2 English

ENGLISH MODEL QUESTION & ANSWER FOR GRADE12, 2014E.
በጎንዯርና አካባቢው ሀገር አቀፍ የ12ኛ ክፍሌ መሌቀቂያ ፈተና የሚወስደ ተማሪዎችን በስነሌቦናም ሆነ በክህልት ማዘጋጀትና
አጠቃሊይ የሥራ፣ ማኅበራዊና ኢኮኖሚያዊ ግንዛቤን የማሳዯጊያ ፕሮጀክት
(ከዲሽን ቢራ ፋብሪካ አ.ማ ጋር በመተባበር የቀረበ)
ጎንዯር የሰሊምና የዕዴገት ማኅበር (ጎ-ሰ’ማ) በጎንዯር እና አካባቢው ከጊዜ ወዯ ጊዜ ሥር እየሰዯዯ የመጣውን የሰሊም እጦት እንዱሁም
በአካባቢው ሰፍኖ የሚገኘውን ከፍተኛ ኢኮኖሚያዊ ችግር በመቅረፍ ረገዴ መንግሥት የሚያዯርገውን ጥረት ሇመዯገፍ የተቋቋመ እና
ከኢፌዳሪ የሲቪሌ ማኅበረሰብ ዴርጅቶች ባሇሥሌጣን ዕውቅና የተሰጠው (የተመዘገበ) ማኅበር ነው፡፡
ጎንዯርና አካባቢው እምቅ የሆኑ በርካታ የተፈጥሮ ፀጋዎችንና ሰው ሠራሽ ሃብቶችን ባሇቤት ቢሆንም እነዚህን እምቅ ሃብቶች በጋራ
አሌምቶ በእጅጉ የወዯቀውን ኑሮውን ሇማሻሻሌ አሌቻሇም፡፡ ሇዚህም ዋነኛው ምክንያት የማኅበረሰቡ የማኅበራዊና የኢኮኖሚ ግንዛቤ
እጥረት መሆኑን በማመን የጎንዯር የሰሊምና የዕዴገት ማኅበር (ጎ-ሰ’ማ) አስፈሊጊውን የዘርፉ ንቃት ሇመፍጠር እቅዴ በመንዯፍ
እየተንቀሳሰቀ ይገኛሌ፡፡ ከማኅበረሰቡ አካሊት መካከሌም የዛሬው ትውሌዴ አካሌና የነገ ሀገር ተረካቢ የሆኑት ተማሪዎች ሊይ መሥራት፣
ሇማኅበረሰቡ ካሊቸው ቅርበት አንፃር ከወዱሁ የማኅበረሰባቸውን ኑሮ ሇማሻሻሌ ዓሌመው እንዱሰሩና በዚህ ዙሪያ በንቃት እንዱሳተፉ
ማዴረግ አጠቃሊይ ሥራውን የተሳሇጠና የሰመረ የሚያዯርገው ይሆናሌ፡፡
በተሇይም ከቅርብ ጊዜ ወዱህ የዩኒቨርሲቲ መግቢያ ፈተና እየወሰደ ማሇፍ ያሌቻለ ተማሪዎች ቁጥር እያሻቀበ መምጣቱ በዚህ ዯረጃ
ያለትን ተማሪዎች ማንቃትና ማብቃት የተሻሇ ነገን ሇመፍጠር በር ከፋች መሆኑ እሙን ነው፡፡ ስሇሆነም ይህን የማብቃትና የማንቃት
ሥራ ጎ-ሰ‘ማ፣ ከ2014 ዓ.ም ክረምት ወቅት ጀምሮ በሁለም የጎንዯር ዞኖች ሥር ባለት ከ 66 በሊይ ወረዲዎች ውስጥ በሚገኙና የ12ኛ
ክፍሌ መሌቀቂያ ፈተናን ከሚያስፈትኑ 143 ት/ት ቤቶች መካከሌ በ80ዎቹ ሊይ ሇመተግበር አሌሟሌ፡፡ በመጀመሪያው ዙርም
በውጤታቸው የተሻለ 10,000 ( አስር ሺህ ) ተማሪዎችን በመመሌመሌ ሇፈተናቸው ዝግጁ እያዯረገ እግረ መንገደንም ሇማኅበረሰባቸው
የተሻሇ ሃሳብና ራይዕ ያሊቸው ዜጎች እንዱሆኑ በመሥራት ሇራሳቸውም ሆነ ሇአካባቢው ማኅበረሰብ ሥራ ፈጣሪና ሩቅ አሳቢ፣ ኃሊፊነት
የሚሸከም ትውሌዴን ሇመፍጠር ይሞክራሌ፡፡ ይህ ሇእንግሉዘኛ ፈተና ማዘጋጃ የተዘጋጀ ሞጁሌ በዚህ አግባብ የቀረበ ሲሆን በጎ-ሰ‘ማ
አስተባባሪነት ከሥር ባለት በጎ ፈቃዯኛ ሙያተኞች የተሰናዲ ነው፡፡
Compiled by:
1. Tadesse W/Gebreal (Ph.D. in Linguistics, University of Gondar)
2. Solomon Girma (M.A in English Literature, University of Gondar)
3. Mammo W/Amanuel (M.A in TEFL, Azezo Secondary School)
4. Muhammadseid Muhie (M.A in TEFL, Azezo Secondary School)
5. Habtamu Mekonnen (M.A in TEFL, Fasiledes Secondary School)
ሐምላ፣ 2014 ዓ.ም (July, 2022)
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ጎንዯር፣ ኢትዮጵያ( Gondar, Ethiopia )

ENGLISH MODEL QUESTION & ANSWER FOR GRADE12, 2014E.C
The aim of this trainning module is:
 To help students learn English language effectively at secondary schools.
Objective: -
 To support students who are eager to study at university

 To guide students on how to read for different purposes
 To contribute a scholarly share to the generation
 To improve learner performance in English
Vision:-
 The team has a common goal to build an institution in which all English language learners would
be able to have a modern and conducive learning environment shortly.
PART I: THEORETICAL PRELIMINARIES

1.1. Strategies of Highly Effective Readers
There are seven strategies for highly effective readers. To improve students‘ reading skills, teachers
should introduce the seven cognitive strategies of effective readers: activating, inferring,
monitoring-clarifying, questioning, searching-selecting, summarizing, and visualizing-
organizing.
Cognitive strategies are the mental processes used by skilled readers to extract and construct
meaning from text and to create knowledge structures in long-term memory. When these strategies
are directly taught to and modeled for struggling readers, their comprehension and retention
improve.
Brown (2007: 119) defines strategies as the "specific methods of approaching a problem or task,
modes of operation for achieving a particular end, planned designs for controlling and manipulating
certain information." He differentiates between strategies and styles. Styles are preferences within
an individual. Strategies, on the other hand, vary within individuals from moment to moment as
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the specific problems and contexts change.

1. Activating: "Priming the cognitive pump" to recall relevant prior knowledge and
experiences from long-term memory to extract and construct meaning from text.
2. Inferring: Bringing together what is spoken /written in the text, what is unspoken
/unwritten in the text, and what is already known by the reader to extract and construct
meaning from the text
3. Monitoring-Clarifying: Thinking about how and what one is reading, both during and
after the act of reading, for the purposes of determining if one is comprehending the text
combined with the ability to clarify and fix up any mix-ups.
4. Questioning: Engaging in learning dialogues with text (authors), peers, and teachers
through self-questioning, question generation, and question answering.
5. Searching-Selecting: Searching a variety of sources to select appropriate information to
answer questions, define words and terms, clarify misunderstandings, solve problems, or
gather information.
6. Summarizing: Restating the meaning of the text in one's own words-different words from
those used in the original text.
7. Visualizing-Organizing: Constructing a mental image or graphic organizer to extract and
construct meaning from the text.
Researchers have concluded that reading is ―constructively responsive-that is good readers are
always changing their processing in response to the text they are reading‖ (Pressley &
Afflerbach,1995 : 2).
As a student, you are required to read, and read a lot! Students are asked to read research studies,
news articles, textbooks, web pages, lecture slides, and instructions from teachers. With all that
reading, knowing the best reading techniques can get you a big step ahead.
Active reading (also called global understanding) is characterized by asking yourself questions
throughout the text. Set a purpose by Asking ―Why?‖ and ―What?‖
1. Global Understanding
While you are reading, you will increase your reading comprehension by maintaining a global
understanding of what is being read. Ask yourself questions such as, ―Why did the author add this
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here?‖ or ―What is the significance of this fact or event?‖ Asking yourself these questions helps you
to stay motivated and to focus on the content.
2. Create a Mind map
A mind map is a nonlinear collection of related ideas. Putting facts you read about in a mind map
will help you see the bigger picture and increase your understanding of the material you are reading.
You can create a mind map by starting with the main idea in the middle of a piece of paper. You can
create new ideas that stem from that original topic that you come across as you read, and you can
create more ideas stemming from those smaller topics. Use as many colors, and unique lines as you
need to make your mind map make the most sense to you.
1.2. Reading Techniques

The best reading techniques are the SQ3R technique, skimming, scanning, active reading,
detailed reading, and structure-proposition-evaluation.
1. The SQ3R Reading Technique
This reading technique involves five different steps; each one make you closer to full comprehension
of the text.
Survey: First survey the piece to get a quick idea of the content and structure of the reading. By
doing this, you are preparing your mind.
Question: Prepare questions for yourself to go over as you read the material. One trick on how to
create questions is to turn paragraph titles into questions. For example, a title such as ―Women in
the Civil War,‖ could turn into the question: ―Who were the women in the civil war, what did they
do, and when?‘‘
Read: Read with your questions in mind. In this step, you can combine other reading techniques
that may work for you such as scanning or active reading.
Recite: Now it is time to go back and answer those questions you created. Make sure what you read
makes sense, and that you understand how it answers your questions.
Review: Make mental notes or say aloud what you have learned. Try doing so without looking at
your notes or the text to check what you have or have not retained.
2. Skimming
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Skimming is a reading technique where you can glance over the material to find what you are
looking for. This is best used when you already know the general idea or the gist of the text. You can
also skim the material before going for further reading. Getting a first glance at how a paragraph or
passage is laid out will help you know where to look for key information on the second read.
Use skimming for:
 Reading service or product reviews
 Going over a speech last minute
 Quick research
 Quick review before an exam
Skimming can save a lot of time by making you aware of the key points without fully
comprehending the entire text. It will also save you time if you need to re-read the material more in-
depth at a later time.
3. Scanning
Scanning is a reading method used when simply running your eyes over a text, usually to find what
you are looking for or to find anything that ‗pops‘ out at you. This is a commonly used reading
technique for daily, non-academic reading tasks.
Scan when reading:
 list of email subjects
 news articles
 a food or drink menu
 dates of historic events
 characters‘ names of a story, etc.
4. Active Reading
Active reading gives you a much more in-depth understanding of the text you are reading. This
reading method should be used when you are reading something complex or something that you
need to think critically about. To read actively, you must ask yourself questions throughout the text,
and reflect on those questions. Try to relate what you are reading to previous experience and
knowledge, and take notes if it helps you as well.
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5. Detailed Reading
Detailed reading is the most labor-intensive and time-consuming reading technique. Readers
carefully read, consume, and analyze each word for meaning. Piecing together the meanings of
words in a sentence to provide a deeper understanding can take time and patience, but in some
cases, this is the best technique to use.
6. Structure-Proposition-Evaluation(SPE method)
This reading method suggests that the best way to read a book is to find the structure, and author-
made propositions, and to create your evaluations.To use this reading method, you must first
identify the structure of a text and create an organized layout either in your mind or on paper. After
you have the layout, you go on to find all of the logical propositions that go into each section of the
layout. Then you evaluate the arguments and propositions and make your conclusion about the
reading.
1.3. Active and Critical Reading
If you‘ve ever found yourself half a page deep and realize you haven‘t taken in anything that was
written, you aren‘t actively reading. Active and critical reading helps you to retain the information
you‘re reading by giving you an in-depth understanding of the text. To get into active reading, ask
yourself questions throughout. Think critically about the meaning of the words, the significance of
the facts, or the purpose the author is putting forth. As you continue reading actively, it will become
more of a habit.
1.4. Other Helpful Reading Tips
1. Vary Reading Rate
Be flexible as you read your material. There are certain times when you want to increase your reading
speed for efficiency. Do this if you are already familiar with the material, on repetitive examples or
illustrations, and general concepts. There might be other times within the same text that you need to
slow down and pay attention. Decrease your reading speed when you find yourself running into
unfamiliar words or if you don‘t understand what the word means in context, long-winded sentences
and paragraphs, highly detailed information, and information you need to retain. Shift your reading
from faster to slower when you need to and you will retain the necessary information that you need
without wasting time on the sections you don‘t need.
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2. Lookout for Pivotal Words

There are several phrases, conjunctions, and other words that will help you understand what‘s
coming next. Knowing these can be a big help when decide how to read the following section.
 Repetitive words such as ―in other words,‖ and ―to repeat,‖ may mean you are about to get
a repetition of information.
 Cause-and-effect words, on the other hand, should be paid attention to. These words
include ―because,‖ ―so,‖ ―consequently,‖ and ―therefore.‖
 Summarizing words will be followed by information that can give you the big picture.
These include, ―for these reasons,‖ and ―in conclusion.‖
Additional Reading sub-skills
 Skimming- to get a gist from keywords and visuals or Understand the main ideas of the text
 Scanning-locate information that you hope to find
 Intensive(accurate) reading- reading a shorter text closely for detailed information
 Interpretation(inferring meaning)- understand the meaning of a passage without all the

information spelled out
 Top-down reading- readers bring their knowledge to the text
 Meaning from context- readers guess unknown words from the context and part of speech
1.5. More on Sub-skills and strategies
 Manage your time
 Don‘t focus on every word
 Underline key words
 Don‘t depend on dictionaries
 Predict meaning by using clues

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 Skim before you scan, then read intensively
During the exam
 Spend a minute looking at headings, subheadings, diagrams, pictures, etc.
 Spend 2-3 minutes skimming the text: note the focus/ topic of each paragraph
 Understand the instructions (question type and requirements)
 Read questions carefully- underline keywords and think of synonyms
 Scan the text to find the section containing the answer
 Read the relevant part of the text carefully
 Check the grammar and spelling of written answers
 Transfer answers to the answer sheet

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PART II: VOCABULARY AND READING:WORD AND TEXT ATTACK

SKILLS
Understanding the Contextual meaning of any given word is the most important skill in
tackling difficult vocabulary. Contextual meaning is a value that a word carries when employed
in a specific situation. Hence, the meaning can be guessed from the neighboring words.
1) Understanding Vocabulary in Context

Understanding vocabulary in context refers to looking for a word or phrase in a sentence or a whole
paragraph surrounding that unfamiliar word or phrase. Context clues are used to make a good guess
about the meaning of the unfamiliar word or phrase. There are different types of context clues the
most common ones are:
A) Knowing the part of speech: when you want to guess a word‘s or a phrase‘s meaning, it helps if
you know:
1. what part of speech it is? Is it a noun, a verb, an adjective, or an adverb?
2. the word‘s or the phrase‘s function in the sentence.
3. its construction (Does it have any prefixes or suffixes you recognize? Do you recognize its base?
Is it compound? Do you recognize either part?)
B) Guessing the meaning of words or phrases from the sense of the sentence based on:
i) your knowledge of reality just by using your understanding of the world and how things work.
Example: I didn‘t sleep well; my neighbor‘s dog was yapping all night.
You can guess the meaning of yapping by thinking about your knowledge of dogs and sleeping. So,
yapping is probably some kind of noise, like barking.
ii) the writer‘s attitude whether he has used positive, negative, or neutral expressions in the sentence.
Example: I didn‘t find it fascinating. To me it was rather a bit _______________.
A) boring B) soothing C) bouncing D) compelling
Here when the writer didn‘t find it fascinating, it was boring; thus, the writer‘s attitude is negative.
C) Definition/Restatement clues: writers sometimes restate a word or a phrase to define it by
using punctuation marks to give meaning to the word or the phrase like commas, dashes,
parentheses and colons.
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Examples:
1) When Gonzalez was elected to Congress, many of his Spanish-speaking constituents, the voters
in his district, felt he would fight for their rights.
 Here the word ‗constituents‘ is followed by the phrase ‗the voters in his district‘ in the
parenthesis. Thus, ‗constituents‘ means ‗voters in a district‘.
2) The company is through many transitions- changes to raise its income.
Here since the word ‗changes‘ comes after the dash; thus, ‗transitions‘ mean ‗changes‘.
D) Addition: to guess the meaning of a word or a phrase we can use the addition markers as a clue
mostly for a synonymous meaning such as in addition, moreover, as well as, and, also, besides, likewise, etc.
Example: Man is a solitary animal and he may like to go alone for a walk, but he hates to stand
alone in his thoughts.
 The additional marker ‗and‘ indicates that man likes to ‗go alone‘ or ‗solitary‘. Therefore,
‗solitary‘ means ‗alone‘.
E) Synonymous context clue: we can recognize synonymous words or phrases to guess their
meanings:
a) as they appear in the same part of speech for the unknown word or phrase in the sentence.
Example: The teenager was ordered to make restitution to the owner of the damaged vehicle. He
quickly made payment for the damaged car that he had hit.
 Here the word ‗restitution‘ comes after the verb in the first sentence and the word ‗payment‘
also comes after the verb in the second sentence. Thus, ‗restitution‘ means ‗payment‘.
b) by a word or a phrase like means, called, meaning, that is, that means, that is to say, is/ are called,
in other words, or, and, etc.
Example: The solid sphere of the earth is made up of three layers called the core, the mantle and
the crust.
 The word ‗called‘ usually indicates a synonymous meaning. Thus, ‗the solid sphere of the
earth‘ is the core, the mantle and the crust.
F) Antonymous context clue: we can also recognize antonymous words or phrases to guess their
meanings:
a) as they appear the opposite of the same part of speech for the unknown words or phrases in the
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sentence.
Example: Kebed‘s fast new car beats my sluggish car.

 Here ‗fast‘ and ‗sluggish‘ have opposite meanings structurally. Thus, the meaning of ‗sluggish‘
becomes ‗slow‘.
b) by using concession words or phrases like even though, although, though, but, yet, however,
nevertheless, in contrast, while, whereas, on the other hand, or, etc.
Example: Our team‘s uniforms were immaculate before the game; nevertheless, by the end of the
first half they were filthy.
 The conjunction ‗nevertheless‘ gives the opposite meaning, ‗immaculate‘ means ‗neat‘, so its
antonym is ‗filthy‘.
G) i) Cause and effect clues: to guess the meaning of a word or a phrase we can use the cause and
effect transition markers as a clue such as therefore, consequently, as a result, for this reason, thus, that, so....
that, so, means, leads to (the fact that), causes, results in, etc.
Example: His salary is equal to his productivity; therefore, he should loathe complaining.
Here ‗loathe‘ means ‗dislike it‘ as his salary is equal to his productivity, so he becomes reluctant to
complain.
ii) Effect and cause clues: to guess the meaning of a word or a phrase we can use the effect and
cause transition markers a clue such as because, since, as, due to (the fact that), is due to (the fact that), is
caused by, is a result of, etc.
Example: His employer does not complain about his work because he is a hardworking man in
the accomplishment of his duties.
So ‗do not complain’ means ‗are not angry‘ the sentence tells us about the man whose employer is happy
since the man has a good performance in his work.
H) Condition: to guess the meaning of a word or a phrase we can use the conditional transition
markers as a clue such as if, as long as, provided (that), in the event that, unless, incase of, in the even of, only if,
even if, etc.
Example: If the lives of his men were endangered by the native conquerors, the officer would take
reprisal action. The reason why the officer would take the reprisal action is that in case the lives of
his men became in violent situations by the native people.
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In the above sense, ‗reprisal’ means ‗violent’.

I) Example clues: to guess the meaning of a word or a phrase we also can use illustrative markers
as a clue such as for example, for instance, to illustrate, such as, like, etc.
Example: The scientist was accused of several acts of espionage, such as photographing secret
documents and taping private conversations.
The phrase ‗such as‘ indicates some example types of ‗espionage‘ which means ‗exposing a secret‘.
Exercise 1: Choose the best alternative to complete each item.
1) The teacher was _______________ with the class that was making too much noise.
A) pleased B) annoyed C) arrested D) aligned
2) The food in the new restaurant was so ____________ that I couldn‘t stop eating.
A) little B) much C) awful D) delicious
3) After listening to the couple speaking for a few minutes, Tolosa quickly ____________ that
the underlying problem in their relationship was a lack of trust.
A) deceived B) received C) discerned D) complicated
4) Mahlet got ____________ when she realized that her parents returned home safely.
A) relief B) suspicious C) pleasure D) appointment
5) The uncontrolled emission of carbon dioxide into the atmosphere from chemical industries
causes air _________. A) drainage B) pressure C) pollution D) drought
Exercise 2: Choose the best alternative to complete each item.
1. We invited many people, but only a __________ appeared.
A) handy B) handful C) friend D) large number
2. The departure is at 10 a.m. but we have to find out the _____________ time so that they can pick
you up.
A) arrival B) destination C) driving D) reaching
3. The man was so _______________ to fix my computer, and he really did.
A) confident B) confidential C) confiding D) confidence
4. The law states that anyone who had a criminal record is ____ eligible for election.
A) il- B) im- C) in- D) dis-
5. The meeting is only for childbearing women. In other words, women who _____________ can
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come to the meeting.

A) are productive B) can produce children C) carry children D) have little babies
6. If you have been booked by the police, then you might _____________.
A) get a room in the hotel B) be released from jail C) get publications to read D) be
taken to the court
7. He is unfriendly; his behavior often ______________ me.
A) repels B) pulls C) attracts D) contradicts
8. University education requires quite a lot of reading in English. So, good English Language
ability is __________ for your success at the university.
A) in accessible B) indispensable C) incredible D) inseparable
9. The film was ________________; I did not expect it to be that bad.
A) interesting B) discouraging C) exciting D) disappointing
10. She felt very _________________ after the death of her husband. She doesn‘t even like to go
out on weekends.
A) disfavoured B) condemned C) impressed D) depressed
2) Reading Comprehension Levels

Reading comprehension questions test a person‘s ability to understand and interpret what he /she
reads. There are different types of reading comprehension levels. Here we will look at the Literal and
Inferential Comprehension levels.
Example: Read the following text and choose the best alternatives after that.
There was a center for mentally and physically ill people. I was reluctant to go there on that first day,
and as I waited outside the director's office, my anxiety only increased. My dad, a doctor, insisted on
my volunteering at the residence. He wanted my high school community service requirement to be
filled productively. The previous summer I had gardened and picked up trash, activities that didn't
really seem to make the meaningful difference I thought I wanted to make. Still, I was scared of
imagining what the realities of working at the residence would be.
The director told me about the need to establish emotional connections with the residents, then
rushed to introduce me to a group of 15, their ages ranging from 8 to 21, that I was asked to
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supervise. Some tried to clap but couldn't bring both hands together; some tried to say hello, but
their speech was so impaired that I really only guessed at what they said. Most conspicuous among
them was Young-il. He was older than I was, and he was the only one who spoke clearly enough for
me to understand fully. Young-il had the face of a 30-year-old, but he was barely four feet tall. He
took me in charge at first and, stumbling as he walked, showed me around and taught me the basics
of the residents' routine. I was embarrassed when he told me what to do; I felt as if I were being
instructed by a child. Later, thinking back on my condescension toward that kind, I felt a much
deeper embarrassment.
The youngest was Sung-Min. He was eight years old, only three feet tall, and his fingers were all odd
shapes and sizes. A teacher told me that Sung-Min's fingers used to be fused, but he had recently
had an operation. Sung-Min now had five discrete digits on each hand, but their irregular forms still
made it very hard for him to grasp things. Despite his physical struggles, Sung-Min was the brightest
and most energetic person at the residence. On my second day of work, he was the first to greet me,
something I was grateful for since not all of the residents remembered my face.
Helping at lunch was my most difficult task. It required considerable patience. Some residents had
trouble focusing on eating and would often start shaking their heads violently as I tried to feed them.
But whatever their physical challenges and discomforts were and however unappealing the food was,
none of the residents ever complained. I couldn't help contrasting the residents' behavior with mine.
I was again embarrassed to think about my regular pickiness, my refusal to eat this or that, and my
demands for particular foods; and I began to hope that the road to wisdom was paved with such
small embarrassments.
After my first lunch at the residence, a teacher took over the group. Everyone in the room said
goodbye in his own way, and Sung-Min, the little guy with the mismatched fingers, accompanied me
to the door and hugged my knees. I walked home, my legs much lighter than they had been that
morning. My fears and worries had disappeared; in their place were the surprising beginnings of an
emotional connection that I had thought was beyond me. I was looking forward to seeing the
residents again, helping them and having them help me.
(Slightly adapted from a college essay written by Jun-Min Kim, November 2003)
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A) Literal Comprehension Levels

Literal comprehension involves what the author is actually saying. It requires the reader to locate
or identify information explicitly stated in the text by recognizing main ideas, details such as
references, word meanings, sequences, comparisons, cause-effect relationships, character traits and
text organization.
It also requires the reader to recall from his memory information explicitly stated in the text by
recalling the main ideas, details, facts, sequences, comparisons, cause-effect relationships, character
traits and author‘s organization. In short, literal comprehension tries to answer these types of
questions like:
 What words or phrases state the main idea of the story?
 What happened first, second and last?
 How are these things alike?
 How are they different?
 How does the author summarize what she/he is saying?
 What things belong together?
 What does the author give much value?
 What is the theme?
 Therefore, the following questions should be considered when we comprehend literally:
1) Choosing a title
Question: What could be the best title for the passage?
A) My school service B) My community service C) My residences D) My school story
Regarding choosing a title, it is good to remind that the title should not be either too broad or too
narrow. In other words, the title should be comprehensive enough to include all the essential ideas
stated in the given paragraphs. The passage discusses that high school students are required to give
community service. The writer is also a high school student that he had insisted by his father to
volunteer for mentally and physically ill people. He told us how it was his community service from
the beginning to the end of the passage. Therefore, the answer is ‗B‘.
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2) Identifying the main idea of the text or the writer’s purpose

