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PART I: ENGLISH FOR EVERYDAY USE

INTRODUCTION
Aim of the course
This course scheduled for Bac 1 student aim at providing
materials related everyday use expression to allow them to
speak and pronounce English well.
By the end of this course a learner will be able to:
- Apply the rules of stress pattern.
- Identify elements of conversation that will allow them master
English structure.
- Make up sentences by using different technical words (English
for engineering) of their domain.

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CHAPTER I INTRODUCTION TO SOUNDS OF ENGLISH:

When we deal with any language we have to master all the four
major communicative aspects of that language. They are
Listening, Speaking, Reading and Writing (LSRW). We get
enough exposure for reading, writing and listening but for
speaking we don’t get enough opportunity. Hence, we are
unable to speak correctly (properly, confidently and with proper
pronunciation). We use language to communicate and establish
relationships with people around us. One’s pronunciation is
acceptable when the listener is able to understand the speaker’s
content, nature and meaning without any distortion.
Pronunciation differs from region to region. By being careful in
speech habits we can avoid simple mistakes. We know that
English is a Universal language used and spoken in different
parts of the world like USA, UK, India, Canada, Australia, etc.
The style of speaking (pronunciation) is different in different
parts of the world. There is nothing called “correct
pronunciation” because there is no one right way of speaking.
Pronunciation is the manner of uttering or speaking (words and
sounds), and good pronunciation is the way of speaking that
ordinary people find easy to understand. Daniel Jones defines
‘bad’ pronunciation as, “a way of talking which is difficult for
most people to understand.” One should refer to a good
dictionary like Oxford’s Advanced Learners Dictionary or
Cambridge Dictionary to know acceptable English pronunciations
of words. Dictionaries give the pronunciation of a word in
phonemic symbols, it is essential to be familiar with phonemic
transcription. Learning appropriate pronunciation techniques
gives one the confidence to avoid common lapses and errors in
speaking.
A basic understanding of the sound system of the English
language is very important in effective oral communication. The
ability to produce individual sounds, both in isolation and in
combination with other sounds, also plays a significant role in
effective oral communication. Pronunciation is far more than the
accurate production of individual sounds. Pronunciation is the
way a word or a language is usually spoken or the manner in
which someone utters the words of a language. To develop
proper oral communication proper pronunciation is one of the
key factors. It is important to understand the sound system of
English, including various aspects

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such as individual sounds-consonants and vowels. Production of

speech, word stress, sentence stress (intonation), or the
variation of speech are highly essential for proper pronunciation.
Varied Pronunciations: Interestingly, there is no such thing
called correct pronunciation. The pronunciation of English varies
from one country to another and there are marked
pronunciation features associated with English spoken in
important English speaking countries like the United Kingdom,
United States of America, Canada, and Australia. Even within
the United Kingdom, there are variations between England,
Scotland, Wales and Northern Ireland. One particular accent,
called Received Pronunciation (RP) has come to be accepted as
the standard in the United Kingdom. Thus, it is better to
consider pronunciation in terms of ‘acceptable pronunciation’
and ‘unacceptable pronunciation’ rather than correct or incorrect
pronunciation. Acceptable pronunciation is, clearly intelligible to
all ordinary people whereas ‘unacceptable pronunciation’ refers
to a way of talking that is difficult for most people to
understand. In order to, learn correct English pronunciation we
have to understand sounds and basics of phonetics. Indian
speakers of English suffer from a typical problem that is known
as Mother Tongue Influence (MTI). Here, the pronunciation
of English varies from region to region. As English, is not our
mother tongue we speak this language as either a second
language or third language. As a result, our vocal chords are
already conditioned with the language we speak (mother tongue
and in case with a second language). The tinge and touch of
mother tongue is reflected in our speech when we utter the
English language. While speaking we must consciously avoid MTI
to be understood by others. In order to do that we should try to
speak in a neutral accent.
Sounds: When letters are represented by sounds in a logical
sequence it is known as phonetics. There is no one to one
relationship between letters and sounds in English language. As
there are only 26 alphabets/letters but 44 sounds. Sounds are
generally categorized by the place of articulation, method of
articulation, and voicing. While individual sounds are the most
basic elements of a language, they do not mean anything by
themselves. However, certain sounds like /I/ at the end of
words such as school, chill, kneel, etc. symbolizes prolongation
of the sound and /ŋ/ at the end of a word means continuous
vibrating sound. Letters are seen and sounds are heard. Letters
provide a means of sounds. Each and every sound is
represented by a 39
I.1 Rules for using correct stress patterns

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English language has developed to such an extent that, there

are presently millions of words in its dictionary. Dealing with
such a huge number of words in terms of stress is very difficult.
As most words are derived from different world languages. But
still an attempt can be made to do so. It is difficult to give a
comprehensive list 44

of rules for accenting words/syllables. However, the following

rules can help one get the proper accent.
1) Words with weak prefixes are accented on the root.
E.g. abroad, account, above, affect, disarm, disable, disown,
predate, recall, unsaid, unseat, recite, precast, prelude, etc.
2) In most two-syllabic words containing a long vowel, the
stress is generally on the syllable with the long vowel sound.
E.g. artist, accrue, father, farmer, machine, starter, carbon,
market, import, harvest, margin, teacher, argue, leader, impart,
insert, season, etc.
3) Word ending in –ee are generally accented on the last
syllable.
E.g. agree, degree, decree, referee, trustee, etc.
4) Words ending in –tion are generally accented on the syllable
before it.
E.g. action, attention, attraction, caption confirmation,
collection, introduction, intention sanctionestimation, friction,
limitation, etc.
5) Words ending in –sion, -ssion, -cion, and –shion have the
stress on the syllable before it.
e.g. mansion, expansion, pension, diffusion, commission,
concession, fashion, suspicion, possession, etc.
6) Words ending in –ic,-ical, -ically, -ious, -ially, -ial, -logy, -
nomy,-graphy, have generally the stress on the syllable
preceding the suffix.
E.g. academic, specific, aromatic, artistic, mechanic, electric,
magnetic, electrical, essential, partial, delicious, cautious,
suspicious, economic, precious, magic, confidential,
photography, geography, etc.
7) Words ending in –icy, -ify,- and –ty have the stress generally
on the third syllable form the end.
E.g. policy, scarcity, codify, identity, pacify, clarity, facility,
locality, purity, totality, classify, morality, charity, punctuality,
activity, etc.
8) The suffixes –eer, -self, -ever, -ique, and –mental are
accented on the last syllable. E.g. career, herself, myself,
however, forever, whatever, physique, unique, departmental,
experimental, sentimental, compartmental, etc.

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9) The suffixes –ed, -ment, -es, -ing, -age, -ance, -en, -ess, -
ful, -hood, -ice, -ish, -ive, -less, -ly, -ness, -or, -ship, -ter, -ure,
-y, -zen do not affect the stress pattern of the original word.
E.g. affect – affected, court – courtship
10) The suffixes –al, -ible, -ial, and –ially generally affect the
stress pattern.
E.g. accident –accidental, origin – original, sentiment –
sentimental, access – accessible, President – presidential, etc.’
11) The stress pattern in the two syllabic English words that
function with both as nouns/adjectives and as verbs generally
depends upon the grammatical category of the words. The
stress is on the first syllable if the word is used as a noun or
adjective and on the second syllable if it is a verb.
Noun /adjective ------------- Verb
Convert -----Convert
Process ----- Process
Transport -----Transport
Conduct ------ Conduct
Contact -----Contact
I.2 Sentence Rhythm and Weak forms
I.2.1 Sentence Rhythm
Sentence rhythm refers to the phonological structure of the
language. English is a rhythmic language. Rhythm refers to the
timing pattern. There are two factors that influence the rhythm
of English: sentence stress and connected speech. Maintaining a
rhythm in a speech makes the speech sound natural and fluent.
Sentences contain both content and function words. The rhythm
produced by the stressed and unstressed words in a sentence is
a major characteristic of spoken English. Using only the strong
forms (i.e. stressing all the words) in sentences may make a
speech sound dull and artificial. The listener also may not
understand the intended emphasis or meaning in the speech.
Speed is another important factor for fluency in English. When
we speak, we do not speak words in isolations but group them
and speak without any pauses between them. Unstressed words
always sound different when used in a sentence as against when
used in isolation. The most common feature of connected
speech is the weak forms of function words such as of, have,
was, to, has, etc., and contractions such as can’t, haven’t,
shouldn’t, won’t, didn’t, they’ve, etc. However, we ignore other
features, namely elision (losing sounds as in the word listen),
linking (adding or joining sounds between words as in ‘far
away’), and assimilation (changing sounds when two words are
combined s in ‘good girl’), that help preserve rhythm in our
utterances. In addition to these features, there is schwa--- the
most common vowel sound spoken in unstressed words in

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English. Stressed and Unstressed syllables are helpful in

creating characteristics rhythm in a sentence. Unstressed
syllables are clouded together and pronounced rapidly whereas
stressed syllables are pronounced more clearly. Thus,
accented/stressed syllables with no stressed syllables in
between them are prolonged. The speed of delivery, therefore,
depends on the number of unstressed syllables between the two
stressed ones.
I.2.2Weak forms
The weak form of a word is used when the word has no stress
and is phonetically distinct from its strong/full form. A weak
form is an unstressed syllable. A word may have multiple weak
forms or none. In the English language there are around 45
such words, where it has got two pronunciations (one strong
and one weak form). Words of this kind may be called 47 weak
form words. Since almost all native speakers of RP use weak
forms in their pronunciation, it becomes difficult for non-native
speakers to understand without learning those words properly.
The main words with weak forms in RP are as follows:
a, am, an, and, are, as, at, be, been, but, can, could, do,
does, for, from, had, has, have, he, her, him, his, just, me,
must, of, shall, she, should, some, than, that, the, them,
there, to, us, was, we, were, who, would, you.
In the word list the weak pronunciation is generally used in
connected speech whereas the strong pronunciation is used
when the word is stressed or spoken in isolation, and also when
the word comes at the end of a sentence. Consider the following
examples:
i) I am looking for my book. … Weak pronunciation.
What are you looking for? … Strong pronunciation.
ii) I am going to the party. …Weak pronunciation.
What are you up to? … Strong pronunciation.
The use of weak forms is integral to stress patterns in English
because the unstressed words are reduced to give prominence
to accented syllables. This weakening of unstressed syllables in
a sentence is a characteristic feature of spoken English. Let’s
consider a few more examples.
i) And: full form: /ænd/, weak form: /nd/,/n/
Bread and butter (weak form), you should not put ‘and’ at the
end of a sentence (full form).
ii) Can: full form: /kæn/: weak form: /kƏn/
Malini can speak English better than I can. The first can is the
weak form while the second is the full form
CHAPTER II CONVERSATION EXPRESSIONS

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II.1 Greetings
II.1.1 formal greetings
 Good morning
 Good afternoon
 Good evening
II.1.2 Informal greetings
 Morning
 Afternoon
 Evening
 Hi!
 Hello!
 Hey!
Reaction

How are you?

