Invictus
New member
- Joined
- May 10, 2010
- Member Type
- Interested in Language
- Native Language
- English
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- United States
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- United States
I find the majority of the questions in the CELTA pre-interview task fairly easy but I am at a bit of a loss for the following four examples. I don't expect anyone to do my homework for me, but I would be so very grateful if someone could give me a few pointers to help me figure this out. I really don't think I'm on the right track with these. My answers are in blue.
Odd One Out
a) rice b) egg c) milk d) cream
My first thought was these could all make a nice desert of some sort but then I was left stumped. In all seriousness, when all these words are taken as nouns (and I assume they should be), "egg" is the only one which forms the plural with an 's' (no one says, "we have a lot of creams," at least not in the culinary context which, to me, seems implied). Would this be correct?
a) to need b) to play c) to bring d) to open
It seems to me the odd one out is "to need," but why? My only attempt at an explanation is that it is the only verb expressing a personal state as opposed to external action. If this is actually correct, what would be the technical (grammatical) way of explaining this distinction?
a) He was interesting. b) He was smiling. c) He was smoking. d) He was reading.
He believe here a) is the odd one out because "interesting" is an adjective, whereas in the other three it's a past participle. Also, the verb in a) is a linking verb, while in the other three it is a helping verb. (Incidentally, you could say the same about c, i.e. "He was smokin'!" but I wouldn't go that far.)
I also have one small problem with the following task pronunciation task:
Pronunciation
Pronunciation
What sort of pronunciation problems do you think learners may have with the following words and phrases? e.g. word stress, sounds, missing / adding sounds, intonation.
fish and chips, bread and butter, now and then (what problem do these have in common?)
I have no bright ideas... Pronunciation, perhaps. In "now and then," the 'd' in "and" might present problems with the 'th' in "then." Any help here is highly appreciated.
Thank you very much for looking this over.
Odd One Out
a) rice b) egg c) milk d) cream
My first thought was these could all make a nice desert of some sort but then I was left stumped. In all seriousness, when all these words are taken as nouns (and I assume they should be), "egg" is the only one which forms the plural with an 's' (no one says, "we have a lot of creams," at least not in the culinary context which, to me, seems implied). Would this be correct?
a) to need b) to play c) to bring d) to open
It seems to me the odd one out is "to need," but why? My only attempt at an explanation is that it is the only verb expressing a personal state as opposed to external action. If this is actually correct, what would be the technical (grammatical) way of explaining this distinction?
a) He was interesting. b) He was smiling. c) He was smoking. d) He was reading.
He believe here a) is the odd one out because "interesting" is an adjective, whereas in the other three it's a past participle. Also, the verb in a) is a linking verb, while in the other three it is a helping verb. (Incidentally, you could say the same about c, i.e. "He was smokin'!" but I wouldn't go that far.)
I also have one small problem with the following task pronunciation task:
Pronunciation
Pronunciation
What sort of pronunciation problems do you think learners may have with the following words and phrases? e.g. word stress, sounds, missing / adding sounds, intonation.
fish and chips, bread and butter, now and then (what problem do these have in common?)
I have no bright ideas... Pronunciation, perhaps. In "now and then," the 'd' in "and" might present problems with the 'th' in "then." Any help here is highly appreciated.
Thank you very much for looking this over.