English 11 Unit 2 - Language focus (basic)

English 11 Unit 2 – Review
Language focus
A. Pronunciation: /m/ /n/ /ŋ/ the nasal consonant
/m/ lips sound /n/ / /ŋ
Lips: Together in a “humming” position
Airstreams: Continuous through the nose
Vocal cords: Vibrating
Tongue: Firmly pressed against gum ridge
behind upper front teeth
Airstreams: Continuous through the nose
Vocal cords: Vibrating
Back of tongue: Raised toward the soft
palate.
Airstreams: Continuous through the nose
Vocal cords: Vibrating
- At the beginning of the word
me
may
more
milk
month
matter
- In the middle of the word
army
among
lemon
animal
summer
something
- At the end of the word
am

him
seem
come
room
name
- At the beginning of the word
no
new
net
know
nail
neck
- In the middle of the word
any
many
money
banana
tennis
runner
- At the end of the word
in
on
can
when
fine
again
- In the middle of the word
anger
thank
single

finger
hungry
- At the end of the word
doing
going
running
singing
belong
- /n/ doesn’t occur at the beginning of the
word.
- When n followed m in the same syllable,
it is usually NOT pronounced; it is silent.
column
damn
Solemn autumn
- When an unstressed syllable begin with /t/
or /d/ and ends with /n/ is frequently
pronounced as “syllabic” /n/.
written
kitten
curtain sadden
- The letter ng or ngue at the end of the
words are always pronounced /ŋ/
wrong sing tongue
- The letter n before g or k is usually
pronounced /ŋ/
hungry single thank
drink
Sound identification ː /m/, /n/, /ŋ/ might substitute more familiar at the end of the words.
If you say /n/ instead of /m/: some will sound like sun

If you say /ŋ/ instead of /m/: swim will sound like swing
Tips: /m/ humming sound “mmmmmm”
/n/ practice the word: again
/ / practice the word: ŋ thinking, studying, everything
B. Grammar: Present simple indicating past time
Past simple, past progressive, past perfect
Linking word: both … and/ neither…nor/ either …or
I. Present simple indicate the past time
The present simple is used to report what we have heard or what we have read:
• This newspaper article explains why unemployment has been rising so quickly.
When we tell a story or joke we often describe the main events using the present (or past) simple and longer, background
events using the present (or past) continuous:
• She goes (or went) up to this man and looks (or looked) straight into his eyes. She's carrying (or was carrying) a bag full of
shopping...
II. Past simple, past progressive, past perfect
1.Simple Past
Positive Negative Question
I spoke. I did not speak. Did I speak?
Use of Simple Past
• Action in the past taking place once, never or several times
Example: He visited his parents every weekend.
• Action in the past taking place one after the other
Example: He came in, took off his coat and sat down.
• Action in the past taking place in the middle of another action
Example: When I was having breakfast, the phone suddenly rang.
• If sentences type II (If I talked, …)
Example: If I had a lot of money, I would share it with you.
Adverb of time
• yesterday, 2 minutes ago, in 1990, the other day, last Friday
2. Past Continuous

Form
Positive Negative Question
I / he / she / it I was speaking. I was not speaking. Was I speaking?
you / we / they You were speaking. You were not speaking. Were you speaking?
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English 11 Unit 2 – Review
Use of Past Progressive
• Puts emphasis on the course of an action in the past
Example: He was playing football.
• Two actions happening at the same time (in the past)
Example: While she was preparing dinner, he was washing the dishes.
• Action going on at a certain time in the past
Example: When I was having breakfast, the phone suddenly rang.
Adverb of time
• when, while, as long as, by the time + simple past
3. Past Perfect
Form
Positive Negative Question
I had spoken. I had not spoken. Had I spoken?
Use of Past Perfect
• Action taking place before a certain time in the past: used with after, before, when, by the time, as soon as
(putting emphasis only on the fact, not the duration)
Example: Before I came here, I had spoken to Jack.
By the time I got to the station, the train had left
When I got home yesterday I realized that I had lost my key.
• Conditional Sentences Type III (condition that was not given in the past)
Example: If I had seen him, I would have talked to him.
Adverb of time
• already, just, never, not yet, once, until that day (with reference to the past, not the present)
Example: Until last week he had never painted the room

II. Linking word: both … and/ neither…nor/ either …or
Both … and Subjects connected by 'both … and' take the a plural conjugation. :
Both Alice and Janice attended USC.
Both Jim and Peter are attending the conference in New York this weekend.
Either … or is used in sentences in a positive sense meaning "one or the other, this or that, he or she, etc." Verb conjugation
depends on the subject (singular or plural) closest to the conjugated verb.
Either Peter or the girls need to attend the course. (second subject plural)
Either Jane or Matt is going to visit next weekend. (second subject singular)
Neither … nor is used in sentences in a negative sense meaning "not this one nor the other, not this nor that, not he nor she,
etc.". Verb conjugation depends on the subject (singular or plural) closest to the conjugated verb.
Neither Frank nor Lilly lives in Eugene. (second subject singular)
Neither Axel nor my other friends care about their future. (second subject plural)
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