This document contains information from the American Headway 4 textbook including: 1. A table of contents for Unit 1 that lists the chapter titles. 2. An explanation of the basic elements of English tense usage including time aspect (present, past, future), and the simple, continuous, and perfect verb forms. 3. Examples of how to use different verb tenses including the present, future, and past tenses as well as the simple, continuous, and perfect aspects. 4. A brief section on the differences between formal and informal spoken language.

1. American Headway 4: Unit 1
4 Unit 1

2. American Headway 4: Unit 1
Contents
7 Getting along
8 People and places
9 Changing times
10 Dangerous living
11 In your dreams
12 It’s never too late
1 No place like home
2 Been there, done that!
3 What a story!
4 Nothing but the truth
5 An eye to the future
6 Making it big

3. American Headway 4: Unit 1
English tense usage
2 elements
time aspect
all time
now
future
past
simple
continuous
perfect

4. American Headway 4: Unit 1
time - usually obvious
all time: She has a new cell phone.
now: She’s texting her friends.

5. American Headway 4: Unit 1
time - usually obvious
all time: She has a new cell phone.
now: She’s texting her friends.
future: He will be walking soon.
past: They went to the movies.

6. American Headway 4: Unit 1
present tense form future
Present Continuous:
She’s going out tonight.
Present Simple (timetable):
The plane goes to Texas at 4:00 pm today.
Present Simple (subordinate clause):
When you go home, please water the plants.

7. American Headway 4: Unit 1
simple aspect
a habit or a complete action
She has a new cell phone.
When I’ve watched the DVD, I’ll return it.
They bought a new car.
She was always on time for class.
It snowed a lot during our ski trip.
We will be there at 9:00 every morning.

8. American Headway 4: Unit 1
continuous aspect
focuses on duration, in progress (not permanent)
I’m studying Portuguese while I am in Brazil.
They were dancing for hours and hours.
I’ve been studying English for years.
Come by at 8:00. We’ll be waiting for you.

9. American Headway 4: Unit 1
perfect aspect
action completed before another time
or the exact time is not important
Have you ever been to the U.S.?
When I arrived, Peter had left.
Have you seen my wallet anywhere?
I had met him in 1992 at college.

10. American Headway 4: Unit 1
I’m studying at a school in Sao Paulo.
Present Simple
Select the correct verb tense
Present Continuous
Present Perfect

11. American Headway 4: Unit 1
I will be working as a gardener next year.
Future Simple
Select the correct verb tense
Future Continuous
Future Perfect

12. American Headway 4: Unit 1
Have you ever been to a Japanese
garden?
Past Simple
Select the correct verb tense
Past Continuous
Past Perfect

13. American Headway 4: Unit 1
Present Continuous - refers to future
went
has beenisn’t
Present Simple - all time
Past Perfect - some time before now
did stay
did have
did
held
Does
does seem
are doing
Future Continuous - duration
are visiting
Past Simple - complete

14. American Headway 4: Unit 1
I’m doing
well, thank
you. How
are you?
Hello.
How are
you?
formal spoken language

15. American Headway 4: Unit 1
How’s it
going?
OK. You?colloquial language
missing words

16. American Headway 4: Unit 1
That is some awesome
dancing.
Find the colloquial language

17. American Headway 4: Unit 1
That is some awesome
dancing.
What does it mean?
Their dancing is really great.

18. American Headway 4: Unit 1
Those shades look way cool
on her.
Find the colloquial language

19. American Headway 4: Unit 1
What does it mean?
Those sunglasses look
really good on her.
Those shades look way cool
on her.

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my buddy = my friend
I don’t get it = I don’t understand it

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this stuff = an unknown item
(that the speaker may not recognize)

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totally psyched = really excited

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not very goodgoodworry

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greata lotequipment

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