A toast, a few regrets and a promise to return

Frances, Lyle, Kathryn and Leonard are in a restaurant. A waiter comes to the table.

Expressions to notice

• this calls for a celebrationThis good news deserves a party or a toast.
• Here’s to the futureA toast: we raise a glass to the future.
• I’ll settle forI will accept something smaller. Here: just being happy is enough.
• Don’t get me wrongPlease don’t misunderstand me.
• get away from it allEscape from the daily routine.
• Don’t get all sentimentalDon’t become too emotional.
• Sharp as a doornailVery quick to notice things. The usual idiom is “sharp as a tack”; “dead as a doornail” is a different one.
• You still owe us oneYou still owe us a favor: here, a promise to come back.
• Let’s drink to thatLet’s toast that.

Short explanations added for study; they are not in the book.

Five of these lines use wish or had hoped: see Wishes in the story. Frances also mentions the song My Way: see Songs.

Use the language of the toast to celebrate, to look back and to say goodbye.

Phrase bank

Press the speaker, listen, then say the sentence out loud. Swap in your own details so that it becomes true for you.

• Here’s to...Here’s to the future! May we all be happy.
• Let’s drink to that.You got the job? Let’s drink to that.
• This calls for a celebration.You passed the exam? This calls for a celebration!
• I’ll settle for...I’ll settle for a quiet weekend at home.
• Don’t get me wrong, ...Don’t get me wrong, I love my job, but I need a holiday.
• now and thenNow and then I wish I could get away from it all.
• I have all that I ever hoped for.I have a family, a home and good friends. I have all that I ever hoped for.
• Don’t get all sentimental.Don’t get all sentimental. It’s only goodbye until Friday.
• I’ll be back.Don’t worry. I’ll be back next month.

Speaking prompts

Answer out loud first, in three or four sentences, then open the model. The model is one good answer, not the only one. The words in color are the structures to practice.

1. Good news at the table! What do you order, and how do you make a toast?

   Try to use: this calls for a celebration, Here’s to..., I hope that we will all...

   Show a model answerHide the model answer

   This calls for a celebration! I would order a bottle of sparkling water for everyone, because I don’t drink alcohol. Then I would say, “Here’s to our friendship. I hope that we will all stay healthy and keep in touch.”

2. Make a short toast to your family or your friends.

   Try to use: Here’s to..., I hope that..., Let’s drink to that

   Show a model answerHide the model answer

   Here’s to my family, who always support me. I hope that we will have many more years together. And here’s to good news in the year ahead. Let’s drink to that!

3. Do you have any regrets about the past? Answer like Kathryn, Frances or Leonard.

   Try to use: I sometimes wish I had..., None. I have all that I ever hoped for

   Show a model answerHide the model answer

   Not many. I sometimes wish I had traveled more when I was younger, but I have a good job and a loving family. In a way, I have all that I ever hoped for, and more.

4. Frances wishes she had more free time. What do you wish you had more of?

   Try to use: I sometimes wish I had..., Don’t get me wrong, now and then

   Show a model answerHide the model answer

   I sometimes wish I had more free time to read. Don’t get me wrong: I like my work. But now and then I wish I could just spend a whole afternoon with a good book.

5. Retell the dialogue in your own words, in four or five sentences.

   Try to use: present simple to tell a story, then, finally

   Show a model answerHide the model answer

   The four friends are in a restaurant and order champagne to celebrate. Frances makes a toast to the future. Then they talk about their regrets: Frances wishes she had more free time, and Leonard wishes he had met Kathryn earlier. Finally, Lyle says he is leaving, but he promises to come back for the wedding.

To wish good things to someone, use wish + the person + the thing.

• I wish you luck.
• I wish you joy.
• I wish you happiness.
• I wish you all the best.
• I wish you a happy birthday.
• We wish you a merry Christmas and a happy New Year.

Added: this is the friendly use of wish. The tenses in the next sections are for impossible desires, not for this.

Impossible desires. For a wish about the present, use the past tense. The first line of each pair is the fact; the second is the wish.

Fact

I don’t know how to drive.

Wish

I wish I knew how to drive.

Fact

It’s not summer.

Wish

I wish (that) it were summer.

