English intensive course

Academic year: 2023-2024

Licence 1 : propaedeutic lesson

LESSON N°1: Futur ' will ' and ' be going to '

In English both 'will ' and 'be going to ' are used to refer to the future. However, we use ' will
' with :
- Habitual actions : eg : These birds will come back next year .
- Making a promise : eg : I'll finish this work by 7:00.
-Making an offer , eg : If you need that medicine now , I will get it for you .
-Something expected eg : I think the Brazilians will win the match.

whereas ' be going to ' is used with:

-Prior plan , eg : I'm going to meet them at the airport.
-Prediction , eg :Look at those clouds ! It's going to rain.
-Commands and refusals ,eg :You are going to take that medicine whether you like it or not
-Permanent state eg : Their new house is going to look over the river .

Now , choose the correct alternative , 'will ' or ' be going to ' in the following sentences :

will
1. This box is very heavy . Don't worry I …………………. carry it for you.

2. Why do you want to sell your flat? I ……………………. move to the countryside.

3. Do you want to borrow my car ? Thanks, I ………………….. bring it back tonight.

4. Stop worrying about the exam . You ……………………… pass it easily.

5. If you don't understand the exercise, I ……………………. explain it to you.

6. Whether you like it or not, you ……………………….. help with the house chores.

7. Their new house ………………………… be very beautiful.

8. I …………………………. be back home before dark.

9. I think summer ……………………….. be extremely hot this year.

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 English intensive course
Academic year: 2023-2024
Licence 1 : propaedeutic lesson

1. Look! The barometer is falling, perhaps the weather………………… be nice at the

weekend.

2. My sister is pregnant, according to the doctor she ……………………….. have a girl.

3. Why are you wearing your best suit ? I ……………………. have lunch with my biggest
customer.

4. Would you like chicken or beef ? I think I ………………………… have beef.

5. If he passes his exam he ……………………….. stay in England for a year. His aim is to
speak English fluently.

6. Your daughter is nearly as tall as you are. It's not surprising, she …………………. be 15
next month.

7. There isn't any butter left. I ……………………….. go to the grocer's and get some.

8. Now that Peter has retired who do you think ……………………… get the job ?

9. David has failed his exams I ………………………….. congratulate him.

10. Why are your children dressed like that ? They ……………………….. wash the car.

1. In ten years, I …………………….. (to be) the best singer.

2. A : « Did you invite John to your wedding ? » / B : « -Oh, I forgot ! I ……………… (to
phone) him now. »

3. Nobody in Doug's team can play soccer. They …………………… (to lose) that match.

4. I have bought a new car. I ……………………. (to drive) it.

5. A : « Look, there’s a lot of smoke there ! » / B : « Damned, I ……………………. (to call)

the firemen immediately. »

6. A : « Would you prefer coffee or a cake ? » / B : « I …………………… (to have) some

coffee, please. »

7. I don’t think this girl …………………….. (to sing) tonight.

8. This morning, I listened to the radio. The weather …………………… (to be) nice for the
weekend.

9. We are late and it’s 10 o’clock ! We ……………………. (to miss) our plane !

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 English intensive course
Academic year: 2023-2024
Licence 1 : propaedeutic lesson

10. What ………………………. (you/to sing) for the party? Probably something well-known.

1. Look! She ……………… (have) a baby.

2. I think I ………………………. (buy) his last CD.

3. I think he ……………………..(be) late again.

4. If he hears you, he …………………………. (probably run) away.

5. If he wins the match, he ……………………….. (be) very happy.

6. It's very cloudy, it ……………………….. (rain).

7. The next time we see him, we …………………………. (congratulate) him.

8. Look! They …………………………… (wash) the car.

9. We ……………………….. (phone) you as soon as we arrive.

LESSON N°2: Comparative 1 (cheaper, more expensive etc.)

A. Look at these examples:
How shall we travel? Shall we drive or go by train?
• Let’s drive. It’s cheaper.
• Don’t go by train. It’s more expensive.
Cheaper and more expensive are comparative forms.

After comparatives you can use than:

• It’s cheaper to drive than go by train.
• Going by train is more expensive than driving.

B. The comparative form is -er or more … .

We use -er for short words (one syllable): We use more … for longer words (two
syllables or more):
cheap → cheaper fast → faster
more serious more expensive
large → larger thin → thinner more often more comfortable

We also use -er for two-syllable words that We also use more … for adverbs that end
end in -y (-y → -ier): in -ly:
lucky → luckier early → earlier
easy → easier pretty → prettier more slowly more seriously
more easily more quietly

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 English intensive course
Academic year: 2023-2024
Licence 1 : propaedeutic lesson

Compare these examples:

• You’re more patient than me.
• You’re older than me.
• The exam was quite difficult – more
• The exam was quite easy – easier than
difficult than I expected.
I expected.
• Can you walk a bit more slowly?
• Can you walk a bit faster?
• I’d like to have a more reliable car.
• I’d like to have a bigger car.
• I don’t play tennis much these days.
• Last night I went to bed earlier than
• I used to play more often.
usual.

