s 7. jee G g 20. tee T t 8. aych H h 21. yoo U u 9. iy I i 22. vee V v 10. jay J j 23. dubl-yoo W w 11. kay K k 24. eks X x 12. el L l 25. wiy Y y 13. em M m 26. zed Z z

The order in which the letters of the alphabet are listed: A, B, C, and so on, as we have shown you, is called the ‘alphabetical order’.

By using different letters of the Alphabet we can make up - or build up - different SYLLABLES and WORDS.

Vowels and Syllables

The five (5) letters: A or a, E or e, I or i, O or o, and U or u

are called vowels. In speaking English, their sounds are made with the mouth open.

Module One

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2 A word which has only one vowel sound is a word of one syllable; for example, small.

2 A word which has two vowel sounds has two syllables; for example, English (Eng-lish).

2 A word which has three vowel sounds is made up of three syllables; for example, alphabet (al-pha-bet).

You might find it easiest to think of a syllable as being part of a word.

Consonants

The other 21 letters in the English Alphabet, which are:

b c d f g h j k l m n p q r s t v w x y z

B C D F G H J K L M N P Q R S T V W X Y Z

are called consonants. In speaking English, their sounds are made by the meeting and parting of parts of the mouth.

Making Words from Letters and Syllables

Words are built up with letters and syllables. Some words are short, and they have only one or a few letters. Other words are long and have many letters.

One-letter Words

There are some words which have one letter only:

A or a - This short word means one only. We can have:

A (one) man or A (one) woman, a (one) dog, or a (one) table.

I - This short word is used for the person who is speaking or writing. The word I is used only for people. When it is a word on its own, the letter I is always a capital letter. We can have:-

I am learning about English words.

He asked me where I was going.

Two-letter Words

There are many words in the English Language which have two letters only. Here are just a few of them:-

am an as at be do go he if in is it me my no of on or so to up us we

We shall teach you what these words mean, and how to use them; here are two examples using some of those words:-

I am studying to learn more about English words.

He asked me where I was going.

Three-letter Words

There are very many words in the English Language which have three letters. Here are just a few of them:-

and bed car dig eat far got hit ill joy kin logmen not off pin run son tip use van win you zip

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You will learn what many such words mean, and how to use them. Here are two examples using some of the words in our list:-

Some men eat far too much.

After her run she was tired and went to bed.

Longer Words

There are very many words in the English Language which have four or more letters. Here are some of them for you to learn:-

adverb book course desk eating flower green house idle jump keep long manual name onion paper queen

replied school table under valley words yellow zone

You will learn what many such words mean, and how to use them. Here are two examples using some of the words in our list:-

I replied that I was going to his house.

I am learning about English words in this manual.

Forming Words

By placing letters of the alphabet in different orders we can make or form different words.

As an example, consider the three letters a, r and t. By arranging these three letters in different orders we can form the words art, rat and tar.

Not only are they three different words, but each of the words has a different meaning:-

art - this can mean a practical skill or talent, or something of beauty created.

rat - this is an animal, a rodent.

tar - this is a sticky, black substance, which is often used on roads or on boats.

The orders in which letters are arranged to make words is called ‘spelling’. The wrong spelling of a word can change the meaning of what you mean to write. For example, if you mean to write “good writing is an art”, but by mistake you write “good writing is a rat” your readers will be confused!

Therefore, it is important for you to be able to spell words correctly, and we consider in Module 8 how that can be done.

Kinds of Words

In your earlier studies you should have learned a little about each of these different kinds of words:

nouns pronouns adjectives verbs

adverbs conjunctions prepositions

In this Module we first give you ‘reminder notes’ about each kind of word, and you must study these notes carefully. The notes will help you to remember what you learned; we call this ‘revision’. Some things in the notes might be new to you, and you will learn much more in later Modules in this Program.

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~ Nouns

A noun is a word which can be used as a name.

A noun can be the name of a person: like man or boy or woman or girl. A noun can be the name of an animal: like dog or cat or cow. A noun can be the name of a thing or an article: like book or shoe. A noun can be the name of a place: like street or town. A noun can be the name of a town or country: like London or England. A noun can be the name of a feeling: like fear or happiness. A noun can be the name of an action: like talking or walking. A noun can be anything else which has a name: like idea or thought.

