İleri İngilizce I — 6-10 Week Course & Self-Study Book
Week 6 — Pronouns & Possessives
Goal: Students use subject pronouns, object pronouns and possessive adjectives without mixing them up — especially he/she and his/her, which Turkish does not separate ("o", "onun").
Grammar — E-book Lessons 7 & 8
Subject | Object | Possessive adjective | Possessive pronoun |
I | me | my | mine |
you | you | your | yours |
he | him | his | his |
she | her | her | hers |
it | it | its | — |
we | us | our | ours |
they | them | their | theirs |
Subject does the action: She called the client.
Object receives the action / follows a preposition: The client called her. Send it to them.
Possessive adjective + noun: Their office is in Levent.
Possessive pronoun replaces adjective + noun: That laptop is mine, not yours.
's for people and companies: the manager*'s** office, Turkish Airlines**'** new routes.*
Common mistakes: My manager is a woman. He is kind. ✗ → She is kind ✓. Its = belonging to it; It's = it is. Me and my friend went → My friend and I went (formal).
Sentence Patterns 22–25
# | Pattern | Türkçe | Example |
22 | I have got to… | …meliyim (zorunluluk) | I have got to finish this project by Friday. |
23 | By the way… | By the way, the meeting time has changed. | |
24 | As soon as… | …er …mez | Call me as soon as you arrive. |
25 | By the time… | …diğinde / …ana kadar | By the time we got there, the meeting had started. |
Watch out: after as soon as and by the time about the future, use the present: Call me as soon as you arrive (not will arrive).
Phrasal Verbs
Phrasal verb | Türkçe | Example |
get back to | (birine) dönüş yapmak | I'll get back to you by Thursday. |
get along with | iyi anlaşmak | She gets along with all her colleagues. |
give up | vazgeçmek, bırakmak | Don't give up — you're almost there. |
turn down | reddetmek; (ses) kısmak | He turned down the job offer. |
look into | araştırmak, incelemek | We'll look into your complaint today. |
Activity 1 — Reading: "A New Colleague"
Last Monday, a new colleague joined our marketing team. Her name is Ayşe, and she comes from İzmir. Before this job, she worked for a small advertising agency. Its office was in Alsancak, and its clients were mostly hotels. She had a lot of experience, so our manager, Burak, asked me to help her settle in.
On her first day, I showed her our office and introduced her to everyone. "This is Can. His job is social media. And these are Elif and Mert. Their team deals with online ads," I said. Ayşe got along with them immediately.
At lunch, she told me something interesting. "Another company offered me a job too, with a higher salary, but I turned it down. Their office was far from my home, and I've got to look after my mother in the evenings." By the way, her mother lives with her now.
By the time Friday came, Ayşe was already working on a campaign for one of our clients. Burak was very happy with her. "As soon as she finishes it, I'd like you to send it to me," he told us. "Then we'll get back to the client."
Comprehension questions
Where did Ayşe work before?
What did the narrator do on Ayşe's first day?
Why did Ayşe turn down the other job?
What was Ayşe doing by Friday?
What does Burak want them to do when the campaign is finished?
Vocabulary
Word | Türkçe | Example |
join | katılmak | Two new people joined the team. |
advertising agency | reklam ajansı | He works for an advertising agency. |
client | müşteri (kurumsal) | Our biggest client is a bank. |
settle in | alışmak, uyum sağlamak | It took me a week to settle in. |
introduce | tanıştırmak | Let me introduce you to my manager. |
ad (advertisement) | reklam | We post ads on Instagram. |
salary | maaş | The salary is good, but the hours are long. |
offer | teklif (etmek) | They offered me a job. |
campaign | kampanya | The new campaign starts in May. |
experience | deneyim | She has five years of experience. |
Activity 2 — Grammar Practice
Choose the correct word.
My manager is very kind. (He / She) always helps us. (manager = a woman)
Please give the report to (I / me).
This is Ali and (his / her) sister.
The company changed (it's / its) logo.
Is this bag (your / yours)?
(We / Us) are meeting the clients tomorrow.
I don't know (they / them) very well.
That isn't my laptop. Mine is black; (her / hers) is silver.
Call me as soon as you (arrive / will arrive).
By the time I got to the station, the train (left / had left).
Writing Task
Write 80–100 words about a colleague, classmate or family member you get along with. Describe who they are, what they do and why you get along. Use at least 6 different pronouns or possessives and the patterns By the way and As soon as.
Discussion Questions
Who do you get along with best in your class or at work? Why?
Have you ever turned down an offer — a job, an invitation, a deal?
What have you got to do this week that you don't want to do?
What is something you gave up and are happy about?
When you start a new job or class, how do you settle in?
What do you do as soon as you get home?
What is your best friend's job or major? Describe their typical day.
Is it rude when someone doesn't get back to your message? How long is OK?
By the time you are 30, what would you like to have done?
Do you think companies should look into every customer complaint? Why?
Interactive Practice — Introduce Your Partner
Part A — Interview (8 min): Pairs interview each other: name, hometown, family, job or major, best friend, one thing they've given up, one offer they've turned down. Take notes.
Part B — Introductions (10 min): In groups of 6, each student introduces their partner to the group, speaking about him/her in the third person: "This is Emre. He's from Trabzon. His sister works in a bank, and her office is in Levent. He gets along with his brother, but they don't see each other often…"
Pronoun police: One student in each group is the "pronoun police" and raises a hand every time someone mixes up he/she or his/her. The speaker must correct it immediately. Change the police after each introduction.
