The verb

A part of speech that expresses existence, action, or occurrence.

Remember question one for identifying subjects? "What's going on (or being described)?" Answer
that and you've found your verb. And like a subject, a sentence has got to have one!

Let's look at a few more examples:

Lassie ran into the burning building.

The beagle stepped on its ears.
What's going on in these sentences? A couple of dogs are doing stupid things; but what they are
doing is the verb--in this case, Lassie ran and the beagle stepped . Both show action.

Got the idea? Now let's look at verbs that are a little different. Some verbs don't show action.
Instead, they link the subject to some other information: these are called, big surprise, linking
verbs . Common linking verbs are "to be" forms--such as, is, am, are, was, were--and the verbs
appear, become, feel, look, seem. Examples are:

She was fond of her animals.

Pierre is a fine beast.
She looks like she has been in a fight with a cat.
It feels damp in the grass.
In identifying the verb, you also need to look for the helpers, since they are considered part of the
verb. The helpers (aka auxiliaries) include: is, am, are, was, were, been, has, have, had, do, does,
did, may, can, might, shall, will, should, could, would.

I've marked the complete verb in the following:

I was barking before breakfast.

He should have let me out of the house.
I tried to wait for him to get up.
He should not have stayed in bed so long.
I barked and waited until. . . .
I guess you can figure out what happened at the end of this little story. It's an all-too-frequent part
of a dog's life. . . . But about the verbs.

Notice what is not included in the verb in numbers 3 and 4: to wait and not. Words with to in front
of them are never a part of the verb, even though they look suspiciously like verbs. Words like not,
always, just, never, and only are not part of the verb.

Remember how a sentence can have more than one subject? It can also have more than one verb, as
you see in number 5. One other thing: no word with an "-ing" ending can ever be the verb without a
helper: I barking; she running? No way!

Pronouns

Subjects and objects

First let's look at case--that is, the difference between the subject and object forms of the pronouns.
We know what subjects are, and objects are those words that come at the end of prepositional
phrases (among other things). You probably already know the differences, but just in case, here's a
list of the forms:
 Subject Object

I me

you you

he him

she her

it it

we us

they them

The only thing you need to know is that these forms can't be switched around. If the word is a
subject, it must be a subject form; if it's an object . . . well, you get the idea. Consider the following:

o Peggy and me barked at the garbage truck.

o Her and me fought over the bone.

Some of you are probably thinking, "What's wrong with these?" In spoken English, you'll hear
things like this every day. But in written English, you need to make sure your forms aren't mixed
up. The correct versions are "Peggy and I" and "She and I," since the words are the subject of the
sentence. Nothing in the object list can be a subject--ever! You wouldn't say, "Me barked" or "me
fought"--unless you were trying out for a Tarzan movie.

The same goes for objects of prepositions. You can't use a subject form in a prepositional phrase.

o Small Cat fetched the paper for her and I.

o Peggy ran after John and she.

"For I"? "After she"? These can't be right, since both are in the subject list; but, they're used as
objects of the preposition. The correct versions are "for me" and "after her." You shouldn't have as
much trouble with these because you don't hear them misused quite as often in this way. But watch
out for "just between you and I." That phrase gets a lot of use--even though "I" can't be an object.
It's "just between you and me"!

With "to be" verbs

Now we get to the stuff that will sound odd to you. Remember when we talked about "to be" verb
forms? Any time a pronoun comes after one of these verbs, the subject form is required.

o It is I.

o It was they.

o It is he.

I told you this would sound funny--but it's correct! So, all these years you've been saying, "It's me"
and "It's them," and you've been wrong. Right or wrong, I can't bring myself to say, "It is I." "It's
me" sounds more natural. The best thing to do when you write yourself into a construction like this
is to rethink and rewrite in a different way. (If anyone tells you otherwise, just say "it was I" who
told you.)

With "than" or "as"

Another common pronoun mistake happens in sentences where you use "than" or "as" to compare
people or things:

o Peggy is smaller than I.

o The cat down the street is meaner than she.

o Cats are as smart as they.

You want to use "me," "her," and "them," don't you? You could, but that wouldn't be right. The
subject form of the pronoun always comes after "than" or "as." Why? There's an understood verb in
the construction.

o Peggy is smaller than I (am).

o The cat down the street is meaner than she (is).

o Cats are as smart as they (are).

You can see why the object form won't work: "me am," "her is," and "them are" are just plain
wrong! Even though you probably hear these kinds of sentences used incorrectly, when you're
writing you can get them right if you remember that understood verb.

Relative pronouns: who, whom, whose, that, and which

In addition to renaming another word (like all pronouns), relative pronouns often introduce added
details in your sentences. They can also be used to ask questions. Look at the following:

1. Small Cat is the one who is a true grammar hound.

2. Peggy is the cat whom everyone loves to pet.

3. Whose ball is that?

4. She is the one that I like.

5. I want to know which cat trampled the flowers.

These won't cause you too much trouble most of the time. Just remember: when you write about
people, use "who," "whom," and "whose." When you write about things, use "which." "That" can
be used in either case.

