Irregular Verbs Grouped by Pattern

Recently I posted a link to a list of the 50 most common irregular verbs in the English language. Here is another list of the 50 irregular verbs used most often (I didn't bother to check whether the same 50 verbs were on both lists--maybe one of you will compare the lists and let me know!). It only lists the first two parts (base form and simple past form) of the 50 verbs, but it is in alphabetical order, and practice exercises follow the list:

LINK: Top 50 Irregular Verbs and Practice Exercises

Some people find it helpful to learn the principal parts of irregular verbs by the patterns they follow rather than by learning a list of the most common. The same website (www.englishhints.com) also has a page that groups irregular verbs by the patterns they follow. Best of all, it has advice on ways to study these lists, depending on whether you learn best by seeing, hearing, or moving (writing).

My Suggestion: Click on the link below to go to the 12 lists. Read the sections on How to Study Irregular Verbs and Using the Lists. Then make your own copies of the lists. If you like to have something handy to study when you're riding the bus, waiting for class to start, or taking a break, copy the lists onto 12 or more note cards that you can easily carry in a pocket, wallet, or purse. You can buy lined or unlined cards in various sizes, or you can make your own. Try some of the suggested ways of studying the principal parts such as writing them 10 times, or having someone quiz you, or reciting them over and over.

 LINK: 12 Lists to Help You Learn Common Irregular Verbs

Participial Adjectives--Video

This video explains the difference between participial adjectives ending in -ed and those ending in -ing:

Participial Adjectives--Bored or Boring?

There's a difference between participial adjectives that end in -ed and those that end in -ing, as these cartoons show:

Rules for Comparative and Superlative adjectives

When do you simply and the -er (comparative) or -est (superlative) ending to the adjective, and when do you have to use more or most instead? 

Here are some charts from onestopenglish.com that show some of the basic rules (I have not provided a link to the site itself because you have to register before you can view material on this website:

REALLY NICE Explanation of Possessive Adjectives & Pronouns, Chart Showing the Different Kinds of Pronouns

Oh, I like this post at myenglishpages.com!

• There is a lesson that explains the difference between possessive adjectives and possessive pronouns.
• There are links to lessons on the different types of pronouns (subject, object, possessive, reflexive).
• There's a lovely chart that lists these different types of pronouns for 1st, 2nd, and 3rd person, singular and plural.
• There are links to quizzes and related topics.
• There's a link to a silly poem that uses possessive adjectives. You can click on the link and read the poem, but BEWARE! If you then click on the link to the YouTube video, you'll be watching big purple Barney the Dinosaur and his friends sing the song. Some of us watched plenty of Barney on tv when our children were little--no more, please!

Notice that I practiced using "There is," "There are," and the contraction "There's" in the above list. But I did not use "There're" as a contraction for "There are," because that contraction does not exist in English--BEWARE!


My suggestion: Read the lesson on possessive adjectives  and review the pronoun charts by clicking the first link below. 

LINK: Lesson on Possessive Adjectives

Then try this quiz on possessive adjectives and check your answers:

LINK: Grammar Exercises--Possessive Adjectives

To review possessive pronouns, click this link:

LINK: Lesson on Possessive Pronouns

Then try the exercises at this link:

LINK: Grammar Exercises--Possessive Pronouns
 

Possessive Adjectives and Possessive Pronouns--Listening Lab

To follow up on yesterday's class, practice recognizing possessive pronouns or adjectives in speech! The website www.learnamericanenglishonline.com has a Listening Lab section. You can read and listen to (at the same time) sentences that show how to use many elements of grammar: verb tenses, various kinds of pronouns, comparative adjectives and adverbs, prepositions, modal verbs, negative verbs, passive voice, etc.

Clicking on an exercise brings up a page on which you will see a rectangular box with a picture of Teacher Paul. Click the arrow beside Teacher Paul's picture to hear him read the sentences that are printed below the box, filling in the answer blanks as he reads. Further down the page you can look at the answers he used for the blanks. Below the answers there is a link that you can click on for further help understanding the topic.

My suggestion: Click on the link below and then choose an exercise to listen to (the possessive adjectives listening exercise is #3, and the possessive pronoun exercise is #9).

