Discover what's new or coming soon, including upcoming lessons and resources and product feature updates. 

Announcements

<h1>Introducing Individual Student Assignments</h1>

<p>Great news, teachers!</p>

<p>As of today, you can now select which individual students receive specific assignments within any class.&nbsp;</p>

<h3><strong>Here&#39;s how it works:</strong></h3>

<ul>
	<li>Click on a lesson, video, or flashcard set in your Prepping or Teaching lane within any of your classes</li>
	<li>A modal will open with your assignment preferences for that lesson&nbsp;</li>
	<li>Click the &quot;Students&quot; tab in the top navigation of the modal</li>
	<li>Switch the setting from &quot;All students&quot; to &quot;Some students&quot;</li>
	<li>Select the students you want to assign the lesson to&nbsp;and remember to hit &quot;Save&quot; inside the modal before closing it</li>
</ul>

<p>Only the selected students will see the assignment inside their class dashboard.</p>

<div class="videoWrapper"><iframe allow="autoplay; fullscreen" allowfullscreen="" frameborder="0" height="360" src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/C5BgjG7wtaI?si=I4waw7z14JkLaeer" width="640"></iframe></div>

<p>We know that a lot of you have been asking for this feature for a while now. So thanks for your patience, and we hope it&#39;s a big help!</p>

<p>All the best,<br />
Ben :)</p>

<p>Founder, CEO at Ellii</p>


Introducing Individual Student Assignments

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Stay up-to-date with ELT trends and ideas with articles from experts and teachers in the field.

Articles

<p>Manitoba, Canada, where ESL Library&#39;s head office is located, has over 100,000 lakes and waterways. In recent years, Manitoba has welcomed many newcomers and refugees who do not know how to swim. A recent <a href="http://www.cbc.ca/news/canada/manitoba/manitoba-immigrant-swimming-classes-1.4182318">article in a local newspaper</a> noted that &quot;new Canadians from 11 to 14 years old are five times less likely to know how to swim than their Canadian-born counterparts.&quot; At ESL Library, we strongly believe that swimming is an essential skill for all ages. This month, we&#39;ve created a set of learning materials that language and/or swimming teachers can use to help encourage and inspire newcomers to take swimming lessons and learn about water safety.</p>

<h1>Flashcards</h1>

<p>Our new flashcard sets offer every word and image you need, including swimming strokes, parts of the pool, and swimwear. (There&#39;s even a &quot;burkini.&quot;)</p>

<ul class="resources">
	<li class="flashcards"><a href="https://ellii.com/flashcard_genres/9/flashcard_categories/10">At the Beach</a></li>
	<li class="flashcards"><a href="https://ellii.com/flashcard_genres/9/flashcard_categories/133">At the Pool</a></li>
</ul>

<h1>Word Bank</h1>

<p>We have two Word Bank lessons for absolute beginners or young learners. One lesson focuses on swimming strokes, actions, and the other focuses on things at the pool.</p>

<ul class="resources">
	<li class="lesson"><a href="https://ellii.com/courses/113/lessons/2484">Swimming</a></li>
	<li class="lesson"><a href="https://ellii.com/courses/113/lessons/2486">Swimming Pool</a></li>
</ul>

<h1>Visual Learning</h1>

<p>We also have a new Visual Learning resource that can be used as an introductory lesson before students get in the pool. Non-members (lifeguards, swim teachers, parents, etc.) can access and <a href="https://ellii.com/blog/following-instructions-at-the-pool">print this resource for free</a>, so feel free to share this resource!</p>

<ul class="resources">
	<li class="resource"><a href="https://ellii.com/resource_categories/visual-learning/resources/2482-following-instructions-at-the-pool">Following Instructions at the Pool</a></li>
</ul>

<h1>Functional English</h1>

<p>Would your English learners know how to call 911 in the case of a drowning? Help prepare your students before an emergency arises by using one of these ready-made lessons:</p>

<ul class="resources">
	<li class="lesson"><a href="https://ellii.com/courses/92/lessons/2374">Handing a Medical Emergency</a></li>
	<li class="lesson"><a href="https://ellii.com/courses/76/lessons/1731">Calling 911 </a></li>
</ul>

<p>&nbsp;</p>


Teaching English Learners About Swimming & Water Safety

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Learn tips on how to teach grammar and usage from our editors and grammar experts. 

