indefinite articles: - student.passmyielts.com · web viewcompleted a variety of targeted grammar...

OET 2.0 GRAMMAR LESSON: REVIEW DURING THIS LESSON

Discussed your progress on your first OET writing letter. Completed a variety of targeted grammar activities related to: tenses, sentence

structure, articles, and word choice. Discussed key grammar points related to the OET writing exam. Set homework for next week/arranged future lessons.

REVIEW

Small grammatical mistakes are the number one reason students do not achieve a grade B in the writing exam.

It can be difficult to know whether past medical history should be in the present tense (no) or whether the word “patient” needs an article in front of it (yes).

However with practice you will begin to understand the challenging rules that underpin English grammar. Take some time to review the writing exam feedback from your teacher and to complete this workbook to expand your knowledge.

Improving your grammar will also improve your OET speaking grade.

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ARTICLES

A common problem for OET students is that they struggle with articles.

What is an article? Basically, an article is an adjective. Like adjectives, articles change nouns.

English has two articles: the and a/an. The is used to refer to specific or particular nouns; a/an is used to modify non-specific or non-particular nouns.

We call the the definite article and a/an the indefinite article.

the = definite article

a/an = indefinite article

For example, if I say, "Let's read the book," I mean a specific book. If I say, "Let's read a book," I mean any book rather than a specific book.

Here's another way to explain it: The is used to refer to a specific or particular member of a group. For example, "I just saw the most popular movie of the year." There are many movies, but only one particular movie is the most popular. Therefore, we use the.

"A/an" is used to refer to a non-specific or non-particular member of the group. For example, "I would like to go see a movie." Here, we're not talking about a specific movie. We're talking about any movie. There are many movies, and I want to see any movie. I don't have a specific one in mind.

Please note, you only need to use an article with what are termed ‘countable nouns’. Countable nouns refer to individual people, animals, places, things, or ideas which can be counted. Uncountable nouns are not individual objects, so they cannot be counted. Examples of countable nouns include: “a patient”; “a procedure”; “an examination” – you can count one or more of each of these things. Uncountable nouns include: “advice”, “stress”, “motivation” – you cannot count how many of each of these things you could have.

When it comes to plurals (i.e. when you are referring to more than one of something), you should never use the indefinite article of a/an. However, if you wish to refer to a specific group of objects, then you should use the definite article of the. For example, if you said generally, “vaccines should be kept cold”, you would not use an article to refer to “vaccines”. If, on the other hand, you were making a reference to a specific set of vaccines you should use the: “the vaccines will be transported to us today.”

Let's look at each kind of article a little more closely.

Indefinite Articles: a and an

"A" and "an" signal that the noun modified is indefinite, referring to any member of a group. For example:


"My daughter really wants a dog for Christmas." This refers to any dog. We don't know which dog because we haven't found the dog yet.

"Somebody call a policeman!" This refers to any policeman. We don't need a specific policeman; we need any policeman who is available.

"When I was at the zoo, I saw an elephant!" Here, we're talking about a single, non-specific thing, in this case an elephant. There are probably several elephants at the zoo, and we are not talking about which specific elephant, but just referring to part of the group.

Remember, using a or an depends on the sound that begins the next word. So...

a + singular noun beginning with a consonant: a boy; a car; a bike; a zoo; a dog an + singular noun beginning with a

vowel: an elephant; an egg; an apple; an idiot; an orphan a + singular noun beginning with a consonant sound: a user (sounds like 'yoo-zer,' i.e.

begins with a consonant 'y' sound, so 'a' is used); a university; a unicycle

If the noun is modified by an adjective, the choice between a and an depends on the initial sound of the adjective that immediately follows the article:

1. a broken egg2. an unusual problem3. a European country (sounds like 'yer-o-pi-an,' i.e. begins with consonant 'y' sound)

Remember, too, that in English, indefinite articles are used to indicate membership in a group:

I am a teacher. (I am a member of a large group known as teachers.) Brian is an Irishman. (Brian is a member of the people known as Irish.) Seiko is a practicing Buddhist. (Seiko is a member of the group of people known as

Buddhists.)

Definite Article: the

The definite article is used before singular and plural nouns when the noun is specific or particular. The signals that the noun is definite, that it refers to a particular member of a group. For example:

"The dog that bit me ran away." Here, we're talking about a specific dog, the dog that bit me.

