Buku Ajar English For Interpersonal Communication Newest

English for Interpersonal Communication | i
TABLE OF CONTENT
TABLE OF CONTENT
Chapter I: Telling Time ………………………………. 1
Chapter II: Telling Daily and Business Routine …..…. 8
Chapter III: Describing Current Activities ...…………. 21
Chapter IV : Describing future plan and action ………. 29
Chapter V: Describing completed action .……………. 37
Chapter VI: Describing process or chronological order of
activities ..………………………………... 45
Chapter VII: Telling past experiences ..………………. 52
Chapter VIII: Telling comparison and contrast ………. 66
Chapter IX : Asking and Giving Something ..………… 80
Chapter X: Giving reasons and clarification .………… 88
English for Interpersonal Communication | ii

CHAPTER I
TELLING TIME
In this section we will learn about telling the time in English. Time is very important
material for us, so step by step we will learn this material.
General Instructional Purpose
After you learn this topic, you are able to use a variety of English in (1)
expressing time in daily life; (2) responding to time-related questions;
(3) write a time table in the context of business and daily activities.
Specific Instructional Purposes
In Chapter 1, You are going to learn:
✓ Vocabularies related to time

✓ Asking and telling time
✓ Writing a time table
English for Interpersonal Communication | 1

1.1 Vocabularies related to time
1.2 Asking and telling time
Telling Time
There are two common ways of telling the time.
1) Say the hour first and then the minutes. (Hour + Minutes)
• 6:25 - It's six twenty-five
• 8:05 - It's eight O-five (the O is said like the letter O)
• 9:11 - It's nine eleven

• 2:34 - It's two thirty-four
2) Say the minutes first and then the hour. (Minutes + PAST / TO + Hour)
For minutes 1-30 we use PAST after the minutes.
For minutes 31-59 we use TO after the minutes.
• 2:35 - It's twenty-five to three
• 11:20 - It's twenty past eleven
• 4:18 - It's eighteen past four
• 8:51 - It's nine to nine
• 2:59 - It's one to three
When it is 15 minutes past the hour we normally say: (a) quarter past
• 7:15 - It's (a) quarter past seven
When it is 15 minutes before the hour we normally say: a quarter to
• 12:45 - It's (a) quarter to one
When it is 30 minutes past the hour we normally say: half past
• 3:30 - It's half past three (but we can also say three-thirty)
O'clock
We use o'clock when there are NO minutes.
10:00 - It's ten o'clock
5:00 - It's five o'clock
1:00 - It's one o'clock
Sometimes it is written as 9 o'clock (the number + o'clock)
12:00
For 12:00 there are four expressions in English.

twelve o'clock
midday = noon
midnight

Telling the time video
Scan the barcode below to watch the video about telling the time!
Asking for the time
The common question forms we use to ask for the time right now are:
• What time is it?

• What is the time?
A more polite way to ask for the time, especially from a stranger is:
• Could you tell me the time please?
The common question forms we use to ask at what time a specific event will
happen are:
What time...?
When...?
• What time does the flight to New York leave?

• When does the bus arrive from London?
• When does the concert begin?

Giving the Time
We use It is or It's to respond to the questions that ask for the time right now.
• It is half past five (5:30).

• It's ten to twelve (11:50)
We use the structure AT + time when giving the time of a specific event.
• The bus arrives at midday (12:00).

• The flight leaves at a quarter to two (1:45).
• The concert begins at ten o'clock. (10:00)
We can also use subject pronouns in these responses.
• It arrives at midday (12:00).

• It leaves at a quarter to two (1:45).
• It begins at ten o'clock. (10:00)
AM vs. PM
We don't normally use the 24-hour clock in English.

We use a.m. (am) for the morning and p.m. (pm) for the afternoon and night.
3am = Three o'clock in the morning.
3pm = Three o'clock in the afternoon.
Telling the Time - Practice Exercise
Scan the barcode below to practice about telling time with the video!

1.3 Time Table
A timetable is a kind of schedule that sets out times at which specific events are
intended to occur. It may also refer to:
• School timetable, a table for coordinating students, teachers, rooms, and other
resources.
• Time horizon, a fixed point of time in the future at which point certain
processes will be evaluated or assumed to end.
• Timeline, a project artifact. It is typically a graphic design showing a long bar
labeled with dates alongside itself and (usually) events labeled on points
where they would have happened. It is used to show events along a period of
time.
Time table example

Making Timetable in English
Scan the barcode below to watch videos about making a good timetable in
English!
1.4 Exercise
Please find a partner and make a dialogue talking about time! Practice and perform
it in front of the classroom!
1.5 Summary
In this section we will learn about telling the time in English. Time is very important
material for us, so step by step we will learn this material.
Further Reading
Richard, J. C. (1990). Interchange: Student’s Book 1. Cambridge University Press.
Richard, J. C. (2012). Interchange: Teacher’s Edition 2 (Fourth Edition).

Cambridge University Press.
Richard, J. C. (2012). Interchange: Students Book 3 (Fourth Edition). Cambridge

University Press.

CHAPTER II
TELLING DAILY AND BUSINESS ROUTINE
In this section we will learn about telling daily and business routine. We use the
Present Simple to talk about things that are always true, and to talk about habits
and routines. For this reason, use this tense to describe your job or to describe
what you do every day.
expressing daily routines orally; (2communicating about daily routine
orally in form of role play; (3) Write an agenda of daily activities in a
business context.
✓ Expressing daily routine.

✓ Expressing business/work routine.

2.1 Expressing Daily Routine
Talking about your daily routine in English.
This is a very common task that you might be asked to talk about in the IELTS
speaking test. It could also happen in an interview for school or college or
sometimes a job interview.
But it is a very common topic that could take place in an English conversation. You
may not have a conversation about your entire daily schedule, but you might have
to talk about a small part of your day and what you do.
For many English students, this seems to present something of a problem. Someone
asks them what they do every day and they are stumped.
Why should this be so?
After all, you are talking about yourself and the things you do every day. It should
be easy.
Furthermore, I will show you what you need to say, the order in which to say it and
what English grammar and vocabulary you will need.
A Simple Guide on English Grammar
I know you all hate to study English grammar, but we do need to look at some rules
when talking about your daily schedule. Don’t worry these are very simple.
The Only Verb Tense You Will Ever Need

When talking about your daily routine you will only need to use one verb tense.
And that is Simple Present Tense. This is the most basic and easiest of English
verb tenses and it is the only one you will need when talking about the things you
do every day. I am sure you know how to use it but let’s just recap. You just take
the subject, in the case of your daily schedule that would be ‘I’ — and then the verb
in its basic form.

For example:
I go, I read, I eat, I see, I talk, I listen, I study
You might need to use other subjects when talking about your parents, your friends,
your teachers or colleagues. In which case, be careful when using the subjects, he,
she and it.
For example:
He goes, she reads, he eats, she sees, he talks, she listens, it goes, it stops.
That is pretty much all you need in terms of verb tenses. You might need to express
negatives, in which case you would say:
I don’t go, he doesn’t eat, she doesn’t listen, I don’t talk, I don’t stay.
Watch Out for Adverbs

You will also need to use adverbs to express time. Such as:
Always, never, sometimes, usually.
These are the most common ones, but you could also use other adverbs:
Before, Later, After, Then, First, Next, Generally
So, for example, you might say:
• I always go to school at 7 am.
• I never get up early at the weekend.
• My dad sometimes drives me to school.
• I usually meet my friends at the weekend.
• I do my homework before dinner.
• I do my Maths homework first, then my English homework.
• I generally get home around six pm.

Morning Routine
Think about what you do every morning when you wake up. Many of us have the
same routine before leaving the house to go to school or work.
For example:
Wake up, Brush teeth, Wash face/shower, Get dressed, Eat breakfast, Drink
tea/coffee, Say good morning to family/wife/roommates, Read the news/catch up
with the news, Leave the house.
Let us read below example of someone talking about their morning routine.
I usually wake up around six-thirty. My alarm goes off and I turn it off and sleep
for another ten minutes. Then the alarm goes off a second time and I have to get up.
I go to the bathroom and brush my teeth and wash my face. I don’t shower in the
morning as I usually take a shower in the evening before I go to bed.
Then I go back to my bedroom and get dressed. I leave my school uniform hanging
in front of my wardrobe so I can put my clothes on easily every day.
After that, I go to the kitchen and have breakfast.
My mum usually makes breakfast — just something simple like an egg and some
bread. I don’t like to drink coffee so I have some orange juice.
I chat with my mum and dad during breakfast. But my dad doesn’t talk too much.
He likes to catch up on the news on his phone. But he always says ‘nothing but bad
news’ so I don’t know why he reads it.

It gets to just after seven am and I have to leave to go to school.
I say goodbye to my mum and dad, give my mum a kiss and I leave the house.
My school is very near where I live so I usually walk to school. If it’s raining, my
dad takes me to school but he always complains about it!
I get to school around 7:30 and meet up with my friends in the usual place. We talk
about things we like — music, some TV shows and other stuff. Then we go to the
first class.
2.2 Expressing Work/School Routine
Now you need to think about your journey every day to school or work.
• How do you get there?
• What do you do on the way there?
• Do you meet anyone on the way and talk to them?
These are some useful phrases you might need:
• Walk to the bus stop/school/ the subway station/work.
• Take the bus to school/work.
• Take the subway to school/work.
• Wait for the bus/subway.
• Meet my friend at the bus stop/subway station/on the way.
• Buy some snacks at the shop.
• Talk to my friend.
Now let’s look at an example of someone talking about their morning routine as
they make their way to work.
I walk to the subway station; it usually takes about fifteen minutes. On the way
there, I buy some snacks. I find I get a little hungry around ten-thirty or so and want
to eat something.

I get to the subway and it is usually crowded with people. I go to the end of the
platform and wait for the train there as there are usually fewer people.
I get on the train and if I am lucky, I can get a seat, but usually, it is standing room
only. Rush hour is always very busy.
It takes me thirty minutes to get to work by subway so I try to read something on

the way. I like to read novels, but I also like to read books about how to work more
effectively. I think reading on the subway is a good use of my time.
I get to my stop and I get out of the station. My office is only about five minutes
from the subway station. On the way, I sometimes bump into people I know or work
with and we have a chat on the way to the office.
Morning at Work/School Routine
So now you are at work or school. The day of studying or working begins.
• What do you do in the morning?
• What is the first thing you do at school or at work?
• Do you do the same thing every morning at work/school? Or is there some
variety?
Let’s look at some phrases you might need to use:

The first class begins at…; Check emails first thing…; Go to registration class at…;
Get some coffee…; Think of any other phrases you might need to use in this part of
the day.
We can now look at an example of a person talking about their morning routine at
university.
If it’s a Monday, I have to be at college by nine am. I have a lecture every Monday
morning.
But the rest of the week, I don’t have classes until 9:30 or sometimes 10:00. So, I
can lie in for a bit on those days.
I usually go to the student canteen first and meet my two friends there. We might
have time for a cup of coffee but if not, we go straight to the lecture. It lasts for an
hour and then we go to the canteen and drink something and chat.
Some days are busier than others. So, on some days, I have many classes to go to.
For example, this semester, Wednesday is the busiest day of the week. I have classes
all through the morning with no breaks. I don’t stop until midday. I feel exhausted
and I am ready for lunch and a rest.
But other days are not so busy. Friday is a really relaxed day. I have my first class
at 10:00 and that finishes at 10:50. Then I don’t have any other classes in the
morning.
I go to the canteen — students spend a lot of time in the canteen! — and then I go
to the library and try to work on any assignments or essays I have to do.

