Successful Study Habits

It is that time of year again! Final exams are approaching us soon. Do not be afraid because I have some tips for you to use when you begin studying for your exams. Before you start studying find a place where you will not be disturbed. When you are disturbed while you are studying, you lose your train of thought, which will lead to very ineffective studying. It is a stressful time but when it is well planned, you will feel a little more relaxed. You may delay starting your studying because you think you have more time than you do. A delay in studying is called "procrastination." If you procrastinate for any reason, you will find it difficult to get everything done when you need to. You may rush to make up the time you wasted getting started, resulting in careless work and errors. If you try to do too much studying at one time, you will be tired and your studying will not be very effective. Space the work you have to do over shorter periods of time. Taking short breaks will restore your mental energy. Simplifying studying without direction is not effective. You need to know exactly what you need to accomplish during each study session. Before you start studying, set a study session goal that supports your overall academic goal. For example, memorize 30 vocabulary words in order to ace the vocabulary section on an upcoming English test. Reviewing your notes will help as a guide to what will be on the test. In the end, you are being tested on what you have learned in class.
Remember:
1) Find a place that is comfortable for you and your need to concentrate
2) Do not do too much studying at one time.
3) Have a planned studying time.
4) Review your notes.
5) Have a specific goal.


Vocabulary:

ineffective- not producing results; incapable
stressful- mental, emotional, or physical strain or tension
delay- to put off to a later time; defer
procrastination- the act or habit of procrastinating; putting off or delaying, especially something requiring immediate attention
effective- adequate to accomplish a purpose; producing the intended or expected result
restore- to bring back into existence or use
ace- to be successful on a test

Vocabulary exercise:

Match the antonym (the word opposite in meaning) of the vocabulary word below.

ineffective----------------------destroy
stressful-------------------------speed
ace------------------------------- strong
procrastination----------------- useless
restore--------------------------progression
effective------------------------easy
delay----------------------------unskilled

Grammar Point:

Possessive Pronouns

A pronoun is a word that is used in place of a noun or another pronoun. The word or word group to which the pronoun refers is called its antecedent.

A possessive pronoun shows ownership. The pronouns: mine, yours, hers, his, its, ours, and theirs can be used in place of nouns.

For example: This sandwich is mine.

The pronouns: my, your, her, his, its, our, and their are used before nouns.

For example: This is my sandwich.

Be Careful: Many spelling errors can be avoided if you watch out for its and their. Don’t confuse the possessive pronouns its and their with the contractions it’s and they’re.

Tip: To decide which pronoun to use in a comparison, such as “He likes it more than (I or me),” fill in the missing word(s): He likes it more than I do.

Grammar Exercise

Fill in the blank with the correct possessive pronoun below:

Remember to use these possessive pronouns: mine, yours, hers, his, its, ours, and theirs

1) It belongs to me, it's ___
2) It belongs to my father, it's ___
3) It belongs to her, it's ___
4) It belongs to Mr. and Mrs. Smith, it's ___
5) It belongs to me and my wife, it's ___
6) It belongs to my mother, it's ___
7) It belongs to him, it's ___
8) It belongs to you, it's ___
9) It belongs to the dog, it's ___
10) It belongs to them, it's ___

For more practice and to help you study your grammar and vocabulary in English use this website Activities for ESL to help you: http://a4esl.org/

If you follow this advice, you will be on your way to success!!

Pack your suitcase and let’s go!

St. Augustine said, “The world is a book, and those who do not travel read only a page”. He means there is so much more to see and learn by traveling. Summer is approaching soon and it will be time to get away and travel and explore new places. Whether you are going to the beach, hiking and or just sightseeing you will need to pack essential items in your suitcase. It is imperative that you bring personal toiletries, clothes, comfortable shoes and of course a camera to capture the memories and a map to help navigate. Some toiletries include a toothbrush, toothpaste, a hairbrush, soap and a razor. Clothing items to pack include jeans, shorts, t-shirts, camisoles, socks, a formal item such as a dress for women and a pair of slacks and a polo t-shirt for men. An extra pair of underwear is always important. Depending on the duration of the trip and the weather, you may add specific items to your suitcase. For instance, if you are traveling to the beach you will need a bathing suit, a towel and flip-flops. If you are going to a place where it is cooler, you will need a jacket or a sweatshirt. Most importantly, you will need to bring extra money and a form of identification such as a passport especially if you are traveling outside of the country. After you finish packing your suitcase, you are set and ready to go! You can get on an airplane, train, bus, boat or in a car and go to your destination! Relax and enjoy your trip!


Vocabulary
essential- absolutely necessary
suitcase- a piece of luggage used for carrying clothes while traveling
imperative- necessary or required; commanding
toiletries- any article or preparation used in cleaning or grooming oneself, as soap or deodorant.
navigate – to direct or manage to find one’s way
formal- requiring a type of dress suitable for a specific occasion
a pair of slacks- pants that have two parts or pieces joined together
destination – the place to which a person travels to

Vocabulary exercise
Using the vocabulary words answer the questions in complete sentences.