"I was happy to see the policeman who saved my cat!" Here, we're talking about a particular policeman. Even if we don't know the policeman's name, it's still a particular policeman because he is the one who saved the cat.

"I saw the elephant at the zoo." Here, we're talking about a specific noun. Probably there is only one elephant at the zoo.


Activity 1

Choose whether the following nouns are countable or uncountable:

1. Dog – countable or uncountable?2. Baby – countable or uncountable?3. Information – countable or uncountable?4. Hospital – countable or uncountable?5. Dentist– countable or uncountable?6. Children – countable or uncountable?7. Milk – countable or uncountable?8. Injection – countable or uncountable?

Activity 2

Fill in the correct articles in the sentences below, choosing whether to use ‘a’, ‘an’ or ‘the’.

1. I live in _____ state of California. (a, an, the)

2. Can you tell me _____ story. (a, an, the)

3. We will go to _____ shopping centre tomorrow. (a, an, the)

4. I saw _____ lion at the zoo. (a, an, the)

5. Will you watch _____ movie with me? (a, an, the)

6. _____food at this restaurant is delicious. (a, an, the)

7. We saw _____ great play. (a, an, the)

8. Would you like to eat ____ orange? (a, an, the)

9. I would love to tell you _____ story. (a, an, the)

10. Can you take me to _____ doctor? (a, an, the)

11. We will go to _____ movies today. (a, an, the)

12. I saw all of _____ elephants at the zoo. (a, an, the)

13. Will you watch _____ play with me? (a, an, the)

14. I am going to _____ after school event. (a, an, the)

15. We saw _____ exciting basketball game. (a, an, the)

16. I saw _____ cat in my backyard. (a, an, the)

Answers to this activity are available at the end of the workbook.


ARTICLES IN THE MEDICAL CONTEXT

Many students find it particularly challenging to work out whether they need to use an article in relation to specific medical vocabulary, and, if so, whether this should be the or a/an. Learn the rules below to help direct your understanding of when and how to use articles in your OET Writing test:

1. You do not need to use an article for the name of a condition, e.g. pneumonia, diabetes, heart failure.

2. You do need to use an article if you are referring to a condition which is a type of infection, e.g. a urinary tract infection (a UTI), an upper respiratory tract infection (a URTI).

3. You do need to use an article for symptoms which are countable nouns, e.g. a cough, a cold.

4. You do need to use an article when describing how a particular (singular) body part presents or feels, e.g. an inflamed toe, a sore throat, an infected nail.

5. You do not need to use an article when you are discussing symptoms and using adjectives, e.g. wheezing, coughing, feverish.

6. You do need to use an article when referring to an injury or wound, e.g. a lower back injury, a lesion on their hip, a leg ulcer.

7. You do need to use an article when referring to an injury or a particular pain/feeling, e.g. an uncomfortable feeling, a bloating sensation.

8. You do need to use an article when referring to a specific operation or procedure, e.g. a total knee replacement, an ultrasound.

9. You do need to use an article when referring to a person’s profession, e.g. a dentist.

Activity 3

Identify whether the following words will need to be preceded by an article, and choose the right one:

1. ….. sneezing 2. ….. caesarean section 3. ….. dietician 4. ….. blood infection5. ….. sepsis6. ….. distended abdomen 7. ….. lung disease8. ….. headache 9. ….. nauseous 10. ….. irritable bowel syndrome 11. ….. breast biopsy 12. ….. sickness


TENSES

Tenses are another crucial element of grammar for OET. As you know, it is vital that healthcare professionals refer to a patient in the correct way. There is a big difference between “the patient is having a heart attack” and “the patient was having a heart attack.” One requires immediate medical attention and the other does not.

Get into the habit of reading through your work to be sure you are referring to the patient in the correct tense.

In the following exercises, fill in the correct form of the verb with the correct tense.

