Midterm Exam

RIN4
 Adverbs of frequency
• Meaning: These are words that show ‘how often’ an action happens and they provide information about the
frequency or repetition of an activity in a sentence.
• An adverb commonly that modifies or provides more information about ”actions”. They can answer questions, such
as how, when, where, to what extent, or how often an action occurs.
Example: She always arrives on time for meetings. They rarely go on vacation.
• They help to communicate the regularity or infrequency of an action, which adds more detail to the sentence
meaning.
Example: They sometimes go to the movies on weekends. We occasionally try new restaurants.
Side note:
 Remember that adverbs of frequency have a usual location in a
sentence.
a. The adverbs are commonly placed before the main verb, but there
can also be an auxiliary (helping) verb, if a sentence has one.
• Adverbs of frequency are after helping verbs. If there is no helping
1. How often is the action happening? verb, the adverb usually comes before the main verb.

2. Where is the adverb located in the sentence? Example: I would usually (call) my grandparents when I
was little.
3. Does the sentence accurately reflect the frequency of the We (are) never late for the bus.
action?
 Collocations
• Meaning: Collocations are two or more words that are commonly used together and they tell you how the word
relationships are formed.
First examples:
She has blonde hair.
There is heavy rain in Oaxaca.

• Strong collocations have a link between two words that are already fixed or restricted, but weak collocations have
words that can meet with other words.
Strong collocation:
Ex: Happy Birthday, Merry Christmas
Make + a + wish
 These words have an established association.

Weak collocation: [big, fast, short, very]

Ex: Big apartment, car, chance, house.
o ‘Big’ can go with hundreds of words, therefore it is weak.
 Comparative vs. superlative adjectives
• Meaning: They are both used to compare the degree or level of a certain quality or characteristic between two or
more people, things, or ideas.

1. Comparatives: compare two things and are formed by adding -er to the end of a one-syllable adjective (e.g., taller,
smarter) or by using more or less before the adjective (e.g., more beautiful, less expensive) for adjectives with two
or more syllables.
Example: This car is faster than that one. The city is more crowded during rush hour.
2. Superlatives: are needed for more than two things and are formed by adding -est to the end of a one-syllable
adjective (e.g., tallest, smartest) or by using the most or least before the adjective (e.g., most beautiful, least
expensive) for adjectives with two or more syllables.
Example: Mt. Everest is the tallest mountain in the world. That was the worst movie I've ever seen.

Side note:
 Remember that comparatives and superlatives are not always the 1. How many things are you comparing?
only way to express comparison.
a. There are other phrases or structures used to compare, such as 2. Is there a regular or irregular adjective form?
"as...as" (e.g., as tall as, as smart as), "more...than" (e.g., more
interesting than, more expensive than), or "less...than" 3. Is the adjective one syllable or more?
• Putting together comparatives or superlatives is a question about
knowing how many syllables are there in the original adjective.
 Linking words of expression
• Meaning: These are words or phrases that people use in their conversations or writing to signal different
things and they can help guide an audience understand when someone communicates their thoughts.
• These are also known as “discourse markers.”
• They ultimately indicate transitions, connections, and relationships between sentences and paragraphs.

Uses of discourse markers:

• To add information:
Additionally, furthermore, also, moreover, besides, in addition, similarly, likewise.
Example: I love hiking. Additionally, I enjoy camping in the woods.

• To contrast or compare:
However, nevertheless, on the other hand, in contrast, on the contrary, although, while, despite, whereas.
Example: She is a great swimmer. However, she is afraid of deep water.
 Other uses for discourse markers
• To emphasize or illustrate a point:
In fact, indeed, certainly, of course, notably, specifically, particularly, for instance.
Example: I have been to many countries. Specifically, I visited Spain, France, and Italy last summer.

• To show cause and effect:

Consequently, as a result, therefore, thus, hence, due to, because of, for this reason.
Example: I missed my train. Consequently, I arrived late for the meeting.

