Language

Focus

Simple Past Tense

How do you make a

verb in the past tense?

Past tense is used to express actions that already happened.

Regular verbs are made in the past tense by adding d or ed
If the word ends in a y, sometimes you must change the y to an i before adding
-ed
Present
Tense
Add
Supply
Wave
Plant
Dance
Pick
note

Activity 1
1.
2.
3.
4.
5.
6.
7.
8.

Activity 2

Past
Tense
added
supplied
waved
planted
danced
picked
noted

Write the past tense form of the verbs listed below.

walk
love
watch
play
want
scratch
end
look
Create a story using at least 5 of the past tense verbs from Activity 1.

Time Transition Words

What are time

transition words?

Time transition words are words that help move from one subject to another by
limiting, restricting, and defining time.
Here are some commonly used time transition words
while
later
now
first
next
next week
meanwhile
at
about
soon
third
when suddenly
then
tomorrow
during
after
afterward
until
second
as soon as
yesterday
today
before
finally
Time transitions can be used in different places in a sentence.
You can use a time transition at the beginning of the sentence!
First, I will take a bath.
You can use a time transition in the middle of the sentence!
Brushing my teeth is the second thing I will do.
You can use a time transition at the end of the sentence!
I will eat breakfast last.
You can use a time transition to combine two sentences!
I wait for my ride outside my house. A tricycle comes by to pick me up
I wait for my ride outside my house until a tricycle comes to pick me up.

Activity 1

Improve the following paragraph by adding transition words and

phrases. Rewrite the improved paragraph with your chosen transitions.
You can choose to combine sentences using transitions.

Its Friday! Friday is the best day of the week. School is over. I rush
home from school and change out of my uniform. Friday means the end
of school for two glorious days. I get to do all the things I cannot do
during the week. I will stay up really late. I will watch movies into the
wee hours of the morning. On Saturday morning, I can sleep in as long as
I want to. I can play with my friends all day. On Fridays my brother makes
my favorite food: his famous estofado. Friday is terrific!

Using Connectors for Comparison and Contrast

How do we use
connectors to compare
and contrast ideas?

Connectors are used to show comparisons and contrast in several ways.

They can connect two dependent or independent clauses together
to show the differences between the two ideas
but
whereas
while
in contrast

Some popular connectors are

on the other hand
unlike
however
nevertheless

in spite of and despite are special because they need to be followed by a noun
phrase or gerund
We played outside despite the hot weather.
even though and although are special because they need to be followed by an
independent clause
I need to fix my bicycle even though it is new.

Activity 1

Fill in an appropriate connector in the blanks to show comparison or

contrast.

1.
2.
3.
4.
5.

Lorena seems to be quite clever. ________, she often gets low marks.
Ive never been to Aklan, ________ having relatives there.
Jordi is a careful driver. ________ he has had several accidents.
Cristina loves playing sports. ________, shes not very good at it.
Joanne is very good at basketball, ________ Angeline is very good at
volleyball.
6. Larry is kind of short, ________ me who is pretty tall.

Activity 2

Rewrite the following sentences using the connector in parentheses.

1. Isabel apologized several times. Nevertheless, Paul wouldnt speak to

her. (but)
2. We decided to walk even though it was raining. (in spite of)
3. On the one hand, Id love to come. On the other hand, I havent really
got the time. (however)

4. Iloilo is a great place to visit, but it has terrible traffic problems.

(despite)
5. Even though it is very far away I would like to travel to Palawan.
(although)
6. He was very tired from a long day at school, but he still had to do his
studies. (nevertheless)

Adverbs

What is an
adverb?

An adverb is a word that describes an action, telling how, when, where,

how often or how much an action took place
Many adverbs end in -ly, -est, or -er
Some adverbs describe the manner of an action,
addressing how something happens
well, beautifully, quietly, noisily, nicely, neatly, oddly, gently, slowly, quickly
Some adverbs describe the place of an action,
addressing where something happens
here, there, nearby, far, then, away, up, down, inside, indoors, outdoors, home,
backward
Some adverbs describe the time of an action,
addressing how long or when something happens
before, after, still, yet, today, tomorrow, suddenly, yesterday, later
Some adverbs describe the frequency of an action,
addressing how often something happens
always, never, sometimes, often, daily, weekly, rarely, regularly, normally,
occasionally
Some adverbs describe the degree of an action,
addressing the extent to which something happens
almost, nearly, quite, just, hardly, totally, thoroughly, extremely, enough, very,
enough
Some adverbs describe certainty of an action,
addressing how probable it is that something will happen
definitely, probably, certainly, surely, undoubtedly, likely, absolutely

Activity 1
1.
2.
3.
4.
5.
6.
7.
8.
9.

Pick which word from the sentences below is the adverb.

The candidate almost won.

Cheetahs can run rapidly.
The movie started late.
Robert juggles often.
Jake slowly wrote an essay.
The dog ate quickly.
She usually studies at home.
They easily finished the rice.
He waited impatiently for his turn.

10.She arrived today.

