IELTS-written-exam-prevent-animals-from-dying

Far too little has been done to prevent animals from dying out.

Analyze why
and give your suggestions as to how to solve this problem.

WHY far too little has been done to prevent animals from dying out

Our short sightedness and lack of free time is the reason why little has been done to prevent animal extinction. Thus, I propose that we need to use fear-induced media to curb shortsightedness, and birth control strategies to free people from the burdens of raising a family and give them more time.

As human development pushes animals out of their habitat, the effects cascade detrimentally. Animals die out, forests get chopped down, and species disappear forever. Unfortunately, those effects are not at our doorsteps yet so we ignore it. This is why we don’t volunteer, teach our children, or join activists to prevent animals from dying out. Another reason why so little has been done is the lack of time. The human proclivity to reproduce and modernize have resulted in more children, more cars, and more houses. This means the wage earners are shackled by the ball and chains of mortgages, car loans, and family. As a result, people have absolutely no time to help prevent animal extinction and the tragedy of this parasitic relationship continues to spiral out of control.

Fear makes people pay attention and fear-inducing media is a great way to bring the issue of animal extinction into everyone’s living rooms. Movies like Contagion, Outbreak, and Carriers were all box hits that brought terror to its audience. Endowed with great scripts and acting, these movies have shown the deadly results of displacing animals and furthering their extinction. However, a common theme missing in these movies is the connection that modernization encroach wildlife, and it unseats animal species from their natural habitats. These movies should emphasize that when displaced animals come into contact with humans, dangerous pathogens are transmitted, and that’s how pandemics start. We can also base drama series after real life situations. A perfect example would be Covid-19. With around twenty to thirty million deaths, it has ravaged the human population and a potential TV series about its impact would stir up fanfare and attention. Now, more than ever, we need to use the power of media to get people out of their seats and prevent animal extinction.

To give people more time for the environment, I propose a two pronged birth control strategy: we need to remove their innate need for procreation and then push more environmental marketing. First, governments should furtively start infertility programs aimed to stop pregnancies. A few drops of chemicals in the drinking water, and encouraging a sedentary lifestyle will do the trick. As a result, an overworked employee who is a couch potato and drinks tainted water is the prime candidate to be single for the rest of their lives. It is then the best time to use wildlife marketing and the messages will get through to them. They have no children, are educated, and can be easily influenced to do more in preventing animals from dying out.

People will only fight against animal extinction if the issue is in their face, and the challenges of pursuing higher education and having a more sedentary lifestyle can steer humanity towards more time to save animals, instead of more overpopulation. Therefore, for the sake of a pandemic free future and a cleaner world, let’s all work towards these goals to make it a better place for future generations.

IELTS Reading Tip – Fill in missing word Questions

For these kind of questions, you need to fill in the expected word. The paragraph is just basically a paraphrased version of the original paragraph. The challenge is how do we know what paragraph it is?

The key to finding which paragraph lies in the title of the question: “Advantages of green roofs”

This is the thesis of our passage, so we need to look through all the mini-thesis of each paragraph.

Luckily, we find the answer in the SECOND sentence of the FIRST paragraph.

“More and more private companies and city authorities are investing in green roofs, drawn to their wide-ranging benefits.

So we know right away, our fill in questions will match that of paragraph 1.

So let’s keep reading.

The passage says:
“Among the benefits are saving on energy costs, mitigating the risk of floods, making habitats for urban wildlife, tackling air pollution, and even growing food.”

In the answer, 6 says:

reducing how much money is spent on ____________, which paraphrases “saving on energy costs”.

So we’d put energy for 6.

In the answer, 7 says:

In many cases, they can also be used for producing _________________, which paraphrases “even growing food”.

So we’d put “food” for 7.

There’s a tab space, so we know the answers to fill in the next few sentences are for the next paragraph, which is paragraph #2.

So move on to the next paragraph and keep going until we get to “social benefits”.

In the answer, we see the first line is :

There are also social benefits of green roofs. So you know what we’re trying to fill in is something about social benefits. Let’s find:

‘to demonstrate the social value of green roofs’

the next few sentences is critical as our answer follows exactly that.

  • Doctors are increasingly prescribing time spent gardening outdoors for patients deal with anxiety/depressions.
  • research has found that access to even the most basic green spaces can provide a better quality of life for dementia suffers and help people avoid obesity.

Thus, the answers for 8 says:

“For example the medical profession recommends 8________________ as an activity to help people cope with [mental health issues]. ”

[mental health issues] would be anxiety/depression, so obviously its gardening.

“Studies have also shown that the availability of green spaces can prevent physical problems such as 9_______________________”

[access to basic green space] is same as [availability of green spaces].
[prevent physical problems] is same for [people avoid obesity].

prevent physical problem does not work for “provide better qualiyt of life”.

So for 9, we’d fill in obesity.

IELTS Reading Tip – Reading Paragraph # Exposed

For reading, there will be problems that tell you exactly which paragraph to read. These are easiest.

Hence we must do these problems first!

Look at question 10-11

It asks for TWO advantages of using newer buildings for green roofs.

We have located the part where it starts talking about benefits of new buildings (red).

We keep going to find TWO advantages.

First, we see something about keeping enough water at roof height.
Then we keep going and see that its “also easier to grow a greater variety of plants”

So let’s look at our answer selection:

A – a longer growing season for edible produce (eliminate)
B – more economical use of water (economical use means sparringly. Passage talks about saving and distributing)
C – greater water-storage capacity (paraphrase – keep enough water)
D – ability to cultivate more plant types (paragraphse – to grow a greater variety of plants)
E – a large surface area for growing plants (eliminate)

Question 12-13

Which TWO aims of new variations on the concept of green roofs are mentioned in Paragraph E.

