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KAJ ADVANCED ENGLISH 1

ADVANCED ENGLISH 1 KAJ

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TABLE OF CONTENT

INTRODUCTION TO THE COURSE ........................................................................................... 5

CHAPTER 1 – ARTICLES WITH GEOGRAPHICAL NAMES................................................. 7 �� !�� "�� "� �� "�� # $�� # %&�� # Exercise 1 ....................................................................................................................................................... 9

CHAPTER 2 – PREPOSITIONS FOLLOWING VERBS / ADJECTIVES / NOUNS ......... 11 �� '' %&�� '(

Exercise 1 ..................................................................................................................................................... 12

Exercise 2 ..................................................................................................................................................... 12

CHAPTER 3 – PIECE WORDS, COLLECTIVE NOUNS ........................................................ 13 )��*��'+ �� ', %&�� ', Exercise 1 ..................................................................................................................................................... 14

Exercise 2 ..................................................................................................................................................... 15

CHAPTER 4 – PREFIXES, SUFFIXES, BLENDS,................................................................... 16 )��&��'-


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��&��'- � ��'� %&�� '�

Exercise 1 ..................................................................................................................................................... 17

Exercise 2 ..................................................................................................................................................... 17

Exercise 3 ..................................................................................................................................................... 18

CHAPTER 5 – THE CAUSATIVE ............................................................................................. 19 �� '# )�� '# %&�� (�

Exercise 1 ..................................................................................................................................................... 20

Exercise 2 ..................................................................................................................................................... 21

CHAPTER 6 – FALSE FRIENDS ............................................................................................... 22 %&�� (+ Exercise 1 ..................................................................................................................................................... 23

CHAPTER 7 – FORMAL AND INFORMAL ENGLISH .......................................................... 24 %&�� (�

Exercise 1 ..................................................................................................................................................... 25

Exercise 2 ..................................................................................................................................................... 25

CHAPTER 8 – PLURALS ........................................................................................................... 27 �� (� ��(� �� (� �� (� �� (� ��&�� (� ) � �&�� "� ��(� %&�� (#

Exercise 1 ..................................................................................................................................................... 29

Exercise 2 ..................................................................................................................................................... 29


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KEYS .............................................................................................................................................. 30 �� '��+�

Exercise 1 ..................................................................................................................................................... 30 �� (��+�

Exercise 1 ..................................................................................................................................................... 30

Exercise 2 ..................................................................................................................................................... 30 �� +��+�

Exercise 1 ..................................................................................................................................................... 30

Exercise 2 ..................................................................................................................................................... 31 �� ,��+' Exercise 1 ..................................................................................................................................................... 31

Exercise 2 ..................................................................................................................................................... 31

Exercise 3 ..................................................................................................................................................... 31 �� +' Exercise 1 ..................................................................................................................................................... 31

Exercise 2 ..................................................................................................................................................... 31 �� -��+( Exercise 1 ..................................................................................................................................................... 32 �� +( Exercise 1 ..................................................................................................................................................... 32

Exercise 2 ..................................................................................................................................................... 32 �� +( Exercise 1 ..................................................................................................................................................... 32

Exercise 2 ..................................................................................................................................................... 32

BIBLIOGRAPHY .......................................................................................................................... 34


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INTRODUCTION TO THE COURSE

When browsing the Internet, you may easily come across texts like the one below which reflect all of the grammatical points to be covered throughout the AE1 course. Since the course is by no means intended for beginners, the points dealt with relate rather to advanced than basic English. All of the points, however, are not fully covered and students are expected either to attend the course of AE1 or complete

the subject matter on their own. In other words, the online material presented does not substitute face-to-face teaching to a full extent. It serves more as a learning aid.

PSYCH TV SHOW REVIEW

Airing on the USA Network this show has the potential to be a Skeptic's favorite.

There may be good news for skeptics who are looking for a TV show that is both entertaining and satirical towards psychic detectives. Psych

is a concept that is not-in-your-face skepticism but makes a point with its very premise: that someone can appear to be psychic simply by having observational skills.

The pilot opens up with a young Shawn

Spencer eating lunch with his dad Henry Spencer, who works as a cop. It's 1986 in Santa Barbara, California. Henry is hard on his son,

most likely because he wants him to grow up to be a police officer, so every chance he gets he tests him on his memory and ability to observe his surroundings With his eyes shut, we get to see what Shawn is remembering in his head as nametags, hats, and other objects are zeroed in on and highlighted; anything related to the test questions his Dad poses. In the end, young

Shawn is rewarded with a piece of cake.

