Pre-Academic Grammar and Writing

ESOL 095 Level 3 Grammar & Writing

Unit 1    Topic – Education

Education by Alastair

Simple Present and Present Progressive Tenses

Reading – Move to the Beat by Colin Hickey

Pre-reading Questions

1. Does your culture have a particular kind of music?
2. Do musicians have a place of importance in your culture?

Move to the Beat by Colin Hickey

Comprehension/Discussion Questions

1. How does Messan Benissan teach students in United States about his culture?
2. What are the roles of someone who is a master musician in Togo?
3. How does music connect people to the history of a culture or country?

Find and list 25 Simple Present verbs and 3 Present Progressive verbs

 

Writing – Write 8-10 separate sentences in response to the reading: Write about the importance of music in your culture or How music is part of your everyday life.

____________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________

Grammar links – Present Tense and Present Continuous Tense

Irregular Verbs  and Used To

(Go to each link, print, and put in your notebook for reference)

Vocabulary Practice

1. Strike – hit
2. Uplift – inspire
3. Awaken – cause to wake up; stop sleeping
4. Serve – to be of use
5. Carpenter – person who builds things out of wood
6. Harmony – a pleasing arrangement of parts
7. Cable – a strong rope or wire
8. Instrument – a device to make music
9. Replica – an exact reproduction
10. Valuable – having worth or usefulness
11. Mimic – to copy or look like
12. Performer – a person who acts, sings, dances or plays an instrument before an audience
13. Rhythm – a regular repeated pattern of sounds
14. Healer – one who treats illness
15. Physical – relating to the body; material existence

Vocabulary Exercise – Use the vocabulary words from the list to complete the sentences below.

1. Who is your favorite musical _______________? I really like Katy Perry.
2. That song has a catchy tune and an irregular _______________.
3. Don’t ______________ me. I don’t like someone to copy my movement.
4. She uses a variety of potions in her practice as a faith ____________.
5. How much did you pay for the model? Is it an exact ______________.
6. You say Tom built your deck. He’s an excellent __________________.
7. This document will have to _______________ as our proof of ownership.
8. She will _______________ from sleep in a few minutes and not remember anything.
9. I have to ______________ the drum at just the right time in the program.
10. How many _________________(s) do you play? I can play the guitar.
11. Music can affect us both in a spiritual and _________________ way.
12. That pearl necklace looks very old. Is it very ___________________?
13. I’m sure that your message of hope will ______________ their spirits.
14. You play your part of the song and I’ll play mine in _______________ with you.
15. Attach the trailer with the ______________ provided by the manufacturer.

Paragraph Assignment

Write a paragraph using the sentences you wrote in response to the reading. Start your paragraph with a Topic Sentence (the main point you are making). Then support your point with the sentences. Add a concluding sentence at the end.

________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________

Grammar Exercises

Simple Present or Present Progressive

Part 1 – Simple Present Tense

Write the correct form of the verb in the blank.

1. I _______________ (be, not) happy to be leaving this city.
2. The prosecutor _____________ (hope) to file charges soon.
3. The police ______________ (write) citations for traffic violations.
4. You _______________ (be, not) the only applicant for the position.
5. ________________ (leave, not) trash in the park.
6. We always ______________ (take) pictures on our vacation trips.
7. ______________ (you, want) to have dinner next Thursday?
8. The principal _______________ (want) to see you in her office.
9. That car ________________ (cost) more than we can afford to pay.
10. She _______________ (swim) in the ocean every morning.
11. Cats _______________ (like) to climb trees.
12. Those homeless children _________________ (have, not) enough food to eat.
13. He _________________ (deal) with many kinds of people in his job.
14. The hairdresser _________________ (take, not) appointments on Mondays.
15. The pictures on that wall _______________ (depict) scenes from the Civil War.

Part 2 – Simple Present or Present Progressive

Choose the correct tense to use in the following sentences.

1. When I have a new idea, I ________________ (like) to write it down quickly.
2. She _________________ (take) pictures of the new baby now.
3. I’ll help you later because I _________________ (finish) this project at the moment.
4. Betty usually _________________ (get) up at 6 o’clock every morning.
5. The show ________________ (come) on at 8:00.
6. Do you know who __________________ (come) to the party this evening?
7. The police want to know who _________________ (own) this car.
8. The house they ___________________ (buy) is in a wealthy Pittsburg suburb.
9. Look! Those birds __________________ (fly) south for the winter.
10. The OEO __________________ (mail) a flyer out about that issue every year.

Part 3 – BE or DO in Simple Present Questions

Choose the correct form of BE or DO in the following questions.

1. _________ you have a qualified applicant for that job?
2. _________ you a student in her class?
3. _________ you have time to talk about it now?
4. _________ he late for work again today?
5. _________ they vote in every election?