Fact

Sandra doesn’t have anything to wear.

Wish

Sandra wishes (that) she had something to wear.

Fact

I’m not at home.

Wish

I wish (that) I were at home.

Fact

I can’t go to Acapulco.

Wish

I wish (that) I could go to Acapulco.

Practice wishes

For a wish about the past, use the past perfect: had + past participle.

Fact

I did not speak to Jeffrey.

Wish

I wish (that) I had spoken to Jeffrey.

Fact

He did not insure his car.

Wish

He wishes (that) he had insured his car.

Fact

Heather saw the accident.

Wish

Heather wishes (that) she hadn’t seen the accident.

Fact

Her husband left her.

Wish

She wishes (that) he hadn’t left her.

Added: the last pair is printed with the present wishes in the book, but it is a wish about the past, so it sits here. A fact that happened becomes a negative wish (hadn’t seen); a fact that did not happen becomes a positive wish (had spoken).

Practice wishes

Four rules the book warns about.

1. Wish cannot be followed by the present tense

Not

I wish I can live in Tokyo.

Say

I wish (that) I could live in Tokyo.

Added: the wrong sentence is our own illustration of the rule.

2. A wish about the present uses the past tense

• I wish (that) she would stay.
• I wish (that) I could live in Tokyo.
• I wish (that) I lived in New York.

3. A wish about the past uses the past perfect

• She wished that she had remembered to call him.
• I wished that I had never met him.

4. The only form of be used with wish is were

• I wish I were taller.
• She wishes she were a fighter pilot.

Practice wishes

The book’s five model sentences, sorted by what they wish for.

About the present

• I wish I were wealthier.
• I wish my parents were still alive.

About what someone else does

• I wish you would ask me out more often.

About the past

• I wished that he hadn’t gone to live in Katmandu.
• I wished that I hadn’t failed the exam.

Added: the three headings are ours; the book lists the five sentences together. Wish + would is for something that another person does, or does not do.

When you hoped for something and it did not happen, use had hoped.

• I had hoped to have more money by now.
• I had hoped that he would notice me.
• I had hoped for my parents to be alive to see this day.
• I had hoped that my brother would live closer to me.
• I had hoped to pass the exam.

Added: in every sentence the hope did not come true. Compare “I hope to pass the exam” (still possible) with “I had hoped to pass the exam” (it did not happen). The forms are had hoped + to + verb, had hoped that + would, and had hoped for + person + to + verb.

Practice hopes

A summary of the forms in the book’s examples above.

Wish well

wish + person + thing: “I wish you luck.”

Present

wish + past tense (were for every person): “I wish I were taller.”

Ability

wish + could: “I wish I could live in Tokyo.”

Someone’s behavior

wish + would: “I wish you would ask me out more often.”

Past

wish + had + past participle: “I wish I had spoken to Jeffrey.”

Unfulfilled hope

had hoped + to / that ... would: “I had hoped to pass the exam.”

Never

wish + present tense: “I wish I can...” is wrong.

Where the story uses them

• I hope that we will all be successful and healthy.Hope + will: a possible future. Frances can hope because it can happen.
• I sometimes wish I had more free time.A wish about the present: past tense (had).
• I wish I could just get away from it all.Wish + could: she cannot, so she wishes.
• I had hoped that Fran would have read one of my books by now.An unfulfilled hope: Lyle hoped, and she has not.
• I wish I had discovered earlier... I would have married her years ago.A wish about the past (had discovered), followed by what would have happened.
• I wish I lived closer, though. I would love to see a lot more of you guys.A wish about the present (lived), then what he would do if it were true.

Short explanations added for study; they are not in the book.

Decide first: is it about now, about the past, or about something that did not happen? The tense follows from that.

Phrase bank

Press the speaker, listen, then say the sentence out loud. Swap in your own details so that it becomes true for you.

• I wish you luck.I wish you luck in your interview tomorrow.
• I wish I knew how to...I wish I knew how to play the guitar.
• I wish (that) it were...I wish it were Friday.
• I wish I could...I wish I could stay longer.
• I wish I had + participleI wish I had called her.
• I wish I hadn’t + participleI wish I hadn’t said that.
• I wish you would...I wish you would call me more often.
• I had hoped to...I had hoped to finish the report by noon.
• I had hoped that... would...I had hoped that he would notice me.

