ASKING FOR INFORMATION EXPRESSION

Let me tell you about my school. My school is located in a suburban area near Mahakam Street. It is near the greatest landmark. It is one of the best schools in our town. Uhm…my school is not small at all. The library is in front of the school building. Oh yes, I almost forget, it has a cozy playground at the back and 27 large classrooms to study. There is a large basketball field in the middle. Two toilets, one for males and the other for females. And of course, it has 3 laboratories for chemistry, biology, and physics. The school building consists of two-stair-classroom, upper classrooms and lower classrooms. The canteen is the students’ most favorite place. That’s all about my school.

Get It Right

Ways to say it

Asking for information
• I’d like to know ….
• I’m interested in …..
• Could you tell me ….?
• Do you know ….?
• Could you find out …?
• Could I ask …?
• Do you happen to know …?

Guessing
• I’d say …
• Could it be …
• Perhaps it’s …
• I think it’s …
• It looks like …
• It’s difficult to say, but I’d guess …


Right or wrong

Correct:
• That’s right.
• Right.
• OK.
• Yes.
• Exactly!

Wrong
• No, I’m afraid not.
• Not quite.
• You’re close.
• I don’t know.
• I’m not sure.


When you are surprised:
• Really!
• Are you joking?
• Oh?
• Where? Show me.
• I can’t see that.
• Goodness!
• What?

Grammar in Action

Ways to say it

Useful phrases to express location:
• to face (is facing, faces)
• to be opposite (is opposite, are opposite)
• on, at, in
• under, beneath
• over, on top of
• at the top of, on the site of, at the bottom of
• inside
• outside
• beside, next to, near, in between
• in back of, in the middle of, in front of
• (to)(on) the left (of),(to)(on) the right (of)
• across from
• (at)(on) the corner of
• at the end of
• to be located (is located)
• to be situated ( is situated)
• to lie (lies, lie)


Get It Right

Ways to say it: Expressing congratulations

Expressions of congratulations:
• Congratulation!
• Congratulation on your promotion.
• May I congratulate you on winning the contest?
• I must congratulate you on your success.
• Please accept my warmest congratulations on your wedding day.
• I congratulate you on your being admitted in one of the favorite senior high schools in our district.
• Please accept my heartiest congratulations.

Respond to congratulations:
• Thanks!
• Thank you.
• Thank you very much.


Have you ever visited Singapore? Well, if you haven’t, let me tell you about Singapore. Singapore is an island city. Its population is about three millions people. Most Singaporeans live in high-rise apartments.
Uhm…Singapore is a beautiful city with lots of parks and open spaces. It is also a very clean city. You know, the business district is very modern, with lots of tall and new buildings.
Now, let me tell you about the old section of the city. In Chinatown, there are rows of old shop houses. The government buildings in Singapore are also very unique and antique. They date from the British colonial days.
Shopping! Wow, this is the part that I like very much! Singapore is famous for its many good shopping centers. Most of the goods are duty free. It’s a heaven for shoppers!
What about food? Uhmm ..yummy..yummy. It’s delicious. Singapore’s restaurants provide Chinese, Indian, Malay, and European food, and the prices are quite reasonable. I bet you’ll like it.
Well, since Singapore lies near the equatorial line, of course, it has a tropical climate, with a nice weather in both dry and rainy season.


London

Do you know the capital city of England? Right. London is the capital of the United Kingdom.
Look at the map carefully. Here is London. Can you see it? It is situated in southeastern England along the Thames River. London is a well-known city with a population of about 7 millions. It is the largest city in Europe. Although it is no longer included among the world’s most populous cities, London is still one of the world’s major financial and cultural capitals.
Are you still with me? OK, thank you. Let’s continue. London’s climate is generally mild and damp although it can be erratic. London is one of the driest parts of Britain. However, the weather is generally cloudy, and sometimes it rains on half the days of the year. With the mean temperature in July of about 18° C (about 64° F), London has warmer summers than most of the island. It’s frosty during winters in London. Fog frequently develops in winter.
Now let me tell you about the city. London’s metropolitan area extends for more than 30 miles. Most of Central London is located north of the Thames. It contains the City of London, the City of Westminster, and districts in the West End. The City of London is the heart of the city. The City of Westminster is the seat of the national government.