Noon Routine
Most people have lunch at noon. I imagine you also have lunch. But do you do this
every lunchtime? Or maybe, if it is a nice day, you like to go outside and walk
around for some exercise?
Some people like to do some shopping or run some errands at lunchtime as it is the
only time, they have to do these things.
These might be the kind of phrases or sentence structure you might need:
Eat lunch at, go to the usual place, eat with colleagues, go to the bank, pay some
bills.
Now let’s look at someone talking about their routine and the things they do at noon.
In my school, we always have lunch at the same time — 11:45. The last class ends
for the morning and all the students rush to the canteen for lunch. It’s always
crowded and a bit crazy as all the students try to get their lunch at the same time.
I sit at the same table as my friends. We are in the same class together. None of us
likes the school lunch. It never tastes nice and we often have the same meals every
week — pork on Monday, chicken on Tuesday, fish on Friday — so boring!
After lunch, if it’s a nice day we stay outside and sit on one of the benches and chat
about everything. The boys like to play football but all of us girls like to talk about
things together. If it’s raining, we go back to our class and sit there and talk.
Sometimes we might have a lot of school work to do and we go to the library to get
it done. But that is not very common! Most of the time we prefer to relax.

Note: Read through the above extract two or three times. Read it out loud. What
does the speaker tell us that they actually do every lunchtime?
To be honest, it is not a lot. They finish their last class for the morning, they eat
lunch and then they sit around talking with their friends.
And this is the problem that many English students have. They might simplify all
of the above and just say:
I finish my morning classes, then I have lunch, then I talk to my friends.
This is not good enough! Look at all the details the speaker provides above. That is
what you need to think about when talking about your daily life and routine.
Afternoon at Work/School Routine
Afternoons at work or school could be almost the same as the mornings. But if your
schedule has any differences then, of course, you should talk about that.
For those of you that have a near-identical schedule to the morning, it may be a little
difficult to talk about. You can’t just say something simple like, same as the
morning. You have to try to find something different in it.
These phrases might be useful:
Last class ends at…; I finish work at…; Feel a little tired in the afternoon…; Have
a snack around three pm…; I stare at the clock….

Let’s look at something that a school student might say about their afternoon
schedule:
The first class in the afternoon begins at 1:30pm. By this time, most of the students
feel kind of tired. And we know that we still have until 4:00pm before we can go
home.
I am glad that I usually have PE class in the morning — I have more energy then
and I look forward to it. So, in the afternoon, I just sit in the class. I stare at the
clock and wait for the day to end.
It gets to 4:00 and the last bell rings. All the students let out a groan of relief. We
all grab our bags and leave the classroom.
On The Way Home Routine
Some people have extra classes after school that they have to attend. Some people
leave work and go out with friends. Some might go to the gym to work out.
• What do you do after school or work?
• Do you have any social engagements or evening classes?
• Or do you just go straight home?
• And if so, how is the journey home? Just as crowded in the mornings or a little
less so?
We should look at an extract of someone talking about their going home routine.
I leave school around 4:00pm and then I have to run to the bus stop and catch a
bus for my evening class.

I hate the evening class so much but my mum told me I have to do it. So, I study all
day and then I have to go to another school and study English for two hours. I don’t
finish until 7:00pm. By then, I feel totally exhausted.
I get to the subway and go home. Because it is after rush hour there are much fewer
people on the subway train, so I can easily get a seat. I sleep all the way home
because I feel so tired.
Evening Routine
So now the day has ended and you have some time to yourself. You finish work
and you can just relax and do all the things you like to do. Unless you’re a student,
in which case you may have tons of homework to do and articles to read.
What do you like to do in the evening?
Even if you are just sitting on the sofa and watching TV, you can talk about what
shows you like to watch. Do you watch them alone or with your family or loved
ones?
For this part, I think it might be a good idea to look at two different perspectives.
One from a student who has homework to do. And one from a working person who
just goes home and relaxes.
• The perspective from a student who has homework to do:
I get home and I change out of my uniform and into some comfortable clothes.

The first thing I do after that is to get a drink of something. My mum usually keeps
some of the things I like to drink in the fridge.
Then I take out all my school books and the homework I have to do for that evening.
I usually have about two hours of homework to do most evenings. It seems like a lot
but I am used to it now.
I put it all in order. I like to do the most difficult homework first, or the homework
that I really hate to do. Then I end up with the homework I really like to do last. I
like English so I always put that last.
I might do a little bit of the homework and then my mum will call me for dinner.
My dad doesn’t get home until much later. So me and my mum eat dinner together.
She lets me watch some TV while we are eating dinner but then I have to get back
into my room and finish the homework.
I finish my homework and then I just feel really tired.
By then I just want to sleep. But I take a shower and have a hot drink of something.
I get into bed around 10:30 and read for a little while. Then my eyes start feeling
heavy and I turn the bedside lamp off and go to sleep.
• The perspective from a working person who just goes home and relaxes:
By the time I get home, it is about 7:00pm. I feel shattered.
My wife gets home before I do. I change out of my suit and put on some comfortable
clothes. Then, we make dinner. We always try to share these kinds of things to do
in the house.
We eat dinner on the sofa, watching the TV. It’s not a good habit but we don’t care.
It is time to relax. We usually stay up too late. We should really go to bed early so
we are refreshed for the next day but we never do. I think most nights we go to bed
around midnight.
My wife likes to watch police drama shows. I don’t mind them so we end up
watching those. But sometimes there might be a new movie and we will watch that.

2.3 Exercise
1. Describing your daily or working routine in the form of a video recording and
post it on your social media!
2. Use the expressions of describing routines above in a role play with your
partner! Perform it in the front of the classroom!
2.4 Summary
Talking about your daily routine should not be too difficult as long as you think
logically. Remember to talk about the sequence of events in order. And make use
of the right verb tense, simple present and adverbs of time. If you go over all the
extracts that I wrote above, these should help you to speak about your mornings,
afternoons and evenings. Write down all the things you do, no matter how trivial
you think they may be and make a script out of them. Then practice by talking into
a mirror out loud. This will definitely help you.
Further Reading


University Press.
Buckley, David. (2021). How to Talk about your Daily Routine in English.
Accessed in January, 2022 at https://manwrites.com/how-to-talk-about-your-
daily-routine-in-english/

CHAPTER III
DESCRIBING CURRENT ACTIVITIES
In this section we will learn about describing current activities. We use the Present
Continuous Tense to talk about things that are currently happening and still in the process.
For this reason, use this tense to describe your activities which are still in the process or
currently happened.
expressing ideas/feelings about ongoing activities orally; (2) express
ideas/feelings about ongoing activities in written form; (3) responding to
questions about current activities, and (4) distinguishing between
routine and ongoing activities in the context of business and everyday
life.
✓ Grammar related to express ongoing activities

✓ Language expression used in expressing about ongoing activities.

3.1 Grammar Focus
The Present Continuous is mainly used to express the idea that something is
happening at the moment of speaking. We can use this tense to express about
ongoing situation. The Present Continuous also describes activities generally in
progress (not at the moment). Another use of the tense is to talk about temporary
actions or future plans.
(+) S + is/am/are + v.ing + O + Adverb.

(-) S + is/am/are + not + v.ing + O + Adverb.
(?) is/am/are + S + v.ing + O + Adverb?
Example:
(+) I am discussing a business project at the meeting right now

(-) I am not discussing a business project at the meeting right now
(?) Are you discussing a business project at the meeting right now?
There are some verbs that cannot be used in the -ing form, such as: like, understand,
know, hear, hate, remember, forget, want, need, wish, prefer, realize, have, sound,
smell, believe, recognize, taste, deny, mean, belong, doubt, agree.
Using the Present Continuous
In addition to expressing actions that are currently taking place, the present
continuous can also express actions that are happening at or around the present
moment in time. For example:
• What are you doing tomorrow afternoon?
• She isn't coming on Friday.
• We're working on the Smith account at the moment.
This tense is also used for future plans and arrangements, especially in business.
• Where are you staying in New York?
• She isn't coming to the presentation on Friday.
• I'm flying to Tokyo next week.

Sentence Structure
The present continuous tense can be used with positive, negative, and question
sentences. For positive sentences, conjugate the helping verb "be" and add "ing" to
the verb's end. For example:
• I'm (I am) working today.
• You're (You are) studying English at the moment.
• He's (He is) working on the report today.
• She's (She is) planning a vacation in Hawaii.
• It's (It is) raining right now.
• We're (We are) playing golf this afternoon.
• You're (You are) not paying attention, are you?
• They're (They are) waiting for the train.
For negative sentences, conjugate the helping verb "be," then add "not" plus "ing"
to the verb's end.
• I'm not (I am not) thinking about my vacation right now.
• You aren't (You are not) sleeping at the moment.
• He isn't (He is not) watching the TV.
• She isn't (She is not) doing her homework today.
• It isn't (It is not) snowing today.
• We aren't (We are not) staying in New York.
• You aren't (You are not) playing chess at the moment.
• They aren't (They are not) working this week.
For sentences that ask a question, conjugate "be," followed by subject and a verb
ending in "ing."
• What am I thinking?
• What are you doing?
• Where is he sitting?
• When is she coming?
• How is it doing?
• When are we leaving?
• What are you eating for lunch?

• What are they doing this afternoon?
Present Continuous Passive

The present continuous can also be used in the passive voice. Remember that the
passive voice conjugates the verb "to be." To construct, a passive sentence, use the
passive subject plus the verb "be" plus "ing" and the past participle. For instance:
• Cars are being made in this factory at the moment.
• English is being taught by the teacher now.
• Steak is being eaten by the people at table 12.
Watch The Videos about Present Continuous Tense
Scan the barcode below to watch the videos!
3.2 Time expression used in current/ongoing activities
There some time expressions which can indicate ongoing activities. They are:
1. Events Happening Now
2. Temporary Situations
3. Developing Actions
4. Irritation
5. Time Expressions

Events Happening Now
The present continuous is used to talk about actions happening at the moment of
speaking. e.g. Don’t disturb the artist, he is working.
Temporary Situation
It can also refer to situations which happen during a lapse of time. e.g. I’m doing a
sculpture course for beginners this semester. It also makes reference to scientific
facts or general truths.

Developing Actions
This structure refers to actions which are changing with time. e.g. My drawing is
getting better and better.
Irritation
It can describe an exasperating habit if you use ‘always’. e.g. Why are you always
criticizing my painting?

Time Expressions
We use the present continuous with time expressions such as: now, at the moment,
at present, today, tonight, this morning/afternoon/evening, this week/month/year &
while. These time expressions have the following basic positions:
1. At the very end of a sentence, that is in the complement. e.g. He is living in an
apartment at present.
2. At the beginning of a sentence make emphasis. In this position, it MUST be
followed by a comma (,). e.g. Right now, we are watching the news on TV.
Now, go over the meaning and some examples of the most common time
expressions for the present continuous.
• Now: I’m texting my mum now.
• At the moment: The old man is reading the newspaper at the moment.
• At present: Dolores is taking care of her neighbors’ dogs at present.
• Today: My friends and I are having a picnic today.
• Tonight: We’re going to a concert tonight.
• This morning/afternoon/evening: Tom is studying at home this afternoon.
• This week/month/year: The 2012 class is graduating this year.
• While: The cameraman is filming while the reporter is giving the news.
3.3 Exercise
Make a role play with your partner by explaining your ongoing activities to
each other! Perform this in front of your classroom!

3.4 Summary
The present continuous tense, also known as the present progressive, is one of the
most commonly used verb tenses in English. It is one that English learners
frequently confuse with a similar tense, the present simple. In addition to expressing
actions that are currently taking place, the present continuous can also express
actions that are happening at or around the present moment in time.
Further Reading
Beare, Kenneth. (2018). Learn How to Use the Present Continuous Tense. Accessed
in January, 2022 at https://www.thoughtco.com/present-continuous-tense-
1211150
Capel, A. & Sharp, W. (2009). Objective First Certificate. Cambridge: Cambridge

University Press.
Dictionary Cambridge. (2016). Dictionary.cambridge.org. Retrieved January 2022,

from http://dictionary.cambridge.org/es/diccionario/ingles/
O'Connell, S. & Walton, R. (1993). Focus on advanced English. Walton-on-

Thames, Surrey u.a.: Nelson.
Oxford Learner's Dictionaries. (2016). Oxfordlearnersdictionaries.com. Retrieved

January 2022, from http://www.oxfordlearnersdictionaries.com/us/


CHAPTER IV
DESCRIBING FUTURE PLANS AND ACTIONS
In this section we will learn about describing future plans and actions. We use the Future
Tense and “to be going to” to talk about things that will happen. For this reason, use this
tense to describe your plans or activities which will be done in the future.
expressing ideas/opinions/feelings about future actions/plans; (2)
responding to questions about future actions/plans; (3) write a short
paragraph about future actions/plans in the context of business and
everyday life.
✓ Grammar related to express future plans and activities.