To find the writer‘s purpose, it is advisable to check an opening and a summary sentence in each
paragraph. The topic sentence of each paragraph could be placed at the beginning, in the middle, or
at the end of the paragraph. These help us identify the main idea of the text. In addition, by asking
ourselves the following questions, we can find the main idea of the passage or text such as:
1) Is the passage about a person, a place, a thing, an abstract idea, a process, or something in
motion?
2) What aspect of this topic is the author talking about?
3) What is the author trying to be communicated about this aspect of the topic?
4) What is the most important thing that is said about the topic?
Note that the subject of each sentence is either doing something or something is being done to it.
The questions may take one of the following types of expressions:
 The main point /purpose of the passage is ---
 The passage primarily concerned with ---
 The author‘s primary purpose in the passage is to ---
 The chief theme of the passage can be best described as ---
 Which of the following titles best states the central idea of the passage?
 Which of the following statements best expresses the main idea of the passage?
Question: The purpose of the writer is to ______________.
A) tell a story B) inform the reader C) argue about the other people D) explain a situation
The passage tells us what the writer performs in the residents. He narrates from his anxiety at the
beginning to the emotional connection with residents at the end. Thus, the purpose of the writer
was to narrate what his school community service was at the residence ‗A‘.
3) Specific Details
When we deal with specific details in the passage it is often asking about a particular phrase or line.
In such cases, we look for the keywords such as adjectives, nouns, verbs and adverbs in the
questions and scan the passage to find them.
The following expressions are some of the specific details that the author might use to state
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explicitly:
 According to the author---

 The author states all of the following EXCEPT ---
 According to the passage, which of the following is true ---?
 Which of the following questions supplies information that would answer ---?
 Which of the following is not cited in the passage as evidence of ---?
Answer the following Questions
1) Which one of the following is true according to Paragraph 1?
A) The residents in the rehabilitation center were mostly students.
B) The writer‘s father was a doctor.
C) The director of the residence thinks the writer learn sign language.
D) The writer of the text was confident to start from the first day.
According to paragraph 1, the center was for mentally and physically ill people. The writer‘s father
was a doctor. He wanted his son‘s high school community service requirement to be filled by
volunteering at that residence. But the writer was scared to start working there. Thus, the answer is
‗B‘.
2) According to paragraph 2, which one of the following is false?
A) The director was emotional to introduce the writer to the residents.
B) The director showed him around the basics of the resident‘s routine.
C) The writer became the supervisor of the groups.
D) The writer was welcomed by most of the residents.
According to paragraph 2, the director told the writer to establish an emotional connection with the
residents to supervise them. The residents also welcomed him by clapping and some of them by
saying hello. Among them was Young-il who showed the writer around the basics of the residents‘
routine, not the director. So, the answer is ‗B‘.
3) The institution where the writer worked was _________________.
A) a hospital B) a school C) a job training center D) a rehabilitation center
The institution was a center for mentally and physically ill people. It was not a hospital, a school or
a job training center. It was a rehabilitation center. The answer is ‗D‘.
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4) According to the passage, who taught the writer the basic routines of the residence?
A) The director B) Young-il C) Sung-Min D) The writer himself

In Paragraph 2, the writer indicated that among the residents Young-il showed him around the
basics of the residents‘ routine. The answer is ‗B‘.
5) According to paragraph 4, what made the writer‘s most difficult daily task?
A) The residents were violent when he gave them food.
B) The residences were always complicated about him.
C) Some residents had a physical problems to eat.
D) The food that was given to them was very limited.
In paragraph 4 the writer said some residents had the problem of focusing on eating as they were
shaking their heads violently when he tried to feed them. But none of the residents ever complained
about the unappealing food was. The answer is ‗C‘.
6) ‗Everyone in the room said good bye in his own way, ---‘ in Paragraph 5 Line 25 ‗his‘ refers
to ____.
A) Sung-Min B) a teacher C) the writer D) the residents
The text discusses how the writer gave his service to the residents. After his first lunch service, a
teacher took over the writer in front of the residents in the room to say goodbye to them. ‗Everyone
in the room said goodbye in his own way, ---‘ refers to the group or the residents. Therefore the
answer is ‗D‘.
7) According to the passage, which of the following suppositions are true?
I. The writer was not older than all the residents.
II. The director of the residence told the writer the residents‘ age was 8 to 21.
III. The director needed to establish the writer's emotional connection with the residents.
A) I and III B) I and II C) II and III D) I, II and III
According to paragraph 2, the writer indicated that Young-il was older than him. That means he was
not older than all of the residents. Again in this paragraph, the director didn‘t introduce the writer
directly to the residents‘ age. But he needed the writer to establish an emotional connection with the
residents. Therefore the answer is ‗A‘.
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4) Determining the meaning of words from context

The purpose of this kind of question is to determine how well you can extract meaning from the
text by looking for the nearest meaning by context clues. In other words, guessing the meaning of
unfamiliar words or words you know the meaning as it is used in the particular passage contextually
using different techniques is important to understand the author‘s idea.
Questions that test a reader‘s ability to work out the meaning of words from context might be
expressed by one of the following types:
 As it is used in the passage, the term ...can be best described as…
 The phrase or the word is used in the passage to mean that...
 The author uses the phrase or the word is used in the passage to mean that...
 The author uses the phrase or the word ... to describe.
Read each of the following sentences carefully and answer the questions that follow
1) ‗Most conspicuous among them was Young-il.‘ conspicuous (Para. 2, line 9) means ____.
A) easily noticeable B) suspicious in matters C) strong D) weak
The writer easily noticed Young-il as he was older than him and spoke to him among the other
residents. Thus, conspicuous means easily noticeable. The answer is ‗A‘.
2) ‗I was again embarrassed to think about my regular pickiness,…‘ pickiness (Para. 4, line 23)
means ____. A) necessary B) willingness C) happiness D) refusal
The writer contrasted his feeding habit with residents‘ unappealing food that he refused to eat or
that demanded a particular food may be when he lived with his family. Therefore, ‗pickiness‘ means
‗refusal. Thus, the answer is ‗D‘.
5) Describing the passage’s organization

The other aspect of understanding the author‘s point is recognizing the author‘s method of
organization or technique in a given passage. Questions that test a reader‘s ability to recognize a
passage‘s method of organization or technique might be expressed by one of the following types:
Which of the following best describes the development of this passage?

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 The relationship between the (second) and the (first) paragraph can be described as.......
 The organization of the passage can best be described as........

 In the passage, the author makes the central point primarily by.........
 In presenting the argument, the author does all of the following, EXCEPT...
Answer the following questions

1) Which of the following best describes the development of this passage?
A) It shows what the writer performs in the center from the beginning to the end.
B) It shows what the writer observes in the center daily.
C) It shows what the residents perform in the center from the beginning to the end.
D) It shows what the teacher performs in the center daily.
The writer tells us that at the beginning he ‗was reluctant to go to the center for mentally and
physically ill people. Then he was introduced by the director with them. Due to their physical
problems, it was difficult for him to feed them but he learned a lot from their way of life. Although
he was reluctant at the beginning to serve them, he was emotionally connected with the residents in
the end. Thus, the answer is ‗A‘
2) Which one of the following statements describes the writer‘s comparison in paragraph 4?
A) He provides an example of the type of food he eats and rejects his behavior.
B) He considers that the food that the residents eat was insufficient compared to him.
C) He cites that he got the wisdom to eat unappealing food after the residents eat it.
D) He appraises the residents eating unappealing food and refrains from making an appraisal
of himself.
The answer is ‗D‘ because he acknowledges that the food that the residents eat was unappealing
when he compared it with him, but the residents in the center never complained about it.
B) Inferential Comprehension Levels

Inferring means that you must read between the lines or think beyond the text and look for those
details that are implied or hinted at. In other words, inferential comprehension deals with what the
author means by what is said or what it means to you.
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 The following questions are important to think beyond the text:

o What effect does the character or event have on the story?

o How do you think this story will end?
1) Drawing an inference
Drawing inference, writer‘s attitude and predicting outcomes are the most common types of this
comprehension level. The inference is made in the main idea, supporting details, sequences and
cause and effect relationships. It could also involve interpreting figurative language and inferring
character traits.
 Writers may use one of the following expression types in their questions to their readers:
o It can be inferred from the passage that...
o The author implies that…
o The passage suggests that...
o Which of the following statements about ... can be inferred from the passage?
Answer the following questions
1) Which of the following is true about residences as implied in Paragraph 2?
A) They could communicate easily. B) They had problems with their physical structures.
C) Most of them didn‘t like the writer to lead them. D) Most of them are older than the writer.
In this paragraph, the writer said ‗some tried to clap but couldn‘t bring both hands together; some
tied to say hello, but their speech was so impaired that I really only guessed at what they said.‘ This
implies that the residents had a problem with their physical structure. Therefore, the answer is ‗B‘.
2) According to paragraph 5, ‗I walked home my legs much lighter than they had been that
morning‘. From this we can infer that the writer ___________.
A) didn‘t want to serve the residents B) hated it returning again
C) thought to serve the residents again D) made fare well to the residents
In Paragraph 1 the writer indicated that he was reluctant to go to the residents at the beginning; his
anxiety increased. But in Paragraph 5 after his first lunch feeding the residents at the center, he
walked home without fears and worries that his legs were much lighter than they had been that
morning. From this, we can infer that the writer thought to serve the residents again. Thus the
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answer is ‗C‘.
2) Identifying the author’s attitude, mood, or tone

It is determining the mood or judging the author‘s point of view. An author might have a certain
attitude, such as enthusiasm, compassion, defensive, critical, etc. towards the subject. You can
discern the author‘s attitude towards a particular subject through the contents and words such as
successfully, fortunately, etc. indicate a positive attitude, whereas words such as inadequate, ineffective, etc.
indicate a negative attitude.
 To sense the author‘s emotional state, questions often may take one of the following
expressions:
 The author‘s attitude toward the problem can best be described as---
 The author regards the idea that ---
 The author‘s tone in the passage is that of a person or something attempting to ---
Which of the following best describes the author‘s tone in the passage?
Question: What is the tone or attitude of the writer towards the residents?
A) hatred B) frightened C) pity D) anxious
At the beginning, of course, he was scared to go there, but at the end, his fears and worries had
disappeared and his emotional connection was established. He felt pity for them. Thus, the answer is
‗C‘.
3) Predicting the opinions
This type of question requires the reader‘s ability to predict what may occur in the future. To
answer predicting questions, you should look for those answers that are most consistent with the
information in the reading passage; then recommend your personal opinion about the passage.
 To recognize the predicting questions the following expression types might be used:
 Which of the following examples could best be substituted for the author….
 Which of the following would be most likely to begin the paragraph immediately following
the passage?
 Which of the following audiences the author is most probably addressing?
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Question: What can we predict if the writer did not go to the residents for the service?
A) He would continue his pickiness about his feeding habit.
B) He didn‘t know the director‘s office.

C) His anxiety and worry were not disappeared.
D) He may not see mentally and physically ill people.
In paragraph 4 the writer contrasts his regular pickiness about his interest in food by comparing it
with the unappealing food of the residents, and then he became embarrassed with his refusal
behavior regarding his food choice. From this, we can predict that he would continue his refusal if
he didn‘t go there. The answer is ‗A‘. But the other choices cannot be answered because the writer in
one way or another can adapt them without going there.
4) Extending outcomes
This type of question requires the reader‘s ability whether the author would agree or disagree with a
prediction statement. In other words, the reader should put himself or herself in the writer's
position.
 To answer the extending questions you should look for those answers that are most consistent
with the information in the reading passage.
 To recognize them the following expression types might be used:
 Which of the following statements would the author in the passage be most likely to agree
with?
 Which of the following statements would the author in the passage be likely to disagree
with?
Question: With which of the following statements would the author in the passage be likely to
disagree?
A) He complains about the people who are mentally and physically ill people.
B) He encourages the people who serve mentally and physically ill people.
C) He explains the people who serve mentally and physically ill people.
D) He advises those who serve mentally and physically ill people.
According to the passage, the writer was reluctant to go to the center to serve mentally and
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physically ill people. After he started his service, he was touched by their living condition. Although
he was reluctant at the beginning to serve them, he was emotionally connected with residents at the
end instead of complaining. Thus, the answer is ‗A‘
Exercise 3: Read the following passage carefully and answer the questions according to the
information in the text.
1. Oprah Winfrey is thought of as the ―Queen of Talk‖ since the mid-1980. She is the first African
American woman to host a national weekday talk show. In addition, Oprah is one of the richest and
most powerful African American women in America. Her life story makes her success notable.
2. Oprah was born on January 29, 1954, on a farm in Kosciusko, Mississippi. She is the product of a
brief meeting between a 20 -year old Vernon Winfrey and an 18 -year -old Vernita Lee. Winfrey was
in the service when Oprah was born. Winfrey, apparently, learned of Oprah‘s birth when he received
a printed baby announcement in the mail with a scribbled note: ―Send clothes!‖ Vernita, Oprah‘s
mother, left Mississippi soon after the birth of Oprah, leaving her young child with her maternal
grandparents. Oprah stayed at her grandparents‘ place until she was six years old.
3. As a young child, Oprah was raised on a farm in the rural tradition, receiving whipping and harsh
chastisement as punishment for wrong-doing. At the age of six, she moved to Milwaukee to live
with her mother, who was working as a house cleaner. Rarely at home because of her work
demands, Vernita had a difficult time providing for the emotional needs of the intelligent, high-
spirited Oprah.
4. Several sources have relayed the creative ways Oprah tried to get her mother‘s attention. Once,
her mother refused to buy her a pair of eyeglasses- claiming that she couldn‘t afford it. Oprah then
staged a fake robbery at her home. She said that she had been knocked unconscious, and during the
ordeal, her glasses had broken. Another time, she ran away from home. While on the street, she
approached Aretha Franklin‘s limousine and convinced the singer that she was an abandoned child.
Franklin is said to have given her $ 100. Oprah‘s last antic involved her frantic attempt to keep a
broken puppy. She created a tale about the brave puppy fending off robbers. She even added a bit
of realism to the ―scene‖ by tossing her mother‘s jewelry out of the window.
5. At the age of nine, and for several years thereafter, Oprah was sexually abused by a teenaged
cousin and ten by other relatives and friends. She spoke openly about this on her talk show in 1991.
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At the time, she offered support and showed empathy to guests and viewers who had gone through
similar painful experiences. In an article for Essence, she admitted that she couldn‘t free herself of the
shame she felt until 1990, when she finally admitted, ―I was not responsible for the abuse.‖The
molestation Oprah experienced in Milwaukee ended when, at the age of 14, she went to live with her
father in Nashville.
6. While under the care of her father she flourished and honed many of her communication skills.
Oprah‘s life under her father‘s care was purposeful and disciplined. Because of this, she credits her
father and the time she spent with him and his wife Zelma. She often likes to say her father ‗saved‘
her life. In an interview for Washington Post magazine, she told Jill Nelson that if she hadn‘t been sent
to her father, she would have gone in another direction.
7. In January 1984, Oprah took over the ailing television talk show AM Chicago. She instantly
turned it into a smash hit. Her earthy and down-home style won her large audiences. In September
1986, the Oprah Winfrey Show made its national debut. Within five months, it was the third-
highest-rated show on the television behind the game show Wheel of Fortune and Jeopardy. In the same
year, her show was ranked the number-one talk show. At that time, her show reached between 9
and 10 million people in 192 cities daily. Since then, Oprah and her show have received many
daytime Emmy awards.
8. Oprah‘s talent and energy have brought her success in other areas as well. For example, she is a
successful publisher. In 2001, Book magazine named Oprah among the ten powerful people in
publishing.
(Adapted from the skilled reader (2010), Pearson Education, Inc, in EUEE/ PB- English 2016)
Based on the above text, answer each of the following questions

1. From the words given below, which one did the author use to refer to sexual abuse in
Paragraph 5?
A) empathy B) shame C) molestation D) painful
2. Why does the author narrate Oprah‘s childhood?
A) To tell that she overcome barriers to be successful.
B) To tell us that she had a busy mother.
C) To inform readers that she was raised on the farm.
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D) To show that she passed through a series of sufferings.

3. Which one of the following was Oprah‘s reason to sage a fake robbery?
A) Running away from home B) Keeping a broken puppy
C) Seeking attention D) Falling victim to sexual abuse.
4. What does scene as used in… added a bit of realism to the scene … (Paragraph 4) refer to?
A) the puppy attacking the robbers B) Oprah receiving $100
C) Oprah tossing the jewelry D) the robbers stealing jewelry
5. The tone of the author can be best described as:
A) compassionate B) appreciate C) apologetic D) argumentative
6. As used in Paragraph 1, which word can be the best similar word to notable?
A) surprising B) interesting C) remarkable D) ambitious
7. According to paragraph 1, which one of the following sentences is true?
A) There are rich and powerful African American women other than Oprah.
B) Oprah thought about being a ―Queen of Talk‖ in the 1980s.
C) Oprah is an African American who became a queen in the 1980s.
D) Oprah is the first woman to host a national weekday talk show in America.
8. What does the statement, She is the product of a brief meeting between a 20 year-old Vernon Winfrey and an
18- year old Vernita Lee (Paragraph 2), imply?
A) Oprah‘s parents lived together for quite some time.
B) Oprah‘s parents had been intimate when she was conceived.
C) Oprah‘s parents were not steadily going out together.
D) Oprah‘s parents were living in different places when she was born.
9. What does ordeal as used in … during the ordeal her … (Paragraph 4) refer to?
A) getting knocked unconscious B) staging a fake robbery
C) getting her glasses broken D) running away from home
10. Which one of the following was the cause of the shame referred to in Paragraph 5?
A) having a busy mother B) falling victim to sexual abuse
C) keeping a broken puppy D) running away from home
11) Which month can be inferred from Paragraph 7 as a month when Oprah‘s show was rated the
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third highest on television?

A) August B) September C) January D) November

12) What does fending off mean as used in … the brave puppy fending off robbers (Paragraph
4)? A) attacking B) barking C) attracting D) grunting
13) Which of the statements below best summarizes the central idea of the passage?
A) Oprah Winfrey is a successful African American woman.
B) Oprah Winfrey is a queen of talk shows.
C) Oprah Winfrey is a rich and powerful woman
D) Oprah Winfrey‘s life and success are interesting.
14. Which two paragraphs discuss, in particular, the challenges Oprah faced and the attempts
she made to overcome them?
A) 3 and 5 B) 4 and 5 C) 2 and 3 D) 5 and 6
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PART III: COMMUNICATIVE ASPECTS

1) Different types of questions
A) Yes/ No questions: they are closed questions that have a short answer and it does not require a
complete answer.
Example: Dawit: Can she play football?
Sefiw: Yes, she can.
: No, she can‘t. / No, she can play tennis.
Note that the subject of a short answer should be a pronoun, not a noun.
Negative questions are also answered by ‗Yes/ No‘ forms, but when assume mostly there is a
negative response.
Example: A: Isn‘t basketball a beloved sport in your country?
B: No, it isn‘t.
: Yes, it is.
Note that the statement can be questions by rising intonation at the end.
Example: A: The students write their notes?
B: Yes, they do.
: No, they don‘t. / No, they go home without writing anything.
We use ‗so‘ instead of repeating words in a that-clause when we respond to the question and the tag
question after the word believe, hope, imagine, suppose, think, guess, etc.
Example: Melkam: Will the rain come in the afternoon?
Jemal: I think so. (Usual for positive)
: I think it will rain in the afternoon. (Unusual)
: I don‘t think so. (Usual for negative)
: I don‘t think it will rain in the afternoon. (Unusual)
In this example, ‗so‘ is used instead of ‗It will rain in the afternoon.
Helen: The problem of inflation is not solved yet, is it?
Abel: I don‘t think so. / I don‘t think it is (solved).
B) Question tags: if you are confirming a positive statement, you say ‗yes‘. If you are disagreeing
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with a positive statement, you say ‗no‘.

Example: 1) A: She has known that the meeting had been postponed, hasn‘t she?
B: Yes, she has. I wrote to her myself.
2) A: You didn‘t know that Hanna married John, after all, did you?
B: No, I didn‘t.
C) Imperative Questions: imperatives are usually open questions. They begin with ordinary verbs
such as tell, give, send, etc. We normally answer ‗subject + will‘ for affirmative imperatives.
However, for negative imperatives, we use ‗subject + will not‘.
Example: 1) A: Send me a postcard. B: I will. 2) A: Don‘t forget to phone me. B: I won‘t.
D) Wh-questions: they are commonly open questions except for some specific measurements.
We use the word ‗who, which, and what’ as interrogative pronouns of a subject when the structure
is: ‗Wh-word + (auxiliary) + main verb’.
Example: Amlaku: Who wrote the letter?
Binyamin: My friend wrote the letter.
 We use the word ‗whose, which, and what’ as interrogative adjectives of a subject when the
structure is: ‘Wh-word + noun + (auxiliary) + main verb’.
Example Ali: Whose child broke the window?
Aster: Thomas‘s child broke the window.
 We use ‘who, which and what’ as interrogative pronouns of an object when the structure is:
‗Wh-word + auxiliary verb + subject + main verb’.
Example Adam: Who was Chaltu calling?
Belay: Chaltu was calling her brother.
 We can use ‗whom‘ instead of ‗who‘ with the preposition ‗to‘ or ‗for‘ as interrogative pronouns
of an object.
Example: Adam: To whom was Chaltu calling?

Belay: Chaltu was calling her brother.
 We use ‘which, what and whose’ as interrogative adjectives of an object when the structure is:
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‗Wh-word + noun + auxiliary verb + subject + main verb’.

Example: Asfaw: Which shirt do they prefer?

Aman: They prefer a brown shirt.
 We use also ‘how many’ and ‗how much’ as interrogative adjectives to get a quantifier answer
from the subject or the object of a sentence.
‘How many’ can be used as a subject (with plural countable noun) with the structure: ‘How many
+noun + verb’.
Example: John: How many people will attend the show?
Sosina: Two thousand people will attend it.
‘How many’ can also be used as an object (with plural countable noun) when the structure is: ‗How
many + noun + auxiliary verb + subject + main verb’.
Example: A: How many questions did you answer?
B: I tried to answer all of them.
‗How much’ can be used as a subject (with uncountable noun) with the structure: ‘How much +
noun +verb’.
Example: A: How much money was spent on your sister‘s wedding?
B: Twenty thousand birr was spent on my sister‘s wedding.
How much can also be used as an object (with uncountable nouns) when the structure is: ‘How
much + noun + auxiliary verb + subject + main verb.
Example: A: How much water does the boy drink daily?
B: He drinks three liters of water daily.
 We use ‗when, where, why and how’ as interrogative adverbs when the structure is ‗Wh-word
+ auxiliary verb + subject+ main verb’ to express time, place, reason and method or way
respectively.
Example: A: When will Rahel come?
B: In the afternoon.
So it is wrong to use ‗when / where / why + subject + auxiliary verb + main‘ verb when they are
used as direct questions.
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 We use also ‗what’ and ‘how’ about measurements.

We use the word ‗what’ with nouns such as length, width, height, depth, thickness, distance, size, age, weight,
etc.
We use the word ‗how’ with adjectives such as long, wide, high, deep, thick, far, big, old, heavy ,etc.
Example: Abel: What length is this rope? / How long is this rope?
Alemu: It is seven meters long.
The word how can also be followed by an adjective or an adverb in questions to get various
specific answers.
Example:1) A: How large is your house?
B: It is two hundred square meters.
2) A: How quickly did he accomplish his task?
B: He accomplished his task very slowly.
Note that a) ‗How often’ is used for frequency.
Example: A: How often do you go to the cinema?
B: Every Sunday/ Sometimes.
b) ‗How far’ is used for distance.
Example: A: How far is your home from the school?
B: Two kilometers.
c) ‗How long’ is used for duration or length of time.
Example: A: How long have you studied?
B: About two hours.
We use ‗How…?‘ to ask about things that ‗change‘ such as mood, health, work, etc.
Example: 1. A: How is John? B: He is very well.
2. A: How does she seem today? B: Much happier.
We use ‗What…like?‘ to ask about things that ‗do not change‘ such as people‘s appearance and
character.
Example: 1. A: What is John like? B: Tall, good-looking, a bit shy.
2. A: What does your sister look like? B: Short, dark and cheerful-looking.
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E) Indirect or Imbedded Questions: they are questions in the form of a statement used to talk or
ask particularly personal information introduced by a polite phrase such as:
Can you tell me...? Could you tell me...? Would you mind...? Do you know...? I
wonder…
Example 1) A: Would you mind telling me where you went last night?
B: Of course not. I was at Red Fox Hotel. (Positive response)
: Yes, of course. Why do you ask me this? (Negative response)
2) A: Can you tell me if you have seen my jacket?
B: Yes, (of course). It was in the cupboard.
: No, I haven‘t. Why don‘t you put it in properly?
Note we use ‗if/ whether‘ as a conjunction for direct questions.
3) A: I wonder if you help me carry this bag.
B: No, problem. Give it to me. (Positive) / I am sorry, I must run home. (Refusing)
Exercise 1: Choose the response that is most appropriate to complete the dialogue.
1) Mulat: ______________________?
You: Not enough to pay my bills.
A) Do you earn much B) How much do you pay
C) How much do you earn D) Is it enough to pay your bills
2) Lilu: Do you speak Italian?
You: ____________
A) Just a little B) I speak five languages C) I speak Arabic, too D) I‘ve been to Italy
3) You: Are you married, Zahra?
Zahara: _________________.
A) Before three years B) My husband‘s name is Jemal C) I‘m 30 D) No, I am not
4) You: Hello. Where do you live?
Stranger: ______________
A) I‘m from Jimma B) Around Arat Kilo. C) I live with my sister D) I come by bus
5) You: I know your favourite pastime.
Your friend: ___________________
A) No, you don‘t. B) No, you aren‘t. C) I like swimming. D) I don‘t play tennis.
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6) Teacher: We‘re on page 50, aren‘t we?

