Ways to Learn the Principal Parts of Irregular Verbs

Here is the Oxford Advanced Learner Dictionary definition for "principal parts": the forms of a verb from which all the other forms can be made. In English these are the infinitive (for example swim), the past tense (swam) and the past participle (swum). We also call the infinitive form (to swim) the base form of the verb.

What is the best way to learn the principal parts of irregular verbs? Some people like to study with lists on paper. Others like to make flashcards or have a friend quiz them. One of the best ways to learn the parts of irregular verbs is to write sentences using them. For example:

Manuel woke up and got out of bed. He put on clothes, went to the grocery store, and bought some milk. The milk cost $3.29. He brought the carton of milk home, put it in the refrigerator, and wrote down how much money he spent at the store. He sat at his desk and taught himself some new English vocabulary words. Later he took the milk out of the refrigerator, poured some on his cereal, and ate it for breakfast. He also drank coffee with a little milk in it. Then he put his dirty dishes in the sink, left the house, and drove to work. He got gasoline on the way to work and kept track of how much he spent in a little notebook he always left in the car.

All of the verbs in the above paragraph are simple past tense. They are all irregular verbs except for one. The one regular verb is the only verb NOT written in darker italic letters. Can you find the only verb in the paragraph that forms the past tense in the regular way (by adding -ed or -d to the base form)? Here is a hint: Pablo opened up really enormous doors.

Another way to learn the principal parts of irregular verbs is to play the Listen and Repeat videos at manythings.org. Listen to and repeat the three parts of each verb.

My suggestion: Click on one of the first two links to practice principal parts with Listen and Repeat videos. Click on the third link to take four quizzes (in the blue box area)--fill in the blank with the simple past form of the irregular verb shown at right.

LINK: Listen and Repeat Irregular Verbs 

LINK: Fill in the blank with the simple past of these irregular verbs

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

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

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:

Listen and Write the Verb You Hear

We don't have time to do a lot of listening practice in class. However, the Listening Lab at the website learnamericanenglish.com has many listen-and-write exercises. You can pick an easier or a harder grammar level (blue is the easiest, and there are seven levels in all).

After you click on one of the links below, click on the arrow next to the teacher's picture. He will dictate (read something for you to write down) a sentence. You have to listen for the verb and then write it down. When you write down the words you hear, you are transcribing those words.

At the blue (easiest) level, you listen to a sentence and then fill in the verb you hear (the rest of the sentence is already typed for you). Click on one of the following links to practice listening and writing at the blue level:

LINK: Listening practice--present tense verbs


LINK: Listening practice--present continuous verbs


LINK: Listen for the correct helping verb: be or do?

Listening and Pronunciation Practice--Minimal Pairs

Sheep                                    Ship         

Minimal pairs practice refers to practice with pairs of words that sound alike, except for a small (minimal) difference in the vowel (or consonant) sound. Here's an example of a minimal pair: not and nut. The only difference between the two words is the way you pronounce the vowel sound between the consonants n and t. The word not has a short o sound in the middle, but the word nut has a short u sound.

Practice listening to and repeating minimal pairs at the links below. The second website, manythings.org, also has some videos that pronounce these pairs so you can listen and repeat.

(Click below to watch one of these listen and repeat videos)

After you click on one of the links below (highlighted in yellow), you may see a notice like this:

Click on the notice, then click "Allow" on the box that appears:

My suggestion: Click on one of the links below and follow the directions to listen to and practice saying minimal pairs.

LINK: Ship or Sheep?     

Click on a pair of words from the list, then move your mouse pointer over a picture to hear the word spoken.

LINK: Minimal Pairs Practice and Quizzes at Manythings.org

Click on a pair from the list, or on a practice video which pronounces the words for you so that you can listen and repeat. When you click on a pair, you are taken to a new screen with directions. Read the directions, then scroll to the bottom of the screen and click "Start." Once you are on the page for a pair, you can use the arrow keys at the bottom to go forward ➔  to the next pair or backward ⟵  to the previous pair.