✓ Language expression used in expressing about future actions.

4.1 Grammar Focus
Do you know how to talk about future plans using will, going to and the present
continuous?
Look at these examples to see how will, going to and the present continuous are
used.
• Oh great! That meeting after work's been cancelled. I'll go to that yoga class
instead.
• I'm going to try to visit my relatives in Australia this year.
• The restaurant is reserved for 8. We're having a drink at Beale's first.
We use different verb forms to talk about our plans for the future, depending on
what kind of plan it is: a spontaneous plan, a pre-decided plan or an arrangement.
Will
We use will to talk about spontaneous plans decided at the moment of speaking.
• Oops, I forgot to phone Mum! I'll do it after dinner.
• I can't decide what to wear tonight. I know! I'll wear my green shirt.
• There's no milk. I'll buy some when I go to the shops.
Going To
We use “going to” to talk about plans decided before the moment of speaking.
• I'm going to phone Mum after dinner. I told her I'd call at 8 o'clock.
• I'm going to wear my black dress tonight.
• I'm going to go to the supermarket after work. What do we need?
Present Continuous
We usually use the present continuous when the plan is an arrangement – already
confirmed with at least one other person and we know the time and place.
• I'm meeting Jane at 8 o'clock on Saturday.
• We're having a party next Saturday. Would you like to come?
We often use the present continuous to ask about people's future plans.
• Are you doing anything interesting this weekend?

4.2 Expressing Future Actions
In English, we often use the present progressive (be + verb + ing) to talk about
future events which have already been planned. Time words in the sentence, such
as next week, next year, tomorrow, etc., make it clear that the action is not
happening at this moment.
Be careful. Verbs that describe states rather than actions are not used in the
progressive form. These include words like know, believe, hear, love seem own and
need. Study the examples below.
• I'm playing golf with some friends on Saturday. (correct)
• I'm needing a ride to work tomorrow. (incorrect)
In the first example, the speaker is talking about an action that has been planned.
The use of the words on Saturday tells us that the action is not happening now. The
use of the verb need in the second example is incorrect. Need is used to show a state
or condition rather than an action. Therefore, it is wrong to use it in the progressive
form. The chart below shows more words that are not used in the progressive form.
Verbs Not Used in the Progressive
(a) Verbs describing feelings or attitude like, prefer, appear, seem, want, look,
love, hate, appreciate, dislike, need
(b) Verbs showing ownership possess, belong, own, have
(c) Verbs associated with the senses smell, see, hear, taste
(d) Verbs concerning mental activity forget, remember, understand, know,
believe, mean, recognize, think
Note: Some of these words can be used in the progressive form with changes in
meaning.
• I have been meaning to write her. (The speaker was intending to write to
her.)

• I'm sorry. Miss Jones is seeing a client at the moment. Would you mind
waiting? (Miss Jones is with a client.)
• You will be hearing from my attorney! (My attorney will be contacting you.)
Will or Be Going To?
When English speakers predict what they think will happen or become true in the
future, they can use either will or be going to. Look at the example sentences below.
• We'd better cancel the picnic. The weather person says we will have heavy
rain on the weekend.
• We'd better cancel the picnic. The weather person says we are going to have
heavy rain on the weekend.
In both cases, the speakers are making predictions about the weather on the
weekend. There is no difference in meaning between the first example and the
second. However, there are a number of situations when it is better to use “will”
than “be going to”, and vice versa.
Expressing Future Events with Will
We use will + the base form of the main verb in these situations.
Use “Will” Example Explanation

To talk about things that James will probably I know James is
we think will happen study history at interested in history.
(In such cases we often university. Therefore I guess or
use words such as “I predict that he will study
think” or “probably”.) history in the future.
For official or formal The graduation Any type of ceremony,
announcements dinner will take place on including a graduation
concerning future events June 3rd of this year. ceremony, is a formal or
important event.
Therefore, the use of will
is appropriate here.

For promises or offers You forgot your wallet. In each case, the speaker
related to the future Don't worry. I'll is expressing a
(In such cases, we are lend you some money. willingness to help the
expressing willingness.) The phone is ringing. listener.
Don't get up. I'll
answer it.
For decisions concerning Person A: The car is very Before this conversation,
future events that are dirty. Person B was not
made while talking Person B: You're right. planning to wash the car
I'll wash it after lunch. after lunch. He decided to
do so because of
something Person A said.
In other words, he made
his decision to wash the
car during the
conversation.
When making serious Don't worry. I won't In each case, the speaker
promises forget to pay you back is expressing a promise
the money. to do something in the
future.
I'll take care of your
house while you're out of
the country. Don't worry
about a thing.
I'll never forgive him!
Shall
Shall was used in the past for the affirmative will. Today however, the forms “I
will” or “we will” are preferred. Nevertheless, shall is still used in questions about
the future that make offers and suggestions or ask for advice.

• What shall we do if they don't come soon? (Asking for advice.)
• It's hot in here. Shall I open a window? (Making an offer)
• Shall we try to finish the project today? (Making a suggestion)
Using Be Going To
We use be going to + the base form of the main verb in these situations.
Use “Be Going To” Example Explanation
For prediction — Something smells good. The speaker is making a
We use be going to + Dinner is going to prediction about a future
the base form of the be delicious. meal based on what his
main verb to make a sense of smell tells him
prediction about the in the present.
future based on our The sun is shining and The speaker is making a
sense of sight, smell, there's not a single cloud prediction based on what
taste, hearing or touch. in the sky. It's going to (s)he sees.
In other words, be a nice day.
something about the
present causes us to
think an action will
happen very soon or
immediately.
For a plan — Last year we went to The speaker is talking
We use be going to + Hawaii for our vacation. about a planned event.
the base form of the This year we are going
main verb to talk about to take a cruise to
future events which have Alaska. After work I'm
already been planned. going to play squash
with a friend.
For informal situations Mom and Dad are going This is an informal
— to be angry when they situation between two
We use be going to + see the mess you've siblings.
the base form of the made. You'd better clean

main verb when we talk it up before they get
about informal situations home.
involving future actions.
4.3 Exercise
1. Scan the barcode below to check your understanding toward the topic!
2. Find a partner and make a role play about describing future plans and
actions! Perform it in front of the classroom!
4.4 Summary
We use the Future Tense and “to be going to” to talk about things that will happen.
For this reason, use this tense to describe your plans or activities which will be done
in the future. While the English language has past and present tenses, it does not
have a future tense. To say what will happen in the future, you can use the modal
auxiliary will (plus the base form of the main verb), the verb phrase be going to
(plus the base form of the main verb, the present simple or the present progressive,
but be careful. There are times when one is preferred over the others.

Further Reading


University Press.
English Language Center. (2022). Expressing the Future. Retrieved in January 2022
from https://continuingstudies.uvic.ca/elc/studyzone/410/grammar/410-
expressing-the-future.
British Council. (2020). Talking about the Future. Retrieved in January 2022 from
https://learnenglish.britishcouncil.org/grammar/english-grammar-
reference/talking-about-the-future.

CHAPTER V
DESCRIBING COMPLETED ACTIONS
In this section we will learn about describing completed actions. We use simple perfect tense
and simple past to talk about things that happened already or finished. For this reason, use
this tense to describe your activities which are done/finished already.
expressing their opinions/ideas/feelings about actions that have been
completed; (2) responding to questions about completed actions; and
(3) write a short paragraph about actions that have been
completed/done previously in the context of business and everyday life.
✓ Grammar related to express finished activities.

✓ Language expression used in expressing about finished actions.

5.1 Grammar Focus
Of all the English verb tenses, the present perfect is probably the one that can give
you a headache. Its different uses can certainly be hard to understand and more
importantly to put in practice. But there’s good news! If you remember a few simple
tricks, you can learn to use it well and confidently! Want to know more? Read on
and find out.
Introducing the Present Perfect
The present perfect is a tense that links the past to the present in some way. That
can mean talking about your life experience until now, or describing an action that
started in the past and continues in the present, or talking about a recent event that
is relevant to now. The key thing is that we never use a finished time with the
present perfect (unlike the simple past), such as yesterday, last week, in 1995.
Instead, we use an unfinished time expression, like today, this week, this year, in
your life. Compare the following:

How to make sentences in the Present Perfect
We create the present perfect by using the verb ‘have’ and the past participle of a
verb. For example, “You have been to New York.”
To make questions we invert ‘have’ and the subject:
“Have you been to New York?”
And to make negative forms we add ‘not’:
“You haven’t been to New York.”
The only small variation of this is with the third person singular that requires has
instead of have. Here is a table with a complete set of examples:
As you can see, it’s common to contract have to ‘ve, and has to ‘s. The short answer
form is Yes, I have/No, I haven’t.

5.2 Expressing Completed Actions
Now let’s look at the three main situations in which we use the Present Perfect.
1) Recent actions
We use the present perfect to describe a recent action or ask if something has
happened recently. It’s often used with words like just, already, yet, still. We often
use the present perfect in this case when some action or situation has an effect on
the present. For example,
• I’ve lost my passport so I can’t get on the plane!
(Finished action in recent past – consequence now.)
Here are some other examples:
• Have you finished the report yet?
• I haven’t seen Pablo today.
• Sally has just gone out.
• We’ve already had lunch.
• They still haven’t delivered the goods!
2) Life experience
We use the present perfect to talk about things that have or haven’t happened in our
lives, without referring to a specific time. These are actions or events that happened
sometime during a person's life. We don't say when the experience happened, and
the person needs to be alive now. We often use ‘ever’ in questions with this use,
and ‘never’ in negative sentences. For example:
• Have you ever been to Montreal?

• No, I’ve never been there.
• She’s visited Australia three times!
• We’ve never missed a flight fortunately.
• Has this team ever won a tournament?

After describing the main life experience with the present perfect, it’s typical to
give details with the simple past. For example,
• He’s received three important promotions in his career. (Present perfect)

• The last one was for the position of CEO. (Simple past)
3) Unfinished actions
We use this tense when we want to talk about unfinished actions or states or habits
that started in the past and continue to the present. Usually we use it to say 'how
long' and we need 'since' or 'for'. We often use stative verbs.
• I've known Karen since 1994.

• She's lived in London for three years.
• I've worked here for six months.
'Since' and 'For'
We use 'since' with a fixed time in the past (2004, April 23rd, last year). The fixed
time can be another action, which is in the past simple (since I was at school, since
I arrived).
• I've known Sam since 1992.

• I've liked chocolate since I was a child.
• She's been here since 2pm.
We use 'for' with a period of time (2 hours, three years, six months).
• I've known Julie for ten years.

• I've been hungry for hours.
• She's had a cold for a week.
The other examples:
• We’ve lived here for 10 years.

• They’ve been married for 25 years.
• How long have you worked for this company?
• It hasn’t rained for weeks.
• You’ve had that car for ages.
Compare the following:
How to know when to use the present perfect or the past simple
When you need to choose between using the present perfect and the past simple,
ask yourself these questions:
Is the action finished?

NO Use the present perfect.
YES Ask yourself the next question.
Is there a finished time expression?
YES Use the simple past.

NO Use the present perfect.

