The Verb Page – Verbal Phrases 5 – The Transvaal

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What part of South Africa were you born in?
What part of South Africa was he born in?
What part of South Africa was she born in?

the part – the whole

it will be called
it was called
it is called

The word “call” has many nuances.

it is called
it is still called

Did you call me?

Passive Voice

you grew up in a mining town
you were born in a morning town
you lived in a mining town
you worked in a mining town

Which one is passive?

I certainly didn’t know
I certainly don’t know

When?

I guess there were not too many
I guessed there were not too many

Which one did you hear?

there will be about a thousand students
there are about a thousand students
there were about a thousand students

Three different points in time.

I thought
I am thinking
I think

Three verb tenses of the same verb.

It was a hell of a lot.
It is a hell of a lot.

Past and present.

I could not estimate how many
I cannot estimate how many

It is difficult to make an accurate estimation … to give an accurate estimate …. but ….

I grew up in a mining town.
I grew up in a fishing village.
I grew up in a port city.

Where did you grow up?

Oh, did they?
Oh, did he?
Oh, did you?

An exclamation then a question.

They have a distinctive flavour
They had a distinctive flavour

Do you like strawberry ice cream?

most people are white
most people were white

Colours and flavours.

or most people are black
or most people were black

Yeah. I know what you mean.
Yeah I know what you meant.

And then of course the mines had these huge compounds
and then of course the mines have these huge compounds

they had imported labor
they have imported labour

Do you have servants?

and these men lived on their own in these huge compounds without their wives
these men live on their own in these huge compounds without their wives

Do you live away from your wife?

and they have curfew at nine o’clock at night
And they had curfew at nine o’clock at night.

Is there a curfew in your village?

The sirens would go
the sirens will go
the sirens went off

Do you know the story of Odysseus and the Sirens?

every black person in town would scatter for their little rooms
every black person in town scattered

Relative Clauses

the people that they work for
the people that they worked for

the people who they work for
the people who they worked for

Past or Future?

How old were you when you left there?
How old will you be when you leave here?

I was fifteen.
I am fifteen

How old are you?

I left there
I will leave there

I couldn’t wait.
I cannot wait
I can not wait
I can’t wait

Are you an impatient person?

You went to the city to go to school?
You go to the city to go to school?

Which one was it?

I continued my schooling
I carried on my schooling

Little Red Riding Hood

I stayed with my grandmother
I stay with my grandmother

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Have you seen the History and Geography Page?

World English Course

There are lots of things you can learn in the World English Course. There is a place where you can talk about work and there is also a place where you can find a job and a place where you can find staff. There is a place where you can have fun and there is a place where you can talk about food or family. There is also a place where you can talk about money or love or philosophy. You can study anything you want anytime you want. You can do it once a week or every day or any time you like. Have fun! Work hard! Tell your friends and family members! Enjoy!

Links to More Lessons on More Pages

The Work Page

Routine and Habit – The Routine Page

Verbs in Context in Many Tenses with Audio
Philosophy of Grammar and the Idea of Verbs as Actions
Verbs and Tenses – The Tense Page

Present Participle or Gerund or “ing” Form

Verbal Phrases 1 (with Audio)

Verbal Phrases 2 (with Audio)

Verbal Phrases 3 (with Audio)

Verbal phrases 4 (with Audio)
Verbal Phrases 5 (with Audio)

Verbal Phrases 6 (with Audio)