How to learn tenses ...

Hi,

it's much easier to learn tenses when you know the parts of each tense. If you want to build a tense you can simply build it from its parts.

e.g. present | perfect | simple-> 

part 1: present; 

part 2: perfect;

part 3: simple

What do you have to know?
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present: he, she, it the *s* must fit.
past: 2nd form (IR) / -ed
will-future: will + INF
going-to-future: form of "to be" + going to + INF
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perfect: form of "to have" + past particliple (3rd form - IR) / -ed
---------------------------------------------------------------------------
simple: -----
progressive/continous: form of "to be" + present participle (ing-form)
---------------------------------------------------------------------------

If you know all these parts by heart you can easily build any tense you would like to build.

First example 

S(ubject) V(erb) O(bject)

Harry | learn | English

tense: present perfect simple

Harry _______________________________ English.

step 1: take the verb "learn" and put it in simple. => nothing happens & the verb "learn" has to move on.

 Harry _______________________________ English.

step 2: "learn" moves to the next part - perfect => past participle of learn = learnt; leftover "form of "to have"" has to move

Harry ___________________learnt English.

step 3: "form of "to have"" moves to the next part - present => Harry=he: have -> has

Harry has learnt English.

Second example 

S(ubject) V(erb) O(bject)

Harry | learn | English

tense: going-to-future perfect progressive (very unlikely tense)

Harry _______________________________ English.

step 1: take the verb "learn" and put it in progressive => present participle of learn = learning; leftover "form of "to be"" has to move

Harry ___________________ learning English.

step 2: "form of "to be"" moves to the next part - perfect => past participle of be = been; leftover "form of "to have"" has to move

 Harry ______________ been learning English.

step 4: "form of "to have"" moves to the next part - going-to-future => infinitive of have= have; add going to; Harry=he: be -> is

 Harry is going to have been learning English.

Ordinal numbers WS incl. explanation

Hi there,

while cleaning my harddrive I stumble upon some worksheets I've created ages ago - nothing fancy but maybe helpful. The first ones are two worksheet about ordinal number.

WSOD00 Ordinal Numbers (Erklärung)
http://hotfile.com/dl/65579186/f4383f6/WSOD00_Ordinal_Numbers_(Erklrung).pdf.html

WSOD01 Ordinal Numbers (Übungen)
http://hotfile.com/dl/65579441/3287241/WSOD01_Ordinal_Numbers_(bungen).pdf.html

Have fun ...

Why I became an English teacher

I know that I am repeating myself when I say: "English is a wonderful and simple language especially compared to my mothertounge German."
I've said that in the classroom several times but I guess it can never be too often.

I chose to become a teacher and for me it was absolutely clear from the very beginning that English will be my subject. I fell in love with England and the English language when I first went to England in 1982. I travelled with the scouts to Godalming and Sterling (Scotland) and I got to know a lot of very different people in those 10 days in 1982. All of them were very friendly and tried so hard to understand what I had to say ... guess what? It worked - not because of my horribe English - despite of it. And because of that experience I changed my whole outlook towards the school subject English - I actually enjoyed working for it.

On my journey to become the teacher I am today there were several bumps on my ride ... first I was shocked to learn that my school-English wouldn't hold up to my professor's expectations then I found out for myself that I should NOT be a primary teacher but everything worked out in the end.

I really enjoyed my teaching experience in Guildford/Surrey and I was amazed about my personal progress in getting the hang of the language.

If my love for the English language comes across to my pupils I will be delighted.

Take care

HN

Reported speech - answers to p.62

As promised I start off my new blog with the answers to
62 REPORTED/INDIRECT SPEECH 1. - 39.

All copyrights belong to  VERITAS-Verlag, Linz!
This is only for my students to check their answers on their worksheets for themselves.

I guess it's time ...

... I have this blog for ages without really using it.

Welcome to my ESL (English as a Second Language) blog.

I hope you will enjoy your stay.


... and NO this blog will not be in German!