We use both -er or more … with some two-syllable adjectives, especially:

clever narrow quiet shallow simple
• It’s too noisy here. Can we go somewhere quieter? or … somewhere more quiet?

C. A few adjectives and adverbs have irregular comparative forms:

good/well → better

• The garden looks better since you tidied it up.

• I know him well – probably better than anybody else knows him.
bad/badly → worse

• ‘How’s your headache? Better?’ ‘No, it’s worse.’

• He did very badly in the exam – worse than expected.

far → further (or farther)

• It’s a long walk from here to the park – further than I thought. (or farther than)
Note that further (but not farther) also means ‘more’ or ‘additional’:
• Let me know if you hear any further news. (= any more news)
Exercises
105.1 Complete the sentences using a comparative form (older / more important etc.).
1 This restaurant is very expensive. Let’s go somewhere cheaper .
stronger
2 This coffee is very weak. I like it …………………. .
3 The town was surprisingly big. I expected it to be ……………………….
smaller …….
4 The hotel was surprisingly cheap. I expected it to be ……………………………..
more expensive

5 The weather is too cold here. I’d like to live somewhere ……………………………..
hotter

6 Sometimes my job is a bit boring. I’d like to do something ………………………….

more intersting

7 It’s a shame you live so far away. I wish you lived …………………………………..
closer
more difficult
8 It was quite easy to find a place to live. I thought it would be ……………………….

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 English intensive course
Academic year: 2023-2024
Licence 1 : propaedeutic lesson

better
9 Your work isn’t very good. I’m sure you can do …………………………………….
worse
10 Don’t worry. The situation isn’t so bad. It could be ………………………………..
11 You hardly ever call me. Why don’t you call me ? ………………………………..
more often

12 You’re too near the camera. Can you move a bit …………………………………away?
further

Complete the sentences. Use the comparative forms of the words in the box. Use than where
necessary.
big early high important interested peaceful reliable serious slowly thin

1 I was feeling tired last night, so I went to bed earlier than usual.
2 I’d like to have a more reliable car. The one I have keeps breaking down.
…………………..we
3 Unfortunately the problem wasmore serious than thought at first.
thinner
4 You look ……………………. . Have you lost weight?
5 We don’t have enough space here. We need a ………………..apartment.
bigger

6 James doesn’t study very hard. He’s …………………..in

more intersted having a good time.
more important
7 Health and happiness are …………………….money.
8 I like living in the country. It’s …………………….
more peaceful than living in a town.

more slowly
9 I’m sorry I don’t understand. Can you speak ………………….., please?
higher than
10 In some parts of the country, prices are ………………………..in others.

Complete the sentences. Choose from:

than more worse quietly longer better careful frequent
1 Getting a visa was complicated. It took longer than I expected.
2 Sorry about my mistake. I’ll try and be more ……………………in future.
3 Your English has improved. It’s …………………….. than it was.
4 You can travel by bus or by train. The buses are more ……………………than the trains.
5 You can’t always have things immediately. You have to be ………………..patient.
6 I’m a pessimist. I always think things are going to get ……………………...
7 We were busier …………………..usual in the office today. It’s not usually so busy.
8 You’re talking very loudly. Can you speak more ……………………?

Read the situations and complete the sentences. Use a comparative form (-er or more …).
1 Yesterday the temperature was six degrees. Today it’s only three degrees.
It’s colder today than it was yesterday.
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 English intensive course
Academic year: 2023-2024
Licence 1 : propaedeutic lesson

2 Dan and I went for a run. I ran ten kilometres. Dan stopped after eight kilometres.
I ran …………………………….. Dan.

3 The journey takes four hours by car and five hours by train.
The journey takes ……………………….. train……………………. car.

4 I expected my friends to arrive at about 4 o’clock. In fact they arrived at 2.30.

My friends ……………………………….. I expected.

5 There is always a lot of traffic here, but today the traffic is really bad.
The traffic today ………………………….usual.

Listening (n°7)
1. What words are used to express the idea that the Cream Team is about to disappear? Why ?

2. According to the author, what is so special about British sausages?

3. Who invented the sandwich? where and when?

4. Is fish and ships traditionally served on a plate?

5. What words are used to express the idea that a Christmas pudding is particularly difficult to
digest?

Listening (n° 22)

a) What was Ponte Tower before 1994?

b) Where is Power Ponte located?

c) How many floors does PonteTower have?

d) What did desperate whites do from the top of Ponte Tower in 1994?

e) What other neighbourhood is rich in Johanesburg?

f) What is Ponte Tower today?

g) What did the city authorities want to convert the tower into?