1. Thursday 5. Tuesday 9. birthday 13. ball
2. does 6. work 10. turn 14. hurt
3. skirt 7. ear 11. bun 15. early
4. short 8. nurse 12. weren‟t 16. ward
Exercise
1. Thursday 5. Tuesday 9. birthday 13. ball
2. does 6. work 10. turn 14. hurt
3. skirt 7. ear 11. bun 15. early
4. short 8. nurse 12. weren‟t 16. ward
Underline the /ə/ sound in the following sentences.
1. We went to the theatre yesterday.
2. He can speak Russian and German.
3. Susan is famous for her Christmas cake.
4. The pronunciation, grammar and vocabulary are difficult.
5. We could ask them if they have reached a decision.
6. A man and a woman were waiting at the station.
7. They‟re going to the mountains on Saturday.
8. The private sector is all economic activity other than government.
9. Where are the spoons and forks?
10. There were seven or eight hundred people present at the conference.
Some difficult sounds for Italian speakers of English /ə/
/ə/
This is the most frequent vowel sound in spoken English, which can also represent
several letters or syllables. It can be found in unstressed function words such as a, am,
an, but, can, of; in prefixes and suffixes such as in-, suc-, to-, ad-, -ible, -able, -ment; in words such as according, lemon, minute, purpose, second etc.
dipthongs
Exercise 3 Complete the transcriptions with one of the following
/eɪ/ /ɑɪ/ /ɔɪ/ /əʊ/ /ɑʊ/ /ɪə/ /eə/ /ʊə/
1. make /m _ _ k/
2. sure /ʃ _ _/
3. bear /b _ _/
4. island /- - lənd/
5. employ /ɪmpl _ _/
6. hear /h _ _/
7. town /t _ _ n/
8. home /h _ _ m/
9. sight /s _ _ t/
10. know /n _ _ /
dipthongs:
Answers
1 =/eɪ/
2= /ɔɪ/
3= /eə/
4= /ɑɪ/
5= /ɔɪ/
6= /ɪə/
7= /ɑʊ/
8= /əʊ/
9=/ɑɪ/
10= /əʊ/
Exercise 1 Match the phonetic transcriptions with the words.
1. /ʃʌt/ a. later
2. /hɑːt/ b. joke
3. /θɪŋk/ c. heart
4. /wɜːk/ d. there
5. /leɪtə/ e. doubt
6. /bɔːt/ f. work
7. /puːl/ g. shut
8. /dɑʊt/ h. think
9. /dʒəʊk/ i. pool
10. /ðeə/ j. bought
answers
1=>g
2=>c
3=>h
4=>f
5=>a
6=>j
7=>i
8=>e
9=>b
10=>d
International phonetic alphabet symbols
Vowels
/ɪ/ pin, English, business
/e/ bed, head, bury, exit
/æ/ cat, bag, apple, black
/ə/ the, a, woman, banana
/ʊ/ look, put, could, cushion
/ɒ/ clock, what, because
/ʌ/ cut, come, mother
/ɜː/ girl, burn, word, heard
/ɑː/ car, art, heart, half
/ɔː/ or, board, door, small
/ɪː/ sea, bee, people, receive
/uː/ too, blue, fruit, fool
Dipthongs
/eɪ/ take, pay, wait, ballet
/ɑɪ/ five, sigh, height, buy
/ɔɪ/ noise, boy, lawyer
/əʊ/ no, road, sew, broken
/ɑʊ/ round, renown, doubt
/ɪə/ here, deer, dear, fierce
/eə/ care, air, mayor, prayer
/ʊə/ poor, insure, tour, moor
Consonants
/p/ play, stop, speak, power
/b/ bad, baby, big, object
/t/ ten, later, little, pot
/d/ day, advice, bed
/k/ character, quick, taxi
/g/ got, exam, ignore, finger
/f/ food, laugh, telephone
/v/ vain, over, Stephen
/θ/ thin, earth, method, both
/ð/ they, father, breathe, with
/s/ small, since, scene, psalm
/z/ zoo, goes, xenophobe
/ʃ/ shell, nation, machine
/ʒ/ genre, measure, vision
/h/ hot, hair, whole, whose
/m/ moon, lamp, lamb
/n/ can, snow, pneumonia
/ŋ/ string, singer, tongue
/tʃ/ chair, match, future
/dʒ/ just, general, age, soldier
/l/ look, small, bottle, isle
/r/ real, train, wrong, write
/j/ yes, Europe, university
/w/ window, twin, quick, why
Adjective or adverb?
