Archive for the ‘Language learning’ Category
You are currently browsing the archives for the Language learning category.
2
Nov
2009
English Language Courses
General English
General English courses are designed to give students an overall understanding and ability in reading, writing, speaking and listening in English. It can be for those who have a general interest in the language, or for those who need it to travel, study or work. General English language courses will usually cover aspects of English grammar, vocabulary, pronunciation and common expressions. Students will learn how to construct a sentence properly, using different verb tenses and pronouns in different situations.
Course structures will vary across language colleges, but a typical course may include approximately 20 hours of classes, 2 hours of conversation and 5 hours of independent learning a week. Then there are social activities to complement the in-class study, whether sports, cultural activities or touring the city.
Business English
Business English courses are probably more suitable for students who are learning English in order to get a job that requires the English language. Rather than learning vocabulary and phrases related to sports, travel, cooking, tourism etc, Business English is tailored specifically for the work place. It focuses on language use in real-life situations in areas such as marketing, financial services, sales, accounting and general office work. Apart from covering English grammar, these courses also demonstrate how to use business terminology used to place an order, make an enquiry or write a cover letter when applying for a job. It can also cover themes such as business relationships, meetings, company cultures, travel, using the phone, writing letters/emails/reports.
For example, Business English courses familiarise students with phrases such as “Let’s do lunch” (let’s meet up to eat lunch), “Bring something to the table” (have something to offer), “Have it done by the end of Friday” (must be finished at the end of the business day on Friday). One important aspect of business English is having a good grasp on expressions of time, as this is often a crucial aspect of business.
23
Oct
2009
Demonstrative English Pronouns
Demonstrative Pronouns
When learning English, it is important to understand how to use pronouns. Demonstrative pronouns show far away or near an object is. The variables of demonstrative pronouns are distance/time and number (whether singular or plural). By comparison, many languages have other variables as well, such as whether it is the subject or object and the gender (male/female/neuter).
In English there are four demonstrative pronouns:
- Singular: this (near) and that (far).
- Plural: these (near) and those (far).
Demonstrative pronouns should not be confused with demonstrative adjectives which also use this/that and these/those. The difference is that the demonstrative adjective modifies a noun, whereas the demonstrative pronoun replaces the noun. For instance:
- That desk looks heavy. (desk = noun)
- That looks very heavy. (no noun)
Demonstrative pronouns are usually used in English to refer to things not people. However, there are occasions when they can be used if the person is identified. For example:
- This is Sarah speaking.
- Is that Stephen?
Examples
Here are some examples of how demonstrative pronouns are used in English. As you can see, demonstrative pronouns can be used in exclamations, questions or statements. They can be used to start a sentence, in the middle of a sentence, or at the end. Demonstrative pronouns are often used to compare one thing to another, such as size or weight.
- Look at that!
- Which car should I get? This one or that one?
- These look delicious, I don’t know which to eat first.
- This has been great.
- Are those Spanish or Italian?
- These are bigger than those.
Of course in the preceding examples, because the sentences have been taken out of context, it is difficult to know what they are referring to. So it is important to make it clear what you are talking or writing about before using a demonstrative pronoun.
9
Oct
2009
Personal Pronouns in English
Personal Pronouns
Personal pronouns in English represent specific people or things. They are used in sentences to replace a person or thing that has already been named in order to prevent repetition. They are commonly used in both written and spoken English. For instance, when speaking of myself I do not use my name (e.g. Sophie thinks it will rain today), instead I use the personal pronoun “I” or “me”, or if I am including more than just myself “we” or “us”. The form that is used in this case will depend on whether it is singular or plural, as well as the subject or the object of the sentence. Another variation will be according to gender (male, female or neuter). Here is a summary of the personal pronouns:
|
Number |
Person |
Subject |
Object |
|
Singular |
1st |
I |
me |
|
|
2nd |
you |
you |
|
|
3rd (male) |
he |
him |
|
|
3rd (female) |
she |
her |
|
|
3rd (neuter) |
it |
it |
|
Plural |
1st |
we |
us |
|
|
2nd |
you |
you |
|
|
3rd |
they |
them |
There are many tricky rules about how these are to be used, which can be looked up in English grammar textbooks. For example, the pronoun ‘it’ is used commonly in three ways:
-
as an idiom: e.g. when referring to the weather, temperature, time, distance- “It is raining.”, ” Is it afternoon yet?”
-
to postone the subject: i.e. starting the sentence with ‘it’ - “It was a beautiful gift.”
-
as a personal pronoun, e.g. “I got a necklace for Christmas, but it broke soon after.”
Examples
First person:
-
I am a football player, but the coach didn’t pick me.
-
We are all excellent students.
-
Will they let us play?
Second person:
-
You are a great friend.
-
You have all been overseas.
Third person:
-
She loved him, but he did not love her.
-
If they need help, the teacher will give it to them.