British council word order

Correct word order has a significant role in teaching a foreign language. Many learners automatically order the words in a sentence as in their native language. However, since different languages have various sentence structures, ESL teachers should be very attentive in dealing with this topic. Despite its difficulty, it can be taught in fun and entertaining ways to primary school children. Here we present activities that will definitely come in handy to practise word order with your kids.

Rainbow sentences

One of the fascinating ways of practising word order with kids is definitely with Rainbow order. Distribute the mixed parts of the sentence to your students and ask them to put the words in the correct order according to rainbow colours (red, orange, yellow, green, blue, indigo, violet). To make it more fun, you can also play the rainbow song. Children really enjoy doing this activity.

Question cards

Use question cards to introduce the rules of word order to your students, such as Who/what, what happens, where, when, etc. Provide with an example (Bob goes to school every day.) and get your students to put the mixed words in the correct order.

Expanding the phrase

Write a word on the board. Ask your students to take in turns and add extra words to make it into a longer and longer sentence. It must be a logically coherent sentence. Students cannot remove words, but they can change the order while adding new words. My kids really enjoy this activity, especially when I ask them to use their imagination and expand the phrase in a funny way.

Cat

• A black cat
• A big black cat
• Tom saw a big black cat
• Tom saw a big black cat in the forest
• Tom saw a big black cat in the forest last night

Removing words from a sentence

This activity is considered to be the opposite of the previous one. Here you provide your students with a long sentence and ask them to take turns and to remove words so that it always remains a sentence.

• Kate doesn’t like cartoons because they are loud, so she doesn’t watch them.
• Kate doesn’t like cartoons because they are loud, so she doesn’t watch.
• Kate doesn’t like cartoons because they are loud.
• Kate doesn’t like cartoons.

Brainstorming sentences

Ask your students to work in pairs or in groups. Choose a topic that the students are familiar with (weather, animals, food, jobs, etc) and get them to make up as many correct and long sentences as possible.

Example: Animals

Group A: Crocodiles are very dangerous animals.

Group B: Many people are afraid of spiders and not mice.

Group A: It is very difficult to survive crocodile’s attack because they attack very quickly.

Group B: Last summer, when we were staying in a forest, we suddenly saw a wolf near our tents.

Gringle

This is a guessing game. Choose a player, who will think of a verb his/her classmates must guess what verb this student is thinking of. The verb is replaced by a nonsense word such as “gringle”. The students then ask questions, like this:

— Can you gringle at night?

— Who gringles more — girls or boys

— Do you use a special object to gringle?

— When do you usually gringle?

— Is gringling a fun or a serious action?

Why do people gringle?This game is a magnificent tool for practising word order in interrogative sentences with your kids. With the help of numerous questions, they revise different types of questions, such as General and Special ones.

This was the list of the activities that I usually use with my kids to practise word order. I am sure you are aware of some other fascinating ways as well. Share them in the comments below.

1. This activity I tried out at the English lesson in the 9th form on topic “Reading…Books.”
Textbook V.P. Kuzovlev the 9^th form Unit 1.Lesson 5 “At the library”.

A  Plan of the lesson.

1. Gathering ideas/information.

You are going to fill in the registration card for a library. Remember the following
skills in writing: spelling, purpose of writing, level of formality, word order ,grammar.

(Планируемый результат:  заполнять
анкеты и формуляры в соответствии с нормами,
принятыми в стране изучаемого языка. Примечание:
данное умение проверяется только на базовом
уровне.)

Задание: You are an exchange student in a college in England..You
have come to sign up for a library card. Fill in the registration form according to the
requirements.

• West College Library
• London
• Registration Form
• Please provide the following information:
• First Name
• Surname
• Address
• Date of birth
• Place of birth
• Sex
• Age
• Native language
• Foreign languages

2 .Writing the first draft. You have a short time to write this first draft –you will
have time to revise it later.

Критерии оценивания планируемого
результата:1.Коммуникативная задача решена:
Заполнен формуляр, дана запрашиваемая
информация по всем пунктам формуляра.