Move forward to 2006 and Shawn is fooling around with what appears to be a woman he just picked up at a bar. The mood of the moment suggests that Shawn may not have grown up to be the responsible career-minded

adult his Dad wished. As he's trying to make it with this girl the TV flips on by accident (the couple rolls over on the remote) and Shawn sees a news story where he spots several clues that could lead to the conviction of the perpetrator. He calls them in as tips which indicate to us that indeed Shawn has not pursued an official job in law enforcement. Figuring out the solutions to crimes is more of a hobby to him. He almost comes off as spoiled and lacking ambition.

the articles with

geographical names

tests prepositions following

verbs/adjectives/nouns

a piece of cake piece words, collective nouns

career-minded prefixes, suffixes, blends

make the verbs (let, make, get, have) that can be used causatively

psychic false friends

dad formal and informal English

news Plurals


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One thing leads to another and the police call Shawn in to interrogate him because

he knows too much. His own observations are so good that they have made him into a suspect. In order to explain himself and escape being held in a jail cell with some guys looking hungry for more than just food, he suddenly uses the excuse that he's

a psychic . After all, most people would rather jump to a supernatural conclusion

than to a natural one when confronting something that is beyond their

comprehension. Shawn then cements his psychic status by using some more

observational skills that seem unexplainable (except that we the audience have already been clued in). One of the detectives, Carlton Lassiter, thinks Shawn is full of it but can't prove anything--which is a source of humor throughout the pilot episode. The rest of the storyline is a standard murder plot with an unlikely suspect--nothing shocking or extraordinary but a competent whodunit.

So there we have it: a man who claims to be a psychic detective but in reality is using observational skills to fool the police and the public and has no shame in doing so. This is the kind of guy you hate as a skeptic--right? Well, the show is able

to overcome that for several reasons. The main character Shawn is a cross between

Ben Stiller and Tom Cruise and if the show only focused on him I think we would be annoyed. But when Shawn recruits his reluctant lifelong friend, Burton Guster or "Gus," the situation morphs into a buddy comedy or what I usually refer to as a "modern vaudeville act." Gus isn't a willing participant. We relate to him and not to

Shawn. Shawn simply amazes us with his skills. Gus is there to provide our voice in asking Shawn what the hell he's doing posing as a psychic. Shawn alone would have been like, well Ben Stiller alone without someone to play off of. But with Gus playing the straight man in the buddy comedy we have the balancing act we need

[...]

The other reason we have some definite potential with Psych is the audience is let in

on the gag and we are constantly curious about which observation will be used to

fool someone. The character of Shawn Spencer is out for gain, as he explains to his Dad who thoroughly disapproves of him using his "gift" as a psychic, but Shawn's offenses are tempered by the skeptics in the police force trying to catch him making a mistake. I'm not even sure if you can call it a con game. Shawn is providing a

legitimate service where he does actually solve crimes using the skills he developed

as a child. He is just not being honest as to how he comes to his conclusions. The Interim Police Chief Karen Vick gives us the impression that she knows that he's not a real psychic, however, he's still worth keeping around because whatever he's

doing is working in her favor. [...]


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CHAPTER 1 – ARTICLES WITH GEOGRAPHICAL

NAMES

We distinguish between three types of articles – definite, indefinite and zero. A common mistake even advanced users make is the pronunciation

of “the” before vowels which are written but not pronounced and vice versa. E.g. ‘the USA’, ‘the university’, ‘the union’ = the article is

pronounced [ð�], not [ð��] because the first

pronounced sound is a consonant [j] not [u]. On the contrary, the words like ‘the hour’, ‘the MP’ or ‘the honour’ = the article is

pronounced [ð��], not [ð�] because a vowel is the first pronounced sound.

In the course, we focus on the correct use of articles with geographical names, which is a rather complex subject in English having a few basic rules with many exceptions. Below you can see the overview of these rules. Some of the exceptions are mentioned too.

CONTINENTS, COUNTRIES, COUNTIES, CITIES, TOWNS, VILLAGES

• mostly Ø article is used - France, Asia, Prague, Oxfordshire ... • !!! the article is used if it includes a common noun

the Czech Republic the United States of America the United Kingdom the Roman Empire the Swiss-Italian frontier

• !!! the is used as an exception in (the) Ukraine the Netherlands the Philippines the Hague

• the article is used with limited modification the Prague of May 1945 the New York of 11th September 2001 the England of the Middle Ages

SEAS, OCEANS, RIVERS, GULFS

• the article is used the Pacific ocean the Vltava river the Black Sea the Gulf of Mexico

CHAINS OF MOUNTAINS, DESERTS, PENINSULAS, GROUPS OF ISLANDS,

FORESTS

• the article is used

the articles with geographical names


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the Alps the Krkonose (Mountains) the Sahara desert the Arabian peninsula the Bermudas the Hawaiian Islands the Black Forrest

INDIVIDUAL MOUNTAINS AND ISLANDS, WATERFALL, VALLEY, CAVES,

LAKES (WITH LAKE/LOCH WITHIN), CAPE

• Ø article is used Mont Blanc Ben Nevis Sicily Niagara Falls Death Valley Mammoth Cave Loch Lomond Cape Horn

• !!! the is used as an exception in the Matterhorn the Etna, etc.

