← Horizons B2 B2 Arabic

11A Grammar

Quality and choice

Unit 11

I CAN use a range of relative clauses to describe products
I CAN listen to consumer opinions

Grammar

9 cards

A relative clause is a small clause that gives extra information about a noun. It sits inside a sentence, usually after the thing you are describing. Relative clauses are very useful in consumer language because they let you say what kind of product something is, or why you like or dislike it.

There are two main types. Defining relative clauses tell us which product you mean — they are essential. We use them without commas, and we can use that instead of who or which in everyday speech. Non-defining relative clauses add extra, non-essential information about a product we already know about; they are separated by commas, and we cannot use that — we must keep who or which.

Look at the table:

Type	Pronoun	Comma?	Example
Defining (subject)	that / which	No	The phone that I bought has a great camera.
Defining (object)	that / which / Ø	No	The shoes (that) I ordered arrived today.
Defining (person)	that / who	No	The salesperson who helped me was very patient.
Non-defining (thing)	which	Yes	My old tablet, which I bought in 2019, still works well.
Non-defining (person)	who	Yes	My sister, who is a designer, recommended this brand.

Two common student mistakes: (1) writing The product that I bought it — the pronoun it inside the relative clause is wrong; the relative pronoun that is already the object, so nothing follows. (2) Writing The product, that I bought, was faulty — after a comma, you must use which, never that.

With product descriptions, defining clauses are the most common pattern: I returned the kettle that was defective / I tried a brand which offers a two-year warranty.

Generating translation…

I bought a laptop that has an excellent battery life.

Defining relative clause — the clause tells us which laptop. Notice there is no comma.

My headphones, which I bought last year, are still working perfectly.

Non-defining relative clause — the extra information is not essential. Notice the commas.

Required

Look at the two sentences above. In the non-defining clause, can we replace 'which' with 'that'?

Yes, both pronouns are possible after a comma.
No, after a comma we must keep 'which' or 'who'.
Yes, but only with a person, not a thing.
No, because non-defining clauses need no pronoun at all.

Required

I returned the kettle ___ was defective.

Required

My old phone, ___ I bought in 2020, finally stopped working yesterday.

Required

The sentence is correct: 'The product, that I ordered online, arrived damaged.'

Required

Put the words in the correct order to make a defining relative clause.

ordered
the
arrived
that
headphones
I
yesterday
.

Required

Drag the correct word into each gap to complete the relative clauses.

who
that
that
which

I returned the shoes were defective.

My mum, works in design, picked the colour.

The shop I visited offered a full refund.

This is the brand has the best warranty.

Listening

5 cards

In this section you will hear a real conversation between two speakers, Emma and Tom, at a café. Emma has just bought a new laptop, and Tom is asking her what she thinks of it. The conversation is about quality and choice — Emma explains what she likes, what disappointed her, and what she would do differently next time.

Before you listen, think about this: when you buy an expensive product, which matters more to you — the design (how it looks) or the reliability (how long it lasts)? Most people choose one, but good products try to offer both. Listen to find out which Emma cares about more, and what she decided to do about the problem she found.

As you listen, notice the relative clauses: The laptop that I bought, a problem which annoyed me. This is natural consumer English — people use relative clauses all the time to describe a specific product and give reasons.

Generating translation…

Emma and Tom are at a café. Emma has just bought a new laptop and Tom wants to know what she thinks of it.

T
Tom Nice laptop, Emma! Is it the one you ordered online?
E
Emma Yes, it arrived yesterday. The design is gorgeous — really sleek and light.
T
Tom Sounds great. How's the battery life?
E
Emma That's the problem, actually. It only lasts about three hours, which is annoying for the price.
T
Tom Oh no. Did you contact the shop?
E
Emma I did. The salesperson who answered was very helpful, but they don't do exchanges — only refunds.
T
Tom So what are you going to do?
E
Emma I'll probably keep it and buy a better battery. It is good value overall, and the screen is beautiful.
T
Tom Fair enough. At least you know what to look for next time!

Required

What is the conversation mainly about?

Emma's new laptop and a problem with the battery.
Tom's new laptop and a software update.
A refund Emma received from an online shop.
A laptop that Tom wants to buy.

Required

How long does the laptop battery last?

About one hour.
About three hours.
All day.
The whole week.

Required

The shop only offers ___, not exchanges.

