PROGRAM OF ENGLISH LANGUAJE

BASIC LEVEL – UNIT 1

 Contents of this unit.

 Technical and professional vocabulary: basic terminology, use of the

alphabet for communication, message indicators. Basic common
 vocabulary.
 Grammar: Subjective pronouns, Verb ‘to be’, Interrogative adverbs.
Present continuous tense. This, that, these, those.
 Exercises.

BASIC TERMINOLOGY OF GENERAL NOMENCLATURE.

To start the maritime communication it’s necessary to consider the following

generalities included here since the use of them makes easy the correct understanding
of what it’s supposed to be forecasted which includes a special importance in situations
of emergency or catastrophe: it’s about standardized phrases from IMO (International
Maritime Organization).

Therefore, and as a start, we include two basic massages used at the beginning of a
conversation:

  “Please use Standard Marine Communication Phrases."

 "I will use Standard Marine Communication Phrases."

These two phrases refer to the start of an interchange between land

and vessel or vessel – vessel. It’s extremely important since from
now on we agree on the language of common use in navigation and
will allow the operators to be in context of the situation reducing, in
this way, the possibility of mistake.

Another element of key importance in the naval communication is the knowledge of the
spelling since this is what will permit a better understanding of certain relevant
terminology avoiding any misunderstanding which could lead to the commission of
serious mistakes. The sequence is: letter, word. Ex: SHIP: sierra, hotel, india, papa.

Spelling codes
There are eight indicators of messages for the commucation earth – ship/ ship – earth
and in radio communication in general which have the following meanings:

i) Instruction
ii) Advice
iii) Warning
iv) Information
v) Question
vi) Answer
vii) Request
viii) Intention

Answers: when giving an affirmative answer you must respond ‘Yes,…’ plus the
corresponding complete phrase, likewise, when the answer is negative, you must say:
‘No,…’ completing with the remaining things to be said. If in that moment you lack of
the necessary information required and therefore, you can’t answer, it’s necessary to
say: ’Stand by…’ which means ‘hold on a second, keep on listening’, waiting to receive
the requested data to complete the message. If the operator lacks of the data, you
must say: ‘No information’.

BASIC COMMUNICATIONAL VOCABULARY

Captain/master
Officer on duty /Duty officer/officer of the
watch
Pilot
Navigation bridge/bridge
Navigational watch
To steer
Steering Wheel
Helmsman
Rudder
Angle of the rudder
Indicator of the angle of the blade
Gyrocompass
Magnetic compass
Automatic pilot
Course
Direction with the bow
Buoy
Seaman´s book
 Chief officer
Chief engineer
The ratings/seafarer
Deck
Engineroom
Radio room
Laundry
Cabin
Galley
Hospital
Messroom
Storeroom
Pumproom
Safety
Security
Life jacket
Fire hose
Fire extinguisher
Lifeboat
Immersion suit
Fire alarm
Breathing apparatus
Firstaid box
liferaft
Lifebouy
Muster station

GRAMMAR OF THE UNIT.

The basic grammar topics to be seen here are pretended to help the student to
remember the grammar basically oriented to the use of the naval vocabulary included
in this unit.

GENERAL USE OF THE SUBJECTIVE PRONOUNS.

First of all, we must remember the pronouns we use in this or any other conjugation:

Persons of the singular: I, you, he she, it.

Persons of the plural: We, you they.

You refers to the informal as well to the formal way you address someone. The
difference is the way you call a person. Addressing somebody by the first name intends
an informal relation but calling a person by the title (Mr., Mrs., Dr.) corresponds to a
formal and distant reference.

He, she and it are the three singular persons, the only ones which have gender. He is
male, she is female and it neutral referring basically to animals, plants, things or
abstract subject.They instead, is plural of all of them.

Verb ‘To Be’.

(Affirmative form)

I am We are

You are You are

He is

She is They are.

It is

To be is used as main verbo r auxiliary verb alike depending on the verbal tense as we
will see later. That’s why, when used in the interrogative form, we put it before the
subject and, when used in negative form we just add NOT after it.

(Interrogative form)

Am I?
Are You?
Is he?
IS she?
Is it?
Are We?
Are you?
Are they?