Grammar & Usage

<p>Can we start a sentence with a conjunction such as&nbsp;<em>and</em> or&nbsp;<em>but</em>? In the not-too-distant past, this was a big no-no. How many times did your teachers tell you to never start a sentence with&nbsp;<em>and</em>? I heard this countless times growing up, and it&#39;s a hard habit to break. But break it we should! These days, many style guides and grammarians advocate for starting sentences with conjunctions.&nbsp;Out with the old, outdated, prescriptivist grammar rules, they&nbsp;say! This is all well and good for native speakers, but what about English language learners? Let&#39;s review the different types of conjunctions in English, see what the major style guides have to say on the subject, and decide what&#39;s best to teach our&nbsp;students.</p>

<h1>Review: Conjunctions</h1>

<p>Conjunctions are words that <strong>link</strong> two words, phrases, clauses, or sentences. Some conjunctions provide information&mdash;the four main functions they serve include <strong>contrast, time, cause and effect,</strong> and <strong>conditional</strong>. Though our focus today is on <strong>coordinating conjunctions</strong>, here is a brief overview on the three main types of conjunctions in&nbsp;English.</p>

<h2>Coordinating Conjunctions</h2>

<p>These conjunctions link words, phrases, clauses, or sentences that contain similar parts of speech. They function as indicators of similarity, opposition, choice, etc. Conjunctions in this category include the famous &quot;fanboys&quot;&nbsp;(<em>for, and, nor, but, or, yet, so</em>). For more practice and examples, try our grammar lesson on&nbsp;<a href="https://ellii.com/courses/88/lessons/1615" target="_blank">Conjunctions</a>.</p>

<ul>
	<li>They like pizza <strong>and</strong>&nbsp;pasta.</li>
	<li>Do you want to go to the beach&nbsp;<strong>or</strong> hang out&nbsp;here?</li>
	<li>She knows how to snowboard, <strong>but</strong> he&nbsp;doesn&#39;t.</li>
	<li>I&#39;m not sure what time I get off work today, <strong>so</strong> I&#39;ll get back to you about our dinner&nbsp;plans.</li>
</ul>

<h2>Subordinating Conjunctions</h2>

<p>This type of conjunction is at the start of a dependent clause that gives information about contrast, time, cause and effect, or hypothetical situations. Subordinating conjunctions include&nbsp;<em>after, as, although, because, before, if, since, though, unless, until, when, where, while,&nbsp;</em>etc. Conjunctions and clauses of this type are also called conjunctive adverbs, transition words, adverb clauses, and adverb phrases. For more examples, see these posts on <a href="https://ellii.com/blog/adverb-clauses" target="_blank">Adverb Clauses</a>&nbsp;and <a href="https://ellii.com/blog/adverb-phrases" target="_blank">Adverb&nbsp;Phrases</a>.</p>

<ul>
	<li>I went to the store <strong>after</strong> my mother asked me to buy&nbsp;milk.</li>
	<li><strong>After</strong> my mother asked me to buy milk, I went to the&nbsp;store.</li>
	<li>He&#39;s eating pizza <strong>although</strong> he doesn&#39;t usually eat&nbsp;gluten.</li>
	<li><strong>Although</strong> he doesn&#39;t usually eat gluten, he&#39;s eating&nbsp;pizza.</li>
	<li>She will take her son to the hospital <strong>because</strong> he twisted his&nbsp;ankle.</li>
	<li><strong>Because</strong> her son twisted his ankle, she will take him to the&nbsp;hospital.</li>
</ul>

