Idioms: BOOK

Do you like reading?  I just love it!  
Did you know that there are some idioms that have the word BOOK in them?
Have a look at this infographic from MacMillan Dictionary.

Idioms: BOOK

Now that you've read the infographic, would you like to check if you remember the idioms? Take the quiz.
 

Adjectives in a song

Adjectives are words that we use to describe something.  They help us define things more clearly.
For example: A woman is sitting next to Michael. (we have no idea what she looks like)
But: A beautiful tall woman is sitting next to Michael. (we have more information now)

So, adjectives are fantastic words to learn. (Ah, I've used an adjective here!)

We can practise some adjectives using this song from Super Tramp, which may not be a modern band - that's another adjective! - but, whose song comes really useful (yet another one!) to practise adjectives.

When I was young, it seemed that life was so 1. ___,
wonderful fantastic awesome
A miracle, oh it was 2. ___, magical.
wonderful beautiful lovely
And all the birds in the trees, well they'd be singing so happily,
Joyfully, playfully watching me.
But then they send me away to teach me how to be 3. ___,
sensitive sensible practical
Logical, 4. ___, practical.
kind mature responsible
And they showed me a world where I could be so 5. ___,
dependable wonderful sensible
Clinical, 6. ___, cynical.
physical intellectual practical
There are times when all the world's 7. ___,
deep asleep awake
The questions run too deep
For such a 8. ___ man.
simple difficult handsome
Won't you please, please tell me what we've learned
I know it sounds 9. ___
crazy strange absurd
But please tell me who I am.
Now watch what you say or they'll be calling you a 10. ___,
practical cynical radical
Liberal, fanatical, 11. ___.
criminal intellectual physical
Won't you sign up your name, we'd like to feel you're
Acceptable, respectable, 12. ___, a vegetable!
presentable dependable available

At night, when all the world's asleep,
The questions run so deep
For such a simple man.
Won't you please, please tell me what we've learned
I know it sounds absurd
But please tell me who I am.


Score =
Correct answers:

Adjectives

What matters in life is ... (WHAT not in questions)

"Life is WHAT happens to you while you're busy making other plans."

WHAT = THE THING WHICH or THAT WHICH
 
Examples:

What I wanted to find out was where she was.
=
The thing which / That which I wanted to find out was where she was.

He refused to tell me what he had planned.
=
He refused to tell me the thing which / that which he had planned.

1. really concerned her was how unhappy the child was.

2. He told me he was felt quite confident.

3. Authorities have announced the elections will be postponed.

4. The letter showed clearly they were planning.

5. He gave the thief he had in his pockets.

6. I thought they would come with you.

Score =
Correct answers:

Comparative / Superlative - exercise

We are constantly comparing things in our daily life.  It's really useful then to learn how to do this in English.
You can practise Comparative and Superlative structures with the exercise below.
If you need more information about this point you can access this link or this other link from this blog.

1. These vegetables are ___ the fast food your're eating.
choose one healthier than more healthy than healthier
2. I've checked the prices of computers, and, in general, brand X is ____ brand Z.
choose one as expensive more ecpensive as expensive as
3. A second-hand car is ____ a brand new one.
choose one more expensive than less expensive than as expensive than
4. In my opinion, Madonna is ____ singer in the world.
choose one the best the most better
5. Mount Everest is _____ mountain in the world.
choose one highest higher than the highest
6. For many people, Pepsi Cola is ____ Coca Cola.
choose one not as delicious as not more delicious nos less delicious
7. My Physics exam was ____ exam this term.
choose one the difficultest the most difficult the most difficult than
8. My Literature teacher is ____ my Biology teacher.
choose one much more than much interesting than much more interesting than
9. From the items I bought, the vegetables were _____.
choose one the cheapest the more cheapest the most cheap
10. This is ____ issue I have to deal with right now. I have bigger problems.
choose one the less important the least important the importantest

Score =
Correct answers:

Relative clauses

Relative clauses are structures that help to avoid repetition.
Consider these sentences:

A woman is talking to Martin.
Our new teacher is a woman.

We can combine these sentences using relative clauses:

Our new teacher is the woman who is talking to Martin.  OR
The woman who is talking to Martin is our new teacher.

