possessives: pronouns

Can you match these possessive pronouns to the right personal pronouns and
possessive adjectives?

yours, mine, theirs, ours, hers, his, its

Subject Object Possessive adjectives Possessive pronouns

I me my
You you your
He him his
She her her
It it its
We us our
They them their

We can use a possessive pronoun instead of a noun phrase:

Is that John’s car? No, it’s [my car] > No, it’s mine.

Whose coat is this? Is it [your coat]? > Is it yours?

Her coat is grey, [my coat]is brown Her coat is grey, mine is brown.

We can use possessive pronouns

after of.

We can say: Pattern A Pattern B

Susan is one of my friends.

or
Susan is a friend of mine. Whose coat is this? or Whose is this coat?
but not
Susan is a friend of me

or Whose book is that? or Whose is that book?

I am one of Susan's friends.
or
I am a friend of Susan's.
Whose bags are those? or Whose are those bags?
but not
I am a friend of Susan

We use whose to ask questions:

FUTURE TENSE

We have different ways of talking about the future. We often use going to (+ infinitive),
the present continuous (to be + -ing) or will (+ infinitive). The structure we use
depends on the function of what we want to say, whether we are talking about
arrangements, plans, predictions, etc.
I thought will was the future tense in English.
It’s one of the ways of talking about the future, but there are a few others. Let’s look
atwill to start with. We use will / won’t (= will not) + the infinitive for predictions about the
future.
Oliver’ll be back soon.
We won’t be ready.
Do you think it’ll rain this afternoon?
We also use will when we decide something at the moment of speaking.
(The doorbell rings) I’ll get it.
So, you sometimes use the verb think before will?
Yes, that’s very common. We also use: don’t think, expect, be + sure.
I’m sure you’ll have a good time.
You said will is used for decisions made at the moment of speaking. What about
decisions made before the moment of speaking?
Then we can use either the present continuous or going to (+ infinitive).
Amy’s coming round.
We’re going to watch a film – want to join us?
What are you doing this evening?
Is there a difference between them?

We use the present continuous more for arrangements with other people and be +going
to + infinitive for intentions. Sometimes it’s important to choose the right structure, but
often we could use either because many events are both arrangements and intentions.
Amy’s coming round. (= arrangement between Amy and Daisy)
Amy’s going to come round. (= Amy’s intention)
I’m going to clean my room tonight. (= intention)
I’m cleaning my room tonight. (not an arrangement)
So could I say 'I’m going to go to the cinema with Alex'?

Yes, that’s correct. But we usually avoid saying going to go, just because it doesn’t
sound very elegant. We normally use the present continuous with go.
I’m going to the cinema with Alex.
And 'I will go to the cinema with Alex'?

No. We don’t use will for arrangements or intentions if the decision was made before the
moment of speaking.
Oh, yes, you told me that before. Anything else?

Yes, there’s another use of going to. We use it for predictions too, especially when you
can see something happening or about to happen.
Look out! You’re going to spill that coffee.
Can you use going to for other predictions?
Yes, sometimes both will and going to can be used.
I think the Green Party will win the election.
I think the Green Party are going to win the election.
OK, and one last thing! Is it correct to say, ‘When’s the race?’ That’s present simple,
isn’t it?

Yes. You can use present simple for timetabled events.

My plane leaves at 4pm tomorrow.

The match starts at 8pm.
Phew! So sometimes you can use going to or the present continuous and sometimes
you can use will or going to. And you can also use present simple for timetabled
events. I’ll never understand the future!
I’m sure you will! You’re using it correctly already.
PASSIVE FORM

We use the passive, rather than the active, to show that we are more interested in a
certain part of the sentence. The passive is usually formed by the verb to be + past
participle.
Can you give me some examples of the active and passive?

Yes, of course. Here’s a passive sentence:

My room is being cleaned.

'My room' is the main focus of the sentence. The active form would be 'The cleaners are
cleaning my room'. This sounds strange because it is obvious that, if you are in a hotel,
cleaners would clean your room. So we sometimes use the passive to avoid stating the
obvious.

OK, that makes sense. Are there any other uses?

We also use the passive when we don’t know who did something, or when it isn’t
important.

It’s the biggest outdoor elevator in the world, so I’ve been informed.
It doesn’t matter who told me.

I think loads of films have been made there.

The important thing is the films, not the film-makers.

Can you use a passive and also say who did the action?

Yes.

Avatar was made by James Cameron.

Is the passive formal?

No, not necessarily. It can be formal or neutral or informal.

I hope to find everything clean and tidy … you’ve been warned!

