listening 3

LISTEN FOR EXPRESSIONS OF UNCERTAINTY AND SUGGESTION

A.    Expression of Uncertainty

Expression of Uncertainty According to Oxford Advanced Learner’s Dictionary, Uncertainty means: a. the state of being uncertain(feeling doubt about something);[1] b. something that you cannot be sure about; or a situation that causes you to be or feel uncertain[2]

It’s doubtful …
I doubt it …
Possibly …
There is some doubt about …
Perhaps …
I’m not really sure …
I have my doubt …

MisKatty : Hi, Brandon! Good morning!

Brandon : Hello, Mis! Good morning!

MisKatty : What do you think if we decorate our class?

Brandon : That’s good idea, make a wall magazine I think.

MisKatty : Are you sure?

Brandon : Yes, certainly. Our class look nice if there is a wall magazine.

MisKatty : Well it is possible I suppose it but I doubt it.

Brandon : So, what do you think?

MisKatty : Why don’t we buy flowers for our class?

Brandon : Oh, I don’t think so. It is expensive.

MisKatty : You are right, but we can collect money.

Brandon : I doubt it. I’m broke now. I don’t think can get enough money.

MisKatty : Yeah, come on. I can lend you the money if you want.

Brandon : Really?

MisKatty : Of course.

Brandon : Thank you very much.

MisKatty : Don’t mention it.

B.     Question Tags

Question Tags is a grammatical structure in which a declarative statement or an imperative is turned into a question by adding an interrogative fragment (the "tag").3 We often use this structure when we are unsure of something or want to check information.

Contoh Kalimat Question Tag
I’m right, aren’t I?	spoken English
I’m right, am I not?	formal English
Everybody likes him, don’t they?	digunakan they sebagai gender neuter pronoun.
Nothing is impossible, is it?	Nothing = no thing, sehingga kalimat menjadi negatif, maka question tag-nya positif.
Nobody came late, did they?	Nobody = no body, sehingga kalimat menjadi negatif, maka question tag-nya positif. Digunakan they sebagai gender neuter pronoun.
You will never regret it, will you?	Never = not ever, sehingga kalimat menjadi negatif. Oleh karena itu question tag-nya positif.
Everything is nice, isn’t it?[3]
Let’s go now, shall we?
Don’t speak, will you?
This/that is his bag, isn’t it?
These/those are your tools, aren’t they?
There is an old house, isn’t there?

C.     Making suggestions

        In this programme, we look at language you can use when you want to make a suggestion.

We listen to a discussion in the BBC Learning English offices. A member of the team is leaving to go and work somewhere else and her colleagues are planning a party for her. We look at some of the expressions they use as they come up with ideas about what to do for the party.

When you've listened to the programme, don't forget to practise what you've learned with the quizzes below!

Language for making suggestions
Question opener	+ subject	+ infinitive without 'to'
Why don't	I you we they	buy...? go...? meet...?
Why doesn't	he/she
Shall	I we
Question opener		+ infinitive without 'to'
I, you, he, she, we	should could	say... arrange... talk... eat... get...
Let's Why not
Note Perhaps and maybe can both be used before 'could' and 'should' if you want to sound more polite. Examples: Perhaps we could phone them. Maybe we should have a big party.

D.    Expressions of uncertainty and suggestion

Expressions of uncertainty and suggestion are common in the short dialogues, so you should become familiar with them. The following example shows an expression of uncertainty.[4]

Example

On the recording, you hear:

(man)         Do you know anything about the final exam in physics?

(woman)     It’s going to be rather difficult, isn’t it?

(narrator)   What does the woman mean?

In your test book, you read:

(A) The exam is not going to be too difficult.

(B) She’s positive that it’s going to be hard.

(C) She thinks that it might be hard.

(D) She has no idea about the exam.

The tag question isn’t it changes a definite statement into a statement that shows uncertainty, so the best answer is one that express uncertainty. The best answer to this question is answer (C) because the words thinks and might express uncertainty.

