pages

Minggu, 10 Maret 2013

Giving Invitation


Expression giving invitation
Generally all of us have activities that need to attended by others. So youhave to invite them to come and join. You might invite them orally (informal) or writing (formal). It's depend on situation where are you at the day. Might be you met your friend when you were jogging, you invite them to come and join for lunch/dinner/birthday party/ etc orally (informal).

Here are the examples of giving invitation :
 - Could you come to my party ?
 - Would you mind coming over on Saturday night ?
 - Would you like to come to my birthday party on .......... ?
 - How about going out for lunch to gather this afternoon ?
 - I'd like you to ......... ?
 - Can you ............ ?
 - How would you like to ................... ?
 - Would you like to come to my place for dinner tonight, please ?
 - Why don't you join me for lunch/ dinnner ?
 - I'd like to invite you to see our school/factory/office/ while you're in Bali/etc?
 - Would you come with me to the cinema tomorrow ?
 - etc.



What is your response ?
- Thank you for your invitation I'll happy to come/join/dinner/lunch/etc.
- That's very kind of you.
- That sound wonderful, I'll happy to come/ join/ etc.
- I'd love to go with you.
- Certainly, I'd love to go/ come/ join/ etc.
- etc.

But if you refuse/decline an invitation, remember to thank the person for the invitation and give a reason forrefuse/decline. You don't need to give a detailed reason, it's just a general reason.
Below are responses if you refuse/decline an invitation :
- Thank you but I'm sorry, I'm affraid I can't...
- Thank you for your invitation but I don't think I can make it.
- I'd love to but I can't. I have other plans.
- That's very kind of you, but I'm affraid my schedule is booked up all next week/ nex Sunday/ tomorrow/ Saturday night/ etc.
- I'm sorry, but I have other plans. Thank you anyway.
- I'd like to, but tomorrow I would prefer to stay at home. 

Bargaining


Bargaining or haggling is a type of negotiation in which the buyer and seller of a good or service dispute the price which will be paid and the exact nature of the transaction that will take place, and eventually come to an agreement.
Bargaining is an alternative pricing strategy to fixed prices. Optimally, if it costs the retailer nothing to engage and allow bargaining, he can divine the buyer’s willingness to spend. It allows for capturing more consumer surplus as it allows price discrimination, a process whereby a seller can charge a higher price to one buyer who is more eager (by being richer or more desperate). Haggling has largely disappeared in parts of the world where the cost to haggle exceeds the gain to retailers for most common retail items. However, for expensive goods sold to uninformed buyers such as automobiles, bargaining can remain commonplace.

Answer the following questions orally :
Do you like to go shopping?
Where do you usually go shopping?
When do you usually go to shopping?
What do you usually buy?
How do you pay for the purchase?
Do you ever use a credit card?


Now, practice expressions used in bergaining / shopping :
Is there any discount?
What about Rp. 50.000,- for each book?
Can you make it for $ 1 ?
What  about 20% off?
How about Rp. 10.000,- per kilogram?
Etc.



Conversation
Shopkeeper : Good morning madam. How    can I help you?
Customer : I want to buy a beautiful frock for my daughter.
Shopkeeper : How old is she?
Customer : She is 2 years old.
Shopkeeper : Do you want causal or party wear.
Customer : I want party wear.
Shopkeeper : Do you want any particular colour?
Customer : No, but the frock must be very attractive. Show me only the latest stuff.
Shopkeeper : Do not worry madam. We have latest stock. Which size do you want?
Customer : I do not have an idea about the size.
Shopkeeper : No problem. See this frock. I think this size will be ok for her.
Customer : Yes, I also think so. Do you have black colour in it?
Shopkeeper : Yes, we do have.
Customer : What is its prize?
Shopkeeper : It is of 2000 Rs.
Customer : It is too expensive. I will give you only 1500 Rs.
Shokeeper : We are charging reasonably from you.
Customer : I will not give you more than 1500 Rs.
Shopkeeper : Ok. If you are insisting, give 1800 Rs.
Customer : No. You are over charging.
Shopkeeper : Now I have left my profit. Give me 1700 Rs.
Customer : I am giving you 1600 Rs.
Shopkeeper : You won. Give the money.
Customer : Pack the frock in a nice box.
Shopkeeper : Here it is your bag.
Customer : Thank you.
Shopkeeper : Thanks for shopping here. Have a nice day.