LINK: Listening Lab Exercises

Summary and Quiz on Subject and Object Pronouns

Click on the link below to see a summary of the difference between subject and object pronouns. Then test your ability to use them correctly by taking the quiz that follows the explanation.

LINK: Subject and Object Pronouns at efl.net

Another way to study grammar--Animations (cartoons)!

Here is a link to ESL Blues, a website that offers a lot of lessons and quizzes (at different levels) for people studying English:

ESL Blues

 It also teaches grammar lessons by animations. An animation is a drawing or picture that seems to move. We watch animated tv shows called cartoons. We also see animation in computer games and in videos. Turning a positive statement into a question or into a negative statement requires changing the normal English word order, adding a helping verb or negative word, and/or changing the tense of the main verb. For example: He walked yesterday. Did he walk yesterday?He did not walk yesterday. 

Animation lets you watch the words in a sentence move around as these changes occur. Seeing words float into and out of a sentence is another way to help you remember the changes that occur when we make a positive statement into a negative statement or a question.

My suggestion: Click on the "ESL Blues" link above. After the page loads, look at the Alphabetical Index on the left side. Click on Animated Grammar Tutorials and then choose some of the links to watch. Or just use the links below to watch two of these "anigrams" (the ESL Blues website's name for these animated videos):

Past Tense: Negative Forms
Past Tense: Yes/No Questions 

Wednesday, May 13, 2020 Announcements and Assignments

Wednesday, 5/13/20

Announcements

1) Below is some information Ann O'Leary sent to the teachers, about testing and registration for fall classes. Please read it carefully:

Registration and Testing for Fall Classes

IF we can be at school

Outreach Center

301 Avenue of the Cities, East Moline, IL

309-796-8245

You must register and test to attend fall classes. We hope to be at school for registration and for classes. IF we cannot be at school, we will let you know what you can do.

Only 10-15 people will register at a time. We will practice social distancing when possible. Plan to wait or come back. You must wear a face mask.  No children under 18 allowed.

 

If we are full, we will ask you to wait or come back another day.

More registration dates will be added.

Registration will be at 9:00, 2:00, and 5:30. Please be on time.

July 6, 8, 13, 15

August 3, 5

If there is room in your class, you will start on Monday, August 17. If the class is full, I will call you when you can begin class.

2) Our last online class is Friday, 5/15/20. I appreciate your patience and attendance as I was learning how Zoom meetings work. I am also very happy that many of you have been practicing on Burlington English regularly. Please continue to do so this summer, for as long as you have access (you should be able to use it at least through June).

3) The answers to all class assignments through Monday, 5/11/20 (except for those on Burlington English), are now posted in the Homework Answers section.

Assignments from Wednesday, 5/13/20 (due Friday, 5/15/20)

1) Future English 3 textbook, pp. 190-192 

p. 190--Study the grammar boxes at the top of the page (on participial adjectives). Do exercises A and B

p. 191--Do exercises A and B

p. 192--Study the words for internal parts of the body in the box. If you don't know what a word means, look up the definition in your language. Do Exercise A: write the number of the body part next to the name for it in the box.

2) Future English 3 workbook, p. 112

p. 112--Do exercises A and B

You do not have to send me the above two assignments. We will go over the answers in class, then I will post the answers on this blog.

3) Burlington English Lower Intermediate Core
    
Do Lesson 5 (Health), section 6 (Grammar: Adjectives with -ed and -ing)

4) Extra (optional) work:

I have two posts on this blog which help you understand the difference between an adjective with an -ed ending and an adjective with an -ing ending. Click the links below:

LINK: Cartoon and examples of using adjectives ending in -ed and -ing

LINK: Participial adjectives--short animated video

Friday, May 8, 2020--Announcements and Assignments

Friday, 4/8/20

Announcements

1. Remember to send me your vote on whether you would like to work in unit 10 or unit 11 next week.

2. I will post the answers to Wednesday (5/3/20)'s homework this weekend, in the "Homework Answers" section of this blog.

3. Our last day of class is Friday, May 15th. Because of the virus situation, the ESL program will not have any summer school classes this summer. However, Ann O'Leary will be scheduling the usual testing/registration dates, beginning in early July (more information later). 

