CLASS 2: July 30th, 2013

TOEFL Grammar
There are several things you can do to prepare for the TOEFL ?Structure? section.
1. Understand Basic Sentence Structure. 2. Understand Conjunctions and Linking Words, Coordinators, and Subordinators. 3. Understand Subject-Verb Agreement and Passive Voice. 4. Understand Reduced Relative Clauses and Reducing Adverbial Clauses. 5. Understand Participial Phrases and Introductory Phrases. 6. Understand Parellelism and Inversions. 7. Understand Noun Clauses and Embedded Questions. 8. Understand Parenthetical Statements, Gerunds, and Infinitives. 9. Understand Stative Passives and Prepositions.

Source: http://www.eslgold.com/grammar/toefl_grammar.html

For the purposes of training, I will be sending you information related to the grammatical aspects you SHOULD know for sitting the TOEFL test. These are the structural aspects we will be discussing each class. We will be studying and reviewing grammar for a month. If we need more time, we will extend the time allotted. REMEMBER: the more structural aspects you know, the EASIER it will be to complete some of the test sections as this test is about time management and academic knowledge of the English language. First, buy a notebook and divide it into two sections: Grammar and Vocabulary. Language in use will not be included as it is part of the test itself. This means we will use theory as we practice. Each of the Grammar aspects included in these handouts will have a number of exercises for you to review and practice key formal aspects of the English language. After we finish dealing with some basic grammar (for TOEFL), I will suggest some you tube videos you can watch to reinforce all the content studied. Lets start!

VERBS In English, verbs have three different forms: the infinitive or base form, the past simple, and the past participle. For example: Base form BE Past simple WAS/WERE Past Participle BEEN

Each tense in English, uses verbs in one of these forms. In addition to this, verbs can be regular or irregular. This means that some verbs in a past tense add the ending ed and some change completely. The former are REGULAR VERBS and the latter are IRREGULAR VERBS. For example: I studied at university for four years, and then I graduated. (Study and graduate are regular verbs) I told my brother that he was a wonderful person. (Tell and be are irregular verbs) How many tenses are there in the English language? Lets take a look: 1. Present simple 2. Present continuous 3. Present perfect 4. Present perfect continuous 5. Past perfect 6. Past perfect continuous 7. Will/going to (Simple Future) 8. Future continuous 9. Future perfect 10. Future perfect continuous In this handout, I will only include THE PRESENT SIMPLE, THE PRESENT CONTINUOUS, THE PAST SIMPLE, THE PAST CONTINUOUS, THE PRESENT PERFECT SIMPLE, THE PRESENT PERFECT CONTINUOUS, AND THE PAST PERFECT.

The present simple

The present continuous

The past simple and the past continuous

The present perfect simple and the past simple

Present perfect simple, present perfect continuous, past perfect

For further information on these different verb forms, you can check the following web page: http://www.englishpage.com/verbpage/verbtenseintro.html

Practice section You will be doing exercises from upper intermediate and international exams books. Good luck! Exercise 1

Exercise 2

Exercise 3

Exercise 4

Exercise 5

Exercise 6

The following is a Grammar section and tests specific for TOEFL. We will do these section after we covered the contents from the first booklet. TOEFL Grammar Exercises
Directions: The questions here test your knowledge of English grammar. Each question consists of a short written conversation, part of which has been omitted. Four words or phrases, labelled 1, 2, 3, and 4, are given below the conversation. Choose the word or phrase that will correctly complete the conversation. Click on the answer you think is correct.

1. What year did you _____ university? Gradate graduate from graduating graduating from

2. It seems to be getting worse. You had better _____ a specialist. consult consult to consult for consult by

3. Chicago is a large city, _____? aren't it doesn't it won't it isn't it

4. Don't leave your books near the open fire. They might easily _____. catch to fire catch the fire catch on fire catch with fire

5. Do you enjoy _____?

to swim swimming swim to swimming

6. I have trouble _____. to remember my password to remembering my password remember my password remembering my password

7. Do you have _____ to do today? We could have a long lunch if not. many work much work many works much works

8. My brother will _____ for a few nights. provide us up provide us in put us up put us in

9. When will the meeting _____? hold on hold place take on take place

10. The board meeting was held _____. at Tuesday on Tuesday with Tuesday in Tuesday

11. Why don't you _____ us? go to the house party with go together the house party with go the house party with together the house party with

