Grammar Activity

Identify the right verb in the parenthesis.

1. Our wives (has/have) made all the plans.
2. The shelf (is/are) full of trinkets instead of books.
3. The potatoes (was/were) peeled carefully.
4. Several alumni (was/were) given awards by the university.
5. Their analyses (was/were) perfect!
6. The curriculum (has/have) been changed after 2 years.
7. A tooth (was/were) extracted by my dentist.
8. A deer (has/have) been caught by the hunters.
9. Many sheep (is/are) grazing in the meadows.
10. The birds’ two offspring (was/were) already learning to fly.
Unit 1. Lesson 6. Mom's Advice 1
 REVIEW
Mr. Alfred read the following sentences from his secretary’s letter. Would
you help him make these sentences more formal?

1. Someone left out important items in the order that we ordered.

2. The issue took a turn for the worst when the stupid customer
representative didn’t solve the problem and made me waste one hours!
3. The problem was brought about by the frequently intermittent Internet
connection.
4. We need your phone number, because we have to ring you up
immediately about this!
5. How can you put up with this incompetence! You should attend to this
problem now. Unit 1. Lesson 6. Mom's Advice 2
LESSON 6: MOM’S ADVICE
UNIT I: ACHIEVING GOALS
Lesson Outline
1. Reading
2. Vocabulary Focus
3. Easy Challenge
4. Average Challenge
5. Summary

Unit 1. Lesson 6. Mom's Advice 4

When you have accomplished something,
how do you reward yourself?

Unit 1. Lesson 6. Mom's Advice 5

 Setting: Freddie is recovering well and he will be leaving the hospital in a matter of days.
His mom speaks with him about how this is making him feel.
Mom: Well, Freddie, you are finally going back to your normal routine. Everyone looks forward to
seeing you, including your uncles and aunts. How do you feel now?
Freddie: Well, I’m all right, Mom. I can’t wait to indulge myself in alcohol again. (sarcastic laugh)
Mom: (frowns) In case you have not noticed, your hospital bill racked up a large amount of money
from your savings. You should start living a frugal life, Freddie.
Freddie: I can put up with an economical lifestyle, Mom. I mean, look at me! I have proven to
myself that I can live without food.
Mom: Not funny. You have to invest in stocking up on healthy and nutritious food. When you’re as
gaunt as now, you shouldn’t be surprised if the wind blows you in the air. That’s your punishment.
Freddie: What? (laughs) You aren’t talking to a seven-year old, Mom.
Mom: Well, stop being childish! I am telling you what a self-loving person ought to do. You should
listen.
Freddie: I have been nothing but a mediocre to you! What more should I do?
Mom: Don’t drink alcohol. That’s all I’m asking. And I love you and I have never said you are a
mediocre.
Unit 1. Lesson 6. Mom's Advice 6
Sentence Pattern

Freddie: I have been nothing but a mediocre to

you! What more should I do?

Does this mean that Freddie is nothing, and that he is not

mediocre?

Unit 1. Lesson 6. Mom's Advice 7

Sentence Pattern
…nothing but..
If I say, “I want nothing but ice cream” this can be restated as
“I want only ice cream.” So, nothing but means “only.”

More examples: Make your own

I expect nothing but the best. sentence.
I heard nothing but complaints from you!
You need nothing but love!

Unit 1. Lesson 6. Mom's Advice 8

Sentence Pattern
Let us have another sentence pattern that is somehow similar.
I want anything but ice cream.
Is this similar with “I want nothing but ice cream”?

Anything can be replaced by all, everything, and everyone.

I watched all of Jet Li’s movies but this one.
I tried everything but the green ones.
I like everyone but her.

Unit 1. Lesson 6. Mom's Advice 9

Sentence Pattern
INSTRUCTIONS YOUR SENTENCE

Use nothing but to

describe this pig.

Use anything but to

say that you like all
fruits except the one
in the picture.

Unit 1. Lesson 6. Mom's Advice 10

 In this lesson,
we will learn
WORDS WITH CONNOTATIVE
MEANING.

Unit 1. Lesson 6. Mom's Advice 11

Words in English have two kinds of meanings:
DENOTATIVE & CONNOTATIVE.

Unit 1. Lesson 6. Mom's Advice 12

 What you need to know

A word’s connotation be positive, negative or neutral.

Connotative meaning can be personal or cultural.

