English 11_Unit 15_Language Focus

Similarities : • “Could” and “was/were able to” are used to express general one’s skills or abilities in the past.. Ex: She was tired last night, so she couldn’t/ wasn’t able to finis

Unit 15

Space Conquest

Language Focus

Activity 1: Listen and repeat

Sixth Nineteenth Month

Appearance Audience Influence

Chinese Telecommunications Japanese

Activity 2: Practice reading the dialogue

A: Florence, Mr Barnes went on the tenth of last month.

B: Oh I have warned you, haven’t I? Did he pay the rent?

A: Only to the seventh.

B: Only to the seventh?

A: Yes, and we may have no chance to see him again Is he your friend?

B: No, Mr Barnes is not my friend and if he phones, remind him that he must pay the rent to the end of the month.

A: Don’t be so tense We’ll have a new tenant on the thirteenth of this month.

Similarities :

• “Could” and “was/were able to” are used to express general one’s skills or abilities in the past.

 Structure:

Ex: When he was young, he could play football well.

→When he was young, he was able to play football well.

• “Could not” and “was/were (not) able to” are used in all situations.

Ex: She was tired last night, so she couldn’t/ wasn’t able to finish her homework.

S+ could + V(bare-inf) S+ was/were able to + V(bare-inf)

Differences:

- is only used to express general skills or abilities in the past.

- Can be used especially with sense verbs: See, hear, smell, taste,

feel, remember, understand,…

Ex: When we went into the house, we could smell burning.

- is used to express the specific skills or abilities gained by making

effort in the past.

- Can NOT be used especially with sense verbs: See, hear, smell,

taste, feel, remember, understand,…

2.The fire spread through the building very quickly everyone _

escape was able toComplete the sentences using could, couldn’t or was/were (not) able to.

4 Sue wasn't at home when I phoned but I  contact her at her office.

was able toComplete the sentences using could, couldn’t or was/were (not) able to.

5 I wanted to buy some tomatoes The first shop I went to didn’t have any but

I  get some in the next shop.

was able to

Complete the sentences using could, couldn’t or was/were (not) able to.

6 My grandfather travelled a lot He _ speak five languages.

could was able to

Complete the sentences using could, couldn’t or was/were (not) able to.

8 When we went into the house, we _ smell burning.

couldComplete the sentences using could, couldn’t or was/were (not) able to.

Tag Questions

 Definition: is a short question at the end of a statement.

 Ex: Mary is from Chicago, isn’t she?

tag question

A positive statement A negative question tag

You are a student, aren’t you?

A positive question tag

A negative statement

She didn’t go out, did she?

Special cases

 I AM => AREN’T I

 I AM NOT => ARE I

Ex: I am a student, aren’t I ?

I am not a worker, are I ?

Special cases

NEGATIVE WORDS (seldom,

never, hardly, neither, none, rarely,…)

Positive verb + subject

He had no idea about last night story,

She hardly cleans her room,

You have never tried Chinese food before,

did he?

does she?

have you?

Special cases

nobody, somebody, everybody, no one, someone, everyone, these, those…

THEY

Subject:

Nobody can do this exercise, can they?

Everyone came to the party, didn’t they?

Someone tells you about the secret, don’t they?

Special cases

nothing, something, everything, this, that…

IT

Subject:

Nothing will change your love, will it?

Everything has a price, isn’t it?

Something was wrong, wasn’t it?

Write the suitable question tags to make complete sentences. 

1. You’ve seen that film,

2. I’m not disturbing you,

3. People will travel in solar-powered cars in the future,

4. You have never been to Europe,

5. The package has already arrived,

6. I think everyone’s going to be there,

7. Don’t stay up late at night,

Add question tags to the following statements.

• 1 He hardly ever makes a mistake, _?

• 2 Nobody liked the play, _?

• 3 The area was evacuated at once, _?

• 4 I'm too late, _?

• 5 This won't take long, _?

• 6 Let's go out for dinner tonight, ?

• 7 Neither of them offered to help you, _?

Homework