Grammar

https://www.coursera.org/learn/careerdevelopment/lecture/HPCRb/language-focus-verb-tenses-present-vs-present-progressive

https://www.coursera.org/learn/careerdevelopment/lecture/pnzBE/language-focus-phrases-to-compare-similarities

https://www.coursera.org/learn/careerdevelopment/lecture/x2Pkl/language-focus-phrases-to-contrast-differences

Example: Community colleges and universities are similar because they offer courses in sciences and humanities. The independent clause has a subject, they, and a verb, offer.

When describing experience, many job seekers use a bullet list of three to five lines. There is no punctuation at the end because these are not complete sentences.

https://www.coursera.org/learn/careerdevelopment/lecture/lvF0h/language-focus-present-perfect-vs-past-tense 

https://www.coursera.org/learn/careerdevelopment/lecture/gbsF8/language-focus-using-modal-verbs-to-write-politely

Hi Mary, or Hi Mr. Smith to Dear Mr. Smith, Dear Ms. Smith, Dear Sir or Madam 

Bye or Take care or Goodbye to Sincerely or Yours sincerely

I'm, you're (contractions ) to I am, you are

Dear Ms. Smith, I was very interested to read your advertisement for the position of receptionist in the Seattle Herald dated May 6th 2011. I would like to be considered for this job.

Language Focus - Comparative Structures

https://www.coursera.org/learn/business/lecture/zAXsh/language-focus-comparative-structures-video-11-part-1

Amy is always on time. however, her sister is not.  (ok) 

or Amy is always on time; however, her sister is not. (ok) 

You can use a semicolon or a period at the end of the first independent clause. Then, start the next independent clause with a sentence connector. Follow it with a comma, and then the next independent clause.

Subordinating conjunctions:

https://www.coursera.org/learn/business/lecture/ZrCam/language-focus-comparative-structures-video-11-part-2

Amy is always on time while her sister is not. (ok)

While her sister is not, Amy is always on time. (ok)

When the sentence starts with the subordinate clause, use a comma between the two clauses. When the sentence starts with the main clause no comma is needed.

correlative conjunctions

https://www.coursera.org/learn/business/lecture/fm6LL/language-focus-comparative-structures-video-11-part-3

Both Amy and her brother are always on time. (should change to is??)

Neither Amy nor her brother are late for meetings. (should change to is??)

Notice that the verb in the sentence must agree with the second noun in the pair. 

Degree Complements

Comparatives are one type of degree complement. They are Adjectives that compare two or more things. You can use a superlative adjective to talk about the one that is bigger than all of them. Intensifiers: "very, much, even" These are adverbs that make adjectives sound stronger.

If you think that a comparison might surprise or impress your readers, You can add even before the comparison. Even can be used to strengthen verbs or or adjectives. Remember that writers usually use even when they think their reader might be surprised or impressed by an idea.

https://www.coursera.org/learn/business/lecture/AB41r/strategic-language-focus-intensifiers-degree-complements-in-persuasive-business

https://www.coursera.org/learn/business/lecture/2ghzg/strategic-language-focus-intensifiers-degree-complements-in-persuasive-business

https://www.coursera.org/learn/media/lecture/XOADC/language-focus-comparative-adjectives

Order of Adjectives

https://www.coursera.org/learn/media/lecture/LIevr/language-focus-order-of-adjectives

Grammar: Transitions

Transitions are words that connect different ideas in your writing and speech, like a bridge connects one city to another. A transition gives the reader a bridge from one of your ideas to the next. Some examples of transitions include also, therefore, furthermore, on the contrary, finally, next.

to add

Transitions in this category connect ideas that are similar. Such transitions include additionally, in addition, also, and furthermore.

to contrast

on the other hand, in contrast, although, and conversely. 

to show cause and effect

therefore, consequently and as a result.

Source: https://www.coursera.org/learn/media/lecture/JOZjV/language-focus-transitions

Grammar: Using Negatives (not, no, never, hardly ever)

 Kang has worn glasses, and Kang wears glasses. And add negatives that tell how often.