 Fantastic
 I’m fine
 Great, thanks.
 Good
 Fine thanks
 Very well thank you
 Pretty good.
 I’m in the pink.
 I’m full of beans
 I’m alright
 I’m just okay.
 I’m okay


Replying

What about you?

And you?
 Fantastic too.
 I’m fine too
 Great, thanks too
 Good too
 Fine thanks too.
 Very well thank you too
 Pretty good too
 I’m in the pink too
 I’m full of beans too

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 I’m alright too

 I’m just okay too.
 I’m okay too.
II.2 Asking about social condition

Questions
 What’s news?
 What a short story?
Reactions
 No comment.
 No news.
 Nothing special
 I don’t complain
Questions
 What’s up?
 What’s happening?
 What’s going on?
 What have you been up to?

Reactions
 Not much.
 Nothing much.
 Not a lot.

II.3 Asking and giving direction or and address

Question
 Where are you going?
 Where do you go?
 Where to?
Reaction
 I’m going to school.
 I’m going to church
 I’m going to the Barber’s.
 I’m going downtown.
 I’m going to the grocer’s.
 I’m going to Saint Paul’s.
 I go home.

Question
 Where are you coming from?
 Where do you come from?

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 Where from?
Reaction
 I’m coming from church.
 I’m from home.
 I come from job.
Question
 Where do you live?
 Where are you going?
 Where is your dwelling place?
Reaction

 I live in ………………………. Quarter/Township, on ………………….

Street/ avenue at ………………
 I’m living in ………………………. Quarter/Township, on
…………………. Street/ avenue at ………………
 My dwelling place is in ……………………. Quarter/Township,
on …………………. Street/ avenue at ………………
Question
 Please where is Malu bus-stop?
 Can you show me the nearest filling/petrol station?
 Would you tell me where Mwangeji hospital is.
Reaction
 Okay good. If you want to go on foot/by bus. Go straight
till you reach…………….. turn on right/left, go straight till
you reach ………………. Take your right/left start counting
the first, the second, the third avenue etc…

II.4 Taking leave expression

 My love to your family
 Remember me to your brother/sister etc…
 Pass greeting to your …………………etc…
 Pass hello to your …………………………. etc

Reaction
 The same to you.
 I’m sure I shall.
 I’ll certainly do it.
II.5 self-introduction
 Dears ….
 Dears Sirs
 Ladies and gentlemen, allow me to introduce myself.
 I would like to introduce myself, my name is ……………, I’m
a Lecturer at ISTA/Kolwezi I live in etc…

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Introducing someone
 Please, allow me to introduce you my …………….
 Let me introduce you my family etc…
 This is my friend KAZADI
Reaction
 Nice to meet you.
 Happy to see tou.
 Pleased to see you.
 How do you do.

Farewells
 It was a pleasure seeing/meeting you.
 It was nice seeing/meeting you.
 Good night.
 Good bye/bye-bye.
 Take care.
 Have a nice day/evening.
 See you (later/soon)
 So long.
 Cheerio!

Other question
 How old are you?
Reaction
I’m twenty years old
 Are you married?
Reaction
 Yes, I am.
 No, I’m single.
 No, I’m a bachelor (M).
 No, I’m a spinster (f).
 No, I’m divorced.
 No, I’m widowed.
What’s your (tele)phone number?
 My phone number is 0998345643. It is read; ou or zero
one, nine, nine, eight, three, four, five, six, four, three.
Ways to Say Thank You
1. Thanks.
2. Thanks a lot.
3. Thank you so much.
4. Thanks a million!
5. Thanks for your help. / Thanks for helping me.

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6. I really appreciate it.

7. I’m really grateful.
8. That’s so kind of you.
9. I can’t thank you enough.
(for extremely important things)
10. I owe you one.
(this means you want/need to do a favor for the other person in
the future)
Ways to Respond to “Thank You”
1. You’re welcome.
2. No problem.
3. No worries.
4. Don’t mention it.
5. My pleasure.
6. Anytime.
7. It was the least I could do.
8. Glad to help.
9. Sure!
10. Thank you.
(use this when you ALSO have something to thank the other
person for)
Phrases for Asking for Information
1. Can you tell me...?
2. Could you tell me...?
3. I'd like to know...
4. Do you know...
5. Do you have any idea...?
6. Could anyone tell me...?
(use this phrase when asking a group of people)
7. Would you happen to know...?
8. I don't suppose you (would) know...?
9. I was wondering…
10. I’m calling to find out…
(use this phrase on the telephone)
Ways to Say “I don’t know”
1. I have no idea/clue.
2. I can’t help you there.
3. (informal) Beats me.
4. I’m not really sure.
5. I’ve been wondering that, too.
Phrases for Asking for Someone’s Opinion & Giving Your
Opinion

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1. What do you think about...?

2. How do you feel about…?
3. What's your opinion of...?
4. What are your views on...?
5. In my opinion…
6. I'd say...
7. Personally, I think/believe...
8. If you ask me...
9. The way I see it...
10. From my point of view…
Phrases for Not Having an Opinion
1. I’ve never given it much thought.
2. I don’t have strong feelings either way.
3. It doesn’t make any difference to me.
4. I have no opinion on the matter.
5. (very informal) Whatever.
Phrases for Agreeing
1. Exactly.
2. Absolutely.
3. That’s so true.
4. That’s for sure.
5. I agree 100%
6. I couldn’t agree with you more.
7. That’s exactly what I think. / That’s exactly how I feel.
8. (informal) Tell me about it! / You’re telling me!
9. (informal) I’ll say!
10. I suppose so.
(use this phrase for weak agreement – you agree, but
reluctantly)
Note: Avoid the common error of saying “I’m agree” – the
correct phrase is “I agree” or
“I’m in agreement” – the second one is more formal.
Phrases for Disagreeing
1. I don’t think so.
2. I beg to differ.
3. I’m afraid I don’t agree.
4. I’m not so sure about that.
5. That’s not how I see it.
6. Not necessarily.
7. Yes, but… [say your opinion]
8. On the contrary.
9. (very informal) No way!

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10. (very strong) I totally disagree.

Phrases for Responding to Good News
1. Congratulations!
2. That’s great!
3. How wonderful!
4. Awesome!
5. I’m so happy for you!
Phrases for Responding to Bad News
1. Oh no…
2. That’s terrible.
3. Poor you.
(Use this to respond to bad situations that are not too serious)
4. I’m so sorry to hear that.
5. I’m sorry for your loss.
(Use this only if someone has died)
Phrases for Invitations
1. Are you free… [Saturday night?]
2. Are you doing anything… [Saturday night?]
3. Let me check my calendar.
4. (informal) Do you wanna… [see a movie?]
5. (formal) Would you like to… [join me for dinner?]
6. I’d love to!
7. Sounds great!
8. I’d love to, but I have another commitment.
9. I don’t think I can.
10. Maybe another time.
Ways to Make & Respond to an Offer
1. (more formal) Would you like a drink?
2. (informal) Do you want some water?
3. Can I get you something to eat?
4. That’d be great, thanks. (= yes)
5. No, thanks. I’m OK. (= no)
Phrases for Talking About Future Plans
1. I’m going to…
2. I’m planning to…
3. I hope to…
4. I’d like to…
5. I might… / I may…
6. I’m thinking about…
Ways to Talk about Likes & Dislikes
1. I love… [soccer]
2. I’m really into… [soccer]

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3. I live for… [soccer]

4. [soccer] is my thing.
5. I’m crazy about… [soccer]
6. I’m not a huge fan of… [modern art]
7. [Modern art] isn’t my cup of tea.
8. I don’t really care for… [modern art]
9. I’m not into… [modern art]
10. I can’t stand… [modern art]
(this phrase expresses strong dislike)
Ways to Make a Suggestion
1. How about… [ex. trying something new]?
2. Why don’t you… [ex. talk to your boss]?
3. Maybe we should… [ex. do more research].
4. I’d recommend… [ex. going to the doctor].
5. Have you thought about… [ex. buying a new computer]?
Phrases for Asking/Talking about Jobs
1. Where do you work?
2. What do you do? / What do you do for a living?
3. I work at… [Microsoft].
4. I’m a/an… [accountant] .
5. I’m unemployed. / I’m between jobs at the moment.
6. I’m looking for work.
7. I’m a stay-at-home mom/dad.
8. I run my own business.
9. I’m a freelance… [writer/designer/etc.]
10. I’m retired.

Phrases for Saying Something is Easy & Difficult

1. It’s a piece of cake.
2. It’s a cinch.
3. It’s a breeze.
4. Anyone can do it.
5. There’s nothing to it.
6. It’s hard.
7. It’s a bit tricky.
8. It’s really tough.
9. It’s not a walk in the park.
10. It’s very demanding.
(= it takes a lot of time and energy)
Expressions about Age
1. She’s in her early twenties.
(=20-23 years old)

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2. He’s in his late thirties.

(=37-39 years old)
3. She just turned six.
4. Act your age!
(use this when an adult is being immature, acting like a child)
5. I’m not as young as I used to be.
6. I’m not over the hill yet!
(over the hill = an informal expression to say “old”)
7. He’s no spring chicken.
(= he’s not young)
8. She’s wise beyond her years.
(she is young, but she has the wisdom of an older person)
9. I’m having a senior moment.
(= I’m being forgetful)
10. He lived to a ripe old age.
(= a very old age)
Ways to End a Conversation Politely
1. It was nice chatting with you.
2. Well, it’s getting late.
3. Anyway, I should get going.
4. (formal) Sorry, but I’m afraid I need to…
5. I’m sorry to cut you off, but I actually gotta run.
(cut you off = interrupt you)
Phrases for Telephone Calls
1. Hi, this is Jane.
2. (formal) May I speak with John Smith?
3. (informal) Is John there?
4. I’m calling about…
5. I’m returning your call.
6. (formal) One moment, please.
7. (informal) Hang on a sec.
8. He’s not here. Would you like to leave a message?
9. Could you ask him to call me back?
10. Thanks for calling.

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CHAPTER FOUR: DIFFERENT TYPES OF DIALOGUES

IV. 1 WEEKEND PLANS
Situation: Laurie, Christie, and Sarah are making plans for the
coming weekend.

Laurie: So, what are your plans for this weekend?

Christie: I don’t know. Do you want to get together or
something?
Sarah: How about going to see a movie? Cinemax 26 on Carson
Boulevard is showing Enchanted.
Laurie: That sounds like a good idea. Maybe we should go out
to eat beforehand.

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Sarah: It is fine with me. Where do you want to meet?

