Simple Past

USE 1. Completed Action in the Past

Use the Simple Past to express the idea that an action started and finished at a specific time in the past. Sometimes, the speaker may not actually mention the specific time, but they do have one specific time in mind.

Examples:
I saw a movie yesterday.
I didn't see a play yesterday.
Last year, I traveled to Japan.
Last year, I didn't travel to Korea.
Did you have dinner last night?
She washed her car.
He didn't wash his car.


USE 2. A Series of Completed Actions


We use the Simple Past to list a series of completed actions in the past. These actions happen 1st, 2nd, 3rd, 4th, and so on.

Examples:
I finished work, walked to the beach, and found a nice place to swim.
He arrived from the airport at 8:00, checked into the hotel at 9:00, and met the others at 10:00.
Did you add flour, pour in the milk, and then add the eggs?

USE 3. Duration in Past

The Simple Past can be used with a duration which starts and stops in the past. A duration is a longer action often indicated by expressions such as: for two years, for five minutes, all day, all year, etc.

Examples:
I lived in Brazil for two years.
Shauna studied Japanese for five years.
They sat at the beach all day.
They did not stay at the party the entire time.
We talked on the phone for thirty minutes.
A: How long did you wait for them? B: We waited for one hour.


USE 4 Habits in the Past


The Simple Past can also be used to describe a habit which stopped in the past. It can have the same meaning as "used to." To make it clear that we are talking about a habit, we often add expressions such as: always, often, usually, never, when I was a child, when I was younger, etc.

Examples:
I studied French when I was a child.
He played the violin.
He didn't play the piano.
Did you play a musical instrument when you were a kid?
She worked at the movie theater after school.
They never went to school, they always skipped class.

Announcement

What is announcement?
Announcement is something said, written, or printed to make known what has happened or (more often) what will happen.
In writing an announcement, keep the following points :
1. The title
2. Date/time, place
3. Contact Person

Obituary Announcement
Obituary announcement is announced someone’s death to the public.

Example:
1. Margaret Jack Jordan Sadly passed away on 13th February 2012 aged 91 years The Funeral will take place at South Essex Crematorium on Monday 27th February 2012 at 3.20pm Enquiries to: Harold Wood... Published in the Romford Recorder Series on 17th February 2012

2. We would like to announce the passing of GEORGINA MARY MILLER of Peckham se15 14/11/36-11/11/11 Dorothy Patricia Watkinson "Pat" Sadly passed away on Sunday 5th February 2012 aged 89 years The Funeral will take place at Chase Cross Baptist Church On Wednesday 22nd February 2012 at... BERNIE LYNCH Died peacefully 07.02.2012 Funeral at West Norwood Crematorium, 3.30pm 24.02.2012 All friends welcome Flowers to Yeatmans, 384 Norwood Road 020 8670 1127

Pistol Untuk Memotong Rumput

Cerita sore ini. Aku sedang mengajar private class. Sebuah selaan dari luar rumah yang tak terpikirkan akan terjadi. Seseorang permisi, dan anak2 mendengarnya; "permisi miss, mau pinjam ......". Aku bertanya,"buat apa?". Temannya anak kost itu menjawab, "buat motong rumput miss". Aku langsung bangun dan mengambilkan apa yang dimintanya dan anak2 bingung, Mereka bertanya,"tadi miss dengar dia bilang apa?". "Pisau", jawabku. Meledaklah tawa mereka. Aku heran mengapa mereka tertawa. Lalu bercerita padaku. "Miss tahu ga apa yang kami dengar?". Aku hanya menggeleng kecil.
"Yang kami dengar tuh, Miss ya. Miss pinjam pistol buat motong rumput." GGGRrrrrrrrrrrrrr tawa itu langsung pecah. Coba bayangkan. Pisau jadi pistol? jauh nian dan aku ingat waktu itu aku sempat menjawab aku ga punya pistol tapi geren wkwkwkkwkwk.
Bergaul dengan anak-anak ini bisa membuatmu lupa betapa tua umurmu ahahahahhaha.
Hari ini sungguh penuh tawa.