MOST GEOGRAPHICAL (POLITICAL) REGIONS

• the article is used the Far East the Middle East the Midwest

STREETS, SQUARES, PARKS

• mostly Ø article is used Oxford street 5th Avenue Park Lane Trafalgar Square Hyde Park

MUSEUMS, THEATRES, CINEMAS, HOTELS, GALLERY, CONCERT HALL,

LIBRARY, RESTAURANTS, (SPACE) CENTRES, IMPORTANT BUILDING

• the article is used the British Museum the National theatre the Electra the Ambassador hotel the Tate Gallery the Royal Albert Hall the Black Dog (pub) the Kennedy Space Center the Empire State Building


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• !!! Ø article is used as an exception in Carnegie Hall Covent Garden Greenwich Village

STATIONS, AIRPORTS, CHURCH, CASTLE, BRIDGE

• Ø article is used Victoria station Kennedy airport Westminster Abbey Windsor Castle Tower bridge

UNIVERSITY, COLLEGE

• Ø article is used Harvard university Radcliffe College Charles University

• the article is used if there is ‘of construction’ within the University of West Bohemia the University of London

EXCERCISES

EXERCISE 1

Fill in the articles where necessary:

Great Britain

The whole name of the country is _____ United Kingdom of _____ Great Britain and _____ Northern Ireland. _____ British Isles consists of the two large islands of _____ Great Britain and _____ Ireland and a number of _____ smaller islands. They lie off _____ north-west coast of _____ Europe. The area of _____ Great Britain is about 244000 square kilometres. _____ Ireland consists of _____ Northern Ireland and _____ Irish republic. Between _____ Great Britain and France is _____ English Channel. The most mountainous area of _____ Great Britain is _____ Scotland. The main mountains regions are _____ Cornish Heights, _____ Cambrians, _____ Pennines. _____ highest mountain in Britain is _____ Ben Nevis. In _____ Scotland,

there are many beautiful lakes called „lochs“. The most famous is _____ Loch Ness with the „Loch Ness Monster“. _____ lakes are a big tourist attraction. _____ British Isles have milder climate influenced by _____ Gulf Stream which comes from _____ Gulf of Mexico to _____ Western Europe. Winter temperatures are higher and summer temperatures are lower than in _____ Middle Europe.

Great Britain is situated in _____ British Isles. _____ British Isles are situated in the north-east of _____ Atlantic Ocean. _____ Great Britain consists of three historical countries, _____ England, _____ Scotland and _____ Wales. They form the _____ United Kingdom. England and Wales are divided into counties. Scotland is divided into regions. The Irish republic is a separate country.


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England occupies _____ middle and southern part of _____ British Isles. Wales is

situated on a peninsula on the same name along _____ west coast of the British Isles. Scotland consists of the northern part and _____ Hebrides, _____ Orkneys and _____ Outer Shetland. _____ Northern Ireland takes up _____ north-eastern part of _____ island of Ireland.

KEY TO THE EXERCISE


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CHAPTER 2 – PREPOSITIONS FOLLOWING VERBS

/ ADJECTIVES / NOUNS

It is difficult to learn to use prepositions correctly in a foreign language. Most English prepositions have several different functions,

and these may correspond to several different prepositions in another language. Many nouns, verbs and adjectives are normally used with particular prepositions: we say the reason for, arrive at, angry with somebody, on a bus.

Often the correct preposition cannot be guessed, and one has to learn the

expression as a whole. In some expressions English has no preposition (enter a room) where one may be used in another language; in other expressions the opposite is true.

Below you can see a list of commonly mistaken nouns, adjectives and verbs. The

list, however, is not complete.

COMMONLY MISTAKEN NOUNS

Adjectives Nouns Verbs

absent from congratulations on borrow from

allergic to damage to divide into

composed of demand for happen to

concerned about convinced of

discussion about key to

insist on invite to

dependent on lack of laugh at

famous for marriage to listen to

independent of proof of recover from

responsible for reason for rely on

similar to rise/increase/fall in result in

typical of solution to spend on

tests prepositions following verbs/adjectives/nouns


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EXCERCISES

EXERCISE 1

Complete the sentences using the following nouns + the correct preposition: cause connection contact damage

invitation key map pictures

reason reply

On the wall there were some pictures and _____map of_____ the world. Thank you for the _______________ your party next week. Since she left home two years ago, Sophie has had little _______________ her family. l can’t open this floor. Have you got a _______________ the other door? The _______________ the fire at the hotel last night is still unknown. I emailed Jim last week, but l still haven't received a _______________ my message. The two companies are completely independent:. There is no _______________ them. Jane showed me some old _______________ the city as it looked 100 years ago. Carol has decided to give up her job. I don`t know her _______________ doing this. It wasn’t a bad accident. The _______________ the car wasn‘t serious.

KEY TO THE EXERCISE

EXERCISE 2

Complete: Don't approach ________ the dog. I arrived ________the station at six. If you don't know, ask ________ John. She's very good ________ languages. Congratulations ________ your success. The bus crashed________ a tree. Int all depends ________ the weather. I'd like details ________ yours courses. Let's discuss ________ your plans. I divided the cake ________ three parts. Why is She dressed ________ black? Nobody entered ________ the room. This is an example ________ his work. There is no increase ________ prices. I'm interested ________ most sports. He was very kind ________ her. The soup lacks ________ salt. I'm looking ________ a place to live. He has to look ________ his mother. My sister is married ________ a builder.