2. Формуляр заполнен в соответствии с нормами
письменного этикета ,принятого в англоязычных
странах, и соблюден порядок слов: сначала имя,
затем фамилия; соблюден порядок слов в графе
адрес: дом, улица, город ,страна; соблюден порядок
слов в графе место рождения: город, страна:
соблюден лаконичный стиль: использованы
неполные предложения; отсутствуют исправления и
помарки.

3. Лексика употреблена в соответствии с
коммуникативной задачей. Практически нет
лексических ошибок.

4. Орфографические ошибки отсутствуют.

3. Editing. Now work with a partner to edit your writing. Read each other ‘s work
form from the point of view of the intended reader, he lp each other to make changes to
the order of contents, vocabulary and grammar if necessary.

4. Reflection: Studens ’ answers.

1.Did you enjoy doing the writing activity? Why/why not?

Yes, it was interesting. It was useful. It was complicated for me. It was boring. It
was difficult.

2.Did you find the writing activity difficult? Why/ why not?

I have never done such activity. At the beginning it was a bit difficult for me. Oh,
no. This task was simple !I’ve done some mistakes!

3.What language skills did you practice when doing the activity?

Speaking, writing, reading skills .Skills in grammar, spelling, communication.

4.Was it helpful to work with other participants? Why/why not?

Yes, it was very pleasant and interesting. I’ve done an activity myself. I have heard
different points of view. It is useful to work with other participants.

5.The process vs .the product. These features were including in writing the students
just completed:the intendent reader, the purpose of writing, gathering ideas, planning the
writing. writing the first draft, editing the text.

С заданием по заполнению библиотечных
формуляров справилась ,в целом, вся группа в
количестве 13 человек. Были допущены ошибки по
некоторым пунктам критерия оценивания: Порядок
слов в адресе. Порядок слов в графе место
рождения. Задание мотивировано, вызвало интерес
обучающихся.

После этого задания дети посмотрели видео
фильм British Council “This is Great Britain” Literature is Great.

2.This activity I tried out in the 8 th form Unit 4” Travelling.”Задание
повышенного уровня. Планируемый результат:
соблюдать существующие в английском языке нормы
лексической сочетаемости.

Соедините английские слова из разных колонок
так ,чтобы получить аналог русских выражений,
предложенных ниже. Впишите русский вариант в
пропуски. В некоторых случаях существует
несколько возможных вариантов ответа.

1. Ездить по стране

2. Путешествовать по Европе

3. Путешествовать по миру (по стране)

4. Путешествовать налегке ( без большого
количества багажа)

5. Путешествовать пешком

6. Ходить пешком

7. Путешествовать на машине

8. Водить машину

To go	_	hike
To walk	on	travelling
To travel	in	foot
To move	around	car
To drive	by	(a)journey
To ride	to	Europe
To visit	at	the world
	Out	the country
	From	country to country
	Other countries
	The world
	light
Образец правильного	ответа

1. Ездить в другие страны to trave l to other countries; to go to
other countries.

2. Путешествовать по Европе to travel in Europe; to travel around
Europe.

3. Путешествовать по миру (по стране) to travel the world;
to travel the country.

4. Путешествовать налегке (без большого
количества багажа) to travel light.

5. Путешествовать пешком to travel on foot.

6. Ходить пешком to walk.

7. Путешествовать на машинеto go/travel by car.

8. Водить машину to drive a car.

Критерии достижения планируемого результата:
словосочетания составлены правильно ,с учетом
норм лексической сочетаемости, принятых в
английском языке. Из нескольких возможных
вариантов предложен хотя бы один верный вариант.
Правильно составлено не менее пяти
словосочетаний.

С заданием справились не все обучающиеся в
группе. Трое учеников составили 4 правильные
словосочетания.(в группе 13 учеников) 5
обучающихся составили 7-8 словосочетаний .Задание
было дано на начальном этапе работы по теме
“Travelling”.На следующих уроках работа по
правильному употреблению словосочетаний была
продолжена.

3. This activity I tried out at the English lesson in the 5th form.

Noticing grammar.

The activity :Вставьте в пропуски подходящую по
смыслу структуру:There is; It is.

_ much snow in the country in winter.

_often snowing in winter in Russia.

_nothing you can do about it.

_very cold today.

_not my problem.

_a book on the table.

