To be or not to be…

In this third learning activity of English Dot Works 6, you will learn how to write
biographies, using simple tenses, productivity and accountability.

Introductory material

Dear learner,

This material will help you study the topics related to learning activity 3.

You will learn about:

1. How to write biographies.

2. Using simple tenses.

3. Vocabulary about productivity and accountability.

Let’s begin!

1. How to write biographies

Life is a long journey made up of past events, present situations and future ideas.
Identifying those remarkable moments in a timeline helps to organize information
and makes the writing process easier and more effective. You write about many life
experiences including education, family, work experience or any other subject.
Read the following timeline about Daniel Goleman. It will help you learn how to
write a biography.

The New York He published his

He was He returned
Event Times recruited book Emotional
born to Harvard
him as editor Intelligence
Year or March 7th
1970 1984 1995
date 1946

Based on the facts involved in the timeline you can start writing the biography; it is
possible to name events which were not previously included in the timeline because
they can become necessary if you want to clarify an idea, do not hesitate to take
account of them. The timeline will help you to write it but you can use other
situations you consider relevant as well. The following text is an example of how to
include more information to the timeline

Daniel Goleman

Daniel Goleman is an American psychologist, researcher and

writer. He was born in Stockton, California on March 7th, 1946. His
parents were university professors, so he grew up in a very
analytical and academic environment. Goleman received a
scholarship to attend Amherst College which is a prestigious
institution that offers undergraduate programs that last four-years.
The program he attended was very important for his career, and it
helped him to his transfer from high school to the University of
California at Berkeley.

After that, Goleman returned to Amherst where he graduated

magna cum laude. His second scholarship was from the Ford
Foundation to study at Harvard University. Goleman obtained his
PhD from Harvard. There, he studied under the supervision of
David C. McClelland. Goleman did not know at that time that
McClelland would recommend him for a job at Psychology Today.
It is one of the most important magazines about psychology in the
world. Goleman also studied in India and Sri Lanka. He was able
to study thanks to all the scholarships he received.

Goleman wrote his first book about his time in India and Sri Lanka.
In 1970 he returned to Harvard as a visiting lecturer. Goleman’s
theory about psychology of consciousness was popular. In 1984,
The New York Times recruited him as the editor for the behavior
science and brain section. In 1995, he published his book
Emotional Intelligence. It is the most important book about the topic
and it is also a best-seller.

Goleman co-founded the Collaborative for Academic, Social, and

Emotional Learning at Yale University's Child Studies Center.
Nowadays, Goleman co-directs the Consortium for Research on
Emotional Intelligence in Organizations at Rutgers University. He
also manages the Mind & Life Institute.
Have you ever wondered about the decisions you have made? We need to stop
once in a while and think about our past, where we are now and where our
decisions are going to take us. Read the following questions and answers about
Daniel Goleman’s biography.

He is an American psychologist,
What does David Goleman do?
researcher and writer.
What countries did he study in? He studied in USA and India.
When did he publish his book
He published it in 1995.
Emotional Intelligence?
It is an exclusive institution that offers
What is Amherst College? undergraduate programs that last four-
years.
Where is Daniel Goleman from? He is from the USA.
Where did he obtain his PhD
He obtained his PhD from Harvard.
degree?
How many scholarships did he
He received three scholarships.
receive?

His field of study is emotional

What is Goleman’s field of study?
intelligence.

What do you think Goleman’s future He will research more about emotional
will be? intelligence.

Daniel Goleman has dedicated most of his life to research about emotional
intelligence and most of his decisions have been related to increasing his
knowledge about Psychology. He has published several books and he will probably
give more academic contributions to his field of study.

2. Using simple tenses

It is important to review simple tenses such as: past, present and future because
they can be used to express ideas in different contexts. We are going to start
checking simple past tense. The following chart explains the use of to be in the
past.
 Subject Affirmative Subject Negative Interrogative form
form form
I was I was not Was I
(wasn’t)
You were You were not Were you
(weren’t)
He He was not he famous?
She was She (wasn’t) Was she
It It it
They were They were not Were they
We We (weren’t) We

For example:

He was born in California.

Were his parents academic professors? Yes, they were.
David Goleman was not a mathematician.