When we use this structure, we use pronouns, relative pronouns, such as WHO in the example.

If you need to learn more about Relative clauses, you can go to Perfect English Grammar.

You can practise this point with the following exercise:

1. They are the people want to sell their property.

2. I can see the bones were more damaged.

3. The actor performs the role of a son father was a freedom activist.

4. Those are the trees my brother and me built our tree house.

5. Leonardo Di Caprio, is my favourite actor, stars in that movie.

6. Those were the reasons she didn't say anything before.

7. My children were born in a time babies were kept in the nursery while you were in hospital.

8. My sister Claudia, husband is a surgeon, is coming to visit us next month.

9. My sister lives in Canada is coming to visit us next month.

10. The students couldn't finish the assignment had to take the course again.

Score =
Correct answers:

Comparatives and superlatives in songs

In Comparative form, we compare two elements (people, objects, etc.).  We link the two elements compared using the word THAN.
In Superlative form, we compare one element against all other similar elements (people, objects, etc.).  We introduced the superlative form using the word THE.
In general, in comparative form, we add:

• -ER after the base adjective when the adjective has only one syllable, or
• MORE before the base adjective when the adjective has more than one syllable.

 There are some spelling rules that we must follow:

• If the base adjective ends in a letter 'Y', we replace that letter for a letter 'I' and then -ER (-IER).
• If the base adjective ends in consonant + vowel + consonant, we must double the last consonant before -ER.

In general, in superlative form, we add:

• -EST after the base adjective when the adjective has only one syllable, or
• MOST before the base adjective when the adjective has more than one syllable.

 There are some spelling rules that we must follow:

• If the base adjective ends in a letter 'Y', we replace that letter for a letter 'I' and then -EST (-IEST).
• If the base adjective ends in consonant + vowel + consonant, we must double the last consonant before -EST.

The opposite of MORE is LESS.  We can also use LESS to compare two elements.
The opposite of MOST is LEAST.  We can also use LEAST to talk about a superlative relation.

It is also possible two compare two elements which have the same qualities.  In this case, we can use the structure AS + adjective + AS.


Why not practise this grammar point (Comparatives and Superlatives) and do some listening practice too.
Listen to these bits of songs that have examples of these grammar structures.

So leave your taxi waiting
And turn and close my door
And sit back down where you were sitting
A little 1. ____ than before
nearer closer further
And when you look that serious
It just makes me want you 2. ____
more many some
And I've been meaning to tell you
The closer you get, the 3. ____ I feel
best better greater
The 4. ____ you are, the more I see
closer closest closing
Why everyone says that I look 5. ____ when you're around
happyer happily happier
The closer you get, the better I feel

Why is it every time I think I've tried my 6. ____
hardest highest humblest
It turns out it ain't enough
You're still not mentioning love
What am I supposed to do to make you want me properly?
I'm taking these chances and getting nowhere
And though I'm trying my 7. ____ you go back to her
hard> hardest harder
And I think that I know things may never change
I'm still hoping one day I might hear you say
I make you feel the way you've never felt before
And I'm all you need and that you never want 8. ____
more much less
Then you'd say all of the right things without a clue
But you'd save the 9. ____ for last
best good better

I can be an asshole
of the 10. ____ kind
greatest grander grandest
I can be withhold
like it’s going out of style
I can be the 11. ____ baby
moody moodiest moodyest
and you’ve never met anyone
who is 12. ____ as I am sometimes
the most negative as negative more negative
I am the 13. ____ woman
wisest closest brightest
you’ve ever met
I am the 14. ____ soul
kindly kinder kindest
with whom you’ve connected
I have the 15. ____ heart
brave braver bravest
that you’ve ever seen
and you’ve never met anyone
who is as 16. ____ I am sometimes
positive as more positive positive

And the 17. ____ part
hardest hottest highest
Was letting go, not taking part
Was the hardest part

And the 18. ____ thing
strangely strangest strange
Was waiting for that bell to ring
It was the strangest start

So I wanna say thank you
‘Cause it
Makes me that much 19. ____
stronger stranger strongest
Makes me work a little bit 20. ____
hardly harder hardest
Makes me that much 21. ____
So thanks for making me a fighter
wiser wise worst
Made me learn a little bit 22. ____
fastly fastest faster
Made my skin a little bit 23. ____
thickest thicker thick
Makes me that much 24. ____
smarter smart smartest
So thanks for making me a fighter

