MAJOR COMPONENTS OF THE STUDY

OF SYNTAX AND GRAMMAR

Teaching Grammar in Context
Jill Kerper Mora
San Diego State University
Dear Educators,
Teacher credential candidates who are preparing for the RI! e"a#
should $e fa#iliar with these gra##atical ter#s and their
definitions% These concepts are part of RI! Do#ain I& ontent !rea
'(%'%
These concepts of gra##ar are i#portant for two reasons)
'* Knowledge of help teachers to assess and re#ediate the errors
and error patterns of second+language learners%
,* The points of gra##ar can $e used as the $asis for teaching
sentence structure and voca$ulary%
This we$ page includes a description of how to teach an e"plicit
gra##ar lesson and gra##ar+$ased literacy teaching activities%
lic- here to go directly to the following topics contained in this
instructional #odule)
o#ponents of gra##ar and synta"
Structure of a gra##ar lesson
Sentence transfor#ation
Using sentence transfor#ation to teach specific points of gra##ar
Sentence reco#$ination
Teaching gra##ar in situation conte"ts
.ther resources availa$le on
Dr% Mora/s we$site)
Cic! here "or "#rther in"ormation on the grammar$tran%ation
metho& an& other grammar$'a%e& metho&% "or %econ&$
ang#age teaching(
lic- on the hot+te"t for a discussion of the role of syntactic
-nowledge in reading and assess#ent of gra##ar in second+
language writing%
o#ponents of 0ra##ar and Synta"
)( The *rinci*e eement% o" the %entence
S#'+ect
,er'% an& -er' *hra%e%
Direct an& in&irect o'+ect.%/
Com*ement% 0ith -er'% that ex*re%% "eeing1
a**earing1 'eing an& %eeming
Mo&i"ier%
Ca#%e%
Phra%e%
2( Part% o" %*eech an& their "#nction% 0ithin %entence%
No#n% an& nomina% .in"initi-e%1 ger#n&%1 etc(/
Artice%
,er'%
Prono#n%
A&+ecti-e%
A&-er'%
Pre*o%ition%
Con+#nction%
3nter+ection%
4( T5*e% o" %entence% an& their %5ntax
Sim*e
Com*o#n&
Com*ex
6a%ic 7 -ariation% on 'a%ic %entence *attern%
Sentence %tr#ct#re8 Com*ete1 incom*ete1 r#n$on1
coor&ination o" -er' ten%e%
9( ,er' U%age
Agreement
Ten%e
Moo&
Acti-e or *a%%i-e -oice
Se:#ence an& con%i%tenc5 o" ten%e%
Mo&a%
Phra%a -er'%
;( <or& #%age or exicon
3&iomatic con%tr#ction%
Form#aic ex*re%%ion%
U%e o" *hra%e% 0ithin %entence%
An exceent re%o#rce "or &e"inition% an& exam*e% o" the%e
*oint% o" grammar i% Re%earch 7 E&#cation A%%ociation .)==>/(
REA?% Han&'oo! o" Engi%h Grammar1 St5e an& <riting(
Pi%cata0a51 NJ8 A#thor( 3S6N No( @$ABA=)$;;2$9(
Ste*% in Pre%enting Point% o" Grammar U%ing
Direct 3n%tr#ction in ESC an& Foreign Cang#age
3n%tr#ction
)( Moti-ate the teaching o" %tr#ct#re% '5 %ho0ing ho0 the5 are
nee&e& in rea$i"e comm#nication(
2( State the o'+ecti-e o" the e%%on(
