1Questions with Did (past tense)

2Have - Present & Past Tense

3Present Perfect Tense

4Present Perfect Tense - Negative

5Present Perfect Tense - Questions

6The Comparative Form

7The Superlative Form

8Past Continuous Tense

9Past vs. The Past Continuous

10Modal Verbs

11Idiomatic Modal Verbs

12Perfect Modals

13Present Perfect Continuous Tense

14Perfect Modals Continuous

15Past Perfect Tense

16Direct and Indirect Quotations

17Present & Past Perfect Continuous

18Prepositional Phrases

19Future Continuous Tense

20Height and Weight

21Adverbs

22Comparative Adverbs

23Superlative Adverbs

24Intensifiers

RYellow Level Review, Part 1

RYellow Level Review, Part 2

Lesson One:Questions with Did (Review)

DidIteachyou any English?(Answer: Yes, you did.)

DidyoulearnEnglish?(Answer: Yes, I did.)WheredidyoulearnEnglish?(Answer: I learned English at school.)

Didheeatthestrawberries?(Yes, he did.)How manydidheeat?(He ate four.)

Didsheeatice cream?(Yes, she did.)Wheredidshegetit?(Her mother gave it to her.)

Didthe cat haveany food?(Yes, it did.)

Didwegoto school yesterday?(Yes, we did.)Whatdidwedo in class?(We learned English)

you + I = we

Didyougoto school last week?(Yes, we did.)Whatdidyou study?(We studied English.)

Didtheyeat any ice cream?(Yes, they did.)Wheredidtheyeatit?(They ate it at the beach.)

"did" +the main verb(in the simple form) make a question.

Lesson TwoHave - Present and Past Tense

Present TensePast Tense

I haveWe haveI hadWe had

You haveYou haveYou hadYou had

He hasHe had

She hasThey haveShe hadThey had

It hasIt had

Examples:

Ihavea garden in my backyard.(present tense)Ihada garden in my backyard last year, too.(past tense)

Youhavesome schoolwork to do.You alsohadsome work to do yesterday.

Hehasa beehive full of bees.Hehada beehive when he was a child.Doyouhaveany interest in bees?

Shehasa fear of spiders.Doyouhavea fear of anything?

Theyhavefun playing in the water.Theyhada good time in this pool last week, too.

QuestionsPresent TensePast Tense

Do I have...Do we have...Did I have...Did we have...

Do you have...Do you have...Did you have...Did you have...

Does he have...Did he have...

Does she have...Do they have...Did she have...Did they have...

Does it have...Did it have...

NegativesPresent Tense - Negativedo / does + not +main verbPast Tense - Negativedid + not +main verb

I don't haveWe don't haveI didn't haveWe didn't have

You don't haveYou don't haveYou didn't haveYou didn't have

He doesn't haveHe didn't have

She doesn't haveThey don't haveShe didn't haveThey didn't have

It doesn'tIt didn't have

It's important to understand in the examples above that the main verb is in thesimpleform. You can make any verb negative in the present and past tense with this method--but not the verb "be."Below are examples of how to make the present and past tense negative with verbs other than "have."

simplepast

havehad

eatate

seesaw

bewas / were

Today Idon't haveany work to do. (present tense)Yesterday Ididn't haveany work to do. (past tense)I usuallydon't eata big breakfast. (present tense)Yesterday Ididn't eata big breakfast. (past tense)Idon't seemovies very often. (present tense)Ididn't seethat movie yet. (past tense)The verb "have" is also used as an auxiliary verb (or you can call it a "helping verb") when makingthe present perfect tense.To make the present perfect:hasorhave+ the past participleYou will learn more about this inLesson Three.

Hehas finishedhis beer.There isn't any beer left in the glass.

Lesson Three:The Present Perfect TenseS + Has or Have +the Past Participle

SingularPlural

I have livedWe have lived

You have livedYou have lived

He has lived

She has livedThey have lived

It has lived

(See thevideoat the bottom of the page.)The present perfect is used for three reasons:1. To describe an action that goes from the past up to the present moment.2. To describe an action that occurred sometime in the past but the exact time is unknown.3. To describe an action that was repeated many times in the past.4. Contractions are usually used with this tense: I've lived, you've lived, he's lived, she's lived, etc.

1.Ihave livedin Minnesota for 15 years.I've livedhere since 1991.

2. Youhave heardthis song before.You've listenedto a lot of music, haven't you?

3. Shehas cleanedher bathroom twice this week.She'salsocleanedher kitchen.(She's = she has)

Don't confuse the present perfect with the past tense. The present perfect is used with unspecified periods of time in the past or to show the passage of time. Here's an example of a mistake:Shehas cleanedher bathroom yesterday.This mistake specifies when she did something which you can only do with a past tense. Here's the correction:Shecleanedher bathroom yesterday.Sometimes people learning English use the past tense when they should use the present perfect. Here's an example of three common mistakes.Ilivedin Minnesota for 10 years.(ok but it sounds like he is no longer there and lives in another place.)Iam livingin Minnesota 10 years. (wrong)Ilivein Minnesota 10 years. (wrong)This person wants to say that he moved to Minnesota 10 years ago and is still there. In this case the present perfect is a good choice:Ihave livedin Minnesota for 10 years. (correct!)or...Ihave livedin Minnesota since 1996.Notice also thatforandsinceare often used in the present perfect.Foris used with numbers of days, weeks, months, years, centuries, etc., andsinceis used with specified days, months and years.

