LA13: Aims and Requirements
The LA13 course is designed to help you achieve the European B2 level required for your engineering degree. It aims at
improving the communication skills you will need in your future career. English is now the international language of
communication at the workplace and you must be at ease in both spoken and written English.
TD and Interview class
You will have a 2-hour TD class each week.
The aim of the TD is first and foremost to help you to communicate more effectively and more accurately in English, which
is what you will have to do as an engineer. During this TD there will be reading, listening and oral activities, developing your
vocabulary and use of grammar.
You will also have 5 interview classes (1 hour: group of 4). One of these classes will be an individual interview. Preparation
for some of these classes will be required (see Interview programme) and the vocabulary and grammar addressed in the TD
will be reinforced.
Homework in the workbook and on the LA13 Moodle web-site
The workbook is to be used in conjunction with the Moodle web-site, where video and audio resources, grammar and
vocabulary exercises are available. Please note that several hours of work should be done each week outside of your TD.
The work you have to do is clearly indicated in the workbook.
Grammar and Vocabulary
Instructions are provided on the Moodle web-site, with grammar exercises that must be done out of class each week.
You may ask your TD teacher to help you with any difficulties you have found in the exercises or explanations on Moodle.
A list of vocabulary and structures to learn is also given in your workbook each week.
You will be tested on the grammar and vocabulary in the final exam.
Video and Audio activities on the Moodle site
These activities are designed to train your ear and improve your understanding of spoken English and must be done before the
TD each week.
Writing tasks
During the semester, you will be given practice in writing to help you prepare for the mid-term and final exams.The writing
tasks must be your own work / no sharing / no copying off the internet. There is no benefit to you in doing that with regard to
preparation for the exams (and it is completely disrespectful to teachers).
Oral activities + presentations
Oral participation is essential in LA13. You will be expected to participate in class activities
Evaluation
20% for the mid-term exam, 40% for the final exam, 20% TD, 20% interviews
A pass mark must be obtained IN EACH PART SEPARATELY (exam, TD and interviews)
Mid-term and final exams
You will be tested on :
- the grammar and vocabulary studied during the semester
- listening
- writing
Attendance in the TDs and interviews is compulsory and absences will be heavily penalized. In the event of an absence
you must send an email (in English) to your teacher to explain it.
1
Il y a 13 TD numérotés de 1 à 13.
L
du 04/09 au 09/09
Ma
Me
J
V
Observations
Semaine de rentrée : ni TD, ni TP
du 11/09 au 16/09
1
1
1
1
1
du 18/09 au 23/09
2
2
2
2
2
du 25/09 au 30/09
3
3
3
3
3
du 02/10au 07/10
4
4
4
4
4
du 09/10 au 14/10
5
5
5
5
5
du 16/10 au 21/10
6
6
6
du 23/10 au 28/10
Jeudi
7
7
6
Comutec = jeudi 19/10/23
Médians du 24/10 au 28/10 inclus et
6/11
Vacances de Toussaint : du 30/10 au
04/11 inclus
7
7
samedi 11 novembre = férié
du 30/10 au 04/11
du 06/11 au 11/11
du 13/11 au 18/11
7
8
8
8
8
du 20/11 au 25/11
8
8
9
9
9
du 27/11 au 02/12
9
10
10
10
10
du 04/12 au 09/12
10
11
11
11
11
du 11/12 au 16/12
11
12
12
12
12
du 18/12 au 23/12
12
13
13
13
13
Vacances de Noël : du 23/12 après
les cours au 02/01 inclus
du 25/12 au 30/01
du 01/01 au 06/01
S
Lundi
13
same
di
Examens finaux du 05/01 au 13/01
Du 08/01 au 13/01
* Le lundi 23 octobre devient un jeudi B
* Le mercredi 3 janvier devient un lundi B
* Le jeudi 4 janvier devient un samedi B
(1) COMUTEC : suspension des cours TD et TP pour tous les étudiants
2
« First come, first served » : sign up for interviews asap
LUNDI
A
MARDI
B
A
MERCREDI
B
A
B
JEUDI
A
1
25/09
02/10
26/09
03/10
27/09
04/10
28/09
2
9/10
16/10
10/10
17/10
11/10
18/10
12/10
3
20/11
13/11
14/11
07/11
15/11
8/11
16/11
4
04/12
27/11
28/11
21/11
29/11
22/11
30/11
11/12
12/12
05/12
13/12
06/12
14/12
5
18/12
VENDREDI
B
05/10
09/11
23/11
07/12
21/12
A
B
29/09
06/10
13/10
20/10
17/11
10/11
01/12
24/11
15/12
08/12
Don’t miss the first interview !
Interview 1 : Group Interview (Week A and Week B)
Interview 2 : Group Interview (Week A and Week B)
Interview 3 : Group Interview (Week A and Week B) : DEBATE
Interview 4 : Group Interview (Week A and Week B) : DEBATE
Interview 5 : Individual Interview (Week A and Week B)
3
Interview 1
Dates of your 5 interviews:
Room:
Teacher’s name and email address:
Other students’ email addresses / phone numbers
To be done at home in advance:
Prepare questions to get to know the other students (concerning their home-towns, regions, families, studies, leisure
activities, future plans, etc.). Use a variety of tenses (present simple /+ing, preterit, present perfect, future,
conditional)
Think of some controversial topics for debate in interview 3 and 4. See “controversial topics” on Wikipedia for
example or ChatGPT…
-
Write down the topics selected after discussion. 2 topics for each interview.
Interview 3:
Topic n°1:
Topic n°2:
2 students in charge:
2 students in charge:
Interview 4:
Topic n°1:
Topic n°2:
2 students in charge:
2 students in charge:
Teacher’s comments + Things you need to work on :
……………………………………………………………………………………………………………..
4
Interview 2: it is essential that you should come prepared.
