Intermediate

Level
Certificate Course in English Language

INSTITUTE OF HUMAN RESOURCE ADVANCEMENT

University of Colombo
 3 Learning Outcomes – At the end of Lesson
Three, you will be able to develop the
following language skills in,

Iden�fying the appropriate language, (formal and informal)

SPEAKING
useful in travelling

LISTENING

Listening a�en�vely for

specific informa�on
contained in a text. Expanding your vocabulary by learning words/
phrases related to wild life

VOCABULARY

Use the techniques of

• skimming to find the general
idea of a text READING
• Scanning to find the specific
information required

Recalling Simple Past

Tense

GRAMMAR FOCUS

Wri�ng an informal le�er WRITING

 Lesson Three
20
Intermediate Level

SPEAKING

If you are travelling abroad you’ll need to arrange things beforehand. Being able to speak politely
using socially approved phrases will help you to speed up the process of making arrangements.

Given below is a dialogue between a travel agent and a customer. Study the dialogue and answer
the questions that follow it. Then role play the dialogue.
Agent: Canadian Airlines. Can I help you?
Customer: Yes. I need a flight from Vancouver to Arizona on Friday. Do you have any seats?
Agent: Let me see. Yes, I have one on the 5:30 flight.
Customer: Five thirty! What’s the check-in time?
Agent: One hour for Economy class passengers. Thirty minutes for Business Class. Will you take
that seat?
Customer: No. I won’t be able to get to the airport in time. When will the next flight leave?
Agent: There won’t be another direct flight on Friday. There’ll be one on Saturday at the same time.
Customer: Fine. I’ll take it.
Agent: Just let me check. Oh, I’m sorry, that flight is also full.

Activity (Pair work)

i) Where does the customer want to go?
………………………………………………………………………………………..
ii) Are there any seats available on the 5:30 flight on Friday?
………………………………………………………………………………………..
iii) Why didn’t the customer accept that seat?
………………………………………………………………………………………..
iv) How does the customer inquire about the next available flight?
………………………………………………………………………………………..
v) How did the agent inform the customer that seats are not available?
………………………………………………………………………………………..

Activity (Pair work)

Fill in the blanks in the following sentences by selecting the correct word from those given in
brackets. The words are related to travelling.
i) We still have to …………………………… a hotel and buy our plane tickets. (book / make)
ii) I am leaving tomorrow and I still haven’t ………………………… my bag. (packed / stacked)
iii) I always get discounts at hotels because my friend is a ……………………….. agent. (trip / travel)
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21

iv) A “ bed and ………………………….. “ is a private home which takes in guests. (breakfast / food)
v) It is very difficult to book a hotel during the ……………………….. season. (tourist / popular)

vi) Arranging ………………………. means arranging a place to stay. (acclimation / accommodation)

vii) Travel agents often ask you whether you would like to get a travellers’ ……………………...................
(insurance / policy)
viii) A ……………………… tour is one that often includes air ticket, hotel and often food.
(package / combined)
ix) A …………………………… flight requires a passenger to change from one plane to another.
(connecting / connect)
x) If you lose something at the airport, you should check at the airport’s ‘lost and …………………….
‘office. (find /found)
xi) When you arrive at a new country, you have to go through the ………………….at the airport.
(customs / custom)
xii) Travelling first ………………………. is very expensive. (level / class)

Activity (Pair work)

You and your family have planned to spend a short holiday in Thailand. Prepare and Role play the
dialogue that takes place between you and an agent who arranges such visits.

LISTENING

Your teacher will read a text. Listen to it and answer the questions.
1. Mark whether the following sentences are True or False.
i) Yala national park is located 200 km away from Colombo. ………………………..
ii)In the Yala national park, there are about 200 bird species. ……………………….
iii) Yala national park is the best place to study about elephants. ………………………….
iv) Kumbukkan Oya flows through Yala. …………………………………….
v) We stayed in Yala until it was very dark. ……………………….