Summer English Conversation Practice--Time and Place

Improve your English conversation skills for 6 weeks this summer at the Adult Learning Center in Rock Island!

To sign up, give your contact information to Teacher Kathy (if you're in the Moline class), or sign up at the front desk at the ACL (if you're in the Rock Island class at the ACL). If you have questions about the conversation practice, contact Marney Tope (volunteer coordinator for ESL) by phone (309-796-8215) or email (topem@bhc.edu).

Who:     Any ESL student, any level

What:    Practice speaking and listening in English
              Topics will be chosen by students

Where:  Black Hawk College Adult Learning Center (ALC), 4610 Black Hawk Commons Dr., Rock Island, IL
               (309) 794-1072

              The location is shown by the red balloon on the map below, or click this link:

             LINK: Online map showing location of Adult Learning Center

When:    9-11 A.M.--Tuesday/Thursday

               June 18, 20, 25, 27
               July  2, 9, 11
           

Link to Ali Baba and the Forty Thieves--Read and Listen

Below is a link to the "Ali Baba and the Forty Thieves" story that we watched in class (at youtube.com). When you click on the link, you can listen and read at the same time, because the words appear on the screen as the story is read. You will also see many other animated folk tales in English at this YouTube link.

LINK: Ali Baba and the Forty Thieves (animated)

Below is a picture from the video, but click at the link above to watch, read, and listen to the actual story.

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

Review: Negative Statements and Questions in the Past Tense

This week we galloped (look it up, galloped) through some review exercises on forming questions and negative statements. Here is a link to my post from last year on practicing negative statements and questions in the past tense:

My suggestion: Click on the link below, read the post, then click on the links provided and do the suggested exercises.

LINK: Practice Simple Past Tense: Negatives and Questions

Practice Simple Past Tense--Negatives and Questions

Recently we have worked on the simple past tense. We use did as a helping verb to make a negative statement in the past tense (in the present tense, we use do or does). You have a handout on forming statements, negative statements, yes/no questions, and short answers in the past tense. Please practice asking questions in the past tense, both by writing them and saying them aloud.

My Suggestions: Practice writing sentences and questions in the past tense by clicking the first link below. Each question gives you words for a sentence, with only the simple base form of the verb. If it is a positive statement, you have to change the base form of the verb to the simple past form.. If the word not is next to the verb you are given, make the sentence negative, whether it is a statement or a question. If the sentence is a question or is negative, you have to add the helping verb (did) and use the BASE form of the verb. When you type the sentence, be sure to put the words in the correct order, capitalize the first word, and put the correct punctuation mark at the end. Read the directions carefully--do not include extra spaces in your answer, or the computer will read it as incorrect:

LINK: Practice making simple past sentences at Englishlearner.com 

Here are 25 practice exercises on making questions in the past tense:

LINK: 25 Practice Exercises on Questions in the Simple Past Tense
  
For "listen and repeat" practice in making questions in several verb tenses (present continuous, past, present, and future), click on this link:

LINK: Listen to Questions and Answers in 4 Verb Tenses 

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

Bilingual Poems and Folk Tales in Various Languages

The website interlinearbooks.com sells bilingual books, but it also has some free parallel text poems and stories. There is a word-for-word translation into English right below the foreign language text (this is called an interlinear translation). Unfortunately, there are no Arabic-English texts, and Japanese is the only standard Asian language represented.

The translations from other languages into English are very word-for-word and literal--the English is not changed to sound natural to a native English speaker. Here are the beginning lines of a poem, "La Barca Milagrosa" ("The Wonderful Boat"), with a Spanish-English interlinear text:   

La    barca        milagrosa

The   boat          wonderful     by Delmira Agustini     

Preparadme   una      barca  como   un        gran    pensamiento . . .

Build for me     a           boat     like      a          great    thought . . .

