Enjoy!

Difference between IF and WHETHER

If or whether?

de English Grammar Today

If and whether: indirect questions

We can use if or whether to report indirect yes-no questions and questions with or. If is more common than whether:

Call the bakeries around town and find out if any of them sell raspberry pies.

I rang Peter from the station and asked if I could drop in to see him before going back or if he’d meet me.

We often prefer whether in more formal contexts:

The teachers will be asked whether they would recommend the book to their classes.

[from a business meeting]

John read a letter that he’d written and the board discussed whether it should be mailed.

We prefer whether with or when there is more than one alternative in the indirect question:

After the election, we asked whether the parties should change their leaders, their policies, or both.

To express an alternative, we can use or not with if and whether. With whether we can use or not immediately after whether or in end position. With if we use or not in end position only:

I called Bill to find out whether or not he really did go to Afghanistan.

I called Bill to find out whether he really did go to Afghanistan or not.

I called Bill to find out if he really did go to Afghanistan or not.

We use whether and not if before a to-infinitive, often when we’re referring to future plans or decisions:

I was wondering whether to go for a swim.

Some financial decisions, such as planning a pension, need to be taken as early as possible. Others, such as whether to move house, can probably only be made much later.

Whether not if

We use whether and not if after prepositions:

Later I argued with the doctor about whether I had hit my head, since I couldn’t remember feeling it.

Not: Later I argued with the doctor about if I had hit my head …

The police seemed mainly interested in whether there were any locks on the windows.

Not: The police seemed mainly interested in if there were any locks …

I doubt if, I don’t know whether

We use if or whether to introduce clauses after verbs of doubting:

I don’t know if I can drive. My foot really hurts.

I didn’t prune the rose bush this year so I doubt if we’re going to have many flowers.(‘prune’ means cut back)

We’ll have plenty of photographs to show you but I’m not sure whether we’ll be able to learn very much from them.

See also:

• If
• If: reporting questions

If, whether: typical errors

• We use whether, not if, before to-infinitives:

I don’t know whether to buy the blue one or the red one.

Not: I don’t know if to buy the blue one …

• We use whether, not if, directly before or not:

Can you tell me whether or not you’re interested in the job.

Not: Can you tell me if or not you’re interested …

• We use whether, not if, after prepositions:

[talking about a trip to Australia for a year]

We’re not interested in whether we get great jobs and that kind of thing, we just want to have a good time.

Not: We’re not interested in if we get great jobs and that kind of thing …

Source: http://dictionary.cambridge.org/es/gramatica/gramatica-britanica/if-or-whether 

REPORTED SPEECH GAMES

GAME 1: Jeopardy! Click here.
GAME 2: Jeopardy! Click here.
GAME 3: Quiz! Click here.

Unit 8: Reported Speech

Revision: Active vs. Passive Voice

CLICK HERE TO PLAY!

Units 5B and 6A & B - Workbook, self-correction anwsers

As discussed in class, your task is to complete the exercises, then correct them with the help of these answers and hand in the workbook for a final check.
Remember to use any other colour to correct, rather than erase the answers. This will help you a lot to spot your mistakes and learn from them!
Here is the link to the answers.
Good job!

Passive voice lesson - English grammar tutorial video lesson

Rebecca, our reader for the second part of the year

First edition front cover

Rebecca is the story of a woman named Rebecca… oh wait. No. It's totally and completely not. It's actually the story of the rich, stylish and frightening widower (his wife had died), Maxim de Winter, and his fabulous country house (in fact, a very large property), called Manderley. 

The story is narrated by Maxim's second wife, known only as Mrs. de Winter, who finds herself living in the shadows of Maxim's first wife. And that's Rebecca!  However, we never meet her... Strange? 

It was published in 1938 and its author is Daphne du Maurier, who was born in Cornwall, a county in the southwest of England. (check the map). The novel was an instant bestseller and has never gone out of print.

Joan Fontaine and Laurence Olivier
in Alfred Hitchcock's Rebecca

The novel has been adapted for the theater, the TV and cinema. Alfred Hitchcock's film based on the book won Oscars for Best Picture, and Best Cinematographer. The movie is a must-see, a classic piece of cinematic history. But, you'll probably enjoy it a lot more when you've devoured the deliciously disturbing novel on which it's based.

The best thing about this novel? It's both serious literature and guilty pleasure.

Why should I find it interesting?
Rebecca is a classic story of deception and betrayal. It's a serious look into the imperfections of upper class society and the war between good and evil within a single person. It will leave you thinking about the meaning of sacrifice, desire, and nostalgia... OK, ok... is this too serious? Try the following...

Hello, lovers of guilty pleasure! So, you love page-turners that you can fly through in hours? You're looking for something to read on a long plane ride? Rebecca is totally for you. This is a soap-opera crime thriller: the story of obsession and murder; old lovers and new lies.

Past Tenses revision 2

Active vs Passive Voice

Writing a book/film review

Follow these steps to write a book or film review.

Pre writing

Remember and take notes of the plot of the story. What impression did it produce on you?

Writing

• Introduction: give the title and author of the book. If you're reviewing a film mention the director or actors.
• Body:
  1. Summarize the plot in a few sentences.
  2. Mention the setting: the place and time of the plot.
  3. Say something about the main characters.
  4. Say something about the content.
• Conclusion:
  1. Comment on the book or film.
  2. Let others know whether or not you liked the book/film.
  3. Why do you like it? Why don't you like it?
  4. Is the author's style good or bad, is the book / film interesting or boring etc.
  5. Do you want to recommend the book/film?