Tentang Bos Baru

Lama sekali rasanya tidak bercerita. Padahal sungguh ada banyak cerita yang ditemui sepanjang perjalanan ini.
Contohnya saja, punya bos baru dengan segala kebaruannya. Sebuah cerita yang mungkin tidak menyenangkan untuk dibagi. Seseorang yang aku gambarkan seperti Osama Bin Laden pada my man yang bertanya padaku bagaimana bos baruku. Eiits jangan salah sangka. Aku menggambarkannya seperti Osama karena jika aku katakan bos baruku mirip ustad Soulmate maka akan percuma saja coz dia tidak kenal dengan ustad yang berlaku layaknya seleb itu. Ah ga penting membahas siapa ustad itu,bukan? Dan my man tertawa terbahak-bahak karena aku menyamakannya dengan Osama. Secara fisik mungkin ada beberapa kemiripan. Sama-sama berjanggut. Sama-sama Islam dan sama-sama hitamnya:P

Perbedaan dengan bos lama mungkin pada kebebasan kita untuk berkreatifitas. karena tahun ini sekolah tidak ada mengadakan event untuk Valentine seperti tahun sebelumnya. Padahal persiapan sudah dilakukan dan anak-anak sudah sangat senang dengan kegiatan yang akan dilaksanakan. Event yang tadinya diijinkan tiba-tiba di cancel begitu saja yang tentu membuat semua panitia kecewa terlebih para peserta yang telah mendaftar dan mempersiapkan segalanya untuk lomba dan acara itu. Yach...apa hendak dikata. Keputusan sudah diambil dan tidak bisa diganggu gugat. Life must go on. Dan belajar lagi untuk menyesuaikan diri dengan kepemimpinan yang baru dan tetap rendah hati untuk menerima segala keputusan.

Tips

Tips is a piece of advice about something practical. The purpose is used to help to do something practically and easily.

Example:

Losing pounds doesn't have to be torture (we're looking at you, cayenne-pepper cleanse). Adopt at least three of these behaviors — they're simple to integrate into your day-to-day routine, and all are enthusiastically backed by nutritionists — and you'll be thinner and healthier in days. (Plus, the weight will stay off.)

1. SNACK, BUT SMARTLY
Grazing between meals used to be on the weight-loss hit list. But nutritionists now know that it's better to satisfy a craving with healthy grub than ignore it and risk a junk-food binge later. The best picks are filling, protein-packed snacks, such as one stick of string cheese, a tablespoon of peanut butter on a piece of fruit, or a medium-size bowl of edamame.

2. TURN OFF THE TV
Dining while viewing can make you take in 40 percent more calories than usual, reports a new study. And texting, driving, or any other distracting activity during a meal can also result in your eating too much. Instead, make each meal something you put on a plate and sit down to, even if you're eating solo.

3. STEP ON THE SCALE DAILY
If your regular weight increases several days in a row, it's a red flag letting you know you need to cut back a little or beef up your workouts slightly.

4. SCULPT THREE TIMES A WEEK
Doing 5 minutes each of push-ups, lunges, and squats (in 30-second intervals) will help build and maintain muscle mass. The more muscle you have, the higher your metabolism will be, so you'll torch more calories as you go about your day.

5. REACH FOR YOUR CELL
Next time your mind gets stuck on a certain food, call a friend and redirect your brain by asking how her day's going. Research shows that cravings only last about 5 minutes, so by the time you hang up, the urge to devour junk will have subsided.
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What to do for a Healthy Hair? Tips:

1. Brush your hair before washing it. This way you'll remove any dirt from your hair.

2. Massage your scalp gently massage will boost your circulation.

3. Shampoo. Nobody can tell you how often you have to shampoo your hair. When you feel your hair is dirty, wash it gentle, with a shampoo that works on your hair. Read the page about how to choose the right shampoo for more.

4. Always Moisturize your hair

5. Rinse Best way to rinse your hair is by using vinegar, if possible apple vinegar. Rinsing helps your hair shine.

6. Water Try to use mildly cold water. Finish, if possible, with cold water, this will close the cuticles.

7. Drying your hair Let your hair dry naturally. Squeeze the water, and then use a towel to blot your hair. This way you'll have a moisturized, healthy hair.

