English Grammar in Context

English Grammar in Context

Introduction

Students need to learn grammar in some kind of context that makes the meaning clear, yet most teachers need to present items in isolation, or in contrast with only a few other structures, in the early stages (Howatt, 2004). Hearing, saying and writing a structure repeatedly can help students to remember it, but this will be monotonous unless it is integrated into some kind of activity and context. Games, roleplay and fun drills are some of the ways of making this process enjoyable. Here are some suggestions.

The Talkative Taxi Driver

Ask the students to work in pairs and take the roles of a native English speaker and a reckless taxi driver in a non-English-speaking country.

The English speaker arrives at an airport and takes a taxi into town. During the ride, the taxi driver starts a conversation to practise his English, asking present perfect questions such as: Have you ever ... visited (the country), heard of (famous place/person from the country), tried/tasted/drunk (food/drink from the country), heard (singer from the country)?

The taxi driver should sit in front of and slightly to one side of the passenger, and should turn round while asking the questions. The passenger should answer the questions at the same time as giving warnings to the driver, such as Look out! Please slow down! Watch that bus! etc.

Past versus present pictures

Look at a picture for a minute, then give it to a student and make some statements about the picture. For example, There was a man. He was standing by the road. Since you no longer have the picture, and are describing from memory, use past tenses. Ask the student with the picture to repeat, using present tenses. There's a man. He is standing by the road, etc. Include some untrue statements, eg A dog was lying on the grass. The student should reply A dog is not lying on the grass (Howatt, 2004). Teach the students still, not ... any more, so they can use these in their responses. For example, The man is still standing by the road. The dog is not lying on the grass any more. Give out pictures to pairs of students for further practice.

School for Butlers

Explain that using the past tense in an offer makes it formal and polite. Tell the students they are trainee butlers and that they should change the questions you are going to say to them into the past tense, replacing you with Sir or Madam, using appropriate intonation (slow and dignified) and body language (arms at the side, perhaps a bow). For example:

T: Do you want anything else?

Ss: Did Sir/Madam want anything else?

T: What time do you want lunch?

Ss: What time did Sir/Madam want lunch?

T: Are you ready to have tea now?

Ss: Was Sir/Madam ready to have tea now?

Courtroom questions

Put the students into pairs and tell them that they are going to roleplay a lawyer and a witness in court. Give pictures to the lawyers and ask them to hand their picture to ...