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Ticket 2 English Unit 2: Humor

Vocabulary related to the unit

• Humor: Something said to cause laughter
• A Joke: A short story that causes laughter
• Humorous: Amusing, funny and laughable
• An impression: An amusing imitation of a famous person
• To make fun of someone: Laugh at someone in a mocking way
• To kid: To make jokes or to joke with someone
• Silly: Funny in a stupid way
• Witty: Funny in an intelligent way

Positive emotions or feeling: Joy – gaiety – delight – cheerfulness – merriment – vivacity – calm – satisfaction–
enthusiasm – optimism – jubilation.

Negative emotions or feeling: Anger – despair – depression – loneliness – sadness – frustration – worry – fear.

Idioms: positive feeling /mood:

• Lift one’s spirit

• Things are looking up
• Walk on air
• Someone’s spirit rises

Idioms: negative feeling /mood:

• To feel quite down
• Someone’s heart sink in the depths of despair
• To be low

Functions: Expressing lack of understanding and asking for clarification

Show lack of understanding

• I beg your pardon.

• I beg your pardon, but I don’t quite understand.
• I’m not quite sure I know what you mean.
• I’m not quite sure I follow you.
• I don’t quite see what you mean.
• I’m not sure I got your point.
• Sorry, I didn’t quite hear what you said.
• Sorry, I didn’t get your point.
• I don’t quite see what you’re getting at.

Ask for clarification

• What do you mean by…?
• Do you mean…?
• Could you say that again, please?
• Could you repeat please?
• Could you clarify that, please?
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• Would you elaborate on that, please?

• Could you be more explicit?
• Could you explain what you mean by…?
• Could you give us an example?
• I wonder if you could say that in a different way.
• Could you put it differently, please?
• Could you be more specific, please?

Functions / communication: making request

Request is asking someone politely either for something or to do something.

1- Making request

• Could you, please…….?

• Can you………….?
• Will you……….?
• Do ……. (something)…… for me, please.
• Is there any chance you could…?
• Do ……. (something)…… for me, will you?
• Do you think you could………?
• Could you possibly…….?
• I wonder if you could possibly………?
• Do you mind (verb + ing) ………?
(it is like saying: Is there a problem if….?)
• Would you mind (verb + ing) ………?
(it is like saying: Is there a problem if….?)

2- Accepting Request
• Feel free Yes,
• of course, With pleasure
• Yes, sure.
• Sure.
• Yes, of course.
• Certainly yes.
• With pleasure.
• Sure, don’t worry.
• Sure, no problem.

3- Declining / refusing Request

• I am awfully sorry
• No, You/I can’t
• Oh sorry, I can’t.
• I just can’t, I am sorry.
• I am afraid, but I can’t.
• Certainly not.
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Examples:
- Speaker 1: Could you please help me with this exercise?
Speaker 2: Yes, of course.
- Speaker 3: Do you mind going with me to the market?
Speaker 4: No, I don’t mind (accepting request)
-Speaker 5: Would you mind giving your brother a lift downtown?
Speaker 6: Yes. (refusing request).
- Speaker 7: I wonder if you could possibly repair this engine?
Speaker 8: Sure, don’t worry

Grammar: modal verbs

with this table, you will be able to understand the different functions Modal verbs have. Example and substituting verbs
and expressions are also given.
Modal Verb Function Substituting verb

• Ability - John can speak

English,

but he can't speak Spanish.

• Ability (in the past) - My
mother could swim
• To be able to
when she was younger.
• To be capable of
can could • Possibility - I can learn
• To be (im)possible to
English.
• To be allowed to
• Permission - Can I go out
please?
• Offer - Can I help you,
madam?
• Request - Could you bring
me a cup of tea, please?

• Permission (politeness) -
May I open the window,
please?
• Possibility - The chauffeur • To be allowed to
may be in the car. • To be likely to
May Might
Susan may not come • To be probable to
tomorrow. • Perhaps… will
You might participate in the
contest.
• Probability - It might rain.

• Requests (more polite) -

Would you mind closing the • To want
Will Would door? • To desire
• Determination/intention - I • To be determined to
will pass the exam.
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Modal Verb Function Substituting verb

• Offer - Shall I open the door

• Do you want…?
for you?
• Let’s
• Suggestion - Shall we go to
Shall Should • To have to (morally)
the cinema?
• To be the (moral) duty
• Advice - You should eat
• … Would better…
more vegetables.

• Obligation/duty - You must

do your homework, whether
you want to or not.
• To have to
• Deduction - He has a great
Must/Have to • To be obliged to
Had to car. He must earn a lot of
• To have the obligation
money.
• To be certain
• Necessity - You must go to
the doctor if you can't see
well.

• Prohibition - You mustn't

• To be forbidden
Mustn't cross the road when the red
• To be prohibited to
light is on.

• Recommendation/moral
Ought to obligation - You ought to • To have to
study more.

• (Absence of) • To be necessary

Need/Needn’t obligation/necessity - You • Don’t need to
needn’t run. It’s still early. • Don’t have to

• Audacity or lack of it - How

Dare dare you?/He daren’t look at • To have the courage to
me.