Happy New Year! 2011 Resolutions

Every year I make resolutions (which I prefer to think of as "setting goals"), with a track record of limited success. This year is no different: I have been thinking about what sort of things I'd like to accomplish this year, and have written them down in a rough draft. What's new (and hopefully improved) for this year is that insofar as possible, I am appending to each goal specific, actionable steps to help me achieve that goal; e.g., if one of my goals is to complete my writing projects, I have under that goal "Write a minimum of 1000 words a day."

I think that this approach will be especially helpful for those who are learning another language. So, for example, if you want to improve your English in 2011, don't just write "Learn more English" as your resolution. Instead, write:

(example 1)

Increase my vocabulary

• Learn 100 new words a week
• ==> Learn 15 new words a day
• ==> Spend 20 minutes a day learning vocabulary
• ==> Read one English story a week
  

(example 2)

Improve my grammar

• Complete XYZ workbook
  
• ==> Work on N sections a week
• ==> Spend 30 minutes a day doing the workbook
  

I think this gives you a good idea of setting not only specific goals, but thinking about the specific steps that are necessary for achieving your goals.

What are your goals for English? Think about them, and then think about what steps you can take towards those goals. Make your steps realistic and practical, and you'll be more likely to achieve them.

For some, this might seem like a no-brainer, and, indeed, I have heard before the advice about being specific in setting goals. But the "a-ha" insight for me lies in not only being specific about the goals themselves, but in getting specific about the steps necessary to achieve those goals. It forces me to think more clearly about the goals - thus, the goals are more realistic, giving me a better chance at success.

Culture Focus: Groundhog Day

February 2 was Groundhog Day. It is not an official holiday. It comes from an old tradition. People watch and wait for a groundhog to come out of his hole in the ground.

According to folklore, if the groundhog sees his shadow, he will be scared and go back into the hole. This means that we will have six more weeks of winter.

On the other hand, if the groundhog does not see his shadow, he will stay out of his hole. This means there will be an early spring.

In the United States, the most famous groundhog is Punxsutawney Phil from Punxsutawney, Pennsylvania. This groundhog was made famous in the movie “Groundhog Day.”

Another name for “groundhog” is “woodchuck.” There is an old joke about the woodchuck:

Question: How much wood would a woodchuck chuck if a woodchuck could chuck wood?

Answer: He’d chuck all the wood a woodchuck could chuck!

Here, “chuck” means the same as “throw.”

Grammar Basics: Unit 32 – must (Solutions)

Exercises

Complete the sentences. Use “must be” and one of the following verbs.

Example:

Your sister had a new baby? Congratulations! You must be (hungry, happy, tired)!
==> You must be happy!

1. Jack worked all night. He must be tired.
2. It must be windy. I see everyone is using an umbrella.
3. Class is canceled today. Mrs. Smith must be sick.
4. John just sits on the couch and sighs. He must be bored.
5. Mary gets straight As every semester. She must be very smart.

Complete the sentences. Use “must” and one of the following verbs.

Example:

Everything in Susie’s room is pink. She must (hate, like, know) the color pink.
==> She must like the color pink.

1. Miss Brown teaches two kindergarten classes every day. She must have the patience of Job.
2. Tom studied for six hours last night. He must know all the material well enough for the test by now.
3. The Jones have a large vegetable garden. They must eat plenty of fresh vegetables in the summer.
4. Jane used to have long hair, but now it’s short. She must have gotten a haircut.
5. Jack seems to know so much. He must read a lot.

Complete the sentences. Use “must” and one of the following verbs.

Example:

You are going to Disneyworld for your vacation? You must (take, give, bring) a lot of pictures.
==> You must take a lot of pictures.

1. Hospital visiting hours are over. You must go home now.
2. All passengers must have their passports ready when going through Customs.
3. In most states, you must be 21 to drink alcohol.
4. You must sign this form before submitting it to the office.
5. You must do your homework if you want to pass the test.

Complete the sentences. Use “must” or “must not”.

Example:

Jack never goes out after work. He (must / must not) like socializing.
==> He must not like socializing.

1. Matt rides a bike every day, even in the winter. He must not have a car.
2. Jane has the flu. She must not feel very well.
3. Tom works at the zoo. He must like animals.
4. Grandpa needs a magnifying glass to read the paper. He must not see very well.
5. Mary’s pie has won a blue ribbon at the county fair. She must be a good cook.

Grammar Basics: Unit 32 – must

“must” is used with another verb in its infinitive form. “must” does not change for either person or count.

Pattern: I / you / he, she, it / we / they “must” + V (inf. form)

The negative “not” comes between “must” and its verb:

“must not” + V (inf. form)

“must” is used in two different ways:

1 – to indicate something that we believe to be true
2 – to indicate that doing something is an obligation or necessity


1 – must: belief that something is true

In this sense, it is very similar to “probably”:

• John dislikes driving, so I think he must take the train to work. (I think he probably takes the train to work, since he dislikes driving.)
• You haven’t eaten all day? You must be hungry! (You are probably hungry!)
• I called the Petersons, but no one answered. They must not be home. (They are probably not home.)
• There are several newspapers on the neighbor’s driveway. They must be on vacation. (They are probably on vacation.)

2 – must: something is an obligation or necessity

• You must be quiet in the library.
• All drivers must stop at a red light.
• If you want dessert, you must finish your dinner.
• It’s quiet hours now in the dormitory. You must not play loud music.

Note: “must not” can be contracted: “mustn’t”

• You mustn’t play loud music.

Note: We can also use “have to” in the positive sentences above:

• You have to be quiet in the library.
• All drivers have to stop at a red light.
• If you want dessert, you have to finish your dinner.

For the negative, use “should not”:

• It’s quiet hours now in the dormitory. You should not play loud music.

If we need the past tense, we use “had to” and not “must”:

• You had to be quiet in the library.
• All drivers had to stop at a red light.
• If you wanted dessert, you had to finish your dinner.

Exercises

Complete the sentences. Use “must be” and one of the following verbs.

