WhatEVER!

Today (October 25th), we reviewed the vocabulary from last class:

Skim Milk
Spin Doctor
Road Rage
Veggie Buger
Aromatherapy
Netizen
Hacker
Bad Hair Day
Videophile
Decaf
Quality Time

Then, there were three listenings (page 109) and we started working on the grammar point, the use of

WHATEVER - WHATEVER you do, I'll always be by your side.
WHICHEVER - WHICHEVER job you take, it will be a step forward to your professional success.
WHEREVER - WHEREVER I go, I see him.
WHOEVER - WHOEVER calls today, tell him/her that I am sick.
WHENEVER - WHENEVER I go on vacation, I always go to the beach.
HOWEVER - HOWEVER long it takes, I'll be waiting for you here...

Some points to consider:

when you include the suffix -EVER, it means, in general "it doesn't matter how, what, who" or "anything that/any time that/any person who".

WHICHEVER involves a choice between a member of a group of things or people: You can take WHICHEVER room you want, the double room or the family room.
Or used to say that it does not matter which thing or person is chosen because the result will be the same: WHICHEVER way you look at, things are pretty bad.

HOWEVER - not used in the same way we learned in unit 10. Here it is not a connector. It is a relative pronoun. After HOWEVER you'll have, in general, an adverb or adjective, and its meaning is "It doesn't matter how...". Example: HOWEVER MUCH chocolate she eats, she doesn't put on weight/HOWEVER hungry I am, I never finish off a pizza/When I like something, I'll buy it HOWEVER much it costs.

An example without being followed by adverbs or adjectives: HOWEVER he did it, I guess it was not legal.


For the ones who were not in class, do page 110. I'll go over with you next class.

Homework: Workbook pages 63/64, Grammar n. 1 and 2.


By the way, Fettes and Macfarlane were back to class today! Tomorrow I'll send by mail the part we read in class for the ones who couldn't come today.

For extra practice on -EVER, check try the following online quizzes:

http://www.quia.com/pop/54217.html
http://buckhoff.topcities.com/noun_clauses.htm#Noun%20clauses%20--%20using%20

Have fun!

Don't forget to send me an email with the answers to the international students!

See you next class.

Carla