When you have to use a verb different from to be in the past simple, remember:

Affirmative Negative
Subject Subject Interrogative form
form form
I I I
You You you
He He he
did not (didn’t)
She bought She Did she buy?
buy
It It it
They They they
We We we

For example:

Goleman obtained his PhD from Harvard.

Goleman did not know at that time.
When did he publish his book Emotional Intelligence?
We use simple present to talk about:

1. Facts, generalizations and universal truths:

Example: The earth goes around the sun.

2. Habits and routines:

Example: They usually play football on Sunday.

3. Permanent situations:

Example: She lives in Cartagena.

4. Events that are certain to happen:

Example: I am 30 years old next month.

5. Arrangements that we can't change:

Example: The class starts at 7 a.m.

6. Stative verbs which are never used in continuous grammar forms (to be, to
have, to suppose, to know):

Example: I know the answer.

7. Narrations, instructions or commentaries:

Example: the woman asks ‘Who’s there?’

Bear in mind the next chart regarding to be is in simple present:

 Affirmative
Subject Subject Negative form Interrogative form
form
I am I am not (‘m not) Am I
You are You are not (aren’t) Are you
He He He
She is She is not (isn’t) Is she sweet?
It It It
We We we
are are not (aren’t) Are
They They they

On the other hand, if you use a verb different from to be keep in mind the following:

Affirmative Negative
Subject Subject Interrogative form
form form
I drive I do not (don’t) I
Do
You drive You drive you
He He Does He
does not drive?
She drives She she
(doesn’t) drive
It It It
They drive They do not (don’t) Do they
We We drive we

For example:

Daniel Goleman is an American psychologist, researcher and writer.

What does David Goleman do?

The simple future can be formed using will or going to. In the next charts there is a
summary:
 Affirmative Negative
Subject Subject Interrogative form
form form
I I I
You You you
He will (you’ll, He he
will not
She he’ll, she’ll She Will she stay?
(won’t) stay
It etc.) go It It
We We we
They They they

Affirmative
Subject Subject Negative form Interrogative form
form
I am going I am not (‘m not) Am I
to travel going to travel
You are going You are not (aren’t) Are you
to travel going to travel
He is going to He is not (isn’t he going to
travel She going to) travel Is she travel?
She
It It It
We are going We are not (aren’t) Are we
They to travel They going to travel they

For example:

He will research more about emotional intelligence.

McClelland will recommend him for a job at Psychology Today.
Is he going to succeed on his academic field?

Taking a fragment from David Goleman biography we can identify how simple
tenses make real and concrete meaning.
 After that, Goleman returned to Amherst where he
graduated magna cum laude. His second scholarship
was from the Ford Foundation to study at Harvard
University. Goleman obtained his PhD from Harvard.
There, he studied under the supervision of David C.
McClelland. Goleman did not know at that time that
McClelland would recommend him for a job at
Psychology Today. It is one of the most important
magazines about psychology in the world. Goleman
also studied in India and Sri Lanka.

3. Vocabulary about productivity and accountability

Let’s start this topic by answering this question: What do you know about the
concepts of productivity and accountability? Think about your answer. Then,
read the material.

Fuente: SENA

From an Economics point of view, productivity is an average measure of the

efficiency of production. If you think carefully, a product can be anything that you
do, create, generate or enhance. So, the concept of productivity applies to
everything you do, from getting up to your life plan. Now, the question is how do
you become productive?

Well, first it’s important to understand the qualities of productive individuals.

Productivity involves prioritizing, planning, and applying knowledge and skills to
 make decisions that lead to quality results in a specified timeframe. So, people who
are productive are able to do those things well. People who are productive in their
lives also demonstrate the following characteristics:

 Initiative: begin with determination to do something.

 Self-direction: guided by yourself.

 Personal responsibility: choose and face the results of your own actions.

Being productive also requires one to develop specific skills such as: goal setting,
prioritizing, and time management. But, don’t worry! Becoming productive is not
as difficult as you think. Read the tips below to get started on becoming a more
productive person.

As you read, look at the examples in the lines below each item. These ideas give
you more ideas about how to analyze and create your own life plan.

Setting goals is very important as it allows you to choose how you want to move
through life. Some achievements can take a lifetime to make, while others can take
just a day. Setting and meeting goals leads to feelings of satisfaction and
accomplishment. Getting started can seem intimidating, but we'll show you how to
start.

