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

Reading Skills Practice: Strategies for Better Reading

Reading tests have a time limit. They try to find out whether you read English well enough to quickly understand the meaning, of what you read. We call this skill reading comprehension (comprehension means understanding). To read well, you have to improve your vocabulary, but you also have to work on other reading skills: inferring, predicting, and identifying the main idea.

If you read well enough to understand what the author intends, you should be able to draw conclusions about what you are reading, or to predict what will probably happen next. Sometimes we call this skill "reading between the lines," or inference. To infer means to use what the author directly says to conclude or predict something that he author doesn't actually state.

My suggestion: Click on the link below to practice inferring, predicting, and identifying the main idea.

LINK: Strategies for Better Reading: Understanding, Predicting, Inferring 

Here is a sample question from this activity:

Reading Skill Practice: Summarizing and Finding the Main Idea

Finding the main idea in what you read takes practice. You have to learn to tell the difference between main idea statements and detail statements. You often have to recognize a summary (a brief statement of what the reading is mainly about) or a paraphrase (a statement that says the same thing, but with different words). You also have to learn to group details into categories by identifying what they have in common. Seeing what statements have in common helps you to identify the main idea of what you are reading, or to summarize it with different words..

My suggestion: Click on the link below to learn how to summarize and how to tell the difference between the main idea and the details that support the main idea.

LINK: Finding the Main Idea and Summarizing

Reading Skill Practice: Using Context to Find the Meaning of Unknown Words

When you are taking a reading test and come to a word that you don't know, don't let it slow you down. Think of yourself as a reading detective. Find clues in the context (words you do know that are around the word you don't know) that help you guess the meaning of the new word. You can often answer a question about what you read, even if you don't know what every single word in the reading  means.

My suggestion: Click on the link below to practice figuring out the meaning of new words from the context.

LINK: Learn to Use Context Clues for Unknown Words

Reading Skill Practice: Scanning for Information

On the TABE test, you have to read and answer questions about what you read in a limited period of time. It's important to know how to scan a reading selection for key words so that you can find the answers you need quickly. If you read every single word, you may find the answers to the questions, but you'll run out of time and you won't finish all of the questions on a timed test. Scanning is something you have to practice a lot before you can do it well under time pressure.

My suggestion: Click on the link below to improve your skill in scanning for details (specific pieces of information), rather than slowly reading every word.

LINK: Scanning for Specific Information 

Lessons and Exercises on Past Progressive/Continuous Tense

I am behind on posting what we've been doing in class, so I'm going to catch up with the most recent lessons and work my way backwards. Last week we studied the past progressive and simple past tenses and using them in time clauses. For instance, while is usually used with the past progressive tense: While I was watching television, while they were sleeping, etc. When, on the other hand, likes the simple past tense: The little boy was happy when his father came home.

My suggestion: Click on the links below for lessons and exercises on the past progressive/continuous tense and using it in time clauses:

LINK: Lesson on Uses and Forms of the Past Progressive Tense at myenglishpages.com 

LINK: Exercise on Forming the Past Progressive at myenglishpages.com

LINK: Lesson on Past Progressive Tense and Time Clauses at grammarbank.com

LINK: Exercise on Past Progressive Tense (scroll down to sentences 1-10)



Then click on these links to practice choosing between the simple past and past progressive tenses:

LINK: Simple Past or Past Progressive at ego4u.com

LINK: Simple Past or Past Progressive at Englishpage.com

LINK: Simple Past or Past Progressive at Perfect-English-Grammar.com

LINK: Simple Past or Past Progressive at a4esl.org

Review of Future Tense

There are three ways to express future tense: present continuous (for an activity scheduled ahead of time), simple present using going to, and simple present using will. Review and practice each way, using the links below.

My suggestion: Clink on the links below to review (read the summary) and then practice (click on the exercises) each way of expressing future time. Most exercises are "click and drag," but if you have to type in text, do not put in extra spaces (do not put a space at the beginning of your answer, and use only one space between words), or the computer will read your answer as incorrect.

LINK: Present Continuous (or sometimes Simple Present) for Future Scheduled Activities) 

LINK: Simple Future with "Going to"

LINK: Simple Future with "Will"

LINK: "Going To" or "Will"? 

Rachel's English Videos--Common American pronunciation reductions

In class today we talked about how Americans say gonna instead of going to, wanna instead of want to, whaddya instead of what do you, etc. These run-together pronunciations are called reductions because Americans reduce the sounds--make them smaller or run the words together--when we say them in everyday conversation.

 You can listen to many videos (and read along with the words you hear in the videos) at rachelsenglish.com. Spending time with these videos is one way to train your ear to quickly recognize what Americans say in conversation, which can seem very different from the written words. Listen to Rachel explain and pronounce these words or phrases, and practice saying them with her.

My suggestion: Click on the links below to practice some common American pronunciation reductions and get used to hearing them in conversation.