4( Re-ie0 the "amiiar item%1 e(g( caen&ar1 time1 name o"
o'+ect%1 a#xiiar5 -er'% in the target ang#age that 0i 'e
nee&e& to intro&#ce1 ex*ain1 or *ractice the ne0 item(
9( U%e the ne0 %tr#ct#re .a&+ecti-e o" coor1 "or exam*e/ in a
'rie" #tterance in 0hich a the other 0or&% are !no0n to the
%t#&ent%(
;( Mo&e the #tterance %e-era time%(
>( Engage in "# ca%%1 ha"$ca%%1 gro#* an& in&i-i&#a
re*etition o" the #tterance(
B( Gi-e %e-era a&&itiona %entence% in 0hich the %tr#ct#re i%
#%e&( Ca%% an& gro#*% 0i re*eat 0ith 5o#(
A( <rite t0o o" the %entence% on the 'oar&( Un&erine the ne0
%tr#ct#re an& .0here ree-ant/ #%e c#r-e& arro0% or &iagram%
to i#%trate the reation%hi* o" the %tr#ct#re to other 0or&%
an&Dor *art% o" the %entence(
=( Point to the #n&erine& %tr#ct#re a% 5o# a%! :#e%tion% that
0i g#i&e %t#&ent% to &i%co-er the %o#n&%1 the 0ritten "orm1 the
*o%ition in the %entence an& the grammatica "#nction o" the
ne0 %tr#ct#re( .E<hat &oe% it te #%FE/
)@( He* %t#&ent% .age )) or o&er/ to -er'aiGe the im*ortant
"eat#re% o" the %tr#ct#re( U%e chart% an& other ai&% to reate to
other "amiiar %tr#ct#re% %#ch a% -er' ten%e%(
))( Engage the %t#&ent% in -arie& g#i&e& ora *ractice(
)2( Re:#ire %t#&ent% to con%cio#%5 %eect the ne0 grammatica
item "rom contra%ting one earne& in the *a%t(
)4( Ha-e the %t#&ent% #%e the %tr#ct#re 0ith comm#nicati-e
ex*re%%ion% an& "amiiar or ne0 notion%(
)9( <here "ea%i'e1 &o a tran%ation exerci%e .*ro-i&e& thi% 0i
not *romote inter"erence "rom C)/(
Cic! here "or more hint% on e""ecti-e grammar teaching in ESC
an& "oreign ang#age ca%%room%( Thi% e%%on on the *re%ent
*er"ect i% an exam*e(
Sentence Tran%"ormation8 From 6a%ic to
Com*ex Sentence%
)( Ta!e a 'a%ic %entence8
J#an o%t hi% 'oo!(
2( Ex*an& on it8
J#an o%t hi% %cience 'oo!(
4( Ex*an& again 0ith a&&itiona in"ormation8
J#an o%t hi% %cience 'oo! at the *a5gro#n&(
9( Com'ine t0o %entence%8
J#an o%t hi% %cience 'oo!( He 0a% *a5ing on the %0ing%(
J#an o%t hi% %cience 'oo! 0hie *a5ing on the %0ing%(
J#an o%t hi% %cience 'oo! 0hie *a5ing on the %0ing% at the
*a5gro#n&(
;( Ma!e %#'%tit#tion%8
J#an o%t hi% %cience home0or! (((
J#an o%t hi% math 'oo!(((etc(
>( Tran%"orm a %entence to ea'orate or in! i&ea%8
J#an o%t hi% math 'oo!( Di& J#an o%e hi% %cience 'oo!1 tooF
B( A&& in"ormation an& con%tr#ct a %hort narrati-e aro#n& the
%entence% %t#&ent% ha-e create&8
J#an 0a% *a5ing on the %0ing% at the *a5gro#n& 0hen he o%t
hi% math 'oo!( J#an a%o o%t hi% %cience home0or! 'eca#%e it
0a% in hi% math 'oo!(
Sentence Tran%"ormation
Foc#%ing on S*eci"ic Point% o" Grammar
S#'+ect *rono#n%
31 5o#1 he1 %he1 0e1 the5
