Curso de Inglés Avanzado Lección 4

Notice these two structures from the listening transcription on the previous page:

1) People often have problems communicating in situations where they're unsure of the people they’re talking to.
2) A lot depends on the way that you say it.

Look at some more example structures:

• There are many reasons why communication skills are important.
• There have been several cases where clients have lost contracts due to bad communication skills.
• It’s easy to reach the point where you become over-emotional.
• We seem to be going through a period in which the way we communicate is changing.
• No one is sure of the extent to which this will affect business.
• One of the key elements of clear communication is the part where you summarise what the other person says.

Join the pairs of sentences using a phrase from the box. You will need to change some of the sentences. Follow the example.

Example:
· People hate long conversations with senior colleagues at parties and social events.
- There are many reasons for this.

1. After an emotional argument, calm down and think clearly about what you really want to get across.
It is essential to have a time like this.
It is essential

2. The two people involved remember different things from the same conversation.
It is quite common to come across cases like this.
It is quite

3. How people express themselves when they complain is important.
Many people respond negatively to this.
Many people

4. Make other people feel important.
Many experts say that charm depends on how much you do this.
Many experts

5. Nervous people forget to smile or make sympathetic noises.
There are various reasons.
There are

6. People talk too much and don’t listen properly because they are nervous.
I have seen many situations like this.
I have seen

Listen and repeat the sentences.

You make a complex sentence when you put an independent clause and a dependent clause together.

What is an independent clause?

An independent clause is a group of words that contains a verb and a subject and expresses a complete thought. An independent clause is a sentence.
Here are some examples of independent clauses:

- María studied English with La Mansión del Inglés because she wanted to pass the FCE exam.
- María always listens to English podcasts when she exercises.
- María was really happy after she passed the FCE exam.

What is a dependent clause?

A dependent clause is a group of words that has a verb and a subject but does not express a complete thought. A dependent clause is not a sentence. A dependent clause usually has one of these words:

· after
· although
· as
· as if
· because
· before
· even though
· even if
· in order to
· if
· since
· though
· unless
· until
· when
· whatever
· whenever
· whereas
· wherever
· while

Here are some examples of dependent clauses:

- because she wanted to pass the FCE exam
- when she exercises
- after she passed the FCE exam

The dependent clause can go first or second in the sentence:

FIRST: When she exercises, María always listens to English podcasts.
SECOND: María always listens to English podcasts when she exercises.

Note:

When the dependent clause comes first, use a comma to separate the two clauses.

- Because she wanted to pass the FCE exam, María studied English with La Mansión del Inglés.
- When she exercises , María always listens to English podcasts.
- After she passed the FCE exam, María was really happy.

When the independent clause comes first, do not use a comma to separate the two clauses.

¿Conoces el Examen de FCE?