Part C — Chain story (2 min): The group tells a story together, one sentence each, using As soon as… / By the time… / By the way…
Self-study version: Write and record an introduction of a family member (he) and a female friend (she).
Extra Practice
Lingua reading (B1): Going to work in the morning — underline every pronoun and possessive.
News in Levels: in a Level 2 article, find who "he", "she" or "they" refers to each time.
Extra grammar: Grammar in Levels – Level 1.
Self-Study Path — Week 6
Grammar (25 min): Copy the pronoun table from memory, then check it.
Patterns & phrasal verbs (20 min): One personal sentence each.
Reading (30 min): Read, then circle every pronoun and draw a line to the person it refers to.
Practice & writing (30 min): 10 items, then your paragraph.
Discussion (20 min): Record your answers.
Extra (15 min): Lingua text.
Can-do check
I use he/she and his/her correctly.
I know its vs it's.
I use the present after as soon as / by the time for the future.
Sample Answers — Week 6
Reading
At a small advertising agency in İzmir.
Showed her the office and introduced her to everyone.
The office was far from her home, and she has got to look after her mother in the evenings.
She was working on a campaign for a client.
Send the campaign to Burak, and then they'll get back to the client.
Grammar practice: 1. She · 2. me · 3. his · 4. its · 5. yours · 6. We · 7. them · 8. hers · 9. arrive · 10. had left
Model writing
I get along very well with my classmate Defne. She is from Antalya, and her family has a small hotel there. She studies business with me, and her dream is to manage their hotel one day. We study together every Thursday, and she always helps me with my accounting homework. In return, I help her with her English presentations. By the way, her brother is also at our university, and he is in the football team. As soon as our exams finish, we're going to visit her family in Antalya.
Discussion
I get along best with Mehmet. He's funny, but he's also serious when we work on projects.
Yes, I turned down a job at a call centre last summer. The pay was good, but the hours were too long.
I've got to finish a group report and pay my phone bill. Not fun!
I gave up drinking energy drinks. Now I sleep much better.
I ask a lot of questions and I try to learn everyone's name in the first week.
As soon as I get home, I change my clothes and have a cup of tea.
My best friend studies law. Her days are long: classes in the morning, library in the afternoon, and part-time work at a law office.
A little, yes. I think one day is OK, but after three days it's rude.
By the time I'm 30, I'd like to have a good job, my own car and maybe my own small business.
Yes, because even one complaint can show a big problem. Customers also feel respected.
Week 7 — Adjectives & Adverbs of Manner
Goal: Students describe products, people and performance precisely, choosing between adjectives (a careful driver) and adverbs (she drives carefully), and talk about past regrets.
Grammar — E-book Lessons 12 & 13
Adjectives describe nouns. They come before the noun or after be/look/seem/feel, and never take -s.
a new product, reliable suppliers (not reliables)
The service was excellent. You look tired.
-ed vs -ing: I'm bored (my feeling) vs. The meeting was boring (the cause). Also: interested/interesting, tired/tiring, confused/confusing.
Order (when there are several): opinion → size → age → colour → origin → material + noun: a nice small black Italian leather bag.
Adverbs of manner describe how someone does something (they describe verbs).
Adjective | Adverb | Example |
slow | slowly | Please speak slowly. |
careful | carefully | Check the numbers carefully. |
easy | easily | She finished the test easily. |
good | well | He speaks English well. |
fast | fast | The delivery arrived fast. |
hard | hard | They work hard. (hardly = almost not!) |
late | late | The train arrived late. (lately = recently) |
Common mistakes: She speaks English very good ✗ → very well ✓. He drives careful ✗ → carefully ✓. I'm boring in class ✗ (= I make people bored!) → I'm bored ✓.
Sentence Patterns 26–29 — Reasons and Regrets
# | Pattern | Türkçe | Example |
26 | That's why… | İşte bu yüzden… | Our prices are low; that's why customers come back. |
27 | I wish I had… (+ past participle) | Keşke …saydım | I wish I had listened to your advice. |
28 | I should have… (+ past participle) | …meliydim | I should have called you earlier. |
29 | I shouldn't have… (+ past participle) | …memeliydim | I shouldn't have sent that email so quickly. |
Note: I wish I had + noun = present wish (I wish I had more time). I wish I had + past participle = past regret (I wish I had studied harder).
Phrasal Verbs
Phrasal verb | Türkçe | Example |
point out | belirtmek, dikkat çekmek | She pointed out a mistake in the report. |
bring up | (konu) açmak | Don't bring up salary in the first interview. |
go over | gözden geçirmek | Let's go over the numbers once more. |
check in | giriş yapmak (otel/havalimanı) | We checked in two hours before the flight. |
check out | çıkış yapmak; incelemek | Check out our new website! |
Activity 1 — Reading: "A Bad Review"
Last summer, Emre booked a room at a small boutique hotel in Bodrum. The photos on the website were beautiful: a quiet garden, a large blue swimming pool and modern rooms. The price was reasonable, so he booked quickly.
When he arrived, things were different. The receptionist was friendly, but the check-in process was very slow. The room was small and dark, and the air conditioning worked badly. "I should have read the reviews more carefully," he thought. "I wish I had chosen the bigger hotel."
