Heroes and Stories (J9A)
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EN: The relative pronoun 'that' introduces a defining relative clause ('that teach us about history') which modifies the noun 'books'. In this clause, 'that' acts as the subject of the verb 'teach'.
I like movies that make me laugh.
EN: The verb 'teach' can take a double object (ditransitive verb pattern): 'teach + indirect object (someone) + direct object (something)'. In this sentence, 'us' is the indirect object and 'about history' (prepositional phrase acting as the topic) functions as the direct object equivalent.
She teaches us English every Monday.
EN: The relative pronoun 'who' is used to introduce a defining relative clause that describes a person (in this case, 'the author'). The relative clause 'who wrote my favorite novel' acts like an adjective to specify which author is being referred to.
He is the teacher who inspired me to study history.
EN: Direct speech reporting with 'says [Name]'. In English, when reporting what someone says, we place the spoken words in quotation marks, followed by the reporting verb 'says' and the subject (the speaker's name).
"I love this city," says Leo.
EN: The relative pronoun 'which' is used to introduce a relative clause (adjective clause) that describes a non-human noun (in this case, 'the movie'). Here, 'which' acts as the subject of the relative clause 'which won many awards'.
This is the book which inspired me to become a writer.
EN: Direct speech reporting with 'says [Name]'. In English narrative or dialogue, when reporting what someone says, the reporting verb (says) can be placed before the subject (Emma) for stylistic variation, especially when the quote comes first.
"I love this city," says Leo.
EN: The relative pronoun 'who' is used to introduce a defining relative clause that describes a person (in this case, 'the hero'). The relative clause 'who saves the whole city' acts like an adjective to specify which hero is being referred to.
She is the teacher who inspires everyone.
EN: In the relative clause 'who saves the whole city', the relative pronoun 'who' acts as the subject. Therefore, the verb 'saves' must agree in number with the antecedent 'the hero' (third-person singular).
EN: The relative pronoun 'that' introduces a defining relative clause ('that make me feel brave') to describe the preceding noun 'songs' (the antecedent). Since 'songs' is plural, the verb 'make' in the relative clause is in its base form.
I prefer books that have happy endings.
EN: The causative verb 'make' is followed by an object and a bare infinitive (verb in base form without 'to') to express causing someone or something to experience a state or perform an action. In this sentence, 'make me feel' means to cause me to experience the feeling of being brave.
Sad movies always make me cry.
EN: The relative pronoun 'who' is used to introduce a relative clause (adjective clause) that describes a person. In this sentence, 'who' acts as the subject of the relative clause 'who made this art', modifying the noun 'painter'.
She is the teacher who inspires me.
EN: The reporting verb 'says' is used in the simple present tense to attribute direct speech to a speaker, which is a common stylistic choice in narratives and dialogues to make the quote feel immediate.
EN: The relative pronoun 'that' is used to introduce a defining relative clause ('that changed my view') which modifies the noun 'story'. In this clause, 'that' acts as the subject of the verb 'changed'.
I bought a book that inspired me to travel.
EN: The verb 'read' in this sentence is in the simple past tense (pronounced /rɛd/), indicating a completed action in the past. Its spelling remains the same as the base form 'read' (pronounced /riːd/).
She read the email and smiled.
EN: Subject Relative Clauses: The relative pronoun 'who' is used to introduce a relative clause that modifies a person ('the scientist'). In this clause, 'who' acts as the subject of the verb 'discovered'.
He is the teacher who inspired me to study English.
EN: Reporting Verbs in Direct Speech: When quoting someone directly, the reporting verb (e.g., 'says') and the speaker (e.g., 'Emma') can be placed after the quote. In simple present tense, 'says' is used for a singular third-person speaker.
EN: Relative Clauses with 'which': A relative clause is used to give more information about a noun (the antecedent). 'Which' is used as a relative pronoun to refer to things or animals. In this sentence, 'which everyone loves' describes the noun 'game'. Since 'everyone loves' has a subject (everyone) and a verb (loves), 'which' acts as the object of the relative clause and can optionally be omitted in informal English.