 

BE or Do in Negative Simple Present and Present Progressive Statements

Choose BE or DO + Not to write contractions.

1. She ______________________ (want) to work at that store anymore.
2. Why ______________ Mrs. Johnson_____________ (come) to her daughter’s wedding shower.
3. I heard that Shayna and Bobbi ______________________ (talk) again.
4. His truck _____________________ (have) a radio in it.
5. The paparazzi __________________ (take) pictures of that person anymore.

Part 4 – Simple Present and Present Progressive Tense

Write the correct form of the word in parenthesis.

1. _____ Luis _________________ (text) his friend about the party?
2. That convenience store _________________ (close) at 6 pm on Sunday.
3. She ________________ (sell) her paintings online. I bought one last year.
4. The photographer __________________ (take) pictures at the school this afternoon.
5. She _________________ (talk) to her doctor on the phone right now.
6. We _________________ (play) tennis every Saturday morning.
7. The Jeffersons __________________ (buy) a new washing today.
8. The ship __________________ (stop) in several Mediterranean ports on every voyage.
9. If the game __________________ (end) in a tie, there will be an extra period.
10. The test ___________________ (take) longer than anyone expected.
11. Their dog _________________ (start) barking at about this time every night.
12. The clock _________________ (chime) every hour.
13. My friends _________________ (come) on the 15^th. I’m so excited to see them!
14. ___________ your puppy ______________ (have) all its shots?
15. ___________ you _____________ (get) season tickets again this year?

Part 5 – Stative Verbs

Choose the Simple Present or Present Progressive.  This exercise includes the verbs see, think, have, be, and taste, which are sometimes stative.

1. They ______________________ (see) their in-laws next weekend
2. My roommate ___________________ (always/have) his girlfriend over on the weekend.
3. She _______________ (have) a doctor’s appointment every month it seems.
4. She ___________________ (have) an appointment with her hairdresser this afternoon.
5. We ____________________ (have) a birthday party for George tomorrow.
6. This drink ___________________ (not/taste) right to me. What’s in it?
7. Jack _____________________ (see) his advisor now.
8. What _________________________ (you/think) about the economy?
9. It _______________________ (be/not) cold today.
10. They always ____________________ (taste) the food before they serve it to customers.
11. Who _____________________ (want) a ham sandwich?
12. They ____________________________ (not/have) any children yet.
13. Our son ___________________ (see) a physical therapist about his back problem.
14. The Uber driver ___________________________ (be) late again.
15. He __________________________ (not/be) a lawyer.
16. I ________________________ (have/not) any fun at this party.
17. She ___________________________ (think) too much about her ex-boyfriend.
18. We often _______________________ (see) each other after football games.
19. The cat ______________________ (be) sick again.
20. ________________________ (have/you) a good time when you go to their cabin?

Simple Past and Past Progressive

Pre-Reading Questions

1. What was life like for freed slaves after the Civil War ended?
2. What was life like for women in the nineteenth century?
3. Why was education so important for freed slaves and women at that time?

 Reading – A Child of Slavery Who Taught a Generation by Karen Grigsby Bates

Comprehension/Discussion Questions

1. What was Anna Julia Cooper’s view of an appropriate curriculum at Dunbar?
2. What was the District of Columbia’s view of appropriate curriculum at the school?
3. What degree did Cooper receive at the Sorbonne in Paris?
4. In what ways was Anna Julia Cooper “ahead of her times”?

Find and list 20 Simple Past verbs used in the reading

Writing – Write a one paragraph response to the reading: How was Anna Cooper “ahead of her time” in education? (“A Lasting Legacy”) Why is this important?

Vocabulary Practice

1. Citadel – a stronghold (a place of security or survival)
2. Pioneer – a person that helps open up a new line of thought or activity
3. Achievement – a result gained by effort
4. Avid – very eager; enthusiastic
5. Insistent – demanding that something happen or someone do something
6. Vocational – education or training directed at a particular occupation and its skills
7. Journalist – a person who writes and distributes news
8. Clothe – to put clothes on
9. Domestic – relating to household chores or duties
10. Elite – people with education, power, and wealth
11. Laughable – amusingly ridiculous
12. Rumors – talk or opinion widely disseminated with no discernible source
13. Spark – something that sets off a sudden force
14. Impeccable – free from fault or blame
15. Stellar – exceptionally good; outstanding

Vocabulary Exercise – Use the vocabulary words from the list to complete the sentences below.

