FTU ESP DEPARTMENT

ENGLISH FOR POST-GRADUATE

STUDENTS

NGUYEN HUONG GIANG, PhD candidate

OUTLINE
1. Subiect-Verb Agreement. 2. Conditional Sentences. 3. Active-Passive Voice.

4. Comparative and Superlative.

5. Prepositions. 6. Academic Writing.

Subiect-Verb Agreement
Subject + singular Verb
any + singular noun anybody anyone anything no + singular noun nobody no one nothing some + singular noun somebody someone something

every + singular noun everybody everyone everything

each + singular noun

either * neither*

*Either and neither are singular if thay are not used with or and nor E.g. Neither of his chutes opens as he plummets to the ground Not any of his pens is able to be used.

Congress family group committee class Organization team army club crowd Government jury majority* minority public Congress votes for the bill The committee has met, and it has rejected the proposal. V-ing/ to V = Subject Dieting is very popular today. To find the book is necessary for him = It is necessary for him to find the book.

 flock of birds, sheep school of fish herd of cattle pride of lions pack of dogs The flock of birds is circling overhead.
Time/ Money/ Measurement 25 dollars is too much....

Subject + plural Verb

Scissors shorts Pants jeans tongs Trousers Eyeglasses Both A and B A and B The pants are in the drawer. A pair of pants is in the drawer.

Note!
A + Together with/ along with accompanied by/ as well as + B + V-A The actrees, along with her manager and some friends, is going to a party tonight. A + or +B + V-B The actress or her friends are going to answer the interview.

 None + non-count N + singular V None + plural N + plural V None of the counterfeit money has been found. None of the students have finished the exam yet.

No + sing-count/ non-count N + sing V No + plural N + plural V No example is relevant to this case. No students get high grade.

 Either A or B + V-B Neither A nor B + V-B Neither John nor his friends are going to the beach today. Either John or his friends are going to the beach today. Neither the boys nor Carmen has seen this movie before. Either John or Bill is going to the beach today.

 The majority + sing V The majority of plural N + plural V The majority believes that we are in no danger. The majority of the students believe him to be innocent. A couple/ The number + singular verb The couple/ A number + plural verb A couple is walking on the path The couple are racing their horses through the meadow. A number of students are going to the class picnic (a number of = many).

The number of days in a week is seven.

Conditional Sentences
1. Possible future condition If + S + simple present , S + will (can/shall/ may) + Verb in simple form. Ex: If he tries much more, he will improve his English.

2. Unreal present condition If + S + simple past (were) , S + would (could/ should/ might) + Verb in simple form Ex: If I had enough money now, I would buy this house . Ex: If I were you, I wouldn't do such a thing

3. Unreal past condition If + S + had + P2 , S + would(could/shoult/might) + have + P2 Ex: If he had studied harder for that test, he would have passed it.

4. Real condition If + S + present simple, S + present simple E.g. If we dont eat and drink, we die 5. Mixed condition E.g. If she had caught the train, she would be here by now.

Note!
If = In case/ should/ Provided (that)/ Providing (that)/ As long as. If .....not ..... = Unless E.g. If it doesnt rain, we will go out. = Unless it rains, we will go out.

* S + present tense +as if/ as though + S+ past simple (were) * S + past tense +as if/ as though + S+ past perfect. The old lady dresses as if it were winter even in the summer. (It is not winter) Jeff looked as though he had seen a ghost. (He didn't see a ghost)

Active-Passive Voice
SIMPLE PRESENT OR SIMPLE PAST Am is are +[verb in past participle] was were Active: Hurricanes destroy a great deal of property each year. Passive: A great deal of property is destroyed by hurricanes each year.

PRESENT PROGRESSIVE OR PAST PROGRESSIVE Am is are + being + [verb in past participle] was Were Active: The committee is considering several new proposals. Passive: Several new proposals are being considered by the committee.

PRESENT PERFECT OR PAST PERFECT

Has have had

+ been +[verb in past participle]

Active: The company has ordered some new equipment. Passive: Some new equipment has been ordered by the company.

MODALS modal + be +[verb in past participle] Active: The manager should sign these contracts today. Passive: These contracts should be signed by the manager today.

