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

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

Friday, April 3, 2020--Announcements and Assignments

Friday, April 3, 2020

ANNOUNCEMENTS

1) I don’t ask for you to send me the answers to every assignment. When I do ask for them (as when I asked for your answers to the three questions in the 3/31 assignment #1), please do so. From now on, when I ask for you to send me an assignment, I will highlight the request in this blue-green color. I will also go back to previous assignments and highlight the ones I want you to send. There are at least 3 ways to send it:

• Email me at calderk@bhc.edu
• Text me at 309-948-9615
• Take picture of your answers and send the picture to me by text or email.

2) I am keeping track of who sends me homework assignments and who doesn’t. 😯

ASSIGNMENTS

1) If I have asked you to send me your answers to a previous assignment and you haven’t yet done it, please do so by Monday, April 6th. 

2) Alphabetics

We will resume our daily alphabetics next week. (I’ll tell you more about that later). Before the break, we had worked with 4 of the 4 short vowel sounds: a, i, o, and u.

• We have not yet worked with the short e sound (as in bed and men), but I will introduce it to you soon. For now, try this game/quiz on the 5 short vowel sounds in three-letter CVC words by clicking the link below. Keep track of how many you get right on the your first try (the game allows you to check each answer as you go), because this quiz doesn’t tell you how many you got right at the end).

• Click on the link below to take the quiz on short vowels and then text me or email me the number of words you got correct on the first try (keep track as you do the exercise):

LINK: Practice with short vowels in CVC words

3) Vocabulary

Future English 3 Workbook, p. 143, Ex. C--The instructions say to complete the sentences using boldfaced words from the article. But the book made a mistake--one of the answers actually is not in boldfaced type.

• Choose from the following words and complete the 5 sentences in Exercise C, p. 143. I will post the answers on Monday. You do not need to send your answers to me.

          remain           run           compromise           location            independent

• Please answer the following three questions and send me your answers in a text message or email:

1. What is a synonym (word that means about the same) for run as it is used in this sentence: The North and the South had very different ideas about how the government should run. (you may use a dictionary or thesaurus if you need to)
2. What is the national capital of the country you are from? (answer with a complete sentence)
3. What do you know about the history of your country's capital? (answer with a complete sentence)

4)  Future English 3 Workbook, p. 144--Do exercises A and B on the past passive. I will post the answers on Monday, April 6th (you do not need to send them to me).

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

Welcome to online English classes! Tuesday, March 31, 2020

Tuesday, March 31, 2020

Hello, everyone! Today is our first day of online class for Level 5a. It is very strange to try to teach classes from my home. I'm sure it will be strange at first for you to be an online student. I know that some of you also have children at home and are trying to help them do school online!

This week (March 31-April 3) will be a time for all of us to get used to this new way of doing class. We will keep it simple this week. 

DO THE FOLLOWING THINGS EACH WEEKDAY:

1) Please check this blog every day for your daily assignments.

I will send you the link to this blog by email and/or text message. You can also get on the internet and type in the web address: teacherkathybhc.blogspot.com

2) Do the daily assignments on your own. For each assignment, I will tell you how to respond so that I know you have completed the assignment. For example, I may ask you to do one or more of the following: (NOTE: I have updated the instructions below)

• Write a comment  on the day's assignments by clicking Comments or No Comments or Post a comment at the bottom of the post. Then type your comment in the box that says Leave Comment. The other students will be able to see your comment.
• Email me at calderk@bhc.edu
• Talk to me by phone or text (309-948-9615)
• Take a picture of your work and sent it to me by email or text

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

Assignments for Tuesday, March 31, 2020 

(due Wednesday, April 1, 2020)

1) Email me or text me to tell me how you are doing by answering these three questions in complete sentences (you should write 3 to 6 sentences):

• Is everyone in your home healthy?
• What do you like or dislike about staying at home so much?
• Do you use your smartphone, a laptop, a desktop computer, or something else to get on the internet?

2) Future English for Future Results 3 textbook, Unit 12, Lesson 9, p. 242 

    Grammar: Past Passive Verbs

• Study the box on past passive verbs at the top of p. 242.
• Do practice 1A--Read about George Washington and follow the directions.
• Do practice 1B--Complete the paragraph using past passive verbs. 
• We will check your answers on Wednesday, April 1st.