You may, however, have trouble with who and whom. Who is a subject form, and whom is an
object. Like the subject and object forms we talked about earlier, you can't switch these around.
Let's take a closer look at two of the sentences you just read:

1. Small Cat is the one who is a true grammar hound.

2. Peggy is the cat whom everyone loves to pet.

In number 1, "who" is the subject of the relative clause; in number two, "whom" is the object.
"Fine," you're thinking, "but how do I know when to use 'who' or 'whom?'" You've got a 50/50
chance of getting it right, but you can better the odds if you'll do the following when you find a
sentence like one of those above:

1. Mark the spot where "who" or "whom" should go.

2. Look at the group of words to the right of that mark.

Small Cat is the one _____is a true grammar hound.

Peggy is the cat _____ everyone loves to pet.

3. Since "who" or "whom" introduces a relative clause, there should be a subject and a
verb in that group of words.

_____is a true grammar hound.

_____everyone loves to pet.

4. If there is no subject, "who" is the right choice. It is the subject form and becomes
the subject of the clause.

. . . who is a true grammar hound.

 5. If there is a subject, "whom" is the right choice. It is the object form.

. . . whom everyone loves to pet.

Now that's not so hard, is it?

Reflexives

Reflexive pronouns are intensifiers that refer back to the doer of the action (the subject). You
know the words: myself, yourself, himself, herself, itself, ourselves, yourselves, themselves.

We often say things like, I'll do it myself, "She'll fix it herself," etc. There's really no problem--
except when you use a reflexive in place of a subject or object form. Never write (or say) something
like, "Send it either to my secretary or myself." Keep that in mind, and you should be okay.

Pronouns are little words, but they're often troublesome. That's why we've spent so much time on
them. But enough, already!

1 - Quiz
Select the best word to complete the sentence. Answers in section 8.
NOTE: Study the Word Forms in section 5. It will help with this exercise.

a) Al Gore has a lot of __________ experience.

b) George W. Bush and Al Gore are both __________.
c) He is not __________ active. He prefers a low profile.
d) I don't follow ________. Who is running for president?

politically political politics politicians

e) What is your __________ to him?

f) That is a very __________ dress.
g) Did you know that honey will __________ bears?
h) That house is __________ decorated for Christmas.

attractive attractively attraction attract

2 - New Words From The Vocab Club

Our Daily Vocab Club has learned seven new words this week. Here are the seven new words:

Yammer = to talk persistently and loudly. (verb)

Abloom = to be abounding with blooms (flowers). (adjective)
Blindside = to hit unexpectedly from or as if from a blind side (verb)
Cease = to bring an activity to an end (verb)
Disinfectant = a chemical that destroys harmful organisms (noun)
Elegy = a song or poem expressing sorrow, especially for one who has died (noun)
Fastidious = to show or demand excessive delicacy or care. (adjective)
3 - Student Essay
We would like to encourage you to begin discussions and make suggestions about student essays.
This first essay
was submitted by Mihai.

The most embarrassing that i have had I made break wind in front of my boyfriend. It was very
special because that the first date. But my boyfriend so nice he pretend like he didn't heard and
small anything. But I quite sure he
can heard that because it very lound. Ok. If he didn't heard that but smell can't pretend. And I felt
how hot on my face.

That reason why I love my boyfriend very much. How nice is her?
Sometime he break wind too. But I don't mind because I done it before.

The second essay was submitted by Catalin.

One of the most embarrassing moments in my life was during high school. It
was in a Biology lab. I was in front of the class talking about frogs, having one
in a container. The problem is that I am scared of them. Suddenly the frog jumped in my face. I
started to run around the class and screaming at the
same time.

It was embarrassing for me, because I was talking about them, telling the students that they are
good, and interesting. Describing their Physiology and then this happened to me.

I felt really embarrassed and stupid in front of the teacher and the students too.

I said sorry to everybody and I couldn't finish the class. The teacher
understood my reaction and gave me another opportunity, but a different
subject.

The next time I got a good score in the class. I talked about crocodiles.
I had one in the class, but it was a corpse only. That was better.

The third essay was submitted by Marcel.

I don�t remember exactly, but i think it was when some friends came to my
home before a party�s single. We were very drunk and did a big scandal in my department. I
remember that was too late and the neighbors were sleeping.
We put music, talking about many things, laugh loudy. That night, we received some called from
the watchman asking us for silent, but we don't paid
attention, and even the police have to came in. Finally, they cut electricity,
but it was worse, because we started to speak louder, and sing whatever
thing, even i broke a window's glass with my hands.

Next day, after all i had a big shame with everyone and i felt worse than
animal. I had to make apologizes to everybody, bought a glass and
clean-up my disaster.

Really, this experience was very bad to me and since that night i promise
to me don�t drink out my sense.

4 - Comments about the Essays

Our first essay was submitted by Mihai. It's very embarrassing but also funny for us to read! My
only suggestions are to be careful of spelling and using the past tense. Some spelling mistakes -
small (smell) and lound (loud).
When using past tense remember that if you use did (or didn't) these are past tense and so the next
verb should not be past tense also - didn't hear (not didn't heard). Apart from these small mistakes,
your ideas are well presented and enjoyable to read. Good Work!

Our second essay was submitted by Catalin. This is a very well written and also very funny essay!
There are no grammar or writing suggestions for this essay - its very well done. I have only one
comment - be careful of frogs they can jump very high!