Activity 2

Adjectives describe nouns, while adverbs describe verbs. Choose the

correct option from the parentheses to complete the sentence
properly.

1. The fat duck ate a fish.

The word fat describes (the duck / the fish).
Duck is a (noun / verb).
Fat is an (adjective / adverb).
2. The boy yells louder than anyone else.
The word louder describes (how the boy yells / the boy)
The word yells is a (noun / verb).
Louder is an (adjective / adverb).
3. We ate the hot soup.
The word hot describes (the soup / how we ate the soup)
The word soup is a (noun / verb).
Hot is an (adjective / adverb).
4. Grandpa walked slowly to the garage.
The word slowly describes (grandpa / how grandpa walked).
The word walked is a (noun / verb).
Slowly is an (adjective / adverb).
5. Marla patiently waited her turn.
The word patiently describes (how Marla waited / Marla)
The word waited is a (noun / verb).
Patiently is an (adjective / adverb).

Activity 3
playfully
carefully

Pick which word from the sentences below is the adverb.

sincerely
slowly

happily
quickly

patiently
loudly

quietly
safely

1. Sarah skipped ________ down the street to see her friend.

2. The team ran ________ towards the finish line to win the race.
3. The librarian told the kids to read their books ________.
4. The cat chased the ball around ________.
5. Dan waited ________ for his turn to shoot the ball.
6. The turtle walked ________ and couldnt keep up with the rabbit
7. Sharon chose the answers for her test ________ so she would pass.
8. Mike saw there were no cars coming so he could cross the street ________.
9. The kids shouted ________ as they played in PE.
10.We sing Bayang Magiliw ________ because we love our country.

Verbals

What are
verbals?

Verbals are verb forms that can also function as parts of speech based on how they
are used
Verbals come in three forms
A gerund is a verb ending in ing that acts as a noun
Reading is my favourite activity
Rainy days are good days for reading.
read is the verb and becomes reading as a gerund
Use a gerund when the sentence structure is to be + complement +
preposition
An infinitive is a verb form preceded by to can function as a noun, adjective or
adverb
To choose the right answer on the test is important.
Use an infinitive when the sentence form is to be + complement, with no
preposition
A participle is a verb form used as an adjective
I heard about your interesting plan.
An interested committee wants to hear your plan.
If the verb ends in ing, it is the present participle
If the verb ends in ed, it is the past participle

Activity 1
1.
2.
3.
4.
5.
6.
7.

Identify the gerund in each sentence.

Helen enjoys sketching children.

Swimming is good exercise.
Elaine and Rita are singing in the chorus tonight.
Of all my interests, I care most about swimming.
Traveling gives one a chance to see many wonderful sights.
A good hobby for boys can be fishing or painting.
Few things are better for relaxing than a satisfying hobby.
(CAREFUL - there is only one gerund in this sentence!)
8. Many people find that they can beat stress by walking.

9. A good hobby and exercise can be skating.

10.
Visiting our relatives in a pleasant activity.

Activity 2

Read the sentences below. Fill in the blanks with the correct verbal,
either the gerund or the infinitive.

Example: They go on ________ (read) the book. They go on reading the book.
1.
2.
3.
4.
5.
6.
7.
8.

I cant imagine Peter ________ (ride) a bike.

He agreed ________ (buy) a new notebook for class.
The question is easy ________ (answer).
The man asked me how ________ (get) to the airport.
I look forward to ________ (see) you at the weekend.
Are you thinking of ________ (visit) London?
We decided ________ (run) through the forest.
The teacher expected Sarah ________ (study) hard.

Activity 3

Choose the correct participle from each pair in the parentheses.

Example: It can be (satisfied, satisfying) satisfying experience to learn about the

lives of artists.
1. The artist Frida Kahlo led an (interested, interesting) ________ life.
2. When Kahlo was eighteen, (horrified, horrifying) ________ observers saw
her (injured, injuring) ________ in a streetcar accident.
3. A (disappointed, disappointing) ________ Kahlo had to abandon her plan to
study medicine.
4. Instead, she began to create paintings filled with (disturbed, disturbing)
________ images.
5. Some art critics consider Kahlos paintings to be (fascinated, fascinating)
________ works of art, though many people find them (overwhelmed,
overwhelming) ________.

Activity 4

The following sentences are famous quotes. For each of the following
sentences, decide if the word or phrase in bold is a participle, a
gerund, or an infinitive.

1. I don't want to achieve immortality through my work. I want to achieve

it through not dying. (Woody Allen)
2. I don't want to achieve immortality through my work. I want to achieve it
through not dying. (Woody Allen)

3. There are many ways of breaking a heart. Stories were full of hearts
broken by love, but what really broke a heart was taking away its dream-whatever that dream might be. (Pearl Buck)
4. There are many ways of breaking a heart. Stories were full of hearts
broken by love, but what really broke a heart was taking away its dream-whatever that dream might be. (Pearl Buck)
5. Happiness is having a large, loving, caring, close-knit family in another
city. (George Burns)
6. Happiness is having a large, loving, caring, close-knit family in another
city. (George Burns)
7.