Christie: Let’s meet at Summer Pizza House. I have not gone
there for a long time.
Laurie: Good idea again. I heard they just came up with a new
pizza. It should be good because Summer Pizza House always
has the best pizza in town.
Sarah: When should we meet?
Christie: Well, the movie is shown at 2:00PM, 4:00PM, 6:00PM
and 8:00PM.
Laurie: Why don’t we go to the 2:00PM show? We can meet at
Summer Pizza House at noon. That will give us plenty of time to
enjoy our pizza.
Sarah: My cousin Karen is in town. Can I bring her along? I hate
to leave her home alone.
Christie: Karen is in town? Yes, bring her along. Laurie, you
remember Karen? We met her at
Sara’s high school graduation party two years ago.
Laurie: I do not quite remember her. What does she look like?
Sarah: She has blond hair, she is kind of slender, and she is
about your height.
Laurie: She wears eyeglasses, right?
Sarah: Yes, and she was playing the piano off and on during the
party.
Laurie: I remember her now. Yes, do bring her along Sara. She
is such a nice person, and funny
too.
Sarah: She will be happy to meet both of you again.

28
Christie: What is she doing these days?
Sarah: She graduated last June, and she will start her teaching
career next week when the new
school term begins.
Laurie: What grade is she going to teach?
Sarah: She will teach kindergarten. She loves working with kids,
and she always has such a good rapport with them.
Christie: Kindergarten? She must be a very patient person. I
always think kindergarten is the
most difficult class to teach. Most of the kids have never been to
school, and they have never been away from mommy for long.
Sarah: I think Karen will do fine. She knows how to handle
young children.

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Laurie: I think the first few weeks will be tough. However, once
the routine is set, it should not be too difficult to teach
kindergarten.
Christie: You are right. The kids might even look forward to
going to school since they have so many friends to play with.
Sarah: There are so many new things for them to do at school
too. They do a lot of crafts in kindergarten. I am always amazed
by the things kindergarten teachers do.
Laurie: Yes, I have seen my niece come home with so many
neat stuff.
Christie: Maybe we can ask Karen to show us some of the things
that we can do for this Halloween.
Laurie: Maybe we can stop by the craft store after the movie.
What do you think, Sara?
Sarah: I will talk to her. I think she will like that. It will help her
with school projects when Halloween comes.
Christie: Michael’s is a good store for crafts. It always carries a
variety of things, and you can find almost anything there.
Laurie: There is a Michaels store not far away from Cinemax 26.
I believe it is just around the corner, on Pioneer Avenue. We can
even walk over there.
Sarah: So, we plan to meet for pizza at noon, go to the movies
at two, and shop at Michael’s afterward. Right?
Laurie and Christie: Yes.

EXPRESSIONS
Get together: Ngồi lại với nhau
It sounds like a good idea: Đó là ý kiến hay
Beforehand: Trước khi, từ trước
Come up with: Nghĩ ra được một ý kiến gì đó
She is in town: Cô ta đang ở đây
Bring someone along: Đem người nào theo
Off and on: Làm rồi lại ngưng rồi lại làm, không liên tục
What is she doing these days?: Cô ta đang làm gì bây giờ?
Teaching career: Nghề dạy học
School term: khóa học
Kindergarten: Lớp mẫu giáo
Have a good rapport with: Rất hợp với
Once the routine is set: Một khi lề thói đã được xác lập
Look forward to: Mong mõi
Craft: Đồ thủ công
School project: Dự án của trường
A variety of things: Nhiều thứ khác nhau

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It is around the corner: Gần góc đường

IV.2 A VISIT TO THE DOCTOR’S OFFICE

Situation: Laura has not been feeling well lately. Today she
goes to see her doctor for a physical checkup.

Laura: Good morning, I have an appointment with Doctor Clark

at 8:30.
Clerk: Let me pull your record. In the meantime, please sign-in
and have a seat.
Nurse: Laura Nicholson.
Laura: Here.
Nurse: Follow me to Room A please.
Nurse: Here we are. What are your reasons for seeing Doctor
Clark today?
Laura: Well, lately I have been feeling tired, and occasionally I
have had really bad headaches and an upset stomach. On top of
that, I have had this persistent cough for the last two weeks.
Nurse: When did you start having these symptoms?
Laura: I started feeling tired about two months ago; then, a
little bit after that the headaches came. I got the upset stomach
long before feeling tired.
Nurse: Are you taking any medications?
Laura: Only my vitamins.
Nurse: What vitamins are you taking?
Laura: I am taking a multi-vitamin tablet and extra Vitamin C
every day.
Nurse: OK, let me take your vital signs.
Laura: How am I doing?
Nurse: Everything is good—normal blood pressure and no high
temperature. Please wait here for a minute. Doctor Clark will be
with you in a moment.
Laura: Thank you.
Doctor: Good morning, Laura.
Laura: Good morning, Doctor.
Doctor: I see here that you started feeling tired two months
ago, and then you started having bad headaches. You also have
had an upset stomach and a persistent cough. Did you run a
fever too?
Laura: No, doctor.
Doctor: Let me do a quick physical check up.
Doctor: Please take a deep breath, hold your breath, and
exhale. Do it again please.

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Doctor: Were there any changes in your diet or your weight

lately?
Laura: I ate the usual things, but I lost five pounds recently.
Doctor: Did you suffer from insomnia?
Laura: Well, it is pretty hard for me to fall asleep when I go to
bed. I also woke up many times during the night.
Doctor: Do you drink? Do you smoke?
Laura: No.
Doctor: How are things at work?
Laura: There was a change of ownership three months ago, and
I had to work a lot of overtime, even during the weekend.
Doctor: It looks like you have pneumonia. Other than that, I do
not see any problems. You are probably under stress from
changes at work, and the stress causes headaches, upset
stomach, and sleeplessness. For now, try to relax and exercise.
It may solve your problems. Come back to see me again if the
symptoms persist, and I will do further tests. I am going to give
you a prescription for your pneumonia. Are you allergic to any
medications?
Laura: Not to my knowledge.
Doctor: OK, take this medication three times a day after you
eat. Also, I want you to have some blood tests. Stop by the
laboratory on your way out and have the nurse draw your blood.
Laura: I am anxious to know my cholesterol level. When will I
get the results of the blood test?
Doctor: The results will be available in two weeks. Don’t stress
yourself. I think everything will be OK.
Laura: Thank you, Doctor.
Doctor: You are welcome.

EXPRESSIONS

Have an appointment with:

Pull somebody’s record:
In the meantime:
Have a seat, please:
Here we are:
Persistent cough:
Upset stomach:
Symptom:
Long before:
Take somebody’s vital signs:
The doctor will be with you in a moment:
run a fever:

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Physical checkup:
Diet:
Suffer from insomnia:
Change of ownership:
It looks like:
Sleeplessness:
It may solve your problems:
If the symptoms persist:
Give a prescription:
Be allergic to:
Not to my knowledge:
Blood test:
Stop by the laboratory on the way out:
Draw somebody’s blood:
The results will be available in two weeks:
Don’t stress yourself!:

GOING TO THE MARKET

Situation: Laura’s mother had asked her to go grocery shopping
before she went to work this
morning. Since Laura is still busy with her homework, she asks
her sister Martha to go to the
market for her.
Laura: Mom had asked me to go grocery shopping before she
left for work this morning, but I
need to finish my school project. Can you go for me, Martha?
Martha: I guess I can. I am done with my homework. What did
mom want you to buy?
Laura: Well, she wanted me to buy enough groceries for the
whole week. Besides meat, some
fish and vegetables, we can buy whatever else we want for
snacks and breakfast.
Martha: What do you want for breakfast?
Laura: I guess some cereal as usual.
Martha: I do not want cereal everyday. I will buy some pancakes
and syrup then.
Laura: Get the new Fine Food pancakes in the frozen food
section please. I want to see how it tastes.
Martha: Do we still have enough coffee and cream for mom and
dad?
Laura: Yes, we do. Talking about coffee and cream, you better
buy some milk also. We almost ran out of it.
Martha: Next, what do you want for snacks?

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Laura: Some chips would be fine with me. You probably want
your chocolate cookies.
Martha: I better write down all these things; otherwise, I will
forget them by the time I get to the
market. I would hate to make two trips to take care of things.
Laura: Right! As far as meat, mom wants some pork and some
chicken.
Martha: Just any kind of pork?
Laura: I forgot to ask mom about that. Anyways, you can ask
the butcher for his opinion. He
knows what is best.
Martha: How about fish?
Laura: Mom wants some salmon and some catfish. Make sure
that they are fresh.
Martha: How much salmon and catfish should I buy?
Laura: Oh, buy four pieces of salmon filet and four pieces of
catfish filet. Mom does not like to
get the whole fish.
Martha: Are these fish filets sold by weight or by the piece?
Laura: I am not very sure. Just buy four decent sized pieces.
Not too big and not too small.
Martha: Do I need to buy some spices so mom can marinate the
fish?
Laura: Yes, get some ground pepper and some garlic.
Martha: Now, how about vegetables? Mom probably wants
carrots, potatoes, cabbages and some lettuce.
Laura: That would be fine. We need some fruits also. What do
you want?
Martha: Dad always packs an apple for lunch everyday. I want
the same thing.
Laura: We have already run out of eggs. So, get a carton of
eggs also.
Martha: How about some soft drinks?
Laura: No, buy some bottled water instead. It is healthier for us.
We need to cut down on our intake of sugar, as too much sugar
is not good for our bodies.
Martha: I need to put bread on the list before I forget. Should I
get one loaf or two?
Laura: One loaf will be enough. Put down a bag of rice also.
Martha: Do we need anything for dessert?
Laura: Get a box of ice cream.
Martha: Ice cream? Isn’t ice cream packed with sugar?
Laura: Yes, but since I already drink water instead of soft
drinks, one or perhaps two scoops of ice cream after dinner is

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not too bad. Besides, mom loves ice cream, especially cherry
vanilla.
Martha: OK, I will put down one box of ice cream if you say so.
Do you want me to buy some pastries for you?
Laura: I know the pastries at the market are delicious; however,
no is my answer. Do not tempt me, Martha.
Martha: Just asking, Laura.
Laura: You have quite a few items to take care of. You need to
get going.
Martha: Yes, the list is quite long. By the time I get to the
cashier to pay, I will probably have a
full shopping cart. OK, I am all set to go. I will be back soon.
Laura: Drive carefully please!
Martha: I will.
EXPRESSIONS
Go grocery shopping:
Leave for work:
I guess I can:
I am done with my homework:
Enough for the whole week:
Frozen food:
I want to see how it tastes:
Run out of something:
By the time:
Take care of something:
Right!:
Marinate:
Cut down on our intake of sugar:
Loaf of bread:
Besides:
Don’t tempt me!:
You need to get going:
Shopping cart:
I am all set to go:
I will be back:

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CHAPTER III THE SENTENCE

A sentence is the most fundamental and versatile tool available

to the writer. Sentences generally flow from a subject, to a verb,
to any objects, complements, or modifiers, but can be ordered
in a variety of ways to achieve emphasis. When shifting word
order for emphasis, however, be aware that word order in the
meaning of a sentence.
He was only the accountant.
He was the only accountant.
We can define a sentence as a group of words that express a
complete thought
Consider the following group of words:

INCOMPLETE THOUGHT COMPLETE THOUGHT

arrived today
were congratulated warmly
The weary technicians are from ISTA
repaired the damage
reported the situation
went to rest

SUBJECT AND PREDICATE

A sentence consists of two basic parts, the subject and the

predicate. The subject of a sentence, a noun or a pronoun (and
its modifiers) is the part about which something is being said.
The predicate is the part that says something about the subject.
Although a subject may appear anywhere in a sentence, it most
often appears at the beginning.
Subject Predicate
Lightning strikes

The Simple Predicate or Verb

The simple predicate is the verb (or verb phrase) alone; the
complete predicate is the verb and its modifiers and
complements. A compound predicate consists of two or more
verbs with the same subject. It is an important device for
conciseness in writing.
The principal word or group of words in the predicate is called
the simple predicate, or the verb. The predicate is the part of a
sentence that contains the main verb and any other words used

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to complete the thought of the sentence (the verb’s modifiers

and complements).