Our third essay was submitted by Marcel. What an interesting story and lesson to be learned! Be
careful of spelling - loudly, department (apartment?), and always use I as a pronoun - not i. Don't
use two past tense verbs together - we received some calls (not called). Apart from these
suggestions, its a well done essay. This should teach all of us not to drink too much when we are
having fun!

Good Work Everyone!!

5 - Word Forms
Adverb Word Forms:

Adverbs are usually formed by adding -ly to an adjective form.

brave = bravely cautious = cautiously careful = carefully

Remember that adverbs are usually used to modify verbs:

He bravely faced his enemy.

She cautiously opened the door.
Maria drives carefully.

There are some adverbs that have the same form as the adjective:

fast hard high

And some adverbs that are irregular:

good = well

6 - Metric Conversion
Most countries in the world now use the metric system - metres, litres, etc.
Some English-speaking countries, however, use the imperial system - miles, gallons, etc. The
United States, Great Britain, etc. use the imperial system. Canada uses the metric system but most
people can understand both systems and use the imperial system for height, weight, and some other
measurements.

metric -> imperial

1 millimetre [mm] 0.0394 in

1 centimetre [cm] 10 mm 0.3937 in

1 metre [m] 100 cm 1.0936 yd

1 kilometre [km] 1000 m 0.6214 mile

imperial -> metric

1 inch [in] 2.54 cm

1 foot [ft] 12 in 0.3048 m

1 yard [yd] 3 ft 0.9144 m

 1 mile 1760 yd 1.6093 km

imperial -> metric

1 fluid ounce [fl oz] 28.413 ml

1 pint [pt] 20 fl oz 0.5683 l

1 gallon [gal] 8 pt 4.5461 l

metric -> imperial

1 milligram [mg] 0.0154 grain

1 gram [g] 1,000 mg 0.0353 oz

1 kilogram [kg] 1,000 g 2.2046 lb

1 tonne [t] 1,000 kg 0.9842 ton

 imperial -> metric

1 ounce [oz] 437.5 grain 28.35 g

1 pound [lb] 16 oz 0.4536 kg

1 stone 14 lb 6.3503 kg

Celsius (C) = Fahrenheit (F) -32 / 1.8

78 degrees Fahrenheit = 25.55 degrees Celsius

78 Fahrenheit -32 = 46/1.8= 25.55 Celsius

Use these charts to help you convert from metric to imperial. It will be important for you to
understand these conversions if you ever travel to the United States, UK, or some other countries.

7 - Interesting Facts
1) The electric chair was invented by a dentist!
2) Windmills always turn counter-clockwise. Except for the windmills in Ireland!
3) A hedgehog's heart beats 300 times a minute on average!
4) Camels have three eyelids to protect themselves from blowing sand!
5) Like fingerprints, everyone's tongue print is different!
6) There are no words in the dictionary that rhyme with: orange, purple, and month!
7) A giraffe can clean its ears with its 21-inch tongue!
8) Chewing gum while peeling onions will keep you from crying!
9) You blink over 10,000,000 times a year!
10) Baby robins eat 14 feet of earthworms every day!

8 - Quiz Answers
Here are the answers from section 1:
a) political
b) politicians
c) politically
d) politics
e) attraction
f) attractive
g) attract
h) attractively
2nd lesson

1 - Quiz
Select the best preposition to complete the sentence. Answers in section 8.

a) This jacket was made _____ hand _____ Paris.

b) They saw the job advertisement _____ the newspaper_____ Saturday.
c) I got _____ the bus _____ 8:45pm.
d) Russia is the largest country _____ the world.
e) Does she live _____ Maple Street or _____ 525 Pine Avenue?
f) The new Italian restaurant is _____ that old movie cinema.
g) He usually pays for dinner _____ his company credit card.
h) I am traveling _____ Hungary _____ April.

Some prepositions will be used more than once:

on, by, on, in, with, at, to

2 - New Words From The Vocab Club

Our Daily Vocab Club has learned seven new words this week. Here are the seven new words:

Gibe = to utter taunting words. (verb)

Hive = a container for housing a colony of honeybees or a place swarming with busy occupants.
(noun)
Inducement = a motive or consideration that leads one to action or to addition or more effective
actions. (noun)
Junker = something of such age and condition as to be ready for scrapping, putting in the garbage.
(noun)
Key = to be of basic importance. (adjective)
Lollygag = to do very little or work very slowly. ( verb)
Menagerie = a collection of wild or foreign animals kept especially for exhibition.
(noun)

3 - Student Essay

This essay was submitted by Paula.

I do believe in Aliens as much as I don’t believe in it.

What I mean is, why or why not believe in it? I suppose it is possible to exist life in another corner
of the Universe, the same way it exist here on Hearth. If we see it for that point of view, we are
aliens; we would be aliens for someone or something living in the outer space. The Universe seems
to be so vast, therefore why isn’t it possible that the miracle of life hasn’t occur somewhere else
too?

On the other hand, it’s hard to believe that something so incredible could happen twice. And the
biggest problem is to believe in something one never saw before. I don’t believe in people saying
they saw a flying sauce or a green been. There’s a lot of speculation around it and there’s always
people ready to say anything to call attention. I believe if they exist and could, they would appear
and try to contact with the whole human kind.

4 - Comments about the Essay

You make some very good points in your essay, Paula. Your ideas about us also being considered
aliens and the vastness of our universe really makes us think. You also stated that it's difficult for
us to believe in something we have never seen and question why aliens have never visited us.
These are great thought provoking questions. Thanks for this great essay!!