We find the keywords “new variations”. After that it gives three examples.

only solar panels (because it generates power as a sustainable source of power)

and maximize biodiversity (provides habitat)

matches what’s in our answers.

The ‘holding water over longer periods of time’ is vaguely given in E but the details are wrong.

“Blue roofs hold water instead of draining it quickly”
DOES NOT EQUAL
“to collect water to supply buildings”

So we E is not it.

A – to provide habitats for a wide range of species (paraphrase: maximize biodiversity)

B – to grow plants successfully even in the wettest climates (not mentioned X)

C – to regulate the temperature of immediate environment (not mentioned X)

D – to generate power from a sustainable source (paraphrase: solar panels)

E – to collect water to supply other buildings. (X)

IELTS-Practice-Test4-Passage2-Growth-Mindset

Look at the problems right away. They are multiple choice problems where it tells you which paragraph to read.

This is by far the hardest as you’re not sure which paragraph is which and this section should be left for last.

The first one to read is for first paragraph.
The answer is B when ideas about the nature of intelligence began to shift

This is the exact paraphrase of the first sentence (hook):

“Over the past century, a powerful idea has taken root in the educational landscape”.

When you do process of elimination, we know that A and D cannot be it. B and C seems OK. B is closer to the paraphrase of the hook, but what about C?

Now, the other potential answer is the main-thesis, which is “Instead, educators …. argued that every child’s intelligence could be developed…”

Notice that answer C uses “scientists” and the thesis uses “educators”, and there was a use of “psychologist” in the paragraph. So it doesn’t match. Thus, B is the best answer. However, for context, always read the whole paragraph. Its just that when you’re down to selecting the answer, analyze the first and last sentence.

For 15, it tells you right away read the second paragraph to see “how schools encourage students to”.

Paragraph 2

Again, you must read the whole paragraph for context. There is a word that italicized: “believed”.

It says that athletes believed their way to the top. This is a synonym for confidence. And that schools is coaxing students students to see failures as a chance to improve themselves. “smart is something you can get”

So, process of elimination:

A obvious not
B not really – this paragraph is about improving, and believing. Not realize goals.
C Best choice. confidence is synonymous with believing.
D obvious not

For 16 It tells you right away to look in the third paragraph

Paragraph 3

it asks “the writer suggests that students with a fixed mindset” something.

As a habit, read the whole paragraph. The paragraph says that one group is pushed for their innate ability, and the other group is pushed for their efforts. The second group (effort, growth mindset) were more likely to put effort into future tasks.

fixed mindset –> fear of failure

This is just paraphrase for “are afraid to push themselves beyond what they see as their limitations”. So the answer is D

Questions 17-22 are matching List of People

This is medium hard and should be left for the middle. Let’s see if there’s anything easier.

Now we move on to paragraph 4, but we don’t see any authors in paragraph 4 so we skip.

We move on to paragraph 5, and then see Andrew Gelman. At this point, it’s about paraphrasing.

In the article, the passage is:

‘their research designs have enough degrees of freedom that they couldn’t take their data to support just about any theory at all.”

If you look at 17- 22, it’s kind of confusing because the answers all seem like they can go either way.

So my logic is that just keep reading the passage for an author until you get a more obviousi answer.

This came with the author Carl Dweck (B) “she argues that her work has been misunderstood and misapplied in a range of ways…..her theories are being misappropriated by being conflated with the self-esteem movement”.

18’s sentence mostly matches this so 18 should be B

17
18 B
19
20
21
22

If you keep reading into the next paragraph, you’ll see that “David yeager and Gregoy Walton” claim that interventions should be delivered ina. subtle way Go back to your questions and if you read it, 20 pops up to match E, because 20 says:

“the growth mindset should be promoted without students being aware of it” which is a great paraphrase for E.

17
18 B
19
20 E
21
22

Alfred Binet (A) was mentioned in paragraph 1 (intro) so when it comes to a list of people, you’ll have to scan the entire story to find them. Alfred Binet mentions intelligence being innate, so this matches up with 19 the best.

17
18 B
19 A
20 E
21
22

You keep going in this pattern

Yes Not Not Given questions

These questions are the easiest because it tells you which paragraph to look at. You should try to do this first.

23 – Dweck has handled criticisms of her work in an admirable way.

The answer is Yes because in Paragraph 7, it says:

“she deserves great credit for responding to it and adapting her work accordingly.”

This is just paraphrase for Dweck handling criticism.

24 – Students’ self-perception is a more effective driver of self-confidence than actual achievement is.

Self-Perception on self confidence > Achievement on self confidence?

This has been disapproved in paragraph 9:

The min-thesis statement matches we’re saying here: “There is a strong correlation between self-perception and achievement”.

self-perception –> achievement.

However!

“but there is evidence to suggest that actual effect of achievement on self-perception is STRONGER

Achievement –> self-perception √

So the answer is NO. Student’s actual achievement has more effect on self-perception.

25. Recent evidence about growth mindset interventions has attracted unfair coverage in the media

In the next paragraph, we read that

Recent evidence would suggest that growth mindset interventions are not the elixir of student learning.”

Nothing was mentioned about the media, so it would be “not given”.

Not Given.

26 – Deliberate attempts to encourage students to strive for high achievement may have a negative effect.

The last paragraph depicts clearer the message that “Teaching concrete skills such as how to write an effective introduction to an essay then praising students’ effort in getting there is probably a far better way of improving confidence than telling them how unique they are.”

