11 December 2014

WELCOME!

Welcome to the English Skills blog for English 140 (Grammar), English 143 (Writing for Academic Purposes), and English 146 (Reading for Academic Purposes) at Athabasca University. These courses may be taken separately or as part of the English Language Proficiency Program. The goal is to increase communication between students and instructors, and to provide students with an opportunity to communicate with each other and to practice the skills taught in these courses. If you post general questions about the assignments or the course, they will be addressed in the blog. If you have detailed questions you want answered, then e-mail your instructor.

Feel free to post comments and suggestions for how to improve this site!

WELCOME NEW STUDENTS!

A hearty welcome to all the new students joining these courses. We hope you enjoy your studies and have fun participating in this blog.


Assignments marked with asterisks (*.*) are mandatory for ENGL140 students (Assignment 9).

For information on how to participate, please visit the instructions page or contact the administrator.

IMPORTANT: This blog site is open to the public; do not post personal information that could identify you--first name and the initial of your last name are the only personal information you should post. Please watch this video from the Canadian Government explaining privacy issues and social networking. 


Also, be sure to let your tutors know the nickname you have chosen for this blog; otherwise, they will not be able to give you the marks/bonus marks that you have earned for your participation.

Please note that we will be taking a short break during the Christmas and New year.

Next blog: Friday, January 9, 2014.

PREVIOUS GRAMMAR QUESTION

I wasn’t understanding what he means when in a speech he has given Mr Harper was saying the funding will help them suffering from mental illness and their family’s.

1. The underlying meaning: 

What were people suffering from? The current wording suggests that both the mental illness and the families were the cause of suffering. Add some clarification after “and” (e.g., “and help their families, too”).

2. Verb tense: 

Instead of the past progressive tense, which indicates that something continued to happen over time, use the simple past tense, indicating that it happened at a point in time. Change “wasn’t understanding” to “didn’t understand”.

3. Tense consistency: 

Since the first verb uses in the simple past tense, the others should as well, unless there is a good reason not to. Instead of “means” (simple present tense) use “meant” (simple past tense); instead of “has given” (present perfect) use “gave” (simple past); and instead of “was saying” (past progressive) use “said” (simple past).

4. Modal: 

For future possibility use “would”, not “will.”

5. Pronoun: 

“Them” is the 3rd person plural, direct object pronoun. In this case, use “those” to refer to people already mentioned or understood.

6. Plural: 

Use the plural form “families”, not the possessive “family’s”.

7. Punctuation: 

Remember to set off a non-essential (not grammatically needed) clause such as “in a speech he has given”, and remember to use a period after the abbreviation "Mr." 



Possible solution: 

I didn’t understand what he meant when, in a speech he gave, Mr. Harper said the funding would help those suffering from mental illness, and help their families, too.

*GRAMMAR QUESTION*

Correct the errors in the following sentence:

On those short winter days over the Christmas and new year holiday, much people enjoying resting at home and eat traditionally foods; turkeys and all trimmings, the fruit cakes, the plum pudding, and minced meat pies. To sit by the fire is also a benefit as the weathers usually cold than but some people are liking participating in winter sport.


Solutions will be posted in the next edition of the blog.

PUZZLE

Solution to the previous puzzle:  

1. Stamp on - Postman
2. For trees - Forester
3. Remit sin - Minister
4. Menial cop - Policeman

5. Court poser - Prosecutor


New Puzzle:

Try to identify the languages of these seasonal greetings:

1. Gesëende Kersfees
2. Boas Festas
3. Prejeme Vam Vesele Vanoce a stastny Novy Rok
4. Glaedelig Jul
5. Hyvää Joulua
6. Joyeux Noel
7. Froehliche Weihnachten
8. Kala Christouyenna
9. Mele Kalikimaka
10. Bada din Mubarak
11. Nollaig Shona Dhuit
12. Bono Natale
13. Shinnen omedeto
14 Kuwa na Krismasi njema
15. Sung Tan Chuk Ha
16. Linksmu Kaledu
17. Feliz Navidad
18. Natale hilare
19. Maligayang Pasko
20. Wesolych Swiat Bozego Narodzenia
21. Feliz Natal, Gajan Kristnaskon
22. Srozhdestovm Kristovim
23. Suksun Wan Christmas
24. Chuc Mung Giang Sinh
25. Nadolig Llawen


*Note, the first person to post the correct answer will get the bonus point.