Note!
To have sb do sth = to get sb to do sth =>To have/to get sth done E.g. I have my sister do my homework. => I have my homework done by my sister. To let sb do sth = to permit/allow sb to do sth. E.g. Parents shouldnt let children smoke. => Children shouldnt be permited/allowed to smoke.

 To make sb do sth => mde/ forced sb to do sth E.g. I made her cry => she was made to cry. * S + O1 + O2 O1 + tobe + P2 + O2 O2 +tobe +P2 + to O1 E.g. He gave me a lot of flowers on my bithday. I was given a lot of flowers on my bithday. A lot of flowers were given to me on my birthday.

 They/ people say/think/believe that + S + V + ... It is said/ thought/ believed that + S + V + O. S is said/ thought/ believed + to V + ... E.g. People think that he is stupid. => It is thought that he is stupid. He is thought to be stupid. * They/ people say/think/believe that + S + past tenses + ... => S is said/ thought/ believed + to have P2 + ...

E.g. They said that John lived there 2 years ago. => John was said to have lived there 2 years ago.

 Need to be P2 Need + V-ing e.g. He needs to clean his shoes. His shoes needs to be cleaned. His shoes needs cleaning.

Comparative and Superlative

Adjective = V-ing (active) / P2 (passive) E.g. The crying baby woke Mr.Binion. ( The baby was crying) The blooming flowers in the meadow created a rainbow of colors. (The flowers were blooming) The sorted mail was delivered to the offices before noon. (The mail had been sorted). The bored students went to sleep during the boring lecture

Use adjective after the following verbs:

be appear feel become seem look remain sound smell stay

S + V + as + adj/ adv + as + noun/ pronoun

Ex: He is not as tall as his father. Ex: He is not so tall as his father. My house is as high as his. My house is the same height as his. The same...as >< different from...

 S + V + adjective_er/adverb_er more + adj/adv less + adj/adv + THAN + noun/ pronoun E.g. He is smarter than anybody else in the class. Harrys watch is far more expensive than mine He speaks English much more rapidly than he does Spanish.

 S + V + as + many/much/little/few + noun + as + noun/pronoun E.g. He earns as much money as his father. February has fewer day than March. Their jobs allow them less freedom than ours does.

The most/ least + Adj/adv The + adj/adv-est

John is the tallest boy in the family Deana is the shortest of the three sister One of the greatest tennis players in the world is Johnson. This is the most expensive dress Ive ever had.

Note!
Incorrect: His drawings are as perfect as his instructor. Correct: His drawings are as perfect as his instructors. (instructor's = instructor's drawings) Incorrect: The salary of a professor is higher than a secretary. Correct: The salary of a professor is higher than that of a secretary. (that of = the salary of)

 Harvey is the smarter of the two boys. Of the two shirts, this one is the prettier. The + comparative + S + V + the + comparative +S+V The hotter it is, the more miserable I feel. The more you study, the smarter you will become. It is becoming hotter and hotter.

This encyclopedy costs twice as much as the other one. Jerome has half as many records now as I had last year.

Prepositions
1. During + N/ V-ing 2. From ... to ...= t ... n... (dng cho thi gian v ni chn) From time to time = i khi, thnh thong 3. Out of=ra khi><into=vo trong Out of + noun = ht, khng cn Out of town = i vng Out of date=c, lc hu >< up to date = mi, cp nht Out of work = tht nghip, mt vic Out of the question = khng th Out of order = hng, khng hot ng

 By ng t ch chuyn ng + by = i ngang qua (walk by the library) ng t tnh + by = gn (your books are by the window) by + thi gian c th = trc lc, cho n lc (hnh ng cho n lc phi xy ra) by + phng tin giao thng = i bng by then = cho n lc (dng cho c QK v TL) by the way = theo ng... = via by the way = mt cch tnh c, ngu nhin by the way = nhn y, nhn tin by far + so snh (thng l so snh bc nht)=>dng nhn mnh by accident = by mistake = tnh c, ngu nhin >< on purose

In = bn trong In + month/year In the street = di lng ng In the morning/ afternoon/ evening In the past/future = trc kia, trong qu kh/ trong tng lai In future = from now on = t nay tr i In the begining/ end = at first/ last = thot u/ rt cuc In the way = ngang li, chn li Once in a while = i khi, thnh thong In no time at all = trong nhy mt, mt thong In the mean time = meanwhile = cng lc In the middle of (a im)= gia In the army/ airforce/ navy In + the + STT + row = hng th... In the event that = trong trng hp m In case = phng khi, ng nh Get/ be in touch/ contact with Sb = lin lc, tip xc vi ai