1)What piece of luggage would you bring with you to travel?

2)To what place will you travel?

3)What will you use a map for?

4)When you go out to a restaurant what type of pants will you wear?

5)What type of occasion requires you to wear a dress or a suit?

6)In order to keep yourself clean, what will you bring with you on your trip?

7)What essential items do you need to put in your suitcase?

8)Why is it imperative that you travel?

Geography Matching Quiz: Match the following cities with the country.
Beijing----------------India
Paris-------------------United States of America
Rome-------------------Egypt
Canberra------------------------China
London----------------------Japan
Santo Domingo-------------------France
Washington D.C.--------------------Italy
Cairo------------------------Australia
New Delhi-------------------Dominican Republic
Tokyo-----------------------England

Grammar point
The Conditional Tense: The conditional is used to express probability, possibility, wonder or conjecture, and is usually translated as would, could, must have or probably.
The student said that he would study one more hour. (probability, possibility)
What time could it have been? (wonder, conjecture)
He must have been at home. (wonder, conjecture)
We were probably busy when you called. (probability, possibility)

“If I won a million dollars, I would buy a new house”!
If- condition- result
Past simple- would + base verb
If-I won a million dollars- I would + buy a new house

There is not a real possibility that this condition will happen. For example, you do not have a million dollars or at least not yet. Is it possible to win? No! No lottery ticket, no win! But maybe you will buy a lottery ticket in the future. So you can think about winning in the future, like a dream. It's not very real, but it's still possible.

Grammar exercise
Answer the following question using the conditional tense. Write at least four sentences.
If you could travel anywhere in the world where would you go and why?

“April showers bring May flowers.”

“April showers bring May flowers.” Is a popular rhyme to say and hear around the springtime. Not only does it mean that it will rain a lot in April and there will be many flowers in May because of the rain but also there is a deeper meaning behind the words. “April showers bring May flowers” is a reminder that even the most unpleasant of things, in this case the heavy rains of April, can bring about very enjoyable things, such as, an abundance of flowers in May. “April showers bring May flowers” is a lesson in patience, and one that remains valid to this day. Many of life’s greatest things come only to those who wait, and by patiently and happily enduring the clouds and damp of April you can find yourself more easily able to take in the sights and smells of May. After all, it’s easier to love something if you begin with an optimistic outlook! So do not be depressed during these cloudy rainy days because soon the sun will shine and beautiful flowers, plants and trees that will have blossomed into a ray of many colors will surround us. Unfortunately, many people do suffer from allergies but there are special medicines to help you so that one can enjoy nature’s beauty.
Adapted from: http://feelingsandflowers.com

There is some more in-depth information about the meaning of “April showers bring May flowers”, if you follow this link: http://feelingsandflowers.com/136/april-showers-bring-may-flowers-%E2%80%93-discussing-the-rhyme

Vocabulary
unpleasant- not pleasant, disagreeable, offensive
abundance- extremely plentiful or oversufficient quantity or supply
patience- quiet, steady perseverance; even-tempered care; diligence
valid-producing the desired result; effective
enduring- lasting or permanent
optimistic- hopefulness and confidence
allergies -an unusually high acquired sensitivity to certain substances, such as drugs, pollens, or microorganisms, that may include such symptoms as sneezing, itching, and skin rashes.

Vocabulary Exercise
Using the vocabulary words above write a complete sentence for each word.
For example: The warm weather of spring brings an abundance of flowers.

Grammar Point
Adverbs modify verbs, adjectives, and other adverbs by telling where, when, how or to what extent. Many adverbs are formed by adding –ly to adjectives. For example: sweet-sweetly or gentle- gently.

Where: The children played outside.
When: The President spoke yesterday.
How: We walked slowly around the track.
To What Extent: The student worked very hard.

Adverbs of Manner
She moved slowly and spoke quietly.

Adverbs of Place
She has lived on the island all her life.
She still lives there now.

Adverbs of Frequency
She takes the boat to the mainland every day.
She often goes by herself.

Adverbs of Time
She tries to get back before dark.
It's starting to get dark now.
She finished her tea first.
She left early.

Adverbs of Purpose
She drives her boat slowly to avoid hitting the rocks.
She shops in several stores to get the best buys.

Grammar Exercise
Put the correct adverb in the sentence.
often----quickly---rarely---never---extremely---always----loudly
1) The teacher speaks ________.
2) The boy ran __________.
3) He drives _____________ fast.
4) I ___________ buy fruit at the grocery store.
5) We __________ go to the movies on weekends.
6) My friends and I __________ go dancing on Fridays.
7) I __________ eat fast food because it makes me sick.
For more practice on adverbs click on this link: http://a4esl.org/q/f/z/zz60fck.htm