Student: _____________________.
A) No, exercise 5. C) Yes, we‘ve done the homework.
B) Yes, exercise 4. D) No, we haven‘t done the homework.
7) Uncle: When are you going to marry?
You: _________________
A) Not until I‘m 45. C) I‘m going to college next year.
B) I‘ll have only two children. D) I don‘t actually live here after marriage
8) You: Why did you leave the party early last night?
Rahel: ________________.
A) I didn‘t feel very well. B) I left 2 o‘clock. C) I left my husband. D) We had a great evening.
9) Hagos: How long have you been doing this job?
Kedir: ___________________
A) It is about 10 years now. C) I do all the marketing myself.
B) I‘m usually at home by 2 or 3. D) The salary is not good enough.
10) A: Isn‘t boxing a popular sport in this country?
B: ______________________
A) No, it is! B) Yes, it isn‘t! C) Not, never. D) No, it isn‘t.
11) Teacher: ______________________
Sara: As often as I can.
A) Do you go to the cinema? C) When did you go to the cinema?
B) Can you go to the cinema? D) How often go to the cinema?
12) Mother: ____________________?
Daughter: Well, I placed the eggs carefully in the jar.
A) What did you do next C) Did you place the eggs in the jar
B) Who placed the eggs in the jar D) When did you place the eggs in the jar
13) Mother: Have we got any more sugar in the kitchen?
Daughter: _________________
A) No, there is none. B) No, there isn‘t much sugar.
C) No, there is little sugar. D) No, there is nothing.
14) Teacher: How far is the school from your home?
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Student: ______________
A) 3kms. B) 2 hours. C) I often arrive late. D) I always by bus

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2) Some common daily communicative English

i) Social relationships
A) Greeting: it means welcoming someone with particular words or a particular action. Here are
some expressions you can use to greet people.
Greeting Responding to greeting
A: Hi/ hello. B: Hi/ hello.
: Good morning. : Good morning.
: Good afternoon/ Good evening. : Good afternoon/Good evening.
: How are you? : I'm fine thank you (thanks). How about you? / And
you?
: How are you doing? : Can't complain. / Not bad. How about you? / And
you?
: Nice/Good to see you. : Nice/Good to see you, too.
B) Introducing yourself and others
Introducing yourself: here are some expressions to introduce yourself:
My name is ... I‘m...
Nice to meet you; I‘m... Pleased to meet you; I‘m...
Let me introduce myself; I'm ... I'd like to introduce myself; I'm ...
Introducing others: Here are some expressions to introduce others:
(Jemal), please meet (Nigusie). (Jemal), have you met (Nigusie)?
I'd like you to meet (Aziza). I'd like to introduce you to
(Betty).
(Leila), this is (Bayesh). (Bayesh) this is (Leila).
Useful responses when introducing yourself or other people and again giving responses for
these expressions:
A: Nice / Pleased/ Happy/ Glad to meet you. B: Nice Pleased/ Happy/ Glad to meet you, too.
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Note: when introducing yourself or other people in a formal situation use full names. Example: I'm
Alemu Baye.
C) Telephone conversations
Commonly, English speakers make phone calls either for business reasons or personal affairs.
These are expressions you can use in your conversations on the phone:
Receiver: You‘ve reached.... (department). Caller: Can I speak to Mr/Mrs.....?
: How can I help you? : Could I speak to ...., please?
: Who shall I say is calling?
: Who's calling, please?
If the receiver is the wanted person, can say:
: Who's speaking?
: It's Mr/Mrs... here.
: It's Mr/Mrs... speaking.
: Mr/Mrs... speaking.
If the person who is needed is not around, the receiver can say:
: Please hold and I'll put you through.
: Just a second. I'll see if s/he is in.
: Wait for/Hang on for a moment.
: Could you leave a message? / Can I take a message?
1) Josie: ____________________________
Secretary: I am afraid Mr. Abera is not in.
A) I want Mr. Abera, please. C) Is it Mr. Abera‘s Office, please?
B) How are you, Mr. Abera? D) Can I speak to Mr. Abera, please?
2) Debebe: May I introduce myself? My name is Debebe.
Kebede: _______________.
A) Pleased to meet you. My name is Kebede.
C) I‘d like to introduce myself. My name is Kebede.
B) Allow me to introduce myself. I am Kebede.
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D) May I introduce myself, too. My name is Kebede.

3) Secretary: How do you do, sir?

Visitor: ____________________
A) How do you do? B) I‘m fine. How are you?
C) I‘m fine. How do you do? D) Very well, how do you do?
ii) Directing locations and giving advice to someone asking you

A) Asking for and giving directions
Asking about location or direction: to ask about directions use these questions:
How can I get to . . . from here? How can I get to . . . ?
Where is . . . ? Can you tell me how to get to . . . ?
Can you show me the way to...? What's the best way to get to . . . ?
Giving directions: to give directions use these expressions:

Go straight on until you… Go past the restaurant/school...
Take the first (turning) to the left/right. The ... is beside/in front of / next to...
Turn left/right
If you don’t know, you can say:

Sorry, I don‘t know.
Sorry, I‘m a stranger here myself. (If you do not live in the area)
B) Asking for and giving advice

Asking for advice: we can ask for advice using the following expressions:
Do you think I should / can----? What do you think I should do?
What shall/ can I do? What would/ do you advise me to do?
Could you give me some advice about…? What would you do if you were in my position?
What would you do if you were me?
We can also advise by using these expressions:

My advice would be --- I would / wouldn't recommend you ---
I advise you to --- I would/ wouldn't advise you to ---
I (think) you ought to --- I (think) you should/ shouldn't ---
I (think) you can/can't -- Why don't you ---?
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I (think) you had better/ had better not --- If I were you, I should/ shouldn't ---
1) Tourist: Excuse me, please? How can I get to the museum?
You: _________________
A) The museum is closed today. C) What time do you want to get there?
B) Do you want to walk or take a taxi? D) It is somewhere around Arat Kilo.
2) Stranger: Excuse me, please. Can you tell me how to get to the bus station?
You: __________________
A) I always like to walk. C) Sorry, I am studying at the university.
B) Sorry, I‘m a stranger myself. D) The bus station is no more in Merkato.
3) Sosina: __________________.
Nigisti: It may be good to see a doctor.
A) How about my back? C) My back seems to be improving a lot.
B) My back is aching. What shall I do? D) I have finished the tablets for my back.
4) Bachere: _________________________
Galgalo: If I were you, I‘d go home and take a rest.
A) What a bad headache. It is like a migraine.
B) How about going home? I have a bad headache.
C) I have got a bad headache. I have had it since morning.
D) What a bad headache. I have never had this kind before.
iii) Expressing your level of agreement for an opinion, a suggestion and giving clarification
A) Asking for and expressing an opinion
 We use the following expressions to ask for an opinion:
What do you think about---? What is your feeling ---?
How do you feel ---? Do you agree ---?
How do you like ---? What is your opinion about ---?
Do you think---? What is your view ----?
How do you find ---?
 We use the following expressions to express our opinion:
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I think--- To my mind, ---

In my point of view --- As I see it---

It seems to me that--- In my opinion ---
From my point of view--- To be honest, ---
Frankly speaking, --- As far as I can see---
I can see that ---
 Expressions for agreeing with an opinion:
I agree with this opinion. I completely agree with this view.
This is absolutely right. I couldn't / can't agree more.
 We use the following to express partial agreement:
I agree with this point of view, but--- This idea is right, but---
I agree with you, but--- I partially agree with you ---
Maybe.
 We use the following expressions for disagreeing with an opinion:
I'm afraid. I can't agree with you. I disagree with you.
That‘s nonsense! I think you're wrong.
I couldn‘t agree less.
 We use the following expressions to say I don‘t have an opinion:
I have no strong feelings about… I really can‘t say.
I have no idea. I‘ve no opinion.
 We use the following expressions for trying to change someone‘s opinion:
Don‘t you think that------? Look at it this way---
Have you considered that---? Would you agree that---?
Example: A: I think people should be allowed to smoke if they want to.
B: I just can’t agree. It is very bad for their health.
A: Don‘t you think that a person should decide himself to stop smoking?
B: I see your point, but I think the person should be given strong advice on the risk of
smoking.
 ‗Yes/No‘ responses to statements or questions can also reflect different degrees of speculating
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certainty felt by the speaker using some modal auxiliaries and common verbs.
When we are also almost certain of our evidence, we may use ‗will‘ and ‗won't‘.
Example: A: Is Roland in his living room?
Positive response: B: Yes, he will be, he sometimes goes out late. (Almost certain)
: Yes, he must be there. I heard his voice. (Deduction)
: Yes, he may be there, but I‘m not sure. (Possibility)
: Yes, he is. I have seen him at the door. (Certainty)
Negative response: No, he won't be. He often goes out at this time. (Almost certain)
: No, he can't be there. There's no sound in his room. (Deduction)
: No, he may not be there, but I‘m not sure. (Possibility)
: No, he isn't. I have just seen him at his office. (Certainty)
B) Making suggestions and their responses.
A suggestion is an expression to get an agreement or disagreement response from the person who is
asking.
Examples: A: Will / Won‘t you come for a walk with me?
: Would / Wouldn‘t you like to come for a walk with me?
B: (Yes,) I'd like to/I'd love to. (Positive)
: (No,) I'd prefer not to, thank you. (Negative)
: No, I won't. (Impolite)
Note that ‗to‘ must follow like, love, etc.
 We can also make a suggestion using the following modal auxiliaries and imperatives, for
example:
A: Shall we go for a swim? B: Yes, let's. (Shall we?) (Positive)
: Can/Could/Might we go for a swim? : I couldn‘t agree more! / I agree with you.
: Let us go to the stadium. : That sounds like a good idea.
: Let‘s contribute some money to our school. : No, let‘s not. /No, I'd rather we didn't. /No, I'd
rather not.
C) Expressing lack of understanding and asking for clarification

Expressing lack of understanding: when you fail to understand what has been said to you, you
can use these expressions:
Examples: I beg your pardon? I'm not quite sure I follow you.
Sorry, I didn't quite hear what you said.
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Asking for clarification: when you don't understand what someone has said, you can add for
clarification like the following expressions:
Could you be more specific, please? Could you clarify that, please?
Could you put it differently, please? Could you explain what you mean by...?
Would you elaborate on that, please? Could you say that again, please?
Clarifying one's point or idea: to clarify your idea you can use the following expressions:
Let me explain that--- What I mean is---
To put it differently--- Let me put it in another way---
To say this differently--- Let me explain that in more detail---
1) Brother: Can we have some ice-cream in that café?
Sister: _________________.
A) Who owns the café? C) I‘m afraid I have no money.
B) Do they make it there? D) Girls like ice cream very much.
2) Student: She is going flunk, I feel. Can we help?
Friend: ___________________
A) You know, she is very lazy. C) I don‘t think there is anything to be done.
B) I think she has now started working hard. D) I can‘t understand how she passed her
last course.
3) Abebe: Let us contribute to the building of the Renaissance Dam.
You: _________________
A) Splendid. I can‘t agree more. C) What is the position of Egypt now?
B) I was really proud when I visited it. D) How much of it has been completed?
4) Bulti: The enemy is approaching. We have to evacuate soon.
Gebrai: ________________.
A) Who else is evacuating? C) Perhaps, we might need to do that.
B) This area is ideal for them. D) I think, they have soldiers in excess of us.
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5) Father: A picnic wouldn‘t be any fun without your mother.

Son: ________________________.
A) I couldn‘t agree more. B) I understand father.
C) Yes, it is funny. D) So, no picnic with mother.
6) Kebede: How do you feel about our new directress?
Biru: ______________________
A) She is new to the school. C) She invited us to a dinner party.
B) To be honest, she puts me off. D) Did she study educational management?
7) Girma: Life will improve when we move to Addis.
Abere: _____________________
A) Addis is our capital. C) Certainly. We will have a better income.
B) That will happen after six months. D) There are lots of buildings under construction.
8) Customer: They say your boss is thoroughly rich.
Waiter: ____________________
A) He has an expensive car. C) People talk about history.
B) He doesn‘t live in Ethiopia. D) Of course, can you see all these?
9) Wife: I am not feeling well these days.
Husband: _______________________
A) Hospitals are so busy. C) Doctors are not doing their job.
B) Maybe you‘ll need a rest. D) What about the new clinic down there?
10) Ali: ____________________
Almaz: That sounds reasonable.
A) Shall we go for coffee? C) Is Mimi doing her homework?
B) Did she buy a new purse? D) Isn‘t Abera coming?
11) Peter: This is the cheapest car in town. He shouldn‘t have gone for it.
John: ___________________
A) I can‘t agree more. B) Is he a businessman?
C) That car is not new. D) Why is that so cheap?
12) Belay: My house has been broken into. I am thinking of hiring security.
Amare: _________________.
A) When does that happen? C) Why do they do such a nasty thing?
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B) You may also report to the police. D) In fact, that happens to a number of people.
iv) Accepting or refusing different questions

A) Offering help: offering means expressing willingness to help someone in trouble. To offer help,
you may use the following expressions:
Examples: May/ Could/ Can/ Shall I help you? Would you like some help?
Do you need some help? If you like, I will help you
Excuse me; is there anything I can do to help?
For practical help like carrying a bag, cleaning a room, pushing a car, and so on, you can say:
Do you need/ want a hand? Let me help you? (When you have already
started helping)
Offering to do things for others in action:

Examples: May I take your coat? (More polite)
Could/ Can / Shall I open the window for you?
Would you like me to open the window for you?
What shall/can I do for you?
When we accept the help, we will say for example:

That's very kind of you. Oh, yes, please.
Thank you very much. Yes, I'd like some, please.
I'd love some. That is very nice / kind of you.
Thanks. (Informal)
Yes, you can. (Not polite)
When we refuse of offering help we will say like:

No, it's all right. Don't worry, I‘ll do it.
It's OK, I can do it. No, thanks. (Informal)
The following types are not polite: No, I won't. No, you can't.
B) Making a request: it is asking somebody politely to do something for you. You can make a
request using the expression: Would / Could / Can/ Will + you ---?
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For example, if you want to request the following things, you can say:
Examples: Would you help me with this exercise? Could you lend me your pen?
Can you show me your photo album? Will you lend me your book?
 To be more polite, you can use ' Excuse me' or ' Please'.
Example: Excuse me; would you lend me your book?
Could/ Can/ Will you lend me your book, please?
To make your request more polite you can also use:
Would/ Could/ Can/ Will you possibly---?
I wonder if you would/ could/ can/ will ---
Example: I wonder if you could lend me your book.
Could you possibly lend me your book?
Accepting the request:

Yes, of course. Yes, certainly.
Sure here you are. Surely.
Certainly. All right.
Okay. / Alright. (Informal)
Refusing requests politely:

Unfortunately, I can't. I would like to, but is not possible.
I'm afraid I can't. Well, actually it is not possible.
I'm sorry I can't. I'm sorry it is rather difficult.
Sorry, it is rather difficult.
Refusing requests less politely: No, I won't. No, certainly not.

No, I refuse.
 'Would/ Do you mind + gerund' can also be used for a request.
Example: Kedir: Would you mind giving me your book?
Selam: No, not at all. / Not at all. (Positive response)
: No, I don't mind. / No, I wouldn‘t mind. (Positive response)
: Yes, I do. / Yes, I would mind. (Negative, impolite)
 Indirect questions are used for a request and they are more polite than direct questions.
Example: Yeshi: Could you tell me why they left for Paris?
Amarech: Yes, of course. They want to participate in a meeting.
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C) Making invitations: to invite a person for a meal, you can use these expressions formally:
Do you have (coffee) with me? Do you have (dinner) with me?
Would you like to have (lunch) with me? Could you have (tea)?
Please come to my birthday party? May I invite you?
 To invite a person for a meal, you can use these expressions informally:
Will you have (tea)? Have (coffee)?
Can you come to our party? Have (coffee) with me?
Why don't you have (lunch) with me? How about having (lunch) with me?
 To invite a person for something, you can use these expressions:
Do you want to go to the (movie tonight)? Would you like to go to the (theater
tomorrow)?
Accepting invitations:
Sure. What time? Sure. When should I be there?
What the greatest idea, thank you. That sounds lovely, thank you.
That's very kind of you, thanks. I'd love to thank you.
Thank you. I'd like to very much. Thank you, with pleasure.
Thank you that sounds lovely. Thank you. I'll look forward to it.
Thank you. I'd be delighted Thank you very much. That would be nice.
To refuse an invitation we can use these types of expressions:

No, thank you. That's very kind of you, but ---
I'd love to, but --- Sorry, I'm afraid I'm not free.
I can't. I have to work. Sorry, I'm afraid I can't.
I'd love to very much, but I'm afraid I can't. Sorry, I've got an appointment with a friend.
Examples: 1) Liku: Would you like tea with me?
Selam: Thank you very much. That would be nice.
2) Rosa: Will you have a coffee?
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Fasika: No, thank you.

D) Asking for and giving permission: we commonly use ‗May/ Could / Can I/we ---?‘ to ask for
permission in the present or future.
Examples: Could I use your book? Can I use your book?
May I borrow your camera? May I/we borrow your book?
Note that 'Might' is not commonly used for permission as it is very formal.
To be more polite, you can use 'Excuse me' or 'Please‘ and indirect question types for permission.
Examples: Excuse me; may I use your dictionary? Can I use your book, please?
Indirect questions are used for permission and they are more polite than direct questions.
Examples:
Would you mind if I use your dictionary? I wonder if I could borrow your laptop.
Is it ok if I use your dictionary?
Giving permission:
Surely. Certainly.
Go ahead. Yes, that's all right.
Yes, you may. Yes, certainly.
Yes, you can. Yes, of course.
Refusing permission politely:

I'm afraid you can't. I'm afraid you may.
I'd rather you didn't. I'm afraid not.
I'm afraid I need it.
Refusing permission impolitely:

No, you can't. No.
Example: 1) Samuel: Could I put on the TV?
Yasin: Yes, you can. / Certainly. / Surely. / Yes, of course.
2) Taddese: Can I borrow your car, please?
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Asfaw: I‘m afraid it is in the garage/I‘d rather you didn‘t/I‘m afraid you can‘t. (Polite)
: No. (Impolite)
Note that the response can be either personal or general:

Stranger: Could I smoke here, please?
You: You may/may not. (Personal)
: You can/cannot. (General)
The following type of response can also express emphatic general.
: You‘re allowed /not allowed to smoke here.
: You‘re permitted /not permitted to smoke here.
: You mustn't smoke here.
: You‘re forbidden to smoke here.
E) Shopping: these are some examples of expressions used by a shopkeeper in boutique shops:
Can / May I help you? What size do you wear?
What size are you? What color would you like?
How does it fit? How would you like to pay?
These are some examples of expressions used by a customer:
I am looking for (a T-shirt.) Can I try it/them on?
Where is the changing room? Can I pay by credit card / in cash?
Example: Shopkeeper: May I help you?
Shopper: Well, I am looking for trousers.
Shopkeeper: What size do you wear?
Shopper: Medium.
The following expressions can also be said by a customer at grocery.
Good morning/ Good afternoon. Could you have a kilo of salt? Could I have (a kilo of
orange), please?
A pack of (soup), please. A kilo of (salt), please.
Do you have (any pineapples)?
These are also some examples of expressions used by a shopkeeper at grocery:
That‘s birr (fifteen). They‗re birr (20).
That‘s (dollar). Anything else?
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Example: Shopper: Can I help you?

Customer: Could I have a kilo of orange, please?

Shopper: That‘s birr eighteen for a kilo. Anythingelse?
Customer: No, thank you. I want to have only orange.
F) Preferences: here are some examples of asking for preferences.
Which do you prefer drinking (tea or coffee)? Which do you prefer (Chemistry or Physics)?
Which do you prefer to drink (juice or water)? Do you prefer (pizza or spaghetti)?
Would you rather eat (a cake or a fruit)? Would you prefer to eat (a cake or a fruit)?
Replies: here are some examples for replying for preferences.
I prefer (baseball). I'd prefer to (drink juice).
I wouldn‘t rather any. I'd rather (drink mineral water).
If I had a choice, I would (eat a sandwich). No, thank you.
Example: A: Do you prefer pizza or spaghetti?
B: If I had a choice, I would eat pizza.
Things to remember about preferences: 1) "I'd prefer" + to + verb / V-ing 2) "I'd rather" +
verb
1) Teacher: Which stream would you like to join Art or Science?
Student: ___________________
A) I would rather go for Science. C) How many teachers teach Arts?
B) Many students would want Arts. D) Excuse me, I would ask my dad.
2) Secretary: How can I help you?
Student: ___________________
A) What is the director‘s doing? C) Can I talk to the director, please?
B) Can I use the Director‘s office? D) By showing me the director‘s office
3) Aleltu: ___________________________.
Thomas: Sorry, I am busy with my assignments.
A) Have you seen the report I complied? C) Have you finished doing your assignment?
B) Could you help me organize the report? D) Would you read the report when you are ready?
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4) Shopkeeper: __________________
Customer: I want a brown suit, please.

A) What do you want? B) Can I help you?
C) How do you like our shop? D) Why are you here?
5) Guest: ______________? They are very dirty.
Guide: Certainly sir. I will call a shoe shine boy right away.
A) Can you help me with my shoes C) Can you mend my shoes
B) Where should I leave my shoes D) How do you like my shoes
6) Shopkeeper: _______________
Customer: Thank you. But that‘s not my choice at the moment.
A) You may as well try blue-black. C) We offer a 5% discount.
B) The fabric is fine. D) The dressing room is right in front.
7) Waiter: Sorry, did you say tea or coffee?
Customer: ________________________
A) Many people like tea. C) I would rather have coffee.
B) They say tea is addictive. D) Yes, these are my favourite drinks.
8) Guest: Could I ask you how safe it is to walk it here?
Bank Clerk: _________________
A) Yes, you can ask. B) You‘d better hire a taxi.
C) It is your choice, sir. D) It is tiresome, indeed.
9) Girma: Would you like some more sandwiches?
Guest: ____________________
A) No, thanks. I‘ve had enough. C) No thanks. I just had my breakfast.
B) Never at all. I hate sandwiches. D) No, thanks. Sandwiches are not good.
10) Shop Assistance: Can I help you?
Customer: ____________________
A) Why not? B) Yes, of course. C) Do you have a shirt? D) I‘m looking for a shirt.
11) Son: ______________________
Dad: I am afraid I need it.
A) Would you borrow my dictionary? C) Could you please lend me your dictionary?
B) Could you please buy me a dictionary? D) How about giving back your new dictionary?
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v) Expressing feelings
A) Expressing surprise: when you are given unexpected news you often wish to express your
surprise.
The following expressions introduce some surprising information:
Believe it or not--- You may not believe it but ---
Funnily--- Do you know that/what ---?
Surprisingly, --- It may sound strange but ---
Guess what? You won‘t believe this but ---
Responding to the good news:

Congratulations! Well done! (Mostly for sport)
Oh, how wonderful That‘s great!
How fantastic! I‘m glad to hear that!
I can‘t believe that! Superb!
That sounds like great news! Incredible!
Responding to bad news:

How come! What! What are you talking about?
How could it be! How on earth!
That‘s incredible! What! That‘s ridiculous!
Are you kidding? That‘s very strange!
That‘s unbelievable!
Example: Kebede: Do you know that our boss has been fired from his position? Belay: What!
That‘s ridiculous!
B) Expressing Gratitude: is saying thank you and to show your appreciation for something done
or given to you:
Thanks. Sincere thanks. Thank you.
I am indebted to you. I appreciate what you've done for me. I am grateful.
You've been very helpful. I thank you from the bottom of my heart. If anyone deserves
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thanks, it's you.

Responding to thanks:
You‘re welcome. Don‘t mention it.
(It‘s) my pleasure. It‘s nothing.
Anytime Think nothing of it.
I'm glad/happy I could help. It‘s no bother.
It‘s/that‘s all right. Sure
It‘s/that‘s ok. No problem
Not at all. Of course
Examples: 1) A: Thank you for accepting my invitation.
B: It‘s my pleasure to be here.
2) Beyene: I appreciate what you've done for me.
Jibril: Think nothing of it.
C) Apologizing: means to tell someone that you are sorry for having done something that has
caused him inconvenience or unhappiness. Here are some expressions you can use to make and
respond to apologies:
Making apologies:
I apologize for... I must apologize for...
I'd like to apologize for... I am so sorry for...
I shouldn't have... It's my entire fault. Excuse me for ...
I'm ashamed of... Please, forgive me for...
I'm terribly sorry for... Please, forgive me for my...
Pardon me for this...
Accepting apologies:
That's all right. Never mind.
Don't apologize. It doesn't matter.
Don't worry about it. Don't mention it.
That's OK. I quite understand.
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You couldn't help it. Forget about it.

Don't worry about it. No harm was done.

Remember: ―I'd like to apologize‖ is the short form of ―I would like to apologize‖.
Examples: 1) Taxi driver: I must apologize for my late arrival.
Tariku: Don't worry about it.
2) Genet: I'd like to apologize for my troublemaking.
Chala: Never mind.
D) Expressing disappointment is expressing something annoying for us. We can express our
disappointment using the following expressions:
Oh, how disappointing! That‘s disappointing!
It‘s disappointing! It was rather disappointing!
That‘s annoying! This is really annoying!
Examples: 1) Hotel Manager: I must apologize I haven‘t booked you, sir.
Tourist: Oh, how disappointing!
2) Student A: This teacher always comes late.
Student B: That‘s annoying!
Note that we can also express our disappointment when we don‘t accept an apology.
E) Expressing sympathy: is expressing something that makes us sad for us using like the following
expressions.
Poor you! Oh, no!
Oh, what a pity! Oh well, but never mind. Better luck next time.
That‘s a shame. What a pity!
What a nuisance! What a shame!
How awful! But don‘t worry. How terrible! But it is not the end of the world.
Example: 1) A: I‘ve just heard that my father has been diagnosed as HIV positive.
B: How awful!
2) Alemu: I failed only by the interview
Habtamu: How terrible! But it is not the end of the world.
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1) Journalist: Did you know that they sacked your manager?

