Homework for Week 8, Language Skills I, Mo 10-12, Mo 12-14, Fri 12-14, Fri 14-16

1. I was asked by a student if there were ways of checking plurals in IPA. The Oxford English Dictionary lists these with entries for nouns: http://www.oxfordlearnersdictionaries.com/definition/english/bath_1
I apologize to my 12-14 class to whom I said that the plural "baths" would be voiceless. The "th" in the singular "bath" is voiceless and in the plural "baths" it is voiced.

2. For modal verbs, please complete the exercise distributed in class and complete the following exercise:
http://www.esl-lounge.com/student/grammar/4g66-past-modals-exercise.php
Do these exercises if modals are giving you some trouble: https://elt.oup.com/student/solutions/advanced/grammar/grammar_08_022e?cc=de&selLanguage=de
http://www.englishpage.com/modals/interactivemodal4.htm

3. On the topic of stress shifts in English, you might have fun nerding out with the Language Log entry (a good blog for linguists, by linguists) on the unexpected stress pattern of the word "Thanksgiving": http://itre.cis.upenn.edu/~myl/languagelog/archives/005145.html

4. Read up on phonetic rules for plural endings here: http://www.phonicsontheweb.com/plurals.php

Homework for Week 7, Language Skills I, Mo 10-12, Mo 12-14, Fri 12-14, Fri 14-16

1. Please translate the German text distributed in class into English. Idenitfy any problem areas (grammar and lexicon) that you'd like to address in class.

2. If you were confused about the transcription of the word "exam" today in class, check out the IPA in this entry (OED): http://www.oxforddictionaries.com/definition/english/exam

3. For phonetics, please do the following:
a. Transcribe the following words, focussing on transcribing with either [s] or with [z]:
 Bob's, churches, hits, Sarah's, buses, misses, plays, breaks, smashes, Sue's, knives, lifts, marks, stairs, promises, presses, sings, helps, climbs, shows, Smith's, Jones's

b. Transcribe the following words, focussing on whether the word ends with [t] or with [d]
selected, needed, transcribed, missed, showed, wanted, promised, arranged, laughed, licked, subdued, decided, smoked

For both sets, check your transcriptions using the IPA from a reliable dictionary.


4. Complete this exercise on commas in preparation of next week (you can check your answers by clicking on the "go to answers" link at bottom of the page): https://owl.english.purdue.edu/exercises/3/5/19

5. Finally, have a look at the Freakonomics website and listen to a podcast of your choosing: http://freakonomics.com/radio/

Homework for Week 6, Language Skills I, Mo 10-12, Mo 12-14, Fri 12-14, Fri 14-16

1. Complete the following exercises for subjunctive mood. As you're completing the exercises, see if you can identify patterns and rules concerning when the subjunctive is employed:
http://www.learnamericanenglishonline.com/Orange%20Level/Exercises_for_the_Orange_Level/Exercise_10_subjunctive_mood_1.html
http://usefulenglish.ru/grammar/subjunctive-mood-exercise-five
http://www.bristol.ac.uk/arts/exercises/grammar/grammar_tutorial/page_67.htm

2. Confirm your impressions from #1 by reading up on the subjunctive mood here:
http://grammarist.com/grammar/subjunctive-mood/
https://web.cn.edu/kwheeler/grammar_subjunctive.html

3. Finally, read the satirical articles distributed in class today (the full list can be found on this website: http://stuffwhitepeoplelike.com/full-list-of-stuff-white-people-like/ ). Check out this video by the SNL sketch comedy show as well: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=sZ7OJdDSXVo Consider what elements are required for successful satire and make an outline of a topic you would like to satirize (you can use the model "what _________ (people) like", for example). Write up your satire and submit it in the form of an essay if you have time.

Homework Week 5, Language Skills I, Mo 10-12, Mo 12-14

1. For phonetics, please transcribe two of your favorite song titles into IPA. Additionally, use a dictionary or type "define:" and insert the word you want transcribed into Google and check the remaining words in the transcription exercise from last week.

2. For grammar, read the article I distributed in class and write five sentences summarizing the context of the article OR your reactions to it (e.g. "If Karl Kraus were alive today, he'd...") using the five different if-clause constructions for conditionals. You'll find information on this construction here: http://www.edufind.com/english-grammar/conditional/

3. Finally, if you need some practice with perfect and simple tenses, I recommend writing a (short) biography or obituary of someone you like or admire in which you flip between the chronological sequence of events.

Homework for Week 4, Language Skills I, Fri 12-14, Fri 14-16

1. Complete the translation exercise on tense distributed in class. Complete the following online exercise as well: http://www.englishpage.com/verbpage/verbs12.htm

2. Read about IPA and the IPA characters on this website: http://www.antimoon.com/resources/phonetichelp.htm
Then transcribe the following words into IPA (you can use a good dictionary AFTER you have completed the exercise to check your work): burn, about, muppet, broth, brother, Yahoo, physics, cheerleader, Plato, flea, puck, climb, baby, nourish, judgement, gather, enough, there, gate

3. If you are interested, compose a short text on a sensory experience and turn it in next week.

P.S. I believe I spelled this word incorrectly on our board today (left out the "h"): exhilarate (this is the correct spelling)

Homework for Week 4, Language Skills I, Mo 10-12, Mo 12-14

1. Complete the translation exercise on tense distributed in class. Complete the following online exercise as well: http://www.englishpage.com/verbpage/verbs12.htm

2. Complete the IPA transcription exercise distributed in class (here is the accompanying website): http://www.antimoon.com/resources/phonetichelp.htm

3. If you are interested, compose a short text on a sensory experience and turn it in next week.