On the second day, Emre went over the problems politely with the manager. She listened carefully and pointed out that the hotel was full. "I'm sorry, we don't have another room, but we'll fix the air conditioning today," she said. A technician came quickly and fixed it well.
When Emre checked out, he wrote an honest review. He gave the hotel three stars. "The staff were helpful and the breakfast was delicious, but the rooms are not like the photos. That's why I can't give five stars." Later he thought, "Maybe I shouldn't have written it so angrily." But the manager answered his review kindly, and that impressed him.
Comprehension questions
Why did Emre book the hotel?
What three problems did he find when he arrived?
What does Emre regret about booking?
How did the manager respond to his complaint?
Why did Emre give three stars, not five?
Vocabulary
Word | Türkçe | Example |
boutique hotel | butik otel | We stayed in a boutique hotel in Alaçatı. |
reasonable | makul, uygun | The prices are very reasonable. |
process | süreç | The application process takes two weeks. |
air conditioning | klima | The air conditioning isn't working. |
review | yorum, değerlendirme | Always read the reviews before you book. |
politely | kibarca | She refused politely. |
technician | teknisyen | A technician will check the printer. |
honest | dürüst | Thank you for your honest feedback. |
delicious | lezzetli | The food was delicious. |
impress | etkilemek | Her presentation impressed the managers. |
Activity 2 — Grammar Practice
Choose the adjective or adverb.
She is a very (careful / carefully) driver.
He finished the project (quick / quickly).
Your English is very (good / well).
You speak English very (good / well).
The presentation was really (bored / boring).
I was (interested / interesting) in the job advert.
The team worked (hard / hardly) all week.
I (should have / should) checked the reviews before I booked.
I wish I (had studied / studied) harder for the exam last year.
It's a (leather black nice / nice black leather) jacket.
Writing Task
Write an online review (80–100 words) of a restaurant, hotel, shop or app you used. Describe what was good and bad using at least 5 adjectives and 3 adverbs. Include one regret with I should have… or I wish I had… and a conclusion with That's why…
Discussion Questions
Do you read reviews before you buy or book something? Do you trust them?
Have you ever written a review? Was it positive or negative?
What is something you should have done differently last year?
Describe your favourite piece of clothing using three adjectives.
Who do you know who speaks English well? How did they learn?
What makes you bored in class? What makes a lesson interesting?
Do you prefer to work quickly or carefully? Why?
Have you ever pointed out a mistake to your teacher or manager? How?
What topics should you never bring up with new colleagues?
What is one thing you wish you had learned at school?
Interactive Practice — Review Battle + Regret Circle
Part A — Review Battle (12 min): Groups of 3. Give each group a card: a boutique hotel, a burger restaurant, a delivery app, a gym, a phone shop. Each group writes a short 4–5 sentence review (good and bad points, at least 4 adjectives and 2 adverbs). Then groups swap reviews. The receiving group acts as the manager and replies politely: "Thank you for your honest review. We're sorry the room was noisy. We've fixed the air conditioning…"
Part B — Regret Circle (8 min): Sit in a circle. Each student says one real regret with I should have / I shouldn't have / I wish I had. The next student reacts with That's why… or a question, then shares their own:
A: "I shouldn't have stayed up so late last night." B: "That's why you look tired! I wish I had started my project earlier."
Language check: Listen for well (not good) after verbs, and bored/boring.
Self-study version: Write a review of a place you visited and a polite reply from the manager.
Extra Practice
Lingua reading (B1): A great summer vacation — list 10 adjectives and turn 5 into adverbs.
News in Levels: in a Level 3 article, find 3 adjectives and 2 adverbs.
Listening: British Council B1 listening.
Self-Study Path — Week 7
Grammar (25 min): Write 5 sentences about a product (adjectives) and 5 about how people do their jobs (adverbs).
Patterns & phrasal verbs (20 min): Write 3 real regrets of your own with patterns 27–29.
Reading (30 min): Read, answer, check.
Practice & writing (30 min): 10 items, then your review.
Discussion (20 min): Record your answers.
Midterm prep (15 min): Reread your notes from Weeks 1–6.
Can-do check
I say well, not good, after a verb.
I know bored vs boring.
I can talk about regrets with should have / wish I had.
Sample Answers — Week 7
Reading
The photos were beautiful and the price was reasonable.
Slow check-in, a small dark room, and air conditioning that worked badly.
He should have read the reviews more carefully / he wishes he had chosen the bigger hotel.
She listened carefully, apologised, explained the hotel was full and fixed the air conditioning.
Because the rooms were not like the photos.
Grammar practice: 1. careful · 2. quickly · 3. good · 4. well · 5. boring · 6. interested · 7. hard · 8. should have · 9. had studied · 10. nice black leather
Model writing
I ordered dinner from a new burger restaurant through a delivery app last Friday. The food arrived quickly, and the burger was fresh and delicious. The fries, however, were cold and soggy, and the drink was missing. I called the restaurant and the staff apologised politely. They sent a new drink, but it arrived very late. I should have ordered from my usual place. The quality is good, but the service needs to improve. That's why I'm giving it three stars out of five.
Discussion
Yes, always. I trust reviews with photos and details more than short ones like "Great!"
Yes, I wrote a positive review for a small café. The owner was so kind that I wanted to help her business.
I should have started learning English seriously much earlier. I wasted a lot of time.
My favourite jacket is a comfortable, warm, dark-green one. I wear it almost every day in winter.