1. Define the general objective you want to reach. Ask yourself some important
questions about what you want for your life.
2.
3. Set sub goals. Consider “I want to get fit.” Begin to ask yourself questions about
what you have to change or do to be fit, and how you would like to do it in a
particular amount of time.
4. Use the SMART method to create actionable goals. This acronym gives you
five steps.
5.
 Specific: Instead of the general goal, identify what you want to achieve "I want
to be fit," try for a specific goal.

 Measurable: Goals should be quantifiable. "I'm going to run two kilometers
every day".

 Attainable: It is vital to know which goals are realistic, and which are not. If you
are a person who does not exercise regularly, you cannot say “I will run 7 days
 a week”.

 Relevant: Ask yourself about the importance of this goal in your life. If the
answer is yes, go on. If it is not, set your goal again.

 Time-related: Setting a deadline to achieve goals. You can select if you want
to spend a lot of time making long-term goals or if you need less time making
short-term goals.
6. Evaluate: Take time to assess the goal process from inception to completion. If
you feel it took too long to achieve this goal, examine your difficulties. Was your
goal reasonable? Are there skills you need to have before attempting to
complete other goals? Are there elements or tips that can be applied to other
goals? And start the process again!

Prioritizing is to decide in what order you should do things, based on how

important or urgent they are. Sometimes it can be chaotic. Work and school start
accumulating, house chores and responsibilities, commitments to friends and
family, there aren't enough hours in some days. Learning to prioritize effectively
can help you become a more efficient person, saving time, energy, and stress.
Some steps to do that are:

1. Choose a period of time for each task.

2. Think about everything you have to do and make a list with no specific order.
3. Categorize the things you need to do. Example: House chores, work, school,
social life, family, etc.
4. Make posters or stick the lists on the wall, so you can have a general picture of
your duties.
5. Select the stress-causers from that list.
6. Identify the most urgent activities on the lists and rewrite the lists with those at
the top.
7. Alternatively, if everything is equally important and necessary, organize them
alphabetically or randomly.
8. Keep the lists visible as a reminder of what you need to finish.
9. Cross or check the items you complete.
10. It’s great to post notes around the house.
Managing time: These days, time seems to be shorter. We have devices that
keep us constantly connected with work, with friends and family. As a result, it's
easy to get distracted. Managing time is connected with the previous topic of
prioritizing. Here’s a great way to do what you have to do.

Prepare yourself first. Take some minutes to eat something and relax.
Make a list of the priorities.
Assign realistic priorities to each task:

Priority 1: due today by 6 p.m.

Priority 2: due tomorrow by 6 p.m.
Priority 3: due by the end of the week.
Priority 4: due next week.
Balance your effort. Work on small portions of work every day for the week,
starting with the most important tasks first.
Do today's tasks. Concentrate on what is at hand.
Each day should end with a new task list for tomorrow to keep you on track.
Focus on your most productive time of day. Some people work better in the
morning, and some are more focused in the evening.
Work in fifteen minutes, half hour or hour intervals. Scientifically, it is known
that 45 minutes work and 10 minutes rest is the best way to work.
Delegate if you can. Contrary to popular belief, you don't need to do it all.
Use technology. Today's mobile technology has hundreds of apps that will
help you manage and possibly accomplish your tasks efficiently.
Leave time for fun. It's important to give yourself time to think about
something different. It will refresh your mind and it is good for your body. It
doesn't have to be a lot of time but make sure that you make some!
Sleep for 7 - 9 hours every night. Good sleep will keep you alert and
energetic, and you will be able to think clearly, and function at a high level.

Productivity and accountability are very closely related concepts. You already know
that productivity is related to setting goals, prioritizing and managing time in order
to accomplish something. Now we are going to deal with accountability.

Accountability is the assumption of responsibility for actions, products, decisions,

and processes including the administration, governance, and implementation of
tasks or responsibilities. It also includes the obligation to report, explain, and be
responsible for resulting consequences of those actions. People demonstrate
accountability through efficient time management, appropriate resource
distribution, personal integrity, and self-monitoring. Accountable people complete
their responsibilities and recognize their responsibility when they are unable to
meet the productivity demands. Individuals who are accountable recognize the
impact and the direct relation of their actions and the resulting consequences at all
levels.

