S-v-o Sentence Pattern Examples

Register now & get certified to teach english abroad! This list of connectors of sequence will improve your and/or your students' writing skills in the English language.     Register now & get certified to teach english abroad!  [Read more]

  As mentioned earlier, our example sentence has used a regular verb 'to play'. With the regular verbs we simply add '-ed'. This spelling pattern changes for words that end with a consonant and a Y: 'cry' goes to 'cried', 'try' to 'tried'. Another spelling pattern we have to be aware of is our consonant plus vowel plus consonant. In these instances, we double the consonant used: 'shop' needs the double P; 'ship' needs the double P. With these spelling patterns, and most spelling patterns in general for the English language, there are always exceptions to the rules. So we have to be aware of those exceptions. We also have to impart those exceptions on to our students. We can do so through various exercises and various activities to end our class. To form the negative sentence here,...  [Read more]

Register now & get certified to teach english abroad!   So what exactly are relative pronouns? Let's take a look at relative pronoun definition, useful grammar rules with examples sentences and an ESL printable infographic below.   A relative pronoun is used to join or relate two different clauses together by referring to the noun in the previous clause using the following pronouns: who, whom, whose, which and that.   "Which" and "that" are generally used for objects; while "who" and "whom" are used for people, and "whose" is used to show possession. Let's take a look at some examples: In this example, "which" joins the two related clauses about choosing a color and a color which would look good on everyone.   In this case, "that" joins the two...  [Read more]

Register now & get certified to teach english abroad!   Let's take a look at the six basic types of adverbs in English. Learn useful usage, example words, and example sentences of different adverbs types in English with this printable ESL infographic.   Usage: Describes when or for how long a certain action happened. Example words: Already, ago, before, yet, never, soon, yesterday, soon, lately Example sentences:   Usage: Describes how often something occurs, either indefinite or indefinite terms. Example words: Always, usually, normally, often, sometimes, occasionally, once, seldom, rarely, never Example sentences:   Usage: Tells about where something happens or where something is. Example words: Here, everywhere, near, nearby, down,...  [Read more]

Register now & get certified to teach english abroad! Let's have a look at relative pronouns! Following is a list of common relative pronouns in English with ESL pictures and example sentences to help you master English grammar.     Register now & get certified to teach english abroad!  [Read more]

Register now & get certified to teach english abroad!   Having the ability to describe people’s appearance and personality using adjectives is an important part of learning English. Below we look at a range of descriptive words with example sentences.   In everyday life, English speakers use adjectives to describe people’s appearance and/or personality in many different situations. When presenting a lesson to your students on this topic you will need to cover a wide range of words for them to learn and practice using activities such as role playing. The list of adjectives above and the example sentences below should give you some ideas when planning your lessons. Examples for using adjectives to describe people:   Register now & get certified to teach...  [Read more]

Register now & get certified to teach english abroad! Wh question words are a vital part of English grammar. In the image below, we showcase the 8 basic wh question words in English with usage and example sentences to help you master your English grammar.   List of questions words Usage: WHO is used to ask the person who did the action. Examples:  Usage: WHAT is used to ask for information. Examples: Usage: WHEN is used to ask the time of an event/action. Examples: Usage: WHERE is used to ask for the location. Examples: Usage: WHY is used to ask for a reason/cause. Examples: Usage: HOW is used to explain a process. Examples: Usage: WHICH is used when there is a choice. Examples: Usage: WHOSE is...  [Read more]

  Our second example sentence 'I am playing football at the moment.' is the present continuous tense. This has a different structure as the subject 'I', the verb 'to be' in the present tense 'am', 'is' or 'are' plus the verb with an '?ing' on the end. So here: 'I am playing football at the moment.' Whereas the present simple tense is used to talk about habits routines and facts, the present continuous tense is used to talk about actions in progress at the time of speaking or around the time of speaking. Our third example sentence is the present perfect: 'I have played football twice this week.' Here, the structure is the subject 'I', auxiliary verb 'have' or 'has' plus the past participle. The past participle is usually formed just by adding '-ed'- on to the end of the base form of...  [Read more]

Teaching English grammar to complete beginners requires a structured approach to ensure understanding and retention: To make learning English grammar engaging for complete beginners, you can incorporate a variety of interactive and fun activities to keep them motivated and interested. Here are some effective strategies to make the learning process enjoyable:  [Read more]

