6 Minutes Learning English Tutorials
Contents
Introduction
Unit 1. English In A Minute
Lesson 1. Speak VS Talk
Lesson 2. Make VS Do – 4 things to remember
Lesson 3. Story VS History
Lesson 4. Five Ways To Use Hard
Lesson 5. Stop to do VS Stop doing
Lesson 6. Must VS Have to
Lesson 7. How To Use ‘Wish ‘
Lesson 8. Too VS Very
Lesson 9. Person VS Persons VS People VS peoples
Lesson 10. Mustn’t VS Don’t have to
Lesson 11. Come back VS Go back
Lesson 12. Steal VS Rob
Lesson 13. Five Ways To Use ‘In' With Time Expressions
Lesson 14. Raise VS Rise
Lesson 15. A Secret About Collective Nouns
Lesson 16. Three Ways To Use ‘Take Off ‘
Lesson 17. Every time VS All the time
Lesson 18. Play, Do and Go to Sports
Lesson 19. Five ways to Use ‘Get’
Lesson 20. No VS Not Any VS None
Lesson 21. Three Ways to Use ‘Pick Up'
Lesson 22. How To Use Infinitive Of Purpose
Lesson 23. Three Facts About ‘The’
Lesson 24. Four Slang Words
Lesson 25. Especially VS Specially
Lesson 26. Be Going To VS Present Continuous
Lesson 27. Even Though VS Even If
Lesson 28. Been VS Gone
Lesson 29. Remember To Do VS Remember Doing
Lesson 30. Prevent VS Avoid
Lesson 31. What VS Which
Lesson 32. While VS During
Lesson 33. Lay VS Lie
Lesson 34. Affect VS Effect
Lesson 35. The… the… comparatives
Lesson 36. Remember VS Remind
Lesson 37. Actually VS At The Moment
Lesson 38. How To Use Future Continuous
Lesson 39. Until VS By
Lesson 40. Journey VS Trip
Lesson 41. Expect VS Wait VS Hope
Lesson 42. The + Adjectives
Lesson 43. Don’t Mind VS Doesn’t Matter
Lesson 44. Everyone VS Anyone
Lesson 45. Three Uses Of Can
Lesson 46. Still VS Already VS Yet
Lesson 47. Very VS Really VS Absolutely
Lesson 48. Wish VS Hope
Lesson 49. Who, What, Where + ever
Lesson 50. Like Vs As
Lesson 51. In Case VS If
Lesson 52. How To Use The Future Perfect Continuous Tense
Lesson 53. Less VS Few
Lesson 54. All together VS Altogether
Lesson 55. Five Ways to Use Dead
Lesson 56. In The End VS At The End
Lesson 57. Five Ways to Say Bye Like A Brit
Lesson 58. Bored VS Boring
Lesson 59. Go on doing VS Go on to do
Lesson 60. Four Ways To Use Just
Lesson 61. Maybe VS May be
Lesson 62. The 3rd Conditional
Lesson 63. Because VS As VS Since
Lesson 64. Verb Of Perception : See and Hear
Lesson 65. The Past Perfect Tense
Lesson 66. Adverbs Of Frequency
Lesson 67. How To Use Tag Questions
Lesson 68. Few VS A Few
Lesson 69. Hard VS Hardly
Lesson 70. Their VS There VS They're
Contents
Lesson 1
Speak vs Talk
It often doesn't matter whether we use speak or talk, but there are some differences between them.
The action itself
Speak can refer to the action itself. Examples
• I speak Hausa really well.
• I speak Yoruba badly.
Formality
Speak can refer to something more formal than talk Examples.
• I spoke to my students about biology .
• I talked to my friends over alcohol .
Conversation
Talk suggests that the action is a conversation. For example
• My friend and I talked about work.
Set phrases:
There are some expressions that we only use with speak or talk.
For instance : speak out (say you don't like something) or talk rubbish (say things that aren't true) e.g.
• At the meeting, the workers spoke out about their lack of a pay rise.
• The politician said the road construction would be finished soon, but he's talking rubbish.
English In A Minute Quiz
Test your understanding of this lesson with our quiz!
Begin Activity
1. Which verb can refer to the action itself?
A. Speak
B. Talk
2. Who are you more likely to ‘speak’ to?
A. a judge
B Your family
3. The moon is made of cheese?! I think you’re -------- rubbish, friend!
A speaking
B talking
Lesson 2
Make and Do – 4 Things To Remember
Make:
• We can use make when we create something : For example I just made a cake.
• We can use make when something causes a reaction: For example . This film makes me sad.
Do:
• We can use do when we talk about activities Example I'm not doing anything. What do you want to do?
• We can use do when we talk about activities in general: Example. What does he do? He's a lawyer.
English In A minute Quiz
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Begin Activity
1 Why do you always have to ------- such a mess when you cook?
A make
B do
2. When she asked me to marry her, she ----- me so happy
A. did
B. made
3. I’m going to the beach. What are you ----- this weekend?
A. making
B. doing
Lesson 3
Story VS History
History:
History is a description or study of past events based on fact, often to understand their consequences. Examples
• Columbus arrived in America in 1492.
• Obasanjo was the first elected and civilian head of state in Nigeria in 1999
Story
A story is the description of series of real or imagined events, often to entertain people. Examples
• After arriving in America in 1492, Columbus and his crew were attacked by a giant man-eating T-Rex dinosaur.
• After he was sworn into office in May 29, 1999, Obasanjo and his minister were attacked by Bolo haram.
English In A Minute Quiz
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Begin Activity
1.The Berlin wall fell in 1989 – history or story?
A History
B Story
2. Friday Akpan lived in a flat in Ekpene-ukpa street, Eket. – story or history?
A History
B story
3. He said he was late because his bus delayed, but no one believed his ----------
A history
B story
Lesson 4
Five Ways To Use Hard
Hard
As an adjective, hard can mean:
. The opposite of soft: E.g. wood is hard.
. The opposite of easy: E.g. the exam was hard.
. Something involving effort: E.g. running a marathon is hard.
As an adverb, hard can mean:
. Doing something with energy: E.g. She works hard.
. To use force: E.g. He hit the ball hard.
Note: Hard is not the same as hardly!
English In A Minute Quiz
Test your understanding of this lesson with our quiz!
Begin Activity
1.Mathematics is harder than biology : What does hard mean here?
A The opposite of soft
B The opposite of easy
2. In which of these sentences is, ‘hard’ an adverb?
A She works hard
B work is hard
3. Are these sentences the same? He hit me hard ; versus ‘he hardly hit me'.
A Yes, they are the same.
B No, they are not the same.
Lesson 5
Stop To Do VS Stop Doing
Well, stop what you’re doing right now because that’s what I’m going to tell you.
Stop
Stop can be followed by an ING verb or a full infinitive verb. This is called a verb pattern. Which form is chosen depends on the speakers meaning.
Stop + ING verb
When stop is followed by an ING verb, it is the activity in the ING verb which is stopped. Examples
• John has finally stopped smoking. You won't see him doing it any more.
• After about an hour, they stopped playing football and rested.
• She's stopped making that mistake now and her language is much better.
Stop + full infinitive verb
When stop is followed by a full infinitive verb, it means we stop doing another action to do the action in the infinitive. Examples
• I was watching TV but I stopped to do some homework.
• After about an hour of playing football, they stopped to rest.
• I had to stop to change a tyre. One of mine had been punctured.
English In A Minute Quiz
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Begin Activity
1.Which of these sentences is incorrect?
A I stopped to walk
B I stopped walk
C I stopped walking
2. Which of these sentences means that ‘playing football ‘ is the thing that’s stopped?
A He’ll stop playing football
B He’ll stop to play football
3. In which of these sentences does the speaker tell us that they began eating?
A I was walking and I stopped to eat
B I was walking and I stopped eating
Lesson 6.
Must VS Have to
Both must and have to talk about obligations. Both are followed by an infinitive verb with no to.
Have to
Have to is used for obligations that others decide for us. These are often laws or rules and so cannot be changed. Examples
• We have to show our passes to enter the building.
• You have to smoke outside. Smoking is not allowed inside.
• She has to have a license before she drives.
Must
We use must to talk about obligations we decide for ourselves or others. Examples
• You must be more organized.
• I must exercise more often.
• We must clean the house today.
English In A Minute Quiz
Test your understanding of this lesson with our quiz!
Begin Activity
1.Which of these is NOT correct?
A We have to drive on the left in Abuja
B I can’t come to the party. I must doing my homework.
2. Which of these sentences is correct?
A I have to start work at 9am every day.
B I have to eat ice-cream this evening.
3. Which of these sentences is incorrect?
A One of the laws is that we must pay our taxes.
B I’m their father and I say they must go to bed at 8pm.
Lesson 7.
How To Use ‘Wish ‘
Wish
'Wish' is a verb which talks about unreal or imagined situations. Because of this, it has some unusual verb patterns:
A present wish
When we want to make a wish about a present situation, we use wish and a past simple or continuous verb. Examples
• I don't have my umbrella. I wish I had my umbrella.
• She doesn't know the answer. I wish she knew the answer.
• You're at work, but you wish you were playing football, right?
A past wish
When we want to make a wish about a past action or situation, we use wish and the past perfect - had + past participle verb.
• I'm so tired. I wish I had slept for another hour last night.
• She knows she made a mistake. She wishes she hadn't been so silly.
You were right. I shouldn't have quit my job. I wish I had listened to you.
Summary
Three different ways the verb wish is used.
1) Wish – something unlikely or impossible to be true
We use this pattern when we imagine a different past or present situation which is very unlikely or impossible. The clause after wish often uses a past form of the verb, such as was and hadn't in these examples:
I wish my eyesight was better.
I wish I hadn't told her.
2) Wish – for something
This is when you think very hard about something you wish for it to happen. We use it with for: Examples
I wish for a happy, peaceful life.
She wished for a better job.
3) Wish – someone something
This is when you tell someone you hope they will experience something good like being safe or happy (it's usually something good, but not always!). There is an indirect object (him) and a direct object (a safe trip) in the example:
I wished him a safe trip!
Here are two more examples which follow this pattern:
He wished me luck!
I wish you a happy anniversary!
English In A Minute Quiz
Test your understanding of this lesson with our quiz!
Begin Activity
1.In which situations do we use the verb ‘wish'?
A. We use ‘wish' with a situations that are real or possible.
B. We use ‘wish’ with a situation that are unreal or imaginary.
2. The weather is too hot today. What do I wish?
A I wish it isn’t so hot
B I wish it wasn’t so hot
C I wish it hadn’t been so hot
3. I drooped my phone yesterday and now it’s smashed.
A I wish I didn’t drop my phone
B I wish I hadn’t dropped my phone
4 I wish --------
A you having luck
B. you lucky
C you luck
5. He wished me --------
A. to recover fast
B. a speedy recovery
C. recover
6. I wish you -------- arrived earlier
A had
B. have
C. having
7. I wish for -------
A a big house
B. have a big house
C had a big house
8. I wish you -------- know about this
A don’t
B. didn’t
C. had
9. I wish for -----
A. peaceful world
B. world peace
C. have world peace
Lesson 8
Too and Very
Both too and very are intensifiers. They are used to make adjectives and adverbs stronger.
Very
When we use very, it's not clear whether what we are describing is a good or a bad thing. For example
• The building is very old.
This could be a good thing: 'the building is old and beautiful'. It could also be a bad thing: 'the building is old and falling down'.
Too
When we use too, it means there's a problem. Example
• The building is too old.
This is a bad thing. The building is too old. It might fall down and could be dangerous.
English In A Minute Quiz
Test your understanding of this lesson with our quiz!
Begin Activity
1.Which of these sentences is correct?
A It’s too hot today. I love the summer
B It’s very hot today. I love the summer.
2. “Edikan drinks too much coffee “. What does this mean?