Unit 1. Lesson 6. Mom's Advice 13

Vocabulary Focus
Let us read the following informal verbs.

indulge
frugal
economical
punishment
childish
self-loving
mediocre
Unit 1. Lesson 6. Mom's Advice 14
Freddie: Well, I’m all right, Mom. I can’t wait to
indulge myself in alcohol again. (sarcastic laugh)

What does indulge mean?

Indulge has a negative

connotation. Which is its positive
a. to allow oneself to enjoy sth
counterpart?
b. to be addicted to sth
c. to suffer from sth
a. have fun c. reward with
d. to do sth without thinking
b. consider d. pamper with

Unit 1. Lesson 6. Mom's Advice 15

 How to use
INDULGE
and its positive counterpart
in a sentence

Unit 1. Lesson 6. Mom's Advice 16

to indulge [in] (verb)
PRACTICE
Many college students indulged
themselves in ________ after ________.

Make your sentence positive.

Example:
My son indulged in ice cream after bravely getting shots from his doctor.

Unit 1. Lesson 6. Mom's Advice 17

Mom: (frowns) In case you have not noticed, your hospital bill raked up a large
amount of money from your savings. You should start living a frugal life, Freddie.

A person who is frugal…

Frugal has a positive connotation.

a. does not eat a lot
Which is its negative counterpart?
b. is careful about spending
c. has a lot of time to exercise
a. selfish c. unappreciative
d. rarely goes shopping
b. stingy d. dispassionate

Unit 1. Lesson 6. Mom's Advice 18

 How to use
FRUGAL
and its negative counterpart
in a sentence

Unit 1. Lesson 6. Mom's Advice 19

frugal (adj)
PRACTICE
If my children grew up to be frugal, I
________.

Make your sentence negative.

Example:
He lives a frugal life by only staying at home on weekends and tending
his own garden to sustain himself.
Unit 1. Lesson 6. Mom's Advice 20
Freddie: I can put up with an economical lifestyle, Mom. I mean,
look at me! I have proven to myself that I can live without food.

If you paid for an economical item, you paid…

Economical has a positive

a. a large amount of money
connotation. Which is its negative
b. lowest amount of money
counterpart?
c. more than it usually costs
d. by bargaining a. expensive c. cheap
b. used d. unwanted

Unit 1. Lesson 6. Mom's Advice 21

 How to use
ECONOMICAL
and its negative counterpart
in a sentence

Unit 1. Lesson 6. Mom's Advice 22

economical (adj)
PRACTICE
I always buy economical ________
because ________.

Make your sentence negative.

Example:
My father is so stingy that he only buys economical generic medicine!

Unit 1. Lesson 6. Mom's Advice 23

Mom: Not funny. You have to invest in stocking up on healthy and nutritious
food. When you’re as gaunt as now, you shouldn’t be surprised if the wind blows
you in the air. That’s your punishment.

You get a punishment usually after…

Punishment has a negative

connotation. Which is its positive
a. doing someone a favor
counterpart?
b. going against cultural practices
c. violating a rule a. sentence c. penalty
d. facing a problem b. sanction d. consequence

Unit 1. Lesson 6. Mom's Advice 24

 How to use
PUNISHMENT
and its positive counterpart
in a sentence

Unit 1. Lesson 6. Mom's Advice 25

punishment (noun)
PRACTICE
He ________ , as a result the
punishment for his action is ________.

Make your sentence positive.

Example:
The punishment of cheating during exams is expulsion.

Unit 1. Lesson 6. Mom's Advice 26

Mom: Well, stop being childish! I am telling you what a self-
loving person ought to do. You should listen.

A childish person is…

Childish has a negative connotation.

a. cute
Which is its positive counterpart?
b. immature
c. foolish a. juvenile c. brat
d. charming b. babyish d. childlike

Unit 1. Lesson 6. Mom's Advice 27

 How to use
CHILDISH
and its positive counterpart
in a sentence

Unit 1. Lesson 6. Mom's Advice 28

childish (adj)
PRACTICE
I have a friend who is so childish because
________.

Make your sentence positive.

Example:
I find Peter to be so childish! I mean, he’s 40 but he still collects toy
cars!
Unit 1. Lesson 6. Mom's Advice 29
Mom: Well, stop being childish! I am telling you what a self-
loving person ought to do. You should listen.