Form% o" -er' to 'e
HHHHH are r#nning &o0n the hi(
HHHHH i% going to %choo(
HHHHH 0a% at the %choo *a5(
HHHHH 0ere not at the %choo *a5(
Change% in -er' ten%e
6i i% %itting &o0n( 6i 0i %it &o0n(
Mar5 0a!% too "a%t( Mar5 0a!e& too "a%t(
E<henE ca#%e%
Mr( 6ac! 0i %it &o0n( Mr( 6ac! 0i ta!e o"" hi% coat(
<hen Mr( 6ac! %it% &o0n1 he 0i ta!e o"" hi% coat(
The gir% 0i arri-e at %choo( The 'e 0i 'e ringing(
<hen the gir% arri-e at %choo1 the 'e 0i 'e ringing(
Reati-e Ca#%e%
The 'oo! i% on the &e%!( The 'oo! i% re&(
The 'oo! that i% on the &e%! i% re&(
The gir i% in the !itchen( The gir i% m5 %i%ter(
The gir 0ho i% in the !itchen i% m5 %i%ter(
Negati-e%
He i!e% to go "or a 0a! a"ter &inner(
He &oe%n?t i!e to go "or a 0a! a"ter &inner(
Mar5 i!e% to go "or a 0a! a"ter &inner(
She i%n?t thin!ing a'o#t her home0or!(
3nterrogati-e% ..3%DAre/
John i% r#nning a0a5 "rom the 0o"(
3% John r#nning a0a5 "rom the 0o"F
3nterrogati-e% .DoDDoe%/
<e 0a! to the mar!et e-er5 a"ternoon(
Do 0e 0a! to the mar!et e-er5 a"ternoonF
Do 5o# 0a! to the mar!et e-er5 a"ternoonF
3nterrogati-e% .Mo&a%$Can/
.Can/ M5 'rother can ri&e hi% 'i!e to %choo(
Can m5 'rother ri&e hi% 'i!e to %chooF
<hat can 5o#r 'rother &o on hi% 'i!eF
Sentence Recombination
Sentence recom'ination i% an e""ecti-e acti-it5 "or teaching
%entence %tr#ct#re1 *aragra*h %tr#ct#re1 *#nct#ation1 tran%ition
an& coherence1 an& *art% o" %*eech( St#&ent% m#%t a%o #%e
critica thin!ing %!i% to c#%ter an& organiGe i&ea% an&
conce*t%( Sentence recom'ination exerci%e% are thematic an&
can 'e ea%i5 con%tr#cte& in a&-ance '5 the teacher or a% a
gro#* acti-it5 0ith the %t#&ent%( Here i% an exam*e(
Com'ine the%e %entence% into a *a%%age '5 #%ing com*o#n&
%#'+ect%1 com*o#n& *re&icate% an& other com*o#n& %entence
eement%( 3n re0riting1 'e %#re to inc#&e intro&#ction an&
tran%ition %entence% %o the *a%%age "o0% %mooth5(
)( Peo*e a o-er the 0or& '#i& ho#%e%(
2( Peo*e a o-er the 0or& i!e their home%(
4( Ho#%e% are '#it in man5 %ha*e%(
9( Ho#%e% are '#it in man5 %iGe%(
;( Ho#%e% are '#it o" gra%%(
>( Ho#%e% are '#it o" *am ea-e%(
B( Ho#%e% are '#it o" 0oo&(
A( Ho#%e% are '#it o" %tee(
=( Ho#%e% are '#it o" %tone(
)@( Ho#%e% are '#it o" a&o'e(
))( Ho#%e% are '#it o" *a%ter(
)2( Ho#%e% are '#it o" concrete(
)4( Ho#%e% are '#it o" other materia%(
)9( The con%tr#ction ma5 'e %im*e(
);( The con%tr#ction ma5 'e com*ex(
)>( Con%tr#ction m#%t 'e a&a*te& to the cimate(
)B( Con%tr#ction m#%t 'e a&a*te& to the materia% a-aia'e(
)A( Con%tr#ction m#%t 'e a&a*te& to the %!i% o" the 0or!er%(
There are man5 -ariation% on the *aragra*h or com*o%ition that