Player: ___________________.
A) Does he want to be employed? C) The national club also did the same.
B) This is ridiculous! Who told you? D) He had a row with the board members?
2) Manager: We have decided to offer you a scholarship.
Employee: _______________________.
A) I love being abroad. C) This is a very good office, isn‘t it?
B) Scholarships are motivating. D) I can‘t believe that! Where I am going?
3) Ras Hotel: Our apologies for not being able to book you sir?
Guest: ____________________
A) Oh, I like that, thank you very much. C) Well, done! Thank you very much.
B) That is very kind of you. D) Oh! That is a bitter disappointment to me.
4) Ilu: We really enjoyed our stay with you. Good food, good hospitality!
Feven: _________________
A) I‘m happy you did. B) Thank you very much.
C) We also liked the food. D) We‘re so pleased to meet you.
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PART IV: WRITING

1) Some common spelling rules in English
You have to note that most English words have no rules to study, but the following rules can help
you with some of them.
RULE 1: We spell ‗i‘ before ‗e‘ when the sound is long ‗e‘.
Example: believe, grief, pierce, yield, thief, piece exceptions: protein, seize, either, neither, weird
But when the letter ‗c‘ comes before them ‗e‘ comes before ‗i‘.
Example: ceiling, conceit, receives, deceive, receipt, perceive exceptions: species
 When the letters are pronounced as long /ai/ ‗e‘ comes before ‗i‘.
Example: eight, sleight, weight, neighbor, vein, leisure
 When the sounds are not either long ‗e‘ or /ai/ we must study the spelling of each word.
Example: efficient, sufficient, science, friend, forfeited, heifer, foreign, sovereign, counterfeit
RULE 2: We double a final single consonant before a suffix beginning with a vowel:
a) when a one-syllable word ends in a consonant after the single vowel.
Example: stop + ing = stopping big + er = bigger
b) when the last part of a word in a second syllable ends as a stressed syllable.
Example: admit + ed = admitted occur + ence = occurrence refer = referred
These rules do not apply if the words:
a) end with two consonants or vowels. Example: work - working, agree - agreeing
b) have more than one syllable and the second syllable is not stressed. Example: remember-
remembering
e) end in y, w, or h. Example: play- playing; few- fewer; finish- finishing
RULE 3: When adding a suffix that begins with a vowel to a word that ends in a silent e, drops the e
before adding the suffix.
Example: hope = hoping fame = famous globe = global offense = offensive possible=
possibly
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 However, if the suffix begins with a consonant, you leave the final e on the base word.
Example: hope = hopeful, spite = spiteful, love = loveless, age = ageless
 However, if the word ends in -ce or -ge and the incoming suffix begins with the vowel a, or o
you cannot omit the silent ‗e‘.
Example: peace – peaceable notice - noticeable manage - manageable change – changeable

courage - courageous revenge – vengeance surge - surgeon
RULE 4: Words that end in y must have the ‗y’ changed to i before adding any suffix.
Example: body = bodily merry = merriment marry = marriage many = manifold

family= familiar beauty = beautiful vary = various company = companion fury = furious
plenty= plentiful
RULE 5: When a ‗ci’, ‗ti’, or ‗si’ occurs before a suffix that begins with a vowel, remember these
helpful hints.
 -cian is always used when the word refers to a person. Example: musician physician optician
electrician
 -tion and -sion are never used for people; it is used for other things. Example: vacation
nutrition pension suspension tension expulsion
 If the root word ends in a /t/ sound, then use -tion.
Example: complete = completion vacate = vacation
 If the root word ends in an /s/ or/d/, then use -sion.
Example: suppress = suppression extend = extension
 If the sound of the last syllable is the heavy sound /z/ and not the soft sound /s/, then use -sion.
Example: confusion, vision,
RULE 6: When the consonants b, d, g, m, n and p are after a short vowel in a word with two
syllables, you must double that consonant.
Example: rabbit riddle goggle command dinner apple
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Exercise 1: Choose the appropriate answer for each question in the given alternatives (UEE
Questions).
1) Which one of the following words is correctly spelt?
A) restaurant B) extention C) cafteria D) vollyball
2) Which one of the following words is wrongly spelt?
A) Believe B) Cummulative C) Deceive D) Accommodative
A) scent B) conscent D) omniscent D) reminicent
4) Which one of the following words is wrongly spelt?
A) arguable B) changable C) dyeing D) cognizance
A) questionare B) resemblance C) extention D) enviroment
A) consience B) conscience C) conciousness D) consiousness
A) surveyer B) likelyhood C) occurence D) unfortunately
A) plember B) acadamy C) summary D) sufficent
2) Capitalization and punctuation

A) Capitalization: the first letter of a word is capitalized when we write:
a) a beginning word of a sentence and a new sentence after a full stop, a question mark and an
exclamation mark.
Example: 1) She reads a book. But she doesn‘t understand it.
2) Do you read this book? It is helpful.
3) Read this book! It is helpful.
 Note that the letter ‗i‘ is always capitalized when it is used as the first person pronoun (I).
Example: She gave me a book; I read it well.
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b) proper nouns of people, places, cities, continents, planets, rivers, oceans, seas, etc.
Example: The ships sail through the Indian Ocean, the Red Sea and then the Mediterranean
Sea to go to Europe.
But when the word ‗earth‘ is preceded by ‗the‘ is not capitalized like ‗the sun‘ and ‗the moon‘.
Example: The moon revolves around the earth and the earth revolves around the sun.
c) nouns and adjectives refer to languages, religions, nationalities and ethnic groups such as Allah,
God, the Almighty, the Bible, the Quran, Islam, Christianity, Protestant, Buddhism, etc,
Example: He studied Arabic to understand the Quran well.
d) names of days, months, and holidays such as Monday, January, Christmas, etc.
Example: Our school will be closed on Wednesday, January 21, to celebrate Epiphany.
But note that the seasons such as winter, autumn, summer and spring are not capitalized.
e) the first letter of content words such as nouns, adjectives, verbs and adverbs in the titles of
books, magazines, plays, films, etc.
Example: A Practical English Grammar is an important reference book.
But functional words like articles, propositions, conjunctions, etc, are not capitalized unless they
come at the beginning. Example: A Better Way to English is an important reference book.
f) complete names of oceans, seas, rivers, lakes, buildings, mountains, particular schools, hospitals,
colleges, universities, and regional states such as the Atlantic Ocean, the Mediterranean Sea, Gondar
University, Mt. Kilimanjaro, Black Lion Hospital, Focus Elementary School, Teacher‘s Training
College, the Blue Nile, Sheraton Hotel, etc.
Example: My father has been admitted to Black Lion Hospital.
Note the definite article ‗the‘ is used before particular names of oceans, rivers and seas. But
oceans, seas and schools are not capitalized when they are used as common nouns.
Example: 1) Our school has many intelligent students.
g) the first letter of a quoted sentence or a direct speech.
Example: Ahmed said to his son, ―The man will arrive on time if he has finished his work in
time.‖
But when the quoted sentence is separated into two parts, the second part of the quotation may not
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begin with a capital letter unless it is begun after a full stop, question mark and exclamation mark.
Example: ―The man will arrive on time,‖ said Ahmed to his son, ―if he has finished his work
in time.‖
h) words that show ranks or professions if they are followed by names such as Dr. Zeki, Teacher
Alemu, Ato Alebel, Mr. James, Professor Asrat, Sister Almaz, etc.
Example: I want to interview Ato Alemu this afternoon.
But the titles of high officials must be capital without the names of a person such as the Prime
Minister of Ethiopia, the President of the United States, the Pope, the Bishop, the Governor, etc.
i) family relationship words such as an aunt, uncle, father, mother, grandfather, niece, nephew, etc. if
they are not preceded by possessive adjectives.
Example: We asked Father to allow us to go to Harar.
j) names of institutions, governmental bodies, and organizations, such as the Minister of Education,
African Union, etc.
B) Punctuations
1) Full stop/ Period (.) is used:
a) at the end of a statement that is not a question or an exclamation.
Example: I knocked at the door. There was no replay. I knocked again.
b) at the end of soft imperatives.
Example: Open the door. (Soft imperative)
But if the order is given emotionally, it becomes an exclamation and becomes a command.
Example: Open the door! (Command)
c) at the end of indirect questions.
Examples
1) Aster said to me, ―Did you go shopping?‖ (Direct) Aster asked me if I went shopping.
(Indirect)
2) He said to me, ―Where have you been?‖ (Direct) He asked me where I have been.
(Indirect)
d) sometimes in abbreviations.
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Example: Jan., a.m.

Note that common abbreviations both with and without full stop is acceptable, but we should
be consistent when using them. Example: Dr. or Dr U.S.A or USA
e) in the Internet and e-mail addresses to say ‗dot‘.
Example: http://www.oup.co.uk
2) Comma (,) is used:

a) to separate words, phrases and clauses in a list though they are often omitted before coordinating
conjunctions.
Example:1) We bought a bouquet of red, pink and white roses.
2) What do you like to take tea, coffee, milk, or chocolate?
3) You can find the book on the table, in the drawer, or the cupboard.
4) They keep calm, take their time, think ahead and write their answer.
b) as parenthetic:
i) before and after a clause to give additional information about the noun it follows.
Example: Mt. Ras-Dejen, which is the highest mountain in Ethiopia, is situated in North
Gondar.
ii) to separate appositives which are noun phrases that rename nouns already fully identified.
Example: Mr. Samuel, our English teacher, was transferred from Fasiledes Preparatory to our
school.
iii) for internal words or phrases in the indirect address.
Example: This is a lucrative job, my friend, which will make you rich.
iv) to separate a word or a phrase of transitions when they come within a sentence.
Example: Rooney, for example, had to stay with Manchester United.
v) to separate a phrase or a clause of personal opinion within a sentence.
Example: The cost of living, I think, will increase next month.
vi) when a phrase or a clause is intended to comment or to give additional information within a
sentence.
Example: My brother, not knowing what he was doing, separated from his friends.
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c) to separate the day from the date of the month and the date of the month from the year.
Example: On Tuesday, February 3, 1993, the great strike began in the country.
d) to separate the names of an office from the street address, the street address from the city and the
city from the state.
Example: We went to CBE, Bluko Street, Gondar, Amhara Regional State to take out some
money.
e) to separate main clauses, especially long ones, linked by coordinating conjunctions such as for, and,
nor, but, yet and so.
Example: We had been looking forward to our holidays, but it rained heavily at that time.
f) to separate a subordinate clause from the main clause when it comes at the beginning with
subordinating conjunctions such as after, before, although, even though, though, when, while, if, until, etc.
Example: When they arrived, I had been talking on the phone to my brother.
g) to separate an introductory word, phrase, adverb, or adverbial phrase from the rest of the
sentence that applies to the whole sentence.
Example: 1) Oh, that‘s where it was. 2) Yes, that‘s good.
3) By the way, did you hear about Sara‘s car? 4) To tell you frankly, we learned
this topic last year
h) to separate the tag question from the rest of the sentence.
Example: 1) It‘s quite expensive, isn‘t it? 2) You live in Bahir-dar, right?
i) before or after he said, he replied, etc. when writing a direct speech and before a short quotation.
Example: 1) ―Come back soon,‖ she said. 2) She said, ―Come back soon.‖
3) Semicolon (;) is used:

a) instead of a comma, separate parts of a sentence that has already a comma.
Example: In the Olympics games the first place gets, a gold medal; second place, a silver
medal; and third place, a bronze medal.
b) to separate two independent clauses in a compound sentence that has no conjunction.
Example: The sun was already low in the sky; it would soon be dark.
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c) to separate two independent clauses joined by connective adverbs such as therefore, consequently, as
result, thus, hence, however, nevertheless, nonetheless, in addition, furthermore, besides, moreover, likewise, that is,
afterward, indeed, namely, etc.
Example: Abel has a cold; therefore, he will not be able to come to school.
4) Colon (:) is used:
a) to introduce a list of items.
Example: These are our options: we go by train; we leave the show; otherwise we take the
car to see the show all.
b) before a clause or phrase that gives more elaboration about the main clause in formal writing.
Example: He got two scholarship awards: studying English in U. K. and Spanish in Spain.
Note that you can use a semicolon or full stop instead of a colon here, but not a comma.
c) after the greeting in a standard formal letter, but if we use a comma it indicates a friendly
acquaintance letter.
Example: Dear professor Samuel: (formal) Dear Sir/ Madam: (formal) Dear Professor Samuel,
(informal)
But in the British style of formal greeting colon is not used, but with or without the comma is
possible.
d) to introduce a direct quotation, especially, a long formal one that may be indented.
Example: As Kenneth Morgan writes:
The truth was, perhaps, that Britain in the years from 1914 to 1983 had not changed all that fundamentally.
Others, however, have challenged this view …
e) to separate hours from minutes.
Example: 1) 4:30 p.m. 2) 8: 15 a.m.
f) after an introductory label.
Example: Person A: How many students are absent today?
Person B: None of them.
5) Question mark (?) is used:
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a) at the end of a direct question and Wh-question.

Example: 1) Are you students? 2) Where‘s the car?

b) to express doubt, especially with a date of life span or publication of a book.
Example: 1) John Marston (? 1575-1634) 2) J. Harmer (? 1991)
6) Exclamation mark (!) is used at the end of a sentence to express surprise, joy, anger, shock
or another strong emotion or command.
Example: 1) That‘s marvelous! 2) ‗Never!‘ she cried.
Note that in informal written English, you can use more than one exclamation mark, or an
exclamation mark and a question mark.
Example: A: Your wife has just given birth to triplets. B: Triplets!! Or Triplets!?
7) Apostrophe (’) is used:

a) with apostrophes s ( ‘s) to indicate that a thing or a person belongs to somebody. If a word either
singular or plural doesn‘t end in s, add an apostrophe and s to form the possessive to modify a
noun after the possessive.
Example: Singular: the man‘s cloth Plural: the men‘s cloth
the child‘s cloth the children‘s cloth
someone‘s cloth people‘s cloth
If the singular word ends in s, add an apostrophe and s.
Example: James‘s cloth Firdows‘s cloth
 If the plural noun ends in s, add an apostrophe after s.
Example: the boys‘ shoes the girls‘ shoes
 If the word is a compound noun, make only the last word possessive.
Example: Father- in- law‘s cloth Fathers- in- law‘s cloth Someone else‘s cloth
 If the nouns are joint possession, make only the last noun possessive.
Example: John and Paul‘s cloth
 If the nouns are individual possession, make both nouns possessive.
Example: John‘s and Paul‘s cloth
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b) to show that letter or number is omitted in words or dates.

Examples: 1) I‘m = I am 2) They‗d write = They would write

3) They‘d written = They had written 4) He‘s writing = He is writing
5) He‘s written= He has written 6) He‘s clever = He is clever
7) He‘s an engineer= He is an engineer 8) The summer of ‘79 = the summer of
1979
c) with apostrophe s to form the plural of a letter, a figure or an abbreviation.
Example: 1) Your G‘s look like your 7‘s and your A‘s look like your O‘s.
2) During 1990‘s
8) Hyphen (-) is used:

a) to form a compound from two or more other words.
Example: hard-hearted, mother-in-law, out-of-date, best-selling book, fork-lift truck
b) to form a compound from a prefix and a proper name and sometimes, in British English, a prefix
ending in a vowel from a word beginning with the same vowel:
Example: pro-European, co-operate, pre-eminent
c) to form words with the prefixes such as self-, ex-, etc.
Example: self-reliance, ex-wife
d) when writing compound numbers between 21 and 99, and infractions of words.
Example: thirty-one, seventy-three, a one-thirds majority, two-fifth of the votes
9) Quotation mark (― ‖) or (‗ ‘) we use it:
a) to enclose words and punctuation marks in a direct speech.
Example: He said, ―That is all I know.‖
Note that:
i) if the expression he said, he replied, etc. follows the words spoken, the comma is placed inside the
quotation marks.
Example: ―That is all I know,‖ he said.
ii) If the writer puts he said, he replied, etc. within the words spoken, the comma is usually inside the
quotation with the first part and outside the quotation before the second part of it.
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Example: ―That,‖ he said, ―is all I know.‖

iii) we should make a single quotation inside a double quotation when there is another quotation in
the direct speech.
Example: 1) ―My father‘s usual words,‖ said Asefu, ―are ‗Be faithful to a friend and a
promise.‖
2) Sara said to her husband, ―But you said you loved me! ‗I will never leave you, Sara,
as long as I live.‘ That‘s what you said, isn‘t it?‖
Note that single quotation marks are British style while double quotations are American style.
b) to put a question mark (?) or an exclamation mark (!):
i) inside the quotation when the main sentence is a statement and the quoted sentence is a
question or an exclamation. Example: She exclaimed, ―Don‘t make me angry!‖
ii) inside the quotation if both the main sentence and the quoted sentence require the same
punctuation mark.
Example: 1) Did she say, ―Why does the manager order this job?‖
2) He said, ―I will come to your home.‖
iii. outside the quotation when the main sentence is a question and the quoted sentence is a
statement.
Example: Did the soldiers say, ―We will die for our country‖?
c) to make a colon and a semicolon outside the quotation when the two sentences are joined by a
conjunction.
Example: The doctor said, ―Chewing khat is not good‖; however, he himself chews khat a lot.
d) to enclose the names of units in a book, titles of newspapers, magazines, songs and short stories.
Example: Did you read ―Phrasal Verbs‖ in Practical English Grammar?
e) to put words or phrases inside quotations when they are used in a special or ironic sense.
Example: 1) Books are ―bridges‖ between readers and authors.
(In this case, the word ‗bridges‘ is used with a special meaning.)
f) to put words or phrases inside quotation marks:
i) when we talk about them.
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Example: What does the word ―extraordinary‖ mean?

ii) to indicate that they are from other languages.

Example: My aunt gave me ―Chechebsa‖ when I visited her last year.
10) The dash (__) is used:

a) instead of a colon or semi-colon to indicate that what follows is a summary or a conclusion after a
series.
Example: Men were shouting, women were screaming, children were crying __ it was chaos.
b) in a single or pairs as a parenthetic form to separate comment or an afterthought from the rest of
the sentence. Example: Graduation is the happiest event in our educational life __ or so I am told.
11) Dots/ Ellipsis (…) is used to indicate that words have been omitted, especially from a
quotation or at the end of a conversation.
Example: … challenging the view that Britain… had not changed all that fundamentally
12) Slash/Oblique (/) is used:

a) to separate alternative words or phrases.
Example: 1) Have a pudding and /or cheese. 2) Are you single/married/widow/divorced?
b) to separate the different elements often said ‗forward slash‘ in internet and e-mail address.
Example: http://www.oup.co.uk /elt/
13) Brackets/ Parenthesis ( ) is used:

a) to separate extra information or a comment from the rest of a sentence.
Example: Mt. Ras-Dejen (the highest mountain in Ethiopia) is found in North Gondar.
b) to enclose cross-references.
Example: This moral ambiguity is a feature of Shakespeare‘s later works (see Chapter Eight).
c) to enclose around numbers or letters in a text.
Example: Our objectives are (1) to increase output, (2) to improve quality and (3) to maximize
profits.
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14) Square brackets [ ] is used around words inserted to make a quotation grammatically correct.
Example: Britain in [these] years was without a challenge when colonizing almost the world.
Exercise 2: Choose the appropriate answer for each question in the given alternatives (UEE
Questions).
1) Which one of the following sentences is correctly punctuated?
A) He saw or at least he thought, a big snake lying in his bed.
B) He saw or, at least he thought, a big snake lying in his bed.
C) He saw or, at least, he thought, a big snake lying in his bed.
D) He saw, or at least he thought, a big snake lying in his bed.
A) If he doesn‘t obey, then he follows a punitive measure; he is dismissed for good.
B) If he doesn‘t obey, then he follows a punitive measure: he is dismissed for good.
C) If he doesn‘t obey, then he follows a punitive measure, he is dismissed for good.
D) If he doesn‘t obey, then he follows: a punitive measure, he is dismissed for good.
3) Which one of the following sentences has correct punctuation?
A) ―But, look here, said Berhan, I can‘t give you this one‖!
B) ―But look here,‖ said Berhan, ―I can‘t give you this one!‖
C) ―But look here,‖ said Berhan, ―I can‘t give you this one‖!
D) ―But, look here, said Berhan, ―I can‘t give you this one!‖
A) What do you mean when you say ―hyphenation?‖
B) What do you mean when you say ―hyphenation‖?
C) What do you mean when you say, ―hyphenation?‖
D) What do you mean when you say, ―hyphenation‖?
A) Mamo said, ―Every dog has its day;‖ however, I didn‘t understand what it meant.
B) Mamo said, ―every dog has its day‖; however, I didn‘t understand what it meant.
C) Mamo said, ―Every dog has its day‖; however, I didn‘t understand what it meant.
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D) Mamo said, ―every dog has its day;‖ however, I didn‘t understand what it meant.

A) We visit three places: Jimma; Oromia, Shire; Tigray, and Dessie; Amhara.
B) We visit three places: Jimma, Oromia; Shire, Tigray; and Dessie, Amhara.
C) We visit three places, Jimma; Oromia, Shire; Tigray, and Dessie; Amhara.
D) We visit three places: Jimma, Oromia; Shire, Tigray; and, Dessie, Amhara.
A) Father said, ―Abera keep quiet!‖ B) Father said, Abera ―Keep quiet!‖
C) A) Father said, ―Abera, Keep quiet!‖ D) Father said, ―Abera, keep quiet!‖
8) Which one of the following sentences is wrongly punctuated?
A) She goes to Axum University in Tigray. B) We are from Samara Afar Regional State.
C) He comes from Jimma, Oromia Reginal State. D) They bought it from Azezo, a suburb in
Gondar.
A) Not surprisingly, universities all over the world, follow similar rules.
B) Not surprisingly universities all over the world, follow similar rules.
C) Not surprisingly, universities all over the world follow similar rules.
D) Not surprisingly; universities all over the world, follow similar rules.
A) ―You may not have a cold‖ Nana explained. ―Just allergies,‖ she added.
B) ―You may not have a cold,‖ Nana explained. ―Just allergies‖, she added.
C) ―You may not have a cold‖ Nana explained. ―Just allergies,‖ she added.
D) ―You may not have a cold,‖ Nana explained. ―Just allergies,‖ she added.
A) Why don‘t you turn your television off when you are not watching it!
B) Why don‘t you turn your television off, when you are not watching it?
C) Why don‘t you turn your television off when you are not watching it?
D) Why don‘t you turn your television off when you are not watching it.
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12) Which one of the following sentences has a correct punctuation?

A) Where he is, God knows. B) He ate at the Ghion hotel.

C) He comes from Somali region. D) I was born in Gambella; Ethiopia.
3) Kinds of sentences
There are four kinds of sentences.
A) Assertive sentences: are statements that declare something that ends with a full stop. These are:
1. Simple Sentence is an independent clause with a complete thought. The most common
structures of these are:
a) Subject and transitive verb with indirect and direct object: S+ TV + IO + DO.
Example: My father bought me a book.
b) Subject and transitive verb with direct object: S+ TV + DO.
Example: The man sells his car.
c) Subject and link verbs with complements such as verb to ‗be‘, act, appear, become, feel, grow,
look, remain, seem, sound, turn, etc: S + LVs + an adjective, a noun or noun phrase with an article.
Example: 1) Sara is intelligent. 2) Sara is a student. 3) Sara is an intelligent student.
d) Subject and intransitive verbs with or without adverbs: S+ IV+ (adverbs).
Example: 1) Sara runs quickly. 2) Sara lives in a big city.
2. Compound Sentence contains two independent clauses joined by coordinators such as for, and,
nor, but, or, yet, so (FANBOYS). These coordinators can be preceded by a comma.
Example: Some students are studying in the library, but others are playing outside.
3. Complex Sentence contains an independent clause joined by one or more dependent clauses.
These types of sentences always have subordinating conjunctions such as because, since, as, although,
after, when, if, etc., and a relative pronoun such as that, who, whom, or which. It can also be punctuated
by a semi-colon.
Example:1) Although he was sick, he came to school.
2) The man whom you saw at school last night is my uncle.
4. Compound-Complex Sentence contains at least two independent and one dependent clause.
Example: I always tell you about the difficulty of the road, but you never listen to me when I
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give you advice.