Nouns can have different ‘genders’:-

H Some nouns for persons are male: like man, boy, father, brother and uncle.

HSome nouns for persons are female: like woman, girl, mother, sister and aunt.

Most people have ‘personal’ names, like: John, Ali, Sean (male) and Mary, Hanna, Fiona (female). Some animals, too, might be given personal names: like Marco, Apache, Sprite (dogs) and Fluffy, Puss, Tiddles (cats).

Here are some example sentences; the nouns are in bold:-

1. The tall man in the brown coat is my father.

2. John goes to school every day.

3. My books are on the table in the library.

Nouns have different forms for what is called ‘number’:

singular, which is one thing only (like book)

and

plural which is more than one thing (like books).

In English, most - but not all - nouns add the letter ‘s’ to become plural: like book and books, day and days, coat and coats.

Other nouns have different forms for singular and plural, like man (singular) and men (plural), fly and flies, foot and feet. We look more at the plurals of nouns in Module 2.

~ Pronouns

A pronoun is a word which can be used in the place of a noun, or instead of a noun.

The words I, you, he, she, it, we and they are pronouns. He is used for a male person (like man or boy). She is used for a female person (like woman or girl). It is used for an animal, or a plant or for a non-living thing (like a table or a feeling).

I, you, he, she and it are singular; we and they are plural.

The words me, him, her, us and them are also pronouns. Him is used for a male person, and her is used for a female person.

Me, him and her are singular; us and them are plural.

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Pronouns are so useful because we do not need to repeat - use again - the same noun more than one time. For example instead of repeating the noun “Paul”:

Paul is my brother. Paul is older than I am.

it is more interesting to write:

Paul is my brother. He is older than I am.

There are many other types of pronouns:-

H Some pronouns are used for asking questions or for pointing to something; examples are: who, whom, which, what, this, that, these and those.

H Some pronouns show ownership (or possession); examples are: mine, yours, his, hers, its, ours, yours, theirs.

Here are some example sentences; the pronouns are in bold:-

1. Tom is my brother and he is as tall as I am.2. Mary’s mother gives her many clothes.3. There is the lady who wants to speak to you.4. Of all the books I like that best. (pointing to the chosen book)5. This book is mine. That (book) is yours. (possession)6. There are some books. That is mine. (pointing)7. Who (asking - a “question”) is your best friend?

You will learn more about pronouns in Module 5.

~ Adjectives

An adjective is a word which can be used to describe or to modify the meaning of a noun or of a pronoun.

Adjectives tell us more about the noun or pronoun, such as its size, colour, shape, appearance, weight, and so on. Words like white, brown, fat, thin, heavy, beautiful, cruel, strong, weak, happy, sad, small, large, kind, good, are all adjectives, and there are very many more in the English language.

For example, ‘Peter saw a dog’ does not tell us anything about the animal. Now look at this sentence:

‘Peter saw a large, brown and white dog. It (the dog) was fierce.’

The words in bold are adjectives, and now we know more about the dog: its size (large) and its colours (brown and white) and also its appearance (fierce) which Peter saw. Adjectives are very useful in describing - telling more about - nouns or pronouns. Notice that we used the noun “dog” the first time, but the second time we used instead the pronoun “it”.

Here are some more example sentences; the adjectives are in bold:-

1. The tall man in the brown coat is my father.2. John studies every day and is reading many books.3. The East wind is cold and strong.