My cousin speaks English really well. She watched American series every day and practised with tourists in Antalya.
Long lectures with a lot of text on the slides make me bored. Interesting lessons have real examples and discussion.
I prefer to work carefully. When I work quickly, I make silly mistakes.
Yes, once there was a mistake in my exam grade. I pointed it out politely by email, and the teacher corrected it.
Salary, religion and politics. It's better to talk about work and hobbies first.
I wish I had learned how to manage money — budgeting and saving. Nobody taught us that.
Week 8 — Midterm Review
Goal: Review everything from Weeks 1–7 and prepare for the midterm. If the exam is in a separate week, use this lesson for review and the mock test below.
What the midterm covers
Week | Grammar | Patterns | Phrasal verbs |
1 | To be, present simple | 1–4 | get up, wake up, find out, look for, pick up |
2 | Present continuous, frequency adverbs | 5–8 | work on, go on, carry on, catch up, hang out |
3 | Imperative, would like | 9–13 | fill in, call back, hold on, put through, ask for |
4 | Articles, plurals, some/any | 14–17 | set up, run out of, take off, put off, call off |
5 | Much/many, there is/are | 18–21 | look after, deal with, sort out, figure out, come up with |
6 | Pronouns, possessives | 22–25 | get back to, get along with, give up, turn down, look into |
7 | Adjectives, adverbs of manner | 26–29 | point out, bring up, go over, check in, check out |
Top 10 mistakes to avoid
She work → She works
I'm knowing → I know
looking forward to see → looking forward to seeing
an information / advices → some information / advice
It has many cafés here → There are many cafés here
My mother… he is → she is / her car
Call me when you will arrive → when you arrive
She speaks very good → very well
I'm boring → I'm bored
How about go → How about going
Reading — "From Dorm Room to Business"
Can is 21 years old and he is a second-year business student in Istanbul. Most students work part-time in cafés or shops, but Can has a different job: he runs a small company that sells second-hand textbooks online.
The idea came to him in his first year. "Books here are really expensive, and every semester students throw away a lot of books they don't need any more," he explains. "That's why I came up with a simple website where students can sell their old books and buy cheaper ones." At first, there were only a few books on the site, and there weren't many visitors. Can was the only employee. He wrote the website, answered emails, and picked up the books from students himself.
This semester, things are different. There are more than 2,000 books on the site, and three friends are working with him. One friend deals with the website, another looks after social media, and the third packs the orders. Can usually spends his mornings in class and his afternoons on the business. "I'm always busy, but I'm never bored," he says.
Of course, there were mistakes. "In the beginning, I didn't check the books carefully, and some arrived in bad condition. I should have looked at every book before I sent it. Now we check them all." He also wishes he had asked for advice earlier. "I was too proud. Now, if I have a problem, I ask my professors."
What's next? Can is thinking about opening the site to other universities. "I'm looking forward to graduating," he says, "but I can't wait to see how big this business can get."
Comprehension questions
What does Can's company sell, and to whom?
Why did he come up with the idea?
How was the business different in the beginning?
What are the three friends' jobs?
What mistake did Can make, and what does he do now?
What is Can thinking about doing next?
Vocabulary
Word | Türkçe | Example |
run (a company) | (şirket) yönetmek | She runs a small online shop. |
second-hand | ikinci el | I bought a second-hand bike. |
textbook | ders kitabı | Textbooks are very expensive this year. |
throw away | atmak | Don't throw away old books — sell them! |
visitor | ziyaretçi | The website has 500 visitors a day. |
condition | durum, kondisyon | The phone is in excellent condition. |
proud | gururlu; kibirli | He was too proud to ask for help. |
professor | profesör, hoca | My professor gave me good advice. |
graduate (v.) | mezun olmak | I graduate next June. |
semester | dönem | This semester has 14 weeks. |
Activity 1 — Mock Test (20 questions)
Choose the correct answer.
My brother ___ in a bank. — A) work B) works C) working D) is work
___ you usually take the metro? — A) Are B) Is C) Do D) Does
Look! The manager ___ to a customer. — A) talks B) talk C) is talking D) talking
She is ___ late for meetings. — A) never B) nevers C) not never D) no
I'm looking forward to ___ you. — A) see B) seeing C) saw D) seen
___ a coffee? — A) Do you like B) Would you like C) You like D) Like you
Could you ___ send me the file again? — A) possibly B) possible C) possibility D) possibles
She's ___ engineer. — A) a B) an C) the D) –
We don't have ___ paper left. — A) some B) any C) a D) many
Can you give me some ___? — A) advices B) an advice C) advice D) advise
How ___ employees work here? — A) much B) many C) a lot D) little
___ a printer on the second floor. — A) It has B) There are C) There is D) Have
I'm thinking about ___ my job. — A) change B) to change C) changing D) changed
My manager is a woman. ___ is very kind. — A) He B) She C) Her D) It
Please send the report to ___. — A) I B) my C) me D) mine
Call me as soon as you ___. — A) arrive B) will arrive C) arrived D) arriving
He speaks English very ___. — A) good B) well C) goodly D) best
The lecture was really ___. — A) bored B) boring C) bore D) boredly
I should have ___ the instructions. — A) read B) to read C) reading D) reads
We've ___ out of milk. — A) run B) ran C) running D) runs
Activity 2 — Phrasal Verb Match
Match each phrasal verb with its meaning: put off, call off, turn down, look into, sort out, come up with, go over, get along with → (a) cancel (b) investigate (c) refuse (d) postpone (e) solve (f) review (g) have a good relationship (h) think of an idea.