<h2>Coorelative Conjunctions</h2>

<p>These paired terms link words and phrases. The first part of the coorelative conjunction provides emphasis and can often be dropped. For examples, see this post on <a href="https://ellii.com/blog/parallel-structure-and-paired-joining-terms">Parallel Structure and Paired Joining&nbsp;Terms</a>.</p>

<ul>
	<li><strong>Both&nbsp;</strong>Mark&nbsp;<strong>and&nbsp;</strong>John have read this&nbsp;book.</li>
	<li>We can have&nbsp;<strong>either</strong> chicken&nbsp;<strong>or&nbsp;</strong>steak for dinner&nbsp;tonight.</li>
	<li>Sasha has <strong>neither</strong>&nbsp;finished her homework <strong>nor</strong> done the&nbsp;dishes.</li>
	<li>You have<strong> not only</strong>&nbsp;failed the last text,&nbsp;<strong>but also</strong>&nbsp;neglected to hand in your essay on&nbsp;time.</li>
</ul>

<h1>Reference: Style Guides</h1>

<p>Most major style guides agree that we can begin a sentence with a coordinating&nbsp;conjunction:</p>

<blockquote>
<p>There is a widespread belief&mdash;one with no historical or grammatical foundation&mdash;that it is an error to begin a sentence with a conjunction such as and, but or so. In fact, a substantial percentage (often as many as 10 percent) of the sentences in first-rate writing begin with conjunctions. It has been so for centuries, and even the most conservative grammarians have followed this&nbsp;practice.</p>
<p class="attribution">&mdash;<em>Chicago Manual of Style</em>, 16th edition, 5.206</p>
</blockquote>

<blockquote><p>Part of the folklore of usage is the belief that there is something wrong in beginning a sentence with&nbsp;<em>but</em>.</p>

<p class="attribution">&mdash;<em>Merriam-Webster&#39;s Dictionary of English Usage</em>, entry for&nbsp;<em>but</em></p>
</blockquote>

<blockquote><p>The argument against using &quot;and&quot;&nbsp;or &quot;but&quot;&nbsp;to introduce a sentence is that such a sentence expresses an incomplete thought (or &quot;fragment&quot;) and is therefore incorrect. However, this is a stylistic preference rather than a grammatical &quot;rule&quot;. If your teachers or your organization are inflexible about this issue, then you should respect their opinion, but ultimately, it&rsquo;s just a point of view and you&rsquo;re not being&nbsp;ungrammatical.</p>
<p class="attribution">&mdash;<em><a href="http://blog.oxforddictionaries.com/2012/01/can-i-start-a-sentence-with-a-conjunction/" target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer">Oxford Dictionaries</a></em> blog</p>
</blockquote>

<h1>Conjunctions: To Begin or Not To Begin</h1>

<p>So what do we teach our English language&nbsp;learners?</p>

<h2>Informal Writing</h2>

<p>As the style guides listed above suggest, most people consider starting a sentence with a coordinating conjunction perfectly acceptable. Though I admit it&#39;s a hard habit to break, I do tell my students that they can begin a sentence with conjunctions&nbsp;in informal, casual&nbsp;writing.</p>

<ul>
	<li>Can you believe it? <strong>And</strong> here I thought I was the only&nbsp;one.</li>
	<li>I have two cats that I love very much. <strong>But</strong> I don&#39;t have anything against dog&nbsp;people.</li>
	<li>Do you want fish for dinner? <strong>Or</strong> we can have chicken if you&#39;d prefer&nbsp;that.</li>
</ul>

<p>But just because it&#39;s acceptable to start a sentence with a conjunction doesn&#39;t mean you have to do it or should <em>only</em> write that way! Encourage students to use conjunctions to link up shorter words, phrases, and clauses within the same sentence, and teach them that using a conjunction to begin a sentence repeatedly doesn&#39;t sound&nbsp;great.</p>