IDIOMS

There are three idioms that use a word for vegetables:

Watch this video, and then write a sentence that uses one (or more) of these three idioms.

Try not to use the same idiom as the other posters.


http://www.bbc.co.uk/worldservice/learningenglish/language/theteacher/2009/03/090303_teacher_food_vegetables.shtml

*ALL CHANGE!*

Change the words in the following sentence as indicated.

My younger sister quickly brought her three children to see Santa.

Please change only the exact word in the sequence given. Each participant should build on the changes made by the previous participant.

For instance, Participant 1 writes #1 Subject Noun, and changes the subject noun; Participant 2 writes #2 Direct Object Noun, and changes the direct object noun, etc.


You are free to make as many changes as you wish. Just remember to number each change (and indicate the part of speech) so it is clear to everyone where we are on the list.


When all 7 changes have been made, return to the top of the list and continue.


Changes:                                                                                                                          


1. subject noun

2. direct object noun          
3. indirect object noun                  
4. adjective(s)
5. adverb(s)    
6. verb name      
7. verb tense

AFFIXES

The word stem hyper- (meaning "too much") occurs in many words. 

Add an affix (either a prefix or a suffix) to this stem to make another word. 

Each participant should add a different word to the list.

*COMPLETE THE SENTENCE*

Follow the instructions below to create three different sentences from the following clause:*

… I’m looking forward to the New Year 

Sentence 1. Add a phrase      
Sentence 2. Add a dependent clause
Sentence 3. Add an independent clause


*Add your words to the beginning or end of the clause (but not both).

*NUMBER CHANGE*

If the sentence is singular, change it to the plural; if it is plural, change it to the singular.

The Santa at the mall gave the child a cheap toy as a gift, and an elf took a photo of the child who sat on the Santa’s lap.

*VOCABULARY*

Vocabulary building is important for both reading comprehension and writing. 

Use the following two words in one sentence (note the parts of speech).

credulous (adjective) and propensity (noun).

To further improve your vocabulary, remember to check out the Word of the Day
The site also has word games and puzzles.

SYNONYMS AND ANTONYMS

We can describe something mystifying as being confusing.

Provide a synonym and an antonym for this word. Each participant should suggest a different word.

*ACTIVE vs. PASSIVE*

Write two sentences using the word lay.

In the first sentence, use the word in the active voice; in the second sentence, use it in the passive voice.

*TIME CHANGE*

Change the time in the following sentences by using a different verb tense and replacing any necessary time clues. Each student should choose a different verb tense.

Yesterday, the Santa at the mall gave the child a cheap toy as a gift, and an elf took a photo of the child who sat on the Santa’s lap.

*SENTENCE COMBINATION*

Learning to combine ideas into more complex sentences is an important writing skill. There are many ways to do this. Try to combine the following three sentences.

Sentence 1We are well into December.

Sentence 2The first snowfall of the season was weeks ago.
Sentence 3It won't be long until the Christmas vacation.

BUILD-A-SENTENCE

Write a sentence using the vocabulary and grammar indicated.

Add a dependent clause in the past perfect progressive tense to the following:

... we saw Santa Claus ...

28 November 2014

WELCOME!

Welcome to the English Skills blog for English 140 (Grammar), English 143 (Writing for Academic Purposes), and English 146 (Reading for Academic Purposes) at Athabasca University. These courses may be taken separately or as part of the English Language Proficiency Program. The goal is to increase communication between students and instructors, and to provide students with an opportunity to communicate with each other and to practice the skills taught in these courses. If you post general questions about the assignments or the course, they will be addressed in the blog. If you have detailed questions you want answered, then e-mail your instructor.