5.3 Exercise
1. Find a partner and make a role play about describing future plans and
actions! Perform it in front of the classroom!
5.4 Summary
We use simple perfect tense and simple past to talk about things that happened
already or finished. For this reason, use this tense to describe your activities which
are done/finished already. The present perfect is used to indicate a link between the
present and the past. The time of the action is before now but not specified, and
we are often more interested in the result than in the action itself. The present
perfect is a tense that links the past to the present in some way. That can mean
talking about your life experience until now, or describing an action that started in
the past and continues in the present, or talking about a recent event that is relevant
to now. The key thing is that we never use a finished time with the present perfect
(unlike the simple past), such as yesterday, last week, in 1995. Instead, we use an
unfinished time expression, like today, this week, this year, in your life.
Further Reading


University Press.
Wall street English. (2021). Using The Present Perfect Tense In English.
Retrieved in January 2022 from
https://www.wallstreetenglish.com/exercises/using-present-perfect-tense-
english.

Perfect English Grammar. (2021). When should I use the Present Perfect Simple
Tense. Retrieved in January 2022 from https://www.perfect-english-
grammar.com/present-perfect-use.html.

CHAPTER VI
DESCRIBING A PROCESS OR CHRONOLOGICAL

ORDER OF ACTIVITIES
In this section we will learn about describing a process. Describing how to do something, a
process or a sequence of events is a pretty straightforward process. The main thing you
should think of is how to do this process in the right chronological order. For describing a
process, the description may be impersonal, and this can be done better in the Passive
voice. Then, the description may also be given with the help of a series of Imperative
Sentences. In both cases, some cohesive or sentence linkers need to be used to indicate
the order of the steps taken in the process.
expressing their opinions/ideas/feelings about the process or
chronology of activities; (2) responding to questions about the process
or chronological sequence of activities; and (3) write a short paragraph
about the process or chronological sequence of activities in a business
context.

• Parts in describing a process.
• Language Expressions used in describing a process
• Vocabularies used in Describing a Process

6.1 Parts in Describing a Process
In order to do something, an activity or a process, you are very likely to need some
items at hand. You will need these things to perform the process you want to do.
So, you need to introduce these items and clearly state what they are.
You might need to explain why you need these things later on, but at first, just say
what the things are as a kind of list. So, for example, let’s say you are making some
tea. What items would you need? And if some items need an explanation, you can
do that. But first, just say a simple list.
Here, we will learn how to make a pot of tea.
For this we will need the following things:
• A teapot
• A kettle
• Some tea
• Cups
• A teaspoon
• Milk and sugar if needed
Now you can define your terms. This is where you explain what certain items are,
and why you need them.
• A teapot is a kind of container, usually made of China, with a handle and a

pouring spout. This is where the tea brews.
• A kettle is a kind of device that we use for boiling water. We need hot water
to make tea. If you don’t have a kettle, you can use a saucepan and boil
water in that instead.
• Of course, we need tea to make tea!
• We need cups to pour the tea for people to drink. And we might need milk
and sugar, some people like to add milk and sugar to their tea. And we might
also need a teaspoon to stir the tea.

Think of it like you are talking about a recipe for cooking. Every recipe has two
parts, the ingredients (the different foods you need to make the dish) and the process
(how to cook the dish).
6.2 Steps in Describing a Process
When talking about how to do something, you need to think of it in chronological

order. Think of all the various steps and what happens in a numbered order. Try to
imagine you are telling a story. There has to be a beginning, a middle and an end.
Talk about all the events in the right chronological order and the listener can
understand you and follow what you are saying. Tell it in a different order and
people will find it difficult to follow.
In your mind, think about all the steps that need to happen so you can then complete
the overall task. Picture in your mind the entire sequence of events and try to
number them. Then describe each of these steps in order.
THINK BIG!
Think of the overall big events that need to happen in this process. Remember how
we tell a story and think of the big main parts of the story. Once we have all the big
parts, we can add the smaller parts later. The smaller parts become their own
sequence of events in the bigger parts. So, let’s think of the big parts for making
tea.
1. Take the kettle and fill with water, then boil the water.
2. Put some tea in the teapot and add the boiling water.
3. Pour the tea in cups.
4. Serve to people with sugar and milk on the side.
These are the four main big parts of the sequence of events of making tea. Then we
can add the smaller part?

NOW SMALL
Now we can add details to the bigger picture. All we have to do is take each big
part and add more detailed, smaller tasks to each one.
1. Take the kettle and fill with water, then boil the water.
• Be careful how much water you put in the kettle. Don’t put too much
water in because this is dangerous if the kettle is electric.
• If you have filtered water, then use this. It will give the tea a much
better taste.
• Some teas need boiling water, while others like green tea should not
use boiling water. Check what the best temperature is for your type
of tea. If your kettle is advanced enough, you can heat the water to
the right temperature you need.
2. Put some tea in the teapot and add the boiling water
• Use some of the hot water to clean out the pot thoroughly. Get rid of
all the dregs of old tea.
• Pour some hot water in the pot and leave to stand for a while, this
heats the pot and is good for brewing the tea.
• Put some tea into the pot. Be careful how much tea you put in the
pot, too little and it will taste weak, too much and it will be too
strong. You need to adjust to your required taste.
• Add boiling water into the pot. Place the lid back on the teapot, and
leave to stand for three minutes.
3. Pour the tea in cups
• Make sure the cups are clean.
• Pour some boiling hot water into the cups, and allow to stand for a
short time. Then throw out. This will keep the tea hot in the cups.
4. Serve to people with sugar and milk on the side
• Use a tray for convenience to serve the teapot, cups, milk, sugar and
a spoon.
• Place all the items on the table in front of the people.

• Use placemats for the teapot and the cups. This is to prevent any heat
damage to the table surface.
You can see by being clear about what the bigger parts are, it is easier to think about
what the smaller steps are.
6.3 Vocabularies Used in Describing a Process
Words to Describe Process

Words to use when talking about a sequence of events.
You can use the following words to help you describe the process.
• First
• Then
• And then
• After that
• Once you have done that then…
• After
• Before
• First, Second Third…
• Next
• Later
• Finally
• Last
• In the end

Putting It All Together
It’s probably a good idea to look at a clear example and see how all of this is put
together.
HOW TO MAKE A CUP OF TEA
1. First, take some filtered water to use to make your tea.

2. Then fill the kettle with the filtered water.
3. And then boil the water.
4. After that, use some of the boiling water to clean out the teapot of old tea dregs.
5. Next, pour some more hot water inside to heat the teapot.
6. Once you have done that, then pour the hot water out and place some tea inside
the pot.
7. After that, pour some boiling water on to the tea.
8. Then leave to stand for three minutes.
9. When you have done that, you need to clean the cups with boiling water.
10. After that, pour some boiling water into the cups to heat them.
11. Then pour out the hot water.
12. Next, place the teapot, the cups, the milk and sugar along with a teaspoon onto
a tray.
13. Then take the tray to your guest.
14. After that, put some placemats on the table.
15. And then place the teapot and cups onto the placemats.
16. Finally, allow your guests to help themselves to the tea.
6.4 Exercise
1. Find a partner and make a role play about describing a process in a

chronological order! Perform it in front of the classroom!

6.5 Summary
You might have to describe a process, or how to do something, for work or as part
of a school assignment. The trick is to think logically and get all the steps in the
correct chronological order. Once you have done that, then everything is simple.
Just a case of using the words to describe the process. The main thing you should
think of is how to do this process in the right chronological order. For describing a
process, the description may be impersonal, and this can be done better in the
Passive voice. Then, the description may also be given with the help of a series of
Imperative Sentences. In both cases, some cohesive or sentence linkers need to be
used to indicate the order of the steps taken in the process. Before starting the
process description, a student should begin with an introductory sentence like ‘the
making/preparation of………has to go through a series of steps before the product
can be obtained’.
Further Reading
Buckley, David. (2020). How to Describe a Process in English. Retrieved in

January 2022 from https://manwrites.com/how-to-describe-a-process-in-
english/
English Luv. (2021). Describing a Process. Retrieved in January 2022 from

https://englishluv.com/describing-a-process/


University Press.

CHAPTER VII
TELLING PAST EXPERIENCE
In this section we will learn about telling past experience. We use simple past to talk about
things that happened in the past like some experience that we have face previously. For this
reason, use this tense to describe your activities or experience that are happening in the
past.
expressing their opinions/ideas/feelings about past events or
experiences; (2) responding to questions about past events or
experiences; (3) write a Curriculum Vitae about previous experiences.

• Describing Past Experience
• Writing a Curriculum Vitae

7.1 Talking about the Past
Past events and situations
We use the past simple to talk about:
1. something that happened once in the past:

• The film started at seven thirty.
• We arrived home before dark.
2. something that was true for some time in the past:
• Everybody worked hard through the winter.
• We stayed with our friends in London.
When we talk about something that happened several times in the past, we use
the past simple:
• Most evenings, we stayed at home and watched DVDs.
• Sometimes they went out for a meal.
or used to:
• Most evenings, we used to stay at home and watch DVDs.
• We used to go for a swim every morning.
or would:
• Most evenings, he would take the dog for a walk.
• They would often visit friends in Europe.
We do not normally use would with stative verbs. We use the past simple or used
to instead:
• He would looked much older than he does now. (NOT would look)
• We would used to feel very cold in winter. (NOT would feel)
We use the past continuous:

1. for something that happened before and after a specific time in the past:
• It was just after ten. I was watching the news on TV.
• At half-time we were losing 1–0.
2. for something that happened before and after another action in the past:
• He broke his leg when he was playing rugby.

• She saw Jim as he was driving away.
The past in the past
We use the past perfect when we are looking back from a point in the past to
something earlier in the past:
• Helen suddenly remembered she had left her keys in the car.
• When we had done all our shopping, we caught the bus home.
• They wanted to buy a new computer, but they hadn't saved enough money.
• They would have bought a new computer if they had saved enough money.
The past and the present
We use the present perfect:
1. for something that started in the past and continues in the present:
• We have lived here since 2017. [and we still live here]
• I have been working at the university for over ten years.
2. for something that happened in the past but is important in the present:
• I can't open the door. I've left my keys in the car.
• Jenny has found a new job. She works in a supermarket now.
Be careful!
We do not use the present perfect with adverbials which refer to a finished past
time:
yesterday last week/month/year in 2010 when I was younger etc.
• I have seen that film yesterday.

• We have just bought a new car last week.
• When we were children we have been to California.
but we can use the present perfect with adverbials which refer to a time which is
not yet finished:
today this morning/week/year now that I am eighteen etc.

• Have you seen Helen today?
• We have bought a new car this week.
The future in the past
When we talk about the future from a time in the past we use:
1. would as the past tense of will:
• He thought he would buy one the next day.
• Everyone was excited. The party would be fun
2. was/were going to:
• John was going to drive and Mary was going to follow on her bicycle.
• It was Friday. We were going to set off the next day.
3. the past continuous:
• It was September. Mary was starting school the next week.
• We were very busy. Our guests were arriving soon and we had to get their
room ready.
The past with modal verbs
Could is the past tense of can:

• You could get a good meal for a pound when I was a boy.
Would is the past tense of will:
• He said he would come but he forgot.
We use may have, might have and could have to show that something has possibly
happened in the past:
• I'll telephone him. He might have got home early.
• She's very late. She could have missed her train.
We use should have as the past form of should:
• I didn't know he was ill. He should have told me.
• You shouldn't have spent so much money.
We use would have and could have to talk about something that was possible in the
past but did not happen:
• I could have gone to Mexico for my holiday but it was too expensive.

• I would have called you, but I had forgotten my phone.
• They would have gone out if the weather had been better.
7.2 Better sentences for talking about past events and telling stories
Better sentences for talking about past events and telling stories. Part of improving
your English is the ability to talk about past experiences and storytelling. So, what’s
special about past experiences and storytelling? How is it different to the normal
past tense?
Here are some of the points that are used when talking about past experiences and
storytelling.
Often describes feelings and emotions
• Basic past: It was very different. It was similar to what existed 500 years
ago.
• Storytelling / past experiences: It seemed so different. I felt like I had
travelled back in time half a millennium.
Uses exaggerated or expressive words
• Basic past: There was a lot of Renaissance art.

