In this Unit we will talk about Cosmetic Surgery and Dating. We will see body idioms, discussdating and describing your perfect partner. We will examine Unreal Conditions and Alternatives to "if", Compound Adjectives and Causatives.
Work with a partner and discuss this question, what is beauty?
Watch the video and answer these questions.
1) How long did some operations take?
2) What was most peoples definition of beauty?
3) How many faces were people given to judge?
4) How many people had the same opinion of the faces?
5) What makes babies beautiful?
Passive voice with reporting verbs
If we want to avoid mentioning the generalised agents we, they, people, everybody, one etc. with reporting verbs, we can use the following passive patterns:
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it + passive reporting verb + that-clause
In this pattern, the generalised agent + active reporting verb is replaced with it + passive reporting verb:
Everybody knows that my grandfather likes red wine.
It is known that my grandfather likes red wine.
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subject + passive reporting verb + to-infinitive
In this pattern we start with the subject of the reported clause, which is followed by the passive reporting verb and the to-infinitive form of the verb in the reported clause:
Everybody knows that my grandfather likes red wine.
My grandfather is known to like red wine.
The reporting verb (is known) is in the same tense as it was in the active sentence (knows). The type of to-infinitive we use (to like) corresponds to the temporal relationship between the action of reporting and the reported event. This temporal relationship can be of two basic types:
o The reporting and the reported event happen simultaneously (as in the example above).
o The reported event happens before the reporting.
The following list shows examples of reporting verbs which can be used with the patterns above:
Examples of reporting verbs used in the passive voice
allege assume believe claim consider declare discover estimate expect feel find intend know observe presume prove report reveal say see show suppose think understand
You can find more information on Reporting Verbs and the Passive on the Grammar Page. You will also find information and an exercise in the attached file.
Work with a partner and discuss these questions, is plastic surgery a good thing? What would you change about yourself?
Watch the video, is it fair to ask somebody to change their appearance?
Causative Verbs
You can form sentences that are passive in meaning but not in form by using the verb to get or the verb to have in place of the verb to be. These constructions often describe situations where we want someone else to do something for us or where we are going to hire someone else to do something for us.
e.g. - We're having the house painted.
This type of construction can refer to the completion of an activity, especially if a time expression is used.
e.g. - You should have your roof repaired before next winter
If the verb refers to something unwanted, it has the same meaning as a passive sentence.
e.g. - Jim had his car stolen last night.
You can find more information on the Grammar Page
Here are 2 pictures of Michael Jackson, using the causative, discuss with a partner what surgery you think he had.
Parts of the body are also very commonly used in idioms. Try to match the phrases in the file with their definitions
Watch the video for Vocabulary on Dating then listen to the track from the attached link and answer the following questions
1. Karl and his girlfriend finally __________ after going steady for eight months. The wedding is next month.
A. got engaged B. got married C. got divorced
2. Cindy really ___________ Tim, but I don't think the feelings are mutual.
A. breaks up with B. has a crush on C. goes steady with
3. My parents are really compatible with each other because they ____________, and thus, they see eye-to-eye on most things..
A. have things in common B. go Dutch C. stand each other up
In conditional structures there are many alternatives that can be used in place of "if".
e.g. - suppose, assume, imagine
Suppose you were incredibly rich, what would you buy?
Assuming you passed all your exams, what would you do then?
Imagine you had one wish, what would you wish for?
Using "suppose", "imagine" or "assume", write down three questions to ask your partner.
Work with your partner and ask them your 3 questions.