• To show time and sequence:

Firstly, secondly, next, then, afterward, finally, meanwhile, in the meantime.
Example: Firstly, we need to finish this project. Then, we can start the next one.

• To clarify information or ask for clarification:

You know?, Does that make sense?, I mean, You see
Example: You see, the thing is, I promised my friend I would meet them for dinner before the concert.
Identify the discourse markers in the following conversation.

Crystal: I’m sick.

Stephanie: Really? What’s the problem?

Crystal: Well, I have a headache and a fever.

Stephanie: I think you should see a doctor.

Crystal: I suppose. But I'm afraid of needles, you know?

Stephanie: I know, but it’s the only way you'll get better. Right?

Crystal: I know, I'll go see a doctor.

 Narrative tense: used to vs. would
• Meaning: "Used to" and "would" are both used to describe past habits or regular actions, but they have slightly
different uses and implications.
Used to: This describes a past habit or action that is no longer true or has stopped and talks about a situation or state
that existed in the past, but does not exist anymore. [español: solía]
a. Is this a current habit? No.
Ex: The Aztec people used to live in Tenochtitlan, which is modern Mexico City.
b. Has the habit stopped? Yes.

c. Is this from the past? Yes.

Would: This describes a past habit that was done regularly or usually in the past and can talk about a readiness or
preference to do something in the past. [español: haría]
Example: The Aztecs would perform thousands of human sacrifices per year
and the practice was eventually banned by the Spanish conquistadors in the 16th century.

1. Is this also a past habit? Yes. Side note:

• ”Would" is also used to describe hypothetical situations in
2. Was there repetition? Yes. present or future conditional sentences, but you cannot
3. Has the habit also stopped? Yes. have "used to" in those contexts.
Can’t Probability [~0%]
• May [~50%]
May, Could, Might • Could [~40%]
• Might [<35%]

Must Probability [~100%]

 Must
• Meaning: It is used to express a strong degree of certainty with high probability, based on evidence or
reasoning. In this context, "must" indicates that the speaker is concludes that something highly likely or
certain based on the information.
oO o
/mʌst/
Positive: (Subject + must + infinitive + rest of the sentence.) a. Is must after the subject? Yes.
Ex: The sky is cloudy, it must be going to rain.
b. Is there an infinitive? Yes.

Negative: (Subject + must + not + infinitive + rest of the sentence.) c. Is the evidence true? Yes.
Ex: She hasn't arrived yet, she must not be coming.

Question: (Must + subject + infinitive + ?)

Side note:
Ex: Must she be coming?  An infinitive of a verb has two forms:
1. Is it a modal verb? Yes. a. To-infinitive [The to-form has the root ‘to’ and the base
form of many common verbs.]
2. Is it a high priority? Yes.
b. The infinitive without to [Example: after modal verbs]
3. Is it very likely? Yes.
 May
• Meaning: "May" can be used to express a polite or cautious possibility, which is
more possible than ‘might’.
oOo
/meɪ/
a. Positive: (Subject + may + infinitive + rest of the sentence.)
Ex: She may be coming later.

b. Negative: (Subject + may + not + infinitive + rest..)

Ex: She may not be coming.

c. Question: (May + subject + infinitive + rest..)

Ex: May she be coming?
 Could
Positive: (Subject + could + infinitive + rest of the sentence.)
Ex: She could be coming later.
/kʊd/
Negative: (Subject + could + not + infinitive + rest..)
Ex: She could not be coming.
o “Couldn’t” can be used with ‘have’ as a past participle of the verb and not the present form.

Question: (Could + subject + infinitive + rest..

Ex: Could she be coming?
 Might
 Meaning: "Might" can be used to express a slight degree of uncertainty or
possibility, which is less possible than may. The speaker is not certain if they can
help, but it is a possibility.
/maɪt/
Positive: (Subject + might + infinitive + rest of the sentence.)
Ex: He might be coming later.