Other expressions that are common in the short dialogues are expressions of suggestion.

Example

On the recording, you hear:

(man)       I’ll never have time to type my paper tomorrow.

(woman)   Why not do it now?

(narrator) What does the woman suggest?

In your test book, you read:

(A) Finishing the paper today

(B) Not working on the paper now

(C) Never typing the paper

(D) Taking time out from the paper now

In this example, the expression Why not is an expression of suggestion, so the

woman suggests doing it now. In this suggestion, the woman is referring to the

paper that the man needs to type, so the best answer is answer (A).

The following chart lists common expressions that show uncertainty and

suggestion:

EXPRESSIONS OF UNCERTAINTY AND SUGGESTION

Uncertainty	Suggestion
…isn’t it (tag)?                      As far as I know. As far as I can tell	Why not…? Let’s..

E.  STRATEGY  TO  ANSWER “ALMOST NEGATIVE EXPRESSION”.

1.      Focus to the second speaker.

2.      Fine the keyword in the audio.

3.      Sometimes the question, have close meaning with positive suggestion.

4.      Choose the best answer based on the clue.[5]

F.   EXERCISE

21. (man) I’d like to take a trip down the coast this weekend.

      (woman) Me, too

      (narrator) What does the woman mean?

A.The trip would cost too much

B. She doesn’t think that a trip would be a good idea

C. She would like to take two trips rather than one

D. She would also like to take a trip

22. (woman) My car is making some funny noises.

      (man) Why not take it to a mechanic?

      (narrator) What does the man suggest to the woman?

A. Taking the car out for a test drive

B. Listening to the noises

C. Fixing the car herself

D. Getting the car repaired

23. (woman) Are we supposed to read all ten chapters before the exam?

      (man) As far as I can tell, we are.

      (narrator) What does the man mean?

A. He’s sure about which chapters they to read

B. He thinks he knows what the assignment is

C. He has to tell her how far she should go

D. The professor told them to read the chapters after the exam

24. (woman) Did you get to the airport in plenty of time?

      (man) There was scarcely enough time to get there.

      (narrator) What does the man imply?

A. The plane took of just after he arrived

B. He arrived just after the plane took off

C. He wasn’t in time to catch the plane

D. He arrived too late to catch the plane

25. (man) I just finished carrying the last piece of furniture.

      (woman) Then, you have moved into a new apartment.

      (narrator) What had the woman assumed about the man?

A. He had changed apartment

B. He did not like his new apartment

C. He was still in his old apartment

D. He had moved from a house to an apartment

REFERENCES

Cambridge Preparation for TOEFL. 2002. Cambridge University Press.   http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Tag_question. Retrieved on November , 26th 2015.

http://www.myenglishpages.com/site_php_files/communication-lesson-certainty-uncertainty. php#.VIb1vmdgTVU Retrieved on November , 26th 2015.

http://www.slideshare.net/marlayoshida/listening-a-skill-11-17 Retrieved on on November , 26th 2015.

Oxford Advanced Learner’s Dictionary (8th edition), New York : Oxford University Press. Philip Binham. 1974.

Widhiya Ninsiana. 2015. Listening 3. State Islamic College of STAIN Jurai Siwo Metro : Assalam FC.

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[1] Oxford Advanced Learner’s Dictionary (8th edition), New York : Oxford University Press. Philip Binham. 1974.

[2] http://www.myenglishpages.com/site_php_files/communication-lesson-certainty-uncertainty. php#.VIb1vmdgTVU Retrieved on November , 26th 2015.

[3] http://www.slideshare.net/marlayoshida/listening-a-skill-11-17 Retrieved on November 26 th, 2015.

[4] Widhiya Ninsiana. 2015. Listening 3. State Islamic College of STAIN Jurai Siwo Metro : Assalam FC.

[5] Tatasutrisna.blogspot.com