59. A Bit of Grammaring

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The Grammaring Matrix

Needless to say, there is no such word as grammaring in English – or, at least there hasn’t been one until Diane Larsen-Freeman, Professor at University of Michigan School of Education, began to refer to it as the fifth skill alongside reading, writing, listening and speaking. Grammaring is understood as the ability to use grammar structures accurately, meaningfully, and appropriately. Grammar lessons are no longer about knowing language systems (declarative knowledge), but about knowing how to use language (procedural knowledge).

In her book Teaching Language: From Grammar to Grammaring, Larsen-Freeman herself seems pulled in both directions: on the one hand, she says that students want and need to learn the rules of grammar, but also that the rules are confusing and not complete in themselves. She goes on to say that ‘... in most cases students don't need to know about the language – they need to be able to use the language.’ Still, there is a delicate and at the same time unclear balancing: it is a ‘myth’ that grammar need not be taught, yet there is ‘reason to question’ whether students should adhere to the interactional norms of English speakers.

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Larsen-Freeman admits to still seeking the answers herself, but one ‘teachers’ voices’ quote is perhaps telling: ‘I tell my students that they don't need to be accurate to communicate. They do need to be accurate to be respected.’

Throughout the book, there is a message to teachers about how we should analyze our students’ problems and find ways to help them understand the issues they face. The three inseparable components form, meaning and use still are of paramount importance. And I for one will stick to them! 

1.3   The simple sentence: direct and indirect objects

1.3 A   Subject + verb + indirect object + direct object:'Show me that photo'

1   We can use two objects after verbs like give and buy.

Instead of:  

 Give the book to me,  

we can say:  

Give me the book.

Instead of:  

Buy the book for me,  

we can say:  

Buy me the book.

2 Some verbs combine with TO: bring, give, lend, pay, post, sell, send, show, tell, write: Bring that book to me. -» Bring me that book.

3 Other verbs combine with FOR: buy, choose, cook, cut, do, fetch, find, get, make, order: Please order a meal for me. -» Please order me a meal.

4 We can put it and them after the verb: Give it to me. Buy them for me. (But not *Do me it*) We say: Give it to John. Buy them for John. (Not *Give John it* *Buy John them*)

Write:    You want people to do things for you. Write suitable polite requests using it, them or one [Ø One is the reference pronoun substituting a previously mentioned count noun accompanied by a/an ]

1   Where are my shoes? (find) Please......................................................................

2 John needs a new coat. (buy) Please.....................................................................

3 I can't reach that cup. (pass) Please......................................................................

4 Ann wants to see our flat. (show) Please...............................................................

5 I can't do the shopping. (do) Please.......................................................................

6 I’d like a copy of that book. (order) Please............................................................

1.3B Verb + object + 'to' + noun or pronoun: 'Explain it to me'

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1 There are some verbs like explain which do not behave in exactly the same way as give. For example, we can say:   

Give the book to me, or Explain the situation to me.

Give me the book, (but not 'Explain me the situation. *)

2 We cannot use an indirect object (me) immediately after explain.

We can only have: verb + object + 'to':  

He explained the situation to me.

He confessed his crime to the court.

3 Other verbs like explain and confess are: admit, announce, declare, demonstrate, describe, entrust, introduce, mention, propose, prove, repeat, report, say, suggest.

Write:  Complete these sentences giving the right order of the words in brackets.

1   You must declare (the Customs/this camera).....................................................

2 Aren’t you going to introduce (me/your friend)?..................................................

3 You can say (me/what you like).............................................................................

4 Who suggested (this idea/you)?............................................................................

5 He confessed (his crime/the police)......................................................................

6 I have never admitted (anyone/this).....................................................................

7 Can you describe (me/this man)?..........................................................................

8 Please don't mention (this/anyone)......................................................................

9 I’m going to report (this/the headmaster)............................................................

10 I don't want you to repeat (what I told you/anyone)..........................................

1.3C The two meanings of 'for'

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1   We can use for after all verbs which have two objects.

2 When we use for after verbs normally followed by to (give, post, read, sell, show, tell, etc.) it can mean 'instead of: I'll post it for you. (= to save you the trouble)

3 When we use for after verbs normally followed by for (buy, choose, do, find, keep, order, etc.) the meaning depends on the context. It can mean for someone's benefit':

Mother cooked a lovely meal for me. (= for my benefit, for me to enjoy)

It can mean 'on someone's behalf/instead of:

I’ll cook the dinner for you. (on your behalf/instead of you - to save you the trouble)

Write:    Tick on the right to show whether for means instead of you/me or

for your/my benefit.

                                                                                        'instead of’               'for your/my  

                                                                                                                             benefit'                    

1   I've cooked a meal for you and I hope you enjoy it.           __                            __                

2  Let me cook the dinner for you this evening.-Thanks!      __                            __

3  I've made this cake for you. Do you like it?                          __                            __

4  I'll post this letter for you, shall I?                                         __                            __

5  I've bought this especially for you.                                         __                            __

6  I've got some change. Let me pay the bill for you.             __                             __

7  As you're busy, let me book a room for you.                        __                            __

8  I've saved some of this pudding for you.                              __                            __

9  I can't choose a tie myself. Please choose one for me.       __                            __

10 My father has bought a wonderful present for me.           __                            __

1.3D   Context

Write:     Put a tick where you think you can change the word order.