God knows we tried everything that we could do
You can keep your pride and blame me if you need to
Even though this freedom feels a lot like treason,
I know staying's 25. ____ than leaving
worse worst bad
It's gotta get better, it can't get worse
Hope it's a blessing not a curse
I don't care who passes judgement on my reasons
I know staying's worse than leaving

Score =
Correct answers:

This - That - These and Those in songs

Listen to these parts of songs and choose the correct option to complete the lyrics.
All the missing words are related to determiners: THIS, THAT, THESE and THOSE.

1. _____ is the rhythm of the night
This That These
The night, oh yeah
The rhythm of the night
2. ____ is the rhythm of my life
That This Those
My life, oh yeah
The rhythm of my life

You could put some joy upon my face
Oh, sunshine in an empty place
Take me to turn to, and babe I'll make you stay
Oh, I can ease you of your pain
Feel you give me love again
Round and round we go, each time I hear you say

3. ____ are nights below
Those That These
4. And ____'s the moon above
that this those
5. And ____ are eyes that say, "You're mine"
those these this
Why can't we combine these an' that an' those?
6. ____ are moments rare
This These Those
7. And ____'s a comfy chair
that this these
8. And ____ are lips that should be kissed
that this those
9. How can we resist ____ an' that an' those?
this these that

10. 'Cos ____ are the days of our lives
this these those
They've flown in the swiftness of time
11. ____ days are all gone now but some things remain
These this that
When I look and I find no change
12. ____ were the days of our lives, yeah
These Those That
The bad things in life were so few
13. ____ days are all gone now but one thing's still true
Those That These
When I look and I find, I still love you
I still love you

14. I should have known better than to let you go alone
It's times like ____ I can't make it on my own
this that these
Wasted days and sleepless nights
And I can't wait to see you again

I find I spend my time waiting on your call
How can I tell you, babe, my back's against the wall
I need you by my side to tell me it's all right
'Cause I don't think I can take anymore
15. Is this love that I'm feeling?
Is ____ the love that I've been searching for?
this that these
Is this love or am I dreaming?
This must be love
'Cause it's really got a hold on me
A hold on me

Score =
Correct answers:

Stative or Non-action verbs

Stative verbs or Non-action verbs

Stative verbs (Non-action verbs) are verbs that describe a state or situation, not an action.  They indicate state, sense, desire, possession, or opinion.

They are used in the Present Simple (not in the Present Progressive) even if they describe a situation that is true at the moment of speaking or writing.

Stative verbs are:

Verbs of thinking or mental activity: think, believe, agree, understand, know, remember, forget, realise, wonder, consider

Verbs of feeling: want, wish, like, love, hate, prefer, feel, need

Verbs of perception: smell, taste, sound, see, hear

Verbs of possession: have, own, belong, possess

Verbs of existence: be, seem, appear,

Some other verbs: cost, weigh, need

Examples:
                        YES                                                            NO

I believe the planet is getting warmer.

This soup smells good.
We need a new laptop.
They own a country house.
She seems rather shy.
It costs $20.

I’m believing the planet is getting warmer. 
This soup is smelling good. 
We’re needing a new laptop. 
They’re owning a country house. 
She’s seeming rather shy. 
It’s costing $20.

Watch this video from Teacher Dan's videos YouTube channel that explains this topic more in detail.

You can practise this topic with the following activity:

Complete this text using the verbs in brackets in their correct verb tenses, either Present Simple or Present Progressive (Continuous).

Sylvie phones her friend Andrew.

Sylvie: Hello, Andrew. What (you / do) at the moment?
Andrew: I (try) to read the book the teacher assigned for homework.
Sylvie: How (it / go) ?
Andrew: Not very well. I (wish) he had given us another book. I really (not / like) it. I (hate) the writing style and I (not / understand) the plot at all.
Sylvie: I (know) exactly how you feel. I (try) too, but I (not / seem) to be getting anywhere. Let's do something else! (You / feel) like coming round?
Andrew: That (sound) like an excellent idea. I'll be there in no time!