Hence, “Deliberate attempts to encourage students to strive for high achievement” = praising their effort

may have a negative effect is True

IELTS-Practice-Reading-Test4-Passage3-Alfred-Wegner

Yes, No, Not Given questions

Questions 27-30

Let’s look at the format. It’s all paraphrases that needs to be checked in the essay so it’s very time consuming. Let’s skip this.

The answers from 27-30 is the main-thesis, and all of paragraph 2.

We start off with the hook (1st sentence), and then we have the thesis (last sentence). And the answer for Question 27 is the last sentence. But nevertheless, I find that its better to really read through the sentences.

27. Wegener’s ideas about continental drift were widely disputed while he was alive.

The answer is found in the main thesis of the introduction:

The Origin and Continents and Oceans, went through four editions and was the focus of an international controversy in his lifetime and for some years after death.

Answer – Yes

Paragraph 1

28. The idea that the continents remained fixed in place was defended in a number of respected scientific publications.

Nowhere does it say continent remained fixed in place was defended. Paragraph 2 talks how about how mysteries about Earth’s history could be solved IF THEY ASSUMED that continents moved. He used a large amounts of evidence from other sciences. But never did it mention anything about scientific publications defending fixed placed continents.

Answer – Not Given

29. Wegener relied on a limited range of scientific fields to support his theory of continental drift.

Wegener did rely on scientific fields, but they were not limited. The article says using evidence from a large number of sciences

Answer – No

Paragraph 2

30. The similarities between Egener’s theory of continental drift and modern-day plate tectonics are enormous.

Now in Paragraph 2, we keep reading and come to this line:

“Plate tectonics is in many respects quite different from Wegener’s proposal”.
But what is Wegener’s proposal?

In the first paragraph we see his “theory” is ‘continental drift’, thus:

“Plate tectonics is different from continental drift (Egener’s)”
So this is in stark contrast to where the problem claims there are many similarities.

Answer – No

Thus, we conclude Questions 27 to 30

Fill in the blank

This is the second hardest because even though the answer sentences are all in one paragraph, we’re just not sure WHICH paragraph. Let’s leave this for the middle.

The answers is Paragraph 3.

When you move to the next section in your answer, make sure you move along the paragraph too.
Read the paragraph line by line and honestly. You notice that the author is writing about Wegner, thus its an autobiography.

“When i started writing about Wegener’s life and work….”
Therefore 31 is I

Paragraph 3

32 something about atmospheric physics. So we read on.
“He trained as an astronomer and pursued a career in atmospheric physics.

Now career is a profession “His ________ 32 __________ were limited to atmospheric physics”….we’re trying to find a synonym of career. And we feel F “professional interests” fits best.

Therefore 32 is F

There’s a lot of paraphrasing and synonyms going on, so be mindful.

For example, “However, he was not an ‘unknown’. ” This just means that even though he is not famous, he is still know. And the article continues to list what made him quai-famous. For example, “In 1906 he had set a world record for time aloft…etc”

33. Therefor He was already a person of (modest fame). So A is the answer.
34. Naturally the next sentence talks about his 52 hours in a hot-air balloon, which was mentioned as a record breaker. So, C is the answer.

After the hot air balloon sentence, it says “Between 1906 and 1908 he had taken part in a highly publicized and extremeley dangerous expedition to coast of Greenland.

By paraphrasing, we see that the answer is “followed by his well-publicized but hazardous exploration of Greenland’s coast.
35. so H is the answer

Finally for 36, we continue with the sentence.

He had also made a name for himself amongst a small circle of meteorologists and atmospheric physicists in Germany …etc

So he had also come to the attention of a ‘select group’ of German scientists.

36, answer is E

Question 31-36

Multiple Choice Tip

The questions in this section tells you exactly which paragraph to read. So do this part first.

Let’s look at 37-40. These are multiple choice questions where it asks you what’s someone’s main point? Or in paragrah n, what is who doing…etc.

The answers are either last line (sum up) of paragraph, or the first line (mini-thesis). However, you should nevertheless read the WHOLE PARAGRAPH for context and understand the jist of its saying.

If you take a look at the answer, we notice that much of them are the last line of the paragraph. Only #40 is the first line of the conclusion.

Thus, as we know, the first line are the main point (or mini-thesis) of each paragraph.
The last line wraps up or supports

Answer on Sentences

Introduction (paragraph 1) – yes, no, not given

(Paragraph 2) – yes, no, not given

(Paragraph 3) – fill in the blanks

IELTS-Writing-Part2-Analysis-(competition vs cooperation)

IELTS Writing part 2 analysis

Rewrite – 40 minutes (part 2)

Some people think that competition at work, at school and in daily life is a good thing. Others believe that we should try to cooperate more, rather than compete against each other.

Discuss both these views and give your own opinion.

Give reasons for your answer and include any relevant example from own experiences.

The Paraphrase

The first sentence is our paraphrase. It paraphrases the original statement.

In today’s hectic world, one group of people says competition facilitates better productivity, while the other group stands with cooperation.

Thesis

Next is our thesis, which is what we want we want to answer (argue for).
Make sure the prompt is appropriately addressed. A clear and fully developed position is presented which directly answers the question. (TR)


This essay will discuss the pros and cons of each, and argue that a healthy dose of both is needed to create a constructive environment.

Pay attention to cohesion here. Notice that in our writing question, it says

competition at work, at school and in daily life is a good thing

This is why in our thesis, we assigned constructive environment as the “good thing”.

