Mr. Herz's English Page
2019

2019: Kfar Hasidim

I've got here some pages for our classes. Just follow the links for your class.

Summer Break

Hello dear people. I've had a request for work to do over the break to make you just great at English. So, I've been thinking about this over the weekend, and here are my top ten ideas:

  • Read books. Start with children's books. Read them over and over until they are easy, and you know every word, and you understand the use of every phrase, or at least appreciate the use of the tenses. Then move up to something a little harder.
  • Read children's books to children. If you have children in your life, read them English children's books. They'll learn. So will you. But mostly, as you read them over and over, you'll really start to get the flow and cadence, which will help you to read and understand as you move forward.
  • Watch an English language movie, over and over and over (It's best to find one you really like). You'll find the first few times is mostly about the vocabulary you don't know. Then you'll start to notice the grammar and special turns of phrase. Again, you'll get into the cadence and the flow, and you'll get a better idea of when it "sounds right."
  • Find a reason to write, to someone or just for yourself. You could keep a journal. If you are given to sadness, you might find Shawn Achor's recommendations useful.
  • As you all know, I'm hot for you all to come up with a compelling why for your life. You've got anywhere from a few minutes to a hundred years ahead of you. How nice it would be to be excited to get up to put your special dent in the universe. So you could design your life, in English, or your own language. Dr. Peterson's Self Authoring Suite will cost you about 50 sheq a person (find a friend to split the two for one with) to do just that. But as we're talking English, that might be the better choice.
  • If you are a musician, and there are English songs you like, learn them in English, but also make it a point to understand them. Be careful though, because musicians and poets do often take license with grammar.
  • Listen to, and maybe memorize, great speeches.
  • There are many commencement (graduation) speeches on line that could be worth your time. Here are some I like by Amanda Palmer, and Admiral William McRaven.
  • Read and memorize some poetry.
  • Read and memorize some Shakespeare.
  • If there is something else you like, take a course or get some coaching on that. There is something on almost everything available.
  • Or just spend time with English speakers speaking English.
  • Follow me on Quora, or Facebook,
  • or my personal notes, or my other Blogs or pages
  • Or just write me and keep in touch.

You should all have a great Summer.

I love you all.

Passover Break

Write a few paragraphs about your Passover break. Some things you could address include:

  • Whom did you visit? Who visited you?
  • Did you travel anywhere? What did you see there?
  • Did you get to do anything you don’t normally do? Describe it. If you didn’t do anything out of the ordinary, describe what you normally do.
  • What was your favorite part about break?
  • What did you learn?
  • Are you happy to be back in school?
  • What do you plan to accomplish between now and the end of the year?

Some old work:

Below are some assignments from prior classes I've taught. If I'm around long enough, you'll be doing these as well.

Paragraph about what you did this morning

Write a paragraph about what you did this morning. A hundred words should not be too difficult.

Interview

Your task was to interview another person in the class using the form Interview Formand write a paragraph about him or her. You may instead do this about yourself using the form Introducing Yourself

Present Tense Review

Do this exercise: Present Simple Exercise.

Book Report

Using this Book Report Form as a guide, write a book report on either of “The Missing Piece” or “The Missing Piece Meets the Big O.”

Theatrical Review

Using one of the plays handed out in class, write a review. You may use the following questions as a guide, but need not answer all of them: Was there a point being made? What was the point? Was this play trying to teach something? Whatever the purpose, did the author achieve it? Did you like this play? Why or why not? How would you change the play to make the point better?

Paragraph About What Particularly Annoys You or What Brings You Particular Pleasure

Provide detail. Tell me a story. Put me in the situation. Make it active. 100 words.

Pronouns

Fill in our Pronoun Review Form. Each numbered exercise uses only one row of the form. There is no need to try to mix and match.

Past Tense Review

Do this exercise: Past Simple Exercise.

Paragraph About an Embarrassing Situation

Write a paragraph about an embarrassing situation. Provide detail. Tell me a story. Put me in the situation. Make it active. 100 words.

Paragraph About Your Break

Review of “The Mouse”

Mr. Herz's English page.

Modal Perfect

modal + have + V3

could + have + V3

To show that we had the ability to do something in the past, but in fact we didn't do it.

Example:

I could have taken the exam, but I chose to skip class instead.

should/ought to + have + V3

When sensible advice wasn't followed or when expectations or obligations weren't fulfilled.

Example:

You should have done the test when the class did. Now you'll have to stay after school.

might + have + V3

When we are guessing because we don't know what happened in the past.

Example:

Fritz hasn't been out of his room all day. He might have been studying.

must + have + V3

When we are quite certain about things that took place in the past, or to draw logical conclusions.

Example:

Helga didn't come to my party last night. She must have forgotten.

would + have + V3

To express an action which we were welling to do in the past but which in fact we didn't do.

Example:

I would have come to school earlier, but my car had a flat tire.

All the modal perfects refer to past actions which did or did not take place. The meaning of the sentence varies according to the modal used.


Present Simple: facts, habit, sports narration

Examples:

Does Mr. Herz speak German?
Yes, Mr. Herz speaks German.

Is Diane out sick?
Yes, she is out sick.

Doesn't class start at 10:30?
Class does not start at 10:30. Rather, it starts at 10:25.

Doesn't everyone know that sugar is a poison?
Of course. Everyone knows that sugar is poison.

Present Progressive: happening now; plan for the near future

Examples:

Who is trying to take attendance?
Mr. Herz is trying to take attendance.

Where is Diane resting?
Diane is resting at home.

Is it raining now?
It is not raining now.

Who is getting together to practice English today?
We are all getting together to practice our English this afternoon.

Past Simple: facts in the past

Examples:

When did Mr. Herz marry?
Mr. Herz married in 1997.

Who came to school late today?
I came to school late today.

When did class start?
Class started at 10:25.

What idiot thought that fat makes you fat?
Ancel Keyes thought that fat makes you fat.

Future Simple: future facts

Examples:

When will Mr. Herz learn to code better?
He will learn to code better when he practices more.
When will Diane return?
Diane will return next week.

Will class end late today?
Yes. It will end late.

Will I see you next week?
No, you will not see me next week.
School is out image
© 2019 David R. Herz