What did/whud' or What did you/wu-juh

I'm going to/I'm gonna/I'muna

Gonna (going to), ahright (all right), sorduv (sort of), kn (can) and others 

Here's a sample video:

Third Person Singular Present Tense Verbs--That Pesky "S"

Last week we reviewed spelling rules for adding the final -s to 3rd person singular verbs in the present tense. English language learners have a lot of trouble with that final -s. Grammarbank.com has some good exercises on the 3rd person singular of simple present tense verbs. Again, beware of clicking on buttons which are actually links to downloads or advertisements, not grammar lessons or quizzes. Instead, scroll down to the numbered questions.

My suggestion: Click on the links below to practice using the correct person and number of present tense verbs. You'll also get a little practice with questions and negative statements in the present tense.

NOTE: If the sentence is a negative statement or question, type in the complete verb, including what is in parentheses, not just do or does, or your answer will be marked incorrect. Also, use a capital letter if the blank is at the beginning of the sentence. 

Example: ______ (Mark/like) cookies?
Correct answer: Does Mark like
Incorrect answers: Does, does, does Mark like, Do, do, Do Mark like

LINK: Practice simple present tense, 3rd person singular

LINK: More practice with simple present tense

Remember, simple present tense is used to give information (facts) or to talk about usual habits or activities. If you need to review the grammar of the simple present tense, click this link:

LINK: Review of simple present tense with frequency adverbs

Work at Your Own Speed

Learnamericanenglishonline.com is a website where you can learn at your own pace (speed). It's also a good place to practice skills and to find out how much you know.

This website is organized in levels of learning. The beginning level is Blue. Here is the beginning of the list of topics to study at the blue level (there are 31 skills and a Review):

There are seven levels in all, plus other topics for learning and many quizzes for testing yourself. At the right is the website menu:


My suggestion: Clink on the link below to explore this website and practice whatever skills you want to work on (don't worry--you don't have to go as fast as this little hedgehog):



LINK: Self-Paced Learning at Learn American English Online

     

Tips for Multiple Choice Questions

Multiple choice tests are tricky. Click on the link below to do an exercise that gives you tips for choosing the answer on a multiple choice test.

LINK: Tips for Multiple Choice Questions

Also, click on the next link below for tips on answering different types of multiple choice questions:

LINK: Three common types of multiple choice questions

The following question isn't from the exercise at the link. It's amusing, but it's an example of how multiple choice questions can drive you crazy!

Non-Action Verbs Practice

Here is a nice explanation of non-action verbs at ESLGold.com:

(This website has a lot of ads, so you have to scroll down to look for the grammar lesson)

"Some verbs cannot be used in the progressive tenses. They are called non-action verbs. Non-action verbs indicate state, sense, desire, possession, or opinion."

This explanation is followed by a list of non-action verbs and examples of how to use these verbs in sentences.There is also a list of verbs that have both action and non-action meanings, such as have, look, and think. Often these verbs require a preposition when they are used as action verbs in the present progressive tense:

John is thinking about his girlfriend.
I am looking at a beautiful sunset.

My Suggestion: Read the short explanation of non-action verbs at the first link below, then click on the second link to try some exercises at a different website:

LINK: Non-Action Verbs Explanation at ESLGold 

LINK: Non-Action Verbs Practice Exercise

What Do You Need To Practice?

Enjoy the Thanksgiving holiday, but do a little English language practice every day.

My Suggestions:

1) Listen to a VOA news story or short fiction story while you read the printed text. Click on unfamiliar words to see the definition. Or try some of the new English learning course videos on this page.

LINK: Voice of America         

2) Test your knowledge of irregular verbs, how to use verb tenses, vocabulary, or other basic English skills at the website Englishlearner.com. Try any of the quizzes in the "Beginner Grammar Exercises and Tests" section near the top of the page:

LINK: Beginner Grammar Exercises and Tests at Englishlearner.com

3) Learn some new idioms and practice using them with a native English speaker or someone who is more advanced, to make sure you are using the idioms correctly. Check out the lists of idioms at Englishhints.com, or watch some "English in a Minute" videos at VOA:

LINK: List of Idioms at Englishhints.com

LINK: English in a Minute at VOA

Simple Past Tense--Links to Lessons and Exercises

This week we began studying the simple past tense. If you missed class, I have handouts and exercises for you, but below are some links to websites with good lessons on the simple past tense of verbs. There are also links to grammar exercises and quizzes on the simple past. You should study the past form of irregular verbs to prepare for the exercises. I gave you lists of irregular verbs in class, but you can also click on the tab for "Irregular Verbs" at the top of this blog and explore the posts that come up. They all have links to websites with more information about (or practice with) irregular verb forms.

My Suggestion: If you want more lessons on the simple past tense, try the links below.