Example:

Your sister had a new baby? Congratulations! You must be (hungry, happy, tired)!
==> You must be happy!

1. Jack worked all night. He must be (hungry, happy, tired).
2. It must be (cold, raining, windy). I see everyone is using an umbrella.
3. Class is canceled today. Mrs. Smith must be (sick, hungry, short).
4. John just sits on the couch and sighs. He must be (busy, hot, bored).
5. Mary gets straight As every semester. She must be (dumb, very smart, tall).

Complete the sentences. Use “must” and one of the following verbs.

Example:

Everything in Susie’s room is pink She must (hate, like, know) the color pink.
==> She must like the color pink.

1. Miss Brown teaches two kindergarten classes every day. She must (know, have, like) the patience of Job.
2. Tom studied for six hours last night. He must (know, write, see) all the material well enough for the test by now.
3. The Jones have a large vegetable garden. They must (drink, wash, eat) plenty of fresh vegetables in the summer.
4. Jane used to have long hair, but now it’s short. She must (have, be, seem) gotten a haircut.
5. Jack seems to know so much. He must (write, read, talk) a lot.

Complete the sentences. Use “must” and one of the following verbs.

Example:

You are going to Disneyworld for your vacation? You must (take, give, bring) a lot of pictures.
==> You must take a lot of pictures.

1. Hospital visiting hours are over. You must (go, leave, stay) home now.
2. All passengers must (eat, have, read) their passports ready when going through Customs.
3. In most states, you must (have, be, am) 21 to drink alcohol.
4. You must (close, look, sign) this form before submitting it to the office.
5. You must (do, listen, work) your homework if you want to pass the test.

Complete the sentences. Use “must” or “must not”.

Example:

Jack never goes out after work. He (must / must not) like socializing.
==> He must not like socializing.

1. Matt rides a bike every day, even in the winter. He (must / must not) have a car.
2. Jane has the flu. She (must / must not) feel very well.
3. Tom works at the zoo. He (must / must not) like animals.
4. Grandpa needs a magnifying glass to read the paper. He (must / must not) see very well.
5. Mary’s pie has won a blue ribbon at the county fair. She (must / must not) be a good cook.

Educational Focus: Report cards

Most high schools have recently finished the first half of the school year. We call this the first semester of the school year. Like colleges and universities, high schools base their courses on a half-year, or semester, system. Some schools (usually grade schools) use a quarter system instead of semesters. Either way, mid-January still marks the middle of the school year. The fall semester starts at the end of August (or, sometimes, the beginning of September) and ends either in December (for colleges and universities) or mid-January (for high schools). At the end of each semester, students usually take a cumulative final exam. This cumulative final exam tests the students over all the material that they were supposed to learn for that semester. After the students have taken the tests and the teachers have graded the tests, the teacher will calculate the semester grade and record it in the student’s report card.

Nowadays, report cards are generated by computer and mailed directly to the student’s parents. Before school had computers, student report cards were written by hand on a card. The card had lines on which were written the student’s name, the teacher’s name, the class, and all the subjects which the student had. Typical subject would be arithmetic (math, or mathematics), history, science, social studies, English, art, music, and PE (physical education).

The possible grades that a student could get in a subject were A (best grade), B, C, D, or F (worst). Letter grades could also be given a “+” or “–” to indicate “somewhat above” or “somewhat below.” Thus, the entire range of grades, from best to worst, would be: A+, A, A–, B+, B, B–, C+, C, C–, D+, D, D–, F. A grade of “F” indicates failure. A student who got an “F” is said to have “flunked.”

Sometimes, a report card might also have a separate space for “effort.” Here the teacher indicates how hard the student worked to earn his grade. This mark for effort is not really a grade. It is a comment about the student’s attitude to the parents. So, a student might have gotten a “C” in a subject, and an “A” or “1” for effort. This tells the parents that the student had put forth his best effort anyhow. On the other hand, a student might have gotten an “A+” in a subject and yet received only a “2” or even a “3” for effort. This would indicate that perhaps the student needs to be challenged more. Maybe the class is too easy for him!

When report cards were written by hand, the teacher passed out the report cards for the students to take home. The students had to take the report cards home to show their parents. One of the parents had to sign the report card. Then the student brought it back to school and returned it to the teacher. At the end of the school year, the parents did not have to sign the report card. Since school was over, the student could keep the report card. For the final report card, the teacher would write at the end something like “Promoted to Grade 5” to indicate that the student successfully finished Grade 4, and could start the next school year in the next higher grade.

Writing Assignment: Going skating (Solution)

1. Where is this family skating?

They are skating outside.

2. How many people are skating in the picture?

There are three people skating in the picture.

3. Is anyone skating backwards?

No one is skating backwards. They are all skating forwards.

4. Is anyone doing a figure eight?

No, no one is doing a figure eight.

5. Is anyone making a crossover turn?

No, no one is making a crossover turn.

6. Can the baby skate?

No, the baby is too young to skate.

7. What is the baby doing instead of skating?

Instead of skating, the baby is riding in a push sled.

8. What is the father doing?

The father is pushing the baby in the baby sled while he is skating. He is also holding the hand of the big sister.

9. What type of skates does the father have?

The father has either hockey skates or figure skates.

10. What is the mother doing?

The mother is holding the hand of the big sister while she is skating.

11. What type of skates does the mother have?

It looks like the mother has hockey skates. Women’s figure skates are usually white.

12. What type of skates does the big sister have?

The big sister has beginner skates, or double-bladed skates.

13. Can the big sister skate by herself, or does she need help?

No, she cannot skate by herself. She needs help in learning how to skate.

14. Is it cold in the picture?

Yes, it is cold. The water is frozen.

15. Is anyone wearing a scarf?

Yes. The mother is wearing a head scarf to keep warm. The baby is also wearing a scarf.

16. Who is wearing a hat?

The two girls are wearing hats.

17. Who is not wearing a hat?

The father is not wearing a hat. He does not have anything on his head to keep warm. The mother is not wearing a hat, but she still has something on her head to keep warm.