B) Interrogative sentences: are questions that end with a question mark. The most common types
of these are:
a)Yes/No Questions: Auxiliary verb + Subject + (Main verb).
Example: Have you ever been to London?
b) Wh-questions: Wh-word + Auxiliary verb + Subject + (Main verb).
Example: Where do you live?
c) Tag questions: Statement with a comma and auxiliary verb + subject pronoun.
Example: 1) You live in this town, don‘t you? 2) You don‘t live in this town, do you?
Note that the positive statement has a negative tag and a negative statement has a positive tag.
d) Requests: Would / Could / Can/ Will + you ---?
Example: Could you help me to carry this bag?
e) Offers: May/ Could/ Can/ Shall I ---?
Example: Shall I help you?
f) Permissions: May/ Could / Can I / we ---?
Example: Could I use your book?
g) Indirect questions: they are questions in the form of statements introduced by a polite expression
such as: Can you tell me---?, Could you tell me---?, Would you mind---?, and Do you know---?
Example 1) Would you mind telling me where you went last night?
2) Can you tell me if you have seen my jacket?
Note we use ‗if/ whether‘ as a conjunction for direct questions when we change them into
indirect questions.
C) Imperative sentences: are sentences that give command; make instructions, requests and
suggestions; express invitations and wishes most of them end with a full stop.
Examples: 1. Go out of my office! (Command)
2. Let us go to the stadium. (Suggestion)
3. Have a good picnic. (A wish)
4. Write this sentence correctly. (Instruction)
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5. Have a coffee, please. (Invitation)

6. Go to your room. (An order)

7. Please lend me your book. (A request)
Note that imperative sentences begin with Verb 1 forms, but its subject ‗You‘ for most of them
are understood.
D) Exclamatory sentences: are sentences that express sudden and strong feelings such as surprise,
wonder, pity, gratitude, etc.
Examples: 1) How handsome he is! 2) What a wonderful job you have!
Exercise 3: Choose the correct form for the disordered sentences (UEE Questions ).
1) looking have we over you all been for
A) We have been looking for you all over. C) You have been looking for we all over.
B) We all have been looking over for you. D) All over you have been looking for we.
2) him you like son like we and your seeing laugh
A) You like your son and we like seeing laugh him.
B) You laugh like seeing your son and we like him.
C) We like him laugh and your son like seeing him.
D) We like seeing him laugh like you and your son.
3) people going to many invite party are to your you?
A) Are you going to invite many people to your party?
B) Are your many people going to invite you to party?
C) Are your many party going to you people to invite?
D) Are you going to many party to invite your people?
4) us him and go up let pick
A) Let him go and pick up us. C) Let him go up and us pick.
B) Let him up and go pick us. D) Let us go and pick him up.
5) carefully work you did your check?
A) Did you work your check carefully? C) Did you carefully check your work?
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B) Did carefully you check your work? D) Your work did you carefully check?
6) Mammo dog the skinny killed.

A) Mammo the skinny dog killed. C) Skinny the dog Mammo killed.
B) Skinny dog killed the Mammo. D) The skinny dog killed Mammo.
7) for and join come us celebration the
A) Come and join for us the celebration. C) Come and join the celebration for us.
B) For us the celebration come and join. D) Come and join us for the celebration.
8) he around robbed that bank spread a easily.
A) That he robbed a bank spread around easily. C) He easily robbed a bank around that spread.
B) Around that bank he easily robbed a spread. D) He easily robbed a bank that around spread.
4) Paragraph types and patterns of organizing a paragraph

A paragraph is a group of related sentences that are arranged in a logical order, developed on a single
idea for detailed and appropriate information.
A paragraph commonly has three parts. The first one is the topic sentence which essentially tells
readers what the rest of the paragraph is about. Every topic sentence will have one main idea and a
controlling idea, but the controlling sometimes may not be stated clearly. So we should look for the
attitude of the writer whether he/she has a positive or negative feeling that makes the topic
important to the reader. The second one is the supporting sentences or details which explain and
expand the topic of the paragraph. The third part is the concluding sentence which is the last
sentence of the paragraph. It lets the reader know that you have finished talking about the idea
introduced by the topic sentence may be by restating the main idea, offering a suggestion, giving an
opinion, or making a prediction.
There are generally four kinds of texts with different types of organizing patterns. The most
common ones are:
A) Narrative
The narrative paragraph tells us an event or a story may be written from the first or third person
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point of view. In the longer narrative, elements like characters, setting, point of view, conflict and
plot are developed in the composition. When the narrator is a participant in the action, the narrative
becomes from the first person point of view (I or We). When the narrator is outside the action of
the story, the narrative is from the third person point of view (He, She, and They). Narrative texts
can be storytelling (fable), history, autobiography, biography, etc.
We can organize a narrative paragraph based on time or chronology and sometimes with sequencing
words.
Example: Rearrange the following jumbled narrative sentences chronologically to make a coherent
paragraph.
a) I was exhausted after twenty-one hours of activity.
b) Then I passed with my family the whole night and didn‘t go to sleep until 2:00 a.m.
c) I had to get up at 5: 00 a.m. to attend a holiday sunrise service the rest of the morning.
d) Last Sunday was an exhausting day for me.
e) In the afternoon, I visited my older uncle‘s house and played cards with him until about 9:00 p.m.
In this paragraph, one full Sunday activity is described chronologically. Sentence (d) is the topic
sentence because the writer expresses the negative attitude of his day. The sentence becomes (c) the
first detail as it indicates the time duration which is ‗5:00 a.m.‘ sunrise morning. Sentence (e) is the
next detail since the adverb word ‗in the afternoon‘ and ‗9:00 p.m.‘ comes after 5:00 a.m. morning.
The sentence in (b) is the last detail; the time expression ‗the whole night and ‗until 2: a.m.‘ tell us
the ending of the one-day activity. Sentence (a) becomes the conclusion as the writer indicates that
he was exhausted by the twenty-one hours of activity. So the correct orders of these sentences are a
c e d a.
B) Descriptive: it is making a person‘s physical appearance or profession, a place, an object, an

event or a situation captured in words, so others can imagine it and see it in his mind's eye.
Example 1: Rearrange the following jumbled descriptive sentences for a person to make a
coherent paragraph.
a) But my neighbor, Tasew will bring you home.
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b) I am sorry I cannot come to meet you at the airport.

c) He is a middle aged man in his early twenties with frizzy hair, a fairy complexion and
appears cheerful by nature.

d) As you have never met him before, Tasew has a round face, average height and medium
build.
e) In addition to his physical appearance and character, he is usually casually dressed in old
jeans, and a T-shirt and wears a hat.
Here sentence (b) should be in the first line as the writer explains that he can‘t go to the airport, but
he sends his neighbor called Tasew (a). Then he introduces Tasew‘s physical appearances and
behavior in sentences (a) and (c) respectively. Lastly, he expresses the type of cloth that Tasew
wears. Therefore the order of the sentence becomes: b a d c e.
Example 2: Rearrange the following jumbled descriptive sentences for a place to make a
coherent paragraph.
a) To the south of the bed and below the shelf, three red bean bag chairs are ragging from years
of use.
b) To the left of the bed against the wall, a walnut shelf is standing with a reading lamp, a clock
and a radio.
c) My bedroom is very attractive.
d) Also, in all four corners of the room my speakers are mounted just below the ceiling.
e) Below the north window, my bed with an imitation of a leopard picture bedspread is laid
horizontally.
Here sentence (c) is the topic sentence with the positive attitude of the writer about his bedroom.
Sentence (e) is the first detail of the paragraph as the writer mentions what his bed looks like before
sentence (b) which includes ‗a walnut shelf‘ in addition to the bed. Sentence (a) becomes the third
one as it carries ‗the bed‘ and the shelf‘ as it logically follows the definite article ‗the‘ for ‗a walnut
shelf‘. Lastly, sentence (d) becomes the last as the writer completes his idea on the four corners of
his bedroom after he discusses the floor. So the correct orders of these sentences are c e b a d.
Example 3: Rearrange the following jumbled descriptive sentences for a situation to make a
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coherent paragraph based on the climatic order.

a. This made the village dull and sleepy.

b. The weather was hot and extremely scorching.
c. There are also rumors that the enemy was approaching.
d. Unfriendly as the situation was, not a soul was to be seen anywhere.
e. Suddenly a too loud and scary explosion broke the monotonous stillness.
Sentence (d) can be the first sentence that begins with the lower intensity before sentence (a) which
contains the reference word ‗this‘ for the situation. Sentence (b) gives the reason why the situation
becomes ‗dull and sleepy‘. But sentence (e) tells another higher intensity which is different from
sentences (d), (a) and (b). Sentence (c) also indicates the other additional higher intensity which is
different from (e). Thus, the correct order is d a b c, e.
C) Expository paragraph
An expository paragraph focuses on presenting factual information and being objective. There are
different types of expository paragraphs. The most common ones are:
i) Definition and example: this type of paragraph is developed by defining a concept and using
examples for elaboration.
Example1: Rearrange the following jumbled expository sentences for definition and example
to make a coherent paragraph.
a. Graphology is the study of handwriting.
b. They also consider the spacing between words.
c. To do this, they look carefully at the slant of the writing.
d. For example, a person with printing a hand writing is said to be creative and witty.
e. Graphologists believe they can analyze personalities through their handwriting.
In this paragraph, sentence (a) is the topic sentence as it contains the word ‗Graphology‘ which
needs definition. The sentence (e) should be as it introduces ‗Graphologists‘ who study handwriting
and sentence (c) becomes next the pronoun word ‗they‘ refers to the graphologists. Sentence (d)
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gives an example of a person who can be studied for his/her intelligence based on their handwriting.
Sentence (b) is the last one which gives additional studying ways of handwriting. Thus, the correct
order is a e c d b.
ii) Exemplification: uses specific examples to illustrate a point made in writing. The examples can
be facts, historical examples, statistics, events or behaviors and so on. A good exemplification
paragraph should answer the following characteristics:
Relevance: Does the example relate specifically to the point being made?
Accuracy: Are you honest about your facts and statistics?
Sufficient details: Have you used enough examples to prove your point?
Example 2: Rearrange the following jumbled expository sentences for size to make a coherent
paragraph.
a. It eats about a ton of food each day.
b. The lion needs about 15 pounds of food.
c. Different animals have different food requirements.
d. The record-holder for the amount of food eaten each day is the blue whale.
e. The relatively small chimpanzee, for example, eats an average of 4.5 pounds of food each day.
Sentence (c) is the topic sentence of the paragraph for it contains the controlling idea. The next one
is sentence (e) since the paragraph seems to discuss animal food requirement from small size to large
size; based on this, sentence (b) and (d) follows. Sentence (a) becomes the last as the word ‗It‘ refers
to the whale which takes the record holder of food requirement in given the paragraph. Thus, the
correct orders of these sentences are c e b d a.
iii) Classification: it is the process of putting a large number of items into smaller and well-defined
groups. We can organize such types of paragraphs for different categories or items which entertains
classification.
Example 3: Rearrange the following jumbled expository sentences for the category of aircraft
to make a coherent paragraph.
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a. The shape of each depends on its size, speed and purpose.

b. The concord, for example, is one particular type.
c. The concord is the fastest passenger airliner.

d. There are many types of aircraft.
e. It has a nose that drops down on landing and takes off.
In this paragraph, sentence (d) is the topic sentence that tells the types of aircraft. The next sentence
is (a) as it logically follows to tell us the shape, size, speed and purpose. Sentence (b) and (c) gives
examples among the different types of aircraft about a ‗concord‘ and its speed respectively. Sentence
(e) is the writer rests his idea about the concord. So the correct order becomes: d a b c e.
iv) The process paragraph is used to show a series of actions that produce a change. There are two
basic kinds:
a)The how-to or the instruction paragraph is developed often using a sequence of words and the
imperative form of a verb is commonly used.
Example 4: Rearrange the following jumbled sentences for lists of items to make a coherent
paragraph.
a) Then cool the burn immediately with cold water.
b) A simple burn of the skin caused by exposure to fire can be treated by anyone using the
following steps.
c) After that, place a clean, cold, wet towel on less serious burns to ease the pain.
d) First, remove the victim of the accident from the fire as soon as possible.
e) Also, apply dry, sterile bandages to transfer the victim to the immediate proper medical care.
f) Finally, protect the burn from contamination without using any ointment for burns.
Sentence (b) becomes the topic sentence as it has the controlling idea ‗the following steps‘.
Sentences (d), (a) and (c) should come after sentence (b) based on the use of a sequence of words.
Sentence (f) has to be put before (e) since sentence (e) indicates that the victim has to be taken to
the proper medical care. Thus, the correct is b d a c f e.
b) The explanation paragraph tells how something works and how it came to be. As a reader, you
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are not expected to be able to do anything, but you just understand how it happened or how it
works. The passive form of the verb is commonly used in an explanation paragraph.
Example 5: Rearrange the following jumbled sentences for lists of items to make a coherent
paragraph.
a) First, a rating company installs meters in a few thousand representative homes in a particular
area
b) Although most people know how a TV show is measured by its rating, few know exactly how
shows are rated.
c) Thus, these are the ways how shows are rated.
d) The meter then electronically sends this information from all the homes in the area.
e) When the TV set in one of these homes is turned on, the meter records the day, time and
channel.
f) Finally, the computer prints a rating sheet that shows how many homes watched each show
and which shows are the most popular.
Here sentence (b) becomes the topic sentence as it introduces ‗how a TV shows is measured‘.
Sentence (a) should come next based on the use of a sequence of words. Sentence (d) has to be put
before (e) since the TV has to be turned on to send information after it is recorded and sentence (f)
and (c) becomes the last detail and the conclusion respectively for the paragraph. Therefore, the
correct becomes: b a d e f c.
v) Comparison/Contrast: when we say comparison, it means how something is similar to

something else and when we say contrast, we mean how something is different from something else.
We can develop these types of a paragraph using words or terms that express similarity and
difference.
Example 6: Rearrange the following jumbled expository sentences for contrast to make a
coherent paragraph.
a) They are not so interested to express their feelings as women when they challenge them.
b) Men tend not to reveal immediate information about themselves.
c) Men and women communicate about themselves differently.
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d) Thus, both sexes are dissimilar in expressing themselves.

e) On the other hand, women frequently express their inner feelings.
Here sentence (c) introduces both ‗men and women with the controlling idea of difference, so it
becomes the topic sentence of the paragraph. Sentence (b) and sentence (a) should follow the topic
sentence respectively as they tell us about the men before the contrasting phrase ‗On the other hand‘
to begin sentence (e) for expressing ‘women‘. The word ‗thus‘ indicates the conclusion, so sentence
(d) becomes the last by restating the topic sentence. Therefore, the correct order is c b a e d.
vi) Cause and effect is a method of relating the cause and the effect of something. These types of
paragraph can be developed based on the discourse markers that indicate the cause and the effect or
vice versa.
Example 7: Rearrange the following jumbled expository sentences for cause and effect to make a
coherent paragraph.
a) As a result, many people become homeless and disease may spread.
b) It also takes years to build and normalize it again.
c) The movement follows a great loss of life and millions of dollars damage.
d) Earthquakes are caused by sudden slips of rock breaking along the earth‘s crust.
e) The breaks result in strong movement when the pressure on rock layers becomes too great.
Here sentence (d) becomes the topic sentence that introduces the cause of the earthquake. Sentence
(e) and sentence (c) follow as they tell us the reason why the earthquake and its destruction happen
respectively. Then, sentence (a) comes to tell us the result of the earthquake. Sentence (b) ends how
challenging the result of the earthquake is to become normalized again. Thus, the correct orders of
these jumbled sentences are a e c a b.
D) Argumentative: it is to convince someone that a particular point of view is the right one. The
basic types are:
a) Logical argumentative types: is used to convince someone by using the basic kind of support
Example 1: Rearrange the following jumbled argumentative sentences to make a coherent
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paragraph.
a) There is no escaping global warming.

b) Why worry about the changes that are happening today?
c) However, there is a small group of people who think that global warming is a myth.
d) You pick up a newspaper or watch TV without hearing about this major issue.
e) They say that the earth‘s climate has been changing for as long as anyone can remember.
Here sentence (a) should be in the first line as the writer expresses his opinion about the issue of
global warming. Sentence (d) can be the second since it gives the evidence where the issue of global
warming is discussed. Sentence (e) should come before sentence (c) because of the pronoun ‗They‘
which refers to ‗a newspaper or TV‘. Sentence (b) becomes the last as the writer ends the paragraph
after the opposition of the small group of people about global warming by questioning to make their
argument strong. So the correct order becomes a d e c b.
b) Persuasive types: it is to convince someone that a particular product, thing, or someone is
good or bad.
Example 2: Rearrange the following jumbled argumentative sentences to make a coherent
paragraph.
a) Why don‘t you come to take your share of these attractive prizes?
b) For those who change a foreign currency will have additional coupons for those prizes.
c) For the winners, the bank prepares latest automobile, 40 inch TV set and latest mobile
phones.
d) For every 500 birr you save you will get a coupon that makes you a winner.
e) Commercial Bank of Ethiopia prepares to give fabulous prizes.
Here sentence (e) should be in the first line as it introduces the origination that gives the prizes.
Sentence (d) becomes before sentence (c) as the phrase ‗a winner‘ comes before ‗the winners‘
grammatically. Then, sentence (b) follows since it indicates another coupon is given in addition to
the 500 birr saver. Finally, the announcer tries to convince someone that saving is good for the
prize, so sentence (a) will be the last. Thus, the order of these jumbled sentences becomes e d c b a.
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Exercise 4: Choose among the given alternative that contains the correct order to make a
coherent paragraph.
1) a. There are various reasons why gambling is so popular.
b.The most obvious reason why people gamble is to make money.
c. Even if you know you may not win, there is always a chance that you win.
d. Another reason people gamble is to bring some excitement into their lives.
e. For many people winning from gambling is the only way they make a lot of money.
A) a e b d c B)c d e b a C) d e a c b D)a b e d c
2) a. One, I have a problem with the lectures.
b. I don‘t seem to succeed in my new course.
c. Apparently, my classmates are also uncooperative.
d. They speak quickly and not very clearly.
e. They are not willing to lend me the books I want.
(A) b d a c e (B) b a d c e (C) d b a e c (D) d a b e c
3) a. People used symbolic vocal sounds.
b. Language signaling systems are many types.
c. Animals also communicate with one another using cries.
d. But the number of signals is limited except in human languages.
e. For example, birds utter warnings at the eminence of danger.
(A) c e d b a (B) b a c e d (C) d a b c e (D) d a c b e
4) a. While there, she worked part-time as a travel agent.
b. After six months she went to work for Kenya Airlines.
c. At nineteen she left school.
d. She also worked at a local airport.
e. She then went to college.
(A) c a e d b (B) e c a d b (C) c e a d b (D) b c e a d
5) a. Right in front of me, there were large plants.
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b. On my left, the ground rose gently to a low hill.

c. I made my first landing there and began to look around.

d. A kind of fruit like none I had ever seen before grew on them.
e. Attracted by their color, I got closer for a thorough examination.
(A) c a d e b (B) a c b e d (C) a b c e d (D) c d e a b
6) a) So, I left the house through the back door.
b) Because of the rain, I was told to wear my coat to school.
c) There he was my father a few meters behind me with the unwanted coat.
d) But as I just reached the school gate, I heard my Dad calling me my name.
e) However, hated doing it since no other boy had one.
(A) a d c b e (B) b e a d c (C) b d e c a (D) d c e b a
7) a. Every year one million children die of malaria.
b. Malaria is very common in many parts of the world.
c. However, people must also cooperate to stop its spread.
d. Governments have special programs to control malaria.
e. Many others cannot go to school or work because of malaria.
(A) a b c e d (B) b a e d c (C) b d a e c a (D) a e b c d
8) a) In 1991, the country launched an early-warning system-the first in the world and one that
has been emulated by countries like Japan.
b) Mexico‘s recent quake occurred 32 years after the city‘s 1985 shock, which killed about
10,000 people and destroyed 3,000 buildings.
c) Since then, Mexico has worked to shore up its earthquake preparedness.
d) Some had a minute to duck and cover, to grab go bags, and to locate their loved ones.
e) Thanks to sirens and smartphones, thousands of individuals were alerted to the impending
quake.
f) Those seconds can mean the difference between life and death.
(A) b c a e d f (B) f a e b d c (C) c a b d f e (D) a e d c f d
Exercise 5: Identify the following paragraph parts from which type of paragraph is mostly
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likely taken.
1) ―If you take this one, you can win a new microscope that the company has put on offer. You can
also enjoy all benefits that state-of-the-art machines in the category could provide.‖ This is probably
taken from____________ piece of writing.
2) ―I thought he was asking me just for a walk and did not hesitate to give the slightest in. He then
started smartly guiding me into a forest where I could see no soul around. Ten minutes into the
venture, however, I started realizing that he was trying to use my naivety. He remarked, ―you know,
I ….‖ This is most probably taken from _________ type of text.
3) ―This bird is one of a group of long-legged wading birds. It has a long beak that curves down.‖
This statement is likely taken from the beginning of__________ type of text.
4) ―The internet has provided great benefits, but at the same time it has also created problems and
inequalities.‖ This piece of writing is likely to be _____________.
5) ―We had already cruised for one and half hours when we heard a loud bang. The driver
instinctively swerved the vehicle and we came to a safe stop.‖ This is likely part of writing
___________ in nature.
6) ―This building is a small house consisting of two floors. The outside front wall is 9m long and 5m
high. There is a door in the middle of the wall at the ground level.‖ This piece of writing is likely to
be_____________.
7) ―Below are my reasons to claim that seminar is a better alternative to the lecture method of
teaching in higher education.‖ This is most likely taken from ____________of piece of writing.
8) ‗Walk along the road in front of the post office until you come to the football field. Behind the
football field, there is a street with a vegetable market. There is a café opposite the vegetable market.
I‘m living in the villa located just next to the market.‘ This is most likely taken from a piece of
writing that is _____________.
Exercise 6: Identify the following sentences from which type of paragraph is mostly likely
taken.
1) Which one of the following best illustrates descriptive writing?
A) The place was extremely quite. C) They have already been there for one year.
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B) I have always wanted to visit the place. D) We then went into a room where the king used to
sleep.
2) Which one of the following best illustrates a sentence taken from a descriptive piece of writing?
A) The girl standing by him is confronting the policeman.
B) The girl standing by him is beautiful and wore blue jeans.
C) The girl standing by him should have really won the contest.
D) The girl standing by him has a father who works in a fish shop.
3) Which one of the following best illustrates a sentence taken from an argumentative piece of
writing?
A) Four-wheel-drive vehicles are available here.
B) Most four-wheel- drive vehicles consume more petrol.
C) We hired a four-wheel-drive vehicle for the off-rid trip.
D) It was not possible to make it even in a four-wheel-drive vehicle.
4) Which one of the following is a line most likely taken from a narrative piece of writing?
A) The cause of the uproar remains a mystery.
B) Quite a lot of them died suffocated in the crowd.
C) I don‘t know many shops were burnt down that day.
D) When the clock struck seven, people started yelling and shouting.
5) Which one of the following is a line most likely taken from a narrative piece of writing?
A) Altogether, he was extraordinarily eloquent.
B) Then the speaker stood up and asked everyone for attention.
C) He was so simplistic in his approach and influential in his argument.
D) He had the art of disarming you of your opinion and making you join his block.
5) Writing an essay
An essay contains an introduction, some paragraphs of the body and a conclusion. The
introductory paragraph states a general topic or the thesis statement. It also restates the issue of
the essay. The body of the paragraph starts from the second paragraph. Each topic sentence of
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the body should support the thesis statement. The ideas in the body also support the topic sentences
of the paragraph. These are the details such as examples, facts, descriptions, personal experiences,
etc. The concluding paragraph is the last part. It concludes or wraps up the essay. It lets the
reader know that you have finished talking about the idea introduced by the essay. A concluding
sentence often has one of these four important purposes: it restates the issue of the essay; it offers a
suggestion; it gives an opinion; it makes a prediction and it may give a problem and solution.
Exercise7: Read the following parts of essay and choose the best answer from the given
alternatives.
1) ‗We can easily see from these few examples the extent of foreign influences on our language, our
arts and our
eating habits.‘ This is most likely taken from the __________section of an essay.
A) body B) details C) conclusion D) introduction
2) ‗During the last century vaccination programs were introduced in most countries around the
world. Before this, thousands of people, especially, children, used to die of infectious disease every
year.‘ This is most likely taken from the _____________ section of an essay. A) body B) details
C) conclusion D) introduction
6) Informal and formal letters
When writing personal letters, remember to include the following parts:
The sender's address is usually located at the top right-hand corner if it is included.
Example: O. Box 4567
Gondar,
Ethiopia
The date is located under the sender's address usually on the right-hand side below the sender‘s
address.
Example: 03/05/16, May 3, 2016, 3rd May 2016, May 3rd 2016
The greeting is located under the date on the left-hand side. It may begin with ‗Dear/ Hello/ Hi‘.
Example: Dear Hanna,
The body of the letter includes the messages. It is written in paragraph form.
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The closing of the letter would include:

a) To family members and close friends: Love, Love from, Lots of love, etc.
b) To friends and acquaintances: Your friend, Best wishes, All the best, Take care, Let us keep in touch, etc.
Your first name or signature is put under the closing.
Note that you can use contractions in an informal letter. Consider the following personal letter:
P. O.
Box 4567
Gondar,
Ethiopia
9/04/16
Dear Ahmed,
How are you? I‘m writing to tell you about my summer. It‘s really been fun. I‘ve gone to visit the
Castle several times and I have visited several of my friends from school. Next week, I am going to
Gorgora beach with my family.
I hope you are having a fun summer, too.
Your friend,
Andargie
2) Formal letters
There are different types of formal letters from social to business letters that use similar formats.
When writing formal letters, remember to include the following parts:
1) The sender's address goes in the top right-hand corner.
2) The date goes below the Sender‘s address; it may also go to the left-hand corner above the
recipient's address.
3) The recipient’s name or job title goes in the top left-hand corner below the sender‘s address
and the date.
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4) The recipient’s address goes below his/ her name or job title.
5) The greeting or salutation of a formal letter uses the recipient‘s title and sur name if you know
them use, for example, Dear Mr. Beckham, Dear Dr. Worku, etc.
But if you don‘t know the name of the person you are writing to, and then use: Dear Sir or Dear
Madam, Dear Sir or Madam, or Dear Sir
Note that in American style colon is put after the salutation.
If the formal letter is an application letter, we should write the topic our job position after
greeting.
6) The body of the letter if it is handwriting should be indented, but if it is typed or printed from a
computer paragraphs can be written in block style. Be polite and use formal language like:
Regarding (the program) for your ----
I would like to suggest ---
Please telephone me on --- if this is not convenient.
Thank you very much for your letter and your kind ---- I look forward to hearing from/ seeing
you on -----
7) Closing: British style uses a) ‗Yours sincerely‘ when you know the recipient‘s name.
b) ‗Yours faithfully‘ when you don‘t know the recipient‘s name.
8) The writer’s signature can be put after the closing.
9) The sender’s name is written at the bottom of the letter below his/ her signature.
Example: formal letter when the writer knows the receiver in block style
Bole Secondary School,

Addis Ababa,
Ethiopia
10 March 2016
To Saladin Seid,
Bole Road, Addis Ababa
Ethiopia
Dear Ato Saladin,
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I am writing to you on the behalf of my class 12A to ask you if you would be prepared to visit us
this summer. We would really like you to come because we have seen many of your matches on TV
and think you are a fabulous player.
There are also lots of questions we would like to ask you such as why you became a footballer and
how you keep yourself fit.
I hope you visit us. If so, please let me know when you are available and the details of the fees.
I look forward to hearing from you.
Yours sincerely,
Abel Fentahun
Letters of application
A letter of application may be written when we apply for a permanent/temporary job or educational
course. It is important to include only the relevant information, and to use a suitable style, formal or
semi-formal.
Introduction or Paragraph 1- the reason for writing like:
- I am writing to apply for the post/job/position of/which I saw advertised in...
- I am writing with regard to your advertisement...
- I am writing in response to your advertisement...
Main body: paragraphs 2 - 3 – 4 should be:
- qualifications/training
- previous experience/qualities and skills
Reference to experience:
- ...for the last/past year I have been working as... since/for
- I have had the experience of...
- Two years ago I was employed as...
- I worked as... before
Conclusion or Final Paragraph - closing remarks:
- I would appreciate a reply at your earliest convenience...
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- Please contact me regarding any queries you may have...