Talk about Side A

We choose to talk about the pros of Side A (competition) because of cohesion. Notice in the assignment, it says:

Some people think that competition at work, at school and in daily life is a good thing.

1) So we need to support and talk about how competition is a good thing.
2) The first sentence of a body paragraph is always the mini-thesis, so we need to match this up with our main thesis.

Therefore, we choose our mini-thesis like so:
Competition challenges its participants to be their best and pushes their limits

By definition, challenging its participants to do their best and pushing them to the limit is an environment that is constructive. This satisfies our thesis. Because constructive means “having beneficial or useful purpose”. Thus, making someone do their best is beneficial to that individual.

Competition challenges its participants to be their best and pushes their limits. Individuals who are in a competitive environment experience hard work, self discovery, and are at the forefront of their respective expertise.

The rest of the paragraph must support this mini-thesis with examples. Again, make sure we’re cohesive (CC) and we explore it in depth (TR).So the examples we make should be in business, academics, and daily life just like the assignment prompt says.


For example, employees in large companies work fast, concentrate hard, and often reap the rewards. In an academic setting, competition pushes students to work harder, to get better grades, and in the process, to become better employees. In our daily lives, competitive sports have given participants an outlet to achieve their physical best.

Close it/rephrase mini-thesis:


Thus, competition is the ingredient that pushes us forward in every facet of life.

Talk about side B

Now, we need a mini-thesis that satisfies the other side (cooperation), and again, pay attention to cohesion with the assignment:

Others believe that we should try to cooperate more, rather than compete against each other.

So, our mini-thesis is:


On the other end of the spectrum, the opposing group says cooperation not only produce the better results, but is a necessity.

Again, just like competition, we make examples according to the assignment.

company:

Great software with a tight deadline requires a team: the manager manages time, the coders crank out code, and the testers assures quality. Even in startups, successful teams are assembled with exceptional people.

school:
As opposed to a homeschooled child with no social skills, pertinent life skills can only be learned in a group setting offered by public schools, which is imperative for a child’s growth.

daily lives:

In our daily lives, one cannot ascend a mountain alone, as it is always safer in a group.

rephrase to close it:

Therefore, cooperation is essential to success.

Your opinion

mini thesis for our opinion

Personally, I feel that a mixture of both competition and cooperation produces the most constructive environment.

Examples should depict how one side is too much and by adding a little bit of the other, creates a perfect balance.


Specifically, too much cooperative work may be counterproductive. This is particular true for those students who take group achievements as their own. It creates the illusion of personal capability, feeds their ego, and impedes their individual progress. In these scenarios, incorporating moderate competition can be a counterbalance, pushing students to pursue personal growth while working in group settings.

Notice how we created an example with students in an academic environment. The cohesion is strong here.


Additionally, employees in the corporate world with their heavy workloads are often marred by physical ailments. The workloads often culminate to burnout, which affects employees’ health, and in turn, their life satisfaction. If we throw in more cooperation, employees would offload what they can’t finish, and this directly means more time at home, happier employees, and better life satisfaction.

Again, our example is in the workplace, tying in with the original statement of:

workplace, school, and personal life.

Conclusion

rephrase the assignment: competition and cooperation are opposing doctrines
rephrase your argument: but from my personal experience, a little bit of both works best
Then wrap it up


In short, competition and cooperation are opposing doctrines, but from my personal experience, a little bit of both works best. Competitive entities will find solace and balance with cooperation. And cooperative groups will gain competitiveness by welcoming competition. This balance is something that our workplaces, schools, and personal lives can all benefit from.

Rewrite (Competition vs cooperation)

Rewrite – 40 minutes (part 2)

Some people think that competition at work, at school and in daily life is a good thing. Others believe that we should try to cooperate more, rather than compete against each other.

Discuss both these views and give your own opinion.

Give reasons for your answer and include any relevant example from own experiences.

There are currently two trends that stand out when it comes to maximizing productivity: competition and cooperation. This essay will discuss the pros and cons of each, and argue that a healthy balance of both is needed to create the best results.

Competition challenges its participants to be their best and pushes their limits, but is known to create burnout if they’re not careful. For example, many employees in fortune five hundred companies grow their technical expertise very quickly. In addition, they often hustle and bustle amidst a never ending competitive rat race. On the downside, the onslaught of the heavy workload in their environment leads to insomnia, weight gain, and early onset of male pattern baldness. Thus, if we add a dash of competition into cooperative teamwork in the corporate world, its employees can still maintain competitiveness and enjoy a proper work-life balance at the same time.

Cooperation is the essential ingredient in getting things to run smoothly, but we need to make sure each cog is well oiled and running. Let’s take a look at team projects in public schools. Many kids in public schools enjoy many group projects. However, their time away from individual work and taking accountability for their efforts will wane. In order to prevent this, we should emphasize more competition in schools in order to push and maintain personal growth. Students should be accustomed to fierce competition so that they are pushed to learn more about hard work, study methods, and above all, themselves.

In conclusion, competition is the fire that forges the iron, but cooperation shapes the iron into usable tools. While competition and cooperation undoubtedly have their strengths, a complete adaptation to either doctrine will lead to its respective detriments.

Writing Task – Children spend hours everyday on their smartphones (v2)

Some children spend hours every day on their smartphones. Why is this the case? Do you think this is a positive or a negative development?

main thesis –
Children spend too much time on their smartphones because it gives them cheap entertainment, and as a result leads to retinal damage, stunted growth, and robs them of human interactions.