Lesson FourThe Present Perfect Tense - NegativeS +have or has+ not +past participleSingularPlural

I have not workedWe have not worked

You have not workedYou have not worked

He has not worked

She has not workedThey have not worked

It has not worked

Notice the use of "has" for a man, a woman, or a thing.Also, it's important to know theirregular past participles.Most Americans use the contracted form:have + not = haven't / has + not = hasn'tSingularPlural

I haven't workedWe haven't worked

You haven't workedYou haven't worked

He hasn't worked

She hasn't workedThey haven't worked

It hasn't worked

More Examples of the Present Perfect - NegativeIhave not beento China.(contraction: Ihaven't beento China.)main verb: be

Youhave not beento China, either.(contraction:haven't been)main verb: be

Hehas not playedthis game before. This is the first time.(contraction:hasn't played)main verb: play

Shehas not cleanedthe bathroom in a week. Now she's cleaning it.(contraction:hasn't cleaned)main verb: clean

The bananahas not turnedbrown yet. It's still yellow.(contraction:hasn't turned)main verb: turn

Wehave not visitedChina. Never in our lives have we been there.(contraction: haven't visited)main verb: visit and been.Notice that you can also make the present perfect negative by using "never."I + you = we

Youhave not finishedyour lunch yet.(contraction: haven't finished)main verb: finish

Theyhave not marchedin the Minnesota State Fair Parade before. This is their first time.(contraction: haven't marched)main verb: march

Lesson FiveThe Present Perfect Tense - QuestionsHave or Has + Subject +past participleSingularPlural

Have I seen...Have we seen...

Have you seen...Have you seen...

Has he seen...

Has she seen...Have they seen...

Has it seen...

In the example above, the verb "see" is in the present perfect tense. "Seen" is the past participle for the verb "see."When you begin a question with "have" or "has," the answer is usuallyyesorno.

examples:Have I ever met you?(Answer: Yes, you have.)I

Have you lived in the United States long?(Answer: No, I haven't.)you

Has he had any coffee yet this morning?(Answer: No, he hasn't.)

Has she ridden a bike before?(Answer: Yes, she has.)

Has the goat eaten anything yet today?(Answer: No, it hasn't.)

Have we known each other for a long time?(Answer: No, we haven't. We've known each other for a short time.)

I + you = we

Have you ever traveled to China?(Answer: No, we haven't.)

Have they marched in this parade before?(Answer: No, they haven't, but they have marched in other parades.)

Lesson SixThe Comparative Form for Adjectives

A lion ismore dangerous thana cat.A lion is alsobigger thana cat.

The children playing with the blocks areyounger thanthe students going to school.Here are some more examples:

Click to hear your teacher read the examples below: Saving money this year has beenmore difficultthanlast year. Japanese cars are muchbetter thanmost American cars. Spanish is aneasierlanguage to learnthanEnglish.Note: It's not always necessary to use "than" Compared to last year, saving money this year has beenmore difficult. Compared to American cars, Japanese cars are muchbetter. Compared to English, Spanish is aneasierlanguage.

- - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - -The comparative form is used to show the difference between two things or two people, two groups of things, or two groups of people.There are rules for using the comparative form. The table below will help you.

The Comparative Form for Adjectives

One-syllable wordstwo-syllable words ending in ytwo syllables or more not ending in y

adderdrop theyand addierusemore/ don't adder

bigbiggernoisynoisierdangerousmore dangerous

oldolderbusybusierexpensivemore expensive

nicenicercrazycraziercomfortablemore comfortable

youngyoungerlazylazierhumidmore humid

fastfasterfunnyfunniertiredmore tired

cheapcheaperdrydrieracceptablemore acceptable

There are some exceptions: good, bad, far, and fun are adjectives that don't follow the rules when making the comparative form.

goodbetterbadworsefarfarther

funmore fun

Never use two comparatives together on an adjective:more cheapermore noisiermore olderClickhereto practice comparatives

Lesson SevenThe Superlative Form(differences in 3 + things or 3 + people)Click to listen

The lion is the biggest animal.(There are three animals)The lion is also the most dangerous of the three animals above.The superlative form is used to show the difference among three or more things or people in a group.There are rules for using the superlative form. The table below will help you.

Superlatives

One-syllable wordstwo syllable words ending in ytwo syllables or more not ending in y

add estdrop the y and ad iestuse most / don't add est

bigbiggestnoisynoisiestdangerousmost dangerous

oldoldestbusybusiestexpensivemost expensive

nicernicestcrazycraziestcomfortablemost comfortable

youngyoungestlazylaziesthumidmost humid

fastfastestfunnyfunniesttiredmost tired

cheapcheapestdrydriestacceptablemost acceptable

There are some exceptions: good, bad, far, and fun are adjectives that don't follow the rules when making the comparative form.

goodbestbadworstfarfarthest

funmost fun

Never use two superlatives together on an adjective:most cheapestmost noisiestIt's often necessary to use "the" in front of the superlative:Click to listenApples picked directly from a tree tastethe best.

I hadthe most funat the state fair when I rode on the ferris wheel.

Giraffes havethe longestnecks of any animal.

(Sometimes an article such as "the" isn't necessary when using the superlative. Instead, you can use the possessive form in front of the superlative.)Examples:This dog is her best friend.orHer best friend is her dog.

