Monday, March 30, 2009

Song: Conjunction Junction

This Schoolhouse Rock video is about the seven coordinating conjunctions. The lyrics follow the video.


Conjunction Junction

Conjunction Junction, what’s your function?

Hooking up words and phrases and clauses

Conjunction Junction, how’s that function?

I’ve got three favorite cars that get most of my job done

Conjunction Junction, what’s their function?

I got and, but and or:

They’ll get you pretty far.

And: that’s an additive, like this and that

But: that’s sort of the opposite, not this but that

and then there’s or: O-R, when you have a choice, like this or that

and, but, and or get you pretty far!

Conjunction Junction, what’s your function?

Hooking up two boxcars and making them run right

Milk & honey, bread & butter, peas & rice

Hey, that’s nice!

Dirty but happy

Digging and scratching,

Losing your shoe and a button or two

He’s poor but honest, sad but true

Boo hoo hoo hoo

Conjunction Junction, what’s your function?

Okay, now: 2 cars to one when you say something like this.

Choice: either now or later

Or no choice: neither now nor ever

Hey, that’s clever!

Eat this or that; grow thin or fat

(Never mind, I wouldn’t do that; I’m fat enough now!)

Conjunction Junction, what’s your function?

Hooking up phrases and clauses that balance,

Like “out of the frying pan and into the fire”

“He cut loose the sandbags, but the balloon wouldn’t go any higher.”

Let’s go up to the mountains or down to the sea

You should always say “thank you” or at least say “please.”

Conjunction Junction, what’s your function?

Hooking up words and phrases and clauses in complex sentences like

“In the mornings, when I am usually wide awake,

I love to take a walk through the gardens and down by the lake,

where I often see a duck and a drake,

and I wonder as I walk by just what they would say if they could speak

although I know that’s an absurd thought.”

Conjunction Junction, what’s your function?

Hooking up cars and making them function

Conjunction Junction, how’s that function?

Like tying up words and phrases and clauses

Conjunction Junction, watch that function!

I’m going get you there if you’re very careful

Conjunction Junction, what’s your function?

I’m going to get you there if you’re very careful.

Conjunction Junction, what’s your function?

I’m going to get you there if you’re very careful.


Saturday, March 28, 2009

Coordinating Conjunctions and Compound Sentences

You already know 4 common coordinating conjunctions. There are 3 more coordinating conjunctions: for, nor, yet. They are less common. This video will help you to remember all seven coordinating conjunctions. (This video has no sound.)

Remember: To form a compound sentence with a coordinating conjunction, do this:
1st independent clause + comma + coordinating conjunctions + 2nd independent clause

IC + , + cc + IC

A simple sentence has a subject and a predicate (verb + everything that is not the subject = predicate). The subject can be simple or compound, and the verb can be simple or compound.

A simple sentence with a simple subject and a simple predicate:

The teacher left the room.

A simple sentence with a compound subject and a simple predicate:

The teacher and the students left the room.

A simple sentence with a simple subject and a compound predicate:

The teacher left the room and went to lunch.

A simple sentence with a compound subject and a compound predicate:

The teacher and the students left the room and went to lunch.

In a simple sentence, all of the subjects come before all of the verbs.

In this video, Jesse Franzen explains how you can put two simple sentences together to make a compound sentence. You use a comma and a coordinating conjunction (and, but, or, so) between the sentences.

Example: The halls are long, but they are narrow.

In a compound sentence, there is a subject or subjects between the verbs.

Tuesday, March 24, 2009

The Past Tense

The past form of BE is was/were.

New York was cold last week.
Miami wasn't cold last week.
Was Washington, DC cold last week? Yes, it was.
Was San Diego cold last week? No, it wasn't.

In this video, Paul explains the past tense of the verb be:


Most English verbs are regular in the past tense. That is, the past form is V + ed.

Example: They work every day. They worked yesterday.

Some verbs are irregular. You must memorize the past tense form.

Example: They go home after class every day. They went home after class yesterday.

All English verbs (except for be) are regular in the negative (did not + V) and question (Did + Subject + V...?).

In this video, Paul explains about be and do (did) in the past tense:



For a more complete review of the formation of the past tense in English, watch this video from JenniferESL:



Here is Part 2 of the lesson:



Part 3 of the lesson reviews past tense forms and question words:



The last part of the lesson talks about questions about the subject (e.g., What happened?) and questions with BE. It also has pronunciation rules for the -ed ending:

Monday, March 23, 2009

Possessives: Adjectives and Nouns

In this short video, Paul explains about possessive adjectives:

1st person: my / our
2nd person: your
3rd person: his / her / its / their

Examples:
Give me my book!
Our class has six students.
What is your name?
Willie usually brings his lunch.
Nina is visiting her sister.
The dog is licking its paw.
The students do their homework.



In this longer video by Corey Branigan and Adam Sharkey, we learn about the possessive form of singular nouns. To make a noun possessive, we usually add 's to the noun.

For example, the possessive form of Nina is Nina's.

English speakers usually use the 's with nouns for people and animals. We use 's less often for things.

Now watch the video:


To make the possessive form of a plural noun, add only the apostrophe (') if the noun already ends in s:

For example:
The teacher collected the students' papers after the test.
but
The children's artwork is on display in the cafeteria. (Children is an irregular plural and does not end in -s.)

