Session 33
July 15, 2026 · Intermediate
- Managing staff & discipline
- hospital emergencies
- purpose clauses (to / for / so that)
1 Corrections
How you said it, the natural version, and why. These are your own sentences.
How you said it
I didn't travel with my family not to feel tired.
The natural version
I didn't travel with my family so that I wouldn't feel tired.
Same pattern — so that I wouldn't feel tired, or so as not to feel tired.
How you said it
I bought this week and the next week consumables in advance not to forget them.
The natural version
I bought this week's and next week's consumables in advance so that I wouldn't forget them.
Use the possessive 's (this week's, next week's), and so that I wouldn't for the negative purpose.
How you said it
I want to take an advancement.
The natural version
I want to take an advance.
An early payment on your salary is an advance. Advancement means career progress (like a promotion).
How you said it
I want to reach a message.
The natural version
I want to deliver a message.
You deliver (or get across) a message — you don't "reach" it. "Reach" is for arriving at a place or contacting a person.
How you said it
I left the hospital not to see him.
The natural version
I left the hospital so that I wouldn't see him.
For a negative purpose, use so that + wouldn't + verb (or so as not to see him). "Not to" on its own sounds unnatural here.
How you said it
Only the valve is 20k$.
The natural version
The valve alone costs $20k.
Put the $ before the number → $20k. "The valve alone" is more natural than "only the valve."
How you said it
I came to the lesson directly after work so that I don't feel sleepy.
The natural version
I came to the lesson directly after work so that I wouldn't feel sleepy.
Great use of so that! Small tweak: with the past verb "came," use wouldn't to match the tense.
How you said it
He only comes on occasions.
The natural version
He only comes on special occasions.
"On occasion" (singular) means "sometimes." For events like birthdays, say on special occasions.
2 Grammar tips
Make a decision
You make a decision — and later take it back if it turns out wrong. "Make" is the natural verb here.
When I make a decision and it's wrong, I take it back.
Purpose with "so that" + sentence
Use so that + subject + verb when the reason is a whole clause, especially with a modal like *would/could*.
I left early so that the staff wouldn't wait for me.
Antonym pairs
Learn workplace words in opposite pairs — it doubles your vocabulary quickly.
promote / demote, promotion / demotion, punish / reward.
Purpose with "for" + noun
Use for + a noun (a thing or a person) — never a full sentence — to give a reason.
We're going to the mall for my son's birthday.
Purpose with "to" + verb
Use to + base verb to say *why* you do something. This is the most common way to give a reason.
I'm going to the mall to buy clothes.
Negative purpose
For *why not*, don't say "not to." Use so that + wouldn't, so as not to, or in order not to.
I didn't travel so that I wouldn't feel tired.
Money in English
Write the currency symbol before the number: $20,000 or $20k — not "20k$."
The valve alone costs $20k.
3 New words and phrases
5 Practice sentences
01As the hospital manager, I demoted the employee who kept ignoring the rules.
02I warned him twice, so this time the punishment had to be tough.
03I don't give anyone special treatment — everyone follows the same rules under any circumstance.
04When the patient's heart stopped, the team began to perform CPR and then used defibrillation.
05Sadly, after a long resuscitation, the patient was deceased.
06The new valve alone costs $20k, apart from the other hospital expenses.
07I ordered next week's consumables in advance so that I wouldn't forget them.
08I left the office early so that I wouldn't see him before I calmed down.
09He did it on purpose, and he didn't think about the consequences.
10Firing him was a necessary evil, but I won't go easy on anyone who lies to me.
11When I make a wrong decision, I'm not afraid to take it back.
12I asked the accountant for an advance on this month's salary.
6 Model sentences
Read these out loud three times.
A good manager knows when to reward hard work and when to hand out a fair punishment.
I notified the whole team in advance so that everyone would be ready for the change.
The secretary didn't let him in, because I had already made a decision.
Even under difficult circumstances, the staff performed a fast resuscitation and saved the patient.
I try to deliver a clear message: I appreciate good work, but I never ignore a serious mistake.
A demotion felt like a necessary evil, but it protected the rest of the team.
He's very knowledgeable, so I won't go easy on him — I expect him to know the consequences.
I don't ask for special treatment; I just want to be paid half in advance and half after the operation.
7 Mini-dialogue
- A
Did you really demote him?
- B
Yes. I warned him twice, so the demotion was a necessary evil.
- A
Wasn't that a bit tough?
- B
Maybe, but I can't go easy on him. If I ignore it, the staff will see it as weakness.
- A
And what if you find out later it was the wrong call?
- B
Then I make a new decision and take it back — I'm not too proud to admit a mistake.
- A
Fair enough. I'll notify the department so that everyone hears it from us first.
- B
Good. I appreciate it.
Read A, say B's line yourself, then check.
8 Homework
- Writing: Write 6 sentences about a decision you made at the hospital, using make a decision, take it back, consequences, and on purpose.
- Grammar: Write 3 sentences with to + verb, 3 with for + noun, and 3 with so that + sentence to express purpose.
- Speaking: Say these four words out loud three times each and record yourself — defibrillation, resuscitation, knowledgeable, appreciate.
- Real use: This week, use in advance and go easy on in a real conversation at work.
- Vocabulary: Make 5 antonym pairs from this session (e.g., promote / demote) and write one sentence for each pair.
- Reading aloud: Record yourself reading the 8 Model Sentences and listen back for the so that pattern.
9 Self-check
The trickiest part for me was the negative purpose — I kept saying "not to see him." Now I know to use so that I wouldn't see him or so as not to see him, and I'll practice this until it feels automatic.
The most useful new words were the management ones — demote, warn, punishment, and go easy on — because I deal with these situations at the hospital almost every day. I also finally learned the difference between an advance (early payment) and advancement (career progress).
One thing I still want to ask next time: is so that I wouldn't always interchangeable with so as not to, or does one sound more formal? I'd also like more practice choosing between for + noun and to + verb.