Graduate DiplomaReading & Writing Session 8

Language IssuesSelf-study techniquesVerbs of Reference

COLLOCATIONS

click on passes

upload the button

submit will receive a zero mark

essays submitted after the deadline

files

claiming 'extenuating lateness'

when the course deadline assignments

click on the button

upload files

submit assignments

essays submitted after the deadline

will receive a zero mark

claiming 'extenuating lateness'

when the course deadline passes

a pop-up list

the system is box

the drop-down busy

a pop-up box

the system is busy

the drop-down list

Depending / how busy / system  

you will see / file / same name / your original document

 

select / “I agree to the above statement” / drop down list  

What are the missing words from this sentence? you need ______ nothing ______

Depending / how busy / system

DEPENDING ON HOW BUSY THE SYSTEM IS

you will see / file / same name / your original document

YOU WILL SEE A FILE WITH THE SAME NAME AS YOUR ORIGINAL DOCUMENT select / “I agree to the above statement” / drop down list SELECT “I AGREE TO THE ABOVE STATEMENT” FROM THE DROP-DOWN LISTWhat are the missing words from this sentence?You need __ nothing ____ you need DO nothing ELSE

VERBS OF REFERENCE

Presenting a case Describing a reaction to another writer’s position

Other verbs of reference

Presenting a case Describing a reaction to another writer’s position

Other verbs of reference

argue

claim

consider

hypothesise

suggest

believe

think

state

accept

admit

agree

deny

doubt

assume

conclude

discover

explain

imply

indicate

maintain

presume

reveal

show

Practice 1

Complete the sentences on your handout so that they reflect what the following writers say /said.

A: “You could be right. I may have made a mistake in my estimate.”

B: “I did not say that sheep were faster than horses.”

C: “Whales are very intelligent animals.”

D: “I support A’s position on cats and dogs.”

E: “I’m not sure, but cows probably get cold in winter.”

F: “After much research, I’ve found that pigs can’t fly.”

G: “On my travels in the jungle I found a new type of frog.”

H: “I think it unlikely that cats can learn to talk.”

I: “Somebody should compare mouse behaviour with rat behaviour”

J: “There may be a link between health and the seasons”.

Key

A admitted* that he might have made a mistake in his estimate. (*or accepted / agreed)

B denies saying that sheep are faster than horses.

C states that whales are very intelligent animals.

D agrees with A’s position on cats and dogs.

E assumes that cows could get cold in winter.

F concludes that pigs cannot fly.

G discovered a new type of frog in the jungle.

H doubts that cats can learn to talk.

I suggests that mouse behaviour should be compared with rat behaviour.

J hypothesised that there might be a link between health and the seasons.

What do the following verbs have in common?

•blame, censure, commend, condemn, criticise

What do the following verbs have in common?

•blame, censure, commend, condemn, criticise

They are followed by somebody/something + for + noun / gerund.

e.g. Lee (1998) blames foreign investors for the panic.

What pattern follows this group of verbs?

• assess, characterise, classify, define, describe, evaluate, identify, interpret, portray, present

What pattern follows this group of verbs?

• assess, characterise, classify, define, describe, evaluate, identify, interpret, portray, present

Verb + somebody/something + as + noun / gerund

e.g. Terry interprets rising oil prices as a result of Asian recovery.

Practice 2

Rewrite the following statements using one of the two sets of verbs listed above.

e.g. K: “X’s work is responsible for many of our current economic problems”K blames X’s work for many of our current economic problems.

L: “She was very careless about her research methods”

M: “There are three main species of bees”

N: “The cat family are the kings of the animal world”

O: “I’m sure that dogs bark because they are nervous”

P: “Trying to estimate the number of animal species is like shooting in the dark”

Q: “Darwin was the greatest naturalist of the nineteenth century”

R: “An insect is a six-legged arthropod.”

S: “Queen Victoria was a short, rather fat woman with dark eyes”

T: “Gregor Mendel can be considered the founder of modern genetics”

Practice 2 : Prompts

L criticised…

M classifies…

N characterises…

O interprets…

P describes…

Q evaluates…

R defines…

S portrays…

T identifies Gregor Mendel…

Practice 2 : Key

L criticises her for being careless about her research methods / for the carelessness of her research methods.

M classifies bees into three main species.

N characterises the cat family as “the kings of the animal world”.

O interprets dogs’ barking as nervousness.

P describes trying to estimate the number of animal species as being like

“shooting in the dark”.

Q evaluates Darwin as “the greatest naturalist of the nineteenth century.”

R defines an insect as a “six-legged arthropod.”

S portrays Queen Victoria as “a short, rather fat woman with dark eyes.”

T identifies Gregor Mendel as “the founder of modern genetics.”

Other expressions

According to X, “what X said”

As X states / argues etc, “what X said”

In the words of X, “what X said”

For X, “what X said”

X’s position / contention / argument is that…