But we often avoid the passive in very informal spoken language, for example, by
using they.
They based the scenery in Avatar on the landscape here.
We don’t know exactly who they are, but we can guess that it’s the people who made
the film.
I think I’ve heard people use you a lot too when they don’t refer to anyone in particular.
Yes, very good! That’s another way of sounding more informal. You is a bit different; it
means 'people in general'.
 Parcels can be collected from the Post Office between 9 a.m. and 5 p.m.(more
formal)
You can collect parcels between 9 a.m. and 5 p.m. (less formal)
One last question, what about the passive with get? Is that informal too?
Yes, when we’re speaking informally we also often use get rather than the verb be.
He was sacked from his job. = He got sacked from his job.
But be careful, not all verbs can be used in the passive with get - only verbs for talking
about an action or a change.
She was knocked off her bike by a bus. = She got knocked off her bike by a
bus.
Charlie Chaplin was loved by millions. Charlie Chaplin got loved by millions.
Phew, OK. I think my brain has been fried by all this!
Ah, OK, we’ll stop. But look - you’re using the passive correctly already!
“USED TO”

We use used to + verb for talking about states or actions that were true or
happened in the past, but are not true or do not happen now.
Can you give me some examples?

Yes, of course.

London’s nothing like it used to be!

She used to go away on really long trips.
OK. So now she doesn’t go away on really long trips?

Exactly. Used to is always for talking about actions or states in the past that are not true
now.
The record shop I always used to visit is now a really cool café. (I don’t visit the
place now.)
Why can’t you use the past simple?

Well, you can, of course. But we use used to to emphasise that the state or action is not
true now or does not happen now.
What about the negative?

We use do in the past + not + the infinitive, use to + verb. The question is formed in a
similar way.
He didn’t use to wear nice clothes and recently he’s been looking quite cool.
So what else did you use to go to London for?
That’s quite a long construction – three verbs!

Yes, but used to doesn’t change – it’s always in the past simple.
Always in the past simple? So you can’t use it in the present?

No, it’s a strange verb. We only use it in the past.

I think I used to use it in the present too.

Oh dear. You won’t any more, will you?

No, I didn’t use to know the rules, but now I do.

The 5 steps to becoming a stereotypical
Brithttp://learnenglishteens.britishcouncil.org/

Stereotype No. 1: the British love to drink tea: You must drink endless cups of tea. The
mere mention of such wonders as Earl Grey and English breakfast tea should set your
heart aflutter and you should refuse to drink absolutely anything else.

Stereotype No. 2: British people are obsessed with Harry Potter: You should, of
course, absolutely adore Harry Potter. You must carry a copy of all seven books with
you at all times, as well as wand, a broomstick and a cage with an owl in. You should
dedicate one day a week (or 19 hours and 38 minutes to be precise) to watching a
marathon of all the Harry Potter DVDs and must try to memorise as many of the lines
as possible in a bid to impress your friends with your Harry Potter wisdom (because,
really, how else would you make friends?!). The same applies to Doctor Who and
Sherlock Holmes.

Stereotype No. 3: the British are overly polite: As a Brit, you should start and finish
every phrase by excusing yourself with ‘sorry’. Equally, you must repeat ‘please’ and
‘thank you’ at least five times within a sentence. When entering a shop you must be on
red alert for absolute maximum politeness is required. If all else fails just take a quick
turn about the shop and then make a swift exit, never having got what you actually
came in for, but at least avoiding an awkward situation.

Stereotype No. 4: Brits love the Royal Family: An essential quality of every true Brit is
that we absolutely love the Royal Ramily. Every morning should begin with a hearty
rendition of our national anthem, God Save the Queen. Please always keep in mind
that everything can be decorated with a Union Jack flag. Clothes, bed sheets, sofas ...
you might even want to try hanging a few from the windows of your house or the roof
of your car. In addition, all royal celebrations must be thoroughly prepared for in
advance and celebrated with fervour. Flags, cakes and tea must be stocked in
abundance. The lack of any one of these will inevitably lead to the failure of any royal-
based event.

Stereotype No. 5: it’s always raining in Britain: As a Brit, of course you can never leave
the house without an umbrella, a raincoat and some wellington boots for good
measure. Never let the sun fool you into thinking it might be a nice day. While you
might occasionally spy the sun in the sky here in the UK, this is no reason to lose all of
your good sense and leave one of these essential items at home. It will rain eventually,
don’t you worry. And if on the off-chance there ever is a genuinely sunny day ... well
then you best stay inside, you aren’t equipped to handle it.

Discussion
What stereotypes do you have of British people? What stereotypes do people have of
your own country? Do you think stereotypes are largely true?
Stereotypes ... true or false?
I have just returned to the UK after a year living abroad in France. Something that
really struck me while I was away from home was the fact that very often the people I
met would talk about ‘stereotypes’. It is inevitable when you meet someone who
comes from a foreign country that your mind evokes associations and compares that
person with the stereotypes connected with their country and culture. Many believe
that there’s no smoke without fire and so if a stereotype exists, it must be based on
truth. I feel that thinking about ‘stereotypes’ is an interesting way to look at differences
between different cultures and countries, but of course many should be taken with a
pinch of salt! Here are my top 5 favourite stereotypes about British people and whether
or not I think they are true or false!

1) British people drink a lot of tea

TRUE! I have to say that this stereotype, in my experience, is definitely based on

reality. Although I myself am not a fanatical tea-drinker, my sister has been known to
drink around 6 mugs of tea per day! British people tend to offer a cup of tea (or a
‘cuppa’) whenever a guest arrives regardless of the time of day; and always if
someone is upset or needs cheering up. With a mug of steaming tea in their hands, a
British person can’t help but feel at home.

2) British people have a ‘stiff upper lip’

This is a common conception that British people traditionally do not express emotions
or talk about how they feel openly. However, I have found that, as is the case in most
cultures, it is a question of individuals. Some people are naturally at ease discussing
their feelings, and others prefer to keep their personal life private. In my experience
wherever you live it takes time to build up a friendship in which people feel confident
about confiding in each other.

3) British people like to talk about the weather

TRUE! In the town where I grew up most conversations would start with a comment
about the weather, especially if you did not know the person very well. This is called
‘small talk’. Frequent comments about the weather include, “It’s a beautiful day today
isn’t it?! Make sure you make the most of it!” or “It has been raining cats and dogs all
morning!” British people, in my experience, could make complaining about the weather
into an Olympic sport!

4) British food is not good

During my year abroad I met many people who often cited this stereotype about British
food. My opinion is that it is simply a case of what you are used to and personal taste.
Traditionally, British food is very warming comfort food. Good examples are steak and
ale pie, toad in the hole (this is a dish of sausages served in a baked batter) and, of
course, fish and chips. Now however visitors to the UK will find a wide range of
different cuisines available on the high streets of British cities from Indian restaurants
to Japanese sushi bars.

5) British people are very polite

My French friends would often find it funny how often I would apologise for myself or
the fact that I would repeat ‘please’ and ‘thank yous’ in a conversation. Even I
described myself as 'very British'. However I find that in every country you will come
across very polite people and less polite people. A lot of the time there are simply
different perceptions of what is ‘polite’ and what is ‘rude’ across cultures but this
(although sometimes embarrassing!) can be a fascinating journey of discovery!
What a Wonderful City
I was lucky enough to take a short trip to Warsaw, the capital of Poland, a few days
ago and it was such a great city to visit. When my friends and I first organised the trip
we were not sure what to expect! Warsaw is a hidden gem of Europe and is not
usually within the favourite destinations for a short city break. Warsaw has such a rich
history and there are so many things to see and do. I'll share with you just a few great
things about this wonderful city.

The first thing that I love is the architecture. It is a strange mix between old and new.
Sadly most of the historic centre was destroyed during the World War Two bombings;
all the important buildings have been rebuilt in their original state but with newer
materials. The builders involved in the reconstruction of the the city were very
conscious of remaining historically accurate and workers had to take an exam about
the history of the buildings before they were employed. In Warsaw there can be a
building that is 200 years old next to a building that is 50 years old, Warsaw has a
really unique style. Another great thing about Warsaw is the green open space. There
are lots of lovely parks and gardens. My favourite park was called Park Lazienki; there
is a grand royal palace and long green lawns and tulip gardens. It's a great place for a
bike ride. The last thing that I really loved about Warsaw was the people. They are so
welcoming and they really love their culture. The food and drink specialities are great. I
loved their traditional dish of potato dumplings.

I am very glad that my friends and I got to visit and appreciate such a vibrant and
beautiful city! Warsaw is a hidden gem in Europe for sure.

Discussion:

Have you ever visited Warsaw? If not, would you like to?
Missing Family Events
One of the hardest parts of living abroad is being away from your loved ones,
especially your family. While my friends are so important to me, I’ve personally found it
more difficult being away from family. Because my friends are mostly my age with
fewer responsibilities, when we begin to miss each other too much, the prospect of a
spontaneous Eurostar trip is far more likely. Whereas, with my family, their varying
responsibilities such as university applications and A-Levels (my sister) or leadership
training schemes (my mum) make it far harder for them to visit. Also, it feels odd to not
have family nearby during major life events like birthdays as it’s taken for granted that
we will have a big family celebration at my grandma’s house.

