Bahasa Inggeris notes, unit 1
Let's chat
Textbook Full Blast Plus 4 Student's Book (Form 4), MM Publications, CEFR-aligned, pages 7-20
What this chapter covers
- I can talk about ways of communicating and give an opinion about social networking sites (p.7-8)
- I can use the Present Simple and the Present Continuous to tell permanent situations from temporary ones, and avoid the Present Continuous with stative verbs (p.9)
- I can use computer and communication vocabulary and phrases such as keep in touch, drop a line and lose touch (p.10)
- I can make comparisons with comparatives, superlatives, as ... as and the more ... the more (p.10)
- I can express likes and dislikes with adjective and preposition phrases such as fond of, fed up with and keen on (p.12)
- I can write a personal webpage and link ideas with and, but, so, because and or (p.13)
- I can talk about past habits and past events with used to, be used to and get used to (p.14-15)
- I can form nouns from verbs and use verbs of communication correctly (p.16)
- I can write an informal email based on prompts, expressing enthusiasm, accepting or refusing an invitation and giving news (p.18-19)
This unit is about communication: social networking, mobile phones, computers and the way we write to friends. It builds the skills you need for SPM Paper 1 (grammar and vocabulary in context) and Paper 2 (an informal letter or email).
1.1Present simple and present continuous
| Tense | Use | Example |
|---|---|---|
| Present Simple | Habits, routines, facts, permanent situations, timetables | Tanya uses social networking sites. The train leaves at nine. |
| Present Continuous | Actions happening now, temporary situations, arrangements, annoying habits with always | She is playing an online game. Tomorrow they are spending the day together. |
Stative verbs: verbs of state, not action (know, understand, like, want, need, believe, seem, cost, imagine). They are not normally used in the Present Continuous: I understand, not I am understanding.
Time words help. Usually, every day, never, always point to Present Simple. Now, at the moment, these days, today point to Present Continuous.
Common mistake. She is always chatting online (Present Continuous with always) shows that the speaker is annoyed. She always chats online is a plain habit.
Choose the correct form: "My brother (stays / is staying) with us for a few days." and "I (don't understand / am not understanding) this text."
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is staying (temporary); don't understand (stative verb).
1.2Comparisons
| Pattern | Example |
|---|---|
| comparative + than | My old phone was smaller than this one. |
| the + superlative | ICT is the most interesting subject. |
| (not) as + adjective + as | Uploading a video isn't as difficult as I thought. |
| much / a lot / far + comparative | It's a lot faster to send an email than a letter. |
| the + comparative ... the + comparative | The more I use the computer, the worse my headache gets. |
| comparative and comparative | Exams are getting harder and harder. |
Common mistakes. Do not write more easier or most easiest. Short adjectives take -er / -est (easy becomes easier, easiest). Long adjectives take more / most (popular becomes more popular, most popular). Irregular: good, better, best; little, less, least.
Complete: "The (much) young people use phones, the (little) time they spend face to face."
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The more young people use phones, the less time they spend face to face.
1.3Vocabulary of communication
| Phrase | Meaning |
|---|---|
| keep in touch | continue to communicate |
| lose touch | stop communicating |
| drop (someone) a line | send a short letter, email or note |
| call (someone) back | phone someone because he or she phoned you |
| have a word with | speak to someone for a short time |
| get a reply | receive an answer |
| give (someone) a call | phone someone |
Computer verbs: turn on / shut down (a computer), download / upload (information), charge (a battery), install (software), press (a button), attach (a document to an email), scroll up and down, click, copy and paste, delete, save, print.
Likes and dislikes (followed by a noun or an -ing form):
| Positive | Negative |
|---|---|
| crazy about, keen on, fond of, a big fan of, interested in, enthusiastic about | tired of, fed up with, sick of, bored with, can't stand |
Verbs of communication: argue (disagree angrily), mention (say briefly), explain (make someone understand), yell (shout), discuss (talk to decide), chat (talk informally), complain (say you are not pleased), gossip (talk about other people's private lives).
Nouns from verbs add -ion, -ation or -ment, with spelling changes: invent, invention; inform, information; develop, development; discuss, discussion; improve, improvement; express, expression.
Common mistake. Fed up is followed by with, and sick and tired by of: fed up with, sick of, tired of.
Which sentence means the same as "I'm sick of my old computer": "I'm fed up with my old computer" or "I'm fond of my old computer"?
