LESSON 4 FREQUENCY ABILITY, QUALITY AND ACHIEVEMENT FREQUENCY

As well as using modal verbs, we can express frequency in many ways. A. Adverbs and adverbial phrases. 1. we most commonly express the idea of how often with adverbs of frequency: I rarely / seldom go into the centre of town if I can help it. John regularly / normally often smokes more than a packet a day. We were constantly / regularly being criticised. Ive told you repeatedly not to sleep in the classroom. 2. we can also use adverbial phrases usually in different positions in the sentence: I still see my first girlfriend now and then / now and again / every so often. We were attacked all the time / again and again. Its been raining on and off all day. From time to time I check my e-mails. Ive been working non-stop since Friday. 3. we can express frequency more precisely in many ways: This happens every four years / twice a month / on daily basis forty times a minute. Buses leave every hour on the hour. I cook once in a blue moon. B. Adjectives we can often express frequency using adjectives: Its uncommon / unusual / rare for anyone to disown his parents. Some people are prone to headaches. We are all susceptible to flattery. Im liable to get sunburnt. He won how much? Thats unheard-of! C. Habits and trends verbs, and verb and noun phrases, can express habits and trends: Many people tend to talk too much. Some are in the habit of talking to themselves. Others have a tendency not to listen to other people. Do you follow the latest trends in fashion? Parisian designers set the trend for others to follow.

PRACTICE
1. Two or three of the options can complete the sentences. Underline them: 1. I do question whether a seventeen-year-old will be able to stand up to the pressure of the job. a. non-stop b. relentless c. constant d. liable 2. I .. have problems when it comes to deciding whether theres a mistake or not. a. all the time b. unwaveringly c. invariably d. frequently 3. It is .. for babies to be born with hair, isnt it? a. relatively rare b. not unusual c. quite often d. very seldom 4. I wish I could .. the habit of drinking coffee late at night. a. break b. stop c. avoid d. get out of 5. The figures have to be calculated on a(n) basis. a. daily b. fortnightly c. annually d. monthly 6. Spot checks can be made anything up to three times year. a. per b. the c. in a d. a 7. Shes telling me where Ive gone wrong in my life. a. forever b. all the time c. on and off d. constantly 8. We still meet for a drink and a chat once . a. in a blue moon b. at a time c. in a black mood d. in a while 9. We write to each other .. but not very often. a. occasionally b. regularly c. now and then d. rarely 10. Hes in the habit of ......... a. interrupting me all the time b. humming to himself c. making me happy d. not saying what he means

ABILITY, QUALITY AND ACHIEVEMENT

As well as using modal verbs and other verbs such as be able to, manage to, succeed in , we can express ability, quality and achievement in other ways. A. Dependent prepositions prepositions often collocate with certain nouns or adjectives. She has a talent / a gift / a feeling / a aptitude / a flair for languages. He has a head for figures / a nose for a deal / an ear for accents / an eye for an opening. She is a person of rare charm / ability / grace. B. Collocation here are some typical collocations describing people who show great skill or ability. a top lawyer a quality performer a leading journalist an effective communicator a prominent consultant a top-class sprinter an expert book a an important writer a star player a competent PA

a great surgeon a skilful negotiator

a natural condition a talented singer

C. Connotation its important to know if a statement has a positive, negative or neutral meaning. Her marks are very reasonable. (= positive) Its a moderate achievement. (= a fifty/fifty statement) It was a mediocre performance. (= negative) D. Metaphor it plays a big part when talking about ability, talent and achievement. e.g.: a blossoming talent (+), fading powers (-), a flourishing business (+), a promising student (+), a rocketing success (+), a meteoric rise to fame (+), a shooting star (+), a wooden performance (-)

PRACTICE
1. Underline the options that best complete the sentences. One, two or three may fit. 1. Only people in their chosen profession are invited to attend this prestigious event. a. prominent b. infamous c. fading d. eminent 2. My brother has a peculiar for making people feel at home. a. talent b. present c. gift d. flair 3. Mary has developed a of experience over the past few years. a. feeling b. wealth c. range d. sense 4. You must have success and failure in your time. a. known b. made c. tasted d. sounded 5. The to listen while not being listened to should not be underestimated. a. aptitude b. ability c. technique d. skill 6. Just because hes getting on for seventy doesnt mean hes . a. lost it b. past it c. up to it d. over the hill 7. Shes .. of reducing a whole roomful of people to stunned silence. a. able b. talented c. capable d. likely 8. Our top scorer is just a little bit .. on confidence at the moment. a. lacking b. low c. missing d. needing 9. The President was a man of vision, wasnt he? a. rare b. frequent c. distant d. seldom 10. Youll be glad to know that Annes work is showing a improvement. a. marked b. mediocre c. minimal d. pronounced 2. We can use adjectives to describe the quality of something, e.g.: a delicious drink, a gripping story or an enjoyable day. Underline the adjective which we DO NOT use with the noun given. 1. a drink a. delicious b. thirst-quenching

c. warming 2. a rooms dcor a. striking c. tasteful 3. a football match a. exciting c. thrilling 4. a film a. gripping c. grasping 5. a performance a. dazzling c. staggering 6. a talent a. natural c. God-given 7. a piece of music a. corny c. catchy 8. an artist a. budding c. gifted 9. a journalist a. prominent c. prestigious 10. a business a. flourishing c. thriving

d. filling b. soothing d. tasty b. striking d. tedious b. moving d. touching b. blinding d. flashing b. innate d. wealthy b. skilled d. haunting b. would-be d. haunting b. eminent d. leading b. successful d. shooting