Wednesday, March 18, 2009

Song: Singin' in the Rain

This is Gene Kelly's original performance of "Singing in the Rain" from the 1952 movie of the same name. Kelly's character is happy because he is in love.

The lyrics are here:

I'm singin' in the rain
Just singin' in the rain
What a glorious feeling
I'm happy again
I'm laughin' at clouds
So dark up above
The sun's in my heart
And I'm ready for love
Let the stormy clouds chase
Everyone from the place
Come on with the rain
I've a smile on my face
I walk down the lane
With a happy refrain
Just singin',
Singin' in the rain

Dancin' in the rain
Dee-ah dee-ah dee-ah
Dee-ah dee-ah dee-ah
I'm happy again!
I'm singin' and dancin' in the rain!

I'm dancin' and singin' in the rain...

(Note: In the speech of many Americans, the -ing ending of the present participle is pronounced IN instead of ING. The spellings dancin' and singin' reflect this pronunciation.)

Saturday, March 14, 2009

Song: Tom's Diner

This song was written and performed by Suzanne Vega. It has many examples of the present progressive! The song is about a few minutes in a woman's life, when she goes to a diner for a cup of coffee. (A diner is a kind of simple restaurant.)

Here are the lyrics:

I am sitting
In the morning
At the diner
On the corner

I am waiting
At the counter
For the man
To pour the coffee

And he fills it
Only halfway
And before
I even argue

He is looking
Out the window
At somebody
Coming in

"It is always
Nice to see you,"
Says the man
Behind the counter

To the woman
Who has come in
She is shaking
Her umbrella

And I look
The other way
As they are kissing
Their hellos and

I'm pretending
Not to see them
And instead
I pour the milk

I open
Up the paper
There's a story
Of an actor

Who had died
While he was drinking
It was no one
I had heard of

And I'm turning
To the horoscope
And looking
For the funnies

When I'm feeling
Someone watching me
And so
I raise my head

There's a woman
On the outside
Looking inside
Does she see me?

No, she does not
Really see me
'Cause she sees
Her own reflection

And I'm trying
Not to notice
That she's hitching
Up her skirt

And while she's
Straightening her stockings
Her hair
Has gotten wet

Oh, this rain
It will continue
Through the morning
As I'm listening

To the bells
Of the cathedral
I am thinking
Of your voice...


Thursday, March 12, 2009

Using the Simple Present and Present Progressive with the Verb "Think"

JenniferESL's video compares the use of the simple present and the present progressive with the verb think. This video is also advanced.

More Present Progressive (Advanced)

This video by EnglishPage.info reviews the rules we have studied about the present progressive (also called the present continuous) and adds some new rules. For example, it explains that we sometimes use the present progressive to talk about the future:

"She is going to Paris next week."

In addition, we learn that with certain time expressions such as always and repeatedly, we sometimes use the present progressive instead of the habitual present:

"My friend is always interrupting me when I study."

(It is also correct to say, "My friend always interrupts me when I study."
)


Cartoon: Present Progressive

In this cartoon, the coyote (a kind of wild dog or small wolf) keeps trying to kill his enemy the roadrunner (a kind of bird). Does he succeed?

Sunday, March 8, 2009

The Present Progressive

We use the present progressive to talk about actions in progress or temporary actions.

(The present progressive is also called the present continuous.)

We form the present progressive with BE (am, is, or are) + Verb + ing.
For example:
I am posting videos on the blog.
You are visiting the blog.
We are studying present tenses this month.

This very short video by Bonazar introduces the present progressive:



In this video, Paul reviews the form of the present progressive.



In this Real English video, you can see examples of the present progressive ("What are you wearing?" "I'm wearing....") and practice color and clothing vocabulary.

Wednesday, March 4, 2009

Song: Why Do Fools Fall in Love?

Frankie Lymon wrote this song in 1956 when he was only 13 years old! In this video, Diana Ross, the lead singer of the Motown group The Supremes, performs the song. How many present tense questions can you hear?

Here are the lyrics:

Why do birds sing so gay,
And lovers await the break of day?
Why do they fall in love?
Why does the rain fall from up above?
Why do fools fall in love?
Why do they fall in love?

Love is a losing game.
Love can be a shame.
I know of a fool, you see,
For that fool is me.
Tell me why, tell me why.

Why do birds sing so gay
And lovers await the break of day?
Why do they fall in love?
Why does the rain fall from up above?
Why do fools fall in love
Why do they fall in love?

Why does my heart skip a crazy beat,
For I know it will reach defeat?
Tell me why, tell me why.
Why do fools fall in love?
Tell me why, tell me why.

Now listen:

Differences Between BE and DO in the Present Tense

In this video, Paul explains some differences between be and do, in affirmative, negative, and interrogative (question) sentences.

Habitual Present Tense Questions

Here is another Real English video from Mike Marzio. Listen to native English speakers in different countries answer questions in the habitual present tense. The interviewers ask questions with "How often...?" and "How long...?" Notice the use of the helping verb do/does.

Monday, March 2, 2009

Snow Day

Today the campus is closed because of snow! At my house, we got up late and had a special breakfast. We watched the news on TV and cleared the snow from the driveway. I like snow days!

BubbleShare: Share photos - Easy Photo Sharing


At 1:00, Mohammed, Willie, Mohammed, and I met at Tapped In for an extra class. Thanks for coming, guys! I enjoyed chatting with you.