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.
OverviewOverview of Verb Tenses
Overview
The simple tenses
The progressive tenses
The perfect tenses
The perfect progressive tenses
Summary chart of verb tenses
Spelling of -ing and -ed formsPresent and Past, Simple and Progressive
Overview
Simple present
Present progressive
Stative verbs
Am/is/are being + adjective
Regular and irregular verbs
Regular verbs: pronunciation of -ed endings
Irregular verbs: an alphabetical list
Troublesome verbs: raise/rise, set/sit, lay/lie
Simple past
Past progressive
Using progressive verbs with always to complain
Using expressions of place with progressive verbsPerfect and Perfect Progressive Tenses
Overview
Present perfect
Present perfect progressive
Past perfect
Past perfect progressiveFuture Time
Overview
Simple future: will and be going to
Will vs. be going to
Expressing the future in time clauses
Using the present progressive and the simple present to express future time
Future progressive
Future perfect
Future perfect progressiveAdverb Clauses of Time and Review of Verb Tenses
Overview
Adverb clauses of time: form
Using adverb clauses to show time relationshipsSubject-Verb Agreement
Overview
Final –s/-es: use, pronunciation, and spelling
Basic subject-verb agreement
Subject-verb agreement: using expressions of quantity
Subject-verb agreement: using there + be
Subject-verb agreement: some irregularitiesNouns
Overview
Regular and irregular plural nouns
Possessive nouns
Using nouns as modifiers
Count and nouncount nouns
Noncount nouns
Some common nouncount nouns
Basic article usage
General guidelines for article usage
Expressions of quantity
Using a few and few; a little and little
Using of in expressions of quantity
All (of) and both (of)
Singular expressions of quantity: one, each, everyPronouns
Overview
Personal pronouns
Personal pronouns: agreement with generic nouns and indefinite pronouns
Personal pronouns: agreement with collective nouns
Reflexive pronouns
Using you, one, and theyas impersonal pronouns
Forms of other
Common expressions with otherModals, Part 1
Introduction
Polite questions with I as the subject
Polite questions with you as the subject
Polite requests with would you mind
Expressing necessity: must, have to, have got to
Lack of necessity and prohibition: have to and must in the negative
Advisability: should, ought to, had better
The past form of should
Expectations: be supposed to
Making suggestions: let's, why don't, shall I/we
Making suggestions: could vs. shouldModals, Part 2
Overview
Degrees of certainty: present time
Degrees of certainty: present time negative
Degrees of certainty: past time
Degrees of certainty: future time
Progressive forms of modals
Ability: can and could
Using would to express a repeated action in the past
Expressing preference: would rather
Combining modals with phrasal modals
Summary chart of modals and similar expressionsThe Passive
Overview
Forming the passive
Using the passive
Indirect objects used as passive subjects
The passive form of modals and phrasal modals
Stative passive
Common stative passive verbs + prepositions
The passive with get
Participial adjectivesNoun Clauses
Overview
Introduction
Noun clauses beginning with a question word
Noun clauses beginning with whether or if
Question words followed by infinitives
Noun clauses beginning with that
Quoted speech
Reported speech: verb forms in noun clauses
Using the subjunctive in noun clauses
Using -ever wordsAdjective Clauses
Overview
Introduction
Adjective clause pronouns used as the subject
Adjective clause pronouns used as the object of a verb
Adjective clause pronouns used as the object of a preposition
Usual patterns of adjective clauses
Using whose
Using where in adjective clauses
Using when in adjective clauses
Using adjective clauses to modify pronouns
Punctuating adjective clauses
Using expressions of quantity in adjective clauses
Using Noun + of which
Using which to modify a whole sentence
Reducing adjective clauses to adjective phrases: introduction
Changing an adjective clause to an adjective phraseGerunds and Infinitives, Part 1
Overview
Gerunds: introduction
Using gerunds as the objects of prepostions
Common preposition combinations followed by gerunds
Common verbs followed by gerunds
Go + gerund
Special expressions followed by -ing
Common verbs followed by infinitives
Common verbs followed by either infinitives or gerunds
Reference list of verbs followed by gerunds
Reference list of verbs followed by infinitives
It + infinitive; gerunds and infinitives as subjectsGerunds and Infinitives, Part 2
Overview
Infinitive of purpose: in order to
Adjectives followed by infinitives
Using infinitves with too and enough
Passive and past forms of infinitives and gerunds
Using gerunds or passive infinitives following need
Using a possessive to modify a gerund
Using verbs of perception
Using the simple form after let and help
Using causative verbs: make, have, getCoordinating Conjunctions
Overview
Parallel structure
Paired conjunctions: both… and; not on… but also; either… or; neither… nor
Combining independent clauses with coordinating conjunctionsAdverb Clauses
Overview
Introduction
Using adverb clauses to show cause and effect
Expressing contrast (unexpected result): Using even though
Showing direct contrast: while and whereas
Expressing conditions in adverb clauses: if-clauses
Adverb clauses of condition: using whether or not and even if
Adverb clauses of condition: using in case and in the event that
Adverb clauses of condition: using unless
Adverb clauses of condition: using only ifReduction of Adverb Clauses to Modifying Adverbial Phrases
Overview
Introduction
Changing time clauses to modifying adverbial phrases
Expressing the idea of during the same time in modifying adverbial phrases
Expressing cause and effect in modifying adverbial phrases
Using upon + -ing in modiying adverbial phrasesConnectives that Express Cause and Effect, Contrast, and Condition
Overview
Using because of and due to
Using transitions to show cause and effect: therefore and consequently
Summary of patterns and punctuation
Other ways of expressing cause and effect: such… that and so… that
Expressing purpose: using so that
Showing contrast (unexpected result)
Showing direct contrast
Expressing conditions: using otherwise and or (else)
Summary of connectives: cause and effect, contrast, conditionConditional Sentences and Wishes
Overview
Overview of basic verb forms used in conditional sentences
True in the present or future
Untrue (contrary to fact) in the present or future
Untrue (contrary to fact) in the past
Using progressive verb forms in conditional sentences
Using mixed time in conditional sentences
Omitting if
Implied conditions
Using as if/as though
Verb forms following wish
Using would to make wishes about the futureSystem 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.