2. Fill in the blanks in the following sentences.

i)Two places that we passed on our way to Yala are ……………………. and ………………….
ii)We got into the safari jeep with an experienced ………………………. and a …………………….
iii) We were ……………………….. and ……………………. to see an elephant crossing the road about a
100m from us.
iv) We saw some ……………… …………………… near the Kumbukkan Oya.
v) We left Yala around ……………………… because it was getting …………………….
 Lesson Three
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Intermediate Level

VOCABULARY

Given below are some words and phrases related to wild life. Learn their meanings.

• aquatic - living in water

• captive - a wild animal kept in a place such as a park or zoo instead of living in its natural
environment
• domesticated animal - an animal trained to live with or work for humans
• extinct - an animal or plant, that no longer exists
• indigenous - plants and animals belonging to a particular region because they developed there
• juvenile - an animal or plant that is young
• nocturnal - animals or birds that are active at night rather than during the day
• omnivorous - an animal that eats both plants and meat
• parasitic - a plant or animal that lives in or on another type of plant or animal and feeds on it
• pedigree - an animal that comes from a family whose members have been recorded for a long
time and who are all of the same breed or type
• predator - animals that kill and eat other animals
• savage - an animal that is likely to attack you
• tame - an animal that has been trained to stay calm when people are near it, because it is used
to being with them
• territorial - animals or birds that do not like other animals or birds entering an area because
they believe that the area belong to them
• venomous - an animal, insect or reptile that is capable of producing poison
• web-footed - an animal that has its toes joined by a piece of skin
• well-bred - an animal that has good qualities because of good breeding
• wild - an animal or plant that lives or grows on its own in natural conditions and is not raised
by humans
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READING &
COMPREHENSION

Read the passage given below and answer the questions set on it.

In 1987, I visited a South Indian forest known for its wild elephants. Early one morning, I set off
with a friend to walk in the forest. After a kilometer or so we came across a herd of about ten
elephants, including small calves, peacefully grazing. My friend stopped at a respectful distance,
but I walked closer, halting about twenty feet away. One large elephant looked at me and flapped
his ears.

Knowing nothing about elephants, I had no idea this was a warning. Blissfully ignorant, as if I were
in a zoo or in the presence of a friendly story-book elephant, I felt it was time to communicate
with the elephants. Remembering a Sanskrit verse for saluting Ganesha, the Hindu god who
takes elephant form, I called “Bhoh, gajendra” - Greetings, Lord of the Elephants.

The elephant trumpeted; for a second I thought it was his return greeting. Then his sudden,
surprisingly agile turn and thunderous charge in my direction made it all too clear that he did not
participate in my elephant fantasies. I was aghast to see a two-ton animal come hurtling towards
me. It was not cute and did not resemble Ganesha. I turned and ran wildly.

I knew I was in real danger and could feel the elephant gaining on me. (Elephants, I later learned
in horror, can run faster than people, up to twenty-eight miles an hour.) Deciding I would be
safest up on a tree, I ran to an overhanging branch and leapt up. It was too high. I ran around the
tree and raced into tall grass. Still trumpeting menacingly, the elephant came running around
the tree in close pursuit. He clearly meant to see me dead, to knock me down with his trunk
and trample me. I thought I had only a few seconds to live and was nearly delirious with fear.
I remember thinking, “How could you have been so stupid as to approach a wild elephant?” I
tripped and fell in the high grass.

The elephant stopped, having lost sight of me. He raised his trunk and sniffed the air, searching
out my scent. Fortunately for me they have rather poor vision. I realized I had better not move.
After a few long moments he turned away and raced off in another direction, looking for me.
Soon I quietly picked myself up and, trembling, made my way slowly back to where my terrified
friend had stood watching the whole episode, convinced that she would witness my death.

A basic knowledge of elephants would have kept me safe: a herd with small calves is particularly
alert to danger; elephants do not like their space invaded; flapping ears are a direct warning. The
encounter itself was nothing but a fantasy of my own wish that a wild elephant would want to
meet me.

It was wrong to think that I could communicate with a strange elephant in a forest. Yet he
communicated very clearly to me: he was angry and I should have left. I believe this is a realistic
description.

