ENGLISH VOCABULARY for INTERNATIONAL ISLAMIC EDUCATION

COUNCIL / BOARDING/ FULL DAY

CLASS X/1

Contents
Introduction
Using this Modul
Learning
1. Learning and revising with this book

have a routine, revision, say the word aloud

2. Keeping a vocabulary notebook

record, the most important thing is..

3. Using a dictionary

look up a word, guess the meaning

4. English language words

adjective, phrasal verbs, question mark

5. Classroom language

board pen, share a book, swap places

Word formation
6. Prefixes

un-, in-, im-, dis-

7. Noun suffixes

-ment, -ity, -ness, -tion

8. Adjective suffixes

-able, -ive, -al, -y

9. Nouns and verbs with the same form

guess/to guess, kiss/to kiss, rest/to rest

10. Compound nouns

traffic light, tin opener, credit card, film star

11. Compound adjective

easy-going, well-known, part-time

Phrase building
12. Collocation ( word partners )

miss the bus, a soft drink, fast asleep

13. Idioms and fixed expressions

never mind, go ahead, take it in turns

14. Verb or adjective + preposition

depend on, belong to, interested in

15. Pronunciation

book /bk/, cinema /snm/ , and so on.

16. Likes, preferences and interests

I quite like, and that short thing, Id rather

17. Exercises

Using this modul

This modul is written to help learners at this level to improve their English. It has been
designed for students who are studying on their own.
This is the page that introduces the new vocabulary for each topic or area of language.
First of all, the vocabulary is divided into a number of sections ( A,B,C,etc.) with simple
clear titles. Then, within each section, new words/phrases are explained using a number
of different techniques:
1. A short definition
e.g. unemployed (= without a job ); hang on (= wait ); feel like (= want or desire
infml )
2.

A short explanation
e.g. He admitted stealing her money, but denied taking the computer (= he said
yes he took the money, but nohe didnt take the computer ).

3.

A synonyms or opposite.
e.g. dreadful (=terrible ); dirty (opp clean )

4.

In a situation. With some words and phrases it is easier to see their meaning when
they are in context, e.g. ( This is from a text about a motoring accident ) ..The
driver of the Mercedes was OK, but the other driver was badly injured, and both
cars were badly damaged.

5.

a picture or diagram. This seem the obvious way to explain a large number of
concrete nouns and verbs.
e.g. carrot

Go along here and turn left

For many of the new words/phrases there are also sentence examples which show
the words in context in order to consolidate the meaning and illustrate any special
features.
e.g. My boyfriend gets very jealous when I talk to other boys.
The plane appeared in the sky, then suddenly disappeared behind a cloud.
Some people cant stand (=hate) working at the weekend. (cant stand + -ing
form)

Finally, a big effort has been made to introduce new words alongside other words
that often appear with them (this is called collocation).
e.g. miss the bus; a strong accent; the car broke down; its vitally important; fasten
your seatbelt; go on holiday; give someone a hand; to a certain extent; a terrible
pain, etc.
This page contains the exercises to practice the new vocabulary presented. In
general, the first exercise practice the form of some of the new words, and then
there are further exercises which focus on the meaning. In most units there is at
least one exercise which gives learners a chance to think about and practice new
vocabulary in relation to their own lives, and/or a task which invites learners to do
something with the vocabulary outside of the book. In every unit there is a range
of exercise types to help maintain your interest.

Summary of abbreviations used in this modul

n

noun

adj

adjective

opp

opposite

infml informal word or expression

fml

formal word or expression

(U)

uncountable word

(C)

countable word

sb

somebody

sth

something

( NOT I lost the bus ) indicates that a word or expression is wrong

I Learning and revising with this book

Look at Exercise 1.1 on the next page before you read this page.
A Have a routine
A routine means doing certain things often and in the same way. If you are using this
modul for self-study (= to study alone ), it helps to have a routine. So, how much time
can you spend on the book each day or each week? Here are some ideas:
- if you are studying a new unit, spend at least (=minimum of ) half an hour or 45
minutes.
- if you are revising (- studying a unit for a second or third time ), five or ten minute is
very useful.
So, plan longer periods for new units and shorter periods for revision.

B Using the book

Do different things to maintain your interest. (= keep your interest high ) for
example:
1. Dont study the units in the same order as the book. Choose (=select) units that
interest you ( = are interesting for you )
2. Be active when you are learning. For example:

When you are reading, use a highlighter pen to mark new or interesting
vocabulary

Practise saying the words aloud (=speaking them), so you can pronounce
them (=say the pronunciation), and also silently (=without a noise) in your
head to help you to remember them;

Put new words in your own notebook using some of the ideas from unit 2.

C Revision
Its easy to forget words that you learn, but if you revise for short periods, it helps you
to remember words and make them part of your active vocabulary. Here are some
ideas.

1. Do exercises in pencil. Check your answer when you finish, then rub them out
(=remove them using a rubber). Later, come back and do the exercises again.
2. Revise for short periods but do it often. Five minutes a day (Not five minutes per
day) is probably better than two hours a month.
3. Be active when you revise, e.g. test yourself, practice the pronunciation, write
down important words and phrases in your notebook with example sentences.

Exercises
I.I

Read these questions. What do you think? (Answers are on the opposite page)
1. Is it better to plan regular self-study, or just study when youve got some free
time?
2. Is it a good idea to study the units in the same order as they appear in the book?
3. Is it a good idea to write down new words in a notebook when you are studying
a unit?
4. Is it necessary to revise vocabulary (= study it again for a second or third time)?
5. Is it better to revise vocabulary occasionally for long periods of time, or is it
better to revise regularly for short periods of time?

I.2

Complete the table.

noun

verb

definition
revision
pronunciation
choice
interest

I.4

There is a mistake with the underlined words. Can you correct each one?
1. Did you make of the exercises?
2. I studied for one half hour.
3. Do you always read the left page first?
4. I passed twenty minutes on the first exercise.
5. I read the all page.

I.5

True or False? If the sentence is false, rewrite it to make it true. Write in pencil.
1. In this book, most of the important new vocabulary is shown in bold print.
2. Definitions/explanations of new words are often brackets after the word.
3. A routine means doing certain things in a different way each time.
4. If you maintain something at a level, it means you keep it at the same level.
5. At least 50 people means a maximum of 50 people.
6. If you write something then rub it out, you remove it from the page.
7. If you do something silenty, you do it without a noise.
8. Revision means studying something for the first time.
9. If you read a whole book, you read all of it.
10. A blank piece of paper is full of writing.

Check your answer. Look at any wrong answers carefully, then rub them out. Do the
exercise again tomorrow.
noun is word that refers to a person, a place or a thing, a quality or an activity
e.g. born, sibling, young, age, presenter, etc.
Adjective ( Adj ) is a word describes a noun.
e.g. green in green grass
Adverb ( Adv ) is word that adds information to a verb, Adj, phrase / another adverb
e.g. quickly in run quickly
Verb ( V ) is word or phrase that expresses an action
e.g. eat, an event : happen / a state exist
Phrase is group of words without a finite verb esp one that form past of sentence
e.g. course outline, junior college, etc.

You dont need to record all of these things for every word or phrase. The most
important thing is to show the words in typical examples. Leave space in your

Keeping a vocabulary notebook

Organising your notebook

Write the new words and phrases when you are learning.

What do I need to report?

What
Meaning

how
a translation

example
remember = lembrar [ in Portuguese ]

b definition

A pond is an area of water smaller than a

lake.

c synonym or opposite

awful (= terrible ); ugly ( opp beautiful )

d picture

saucepan

e example sentence

My hands were cold, so I put on my gloves.

phonemic symbols

ache /ek/

or your own system

ache [ like make ]

Part of speech

noun (n), verb (v)

gloves (n); remember (v); careful (adj)

Grammar

make a note +

enjoy + -ing; I enjoy going to parties.

example sentence

weather ( uncountable ); we had lovely

Pronunciation

weather in Italy.
Common partners

phrase or sentence

make a mistake; on the phone; (a) black

coffee ( = coffee without milk )

Special style

make a note

purchase ( = buy: formal) kids ( = children:

informal).

notebook as well, then you can come back and add more information later if you learn
something new.

C Organising words on the page

Dont just write lists of individual words. Put words together that appear together, e.g.
blonde hair ( opp black hair ), get off the bus ( = go out of the bus). Make the pages
interesting with pictures, diagrams and example sentence.

Exercises
2.1

Organise this list of words into three groups and give each one title.
unfriendly

put on

platform

gloves

unhappy

train

get on

unable

size

jumper

wear

late

unkind

tie

passenger

Find the units in this modul which may include these words. Add more each group.
2.2

Fill the gaps with suitable words to form common partners with the nouns in
bold.
1. Shes the phone at the moment
2. A : Do you want milk and sugar? B: No, just a coffee, please
3. If youre cold, why dont you your coat?
4. I dont usually that mistake.
5. She me a big smile this morning.

2.3

Underline the correct answer

1. A pond is:
a bigger than a lake

b smaller than a lake

c the same size

b to play tennis

c playing tennis

2. I really enjoy:
a play tennis

3. When we were on holiday we had:

a lovely weather

b lovely weather

c a lovely weather

4. The underlined letters in ache are pronounced the same as in:

a machine

b catch

c chemist

b felt

c falled

b a kitchen

c a noise

5. The past tense of fall is:

a fell
6. You can get off:
a a bus
7. Rise sharply means:

8. Purchase is:
a an informal word for buy

b a formal word for buy c a formal word for

child
2.4

Look at the words below. What is the best way to record their meaning?
What other information would be useful? Use the dictionary to help you.
Example You could record dream with a translation, a picture, or an explanation
e.g. things you imagine in your sleep. Dream can be verb or noun and is
often followed by about, e.g. I dreamt about you.

dream
2.5.

concentrate

beard

nearly

empty

rescue

knife

Write down three more nouns that often follow take. Do the same for make and do
Take make do

Write the definition of the underlined words below!

Reading text 1
Enrolling for the fall semester at college was an interesting experience. According to the
instruction in the college bulletin, I was eligible for mail-in registration. I mailed in my form,
feeling proud of myself for beating the long registration lines. But problems developed
during my first day of classes. In my second class of the day, my math instruction told me to
take a more advanced math course. In order to do that, I had to go to the registers office to
get a new class card. During my hour-long wait in the line, I wondered about the value of
mailing in my form. When I finally reached the registers desk, all of the math courses were
closed. The clerk gave me a special form to get me into one of the closed courses. For the rest
of the day, I wandered around the campus trying to get the dean the vice-president to sign my
form.

Guessing Meaning from Context

You dont need to look up the meanings of all new words in a dictionary. You can often
guess the meanings of many words from the context.
Sometimes a sentence gives the meaning of a new vocabulary item. The meaning
sometimes comes before or after the verb be.
Example: The context is the words around a new vocabulary item.
(What does context means? It means the words a round a new vocabulary
Item.)

10

Recognizing Reading Structure

Paragraphs divide reading material into topics. One paragraph is usually about one topic.
In the reading selection, there is a capital letter next to each of the five paragraphs.

3. Using a dictionary
A.

What dictionaries do I need?

Buy a good bilingual dictionary and a good English-English dictionary. The
bilingual dictionary is easier for you to understand; but its also good for you
to work in English as much as possible.

Large dictionaries
Cambridge Advanced Learners Dictionary

Medium-sized dictionaries
Cambridge Learners Dictionary

Longman Dictionary of Contemporary English

Longman Active Study Dictionary

Oxford Advanced Learners Dictionary

Oxford Wordpower Dictionary

B.

What information does a dictionary give me?

Look up a word (= find a word in a dictionary) and you will get this
information.

the meaning, e.g. homesick = unhappy because you are away from home
for a long period

the pronunciation (using phonemic symbols), e.g. island /alnd/, lose

/lu:z/, tiny /tani/

the part of speech, e.g. dirty adj (= adjective), choose (= verb), law n (=
noun)

word grammar, e.g. advice (U) (= uncountable noun), begin ( began,

begun) (= the past tense and past participle)

11

common collocations, e.g. do homework (Not make); It depends on you

(Not of)

example phrases or sentences, e.g. The train leaves from platform seven.

sometimes synonyms or opposites, e.g. polite (syn = courteous; opp =

impolite)

First, think of the word to look up. Then open the dictionary to as close to the
first letter or two of the word as possible. Then either turn back or forward to
find the word. To help the search, dictionaries have guide words to help.
Guide words are at the top of each page. The first guide word is the first word
on a page, and the second guide word at the top of the page is the last word on
the page. Using the guidewords, you should find the word you a looking for
easily. It will be between the words.

