4. Read the following sentences. Circle the word that you think receives stress in each underlined phrase.

1. The researchers found it out very recently.

2. The robber held up the convenience store.

3. Let's go check out the new restaurant in the student union.

4. Can you help me? I am searching for a journal on anthropology.

5. Do not point at her. That is rude.

6. People often say that I take after my father.

Listen and repeat the sentences.

B. Stress on bound noun phrases

 Listen and repeat the compound nouns. Which word is usually stressed more?

traffic light

boarding pass

parking lot

car crash

bike lane

parking ticket

traffic jam

pedestrian area

gas station

rush hour

seat belt

traffic radar

speed limit

ticket office

Writing 3: Modal Verbs

Modal verbs are used to add specific nuances of meaning to the verbs that follow them. The modal verbs that test takers often struggle with are as follows:

can	to express real or potential ability
	Example: Corntainers can be beneficial for the environment.
may	to express something that could happen or be true (probable)
	Example: Congestion pricing may cause more people to use buses.
will	to express certainty and to predict (more certain than may)
	Example: Students will soon do all of their schoolwork on computers.
could	less positive and probable versions of can and may
might	Example: Teachers might/could look for new jobs if they are not paid enough.
must		to conclude something from logical thinking or analysis
		Example: She has an umbrella. It must be raining.
should		to give advice or suggest that it is helpful to do something
		Example: The student should go to the registration office for information.
must		to express strong necessity or obligation, to give strong advice
have to		Example: I must/have to study for the test in order to graduate.
would		to express preference in conditional sentences
		Example: I would rather go to the concert than watch TV.

In order to avoid using the same modal verb repeatedly, it is a good idea to use other equivalent expressions.

Example: The environment may be polluted.

The environment will probably be polluted. It is likely that the environment will be polluted.

Exercise 1

Change each of the following sentences using one of the modal verbs below. Each modal verb may be used more than once.

would can may could will

1. To many adults who work very hard, early retirement seems appealing.

2. Many adults find that early retirement is not a satisfying experience.

3. Many people who retire early face financial problems in the future.

4. Early retirees find themselves in debt or face a lower standard of living.

5. People who retire early also struggle with psychological problems.

6. Early retirees feel that their lives no longer have a clear purpose.

7. Early retirees often face social problems.

8. They have trouble relating to the people that they used to work with.

Exercise 2

Fill in the blanks with the most appropriate modal verb.

1. Although I think that the amount that we use computers (1) _______ (must/may) increase in the next twenty years, I do not agree with the statement that students (2) ________ (have to/will) do all of their schoolwork on computers in twenty years. In my opinion, computers (3) _________ (could/must) become much more inexpensive before that idea (4) ________ (would/may) be possible. There are three reasons why I feel that we (5) ________ (should/would) not believe that students will do all schoolwork on computers in twenty years.

Writing 4: Present Participle vs. Past Participle

The present participle (–ing) and the past participle (–ed) are used basically in three ways: as verbs to indicate tense, as verbs to indicate voice, and as adjectives. Look at the table to see how they are used.

	Present participle	Past participle
tense	Used in continuous tenses after the verb be. Example: He is using my laptop. He has been using my laptop.	Used in perfect tenses after the verb have. Example: She has done nice things for me. She had left before I arrived.
voice		Used in the passive after the verb be Example: The problem was solved. The problem can be solved.
adjective	Used to describe something/ someone that produces feelings or makes some impact. Example: His attitude was annoying. He was interesting.	Used to describe something or someone that receives feelings or is influenced by something else. Example: I was annoyed. He is interested in architecture.

Common mistakes related to the participles are as follows:

He was studied English. – He studied English.

The book will published. – The book will be published.

The game was excited. – The game was exciting.

Exercise 1

Write the correct form of each verb.

finish multitask work turn be

1. I believe that I am able to work quite a bit faster when I am (1) __________. For example, when I was (2) ___________ on my homework last weekend, I made sure to work on a few different assignments at a time. That way, my work was (3) __________ in just a short amount of time. However, if I had (4) _________ working on only one homework assignment, I would not have (5) ____________ in all of my work by the time I had to have it finished.

motivate give tell be solve

2. In my opinion, a person's problems can best be (1) ___________ if he or she goes to a parent for advice. My parents have been (2) _____________ me good advice for my entire life. I think that my friends are really nice people, but they do not always give me great advice. My parents' advice, though, is always helpful and (3) _____________. In addition, my parents have never (4) ____________ other people about my problems, while one of my friends did. Last, since my parents have always (5) _____________ there to help me with my problems, I know they are a reliable source of help.

Exercise 2

Write either the present participle (–ing) or the past participle (–ed) in the blanks.

1. Supporters have been (praise) ___________ the benefits of biofuels for many years.

2. However, many of the benefits of biofuels are (exaggerate) ____________.

3. Many of the problems associated with biofuels cannot be (solve) _____________.

4. Even more pollution is (generate) ____________ by biofuels than by fossil fuels.

5. Some scientists are (develop) _____________ new ways to make biofuels.

6. Scientists have (suggest) ______________ that biofuels do not produce enough energy.

7. Studies have (find) ____________that we do not have enough land to use only biofuels.

8. Most of the world's agricultural land must be (use) ___________for growing food.

9. Hydrogen power has been (discuss) ____________ as an alternative to biofuels.

10. Hydrogen fuel may be (use) _____________ in the future, but it is not yet available.