What fascinated me about animals was the ready access they seemed to have to their emotions.
They demonstrate their feelings constantly. Annoy them, they have no hesitation in showing it.
By contrast with animals, people’s emotions are often distanced.
 Lesson Three
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Intermediate Level

ix). Why was the author’s friend’ convinced that

i). What did the author and his friend do upon she would witness his death?
seeing the herd of elephants? ………………………………………………………………………….
…………………………………………………………………………. ………………………………………………………………………….
………………………………………………………………………….

ii) Why did the large elephant flap his ears?

…………………………………………………………………………. GRAMMAR FOCUS
………………………………………………………………………….

ii). ‘Knowing nothing about elephants’. Give a

word phrase in the same paragraph which has
The Past Tense describes the things you did in
the same meaning.
the past such as yesterday, last year, back in
…………………………………………………………………………. February, in 2018, or an hour ago.
…………………………………………………………………………
There are two types of past tense verbs:
regular verbs and irregular verbs
iv). How did the elephant react to the author’s
greeting? Regular verbs, such as learn, take an “ed” ending
…………………………………………………………………………. after the subject.
…………………………………………………………………………. work - worked
l earn - learned
v). a. Explain why the author considered the visit - visited
elephant’s turn ‘sudden’.
Irregular verbs change their form entirely or not
………………………………………………………………………….
at all.
…………………………………………………………………………. eat - ate
go - went
b. Why was the turn ‘surprisingly agile’? is / are - was/were
…………………………………………………………………………. hit - hit
…………………………………………………………………………. cut - cut

Regular Verbs Irregular Verbs

vi). What did the author do in his attempt to
Verb Tense Verb Tense
escape the elephant?
work worked be was/were
………………………………………………………………………….
live lived get got
………………………………………………………………………….
move moved go went
vii). How did the author finally escape from the walk walked put put
elephant? open opened eat ate
…………………………………………………………………………. wait waited have had
………………………………………………………………………….
Now let’s learn how to use verb “be” in the Past
Tense.
viii). Where was the author’s friend and what was
she doing?
………………………………………………………………………….
………………………………………………………………………….
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Be - Past Tense
Singular Plural Irregular verbs must be memorized because they
I was We were change their form completely. Some irregular
verbs are given below.
You were You were
He was They were Verb Past tense
She was be was/were
It was become became
begin began
I was at school yesterday. blow blew
break broke
We were in New York last week. build built
It was cold this morning. buy bought
catch caught
Only the verb “be” changes its form for the come came
singular or plural. All the other verbs, regular and cost cost
irregular, use one form in the past tense. cut cut
do did
Example: drink drank
drive drove
Singular Plural
eat ate
I learned We learned feel felt
You learned You learned find found
He learned They learned fly flew
She learned forget forgot
It learned freeze froze
get got
Negative form give gave
go went
To make the negative, use have had
“did” + “not” (didn’t) + the main verb in the hear heard
simple form: hit hit
hold held
hurt hurt
Singular Plural keep kept
I did not learn We did not learn know knew
You did not learn You did not learn lay laid
He did not learn They did not lead led
She did not learn learn leave left
lend lent
It did not learn
let let
lie lied
Past Tense of The Verb “Have” is the same for
lose lost
both Singular and Plural. (irregular verbs take
make made
many different forms in the past tense)
meet met
Singular Plural pay paid
I had We had put put
You had You had read read
He had They had ride rode
ring rang
She had
run ran
It had say said
 Lesson Three
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Intermediate Level
v) My bike……………………… a new tyre. (need)
Verb Past tense vi) Jennifer…………………. her laundry last weekend.
see saw (do)
sell sold
send sent vii) She ……………………..to the park with her dog.
sit sat (walk)
sleep slept viii) You really ……………….. me a lot. (help)
speak spoke ix) We ………………… a new car. (get)
spend spent
x) I ………………… at the computer. (work)
stand stood
swim swam
take took
teach taught
tell told
think thought WRITING
throw threw
understand understood
wear wore Writing Informal Letters
win won An informal letter is a letter that is written
write wrote in a personal fashion. You can write them to
relatives or friends, and also to anyone with
Activity (pair work) whom you have a non-professional relationship,
1. Complete each sentence with the correct although this doesn’t exclude business partners
form of the verb in the past tense. or workers with whom you’re friendly. There
are different ways to write out this type of letter
i) I ………………….to work earlier today. (go) depending on which country you’re in.
ii) The students ………………………. their homework.
(finish) How Do You Write an Informal Letter?
An informal letter can be written in nearly any
iii) He ……………………….. a big breakfast. (eat) way you choose, but there are a few guidelines
iv) They …………………. to California. (move) you can follow.:
v) My bike...................... a new yire. (need)
Format of an Informal Letter
vi) Jennifer …………………. her laundry last weekend. An informal letter consists of three sections:
(do) • Opening
• Body
vii) She ………………… to the park with her dog.
• Closing
(walk)
How Do You Start an Informal Letter?
viii) You really ………………..me a lot. Thanks! (help)
Address
ix) We ………………… a new car. (get)
Your personal address should be the first thing
x) I ………………………at the computer. (work) you write on your letter. It should be written at
the top right corner of the page, since you do
2. Fill in the blanks by writing the following not always know if someone has your address if
sentences in the negative. they want to reply. Remember also to fill in your
i) I ……………………… to work earlier today. (go) country of residence if you are sending the letter
ii) The students ……………….. their homework. abroad.
(finish)
iii) He ………………………a big breakfast. (eat) Format
iv) They ……………………. to California. (move) • Number and street name
• City, state and postal code
• Country ( if necessary)
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Example
7/ 126, Baseline Road,
Borella.
Sri Lanka.

