Unit 2 The Study of English

Module 1 Grammar

At the end of this module you will:-

a) be able to find your way around a grammar

b) have more understanding of grammatical terminology

c) understand the importance of knowing grammar

Unit 2 1 Module 1
 GRAMMAR
&
GRAMMATICAL TERMINOLOGY

USE YOUR GRAMMAR BOOK

(SEE BELOW)
AND THE BACK TO BASICS
GRAMMAR REFERENCE IN
THIS COURSE

You will not achieve a good grade without

using them! It is not cheating, it is part of
the learning process!

Unit 2 2 Module 1
 GRAMMAR

This module is designed to make sure that you are aware of your own
grammar, and aware that it is essential to get to grips with it. When you
are teaching ESOL you do not need to tell your students the grammatical
terminology unless they specifically ask for the information (language-
conscious nationalities will, even at lower levels) or unless you are
teaching advanced students who need the terminology. However you do
need to know both what point you are teaching and why you are teaching
it.

In order to complete this unit you will need to use a reference grammar. If
you have not examined different grammars, we do not suggest that you
buy one at this stage, as there are many on the market and you may not
be comfortable with the first one you see. A good library will have a
selection to choose from. When you have examined a few we suggest
that, for this work, you get hold of a copy of Practical English Usage by
Swan or A Practical English Grammar by Thomson and Martinet,
whichever you feel you can most comfortably use. If you are already
working in the field of TESOL and have a different grammar you should
be able to use that so long as it was not written for use by Shakespeare!

It is worth remembering that people enter the world of TESOL from a

variety of backgrounds. Therefore some of you will find these tasks quite
straightforward due to your academic background, while others will need
to spend time searching through a grammar in order to make sense of
them. Take your time, that is the advantage of a Distance Learning
Course - there is no pressure to be the first to finish.

Do not depress yourself with the notion that there is somewhere one
ultimate set of grammatical rules which we 'know' and you must learn.
This is not true. There are many descriptions of the grammar, fashions
change, and some are better in some areas than others. When you are
teaching and you do not know the rule (let us assume this is a
momentary lapse as you should know it!) use deductive analysis
(explained in this module).

By definition you, as a native speaker (if you are a native speaker), 'know'
the grammar of English perfectly - your problem is to see it as a foreign
language, to know about it and to understand the problems it poses to a
foreign learner. (Non-native speakers have a distinct advantage here!)
Think of this all the time that you are doing the tasks, think of simple
examples where you are asked for them, make life easy for yourself and
your future students!

Unit 2 3 Module 1
DEDUCTIVE ANALYSIS

Always check out any grammatical structure which you are unsure of and
are expected to teach. Have your own 'bible' which you can rely on as a
reference before a lesson. You will need your grammar throughout your
TESOL career. In this unit you are expected to use your grammar, to
familiarise yourself with the layout and become skilled at using it as a
quick reference.

BUT WHAT HAPPENS IF I HAVEN'T GOT MY GRAMMAR WITH ME?

If you do not know a particular grammatical structure well, but you wish to
explain it to your students try using DEDUCTIVE ANALYSIS. This means
working it out for yourself. Write yourself some examples. One example
is very dangerous in English, there is a good chance it will be an idiom or
an exception. Two examples have a better chance of illustrating an
emerging pattern, but there is still a chance that one will be an exception.
Three examples are much safer, hopefully two of the three will illustrate
the structure and you should then be able to explain the structure
successfully.

In theory it should never happen that you do not know a grammatical

structure well enough to be able to explain it, exemplify it and name it.
HOWEVER, early on in your TESOL career it may happen. It may also
happen if you are given no warning nor preparation time before a lesson.
This can happen if you are substituting for an absent colleague or on
badly organised summer schools. Otherwise you should MAKE SURE
you know what you are teaching by thoroughly preparing your lessons.

NB One hour of preparation is the minimum for a one-hour lesson,

especially in your first year of teaching.

Unit 2 4 Module 1
SELF-CHECK

Try to use Deductive Analysis here:

1. Explain when to use the preposition 'at'

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2. Explain the use of the three prepositions 'on', 'in' and 'at' as used with
expressions of time.

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3. Explain the difference between 'count' and 'mass' nouns

Unit 2 5 Module 1
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Work out some rules for the use of count and mass nouns. (Include the
verb)

MY RULES

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Write examples to show the use of 'some' and 'any' in these cases:

Unit 2 6 Module 1
1. Beginners - 'some' in positive sentences (in contrast to 'a')

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2. Elementary - 'any' in negative sentences

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3. Elementary - 'any' in questions

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4. Elementary - 'some' with questions (when you expect a positive

answer)

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5. Intermediate - 'any' in positive sentences

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Each time a new aspect of the structure is introduced, the previous forms
should be practised again and consolidated. Each form can be taught as
a definite case which must be followed and only later do you point out
and teach alternatives and contradictions.
These examples are for you to check your own understanding.