Pronunciation

6 cards

This lesson targets a common pronunciation difficulty for Arabic speakers: the difference between the short vowel /æ/ (as in bag, man, brand) and the long vowel /ɑː/ (as in car, bar, far). Many learners mix them up, which can change the meaning of a word and confuse listeners.

How to produce /æ/: open your mouth quite wide, almost in a smile, and keep the tongue low and forward in the mouth. The sound is short and bright. bag, man, brand, value.

How to produce /ɑː/: open your mouth wide, but pull the tongue back and down towards the throat. Hold the sound a little longer. Your lips stay relaxed and round, not stretched. car, bar, far, quality.

Notice that the same letter 'a' can produce two very different vowels in English (UK). A useful tip: if the 'a' is followed by a consonant + a silent e (as in value, fashionable, affordable), the vowel is usually short /æ/. If the 'a' stands alone before a consonant that ends the syllable (as in car, bar, far, market), the vowel is usually long /ɑː/.

Here are the example words for this lesson:

/æ/ (short)	/ɑː/ (long)
bag	bar
brand	car
value	market
fashion	quality

Try saying each pair out loud and feel the difference in your mouth.

Generating translation…

Short /æ/: mouth wide, tongue forward — bag, brand, value. Long /ɑː/: mouth wide, tongue back and low, hold a little longer — bar, car, quality. The shape of the mouth is similar, but the tongue position and length of the sound are different.

Required

Audio is being generated — try again in a minute.

Listen carefully. Which word contains the long /ɑː/ sound?

bought
bar
of
at

Required

Say the word. Notice the short /æ/ sound — mouth wide, tongue forward.

brand

Required

Say the word. Notice the long /ɑː/ sound — mouth open, tongue back, hold the sound a little longer.

market

Required

Read the sentence aloud. Both 'brand' (/æ/) and 'value' (/æ/) use the short vowel. Keep your mouth open and your tongue forward.

This brand is great value.

Reading

6 cards

Before you read the review, here is a strategy that will help you get the main idea quickly: Skimming. When you skim a text, you read it fast — your eyes move over the lines without stopping at every word. You are not looking for details yet. You only want the gist: the topic, the writer's general opinion, and the structure of the text.

How to skim a product review:

Read the title and the first sentence — they usually tell you the product and the overall opinion.
Read the first sentence of each paragraph — these often introduce the main point of that section.
Read the last sentence of the review — this often contains the final recommendation.

Key vocabulary for this reading:

earbuds (noun, pl.): small wireless headphones that fit inside the ear
genuine (adjective): real, not fake; in this text, it means honest and trustworthy
compromise (verb): to accept something lower in quality in order to gain something else
crystal-clear (adjective): extremely easy to hear or see

Now skim the review and answer the questions that follow.

Generating translation…

I bought the SoundPro Mini earbuds three weeks ago, and after daily use, I can finally give a genuine opinion. The model that I chose is the black version with a charging case, which costs around £85.

The sound quality is crystal-clear, especially for podcasts and phone calls. The microphone, which sits close to the mouth, picks up my voice very well, even in noisy places. For under £100, I think the audio is excellent.

However, there is one compromise: the battery lasts only four hours, which is shorter than some rivals. If you travel a lot, you may need to charge the case every day. The design, on the other hand, is sleek and comfortable — I can wear them for hours without pain.

Overall, these earbuds are well-made and offer great value for money, but they are not perfect for long journeys. I would recommend them to anyone who wants good sound at a fair price, and I would buy them again myself.

Generating translation…

Required

What is the writer's overall opinion of the SoundPro Mini earbuds?

They are a complete waste of money.
They are good value, but not perfect for everyone.
They are the best earbuds on the market.
They are too expensive for what they offer.

Required

According to the review, the battery lasts about four hours.

Required

The writer says the earbuds are uncomfortable to wear for a long time.

Required

Who would the writer recommend these earbuds to?

Frequent long-haul travellers.
People who want good sound at a fair price.
Professional musicians only.
People who only use them once a year.

Speaking

7 cards

In this section you will practise speaking like a real customer. You will use relative clauses to describe a product and give reasons for your opinion. Here are some useful phrases to keep in your pocket.

Opening your opinion

I bought ___ recently, and I have to say…
I think it's ___, especially if you…
Personally, I would recommend it to anyone who…

Describing a positive feature (use a relative clause)

The ___ that I bought is really well-made.
I love the screen, which is crystal-clear.
It's great value for money, which is rare these days.

