Understanding Descriptive Text

Objectives

Recognizing a descriptive text, the characteristics, composition, generic structure, and the choice of words.

Learn about it!

There are many texts you learn in English subject. One of them is a descriptive text. In this lesson, you will learn more about that kind of text.

What is a descriptive text?

Descriptive text is a text that describes the characteristics of a thing, a place, or a person. A descriptive text describes general things. It can be about food, animals, hobby, music, fashion, etc. In a descriptive text, the writer gives facts and opinions about those things. If the text describes a place, it explains why the place is special. If the text describes a person, it can explain about famous people or important people in the writer’s life.

What is the function of a descriptive text?

Descriptive text is to describe a particular person, place or thing. A descriptive text aims to show the reader what something or someone is like. By giving specific information about the object, the writers expects that the readers understand the same thing about the object being described.

What are the characteristics of a descriptive text?

A descriptive text starts with identification. It has general information of that thing of the thing that the text describes. It later gives description, in which there are more explanations about the thing. This is what people usually mean by generic structure.

The generic structure of a descriptive text is: identification and description.As long as there are those two points, a descriptive text can always be done. A descriptive text uses mostly present tense. However, the writer may also use other tenses depends on the needs.

Do you understand?

The examples of descriptive texts

• A descriptive text about a hobby

Riding a bicycle

My hobby is riding a bicycle. I usually go cycling with my high school friend on the weekends. Cycling is very relaxing. It doesn’t hard to do this activity. It gives a lot of fun in doing sport activity. I have a mountain bike, so I can go far to the higher place in my city. I always wear a helmet and gloves. Sometimes I use pads. But, if I just ride my bicycle around the neighborhood, I don’t use all of them. It is important to take care of the bike, so it will last long. I usually check the chains and gear, also the tires. If you drive a car, you should share the road with bicycles, and just like a car, a bicycle also needs to follow the traffic rules.

• A descriptive text about a person

image source: www.imdb.com
                                                                                                                              Daniel Radcliffe

Daniel was born in London on July 23rd, 1989. He is the only child in the family. He is the only child in his family. He has become a very famous actor after his role as the young wizard Harry Potter. He wanted to be an actor since he was five years old, and he said that he wanted to keep continue acting. He also wants to be a director one day. Daniel went to an all boy school. It means there is no girl at there. He loves play pranks on his friend. Just like many people from England, he loves football. He is a fan of Fulham football club. He also likes to watch wresting and formula one racing. He is a big fan of music too. He prefers punk rock.

• A descriptive text about a place

image source: www.birdpark.sg
                                                                                                                        Jurong Bird Park
Jurong Bird Park is one of the most interesting places to visit in Singapore. It is located in Jurong, an industrial area of Singapore. You have to go about twelve kilometers from the center of the city if you want to get there. You can get there by bus or taxi.
It is one of the world’s largest bird parks. There are almost all bird species there, including penguins, parrots, eagles, and ostriches. It has also fun exhibits, interactive shows, and of course, its charming residents. There is a large lake in the park. There is also a restaurant beside it. You have to take about two hours if you want to see all the birds there.

Keypoints

A descriptive text is a little bit different from the report text. In a report text, you can only write the facts about the thing, while in a descriptive text, the thing can be very specific such as your personal thing, and you can also share what you think about the thing you are describing.

Conditional Sentences Type 1

Objectives

• Learners are able to understand the use of conditional if (type I) in sentences
• Learners are able to guess possible result from certain present condition or do logical reasoning.

Learn about it!

Look at the following statements and learn what they mean:

If the voters are not satisfied, the election will likely be repeated.

The above sentence means that re-election will likely be done if the voters are not happy with the result.

If the oil price keeps raising, other prices will increase immediately.

The above sentence means that prices of other products will improve very soon if the oil price keeps raising.

If she keeps studying hard, she will pass the exam with good results.

The above sentence means that she will pass the examination with good results if she keeps studying hard.

Conditional Sentences Type 1 is used to make prediction that may happen in the future when certain condition is fulfilled in the present. The predicted situation is as the most possible result to occur. However, when the present condition cannot meet the requirement, the future result won’t exist.

Conditional sentence has two parts: the ‘if clause’ and the main clause. The ‘if clause’ belongs to the present condition that needs to be fulfilled and the main clause belongs to future condition that occurs as the result.

The pattern can also be switched. So, the main clause comes first and then followed by the IF clause.

Keypoints

• Conditional If (type I) is used to make prediction that may happen in the future when certain condition is fulfilled in the present.
• The pattern is If + Simple Present for the if clause, and followed by main clause in future tense (will).
• You need to put a comma when the if clause comes first, but you don not need one when the main clause comes first.

Conditional Sentence Type 2

Objectives

Understand the meaning, form, and use of type 2 conditional sentences in the daily life context.

Learn about it!