C.

How can I use my dictionary?

When you look up a word, put a tick next to it. Each time you return to a page
with a tick, look at it quickly to check you remember the word.
When you see a new word or phrase in a text, first try to guess the meaning
(= try to think of the meaning from the context), then carry on (= continue)
reading to see (= find out) if your guess it correct. Use your dictionary to
check the meaning. (= find out if the meaning is correct)

12

Dont just read definitions. The example phrases and sentences show you how
a word or phrase is used, and they often help you to understand the meaning
more clearly.
If you look up a word in a bilingual dictionary and get several different
translations, check in monolingual dictionary to see which translation is the
best one in the context.
Remember that many words have more than one meaning. The first meaning
in the dictionary is not always the one you want. Read through the different
meaning.
In a dictionary, words and phrases (ent.ies) appear in alphabetical order. For
example, entries that begin with a come before words that begin with all
others letters. Entries that begin with ca come before words that begin with ce
or ci or cr. Entries that begin with sce come before words that begin with sco
or scr.

Examples:

1. area

5. fortunately

9. low

13. weather

2. beautiful

6. heart attack

10. lower

14. wet

3. crater

7. ice field

11. measure

15. window

4. degree

8. July

12. moisture 16. windy

13

Exercises
Complete these sentences about dictionary use.
1.

Its important to have a good English-English dictionary and also a

dictionary, which is easier to understand.

2.

Dictionaries show the ..using phonemic symbols.

3.

Dictionaries will tell you if a noun is countable or ..

4.

Dictionaries show synonyms and ..where they exist.

5.

If you meet a word you dont know, you can try to ..the
meaning from the context, or you can ..it ..
in a dictionary.

Right or wrong? If the answer is wrong, correct it.

1.

Advice is a countable noun. Wrong (advice is an uncountable noun)

2.

Homesick means you are unhappy living at home and you want to leave.

3.

You dont make homework, you do homework.

4.

Carry on means the same as continue.

5.

The opposite of polite is unpolite.

6.

The past tense of begin is begun.

7.

Dirty is an adjective.

8.

If you look up a word, you find the meaning in a dictionary.

9.

Trains arrive at and leave from platforms.

10. Depend is followed by the preposition of.

14

3.3

In the word island/alnd/, the letter s is silent (= not pronounced). Use

your dictionary to find the silent letters in these words. (Do not include the
letter e at the end of a word.)

3.4

Use a dictionary to find the answer to these questions about words.

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

3.5

What does tiny mean?

How do you pronounce lose? (Is it the same as choose or chose?)
What is the opposite of lose a game?
What are the past tense and past participle of the verb choose?
What noun is formed from the verb choose?
What part of speech is homesick?
What two verbs often go before homesick?
Can you complete this common phrase? Law and ..

Match the sentences on the left with the different meanings of bar on the
below.
1.
2.
3.
4.

Theyve put bars in front of the window for extra security.

We went to a bar in the centre of town.
Could you get me a bar of chocolate?
You have to order drinks at the bar.

15

MEMORIZING PART OF BODY

A. Parts of the body

The outer part of the body is covered in skin, e.g. Too much sun is bad for your skin.

B. Physical actions
People breathe through the nose or mouth, and breathe in and out 12-15 times a
minute.
People smile when theyre happy, and sometimes smile at people to be polite.
Funny things make people laugh for example, when someone tells a joke.
People sometimes cry if theyre unhappy or receive bad news.
They yawn when theyre tired or bored.
People in some countries nod their head to mean yes, and shake their head for
no.

16

17

47.4 What do these actions often mean? (There may be several possible answers.)
1.
2.
3.
4.
5.
6.
7.
8.
9.

People often smile when theyre happy..

They often breathe quickly after
They laugh when
They may bite their nails
They blow their nose ..
They shake their head .
And nod their head
They cry
They yawn when ..

4. Synonym and Opposites

You already know the importance of learning synonyms (or near synonyms) and
antonyms (or near antonyms) when you study vocabulary. Not all the words and
expressions have antonyms, or opposites, of course; adjectives have opposites more
than other parts of speech.
Synonym is a word with the same meaning of another word. For example, famous
and well known are the synonyms; theyre similar in meaning to each other.
Antonym is a word with the opposite meaning of another word. For example,
seldom and often are antonyms; theyre opposite in meaning to each other.
Vocabulary test often ask you to match the words with their synonyms or antonyms.
Read the directions carefully before you begin.

Exercise Match the following words with their similar and opposite meanings.
Write the correct letters on the lines. The first one is done for you.
SYNONYMS

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

famous
powerful
cause
murderer
storm
poor
confused

a. hurricane
b. lost
c. strong
d. unfortunate
e. well-known
f. killer
g. reason

18

ANTONYMS

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

alive
happy
loud
upset
wonderful
rich
lie down

a. terrible
b. sad
c. calm
d. poor
e. stand
f. dead
g. quiet

Find the correct opposites of the given words. Choose the correct answer.
1) What's the opposite of more?
few
less
a lot
many
2) What's the opposite of alive?
asleep
dead
death
sick
3) What's the opposite of loud?
soft
quite
quiet
noisy
4) What's the opposite of happy?
glad
ugly
difficult
sad
5) What's the opposite of last?
first
beginning

19

start
end
6) What's the opposite of now?
always
never
then
soon
7) What's the opposite of to buy?
to take
to sell
to bring
to lend
8) What's the opposite of better?
bad
worse
good
worst
9) What's the opposite of dangerous?
easy
beautiful
safe
pleasant
10) What's the opposite of cool?
warm
hot
cold
cooler

20

4.1 Likes, preferences and interests

And things like that

We can describe a list of things, e.g. likes and dislikes, with one or two examples, then
finish with general phrases like these. We can also use them to ask about likes or dislikes.
Shes very keen on poetry and drama and that sort of thing.
I try to eat healthy food simple pasta and salads, and stuff like that.
My husband likes boxing and wrestling, but I hate things like that.
What kind of things/sort of stuff do you like?

Look forward to
Im looking forward to going home. (= pleased and excited about going home soon)
I always look forward to my birthday. (= pleased and excited when it is going to happen)
Im not looking forward to the exams because I havent done much work.
I look forward to hearing from you. [This is a common way to end a formal letter]

21

Which do you prefer?

In general
A: Which do you prefer, tea or coffee?
B: I prefer coffee to tea in the morning. But in the afternoon I usually drink tea.
Specific occasion
A: We can go to the cinema or the theatre it doesnt matter. Which would you prefer?
B: Id prefer to go the cinema. Or Id rather go to the cinema.
Id rather is the same as Id prefer to, but is more common in spoken English.

What are you interested in?

A: Are

you interested in Latin American music?

B: Yes, very (much). or No, not really. or No, it doesnt interest me (at all).

Exercises
19.1 Correct the mistake in these dialogues (one mistake in each).
1.

A:

I love modern art.

5. A: Do you like tea?
B: Yes, I do.
B: Yes, but I prefer coffee than tea
2. A: Do you like this?
6. A: Does he like football?
B: Yes, I like very much.
B: No, hes not interesting in sport
3. A: Would you like to go out?
7. A: I dont like his new CD.
B: No, Id prefer stay here.
B: No, so do I.
4. Im looking forward to see you next week. 8. I dont mind to help them.

19.2 Complete the phrases in bold in these sentences.

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

My sister loves Robbie Williams, but I cant him.

He likes windsurfing and waterskiing that sort of
Theyre not very keen sightseeing.
Do you really enjoy things .. that?
Are you looking . to your holiday?
I love the cinema, but this particular film doesnt . me at all.
Carole is really modern art the moment. Personally, I
hate it
8. (formal letter) We look forward to ..from you.

22

19.3 Rewrite the sentences using the word on the right. The meaning must stay the
same.
1. I hate these new shoes.
I cant stand these new shoes
2. I think theyd prefer to go home.

3. I dont find his book interesting

4. I dont really like that sort of thing.

..
5. I find archaeology very interesting.

6. I think the new building is OK.

STAND
RATHER
INTEREST
THINGS
INTERESTED
MIND

19.4 Agree with each of these sentences using so or neither and the correct verb.
1. I love this ice cream. So do I.
2. I like strawberries.
3. I dont like cold tea.

4. I cant work with music on.

5. Im single.
6. Im not married.

Now write me too or me neither next to each of your answers.

19.5 Complete these sentences about yourself. Compare with someone else if
possible.
I really like ..and ..and things like that.
I dont mind.
I cant stand.
I prefer.to
Im looking forward to...
Im not looking forward to.
Im interested in.doesnt interest me.

23

5. English language words

A. Parts of speech
nouns
verbs
adjectives
adverbs
prepositions
articles

e.g. chair, information, happiness

e.g. choose, tell, complain
e.g. happy, tall, dangerous
e.g. slowly, carefully, often
e.g. in, at, on
e.g. definite article (the); indefinite article (a/an)

B. Special terms
Uncountable noun: (U) a noun which has no plural form and isnt used with the
indefinite article, e.g. can you send me some information? (NOT an information or
informations)
Plural noun: (pl) a noun which only has a plural form and isnt used with the
indefinite article, e.g. He was wearing blue trousers and a white shirt. ( NOT a blue
trouser).
Infinitive: the base form of a verb, e.g. We decided to stop lunch.
Phrasal verb: a verb which needs a direct object, e.g. The police caught the man
[the man is the direct object of the verb caught]. A verb which doesnt need a
direct object is intransitive, e.g. Tim and his brother are. always arguing.
Informal: a word or phrase which is informal used mostly in spoken English. Formal
English is more common in writing or with people you dont know very well.
Many words also have synonyms, which are words with the same meaning, e.g. big
and large are synonyms in many contexts. The opposite is small.

24

C. Word building
Word building is the process of constructing an imaginary world, usually associated
with a fictional universe. The result may sometimes be called a constructed
world, conworld or sub-creation. The term
In the word uncomfortable, un- is a prefix, comfort is a root, and able is a suffix.
Other common prefixes include: re-, in-, and dis-. Suffixes include: -ity, -ment and
ive.
Prefix is a word element placed at the beginning of a root.
Suffix is the ending on a word.
nouns

adjectives

adverbs

Suffixes
-ance

Examples
distance

Suffixes
-ant

Examples
distant

Suffixes
-ly

Examples
Clearly

-ence
-ty

difference
ability

-ent
-able

different
available

-ally

simply
scientifically

-ity

availability

-ible

responsible

D. Pronunciation
Dictionaries show the pronunciation of a word using phonemic symbols, e.g. book
/buk/, before /bf/, cinema /snm/, and so on.
Every word has one or more syllables, e.g. book has one syllable, before has two
syllables, cinema has three syllables, and so on.
For pronunciation, it is important to know which syllable has the main stress, e.g. on
before it is the second syllable (before), and on cinema it is the first syllable
(cinema), and so on.

25

E. Punctuation
Punctuation often provides clues to the meaning of sentences and paragraphs. A colon (:)
can introduce a list that explains the sentence before the colon. Sometimes each item of
the list has a number before it.
Commas separate the items. (if one or more items contain commas themselves,
semicolons often separate the items)
Example: the elderly people of the area live well: (1) they are rarely sick; and (2) when
they die, they have their own teeth, a full head, and good eyesight. (What do
the two numbered items show? Examples of how the elderly people live
well).

Full stop .

comma ,

brackets ( )

hyphen -

question mark ?

Hyphens are used to connect certain words or parts of a word together, e.g. a ten-year-old
child.

Exercise
4.1

There is one word missing in each line of the text. Where does the missing
word go? What could it be? What part of speech it is?

End Punctuation
The punctuation marks that signal the end of a sentence are the period, the question mark
and the exclamation mark.
You use the period, by far the most common of the end punctuation marks, to terminate
a sentence that makes a statement. You may also use periods with imperative sentences
that have no sense of urgency or excitement attached:
Without a doubt, Lady Emily was much happier after her divorce.
26

Turn right at the stop sign.

Bring me a cup of coffee and a cheese danish.
When you want to express a sense of urgency or very strong emotion, you may end your
imperative sentences and statements with an exclamation mark
Look out below!
Leave this house at once!
I hate him!
Exclamation marks are, however, rare in formal writing. Use them sparingly, if at all.
You should use the question mark at the end of a direct question:
Who's on first?
Where is my flowered cape?
Be careful not to use a question mark at the end of an indirect question. Indirect questions
are simply statements, and therefore end with a period:
I wonder who was chosen as Harvest King in the county fair.
She asked if she could play pinball.
The teacher asked who was chewing gum.
Written by Frances Peck
Last year I went to for my holiday. I spent the
first week Seville staying with a couple of friends,
and then I a train to Barcelona, where I spent
another ten days. It is beautiful city and I had a
marvellous time. I stayed in a very hotel right in the
centre, but I didnt mind spending a lot money
because it is a wonderful and very convenient. My
brother recommended it; he goes Spain a lot and
he stays anywhere else.