• Storytelling / past experiences: There was an overwhelming range of
Renaissance art.
Uses idiomatic phrases
• Basic past: Very close, nearby

• Storytelling / past experiences: never more than a stone’s throw from
somewhere
Uses narrative style adjectives
• Basic past: The large gardens were impressive.

• Storytelling / past experiences: The delightful gardens were beautiful.

Often uses more than one adjective
• Basic past: I went to a little cafe

• Storytelling / past experiences: I went to a quiet little cafe
7.3 How to Describe an Experience?
Experiences are something that form a part of your life. They are memories of what
you have been a part of. Think a little deeper and you will realize that an experience
could make or break your life. It could be a good, unforgettable experience or a bad
one that you would probably like to erase off your mind log for good! Well, just
imagine having an experience that you would like to share with your friends, family
and colleagues. For instance: You have been on a trip to Goa lately and you have
had the best time and experience of your life. It's a trip that you want to hold on to
forever and tell your near and dear one's all about it! A few simple steps and you
are set to head on your journey of the description. Make sure you are handy with a
set of words, so that you can narrate your experiences in fluent English.
Pay heed to the minute details:
When describing an experience to someone, always make it a point to not forget the
involved details that many a times go unsaid. Remember, it is these small details
that form your entire experience. In short, in this case don't look at the "bigger
picture" instead dig into the minute details of your experience, making it even more
interesting for the listener. Also, when describing a destination, use loads of
adjectives, this will improve your vocabulary and sound impressive as well.

Personal experiences to be mentioned:
Now that you're on a voyage of describing your trip, ensure you also insert in the
details of what feeling you went through when you were at the respective place you
are describing. This will not only make the description interesting, but also enhance
your English-speaking skills. Do not only describe the place and the sight, be more
insightful and personal to add your touch to the narrative as well.
Picture yourself back there:
Run back down the memory lane to help you remember what happened when and
how the whole experience was etched in your mind. A feeling of nostalgia should
pass through your veins as you describe your experience to someone, which in the
true sense would mean that you are now mastering the art of description. Similarly,
mastering English as a language, and being confident and accurate while narrating
the description is one of the best ways to learn English.
It is essential that you understand that when you're narrating an experience to

someone, it is important to have their attention for as long as your description lasts.
You should read some books that are based on descriptive writing which will
certainly improve English and make you a favorite storyteller in your gang of
friends and colleagues.

7.4 English Conversation Chat-Talking about Past experience
Let us go through one more topic for English conversation. The topic is talking
about a past experience. So, It’s a Sunday morning. Juhi and Riya are best friends.
They are spending a good time together in a nearby cafe. On a weekend they often
tend to move out of our homes meet some friends and gossips. Also, share some
happy moments and experiences. And, they share their past experiences. Probably,
this happens often you do not have the right words to talk fluently about your
experience. Also, you can refer some conversations at that time. So, here is one
example:
Read the conversations carefully.
Juhi : Hi, how are you? (Here, Use An alternative: Hi, Wassup.)
Riya : Hi, I am all good. You tell me, Wassup. (So, do not say: Hi, all good. Tell
me.) (Also, An alternative: Hi, I am good. Wassup with you.)
Juhi : Nothing interesting. Work, that’s all. (Here, An alternative: Nothing new.)
Riya : Oh! Alright.
Juhi : How was your trip to Rajasthan?
Riya : It was a success. Everyone is so happy in the office. (Also, this can be a
better way.) Furthermore, (An alternative: It was a successful trip. All my
bosses are happy with my work.)
Juhi : Great yeah! Congratulations. (This is not a formal meet you can express
freely to your best friends.) (So, An alternative: Woah! Congratulations.)
Riya : OH, what is it exactly? (Also, this is not the most appropriate sentence.
The better way can be.) (Here, an alternative: What was the meeting all
about? or What was the purpose of the trip?)
Juhi : So, I had to present the product to our new investors through a presentation.
(An alternative: I had to give a presentation to our new investors. It was a
detailed analysis of our product.)
Riya : oh! Sounds interesting. (An alternative: That sounds interesting.)
Juhi : There was a lot of time and energy invested in this project. I gave my 3
months for this project. (Do not say: In this project my time and energy is

invested. I took 3 months.) (The above sentences aren’t appropriate. There
better one can be.) (An alternative: I have invested a lot of my time and
energy in this project. Approximately 3 months.)
Riya : Also, 3 months? For one presentation?
Juhi : Yes! I was so happy that it was a success or else all my energy would be
wasted. (Also, Do not say: I am successful or else it would be all a waste
of time.) (An alternative: It would be a waste of 3 months if this project
wasn’t successful.)
Riya : Did you explore Rajasthan? (Do not say: Did you roam in Rajasthan?)
Juhi : Yeah, we did. We also had a success party thrown by boss where the new
investors were invited. (So, this sentence is not an appropriate one. The
better one can be.) (An alternative: Yes of course. We visited a few places
nearby. Our boss also threw a success party with our new investors in Taj
Lands.)
Riya : That’s amazing. Finally, your trip was a success.
Juhi : Yes finally.
7.5 Writing a Curriculum Vitae (CV)
Your CV is the tool that helps you get your foot in the door when applying for jobs.
Find out how to write a good CV and get tips and advice on what to include in your
own personal marketing document
What is a CV?
A CV, which stands for curriculum vitae, is a document used when applying for
jobs. It allows you to summarize your education, skills and experience enabling you
to successfully sell your abilities to potential employers. Alongside your CV
employers also usually ask for a cover letter.
In the USA and Canada CVs are known as résumés. These documents tend to be
more concise and follow no particular formatting rules.

How long should a CV be?
A standard CV in the UK should be no longer than two sides of A4. Take a look at
our example of a chronological CV for inspiration.
That said one size doesn't fit all. For example, a school leaver or recent graduate
with minimal experience may only need to use one side of A4. Although not used
as often, a three-page CV might be needed for those in high-level roles or for people
who have gained a lot of experience or worked in multiple jobs over the last five to
ten years. For example, some medical or academic CVs may be longer depending
on your experience. While it's important to keep your CV concise you should also
avoid selling your experience short.
To save space only include the main points of your education and experience. Stick
to relevant information and don't repeat what you've said in your cover letter. If
you're struggling to edit your CV, ask yourself if certain information sells you. If it
doesn't cut it out. If it's not relevant to the job you're applying for delete it and if it's
old detail from ten years ago summarize it.
What to include in a CV?
Contact details - Include your full name, home address, mobile number and email
address. Your date of birth is irrelevant and unless you're applying for an acting or
modelling job you don't need to include a photograph.
• Profile - A CV profile is a concise statement that highlights your key

attributes and helps you stand out from the crowd. Usually placed at the
beginning of a CV it picks out a few relevant achievements and skills, while
expressing your career aims. A good CV profile focuses on the sector you're
applying to, as your cover letter will be job-specific. Keep CV personal
statements short and snappy - 100 words are the perfect length. Discover
how to write a personal statement for your CV.
• Education - List and date all previous education, including professional
qualifications. Place the most recent first. Include qualification type/grades,
and the dates. Mention specific modules only where relevant.

• Work experience - List your work experience in reverse date order, making
sure that anything you mention is relevant to the job you're applying for.
Include your job title, the name of the company, how long you were with
the organization and key responsibilities. If you have plenty of relevant
work experience, this section should come before education.
• Skills and achievements - This is where you talk about the foreign languages
you speak and the IT packages you can competently use. The key skills that
you list should be relevant to the job. Don't exaggerate your abilities, as
you'll need to back up your claims at interview. If you've got lots of job-
specific skills you should do a skills-based CV.
• Interests - 'Socializing', 'going to the cinema' and 'reading' aren't going to
catch a recruiter’s attention. However, relevant interests can provide a more
complete picture of who you are, as well as giving you something to talk
about at interview. Examples include writing your own blog or community
newsletters if you want to be a journalist, being part of a drama group if
you're looking to get into sales and your involvement in climate change
activism if you'd like an environmental job. If you don't have any relevant
hobbies or interests leave this section out.
• References - You don't need to provide the names of referees at this stage.
You can say 'references available upon request' but most employers would
assume this to be the case so if you're stuck for space, you can leave this
out.
CV format
• Avoid titling the document 'curriculum vitae' or 'CV'. It's a waste of space.
Instead let your name serve as the title.
• Section headings are a good way to break up your CV. Ensure they stand
out by making them larger (font size 14 or 16) and bold.
• Avoid fonts such as Comic Sans. Choose something professional, clear and
easy to read such Arial, Calibri or Times New Roman. Use a font size
between 10 and 12 to make sure that potential employers can read your CV.
Ensure all fonts and font sizes are consistent throughout.

• List everything in reverse chronological order. Then the recruiter sees your
work history and most recent achievements first.
• Keep it concise by using clear spacing and bullet points. This type of CV
layout allows potential employers to skim your CV and quickly pick out
important information first.
• Name the document when saving - Don't just save as 'Document 1'. Make
sure the title of the document is professional and identifies you, such as 'Joe-
Smith-CV'.
• Unless the job advert states differently (for example, it may ask you to
provide your CV and cover letter as a Word document) save with a .PDF
file extension to make sure it can be opened and read on any machine.
• If you're posting your CV, print it on white A4 paper - Only print on one
side and don't hold your CV - you don't want it to arrive creased.
How to write a good CV
• Use active verbs when possible. For example, include words like 'created',
'analyzed' and 'devised' to present yourself as a person who shows initiative.
• A good CV doesn't have any spelling or grammar mistakes. Use a spell
checker and enlist a second pair of eyes to check over the document.
• Avoid generic, over-used phrases such as 'team player', 'hardworking' and
'multitasker'. Instead, provide real-life examples that demonstrate all of
these skills.
• Tailor your CV. Look at the company's website and social media accounts,
look to see if they've recently been mentioned in the local press and use the
job advert to make sure your CV is targeted to the role and employer.
• Create the right type of CV for your circumstances. Decide whether the
chronological, skills-based or academic CV is right for you.
• Make sure your email address sounds professional. If your personal address
is inappropriate create a new account for professional use.
• Don't lie or exaggerate on your CV or job application. Not only will you
demonstrate your dishonesty to a potential employer, but there can be
serious consequences too. For example, altering your degree grade from a

2:2 to a 2:1 is classed as degree fraud and can result in a prison sentence.
Take a look at this advice and guidance on degree fraud for students.
• If posting your CV online don't include your home address, as you could be
targeted by fraudsters.
• Always include a cover letter unless the employer states otherwise. It will
enable you to personalize your application. You can draw attention to a
particular part of your CV, disclose a disability or clarify gaps in your work
history.
7.6 Exercise
1. Find a partner and make a role play about telling past experience! Perform
it in front of the classroom!
2. Write one example of Curriculum Vitae and send it to your partner through
email!
7.7 Summary
Experiences are something that form a part of your life. They are memories of what
you have been a part of. Think a little deeper and you will realize that an experience
could make or break your life. It could be a good, unforgettable experience or a bad
one that you would probably like to erase off your mind log for good! Well, just
imagine having an experience that you would like to share with your friends, family
and colleagues. We use simple past to talk about things that happened in the past
like some experience that we have face previously. For this reason, use this tense to
describe your activities or experience that are happening in the past.
In a business field, one document that can be made as a evidence of someone’s

experience is a curriculum vitae. A CV, which stands for curriculum vitae, is a
document used when applying for jobs. It allows you to summarize your education,

skills and experience enabling you to successfully sell your abilities to potential
employers. Alongside your CV employers also usually ask for a cover letter.
Further Reading
Agarwal, Monika. (2013). How to Describe an Experience?. Retrieved in January

2022 from https://english.eagetutor.com/english/1-spoken-english/627-how-
to-describe-an-experience.html
British Council. (2018). Talking about the past. Retrieved in January 2022 from
https://learnenglish.britishcouncil.org/grammar/english-grammar-
reference/talking-about-the-past
Exam English for Free. (2020). Better sentences for talking about past events and
telling stories. Retrieved in January 2022 from
https://www.examenglishforfree.com/courses/free-english-course-level-
b1/lessons/talking-about-past-events-and-telling-stories/topic/talking-about-
past-events-and-telling-stories/


University Press.
Ufaber. (2017). English Conversation Chat- Talking about Past experience.