Click here for a quizon comparatives and superlatives

Lesson EightThe Past Continuous TenseS + (be) + _____ingThe verb "be" is in the past tense:wasorwereexamples:

Iwas relaxingoutside when this picture was taken

Youwere sittingin the classroom when this picture was taken.

Hewas shavingthis morning when he cut himself.

Shewas spinningaround and around before she fell down.

This elephantwasoutlookingfor food yesterday.

Wewere talkingtogether last week.(Now we're in two separate locations.)

you + I = we

Youwere thinkingabout taking another English class this year.

Theywere ridingon a big seven-person bicycle last week.

Lesson TenModal VerbsModal VerbPictureExample in a sentence

can:possibility and abilityClick herefor aYouTube videoThis babycan crawl.I can crawlWe can crawl

You can crawlYou can crawl

He can crawl

She can crawlThey can crawl

It can crawl

negative contraction: can't crawl

will:futureClick herefor aYouTube videoHewill goto the beach later today.I will goWe will go

You will goYou will go

He will go

She will goThey will go

It will go

negative contraction: won't go

shall:possibility and future possibilityThis sounds so formal I'm going to recommend that you not use it.Shallis not popular. (One less word to remember!)Your teacher recommends that you don't use shall if your interest is in American English. 98 % of the American public doesn't use it. It sounds very formal. In fact, it sounds too formal. (blech!)

may:possiblity and permission1. (future possibility) Theymay walktheir dogs this afternoon.2. (Asking permission)A: May I walk your dog?B: Yes, you may.I may walkWe may walk

You may walkYou may walk

He may walk

She may walkThey may walk

It may walk

negative: may not walk (don't contract this one!)

could1. past tense of can--usually negative.2. possibility and abilityWhen I went out to eat last night, Icouldn't readthe signs because they were in Chinese.I could readWe could read

You could readYou could read

He could read

She could readThey could read

It could read

negative contraction: couldn't read

would:past tense of "will"Shewouldn't touchthe spider she saw earlier this morning because she's afraid of them.I would touchWe would touch

You would touchYou would touch

He would touch

She would touchThey would touch

It would touch

negative contraction: wouldn't touch

should:recommendation and good idea.(Related to "shall" but much better and easier to use.)Heshould becareful on those rollerskates because he could fall.I should beWe should be

You should beYou should be

He should be

She should beThey should be

It should be

negative contraction: shouldn't be

might:possibility(use instead of "may" in some cases)These eggsmight breakwhen they hit the ground. In fact, they'll probably break unless they land on something soft.I might breakWe might break

You might breakYou might break

He might break

She might breakThey might break

It might break

negative: might not break (don't contract!)

must:necessary and importantTheymust attendthis important meeting.I must attendWe must attend

You must attendYou must attend

He must attend

She must attendThey must attend

It must attend

negative: must not attend (a contraction here is okay, but it sounds formal and it sounds British. Most Americans try not to sound like they have a British accent, but you may use the contraction if you want to)

Remember: Modal verbs are followed by the main verb in the simple form.I mustgoHe mustbeThey shouldeatNOWTAKE A QUIZHere arethe answers for the quizon video.

Next:Lesson Eleven

Lesson TenModal VerbsModal VerbPictureExample in a sentence

can:possibility and abilityClick herefor aYouTube videoThis babycan crawl.I can crawlWe can crawl

You can crawlYou can crawl

He can crawl

She can crawlThey can crawl

It can crawl

negative contraction: can't crawl

will:futureClick herefor aYouTube videoHewill goto the beach later today.I will goWe will go

You will goYou will go

He will go

She will goThey will go

It will go

negative contraction: won't go

shall:possibility and future possibilityThis sounds so formal I'm going to recommend that you not use it.Shallis not popular. (One less word to remember!)Your teacher recommends that you don't use shall if your interest is in American English. 98 % of the American public doesn't use it. It sounds very formal. In fact, it sounds too formal. (blech!)

may:possiblity and permission1. (future possibility) Theymay walktheir dogs this afternoon.2. (Asking permission)A: May I walk your dog?B: Yes, you may.I may walkWe may walk

You may walkYou may walk

He may walk

She may walkThey may walk

It may walk

negative: may not walk (don't contract this one!)

could1. past tense of can--usually negative.2. possibility and abilityWhen I went out to eat last night, Icouldn't readthe signs because they were in Chinese.I could readWe could read

You could readYou could read

He could read

She could readThey could read

It could read

negative contraction: couldn't read

would:past tense of "will"Shewouldn't touchthe spider she saw earlier this morning because she's afraid of them.I would touchWe would touch

You would touchYou would touch

He would touch

She would touchThey would touch

It would touch

negative contraction: wouldn't touch

should:recommendation and good idea.(Related to "shall" but much better and easier to use.)Heshould becareful on those rollerskates because he could fall.I should beWe should be

You should beYou should be

He should be

She should beThey should be

It should be

negative contraction: shouldn't be

might:possibility(use instead of "may" in some cases)These eggsmight breakwhen they hit the ground. In fact, they'll probably break unless they land on something soft.I might breakWe might break

You might breakYou might break

He might break

She might breakThey might break

It might break

negative: might not break (don't contract!)

must:necessary and importantTheymust attendthis important meeting.I must attendWe must attend

You must attendYou must attend

He must attend

She must attendThey must attend

It must attend

negative: must not attend (a contraction here is okay, but it sounds formal and it sounds British. Most Americans try not to sound like they have a British accent, but you may use the contraction if you want to)

Remember: Modal verbs are followed by the main verb in the simple form.I mustgoHe mustbeThey shouldeatNOWTAKE A QUIZHere arethe answers for the quizon video.