Feel free to post comments and suggestions for how to improve this site!

WELCOME NEW STUDENTS!

A hearty welcome to all the new students joining these courses. We hope you enjoy your studies and have fun participating in this blog.


Assignments marked with asterisks (*.*) are mandatory for ENGL140 students (Assignment 9).

For information on how to participate, please visit the instructions page or contact the administrator.

IMPORTANT: This blog site is open to the public; do not post personal information that could identify you--first name and the initial of your last name are the only personal information you should post. Please watch this video from the Canadian Government explaining privacy issues and social networking. 


Also, be sure to let your tutors know the nickname you have chosen for this blog; otherwise, they will not be able to give you the marks/bonus marks that you have earned for your participation.

Next blog: Friday, December 12, 2014.

PREVIOUS GRAMMAR QUESTION

Because you were giving Tony and I such bad instruction getting to you’re house; we could of gone the wrong way and ended up completely lost and being to late for the party.

1. Verb tense: 

The instructions were given at a point in time, so we need to use the simple past tense (rather than the past progressive).

2. Pronoun use: 

In the first clause, "you" is the subject of the verb and "Tony and I" is the object, so we need to use the objective case for the pronoun ("me"). 

We would only use the expression "Tony and I" if it were the subject. For example: "Tony and I got lost".

3. Number error: 

"Instruction" is a countable noun, so we need to add an article ("a" or "the") or make the word plural ("instructions"). In this case, we would use the plural since there was likely to be more than one instruction given.

4. Missing word: 

We must convey the relationship between "instructions" and "getting to your house", so we need a preposition. Both "on" and "for" are acceptable.

5. Word confusion: 

Try not to confuse the contraction of "you are" ("you're") with the possessive pronoun ("your"). In this case, we need the latter.

6. Modal: 

After a modal verb (like "could"), we need to use use the base form of verb. In this case, the verb is "have". If we contract this verb, it sounds like "of" -- but we must not confuse the two. The phrase should be written "could've".

7. Verb form: 

This last clause needs the past participle, rather than the progressive, form of the verb "be" (i.e., "been").

8. Word confusion: 

When modifying an adjective, we use the adverb "too" (rather than the preposition "to").

9. Punctuation: 

A semicolon is used to join two closely-related independent clauses. But in this sentence, the first clause is dependent, so we should use a comma, not a semicolon. 



Possible solution

Because you gave Tony and me such bad instructions for getting to your house, we could have gone the wrong way and ended up completely lost and been too late for the party.

*GRAMMAR QUESTION*

Correct the errors in the following sentence:

I wasn’t understanding what he means when in a speech he has given Mr Harper was saying the funding will help them suffering from mental illness and their family’s.

Solutions will be posted in the next edition of the blog.

PUZZLE

Solution to the previous puzzle:  

"e"


New Puzzle:

Try to determine the professions/jobs described below. 
Each clue is an anagram of the answer.

1. Stamp on
2. For trees
3. Remit sin
4. Menial cop

5. Court poser


*Note, the first person to post the correct answer will get the bonus point.

IDIOMS

There are three idioms that refer to different types of insect:

Watch this video, and then write a sentence that uses one (or more) of these three idioms.

Try not to use the same idiom as the other posters.


http://www.bbc.co.uk/worldservice/learningenglish/language/theteacher/2009/03/090311_teacher_animal_insect.shtml

*ALL CHANGE!*

Change the words in the following sentence as indicated.

My father always finds a beautiful tree for us to decorate for Christmas.

Please change only the exact word in the sequence given. Each participant should build on the changes made by the previous participant.

For instance, Participant 1 writes #1 Subject Noun, and changes the subject noun; Participant 2 writes #2 Direct Object Noun, and changes the direct object noun, etc.