Sho married ________ him last year. He wasn't very nice ________ me. Have you paid ________ drinks? We need proof ________ his story. What's the reason ________ the change? You reminde me ________ your brother. Who's responsible ________ security? I didn't take part ________ the meeting. Could you translate this ________ Greek? That's just typical ________ you I'm reading a novel ________ Dickens. ________ my opinion you're wrong. Who's the man ________ the picture? I love walking ________ the rain. Don't talk ________ that silly voice. The answer's ________ page 29.

KEY TO THE EXERCISE


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CHAPTER 3 – PIECE WORDS, COLLECTIVE NOUNS

To recap, countable nouns, often referred to as count or C, are individual objects, people, places, etc which can be counted. E.g. books, Italians, pictures, stations, men, etc. A countable noun can be both singular – a friend,

a house, etc. – or plural – a few apples, lots of trees, etc. and can be preceded with the indefinite article a/an. On the contrary, uncountable nouns, referred to as uncount or U, are materials, concepts, information, etc. which are not individual objects and cannot be counted. E.g. information, water, understanding, wood, cheese, etc. Uncountable nouns are always singular and cannot be preceded with the indefinite article.

To talk about a limited quantity of something uncountable, in other words, to make uncountable countable, we can use a word for a piece or unit, together with of, before an uncountable noun. The most general words of this kind are piece and bit (less formal). E.g. a piece of information, a bit of wood. If we want to be more specific, we can use a wide range of so-called piece-words. Below you can see a list of some, not all, piece-words.

PIECE-WORDS

• A drop of water/oil/vinegar

• A grain of sand/salt/rice/corn/truth

• A loaf of bread

• A lump of sugar/coal

• A slice of bread/cake/meat/ham/toast/cheese

• A bar of chocolate/soap

• A tube of toothpaste

• A jar of jam

• A packet of crisps

• A carton of milk

• A sheet of paper/metal/plastic

• A shower of rain

• A rumble/clap of thunder

• A flash of lightning

• A breath of fresh air

• A stroke of luck/work

• A fit of temper/epilepsy

• A state of chaos / emergency / tension / confusion / health / disorder /

uncertainty / poverty / disrepair

Unlike the piece-words, which precede uncountable nouns, there are collective nouns which work on the same principle with countable nouns. They refer to a group of people, animals or things.

a piece of cake piece words, collective nouns


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COLLECTIVE NOUNS

• A bunch of flowers/bananas/grapes

• A herd of cattle/goats/cows/deer/

• A crowd of people

• A collection of pictures/statues

• A box of matches

• A pack of cards (AmE: a deck of cards)

• A flock of sheep/geese/pigeons

• A shoal of fish/herring/mackerel

• A swarm of bees/gnats

• A pile/heap of papers/clothes/dishes/toys

• A stack of chairs/pots/pans/dishes

• A team of surgeons/doctors/experts/reporters/scientists/detectives

• A set of cutlery/napkins/dishes/tyres/sparking plugs/spanners

• A pair of shoes/socks/ear-rings

• A couple of strawberries

EXCERCISES

EXERCISE 1

Change the uncountable nouns to countable nouns in the following sentences by using either a piece of or at bit of or one ot the more specific words. Example: Could you buy me some bread, please? Could you buy me a loaf of bread, please? My mother gave me some advice that I have always remembered. Suddenly the wind almost blew him off his feet. We had some terribly windy weather last winter. Would you like some more toast? He never does any work at all in the house. Let’s go to the park - I need some fresh air. l can give you some important information about that. We could see smoke hovering over the city from a long way away. There is some interesting new equipment in that catalogue. I need to get some furniture for my fiat.

KEY TO THE EXERCISE


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EXERCISE 2

Draw a line from the left-hand column to the right-hand column. a clamp of a range of a gang of a swarm of a row of a heap of a herd of

houses flies fir-trees elephants bed-linen mountains schoolkids

KEY TO THE EXERCISE


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CHAPTER 4 – PREFIXES, SUFFIXES, BLENDS,

PREFIXES

Prefix = a letter or a group of letters put at the

beginning of a word to make a new word, e.g. happy - UNhappy. They are most often used to give a negative or opposite meaning (comfortable – uncomfortable). However, there is no easy way of knowing which prefix we need to use to form

the correct opposite. Whenever you learn a new word, find out whether it has an opposite formed with a prefix and what prefix it is. Note that the prefix IN- (and its variations IM-, IR-, IL-) does not always have a negative meaning – often it gives the idea of inside or into, e.g. INternal, IMport, INsert, INcome. Some words with negative prefixes have no positive opposite equivalent, e.g. you can be distressed, but not tressed; other examples: disappoint, discard, disconcert, dismiss, incessant, unnerve, unspeakable etc.

• ILL+ (past participles) = badly

ill-advised ill-prepared

• MAL+ (adj., verbs, nouns) = bad(ly)

maltreat malformed malfunction

• SUB+ (adj., nouns) = below

substandard subway subconscious

SUFFIXES

Suffix = a letter or letters added to the end of a word to form another word, e.g. softNESS. Note down a quite newly formed suffix –ISH that can be added to most common adjectives, ages, and times to make them less precise, e.g. She is thirtyish.