4. You will be able to use your Burlington English account at least through the end of June.

5. At this time, fall classes are scheduled to begin on Monday, August 17th. Of course, we do not yet know whether we will be able to meet back in our building. I will email you with more information when the college has made decisions about the fall semester.

6. I recently sent you a message by email about Teacher Linda, who is retiring after 25 years of teaching. If you were in Teacher Linda's class in the past, we would like to collect your memories or thank yous to give to her. Teacher Theresa is in charge of collecting them. Here is what the email said:

Teacher Linda is retiring after teaching ESL at Black Hawk College for 25 years!

Please help us honor Teacher Linda. How? Write 2-3 sentences about a memory. Record yourself speaking the memory or speaking a thank you. Videos should be short because many videos will be put together to make a gift for Teacher Linda.

Here are some ideas:

I’ll always remember you because_______________.

In your class, I learned ________________________.

The best thing about your class was _______________.

Thank you for ________________________________.

Send your videos to Theresa Bries at briest@bhc.edu. Put “teacher Linda” in the subject line.

Thank you so much!

Theresa

To Teacher Linda!

Assignments (due Monday, 5/11/20)

1. Future English 3 Textbook, p. 177--complete sentences in the middle of the page (#1-4)

2. Future English 3 Textbook, pp. 178-179

Read p. 178 and then do Ex. A and B
Do Ex. A on p. 179

Please send me your answers to both of the above assignments by text or email.

3. Burlington English Lower Intermediate Core

• Do Lesson 3: "Getting a job"--section 4: "Grammar: Gerunds and Infinitives"

• Then do all sections of Lesson 6-"In the Workplace."

NOTE: As usual, I will be able to see what you have completed in Burlington English by looking in my teacher's account progress reports.

4. Choose a book from the "Readers" section of Burlington English. Read it and write four sentences about what you read. Tell the title and author of the story, and then tell a few things you liked (or didn't like) about the book.

Here is an example (the book I'm using is not on BE):

     I read Pride and Prejudice, by Jane Austen. My favorite person in the book is Elizabeth Bennet. She is smart and funny, and she has high standards for the person she chooses to marry. Although Mr. Darcy was rich, she wouldn't marry him until he changed his proud and insulting behavior.

This was assigned earlier in the week, but you have until Monday to send me your four sentences about what you read, by text or email.

Thursday, May 7, 2020 Announcements and Assignments

Thursday, 5/7/20

1. I have posted the answers to the homework assigned Monday, 5/4/20, in the "Homework Answers" section of this blog. You can check your answers there, and let me know if you have any questions.

2. I am late posting Wednesday's assignments for those who did not attend class that morning (5/6/20). I apologize. If you need the weekend to finish them, that's OK, but I will be giving some additional homework in Friday's class (5/8/20).

3. Please look through the contents of unit 10 and unit 11 in the FER3 textbook. Send me a message by text or email with your vote on which unit you prefer the class to study next week (it's the last week of class, so we only have time to do one of these units).  

Assignments given Wednesday, 5/6/20

1) Future English 3 Textbook, p. 176

Study the Grammar section at the top of the page, then do Ex. A and B. You do not have to send me this assignment.

NOTE: The grammar box at the top does not give much explanation. Therefore I will assign a section of Burlington English on Friday, to give you additional practice on using gerunds vs. using infinitives after certain verbs. Log into BE and click the "Courses" box. Then click "3. Getting a Job" and complete Lesson 4--"Grammar: Gerunds and Infinitives." You may have all weekend to finish this lesson--it is due on Monday, 5/11/20.

2. Future English 3 Workbook, pp. 101-103

p. 101--Do exercises D and E (on indefinite pronouns)

pp. 102-103--Skim and then read the article "Succeeding in Management" on p. 102.
Then complete Exercises A, B, C, and D on p. 103.

If you attend the online class on Friday, 5/8/20, we will go over the answers then. If you are not able to attend Friday's class, please send me your answers to the exercises on p. 103 by text or e-mail.

3. On Burlington English, in the "Readers" section, pick a story (if you have not already done so) to read. Please finish reading the story by Monday, 5/11/20. 

