Rethinking Coordinating Conjunctions: Are You a Fan of FANBOYS?

A colleague recently caught a mistake of mine on a slide. It was part of the first lesson in the series Improve Your Writing, which I host on my website. I needed to switch dependent clause with independent clause when I defined “complex sentence” (= one or more dependent clauses and only one independent clause). So sorry! The mistake has been fixed, and the video was reloaded. Actually, it was a healthy process to go through because while I was reviewing the video, I forced myself to rethink my explanation of using but at the beginning of a sentence. My original guideline seemed too strict. Should but only start a sentence in spoken English as learner dictionaries recommend? In recent weeks, I’ve read some academic articles, and but appeared on occasion in an initial position. The writing overall had a nice flow, and those independent clauses didn’t pull my attention in a negative way. Would they have distracted you?

When I redid my voice-over for but in that one video lesson, I decided to note that its initial position in a sentence was more typical of informal writing and isn’t generally recommended. However, I think that pattern is acceptable if not overused. I get a sense that there is more leniency with but than other coordinating conjunctions. For instance, And…  at the start of a sentence is still a big no-no in academic writing. Agreed?

Teaching grammar and punctuation forces language teachers to consider differences between rules and reality. Each teacher decides how much to lean in one direction or another. Rules can help keep language standard, and observing rules can give writers greater control over their tone. Certainly the purpose and  goals of a lesson or course also help us decide how strict we need to be. Then there’s the daily reality we are all exposed to. The language patterns being used in the texts around us show variations, and what may be “wrong” begins to gain more validity for a  greater number of readers as more writers repeat a structure. So where do we go from here? (Was that an incorrect use of so, by the way? The use was deliberate to force an opinion.)

I think it’s important to teach students differences between formal and informal English as well as spoken and written language. Rules should be taught, but exposure to variations can be beneficial. What we teach cannot seem completely separate from the language students encounter outside a lesson. For all these reasons, I’m now wondering if or how I will teach FANBOYS in a new series of lessons on punctuation. When I explained compound sentences the Improve Your Writing series, I chose only to highlight the more common conjunctions (and, or, but, so).

To be truthful, I didn’t know about FANBOYS  for a long, long time. When I learned about this acronym (F-for, A-and, N-nor, B-but, O-or, Y-yet, So-so), I felt embarrassed because I wasn’t aware of it earlier. It was like there was a secret handshake that I should have known to be in the club. I didn’t get the memo about this mnemonic device. Time passed. I pondered its value. Does knowing FANBOYS really help, or does it confuse writers?  (Could I have written that second clause as a second question?)

I suppose knowing FANBOYS is helpful if you understand that some of those conjunctions, particularly for and yet, are more formal and less frequently used than others. Also, in contrast to using So to begin a sentence, Nor in an initial position is considered a formal structure. Example: I do not fully support the idea.  - Nor do I. All this means that, unfortunately, presenting FANBOYS doesn’t necessarily allow a teacher to state a set of rules students can apply to all seven conjunctions.  In all likelihood, students will notice some of the variations on their own. For instance, why do some journalists start their sentences with So or even, So,…? Can and yet perform the same role as yet in a sentence? These are the kinds of questions we need to be ready to answer. I suggest we teach the rules and standard patterns, but we should also expose students to variations in authentic texts to help them gain a sense of how much variation is acceptable and when variation begins to affect tone.

Your thoughts?

An Endless Tale: An activity to practice descriptive adjectives and adverbs of manner

It’s almost Halloween, one of my favorite holidays. I’ve posted a number of related ideas in the past for teachers to consider. I’ve discussed the value of sharing this holiday in an ESL or EFL classroom, I’ve suggested online resources to tap into, and I created a writing activity to spark the imagination of intermediate students.

My beginner student is now at a high enough level to enjoy short stories and even help tell them. I created the Endless Tale_handout with Natasha in mind. She is familiar with regular and irregular verbs in the simple past, so I know she can understand them in context. For that reason, I decided to tell the story in the past tense. I also chose to focus on adverbs of manner and contrast them with descriptive adjectives in form and use. I hope the activity works well for you, too. Enjoy!

Should Teaching Syntax Be So Taxing?

Both in private lessons and on my community forum I face the challenge of helping students learn syntax in English. Simply correcting their written errors is never enough. I try to promote discovery and reflection, but learning syntax is a two-part process. Sure, there’s the output. After all, to become a better writer, one must write. That’s why we ask students to practice writing, apply feedback, and revise. The other part, however, is the input. Students must read. This exposes them to good models.