He has reddish hair. Come about eightish. Some suffixes are productive (slovotvorný). You therefore need to understand their meaning to understand contemporary English. You may even try to create some words of your own. The examples are: –able, –conscious, –free, –rich, –led, –minded, –proof, –related, –ridden, –worthy

• +ABLE

predictable eatable

• +FREE

alcohol-free sugar free

career-minded prefixes, suffixes, blends


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knives and forks income drinks mistake rebellion delay fous room criminal story illnes expression glove booth speech dish country problems principles demonstration economy personality

• +RICH

vitamin-rich fibre-rich

BLENDS

Blend = a new word formed by joining two others and combining their meanings.

smog = polluted fog (smoke+fog). brunch = a meal that is a combination of breakfast and lunch heliport = helicopter + airport motel = motor + hotel

EXCERCISES

EXERCISE 1

Use the word in brackets to complete the sentences. Add the necessary prefix and put the word in the correct form. Example: The runner was __disqualified__ after a blood test. (QUALIFY) Children (and adults) love _____________ parcels at Christmas time. (WRAP) I almost always find that I _____________ with his opinion. (AGREE) I’m sure he’s lying but it’s going to be hard to _____________ his story. (PROVE) After a brief speech the Queen _____________ the new statue. (VEIL) It took the removal men an hour _____________ our things from the van. (LOAD) His phone was _____________ because he didn't pay his last bill. (CONNECT)

KEY TO THE EXERCISE

EXERCISE 2

Match each adjective on the left with the two nouns it best collocates with in the box. EXAMPLE: student-led rebellion, demonstration additive-free avoidable disposable guilt-ridden high-minded newsworthy oil-rich ovenproof soundproof stress-related

KEY TO THE EXERCISE


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EXERCISE 3

What words have been combined to make these blends? What do you think

they mean?

informecial edutainment

cybrary vegeburger

swimathon funtastic

KEY TO THE EXERCISE


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CHAPTER 5 – THE CAUSATIVE

The causative is a common structure in English. It is used when one thing or person causes another thing or person to do something. The verbs commonly used in a causative form are

HAVE, GET, MAKE, LET, etc. We distinguish between the passive causative and the active causative. The translation into Czech may vary depending on the context.

ACTIVE CAUSATIVE

HAVE

• + object + BARE infinitive = cause sb to do sth

I’m ready to see Mr Smith. Have him come in, please. - ... Ať vejde.

GET

• + object + TO infinitive = make/persuade sb/sth do sth

I can’t get him to go to bed. – Nemůžu ho přimět jít spát.

MAKE

• + object + bare infinitive = force/compel

The robbers made us lie on the floor. – Lupiči nás donutili lehnout si na podlahu.

LET

• + object + bare infinitive = allow

I’ll let you borrow my bike. – Dovolím ti půjčit si mé kolo.

PASIVE CAUSATIVE

HAVE

• + object + past participle = cause sth to be done by sb else I must have my watch repaired. – Musím si dát spravit hodinky.

GET

• + object + past participle = cause sth to be done by sb else

I got my coat cleaned. – Nechal jsem si vyčistit kabát.

MAKE

• + object + TO infinitive = to be forced

make the verbs (let, make, get, have) that can be used causatively


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The robbers were made to lie on the floor. – Lupiči byli donuceni si lehnout na podlahu.

EXCERCISES

EXERCISE 1

Example: I think the carpenter should fix my door. I'll _____have the carpenter fix_____ my door. My house is a mess! I think the cleaner should wash my windows. I'll __________________________________ my windows. I think the gardener should cut my grass. I'll __________________________________ my grass. I think the builder should fix my roof. I'll __________________________________ my roof. I think the plumber should mend my tap. I'll __________________________________ my tap. My car is a mess! The tires need replacing. I'll __________________________________ tomorrow. The oil needs changing. I'll __________________________________ tomorrow. The ashtrays need emptying. I'll __________________________________ tomorrow. The engine needs tuning up. I'll __________________________________ tomorrow. The brakes need fixing. I'll __________________________________ tomorrow. The gas tank needs filling. I'll __________________________________ tomorrow.

KEY TO THE EXERCISE


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EXERCISE 2

Use the words in brackets to complete the sentences. Use the structure have something done. Example: We _____are having the house painted_____ (the house / paint) at the moment. I lost my key. I’lI have to ______________________________ (another key / make). When was the last time you ______________________________ (your hair / cut)? ______________________________ (you / a newspaper / deliver) to your house every day, or do you go out and buy one? A: What are those workmen doing in your garden? B; Oh, we ______________________________ (a garage / build). A: Can I see the photographs you took when you were on holiday? B: I'm afraid I ______________________________ (not / the film / develop) yet. This coat is dirty. I must ______________________________ (it / clean). If you wart to wear earrings, why don’t you ______________________________ (your ears / pierce)? A: I heard your computer wasn't working. B: That’s right, but it’s OK now. I ______________________________ (it / repair).

KEY TO THE EXERCISE


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CHAPTER 6 – FALSE FRIENDS

False friends are words in two languages which look the same or similar, but their meaning is completely different. These may be very tricky words for language learners because they often logically expect an English-sounding Czech

word to have the same meaning as the English original, e.g. ACTUAL vs. AKTUÁLNÍ. You have probably seen sentences like:

• This topic is very actual.

