Day 5 - 7

A. Useful phrases when seeking clarification

How to express lack of understanding

When you fail to understand what has been said to you you can use these expressions:

• I beg your pardon?
• I beg your pardon, but I don't quite understand.
• I'm not quite sure I know what you mean.
• I'm not quite sure I follow you.
• I don't quite see what you mean.
• I'm not sure I got your point.
• Sorry, I didn't quite hear what you said.
• Sorry, I didn't get your point.
• I don't quite see what you're getting at.

How yo ask for clarification

When you don't understand what someone has said, you can ask for clarification using the following expressions:

• What do you mean by...?
• Do you mean...?
• Could you say that again, please?
• Could you repeat please?
• Could you clarify that, please?
• Would you elaborate on that , please?
• Could you be more explicit?
• Could you explain what you mean by...?
• Could you give us an example?
• I wonder if you could say that in a different way.
• Could you put it differently, please?
• Could you be more specific, please?

Clarifying one's point or idea

To clarify your idea you can use the following expressions:

• Let me explain that...
• Let me explain that in more detail...
• Let me put it in another way...
• Sorry, let me explain...
• In other words...
• To say this differently...
• To put it differently...

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B. If I could only master English conditionals

Structure of the first conditional
positive	negative	question
If I see him, I'll (I will) tell him.	If you don't hurry, you'll miss the bus.	What will you do if there is a problem?

Structure of the second conditional
positive	negative	question
If I had more time, I'd (I would) travel more.	I wouldn't (would not) refuse if you offered me $10,000.	What would you say if you met Queen Elizabeth?
If I were you, I'd leave the job.	I wouldn't (would not) leave the job if I were you.	Would you leave the job if you were me?

Structure of the third conditional
positive	negative	question
If I'd (I had) known you were coming, I would have waited for you.	If she hadn't (had not) been ill, she would have gone to the cinema.	Would you have done it if you'd (you had) known earlier?

Conditional Sentence Type 1

It is possible and also very likely that the condition will be fulfilled.

Form: if + Simple Present, will-Future

Example: If I find her address, I’ll send her an invitation.

Conditional Sentence Type 2

It is possible but very unlikely, that the condition will be fulfilled. Conditional Sentences Type II refer to situations in the present. An action could happen if the present situation were different. I don't really expect the situation to change, however. I just imagine „what would happen if …“

Were instead of Was

In IF Clauses Type II, we usually use ‚were‘ – even if the pronoun is I, he, she or it –.

Example: If I were you, I would not do this.

Form: if + Simple Past, Conditional I (= would + Infinitive)

Example: If I had more money, I wouldn't live here.

Conditional Sentence Type 3

It is impossible that the condition will be fulfilled because it refers to the past. An action could have happened in the past if a certain condition had been fulfilled. Things were different then, however. We just imagine, what would have happened if the situation had been fulfilled

Form: if + Past Perfect, Conditional II (= would + have + Past Participle)

Example: If I had taken that job, I would have made a lot of money.

Conditional Sentences Type 1

Complete the Conditional Sentences Type I.

• If you (go)  out with your friends tonight, I (watch)  the football match on TV.
• I (earn)  a lot of money if I (get)  that job.
• If she (hurry / not) , we (miss)  the bus.

Conditional Sentences Type 2

Complete the Conditional Sentences Type II.

• If he (try)  harder, he (reach)  his goals.
• I (buy)  these shoes if they (fit) .
• It (surprise / not)  me if he (know / not)  the answer.

Conditional Sentences Type 3

Complete the Conditional Sentences Type III.

• If we (listen)  to the radio, we (hear)  the news.
• If you (switch)  on the lights, you (fall / not)  over the chair.
• She (come)  to our party if she (be / not)  on holiday.

Conditional Sentences Type 1-3

Complete the Conditional Sentences with the correct form (Type I, II or III).

• If I amwill bewerehad beenwould bewould have been stronger, I'd help you carry the piano.
• If we'd seen you, we stopwill stopstoppedhad stoppedwould stopwould have stopped.
• If we meetwill meetmethad metwould meetwould have met him tomorrow, we'll say hello.
• He would have repaired the car himself if he haswill havehadhad hadwould havewould have had the tools.
• If you drop the vase, it breakswill breakbrokehad brokenwould breakwould have broken.
• If I hadn't studied, I do not passwill not passdid not passhad not passedwould not passwould not have passed the exam.
• I wouldn't go to school by bus if I havewill havehadhad hadwould havewould have had a driving licence.
• If she doesn't seewon't seehadn't seendidn't seewouldn't seewouldn't have seen him every day, she'd be lovesick.
• I don't travelwon't traveldidn't travelhadn't travelledwouldn't travelwouldn't have travelled to London if I don't get a cheap flight.
• We'd be stupid if we tellwill telltoldhad toldwould tellwould have told him about our secret.

Additional Exercises

 That was a bad decision. If I (be)  you, I would change it as soon as possible. 

 Sunshine - at last! Imagine if the English weather was like this all the time. (it/not/be) wonderful? 

 He's usually pleasant, but when he's tired he (be)  pretty short-tempered. That's the way he is. 