There are a few points we should talk about in regards to your writing. In the first sentence you
should say "as much as I don't believe in them". Aliens are referred to as plural, so use a plural
pronoun. Be very careful with spelling - Earth, Flying Saucers, Green Beings, etc. It's easy to
make these mistakes but it's also confusing for the reader. Apart from these small mistakes, your
essay is well written. Keep working on your English - you're doing great!

Good Work Paula!!

5 - Borrow and Lend

Many students get confused over the correct usage of borrow and lend.
Follow these easy explanations in order to understand and use these words correctly.

borrow something from someone

I borrowed a book from my brother.

Robert borrowed five dollars from me.
She borrowed the CD from her friend.

lend something to someone

Did you lend the magazine to Maria?

I lent my eraser to Juan. (past tense)
Karen lent her textbook to her friend.

lend someone something

Will you lend me your calculator for a minute?

Lend me a dollar, will you?

If you follow these structures, you can't go wrong with using borrow and lend!

6 - The Story of American Thanksgiving

Thanksgiving is one of the most popular holidays in the United States of America. Traditionally,
Thanksgiving is a holiday that Americans spend
together with their families who enjoy a Thanksgiving meal which usually includes the traditional
Thanksgiving turkey.
Thanksgiving

The Pilgrims, who celebrated the first thanksgiving in America, were fleeing religious prosecution
in their native England. In 1609 a group of Pilgrims left England for the religious freedom in
Holland where they lived and prospered. After a few years their children were speaking Dutch and
had become attached to the Dutch way of life. This worried the Pilgrims. They considered the
Dutch frivolous and their ideas a threat to their children's education and morality.

fleeing = running away from, escaping prospered = do well, live well frivolous = not serious
morality = belief system

So they decided to leave Holland and travel to the New World. Their trip was financed by a group
of English investors, the Merchant Adventurers. It was agreed that the Pilgrims would be given
passage and supplies in exchange for their working for their backers for 7 years.

backers = financial supporters

On Sept. 6, 1620 the Pilgrims set sail for the New World on a ship called the Mayflower. They
sailed from Plymouth, England and aboard were 44 Pilgrims, who called themselves the "Saints",
and 66 others ,whom the Pilgrims called the "Strangers."

The long trip was cold and damp and took 65 days. Since there was the
danger of fire on the wooden ship, the food had to be eaten cold. Many passengers became sick and
one person died by the time land was sighted
on November 10th.

damp = wet sighted = seen

The long trip led to many disagreements between the "Saints" and the "Strangers". After land was
sighted a meeting was held and an agreement was worked out, called the Mayflower Compact,
which guaranteed equality and unified the two groups. They joined together and named themselves
the "Pilgrims."

Although they had first sighted land off Cape Cod they did not settle until they arrived at Plymouth,
which had been named by Captain John Smith in 1614. It was there that the Pilgrims decide to
settle. Plymouth offered an excellent harbor. A large brook offered a resource for fish. The Pilgrims
biggest concern was attack by the local Native American Indians. But the Patuxets were a peaceful
group and did not prove to be a threat.

harbor = protected area on the coast threat = a danger

The first winter was devastating to the Pilgrims. The cold, snow and sleet was exceptionally heavy,
interfering with the workers as they tried to construct their settlement. March brought warmer
weather and the health of the Pilgrims improved, but many had died during the long winter. Of the
110 Pilgrims and crew who left England, less that 50 survived the first winter.

devastating = extremely difficult interfering = preventing, making difficult

On March 16, 1621 , what was to become an important event took place, an Indian brave walked
into the Plymouth settlement. The Pilgrims were
frightened until the Indian called out "Welcome" (in English!).

settlement = place to live

His name was Samoset and he was an Abnaki Indian. He had learned English from the captains of
fishing boats that had sailed off the coast. After staying
the night Samoset left the next day. He soon returned with another Indian named Squanto who
spoke better English than Samoset. Squanto told the Pilgrims of his voyages across the ocean and
his visits to England and Spain.
It was in England where he had learned English.

voyages = travels

Squanto's importance to the Pilgrims was enormous and it can be said that they would not have
survived without his help. It was Squanto who taught the Pilgrims how to tap the maple trees for
sap. He taught them which plants were poisonous and which had medicinal powers. He taught them
how to plant the Indian corn by heaping the earth into low mounds with several seeds and fish
in each mound. The decaying fish fertilized the corn. He also taught them to plant other crops with
the corn.

sap = the juice of the maple tree poisonous = food or liquid dangerous to the health mounds =
raising of the earth made of dirt by hand decaying = rotting

The harvest in October was very successful and the Pilgrims found themselves with enough food to
put away for the winter. There was corn, fruits and vegetables, fish to be packed in salt, and meat to
be cured over smoky fires.

cured = cooked by smoke in order to keep meat a long time

The Pilgrims had much to celebrate, they had built homes in the wilderness, they had raised enough
crops to keep them alive during the long coming
winter, they were at peace with their Indian neighbors. They had beaten the odds and it was time to
celebrate.

wilderness = uncivilized country crops = cultivated vegetables such as corn, wheat, etc. beaten
the odds = won something that was very difficult or against somebody