A He’s always tired and grumpy because he can’t get to sleep until 4am.
B. He drink coffee frequently and enjoys it.
3. “Home is very far but not too far : I can still get there in a day”. What does this mean?
A Home is a long way away but that’s ok.
B. Home is far and that’s not ok.
Lesson 9.
Person VS Persons VS People VS peoples
Person
A person is a human man, woman, or child. It is a singular countable noun.
Examples
• There was one person at the door.
• When did you see this suspicious person?
• She's a very interesting person. You should talk to her.
People and peoples
The plural of person is people. It refers to a group or a number of human beings. It is a plural countable noun.
Examples
• There were three people at the door.
• How many people do you know?
• The people who live here are very rich.
People can also mean nation. Peoples is the plural form of this meaning. Peoples means nations. Examples
• There are many peoples living on the Earth.
• When the peoples of the Earth unite, we will have peace.
Persons
Persons is a more formal, more polite form of people. It's a plural countable noun and is most often seen written down - such as on signs, in newspapers and in the context of the law. Examples
• This lift can hold a maximum of 15 persons.
• The police expect to catch the persons responsible for the theft.
• My client has never seen these persons before and so he is innocent.
English In A Minute Quiz
Test your understanding of this lesson with our quiz!
Begin Activity
1.Mum told me that I am rude to everybody and that I shouldn’t talk to ----- that way.
A. person
B. persons
C people
D. peoples
2. “This reporter has learned that police are confident of catching the person or ----- involved.
A. people
B. persons
3. It is thought that if you go far back enough in time all the nations of the Earth evolved from one -----
A. person
B. persons
C. people
D. peoples
Lesson 10
Mustn't and don't have to
Modal verbs
Must, mustn't, have to and don't have to are modal verbs. This means they are always followed by a bare infinitive verb. Unlike most modal verbs, have to and don't have to change verb form when the subject pronoun changes. For example, becoming has to and doesn't have to or had to and didn't have to. Examples
• I must go.
• We mustn't go.
• You have to go.
• He doesn't have to go.
Must and have to
Both must and have to refer to obligation. They explain what needs to be done. Examples
• You must stop smoking. It will kill you.
• You have to go to school. It's the law.
Mustn't
Mustn't also refers to obligation, but in this case, it tells us what cannot be done. Examples
• You mustn't talk to your mother like that.
• He mustn't leave the house until I come home.
• We mustn't eat any more chocolate.
Don't have to
Don't have to explains to us that there is no obligation to do something. As a result, we have free choice! You can choose to do this thing or not. Examples
• You don't have to go to school if you are sick.
• She doesn't have to come to the party, if she doesn't want to.
• I don't have to know all the moves to win the game!
English In A Minute Quiz
Test your understanding of this lesson with our quiz!
Begin Activity
1.Which of these verbs can change form if you change the subject pronoun?
A Mustn’t
B. Don’t have to
2. Whatever you do, you mustn’t smoke inside
A This is an obligation. You cannot smoke.
B. This is a choice. You can smoke if you want to.
3. In which of these can the listener choose what to do?
A. I mustn’t watch horror movies anymore. I can’t sleep at night!
B. I don’t have to watch these movie now. There’s time later.
Lesson 11.
Come back VS Go back
Come back
When you come back, you leave and return to here - the place where you are when you speak. Examples
I need to leave, but I'll come back in 15 minutes.
• Get out of my house and don't come back!
• I'm sorry, she isn't here. But she's coming back tomorrow.
Go back
When you go back, you return there - to the place you were before.
• I've had a lovely time, but I should go back home now.
• There are only three more days before our holiday ends and we have to go back.
• Stop stealing or you'll go back to prison.
English In A Minute Quiz
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Begin Activity
1.I like it here, but I’m out of time and need to leave. Maybe we can ----- tomorrow.
A. come back
B. go back
2. I’ve left the children with my sister, but I can’t be long. I need to ---- as soon as possible.
A. come back
B. go back
Lesson 12
Steal vs Rob
Both steal and rob mean 'take something without permission'.
Steal
Steal focuses on the object or the thing which is taken. Examples
• Hey! Somebody just stole my phone.
• You once stole chocolate from a shop!
• She has completely stolen my heart.
Rob
Rob focuses on the victim of the crime. Examples
• The men robbed a bank last night.
• Three guys robbed me while I was travelling home.
• She has been robbed three times this year.
English In A Minute Quiz
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Begin Activity
1.True or false : Both steal and rob mean take something without permission.
A. True
B. False
2. She was ----- as she left the station
A. Stolen
B robbed
3. The thieves ----- N10,000.00!
A. stole
B. robbed
Lesson 13
Five Ways to Use ‘In’ With Time Expressions
In with time expressions
In is a preposition of time. It can be used with:
Months: Examples
• I'm going on holiday in May.
• I'll next see you at Christmas in December.
• I think we arrived some time in June.
Seasons: Examples
• In winter, it's cold.
• I think this year I'll have my holiday in summer.
• Mum, do the leaves fall off the tree in spring or in autumn?
Years: Examples
• I finished secondary school in 2004
• The Titanic sank in 1912.
• I grew up in the 1930s.
Times of day: Examples
• I leave home in the morning.
• I get home in the evening.
• I'll see you in the afternoon.
Be careful!
• I can't sleep at night.
The past, present and future:
• In the past, people died much younger.
• You need to learn to live in the present.
• In the future, you'll learn everything from videos.
English In A Minute Quiz
Test your understanding of this lesson with our quiz!
Begin Activity
1.Which of these sentences is incorrect?
A. I last saw him in the morning
B. I’ll be home in the afternoon
C She'll see you in the evening
D. The plane lands late so I’ll see in night
2. Which of the following do we NOT use ‘in’ with?
A. Days
B. Months
C. Years
3. Which season do we not use ‘in’ with?
A. Winter
B. Spring
C. Summer
D. Autumn
E. This is a trick question. We use in with all seasons.
Lesson 14
Raise VS Rise
Both raise and rise refer to something going up, but there is a difference.
Raise
Raise needs a direct object - if you raise something you move it up. It has both literal and non-literal meanings and it is a regular verb, so it's past and past participle forms are raised. Examples
• I raise my eyebrows when I'm surprised.
• The government plan to raise taxes.
• He raised his voice at me in anger, but I forgave him.
Rise
Rise does not take a direct object - things rise or go up by themselves. Rise is an irregular verb so the past form is rose and the past participle is risen. Examples
• The sun rises at 6a.m.
• The water level rises twice a day because of the tide.
• The bird rose into the air and flew away.
English In A Minute Quiz
Test your understanding of this lesson with our quiz!
Begin Activity
1.Which of these sentences is correct?
A. Both raise and rise are regular verbs.
B. Both raise and rise take objects
C. Both raise and rise refer to something going up
2. Which of these sentences is correct?
A I raised my hand to ask a question
B. I rose my hand to ask a question
3. Which form of rise is incorrect?
A. rised
B. rose
C risen
Lesson 15
A Secret About Collective Nouns
Collective nouns, or group nouns, represent a number of things or people together. Some of them can be both singular or plural - both are correct and the choice is up to the speaker.
• Government
• Family
• Team
Be careful
Not all collective nouns act in this way. Some are always plural. Examples
• The police are coming.
• The staff are tired.
A group of individuals
These nouns can be considered a group of individuals - a football team has 11 individual players. In this case, the pronoun is they and the verb form is plural.
Examples
• My football team are the best. They are unbeatable.
• The government plan to raise taxes. They are always doing that.
• My family are happy. They never have any problems.
A unit
These nouns can also be considered a unit - even though they have individual parts, they function together in unison. In this case, the pronoun is it and the verb form is singular. Examples
• My football team is the best. It is unbeatable.
• The government plans to raise taxes. It is always doing that.
• My family is happy. It never has any problems.
English In A Minute Quiz
Test your understanding of this lesson with our quiz!
Begin Activity
1.Which of these collective nouns is always plural?
A. government
B. staff
C. family
2. Choose the correct pronoun to complete the sentence:
This team is the best ever ------- is going to win for sure!
A they
B it
3. Which CANNOT complete this sentence : My family ---- going on holiday next week
A am
B are
C is
Lesson 16
Three ways to use 'take off'
'Take off' is a phrasal verb. This means it is a verb (take) followed by a particle (off). Phrasal verbs are tricky because they can have many different meanings depending on the context.
Remove clothing
Take off can mean remove clothing. With this use, take off is separable. This means that the item of clothing can go between the verb and the particle. Examples
• It's warm here. I'm going to take off my jumper.
• It's warm here. I'm going to take my jumper off.
• Please take off your shoes when you come inside.
• Please take your shoes off when you come inside.
Something becoming successful
Take off can also mean become successful, especially suddenly. Examples
• I'm going to be rich. My business has taken off.
• I never liked his music, but it's taken off quite recently. Everyone is listening to it.
Not go to work
Take off can be used with a time word to mean have time away from work. Examples
• I'm going to take a day off work tomorrow
• She asked to take a week off next month for a holiday.
English In A Minute Quiz
Test your understanding of this lesson with our quiz!
Begin Activity
1.What does ‘take off' mean in this sentence : Take it off right now. It’s too hot outside for that.
A Remove clothing
B. Becomes successful
C. Have time a way from work
2. Which of these can take off?
A. a business
B. a day
C. a pair of shoes
3. Which of these would you say to your boss if you were sick?
A. I need to taken a day off
B. I need to take a day off
C. I need to take a day day off
Lesson 17
Every time vs all the time
Every time
We use every time when we are talking about each individual time something happens. We do not know how frequently this is, only that it happens each individual time. Examples
• Every time I go to the beach, it rains.
• He's very reliable. He's there every time I need his help.
• It's like magic! She guesses the correct card every time!
All the time
We use all the time to talk about something that always or usually happens.
• In Akwa Ibom , it rains all the time.
• She's late all the time. We have to talk to her manager.
• What's their secret? They're happy all the time!
English In A Minute Quiz
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Begin Activity
1.Which of these is correct?
A. everytime
B. every – time
C every time
2. Which of these is correct?
A. All the time I get to work on time, I have a good day.
B. Every time I get to work on time, I have a good day
3. Which of these is correct?
A. Whenever I close the door, the doorbell rings! It happens every time!
B. Whenever I close the door, the doorbell rings! It happens all the time!
C Both
Lesson 18
Play, Do and Go For Sports
Play
We use play for team sports or ball games. Examples
• I play football.
• I don't play tennis.
• Will we play hockey tomorrow?
Do
We use do for more individual activities. Examples
• I do exercise.
• I don't do judo.
• Have you ever done aerobics?
Go
We often use go for activities ending in -ING. Examples
• I go running.
• I don't go swimming.
• I would never go skydiving.
English In A Minute Quiz
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Begin Activity
1.Complete this sentence : I love team games. Personally I love to ---- volleyball
A. play
B. do
C. go
2. Complete this sentence : I’m very nervous. I’ve never ----- hiking on my own
A. played
B. done
C. gone
3. Complete this sentence : At 6 in the evening yesterday, I was ---- yoga
A playing
B. doing
C. going
Lesson 19
Five uses of 'get'
Buy / obtain
Get can mean buy or obtain. Examples
• I got myself a new phone last weekend.
• I need to get some new clothes.
Receive
Get can mean receive. Examples
• I just got a message.
• I got a car for my birthday!
Become
Get with an adjective can mean become. Examples
• I'm getting annoyed.
• It's got quite hot in here suddenly.
Understand
Get can mean understand. Examples
• I don't get this joke.
• I don't often meet people who get this type of movie.
Arrive
Get can mean arrive. Examples
• I need to get home early so I'm off!
• What time will you get here?
English In A Minute Quiz
Test your understanding of this lesson with our quiz!
Begin Activity
1.What does ‘get’ mean in this sentence : I didn’t get anything on my birthday.