You have already learned about type 1 conditional sentence in the previous lesson. In this lesson you will learn about type 2 conditional sentence in daily life context.

Understanding the Meaning of Type 2 Conditional Sentence

Type-2-conditional sentences are commonly used to talk about unreal and impossible conditions. It is called as unreal condition because there is no possibility that the condition stated in the sentence will happen. The sentence is on the contrary with the facts. You may ever imagine at present time about something that is impossible to happen.

Read the following example:

You want to go hiking, but your parents do not allow you to go because of bad weather. Or you imagine you go to the moon and build a satellite tower there, but in fact you are only common student so it is impossible to happen at present time.

Form of Type 2 Conditional Sentence

Conditional sentence consists of two clauses namely main clause and if clause. You can put the main clause as the first clause or in the second clause. Therefore, it’s not important which clause comes first. The tense in the 'if' clause is the simple past, and the tense in the main clause is the present. However, making type 2 conditional sentence requires to present the fact. It happens at the present time.
To construct second conditional sentence, you should pay attention to the form below:

      IF + PAST TENSE, SUBJECT + WOULD + BARE INFINITIVE

Example:

1.     If he had a lot of money, he would buy a car.
It means that he doesn’t have much money and he couldn’t buy a car.

2.     If you brought an umbrella, you would not get wet.
It means that you get wet because you do not bring umbrella.

3.     If I were Agnes Monica, I would be famous.
It means that I am not Agnes Monica and I am not as famous as her.

The sentences above explain how you try to imagine do something is contrary with the facts.

Let's think!

If the “if” clause comes first, you should use a comma. You don’t need to put comma if the “if” clause comes second.

Conditional Sentences Type 3

Objectives

Understanding meaning, structure, and usage of conditional sentences type 3 in daily activity.

Learn about it!

Function

Have you ever regretted about things you did or did not do in the past?
Sometimes in life, we wish that something would have happened differently from reality.

To express this kind of situation in English, there is a certain sentence called ‘conditional sentence (type 3)’. This is what you are going to learn from this lesson.

Take a look at the following example:

If she had studied law in college, she would have become a lawyer.

‘If she had studied law in college’ means she did not study law in college.
And ‘she would have been a lawyer’ means she is not a lawyer.
The sentence tells us that it is impossible for her to become a lawyer now because she did not study law in college.

Conditional sentence type 3 is used to express an impossible situation and its probable result in the past.

The situation is unreal because it did not happen. This type of conditional expresses the contrary of the reality and most of the time it implies regret. Read another example below.

If I had eaten breakfast, I would not have fainted.

The sentence says “If I had eaten breakfast”, in reality ‘I did not eat breakfast’.
“I would not have fainted” means that in reality ‘I fainted’. The sentence implies ‘my regret for not having breakfast’.

Conditional sentence is divided into two clauses: ‘IF CLAUSE’ and ‘MAIN CLAUSE’.

• ‘IF CLAUSE’ is the clause with the word ‘if’. It usually indicates the condition.
• ‘MAIN CLAUSE’ is the rest, the clause without ‘if’. It usually indicates the result. Take a look at the following example:

I would have won the contest if I had practiced more often.

The main clause “I would have won the contest” indicates the probable result of the condition. The condition itself is indicated by if clause, “if I had practiced more often”. The real situation is I did not win the contest and I did not practice more often.

Form

The verb that is used in conditional type 3 is in ‘past participle’ form.
Look at the previous examples:

1. If she had studied law in college, she would have become a lawyer.
2. If I had eaten breakfast, I would not have fainted.
3. I would have won the contest if I had practiced more often.

• The verbs in the first example are ‘studied’ which is past participle of study, and‘become’ which is past participle of become.
• The second one are ‘eaten’ which is past participle of eat, and ‘fainted’ which is past participle of faint.
• The last ones are ‘won’ which is past participle of win; and ‘practiced’ which is past participle of practice.

The ‘IF CLAUSE’ is always written in past perfect tense. While the ‘MAIN CLAUSE’ is always written in perfect conditional.

Look at the ‘IF CLAUSE’ in example number 1: after the SUBJECT (She) there is always ‘had’ with ‘past participle verb’ (studied), so the ‘IF CLAUSE’ is If she had studied.
Look at the ‘MAIN CLAUSE’ in example 1: after the SUBJECT (she), there is ‘would have’ with ‘past participle verb’ (become), so the sentence is she would have become.

The verbs in both clauses are always in past participle.

‘IF CLAUSE’ can be written first and ‘MAIN CLAUSE’ next or vice versa. It would not change the meaning.

          IF CLAUSE: IF + (Subject) + had + past participle

          MAIN CLAUSE: IF + (Subject) + would have + past participle

Letter Writing

Objectives

In this section, you will learn how to write an application letter.

Learn about it!

