Longman Pearson, 2004-2007
The Talking Heads were developed to introduce grammar charts on the CD-ROMs that accompany Understanding and Using English Grammar (blue book) and Fundamentals of English Grammar (black book). I wanted to find a way to speak directly to students who were using a computer program. To do this, I came up with the solution of creating grammar characters, animated cartoon characters named for aspects of English grammar. I affectionately call them Talking Heads.
These characters are the closest I could come to getting inside a computer myself and talking directly to the learner. Creating these grammar characters is some of the most enjoyable writing I've ever done.Present Time
Overview
The simple present and the present progressive
The simple present and the present progressive
Forms of the simple present and the present progressive
Frequency adverbs
Final -s
Spelling of final -s/-es
Non-action verbs
Present verbs: short answers to yes/no questionsPast Time
Overview
Expressing past time: the simple past
Forms of the simple past: regular verbs
Forms of the simple past: be
Regular verbs: pronunciation of -ed endings
Spelling of -ing and -ed endings
The principal parts of a verb
Irregular verbs: a reference list
The simple past and the past progressive
Forms of the past progressive
Expressing past time: using time clauses
Expressing past habit: used toFuture Time
Overview
Expressing future time: be going to and will
Forms with be going to
Forms with will
Sureness about the future
Sureness about the future
Be going to vs. will
Expressing the future in time clauses and if-clauses
Using the present progressive to express future time
Using the simple present to express future time
Immediate future: using be about to
Parallel verbsThe Present Perfect and The Past Perfect
Overview
Past participle
Forms of the present perfect
Meanings of the present perfect
Simple past vs. present perfect
Using since and for
Present perfect progressive
Present perfect progressive vs. present perfect
Using already, yet, still, and anymore
Past perfectAsking Questions
Overview
Yes/no questions and short answers
Yes/no questions and information questions
Where, why, when, and what time
Questions with who, who(m), and what
Spoken and written contractions with question words
Using what + a form of do
Using what kind of
Using which
Using whose
Using how
Using how often
Using how far
Length of time: it + take and how long
More questions with how
Using how about and what about
Tag questionsNouns and Pronouns
Overview
Pronunciation of final -s/-es
Plural forms of nouns
Subjects, verbs, and objects
Objects of prepositions
Prepositions of time
Word order: place and time
Subject-verb agreement
Using adjectives to describe nouns
Using nouns as adjectives
Personal pronouns: subjects and objects
Possessive nouns
Possessive pronouns and adjectives
Reflexive pronouns
Singular forms of other: another vs. the other
Plural forms of other: others(s) vs. the other(s)
Summary of forms of otherModal Auxiliaries
Overview
The form of modal auxiliaries
Expressing ability: can and could
Expressing possibility: may and might / Expressing permission: may and can
Using could to express possibility
Polite questions: may I, could I, can I
Polite questions: would you, could you, will you, can you
Expressing advice: should and ought to
Expressing advice: had better
Expressing necessity: have to, have got to, must
Expressing lack of necessity: do not have to / Expressing prohibition: must not
Making logical conclusions: must
Giving instructions: imperative sentences
Making suggestions: let's and why don’t
Stating preferences: prefer, like… better, would ratherConnecting Ideas
Overview
Connecting ideas with and
Connecting ideas with but and or
Connecting ideas with so
Using auxiliary verbs after but and and
Using and + too, so, either, neither
Connecting ideas with because
Connecting ideas with even though/althoughComparisons
Overview
Making comparisons with as… as
Comparative and superlative
Comparative and superlative forms of adjectives and adverbs
Completing a comparative
Modifying comparatives
Comparisons with less… than and not as… as
Unclear comparisons
Using more with nouns
Repeating a comparative
Using double comparatives
Using superlatives
Using the same, similar, different, like, alikeThe Passive
Overview
Active sentences and passive sentences
Form of the passive
Transitive and intransitive verbs
Using the by-phrase
The passive forms of the present and past progressive
Passive modal auxiliaries
Using past participles as adjectives (stative passive)
Participial adjectives: -ed vs. -ing
Get + adjective; get + past participle
Using be used/accustomed to and get used/accustomed to
Used to vs. be used to
Using be supposed toCount/Noncount Nouns and Articles
Overview
A vs. AN
Count and noncount nouns
count nouns
More noncount nouns
Using several, a lot of, many/much, and a few/a little
Nouns that can be count or noncount
Using units of measure with noncount nouns
Guidelines for article usage
Guidelines for article usage
Using THE or ∅ with names
CapitalizationAdjective Clauses
Overview
Adjective clauses: introduction
Using who and whom in adjective clauses
Using who, who(m), and that in adjective clauses
Using which and that in adjective clauses
Singular and plural verbs in adjective clauses
Using prepositions in adjective clauses
Using whose in adjective clausesGerunds and Infinitives
Overview
Verb + gerund
Go + -ing
Verb + infinitive
Verb + gerund or infinitive
Preposition + gerund
Using by and with to express how something is done
Using gerunds as subjects; using it + infinitive
It + infinitive: using for (someone)
Expressing purpose with in order to and for
Using infinitives with too and enoughNoun Clauses
Overview
Noun clauses: introduction
Noun clauses that begin with a question word
Noun clauses with who, what, whose + be
Noun clauses that begin with if or whether
Noun clauses that begin with that
Other uses of that-clauses
Substituting so for a that-clause in conversational responses
Quoted speech
Quoted speech vs. reported speech
Verb forms in reported speech
Common reporting verbs: tell, ask, answer/reply
Phrasal Verbs
Phrasal verbs: introduction
Phrasal verbs: intransitive
Three-word phrasal verbs
Phrasal verbs: a reference list
Preposition Combinations
Preposition combinations: introduction
Preposition combinations: a reference listSystem Requirements
Windows 98, Windows XP, Windows 2000 with Service Pack 2 (or higher), or Windows NT 4.0 with Service Pack 5 (or higher)
Non-English Windows 2000 systems require the Professional edition
Pentium II processor 400+ MHz
64+ MB RAM (128 MB recommended)
16-bit graphics card
Monitor resolution of 800 x 600 or higher
Sound card, microphone, and speakers (Microphones plugged into USB ports are not supported)
10X CD-ROM drive
Internet Explorer 5.0 or higher (Internet Explorer 5.5 or higher recommended) (Note: Netscape and AOL browser software are not supported.)
Macromedia’s Flash 6 (or higher) and Shockwave 8 (or higher), Apple’s QuickTime 5 (or higher), and Sun’s Java 1.4.1_01 plug-ins (Note: If your computer does not have these plug-ins, they will be installed automatically when you install the course.)
Adobe Acrobat Reader 4.0 (or higher) softwareФайл с расширением .swf Чем открыть?
Файл с расширением SWF (Shock Wave Format) предназначен для хранения векторной графики и анимации,может содержать звук. Файлы с таким расширением в настоящий момент широко используются в интернете для создания рекламных баннеров, анимации, игр, а также воспроизведения на веб-страницах видео- и аудиозаписей.
Для востроизведения swf-файла (проиграть файл) можно с момощью - Adobe Flash Player.
Создание swf-файлов - Adobe Flash Professional и Adobe Flash Builder
Чем открыть swf-файл? С помощью обычного интернет-браузера, например, Internet Explorer или Mozilla Firefox. Google Chrome имеет встроенный плейер для swf-файлов, т.о. если у вас по каким-либо причинам не получается открыть другими средствами swf-файл, попробуйте сделать это с помощью Google Chrome.