What’s in the news? Watch the news, read newspapers (in English), select 2/3 news items and be
prepared to tell the group about them. Be prepared to answer the other students’ questions.
Don’t write complete sentences, just notes please!
……………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………
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Prepare 5 questions to test the other students’ understanding of your presentation.
1. ………………………………………………………………………………………………………………
2………………………………………………………………………………………………………………..
3……………………………………………………………………………………………………………….
4……………………………………………………………………………………………………………….
5……………………………………………………………………………………………………………….
Some vocabulary you may want to remember:
Teacher’s comments + Things you need to work on:
……………………………………………………………………………………………………………..
……………………………………………………………………………………………………………..
……………………………………………………………………………………………………………..
5
Interview 3
Prepare a brief presentation of an article on the topic chosen during your first interview and send
your article to the student who is working on the same topic as you. Be prepared to lead a debate.
Notes (no complete sentences)
……………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………
……………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………
……………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………
……………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………
……………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………
……………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………
……………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………
Vocabulary you want to remember from the article:
Prepare 5 questions to lead a debate on your aspect of the topic.
1.
2.
3.
4.
5.
Teacher’s comments + Things you need to work on:
……………………………………………………………………………………………………………..
……………………………………………………………………………………………………………..
……………………………………………………………………………………………………………..
6
Interview 4
Prepare a brief presentation of an article on the topic chosen during your first interview and send
your article to the student who is working on the same topic as you.
Title of the article:
Notes (don’t write complete sentences)
……………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………
……………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………
……………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………
……………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………
……………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………
……………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………
……………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………
Vocabulary you want to remember from the article:
Prepare 5 questions to lead a debate on your aspect of the topic.
1.
2.
3.
4.
5.
Teacher’s comments + Things you need to work on:
……………………………………………………………………………………………………………..
……………………………………………………………………………………………………………..
……………………………………………………………………………………………………………..
7
Interview 5
Day and Time:
Prepare a CV in English for your interview teacher and be prepared to tell him/her about your
studies, work experience, plans for the future, career preference. The CV will not be corrected in
class.
8
Points de grammaire particulièrement étudiés en LA13 et sur lesquels vous serez
évalués aux examens
Vous trouverez sur le site de l’UV la liste des points de grammaire à connaître par niveau ainsi que des exercices :
https://www.examenglish.com/CEFR/cefr_grammar.htm
Si vous ne maîtrisez pas les points du niveau B1 (= LA12 validé avec « D » ou « E »), il vous faudra fournir un
gros travail personnel pour réussir en LA13.
Questions
Asking questions ………………….. p.28
Tenses
Preterit vs Present perfect ……………p.18
Present perfect simple vs present perfect continuous p.18
Narrative tenses ………………… p.24
Past perfect (simple and continuous) p.24
The passive ………………………… p.63
Conditional …………………………. p.66
Irregular verbs …………………….. p.90-91
Verb patterns
Infinitive or -ing? ………………….. p.33
Make / do …………………………. p.16
Wish ………………………………. p.68
Causative structures ……………….. p.78
Verb patterns (recap) ……………… p.93
Modal verbs ………………………. p.40+ p.55
Nouns
Countable uncountable nouns ……….p.43
Articles ……………………………... p.44
Quantifiers …………………………...p.51
Vous trouverez sur le site dans la rubrique « Ressources à utiliser chaque semaine pour progresser » des liens
pour travailler votre grammaire, votre compréhension, votre expression, votre prononciation et votre acquisition de
vocabulaire. Le polycopié reste votre outil de travail principal.
For more explanations and exercises :
9
COURSE 1: Communication
Information about LA13
Communication tools
Writing emails
Which factors should be considered when selecting a mode of communication ?
Good for …
Bad for …
Email
Text message
Video call
Phone call
Social media
Face to face
Writing emails – Register
In LA13, you will be required to write emails. A formal writing style is not necessarily “better” than an informal style,
rather each style serves a different purpose and care should be taken in choosing which style to use in each case. Writing for
professional purposes is likely to require the formal style, although individual communications can use the informal style once
you are familiar with the recipient. Note that emails tend to lend themselves to a less formal style than paper-based
communications, but you should still avoid the use of "text talk". If in doubt as to how formal your writing should be, it is
usually better to err on the side of caution and be formal rather than informal.
More on this at:
http://www.myenglishteacher.eu/blog/formal-and-informal-email-phrases/
▪ Decide whether A or B is more common in formal or informal writing.
1. A. full forms: does not
B. contracted forms: doesn’t
2. A. phrasal verbs: put off
B. single-word verbs: postpone
3. A. use of exclamation marks: I couldn’t believe it!
B. no exclamation marks: I could not believe it.
4. A. common words: enough
B. less common words: sufficient
5. A. long words: frequently
B. short words: often
6. A. active verb forms : I took
B. passive verb forms: I was taken
7. A. full forms of words: approximately
B. abbreviations: approx.
8. A. textbook expressions: a limited quantity
B. conversational expressions: a bit
9. A. friendly, personal tone: Please try to …
B. distant, impersonal tone: It would be advisable to …
10. A. complete sentences: There was no sound.
B. incomplete sentences: Not a sound.
10
▪ Read the two emails below and find at least 5 things that make them either formal or informal. (English
for emails – Express Series – Oxford University Press)
Dear Johannes,
I am writing to you about my visit to Bern. I am attending a conference on 20 March and I hope you can
assist me in arranging accommodation. I have tried the tourist information office but they were not very
helpful.
The conference hotel is Hotel Bern in Viktoriastrasse but I would prefer to stay in a smaller guest house
in the vicinity. Unfortunately I don’t know Bern so it is rather difficult to decide where the best
accommodation is.
I really hope the above is convenient.
Best regards
Sandy
Hi Johannes,
How’s it going?
I’m coming over to Bern for a conference in 2 weeks and was wondering if you could sort out
somewhere for me to stay? I’ve got a bit of info about the conference hotel, it’s the Hotel Bern in
Viktoriastrasse 43, but not sure I want to stay there!