A self-loving person…

Self-loving has a positive connotation.

a. is in love with himself
Which is its negative counterpart?
b. loves himself healthily
c. praises himself often a. narcissistic c. altruistic
d. enjoys showing off b. selfless d. greedy

Unit 1. Lesson 6. Mom's Advice 30

 How to use
SELF-LOVING
and its negative counterpart
in a sentence

Unit 1. Lesson 6. Mom's Advice 31

self-loving (adj)
PRACTICE
He appears to be self-loving especially
when ________.

Make your sentence negative.

Example:
You should be more self-loving! You should learn to take good care of
yourself by first taking a bath. You also have a morning breath.
Unit 1. Lesson 6. Mom's Advice 32
Freddie: I have been nothing but a mediocre to you!
What more should I do?

What does mediocre mean?

Mediocre has a negative

a. of only moderate quality
connotation. Which is its positive
b. better than expected
counterpart?
c. not as good as one imagines
d. almost perfect a. forgettable c. ordinary
b. decent d. run-of-the-mill

Unit 1. Lesson 6. Mom's Advice 33

 How to use
MEDIOCRE
and its positive counterpart
in a sentence

Unit 1. Lesson 6. Mom's Advice 34

mediocre (adj)
PRACTICE
When someone tells me that my output
is mediocre, I ________.

Make your sentence positive.

Example:
I reviewed your portfolio and what I saw is mediocre. We obviously only
hire the best.
Unit 1. Lesson 6. Mom's Advice 35
 Setting: Freddie is recovering well and he will be leaving the hospital in a matter of days.
His mom speaks with him about how this is making him feel.
Mom: Well, Freddie, you are finally going back to your normal routine. Everyone looks forward to
seeing you, including your uncles and aunts. How do you feel now?
Freddie: Well, I’m all right, Mom. I can’t wait to indulge myself in alcohol again. (sarcastic laugh)
Mom: (frowns) In case you have not noticed, your hospital bill racked up a large amount of money
from your savings. You should start living a frugal life, Freddie.
Freddie: I can put up with an economical lifestyle, Mom. I mean, look at me! I have proven to
myself that I can live without food.
Mom: Not funny. You have to invest in stocking up on healthy and nutritious food. When you’re as
gaunt as now, you shouldn’t be surprised if the wind blows you in the air. That’s your punishment.
Freddie: What? (laughs) You aren’t talking to a seven-year old, Mom.
Mom: Well, stop being childish! I am telling you what a self-loving person ought to do. You should
listen.
Freddie: I have been nothing but a mediocre to you! What more should I do?
Mom: Don’t drink alcohol. That’s all I’m asking. And I love you and I have never said you are a
mediocre.
Unit 1. Lesson 6. Mom's Advice 36
EASY CHALLENGE:
Use all the expressions enclosed in brackets in answering the questions.
1. How did Freddie’s mom react when he joked about drinking alcohol?
{indulge in}

2. What is the advice of Freddie’s mom? {frugal; economical}

3. Why did Freddie say, “You aren’t talking to a seven-year-old” ?

{punishment; childish}

4. Did Freddie think his mom think highly of him? Explain. {mediocre; self-
loving}

Unit 1. Lesson 6. Mom's Advice 37

AVERAGE CHALLENGE:
You are an optimist. Change all the negative sentences into positive ones.

1. The school always indulges its teachers in parties!

2. Mark is so stingy that he barely spends a cent to buy fashionable
clothes!
3. Your shirt is indeed cheap, I have to say.
4. Everyone should expect a punishment for every misstep!
5. You are so childish for always choosing pink!
6. I think you are narcissistic for taking so much time in making
yourself attractive.
7. Your presentation was mediocre. I know you could do much better.

Unit 1. Lesson 6. Mom's Advice 38

Wrap-Up

Do you have any questions?

Unit 1. Lesson 6. Mom's Advice 39

About the Author
BRYAN PAUL L. ESPINOSA, M.Ed (ESL)
He finished three degrees in three prominent
universities—St. Vincent Ferrer Seminary for his AB
Philosophy; Central Philippine University for his
Bachelor of Secondary Education major in English; and
University of the Philippines for his Master of
Education major in English as a second language.

He taught English in Iloilo English Academy, Alphacrest

Academy and St. Paul University Iloilo.

During his free time, he writes short stories, travels,

and reads. He respects adults who are humble enough
to choose to learn.

Unit 1. Lesson 6. Mom's Advice 40

Sources
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Unit 1. Lesson 6. Mom's Advice