Here are the links to two exercises on the present continuous and present perfect continuous tenses:
http://www.englishpage.com/verbpage/verbs9.htm
http://www.englishpage.com/verbpage/verbs10.htm
Tuesday, October 21, 2014
Simple past and present perfect tenses
Here are the links to two exercises on the simple past and present perfect tenses:
http://www.englishpage.com/verbpage/verbs5.htm
http://www.englishpage.com/verbpage/verbs6.htm
http://www.englishpage.com/verbpage/verbs5.htm
http://www.englishpage.com/verbpage/verbs6.htm
Telephone conversations
Sample business letter
Miles Davis
Rue du Bebop 12
1000 Brussels
Tel: 02 217 7855
Email: davis@email.com
Brussels, 17th of January 2013
Ms Jennifer Smith
Director of Human Resources
Joint Research Centre
Rue Guimard 10
1049 Brussels
RE: The project manager vacancy
(reference no. 123)
Dear Ms Smith,
Having seen the project
manager vacancy posted on your HR website, I would like to hereby apply for
the position.
Currently, I work as a
project manager assistant in DG Research and Innovation at the European
Commission. During my three years here, I have had the opportunity to acquire extensive
experience not only as a team leader but also as the Acting Project Manager
working on nuclear fusion research support. In addition, I specialised
in nuclear fusion as a biophysicist during my PhD studies, with a Dissertation on
transgenetic mutations. Due to my deep fascination
with the intricacies of this matter, I have always been keen on pursuing my
professional endeavours within the same field. Moreover, I cherish working
in a multicultural environment, since I see diversity of
perspectives as an invaluable asset in approaching a given issue.
Even though working in DG
Research has been a very rewarding experience concerning my professional and
personal development, I am now ready for new challenges. Therefore, I am very
enthusiastic about the prospect of joining your team, since you have an excellent track record in supporting nuclear
fusion research. On a more personal note, I also share your views on making
nuclear technology environmentally sustainable. Thus I am confident that my
profile is a perfect match for the position, especially given the fact that you
specialise in eliminating radiation exposure in France, where I did part of my
research as a PhD candidate.
Should
you want to meet me in person to discuss the details of my CV, I would be happy to come in for an interview at a
time suitable for you.
Thank
you in advance for your consideration.
Looking forward to hearing from you at your
soonest convenience,
Sincerely yours,
SIGNATURE
Miles Davis
Enc: CV
Enc: CV
Wednesday, October 15, 2014
Obligations
Positive obligations for the present, future or in general:
Stronger:
You have to put on your seat belt. (US)
We are going to/will have to go through the customs when we arrive in New york. (future)
She must put on her seat belt. (UK)
Members shall follow the club rules. (formal/legal/religious/moral codes in writing)
Weaker:
You should take off your shoes in their house.
You ought to take off your shoes in their house. (UK)
Negative obligations for the present, future or in general: Stronger:
You cannot drive without your seat belt on. (US)
You must not drive without your set-belt on. (UK)
Thou shall not kill. (formal/legal/religious/moral codes in writing)
Weaker:
You should not enter their house with your shoes on.
You ought not to enter their house with your shoes on. (UK)
Positive obligations for the past:
Stronger:
We had to go through the customs when we came from the US to Belgium last week.
Weaker:
You should have taken off your shoes when you entered their house yesterday evening.
You ought to have taken off your shoes when you entered their house yesterday evening. (UK)
Negative obligations for the past:
Stronger:
The waiter could not serve beer to my 17-year old cousin when we were in the US last year. (US)
Weaker:
You should not have entered their house with your shoes on yesterday evening.
You ought not to have entered their house with your shoes on yesterday evening. (UK)
Lack of obligations for the present, future or in general:
You do not have to take off your shoes when you go through the security check at the airports in Europe.
You are not going to/will not have to take off your shoes at the security check in Zaventem airport when you arrive there. (future)
Lack of obligations for the present, future or in general:
We did not have to take off our shoes when we went through the security check at the airport last week.
I am hereby making some exercises on have to vs. must and should along with the key available.
Stronger:
You have to put on your seat belt. (US)
We are going to/will have to go through the customs when we arrive in New york. (future)
She must put on her seat belt. (UK)
Members shall follow the club rules. (formal/legal/religious/moral codes in writing)
Weaker:
You should take off your shoes in their house.
You ought to take off your shoes in their house. (UK)
Negative obligations for the present, future or in general: Stronger:
You cannot drive without your seat belt on. (US)
You must not drive without your set-belt on. (UK)
Thou shall not kill. (formal/legal/religious/moral codes in writing)
Weaker:
You should not enter their house with your shoes on.
You ought not to enter their house with your shoes on. (UK)
Positive obligations for the past:
Stronger:
We had to go through the customs when we came from the US to Belgium last week.
Weaker:
You should have taken off your shoes when you entered their house yesterday evening.
You ought to have taken off your shoes when you entered their house yesterday evening. (UK)
Negative obligations for the past:
Stronger:
The waiter could not serve beer to my 17-year old cousin when we were in the US last year. (US)
Weaker:
You should not have entered their house with your shoes on yesterday evening.