Retrieved in January 2022 from https://thefluentlife.com/content/english-
conversation-chat-talking-past-experience/

CHAPTER VIII
TELLING COMPARISON AND CONTRAST
In this section we will learn about telling comparison and contrast. In English, you can use
certain words to compare people, things, or ideas to show how they are similar or the same.
You can also use certain words to contrast, or tell how people, things, or ideas are different.
To compare is to tell how two or more things are similar or the same. Whereas, to contrast
is to tell how two or more things are different.
expressing opinions/ideas/feelings about the comparison and contrast
of a product/service or business; (2) responding to questions about
comparison and contrast; (3) write a review about the comparison and
contrast between two products/services of a company or different
companies.

• Telling Comparison and Contrast
• Writing a comparison and contrast Essay

8.1 Vocabularies Used in Comparing and Contrasting Things
Words and phrases that compare
You can use these words and phrases to compare (tell similarities):
• also
• as well as
• both
• in common
• in comparison
• like
• too
• same as
• similar
• similarly
Read this paragraph using comparison words and phrases.
Lisa and Janet have many things in common. They are very similar. They are both
good athletes. Lisa likes to play basketball. Janet also likes to play basketball. Lisa
has a dog, and Janet has a dog too. Janet enjoys playing piano. Similarly, Lisa also
studies piano. Lisa has three brothers. Janet has three brothers as well.
Words and phrases that contrast
You can use these words or phrases to contrast (tell differences):
• as opposed to
• but
• contrary to
• differ
• different from
• however
• on the other hand

• unlike
• while
Read this paragraph that uses contrasting words and phrases.
Mrs. Smith has three children. They are each different. Tommy and John are the
boys. Tommy likes to be outside and play baseball or football. John is different
from Tommy because he enjoys staying inside playing video games. On the other
hand, Mary does not like baseball, football, or video games. Mary enjoys studying
and reading. The two boys have birthdays in December, while Mary’s birthday is
in July. Mary loves chocolate ice cream, but Tommy loves vanilla ice cream. John
is unlike the other two because he doesn’t even like ice cream!
Compare and contrast in English
This paragraph compares and contrasts the American Flag and the British Flag.
The comparison words and phrases are red. The contrasting words and phrases
are blue.
The American Flag and the British Flag are similar in some ways. They have the
same colors: blue, red, and white. They are also the same size. However, the
American Flag differs from the British Flag because the American Flag has 50
stars. The American Flag has 13 red and white stripes and a blue square and stars
in the corner. Contrary to the American Flag, the British Flag has a red cross on a
white field with the Union Flag in the background.

8.2 Grammar Focus
Comparatives and Superlatives
Comparatives and superlatives are types of adjectives and adverbs that are used to
compare two or more things or people.
Comparative means to compare one thing to another. Comparative adjectives and

adverbs compare two things or people.
Comparative Adjectives:
• Jan is taller than Sally.

• Sally's blue uniform is more colorful than Jan's pink uniform.
Comparative Adverbs:
• Sally jumps higher than Jan.

• Jan is cheering more quietly than Sally.
Superlative means to the highest degree or the most. Superlative adjectives and
adverbs compare three or more things or people.
Superlative Adjectives:
• Mrs. Smith is the shortest person in the group.

• Kate is wearing the most colorful outfit.
Superlative Adverbs:
• Mrs. Smith talks most quietly.

• Bob and Sam laugh loudest at Mary's joke.
Comparative and Superlative Adjectives
Comparative Superlative
Word Form Examples Examples Examples
Rule Rule
fine finer finest
One syllable adjectives
Add "r" Add "st"
ending in "e"
wise wiser wisest

large larger largest
big Double the bigger Double the biggest
final final
ending with
fat consonant fatter consonant fattest
one vowel and one
and add the and add the
consonant
hot suffix "er" hotter suffix "est" hottest
tall taller tallest
smart smarter smartest
with two vowels or Add the Add the
ending with suffix "er" suffix "est"
neat neater neatest
two consonants
loud louder loudest
pretty prettier prettiest
Change the Change the
Two syllable
"y" to "i" "y" to "i"
adjectives ending in angry angrier angriest
and add the and add the
"y"
suffix "er" suffix "est"
happy happier happiest
Do not Do not
more most
change the change the
beautiful beautiful
beautiful word word
Adjectives with two or
more most
more syllables not important Add the Add the
important important
ending in "y" word word
dangerous "more" "most"
more most
before the before the
dangerous dangerous
adjective adjective
Add the
Add the gentler
gentle suffix "est" gentlest
suffix "er"
Adjectives with two
hollower
syllables ending in hollow (If the hollowest
(If the word
"er", "le", "ow" words ends
ends in "e", yellower
yellow in "e", just yellowest
just ad "r")
add "st")
Of course, there are exceptions to the rules. (Exception means that they do not
follow the rules.)
Here are just a few of the most common adjective exceptions.
Word Comparative form Superlative form

good better best
bad worse worst
far farther farthest
far further furthest
many more most
little less least

Some two syllable adjectives can follow two rules. Both forms of these words are
grammatically correct.
For Example:
Word Comparative forms Superlative forms

friendlier friendliest
friendly
more friendly most friendly
quieter quietest
quiet
more quiet most quiet
simpler simplest
simple
more simple most simple
Comparative and Superlative Adverbs
Some adverbs can have comparative and superlative forms. They follow most of
the same rules as adjectives.
Comparative Superlative
Word Form Examples Examples Examples
Rule Rule
late
later latest
soon
Add "r" or sooner Add "st" soonest
One syllable adverbs hard
"er" harder or "est" hardest
fast
faster fastest
Do not Do not
change the change the
more
word word most
often
often
Adverbs with two or often
Add the Add the
more syllables seldom more
word word most
seldom
"more" "most" seldom
before the before the
adverb adverb

Change the
Change the
Some two syllable "y" to "i"
early "y" to "i"
adverbs ending in earlier and add earliest
and add the
"y" the suffix
suffix "er"
"est"
Do not
Do not
change the more most
change the
word wisely wisely
word
wisely
Adverbs that end in Add the more most
quietly Add the
"ly" word quietly quietly
sweetly word
"more"
"most"
before the more most
before the
adverb sweetly sweetly
adverb
Most comparative and superlative adverbs use "more" and "most" because they end
in "ly". Most adverbs end in "ly".
Here are some more "ly" adverbs that would use "more" and "most":
• easily
• boldly
• bravely
• fearlessly
• kindly
• lightly
• openly
• politely

• properly
• rudely
• safely
• softly
• silently
• tenderly
• weakly
Of course, there are exceptions to the rules. Here are just a few of the most common
adverb exceptions.
Word Comparative form Superlative form

badly worse worst
little less least
much more most
well better best
far farther farthest
far further furthest
8.3 Compare & Contrast Essays
Compare and contrast is a common form of academic writing, either as an essay

type on its own, or as part of a larger essay which includes one or more paragraphs
which compare or contrast. This page gives information on what a compare and
contrast essay is, how to structure this type of essay, how to use compare and
contrast structure words, and how to make sure you use appropriate criteria for
comparison/contrast. There is also an example compare and contrast essay on the
topic of communication technology, as well as some exercises to help you practice
this area.
What are compare & contrast essays?
To compare is to examine how things are similar, while to contrast is to see how
they differ. A compare and contrast essay therefore looks at the similarities of two
or more objects, and the differences. This essay type is common at university, where

lecturers frequently test your understanding by asking you to compare and contrast
two theories, two methods, two historical periods, two characters in a novel, etc.
Sometimes the whole essay will compare and contrast, though sometimes the
comparison or contrast may be only part of the essay. It is also possible, especially
for short exam essays, that only the similarities or the differences, not both, will be
discussed. See the examples below.
• Compare and contrast Newton's ideas of gravity with those proposed by

Einstein ['compare and contrast' essay]
• Examine how the economies of Spain and China are similar ['compare' only
essay]
• Explain the differences between Achaemenid Empire and Parthian Empire
['contrast' only essay]
Structure
There are two main ways to structure a compare and contrast essay, namely using
a block or a point-by-point structure. For the block structure, all of the information
about one of the objects being compared/contrasted is given first, and all of the
information about the other object is listed afterwards. This type of structure is
similar to the block structure used for cause and effect and problem-solution essays.
For the point-by-point structure, each similarity (or difference) for one object is
followed immediately by the similarity (or difference) for the other. Both types of
structure have their merits. The former is easier to write, while the latter is generally
clearer as it ensures that the similarities/differences are more explicit.

The two types of structure, block and point-by-point, are shown in the diagram
below.
Criteria for comparison/contrast
When making comparisons or contrasts, it is important to be clear what criteria you

are using. Study the following example, which contrasts two people. Here the
criteria are unclear.
• Aaron is tall and strong. In contrast, Bruce is handsome and very

intelligent.
Although this sentence has a contrast transition, the criteria for contrasting are not
the same. The criteria used for Aaron are height (tall) and strength (strong). We
would expect similar criteria to be used for Bruce (maybe he is short and weak), but
instead we have new criteria, namely appearance (handsome) and intelligence
(intelligent). This is a common mistake for students when writing this type of
paragraph or essay. Compare the following, which has much clearer criteria
(contrast structure words shown in bold).

• Aaron and Bruce differ in four ways. The first difference is height. Aaron
is tall, while Bruce is short. A second difference is strength. Aaron is
strong. In contrast, Bruce is weak. A third difference is appearance. Aaron,
who is average looking, differs from Bruce, who is handsome. The final
difference is intelligence. Aaron is of average intelligence. Bruce, on the
other hand, is very intelligent.
Example essay
Comparing and Contrasting London and Washington, DC
By Scott McLean in Writing for Success
Both Washington, DC, and London are capital cities of English-speaking countries,
and yet they offer vastly different experiences to their residents and visitors.
Comparing and contrasting the two cities based on their history, their culture, and
their residents show how different and similar the two are.
Both cities are rich in world and national history, though they developed on very
different time lines. London, for example, has a history that dates back over two
thousand years. It was part of the Roman Empire and known by the similar name,
Londinium. It was not only one of the northernmost points of the Roman Empire
but also the epicenter of the British Empire where it held significant global
influence from the early sixteenth century on through the early twentieth century.
Washington, DC, on the other hand, has only formally existed since the late
eighteenth century. Though Native Americans inhabited the land several thousand
years earlier, and settlers inhabited the land as early as the sixteenth century, the
city did not become the capital of the United States until the 1790s. From that point
onward to today, however, Washington, DC, has increasingly maintained
significant global influence. Even though both cities have different histories, they
have both held, and continue to hold, significant social influence in the economic
and cultural global spheres.