27

1. Spain (noun)
2. ..
3. ..
4. ..
5. ..
6. ..
7. ..
8. ..
9. ..

4.2

In the dialogue below, find at least one example of the following an

uncountable noun, a phrasal verb, and an idiom.
A:

Its 8 oclock. Wed better get a move on if were going t meet sue at the
airport.
B: Thats OK. Her flight doesnt get in until 8.50.
A: Yes, but itll take us an hour to get to the airport you know what the traffics is
like.
B: OK. Ill just go and get a changed.
A: Whats wrong with your shorts?
B: I dont like driving in shorts. Im going to put some jeans on.

4.3

Look at the underlined verbs in these sentences. Which are transitive? Which
are intransitive?
1.
2.
3.
4.
5.
6.

4.4

She broke her leg.

Take off your jacket.
I got up at 7.30.
She doesnt like Chinese food.
We arrived late.
He told me to sit down.

How many syllables are there in each of these words?

English (2)
Before
Preposition

noun
adjective
adverb

decide
education
understand

informal
opposite
pronunciation

Now mark the main stress on each of the words.

4.5

Look at these words and answer the questions below.

Happy
1.
2.
3.
4.
5.

lucky

dangerous

cheap

What part of speech are these words?

Change each one into an adverb.
Write down a synonym for the first two words.
Which prefix do you need to form the opposite of the first two words?
Write down the opposite of the last two words.

F. Phrasal Verb
A phrasal verb consists of a verb and a preposition or adverb that modifies or changes
the meaning; 'give up' is a phrasal verb that means 'stop doing' something, which is very
28

different from 'give'. The word or words that modify a verb in this manner can also go under
the name particle.
Phrasal verbs are idiomatic expressions, combining verbs and prepositions to make

new verbs whose meaning is often not obvious from the dictionary definitions of the
individual words. They are widely used in both written and spoken English, and new
ones are formed all the time as they are a flexible way of creating new terms.
Phrasal verbs can be divided into groups:
Intransitive verbs
These don't take an object
They had an argument, but they've made up now.
Inseparable verbs
The object must come after the particle.
They are looking after their grandchildren.
Separable verbs
With some separable verbs, the object must come between the verb and the particle:
The quality of their work sets them apart from their rivals
With some separable verbs, the object can before or after the particle, though when
a pronoun is used it comes before the particle:
Turn the TV off.
Turn off the TV.
Turn it off.

29

6. Prefixes and Noun suffixes

A. With the meaning not
Prefixes can be added to some words to give them a negative meaning.
Happy
unhappy
like (v)
dislike (v)
Possible
impossible
legal
illegal (= against the law/wrong)
Correct
incorrect
regular
irregular, e.g. irregular verbs
un- is the most common, e.g. unfriendly, unable, unusual, unnecessary,
unemployed (= without a job), untidy (= not in order; also, in a mess), unkind,
unpleasant (= horrible).
in- is often used before words with a Latin origin, e.g. invisible (= cant be seen),
informal, inadequate (= not good enough, e.g. The car park is inadequate for a
big supermarket like that).
im- is used before some words beginning with m or p, e.g. impolite,
impossible, impatient (= someone who is impatient wants things to happen
now; they cant wait for things), immoral.
il- can be used before l, e.g. illegible (= impossible to read because the writing is
bad).
ir- is only used before a few words beginning with r, e.g. irresponsible.
dis- is used before some adjectives, e.g. dishonest (a dishonest person is
someone you cant trust, and often doesnt tell the truth), and a few verbs, e.g.
dislike, disagree.
Prefixes are groups of letters that can be placed before a word to modify its
meaning.
EG: impossible (the prefix im- modifies the meaning to produce a negative sense

B. Verb prefixes: un- and disWith some verbs, these prefixes can also mean the opposite of an action.
The plane appeared in the sky, then suddenly disappeared behind a cloud.
I locked the door when I left, but then I lost the key and I couldnt unlock it when
I got back.
I got dressed (= put on my clothes) and had my breakfast.
I got undressed (= took off my clothes) and got into bed
I had to pack my suitcase/ do my packing (= put everything in it)
Very quickly, so when I unpacked (= took things out)
At the hotel, most of my clothes looked terrible.

30

C. Other verb prefixes with specific meanings

re- (= again)
over- (= too much)

mis- (= badly or
incorrectly)

The shop closed down but itll reopen next month.

I failed my exam but I can retake /redo it next year.
My boss is overdoing it at the moment. (= working too hard)
I went to bed very late and I overslept (= slept too long) this
morning
The shop assistant overcharged me.
(= asked me for too much money)
Im afraid I misunderstood what he said.
Two of the students misread the first question.

Exercise
6.1

Whats the opposite of these words? (The words in the last column are verbs,
The rest are adjectives).
1. unhappy
5. .patient
9. .polite
19. lock
2. .correct
6. .regular
10. visible
18. pack
3. .legible
7. .friendly
11. employed
17. agree
4. .possible
8. .formal
12. honest
16. like

6.2

Whats the reverse of these actions?

1. do ones packing unpack
3. appear
2. lock the door
4. get dressed

6.3

Agree with these sentences, using a synonyms from the left hand page for the
underlined words.
1. Its against the law, isnt it?
Oh yes, its illegal
2. His room is always in a mess, isnt it?
31

3.
4.
5.
6.
7.
8.

6.4

Yes, its very .

He took off his clothes!
Yes, he got
This handwriting is impossible to read.
Yes I know, its completely .
She can never wait for five minutes, can she?
No, shes very ..
The conference centre wasnt good enough for 500 people, was it?
No, it was completely ..for that number.
Shes horrible sometimes.
Yes, she can be very
Im afraid they sometimes steal things and tell lies.
I know. Theyre both ..

Complete the verbs in these sentences.

1.
2.
3.
4.

I completely disagree with him on this subject.

Im sorry, I mis ..her message.
We un .a soon as we got to the hotel, then went our for a walk.
She was here a minute ago, then she dis.I dont know where
she is now.
5. My homework was so bad that Ill have to re.it.
6. Her alarm clock didnt go off and she over .
7. She finally managed to un..the door and we were able to go
inside
8. I dis.the film, but the others enjoyed it.
9. I dont think Ill pass the exam, but I can always re.it in September
10. Shes over..things at the moment. She needs a complete break
from her job.
11. The post office shuts for lunch but it should re..at 2.00pm
12. I was very angry because they over.me by about 5 in that shop.

6.5

Keep several pages in your notebook for verbs and adjectives which combine
with these prefixes. You can add new words to your lists and test yourself at
the same time.

Noun suffixes
verb
improve (= get better)
govern (= control affairs of a city or country)
manage (= direct or control a business)
elect (= choose somebody by voting)
discuss (= talk about something seriously)
inform (= tell someone something)
jog (= running to keep fit or for pleasure)
32
spell (e.g. S-P-E-L-L)

suffix
-ment
-ion
-ation
-ing

noun
improvement
government
management
election
discussion
information
jogging
spelling

There has been a big improvement in the economy.

The problems are due to bad management.
Who do you think will win the election?
Im not very good at spelling.
Suffixes are groups of letters placed after a word to modify its meaning or change it
into a different word group, from an adjective to an adverb, etc.
EG: gladly (the suffix -ly changes the word from an adjective to an adverb)
approached (the suffix -ed changes the verb from the present to the past)

B.

Adjective + noun suffix

adjective
weak (opp strong)
happy
ill (= sick/ not well)
stupid (opp intelligent, clever)
active
similar (= almost the same; opp different)

suffix
-ness
-ity

noun
weakness
happiness
illness
stupidity
activity
similarity

We have a weak governmentWhats her main weakness as a manager?

She was ill for a long time
Hepatitis s a very serious illness.
The two boys are quite similar
There is a similarity between all three sons.

C.

Pronunciation
Adding a suffix to a verb or adjective may change the pronunciation.

verb
educate
advertise

noun
education
advertisement

adjective
similar
stupid

D. -er/-

naoun
similarity
stupidity

or

and -ist
These suffixes can be added to nouns or verbs. They often describe people and
jobs.
-er
baller dancer
pop singer
murderer (= person who
kills someone)

-er
bus driver
shop manager
professional footballer
employer

Exercises
33

-or
television actor
film director
translator
computer operator

-ist
artist, e.g. Picasso
economist
psychologist
journalist

7.1

verb
educate
improve
jog
govern
spell
hesitate
arrange

7.2

Complete the tables and mark the stress on each word. The last two in each
column are not on the opposite page, but d you know or can you guess the
noun formed from them?

noun
..
..
..
..
..
..
..

noun
.
.
.
.
.
.
.

Combine words on the left with the correct suffix on the right to complete the
text.
pop
shop
film
computer

7.3

adjective
stupid
happy
weak
similar
active
sad
popular

bus
child
ballet
professional

psychologist
singer
operator
footballer

dancer
manager
driver
director

Complete the definitions below.

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

An employer is a person or company that employs people

A murderer is a person who .
A bank manager is a person who
A television actor is a person who .
A translator is a person who ..
A lorry driver is a person who
A journalist is a person who
An artist such as Picasso is a person who ..

E. Countries, nationality and language

Country
Argentina

Nationality
Argentinian

language
Spanish

34

Brazil
Britain
China
Egypt
France
Germany
Greece
Israel
Italy
Japan
Korea
Mexico
Poland
Russia
Saudi Arabia
Spain
Switzerland
The United States (USA)
Turkey

Brazilian
British
Chinese
Egyptian
French
German
Greek
Israeli
Italian
Japanese
Korean
Mexican
Polish
Russian
Saudi Arabian
Spanish
Swiss
American
Turkish

Portuguese
English
Mandarin (also Cantonese)
Arabic
French
German
Greek
Hebrew
Italian
Japanese
Korean
Spanish
Polish
Russian
Arabic
Spanish
Swiss-German, French, Italian
English
Turkish

I come from Argentina, so I am Argentinian and my first language is Spanish. The

capital is Buenos Aires, which has a population of more than 10 million people.

A. Regions
There are some names for regions of the world that we often use.
Europe (e.g. Britain, Spain, etc)
the Mediterranean (e.g. Italian, Spain, etc)
the Far East (e.g. China, Japan, etc)
the Middle East (e.g. Egypt, Iran, etc)
The Caribbean (e.g. Jamaica, Trinidad, etc) South/Latin America (Brazil, Chile,etc)

7. Using a Dictionary Quickly

When you read, you can often guess the meanings of new words from the context.
Sometimes, however, you may need to use a dictionary. With a dictionary, you can find
35

out the pronunciation of words and check the spelling. You can find out parts of speech
and check your guesses about meaning. You can find examples of the words in sentences.
In a dictionary, words and phrases (ent.ies) appear in alphabetical order. For
example, entries that begin with a come before words that begin with all others letters.
Entries that begin with ca come before words that begin with ce or ci or cr. Entries that
begin with sce come before words that begin with sco or scr.
Can you find words and phrases in your dictionary quickly? Practice in the use of
alphabetical order (forward and backward) will help you. Also, you can use the guide
word (or words) at the top of each dictionary page. The guide word on the left is the same
as the first entry on the left-hand page. The guide word on the right is the same as the last
entry on the right-hand page.

Exercise 1 Work quickly. To put a group of words below in alphabetical order,

number the words in each group from 1 to 8. The first with the correct
answers is the winner.
powerful

health

influence

storm

camping

relax

affect

strong

36

8. Adjective Suffixes
A. Noun or verb + suffix
noun
danger, fame
music, politics, emotion
economics, industry
cloud, sun, fog, dirt
attract, create

suffix
-ous
-al
-y
-ive

adjectives
dangerous, famous (= known by lots people)
musical, political, emotional (= have or show strong
feelings), economical (= saves you money)
industrial (= connected with industry and factories)
cloudy, sunny, foggy, dirty (opp clean)
attractive (= pretty, good-looking); creative (= ability
to produce new ideas; with imagination)

The roads were dangerous this morning; it was foggy and I couldnt see far.
He was very emotional when he said goodbye.
Did you buy a diesel car because its more economical than petrol?
Im afraid youll have to clean the floor its very dirty.