18. What do the people have on their hands to keep their hands from getting cold?

The people are wearing mittens and gloves to keep their hands warm.

19. Is the family skating on an ice rink, a river, a lake, or a pond?

The family is not skating on an ice rink. They are outdoors, skating on a river or a lake.

20. How much snow is there on the ice?

There is no snow on the ice.

21. What must be done if there is snow on the ice and someone wants to go skating?

If there is snow on the ice and someone wants to go skating, the ice must be cleared and the snow shoveled off.

22. How thick should the ice be for it to be safe for skating?

The ice should be at least 8 – 10 cm thick for it to be safe for skating.

23. What happens if the ice is too thin to skate on?

If the ice is too thin to skate on, it is dangerous. The ice could break, and the skater could fall in and drown.

24. Why are there cracks in the ice?

There are cracks in the ice because ice expands as it freezes.

25. Is it safe to go skating if there are cracks in the ice?

If the cracks are from the ice expanding as it gets colder, it is usually okay to skate on. If the cracks come from someone breaking the ice to open it up for water, it is probably not safe to go skating there.


Paragraph: Going Ice Skating

Have you ever been ice skating? What was it like? Was it outdoors, or at a rink? Did you fall down a lot when you first learned to ice skate? If you have never been ice skating, write about what you think would be fun about ice skating (or what would not be fun, if you don’t like it).

When I was younger, I grew up near a river. In the summertime, we went swimming, fishing, and boating on the river. But in the wintertime, the river would freeze over, and then we could go ice skating. My father would always check the ice first to make sure it was thick enough and safe for skating. If there was snow on the ice, we had to shovel it off before we could go skating there. We could make as big as rink as we wanted, but a bigger rink also meant that there was a lot more snow shoveling to do before we could skate there.

When I first learned to ice skate, I had double-bladed skates. They were strapped on over my snow boots. The double blades made it easier for me to become accustomed to skating on the ice. After I got better at skating, I could skate on single blades. Then I wore an old pair of hockey skates that had belonged to one of my brothers. The hockey skates had a blade attached to the bottom of the shoe, so I had to take off my boots, put on the skates, and then lace them up tightly to wear them. Since it is difficult to lace skates when wearing mittens or gloves, I had to take off my mittens when I laced up the skates. It was very cold, and by the time I finished putting on my skates, my fingers were numb. I couldn’t wait to put the mittens back on.

As I got better at skating, I learned how to skate backwards and skate around corners using a crossover turn. I never had any lessons, so I don’t know how to do anything fancy like a figure eight or spins. But at least I can skate without falling down, and I can skate fast enough to have some fun. I enjoy skating, and look forward each winter to being able to go out and get some exercise and fresh air.

Writing Assignment: Going skating

Vocabulary

(ice) skates
Hockey skates
Figure skates
Speed skates
Double-bladed skates
Blade
Shoe
(shoe) lace
Cold
Jacket
Glide
Push
Crack
Thick
Thin
Lap
Rink
River
Lake
Pond
Shovel
Crossover turn
Backwards
Push sled / baby sled
Hat
Coat
Jacket
Scarf
Mittens
Gloves
Boots
Hood
Figure eight


1. Where is this family skating?
2. How many people are skating in the picture?
3. Is anyone skating backwards?
4. Is anyone doing a figure eight?
5. Is anyone making a crossover turn?
6. Can the baby skate?
7. What is the baby doing instead of skating?
8. What is the father doing?
9. What type of skates does the father have?
10. What is the mother doing?
11. What type of skates does the mother have?
12. What type of skates does the big sister have?
13. Can the big sister skate by herself, or does she need help?
14. Is it cold in the picture?
15. Is anyone wearing a scarf?
16. Who is wearing a hat?
17. Who is not wearing a hat?
18. What do the people have on their hands to keep their hands from getting cold?
19. Is the family skating on an ice rink, a river, a lake, or a pond?
20. How much snow is there on the ice?
21. What must be done if there is snow on the ice and someone wants to go skating?
22. How thick should the ice be for it to be safe for skating?
23. What happens if the ice is too thin to skate on?
24. Why are there cracks in the ice?
25. Is it safe to go skating if there are cracks in the ice?

Paragraph: Going Ice Skating

Have you ever been ice skating? What was it like? Was it outdoors, or at a rink? Did you fall down a lot when you first learned to ice skate? If you have never been ice skating, write about what you think would be fun about ice skating (or what would not be fun, if you don’t like it).

Grammar Basics: Unit 31 – can and could (Solutions)

Exercises:

Using the given clues, write sentences using “can.” If there is a question mark, make a question using “can.”

Example:

Tom / sing well ==> Tom can sing well.
She / speak Italian / not ==> She can’t speak Italian.
John / poker / ? ==> Can John play poker?

1. Walter can drive a car.
2. We can’t come to the party.
3. I can ice skate.
4. Can you swim?
5. Bill can go to the picnic.
6. Can we go on vacation this summer?
7. They can’t buy a house.
8. Can you shut the window?
9. Sally can cook dinner.
10. Tim can’t stay up late.

Determine whether to use “can” or “could” with the given verb in the following sentences.

Example:

I wasn’t busy, so I (come) to the party. ==> I wasn’t busy, so I could come to the party.
Dan is sick. He (go, not) to the football game. ==> Dan is sick. He can’t go to the football game.

1. After eating a whole pizza, James was full. He couldn’t eat another bite of food.
2. Louis is blind. He can’t read that book.
3. Mark is in high school, so he can attend summer camp this year.
4. We couldn’t go swimming at the outdoor pool because there was a thunderstorm.
5. We have finished packing, so we can leave on our trip as soon as you’re ready.
6. John didn’t finish his homework in time, so he couldn’t go skiing with us.
7. On a clear day, you can see forever.
8. We had an extra seat in the car, so we could give Mary a ride to the train station.
9. If you’re tired, you can take a quick nap before dinner.
10. The weather was nice, so we could go camping at the state park last weekend.