A. arrive
B. receive
C. become
2. What kind of word do we use with get to mean ‘become’?
A. a noun
B. a verb
C an adjective
3. What does this sentence mean? He explained the report, but I didn’t get it.
A. I didn’t become it
B. I didn’t understand it
C. I didn’t obtain it
Lesson 20
‘No' VS ‘Not any’ VS “None'
Do you have any change?
No + noun
We can use the verb + no + a noun . Examples
• Sorry, I have no change
• have no idea what you mean.
Don't + verb + any + noun
We can use the negative don’t + the verb + any + the noun.
Examples
• Sorry, I don't have any change.
• He doesn't have any time to speak.
None
We can use none without a verb or noun. It's a short answer. For example
• Sorry, none at all.
English In A Minute Quiz
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Begin Activity
1.Which of these is correct?
A I have no change
B I don’t have no change
C I don’t have none change
2. Which word is missing from this formula: Don’t + verb + ------ + noun.
A some
B. any
C. none
3. Which of these sentences is true?
A None must be followed by a verb
B. None must be followed by a noun
C. None can be used alone
Lesson 21
Three ways to use 'pick up'
'Pick up' is a phrasal verb. This means it is a verb (pick) followed by a particle (up). Phrasal verbs are tricky because they can have many different meanings depending on the context.
Learning something
We can use pick up to describe learning something. Examples
• Children pick up languages very quickly.
• I picked up the guitar from spending time with musicians.
Buying something
We can use pick up informally to describe buying something. Examples
• I often pick up some milk on my way home.
• She picks up lots of items in the Christmas sales.
Getting an illness
We can use pick up to describe getting an illness. Examples
• I think I picked up a cold.
• He picked up the coronavirus from his colleague.
English In A Minute Quiz
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Begin Activity
1.What kind of verb is ‘pick up'?
A. A past simple verb
B. A present participle verb
C. A phrasal verb
2. Which of these can we NOT use ‘pick up' to describe?
A learning something
B buying something
C beginning a new hobby
D getting an illness
3. Which sentence is incorrect?
A I’ve never picked up clothes so cheaply before!
B She picked up the measles from a girl at school
C The plane picked up after it had accelerated down the runway.
Lesson 22
How to use infinitives of purpose
English has different verb forms. A full infinitive is to + verb. For example, to eat.
Why we do something
When a full infinitive is used at the end of a sentence to explain why we do something, it is called the infinitive of purpose. This only works with verbs, not nouns. Examples
• I went home to eat.
• He's going to the gym to lose weight.
• I will work hard to make more money.
Nouns
To explain why we do something using a noun, we use for. Examples
• I went home for food.
• He's going to the gym for exercise.
• I will work hard for money.
Helping
We can also use for to talk about doing something to help someone. Examples
• I made this video for you to learn.
• There's a cake on the table for you to eat.
English In A Minute Quiz
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Begin Activity
1.Which of these sentences is correct?
A He’s gone home rest.
B He’s gone home to rest
C He’s gone home to resting
2. Which of these sentences is correct?
A I’m running the marathon for charity
B I’m running the marathon to charity
C I’m running the marathon at charity
3. Complete this sentence : I bought those books ------
A to you for study
B for you to study
C to you to study
Lesson 23
Three facts about 'the'
We use the when referring to a specific thing and both you and the person you're talking to know which one you mean. Examples
• Please pass me the milk - we can see the bottle so we know it's that one.
• Don't use the when talking about something in general. For example I love chocolate.
• We don't use the when it doesn't matter which thing we're talking about.
We usually use a or an here .E.g. Give me a cup of tea, I don't care which cup, any cup will do.
English In A Minute Quiz
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Begin Activity
1.’the', ‘a’ or nothing? See that black one over there? That’s -------- dog that bit me”.
A the
B. a
C. nothing
2. ‘the', ‘a’ or nothing? “I hate ------- chess. Its so boring “.
A the
B. a
C. nothing
3. ‘the', ‘a’ or nothing? “Can I have -------- chip, please?
A the
B a
C. nothing
Lesson 24
Four British slang words
Slang words are words you should only use in an informal situation. Here are four examples...
• gutted - This is an adjective and means very sad or disappointed. Examples
I just failed my driving test for the fourth time! I'm gutted.
• knackered - This is also an adjective and means really, really tired. Examples
I went to a party last night and now I'm knackered!
• skint - This means to have no money or very little money. Examples
I can't come out tonight, I'm skint.
• loaded - If someone is loaded, they are very very rich. Examples
I just won the lottery – I'm loaded!
English In A Minute Quiz
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Begin Activity
1.I was -------- when I found out I didn’t get a place at my first choice university
A gutted
B. knackered
C. skint
D. Loaded
2. I haven’t slept for 48 hours. I’m absolutely -------
A gutted
B. knackered
C. skint
D. Loaded
3. I can’t get you a birthday present this year. I’m too -----------
A gutted
B. knackered
C. skint
D. Loaded
4. My uncle is ---------. He has a swimming pool and tennis court at his house
A gutted
B. knackered
C. skint
D. Loaded
Lesson 25
Especially vs specially
Both especially and specially are adverbs.
Especially
Especially means 'in particular' or 'most of all'. Examples
• I like food, but I especially like sandwiches.
• He's often a little late, but he was especially late today.
• She looked especially beautiful that night.
Specially
Specially means 'for a particular purpose' or 'in a particular way'. Examples
• This sandwich was specially made.
• They had a chair specially designed for her size.
• The animals are specially trained to locate the mushrooms.
English In A Minute Quiz
Test your understanding of this lesson with our quiz!
Begin Activity
1.What kind of words are ‘especially ‘ and ‘specially’?
A Nouns
B Adjectives
C Adverbs
D Verbs
2. Which of these does ‘specially' NOT mean?
A For a particular purpose
B In a particular way
C Most of all
3. Which of these answer is incorrect?
A My birthday was wonderful. I was specially pleased with the cake.
B My birthday was wonderful. My specially - made cake was delicious.
Lesson 26
Be going to vs present continuous
Form - be going to
Be going to is followed by a bare infinitive verb - a verb with no 'to'. Don't forget to change the 'be' verb to the correct form to agree with the subject pronoun! Examples
• I am going to eat something.
• She's going to be very angry.
• They're going to be late, I think.
Form - present continuous
The present continuous tense is formed using the auxiliary verb be + (verb)ing. Be careful of state verbs, such as know and need, which are only rarely used in the continuous form. Examples
• I'm working! What do you want?
• He's playing football later.
• We're having a party. Would you like to come?
Future plans - be going to
Be going to is often used with future plans which will probably take place, but have not been formalized. This means that the exact details, such as what time and where, have not been agreed on. Examples
• I'm going to meet my friends this weekend.
• He's going to fix his car later today.
• We're probably going to take the bus to get there.
Future plans - present continuous
The present continuous is often used with future plans which are almost definite. The details have been decided on and everyone involved knows where they need to be and when. Examples
• I'm meeting my friends this weekend.
• We're going to the cinema tonight.
• She's having dinner with the president of the club tomorrow evening.
English In A Minute Quiz
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Begin Activity
1.Which of these verb forms is NOT correct?
A am going to + bare infinitive
B be + (verb) ing
2. What do we need to be careful of when using the present continuous?
A state verbs
B bare infinitive verbs
C past participle verbs
3. Complete this sentence : We -------- somewhere next summer for a holiday, but we haven’t agreed on the destination or bought the tickets.
A are going to travel
B are travelling
Lesson 27
Even though vs even if
Even though
Even though introduces something that's true, but may be unexpected. It's similar to despite.
Examples
• Even though I hate driving, I'm still going to Abuja .
• Even though I hate tennis, I'm still going to watch the final.
Even if
Even if introduces something hypothetical, which means it may not be real. Examples
• Even if it's sunny when we're in Abuja, I'm not going swimming
• Even if you paid me, I wouldn't watch that film.
English In A Minute Quiz
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Begin Activity
1.Which of these sentences is correct?
A Even if I could stop the rain, I’d still stay inside today
B. Even though I could still stop the rain, I’d still stay inside today.
2. Which of these is ‘even though ‘ similar to?
A therefore
B. despite
C. however
3. Which of these sentences is real?
A Even if you failed your exam, I’ll still buy you an ice-cream
B. Even though you fail your exam, I’ll still buy you an ice-cream.
Lesson 28
Been vs gone
Past participles
Both been and gone are past participle verbs:
• be - am/are/is - was/were - been
• go - go/goes - went - gone
Present perfect
Both been and gone are commonly used with the present perfect tense. This is formed with have/ has + a past participle verb. Examples
• I have been home.
• She has gone home.
Been
Been is used for complete visits. A person goes somewhere and returns. Examples
• I've been to Paris.
• He hasn't been to Ibadan
• Have they been to Uyo?
Gone
Gone is used when someone goes somewhere and doesn't return. They left before and have not come back. Examples
• She's gone to Paris.
• We haven't gone very far. Don't worry.
• Have you gone to work already? I need a lift.
English In A Minute Quiz
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Begin Activity
1.Which verb is ‘been’ the past participle of?
A be
B go
2. I think he’s gone to work! What does this mean?
A He hasn’t left yet
B He is somewhere around here because he has returned.
C He is either travelling to work, or at work itself
3. If I say ‘I’ve just been to the shops', where am I?
A at home
B at the shop
Lesson 29
Remember to do vs remember doing
Verb patterns
In English, when two verbs are used together the first verb tells the second verb what form to take. Some verbs are always followed by an infinitive verb, others are followed by a gerund - an ING verb. In some cases a verb can use either an infinitive or gerund and the choice can make a difference in meaning. Examples
• I want to go to the cinema.
• I enjoy going to the cinema.
• I stopped to go to the cinema.
• I stopped going to the cinema.
Remember
Remember can be followed by an infinitive or a gerund and there is a difference in meaning.
Examples
• I need to remember to go shopping.
• I remember going shopping this morning.
Infinitive
When we follow remember with an infinitive, we remember first and then do the action second. This is commonly used to talk about the future - especially when we need to remember to do something later - such as shopping! Examples
• Remember to bring your umbrella.
• She needs to remember to finish her homework before 4pm.
• I must remember to go shopping later - we have no food!
Gerund
When we follow remember with a gerund, we do the action first and then later remember it. The action is a memory and this form is commonly used to talk about the past. Examples
• I remember meeting my best friend when I was little
• Can you remember going fishing with Dad when we were six?
• Before she left she told me that she remembered baking cakes with you. It is her favourite memory.
English In A Minute Quiz
Test your understanding of this lesson with our quiz!
Begin Activity
1.Which of these verbs is always followed by an infinitive
A want
B enjoy
C remember
2. True or False: Remember can be used with an infinitive or gerund with no difference in! meaning
A True. There’s no difference
B False. There’s a difference
3. Is this person remembering the future or the past? ‘I remember going to see my mother ‘.
A The past. This person is remembering a memory
B The future. This person is remembering to do something
C If the more I run, the fitter I will get
Lesson 30
Prevent vs avoid
Prevent
Prevent basically means stop. Preventing something means stopping it, often before it has happened. You can prevent something, prevent something happening, or prevent someone from doing something. Examples
• The arrival of the police prevented crime.
• His hand prevented the cup falling.
• Losing my passport prevented me from flying.
Avoid
Avoid means miss. If you avoid something you miss it, or try to make it miss you. You can avoid something or avoid something happening. Examples
• I avoided the slap easily.
• I avoided being discovered by hiding.
English In A Minute Quiz
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Begin Activity
1.Choose the correct statement below:
A We use prevent when we talk about making something miss us
B. We use avoid when we talk about making something miss us.
2. Complete this sentence with correct verb: I ----- the door from hitting me by stopping it with my hand.
A. prevented
B. avoided
3. Which of these is NOT correct?
A The international conference prevented war
B The international conference prevented war starting
C The international conference prevented the nation from warring
D The international conference prevented the nations to war each other
Lesson 31
What vs which
Question words
What and which are question words like who, where, when and why.