B. able
This common suffix create adjectives from nouns and verbs:
an enjoyable eveninga comfortable chair
Jeans are still fashionable
suitable (= right/correct for a situation), e.g. a grey suit is very suitable for a
wedding
Sometimes able means can be done:
washable (= can be washed), e.g. Is this jacket washable?
reliable (= can be trusted), e.g. Ive never had a problem with the car-its very
reliable.
Words ending able quite often express the opposite meaning with the prefix ununsuitable (= not right/correct for a situation), e.g. Jeans are unsuitable for
wedding.
unbreakable (= cant be broken), e.g. The glass in the shop window is
unbreakable.
words ending ible sometimes add the prefix in- to form an opposite;
incomprehensible (= cant be understood), e.g. This street map I
incomprehensible.
nvisible (= cant be seen), e.g. Trees surrounds the house, so its invisible from
the road.

C. ful and -less

-ful often means full of or having the quality of the noun;
Careful (= doing sth with care and attention), e.g. careful driver
Helpful (= able to help), e.g. Her advice was very helpful.

37

painful (= giving pain), e.g. It was painful when I hit my hand.

useful (= has a lot of use), e.g. I found it a useful book.
thoughtful (= kind and think of others.)
-less often means without:
careless (= without care, and causing mistakes), e.g. His work is full of careless
mistakes.
useless (= without use and often terrible), e.g. This knife is useless it wont cut
anything.
homeless (= with nowhere to live), e.g. many families are homeless because of
the war.

Exercise
8.1 Write an adjectives (or adjective) form these nouns or verbs. Cover the
opposite page first.
1.
2.
3.
4.
5.
6.

8.2

danger
attract
create
cloud
suit
use

7. care
8. thought
9. politics
10. enjoy
11. pain
12. dirt

13. sun
14. music
15. comfort
16. fame
17. rely
18. emotion

Fill the gaps with suitable adjectives from the opposite page.
1. You must be very careful when you drive in wet weather.
2. Everyone in my country has heard of her; she very
3. The tourist information office was very .., and told us
everything we needed to know.
4. This is a very .. road, you know. There were three serious
accidents on it last year.
5. It was very ..when I hit my leg against the corner of that table.
6. This bag is very : I take it to work and when I go on holiday.
7. Weve never had problems with our TV in ten years; its been very..
8. The factory is in the part of the city, and its not very
attractive.
9. A 100 gram bag is 80 pence, but the 200 gram bag is only 1.20, so its
more.. to buy the larger bag.
10. Its terrible that there are so many .people in a country that is so
rich.
11. Teenagers want to be ., and wear all the latest style.
12. I cant understand a word of these instructions theyre..

38

8.3

How many of these words can form opposites with the suffix less?
1. wonderful 2. useful
3. awful
4. careful
5. beautiful
What are the opposites of the other words (the ones without less)?

8.4

Match adjectives from the left with the most suitable nouns from the right.
homeless
careless
comfortable
industrial

8.5

famous
useful
cloudy
enjoyable

actor
party
advice
family

bed
mistake
area
morning

From the adjectives on the opposite page, choose two or three which could
describe each of these people or things. (you can use the same adjective more
than once)
1.
2.
3.
4.
5.
6.

Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart famous, creative, musical

the weather
someones driving
an area of a city
a car
yourself

Nouns and Verbs With the Same Form

Many words in English function as noun and verb, or verb and adjective, or noun
and adjective, with the same form.
Whats the answer? (n) I must clean my room. (v) I dont like the cold. (n)
Answer the question. (v) Its clean room. (adj)
I dont like cold weather.(adj)
The same word form can have different meanings, but this unit looks at examples
where the meaning is the same or similar, and concentrates on nouns and verbs
with the same form.

39

A. Noun and Verb

Brake (= stop a car using the brake on the floor)

ring (= telephone)
Diet (= eat less to lose weight)
queue (= wait in line of people)
Guess (= give an answer without knowing the facts) murder (= kill someone)
Many common words can function as noun and verb with the same form and meaning:
Drink, rest, look, cost, swim, wash, push, pull, reply, kiss, chat (= a casual conversation
infml) [also practice (v) and practice (n)].

B. Which Verb?
It is often more natural in English to use the verb + noun structure (e.g. had a
guess) and not the verb (e.g. guessed). You need to know which verbs to use with
the nouns.
verb
I didnt know the answer, so I guessed.
We rested for a while.
He braked suddenly.
He needs to diet.
Im going to ring him.
I looked in the paper.
I dreamt about you last night.
We had to queue for half an hour.

verb + noun
I didnt know the answer, so I had a guess.
We had a short rest.
She put on the brakes suddenly.
He needs to go on a diet.
Im going to give him a ring.
I had a look in the paper.
I had a dream about you last night.
We had to wait in queue for half an hour.

Exercise
I.
What word is being defined? (the first letter has been given to you).
1. Give an answer without knowing the facts
2. Eat less in order to lose weight
3. Wait in line of people
4. Kill someone
5. Telephone
40

g.
d.
q.
m
r.

6. Press your lips against another persons lips

7. Have a casual conversation
8. Images in your mind when youre sleeping

II.

k.
c.
d.

Rewrite these sentences using the underlined nouns and verbs. Change or
add words if necessary.
Example

There are a lot of rain yesterday.

It rained a lot yesterday.

1. We had a long wait.

We..
2. This apple has got a strange taste
This.
3. We waited in the queue for half an hour We..
4.The cost of the holiday was about 500. The..
5. I wrote a reply to his letter yesterday.
I..
6. She gave me a smile this morning.
She.

III.

Rewrite these sentences using the underlined verbs and nouns. The meaning
must stay the same.
Example

They want to rest for a bit

They want to have a rest for a bit.

1. Ill ring him this evening.

2. Ill diet if necessary
3. If you dont know, just guess.
4. I braked but I still couldnt stop in time
5. I dreamt about my mother.
6. Did you look in the paper?
IV.

Ill.
Ill.
If you dont know, just...
I.
I.
Did you.

Sometimes the same word can be a verb and noun but the meaning changes.
Read these pairs of sentences. Do the verb and noun have a similar meaning,
or are they different in meaning?
1a
b
2a
b
3a
b
4a
b

We had a long wait for the bus.

if we wait any longer, we may miss the train.
I gave him the book.
Did you book the table in the restaurant?
They take a break after an hours work.
did he break his arm skiing?
I go for a run most mornings.
I was late so I had to run to get to school on time.

41

9. Compound nouns
A.

Formation
A compound noun is formed from two words, and occasionally three, to create a
single new idea.

Dining room (= room where you eat meals) film star (e.g. Tom Cruise, Meg Ryan)
Science fiction (= stories about future)
income tax (= tax you pay on your salary)
Writing paper (= paper for writing letters) dishwasher (= machine for washing dishes)
Mother tongue (= your first language)
brother-in-law (= your sisters husband or
Bus driver (= person who drives buses)
wifes brother).
Bus stop (= where buses stop for people to get on)
Haircut (e.g. My hairs long: I need a haircut)
Traffic jam (= long line of cars moving very slowly)
Babysitter (= person who looks after children when parents are out)
Box office (= place where you buy cinema or theatre ticket)
Travel agent (= job of a person who makes travel arrangements for us)

B.

One word or two?

Some short common compound nouns are written as one word, e.g. bedroom,
postman; a few are written with hyphen, e.g. T-shirt, make-up (= stuff you put
on the face, often on lips and around eyes, to be more attractive); but most are
written as two words, e.g. credit card, bus stop. Use a dictionary to check if
necessary.

C. Pronunciation
The main stress is usually on the first part, e.g. post office, income tax, but
sometime it is on both parts, e.g. science fiction, mother tongue. Use a
dictionary to check if necessary.

42

D. Forming new compounds

One part of a compound often forms the basis for a number of compound nouns.
Postman
Postbox
Post office

Film star
Pop star
Rock star

Toothbrush
Toothpaste
toothache

Living room
Waiting room
Chat room (= an area for
communication on the internet)

Exercises
9.1

Find compound nouns on the opposite page connected with each of these
topic.

9.2

Complete each sentence with a suitable compound noun from the opposite
page.
1.
2.
3.
4.
5.
6.
7.
8.

We booked our holiday through a travel agent

Im sorry Im late. There was a terrible.on the motorway.
Humphrey Bogart was a famous.in the 1940s and 50s.
The.. ..were red but he still didnt stop.
When I got to the dentist, I had to sit in the for 40 minutes.
Mary wanted to go out, but she couldnt find a.for the children.
When Im driving I always wear..if its very bright and sunny.
Most people have to pay ..on their salary; the more you
earn, the more you pay.
9. I washed my hair; then I discovered that the wasnt working.

43

10. We waited at the. .for 20 minutes, then three arrived at the

same time.
11. My brother loves .., but I never read stuff like that
about the future.
12. Your jeans were dirty so I put them in the ..with mine.

9.3

Take one word (the first part of the second part) from each compound and
create a new compound. Use a dictionary to help you if necessary.
Examples
1.
2.
3.
4.

brother-in-law
postbox

mother-in-law
post office

dining room
film star..
credit card..
toothpaste..

5. traffic lights..
6. sunglasses.
7. hair dryer..
8. boyfriend..

Compound adjectives
1. A compound adjective is formed when two or more adjectives work together to
modify the same noun. These terms should be hyphenated to avoid confusion or
ambiguity.
Incorrect: The black and blue mark suggested that he had been involved in an
altercation.
Correct: The black-and-blue mark suggested that he had been involved in an
altercation.
Incorrect: Her fifteen minute presentation proved decisive to the outcome of the
case.
Correct: Her fifteen-minute presentation proved decisive to the outcome of the case.
2. However, combining an adverb (usually a word ending in "ly") and an adjective does
not create a compound adjective. No hyphen is required because it is already clear that
the adverb modifies the adjective rather than the subsequent noun.
Incorrect: The remarkably-hot day turned into a remarkably-long week.
Correct: The remarkably hot day turned into a remarkably long week.

44

3. Furthermore, you should not place a hyphen in a compound adjective if the adjectives
are capitalized, such as when they are part of a title.
Correct: His book was entitled, "Gender Neutral Language in English Usage," and
it revolutionized the way people think about sex roles.
However: His book on gender-neutral language revolutionized the way people think
about sex roles.
Correct: The students were participants in Chicago-Kent's vaunted Legal Research
and Writing Program.
Also Correct:
The student decided to attend a school with a good legal-research-and-writing
program. Note that in this example, the reference is to a type of program, rather
than a specific program, and so the use of hyphens is proper.

A.

Formation and pronunciation

A compound adjective is formed from two words, and occasionally three. The
second part is often a present participle (e.g. good-looking) or a past participle
(e.g. well-known). They usually have a hyphen before a noun, (e.g. a well-known
actress, a good-looking man) and we usually pronounce both parts with equal
stress.

B.

Describing people
Many compound adjectives describe a persons appearance, character and
situation.
This is Bill. He isnt well known (= famous), he
Isnt well off (= rich), and nobody says hes good
Looking (= very nice/attractive to look at). But
Hes nice man kind, friendly and easy going
(= relaxed and easy to be with). Here hes wearing
a short-sleeved shirt and a brand-new (= completely
new) hat.

45

C.

Well and badly

These adverbs combine with many past participles to form compound
adjectives.
We can use both of them with most of the participles, e.g. well-paid or badlypaid (NOT badly known).
a well-organised team.
a well-equipped computer room
a well-written story
a well-known writer (= famous)

D.

a well-paid (= good salary)

a badly-behaved child(= acting in a bad way)
a badly-dressed young man (= wearing old or
dirty clothes)

A five-minute walk
We often combine a number and a singular noun to form a compound adjective.
The nouns in bold in these sentences, e.g. walk, hotel are often used with the
particular adjectives.
Its a ten-minute walk to the shop. (= a walk of ten minutes)
He works in a four-star hotel. (= a hotel with a rating of four tars)
I gave her a twenty-pound note. (= a note with a value of twenty pounds)
Our flight finally left after a two-hour delay. (= the plane was two hours late)
The winner was a ten-year-old girl. (= a girl who is ten years old)
If you park your car there, you could get a fifty-euro fine. (= a penalty of 50
to pay for parking in the wrong place)

E.

Common compound
She used to have a part-time job- just mornings but now she works full time.
Most people are right handed, but about 10% are left handed.
I went first class to Paris, but it was more expensive.
Mary bought a second-hand BMW. (= the car wasnt brand new for her)

46

Exercises
10.1

Match words from the left-hand box with words from the right to form ten
compounds.
Examples first class
first
easy
five
brand
part

10.2

well
good
short
second
left

new
class
looking
hand
going

known
time
sleeved
handed
star

Complete the compound adjective in these sentences.

