TDC 1 - Class 25

TDC 1Pedagogical GrammarReview Class

Review – Count and Non-count NounsQuestions

1. Why don’t ELLs whose first language are Arabic, Chinese, Japanese, etc normally omit a and an with count nouns in the singular?

2. What is the difference between the sentences “I like chickens” and “I like chicken”?

3. How can we teach ELLs the difference between little and a little, and few and a few?

4. When we teach quantifiers, why is it better to focus on many and much initially?


1. Why don’t ELLs whose first language are Arabic, Chinese, Japanese, etc normally omit a and an with count nouns in the singular?

Because they do not have indefinite articles in their languages.

2. What is the difference between the sentences “I like chickens” and “I like chicken”?

“I like chickens” refers to the animal (count noun), while “I like chicken” refers to the food (non-count noun).


3. How can we teach ELLs the difference between little and a little, and few and a few?

a few / a little – positive connotation A person who has a few friends is lucky, and a person with a little time may be able to help you when you need.

few / little – negative connotationA person who has few friends is unlucky or unbearable, and a person with little time may be too busy to help you if you need.


4. When we teach quantifiers, why is it better to focus on many and much initially?

Because many and much occur a lot more often than a few and a little.

Review – PrepositionsQuestions

1. What is a preposition and what is a prepositional phrase?

2. Where can we normally place a prepositional phrase in a sentence?

3. What are the types of prepositions that beginning students normally learn? What about intermediate and advanced students?

4. How can we explain the use of at, on and in as prepositions of time and place?

5. What is one of the five pairs of problem prepositions? How can we explain them to ELLs?

6. How can ELLs learn preposition combinations?


1. What is a preposition and what is a prepositional phrase?

Prepositions are words that show the relationship between a noun (or pronoun) and the rest of the words in a sentence.Prepositional phrases are the combination of a preposition and the noun phrase working as its object.

2. Where can we normally place a prepositional phrase in a sentence?

At the beginning, the middle or the end of a sentence.


3. What are the types of prepositions that beginning students normally learn? What about intermediate and advanced students?

Beginning students – prepositions with concrete, non-idiomatic meanings (prepositions of place and time)

Intermediate students – confusion pairs of prepositions

Advanced students – combination of verbs and prepositions and common idioms


4. How can we explain the use of at, on and in as prepositions of time and place?

at

on

in

PLACE

at MacDonald’s

on Green Street

in San Franciscoin Californiain the United States

TIME

at 5:00 PM

on Monday

in Julyin the summerin 1996

smaller smaller


5. What is one of the five pairs of problem prepositions? How can we explain them to ELLs?

For vs. Since Before vs. AgoIn vs. After For vs. During

6. How can ELLs learn preposition combinations?

By rote memorization, direct teacher instruction followed by practice, and/or massive exposure through extensive reading.

Review – ArticlesTrue or False

___ 1. We use a/an for the sencond and all other references to the same noun.___ 2. We use the for the parts of something, with the exception of body parts.___ 3. Normally, ELLs first learn to use the for more specific usages and then a/an for singular count nouns .___ 4. We use the with all bodies of water, like the Amazon River.___ 5. We use no article before abstract nouns and before general categories or groups.___ 6. We use an for all words starting with a vowel.

T

F

F

F

T

F

Review – Pronunciation of –s and –ed Questions

1. How many different ways to pronounce –s in verbs and in plural nouns and –ed in verbs and past participles do we have?

2. When do we use each of them?3. What are the three possible ways in which

variations of sounds are produced?4. What is a minimal pair? Give examples. 5. How can we make it easier for ELLs to notice

the final sound of a word?


1. How many different ways to pronounce –s in verbs and in plural nouns and –ed in verbs and past participles do we have?

-s - /s/; /z/; /Əz/-ed - /d/; /t/; /Əd/

2. When do we use each of them?After voiced sounds: /z/ and /d/.After voiceless sounds: /s/ and /t/.After /d/and /t/: /Əd/After sibilants: /Əz/


3. What are the three possible ways in which variations of sounds are produced?

a. By altering the place where the sound is made (beat X but)

b. By altering the manner in which the sound is made (/f/ - friction of the air X /b/ - stopping the air)

c. By altering voicing (/s/ - voiceless X /z/ - voiced)


4. What is a minimal pair? Give examples. A minimal pair is two words that differ in only one sound, as for example, cap and cab, or have and half.

5. How can we make it easier for ELLs to notice the final sound of a word?

To put an example word in a phrase in which the next word begins with a vowel.

He bagged all of the cans.He backed all of my ideas.

Review – ClausesExercise

1. Identify the dependent clauses in the paragraph below and classify them into adjective, adverb or noun clauses.

In grammar, a clause is what we call the smallest grammatical unit that can express a complete proposition. In some languages, it may be a pair or group of words that consists of a subject and a predicate, although in other languages, in certain clauses, the subject may not appear explicitly as a noun phrase, being instead marked on the verb. The most basic kind of sentence consists of a single clause. More complex sentences may contain multiple clauses. Clauses may be independent or dependent. Independent clauses are those that could stand as a sentence by themselves, although they may be used connected with other clauses in a longer sentence. Dependent clauses are those that would be awkward or nonsensical if they are used alone, and they must be used in a sentence that also contains an independent clause.


2. Underline the noun clauses below and write their nominal/sentential function.

a) That he decided to stay is certainly a problem.b) We didn't know where the cats were.c) He told whoever wanted to hear that he was

not coming.d) Whether a pet has a good home is really

important.e) This is what everybody wants.f) It’s terrible that he left.


3. Combine the sentences in each item into one sentence with an adjective clause.

a) The French language is different from the Latin language. Latin was once spoken throughout Europe.

b) You are looking upset. Can you tell me the reason?c) He had several plans for making money quickly. All

of them have failed.d) The landlord was proud of his strength. He despised

the weakness of his tenants.e) This is the village. I was born here.f) You put the keys somewhere. Show me the place.

a) The French language is different from the Latin language, which was once spoken throughout Europe.

b) Can you tell me the reason why you are looking upset?c) He had several plans for making money quickly, all of which have failed.d) The landlord, who despised the weakness of his tenants, was proud of his strength.e) This is the village where I was born.f) Show me the place where you put the keys.

Technology

TDC 1 - Class 25