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I'm fed up with my old computer. Fed up with and sick of are both negative (bored, annoyed); fond of is positive.
1.4Past habits: used to, be used to, get used to
| Form | Meaning | Example |
|---|---|---|
| used to + base verb | A past habit or state that no longer happens | Mobile phones used to be big and heavy. |
| didn't use to + base verb | Negative (no -d). Question: Did you use to ...? | Phones didn't use to be small. |
| be used to + -ing / noun | Familiar with something now | I'm used to getting up early. |
| get used to + -ing / noun | Become familiar with it | You'll soon get used to using the menu. |
Common mistakes. Did you used to and didn't used to are wrong; after did / didn't use the base form: use to. After be used to and get used to use -ing, not the base verb.
Use the Past Simple for finished events at a stated time: I went to the shopping centre yesterday. Questions and negatives need did: I didn't find a good phone.
Choose: "When I was young, I (used to visit / am used to visit / use to visit) my grandparents twice a week." and "Teenagers today (are used to / use to) sending text messages."
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used to visit (a past habit; "am used to" must be followed by -ing, and "use to" is wrong without did); are used to (familiar with, followed by -ing).
1.5Reading: opinions on social networking
The four teenagers on p.8 give mixed opinions. Alicia is positive: it keeps her in touch and helps people. Adrian is negative: he worries about privacy, spam, viruses and cyberbullying. Rayyan has both views: he dislikes constant status updates but finds sites useful for organising a school play. Emma is thinking about deactivating her account: the site takes too much of her time and her mother follows her every move.
| Word | Meaning |
|---|---|
| drawback | disadvantage |
| nasty | unpleasant |
| constantly | all the time, continuously |
| update | give the most recent information |
| highlights | the best parts of something |
| deactivate | make something stop working |
You do not need to know every word. Decide which words matter and guess the rest from the sentence. For True / False / Not Mentioned, "Not Mentioned" means the text neither says it nor denies it.
The text on p.14, From brick to smartphone, traces the mobile phone from the 1973 DynaTAC (large, about a kilogram, very expensive, talk time about an hour) to modern smartphones. Its main idea is that mobile phones have changed a lot since the first one was invented.
1.6Writing a personal webpage
- Group information in categories (my family, my mates, my interests, my dislikes).
- Use a friendly, informal voice and write two or three paragraphs.
- Link ideas: and (addition), but (contrast), so (result), because (reason), or (alternative).
Model sentence
I'm not a big sports fan, but we do other things together, so we never get bored.1.7Writing an informal email
| Part | What to do | Useful phrases |
|---|---|---|
| Greeting | Greet the reader | Hi Simon, Dear Uncle Greg |
| Opening | Say why you are writing | How are things? Thanks for your email. Sorry I haven't written for so long, but ... |
| Main part (2-3 paragraphs) | Cover every note; add your own comments | Let me fill you in. Here's the latest. You won't believe ... |
| Closing | Emphasise something and end | Write back soon. Keep in touch. Say hello to ... |
| Sign-off | Signature ending, first name | Yours, All the best, Take care, Love |
| Function | Phrases |
|---|---|
| Enthusiasm | That's great news! I was so pleased to hear that ... |
| Accepting | Sounds brilliant! Count me in. I wouldn't miss it for the world. |
| Refusing | I'm afraid I can't make it because ... Maybe some other time. It was nice of you to invite me, but ... |
| Giving news | Guess what! Here's an update of what's happening in my life. |
Informal language: short forms (I'm, didn't), exclamations, direct questions, and words such as anyway, by the way, you know. Avoid text-speak such as wanna and cu l8r. Read the notes carefully, include every point, and do not copy the notes; rephrase and add a comment.
Write one sentence that refuses an invitation to a party politely and gives a reason.
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For example: "It was nice of you to invite me, but I'm afraid I can't make it because I have a family wedding on Saturday."
Summary
- Present Simple: habits and facts. Present Continuous: now and temporary. Stative verbs stay in the Simple.
- Comparisons: -er than, more ... than, as ... as, the more ... the more, comparative and comparative.
- Likes: crazy about, keen on, fond of. Dislikes: fed up with, sick of, tired of, bored with.
- Past habits: used to + base verb; didn't use to; be / get used to + -ing.
- Informal email: greeting, opening, main part, closing, sign-off; include all notes; use the right phrases.