Grammar Basics: Unit 31 – can and could

“can” is used to indicate the ability to do something. It is used with a verb in the infinitive form:

can + V (inf.) …

Examples:

I can play the piano.
Shelia can ride a bike.
The twins can play chess.
We can go to the museum tomorrow.

Note: “can” is the same, regardless of person and number. First person singular, third person plural – it doesn’t matter :).

To make a question, switch the order of “can” and its subject:

Can you play the piano?
Can Jack ride a bike?
Can they play checkers?

To negate, put “not” between “can” and its verb: “can not”, which is written as one word ==> “cannot”

I cannot lift this heavy suitcase.
They cannot come because of bad weather.
Sam cannot speak Chinese.

Note: “cannot” is usually contracted to “can’t.” Thus we have:

I can’t lift this heavy suitcase.
They can’t come because of bad weather.
Sam can’t speak Chinese.

All the examples we’ve given thus far use “can” or “can’t” in the present or future tense. To speak of ability in the past tense, we use “could” (“could not” or “couldn’t” for the negation):

The neighbors were noisy, so I couldn’t sleep at all last night.
James could eat a whole pizza when he was a teenager.
They could stay up all night when they were in college.

Other Notes:

1) Sometimes “can” / “can’t” is used for permission rather than ability:

You can’t use your cell phone in the library.
Tom can’t go visit Becky. He has to whitewash the fence.
Can I have a drink of water?

2) In asking permission, “could” is a more polite form to use than “can”:

Can I have a drink of water? ==> Could I have a drink of water?
Can my friend sit here? ==> Could my friend sit here?
Can you open the window? ==> Could you open the window?


Exercises:

Using the given clues, write sentences using “can.” If there is a question mark, make a question using “can.”

Example:

Tom / sing well ==> Tom can sing well.
She / speak Italian / not ==> She can’t speak Italian.
John / poker / ? ==> Can John play poker?

1. Walter / drive / a car
2. We / come / to the party / not
3. I / ice skate
4. You / swim / ?
5. Bill / go / to the picnic
6. We / go on vacation / this summer / ?
7. They / buy a house / not
8. You / shut / the window / ?
9. Sally / cook / dinner
10. Tim / stay up / late / not

Determine whether to use “can” or “could” with the given verb in the following sentences.

Example:

I wasn’t busy, so I (come) to the party. ==> I wasn’t busy, so I could come to the party.
Dan is sick. He (go, not) to the football game. ==> Dan is sick. He can’t go to the football game.

1. After eating a whole pizza, James was full. He (eat, not) another bite of food.
2. Louis is blind. He (read, not) that book.
3. Mark is in high school, so he (attend) summer camp this year.
4. We (go, not) swimming at the outdoor pool because there was a thunderstorm.
5. We have finished packing, so we (leave) on our trip as soon as you’re ready.
6. John didn’t finish his homework in time, so he (go, not) skiing with us.
7. On a clear day, you (see) forever.
8. We had an extra seat in the car, so we (give) Mary a ride to the train station.
9. If you’re tired, you (take) a quick nap before dinner.
10. The weather was nice, so we (go) camping at the state park last weekend.

Culture Focus: Refunds & Exchanges

Usually, when people buy a gift for someone else, they try to get a gift that is suitable for the recipient. If they want to give some clothes as a gift, they try to get clothes that are the right size. They try to get clothes that are in the style that the recipient likes. If they want to give a book, they try to get something from a favorite author. If they give some music as a gift, they try to get something from a favorite band. Sometimes, though, it is difficult to know exactly what kind of present would make the recipient happy. This means that sometimes, despite our best efforts, a present is not always what the recipient likes. Because of this, people often give a gift receipt along with the present. A gift receipt makes it easier for the recipient to exchange the gift or get a refund.

What is a gift receipt? In general, a receipt is a piece of paper from a store that shows 1) when something was bought, 2) what price was paid for the item, and 3) from which store the item was purchased. A gift receipt contains all this information too, except the price of the item is coded. Why is the price coded? We consider it impolite to let a person know how much was paid for the present, so gift receipts are coded to hide the price.

So, if a person is unhappy with a present he’s gotten, he has two options: 1) He can exchange the present for something more to his liking, or 2) he can get a refund.

1) Exchange

Sometimes, the person likes the present, except it is the wrong size, wrong color, etc. He can take the item and the gift receipt back to the store. Then he can pick out a present that is the right size, right color, etc. This situation is easier for the clerk, since there is generally no difference in price between the original present and the exchange. Usually, the clerk will scan the information from the receipt. Then the clerk will scan the information from the exchange. This is so the store’s inventory will remain accurate and up-to-date. The clerk will probably make a note of the exchange on the receipt.


Sometimes, the person will want to exchange the old present for another item that is completely different. For example, maybe a person got a sweater as a gift, but they want to have a pair of shoes instead. In this case, the clerk usually treats this as two separate transactions: one return, and one purchase. The clerk scans the gift receipt for the original purchase information. The person returning the present will get a store credit equal to the amount paid for the original purchase. This credit is then applied to the purchase of the new item. If the cost of the new item is less than the cost of the original present, the person will get a refund for the difference, or get a store credit. If the cost of the new item is greater than the cost of the original present, the person will have to pay the difference.

Both cases are good from the store’s perspective, because the sale is saved, and the customer is happy. It is a “win-win” situation: both sides benefit from the deal.

2) Refund

Sometimes, the person likes nothing about the present. He would rather have the money instead of the present. In this case, he can be refunded the price of the gift. The clerk will scan the information about the original purchase and determine how much money the person will get back. From the store’s perspective, this is not a good thing, because it is the same as a lost sale. But the store will do it anyhow, because it is good for customer relations: “The customer is always right.”

Grammar Basics: Unit 30 – might and may (Solutions)

Exercises:

Use the given words to respond to the following questions, using the phrase “I don’t know / I’m not sure. I (He, They, etc.) might…”

Example:

What are you doing this afternoon? (store) ==> I don’t know. I might go to the store this afternoon.