1. They ___________________ in Chicago for 20 years (be).

2. I ___________________ a wonderful film in the cinema last night. (see)

3. The sun ___________________ at 6:38 yesterday morning (rise)

4. The sun ___________________ when the clim-ber reached Mount Everest. (shine)

5. I promise that I ___________________ this secret to anyone (not tell)

6. Unfortunately, just as we got to the airport their plane ___________________ off (take).

7. They ___________________ to the movies only once in a while (go)

8. I was tired yesterday because I ___________________ well the night before (not sleep).

9. Sh! Someone ___________________ to our conversation (listen)!

10. When I left the house this morning, it ___________________ (already rain)

11. I think Bob ___________________ for London this very moment.(leave)

12. The plane ___________________ off in a few minutes. (take)

13. I ___________________ up at 7 every morning but this morning I ___________________ long and I ___________________ up until 8. (get, sleep, not get)

14. I ________________________ my watch because it is being fixed (not wear).

15. This ___________________ an easy quiz so far (be).

16. They ___________________ in an apartment right now because they can’t find a cheap house. (live)


17. Everyone ___________________ when the earthquake hit the small town. (sleep)

18. He _________________________ by herself since her divorce (live)

19. I was angry that I ___________________ such a stupid mistake (make).

20. I predict that by 2020, man __________________________ on Mars (land)

Answers are available at the back of this workbook.


CONJUNCTIONS

A conjunction is the part of speech used to join or link words, phrases, or clauses to each other. Conjunctions help to provide coherence to your writing by connecting elements between or within sentences and from one paragraph to the next in order to most effectively communicate your ideas to your reader. To achieve a Grade B in your OET writing exam, you should get into the habit of using a range of different conjunctions to link various pieces of information together relating to the patient. As you will need to summarise and condense the information from the case notes, conjunctions will have to become an area of English grammar that you are familiar with.

Use a conjunction in the following circumstances:

To show an additional or similar idea -- o and, yet; not only . . . but also, both . . . and; after, although, even though,

since To show a contrasting idea --

o but, yet; either . . . or, neither . . . nor; although, even though, unless, whereas

To show cause or effect -- o for, so; because, since, if, so that

To show the relationship of time --o and, but, so; when, whenever, until, before, after, while, once, as soon as, as

long as To show the relationship of place --

o and, but; either . . . or, neither . . . nor; where, wherever To show purpose --

o and, so; not only . . . but also, whether . . . or, and both . . . and; in order that, so that

Now, complete the following sentences by using the correct conjunction from the box below:

1. ………………….. hard he tried, he still couldn’t understand the computer manual.


however as though in case

to some extent as soon as considering

in order to as long as since

2. They took ice-axes with them ………………….. they needed to cut steps in the ice.

3. We have nothing to fear from our enemies ………………….. we keep our nerve.

4. ………………….. that this is Henry’s first competition, he has achieved a very

respectable score.

5. He became an American citizen ………………….. promote his business interests.

6. “It looks ………………….. the same man committed both crimes.” said the inspector.

7. While I accept your arguments ………………….., I cannot support the action you are

taking. “………………….. the enemy crosses the stream, open fire!” said the captain.

Answers to this activity are available at the end of this workbook.


SUBJECT-VERB AGREEMENT

Subject-verb agreement is an area of English grammar that many students struggle with in their OET writing exam. It is one of those grammar points that is easy to forget in the middle of an exam and so it is really worth spending some time familiarising yourself with the rules in advance so that it comes naturally to you on the day. Have a look at the information below and complete the exercises to develop your skills:

What are verbs and subjects?

Verbs are action words. For example: eat, sleep, talk, walk, do, buy are all verbs.Subjects are the person or thing who are doing the action of the verb. For example:

I eat. The dog sleeps. George talks a lot. They walk to work.

The subject of a sentence can be singular (one) or plural (many). For example:

The computer is old. (singular) The computers are old. (plural)

What is verb-subject agreement?

The verb form can change depending on whether the subject is singular or plural. For example:

The car park (singular subject) was (verb) full.The car parks (plural subject) were (verb) full.

In these sentences each of the verbs agrees with its subject.

How does verb-subject agreement work?

In regular verbs:

Singular PluralFirst person I like bananas. We like bananas.Second person You like bananas. You like bananas.Third person He/she/it likes bananas. They like bananas.

Matching the verb and the subject

Highlight the correct form of the verb to match the subject. For example:This car (need) fixing.Correct answer: needs.


Part A

I (need) a rest. Need NeedsShe (need) a holiday. Need NeedsThey (need) to go home. Need NeedsAsif (need) to read more. Need NeedsI (have) to see the doctor. Have HasAnn (have) a bad back. Have HasWe (like) to watch TV. Like LikesHe (like) to play football. Like LikesYou (need) to look harder. Need NeedsSara (want) more time. Want WantsHe (say) he wants to move out. Say SaysJane and Bill (make) sofas and chairs. Make MakesShe (wish) she was on holiday. Wish WishesThe car (need) a wash. Need NeedsI (want) to learn French Want WantsThey (say) they’re going tomorrow. Say Says

Problems with verb-subject agreement

Not all verbs work in a regular way. Some of the most common verbs are irregular: eg be, go, do, have.