Intro

Since the early 2000s, smartphones have taken over the world. From students to professionals, smartphones have become everyone’s preferred tool of communication. Unfortunately, its long cables of influence have taken its toll on our most vunerable demographic: children. Children spend too much time on their smartphones because it gives them cheap entertainment, and as a result leads to retinal damage, stunted growth, and robs them of human interactions.

Body 1

mini-thesis 1 – Prolonged time in front of a mobile screen can damage the human eye, especially children’s.

Prolonged time in front of a mobile screen can damage the human eye, especially children’s. Naturally, latchkey kids would glue their faces to smartphones, spending countless hours in front of a screen. Electronic screens can damage the human eye, especially children’s. The white blare of the screen radiates against their tender eyes. Its white heat burns their retina, and after a while, their faces would scrunch together in order to lubricate their damaged eyelids. This is why optometrists would always encourage their young patients to put some distance between themselves and the screen, take more breaks, and always go outside to recalibrate their vision with the real world.

Body 2

mini-thesis 2 – Addictive games and monotonous cartoons stunt a child’s growth by putting their feeding and sleeping time in a dishevel.

Addictive games and monotonous cartoons stunt a child’s growth by putting their feeding and sleeping time in a dishevel. Growing children need to eat on schedule and addictive entertainment can lead them astray. Instead of eating three to four meals a day, they would often eat too late or even skip meals in order to stay online. This is detrimental to their nutritional needs and therefore, their health. Even worse, children will play on smartphones late into the night. This is one of the worse problems to a child’s growth because it ruins their Circadian Rhythms. Twelve hours of sleep from eight at night is very different than twelve hours from midnight. Too many late nights will affect their bodies and can potentially lead to serious disease later on in life.

Body 3

mini-thesis 3 – smartphones will steal the child’s life away.

Last but not least, all that time with a smartphone will steal the child’s life away. With its addictive chat apps, games, and cartoons, technology today easily wipes away the child’s precious moments with the real world. A child needs positive human interaction to strive and learn. But if these important interactions are not given, the smartphone will create artificial memories with the child, rather than meaningful memories with humans. This will damage the child’s psyche after they mature and will create bad habits later on.

Conclusion

Smartphones and technology have been a detriment to our future generation. It damages eyes, creates unhealthy living habits, and removes our children from the natural world. If this is a precursor to how our future generation will be raised, then we are in a world of trouble for what’s to come. Because happy adults who contribute to society are raised with lots of communication with their peers, family, and the natural world. And those who are raised without it, fare much worse.

Sentence Structure (v2)

ref – https://7esl.com/adverb-placement/

  1. Action verbs (Transitive)

    Subject – Verb (action 行为/transitive 及物 动词) – Direct Object (直接宾语)

    如果动词边上的位子是一个宾语。。这个动词叫直接宾语。
    主语 –> 动词作用 –> 直接宾语

    EXAMPLES:

    Subject (主语)- who or what performs the action
    transitive verb (及物动词) – the action
    direct object (直接宾语) – whoever or whatever receives that action

    • Ricky plays volleyball.
      Subject (主语) – Ricky
      transitive verb (及物动词) – plays (we add ‘s’ because subj is 3rd singular)
      Object (直接宾语) – volleyball
    • He rides a bike.
      Subject (主语) – He
      transitive verb (及物动词) – rides (present tense: ride + ‘s’ because subj is 3rd singular)
      Object (直接宾语) – a bike
    • They fly a kite.
      Subject (主语) – They
      transitive verb (及物动词) – fly
      Object (直接宾语) – a kite
  2. Action verbs (intransitive)

    Subject (主语) – Verb (action 行为/intransitive 不及物 动词) – Preposition (介词) – Prepositional Obj (宾语)

    The rabbit laughed me. X

    You cannot laugh something, you need to use preposition (at).

    The rabbit laughed [at] me. √

    (主语) – The rabbit
    verb (不及物 动词) – laughed
    preposition (介词) – at
    object (宾语) – me

    The turtle lives forest. (X 不对)
    A turtle lives [in] a forest. √

    Subject (主语) – The turtle
    Verb (不及物 动词) – lives
    preposition (介词) – in
    Object (宾语) – a forest

    更多的例子

    • The birds fly in the sky.
      Subject (主语) – The birds
      Verb (不及物 动词) – fly
      preposition (介词) – in
      Object (宾语) – the sky
    • The girl sits [on] the couch.

      Subject (主语) – The girl
      Verb (不及物 动词) – sits
      preposition (介词) – on
      Object (宾语) – the couch

    • Tom jumps box. (X 不对)
      Tom jumps [onto] the box. √
    • 加个副词在宾语后面:
      Tom jumps [onto] the box (excitedly).
      加个副词在动词后面:

    • Tom jumps (excitedly) [onto] the box.
    • The dog ran around the corner. (The corner is the prepositional object)
    • We walk towards the airport. (The airport is the prepositional object)
    • The car sits in the garage. (The garage is the prepositional object)
    • The teacher wrote on the blackboard. (The blackboard is the prepositional object)
    • The kids play in the backyard. (The backyard is the prepositional object)
  3. Indirect Object – recepient of direct object

    Subj – Verb – Indirect Obj (receiver) – Object (direct object)

    • Step 1 – I(subj) give(verb) some cake (obj).
    • Step 2 – I(subj) gave (verb) Christine (indirect object) some cake (obj).