Where is Tom going for vacation? (Florida) ==> I’m not sure. He might go to Florida.

1. What are you going to eat for lunch? ==> I’m not sure. I might have soup or salad.
2. Is Mary coming to the party? ==> I don’t know. She might have to work.
3. When are you going to go to the library? ==> I don’t know. I might go after class.
4. Did Bill and Jane name their new baby yet? ==> I’m not sure. They might have named him James.
5. What’s the weather supposed to be like tomorrow? ==> I’m not sure. It might rain.
6. Where is Mark going to college? ==> I don’t know. He might be going to the University of Illinois.
7. Does Sally have any pets? ==> I’m not sure. She might have a cat.
8. What color is Jill’s car? ==> I don’t know. It might be blue.
9. How many books do the kids have to read for the summer program? ==> I’m not sure. They might have to read 15 books.
10. Where would you like to go on your dream vacation? ==> I don’t know. I might like to go to Switzerland.
11. How old is John’s son? ==> I don’t know. He might be six.
12. Where did Tom and Susan move to? ==> I’m not sure. They might have moved to Colorado.
13. Is there butter or margarine in this cookie recipe? ==> I’m not sure. It might be butter.
14. Where does Jim work? ==> I don’t know. He might be a salesman for a manufacturing company.
15. How fast can Tina type? ==> I’m not sure. She might type as fast as 80 words per minute.
16. Where are the newlyweds going for their honeymoon? ==> I’m not sure. They might go to Hawaii.
17. Who is the greatest basketball player? ==> I don’t know. It might be Michael Jordan.
18. What present are you going to give your mother for her birthday? ==> I’m not sure. I might get her a box of chocolates.
19. What is the name of Barbara’s older son? ==> I don’t know. It might be Christopher.
20. Who’s calling on the phone? ==> I’m not sure. It might be the doctor’s office.

Grammar Basics: Unit 30 – might and may

“might” is used to indicate possibility. We use it when we are not certain if something will happen.

Pattern:

might + V (infinitive) …


I might cook spaghetti tomorrow night.
Be careful! You might slip and fall on the ice.
He might get a job working at the gas station.
We might see a movie next weekend.
They might close the store early.

Note: “might” is the same, regardless of person and number. First person singular, third person plural – it doesn’t matter :).

To form the negation, put “not” between “might” and its infinitive verb.

Negation:

might not + V (infinitive) …

I might not get to the appointment on time.
You might not make the team if you don’t practice.
Who knows, it might not rain tomorrow anyhow.
We might not see him again for a long time.
They might not be able to afford it.

“might” is often used with “I don’t know” or “I’m not sure”:

A: What are you going to eat?
B: I’m not sure. I might try the salmon.

A: Have you decided where you’ll go for your honeymoon?
B: We don’t know. We might go to the Bahamas.

A: Do you know if Tom is coming?
B: I don’t know. I suspect he might not make it.

Recall:

“am going to” indicates certainty – something will happen.
“might” indicates uncertainty – we do not know if something will happen.

Tom is going to stop by later. (He will certainly come).
Tom might stop by later. (Maybe he will come, or maybe he won’t. We don’t know.)

I am going to take a nap after lunch. (I am so tired, I will certainly rest.)
I might take a nap after lunch. (I don’t know. I have a lot of work to do, so maybe I will do that instead.)

When we are talking about uncertainty, we can use “may” instead of “might”:

Tom may stop by later = Tom might stop by later.

Exercises:

Use the given words to respond to the following questions, using the phrase “I don’t know / I’m not sure. I (He, They, etc.) might…”

Example:

What are you doing this afternoon? (store) ==> I don’t know. I might go to the store this afternoon.

Where is Tom going for vacation? (Florida) ==> I’m not sure. He might go to Florida.

1. What are you going to eat for lunch? (soup or salad)
2. Is Mary coming to the party? (have to work)
3. When are you going to go to the library? (after class)
4. Did Bill and Jane name their new baby yet? (James)
5. What’s the weather supposed to be like tomorrow? (rain)
6. Where is Mark going to college? (University of Illinois)
7. Does Sally have any pets? (cat)
8. What color is Jill’s car? (blue)
9. How many books do the kids have to read for the summer program? (15)
10. Where would you like to go on your dream vacation? (Switzerland)
11. How old is John’s son? (six)
12. Where did Tom and Susan move to? (Colorado)
13. Is there butter or margarine in this cookie recipe? (butter)
14. Where does Jim work? (salesman for a manufacturing company)
15. How fast can Tina type? (as fast as 80 words per minute)
16. Where are the newlyweds going for their honeymoon? (Hawaii)
17. Who is the greatest basketball player? (Michael Jordan)
18. What present are you going to give your mother for her birthday? (box of chocolates)
19. What is the name of Barbara’s older son? (Christopher)
20. Who’s calling on the phone? (doctor’s office)

Educational Focus: Snow Days

Many places in the United States get snow in the winter. If it is very cold, like this year, even states like Texas or Florida can get snow. Sometimes there is so much snow that is it difficult or dangerous to drive. If this happens, schools often declare a “snow day.” When a school has a snow day, classes are canceled for that day, and children don’t have to attend.

How much snow is necessary to get a snow day? It depends. In southern states like Texas or Florida, drivers are not used to driving in snow. Also, most southern towns would probably not have snow plows or other equipment to clear the roads of snow. Consequently, even only a few centimeters of snow would create dangerous driving for most drivers in southern states. Children living in these states would most likely get a snow day if there were only a few centimeters of snow.

Northern states like Minnesota or North Dakota, though, are accustomed to winter driving with lots of snow, so a few centimeters of snow would mean nothing to them. Snow plows come and clear the roads, but sometimes they only put out salt or gravel if it is a minor amount of snow. Children living in these states would probably not get a snow day if there were only a few centimeters of snow. It would have to snow a lot more – maybe 15 cm or so – before the schools would consider granting a snow day. If there is a lot of wind, though, the snow can form big drifts, which would make the roads difficult or dangerous to drive. So if there is drifting snow, children would probably get a snow day.

