1. I forgot what it’s called
Pre-Intermediate Lesson 31

2. Today we are going to learn:
What to do if you forget a word
The passive in the present and past tense
What defining relative clauses are
How to paraphrase if you forget or don’t know

3. Glossary:
To go nuts = to go crazy/
to become crazy

4. It is a thing which we often use in the kitchen.
It is a thing which we use when we cook soup.
It is a ladle.

5. I don’t remember what it’s called. I don’t remember how it is called.
I know what it is, but I can’t remember what it’s called in English.
I knew this word, but please remind me what it’s called.

6. We use defining relative clause when we explain a word.
We can use these words to help us:
It is :
A thing which It is a thing which connects the phone to the charger. (wire)
A place where It is a place where there are a lot of clowns. (circus)
A person who It is a person who takes care of people’s teeth. (dentist)
A time when It is a time when most people sleep. (night)

7. Try explaining these words:

8. It is made of metal or plastic. It is used to pour soup in the plate.
Another way to explain what word you want to say is to use the Passive.
Compare the active and the passive:
People use it in the garden./This thing is used in the garden.
People make it of plastic./This object is made of plastic.
We use the passive when we want to stress the object more and we do not who performs the action or when it is not important.
Present Passive:
Be (am/is/are) + V(ed/past participle)
Past Passive:
Be (was/were) + V(ed/past participle)

9. Change the active sentences in the passive:
J. K. Rowling wrote the Harry Potter books.
We use it for cooking.
People make good cars in Germany.
People add gold to make this kind of colour.
Van Gogh painted the sunflowers.
Many people read these books.
Children tell this story by the fire every evening.
The Harry Potter books were written by her.
It is used for cooking.
Good cars are made in Germany.
Gold is added to make this kind of colour.
The sunflowers were painted by Van Gogh.
These books are read by many people.
This story is told by the fire every evening.

10. Paraphrasing = explaining what you want to say using the words you know.
University – It is a special school for people after high school, like Oxford. (University)
You open it when you want to wash your face and water runs from it. (faucet)
You can make it from berries, for example strawberries or cherries. It is sweet.

11. Today we have learned: What to do if you forget a word
The passive in the present and past tense
What defining relative clauses are
How to paraphrase if you forget or don’t know