English 1 Week 3: Vocabulary & Modals
1. Vocabulary Building
1.1 Prefixes & Antonyms
Adding a prefix can flip the meaning of a word.
- Un-: Apologetic → Unapologetic. Happy → Unhappy.
- Dis-: Agree → Disagree. Appear → Disappear.
- Mis-: Understand → Misunderstand (Wrongly).
- Im-: Possible → Impossible.
1.2 Phrasal Verbs
A Verb + Preposition combination that creates a new meaning.
- Stand out: To be noticeable/distinctive. (“Those boots stand out.“)
- Throw away: To discard. (“Throw away the old toy.“)
- Run out of: To have none left. (“Vehicle ran out of petrol.“)
- Look forward to: To eagerly wait for.
- Speak up: To speak louder (NOT to tone down).
- Hang on: To wait (on phone).
2. Idioms
Expressions where the meaning is not literal.
| Idiom | Meaning |
|---|---|
| Second wind | Getting energy again after being tired. |
| Wild goose chase | A hopeless/pointless search. |
| Elephant in the room | An obvious problem that everyone is ignoring. |
| Heard it on the grapevine | Hearing rumours/gossip. |
| Run like the wind | Run very fast. |
3. Modals (Helper Verbs)
Modals express mood: possibility, ability, obligation.
| Modal | Function | Example |
|---|---|---|
| Can / Could | Ability or Request | ”I can swim.” “Could you help?” |
| May / Might | Possibility | ”It might rain.” “I might have failed.” |
| Must / Have to | Strong Obligation | ”You have to help me!” “You must go.” |
| Should | Advice | ”You should study.” |
| Will / Would | Future or Willingness | ”I will go.” |
Tricky Cases
- Can’t: Often denotes Inability (“I can’t swim”) or Prohibition (“You can’t park here”).
- Have to vs. Should: “Have to” is a rule/necessity. “Should” is just a good idea.
4. Practice Set
- Antonym of Apologetic: Unapologetic.
- “Those boots really stand out.”: They are noticeable.
- “I might have failed.”: Possibility (not certainty).
- “You have to help me.”: Obligation.
🧠Level Up: Advanced Practice
Question 1: Antonym Prefixes
Problem: Antonym of “Apologetic”?
- (a) Dis-
- (b) Un- Answer: Unapologetic.
Question 2: Phrasal Verb Nuance
Problem: “Those bright pink boots really ______.”
- (a) Stand up
- (b) Stand out Answer: Stand out (Be noticeable).
Question 3: Modal Strength
Problem: “You ______ help me!” (Command/Obligation).
- (a) Should to
- (b) Have to Answer: Have to. (“Should” implies advice, “Have to” implies necessity. Also “Should to” is grammatically incorrect).