 On = trn b mt: On + th trong tun/ ngy trong thng On + a/the + phng tin giao thng = trn chuyn/ ln chuyn... On + ph = a ch... (nh B.E : in + ph) On the + STT + foor = tng th... On time = va ng gi (bt chp iu kin bn ngoi, ngha mnh hn in time) On the corner of = gc ph (gia hai ph) Ch : In the corner = gc trong At the corner = gc ngoi/ ti gc ph On the sidewalk = pavement = trn va h Ch : On the pavement (A.E.)= trn mt ng nha (Dont brake quickly on the pavement or you can slice into another car) On the way to: trn ng n >< on the way back to: trn ng tr v

 On T.V./ on the radio On the phone/ telephone = gi in thoi, ni chuyn in thoi On the phone = nh c mc in thoi (Are you on the phone?) On the whole= ni chung, v i th On the other hand = tuy nhin= however Ch : On the one hand = mt mt th => on the other hand = mt khc th (On the one hand, we must learn the basic grammar, and on the other hand, we must combine it with listening comprehension) on sale = for sale = c bn, bn on sale (A.E.)= bn h gi = at a discount (B.E) on foot = i b

At = ti At + s nh At + thi gian c th At home/ school/ work At night/noon (A.E : at noon = at twelve = gia tra (she was invited to the party at noon, but she was 15 minutes late)) At least = ch t, ti thiu >< at most = ti a At once =ngay lp tc At present/ the moment = now

 At times = i khi, thnh thong At first = thot u >< at last = cui cng At the begining of / at the end of... = u/ cui (dng cho thi gian v a im). At + tn cc ngy l : at Christmas, at Thanks Giving... Nhng on + tn cc ngy l + day = on Christmas day ...

Academic Writing
Common essay types Argumentative question: ask directly for writers personal opinion (70%). Discursive question: ask for both sides of argument ( discuss both of the views/ discuss this opinion) . Account question: ask for an account of facts (Why? What? How?)

Sample Essay
Write about the following topic: More and more qualified people are moving from poor to rich countries to fill vacancies in specialist areas like engineering, computing and medicine. Some people believe that by encouraging the movement of such people, rich countries are stealing from poor countries. Others feel that this is only part of the natural movement of workers around the world. + What is your opinion? + Do you think rich countries should pay poorer countries for the people they encourage to come? + What other measures could rich countries take to encourage qualified people to stay and help develop their own countries? You should write at least 200 words. Give reasons for your answer and include any relevant examples from your own knowledge or experience.

How to Write an Essay

Step 1: Read the topic Read the question. Decide what kind of essay it is - opinion, compare/contrast, problem and solution, cause and effect, or a mixture. The type of question will decide the layout and your ideas. Step 2: Underline Underline key vocabulary in the question and write words with the same or related meaning. This will really save you a lot of time later on. It will also help to avoid repetition of words, and will show that you understand the question. Step 3: Get Ideas Decide if you are for or against the idea. Usually it is best to give both sides (for and against - one paragraph each) and then to give your opinion in the conclusion. However there are other ways of laying out your essay. Step 4: Decide Layout You should decide on a layout. The easiest is 3773. That means four paragraphs: introduction (3 sentences) one side (7 sentences), the other side (7 sentences) and the conclusion (3 sentences). This will give you 20 sentences. An average of about 13 words each, that is 260 words. Step 5: Write After you have written your plan, write your essay.