Writing Task (exam practice)
In 100–120 words, write an email to a hotel manager. Say who you are, describe a problem with your room using adjectives and there is/are, make two polite requests, and end with I look forward to hearing from you.
Discussion Questions (review)
Describe your typical day and what you are doing differently this month.
How often do you do your homework on time?
What would you like to change about your city?
What is your favourite place to hang out, and what is there?
Who do you get along with best, and why?
What is something you should have done differently this term?
What are you looking forward to after the midterm?
Have you ever come up with a business idea?
Describe a product you love using three adjectives.
What have you got to do this week?
Interactive Practice — Speaking Review Carousel
Setup (25 min): Put 6 stations (tables) around the room, one for each topic below. Groups of 3–4 spend 4 minutes at each station, then move clockwise. At each station, every student must speak at least once using the target language.
Station | Task | Target language |
1. Routines | Describe a classmate's typical day; others guess who it is. | Present simple, he/she + -s, frequency adverbs |
2. Right now | Look at a photo card of an office or street; describe what people are doing. | Present continuous |
3. Polite requests | Turn rude requests on cards into polite ones (Give me your pen!). | Patterns 9–15, Would you like…? |
4. The shop | One student is a shopkeeper; others ask about stock. | some/any, much/many, there is/are |
5. People | Describe a famous person (no name) for others to guess. | Pronouns, possessives, adjectives |
6. Regrets | Each student shares one regret and one plan. | I should have / I wish I had / I'm thinking about |
Teacher's role: Walk around and note common mistakes. At the end, write the 5 most common on the board and let the class correct them.
Self-study version: Record yourself for 1 minute on each of the 6 stations.
Self-Study Path — Week 8
Review (45 min): Reread the grammar boxes for Weeks 1–7 and redo every Grammar Practice without looking at the answers.
Patterns (20 min): Cover the English and say each pattern 1–29 from its Turkish meaning.
Mock test (20 min): Do the 20 questions in 15 minutes, then check.
Writing (30 min): Write the exam-practice email and check it against the Top 10 mistakes.
Discussion (20 min): Answer each question aloud for 1 minute.
Can-do check
I scored 16/20 or more on the mock test.
I can say all 29 patterns from their Turkish meaning.
My email has none of the Top 10 mistakes.
Sample Answers — Week 8
Reading
Second-hand textbooks, sold online to students.
Books are very expensive, and students throw away many books they don't need any more.
There were only a few books and not many visitors, and Can did everything himself.
One deals with the website, one looks after social media and one packs the orders.
He didn't check the books carefully, so some arrived in bad condition; now they check every book.
Opening the site to other universities.
Mock test: 1. B · 2. C · 3. C · 4. A · 5. B · 6. B · 7. A · 8. B · 9. B · 10. C · 11. B · 12. C · 13. C · 14. B · 15. C · 16. A · 17. B · 18. B · 19. A · 20. A
Phrasal verb match: put off–d · call off–a · turn down–c · look into–b · sort out–e · come up with–h · go over–f · get along with–g
Model writing
Dear Ms. Arslan,My name is Can Demir, and I am staying in Room 214 until Sunday. Unfortunately, there are some problems with my room. The air conditioning is very noisy, and there isn't any hot water in the bathroom. The room is also quite dark because one of the lamps doesn't work.I was wondering if you could send a technician this afternoon. If it isn't possible to fix the problems today, could you possibly move me to another room?Thank you for your help. I look forward to hearing from you.Best regards, Can Demir
Discussion
I usually go to class in the morning and work in the afternoon. This month I'm also preparing for exams, so I'm studying at the library every evening.
I usually do it on time, but sometimes I put it off until the last night.
I'd like to have more green spaces and less traffic.
Moda. There are a lot of cafés, there is a park by the sea, and there are always street musicians.
I get along best with my sister. She's patient and she always listens to me.
I should have studied a little every day instead of only before the exam.
I'm looking forward to sleeping a lot and seeing my friends!
Yes, a delivery service for homemade food from local mothers to students.
My headphones are light, comfortable and surprisingly cheap.
I've got to finish a group project and prepare for my midterms.
Week 9 — Comparatives & Superlatives
Goal: Students compare products, prices, companies and options accurately, and handle small social problems politely (interrupting, apologising, asking what's wrong).
Grammar — E-book Lesson 14
Adjective | Comparative | Superlative |
One syllable: cheap, fast | cheaper, faster (than) | the cheapest, the fastest |
Ends in -e: large | larger | the largest |
CVC: big, hot | bigger, hotter | the biggest, the hottest |
Ends in -y: easy, busy | easier, busier | the easiest, the busiest |
Two+ syllables: expensive, important | more expensive | the most expensive |
Irregular: good / bad / far | better / worse / further | the best / the worst / the furthest |
Comparatives use than: Online shopping is cheaper than shopping in malls.
Superlatives use the and often in/of: It's the busiest street in Istanbul.
(not) as … as = equal / not equal: The new phone isn't as fast as the old one.
Make it stronger: much / a lot / far + comparative: This one is much cheaper.
Common mistakes: more cheaper ✗ → cheaper ✓. the most good ✗ → the best ✓. bigger from ✗ → bigger than ✓ (Turkish "-den").