1. They were both wearing short-.shirt.
2. Goran Ivanisevic is probably the most famous left-tennis
player.
3. Hes just bought a brand-car.
4. One girl was very badly: she kept shouting and then
threw food all over the floor.
5. Shes just got a-time job now. She works three hours a
day, Monday, to Thursday.
6. It was very badly-article: terrible punctuation and lots
of spelling mistakes.
7. Theyre very well.., so they can go to expensive
restaurant.
8. Shes got a little shop near the market, where she sells secondthings.
9. When I saw her, she was with a very good-man in a white
suite.
10. Have you ever met a well-..actor or politician?
11. I had a nice time with my cousin he good company and very
easy
12. She has a seven-..-old son.

10.3

Choose the most suitable noun to follow the adjectives in these sentences.
1. I stayed in a five-starin London.
2. We didnt get to Malaga until midnight because we had a twohour.at Heathrow.
3. She bought a paper and paid for it with a twenty-pound.
4. It just over a kilometre, so its only about a fifteen-minute
47

5. I had to pay a forty-pound.for not having a parking ticket.

11. COLLOCATION (Word Partners)

A. What is collocation?
If you want to use a word naturally, you need to learn the other words that often
go with it. This can be different from language. For example, in English we say:
I missed the bus. (= I didnt catch the bus) (NOT I lost the bus)
He had to go to hospital; its serious injury. (= a bad injury) (NOT a grave
injury)
She was bitterly disappointed (= very disappointed /unhappy) with her exam
result.

B. Verb + noun
The meaning of many of these examples may be clear, but did you know these
verbs and nouns go together? Are they the same or different in your language?
Start {drink (=noun-alcoholic drink
a family (= think about having a first child
Tell {a story
a joke (= a funny story)
the truth (= opp tell a lie)
miss { a person (= be unhappy because a particular person is not there)
a lesson (= not go to a lesson)
get on the bus (opp get off a bus)
waste time/money (=use it badly)

C. Adjective + noun
a soft {drink (= non-alcoholic drink)
voice (opp a loud voice)

dry {wine (opp sweet wine)

wether (opp wet weather)

a strong accent (opp a slight accent)

(a) strong coffee (opp (a) weak coffee) heavy

hard work (= difficult physically or mentally)

a hard question (= difficult to answer)

48

traffic (=a lot of cars on the road)

rain (= raining a lot)
smoker (= a person who smokers a
lot)
success (= very successful)
a great time (= an enjoyable time)

I cant understand his English because he has such a strong accent.

The conference was hard work but everyone said it was a great success.
There was a heavy traffic in the city centre because of the wet weather.
We had a great time in Brazil the beaches are fantastic.

D. Adverb + adjective
The underlined adverbs in 1-3 mean very, the adverbs in 4-5 mean
fully/completely. In each case, we often use these adverbs with the adjectives that follow
them. Notice also the phrases in bold.
1. Im terribly sorry to bother you (= to disturb you), but is Steven there?
2. She is well aware of the problem. (= She knows all about the problem)
3. It is vitally important to make a note of common collocations in your
notebook.
4. hes fast asleep. (= in a deep sleep)
5. She was wide awake (= fully awake) a minute ago.

Exercises
11.1

You can keep a record of common collocations using diagrams. They are
very
Clear on the page and you can add o them. Complete these.

49

11.2

11.3

Write the opposite

1. get on the bus get off the bus

5. an alcoholic drink

2. a strong accent

6. tell the truth

3. strong coffee

7. catch the bus

4. a soft voice

8. sweet wine

Complete these sentences with a suitable words.

1. Im terribly sorry Im late, but I.the bus and had to wait ages
for another one.
2. He..everyone the same joke, and nobody laughed.
3. We had snow in the night and I couldntthe car this morning.
4. Everyone said the party was asuccess.
5. I think they want to get married anda family.
6. We carried the suitcases up to the fourth floor, and it was verywork.
7. Itsimportant that we finish this work by the end of the week.
8. if this..rain continues, I dont think hell come.
9. I dont drink.coffee at night because it keeps me awake.
10. I really..my family when I stayed in Australia on my own last year.
11. Im sure she isaware of the problem.
12. I..my time on that course; it was terrible.
13.When I went into the childrens room, the boys were both..asleep, but
Angela was.awake, reading Harry Potter story.

50

11.3

The adjectives on the left can all mean very big, but we often use them
with the nouns on the right. Use a dictionary to find the correct
collocations, and then complete the sentences below. You will need to look
at the example sentences in the dictionary, perhaps at the adjectives and
the nouns.
Wide
Large

vast
broad

Size
Shoulders

range
majority

1. A: What.do you take? B: Medium or

2. Fortunately the shop I go to has a.. of shirts and jumpers to
choose from.
3. Ive got very, but my waist is quite small.
4. A few men cant find clothes to fit them, but the..
5. .are small, medium or large.
Exercise:
1 I'm an ______ admirer of your work.
ardent
triumphant
stale
considerable
cast-iron
2 This new process is a ______ advance in technology.
ardent
significant
stale
considerable
cast-iron
3 He knows the interviewer already and that will give him an ______
advantage over me.
ardent

51

significant
unfair
considerable
cast-iron
4 I wouldn't upset him. He can be a ______ adversary.
ardent
significant
unfair
dangerous
cast-iron
5 He gave me some ______ advice and I took it.
ardent
significant
unfair
dangerous
blunt
6 We know very little about this. We need to bring in an ______
adviser to help us.
outside
significant
unfair
dangerous
blunt
7 I don't like this at all. It's a really ______ affair.
outside
ugly
unfair
dangerous
blunt
8 It's not a very challenging job. I only have to deal with ______

52

affairs.
outside
ugly
everyday
dangerous
blunt
9 They don't always agree but I think there is a bond of ______
affection between them.
outside
ugly
everyday
deep
blunt
10 It seems no time at all since I started work and here I am at ______
age.
outside
ugly
everyday
deep
retirement
11 That type of behaviour was possible in a ______ age but we are more
tightly regulated these days.
bygone
ugly
everyday
deep
retirement
12 I don't trust him. I think he has a ______ agenda.
bygone
hidden
everyday
deep
53

retirement
13 We cannot tolerate this sort of ______ aggression from a competitor
in one of our key markets.
bygone
hidden
naked
deep
retirement
14 We have a ______ agreement with them and we must respect it.
bygone
hidden
naked
binding
retirement
15 I think they must be providing them with some kind of ______ aid.
But I don't know what.
bygone
hidden
naked
binding
covert
16 I agree with the ______ aims of what you are trying to do but not
with some of the details.
broad
hidden
naked
binding
covert
17 I'm sure he's got the job. He's walking around with a ______ air.
broad
triumphant

54

naked
binding
covert
18 You need to open the windows and get rid of the ______ air in here.
broad
triumphant
stale
binding
covert
19 The problems in Tokyo have caused ______ alarm on Wall Street.
broad
triumphant
stale
considerable
covert
20 He definitely wasn't there. He has a ______ alibi.
broad
triumphant
stale
considerable
cast-iron

The Parts of Speech

Traditional grammar classifies words based on eight parts of speech: the verb, the noun,
the pronoun, the adjective, the adverb, the preposition, the conjunction, and the
interjection.
Each part of speech explains not what the word is, but how the word is used. In fact, the
same word can be a noun in one sentence and a verb or adjective in the next. The next
few examples show how a word's part of speech can change from one sentence to the
next, and following them is a series of sections on the individual parts of speech,
followed by an exercise.
55

Books are made of ink, paper, and glue.

In this sentence, "books" is a noun, the subject of the sentence.
Deborah waits patiently while Bridget books the tickets.
Here "books" is a verb, and its subject is "Bridget."
We walk down the street.
In this sentence, "walk" is a verb, and its subject is the pronoun "we".
The mail carrier stood on the walk.
In this example, "walk" is a noun, which is part of a prepositional phrase describing
where the mail carrier stood.
The town decided to build a new jail.
Here "jail" is a noun, which is the object of the infinitive phrase "to build."
The sheriff told us that if we did not leave town immediately he would jail us.
Here "jail" is part of the compound verb "would jail."
They heard high pitched cries in the middle of the night.
In this sentence, "cries" is a noun acting as the direct object of the verb "heard."
The baby cries all night long and all day long.
But here "cries" is a verb that describes the actions of the subject of the sentence, the
baby.
The next few sections explain each of the parts of speech in detail. When you have
finished, you might want to test yourself by trying the exercise.
Written by Heather MacFadyen

ROOTS
alter

MEANING
other

WORD
alternate, alter ego

56

ami, amicamphi
ann, enni
anthrop
aqua, aque
arch
arthro
aud
bell
biblio
biobrev
cap
carn
ced
chromchroncogn
cord/chord
corp
crac, crat
cred
cruc
crusta
crypt
culp
dei
demodent
dermdic
dox
duc, duct
duo
dynamego
equ
fac
fil
frater
gamgeoglyph
grad, gress
graph-

love
both ends or all sides
year
human, man
water
chief, leader, ruler
joint
sound
war
book
life
short
take, seize
meat
yield, go
color
time
know
cord
body
rule, ruler
believe
cross
shell
hidden
guilt
god
people
tooth
skin
speak, say
belief, opinion
lead
two
power
self
equal
make, do
threadlike
brother
marriage
earth
vertical groove
step
writing, printing
57

amiable, amicable
amphibian
anniversary, annual, biennial, perennial
anthropology, anthropomorphic, misanthrope
aquatic, aquarium, aqueduct
archangel, monarch, archaic, archenemy
arthritis
auditorium, audible, audiologist, audiotape
belligerent, bellicose
bibliography, bibliophile
biography, autobiography, biology, antibiotic
brief, abbreviate
capture, captivate, capacity
carnivorous, chili con carne
recede, secede, proceed, intercede, concession
chromatic, monochrome, polychrome
chronicle, chronology, chronometer, synchronize
recognize, cognitive, incognito
harpsichord
corpus, corpse, corporal
autocrat, democracy, bureaucrat, democracy
credible, credulous, credibility, credit, credo
crucifix, crucial
crustacean
cryptogram, cryptology, cryptic
culpable, culprit
deity, deify
demography, democracy, epidemic
dentist, dentifrice, dentin
dermatology, epidermis, hypodermic
dictate, predict, diction, indict
orthodoxy, paradox, heterodoxy
induce, deduce, seduction, conduct, abduct
duo
dynamo, hydrodynamics
egotist, egomania
equal, equity, equanimity, equate, equidistant
manufacture, factory, benefactor
filament
fraternal, fraternize
monogamy, polygamy, bigamy
geopolitical, geology, geography, geothermal
HieroglyphicsEgyptian sky writing
gradual, progression, transgression
graphology, biography, telegraph, geography

gym
gynhemo, hema, hem
holo
hydro, hydr
iso
ject
jud
leg, lect
liter
loc
log
luc
magn
man
mar
mater
mere
meta, met
metri, metermin
mit, miss
mob, mot, mov
mon
mor, mort
morph
mut
neuro
nomen /nomin
nov
nym, onym
odonto
orthopac
pater
path
ped, pod
pel, puls
pend
phon-, phonoplan
pneum
pod
port
pot

naked
woman
blood
whole, entire
water
equal, identical
throw
judge
read, choose
letter
place
word
light
large
hand
sea
mother
part, segment
behind, between
measure
small
send
move
warn
death
form, structure
change
nerve
name
new
word, name
tooth
straight, correct
peace
father
feeling, suffering
foot
push
hang, weigh
sound, voice
flat
lung
feet
carry
power

gymnasium
gynecologist, androgynous
hemophilia, hematology, hemoglobin
holograph
dehydrate, hydraulics, hydroelectric, hydroplane
isolate
inject, reject, subject, projection
judicial, judge, adjudicate
legible, lectern, lecturer, election
literature, illiterate, literal
local, location
monologue, epilogue
lucid, elucidate
magnify, magnate, magnificent
manufacture, manual, manuscript
marine, mariner
maternal, maternity, matriarchy, matricide
mere
metacognitionbehind the thinking
geometric, thermometer, odometer
minority, minuscule, minute
permit, submission, mission, emit,
mobile, automobile, motion, promote, movie
premonition, admonition
mortal, mortician, immortality
metamorphosis, amorphous, morphology
mutant, mutability, mutate
neurology, neurosis, neurobiology
nominal, nominate, nomenclature
novel, renovate, innovation, novella
synonym, acronym, anonymous, pseudonym
orthodontistone who straightens teeth
orthodox, orthodontist, orthopedic
pacify, Pacific Ocean, pacifist
paternal, paternity, patricide, patrilineal, patriotic
sympathy, apathy, empathy, telepathy, pathology
pedal, pedometer, centipede, gastropod
pulsate, repulsive, impulse, compel, propel
pendulum, pendant, suspend, pending
telephone, euphony, cacophony, phonograph
planar, plantation, plane
pneumatic
podiatrist
portable, transport, portage, report,
potent, omnipotent, potentate
58

