ANALYZING LANGUAGE

Vocabulary and Grammar

FOR
How M
is it
formed?

MEANIN
- Pronunciation G
What does
- Writing/ spelling

- Grammar rules
- Order of words &
grammar units

it mean?

USE

When and
why is it
used?

Deciding what to teach and how to teach it

Existential THERE (is/ are )

Use

-There in subject
position
-Existence
-Usually followed by be
-Location
verb
-The logical subject
(usually
(When/
whywithout
is it used?)
the)follows the verb and
Form (How
governs its number
-A prepositional phrase
often follows the subject

is it formed?)

-To introduce new

information
information
Meaning(new
(What
doesis it mean?)
typically introduced at
the end of sentences in
English and this
facilitates this)

Analyzing FMU

MAY (It may rain tomorrow.)

Use

-There is possibility
(approx. 50%
-Preceded by
chance) of the verb
subject
event happening
-Followed by the
-Compared/
base
(When/ why
it used?)contrasted with
form ofis
a verb
other
modals
such is
Form
(How
as must, might with
varying degrees of
probability

- Used to make a
Meaningprediction
(What does

Analyzing FMU

it mean?)

it formed?)

MAY (You may leave now.)

Use

-Youre allowed to
-Preceded by
leave
subject
-Followed by the
base
(When/ why
it used?)
form ofis
a verb

Form (How is it formed?)

- To give permission
formal
Meaning- Slightly
(What
does it mean?)
-Usually used by a
person in higher
authority to a person in
lower authority

Analyzing FMU

PASSIVE VOICE

Use

- puts focus on what

-With auxiliary
happened and
verb be or get
defocuses the agent
-Followed by past
participle
(When/-Add
why
is it used?)
by before
Form (How is
agent

- agent is unknown
-agent is redundant
-agent should
be does
concealed
Meaning
(What
it mean?)
-agent is new information
(thematic)
-to provide objectivity
(scientific voice)

Analyzing FMU

it formed?)

LEARNING CHALLENGE
= what aspect of
Form, Meaning, Use
will be the most
challenging for the
students
Deciding what to teach and how to
teach it

PASSIVE VOICE
Consider these examples:
Some of the Olympic athletes from the smaller countries, such as
Korea and Romania, were truly remarkable. In fact,
(a) the Romanians won three gold medals in gymnastics
(b)three gold medals in gymnastics were won by Romanians.
Many medals were awarded to athletes from smaller countries. In
fact,
(c) the Romanians won three gold medals in gymnastics
(d)three gold medals in gymnastics were won by Romanians.

Whats the Learning Challenge for Passive

Voice? (Form, Meaning or Use?)
Teaching Language, D Freeman, Thomson Heinle

LEARNING CHALLENGE
Whats the Learning Challenge for ?
There (There is a book.)
may (It may rain tomorrow.)
may (You may leave now.)
present perfect (I havent finished my homework.)
tag questions (Its hot today, isnt it?)
reported speech (She told me that she would do it when
she had time.)

Deciding what to teach and how to

teach it

IMPLICATIONS FOR TEACHING GRAMMAR

How do you teach passive voice?

Often passive voice is introduced by transforming active to passive.
For example:
i. Romanian athletes won three gold medals.
ii. Three gold medals were won by Romanian athletes.
But this implies that (ii) derived from (i). Or implies that they are
interchangeable. This is not true. Use of them is motivated by
very different reasons. So why mislead the students. It also
leaves impression that by is common. But actually it is only used
in about 15% of passive sentences.

Teaching Language, D Freeman, Thomson Heinle

SO, BE CLEAR ABOUT THE

LEARNING CHALLENGE
How could you teach (present and practice) passive voice with the
Learning Challenge in mind?
How can you
(a) present
(b) practice
There (There is a book. [vs. It is a book.])
may (It may rain tomorrow.)
may (You may leave now.)
present perfect (I havent finished my homework.)
tag questions (Its hot today, isnt it?)
reported speech (She told me that she would do it when she had
time.)
Teaching Language, D Freeman, Thomson Heinle