You are free to make as many changes as you wish. Just remember to number each change (and indicate the part of speech) so it is clear to everyone where we are on the list.


When all 7 changes have been made, return to the top of the list and continue.


Changes:                                                                                                                          


1. subject noun

2. direct object noun          
3. indirect object noun                  
4. adjective(s)
5. adverb(s)    
6. verb name      
7. verb tense

AFFIXES

The word stem -cred- (meaning "to believe") occurs in many words. 

Add an affix (either a prefix or a suffix) to this stem to make another word. 

Each participant should add a different word to the list.

*COMPLETE THE SENTENCE*

Follow the instructions below to create three different sentences from the following clause:*

… December is almost upon us 

Sentence 1. Add a phrase      
Sentence 2. Add a dependent clause
Sentence 3. Add an independent clause


*Add your words to the beginning or end of the clause (but not both).

*NUMBER CHANGE*

If the sentence is singular, change it to the plural; if it is plural, change it to the singular.

The instruction is for me to wait outside the apartment for my friend to arrive with the necessary equipment, which I am to take into the lab and set up for our next experiment.

*VOCABULARY*

Vocabulary building is important for both reading comprehension and writing. 

Use the following two words in one sentence (note the parts of speech).

obviate (verb) and expertise (noun).

To further improve your vocabulary, remember to check out the Word of the Day
The site also has word games and puzzles.

SYNONYMS AND ANTONYMS

We can describe strong-minded people as being opinionated

Provide a synonym and an antonym for this word. Each participant should suggest a different word.

*ACTIVE vs. PASSIVE*

Write two sentences using the word speak.

In the first sentence, use the word in the active voice; in the second sentence, use it in the passive voice.

*TIME CHANGE*

Change the time in the following sentences by using a different verb tense and replacing any necessary time clues. Each student should choose a different verb tense.

It is going to be a stormy night tonight. Looking out the window, I can see the trees blowing in the wind. I notice litter and dead leaves flying through the air. Even the birds seem to be in hiding as the dark clouds roll in. It is going to be a night to sit inside and enjoy the fire!

*SENTENCE COMBINATION*

Learning to combine ideas into more complex sentences is an important writing skill. There are many ways to do this. Try to combine the following three sentences.

Sentence 1The spirit of Christmas seems to have been forgotten.

Sentence 2: People were literally fighting over the items on sale at the mall.
Sentence 3Christmas lights are going up and trees are being decorated.


BUILD-A-SENTENCE

Write a sentence using the vocabulary and grammar indicated.

Write a sentence with a dependent clause in the past perfect tense and an independent clause in the past progressive tense:

PLAIN ENGLISH

Writing in clear, direct English is particularly important in a business context. Please rewrite the following to improve its style and clarity:


Many people are of the opinion that voting in the civic elections in the city on October 18th may well be a waste of time, and in the event that almost nothing changes, it could also be a waster of money, but nevertheless, we must avail ourselves of the opportunity to vote whenever we can owing to the fact that we don't get many opportunities to influence the direction taken by any level of government.

13 November 2014

WELCOME!

Welcome to the English Skills blog for English 140 (Grammar), English 143 (Writing for Academic Purposes), and English 146 (Reading for Academic Purposes) at Athabasca University. These courses may be taken separately or as part of the English Language Proficiency Program. The goal is to increase communication between students and instructors, and to provide students with an opportunity to communicate with each other and to practice the skills taught in these courses. If you post general questions about the assignments or the course, they will be addressed in the blog. If you have detailed questions you want answered, then e-mail your instructor.

Feel free to post comments and suggestions for how to improve this site!

WELCOME NEW STUDENTS!

A hearty welcome to all the new students joining these courses. We hope you enjoy your studies and have fun participating in this blog.


Assignments marked with asterisks (*.*) are mandatory for ENGL140 students (Assignment 9).