If you want to practice listening and repeating verbs and sentences in the simple past tense, click on this link:

LINK: Practice saying past tense verbs in questions and answers

We can use the past tense with today to talk about what we did EARLIER in the day: "Today I went to school and then rode the bus home."

LINK: Practice saying what you did today

If you want exercises or quizzes, click on the link below. Remember--don't type extra spaces in your answer, or the computer will read it as the wrong answer, even if you typed the correct word.

LINK: Simple Past Tense Exercises

Here is an exercise that gives you two sentences and asks you to click on the sentence that is written in past tense (the other sentence is written in either present tense or in future tense with will--will eat, will go, etc.).

LINK: Choose the sentence in past tense

Review and Practice--Spelling Rules for adding -ed and -ing to verbs

Click on the link below to review spelling rules for adding -ed (for simple past tense) and -ing (for progressive tenses) to verbs:

LINK:Review and practice adding -ed and -ing endings

Noun Plurals Practice

Welcome to the Fall 2018 semester! We will be reviewing noun plurals, so here are some websites where you can practice your knowledge of nouns:

My suggestion: Click on the links below to practice using the correct form of nouns.

LINK: Rules for making singular nouns plural

LINK: Plural forms and irregular nouns

LINK: Common and proper nouns 

LINK: Practice spelling plural form of nouns in sentences 

LINK: More practice with singular or plural nouns in sentences

LINK: Lesson on Countable/Uncountable Nouns (scroll down)

LINK: Use the correct form--count and noncount nouns in sentences 

How Do You Find the Main Idea?

Below is a link to a college reading center website. It outlines helpful steps for finding the main idea of a reading selection. There is a section on finding the main idea when it is stated directly, when it is contained in a "reversal" statement, and when it is not stated directly, but implied.

My suggestion: Click on the link below. Read the first page (copied below the link), which gives some general instructions for how to find the topic and the main idea of a reading selection. Then continue reading about three different ways the main idea may be found:
1) directly stated main idea, 2) reversal transitions, and 3) implied main idea.

LINK: How to Find the Main Idea of a Paragraph

Writing a story or article in simple present tense.

We normally use the simple present tense to talk about a fact (a piece of information) or a regular habit (something that happens repeatedly or regularly) For example:

     I work at a grocery store. (fact)

     I speak English and Spanish. (fact)

     I eat breakfast at 7:00 a.m. every morning. (habit)

     My brother and I play basketball every Saturday morning. (habit)

However, we can also use the simple present to tell a story or a joke. We use present tense or present progressive to tell the story or joke in an active manner, as if it is happening at the moment. We can even tell about past events using the simple present, to create the feeling we are watching events as they unfold.

My suggestion: Click on the link below and read about using present vs. past tense in narration and about telling jokes or stories with active wording. Then do Practice 1 and Practice 2.

LINK: Using present vs. past tense in narration

Computer Skills Lessons for Beginners

If you fear computers, or if you think you don't know how to do much with a computer, the Northstar Learning Guide to basic computer skills can help you! Look at this lesson chart to see some of the things you can learn on your own:

 My suggestion: Click on the link below to start the tutorial on basic computer skills. You can also choose lessons on a different computer topic by clicking on one of the other tabs at the top of the page (for example, Module 5: Microsoft Word).

LINK: Northstar Learning Guide: Module 1: Basic Computer

Then test your knowledge of basic computer terms and skills by clicking the link below. Click on "Take An Assessment." In the box labeled "Essential Computer Skills," click on "Basic Computer Skills" to take the quiz.

LINK: Northstar Digital Literacy Quiz on Basic Computer Skills


(Remember, these quizzes do not work on the Mozilla Firefox browser, because it won't run Adobe Flash Player. Use Google Chrome or Microsoft Internet Explorer instead).

3 Keys to Improve Your Listening Comprehension, and More Listening Practice

The Anglo-Link channel on YouTube has a 20-minute video with helpful tips for improving your ability to listen to and understand native speakers of English. There are also videos in which you can listen to common short expressions (things Americans say) and practice writing them.

My suggestion: Find a time when you have at least 20 minutes to sit down and play the video with helpful listening tips. Have a pencil and paper ready to take notes, and click on the link below. You'll probably want to listen to it more than once (if you can't listen again right away, listen again in 2 to 3 days):

LINK: Tips for Improving Listening Comprehension

Then click below to try some quick listening and writing (transcription) exercises. Fifteen short sentences are read, two times each. After you hear a sentence the first time, pause the video and try to write down what you heard. Listen to the sentence a second time, pause the video again, and check what you wrote. When you start the video again after hearing the sentence the second time, the answer will appear on the video. Then continue with the next sentence.

LINK: Transcription Exercise (listen and write practice)

Click on the link below for a third video from this channel, and practice some common English expressions. Listen and repeat, or have pen and paper ready so you can try writing down the expressions you hear (35 sentences in total).

LINK: Practice Listening and Repeating Common Daily Expressions