  A final example is going to be an example of a patchwork ESA lesson and remember we said the form of this particular lesson will start with and engage always and will finish with and activate and there'll be some variation of E, S and A within the brackets here. So we're going to generate our patchwork ESA lesson as follows. Starting with the engage, the students are going to look at holiday photos and talk about what they like and don't like from what they see. From that, we're going to move directly into an activate phase and what the students are going to do is to make comments about holiday brochures and try to act out a role-play between the travel agent and a customer. Again, as this is taking place, the teacher will be moving around and looking for gaps in knowledge in terms...  [Read more]

Teaching English language patterns is crucial in a TEFL setting as it forms the foundation for language acquisition and communication skills. Language patterns help learners understand the structure of English sentences, enabling them to express themselves effectively. By focusing on patterns, students can improve their grammar, vocabulary, and overall fluency in English. Understanding language patterns also enhances comprehension and enables learners to produce more accurate and coherent speech and writing. To effectively teach English language patterns, teachers can employ a variety of strategies. One approach is to use visual aids such as charts, diagrams, and graphs to help students visualize the patterns in English sentences. Teachers can also incorporate real-life examples and...  [Read more]

Register now & get certified to teach english abroad! Past perfect tense indicates the finished or completed actions of the past. For example, I had taken eaten two pieces of cake before my friend finally showed up.   Past perfect tense indicates the finished or completed actions of the past. For example, I had taken eaten two pieces of cake before my friend finally showed up.     Subject + had + Past participle (v3) To make the positive sentences, we use the following structure: Subject + had + Past participle (V3) Examples of positive sentences We add ‘not’ after auxiliary verb to make the sentence negative. Subject + had + not + Past participle (V3) Examples of negative sentences. To make the question, ‘had’ come at the start of the...  [Read more]

  Whereas stress is typically concerned with one individual word, intonation is generally concerned with the variation in volume and pitch throughout an entire sentence. Intonation carries the message of a sentence. It's particularly important when questioning or agreeing, disagreeing and confirming statements. It's also very important when expressing emotions and feelings. The normal pattern for intonation is the rise-fall. Few examples would be ?I haven't seen him for a week,? or a simple word as ?okay?. With the falling intonation, we?re indicating that we're finished speaking. Again, ?I haven't seen him for a week? and ?okay?. A few more examples would be ?I'll see you at six then,? or a question of information ?How do you spell rough?? These are straightforward statements that...  [Read more]

Effective communication in English involves not only vocabulary and grammar but also pronunciation and intonation. Clear pronunciation helps students be understood by native speakers, while intonation conveys meaning, emotion, and emphasis in speech. Improving these aspects of language can enhance students' overall fluency and confidence in using English. When teaching English pronunciation, it is essential to focus on individual sounds, word stress, sentence stress, and linking sounds. Utilize activities like minimal pairs exercises, tongue twisters, and pronunciation drills to help students distinguish between similar sounds. Provide visual aids, such as phonetic charts, to aid in understanding sound production. Encourage regular practice and provide corrective feedback to help students...  [Read more]

  Mary from the US took the 120-hour TEFL course with tutor support and videos after being recommended the course by her friends who are already teaching. In this TEFL review video, Mary discusses her experience of taking the course. Mary found the course videos to be helpful in presenting the course materials in a more visual way, which helped her to better absorb the information. She also found the tutors to be very responsive to her questions often replying within 24 hours. One of the main benefits of the course was that Mary was able to study in her own time enabling her to fit study around her job. Below you can read feedback from an ITTT graduate regarding one section of their online TEFL certification course. Each of our online courses is broken down into concise units that...  [Read more]

  So let's take an example of what those drills might involve. So here is an example of a repetition drill. I will model the language and then my class will repeat after me. So "This is a cup." "Spoon" ? "This is a spoon." "Knife" - "his is a knife." Thank you. The reason that it's called or also called the army method is that it was the method adopted by the United States military who had personnel stationed around the world at the end of Second World War and they realized that they needed those personnel to pick up the language very quickly and one of the positive things about this particular methodology is that you do very quickly learn vocabulary. Another positive thing about it is that you quickly learn the correct pronunciation of that vocabulary. However, there are some...  [Read more]