Both Washington, DC, and London offer a wide array of museums that harbor many
of the world’s most prized treasures. While Washington, DC, has the National
Gallery of Art and several other Smithsonian galleries, London’s art scene and
galleries have a definite edge in this category. From the Tate Modern to the British
National Gallery, London’s art ranks among the world’s best. This difference and
advantage has much to do with London and Britain’s historical depth compared to
that of the United States. London has a much richer past than Washington, DC, and
consequently has a lot more material to pull from when arranging its collections.
Both cities have thriving theater districts, but again, London wins this comparison,
too, both in quantity and quality of theater choices. With regard to other cultural
places like restaurants, pubs, and bars, both cities are very comparable. Both have
a wide selection of expensive, elegant restaurants as well as a similar amount of
global and national chains. While London may be better known for its pubs and
taste in beer, DC offers a different bar-going experience. With clubs and pubs that
tend to stay open later than their British counterparts, the DC night life tend to be
less reserved overall.
Both cities also share and differ in cultural diversity and cost of living. Both cities
share a very expensive cost of living—both in terms of housing and shopping. A
downtown one-bedroom apartment in DC can easily cost $1,800 per month, and a
similar “flat” in London may double that amount. These high costs create
socioeconomic disparity among the residents. Although both cities’ residents are
predominantly wealthy, both have a significantly large population of poor and
homeless. Perhaps the most significant difference between the resident
demographics is the racial makeup. Washington, DC, is a “minority majority” city,
which means the majority of its citizens are races other than white. In 2009,
according to the US Census, 55 percent of DC residents were classified as “Black
or African American” and 35 percent of its residents were classified as “white.”
London, by contrast, has very few minorities—in 2006, 70 percent of its population
was “white,” while only 10 percent was “black.” The racial demographic
differences between the cities are drastic.

Even though Washington, DC, and London are major capital cities of English-
speaking countries in the Western world, they have many differences along with
their similarities. They have vastly different histories, art cultures, and racial
demographics, but they remain similar in their cost of living and socioeconomic
disparity.
8.4 Exercises
1. Find a partner and make a role play about telling comparison and contrast
of two things! Perform it in front of the classroom!
2. Write one example of comparison and contrast essay in the form of product
review and send it to your partner through email to get a check and
reviewed!
8.5 Summary
In English, you can use certain words to compare people, things, or ideas to show
how they are similar or the same. You can also use certain words to contrast, or tell
how people, things, or ideas are different. To compare is to tell how two or more
things are similar or the same. Whereas, to contrast is to tell how two or more things
are different. Compare and contrast is a common form of academic writing, either
as an essay type on its own, or as part of a larger essay which includes one or more
paragraphs which compare or contrast. This page gives information on what a
compare and contrast essay is, how to structure this type of essay, how to use
compare and contrast structure words, and how to make sure you use appropriate
criteria for comparison/contrast. There is also an example compare and contrast
essay on the topic of communication technology, as well as some exercises to help
you practice this area.

Further Reading
Lumen. (2021). Writing for Success: Compare/Contrast. Retrieved in January 2022

from
https://courses.lumenlearning.com/englishcomp1v2xmaster/chapter/writing-
for-success-
comparecontrast/#:~:text=Comparison%20in%20writing%20discusses%20e
lements,%2C%20contrasting%20them%2C%20or%20both.&text=Similarly
%2C%20to%20focus%20on%20comparison,at%20first%20to%20be%20un
related.
Really Learn English. (2021). Compare and Contrast in English. Retrieved in

January 2022 from https://www.really-learn-english.com/compare-and-
contrast-in-english.html#google_vignette
Really Learn English. (2021). Comparatives and Superlatives: Adjectives and

Adverbs. Retrieved in January 2022 from https://www.really-learn-
english.com/comparatives-and-superlatives.html


University Press.
Smith, Sheldon. (2022). Compare & Contrast Essays. Retrieved in February 2022
from https://www.eapfoundation.com/writing/essays/candc/

CHAPTER IX
ASKING AND GIVING SOMETHING
In this section we will learn about asking and giving something including requesting things
and helps, offering things and helps as well as accepting and declining them. In western
culture, the habit of asking and giving something is a common thing, especially in certain
events, such as birthdays, anniversaries, gifts of achievements, help and so on. This time
we will discuss what expressions or expressions are commonly used to ask and give
something in English.
asking for things or help; (2) offering goods and assistance; (3)
Accepting and rejecting offers or help from someone.

• Asking things and helps
• Giving/offering things and helps
• Accepting and declining things and helps from someone

9.1 Vocabulary used in asking and giving something
Here is some vocabulary or phrases that often we say or we hear in Asking for and
giving expression.
• May
• Give
• Borrow
• Can I
• Can you
• Lend
• Can
• May I
• I am sorry
• I am using it
• Thanks
9.2 Expressions of Asking and Giving Something
• Would you…?
e.g > Would you like a cup of tea?
• Shall you…?
e.g > Shall you take us there?
• Could you…?
e.g > Could you offer me something?
• Can I…?
e.g > Can I help you?
• May I…?
e.g > May I give you a hand?
• Shall I…?
e.g > Shall I bring you a new dress?
• I will…

e.g > I will buy some books, if you like.
• How about…
e.g > How about we go to Japan?
9.3 Ways of offering something to someone
In our normal exchanges with people, we find ourselves offering something to them
or they offering something to us. In any language we have certain expressions that
we can use to do just that and it’s always useful to learn these set phrases so that
you can use them and you can understand what people are asking you.
1. Would you like…?
This expression is the most common way of offering something to someone, or

inviting them to do something.
• ‘Would you like a magazine to read while you’re waiting?’
These three words are very often spoken fast and can be easily misunderstood. In
everyday connected speech, this is what you’ll most probably hear:
• “/Wuʤju:/ like a magazine to read while you’re waiting?”
2. Do you want…?
You can also use this expression which is more informal to offer something to
someone:
• ‘Do you want another coffee?’
3. Would you care for…?
This is a very formal way of asking someone if they would like something. You
will often hear this expression in hotels and restaurants:

• ‘Would you care for dessert, madam?’
• “Would you care for a glass of champagne, sir?”
4. (Do you) fancy…? (British English)
This expression is very often used in the UK. It’s informal and is used to ask
someone if they would like something.
• “Do you fancy chicken or beef for dinner?”

• “Fancy a sandwich?”
5. How about…?
This is another informal way of asking someone if they would like something:
• ‘How about going for a walk?’
6. Who wants…? (7) Who would like……? (8) Who fancies….?
This is used when offering something to a group of people.
• Who wants an ice cream?

• Who would like something to drink?
• Who fancies going to the cinema tonight?
9. Can I get you…?
This expression is used especially when offering someone food or drink, although
it can be used in another situation as well:
• ‘Can I get you anything?’

• ‘Can I get you a cushion’?
10. What will you have? and (11) What can I get you?
These two expressions are used when asking someone what they would like,
especially in a restaurant, bar or café:

• ‘It’s my turn to get the drinks. What will you have?’
• Good afternoon, madam. What can I get you?
9.4 Accepting of Something
Here are some expressions used in accepting of something.
• Here you are.

• Here it is.
• Okay
• Sure.
• Certainly
• Of Course.
• Thank you.
• Yes, please.
• I’d like it very much.
• I’m pleased to do that.
• With Pleasure thank you.
• Yes please. I really appreciate it.
• Thank you, it’s very kind of you.
• Yes, please, that would be lovely.
9.5 Declining of Something
Here are some expressions used in declining of something.
• No thanks.
• I can’t, thanks anyway.
• No, I really won’t, thank you.
• Thank you, but I’m fasting.
• It’s okay, I can do it myself.

• No thank you.
• No thanks, I don’t need any help.
• Don’t worry, I will do it myself.
• I’m so sorry. I’m using it.
• Sorry, I’m using them right now.
9.6 Dialogue Practice of asking and giving something
Dialogue 1
John : Can I lend your English notebook, please?
Keanu : Yes, of course. Here you are.
John : Thank you
Dialogue 2
Lisa : Hey, Sasa. You look very exhausted. What did you just do?
Sasa : Yeah, Lisa. I was running the store to your house.
Lisa : But why are you running?
Sasa : It was raining when I left the store, so I ran to your house. But turns out it's
not raining here.
Lisa : Yes, it's very sunny and hot here.
Sasa : May I have some water, Lisa? I'm so thirsty.
Lisa : Sure, Sasa. Wait a moment.
Sasa : Thank you, Lisa.
Dialogue 3
Mom : Doni, can you help me in the kitchen?
Doni : Sure, mom. How can I help you?
Mom : Can you clean and arrange the dining table? We will have dinner together
in 15 minutes.
Doni : Okay mom, I'll do it.
Mom : Thank you, Doni.

Dialogue 4
A : Could I help you to choose the best ticket for your trip Sir?
B : For sure, it would be a great idea. I kind of confuse, to choose the best train for
my trip.
A : It is not a problem sir, I can help you to find a good ticket. Where would you be
heading to?
B : I Am heading to California.
A : Okay sir, here is your ticket.
B : Thank you very much young man.
A : You are welcome, sir.
Dialogue 5
A : Excuse me Sir, may I help you?

B : Yes sure, I was a little bit hard, to find a drink.
A : Alright Sir, would you like me to get you something to drink?
B : Yes sure young man, it would be a good idea.
A : Yes sir, would you mind to wait here for a while?
B : Yes,of course. Thank you very much.
A : You are welcome Sir.
9.7 Exercises
1. Find a partner and make a role play of asking and giving something!
Perform it in front of the classroom!

9.8 Summary
If you want something, one of the things you can do is ask someone else. In English,
asking for something is called asking for something, it can be in the form of various
objects, opinions, or other things. There are things that must be considered in asking
for something to others, for example to whom we speak, as well as the sentences
used. Furthermore, in our normal exchanges with people, we find ourselves offering
something to them or they offering something to us. In any language we have
certain expressions that we can use to do just that and it’s always useful to learn
these set phrases so that you can use them and you can understand what people are
asking you.
Further Reading
English Dorminatory. (2015). Asking and Giving Thing. Retrieved in January 2022
from https://englishdorminatory.wordpress.com/2015/11/15/asking-and-
giving-thing/
Kampung Inggris. (2019). Asking and Giving Something. Retrieved in January

2022 from https://kampunginggris.co/asking-and-giving-something/


University Press.
Streat, Shanthi. (2014). English Skills: 11 Ways of offering something to someone.

Retrieved in January 2022 from
https://englishwithatwist.com/2014/07/29/english-skills-11-ways-of-
offering-something-to-someone/
Wening,Tyas. (2021). Contoh Dialog Bahasa Inggris untuk Asking for Something.
Retrieved in January 2022 from https://bobo.grid.id/read/082874174/contoh-
dialog-bahasa-inggris-untuk-asking-for-something?page=all

CHAPTER X
GIVING REASONS AND ASKING FOR

CLARIFICATION
In this section we will learn about giving reasons and asking for clarification. There are
several ways to give a reason in English, all of which have the same meaning of "because".
However, asking for clarification means to make something clearer. Clarify is a verb. It
means “to make clear.” You need to speak and understand language clearly in order
to communicate. If you don’t understand someone, you need to ask for clarification.
Clarification is a noun.
giving a reason; (2) request a clarification on a complaint.

• Expressions in giving reasons
• Expressions in asking for clarification

10.1 Giving Reasons
There are several ways to give a reason in English, all of which have the same
meaning of "because". However, the way they are used is different and you have to
adapt it to the context and the type of conversation that is taking place at that time.
To be more complete, here are various ways to give reasons as well as useful
example sentences.
Due to / Owing to
Both phrases have the same meaning, namely "effect". If you use both of these
phrases, you must continue with the noun. Also, these two phrases are usually only
used in formal situations like when you're debating, giving a speech, or writing a
report. It is rare when English speakers mention reasons using this type of phrase.
For clarity, here are some useful sentences that use the two phrases above.
• Due to the summer heat, a lot of countries are going through a drought
season right now.
• Due to the rise in unemployment percentage, the government has chosen to
open up more job opportunities through training programs.
• Due to the current situation, all citizens are advised to stay inside their own
homes and to minimize physical contact with other people
• Due to the uncertainty of it all, we cannot be certain with our prediction.
• Due to the growth of the company, we have decided to recruit more people
as soon as possible.
• Owing to the high number of sales, the band will soon have a world tour
concert.
• Owing to the departure of one of their members, the band was reported to
take a hiatus for a while.
• Owing to the deaths of our employees, we have decided to give a paid leave
to our remaining employees until the situation dies down.
• Owing to the recent complaints, the company have decided to take strong
actions regarding their mistreatment of their workers.