Fuente: SENA

Productivity and accountability in a person reflect:

 The ability to learn new things in an autonomous manner.

 Application of appropriate processes and tools to facilitate task
completion.
 The required independence in a complex environment.
 Identification of existing opportunities.
 Motivation and commitment to achievement.
 Assuming leadership roles.
 Using previous learning and experience to apply knowledge and skills
in a variety of contexts.
 Self-confidence and self-respect.

As you can see, these concepts are of great importance to face the challenges of
today’s society. Being productive and accountable are skills that will allow you to
get what you want from life. You can apply them at any level; personal, familial,
spiritual, professional, academic, etc.

It can be intimidating to think: How can I get those skills? Well, don’t panic! The
following is a list of tips for you to start having great meaningful experiences by
implementing the concepts of productivity and accountability in your life. Just take it
easy and do a little at a time. Start by trying the ideas that are most important or
significant for you right now and then progressively try to implement the rest of
them.

Tips
1. Identify your most focused work time: The first step is to detect the times
and days of the week when you tend to do your best work. Many people
have more energy and can concentrate better in the morning. Depending
on your activities, the morning tends to be quiet, while people are more
interactive later in the afternoon.
2. Do your most dreaded tasks first: Arrange your schedule so that you finish
important tasks at your most productive times. For example, if you’re
having difficulties in reading on Friday afternoons (a low energy time for
many people), try moving the task to Monday morning.
3. Find a good accountability partner: Having someone else who expects
you to do things as you say is a powerful motivator. Choose a person
whose work ethic and discipline is equal to (or greater than) yours, then
identify concrete, measurable goals and timelines for which you will hold
each other accountable.
4. Check in weekly with your accountability partner: A regular check-in
establishes a routine and keeps up your energy, allowing you to
accumulate small successes and move on to new projects. By waiting
longer than a week to meet your partner, you give each other more time to
develop resistance and procrastinate.
5. Don’t worry, just do it: If you’re home from work and find you’re
preoccupied with an unfinished task, finish it immediately. Sure, it may be
the weekend, but spending a little time to finish the task is better than
wasting time worrying about it (and still having to do the job on Monday
morning). It’s better to have peace of mind than be distracted the whole
weekend.

These five tips can help you use accountability to increase your productivity and
develop a more natural, enjoyable life rhythm.

Contextualization

Read to the following dialogue between Johana and John.

 Hi John!
What´s up?
Johana.

I’m trying to make a

decision. I want to buy a new
laptop but I am not sure which
What are you
one because there are too
doing?
many options.

I think the
What do
first step is to
you mean?
prioritize.
 You should start
writing a list about what
you like and what you need
in a laptop. That’s a great
idea!

Then, select the most Of course,

relevant features in I have to keep in
terms of utility, versatility mind the design
and price. and the device
performance as
well...

That’s right.
Once you know
what you want to
buy you should go Is it
to the store a necessary?
couple of times
before you
buy it.
 I consider we Now that you
can get a better mention it, it
purchase if we buy makes total sense
slowly and plenty of for me.
time to think
about it.

There is no
I hope my
doubt.
ideas will help
Thanks!
you.

Fuente: SENA

Comprehension

Select true or false about the statements based on the conversation.

True False
1. Johana is totally sure about her purchase.
2. John gives her a piece of advice.
3. Johana knows how to prioritize.
 4. John suggests buying the laptop very quickly.
5. For Johana’s purchase it is important to identify what
she wants and needs in a laptop.
6. Johana needs to write a priorities’ list.
7. John considers price is an important aspect to keep in
mind.

8. Johana doesn’t like John’s suggestions.

9. Richard thinks buying with time is better.

10. Prioritize help you to make informed
decisions.
11. Making lists do not help to organize
ideas.
12. Prioritize means identify the most
relevant aspects.

