Unit 4 Expessing Feelings

Expressing Sympathy

Sometimes bad things happen. When we hear about bad things that happen to other people it's a good idea to express sympathy. This can be difficult as we want to express our concern, but don't want to be intrusive. Here are some common phrase to help you express sympathy.

I'm sorry to hear about ...
Please accept my condolences. (used when someone close to another has died)
That's so sad.
I hope things get better soon.
I hope you feel better soon.

Example Dialogues

Person 1: I've been rather sick lately.
Person 2: I hope you feel better soon.

Person 1: Tim has been having a lot of troubles lately. I think he might be getting a divorce.
Person 2: I'm sorry to hear about Tim's problems. I hoe things get better for him soon.

It's also common to express sympathy in writing. Here are some common phrases you can use when writing a sympathy note to someone. Notice that is common to use the plural 'we' and 'our' when expressing written sympathy as a way to express that a family

My heartfelt condolences on your loss.
Our thoughts are with you.
She/he was a lot of things to many people and will be missed tremendously.
Thinking of you in your time of loss.
We are very saddened to hear of your loss. With deepest sympathies.
You have my sincere sympathy.
You have our deepest sympathy.

Expressing regret and apolologies

Expression of regret and apologies
- I am very sorry about that...
- Please forgive me for...
- I apologize for ...
- I regret to tell you that...

How to respond
- It doesn't matter
- forget it
- never mind
- no problem
- That's okay

Make some apologies and regrets based on the situation given!
1. When you are in the bus, you step on someone foot. You say...
2. Someone on the phone want to speak to your brother, but he is out. You say...
3. You play football in front of your neighbour house. Then your ball breaks your neighbour window. You say...
4. Your best friend invites you to have dinner in the beach, but you couldn't come with him/her because you have an appointment with someone else.You say...

Making and Responding to Requests

Sample phrases (from formal to informal)

A: Could I trouble/bother you to lend me $200?
B: (positive) Of course, it's no problem/trouble (at all).
B: (negative) It's impossible for me because I've only got $150.

A: Could you please take me to the airport tomorrow morning?
B: (positive) Certainly.
B: (negative) I wish I could, but I've got an appointment at 8:30.

A: Will you help me fix this error, please?
B: (positive) Sure. I'll be glad to.
B: (negative) I'm afraid I can't. I don't know anything about computers.

A: Would you mind letting me borrow your book?
B: (positive) No, not at all.
B: (negative) I'm sorry, but I need it for next week's exam.

A: I'd like you to pick up some oil on the way home, if you have time.
B: (positive) No problem.
B: (negative) I can't do that because I won't be back until 11:00.

A: How/What about cleaning your room today?
B: (positive) No sweat.
B: (negative) Sorry. I'm going out with Lucy.

Making offers

English speakers make offers all the time in conversation.

They say things like:
Can I… ?
Shall I… ?
Would you like me to… ?

Using these common English phrases – and being able to accept and reject offers – will make you sound polite and helpful.

"Can I help you?"

"Shall I open the window for you?"

"Would you like another coffee?"

"Would you like me to answer the phone?"

"I'll do the photocopying, if you like."

Shall, can and will are followed by the verb without to.

Shall is more formal than can. Would you like… is followed either by a noun, or by the verb with to.

Responding to offers

These English dialogues show you ways to accept or reject offers made to you.

"Can I help you?"
"Yes please. I'd like to know what time the train leaves."

"Can I help you?"
"No thanks, I'm just looking." (In a shop.)

"Shall I open the window for you?"
"Yes please. That would be very kind of you."

"Would you like another coffee?"
"No thanks." Or, "No thank you."

"Would you like another coffee?"
"Yes please, that would be lovely." Or, "Yes please, I'd love one."

"Would you like me to answer the phone?"
"If you wouldn't mind." Or, "If you could."
(Don't answer "Yes, I would", as this sounds like you expect someone to do it for you.)

"I'll do the photocopying, if you like."
"It's OK, I can do it." Or, "Don't worry, I'll do it.

"Or, "Thank you, that would be great."