Next:Lesson Eleven

Lesson ElevenIdiomatic ModalsThese verb phrases are a little unusual and sometimes hard to use:Idiomatic ModalPictureExample in a sentence

(be) going tofuture(similar to "will")(scroll down for video lessons)They're going to do some work in their garden.Main verb is in the simple formS + (be) going to _______I am going to doWe are going to do

You are going to doYou are going to do

He is going to do

She is going to doThey are going to do

It is going to do

negative: (be) + not + going toamnot /isn't /aren't going to

(be) able topossibility(similar to "can")A penguin is a bird that is also able to swim.Main verb is in the simple formS + (be) able to _________I am able to swimWe are able to swim

You are able to swimYou are able to swim

He is able to swim

She is able to swiimThey are able to swim

It is able to swim

negative: (be) + not + able toamnot /isn't /aren't able to

have tonecessity(similar to "must")She has to clean the bathroom. She also has to do some other chores around the house.Main verb is in the simple formS + has or have to ________I have to cleanWe have to clean

You have to cleanYou have to clean

He has to clean

She has to cleanThey have to clean

It has to clean

Negative: don't/doesn't have toNotice the negative requires the verb "do"

Lesson TwelvePerfect Modal Verbsmodal verb + have + past participlePerfect ModalPicturesentence

could have _____couldn't have _____past abilityThe boycould have donethe dishes himself, but his father decided to help.

should have ____shouldn't have ____You did or didn't do something that was a good idea.The girlshouldn't have spunaround so many times. She fell down.spin: turn around many times.spin / spun / spun

would have ____wouldn't have ____past condition /past situationThis house of cardswould have fallenover if the person who built it hadn't been so careful.

may have _____may not have _____past possibilityMy grandfathermay have usedthis camera when he was a young man, but I'm not sure.

might have ______might not have _____past possibilityHer mothermight have putmustard on her sandwich. She hopes not.

must have ____must not have ___past probability.This indicates that something probably happened in the past.Theymust have practiceda lot because they're very good musicians.

Let's not forget...The Future Perfect TenseUnlike all the other modals above,willis used for the future:Subject + will + have + past participleSingularPlural

I will have livedWe will have lived

You will have livedYou will have lived

He will have lived

She will have livedThey will have lived

It will have lived

This is a difficult tense to use. It describes an action that will be completed in the future.For example:I moved to Minnesota in 1991. The year now is 2008.By 2011, Iwill have livedin Minnesota for 20 years.

Lesson ThirteenThe Present Perfect Continuous Tense

Subject + has / have + been + _______ingThis is similar to the present perfect tense except that the action is continuous. It describes something that starts in the past and continues into the present.

Ihave been teachingEnglish for almost 20 years.I started teaching English 20 years ago.I'm still teaching English now.

Youhave been studyingEnglish.How longhaveyoubeen studying?

He's been playingthe guitar for about an hour.(He's = He has)

She's been talkingon the phone with her mother for 40 minutes.She started the conversation 40 minutes ago.She's still talking now.

The cathas been singingall night.

We've been workingtogether.(We've = We have)

You've been ridingon the bus since 10 a.m. It's now 10:40 a.m. and you're still traveling to your destination.(You've = You have)

These appleshave been growingall summer and now they're ripe and ready to be picked. They look delicious.

Lesson FourteenPerfect Modals Continuouscould should would may might+ have been ______ing

Icould have been livingin Los Angeles if I hadn't moved to Chicago.Theyshould have been doingtheir homework at the time that I called.Hewould have been workingat that company if he hadn't been laid off.Youmight have been thinkingI was much older.

This is a diffficult modal form for beginning and intermediate level students. In this case, you're describing something that was possible in the past; however; another event emerged and forever altered the past. Don't worry about mastering this right now, but listen to how Americans use it--whether correctly or not.

This penquincould have been swimmingin Antarctica today if he hadn't been captured there two years ago.

Theyshould have been takinga test but instead they skipped school and went to a malt shop.

Hewould have been workingin a bank if he hadn't decided to become a beekeeper.

Hemight have been thinkingit was earlier. Now he realizes he's late for a meeting.(This helps describe problems with perception of time.)

To make the negative, add"not"to the modal:I shouldn'thave been working so late last night. (but I did)

Lesson FifteenThe Past Perfect TenseThe past perfect tense is usually used with two past actions. The verb in the past perfect shows the first past action.Ihad seenthat movie before but Iforgotwhat happened in it.First verb:see; Second verb:forgetThe word order can be changed but it doesn't change the meaning:Iforgotthat Ihad seenthat movie.NOTE: Many Americans don't use this tense properly.see/saw/seenforget/forgot/forgotten

SingularPlural

I had seenWe had seen

You had seenYou had seen

He had seen

She had seenThey had seen

It had seen

examplesHehadalreadystartedto make breakfast before his wifewoke up.(alreadyis frequently used with perfect tenses. It usually appears between the auxiliary verb and the main verb: hadalreadystarted)

This househad been paintedyellow before they changed it to pink.Notice that the past perfect tense here is in the passive voice. The passive past tense is formed like this:The housewas paintedyellow before they changed it to pink.Often using the past tense instead of the past perfect tense is acceptable.Past perfect passive:had + been + (past participle)Ithad been paintedyellow. Now it's pink.