 Helen worked quickly and efficiently. [The complete

predicate is worked quickly and efficiently. The simple
predicate, or verb, is worked.]
 The secretary typed the letter fast. [The complete
predicate is typed the letter fast. The verb is typed.]
The Simple Subject
The simple subject is the main word or combination of words
that names the person, place, thing, or idea about which
something is being said.

1. The performance of these engines shows the expertise

of industrial technicians in the late 1800’s. [The
complete subject is The performance of these engines.
The simple subject is performance.]

Students on various specialties received awards. [The complete

subject is Students on various specialties. The simple subject is
Students.]
Compound subjects and compound verbs

A compound subject consists of two or more subjects that are

joined by a conjunction and have the same verb. The usual
connecting words are and and or.
The books and all the documents were at the library. [compound
subject: books
and documents]
Electronics, Mechanics, and Computation are specialities
ISTA/KIAT.
[compound subject: Electronics, Mechanics, and Computation ]
A compound verb consists of two or more verbs that are joined
by a conjunction and have the same subject.
1) Helen chose a seat near the door and sat down. [compound
verb: chose and sat]
2) Ista offers academic teaching, provides workshop training,
and strengthens knowledge. [compound verb: offers,
provides, and strengthens]

I.1 CLASSIFICATION OF SENTENCES

Sentences may be classified according to their purpose.

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Sentences may have four purposes: (1) to make a statement,

(2) to ask a question, (3) to command or request, or (4) to
exclaim.

(1) A declarative sentence is a sentence that makes a

statement.
 Mechatronics is a branch of Mechanics dealing with
electronics.
(2) An interrogative sentence is a sentence that asks a
question.
These sentences ask questions. Accordingly, they end with a
question mark. For example:
We can have an interrogative in three main ways:
a) By inversion of Subject and Verb (auxiliaries and modals)
 Have you seen the IIIE Journal yet?
b) By using Do/does/did + S+V+
c) By using Question Words

QUESTION WORDS
An interrogative word or question word is a function word used
to ask a question, such as what, when, where, who, whom, why,
and how. They are sometimes called wh-words, because in
English most of them start with wh- (compare Five Ws).
Interrogative words in English include:
interrogative determiner
which, what
whose (personal possessive determiner)

Interrogative pro-form

interrogative pronoun
who, whom, whose (personal)
what, which

Interrogative pro-adverb

where (location)
whither (goal)
whence (source)
when (time)
how (manner)
why (reason)
whether and whatsoever (choice between alternatives)

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Certain pronominal adverbs may also be used as interrogative

words, such as whereby or wherefore.
Forms with -ever
Most English interrogative words can take the suffix -ever, to
form words such as whatever and wherever. (Older forms of the
suffix are -so and -soever, as in whoso and whomsoever.) These
words have the following main meanings:
As more emphatic interrogative words, often expressing disbelief
or puzzlement in mainly rhetorical questions: Whoever could
have done such a thing? Wherever has he gone?
To form free relative clauses, as in I'll do whatever you do,
whoever challenges us shall be punished, Go to wherever they
go. In this use, the nominal -ever words (who(m)ever,
whatever, whichever) can be regarded as indefinite pronouns or
as relative pronouns.
To form adverbial clauses with the meaning "no matter
where/who/etc.": Wherever they hide, I will find them.
Some of these words have also developed independent
meanings, such as however as an adverb meaning
"nonetheless"; whatsoever as an emphatic adverb used with no,
none, any, nothing, etc. (I did nothing wrong whatsoever); and
whatever in its slang usage.

RELATIVE AND INTERROGATIVE LINKS

Note: Who, what, which, where, why; etc…, are very important
as link-words. They form a very elementary type of complex
sentences that is extremely common in both spoken and written
English.
An infinitive phrase is usual when the subjects of both sections
are identical, the sense of the infinitive phrase being future.
Eg:
1. I don’t know which to take.
2. I don’t know which I took.
3. Tell him where to go
4. Ask him what to do
N.B: ‘who’’ is used in both subjective and objective cases.

When the subjects are different, a clause is always added.

a) I don’t know who she was speaking to.
b) He asked me how I had done it.
EMPHATIC CONNECTIVES

Note: who, what, which, whose, when, where, how + ever

All written as single words, whoever, whatever, etc

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There are two uses in modern English

I. In the sense of it doesn’t matter who, which,
when, etc.
a) Whoever says that is a liar.
b) I’ll sell it to whoever come first.
c) Eat whatever you like.
d) I’ll do whatever you tell me.
e) We were warmly welcomed wherever we went.
f) We shall be pleased to see you whenever you care to
call.
g) Learn whichever poem you find most interesting.
Parenthetically (suggesting ignorance or indifference).
1. I’ll give the pen back to Henry or John, or whoever it
belongs.
2. I’ll come at 10 or 10.30, or whenever I can get there.

 Have you seen the IIIE Journal yet?

(3) An imperative sentence is a sentence that gives a
command or makes a request.
 Deliver your paper in the usual way.
 Please send me the data next week.
(4) An exclamatory sentence is a sentence that expresses
strong feeling or emotion.
 Ah, you have solved the problem!
NB. It is rather unlikely that in a piece of technical report you
should have to use an exclamatory sentence; however, it is
convenient to remember the purpose of such sentences.
SENTENCES CLASSIFIED ACCORDING TO STRUCTURE

Classified according to their structure, there are four kinds of

sentences: simple, compound, complex, and compound-
complex.
C

(1) A simple sentence is a sentence with one independent

clause and no subordinate clauses.
 ZThe invention of the microchip is the beginning of
personal computing.
(2) A compound sentence is a sentence that is composed of
two or more independent clauses but no subordinate clauses.
 The invention of the microchip is the beginning of
personal computing but it meant the end of macro
computers.

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Independent clauses may be joined by coordinating conjunctions

(and, but, for, nor, or, yet) or by conjunctive adverbs
(accordingly, also, besides, consequently, furthermore, hence,
however, moreover, nevertheless, still, then, therefore, thus)
Also called adverbial conjunctions, conjunctive adverbs are
pathetic, confused little creatures.
They can't decide if they are adverbs or conjunctions in
traditional grammar! Accordingly, they try to be both. This
tendency leads to all sorts of punctuation problems.
Before we go into detail, however, we should take a look at the
most common conjunctive adverbs and adverbial phrases so we
can better recognize them. View this line-up not with contempt,
but with pity for these half-breed misfits:

Because they are akin to adverbs, conjunctive adverbs can

indeed function as simple adverbs. In such a situation, they
merely modify a verb, adjective, or another adverb. When they
behave this way, they do not need any special punctuation.
They are simply functioning as adverbs. For example, consider
these two sentences:
1. She was accordingly quite interested in grammar.
2. However ugly the gargoyle may be, I will go on a blind
date with him.

Here, accordingly and however are simple adverbs. All

accordingly does is modify the verb interested. All however does
is modify the adjective ugly.

On the other hand, conjunctive adverbs can also appear at the

start of a sentence or clause to indicate result, concession,
apposition, addition, time, contrast, summary, or reinforcement.

Result: therefore, consequently, of course

Concession: nevertheless, yet, still, after all, of course
Apposition: for example, for instance, that is, namely, in other
words
Addition: moreover, furthermore, also, in addition, likewise,
further
Time: meanwhile, in the meantime
Contrast: however, instead, on the contrary, on the other
hand, in contrast, rather
Summary: thus, in conclusion, then
Reinforcement: further, in particular, indeed, above all, in fact

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When conjunctive adverbs function this way, separate them

from the rest of the sentence with a comma. In such cases, the
conjunctive adverb needs a comma after it because it is a
phrase appearing before an independent clause.
Note the commas in the following sentences.

" Therefore, I will eat eggs!

" In other words, grammar is a useful skill.
" Likewise, all students should embrace the sad little conjunctive
adverbs.
" Meanwhile, the conjunctive adverbs sat pouting in the corner.
" However, we should not mock conjunctive adverbs.
" Thus, the conjunctive adverbs will bow before their masters,
the cruel semicolons.
" Above all, we must realize conjunctive adverbs are an
important part of the grammatical
ecosystem.
Finally, sometimes conjunctive adverbs try to pretend they are
full conjunctions and hook two independent clauses together.
This pretension is indeed a sad travesty! They are not really full
conjunctions, and they can't do that job by themselves.
Typically, they lurk just behind a semicolon in this situation, and
it is the semicolon that does the real job of joining the two
independent clauses. A comma should always follow the
conjunctive adverb in such instances.

" The gods thundered in the heavens; furthermore, the mortals

below cowered in fear.
" The bank robber dodged the bullet; however, Joey was shot
seventeen times in the tibia.
" Susan appreciated the flowers; nevertheless, a Corvette would
be a finer gift.
" Dr. Wheeler is a grammar tyrant; thus, he requires correct
punctuation.
" She will go on a blind date with George; however, he is a really
ugly fellow.
" The tyrannosaurs were migrating south; meanwhile, the
apatosaurs breathed a sigh of relief.
" The conjunctive adverbs pretend they are conjunctions;
however, the semicolon is what really connects the two clauses
together.
Note that if students use a comma instead of a semicolon in the
examples above, they have created a comma splice. Such

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formations absolutely require the semicolon in front of the

conjunctive adverb and a comma after the conjunctive adverb.

(3) A complex sentence is a sentence that contains one

independent clause and at least one subordinate clause.

The person who looks for success often finds it. [The
independent clause is the person often finds it. The subordinate
clause is who looks for success.]

(4) A compound-complex sentence is a sentence that

contains two or more independent clauses and at least one
subordinate clause.