Then write four sentences about the story you read, telling the name of the book, who wrote it, and what you liked about the story. Send me your sentences by text or email, by Monday, 5/11/20.


4. Please look through the contents of unit 10 and unit 11 in the Future English 3 textbook. Send me a message by text or email with your vote on whether you prefer the class to study unit 10 or unit 11 next week (it's the last week of class, so we only have time to do one of these units).

Monday, May 4, 2020 Announcements and Assignments

Monday, 5/4/20

Announcements

1. I learned today that some of you had trouble joining the meeting from the Burlington English website calendar. I'll check and see what the problem is. Meanwhile, remember that you can also join this way:

1.   Go to the Zoom.com website
2.   Click "Join a meeting"
3.   Click "Open Zoom" if you are prompted to do so
4.   Enter the meeting ID and click "Continue" (or whatever that button says)
5.   Enter the meeting password 

2. We have our last classes this week and next week (each Monday, Wednesday, and Friday at 10:00 a.m.). The last day of class for the spring semester is Friday, May 15th. We will continue to work in Unit 9 ("On the Job") of the FER3 textbook and workbook this week, as well as in Burlington English (see assignments below).

3. After unit 9, there are still two units in the textbook that we have not covered. Unit 10 is called "Going to the Doctor," and unit 11 is called "Money Matters." Obviously we will not have time to cover both of these units. I would like you to vote on which unit you prefer to cover, in our last three classes next week.

Please look at the "Scope and Sequence" section at the front of your textbook, on pp. x and xi. Look over the columns that tell what units 10 and 11 cover (grammar, life skills, reading, etc.). Then send me a text or email by Friday, May 8th, to let me know which unit you vote for.


Assignments for Monday, May 4, 2020
(due Wednesday, May 6th)

NOTE: I will post the answers to homework assigned Friday, May 1st (see the previous post), on Tuesday, May 6th. /So if you missed class today (5/4/20), you can check your work there.

1. FER3 Textbook, pp. 172-173

Please skim and then read "Working the Late Shift" on p. 172. 
Then do exercises 3A, 3B, and 4 on p. 173.

2. FER3 Workbook, p. 100

Do exercises A, B, and C on p. 100.

Do not send me the two assignments above--we will go over them in class on Wednesday, May 6th, at 10 a.m.

3. Burlington English Readers

One of your assignments from last Friday, May 1st, was to choose one of the stories in the BE Readers section and read it over the weekend. Please do so if you have not yet read a story. Be sure to choose a story you find interesting, not one that bores you!

Then write four sentences about the story you chose. These sentences should tell me what story you read and what you liked or didn't like about the story. Send your sentences to me (by text or email. by Friday, May 8th.

UPDATE: The due date for this assignment has changed, to give you a little more time. Please send me your sentences by Monday, 5/11/20.

4. Burlington English Core--Lower Intermediate

This is the same course we've been working on. In section 4, lesson 6, there is a section on indefinite pronouns that will give you more practice. This is the grammar term for words such as one, ones, which one, this, that, these, and those (as shown in the FER3 Textbook, pp. 170-171, which was part of Friday's homework assignment).Like the personal pronouns (I, you, he, she, we, him, her, etc.), indefinite pronouns can take the place of a noun.

Please complete Lesson 4, "Money Matters," section 6 (Grammar: Indefinite Pronouns), by Wednesday, May 6th. There are 8 parts to this section, but each one is short and won't take you very long.

Monday, April 20th Announcements and Assignments

Monday, 4/20/20

Announcements

1) The Zoom meeting website was crashing this morning, so if you tried to join the meeting and were unable to, that's why. We eventually were able to meet with several people. The next meeting is Wednesday, 4/22/20 at 10:00 a.m., using the same link and meeting information as before.

2) Thank you to those of you who have sent me your work from Friday's assignments. We discussed it briefly in the meeting this morning, and you can double check your answers under the "Homework Answers" section of this blog. I will be getting back to you with comments on your individual work.

3) Remember that I can view your progress in Burlington English. Thank you very much, those of you who have completed Lesson 1 in Burlington Core--Low Intermediate (last week's assignment). 

