Phrasal Verbs (and Expressions) with GET

Tuesday, 21st March 2017

Lingua e traduzione inglese I

(Monolingue)

Phrasal Verbs and Locutions with get

From: http://busyteacher.org/22389-phrasal-verbs-with-get.html

• to get back into [sth] = to go back to where you stopped and start again
• to get by [sth] = to manage to do [sth]
• to get down to [sth] = to start doing [sth] seriously
• to get off = to leave (work, school, a meeting etc.)
• to get off on the wrong leg = to start a relationship badly
• to get off to a good/bad start = to start well/badly
• to get on well/badly = to make progress (or not)
• to get over [sth] = to recover from [sth] (bad news, an illness, a break-up etc.)
• to get round [sb] = to persuade [sb] to do what you want
• to get together = to meet
• to get up to [sth] = to do [sth] mischievous: “combinare (una marachella)”

Unlikely Constructions

The adjective unlikely has two different constructions:

• It is unlikely + that-clause

It is unlikely that it will rain.

• Subject + to be + unlikely to

It is unlikely to rain tomorrow.

Vocabulary

Fandoms and Addictions

• bloke n. (UK, slang) = guy, man n.
• peace and quiet (loc.) = solitude n.
• to be fanatic about/fan of [sth/sb]
• to be hooked on [sth] =to be addicted to [sth]
• to thread [sth] = to fear the idea of doing [sth]
• to put up with [sth/sb]: "sopportare" ≠ to put [sb] up =to let [sb] stay as a guest in your home

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bloke n. (UK slang) = guy, man

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Reporting Verbs Patterns

Friday, 17^th March 2017

Lingua e traduzione inglese I

(Monolingue)

Summary slide from: https://image.slidesharecdn.com/

This paragraph describes how the commonest reporting verbs are structured:

to admit (to) doing sth/ + that clause: “ammettere di fare [qlcs]”

Philips openly admits to having an alcohol problem.
Philips openly admits having an alcohol problem.
Philips openly admits that he has an alcohol problem.

to apologise (AmE: apologize) [sb] for doing [sth]: “perdonare [qlcn] di fare [qlcs]”

I apologise my wife for having been unfaithful with me

to deny doing [sth]/ that-clause: “negare di fare [qlcs]”

She denies owing rent money to her greedy roommate.
She denies that she owes rent money to her greedy roommate.

to insist on doing [sth]: “insistere nel fare [qlcs]”

The strikers are insisting on higher wages.

to offer to do [sth] for [sb]: “offrirsi di fare [qlcs] per [qlcn]”

I offer to carry the old lady’s shopping bag for her.

to recommend doing [sth] to [sb]/that [sb] should do [sth]: “consigliare di fare [qlcs] a [qlcn]"

I recommend calling a plumber to you.
I recommend that you should call a plumber.

to refuse to do [sth]: “rifiutarsi di fare [qlcs]”

The child refused to eat his spinach.

to remind [sb] to do [sth]: “ricordare a [qlcn] di fare [qlcs]”

Remind me to call mom at 5pm, please.

to warn [sb] not to do [sth]/ [sb] against doing [sth]/ that-clause: “avvertire [qlcn] di non fare [qlcs]”

I warned him not to get too drunk.
I warned him against getting too drunk.
I warned him that I must not get too drunk.

Grammatical rule

When the gerund has a different subject to the main subject of the sentence, use the object (pronoun) or possessive form:

I insist on him/Mario speaking English in class.
I insist on his/Mario’s speaking English in class.

Instead in the next example the gerund has the same subject as the main verb:

I insist on speaking English in class.

Pay attention to time communication:

I denied stealing the cake.
I denied having stolen the cake.

So: gerund to express past is having + past participle.

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Direct and Reported Speeches and Questions

16th March 2017

Lingua e traduzione inglese I

(Monolingua)

Direct and Reported Speeches

When you transform a direct speech into a reported speech, you must pay attention to:

• using the backshift,
• changing pronouns,
• changing the time expression.

Take a look at the following examples:

DIRECT SPEECH: I'm going to post pictures tomorrow.
REPORTED SPEECH: Regina said (that) she was going to post pictures the next day.

The underlying summary table can help you transform direct speeches into reported speeches:

From: https://aliciateacher2.wordpress.com/grammar/1271-2/

NB: In reported questions, the word-order is subject + verb:

DIRECT QUESTION: What time is the next train?
REPORTED QUESTION: She asked what time the next train was.

NB2: In yes/no questions, use if or whether:

DIRECT QUESTION: Do you like watching action movies?
REPORTED QUESTION: She asked if [OR: whether] I like watching action movies.

