Category: Class

Embedded Questions

B1 – Intermediate

An embedded question is a question that is used as a part of another question or a statement.

Uses

1. Part of another question

It’s called an indirect question and is often used to be polite.

Normal question: Where is the supermarket?

Indirect question (with an embedded question): Could you tell me where the supermarket is?

2. Part of a statement

The embedded question is a noun clause and functions as a noun. It can be used as the subject or the object of the main clause.

Normal question: Where did he travel to?

Embedded question in a statement (noun clause is the subject): Where he traveled to was Japan.

Normal question: Where did he travel to?

Embedded question in a statement (noun clause is the object): I don’t know where he traveled to.

Forms

The same rules are applied to embedded questions in statements the same way it is used with embedded questions in indirect questions.

  1. If there is a question word, it is retained. 

Ex. Do you know what time the train leaves?

2. If there is no question word, ‘if’ or ‘whether’ is used.

Ex. Do you know if the movie starts at 5:00?

3. We use normal sentence grammar so “do”, “does”, or “did” is not necessary.

Ex. Can you tell me what she said?

Not: Can you tell me what did she say?

4. We use normal sentence word order which is: subject + verb; and not verb + subject.

Ex: Can you explain to me what this means? 

Not: Can you explain to me what means this?

5. A full stop is used instead of a question mark at the end of the sentence.

Ex. I don’t know where the office is. 

Not: I don’t know where the office is?

Verbs Used with Embedded Questions

  1. Wonder: He wonders why it rains a lot in April.
  2. Know: You don’t know what you’re saying.
  3. Remember: She doesn’t remember where her mobile phone is.
  4. Be sure: They are sure when the wedding will be.
  5. Find out: Let’s find out what their specialty is.
  6. Think about: I’m thinking about how he’s going to travel without any money.
  7. Forget: I forgot why I did that.

Subject Questions

If the sentence starts with a subject question, there is no need to change the grammar that much because it is almost like a statement.

Normal subject question: Who likes pizza?

Embedded subject question: I don’t know who likes pizza.

Normal subject question: What happened?

Embedded subject question: I am trying to find out what happened.

Test 384

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Modal – Have To

“Have to” is used in expressing that something is required by rules, duty, or situation. It functions as a verb that is conjugated as “I have to”, “he has to”, “we had to”, “they will have to” in different tenses. 

Put “do” or “does” before “have to” to form a question and the negative. For example, “Do you have to go?” “She doesn’t have to talk.” 

“Have to” works in present, past, and future.

Present: 

She has to eat.

It has to play.

They have to travel.

Past:

He had to send the email.

We had to sing.

Future: 

I will have to see.

We will have to try.

Have to vs Must

“Have to” often signifies external rules or requirements. 

“Must”, on the other hand, is more an internal obligation, and is more versatile for past and future uses. 

“Have to” (or “have got to”) is used for general duties, rules, and necessities.

The negative form “don’t have to” means “not necessary,” and “mustn’t” means “prohibited”. 

Test 383

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Nouns That Can Be Both Countable and Uncountable

Countable vs Uncountable

A noun is a word that is used to identify any of a class of people, places, or things, etc. It can either be countable or uncountable.

A countable noun is something that can be counted individually.

An uncountable noun is a substance, an abstract idea, or a thing that is treated as a whole and cannot be counted.  

Nouns That Can Be Both Countable and Uncountable

There are nouns that can be countable and uncountable at the same time. Usually, they each mean differently.

Here are just a few examples of nouns that can be both countable and uncountable:

hairUncountablestrands growing on a person’s headShe has blonde hair. 
Countablesingle strand of hairThere is a strand of hair in my soup.
chickenUncountablefoodI love chicken.
CountableanimalThey have more than 50 chickens.
roomUncountablespaceI know you are full, but make room dessert.
Countablea part of a house or buildingThere are three big meeting rooms in our office.
memoryUncountablethe brain’s ability to encode, store, and retrieve informationDoes your grandmother still have a good memory?
Countablesomething remembered from the pastIt is a memory that she has of her childhood.
timeUncountableconcept of duration as measured by clocksTime is gold.
Countablenumber of instancesThe debt collector called us three times.
fireUncountablecombustion or burningFirefighters extinguish fires.
Countablean incident of destructive burningThere had been three fires in this neighborhood this week!
experienceUncountableskill or knowledgeHe doesn’t have a lot of experience in programming.
CountableeventVisiting Paris was an unforgettable experience for our family.