Giving and Responding to Compliment


Everyone likes to hear compliments. Compliments make people feel good about themselves, and we all need that at times. Hotel guests and staff are no exceptions. Guests may give hotel staff compliments for the quality of their service, for their English ability, for their appearance in an unique uniform, or for doing something a little extra for the guest.
A hotel staff may give a guest a compliment about how they look in a newly purchased outfit, or for their patience when a problem arises, or for a beautiful new hair style after visiting a beauty parlor. Look at the expressions below that can be used when giving and responding to compliments.
Expression Of Giving Compaliment

Giving Complaiments
That’s a very nice …(dress).
Great job on the …(presentation).
You look very good in … (that new hair-do).
This dish is delicious, my compliments to the chef.
That … (tie) looks great on you.

Responses to compliments
How kind of you to say so.
Thank you.
I’m glad you like it.
It was nothing really. (an expression of modesty and humility)
Learn the expressions used for giving compliments to others. Practice by saying them loudly.
Your performance on the stage is amazing.
How wonderful to listen to  your  great voice.
How mar vellous .
Great ! (You look great) / Great for  you.
Terrific ! (Hey, that’s terrific !)
Fantastic!
Smashing.
That’s really remarkable /well  done.


Now, learn the expressions  use for responding to compliments.
It’s very kind of you to say so.
Thank you.
I can say how pleased (delighted) I am.
I’m delighted  to hear  that.
Thank for your compliment.


Dialogue

Staff: What a beautiful dress, Mrs. Elliot.
Guest: Thanks, I’m glad you like it.
Staff: Your new hair-do looks absolutely gorgeous, Mrs. Simpson.
Guest: How kind of you to say so.
Guest: My compliments to the chef. This linguine is superb.
Staff: Thank you ma’am. I’ll be sure to let the chef know.
Guest: Your English is very good.
Staff: Thank you very much.
Staff: Excellent game Mr. Johnson. You really gave me a workout.
Guest: Thanks, I guess all those private lessons are finally paying off.
Guest: I really appreciate all the extra work you did on helping us solve that problem. It truly went above and beyond. My compliments to your work ethic.
Staff: Thank you sir, how kind of you to say so.


Expressing Opinions



English Vocabulary
Below are some phrases that you can use to help express opinions. Some of these phrases are more appropriate for written English such as giving your opinion in an essay whereas some can also be used in spoken English.

Personal Point of View
We use these words and phrases to express a personal point of view:
In my experience…
As far as I'm concerned…
Speaking for myself…
In my opinion…
Personally, I think…
I'd say that…
I'd suggest that…
I'd like to point out that…
I believe that…
What I mean is…


General Point of View
We use these words and phrases to express a point of view that is generally thought by people:
It is thought that...
Some people say that...
It is considered...
It is generally accepted that...



Agreeing with an opinion
We use these words and phrases to agree with someone else's point of view:
Of course.
You're absolutely right.
Yes, I agree.
I think so too.
That's a good point.
Exactly.
I don't think so either.
So do I.
I'd go along with that.
That's true.
Neither do I.
I agree with you entirely.
That's just what I was thinking.
I couldn't agree more.


Disagreeing with an opinion
We use these words and phrases to disagree with someone else's point of view:
That's different.
I don't agree with you.
However…
That's not entirely true.
On the contrary…
I'm sorry to disagree with you, but…
Yes, but don't you think…
That's not the same thing at all.
I'm afraid I have to disagree.
I'm not so sure about that.
I must take issue with you on that.
It's unjustifiable to say that...


Dialogue about Expressing Opinions
Alice: What did you think of the movie, Peter?
Peter: I thought it was boring.
Alice: Really? I loved it. Why did you think it was boring?
Peter: It was too predictable. You knew what would happen in the end. The same old thing- boy meets
girl, boy fights with girl, boy marries girl.
Peter: Did you like the sound track of the movie?
Alice: No, I hated it. It was too loud and too hard rock for me. What did you think of it?
Peter: I thought it was great, but then, I like hard rock

giving responding to compliments


Everyone likes to hear compliments. Compliments make people feel good about themselves,and we all need that at times.  
Look at the expressions below that can be used when giving and responding to compliments

Giving complements
That’s a very nice …(dress).
Great job on the …(presentation).
You look very good in … (that new hair-do).
This dish is delicious, my compliments to the chef.
That … (tie) looks great on you.