Adjective or adverb?
Adjectives are words used to modify nouns. They usually go before nouns. Adjectives may also go after be (is, am, are, was, were) and copular verbs like become, seem, look, feel etc.
- I feel happy. (NOT I feel happily.)
- She seemed excited. (NOT She seemed excitedly.)
- They were upset.
Adverbs are words used to modify verbs. They usually express the manner in which something is done. Adverbs are also used to modify adjectives and other adverbs.
An adverb used to modify an adjective or another adverb usually goes before it. Enough is an exception to this rule. It goes after the adjective or adverb it modifies.
Complete the following sentences using the correct words from those given in brackets.
1. Our team played …………………………. (good / well) last week.
2. We have not gathered ………………………… (near / nearly) enough flowers.
3. The old woman was walking …………………………… (slow / slowly) past.
4. Come to my office as ………………………. (quick / quickly) as possible.
5. We had a ……………………….. (really / real) great time at the party.
6. Sophia won the first prize …………………………. (easy / easily)
Answers
1. Our team played well yesterday. (Here the adverb well modifies the verb played.)
2. We have not gathered nearly enough flowers. (Here the adverb nearly modifies the adjective enough.)
3. The old woman was walking slowly past. (Here the adverb slowly modifies the verb walking.)
4. Come to my office as quickly as possible. (Here the adverb quickly modifies the verb come.)
5. We had a really great time at the party. (Here the adverb really modifies the adjective great.)
6. Sophia won the first prize easily. (Here the adverb easily modifies the verb won.)
Adverb clause of time
Adverb clause of time
An adverb clause of time shows when something happens. It is usually introduced by time adverbs. Examples are: before, after, as, when, while, until, as soon as, since, no sooner than, as long as etc. Note that all adverb clauses are subordinate clauses. They cannot stand on their own and must be attached to an independent clause.
Read the examples given below.
- I always take a bath before I go to bed.
- Will you wait here until I am ready?
- I was not at home when he came to see me.
- Do not disturb me when I am busy with my work.
- As soon as she finished that project, she started working on the next.
- After I have finished my work, I will accompany you to the park.
Notes
An adverb clause of time can come before or after the main clause. When it comes before the main clause, we usually separate it with a comma. Commas are not necessary when the adverb clause goes after the main clause.
- Whenever I think of her, my eyes get misty.
- My eyes get misty whenever I think of her.
Tense
If you are talking about something that is yet to happen in the future, use a present tense in the adverb clause and a future tense in the main clause.
- I will start when I am ready. (NOT I will start when I will be ready.)
- I will not go until I get my money back. (NOT I will not go until I will get my money back.)
Adverbs worksheet
Adverbs worksheet
Adverbs are words used to modify verbs. Adverbs can also be used to modify adjectives and other adverbs.
Fill in the blanks with suitable adverbs from the box. Write the kind of adverb against each sentence. The same adverb can be used more than once.
| Occasionally | Sometimes | Usually | Rarely | Once |
| Very | Never | Mostly | Often | always |
1. I …………………….. go to bed at 10 o’clock. (…………………………………)
2. I have …………………. been to the USA. (…………………………………)
3. I have been to Australia just ………………….. (…………………………………)
4. I ………………….. take a bath before I go to bed. (…………………………………)
5. My grandparents live in Kerala. I visit them …………………… (…………………………………)
6. My friends are ………………… non-smokers. (…………………………………)
7. I was …………………… impressed with her performance. (…………………………………)
8. I ………………….. go for a walk in the park. (…………………………………)
9. I watch English films …………………. (…………………………………)
10. They …………………. go out. (…………………………………)
Answers
1. I usually go to bed at 10 o’clock. (adverb of frequency)
2. I have never been to the USA. (frequency adverb)
3. I have been to Australia just once. (frequency)
4. I always take a bath before I go to bed. (frequency)
5. My grandparents live in Kerala. I visit them often. (frequency)
6. My friends are mostly non-smokers. (focusing adverb)
7. I was very impressed with her performance. (degree adverb)
8. I sometimes go for a walk in the park. (frequency adverb)
9. I watch English films occasionally. (frequency adverb)
10. They rarely go out. (frequency adverb)
Exercise 2
Complete the following with suitable adverbs. Choose from the given box.