Правильные ответы :there is, it is ,there is ,it is ,it is,
there is.

Критерий достижений планируемого результата:
заполнено не менее четырех из шести пропусков.

How to help learners to notice grammar?1.Use high-lighted words. 2.Use different
colours for THERE IS and IT IS. 3.Discuss the usage of the contructions THERE IS and THERE
ARE.4.Explain the situation in each sentence.

Reflection: It was very difficult to my learners to put the correct construction. Only
7 students have done it correctly .6 students have made 3 or more mistakes.

Speaking activity.

This activity I tried out in the 6^th form.

Make up mini-dialogues using words in brackets .One task was done .

0.(our history teacher/ English?) Is our history teacher English?(-,she/France) No,she
is from France.

1 (I/in your team?) (+you/our team)

2.(your mother/doctor?) (- both parents/engineers)

3.(Mary/at home?) (+she/just come)

4.(Judy/wear?) (a new dress)

Правильные ответы:

1.Am I in your team? Yes ,you are in our team.

2.Is your mother a doctor? No, my both parents are engineers.

3. Is Mary at home? Yes, she has just come.

4.What is Judy wearing? She is wearing a new dress.

Критерий достижения планируемого результата:
не менее трех из четырех вопросов и трех из
четырех ответов составлено грамматически
правильно.

Learners work in pairs. They must not read their dialogues until other learners have
finished. Then they speak, compare dialogues, analyse anything which they did not
understand and discuss how to say it correctly. Teacher gives some prompts-structures to
help them. Teacher and learners find mistakes, t hey analyse and correct them .And
learners work out a correct version.

Reflection: There were some mistakes in tenses ,word order, in understanding how to do
the activity. At last it was done correctly.

Restructuring activity.

This activity I tried out in the 7^th form.

Прочитайте приведенный ниже текст. Некоторые
его строки правильны, а в некоторых есть лишние
слова. Если строка правильная, поставьте галочку
на полях. Если в строке есть лишнее слово,
напишите на полях это слово. В первой строке дан
образец выполнения.

A Future Teacher

do_ Emma has a wonderful personality. She can do make a

_ good doctor and a wonderful manager. But if I had

_to choose one job for her, it would be school teacher.

_First of all, Emma likes people and makes the friends

_ easily. She has much a sense of humor. She is good at

__ telling jokes. She enjoys being with young children.

_She likes to play with them and to tell to them stories.

_Emma is very responsible and well organized.

_She is come never late. She always plans carefully. She is a

_natural leader. I think Emma will to make a good teacher.

Правильные ответы:do , <, <,the, much,<,to,<,come ,to.

Критерий достижения планируемого результата:
верно выполнено не мене пяти из девяти заданий.

Learners work in pairs , they try to find extra words which are used in the text. First
they translate the text, identify the differences, Then each pair reads their version.
When they have completed the task, they listen to a recording of a native speaker doing
the same task, if available, or read a written model if not .Then, with input from the
observer they compare their use of language, to that of the native speaker/model, find
mistakes and work out the correct version.

Reflection: There were mistakes in meaning of the words , tenses, articles, it was
difficult to some

Learners to translate and understand the text.

4.This activity I tried out at the English lesson in the 5th form.

The lesson “We had a nice time in London” УМК В.П. Кузовлев.

The plan of the lesson:1. Starting the idea. On their spring holidays some French
children went on a trip to England. Marie is talking about their trip.

How did the French children spend their time during the trip? (Students listen to the
text.)

2.The teacher uses questions which are a mix of lower order and higher order
thinking:1.Who went on an exchange trip to London? 2Where did they stay?3.What did they do
during every morning?4. What famous sights of London and other cities did they visit?

3.Grammar for revision. The Past Simple Tense. What verb forms does Marie use to talk
about repeated past actions? (Students revise grammar.)

4.Look at the timetable of the French children’s stay in England. What did the
children do each day?

Sunday .Morning : get to Springfield School

Afternoon:  walk around the centre of London

Evening: go to a welcoming party.etc/

5.What else did the French children do in England? What would you like to change in
their programme? Give arguments with opposing point of view.