Theyhad workedandsaveda lot of money before theyretiredlast year.They'd hadno idea how muchthey'denjoy their retirement.NOTE: When the verb "have" is in the past perfect it looks likehad hadwhich is a little confusing)(they'd = they would)

If you need more help understanding the past perfect tense,

Lesson SeventeenThe Present Perfect Continuous Tense and the Past Perfect Continuous TenseWe have studied the present perfect continuous tensebefore,but here it is again one more time:S + has or have + been + _______ingIhave been ridingthe same bike for the last eight years.SingularPlural

I have been ridingWe have been riding

You have been ridingYou have been riding

He has been riding

She has been ridingThey have been riding

It has been riding

....and the past perfect continuous here for the first time:S + had + been + ______ingSingularPlural

I had been workingWe had been working

You had been workingYou had been working

He had been working

She had been workingThey had been working

It had been working

IIn the pictures below, notice the words with the "ing" endings. Those are the main verbs in continuous forms.I had been working on my house all day before I sat down to play my guitar.I have been studying the guitar for many years.

After you had been working all day, you went home to study English on the internet. You have been studying English for only a few years.

Hehad been havinga good day until a thief came into his apartment, took all his money, and tied him up.

Shehad been swimmingfor a long time before she got out of the pool.

This little penguinhad been livingin Antarctica before he was captured and brought to this zoo.

Wehad been communicatingwith each other online before we stopped to take a break.Wehave been usingthe internet as a means for communication for many years.

I + you = we

Youhad been playingsoccer but then your friend came by and you stopped.

Theyhad been workingfor many years, but then they retired.

Lesson EighteenPrepositional PhrasesThe womanin the blue coatis lookingfor her dog. The above sentence contains twoprepositional phrases:"in the blue coat"and "for her dog."A prepositional phrase begins with a preposition, such as"in"or"for"and ends witha noun. There are hundreds of different prepositions, so they are very commonly used and very important to understand. Why are prepositional phrases important? They provide important information on location, descriptions of people and things, relationships, time, and ideas.The best way to learn how to use prepositional phrases is to read English. Over time you will learn how they are used and which ones to use. Below are some examples.

She spilled coffeeon her report for class.prepositional phrases:on her reportandfor classIn this example the prepositional phrases provide important information about where something happened and the reason for her concern.

There are two childrenon a sled.

In this gardenthere are many strawberries.

She likes to spend a lot of timewith her baby.

He's standingbehind a tree.

My bike is leaningagainst the shed.I get to schoolon my bike.

Lesson NineteenThe Future Continuous TenseS + will + be + ______ingLet's conjugate the verb "work"SingularPlural

I will be workingWe will be working

You will be workingYou will be working

He will be working

She will be workingThey will be working

It will be working

In the pictures below, notice the words with the "ing" endings.Those are the main verbs in continuous forms.I will be working on my computer later today.

You will be learning English at your computer after work.

Hewill be havinga birthday party tomorrow for his daughter who turns three.

She'll be goingto a new school next year where she'll be studying English and French.

This little penguin wll be living in this zoo for a very long time.

We will be going online to communicate with each other.

I + you = we

You will be playing soccer this weekend.

They will be retiring in a few years.(main verb: retire.When people reach 65 years of age in the U.S., they usually stop working)

Lesson TwentyHeight and WeightHeightTo learn the height of a thing or things:

SingularPlural

How tall is it?How tall are they?

What's the height?How high are they?

How many stories is it? (for one building)---

To learn the height of a person:

SingularPlural

How tall are you?How tall are they?

What's your height?---

Height is not as sensitive a topic as weight in the U.S. It's okay to ask about a person's height but not a person's weight.

Q: What's your height?A: I'm 5 feet, 4 inches tall.I ask a questionYou give an answer.

Q: How tall are you?A: I'm 5 feet, 11 inches tall.or...A: I'm 5' 11"You ask a question.I give an answer.

Q: What's his height?A: He's six one. (It's possible to eliminate the use of "feet" or "inches" completely.

Q: How tall is she?A: She doesn't know. She has to measure herself.

Q: How tall is that apartment building?A: It's three stories tall.

Q: How tall are these stones?A: They're about 15 feet high.

Q: How tall are those skyscrapers?A: They're over 40 stories tall.

WeightTo learn the weight of a thing or things:

SingularPlural

How much does this weigh?How much do these weigh?

What does this weigh?What do these weigh?

How heavy is this?How heavy are these?

To learn the weight of a person:

SingularPlural

How much do you weigh?

How much does he/she weigh?How much do they weigh?

What's your weight?What's their weight?

Don't say:How much pounds?What weight is it?It's possible to ask, "How much do I weigh?" or "What's my weight?" But in most situations it isn't necessary unless you are repeating another person's question. The examples below might help:

Q: How much do I weigh?A: I don't know.Why don't you weigh yourself?Iask a question.You give an answer.

Q: How much do you weigh?A: I weigh 191 pounds.Youask a question.I give an answer.

Q: What does he weigh?A: He weighs about 175 pounds.

