Professional Documents
Culture Documents
Stages of life
Have you started planning for retirement yet? In this unit you'll learn language used to discuss the stages of life.
Vocabulary
Language focus
Adjectives as nouns
Adjectives can be used as nouns to describe specific characteristics shared by a group of people.
the rich
the poor
These adjectives can be used as the subject or the object of the sentence and the nouns they modify should be omitted.
These nouns do not have a plural as they represent groups of people.
Expressing possibility
Various phrases are used in conjunction with the modal verbs
can / could to express different degrees of possibility.
Example sentence Approximate degree of certainty
I think it will happen. 90%
It's highly likely that ... 85%
I think it's very likely that ... 70%
I don't see why that couldn't happen. 50%
I suppose it could happen. 30%
I can't see that happening. 10%
Unfulfilled plans and intentions
The structure: was / were + going to + verb can be used to talk about unfulfilled plans and intentions.
A: Have you told your colleagues about your plans to relocate?
B: I’m sorry! I was going to tell them at the office yesterday, but I forgot.
Refusing and accepting
The following phrases can be used to accept a request:
That sounds fine! Of course I can do that for you.
I think I should be able to do that for you.
Of course. I can get that done by midday.
The following phrases can be used to refuse a request.
I’m afraid I won’t be able to do that for you.
I’m sorry, I can’t do that for you.
I doubt I can do that by the end of next week.
Participles as adjectives
Past and present participles of verbs can be used as adjectives.
A present participle is used as an adjective when a person or thing causes a particular effect.
For example:
This is a disappointing course.
[The effect the course had on me was to disappoint me.]
A past participle is used as an adjective when the person or thing experiences a particular effect.
For example:
I am disappointed by the course.
[I experienced disappointment because of the course.]
Headings
There are various heading types:
1. Noun phrase / clause
For example:
Educational Background
Top Brands
Reasons for Wanting to Study with You
Studying Online
These headings are usually followed by descriptions.
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Englishtown and Englishtown.com are registered trademarks.
2.Containing question forms
For example:
How to Pay
What to Do
How to Study
Where to Go
These headings are usually followed by advice.
3. Questions
For example:
What can we do?
Where can I study?
These headings are also followed by advice but are only used in informal documents.