Vocabulary

English expressions which could give hard time

The following is a list of phrasal verbs and verbal locutions where the native Italian-speaker sometimes make mistakes:

• to call sth off [= to cancell vtr]: "cancellare, disdire"
• to get to work (BUT to arrive at work): "arrivare al lavoro"
• to make up one's mind (ALSO to make one's mind up) [= to decide vtr]: "decidere" 
• to set off: "mettersi in viaggio"
• to tell the truth (NOT to say the truth): "dire la verità"
• to put off; "posporre" = to postpone vtr

Important events

• bonding n.: "legame"
• to create a long-lasting relationship: "creare un rapporto duraturo"
• to have a great time: "spassarsela"
• on the rocks adv [slang]: "in difficoltà"
• romantic adj: "romantico" ↔ creepy adj: "orrendo, raccapricciante"
• to spend quality time together: "passare insieme del tempo di qualità"
• to stand sb up (inf.): "dare buca"

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Passive forms for reporting verbs

Lingua e traduzione inglese I

Tuesday, 14th March 2017

Reporting verbs can be expressed in compliance with two different patterns:

1. it + passive + that clause, e.g.: It's thought (that) restaurants change too much in the town centre; 
2. subject + passive + infinitive with to, e.g.: Restaurants are thought to change too much in the town centre.

The following video illustrates clearly the structure and the use of the above-mentioned patterns:

Report

Keeping in mind the patterns I described will help you write a good report texts during B2 examination. But what is a report?
It is a kind of text which presents information about a certain subject.  It usually contains facts about the subject, a description and information on its parts, behaviour and qualities. It is made of:

• a general opening statement to introduce the subject –a short description or a definition
• a series of paragraphs, each of which includes one feature of the subject.  Each paragraph begins with a topic sentence 
• conclusion to summarise the information.

The language must be technical language.
Pay attention: you must avoid evaluative terms and use generalised terms: eg wood, NOT beautiful wood.
The following is an example of a report.

REPORT ON FOOD HABITS IN AREZZO 

Introduction 

The principal purpose of this report is to provide a description of where local people and/or visitors can eat out in Arezzo. During my report, I will focus only on the most remarkable aspects.

The current Situation 

I conducted interviews with an representative statistical sample. The most relevant results are the following:

• Most of the local people (59%), especially the young, claimed to be particularly fond of all-you-can-eat Sushi-Bars, because they usually offer a good quality-price ratio and an effective service;

• The majority of the visitors (53%) choose traditional Tuscan restaurants located in the centre, although in most cases they are rather expensive.

Recent trends/Dissatisfaction 

Against this background: the number of Sushi-Bars is rising: it went from 7 (2014) to 11 (2016); the restaurants in the centre are getting more expensive and touristy. 

Recommendations

Taking all the factors mentioned into account, I would recommend: local people should vary further their diet; visitors should look for place where to eat away from the most touristic sites.

NB: Only use the bullet  in one paragraph!

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Modal verbs for speculation

Lingua e traduzione inglese I

Friday, 10 March 2017

The modal verbs for speculation (as well as for deduction) are used in the way which follows:

• must for certainty (we are sure a fact is true), e.g.: The light’s on. Ken must be at home;
• can’t/couldn’t for certainty (we are sure a fact is not true), e.g.: Jamie can’t/couldn’t be in the library. It’s closed;
• may/might/could for possibility (we are less sure), e.g.: The may/might/could be watching us.

In order to revise this type of verbs, you can take a look at the following (really short) video:

The underlying table gives you an overview of modal verbs for speculation tense.

ACTIVE
Present simple	Present continous
Modal verb + base form	Modal verb + be + -ing form
She might post pictures on her blog.	She might be posting pictures on her blog.
Present simple	Past continuous
Modal verb + have + past participle	Modal verb + have been + past participle
I couldn’t have slept well last night.	He could have been working late
PASSIVE
Past simple	Past continuous
Modal verb + be + past participle	Modal verb + have been + past participle
Something should be done.	He may have been delayed by a traffic jam.

Vocabulary

Some words and some locutions (above all about fashion) you should memorise:

• colours that clash loc. ‘colori che cozzano’
• disease n. ‘malattia’
• dreadful adj. ‘orribile’
• frumpy adj. ‘trasandato’ ↔ fashinable adj. ‘alla moda’
• porter n. ‘facchino’
• shopaholic n. ‘maniaco dello shopping’
• shopaholicism n. ‘mania dello shop’
• wedge n. ‘zeppa’

Locutions and Synonyms

The underlying notes will be useful for certain transformation words exercises:

• for a change = in contrast with one’s usual behaviour loc. ‘per una volta’
• in fashion = popular adj. ‘alla moda’
• in luck = lucky, fortunate adj. ‘fortunato’
• in the end = finally adv. ‘alla fine’
• no longer valid = out of date loc.‘scaduto’
• on purpose = deliberately adv. ‘di proposito’

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