Developing Writing

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THAT’S NOT MY JOB

 

A customer comes into the Westside Pharmacy. He’s very sick.

Clerk: May I help you?

Customer: Yes, please. I have a pain in my side, an ache in my

stomach,    and a headache. I need a pill, an aspirin, or a

painkiller… something fast.

Clerk: I’m sorry, but that’s not my job. That’s Mr. Brown’s job.

He’s the head pharmacist.

Customer: May I see Mr. Brown, please.

Clerk: I’m sorry. Mr. Brown is busy. He’s on the phone.

Customer: Then his helper.

Clerk: She’s busy, too. Please wait.

Customer: Oh, no.

Clerk: Oh, here’s Mr. Brown.

Mr. Brown: Yes? May I help you?

Customer: I have a pain in my side, an ache in my stomach, and a

headache. Please give me a pill.

Mr. Brown: That isn’t my job. I’m not a doctor. I’m a pharmacist. Dr.

Saunders has an office next to us. His address is 215

Grand Avenue. Come back with a prescription. We can

help you then.

I. Grammar Contractions: subject pronouns and be, be and not

In informal English, we can combine a pronoun and a verb in the fol-

lowing ways:

I + am = I’m he + is = he’s we + are = we’re

you + are = you’re she + is = she’s they + are = they’re

that + is = that’s it + is = it’s

Rewrite the sentences below and use contractions.

1. He is the head pharmacist.

2. She is his helper.

3. That is my job.

4. I am a pharmacist.

5. He is a doctor.

6. It is his office.

7. We are busy.

8. They are here.

9. You are sick.

10. That is an aspirin.

We can also combine the verb with the word not:

is + not = isn’t are + not = aren’t

Rewrite the sentences below and use contractions with not.

1. That is not my job.

2. He is not a doctor.

3. She is not here.

4. We are not busy today.

5. They are not in the office.

6. It is not time for lunch.

II. Grammar Spelling noun plurals

Noun plurals follow the same spelling rules as the ­s forms of present

tense verbs. Add ­s for most nouns; add ­es if the noun ends in s, z, sh,

ch, or x. Nouns that end in a consonant and y change the y to i and add

­es. Write the plural form for each noun below.

1. Add ­s to: pain, ache, pill, aspirin, job, problem, office, doctor, phar-

macist, helper, prescription

2. Add ­es to: lunch, dish, box, dress, tax

3. Change the y to i and add ­es: family, pharmacy, country, city,

hobby.