Elizaveta Pachina Alumni Experiences Although the English language has been the official language in Nigeria for decades, there are a good number of challenges that learners of English language continuously encounter. These problems are not only peculiar to learners but may also be existent in so-called fluent speakers. One of the most basic problems is mother tongue interference. 1. Mother Tongue Interference 2. Phonological Interference 3. Code-switching and code-mixing 4. Other problems learners in Nigeria encounter include: Do you want to teach English abroad? Take a TEFL course! Related Articles: This post was written by our TEFL certification graduate Awazie T. Please note that this blog post might not necessarily represent the beliefs or opinions of ITTT. This is a form of...  [Read more]

Linda Dunsmore Teaching Ideas When you teach English as a foreign language it's important to pay attention to details that we sometimes ignore when communicating with other native level speakers, either in spoken or written English. Some people have got into the habit of writing in uppercase/capital letters, use abbreviations, and don't think much about punctuation. We also tend not to be too critical of people's spoken English as long as we get the point across. 'There's a lot of cars on the road today' is grammatically incorrect for example. 1. Punctuation 2. Upper and Lowercase 3. Abbreviations 4. Use of Colour on the Board 5. Avoid Boring Gap-Fills 6. Avoid Changing What Students Say 7. Maximizing Student Talk Time 8. Calling on Individuals 9. Pronunciation Drilling Are you ready to...  [Read more]

Elizaveta Pachina Alumni Experiences According to the Collins online dictionary, grammar is defined as "the ways that words can be put together in order to make sentences." The Oxford learner's dictionary defines grammar as "a person's knowledge and use of a language". If those two definitions were to be combined we could define grammar as the way we utilize the language knowledge we possess for the purpose of communication. In keeping with this definition then, it can be said that in order to communicate effectively, grammar is essential. A new approach to study No grammar is needed to communicate Common mistakes Master your grammar teaching skills by taking a TEFL course today! Related Articles: Listen to this blog post: This post was written by our TEFL certification graduate...  [Read more]

Federico Riva TEFL Information Alumni Experiences Teaching Ideas In this blog post, we'll will delve into phonetics and phonology as described in George Yule's book, "The Study of Language." Phonetic and phonology are two branches of linguistics focused on the sound system. They are critical to understanding how speech sounds are produced, which, in turn, shapes language and communication. This discussion will explore various aspects of phonetics and phonology, breaking down the complex world of sounds in the English language. Phonetics and the Sound System Articulation Points Manner of Articulation Vowels and Diphthongs Phonology: The Sound Patterns of Language Teaching Phonetics and Phonology In Conclusion Are you ready to teach English as a foreign language? Related Articles: Check...  [Read more]

Register now & get certified to teach english abroad! When writing in a formal manner for work reports, essays, or emails, you can improve the quality of your content by using a range of linking words that can highlight similarities, contrasts, and contradictions.   By using linking words such as those listed above you can add extra weight to formal writing when you want to impress native or non-native English speakers alike. The following examples should give you some ideas on how to spice up your English essays or work emails by linking sentence clauses or separate sentences. Example Sentences: Not all inner city residents are poor; equally, there are many poor people living in rural areas.   Eight out of the ten new recruits passed their driving test....  [Read more]

  Student Jeff describes his experience during his TESOL/TEFL course in Hangzhou, China. In his TEFL review he speaks about the challenging but rewarding course. In addition to its 120 hour in-class TEFL/TESOL course ITTT also offers a number of online courses as well as a combined course. To find out more about our training courses follow the links above. Below you can read feedback from an ITTT graduate regarding one section of their online TEFL certification course. Each of our online courses is broken down into concise units that focus on specific areas of English language teaching. This convenient, highly structured design means that you can quickly get to grips with each section before moving onto the next. Register now & get certified to teach english abroad! I...  [Read more]

Pronunciation and intonation play a crucial role in effective communication in the English language. Clear pronunciation helps learners be understood by others, while intonation conveys meaning, emotions, and attitudes in a sentence. Without mastering these aspects, language learners may face difficulties in expressing themselves and understanding others. Therefore, focusing on pronunciation and intonation is essential in English language teaching. When teaching English pronunciation, it's important to start with the basics such as individual sounds and phonetic symbols. Encouraging students to listen and practice these sounds repeatedly can help them improve their pronunciation skills. Using techniques like minimal pairs, where words differ by only one sound, can be beneficial in...  [Read more]