Responses to compliments
How kind of you to say so.
Thank you.
I’m glad you like it.
It was nothing really. (an expression of modesty and humility)

Dialogues- Compliments
Staff: What a beautiful dress, Ms. Elliot.
Guest: Thanks, I’m glad you like it.
Staff: Your new hair-do looks absolutely gorgeous, Mrs. Simpson.
Guest: How kind of you to say so.
Guest: My compliments to the chef. This linguine is superb.
Staff: Thank you ma’am. I’ll be sure to let the chef know.
Guest: Your English is very good.
Staff: Thank you very much.
Staff: Excellent game Mr. Johnson. You really gave me a workout.
Guest: Thanks, I guess all those private lessons are finally paying off.
Guest: I really appreciate all the extra work you did on helping us solve that problem. It
         truly went above and beyond. My compliments to your work ethic.
Staff: Thank you sir, how kind of you to say so


The other samples
1. Compliments on successes
Sample phrases (from formal to informal)
A: I would like to compliment you on your recent achievement.
B: Thank you for saying so, but it was the work of the whole team.
A: The essay you wrote was superb. I'd like to use it as a model for other students.
B: Thank you. I'd be so honored.
2. Compliments on possessions
Sample phrases (from formal to informal)
A: That's a nice T-shirt you're wearing.
B: I appreciate the compliment. It was a birthday present from one of my classmates.
A: Your new car looks terrific.
B: Thank you. It's very economical.
3. Compliments on appearance
Sample phrases (from formal to informal)
A: I think your new hairstyle is lovely.
B: That's nice of you to say so. I love yours, too.
A: I really like your blue eyes. They make you look like a movie star.
B: Thank you. That's a nice compliment.
4. Compliments on skills
Sample phrases (from formal to informal)
A: I've never heard any singer perform that song so beautifully.
B: Thank you. It's really nice to hear that from someone with your experience.
A: The chicken was delicious.
B: Thanks. I'm glad you enjoyed it.


asking for agreement


Untuk meminta persetujuan orang tentang apa yang kita nyatakan (asking for agreement), bisa diawali dengan ungkapan berikut ini:

Don't you think ...?
Don't you agree that ...?
Do you agree if ...?


Untuk menyatakan setuju terhadap pernyataan orang (expressing agreement), kita bisa menggunakan ungkapan-ungkapan berikut ini:

You're right That's true.
That's right.
True enough.


Untuk menyatakan ketidak setujuan (expressing disagreement), kita bisa menggunakan ungkapan-ungkapan berikut ini:

I'm not sure.
I can't agree.


Jangan biarkan teori di atas mengendap tanpa praktek. Jika dibiarkan maka dia akan lenyap. Mari berlatih berbicara meminta persetujuan dan mengungkapkan setuju/tidak setuju (asking and expressing agreement/disagreement) dengan situasi berikut ini.

Good friends should always help us.
Good friends always tell you the truth.
Good friends should compliment each other



Used To

Use: 
We say Used to to talk about something that was true in the past, but is not true now.
                There used to be a park here, but now there’s a shopping centre.
                My grandmother used to have beautiful blonde hair, but now her hair is grey.

You can say used to to talk about states (things that were true for a long period of time) or repeated actions (things that happened several times).
                
                I used to live in Denver. (True for a long period of time)
                I used to go to the park every Friday. (A repeated action)
                Write adverbs before used to.
                I always used to cycle to school.
                I never used to eat vegetables.

You can use Would in a similar way to used to. It describes things that were true in the past but are not true now.
                When I was a child, my dad would read to me every night.
Would CANNOT be used to talk about states. It can only be used to talk about repeated actions. 
There would be a park here.        =>           There used to be a park here.
               
                Write adverbs after would.
                I would always talk to my grandma when I had a problem.
Form:

I / You / He / She / It / They / We
used to
didn’t use to / never used to

verb (infinitive)
would
wouldn’t
Questions

Did

you / he / she / it / they
use to + verb (infinitive)
Would
verb (infinitive)

Common Mistakes:
Many students confuse used to do and be used to doing. This is another phrase. It means ‘be familiar with doing something’. 
I am used to live near here.                          =>                           I used to live near here


Noun clouse


Noun Clouse

A noun clause has a subject and verb and functions as a noun. A noun clause is a dependent clause or subordinate clause and is not a complete sentence. It must be connected to an independent clause. Noun clauses usually begin with how, that, what, whatever, when, where, which, who, whoever, or why.



