Notes, summaries, assignments, exams, and problems for English

1. Direct Method

Definition: Students learn English through listening and speaking. The teacher avoids using the students' native language.

Example: The teacher shows an apple and says, "This is an apple."

• Pros: Rapid development of speaking and listening comprehension.
• Cons: Difficult for absolute beginners due to the lack of translation.

2. Grammar-Translation Method

Definition: Students focus on learning grammar rules and translating sentences between languages.

Example: Translate "The boy is running" into your native language.

• Pros: Effective for mastering grammar and reading skills.
• Cons: Limited opportunities for speaking or listening practice.

3. Communicative Language Teaching (CLT)

Definition: Students use English to communicate in authentic,... Continue reading "Top 20 English Language Teaching Strategies" »

Chapter 5: Uncovering Systemic Injustice

Bryan Stevenson begins a deeper investigation into Walter McMillian’s case, uncovering significant misconduct by law enforcement and the prosecution. He discovers that Walter was placed on death row before his trial, an unusual and cruel treatment that underscored the racial bias in the case. Stevenson learns about the prosecution’s reliance on coerced and fabricated testimony from Ralph Myers and Bill Hooks. He faces hostility and intimidation from local officials as he works to challenge the wrongful conviction.

Key Figures and Their Roles in the Case

Walter McMillian

Walter was placed on death row even before being convicted, a rare and punitive measure. His alibi—being at a fish fry with dozens

J.B. Priestley’s An Inspector Calls functions as a moral crucible, where the playwright interrogates the ethical decay and class hypocrisies of Edwardian society. Set in 1912 but performed in post-war 1945, the play explores the illusion of respectability and the urgent need for collective accountability. Through specific characters or themes, Priestley constructs a dramatic microcosm of Britain’s fractured social hierarchy, embedding didactic undertones to expose the corrosive consequences of issues like capitalist self-interest, patriarchal dominance, or generational complacency. The play operates as a vehicle for ideological reformation, compelling audiences to reevaluate their complicity in systemic injustice and embrace a more egalitarian... Continue reading "An Inspector Calls: Social Critique & Dramatic Analysis" »

Reported Speech

Statements

1. She said (that) he worked in a bank.
2. She told me (that) they went out last night.
3. She said (that) she was coming.
4. She told me (that) she had been waiting for the bus when he arrived.
5. She said (that) she had never been there before.
6. She told me (that) she didn't go to the party.
7. She said (that) Lucy would come later.
8. She told me (that) he hadn't eaten breakfast.
9. She said (that) she could help me tomorrow.
10. She told me (that) I should go to bed early.
11. She told me (that) she didn't like chocolate.
12. She said (that) she wouldn't see me tomorrow.
13. She said (that) she was living in Paris for a few months.
14. She told me (that) she visited her parents at the weekend.
15. She said (that) she hadn't eaten sushi before.
16. She said (that) she hadn't travelled

Understanding Business English Idioms

Many companies engage in responsible practices. Do you know of any companies that donate services or money? How can businesses act responsibly? Why should a company reduce and deal with any pollution? Does your company share the life of the local community? Should a company stay true to its principles and values? What companies in your country take the time to understand the impact of their operations?

Workplace Challenges and Concepts

• Burn-out: Exhaustion caused by working too hard.
• Juggling: Trying to manage your job or life when involved in several different activities, all demanding your time.
• Promotion: Moving someone up into a higher, more important, or better-paid position in a company or organization.

Present Continuous

The present continuous, also known as the present progressive, is a verb tense used to describe actions happening now, or around now.

Affirmative, Interrogative, and Negative Forms

• Affirmative: Subject + am/is/are + verb (present participle -ing)
• Interrogative: Am/Is/Are + subject + verb (present participle -ing)?
• Negative: Subject + am/is/are + not + verb (present participle -ing)

English Grammar Practice: Set 1

1. I’m looking forward to trying the new restaurant.
2. She asked me where I had bought that jacket.
3. When did you move to Spain?
4. We shouldn’t have left the house without a jacket.
5. I have my car revised every February.
6. The match was cancelled due to heavy rain.
7. That is the city where we lived for four years.
8. An event is being organized to raise money for charity.
9. She apologised for breaking my mug.
10. At 10:30, she will be playing football.
11. It is thought that she is one of the best actors in the world.
12. If you went to bed earlier, you wouldn’t always be tired.
13. I wish I had revised English grammar.
14. We have been sent an invitation.
15. She said that they were going to visit their grandparents the next day.

English Grammar Practice: Set

Regency England: Society and Social Norms

Marriage and Inheritance Customs

At this time, the most influential sector was comprised of wealthy landowners, who often did not work but lived on large properties in the countryside. Family properties could not be divided; all land and income passed to the eldest son, while other siblings had to learn a profession. Daughters faced even greater complications; they could neither inherit land nor pursue a profession. Most remained at home, awaiting a suitable husband who could offer financial security.

Marriages at this time were often for convenience. Mothers sought wealthy, landed husbands for their daughters, while men, conversely, sought brides from affluent families. For example, in Pride and Prejudice,... Continue reading "Pride and Prejudice: Social Norms and Enduring Themes" »

The Ring's History and Curse

1. The deacons deposited the ring in the glass case of a fashionable jeweler.
2. The Earl of Essex was imprisoned in the Tower of London.
3. The red glow of the diamond symbolizes the presence of the evil spirit within the ring.
4. The Countess of Shrewsbury came to visit the Earl, pretending to be his friend, but actually wanting to get revenge on him for some past slight.
5. The ring was stolen from the Earl's tomb by Cromwell's soldiers when they desecrated the church and robbed the vaults many years after his death.
6. After crossing the Atlantic, the ring ended up being thrown into the contribution box of a church in New England.
7. The ring brought sorrow, deceit, and misfortune to all who possessed it due to the evil spirit dwelling