8. Hairbrush Do not use a hairbrush until your hair is dry; the wet hair can be easily damaged. Avoid plastic hairbrushes; hair will probably end up in knots

9. Season, age, sex, food & drink, tobacco, all have a big influence on hair growth. Have a healthy life and you'll have a healthy hair, too

10. Hair styling Try to avoid curling irons and hair-dryers to prevent hair damage.

Also, avoid heat and prolonged exposure to sunlight.
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Skin care: 5 tips for healthy skin

Good skin care — including sun protection and gentle cleansing — can keep your skin healthy and glowing for years to come.
By Mayo Clinic staff

Don't have time for intensive skin care? Pamper yourself with the basics. Good skin care and healthy lifestyle choices can help delay the natural aging process and prevent various skin problems. Get started with these five no-nonsense tips.
1. Protect yourself from the sun

One of the most important ways to take care of your skin is to protect it from the sun. A lifetime of sun exposure can cause wrinkles, age spots and other skin problems — as well as increase the risk of skin cancer.

For the most complete sun protection:

Use sunscreen. Use a broad-spectrum sunscreen with an SPF of at least 15. When you're outdoors, reapply sunscreen every two hours — or more often if you're swimming or perspiring.
Seek shade. Avoid the sun between 10 a.m. and 4 p.m., when the sun's rays are strongest.
Wear protective clothing. Cover your skin with tightly woven long-sleeved shirts, long pants and wide-brimmed hats. Also consider laundry additives, which give clothing an additional layer of ultraviolet protection for a certain number of washings, or special sun-protective clothing — which is specifically designed to block ultraviolet rays.

2. Don't smoke

Smoking makes your skin look older and contributes to wrinkles. Smoking narrows the tiny blood vessels in the outermost layers of skin, which decreases blood flow. This depletes the skin of oxygen and nutrients that are important to skin health. Smoking also damages collagen and elastin — the fibers that give your skin its strength and elasticity. In addition, the repetitive facial expressions you make when smoking — such as pursing your lips when inhaling and squinting your eyes to keep out smoke — can contribute to wrinkles.

If you smoke, the best way to protect your skin is to quit. Ask your doctor for tips or treatments to help you stop smoking.

3. Treat your skin gently

Daily cleansing and shaving can take a toll on your skin. To keep it gentle:

Limit bath time. Hot water and long showers or baths remove oils from your skin. Limit your bath or shower time, and use warm — rather than hot — water.
Avoid strong soaps. Strong soaps and detergents can strip oil from your skin. Instead, choose mild cleansers.
Shave carefully. To protect and lubricate your skin, apply shaving cream, lotion or gel before shaving. For the closest shave, use a clean, sharp razor. Shave in the direction the hair grows, not against it.
Pat dry. After washing or bathing, gently pat or blot your skin dry with a towel so that some moisture remains on your skin.
Moisturize dry skin. If your skin is dry, use a moisturizer that fits your skin type. For daily use, consider a moisturizer that contains SPF.

4. Eat a healthy diet

A healthy diet can help you look and feel your best. Eat plenty of fruits, vegetables, whole grains and lean proteins. The association between diet and acne isn't clear — but some research suggests that a diet rich in vitamin C and low in unhealthy fats and processed or refined carbohydrates might promote younger looking skin.
5. Manage stress

Uncontrolled stress can make your skin more sensitive and trigger acne breakouts and other skin problems. To encourage healthy skin — and a healthy state of mind — take steps to manage your stress. Set reasonable limits, scale back your to-do list and make time to do the things you enjoy. The results might be more dramatic than you expect.
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Sleep tips: 7 steps to better sleep
You're not doomed to toss and turn every night. Consider simple tips for better sleep, from setting a sleep schedule to including physical activity in your daily routine.
By Mayo Clinic staff

Feeling crabby lately? Or simply worn out? Perhaps the solution is better sleep.

Think about all the factors that can interfere with a good night's sleep — from pressure at work and family responsibilities to unexpected challenges, such as layoffs, relationship issues or illnesses. It's no wonder that quality sleep is sometimes elusive.

Although you might not be able to control all of the factors that interfere with your sleep, you can adopt habits that encourage better sleep. Start with these simple sleep tips.