Verbs and subjects must still agree, but you have to learn and remember the way the irregular ones work. Note the correct verb form for the third person singular for these irregular verbs:

to do = I do - he/she/it does (not do)to have = I have - he/she/it has (not have)to go = I go - he/she/it goes (not go)

For example:She does karate on Thursdays. They do lots of sparring.It has soft fur. They have soft hands.She goes sailing every month. I go every week.

Too many words

It’s sometimes difficult to work out the subject if there are lots of words between the subject and the verb. For example:

Steve, who has just returned from Australia, does not intend to go back.(Singular subject, ‘Steve’ = singular verb.)

The children, excited about Father Christmas, have gone to bed early without


complaining.(Plural subject, ‘children’ = plural verb.)

Being able to spot mistakes in your own work when it comes to subject-verb agreement will be a crucial part of your proofreading process at the end of the exam. Have a look at the following article and try to choose the correct verb forms; watch out for the irregular verbs!

Part B

IN THE NEWSThe best job in the world?

Some jobs is/are very demanding, but someone has/have to do them. Recently, Partnum & Brown was/were looking for a new chocolate buyer. The company was/were advertising a salary of £35,000.

The successful application had/have to travel the world to find the best chocolate makers. He or she would taste as much chocolate as possible, and then decide which was/were the best for their customers. They expected top quality for the world renowned Food Hall.

The company was/were expecting a lot of applications for the job. They was/were looking for someone who worked hard, enjoyed food, had a keen eye for packaging and was/were able to control a budget. They also wanted someone who was/were enthusiastic, energetic and loved chocolate!

Answers are available at the back of this workbook.

IN THE NEXT LESSON

We will start to look at the Reading exam, considering in particular the skimming and scanning techniques that you will need to use for Part A of the Reading Exam.


ANSWERS

ACTIVITY 1

1. Countable2. Countable3. Uncountable4. Countable5. Countable6. Uncountable7. Uncountable8. Countable

ACTIVITY 2

1. The2. A3. The4. A/The5. A6. The7. A8. An9. A10. A11. The12. The13. A14. A15. An16. A

ACTIVITY 3

1. No article2. A/The3. A/The4. A/The 5. No article6. A/The 7. No article8. A/The 9. No article10. No article11. A/The 12. No article


ACTIVITY 4

1. They have been in Chicago for 20 years (be). 2. I saw a wonderful film in the cinema last night. (see) 3. The sun rose at 6:38 yesterday morning (rise) 4. The sun was shining when the climber reached Mount Everest. (shine) 5. I promise that I will not tell this secret to anyone (not tell) 6. Unfortunately, just as we got to the airport their plane was taking off (take). 7. They go to the movies only once in a while (go) 8. I was tired yesterday because I had not slept well the night before (not sleep). 9. Sh! Someone is listening to our conversation (listen)! 10. When I left the house this morning, it was already raining (already rain) 11. I think Bob is leaving for London this very moment.(leave) 12. The plane will be taking/ will take off in a few minutes. (take) 13. I get up at 7 every morning but this morning I slept long and I didn’t get up until 8. (get, sleep, not get) 14. I am not wearing my watch because it is being fixed (not wear). 15. This has been an easy quiz so far (be). 16. They are living in an apartment right now because they can’t find a cheap house. (live) 17. Everyone was sleeping when the earthquake hit the small town. (sleep) 18. He has been living by herself since her divorce (live) 19. I was angry that I had made such a stupid mistake (make)20. I predict that by 2020, man will have landed on Mars (land)

ACTIVITY 5

1. however2. in case3. as long as4. considering5. in order to 6. as though7. to some extent8. as soon as

ACTIVITY 6

Part A

1. need2. needs


3. need4. needs5. have6. has7. like8. likes9. need10. wants11. says12. make13. wishes14. needs15. want16. say

Part B

1. are2. has3. were4. had5. were6. was7. were8. was9. was


indefinite articles: - student.passmyielts.com · web viewcompleted a variety of targeted grammar...

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