The form of an adjective changes for two things compared and for more than two things compared. For two things we add the letters ‘er’ at the end of the adjective. For example:-

hard and harder quick and quicker young and younger

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For more than two things we add the letters ‘est’ at the end of the adjective. For example:-

hard and hardest quick and quickest young and youngest

Here are some example sentences; the adjectives are in bold:-

1. John is a young boy. (no comparison with others)2. John is younger than Tom. (two people are compared)3. John is the youngest of all the boys. (more than two boys compared)

For some long adjectives (like beautiful and different) we do NOT write “beautifuler” or “beautifulest”, “differenter” or “differentest”. Instead, we put the words more and most in FRONT of the adjective.

one thing two things more than two things beautiful more beautiful most beautiful exciting more exciting most exciting dangerous more dangerous most dangerous terrible more terrible most terrible

Here are some example sentences; the adjectives are in bold:-

1. Farina is a beautiful girl. (no comparison with others)2. Farina is more beautiful than Sarah. (two girls are compared)3. Farina is the most beautiful of all the girls. (more than two girls compared).

Note: Both the words more and most are the kind of word called adverbs. We shall be looking at adverbs later in this Module, and also in Module 6.

~ Verbs

A verb is a word (and sometimes a group of two or three words) which shows the state, condition or action of something.

There are many verbs because there are so many kinds of conditions and actions, like walking, eating, playing, fighting, feeling, crying, laughing, sleeping, and so on.

Each verb has many ‘forms’. Most of the forms tell the state or action of the subject of the sentence. These are called finite forms of the verb.

Here are example sentences; the finite verbs are in bold:-

1. My father works in a factory.2. John feels unhappy today.3. We shall go to the cinema next week.4. The players went onto the soccer pitch.

There are also non-finite forms of verbs. They act like nouns or adjectives. Here are example sentences; the non-finite forms of verbs are in bold:-

1. Tom likes walking in the park. (noun)2. Every morning I want to eat breakfast. (noun)3. Your stick is broken. (adjective)

In the above three sentences the finite verbs are likes, want and is.

Finite forms of verbs are different for singular and plural subjects. The finite forms must ‘agree’ with the subject of the sentence. For example:-

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1. John is a good student. (singular subject John - singular verb is)2. We are good students. (plural subject we - plural verb are)

Finite forms of verbs are also different for the ‘person’ of the subject:-

v The first (or 1st) person is the one who is speaking or writing. v The second (or 2nd) person is the one who is being spoken to or written to.v The third (or 3rd) person is the one about whom we are speaking or writing.

Here are some example sentences with finite forms of the verb ‘to be’; the finite verbs are in bold:-

1. I am a good student. (1st person, singular) 2. You are a good student. (2nd person, singular) 3. He is a good student. (3rd person, singular) 4. She is a good student (3rd person, singular) 5. It is a good book (3rd person, singular) 6. We are good students. (1st person, plural) 7. You are good students. (2nd person, plural) 8. They are good students. (3rd person, plural)

A finite verb must agree in form with its subject in ‘number’ (singular or plural) and in ‘person’ (1st, 2nd or 3rd). For example:-

1. The book is on the table.

The subject noun book is singular and 3rd person, so the finite verb is must also be 3rd person singular.

2. The books are on the table.

The subject noun books is 3rd person plural, so the finite verb must also be 3rd person plural and we must write are, not is.

Finite forms of verbs are also different for time or ‘tense’. Some forms show ‘present time’ - what happens NOW. Some forms show ‘past time’ - what has ALREADY happened. Some forms show ‘future time’ - what WILL happen.

Here are more example sentences with finite forms of the verb ‘to be’:-

1. I am a good student. (present tense form) 2. I was a good student. (past tense form) 3. I shall be a good student. (future tense form)

The above three forms are for the 1st person, singular. There are different forms for the 2nd and 3rd persons, singular and plural, which we teach you in Module 4.

~ Adverbs

An adverb is a word which can be used to describe or modify the meaning of a verb, an adjective, or another adverb.

The words heavily, beautifully, very, quickly, well, slowly, many are all adverbs, and there are many more in the English Language.

Adverbs are very useful because they tell more about an action or another happening or event or about something else. For example, “It was raining” does not tell very much, but if we add an adverb, or more than one, we get a far better description, such as:

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It was raining heavily. or It was raining very heavily.

Here are some more example sentences; the adverbs are in bold:-

1. John walks quickly. (describing the verb walks)2. John walks slowly. (describing the verb walks)3. I study very many books. (describing the adjective many)4. Tom plays football very well. (describing the adverb well)

You can see that by using different adverbs we can change the meanings of sentences; for example, sentences 1. and 2., above, tell us exactly the opposite about how John walks.

