Picnic Time!
Each week, I will send out some handy tips and useful exercises for adults learning to navigate and use the English language. Please feel free to share this newsletter with friends and colleagues.
It’s a beautiful time for an outdoor picnic! Explore a new park, the mountains, the beach, or your own backyard. Gather friends or family and enjoy nature while snacking and playing outdoor games. Or maybe give yourself some quiet time with a good book and a solitary picnic somewhere beautiful.
Reading Tip
Language Level – B1
Corporate picnics are a part of the American landscape. They are a chance for employees and management to get out of the office and have a little fun. They usually involve food, families, and competitive events.
Read more about the history of picnics in America in this article here: https://picnicpeoplesandiego.com/the-fascinating-history-of-picnics-in-the-us/
Vocabulary Tip
Language Level – B1
Expand your English vocabulary with a few words from the article about the history of picnics above:
- Fascinating – very interesting
- Evolved – to develop gradually by process of growth and change
- Corporate leadership – a group of people who create a company-wide direction to be carried out by managers, supervisors, employees
- Immortalized -a person or thing is remembered forever
- Embrace – to readily accept
- Thriving – successful, prosperous
- Potluck – a meal where every person invited brings food to share
- Tradition – a custom that has been handed down through generations
Practice these words with the help of this quizlet.
Grammar Tip
Language Level C1
What is Mood?
A verb is a word that expresses action.
A verb mood is the way by which the action is carried out.
There are five verb moods:
Imperative – Expresses a command or request.
(Ex: Finish the presentation.)
Indicative – States facts.
(Ex: She is finishing the presentation.)
Interrogative – Asks a question.
(Ex: Are you going to the meeting?)
Conditional – The occurrence of one action depends on another action.
(Ex: If it rains, I will stay home.)
Subjunctive – Shows a hypothetical, wish, or doubt.
(Ex: She demanded that I be present for the meeting.)
How a verb changes in the subjunctive mood:
Let’s Practice!
Identify the verb in the subjunctive mood in each of the sentences below:
- It is important that the meeting start on time.
- If I were you, I’d double-check the graphics before printing.
- I wish it were true.
- Be that as it may.
- I demand she have another interview.
- I insist you be on time this week.
- I propose he extend the meeting.
Weekly Challenge
Language Level B2
Correct each of sentence below:
- She must has been on holiday this week.
- The sun is very strong. I wish I didn’t leave my sunscreen in the room.
- At this time tomorrow, I’ll be fly to Tokyo for the conference.
- He knows her for ten years.
- I live here since 2015.
- Spinach is said to being very good for your health.
- I’m not agree, this exercise in not very challenging.
- I used to getting up early in the morning.
- I wish I was going to the conference with you.
- He strongly suggested that we take the yellow, short bus to the city center.
Questions?