Sometimes a snow day is declared because the weather is very cold, instead of because of the snow. Some Januarys have several days where the temperature stays below -25 degrees Celsius. Even the high temperature of the day doesn’t get above -20 – that is extremely cold!! In these cases, it is too cold to walk to school, or to wait outside for a school bus to come. So sometimes schools will also cancel classes due to extreme cold.

Of course, most children enjoy playing in the snow and having a day off from school. And you can be sure that if a student hasn’t studied for a test as much as he should, he will fervently hope for a snow day to give him some extra study time!

Writing Assignment: At the Post Office (Solution)

1. In what place are these two people?
They are in the post office.

2. Where is the man standing?
He is standing behind the counter (behind the window).

3. What is he doing?
He is handing the woman a small packet.

4. Where is the woman standing?
The woman is standing at the counter (at the window).

5. What is the woman doing?
She is taking the packet from the man.

6. Why might the woman have gone to the post office?
She may have gone to the post office to buy some stamps.

7. What kinds of things may be bought at the post office?
At the post office, a person can buy stamps, envelopes, boxes, padded envelopes, tape, and other mailing supplies.

8. What can people do at the post office besides buy stamps and other mailing supplies?
People can pick up their mail from the post office. They can mail a letter or parcel. They can have letters and packages weighed. They can get official government forms, like passport applications and tax forms.

9. Are there other people also at the post office?
We don’t see any other people at this post office.

10. What do you do if there are other people waiting in line?
If there are other people waiting in line, you have to wait for your turn.

11. What can the man behind the window do if he has to do something in back?
If he has some task to do in the back of the post office, he can put a sign at his window.

12. What would the sign say?
The sign would say “Next Window Please” or “Will Be Back Soon.”

13. On what days is the post office open?
The post office is open from Mondays through Saturdays. It is closed on Sundays.

14. When does the post office open?
The post office usually opens at 8 a.m. or 8:30 a.m.

15. When does the post office close?
The post office usually closes at 5 p.m. On Saturdays, it usually closes at 12 noon, or 12:30 p.m.

16. On what holidays does the post office close?
In the US, the post office is closed on federal holidays: New Year’s Day, Martin Luther King Jr’s Birthday, Washington’s Birthday (President’s Day), Memorial Day, Independence Day, Labor Day, Columbus Day, Veterans Day, Thanksgiving Day, and Christmas Day.

17. What is the name of the person who delivers the mail?
The person who delivers the mail is called a mailman, a postman, a mail lady, or a mail carrier. Other people who work for the post office can be called postal workers. The head of the local post office is called a postmaster.

18. What happens to the mail of a person who has moved to a new house or apartment?
If a person has moved, his mail will be forwarded if he has filled out a “change of address” form. If he has not filled out a change of address form, it will be marked “undeliverable” and returned to sender.

19. What happens to the mail of a person who is on vacation?
If a person goes on vacation, he can request that his mail be held until he returns from vacation. He can then go to the post office and pick it up. To have his mail held, he must fill out an “authorization to hold mail” form.

20. How is international mail usually sent?
International mail is usually sent via airmail.

21. What kind of hobby do some people have with stamps?
Some people collect stamps for a hobby.


Paragraph: At the Post Office

Write a brief paragraph about the last time you had to go to the post office for something. What did you do there? Were there other people there too? What are some other reasons why you usually go to the post office?

Just before Christmas, I had to go to the post office to buy some stamps. I had to mail my Christmas cards, and I wanted to get the special Christmas stamps available at the post office. The Christmas stamps came out in October, and came in two sets. One design had Madonna and Child (the Virgin Mary and Baby Jesus). The other set had four different designs: a reindeer, a snowman, a gingerbread man, and a nutcracker. Each set comes in a booklet containing 20 stamps. The stamps have self-sticking adhesive on the back, so they do not need to be licked.

There were a few people already waiting in line at the post office. Some people had Christmas cards and Christmas packages that they wanted to mail. The packages had to be weighed before the proper postage could be put on the package. People mailing packages had to tell the postal worker if there was anything breakable, perishable, or hazardous. They also had to fill out a form if they wanted to have the package insured.

Some people came to the post office to pick up their mail from their post office box. Some people came to the post office to buy some boxes or other mailing supplies for their Christmas packages. Some people were planning on going somewhere for Christmas vacation, so they filled out a form to have their mail held until they came back.

In the lobby of the post office, there is also a bulletin board with some “wanted posters” on it. If there are dangerous fugitives that are wanted by the FBI, the local post office will have their pictures put up on a wanted poster. The people on the wanted poster do not look like they are very nice people. I hope that I never seen them walking down the street somewhere.

Writing Assignment: At the Post Office

Vocabulary


Post office
Teller
Clerk
Window
Counter
Stamp
Envelope
Post card
Postmark
Bulletin board
Form
Waiting line
Postmaster
Mail box
Post office box
Address
Return address
Parcel
Mailing supplies
Package
Packing
Tape
Label
Padded envelope
Wanted poster
Ahead (in line)
Take a number
Next window
Mailman
Mail lady
Postman
Postal worker
Mail carrier
(vacation) hold on mail
Forward the mail
Return to sender
Postage paid
Postage due
Special delivery
Book of stamps
Sheet of stamps
Air mail
Stamp collecting

1. In what place are these two people?
2. Where is the man standing?
3. What is he doing?
4. Where is the woman standing?
5. What is the woman doing?
6. Why might the woman have gone to the post office?
7. What kinds of things may be bought at the post office?
8. What can people do at the post office besides buy stamps and other mailing supplies?
9. Are there other people also at the post office?
10. What do you do if there are other people waiting in line?
11. What can the man behind the window do if he has to do something in back?
12. What would the sign say?
13. On what days is the post office open?
14. When does the post office open?
15. When does the post office close?
16. On what holidays does the post office close?
17. What is the name of the person who delivers the mail?
18. What happens to the mail of a person who has moved to a new house or apartment?
19. What happens to the mail of a person who is on vacation?
20. How is international mail usually sent?
21. What kind of hobby do some people have with stamps?