These negatives, never or hardly ever, go right in front of the verb. 

Kang has never worn glasses, 

Kang has hardly ever worn glasses.

Kang never wears glasses

Kang hardly ever wears glasses.

Source: https://www.coursera.org/learn/media/lecture/ryeHy/language-focus-using-negatives-not-no-never-hardly-ever

Grammar: Connotation vs. Denotation

Denotation means the basic definition of a word that you'd find in a dictionary. Both denotation and dictionary begin with the letter D which may help you remember this concept. Think of denotation as what you're saying with a particular word choice.

Connotation means the feelings that we have about a word. These feelings are usually positive or negative. Another way to think of this is how we're saying something instead of simply what we're saying.

Cheap has a negative connotation. It gives the feeling of poor quality. If I tell my friend Alberta that I bought a cheap gift to her party, she might be unhappy.

Inexpensive on the other hand, has a neutral kind of connotation. This means it's not positive or negative, it's in between. If I tell Alberta that I brought an inexpensive gift to her party, she shouldn't be unhappy at all.

We noticed an excessive hike in the price of smartphone plans. hike（价格、花费等的）大幅度提高

We noticed a slight increase in the price of smartphone plans.

https://www.coursera.org/learn/media/lecture/4P4kl/language-focus-connotation-vs-denotation

Grammar: Modal verb

 Modals (should, must, could, might)

A verb is a word that tells an action or state of being in a sentence. Run, walk, think and be are all verbs. Now we can define modal. A modal is a special type of verb usually used with another verb that describes ideas such as, possibility or advice.

Modals that express possibility do not all have the same strength or express the same chance that something is going to happen. For example, "will" is the modal that expresses the most possibility. If you say "It will rain" then you're saying there's a 100 percent chance. On the other hand, the modal "could" express is only a small possibility. Saying "It could rain" means that there is just a small chance of rain. Modals of possibility include in order from most to least possibility: will, must, might, may, can, and could.

The second type of modal we'll discuss is for advice. Like with the modals of possibility, not all of these modals have the same strength. For instance, "must" is the modal that expresses the strongest advice. If you say "You must mail the letter today" then you're saying that the situation is very important. Mailing the letter tomorrow is not okay. However, if you use the modal "could" to give advice, like in the sentence "You could mail the letter today" then you're giving less serious advice. It's okay to mail the letter today or tomorrow. Modals that express advice include, in order from strongest to weakest: must, had better, ought to, should and could. 

Min Soo is hungry, we change the verb ''is'' to its base form ''be''. That means we don't say, "Min Soo may is hungry."

Choose the Correct Modal

Valeria said I ______ look out my window because something special was happening in the street.

can

should (***)

will

Omar thinks that if elephants are too heavy, they ________ eat less junk food

ought to (***)

may

will

Perawit is certain that he ______ win the basketball game.  

will(***)

should

may

He sent an email to his teammates saying that they ______ achieve victory. He had no doubts at all.  

could 

must (***)

might

Before Angela left home this morning, her mother said that she ______ bring an umbrella because it ______ rain.  

had better...could  (***)

may...will

can...could  

Angela agreed that it ______ rain. But she didn’t want to carry an umbrella because there was just a 50% chance of rain.

must

might  (***)

had better 

Angela’s mother said, “My advice is that you ______ do what you want. If you want to get wet, I will support your decision.”  

might

will

should (***)

https://www.coursera.org/learn/media/lecture/5knQj/part-1-language-focus-expressing-opinions-using-modals-should-must-could-might

https://www.coursera.org/learn/media/lecture/CEAJ2/part-2-language-focus-expressing-opinions-using-modals-should-must-could-might

Grammar: intensifier

intensifier

https://www.coursera.org/learn/media/lecture/OJiih/language-focus-intensifiers-normal-vs-strong-adjectives

Almost all of the time, an intensifier comes before an adjective. Think about the examples we just said, very came before excited and really came before smart.

However, the word enough is an intensifier that follows an irregular form. The intensifier enough comes after the adjective. For example, we might say he is strong enough to carry the heavy box or she's old enough to drive a car.

