INFORMAL CONGRATULATION

INFORMAL CONGRATULATION

DESCRIPTION

Basic Competence: Responding to the meaning in transactional conversation (to get things done) and interpersonal (social) in formal and informal context accurately, fluently and acceptable which uses a variety of simple spoken language in different contexts of daily life and involves speech: expressing informal congratulation.

LESSON

In this lesson, you will learn about how to express informal congratulation in the daily conversation.

INFORMAL CONGRATULATION

Have you ever got congratulations? You may be often congratulated by your friends, teachers, parents, or relatives. Congratulations is an expression that given by other people to show happy expression or emotional. It can be used in several special occasions such as birthday party, new born baby, wedding party, or even at work when someone has got job promotion. However, you should pay attention to the situation below:

To congratulate someone’s achievement, people commonly use the following phrases:

§   Congratulations!

§   Well done!

§   Good Job!

But, you can also use “congratulations on ….” to mention the achievement. For examples:

§   Congratulations on your birthday.

§   Congratulations on getting the title.

§   Congratulations on passing the exam.

§   Congratulations on your job promotion.

§   Congratulations on getting a scholarship.

You can also use the word “Happy” to congratulate others informally. This context is more general and shorter. However, the meaning is still the same. For example, “Happy Birthday” has same meaning with “Congratulation on your birthday.”

You can also use the word “Happy” in certain special day or religions, people commonly say:

§   Happy Wesak Day!

§   Happy Feast Day!

§   Happy New Year!

§   Merry Christmas!

§   Happy led Day!

To understand how to use the expressions above, read the conversation below:

Conversation 1 : 

(Situation: two best friends is talking about university)

Doni                 : “Hi Adhi! I heard that you had join UNPAR with PMDK way is it true?”

Adhi                 : “I think I just have big luck.”

Doni                 :  “No! You are awesome and a great person. You are the smartest boy in our class. So you deserve it!”

Adhi                 : “Thanks Don. I appreciate it!”

Doni                 : “You’re welcome. By the way congratulations for joining UNPAR so early with great way!”

Adhi                 : “Thanks Don.”

Doni                 : “Don’t mention it”

Conversation 2

(Situation: Fanny has got a new born baby )

Denny             : “Fan, you look so happy. Would you tell me something that makes you happy?”

Fanny              : “Of course. I just had a baby two days ago and I feel super happy, but tired too.”

Denny             :” I’m happy to hear that you already had a baby!  “Congratulations on your new born baby. But, you also have to rest more.”

Fanny              : “Thanks Den. I think I can have a rest this week long.”

Denny             : “That’s good!”

To sum up the lesson, informal congratulations:

-          Is an expression which is used in informal situations such as birthday party, wedding party, got job promotion, etc.

-          Has several short phrases which can be used in daily life context such as Congratulations!, Well done!, Good Job!

-          Can use “Congratulations on ….” to mention the achievement.

-          Can use the word “Happy” or “I’m happy for …” to show that you also feel the happiness.

EXERCISE 2 REPORTED SPEECH

1.       “Please buy some bread on your way home”  she asked me

2.    “Please give this to John” she asked me

3.    “Could you give me the glass on the table, please?” she asked me 

4.       “Why did you take my wallet?”, he asked.

5.       “I can’t speak any foreign languages”, he said.

6.       “I’ll see you tomorrow”, she said.

7.       “I saw her today”, he said.

8.       “I don’t like this film”, she said.

9.       She said, “We went swimming today.”

10.   “I met her about three months ago”, he said.

11.   “Do you like Marlon Brandon?”, she asked.

12.   “When does the train leave?”, I asked.

13.   “Are you enjoying yourself?”, he asked.

14.   “How are you?”, he asked

15.   “Does your father work here?”, she asked.

WRITING NEWS ITEMS

Reporting Tips:

We read a "news item" to find out specific information about an event reported in the news.  Every "news item" has to have the answers to the five WH questions:

What - What happened exactly?

Who - Who are the people and groups involved in the event?

When - When did the event take place?

Where - Where did the event take place?

Why - Why did it happen? (The reasons behind the event.)

Remember: If you read information and write it in your own words, you are reporting!

If you copy someone else's writing you are doing something illegal.  No reporter is allowed to plagiarize from any other reporter!

(For more ideas click here)

Instructions:

Choose an event in the news. Look for information that will answer the five WH questions on the following sites:

ABCNEWS

CNNInteractive

HaaretzDaily Newspaper - English Internet Edition

Yahoo! - Full Coverage: Top Stories

Washingtonpost.com_International Page

Welcometo Pathfinder!

Fox News

USA TODAY

New York Times on the Web

Write your news item and give it to your teacher to correct.  Your teacher is like the editor in a newsroom.

READING COMPREHENSION (2) - NEWS ITEMS

Answer the following questions

READING COMPREHENSION - NEWS ITEMS

READING COMPREHENSION

A.     Malaysian Women Suggested to Carry Condoms

Malaysian Deputy Health Ministry urged every woman to carry a condom to protect against HIV, a news report said.