Those of you who have not been working in Burlington English, please try to spend 30 minutes, on at least 4 days per week. It's a great review and reinforcement of your English skills. Do let me know if you have trouble logging in.

Assignments

We have now completed the work in chapter 12 of our Future English 3 Textbook. I have not given a unit test on other chapters in the book before, but I think it will be a useful review of the important skills and grammar in the unit.
Tomorrow I will post on this blog a Unit 12 Review Test. You may use your book when you take the test, and you will have until Monday, 4/27/20, to send your work back to me.

There are four units in the textbook that we have not yet studied: units 8, 9, 10, and 11. Since we only have 4 weeks of class left (counting this week), we can't do everything in these units. I will assign specific sections. 

1) Today's assignments--due Wednesday, 4/22/20

Unit 8: Staying Healthy (textbook)

    Lesson 4, p. 152--Read a nutritional label

• Please read the two nutritional labels for corn chips on p. 152. Then answer the questions in Practice 2 at the bottom of the page. You do not have to send me these answers; I will post the answers on Wednesday.

    Lesson 6, p. 156--Talk about family health

• Study the grammar chart on using gerunds as the object of a verb. Remember, a gerund is what we call the -ing form of a verb when it is used as a noun in a sentence. Certain verbs are often followed by a gerund, such as enjoy, like, and the verbs listed in the "Grammar Watch" box at the top of p. 156.

• Complete exercises A and B on p. 156 of the textbook and text or email me your answers.

• Write four sentences that are true for you, by combining phrases from Group A and Group B below. Text or email me your sentences.

Group A                       Group B

I dislike                              baking cakes.
I love                                  cooking meals.
I enjoy                                watching movies.
I can't stand                        playing sports. 
                                           reading books.
                                           driving.
                                           studying.
                                           cleaning.
                                           working hard.

2) Assignment on Gerunds from Burlington English--complete by Friday, 4/24/20

• Go to the Burlington English website (click on the link below or type burlingtonenglish.com into the address bar of your web browser)

LINK: Burlington English

• Log in with your ID and password, and click "Away from school"
• Click on "Courses"
• Click on "Burlington Core--Low Intermediate"
• Click on "Student Lessons"
• Click on 3. Getting a Job  (see picture below)
• Click on 2. Grammar: Gerunds and complete all 9 parts of this section by Friday, 4/24/20

I will know you have completed this assignment because I can view your progress on the Burlington English website.

⬅️

Monday, April 6, 2020 Announcements and Assignments Updated

 Monday, April 6, 2020

This Friday, April 10th, is a holiday on the Black Hawk College school calendar (Good Friday). There will be no online class or homework assignments on Friday.

Announcements (updated)

NOTE: As you read the information below, do not panic about learning to use your phone , laptop, TV, etc., to enter an online classroom. I am learning too, and we will all help each other!

1) On Tuesday, April 7th, I will send you information by email and text message about how to join our first online meeting. 

In the email and text, you will receive a link. Clicking the link will take you to the online meeting website. We will talk and catch up with each other, answer any questions, and practice using the controls.

I will schedule our first “live” online class for Wednesday, April 8th, at 10 a.m. Online meetings are pretty new to me, too, so I expect that I will make some mistakes as I set this up. I’m sure you will make mistakes too, but we’ll all learn together and help each other. It will last about an hour.

The good thing about having to do class online is that we should all gain a lot more digital literacy. Digital literacy means knowing how to use computers, smartphones, etc., to do different things. I hope we can increase not only your English language skills, but also your technology skills. 


Assignments

1) Please check to see whether you have texted or emailed me the assignments from each day last week that are highlighted in blue-green.

2) You can check the answers to homework assignments #3 and #4 from Friday, 4/3/20 (except for the part I asked you to send to me), by clicking that date under the "Homework Answers" heading on the upper right area of this page. It looks like this:       

 

3) Grammar

There is only one assignment for today (due Tuesday, April 7th), because tomorrow you will receive your directions for preparing to join our online class on Wednesday. That will be plenty for you to work on!

Future English 3 Workbook, p. 145, Exercises C and D
(more practice with past passive verbs)

You do not need to send me your work for this assignment. The answers will be posted tomorrow for you to check your work.