We use adverbs to compare - to show the difference between - conditions or actions or feelings or states. We use the adverb more to compare only two, and we use the adverb most to compare more than two. Note that adverbs are placed AFTER the verbs.

Here are some example sentences:-

5. Juma runs quickly. (no comparison with others)6. Ali runs more quickly than Tom. (two people are compared)7. Henry runs most quickly. (more than two people are compared)

Notice in the three sentences 5, 6 and 7 that the adverbs describe the VERB runs. Adjectives describe nouns, but adverbs do not describe nouns. It is very important that you know when in writing to use:-

(a) an adverb and not an adjective; and

(b) an adjective and not an adverb.

These examples will help you avoid (not to make) mistakes:-

Wrong: John works good. The adjective good should be replaced by the adverb well to qualify the verb works:

John works well.

Right: John is a good worker. This is correct because the adjective good qualifies the noun worker.

Wrong: Fatima runs slow. The adjective slow must be changed to the adverb slowly to qualify the verb runs:

Fatima runs slowly.

Right: Fatima is a slow runner. This is correct because the adjective slow qualifies the noun runner.

You will learn more about adverbs in Module 6.

~ Conjunctions

A conjunction is a word (or a group of words) which joins or links words, or joins or links sentences.

There is a great variety of conjunctions which can be used in the English Language. Some common ones are:-

and but because before after if whether yet therefore

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By joining or linking, conjunctions can help us avoid two or more short sentences. For example, earlier in the Module we showed you these two sentences:

Paul is my brother. He is older than I am.

We can “join” those two sentences together using the conjunction ‘and’, like this:

Paul is my brother, and he is older than I am.

Here are some more example sentences; the conjunctions are in bold:-

1. Dan and Bob go to school. This sentence tells us that two named people (Dan, Bob) both go to school; their names

are “joined” by the word and. If we did not use the conjunction, we would have to write two sentences: Dan goes to school. Bob goes to school.

2. Tom works quickly but carefully. This sentence tells about two different actions - which are joined by the word but - taken

by Tom when he works. If we did not use the conjunction, we would have to write two sentences: Tom works quickly. Tom works carefully.

3. I think Tom or John will win the race. This sentence tells us that one of the people whose names are linked by the word or will

probably win an event. That one sentence is better than two sentences: I think Tom will win the race. I think John will win the race.

4. Men and women work together in our office. You can see that two plural nouns have been linked by the word and. Without that, we

would have two separate sentences: Men work in our office. Women work in our office.

5. Tom is a fast runner. He will beat John. Tom is a fast runner and he will beat John. You can see that two sentences have been joined by the word and to make just one

sentence.

6. Tom is a fast runner. He will beat John. Tom is a fast runner therefore he will beat John. Here the same two sentences have been joined by a different conjunction - the word

therefore - to make just one sentence.

7. John works well. Tom works better. John works well but Tom works better. Again, two sentences have been joined by the word but to make just one sentence.

8. Today the girls can study. Today the girls can go outside. Today the girls can play. Today the girls can study or they can go outside and play. This time, three sentences have been joined to make just one sentence; the first two are

joined by the word or and the third is added to that by the word and. Notice how we have used the pronoun they, instead of repeating the noun girls.

You will learn more in Module 3 about joining sentences.

~ Prepositions

A preposition is a word which is used to show the relation or connection between other words.

Prepositions which are used often in English include:

in out to of with from for on off over inside outside up down under below above from by onto

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Prepositions are very useful because they tell where something is (or was or will be)that is, its place or its position or its location.

Here are some example sentences; the prepositions are in bold:-

1. The dog was in its kennel. The preposition in shows the relationship between the dog and the kennel. The dog was

in (or inside) the kennel, not on it or out of it, for instance.

2. The aeroplane will fly above the clouds. The preposition above shows the relationship between the aeroplane and the clouds;

the aeroplane flies above the clouds, and not in the clouds or under the clouds.