A noun clause is a dependent clause

EXAMPLE: He knows where I live.
This complete sentence has an independent clause with the main subject(He) and verb (knows). Where I live is a dependent clause called a noun clause connected to an independent clause (He knows).



A noun clause has its own subject and verb.

EXAMPLE: He knows where I live.
In this example, the noun clause is where I live. I is the subject of the noun clause; live is the verb of the noun clause.



A noun clause can be used as a subject.

EXAMPLE: What she sang was a Hungarian folk song.
What she sang is a noun clause, and is also the subject of the sentence. The noun clause has its own subject she and the verb sang.



A noun clause can be used as an object.

EXAMPLE: I saw what he did.
The noun clause is what he did. It is used as the object of the verb saw.



A noun clause can be used as the object of a preposition.

EXAMPLE: I always paid attention to what my father said.
In the example, what my father said is a noun clause. It is used as the objectof the preposition to.



A noun clause can start with a question word.

EXAMPLE: I don't know where my bunch of keys is.
The noun clause is where my bunch of keys is.



A noun clause can begin with if or whether.

EXAMPLE: I don't know whether or not she will accept my proposal of marriage.
The noun clause: whether or not she will accept my proposal of marriage.



We can begin a noun clause with that.

EXAMPLE: My mother-in-law insists that the world is oval.



That the world is oval is the noun clause.

Subjunctive in Noun Clauses
We use subjunctive verbs in sentences to express or stress wishes,importance or urgency. A subjunctive verb is used in noun clauses beginning with that. It uses the simple form of a verb, and does not have present,past, or future forms. It is neither singular nor plural.
EXAMPLE:
The leader demands that we be early for the trip.
We insisted that he honour the terms of the agreement.
The father recommended that she not go to the cinema alone.
It is important that everyone be told the truth.
His mother suggested that he see/should see a doctor.

Arguing




Arguing

Definition:
A course of reasoning aimed at demonstrating truth or falsehood. Argument is one of the traditional modes of discourse. Adjective:argumentative.

Methods of Argument & Avoiding Fallacies

Ways to support an argument

1. Analogy
Making an argument through analogy involves comparing two objects s(events, situations, people, and the like) and arguing that, because they are similar in some way, a similar action should occur in both situations. For instance, someone might say:

“We should keep our books from last semester; giving them back to the bookstore is just like giving them away anyway, and we shouldn’t just give our books away.”

The person making this claim begins with the premise that one situation – giving books away – is wrong, and argues that a second situation – returning them to the bookstore – is analogous to the first situation. These premises are used to justify taking a similar action in both cases.
Analogies are important to one’s argument, but it is all too easy to apply one situation improperly to another. One must determine the similarity between two situations and, once this similarity is found, one must ask if this similarity is the important and relevant similarity. That is, does this similarity between two situations justify taking the same action in both? See our page on Other Logical Fallacies for more about faulty analogies.

2. Example/Detail
In some cases analogies will be less applicable than in others. Instead of using analogies, writers may find it useful to use examples and details to illustrate some of their assertions. For example, John might say:

“This class is really hard. I spent two hours a night studying for the past week and I still got a C on the last test!”

In this case, John uses a single event – an example or detail – to make a broader claim about the difficulty of a class. Of course, for it to be an appropriate example, it must be representative. In John’s case, it would not be a good example if he cited one difficult test in an otherwise extremely easy class. See our section on Supporting Arguments with Detail for more assistance with this issue.


3. Proof by Absurdity or Contradiction
Proving your position to be correct can also occur by proving that the opposite viewpoint is either contradictory or ridiculous. This is accomplished by assuming that one’s opponents are correct and then reasoning from that to conclude that this assumption leads to something impossible or absurd. Because it leads to an impossible or absurd result, this assumption should be rejected. For example, imagine a lawyer in a courtroom defending a client. The lawyer might say:

“Assume my client, John, did commit this crime. But in order to commit this crime, we can all agree, he must have been at the scene of the crime when it took place. However, thirty people saw my client at a restaurant two hours away from the crime scene two minutes before it took place. For John to have committed this crime, he must have been two places at once. But this is surely impossible! It therefore follows that my client did not commit this crime.”

