Useful phrases

Discourse markers + generalization

Revision

The topic is: Should we put higher taxes on air travel?

Open Ended

Is there anything wrong with this introduction:

"Traveling by planes has become more common over the century as affordable tickets are being widely offered to people from all walks of life. This is believed to be the underlying cause of air pollution and pressure on airport construction. Because of the convenience and importance that air traveling lays on humans' lives, I do not agree that the government should enforce heavier taxes in order to restrict air pollution and its following problems."

Outline time

Submit your prepared outline on the topic

Open Ended

The topic is: Should we put higher taxes on air travel?

Is there anything wrong with this conclusion:

"In conclusion, I do not see the imprudence in posing higher taxes to restrict people from traveling by planes. As air traffic has become essential and facilitates the needs of humans' traveling, the government should come up with other policies to reduce air pollution rather than charging passengers with expensive flight tickets. "

Discourse markers

Open Ended

Arrange these sentence functions in order they should appear in a paragraph:

1. giving reasons

2. explaining

3. giving examples

4. mentioning effects/consequences

5. topic sentence

1. Topic sentences

Multiple Select

Which is/are (an) appropriate topic sentence(s) for the topic: Should we put higher taxes on air travel?

• To begin with, I believe that higher taxes on flights are threatening the road traffic, thus resulting in more air pollution and other unpleasant outcomes.

• To begin with, higher taxes on flights are causing various threats to road traffic.

• To begin with, higher taxes are correlated with upheavals in transportation and environment.

• To begin with, I believe that higher taxes are correlated with upheavals in transportation and environment.

Open Ended

"To begin with, higher taxes are correlated with upheavals in transportation and environment."

What word(s) can replace To begin with, in this sentence?

Multiple Select

"To begin with, higher taxes are correlated with upheavals in transportation and environment."

What word(s) can replace correlated with in this sentence?

• related to

• concerned with

• connected with

• associated with

Open Ended

"To begin with, higher taxes on flights are causing various threats to road traffic."

What are some words that can replace cause threats to in this sentence?

2. Giving reasons

Open Ended

"This is mainly because air travel has been comparably cheap in recent times, which has saved passengers plenty of time and money."

What can be used to replace "because" in this sentence?

Multiple Choice

One of the reason for this is that air travel has been comparably cheap in recent times, which has saved passengers plenty of time and money."

What can be used to replace "reason" in this sentence?

• roots

• explanations

• grounds

• rationales

Multiple Select

One of the fundamental reason is that air travel has been comparably cheap in recent times, which has saved passengers plenty of time and money."

What can be used to replace "fundamental" in this sentence?

• underlying

• primary

• essential

• basic

3. Explaining

Open Ended

"This means that if the government increases the taxes, people would likely have to switch to conventional transportation, which is road traveling."

What word/phrase can replace "This means that" in this sentence?

Multiple Select

"To ____, if the government increases the taxes, people would likely have to switch to conventional transportation, which is road traveling."

• explain

• clarify

• elaborate

• specify

4. Extending

Open Ended

"As a result, the change in this new tax policy will have far-reaching repercussions to the environment and road traffic situation, especially when hordes of vehicles are out on holidays"

Multiple Select

"As a result, when more means of transportations such as buses, cars or motorbikes are substituted for planes, this would lead to heavier traffic congestions and more emissions of pollutants.

What word can replace result in this sentence?

• consequence

• outcome

• effect

• corollary

5. Giving examples

Open Ended

For example, airports in far-flung regions is a great way to decrease pollution in the city.

What phrase can be used to replace "For example" in this sentence?

Multiple Select

Airports in far-flung regions is a(n) ___ example in how to decrease pollution in the city.

• shining

• well-known

• typical

• clear

Avoid generalization

Multiple Choice

Which sentence sounds softer?

• To make matters worse, humans’ health is directly affected by these pollutants while commuting to work

• To make matters worse, humans’ health would be directly affected by these pollutants while commuting to work

Four ways to avoid generalization

• Use modal verbs

• Use starting phrases

• Use words/phrases of probability

• Use specific indicators of time, space & people

Open Ended

Answer the following question using a modal verb:

"Why should/shouldn't we build more airplanes in cities?"

1. Using modal verbs:

• would, could, might + V0; ought to, should, had better + V0

• Posing greater taxes also obstructs the careers of people working in the air traffic industry -> Posing greater taxes might also obstruct the careers of people working in the air traffic industry

• Constructing airplanes in major cities could mean a greater source of constant noise to the civilians.

Open Ended

Answer the following question using a modal verb:

"What is a possible result/consequence of increasing airline tax?"

2. Using starting phrases

• In many cases, For the majority of cases, For many

• People working in this industry will be cut short and some have to lose their jobs. -> In many cases, people working in this industry will be cut short and some have to lose their jobs.

Open Ended

Answer the following question using a word of probability (be likely to, have a tendency to, tend to, There is likelihood that, face the risks of)

"Why should/shouldn't we build roads with bigger lanes?"

3. Use words/phrases of probability

• be likely to, have a tendency to, tend to, There is likelihood that, face the risks of

• Roads with narrower lanes tend to be congested during rush hours. Moreover, bicycles or motorcycles might face the risks of either taking a detour or colliding with massive vehicles.

4. Use specific indicators of time, space & people

• often, usually, in some scenarios, in many places, a part of, a proportion of

• Although wealthier passengers can afford higher tickets, they enjoy traveling by their private plane. -> Although wealthier passengers can afford higher tickets, they usually enjoy traveling in their private plane.

Open Ended

Answer the following question using specific indicators of time, space & people

"Why should/shouldn't governments allow travels to faraway destinations such as the South Pole?"

Open Ended

Suggest some ways which we can make this sentence softer:

Lack of restriction on air traffic brings about many devastating effects to the environment.

Practice:

• 1. Many people nowadays are choosing to fly at cheaper prices. Do the advantages outweigh the disadvantages?

• 2. The number of airlines is increasing rapidly nowadays. Do you think the advantages outweigh the disadvantages?