<ul class="resources">
	<li class="incorrect">I went to the store. <strong>And</strong> I bought milk. <strong>And</strong> I paid for it with my debit&nbsp;card.</li>
	<li class="correct">I went to the store <strong>and</strong> I bought milk. I paid for it with my debit&nbsp;card.</li>
</ul>

<p>Also, remind students that it is common practice to join long clauses with a coordinating conjunction in the same sentence. Point out that when joining two clauses, coordinating conjunctions are often preceded by a comma, especially when the first independent clause is long or has a different subject. For more examples and explanations of comma use in sentences, see this blog post:&nbsp;<a href="https://ellii.com/blog/commas-in-independent-dependent-clauses/" target="_blank">Commas in Independent &amp; Dependent&nbsp;Clauses</a>.</p>

<ul class="resources">
	<li class="correct">I&#39;d like to thank everyone who came here tonight, <strong>and</strong> I&#39;d like to start by introducing our first&nbsp;speaker.</li>
	<li class="correct">He spent hours cleaning the house, <strong>but</strong> she didn&#39;t even&nbsp;notice.</li>
</ul>

<p>You might also want to mention that it&#39;s not considered best practice to put a comma after a coordinating conjunction. In their entry for&nbsp;<em>but</em>,&nbsp;<em>Merriam-Webster&#39;s Dictionary of English Usage</em> states that &quot;the force of the&nbsp;<em>but</em> is weakened by the unneeded&nbsp;comma.&quot;</p>

<ul class="resources">
	<li class="incorrect">The book wasn&#39;t where our teacher said it would be. <strong>But,</strong> that doesn&#39;t mean we should give up looking for&nbsp;it.</li>
	<li class="correct">The book wasn&#39;t where our teacher said it would be. <strong>But</strong>&nbsp;that doesn&#39;t mean we should give up looking for&nbsp;it.</li>
</ul>

<h2>Formal Writing</h2>

<p>On the flip side, teachers are often expected to also teach formal, academic writing. When writing academic essays, it is probably best to avoid starting a sentence with a coordinating conjunction. Students can instead use subordinating conjunctions (also called conjunctive adverbs, adverbial expressions, transition words, etc) such as&nbsp;<em>however, in addition, furthermore, on the other hand</em><em>,&nbsp;</em>etc. You should also point out the punctuation used in formal writing. For more examples with&nbsp;<em>however</em>, see <a href="https://ellii.com/blog/however-7-sentence-positions-2-uses/">However: 7 Sentence Positions &amp; 2&nbsp;Uses</a>.</p>

<ul>
	<li>There are many pros and cons to the argument.&nbsp;<strong>However</strong>, many researchers have hypothesized that the cons outweigh the&nbsp;pros.</li>
	<li>There are many pros and cons to the argument; <strong>however</strong>, many researchers have hypothesized that the cons outweigh the&nbsp;pros.</li>
	<li>Many resources are listed on this website. <strong>In addition</strong>, several books have been written on the&nbsp;subject.</li>
	<li>Many resources are listed on this website;&nbsp;<b>moreover</b>, several books have been written on the&nbsp;subject.</li>
</ul>

<h1>Conclusion</h1>

<p>What should we teach our students? I tell my learners that it&#39;s fine to use a coordinating conjunction such as <em>and</em> or&nbsp;<em>but</em>&nbsp;to start a sentence in informal writing, but that it&#39;s still best to avoid doing so in formal writing. For academic and business writing, it&#39;s best to use transition words (at least for&nbsp;now).</p>