Negative: (Subject + might + not + infinitive + rest..)

Ex: He might not be coming. Questions for may, could, might..

a. Are you deciding? Yes.

Question: (Might + subject + infinitive + ?) b. Do they have possibilities? Yes.
Ex: Might he be coming?
c. Are you unsure? Yes.
 Can’t
• Meaning: "Can't" can be used to express a strong degree of certainty that something is not true.
The speaker is certain that a current path is not the correct one. We use can’t, but [NOT mustn’t]
when we are sure, or quite sure, that something is not true.
Ooo
/kænt/
Positive: *(Subject + can + infinitive + rest of the sentence)*
o ‘Can’ refers to an ability, but not a deduction!

Negative: (Subject + can’t + infinitive + rest..)

Ex: He can't be at the meeting, he's on vacation.
Question: (Can’t + subject + infinitive + ?)
Ex: Can’t he sell the car?

1. It is unlikely? Yes.
2. Is it true? No.
3. Is it the opposite of must? Yes.
 Passive Voice
• Meaning: Passive voice is a grammar structure used to focus on the object or recipient of an action, rather than the
subject or actor of the activity.
• The subject of the sentence receives the action and not performing the task.

To understand, let’s look at the differences:

• Active voice: The subject of the sentence performs the action. [S+V+O]
• Active voice is usually clearer and more direct than passive voice because it is clear about who or what is doing the
action in a sentence.

a. Does the subject appear first? Yes.

Examples: Juan ate the pizza.
Brendan taught a class. b. Is the subject completing the deed? Yes.

c. Does the sentence focus on the object? No.

 Passive Voice (continued)
• Passive voice: There is focus on a recipient or object of an action and not the actor. [O+V+S]
• Passive voice is often used when the actor is unknown, unimportant, or already clear from the context.

Examples: The pizza was eaten by Juan. a. Did the sentence order change? Yes.
A class was taught by Brendan.
b. Does the object appear first? Yes.

c. Is there a helping verb "to be" with a past participle?

Yes.
Side note:
 Passive voice can also make the sentence sound more formal or distant.
a. Reported speech is different than passive voice because you need to report
what someone else said, but passive voice centers on the object for an action.
• Passive voice can be useful in some contexts, such as to be objective or
avoiding blame.
• However, passive voice can be confusing because passive voice the structure
can hide who is performing the action and can make a sentence sound more
complex or harder to understand.
 Phrasal verbs
• Meaning: An inseparable phrasal verb is a verb phrase with two or more words. Together, they have a different
meaning than the original action.
• They are commonly put together with either: verb + preposition or verb + adverb.

• Side note: As the name implies, inseparable phrasal verbs cannot be separated.

Example: a. Are they separate actions? No.

• I ran into my friend yesterday. (correct)
b. Do you put them together? Yes.
• I ran my friend into yesterday. (incorrect)
c. Do they have their own meaning? Yes.
 Subject + am/is/are + verb + -ing Subject + past verb + object Subject + was/were + verb + -ing
are meeting up at the met up with his girlfriend.
restaurant. with her friend.

ran into my friend at the was running into many

coffee shop. people he knew at the
conference.

are stopping by the was stopping by my friend’s

gas station. the library to study. house for her birthday.

Regular verbs: Irregular verbs: • Side note: Some past regular verbs need a spelling change:
• stop • meet
• run Examples:
o st[o](p) stop + p + (ed)
o r[o](b) rob + b + (ed)
o pl[a](n) plan + n + (ed)
 Prepositions
• Meaning: Prepositions are words that show a relationship between the noun or pronoun and another word in a
sentence. They can indicate location, direction, time, manner, or other relationships!
Example: The coffee is on the table beside you.
• Remember that most prepositions have several definitions, and the meaning can radically change in different
settings.
We have class on Monday. (a specific day). I am in love. (a strong emotional connection)
This is for you. (the recipient or beneficiary). The package is at the door. (proximity or position)
• However, there is no exact formula to determine which preposition to use for a specific combination of words.
o In English, this is because prepositions mostly have fixed expressions or with certain verbs. In these cases, it is best
to memorize the phrase instead of an individual preposition.
• Prepositions do not always have consistent rules or patterns, which makes them difficult to learn and apply
consistently.
• Understanding their usage depends on familiarity with idiomatic expressions, collocations, and context.
Side note:
 Remember that prepositions can have multiple meanings and the
uses could vary because they need to have a context.
 You do not need to directly translate prepositions directly from your
first language because prepositions may correspond to several
different prepositions in English.
 Prepositions.. (continued)
The cat is hiding under the table.
She walked towards the park.
The meeting is at 9:00 am.