Speaking prompts

Answer out loud first, in three or four sentences, then open the model. The model is one good answer, not the only one. The words in color are the structures to practice.

1. Tell me three things you wish were different about your life right now.

   Try to use: I wish I had..., I wish I were..., I wish I could...

   Show a model answerHide the model answer

   I wish I had a bigger apartment. I wish I were better at managing my time. And I wish I could spend more time outdoors. None of this is a disaster, but it would make me happier.

2. What do you wish you had done differently last year?

   Try to use: I wish I had + participle, I wish I hadn’t + participle

   Show a model answerHide the model answer

   I wish I had started exercising earlier. Now I feel better, but I lost a lot of time. I also wish I hadn’t spent so much money on things I didn’t need.

3. A friend has an important exam tomorrow. Wish them well.

   Try to use: I wish you luck, I wish you all the best

   Show a model answerHide the model answer

   I wish you luck tomorrow! You studied hard, so I am sure you will do well. I wish you all the best. Call me when it is over and we will celebrate.

4. Tell me about something you had hoped for, but it did not happen.

   Try to use: I had hoped to..., I had hoped that... would...

   Show a model answerHide the model answer

   I had hoped to go on a long holiday last summer, but I had to work. I had hoped that my brother would come with me, too, but he was busy. Maybe next year.

5. What do you wish a person close to you would do?

   Try to use: I wish you would..., I wish he / she would...

   Show a model answerHide the model answer

   I wish my brother would call me more often. We live in different cities, and I miss him. I would tell him, “I wish you would visit more often.” He always says he is too busy.

Modals or auxiliary verbs are used with other verbs to form the tenses, voice, and moods of those verbs. The most common ones:

Added: the book lists must, ought to and had better without a past form.

These verbs express obligation, necessity, prohibition, recommendation and lack of obligation. Click one to hear it.

• have to
• must
• need
• allowed
• should
• had better

Obligation

• You have to comb your hair.
• She must leave soon.
• You should have your hair cut.
• He had better be there on time.
• You’re allowed to smoke in this section.

Added: the book prints these examples together with obligation. The last one, allowed to, gives permission rather than a duty.

Necessity

• What do you need?
• What do you need to buy?
• Do you need some help?
• I need to eat something.
• I need to buy a new car.

Prohibition

• You must not smoke here.
• You should not eat red meat.
• He wasn’t allowed to take his dog on the plane.

Recommendation

• You’d better take an extra fanbelt.
• You should call your mother.

Lack of obligation

• You needn’t hurry.
• He shouldn’t worry.
• I don’t have to leave tomorrow.

Practice modal verbs

The second group: can / could, may / might, will / would.

• can
• could
• may
• might
• will
• would

Possibility

• That could be dangerous.
• She might not like it.

Permission or ability

• You can go in now.
• You can’t smoke in this restaurant.
• I can drive faster than you.

Added: the first two examples give permission (allowed or not allowed); the third shows ability.

Requests

• Can you move up one seat?
• Could I ask you a favor?
• May I see your driver’s license?
• Would you pass me the salt?
• Will you follow me, please?
• Can you sign here?
• Could you pay with a credit card? We don’t accept checks.

Polite requests with I

• May I smoke?
• May I borrow your car tomorrow?
• Could I bother you for a match?
• Could I borrow your pen, please?
• Can I speak to you for a moment?
• Can I borrow your lighter?

Polite requests with you: affirmative

• Will you pass me the salt?
• Would you pass me the jelly, please?
• Could you hand me that book, please?
• Could you pass me that book?

Polite requests with you: negative

• Won’t you please pass me the salt?
• Couldn’t you please close the door?

Say yes to a request

The answer, in the affirmative, is:

• Sure.
• Certainly.
• Of course.

Added: can is the most casual; could and would are more polite; may is the most formal of the ones with I.

Practice requests

Promising or agreeing

• I’ll give it to you in a second.
• I’ll take two of those.

