Look at these:
🎙 Speak: Tell me two things you like and combine them with "and."
Short sentences are clear, but long sentences show more natural speech. This lesson teaches you how to build them. You'll also learn how words grow (un-happy, re-do, quick-ly) and how small verbs become big actions (look up, put off).
These are the building blocks of fluent English.
A compound sentence joins two independent ideas with a conjunction. Both ideas are equally important.
| Conjunction | Meaning | Example |
|---|---|---|
| and | Both ideas are true / happening | "I work hard and I study English." |
| or | Choose one or the other | "You can walk or take a taxi." |
| so | The second idea is a result of the first | "I was tired, so I went to bed." |
WRONG: "I like movies and watching them." [Second part incomplete]
CORRECT: "I like movies and I like watching them." [Both parts complete]
ALSO CORRECT: "I like movies and enjoy watching them." [Both have the same subject: I]
"She studied hard, she passed the exam."
SO — "She studied hard, so she passed the exam." (Result)
"You can have tea coffee."
OR — "You can have tea or coffee." (Choose one)
🎙 Speak: Create three sentences, one with AND, one with OR, one with SO.
1. Make a sentence with AND. (Two things both true)
2. Make a sentence with OR. (Two choices)
3. Make a sentence with SO. (Cause and result)
🎙 Speak: Say all three sentences.
You can build new words by adding small pieces to the beginning (prefix) or end (suffix) of a word.
| Prefix | Meaning | Example |
|---|---|---|
| un- | Not / opposite | unhappy, unclear, unfriendly, unable |
| re- | Again | rewrite, restart, rebuild, return |
| dis- | Not / opposite (more formal) | disagree, dislike, disappear |
| in- (or im-) | Not | impossible, incomplete, informal |
| Suffix | Meaning | Example |
|---|---|---|
| -er | Person who does something / comparative | teacher, singer, faster |
| -ly | In a ... way (makes adverbs) | quickly, happily, carefully |
| -ful | Full of / having | beautiful, helpful, wonderful |
| -tion (-ation, -sion) | Noun / action | information, education, decision |
| -less | Without | homeless, helpless, endless |
| -ness | Quality / state (makes nouns) | happiness, sadness, kindness |
"The opposite of 'happy' is..."
UNHAPPY (prefix un- + happy)
"A person who teaches is a..."
TEACHER (teach + suffix -er)
"To do something again is to..."
REDO (prefix re- + do)
🎙 Speak: Can you think of more words with UN-, RE-, or -LY?
1. Write/Say the opposite of: clear →
2. Write/Say the adverb of: slow →
3. Write/Say the noun meaning "quality of being kind" →
🎙 Speak: Say the new words and use them in sentences.
A phrasal verb is a verb + a small word (particle like up, down, off, on). The meaning changes completely.
| Phrasal Verb | Meaning | Example |
|---|---|---|
| look after | Care for / take care of | "I look after my younger brother." |
| look for | Search for | "I'm looking for my keys." |
| get on with | Have a good relationship | "I get on with my colleagues." |
| run out of | Use all of something / no more left | "We ran out of coffee." |
| break down | Stop working / have mechanical failure | "My car broke down." |
| Phrasal Verb | Meaning | Example |
|---|---|---|
| put off | Delay / postpone | "Don't put off your homework." or "Don't put your homework off." |
| turn on | Switch on | "Turn on the light." or "Turn the light on." |
| turn off | Switch off | "Turn off the TV." or "Turn the TV off." |
| pick up | Collect / lift | "I'll pick up your sister." or "I'll pick your sister up." |
INSEPARABLE: "I'm looking for my phone." (NOT "I'm looking my phone for")
SEPARABLE: "Turn off the light" OR "Turn the light off" (both correct)
"My mother my son while I work." (looks after / looks for)
LOOKS AFTER — "My mother looks after my son." (Takes care of)
"I my keys this morning." (looked for / looked after)
LOOKED FOR — "I looked for my keys." (Searched for)
🎙 Speak: Tell me about something you're looking for or looking after.
1. Make a sentence with "look after."
2. Make a sentence with "turn on" or "turn off."
3. Make a sentence with "run out of."
🎙 Speak: Say all three sentences.
Apostrophes show TWO things: who owns something, and shortened words.
| Rule | Example | Means |
|---|---|---|
| Singular noun + 's | John's book | The book belongs to John |
| Plural noun (ends -s) + ' | students' books | Books belonging to (multiple) students |
| Irregular plural + 's | children's toys | Toys belonging to children |
| Two people + 's on second | Mary and John's house | One house, both own it |
Remember: it's = "it is". Do NOT use "it's" for possession.
WRONG: "The dog lost it's toy."
RIGHT: "The dog lost its toy." (possessive, no apostrophe)
| Contraction | Means | Example |
|---|---|---|
| I'm | I am | "I'm happy." |
| don't | do not | "I don't know." |
| can't | cannot | "I can't help." |
| won't | will not | "I won't go." |
| she's | she is / she has | "She's happy." / "She's gone." |
"That book is . It belongs to Mary." (Mary's or Marys)
MARY'S — "That book is Mary's." (Possession, singular)
" not here." (I'm or Im)
I'M — "I'm not here." (Contraction: I am)
"The books are on the table." (teachers' or teacher's)
TEACHERS' — "The teachers' books..." (Plural possession, apostrophe after -s)
🎙 Speak: Tell me something about a friend's possession. Use an apostrophe correctly.
1. Make a sentence with a possessive apostrophe (someone's thing).
2. Make a sentence with a contraction (I'm, don't, can't, etc.).
3. Make a sentence with a plural possessive (plural + ').
🎙 Speak: Say all three sentences.
Choose a card. Write a short text using compound sentences, word formation, phrasal verbs, and apostrophes. Then speak about it.
Speak about your choice. Try to use:
🎙 Speak: Go ahead. Tell your story naturally.
...build compound sentences, create new words with prefixes and suffixes, use phrasal verbs, and use apostrophes correctly.
1. What's the difference between AND, OR, and SO in compound sentences?
AND: Both ideas true. OR: Choose one. SO: Second idea is a result of the first.
2. What do prefixes UN- and RE- mean?
UN-: Not / opposite. RE-: Again.
3. What's an example of an inseparable phrasal verb?
LOOK FOR, LOOK AFTER, RUN OUT OF — You cannot separate the verb from the particle.
4. When do you use an apostrophe: John's or Johns?
JOHN'S — "John's book" (possession). Singular possessive uses 's. Plural possessive uses just ' after the s: "boys' books."
🎙 Speak: Describe your best friend. Include: a compound sentence, a word with prefix/suffix, a phrasal verb, and apostrophe uses. Two minutes.