NOT TO BE SUBMITTED
GRAMMAR

Unit 2 7 Module 1
Grammar, of course, is the backbone of any language. You cannot
successfully communicate in a language if you do not first have an
understanding of the grammar rules.
As an English teacher it is essential to have a good understanding of the
grammar rules of English in order to be able to teach and assist students
in their language acquisition.
Later in the course you will look at specific techniques for integrating
grammar into the classroom. However, at this stage, we encourage you
to first fully acquaint yourself with the grammar materials presented,
analyse your own grammar knowledge and identify any areas where you
may need to study further.

Inductive and Deductive approaches to Grammar Teaching

In TESOL there are two main approaches to teaching grammar. The

more traditional approach is the Deductive approach, while the more
modern approach is the Inductive approach.

The Deductive approach is the more traditional approach, which most

students are more familiar with, where the grammatical rules and
structures are presented first. Only after being presented with the rules
are the students asked to apply those rules through a variety of
exercises.
For example, if the lesson is focussing on the present perfect tense, the
teacher would outline the uses and rules of this tense. The students
would then be asked to put into practice the rules of this tense by
completing a number of exercises. In this approach, the class is very
teacher directed; the teacher is the centre of attention, responsible for
presenting and explaining all new materials.

The Inductive approach represents a more modern, student centred

approach to language education where the grammatical rules and
structures are presented to the students within a meaningful language
context. The students learn the use of the target structures through
practice of the language in context and later are asked to identify the
rules from the practical examples.
For example, if the structure to be presented is the comparative form, the
teacher might begin the lesson by drawing a figure on the board and say
‘This is Bill. He is tall.’ The teacher would then draw another figure and
say ‘This is Ted. Ted is taller than Bill.’ The teacher would then provide
many more examples using the students, pictures or items in the
classroom, to develop students’ understanding of the structure.
The students are asked to repeat after the teacher, then the students are
led into meaningful practice of the structures in pairs or groups.

Unit 2 8 Module 1
After meaningful practice the students are given worksheets which lead
them to identify the rules for themselves. The role of the teacher is to
provide meaningful contexts to demonstrate the grammatical rules, while
the students develop their understanding of the rules through examples
and practice.

In both approaches the students practise and apply the use of

grammatical structures, yet there are advantages and disadvantages to
both. For higher level students, who already have a good understanding
of the basic structures of the language, the Deductive approach can be
effective. However, the Deductive approach is less suitable for lower
level students and younger learners for presenting grammatical structures
that are complex in both form and meaning.
The advantage of the Inductive approach is that students can focus on
the use of the language without being held back by grammatical
terminology and rules that can inhibit fluency. The Inductive approach
also promotes increased student participation and practice of the target
language in meaningful contexts, which should be the aim of all ESOL
classes.

The use of the Inductive approach has been noted for its success in the
ESOL classroom. However, some students used to more traditional
teaching styles in the classroom, may initially find this approach difficult.
Therefore, it is important to gradually build students’ confidence through
carefully graded practice to ensure student success.

Unit 2 9 Module 1
 TASK 1

Use an example of each of the following in a sentence and underline it.

1. an adjective

2. an adverb

3. a countable noun

4. an uncountable or mass noun

5. a conjunction

6. a preposition of time

7. a preposition of movement

Unit 2 10 Module 1
8. a question tag

9. an auxiliary verb

10. a gerund (as subject of a sentence)

Unit 2 11 Module 1
 TASK 2

Write an example for each of the following :-

1. a positive statement

2. a negative statement

3. an interrogative

4. an imperative

Unit 2 12 Module 1
 TASK 3

Write 2 sentences in each of the following tenses and where appropriate

use complex sentences in order to demonstrate the tense in context eg
‘When I was......., I .........’

1. present simple

a)

b)

2. present continuous or present progressive

a)

b)

3. past simple

a)

b)

4. past continuous (progressive)

a)

b)

Unit 2 13 Module 1
5. present perfect

a)

b)

6. present perfect continuous (progressive)

a)

b)

7. past perfect

a)

b)

8. past perfect continuous (progressive)

a)

b)

9. future simple with 'will'

a)

b)

Unit 2 14 Module 1
10. 'going to' form (as a future)

a)

b)

11. present simple used as a future form

a)

b)

12. present continuous/progressive used as a future form

a)

b)

13. future perfect

a)

b)

14. first conditional (probable condition)

a)

b)

Unit 2 15 Module 1
15. second conditional (improbable condition)

a)

b)

16. third conditional (impossible condition)

a)

b)

TASK 4

Change the following from active to passive voice:-

Please note it is not always necessary to include who carried out the
action.

1.We keep the milk in the fridge.

2. The boys kicked the ball through the window.

3. The workmen are repairing the road.

TASK 5

Change the following from indirect to direct speech, including the

reporting verb and appropriate punctuation.

1. Jean said that she had lost her shoes.

Unit 2 16 Module 1
2. Fred insisted that he would be driving his own car in the rally.

3. Sally shouted that she would be on the train.

Change the following from direct to indirect speech

1. She said, "I'm cold."

2. The officer said, " They look like fugitives from Alcatraz."

3. "What are you doing?" asked Sally.

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Unit 2 17 Module 1