A number of my private students work on email skills, from general accuracy with vocabulary and grammar to the tone and register. A couple of students recently benefited from a review of collocations. For example, it was important to remember that the verb “regret” is very often followed by a gerund, but in a formal…
Tag: collocations
Interested in Prepositions?
It’s easy enough to find lists of collocations online. Adjective + preposition. Noun + preposition. Verb + preposition. A Google search will lead you in the right direction. The challenge is finding the time to identify the most useful phrases and create exercises with them. Don’t worry. I’ve got you covered. – The Answer to…
Ditransitive Verbs: Are You Seeing Double?
I always find it interesting to research a grammar point because it can be like a treasure hunt for matching pieces. I try to find sources that confirm my current understanding (Match type #1), though I’m eager to find new insights that will expand it. I also feel reassured when I’m able to see that…
Gaining Comfort and Confidence with Collocations
Classroom slides to practice collocations with prepositions
TESOL 2019 Highlights: Ideas and Questions to Consider
Many TESOL sessions deserve a full summary, but the sheer volume of take-away is too much to capture in the context of this blog. At this point, I’d like to give a shout-out to knowledgeable presenters who made sure attendees walked away with at least one golden nugget to apply to their teaching. I thank…
Combinations with Gerunds: Reducing Confusion, Increasing Accuracy
It stands to reason that if a large number of words are creating confusion, part of the problem may be resolved by dealing with smaller amounts at one time. There are many grammar charts in print and online: verbs followed by gerunds, verbs followed by infinitives, nouns followed by infinitives, and so on. The lists…
When We Get to Thinking about ‘Get’
A private student asked me about the verb get. Most dictionaries have at least a dozen definitions listed, including start, arrive, and become. My student had heard the verb used in phrases like get a move on and get to know. As different as they are, the two expressions share a similar sense of beginning…
6 Sets of Seemingly Similar Words
What kinds of questions test you as a language teacher? Grammar-related questions usually generate the most challenging Student Stumpers for me, but that doesn’t mean other queries don’t give me pause. Synonyms or words that appear to be very similar test my knowledge about register and collocations. I respond to the best of my ability…
The Answer to Everything: Practice with the Prepositions For, To, and With
Prepositions are problematic for many English language learners. Presenting some collocations to students can certainly help them understand what a particular preposition expresses and what kinds of nouns, verbs, or adjectives that preposition combines with. For example, talk with someone, argue with someone, and speak with someone all refer to communication involving two or more people. “With” expresses…
Dedicated to You: Practice with the Prepositions TO and AT
I’m finally turning my attention back to prepositions. My goal is to address some common points of confusion. In my next video lesson, I’ll explain some uses of TO and AT. Have you ever heard someone confuse throw a ball to someone versus throw a ball at someone? That’s one point I’d like to cover. The…
How to Learn Collocations: Independence from Teachers and Dependence on Resources
Another teacher recently asked about ways to teach collocations to upper level students. The inquiry reminded me of what I took away from a TESOL session in Portland this past March. A team from Academy of Art University, San Francisco focused on building learner independence. They recommended showing students how to work with COCA and Vocabulary Profiler when reading academic…
Having a Conversation: An activity to practice advanced collocations
Questions from students lately are confirming the importance of collocations. To meet the need for more practice with collocations, I offer my Have a Conversation_handout. I have upper level students in mind for this activity. Please see the suggested variation.
English with Jennifer 