1. What type of information is being communicated?

2. Does the preposition have an identity or role?

3. What are their differences (in, on, at, to, from)?

He plays the guitar with passion.

This book belongs to Sarah.
He is studying hard for the exam.

4. Which category is the preposition?

5. How do the prepositions help connect words in a sentence?

6. What is the purpose or intended recipient of the action?

 Past simple vs. present perfect
• Meaning: The past simple is used to describe completed actions or events that have a specific past point, which can
have a time reference.
• It is also known as “simple past tense”.
a. Is this in the present? No.

Past simple: (Subject + past verb + rest of the sentence.) b. Is the action from the past? Yes.
Ex: She visited London.
c. Is the action finished? Yes.

Present perfect: (Subject + have/has + past participle + rest of the sentence.)

• Meaning: The present perfect talks about actions that started in the “past” and continue into the present or have a
connection to the present.
Ex: I have lived in Oaxaca since 2016. Side note:
 The present perfect does “not” have a specific time.
1. Did the action start in the past? Yes. a. When you have a past reference, the past simple is
necessary.
2. Is it finished? No. b. When the time of the action is not specified, the present
3. Is there a present connection? Yes. perfect is more useful.
 Present perfect continuous
• Meaning: It is a tense that describes an action that began in the past and is still ongoing in the present or the event
recently ended. There is a connection to the present moment or activity that has been taking place over a period of
time until now.
• It is also known as “present perfect progressive”.
Positive: (Subject + have/has + been + verb + -ing + rest of the sentence.)
Ex: I have been living in Oaxaca since 2016. a. Is have or has after the subject? Yes.

Negative: (Subject + have/has + not + been + -ing + rest of the sentence.) b. Does it include ‘been’? Yes. /bɪn/

Ex: She has not been studying for the exam. c. Is the action continuous? Yes.

Question: (Have/has + subject + been + -ing ?)

Ex: Have you been drinking?
Side note:
 It does not tell us whether the action is finished or not.
1. Is it a verb tense? Yes. a. The situation could change at any time.
2. Did it start in the past? Yes. b. The time or duration is not important for the action, but
the consequence of something that happened and there
3. Is it still ongoing? Yes. is a result of the experience.
 Relative clauses
• Meaning: Relative clauses are sections that modify a subject or noun phrase to give more information about the
main clause. These are non-essential parts of a sentence that add meaning, but they can still function
grammatically when they are removed.
• Common relative pronouns include: that, which, who, whom, or whose.

• Defining clauses: There is information that helps identify who or which thing is talked about, but the sentence
meaning would be changed if the section was removed.
Example: Video games that promote violence are bad for children.
o ‘That’ defines the specific genre and without this information, the sentence would be incomplete or unclear.
Michael Phelps, who won 28 medals, is the most decorated Olympian of all time.

• Non-defining clauses: They give extra information about someone or something, but it is not necessary to identify
it.
Example: My grandfather, who is 87, goes swimming every day. a. Is there a general topic? Yes.
The library, which is full of books, is my favorite place to go.
b. Is there additional information? Yes.
o Side note: You can use ‘that’ instead of who, whom or which
for a defining clause, but not in a non-defining clause. c. Can they still be apart of the sentence? Yes.