The person who looks for success often finds it, but then he
does not know what to do with it.
INTRODUCTION
Aim of the course
This course scheduled for Bac 1 student aim at providing
materials related everyday use expression to allow them to
speak and pronounce English well.
By the end of this course a learner will be able to:
- Apply the rules of stress pattern.
- Identify elements of conversation that will allow them master
English structure.
- Make up sentences by using different technical words (English
for engineering) of their domain.

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CHAPTER I INTRODUCTION TO SOUNDS OF ENGLISH:

When we deal with any language we have to master all the four
major communicative aspects of that language. They are
Listening, Speaking, Reading and Writing (LSRW). We get
enough exposure for reading, writing and listening but for
speaking we don’t get enough opportunity. Hence, we are
unable to speak correctly (properly, confidently and with proper
pronunciation). We use language to communicate and establish
relationships with people around us. One’s pronunciation is
acceptable when the listener is able to understand the speaker’s
content, nature and meaning without any distortion.
Pronunciation differs from region to region. By being careful in
speech habits we can avoid simple mistakes. We know that
English is a Universal language used and spoken in different
parts of the world like USA, UK, India, Canada, Australia, etc.
The style of speaking (pronunciation) is different in different
parts of the world. There is nothing called “correct
pronunciation” because there is no one right way of speaking.
Pronunciation is the manner of uttering or speaking (words and
sounds), and good pronunciation is the way of speaking that
ordinary people find easy to understand. Daniel Jones defines
‘bad’ pronunciation as, “a way of talking which is difficult for
most people to understand.” One should refer to a good
dictionary like Oxford’s Advanced Learners Dictionary or
Cambridge Dictionary to know acceptable English pronunciations
of words. Dictionaries give the pronunciation of a word in

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phonemic symbols, it is essential to be familiar with phonemic

transcription. Learning appropriate pronunciation techniques
gives one the confidence to avoid common lapses and errors in
speaking.
A basic understanding of the sound system of the English
language is very important in effective oral communication. The
ability to produce individual sounds, both in isolation and in
combination with other sounds, also plays a significant role in
effective oral communication. Pronunciation is far more than the
accurate production of individual sounds. Pronunciation is the
way a word or a language is usually spoken or the manner in
which someone utters the words of a language. To develop
proper oral communication proper pronunciation is one of the
key factors. It is important to understand the sound system of
English, including various aspects
such as individual sounds-consonants and vowels. Production of
speech, word stress, sentence stress (intonation), or the
variation of speech are highly essential for proper pronunciation.
Varied Pronunciations: Interestingly, there is no such thing
called correct pronunciation. The pronunciation of English varies
from one country to another and there are marked
pronunciation features associated with English spoken in
important English speaking countries like the United Kingdom,
United States of America, Canada, and Australia. Even within
the United Kingdom, there are variations between England,
Scotland, Wales and Northern Ireland. One particular accent,
called Received Pronunciation (RP) has come to be accepted as
the standard in the United Kingdom. Thus, it is better to
consider pronunciation in terms of ‘acceptable pronunciation’
and ‘unacceptable pronunciation’ rather than correct or incorrect
pronunciation. Acceptable pronunciation is, clearly intelligible to
all ordinary people whereas ‘unacceptable pronunciation’ refers
to a way of talking that is difficult for most people to
understand. In order to, learn correct English pronunciation we
have to understand sounds and basics of phonetics. Indian
speakers of English suffer from a typical problem that is known
as Mother Tongue Influence (MTI). Here, the pronunciation
of English varies from region to region. As English, is not our
mother tongue we speak this language as either a second
language or third language. As a result, our vocal chords are
already conditioned with the language we speak (mother tongue
and in case with a second language). The tinge and touch of
mother tongue is reflected in our speech when we utter the
English language. While speaking we must consciously avoid MTI
to be understood by others. In order to do that we should try to
speak in a neutral accent.

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Sounds: When letters are represented by sounds in a logical

sequence it is known as phonetics. There is no one to one
relationship between letters and sounds in English language. As
there are only 26 alphabets/letters but 44 sounds. Sounds are
generally categorized by the place of articulation, method of
articulation, and voicing. While individual sounds are the most
basic elements of a language, they do not mean anything by
themselves. However, certain sounds like /I/ at the end of
words such as school, chill, kneel, etc. symbolizes prolongation
of the sound and /ŋ/ at the end of a word means continuous
vibrating sound. Letters are seen and sounds are heard. Letters
provide a means of sounds. Each and every sound is
represented by a 39
I.1 Rules for using correct stress patterns

English language has developed to such an extent that, there

are presently millions of words in its dictionary. Dealing with
such a huge number of words in terms of stress is very difficult.
As most words are derived from different world languages. But
still an attempt can be made to do so. It is difficult to give a
comprehensive list 44

of rules for accenting words/syllables. However, the following

rules can help one get the proper accent.
1) Words with weak prefixes are accented on the root.
E.g. abroad, account, above, affect, disarm, disable, disown,
predate, recall, unsaid, unseat, recite, precast, prelude, etc.
2) In most two-syllabic words containing a long vowel, the
stress is generally on the syllable with the long vowel sound.
E.g. artist, accrue, father, farmer, machine, starter, carbon,
market, import, harvest, margin, teacher, argue, leader, impart,
insert, season, etc.
3) Word ending in –ee are generally accented on the last
syllable.
E.g. agree, degree, decree, referee, trustee, etc.
4) Words ending in –tion are generally accented on the syllable
before it.
E.g. action, attention, attraction, caption confirmation,
collection, introduction, intention sanctionestimation, friction,
limitation, etc.
5) Words ending in –sion, -ssion, -cion, and –shion have the
stress on the syllable before it.
e.g. mansion, expansion, pension, diffusion, commission,
concession, fashion, suspicion, possession, etc.

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6) Words ending in –ic,-ical, -ically, -ious, -ially, -ial, -logy, -

nomy,-graphy, have generally the stress on the syllable
preceding the suffix.
E.g. academic, specific, aromatic, artistic, mechanic, electric,
magnetic, electrical, essential, partial, delicious, cautious,
suspicious, economic, precious, magic, confidential,
photography, geography, etc.
7) Words ending in –icy, -ify,- and –ty have the stress generally
on the third syllable form the end.
E.g. policy, scarcity, codify, identity, pacify, clarity, facility,
locality, purity, totality, classify, morality, charity, punctuality,
activity, etc.
8) The suffixes –eer, -self, -ever, -ique, and –mental are
accented on the last syllable. E.g. career, herself, myself,
however, forever, whatever, physique, unique, departmental,
experimental, sentimental, compartmental, etc.
9) The suffixes –ed, -ment, -es, -ing, -age, -ance, -en, -ess, -
ful, -hood, -ice, -ish, -ive, -less, -ly, -ness, -or, -ship, -ter, -ure,
-y, -zen do not affect the stress pattern of the original word.
E.g. affect – affected, court – courtship
10) The suffixes –al, -ible, -ial, and –ially generally affect the
stress pattern.
E.g. accident –accidental, origin – original, sentiment –
sentimental, access – accessible, President – presidential, etc.’
11) The stress pattern in the two syllabic English words that
function with both as nouns/adjectives and as verbs generally
depends upon the grammatical category of the words. The
stress is on the first syllable if the word is used as a noun or
adjective and on the second syllable if it is a verb.
Noun /adjective ------------- Verb
Convert -----Convert
Process ----- Process
Transport -----Transport
Conduct ------ Conduct
Contact -----Contact
I.2 Sentence Rhythm and Weak forms
I.2.1 Sentence Rhythm
Sentence rhythm refers to the phonological structure of the
language. English is a rhythmic language. Rhythm refers to the
timing pattern. There are two factors that influence the rhythm
of English: sentence stress and connected speech. Maintaining a
rhythm in a speech makes the speech sound natural and fluent.
Sentences contain both content and function words. The rhythm
produced by the stressed and unstressed words in a sentence is
a major characteristic of spoken English. Using only the strong

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forms (i.e. stressing all the words) in sentences may make a

speech sound dull and artificial. The listener also may not
understand the intended emphasis or meaning in the speech.
Speed is another important factor for fluency in English. When
we speak, we do not speak words in isolations but group them
and speak without any pauses between them. Unstressed words
always sound different when used in a sentence as against when
used in isolation. The most common feature of connected
speech is the weak forms of function words such as of, have,
was, to, has, etc., and contractions such as can’t, haven’t,
shouldn’t, won’t, didn’t, they’ve, etc. However, we ignore other
features, namely elision (losing sounds as in the word listen),
linking (adding or joining sounds between words as in ‘far
away’), and assimilation (changing sounds when two words are
combined s in ‘good girl’), that help preserve rhythm in our
utterances. In addition to these features, there is schwa--- the
most common vowel sound spoken in unstressed words in
English. Stressed and Unstressed syllables are helpful in
creating characteristics rhythm in a sentence. Unstressed
syllables are clouded together and pronounced rapidly whereas
stressed syllables are pronounced more clearly. Thus,
accented/stressed syllables with no stressed syllables in
between them are prolonged. The speed of delivery, therefore,
depends on the number of unstressed syllables between the two
stressed ones.
I.2.2Weak forms
The weak form of a word is used when the word has no stress
and is phonetically distinct from its strong/full form. A weak
form is an unstressed syllable. A word may have multiple weak
forms or none. In the English language there are around 45
such words, where it has got two pronunciations (one strong
and one weak form). Words of this kind may be called 47 weak
form words. Since almost all native speakers of RP use weak
forms in their pronunciation, it becomes difficult for non-native
speakers to understand without learning those words properly.
The main words with weak forms in RP are as follows:
a, am, an, and, are, as, at, be, been, but, can, could, do,
does, for, from, had, has, have, he, her, him, his, just, me,
must, of, shall, she, should, some, than, that, the, them,
there, to, us, was, we, were, who, would, you.
In the word list the weak pronunciation is generally used in
connected speech whereas the strong pronunciation is used
when the word is stressed or spoken in isolation, and also when
the word comes at the end of a sentence. Consider the following
examples:
i) I am looking for my book. … Weak pronunciation.
What are you looking for? … Strong pronunciation.

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ii) I am going to the party. …Weak pronunciation.

What are you up to? … Strong pronunciation.
The use of weak forms is integral to stress patterns in English
because the unstressed words are reduced to give prominence
to accented syllables. This weakening of unstressed syllables in
a sentence is a characteristic feature of spoken English. Let’s
consider a few more examples.
i) And: full form: /ænd/, weak form: /nd/,/n/
Bread and butter (weak form), you should not put ‘and’ at the
end of a sentence (full form).
ii) Can: full form: /kæn/: weak form: /kƏn/
Malini can speak English better than I can. The first can is the
weak form while the second is the full form
CHAPTER II CONVERSATION EXPRESSIONS

II.1 Greetings
II.1.1 formal greetings
 Good morning
 Good afternoon
 Good evening
II.1.2 Informal greetings
 Morning
 Afternoon
 Evening
 Hi!
 Hello!
 Hey!
Reaction

How are you?