What
What is used to ask a question with a lot of possible answers. The person answering the question does not need to limit their reply. They can choose anything they can think of. Examples
• What do you want to eat for lunch?
• What shall we do tomorrow?
• What time should we meet?
• What’re you doing?
Which
Which is used when there are a limited number of answers to the question. This is often obvious from the context. Examples
• Which do you want to eat? The sandwich or the melon?
• We can go to Calaber, Lagos or Abuja . Which would you like?
• I'm free at 12pm or 3pm. Which time should we meet at?
English In A Minute Quiz
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Begin Activity
1.Which of these is not a question word?
A what
B which
C when
D while
2. Which of these statements is true?
A ‘What’ is used for a question with a limited number of answers.
B ‘Which’ is used for a question with a limited number of answers
3. Is this question correct? “what of these do you want – tea or coffee? “
A The question is correct.
B The question is incorrect.
Lesson 32
While vs during
Same meaning
While and during can mean the same thing, but their grammar is different. This is because while is a conjunction, but during is a preposition.
While
After while we use a clause. A clause is a group of words that contain a subject and a verb - for example: She ate. Remember, the verb that follows while is usually an ING verb. Examples
• While I was having lunch, my phone rang.
• While we were walking, we saw a bus.
• While they ate dinner, they talked about the news.
It is also possible to use while with just an ING verb. E.g.
• While having lunch, my phone rang.
• While walking, we saw a bus.
• While eating dinner, they talked about the coronavirus pandemic
During
During must be followed by a noun phrase. E.g.
• During lunch, my phone rang.
• During our walk, we saw a bus.
• During dinner, they talked about the coronavirus pandemic.
English In A Minute Quiz
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Begin Activity
1.What is a cause?
A A subject and a verb
B A verb and an object
C A subject and an object
2. Which of these sentences has the same meaning as “While he was travelling to the airport, he last his phone. “?
A While travels to the airport, he lost his phone.
B While travelled to the airport, he lost his phone
C While travelling to the airport he lost his phone.
3. Which of these sentences is correct?
A During the night was passing, there was a break in at the shop.
B During passing, there was a break in at the shop
C During the night, there was a break in at the shop.
Lesson 33
Lay vs Lie
Lay
Lay means 'put something down carefully'. Its verb forms are lay, laid, laid. It always has an object. Examples
• When I eat I lay a cloth on the table.
• I laid the baby in her cot.
• She hasn't laid the duvet on the bed.
Lie
Lie means 'be in a flat position' or 'put yourself in a flat position. Its verb forms are lie, lay, lain. It doesn't require an object. Examples
• Tonight I want to lie on the sofa and watch a film.
• Yesterday Precious lay on the beach and read a book.
• I've never lain on a futon before.
English In A Minute Quiz
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Begin Activity
1.Which of these sentences is correct?
A She lays the dog on the bed for the photos.
B She lie the dog on the bed for the photos
2. Which verb is ‘laid’ the past simple of?
A lay
B lie
3. True or false: The verb ‘lie’ requires an object
A True
B False
Lesson 34
Affect vs Effect
Affect
Affect is usually a verb and means 'to influence'. Examples
• Tiredness is affecting my work.
• People's confidence in the future affects the stock market.
• The earthquake affected people for miles around.
NOTE: Affect can be used as a noun, though rarely. It is connected with the context of psychology and means an emotion or desire that influences behaviour.
Effect
Effect is usually a noun. It means 'the result of something'. Examples
• The effect of not having breakfast is to feel really hungry.
• The aspirin's effect took a long time to start working.
• The romantic movie had a strange effect on his emotions.
Effect can be a verb. It's very formal and means 'to implement something' E.g.
• The management effected a new policy.
• Environmentalists around the world are trying to effect ecofriendly changes.
Pronunciation
Affect and effect sound very similar, but in British English ‘effect’ is usually pronounced /ɪˈfekt/ while affect is pronounced as /əˈfekt/. In American English they are often pronounced the same - /əˈfekt/. This pronunciation difference can be very hard to hear. Sometimes people do not notice the difference.
English In A Minute Quiz
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Begin Activity
1 Which of these sentences is correct?
A The medicine had an unusual affect on me.
B The medicine had an unusual effect on me.
C The medicine effected me strangely.
2. Complete this sentence : it’s still unknown whether social media will______ us in a good or bad way.
A affect
B effect
3. True or false : Affect and effect are pronounced the same way in British English
A True
B False
Lesson 35
The... the... comparatives
We can use the... the... comparative structures to say that one thing depends on another, or that things change together. Examples
• The more I study, the more I learn.
• The faster you go, the quicker you will arrive.
• The more he talks, the less I want to listen.
Form
We use the + comparative + subject + verb for each half of the expression. Don't forget the comma in between the two clauses. Examples
• The older I become, the happier I am.
• The more expensive the gift, the greater the gratitude, I say.
Comparatives
Be careful when using the comparative - do not forget that there are three types of comparatives:
• Type 1: 'ER' - The faster you go, the quicker you will arrive.
• Type 2: 'more + adjective' - The more beautiful you are, the more handsome he will need to be.
• Type 3: 'irregular' - The better the movie, the worse the reviews.
For more information about comparatives read lesson 15 in unit 2
Using a conditional
You can make a the... the... comparative from conditionals which link things comparatively:
If I study more, I learn more.
• Remove the if
• Add the to the beginning of both parts of the sentence.
• Rearrange the order of the words so that the comparatives 'more' are after 'the' for example
The more I study, the more I learn.
English In A Minute Quiz
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Begin Activity
1 Which is the structure of a the… the… comparative?
A the + subject + verb + comparative
B the + comparative + verb
C the + comparative + subject + verb
2. Which of these comparative types is NOT correct?
A Type 1: est. The fastest you go, the quickest you will arrive.
B Type 2: more + adjective. The more beautiful you are, the more handsome he will need to be.
C Type 3: irregular. The better the movie, the worse the reviews.
3. What is the ‘the… the… comparative’ of : If I run more, I will get fitter.
A The more I run, the fitter I will get.
B I run more, I will get fitter.
C If the more I run, the fitter I will get.
D The I run more, the fitter I will get.
Lesson 36
Remember vs remind
Both remember and remind are verbs of memory but they are not the same.
Remember
Remember is about having a memory. It has two verb patterns with a big difference in meaning.
Remember + (verb)ing
Remember + (verb)ing is used when we remember something from the past. First the action happens and later we remember it happening. Examples
• I remember meeting you at a party ten years ago.
• She doesn't remember visiting us last year.
Remember + full infinitive
Remember + full infinitive verb is used to remember something that must be done in the future. First we think of the thing we need to remember and later we do the action. Examples
• I must remember to do my shopping later.
• Remember to close the windows before you leave.
Remind
Remind means make someone remember. Its verb pattern is remind + somebody + full infinitive verb. Something can also remind you (or someone) of something. Examples
• You must remind me to do my shopping.
• He's always reminding me to keep hold of my keys.
• That smell reminds me of my mother cooking.
• London reminds me of my home city.
English In A Minute Quiz
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Begin Activity
1 Which of these verb patterns is incorrect?
A Remember + (verb)in
B Remember + full infinitive verb
C Remind + somebody + (verb)ing
D Remind + somebody + full infinitive verb
2. Which one of these does NOT use the verb ‘remember’ correctly?
A He lost his memory so he won't remember meeting you.
B Being polite means always remembering to say please and thank you.
C I write it on my hand and it remembers me to go shopping.
3. Complete this sentence: This band reminds_____ a girl I used to dance with at university
A I about
B me of
C me for
Lesson 37
Actually vs at the moment
Actually
Actually means 'in reality' or 'in fact'. It is often used to present information which contrasts with what is believed to be true. Examples
• I thought I had got the answer correct, but actually it was wrong.
• Many people think it always rains in Akwa Ibom . Actually, it only rains most of the time.
• The police are unclear as to what actually happened.
At the moment
At the moment means 'now' or 'in the present'. Examples
• I'm studying at the moment because I have an exam tomorrow.
• I'm sorry. He's not here at the moment. Would you like to leave a message?
• At the moment, They're renovating their new home so they don't have any spare time.
English In A Minute Quiz
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Begin Activity
1. Which of these does NOT have the same meaning as ‘actually’?
A in reality
B in truth
C in fact
D currently
2. Complete this sentence with the correct word: I thought his car was red, but____ it was blue!
A actually
B at the moment
3. Which of these sentences is correct?
A I'm sorry, I can't come to the phone actually. Please leave a message after the beep.
B I'm sorry, I can't come to the phone at the moment. Please leave a message after the beep
Lesson 38
How To Use Future Continuous
Future continuous
Form
The future continuous tense is formed using will + be + verb(ing). Remember that the verb will does not change its form for any subject pronoun: I / you / he / she / it / we / they will + be + verb(ing). Examples
• In the next scene, I will be wearing a jumper.
• Will you be flying by this time tomorrow?
• They won't be starting construction until later this year.
Meaning
We use the future continuous to describe actions in progress at a future point in time. Examples
• In the next scene, I'll be holding a melon.
• I'll be studying this weekend because I have an exam on Monday.
• Due to delays, we won't be landing at the airport until much later this evening.
English In A Minute Quiz
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Begin Activity
1 What’s the verb form of the future continuous tense?
A does + be + verb(ing)
B will + being + verb(ing)
C will + be + verb(ing)
2. Which of these statements is false?
A We use the future continuous for future actions
B We use the future continuous for actions that will be in progress
C We use the future continuous for actions that will be finished by a future point in time
3. Which of these sentences is incorrect?
A By this time tomorrow, I will be sitting on a beach.
B This afternoon, I will be sitting on a beach.
C At the moment I will be sitting on a beach
Lesson 39
Until vs by
Until
Until is used to talk about doing something up to a certain point in time. Examples
• I have to take care of my dog until 5pm.
• Until the rain stops, we can't go to the beach.
• I will be working until this evening. We can meet for dinner after that.
By
By is used to talk about doing something before a future time or deadline. Examples
• I have to finish an essay by 5pm.
• The council expects the bridge to be finished by December.
• By the time I come back, I want this room clean.
English In A Minute Quiz
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Begin Activity
1 Which of these is used to talk about doing something before a future time or deadline?
A until
B by
2. Which of these sentences is correct?
A I have too much to do. I'll have to keep working until the end of the day.
B I have too much to do. I'll have to keep working by the end of the day.
3. Complete this sentence: I think my project will be finished_____ the end of the month
A until
B by
Lesson 40
Journey and Trip
Journey
Journey is a noun. It refers to a single piece of travel i.e. one period of movement from one place to another by car, plane, train etc. Examples
• The journey to Abuja takes 6 hours by bus.
• Before the car, journeys used to take much longer.
• It's been a long journey but we're finally here!
Trip
A trip is a noun. It usually refers to more than one journey and the time spent somewhere.
For instance, if someone asks ‘How was your trip? ‘They’re asking about the whole time you are always, not the journey. Examples
• How was your camping trip, Sarah?
• It was fun, but it rained all weekend!
• Next week, I'm going on a short trip to Lagos. I'll be away for six days.
NOTE: Trip is also often used in several set phrases: a business trip, a school trip and a day trip.
Examples
• Mr. Nsikak is away on a business trip in Abuja . Can I take a message?
• Please get your permission slips signed if you want to come on a school trip to the zoo.
• Shall we take a day trip to the beach today?
English In A Minute Quiz
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Begin Activity
1 . Choose the correct word to complete this sentence: The_____ from Uyo to Calaber takes around 3 hours by car.