%t#&ent% can create in thi% exerci%e( E-a#ate the *ro&#ct
'a%e& on ing#i%tic an& conce*t#a com*exit5 an& coherence(
Teaching Grammar in Sit#ationa Context%
Sit#ation or Context Point% o" Grammar
Foo0 a reci*e or in%tr#ction%
"rom a 'oxe& ca!e mix to
'a!e a ca!e(
3m*erati-e -er' "orm
Pre%ent contin#o#%
ten%e
Gi-e &irection% to another
*er%on to get to a %tore1 the
*o%t o""ice1 or a 'an! #%ing a
ma*(
Pre%ent ten%e
Non$re"erentia it
Di%c#%% *an% "or a ca%% "ie&
tri* to the Goo(
F#t#re ten%e
3"$ca#%e%
Con&itiona ten%e
De%cri'e a *a%t -acation1
0ee!en&1 etc(
Sim*e *a%t ten%e
I#e%tion "ormation
Form% o" -er' to &o
<or& or&er in negation
Roe *a5 a %ho**ing tri* to
'#5 a gi"t "or a "ami5 mem'er
or "rien&(
Ma51 might
Coecti-e no#n% an&
:#anti"ier% .an51 %ome1
%e-era1 etc(/
3n&irect o'+ect
An%0er in"ormation
:#e%tion%8 Name1 a&&re%%1
*hone n#m'er1 etc(
Pre%ent ten%e o" -er' to 'e
Po%%e%%i-e a&+ecti-e%
Te %omeone ho0 to "in& an
o'+ect in 5o#r !itchen(
Cocati-e *re*o%ition%
Mo&a -er'% .can1 ma51
%ho#&/
Fi o#t a me&ica hi%tor5 "orm(
Then roe *a5 a me&ica
inter-ie0 on a -i%it 0ith a ne0
&octor(
Pre%ent *er"ect ten%e
Pre%ent *er"ect
*rogre%%i-e
Ma!e a &ai5 0eather re*ort Non$re"erentia it
Form% o" -er' to 'e
3&iomatic ex*re%%ion%
Re*ort &ai5 %che&#e% o"
*eo*e .in the ca%%1 '#%e% in
the cit51 airine %che&#e%1
train%1 etc(/
Ha'it#a *re%ent
Per%ona *rono#n%
Demon%trati-e
a&+ecti-e%
Exten& an in-itation o-er the
tee*hone to %omeone to
come to a *art5
<o#& i!eJO'+ect$,er' 0or&
or&er
3nterrogati-e *rono#n%
Ex*ain r#e% an& reg#ation%
to %omeone1 i(e( r#e% "or the
%choo ca"eteriaK &octorL%
in%tr#ction% to a %ic! *atient
Mo&a -er'%8 Can1 m#%t1
%ho#&1 o#ght to
A&-er'% o" time 7
"re:#enc5
Re*ort a hi%torica or act#a
*a%t e-ent an& &i%c#%%
con&ition% #n&er 0hich a
&i""erent o#tcome might ha-e
Pa%t con&itiona an& *a%t
*er"ect ten%e%
3" ca#%e%
re%#te&
React to the '#rgar5 o" 5o#r
ho#%e or a*artment in the
*re%ence o" another *er%on
#*on &i%co-er5 .acti-e -oice/
an& in ma!ing a *oice re*ort
.*a%%i-e -oice/
Pre%ent *er"ect ten%e
Contra%t 'et0een acti-e
an& *a%%i-e -oice
Direct an& in&irect
o'+ect
A&&itiona re%o#rce%8
Cic! here "or a chec!i%t o" grammar an& %5ntax "or &i%cerning
*attern% o" #%age in %t#&ent%? ora an& 0ritten *ro&#ction(
Cic! here "or a roa&ma* to e""ecti-e Engi%h ang#age
&e-eo*ment in%tr#ction(
Here i% a in! to g#i&e& 0riting in C2 ca%%room%(
Cic! here "or a %te* '5 %te* *an "or g#i&e& %tor5 con%tr#ction
"or C2 earner%(
Cic! here "or a %am*ing o" grammar e%%on?% "rom Marin?%
Grammar Teaching Page(
Thi% *age 0a% a%t #*&ate& on ',1'213(
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