The question then is how should students read? How can we help them work with a text so that it can begin to influence their own output? How can we help students internalize some of the structures they read? What’s your approach? Do you have any special noticing tasks or reconstruction activities? Please feel free to share your ideas.

In the meantime, here are just a few of the exercises I’ve been asking students to do lately.

1.  Sentence scrambles. After reading an article and discussing it with students, I like to take complex sentences from the text and scramble them in chunks for students to unscramble. In other words, I do not separate a sentence into individual words. I usually keep phrases together or sometimes I deliberately break up a logical phrase, and then I challenge students to recall the original word order as well as any other acceptable word order. Variations are discussed. For example:

their best efforts / little / there was / despite / to stop the destruction / they could do (One variation: Despite their best efforts, there was little they could do to stop the destruction.)

2. Multiple vocabulary encounters. I like to include at least two forms of practice with key vocabulary from an article. Each time I try to keep the same grammar in place. For instance, if we read about diminishing arctic ice (See VOA article.) and encounter detriment, I continue using the whole phrase that the journalist used in the article: “to the detriment of (low-lying areas).” I know I’m not the first to promote learning language in chunks, but I really do think it helps students construct their thoughts more accurately. It’s certainly easier to build a 25-piece puzzle than a 100-piece puzzle, right? In the case of to the detriment of (something), I might pose a question using the same structure but in a new context: Some people regularly take work home and have little time for relaxation. What other things do some people do to the detriment of their own health?

3. Sentence completions. On my forum, I like to take a structure, create a sentence gap with it, and invite students to complete the sentence with their own thoughts. They read one another’s ideas and my feedback, learning what works and what doesn’t and why. I try to make the statement lend itself to discussion. For example, to practice use of despite, I could post: Despite ___, there is little ___, in my opinion. Students are free to agree or disagree with posted statements. This activity could be done with structures students were exposed to in recent texts. You might do this in class or on your own online forum.

Categories and Commonality: Practice with parallel structure

Here’s a fun whole language activity for upper level students.

Step 1 – Place students in small groups of 4 or 5. Give one handout to each group: Parallel Structure_activity handout

Step 2 – Allow approximately 10 minutes for the groups to complete the statements on the handout. Tell them not to address the discussion questions. They must only create statements with parallel structure.

Step 3 – Have the groups exchange papers. Each group will read the statements written by another group. First, they must all agree that parallel structure is used in a given statement. Then they must discuss the corresponding discussion question.

SUGGESTION: In a large class, you may have groups switch papers a few times, to allow students to answer different sets of questions.

VARIATION: You can turn this into a pre-writing activity. After doing one switch of the handouts, have groups look at their original statements. Each member of the group should select one statement and make it the topic sentence of a paragraph. Allow 10-15 minutes for each student to compose his or her paragraph. Then allow time for authors to read their paragraphs aloud to the group. Feedback should be encouraged. Final versions of the paragraph must be submitted to the teacher.

If your students would like more practice, I’ve created an interactive lesson on this topic on EnglishCafe. Click here for Improve Your Writing: Lesson 4 (Parallel Structure).

Partners’ Pastimes: An activity with Wh- questions

You may choose to use this activity in the context of a grammar or writing lesson for basic or low intermediate students.

Step 1 – Explain the meaning of pastime. Do the students know of any other word with a similar meaning (i.e., hobby)? List a few of your favorite pastimes on the board, and as you write single words or short phrases, be sure to speak in full sentences. For example, you may write reading as you say, “I enjoy reading.”

Step 2 – Create several question cards. You can use index cards or slips of paper. Ask the students to help by telling you question words in English that ask for more information. Write one word on each card. [Suggestions: how, why, where, when, who, how often, how much, how many, with whom, at what time, which, etc.] Shuffle the cards and place them in a stack.

Step 3 – Hand the stack to the first student. When a student takes a turn, she or he will take the top card from the stack and make a question about one of your pastimes using that question word. Example: [where] “Where do you read?” / “Where do you like to read?” Answer each student’s question. The stack will be passed on to the next student on the left.

Step 4 – Place students in small groups, one group for each of your pastimes. Ask them to compose a short text based on the information they learned during the questioning. When possible, they should combine information. For example, they may know when and where you like to do an activity. That information can be stated in a single sentence.

Model: Jennifer enjoys reading. She likes to read at home in the evenings. She reads many different books. She gets books from the library. Her favorite books are science fiction.

Step 5 – Have students pair up for partner interviews. They may use my Wh- Questions_handout to learn more information about their partners’ pastimes and then write a short text.