    • Step 1
      I(subj) give(verb) some cake (obj).
    • Step 2 – I(subj) gave (verb) Christine (indirect object) some cake (obj).
    • Simon(subj) gave (v) his uncle (ind obj) a dirty look (obj).
    • James Bond(subj) told (v) Mother (ind obj) the news (obj).
    • He (subj) bought (v) a present (obj) for his girlfriend (ind obj).
    • John (subj) asked (v) Mary (ind obj) a question (obj).
    • Ella (subj) baked (v) [a cake and cookies] (obj) for Marias (ind obj).
  4. Linking Verb (is)

    Subject (主语) + linking verb (“is/am/are/was/were/will be”) (链接动词”识别”) + Subject Complement (noun/adjective/phrase) (主语补语)

    Ricky is a teacher.
    Subject – Ricky, linking verb – is, sub complement (noun) – teacher

    You are a monster!
    subject – You, linking verb – are, sub complement (noun) – a monster

    I am pretty.
    subject – I, linking verb – am, sub complement (adj) – pretty

    She was a boy.
    subject – She, linking verb – was, sub complement (noun) – a boy

    She will be a doctor.
    subject – She, linking verb – will be, sub complement (noun) – a doctor

    You are terrible!
    subject – You, linking verb – are, sub complement (adj) – terrible

  5. Linking verbs – sense

    Subject(主语) +
    linking verb (‘sense’ – look/feel/smell/sound/taste/remain/become) (链接动词”感觉/五官”) +
    subj complement (noun/adjective/phrase) (主语补语)

    linking verb
    subject complement (noun or adjective)

    • Fried chicken smells delicious
    • The sweater feels soft.
    • I look happy.
    • Water tastes great.
    • My neighbor’s cat looks aggressive.
  6. Adverbs

    End position

    Subject (主语) + verb (action 行为动词) + (optional可用/可不用: object 宾语) + adverbs (副词)

    Mid position

    Subject (主语) + adverbs (副词) + verb (action 行为动词) + (optional可用/可不用: object 宾语)

    I played terribly
    subj – I, verb – played, adverb – terribly

    with object:
    I played the piano [terribly].

    He sang beautifully.
    subj – He, verb – sang, adverb – beautifully

    with object:
    He sang the song [beautifully].

    She stood motionlessly.
    subj – She, verb – stood, adverb – motionlessly

    with object:
    She stood outside [motionlessly].

    She undressed quickly.
    subj – She, verb – undressed, adverb – quickly

    with object:
    She [quickly] undressed in the bathroom.

    I performed remarkably.
    subj – I verb – stay adv – remarkably

    with object:
    I performed the routine [remarkably].

    The girl shouted excitedly.
    subj – The girl verb – shouted adverb – excitedly

    with object:
    The girl shouted at the animals [excitedly].

  7. Infinitive as Objects

    Purpose: express wishes, plans, intentions, or needs

    Subject (主语) + [is, am, are, like, love, want, hope, prefer, wish, hope, desire, need, plan, hate, ask, seem, refuse, try] + (to verb)

    I desire [to win] her heart.
    subj – I, verb – desire, object – to win, object complement – her heart

    I prefer [to be] the boss.
    subj – I, verb – prefer, object – to be, object complement – the boxx

    I want [to play] that game.

    subj – I, verb – want, object – to play, object complement – that game

    She wants [to eat] my dinner.

    subj – She, verb – want, object – to eat, object complement – my dinner

    I hope [to win] the race.

    subj – I, verb – hope, object – to win, object complement – the race

    The elders need [to rest].

    subj – elders, verb – need, object – to rest

  8. Infinitive as Adjective (used as Object Complement)

    Subject + [am/is/are/was/were/have/has/get/find/found/buy/borrow/rent] + (object) + [to verb]

    I am the person (obj) [to ask].
    subject – I, verb – am, obj – the person,
    infinitive (acting as adjective to describe ‘person’. ) – to ask

    She is the girl (obj) [to marry].
    subject – She, verb – is, obj – girl,
    infinitive (acting as adjective to describe ‘girl’. ) – to marry

    English 101 is the class (obj) [to take].
    subject – English 101, verb – is, obj – class,
    infinitive (acting as adjective to describe ‘class’. ) – to take

    He has a joke (obj) [to tell].
    subject – He, verb – has, obj – joke,
    infinitive (acting as adjective to describe ‘joke’. ) – to tell

    We have a job (obj) [to do].

    subject – We, verb – have, obj – a job,
    infinitive (acting as adjective to describe ‘job’. ) – to do

    I have a wedding (obj) [to attend].

    subject – I, verb – have, obj – a wedding,
    infinitive (acting as adjective to describe ‘wedding’) – to attend

    That is the team(obj) [to beat].
    subject – That, verb – is, obj – team,
    infinitive (acting as adjective to describe ‘team’) – to beat

    Let’s get some food (obj) [to eat].
    subject – Let’s, verb – get, obj – some food,
    infinitive (acting as adjective to describe ‘food’. ) – to eat

    Let’s rent a movie (obj) [to watch].
    subject – Let’s, verb – rent, obj – a movie,
    infinitive (acting as adjective to describe ‘movie’. ) – to watch

  9. Infinitive as Adverb [‘in order’]

    Subject + (action verb) + object + [to verb]

    Do the ‘in order’ test.

    I (earn) money [to live].

    test: I earn money ‘in order’ [to live]. √

    I (bought) a book [to read].

    test: I bought a book ‘in order’ [to read]. √

    I (ordered) a burger [to eat].

    test: I ordered a burger ‘in order’ to eat. √

  10. Infinitive as Adverb [‘because he/she wants/is able/etc’]

    Subject + (action verb) + object + [to verb]

    Do the

    • because he/she wants
    • because he/she is able

    test.