3. The ships sail on the water. The preposition on shows the relationship between the ships and the water; the ships

sail on the water and not under it or above it.

4. Our house is just around the corner from his (house). The preposition around shows the locations or positions of - the relationship between

- the two houses.

5. A mole lives under (or below or beneath) the ground. The prepositions under and below and beneath show the location or position of the

animal in relation to the ground.

So you can see that a preposition shows the position of one thing (or more than one) in relation to another thing (or more than one).

The preposition which is used in a sentence makes a difference to the meaning of that sentence. By using different prepositions we can show different “connections” between words, and different positions. For example:-

4. The ball is in the cupboard.5. The ball is under the cupboard.6. The ball is on the cupboard.7. The ball is behind the cupboard.8. The ball is near the cupboard. 9. The ball is beside the cupboard.

Errors to Avoid

Prepositions and conjunctions are sometimes confused with one another. To avoid mistakes, you should always remember:-

prepositions show connections or relations between other words;

but

conjunctions join or link words or sentences - which can include prepositions.

These sentences will help you to remember the difference:-

The ball rolled off the table. The ball fell onto the floor.

In these two sentences the words off and onto are both prepositions. Using the conjunction and we can join the two sentences into one, so that it reads:-

The ball rolled off the table and fell onto the floor.

The conjunction and has helped to make clear the link between the two prepositions.

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Why did the ball fall onto the floor?

The ball fell onto the floor because it rolled off the table.

In this sentence the two prepositions are “linked” by the conjunction because, to tell the reason why the ball fell onto the floor.

Here is another example:

The man put his hat on his head. The wind blew the hat off his head.

The man put his hat on his head but the wind blew the hat off (his head).

This time we have used the conjunction but to make clear what happened.

~ Exclamations or Interjections

This kind of word might be new to you. You might not have learned about it in your earlier studies.

An exclamation is a word (or a group of words) which can be used to express (to show) a feeling or an emotion or a call or a command or an order. Here are some examples of their use in sentences:-

1. Oh! I nearly fell over the stone.

2. Hi! Come here, I want to talk to you.

3. Hello! Are you there?

4. Good gracious! You gave me quite a fright.

5. Help me catch my hat! The wind blew it off!

6. Well done! What a great performance!

7. She did it! She won the race!

8. Eat up! It will soon be time to go.

When writing, what is called an ‘exclamation mark’ and which looks like this: ! is often placed after the exclamation. You will see in Module 3 that the mark ! may also be a ‘command mark’.

The Eight ‘Parts of Speech’

The eight kinds of words which we have told you about in this first Module are called the ‘parts of speech’. Each and every word in the English Language is one or another of the eight kinds.

There are special matters you need to remember about some kinds of words. Some matters you will remember from your earlier studies. But some might be new to you. So study very carefully the Modules which follow, and you will quickly learn much more, and be able to speak and write good English.

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PRACTICE TEST ONE

Here are 20 Practice Exercises for you to try:-

No.1. Read the words in the brackets (....) and then write in the space ________ the word or words you think completes the sentence correctly.

(a) A word which is a name is a ________ . (verb adjective noun)(b) A word which describes or modifies the meaning of a noun or a ________ is called

an adjective. (adverb conjunction pronoun)(c) Jenny is the ________ of persons. (kinder most kind kindest)(d) They ________ the owners of these books. (is are was)(e) Kevin is the best footballer in the team; he plays ________ . (well good better)

No.2. Read the words in the brackets and then write in the space ________ the conjunction you think joins the words or simple sentences best.

(a) I like jumping ________ James prefers running. (because therefore but)(b) Pat ________ Grace are my best friends. (and however if)(c) I shall go to the cinema ________ my father allows me. (but and if)(d) The man saw us ________ we were hiding. (but although whether)(e) She arrived home ________ her mother arrived. (yet because before)

No.3. Read the words in the brackets and then write in the space ________ left for you the preposition you think is the right one.

(a) He lay ________ the bed and went to sleep. (under above on)(b) The boy fell ________ his bicycle and hurt himself. (in off inside)(c) Our cat curled up comfortably ________ its basket. (around in down)(d) We were ________ our house when the accident happened. (above near into)(e) ________ which country do you come? (from behind onto)

No.4. Write the correct form of the finite verb “to be” from those in the brackets in the space ________ left for you to complete each sentence.