A journey
B trip
2 Which of these sentences is correct?
A The travel agent booked the whole journey. Two days' travel, one there and one back, and a week's stay in a five star hotel.
B The travel agent booked the whole trip. Two days' travel, one there and one back, and a week's stay in a five star hotel.
3. Which of these is NOT a common set phrase with ‘trip’?
A a business trip
B a day trip
C a hospital trip
D a school trip
Contents
Introduction
Unit 1. English In A Minute
Lesson 1. Speak VS Talk
Lesson 2. Make VS Do – 4 things to remember
Lesson 3. Story VS History
Lesson 4. Five Ways To Use Hard
Lesson 5. Stop to do VS Stop doing
Lesson 6. Must VS Have to
Lesson 7. How To Use ‘Wish ‘
Lesson 8. Too VS Very
Lesson 9. Person VS Persons VS People VS peoples
Lesson 10. Mustn’t VS Don’t have to
Lesson 11. Come back VS Go back
Lesson 12. Steal VS Rob
Lesson 13. Five Ways To Use ‘In' With Time Expressions
Lesson 14. Raise VS Rise
Lesson 15. A Secret About Collective Nouns
Lesson 16. Three Ways To Use ‘Take Off ‘
Lesson 17. Every time VS All the time
Lesson 18. Play, Do and Go to Sports
Lesson 19. Five ways to Use ‘Get’
Lesson 20. No VS Not Any VS None
Lesson 21. Three Ways to Use ‘Pick Up'
Lesson 22. How To Use Infinitive Of Purpose
Lesson 23. Three Facts About ‘The’
Lesson 24. Four Slang Words
Lesson 25. Especially VS Specially
Lesson 26. Be Going To VS Present Continuous
Lesson 27. Even Though VS Even If
Lesson 28. Been VS Gone
Lesson 29. Remember To Do VS Remember Doing
Lesson 30. Prevent VS Avoid
Lesson 31. What VS Which
Lesson 32. While VS During
Lesson 33. Lay VS Lie
Lesson 34. Affect VS Effect
Lesson 35. The… the… comparatives
Lesson 36. Remember VS Remind
Lesson 37. Actually VS At The Moment
Lesson 38. How To Use Future Continuous
Lesson 39. Until VS By
Lesson 40. Journey VS Trip
Lesson 41. Expect VS Wait VS Hope
Lesson 42. The + Adjectives
Lesson 43. Don’t Mind VS Doesn’t Matter
Lesson 44. Everyone VS Anyone
Lesson 45. Three Uses Of Can
Lesson 46. Still VS Already VS Yet
Lesson 47. Very VS Really VS Absolutely
Lesson 48. Wish VS Hope
Lesson 49. Who, What, Where + ever
Lesson 50. Like Vs As
Lesson 51. In Case VS If
Lesson 52. How To Use The Future Perfect Continuous Tense
Lesson 53. Less VS Few
Lesson 54. All together VS Altogether
Lesson 55. Five Ways to Use Dead
Lesson 56. In The End VS At The End
Lesson 57. Five Ways to Say Bye Like A Brit
Lesson 58. Bored VS Boring
Lesson 59. Go on doing VS Go on to do
Lesson 60. Four Ways To Use Just
Lesson 61. Maybe VS May be
Lesson 62. The 3rd Conditional
Lesson 63. Because VS As VS Since
Lesson 64. Verb Of Perception : See and Hear
Lesson 65. The Past Perfect Tense
Lesson 66. Adverbs Of Frequency
Lesson 67. How To Use Tag Questions
Lesson 68. Few VS A Few
Lesson 69. Hard VS Hardly
Lesson 70. Their VS There VS They're
Contents
Lesson 1
Speak vs Talk
It often doesn't matter whether we use speak or talk, but there are some differences between them.
The action itself
Speak can refer to the action itself. Examples
• I speak Hausa really well.
• I speak Yoruba badly.
Formality
Speak can refer to something more formal than talk Examples.
• I spoke to my students about biology .
• I talked to my friends over alcohol .
Conversation
Talk suggests that the action is a conversation. For example
• My friend and I talked about work.
Set phrases:
There are some expressions that we only use with speak or talk.
For instance : speak out (say you don't like something) or talk rubbish (say things that aren't true) e.g.
• At the meeting, the workers spoke out about their lack of a pay rise.
• The politician said the road construction would be finished soon, but he's talking rubbish.
English In A Minute Quiz
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Begin Activity
1. Which verb can refer to the action itself?
A. Speak
B. Talk
2. Who are you more likely to ‘speak’ to?
A. a judge
B Your family
3. The moon is made of cheese?! I think you’re -------- rubbish, friend!
A speaking
B talking
Lesson 2
Make and Do – 4 Things To Remember
Make:
• We can use make when we create something : For example I just made a cake.
• We can use make when something causes a reaction: For example . This film makes me sad.
Do:
• We can use do when we talk about activities Example I'm not doing anything. What do you want to do?
• We can use do when we talk about activities in general: Example. What does he do? He's a lawyer.
English In A minute Quiz
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Begin Activity
1 Why do you always have to ------- such a mess when you cook?
A make
B do
2. When she asked me to marry her, she ----- me so happy
A. did
B. made
3. I’m going to the beach. What are you ----- this weekend?
A. making
B. doing
Lesson 3
Story VS History
History:
History is a description or study of past events based on fact, often to understand their consequences. Examples
• Columbus arrived in America in 1492.
• Obasanjo was the first elected and civilian head of state in Nigeria in 1999
Story
A story is the description of series of real or imagined events, often to entertain people. Examples
• After arriving in America in 1492, Columbus and his crew were attacked by a giant man-eating T-Rex dinosaur.
• After he was sworn into office in May 29, 1999, Obasanjo and his minister were attacked by Bolo haram.
English In A Minute Quiz
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Begin Activity
1.The Berlin wall fell in 1989 – history or story?
A History
B Story
2. Friday Akpan lived in a flat in Ekpene-ukpa street, Eket. – story or history?
A History
B story
3. He said he was late because his bus delayed, but no one believed his ----------
A history
B story
Lesson 4
Five Ways To Use Hard
Hard
As an adjective, hard can mean:
. The opposite of soft: E.g. wood is hard.
. The opposite of easy: E.g. the exam was hard.
. Something involving effort: E.g. running a marathon is hard.
As an adverb, hard can mean:
. Doing something with energy: E.g. She works hard.
. To use force: E.g. He hit the ball hard.
Note: Hard is not the same as hardly!
English In A Minute Quiz
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Begin Activity
1.Mathematics is harder than biology : What does hard mean here?
A The opposite of soft
B The opposite of easy
2. In which of these sentences is, ‘hard’ an adverb?
A She works hard
B work is hard
3. Are these sentences the same? He hit me hard ; versus ‘he hardly hit me'.
A Yes, they are the same.
B No, they are not the same.
Lesson 5
Stop To Do VS Stop Doing
Well, stop what you’re doing right now because that’s what I’m going to tell you.
Stop
Stop can be followed by an ING verb or a full infinitive verb. This is called a verb pattern. Which form is chosen depends on the speakers meaning.
Stop + ING verb
When stop is followed by an ING verb, it is the activity in the ING verb which is stopped. Examples
• John has finally stopped smoking. You won't see him doing it any more.
• After about an hour, they stopped playing football and rested.
• She's stopped making that mistake now and her language is much better.
Stop + full infinitive verb
When stop is followed by a full infinitive verb, it means we stop doing another action to do the action in the infinitive. Examples
• I was watching TV but I stopped to do some homework.
• After about an hour of playing football, they stopped to rest.
• I had to stop to change a tyre. One of mine had been punctured.
English In A Minute Quiz
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Begin Activity
1.Which of these sentences is incorrect?
A I stopped to walk
B I stopped walk
C I stopped walking
2. Which of these sentences means that ‘playing football ‘ is the thing that’s stopped?
A He’ll stop playing football
B He’ll stop to play football
3. In which of these sentences does the speaker tell us that they began eating?
A I was walking and I stopped to eat
B I was walking and I stopped eating
Lesson 6.
Must VS Have to
Both must and have to talk about obligations. Both are followed by an infinitive verb with no to.
Have to
Have to is used for obligations that others decide for us. These are often laws or rules and so cannot be changed. Examples
• We have to show our passes to enter the building.
• You have to smoke outside. Smoking is not allowed inside.
• She has to have a license before she drives.
Must
We use must to talk about obligations we decide for ourselves or others. Examples
• You must be more organized.
• I must exercise more often.
• We must clean the house today.
English In A Minute Quiz
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Begin Activity
1.Which of these is NOT correct?
A We have to drive on the left in Abuja
B I can’t come to the party. I must doing my homework.
2. Which of these sentences is correct?
A I have to start work at 9am every day.
B I have to eat ice-cream this evening.
3. Which of these sentences is incorrect?
A One of the laws is that we must pay our taxes.
B I’m their father and I say they must go to bed at 8pm.
Lesson 7.
How To Use ‘Wish ‘
Wish
'Wish' is a verb which talks about unreal or imagined situations. Because of this, it has some unusual verb patterns:
A present wish
When we want to make a wish about a present situation, we use wish and a past simple or continuous verb. Examples
• I don't have my umbrella. I wish I had my umbrella.
• She doesn't know the answer. I wish she knew the answer.
• You're at work, but you wish you were playing football, right?
A past wish
When we want to make a wish about a past action or situation, we use wish and the past perfect - had + past participle verb.
• I'm so tired. I wish I had slept for another hour last night.
• She knows she made a mistake. She wishes she hadn't been so silly.
You were right. I shouldn't have quit my job. I wish I had listened to you.
Summary
Three different ways the verb wish is used.
1) Wish – something unlikely or impossible to be true
We use this pattern when we imagine a different past or present situation which is very unlikely or impossible. The clause after wish often uses a past form of the verb, such as was and hadn't in these examples:
I wish my eyesight was better.
I wish I hadn't told her.
2) Wish – for something
This is when you think very hard about something you wish for it to happen. We use it with for: Examples
I wish for a happy, peaceful life.
She wished for a better job.
3) Wish – someone something
This is when you tell someone you hope they will experience something good like being safe or happy (it's usually something good, but not always!). There is an indirect object (him) and a direct object (a safe trip) in the example:
I wished him a safe trip!
Here are two more examples which follow this pattern:
He wished me luck!
I wish you a happy anniversary!
English In A Minute Quiz
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Begin Activity
1.In which situations do we use the verb ‘wish'?
A. We use ‘wish' with a situations that are real or possible.
B. We use ‘wish’ with a situation that are unreal or imaginary.
2. The weather is too hot today. What do I wish?
A I wish it isn’t so hot
B I wish it wasn’t so hot
C I wish it hadn’t been so hot
3. I drooped my phone yesterday and now it’s smashed.
A I wish I didn’t drop my phone
B I wish I hadn’t dropped my phone
4 I wish --------
A you having luck
B. you lucky
C you luck
5. He wished me --------
A. to recover fast
B. a speedy recovery
C. recover
6. I wish you -------- arrived earlier
A had
B. have
C. having
7. I wish for -------
A a big house
B. have a big house
C had a big house
8. I wish you -------- know about this
A don’t
B. didn’t
C. had
9. I wish for -----
A. peaceful world
B. world peace
C. have world peace
Lesson 8
Too and Very
Both too and very are intensifiers. They are used to make adjectives and adverbs stronger.
Very
When we use very, it's not clear whether what we are describing is a good or a bad thing. For example
• The building is very old.
This could be a good thing: 'the building is old and beautiful'. It could also be a bad thing: 'the building is old and falling down'.
Too
When we use too, it means there's a problem. Example
• The building is too old.
This is a bad thing. The building is too old. It might fall down and could be dangerous.
English In A Minute Quiz
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Begin Activity
1.Which of these sentences is correct?
A It’s too hot today. I love the summer
B It’s very hot today. I love the summer.
