Unit 3

Video Scripts

START IT! GRAMMAR IN ACTION 1

3.1
Do You Speak Emoji? 3.2
Th
 ree Tips to Communicate in

What is language? The words we write? The words we a Second Language

speak? How someone says the words? The way we
move when we are saying them? The way people feel Here are three tips to help you communicate in
when they say them? Sometimes people can get the a second language. These are all problems I had
wrong message. And sometimes our ideas are not clear when I learned to speak Spanish. Hopefully,
– even when we try our best. you’ll be able to learn from my mistakes.
So maybe words aren’t enough. In this world so When I first moved here, I couldn’t speak
dependent on technology, are people losing the ability Spanish very well and I was really shy.
to communicate or are we still able to understand each Unfortunately, being shy doesn’t help you to
other? How can we show our feelings, or emotions, learn a new language.
behind the words? At restaurants, I could only point and
Some years ago, people started using punctuation to gesture because I was so shy. Of course, I
show emotions and this worked – some of the time. often ordered the wrong food. And then I
But then something new came from Japan – the emoji! didn’t want to send it back because it was
The emoji changed texting forever. Emojis helped us embarrassing! I ate a lot of things I didn’t like.
So, don’t be shy!
show our emotions. They could show when you were
Have you noticed how quickly native speakers
feeling angry, happy, good, surprised, or bored. Emojis
speak? Soyou’llhaveadoublecheeseburger? And
helped us communicate what we wanted to say quickly
when you ask, “Could you repeat that, please?”
and clearly. However, this wasn’t a new idea! They just say the same thing just as fast, but
Long ago, people used to communicate with pictures. they shout it.
They drew animals and people on walls. These pictures SOYOU’LLHAVEADOUBLECHEESEBURGER?
gave people a way to tell their stories. We’ve gone from I can hear you, but I can’t understand what
pictures to emojis, and a lot has happened in between. you’re saying whenyousayitsofast.
Some people have said this is going backwards. But is How can you improve your listening? Watch
it really? native speakers on TV, in movies, or in vlogs.
Language is a mix of speech, the written word, body At first, you won’t be able to understand them,
language, and so many other things, including but after you watch them a few times, you’ll
emotions. Emojis give us another way to express start to improve.
ourselves and can also reflect our culture. For example, Soyou’llhaveadoublecheeseburger?
Arabic speakers use flower and plant emojis four times Soyou’llhaveadoublecheeseburger?
more than speakers of other languages. Soyou’llhaveadoublecheeseburger?
And did you know that the smiley is the most popular So you’ll have a double cheeseburger?
emoji for everyone? Well, almost everyone ... Can you
guess the most popular emoji for French speakers? Yep, Grammar in Action
the heart. Can, Could, Will Be Able To
So, have emojis made us better communicators? Or do Let’s talk about the vlog. Which language did the
we still have some work to do? Do you speak emoji? vlogger use to talk about “ability”?
What’s your favorite? We use could to talk about a general ability in the past.

I could only point and gesture.

I couldn’t speak Spanish very well.

Could you repeat that, please?

PHOTOCOPIABLE © Cambridge University Press 2020 Shape It! 3 Unit 3 – Video Scripts
We use can to talk about a general ability in the present.
GRAMMAR IN ACTION 2
I can hear you.
3.3
My Embarrasing Moment

I can’t understand what you’re saying. Hola! Sorry you haven’t heard from me for a
while. My family and I have been in Mexico
since last week, and we’ve been very busy
since we got here. We’ve never been to Mexico
How can you improve your listening?
before, but so far, we love it!
Let me tell you my funny story: We went to a
We use will be able to to talk about ability in the future.
restaurant last night. My family doesn’t speak
Spanish, but I’ve studied Spanish for a year,
Hopefully, you’ll be able to learn from my so I ordered dinner for us. The waiter actually
mistakes. asked me in Spanish, “How long have you
studied Spanish?” “For a year,” I said. The food
was wonderful. And then it was time to order
At first, you won’t be able to understand them. dessert.
There was an ice cream flavor called “tuna.”
Will you be able to learn from his mistakes? “Ew! Tuna fish ice cream?” I said.
Notice: We don’t use will with can or could. The waiter explained that in Mexican Spanish,
And we don’t say can to or could to. “tuna” means the fruit of the prickly pear
plant! And tuna fish is “atun.”
Use It! We all had a good laugh. It hasn’t been easy
Make a sentence with can/can’t, could/couldn’t or speaking Spanish since we arrived last week,
will/won’t be able to. but you can’t improve if you don’t try.
Oh, and the “tuna” ice cream was delicious!
Soyou’llhavethedoublecheeseburguer? Adios!
He won’t be able to understand.
Last year, he couldn’t speak Spanish.
Grammar in Action
Now he can speak Spanish.
Present Perfect with For/Since and How long...?
Now you try. Let’s talk about the vlog. Which language did the
Next year, he’ll be able to swim. vlogger use to talk about past experiences?
He can’t play the guitar, but he can play the piano. We use the present perfect with for, since or How long...?
to specify the beginning of a present action or to talk
about its duration.
We use for to talk about the duration of a state
or action.

Sorry you haven’t heard from me for a while.

We use since to say when a state or action begins.

My family and I have been in Mexico since last

week.

We use How long...? to ask how much time somebody

has done something.

How long have you studied Spanish?

For a year.

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Present Perfect vs Simple Have you ever bought a book and not read it? In
What’s the difference between the present perfect and Japanese, there is a word for this. The word is tsundoku,
the simple past? and it means “buying books but not reading them,
We use the present perfect to talk about our past and instead putting them in piles” – on the floor, on
experiences. bookshelves, or on tables. Look around your house.
We’ve never been to Mexico before. Could you be guilty of tsundoku? Is there a word for this
in your language?
Or to talk about an action that started in the past and
In Spain, the time after a meal has always been
still continues now.
important. In fact, there is a special word for the time
I’ve studied Spanish for a year.
you spend talking to friends and family around the
The simple past describes an action that started and table after lunch or dinner. It’s called sobremesa and it
finished in the past. can last for hours.
We went to a restaurant last night. Do you have a word in your language for this time?
Did you know that the Germans have a special word to
Use It!
describe when you are at home but without a parent or
Which expressions do we use with for or since?
adult there? It’s called sturmfrei. Can you translate this
for since word into your language?
two weeks last week And what about the English word facepalm?
an hour we’ve been here It’s a gesture more than a word. Do you ever put
one month I was ten your hand to your face when you are embarrassed or
a long time this morning annoyed? Well, that’s a facepalm, and it’s been an emoji
a few weeks 2017 since 2016. Do it right now! You’ll be able to remember
ages January it better. These words exist in these languages because
they describe something important in those cultures.
How many did you get right? Like the Inuit, who have many words to describe snow.
What is important in your culture? How many words do
GLOBETROTTERS you have to describe it? Which idea would you like to
invent a word for?
3.5
Other Worlds, Other Words
Language helps us communicate our ideas, but not
Language helps us communicate our ideas, but not
every language has a word to describe the same thing.
And some languages even have many different words
for one thing. Did you know that Hawaiians have
47 words to describe bananas? And one tribe in Brazil
has 29 words to describe ants. And Scotland has – well,
we don’t know how many words – for bad weather!
Why is this? Because these things are part of their
daily lives and an important part of their culture. Let’s
explore some of the words and ideas that are unique to
a particular language and culture.

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