(a) They ________ my best friends. (is am are)(b) It ________ the most enjoyable show I had ever seen. (was is are)(c) I ________ a happy man if I improve my English. (am shall be was)(d) We ________ all football fans. (am are is)(e) She ________ my sister. (am shall be)

Our ‘Answers’ to these Exercises are on the next page.

Do NOT send your answers to these Practice Exercises to the College.

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ANSWERS TO THE EXERCISES IN PRACTICE TEST ONE

No.1. The correct words to complete the sentences:-

(a) A word which is a name is a noun.(b) A word which describes or modifies the meaning of a noun or a pronoun is called an

adjective. (c) Jenny is the kindest of persons. (d) They are the owners of these books. (e) Kevin is the best footballer in the team; he plays well.

No.2. The correct conjunctions:-

(a) I like jumping but James prefers running. (b) Pat and Grace are my best friends. (c) I shall go to the cinema if my father allows me. (d) The man saw us although we were hiding. (e) She arrived home before her mother arrived.

No.3. The correct prepositions:-

(a) He lay on the bed and went to sleep. (b) The boy fell off his bicycle and hurt himself. (c) Our cat curled up comfortably in its basket. (d) We were near our house when the accident happened. (e) From which country do you come?

No.4. The correct form of the finite verb to be:-

(a) They are my best friends. (b) It was the most enjoyable show I had ever seen. (c) I shall be a happy man if I improve my English. (d) We are all football fans. (e) She is my sister.

Appendix

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WHAT YOU WILL LEARN ABOUT ESSENTIAL EVERYDAY ENGLISH

IN MODULES 2 TO 12 OF CIC’s TRAINING PROGRAM

Module Two - More About Nouns

Proper nouns: names of people names of countries/regions names of towns and cities physical features When to use capital letters Number: singular and plural: changing singular nouns to their plural forms: adding letter “s” adding letters “es” nouns which end with the letter “y”: following a vowel following a consonant nouns which end with the letter “f” nouns which change vowels non-standard and unusual plural forms Gender: male and masculine female and feminine different words for the two sexes forming feminine words from masculine words: adding the letters “ess” or “es” dropping letters adding words before or after common gender neuter gender Possessive nouns: possession or ownership plural nouns showing usage Module Three - Sentences

Sensible statements: correct order of words Statements: telling something questions answers/replies commands/orders requests responses Forming sensible sentences The subject of a sentence: the person, place or thing about which something is stated Predicates in sentences: what is stated about the subject the importance of verbs: telling the action or state of the subject

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sentences analysed When to use capital letters: the word “I” start of a sentence proper nouns full stops Multiple or compound sentences: using conjunctions clauses The adverbs “yes” and “no” The adverb “not” The word “no” as an adjective Positive and negative Objects in sentences Module Four - More About Verbs

Finite forms of verbs Verbs which show state or being Verbs of action The important verb “to be” The tenses of verbs: present tenses: simple present continuous present: present participles perfect present: past participles future tenses: simple future continuous future perfect future past tenses: simple past: past participles: weak verbs strong verbs irregular verbs continuous past perfect past Conjugating verbs

Module Five - More About Pronouns

Why we use pronouns When pronouns start with capital letters Pronouns as subjects in sentences: subjective pronouns Pronouns as objects in sentences: objective pronouns Differences between subjective and objective pronouns Errors to be avoided Possessive pronouns Interrogative pronouns Demonstrative pronouns Emphatic pronouns Pronouns which start questions

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Module Six - More About Adjectives and Adverbs

Adjectives

Why we use adjectives Nouns used as adjectives Pronouns used as adjectives Possessive adjectives: differences between possessive pronouns and adjectives Comparison of adjectives: positive forming the: comparative superlative one syllable words words with more than one syllable errors to be avoided avoiding incorrect repetition adjectives which do not change Articles: the definite article “the” the indefinite articles “a” and “an” errors to avoid Colours and shades Numbers: ordinal cardinal

