Skills Enhancement Seminar

1. Eastern Visayas State UniversityJuly 7, 2012 Mark Fullmer Skills Enhancement Seminar

2. English Questions on the LET • Reading Comprehension • Vocabulary • Pronunciation • Grammar • Idioms • Knowledge of Literature • Knowledge of Language Terminology

3. Reading Comprehension What is the meaning of this statement: “History never cited a leaderless nation”? • Nations can survive without leaders • A leader can fade away but another will come up • Leaders are always born • Leaders are matched with historical events

4. Vocabulary The President is a garrulous speaker. GARRULOUS means: • Taciturn • Reticent • Talkative • Diligent

5. Knowledge of Literature In Paz Latorena’s short story “The Small Key” what is inside the chest when the second wife Soledad opened it? • Old clothes • Skeletons • Land documents • Weapons used in the second world war

6. Knowledge of Language Terminology This theory of language learning and literacy views children capable of relating new information to prior knowledge. • Constructivist • Sociolinguist • Interactive • Reader Response

7. Objectives for Today • Reading Comprehension • Vocabulary • Pronunciation • Singular-Plural agreement • Idioms • Knowledge of Literature • Knowledge of Language Terminology

8. Results from our prepositions seminar Pre-test: 62% correct 1. Joan lives ___ Santillan Road. (a) in (b) on (c) at (d) to 2. Maggie will be ready to leave ___ about thirty minutes. (a) in (b) at (c) on (d) where 3. Since he met his new girlfriend, Mico never seems to be ___ home. (a) on (b) at (c) in (d) towards 4. Jeremy responded to his mother’s demands ___ throwing a tantrum. (a) with (b) by (c) from (d) through 5. I think Carmen spent the entire afternoon ___ the phone. (a) on (b) in (c) at (d) with Post-test: 78% correct

9. PRONUNCIATION: What you need to know for the LET

10. Rhyme Questions 1. Which of these words do not rhyme? (a) That’s easy to bear. (b) Let us sing a cheer for them. (c) It is so clear. (d) it is the sheer truth. Tip 1: If you find any 2 sounds that are the same, eliminate them as possible answers. Tip 2: Don’t be fooled by spelling. English pronunciation is not consistent.

11. Emphasis Questions Which word is read on a high note to emphasize the kind of day: “This is a warm day!” (a) is (b) day (c) warm (d) this adjective verb Tip 1: Ask yourself what part of speech is being identified? Tip 2: Read each option aloud to hear emphasis noun adjective pronoun

12. Phonetics Questions *most common* 4. Which among these words has the ending [d] sound? (a) Joked (b) Walked (c) Laughed (d) Played Tip 1: Eliminate answers with similar sounds Tip 2: Memorize the most common phonetic symbols using a word chart.

13. Some sounds that might be on the LET:

14. Pronunciation Post-Test Complete the following 10 questions in 8 minutes

15. 1. Which of these words do not rhyme? (a) Watch the bird soar high. (b) I am studying core curriculum. (c) Please pour the drinks. (d) I was one hour late for class. 2. Which ED end sound is different? (a) Pleaded (c) Collaborated (b) Imported (d) Informed 3. Which word is read on a high note to emphasize who is doing the action: “I bought the cake yesterday!” (a) I (c) bought (b) cake (d) yesterday 4. Which among these words has the ending [id] sound? (a) unchecked (c) pockmarked (b) coughed (d) misinterpreted 5. Which among these words has the [z] end sound? (a) Maps (c) Laughs (b) Jokes (d) Buys

16. 6. Which among these words has the starting voiced [th] sound? (a) Thank (c) Think (b) These (d) Thing 7. Which among these words has the [sh] sound? (a) through (c) promotion (b) vizualize (d) vacillate 8. Which among these words has the voiced [th] sound? (a) Mouth (c) Breathe (b) Teeth (d) Health 9. Which of the words below has the [zh] sound? (a) Ships (c) She (b) Shore (d) Leisure 10. Which among these words has the [id] end sound? (a) Praised (c) Mailed (b) Judged (d) Needed

