Unit 6: Teaching grammar

Question 1

What does to automatise mean?

Answer 1

To automatise means to make a process run automatically without human intervention.

Question 2

What does a modal verb show?

Answer 2

A modal verb shows ability, necessity or permission in a sentence, such as “must” being the modal verb in the sentence “He must finish his homework”.

Question 3

What’s a clause?

Answer 3

A clause is a group of words that has a subject and a verb. “She smiled” is a simple clause.

Question 4

What does a conditional clause show?

Answer 4

A conditional clause shows a condition that must be met for something else to happen, such as “If it rains, we’ll stay inside”.

Question 5

What does progressive refer to?

Answer 5

Progressive refers to a tense that shows an ongoing action.

Question 6

What’s story grammar?

Answer 6

Story grammar is like the framework of a story, including its characters, setting and problem.

Question 7

What’s an affix?

Answer 7

An affix is a tiny word added to the beginning or end of a word to change its meaning, such as “un-“ in “undo” or “-ing” in “running”.

Question 8

What does a negative clause say?

Answer 8

A negative clause says that something isn’t happening or isn’t true. In the sentence “She doesn’t like ice cream”, the phrase “doesn’t like” is a negative clause.

Question 9

What does a relative clause give more information about?

Answer 9

A relative clause gives more information about a noun, like describing which one it is. In the sentence “The book that I’m reading is interesting”, the part “that I’m reading” is a relative clause.

Question 10

What’s the present simple used for?

Answer 10

The present simple is used for things we do regularly or facts. In the example “She goes to school every day”, “goes” shows a regular action of the present simple.

Question 11

What does in principle mean?

Answer 11

In principle means the basic idea of how something should work, but it might not always work that way in practice.

Question 12

What’s a variant form?

Answer 12

A variant form is a different version of something.

Question 13

What does it mean to penalise?

Answer 13

To penalise means to impose a penalty on someone for breaking a rule.

Question 14

What does to impose mean?

Answer 14

To impose means to establish something, such as a rule or a burden, often in an authoritative manner.

Question 15

What does it mean to have reservations about something?

Answer 15

To have reservations about something means feeling unsure whether it’s a good idea.

Question 16

What does Pieneann’s teachability hypothesis suggest?

Answer 16

Pieneann’s teachability hypothesis suggests that certain language features are more easily taught and learned at specific stages of a person’s language development.

Question 17

What’s consciousness-raising?

Answer 17

Consciousness-raising is the process of making people aware of an issue or concept.

Question 18

What’s a premise?

Answer 18

A premise is an idea that forms the starting point for an argument.

Question 19

What does it mean to be indicated in something?

Answer 19

To be indicated in something means it should be highlighted within a given context. For example, “In the recipe, it’s indicated to add two tablespoons of sugar to the mixture for sweetness.”

Question 20

What’s a syllabus?

Answer 20

A syllabus is a document that outlines what you’ll learn in class, including the topics, schedule and assignments.

Question 21

What’s a learning need?

Answer 21

A learning need is something you don’t understand yet, but you want or need to learn about.

Question 22

What does it mean to grasp?

Answer 22

To grasp means to comprehend something thoroughly.

Question 23

What does thoroughly mean?

Answer 23

Thoroughly means to do something completely or in a very detailed manner.

Question 24

What’s the present progressive?

Answer 24

The present progressive is used to talk about ongoing actions or those in the near future, and is formed by using the verb “to be” (am, is and are) and adding the present participle (verb + ing). For example, “I’m eating lunch right now”.

Question 25

What’s the comparative of adjectives?

Answer 25

The comparative of adjectives is used to compare two things by adding “er” or “more” to show which thing has more of that quality. For example, “This car is faster than this one.”

Question 26

What does inductive mean?

Answer 26

Inductive means to draw general conclusions based on observations.

Question 27

What does deductive mean?

Answer 27

Deductive means to start with a general idea and then use it to draw conclusions.

Question 28

What’s conscious monitoring?

Answer 28

Conscious monitoring is when you actively keep track of something, like watching a pot to make sure it doesn’t boil over.

Question 29

What’s interference?

Answer 29

Interference is when multiple factors disrupt intended behaviours, such as a TV remote failing due to signal disruption from nearby electronic devices, like a microwave.

Question 30

What’s a leap?

Answer 30

A leap is a big jump from one place to another.

Question 31

What does it mean to prompt?

Answer 31

To prompt means to remind or encourage someone to do something.

Question 32

What’s an extract?

Answer 32

An extract is a concentrated portion of something, like a liquid or flavour, that has been separated from a larger source.

Question 33

What does to conform to mean?

Answer 33

To conform to means to behave in a way that aligns with established rules or expectations.

Question 34

What’s a cue?

Answer 34

A cue is a hint that helps you know what to do, like a reminder or a clue.

Question 35

What does dual mean?

Answer 35

Dual means having two of something, like a two-sided coin.

Question 36

What’s Aconcagua?

Answer 36

Aconcagua is the highest mountain in South America, located in Argentina.

Question 37

What does it mean to merit?

Answer 37

To merit means to earn something based on one’s achievements.

Question 38

What’s a paradox?

Answer 38

A paradox is something that seems self-contradictory, but may actually be true, like the classic paradox: “I’m lying”. If the statement is true, then it must be false, but if it’s false, then it must be true.

Question 39

What does inadequate mean?

Answer 39

Inadequate means not enough to meet a particular standard.