- I enclose my CV and I would be glad to attend an interview at any time convenient to you...
- If you wish me to attend an interview, I am available at any time...
- I look forward to hearing from you in due course...
Example of an application letter when the writer does not know the receiver in the indented
style
Azezo Airport Sub-city
Gondar
15th March 2016
The Manager
Guna Trading Ltd,
P.O. Box 1243
Gondar
Dear Sir/ Madam:
Re: The post of junior administrative assistance
I have seen your advertisement in the Ethiopian Herald newspaper and I would like to apply for the
post of junior assistant for general office work.
I am 19 years old and I left Gondar Poly Technique College with a diploma in Accounting last year.
I would like to work in an office as I think I am suited to working with people and keeping records,
writing letters, keeping accounts and so on. I have some experience of dealing with customers and
keeping stock records as I have worked in Ato Abadir‘s supermarket on Sundays and during school
holidays for the last two years. I am interested in learning languages. In addition to Amharic, I speak
English. These may be useful in your office. I do not have any computer skills but I am very keen to
learn.
I have enclosed my CV which gives full details of my background and my referees who have said
they will be glad to answer any further inquiries about me. If you would like to contact them, they
are my former Vice Director Ato Fasil Asmamaw at Azezo Preparatory School 0918203450 and Ato
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Alemu Baye at Gondar Poly Technique College 0918203450.

I look forward very much to hearing from you.

Yours faithfully,
(Signature)
Sara Daniel
Enc: CV
Exercise 9: Choose the appropriate answer for each question in the given alternatives.
1) The following items (a-e) are components of an application letter arranged in the wrong order.
Which alternative shows the correct order?
a) New Thoughts University
b) P. O. Box 2040
c) Ato Bekele
d) Head, Purchasing Department
e) Addis Ababa
A) a c d e b B) c d a b e C) a c b e d D) c d a e b
2) ―I am writing this letter in response to your advertisement of 12 September 2009 regarding…‖
Which part of a formal letter does the line go in?
A) salutation B) introduction C) body D) closing
3) ―Please find enclosed a photocopy of my credentials.‖ This is most likely taken from a _____.
A) letter of request B) letter to close friends C) letter of acceptance D) job application letter
4) ―Let us keep in touch!‖ which part of a letter does this line go in?
A) Body B) Closing C) Salutation D) Introduction
5) ―It was great to hear from you.‖ This is likely taken from the beginning of a ____________.
A) formal letter B) business letter C) letter to a boss D) letter to a friend
6) ―I look forward to hearing from you soon.‖ This is most likely taken from:
A) the body of a business letter.
B) the introduction of a letter to a close friend.
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C) the closing section of a letter of application for a job.

D) the salutation section of a letter of application for a job.

7) The phrase ‗I regret to inform you that … …‘ is a possible introduction used in a letter to
someone who:
A) should settle her/ his bill B) is advised to collect an item
C) is required to sign her/ his contract D) did not succeed in a job interview
8) ‗Take care and thanks again.‘ This is most likely taken from:
A) the ending of a formal letter. B) the beginning of a formal letter.
C) the ending of a letter to a friend. D) the beginning of a letter to a friend.
9) ‗We would love to come.‘ This short extract is taken from a letter which:
A) invites B) gives news C) accepts invitation D) asks for further information
10) ‗I hope you are all well.‘ This is likely taken from:
A) the body of a friendly letter B) the ending of a formal letter
C) the beginning of a formal letter D) the beginning of a friendly letter
11) ‗I respectfully request you to consider making this priority for our organization.‘ This is a
typical example of a line taken from a/an ___________ letter.
A) social B) informal C) business D) friendly
12) Which one of the following is most likely an opening to your application for a job?
A) Hello Sir B) Greetings C) Dear Sir D) Dear Mr. Manager
13) ‗I hope my qualification and the experience I have will win me your favour.‘ What kind of
letter is this sentence most likely taken from?
A) social B) personal C) formal D) informal
14) ‗Below are the names and addresses of my references/referees.‘ This is a typical example of
a line taken from:
A) curriculum vitae B) an application letter C) an informal letter D) letter to a friend
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Answer Keys:
Part I: Vocabulary and reading
1) Understanding vocabulary in context
Exercise 1: 1) C 2) A 3) A 4) C 5) C 6) D 7) A 8) B 9) D 10) D
Exercise 2: 1) B 2) B 3) B 4) D 5) D 6) A 7) C 8) D 9) B 10) B
2) Reading comprehension levels
Exercise 3: 1) C 2) A 3) C 4) C 5) B 6) C 7) A 8) A 9) B 10) B 11) C 12) A 13) D
14) D
Part II: Communicative
1) Different types of questions
Exercise 1) D 2) A 3) D 4) B 5) A 6) B 7) A 8) A 10) D 11) D 12) B 13)
14) A
2) Some common daily communicative English
Exercise 2: 1) D 2) A 3) A
Exercise 3: 1) D 2) B 3) B 4) C
Exercise 4: 1) C 2) C 3) A 4) C 5) A 6) B 7) C 8) D 9) B 10) A 11) A 12) B
Exercise 5: 1) A 2) C 3) B 4) B 5) A 6) A 7) C 8) B 9) A 10) D 11) C
Exercise 6: 1) B 2) D 3) D 4) B
Part III: Writing
1) Some common spelling rules
Exercise 1: 1) A 2) B 3) A 4) B 5) B 6) B 7) D 8) C
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2) Capitalization and punctuation

Exercise 2: 1) D 2) A 3) B 4) B 5) C 6) D 7) C 8) B 9) C 10) D 11) C 12) A

3) Kinds of sentences
Exercise 3: 1) A 2) D 3) A 4) D 5) C 6) D 7) D 8) C
4) Paragraph kinds and patterns of organizing a paragraph
Exercise 4: 1) D 2) B 3) B 4) C 5) A 6) B 7) B 8) A
Exercise 5: 1) argumentative 2) narrative 3) descriptive 4) argumentative
5) narrative 6) descriptive 7) argumentative 8) expository
Exercise 6: 1) A 2) B 3) A 4) D 5) B
5) Writing an essay
Exercise 7: 1) C 2) D
6) Writing a simple classroom survey research
Exercise 8: 1) D 2) D 3) B 4) C 5) B 6) B 7) A 8) D) 9) D 10) B
7) Informal and formal letters
Exercise 9: 1) B 2) B 3) D 4) B 5) D 6) C 7) D 8) C 9) C 10) D 11) C 12 ) C
13) C 14) B
PART V: GRAMMAR AND USAGE
In this section of the training manual, some issues related to English grammar and usage
will be presented and discussed.
1. Subject and Verb Agreement

When we write, a verb normally should agree with its subject.
1) Compound subject joined by ‘and’
a) Two or more singular nouns or pronouns refer to the different person or thing joined by ‘and’
take a plural verb form.
Example:1) Kebede and Ali study in this school.
2) He and I have finished our work.
b) When two or more nouns refer to the same person or thing joined by ‘and’ the verb becomes
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singular verb form.

Example:1)A renowned politician and administrator has made a speech.
2) A famous singer and actor is directing this film.

But if the articles or adjectives are used for both nouns, the verb should be plural verb form
because they refer to two different persons or things.
Example: 1) An important politician and an administrator have made a speech.
2) A famous singer and an actor are directing this film.
c) If two nouns together express a single idea, the verb may be in the singular form.
Example: 1) Bread and butter is her main food.
2) Slow and steady wins the race.
d) When the word ‗every‘ and ‗each‘ comes before a compound subjects joined by ‗and‘ each subject
is considered separately and take a singular verb form.
Example: Every man and woman is asked to vote.
Exercise 1: Underline the appropriate verbs that agree with the subject.
1) My teacher and helper of the other students (was, were) Ato Alemu.
2) Boarding and loading (is, are) free.
3) A great scientist and an intelligent poet (has, have) lived here.
4) Each book and magazine (is, are) listed.
5) Abel and Ahmed (need, needs) a ride to work.
2) Different correlation of subjects
a) When compound subjects are joined by ‗either … or‘, ‗neither … nor‘ and ‗not only … but also‘,
the subject closer to the verb determines whether the verb form is singular or plural.
Example: 1) Neither the musicians nor the conductor is on the stage.
2) Not only the teacher but also the students come to the party.
3) Neither he nor I am responsible for this crime.
b) ‗(All) … but‘, ‗(all)… except‘ and ‗(all) … except‘ are used for expressing exceptions, the verb
should agree with the first subject.
Example:1) All the students but one pass the test. 2) All the information except the first three
points is false.
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c) When compound subjects are joined by ‗together with‘, ‗in addition to‘, ‗accompanied by‘, ‗as well
as‘, ‗with‘ and ‗along with‘ the verb should agree with the first subject.
Example:1) She as well as you is wrong.
2) A famous actor accompanied by his two guards has gone out of the compound.
d) The number of subjects is not changed by words or phrases that come between the subject and
its verb.
Example: Passengers on a night train were uncomfortable.
Exercise 2: Underline the appropriate verbs in the brackets that agree to the subject.
1) All the books except one (has, have) been returned to the library.
2) Most creatures in the forest (is, are) worry of loud noises.
3) Neither he nor his parents (is, are) in this town.
4) All the furniture with the exception of these two chairs (has, have) been bought recently.
5) The president with his parties (has, have) landed today.
6) Twenty students except one of their class mate (increases, increase) their result.
3) Indefinite subjects joined by ‘of’
a) When two nouns are joined by ‗of‘ the verb agrees with first subject.
Example:1) The students of this class have arrived on time.
2) A class of students is not clean.
b) Phrases such as ‗each of‘, ‗everyone of‘, ‗one of‘, ‗either of‘, ‗neither of‘ and ‗many a‘ with plural
noun take a singular verb.
Example: 1) Each of you deserves a prize. 2) One of my fellows lives near my house.
However, some people today use with a plural verb form after ‗either of‘ and ‗neither of‘ with a
plural noun, but it is not common.
Example: 1) Neither of my sisters have a job. 2) Do either of your sisters have a job?
c) Phrases like ‗all of‘, ‗a lot of‘, ‗a great deal of‘, ‗plenty of‘, ‗most of‘, ‗any of‘, ‗some of‘ and ‗none
of‘ are commonly used with singular verb form when they come with uncountable nouns and plural
verb form when they come with plural countable nouns.
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Example:1) A lot of money is needed. 2) A lot of books have been purchased.

But in a formal situation ‗none of‘ with any form of nouns may use a singular form.
Example: ‗None of my friends is here today‘ said Abel to the manager.
These indefinite pronouns are also followed by plural verb forms. These are both of, few of, several of
and many of.
Example: 1) Many of the voters support that candidate. 2) Several of the children have chicken pox.
d) Some nouns with regular plural spelling when they preceded by ‗a pair of‘ take the singular verb
form. But they take plural verb form when they do not follow ‗a pair of‘ such as binoculars pants
pajamas scissors tights trousers eyeglasses pliers scale shorts tongs tweezers
Example: 1) A pair of scissors costs three birr. 2) Scissors cost three birr.
e) When we use ‗the number of‘ or ‗the variety of‘, we use a singular verb form. When we use ‗a
number of‘ or ‗a variety of‘, we use a plural verb form.
Example: 1) a) The variety of plants is amazing at the garden shop.
b) A variety of plants are for sale at the garden shop.
2) a) The number of students is not enough to start teaching.
b) A number of students are absent today.
Exercise 3: Underline the appropriate verbs that agree with its subjects.
1) A number of girls (is, are) taking technical drawing courses.
2) Most of the students (has, have) come on time.
3) Either of these two players (is, are) to be the captain.
4) Most of the money (has, have) been spent.
5) A pair of new football shorts (was, were) hanging from the back chair.
6) Tweezers (is, are) used to remove splinters.
7) The managers of different organization (was, were) participated in the meeting.
8) Some of the rolls (was, were) burned.
4) Different group of words

a) The following indefinite pronouns are usually singular and take singular verb forms. These are:
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someone anyone no one everyone somebody anybody nobody everybody

something anything nothing everything somewhere anywhere nowhere everywhere

Example: 1) Everything is going to be alright. 2) Somebody stands outside the door.
b) Collective nouns may be singular or plural. The most common collective nouns are: group class
herd army audience public crowd swarm flock committee team faculty assembly fleet family
jury
i. Use a singular verb form with the collective nouns as a subject when that is thought of as a
single unit.
Example: 1) The crowd has been kept under control. (Crowd is thought as a single unit.)
2) The committee is planning to hire a guard. (The committee is working as a single
unit.)
ii. Use a plural verb form with a collective noun as a subject when the speaker or writer is referring
to the individual parts or members of the group acting separately.
Example:1) The crowd have all purchased tickets. (Crowd is thought as an individual
member.)
2) The committee are able to elect their leaders. (The committee members are acting
separately.)
But the following collective nouns take commonly plural verb form. These are: group class herd
army audience public crowd swarm cattle police flock vermin clergy people poultry
Example:1) Cattle were allowed to graze in the cemetery. 2) Vermin destroy wild animals.
c) Some nouns have a plural form but they take singular verb forms such as checkers economics
measles series metropolis chess mathematics molasses statistics physics mumps tennis means news
draughts
Example:1) Mathematics gives some people a challenge. 2) The news was very shocking.
d) When certain adjectives are preceded by ‗the’ used as a plural noun, then they are followed by a
plural verb form sush as poor dead unemployed dumb strong good healthy young rich deaf bad old sick
blind weak displaced
Example: 1) The young are often foolish.
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2) The sick become healthy after they eat good diet.

But if the adjectives are preceded by an indefinite article (a/an) and followed by a singular noun a
singular verb form should be used.
Example: A sick man needs medicine.
Exercise 4: Underline the appropriate verb forms that agree to the subject.
1) The jury (was, were) polled for their verdicts.
2) Economics (is, are) soon going to be a required subject.
3) Something (worries, worry) her most of the time.
4) Mumps (is, are) caused by a virus.
5) The healthy (does, do) not understand the problems of the sick.
6) The crowd (has, have) been controlled by the police, so they can‘t move easily.
7) The committee (work, works) hard for the better change of its members.
e) Plural titles of individual books, stories, plays, movies, television programs, musical compositions and magazines
take the singular verb form.
Example: 1) The Arabian Nights has been television zed. 2) Shakespeare plays is my favorite
references.
f) The name of a country or an organization also takes a singular verb form when it refers to an
entire country or group.
Example:1) The United Nation sends peace-keeping forces to Darfur. 2) Iraq is fighting the
Americans still now.
g) Nouns of nationality take a plural verb form.
Example: 1) The Ethiopian are known by entertaining their guests. 2) The American like eating
every time.
Some nouns of nationality that end in -ese, -sh and -ch can mean either language or people such as
English Chinese Vietnamese Spanish Japanese Congolese French Sudanese Portuguese
So, if these nouns refer to language they are not preceded by the definite article ‗the‘, then a
singular verb form is used. Example: English is spoken in many countries.
But if these nouns refer to nationality they are preceded by the definite article ‗the’, then plural
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verb form is used. Example: The English like drinking tea.

Exercise 5: Underline the appropriate verb forms that agree with the subjects.
1) Chinese (is, are) his native language.
2) The United States (becomes, become) a war-like country.
3) The New York Times (is, are) read nationwide.
4) The Chinese (has, have) an interesting history.
5) Shakespeare Hamlets (was, were) translated into different languages.
5) Different groups of agreements

a) When relatives pronouns (who, which, that, whom, whose) come next to the antecedent, the
verb must agree with the antecedent.
Example: The boy who is my friend helped me carry this bag.
A plural verb form usually follows the construction, ―… one of those…who …‖ because the
antecedent of ‗who‘ is the plural; that is ‗those‘.
Example: Elias is one of those boys who go to school only to play tennis.
b) When sentences begin with ‗there‘ or ‗here‘ the verb agrees with the real subject that comes after
it.
Example: 1) There is a boy outside. 2) Here are the books for your son.
c) When a gerund is used as a subject, we use a singular verb form.
Example: Swimming is a very important sport.
d) When the subject is both negative and affirmative, the verb agrees with the affirmative part of the
subject.
Example: They, not she, deserve the prize.
Exercise 6: Underline the appropriate verbs in the brackets that agree with the subject.
1) Walking (is, are) a good exercise.
2) There (is, are) fifty students in the class.
3) He is one of those men who (is, are) always getting into trouble.
4) My sister, not I (is, am) planning to travel this summer.
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5) People who (does, do) a job well seem to feel better about themselves.
6) Here (is, are) your room.
6) Words expressing measurements

a) Words that express an amount of time, money, length, distance or weight with a unit number
usually take singular verb form, but when they are without the unit the verb should agree according
to the subject‘s number.
Example: 1) Ten miles is too far to walk. 2) Meters are used to measure length.
b) Fractions and percentages use a singular verb form when the noun is uncountable and a plural
verb form when the next noun is plural countable noun.
Example: 1) Half of the members were not present. 2) Fifty percent of the money was lost.
c) Subjects consisting of phrases that involve addition, subtraction, multiplication or division are
usually used a singular verb form.
Example:1) Four and four is eight. 2) Ten divided by five is two.
Exercise 7: Underline the appropriate verbs in the brackets for the subjects.
1) Three meters (is, are) the length of this floor.
2) Six percent of the students (studies, study) pharmacy.
3) Twelve dollars (is, are) the price of a ticket.
4) Six minus four (is, are) two.
5) Half of the meeting (was, were) devoted to questions.
6) Twenty minutes (is, are) the amount of time it takes me to get home from work.
Answer Keys:
Exercise 1: 1) was 2) is 3) have 4) is 5) need
Exercise 2: 1) have 2) are 3) are 4) has 5) have 6) increase
Exercise 3: 1) is 2) have 3) is 4) has 5) was 6) are 7) were 8) were
Exercise 4: 1) were 2) is 3) worries 4) is 5) do 6) have 7) works
Exercise 5: 1) is 2) becomes 3) is 4) have 5) was
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Exercise 6: 1) is 2) are 3) are 4) is 5) do 6) is

Exercise 7: 1) is 2) study 3) is 4) is 5) was 6) is
2. Conditional Sentences
There are four basic types of conditional sentences in the English.
Examples:
1. The zero conditional: I take my umbrella if it rains.
2. The first conditional: I'll call you if I work late.
3. The second conditional: If the bus didn't arrive on time, I would drive you to the airport.
4. The third conditional: She wouldn't have come if I hadn't invited her.
1. Zero conditional
The zero conditional describes situations that are always true. ―If” has the same meaning as when or
whenever.
1. If I go to school, I get up at seven. (Whenever I go to school I get up at the same time.)
2. If you park your car on double yellow lines, you pay a fine. (Whenever you park illegally, you pay a fine.)
We use the present simple tense in both the main clauses and the ―if clauses‖.
2. First and second conditional

The first conditional sentences are used to speculate about possible situations that can really
happen at present or in future. We do not use will in the ―if clause” to describe future
activities(compare it to time clauses).
1. If he studies hard, he'll pass the exams.

2. If we catch the 10.15 train, we will arrive on time.
3. If you don't get the ticket, what will you do?
We make if clauses with if + present tense and main clauses with will + bare infinitive.
In the second conditional sentences we speculate about situations that will probably never happen at
present or in future.
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1. If I had more time, I would help you. (But I am not free at the moment. I can't help you)
2. If I won a million dollars, I would start a business of my own. (But I know that it is not realistic.)
We make if clauses with if + past tense and main clauses with would + bare infinitive.
Note: the verb to be can be specific in the ―if clause‖.
1. If I were rich, I wouldn't work.
2. If he were younger, he would marry her.
The main difference between the first conditional and the second conditional is about probability:
the first conditional is realistic, the second conditional is unrealistic.
Sometimes we can use both with the following difference in meaning.
1. If I see him, I will tell him. (I suppose I will see him, because we go to the same school.)
2. If I saw him, I would tell him. (I don't think I will see him, because he is ill.)
3. If I need your help, I'll call you. (It is probable that I will need your help.)
4. If I needed your help, I'd call you. (It is not very probable that I will need your help.)
Sometimes we must use either the first conditional or the second conditional to make it clear that
the situation is real or unreal.
1.If you get up late, you will miss your bus. (A real situation.)
2. If I came from your country, I would understand your problems. (An unreal situation - I am not from your
country.)
3. Third conditional
The third conditional sentences always refer to the past. We speculate about situations that
happened or did not happen in the past.
1. If I had won a million, I would have started a business of my own. (But I didn't win anything.)
2 If he had met her, he would have told her. (Unfortunately, he didn't meet her.)
3. If we hadn't practiced, we wouldn't have won the match. (But we practiced and won.)
We make if clauses with if + past perfect and main clauses with would + perfect infinitive (have +
past participle).
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Exercise on Conditional Sentence Types
Complete the Conditional Sentences Type I.
1. If you go out with your friends tonight, I _____________________________ (watch) the

football match on TV.
2. I will earn a lot of money if I _______________________________ (get) that job.
3. If she does not hurry, we ______________________________ (miss) the bus.
Complete the Conditional Sentences Type II.
1. If he tried harder, he _________________________ (reach) his goals.

2. I would buy these shoes if they ________________________________ (fit).
3. It would not surprise me if he _________________________ (not know) the answer.
Complete the Conditional Sentences Type III.
1. If we had listened to the radio, we ______________________________hear) the news.

2. If you had switched on the lights, you _________________________________ (not fall) over
the chair.
3. She would have come to our party if she___________________ (not be) on holiday.
Complete the Conditional Sentences with the Correct Form (Type I, II or III).
1. If I ____________ (be) stronger, I'd help you carry the piano.

2. If we'd seen you, we ___________________________ (stop).
3. If we__________________ (meet) him tomorrow, we'll say hello.
4. He would have repaired the car himself if he _________________ (have) the tools.
5. If you drop the vase, it ______________________ (break).
6. If I hadn't studied, I _____________________________ (pass) the exam.
7. I wouldn't go to school by bus if I ___________________________ (have) a driving licence.
8. If she ______________________ (not see) him every day, she'd be lovesick.
9. I _________________________________ (not travel) to London if I don't get a cheap flight.
10. We'd be stupid if _____________________ (tell) him about our secret.
3. The Active and Passive Voices
1. The Form
Tense Passive
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Present simple The car is repaired.

Present continuous The car is being repaired.

Past simple The car was repaired.
Past continuous The car was being repaired.
Present perfect The car has just been repaired.
Past perfect The car had been repaired.
Future simple The car will be repaired.
Present conditional The car would be repaired.
Perfect conditional The car would have been repaired.
The passive voice in English is formed with the verb to be and the past participle, which is different
for regular verbs (translated, mended) and irregular verbs (taken, thrown).
Examples: Statement: The letter is written. This shop has been opened.
Question: Is the letter written? Has the shop been opened?
Negative: The letter is not written. The shop has not been opened.
The passive forms of the present and past tenses are as follows. (Other tenses are not normally used
in the passive.)
Present: A new house is being built in our street.
Past: A new house was being built in our street.
In all the examples above the agent is not mentioned and so we do not know it.
Similarly: Flowers were planted in the garden. (We do not know who did it).
If we want to say who planted the flowers we mention the agent at the end of the sentence and use
the preposition by.
Examples 1. The flowers were planted by my mother.
But: 2. The window was smashed with a stone. (The stone is not the agent. We do not
know who smashed the window. We only know how he or she did it).
2. The Use
The passive voice is used:
1. If the action is more important than the agent.

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Example 1. A demonstration has been held. This theatre was built in 1868.
2. The important thing is what happened, not who did it.

2. If the agent is not known.
Example: 1. He was offered a job. (Someone offered him the job)

2.They are supposed to be good students. (some teachers suppose that)
 The difference in meaning between the passive of simple and continuous tenses.
Example 1. A new house is built in our street. (The house is finished.)

2.A new house is being built in our street. (They are building it these days, it is not
finished.)
3. I was being introduced to Mrs. Jones when her husband arrived. (Her husband
arrived in the middle of the introduction.)
4.When her husband arrived I was introduced to Mrs. Jones. (Her husband arrived first
and then she introduced me.)
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Instruction 1: Change the following active sentences in to passive.

1. Mekonnen learned the poem.
________________________________________________
2. Bedilu has forgotten the book.
________________________________________________
3. They play handball.
______________________________________________
4. The girls had lost the match.
______________________________________________
5. The teacher is opening the window.
______________________________________________
Instruction 2: Change the Following Passive Sentences in to Active
1. Rahel is being taken by Bezabih.