Post writing

Edit your writing.

Useful Expressions:

  Title, Author / Director, Actors

The film is directed by
The film is produced by..
It is starred by...
The book is written by ...

Setting

The action takes place in ... (setting)
The action of the film is set in ...
The story takes place in...

Characters and Plot

The main characters are ...
The story is about ....
The novel tells the story of ...
In the course of the novel the action develops dramatically.
The novel / film begins with...
The novel has an unexpected ending.
The end of ... is ...

  Reaction  

I am impressed by
I think ....
The book is terribly / beautifully written
The film is terrible / exciting.
What surprised me is ...
What I liked is...
What I didn't like is...
I liked/didn't like the film / novel because ...

Past Tenses revision 1

Happy Winter Holidays!

But Was it Murder? - Chapters 17 and 18 - End of book

CHAPTER 17 Putting the pieces together
                     
1 Put the events in order.
a Amanda Grant told the police what she had done on Friday.
b Eliot started to think it was suicide, not murder.
c Micky, Eliot’s son, helped him understand something.
d Bowen checked her story and knew she was not guilty.
e Eliot thought that Amanda Grant was the murderer.

2. ‘Thanks, Micky, I understand it now.’ What do you think
Eliot understood?

CHAPTER 18 The truth at last

Complete the summary.
Wilvers phoned Forley on ............... to say he needed ...............
and wanted to ............... something, which explained the
............... on Forley’s desk. Also, Wilvers ............... about the test
results on Friday, saying Forley had a ............... ............... .
Wilvers knew about the ............... and was sure Forley would
............... himself. Wilvers knew Lisa was having an ...............
with Forley, but didn’t want Sam to grow up without a ............... .

Do you think But Was it Murder? is a good title? Make up a different title.

More on Can and Be Able To

Can and Be Able To 

Put the correct form of either "can" or "be able to" for each sentence. Only use "be able to" if absolutely necessary!

1. I haven't  concentrate recently at work. I don't know what it is.

2. My brother  cook very well. He is a chef in a French restaurant.

3. When he was only 2, my friend Lee  speak quite well.

4. I have to go to a business dinner tomorrow night so I  (not) come to the party. I'm very sorry.

5. Kevin lived in Italy for six years, so he must  speak Italian quite well. He will help you with your homework.

6. This telephone is terrible. I  (not) hear you at all.

7. When the car drove into the lake, one of the passengers  (not) open the door and had to be rescued.

8. Despite the arrival of the storm, they  finish the football match.

9. When I was very young, I used to  touch my toes, but I can't now!!

10. The house was totally empty all day yesterday and I  finish that book I was reading.

11. My mother tells me that her grandfather was one of the best musicians of his time in the city and  play the piano like a professional.

12. I hope to  speak English very well after this course finishes.

Can, could, be able to

Here are some extra exercises to continue practising the uses of Can, Could and Be able to.

But Was it Murder? Chapters 15 and 16

CHAPTER 15 Uncovering lies
                       Match the beginnings and endings.
1 Mrs Brook told the police that                      a going for a walk at the  time of Forley’s death.
2 Forley was with Catherine Crowther for       b Forley had visited Catherine Crowther on Wednesday.
an hour
3 Mrs Brook had once seen                            c that Forley had been having an affair.
4 Bowen discovered from the secret diary      d and looked very uncomfortable when he left.
5 The barman in the pub noticed                    e Ronald Crowther cleaning a gun.
Ronald Crowther

CHAPTER 16 Jealousy
1. Who ...
   a gave the gun to Forley?
   b were at the dinner party three weeks ago?
   c was surprised that Eliot wanted to ask more questions?
   d was having a secret affair with Forley?
   e was angry with Forley?
   f thought Catherine was finally telling the truth?

But Was it Murder? - Chapters 11 - 14

CHAPTER 11
                          True or false?
a Eliot slept through most of the football match.
b Bowen looked tired and stressed.
c Forley’s diary was not written in English.
d Wilver’s wife was relaxed and cheerful.
e The Wilvers’ sitting room was in an awful mess.
f The tests showed there was something wrong with Forley.
CHAPTER 12
                          Look at the words in italics. Who is he, you, she?
a He said he wanted my advice about something.
b And would you say he was a weak man, sir?
c She’s good-looking enough, but she obviously rules his life.
d Be careful with the women you choose.
e He’s hiding something from us too.
CHAPTER 13
1. Eliot needs answers to these questions:
   a Why were the Crowthers not telling him the truth?
   b Had Catherine Crowther been having an affair with Forley?
   c What had made her suddenly change her style of painting?
   d And did anyone visit Forley after Wilver had left on Friday?
   e And what had Forley been so worried about?
   What do you think?
CHAPTER 14
                          Complete the summary.
The pathologist’s report said that Forley had been killed by a shot
to the ............... and had died ............... . There were no other
signs of ............... . He had been in good ............... but had been
drinking. The time of death was between ............... and
............... Friday afternoon. Eliot now had to check who had an
............... for that time. Bowen was making slow progress on
Forley’s ............... as it was written in ............... and ............... .

Vocabulary - Unit 3B - page 30

English Modal Verbs - How To Use 'Can', 'Could' And 'Be Able To'