La llamarán                           «La Sombra»             unos,

It will call (by the name of)     “The Shadow”             some,

otros                                       «La Estrella».

others (will call it by the name of)       “The Star.”

No ha de         estar                al                     capricho         de        una            mano

It should not     be          (subject) to the             whim             of          a                hand

o          de        un        viento:

or         of          a          wind:

Yo       la quiero         consciente,     indominable    y          bella!

I           want it              sensitive,         indomitable,     and       beautiful!

To read the rest of the poem, click on the first link below. To go to the list of free interlinear texts at interlinearbooks.com, click on the second link below.

LINK: "La Barca Milagrosa"--"The Wonderful Boat"

LINK: The Interlinear Texts Library

Online Parallel Bilingual Stories in English, French, and Spanish

Reading the same story in two languages, side by side, is a good way to develop your English language and translation skills. It is called a bilingual story because it is written in two languages, and it is called a parallel text story because the two language versions are printed next to each other.

Here is an example--the beginning of a children's story in French and English, from the website www.thefrenchexperiment.com (a link to the website is below the story sample):

Les Trois Petits Cochons

THE THREE LITTLE PIGS

Il était une fois une maman cochon qui avait trois petits cochons. Elle les aimait beaucoup, mais comme il n'y avait pas assez de nourriture pour qu'ils puissent tous manger à leur faim, elle les a envoyé tenter leur chance dans le vaste monde.

Once upon a time there was a mama pig who had three little pigs. She loved them very much, but there was not enough food for all of them to eat, so she sent them out into the big world to seek their fortunes.

LINK: Bilingual Children's Stories in French and English at thefrenchexperiment.com

If you want a more advanced reading level with parallel translation, try the link below, where someone has posted classic stories in parallel French, English, and Spanish versions (you can also listen to recordings of the stories in these different languages).

(NOTE: The translation is not always word-for-word and there may be mistakes, but parallel clauses are highlighted in the same color in each language.)

LINK: Stories with side-by-side translations in French, English, and Spanish

Here is an example from the above-linked website--the beginning of Jules Verne's Journey to the Center of the Earth :

JOURNEY TO THE CENTER OF THE EARTH by Jules Verne

French PARAGRAPH 1 Le 24 mai 1863, un dimanche, mon oncle, le professeur Lidenbrock, revint précipitamment vers sa petite maison située au numéro 19 de Königstrasse, l’une des plus anciennes rues du vieux quartier de Hambourg. ................................	English PARAGRAPH 1 On Sunday, the 24th of May, 1863, my uncle, Professor Liedenbrock, rushed into his little house, No. 19 Königstrasse, one of the oldest streets in the oldest portion of the city of Hamburg.	Spanish PARAGRAPH 1 El domingo 24 de mayo de 1863, mi tío, el profesor Lidenbrock, regresó precipitadamente a su casa, situada en el número 19 de la König-strasse, una de las calles más antiguas del barrio viejo de Hamburgo.
PARAGRAPH 2 La bonne Marthe dut se croire fort en retard, car le dîner commençait à peine à chanter sur le fourneau de la cuisine. ..........................................	PARAGRAPH 2 Martha, his excellent maid, must have concluded that she was very much behindhand, for the dinner had only just been put into the oven.	PARAGRAPH 2 Marta, su excelente criada, se azaró de un modo extraordinario, creyendo que se había retrasado, pues apenas si empezaba a cocer la comida en el hornillo.