You ought not to have entered their house with your shoes on yesterday evening. (UK)
Lack of obligations for the present, future or in general:
You do not have to take off your shoes when you go through the security check at the airports in Europe.
You are not going to/will not have to take off your shoes at the security check in Zaventem airport when you arrive there. (future)
Lack of obligations for the present, future or in general:
We did not have to take off our shoes when we went through the security check at the airport last week.
I am hereby making some exercises on have to vs. must and should along with the key available.
Tuesday, October 14, 2014
Subjunctive
A webpage on the use of subjunctive is hereby made available.
Here you can find more information with exercises on the subjunctive and unreal uses past forms. Here is the key for the exercises.
Here you can find more information with exercises on the subjunctive and unreal uses past forms. Here is the key for the exercises.
Sample email
Dear Ms Smith,
Knowing that your entry into service at the Council is approaching, I would like to hereby extend you a warm welcome to our Unit, and provide you with some practical information.
As agreed during your job interview, you will be in charge of the follow-up of inter-service consultations. This position involves regular interaction and coordination with the other services of our DG as well as with other DGs. You will be working closely with Ms Black in our Unit, as inter-service consultation follow-up is a shared responsibility. Under my supervision, Ms Black will be explaining to you the various procedures, so that you can become acquainted with our working methods as soon as possible. As an attachment, I am resending your job description, in case you need it for a quick reference.
You should have been already informed that you will be attending a two-day training course organised by DG HR, i.e., the Directorate-General for Human Resources and Security, before taking up your duties in our Unit. This very useful course should provide you with additional information regarding the functioning of the Council, its working environment, and the rights and duties of its employees. During the course, you will have the opportunity to get your badge ready; all the relevant information will be provided by the trainers.
As a newcomer in Brussels, you might also be interested in receiving information on matters such as accommodation and public transport. Please note that the orientation leaders in DG HR will be handing out an information package during the training course, and that a legal advisor will be at your disposal to check the leases you might be considering before you sign a contract. If you need to search for an apartment, the best place to start is the immoweb website (http://www.immoweb.be/). There is also plenty of short-term accommodation available in Brussels, especially in the Schuman area close to the European Institutions. You can find all the necessary information about public transport in Brussels at http://www.stib.be/.
I would also like to hereby invite you to take up your duties in our Unit on Wednesday, 16th of March, i.e., after the completion of the training course mentioned above. I propose starting the day with a meeting in my office at 9.30 am. Afterwards, I will be introducing you to the members of the team you will be working in. Moreover, you will need to make an appointment to see Mr Miller (tel: +32(0)2/291 7811) in the afternoon of the same day. I suggest making the appointment at least three days in advance, since he is usually very busy. He is the HR focal point in our DG, and thus he will be your interlocutor for all contract related issues .
As you probably remember from your interview, our office is located at rue de la Science, 15, close to rue Belliard. With your badge, you can come up directly to our Unit, which is located on the 7th floor; I am in office 123.
Looking forward to meeting you in person,
With kind regards,
Iris Wellington
Knowing that your entry into service at the Council is approaching, I would like to hereby extend you a warm welcome to our Unit, and provide you with some practical information.
As agreed during your job interview, you will be in charge of the follow-up of inter-service consultations. This position involves regular interaction and coordination with the other services of our DG as well as with other DGs. You will be working closely with Ms Black in our Unit, as inter-service consultation follow-up is a shared responsibility. Under my supervision, Ms Black will be explaining to you the various procedures, so that you can become acquainted with our working methods as soon as possible. As an attachment, I am resending your job description, in case you need it for a quick reference.
You should have been already informed that you will be attending a two-day training course organised by DG HR, i.e., the Directorate-General for Human Resources and Security, before taking up your duties in our Unit. This very useful course should provide you with additional information regarding the functioning of the Council, its working environment, and the rights and duties of its employees. During the course, you will have the opportunity to get your badge ready; all the relevant information will be provided by the trainers.
As a newcomer in Brussels, you might also be interested in receiving information on matters such as accommodation and public transport. Please note that the orientation leaders in DG HR will be handing out an information package during the training course, and that a legal advisor will be at your disposal to check the leases you might be considering before you sign a contract. If you need to search for an apartment, the best place to start is the immoweb website (http://www.immoweb.be/). There is also plenty of short-term accommodation available in Brussels, especially in the Schuman area close to the European Institutions. You can find all the necessary information about public transport in Brussels at http://www.stib.be/.
I would also like to hereby invite you to take up your duties in our Unit on Wednesday, 16th of March, i.e., after the completion of the training course mentioned above. I propose starting the day with a meeting in my office at 9.30 am. Afterwards, I will be introducing you to the members of the team you will be working in. Moreover, you will need to make an appointment to see Mr Miller (tel: +32(0)2/291 7811) in the afternoon of the same day. I suggest making the appointment at least three days in advance, since he is usually very busy. He is the HR focal point in our DG, and thus he will be your interlocutor for all contract related issues .
As you probably remember from your interview, our office is located at rue de la Science, 15, close to rue Belliard. With your badge, you can come up directly to our Unit, which is located on the 7th floor; I am in office 123.
Looking forward to meeting you in person,
With kind regards,
Iris Wellington
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