The Pilgrim Governor William Bradford proclaimed a day of thanksgiving to be shared by all the
colonists and the neighboring Native Americans. They invited Squanto and the other Indians to join
them in their celebration. Their chief, Massasoit, and 90 braves came to the celebration which
lasted for 3 days. They played games, ran races, marched and played drums. The Indians
demonstrated their skills with the bow and arrow and the Pilgrims
demonstrated their musket skills. Exactly when the festival took place is uncertain, but it is believed
the celebration took place in mid-October.

proclaimed = declared, named colonists = original inhabitants of the

US colonies braves = Indian warrior musket = type of gun or rifle used during that period in
history
The following year the Pilgrims harvest was not as bountiful, as they were still unused to growing
the corn. During the year they had also shared their stored food with newcomers and the Pilgrims
ran short of food.

bountiful = a lot of newcomers = people who have recently arrived

The 3rd year brought a spring and summer that was hot and dry with the
crops dying in the fields. Governor Bradford ordered a day of fasting and prayer, and it was soon
thereafter that the rain came. To celebrate - November 29th of that year was proclaimed a day of
thanksgiving. This date is believed to be the real true beginning of the present day Thanksgiving
Day.

fasting = not eating thereafter = after that

The custom of an annually celebrated thanksgiving, held after the harvest, continued through the
years. During the American Revolution (late 1770's) a
day of national thanksgiving was suggested by the Continental Congress.

harvest = collection of the crops

In 1817 New York State had adopted Thanksgiving Day as an annual custom. By the middle of the
19th century many other states also celebrated a Thanksgiving Day. In 1863 President Abraham
Lincoln appointed a national
day of thanksgiving. Since then each president has issued a Thanksgiving Day proclamation,
usually designating the fourth Thursday of each November as
the holiday.

designating = appointing, naming

7 - Interesting Facts
1) Men are 6 times more likely to be struck by lightning than women!
2) It is estimated that millions of trees in the world are accidentally planted by squirrels who bury
nuts and then forget where they hid them!
3) Ernest Vincent Wright wrote a novel, "Gadsby", which contains over 50,000 words -- none of
them with the letter E!
4) The most used letter in the English alphabet is 'E', and 'Q' is the least used!
5) Of all the words in the English language, the word set has the most definitions!
6) A toothpick is the object most often choked on by Americans!
7) Every 45 seconds, a house catches on fire in the United States!
8) There are more than 50,000 earthquakes throughout the world every year!
9) Apples are more efficient than caffeine in keeping people awake in the mornings!
10) The poison-arrow frog has enough poison to kill about 2,200 people!

8 - Quiz Answers
Here are the answers from section 1:
a) by, in
b) in, on
c) on, at
d) in
e) on, at
f) by
g) with
h) to, in

1 - Quiz

Use a form of Say or Tell to complete the following sentences. Answers are in section 8. Studying
Part 5 will help with this exercise.

a) The young woman _____ me that she was feeling sick.

b) The police officer _____ that he was giving me a ticket.
c) Johan _____ where the movie was playing.
d) The surgeon _____ the patient that he had to alter his diet.
e) The sun _____ us if it is night or day.
f) The pirate _____ where the hidden treasure was.
g) The boy _____ his mother that he had been stung by a bee.
h) Ali _____ that he was going away for the weekend.

2 - New Words From The Vocab Club

Our Daily Vocab Club has learned seven new words this week. Here are the seven new words:

Needle = to tease or to incite to action by repeated gibes. (verb)

Offhand = casual or in a relaxed manner. (adjective)
Paragon = a model of excellence or perfection. (noun)
Quagmire = soft, miry land or a difficult predicament. (noun)
Rumble = to make a low, heavy rolling sound. (verb)
Scald = to burn with hot liquid or steam. (verb)
Troop = a group of people, things or animals. (noun)

3 - Student Essay

This essay was submitted by Ionut.

Some people believe that we experience wars due to the existene of soldiers, while others think we
can live in peace due to the same reason. In my opinion, we should have armies or national defense
groups for the following reasons.

First, we couldn't maintain the freedom and staiblity of the world without them. In 1950, Korean
War took place because South Korea had no army to say they could prevent from breaking of war,
so couldn't escape the Korean War.

Second, As long as the conflicts among the countries exist and they are not resoulved by natural
communication, we can't run away from a war. So, most countries have their own armies to be
ready for the crisis like that. Without them, we can lose our country to live in peace.
Finally, without the troops, no country or its people are not safe form the danger of armed revolt of
guerilla. There are so many conflicts in the world due to some reasons, such as political
confrontation, economic issue, or nationalism.

In summary, I strongly maintain that each country should have its own army or something to
maintain peace, to defense the nation from the poes, and to defeat the armed guerilla or revolts. Of
course, armies can cause some problems, such as rising taxes or time consuming of young people,
yet we can't exist without peace because peace can't remain witout armies.

4 - Comments about the Essay

This student has written a very thought-provoking essay on war. Some very intelligent and
articulate points were presented here for us to consider. Some controversial ideas are also
contained in this essay which another student may want to comment on in the future. Good work
on preparing this essay.