Sentence Patterns 30–34
# | Pattern | Türkçe | Example |
30 | I'm sorry to bother you, but… | Rahatsız ettiğim için özür dilerim, ama… | I'm sorry to bother you, but I need your signature. |
31 | I didn't mean to… | …mek gibi bir niyetim yoktu | I didn't mean to interrupt you. |
32 | What's the matter with…? | …e ne oldu? | What's the matter with the printer? |
33 | What would you do if…? (+ past) | …ırsa ne yapardın? | What would you do if you lost your job? |
34 | I couldn't agree more. | Kesinlikle katılıyorum. | "We need more training." — "I couldn't agree more." |
Phrasal Verbs
Phrasal verb | Türkçe | Example |
come across | rastlamak | I came across a great article about marketing. |
turn out | …çıkmak, sonuçlanmak | The cheaper laptop turned out to be better. |
end up | sonunda … olmak | We ended up eating at home. |
back up | yedeklemek; desteklemek | Always back up your files. |
fall behind | geride kalmak | I fell behind with my assignments last month. |
Activity 1 — Reading: "Which Laptop Should I Buy?"
Elif is a second-year business student, and her old laptop is the slowest machine in her class. Last week it crashed during a presentation, and she lost her slides because she hadn't backed them up. "That was the worst moment of the semester," she says. She decided to buy a new one.
She came across three options online. Laptop A is the cheapest, at 18,000 lira, but it's also the heaviest and its battery is the weakest. Laptop B costs 25,000 lira. It is lighter than Laptop A and its battery lasts much longer — about ten hours. Laptop C is the most expensive, at 40,000 lira, and the fastest, but it isn't as light as Laptop B.
Elif asked her cousin, who works in IT. "What would you do if you were me?" she asked. "For a student, battery life is more important than speed," he said. "You don't need the fastest laptop. You need the most reliable one." "I couldn't agree more," said Elif.
She ended up buying Laptop B. It turned out to be a great choice: it's quieter than her old laptop, and she can work all day at the library without looking for a socket. Now she never falls behind with her assignments — and she backs up everything to the cloud.
Comprehension questions
Why did Elif lose her slides?
Which laptop is the cheapest, and what are its disadvantages?
How is Laptop B better than Laptop A?
What advice did her cousin give?
Why was Laptop B a good choice?
Vocabulary
Word | Türkçe | Example |
crash | çökmek (bilgisayar) | My computer crashed and I lost my work. |
semester | dönem, yarıyıl | This semester is very busy. |
option | seçenek | We have three options. |
battery | batarya, pil | The battery lasts eight hours. |
last (v.) | sürmek, dayanmak | The meeting lasted two hours. |
light | hafif | This bag is very light. |
reliable | güvenilir | We need a reliable supplier. |
choice | seçim | It was a difficult choice. |
quiet | sessiz | The new office is quieter. |
the cloud | bulut (depolama) | I save my files in the cloud. |
Activity 2 — Grammar Practice
Write the comparative or superlative.
Istanbul is ___ (big) than Ankara.
This is ___ (expensive) restaurant in the city.
My new job is ___ (good) than my old one.
Today is ___ (hot) day of the year.
Online courses are ___ (flexible) than classroom courses.
This is ___ (bad) traffic I've ever seen.
The metro is ___ (fast) way to get to work.
This phone isn't as ___ (light) as that one.
What would you do if you ___ (win) the lottery?
Correct the mistake: "This laptop is more cheaper than that one."
Writing Task
Compare three options (phones, universities, cities, apps or jobs) in 80–100 words. Use at least 3 comparatives, 2 superlatives and (not) as … as. End with your choice and a reason.
Discussion Questions
Compare your city with another city you know. Which is better to live in?
What is the best decision you made this year?
Is online shopping better than shopping in stores? Why?
What would you do if you had a year off with full salary?
Have you ever fallen behind with your studies? How did you catch up?
Something you bought turned out to be a bad choice. What was it?
What's the most useful app on your phone?
Do you always back up your files? Has it ever saved you?
When was the last time you had to say "I'm sorry to bother you, but…"?
"Experience is more important than a degree." Do you agree?
Interactive Practice — "Which One Wins?" Debate + What-If Chain
Part A — Debate (14 min): Groups of 3. Each group gets one category and three options. They have 4 minutes to choose the best option and prepare 3 reasons using comparatives and superlatives. Then each group has 1 minute to defend its choice, and the class can disagree politely.
Category | Options |
City to live in | Istanbul · İzmir · Ankara |
Way to get to university | Metro · Car · Bike |
First job | Big bank · Small start-up · Family business |
Holiday | Bodrum · Cappadocia · Black Sea |
Phone | Cheapest · Mid-price · Most expensive |
"The metro is faster than a car and much cheaper. It's the most reliable way, because there's no traffic." — "I couldn't agree more!" / "I'm sorry to interrupt, but a bike is the healthiest option."
Part B — What-If Chain (6 min): In a circle, the first student asks "What would you do if…?" (e.g. your laptop crashed before an exam). The next student answers with I'd… and asks a new what-if question to the next person.
Self-study version: Record a 1-minute argument for one option in each category.
Extra Practice
Lingua reading (B2): London — compare London and Istanbul in 5 sentences.
News in Levels: find a Level 3 article with numbers and write 3 comparison sentences.
Listening: British Council B1 listening.