For information on how to participate, please visit the instructions page or contact the administrator.

IMPORTANT: This blog site is open to the public; do not post personal information that could identify you--first name and the initial of your last name are the only personal information you should post. Please watch this video from the Canadian Government explaining privacy issues and social networking. 


Also, be sure to let your tutors know the nickname you have chosen for this blog; otherwise, they will not be able to give you the marks/bonus marks that you have earned for your participation.

Next blog: Friday, November 28, 2014.

PREVIOUS GRAMMAR QUESTION

Not only you and you’re brother’s, but also your sister’s needs altaring there plans and  being home early: too clean a house preparing for our dinner’s  party and you will have to make the appetizers instead of laying on the couch for watching TV .

1. Word confusion: 

There are a number of  problems here: 

(1) "You’re" is a contraction of “you are”. It should be changed to the possessive pronoun ("your"). 

(2) "Altar" is noun (describing a platform used for religious services). In this case, we want the verb ("alter"). 

(3) “Lay” is a transitive verb -- which means that it requires a direct object. In this case, we want the intransitive verb ("lie").

This can be really confusing because "lay" is also the past tense of "lie", while "laid" is the past tense of "lay". Here are some examples:

Present tense, transitive verb: "Now I lay me down to sleep".
Past tense, transitive verb: "Yesterday, I laid me down to sleep".
Present tense, intransitive verb: "Every day, I lie in bed until the sun rises".
Past tense, intransitive verb: "Yesterday, I lay in bed until the sun rose".

(4) "There" indicates a place. Try not to confuse it with the possessive pronoun ("their"). In this case, however, you want the second-person pronoun (not the third): "your". 

(5) "Too" is an adverb of intensity. To produce the infinitive form of a verb, we need the particle "to".

2. Apostrophe use: 

An apostrophe signals possession or a contraction. Plural nouns do not have an apostrophe before the "s". Also, when a noun is used as an adjective, it cannot change its form, e.g. "dinner party".

3.Subject-verb agreement: 

"You …your brothers…your sisters" is a plural subject, so the verb must be plural, too ("need").

4. Infinitive vs. gerund: 

In this sentence, we need the infinitive (not a gerund) after "need": "need to alter …and to be".

If "clean", "preparing" and "make" are construed as items in a list, they should have a parallel construction, which means "preparing" should take the same (infinitive) form as the other items. And because of the parallel construction, the particle ("to") can be omitted after the first use.

If "preparing" is construed as an explanation for the activity, we might want to say something like "in preparation for".

5. Parallel construction:  

Again, because of the parallel construction, we can omit the phrase "you will have to" before "make".

6. Article use: 

It's not just any house that needs to be cleaned but a specific one (their house), so we should use the definite article ("the") instead of "a".

7. Unnecessary word: 

"Watching TV" is not meant to describe the purpose of "lying on the couch", so we do not need the preposition ("for"). 

8. Punctuation: 

We don't need to insert comma before the first coordinating conjunction ("but") since it doesn't join two independent clauses -- but we should insert one before the last ("and") since it does join two independent clauses.



Possible solution: 

Not only you and your brothers but also your sisters need to alter your plans and be home early to clean the house, prepare for our dinner party, and make the appetizers instead of lying on the couch watching TV.

*GRAMMAR QUESTION*

Correct the errors in the following sentence:

Because you were giving Tony and I such bad instruction getting to you’re house; we could of gone the wrong way and ended up completely lost and being to late for the party.

Solutions will be posted in the next edition of the blog.

PUZZLE

Solution to the previous puzzle:  

scent, cent, sent

New Puzzle:

Here is another riddle for you. Try to determine what is being described:

The beginning of eternity 
The end of time and space 
The beginning of every end, 
And the end of every place.


*Note, the first person to post the correct answer will get the bonus point.

IDIOMS

There are three idioms that use the word egg:

Watch this video, and then write a sentence that uses one (or more) of these three idioms.