Adverbs The functions of adverbs Adverbs of: time, place, degree, manner, reason The placing of adverbs before or after the word it qualifies Forming adverbs from adjectives Comparison of adverbs: positive forming the: comparative superlative one syllable words words with more than one syllable errors to be avoided Adverbs which start questions

Module Seven - Punctuation of Sentences

Why punctuation is used Capital letters: revision of when they are used: the word I first word in a sentence proper names Punctuation marks: when and why they may be used: full stops or points questions marks: within sentences at the end of sentences exclamation or command marks: within sentences:

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at the end of sentences commas: providing pauses quotation or speech marks words actually spoken, and words not spoken the placing of quotation or speech marks adding clauses showing manner or tone colons: words to follow semicolons dashes: separating parts of sentences brackets: insertions or additions to sentences colon and dash: several things to follow apostrophes: showing possession or use omission of a letter or letters lists of common shortened words/abbreviations its and it’s examples of punctuated and unpunctuated passages

Module Eight - The English-English Dictionary

Using an English-English Dictionary to: find the spelling of a word find the accented syllable in a word find the meaning(s) of a word Alphabetical order How to use an English-English Dictionary: see how the words shown are explained see the alphabetical order of the words the “guide words” Online dictionary websites Finding words you know Finding words which are new to you Words with more than one meaning: choosing the appropriate meaning

Vocabulary and Word Building

What we mean by “vocabulary” Building new words: using suffixes: list of common suffixes: examples of their use and exceptions using prefixes list of common prefixes: examples of their use Building up a “vocabulary list” Using hyphens to join words and form new words with prefixes

The Confusion of Words

Words with more than one meaning Words with the same pronunciation but different meanings Lists of commonly confused words: with examples of correct/incorrect use and “tips” on how to avoid mistakes

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Module Nine - Positive and Negative Sentences

More about sentences: kinds of sentences positive and negative sentences: statements of fact commands questions replies or answers to questions Changing positive to negative using “not”: the positioning of “not”: verbs made up of two words verbs made up of three words verbs in the simple present tense verbs in the simple past tense Negative conjugations Negative shortened words/abbreviations Changing positive statements into positive questions: the simple present tense the simple past tense Changing positive questions into negative questions Questions which start with pronouns: positive and negative Questions which start with adverbs: positive and negative Changing statements into questions using “tails”: negative “tails” positive “tails” Prefixes which change the meanings of sentences: prefixes alone prefixes used with “not”

Module Ten - Sentences and Paragraphs

Active and passive voices of verbs: changing from active to passive voice changing from passive to active voice conjugation of the verb “to be” Lengths of sentences: short sentences long sentences: the need for good punctuation Splitting up a long sentence into two or more shorter sentences Variety and transitive verbs

Paragraphs

Grouping sentences with the same or similar topics Separating paragraphs; the length of paragraphs The order of sentences within paragraphs The order of paragraphs

Dialogue

Direct speech Indirect or reported speech Changing passages from direct to indirect speech Changing passages from indirect to direct speech

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Module Eleven - Passages of Writing and Comprehension

Using adjectives to make writing interesting Using adverbs to make writing interesting Using pronouns to avoid repeating nouns: making clear which noun is replaced Clarity Building a passage of writing: the “idea” notes of main topics expanding the notes into sentences grouping the sentences into paragraphs Reading a story: in direct speech in indirect speech and comparing them Passages about events which happened Using “imagination” to write passages about events which have not happened Reading an “imaginary” story: using punctuation to keep readers interested Comprehension

Understanding passages of writing Comprehension Test (A): questions and answers Hints on answering comprehension questions/tests Context: the way in which a word is used the “role” of a word in a sentence the part of speech of a word: example of the same word used as: a verb, a noun, an adjective, and an adverb how to “decide” the part of speech Comprehension Test (B): questions and answers Passages giving descriptions: example passage More hints on answering comprehension questions/tests Practice: developing a writing “style”: some “rules”

