Two Simple Rules for using RECCOMEND and SUGGEST

Two Simple Rules for 'suggest' and 'recommend'

• Make recommendations and suggestions to specific people, or to express opinions in general (which may be your opinions, or someone else's).

1.  When there are 2 subjects (2 different people, or publications) in the sentence, use this formula:

• [subject 1 + recommend/suggest ] + (that)* + [subject 2] + verb in the BASE FORM** + complement] 
• *that = optional...but you may want to insert it in order to remember that there is a secondary clause to formulate.
• *the base form of the verb indicates the infinitive without 'to': for example, the base form of 'to go' would be 'go,' no matter what the subject. There is no congiuation of the verb. It always remains in the base form.
• I suggest you learn a non-European language because it will really change the way you see the world.  
• John's brother recommends that he eat at a restaurant called Picholine in New York City.  
• They suggested that she go to the art library in Piazza Venezia because it is one of the best in Rome.  

2.  When there is only 1 subject mentioned before recommend/suggest, use the gerund form of the verb:  

• [subject + recommend/suggest+ GERUND FORM OF THE VERB* + complement]
• *the GERUND always remains in the gerund form
• recommend/suggest may be congiugated into any verb tense
• I recommend reading and listening a lot in English to help you remember verb patterns.
• My favorite high school teacher always suggested going to Shakespeare plays.
• Jane recommends seeing the Villa Borghese first in Rome.
• The City Guide suggested starting an art tour at the Galleria Borghese. 

Practice: Put the verb in the correct form: the BASE FORM of the verb, or the GERUND, depending on the number of subjects in it. Remember, a subject is a person, place, or thing and comes before a verb in English. 

 A)

1. Joe's mom recommended we ________ (buy) him a new skateborad for his birthday.

2. The Lonley Planet guide always suggests _________ (sleep) at cheap hotels in order to save money.

3. Would you suggest I _________ (study) abraod?  Do you think it will help my future career?

4. I'd like to recommend you _________ (take) a trip to New York City. 

5. May I suggest he ___________ (call) later, say, in  about two hours?  The manager is busy now.

6. To improve public singing, Joan recommends ___________ (going) to a Karaoke bar. 

7. My mother has always suggested that I __________ (have ) a good singing voice. 

8.  The doctor recommended ___________(take) vitamin C every day in the winter.

9. When it rains a lot in Rome, Romans suggest you  ___________   (stay) home, if possible.

10. What would you recommend I _____ (do)?

 B)  Conversation:  make recommendations and suggestions for each other. Use the correct form of the verb.  Give your honest opinions.  Switch roles after 3 questions.

1.  I have to review my English grammar. Could you recommend a website?  (azargrammar.com for its Power Point presentations)

2.  My brother is going to study abraod next year in Rotterdam at the university where they have a program all in English. The thing is, though, that his English is only at a B2 level. Could you suggest how he could prepare?

3.  I'm going to New York City over the winter holidays and want to interview for some jobs. Could you recommend some ways I could prepare?

4.  My sister is coming to visit me in Rome for the first time. What would  you suggest she see?

5. Could you suggest some good Italian restaurants in Rome? Where should we go?

6. I'd like to learn how to surf. Do you have any recommendations of where I could start learning how to do this sport?

A / An / The / or Nothing? Or, a noun plural? Speaking in General in English

When we generalize in English, it is often the opposite of what you may do in your native language.  Plus, understanding where to use A/AN/THE ...or a Noun Plural is confusing in English because the rules are not always consistent.

Take a look at these rules, and compare with your language.

https://owl.purdue.edu/owl/general_writing/grammar/using_articles.html

U8 - Arnold: Fashion: A Very Short Introduction - description of Comme des Garcons' new guerrilla store

On page 67 of Arnold's book, you can find a description of a guerrilla store set up by the fashion label Comme des Garcons. 

Here, I've listed some vocabulary for you to review before reading. I've also edited out all of the definite and indefinite articles. 

You decide if a/ an / the goes in the blank, given the context of the description. 

VOCABULARY:
1.  to keep with its environment = to be similar to its surroundings
2. a shell of a building = a building's skeleton, so to speak
3. to remain intact = to not be destroyed or deteriorated over history, remain original in shape
4. tiling = ceramic floors
5. patchy plasterwork = places on the wall where one can see where it was repaired
6. fittings in the rough walls = fittings are the tubes for water in the walls; rough means unrefined
7. Cabinets = containers for clothing, or dishes in a room
8. lopsided = uneven
9. battered seats = old, broken chairs
10. bare, metal rails = metal tubes with no paint 
11. a stack = a pile
12. rawness = crudeness
13. to be at the forefront = to be the leader in a sector; leading the way...

  pp. 67-68

"In 2007, Comme des Garcons opened 1___ new 'guerrilla store' in Warsaw.  Scheduled to remain there for just one year, it was part of a programme of similar 'pop-up' shops by 2____ label; the first was in East Berlin in 2004, followed by similarly transitory boutiques in Barcelona and Singapore.  Each had its own character, in keeping with its environment.   In Warsaw, 3____ shell of 4___ old Soviet-era fruit and vegetable shop remained intact, with green tiling, patchy plasterwork , and traces of ripped-out fittings on the rough walls. This aesthetic was extended into 5___display cabinites, really Soviet furniture, installed to house 6____ label's range. Cabinets clung haphazardly to 7___ walls; drawers spilled out, lopsided and half open to expose shiny perfume bottles; broken chairs cascaded from the ceiling with shoes balanced precariously on their battered seats; clothes were hung on bare metal rails; and twists of wire hung from light fittings and curled on the floor, half hidden under the stacks of fittings.

