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Level: Intermediate-Advanced
The to-infinitives are used as postmodifier after abstract nouns such as ability, attempt, wish, chance, refusal, desire, opportunity, failure, and need.
ability An effective speaker has the ability to explain things clearly and concisely.
attempt He attempted to apply for a job but he did not get hired.
chance All he wanted was a chance to play in the finals.
desire He expressed a desire to speak before the public.
failure This bankruptcy is largely due to the company’s failure to cut spending.
need There is no need to bring more food to the picnic.
opportunity The students are just grateful for the opportunity to learn from their teacher.
refusal His refusal to make amends with his ex-wife upset his children.
wish I just wish to express my sincere gratitude for what you did for me today.
The to-infinitives are also often used as a postmodifier after indefinite pronouns:
Do you have something to say?
I had no one else to turn to.
There is hardly anything to see in this dark room.
B2 – Upper Intermediate
Do you meet awkward silences during your talks with anyone?
Here are some tips to make a conversation more effective and interesting.
Discussion Questions:
1. What is your opinion of the video?
2. Are you a sociable person?
3. How do you engage in conversation with other people?
4. What topics do you usually talk about? What topics do you avoid?
5. What are other ways to have a smooth interaction/conversation with other people?
Level: Intermediate-Advanced
Typically, a noun phrase consists of a noun or a pronoun while noun phrases also include:
Determiners These shoes are very colorful.
Quantifiers She’s worked in many companies.
Numbers The company has about a hundred subsidiaries across the world.
Adjectives She is one of my oldest friends.
These parts are called premodifiers as they are placed before the noun.
Premodifiers are used in this order:
determiners and quantifiers > numbers > adjectives + NOUNS
Examples:
The three ideas > The three ideas
Our brilliant ideas > Our brilliant ideas
Three brilliant ideas > Three brilliant ideas
These three brilliant ideas > These three brilliant ideas
Some brilliant ideas > Some brilliant ideas
All those three brilliant ideas > All those three brilliant ideas
Their many brilliant ideas > Their many brilliant ideas
Postmodifiers are the parts found after the noun.
Postmodifiers can be prepositional and -ing phrases, relative and that clauses, or to infinitives.
a company with a social corporate responsibility programs
that girl in that pink floral dress
the building at the end of the block
the clothes hanging over there
the employee having a meeting with the client
the project she worked on for a year
the closet that my father assembled
the manager who proposed this initiative
an twenty-year-old lad who came by this morning
They’re still not satisfied with their record, in spite of the fact that they won the competition.
Carla got the impression that her new team didn’t support her.
There was a suggestion that the public library should be renovated.
She’s got no conferences to attend.
These infinitive postmodifiers are common after indefinite pronouns and adverbs:
We should think of something to do.
They have nowhere to go.
It is also possible to have more than one postmodifier:
a fifty-year old CEO with a degree which he received from Harvard
those students on the field playing football
B2 – Upper Intermediate
If you have ever been to Japan, there is probably one thing you quickly noticed and asked yourself was, “Why are there many vending machines everywhere?”. In fact, there is one vending in every 23 Japanese.
Watch the video and find out why in Japan, there are vending machines everywhere.
Discussion Questions:
B1 – Intermediate
Artificial Intelligence (AI) assistants can listen to, answer questions, and follow commands. But should it give health advice too?
Read about AI assistants answering health questions from the link below and be ready to answer the questions that follow.
Discussion Questions:
1. What are the good and bad things about an AI assistant answering questions about health?
2. Why are some people worried about this new feature of Alexa?
3. Would you use this feature to ask about your health questions?
Level: Intermediate-Advanced
Generally, some is used in positive sentences while any is used in negative sentences.
SOME | ANY |
They bought some donuts. My parents are always tired. They’ve always got some work to do. | They didn’t buy any flowers. His parents are lazy. They never do any work. |
Any is also used when the meaning in the sentence is negative.
They fired without any warning. (They didn’t give a warning before firing.)
She refuses to do anything. (She doesn’t do anything.)
Hardly anybody noticed the new signage. (Almost nobody noticed)
Some and any are both used in questions to talk about someone or something that you know exists
Are you waiting for somebody?
Do you know anybody here?
Some is used in questions to offer something or ask for things.
Would you like some coffee?
Can I have some money, please?
Any is used in most questions especially when you don’t know if that person or thing exists.
Do you have any equipment?
I can’t find my mobile phone. Has anybody seen it?
Any is often used after if.
If there are any questions, please raise your hands.
If anyone calls, tell them I’m out of the office.
Let me know if there’s anything I can do for you.
Any is used if the idea of if is implied in the sentence.
We are truly sorry for any inconvenience this issue caused you. (if the issue caused any inconvenience).
Anyone who wishes to take on this project, please see me in my office. (if there is anyone)
Any can be used to mean “it doesn’t matter which”.
You can choose any color. They all look good on you anyway.
Which flight schedule should we book? – I don’t care. Any schedule is fine with me.
Compare: something and anything:
A: I’m bored. I want to do something.
B: What would you like to do?
A: It doesn’t matter. Anything. (=something, but it doesn’t matter what)
Somebody/someone/anybody/anyone are singular words.
Someone was asking for you earlier but you were out for lunch.
Across the world, when somebody becomes of age, they celebrate it with a big party.
There wasn’t anybody/anyone in the conference room.
However, use them/they/their after somebody/someone/anybody/anyone.
Someone left their laptop in the break room. (=his or her laptop)
If anybody wants to go home early, they can. (=he or she can)
C1 – Advanced
In August 1971, Stanford University psychology professor Philip Zimbardo set up a simulated prison in the basement of the university’s building and hired ordinary people to play the roles of guards and prisoners. The experiment was supposed to last for 2 weeks. However, things got out of hand and they had to shut it down on the 6th day.
Watch the video to learn more about the Standford Experiment.
Discussion Questions: