LISTENING FOR TAEP

(UNIT 11 – WEEK 9)
UNIT 11: CONFIRM EXPRESSIONS
OF AGREEMENTS
Listening Part A often provides a correct answer containing an expression of
agreement, both are agreements for positive and negative statements. The
following tables will elaborate more about the agreements:

Agreement with Positive Statement

Positive statement Response
● I like chocolate. So do I.
● I am exhausted. So am I.
● They will work tomorrow. So will you.
● Dhika goes to that school. My brother does too.
● This cake is delicious. I’ll say!
You can say that again!
● If the statement uses “be” (is, am, are, was, were), the response
will also use “be”. For example, the statement “She is happy” will be
responded by “so am I”.

● If the statement uses “verb”, the response will use auxiliary

do/does/did. For example, the statement “I write an essay” will be
responded by “so do I”.

● If the statement uses a modal auxiliary (can, would, should, will),

the response will use the same modal auxiliary. For example, the
statement “I can solve this riddle” will be responded by “so can I”.
 Agreement with Negative Statement
Neither
Negative statement Response
• I can’t swim. • Neither can I
• I don’t like chocolate. • Neither do I
• I am not a patient person. • Neither am I
Either
Negative Statement Response
• They can’t stay in this room. • I can’t, either.
• She doesn’t play tennis. • I don’t, either.
• I am not interested. • I am not, either.

Note: When using “neither”, the statement must be negative and the
response must be positive. Meanwhile, when using “either”, both the
statement and response must be negative.
Present simple: use 'do / does' (+) Lucy likes coffee. So do I.
(-) Lucy doesn't like coffee. Neither do I.
Present simple with 'be': use 'am / is / are' (+) John's at the office. So am I.
(-) John isn't at the office. Neither am I.

Present continuous: use 'am / is / are' (+) Luke's going out tonight. So am I.
(-) Luke isn't going out tonight. Neither am I.

Past Simple: use 'did' (+) Jill went to the cinema yesterday. So did I.
(-) Jill didn't go to the cinema yesterday. Neither did I.

Past simple with 'be': use 'was / were' (+) She was at the library. So was I.
(-) She wasn't at the library. Neither was I.

Present perfect: use 'have / has' (+) They've been to Colombia. So have I.
(-) They haven't been to Colombia. Neither have I.

Future simple: use 'will' (+) Edward will be at the cafe later. So will I.
(-) Edward won't be at the cafe later. Neither will I.

Modal verbs: repeat the modal verb (+) He would like a cup of tea. So would I.
(-) He wouldn't like a cup of tea. Neither would I.
(+) Emma can speak Russian. So can I.
(-) Emma can't speak Russian. Neither can I.
 NOW, STUDY THIS EXAMPLE.
Example
On the recording, you will hear:
(woman) : I think, that the movie is incredible.
(man) : So do I.
(narrator) : What does the man mean?

In your test book, you read:

He thinks that the movie is credible.
He finds the movie quite tedious.
He agrees with the woman.
The movie is ordinary.

Discussion: In the conversation above, the expression So do I indicates an agreement with a

positive statement. This means that the man agrees with the woman; therefore, the best
answer is (c).
 HERE IS AN EXPRESSION INDICATING AN AGREEMENT
WITH A NEGATIVE STATEMENT.
Example
(man) : I don’t think that the project is exhausting.
(woman) : Neither do I.
(narrator) : What does the woman mean?

In your test book, you read:

(a) She thinks the project is exhausting.
(b) She disagrees with the man.
(c) She doesn’t think the project is fun.
(d) She shares the man’s opinion.

Discussion: In the conversation, an agreement with a negative statement is represented by

the expression Neither do I which means the woman shares the man’s opinion; therefore,
the best answer is (d).
STRATEGIES
1. Identify key word(s) of agreement expression in the
second line of the conversation (second speaker).
2. Consider an answer expressing an agreement. It might
be the correct answer.