Date
The date is usually written below your own address. The most common way to write the date includes
the month, day and year.

Ex. 22nd December 2019 or December 22nd 2019

The final part of an informal letter is the signature which consists of a farewell remark and your name.

Opening
The first step is addressing your reader. But how do you address someone in English?
This is fairly straightforward and is usually not as important as it would be with a business or formal
letter. There are still a few things that you should know in terms of addressing someone properly in
an informal latter.
If you do not know the person very well, you can address him with a title.
• Mr. Perera
• Mrs. Perera
• Ms. Perera ( if the lady is unmarried or if you don’t know whether she is married or not)
Choosing whether or not to use a title depends on how well you know the person to which the letter
is addressed. If you are on very friendly terms, simply use their first name. The way in which you greet
your reader is up to you. The examples below show some common greetings.
• Dear Richard,
• Richard,
• Hi Richard,
Do not forget the comma after the name.

Examples of Opening Sentences

Now, you’ve reached the part of the letter where you begin to write. If you need some ideas to get
started, some sample opening sentences are included below. Your opening should be casual and not
as stiff as it would be if you were writing a professional or formal letter.
• How are you?
• How have you been?
• How is life treating you?
• How are the kids?
• I hope you are doing well.
• I hope you, Mike, and the kids are having a great time.

Body
The contents of your letter should be written in a personal and friendly tone. However, it’s important
to adjust your language to the person you are writing to. A good way of assessing how you should
write is to think about how you would communicate with the person you are writing to in real life.
Subjects to include in the Body
• State your reason for writing
• Expand on what you mentioned in the first paragraph
• Ask about the person you are writing to
• Make some concluding remarks
• Invite the person to write back
 Lesson Three
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Intermediate Level
Closing
The closing is where you summarize your letter and say goodbye to the receiver. The examples below
give you some ideas of what to write in the closing section of your informal letter.

Examples of Closing Sentences

• I am looking forward to seeing you.
• I can’t wait to see you soon.
• I can’t wait to hear from you.
• I am looking forward to hearing from you soon.
• I hope to hear from you soon.
• See you soon.
• Send my love to...
• I hope you are doing well.
• Give my regards to...

Signing off
In terms of signing off, the choice is yours and you have a lot of freedom here. Below are some
commonly used sign-offs that maintain a friendly, informal tone. After you’ve chosen one that fits the
overall tone of your letter, simply sign your name.

Example:
• Best wishes,
• Kind regards,
• Best regards,
• Lots of love,
• Love,

Activity (Pair work)

This is part of a letter you receive from a pen friend in England

…………..We’re doing a project in school about festivals in different countries. Could you give me
some information about festivals you celebrate as a family. ……………………………………………………………

Write a letter in reply. Use about 100 words.

Reading without
reflection is like
eating without digesting