Paragraph: At the Post Office

Write a brief paragraph about the last time you had to go to the post office for something. What did you do there? Were there other people there too? What are some other reasons why you usually go to the post office?

Grammar Basics: Unit 29 – will, Part II. (Solution)

Exercise: In the following sentences, choose either “will” or “going to” to make an appropriate sentence.

Example:

I’m tired, so I think I (will / am going to) go to bed. ==>
I’m tired, so I think I will go to bed.

A: What are you doing tomorrow night?
B: We (will / are going to) go out for dinner and watch a movie. ==>
We are going to out for a dinner and watch a movie.

1. It snowed a lot overnight. I will shovel the driveway before I go to work.

2.
A: I have a ton of work to do.
B: That’s all right. We will help you.

3. I’m confused. I think I will ask Sam to explain these instructions to me.

4.
A: Have you done your homework yet?
B: No, I will do it later, I think.

5. I’m tired. I think I will skip exercising today.

6.
A: Are you going to do anything this weekend?
B: No, I am going to stay home and get caught up on my reading.

7. Someone’s at the door. Will you answer it?

8.
A: What are you doing after lunch?
B: I am going to go ice skating. Want to come?

9. Mother likes flowers, so I think we will get her a colorful bouquet for her birthday.

10.
A: This room’s a mess.
B: Don’t worry – I will clean it up.

11. Do you know how expensive that wine is? If we buy that for the party, it will cost a fortune!

12.
A: We’re having a potluck this Saturday.
B: Okay. I will bring a salad.

13. I’ve finished reading my library books. I think I will return then and get some more.

14.
A: Why are you baking so many cookies?
B: I am going to gift wrap plates of cookie and give them away as presents.

15. We didn’t get a Christmas tree this year. We will get one next year, okay?

16.
A: The car’s low on gas.
B: I will fill it up on my way to the store.

17. I’m hot. I think I will go swimming to cool off.

18.
A: The plants need watering.
B: I will do it as soon as I’m done washing these dishes.

19. I will give you a call tomorrow, okay?

20.
A: I have a taste for pretzels.
B: I will bake some.

Grammar Basics: Unit 29 – will, Part II.

Many ESL students are confused about “will” and “going to.” Both are used to indicate future events. But their connotations are slightly different.

going to: "going to" is used when a person has already decided to do something. After you have made your plans to do this or that, you use “I’m going to …” when you tell somebody about your future.

will: "will" is used at the moment you have made your decision. For example, someone might say, “The phone is ringing.” You could respond, “Don’t worry, I’ll get it.” You would not say, “I’m going to get it,” because you did not make your decision until the phone started to ring.

Another example: Someone asks, “Who wants to go with me to the store after lunch?” Up until now you had not considered doing that. But after someone asks you, you think that it would be something you are interested in doing. So you decide to go along, and you respond, “I will.”

If some other person asks you (even only 5 minutes later), “What are you doing after lunch?” you would then respond: “I am going to the store.” You would not say, “I will go to the store.” Why? Because your decision was already made before the other person asked.

Here are some more situations where “will” is used instead of “going to”:

Person A: It’s cold in here.
Person B: I’ll turn up the heat.

Person A: We need some more milk and eggs.
Person B: I’ll go to the store later today and pick some up.

Person A: I’m bored. I think I’ll go for a walk.



Person A: You look hungry. I’ll fix you a sandwich.

Person A: The roads are so snowy and icy today, I don’t think we’ll go to the museum.

Exercise: In the following sentences, choose either “will” or “going to” to make an appropriate sentence.

Example:

I’m tired, so I think I (will / am going to) go to bed. ==>
I’m tired, so I think I will go to bed.

A: What are you doing tomorrow night?
B: We (will / are going to) go out for dinner and watch a movie. ==>
We are going to out for a dinner and watch a movie.

1. It snowed a lot overnight. I (will / am going to) shovel the driveway before I go to work.

2.
A: I have a ton of work to do.
B: That’s all right. We (will / are going to) help you.

3. I’m confused. I think I (will / am going to) ask Sam to explain these instructions to me.

4.
A: Have you done your homework yet?
B: No, I (will / am going to) do it later, I think.

5. I’m tired. I think I (will / am going to) skip exercising today.

6.
A: (Will you do / Are you going to do) anything this weekend?
B: No, I (will / am going to) stay home and get caught up on my reading.

7. Someone’s at the door. (Will you / Are you going to) answer it?

8.
A: What are you doing after lunch?
B: I (will / am going to) go ice skating. Want to come?

9. Mother likes flowers, so I think we (will / are going to) get her a colorful bouquet for her birthday.

10.
A: This room’s a mess.
B: Don’t worry – I (will / am going to) clean it up.

11. Do you know how expensive that wine is? If we buy that for the party, it (will / is going to) cost a fortune!

12.
A: We’re having a potluck this Saturday.
B: Okay. I (will / am going to) bring a salad.

13. I’ve finished reading my library books. I think I (will / am going to) return then and get some more.

14.
A: Why are you baking so many cookies?
B: I (will / am going to) gift wrap plates of cookie and give them away as presents.

15. We didn’t get a Christmas tree this year. We (will / are going to) get one next year, okay?

16.
A: The car’s low on gas.
B: I (will / am going to) fill it up on my way to the store.

17. I’m hot. I think I (will / am going to) go swimming to cool off.

18.
A: The plants need watering.
B: I (will / am going to) do it as soon as I’m done washing these dishes.

19. I (will / am going to) give you a call tomorrow, okay?

20.
A: I have a taste for pretzels.
B: I (will / am going to) bake some.

Culture Focus: Getting a Driver’s License

In most states in the US, 16 is the minimum age to obtain a driver’s license. Some states are lower. For example, 14-year-olds may get a driver’s license in South Dakota. New Jersey is at the other extreme, requiring drivers to be at least 17 years of age. Also, most states require that student drivers take and pass a driver’s education class before they are eligible to take an official driver’s licensing exam from the driver licensing facility, or DMV (Department of Motor Vehicles), as it is called in many states.