While proving an argument by contradiction is legitimate, one must be careful of a few things. First, one must be careful not to commit the False Dilemma fallacy. One cannot conclude that a pen is red simply on the basis that it is impossible or ridiculous for it to be green. It could also be blue. Hence, it is important to remember what one does and does not know: if it is impossible or ridiculous for it to be green, all one knows is that it is not green.
Second, one must be careful that the reason for rejecting an assumption is legitimate. Those who believed that the Earth was flat succumbed to this fallacy: “Assume that the Earth is round. This would mean everything we’ve believed for so long is incorrect and we'd have to change our beliefs! Therefore, the Earth must not be round!” One cannot simply decide that results should be rejected because they are an undesired outcome. In order to reject a premise, its conclusion must be impossible or absurd, not simply unwanted.

4. Sources of Authority
Writing for academic audiences requires more than simple personal opinion. As we saw earlier, not all opinions are created equal. One way to bolster an argument is to use the word of an expert. This may be particularly useful for research papers where an expert conducted empirical research and has unique findings.
Like the other ways to support your argument, however, one must be careful not to misuse or overuse this method of support. Academic writing is about more than personal opinion, but it is also about more than uncritical agreement; simply accepting a statement because an authority says it may not persuade your audience. If you decide to use sources to support your points, be certain to critically engage your sources and, when agreeing with them:

1. Base your agreement on more than their position alone, but also their argument.
2. Make sure to address other authorities’ challenges to this point of view.

Example letter arguing ‘’against school uniforms’’

Dear Mrs Andrews
I am writing because you chair a committee in charge of the compulsory wearing of school uniforms. I am a student at Brinsley High School, a friendly and successful school where uniforms are not worn.
I believe that there is good evidence that wearing school uniform is now outdated. I fully understand that uniform looks smarter than casual clothes and that this might attract parents on Open Day. However uniforms are expensive and forever need replacing as students grow. This poses a real worry to financially stressed families. This is made worse by the fact that the uniform is only available from an expensive school shop rather than from inexpensive and competitive retailers.
It's true that wearing uniform means students don't spend all morning choosing what to wear or beg parents for clothes that will impress their friends. However there is another side to this argument: uniforms breed uniformity. We are a culturally diverse nation and if we all dress the same, this encourages us to be the same. At Brinsley High, we are encouraged to express our individuality, yet this seems to be in conflict with the message enforced uniform sends to us.
A big argument in favour of uniform is one of safety. We are easily identifiable and this can be very useful if there is an accident. This appeals to parents who are always worried about new dangers facing us. But could it also be that wearing uniform can bring potential problems? Two friends of mine have been bullied while walking home just because their school uniform identified them as being from a "rival" school. Surely, you wouldn't want this to happen to one of your own children?
In conclusion, I can fully understand the motivation for making students wear uniform to look smart, to worry less about wearing the right clothes and also for safety. However, I hope I have shown that there is another case to be made. School uniforms can be a burden to parents with less money and to students identified as being different. They also stifle a sense of freedom and self-expression. I believe this rule is outdated and is in many ways illogical. It needs to change.
Yours sincerely,
Gary White

Arguing dialogue

Dan: I’m home
Jane: back home late aren’t you?
Dan: yeah well, I had to clear up some things in the office.
Jane: o really. Jack said you guys just had a good time at the Feisty Goat Bar.
Dan: ah… he did?
Jane: yeah…. So how was it?
Dan: how’s what?
Jane: the drinking.
Dan: o… the drinking… well… er… it was good.
Jane: pretty good huh.. good enough to make me wait for you huh?
Dan: why were you waiting for me dearest?
Jane: o.. nothing…. Just had a small dinner planned just for the two of us. Salad all mixed and ready, Champagne in the ice, two steaks ready for the grill… but no…. you were busy at the bar clearing up some things weren’t you?
Dan: but what are we celebrating dearest? Is there something about today that I should remember?
Jane: remember?! Why just don’t worry your poor old head, its just 20th anniversary that’s all..
Dan: why … i… I’m sorry I forgot…
Jane: Of cos you’re forgiven. Now, if you would just excuse me, I’ll be on my way to my mother’s house.
Dan: aww.. c’mon Jane lets talk about this ok? This was my fault….
Mom: so how was work?
Dad: ahh…had a lot of clients today in the office, and well I have to fly to Taiwan tonight for a presentation to the branch there..
Mum: o really. Ronnie just told me you had a great time at the driving range( golf).
Dad: its just some clients lah.. you know them….
Mum: Just go out and spend time with your friends huh! While I wait at home for you..
Dad: aiya… you know la.. work is work… can you stop nagging at me not?


sumber
sumber
sumber