• Owing to the fall of our company’s profit, the director have decided to
terminate some of your contracts.
Due to the fact that / Owing to the fact that
Has more or less the same meaning as the previous phrase, this time the phrase has
a different way of using it. If the previous phrase can only be followed by a noun,
both phrases this time must be followed by a full sentence containing the subject,
verb, and object. For clarity, here are some examples of its use in sentences that are
useful for giving reasons in English.
• Due to the fact that our boss is currently taking a holiday break, I will be
supervising you for the next few weeks.
• Due to the fact that the people are starting to riot on the street, the president
finally decided to lower the price of oil.
• Due to the fact that more people are getting infected by the virus, all
countries have decided to work together on developing a vaccine as soon as
possible.
• Due to the fact that no one has come to complain, I have decided to start
implementing the new rules as of today.
• Owing to the fact that the president has taken a step down from his position,
it is now time for the vice president to take his place.
• Owing to the fact that only a small group of people feels satisfied with the
current rules, we have decided to held a meeting today.
• Owing to the fact that no one wants to take responsibility of the latest
outbreak of the virus, the people have started to riot on the street.
• Owing to the fact that the sales of the album has not gone up significantly
in the last few weeks, the singer have decided to not held any tour concerts.
• Owing to the fact that not all students have internet access, some teachers
took the initiative to teach home from home

Because Of
Phrases that explain this reason must be followed by a noun. This phrase is also
more commonly used in everyday life because it has an informal form. If you use
this phrase, you can put it at the beginning of the sentence. For example, here are
some useful sentences that use the phrase to express reason in English.
• Because of one person, the football match had to be postponed.

• Because of bad weather, we didn’t go out today like it was planned.
• Because of my sister, I had to skip class today.
• Because of the virus outbreak, I have not come out of my house for three
months.
• Because of that pretty girl, my brother now spends all of his time chasing
her.
Because / Since / As
These three words have the same meaning, namely "because". For the word
because, you can use it either at the beginning of a sentence or in the middle of a
sentence. As for the other two words, you can only use them at the beginning of a
sentence. Unlike because of, these three words must be followed by a full sentence
consisting of a subject, verb, and object. To be clear, here are some examples of
useful sentences that use the three words above to give reasons in English.
• Because it was raining, we had to wait at the station until the rain stops to
come home.
• The director would like to hire more people, because the company is getting
more clients lately.
• Our team will never give up, because we believe that we could win this
basketball match!
• Because we are still weak, we will train ourselves every day to get stronger.
• Since the company is on the verge of bankruptcy, we had to let go of some
people.
• Since I never had a boyfriend before, I feel really happy that someone would
have an interest in dating me.

• Since I could never be better that my brother, I will do my best to advance
in my own field.
• Since the final exams will start in a few weeks, we will all start to study
harder!
• As I was still heartbroken from my last relationship, I never realized that
there is someone waiting for me.
• As they lose the match last year, they feel more discouraged to go into
another match now.
• As she is the only girl in the club, she feels uncomfortable voicing her
opinions.
• As I was late this morning, I have to run a few times around the school.
10.2 Asking for Clarification
Clarify is a verb. It means “to make clear.” You need to speak and understand
language clearly in order to communicate. If you don’t understand someone, you
need to ask for clarification. Clarification is a noun. asking for clarification means
to make something clearer. When you ask someone for clarification, you are asking
them to say something in a different way or provide more information so that you
understand them better. This is different from asking a person to repeat something.
The person might not have explained themselves clearly, for example. Or maybe
they used difficult language. Or maybe you think you know what the person means
but want to make sure that you are correct.

Vocabulary and expressions used in asking for clarification.
Steps in Asking for Clarification
There are several steps in asking for clarification. Below are the steps in doing a
good communication when we want to ask for and give clarification.
1. Express lack of understanding

The first step is to tell the person that you are not sure that you have understood
them fully. Let’s listen to a few useful phrases:
• I’m sorry but I’m not sure (that) I understand.

• Sorry, I’m not sure (that) I know what you mean.
• Sorry but I don’t quite follow you.
Using the word “that” in two of the phrases is more suited for formal written
communication, such as work-related emails.
Other times, you may understand part of what someone has said but need clarity on
another part. In such situations, you can be more exact. Let’s hear a few examples:
• I’m sorry but I’m not sure I understand what you mean by "tech giants."
• Sorry but I don’t quite follow what you’re saying about the new policy.
2. Ask for clarification
After you express your lack of understanding, the next step is to ask the person to
clarify what they have said. Here are some phrases you can use.
For many of them, you can use “can” or “could,” with could being a little more
formal:
• Could you say it in another way?

• Can you clarify that for me?
• Could you rephrase that?
• When you say…, do you mean…?
The phrase “When you say…, do you mean…?” of course is not a complete
sentence. Here is how it sounds when complete:
• When you say workers are on furlough, do you mean they’re temporarily
laid off from work?
Other times, you may simply need more information or a helpful example. In such
situations, the following are useful:

• Could you be more specific?
• Can you give me an example?
• Could you elaborate on that?
“Could you elaborate on that?” is usually more suited to formal situations, such as
in the workplace.
Put it together
OK, we have talked about the two steps. But we haven't yet put them together. Let’s
do that now. Listen to someone expressing lack of understanding and asking for
clarification:
• I’m sorry but I’m not sure I understand. When you say workers are on
furlough, do you mean they’re temporarily laid off from work?
Here’s another example:
• Sorry but I don’t quite follow what you’re saying about the new policy.
Could you be more specific about gift card restrictions?
3. Confirm understanding
There are some social or professional situations in which you may want to avoid
directly saying you haven’t understood. In such cases, you can check your
understanding by rephrasing what the person said. For instance, you might say, “Let
me see if I understood you correctly. You are saying that…”
• Let me see if I understood you correctly. You’re saying that airport

security workers are now working without pay?
Here is a very similar phrase: “If I understand you correctly, you’re saying that…”
• If I understand you correctly, you’re saying that airport security workers are
now working without pay?
Another phrase you might use is, “So, what you’re saying is…”

• So, what you’re saying is (that) some hotels offer discounts to guests for not
using their cellphones?
Or, you might say, “So, in other words…,” which we usually use when we are
restating something in a simpler way:
• So, in other words, complex carbohydrates are starches that have not been
refined.
4. Offer Thanks
After the person clarifies themselves, you can let them know that you now
understand and are thankful. Have a listen:
• I got it. Thank you!

• Ah, I see. Thanks for clarifying.
• Now I understand. Thanks a lot.
5. Clarify your ideas
There are other times when someone will ask you for clarification. In such cases,
phrases like these can introduce what you want to say:
• In other words,…
• Let me clarify that.
• To put it another way,…

10.3 Exercise
1. Find a partner and make a role play of giving reasons! Perform it in front of
the classroom!
2. Practice what you learned from asking for clarification. Find a partner and
choose one or all of the situations below to build a dialogue!
Situation 1
You are in a bank and you want to open a new account. The bank
representative is describing the different types of accounts and telling you
about online banking. You are not sure you understand his explanation of
online banking. Express your lack of understanding and ask for clarification.
Situation 2
You missed an important assignment in one of your university classes. Your
professor is telling you about things you can do to improve your grade. But
she is not giving a lot of detail and hasn’t said how much each thing will
raise your grade. Ask her for more information.
Situation 3
You are at a doctor’s office telling your doctor about a health problem. Your
doctor gives you several suggestions to improve the problem. You think you
understand but you want to make sure. Check that you’ve understood what
your doctor has said.
10.4 Summary
There are several ways to give a reason in English, all of which have the same
meaning of "because". However, the way they are used is different and you have to
adapt it to the context and the type of conversation that is taking place at that time.
To be more complete, here are various ways to give reasons as well as useful

example sentences. However, asking for clarification means to make something
clearer. When you ask someone for clarification, you are asking them to say
something in a different way or provide more information so that you understand
them better. This is different from asking a person to repeat something. The person
might not have explained themselves clearly, for example. Or maybe they used
difficult language. Or maybe you think you know what the person means but want
to make sure that you are correct.
Further Reading
Bryant, Alice. (2019). How to Ask for Clarification. Retrieved in January 2022
from https://learningenglish.voanews.com/a/how-to-ask-for-
clarification/4726030.html
Curso-Ingles. (2020). Giving Reason. Retrieved in January 2022 from

https://www.curso-ingles.com/en/learn/courses/advanced-level/linking-
words/giving-reason
ESL Library. (2018). Asking for Clarification. Retrieved in January 2022 from
https://nevyslanguage.org/assets/images/92_Asking-for-
Clarification_US.pdf
Espresso English. (2020). Linking Words in English – Reasons and Results.

Retrieved in January 2022 from https://www.espressoenglish.net/linking-
words-in-english-reasons-and-results/
Harry. (2021). How to ask for clarification in English?. Retrieved in January 2022
from https://www.englishlessonviaskype.com/how-to-ask-for-clarification-
in-english/


University Press.
Sederet. (2021). Kalimat Untuk Memberikan Alasan Dalam Bahasa Inggris (Useful
Phrases for Giving Reasons). Retrieved in January 2022 from
https://www.sederet.com/tutorial/kalimat-untuk-memberikan-alasan-dalam-
bahasa-inggris-useful-phrases-for-giving-reasons

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English for Interpersonal Communication | i

English for Interpersonal Communication | ii

General Instructional Purpose

Specific Instructional Purposes

In Chapter 1, You are going to learn:

✓ Vocabularies related to time

English for Interpersonal Communication | 1

1.2 Asking and telling time

English for Interpersonal Communication | 2

For 12:00 there are four expressions in English.

English for Interpersonal Communication | 3

Asking for the time

• What time is it?

• Could you tell me the time please?

• What time does the flight to New York leave?

English for Interpersonal Communication | 4

• It is half past five (5:30).

• The bus arrives at midday (12:00).

• It arrives at midday (12:00).

We don't normally use the 24-hour clock in English.

Telling the Time - Practice Exercise

English for Interpersonal Communication | 5

Time table example

English for Interpersonal Communication | 6

Richard, J. C. (1990). Interchange: Student’s Book 1. Cambridge University Press.

Richard, J. C. (2012). Interchange: Teacher’s Edition 2 (Fourth Edition).

Richard, J. C. (2012). Interchange: Students Book 3 (Fourth Edition). Cambridge

English for Interpersonal Communication | 7

General Instructional Purpose

Specific Instructional Purposes

In Chapter 2, You are going to learn:

✓ Expressing daily routine.

English for Interpersonal Communication | 8

Talking about your daily routine in English.

Why should this be so?

A Simple Guide on English Grammar

The Only Verb Tense You Will Ever Need

English for Interpersonal Communication | 9

Watch Out for Adverbs

English for Interpersonal Communication | 10

same routine before leaving the house to go to school or work.

tea/coffee, Say good morning to family/wife/roommates, Read the news/catch up

with the news, Leave the house.

After that, I go to the kitchen and have breakfast.

English for Interpersonal Communication | 11

2.2 Expressing Work/School Routine

English for Interpersonal Communication | 12

It takes me thirty minutes to get to work by subway so I try to read something on

Morning at Work/School Routine

• What do you do in the morning?

• What is the first thing you do at school or at work?

• Do you do the same thing every morning at work/school? Or is there some

Let’s look at some phrases you might need to use:

English for Interpersonal Communication | 13

English for Interpersonal Communication | 14

English for Interpersonal Communication | 15

I finish my morning classes, then I have lunch, then I talk to my friends.

Afternoon at Work/School Routine

These phrases might be useful:

English for Interpersonal Communication | 16

On The Way Home Routine

English for Interpersonal Communication | 17

What do you like to do in the evening?