There are just a few points which should be corrected. In the fourth paragraph a double negative is
used - "no country or its people are not safe from...". In this sentence we should not say "not safe".
This is an extra negative - be careful of this. In the second paragraph the phrase "breaking of war"
is used. I think the term "break out of war" is what the writer means to say. Also, be careful of
incorrect spelling - existence, stability, foes.

Good Ionut !!!

5 - Say and Tell

Understanding when to use Say or Tell:

Say is followed by a noun clause. Immediately after say you should use a noun clause (noun
clauses usually begin with: that, which, whether, what, where, etc.)

Example: She said that her friend was from China.

My brother said where he wanted to go.
They said what movie they wanted to see.

Tell is followed by a noun or pronoun object and then by a noun clause. You will always use a
noun or pronoun object (me, us, him, her, etc.) after tell.

Example: She told me that her friend was from China.

My brother told him where he wanted to go.
They told us what movie they wanted to see.
Susan told Georgina that she was sick.

If you follow these rules you can always be confident that you are using Say and Tell correctly in
your writing and conversation.
6 - A Chocolaty Recipe
Chocolate-Chocolate Chip Cookies
Presenting the ultimate treat for the die-hard chocolate fan….

1 1/4 cups all-purpose flour

2 tablespoons unsweetened Dutch-process cocoa powder
1 teaspoon baking powder
3/4 teaspoon salt
1 pound fine-quality bittersweet chocolate (not unsweetened)
1 stick (1/2 cup) unsalted butter
1/2 cup sugar
3 large eggs

Preheat oven to 350�F. and line a large baking sheet with parchment paper.

Into a bowl sift together flour, cocoa and baking powders, and salt. Coarsely chop chocolate. In a
double boiler or a large metal bowl set over a saucepan of barely simmering water melt butter with
three fourths chocolate, stirring until smooth.

Remove chocolate mixture from heat and stir in sugar. Stir in eggs 1 at a time until combined well
and stir in flour mixture until just combined. Chill dough, covered, at least 10 minutes and up to 1
hour.

Drop rounded tablespoon measures of dough about 1‚ inches apart onto baking sheet and stud each
cookie with a few pieces remaining chocolate. Bake in middle of oven 10 minutes, or until just set.
Cool cookies on sheet on rack 5 minutes and transfer with a spatula to rack to cool completely.
Make more cookies with remaining dough in same manner. Cookies may be kept in an airtight
container at room temperature 3 days.

Makes about 36 cookies.

7 - Interesting Facts
1) Coca-Cola was originally green.
2) The Hawaiian alphabet has 12 letters.
3) Percentage of Africa that is wilderness: 28%
Percentage of North America that is wilderness: 38%
4) Average number of people airborne over the US any given hour: 61,000.
5) The youngest pope was 11 years old.
6) Iceland consumes more Coca-Cola per capita than any other nation.
7) A duck's quack doesn't echo, and no one knows why.
8) The Main Library at Indiana University sinks over an
inch every year because when it was built, engineers failed to take
into account the weight of all the books that would occupy the building.
9) 111,111,111 x 111,111,111 = 12,345,678,987,654,321
10) "I am." is the shortest complete sentence in the English language.

8 - Quiz Answers
Here are the answers from section 1:
 a) told
b) said
c) said
d) told
e) tells
f) said
g) told
h) said

lesson 4

1 - Quiz

Complete the following sentences using a correct coordinating conjunction. Answers are in section
8. Studying Part 5 will help with this exercise.

a) Did you go see a horror _____ an action movie?

b) I wanted to talk to her _____ she wasn't home. I'll call again later.
c) He is able to repair wiring _____ plumbing.
d) I have diabetes, _____ I can't eat too much sugar.
e) Does she enjoy listening to jazz _____ classical music?
f) Ali wanted to go shopping _____ he lost his wallet.
g) Bodhan likes skiing _____ scuba diving.
h) It is snowing very hard, _____ I'm not going to work today.

Use one of the following words:

but and or so

2 - New Words From The Vocab Club

Our Daily Vocab Club has learned seven new words this week. Here are the seven new words:

Underscore = to emphasize. (verb)

Vilify = to make bad comments or abusive statements against someone. (verb)
Wholesome = promoting health of body, mind and spirit. (adjective)
Yowl = to cry out in grief, pain or distress. (verb)
Adapt = to make fit, often by modification. (verb)
Bon vivant = a French term commonly used in English. It means literally 'good living'. (noun)
Certificate = a document containing a certified statement as to the truth of something. (noun)

3 - Student Essay
This essay was submitted by Maria.

Nations and people are all time concerned about peace and war, nevertheless concerning about
security many horrible things have been done, people die, places are devasted and so on.
Have u ever wondered about the real necessity of an army????? I can't find any good reason for it
existence, at least a real reason... if people want to leave in peace why they do not rely in each
other????? Can you find a good reason? Well, I can! People are always afraid of beeing less than
someone or that someone take advantege of them... but, how many times they have taken advantage
of someone? So it's reciprocal... you do something to someone and you know it wasn't any good,
then you become afraid that someone would be able to do the same with you, how can you trust
somebody then? You can't.

So you can't leave your house alone, you can't park your car safetely, you can't rely other
countries,cause you can't even rely your neighbor...

Now, in such a place, a place that you can't rely anyone, you must need something to prevent you
from violence, from being stolen, cause you have RIGHTS but not obligations...

Most of at all, there's no real risk, but we are always afraid... we never know what can happen...