<h1>Related Resources</h1>

<ul class="resources">
	<li class="lesson"><a href="https://ellii.com/courses/88/lessons/1615" target="_blank">Conjunctions</a></li>
	<li class="lesson"><a href="https://ellii.com/courses/90/lessons/1632" target="_blank">Connector Stories</a></li>
	<li class="blog-post"><a href="https://ellii.com/blog/or-or-and-in-negative-sentences/" target="_blank">Or or And in Negative Sentences?</a></li>
	<li class="blog-post"><a href="https://ellii.com/blog/however-7-sentence-positions-2-uses/" target="_blank">However: 7 Sentence Positions &amp; 2 Uses</a></li>
	<li class="blog-post"><a href="https://ellii.com/blog/adverb-clauses/" target="_blank">Adverb Clauses</a></li>
	<li class="blog-post"><a href="https://ellii.com/blog/adverb-phrases/" target="_blank">Adverb Phrases</a></li>
	<li class="blog-post"><a href="https://ellii.com/blog/commas-in-independent-dependent-clauses/" target="_blank">Commas in Independent &amp; Dependent Clauses</a></li>
	<li class="lesson"><a href="https://ellii.com/courses/88/lessons/1608" target="_blank">Complete Sentences</a></li>
	<li class="lesson"><a href="https://ellii.com/courses/74/lessons/2035" target="_blank">How to Write a Compound Sentence</a></li>
	<li class="lesson"><a href="https://ellii.com/courses/88/lessons/1605" target="_blank">Parts of Speech</a></li>
	<li class="resource"><a href="https://ellii.com/resource_categories/grammar-usage/resources/2479-parts-of-speech-chart" target="_blank">Parts of Speech Chart</a></li>
	<li class="resource"><a href="https://ellii.com/resource_categories/grammar-usage/resources/2481-parts-of-speech-cards" target="_blank">Parts of Speech Cards</a></li>
</ul>

Can We Start a Sentence with a Conjunction?

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Learn how to make the most of your Ellii subscription with tips from our publishing team.

Teaching with Ellii

<h1>Free Teaching Resource</h1>

<p>Do you teach swimming to English learners or newcomers or know someone who does? <a href="https://esllibrary.s3.amazonaws.com/uploads/ckeditor/pictures/2156/content_107_Following-Instructions-at-the-Pool_Free.pdf" target="_blank">Following Instructions at the Pool</a> is a useful introduction to swimming words and instructions that newcomers may not be familiar with. We&#39;ve made this resource available for non-members so that lifeguards and swimming instructors who may not be English language teachers can access it freely.</p>

<p>Here is the audio that goes with the listening activity on page 4. You can stream or download the audio. ESL Library members will also find this resource (and many related materials) in our <a href="https://ellii.com/resource_categories/107/resources" target="_blank">Visual Learning</a> section.</p>

<div class="ckeditor-html5-audio">
<audio controls="controls" controlslist="nodownload" src="https://esllibrary.s3.amazonaws.com/uploads/ckeditor/attachments/1551/following-swimming-instructions.mp3">&nbsp;</audio>
</div>

<h3>Copyright</h3>

<p>Here&rsquo;s what you can / cannot do with this PDF: You can use this resource for free with your students or swimmers for educational purposes. You may make photocopies for your students and your classroom walls. You may email your students a link to this page, so that they can access the file on their own. You may not alter or republish the resource. You may not upload the poster to any server. Thanks for respecting our work!</p>

<p>We hope you&#39;ll find time to talk about water safety in your classes this year and possibly inspire your students to register for swimming lessons!</p>

<h3>Related on ESL Library</h3>

<p>Here are some related materials for members of ESL Library.</p>

<ul class="resources">
	<li class="lesson"><a href="https://ellii.com/resource_categories/visual-learning/resources/2482-following-instructions-at-the-pool" target="_blank">Following Instructions at the Pool</a> (identical to FREE resource)</li>
	<li class="lesson"><a href="https://ellii.com/courses/113/lessons/2484" target="_blank">Swimming</a></li>
	<li class="lesson"><a href="https://ellii.com/courses/113/lessons/2486" target="_blank">Swimming Pool</a></li>
	<li class="lesson"><a href="https://ellii.com/courses/92/lessons/2374" target="_blank">Handling a Medical Emergency</a></li>
	<li class="flashcards"><a href="https://ellii.com/flashcard_genres/9/flashcard_categories/10" target="_blank">At the Beach</a></li>
	<li class="flashcards"><a href="https://ellii.com/flashcard_genres/9/flashcard_categories/133" target="_blank">At the Pool</a></li>
</ul>