Describing a problem

The only issue is the ___, which is a bit disappointing.
I had a problem that annoyed me at first.
I asked for a refund, but they only offered…

Closing your opinion

Overall, I think it's worth it / not worth it.
I would / wouldn't buy it again.

Remember: a natural opinion usually includes one positive point, one negative point, and a final recommendation. This is the structure native speakers use in reviews and conversations.

Generating translation…

Listen to this short model conversation between a customer (Maya) and a friend (Daniel). Notice the relative clauses.

D
Daniel How's your new coffee machine, Maya?
D
Daniel I love it. The model that I chose makes brilliant espresso.
D
Daniel Any problems?
D
Daniel The water tank is small, which is a bit annoying, but it's still great value for money.
D
Daniel Sounds like a good buy, then.
D
Daniel Definitely. I would recommend it to anyone who loves good coffee.

The coffee machine that I bought is great value for money.

Notice the defining relative clause 'that I bought' — it tells us which machine. Try saying it aloud with confidence.

Required

Read the sentence aloud. Use a natural, confident tone — this is your opening opinion.

I bought a jacket recently, and it is really well-made.

Required

Read the sentence aloud. Remember: non-defining clause → use 'which' (not 'that') and add commas in your voice with a small pause.

The battery, which lasts about four hours, is a bit disappointing.

Required

Your friend is excited about a product they bought. Respond by describing the product, giving your opinion, and asking a follow-up question. Use at least one relative clause.

Required

I CAN use defining relative clauses to describe a product (the laptop that I bought…)
I CAN use non-defining relative clauses to add extra information (My headphones, which I bought last year, still work)
I CAN recognise and pronounce the difference between /æ/ and /ɑː/ in product vocabulary
I CAN listen to a consumer opinion and understand the main idea and key details
I CAN read a product review and identify the writer's overall opinion
I CAN give my own opinion about a product, including a positive and a negative point

Vocabulary

6 cards

When we want to describe a product or compare different options, we use a small set of strong adjectives. These words are common in reviews, complaints and consumer conversations. They help us say what we like, what disappoints us, and what we expect from something we buy.

The words below all describe a product from the buyer's point of view. Durable, reliable and well-made are positive — they tell us that something will last. Defective and poor value are negative — they describe a product that does not meet our standards. Sleek is about design: something modern, smooth and pleasant to look at. Affordable and value for money describe the price: is it fair for what you get?

A useful pattern in English is: verb + noun with these adjectives. For example, The phone feels sleek or The bag offers great value for money. You will hear and use this pattern when customers give their opinion. Pay attention to the preposition — value for money uses for, not of.

Here is the set of words you will meet in this lesson:

Word	Part of speech	Meaning	Example
durable	adjective	lasts a long time without breaking	These boots are durable enough for daily walking.
reliable	adjective	works well, you can trust it	My old laptop is still reliable after five years.
well-made	adjective	produced with good materials and care	This jacket looks well-made — the seams are strong.
sleek	adjective	smooth, modern, elegant in design	The new model has a sleek, silver finish.
affordable	adjective	not too expensive, within your budget	The store sells affordable kitchen equipment.
value for money	phrase (noun)	worth the price you pay	The restaurant was excellent value for money.
defective	adjective	broken or not working correctly	I received a defective item and asked for a refund.
refund	noun / verb	money returned when something is faulty	The shop gave me a full refund within a week.

Tip: in British English, customers usually ask for a refund, and shops give or offer a refund. We do not say make a refund.

Generating translation…

Meet the eight key words for talking about products. Read the table in the explanation, then tap each word to see it and hear it pronounced.

affordable əˈfɔːdəbl
Able to be bought or used without costing too much money; reasonably priced.
defective dɪˈfektɪv
Having a defect or fault; not working properly or not complete. Used to describe something that is broken, dam
durable ˈdjʊərəbəl
Able to last for a long time without being damaged, worn out, or broken; strong and long-lasting.
refund ˈriːfʌnd
A repayment of money, especially when a customer returns a product or is unsatisfied with a service.
reliable rɪˈlaɪəbəl
Trustworthy and able to be depended upon to do what is expected or required.
sleek sliːk
Smooth and glossy in appearance; having a clean, elegant, and streamlined look.
value for money ˈvæljuː fɔː ˈmʌni
An expression used to describe something that is worth what it costs, offering good quality in relation to its
well-made ˌwel ˈmeɪd
Made with skill and care; of good quality in construction or design.