17. Singulars & Plurals Workshop Pretest: Complete the following 10 questions in 10 minutes.

18. 1. Which is the correct plural for the word “mouse”? (a) mouses (c) mice (b) mouse (d) mices 2. Which is a correct singular-plural pair? (a) thief--thiefs (c) tomato--tomatos (b) roof--rooves (d) hero--heroes 3. Which has a correctly pluralized noun? (a) The two ladys were late. (c) The two sandwiches were eaten. (b) The two womans were late. (d) The two cupes of water. 4. Which of the following sentences uses an incorrect plural noun? (a) I broke my one pair of glasses and now I cannot see. (b) After the murder, many polices arrived on the scene of the incident. (c) A number of people attended the fiesta in V&G subdivision. (d) There was much furniture at the store.

19. 5. Some words are never pluralized in English. Which of these is always singular? (a) appendix (c) information (b) media (d) data 6. Which sentence is grammatically correct? (a) My scissors is not cutting correctly. (c) Physics is my favorite subject. (b) Economics are a difficult subject. (d) The United States are very influential. 7. Some words have 2 acceptable plurals. Which includes an unacceptable form? (a) appendixes/appendices (c) syllabuses/syllabi (b) indexes/indices (d) criterions/criteria

20. 8. Which incorrectly pluralizes a word that should be singular? (a) Reading will teach many facts. (c) Reading will improve your vocabularies. (b) If you read, you will gain new ideas. (d) Reading will teach you more words. 9. What is the correct plural for the word “phenomenon”? (a) phenomenones (c) phenomena (b) phenomenons (d) phenomenas 10. For words ending in “y”, what is the correct rule? (a) Add “s” after all words ending in “y” (b) Add “ies” after all words ending in “y” (c) Add “s” after words ending in vowel + y, but replace “y” with –ies for words ending in consonant + y (d) Add “s” after words ending in consonant + y, but replace “y” with –ies for words ending in vowel + y

21. English Pluralization is Buang-buang!

22. We'll begin with a and the plural is

23. But the plural of should be oxen, not oxes.

24. One fowl is a but two are called geese,

25. Yet the plural of should never be meese.

26. You may find a lone or a whole set of

27. Yet the plural of is houses not hice.

28. If the plural of is always called

29. Why shouldn't the plural of be called pen?

30. If I speak of a and you show me your

31. And I give you a would a pair be called beet?

32. If one is a tooth and a whole set are Why should not the plural of booth be called beeth?

33. One may be “that” and three would be “those,” Yet in the plural wouldn't be hose.

34. And the plural of is cats and not cose.

35. We speak of a and also of brethren,

36. But though we say we never say Methren,

37. Then the masculine pronouns are he, his and him

38. But imagine the feminine being She, shisand shim

39. So English, I fancy you will all agree,Is the funniest language you ever did see.

40. Topic 1: Plural Nouns • There are 4 main ways to construct plural in English. There is a pattern, but there are also exceptions to the rule. • word + s • word + es • Word ending in “y” =ies • Word ending in “f” =ves

41. Word + s (*most common*)

42. Word + es Sibilants include “ch” “ts” “zh” “z” “x” “s” Add “es” after sibilants. (What are sibilants?)

43. For words ending in “y” Rule 1: After consonant + y, replace with “ies” Rule 2: After vowel + y, add “s”

44. For words ending “f” or “fe”

45. For words ending in “o”

46. Activity: Pluralize these words 1. overlay 2. sanctuary 3. trench 4. trinket 5. reef 6. leaf 7. interruption 8. information overlays sanctuaries trenches trinkets reefs leaves interruptions information

47. For some words, you never add “s” (Uncountable nouns)

48. Topic 2: Singular Nouns Some nouns are singular even though they refer to plural things

49. Some nouns end in “s” but use a singular verb

50. Activity: is the sentence correct? In the past decade, scientists have made many progresses in the field of genomic research. • In the past decade, scientists have made much progressin the field of genomic research.