    He (fights) [to gain] freedom.

    test: He fights [because he wants] to gain freedom. √

    She studied hard [to pass the exam].

    test: She studied hard [because she wants] to pass the exam. √

    He is happy to sleep on the mattress.

    test: He is happy [because he is able] to sleep on the mattress. √

    Ted is happy to race the rabbit.

    test: Ted is happy [because he is able] to race the rabbit. √

  11. Gerunds

    Gerunds (a verb ending in “-ing” that functions as a noun):

    1. Subject of a Sentence

    • [Swimming] is my favorite exercise.
    • [Resting] is important for productivity.
    • [Learning] can be challenging but rewarding.

    2. Direct Object

    • He enjoys [exercising]
    • She loves [reading].
    • They avoided [sleeping].

    3. Indirect Object

    1) direct object receives the main verb.
    2) Recipient of the direct object.

    I gave a chance. (direct obj)
    I gave [hiking] a chance. (recipient of direct obj)

    4. Subject Complement

    * Her passion is [dancing].
    * His hobby is [running].
    * The hardest part was [leaving].

    5. Object of a Preposition:

    * She is good [{at} eating].
    * He is interested [{in} learning].
    * They are tired [{of} waiting].

  12. Preposition and Prepositional Object

    at – location
    I cook at(prep) home(pre obj).
    I eat at(prep) home(pre obj).
    Let’s meet at(prep) Manners(pre obj).

    at – direction
    I look at(prep) you(prep obj).
    I smile at(prep) Sara(prep obj).
    The flashlight shines at(prep) us(prep obj).

    at – time
    I will meet you at(prep) midnight(prep obj).
    Let’s meet up at(prep) Terry’s(prep obj).
    Rebecca will meet us at(prep) 8pm sharp(prep obj).

    with
    I speak [with] anger.
    I play [with] Rover.
    I watch [with] awe.

    in – expressing the situation of something that is or appears to be

    I ponder [in] silence.
    I stare [in] awe.
    They rejoice [in] victory.

    in – inside a space

    I live [in] a cave.
    Let’s look [in] the box.
    The birds fly [in] the sky.

    in – time

    We visit [in] the summer.
    I’ll see you [in] five days.
    Let’s start [in] a few moments.

    in – expressing the situation of something that is or appears to be

    I ponder [in] silence.
    I stare [in] awe.
    They rejoice [in] victory.

    on – indicate a time frame during which something takes place

    My birthday is [on] August sixth.
    The meeting is [on] the tenth.
    The parade is [on] Sunday.

    on – surface

    I jump [on] the table.
    My pet sits [on] the ground.
    The plane lands [on] the tarmac.

  13. Adverbial Phrase

    • infinitive/infinitive phrase

      “to” + base form of verb + (objects or modifiers)

      • He studied hard [to pass the exam].” (purpose)

        主语 (subj) – He
        动词 (verb) – studied
        状语 (adverbial) – to pass the exam.

      • She was surprised [to see him there]. (result)
        主语 (subj) – She
        链接动词 (linking verb) – was
        形容词(adj) – surprised
        不定时短语 (adverbial) – to see him there.
      • The box is too heavy [to lift]. (degree)
        主语 (subj) – The box
        链接动词 (linking verb) – is
        副词 + 形容词(adv + adj) – too heavy
        不定时短语 (adverbial) – to lift

      • The pirates went to Krabi [to find gold].
        主语 (subj) – The pirates
        链接动词 (linking verb) – went
        介词短语 (prep phrase) – to Krabi
        不定时短语 (infinitive phrase) – to find gold
      • My parents scour for food [to feed their children].
        主语 (subj) – My parents
        动词 (verb) – scour
        介词短语 (prep phrase) – for food
        不定时短语 (infinitive phrase) – to feed their children
    • Preposition/Prepositional Phrase

      Preposition + Object (noun, pronoun, or gerund) + any modifiers

      • I played basketball [in the morning].
        主语 (subj) – I
        动词 (verb) – played
        宾语 (obj) – basketball
        介词短语 (prep phrase) – in the morning
      • You put the dirty dishes [in the washing machine].
        主语 (subj) – You
        动词 (verb) – put
        宾语 (obj) – the dirty dishes
        介词短语 (prep phrase) – in the washing machine
      • We throw trash [in the garbage bin].
        主语 (subj) – We
        动词 (verb) – throw
        副词 (adv) – trash
        介词短语 (prep phrase) – in the garbage bin
      • They fought [like lions].
        主语 (subj) – They
        动词 (verb) – fought
        介词短语 (prep phrase) – like lions
      • The elders spoke [with quiet voices].
        主语 (subj) – The elders
        动词 (verb) – spoke
        介词短语 (prep phrase) – with quiet voices
      • He sings everyday [at two o’clock].
        主语 (subj) – He
        动词 (verb) – sings
        副词 (adv) – everyday
        介词短语 (prep phrase) – at two o’clock.
    • Adverb Phrases

      Adverb phrases modifies verbs (standard usage)

      • I exercise [very regularly].
      • I ate [quite carefully].

      Adverb phrases modifies ‘am/is/are’

      • I am too smart.
      • He is very athletic.
      • It It is only math.

      Adverb phrases modifies adjectives/adverbs

      • I find it [extremely difficult].
      • He drives [really carefully].
      • The dinner was [especially nice].

      Adverb phrases modify noun

      • She leaned [over the railing].
      • There is [barely any food].
      • The dinner was [especially nice].
      • That is [quite a tree].