• The information of the website is not very actual.

• His warning is no longer actual.

For a native speaker, all these sentences are meaningless or confusing. There are hundreds of such words in Czech and English. The reason for this language interference is either simply coincidental (HOUSE-HOUSE) or caused by borrowing words from other languages and adding a new meaning or meanings (PRESERVATIVE – konzervant X kondom).

Czech word false friend wrong translation

correct translation

afekt affect ovlivnit, postihnout passion, emotion

aktuální actual skutečný topical, up-to-date

brigáda brigade četa, oddíl part-/summer/volunteer time job

eventuálně eventually nakonec or possibly; or

evidence evidence důkaz(y) record, register

geniální genial dobrosrdečný, bodrý, veselý

brilliant

hymna hymn chvalozpěv, hymnus

anthem

konfekce confectionery cukrářství clothes shop

konkrétní concrete (opak k) abstract particular, specific

kontrolovat control řídit, ovládat check, inspect

maturovat mature zrát pass the school-leaving exam

pension pension důchod(né) B&B, guest house, little hotel

promoce promotion povýšení, propagace

graduation ceremony

protekce protection ochrana favouritism

sympatický sympathetic soucítící, chápavý nice, likeable

šéf chef kuchař boss

transparent transparent průhledný banner

psychic false friends


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EXCERCISES

EXERCISE 1

Translate these sentences into English. Watch out for the words in italics. Jak bys charakterizoval naší hymnu? Loni jsem měl dobrou brigádu, vyráběl jsem transparenty. Jan maturoval na gymnáziu v roce 1985 a o pět let později absolvoval univerzitu. Otázka asociálního smýšlení nepřestává být aktuální.

KEY TO THE EXERCISE


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CHAPTER 7 – FORMAL AND INFORMAL ENGLISH

Formality is a sociolinguistic category which is defined as a level of language considered appropriate to socially formal situations. Formal styles are used in business letters, academic textbooks, some literary writing, news

broadcasting, public ceremonies, special occasions etc.

Informality indicates a style of writing or conversational speech characterized by simple grammatical structures, more familiar vocabulary, and greater use of idioms and metaphors. Informal styles are those in which language is used spontaneously as in everyday ordinary

conversation, personal letters etc. when there is no special reason to speak politely or carefully.

The key factor for deciding between formal and informal English is the mutual relationship between the partners in communication, esp. the fact if they know each other well or not very well; another important factor is the purpose of the speech or

text. If you choose to use formal language, it may be because you wish to show respect, politeness, or to put yourself at a distance. If you choose to use informal language, it may show friendliness, equality or a feeling of closeness and solidarity with someone. You should NEVER use informal language just to sound fluent or clever.

Formal Informal

neutral tone {no emotions} direct tone

tentative language personalised verbs

impersonal verbs {believe, feel, hope} colloquial expressions {a can of worms, out of the blue}

complex sentences phrasal verbs

long words abbreviations, acronyms

passive forms very short sentences

diplomatic phrasing {not trying to insult}

contractions

sentences beginning with participle clauses {Having finished, I went home}

usually only going to/gonna for expressing future

nouns instead of verbs {make a proposal, have a tendency, ...}

intensifiers {very, really, dead}

dad formal and informal English


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EXCERCISES

EXERCISE 1

All of the following sentences are acceptable standard English, but some of them would not be appropriate in more formal writing. See if you can identify which sentences would not be acceptable in a more formal context and tell why. Who should l send this to? Whom should I send this to? Gear this for the audience it is intended for. He began to really try hard. He began to slowly realize what had happened. He's usually easy going. But before his first cup ofcoffee, he's a bear. This department is going to work together as a team. And don't you forget it! Are you sure it's finished? Checked every detail? I needed the money for a couple of important things. Like paying the rent and buying groceries. We're going to have a big bash, and you’re invited. The Smiths request the pleasure of your company at a banquet to be held in the honor of their son Josiah, who will be graduating from Andover College.

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EXERCISE 2

Tick (°°°°) the more formal sentence from each pair of options below.

1. a. l've had a look into what residents complained about. b. I have now investigated the complaints which were made by

residents. 2.

a. l’m going to do the things l’ve listed here. b. l plan to implement the measures listed.

3. a. When we had a look at the radiators, we found two weren’t

working. b. On checking the radiators, we found two were out of order.

4. a. The customer was allocated a room at the back of the hotel, where

the noise level is low. b. We put the customer at the back of the hotel, where its quieter.

5. a. Why don't we put large groups in a separate annexe? b. One solution could be to allocate rooms for large groups in a

separate annexe 6.

a. l recommend that we look into the possibility of fitting a new lift. b. We ought to fit a new lift.

7. a. It should be done as a matter of urgency. b. We should do it quickly.

8.


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a. The staff proved to be�unable to cope with the demands of the job. b. The staff were useless.

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CHAPTER 8 – PLURALS

As you know, the plural of most nouns is made by just adding –s to the singular. But there are, of course, some special cases that we will deal with.