3) Workbook, p. 142--"The Nation's Capital Finds a Home"

• Prepare to read the article: read the title, look at the picture, and read the first and last sentence of each paragraph.
• Read the whole article one time. Circle at least 5 words that are new to you (you don't know what they mean). 
• I am removing the instruction below to leave a comment for the time being, because I am changing the comment procedure. Instead, write down the 5 words on your own paper, then send them to me in a text or email.
• Please type these 5 words in a comment by clicking Comment or No Comments or Post a comment at the bottom of this post. Then type the words in the box labeled Leave your comment. It will look like this:

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

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:

Vocabulary from "The Lady or the Tiger?"

Click on the link below to study vocabulary from the story "The Lady or the Tiger" at studystack.com:

LINK: L & T Vocabulary

"Brats" Vocabulary

Click on the link below to study vocabulary from the story "Brats" (from Even More True Stories--an Intermediate Reader, by Sandra Heyer):

LINK: "Brats" vocabulary on StudyStack.com

Study Stack Practice--Lady or the Tiger Vocabulary

Click on the link below to study and play games with vocabulary words from the story, "The Lady or the Tiger?" at studystack.com:

LINK: Vocabulary from "The Lady or the Tiger?"

Practice Reading Charts and Tables

Try reading a table or chart without Teacher Bob's help!


My Suggestion: Click on the link below to practice reading bar graphs, pie charts, and tables. Answer the questions for each of the three activities, to make sure you are reading and understanding the charts correctly. The quiz page includes a dictionary for looking up unfamiliar words. It has a calculator if you need math help to answer a question.

LINK: Review Charts and Tables

Fattening Room Vocabulary

Here is a link to my study stack page for vocabulary words from "What Is a Fattening Room?" (in the What A World 2 reader):

LINK: Fattening Room Vocabulary

Vocabulary for Wild Weather (Tornadoes)--Reading Explorer 1

For the class at ALC (Rock Island building), here is a link to vocabulary flashcards for the story we read on Wild Weather (tornadoes). You can just study the words, or you can play games and take quizzes that use the words and definitions.

LINK: Wild Weather Vocabulary (Tornadoes) at Study Stack 

Ten Word Parts 1 (prefixes and suffixes)

Teacher Connie has made a new study list for the nine prefixes and one suffix in today's Ten Word Parts handout. Click on the link below to study the ten word parts in your handout, at her site at studystack.com:

LINK: Ten Word Parts 1 at Studystack.com

 

               unicycle                                                                  unicorn

"Garbage Patch" Vocabulary at Studystack.com

Click the link to study these ten vocabulary words from the reading on ocean garbage:

          garbage              patch                spin                   current         manufactured   
          material             pollution          dangerous         cargo            recycle

LINK: Vocabulary from "Garbage Patch" Reading

Service Dog Vocabulary at Studystack.com

Click the link next to the pictures to study the meaning of these vocabulary words from the "Hero Dogs" reading:

    disability    service dog    training    volunteer    task    command    healthy    veteran

LINK: Service Dog Vocabulary Words

Wow! Bilingual Sentence Pairs!

I didn't know that Manythings.org had a page where you can read sentence pairs in English AND the translation in any language you choose. However, these sentences are written by volunteers in something called the Tatoeba project. Many of them are students, and the sentences have not been checked by their teachers for grammar errors or awkward expressions.

Nevertheless, reading sentences in your language and English at the same time may help reinforce vocabulary. Over 50 languages are represented (unfortunately, there are no Burmese sentences at this time). Here is what the first part of the page looks like:

The Sentence Pairs

• English - Afrikaans (716)
• English - Algerian Arabic (157)
• English - Arabic (10734)
• English - Basque (569)
• English - Belarusian 

Click on the link below, then click on the language pair you want to read. Then you can click on one of the pages to read bilingual sentence pairs.

LINK: Choose a Language Pair

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

The Oxford 3000 Most Important Words in English

From the Oxford Learners Dictionaries website: 

"The Oxford 3000 is a list of the 3000 most important words to learn in English. The keywords of the Oxford 3000 have been carefully selected by a group of language experts and experienced teachers as the words which should receive priority in vocabulary study because of their importance and usefulness."

On the website, the 3000 words are listed alphabetically by the beginning letter.

My suggestion: If you want to look through the list, click on the link below (under the link there is a picture of the page you will see). Then click on A-B, C-D, etc., to view words on the list that start with those letters. You can click on any word to see its definition.

LINK: Browse the list of the 3000 most important words (keywords) in American English

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).