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mapache · Joined: 12 Oct 2006 Posts: 202 Location: Villahermosa

OK Harmon Hallers, please help one of your students (and me) out. In your Advanced Book Listening Exercise 1 Part D, the student is to identify "sense" verbs like "he seemed, she felt, they looked, etc. I believe #7 says "The touch of his hand on her shoulder made her jump." I may be missing something here but I find no "sense verb" here because "jump" is an action verb and "touch" as in "the touch of his hand" is a noun/subject in this usage.

Do I need to take your three week training or is this an error. Thanks in advance for your help - others please chime in if you have an idea of what's going on here.
My motive here is not to find errors in HH books but to help my student who is equally confused.

Guy Courchesne · Joined: 10 Mar 2003 Posts: 9650 Location: Mexico City

Then there's 'made', but that's a causative verb...

Aabra · Joined: 03 Feb 2007 Posts: 64

In the materials that I use they never mention sensory verbs so I always teach it as follows:

There are 5 sensory verbs in English which represent the 5 senses.

feel, look, smell, sound, and taste

These 5 verbs when used to describe something are special because we typically don't use them in the present continuous. (or present progressive depending on what book you use) There are a few exceptions but generally speaking we use these verbs in the simple present because the sentences they create are considered 'facts'.

ie:

The food is smelling great! - wrong!

The food smells great! - correct!

The music is sounding fantastic! - wrong!

The music sounds fantastic! - correct!

The other key difference between sensory verbs and regular verbs is the use of adverbs. With sensory verbs we never use adverbs. We always use adjectives.

ie:

I feel badly. - wrong!

I feel bad. - correct!

This tastes terribly! - wrong!

This tastes terrible! - correct!

That's basically it as far as sensory verbs go. (to my knowledge) I'm not sure what the book is talking about in your case. I've never used any material that specifically talks about sensory verbs (this is just what I've picked up in the street so to speak) so please feel free to correct me regarding anything I may have missed.

Guy Courchesne · Joined: 10 Mar 2003 Posts: 9650 Location: Mexico City

ls650 · Joined: 10 May 2003 Posts: 3484 Location: British Columbia

Aabra · Joined: 03 Feb 2007 Posts: 64

Well I want to be clear that these rules only apply when we're using the verb like a sensory verb.

For example when we use look like the verb 'parecer' in spanish.

She looked beautiful!

She looked sternly at her son.

These are obviously very different contexts.

I don't claim to be the law or anything on this though as I've just picked this up over the years from a few other teachers. I've never read anything remotely official on the subject.

mapache · Joined: 12 Oct 2006 Posts: 202 Location: Villahermosa

Looks like Playa de Carmen always has a lot to say defending himself and his school and insulting others but is silent when it comes to helping one of his company's students.

Samantha · Joined: 25 Oct 2003 Posts: 2038 Location: Mexican Riviera

mapache wrote:

mapache · Joined: 12 Oct 2006 Posts: 202 Location: Villahermosa

da igual Samantha

PlayadelSoul · Joined: 29 Jun 2005 Posts: 346 Location: Playa del Carmen

Actually, with 650 students and more coming through the doors, every day, I haven't had much time to visit.

I, personally, have not used that listening in about 6 years. I can't recall the activity, but I will check it when I have a chance. I think the exercise is to identify the sense verb, if there is one. In the case you mention, there isn't. It may be a trick question, but I will let you know.

PlayadelSoul · Joined: 29 Jun 2005 Posts: 346 Location: Playa del Carmen

I just looked at the exercise, and it says to write the sense verb. I am guessing that "touch" would be the correct answer, although it is not used as such.

In any event, if you want to address something to me, specifically, try the PM button. I check those more often than I do threads entitiled "sense verbs."

BTW, I don't recall ever having defended myself nor my company. I did correct some of your misstatements. We are the largest and most successful English language institute in Mexico. There is a reason for that. You want to nitpick, go nuts. We will just continue to help people learn a language that helps them improve their lot in life, at a fair price.

ls650 · Joined: 10 May 2003 Posts: 3484 Location: British Columbia

I'm not sure what the big deal is here. I find mistakes in various textbooks all the time.

If you find a mistake, you use it to point out to the students that they can't always believe everything they read, and move on.

Aabra · Joined: 03 Feb 2007 Posts: 64

mapache · Joined: 12 Oct 2006 Posts: 202 Location: Villahermosa

Thank you all for your help. Even the best books have mistakes. My original intention was to clarify this for my student. Sorry for the pissin' match.
Best Regards,
Racoon

Samantha · Joined: 25 Oct 2003 Posts: 2038 Location: Mexican Riviera

Aabra wrote: