Intro
1. Learn Vocabulary - Learn some new vocabulary before you start the lesson.
2. Read and Prepare - Read the introduction and prepare to hear the audio.
Native English speakers make English mistakes all the time but no one calls them on it because they don’t have a foreign accent. It’s not fair but it’s true.
One of the hardest things about the English language is apostrophes. It’s so hard that native speakers misuse them all the time!
Mason is taking out the recycling in his apartment building when Jason arrives to see him and finds an opportunity for a little grammar lesson.
3. Watch - Watch the video without reading the dialog.
English, baby! English Lesson Video
Dialog
1. Listen and Read - Listen to the audio and read the dialog at the same time.
2. Study - Read the dialog again to see how the vocab words are used.
|
|
Mason: What’s up, Jason? How’s it going?
Jason: Hey, dude, I was just on my way to your place. You taking out the recycling?
Mason: Yeah man. Just got done. It’s my weekly task.
Jason: What’s up with these apostrophes?
Mason: “Bottle’s” and “can’s,” dude.
Jason: But it’s plural. It’s not possessive.
Mason: It’s got an ’s’. It’s “bottle’s.” “Can’s.”
Jason: It’s so funny, ’cause, you know an apostrophe is like super hard to get right? Even native speakers don’t ever get it.
Mason: What do you mean? It’s like, “you’re,” apostrophe, “bottle’s,” apostrophe.
Jason: An apostrophe is only there if…Well, “you’re” it’s there because it’s a contraction. The apostrophe represents a letter that’s missing as in the ‘a’ in “are.” And then if it was like, “Mason’s cans,” it would have an apostrophe because they belong to Mason.
Mason: Right. “Can’s.” Apostrophe.
Jason: But this is just “cans,” like more than one can. So it doesn’t have an apostrophe. You know what I mean?
Mason: Dude, it’s my recycling. Like, why you gotta get all grammar on me?
Jason: I’m not. I’m just teasing you. I’m just saying it’s funny how, like, people learning the language complain about apostrophes. I make mistakes all the time with apostrophes and…
Mason: Yeah. I guess. Apostrophes are the least of my worries with English. I’m lucky if I can think of the right word when I want it. Seriously.
Quizzes
Lesson MP3
Discussion
Mason has two boxes, one labeled “can’s” and the other labeled “bottle’s.” Jason explains that they should say “bottles” and “cans” since the only time you use an apostrophe is when something belongs to someone (example: Jason’s Lucky Day) or there’s a letter missing because of a contraction (example: was not = wasn’t).
But the way Jason describes apostrophes is confusing because the example of a possessive he uses is “Mason’s cans.” This gives Mason a headache and he suggests there be no more grammar lessons in the hallway.
Comments
|
Saudi Arabia |
|
United States |
|
Honduras |
|
Taiwan |
|
Viet Nam |
|
Viet Nam |
|
Viet Nam |
|
United States |
Guns 'N roses? |
|
India |
|
Uruguay |
To be honest, I've never had trouble with apostrophes, I find them very simple. |
Maybe I make mistakes on another things, but not on this.|
Brazil |
|
Ecuador |
|
Algeria |
|
Algeria |
|
Turkey |
|
Turkey |
|
Saudi Arabia |
Thanks for the lesson.. |
|
Colombia |
|
Chile |
|
Hungary |