| Almost | Very | There | Ever | So |
| Sometimes | Clearly | Perhaps | Seldom | Certainly |
1. I have ………………….. finished.
2. He is ………………… clever.
3. There is …………………. something wrong.
4. ……………….. I think I should take a long break.
5. ………………… her train is late.
6. He is ……………….. late for work.
7. She is ……………….. the right person for the job.
8. Have you ………………. wanted to run away?
9. You can see lots of flowers ……………….
10. They are ………………… beautiful.
Answers
1. I have almost finished.
2. He is very clever.
3. There is clearly something wrong.
4. I sometimes think I should take a long break.
5. Perhaps her train is late.
6. He is seldom late for work.
7. She is certainly the right person for the job.
8. Have you ever wanted to run away?
9. You can see lots of flowers there.
10. They are very beautiful.
Using otherwise
Using otherwise
The word otherwise can be used in several different ways:
Otherwise can be used to introduce the possible outcome of a given situation.
We must hurry up; otherwise we will miss the train.
The same idea can be expressed using if not or unless.
If we do not hurry up, we will miss the train.
Unless we hurry up, we will miss the train.
You must work hard; otherwise, you will fail the test.
If you do not work hard, you will fail the test.
Unless you work hard, you will fail the test.
Otherwise can also be used as an ordinary adverb.
You are in love with him. Why do you want to pretendotherwise?
Otherwise can mean if not. It is used for saying that if one thing does not happen, something else (usually bad) will happen.
I hope she mends her ways. Otherwise, she will be sacked. (= Ifshe does not mend her ways, she will be sacked.)
The vaccine has saved tens of thousands of children who wouldotherwise have died.
Otherwise can also be used to suggest that something is true because the situation will be different if it was not true.
Of course she is interested in him. Otherwise, she wouldn’t be asking about his whereabouts.
She must be very intelligent; otherwise, she wouldn’t have solved this puzzle.
Otherwise can mean differently.
Governments must ban or otherwise prevent the sale of illicit liquor.
Otherwise can also be used to suggest that something is true except for the fact you have just mentioned.
The train was crowded but otherwise the journey was pleasant.
I am a bit tired but otherwise I am all right.
List of interjections
List of interjections
An interjection is a word or phrase that expresses a sudden emotion. Interjections are used to exclaim, protest or react. They can stand by themselves. They may also appear within larger structures.
- Hurrah! We’ve won!
- Alas, she’s dead now.
Mild interjections are usually set off from the rest of the sentence with a comma. More powerful interjections are followed by an exclamation mark.
Here is a list of common interjections in English.
Ah
This expression can express ideas such as pleasure and surprise.
- Ah! It feels good.
- Ah! I’ve passed.
Alas
This word expresses pity or grief.
- Alas, we’ve lost.
Eh
The word eh has several meanings. It can be used to ask for repetition or to make an enquiry.
- ‘I’m going.’ ‘Eh?’ ‘I said I’m going.’
- ‘What do you think of my new hairstyle, eh?’
‘Eh’ can also express surprise.
- ‘I’ve won.’ ‘Eh! Really?’
Hey
This word is mainly used to call attention.
- ‘Hey! Where are you going?’
Hi
This is a word used to greet people.
- ‘Hi John. How’re you?’
Hmm
This word expresses doubt or hesitation.
- ‘Hmm. Let’s me see.’
Oh
This word expresses surprise.
- ‘Oh! You both know each other.’
‘Oh’ can also express pain.
- ‘Oh! I’ve got a bad headache.’
Ouch
This word mainly expresses pain.
- ‘Ouch! That hurts really badly!’
Well
This word is commonly used to introduce a remark.
- ‘Well, how did he react?’
- ‘Well, we are not exactly interested in this.’
