Hi everyone
I am new to teaching so I would appreciate any tips or advice regarding the use of BE and DO. The problem is that I haven't been able to find an easy way to explain when to use to do and when to use to be. I know that it has something to do with the subject of the sentence, but that sounds too 'grammary' Is there an easy way to explain it without creating confusion?
Thanks for reading this and for your help. Cheers!! Maria
to be or to do that is the question!
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What context of this is giving you problems?
You do a task.
do gardening
do carpentry
do your homework
do laundry
do a good job, a lot of things, nothing all Sunday, etc.
You are (be)... adjective
I am hot, rich, fat, intelligent, Swedish, slow, well-organized, etc.
You are (be)... noun
I am an American, a car thief.
That is a computer, a car, a dog, the truth, the end of the movie, etc.
You are (be)... prepositional phrase
I am in my chair, on the second floor, near the window.
My bank account is in the red.
He is in school, at the gym, for the Red Sox, against raising taxes, etc.
You do a task.
do gardening
do carpentry
do your homework
do laundry
do a good job, a lot of things, nothing all Sunday, etc.
You are (be)... adjective
I am hot, rich, fat, intelligent, Swedish, slow, well-organized, etc.
You are (be)... noun
I am an American, a car thief.
That is a computer, a car, a dog, the truth, the end of the movie, etc.
You are (be)... prepositional phrase
I am in my chair, on the second floor, near the window.
My bank account is in the red.
He is in school, at the gym, for the Red Sox, against raising taxes, etc.
For example: What DOES she do? What IS her job? I know that we use to be when it is the subject of the sentence, but is there an easy way for my students to identify the subject of a sentence? Thanks againHuh? I'm afraid you lost me here. When what is the subject?I know that we use to be when it is the subject of the sentence
I'm still not clear on what kind of lesson you are proposing. If you ask questions with BE, use the information I gave you above.
What is X...? X is the subject.
What does X ...? What is the subject.
When is X...? same rule
When does X ...? same rule
Where is X...? same rule
Where does X ...? same rule
How is X...? same rule
How does X ...? same rule
Those are for basic, simple sentences, of course. When you have what clauses and such, things get more complicated.
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Chercheuse
- Posts: 19
- Joined: Thu May 27, 2004 1:50 am
The best thing I did for myself when I first started teaching was to pick up a good ESL grammar book (for students) and just start reading. I basically learned alongside my students (but I didn't let them know that...). I would always read the grammar explanations in their assigned textbook and sometimes in several other books before I taught a grammar point, and I would do all the exercises I assigned them, thinking carefully about what questions they might ask and how I might attempt to answer them. When students asked for an explanation that I couldn't give, I would offer them several examples to illustrate the point (after all, if you are a native speaker, you will always be able to do that better than they can even if you can't explain what’s going on, so it's still worth something). Then I would tell them I'd think about an explanation and get back to them. And I would follow through on that promise. I would consult textbooks and fellow teachers and try to work it out on paper myself. I learned how to explain grammar by doing this, and after a year I could pretty much answer most questions on the spot. And I just kept getting better with time.
You obviously can't learn everything at once, so I would just start picking grammar points one by one, assigning them to your students and yourself simultaneously. If you're a new teacher, don't attempt to teach grammar (or anything, in my opinion) without a textbook to form the basis of your lessons. It's just too hard; you need the structure of a textbook as a new teacher, especially as you're figuring out everything else that goes along with teaching. Using student textbooks at the beginning of your career will help teach you the ESL concepts you need to teach your students, it will show you exercise models that work, and it will show you what principles you need to keep in mind when you eventually start creating your own materials. If you can't get a textbook for each of your students, photocopy chapters to use.
If I were you, I'd get myself a copy of the Azar grammar series (three levels: red, black, and blue). There are other good student grammar books and certainly ones that focus more on the communicative aspects of grammar, but for your purposes right now, these are probably the best to use with your students since they will give you a fairly thorough understanding of English grammatical issues in a clear and well-presented format. Eventually, you might want to purchase a reference guide (no practice, just short segments on various grammar issues) like Practical English Usage by Michael Swan. At some point you might even want to take a look at some books for teachers on grammar instruction (techniques, activities, etc.)