No. 1: Stick to a sleep schedule

Go to bed and get up at the same time every day, even on weekends, holidays and days off. Being consistent reinforces your body's sleep-wake cycle and helps promote better sleep at night. There's a caveat, though. If you don't fall asleep within about 15 minutes, get up and do something relaxing. Go back to bed when you're tired. If you agonize over falling asleep, you might find it even tougher to nod off.

No. 2: Pay attention to what you eat and drink

Don't go to bed either hungry or stuffed. Your discomfort might keep you up. Also limit how much you drink before bed, to prevent disruptive middle-of-the-night trips to the toilet.

Nicotine, caffeine and alcohol deserve caution, too. The stimulating effects of nicotine and caffeine — which take hours to wear off — can wreak havoc with quality sleep. And even though alcohol might make you feel sleepy at first, it can disrupt sleep later in the night.

No. 3: Create a bedtime ritual

Do the same things each night to tell your body it's time to wind down. This might include taking a warm bath or shower, reading a book, or listening to soothing music — preferably with the lights dimmed. Relaxing activities can promote better sleep by easing the transition between wakefulness and drowsiness.

Be wary of using the TV or other electronic devices as part of your bedtime ritual. Some research suggests that screen time or other media use before bedtime interferes with sleep.

No. 4: Get comfortable

Create a room that's ideal for sleeping. Often, this means cool, dark and quiet. Consider using room-darkening shades, earplugs, a fan or other devices to create an environment that suits your needs.

Your mattress and pillow can contribute to better sleep, too. Since the features of good bedding are subjective, choose what feels most comfortable to you. If you share your bed, make sure there's enough room for two. If you have children or pets, set limits on how often they sleep with you — or insist on separate sleeping quarters.

No. 5: Limit daytime naps

Long daytime naps can interfere with nighttime sleep — especially if you're struggling with insomnia or poor sleep quality at night. If you choose to nap during the day, limit yourself to about 10 to 30 minutes and make it during the midafternoon.

If you work nights, you'll need to make an exception to the rules about daytime sleeping. In this case, keep your window coverings closed so that sunlight — which
adjusts your internal clock — doesn't interrupt your daytime sleep.

No. 6: Include physical activity in your daily routine

Regular physical activity can promote better sleep, helping you to fall asleep faster and to enjoy deeper sleep. Timing is important, though. If you exercise too close to bedtime, you might be too energized to fall asleep. If this seems to be an issue for you, exercise earlier in the day.

No. 7: Manage stress

When you have too much to do — and too much to think about — your sleep is likely to suffer. To help restore peace to your life, consider healthy ways to manage stress. Start with the basics, such as getting organized, setting priorities and delegating tasks. Give yourself permission to take a break when you need one. Share a good laugh with an old friend. Before bed, jot down what's on your mind and then set it aside for tomorrow.
Know when to contact your doctor

Nearly everyone has an occasional sleepless night — but if you often have trouble sleeping, contact your doctor. Identifying and treating any underlying causes can help you get the better sleep you deserve.

Procedure Text

Procedure text is designed to describe how something is achieved through a sequence of actions or steps. It explains how people perform different processes in a sequence of steps. This text uses the simple present tense, often the imperative sentences. It also usually uses the temporal conjunctions, such as first, second, then, next, etc.

The structure of a procedure text consists of :
1. Aim/ goal (or title).
2. Materials (not required for all procedure texts).
3. Steps.
However, there is a procedure text that only consists of goal and followed by some steps.

Example:

How to Make a Pencil Box

Materials:
● An empty plastic bottle of mineral water
● A sharp cutter
● A piece of white or colorful paper
● Some paints
● Some glue

Steps:
● Wash the plastic bottle. Make sure it is clean when you use it.
● Cut the bottle into two halves
● Wrap the bottle with a piece of colored paper
● If you use plain paper, use the paint to make a drawing on it
● Now, your pencil box is ready to use


How to Make Patty Cakes

Ingredients:
● 3 tablespoons of butter
● ¼ cup castor sugar
● 1 egg
● ¼ teaspoon of vanilla
● 1 cup self-raising flour
● Pinch salt
● ¼ cup milk