Remember: 

Usage is determined by context. As a general rule, if “a/an” or a number is before it, it can be considered as a countable noun. On the other hand, if it is a substance or concept, then it is an uncountable noun. 

Test 350

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Is Social Media Dead?

B2 – Upper Intermediate 

Perhaps, three or four years ago, we were so engrossed in social media platforms. But as generative AI rises, many users feel that their feeds no longer contain contents that they can relate with or reflect their preferences or interests.

Listen to this audio and read the transcript about the way we use social media has changed over time.

https://www.bbc.co.uk/learningenglish/english/features/6-minute-english_2026/ep-260108

Vocabulary Questions:

  1. What does “downward spiral” mean? “Is social media on a downward spiral?” Use the idiom in a sentence and give a synonym.
  2. What does “behemoth” mean? “We see the large social networks and the tech behemoths leaning into generated content, and I think users don’t actually want that.” Use the word in a sentence and give a synonym.
  3. What does “gravitate towards” mean? “I see people gravitating towards smaller online spaces, connecting more closely with individual voices, like creator types, and just posting less in general.” Use the phrase in a sentence and give a synonym.

Discussion Questions:

  1. Is social media dead? Share your insights regarding this.
  2. Was there a moment for you when you felt like social media changed? In what ways?
  3. Do you think this is really happening nowadays, “People gravitate towards smaller online spaces, connecting more closely with individual voices, like creator types, and just posting less in general.”?
  4. Do you agree or not, “Social media was friendlier before – an online space to make friends, have fun and discuss the latest cultural happenings.”? Share your thoughts.
  5. Imagine a world where people use socmed less or not at all.

The 3-2-1 Speaking Trick 

B2 – Upper Intermediate 

Some people find themselves rambling when they need to make a speech. Do you ever wonder how those people who have excellent communication skills do it? 

There are tricks that you can pull up your sleeves to make you sound like a CEO. 

Watch the video on some mindset shifts that can help change the way you speak.

Vocabulary Questions:

  1. What does “neural echo effect” mean? “People mirror your micro-behaviors. This is something called the neural echo effect.” Use the term in a sentence and give a synonym.
  2. What does “” mean? “People judge your intelligence by clarity and not complexity. It’s called the simplicity anchor.” Use the term in a sentence and give a synonym.
  3. What does “curiosity loop” mean? “Questions increase dopamine. They call this the curiosity loop.” Use the term in a sentence and give a synonym.

Discussion Questions:

  1. Share your thoughts on the 3-2-1 speaking trick. (1. Pause for 3 seconds. 2. Give only 2 points. 3. End with 1 question.) Can you imagine applying this in some difficult speaking situations/conversations? If you already practice this, share your experience/s.
  2. Have you ever noticed others mirroring your micro-behaviors in a room full of people? Talk about some instances.
  3. One of the things that’s important in speaking in this day and age where we have shorter attention span than ever is “speaking in sprints, not streams”. This trick is especially useful during fights/disagreements. What are your thoughts on this? 
  4. Talk about your experience making a speech. What are your secrets to be able to communicate your ideas effectively?
  5. In your opinion and personal experience, how important is gesture priming or gesturing before you speak?
  6. What do you think about this, “The way you start a conversation matters more than the conversation itself.“?

Parents Saving Millions For Their Children

B2 – Upper Intermediate 

They say that starting your children off right could lead to generational wealth. Many parents save and invest so their kids can do better than them. They believe that saving up for their children could set them up for a better, brighter future.

Watch the video about some parents talking about saving millions for their children.

Vocabulary Questions:

  1. What does “generational wealth” mean? “Starting your children off right leads to generational wealth.” Use the term in a sentence and give a synonym.
  2. What does “full-ride scholarship” mean? “I went to South Carolina State University on a full-ride tennis scholarship.” Use the term in a sentence and give a synonym.
  3. What does “back-of-the-envelope calculation” mean? “I did simple back-of-the-envelope calculations in an Excel spreadsheet on how much I needed to be happy and comfortable; and maybe to raise a family.” Use the idiom in a sentence and give a synonym.

Discussion Questions:

  1. What is your opinion about parents saving all their money for their children and their future? What might be the pros and cons when parents do this?
  2. Is this practice a commonplace in your country/culture? Talk about it.
  3. Do you agree or not, “Starting your children off right leads to generational wealth.”? Share your thoughts.
  4. What would you do if you were born into generational wealth? How different do you think your life would have been?

Test 816

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