However, I was fortunate that my mum and sister recently found the time to visit. Both
my sister and I have major birthdays this year as she’s turning 18 and I’ll be 21. My
sister is a very big music fan and this year, I cemented my status as the best older
sister by keeping an eye out for music concerts in Paris. In our home town of
Leicester, we don’t regularly get many well-known artists playing in our city. But in
Paris, I managed to get the best 18th birthday present of all: tickets for all three of us
to see my sister’s favourite American rapper, Angel Haze.

Although I will try to visit for my sister’s actual birthday in June, the chance for my
sister and my mum to visit became a birthday treat. The experience of finding our way
together to the concert or getting to show them around the Paris sites such as the
Eiffel Tower, the Arc du Triomphe and even my favourite ice cream place, Amorino,
was an amazing memory for us all! Despite the fact that I felt the slight pressure to
make sure the weekend went smoothly, even the heavy rain failed to dampen our
mood.

Therefore, while it can be difficult being away from home and potentially missing big
family moments, there are ways to avoid the sadness and find a way to make the best
of your situation to instead create an unforgettable memory. Like the torrent of rain
while we went up the Eiffel Tower demonstrated, every cloud has a silver lining,
because then we got the funniest photos ever!

Discussion:

How do you and your family celebrate special events?

Keeping up with language learning while abroad

Oddly, when you’re on your year abroad, keeping up with essential language learning
tasks like grammar practice or memorising vocabulary can fall by the wayside.

I spend most of my days teaching English vocabulary and grammar to primary school
children but, other than discovering the relevant specialised vocabulary to do this or
what I learn from conversations, I’m sometimes guilty of doing little independent work.

While my university have set regular work with online grammar exercises or essays on
Francophone culture, I feel that I need to focus on developing my knowledge of more
conversational grammar structures and colloquial grammar. In everyday spoken
French I have heard certain phrases coming up time and time again. Despite slowly
recognising some of these phrases, I admit that there are some that remain a mystery
to me.

But all is not lost! Because of my determination to fit in with my fellow Parisians, I’ve
come up with several ways to manage my hectic schedule and find the time for some
essential language practice.

Firstly, aiming to set aside half an hour a day is a manageable feat. This time is best
suited for more complicated work such as grammar questions or researching the
vocabulary found in a text of your target language. In fact, I save myself some time
beforehand by using my commute to work as an opportunity to read over the free
metro newspaper to comprehend the majority of a text and highlight the words that I
don’t know. Another time-killing activity is going over the conjugations of verbs in my
head while waiting for the metro to arrive. Whatever your weakness is, thinking of
creative techniques that fit in with your day will make trying to improve much less
painful.

Tailoring revision to your preferences is important too. I am very keen on multi-tasking

so meal times offer the perfect time for some revision. Since I have to drag myself
away from watching a comedy sitcom or in-depth historical documentary, I like to make
this revision time entertaining by searching for relevant YouTube videos. As I’m aiming
to improve my knowledge of informal French, channels like ‘Comme une Française’
have been particularly useful. However, there are plenty of channels that focus on a
range of grammar for those wanting to nail the basics.

Finally, for people who are extremely lacking in motivation, having a small treat can
help. Perhaps some brie and baguette for a cultural element too?

Discussion:

What techniques do you use to independently practise the languages you're learning?
Saying goodbye to friends
As some of you may know, I am currently on my year abroad in Germany as part of my
university course. From my introductory course at the beginning of my time here, I had
the chance to meet so many new people and make lots of new friends. This can often
be hard when moving to a new country, or in fact, just moving homes or schools. It is
almost like starting a new life and it can be daunting at first and feel quite lonely. I
knew that when I moved to Germany I should be open and friendly and, as everyone
says, “say yes to everything”! This is certainly what I have done since moving here and
I have made some great friends along the way.

Next week a friend of mine is moving to Spain for the next part of her year abroad as
she studies both Spanish and German. I am envious of the weather she will
experience in Spain and that she will be living near a beach and have a lot of fun but I
also feel for her as she will have to start a new life in another new country. I feel as
though, after six months, I now live in Germany rather than just being here for a long
visit. I know in my last few months in Germany I will feel a lot more relaxed and at
home.

My group of friends and I had a surprise party to say goodbye to our friend leaving for
Spain. We made her a scrapbook with photos and memories of her time here so that
she could take it with her and so that she wouldn’t forget us! We hope that she has a
wonderful time and that she will make lots of new friends and settle into her new
home.

Discussion:

Have you ever had to say goodbye to a friend? Do you think it's easy to stay in
contact with friends?