Wednesday, April 1, 2020--Announcements and Class Assignments

Wednesday, April 1, 2020

Hello again, everyone! I received texts from several of you, but there seems to be some confusion on several points. First, here are a few announcements:

• For this week, please check the blog daily for assignments and announcements. Follow the instructions for each assignment.

• I am working to set up a true online class, in which we will all be able to see and talk to one another through a meeting website. I will send more information by the weekend.

• Some of you have let me know you are not receiving my emails or texts--thank you! I believe I have responded to everyone who sent me such a message. If you are still not getting emails and texts from me, please send me your correct phone number and email address by text and/or email:
• 309-948-9615
• calderk@bhc.edu

• If you have missed any of my messages, just keep checking this blog, which contains all the information I have been sending out (see my last few posts).

• I notice that some of you respond to me using WhatsApp rather than standard texting. So I will try to set up a WhatsApp chatroom for sending out announcements, too.

I will type assignments in RED so that you can find them easily.

First, let's go over Tuesday's assignments.

1) Everyone was supposed to email or text me their answers to 3 questions. However, only one person did. Please reread Tuesday 3/31/2020 assignment #1, and send me a text or email with your answers to the 3 questions.

2) I have added a section titled "Homework Answers" on the top right side of this page, underneath the box with all the subject tabs, to the left of the Search box. The section looks like this:                                

Look for this section at the top right side of this page, and click on "Answers to Tues. 3/31/20 homework--textbook, p. 242" to check your own homework. 

3) You were to read the article on the nation's capital on p. 142 in the Future English 3 Workbook and then circle 5 words that were new vocabulary for you. Rather than have you type them in a comment on this page, I changed the instructions. Instead, please write down the 5 words and send them to me in a text or email.

Assignments for Wednesday, April 1, 2020 

(due Thursday, April 2, 2020)

1) Have you texted or emailed me your answers from yesterday's assignment, #1 (see yesterday's post)? If not, please do so today.

2) Review how to form past passive verbs (past tense, passive voice) by doing the following:

• Click the link below and read the lesson on past passive: 

LINK: Lesson on past passive at learnamericanenglishonline.com

• As you scroll down the page, you will see that the lesson includes a listening lab practice and then a video for you to view. I am also putting links to the video and listening lab below. Watch the video.

LINK: Video--How to form past passive verbs

• After watching the video, click on the link for the listening lab below. You will see a page that looks like this:

Get out paper and pencil and number 1 to 10. After clicking the link to the listening lab page--

LINK: Listening lab on past passive verbs 

--click on the arrow in the orange circle to listen to the teacher read sentences.

As you listen, fill in the missing past passive verbs for the sentences he reads (you can just write the missing words on your own paper).

When you are finished, scroll down the page a little to check your answers (don't look at them before you're finished!).

3) Reread the article "The Nation's Capital Finds a Home" on p. 142 in the Future English 3 Workbook. 

• On p. 143, review what summarizing is by reading what is in the gray box at the top right of the page.
• Answer part A--choose the best summary of the article.
• Answer the six True/False questions in part B.
• We will check your answers tomorrow.

*UPDATE*: I have updated the homework answers for 4/1/20 to include the answers to the Workbook, p. 143, Exercises A and B. I apologize for leaving them out at first!

4) Vocabulary words

• Don't forget to text me 5 words from the article that are new to you (3/31/2020 assignment #3)
• I have chosen some vocabulary words from the article on p. 142. Below is a vocabulary exercise for you to do on your own paper.
• In front of each word on the left, put the letter of the definition on the right that matches it. You may use a dictionary.
• We will check answers tomorrow.

Vocabulary for Future English 3 Workbook, p. 142—“The Nation’s Capital Finds a Home”

I.  Matching: Put the letter of a definition in front of the vocabulary word it matches on the left. You may look in a dictionary if you need to.

____	1.   location	A. to stay
____	2.   compromise	B.  a person in charge of a U.S. government department
____	3.   capital	C.  money that is owed
____	4.   defeated	D.  a city where the government of a state or country is
____	5.   remain	E.  a place
____	6.   debt	F.  beaten in a contest or war
____	7.   secretary	G.  an agreement in which each side gets part of what it wants