6. Make up a story about the French children’s trip to England.

7.Work with a partner and ask each other where you traveled last time .Don’t forget
to talk about :Where you traveled last time;etc.7-8 questions.( I give a plan to each
student.)

8.Work in groups. Complete the activity your trainer gives you as a ‘learner
‘.Spend about ten minutes on it. One person in a group is ‘observer’.(I show a short
film “Sights of London”)

Your group will make up a plan of visiting the most interesting places in London. You
should explain why you have chosen this or that sight. How you will travel and where you
will live in London. Work together and come up with solutions to your problem. State what
you will do and why. One person analyses the group work.

Reflection.

At the lesson I tried to develop thinking skills, knowledge and practical skills by
working with different types of exercises. I state the problem, revise grammar , use
different questions, show audio and video film. At the end of the lesson students prepared
their own programme of visiting London.

Activity 5 Reading skills the 6 th form.

Смотри рисунок 1

Рис. 1

Look at the menu and do the exercises to practice your reading skills.

Preparation

Write the correct name in the boxes below the picture.

pasta cheese burger ice cream grilled fish

fruit salad sausage omelette vegetables

cheese and biscuits chips roast chicken tomato soup

1. Check your understanding: true or false

Circle True or False for these sentences.

1. Lunch is served for two hours only. True False

2. Dinner starts at 2:30 p.m. True False

3. Bread and butter comes free with the starters. True False

4. The snacks are available for lunch and dinner. True False

5. If you order a snack, the salad and chips cost extra. True False

6. There are three flavours of ice cream. True False

2. Check your understanding: gap fill

Complete the foods and drinks from the menu with the correct word from the box.

Italian Thai French English Irish German

1. _______________ onion soup 4. _______________ tea

2. _______________ sausage 5. _______________ cream coffee

3. _______________ chicken and rice 6. _______________ pizza

3. Check your understanding: recommendations

Recommend and write a dish or drink for these customers on the line below.

Grilled fish and potatoes Tomato salad Vegetable pasta

Mineral water Cheese and biscuits Chicken sandwich

1. I want a main course but I only have

L5 and I don’t like cheese. What do you suggest?

2.

I’m a vegetarian and I want a starter but I don’t like soup. What starter should I
choose

_______________________________________

3.

It’s a really hot day and I need a cold drink. I only have ?1, though. What can I
have?

_______________________________________

4.

_ I don’t like eggs or cheese and I only have L4. What snack can I choose?

______________________________________

5.

I want a dessert but I don’t like sweet things. What can I choose?

_______________________________________

6I really love seafood. Which main course do you suggest .

_______________________________________

Discussion

What would you order from this menu?

What type of restaurants are popular in your country?

The lesson “At the restaurant “.Classroom activities to practice reading skills: I
gave the students the activity sheet and asked them to guess the topic before reading the
tasks. It was predicting.

Many children travel with their parents .They visit different countries and, of course
,they go to a restaurant or a cafe .It would be very interesting to learn the words,
phrases, expressions on this topic. First we chose difficult words from the text and I
asked the students to choose the correct meaning for each of them, repeated the words
,wrote down the new words. Then we saw the video “At the restaurant.”Then they looked
through the text before reading. It was skimming. After that the students started doing
exercises.

1. True or false .It was not very easy to do this exercise for some students, but they
tried to use their vocabularies. It was scanning. We began reading intensively.

2. Gap fill . It was not very difficult. Rather easy. Students were attentive. They
were choosing words for a short time and then filled gaps .It was guessing meaning of
unknown words from context.

3. Recommendations. Students worked in pairs . And they enjoyed their dialogues. It was
a speaking race ,where learners had to find specific information from the text faster than
other learners. We checked the correct answers.(1. 2. 3.)

4. Discussions .I gave learners a set of instructions to follow( using the sentences
from task 2 dialogues).Students were preparing for some minutes and then we discussed the
menu. As for the types of restaurants the 7^th formers mentioned cafes and
restaurants they visited with their parents .

I gave learners a menu card of a restaurant for children and asked learners to choose a
menu for their birthday party at home.

At the end of the lesson all the students got marks .I recommended and explained how to
use the British Council to improve their knowledge in English.

Kochukova Irina Nikolaevna.