Teaching English Grammar Penny Ur 2015

The process of explanation

‘Sandwich’:

• Provide meaningful examples
• Give a good pedagogical rule
• Give more examples

A good pedagogical rule

Would you use the following rules with your students?

What criticisms can you apply to them?

The past tense refers to a DEFINITE time in the past

• The past tense refers to a DEFINITE time in the past
• When the main verb of a sentence is in a past tense, verbs in subordinate clauses must be in a past tense also.

c) The present perfect continuous is used for an action which began in the past and is still continuing or has only just finished.

d) We use much with uncountable nouns and many with plural countables.

Compared to:

We use much with singular nouns and many with plurals.

Swan’s criteria

• Clarity
• Truth
• Simplicity
• Demarcation
• Economy

Swan, 2012