Napoleon Trailer

assignment
(noun) the act of giving somebody a particular task

brilliant
(adjective) very successful

course
(noun) a path or way that something takes

destined
(adjective) fated to happen

vermin
(noun) people who are very unpleasant or dangerous to society

hostage
(noun) a person who is captured and held prisoner by a person or group

egotism
(noun) the fact of thinking that you are better or more important than anyone else

manners
(noun) the way in which someone behaves in public, especially in relation to politeness and consideration for others

brute
(noun) a person who is cruel, violent, or unthinking

unite
(verb) to bring together or cause to combine into a single unit

outcome
(noun) the result or consequence of something

succeed
(verb) to achieve a desired or planned result

1. in the street vs on the street
No doubt you’ve seen the chaos in the streets.

We can use the preposition “in” and “on” with the noun “street.”

in the street = in the middle of the traffic or where the traffic goes
A couple were arguing out in the street.

on the street = located on the surface of the street
He works at a small store on Main Street

2. collocations with “example”
We must make an example or France will fall.

A collocation is a combination of words that are often used together.

Here are some common verbs frequently used with “example:”
give an example
provide an example
take an example
use an example
cite an example (=mention an example)
find an example
contain/include an example

3. second conditional
What would you do if this assignment of defense was transferred to you?

The second conditional is a type of conditional sentence that is used to talk about hypothetical /imagined situations that are unlikely or impossible to happen.

Basic structure of the second conditional:
If + past simple, would + base form

This sentence is a second conditional sentence in the form of a question.
What would you do if this assignment of defense was transferred to you?
if + past simple = if this assignment of defense was transferred to you
would + base form = what would you do

The second conditional is used in this sentence because the speaker refers to something (the transfer of assignment of defense to Napoleon) that is imagined, which in his point of view is unlikely to happen.

The second conditional uses past simple and would, but it does not refer to something in the past. It refers to something imagined in the present or future.

We can use this pattern to ask imagined situations:
What would you do if you were me?
What would you do if you are me? (wrong)
(you were me = an imagined situation, impossible to happen)

What would you do if he was here?
What would you do if he is here? (wrong)
(he was here = an imagined situation, unlikely to happen because the person is not and impossible to be here when the speaker is saying the sentence)

What would you do if you could travel back in time?
What would you do if you can travel back in time? (wrong)
(travel back in time = an imagined situation, impossible to happen)

4. plural form of nouns ending in ss
I promise you brilliant successes.

We form the plural form of nouns ending in ss by adding ‘es’ at the end of the nouns.

singular = success
plural = successes

singular = address
plural = addresses

singular = actress
plural = actresses

singular = boss
plural = bosses

singular = class
plural = classes

5. reduced noun clause
You think you’re great.

The sentence “you think you’re great” is short form for “you think that you are great.”

You think that you’re great.
you = subject
think = verb
that you are great = noun clause acting as an object to the verb “think”

noun clause:
that/if/whether/question word + subject + verb

Sentence pattern:
subject + verb + noun clause
subject + verb + that/if/whether/question word + subject + verb

We can omit “that” in these noun clauses without a change in meaning.

I think that I know that guy.
= I think I know that guy.

I don’t think that they will win.
= I don’t think they will win.

Do you think that he will join us?
= Do you think he will join us?

In conversation, “that” is usually omitted to create shorter sentences.