United States English Introduction

This is ENG 099, a Massive Open Online Course (MOOC) in conversational American English (USA) for EFL/ESL/ELL/ESOL students that was offered in the summer of 2016! :)



Week 1: Monday, August 8th to Sunday, August 14th
''Please do all of the work below. By Sunday the 14th at 11:59 PM USA CDT, please e-mail the teacher at [mailto:contact@mr.danoff.org contact@mr.danoff.org] with your speaking and writing homework.'' Before you begin, please watch this video from your teacher for details about this week's work.

==== Reading and Listening ====

We will study the company Adidas this week. You will read a text about Adidas and listen to a recording.

First
 * Read page 2 of this file.
 * It is a Portable Document Format or PDF file.

Next
 * listen to this recording.
 * It is a MPEG-1 Audio Layer 3 (MP3) file.

==== Grammar  & Punctuation ====

We will study the basic sentence this week. You will read a text about sentence grammar and do two exercises. If you want more practice, there are an  optional text and video.

First
 * read page 1 of this text (PDF) about "The Basic Sentence".

Next
 * do an exercise to practice your sentence grammar.

Last
 * do the "Basic Sentence Punctuation" exercise on page 1 of the PDF to practice your sentence punctuation.

Optional

Read
 * this text about "What is a Sentence".

Watch
 * this video about "Sentence Types".

==== Writing & Speaking ====

You will use the sentence grammar and punctuation skills you studied to write proper sentences, next you will watch a short video on speaking English, then record yourself reading your sentences and last you will e-mail the teacher your work.

First
 * you will write sentences to answer the following questions:
 * What is your name?
 * How old are you?
 * Where are you from?
 * When did you start studying English?
 * Did you like the passage and podcast on Adidas? Why?
 * Did you the like the grammar and punctuation exercises? Why?
 * You can type your sentences or write them on paper and take a picture of the paper.

Next
 * read the 1.1.1 “If You Think You Can, You Can!” text for instructions on how to watch the video.

Next
 * watch the video from 0:48–1:30 minutes.

Next
 * you will make a recording of yourself reading the sentences you wrote aloud.

 Last (SEND TO TEACHER) 
 * you will [mailto:contact@mr.danoff.org e-mail contact@mr.danoff.org] your sentences and sound recording by 11:59 PM USA Central Time Sunday, August 14th.
 * If you think you will need more time, please contact your teacher.

Week 2: Monday, August 15th to Sunday, August 21st
''Please do all of the work below. By Sunday, August 21st at 11:59 PM USA CDT, please e-mail the teacher at [mailto:contact@mr.danoff.org contact@mr.danoff.org] with your speaking and writing homework.''

Before you begin, please watch this video from your teacher for details about week two work.

Reading and Listening
This week we will study the company Nike. You will read a text about Nike and listen to a recording.

First
 * Read page 2 of this file.
 * It is a Portable Document Format or PDF file.

Last
 * listen to this recording.
 * It is a MPEG-1 Audio Layer 3 (MP3) file.

Grammar & Punctuation
This week we will study the subject. The Simple English Wiktionary defines it as:


 * In English grammar, the subject of a sentence is usually a noun that comes before the verb. This noun is usually the thing that is doing the action, and it is usually the topic of the sentence.
 * In the sentence, "Tom gave the box to Wilma", Tom is the subject.

You will read a text about the subject, do three exercises and review your punctuation work from last week.

First
 * read page 1 of this text (PDF) about "The Subject".

Next
 * do an exercise to practice your sentence grammar.

Next
 * do another exercise to practice.

Next
 * review the answers below to last week's "Basic Sentence Punctuation" exercise to check your work.


 * 1) My sister’s name is Jackie.
 * 2) Friday is my favorite day of the week.
 * 3) I like watching Eastenders on BBC 1.
 * 4) Charles Dickens was a famous writer. He was born in Portsmouth.
 * 5) Lisa and Chantal are going on holiday to Portugal in May.
 * 6) Did you go to school today?
 * 7) My new address is 248 Normanton Road in Nottingham.
 * 8) When are you going to the hospital?
 * 9) My doctor is getting a new receptionist. She’s called Louise Robson.
 * 10) Ben and I are going to look around Leicester Grammar School on Wednesday.

Last
 * do the "Basic Sentence Punctuation 2" exercise on page 1 of the PDF to practice your sentence punctuation again.

Writing & Speaking
You will use the grammar and punctuation skills you studied to write proper sentences, next you will record yourself reading your sentences and last you will e-mail the teacher your work.

First
 * you will write sentences to answer the following questions:
 * Where do you buy your shoes?
 * Do you like big shoe companies? Why?
 * Do you like Nike or Adidas or both? Why?
 * Do you want to buy Nike or Adidas shoes? Why?
 * What other shoe companies do you like?
 * Did you like the reading text and listening recording about Nike? Why?
 * Did you like the grammar and punctuation exercises? Why?
 * What was your score on the first punctuation exercise?
 * How do you chat with your friends on your phone and computer? Do you use software? What software?

Next
 * you will make a recording of yourself reading the sentences you wrote aloud.