 Fantastic
 I’m fine
 Great, thanks.
 Good
 Fine thanks
 Very well thank you
 Pretty good.
 I’m in the pink.
 I’m full of beans
 I’m alright
 I’m just okay.
 I’m okay


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Replying

What about you?

And you?
 Fantastic too.
 I’m fine too
 Great, thanks too
 Good too
 Fine thanks too.
 Very well thank you too
 Pretty good too
 I’m in the pink too
 I’m full of beans too
 I’m alright too
 I’m just okay too.
 I’m okay too.
II.2 Asking about social condition

Questions
 What’s news?
 What a short story?
Reactions
 No comment.
 No news.
 Nothing special
 I don’t complain
Questions
 What’s up?
 What’s happening?
 What’s going on?
 What have you been up to?

Reactions
 Not much.
 Nothing much.
 Not a lot.

II.3 Asking and giving direction or and address

Question
 Where are you going?

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 Where do you go?

 Where to?
Reaction
 I’m going to school.
 I’m going to church
 I’m going to the Barber’s.
 I’m going downtown.
 I’m going to the grocer’s.
 I’m going to Saint Paul’s.
 I go home.

Question
 Where are you coming from?
 Where do you come from?
 Where from?
Reaction
 I’m coming from church.
 I’m from home.
 I come from job.
Question
 Where do you live?
 Where are you going?
 Where is your dwelling place?
Reaction

 I live in ………………………. Quarter/Township, on ………………….

Street/ avenue at ………………
 I’m living in ………………………. Quarter/Township, on
…………………. Street/ avenue at ………………
 My dwelling place is in ……………………. Quarter/Township,
on …………………. Street/ avenue at ………………
Question
 Please where is Malu bus-stop?
 Can you show me the nearest filling/petrol station?
 Would you tell me where Mwangeji hospital is.
Reaction
 Okay good. If you want to go on foot/by bus. Go straight
till you reach…………….. turn on right/left, go straight till
you reach ………………. Take your right/left start counting
the first, the second, the third avenue etc…

II.4 Taking leave expression

 My love to your family

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 Remember me to your brother/sister etc…

 Pass greeting to your …………………etc…
 Pass hello to your …………………………. etc

Reaction
 The same to you.
 I’m sure I shall.
 I’ll certainly do it.
II.5 self-introduction
 Dears ….
 Dears Sirs
 Ladies and gentlemen, allow me to introduce myself.
 I would like to introduce myself, my name is ……………, I’m
a Lecturer at ISTA/Kolwezi I live in etc…
Introducing someone
 Please, allow me to introduce you my …………….
 Let me introduce you my family etc…
 This is my friend KAZADI
Reaction
 Nice to meet you.
 Happy to see tou.
 Pleased to see you.
 How do you do.

Farewells
 It was a pleasure seeing/meeting you.
 It was nice seeing/meeting you.
 Good night.
 Good bye/bye-bye.
 Take care.
 Have a nice day/evening.
 See you (later/soon)
 So long.
 Cheerio!

Other question
 How old are you?
Reaction
I’m twenty years old
 Are you married?
Reaction
 Yes, I am.

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 No, I’m single.

 No, I’m a bachelor (M).
 No, I’m a spinster (f).
 No, I’m divorced.
 No, I’m widowed.
What’s your (tele)phone number?
 My phone number is 0998345643. It is read; ou or zero
one, nine, nine, eight, three, four, five, six, four, three.
Ways to Say Thank You
1. Thanks.
2. Thanks a lot.
3. Thank you so much.
4. Thanks a million!
5. Thanks for your help. / Thanks for helping me.
6. I really appreciate it.
7. I’m really grateful.
8. That’s so kind of you.
9. I can’t thank you enough.
(for extremely important things)
10. I owe you one.
(this means you want/need to do a favor for the other person in
the future)
Ways to Respond to “Thank You”
1. You’re welcome.
2. No problem.
3. No worries.
4. Don’t mention it.
5. My pleasure.
6. Anytime.
7. It was the least I could do.
8. Glad to help.
9. Sure!
10. Thank you.
(use this when you ALSO have something to thank the other
person for)
Phrases for Asking for Information
1. Can you tell me...?
2. Could you tell me...?
3. I'd like to know...
4. Do you know...
5. Do you have any idea...?
6. Could anyone tell me...?

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(use this phrase when asking a group of people)

7. Would you happen to know...?
8. I don't suppose you (would) know...?
9. I was wondering…
10. I’m calling to find out…
(use this phrase on the telephone)
Ways to Say “I don’t know”
1. I have no idea/clue.
2. I can’t help you there.
3. (informal) Beats me.
4. I’m not really sure.
5. I’ve been wondering that, too.
Phrases for Asking for Someone’s Opinion & Giving Your
Opinion
1. What do you think about...?
2. How do you feel about…?
3. What's your opinion of...?
4. What are your views on...?
5. In my opinion…
6. I'd say...
7. Personally, I think/believe...
8. If you ask me...
9. The way I see it...
10. From my point of view…
Phrases for Not Having an Opinion
1. I’ve never given it much thought.
2. I don’t have strong feelings either way.
3. It doesn’t make any difference to me.
4. I have no opinion on the matter.
5. (very informal) Whatever.
Phrases for Agreeing
1. Exactly.
2. Absolutely.
3. That’s so true.
4. That’s for sure.
5. I agree 100%
6. I couldn’t agree with you more.
7. That’s exactly what I think. / That’s exactly how I feel.
8. (informal) Tell me about it! / You’re telling me!
9. (informal) I’ll say!
10. I suppose so.

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(use this phrase for weak agreement – you agree, but

reluctantly)
Note: Avoid the common error of saying “I’m agree” – the
correct phrase is “I agree” or
“I’m in agreement” – the second one is more formal.
Phrases for Disagreeing
1. I don’t think so.
2. I beg to differ.
3. I’m afraid I don’t agree.
4. I’m not so sure about that.
5. That’s not how I see it.
6. Not necessarily.
7. Yes, but… [say your opinion]
8. On the contrary.
9. (very informal) No way!
10. (very strong) I totally disagree.
Phrases for Responding to Good News
1. Congratulations!
2. That’s great!
3. How wonderful!
4. Awesome!
5. I’m so happy for you!
Phrases for Responding to Bad News
1. Oh no…
2. That’s terrible.
3. Poor you.
(Use this to respond to bad situations that are not too serious)
4. I’m so sorry to hear that.
5. I’m sorry for your loss.
(Use this only if someone has died)
Phrases for Invitations
1. Are you free… [Saturday night?]
2. Are you doing anything… [Saturday night?]
3. Let me check my calendar.
4. (informal) Do you wanna… [see a movie?]
5. (formal) Would you like to… [join me for dinner?]
6. I’d love to!
7. Sounds great!
8. I’d love to, but I have another commitment.
9. I don’t think I can.
10. Maybe another time.
Ways to Make & Respond to an Offer

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1. (more formal) Would you like a drink?

2. (informal) Do you want some water?
3. Can I get you something to eat?
4. That’d be great, thanks. (= yes)
5. No, thanks. I’m OK. (= no)
Phrases for Talking About Future Plans
1. I’m going to…
2. I’m planning to…
3. I hope to…
4. I’d like to…
5. I might… / I may…
6. I’m thinking about…
Ways to Talk about Likes & Dislikes
1. I love… [soccer]
2. I’m really into… [soccer]
3. I live for… [soccer]
4. [soccer] is my thing.
5. I’m crazy about… [soccer]
6. I’m not a huge fan of… [modern art]
7. [Modern art] isn’t my cup of tea.
8. I don’t really care for… [modern art]
9. I’m not into… [modern art]
10. I can’t stand… [modern art]
(this phrase expresses strong dislike)
Ways to Make a Suggestion
1. How about… [ex. trying something new]?
2. Why don’t you… [ex. talk to your boss]?
3. Maybe we should… [ex. do more research].
4. I’d recommend… [ex. going to the doctor].
5. Have you thought about… [ex. buying a new computer]?
Phrases for Asking/Talking about Jobs
1. Where do you work?
2. What do you do? / What do you do for a living?
3. I work at… [Microsoft].
4. I’m a/an… [accountant] .
5. I’m unemployed. / I’m between jobs at the moment.
6. I’m looking for work.
7. I’m a stay-at-home mom/dad.
8. I run my own business.
9. I’m a freelance… [writer/designer/etc.]
10. I’m retired.

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Phrases for Saying Something is Easy & Difficult

1. It’s a piece of cake.
2. It’s a cinch.
3. It’s a breeze.
4. Anyone can do it.
5. There’s nothing to it.
6. It’s hard.
7. It’s a bit tricky.
8. It’s really tough.
9. It’s not a walk in the park.
10. It’s very demanding.
(= it takes a lot of time and energy)
Expressions about Age
1. She’s in her early twenties.
(=20-23 years old)
2. He’s in his late thirties.
(=37-39 years old)
3. She just turned six.
4. Act your age!
(use this when an adult is being immature, acting like a child)
5. I’m not as young as I used to be.
6. I’m not over the hill yet!
(over the hill = an informal expression to say “old”)
7. He’s no spring chicken.
(= he’s not young)
8. She’s wise beyond her years.
(she is young, but she has the wisdom of an older person)
9. I’m having a senior moment.
(= I’m being forgetful)
10. He lived to a ripe old age.
(= a very old age)
Ways to End a Conversation Politely
1. It was nice chatting with you.
2. Well, it’s getting late.
3. Anyway, I should get going.
4. (formal) Sorry, but I’m afraid I need to…
5. I’m sorry to cut you off, but I actually gotta run.
(cut you off = interrupt you)
Phrases for Telephone Calls
1. Hi, this is Jane.
2. (formal) May I speak with John Smith?
3. (informal) Is John there?

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4. I’m calling about…

5. I’m returning your call.
6. (formal) One moment, please.
7. (informal) Hang on a sec.
8. He’s not here. Would you like to leave a message?
9. Could you ask him to call me back?
10. Thanks for calling.

CHAPTER FOUR: DIFFERENT TYPES OF DIALOGUES

IV. 1 WEEKEND PLANS

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Situation: Laurie, Christie, and Sarah are making plans for the
coming weekend.

Laurie: So, what are your plans for this weekend?