1. Your proposal is ___________________. I’ve never heard anything so ridiculous.
2. If you want to find a job more quickly, you might want to consider going to a ____________________ school instead of a four-year college.
3. Your lecture provided the ______________ I needed to pursue engineering as a career.
4. Her credentials were ___________________, so they hired on the spot.
5. Don’t listen to the _____________ about the mayor. They aren’t factual.
6. Although he wasn’t a member of an ____________ class, he rose to prominence in his field.
7. As a house maid, she had to attend a number of ______________ duties.
8. He’s an _______________ hunter and fisherman. He really loves the outdoors.
9. It’s our duty to _____________ and feed those who are less fortunate.
10. Henry Ford was a _______________ in the American auto industry.
11. When threatened by invaders, the villagers fled to the _____________ on the hillside.
12. Her research in microbiology was a great _________________ in medical science.
13. For her ____________ performance in her classes, she won a scholarship.
14. My goal is to become the best __________________ I can be and report every story accurately and honestly.
15. The university was _________________ about getting to the bottom of the controversy.

Grammar links – Past Tense & Past Tense and Past Continuous Tense; Past Time Markers

(Go to each link, print, and put in your notebook for reference)

 

Grammar Exercises – Simple Past or Past Progressive

 

Choose the correct verb forms. Use Simple Past or the Past Progressive.

1. We were ___________________ (eat) pizza and watching TV when lightening _______________ (knock) out the power.
2. Carson ____________________ (talk) a lot of people while he __________________ (ride) on the plane to Europe.
3. Whenever they ______________ (see) that commercial, they ________________ (think) about taking a vacation to the Bahamas.
4. The students ____________________ (take) pictures of the accident with their phones.
5. While the Jacksons ___________________ (sleep), their teenage daughter ___________________ (sneak) out of her bedroom window.
6. It ___________________ (begin) to snow when we _______________ (leave) for the airport.
7. When I ________________ (open) the door, it ___________________ (rain) cats and dogs outside.
8. While Henry __________________ (be) working, his wife ______________ (take) their son to the doctor.
9. Joe _______________ (hear) a loud noise while he _________________ (talk) to his friend.
10. While he _____________________ (study) for the test, his friend ___________________ (watch) a movie in another room.

Present Perfect and Present Perfect Progressive

Pre-Reading Questions

1. Do you feel a sense of identity with people of your same age?
2. Do you know which generation you are a member of – Baby Boomer, Gen X, or Millennial?
3. Are you interested in sociology? Do generational studies interest you?

 

Reading – What Past Generations Can Teach Us About Our Future by Mike Kubic

Comprehension Questions

1. Why is the generation born before 1900 called the Lost Generation and the generation born right after 1900 called the Greatest Generation?
2. How would you define the word “Turnings” as it is defined in the article?
3. How reliable do you think predictions based on generational constructions are?

Find and list 10 Present Perfect Verbs in the Reading

Grammar links – Present Perfect and Present Perfect Progressive Tenses & Past Tense and Present Perfect

(Go to each link, print, and put in your notebook for reference)

Grammar Exercises – Present Perfect

Part I

Write the Present Perfect Tense form of the verb in parenthesis.

1. We _______________________ (fly) in a plane for over an hour.
2. I _________________________ (eat/never) sushi.
3. She _____________________ (act) on stage for more than a decade.
4. We _______________________ (give) blood many times.
5. She _______________________ (meet) at least one famous person.
6. They_______________________ (visit) a Disneyland twice.
7. I _____________________ (learn) another language since living here.
8. He _______________________ (witness) crime in his neighborhood.
9. ______________ ever ___________ (sleep/you) in an unusual place?
10. I _______________________ (hold/never) a snake in my hands.
11. He _______________________ (break) a bone in his hand.
12. They _______________________ (swim) in the ocean several times.
13. I_______________________ (cry) in the cinema many times.
14. __________________ ever ______________ (win/you) a trophy?
15. ____________ ever _____________ (tell/you) someone you love them.

Part II

Write either Simple Past or Present Perfect

1. Susan ___________________________ (go) shopping yesterday.
2. They ______________________ (paint) their room, and it looks great.
3. Last summer we ___________________________ (visit) the Alps.
4. The children ________________________ (do) their homework. Now they can watch TV.
5. I _______________________ (lose) my car keys. Have you seen them?
6. We ___________________________ (eat) pizza on our last holiday.
7. She ___________________________ (be) to Europe twice before.
8. I’m sorry, but I______________________ (forget) my homework again.
9. I ___________________________ (send) you an email two days ago.
10. He ___________________________ (not/call) me yet.
11. We ____________________ (take/not) any pictures of our trip. Let’s take some today.
12. She _________________ (have) three days to finish the report, but she’s not done yet.
13. Evidently the clock _________________ (stop) at 3:01 pm exactly.
14. If we ____________________ (reach) our goal of $100,000, let’s have a celebration.
15. Your dog _______________ (bark) all night. I couldn’t sleep with that noise outside.