Modals

1) can

Use	Examples
ability to do sth. in the present (substitute form: to be able to)	I can speak English.
permission to do sth. in the present (substitute form: to be allowed to)	Can I go to the cinema?
request	Can you wait a moment, please?
offer	I can lend you my car till tomorrow.
suggestion	Can we visit Grandma at the weekend?
possibility	It can get very hot in Arizona.

2) could

Use	Examples
ability to do sth. in the past (substitute form: to be able to)	I could speak English.
permission to do sth. in the past (substitute form: to be allowed to)	I could go to the cinema.
polite question *	Could I go to the cinema, please?
polite request *	Could you wait a moment, please?
polite offer *	I could lend you my car till tomorrow.
polite suggestion *	Could we visit Grandma at the weekend?
possibility *	It could get very hot in Montana.

3) may

Use	Examples
possibility	It may rain today.
permission to do sth. in the present (substitute form: to be allowed to)	May I go to the cinema?
polite suggestion	May I help you?

4) might

Use	Examples
possibility (less possible than may) *	It might rain today.
hesitant offer *	Might I help you?

5) must

Use	Examples
force, necessity	I must go to the supermarket today.
possibility	You must be tired.
advice, recommendation	You must see the new film with Brad Pitt.

6) must not/may not

Use	Examples
prohibition	You mustn't work on dad's computer. You may not work on dad's computer.

7) need not

Use	Examples
not necessary	I needn't go to the supermarket, we're going to the restaurant tonight.

8) ought to

Use	Examples
advice	You ought to drive carefully in bad weather.
obligation	You ought to switch off the light when you leave the room.

9) shall

instead of will in the 1st person

Use	Examples
suggestion	Shall I carry your bag?

10) should

Use	Examples
advice	You should drive carefully in bad weather.
obligation	You should switch off the light when you leave the room.

11) will

Use	Examples
wish, request, demand, order (less polite than would)	Will you please shut the door?
prediction, assumption	I think it will rain on Friday.
promise	I will stop smoking.
spontaneous decision	Can somebody drive me to the station? - I will.
habits	She's strange, she'll sit for hours without talking.

12) would

Use	Examples
wish, request (more polite than will)	Would you shut the door, please?
habits in the past	Sometimes he would bring me some flowers.

* no past forms - future forms

Subject And Verb Agreement

The subject and verb must agree in number: both must be singular, or both must be plural. Problems occur in the present tense because one must add an -s or -es at the end of the verb when the subjects or the entity performing the action is a singular third person: he, she, it, or words for which these pronouns could substitute.

Notice the difference between singular and plural forms in the following examples:

Singular	Plural
The student sings. (He or she sings)	Your children sing. (They sing)
The bird does migrate. (It does)	Those birds do migrate. (They do)

In order to find out if your subject and verb agree, you need to be able to identify the subject of your sentence. Here are some helpful hints that will help you to decipher where your subject is and where it is not.

---

Where is my subject?

Most likely, your verb will agree with the first noun to the left of the verb:

The Supreme Court judge decides the appropriate penalty.
Subject: judge	Verb: decides

The committee members were satisfied with the resolution.
Subject: members	Verb: were

Occasionally, a sentence has the subject after the verb instead of before it. This strategy is often used for poetic effect.

Over the ripples glides a small canoe.
Subject: a small canoe	Verb: glides

There was a well-known writer at the meeting.
Subject: a well-known writer	Verb: was

You will not find the subject in a modifying phrase (MP), a phrase that starts with a preposition, a gerund, or a relative pronoun and that modifies the meaning of the noun or subject under discussion.

The group of students is going on a field trip.
Subject: the group	MP: of students	Verb: is

The survey covering seven colleges reveals a growth in enrollment.
Subject: the survey	MP: covering seven colleges	Verb: reveals

The speaker whom you saw at the lecture is one of the state senators from Minnesota.
Subject: the speaker	MP: whom you saw at the lecture	Verb: is

If subjects are joined by and, they are considered plural.

The quarterback and the coach are having a conference.
Subject: the quarterback and the coach	Verb: are having

If subjects are joined by or or nor, the verb should agree with the closer subject.