Christie: I don’t know. Do you want to get together or
something?
Sarah: How about going to see a movie? Cinemax 26 on Carson
Boulevard is showing Enchanted.
Laurie: That sounds like a good idea. Maybe we should go out
to eat beforehand.
Sarah: It is fine with me. Where do you want to meet?
Christie: Let’s meet at Summer Pizza House. I have not gone
there for a long time.
Laurie: Good idea again. I heard they just came up with a new
pizza. It should be good because Summer Pizza House always
has the best pizza in town.
Sarah: When should we meet?
Christie: Well, the movie is shown at 2:00PM, 4:00PM, 6:00PM
and 8:00PM.
Laurie: Why don’t we go to the 2:00PM show? We can meet at
Summer Pizza House at noon. That will give us plenty of time to
enjoy our pizza.
Sarah: My cousin Karen is in town. Can I bring her along? I hate
to leave her home alone.
Christie: Karen is in town? Yes, bring her along. Laurie, you
remember Karen? We met her at
Sara’s high school graduation party two years ago.
Laurie: I do not quite remember her. What does she look like?
Sarah: She has blond hair, she is kind of slender, and she is
about your height.
Laurie: She wears eyeglasses, right?
Sarah: Yes, and she was playing the piano off and on during the
party.
Laurie: I remember her now. Yes, do bring her along Sara. She
is such a nice person, and funny
too.
Sarah: She will be happy to meet both of you again.

28
Christie: What is she doing these days?
Sarah: She graduated last June, and she will start her teaching
career next week when the new
school term begins.
Laurie: What grade is she going to teach?

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Sarah: She will teach kindergarten. She loves working with kids,
and she always has such a good rapport with them.
Christie: Kindergarten? She must be a very patient person. I
always think kindergarten is the
most difficult class to teach. Most of the kids have never been to
school, and they have never been away from mommy for long.
Sarah: I think Karen will do fine. She knows how to handle
young children.
Laurie: I think the first few weeks will be tough. However, once
the routine is set, it should not be too difficult to teach
kindergarten.
Christie: You are right. The kids might even look forward to
going to school since they have so many friends to play with.
Sarah: There are so many new things for them to do at school
too. They do a lot of crafts in kindergarten. I am always amazed
by the things kindergarten teachers do.
Laurie: Yes, I have seen my niece come home with so many
neat stuff.
Christie: Maybe we can ask Karen to show us some of the things
that we can do for this Halloween.
Laurie: Maybe we can stop by the craft store after the movie.
What do you think, Sara?
Sarah: I will talk to her. I think she will like that. It will help her
with school projects when Halloween comes.
Christie: Michael’s is a good store for crafts. It always carries a
variety of things, and you can find almost anything there.
Laurie: There is a Michaels store not far away from Cinemax 26.
I believe it is just around the corner, on Pioneer Avenue. We can
even walk over there.
Sarah: So, we plan to meet for pizza at noon, go to the movies
at two, and shop at Michael’s afterward. Right?
Laurie and Christie: Yes.

EXPRESSIONS
Get together: Ngồi lại với nhau
It sounds like a good idea: Đó là ý kiến hay
Beforehand: Trước khi, từ trước
Come up with: Nghĩ ra được một ý kiến gì đó
She is in town: Cô ta đang ở đây
Bring someone along: Đem người nào theo
Off and on: Làm rồi lại ngưng rồi lại làm, không liên tục
What is she doing these days?: Cô ta đang làm gì bây giờ?
Teaching career: Nghề dạy học
School term: khóa học

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Kindergarten: Lớp mẫu giáo

Have a good rapport with: Rất hợp với
Once the routine is set: Một khi lề thói đã được xác lập
Look forward to: Mong mõi
Craft: Đồ thủ công
School project: Dự án của trường
A variety of things: Nhiều thứ khác nhau
It is around the corner: Gần góc đường

IV.2 A VISIT TO THE DOCTOR’S OFFICE

Situation: Laura has not been feeling well lately. Today she
goes to see her doctor for a physical checkup.

Laura: Good morning, I have an appointment with Doctor Clark

at 8:30.
Clerk: Let me pull your record. In the meantime, please sign-in
and have a seat.
Nurse: Laura Nicholson.
Laura: Here.
Nurse: Follow me to Room A please.
Nurse: Here we are. What are your reasons for seeing Doctor
Clark today?
Laura: Well, lately I have been feeling tired, and occasionally I
have had really bad headaches and an upset stomach. On top of
that, I have had this persistent cough for the last two weeks.
Nurse: When did you start having these symptoms?
Laura: I started feeling tired about two months ago; then, a
little bit after that the headaches came. I got the upset stomach
long before feeling tired.
Nurse: Are you taking any medications?
Laura: Only my vitamins.
Nurse: What vitamins are you taking?
Laura: I am taking a multi-vitamin tablet and extra Vitamin C
every day.
Nurse: OK, let me take your vital signs.
Laura: How am I doing?
Nurse: Everything is good—normal blood pressure and no high
temperature. Please wait here for a minute. Doctor Clark will be
with you in a moment.
Laura: Thank you.
Doctor: Good morning, Laura.
Laura: Good morning, Doctor.

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Doctor: I see here that you started feeling tired two months
ago, and then you started having bad headaches. You also have
had an upset stomach and a persistent cough. Did you run a
fever too?
Laura: No, doctor.
Doctor: Let me do a quick physical check up.
Doctor: Please take a deep breath, hold your breath, and
exhale. Do it again please.
Doctor: Were there any changes in your diet or your weight
lately?
Laura: I ate the usual things, but I lost five pounds recently.
Doctor: Did you suffer from insomnia?
Laura: Well, it is pretty hard for me to fall asleep when I go to
bed. I also woke up many times during the night.
Doctor: Do you drink? Do you smoke?
Laura: No.
Doctor: How are things at work?
Laura: There was a change of ownership three months ago, and
I had to work a lot of overtime, even during the weekend.
Doctor: It looks like you have pneumonia. Other than that, I do
not see any problems. You are probably under stress from
changes at work, and the stress causes headaches, upset
stomach, and sleeplessness. For now, try to relax and exercise.
It may solve your problems. Come back to see me again if the
symptoms persist, and I will do further tests. I am going to give
you a prescription for your pneumonia. Are you allergic to any
medications?
Laura: Not to my knowledge.
Doctor: OK, take this medication three times a day after you
eat. Also, I want you to have some blood tests. Stop by the
laboratory on your way out and have the nurse draw your blood.
Laura: I am anxious to know my cholesterol level. When will I
get the results of the blood test?
Doctor: The results will be available in two weeks. Don’t stress
yourself. I think everything will be OK.
Laura: Thank you, Doctor.
Doctor: You are welcome.

EXPRESSIONS

Have an appointment with:

Pull somebody’s record:
In the meantime:
Have a seat, please:

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Here we are:
Persistent cough:
Upset stomach:
Symptom:
Long before:
Take somebody’s vital signs:
The doctor will be with you in a moment:
run a fever:
Physical checkup:
Diet:
Suffer from insomnia:
Change of ownership:
It looks like:
Sleeplessness:
It may solve your problems:
If the symptoms persist:
Give a prescription:
Be allergic to:
Not to my knowledge:
Blood test:
Stop by the laboratory on the way out:
Draw somebody’s blood:
The results will be available in two weeks:
Don’t stress yourself!:

GOING TO THE MARKET

Situation: Laura’s mother had asked her to go grocery shopping
before she went to work this
morning. Since Laura is still busy with her homework, she asks
her sister Martha to go to the
market for her.
Laura: Mom had asked me to go grocery shopping before she
left for work this morning, but I
need to finish my school project. Can you go for me, Martha?
Martha: I guess I can. I am done with my homework. What did
mom want you to buy?
Laura: Well, she wanted me to buy enough groceries for the
whole week. Besides meat, some
fish and vegetables, we can buy whatever else we want for
snacks and breakfast.
Martha: What do you want for breakfast?
Laura: I guess some cereal as usual.

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Martha: I do not want cereal everyday. I will buy some pancakes

and syrup then.
Laura: Get the new Fine Food pancakes in the frozen food
section please. I want to see how it tastes.
Martha: Do we still have enough coffee and cream for mom and
dad?
Laura: Yes, we do. Talking about coffee and cream, you better
buy some milk also. We almost ran out of it.
Martha: Next, what do you want for snacks?
Laura: Some chips would be fine with me. You probably want
your chocolate cookies.
Martha: I better write down all these things; otherwise, I will
forget them by the time I get to the
market. I would hate to make two trips to take care of things.
Laura: Right! As far as meat, mom wants some pork and some
chicken.
Martha: Just any kind of pork?
Laura: I forgot to ask mom about that. Anyways, you can ask
the butcher for his opinion. He
knows what is best.
Martha: How about fish?
Laura: Mom wants some salmon and some catfish. Make sure
that they are fresh.
Martha: How much salmon and catfish should I buy?
Laura: Oh, buy four pieces of salmon filet and four pieces of
catfish filet. Mom does not like to
get the whole fish.
Martha: Are these fish filets sold by weight or by the piece?
Laura: I am not very sure. Just buy four decent sized pieces.
Not too big and not too small.
Martha: Do I need to buy some spices so mom can marinate the
fish?
Laura: Yes, get some ground pepper and some garlic.
Martha: Now, how about vegetables? Mom probably wants
carrots, potatoes, cabbages and some lettuce.
Laura: That would be fine. We need some fruits also. What do
you want?
Martha: Dad always packs an apple for lunch everyday. I want
the same thing.
Laura: We have already run out of eggs. So, get a carton of
eggs also.
Martha: How about some soft drinks?

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Laura: No, buy some bottled water instead. It is healthier for us.
We need to cut down on our intake of sugar, as too much sugar
is not good for our bodies.
Martha: I need to put bread on the list before I forget. Should I
get one loaf or two?
Laura: One loaf will be enough. Put down a bag of rice also.
Martha: Do we need anything for dessert?
Laura: Get a box of ice cream.
Martha: Ice cream? Isn’t ice cream packed with sugar?
Laura: Yes, but since I already drink water instead of soft
drinks, one or perhaps two scoops of ice cream after dinner is
not too bad. Besides, mom loves ice cream, especially cherry
vanilla.
Martha: OK, I will put down one box of ice cream if you say so.
Do you want me to buy some pastries for you?
Laura: I know the pastries at the market are delicious; however,
no is my answer. Do not tempt me, Martha.
Martha: Just asking, Laura.
Laura: You have quite a few items to take care of. You need to
get going.
Martha: Yes, the list is quite long. By the time I get to the
cashier to pay, I will probably have a
full shopping cart. OK, I am all set to go. I will be back soon.
Laura: Drive carefully please!
Martha: I will.
EXPRESSIONS
Go grocery shopping:
Leave for work:
I guess I can:
I am done with my homework:
Enough for the whole week:
Frozen food:
I want to see how it tastes:
Run out of something:
By the time:
Take care of something:
Right!:
Marinate:
Cut down on our intake of sugar:
Loaf of bread:
Besides:
Don’t tempt me!:
You need to get going:

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Shopping cart:
I am all set to go:
I will be back:

CHAPTER III THE SENTENCE

A sentence is the most fundamental and versatile tool available

to the writer. Sentences generally flow from a subject, to a verb,
to any objects, complements, or modifiers, but can be ordered
in a variety of ways to achieve emphasis. When shifting word
order for emphasis, however, be aware that word order in the
meaning of a sentence.
He was only the accountant.
He was the only accountant.
We can define a sentence as a group of words that express a
complete thought
Consider the following group of words:

INCOMPLETE THOUGHT COMPLETE THOUGHT

arrived today
were congratulated warmly
The weary technicians are from ISTA
repaired the damage
reported the situation
went to rest

SUBJECT AND PREDICATE

A sentence consists of two basic parts, the subject and the

predicate. The subject of a sentence, a noun or a pronoun (and
its modifiers) is the part about which something is being said.
The predicate is the part that says something about the subject.
Although a subject may appear anywhere in a sentence, it most
often appears at the beginning.
Subject Predicate
Lightning strikes

The Simple Predicate or Verb

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The simple predicate is the verb (or verb phrase) alone; the
complete predicate is the verb and its modifiers and
complements. A compound predicate consists of two or more
verbs with the same subject. It is an important device for
conciseness in writing.
The principal word or group of words in the predicate is called
the simple predicate, or the verb. The predicate is the part of a
sentence that contains the main verb and any other words used
to complete the thought of the sentence (the verb’s modifiers
and complements).