Module Twelve - Introduction to Letter Writing

A letter as a written message Kinds of letters Social letters: to whom they might be written guidelines for writing social letters: writer’s address the date the greeting opening paragraph the body text of the letter the closing expression two specimen social letters examined Business Letters: what “businesses” are why business letters might be written aims or objectives of business letters features of business letters:

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letterheads the date the addressee’s particulars the greeting: depending on the addressee the body of the letter the closing expression: agreeing with the “greeting” the writer’s signature and name the writer’s designation: why this is stated Sales letters: importance of attractive layout the aims of sales letters a specimen sales letter examined Accounts letters: why they might be written a specimen accounts letter examined the reply to that letter examined Employment letters: why they might be written a specimen letter seeking a job examined a specimen letter calling a person for an “interview” examined Private letters: reasons why they might be written two specimen private letters examined comparison of a private and business letter on the same topic Learning more English and the next stage of study

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Diploma in Business English & Letter WritingAny ambitious person seeking a career in administration, business, government or the professions, needs the ability to write good professional business letters. This Program teaches how to understand and to use business terms and expressions, and to write effective business letters on a wide variety of topics. Using many specimens it shows how to create business letters with the correct wording, grammar, spelling, tone and layout needed to achieve their objectives, and to give confidence to recipients of those letters.

Major Topics Covered in this Diploma Program include:

Reasons for writing - objectives of business letters, language, tone, style, special features of business letters, layouts and appearance. Sentences and paragraph construction. Internal & external communications. Technical terms.

English used in business letters, increasing vocabulary, improving English and writing style: using conjunctions, verbs, adverbs, nouns, pronouns, adjectives, punctuation.

Letters concerning recruitment, employment and/or promotion and work-related matters, transfers, recommendations; letters of appointment and rejection, references. Meetings: agendas, minutes. Memorand: uses, ways in which they differ from business letters.

Sales letters: first approach, responses, follow-ups, customer retention, circulars, sales literature. Quotations, estimates, tenders, orders, acknowledgements, proformas; features.

Letters making complaints and letters responding to complaints received; justified and unjustified complaints, agreements, continuity. Letters about accounts matters, credit limits, credit notes, statements of account, credit and trade references.

Letters to and from central and local government departments, lawyers, educationists, institutions, banks, estate agents, professionals and others. Word processing, computers, websites and communications by email; filing equipment and filing systems: features

Diploma in Professional English This higher Program suits people who need to use advanced English in business, management and socially; it covers a wide range of topics of importance in speaking, reading and writing good English of an advanced standard in everyday situations and in the workplace. Those who thoroughly study and complete this Program should be able to read and write acceptable English, and show they have the education and training employers seek in staff destined for promotion, and which gives customers and clients confidence.

Major Topics Covered in this Diploma Program include:

Punctuation marks to make writing clear and easy to understand; improving vocabulary, prefixes, suffixes, spellings and meanings of English words, printed and online dictionaries. Types of punctuation and their uses: full stops, commas, brackets, hyphens, semi-colons.

Forming complete and sensible sentences: positive and negative statements, questions, commands; building paragraphs. Sentence parts: subjects, predicates, order. 1st, 2nd, 3rd person. Names, numbers.

The parts of speech: nouns, pronouns, verbs, adverbs, adjectives, conjunctions, prepositions, excamations; gender, subjective, objective, articles; verb tenses - present, past and future; making writing varied and interesting, descriptions, context.

Commonly confused English words, using an English-English dictionary to increase understanding and variety. Distinguishing between words. Complements, transitive verbs.

Developing a good writing style. Comprehension. Writing social and private letters: enquiries and complaints, writing replies. Direct and indirect speach. Similes, metaphors.

Introduction to business letter writing: planning, drafting, features, layouts, objectives, tones, style, references, post scripts; examination of specimens of letters about sales, employment, accounts, complaints and replies to them; passages, paragraphs, clarity.

RECOMMENDED PROGRAMS FOR YOU TO STUDY NEXT

ASK THE COLLEGE FOR MORE INFORMATION ABOUT (AND THE FEES FOR) THESE PROGRAMS, OR VISIT WEBSITE www.cambridgecollege.co.uk

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