 Last (SEND TO TEACHER) 
 * you will [mailto:contact@mr.danoff.org e-mail contact@mr.danoff.org] your sentences and sound recording by Sunday, August 21st at 11:59 PM USA CDT.
 * If you think you will need more time, please contact your teacher.

Week 3: Monday, August 22nd to Sunday, August 28th
''Please do all of the work below. By Sunday, August 28th at 11:59 PM USA CDT, please e-mail the teacher at [mailto:contact@mr.danoff.org contact@mr.danoff.org] with your speaking and writing homework.''

Before you begin, please watch this video from your teacher for details about week two work.



Vocabulary
To start this week we will study 5 words that you will find in the reading text and listening recording on Puma.


 * 1) manufacturer (noun)
 * 2) * The Wiktionary definition of "manufacturer" is: one that manufactures
 * 3) * And the Wiktionary definition of "manufacture" is: Anything made, formed or produced
 * 4) ** Example sentence: Puma is a manufacturer that makes shoes.
 * 5) lifestyle (noun)
 * 6) * The Wiktionary definition of "lifestyle" is: A style of living that reflects the attitudes and values of a person or group.
 * 7) ** My lifestyle is active. I run and play soccer everyday.
 * 8) persuaded (verb)
 * 9) * "persuaded" is the simple past tense and past participle of "persuade" which is defined by Wiktionary as: To successfully convince (someone) to agree to, accept, or do something, usually through reasoning and verbal influence.
 * 10) ** I am happy my mom persuaded me to study my English. Now I can talk to people from countries all over the world.
 * 11) revenues (noun)
 * 12) * Revenues is the plural form of revenue which is defined by Wiktionary as: The total income received from a given source.
 * 13) ** Big companies make millions of dollars in revenue every month selling shoes.
 * 14) sustainable (adjective)
 * 15) * The Wiktionary definition of "sustainable" is: Able to be produced or sustained for an indefinite period without damaging the environment, or without depleting a resource; renewable
 * 16) ** Some companies believe sustainable business choices are more expensive today, but cheaper over the next 50 years of the business' life.

Reading and Listening
This week we will study the company Puma. You will read a text about Puma and listen to a recording.

First
 * Read page 2 of this file.
 * It is a Portable Document Format or PDF file.

Last
 * listen to this recording.
 * It is a MPEG-1 Audio Layer 3 (MP3) file.

Grammar & Punctuation
We will start this week by studying the object. Wiktionary defines it as:


 * The noun phrase which is an internal complement of a verb phrase or a prepositional phrase. In a verb phrase with a transitive action verb, it is typically the receiver of the action.
 * In the sentence, "Tom gave the box to Wilma", The box is the object.

Then we will study the verb. Wiktionary defines it as:


 * A word that indicates an action, event, or state.
 * The word “speak” is an English verb.

Most sentences have a subject, object, and verb. We are learning the basics so it will be easier for you to use English!

You will read a text about the verb, do an exercises and review your punctuation work from last week.

First
 * do the "Make a Sentence with SVOPT– Subject Verb Object Place Time 1" exercise on page 1 of the PDF to practice your skills making sentences with a subject, verb, object place and time.

Next
 * read page 1 of this text (PDF) about verbs.

Next
 * do an exercise to practice using verbs.

Last
 * review the answers below to last week's "Basic Sentence Punctuation 2" exercise to check your work.


 * 1) How do I get to the library from here?
 * 2) The coach for London leaves in about half an hour.
 * 3) My birthday is  in September. I usually go out for a drink with my friends.
 * 4) What do you want  for dinner tonight?
 * 5) Birmingham is the second largest city in the UK.
 * 6) I’ll have a  Coke please and two packets of  Walkers crisps.
 * 7) If you need to see a consultant go to the  Derbyshire Royal Infirmary.
 * 8) Mary Poppins is my mum’s favourite film. She likes Julie Andrews.
 * 9) I drive a red Fiat Punto and my uncle drives a green BMW.
 * 10) I joined Morton Park Golf Club last week. It was very expensive.

Writing & Speaking
You will use the grammar and punctuation skills you studied to write proper sentences, next you will record yourself reading your sentences and last you will e-mail the teacher your work.

First
 * you will write 5 total sentences using the vocabulary words you studied above. For example, "My lifestyle is active." uses the word "lifestyle". You will write sentences with the words:
 * manufacturer,
 * lifestyle,
 * persuaded,
 * revenues and
 * sustainable.
 * then you will write sentences to answer the following questions:
 * Did you see any athlets at the olympics wearing Adidas, Nike or Puma products? Who? When?
 * Do you like studying shoe companies? Why?
 * Do you like the course exercises, reading texts, listening recordings and videos? Why?
 * Do you have any suggestions to make the course better?

Next
 * you will make a recording of yourself reading the sentences you wrote aloud.

 Last (SEND TO TEACHER) 
 * you will [mailto:contact@mr.danoff.org e-mail contact@mr.danoff.org] your sentences and sound recording by Sunday, August 28th at 11:59 PM USA CDT.
 * If you think you will need more time, please contact your teacher.