psychpugna
quer, quis
scent, scend
schizo, schiz
sci
sciss
scrib, script
sec, sect
sed, sess
sens, sent
sequ, secu
serv
simil
siphon
sol
son
soph
spec, spic
spir
spir
spond, spons
spont
stat
tang, tact
temp
ten, tent
terr
theo
thermtrophy
uro
vac
ven, vent
ver
vert
vit
voc
zoo

soul, spirit, mind

fight
ask
climb
division, split
know
cut
write
cut
sit
feel, be aware
follow
serve, protect
same
tube
sun
sound
wisdom, knowledge
look, see
coil
breathe
promise, answer for
by one's own force
stay, position
touch
time
hold
earth
god, deity
heat
nutrition, food
urine
empty
come, go
truth
turn
life
call
animal

psychology, psychic, psychobiography

pugnacious, pugilist
query, inquisition,
ascend, ascent
schizophrenic
scientific
scissors
manuscript, scribe, proscribe, scripture
dissect, section
sedentary, session
sensible, sentient
sequence, sequel, consecutive
service
similar, assimilate, simile, facsimile (fax)
siphon
solar
sonar, resonate, unison
philosophy, sophisticated, sophomore (wise fool)
spectacles, spectator, inauspicious, prospect
spiral
inspire, respiration, conspire, perspiration
respond, responsible
spontaneous
station
tactile, tangible
temporary, temporize
tentative, tenable, tenuous
subterranean, terrain, terrestrial, disinter
theology, polytheism, atheist, monotheism
thermal, thermos, thermometer
atrophywithout nutrition
urologist
vacation, vacuum, vacuous, vacant
intervene, convene, contravene
veracity, verify, verity
introvert, irreversible, vertigo
vital, revitalize, vitamin
revoke, invocation, vocal, evocative, convocation
zoo, zoology, zoolatry

PREFIXES
PREFIX
a-, anab-

MEANING
not, without
away from

EXAMPLES
amoral, anesthetic, apolitical, asocial
abduction, abstain, abnormal
59

adambianaantiapoautobenecata-, catcentro, centricircumcomconcontradedia-, didisdyseectoen-, emendoepiesoeuexheterohomohyperhypoilimiminininterintrairmacromal, malemetamicromononeoobpalin-, pali-

to, toward
both
up, back, again
against
from, away from
self
good
down, against
around, center
around
with, together
with, together
against
down, away
through, across
apart, not
ill, difficult, bad
out of, from
on the outside
in
within, inside
upon
inward, within
well, good
out of, from
other, different
same
over
under
not
not
into
not
into
between
within
not
large
bad, evil
beyond
small
one, single
new, recent
against
back, again

adjoin, adjacent (lying near to)

ambidextrous, ambivalent
analogy, anatomy, anagram
antipathy, antiwar, antisocial
apology, apologize
autobiography, automobile, autocracy, automaton
benediction benevolent benefactor
catastrophe--a turning down
concentric, centrifugal
circumlocution circumference, circumvent
communal, community
connect, confide conspire
contradict, contravene
descend, deject (cast down)
diameter, division
disengage, discord, discomfort
dysfunctional, dysentery
elect (choose out of), eject (throw out)
ectoderm--outer skin
empathy--feeling in
endoscope--instrument for observing inside
epitaph epidermis, epicenter
esoteric--more inward, esophagus
euthanasia--good death
exhume, exhale, exodus
heterosexual, heterodoxy, heterodox heterogeneous
homosexual, homogeneous, homogenized
hypertension, hypersensitive, hyperactivity
hypotension, hypodermic
illegitimate, illicit, illegal, illegible
imperfect, impolite, impossible
imbibe (drink in, take in)
indiscreet, invisible
incorporate (take into the body)
intervene (come between), interstate
intrastate, intramural
irregular, irrational, irredeemable
macrocosm, macroeconomics
malediction malevolent, malnutrition
metaphysical
microscope, microcosm, microeconomics
monologue, monotheism, monarchy, monogamy
neologism, neo-liberal, neonatology. neolithic
object, obstruct (build against)
palindrome
60

panparaperperiphil-, philopolypostpreproprosprotopseudo
reretrosesubsur-, supersyn-, sym-, syl-, sys
teletrans-

all, every
false
through
around
like, lover of
many, several
after
before
for, forward
toward, in front
first
false
again, back
back
away from
under
over, above
with, together
distant, far off
across

pantheism, Pan-Hellenic, panorama, pandemic

paramilitary, paralegal, parachute
percolate (flow through) perforate (punch through)
perimeter, periscope
philosophy, Francophile, bibliophile, philanthropy
polygon, polygamy, polytechnic, polytheism
postgraduate, posthumous postpone
precede, predict (tell before)
promote, project
prospectview in front, something coming up
prototype, protoplasm, protobiology
pseudonym, pseudoscience
repeat, recede, regress (step back)
retrogression, retroactive
seduce (lead away), secede
submarine, subject, subhuman subterranean
superhuman, superego, superintend, surpass
symphony, synonym, system, syllable
telephone, telepathy, television, telegram
transient, Transatlantic, transport (carry across)

SUFFIXES
SUFFIX
-agog,
-agogue
-cide
-ectomy
-ia, -y
-ic, -tic, -ical,
-ac
-ics
-isk, -iscus
-ism
-ist
-ite
-logy
-oid
-or, -er
-phobia

DEFINITION
leader

EXAMPLE
demagogue, pedagogue

kill(ing)
cutting
act, state
having to do with

patricide, infanticide, herbicide. suicide

appendectomy, splenectomy
amnesia, mania, democracy, anarchy
anthropomorphic, dramatic, biblical,
cardiac
things having to do with optics, physics
small
asterisk--a little star
the belief in
pacifism, terrorism, socialism,
communism
one who believes in
pacifist, terrorist, socialist, communist
one connected with
meteorite, polite, cosmopolite
study field of
biology, geology, etymology, cardiology
resembling, like-shaped asteroid, spheroid
one who takes part in
doctor, actor, teacher, driver
exaggerated fear
photophobia, claustrophobia,

61

-sis

act, state, condition of

agoraphobia
analysis

What is a Pronoun?
A pronoun can replace a noun or another pronoun. You use pronouns like "he," "which,"
"none," and "you" to make your sentences less cumbersome and less repetitive.
Grammarians classify pronouns into several types, including the personal pronoun, the
demonstrative pronoun, the interrogative pronoun, the indefinite pronoun, the relative
pronoun, the reflexive pronoun, and the intensive pronoun.
Personal Pronouns
A personal pronoun refers to a specific person or thing and changes its form to indicate
person, number, gender, and case.
Subjective Personal Pronouns
A subjective personal pronoun indicates that the pronoun is acting as the subject of the
sentence. The subjective personal pronouns are "I," "you," "she," "he," "it," "we," "you,"
"they."
In the following sentences, each of the highlighted words is a subjective personal
pronoun and acts as the subject of the sentence:
I was glad to find the bus pass in the bottom of the green knapsack.
You are surely the strangest child I have ever met.
He stole the selkie's skin and forced her to live with him.
When she was a young woman, she earned her living as a coal miner.
After many years, they returned to their homeland.
We will meet at the library at 3:30 p.m.
It is on the counter.
Are you the delegates from Malagawatch?
Objective Personal Pronouns
An objective personal pronoun indicates that the pronoun is acting as an object of a
verb, compound verb, preposition, or infinitive phrase. The objective personal pronouns
are: "me," "you," "her," "him," "it," "us," "you," and "them."
In the following sentences, each of the highlighted words is an objective personal
pronoun:
Seamus stole the selkie's skin and forced her to live with him.

62

The objective personal pronoun "her" is the direct object of the verb "forced" and the
objective personal pronoun "him" is the object of the preposition "with."
After reading the pamphlet, Judy threw it into the garbage can.
The pronoun "it" is the direct object of the verb "threw".
The agitated assistant stood up and faced the angry delegates and said, "Our
leader will address you in five minutes."
In this sentence, the pronoun "you" is the direct object of the verb "address."
Deborah and Roberta will meet us at the newest caf in the market.
Here the objective personal pronoun "us" is the direct object of the compound verb "will
meet."
Give the list to me.
Here the objective personal pronoun "me" is the object of the preposition "to".
I'm not sure that my contact will talk to you.
Similarly in this example, the objective personal pronoun "you" is the object of the
preposition "to".
Christopher was surprised to see her at the drag races.
Here the objective personal pronoun "her" is the object of the infinitive phrase "to see."

Possessive Personal Pronouns

A possessive pronoun indicates that the pronoun is acting as a marker of possession and
defines who owns a particular object or person. The possessive personal pronouns are
"mine," "yours," "hers," "his," "its," "ours," and "theirs." Note that possessive personal
pronouns are very similar to possessive adjectives like "my," "her," and "their."
In each of the following sentences, the highlighted word is a possessive personal
pronoun:
The smallest gift is mine.
Here the possessive pronoun "mine" functions as a subject complement.

63

This is yours.
Here too the possessive pronoun "yours" functions as a subject complement.
His is on the kitchen counter.
In this example, the possessive pronoun "his" acts as the subject of the sentence.
Theirs will be delivered tomorrow.
In this sentence, the possessive pronoun "theirs" is the subject of the sentence.
Ours is the green one on the corner.
Here too the possessive pronoun "ours" function as the subject of the sentence.

Demonstrative Pronouns
A demonstrative pronoun points to and identifies a noun or a pronoun. "This" and
"these" refer to things that are nearby either in space or in time, while "that" and "those"
refer to things that are farther away in space or time.
The demonstrative pronouns are "this," "that," "these," and "those." "This" and "that" are
used to refer to singular nouns or noun phrases and "these" and "those" are used to refer
to plural nouns and noun phrases. Note that the demonstrative pronouns are identical to
demonstrative adjectives, though, obviously, you use them differently. It is also important
to note that "that" can also be used as a relative pronoun.
In the following sentences, each of the highlighted words is a demonstrative pronoun:
This must not continue.
Here "this" is used as the subject of the compound verb "must not continue."
This is puny; that is the tree I want.
In this example "this" is used as subject and refers to something close to the speaker. The
demonstrative pronoun "that" is also a subject but refers to something farther away from
the speaker.
Three customers wanted these.
Here "these" is the direct object of the verb "wanted".

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Interrogative Pronouns
An interrogative pronoun is used to ask questions. The interrogative pronouns are
"who," "whom," "which," "what" and the compounds formed with the suffix "ever"
("whoever," "whomever," "whichever," and "whatever"). Note that either "which" or
"what" can also be used as an interrogative adjective, and that "who," "whom," or
"which" can also be used as a relative pronoun.
You will find "who," "whom," and occasionally "which" used to refer to people, and
"which" and "what" used to refer to things and to animals.
"Who" acts as the subject of a verb, while "whom" acts as the object of a verb,
preposition, or a verbal.
The highlighted word in each of the following sentences is an interrogative pronoun:
Which wants to see the dentist first?
"Which" is the subject of the sentence.
Who wrote the novel Rockbound?
Similarly "who" is the subject of the sentence.
Whom do you think we should invite?
In this sentence, "whom" is the object of the verb "invite."
To whom do you wish to speak?
Here the interrogative pronoun "whom " is the object of the preposition "to."
Who will meet the delegates at the train station?

In this sentence, the interrogative pronoun "who" is the subject of the compound verb
"will meet".
To whom did you give the paper?
In this example the interrogative pronoun "whom" is the object of the preposition "to."
What did she say?

65

Here the interrogative pronoun "what" is the direct object of the verb "say."

Relative Pronouns
You can use a relative pronoun is used to link one phrase or clause to another phrase or
clause. The relative pronouns are "who," "whom," "that," and "which." The compounds
"whoever," "whomever," and "whichever" are also relative pronouns.
You can use the relative pronouns "who" and "whoever" to refer to the subject of a clause
or sentence, and "whom" and "whomever" to refer to the objects of a verb, a verbal or a
preposition.
In each of the following sentences, the highlighted word is a relative pronoun.
You may invite whomever you like to the party.
The relative pronoun "whomever" is the direct object of the compound verb "may invite".
The candidate who wins the greatest popular vote is not always elected.