Linda Dunsmore Teaching Ideas Passive voice is something native English speakers can use without much thought but it can be difficult for language learners to master because the switch from active to passive voice is quite an involved process – as many EFL teachers find when they first attempt to present it. Here are some fun activities that you can use in the classroom to help your students practice using this tricky language pattern. Do remember when you adapt these games that not every verb or tense in the English language can be used for the passive voice! Listen to this blog post: Change the Room Quiz Describing a Process Relay Tennis Game Jenga Roleplay; Blame it on Your Sister Mill-drill (mingling) Are you ready to teach English abroad? Related Articles: Listen To This...  [Read more]

  And now we'll take a look at a few teaching ideas for the present continuous tense. The present continuous tense is quite a visual tense. We use it to describe actions that are happening at the present moment. So, we could give our students a picture, such as the one seen here. It is important that in the picture there are many activities going on. The teacher can give a time limit to pairs or small groups. In that time limit, the pairs or small groups will make various sentences based upon what they see in the picture. These sentences may include 'He is taking a picture,' 'He is throwing a boomerang,' 'They are playing with the ball,' 'He is digging a hole.' At the end of the time limit, the teacher will ask for some feedback and get feedback from the pairs and the groupings to...  [Read more]

Elizaveta Pachina Alumni Experiences Learning a second language can be difficult, and this is especially true when the learners L1 and their target language are completely different in structure, sound, and tones. An English as a second language student who speaks French, German, or any other European language will have an easier task than one who speaks a language that is not of European origins. One such language is Mandarin Chinese. State of The Problem The Chinese Language Structure Tenses Sentence Structure Do you want to teach English in China? Related Articles: This post was written by our TEFL certification graduate Ashley L. Please note that this blog post might not necessarily represent the beliefs or opinions of ITTT. The areas that native Mandarin speakers most often run...  [Read more]

Linda Dunsmore Teaching Ideas One of the great things about teaching conditionals is that once you discover some classroom activities that work well for one, they can be adapted to suit any of the conditional patterns that you may be asked to teach. Here are 7 fun activities for teaching conditionals for the ESL classroom that you can easily adapt to help your students understand the correct structures and usages. Listen to this blog post: 1. Pass the Pig 2. Chain Conditionals 3. Pelmanism ("Concentration") 4. Mill Drill Questionnaire 5. Group Discussions 6. Board Game With Prompts 7. Using Songs Are you ready to teach English abroad? Related Articles: Check out what our course grads say in our many video testimonials! Tell your students to stand up and form in two lines (teams) and...  [Read more]

Teaching English language structures is essential in a TEFL setting as it forms the foundation for effective communication. Understanding grammar rules and sentence structures enables learners to convey their thoughts accurately and clearly. Without a solid grasp of language structures, students may struggle to express themselves fluently and may face challenges in both written and spoken communication. Therefore, educators must prioritize teaching English language structures to help students develop their language proficiency and confidence. There are several effective strategies that TEFL teachers can use to teach English language structures. One approach is to provide explicit instruction on grammar rules and sentence patterns, breaking down complex structures into more manageable...  [Read more]

Register now & get certified to teach english abroad! Conditionals are sentences which are also known as ‘if clauses.’ These types of sentences are an important concept for anyone learning the language to understand. Let's take a look at the different conditionals in the infographic below.   Conditionals are sentences with two clauses, an “if” clause and a main clause. Generally, conditional sentences are often divided into different types. Let's take a look at each of them. (Present Real Conditional) In general, “zero conditional” refers to conditional sentences that express a fact, rather than describing a hypothetical situation or potential future circumstance. The grammar term is typically used in the present tense, however such sentences can be formulated...  [Read more]

Elizaveta Pachina Teaching Ideas For this assignment, I decided to research problems experienced by Colombian students learning English. I will be teaching English in Colombia and thought this subject would benefit me. My findings more generally reflect the difficulties of Spanish-speaking learners. The paper outlines the top ten difficulties for Spanish-speakers learning English (vocabulary, spelling/pronunciation, subject-verb-agreement, verb tense, dialects, subject omission, pronunciation, stress, slang, and literal translations) based on CCJK (2019). Where possible I relate this information to my experiences/examples and units in the TEFL course. Vocabulary difficulties Spelling and Punctuation Difficulties Subject-Verb Agreement Verb Tense Dialects The omission of the Subject...  [Read more]