miércoles, 3 de septiembre de 2014

present perfect simple and present perfect continuous

PRESENT PERFECT SIMPLE VS. PRESENT PERFECT CONTINUOUS

We use the present perfect tense to talk about things where there is a connection between the past and the present.

   He’s written 16 books.

He started writing books at some time in the past. So far, he has written 16 books. He may write more books.

As well as the present perfect simple, we can use the present perfect continuous tense to talk about events with a connection to the present.



1 Look at these 2 sentences:
   I’ve been decorating the house this summer. The focus is on the action – decorating – and the action is unfinished.

   I’ve painted the living room blue. The focus is on the finished result. The activity is finished but we can see the result now.

We use the present perfect continuous when the focus is on an activity that is unfinished.



2 Look at these two sentences.
   I’ve read that book you lent me.
 I finished it yesterday.
   I’ve been reading that book you lent me. I’ve got another 50 pages to read.

The present perfect simple (I’ve read) gives the idea of completion while the present perfect continuous (I’ve been reading) suggests that something is unfinished.



3 Look at these two sentences.
   She’s been writing emails for 3 hours.
   She’s written 10 messages.

The present perfect continuous (has been writing) talks about how long something has been happening. The present perfect simple (has written) talks about how much/how many have been completed.



4 Look at these two sentences.
   I’ve worked here for thirty years.
   I usually work in London but I’ve been working in Birmingham for the last 3 weeks.

We can use the present perfect simple to talk about how long when we view something as permanent. But the present perfect continuous is often used to show that something is temporary.



lunes, 1 de septiembre de 2014

perfect tenses

Perfect Tenses





The three perfect tenses in English are the three verb tenses which show action already completed. (The word perfect literally means "made complete" or "completely done.")
They are formed by the appropriate tense of the verb to have plus the past participle of the verb.

Present Perfect: I have seen it. 
(Present tense of to have plus participle. Action is completed with respect to the present.)

Past Perfect: I had seen it. 
(Past tense of to have plus participle. Action is completed with respect to the past.)

Future Perfect: I will have seen it. 
(Future tense of to have plus participle. Action is completed with respect to the future.)


present perfect:
http://web2.uvcs.uvic.ca/elc/studyzone/330/grammar/prperf1.htm
http://www.englisch-hilfen.de/en/exercises/tenses/present_perfect_statements.htm
http://www.ego4u.com/en/cram-up/grammar/present-perfect-simple
http://www.englishpage.com/verbpage/presentperfect.html
http://www.perfect-english-grammar.com/present-perfect-exercises.html
http://www.really-learn-english.com/present-perfect-exercises.html

past perfect:
http://www.really-learn-english.com/past-perfect-exercises.html
http://www.englishgrammarsecrets.com/pastperfect/menu.php
http://www.ego4u.com/en/cram-up/grammar/past-perfect-simple/exercises
http://www.englisch-hilfen.de/en/exercises/tenses/past_perfect_simple_past.htm
http://www.perfect-english-grammar.com/past-perfect-exercise-1.html
http://www.englishpage.com/verbpage/pastperfect.html

future perfect:
http://www.really-learn-english.com/future-perfect-exercises.html
http://www.englisch-hilfen.de/en/exercises/tenses/future_perfect_statements.htm
http://www.perfect-english-grammar.com/future-perfect-exercise-4.html
http://www.englishpage.com/verbpage/futureperfect.html
http://www.learnenglishfeelgood.com/esl-future-perfect-tense2.html
http://www.myenglishpages.com/site_php_files/grammar-exercise-future-perfect.php#.U7IcWRbIQWY






sábado, 12 de julio de 2014

Outlines and essay samples



OUTLINES 

An Argumentative essay is an essay on any topic in which you discuss some opinions for and against your assertion about the debating issue, i.e. PRO and CON points.

Below you will find specific instructions on how to write an argumentative essay on any topic, which is well written and will have a good chance to get a high grade.