2. “Edikan drinks too much coffee “. What does this mean?
A He’s always tired and grumpy because he can’t get to sleep until 4am.
B. He drink coffee frequently and enjoys it.
3. “Home is very far but not too far : I can still get there in a day”. What does this mean?
A Home is a long way away but that’s ok.
B. Home is far and that’s not ok.
Lesson 9.
Person VS Persons VS People VS peoples
Person
A person is a human man, woman, or child. It is a singular countable noun.
Examples
• There was one person at the door.
• When did you see this suspicious person?
• She's a very interesting person. You should talk to her.
People and peoples
The plural of person is people. It refers to a group or a number of human beings. It is a plural countable noun.
Examples
• There were three people at the door.
• How many people do you know?
• The people who live here are very rich.
People can also mean nation. Peoples is the plural form of this meaning. Peoples means nations. Examples
• There are many peoples living on the Earth.
• When the peoples of the Earth unite, we will have peace.
Persons
Persons is a more formal, more polite form of people. It's a plural countable noun and is most often seen written down - such as on signs, in newspapers and in the context of the law. Examples
• This lift can hold a maximum of 15 persons.
• The police expect to catch the persons responsible for the theft.
• My client has never seen these persons before and so he is innocent.
English In A Minute Quiz
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Begin Activity
1.Mum told me that I am rude to everybody and that I shouldn’t talk to ----- that way.
A. person
B. persons
C people
D. peoples
2. “This reporter has learned that police are confident of catching the person or ----- involved.
A. people
B. persons
3. It is thought that if you go far back enough in time all the nations of the Earth evolved from one -----
A. person
B. persons
C. people
D. peoples
Lesson 10
Mustn't and don't have to
Modal verbs
Must, mustn't, have to and don't have to are modal verbs. This means they are always followed by a bare infinitive verb. Unlike most modal verbs, have to and don't have to change verb form when the subject pronoun changes. For example, becoming has to and doesn't have to or had to and didn't have to. Examples
• I must go.
• We mustn't go.
• You have to go.
• He doesn't have to go.
Must and have to
Both must and have to refer to obligation. They explain what needs to be done. Examples
• You must stop smoking. It will kill you.
• You have to go to school. It's the law.
Mustn't
Mustn't also refers to obligation, but in this case, it tells us what cannot be done. Examples
• You mustn't talk to your mother like that.
• He mustn't leave the house until I come home.
• We mustn't eat any more chocolate.
Don't have to
Don't have to explains to us that there is no obligation to do something. As a result, we have free choice! You can choose to do this thing or not. Examples
• You don't have to go to school if you are sick.
• She doesn't have to come to the party, if she doesn't want to.
• I don't have to know all the moves to win the game!
English In A Minute Quiz
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Begin Activity
1.Which of these verbs can change form if you change the subject pronoun?
A Mustn’t
B. Don’t have to
2. Whatever you do, you mustn’t smoke inside
A This is an obligation. You cannot smoke.
B. This is a choice. You can smoke if you want to.
3. In which of these can the listener choose what to do?
A. I mustn’t watch horror movies anymore. I can’t sleep at night!
B. I don’t have to watch these movie now. There’s time later.
Lesson 11.
Come back VS Go back
Come back
When you come back, you leave and return to here - the place where you are when you speak. Examples
I need to leave, but I'll come back in 15 minutes.
• Get out of my house and don't come back!
• I'm sorry, she isn't here. But she's coming back tomorrow.
Go back
When you go back, you return there - to the place you were before.
• I've had a lovely time, but I should go back home now.
• There are only three more days before our holiday ends and we have to go back.
• Stop stealing or you'll go back to prison.
English In A Minute Quiz
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Begin Activity
1.I like it here, but I’m out of time and need to leave. Maybe we can ----- tomorrow.
A. come back
B. go back
2. I’ve left the children with my sister, but I can’t be long. I need to ---- as soon as possible.
A. come back
B. go back
Lesson 12
Steal vs Rob
Both steal and rob mean 'take something without permission'.
Steal
Steal focuses on the object or the thing which is taken. Examples
• Hey! Somebody just stole my phone.
• You once stole chocolate from a shop!
• She has completely stolen my heart.
Rob
Rob focuses on the victim of the crime. Examples
• The men robbed a bank last night.
• Three guys robbed me while I was travelling home.
• She has been robbed three times this year.
English In A Minute Quiz
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Begin Activity
1.True or false : Both steal and rob mean take something without permission.
A. True
B. False
2. She was ----- as she left the station
A. Stolen
B robbed
3. The thieves ----- N10,000.00!
A. stole
B. robbed
Lesson 13
Five Ways to Use ‘In’ With Time Expressions
In with time expressions
In is a preposition of time. It can be used with:
Months: Examples
• I'm going on holiday in May.
• I'll next see you at Christmas in December.
• I think we arrived some time in June.
Seasons: Examples
• In winter, it's cold.
• I think this year I'll have my holiday in summer.
• Mum, do the leaves fall off the tree in spring or in autumn?
Years: Examples
• I finished secondary school in 2004
• The Titanic sank in 1912.
• I grew up in the 1930s.
Times of day: Examples
• I leave home in the morning.
• I get home in the evening.
• I'll see you in the afternoon.
Be careful!
• I can't sleep at night.
The past, present and future:
• In the past, people died much younger.
• You need to learn to live in the present.
• In the future, you'll learn everything from videos.
English In A Minute Quiz
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Begin Activity
1.Which of these sentences is incorrect?
A. I last saw him in the morning
B. I’ll be home in the afternoon
C She'll see you in the evening
D. The plane lands late so I’ll see in night
2. Which of the following do we NOT use ‘in’ with?
A. Days
B. Months
C. Years
3. Which season do we not use ‘in’ with?
A. Winter
B. Spring
C. Summer
D. Autumn
E. This is a trick question. We use in with all seasons.
Lesson 14
Raise VS Rise
Both raise and rise refer to something going up, but there is a difference.
Raise
Raise needs a direct object - if you raise something you move it up. It has both literal and non-literal meanings and it is a regular verb, so it's past and past participle forms are raised. Examples
• I raise my eyebrows when I'm surprised.
• The government plan to raise taxes.
• He raised his voice at me in anger, but I forgave him.
Rise
Rise does not take a direct object - things rise or go up by themselves. Rise is an irregular verb so the past form is rose and the past participle is risen. Examples
• The sun rises at 6a.m.
• The water level rises twice a day because of the tide.
• The bird rose into the air and flew away.
English In A Minute Quiz
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Begin Activity
1.Which of these sentences is correct?
A. Both raise and rise are regular verbs.
B. Both raise and rise take objects
C. Both raise and rise refer to something going up
2. Which of these sentences is correct?
A I raised my hand to ask a question
B. I rose my hand to ask a question
3. Which form of rise is incorrect?
A. rised
B. rose
C risen
Lesson 15
A Secret About Collective Nouns
Collective nouns, or group nouns, represent a number of things or people together. Some of them can be both singular or plural - both are correct and the choice is up to the speaker.
• Government
• Family
• Team
Be careful
Not all collective nouns act in this way. Some are always plural. Examples
• The police are coming.
• The staff are tired.
A group of individuals
These nouns can be considered a group of individuals - a football team has 11 individual players. In this case, the pronoun is they and the verb form is plural.
Examples
• My football team are the best. They are unbeatable.
• The government plan to raise taxes. They are always doing that.
• My family are happy. They never have any problems.
A unit
These nouns can also be considered a unit - even though they have individual parts, they function together in unison. In this case, the pronoun is it and the verb form is singular. Examples
• My football team is the best. It is unbeatable.
• The government plans to raise taxes. It is always doing that.
• My family is happy. It never has any problems.
English In A Minute Quiz
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Begin Activity
1.Which of these collective nouns is always plural?
A. government
B. staff
C. family
2. Choose the correct pronoun to complete the sentence:
This team is the best ever ------- is going to win for sure!
A they
B it
3. Which CANNOT complete this sentence : My family ---- going on holiday next week
A am
B are
C is
Lesson 16
Three ways to use 'take off'
'Take off' is a phrasal verb. This means it is a verb (take) followed by a particle (off). Phrasal verbs are tricky because they can have many different meanings depending on the context.
Remove clothing
Take off can mean remove clothing. With this use, take off is separable. This means that the item of clothing can go between the verb and the particle. Examples
• It's warm here. I'm going to take off my jumper.
• It's warm here. I'm going to take my jumper off.
• Please take off your shoes when you come inside.
• Please take your shoes off when you come inside.
Something becoming successful
Take off can also mean become successful, especially suddenly. Examples
• I'm going to be rich. My business has taken off.
• I never liked his music, but it's taken off quite recently. Everyone is listening to it.
Not go to work
Take off can be used with a time word to mean have time away from work. Examples
• I'm going to take a day off work tomorrow
• She asked to take a week off next month for a holiday.
English In A Minute Quiz
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Begin Activity
1.What does ‘take off' mean in this sentence : Take it off right now. It’s too hot outside for that.
A Remove clothing
B. Becomes successful
C. Have time a way from work
2. Which of these can take off?
A. a business
B. a day
C. a pair of shoes
3. Which of these would you say to your boss if you were sick?
A. I need to taken a day off
B. I need to take a day off
C. I need to take a day day off
Lesson 17
Every time vs all the time
Every time
We use every time when we are talking about each individual time something happens. We do not know how frequently this is, only that it happens each individual time. Examples
• Every time I go to the beach, it rains.
• He's very reliable. He's there every time I need his help.
• It's like magic! She guesses the correct card every time!
All the time
We use all the time to talk about something that always or usually happens.
• In Akwa Ibom , it rains all the time.
• She's late all the time. We have to talk to her manager.
• What's their secret? They're happy all the time!
English In A Minute Quiz
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Begin Activity
1.Which of these is correct?
A. everytime
B. every – time
C every time
2. Which of these is correct?
A. All the time I get to work on time, I have a good day.
B. Every time I get to work on time, I have a good day
3. Which of these is correct?
A. Whenever I close the door, the doorbell rings! It happens every time!
B. Whenever I close the door, the doorbell rings! It happens all the time!
C Both
Lesson 18
Play, Do and Go For Sports
Play
We use play for team sports or ball games. Examples
• I play football.
• I don't play tennis.
• Will we play hockey tomorrow?
Do
We use do for more individual activities. Examples
• I do exercise.
• I don't do judo.
• Have you ever done aerobics?
Go
We often use go for activities ending in -ING. Examples
• I go running.
• I don't go swimming.
• I would never go skydiving.
English In A Minute Quiz
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Begin Activity
1.Complete this sentence : I love team games. Personally I love to ---- volleyball
A. play
B. do
C. go
2. Complete this sentence : I’m very nervous. I’ve never ----- hiking on my own
A. played
B. done
C. gone
3. Complete this sentence : At 6 in the evening yesterday, I was ---- yoga
A playing
B. doing
C. going
Lesson 19
Five uses of 'get'
Buy / obtain
Get can mean buy or obtain. Examples
• I got myself a new phone last weekend.
• I need to get some new clothes.
Receive
Get can mean receive. Examples
• I just got a message.
• I got a car for my birthday!
Become
Get with an adjective can mean become. Examples
• I'm getting annoyed.
• It's got quite hot in here suddenly.
Understand
Get can mean understand. Examples
• I don't get this joke.
• I don't often meet people who get this type of movie.
Arrive
Get can mean arrive. Examples
• I need to get home early so I'm off!
• What time will you get here?
English In A Minute Quiz
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Begin Activity
1.What does ‘get’ mean in this sentence : I didn’t get anything on my birthday.
A. arrive
B. receive
C. become
2. What kind of word do we use with get to mean ‘become’?
A. a noun
B. a verb
C an adjective
3. What does this sentence mean? He explained the report, but I didn’t get it.
A. I didn’t become it
B. I didn’t understand it
C. I didn’t obtain it
Lesson 20
‘No' VS ‘Not any’ VS “None'
Do you have any change?