Making offers or expressing preferences

• Would you like to have dinner with me?
• What color car would you like?
• Would you like your meat rare or well-done?
• I’d like to discuss it with her first.

Asking permission: would you mind + simple past

• Would you mind if I smoked?
• Would you mind terribly if I didn’t go?

Responses (often in the negative):

• No, not at all.
• No, of course not.
• No, that would be fine.
• No, that’s okay.
• Yes, I do mind, actually.

Asking someone else to do something: would you mind + verb-ing

• Would you mind smoking somewhere else?
• Would you mind going alone?
• Would you mind opening the door for me?

Responses (often in the negative):

• Not at all.
• No, I’d be glad to.
• No, I’d be happy to.
• I’m afraid I do mind.

Added: “mind” means “object to”, so “No” or “Not at all” means you agree. The book calls the second form “present progressive”; the form is would you mind + verb-ing.

Practice would you mind

Which modal for which job, using only the book’s examples.

Obligation

have to, must: “You have to comb your hair.”

Necessity

need (to): “I need to buy a new car.”

Prohibition

must not, should not, wasn’t allowed to: “You must not smoke here.”

Recommendation

should, had better: “You should call your mother.”

No obligation

needn’t, don’t have to: “You needn’t hurry.”

Possibility

could, might: “That could be dangerous.”

Permission, ability

can: “You can go in now.”

Request

can, could, may, will, would: “Could you pass me that book?”

Promise

’ll: “I’ll take two of those.”

Offer, preference

would like: “Would you like your meat rare or well-done?”

Permission to do

would you mind + simple past: “Would you mind if I smoked?”

Ask for help

would you mind + verb-ing: “Would you mind opening the door for me?”

Where the story uses them

• Would you like anything else?The waiter’s offer: would like.
• You can bring us your best bottle of French champagne.Lyle asks for something: can.
• I’ll settle for just being happy.Leonard’s choice: ‘ll.
• I would love to see a lot more of you guys.Lyle’s preference: would love.
• I would have married her years ago...What would have happened: would have + participle.
• You’ll be coming back for the wedding, won’t you?Frances expects it: will.
• Don’t worry... I’ll be back...Lyle’s promise: ‘ll.

Short explanations added for study; they are not in the book.

Modals decide how strong a sentence is: a duty, a piece of advice, a polite request. Choose the one that fits the person you are talking to.

Phrase bank

Press the speaker, listen, then say the sentence out loud. Swap in your own details so that it becomes true for you.

• You have to...You have to wear a helmet on this bike.
• You must not...You must not use your phone during the exam.
• You don’t have to...You don’t have to come early. The meeting starts at ten.
• You should... / You’d better...You’d better take an umbrella. It looks like rain.
• Could I...?Could I borrow your pen, please?
• Would you mind + -ing?Would you mind opening the window?
• Would you like...?Would you like your coffee with milk?
• I’ll...I’ll take two of those.
• It might / could be...It might rain this afternoon.

Speaking prompts

Answer out loud first, in three or four sentences, then open the model. The model is one good answer, not the only one. The words in color are the structures to practice.

1. Explain the rules at your school or workplace: what do people have to do, and what must they not do?

   Try to use: You have to..., You must not..., You don’t have to...

   Show a model answerHide the model answer

   You have to arrive before nine and sign in at the desk. You must not use your phone in meetings. But you don’t have to wear a suit; casual clothes are fine on Fridays.

2. A friend is going to a cold country next month. Give three pieces of advice.

   Try to use: You should..., You’d better..., You needn’t...

   Show a model answerHide the model answer

   You should take a warm coat and good boots. You’d better book your hotel soon, because it will get expensive. And you needn’t bring a lot of cash; you can pay by card almost everywhere.

3. You are in a restaurant. Make three polite requests to the waiter.

   Try to use: Could you...?, Would you mind...?, Can I...?

   Show a model answerHide the model answer

   Could you bring us the menu, please? Would you mind opening the window? It is a bit warm. And can I have the bill when you have a moment?

4. Your neighbor plays loud music late at night. Ask politely.

   Try to use: Would you mind + -ing?, I’m afraid...

   Show a model answerHide the model answer

   Excuse me, would you mind turning the music down a little? I’m afraid I have to get up early tomorrow. I would really appreciate it. Thank you so much.

