Tenses explained

Here is an explanation of all the tenses in English. It's long but can help to serve as a good review. After you have finished watching the slide show and you want to test yourself try some of the links below:


 http://a4esl.org/q/h/vm/verbtense.html

http://www.englishpage.com/verbpage/verbtenseintro.html

http://www.ecenglish.com/learnenglish/verb-tense-review-quiz

http://eslbee.com/cgi-bin/quiztest.cgi?doapushup

Future in English. Will, vs. Be going to

This is a grammar point that frustrates a lot of students. When should I use "will" and when should I use "be going to?" It's not an easy question to answer. This is partly because there are a lot of instances where either is correct. For example, in the case of a general prediction (a guess about the future), either will work. Consider:

• "Hunger Games" is going to win the Oscar for Best Picture.
• "Hunger Games" will win the Oscar for Best Picture.

Both are correct. Both are predictions about a future event. Both are general. However, when there is something in the present that leads to the prediction, then use "going to."

•  Look at the clouds. It's going to rain.  

"Be going to" is also used in the case of a plan for the future.

• We are going to a movie on Friday.
• We are going to go to the mall after that. 

"Will" on the other hand is used for an offer or when someone volunteers for something. It is also used for making (or refusing) a request or for making a promise. (The first two are examples of requests, the third sentence is an example of volunteering or offering to do something.)

• Will you stop at the store on your way home and buy some milk?
• I asked Jim to buy the milk, but he won't do it.
• A: Oh the telephone is ringing. B: I'll get it. 
• I will love you forever.  
• If it takes forever, I will wait for you.

 "Will"is also used to talk about general truths. 

•  The sun will come up tomorrow.
• Water will freeze at 0 degrees Centigrade. 

"Will" is also used when the decision is made at that moment.This is different from using "be going to" for plans because it is not a plan made in the past, but that is sudden. 

• A: There is a lecture tonight by Bill Gates. B: Oh wow! That's cool. I think I'll go!

Okay,  here are some sites for practice.Here is an eight question multiple choice exercise. A good way to get started. Next, look here for more explanation and then do exercises 18, 19, and 20. This site doesn't have any explanation, but it does have a short simple fill-in-the-blank exercise. Here is another fill-in-the-blank exercise. You need to complete the sentence with the verb in parentheses and either "will" or "be going to." Here is another quick exercise. Like the last one, you will need to complete the sentence with "will" or "be going to" plus the verb in parentheses. This exercise will take a little more work. You need to use the correct form of the future (will or be going to) AND put all the words in the correct order.

Here's some fun games and links for our class.
First there are scrambled vocabulary words here. The easy puzzle has 15 words you need to spell correctly. You can try the medium one if you want, but it is kind of hard.

You have visited this site before. Don't pick any games that'll be too difficult.

Finally, you may want to check the Ventures Arcade site or any of the other sites we have looked at.

Some other useful sites for you

Randall's ESL Cyber Listening Lab 
 
Offers excellent listening practice. Make sure you have headphones that work. ;-)

ESL Flow.com  Has a wealth of activities for all levels and ages. It also has easy to use quizzes, activities, and pdfs.

ESLAmerica.US 
An English language website to practice conversation, vocabulary, grammar, reading, and more AND all of it has sound so you can listen while you practice

Pronunciation sites

First go here to practice words with their sounds. There are mp3s (audio files) to help you.

Here is another one called ship or sheep. When you move your mouse over the picture you will hear the word and can practice.

This is a site you may have visited before. It is called ManyThings.It has...well...many things, including pronunciation practice.

Here is a series of exercises on syllable emphasis. It's been awhile since we've done any of this, so now is a good time to review.

This site has a very limited number of sounds, but it looks like a good site for practice on those sounds. First choose the sound from the drop down menu marked "Select a Sound." Then choose "Words" from the drop down menu marked "Select a Category."

Important survey.

Students please follow this link to take an important survey. When you are done, close the window to return to this site so you can do some more work in today's class.

Direct and Indirect objects quizzes

Direct object quiz

indirect object quiz