Practice 1

A. Read the following biography about writer and professional speaker Louise L. Hay.
Write the verbs from the box into the gaps.

grew up became gave changed moved started

was born left gives had earned healed
is writes studied published reached was
found organizes felt continue married

L
ouise L. Hay ___ an American writer and a professional speaker. She ____
_____ on October 8th, 1926 in Los Angeles, California. She ____ a very
complicated childhood. She _______ in the Great Depression, a very difficult
time economically in the United States from 1929 to 1939. When Louise _____ 15
years old, she got pregnant and a year later she ______ her child up for adoption.
Then, she _______ to Chicago where she held many low-paying jobs. In 1950,
she moved to New York. There, she _________ her name and _________ to work
as a model. Four years later, she _________ an English man called Andrew Hay.
 After 14 years of marriage, he ______ her for another woman. Louise _____
devastated. About this time she _______ the First Church of Religious Science
where she _________ the transformative power of positive thinking. She
discovered that thought can heal both the body and the spirit. By 1970, she
________ a Religious Science practitioner and _________ transcendental
meditation. But, in 1978, Louise got cancer. But, she _________ herself through
meditation, positive affirmations and a healthy diet. In 1984, she ___________ her
first book You Can Heal Your Life. It was a best-seller. In 2011, Louise found out
that her book had ____________ 40 million sales. Louise, now 87 years old, is the
CEO of Hay House Publishing firm. She ____________ conferences around the
world and talks about the power of thoughts and affirmations and helping people to
overcome difficulties in life. She still ________ books about self-help. She
________ seminars, conferences and lectures about the power of thought. She
will ________ her journey of positive thinking as long as she lives.

B. Read the text and find some examples of the simple tenses of verbs to complete
the chart that follows.

L
ouise L. Hay is an American writer and a professional speaker. She was born
on October 8th 1926 in Los Angeles, California. She had a very complicated
childhood. She grew up with almost no money in the Great Depression, a
very difficult economic time in the United States from 1929 to 1939. When Louise
was 15 years old, she got pregnant and a year later she gave up her child for
adoption. Then she moved to Chicago where she had low-paying jobs. In 1950,
she moved again to New York. There, she changed her name and started to work
as a model. Four years later, she married an English man called Andrew Hay.

After 14 years of marriage, he left her for another woman. Louise felt devastated.
About this time she found the First Church of Religious Science where she learned
about the transformative power of thoughts and that positive thinking can heal the
body. By 1970 she became a Religious Science practitioner and studied
transcendental meditation. Louise had cancer in 1978, and she healed herself by
meditation, positive affirmations and a healthy diet. In 1984 she published her first
book You Can Heal Your Life. It was a best-seller. In 2011 Louise found out that
her book reached 40 million sales.

She is the CEO of Hay House Publishing firm. She organizes conferences around
the world talking about the power of thoughts and affirmations and helping people
to overcome difficulties in life. Louis is 87 years old now. She still writes books
about self-help. She gives seminars, conferences and lectures about the power of
thought. She will continue her journey of positive thinking as long as she lives.
 Simple present – routine

Simple past – past state

Simple future – prediction

Simple present – stative verb

Simple past – finished action

Simple present – permanent situation

C. Choose the correct verb form. John’s birthday is soon, so his friends have decided
to throw him a surprise party.

1. John (is / was / will be) _______ 19 next Saturday.

2. Richard (wants / will want / wanted) _______ to organize a surprise party for
him.

3. Nicole (didn’t know / knows / will know) __________ when John’s birthday was.

4. Last year, John’s party (is / was/ will be) ___________ a disaster!

5. Nicole (forgot / forget / will forget) _________ her present in a taxi.

6. They (will give / gives / gave) ___________ him the best party ever.

D. Write the sentences from the box into the gaps in the dialogue.
  Super! So, see you on Saturday. I have to go now! I am late for class!
Bye!
 Hi Richie! How are you today?
 Come on! It was not that bad last time!
 No. Don’t worry. It’s Italian.
 Yes, I know. I left his present in a taxi.
 The Chinese food I ordered was cold and tasteless.
 Yes, but let’s try to do it better this time. Do you all agree?
 I will. I want to do it right this time.
 Yeah. Fine. But I still think it wasn’t that bad.
 Likes it? He loves it! It’s his favorite food.
 Richard? Why don’t you pick me up too? I live near Nicole’s place and
we make sure we won’t forget anything!
 No, they don’t, but I can pick it up.

Rick: Hi girls! What’s up?

Johana: Hi Rick!