Past Perfect and Past Perfect Progressive

 

Pre-Reading Questions

1. Is slavery still practiced anywhere in the world today?
2. What does “runaway slave” mean?
3. Was slavery in the American South different from slavery in the ancient world?

Reading – The Sign by Laura Wrang

Comprehension/Discussion Questions

1. What did Orry love to study during his time with Jess?
2. Why was Jess’ mother able to “handle” the men looking for a runaway slave?
3. How did Jess realize that his friend had not drowned in the river?

 

Find and List 10 Past Perfect verbs used in the reading

Grammar Link – Past Perfect Tense

 

Grammar Exercises

Past Perfect Progressive

Write the past perfect progressive of the verb in parenthesis.

1. They ___________________________ (watch) TV all afternoon when their parents.came home.
2. The air conditioner _______________________ (work, not) until today.
3. The brothers _________________________ (speak) to one another for two years.
4. The chili _________________________ (cook) since early this morning.
5. She _____________________________ (receive) her mail for several days.

 

 

Past Perfect & Past Perfect Progressive

Choose either Past Perfect, Past Perfect Progressive, or Simple Past for the verbs in parentheses.

1. When she __________________ (get) to the bank, she _____________ (realize) that she ____________________ (forget) to bring her ID.
2. I ___________________ (see) that movie before, and ___________________ (want/not) to see it again.
3. A photographer ______________________ (take) pictures of the accident before the police ________________ (arrive).
4. __________________ (tell/you/not) a lie, you wouldn’t be in this trouble now.
5. My uncle, who __________________ (serve) in the Vietnam War in the 1970s, ____________ (died) recently.
6. The play _______________________ (start/already) by the time we ______________ (get) to the theater.
7. If he ________________ (take) the medicine, he would be better now.
8. They _______________ (tell) me that the house ___________________ (sell) last week.
9. They _______________ (give) blood at that blood bank many times before.
10. We ________________________ (travel) for several hours by the time the sun ________________ (come) up.

Future Time Clauses, Future Perfect, and Future Perfect Progressive

Use Future time clauses to show the order of future events.

He’ll graduate after he finishes this semester’s classes.

Use future (will or be going to) in the main clause and simple present in the time clause.

Use time words like after, as soon as, once, when in the time clause to show the event happens first. The words before and until show the event happens second.

Once we get the application, we’ll send it in.

When the store opens, we’ll be the first ones to go in.

Before you leave, I’ll give you my new address.

We’ll be talking about this until the meeting ends.

Until means “up to the time”

Note:  with not …until the event happens first.

I won’t buy it until I get paid.

Grammar Exercises

 

1. Write the correct time word in the blank.
2. _____________ (Once, Until) we get approval for our design, we’ll start construction.
3. She won’t start school ______________ (as soon as, until) she hears about her financial aid.
4. Robert will leave for college ______________ (as soon as, after) he can.
5. He’ll change his mind ______________ (until, after) he sees you.
6. _______________ (Until, After) they see the sights, they’ll go out to dinner.
7. Circle the correct form of the verb.
8. We believe we (are going to have, have) more customers once the alterations (are going to be, are) complete.
9. Construction (will begin, begins) as soon as we (will get, get) the permit.
10. Her trip (is going to take, takes) her to five European cities after she (will land, lands) in Paris.
11. The show (will begin, begins) once everyone (is going to be, is) seated.
12. We (are going to sit, sit) here and wait until they (say, will say it’s safe to leave.

Future Perfect vs. Future Perfect Progressive

The Future Perfect describes events that will be completed in the future. The Future Perfect Progressive describes events that will in progress at a time in the future.

• Her project will have been completed by the end of the year.
• By next December I’ll have visited all our factories in the United States.
• By the end of this decade, I’ll have been living in this state for 10 years.
• He will have finished his meal by the time you get there.

Fill in the blank with the Future Perfect or Future Perfect Progressive Tense.

1. Her cousin _____________________ (leave) by the time you arrive.
2. Will Fred ___________________ (finished) painting the bathroom by the time she gets home?
3. They _________________________ (drive) for 12 hours by the time they reach their motel.
4. She _________________________ (graduate) by 2020.
5. He _______________________ (take) all his required courses by the end of this year.
6. Bobby_______________________ (play) video games for 3 hours by 6 o’clock.
7. Her husband _______________________ (work) for the same company for 25 years when he retires next month.
8. His son _________________________ (complete) his training by the time he sees him this fall.
9. Ron’s company ________________________ (finish) their ad campaign by January.
10. Hershel _________________________ (get/not) his degree by the time she gets hers.