IRREGULAR

• child – children • foot – feet • goose – geese • louse – lice • man – men • mouse – mice

• ox – oxen • penny – pence • person – people • tooth – teeth • woman – women

ect.

FOREIGN

• analysis – analyses • appendix – appendices /

appendixes • crisis – crises • hypothesis – hypotheses

• phenomenon – phenomena / phenomenons

• syllabus – syllabi / syllabuses etc.

PERMANENT PLURALS

No singular form, all verbs and pronouns relating to them must be plural.• arms • belongings • binoculars • cattle • clothes • congratulations • contents • goods • jeans

• outskirts • the police • scissors • sunglasses • surroundings • thanks • troops

etc.

PERMANENT SINGULAR

Nrmally no plural form, all verbs and pronouns relating to them must be singular.

• athletics • billiards • darts • economics • chaos • gymnastics

• (the) media • measles • mathematics • news

etc.

news Plurals


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IDENTICAL SINGULAR AND PLURAL

• series • species • crossroads • fish • means • headquarters • aircraft

• spacecraft • Chinese • Japanese • Swiss • Portuguese • Nepalese • Vietnamese

etc.

MIXED PLURAL AND SINGULAR

Although many native speakers would see absolutely no difference between singular and plural verbs used (the family IS/ARE), some grammar books suggest that with singular (the family IS) = single homogenous body; and with plural (the family ARE) = referring to each individual making the meaning more personal.

• audience • army • board • cast • class • club • college • committee • company • council • firm

• family • government • group • ministry • party • public • school • staff • team • university

etc. The same rules are for:

• BBC • FIFA • IBM

• Sony • the UN

etc.

PLURAL EXPRESSIONS WITH SINGULAR VERBS

Some plural expressions have singular verbs: • quantities incl. fractions, decimals etc.

5 kilometers is about 3.1 miles 80 kilos is just over 176 pounds A fifth of Israel's population is not Jewish. 1.5 of that is

• plural names of countries The USA is richer than Mexico

• compound nouns joined by ’and’, ‘more than one’ Chicken & Chips is delicious. More than one child comes to kindergarten.


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EXCERCISES

EXERCISE 1

Choose the right verb. A group of teenagers in the town (has/have) organised a scheme to help old people with their shopping. A number of people (has/have) complained about the noise. Do you think three pounds (is/are) a big enough tip? Hamburger and chips (is/are) not a very healthy lunch. In the latest rail union vote, the majority (has/have) voted to go on strike; The rest of the members (is/are) expected Lo support the strike fairly solidly. Two kilos (is/are) pretty small for a newborn baby. Our teenage son thinks there (is/are) a number of good reasons for staying up late and having a good time. More than one house in our street (has/have) been broken into recently. A couple of dangerous-looking men (is/are) waiting for you outside. One of my friends (has/have) just won two free plane tickets to New York. Six weeks (is/are) a long time to wait for news of your family. The majority of the children’s parents (is/are) unemployed. A lot of shops (is/are) opening on Sundays now. The Philippines (has/have) signed the new human rights agreement. The police think that more than one person (was/were) in the stolen car. Tom and Rosie were late, but the rest of us (was/were) on time. (Is/Are) bacon and eggs what you usually eat for breakfast? We've just learnt that a couple of our club members (has/have) been chosen for the national team.

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EXERCISE 2

Most of these sentences are wrong. Correct them where necessary. Example: Three years are a long time to be without a job.

Tree years is a long time. The government want to increase taxes.

OK (wants is also correct) Susan was wearing a black jeans. Brazil are playing Italy in a football match next week. I like Martin and Jane. They’re very nice persons. I need moore than ten pounds. Ten pounds aren’t enough. I’m going to buy a new pyjama. The committee haven’t made a decision yet. There was a police going to do? This scissors isn’t very sharp.

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KEYS

CHAPTER 1

EXERCISE 1

The whole name of the country is The United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland. The British Isles consists of the two large islands of Great Britain and Ireland and a number of smaller islands. They lie off the north-west coast of Europe. The area of Great Britain is about 244 000 square kilometres. Ireland consists of Northern Ireland and the Irish republic. Between Great Britain and France is the English Channel. The most mountainous area of Great Britain is Scotland. The main mountains regions are the Cornish Heights, the Cambrians, the Pennines. The highest mountain in Britain is Ben Nevis. In Scotland, there are many beautiful lakes called „lochs“. The most famous is Loch Ness with the „Loch Ness Monster“. The lakes are a big tourist attraction. The British Isles have milder climate influenced by the Gulf Stream which comes from the Gulf of Mexico to Western Europe. Winter temperatures are higher and summer temperatures are lower. Great Britain is situated in the British Isles. The British Isles are situated in the north-east of the Atlantic Ocean. Great Britain consists of three historical countries, England, Scotland and Wales. They form the United Kingdom. England and Wales are divided into counties. Scotland is divided into regions. The Irish republic is a separate country. England occupies the middle and southern part of the British Isles. Wales is situated on a peninsula on the same name along the west coast of the British Isles. Scotland consists of the northern part and the Hebrides, Orkneys and the Outer Shetland. Northern Ireland takes up the north-eastern part of the island of Ireland.