Nicole: ______________________________

Rick: Fine, but I am also really busy with school and John’s party.

Johana: Of course. We don’t want it to be a failure again!

Nicole: ____________________________________

Rick: Not that bad! There was no party at all!

Johana: Yes, it was. I forgot the cake! Richard didn’t arrive on time, and…

Nicole: __________________________________

Rick: _____________________________________________

Nicole: But, we had fun in the end! It’s not the planning that makes a party.
It’s the people!
Rick: ____________________________________________________
Johana: Yes, I do.

Nicole: ____________________________________________

Rick: Ok. So, who will bring the cake?

Johana: _______________________________

Rick: Cool. I’ll count on you for that then.

Nicole: I have an idea about the food.|

Rick: Please, not Chinese!

Nicole: _________________________

Johana: From Alfredo’s? Lasagna there is fantastic!

Nicole: Exactly. And John likes it, right?

Rick: _________________________________________

Nicole: Great.

Johana: Do they deliver?

Nicole: ___________________________

Rick: Cool. And I can drive you there and to John’s place then.

Nicole: Perfect!

Rick: And I will buy and take his present with me.

Johana: _______________________________________________________
__________________________________

Rick: That’s actually a great idea, Johana. I will pick you up at 2:00 p.m. on
Saturday.

Nicole: _________________

Johana: Great!
 Rick: _______________________________________________________
________

Nicole: See you on Saturday.

Johana: Goodbye!

Practice 2

A. As you read earlier in this learning activity, there are some tips for setting goals.
Match the examples below to the tips about goal setting.

Tips Examples
A. I only run once last week
1. Define the general objective
and I realized I don’t like
you want to reach.
running.
2. Set sub goals. B. I want to be fit.
C. Today I played basketball
with my friends for 45
3. Keep track of your progress.
minutes! Best time this
week!
D. I have to change the food I
4. Evaluate.
eat.

B. Use the SMART method to create actionable goals. Every letter in SMART stands
for an adjective that describes an effective way to set goals. Organize the steps in
the box in the appropriate sequence relative to the acronym SMART.

 Setting a deadline to meet goals.

 Instead of the general goal, identify what you want to achieve.
 Ask yourself about the importance of this goal in your life.
 Goals should be quantifiable.
 It is vital to know which goals are realistic, and which are not.
 Specific:

Measurable:

Attainable:

Relevant:

Time-related:

C. Prioritizing means deciding on the order you should do things. Organize the
following steps in the appropriate sequence.

1 Select the stress-causers from that list.

2 Cross or check the items you complete.
3 Choose a period of time.
Make posters or stick the lists on the wall, so you can
4
have a general picture of your duties.
Think about everything you have to do and make a
5
list with no specific order.
6 It’s great to post notes around the house reminders.
Categorize the things you need to do. Example:
7
House chores, work, school, social life, family, etc.
Identify the most urgent activities on the lists and
8
rewrite the lists with those at the top.
Keep the lists visible as a reminder of what you need
9
to finish.
Alternatively, if everything is equally important and
10
necessary, organize them alphabetically or randomly.

D. Classify the tips according to the productivity category.

  Think about everything you have to do and make a list with no specific
order.
 Identify the most urgent activities.
 Define your general objective.
 Do today's tasks only.
 If everything is equally important and necessary, organize them
alphabetically or randomly.
 Establish realistic goals.
 Assign realistic priorities to each task.
 Evaluate your achievement progress.
 Set subgoals.
 Use the SMART method to create actionable goals.
 Leave time for fun. It's important to give yourself time to think about
something different.
 Categorize the things you need to do.
 Focus on your most productive time of day.
 Work in fifteen minutes, half hour or hour intervals.
 Select stress-causers.

Setting goals Prioritizing Managing time

E. Fill in the blanks this list of characteristics of productive and accountable people.
 achieve autonomous appropriate opportunities

independence leadership contexts previous

1. Ability to learn new things in an _______________ manner.

2. Application of _____________ processes and tools to facilitate task completion.

3. The required ________________ in a complex environment.

4. Identification of existing ________________.

5. Motivation and commitment to __________.

6. Assuming _____________ roles.

7. Using __________ learning and experience.

8. Apply knowledge and skills in a variety of _____________.

F. Here are some tips for accountability. Match the tips to the definitions.

1. Identify your most focused
working hours.
2. Complete your most
daunting tasks first.
3. Find a good accountability
partner.
4. Check in weekly with your
accountability partner.
5. Don’t worry, just do it.
A. If you’re home from work and find
you’re worried about an unfinished
task, finish it immediately.
B. The first step is to detect the times and
days of the week when you tend to do
your best work.
C. A regular check-in establishes a
routine and keeps up your energy,
allowing you to accumulate small
successes and move on to new
projects.
D. Having someone else who expects
you to do things as you say is a
powerful motivator.

