Consolidated Question Patterns & Examples: English I (Weeks 1-4)
This document synthesizes the core problem types from the first four weeks of English I. Each section provides a clear example, a detailed solution, and the mental “abstraction” or framework needed to solve it.
Week 1: Sounds and Words (Phonetics)
- Core Idea: Focusing on the sounds of English (phonemes), not the spelling, to improve pronunciation and listening.
| Pattern # | Pattern Name | Frequency | Difficulty | Core Skill & Abstraction |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1.1 | Identifying Specific Phonemes | High | Medium | Abstract: Ignore the spelling, say the word aloud, and listen for the target sound. E.g., The /ʃ/ (“sh”) sound can be spelled sh, ci, ti, s, ch. |
| 1.2 | Distinguishing Vowel Sounds | High | Medium | Abstract: Compare the vowel sound in the word to a known “anchor” word. E.g., for /ʊ/, think “book”; for /uː/, think “blue”. |
| 1.3 | Conceptual Phonetics | Medium | Easy | Abstract: Recall the definitions. A monophthong is a single, pure vowel sound. A semi-vowel (/w/, /y/) is not. |
📝 Pattern Examples & Solutions
Pattern 1.1: Identifying Specific Phonemes
Example:
Which of the following words contains the /z/ sound? a) Trips b) Xerox c) Class
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1. **Analyze each word by sound:** * a) "Trips": The 's' at the end follows a voiceless 'p' sound, so it is pronounced with a voiceless /s/. Pronunciation: /trɪps/. * b) "Xerox": The 'x' at the beginning is pronounced with a /z/ sound. Pronunciation: /ˈziːrɒks/. * c) "Class": The 'ss' at the end is pronounced with a voiceless /s/ sound. Pronunciation: /klɑːs/. 2. **Conclusion:** Only "Xerox" contains the /z/ sound.Final Answer: Xerox.
Pattern 1.2: Distinguishing Vowel Sounds
Example:
Which of the following words contains the short vowel /ʊ/? a) Should b) Truth
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1. **Establish Anchor Sounds:** * The target sound is the short /ʊ/, as in "p**u**t" or "b**oo**k". It's a relaxed, short sound. * The common "imposter" sound is the long /uː/, as in "bl**ue**" or "f**oo**d". It's a tense, long sound. 2. **Test the Words:** * a) "Should": The vowel sound `ou` is pronounced /ʊ/. It matches the sound in "put". * b) "Truth": The vowel sound `u` is pronounced /uː/. It is a long, tense sound that matches the one in "blue". 3. **Conclusion:** Only "Should" contains the short /ʊ/ sound.Final Answer: Should.
Week 2: Parts of Speech
- Core Idea: Identifying the specific job each word does in a sentence (naming, acting, describing, connecting).
| Pattern # | Pattern Name | Frequency | Difficulty | Core Skill & Abstraction |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2.1 | Identifying the Part of Speech in Context | High | Easy-Medium | Abstract: Don’t just define the word; look at its role. Is it naming something (Noun)? Describing a noun (Adjective)? Showing an action (Verb)? Describing an action (Adverb)? |
| 2.2 | Fill-in-the-Blank: Pronouns & Articles | High | Easy | Abstract: For pronouns, find the noun it replaces. For articles, check if the noun is specific (the) or general, and if the next sound is a vowel (an) or consonant (a). |
📝 Pattern Examples & Solutions
Pattern 2.1: Identifying the Part of Speech in Context
Example:
Identify the part of speech of the underlined word in each sentence: a) She was honoured for her courage. b) Catherine was worried about her work.
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* **a) courage:** * **Context:** The word follows "her", a possessive pronoun. It is the *name of an idea* or quality. * **Abstraction:** Words that name a person, place, thing, or **idea** are **Nouns**. * **b) worried:** * **Context:** The word follows "was", a state-of-being verb. It describes the state or condition of "Catherine". * **Abstraction:** Words that show an action or a **state of being** are **Verbs**.Final Answers: a) Noun, b) Verb.
Pattern 2.2: Fill-in-the-Blank: Articles
Example:
Choose the correct article: ___ coffee taster had his tongue insured for 10 million pounds. Options: A, An
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1. **Analyze the Noun:** "coffee taster". Is it a specific taster we already know? No. So we need an indefinite article (`a` or `an`). 2. **Analyze the Sound:** The next word is "coffee". What is its first sound? It is a /k/ sound, which is a consonant. 3. **Apply the Rule:** The article used before a consonant sound is `a`.Final Answer: A.
Week 3: Vocabulary, Sentence Structure & Idioms
- Core Idea: Understanding how words combine to create nuanced meaning through phrasal verbs, modal verbs, and non-literal expressions (idioms).
| Pattern # | Pattern Name | Frequency | Difficulty | Core Skill & Abstraction |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 3.1 | Phrasal Verb Completion | High | Easy-Medium | Abstract: The meaning of a phrasal verb (verb + particle) is unique. You must know the definition of the combination, not just the individual words. |
| 3.2 | Modal Verb Selection | Medium | Easy | Abstract: Choose the modal verb that expresses the correct mood: Possibility (might, could), Obligation (have to, must), or Advice (should). |
| 3.3 | Idiom Meaning Identification | High | Easy | Abstract: Idioms are “secret codes.” Their meaning is not literal. You must memorize the definition of the entire phrase. |
📝 Pattern Examples & Solutions
Pattern 3.1: Phrasal Verb Completion
Example:
Choose the appropriate option: “Those bright pink football boots really ___________.” Options: Stand down, Stand up, Stand out, Stand aside
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1. **Analyze the Context:** The sentence is about "bright pink" boots, which are very noticeable. 2. **Evaluate the Options:** * `Stand down`: Resign. (Doesn't fit). * `Stand up`: Rise to your feet. (Doesn't fit). * `Stand out`: Be very noticeable or conspicuous. (Fits perfectly). * `Stand aside`: Move out of the way. (Doesn't fit). 3. **Conclusion:** The correct phrasal verb is "stand out".Final Answer: Stand out.
Pattern 3.3: Idiom Meaning Identification
Example:
True or False: “The elephant in the room” means an obvious, major problem that everyone avoids discussing.
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1. **Recall the Idiom:** The mental image is of a huge elephant standing in a small room during a party. It's impossible to ignore, but everyone is awkwardly trying to pretend it isn't there. 2. **Compare to the Definition:** The definition "an obvious, major problem that everyone avoids discussing" perfectly matches the mental image and the meaning of the idiom.Final Answer: True.
Week 4: Spoken English & Telephonic Skills
- Core Idea: Applying language skills to the real-world contexts of spoken fluency and telephone conversations.
| Pattern # | Pattern Name | Frequency | Difficulty | Core Skill & Abstraction |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 4.1 | Chunking Sentences | High | Medium | Abstract: Read the sentence and break it into small, logical “thought groups.” These are often phrases or clauses that would be separated by natural pauses in speech. |
| 4.2 | Using Telephonic Phrases in Context | High | Easy | Abstract: Match the situation described in the phone call to the correct phrasal verb. E.g., a request to wait is “hang on”; a request to speak louder is “speak up”. |
| 4.3 | Diagnosing Communication Problems | Medium | Easy | Abstract: Connect the description of a bad sound to the correct technical term. Vibration jarring. Repetition echoing. Gaps of silence breaking up. |
📝 Pattern Examples & Solutions
Pattern 4.1: Chunking Sentences
Example:
Mark the most natural chunking of the sentence: “Our difficulty is not with regard to the ultimate our difficulty is with regard to the beginning”
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1. **Identify the Main Ideas:** There are two main, parallel clauses here. * Clause 1: "Our difficulty is not with regard to the ultimate" * Clause 2: "our difficulty is with regard to the beginning" 2. **Break Down the Clauses into Smaller Chunks:** * "Our difficulty" - subject phrase. * "is not" - verb phrase. * "with regard to the ultimate" - prepositional phrase. 3. **Combine into a Natural Rhythm:** The most natural pauses would separate these core components. `Our difficulty/ is not/ with regard to the ultimate// our difficulty/ is with regard to the beginning//` This breaks the sentence into logical, digestible pieces.Final Answer: Our difficulty/ is not/ with regard to the ultimate// our difficulty/ is with regard to the beginning//
Pattern 4.3: Diagnosing Communication Problems
Example:
While on the phone, you hear the other person’s voice repeated a split second after they speak. What do you tell them? a) “Your voice is jarring.” b) “Your voice is echoing.” c) “You are breaking up.”
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1. **Analyze the Symptom:** The key symptom is the **repetition** of the voice. 2. **Match to the Definition:** * `Jarring` means a vibrating, unpleasant sound. (Incorrect). * `Echoing` means a sound is repeated. (Correct). * `Breaking up` means parts of the speech are missing. (Incorrect). 3. **Conclusion:** The correct term for a repeated voice is "echoing".Final Answer: Your voice is echoing.