12. That awful accident occurred _____. before three weeks three weeks before three weeks ago three weeks past

13. They didn't _____ John when he explained his decision. agree to agree with agree agree about

14. The social worker _____ the two old sisters who were ill. called to the house of called on the house of called to called on

15. Tomorrow is Paul's birthday. Let's _____ it. celebrate praise honor congratulate

16. If you don't understand the text, don't hesitate _____. ask a question

asking a question to ask a question to asking a question

17. It's snowing. Would you like to _____ on Saturday or Sunday? skiing go to ski go skiing go ski

18. Our company didn't pay _____ for that banner advertisement. much funds many funds many money much money

19. Do you feel like _____ now? swimming to swim swim to go swimming

20. Tom was thrilled to be _____ such a beautiful and interesting lady. introduced introduced at introduced with introduced to

21. "What happened to them last night? They look depressed" "I don't think _____ happened." nothing everything something anything

22. "It is not very cold. I don't think we need these big jackets." "I don't think so, _____." anyway neither either too

23. "Bill is not doing well in class." "You must _____ that he is just a beginner at this level." keep minding keep to mind keep in mind keeping in mind

24. "Excuse me. Do you know where the bus terminal is?" "It is _____ the large police station." opposite of opposed to opposite with opposite to

25. "Those students will perform the annual school play." "Yes, it is _____ for next week." due scheduled time-tabled put on

Directions: The questions here test your knowledge of English grammar. Each question consists of a short written conversation, part of which has been omitted.

Four words or phrases, labelled 1, 2, 3, and 4, are given below the conversation. Choose the word or phrase that will correctly complete the conversation. Click on the answer you think is correct 1. "You are welcome to order the goods now." "But payment should be made _____." for advance advancing in advance to advance

2. "Where do you live now?" "I live in Utah; my _____." parents too do parents do parents do, too parents also do

3. I cannot understand my neighbor's accent. I wish she would _____. speak clearer clearer speak more clearly speak speak more clearly

4. "Why are you driving so fast?" "I'm _____." must be hurry in hurry in a hurry Hurrying

5. I have your music CD. I think I _____ your concert video. also have have too too have have further

6. I hear you have started a new job. _____ like it? How do you How

What you What do you

7. I really have to go now. I have _____ the doctor. appointments to an appointment to appointment with an appointment with

8. I can meet you at Central Station. Will _____? convenient for you that convenient that be convenient you be convenient

9. I don't have any results for you today. I _____ tomorrow. have any may have any have some may have some

10. I would rather _____ a quiet cup of coffee in the office than sit in a noisy cafe. have to have prefer prefer to have

11. "Where _____ last weekend?" "I went to see my aunt and uncle." are you go do you go have you went did you go

12. I was very surprised _____ that she didn't pass the exam." hearing

to hearing at hearing to hear

13. "Why _____ she isn't speaking to us?" "We must have done something that upset her. She is just too sensitive." are you think are you imagine do you think you think

14. I hope that this winter won't be _____ last." as cold as so cold as as cold like so cold like

15. Sorry to be late. I was delayed by _____." a heavy traffic heavy traffic some heavy traffic traffic being heavy

16. The sky is getting dark. It _____ rain is on its way. looks looks like seems to will be

17. Would you do me a small favour? I _____ very much. appreciate it would appreciate would be appreciative would appreciate it

18. I am familiar with that product. I don't know _____ times I've seen it advertised on TV.

how many how often how much many often

19. "When _____ leaving for Toronto, Canada?" "We are planning to set out at 10 o'clock." are we will we will us are us

20. I asked Robert when he could fix my leaking tap. He said that he would come round and fix it _____. as much as possible as possible as he could as fast as he could possibly as soon as possible

21. "Do you know _____ that building is?" "I would say that it was built at least 100 years ago." old how age how old which age

22. The man told us that the next train would arrive _____. at three thirty at three thirty o'clock in three thirty in three thirty o'clock

23. "How _____ a crowd had gathered at the scene of the accident?" "I don't know exactly, but there were a lot of shocked onlookers." large often many much

24. That is the city _____ worst crime record. on the in the with the for the

25. "Where should I put this key?" "You can _____ it on the shelf." hang deposit sit put

The previous exercises were taken from the following web page: http://www.learn4good.com/languages/toefl/toefl_stan_test2.htm. There are nine other tests to do included in this website. I strongly recommend you take the tests included because as you answer the questions you get to know the answers and the score you have obtained. http://www.learn4good.com/languages/toefl/structure.htm in this section we will work with ALL the aspects we have studied!!!