An argumentative essay is organized according to one of these five patterns: Pro-Con pattern, Con-Pro pattern, 3-Con pattern





ESSAY SAMPLES

http://www.mesacc.edu/~paoih30491/ArgumentSampleEssays.html
http://www.custom-essays.org/samples/by_type/Examples_of_Argumentative_Essays.html
http://www.buowl.boun.edu.tr/teachers/sample%20student%20essays/animal%20experimentation%20ayse%20ipek.htm
http://www.buowl.boun.edu.tr/teachers/sample%20student%20essays/birth%20control%20zafer%20dogan.htm

jueves, 10 de julio de 2014

thesis

Tips for Writing Your Thesis Statement



An argumentative paper makes a claim about a topic and justifies this claim with specific evidence. The claim could be an opinion, a policy proposal, an evaluation, a cause-and-effect statement, or an interpretation. The goal of the argumentative paper is to convince the audience that the claim is true based on the evidence provided.

2. Your thesis statement should be specific—it should cover only what you will discuss in your paper and should be supported with specific evidence.
3. The thesis statement usually appears at the end of the first paragraph of a paper.
4. Your topic may change as you write, so you may need to revise your thesis statement to reflect exactly what you have discussed in the paper.

Example of an argumentative thesis statement:
High school graduates should be required to take a year off to pursue community service projects before entering college in order to increase their maturity and global awareness.

HOW DO I KNOW IF MY THESIS IS STRONG?
If there’s time, run it by your instructor or make an appointment at the Writing Center to get some feedback. Even if you do not have time to get advice elsewhere, you can do some thesis evaluation of your own. When reviewing your first draft and its working thesis, ask yourself the following:
            Do I answer the question? Re-reading the question prompt after constructing a working thesis can help you fix an argument that misses the focus of the question.

            Have I taken a position that others might challenge or oppose?If your thesis simply states facts that no one would, or even could, disagree with, it’s possible that you are simply providing a summary, rather than making an argument.


            Is my thesis statement specific enough? Thesis statements that are too vague often do not have a strong argument. If your thesis contains words like “good” or “successful,” see if you could be more specific: why is something “good”; what specifically makes something “successful”?

            Does my thesis pass the “So what?” test? If a reader’s first response is, “So what?” then you need to clarify, to forge a relationship, or to connect to a larger issue.


            Does my essay support my thesis specifically and without wandering? If your thesis and the body of your essay do not seem to go together, one of them has to change. It’s okay to change your working thesis to reflect things you have figured out in the course of writing your paper. Remember, always reassess and revise your writing as necessary.

Does my thesis pass the “how and why?” test? If a reader’s first response is “how?” or “why?” your thesis may be too open-ended and lack guidance for the reader. See what you can add to give the reader a better take on your position right from the beginning.


Thesis Statements for the Argumentative Paper



The thesis statement for an argumentative paper clearly states your side of the argument and why you hold that position.  The thesis statement should fulfill the following tasks:
Clarify a narrow topic, express the opinion on that topic, and have an objective, academic tone.
Sometimes qualify major ideas, clarify major elements, and acknowledge the readers’ knowledge of the topic.
Make sure that the statement or objective is focused, concise, and well-worded.

Example:

1.  The government needs to limit farm subsidies to farmers who make less than $100,000 a year profit.

2.  The NCAA academic requirements need to be changed to accommodate students whose focus has been athletics and not academics.

3.  Occupational Safety and Health Administration regulations need to be enforced more strictly on farms to keep employees, employers, and children safe.

4.  Without private school vouchers for taxpayers, some of America’s finest schools may be closed.

5.  Liberal arts requirements are outdated in a world where technology determines human success.

6.  Term limitations in Congress will force members of Congress to meet their constituents’ demands.

7.   Passage of the Equal Rights Amendment will give women the chance to serve in combat.

8.  The amendment to ban the destruction of the United States flag in protest demonstrations is a sacrifice of the First Amendment.

9.  Unless people vote in favor of the levy referendum, Thief River Falls Public Schools will have to cut programs, such as art, music, and athletics, that are valuable to its students and, therefore, to the community.

10.  To live in a secure nation, Americans must be willing to sacrifice basic freedoms guaranteed in the Bill of Rights.