In this sentence, the relative pronoun is the subject of the verb "wins" and introduces the
subordinate clause "who wins the greatest popular vote". This subordinate clause acts as
an adjective modifying "candidate."
In a time of crisis, the manager asks the workers whom she believes to be the
most efficient to arrive an hour earlier than usual.
In this sentence "whom" is the direct object of the verb "believes" and introduces the
subordinate clause "whom she believes to be the most efficient". This subordinate clause
modifies the noun "workers."
Whoever broke the window will have to replace it.
Here "whoever" functions as the subject of the verb "broke".
The crate which was left in the corridor has now been moved into the storage
closet.
In this example "which" acts as the subject of the compound verb "was left" and
introduces the subordinate clause "which was left in the corridor." The subordinate clause
acts as an adjective modifying the noun "crate."

66

I will read whichever manuscript arrives first.

Here "whichever" modifies the noun "manuscript" and introduces the subordinate clause
"whichever manuscript arrives first." The subordinate clause functions as the direct object
of the compound verb "will read."
Indefinite Pronouns
An indefinite pronoun is a pronoun referring to an identifiable but not specified person
or thing. An indefinite pronoun conveys the idea of all, any, none, or some.

The most common indefinite pronouns are "all," "another," "any," "anybody," "anyone,"
"anything," "each," "everybody," "everyone," "everything," "few," "many," "nobody,"
"none," "one," "several," "some," "somebody," and "someone." Note that some indefinite
pronouns can also be used as indefinite adjectives.
The highlighted words in the following sentences are indefinite pronouns:
Many were invited to the lunch but only twelve showed up.
Here "many" acts as the subject of the compound verb "were invited".
The office had been searched and everything was thrown onto the floor.
In this example ,"everything" acts as a subject of the compound verb "was thrown."
We donated everything we found in the attic to the woman's shelter garage sale.
In this sentence, "everything" is the direct object of theverb "donated."
Although they looked everywhere for extra copies of the magazine, they found
none.
Here too the indefinite pronoun functions as a direct object: "none" is the direct object of
"found."
Make sure you give everyone a copy of the amended bylaws.
In this example, "everyone" is the indirect object of the verb "give" -- the direct object is
the noun phrase "a copy of the amended bylaws."

Give a registration package to each.

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Here "each" is the object of the preposition "to."

Reflexive Pronouns
You can use a reflexive pronoun to refer back to the subject of the clause or sentence.
The reflexive pronouns are "myself," "yourself," "herself," "himself," "itself,"
"ourselves," "yourselves," and "themselves." Note each of these can also act as an
intensive pronoun.
Each of the highlighted words in the following sentences is a reflexive pronoun:
Diabetics give themselves insulin shots several times a day.
The Dean often does the photocopying herself so that the secretaries can do more
important work.
After the party, I asked myself why I had faxed invitations to everyone in my
office building.
Richard usually remembered to send a copy of his e-mail to himself.
Although the landlord promised to paint the apartment, we ended up doing it
ourselves.

Intensive Pronouns
An intensive pronoun is a pronoun used to emphasise its antecedent. Intensive pronouns
are identical in form to reflexive pronouns.
The highlighted words in the following sentences are intensive pronouns:
I myself believe that aliens should abduct my sister.
The Prime Minister himself said that he would lower taxes.
They themselves promised to come to the party even though they had a final
exam at the same time.
Written by Heather MacFadyen

What is a Noun?

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A noun is a word used to name a person, animal, place, thing, and abstract idea. Nouns
are usually the first words which small children learn. The highlighted words in the
following sentences are all nouns:
Late last year our neighbours bought a goat.
Portia White was an opera singer.
The bus inspector looked at all the passengers' passes.
According to Plutarch, the library at Alexandria was destroyed in 48 B.C.
Philosophy is of little comfort to the starving.
A noun can function in a sentence as a subject, a direct object, an indirect object, a
subject complement, an object complement, an appositive, an adjective or an adverb.
Noun Gender
Many common nouns, like "engineer" or "teacher," can refer to men or women. Once,
many English nouns would change form depending on their gender -- for example, a man
was called an "author" while a woman was called an "authoress" -- but this use of
gender-specific nouns is very rare today. Those that are still used occasionally tend to
refer to occupational categories, as in the following sentences.
David Garrick was a very prominent eighteenth-century actor.
Sarah Siddons was at the height of her career as an actress in the 1780s.
The manager was trying to write a want ad, but he couldn't decide whether he was
advertising for a "waiter" or a "waitress"
Noun Plurals
Most nouns change their form to indicate number by adding "-s" or "-es", as illustrated in
the following pairs of sentences:
When Matthew was small he rarely told the truth if he thought he was going to
be punished.
Many people do not believe that truths are self-evident.
As they walked through the silent house. they were startled by an unexpected
echo.
I like to shout into the quarry and listen to the echoes that returned.
He tripped over a box left carelessly in the hallway.
Since we are moving, we will need many boxes.
There are other nouns which form the plural by changing the last letter before adding "s".
Some words ending in "f" form the plural by deleting "f" and adding "ves," and words
ending in "y" form the plural by deleting the "y" and adding "ies," as in the following
pairs of sentences:

69

The harbour at Marble Mountain has one wharf.

There are several wharves in Halifax Harbour.
Warsaw is their favourite city because it reminds them of their courtship.
The vacation my grandparents won includes trips to twelve European cities.
The children circled around the headmaster and shouted, "Are you a mouse or a
man?"
The audience was shocked when all five men admitted that they were afraid of
mice.
Other nouns form the plural irregularly. If English is your first language, you probably
know most of these already: when in doubt, consult a good dictionary.
Possessive Nouns
In the possessive case, a noun or pronoun changes its form to show that it owns or is
closely related to something else. Usually, nouns become possessive by adding a
combination of an apostrophe and the letter "s."

You can form the possessive case of a singular noun that does not end in "s" by adding an
apostrophe and "s," as in the following sentences:
The red suitcase is Cassandra's.
The only luggage that was lost was the prime minister's.
The exhausted recruits were woken before dawn by the drill sergeant's screams.
The miner's face was covered in coal dust.
You can form the possessive case of a singular noun that ends in "s" by adding an
apostrophe alone or by adding an apostrophe and "s," as in the following examples:
The bus's seats are very uncomfortable.
The bus' seats are very uncomfortable.
The film crew accidentally crushed the platypus's eggs.
The film crew accidentally crushed the platypus' eggs.
Felicia Hemans's poetry was once more popular than Lord Byron's.
Felicia Hemans' poetry was once more popular than Lord Byron's.
You can form the possessive case of a plural noun that does not end in "s" by adding an
apostrophe and a "s," as in the following examples:
The children's mittens were scattered on the floor of the porch.
The sheep's pen was mucked out every day.
Since we have a complex appeal process, a jury's verdict is not always final.
The men's hockey team will be play as soon as the women's team is finished.
The hunter followed the moose's trail all morning but lost it in the afternoon.

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You can form the possessive case of a plural noun that does end in "s" by adding an
apostrophe:
The concert was interrupted by the dogs' barking, the ducks' quacking, and the
babies' squalling.
The janitors' room is downstairs and to the left.
My uncle spent many hours trying to locate the squirrels' nest.
The archivist quickly finished repairing the diaries' bindings.
Religion is usually the subject of the roommates' many late night debates.
Using Possessive Nouns
When you read the following sentences, you will notice that a noun in the possessive case
frequently functions as an adjective modifying another noun:
The miner's face was covered in coal dust.
Here the possessive noun "miner's" is used to modify the noun "face" and together with
the article "the," they make up the noun phrase that is the sentence's subject.
The concert was interrupted by the dogs' barking, the ducks' quacking, and the
babies' squalling.
In this sentence, each possessive noun modifies a gerund. The possessive noun "dogs"'
modifies "barking", "ducks"' modifies "quacking," and "babies"' modifies "squalling."
The film crew accidentally crushed the platypus's eggs.
In this example the possessive noun "platypus's" modifies the noun "eggs" and the noun
phrase "the platypus's eggs" is the direct object of the verb "crushed."
My uncle spent many hours trying to locate the squirrels' nest.
In this sentence the possessive noun "squirrels"' is used to modify the noun "nest" and the
noun phrase "the squirrels' nest" is the object of the infinitive phrase "to locate."
Types Of Nouns
There are many different types of nouns. As you know, you capitalise some nouns, such
as "Canada" or "Louise," and do not capitalise others, such as "badger" or "tree" (unless
they appear at the beginning of a sentence). In fact, grammarians have developed a whole
series of noun types, including the proper noun, the common noun, the concrete noun, the
abstract noun, the countable noun (also called the count noun), the non-countable noun
(also

71

called the mass noun), and the collective noun. You should note that a noun will belong to
more than one type: it will be proper or common, abstract or concrete, and countable or
non-countable or collective.
If you are interested in the details of these different types, you can read about them in the
following sections.
Proper Nouns
You always write a proper noun with a capital letter, since the noun represents the name
of a specific person, place, or thing. The names of days of the week, months, historical
documents, institutions, organisations, religions, their holy texts and their adherents are
proper nouns. A proper noun is the opposite of a common noun
In each of the following sentences, the proper nouns are highlighted:
The Marroons were transported from Jamaica and forced to build the
fortifications in Halifax.
Many people dread Monday mornings.
Beltane is celebrated on the first of May.
Abraham appears in the Talmud and in the Koran.
Last year, I had a Baptist, a Buddhist, and a Gardnerian Witch as roommates.

Common Nouns
A common noun is a noun referring to a person, place, or thing in a general sense -usually, you should write it with a capital letter only when it begins a sentence. A
common noun is the opposite of a proper noun.
In each of the following sentences, the common nouns are highlighted:
According to the sign, the nearest town is 60 miles away.
All the gardens in the neighbourhood were invaded by beetles this summer.
I don't understand why some people insist on having six different kinds of
mustard in their cupboards.
The road crew was startled by the sight of three large moose crossing the road.
Many child-care workers are underpaid.
Sometimes you will make proper nouns out of common nouns, as in the following
examples:

72

The tenants in the Garnet Apartments are appealing the large and sudden
increase in their rent.
The meals in the Bouncing Bean Restaurant are less expensive than meals in
ordinary restaurants.
Many witches refer to the Renaissance as the Burning Times.
The Diary of Anne Frank is often a child's first introduction to the history of the
Holocaust.
Concrete Nouns
A concrete noun is a noun which names anything (or anyone) that you can perceive
through your physical senses: touch, sight, taste, hearing, or smell. A concrete noun is the
opposite of a abstract noun.
The highlighted words in the following sentences are all concrete nouns:
The judge handed the files to the clerk.
Whenever they take the dog to the beach, it spends hours chasing waves.
The real estate agent urged the couple to buy the second house because it had
new shingles.
As the car drove past the park, the thump of a disco tune overwhelmed the
string quartet's rendition of a minuet.
The book binder replaced the flimsy paper cover with a sturdy, cloth-covered
board.
Abstract Nouns
An abstract noun is a noun which names anything which you can not perceive through
your five physical senses, and is the opposite of a concrete noun. The highlighted words
in the following sentences are all abstract nouns:
Buying the fire extinguisher was an afterthought.
Tillie is amused by people who are nostalgic about childhood.
Justice often seems to slip out of our grasp.
Some scientists believe that schizophrenia is transmitted genetically.
Countable Nouns
A countable noun (or count noun) is a noun with both a singular and a plural form, and
it names anything (or anyone) that you can count. You can make a countable noun can be
made plural and attach it to a plural verb in a sentence. Countable nouns are the opposite
of non-countable nouns and collective nouns.
In each of the following sentences, the highlighted words are countable nouns:
We painted the table red and the chairs blue.

