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The Landlady - Word Work 1
Word Work
Language in Context
Reflexive & Emphatic Pronouns
In the story 'The Landlady', pronouns ending '-self'are used a number of
times.
There are two different uses of the '-self' pronoun here: one is being used to
for
emphasis ("the room itself") and the other describes an action which refers to
the
same person who performs the action ("Billy told himself") and so is reflexive.
In
the first situation it is the subject of the sentence (a noun) which is being
referred to
("the room"; "the name") directly, while the second requires an intervening verb
("told himself"; "found himself")
In the extracts from the story, decide which form is being used:
1. In the following extracts, the '-self' pronoun has not been used, but could
easily
have been. Using the prompts given, either rewrite or add a phrase which
includes
myself, himself or itself
1. Billy Weaver had travelled down from London on the slow train. (He was alone)
Billy Weaver had travelled down by himself from London on the slow train
2. "Find your own lodgings and then go along and report to the Manager."
(substitute 'go' with 'take')
Find your own lodgings and then take yourself along and report to the
Manager"
The room itself was filled with pleasant furniture.
Animals were usually a good sign in a place like this, Billy told himself.
The name itself conjured up images of watery cabbage.
Billy found himself automatically starting forward.
"I saw the notice in the window, " he said, holding himself back.
We have it all to ourselves," she said smiling at him over her shoulder.
The old girl is slightly dotty, Billy told himself.
"I stuff all my little pets myself when they pass away."
Example:
Example:
The Landlady - Word Work 2
3. On the carpet in front of the fire, a pretty little dachshund was curled up
asleep
with its nose tucked into its belly. (The dachshund was alone)
_______________________________________________________________
4. Each word was like a black eye forcing him to stay where he was. (He was
unable to control events. Use the verb 'help' in a new phrase)
_______________________________________________________________
5. "And this one is all yours," she said. (emphasise it is his alone)
_______________________________________________________________
6. "And you may light the gas fire at any time if you feel chilly." (substitute
'if you
feel chilly' with phrase using the verb ' warm')
_______________________________________________________________
7. I'm a lucky fellow, he thought, rubbing his hands. (replace 'thought' with
the
verb 'congratulate')
_______________________________________________________________
8. "They're on the fourth floor, both of them together." (insert a phrase using
the
verb 'have' and the quantifier 'whole')
_______________________________________________________________
9. "Milk?" she said. "And sugar?" (add phrase using verb 'help')
_______________________________________________________________
10. "It doesn't look in the least bit dead. Who did it?" "I did." (add two words
to
emphasise that no one helped)
_______________________________________________________________
The Landlady - Word Work 3
2. Rewrite the sentences so it includes a suitable form of one of the verbs in
the
box, and a reflexive pronoun.
1. We can leave the food in the fridge, and Billy
can feed himself..
2. I keep
why those name were so familiar.
3. The landlady spoke clearly and had no difficulty in
..
4. When she slipped off the sofa, she didn't
5. Billy was polite and always
..
6. Billy had to
.. but she forgot his name anyway.
7. The accident wasn't your fault. Don't
8. The landlady had a habit of ____________ to ____________ when nobody
else was around.
9. When she was preparing her 'pets' for stuffing, she never
.
10. Bath is a very pleasant city and you should
. there.
ask behave blame cut feed enjoy
express hurt introduce talk
The Landlady - Word Work 4
Word Work
Comparatives
While Billy and the landlady are drinking tea, she compares him with the two
previous guests whose names Billy has seen in the guest-book.
The direct comparisons "so white" and "as good as" are both preceded by
negative verbs ('were' not' and 'are not'). In this case we can use either 'so'
or 'as'
to compare things. (Remember that in so white the meaning so white as yours is
implied).
Therefore we can say
His teeth weren't quite so white (as yours)
His teeth weren't quite as white (as yours)
They're not as good as they look
They're not so good as they look
However, we don't have this choice if the meaning is positive
His teeth were as white as yours √
His teeth were so white as yours X
They are as good as they look √
They are so good as they look X
Look at the chart below. It compares some details about Billy Weaver,
Christopher
Mulholland and Gregory Temple. Write five positive and five negative sentences
comparing any two of them at a time. (10 sentences in all).
Billy
Weaver
Christopher
Mulholland
Gregory
Temple
age 17 17 28
teeth very white white yellowish
skin smooth silky like a baby
height 1.82 1.80 1.81
weight 85kgs 82kgs 87kgs
shoe size 43 41 43
occupation junior salesman student scientist
family background lower class upper class middle class
city of origin London Cardiff Bristol
general
appearance
very handsome very handsome very handsome
"He was a trifle shorter than you are, and his teeth weren't quite so white. You
have the most beautiful teeth, Mr Weaver, did you know that?""
"They're not as good as they look," Billy said.
Example: Christopher Mulholland's teeth weren't as white as Billy Weaver's
The Landlady - Word Work 5
Word Work
Glossary
a bit of all right (old fashioned) enjoyable
alas sadly
baby-grand piano smallest of long, three legged pianos
big shot important person
bitter almonds unsweetened taste of essence of amκndoa
blotchy uneven marks
brisk quick, efficient
choosy not easily pleased
dainty delicate
dither unable to decide (what to do)
dotty crazy
Eton exclusive private school
five and sixpence old British money, value about 18 euro cents
frisky lively
fuss paying a lot of attention to
glow giving off a warm light
hearth place in a room where a fire is put
jack-in-the-box children's toy where head on a spring jumps out of a
box
kippers a smoked fish (herring)
landing place where stairs meet in a house
off her rocker crazy
on the off-chance by luck
pane single piece of glass in a window
peeling layer coming away from the wall
plump soft
pop jump out suddenly
pop in enter quickly, without ceremony
porch covered entrance of exterior door
rim edge, side
rings a bell sounds familiar
sip drink slowly, delicately (especially when hot)
swamp overwhelm; too much of something
swanky expensive and snobbish
teeny weeny extremely little
tiny very little
tray flat receptacle for carrying cups, plates etc
trot walk quickly (implies unconcerned way of walking)
undergraduate University student studying for first degree
whiff slight smell
Note: These words and phrases are correct for the
context of 'The Landlady' but may have different
meanings in different contexts.
The Landlady - Word Work 6
Word Work
Glossary
a bit of all right bem bom
alas infelizmente
baby-grand piano piano de meia cauda
big shot pessoa importante
bitter almonds amκndoa amarga
blotchy manchadas
brisk vigorosos
choosy difνcil de contentar
dainty ligeiro
dither hesitar
dotty tonta
Eton colιgio particular muito selecto
five and sixpence cinco xelins e seis pence (dinheiro antigo equivalente a
cerca de 18 cκntimos)
frisky fogoso
fuss atarefar-se
glow a arder
hearth lareira
jack-in-the-box caixa de surpresas
kippers arenque fumado
landing patamar
off her rocker maluca
on the off-chance no caso de
pane um vidro
peeling descascar
plump almofadada
pop saltar
pop in passar por
porch alpendre
rim beira
rings a bell nγo ι estranho
sip beberricar
swamp inundar de
swanky ostentosas
teeny weeny um nadinha
tiny um pouco
tray tabuleiro
trot andar ligeiro
undergraduate estudante universitαrio
whiff leve cheiro
Note: These words and phrases are correct for the
context of 'The Landlady' but may have different
meanings in different contexts.
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