No + noun
We can use the verb + no + a noun . Examples
• Sorry, I have no change
• have no idea what you mean.
Don't + verb + any + noun
We can use the negative don’t + the verb + any + the noun.
Examples
• Sorry, I don't have any change.
• He doesn't have any time to speak.
None
We can use none without a verb or noun. It's a short answer. For example
• Sorry, none at all.
English In A Minute Quiz
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Begin Activity
1.Which of these is correct?
A I have no change
B I don’t have no change
C I don’t have none change
2. Which word is missing from this formula: Don’t + verb + ------ + noun.
A some
B. any
C. none
3. Which of these sentences is true?
A None must be followed by a verb
B. None must be followed by a noun
C. None can be used alone
Lesson 21
Three ways to use 'pick up'
'Pick up' is a phrasal verb. This means it is a verb (pick) followed by a particle (up). Phrasal verbs are tricky because they can have many different meanings depending on the context.
Learning something
We can use pick up to describe learning something. Examples
• Children pick up languages very quickly.
• I picked up the guitar from spending time with musicians.
Buying something
We can use pick up informally to describe buying something. Examples
• I often pick up some milk on my way home.
• She picks up lots of items in the Christmas sales.
Getting an illness
We can use pick up to describe getting an illness. Examples
• I think I picked up a cold.
• He picked up the coronavirus from his colleague.
English In A Minute Quiz
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Begin Activity
1.What kind of verb is ‘pick up'?
A. A past simple verb
B. A present participle verb
C. A phrasal verb
2. Which of these can we NOT use ‘pick up' to describe?
A learning something
B buying something
C beginning a new hobby
D getting an illness
3. Which sentence is incorrect?
A I’ve never picked up clothes so cheaply before!
B She picked up the measles from a girl at school
C The plane picked up after it had accelerated down the runway.
Lesson 22
How to use infinitives of purpose
English has different verb forms. A full infinitive is to + verb. For example, to eat.
Why we do something
When a full infinitive is used at the end of a sentence to explain why we do something, it is called the infinitive of purpose. This only works with verbs, not nouns. Examples
• I went home to eat.
• He's going to the gym to lose weight.
• I will work hard to make more money.
Nouns
To explain why we do something using a noun, we use for. Examples
• I went home for food.
• He's going to the gym for exercise.
• I will work hard for money.
Helping
We can also use for to talk about doing something to help someone. Examples
• I made this video for you to learn.
• There's a cake on the table for you to eat.
English In A Minute Quiz
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Begin Activity
1.Which of these sentences is correct?
A He’s gone home rest.
B He’s gone home to rest
C He’s gone home to resting
2. Which of these sentences is correct?
A I’m running the marathon for charity
B I’m running the marathon to charity
C I’m running the marathon at charity
3. Complete this sentence : I bought those books ------
A to you for study
B for you to study
C to you to study
Lesson 23
Three facts about 'the'
We use the when referring to a specific thing and both you and the person you're talking to know which one you mean. Examples
• Please pass me the milk - we can see the bottle so we know it's that one.
• Don't use the when talking about something in general. For example I love chocolate.
• We don't use the when it doesn't matter which thing we're talking about.
We usually use a or an here .E.g. Give me a cup of tea, I don't care which cup, any cup will do.
English In A Minute Quiz
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Begin Activity
1.’the', ‘a’ or nothing? See that black one over there? That’s -------- dog that bit me”.
A the
B. a
C. nothing
2. ‘the', ‘a’ or nothing? “I hate ------- chess. Its so boring “.
A the
B. a
C. nothing
3. ‘the', ‘a’ or nothing? “Can I have -------- chip, please?
A the
B a
C. nothing
Lesson 24
Four British slang words
Slang words are words you should only use in an informal situation. Here are four examples...
• gutted - This is an adjective and means very sad or disappointed. Examples
I just failed my driving test for the fourth time! I'm gutted.
• knackered - This is also an adjective and means really, really tired. Examples
I went to a party last night and now I'm knackered!
• skint - This means to have no money or very little money. Examples
I can't come out tonight, I'm skint.
• loaded - If someone is loaded, they are very very rich. Examples
I just won the lottery – I'm loaded!
English In A Minute Quiz
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Begin Activity
1.I was -------- when I found out I didn’t get a place at my first choice university
A gutted
B. knackered
C. skint
D. Loaded
2. I haven’t slept for 48 hours. I’m absolutely -------
A gutted
B. knackered
C. skint
D. Loaded
3. I can’t get you a birthday present this year. I’m too -----------
A gutted
B. knackered
C. skint
D. Loaded
4. My uncle is ---------. He has a swimming pool and tennis court at his house
A gutted
B. knackered
C. skint
D. Loaded
Lesson 25
Especially vs specially
Both especially and specially are adverbs.
Especially
Especially means 'in particular' or 'most of all'. Examples
• I like food, but I especially like sandwiches.
• He's often a little late, but he was especially late today.
• She looked especially beautiful that night.
Specially
Specially means 'for a particular purpose' or 'in a particular way'. Examples
• This sandwich was specially made.
• They had a chair specially designed for her size.
• The animals are specially trained to locate the mushrooms.
English In A Minute Quiz
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Begin Activity
1.What kind of words are ‘especially ‘ and ‘specially’?
A Nouns
B Adjectives
C Adverbs
D Verbs
2. Which of these does ‘specially' NOT mean?
A For a particular purpose
B In a particular way
C Most of all
3. Which of these answer is incorrect?
A My birthday was wonderful. I was specially pleased with the cake.
B My birthday was wonderful. My specially - made cake was delicious.
Lesson 26
Be going to vs present continuous
Form - be going to
Be going to is followed by a bare infinitive verb - a verb with no 'to'. Don't forget to change the 'be' verb to the correct form to agree with the subject pronoun! Examples
• I am going to eat something.
• She's going to be very angry.
• They're going to be late, I think.
Form - present continuous
The present continuous tense is formed using the auxiliary verb be + (verb)ing. Be careful of state verbs, such as know and need, which are only rarely used in the continuous form. Examples
• I'm working! What do you want?
• He's playing football later.
• We're having a party. Would you like to come?
Future plans - be going to
Be going to is often used with future plans which will probably take place, but have not been formalized. This means that the exact details, such as what time and where, have not been agreed on. Examples
• I'm going to meet my friends this weekend.
• He's going to fix his car later today.
• We're probably going to take the bus to get there.
Future plans - present continuous
The present continuous is often used with future plans which are almost definite. The details have been decided on and everyone involved knows where they need to be and when. Examples
• I'm meeting my friends this weekend.
• We're going to the cinema tonight.
• She's having dinner with the president of the club tomorrow evening.
English In A Minute Quiz
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Begin Activity
1.Which of these verb forms is NOT correct?
A am going to + bare infinitive
B be + (verb) ing
2. What do we need to be careful of when using the present continuous?
A state verbs
B bare infinitive verbs
C past participle verbs
3. Complete this sentence : We -------- somewhere next summer for a holiday, but we haven’t agreed on the destination or bought the tickets.
A are going to travel
B are travelling
Lesson 27
Even though vs even if
Even though
Even though introduces something that's true, but may be unexpected. It's similar to despite.
Examples
• Even though I hate driving, I'm still going to Abuja .
• Even though I hate tennis, I'm still going to watch the final.
Even if
Even if introduces something hypothetical, which means it may not be real. Examples
• Even if it's sunny when we're in Abuja, I'm not going swimming
• Even if you paid me, I wouldn't watch that film.
English In A Minute Quiz
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Begin Activity
1.Which of these sentences is correct?
A Even if I could stop the rain, I’d still stay inside today
B. Even though I could still stop the rain, I’d still stay inside today.
2. Which of these is ‘even though ‘ similar to?
A therefore
B. despite
C. however
3. Which of these sentences is real?
A Even if you failed your exam, I’ll still buy you an ice-cream
B. Even though you fail your exam, I’ll still buy you an ice-cream.
Lesson 28
Been vs gone
Past participles
Both been and gone are past participle verbs:
• be - am/are/is - was/were - been
• go - go/goes - went - gone
Present perfect
Both been and gone are commonly used with the present perfect tense. This is formed with have/ has + a past participle verb. Examples
• I have been home.
• She has gone home.
Been
Been is used for complete visits. A person goes somewhere and returns. Examples
• I've been to Paris.
• He hasn't been to Ibadan
• Have they been to Uyo?
Gone
Gone is used when someone goes somewhere and doesn't return. They left before and have not come back. Examples
• She's gone to Paris.
• We haven't gone very far. Don't worry.
• Have you gone to work already? I need a lift.
English In A Minute Quiz
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Begin Activity
1.Which verb is ‘been’ the past participle of?
A be
B go
2. I think he’s gone to work! What does this mean?
A He hasn’t left yet
B He is somewhere around here because he has returned.
C He is either travelling to work, or at work itself
3. If I say ‘I’ve just been to the shops', where am I?
A at home
B at the shop
Lesson 29
Remember to do vs remember doing
Verb patterns
In English, when two verbs are used together the first verb tells the second verb what form to take. Some verbs are always followed by an infinitive verb, others are followed by a gerund - an ING verb. In some cases a verb can use either an infinitive or gerund and the choice can make a difference in meaning. Examples
• I want to go to the cinema.
• I enjoy going to the cinema.
• I stopped to go to the cinema.
• I stopped going to the cinema.
Remember
Remember can be followed by an infinitive or a gerund and there is a difference in meaning.
Examples
• I need to remember to go shopping.
• I remember going shopping this morning.
Infinitive
When we follow remember with an infinitive, we remember first and then do the action second. This is commonly used to talk about the future - especially when we need to remember to do something later - such as shopping! Examples
• Remember to bring your umbrella.
• She needs to remember to finish her homework before 4pm.
• I must remember to go shopping later - we have no food!
Gerund
When we follow remember with a gerund, we do the action first and then later remember it. The action is a memory and this form is commonly used to talk about the past. Examples
• I remember meeting my best friend when I was little
• Can you remember going fishing with Dad when we were six?
• Before she left she told me that she remembered baking cakes with you. It is her favourite memory.
English In A Minute Quiz
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Begin Activity
1.Which of these verbs is always followed by an infinitive
A want
B enjoy
C remember
2. True or False: Remember can be used with an infinitive or gerund with no difference in! meaning
A True. There’s no difference
B False. There’s a difference
3. Is this person remembering the future or the past? ‘I remember going to see my mother ‘.
A The past. This person is remembering a memory
B The future. This person is remembering to do something
C If the more I run, the fitter I will get
Lesson 30
Prevent vs avoid
Prevent
Prevent basically means stop. Preventing something means stopping it, often before it has happened. You can prevent something, prevent something happening, or prevent someone from doing something. Examples
• The arrival of the police prevented crime.
• His hand prevented the cup falling.
• Losing my passport prevented me from flying.
Avoid
Avoid means miss. If you avoid something you miss it, or try to make it miss you. You can avoid something or avoid something happening. Examples
• I avoided the slap easily.
• I avoided being discovered by hiding.
English In A Minute Quiz
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Begin Activity
1.Choose the correct statement below:
A We use prevent when we talk about making something miss us
B. We use avoid when we talk about making something miss us.
2. Complete this sentence with correct verb: I ----- the door from hitting me by stopping it with my hand.
A. prevented
B. avoided
3. Which of these is NOT correct?
A The international conference prevented war
B The international conference prevented war starting
C The international conference prevented the nation from warring
D The international conference prevented the nations to war each other
Lesson 31
What vs which
Question words
What and which are question words like who, where, when and why.
What
What is used to ask a question with a lot of possible answers. The person answering the question does not need to limit their reply. They can choose anything they can think of. Examples
• What do you want to eat for lunch?