Cultural Beliefs Activity: From conversation to writing

Knowing popular legends in English-speaking countries can facilitate communication and understanding in the target language. Every so often I love to address a cultural belief and turn it into a language lesson. This week I’ll be posting a video about the Tooth Fairy. My son recently lost a tooth and the staff at my family dentist’s was willing to talk on camera, so I couldn’t resist the opportunity to make a video on this topic.

How much can we exploit the Tooth Fairy topic for the purpose of learning English? I suggest expanding class discussion to a set of cultural beliefs commonly passed on to children, namely the legends of the Tooth Fairy, the Easter Bunny, and Santa Claus. Depending on whether you’re in an ESL or EFL setting, you can make comparisons between two or more countries.

My suggestions for ESL teachers:

Step 1 – Explain the legend of the Tooth Fairy. Ask students to share what they know.

Step 2 – Copy my handout.  [Cultural beliefs_handout_ESL] Distribute the chart to each student. Tell students to listen carefully to the class discussion and take notes. Ask volunteers from the different countries represented in the class to state if they have similar or different cultural beliefs. Questions for clarification are encouraged. Note: You may modify the chart and add or subtract boxes as needed depending on how many countries are represented.

Step 3 – Repeat the pattern of discussion for the remaining two legends, the Easter Bunny and Santa Claus. Again, ask students to take notes on their charts.

Step 4 – In pairs, ask students to write short summaries based on their notes. If you wish to limit the amount of writing, you can assign a topic to each pair: Tooth Fairy, Easter Bunny, or Santa Claus. See my handout for a possible template.

 

My suggestions for EFL teachers:

Step 1 – Explain the legend of the Tooth Fairy. Ask students to share what they know.

Step 2 – Copy my handout. [Cultural beliefs_handout_EFL] Distribute the chart to pairs of students.  Ask them to discuss similarities and differences between the U.S. cultural beliefs and their own. They should use their charts to make notes.

Step 3 – Have volunteers share their information with the whole class. Information can be added or changed during this time. Encourage questions for clarification and confirmation.

Step 4 – Repeat this pattern of discussion for the remaining two legends, the Easter Bunny and Santa Claus.

Step 5 – In pairs, ask students to write short summaries based on their notes and class discussion. If you wish to limit the amount of writing, you can assign a topic to each pair: Tooth Fairy, Easter Bunny, or Santa Claus. See my handout for a possible template.

Solving and Suggesting: An Exercise in Parallel Structure

I’ve offered ideas for using advice columns in the past. I’ve suggested using such materials for grammar topics, such as gerunds and infinitives. In the context of an advance writing class, I once used advice letters as a means to practice parallelism. Let me share the materials I used.

 Parallel Structure_Model Letters

 Parallel Structure_Tasks

STEP 1 - Have students read the model. Have them identify the structures which require parallelism. Here they are in the order they appear (in response letter):

• gone over and talked
•  that his cats make so much noise or that the walls are so thin
• explain the situation and not complain about it
• Speak rather than yell
• how you yourself love cats and how you’d like to find a solution that keeps everyone happy
• keep his balcony door shut during the day and have the cats spend the night in his living room instead of his bedroom
• you, your neighbor, and his cats

STEP 2 – Present additional structures if desired. They might include: not only…but (also), whether…or, either…or, neither…nor, just as….

STEP 3 – Place students in pairs. From the tasks sheet assign them each a letter to respond to. In their letter, they must provide advice using at least three different examples of parallel strucuture.

STEP 4 - Create small groups of 4 or 6 by combining pairs who responded to the same letter. Each pair will present their advice to the other pair(s). Encourage them to discuss similarities and differences.

Terrifying Times: A Halloween Writing Activity

Are you still looking for Halloween-related activities? A ghost story can help students review and practice adverb clauses of time.  The exercise will be more meaningful if at least part of the story is composed by the students themselves. The writing practice can then lead into reading and speaking practice depending on how you ask the students to share their work.

Step 1 - Discuss common elements in ghost stories. List nouns and verbs on the board as they are suggested. Your list of nouns might include footsteps, victim, and shadow. Your list of verbs might include scream and creak.

Step 2 – Brainstorm a third list of words - adjectives you would expect to find in a ghost story. Ask them to provide synonyms for words such as scared and scary.

Step 3 - Hand out the gapped text titled The Haunted Hotel. Students will have approximately 15 minutes to complete it. Explain that the word lists are there to provide some ideas, but students are not required to use them.

