Basics on English Grammar

Marga Jiménez Mora

Workshop
Teach In Spain
Programme
September 2009
 How to teach Spanish students English grammar to SPEAK English?
Main obstacles:

Ignorance of basic grammatical and syntactic concepts

Extremely grammar oriented classes with hardly any production

(blank spaces, endless vocabulary lists, quizzes,)  normative method
or classes with no grammar rules emphasizing the communication. The most important issue is to try
to communicate. Grammar will be learned sooner or later by repetition  communicative method

No real contexts for grammar but isolated exercises

Poor interest in learning / practising a second language

(What is the use of learning English?)

An easy A subject (English)

The so called Spanish sentido del ridículo

(feeling self-conscious prevents one from speaking foreign languages)
Basic Components of Grammar and
Syntax

 The principle elements of the sentence

 Subject. My sister is the Prime Minister
 Verbs and verb phrases. We love going abroad
 Direct and indirect object(s) He gave it to her
 Modifiers He was very gentle
 Clauses The girl whom I met yesterday was from
Italy
 Phrases My dear friend Matt won the lottery a year
ago
 Parts of speech and their functions within
sentences 
 Nouns and nominals (infinitives, gerunds, etc.)
 Articles
 Verbs
 Pronouns
 Adjectives
 Adverbs
 Prepositions
 Conjunctions
 Verb Usage 
 Agreement Three little tigers are sleeping on the
floor
 Tense I saw them yesterday
 Active or passive voice. I was stolen vs. He robbed
1 million euro.
 Modals . May, might, must, should, ought to…
 Phrasal verbs. Get on, look up, call off, give in to….
Summary of Verb Tenses

 Present tenses
 Simple present: She wants a drink.

 Present continuous: They are walking

home.
Past tenses
 Simple past: Peter lived in China in 1965.

 Past continuous: I was reading when she

arrived.
 Perfect tenses
 Present Perfect: I have lived here since 1987.
 Present perfect continuous: I have been living
here for years.
 Past perfect: We had been to see her several times
before she visited us.
 Past perfect continuous: He had been watching
her for some time when she turned and smiled.
 Future perfect: We will have arrived in the States
by the time you get this letter.
 Future perfect continuous: By the end of your
course, you will have been studying for five years.
 Future tenses
 Simple future: They will go to Italy next week.
 Future continuous: I will be travelling by train.
Conditional tenses
 Present conditional: If he had the money he would
go
 Present continuous conditional: He would be
getting up now if he was in Australia.
 Perfect conditional: She would have visited me if
she had had time.
 Perfect continuous conditional: I would have been
playing tennis if I hadn't broken my arm.
Teaching Grammar in Situational
Contexts
Points of Grammar
Situation or Context

Follow a recipe or instructions from a Imperative verb form

boxed cake mix to bake a cake. Present continuous tense 

Fill out a medical history form. Then role play Present tense
a medical interview on a visit with a new doctor..
Future tense; If-clauses
Discuss plans for a class field trip to the zoo. Conditional tense
 Simple past tense;
Describe a past vacation, weekend, etc. Forms of verb to do
Question formation
Role play a shopping trip to buy a gift May, might
for a family member or friend. Collective nouns and quantifiers
(any, some, several, etc.) Indirect object
Answer information questions: Name, address,  
phone number, etc. Present tense of verb to be
Possessive adjectives 
Teaching Grammar in Situational
Contexts
Points of Grammar
Situation or Context

Locative prepositions
Tell someone how to find an object in your kitchen. Modal verbs (can, may, should) 

Fill out a medical history form. Then role play Present perfect tense
a medical interview on a visit with a new doctor.. Present perfect progressive 

Non-referential it
Make a daily weather report
Forms of verb to be, Idiomatic expressions
Habitual present
Report daily schedules of people (in the class,
Personal pronouns
buses in the city, airline schedules, trains, etc.)
Demonstrative adjectives
Extend an invitation over the telephone to
someone to come to a party . Would like…Object-Verb word order
Explain rules and regulations to someone, Interrogative pronouns
i.e. rules for the school cafeteria;
doctor’s instructions to a sick patient  
Modal verbs: Can, must, should, ought to
Adverbs of time & frequency
Teaching Grammar in Situational
Contexts
Points of Grammar
Situation or Context

Report a historical or actual past event and Imperative verb form

discuss conditions under which a different Present continuous tense 
outcome might have resulted

Present perfect tense

React to the burglary of your house or apartment Contrast between active and passive voice
in the presence of another person upon discovery Direct and indirect object
(active voice) and in making
a police report (passive voice)
How to be a good English teacher and
do not die in the attempt?

 Keep talk to a minimum

 Use clear, common and consistent instructions and repeat or rephrase if
necessary
 Speak at a normal pace and volume
 Don’t use too much jargon
 Support instructions with visual cues as much as possible
 Use translation only if necessary
 Plan and organise the whole class
 Use the black/whiteboard as a tool ( try not to write everything,
handwriting size, leave on the board during the class what you want your
students to keep in mind, leave time to copy what’s written..)
 Leave your students enough time to do the exercises.
 Don’t hesitate to tell your students you don’t have the answer;
nobody’s perfect.
Useful resources

 Practical Enghlish Usage. Michael Swan. OUP

 A Practical English Grammar ( different levels). Thomson. OUP
 Alexander,L.G. Longman English Grammar (Longman,2001)
 http://www.usingenglish.com
 Targeting Text Series: Blake Education: http://www.askblake.com.au
 Blaxell and Winch (1999) Primary Grammar Handbook: Horwitz Martin
 P Walker Pascal’s Basic Primary Grammar: Smart Guides series
 Teaching and Learning Strategies for ESL Learners R-12. Education Department of SA (1993)
 No English Don’t Panic: Ministry of Education and Training, Victoria (1991)
 No English : Questions & Answers: Ministry of Education and Training, Victoria (1993)
 Derewianka B (1990) Exploring How Texts Work. Sydney: PETA
 Derewianka B (1998) A Grammar Companion for Primary Teacher. Sydney: PETA
 Collerson J (1994) English Grammar: A Functional Approach. Sydney PETA
 Curriculum Corporation (1996) Teaching Language Primary. Melbourne: Curriculum Corporation
 Curriculum Corporation (1996) Teaching Language Secondary. Melbourne: Curriculum Corporation
 Beginning ESL: Support material for primary new arrivals. Education Victoria (1997)
 Board of Studies, NSW (2000) Teaching about Texts
 http:// boardofstudies.nsw.edu.au/k6/k6
 Bortolotto C et al (1994) Easy ESL Strategies for Effective Teaching. Yarra Publications, Melbourne
 Droga L and Humphrey S (2002) Getting Started with Functional Grammar. Target Texts
 Hammond J (1991) Learning to Learn in a second Language. Sydney PETA
 Jones P Talking to Learn Sydney PETA
 Wing Jan Lesley (1991) Write Ways: Modelling Writing Forms. Melbourne: Oxford University Press
 Rowe G (1989) Let’s Talk: Activities for Oral Language. Melbourne: Dellasta
 Callaghan M and J Rothery (1988) Teaching Factual Writing: Genre-based Approach. Sydney. DSP Marketing