Self-Study Path — Week 9
Grammar (25 min): Make comparative and superlative forms of 15 adjectives.
Patterns & phrasal verbs (20 min): One personal sentence each.
Reading (30 min): Read, answer, check. Make a table comparing the 3 laptops.
Practice & writing (30 min): 10 items, then your comparison.
Discussion (20 min): Record your answers.
Extra (15 min): Lingua text.
Can-do check
I use -er/-est for short adjectives and more/most for long ones.
I never say more cheaper or the most good.
I use than, not from.
Sample Answers — Week 9
Reading
Her laptop crashed and she hadn't backed up her slides.
Laptop A; it's the heaviest and its battery is the weakest.
It's lighter and its battery lasts much longer.
Battery life is more important than speed; choose the most reliable laptop, not the fastest.
It's quieter, and its battery lets her work all day without a socket.
Grammar practice: 1. bigger · 2. the most expensive · 3. better · 4. the hottest · 5. more flexible · 6. the worst · 7. the fastest · 8. light · 9. won · 10. "This laptop is cheaper than that one."
Model writing
I'm choosing between three part-time jobs. The café job is the closest to my home, but it's also the worst paid. The bookshop pays more than the café, and the work is quieter, but the hours are longer. The call centre job is the best paid, but it isn't as interesting as the other two, and it's the most stressful. In the end, I'm going to choose the bookshop. It isn't the easiest job, but it's the best balance between money and free time.
Discussion
Istanbul is bigger and more exciting than Eskişehir, but Eskişehir is cheaper and much calmer. For students, I think Eskişehir is better.
Choosing this university. It's closer to my home than the others, so I can work part-time.
It's faster and usually cheaper, but in stores you can try things on. For clothes, I prefer stores.
I'd travel around Europe for three months and then take an online course in digital marketing.
Yes, last year when I was working a lot. I asked classmates for notes and studied every weekend.
A cheap pair of headphones. It turned out that the sound was terrible, so I ended up buying another pair.
Google Maps. It's the most useful app in a city as big as Istanbul.
Not always. Once my phone broke and I lost all my photos. Now I back up everything.
Yesterday, at the student office. I said, "I'm sorry to bother you, but I need a document for my scholarship."
I partly agree. Experience is more practical, but a degree opens more doors at the beginning.
Week 10 — At, In, On: Prepositions of Time & Place
Goal: Students give times, dates, schedules and locations correctly, and make suggestions or partly agree in a discussion.
Grammar — E-book Lessons 15 & 16
Time
Preposition | Use | Examples |
at | exact times, short holidays, fixed expressions | at 9 a.m., at noon, at night, at the weekend (UK), at Bayram |
on | days and dates | on Monday, on 15 May, on my birthday, on Friday morning |
in | months, years, seasons, parts of the day, long periods | in June, in 2026, in winter, in the morning, in two weeks |
no preposition | with this / next / last / every | next Monday, last year, every day (on next Monday ✗) |
Place
Preposition | Use | Examples |
at | a point, an address, events, workplaces | at the bus stop, at 25 Halaskargazi St., at a conference, at work |
in | inside an area or container; cities, countries | in the office, in Istanbul, in Turkey, in a taxi |
on | surfaces, floors, streets, public transport | on the desk, on the 3rd floor, on İstiklal Avenue, on the bus |
Common mistakes: in Monday ✗ → on Monday ✓. at the morning ✗ → in the morning ✓. in the 5th floor ✗ → on the 5th floor ✓. I'm in home ✗ → I'm at home ✓.
Sentence Patterns 35–38
# | Pattern | Türkçe | Example |
35 | I see your point, but… | Ne demek istediğini anlıyorum, ama… | I see your point, but we should check the numbers first. |
36 | You have a point there. | Bu konuda haklısın. | You have a point there — maybe we should wait. |
37 | Why don't you…? | Neden …mıyorsun? | Why don't you ask him directly? |
38 | Why not…? (+ base verb) | Neden …meyelim? | Why not start today instead of tomorrow? |
Phrasal Verbs
Phrasal verb | Türkçe | Example |
show up | gelmek, ortaya çıkmak | Only five people showed up at the meeting. |
drop by | uğramak | Drop by my office at 3 if you have questions. |
drop off | bırakmak (birini/bir şeyi) | Can you drop off the documents at reception? |
get on | binmek (otobüs, tren, uçak) | Get on the metro at Taksim. |
get off | inmek | Get off at Osmanbey station. |
Activity 1 — Reading: "Planning the Careers Fair"
The student business club is organising a careers fair, and the committee is meeting in Room 304 on Tuesday at 1 p.m. to plan it.
"The fair is on 18 December," says Deniz, the club president. "It starts at 10 in the morning and finishes at 4. We'll have it in the main hall on the ground floor. Twelve companies are coming."
"I see your point about the main hall," says Can, "but it's very cold in winter. Why don't we use the conference centre on the second floor? It's warmer, and there are more sockets." "You have a point there," Deniz agrees.
Next, they discuss transport. Many visitors will come by metro. "They can get on at Taksim and get off at Osmanbey," Selin says. "Then the campus is a five-minute walk. Why not put signs at the station exit?" Everyone likes the idea.
The last problem is the companies' materials. "Some companies will drop off their posters the day before," Deniz explains. "Can someone be at reception on 17 December in the afternoon?" Mert agrees. "I'll be there from 2 until 6." The meeting ends at 2 p.m. "Let's hope a lot of students show up!" says Deniz.