This is the book which I bought yesterday.
EN: Direct Speech with Reporting Verbs: When reporting what someone said directly, the spoken words are placed inside quotation marks. The reporting phrase (e.g., 'says Ryan') can be placed after the quote. In English narrative present tense, 'says [Name]' is commonly used to make the dialogue feel immediate and active.
EN: Subject Relative Clauses (Adjective Clauses): The relative pronoun 'who' is used to introduce a clause that modifies the noun 'people'. In this clause, 'who' acts as the subject of the verb 'give up'.
I know a girl who speaks four languages.
EN: Phrasal Verb 'give up': A common idiomatic phrase meaning to stop making an effort or to surrender. When followed by another verb, it takes the gerund (-ing) form.
You should never give up on your dreams.
EN: The phrase 'never give up' is a deeply ingrained value in English-speaking cultures, often associated with the concept of 'grit' or perseverance. It is a common motivational slogan used in sports, education, and personal development.
EN: The relative pronoun 'who' is used to introduce a defining relative clause ('who inspires me') that modifies the subject noun 'The teacher'. In this clause, 'who' acts as the subject of the verb 'inspires'.
The girl who won the race is my sister.
EN: Direct speech reporting with the verb 'say'. When the reporting verb 'says Hana' comes after the direct quote, the word order can be 'says [Name]' in written English, which adds a narrative tone.
"I will arrive tomorrow," says Leo.
EN: In English-speaking school environments, teachers are typically addressed by their title (Mr., Ms., Mrs.) and their last name (e.g., Ms. Wu), rather than just 'Teacher'. Using 'Teacher' as a direct name is considered grammatically incorrect and unnatural in English culture.
EN: The relative pronoun 'who' is used to introduce a relative clause (adjective clause) that describes a person or people (in this case, 'heroes'). The relative clause 'who show us hope' acts as an adjective modifying the noun 'heroes'.
I know a teacher who speaks five languages.
EN: The verb 'show' can take two objects: an indirect object (the person receiving the action, 'us') and a direct object (the thing being shown, 'hope'). This is a ditransitive verb pattern (Subject + Verb + Indirect Object + Direct Object).
She showed me her new drawing.
EN: A relative clause (or adjective clause) is used to modify a noun (the antecedent). In this sentence, 'that show the power of kindness' is a relative clause modifying the noun 'stories'. The relative pronoun 'that' acts as the subject of the relative clause.
I like movies that have a happy ending.
EN: The prepositional phrase 'of kindness' uses 'of' to show possession or connection, meaning 'belonging to' or 'characterized by'. Here, 'the power of kindness' means the strength or influence that comes from being kind.
She believes in the power of music.
EN: The relative pronoun 'which' is used to introduce a relative clause (adjective clause) that describes a non-human noun (in this case, 'one', referring to 'book'). Here, 'which' acts as the object of the verb 'read'. In informal English, 'which' can be replaced by 'that' or even omitted.
This is the camera which I bought yesterday.
EN: The present perfect tense ('have read') is used here to express an action that has occurred multiple times from the past up to the present moment. It emphasizes life experience.
She has visited Japan three times.
EN: The relative pronoun 'who' is used to introduce a relative clause (adjective clause) that describes a person (the antecedent 'a girl'). In this clause, 'who' acts as the subject of the verb 'helps'.
She is the teacher who inspires everyone in our school.
EN: The preposition 'about' is used here to indicate the subject matter or topic of the pronoun 'It' (referring to the book or story). It is followed by a noun phrase 'a girl...'.
This movie is about a family that moves to a new city.
EN: The relative pronoun 'who' is used to introduce an adjective clause (relative clause) that modifies a person (in this case, 'a hero'). The relative pronoun acts as the subject of the relative clause.
He is the teacher who inspired me to study history.