Practice
Step 1: Read and Underline Key Words E.g: Should governments spend money on space exploration, or should they spend the money on problems here first? Step 2: Write Down Other Words with the Same Meaning

Should governments spend money on space exploration, or should they spend the money on problems here first? Governments = nations, countries, authorities, politicians Spend = allocate, give, allot, provide, budget, make available, waste, award Space exploration = space program, trips to the moon, the international space station, planets, planetary voyages Money = budgets, taxes, resources, Problems = concerns, issues, worries, disasters, threats, threatening, war, famine, poverty, education, homelessness, drugs, global warming Here = on earth, in our own countries, closer to home, in developing countries, foreign aid,

Introduction
1. Capture the reader's interest: start your essay with a really interesting statement. 2. Introduce the topic: The next few sentences should explain your first statement, and prepare the reader for your thesis statement. 3. Make a claim or express your opinion in a thesis sentence: Your thesis sentence should provide your specific assertion and convey clearly your point of view

Step 3: Use Your New Words in the Opening Sentences With many global concerns such as war, poverty, hunger and pollution, many people do not think that nations should waste money on exploring space (One side). However, others are convinced that expenditure on space programs is justified (Other side). Step 4: Add a Thesis With many global concerns such as war, poverty, hunger and pollution, many people question whether nations should waste money on exploring space. However, others are convinced that expenditure on space programs is justified. This essay will examine some arguments for and against space exploration

Thesis Sentence
A thesis statement is a sentence (or two) that states what you are going to do in your essay. It is a kind of signpost or map that shows the reader what direction you will take. It usually comes at the end of the Introduction. You can leave out "I." E.g: This essay looks at ideas in favor of and against early marriage. (Words to use in the thesis sentence: analyze, look at, examine, discuss, outline, consider, describe).

Body
The body of the essay will include two or three paragraphs, each limited to one main idea that supports your thesis. In each paragraph, you should state your idea = Include a few more supporting statements with further evidence or examples + use transition words to lead to the following paragraph.

A body paragraph
S1: Topic Sentence S2: Argument or Reason 1 S3: Example, Explanation, or supporting detail S4: Argument or Reason 2 S5: Example, Explanation, or supporting detail S6: Argument or Reason 3 (Three is a magic number. Always aim to have 3 ideas.) S7: Example, Explanation, or supporting detail S8: Concluding sentence.

Conclusion
The final paragraph will summarize your main points and re-assert your main claim. It should point out your main points, but should not repeat specific examples.

Conclusion
The conclusion is the end of the essay. It is the last part of the essay and it is the part that the reader may remember most. It should be clear and avoid confusing the reader. The reader expects the conclusion to do some or all of the following: - rephrase the question - summarize the main ideas - look to the future (say what will happen if the situation continues or changes) The reader DOES NOT expect new information in the conclusion. Never add a new idea just because you have thought of it at the end! You must do all of this in just three or four sentences!

NOTE: UNITY and COHERENCE

Unity means that you discuss only one main idea in a paragraph. The main idea is stated in the topic sentence, and then each and every supporting sentence develops that idea. Coherence means that your paragraph is easy to read and understand because (1) your supporting sentences are in some kinds of logical order and (2) your ideas are connected by the use of appropriate transition signals.

Practice
WRITING TASK 2 You should spend about 50 minutes on this task Present a written argument or case to an educated nonspecialist audience on the following topic: Tourism is becoming increasingly important as a source of revenue to many countries but its disadvantages should not be overlooked. You should use your own ideas, knowledge and experience and support your arguments with examples and relevant evidence You should write at least 200 words

Suggesting Answer (introduction)

Faster planes and cheaper flights are making it easier than ever before for people to travel. In most developed societies, visiting exotic places is a soughtafter status symbol. The tourism industries of both developed and developing countries have recognized this fact and are learning to take advantage of it. There are, however, some problems associated with this new industry.

Suggesting Answer (body paragraph 1)

Firstly, there is the increasing crime rate. Some locals see tourists as easy prey because, not only are they in unfamiliar territory and therefore less able to take care of themselves, but also they carry visible items of wealth, such as cameras and jewellery which can be disposed of quickly for a profit. Such petty thieves are popular in almost resorts.

Suggesting Answer (body paragraph 2)

Another major problem is health. With greater mobility comes greater danger of spreading contagious diseases around the world. One carrier returning home could easily start an epidemic before their illness was diagnosed. Moreover, the emergence of many more diseases which resist antibiotics is causing scientists to be increasingly concerned about this issue.

Suggesting Answer (body paragraph 3)

Also to be considered is the natural environment, which can be seriously threatened by too many visitors. Australia's Great Barrier Reef, for example, is in danger of being destroyed by tourists and there are plans to restrict visitors to some of the more delicate coral cays.

Suggesting Answer (conclusion)

These are just three of the reasons why any country should be wary of committing itself to an extensive tourism development program. (232 words)