Unit 4 : Life at Buckhampton College

Sequence 1 : An e-mail from England

Vocabulary :               kinds of writings

·  A handwritten letter
A letter that is written by hand, using a pen or pencil, on paper.

·  A typed letter
A letter that is typed on a computer or typewriter and usually printed on paper.

·  An e-mail
A digital message sent electronically through the internet using an email address.

·  A greeting
The opening words of a letter or email, used to say hello.
Examples: “Dear Sir,” “Hello Maria,”

·  A closing formula
The polite ending of a letter or email before the signature.
Examples: “Best regards,” “Sincerely,”

·  A signature
The name of the writer, written at the end of a letter or email. It can be handwritten or typed.

Grammar :                                           manage to

1. Meaning

Manage to + verb means:

👉 to succeed in doing something,
👉 even if it was difficult,
👉 after effort, problem, or obstacle.

✔ Examples:

• I managed to finish my homework.
  → I succeeded, even if it wasn’t easy.
• She managed to get to school on time.
  → She arrived on time, but it was difficult.

This is not the same as “can”.
“Can” = ability in general.
“Manage to” = success in a specific situation.

2. Form / Structure

✔ Affirmative

subject + managed to + base verb

• She managed to find a taxi.
• They managed to pass the test.

✔ Negative

subject + didn’t manage to + base verb

• I didn’t manage to call him.
• He didn’t manage to solve the problem.

✔ Interrogative

Did + subject + manage to + base verb?

• Did you manage to finish?
• Did they manage to fix the car?

 3. Tense

 “manage to” is mostly used in the past:

• I managed to get to school by 10 pm.
  (from Emily’s letter)

But you can use it in other tenses too:

• Present: I manage to study every day.
• Future: I will manage to do it.

4. When do we use “manage to”?

Use it when:

✔ the action was difficult

✔ you needed effort

✔ you finally succeeded

Examples:

• The exam was difficult, but I managed to pass.
• We were late, but we managed to catch the bus.
• He was tired, but he managed to finish the race.

 When NOT to use “manage to”

Don’t use it for:

✘ general abilities
✔ I can swim. (NOT: I manage to swim.)

✘ things that are always easy
✔ She can speak Arabic. (NOT: she manages to speak Arabic.

5. Practice

 A) Rewrite using manage to:

1. The test was difficult, but I passed.
2. The shop was closing, but we bought the milk.
3. I ran very fast and I caught the bus.

B)React to the following statements using the expression “manage to”.

            (Réagis aux affirmations suivantes en utilisant “manage to”.)

1. The exam was very difficult but I passed.

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2. The trip was very long but we arrived before night.

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3. I had to run for the bus but I caught it.

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4- The supermarket was closed when I arrived so I didn’t buy any milk.

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5. It was a difficult match but Manchester United beat Liverpool.

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