 Helen worked quickly and efficiently. [The complete

predicate is worked quickly and efficiently. The simple
predicate, or verb, is worked.]
 The secretary typed the letter fast. [The complete
predicate is typed the letter fast. The verb is typed.]
The Simple Subject
The simple subject is the main word or combination of words
that names the person, place, thing, or idea about which
something is being said.

2. The performance of these engines shows the expertise

of industrial technicians in the late 1800’s. [The
complete subject is The performance of these engines.
The simple subject is performance.]

Students on various specialties received awards. [The complete

subject is Students on various specialties. The simple subject is
Students.]
Compound subjects and compound verbs

A compound subject consists of two or more subjects that are

joined by a conjunction and have the same verb. The usual
connecting words are and and or.
The books and all the documents were at the library. [compound
subject: books
and documents]
Electronics, Mechanics, and Computation are specialities
ISTA/KIAT.
[compound subject: Electronics, Mechanics, and Computation ]
A compound verb consists of two or more verbs that are joined
by a conjunction and have the same subject.
3) Helen chose a seat near the door and sat down. [compound
verb: chose and sat]

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4) Ista offers academic teaching, provides workshop training,

and strengthens knowledge. [compound verb: offers,
provides, and strengthens]

I.1 CLASSIFICATION OF SENTENCES

Sentences may be classified according to their purpose.

Sentences may have four purposes: (1) to make a statement,
(2) to ask a question, (3) to command or request, or (4) to
exclaim.

(1) A declarative sentence is a sentence that makes a

statement.
 Mechatronics is a branch of Mechanics dealing with
electronics.
(2) An interrogative sentence is a sentence that asks a
question.
These sentences ask questions. Accordingly, they end with a
question mark. For example:
We can have an interrogative in three main ways:
d) By inversion of Subject and Verb (auxiliaries and modals)
 Have you seen the IIIE Journal yet?
e) By using Do/does/did + S+V+
f) By using Question Words

QUESTION WORDS
An interrogative word or question word is a function word used
to ask a question, such as what, when, where, who, whom, why,
and how. They are sometimes called wh-words, because in
English most of them start with wh- (compare Five Ws).
Interrogative words in English include:
interrogative determiner
which, what
whose (personal possessive determiner)

Interrogative pro-form

interrogative pronoun
who, whom, whose (personal)
what, which

Interrogative pro-adverb

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where (location)
whither (goal)
whence (source)
when (time)
how (manner)
why (reason)
whether and whatsoever (choice between alternatives)
Certain pronominal adverbs may also be used as interrogative
words, such as whereby or wherefore.
Forms with -ever
Most English interrogative words can take the suffix -ever, to
form words such as whatever and wherever. (Older forms of the
suffix are -so and -soever, as in whoso and whomsoever.) These
words have the following main meanings:
As more emphatic interrogative words, often expressing disbelief
or puzzlement in mainly rhetorical questions: Whoever could
have done such a thing? Wherever has he gone?
To form free relative clauses, as in I'll do whatever you do,
whoever challenges us shall be punished, Go to wherever they
go. In this use, the nominal -ever words (who(m)ever,
whatever, whichever) can be regarded as indefinite pronouns or
as relative pronouns.
To form adverbial clauses with the meaning "no matter
where/who/etc.": Wherever they hide, I will find them.
Some of these words have also developed independent
meanings, such as however as an adverb meaning
"nonetheless"; whatsoever as an emphatic adverb used with no,
none, any, nothing, etc. (I did nothing wrong whatsoever); and
whatever in its slang usage.

RELATIVE AND INTERROGATIVE LINKS

Note: Who, what, which, where, why; etc…, are very important
as link-words. They form a very elementary type of complex
sentences that is extremely common in both spoken and written
English.
An infinitive phrase is usual when the subjects of both sections
are identical, the sense of the infinitive phrase being future.
Eg:
5. I don’t know which to take.
6. I don’t know which I took.
7. Tell him where to go
8. Ask him what to do
N.B: ‘who’’ is used in both subjective and objective cases.

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When the subjects are different, a clause is always added.

c) I don’t know who she was speaking to.
d) He asked me how I had done it.
EMPHATIC CONNECTIVES

Note: who, what, which, whose, when, where, how + ever

All written as single words, whoever, whatever, etc
There are two uses in modern English
II. In the sense of it doesn’t matter who, which,
when, etc.
h) Whoever says that is a liar.
i) I’ll sell it to whoever come first.
j) Eat whatever you like.
k) I’ll do whatever you tell me.
l) We were warmly welcomed wherever we went.
m) We shall be pleased to see you whenever you care to
call.
n) Learn whichever poem you find most interesting.
Parenthetically (suggesting ignorance or indifference).
3. I’ll give the pen back to Henry or John, or whoever it
belongs.
4. I’ll come at 10 or 10.30, or whenever I can get there.

 Have you seen the IIIE Journal yet?

(3) An imperative sentence is a sentence that gives a
command or makes a request.
 Deliver your paper in the usual way.
 Please send me the data next week.
(4) An exclamatory sentence is a sentence that expresses
strong feeling or emotion.
 Ah, you have solved the problem!
NB. It is rather unlikely that in a piece of technical report you
should have to use an exclamatory sentence; however, it is
convenient to remember the purpose of such sentences.
SENTENCES CLASSIFIED ACCORDING TO STRUCTURE

Classified according to their structure, there are four kinds of

sentences: simple, compound, complex, and compound-
complex.

(1) A simple sentence is a sentence with one independent

clause and no subordinate clauses.

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 The invention of the microchip is the beginning of

personal computing.
(2) A compound sentence is a sentence that is composed of
two or more independent clauses but no subordinate clauses.
 The invention of the microchip is the beginning of
personal computing but it meant the end of macro
computers.

Independent clauses may be joined by coordinating conjunctions

(and, but, for, nor, or, yet) or by conjunctive adverbs
(accordingly, also, besides, consequently, furthermore, hence,
however, moreover, nevertheless, still, then, therefore, thus)
Also called adverbial conjunctions, conjunctive adverbs are
pathetic, confused little creatures.
They can't decide if they are adverbs or conjunctions in
traditional grammar! Accordingly, they try to be both. This
tendency leads to all sorts of punctuation problems.
Before we go into detail, however, we should take a look at the
most common conjunctive adverbs and adverbial phrases so we
can better recognize them. View this line-up not with contempt,
but with pity for these half-breed misfits:

Because they are akin to adverbs, conjunctive adverbs can

indeed function as simple adverbs. In such a situation, they
merely modify a verb, adjective, or another adverb. When they
behave this way, they do not need any special punctuation.
They are simply functioning as adverbs. For example, consider
these two sentences:
3. She was accordingly quite interested in grammar.
4. However ugly the gargoyle may be, I will go on a blind
date with him.

Here, accordingly and however are simple adverbs. All

accordingly does is modify the verb interested. All however does
is modify the adjective ugly.

On the other hand, conjunctive adverbs can also appear at the

start of a sentence or clause to indicate result, concession,
apposition, addition, time, contrast, summary, or reinforcement.

Result: therefore, consequently, of course

Concession: nevertheless, yet, still, after all, of course
Apposition: for example, for instance, that is, namely, in other
words

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Addition: moreover, furthermore, also, in addition, likewise,

further
Time: meanwhile, in the meantime
Contrast: however, instead, on the contrary, on the other
hand, in contrast, rather
Summary: thus, in conclusion, then
Reinforcement: further, in particular, indeed, above all, in fact

When conjunctive adverbs function this way, separate them

from the rest of the sentence with a comma. In such cases, the
conjunctive adverb needs a comma after it because it is a
phrase appearing before an independent clause.
Note the commas in the following sentences.

" Therefore, I will eat eggs!

" In other words, grammar is a useful skill.
" Likewise, all students should embrace the sad little conjunctive
adverbs.
" Meanwhile, the conjunctive adverbs sat pouting in the corner.
" However, we should not mock conjunctive adverbs.
" Thus, the conjunctive adverbs will bow before their masters,
the cruel semicolons.
" Above all, we must realize conjunctive adverbs are an
important part of the grammatical
ecosystem.
Finally, sometimes conjunctive adverbs try to pretend they are
full conjunctions and hook two independent clauses together.
This pretension is indeed a sad travesty! They are not really full
conjunctions, and they can't do that job by themselves.
Typically, they lurk just behind a semicolon in this situation, and
it is the semicolon that does the real job of joining the two
independent clauses. A comma should always follow the
conjunctive adverb in such instances.

" The gods thundered in the heavens; furthermore, the mortals

below cowered in fear.
" The bank robber dodged the bullet; however, Joey was shot
seventeen times in the tibia.
" Susan appreciated the flowers; nevertheless, a Corvette would
be a finer gift.
" Dr. Wheeler is a grammar tyrant; thus, he requires correct
punctuation.
" She will go on a blind date with George; however, he is a really
ugly fellow.

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" The tyrannosaurs were migrating south; meanwhile, the

apatosaurs breathed a sigh of relief.
" The conjunctive adverbs pretend they are conjunctions;
however, the semicolon is what really connects the two clauses
together.
Note that if students use a comma instead of a semicolon in the
examples above, they have created a comma splice. Such
formations absolutely require the semicolon in front of the
conjunctive adverb and a comma after the conjunctive adverb.

(3) A complex sentence is a sentence that contains one

independent clause and at least one subordinate clause.

The person who looks for success often finds it. [The
independent clause is the person often finds it. The subordinate
clause is who looks for success.]

(4) A compound-complex sentence is a sentence that

contains two or more independent clauses and at least one
subordinate clause.

The person who looks for success often finds it, but then he
does not know what to do with it.

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