The issue of using be or do is rather complex and probably can't be effectively explained in one chunk of teaching time. In fact, I probably wouldn't attempt to answer that question directly if a student asked it in class, because it's too big of a question. Rather than offer an explanation of the difference between the two, I would just start giving them material from a grammar book on the verb "be" and the auxiliary "do". You’d first be covering the use of 'be' as a main verb with nouns and adjectives (My job is hard, She is a student) and then as an auxiliary/helping verb in verb tenses (She is studying English). You'd probably start with statements and move to questions. Then you'd have to cover the auxiliary "do" in negative statements and questions (I don't have a car. Do you have a car?)
If it were an intermediate to advanced class, you could assume the students had done this extensively before and could just use a refresher. If it's a particular student that needs the help, I'd just direct that student to some resources to study rather than do it with the whole class. If this is a beginner to low intermediate class, it would be appropriate to do full lessons on these subjects.
You obviously can't learn everything at once, so I would just start picking grammar points one by one, assigning them to your students and yourself simultaneously. If you're a new teacher, don't attempt to teach grammar (or anything, in my opinion) without a textbook to form the basis of your lessons. It's just too hard; you need the structure of a textbook as a new teacher, especially as you're figuring out everything else that goes along with teaching. Using student textbooks at the beginning of your career will help teach you the ESL concepts you need to teach your students, it will show you exercise models that work, and it will show you what principles you need to keep in mind when you eventually start creating your own materials. If you can't get a textbook for each of your students, photocopy chapters to use.
If I were you, I'd get myself a copy of the Azar grammar series (three levels: red, black, and blue). There are other good student grammar books and certainly ones that focus more on the communicative aspects of grammar, but for your purposes right now, these are probably the best to use with your students since they will give you a fairly thorough understanding of English grammatical issues in a clear and well-presented format. Eventually, you might want to purchase a reference guide (no practice, just short segments on various grammar issues) like Practical English Usage by Michael Swan. At some point you might even want to take a look at some books for teachers on grammar instruction (techniques, activities, etc.)
The issue of using be or do is rather complex and probably can't be effectively explained in one chunk of teaching time. In fact, I probably wouldn't attempt to answer that question directly if a student asked it in class, because it's too big of a question. Rather than offer an explanation of the difference between the two, I would just start giving them material from a grammar book on the verb "be" and the auxiliary "do". You’d first be covering the use of 'be' as a main verb with nouns and adjectives (My job is hard, She is a student) and then as an auxiliary/helping verb in verb tenses (She is studying English). You'd probably start with statements and move to questions. Then you'd have to cover the auxiliary "do" in negative statements and questions (I don't have a car. Do you have a car?)
If it were an intermediate to advanced class, you could assume the students had done this extensively before and could just use a refresher. If it's a particular student that needs the help, I'd just direct that student to some resources to study rather than do it with the whole class. If this is a beginner to low intermediate class, it would be appropriate to do full lessons on these subjects.
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Chercheuse
- Posts: 19
- Joined: Thu May 27, 2004 1:50 am
Choosing between do and be
maria wrote: I know that we use to be when it is the subject of the sentence,
It has to do with what the main verb in the sentence is. If the main verb is some form of be, you don't use the auxiliary do. If the main verb is anything else, you need a form of do. The form of do will depend on the subject and the tense.
I am a student .............Where are you a student? (main verb =be, so no do)
I study English.............Where do you study English? (main verb=study, need do)
If there is a be auxiliary in the sentence already (like with the progressive), you don't add do.
I'm working.........Are you working? (are is already present as a helping verb in the present progressive form of work, so no need to add do)
I work..............Do you work? (Work needs an auxiliary)
Thankyou so so much on your very helpful reply. I didn't expect it to be so extensive!!! 
I have made notes and I will keep them close at hand to help me when I am stuck. Making students autonomous in their studies is important, so giving them ( oh yes and me ) assignments to do is a very good idea-thanks. This will be my project for the new <a href="http://www.ntsearch.com/search.php?q=sc ... >school</a> year!!!
I have made notes and I will keep them close at hand to help me when I am stuck. Making students autonomous in their studies is important, so giving them ( oh yes and me ) assignments to do is a very good idea-thanks. This will be my project for the new <a href="http://www.ntsearch.com/search.php?q=sc ... >school</a> year!!!