Today we’re going to talk about letter writing. We write letters to friends, strangers, businesses, government departments, and institutions.

The tone of a letter can be formal or informal, depending on who is going to read it. There are several purposes for writing letters:
1. giving or requesting information
2. giving instruction
3. relating an events
4. giving goods or bad news
5. complaining
6. describing
7. applying for a job

Some letters can include several of these purposes at the same time. Here are some examples.

Letters for ‘giving information’ might include: travel plans, arrival details, what to see and do on holidays.

Letter ‘requesting information’ might be for: course information, library hours, timetable information.

Some letters for ‘giving the instruction’ include: how to get to your house, how to operate a machine, how to open an account.

And letter ‘ relating an events’ such as an incident or accident; a wedding, a holiday

‘Giving good or bad new’ such as canceling an appointment, accepting a job offer, informing of the birth of the baby.

The letter ‘complaining’ might include poor service in a restaurant, loud noise in your district, a problem with faulty goods.

the letter ‘describing’ might be about: lost property, friends, or a place.

letter ‘applying for a job’ is called the application letter.
The formal letter begins with the greeting
Dear and closing with your sincerely
Between the top and the botton is the body if the letter. We write because we have the porpose. The porposes in giving information, you might write

I am writing to advise that ...

Or for requesting information you might write

I am writing to request information about...

In giving instruction you might write

I am writing to explain how to ...

In giving good news, you can write

I am very happy to tell you that ..

Now let’s consider the organization of letter especially Application Letter.

An application letter is a formal letter written to apply for a job. An application letter is an important part of the job package you send to the employer. The application letter generally contains personal information and includes reasons for applying for the position. Pay attention to the formal of an application letter below.

Applicant’s Address

Your name

Your address

Your telephone number

Your e-mail

Date

Employer’s address

Employer’name

Job title

Company name

Company address

Salutation

Dear …

Opening Paragraph

Explain the basic reason for the application letter. What job are you applying for? When and where did you see the position advertised? If it is not advertised, state how you heard about the position.

Body of Letter

Brief outline how your technical and transferable skills match the position. Refer to any relevant qualifications you may have and recent and prior employment experience that matches the role you are applying for. Demonstrate confidently that your skills are suitable for the requirement of the company. Outline any further skills related to the position and how they are highly suitable for the role. Mention you have a resume. Mention how your personal skills enhance and support your technical abilities and state that you would highly regard an opportunity to work for the company.

Closing Paragraph

State your availability for interview and include your contact number.

Closing

Yours sincerely

Signature

Your name

Do you understand?

Read the letter aloud. Pay attention to its structure

Keypoints

To write an Application Letter you need to follow the format of an Application Letter below.

1. Applicant’s Address
2. Date
3. Employer’s Address
4. Salutation
5. Opening Paragraph
6. Body of Letter
7. Closing Paragraph
8. Closing

Objective of Studies

In this meeting we are going to study about the adjective clause in spoken and written. After this meeting, the students are expected

·         Able to identify and use the relative pronouns such as that, which, who, whom, where spoken or written;

Learn About It!

Today we’ll look at some words that cause a lot of confusion, the relative pronouns that, which, and who, and then we’ll do some pronunciation practice.

Video 1

OK, let’s focus on this clip

My sister, who is a professor of French, lives in Paris.

The above sentence uses relative pronoun who, if you wonder about this topic you may ask some questions relate to this one.

Do you understand?

How to use relative pronoun? let’s watch this clip.

Video 2

Here are the scripts of the conversation.

People have always been fascinated with death. Most of the mysteries that you see on television, the film that you see, involve murder in one kind or another.

Crocodiles are one of the last remaining dinosaurs and the idea of a crocodile coming out of the water and grabbing somebody is absolutely riveting.

I read about the death of the German tourist who was taken by a crocodile. It didn’t put me off coming to the Northern territory, quite the opposite in fact.

I think the NT is famous for its crocodiles and probably quite famous for its crocodiles attack and that tourist who come here would like to be, of feel as though they were, involved in that danger.

Tourist want to have a story to take home and if they can say that they were in the Northern Territory where the German tourist was taken by the croc, then it adds to their own adventure.

Most of the mysteries ‘that’ you see on TV involve murders.

I read about the death of the tourist ‘who’ was taken by a crocodile.
Relative pronouns are used to introduce adjective clauses

• a.   I read about the death of the tourist who was taken by a crocodile.
• b.   …. tourist (NOUN) who was taken by a crocodile (ADJECTIVE CLAUSE)

The tourist is subject. The ‘who clause’ gives more information

here are other example:

But how do we choose between who, which or that?

Well the relative pronoun WHO is only used with people

WHICH is only used with thing

THAT is usually only used with the thing as well. Sometimes, in informal language, it can refer to people.

Let’s play game

Joint Classroom 'Click Here!'

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