VIP Class Notes (Nick)

Watch out for sentences that are asking a question or expressing doubt, but do not have the “question-style” word order.
e.g. I don’t know whether I should go to the movies tonight.
Rather than: I don’t know whether should I go to the movies tonight.
e.g. I don’t know if you have heard that he is coming back.
Rather than: I don’t know if have you heard that he is coming back.

Vocabulary

Authentic – in the way that locals or natives do something
e.g. Your pronunciation is more authentic than most foreigners can do.

Yet – to express whether something has happened up to the present

Essay question – when you have to write a long answer to a test question (not short-answer, or multiple-choice, for example)

Stairwell – the area that a staircase is in in a big building

Approach – the way that you think about getting something done; your process

Grammar

Whether should I be a . . .  – Whether I should be a . . .
– The second half, since the sentence begins with a question word, should be in the form of a statement.

How long have you stayed in China – were
– The reason is that my time in China is over

I feel a bit uncomfortable to speak to someone online – speaking
– when you are talking about the act of something (using a verb as a noun), we usually use the -ing form (the gerund)

I couldn’t saw her reaction – I couldn’t see
– “Could” already shows us that we’re in the past sense

It was an 8-pages test – 8-page

I have to found a place in the staircase – I had to find on the staircase (or in the stairwell)

Whether is there any risk or loophole – Whether there is
– Remember to be on the lookout for these “Question –> Statement sentences”