There is, There are, It is

Ahh, everyone loves a bit of grammar.... especially the teachers!

Here's some rules about 'there is, there are, it is'

"When you talk about something for the first time, use THERE IS/THERE ARE

i.e. There's a box on the table.

       Are there any museums in town?

You can use an auxiliary (helping verb) and 'be':

i.e.  There must be a bus strike.

        There will be trouble.

If you have already mentioned something, use 'it/they' to refer to it/them:

i.e.  That's my car.  It's a lot older than yours.

        The books?  They're mine.

Here's a little practice exercise.

Complete the sentences using:  is there, there's, is it OR it's

1.  ______________ a wonderful beach two kilometres away from the hotel.

2.  Have you seen the Mr. Bean film?  _______very funny!

3.  ___________ anybody waiting for this little girl?

4.  Try using this key; I think ___________ the right one.

5.  I don't suppose ______________ enough bread left to make a sandwich.

6.  We could go to the Theatre Royal; ________ open this week?

Note:  IT is used impersonally with adjectives, not referring to any particular thing:  

It's difficult to give the right answer.

It's nice of you to say that.

There will be another lesson about 'it' because IT  causes so much trouble for so many people.

Remember, if you have any questions, click on comment and we'll answer your question.

Great Website!

Many newcomers are really good with grammar but the thing they lack is slang - what you would call 'street' language.
You can listen to t.v. programmes and wonder what they're saying... well, here's a fantastic website to learn a lot of slang!
North Americans use these words all the time.


http://www.ezslang.com/

A Good Blog for English Learners!

Teachers always tell their students that they need to own an English only dictionary but sometimes they are very expensive.  Here is a link to the MacMillan Dictionary and its blog.  
This will give you lots of information and assistance when learning new vocabulary and especially phrasal verbs and idioms.


http://www.macmillandictionaryblog.com/

Don't forget.... if you have any questions, we'd be more than happy to help.  Click on comments and write your question.


Classes at BEST are Mondays and Wednesdays!  Bring a friend!
Telephone:  416-201-1653

Send us a message!

Perhaps you're wondering..... how do I ask the teachers a question or send them some homework?
Well, at the bottom of each posting there is a word, "Comments".
Click on that and type your question, or cut/paste your work and click in the box to paste it in.
Someone will get back to you with an answer and help.


If you want to attend a 'real' class then you can call:  416-201-1653 and get information about our classes.


They are on Mondays and Wednesdays.
1:00 - 4:00 p.m. for the intermediate (BM 3, 4)
5:00 - 8:00 p.m. for the advanced (BM 4,5,6)


Where?
The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter Day Saints
Peter Robertson and Bramalea


HOPE TO SEE YOU THERE!

the indefinite article a/an

Everyone needs help using articles.  We will first start with the indefinite article a or an.


A.  We use 'a' before a consonant sound:
a baby (b is the consonant)
a dog (d is the consonant)
a university (u sounds like y)
a European (Eu sounds like y)


B. We use 'a/an' with a SINGULAR COUNTABLE NOUN


When we mention it FOR THE FIRST TIME and it doesn't mean any particular one:
They live in a house.


when it is one example of a type of things (class):
A dog needs exercise.  (All dogs need exercise.)


When we say what somebody or something is:
Bill is an actor.  
That was a bomb.


in exclamations:
What a hot day!
Such a long lineup in the bank!


in certain phrases of price, speed, etc.:
They cost $10 a kilo.
It's cheap at $2 a metre.
He drives at sixty kilometers an hour.
We eat three times a day.




Lots to think about.  There will be more about articles; definite and indefinite in the next few posts.  Keep coming back - your English will improve if you work it!

Do you need writing practice?

WRITING PARAGRAPHS

The first thing to consider in writing a paragraph is the structure of it.

What is a paragraph?  

How do I start?

A paragraph is:  a series of sentences about an idea.  The sentences are connected to the idea.  For example:  you may want to write something about your home town.  Think of everything you know about your home town.  Write down all your ideas.  Now, to organize your ideas put all similar ones in one paragraph....location would be a separate paragraph, history would be another paragraph, interesting places to visit another paragraph.  

So, to begin:

Here is the structure:

1.  Topic Sentence

The topic sentence is the first sentence in a paragraph.

It introduces the main idea of the paragraph.

2.  Supporting Ideas:

These come after the topic sentence, making up the body of the paragraph.

They give details to develop and support the main idea of the paragraph.

You should give supporting facts, details and examples.

3.  Closing Sentence:

The closing sentence is the last sentence in a paragraph

It RESTATES (says again) the main idea of your paragraph.

Restate the main idea of the paragraph USING DIFFERENT WORDS.

For practice, here is a paragraph.  Analyze what is the topic sentence, pick out all the supporting details and underline the closing sentence.

"There are three reasons why Canada is one of the best countries in the world.  First, Canada has an excellent health care system.  All Canadians have access to medical services at a reasonable price.  Second, Canada has a high standard of education.  Students are taught by well-trained teachers and are encouraged to continue studying at university.  Finally, Canada's cities are clean adn efficiently managed.  Canadian cities have many parks and lots of space for people to live.  As a result, Canada is a desirable place to live."

Please e-mail any questions or concerns you might have.

'going to'

What are you 'going to' do today?  It's Sunday and the weather is not the best - a little bit of snow and some rain.  We're expecting more snow.  
So, what are you 'going to' do about it?
Are you 'going to' shovel?
Are you 'going to' stay indoors?


'going to' is a phrase we use for future plans that are mostly certain


Send us an email and tell us what you're going to do during the Christmas holidays.


Check back soon for a lesson about Christmas.