This is not to debate them but to protect them. Women are the first ones to get exploited by their partners (whom are infected by HIV-positive)” Abdul Latiff Ahmad was quoted as saying by Sunday Star Newspaper. “But this just a suggestion, it’s up to them”.

Abdul latiff made remark to coincide with the International Aids Memorial day, which was celebrated openly for the first time in Malaysia, in bid to reduce stigma for HIV-victim. In the past the event was held behind closed door.

Last year, 745 Malaysian women were identified as HIV-positive and 193 were diagnosed with AIDS, he said in the report. Officials have said nearly 81000 Malaysian have been infected with HIV, less then 10 percent are woman, but the number is steadily rising.

Malaysian Aids Council president, Adeebah Kamarulzaman, was quoted as saying besides sex workers, many women who contract HIV are housewives, were infected unknowingly by their husbands. “It’s not that people don’t know that condoms can protect them. But there are some men who don’t care to take precaution, even though they know they have HIV” she said.

(Source The Jakarta Post, June 01, 2008)

Generic Structure Analysis

News worthy event: Malaysian women is urged to carry condoms to protect HIV.

Background event 1: International Memorial Day was held openly in Malaysia to reduce stigma for HIV victims.

Background event 2: The number of Malaysian women who are infected with HIV is steadily rising.

Source: Malaysian Aids Council president said that there were some men who did not care to take precaution even though they knew they had HIV

B.      Indonesian Maid in HK Court after Having Sex

A 45-year old Indonesian maid admitted having sex with her Hong Kong employer’s 14-year old son after watching internet porn together.

The maid is a divorcee and a mother of two children. The maid, named Suwartin, had worked with the boy family for 11 years.

A court heard how the maid had sex with the boy in relationship that lasted five months. The boy tried to end the affair but she refused. The teenager eventually confessed to the relationship to the leader of Christian group he belonged to.

Then the maid was arrested. She pleaded guilty to five charges of committing an indecent act with underage partner. She will be sentenced in two week’s time.

She later apologized and said that she would live with the shame of what she had done for the rest of life. “She had acted out of loneliness” the maid’s lawyer said.

(Adapted from Reuters, Hong Kong, May 6, 2008)

Generic Structure Analysis

News worthy event: Indonesian maid court and admitted having sex with her young employer

Background event: The maid is a divorcee. She had worked in the boy family for 11 years. She had relationship the boy for five months. She apologized and felt guilty

Source: The maid lawyer said that the maid had acted out of loneliness

C.      Indonesian Maid beheaded

An Indonesian housemaid has been executed in Saudi Arabia after being convicted of killing her employer, the Saudi Interior Minister said.

The woman was beheaded in the Southern Asir province in what was the second execution in the country.

The maid was earlier found of suffocating her female boss and stealing her jewellery. Rape, murder and other serious crimes can carry the death penalty in the conservative desert kingdom.

Last year, Saudi Arabia, which follow a strict intepretation of Syaria, Islamic law executed more than 130 people.

 (Taken from: www.news.bbc.co.id)

Generic Structure Analysis

Main event; an Indonesian maid was beheaded in Saudi Arabia.

Background 1; the maid was found guilty of suffocating her bos.

Background 2; serious crimes can carry death penalty in Saudi Arabia.

Background 3; Saudi Arabia executed more than 130 people last year.

Resource; the Saudi Interior Minister statement.

Language Feature Analysis

Focussing circumtances; law of serious crimes.

Using material process; behead, execute, carry, etc

NEWS ITEMS

NEWS ITEMS

Definition of News Item

News item is a text which informs readers about events of the day. The events are considered newsworthy or important.

Generic Structure of News Item

1. Main event

2. Elaboration (background, participant, time, place)

3. Resource of information

Language Feature of News Item

1. Focusing on circumstances

2. Using material process

Examples and structures of the text

Town ‘Contaminated
Newsworthy events	Moscow – A Russian journalist has uncovered evidence of another Soviet nuclear catastrophe, which killed 10 sailors and contaminated an entire town.
Background Events	Yelena Vazrshavskya is the first journalist to speak to people who witnessed the explosion of a nuclear submarine at the naval base of shkotovo – 22 near Vladivostock.
	The accident, which occurred 13 months before the Chernobyl disaster, spread radioactive fall-out over the base and nearby town, but was covered  up by officials of the Soviet Union. Residents were told the explosion in the reactor of the Victor-class submarine during a refit had been a ‘thermal’ and not a nuclear explosion. And those involved in the clean up operation to remove more than 600 tones of contaminated material were sworn to secrecy.
Sumber InformasiSources	A board of investigators was later to describe it as the worst accident in the history of the Soviet Navy.

HOW TO CONGRATULATE SOMEONE

VIDEOS

EXPRESSION OF CONGRATULATION

Expression of Congratulation

Have you ever won a competition? Or have you ever got something special because you have done great thing? If yes, what do your family or friends say to you? Do they congratulate you?