Either the actors or the director is at fault.
Subjects: actors, director	Verb: is

Either the director or the actors are at fault.
Subjects: director, actors	Verb: are

The relative pronouns (who, whom, which, and that) are either singular or plural, depending on the words they refer to.

The sales manager is a good researcher who spends a great amount of time surfing the Web for information.
Subject: the sales manager	Verbs: is, spends

Sales managers are good researchers who spend a great amount of time surfing the Web for information.
Subject: sales managers	Verbs: are, spend

Indefinite pronouns (someone, somebody, each, either one, everyone, or anyone) are considered singular and need singular verbs although they convey plural meaning.

Anyone who wants to pursue higher education has to pass entrance exams.
Subject: anyone	Verbs: wants, has

Everyone on the committee is welcome to express his/her ideas.
Subject: everyone	Verb: is

A few nouns can be either plural or singular, depending on whether they mean a group or separate individuals. These words are rarely used as plurals in modern writing.

The jury is sequestered.
Subject: jury	Verb: is

The jury are having an argument.
Subject: jury	Verb: are having

A few subjects look plural but are really singular or vice versa.

The news of the discovery is spreading.
Subject: news	Verb: is

The mass media have publicized the facts.
Subject: mass media	Verb: have publicized

The data amaze everyone.
Subject: data	Verb: amaze

The Linking Verb

Recognize a linking verb when you see one.

Linking verbs do not express action. Instead, they connect the subject of the verb to additional information about the subject. Look at the examples below:

Keila is a shopaholic.

Ising isn't something that Keila can do. Is connects the subject, Keila, to additional information about her, that she will soon have a huge credit card bill to pay.

During the afternoon, my cats are content to nap on the couch.

Areing isn't something that cats can do. Are is connecting the subject, cats, to something said about them, that they enjoy sleeping on the furniture.

After drinking the old milk, Vladimir turned green.

Turned connects the subject, Vladimir, to something said about him, that he was needing an antacid.

A ten-item quiz seems impossibly long after a night of no studying.

Seems connects the subject, a ten-item quiz, with something said about it, that its difficulty depends on preparation, not length.

Irene always feels sleepy after pigging out on pizza from Antonio's.

Feels connects the subject, Irene, to her state of being, sleepiness.
The following verbs are true linking verbs: any form of the verb be [am, is, are, was, were, has been, are being, might have been, etc.], become, and seem. These true linking verbs arealways linking verbs.
Then you have a list of verbs with multiple personalities: appear, feel, grow, look, prove,remain, smell, sound, taste, and turn. Sometimes these verbs are linking verbs; sometimes they are action verbs.
How do you tell when they are action verbs and when they are linking verbs?
If you can substitute am, is, or are and the sentence still sounds logical, you have a linking verb on your hands.
If, after the substitution, the sentence makes no sense, you are dealing with an action verb instead. Here are some examples:

Sylvia tasted the spicy squid eyeball stew.

Sylvia is the stew? I don't think so! Tasted, therefore, is an action verb in this sentence, something Sylvia is doing.

The squid eyeball stew tasted good.

The stew is good? You bet. Make your own!

I smell the delicious aroma of a mushroom and papaya pizza baking in the oven.

I am the aroma? No way! Smell, in this sentence, is an action verb, something I amdoing.

The mushroom and papaya pizza smells heavenly.

The pizza is heavenly? Definitely! Try a slice!

When my dog Oreo felt the wet grass beneath her paws, she bolted up the stairs and curled up on the couch.

Oreo is the wet grass? Of course not! Here, then, felt is an action verb, something Oreo is doing.

My dog Oreo feels depressed after seven straight days of rain.

Oreo is depressed? Without a doubt! Oreo hates the wet.
This substitution will not work for appear. With appear, you have to analyze the function of the verb.

Swooping out of the clear blue sky, the blue jay appeared on the branch.

Appear is something a blue jay can do—especially when food is near.

The blue jay appeared happy to see the bird feeder.

Here, appeared is connecting the subject, the blue jay, to its state of mind, happiness.