A driver’s education class typically has two parts. The first is a classroom component, where students learn about driving safety and “rules of the road” (laws regulating drivers). The second is a practical component (“behind the wheel”), where students practice driving with an instructor. In some classes, students must spend several sessions on a “simulator,” or mock car, before they are permitted to drive an actual car on the road. A student driver must successfully pass both components of driver’s education. He must also spend a minimum number of hours driving outside of class. Then he is given some sort of certificate to verify completion of the requirements and eligibility for taking the official driver’s exam, or “road test.” (When I was in school, we called this a “blue slip,” because it was blue.)

At the driver license facility, the student driver registers and waits for his turn to take the road test. An examiner will go in the car with him and give him various driving tasks to do. The examiner might ask him to drive down a certain road or turn left at a stop sign. The examiner might ask the student driver to parallel park by a curb. The examiner might even ask the student driver to do a three-point turn or a two-point turn. The examiner carries a clipboard with a checklist, and notes how the student driver did. He will check to see if the student driver performed the requested maneuver correctly. He will check to see if the student driver used turn signals properly. He will check to see if the student drove in an unsafe manner, and so on. If the examiner is satisfied with the student’s driving, he will pass the student. Then the student can exchange his “blue slip” for an actual driver’s license.

For adults who already know how to drive, a vision test and a written test (based on the “rules of the road”) are usually required in addition to a road test. The vision test is to make sure the driver can see well enough to drive. In Illinois, the requirement is 20/40 vision or better, plus peripheral vision (140 degrees). If the driver’s vision is not 20/40, he must wear glasses while driving. The glasses should correct the vision to 20/40 or better. The written test is not very hard. It consists mainly of sign recognition, and rules pertaining to specific situations (for example, does a driver commit a moving violation if he passes a stopped school bus?). Driver license facilities have booklets available for study. These booklets list the rules of the road that all drivers are expected to know. Studying these booklets gives a person enough knowledge to pass the written test.

After passing all the necessary tests, the student can get his driver’s license. He hands in all the paperwork and waits. When it’s his turn, the official will call his name and take his picture. After a few minutes, his driver’s license is finished, and he is now a full-fledged driver.

Grammar Basics: Unit 28 – will, Part I (Solutions)

Exercise: Change the following sentences from simple present to future tense using “will”:

They go swimming at the pool. ==> They will go swimming at the pool.
He doesn’t sing in the shower. ==> He won’t sing in the shower.

1. Bob will eat an apple every day.
2. The tailor will fix the broken zipper.
3. The band will march in the parade.
4. She will bake twelve different kinds of cookies for Christmas.
5. He won’t clean the basement in the spring.
6. We will paint the house on the weekend.
7. Tom will write for the newspaper.
8. The children won’t watch TV after school.
9. Jack will graduate from college next month.
10. Mary will take pictures at the party.
11. John will bring hot dogs and hamburgers.
12. They will buy drinks for everyone.
13. He won’t read 10 books a month.
14. You will wash the car next week.
15. The bank will open at 9 o’clock.
16. Susan will fill up the coffee pot.
17. The mailman will drop off a package.
18. We won’t buy stamps at the post office.
19. They will have a birthday party on Friday.
20. I will study history as often as I can.

Grammar Basics: Unit 28 – will, Part I.

“will” is used to indicate future tense:

Yesterday he sang.
Today he sings.
Tomorrow he will sing.

“will” is easy to use. It must have a verb (in the infinitive form) that goes along with it. Also, “will” doesn’t change for either person or number:

will + (inf. verb)

I will _____
You will _____
He / She / It will _____
We will _____
You will _____
They will _____

To form a negative, put “not” immediately after “will,” but before the infinitive verb:

I will not _____
You will not _____
He / She / It will not _____
We will not _____
You will not _____
They will not _____

“will” may also be contracted: will ==> ’ll

I will _____ ==> I’ll
You will _____ ==> You’ll
He / She / It will _____ ==> He’ll / She’ll / It’ll
We will _____ ==> We’ll
You will _____ ==> You’ll
They will _____ ==> They’ll

“will not” is contracted a little differently, though: will not ==> won’t

I will not _____ ==> I won’t
You will not _____ ==> You won’t
He / She / It will not _____ ==> He / She / It won’t
We will not _____ ==> We won’t
You will not _____ ==> You won’t
They will not _____ ==> They won’t

We can also use “think … will” to indicate something we are fairly ( about 75%, for example) certain is going to happen.

(Noun – often, a pronoun) + think + (noun, pronoun) + will + (inf. verb)


I think it will snow.
She thinks the children will like that movie.
They think he will be a fireman when he grows up.

We use “don’t think….will” to express that something is unlikely:

I don’t think it will rain on our parade.
He doesn’t think the library will be open on Sundays.

Sometimes, we use “will not” / “won’t” to indicate something that is unlikely to happen. It means the same thing as “don’t think…will”.

Tom thinks the economy won’t improve until next year.
They think the store won’t have any apples.

Exercise: Change the following sentences from simple present to future tense using “will”:

They go swimming at the pool. ==> They will go swimming at the pool.
He doesn’t sing in the shower. ==> He won’t sing in the shower.

1. Bob eats an apple every day.
2. The tailor fixes the broken zipper.
3. The band marches in the parade.
4. She bakes twelve different kinds of cookies for Christmas.
5. He doesn’t clean the basement in the spring.
6. We paint the house on the weekend.
7. Tom writes for the newspaper.
8. The children don’t watch TV after school.
9. Jack graduates from college next month.
10. Mary takes pictures at the party.
11. John brings hot dogs and hamburgers.
12. They buy drinks for everyone.
13. He doesn’t read 10 books a month.
14. You wash the car next week.
15. The bank opens at 9 o’clock.
16. Susan fills up the coffee pot.
17. The mailman drops off a package.
18. We don’t buy stamps at the post office.
19. They have a birthday party on Friday.
20. I study history as often as I can.