The effect was of 8___ abandoned storeroom, with clothes and accessories left behind in 9____ shopkeeper's rush to leave. This atmosphere was symbolic of its geographical and historical context, with communisim abandoned in former Soviet block countries, to be replaced by capitalism. This has led to a shift from buying what was needed, or rather what was available, to shopping for what is desired and aspired to, from a wide choice of goods. 10____ rawness of the shop [was in line with] 11____ nature of guerrilla stores, which suddenly take over 12 ___ urban space. Indeed, this was 13___ label's thrid [shop] in Warsaw, 14____ first appearing in 2005 in 15_____ deteriorated passageway under 16____ bridge.

Although they might seem unplanned, such shops are part of Comme des Garcons' strategy to remain at 17____ forefront of fashion retailing.   Some of  18_____ stores remain open for only 19___ few days, others 20____ year; none are advertised, other than through emails to existing customers, perhaps 21___ few posters in  22 ___ local area, and, crucially, through word of mouth. "

Go back and reread the passage, noting where the definite article is NOT used (e.g. in front of plural nouns). Why?

We put nouns in the plural and eliminate 'the' when we generalize, provided the reference is not to some place such as 'the post office', 'the supermarket', etc. 

The Black Panther movie's costume desiger: Ruth E. Carter talking about her work

https://www.newyorker.com/magazine/2018/09/10/ruth-e-carters-threads-of-history

Unit 2: Worn Stories

Go to Emily Spivak's website about her book Worn Stories  which documents clothing and memory.
Read about Adam  Shecter's story:

http://wornstories.com/adam-shecter/

Use it as inspiration to write your own "worn story" about a piece of clothing that 1) reminds you about a special event in your past,  or 2) represents an important, or interesting time in your life.

Write it as a story, with an introduction, descriptions, and maybe even some dialogue between two or more people. Use verbs in the past tense. Please pay attention to punctuation. Refer to the blog posts here about Commas ( 1/9/15) and Colons (12/19/14) to help you.

If you are an A1-A2 student write 200 words.

If you are a B1-B2 student write 250-300 words.

If you are a high B2, C1 student, write 300-350 words.

Everyone should include a photo of the piece of clothing.

Send your stories to me by Thursday, November 22 at 5:00 p.m. so I can give you feedback during class the next day.   Send them to me at my teaching email address:  teachrmarye1@gmail.com

Write your story either in a Word Document, or directly in the email.  That way I can give you feedback digitally.

Units 1 & 2: BBC's In The Studio radio programme with the designers from Opening Ceremony

Use this link to listen to an interview with the two head designers from Opening Ceremony, based in New York City.

https://www.bbc.co.uk/sounds/play/w3csww7b 

Here is the programme website for In The Studio, where you may listen to a short clip with one of the designers discussing the importance of buttons and zippers.  Listen to it and explain the 2 reasons why the designer thinks attention to buttons and zippers is so important.

https://www.bbc.co.uk/programmes/w3csww7b 


1.



2.

Unit 2 - Who is your Fashion Hero? And what do we mean by 'hero'? MOMA video

Use this link to listen to a discussion from three docents at the Museum of Modern Art in New York City discuss who their fashion heroes are, and what they really mean by that word 'hero'?

VOCABULARY:

1.  Celebrities mentioned:  
-Cate Blanchette, actor and movie star
-Gloria Steinem (important American who has promoted femminism in the U.S. since the 1960s, founder of  Ms. magazine)
-Claire McCardell:  important American designer who helped define the ready-to-wear look in the U.S. http://www.fashionencyclopedia.com/Ma-Mu/Mccardell-Claire.html
-Bruce Lee, famous martial artist, popular culture icon, movie star, and well known for his yellow tracksuit  https://www.brucelee.com/

2.  to project an image = to 'represent' a look by the clothes you choose to wear
3.  to spearhead a new design/look = to be the first to publically introduce a new design or look (or anything)
4.  landing on MARS...  arriving on the Red Planet through space travel
5.  "...the wearer themselves imbues the garmet or the item...."   the person who chooses those garments (that look) absorbs the look 100%
6.  to aspire to be someone  =  to actively try to be like...your hero, fashion or otherwise
7.  garment = a piece of clothing
8. a small sense of heroism = feeling like a hero
9. to go hand in hand with.... to naturally go together, to automatically go togetgher, you can't have one without the other
10. to stand up taller = improve your posture so you look taller, either physically, or with clothing
11. 5'7" , 5'8" =  1m75- 1m 76 cm
12. to be amazed =  to feel great wonder


Watch the video and take notes on the questions below.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Tr2nL7FunuY  

1. Who are their heroes?
2. What do they mean by 'hero'?
3. How do they break down 'hero'? What categories do they use?
4.  Do you agree or disagree with anything they say? Why?
5. Who is YOUR fashion hero? Why?

Unit 1 - British Vogue video: Future of Fashion series: What is a Fashion Buyer & a Trend Forecaster

Use this link and watch the video sections per the times indicated below:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=CQcOmHphL-4&app=desktop

If you choose to use the subtitles function on the YouTube video, please be aware that they are not always correct. Also, there is a lot of "chit chat" which may confuse you. The Denim Guy speaks really fast, so if you don't understand him, don't worry. 

A)  2:31-3:38 What is Paul Smith's advice for young people starting out in the industry?

B)  3:38 -6:11  What does a fashion buyer really do? What is he/she responsible for?

C)  6:13 - 8:34  What is WGSN?

D) 8:34- 9:04  What are some places where they find influences for their forecasts?

E)  9:05 - 9:56  What does the "Demin Dude" do? Where does he search for denim trends?

F)  9:56 - end  How has the fashion industry changed over the decades?