5. What do you think might happen next week? Talk about possibilities.

   Try to use: might, could, may

   Show a model answerHide the model answer

   It might rain on Monday, so I could stay at home and study. I may go to the cinema with my friends on Friday, if they are free. My manager might ask me to work on Saturday, but I hope not.

Words that are spelled differently and have different meanings, but are pronounced the same. Press the speaker to hear each word.

The example sentences, and the definition of they’re, are added; they are not in the book.

Practice homophones

The book’s title says 100 words; 99 are printed. It asks you to take note of their spelling and use them in sentences. Click a word to hear it, then spell it aloud.

• accept
• across
• address
• already
• altogether
• among
• anything
• asks
• beginning
• belief
• benefit
• break
• business
• certainly
• character
• column
• coming
• committee
• course
• cries
• decided
• definite
• describes
• destroyed
• didn’t
• dining
• dinner
• disappointed
• divide
• doesn’t
• doubtful
• especially
• familiar
• family
• February
• feels
• field
• finally
• forty-four
• fourteen
• fruit
• grammar
• greatly
• hasn’t
• hoping
• interested
• isn’t
• judgement
• leave
• led
• lesson
• library
• lose
• loose
• maybe
• meant
• necessary
• neither
• ninth
• o’clock
• occurred
• omitted
• perhaps
• pleasant
• possible
• principal (of school)
• probably
• recommend
• reference
• referred
• reserve
• secretary
• seems
• sentence
• separately
• sincerely
• stopped
• straight
• studying
• succeed
• surprised
• tear
• tried
• truly
• twelfth
• underwear
• until
• used to
• usually
• volume
• weather
• Wednesday
• whether
• wholly
• woman
• women
• won’t
• wouldn’t
• written

Practice spelling

The same words from the book’s list, sorted by the trap that catches people. Spot the pattern and the word is easier to remember.

Double letters

• address
• beginning
• committee
• disappointed
• occurred
• omitted
• possible
• referred
• stopped
• succeed
• necessary
• recommend

Watch: necessary has one c and two s; recommend has one c and two m; disappointed has one s and two p.

Adding -ing or -ed

• beginning
• coming
• dining
• hoping
• stopped
• studying
• tried
• referred
• occurred
• omitted

Watch: hope loses its e (hoping), stop doubles the p (stopped), study keeps the y before -ing (studying), and try changes its y to i before -ed (tried).

Letters you cannot hear

• February
• Wednesday
• library
• twelfth
• definite
• separately
• grammar
• surprised

Watch: the first r in February, the d in Wednesday, the first r in library and the first r in surprised are easy to drop.

ie or ei

• belief
• field
• neither

Dropping the e

• ninth
• truly
• wholly

Watch: nine, true and whole all lose their final e.

Contractions

• didn’t
• doesn’t
• hasn’t
• isn’t
• o’clock
• won’t
• wouldn’t

Watch: the apostrophe takes the place of the missing letters.

One word, not two

• already
• altogether
• maybe

Watch: these are written as one word. Until has only one l at the end.

Look-alike words

All groups and tips on this page are added; they are not in the book.

Use the vocabulary to explain words that sound alike and to talk about spelling out loud.

Phrase bank

Press the speaker, listen, then say the sentence out loud. Swap in your own details so that it becomes true for you.

• ... and ... sound the same, but...Their and there sound the same, but their means belonging to them.
• Don’t confuse ... with ...Don’t confuse weak with week.
• How do you spell...?How do you spell “necessary”?
• It’s spelled with a double...“Address” is spelled with a double d and a double s.
• A common mistake is...A common mistake is to write “Febuary” without the first r.
• I always forget the letter...I always forget the first r in February.

Speaking prompts

Answer out loud first, in three or four sentences, then open the model. The model is one good answer, not the only one. The words in color are the structures to practice.

1. Explain the difference between their, there and they’re.

   Try to use: ... and ... sound the same, but..., means

   Show a model answerHide the model answer

   Their, there and they’re sound the same, but they are different words. Their means belonging to them: their car. There means in that place: put it over there. They’re is short for they are: they’re late.

