Ronald K Pillai's Posts (2)

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The Twelve Tenses Clock

The twelve tenses used to differentiate the time of action (verbs) can be taught in an easier approach using the 'clock' method. While all separate quarters of the clock maintain the (3) present, past and future tenses, they can be subdivided into four groups (quarters); the (3) Simple tenses, (3) Continuous tenses, (3) Perfect tenses and (3) Perfect Continuous tenses.

We can then elaborate with examples of sentences for each tense and show students the clear difference between the twelve tenses or the quarters when explaining thoroughly to them. They must know that there's nothing more to the tenses after this, except the proper usage of these. Please provide lots of exercises on these by way of objective and subjective questions, while encouraging them to use them according to their learning levels of English. However, there is no harm in telling primary school kids that there are altogether twelve tenses in the English Language. In fact, their curiosity and readily absorbing minds may lead them to learn them faster than the rest who are not. As a teacher, you could gauge your student's interest in learning English, in this way.

Encourage them to use these difficult tenses in their essays and compliment them when they start using the complex (6 perfect tenses) accurately in their exercises. This may boost their confidence level in writing, as well as in speaking.

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The Reservoir:

The reservoir grows by adding these till it overflows into a waterfall of words in writing and speaking. Hard work and patience will produce the right reservoir.

1) Punctuation ( Even a dot counts in English, you should learn all, it decides the fall and rising of voice too.)

2)Letters (Every letter of the Alphabet of 26 letters counts, including the articles, they too decide the accurate pronunciation of words, never underestimate any of them)

3)Words (Letters form meaningful words, like nouns, verbs, adjectives, adverbs, vocabulary etc. )

4)Phrases( Longer than a word, two or more words that form the same meaning.)

5)Clauses( Gets longer than a phrase before and after a comma, forming a complete sentence.)

6)Sentences( Gets longer than a clause, two or more clauses with a capital letter and full stop with proper sentence structures used in different styles and form. Each sentence has at least 10 words)

7)Paragraphs( Gets longer than a sentence, preferably five sentences making a paragraph for practice. Each paragraph carries one theme only and elaborated with clarity.)

8)Essays(Gets longer than a paragraph, preferably with five paragraphs in one essay, separated by one introduction paragraph, three body paragraphs and a conclusion paragraph for the many styles of writing as in narrative,descriptive, argumentative, factual, expository,letter-writing, speech-writings and open essays)

Note: When you have a complete reservoir  of 1) to 8) in your students, teaching them progressively into it, you can expect waterfalls of words overflowing through their writing and speaking at the end.

You have to stress the importance of these systematic learning in your students for them to perform. Even learning English Literature, comprehension will be made easy with this reservoir in them. Do not expect your students to perform well without this reservoir of knowledge invested in them.

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