(Negative form)

I am not (I’m not)

You are not (you’re not / you aren’t)
He is not (he’s not/ he isn’t)
She is not (she’s not/ she isn’t)
It is not (It’s not/ it isn’t)
We are not (we’re not/ we aren’t)
You are not (you’re not / you aren’t)
They are not (they’re not/ they aren’t).

Next to the conjugations between brackets we have the contracted forms of the
negative. There is no difference between the meaning of both forms, full and
contracted. Full form is formal and use basically in documents, formal letters and things
like these. Contracted, instead, is informal.

Examples of the use of To Be:

- Excuse me Sir; are you the captain or the pilot?.

- I am the captain here, can I help you?
- Yes, please, I need to talk to the officer on duty, where is he?
- He isn’t here now, I’m sorry.

Interrogative adverbs (Question words)

Who, what, where, when, whose, whom, why, how, how many, how much, which.

This, that, these, those. (Adjectives or demonstrative pronouns).

This is my book. (The book is in your hand or near you).

That is your seat. (The seat is at a distance, not near).
These are my books (The same as this but plural).
Those are your pencils. (The same as that but plural).

PRESENT CONTINUOUS TENSE.

The present continuous tense if formed with the present tense of the verb to be + the
present participle of the main verb:

Affirmative form.

I am walking
You are walking
He is walking
She is walking It is walking
We are walking
You are walking
They are walking.

Interrogative form.

Am I walking?
Are you walking?
Is he walking?
Is she walking?
Is it walking?
Are we walking?
Are you walking?
Are they walking?

Negative form.

I am not walking
You are not walking
He is not walking
She is not walking
It is not walking
We are not walking
You are not walking
They are not walking.

We can use contracted for in the negative as we saw when studying the verb To Be:

Ex:

You’re not walking

It’s not walking.

Spelling the present participle:

The general rule is to add ‘ING’ to the infinitive form:

Walk – walking, sleep – sleeping.

When a verb ends in a single E, this E is replaced by ING:

WritE – writING.

When a verb is a monosyllable, has one vowel and ens in a single consonant, this
consonant is doubled before adding ING:

Hit – hitting, run – running.

Uses of the present continuous tense.

a) Mainly, it is used for actions which are happening now:

He is washing his car now.

b) For an action happening now but not necessarily at the moment we are speaking:

I am reading a good book. (This is something happening these days but not
necessarily at the moment we are speaking).

c) For immediate plans:

I am meeting Emma tonight. (The action is programmed for the near future).

EXERCISES.

Choose the correct option:

1) - What is the meaning in Spanish of ‘John Black is the officer on duty.’?

a) - John Black es el oficial de guardia.
b) - John Black es el práctico.
c) - John Black es el capitán.
d) – Ninguna es correcta.

2) – Steering Wheel means in Spanish:

a) - Pala del timón.
b) -Rueda de cabilla.
c) – Timón.

3) – Who is the captain here? in Spanish means:

a) - Donde va el capitán?.
b) – Quien es el capitán aquí?.
c) – Es usted el capitán?.

4) – Where is the navigational watch?, means:

a) – Quien es el guardia de navegación?
b) – Donde está el oficial de guardia?
 c) – Donde está el guardia de navegación?.

5) – What is the meaning of ‘There’s a buoy in the channel’?

a) – Hay una boya en el canal.
b) – Cuidado con la boya.
c) – Hay un buey en el canal.

6) – ‘Helmsman, what is the course now? Means in Spanish:

a) - Capitán, dígame cual es el rumbo ahora.
b) - Timonel, que curso está haciendo ahora?
c) – Timonel, cual es el curso ahora?.

7) – El significado de ‘to steer’ is:

a) – Navegar.
b) - Timonear.
c) - Dirigir.

8) – Direction with the bow, is:

a) – Dirección de proa.
b) – Dirección de popa.
c) – Dirección a babor.

9) – What is the hellsman doing in this moment? Means:

a) – Que hace el timonel en este momento?
b) – Que va a hacer el timonel?.
c) – Que está haciendo el timonel en este momento?
d) – Que hizo el timonel en este momento?.

10) – Translate into Spanish: The duty officer is talking to the captain,
a) – El oficial de guardia habla con el capitán.
b) – El oficial de guardia está hablando con el capitán.
c) – El oficial duda de hablar con el capitán.
d) – El timonel está hablando con el capitán.