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CHAPTER 2

EXERCISE 1

invitation to, contact with, key to, cause of, reply to, connection between, pictures of, reason for, damage to

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EXERCISE 2

-, at, -, at, on, into, on, of, -, into, in, -, of, in, in, to, -, for, after, to, -, to, for, of, for, of, for, in, into, of, by, In, in, in, in, on

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CHAPTER 3

EXERCISE 1

a piece of advice a gust of wind a spell of terribly windy weather another slice of bread a stroke of work a breath of fresh air an important bit of information


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a cloud of smoke an interesting new piece of equipment some pieces of furniture

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EXERCISE 2

a range of mountains a gang of schoolkids a swarm of flies a row of houses a heap of bed-linen a herd of elephants

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CHAPTER 4

EXERCISE 1

unwrapping, disagree, disprove, unveiled, to unload, disconnected BACK TO EXCERCISE

EXERCISE 2

additive-free foods, drinks avoidable delay, mistake disposable knives and forks, income guilt-ridden expression, criminal high-minded speech, principles newsworthy story, personality oil-rich economy, country ovenproof glove, dish soundproof room, booth stress-related illness, problems

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EXERCISE 3

information + commercial = a TV advert that gives information instead of selling something education + entertainment = e.g. a CD-ROM that is intended to teach children by using games cyberspace + library = a collection of texts often literary or educational that can be accessed via the Internet vegetable + hamburger = a vegetarian hamburger swimming + marathon = an event in which people attempt to swim a very long distance fun + fantastic = fantastically good fun

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CHAPTER 5

EXERCISE 1

have the cleaner (gardener/builder/plumber) wash (cut/fix/mend) ... get the cleaner (gardener/builder/plumber) to wash (to cut/to fix/to mend) ...

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EXERCISE 2


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have another key made / had your hair cut / Do you have a newspaper delivered / are having a garage built / haven’t had the film developed / have it cleaned / have your ears pierced / have had it repaired

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CHAPTER 6

EXERCISE 1

How would you describe our anthem? Last year I had a good summer job, I produced banners. John passed his school-leaving exam at a grammar school in 1985 and 5 years later then graduated from university. The question of antisocial thinking doesn’t stop to be topical.

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CHAPTER 7

EXERCISE 1

Sentences one, two and three all end with prepositions. Although it is quite common today, in more formal English it is best to avoid prepositions at the end of the sentence. The first sentence should use "whom" rather than "who" since it is the object of a preposition. (To whom should I send this?) Sentences four and five have split infinitives. Horrors! That is, they put an adverb between "to" and the rest of the infinitive. This is a violation of grammar so we have to avoid splitting infinitives in more formal language. (He really began to try hard.) Numbers six and seven contain sentences that start with conjunctions (" but" and " and"). It should be avoided in more formal English. Numbers eight and nine contain sentence fragments. In standard English they are perfectly acceptable. The fragment isolates and emphasizes an idea. In more formal English, they should be part of the original sentence or made into a separate sentence. (I needed the money for a couple of important things, like paying the rent and buying groceries.) In sentence ten, the word "Bash" is too slangy for a formal context and should be replaced by e.g. party or celebration. Sentence eleven would be acceptable in a formal situation, such as a formal invitation.

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EXERCISE 2

More formal sentences are: 1b, 2b, 3b, 4a, 5b, 6a, 7a, 8a BACK TO EXCERCISE

CHAPTER 8

EXERCISE 1

have, have, is, is, have are, is, are, has, are, has, is, are, are, has, was, were, Is, have

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EXERCISE 2

Susan was wearing black jeans


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OK I like Martin and Jane. They are very nice people. I need more than ten pounds. Ten pounds is not enough. I am going to buy some new / a new pair of pajamas. OK There was a police officer / policeman / policewoman directing traffic in the street. What are the police going to do? These scissors are not very sharp.

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BIBLIOGRAPHY

ALEXANDER, L.G. Longman English Grammar . New York : Longman, 1992

EASTWOOD, J. Oxford Practice Grammar. Oxford: OUP, 1999.

ELC Study Zone. [online]. [cit. 2008-04-15]. Dostupné na WWW:

http://web2.uvcs.uvic.ca/elc/studyzone/410/grammar/caus.htm

HEWINGS, M. Advanced Grammar in Use. Cambridge: CUP, 1999.

MCCARTHY, M., O'DELL, F. English Vocabulary in Use. Cambridge: CUP, 2001.

MURPHY, R. English Grammar in Use. Cambridge: Cambridge University Press, 1994.

SWAN, M. Practical English Usage. Oxford: OUP, 2005.

SWAN, M., WALTER, C. How English Works. Oxford: OUP, 1997.

SWENSON, Jeff. Psych TV Show Review [online]. [cit. 2008-04-15]. Dostupné na

WWW: http://www.freethunk.net/articles/ review_psych.php

TURTON, N. ABC of Common Grammatical Errors. Macmillan Heinemann, 1995.

URBANOVÁ, L., OAKLAND, A. Úvod do anglické stylistiky. Barrister and

Principal, 2002.

Documents

AE1 Learning Aid