2. Use to, too and two in one sentence.

   Try to use: to, too, two

   Show a model answerHide the model answer

   I’m going to the market to buy two kilos of apples, and my sister wants to come too. To is a direction, two is the number, and too means also.

3. Which words from the list do you often misspell? Why?

   Try to use: I always forget the letter..., A common mistake is...

   Show a model answerHide the model answer

   I often misspell “February” and “necessary”. I always forget the letter r in February, and with necessary I never remember how many s there are. A common mistake is to write one s only.

4. Spell three words from the list aloud: necessary, address and February.

   Try to use: It’s spelled with a double..., letter names

   Show a model answerHide the model answer

   Necessary: N, E, C, E, S, S, A, R, Y. It’s spelled with one c and a double s. Address: A, D, D, R, E, S, S. It’s spelled with a double d and a double s. February: F, E, B, R, U, A, R, Y.

The full lyrics are printed in your book on page 101. They are not copied here; only short phrases are quoted to point out the grammar.

The singer says goodbye. She decides to leave because staying would not be good for the other person, and she ends by wishing him happiness.

What to notice

• If I should stay, I would only be in your wayA conditional that is unlikely: if + should, would + verb. See the untrue conditionals in episode 18.
• I hope life treats you kindHope + present: she hopes for something possible.
• I wish to you joy and happinessWish well, as in the first section of Wishes. The book’s version is “I wish you joy”.
• above all this I wish you loveWish well again, with the person and the thing.
• I will always love youWill for a promise about the future.

Short explanations added for study; they are not in the book.

Learn the pattern in Wishing people well.

The full lyrics are printed in your book on page 108. They are not copied here; only short phrases are quoted to point out the grammar.

The singer looks back on his whole life and says he has few regrets. Frances jokes about it in the story: “Soon you’ll start humming My Way.”

What to notice

• Regrets, I’ve had a fewThe present perfect, for an experience in a life that is still going. The singer has regrets, but few.
• I did what I had to doHad to is the past of have to: an obligation. See Duty and advice.
• I’ll state my case‘ll for what the singer is about to do.
• I did it my wayThe simple past: a finished action.

Short explanations added for study; they are not in the book.

Compare this singer with Leonard and Frances in the story: they do have regrets, and they use wish and had hoped to say so.

Use the songs to talk about feelings, goodbyes and looking back on your life. You do not need to quote the lyrics.

Phrase bank

Press the speaker, listen, then say the sentence out loud. Swap in your own details so that it becomes true for you.

• The song is about...The song is about saying goodbye to someone you love.
• The message of the song is...The message of the song is that you can live without many regrets.
• It reminds me of...It reminds me of a trip I took with my family.
• I like the lyrics because...I like the lyrics because they are simple and honest.
• I have a few regrets, but...I have a few regrets, but I have no big ones.

Speaking prompts

Answer out loud first, in three or four sentences, then open the model. The model is one good answer, not the only one. The words in color are the structures to practice.

1. What do you think “I Will Always Love You” is about? Say it in your own words.

   Try to use: The song is about..., she decides to..., she wishes him...

   Show a model answerHide the model answer

   The song is about saying goodbye. The singer thinks it is better to leave, so she decides to go. She is sad, but she wishes him a good life. The message is that you can love someone and still let them go.

2. In “My Way” the singer says he has few regrets. How about you?

   Try to use: I have a few regrets, but..., I wish I had...

   Show a model answerHide the model answer

   I have a few regrets, but nothing serious. I wish I had learned another language when I was young, and I wish I had traveled more. But overall I am happy with the choices I made.

3. Is there a song that reminds you of an important moment in your life?

   Try to use: past simple, It reminds me of..., I like the lyrics because...

   Show a model answerHide the model answer

   Yes. A song from my school days always plays when I think of my friends. It reminds me of the last summer before we all left for university. I like the lyrics because they are about the future, and we were all very hopeful then.

Present, past, or a hope that did not happen? Pick the form that matches.

Rewrite it

Obligation, prohibition, advice, no obligation or possibility? Pick the modal that fits.

Rewrite it

Polite requests, offers, promises and replies.

Rewrite it

Choose the word that fits the sentence.

Choose the correct spelling.