73

Since he inherited his aunt's library, Jerome spends every weekend indexing his
books.
Miriam found six silver dollars in the toe of a sock.
The oak tree lost three branches in the hurricane.
Over the course of twenty-seven years, Martha Ballad delivered just over eight
hundred babies.
Non-Countable Nouns
A non-countable noun (or mass noun) is a noun which does not have a plural form, and
which refers to something that you could (or would) not usually count. A non-countable
noun always takes a singular verb in a sentence. Non-countable nouns are similar to
collective nouns, and are the opposite of countable nouns.
The highlighted words in the following sentences are non-countable nouns:
Joseph Priestly discovered oxygen.
The word "oxygen" cannot normally be made plural.
Oxygen is essential to human life.
Since "oxygen" is a non-countable noun, it takes the singular verb "is" rather than the
plural verb "are."
We decided to sell the furniture rather than take it with use when we moved.
You cannot make the noun "furniture" plural.
The furniture is heaped in the middle of the room.
Since "furniture" is a non-countable noun, it takes a singular verb, "is heaped."
The crew spread the gravel over the roadbed.
You cannot make the non-countable noun "gravel" plural.
Gravel is more expensive than I thought.
Since "gravel" is a non-countable noun, it takes the singular verb form "is."
Collective Nouns
A collective noun is a noun naming a group of things, animals, or persons. You could
count the individual members of the group, but you usually think of the group as a whole
is generally as one unit. You need to be able to recognise collective nouns in order to

74

maintain subject-verb agreement. A collective noun is similar to a non-countable noun,

and is roughly the opposite of a countable noun.
In each of the following sentences, the highlighted word is a collective noun:
The flock of geese spends most of its time in the pasture.
The collective noun "geese" takes the singular verb "spends."
The jury is dining on take-out chicken tonight.
In this example the collective noun "jury" is the subject of the singular compound verb
"is dining."
The steering committee meets every Wednesday afternoon.
Here the collective noun "committee" takes a singular verb, "meets."
The class was startled by the bursting light bulb.
In this sentence the word "class" is a collective noun and takes the singular compound
verb "was startled".
Written by Heather MacFadyen

FINDING THE MAIN IDEA

The main idea of a paragraph is what the author wants you to know about the
topic. It is the broad, important idea that the writer develops throughout the
paragraph. The entire paragraph, then, explains, develops and supports this main
idea. A question that will guide you in finding the main idea is, What is the
author saying about the topic?

The Topic Sentence

Usually one sentence expresses the main idea. This sentence is called the topic
sentence.
In the following paragraph, the topic is the effects of alcohol on the brain. Read
the paragraph to find out what the writer wants you to know about how alcohol affects
the brain. Look for one sentence that states this.

75

The effects of alcohol are achieved through a depression of brain function. It is a

common misconception that alcohol is a stimulant. The liveliness of people who have had
one or two drinks at a party is the result of sedations of portions of the brain that normally
exercise judgment or control. At slightly higher concentrations, alcohol affects portions of
the brain that control muscular coordination. At higher concentrations yet, the ability of
the brain to receive pain messages is impaired, and body metabolism is slowed down, in
extreme cases to the point of coma or death.
The first sentence states that alcohol depresses the function of the brain. The remainder of
the paragraph explains how the brain reacts to varying amount of alcohol.

EXERCISES
Read the following passage, and then answer the questions:

Terminals
As central computers became faster and more powerful, it was possible to
establish many remote display stations from which operators could all use the same
computer to display information and enter data. Later, even small machines were
equipped with a fairly large display screen and keyboard oriented towards use by a
person with limited training, rather than by a highly skilled computer operator.
For many interactions with computers a permanent record is unnecessary;
therefore, output that is scanned once and then thrown away produces a lot of wasted
paper. To solve this problem cathode ray tube(CRT) terminals can be used. These
terminals are completely silent and frequently much faster than hard-copy terminals. CRT
terminals are very useful interactive devices for use in offices and in other areas.
These display terminals are diverse and of many colors. The original video output
was single-color (black and white) uppercase, but in more highly developed devices,
lower-case letters can be displayed, and some give options of blinking and dual-density

76

characters. Certain screens can produce `negative' (dark)characters on a bright

background or even make each character a different color, if so desired. The latter is an
important feature in order to catch someone's attention when a value is abnormal.
More sophisticated screens can generate continuous lines for graphic displays.
The simplest of these are monochromatic and may have strictly limited graphic
applications. They may use special characters strung together in ordr to form lines that
look continuous, or they may be restricted regarding the number and the shape of curves
that can be drawn at once. Multicolor pictorial graphics are extremely useful in
emphasizing contrast, and have been used with good results in nuclear medicine, where
differences in intensity would be too subtle if shades of only one color were used.

A. Main Idea: Circle the main idea of the passages: (5 pts)

1. CRT terminals are interactive peripheral devices which allow users access to the
computer
even from remote stations.
2. Modem terminals have numerous features which can be of use in computer-assisted
instruction.
3. Some modem terminals are equipped with video screen.

77

B. Understanding the Text: (20 pts)

Circle if the folloWing statements are true(T) or false(F):
1.The development of CRT terminals helped reduce the problem of wasted paper.
2. Blinking is one of the features which display terminals are incapable of.
3. On modem terminals, it is possible to display both upper and lower-case letters.
4. The display terminals are not diverse and colorful. 5. Interactive terminals can be online at all
times.
C.) Comprehension:
Circle the correct answer for the following questions:
1. Why are multicolor pictorial graphics useful ? Because they
a. emphasize lines
b. focus on contrast
c. use medicine
d. none of these
2. The reason we don't need to be skillful in using computers is
a. computers are fairly large
b. keyboards are easy to use
c. cathode ray tube
d. all of these
3. Why are central computers important? Because they
a. are faster
b. have CRT

78

c. connect many computers

d. are powerful
4. How can a screen catch our attention?
a. being colorful
b. using different colors
c. both a & b
d. using black and white only
5. What is the importance of sophisticated screens? They
a. use a special device
b. have no colors
c. both a & b
d. produce a lot of lines for graphic display
D. Contextual References:
Find out in the passage what the italized words refer to:
1. from which operators could all use

(line 2 )

2. The latter is an important feature

(line 21)

(5 pts)

E. Vocabulary Synoyms:
Find in the passagea synonym for each of the following words: (5Pts)
1. distant
2. one
3. characteristic
4. complicated, not simple 5. non-stop, on going
F. Vocabulary Synoyms:

79

Find in the passage an Antonym of the following words: (5pts)

1. slower

(paragraph 1)

2. weak

(paragraph 1)

3. few

(paragraph 2)

4. dull

(paragraph 3)

5. positive

(paragraph 3)

G. Vocabulary Buildings/Suffixes:
Choose the appropriate word: Some words can be used twice (10 pts)
1. development, develop, developed, developing, developer
a. In 1960, the second generation of computers was___________
b. The future will bring great_____________ the mechanical devices associated with
computer
systems.
c. The chip___________ made it possible for minicomputers to be invented.
d. The__________of this soft program is well-known.
e. We need to____________ a faster modem.
2. capability, capable, capable, capacity
a. computers have the___________to solve many problems.
b: The____________ of this device is very high.
c. Computers are not_________of thinking.
d. The new computer operator is not working quickly and
e. He is a very_________programmer.

80

Exercise 2
The United States has a new president. Americans are hopeful that George W. Bush will
succeed in dealing with some of the major problems that our nation faces. Some feel that
the task will be made extremely difficult by the controversial way that the election ended.
Others are very confident that our new leader is a man who will bring people together to
get things done.
President Bushs top priority will be to improve education in our country. He is
determined to see that no child will ever fail. He believes that local school districts should
decide how to meet national standards. The president insists that parents should have
greater choices about which schools their kids attend. He will work hard to find areas of
agreement between the opposing parties so that important education reforms will become
law.
1. Which word in the selection is a synonym of important?
2. Which word in the selection is an antonym of succeed?
3. Which word in the selection means to make better?
4. Use a word from the selection to complete the following sentence.
The Giants and the Ravens will be the ___________ teams in the Super Bowl.
5. Which word in the selection is a synonym of nation?
6. Which word in the selection means the rank (place in order) of importance?
7. Which word in the selection means having a lot of disagreement.
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Exercise
Use the context of the selections to identify antonyms.
Megan was determined to finish her homework before bedtime. She still had to start her
math assignment; it would take at least an hour to complete. She sighed and thought,
Ive been working really hard since right after dinner!
1. Which word in the paragraph is an antonym of complete?

81

2. Which word in the paragraph is an antonym of before?

There are some very different opinions about the outcome of the presidential election.
James insists that Al Gore really won the election and that the U.S. Supreme Court took it
away from him. He didnt have the same kind of objections when the Florida Supreme
Court ruled for his candidate. Is James right, or is he just a sore loser?
In my opinion, the final decision was correct. The Supreme Court of the United States
ruled against a very bad and unequal process. Votes werent being counted, they were
being assigned to people who hadnt cast legal votes. George W. Bush was the true
winner of the presidential election.
3. Which word in the selection is an antonym of same?
4. Which word in the selection is an antonym of against?
5. Which word in the selection is an antonym of loser?
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Copyright 2001 RHL

EXERCISE
Using Context - Synonyms
Use the context of the selections to identify synonyms.
Harold is a hard worker who helps our company succeed. We would be well advised to
pay him more money before some other corporation snatches him away. Its always wise
to compensate employees fairly if you want your business to thrive.
1. Which word in the selection is a synonym of compensate?
2. Which word in the selection is a synonym of corporation?
Santa just cant expect his elves to manufacture all the presents he needs to deliver to
good little boys and girls. That task could never be done in time. The elves do make many
of the toys in Santas own shop. The rest of the toys are outsourced to major companies
around the world. Santa requires a lot of help to get his job accomplished.
3. Which word in the selection is a synonym of manufacture?
4. Which word in the selection is a synonym of accomplished?
5. Which word in the selection is a synonym of needs?
6. Which word in the selection is a synonym of job?
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Contributing to the Main Idea

Every sentence in a paragraph must contribute to the main idea. Most of the sentences in
a paragraph simply support the main idea. Some may state or summarize that idea.
There is one sentence in each of the following paragraphs that does not contribute to
the main idea. It does not belong in the paragraph. Underline the sentence that should
be removed from each paragraph.

1. I am looking forward to election day. Its fun to vote and exciting to watch the election
results. Ill be rooting for my candidate to win and enjoying the suspense if the vote is

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close. The following day will be a good time to play video games. No matter who wins,
an election is a special occasion.
2. April is beginning the lengthy process of choosing a college to attend. She is buying
and reading guides to the best schools. She hasnt completely ruled out working for a
year before attending college. Shes checking out the many Websites that provide
information for picking the right college or university. Shes even researching the climate
of the area of every school she considers.
3. Bill is one of those people who just doesnt have to worry about gaining too much
weight. He is the best tennis player Ive ever met. Bill can eat any amount of any food he
likes without putting on an ounce. He can go for weeks without exercising with no
apparent effect. It just doesnt seem fair!
4. Scientists are learning a great deal about the aging process. This knowledge will allow
doctors to help their patients live longer and better lives. They will be able to defeat
diseases associated with aging and perhaps even delay the onset of old age. Many doctors
would agree that some medicines are much too expensive.
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Copyright 2000 RHL

The main idea of a paragraph is what all the sentences are about. Read the paragraph and
ask, Whats your point? That will help you zero in on the main idea.
Read each paragraph carefully. Choose the best answer to the questions that follow.
1. Juan loves to play games. His favorite game is chess because it requires a great deal of
thought. Juan also likes to play less demanding board games that are based mostly on
luck. He prefers Monopoly because it requires luck and skill. If hes alone, Juan likes to
play action video games as long as they arent too violent.
What is the main idea of this paragraph?
a. Juan dislikes violence.
b. Juan likes to think.
c. Juan enjoys Monopoly.
d. Juan enjoys playing games.
2. Maria is watching too much television. A toddler shouldnt be spending hours staring
blankly at a screen. Worse yet, some of her wild behavior has been inspired by those
awful cartoons she watches. We need to spend more time reading books with her and pull
the plug on the TV!

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What is the main idea of this paragraph?

a. Watching a lot of television isnt good for Maria.
b. Books are good.
c. All cartoons are bad.
d. Some cartoons are bad for Maria.
3. Samantha, I cant eat or sleep when you are gone. I need to hear your scratchy voice
and see your lovely toothless smile. I miss that special way that you eat soup with your
fingers. Please come home soon!
What is the main idea of this paragraph?
a. Samantha, you have bad manners.
b. Samantha, you should see a dentist.
c. Samantha, I miss you.
d. Samantha, I have lost my appetite.
4. Someday we will all have robots that will be our personal servants. They will look and
behave much like real humans. We will be able to talk to these mechanical helpers and
they will be able to respond in kind. Amazingly, the robots of the future will be able to
learn from experience. They will be smart, strong, and untiring workers whose only goal
will be to make our lives easier.
Which sentence from the paragraph expresses the main idea?
a. Someday we will all have robots that will be our personal servants.
b. We will be able to talk to these mechanical helpers and they will be able to respond in
kind.
c. They will look and behave much like real humans.
d. Amazingly, the robots of the future will be able to learn from experience.
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Copyright 2000 RHL