      Adverb phrases modify prepositional

      • I peer [over at the funny old man].
      • I run [daily at the park].
      • We climb [right over the sofa].
      • Our budget runs [well into six digits].
    • Participle/Participle Phrase

      Present participle (-ing form) or Past Participle (-ed or irregular form) + any objects or modifiers

        As Adjectives

      • [The running water] tastes fresh. (describes water)
      • I know a [pond teeming with fish]. (describes pond)

        As Nonessential Information (describes subject)

      • Delores, [walking along the shoreline], noticed her cousin. (describes Delores)
      • The old house, [creaking with every gust of wind], stood on the hilltop. (describes the old house)

        As Nonessential Information (describe a sentence)

      • The warrior jumps into battle, [swinging an ax].
      • I stood, [staring at the sunset]

        As Fronted phrase

      • [Finishing his homework], he went out to play.
      • [Smiling broadly], she accepted the award.
    • Gerund Phrases

      1. Subject of a Sentence

      • [Swimming in the lake] is my favorite exercise.
      • [Taking a break] is important for productivity.
      • [Learning a new language] can be challenging but rewarding.

      2. Direct Object

      • He enjoys [(playing) the guitar]
      • She loves [(reading) mystery novels].
      • They avoided [(making) eye contact].

      3. Indirect Object

      1) direct object receives the main verb.
      2) Recipient of the direct object.

      I gave a chance. (direct obj)
      I gave [hiking in the volcano] a chance. (recipient of direct obj)

      4. Subject Complement

      * Her passion is [dancing on rooftops].
      * His hobby is [(collecting) stamps].
      * The hardest part was [(saying) goodbye].

      5. Object of a Preposition:

      * She is good [{at} (solving) puzzles].
      * He is interested [{in} (learning) to code].
      * They are tired [{of} (waiting) in line].

  14. Subject + helping verb + main verb + object

    helping verb
    main verb

    Present Perfect – Subj + [have/has] + Past Participle

    I have eaten squid.
    The turtle has eaten bugs since he was little.
    My friend has bought a new car.
    I have lived in LA for most of my life.

    Present Continuous – Subj + [am/is/are/was/were] + [verb + ing]

    I am playing video games.
    Ricky is correcting homework.
    My mom is cooking dinner.
    We are fixing the car.

RACE writing strategy

  • The R means ‘R’estate the Question.
  • The A means ‘A’nswer the question.

Why did Sam choose the bird for a Pet?

Restate the Question

Sam chose the bird for a pet

Answer the Question

because he liked that it could talk.

Question: Why is it helpful for bats to eat bugs?

It is helpful for bats to eat bugs because then crops will grow better.

Restate the Question

It is helpful for bats to eat bugs

Answer the Question

because then crops will grow better.

What lesson can we learn from this story?

Restate the Question

A lesson we can learn from this story is

Answer the Question

to be a problem solver

The C in the RACE means Cite the text evidence. This means go into the text, find the content that supports what you’ve stated from in RA.

Cite text Evidence

Use something from the story to prove our answer

How are elephants clever animals?

Restate the Question

Elephants are clever animals

Answer the Question

because they know how to avoid a sunburn.

Cite the text evidence

The author states that elephants use sand or mud as sunscreen to protect themselves from sunburns. They do this by throwing sand and mud on themselves. They also protect their young from sunburns by standing over them.

Let’s look at the “Tag at the Park” story again:

Once we’ve “Restated the Question”, and “Answered the question”, we need to find the evidence that supports it.

So we explain in our words what we’ve found from the text. In the story, Kate came up with a good idea to solve the problem.

She asked the other kids if she and her friends could join their game of tag.

What we should NOT do is to use words/sentences that has no support from the text.

RACE

E stands for Explain

R – A lesson we can learn from this story is
A – to be a problem solver.
C – In the text…

From the “Tag at the Park” story, what do I know about problem solving?

Your “explain” can be something like:

I know that it is good to solve problems because it helps people to get out of predicaments and work things out. Working things out and resolving issues is always a better solution that being stuck and angry.

Practice: From the “Tag at the Park” story, what’s wrong with this picture?

No R
No E

Practice: apply all RACE for the elephant story.

Practice: From the “Elephant Sunburn” story, what’s wrong with this picture?

No A. No E

It only “restates the question”. It does not answer it. Elephants are clever animals because why?

The explanation is not good either because it simply restates the cited text. It does not give a detailed explanation about why being clever is a good thing and can help us overcome problems and predicaments.

The key is that we want to have an explanation of what we think (and feel) about how A answers R. In our opinion, how does using mud and sand as sunscreen make elephants smart?

You can write it in many different ways, for example:


Similar to humans, elephants are intelligent, and they use ingenious ways to solve problems in their lives.

Last Step – Sum It Up with a last sentence after you have written sentences for RACE

Keep it:

  • Short
  • Simple
  • Reviews Main Idea

Let’s use “Tag at the Park” story as an example:

What is the question about?

It is about the lesson we’ve (Kate) learned from this story.

What is the answer about?

The answer is about Kate being a problem solver

To sum it up, Kate shows us that being a problem solver helps us have a better time.

Elephant Story

What is the question about?

How are elephants clever?

What is the answer about?

They are clear because they can avoid sunburns.

–> Being clever pays off for elephants.

–> I’m glad elephants are clever so they don’t get sunburned!

Add these phrases in front of what you have written for the Sum:

  • In summary…
  • All in all…
  • To sum up…

To sum up + [being clever pays off for elephants].

All in all + [I’m glad elephants are clever so they don’t get sunburned].