Try not to use the same idiom as the other posters.


*ALL CHANGE!*

Change the words in the following sentence as indicated.

Jolly old St. Nick will deliver presents to all the good girls and boys.

Please change only the exact word in the sequence given. Each participant should build on the changes made by the previous participant.

For instance, Participant 1 writes #1 Subject Noun, and changes the subject noun; Participant 2 writes #2 Direct Object Noun, and changes the direct object noun, etc.


You are free to make as many changes as you wish. Just remember to number each change (and indicate the part of speech) so it is clear to everyone where we are on the list.


When all 7 changes have been made, return to the top of the list and continue.


Changes:                                                                                                                          


1. subject noun

2. direct object noun          
3. indirect object noun                  
4. adjective(s)
5. adverb(s)    
6. verb name      
7. verb tense

AFFIXES

The word stem -gen- (meaning "birth") occurs in many words. 

Add an affix (either a prefix or a suffix) to this stem to make another word. 

Each participant should add a different word to the list.

*COMPLETE THE SENTENCE*

Follow the instructions below to create three different sentences from the following clause:*

… Santa Claus arrives at the mall on Saturday…

Sentence 1. Add a phrase      
Sentence 2. Add a dependent clause
Sentence 3. Add an independent clause


*Add your words to the beginning or end of the clause (but not both).

*NUMBER CHANGE*

If the sentence is singular, change it to the plural; if it is plural, change it to the singular.

The little girl grew shy when her mother took her to see Santa at the mall. She was eager to get a present from the bearded man but found the experience frightening, and she was embarrassed when the older boys who lived next door began to tease her about her shyness.

*VOCABULARY*

Vocabulary building is important for both reading comprehension and writing. 

Use the following two words in one sentence (note the part of speech).

engender (verb) and antipathy (noun).

To further improve your vocabulary, remember to check out the Word of the Day
The site also has word games and puzzles.

SYNONYMS AND ANTONYMS

We can describe something clever as being ingenious

Provide a synonym and an antonym for this word. Each participant should suggest a different word.

*ACTIVE vs. PASSIVE*

Write two sentences using the word buy.

In the first sentence, use the word in the active voice; in the second sentence, use it in the passive voice.

*TIME CHANGE*

Change the time in the following sentences by using a different verb tense and replacing any necessary time clues. Each student should choose a different verb tense.

This coming Saturday, I will take my daughter to the mall to see Santa for the first time. I expect she will be nervous about sitting next to the old gentleman with his big, bushy beard and  hearty laugh. However, she may surprise me and embrace the idea when she realizes that she will get a gift at the end. I hope she stays happy so we can get a nice, smiling photo of her when the photographer takes her picture.

*SENTENCE COMBINATION*

Learning to combine ideas into more complex sentences is an important writing skill. There are many ways to do this. Try to combine the following three sentences.

Sentence 1The children were clamouring to see Santa Clause at the mall.

Sentence 2The mall was crowded with Christmas shoppers.
Sentence 3: The line to see Santa was very long.

BUILD-A-SENTENCE

Write a sentence using the vocabulary and grammar indicated.

Write a sentence in the future progressive tense that includes a participial adjective and the phrase "Christmas shoppers".

31 October 2014

WELCOME!

Welcome to the English Skills blog for English 140 (Grammar), English 143 (Writing for Academic Purposes), and English 146 (Reading for Academic Purposes) at Athabasca University. These courses may be taken separately or as part of the English Language Proficiency Program. The goal is to increase communication between students and instructors, and to provide students with an opportunity to communicate with each other and to practice the skills taught in these courses. If you post general questions about the assignments or the course, they will be addressed in the blog. If you have detailed questions you want answered, then e-mail your instructor.

Feel free to post comments and suggestions for how to improve this site!

WELCOME NEW STUDENTS!

A hearty welcome to all the new students joining these courses. We hope you enjoy your studies and have fun participating in this blog.