E. Arrange your schedule so that you

finish the least pleasant tasks at your
most productive times.

Pronunciation practice

Note: This practice must be completed using the multimedia version of the
study material. There you will find the corresponding sound files.

A. Linking s

Linking is a very common process that occurs in the English language. It means
that final sounds of words can be linked to first sound of the following words.

Today, you are going to learn about the linking s.

Let’s have a look:

There are several sounds that are involved in this process. It can happen to any
word ending in s, z, ɪz, ʃ, ʒ, tʃ or dʒ. The most common endings are:
 Final -s, as in:
looks luks

 Final -z, as in:

Sees siz

 Final -ɪz, as in:

Watches ˈwatʃɪz

The process of linking takes place when any of the endings

mentioned before are followed by a vowel. Then, linking occurs in
phrases such as:

məˈriə ˈluks‿ ət ðə ˈbuks

Maria looks at the books.
 ˈdʒenifər ˈsiz‿ ɪm ˌevriˈdeɪ
Jennifer sees him every day.

ˈsuzən ˈwɑtʃɪz‿ ə fɪlm ˌevri ˈwikend

Susan watches a film every weekend.

Note: Linking does not occur if the sound following either s, z, ɪz, ʃ, ʒ,
tʃ or dʒ is not a vowel. For example:

ˈtʃɑrlz ˈwɑtʃɪz ˌtiˈvi ɪn ðə ˈivnɪŋz

Charles watches TV in the evenings.

Go to the multimedia, listen to the following sentences and decide whether

linking has occurred between the subject of the sentence and the next word.

a. Yes No

b. Yes No

c. Yes No

d. Yes No

e. Yes No

B. In some contexts t is pronounced as a voiced sound t̬ in American English. In the

following words, there is one t that has been pronounced as a voiced t̬ . Select on
the letter or combination of letters that represents the voiced sound.
 a. Accountability.
b. Devastated.
c. Similarity.
d. Get up.
e. Initiative.
f. Priority.
g. Self-monitoring.
h. Graduated.
i. Productivity.
j. Goal setting.

C. English vowels can be either long or short. Go to the multimedia and listen to the
following words. Decide if the vowel you hear in it is long or short.

Word Short Long

D. Choose the word that the transcription better represents.

ðæn Than Then

ˈlæt̬·ər Latter Later

ɪnˈtɑl·ər·ə·bəl Intolerant Intolerable

əˈlu·ʒən Allusion Illusion

hʌŋ Hang Hung

ɪˈfekt Effect Affect

References

 WikiHow. (2007). How to Manage Your Time. Consultado el 15 de noviembre de

2014, en http://www.wikihow.com/Manage-Your-Time

 Hyatt, M. (2013). The Beginner’s Guide to Goal Setting. Consultado el 15 de

noviembre de 2014, en http://michaelhyatt.com/goal-setting.html

 JAE's 21st. (2012). Productivity and Accountability. Consultado el 15 de

noviembre de 2014, en:
https://sites.google.com/site/twentyfirststcenturyskills/analysis

 Carole English. (2014). Top 10 Skills for the Successful 21st-Century Worker:
Productivity and Accountability. Consultado el 15 de noviembre de 2014, en
http://www.lipscomb.edu/education/blog/education/2014/3/11/top-10-skills-for-the-
successful-21st-century-worker
 Document control

Name Position Dependence Date

Theme expert Dirección de

Asesora English Formación
Author Johana Méndez November
Dot Works - Profesional.
Sarmiento 2014
Programa de Dirección
bilingüismo General

Copy editor – Centro

Rachman Bustillo October
Adaptation Línea de Agroindustrial.
Martínez 2015
producción Regional Quindío