Unit: 1 – Talk

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Learning Outcomes

• Lesson A: Learn to talk about different forms of

communication.

• Lesson B: Learn to describe experiences in the present.

Universidad Politécnica Salesiana del Ecuador

Learning Outcomes
• Lesson C: Learn to give and respond to opinions.

• Lesson D: Learn to write a guide.

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Lesson A: Subject and object questions.
Most questions in English are object questions – we want to know about the receiver of the action.
Most questions in English are object questions – we want to know about the receiver of the action.
These questions need an auxiliary verb (e.g. do, be, have or a modal verb) before the subject. The
auxiliary verb can be positive or negative.

Question word Auxiliary verb or Subject Main verb

be
Can I borrow your pen?
Do you have much homework?
Why were you late?
Who are you waiting for?
How many people have you invited to the party?

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Subject questions:
When we ask about the subject of the verb, we use
the same word order in the questions as in the
statement (subject-verb-object). Don’t add an
auxiliary verb to subject questions.

Question word Verb

Who told you the news?

What happened yesterday?

How many people are coming to the party?

Which team won the match?

 Examples:
Who told you the news? (Stuart told me the news.)
What happened yesterday? (Nothing happened yesterday.)

In questions with prepositions, the preposition goes at

the end of the question:

Examples:
A: Who did you go to the cinema with? B: My sister.
A: What’s he talking about? B: His job.
 What….. like? and How…?
Use What….like? to ask for a description
of a person:
A: What’s your teacher like?
B: She’s very friendly.

Use How….? to ask about a person’s

health.
A: How’s your sister?
You can use What … like? or How
B: She’s very well, thanks.
…? To ask for a description of a
thing or event:
A: What was your holiday like?
/How was your holiday?
B: It was excellent.
Exercises:
Fill in the gaps with the questions in English about the subject or the object. 

1. Somebody kissed me.

______________________________?
2. I kissed somebody.
______________________________?
3. Somebody gave me the book.
______________________________?
4. Something happened.
______________________________?
5. Betty told me something.
______________________________?
 Choose the correct subject or object question for each statement.
1. I bought a newspaper this morning.
a. What bought you this morning?
b. What did you buy this morning?
c. What you did buy this morning?
 
2. Something odd happened during the storm
last night.
a. What happened during the storm last night?
b. What did happen during the storm last night?
 
3. One of the students didn't do the final exam.
a. Who didn't the final exam do?
b. Who didn't do the final exam?
 
4. I wrote a romantic letter to one of the
teachers.
Who did you write a romantic letter to?
Who wrote you a romantic letter?
 
5. Something disturbed me when I was
working.
a. What did you disturb when you were
working?
a. What disturbed you when you were
working?
b. What did disturb you when you were
working?
Lesson B: Present simple and continuous.

Present simple

We use the present simple for:

• facts which are true all the time.
The sun rises in the east. The bus doesn’t go past my house.
• habits and routines.
I study for about an hour a week. We never get much homework.
• opinions and beliefs.
Do you agree? I don’t know the answer.
Present simple and continuous.

Present continuous

We use the present continuous for:

• actions which are in pregress at the momento of speaking.
Why are you carrying an umbrella? It’s not raining.
• actions or situations around the momento of speaking.
He’s studying Russian at university.
• future arrangements
I’m meeting Andrew tonight.
States and actions

The present continuous is nor normally

used to describe:
• Mental states: know, agree,
understand, believe, etc.
• Likes and preferences: like, want,
love, hate, need, prefer, etc.
• Other states: be, own, belong, forget,
hear, seem, depend, etc.
 Special cases:

Some verbs (e.g. think, see, have) can be used as states or actions with different
meanings:
State: I think you’re wrong. (=my opinion)
Action: I’m thinking about my birthday. (= a mental process)
State: I see what you mean. (= I understand)
Action: I’m seeing the doctor tomorrow. (= I’m meeting him/her)
State: I have a car/a sister. (= possession, relationship, etc)
Action: I’m having a party / a shower / dinner.
Exercise 1:
Using the words in parentheses, complete the text below with the appropriate tenses.

1. Every Monday, Sally ___________(drive) her kids to football practice.

2. Usually, I __________ (work) as a secretary at ABT, but this summer I ____________ (study)

French at a language school in Paris. That is why I am in Paris.

3. Shhhhh! Be quiet! John ___________(sleep)

4. Don't forget to take your umbrella. It _________(rain)

5. I hate living in Seattle because it _________(rain, always)

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Exercise 2:
Complete the story. Use Simple Present and Present Continuous.

1. Today ________(be) Betty's birthday.

2. Betty _________(love) birthdays.
3. She ___________(be) always very excited and (wake up) very early.
4. At six o'clock in the morning, Betty __________(hear) a noise.
5. She ___________(get up) and ________(go) into the sitting room.
6. What ___________(go on) ?
7. Look! Betty's cat Carlos _________(sit) on the table and he ________(play) with Betty's present.
Lesson C:Learn to give and respond to opinions.
Giving opinions
Using me too / me neither
Well, in my opinion…..
I guess …
I think….
Well, if you ask me, … 1. We use Me too and Me neither to say we
agree or are in the same situation.
Responding to opinions 2. We use Me too after a positive sentence.
3. We use Me neither after a negative
I know what you mean, but… sentence.
I know exactly what you mean.
I’m not sure about that.
That’s right.
I see where you’re comming from, but…

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EXERCISE 1:
Listen and complete the sentences with one
word.

1. Well, in my ________, roses are always a good option.

2. I ________ something like rulips might be better.

3. I ________ it’s going to be imposible with another florist’s in the same Street.

4. Well, if you ________ me, it’s not worth worrying about until we know for sure.

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EXERCISE 2:
Complete the exchanges with appropriate responses.

1. A: I need a nice cup of coffee. B: ________________

2. A: I don’t really like watching soap operas. B: ________________

3. A: I wasn’t invited to the birthday party. B: ________________

4. A: I’m looking forward to the wedding. B: ________________

5. I don’t really like chocolate. B: ________________

Lesson D: Learn to write a guide.
Introducing a purpose; referring pronouns

In order to + infinitive Verb + ing: Verb + to:

In order to pass an Knowing your learning To learn new

exam, it’s a good idea to style helps you study vocabulary, try to think
revise every day. more effectively. of an image in you
head.

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Exercise:
Join the sentences using purpose words/ phrases. More than one
answer is possible.

1. I write the new words in a vocabulary notebook. I remember them.

____________________________________________________
2. I practise pronunciation. I record myself saying words on my phone.
____________________________________________________
3. I write gramar rules on a piece of paper. I understan them better.
____________________________________________________
 References:
Empower- Students book – First edition- 2016.

http://www.focus.olsztyn.pl/en-english-exercises-subject-object-questions.html#.XWb12OhKjIU

https://www.englishpage.com/verbpage/verbs1.htm

https://www.ego4u.com/en/cram-up/grammar/simpre-prepro

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