Adjectives And Adverbs

Definitions:

Adjectives are words that describe nouns or pronouns. They may come before the word they describe (That is a cute puppy.) or they may follow the word they describe (That puppy is cute.).

Adverbs are words that modify everything but nouns and pronouns. They modify adjectives, verbs, and other adverbs. A word is an adverb if it answers how, when, or where.

The only adverbs that cause grammatical problems are those that answer the question how, so focus on these.

Rule 1

Generally, if a word answers the question how, it is an adverb. If it can have an -ly added to it, place it there.

Examples:
She thinks slow/slowly.
She thinks how? slowly.
She is a slow/slowly thinker.
Slow does not answer how, so no -ly is attached. Slow is an adjective here.
She thinks fast/fastly.
Fast answers the question how, so it is an adverb. But fast never has an -ly attached to it.
We performed bad/badly.
Badly describes how we performed.

Rule 2

A special -ly rule applies when four of the senses - taste, smell, look, feel - are the verbs. Do not ask if these senses answer the question how to determine if -ly should be attached. Instead, ask if the sense verb is being used actively. If so, use the -ly.

Examples:
Roses smell sweet/sweetly.
Do the roses actively smell with noses? No, so no -ly.
The woman looked angry/angrily.
Did the woman actively look with eyes or are we describing her appearance? We are only describing appearance, so no -ly.
The woman looked angry/angrily at the paint splotches.
Here the woman did actively look with eyes, so the -ly is added.
She feels bad/badly about the news.
She is not feeling with fingers, so no -ly.

Good vs. Well

Rule 3

The word good is an adjective, while well is an adverb.

Examples:
You did a good job.
Good describes the job.
You did the job well.
Well answers how.
You smell good today.
Describes your odor, not how you smell with your nose, so follow with the adjective. You smell well for someone with a cold.
You are actively smelling with a nose here, so follow with the adverb.

Rule 4

When referring to health, use well rather than good.

Example:
I do not feel well. You do not look well today.

Note: You may use good with feel when you are not referring to health.

Example:
I feel good about my decision to learn Spanish.

Rule 5

A common error in using adjectives and adverbs arises from using the wrong form for comparison. For instance, to describe one thing we would say poor, as in, "She is poor." To compare two things, we should say poorer, as in, "She is the poorer of the two women." To compare more than two things, we should say poorest, as in, "She is the poorest of them all."

Examples:

One	Two	Three or More
sweet	sweeter	sweetest
bad	worse	worst
efficient*	more efficient*	most efficient*
*Usually with words of three or more syllables, don't add -er or -est. Use more or most in front of the words.

Rule 6

Never drop the -ly from an adverb when using the comparison form.

Correct:
She spoke quickly.
She spoke more quickly than he did.

Incorrect:
She spoke quicker than he did.

Correct:
Talk quietly.
Talk more quietly.

Incorrect:
Talk quieter.

Rule 7

When this, that, these, and those are followed by nouns, they are adjectives. When they appear without a noun following them, they are pronouns.

Examples:
This house is for sale.
This is an adjective here.
This is for sale.
This is a pronoun here.

Rule 8

This and that are singular, whether they are being used as adjectives or as pronouns. Thispoints to something nearby while that points to something "over there."

Examples:

This dog is mine.
That dog is hers.
This is mine.
That is hers.

Rule 9

These and those are plural, whether they are being used as adjectives or as pronouns.These points to something nearby while those points to something "over there."

Examples:
These babies have been smiling for a long time.
These are mine. Those babies have been crying for hours. Those are yours.

Rule 10

Use than to show comparison. Use then to answer the question when.

Examples:
I would rather go skiing than rock climbing.
First we went skiing; then we went rock climbing.

Adjective –ing vs –ed

            In order not to be confused in catching the underlying meaning of adjectives derived from the present participle (verb-ing) and past participle (verb-3 ending with –ed) study the following guideline:

            If someone or something is –ing it make us –ed

·         Ben is amused because the cartoon is amusing.

·         The cartoon is amusing so Ben is Amused. (not Ben is Amusing)