So we can justify our negligency, our fails, our unrelyness... cause if someone or a contry think
something isn't ok, they have an army to protect them, and we do not need even to ask for any
reasonable apologises, we'll be able to change it at all... but how?

If we are fighting for peace, our strategy is wrong cause we have the war to happen, the violence to
come, people to die...

Maria

4 - Comments about the Essay

This is an interesting perspective presented. I think there are some good ideas and topics for
consideration in this essay. I think many people will enjoy reading and debating the points outlined
in this writing.

There are some mistakes in this essay which should be addressed. In the second paragraph you
should say "its existence", people live in peace, why do they not rely on each other, etc. Also,
please be careful of spelling - being, safely, advantage, etc. When you are writing you should also
not use slang abbreviations such as 'u' or 'cause'. Your ideas are very interesting and I can tell you
have a strong ability for writing due to your natural approach. My suggestion is to concentrate on
correct structure and use your ability! You are really doing great! Good Luck!

Good Work Maria !!!

5 - Conjunctions
An important part of using English correctly is understanding how to use conjunctions. Follow
these rules to understand how to use coordinate conjunctions correctly.

And

Use and for the idea of addition.

I like hockey and baseball.
I drink coffee and tea.
He speaks French and German.

Or

Use or when you would like to present alternatives.

Would you like chocolate or vanilla ice cream?

Do you prefer apples or oranges?
Will you go to Hawaii or Fiji?

But

Use but when you want to talk about contrast or an opposite idea.

He has a lot of money but no car.

My son is very clean but my daughter is messy.
The house is old but in good condition.

So

Use so to express a cause/effect relationship (because of this).

He works 18 hours a day, so he rarely sees his family.

It is cold today, so I will wear a coat.
I don't like potatoes, so I never eat french fries.

6 - Recipe

Chocolate Mud Cake

Active time: 20 min Start to finish: 2 1/2 hr

You can also make this cake in 2 (81/2- by 41/2- by 21/2-inch) loaf pans.

4 oz unsweetened chocolate, chopped

3 oz fine-quality bittersweet chocolate, chopped
1 1/2 sticks unsalted butter, cut into pieces
1 1/2 cups strong brewed coffee
5 tablespoons bourbon (preferably 80 proof)
2 large eggs, lightly beaten
1 teaspoon vanilla
2 cups cake flour (not self-rising)
1 3/4 cups sugar
1 teaspoon baking soda
1/4 teaspoon salt
Special equipment: 2 (7- or 8-inch) springform pans

Accompaniment: sweetened whipped cream and fresh berries

Preheat oven to 275�F Butter springform pans and line bottom of each with a round of wax paper.
Butter paper and dust pans with flour, knocking out excess. Wrap bottom and 1 inch up side on
outside of each springform pan with foil (to catch drips).

Melt chocolates and butter with coffee in a 4-quart saucepan over moderately low heat, stirring
constantly until smooth. Remove from heat and cool 10 minutes. Beat in bourbon, eggs, and
vanilla. Sift in flour, sugar, baking soda, and salt and stir until batter is smooth (batter will be thin).

Divide batter between springform pans (about 3 cups batter in each). Bake cakes in middle of oven
1 to 1 1/4 hours, or until a tester inserted in centers comes out with crumbs adhering. Remove from
oven and cool in pans on racks 20 minutes. Run a thin knife around edge of each pan, then remove
sides. When cool, remove pan bottoms and wax paper.

Makes 2 small cakes (serves 12)

7 - Interesting Facts
1) 7% of Americans eat McDonalds each day.
2) Each year, Americans spend more on cat food than on baby food.
3) 96% of a cucumber is water.
4) 50% of bank robberies take place on Fridays.
5) 60% of electrocutions occur while talking on the phone during a thunderstorm.
6) By 65 years old, Americans have watched more than nine years of television.
7) In Japan, 20% of all publications sold are comic books.
8) In the next seven days, 800 Americans will be injured by their jewelry.
9) You are more likely to get attacked by a cow than a shark.
10) Buckingham Palace has over 600 rooms.

8 - Quiz Answers
Here are the answers from section 1:

a) or
b) but
c) and
d) so
e) or
f) but
g) and
h) so

Lesson no. 5
• 1. Quiz test • 5. Conjunctions
• 2. Vocbulary • 6. Christmas article
• 3. Student Essay • 7. Interesting Facts

• 4. Comments • 8. Quiz Answers

1 - Quiz
Complete the following sentences using the correct correlative conjunction. Answers are in
section 8. Studying Part 5 will help with this exercise.

a) I like _____ candy _____ chocolate. I hate sweet food!

b) Robert _____ drinks tea _____ coffee.
c) They enjoy _____ traveling _____ spending money.
d) I would like _____ a sweater _____ a wallet for Christmas. Just one thing.
e) _____ cats _____ dogs can speak.
f) _____ rock music _____ folk music sound good.
g) _____ Christians _____ other people celebrate Christmas.
h) We should go to _____ Brazil _____ Mexico for our vacation.