Experiencing happy moments such as winning competition, passing the test, and graduating from school will encourage people to express their feeling by saying congratulation. Congratulation is something which is expressed to praise people’s achievement or to appreciate people in their special occasion. You can express it both verbal and written. However, in this lesson you will focus on verbal only.

Saying Congratulation

There are several phrases which are usually used to congratulate others. When you want to congratulate, you should pay attention to these situations:

When you want to congratulate someone in informal context, you can use these phrases:

§   Good Job!

§   Well done!

§   Congratulations!

Examples:

Conversation

(Situation: Alvin got the highest score at school and his teacher congratulate him)

Teacher               : “Well done, you got the highest score among students in this school.”

Alvin                     : “Thank you, Sir.”

When you want to congratulate in formal context, there are some phrases which people commonly use as follows:

§   May I congratulate you on…

§   I’d like to congratulate you on…..

Examples:

Conversation

(Situation: Rika congratulate Fani because she selected to be language ambassador)

Fani    : “I’d like to congratulate you on being our school delegation as language ambassador.”

Rika    : “Thank you very much for saying so.”

Responding Congratulation

To respond expression of congratulation, you can use the following phrases based on the situations:

Saying these phrases when you appreciate them back:

§   I’m glad you say so

§   It’s very good of you to say so

§   Thank you very much for saying so

Saying these phrases when you are sincerely accepting the congratulation:

§   Thank you

§   Oh, thanks

§   Thank you so much

HOW TO PAY A COMPLIMENT

How to play a Compliment
Here are some videos

GIVING AND RESPONDING TO COMPLIMENTS

Look at the photo above. What are they doing? How do you feel when you see someone play guitar well. Then what will you say to him? will you give a compliment?

In this lesson, you will learn how to give and respond to compliments.

Giving and Responding to Compliments

Compliment is commonly used to give praise on something or what someone has got or done. When you give a compliment to others, you encourage them to keep on doing their best.

Giving Compliment

There are several phrases which are usually used to give a compliment. But, you should pay attention to its situations. Different situation may use different phrase such as follows:

When you want to give a compliment because of someone’s appearance, you can say:

§   It looks nice on you.

§   You do look nice in …. (mention what you see)

§   How beautiful you are.

Example :

(Situation: Andini’s aunt is getting married and she is wearing beautiful wedding dress)

Malvin         : “How beautiful you are in that weeding dress. I feel so amazed”

Wilona         : “Thank you, dear.”

When you want to give compliment because people have done their best, you can use these phrases:

§   Good Job!

§   Well done!

§   That’s great!

Example

(Situation: Danang is making a handicraft for art subject.)

Teacher               : “Your handicraft is great. You deserve to get high score.”

Steven                 : “Really? Thank you, Sir. I made it for my parent.”

When you visit your friend’s house for the first time and feel amazed with it, you can say:

§   I like your big and tidy bedroom.

§   What a beautiful garden!

§   I just love your house

Example:

(Situation: You are invited to your friend’s house)

You                     : “I just love your house. It is very big and beautiful.”

Your friend      : “It’s very kind of you to say that. Thank you.”

Responding Complimenting

To respond complimenting, you can use the following phrases:

§   Thank you/Thanks.

§   Thanks, I need that.

§   Do you really think so?

§   It’s very kind of you to say that.

Based the explanation above, it can be concluded that:

§  Congratulation is expressed to praise people’s achievement or to appreciate people in their special occasion.

§  The phrases of congratulation are commonly used as follows: “Good Job!”, “Well done!” or “Congratulations!”

§  Complimenting is used to give praise on something or what someone has got or done.

§  The phrases of complimenting which can be used are “It looks nice on you.”, “That’s great!”, “I just love your …”

Generic Structures

Complimenting, like congratulation, can be used in a verbal or written context. In written context, you can give a compliment or best wishes in a greeting card. While in verbal context, there are some language features that you should pay attention as follows:

Language Features

§   Positive language should be used in complimenting such as good, nice, well, etc.

Example: “You have a nice smile.”

§   Use adjective clause such as cool hair style, beautiful skirt, and delicious cake.

Example: “I just love your delicious cake.”

§   You can also use exaggerated words such awesome, wonderful, amazing, fantastic, etc.

Example: “Your performance is amazing.”

§   Use reference words such as “I like …” or “I love …”

Example: “I like your new haircut.”

§   To give comment towards people’s appearance, you can use “you look …”

Example: “The jeans look nice on you.”

§   Use “What a ….”

Example: “What a beautiful room!”

§   Use present simple tense. That/Those …. is/are nice.

Example: “That is very good.”

To understand how to put it in verbal context, read the conversation below.

Fiona  : “What a beautiful dance! You dance it very well.”

Dina   : “Do you really think so?”

Fiona  : “Yes. I never dance as well as you.”

Dina    : “Thank you.”

To sum up, expressions of congratulation:

§   are used to praise someone’s achievement or give good wishes on a special event

§   can be expressed verbally or written.

While expressions of compliment:

§  are used to give good comments to people

§  must use positive language.

(Written by: Windi Asariastika)