Can you help me, pls?
Hope this is OK with you!
Bye for now,
Teresa
Ps: How about meeting up for a drink one night ;-)
Formal
Informal
▪ Decide whether each of these expressions is formal or informal and whether it usually goes at the
beginning or at the end of a letter/email (to be done in class)
Please get back to me asap.
Yours sincerely
I appreciate your assistance.
Well, that’s all for now.
Best wishes
Thanks for your help !
It was great to get your email.
Dear Sir/Madam
I apologise for the delay in
I have received your letter dated June 5th.
Dear Ms, Mr, Mrs + name
replying.
This is just a quick note to say…
To whom it may concern,
Sorry to be so slow getting back
I would be grateful if you could reply
Hi John,
to you.
early.
Best regards
Give my love to everyone.
See you next week.
I look forward to hearing from
you.
11
▪ Linking words: match the words (1-7) with their more formal equivalent (a-g). Which of the words (aj) are usually followed by a comma ?
Informal
Formal
1.
2.
3.
4.
5.
6.
a. However
b. Therefore
c. Following
d. Since + subject + verb
e. Furthermore
f. Owing to (+noun,+Ving)/
Due to (+noun +Ving)
So
And
Because
After
But
Because of
Followed by a
comma ?
Combine the two statements using the word(s) given in ( ) .
-
We don’t have that much money. We won’t take a holiday this year. ( since)
……………………………………………………………………………………………………….
-
The game was cancelled. The weather was bad. (because of)
……………………………………………………………………………………………………….
-
Some people can’t find jobs in their home country. They choose to emigrate to find work. (Due to)
……………………………………………………………………………………………………….
▪ Rewrite the following informal email to a customer as a more formal one. Use the expressions in the
box to help you. (From Cambridge BEC Higher, CUP)
Further to…
However,
please find
attached
do not
hesitate…
I would be
grateful
if…
to contact
(to be) in
agreement with…
do not hesitate
Yours sincerely
Dear Mr Harris
Nice to speak to you earlier on the phone. I’m now sending you a draft contract. Please read it carefully and if
you’re OK with the terms, sign it and post it back to me. The deadline for the special offer we talked about is
supposed to be tomorrow, but we’ll keep it open for you until the end of the week. Do call me if you have any
queries.
Best wishes
Laura
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12
PRACTICE :
Information about LA13 exams
You will be asked to write an email.
-
The email task tests your ability to write to an English- speaking friend / colleague / employer …
You are asked to respond to a situation described in the questions. In your email you must include all the
information asked for.
You have to organise your text into paragraphs, with a suitable beginning and ending.
You need to write grammatically correct sentences with correct punctuation and spelling, and use a wide range of
vocabulary and grammar.
You are looking for a summer job in England. Write an email to Emily Dickinson, the head of the student
employment agency.
- Introduce yourself and explain why you want to work in England
- Explain what sort of job you would like
- Say what experiences and skills you have (previous jobs, languages spoken…)
13
Name
Previous contact
Reason for writing
Giving information
Attachments
Asking for information
Requests
Promising action
Offering help
Final comments
Close
Formal/Neutral
Informal
_________________________________________________________________
Dear Mr/Mrs/Ms Dupuis
Hi/Hello Mary
Dear Mary
Mary, (or no name at all)
Dear Sir or Madam (v. formal)
_________________________________________________________________
Thank you for your email of …
Thanks for your email.
Further to your last email, …
Re your email, …
I apologise for not getting in
Sorry I haven't written for
contact with you before now
ages but I've been really busy
__________________________________________________________________
I am writing in connection with …
Just a short note about …
I am writing with regard to + nom
I'm writing about …
In reply to your email, here are …
Here's the … you wanted.
Your name was given to me by …
I got your name from …
We would like to point out that …
Please note that …
__________________________________________________________________
I'm writing to let you know that …
Just a note to say …
We are able to confirm that …
We can confirm that …
I am pleased to tell you that …
Good news !
We regret to inform you that …
Unfortunately, …
__________________________________________________________________
Please find attached my report.
I've attached …
I'm sending you … as a pdf file.
Here is the … you wanted.
__________________________________________________________________
Could you give me some information about …
Can you tell me a little more about…
I would like to know …
I'd like to know …
I'm interested in receiving/finding out …
Please send me …
__________________________________________________________________
I'd be grateful if you could …
Please could you …
I wonder if you could …
Could you … ?
Do you think I could have … ?
Can I have … ?
Thank you in advance for your help in this matter.
I'd appreciate your help on this
_________________________________________________________________
I will …
I'll …
I'll investigate the matter.
I'll look into it.
I will contact you again shortly.
I'll get back to you soon.
_________________________________________________________________
Would you like me to … ?
Do you want me to … ?
If you wish, I would be happy to …
Shall I … ?
Let me know whether you would like me to …
Let me know if you'd like me to …
________________________________________________________________
Thank you for your help.
Thanks again for …
Do not hesitate to contact us again if you
Let me know if you need
require any further information.
anything else.
Please feel free to contact me if you have
Just give me a call if you
any questions. My direct line is …
have any questions. My number is…
__________________________________________________________________
I am looking forward to … (+ -ing)
Give my regards to …
Best wishes
(Best) Regards
Yours faithfully (v. formal. Only use if “Dear Sir
Or Madam”)
Looking forward to (+-ing)
Best wishes to …
Speak to /See you soon.
Bye (for now)/All the best
14
Make sure you know these linking words (useful for emails and essays)
1.
CAUSE -RESULT
Consequently – as a result
So – therefore
Par conséquent – en conséquence
Donc
2.
CONTRAST
However – nevertheless
Although + verb
In spite of/Despite + noun or --ing
On (the) one hand…
On the other hand
Cependant – néanmoins
Bien que/ Quoi que + verbe
Malgré/En dépit de …
D’une part
D’autre part
3.
A DIFFERENT OPTION
Instead of..+ noun or -ing
Au lieu de…
4.
DURING THIS TIME…
In the meantime - meanwhile
Entretemps
5.
ADDITION
Furthermore – Moreover
On top of that
De plus/en outre
6.
COMPARISON
Compared to/with…
In comparison (with)
En comparaison de…
7.
CONDITION
Unless – If…not + verb
Otherwise
A moins que – Si… (ne .. pas )
Autrement, sinon
8.
ENUMERATION
First(ly) - First of all
Secondly - Next
Thirdly
Finally – Lastly
Premièrement - Tout d’abord
Deuxièment – Ensuite
Troisièmement
Finalement
9.
CONCLUSION
In short
To conclude,
In conclusion
To sum up
En bref
Pour finir,
En conclusion
Pour résumer
Go to https://www.perfect-english-grammar.com/linking-words-contrast-exercise-1.html
for more exercises on “despite', 'however' or 'although'
Check the meaning and pronunciation of some words
15
Vocabulary to be learnt
To agree ≠ to disagree (please don’t say “I’m agree!!”)
A disagreement
To copy someone in on an email
To make profits
A benefit
Beneficial to (adj.)
To apologize / an apology (pl: apologies)
To suggest + Ving
To make a suggestion
To be grateful to sb for sth (adj.)/ gratefulness(n.)
To be ungrateful / ungratefulness (n.)
To reply to sb /sth / a reply
To advise – advice (Uncountable noun)
It is advisable to …(adj.)
To assist sb in doing sth, to assist sb with sth
Assistance (noun)
To attend Ø a show, a concert
Attendance is compulsory
To help, helpful (adj)
Convenient (= practical) ≠inconvenient (adj.)
Sorry for the inconvenience (= trouble) (noun)
To delay, a delay (noun)
To succeed in +Ving, a success (noun), to be
successful(adj)
To lay off (people)
I wonder if ..
To take an exam / to pass an exam / to fail an exam
Etre d’accord ≠ ne pas être d’accord
Un désaccord
Mettre quelqu’un en copie d’un email.
Faire des profits, des bénéfices
Un avantage
Bénéfique, avantageux
S’excuser / une excuse
Suggérer de
Faire une suggestion
Etre reconnaissant envers quelqu’un pour / gratitude
Etre ingrat, ingratitude
Répondre à quelqu’un, à quelque chose / une réponse
Conseiller, des conseils
Il est conseillé de , recommandé de
Aider quelqu’un à..
Aide
Assister à…
L’assiduité est obligatoire
Aider, serviable (adj)
Pratique ≠ gênant, qui ne convient pas
Désolé pour le dérangement
Retarder, un retard
Réussir à, une réussite
Licencier
Je me demande si…
Passer un examen / réussir un examen / échouer à un
examen
Note : Two-syllable verbs are usually stressed on the second syllable: agree, suggest, assist, reply, attend
Useful language: collocations (words that often go together are called collocations)
Collocations with make and do
Complete the table below (To be done at home)
An activity - an appointment – an arrangement - the bed – business- a change – a choice - the
cleaning – a course – a decision – an effort – exercise – a favour – friends – homework –
housework – an impression – a job – a mistake – money – a noise – a phone call – a plan –
progress – a promise – the shopping – (a) sport – work – one’s best
Make
Do
HOMEWORK for next week
1. Study the section on email writing and grammar on the Moodle site. You will be writing an email in class
next week (evaluation)
2. Study the vocabulary p.14-15-16 + exercise on collocations with “make” and “do”p.16
3. Do the homework in the workbook p.18
16
COURSE 2: email writing
Word formation
Writing emails
Present Perfect vs Preterit
WORD FORMATION: forming new words and different parts of speech (to be done in class)
English is a very flexible language and you can build on your vocabulary and learn how to make new words. This exercise is
about word building. When you know one word in English, it is often easy to make several new words from that one root
word. For example, if you take the word KIND, which is an adjective; (she's such a kind person), you can also make the noun
kindness, the adverb kindly, the opposite unkind, unkindly etc.
Match the prefixes and suffixes a-d with 1-4. Write an example for each.
a) un- , in-, im-, dis-, ir-
1.people who do jobs
b) -er, -ee, -ist, -ant, -or
2.negative prefixes (mainly used for adjectives but also some
verbs and nouns)
c) -tion, -ment, -ness, -ity, -ance, -ence,-ship
3.Adjective suffixes
d) -ful, -less, -able, -ous, -ive, -itive, -y -ible
4.noun suffixes
The following sentences contain word formation errors. Correct the mistakes (wrong affix? Spelling mistake?
Confuse singular and plural? … ) (To be done in class).
It is advising to wear a helmet while riding a bicycle to reduce the risk of head injuries in case of an accident.
Practising meditation regularly can have many benefic effects on both physical and mental health
We were expecting to win, so a draw was a disappointed result for us.
I would like to apology for the delay in the delivery of your order..
The engeneer has given a lot of information.
I suggest to attend the concert tomorrow.
Sorry for the inconvenient.
They attended class very irregulary.
Spelling (to be done in class)
Spelling changes when adding - ed, - ing, - er and - est to words
1. We double the final consonant when we add - ed, - ing, - er and - est to words:
- which are one syllable and end in a consonant-vowel-consonant (CVC): stop / stopped, thin /thinner
- which have two or more syllables which end in consonant-vowel-consonant and the final syllable is
stressed: admit / admitting, occur /occurring
We don’t double the final consonant when the word ends in - w , - x or - y : relax / relaxing
Examples:
2. When adding - ed, - er and – est, - s (plural) a final “y” after a consonant becomes “i”: study/studied ,
lovely/loveliest, cherry/cherries
17
Informal emails
Read the email below and find at least 5 things that make it informal. Underline all the verbs in the present perfect
tense.
(adapted from Navigate, Oxford University Press p.13) (To be done at home)
Hi Lucy,
Seems like ages since we’ve been in touch ! Hope all is well with you. All’s well here but life’s pretty busy, as ever.
I’ve changed jobs. Still working as an engineer, but in a different company. I love it, but it’s hard work. I’m off on
a business trip to Montreal at the end of the month. Should be fun. I’ve never been to Montreal before.
The other thing that’s been keeping me busy lately is the piano. The band I play in has become really popular
locally and we’ve been playing loads of gigs ! Fame at last !
Anyway, the really big news is that I just got a dog ! You know how much I’ve always wanted a dog. I’m over the
moon ! Can’t wait to show it to you.
So enough about me. How are things with you ? What have you been up to ? Still living in the same flat ? I’d love
to come and visit you some time. Maybe during the summer holidays – I’ll have plenty of time on my hands then.
It would be really great to catch up properly before that. Shall we try to speak next week ?
Lots of love,
Sharon
Grammar (to be done at home)
Grammar box: present perfect vs preterit - present perfect simple vs present perfect continuous
In the present perfect, our reference point is the present.
We use the present perfect to talk about :
1. An action that happened before now (unspecified time)
I’ve changed jobs.
When we talk about finished events with words that mean « at some / any time up to now » ( ever, before,
never, yet, recently, lately, already, it is the first time, over the last few days..) we normally use the present
perfect.
I’ve never been to Montreal before.
We do not use the present perfect with words that refer to a completely finished period of time, like
« yesterday, last week, then, when, three days ago, in 1970, last week… »
2. An action that started in the past and continues to the present.
The other thing that has been keeping me busy lately is the piano. (…)We’ve been playing loads of
gigs.
To talk about actions and situations that have continued up to the present, both the simple present perfect and the
present perfect continuous are possible. Some verbs are not used in continuous forms.
Here is a list of some common verbs which are not often used in continuous forms (or which are not used in
continuous forms with certain meanings).
Mental and emotional states : believe, (dis)like, understand, suppose, prefer, want, know, remember, think (=have
an opinion). Use of the senses : feel, hear, see, smell, sound, taste
Other verbs : be, belong, consist, contain, depend, include, involve, need, own, possess, weigh, disagree, appear,
look (=seem), mean, promise, satisfy, seem
18
Activity: some of these sentences are not grammatically correct. You can bet between 10 and 50 points that the
sentence is correct or not. (to be done in class)
correct wrong BET
loss
gain
It’s my parents’ wedding anniversary today. They are married for 23 years .
I’m living in Compiègne since 6 months.
I study at the UTC for a couple of months.
During my stay in England, I have met a lot of interesting people.
Barack Obama served as the 44th president of the United States from 2009
to 2017.
He was seeming tired when I saw him yesterday.
Once upon a time a beautiful princess has fallen in love with a poor farmer.
Professor Claire Rossi, has been appointed Director of UTC on December
8th 2022 for a five-year term of office.
This student was graduated from the UTC three years ago.
TOTAL (gains minus losses): ……………
Write a short paragraph about yourself. Use words such as “for, since, ago” (to be done in class).
…………………………………………………………………………………………………………………….
…………………………………………………………………………………………………………………….
…………………………………………………………………………………………………………………….
…………………………………………………………………………………………………………………….
…………………………………………………………………………………………………………………….
…………………………………………………………………………………………………………………….
Your turn to write an email: Action plan
- Read the instructions carefully
- Who do you have to write to? Why? Which points must you include? Decide whether to use formal or
informal language.
- How many paragraphs will you need?
- Make a plan and put your best ideas under short paragraphs headings. Do they cover all the points in the
question?
- Note down some words or phrases for each paragraph, but don’t try to write a complete draft.
- Write your text. Keep to the topic and to your plan.
- Use a wide range of vocabulary and grammar, and make sure your handwriting is easy to read.
- Check your completed text. Have you made any careless mistakes?
19
Learn the vocabulary : prepositions are in bold
To be in touch (informal)
To get in touch with sb
Let’s keep in touch!
I’ve changed jobs (don’t say “I’ve changed of jobs”)
A change
An engineer (please note the spelling of the word)
Engineering
To be over the moon!
Loads of = plenty of
What have you been up to?
To have time on one’s hands (to have nothing to do)
A delay
To hear from sb
To hear about sb
To graduate from the UTC
To make someone’s acquaintance
An acquaintance (someone you know)
To belong to ..
My belongings (the things that belong to me)
Etre en contact
Contacter quelqu’un
On reste en contact!
J’ai changé de travail
Un changement
Un ingénieur
L’ingénierie
Etre aux anges
Beaucoup de
Quoi de neuf ? Qu’est-ce que tu deviens?
“avoir du temps libre”
Un retard
Avoir des nouvelles de quelqu’un
Entendre parler de quelqu’un
Etre diplômé de l’UTC
Faire la connaissance de quelqu’un
Une connaissance
Appartenir à..
Mes affaires
HOMEWORK for next week
1. Moodle site
2. Do the homework in the workbook p.21 (video) , p.23 (reading + questions) + grammar boxes p. 24
3. Study the vocabulary p.20
Check the meaning and pronunciation of some words:
For more grammar explanations and exercises :
20
Course 3: Charities
Narrative tenses
Talking about past events
Watch the video on Moodle and answer the following questions (To be done at home):
1.Describe Deni Bezeau’s activity (Who? What ? Where?)
……………………………………………………………………………………………………………………
……………………………………………………………………………………………………………………
……………………………………………………………………………………………………………………
2.How did it all start ?
……………………………………………………………………………………………………………………
……………………………………………………………………………………………………………………
3.How does he supplement donations?
……………………………………………………………………………………………………………………
……………………………………………………………………………………………………………………
4.What do people say about him?