EN: The phrasal verb 'ask for' means to request or demand something. In this sentence, 'asks for any reward' means requesting any form of compensation or return.
You can ask for help whenever you need it.
EN: The concept of a 'hero' who acts selflessly without seeking recognition or reward is a deeply valued moral ideal in many cultures, emphasizing altruism over personal gain.
EN: The relative pronoun 'who' is used to introduce a defining relative clause (adjective clause) that modifies a person (the subject of the relative clause). In this sentence, 'who wrote it' modifies 'The author'.
The teacher who inspires me is Ms. Wu.
EN: Subject-Verb Agreement with Singular Nouns: The singular subject 'The author' (modified by the relative clause) takes the singular verb 'understands' (with an -s ending in the simple present tense).
The girl who helps people in her village lives here.
EN: The relative pronoun 'which' is used to introduce a relative clause (adjective clause) that describes a non-human noun (in this case, 'a scene'). Here, 'which' acts as the subject of the relative clause 'which always makes me cry'.
This is the book which inspired my career.
EN: The causative verb 'make' is followed by an object and a bare infinitive (verb in its base form without 'to') to express causing someone to do something or feel a certain way.
Sad movies always make me cry.
EN: The relative pronoun 'who' is used to introduce a relative clause (adjective clause) that describes a person or people (in this case, 'leaders'). The relative clause 'who fight for what is right' acts as an adjective modifying the noun 'leaders'.
I respect teachers who encourage their students.
EN: The noun clause 'what is right' functions as the object of the preposition 'for'. In this structure, 'what' means 'the thing(s) that' and acts as the subject within its own clause.
She always stands up for what she believes in.
EN: The subject 'People' is modified by the defining relative clause 'who care about others'. 'Who' is a relative pronoun acting as the subject of the relative clause, used to refer to people.
Students who study hard usually get good grades.
EN: The modal verb 'can' is used here to express capability or possibility. It is followed by the base form of the verb 'change'.
We can achieve our goals if we work together.
EN: The relative pronoun 'that' introduces a defining relative clause ('that teach us values') that modifies the subject noun 'Good stories'. In this clause, 'that' functions as the subject of the verb 'teach'.
Books that inspire people are always popular.
EN: The verb 'teach' can take a double object structure (ditransitive verb): 'teach + indirect object (person) + direct object (thing)'. Here, 'us' is the indirect object and 'values' is the direct object.
She teaches us English every Friday.
EN: The relative pronoun 'who' (or 'whom') is used to introduce an adjective clause (relative clause) that modifies the noun 'writer'. In this clause, 'who' acts as the object of the verb 'admire'. In modern English, 'who' is commonly used instead of 'whom' in casual speech.
She is the teacher who I like most.
EN: The adverb 'most' is used as a superlative adverb to modify the verb 'admire', indicating the highest degree of admiration.
Which color do you like most?
EN: The relative pronoun 'who' is used to introduce a relative clause (adjective clause) that describes a person. In this sentence, 'who wrote about brave women' modifies the noun 'the author'. Since 'who' acts as the subject of the relative clause, it is followed directly by the verb 'wrote'.
She is the scientist who discovered the cure.
EN: Direct speech is placed inside quotation marks, and the reporting verb (e.g., 'says') can be placed after the quote. In English, when the reporting clause comes at the end, we use a comma inside the quotation marks instead of a period.
EN: The relative pronoun 'which' is used to introduce a relative clause (adjective clause) that describes a non-human noun (in this case, 'movies'). It acts as the subject of the relative clause 'which have a strong message'.
I bought a book which explains the history of art.
EN: Direct speech reporting with 'says [Name]'. In English, when quoting someone, the reporting verb 'says' can be placed after the quote, followed by the subject (noun).
"I am ready," says Leo.
EN: In English, expressing that a movie or book has a 'strong message' indicates that the work conveys an important moral, social, or philosophical lesson, rather than just being pure entertainment. This is highly valued in discussions about art and media.