  

intensifier: very, really or extremely,  incredibly, exceptionally, particularly, unusually and amazingly.

Strong adjectives include words like enormous, tiny, amazing, and awful. Enormous means very big, tiny means very small, amazing means very good and awful means very bad. These words have the intensifier very in their definition already. Therefore, you must be careful to not use very as an intensifier as well. Instead, you should choose another intensifier such as absolutely, extremely, particularly and really.

Summary: Intensifiers are words that make adjectives stronger. Intensifiers usually come before an adjective, except in the case of the word enough which comes after the adjective (My feet have grown and the shoes are not big enough). Strong adjectives have the word very in the definition. Therefore, be careful not to use the intensifier very with those words.

 I cannot wear my favorite shoes anymore. My feet have grown and the shoes are not big ______________.

particularly

enough  (***)

both answers are correct

My uncle is ________________ funny. When my sister and I visit him, we don’t stop laughing.

very

really

both answers are correct (***)

After traveling for a year, I was ________________ excited to see my family.

both answers are correct (***)

incredibly

extremely

The movie we watched last night was ________________ fantastic.    

very

absolutely (***)

both answers are correct

Intensifier Use

Which of the following is a strong adjective?

angry

enormous  (***)

smart

excited

Which intensifier does not go with strong adjectives?       

totally

completely

really 

very  (***)

True or False: Intensifiers usually come before an adjective.

True (***)

False

Which intensifier comes after the adjective?

very 

enough

extremely (***)

really 

Choose the correct sentence:

The food we ate at the new restaurant was very amazing.

The food we ate at the new restaurant was really amazing.(***)

Grammar: Deduction (lemme) vs. contractions (I've)

Deduction vs. contractions  (I've, apostrophe) 

https://www.coursera.org/learn/media/lecture/HDVMy/language-focus-reductions

                                                   got to                   gotta

One way to do this is by leaving out some of the middle sounds of a phrase, give me  to gimme, common reductions that leave out some middle sounds include lemme, let me, want to, want to, and gonna, going to

Another way to make reductions is by leaving out one of the N sounds of a phrase. are formed by leaving out the V sound in have. could have, should have, would have, musta, and mighta.

Two more common reductions are formed by leaving out a sound at the end of a phrase, kind of and lotta. They are formed from the phrases kind of and a lot of. So you could say, I'm kind of hungry or I'm not, I ate lotta chips earlier.

They are very similar to other words like can't or she's or I've. These words are contractions. A contraction is a word formed by combining other words and leaving out some letters. The missing letters are replaced with an apostrophe, which is a small mark at the top of the line.

Zhang Wei (1) Give me that tire. You (2) should have let me try to fix it yesterday.

Zhang Wei (1) Gimme that tire. You should have let me try to fix it yesterday.

Liu Xiang If (3) you had told me you (4) could have fixed this yesterday, I (5) would have let you.

Liu Xiang If (3) you'd told me you (4) coulda fixed this yesterday, I (5) woulda let you.

Zhang Wei I did tell you. I said, ‘I (6) want to help. Are you (7) going to let me?’ And do you remember what you said?

Zhang Wei I did tell you. I said, ‘I (6) wanna help. Are you (7) gonna let me?’ And do you remember what you said?

Liu Xiang No, I (8) do not.

Liu Xiang No, I (8) don't.

Zhang Wei You said, ‘(9) I have (10) got to do this myself.’ So I (11) did not do anything.

Zhang Wei You said, ‘(9) I've (10) gotta do this myself.’ So I (11) didn't anything.

Elena thinks the price of gasoline is _gonna_ rise soon, so she's buying extra today.

Please tell Ivan that he's _gotta_ hurry or he'll be late.

Call me later if you _wanna_ go to the concert and I'll buy you a ticket.

You're _gonna_ go to the airport right now? _Lemme_ tell you how avoid the afternoon traffic.

I _shoulda_ told you my phone was broken.  I know you _woulda_ let me borrow yours.

Anara says we _hafta_ go now if we _wanna_ catch the last train back to the city.