Assignments marked with asterisks (*.*) are mandatory for ENGL140 students (Assignment 9).

For information on how to participate, please visit the instructions page or contact the administrator.

IMPORTANT: This blog site is open to the public; do not post personal information that could identify you--first name and the initial of your last name are the only personal information you should post. Please watch this video from the Canadian Government explaining privacy issues and social networking. 



Also, be sure to let your tutors know the nickname you have chosen for this blog; otherwise, they will not be able to give you the marks/bonus marks that you have earned for your participation.


Next blog: Friday, November 14, 2014.

WHAT’S HAPPENING?

Nov. 2nd : Return to Standard Time.

http://www.timeanddate.com/time/change/canada/ottawa

Daylight Savings Time ends for most Canadians and Americans – but note that some of Mexico and most of Europe already made the change last week.

Nov. 11th : Remembrance Day.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Remembrance_Day

Rembrance Day is observed at 11:00 A.M. in Canada and other Commonwealth countries.

PREVIOUS GRAMMAR QUESTION

When the committee had met last week it is decided that they approved constructing of a new retiring centre for benefiting Seniors and there family’s which had been living in a surrounding area.

1.  Verb tense and consistency: 

Since the meeting took place at a definite moment in the past, the verb should be in the simple past tense ("met") and not in the past perfect. The following verb should also be in the simple past -- and in the active, not passive, voice ("decided"). Finally, because the centre would probably benefit the current residents, not those who were living there previously, "had been living" should be changed to "are living" -- or, even better, simply "live".

2. Noun-pronoun agreement: 

“Committee” is a collective noun, so unless you want to emphasize the individual members of the group, you should use the singular pronoun ("it").

3.  Phrasing error: 

You don't want to say that they decided something that already happened; they decided on a future course of action. Use the infinite to indicate the action of the main verb ("to approve"). Likewise, use the infinitive to indicate the purpose of the main verb ("to benefit")

4. Word form:

The committee approved something, so we need a noun. This may be a little tricky since "constructing" is a gerund (which also functions like a noun). But in this case, we should use "construction" (or possibly "the construction"). Also, we need a noun form to modify "centre" ("retirement") rather than the present participial adjective ("retiring").

5.  Word confusion: 

"There" is an adverb of place; here you need the possessive adjective ("their").

6.  Plural form: 

The plural of "family" is "families". Do not confuse it with the possessive ("family's").

7.  Relative pronoun:

When referring to people, you should use "who" not "which". 

8.  Article usage: 

When referring to something definite, use the definite article ("the"), not the indefinite one ("a"): "the surrounding area". Also, since we know precisely which seniors (and families will benefit, we can add the definite article there as well: "the seniors and their families").

9. Capitalization: 

"Seniors" is a not a proper noun, so it should not be capitalized.

10. Punctuation:  

After an introductory phrase or clause, use a comma.


Possible solution: 


When the committee met last week, it decided to approve construction of a new retirement centre to benefit the seniors and their families who live in the surrounding area.

*GRAMMAR QUESTION*

Correct the errors in the following sentence:

Not only you and you’re brother’s, but also your sister’s needs altaring there plans and  being home early: too clean a house preparing for our dinner’s  party and you will have to make the appetizers instead of laying on the couch for watching TV .

Solutions will be posted in the next edition of the blog.

PUZZLE

Solution to the previous puzzle:  

"Jumping up and down over good news."


New Puzzle:

Try to determine the three words suggested in this riddle:

I am a word of meanings three.
Three ways of spelling me there be.
The first is an odour, a smell if you will.
The second some money, but not in a bill.
The third is past tense, a method of passing things on or around.


*Note, the first person to post the correct answer will get the bonus point.

IDIOMS

There are three idioms that use the word BIRD:

Watch this video, and then write a sentence that uses one (or more) of these three idioms.