Methods:
● Beat butter and sugar to cream
● Add lightly beaten egg and vanilla. Beat well.
● Sift flour and salt together
● Fold in dry ingredients alternately with milk. Mix well
● Drop heaped teaspoonfuls of mixture into well-greased patty tins or papers.
● Bake in a moderately hot oven for 10 to 15 minutes
● Cool on a wire rack. Then ice with butter icing

Adverb of Manner

Adverb Placement
Modifying a Verb

Manner Adverb Placement — Modifying Verbs

BEFORE THE VERB BETWEEN THE AUXILIARY AND MAIN VERB AFTER THE VERB
For emphasis, an adverb for manner can be placed before a verb if the verb is an intransitive verb (a verb that has an object.)
An adverb for manner commonly occurs between an auxiliary verb and the main verb. (auxiliary verb: do, does, has, have, will, can, may, might, must, should, etc.) An adverb for manner most commonly is placed after the verb (and after the object if there is one.)

He silently turned the dial.
He will silently turn the dial.
He turned the dial silently.
He continuously watched the front door. He was continuously watching the front door. He watched the front door continuously.
*He closely listened. (intrans. v. – sounds awkward) *He doesn't closely listen. (intran. v. – sounds awkward) He listened closely.
*He softly spoke. (intrans. v. – sounds awkward) *He should softly speak. (intran. v. – sounds awkward) He spoke softly.
He quickly walked away. (intrans. v. –sounds okay) He would quickly walk away. He walked away quickly.

*Yellow highlighted words are examples of incorrect usage.
awkward sounding (adj) – unpleasant to hear; not preferred phrasing for native speakers
intransitive verb (intrans. v.) – a verb that is not followed by an object: "I rise.", "I lie down."
transitive verb (trans. v.) – a verb that is followed by an object: "I raised the flag." "I laid the baby down."

Three Positions for Placement

BEFORE A VERB BETWEEN AN AUXILIARY AND MAIN VERB AFTER A VERB + OBJECT
An adverb for manner is commonly placed before the main verb. The placement can also be used for emphasis. When an auxiliary verb is present, the adverb for manner is placed after the auxiliary and before the main verb. An adverb is placed after the verb and its object or object phrase when no particular emphasis on it is desired.
He unlocked the safe. (security box)

He did not open the safe.

He opened the safe .


Manner Adverb Placement – Exceptions

MEDIAL POSITION FINAL POSITION
Adverbs with no -ly forms – hard, fast, good, late, well – are not placed between the auxiliary and main verb. (Note that early and daily are irregular because they .) Some irregular adverbs without -ly forms can only occur after the verb phrase.
* The wind was hard blowing over the crowd. The wind was blowing hard over the crowd.

*The emotion was fast rising inside the hearts of the people. The emotion was rising fast inside the hearts of the people.

*All agreed that the event had well gone. All agreed that the event had gone well.

*The organizers were late called. The organizers were called late.

*President Obama was early starting work. President Obama was starting work early. (end of sentence)

Related page: "right over"


Common Mistakes

ERROR FIX
*We opened quietly the door. adverb placement error

We opened the door quietly .
The adverb is placed after the verb and object that it modifies.
*He moves quickly the ball toward the goal. adverb placement error
He moves the ball quickly toward the goal. Place adverb after the object!
The adverb is placed after the verb and object that it modifies.
*He strangely was very unhappy even though he was wealthy.
A n adverb cannot modify a BE verb. (stative verb).

Pop-Q – "strangely"
It is strange that he was so unhappy even though he was wealthy.
Use a modifying clause in place of the adverb. (Substitute so for very.)
Strangely, he was very unhappy even though he was wealthy.
Use strangely to introduce and modify the the entire sentence. (See clause adverb.)
He was strangely unhappy even though he was very wealthy
Use the adverb to modify the adjective. (A slight change in meaning results.)
Air traffic continues to steadily return to normal across Europe.

Not incorrect, but it is unclear whether steadily modifies the verb continues or the infinitive to return, or the verb phrase continues to return.

Related page: The Split Infinitive Debate

(1) Air traffic steadily continues to return to normal across Europe.

(2) Air traffic continues steadily to return to normal across Europe.

(3) Air traffic continues to return steadily to normal across Europe.
Move the adverb directly before or after the word you wish it to modify. In this sentence, moving the adverb does not really change the meaning.