Q: How much does she weigh?A: She doesn't know. She has to weigh herself.

Q: How heavy is this?A: It's about 10 pounds.

Q: How heavy are these stones?A: They're very heavy.

Q: How much do these apples weigh?A: They're almost four pounds.

Next:Lesson Twenty-One

Lesson Twenty-oneAdverbsAdverbs describe verbs, adjectives, and other adverbs. They describehow,how often,where,when, andto what degreesomething happens.

Adverbs often end in "ly"The train is movingquicklythrough the subway.("Quickly" describes how the train moves. "Move" is a verb.)

The turtle is crawling through the grass veryslowly.("Slowly" describes how the turtle crawls. "Crawl" is a verb.)

He'susuallylate to work.("Usually" is an adverb of frequency that describes an adjective--"late.")

Herarelybuysthings that are not on sale. He likes to save money.("Rarely" is an adverb of frequency that describes theverb"buy.")

The water isveryhot.("Very" is an adverb that describes the adjective "hot.")The water istoohot.(very, too, really, so, extremely, etc. are adverbs that describe adjectives.)

She's entering the hot tubverycarefully.("Very" is an adverb that describes another adverb "carefully." The word "carefully" describes the verb, "enter.")

Lesson Twenty-twoComparative AdverbsAdverbs in the comparative form describe verbs, adjectives, and other adverbs.

Adverbs usually end in "ly"Making the comparative form for adverbs is not as easy as making the comparative form for adjectives. Remember, most adverbs end in "ly," so most adverbs are two-syllable words; therefore, you will usually use "more" in front of the adverb to make the comparison.Many Americans ignore the rules for comparative adverbs, but you should still learn how to use them properly.

A subway train can get you through the citymorequicklythan a bus.("more quickly" describes the verb "get." "Get" is a verb.)

A laptop computer allows her to do her workmore efficiently.

Barack Obama campaignedmore skillfullythan his opponents, and that's one reason why he won his election.

Some adverbs have only one syllable and don't add "ly."fast,hard,soon, high She worksfasterthan he does. He can reachhigherthan she can. They'll finish their worksoonerthan they did last week

The opposite of "more" is "less."He isless easilydisturbed by her behavior than he was in the past.

Lesson Twenty-threeSuperlative AdverbsAdverbs in the superlative form describe verbs, adjectives, and other adverbs.

Adverbs usually end in "ly"Making the superlative form for adverbs is even more difficult thanthe comparative form. Many Americans avoid doing it, so you might not hear it used very often.

He rides his bikemost frequentlyin the morning.

I work at school and at home during the week, but I workmost comfortablyat my desk on the weekend.

She ismost likelyto become a doctor after she finishes med school.

Birds singmost beautifullyin the morning.

Some adverbs don't use "ly" endings. For these words, just add "est." They play well together, but they playbestwhen they're under pressure. They perform theworston the field when they don't practice. John is thehardestworking player on the team. Burt runs thefastest, so he's a wide receiver.

Lesson Twenty-fourIntensifiersSome adverbs are used with adjectives and other adverbs. Examples in this lesson are called "intensifiers." Intensifiers provide greater depth of meaning for the words they describe.

Some common intensifiers aresomewhat, surely, highly, certainly, very, extremely, quite, such,extraordinarily, andtremendously. There are others, but these are a good start if you are new to using them.

This is anextremelyunusual bike.The word "extremely" is an intensifier for the adjective "unusual."

Ihighlyrecommend the bakery we used for Heidi's birthday cake. They did a great job.

That'squitean unusual color for a house.

Wesurelygot a lot of snow last night.

Setting a mousetrap with cheese is anextraordinarilygood way to catch a mouse.

Ted's girlfriend, Linda,certainlyis beautiful.

In each of the examples above, the intensifier can be taken out of the sentence without changing the meaning very much:Ted's girlfriend, Linda, is beautiful.

Yellow LevelReview Write your answers by hand.Complete each short answer with the correct subject and helping (auxiliary) verb:1. A: Did she have a big wedding?B: Yes, she ________ ________.2. A: Were there a lot of people there?B: Yes, ________ _________.3. A: Have you ever been to a wedding?B:Yes, ________ ________.

Complete each sentence in thepast tense:4. They _________ the wedding in this church. (have)5. They _________ over 100 people. (invite)6. They ________ ________ any problems during the ceremony. (have -- negative)7. Almost everyone ________ to the reception after the wedding. (go)

Complete each sentence or question in thepresent perfect tense:8. A: _________youever ________ a bike like this one? (see)9. B: No, ________ ________.10. How long ________ Paul ________ this bike? (have)11. He _______ ________ it for five years. (have)

Complete each sentence or question in thepresent perfecttense. (Click and listento the video first.)12. A: ________ he ever ________ on a conference bike? (ride)13. B: No, ________ ________.14. His friends ________ never ________ on a conference bike either. (be)

Complete each sentence or question in thepresent perfect tense:15. How many times ________ she ______ to downtown MInneapolis? (be)16. She ________ ________ there many times. (be)17. Some of her friends, however, _______ never ________ downtown before. (go)

Complete each sentence with the correctcomparative adjective. Some sentences require the use of "than." Others don't.18. The celery at this store is _________ _______the stuff we bought last week. (fresh)19. Compared to that other store, this one is __________ __________. (expensive)20. This organic celery is a ________ green color _________ the nonorganic celery. (dark)21. This celery is also ________. (crispy)22. Does it taste _________? (good)22. Or does it taste _________? (bad)