It is not enough to succeed. Others must fail. (Gore Vidal)

Using Imperatives

What are imperatives?

An imperative is a tense used to give a directive, strong suggestion or order
An imperative can come off as very strong and sometimes rude, so be aware of how
you use it
There is no subject in an imperative sentence because the pronoun you is the
understood subject
Get out your books to read the story.
Come here.
To make a sentence negative, simply at do not before the verb
Do not have your snack too close to dinner.
The only exception is when talking about something in the first person or to do
together
Let me help you carry your bag.
Lets (Let us) go to the beach!
Imperatives are used for four purposes
For giving instructions
Sign in when you arrive.
For giving orders
Dry off before coming in the house!
For giving advice or suggestions
Study for your exam if you want to do well.
For offering something
Have some snacks.

Activity 1
1.
2.
3.
4.
5.

Activity 2

Mix and match the beginnings of the sentences with their ends to
make an imperative.
Stand behind the
Tell me all
Come
Turn to
Put that

a.
b.
c.
d.
e.

down
page 4.
line, please.
about it.
in.

Read the situation, then give an appropriate imperative.

1. The test will be in ten minutes.

2. It looks like it will rain soon.
3. I have not been able to sleep so well recently.

4. Its very hot today!

5. I think I might fail my class!

Adjectives in a Series

How do you determine

the order of adjectives in a series?

In English, it is common to use several nouns to describe an adjective.

We can use this chart to determine which one goes first
numb
er

opinio
n

size

age

shape

color

origin

mater
ial

purpose

nou
n

four

pretty

small

new

round

red

Filipin
o

plastic

bouncin
g

ball
s

Here are a few examples of each type of adjective

Number
twenty
five

Age
mature
ancient

Origin
Filipino
Ilonggo

Opinion
lovely
useful

Shape
rectangular
oval

Material
wooden
cotton

Size
big
tiny

Color
green
bright

Purpose
typing
sun

Activity 1
1.
2.
3.
4.
5.
6.
7.
8.

Activity 1

Put the adjectives following the sentence in the correct order.

The woman is wearing a ________ dress. (long, yellow)
He is a ________ man. (tall, thin)
The company makes ________ products (excellent, farming)
I love eating ________ mangoes (yellow, sweet)
James recently went on a ________ trip. (camping, long)
She packed her things in a ________ box. (cardboard, green, flimsy)
Please recycles those ________ bottles. (water, empty, three)
I am drinking from at ________ cup. (tea, small, English)

Put the adjectives following the sentence in the correct order. If you
do not know what they are, use a dictionary to determine their order.

1. marsupial, dusty, brown

2. acidic, salty, Greek
3. rehydrated, orange, African

Spatial Order of Details

How can we use spatial order

to add depth to our descriptions?

Spatial order is important for helping to give a description of the placement of

things in space.
It can help the reader visualize the scene that is being described
and can often guide the readers eye from one object to the next.
Some examples of using spatial order
just to the right
a little further on
south of Manila
a few feet behind
directly on the bridge of his nose and a centimeter above his gaping, hairy nostrils
turning left on the pathway
next to the cup of water

Activity 1

Read the following paragraph. Identify at least four descriptions that

give spatial order.
Billy Ray's Pawn Shop and Lawn Mower Repair looked like a burial ground for
country auction rejects. The blazing, red, diesel fuel tanks beamed in front of
the station, looking like cheap lipstick against the pallid, wrinkled texture of
the parking lot sand. The yard, not much larger than the end zone at General
G. Patton High School on the north end of town, was framed with a rusted
metallic hedge of lawn mowers, banana seat bicycles, and corroded oil
drums. It wasn't a calico frame of rusted parts, but rather an orchestra of
unwanted machinery that Billy Ray had arranged into sections. The yellowtanked mowers rested silently at the right of the diesel fuel. Once red, now
faded orange, mowers stood at attention to the left. The bikes rested
sporadically throughout the lot. In the middle of it all was the office, a faded,
steel roof supported by cheap two-by-fours and zebra panelling. Billy Ray was
at home, usually, five blocks east of town on Kennel Road.

Activity 2

Below there will be a description of someones desk. To the best of

your ability, draw what the desk would look like based on the
descriptions of spatial order.

1. The red pen is on the left.

2. Leftover snacks are in the top right drawer.

3. The English textbook is sitting just to the right of the red pen.
4. On the far right sits a blue stapler.
5. A shiny red apple sits right in the middle of the desk.

Objective and Subjective Details in Description

How do objective and subjective

details affect a description?

To be objective means to take an impartial stance toward the topic,

while to be subjective means to include feelings or opinions toward the topic

Activity 1

Part I:

Write a news article about a fire at a house

Part II: Write a journal entry where you pretend your own house
burned out.
Afterwards, reflect.
What are the differences in the two perspectives?
How does the style of the writing change?

Activity 2

Describe your neighbor objectively and subjectively. What kinds of

things can you say when describing him or her objectively that you
cannot when describing him or her subjectively? And vice versa?