Millie‌‌Whizz‌ Grammar‌ 

Commentating‌‌and‌‌reporting‌  ‌
 
A‌‌commentator‌‌talks‌‌about‌‌an‌‌event‌‌as‌i‌ t‌‌is‌‌happening‌‌‌in‌‌the‌‌present‌‌‌tense.‌  ‌
A‌‌reporter‌‌writes‌‌about‌‌an‌‌event‌‌after‌‌‌it‌‌has‌‌happened‌,‌‌in‌‌the‌‌past‌‌tense.‌  ‌
 
For‌‌example,‌  ‌
‘The‌‌cars‌‌are‌‌lining‌‌‌up‌‌o n‌‌the‌‌starting‌‌grid.‌‌The‌‌noise‌‌o f‌‌the‌‌engine‌‌swells‌‌‌up‌‌into‌‌a ‌‌
roar.‌‌The‌‌starter‌‌raises‌‌‌his‌‌flag.‌‌As‌‌it‌‌falls‌,‌‌the‌‌champion‌‌is‌‌‌away‌‌first.”‌  ‌
 
“The‌‌cars‌‌lined‌‌up‌‌o n‌‌the‌‌starting‌‌grid.‌‌The‌‌noise‌‌o f‌‌their‌‌engines‌‌swelled‌u ‌ p‌‌into‌‌a‌‌ 
roar.‌‌The‌‌starter‌‌raised‌h ‌ is‌‌flag.‌‌As‌‌it‌‌fell‌‌‌the‌‌champion‌‌was‌‌away‌‌first.”‌  ‌
 
A) Read‌‌what‌‌this‌‌commentator‌‌is‌‌saying.‌‌He‌‌uses‌‌verbs‌‌in‌‌the‌‌present.‌  ‌
Write‌‌o ut‌‌the‌‌reporter’s‌‌account,‌‌using‌‌verbs‌‌in‌‌the‌‌past‌‌tense.‌  ‌
 
“Hundreds‌‌o f‌‌people‌‌are‌‌‌still‌‌pouring‌‌into‌‌the‌‌stadium‌‌as‌‌the‌‌referee‌b ‌ lows‌‌‌his‌‌   ‌
 
whistle‌‌for‌‌the‌‌start‌‌o f‌‌the‌‌game.‌‌The‌‌burly‌‌Jim‌‌Smith‌k ‌ icks‌‌‌o ff‌‌and‌‌the‌‌wave‌‌o f‌  ‌
 
‌white‌‌shirts‌‌surges‌‌‌towards‌‌the‌‌goal.‌‌The‌‌move‌‌breaks‌‌‌up‌‌when‌‌red-shirted‌‌   ‌
 
Wayne‌‌Gibbs‌‌throws‌‌‌himself‌‌forward‌‌and‌h ‌ eads‌‌‌the‌‌ball‌‌down.‌‌His‌‌partner‌‌ 
runs‌  
 
free‌‌o f‌‌his‌‌o pponent‌‌and‌‌centres‌‌‌into‌‌the‌‌goalmouth‌‌where‌‌the‌‌goalie‌‌c atches‌‌   ‌
 
the‌‌ball‌‌and‌‌throws‌‌‌it‌‌o ut‌‌o f‌‌the‌‌danger‌‌area.”‌‌   ‌
 
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Adapted‌‌from‌‌Schofield‌‌&‌‌Sims‌  ‌
Millie‌‌Whizz‌ Grammar‌  ‌

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B) This‌‌commentator‌‌is‌‌describing‌‌a‌‌fashion‌‌show.‌‌She‌‌uses‌‌verbs‌‌in‌‌the‌‌present‌‌ 
tense.‌‌Write‌‌o ut‌‌the‌‌reporter’s‌‌account,‌‌using‌‌verbs‌‌in‌‌the‌‌past‌‌tense.‌  ‌
 
“As‌‌the‌‌sound‌‌o f‌‌soft‌‌music‌‌drifts‌‌‌through‌‌the‌‌room,‌‌we‌s‌ ee‌‌‌that‌‌the‌‌model,‌‌   ‌
 
Karen,‌‌is‌‌‌wearing‌‌a‌‌turquoise‌‌dress.‌‌She‌w ‌ alks‌‌‌gracefully‌‌to‌‌the‌‌end‌‌o f‌‌the‌‌   ‌
 
platform‌‌where‌‌she‌s‌ tops‌,‌‌turns‌‌‌and‌‌pauses‌.‌‌She‌‌holds‌‌‌o ut‌‌the‌‌folds‌‌o f‌‌the‌‌   ‌
 
dress‌‌and‌‌we‌‌notice‌‌‌the‌‌sheen‌‌o n‌‌the‌‌material,‌‌which‌g ‌ ives‌‌‌added‌‌glamour‌‌to‌  ‌
 
‌the‌‌o utfit.‌‌She‌‌is‌‌‌wearing‌‌a‌‌matching‌‌hat‌‌and‌‌c arries‌‌‌a‌‌handbag‌‌and‌‌gloves‌‌o f‌‌   ‌
 
the‌‌same‌‌colour.”‌  ‌
 
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Adapted‌‌from‌‌Schofield‌‌&‌‌Sims‌  ‌