Patricia Ryan: Don't insist on English!

TED talks, Interesting talks to practice your listening skills. You can use the subtitles and the script.

GRAMMAR the passive (all forms); it is said that…, he is thought to…, etc.

a. The story advises the readers to be careful with deals that are too good to be true.
    The woman paid $400 for an iPad, which was in fact just a piece of wood with some glass stuck to     the front.

b. 1 learnt                                      6 had been cut
    2 had                                         7 didn’t know
    3 was later caught                     8 has been charged
    4 were found                             9 is being held
    5 had been made

MINI GRAMMAR have something done

1 How often do you have your hair cut?
2 Where did you have it repaired?
3 Do you usually have your passport or ID card renewed…?
4 Have you had a burglar alarm installed…?
5 Have you ever had your photo taken…?

Grammar Bank 8A PASSIVE

1 The road was closed after the accident.
2 My handbag has been stolen.
3 My house is being painted.
4 A meeting will be held / is being held tomorrow…
5 If the bomb hadn’t been found in time,...
6 You can be arrested for driving without a licence.
7 Miranda thinks she was followed / was being followed last night.
8 I hate being / to be woken up when I’m fast asleep.
9 The local police station is going to be closed.
b
1 It is believed that the burglar is a local man.
The burglar is believed to be a local man.
2 It is said that the muggers are very dangerous.
The muggers are said to be very dangerous.
3 It is thought that the robber entered through an open window.
The robber is thought to have entered through an open window.
4 It is said that the murderer has disappeared.
The murderer is said to have disappeared.
5 It is expected that the trial will last three weeks.
The trial is expected to last three weeks.

5&6 Revise and Check

GRAMMAR
a 1 hadn’t found                     6 to have
   2 didn’t work                      7 to getting up
   3 wouldn’t have gone         8 I could speak
   4 wouldn’t be                      9 I’d learnt to play
   5 used to driving               10 you wouldn’t leave

b 1 meeting
   2 cleaning
   3 to get
   4 not to be
   5 living

VOCABULARY
a 1 proud
   2 homesick
   3 grateful
   4 guilty
   5 stunned

b 1 exhausting        6 disappointing
   2 shocked            7 amazes
   3 embarrassed     8 horrified
   4 stressful            9 offensive
   5 annoys            10 scary

c 1 a conductor
   2 a band / a choir
   3 a cello
   4 a soprano
   5 a keyboard

d 1 pillow
  2 snore
  3 nap
  4 nightmare
  5 set

PRONUNCIATION
a 1 really
   2 alarm
   3 chauffeur
   4 architect
   5 guilty
b 1 upset
   2 devastated
   3 orchestra
   4 insomnia
   5 sleepwalk

CAN YOU UNDERSTAND THIS TEXT?
a his contact lens solution (which he drank) and the training he did for a career in the Armed Services
b 1 a        6 c
   2 c        7 c
   3 c        8 b
   4 b        9 a
   5 a       10 b

6B used to, be used to, get used to

a 2 get used to 3 usually 4 was used to being able  5 used to be 6 usually go
b 2 ’m used to 3 get used to 4 used to 5 usually  6 get used to 7 ’m used to 8 get used to
9 get used to 10 used to
c 2 being 3 seeing 4 get up 5 eating

6A gerunds and infinitives

a 2 going to see 3 go out 4 to have 5 not stay 6 working 7 to wear 8 live 9 laughing 10 to finish
  11 seeing 12 not to tell 13 work 14 seeing 15 to help 16 waiting 17 to park 18 speaking 19 getting       up / to get up 20 not come  21 spending 22 to give
b 2 not to be 3 changing 4 meeting 5 arriving  6 to revise 7 to tell 8 turning