Teacher Discussion Forums

Tara B wrote: To ask permission: may I = formal, polite could I = polite (the most versatile) can I = informal . You should be aware of the fact that "may", for polite requests and permission, is not much used in contemporary English. I find that I have to address it; too many students have been ta...

Shuntang--

Forget about the future for a minute. What is your definition of the word "tense"?

Tara

At some point in their career every good teacher comes to this realization. I'd like to go back to lol's quote: I think that realistically we can divide most groups into 3 sets: the motivated students who will learn no matter what you do, the ones who won't get it no matter what you do, and the (usu...

Hmmm. . . Pragmatics is the the situational meaning of a word or phrase, what is "behind" the literal meaning, to the speech acts that the speaker is actually trying to attempt. Semantics has more to do with the actual meanings of the words, meanings which bridge across many contexts. In the other t...

Shuntang-- I must admit I didn't read all 17 pages, but in an effort to be constructive. . . Perhaps you would get further with your "future tense" argument if you 1) made it clear that you are using a different definition of the word "tense" and 2) clearly indicate what you think the definition sho...

I have found it easiest to take a pragmatic/situational view when teaching modal auxiliaries (at least, when introducing them to students for the first time). Instead of asking, "What do they mean?", perhaps you should ask, "When am I supposed to use them?" To make predictions about the future, I ha...

I might have explained it this way: I think we are all familiar with the rule that English sentence stress is located on the stressed syllables of the content words (nouns, verbs, adjectives, adverbs). Your voice makes a little jump when you get to those syllables. The second rule, and I'm not sure ...

I would think that simply brushing up on the texts you will be using would give you what you need. . . Tell me they are giving you texts in Spanish!!!

I am interested in this topic and was hoping Navin would return to his post. . . I guess he forgot about it. revel said: I'd say that the best rule on sylable stress is no rule. I agree with you, revel, but when you leave it cut short like that I believe it could be misleading. Like many things in E...

I have to concur with the Americans. I have only ever heard "nonsense" used as a noncount noun or an adjective.

"A nonsense" hurts my ears

. . . but I learn something new every time I visit this forum.

I see lol's point about red with anger, and green with envy, but I agree with the senorita about cold. Though not unheard of, a little unusual, formal.

At first glance, I would say yes. The meaning is pretty darn close, although I must say I prefer #1.

I agree that this kind of context is important to teach, but maybe in a more direct way than you are doing it. One activity that has worked well for me is to have a "King" or "Queen for the day". That person wears a paper crown and can ask anybody to do anything. . . "I want __________ to close the ...

What do you mean by syllable stress? In a word or in a sentence?

They're not ringing any bells with me. Some context would help.