Complete each sentence with the correctsuperlative adjective. Don't forget to use "the" when necessary.23. The doctor I have now is ________ ________ one I've ever had. (good)24. The last examination I had was _____ ________ __________ I've ever had. Probably because I'm older. (thorough*)25. The clinic we visited was _______ ________ we have ever been to. (big)26. However, it's not ________ ________ place to find. (easy)27. Minnesota is one of _______ _______ places to live in the U.S. (healthy)28. It's also one of ________ ________ states to live in. (cold)*thorough= complete; full

Complete each sentence or question withthe past continuous tense:29. What ________ they ________ yesterday? (do)30. They _________ __________ all afternoon. (sled)31. Who ________ ____________ them? (watch)31. Their parents _________ _________ them. (watch)32. A: ________ it __________ at the time? (snow)33. B: No, _______ ________.

Complete each sentence or question with themodal verb"should" and the main verb:34. How ________ I ________ this cabbage? (cook)35. You ________ _________ it for about twenty-five minutes. (boil)36. ________ we ________ anything else for dinner? (make -- negative)37. Yes, we ________ _________ a chicken and some potatoes. (roast)

Complete each sentence or question with the "going to" future:38. A: Who _______ you ______ ______ _______? (call, "going to" future)39. B: I _______ _______ ______ ______ Angela. (call, future)

Complete each sentence withperfect modals"should" or "might" + the main verb.40. You ________ ________ ________ to get ahold of her earlier. (try)Why?42. She ________ ________ _______ her apartment already. (leave)

Use thepresent perfect continuoustense to complete theses sentences and questions:43. How long ________ they ________ __________ this bike? (ride)44. They _______ ________ _______ the bike for the last thirty minutes. (ride)

Use "should" or "might" + the main verb in theperfect continuousform:Why didn't he answer the phone?45. I don't know. He ________ ________ _________ ________ a nap. (take)46. Really? ________ he _______ ________ _________on something at home? (work -- negative)

47 - 50.Complete each sentence or question in thepast perfect tense:47. She ________ _________ Minneapolis when she was a little girl, but she forgot about the trip. (visit)

48. Scientists _______ ________ that tigers would be safe from extinction, but now--due to human activity--they believe that the extinction of the species in the wild is inevitable. (think)49. If human beings ________ ________ a more thoughtful approach to their use of land, air, and water, some animal species wouldn't be faced with the possibility of extinction. (take)

50. I wish I ________ ________ a colander to drain the noodles. It would have been easier. (use)

Yellow LevelReview ANSWERSComplete each short answer with the correct subject and helping (auxiliary) verb:1. A: Did she have a big wedding?B: Yes, sheshe did.2. A: Were there a lot of people there?B: Yes,there were.3. A: Have you ever been to a wedding?B:Yes,I have.

Complete each sentence in thepast tense:4. Theyhadthe wedding in this church. (have)5. Theyinvitedover 100 people. (invite)6. Theydidn't haveany problems during the ceremony. (have -- negative)7. Almost everyonewentto the reception after the wedding. (go)

Complete each sentence or question in thepresent perfect tense:8. A:Haveyoueverseena bike like this one? (see)9. B: No,I haven't.10. How longhasPaulhadthis bike? (have)11. Hehas hadit for five years. (have)or....He's hadit for five years. (have)

Complete each sentence or question in thepresent perfecttense. (Click and listento the video first.)12. A:Hashe everriddenon a conference bike? (ride)13. B: No,he hasn't.14. His friendshaveneverbeenon a conference bike either. (be)

Complete each sentence or question in thepresent perfect tense:15. How many timeshasshebeento downtown MInneapolis? (be)16. Shehas beenthere many times. (be)17. Some of her friends, however,havenevergonedowntown before. (go)

Complete each sentence with the correctcomparative adjective. Some sentences require the use of "than." Others don't.18. The celery at this store isfresher thanthe stuff we bought last week. (fresh)19. Compared to that other store, this one ismore expensive. (expensive)20. This organic celery is adarkergreen colorthanthe nonorganic celery. (dark)21. This celery is alsocrispier. (crispy)22. Does it tastebetter? (good)22. Or does it tasteworse? (bad)(Be careful with the word "worse." It's used when both things or people are bad.)

Complete each sentence with the correctsuperlative adjective. Don't forget to use "the" when necessary.23. The doctor I have now isthe bestone I've ever had. (good)24. The last examination I had wasthe most thoroughI've ever had. Probably because I'm older. (thorough*)25. The clinic we visited wasthe biggestwe have ever been to. (big)26. However, it's notthe easiestplace to find. (easy)27. Minnesota is one ofthe healthiestplaces to live in the U.S. (healthy)28. It's also one ofthe coldeststates to live in. (cold)*thorough= complete; full

Complete each sentence or question withthe past continuous tense:29. Whatweretheydoingyesterday? (do)30. Theywere sleddingall afternoon. (sled)31. Whowas watchingthem? (watch)31. Their parentswere watchingthem. (watch)32. A:Wasitsnowingat the time? (snow)33. B: No,it wasn't.

Complete each sentence or question with themodal verb"should" and the main verb:34. HowshouldIcookthis cabbage? (cook)35. Youshould boilit for about twenty-five minutes. (boil)36.Shouldn'twemakeanything else for dinner? (make -- negative)37. Yes, weshould roasta chicken and some potatoes. (roast)

Complete each sentence or question with the "going to" future:38. A: Whoareyougoing to call? (call, "going to" future)39. B: I'm going to callAngela. (call, future)

Complete each sentence withperfect modals"should" or "might" + the main verb.40. Youshould have triedto get ahold of her earlier. (try)Why?42. Shemight have lefther apartment already. (leave)Angela

Use thepresent perfect continuoustense to complete theses sentences and questions:43. How longhavetheybeen ridingthis bike? (ride)44. Theyhave been ridingthe bike for the last thirty minutes. (ride)

Use "should" or "might" + the main verb in theperfect continuousform:Why didn't he answer the phone?45. I don't know. Hemight have been takinga nap. (take)46. Really?Shouldn'thehave been workingon something at home? (work -- negative)

47 - 50.Complete each sentence or question in thepast perfect tense:47. Shehad visitedMinneapolis when she was a little girl, but she forgot about the trip. (visit)

48. Scientistshad thoughtthat tigers would be safe from extinction, but now--due to human activity--they believe that the extinction of the species in the wild is inevitable. (think)49. If human beingshad takena more thoughtful approach to their use of land, air, and water, some animal species wouldn't be faced with the possibility of extinction. (take)

50. I wish Ihad useda colander to drain the noodles. It would have been easier. (use)

Yellow LevelReview, Part 2 Write your answers by hand.Change direct speech to indirect speech.1. What did the boss say?He said...1. _____________________________.1. "Everyone can go home early today, " said the boss.

Change direct speech to indirect speech.2. What did she say?She said....2. ______________________________.2. "I'll call my husband after I get off of the phone," she said.

Change direct speech to indirect speech.3. What did she say?She said...3. ____________________________.4. What did she say?She said...4. ____________________________.3. "I'm going to a party tonight with my friends, "she said.4. "I have the address," she said.

Change direct speech to indirect speech.5. What did he say?He said...5. _____________________________.5. "I need to fix my bike tomorrow," he said.

Complete each sentence or question in thepast perfect continuous tense:6. She ______ _______ _______ for a bank before she got a job with a law firm. (work)7. The company she worked at before ______ _______ ________ her with health insurance. (provide)

Write out each sentence and underline theprepositional phrases.8. There's nothing in his apartment.9. He's sitting with his back against the wall.10. Tomorrow he might go to a store to get some furniture.

Complete each sentence with the future continuous tense.11. Instead of walking, he ______ _______ ________ on his skateboard. (riding)12. He _______ ________ ________ us until much later. (meet -- negative)

Complete each question or sentence with the future continuous tense.13. What _______ we _____ ________ for dinner tonight? (having)14. We _______ ________ _________ pizza. (order)

Use the adverb provided in the comparative form:15. You have to handle eggs ______ ________ than other food items because they might break. (careful)

Use the adverb provided in the comparative form:16. Clothes dry __________ when the sun comes out. (fast)

Use the adverb provided in the superlative form:17. She performs _________ when she's under pressure. (good)18. She's the ________ _________ gifted member of her family. (athletic)

Use"highly" or "certainly" to complete these sentences:19. He ___________ is a beautiful baby.20. The doctor __________ recommends breast milk for the baby.

Yellow LevelReview, Part 2 ANSWERSChange direct speech to indirect speech.1. What did the boss say?He said...1.He said that* everyone could go home early today.*"that" is optional -- You could also say this without "that":He said everyone could go home early today.1. "Everyone can go home early today, " said the boss.

Change direct speech to indirect speech.2. What did she say?She said....2.She said that she would call her husband after she got off of the phone.2. "I'll call my husband after I get off of the phone," she said.

Change direct speech to indirect speech.3. What did she say?She said...3.She said that she was going to a party tonight with her friends.4. What did she say?She said...4.She said that she had the address.3. "I'm going to a party tonight with my friends, "she said.4. "I have the address," she said.

Change direct speech to indirect speech.5. What did he say?He said...5.He said that he needed to fix his bike tomorrow.5. "I need to fix my bike tomorrow," he said.

Complete each sentence or question in thepast perfect continuous tense:6. Shehad been workingfor a bank before she got a job with a law firm. (work)7. The company she worked at beforehad been providingher with health insurance. (provide)

Write out each sentence and underline theprepositional phrases.8. There's nothingin his apartment.9. He's sittingwith his backagainst the wall.10. Tomorrow he might goto a storeto get some furniture.

Complete each sentence with thefuture continuous tense.11. Instead of walking, hewill be ridingon his skateboard. (riding)12. Hewon't be meetingus until much later. (meet -- negative)

Complete each question or sentence with the future continuous tense.13. Whatwillwebe havingfor dinner tonight? (having)14. Wewill be orderingpizza. (order)

Use the adverb provided in thecomparative form:15. You have to handle eggsmore carefullythan other food items because they might break. (careful)

Use the adverb provided in the comparative form:16. Clothes dryfasterwhen the sun comes out. (fast)

Use the adverb provided in thesuperlative form:17. She performsbestwhen she's under pressure. (good)18. She's themost athleticallygifted member of her family. (athletic)

Use"highly" or "certainly" to complete these sentences:19. Hecertainlyis a beautiful baby.20. The doctorhighlyrecommends breast milk for the baby.