Try not to use the same idiom as the other posters.


http://www.bbc.co.uk/worldservice/learningenglish/language/theteacher/2009/03/090311_teacher_animal_bird.shtml

*ALL CHANGE!*

Change the words in the following sentence as indicated.

The costumed boys and girls happily accepted candy from their amused neighbours.

Please change only the exact word in the sequence given. Each participant should build on the changes made by the previous participant.

For instance, Participant 1 writes #1 Subject Noun, and changes the subject noun; Participant 2 writes #2 Direct Object Noun, and changes the direct object noun, etc.


You are free to make as many changes as you wish. Just remember to number each change (and indicate the part of speech) so it is clear to everyone where we are on the list.


When all 7 changes have been made, return to the top of the list and continue.


Changes:                                                                                                                          


1. subject noun

2. direct object noun          
3. indirect object noun                  
4. adjective(s)
5. adverb(s)    
6. verb name      
7. verb tense

AFFIXES

The word stem ven- or -vene (meaning "to come") occurs in many words. 

Add an affix (either a prefix or a suffix) to this stem to make another word. 

Each participant should add a different word to the list.

*COMPLETE THE SENTENCE*

Follow the instructions below to create three different sentences from the following clause:*

… November 11th is Remembrance Day 

Sentence 1. Add a phrase      
Sentence 2. Add a dependent clause
Sentence 3. Add an independent clause


*Add your words to the beginning or end of the clause (but not both).

*NUMBER CHANGE*

If the sentence is singular, change it to the plural; if it is plural, change it to the singular.

While the other boys and girls knocked on doors and asked for treats this Halloween, my neighbours' children stayed at home because their parents did not believe it was appropriate for them to participate in a pagan festival that celebrated death and the occult. 

*VOCABULARY*

Vocabulary building is important for both reading comprehension and writing. 

Use the following two words in one sentence (note the part of speech).

complement (verb) and disparate (adjective).

To further improve your vocabulary, remember to check out the Word of the Day
The site also has word games and puzzles.

SYNONYMS AND ANTONYMS

We can describe things that are comparable as being analogous

Provide a synonym and an antonym for this word. Each participant should suggest a different word.

*ACTIVE vs. PASSIVE*

Write two sentences using the word remember.

In the first sentence, use the word in the active voice; in the second sentence, use it in the passive voice.

*TIME CHANGE*



Change the time in the following sentences by using a different verb tense and replacing any necessary time clues. Each student should choose a different verb tense.

As a sports fan, this is one of my favourite times of the year: Major League Baseball ended with another thrilling World Series, the NFL has just crossed the mid-point of an historic season in which several important records have been broken, and both hockey and basketball have started up again. 

*SENTENCE COMBINATION*

Learning to combine ideas into more complex sentences is an important writing skill. There are many ways to do this. Try to combine the following three sentences.

Sentence 1: Many people attended Remembrance Day ceremonies on Nov. 11th.
Sentence 2In the United States, November 11th is called Veterans Day.
Sentence 3: Many people wear poppies to commemorate the flowers that grew in many World War I battlefields.

BUILD-A-SENTENCE

Write a sentence using the vocabulary and grammar indicated.

Write a sentence that includes a dependent clause in the past perfect progressive tense and an independent clause in the past perfect and an independent clause in the simple past.

17 October 2014

WELCOME!

Welcome to the English Skills blog for English 140 (Grammar), English 143 (Writing for Academic Purposes), and English 146 (Reading for Academic Purposes) at Athabasca University. These courses may be taken separately or as part of the English Language Proficiency Program. The goal is to increase communication between students and instructors, and to provide students with an opportunity to communicate with each other and to practice the skills taught in these courses. If you post general questions about the assignments or the course, they will be addressed in the blog. If you have detailed questions you want answered, then e-mail your instructor.

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WELCOME NEW STUDENTS!



A hearty welcome to all the new students joining these courses. We hope you enjoy your studies and have fun participating in this blog.



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Next blog: Friday, October 31, 2014.