Comprehension questions
When and where is the committee meeting?
What is the date and time of the careers fair?
Why does Can suggest the conference centre?
What does Selin suggest for visitors coming by metro?
What will Mert do on 17 December?
Vocabulary
Word | Türkçe | Example |
organise | düzenlemek | We're organising a charity event. |
committee | komite, kurul | The committee meets every week. |
careers fair | kariyer fuarı | Thirty companies came to the careers fair. |
president | başkan | She's the president of the student club. |
main hall | ana salon | The ceremony is in the main hall. |
ground floor | zemin kat | Reception is on the ground floor. |
conference centre | konferans merkezi | The conference centre has 500 seats. |
sign | tabela, işaret | Follow the signs to the exit. |
exit | çıkış | Use exit B. |
material | materyal, malzeme | Please bring your marketing materials. |
Activity 2 — Grammar Practice
Complete with at, in, on or – (no preposition).
The meeting is ___ Monday ___ 10 a.m.
I was born ___ 2005.
We usually go on holiday ___ summer.
My office is ___ the fourth floor.
She lives ___ Kadıköy.
I'll see you ___ next week.
He's not here. He's ___ a conference.
Put the files ___ my desk, please.
I study best ___ the morning.
Can you meet me ___ the bus stop ___ 6?
Writing Task
Write an invitation email (80–100 words) to an event (a meeting, a party, a club event). Give the date, time, exact place (building, floor, room) and directions by public transport. Use at least 8 prepositions of time and place and one phrasal verb from this week.
Discussion Questions
What time do you usually arrive at university, and how do you get there?
What do you usually do on Sunday mornings?
Where is your favourite place in your city? How do you get there?
Have you ever been to a careers fair? What did you learn?
Is it rude to drop by a friend's house without calling first?
What would you do if nobody showed up to your event?
A friend says "University is a waste of time." Answer with "I see your point, but…"
Give a friend some advice with "Why don't you…?"
Where were you at this time last year?
What do you want to do in the summer?
Interactive Practice — Committee Meeting Role-Play
Setup (20 min): Groups of 4. Each group is the student club committee planning a Spring Business Day. Each student gets a role card with a secret opinion.
Role | Your opinion |
President (chairs the meeting) | You want the event on a Saturday in April, in the main hall. Keep the meeting moving. |
Treasurer | The budget is small. You want a weekday, in a free classroom, at 2 p.m. |
Marketing lead | You want it in the evening, at a hotel, with famous speakers. |
Student rep | Students have exams in May and part-time jobs at weekends. You prefer a weekday in March. |
Task: Agree on the date, the time and the place, and how guests will get there. Every student must use at least 2 of: I see your point, but… / You have a point there. / Why don't we…? / Why not…? and correct prepositions (on Saturday, in April, at 2 p.m., in the main hall, on the second floor).
Report back: The president of each group announces the final plan: "Our event is on Thursday, 20 March, at 2 p.m., in the conference centre on the second floor."
Self-study version: Write the meeting dialogue (12–16 lines) with all four roles.
Extra Practice
Lingua reading (B2): Chicago — underline every at, in, on.
News in Levels: in a Level 2 article, find every time expression and its preposition.
Listening: British Council A2 listening — choose an announcement.
Self-Study Path — Week 10
Grammar (25 min): Write your weekly timetable using at/in/on, then describe where 10 things are in your room.
Patterns & phrasal verbs (20 min): One personal sentence each.
Reading (30 min): Read, answer, check.
Practice & writing (30 min): 10 items, then your invitation.
Discussion (20 min): Record your answers.
Extra (15 min): Lingua text.
Can-do check
I use on for days/dates and in for months/years.
I say at home, at work, on the 3rd floor.
I can partly agree with I see your point, but…
Sample Answers — Week 10
Reading
On Tuesday at 1 p.m. in Room 304.
On 18 December, from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m.
The main hall is cold in winter; the conference centre is warmer and has more sockets.
Get on at Taksim, get off at Osmanbey, and put signs at the station exit.
Be at reception from 2 to 6 p.m. to receive the companies' posters.
Grammar practice: 1. on … at · 2. in · 3. in · 4. on · 5. in · 6. – · 7. at · 8. on · 9. in · 10. at … at
Model writing
Hi everyone,You're invited to our English Club meeting on Thursday, 20 November, at 5 p.m. It's in Room 210 on the second floor of Building B. We'll watch a short film and have a discussion in English. There will be tea and snacks!If you come by metro, get on the M2 line and get off at Osmanbey. Building B is on the left, next to the library. If you're late, just drop by — we'll be there until 7.See you on Thursday! Melis
Discussion
I usually arrive at 8:45. I take the bus and then the metro, and it takes about 50 minutes.
On Sunday mornings I have a long breakfast with my family and then I relax.
My favourite place is the Moda coast. I take the ferry from Karaköy and walk for ten minutes.
Yes, last year. I learned that companies care a lot about English and internships.
In Turkey it's quite normal with close friends, but I always send a message first.
I'd ask for feedback and change the time or place next time. Maybe I'd promote it more on Instagram.
I see your point, but university also gives you a network and a diploma that many employers ask for.
Why don't you join a language exchange group? It's free and you'll make new friends.
At this time last year I was at home, preparing for the university exam.
In the summer I want to do an internship and maybe travel to the Black Sea.
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