EN: The relative pronoun 'who' is used to introduce an adjective clause (relative clause) that modifies a person ('the singer'). In this sentence, 'who' acts as the object of the verb 'saw' in the relative clause. In modern English, 'who' is commonly used instead of 'whom' in this object position, and it can also be omitted entirely in informal contexts.
Is that the teacher who you met yesterday?
EN: In reporting speech, when the reporting verb (like 'asks') and its subject (like 'Hana') are placed after the direct quotation, they can be inverted (e.g., 'asks Hana'). This inversion is a common stylistic device in narrative writing to keep the focus on the dialogue.
"I am ready," says Leo.
EN: The relative pronoun 'who' is used to introduce a defining relative clause that describes a person (in this case, 'the artist'). The relative clause 'who inspires me' acts like an adjective to specify which artist is being referred to.
She is the teacher who helped me pass the exam.
EN: In direct speech, when the reporting verb (e.g., 'says') comes after the quoted sentence, the subject ('Leo') can either precede or follow the verb. Here, 'says Leo' is a common inversion style used in written English.
"I am ready," says Sarah.
EN: Subject Relative Clauses (Adjective Clauses): The relative pronoun 'that' acts as the subject of the relative clause 'that make me think deeply' and refers back to the plural noun 'books' (the antecedent). Because 'books' is plural, the verb 'make' in the relative clause must also be plural (no '-s').
I like movies that have a strong message.
EN: Causative Verb 'Make': The verb 'make' is used here as a causative-like verb meaning 'to cause to do or feel'. It is followed by an object ('me') and a bare infinitive (verb base 'think') without 'to'.
Sad movies always make me cry.
EN: The relative pronoun 'who' is used to introduce a relative clause (adjective clause) that describes a person. In this sentence, 'who trained our team' modifies the noun 'coach'. Since 'who' acts as the subject of the relative clause, it is followed directly by the verb 'trained'.
She is the teacher who helped me with my English.
EN: Direct speech is used to report the exact words spoken by someone. When the reporting verb (e.g., 'says') and its subject (e.g., 'Emma') come after the quoted speech, they can be inverted (e.g., 'says Emma') or remain in standard order (e.g., 'Emma says').
"I am ready," says Leo.
EN: The relative pronoun 'which' is used to introduce a defining relative clause that gives essential information about a non-human noun (in this case, 'the app'). Here, 'which' acts as the subject of the relative clause 'which helps me study'.
This is the book which inspired my sister to become a chef.
EN: The verb 'help' can be followed by an object and a bare infinitive (verb without 'to'). In the phrase 'helps me study', 'study' is a bare infinitive acting as the object complement.
She helps her brother do his homework every evening.
EN: Subject Relative Clauses (Adjective Clauses): The relative pronoun 'who' is used to introduce a clause that describes the subject 'People'. In this structure, 'who' acts as the subject of the relative clause ('who read a lot').
Students who study hard usually pass the exams.
EN: Adverbs of Frequency and Manner: 'Often' is an adverb of frequency placed before the main verb 'write' to show how regularly the action happens. 'Well' is an adverb of manner placed after the verb 'write' to describe how the action is performed.
She often speaks English well.
EN: The relative pronoun 'who' is used to introduce a defining relative clause that describes a person (in this case, 'someone'). The relative clause 'who helps without fear' specifies exactly what kind of person is considered a hero.
She is the teacher who inspired me to study history.
EN: The preposition 'without' is used to express the absence of something. When followed by a noun like 'fear', it functions adverbially to describe how an action is performed (performing an action courageously).
He solved the difficult puzzle without help.
Key vocabulary words with IPA pronunciation, definitions, example sentences, and interactive quizzes.
Phrases with type tags, bilingual definitions, usage notes, and example sentences.
To stop trying to do something; to surrender or quit.
To feel interest in or concern about something or someone.
To be remembered with affection or deep emotion for a long time.