Then write the alternative.

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A CURE FOR HYSTERIA

[adapted from Longman English Grammar Practice by L G Alexander]

When I was a girl, my parents sent me to a very strict school. They had to buy an expensive uniform for me¹ __ and pay school fees for me²__. Our headmistress, Miss Prim, never smiled. She explained the school rules to us³__and expected us to obey them. 'I will never say anything to you⁴__twice,' she used to say. We had to write a letter to our parents⁵__ once a week and show it to Miss Prim⁶__ before we sent it. I can still remember some of the school rules. We were not allowed to lend anything to anyone⁷__. We were not allowed to give each other help⁸__with homework. We had to report unusual situations to the headmistress⁹__. One morning, during assembly, a girl fainted. The next morning, two more fainted. This continued to happen for several mornings. Mass hysteria had set in! But Miss Prim put an end to it. She announced a new rule to us¹⁰__: 'No girl will faint in College!' And after that, no one did!

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How would you interpret the message on Jim Carrey's upper face - I mean, what do you understand by that?

 

58. Time after Time

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Almost all the questions formulated in the previous entry have been left unanswered: why?

I have a hunch – that you don’t really assign the same importance to the framework on offer as I do. Let me add that it is important, even if you don’t believe it right now. You have a right to contradict me much in the same way as we may agree to disagree.

The first big mistake: taking things for granted without checking them. No, you don’t want to do that! 

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Not only words but also phrases seem to mean what word-for-word translation produces in your mother tongue. Give yourselves the benefit of doubt, look them up in a good dictionary.

So, no further practice until I receive more feedback. When it comes, I will gladly post more.  

 

57. Living in the Past

An hour-glass (or a sand-timer)

They say – and I believe it – that what gives Man his perception of Time is what makes him human. Having a memory of something (with all that this triggers, like short- vs. long-term memory, memory recall, memory gaps and loss of memory, and a host of other savoury topics) may range from things that we would like to remember to things that we would like to forget...Even our cells are said to have memory: this will send us quite soon back to health matters!

For the time being, let’s have a look at something easier to handle than the depths of memory – a cloze test which tells a story. Now, that’s the nice thing: not only do we remember stories easily but we build our lives around a story (i.e., the story of our life or, unfortunately for our self-actualization, the stories of other people’s lives).

Check how well you’ve done and then answer these questions:

1.      Is the story plausible?

2.    Has anything similar ever happened to you?

3.    Would having such experiences be a reasonable reason to forget about sharing flats?

4.   What advice would you give to someone who has to share a flat (rents are ever so high!)?

Read the text and complete each blank with ONE suitable word from the list supplied. Each word can be used only ONCE. Five of these words are not to be used.

A 2,500-year-old water clock

about	afford	denied	as	at
claimed	did	into	nearly	noticed
on	pay	pull	quite	realize
retrospect	ruined	straw	taste	throw
together	turn	turned	up	were

When I moved into a two-bedroom flat with Sophie, I imagined we’d get (1)_________ really well. I couldn’t (2)_________ the place by myself, but after meeting Sophie at a local wine bar, I thought she seemed (3)_________a nice person to join me.

I had my first doubts about her the day we went to choose paint to do (4)_________the flat. I wanted bright colours but she insisted on very plain shades and wasn’t prepared to compromise at all. I thought: “What am I getting myself (5)_________?’ Unfortunately we had already signed the contract by then, so it was too late to (6)_________out.

Initially, everything else seemed fine. Then (7)_________the weeks passed, things began to change. When I went out, she’d ask me why I was wearing so much make-up, or she’d want to know where I was going or where I’d been. Gradually, I began to (8)_________that she was jealous of me and my social life.

Modern water clock

However, when I bought a new white dress, things took a (9)_________for the worse. I was just (10)_________to put the dress in the washing machine when I (11)_________a speck of orange. I put my hand into the machine and a whole load of orange turmeric fell out. It would have (12)_________my dress. I suspected that Sophie had done it. When I confronted her, she denied it, but I was so angry I even threatened to call the police.

Another night I came in and found a curry that Sophie had made, so I thought I’d (13)_________it. After one mouthful I realized it had washing-up liquid in it. It made me terribly ill.

Things went from bad to worse. I had a large collection of framed family photos which were very important to me. I came home one day and found all the pictures had been (14)_________upside down. When I asked Sophie who had done it, she (15)_________that it was nothing to do with her and just shouted abuse (16)_________me.

It was the last (17)_________, however, when she started spreading rumours; she told my friends, including my boyfriend, that I was going out with other boys, which just wasn’t true. But eventually, I began to lose confidence and after almost a year of this I had to move out. In (18)_________, I think she wanted to be like me, but when that proved impossible, she tried to make my life hell. She (19)_________did, too. I have never bumped into her again and, to be honest, I’d be horrified if I (20)_________.

Foucault's Pendulum under the Dome of the Pantheón, Paris - since 1995

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