Forming Gerunds

Introduction

---

Here is a brief review of gerunds and how to form them. Gerunds are nouns formed from verbs: walking, talking, thinking, listening Gerunds are formed by adding ING to verbs: think + ing thinking However, there are a few spelling rules that you need to know in order to form gerunds correctly. The spelling of a gerund depends on the vowels (a, e, i, o, u) and consonants (b, c, d etc.) at the end of the verb: If there is more than one consonant, just add ING: think + ing thinking If there is more than one vowel, just add ING: beat + ing beating If there is one vowel and one consonant, and the syllable is stressed, double the consonant and add ING: hit + t + ing hitting If there are one or more consonants and E, remove the E and add ING: take + ing taking In most other cases, just add ING: study + ing studying see + ing seeing

EXERCISES OF GERUNDS

1. What is the gerund formed from "shop"?___________________________________
2. What is the gerund formed from "make"? __________________________________________
3. What is the gerund formed from "please"? __________________________________________
4. What is the gerund formed from "hope"? __________________________________________
5. What is the gerund formed from "hop" (which means "to jump on one leg")? __________________________________________
6. What is the gerund formed from "hurt"? __________________________________________
7. What is the gerund formed from "beat"? __________________________________________
8. What is the gerund formed from "judge"? __________________________________________
9. What is the gerund formed from "write"? __________________________________________
10. What is the gerund formed from "filter"? __________________________________________

Send the exercises to the e-mail: mgruiz@cantv.net

Read the following article.

Read the following article. Please write a short comment about it. Try to use the expressions learnt during this lesson, if possible. Please read the article for your English Club session and be prepared to discuss it with other members of the English Club. Good luck!.

Strategies for Keeping your Job

After six years with the company, Bob Congers lost his job. Bob hadn't done anything wrong. On the contrary, he was a good worker, but this company was cutting its work force. Workforce cutbacks were a common practice in the early 1990’s. In response, career experts developed strategies for holding on to a job:

Make sure everyone knows you. Being a good worker is sometimes less important than making sure that people know you’re a good worker. Volunteer for new responsibilities, push your ideas, and generally make yourself visible.

Learn everything that could help you do your job better. If the company buys new computers, learn how to use them. If learning more about marketing could help you, take a short course in marketing.

Make sure you know everything about tbe company. And use this knowledge. If you find out that sales are becoming the most important department, try making a move to sales.

Be positive. People who find things to complaint about are a lot less popular than people who find things to praise.

Improve your speaking and writing skills. Having good ideas isn’t enough. You need to be able to communicate your ideas.

Impress your boss. You can often impress a boss by arriving early and
working late and by dressing in a businesslike way even if others dress casually.

In short, it all comes down to one basic strategy: Make yourself so valuable that the company won’t want to lose you.

Make a paragraph with your own strategy and send it to the e-mail: mgruiz@cantv.net

ASKING FOR FAVORS AND HELP, AND EXPRESSIONS TO DENY, ACCEPT AND REFUSE SOMETHING

After completing this lesson, students will learn to ask for favours or assistance and to refuse, accept or deny something.
Different alternatives are offered to express acceptance, refusal and denial as well as for asking for help or favours.

Talk about these questions and make similar questions for different type of favours (send them to the e-mail: mgruiz@cantv.net).

Directions: Read and practice the following dialogue.

Jack:	Hi, Rod. This is Jack.
Rod:	Oh, hi, Jack. What's up?
Jack:	I'm going to my best friend's wedding next weekend. l'd love to videotape it. Would you mind if I borrowed your Video camera?
Rod:	Um, yeah. That's OK. I guess. I don't Think I'll need it for anything.
Jack:	Thanks
Rod:	Sure. Have you used a video camera before? It’s pretty easy.
Jack:	Yeah, a couple of times. Would it be OK if I picked it up on Friday night?
Rod:	Fine. No problem. Make a similar dialogue and send it to mgruiz@cant.net

EXERCISES

1

Find three words or phrases that are usually paired with each verb (More than one answer is possible.)
Deny

Select at least one answer.

	A. a reason
	B. an accusation
	C. an excuse
	D. a gift
	E. a permission
	F. an apology
	G. an explanation
	H. an invitation
	I. a phone call
	J. a request
	K. a compliment
	L. a favor
	M. an offer
	N. a problem
	O. yourself

Find three words or phrases that are usually paired with each verb (More than one answer is possible.)
Offer

Select at least one answer.

	A. a reason
	B. an accusation
	C. an excuse
	D. a gift
	E. a permission
	F. an apology
	G. an explanation
	H. an invitation
	I. a phone call
	J. a request
	K. a compliment
	L. a favor
	M. an offer
	N. a problem
	O. yourself

Find three words or phrases that are usually paired with each verb (More than one answer is possible.)
Recieve

Select at least one answer.

	A. a reason
	B. an accusation
	C. an excuse
	D. a gift
	E. a permission
	F. an apology
	G. an explanation
	H. an invitation
	I. a phone call
	J. a request
	K. a compliment
	L. a favor
	M. an offer
	N. a problem
	O. yourself

Find three words or phrases that are usually paired with each verb (More than one answer is possible.)

Refuse

Select at least one answer.

	A. a reason
	B. an accusation
	C. an excuse
	D. a gift
	E. a permission
	F. an apology
	G. an explanation
	H. an invitation
	I. a phone call
	J. a request
	K. a compliment
	L. a favor
	M. an offer
	N. a problem
	O. yourself

Find three words or phrases that are usually paired with each verb (More than one answer is possible.)
Deny

Select at least one answer.

	A. a reason
	B. an accusation
	C. an excuse
	D. a gift
	E. a permission
	F. an apology
	G. an explanation
	H. an invitation
	I. a phone call
	J. a request
	K. a compliment
	L. a favor
	M. an offer
	N. a problem
	O. yourself

Prepare a role play following the instructions provided below for your next class. Then read and practice dialogue between Ms. Lock and Mr. Burr. Pay attention to the structures used and use same vocabulary and expressions to prepare your role play.

Send The role to the e-mail: mgruiz@cantv.net