_______________________________________________________
2. The man is arrested by the police.
_______________________________________________________
3. The book was read by the students.

______________________________________________________
4. The plants have been planted by the local people.

______________________________________________________
5. Solomon will be selected as a secretary by the department.

______________________________________________________
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4. Reported Speech
 When do we use reported speech? Sometimes someone says a sentence, for example "I'm going to the
cinema tonight". Later, maybe we want to tell someone else what the first person said. Here's how it works:
We use a reporting verb like 'say' or 'tell'. If this verb is in the present tense, it's easy. We just put 'S/he says'
and then the sentence:
Statements:
Direct speech: Reported speech:
 We don't need to change the tense, though probably we do need to change the ‗person' from 'I' to 'S/he',
for example.
Example: ―I like ice cream.‖ (Present simple ) S/he says s/he likes ice cream. (Present simple )
 We also may need to change words like 'my' and 'your'. On the other hand, if the reporting verb is in the past
tense, then usually we change the tenses in the reported speech:
Example: ―I like ice cream.‖ S/he said (that) she liked ice cream. ( Past simple)
Example: ―I love my country.‖ S/he says s/he loves his/her country.
Example:‖ past simple I bought a car.‖ (Past S/he said s/he bought a car. (Past simple)
simple) OR: S/he said s/he had bought a car. (Past perfect)
―I am living in London.‖ (Present continuous) S/he said s/he was living in London. (Past continuous)
―I was walking along the street.‖ (past S/he said s/he had been walking along the street. (Past perfect
continuous) continuous)
―I haven't seen Julie.‖ (present perfect ) S/he said s/he had seen Julie.
―I had taken English lessons before‖ (Past S/he said s/he had taken English lessons before. (past perfect*
perfect) )
i.e. present perfect remains present perfect.
―I will see you later.‖ (will) She said she would see me later. (would
Statements:
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Direct speech: Reported speech:

―I would help, but…‖ (would*) S/he said s/he would help but... (would*)
―I can speak perfect English‖ (can) S/he said s/he could speak perfect English. (would)
―I could swim when I was four.‖ (could*) S/he said s/he could swim when s/he was four. (could*)
―I shall come later.‖ (shall) S/he said s/he would come later. (would)
―I should call my mother‖ (should*) S/he said s/he should call her mother. (should)
"I might be late." ( might*) S/he said s/he might be late( might*).
"I must study at the weekend." (must) S/he said s/he must study at the weekend. (must)
OR: S/he said s/he had to study at the weekend. * doesn't
change.
 Occasionally, we don't need to change the present tense into the past if the information in direct speech is
still true (but this is only for things which are general facts, and even then usually we like to change the
tense):
―The sky is blue.‖ (Present simple) S/he said that the sky is/was blue. (Present /past simple)
Questions:
 So now you have no problem with making reported speech from positive and negative sentences. But how
about questions?
 How can we make the reported speech here? In fact, it's not so different from reported statements. The
tense changes are the same, and we keep the question word. The very important thing though is that, once
we tell the question to someone else, it isn't a question any more. So we need to change the grammar to a
normal positive sentence:
Wh- questions:
Direct questions: Reported questions:
―Where do you live?‖ (Question order) S/he asked me where I lived. (statement order)
Where is Julie? (present simple) S/he asked me where Julie was. (past simple)
―What are you doing?‖ (present continuous) S/he asked me what I was doing. (past continuous)
―Who was that fantastic man?‖ (Past simple) S/he asked me who that fantastic man had been. (Past perfect)
‘Yes/No’ question:
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―Do you like chocolate?‖ (Yes/no question) S/he asked me if /whether I liked chocolate.
―Have you ever been to Mexico?‖ S/he asked me if I had ever been to Mexico.
―Are you living here?‖ S/he asked me if I was living here.
Reported Requests:
Direct Requests Reported Requests
Could you Close the window, please? Or: She asked me to close the window.
Would you mind closing the window please?
Or: Would you mind closing the window please?
 All of these requests mean the same
thing, so we don't need to report every
word when we tell another person about
it. We simply use 'ask me + to +
infinitive':
―Would you mind coming early tomorrow?‖ She asked me to come early the next day.
Please don't be late. She asked me/us not to be late.
Orders:
Direct Order: Reported Order:
Sit down! S/he told me to sit down.
reported speech in the same way as a request.
We just use 'tell' instead of 'ask'
―Be on time!‖ S/he told me to be on time.
―Go to bed!‖ S/he told the child to go to bed.
―Don't worry!‖ S/se told her not to worry.
Time Expressions with Reported Speech

 Sometimes when we change direct speech into reported speech we have to change time
expressions too. We don't always have to do this, however. It depends on when we heard
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the direct speech and when we say the reported speech.

For example: It's Monday. Julie says "I'm leaving today".
If I tell someone on Monday,= Julie said she was leaving today.

If I tell someone on Tuesday, = Julie said she was leaving yesterday.
If I tell someone on Wednesday, = Julie said she was leaving on Monday.
If I tell someone a month later, = Julie said she was leaving that day.
So, there's no easy conversion. You really have to think about when the direct speech was said.
Here's a table of some possible conversions:
now……......... then / at that time
today………...yesterday / that day / Tuesday / the 27th of June
yesterday…… the day before yesterday / the day before / Wednesday / the 5th of December
last night ……..the night before, Thursday night
last week ……..the week before / the previous week
Tomorrow ……today / the next day / the following day / Friday
Exercise:
Reported Speech: Change the sentences to reported speech!
1. He said to me, "Where have you been?" He asked me
______________________________________________________________.
2. My dad said, "Go to your room at once." My dad ordered me
___________________________________________________________________________ .
3. Jimmy said, "I own a brand-new sports car." Jimmy said that
_____________________________________________________________________________.
4. John said, "I am writing a new novel". John said
_____________________________________________________________________________.
5. My mother said, "Close you eye and open your hands." My mother told me
____________________________________________________________________________ .
6. I said to the host, "Can I have another piece of cake?" I asked the host
_____________________________________________________________________________.
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7. The teacher wondered, "Will she be safe if she goes alone?" The teacher wondered
________________________________________________________________________ .
8. She told me, "He has never written to me before." She explained that
____________________________________________________________________________ .
9. The shop assistant asked me, "What size are your shoes?" The shop assistant wanted to know
__________________________________________________________ .
10. The administrator warned us, "Don't walk on the grass". The administrator warned us
_________________________________________________________________ .
11. My friend said to me, "Go to the doctor." My friend advised me
_________________________________________________________________________ .
12. The hotel manager said, "Dinner is served between 7 and 9. The hotel manager said that
__________________________________________________________________ .
13. My little brother said, "I didn't steal the money." My little brother said that
_____________________________________________________________________ .
14. Marth said, "Let's go to the movies." Martha suggested
_____________________________________________________________________________ .
15. The headmaster said, "All students are taking part in the project." The headmaster said that
_____________________________________________________________________ .
16. Jamie said, "I'll never forget your birthday again." Jamie said that
___________________________________________________________________________
5. English Tenses
 Structure: How do we make the tense?
 Use: When and why do we use the tense?
Tense: Example: Form:

 Present Simple: I do. S+(V-1= infinitive)
 Present Continuous: I am doing. S + am/is/are +(V-ing)
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 Present Perfect: I have done. S + has/have + v-3

 Present Perfect Continuous: I have been doing. S + has/have + been + v-ing

 Past Simple: I did. / I did do. S + V-2 (past form)
 Past Continuous: I was doing. S + was/were + v-ing
 Past Perfect: I had done. S + had + v-3 = past
participle form
 Past Perfect Continuous: I had been doing. S + had + been + v-ing
 Future Simple: I will do. S + will + v-1
 Future Continuous: I will be doing. S + will be + v-ing
 Future Perfect: I will have done S + will have + v-3
 Future Perfect Continuous: I will have been doing. S + will have + been + v-ing
Exercise: Complete the sentences with the suitable form of the verbs in brackets.
1. If I __________ (find) a good job, I‘ll move to Madrid.
2. He met his wife when he __________ (work) in Brussels.
3. You can turn off the radio. I ____________ (not listen) to it.
4. Where _________ (you / have) dinner yesterday?
5. This exercise is difficult. I __________ (help) you to do it.
6. What ____________ (you / cook) tonight?
7.____________ (you / finish) your homework yet?
8. My father _____(go) to the bank. He‘ll be back soon.
9.-What________(they / do) at 9.00 last night?
10. It __________ (snow) when we _________ (leave) the library.
11. I usually __________ (listen) to the news in the car.
12. My cousin is a writer. He __________ (write) three novels.
13. Be careful! The baby _________ (put) those keys in his mouth!
14. When ______________ (Barack Obama / become) president of the USA?
15. My students _____________ (not listen) when I gave the instructions.
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16. Gonzalo is thirsty! I ___________ (get) him a glass of water!

17. If it ___________ (not rain) we‘d lie on the beach.

18. It‘s my birthday next week- Don‘t worry! I ____________ (not forget) it.
19. I think it ___________ (rain) this afternoon.
20. John _________ (speak) to Susan a minute ago.
21. If you ask him nicely, he _________ (help) you.
22. Would you like a coffee? No, thanks. I ________ (already / have) four cups today.
23. ____________ (you /ever / have) an argument with your parents about clothes.
24. I‘m sure they __________ (lose) the match.
25. My neighbour has broken his leg. He _________ (not play) tennis this weekend.
26. If I had the receipt, I __________ (return) these jeans.
27. What would you like? I __________ (have) some orange juice.
28. If my brother __________ (not arrive) soon, I‘ll send him a text message.
29. I __________ (not see) my grandparents since last summer.
30. If you found a purse, __________ (you / give) it to the teacher?
ANSWER KEY:
Reported speech
1. He said to me, "Where have you been?" He asked me where I had been.
2. My dad said, "Go to your room at once." My dad ordered me to go to my room at once.
3. Jimmy said, "I own a brand-new sports car." Jimmy said that he owned a brand-new sports car.
4. John said, "I am writing a new novel". John said that he was writing a new novel.
5. My mother said, "Close you eye and open your hands." My mother told me to close my eyes and open
my hands.
6. I said to the host, "Can I have another piece of cake." I asked the host if I could have another piece of
cake.
7. The teacher wondered, "Will she be safe if she goes alone?" The teacher wondered if she would be
safe if she went alone.
8. She told me, "He has never written to me before." She explained that he had never written to her
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before.
9. The shop assistant asked me, "What size are your shoes?" The shop assistant wanted to know
what size my shoes were.
10. The administrator warned us, "Don't walk on the grass". The administrator warned us not to walk
on the grass.
11. My friend said to me, "Go to the doctor." My friend advised me to go to the doctor.
12. The hotel manager said, "Dinner is served between 7 and 9. The hotel manager said that dinner is
(was) served between 7 and 9.
13. My little brother said, "I didn't steal the money." My little brother said that he hadn't stolen the
money.
14. Marth said, "Let's go to the movies." Martha suggested going to the movies.
15. The headmaster said, "All students are taking part in the project." The headmaster said that all
students were taking part in the project.
16. Jamie said, "I'll never forget your birthday again." Jamie said that she would never forget my birthday
again.
ANSWER KEY:
Tenses
No. Answer No. Answer No. Answer
1 Find 11 Listen 21 will help
2 was working 12 has written 22 have already had
3 am not listening 13 is putting 23 have you ever had
4 did you have 14 Did Barack Obama 24 will lose
5 will help 15 were listening 25 is not going to play
6 Are 16 will get 26 would return
7 have you finished 17 didn‘t rain 27 will have
8 has gone 18 won‘t forget 28 doesn‘t arrive
9 were they doing 19 it‘s going to rain 29 haven‘t seen
10 was snowing / left 20 Spoke 30 would you give
6.Discourse Markers
1. What are discourse markers?

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Discourse markers are words and phrases that are used to manage and organize the structure of
discourse. They connect sentences without changing the general meaning of what is being said.
Discourse markers are also known as linking words, linking phrases or sentence connectors.
2. What is the purpose of discourse markers?
Discourse markers are helpful tools in making speech and writing both logical and coherent.
Without discourse markers, the connections between sentences and paragraphs wouldn't be as
smooth or clear.
Let's take a look at some examples with and without the use of discourse markers to see what effect
they have:
a. With discourse markers:

1. I don't like milk and it's not because I'm lactose intolerant.
2. I usually wouldn't go to the theatre but I'll go with you.
3. She's the most experienced doctor in the surgery, so they treat her with respect.
b. Without discourse markers:
1. I don't like milk. I'm not lactose intolerant.
2. I usually wouldn't go to the theater. I'll go with you.
3. She's the most experienced doctor in the surgery. They treat her with respect.
Note how the use of the discourse markers ('' because '', '' but '' and '' so '') help the phrases to flow a
lot smoother. Without discourse markers, the messages that are being sent might be vague and they
might not even be understood.
3.What are the four categories of discourse markers?

Discourse markers are split into four broad categories - interpersonal discourse markers, referential
discourse markers, structural discourse markers and cognitive discourse markers. Now, let's take a
closer look at each category of discourse markers.
A. Interpersonal discourse markers

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The purpose of interpersonal discourse markers is to indicate the relationship between the listener
and the speaker. There are a number of attitudes that show this relationship:
i. Perception
Interpersonal discourse markers that show perception include words and phrases such as 'look ',
'believe me' and 'you know'.
Helen: It was such a horrible experience.
Arora: Believe me, I get it. It was horrible for me too.
Helen: Look, I know it seems like a lot now, for both of us. But we'll be fine. It's going to be alright,
you know.
Arora: Yeah. I know.
'Believe me', 'look' and 'you know' are interpersonal discourse markers that are used to express the
perception of the participants in the conversation. They establish the relationship between Evelyn
and Amir who exchange their turns as listener and speaker back and forth.
ii. Agreement or Disagreement

Agreement can be expressed through the use of interpersonal discourse markers such as 'exactly',
'absolutely', 'certainly', 'definitely', 'okay' ', and 'I see'. Disagreement can be voiced with interpersonal
discourse markers such as 'I'm not sure', 'mind you', 'I don't think so', 'I beg to differ' and 'not necessarily'.
Agreement:
Example: Azeb: I think this is a very ugly vase.
Helen: Absolutely! It's hideous.
Disagreement:
Example: Azeb: I think this is a very ugly vase.
Helen: I don't think so. It looks fine to me.
Note how, depending on the different discourse markers that are used, Hellen can express either
agreement or disagreement with Azeb's statement.
iii. Amazement
Amazement can be expressed through the use of a number of different interpersonal discourse
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markers, such as 'wow', 'wonderful'.

Example: Helen: Look at my new dress!

Maya: Wow! It's gorgeous!
The interpersonal discourse marker 'wow' enhances Maya's expression of amazement.
B. Referential discourse markers

Referential discourse markers are usually conjunctions. They are used to indicate the sequence,
causality (the cause and effect) and coordination between sentences.
i. Sequence
Referential discourse markers that indicate sequence are words and phrases such as 'now' and 'then'.
Example: Maya: Now I'm fine. But you should've been there! He shouted at me ..
Azeb: And then what happened?
Maya: Then I started crying.
Here, the referential discourse markers are used to organize Maya's story in sequences.
ii. Causality
The cause and effect of an action, also known as causality, can be shown through the referential
discourse markers 'because', 'as a result of', 'thanks to' and 'due to'.
Example: Helen: I was late because my alarm didn't go off. Why were you late?
Azeb: Thanks to my brother who was in the bathroom, I had to wait for half an hour
before I could brush my teeth!
Helen and Azeb use the referential discourse markers 'because' and 'thanks to' to state the reasons for
being late.
iii. Coordination and Non-coordination
Referential discourse markers that express coordination and non-coordination are used to connect
sentences that are complete thoughts that don't depend on each other to make sense separately. To
indicate coordination, you can use referential discourse markers such as 'and' and 'so'. As for non-
coordination, you can use the referential discourse marker 'but'.
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Example: 1. My shift ended and I went home.
2.My shift ended so I went home.
3.My shift hadn't ended but I went home.
Depending on the different discourse markers that are used, the message can be either one of
coordination ('and', 'so') or non-coordination ('but').
C. Structural discourse markers
The role of structural discourse markers is to indicate the hierarchy of the actions in a conversation
at the exact time they are being performed. This category of discourse markers expresses the value
the speaker adds to the statements that are uttered in a conversation, highlighting which statements
are the least and the most important to them.
i. Organization
Structural discourse markers that are used to show organization include phrases such as 'first of all',
'secondly', 'for a start', 'next' and 'last of all'.
Example: Helen: First of all, you don't know me.
Azeb: Okay, and what's second of all?
Helen: Secondly, you have no right to judge me.
Azeb: I didn't mean to ...
Helen: And last of all, no one can tell me how to live my life.
In this conversation, Helen uses structural discourse markers to lay out her point and, in this way, to
make a statement.
ii. Introduction
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Introduction can be expressed through the use of the structural discourse markers 'so', 'to begin with',
'to start with', 'for a start'.
Example: Maya: So we'll start the presentation by welcoming all of you here today.
Helen: Yes, thank you all for coming. To begin with, let's introduce ourselves!
Maya and Helen both use structural discourse markers to indicate the beginning of their
presentation. As a structural discourse marker, 'so' has a different function than as a referential
discourse marker. While as a referential discourse marker, 'so' is used to express coordination and to
connect equal statements, as a structural discourse marker, the function of 'so' is to indicate the
beginning of a statement.
iii. Summarization
Summarization is the opposite of introduction - it expresses the ending of a statement. Some

structural discourse markers that are used for summarization are: 'in the end', 'to sum up', 'to conclude',
and 'in conclusion'.
Example: Helen: To sum up, with this whole presentation, all we really want to say to you is
that the most important thing in life is to be kind to others.
Maya: In the end, that's all that really matters, isn't it?
Here, Helen and Maya use structural discourse markers to conclude their presentation and
summarize their message.
D. Cognitive discourse markers
Cognitive discourse markers are used to reveal the thought process of the speaker(s) during a
conversation.
i. Processing information
A speaker can express how they are processing the information that is exchanged during a
conversation, through the use of cognitive discourse markers such as 'uhh' and 'um'.
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Example: Azeb: So what do you think?

Maya: Um... I'm not sure. Let me think.
Azeb asks Maya a question and her thought process is revealed through the use of the cognitive
discourse marker 'um'.
ii. Realization
Realization can be indicated through the use of cognitive discourse markers such as 'oh!', 'Really?'
And 'oh no! '.
Example: Helen: We're going to be late for class!

Maya: Oh no! Let's hurry!
Maya's immediate reaction upon realizing the information she has been given is expressed through
the cognitive discourse marker 'oh no!'.
iii. Rephrasing
Some of the cognitive discourse markers you can use are those used to rephrase something you have
already said. They include 'I mean' and 'in other words'.
Example: I like pizza. I mean, I don't mind having it once in a while.
So that the speaker isn't misunderstood, they rephrase the statement with the cognitive discourse
marker 'I mean'. This means they don't want pizza all the time, only 'once in a while'.
Summary
 Discourse markers, also known as linking words, are words and phrases that are used to manage
and organize the structure of discourse. Discourse markers are words and phrases such as 'well',
'because', 'however'.
 Structural discourse markers stating organization (to introduce additional information):
 In addition, Furthermore, Moreover (formal)
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 What's more, On top of that (informal)

 Referential discourse markers stating non-coordination (to state something that is despite what
has already been said or written):
 However, Nevertheless. Nonetheless (formal)
 But (informal)
 Referential discourse markers stating causality (to explain something that is the result of
something else):
 Consequently (formal)
 Because (informal)
 Uses of linking words & expressions
Addition
also, again , as well as, besides, furthermore, in addition, likewise, moreover, similarly
Restatement
in essence, in other words that. is to say. in short, in brief, to put it differently
Consequence
For this reason, Consequently, Hence, As a result, therefore, subsequently, Accordingly, otherwise ,
so then
Generalizing
as a rule , as usual, for the most part, generally, generally speaking, usually, ordinarily
Exception
side from, besides, except, excepting, excluding, other than, outside of
Exemplifying
for instance, in particular, namely, including, chiefly, especially, specifically, such as
Contrast
by the same token, conversely, instead, likewise, on one hand, on the other hand, on the contrary,
rather, similarly, yet, but, however, still, nevertheless, in contrast
Illustration
for example, for instance, for one thing, illustrated with, as an example, in the case, as an illustration
Similarity
Comparatively, Correspondingly, Identically, Likewise, Similar, Together with
Emphasis
with attention to, especially, particularly, singularly, chiefly, above all
Sequence
At first, to begin , at the same time/ simultaneously, For now, The next step, in conclusion, In turn,
next/then/after, With this in mind, In the meantime, Meanwhile
Summarizing
after all, all in all, all things, considered, briefly, by and large, in any case, in any event, in brief, in
conclusion, on the whole, in short, in summary, in the final analysis, in the long run, 0n balance, to
sum up, to summarize, finally
Direction
here, there, over there, beyond, nearly, opposite, under, above, to the left, to the right, in the
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distance.
በጎንዯርና አካባቢው ሀገር አቀፍ የ12ኛ ክፍሌ መሌቀቂያ ፈተና የሚወስደ ተማሪዎችን በስነሌቦናም ሆነ በክህልት ማዘጋጀትና
አጠቃሊይ የሥራ፣ ማኅበራዊና ኢኮኖሚያዊ ግንዛቤን የማሳዯጊያ ፕሮጀክት
(ከዲሽን ቢራ ፋብሪካ አ.ማ ጋር በመተባበር የቀረበ )
ጎንዯር የሰሊምና የዕዴገት ማኅበር (ጎ-ሰ’ማ) በጎንዯር እና አካባቢው ከጊዜ ወዯ ጊዜ ሥር እየሰዯዯ የመጣውን የሰሊም እጦት እንዱሁም
በአካባቢው ሰፍኖ የሚገኘውን ከፍተኛ ኢኮኖሚያዊ ችግር በመቅረፍ ረገዴ መንግሥት የሚያዯርገውን ጥረት ሇመዯገፍ የተቋቋመ እና
ከኢፌዳሪ የሲቪሌ ማኅበረሰብ ዴርጅቶች ባሇሥሌጣን ዕውቅና የተሰጠው (የተመዘገበ) ማኅበር ነው፡፡
ጎንዯርና አካባቢው እምቅ የሆኑ በርካታ የተፈጥሮ ፀጋዎችንና ሰው ሠራሽ ሃብቶችን ባሇቤት ቢሆንም እነዚህን እምቅ ሃብቶች በጋራ
አሌምቶ በእጅጉ የወዯቀውን ኑሮውን ሇማሻሻሌ አሌቻሇም፡፡ ሇዚህም ዋነኛው ምክንያት የማኅበረሰቡ የማኅበራዊና የኢኮኖሚ ግንዛቤ
እጥረት መሆኑን በማመን የጎንዯር የሰሊምና የዕዴገት ማኅበር (ጎ-ሰ’ማ) አስፈሊጊውን የዘርፉ ንቃት ሇመፍጠር እቅዴ በመንዯፍ
እየተንቀሳሰቀ ይገኛሌ፡፡
ከማኅበረሰቡ አካሊት መካከሌም የዛሬው ትውሌዴ አካሌና የነገ ሀገር ተረካቢ የሆኑት ተማሪዎች ሊይ መሥራት፣ ሇማኅበረሰቡ ካሊቸው
ቅርበት አንፃር ከወዱሁ የማኅበረሰባቸውን ኑሮ ሇማሻሻሌ ዓሌመው እንዱሰሩና በዚህ ዙሪያ በንቃት እንዱሳተፉ ማዴረግ አጠቃሊይ
ሥራውን የተሳሇጠና የሰመረ የሚያዯርገው ይሆናሌ፡፡
በተሇይም ከቅርብ ጊዜ ወዱህ የዩኒቨርሲቲ መግቢያ ፈተና እየወሰደ ማሇፍ ያሌቻለ ተማሪዎች ቁጥር እያሻቀበ መምጣቱ በዚህ ዯረጃ
ያለትን ተማሪዎች ማንቃትና ማብቃት የተሻሇ ነገን ሇመፍጠር በር ከፋች መሆኑ እሙን ነው፡፡
ስሇሆነም ይህን የማብቃትና የማንቃት ሥራ ጎ-ሰ‘ማ፣ ከ2014 ዓ.ም ክረምት ወቅት ጀምሮ በሁለም የጎንዯር ዞኖች ሥር ባለት ከ 66
በሊይ ወረዲዎች ውስጥ በሚገኙና የ12ኛ ክፍሌ መሌቀቂያ ፈተናን ከሚያስፈትኑ 143 ት/ት ቤቶች መካከሌ በ80ዎቹ ሊይ ሇመተግበር
አሌሟሌ፡፡ በመጀመሪያው ዙርም በውጤታቸው የተሻለ 10,000 ( አስር ሺህ ) ተማሪዎችን በመመሌመሌ ሇፈተናቸው ዝግጁ እያዯረገ
እግረ መንገደንም ሇማኅበረሰባቸው የተሻሇ ሃሳብና ራይዕ ያሊቸው ዜጎች እንዱሆኑ በመሥራት ሇራሳቸውም ሆነ ሇአካባቢው ማኅበረሰብ
ሥራ ፈጣሪና ሩቅ አሳቢ፣ ኃሊፊነት የሚሸከም ትውሌዴን ሇመፍጠር ይሞክራሌ፡፡
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ይህ ሇአፕቲትዩዴ ፈተና ማዘጋጃ የተዘጋጀ ሞጁሌ በዚህ አግባብ የቀረበ ሲሆን በጎ-ሰ‘ማ አስተባባሪነት ከሥር ባለት በጎ ፈቃዯኛ
ሙያተኞች የተሰናዲ ነው፡፡
Writer
 Habtamu Mekonnen (MA, TEFL)
ሐምላ፣ 2014 ዓ.ም (July, 2022)