Summer Reading and Listening Practice--Children's Storybooks Online

A good book is a good book, whether it's a children's picture story book or a book written for adults. One of the best ways to improve your reading skills is by following along in the book while someone else reads it to you. Children's books are a good place to begin--if you have young children, they can listen and follow along with you. Then you can take them to the library to check out the same books and read them together. Click on the link below to see and hear some children's books read on YouTube:

LINK: Read and Listen to Children's Books on YouTube

Try reading along as some one reads Forrest Gump's favorite book, Curious George, by clicking the link below:

LINK: Curious George on YouTube 

More Online Reading at Rock Island Public Library Website

If you live in Rock Island, get a Rock Island public library card so that you can read and listen to children's books online at the Rock Island public library website. An online book is also called an ebook (meaning, an electronic or digital book). You must register your Rock Island public library card at their website (I'm not sure if a Moline public library card will work). If the website asks for your library card number, enter the number on  the back of your card (under the bar code) to read the books. If it asks for a PIN, the PIN is the last four numbers of your library card number. Once you've registered your card, you can go into your account and choose a different ID and PIN. Here is a link to the RIPL website to register your card:

LINK: Enter Your RIPL card number and PIN (last four digits of the card number)

Below is a link to Bookflix children's books online, at the Rock Island Public Library website:

LINK: Bookflix Ebooks at Rock Island Public Library

The Rock Island library website also gives you access to the TumbleBook online library. The link below takes you to a place to enter your R. I. Library card number. Once you get into TumbleBooks, you will find books for both younger and older children, including nonfiction books, graphic novels, videos, and games:

LINK: TumbleBooks at the R.I. Public Library

Books found under the Story Books and Read Alongs tabs include audio (you can listen to someone read the book as you follow along).

The pictures below show a description of a non-fiction book for older children at the TumbleBooks link, and a page taken from the book. These are pictures only, not a link to the online book.

Read Along with a News Video

Manythings.org is a website that contains--well, many things for ESL students. It has news videos with subtitles in English. Subtitles means the text of the story appears on the screen while you watch and listen to the video. There are also news stories on video with no subtitles, but you can read a transcript of the story just below the video.

Reading while you listen at the same time is a great way to improve both your listening skills and your vocabulary. You can open the video in one window and open an online dictionary in a second window of your browser. Then you can pause the video while you look up the meaning of words you don't know.  You shouldn't look up too many words--first, try to guess the meaning of an unknown word from the context. After you read the entire article, then you can look up the word to see if your guess was correct.

My suggestion: Click on the first link below and choose a news story. Click on the name of the story to watch and listen to that story on video, with subtitles. Click on the second link to choose a story on video that has the text of the story below the video.

LINK: Manythings.org--Videos with Subtitles

LINK: Manythings.org--Videos with Transcripts

Reading and Listening--VOA News

Voice of American news articles have news stories you can listen to and read at the same time. You can choose from Level 1, 2, or 3 reading levels. Once you choose a story, you listen to the news story, but you can also read and follow the text (just below the picture).

My suggestion: Click on the link below to listen to and read a story about a new kind of Lego set.

LINK: New Legos--Real Women of NASA

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

Daily Dictation Practice Videos

A teacher who calls himself Coach Shane has a YouTube channel for daily dictation practice. Dictation means somebody says or reads something for you to try to write down. I must point out that in his first video he misuses the verb "dictate" a little bit. To dictate is to say or speak some words that you want someone else to write down. Coach Shane tells you to listen, then do your best to "dictate" the sentence, but he should be telling you to listen, then do your best to write down what you hear. The action of writing down what you hear is called "transcription," not dictation.

My suggestion: The nice thing about Coach Shane's videos is that you don't just listen to the teacher say things (although he does have very clear pronunciation). He plays recordings of different voices saying things--cartoons, newscasters reading headlines, actors' lines from movies or television shows, etc. In one video, you listen to a sentence several times and try to write down what you hear, without seeing the actual words. In the very next video, Coach Shane reveals the answer--what you should have written down. He then explains the changes that happen when the written sentence is spoken out loud, like vowel reductions, strong sounds that "win" over weak sounds in English, or what sounds Americans connect in casual conversation. He also explains the context of what you heard--maybe it was a famous line from an American movie, or a news headline about an important world event.

LINK: Click on this link to the first video-- 

Or click on this sample video: