Cumulative Mixed Tense Exercises

When doing exercises on mixed verb tenses, remember to read well the sentences or text before filling in with your choices. 

Look for context and key words which may help you write or choose right.   

Here are some exercises for you to practise.

Practice: Exercise1, Exercise2, Exercise3, Exercise4, Exercise5, Exercise6, Exercise7, Exercise8.

March 17th: Saint Patrick's Day

Saint Patrick is the patron saint of Ireland. He was born in Roman England in 387 AD and was the son of a Christian Deacon. At the age of 16 he was sold into slavery by a group of Irish raiders who attacked his village. During his captivity in Ireland he reported to have heard God speaking to him in his dreams. It is believed that this is where he first had his epiphany of converting the Irish to Christianity. 

After 6 years St.  Patrick escaped home to his family. Later, he travelled to a French monastery where he studied for twelve years, before returning to Ireland to complete his mission. He travelled throughout Ireland, establishing monasteries, churches and schools to Christianise the country. He carried out his mission in Ireland for thirty years and died on March 17 in AD 461. 

Since then, that day has been commemorated as Saint Patrick’s Day. A shamrock was used by Patrick to explain the Mystery of the Blessed Trinity to the Ancient High Kings of Ireland.

St Patrick’s Day is celebrated in many parts of the world, especially by Irish communities and organisations.
Many people wear an item of green clothing on the day. Parties featuring Irish food and drinks that are dyed in green food colour are part of this celebration. It is a time when children can indulge in sweets and adults can enjoy a “pint” of beer at a local pub. Many restaurants and pubs offer Irish food or drink, which include:

• Irish brown bread.
• Corned beef and cabbage.
• Beef and Guinness pie.
• Irish cream chocolate mousse cake.
• Irish coffee.
• Irish potato champ, also known as poundies, cally or pandy.
• Irish stew.
• Irish potato soup.

Some people plan a pilgrimage to St Patrick’s Purgatory, which is commonly associated with penance and spiritual healing since the early 13th century. It is on Station Island in Lough Derg in County Donegal where St Patrick had a vision promising that all who came to the sanctuary in penitence and faith would receive a pardon for their sins.

  St Patrick's Day is a bank holiday in Northern Ireland (United Kingdom) and the Republic of Ireland. St Patrick’s Day is also a festive occasion in some parts of the world where it is not a public holiday. Therefore, traffic and parking may be temporarily affected in streets and public areas where parades are held in towns and cities.

Perfect Modals

Hi guys!

In the 'Modal Verbs' post in this blog (see here) I explained to you everything we are going to study this year about modal auxiliaries (next year we'll even expand all this!). Those modals are called present modals, since they are followed by present infinitives and they make reference to the present time -and the future. In this post, we are referring to the past time, I mean,  modals in the past.

Must/May/Might/Can't + have + past participle are used to express certainty and possibility in the past.
Peter must have been in his office when the window glass broke
Jennifer may have passed her exams
She can't have killed the fox on her own

Should + have + past participle can be used to make an assumption about something that has probably happened, if everything is as we expect: 
The train should have left by now
Phone Anna now, she should have come back home already

It can also express regret in the past:
I shouldn't have told Peter about his girlfriend's affair  
Mat should have studied harder


For practice:
Exercise1, Exercise2, Exercise3

Modal Verbs

Main characteristics

1) Modal verbs are followed by a bare infinitive (except for have to and ought to, which both are known as semi-modal verbs). E.g.:  
I must do my homework 
They may be in the house
but:  She ought to give up smoking

2) They don't need auxiliary verbs (except for have to). E.g.:  
Can you do it?
You cannot swim
but: She doesn't have to come tomorrow 

3) They admit contractions (except for may and have to). E.g.:
We can't speak Japanese
They mightn't work next week
but: You may not come in here

4) They never add 3rd-person singular -s ending in the Present Simple (except for have to):
Peter must work harder
She can jump very high
but: My girlfriend has to wear a school uniform

5) Some are defective: must and can. E.g.:
I can go today
I could go yesterday
I'll be able to go tomorrow
I must do it now
I had to do it yesterday
I'll have to do it tomorrow


Expressing Ability: CAN, COULD & BE ABLE TO
1) Present ability: Can
I can speak English

2) Past ability: Could
She couldn't swim when she was ten

3) Ability in other tenses: Be able to 
We'll be able to pass English next term (Future)
They have been able to escape (Present Perfect)

Expressing Obligation: MUST vs. HAVE TO
1) Internal obligation: Must (in general expresses what the speaker thinks  is necessary)
I must study for tomorrow's English exam (= I want to do it)

2) External obligation: Have to (in general suggests that somebody else has imposed the decision)
I have to be early at home  (= my parents oblige me)

However, there's no difference between must and have to in American English. In British English, Have got to is often used in informal language instead of have to (colloquial short form gotta also used in American English, though).
I have to wear a helmet at work = I must wear a helmet at work (AmE)
I have to get up early = I've got to get up early = I've gotta get up early = I gotta get up early

Expressing Lack of Obligation: DON'T HAVE TO & NEEDN'T
I don't have to wear a uniform at my school
I needn't go to school in the evenings

Expressing Prohibition: MUSTN'T
You mustn't smoke in the school
We mustn't play football inside the hotel facilities

Expressing Advice and Recommendation: OUGHT TO, SHOULD & MUST
I think you ought to follow a low-fat diet (+ formal, rare in AmE)
You should come with us and forget about your problems (- formal)
In my opinion, you must speak to her (informal)

Expressing Certainty and Possibility: MUST, MAY, MIGHT, COULD, CAN'T
1) Certainty (100% sure): Must
Someone is knocking on the door, it must be mum

2) Possibility (50% likely): May
Peter may be in his office now 

3) Probability (25% likely): Might & Could
They might come to the match with us tomorrow

4) Impossibility (0% likely): Can't
They telephone is ringing, but it can't be dad

Notice:
NEED is not a modal verb (it's lexical). It expresses necessity and can be followed by either a noun phrase or a verb (to-infinitive). Remember the lack of necessity is conveyed by means of DON'T NEED (TO) (kind of similar to don't have to when followed by a verb), and NEEDN'T is a different form (it is a modal verb) to express lack of obligation (same as don't have to):
I need some more apples 
I need to buy some more apples (it's necessary)

I don't need to buy any more apples (it's not necessary)

I needn't buy any apples (I'm not obliged to)

Why not practise here?
Exercise1, Exercise2, Exercise3, Exercise4, Exercise5, Exercise 6, Exercise7.

Thanksgiving Day

Hi you guys!

Definitely, it seems November is a month which is full of festivals, and that's true! Halloween, Bonfire Night, and now Thanksgiving Day. But actually, what's Thanksgiving? What's the origin of this festivity? Where and how is it celebrated nowadays?  Let's watch a series of videos on Thanksgiving and learn about its history, customs and current celebrations.


First, a fun, cartoon-like slide that covers how Thanksgiving became a national holiday.  Ready to know about the Mayflower, the Pilgrim Fathers, the Native Americans and Squanto? Play the video and enjoy. Download a comprehension worksheet that I prepared for you here.























The second video is a historical clip with subtitles in English, which illustrates the history of the Pilgrims going to America and describes present-day Thanksgiving celebrations.























A third video tells us about the Thanksgiving history from the Native Americans' viewpoint.




Then, Thanksgiving in Canada, which is observed on a different day and has a different background from  USA Thanksgiving Day. I'm leaving another worksheet here so that you can check your comprehension.





Just for fun, the real Thanksgiving story? :-)





And at last, a song entitled "It's Thanksgiving" by Nicole Westbrook. Download this worksheet from here and do it as you watch the music clip.