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ጎንዯር፣ ኢትዮጵያ( Gondar, Ethiopia )

SCHOLASTIC APPTITUDE TEST (SAT)

Scholastic Aptitude Test: Important Facts and Practice Questions and
Answers
INTRODUCTION
To improve your chances of scoring highly in your Scholastic Aptitude Test and gain admission to
the university of your choice, you need to prepare well for it.
The Scholastic Aptitude Test (SAT) is a test designed to judge the essential skills needed for
academic success at the university or tertiary level. High school students who require entry into
universities in Ethiopia typically take the SAT. The SAT has also been approved by other countries
such as Israel and Sweden as an entrance exam for admission to higher education institutions.
Scholastic Aptitude Test Facts
Here are important facts about the Scholastic Aptitude Test that you need to know to excel in the
exam:
The full meaning of SAT is ―Scholastic Aptitude Test‖ – a widely recognized college/ university
admission test that serves as a requirement to apply for undergraduate programs in most universities
Ethiopia.
The SAT is designed to assess the student‘s knowledge of the English language and mathematics.
The SAT is composed of two sections:
 Critical Reading, which includes sentence completion and passage-based reading questions.
 Mathematics, which includes multiple-choice and student-produced response questions

based on the math that college-bound students typically learn during their first four years of
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high school.
What Do the Sections of the Test Look Like?
Critical Reading - The critical reading section gives you a chance to show how well you understand
what you read and has two types of questions:
 Sentence completions questions - These questions measure your knowledge of the meanings
of words and ability to understand how the different parts of a sentence fit together logically.
 Passage-based reading questions - These questions measure your ability to read and think
carefully about several different passages ranging in length about 100 and above words.
Passages are taken from a variety of fields, including the humanities, social studies, natural
sciences and fiction or literary nonfiction. They vary in style and can include narrative,
argumentative and expository elements.
 Vocabulary in Context: These questions ask you to determine the meanings of words from
their context in the reading passage.
 Literal Comprehension: These questions assess your understanding of significant

information directly stated in the passage.
 Extended Reasoning: These questions measure your ability to synthesize and analyze
information as well as to evaluate the assumptions made and the techniques used by the
author. Most of the reading questions fall into this category. You may be asked to identify
cause and effect, make inferences, recognize a main idea or an author's tone, or follow the
logic of an analogy or an argument.
 Multiple-choice - These sections measure your ability to communicate ideas clearly and
effectively; improve a piece of writing through revision and editing; recognize and identify
sentence-level errors; understand grammatical elements and structures and how they relate to
one another in a sentence; recognize correctly formed grammatical structures; clearly express
ideas through sentence combining and use of transitional words and phrases; and improve
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coherence of ideas within and among paragraphs. The multiple-choice sections include:
 Improving Sentences questions: This question type measures your ability to recognize and
correct faults in grammar and sentence structure and recognize effective sentences that
follow the conventions of standard written English.
 Identifying Sentence Errors questions: This question type measures your ability to
recognize faults in grammar and usage and recognize effective sentences that follow the
conventions of standard written English.
 Improving Paragraphs questions: This type of question measures your ability to edit and
revise sentences in the context of a paragraph or entire essay, organize and develop
paragraphs in a coherent and logical manner, and apply the conventions of standard written
English.
 Essay - The essay measures your ability to develop a point of view on an issue presented in
an extract, support your point of view using reasoning and examples from your reading,
studies, experience, or observations, and follow the conventions of standard written English.
 Mathematics - The mathematics section of the SAT contains standard multiple-choice types
questions
VERBAL REASONING or ANALOGY TEST
Analogy refers to the similarity or likeness between the word relationship of one pair and another
pair. Verbal Analogy Test measures the extent of your vocabulary or word power and the degree to
which you can read with understanding- the major types of questions that are dealt with are;
analogies, synonyms, antonyms, sentence completion and reading comprehension. Synonyms,
antonyms and analogy questions are used to test your vocabulary. Sentence completion and reading
comprehension questions are used to measure your reading ability.
Analogies Test your ability to see the relationship between types of relationships and recognize
which relationship are similar.
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Hints for Answering Questions:

1. Establish the relationship

Before you see the available answers try and establish what the relationship between the given words
in pair is.
Example:
Author : Book a. Poem : poet b. Ring : goldsmith c. Carpenter : hammer d. Composer : song
The relationship is that author creates a book.
Take the keyword ‗create‘ and try to fit this in all given choices
Poem ‗create‘ poet wrong
Ring ‗create‘ Goldsmith wrong
Carpenter ‗create‘ hammer wrong
Composer ‗create‘ song right
So ‗d‘ is the correct answer.
2. Sequence of items is important
Like in above example person i.e. ‗Author‘ comes first and the item i.e. ‗Book‘ comes second.
So in the answer also the person comes second.
The only answer that satisfies this condition is (d).
There are about twelve types of word relationships in verbal reasoning or word analogy. These
include:
a) Purpose relationship
b) Cause and effect relationship
c) Part and whole relationship
d) Part and part relationship
e) Action and object relationship
f) Synonym and antonym relationship
g) Place relationship
h) Degree relationship
i) Characteristic relationship
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j) Sequence relationship
k) Numerical relationship
l) Association relationship
Common Analogous Relationships for Verbal Reasoning Questions
1. Synonym relationship
Victory: success. Indigenous: native
Victory means success, just as indigenous means native. Both sides of the analogy balance because
both show synonyms.
2. Antonym relationship
Ancient: recent. Accomplished: unfinished
Ancient is the direct opposite of recent, just as accomplished is the direct opposite of unfinished.
They have total opposites on both sides.
3. Degree
Warm: boiling. Cool: Frozen
Warm is much less hot than boiling, just as cool is much less than cold than frozen.
4. Person related to tool, major trait, or skill/ interest
Surgeon: scalpel. Bricklayer: trowel
A surgeon uses a scalpel as one major tool in his work, just as a bricklayer uses a trowel as one of his
main tools.
5. One of a kind
Petunia: Flower. Maple: Tree
A petunia is one kind of flower, just as a maple is one kind of tree.
6. Part of a whole
Verse: Poem. Stanza: Song
A verse is one part of a poem; just a stanza is one part of a song
7. End product related to substance
Car: Metal. Furniture: Wood
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A car is typically constructed of metal, just as furniture is often constructed of wood.

8. Cause and effect (reason and result)

Shoot: Kill. Insult: humiliate
Dieting: Overweight. Resting: fatigue
As dieting can lead to (or result in) overweight, just as resting can lead to (or result in) fatigue.
9. Noun related to logical action/ purpose
Scissor: Cut. Gun: Kill
A scissor cuts things, just as a gun kills people or animals.
Stable: shelter. Warehouse: Storage
The purpose of a Stable is to provide shelter, just as the purpose of a warehouse is to provide
Storage
10. Relationships of location/ description
Camel: desert. Alligator: Swamp
A camel is an animal of the desert, just as alligator is an animal of the swamp.
11. Implied Relationships
Clouds: Sun. hypocrisy: truth
Clouds hide (or block out) the sun, just as hypocrisy hides (or blocks out) the truth.
Multiple Choice Questions
In each of the questions below, a related pair of words (in capital letters) is given. Select the lettered
pair out of four pair of words (in capital letters) is given. Select the lettered pair out of four pair of
words that expresses the relationship that is most similar to that of the capitalized pair.
1) SCISSORS: CLOTH:
a) Axe: Wood b) Stone : Grinder c) Knife: Stone d) Gun: Hunt
2. EDITOR: NEWSPAPER
A/. Lecturer: University B/. Teacher: School C/. Nurse: Hospital D/. Architect: Design
3. CRIME: PUNISHMENT
(A) lawyer: judge (B) court : room (C) accused : defendant (D) Homicide: penalty
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4. BEE : HIVE :
(A) horse : carriage (B) rider : bicycle (C) cow: barn (D) sheep : flock
5) DOCTOR: HOSPITAL:
a) Sports fan: stadium b) cow: farm c) professor: college d) criminal: jail
6) CUB: BEAR:
a) piano : orchestra b) puppy : dog c) cat : kitten d) eagle : predator
7) INK: PEN
A/ Water: River B/ Syrup: Juice C/ Blood: Body D/ Satellite: Communication
8) INK: PAPER:
a) Pen: pencil b) Paint: painting c) Chalk: blackboard d) Carbon paper: ballpoint
9) LIGHT : CANDLE :
a) Exercise: Strength b) Heat: Coil c) Power: Battery d) Automobile: Engine
10) WOOL : WARMTH
a) spring : elasticity b) marketing : advertising c) person : success d) radio : broadcast
11) ODOMETER: DISTANCE
a) scale : weight b) length : width c) inch : foot d) area : size
12) PEDAL: BICYCLE
a) inch : yardstick b) walk : skip c) tire : automobile d) oar : boat
13) RIBS : LUNGS
a) ball : sphere b) hand : finger c) shell : nut d) coat : tie
14) BIRD : CAGE
a) animal : zoo b) thief : prison c) antique : museum d) crime : punishment
15) WAR: DESTRUCTION
a) fire : burn b) court : justice c) water : drown d) food : hunger
16) YEN: CURRENCY
a) brass : metal b) flower : fragrance c) paper : book d) Oklahoma : state
17) BINDING: BOOK
a) criminal : gang b) nail : hammer c) artist : carpenter d) frame : picture
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18) EXPLORE: DISCOVER

a) read : skim b) research : learn c) write : print d) think : relate

19) WAITRESS: RESTAURANT
a) doctor : diagnosis b) actor : role c) driver : truck d) teacher : school
20) EGG: OMELETTE
a) dam : river b) student : classroom c) clay : pottery d) onion : salad
21) TAILOR: SUIT
a) scheme : agent b) edit : manuscript c) revise : writer d) architect : building
22. KINDNESS is to MERCY as CRUELITY is to: A/. Savageness B./ Wildness C./ Death
D/ Destruction
23. BAKERY is to BREAD as STUDIO is to: A. Camera B. Film Actors C. Artist D. Film
24. WATER is to DAM as TRADE is to: A/. Commerce B./ Money C./ Goods D/ Embargo
25. SOLUTION is to MYSTERY as LEARNING is to: A. Books B. Study C. Library D/
Detective
SYNONYMS
Directions: Questions below consists of a word printed in capital letters, followed by four words or
phrases. Choose the word or phrase that is most nearly similar in meaning to the word in capital
letters.
26. BRAVE A) coward B) courageous C) strong D) powerful
27. AWFULLY A) respectfully B) politely C) terribly D) cordially
28. TREMBLE A) find B) move C) shiver D) share
29. LOCKDOWN (A) Inclusion (B) Isolation (C) Imprison (D) Detain
30. PREVALENT (A) Wind (B) Servile (C) Rare (D) Widespread
ANTONYMS
Directions: Questions below consists of a word printed in capital letters, followed by four words or
phrases. Choose the word or phrase that is most nearly opposite in meaning to the word in capital
letters.
31. VIGOROUS: A/ strongly B/dangerous C/ weak D/ ruthless
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32. BARREN: A/ dry B/ fruitful C/ distant D/ unfertile

33. RIDICULOUS: A/dangerous B/ reasonable C/ hazardous D/ prisoner

34. IMPARTIAL (A) Hostile (B) Biased (C) Dislike (D) Worried
35. MALODOROUS (A) Acrid (B) Pungent (C) Fragrant (D) Delicious
CODING DECODING
What is Coding Decoding?
A ‗Code‘ is a system of conveying a message through signals. It is a method of sending a message
between sender and the receiver in such a way that only the sender and the receiver can know its
meaning. However ‗Coding‘ is done according to a certain pattern in the mind of the sender.
Therefore, its meaning can be decoded by a third person only if he carefully studies this pattern.
This process is called ‗Decoding‘. This capability is important in many fields of application.
The ‗Coding- Decoding‘ test is set up to judge the candidate‘s ability to decipher the pattern which
goes behind a coded message or statement. There are many types of coding:
A. LETTER CODING
In such questions, code values are assigned to a word in terms of the alphabets. There are following
types of letter coding.
Type 1 : In this category, one word is coded according to a particular pattern and the candidate is
asked to give the code letters for another word following the same pattern of coding.
Ex. The word MAN is coded as NBO.
Which of the following should be the code for SKY?
Solution. The first letter of the code N comes after M. the first letter of the word in question.
Similarly, the second letter B comes next to A of the question, and the third letter of code O comes
after N of the main word. Following this pattern we can say that TLZ is coded as SKY.
LETTER AND NUMERICAL CODING

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In these questions either numerical values are assigned to a word or alphabetical code values are
assigned to the numbers. The candidate is required to analyze the code according to the directions.
Ex. In a given code SISTER is coded as 535301. UNCLE as 84670 and BOY as 129. How is
RUSTIC written in the code ?
(a) 633185 (b) 185336 (c) 363815 (d) 581363
Solution. In this code the alphabets are coded as follows
SISTER UNCLE BOY

535301 84670 129
If we apply this method, the code comes out to be 185336
Multiple Choice Questions
1) In a certain coding system MOTHER is coded as PQWJHT, how will you code SISTER?
a) VKUVHT b) VKVVHU c) VKVVHT d) VKVVHS
Solution in this code the alphabets are coded as follows; the code for MOTHER is coded as
PQWJHT ( here the first letter M jumps 2 letters (i.e N, O) and the second letter O jumps 1 letter
(i,e P) the same order follows accordingly and hence the code SISTER will be VKVVHT/
2) In a certain coding system PRICE is coded as SVNIL, how will you code COST?
a) F SXY b) FSWY c) FTWZ d) FSXZ
Solution in this code the alphabets are coded as follows; the code for PRICE is coded as SVNIL (
here the first letter P jumps 2 letters (i.e Q, R) and the second letter R jumps 3 letters (i,e S T U) the
third letter (i.e I) jumps 4 letters the other letters also increase in ascending order and hence the
code COST will be FSXZ
Language Usage
DIRECTIONS: Choose the one that most nearly has the same meaning as the underlined
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word/words from the given alternatives.

36. His good name has suffered; I don‘t think he can restore his credibility.
A. trustworthiness B. credit C. good fortune D. status
37. I was dismayed to hear that my proposal was not accepted.
A. Confused B. disappointed C. disapproved D. dissatisfied
38. The boat looked really ramshackle to me; it was full of holes and very low in the water and I was
worried it would sink. A. in good condition B. in satisfactory condition
C. in poor condition D. in workable condition
39. Solomon uses coarse language. Because of this, he is always getting into fight.
A. smart B. offensive C. wise D. superfine
40. When the business folded, he took the lion's share of the assets.
(A) the biggest part (C) the easiest part (B) the smallest part (D) the only part
41. I shouldn't go outside without a raincoat because it's raining cats and dogs.
(A) it's just started to rain (B) it's going to rain (D) it's raining a little (C) it's raining very heavily
Sentence Completion
DIRECTIONS: Each sentence below has one or two blanks. Each blank indicates that something
has been omitted. Beneath the sentence are four sets of words. Choose a word or the set of words
that best fits the meaning of the sentence as a whole.
42. The leader was ____about his achievements and was unwilling to ____them before anyone.
A. enthusiastic-- hesitant B. sure--present C. modest--discuss D. boastful--disclose
43. Displeased with the ______of the audience of the theater, the play writer ______ his plan to
stage the play nationwide.. A. adaption; dropped B. reaction; abandoned C. adoption;
reclaimed D. acceptance; proceeded
44. Most young students are highly conformist and will ______ a classmate whose appearance or
manners are _____. A. shun--unusual B. emulate—different
C. exclude---conventional D. welcome---bizarre
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45. She based her conclusion on what she________ from the ______, not on what she imagined.
A. inferred; rumor B. assumed; hearsay C. understood; gossip D. inferred; evidence

Reading Comprehension
Reading passage 1
Krakata is a small island off the coast of Asia. It is known to be the stump of an old volcano. In
1883, this island erupted with the most violent explosion that has ever been known to man. The
detonation was so loud that it was heard some four thousand five hundred kilometers away. Ashes
fell on decks of distance ships three days after explosion.
46. This passage probably came from a book about________. A. Ships B. Explorers
C. Volcanoes D. Dynamite
47. What can you infer about the status of the island at present?
A. it does not seem an active volcano B. It is 4500 Km from Asia
C. It is only history; the island is gone D. Many ships seem to visit the island
48. What does the word stump mean as put in the passage? A. worn down tree
B. part of a mountain C. the main part of something D. a remaining part
49. What does the word detonation mean as put in the passage? A. Volcano
B. Loud noise C. Explosion D. ships
Reading passage 2
At that time everyone believed that the earth was at the center of the universe. But Copernicus
realized that this picture did not agree with astronomical observations. He worked out that the Sun
was at the center with all the planets moving around it. He said that our earth takes a year to travel
around the Sun, and also revolves once every 24 hours. Copernicus believed that the planets moved
around the Sun in perfect circles. Fifty years later, Kepler used the extremely accurate measurements
of Tycho Brahe to show that they do not.
50. Copernicus‘s belief that the Sun was at the center of the universe was based on_______
A. common sense B. his astronomical observation C. mathematical calculation
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D. observations of other astronomers

51. The belief that the earth was at center of the universe was held at that time by___
A. everybody B. Copernicus C. the uneducated person D. none of these
52. Copernicus‘s belief that the planets moved in perfect circles A. was self-evidently wrong
B. was perfectly correct C. was based on astronomical observations D. was proved wrong on
further astronomical observations
Reading passage 3
The famous Tower of London was built as a fortress by William the Conqueror. Early in the middle
Ages the kings used it as a palace; later on it was turned into a prison, but only distinguished
prisoners, including statesmen and princes, were held there. Today the Tower is a national museum,
where, among other things, the jewelry of the English kings and queens is on display.
53. It is obvious from the passage that the functions of the Tower of London _____.
A) were all established by William the Conqueror. B) have always been controlled by the kings.
C) have varied greatly over the centuries. D) have not changed at all since the Middle Ages.
54. We learn from the passage that the Tower _____.
A) was not originally intended to be a fortress. B) was never a prison for ordinary people.
C) is still a unique example of medieval architecture. D) functions today only as a jewelers museum.
55. William the Conqueror‘s original purpose in building the Tower of London _____.
A) was one of defense
B) was to exhibit his valuable jewelry.
C) was strongly criticized later in the Middle Ages.
D) remains unknown even now.
Reading Passage 4
WARNING: Antihistamines can cause drowsiness, so you should avoid driving or other operations
that demand alertness, coordination, or dexterity. Do not use this product if you are intolerant to
aspirin. Allergic reactions may occur in susceptible persons.
56. What is the meaning of the word dexterity as it is used in the passage?
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(A) balance (B) agility (C) clumsiness (D) pace

57. What is the meaning of the phrase intolerant to aspirin as it is used in the passage?
(A) unable to absorb aspirin without adverse effects (B) disliking the effects of aspirin
(C) unaffected by the healing effects of aspirin (D) needing a stronger medication than aspirin
58. What is the meaning of the word susceptible as it is used in the passage?
(A) adaptable (B) robust (C) malleable (D) sensitive
Logical and Analytical Reasoning
Analytical and logical reasoning questions test your reasoning skills. No knowledge of formal or
symbolic logic is required for success on these questions. Each question contains all information you
will need to solve it.
Directions: The following questions deal with logical and analytical reasoning. Read the given set of
conditions and assumptions for each question. Choose the answer that you think is most
appropriate among the given alternatives.
59. Consider the following sequence/order of days of the week.

Sunday____Wednesday ____Monday____ Monday?
What comes next? A. Thursday B. Tuesday C. Wednesday D. Friday
60. The day before yesterday was Sunday. What day is the day after tomorrow?
A. Thursday B. Tuesday C. Wednesday D. Friday
61. A well-nourished child can be more likely to be studious, but food has been seen as a cost to be
cut rather than ingredient of good schooling.
What conclusion can be made from the above statement?
A. A well-nourished child is definitely studious.

B. A well-nourished child succeeds more likely in schooling.
C. Parents are well aware to nourish their children for better schooling.
D. There is a tendency to increase the food intake of children by reducing its cost.
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62. A company worker has six children. No one else in the factory has six children.
Which of the following conclusions logically follows from the statements given above?
A. Some of the company workers have more than six children

B. Only one worker in the company has exactly six children
C. All workers in the company have six children
D. Everybody in the company has children
63. Some of my friends are married.
All of my friends are educated.
Conclusion I: All of my friends who are educated are married.
Conclusion II: Some of my friends who are married are educated.
Which one of the following conclusions can follow?
A. Both I and II follow
B. Only conclusion II follows
C. Only conclusion I follows
D. Either I or II follows
64. Fact 1: All chickens are birds.
Fact 2: Some chickens are hens.
Fact 3: Female birds lay eggs.
If the first three statements are facts, then which of the following statements must also be a fact?
I. All birds lay eggs.
II. Hens are birds.
III. Some chickens are not hens.
(A) II only (B) II and III only (C) I, II, and III (D) none of the statements is a known fact.
65. Fact 1: Robert has four vehicles.
Fact 2: Two of the vehicles are red.
Fact 3: One of the vehicles is a minivan.
If the first three statements are facts, then which of the following statements must also be a fact?
I. Robert has a red minivan.
II. Robert has three cars.
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III. Robert‘s favorite color is red.

(A) I only (B) II only (C) II and III only (D) none of the statements is a known fact.
66. Ben, Hannah, Tim and Liam are colleagues. Ben and Tim speak French, whereas the others
speak Arabic. Tim and Liam speak Spanish. Everyone except Ben speaks Chinese. Who speaks only
Arabic and Chinese?
(a) Tim (b) Liam (c) Ben (d) Hannah

67. Four friends are almost the same age. Bill was born four months after Dylan. Dylan was born
nine months before Mary. Mary was born two months before John. Who is the eldest?
(a) Mary (b) Dylan (c) John (d) Bill
68. All bank clients are old. All old people are rich. Which of the following must be true?
(a) All rich people are old (b) All old people are bank clients
(c) All old people are poor (d) All bank clients are rich
69. Peter is taller than Brian but shorter than Pedro. Mathias is taller than Pedro. Who is the tallest?
(a) Mathias (b) Brian (c) Pedro (d) Peter
70. Five cars are ready at the start line of a race. Car B is positioned to the right of Car A but is not
positioned next to Car C. Car C is positioned next to Car D, which has Car B on its left side. Car E
is positioned furthest from Car C.
Which car does not have a car to the left of it?
(a) Car C (b) Car D (c) Car E (d) Car A

Page138
Scholastic Aptitude Test (SAT)

Answer Key
1A 2D 3D 4C 5C 6B 7C 8C 9C 10A
11A 12D 13C 14B 15A 16D 17D 18B 19D 20C
21D 22A 23D 24D 25B 26B 27C 28C 29B 30D
31C 32D 33B 34B 35C 36A 37B 38C 39B 40A
41C 42D 43B 44A 45D 46B 47C 48D 49C 50B
51A 52D 53C 54B 55A 56B 57B 58D 59C 60A
61C 62B 63 B 64A 65D 66D 67B 68D 69A 70C

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ENGLISH MODEL QUESTION & ANSWER FOR GRADE12, 2014E.

ጎንዯር፣ ኢትዮጵያ( Gondar, Ethiopia )

The aim of this trainning module is:

 To help students learn English language effectively at secondary schools.

 To support students who are eager to study at university

PART I: THEORETICAL PRELIMINARIES

the specific problems and contexts change.

1.2. Reading Techniques

2. Lookout for Pivotal Words

Additional Reading sub-skills

 Scanning-locate information that you hope to find

 Intensive(accurate) reading- reading a shorter text closely for detailed information

 Interpretation(inferring meaning)- understand the meaning of a passage without all the

 Top-down reading- readers bring their knowledge to the text

1.5. More on Sub-skills and strategies

 Manage your time

 Don‘t focus on every word

 Underline key words

 Don‘t depend on dictionaries

 Predict meaning by using clues

 Skim before you scan, then read intensively

During the exam

 Spend a minute looking at headings, subheadings, diagrams, pictures, etc.

 Understand the instructions (question type and requirements)

 Read questions carefully- underline keywords and think of synonyms

 Scan the text to find the section containing the answer

 Read the relevant part of the text carefully

 Check the grammar and spelling of written answers

 Transfer answers to the answer sheet

PART II: VOCABULARY AND READING:WORD AND TEXT ATTACK

1) Understanding Vocabulary in Context

Example: Kebed‘s fast new car beats my sluggish car.

In the above sense, ‗reprisal’ means ‗violent’.

come to the meeting.

2) Reading Comprehension Levels

A) Literal Comprehension Levels

2) Identifying the main idea of the text or the writer’s purpose

 According to the author---

A) The director B) Young-il C) Sung-Min D) The writer himself

4) Determining the meaning of words from context

5) Describing the passage’s organization

Which of the following best describes the development of this passage?

 The organization of the passage can best be described as........

Answer the following questions

B) Inferential Comprehension Levels

 The following questions are important to think beyond the text:

o What effect does the character or event have on the story?

2) Identifying the author’s attitude, mood, or tone

B) He didn‘t know the director‘s office.

Based on the above text, answer each of the following questions

D) To show that she passed through a series of sufferings.

third highest on television?

A) August B) September C) January D) November

PART III: COMMUNICATIVE ASPECTS

with a positive statement, you say ‗no‘.

Example: Adam: To whom was Chaltu calling?

‗Wh-word + noun + auxiliary verb + subject + main verb’.

Example: Asfaw: Which shirt do they prefer?

 We use also ‗what’ and ‘how’ about measurements.

6) Teacher: We‘re on page 50, aren‘t we?

A) 3kms. B) 2 hours. C) I often arrive late. D) I always by bus

2) Some common daily communicative English

D) May I introduce myself, too. My name is Kebede.

3) Secretary: How do you do, sir?