Step 4 - Have students pair up and exchange papers. Partners will read and comment on the author’s story. Corrections may be suggested.

Step 5 - Have students form small groups of about three or four so that they are no longer with their former partner. In these small groups, authors will take turns reading their stories aloud.

Step 6 - Optional: Invite students to publish their stories in text or audio form on your class or school website.

Finding the Happy Medium: Teaching students to use variety in sentence length

As a content creator, I was long overdue to provide some materials for writing practice. This morning I posted the first of a new series of lessons on EnglishCafe. Improve Your Writing: Lesson 1 focuses on sentence length. The goal is to raise students’ awareness of the need for variety. Too many short sentences make a composition choppy. Too many long sentences become too much to digest. By showing two models of weaker writing, a third model with a variety in sentence length clearly illustrates a better flow.

How could students focus on this aspect of their own writing? Try the following activity.

Step 1 - Have students write a set of 8-10 sentences about an object they once lost. Instead of being written in paragraph form, each sentence should be written on a new line. Also, the sentences are to be simple and short. Provide a model:

• I once had a lucky coin.
• My grandfather gave me this coin.
• It was old.
• Maybe it wasn’t very valuable.
• It was special to me.
• I always carried it with me.
• I lost it when I went camping one year.
• I was 13.
• I tried not to cry.
• I was so sad.

Step 2 - Have students exchange papers. They must then put the author’s sentences in paragraph form and decide which ones to combine, and which to leave short. Small changes, such as making a noun a pronoun, are allowed. You might choose to work with one model as a whole class before this stage of solo writing/ revising. A possible model based on the list of sentences from Step 1 is given below.

     I once had a lucky coin that my grandfather gave me.  It was old. Maybe it wasn’t very valuable, but it was special to me. I always carried it with me.  When I was 13, I lost it when I went camping. I tried not to cry, but I was so sad.

Recipes for Chicken Soup with Rice: Using a classic children’s book in the classroom

With the colder weather hitting New England this past weekend, I made a timely discovery among my set of teaching papers. Quite some time ago, I taught a pronunciation lesson using Chicken Soup with Rice, Maurice Sendak’s popular story in ryhme. The book about a boy and his love of chicken soup in every month of the year was published in 1962. A little over a decade later, singer Carole King set the lyrics to a jazzy tune, and since then hundreds of American school children have sung along.

It’s quite easy to find the text online, and most copies give the option of downloading an mp3 file. On YouTube you can watch videos based on Sendak’s illustrations and see the lyrics King sings in large text or small text. You can also find an exceprt from the TV version with no text. I also found it amusing that an American grandmother posted her dramatic reading of the book, which was recorded in her kitchen next to a bowl of chicken soup with rice.

What can you do with all these resources?

• Review the months of the year with beginners. Share a set of the lyrics and leave a blank for each month. As students listen to the song, have them write in the months. Check their spelling before showing them a complete copy of the lyrics. Later play a recall game. Read the final two lines of a verse and have students call out the month: “Sipping once. Sipping twice./ Sipping chicken soup with rice./” – January.
• Practice /l/ in medial and final positions as well as in blends. In January alone, students will encounter while, slipping, and sliding. Create a gapped text with key words with /l/ missing. Allow time for the completion of the text as well as for an oral reading and/ or sing-along.
• Practice /r/ in initial, medial, and final positions. In the second verse, for instance, students will read February, anniversary, for, and rice. Again, you can use a gapped text to test their listening first, and then use the completed text for student production.
• Practice rhythm with attention to thought groups and linking words, such as the two S’s in the first line: “In January it’s so nice… .”
• Practice /ŋ/  in the final position. Six out of twelve months present words ending in -ing: sipping, slipping, sliding, blowing, concocting, selling, cooking, and spouting.
• Encourage creating writing and oral presentations. Challenge more advanced students to work in pairs and produce at least one verse for a day of the week. Through division of labor, the whole class should be able to create a new version of this poem based on the seven days of the week. Here’s a sample verse I jotted down: On Monday it’s so nice / To fix some chicken soup with rice./ Sharing those bowls would be so nice./ Sharing once. Sharing twice. / Sharing chicken soup with rice.
• Encourage creative writing to practice use of prepositions. Similar to the previous activity, students can create their own verses using the same rhyming pattern. To groups of twos or threes you should assign days, holidays, and/ or times of the day. Students will have to recall the use of prepositions in phrases like in January, on Sunday, on Halloween, at midnight, in the morning, on the weekend, etc.

Happy Chicken Soup with Rice!