……………………………………………………………………………………………………………………
……………………………………………………………………………………………………………………
4.What are his plans for the future?
……………………………………………………………………………………………………………………
……………………………………………………………………………………………………………………
21
22
Read and prepare 4 questions (to be done at home)
The Red cross : https://theculturetrip.com/europe/switzerland/articles/a-brief-history-of-the-red-cross/
Today, the Red Cross and Red Crescent are known around the world. With nearly 100 million volunteers
worldwide, a network of national and local organisations that provide help to those in need, the movement is
now a household name.
The International Committee of the Red Cross was founded in 1863 by Henry Dunant and Gustave Moynier, but
the idea came to Dunant four years earlier. At that time, young Jean-Henry Dunant, a Swiss businessman, was
travelling to Italy in search of Napoleon III, the French emperor. He had been travelling for a few weeks when
he stopped at the town of Solferino, which had just witnessed a vicious battle between Austrian and Sardinian
forces.
When he arrived in Solferino, over 40,000 men had perished or been wounded; many were left strewn across the
battlefield. The sight was too much for Dunant. He started to assist the injured. Upon returning home to
Switzerland, he penned A Memory of Solferino (1862), in which he wrote: “Would it not be possible, in time of
peace and quiet, to form relief societies for the purpose of having care given to the wounded in wartime by
devoted and thoroughly qualified volunteers?”
This idea, borne out of the suffering Dunant had witnessed in Italy, laid the first foundation stones of what
would become the International Committee of the Red Cross. A momentous moment soon followed in 1864
with the adoption of the Geneva Convention, when 12 European states signed onto the Convention, agreeing to
neutrality and protection for wounded soldiers in battle.
Despite Dunant’s troubles – he declared bankruptcy in 1867 – the momentum he had built could not be so easily
halted. By 1881, the idea had spread across the Atlantic to the USA with the founding of the American Red
Cross. In recognition of his efforts, Dunant was awarded the very first Nobel Peace Prize in 1901.
Since those days, the ICRC (The International Committee of the Red Cross) and the national societies have
provided relief to those who have served in war and suffered from it. Since the COVID 19 outbreak, the ICRC
has been working with communities in conflict zones to try and contain the epidemic.
Prepare 4 questions to test the other students’ understanding of the text :
1…………………………………………………………………………………………………………….. ?
2. …………………………………………………………………………………………………………….. ?
3. …………………………………………………………………………………………………………….. ?
4. …………………………………………………………………………………………………………….. ?
23
Tense review : narrative tenses (to be read at home)
Preterit (used here to talk about a past event or fact) :
- The International Committee of the Red Cross was founded in 1863 by Henry Dunant and Gustave
Moynier. He didn’t envisage any grand humanitarian venture at the time.
Preterit-ING (used here to talk about a situation in the past that provides the background to an event ):
- At that time, young Jean-Henry Dunant, a Swiss businessman, was travelling to Italy.
Past perfect simple (used here to refer to an event that took place before the main past event):
-
The momentum that Dunant had built could not be so easily halted.
Past perfect continuous (used to describe an ongoing action or situation which continued up to or stopped just
before, a time in the past).
-
He had been travelling for a few weeks when he stopped at the town of Solferino.
FOCUS on the past perfect (to be read at home)
We use the past perfect to talk about something that happened before a point in time (reference point).
In the present perfect, our reference point is the present ( cf course 1)
In the past perfect, our reference point is in the past.
□ Past perfect simple : an action that happened before a time in the past
Situation :
1. Over 40,000 men perished or were wounded in Solferino.
2. Dunan arrived in Solferino.
If I describe actions in order, I can simply use the past simple. For example : Over 40,000 men perished or were
wounded in Solferino. Then Dunan arrived.
If I don’t describe actions in order :
When /( By the time) Dunant arrived in Solferino, over 40,000 men had perished or been wounded.
In the example above, we use the past perfect with the simple past to make a sequence of events clear. The past
perfect cannot be used in isolation. It is hooked onto another past event.
Notice the difference if both verbs are in the past simple :
When he arrived in Solferino, over 40,000 men perished or were wounded.
□ We use the past perfect continuous to describe an ongoing action or situation which continued up to or stopped
just before, a time in the past. We often use the continuous with « for » or « since » when we want to focus on the
duration of an action :
He had been travelling for a few weeks when he stopped at the town of Solferino.
If we don’t use « when » , we can say « He travelled for a few weeks and stopped at the town of Solferino. »
24
Activity: some of these sentences are not grammatically correct. You can bet between 10 and 50 points that the
sentence is correct or not. (to be done in class)
correct wrong BET loss gain
By the time we arrived at the bus stop, the bus left.
“Was Tom at the party when you arrived?” “No, he went home.”
When they got married, they knew each other for 10 years.
The man sitting next to me on the plane was very nervous. He’d never
flown before.
We were good friends. We were knowing each other well.
When I arrived, Kate waited for me. She was rather annoyed with me
because I was late and she was waiting for me for a very long time.
While he was working in the garden, he hurt his back.
Luckily the flat didn’t look too bad when my parents called in. I’d just
cleaned it.
TOTAL (gains minus losses): ……………
Speaking (to be done in class)
Prepare to tell your partner or group an anecdote. Here are some ideas.
• a time when something went wrong
• a time when you forgot something important
• a surprise
• a mistake you or someone else made
• an embarrassing situation
Give the background to the story, explain how it all started (what were you doing? How long had you been doing
it? What happened?)
………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………..
………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………..
………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………..
………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………..
………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………..
25
Vocabulary to be learnt
Video
To own (vb) / an owner (n)/ ownership (n.)
A thrift shop
Thrifty (adj.)
To sort
To donate / to make a donation
To raise money, to raise funds
A pension / a pensioner
To retire / retirement / to be retired
A tile layer
To lay, laid, laid (irregular) tiles
To astound
To be astounded (= astonished)
To be astounding ( = astonishing)
I can’t help + Ving
It’s worth every penny (=worth the entire
amount that was paid for something)
Amazing (adj), amazingly (adv .)
The Red Cross
Worldwide, all over the world
To provide sth = to give = to supply
A household name
To witness sth, a witness
To be wounded ( = to be injured)
A wound = an injury
To relieve, a relief (noun), to be relieved
In wartime
To be devoted to…
Bankruptcy, to go bankrupt
To be awarded the Nobel priZe
The COVID outbreak
Posséder, un propriétaire, la propriété
Une friperie, une boutique d’objets d’occasion
Econome (adj.)
Trier
Faire un don
Récolter de l’argent, lever des fonds
Une pension de retraite, un retraité
Prendre sa retraite, la retraite, être à la retraite
Un carreleur (métier)
Poser du carrelage
Etonner, stupéfier, sidérer
Etre stupéfait
Etre stupéfiant, étonnant
Je ne peux pas m’empêcher de ..
Ca vaut chaque centime dépensé
Etonnant, incroyable / étonnamment (adverbe)
dans le monde entier
procurer, donner, fournir
un nom connu de tous
être témoin de, assister à / un témoin
être blessé
une blessure, une plaie
soulager, un soulagement, être soulagé
en temps de guerre
être dévoué à ..
une faillite, faire faillite
Recevoir le Prix Nobel
L’épidémie de COVID
Homework for next week:
1. Study the section on grammar on the Moodle site.
2. Do the homework in the workbook: vocabulary p.26+ reading/research p.27 + exercise on tenses p.27 +
video on questions p.28 + video p.31
3. Writing (optional): check on Moodle “Week 4”
Check the meaning and pronunciation of some
words:
For more grammar explanations and exercises :
26
Course 4 : Success and failure
« Where there’s a will, there’s a way. » (English proverb)
Tenses
Asking questions
Reading : Famous Failures: 45 Famous Failures who became Successful People (to be done at home)
https://www.developgoodhabits.com/successful-people-failed/
Choose 2 stories, take notes and be ready to talk about them in class.
1. ………………………………………………………………………………………………
………………………………………………………………………………………………
………………………………………………………………………………………………
2. ………………………………………………………………………………………………
………………………………………………………………………………………………
………………………………………………………………………………………………
Grammar: put the given verbs in the appropriate tense /form (To be done at home). First, think of time
adverbs and time expressions as your friends. They offer valuable clues about the correct verb tense. Decide if the
sentence is active or passive.
Uber Technologies Inc. is an American multinational online taxi dispatch company headquartered in San Francisco,
California. It develops, markets and operates the Uber mobile app, which allows clients with smartphones to submit
a trip request which is then routed to Uber drivers who use their own cars. Uber …………….…(found) by Travis
Kalanick and Garrett Camp in 2009 and the app ………………...…(release) the following June. Since 2012, Uber
………………..…..…(expand) internationally. Uber……………….… (now/estimate) to be worth $62.5 billion.
Dara Khosrowshahi ………………… (be) the CEO of Uber for the last five years.
The story of Uber takes us back to 2008. Its co-founders, Travis Kalanick and Garrett Camp came up with the idea
of an innovative transportation service while they were waiting for a cab. Today Uber………………..… (become)
one of the leading transportation services in the world . But from the start the legality of Uber
………………….… (challenge) by governments and taxi companies, who allege that its use of drivers who are not
licensed to drive taxicabs is unsafe and illegal. Over the last few years, Uber ………………… (deal) with
lawsuits, strikes, and other controversies from some of its drivers, who are private contractors rather than full-time
employees. It has also seen the rise of competitors like Lyft. As a matter of fact, since Uber's launch, several
other companies ……………… (copy) its business model, a trend that has come to be referred to as
"Uberification".
Reminder:
Time markers that we use with the preterit:
Time markers that we use with:The present perfect (or the past perfect: the past perfect is used in the same way as the
present perfect, but it refers to a time in the past, not the present):
27
How to form questions in English: watch this very simple video and answer the following questions. (To be done
at home) https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=nsBneISa-Y0
What does QWASM stand for ?
Which verb doesn’t work with this formula?
What does ASM stand for?
More on asking direct questions (to be done in class):
1.If you ask about the subject of the sentence, simply add the question word at the beginning. Don’t use “do
/does or did”. However we use “don’t / doesn’t/ didn’t” in subject questions to ask about negative ideas.
Examples:
The story of Uber takes us back to 2008 ►What takes us back to 2008?
Travis Kalanick and Garrett Camp came up with the idea of an innovative transportation service while they were
waiting for a cab. ►…………………………………………………………………………………………… ?
Millions of people use the Uber mobile app every day.►……………………………………………………………… ?
2.If you ask about the predicate of the sentence (the part of a sentence which contains the verb and gives
information about the subject), there are three options:
•
If there is a helping (auxiliary) verb that precedes the main verb ( for example: can, is, are, was,
were, will, would...), add the question word and invert the subject and the helping (auxiliary) verb.
Examples:
They were waiting for a cab. ►…………………………………………………………
Uber is now estimated to be worth $62.5 billion.►……………………………………
•
If there is no helping (auxiliary) verb in the the predicate and the main verb is not "to be", add the
auxiliary "do/does” or “did”.
Examples:
The company develops, and markets the Uber mobile app. ►……………………………………..
They came up with the idea in 2008. ►…………………………………………………………….
•
When a wh-word is the object of a preposition, the preposition usually comes at the end of the
question.
He’s looking for a job. ►……………………………………………………………
28
Trivia Questions Only Geniuses Can Answer ! (To be done in class)
Use the words below to phrase your questions. Do you know the answers ?
1. What / you / call / process by which water changes from liquid to gas ?
……………………………………………………………………………………………………………………… ?
2. When / the Berlin Wall / fall / ?
………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………. ?
3. What / you / call / the force that makes objects fall towards the ground ?
………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………. ?
4. What element / the chemical symbol Au / stand for / ?
……………………………………………………………………………………………………………………… ?
5. When / the first iPhone / release / ?
……………………………………………………………………………………………………………………… ?
6. Who / invent / the dishwasher / ?
……………………………………………………………………………………………………………………… ?
7. How many / bones / sharks / have /?
……………………………………………………………………………………………………………………… ?
8. When / the first successful organ transplant / perform / ?
……………………………………………………………………………………………………………………… ?
9. What / river / through Paris / run / ?
……………………………………………………………………………………………………………………… ?
10. In what year / the first successful flight by the Wright brothers / take place /?
…………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………
Can you think of other questions?
…………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………
…………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………
…………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………
29
Speaking: job interview role play
(From Workaway) Join us at the Academy in Gaunshahar, Nepal! We offer free and non-violent education to
children in our community. Help us make a difference by volunteering to teach, build, paint, or cook. With four
schools and over 450 students, we're expanding and need your support. Stay at our new school in the Besisahar
province, surrounded by rainforest, and enjoy modern amenities like western toilets and hot showers. No
experience necessary. Join us for 4-5 hours a day, 5 days a week, and make a lasting impact. Visit our website for
more details.
Types of help : art projects, language practice, help with eco-projects, teaching, gardening,general maintenance,
help with computers.
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ideals, meditation, and vegan living. Enjoy the peaceful atmosphere, scenic attractions, and organic gardening.
Our land is chemical-free, and we follow organic methods. Currently, our ongoing project is tending to our large
and diverse garden. Feel free to ask any questions and join us in our sustainable lifestyle.We're excited to welcome
you!
Notes:
Pronunciation (optional):
-
Intonation
Don’t forget this simple rule. Yes/No question, intonation goes up. Any other question, intonation goes down.
Check out explanations and examples on Moodle.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=kVgcLVdd2Echttps://www.youtube.com/watch?v=PewZz7HCM9Y
30
Video (To be done at home)
1. According to J. Dyson, why should companies hire young graduates ?
………………………………………………………………………………………………………..
………………………………………………………………………………………………………..
………………………………………………………………………………………………………..
2. What does J. Dyson mean when he says that some people approach the hiring process in a lazy way?
………………………………………………………………………………………………………..
………………………………………………………………………………………………………..
3. Why does J. Dyson praise failure ?
………………………………………………………………………………………………………..
If you want to read more about J. Dyson’s praise of failure : https://www.wired.co.uk/article/james-dyson-failure
Listening practice :
You will hear five different people talking about the reasons why they became very successful. For questions 1923, choose from the list (A – H) the reason each person gives for their success. Use the letters only once. There are
three extra letters which you do not need to use.
1 point per correct answer
1. speaker 1
2. speaker 2
3. speaker 3
4. speaker 4
5. speaker 5
19
20
21
22
23
A. natural ability
B. encouragement from others
C. careful planning
D. peer pressure
E.determination to improve
F. lack of competition
G. constant good luck
H. courage
More listening comprehension activities: https://www.esl-lab.com/
31
Vocabulary to be learnt
Video
Greenwashing
To graduate from (a school)
A graduate
To be fresh out of college
A vacuum cleaner
To vacuum a room
A domestic appliance
Heavy ≠light (adj)
Heavily (adverb)
Flimsy (adj)
Otherwise
Innovate / innovation / innovative (GB) –
innovative (US)
To disrupt
Disruption (noun)
To fear that …/ a fear / fearful (adj)
To fail a test / failure
To praise sth
To fail to do something
To learn from one’s mistakes
Lazy (adj) / laziness (noun)
To train sb
Training
A training session
A trainee
Straightaway = immediately
To hire ≠ to fire, to sack, to lay off
Enthusiastic (adj)/ enthusiasm(noun)
An enthusiast
Strong (adj) / strength (noun) / to strengthen
Weak (adj) / weakness (noun) / to weaken (vb)
Ecoblanchiment
Etre diplomé (e) (d’une école)
Un diplômé
Etre tout juste diplômé
Un aspirateur
Passer l’aspirateur dans une pièce
Un appareil ménager
Lourd ≠ léger
lourdement
Peu solide, fragile
Sinon (mot de liaison)
Innover / innovation / innovant
Perturber, interrompre
Rupture (ici)
Craindre que … / une crainte / craintif
Echouer à un test / un échec
Faire l’éloge de qqch
Ne pas parvenir à …
Apprendre de ses erreurs
Paresseux (adj) / paresse (nom)
Former quelqu’un
La formation
Une formation
Un stagiaire
Directement
Embaucher ≠ licencier
Enthousiaste (adj) / l’enthousiasme (nom)
Un enthousiaste (nom)
Fort (adj) / la force / renforcer
Faible / faiblesse / affaiblir
Uber
Headquarters
(to make) a request
to found (regular verb), a founder
to launch, a launch
to expand
Expansion(noun)
to be worth … dollars
to allege that….
an allegation
a lawsuit
to sue sb
a strike, to go on strike, to be on strike
to cause controversy
a controversial issue
to compete, a competitor, competition
A trend, trendy (adj)
Le siège (d’une entreprise)
une demande, une requête
fonder, un fondateur
lancer, sortir (un produit), un lancement
se développer, s’agrandir
Expansion, croissance, développement
valoir .. dollars
prétendre que …
Une allégation, une accusation
une action en justice, un procès
Poursuivre quelqu’un en justice
une grève, se mettre en grève, être en grève
soulever une controverse, une polémique
une question controversée
rivaliser, un concurrent, la concurrence
une tendance, « à la mode, branché »
Homework for next week:
1.Study the section on grammar on the Moodle site.
2.Do the homework in the workbook: vocabulary p.32+ “your best/worst school memory” p.33
32