Complete these sentences with:

Both...and Not only...but also Either...or Neither...nor

2 - New Words From The Vocab Club

Our Daily Vocab Club has learned seven new words this week. Here are the seven new
words:

Damp = slightly wet. (adjective)

Extinguish = to cause to stop burning. (verb)
Fierce = violently hostile. (adjective)
Global = to involve the entire world. (adjective)
Hoard = a hidden supply, to keep a hidden supply. (noun/verb)
Itinerary = a route or plan. (noun)
Justice = the administration of what is lawful. (noun)

3 - Student Essay
This essay was submitted by Silvia.

Learnig by doing and learning at school are two different forms of education.
To some extent it is true, but I think that they depend on each other.

To learn something at school is not the most certain way that you know that.
It would be better if you could use this thing in the real life. Then you will realise and
reveal the prise of knowege, that you have recieved.

In my opinion learning at school is very useful for improving your culture and formating as
a person, but it is good to know that not everything, that is learnt there, is the same in the
practice.

Person could be good student and know a lot of thing of subjects, learnig at school, but he
or she couldn't know how to use them.

-----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
 Lesson no. 6
• 1. Quiz test • 5. Adjectives & Adverbs
• 2. Vocbulary • 6. Christmas Article
• 3. Student Essay • 7. Interesting Facts

• 4. Comments • 8. Quiz Answers

1 - Quiz

Are the underlined words in the following sentences adjectives or adverbs? Identify each as
either adjective or adverb. Answers are in section 8. Studying Part 5 will help with this
exercise.

a) She is a kind and understanding person.

b) Paula is an interesting speaker and a hard worker.
c) Tanya is a really exciting member of our team.
d) Robert usually eats junk food on the weekend.
e) I witnessed a horrific traffic accident near my house.
f) Kumiko will probably drive to Kyoto for her vacation.
g) My car is an eyesore.
h) She is an incredibly beautiful woman.

2 - New Words From The Vocab Club

Our Daily Vocab Club has learned seven new words this week. Here are the seven new
words:

Knowledgeable = having knowledge or intelligence. (adjective)

Lesson = an instructive example or a division of a course of study. (noun)
Mechanic = a manual worker, one who repairs machines. (noun)
Nuance = a small distinction or variation. (noun)
Ornamental = to add beauty to something. (adjective)
Petal = a leaf of a flower. (noun)
Quote = to speak or write words that originated from another person. (verb)

3 - Student Essay

This essay was submitted by Andrei.

Education has been always discussed all over the world, and learning by doing and learning
at school has been considered as two different forms of education.

Learning by doing allow people to learn by correcting their own mistakes or by observing
what they are doing . For instance, if a child is curious about Science and he can make an
experiment by himself he can observe everything that is happening during that step by step,
and it will gave him an opportunity to keep what he has learned in his mind easier. In
addition when a child tries to assemble a puzzle math , for example, and he makes some
mistakes trying to figure out what piece he should use, and which one maths, he is puting
his mind to work and correcting his own mistakes until get the solution for the problem.

On the other hand learning at school is a good way to learn how to organize his mind in
order to know the best way to resolve problems, and to follow rules, and to socialize.
Teachers are good instructors and they must have in mind that they are supposed to help
their students to learn methodically and logically.

I personally disagree that one kind of learning is better than other. In my opinion learning
 Lesson no. 7
• 5. Using few, a few, little, a
• 1. Quiz test
little
• 2. Vocbulary
• 6. New Year Traditions
• 3. Student Essay
• 7. Interesting Facts
• 4. Comments
• 8. Quiz Answers
1 - Quiz
Complete the following sentences using Few, A Few, Little or A Little. Answers are in
section 8. Studying Part 5 will help with this exercise.

a) She has ______ money in the bank. She is very poor.

b) There are ______ countries in the world smaller than Andorra.
c) I'm hungry. Could I have ______ chocolate?
d) She bought ______ books at the bookstore.
e) This coffee is bitter. It needs ______ sugar.
f) Are you finished the test? No, I need ______ more minutes.
g) I'm going to the library. I need ______ information for my report.
h) I traveled to Brazil ______ months ago.

2 - New Words From The Vocab Club

Our Daily Vocab Club has learned seven new words this week. Here are the seven new
words:

reasonable = not extreme or excessive. (adjective)

sink = to go to the bottom. (verb)
thirsty = deficient in moisture. (adjective)
unite = to form a single unit. (verb)
virus = an infective agent. (noun)
wink = to shut one eye briefly. (verb/noun)
authentic = conforming to fact or reality. (adjective)

3 - Student Essay
This essay was submitted by Anca.

That is a interesting question. Now I am a mother of a ten years boy. According to my

experience a child should become independent
at age eighteen. Firstly at age eighteen it is a important for
a child transfering into a teengeras well as they finish high school edcation. Most people
will entrance college for farther education. They may choose a college near their home. So
they still can stay with their family. But many
people choose a college far away their home. So they have to be apart from their family.
Secondly they must keep their budget. That is very important thing for them to manage
their daily expense. If they spend money as water
their parents will be worried about their affording. In my opinion the earlier a child is
independent the more benifets for both of them. A child will
understand to know how it is hard to make a live.

4 - Comments about the Essay

This is a good essay. In this writing we can read a mother's perspective on a child's
independence. The writer expresses some personal ideas and important arguments for us to
consider on the topic such as the child's
moving away, understanding finances, and learning about the difficulties life presents us
with. This essay is well done and contains many important
Creating by professor
Phd jo nahin ki
imran ali khanzada