Adverb Placement
Modifying an Adjective

Manner Adverb Placement — Modifying Adjectives
BEFORE AN ADJECTIVE BEFORE A PARTICIPIAL ADJECTIVE
An adverb for manner can also modify an adjective – the quality or character of someone/thing. An adverb for manner can modify an adjective formed from a passive verb, ending in -ed. (Part Adj)


He was purposefully silent. (silent on purpose)
He was sadly mistaken. (expression) – an idea based on a wrong understanding
He is extraordinarily good at safe-cracking. The safe was badly damaged. (participial adj.)
He was regretfully wrong. The burglar was clearly experienced.
He was remarkably quick. The actor was skillfully prepared.


Manner Adverb
Initial Placement

Initially placed manner adverb
INITIALLY PLACED ADVERB SET OFF BY A COMMA NORMAL PLACEMENT
We place a manner adverb at the beginning (separated by a comma) in speech and writing to create a pause. The focus shifts to the adverb creating emphasis or 'setting the scene'. The adjunct modifies the verb phrase of the clause. We normally place a manner adverb before the verb or after the direct object. Placing an adverb before the subject is not done.

Quietly, he turned the dial on the safe. means the same →



*Quietly he turned the dial on the safe. not done
He turned the dial quietly on the safe. after object of the verb
He quietly turned the dial on the safe. before the verb

Silently, the police surrounded the bank. means the same →
*Silently the police surrounded the bank. not done
The police surrounded the bank silently. after object of the verb
The police silently surrounded the bank . before the verb

Sentence Adverbs
Modifying a Clause or Sentence


Evaluation Adverbs — also known as dangling adverbs, floating adverbs, adverbial disjuncts, supplementary adjuncts
EVALUATION ADVERBS ADVERB FOR MANNER
An evaluation adverb expresses the attitude of the writer or speaker about the information in the clause. The adverb is not actually part of the clause. The adverb modifies the clause. An adverb for manner "points" to a sentence part – the verb or verb phrase. The adverb is either placed before the verb or after the verb and its object.
HOW THE SPEAKER FEELS ABOUT THE ACTION

Hopefully, he will reach the top. I am hopeful [that he reach the top.]
Sadly , he couldn't make it. It is sad/I am sad [that he couldn't make it.] (reach it)
Fortunately, he was able to get down. It is sad [that he dropped his tools.]
Honestly, would he really try the climb again? HOW HE FEELS ABOUT HIS ACTION

He set out hopefully to reach the top. He is hopeful [he will reach the top.]
He spoke sadly about not making it to the top. He is sad [that he couldn't make it.]
He reconsidered his plan since he fortunately knew his limits.
Would hehonestly tell you about a second climb?



Evaluation Adverbs (some)
absurdly amazingly annoyingly appropriately bewilderingly curiously
disappointingly fortunately funnily happily importantly improbably
inexplicably ironically luckily mercifully miraculously oddly
ominously paradoxically predictably regrettably sadly shamefully
strangely predictably regrettably sadly shamefully strangely
surprisingly thankfully unaccountably understandably unfortunately to my amazement
by good fortune contrary to expectation


Speech-Act Related Adverbs
SPEECH-ACT RELATED ADVERBS ADVERB FOR MANNER
A speech-act related adverb expresses the situation or terms under which the statement is being made.The adverb does not actually relate to the information in the clause, but to something understood between listener and speaker. It is also called a "situational adjunct". (A comma is placed after the adverb.) An adverb for manner relates to content within the clause.
SPEECH ACT RELATED ADVERBS
Frankly, I don't think your plan will work. Let me tell you frankly/honestly that…
He told me frankly about his problems. honestly
Briefly , we had to reinstall everything to make it work. I am telling you this briefly that… / Let me say briefly that… He spoke briefly to us about his plan. in a shortened version
Confidentially, Ed is having some money problems. I am telling you confidentially that … / Let me say confidentially… He mentioned confidentially to me that he's having money problems. honestly



Speech-Act Related Adverbs
Briefly, Confidentially, Frankly, Truthfully If I might ask, If you must know,
In brief, If I may say, Honestly, In truth, Just between us, Since you asked,