 If you (not/be)  so stubborn you would find it a lot easier to keep your friends. 

 Sorry I didn't call you and tell you I wasn't coming. I would have called you if I (have) your number with me. 

 He says that if he (not/be)  so busy he would go with you to the movie tomorrow. As it is, he simply has too much work to do. 

 We (miss)  the bus unless you hurry. 

 If only I (have)  more free time. All the things I would do. All I ever do is work. 

C. What would you do if you were elected Mayor of Montpellier...

Your campaign manager is asking you to come up with ideas in the following topics:

• Education
• Environment
• Security

Write 2 sentences for each of the topics above describing what you would do if you were the mayor of Montpellier.  Remember to use the Conditional Type II sentence structure to express your plans.  Pressure is on, people whant to hear your ideas Mr candidate!

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D. Adverbs of frequency

We use some adverbs to describe how frequently we do an activity.

These are called adverbs of frequency and include:

Frequency	Adverb of Frequency	Example Sentence
100%	always	I always go to bed before 11pm.
90%	usually	I usually have cereal for breakfast.
80%	normally / generally	I normally go to the gym.
70%	often* / frequently	I often surf the internet.
50%	sometimes	I sometimes forget my wife's birthday.
30%	occasionally	I occasionally eat junk food.
10%	seldom	I seldom read the newspaper.
5%	hardly ever / rarely	I hardly ever drink alcohol.
0%	never	I never swim in the sea.

* Some people pronounce the 'T' in often but many others do not.

The Position of the Adverb in a Sentence

An adverb of frequency goes before a main verb (except with To Be).

Subject + adverb + main verb
I always remember to do my homework.
He normally gets good marks in exams.

An adverb of frequency goes after the verb to be.

Subject + to be + adverb
They are never pleased to see me.
She isn't usually bad tempered.

When we use an auxiliary verb (have, will, must, might, could, would, can, etc.), the adverb is placed between the auxiliary and the main verb. This is also true for to be.

Subject + auxiliary + adverb + main verb
She can sometimes beat me in a race.
I would hardly ever be unkind to someone.
They might never see each other again.
They could occasionally be heard laughing.

We can also use the following adverbs at the start of a sentence:

Usually, normally, often, frequently, sometimes, occasionally

• Occasionally, I like to eat Thai food.

BUT we cannot use the following at the beginning of a sentence:

Always, seldom, rarely, hardly, ever, never.

We use hardly ever and never with positive, not negative verbs:

• She hardly ever comes to my parties. (NOT: She doesn't hardle ever come to my parties)
• They never say 'thank you'. (NOT: They don't never say 'thank-you')

We use ever in questions and negative statements:

• Have you ever been to New Zealand?
• I haven't ever been to Switzerland. (The same as 'I have never been Switzerland' - more frequently used).
• They don't ever say thank you.

We can also use the following expressions when we want to be more specific about the frequency:

- every day - once a month - twice a year - four times a day - every other week - 

D. Adverbs of Frequency Quiz

1	Nancy and I [30%]  - a) never b) frequently c) occasionally  go out for coffee together.	Click for answer c)
2	Andrea lives next door so we  - a) never b) often c) rarely  see her.	Click for answer b)
3	We meet  - a) never b) every day c) yearly  at the Annual General Meeting.	Click for answer c)
4	My doctor      -     a) yearly    checks my health  - b) yearly .	Click for answer b)
5	It [0%]  - a) never b) sometimes c) does not  rains here in the summer.	Click for answer a)
6	- a) Sometimes b) Never c) Rarely  we take the dog off his leash at the beach.	Click for answer a)
7	My sister  - a) often has missed b) has missed often c) has often missed  two days of school in a row.	Click for answer c)
8	My boyfriend and I take vacations together quite  - a) never b) hardly ever c) frequently .	Click for answer c)
9	Andy [10%]  - a) very frequently b) very rarely c) very often  gets to visit with his cousins.	Click for answer b)
10	I  - a) never  went to college    -   b) never .	Click for answer a)

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E. Have you ever...? How frequent?

I will pose the question about the activities below and you need to answer using an adverb of frequency

1. Rock climbed around Montpellier
2. Been outside of Europe
3. Played chess
4. Worked at a fast food restaurant
5. Spent a night in a tent (camp out)
6. Gone night hiking
7. Read books
8. Smoked
9. Eat out at restaurants
10. Visited museums
11. Gone to concerts in the last 5 years

Now is your turn, come up with 5 NEW activities and pose questions that require the use of adverbs of frequency in the response.

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F. A delicious history: the science of Chocolate

Watch the following video and we'll discuss the content by posing and responding to questions.



How about a short audio story? After listening to the following story, tell me how you felt at the end. Do you have questions? Suggestions? Reflexions about the printer guy? What would you have done if you were in his place

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G. Things one learns...when reading, writing and living

Look at the picture below and answer the following questions:

What type of person do you think she might be?

What job do you think she does?

What does she like doing in her free time?

Read the following article about the author of the video below: http://film-english.com/wp-content/uploads/2015/02/maria-popova-article.pdf


Watch the following video and answer the questions below



Transcript of the film: http://film-english.com/wp-content/uploads/2015/02/seven-things-transcript.pdf