• What shall we do tomorrow?
• What time should we meet?
• What’re you doing?
Which
Which is used when there are a limited number of answers to the question. This is often obvious from the context. Examples
• Which do you want to eat? The sandwich or the melon?
• We can go to Calaber, Lagos or Abuja . Which would you like?
• I'm free at 12pm or 3pm. Which time should we meet at?
English In A Minute Quiz
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Begin Activity
1.Which of these is not a question word?
A what
B which
C when
D while
2. Which of these statements is true?
A ‘What’ is used for a question with a limited number of answers.
B ‘Which’ is used for a question with a limited number of answers
3. Is this question correct? “what of these do you want – tea or coffee? “
A The question is correct.
B The question is incorrect.
Lesson 32
While vs during
Same meaning
While and during can mean the same thing, but their grammar is different. This is because while is a conjunction, but during is a preposition.
While
After while we use a clause. A clause is a group of words that contain a subject and a verb - for example: She ate. Remember, the verb that follows while is usually an ING verb. Examples
• While I was having lunch, my phone rang.
• While we were walking, we saw a bus.
• While they ate dinner, they talked about the news.
It is also possible to use while with just an ING verb. E.g.
• While having lunch, my phone rang.
• While walking, we saw a bus.
• While eating dinner, they talked about the coronavirus pandemic
During
During must be followed by a noun phrase. E.g.
• During lunch, my phone rang.
• During our walk, we saw a bus.
• During dinner, they talked about the coronavirus pandemic.
English In A Minute Quiz
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Begin Activity
1.What is a cause?
A A subject and a verb
B A verb and an object
C A subject and an object
2. Which of these sentences has the same meaning as “While he was travelling to the airport, he last his phone. “?
A While travels to the airport, he lost his phone.
B While travelled to the airport, he lost his phone
C While travelling to the airport he lost his phone.
3. Which of these sentences is correct?
A During the night was passing, there was a break in at the shop.
B During passing, there was a break in at the shop
C During the night, there was a break in at the shop.
Lesson 33
Lay vs Lie
Lay
Lay means 'put something down carefully'. Its verb forms are lay, laid, laid. It always has an object. Examples
• When I eat I lay a cloth on the table.
• I laid the baby in her cot.
• She hasn't laid the duvet on the bed.
Lie
Lie means 'be in a flat position' or 'put yourself in a flat position. Its verb forms are lie, lay, lain. It doesn't require an object. Examples
• Tonight I want to lie on the sofa and watch a film.
• Yesterday Precious lay on the beach and read a book.
• I've never lain on a futon before.
English In A Minute Quiz
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Begin Activity
1.Which of these sentences is correct?
A She lays the dog on the bed for the photos.
B She lie the dog on the bed for the photos
2. Which verb is ‘laid’ the past simple of?
A lay
B lie
3. True or false: The verb ‘lie’ requires an object
A True
B False
Lesson 34
Affect vs Effect
Affect
Affect is usually a verb and means 'to influence'. Examples
• Tiredness is affecting my work.
• People's confidence in the future affects the stock market.
• The earthquake affected people for miles around.
NOTE: Affect can be used as a noun, though rarely. It is connected with the context of psychology and means an emotion or desire that influences behaviour.
Effect
Effect is usually a noun. It means 'the result of something'. Examples
• The effect of not having breakfast is to feel really hungry.
• The aspirin's effect took a long time to start working.
• The romantic movie had a strange effect on his emotions.
Effect can be a verb. It's very formal and means 'to implement something' E.g.
• The management effected a new policy.
• Environmentalists around the world are trying to effect ecofriendly changes.
Pronunciation
Affect and effect sound very similar, but in British English ‘effect’ is usually pronounced /ɪˈfekt/ while affect is pronounced as /əˈfekt/. In American English they are often pronounced the same - /əˈfekt/. This pronunciation difference can be very hard to hear. Sometimes people do not notice the difference.
English In A Minute Quiz
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Begin Activity
1 Which of these sentences is correct?
A The medicine had an unusual affect on me.
B The medicine had an unusual effect on me.
C The medicine effected me strangely.
2. Complete this sentence : it’s still unknown whether social media will______ us in a good or bad way.
A affect
B effect
3. True or false : Affect and effect are pronounced the same way in British English
A True
B False
Lesson 35
The... the... comparatives
We can use the... the... comparative structures to say that one thing depends on another, or that things change together. Examples
• The more I study, the more I learn.
• The faster you go, the quicker you will arrive.
• The more he talks, the less I want to listen.
Form
We use the + comparative + subject + verb for each half of the expression. Don't forget the comma in between the two clauses. Examples
• The older I become, the happier I am.
• The more expensive the gift, the greater the gratitude, I say.
Comparatives
Be careful when using the comparative - do not forget that there are three types of comparatives:
• Type 1: 'ER' - The faster you go, the quicker you will arrive.
• Type 2: 'more + adjective' - The more beautiful you are, the more handsome he will need to be.
• Type 3: 'irregular' - The better the movie, the worse the reviews.
For more information about comparatives read lesson 15 in unit 2
Using a conditional
You can make a the... the... comparative from conditionals which link things comparatively:
If I study more, I learn more.
• Remove the if
• Add the to the beginning of both parts of the sentence.
• Rearrange the order of the words so that the comparatives 'more' are after 'the' for example
The more I study, the more I learn.
English In A Minute Quiz
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Begin Activity
1 Which is the structure of a the… the… comparative?
A the + subject + verb + comparative
B the + comparative + verb
C the + comparative + subject + verb
2. Which of these comparative types is NOT correct?
A Type 1: est. The fastest you go, the quickest you will arrive.
B Type 2: more + adjective. The more beautiful you are, the more handsome he will need to be.
C Type 3: irregular. The better the movie, the worse the reviews.
3. What is the ‘the… the… comparative’ of : If I run more, I will get fitter.
A The more I run, the fitter I will get.
B I run more, I will get fitter.
C If the more I run, the fitter I will get.
D The I run more, the fitter I will get.
Lesson 36
Remember vs remind
Both remember and remind are verbs of memory but they are not the same.
Remember
Remember is about having a memory. It has two verb patterns with a big difference in meaning.
Remember + (verb)ing
Remember + (verb)ing is used when we remember something from the past. First the action happens and later we remember it happening. Examples
• I remember meeting you at a party ten years ago.
• She doesn't remember visiting us last year.
Remember + full infinitive
Remember + full infinitive verb is used to remember something that must be done in the future. First we think of the thing we need to remember and later we do the action. Examples
• I must remember to do my shopping later.
• Remember to close the windows before you leave.
Remind
Remind means make someone remember. Its verb pattern is remind + somebody + full infinitive verb. Something can also remind you (or someone) of something. Examples
• You must remind me to do my shopping.
• He's always reminding me to keep hold of my keys.
• That smell reminds me of my mother cooking.
• London reminds me of my home city.
English In A Minute Quiz
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Begin Activity
1 Which of these verb patterns is incorrect?
A Remember + (verb)in
B Remember + full infinitive verb
C Remind + somebody + (verb)ing
D Remind + somebody + full infinitive verb
2. Which one of these does NOT use the verb ‘remember’ correctly?
A He lost his memory so he won't remember meeting you.
B Being polite means always remembering to say please and thank you.
C I write it on my hand and it remembers me to go shopping.
3. Complete this sentence: This band reminds_____ a girl I used to dance with at university
A I about
B me of
C me for
Lesson 37
Actually vs at the moment
Actually
Actually means 'in reality' or 'in fact'. It is often used to present information which contrasts with what is believed to be true. Examples
• I thought I had got the answer correct, but actually it was wrong.
• Many people think it always rains in Akwa Ibom . Actually, it only rains most of the time.
• The police are unclear as to what actually happened.
At the moment
At the moment means 'now' or 'in the present'. Examples
• I'm studying at the moment because I have an exam tomorrow.
• I'm sorry. He's not here at the moment. Would you like to leave a message?
• At the moment, They're renovating their new home so they don't have any spare time.
English In A Minute Quiz
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Begin Activity
1. Which of these does NOT have the same meaning as ‘actually’?
A in reality
B in truth
C in fact
D currently
2. Complete this sentence with the correct word: I thought his car was red, but____ it was blue!
A actually
B at the moment
3. Which of these sentences is correct?
A I'm sorry, I can't come to the phone actually. Please leave a message after the beep.
B I'm sorry, I can't come to the phone at the moment. Please leave a message after the beep
Lesson 38
How To Use Future Continuous
Future continuous
Form
The future continuous tense is formed using will + be + verb(ing). Remember that the verb will does not change its form for any subject pronoun: I / you / he / she / it / we / they will + be + verb(ing). Examples
• In the next scene, I will be wearing a jumper.
• Will you be flying by this time tomorrow?
• They won't be starting construction until later this year.
Meaning
We use the future continuous to describe actions in progress at a future point in time. Examples
• In the next scene, I'll be holding a melon.
• I'll be studying this weekend because I have an exam on Monday.
• Due to delays, we won't be landing at the airport until much later this evening.
English In A Minute Quiz
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Begin Activity
1 What’s the verb form of the future continuous tense?
A does + be + verb(ing)
B will + being + verb(ing)
C will + be + verb(ing)
2. Which of these statements is false?
A We use the future continuous for future actions
B We use the future continuous for actions that will be in progress
C We use the future continuous for actions that will be finished by a future point in time
3. Which of these sentences is incorrect?
A By this time tomorrow, I will be sitting on a beach.
B This afternoon, I will be sitting on a beach.
C At the moment I will be sitting on a beach
Lesson 39
Until vs by
Until
Until is used to talk about doing something up to a certain point in time. Examples
• I have to take care of my dog until 5pm.
• Until the rain stops, we can't go to the beach.
• I will be working until this evening. We can meet for dinner after that.
By
By is used to talk about doing something before a future time or deadline. Examples
• I have to finish an essay by 5pm.
• The council expects the bridge to be finished by December.
• By the time I come back, I want this room clean.
English In A Minute Quiz
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Begin Activity
1 Which of these is used to talk about doing something before a future time or deadline?
A until
B by
2. Which of these sentences is correct?
A I have too much to do. I'll have to keep working until the end of the day.
B I have too much to do. I'll have to keep working by the end of the day.
3. Complete this sentence: I think my project will be finished_____ the end of the month
A until
B by
Lesson 40
Journey and Trip
Journey
Journey is a noun. It refers to a single piece of travel i.e. one period of movement from one place to another by car, plane, train etc. Examples
• The journey to Abuja takes 6 hours by bus.
• Before the car, journeys used to take much longer.
• It's been a long journey but we're finally here!
Trip
A trip is a noun. It usually refers to more than one journey and the time spent somewhere.
For instance, if someone asks ‘How was your trip? ‘They’re asking about the whole time you are always, not the journey. Examples
• How was your camping trip, Sarah?
• It was fun, but it rained all weekend!
• Next week, I'm going on a short trip to Lagos. I'll be away for six days.
NOTE: Trip is also often used in several set phrases: a business trip, a school trip and a day trip.
Examples
• Mr. Nsikak is away on a business trip in Abuja . Can I take a message?
• Please get your permission slips signed if you want to come on a school trip to the zoo.
• Shall we take a day trip to the beach today?
English In A Minute Quiz
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Begin Activity
1 . Choose the correct word to complete this sentence: The_____ from Uyo to Calaber takes around 3 hours by car.
A journey
B trip
2 Which of these sentences is correct?
A The travel agent booked the whole journey. Two days' travel, one there and one back, and a week's stay in a five star hotel.
B The travel agent booked the whole trip. Two days' travel, one there and one back, and a week's stay in a five star hotel.
3. Which of these is NOT a common set phrase with ‘trip’?
A a business trip
B a day trip
C a hospital trip
D a school trip
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