Week 4: Monday, August 29th to Monday, September 5th

 * Break week, time for everyone to catch up on homework and/or relax.

Vocabulary
We will use these words and phrases this week to study greetings.

If you do not know any of the words, please look them up with OneLook Dictionary Search. It is my favorite website for looking up words because it searches many dictionaries at one time. I think is better to find more than one definition for all words.


 * 1) Hello
 * 2) How are you?
 * 3) I’m fine = Fine, thank you
 * 4) Thank you
 * 5) You? = And you? (as a response to an earlier How are you?)
 * 6) Too
 * 7) Yo = Hello
 * 8) What’s up? = How are you?
 * 9) Not much = I’m fine. = Fine, thank you.

Reading and Listening
This week we will study greetings. We will learn what to say when you meet someone. If you already know English greetings, please use this time to review! Maybe you will learn something new!

You will watch and listen to a video about greetings and read two blog posts.

First
 * view this video on International and American English greetings.

Next
 * read this short text on the International English greeting. You do not need to watch the video again.

Last
 * read this text on the American English greeting. No need to watch the video again, unless you want!

Grammar & Punctuation
This week we will use the subject, object and verb together. You will use what you learned in weeks 1, 2 and 3 together!

You will read a text about subjects and verbs and do two exercises to practice.

First
 * read page 1 of this text (PDF) named "Subject and Verb".

Next
 * do an exercise to practice using subjects and verbs.

Last
 * do the "Subject Verb Object Place Time 2" exercise on page 61 of the PDF for more practice your skills making sentences with a subject, verb, object place and time.

Speaking
This week you need to practice the greetings you learned. Find a friend and say the English greetings together! You can talk to someone in your home town or over the internet.

Writing
This week you will write proper sentences to talk about your speaking work.

First
 * you will write sentences to answer the following questions:
 * Who did you practice your greetings with? Where did you practice? Online? In your home town? When did you practice?
 * Try to write one sentence with a a subject, verb, object place and time to answer this question!
 * Did you enjoy practicing the greeting? Why?
 * Write 2 or more sentences to answer this question.
 * Do you like the greeting? Why?
 * Write 2 or more sentences to answer this question.
 * Do you know any other English greetings?
 * How do you greet people in your language in your country?

 Last (SEND TO TEACHER) 
 * you will [mailto:contact@mr.danoff.org e-mail contact@mr.danoff.org] your sentences and sound recording by Monday, September 12th at 11:59 PM USA CDT.
 * If you think you will need more time, please contact your teacher.

Vocabulary
We will use these words and phrases this week for our reading and listening work.

If you do not know any of the words, please look them up with OneLook Dictionary Search. It is my favorite website for looking up words because it searches many dictionaries at one time. I think is better to find more than one definition for all words.

If you do not want to use OneLook, that's OK! Use your favorite dictionary! :)


 * 1) reason
 * 2) seek
 * 3) treaty
 * 4) diverse
 * 5) sophisticated
 * 6) force
 * 7) participate
 * 8) power
 * 9) law
 * 10) commonwealth

Reading and Listening
This week we will study the history of the United States of America to learn about the start of the country. You will read a text and listen to a recording about the USA.

First
 * read pages 19 to 21 of this PDF. The PDF is a book named USA History in Brief .

Last
 * listen to this recording. It is a mp3 file.

Grammar & Punctuation
This week we will study how to make questions so you can learn from your friends who speak English!

First
 * read pages 1 and 2 of this text (PDF) named "Making Questions".

Next
 * do an exercise to practice using making sentences.

Last
 * do the "Question Forms (Present Simple Tense)" exercise on page 50 of the PDF for more practice making questions.

Speaking
This week you will read more about American greetings and farewells, or how to say good bye to people.

First
 * read pages 6 to 9 of this text. It is from a book named Everyday Conversations: Learning American English .

Next
 * practice your greetings and farewells in English with a friend!

Writing
This week you will write proper sentences about you USA history, making questions and your speaking work.

First
 * you will write sentences to answer the following questions:
 * Did you like the text about USA history? Why?
 * Have you studied USA history before?
 * Do you think the text is true? Why? Do you know different stories about USA history?
 * Was it useful to study how to make questions? Why?
 * Who did you practice your greetings with? Where did you practice? Online? In your home town? When did you practice?
 * Did you enjoy practicing the farewell? Why?
 * Do you like the formal greeting? Why?
 * Were you happy with the course?
 * Do you think your English improved?
 * What is your English level now?
 * Low Beginning
 * High Beginning
 * Low Intermediate
 * High Intermediate
 * Advanced

 Last (SEND TO TEACHER) 
 * you will [mailto:contact@mr.danoff.org e-mail contact@mr.danoff.org] your sentences and sound recording by Mon, September 19th at 11:59 PM USA CDT.
 * If you think you will need more time, please contact your teacher.

Policies

 * 1) Each week, all homework is due by the date indicated on the calendar.
 * 2) Students must complete all homework to get a certificate of completion.

About the Course
This course is taught by Mr. Charlie Danoff and is the third sequence of ENG 099. You can review archives of the first two sequences at http://mr.danoff.org/eng099