Following Instructions at the Pool

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<p>On a recent trip to Cuba, our family was surprised how difficult it was to spend money! We couldn&#39;t buy the foreign currency before we left, and we had to exchange our money at the airport. We thought we would mainly use our credit cards, but soon found out that many establishments near our hotel only accepted the tourist cash (CUC). Even though we were Canadian, my husband&#39;s credit card was not accepted because it was associated with a US bank. Using a debit card at a store or bank was not possible either. In a foreign country, there is a lot to learn about money and banking, including the&nbsp;language. At ESL&nbsp;Library, we have plenty of useful money &amp; banking materials for teaching newcomers and travelers to English-speaking&nbsp;countries.</p>

<h1>Flashcards</h1>

<p>You&#39;ll find every word you need in our <a href="https://ellii.com/flashcard_genres/9/flashcard_categories/9">At the Bank</a> flashcard set, including nouns like <em>chip, client</em>, and <em>ATM</em> and verbs like <em>swipe, insert,</em> and <em>withdraw</em>. If you want to change a word before you print the cards, simply edit the text (e.g., change &quot;ATM&quot;&nbsp;to &quot;bank machine&quot;).&nbsp;</p>

<h1>Word Bank</h1>

<p>Try this ready-made lesson on <a href="https://ellii.com/courses/113/lessons/2545">Banking</a> with your absolute beginners or literacy students. (Check out our NEW <a href="https://ellii.com/courses/113/lessons/2550">Assessment Tasks &amp; Tools</a>.)</p>

<h1>Everyday English</h1>

<p>This intermediate <a href="https://ellii.com/courses/76/lessons/1710">Going to the Bank</a> lesson is useful for newcomers who want to open a bank&nbsp;account.</p>

<h1>Listening Resource</h1>

<p>This <a href="https://ellii.com/resource_categories/listening/resources/2467-banking">Banking</a> resource includes three listening exercises and reviews common questions and responses that your students will hear and use at a bank in an English-speaking country.</p>

<h1>Super Simple Questions</h1>

<p>Money and banking leads to shopping! <a href="https://ellii.com/courses/110/lessons/2336">How Much Is It?</a> is a beginner-level lesson that introduces English learners to dollars and cents (includes&nbsp;audio).</p>

<h1>Discussion &amp; Reading Lessons</h1>

<p>If you&#39;re doing a unit on money &amp; banking with higher-level learners, you might also want to cover some of these reading and discussion&nbsp;topics.</p>

<ul class="resources">
	<li class="lesson"><a href="https://ellii.com/courses/72/lessons/1270">Minimum Wage</a></li>
	<li class="lesson"><a href="https://ellii.com/courses/72/lessons/1267">Debt</a></li>
	<li class="lesson"><a href="https://ellii.com/courses/86/lessons/1678">Currencies</a></li>
	<li class="collection"><a href="https://app.ellii.com/lesson/1677-credit-cards-loans-debt">Credit Cards, Loans &amp; Debts</a></li>
</ul>

<h1>Lesson Collection</h1>

<p>We&#39;ve made it easy for you to find all of the materials and resources related to this teaching theme. Check out our <a href="https://ellii.com/collections/everyday-topics/shopping-money">Shopping &amp; Money Lesson Collection</a>. Spend, spend,&nbsp;spend! <strong>Not an Ellii member?&nbsp;&nbsp;<a href="https://ellii.com/pricing">Subscribe&nbsp;today!</a></strong></p>


Teaching English Learners about Money & Banking

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Find useful resources and tips for teaching English with interactive apps and sites.

EdTech

<blockquote>
<p>&ldquo;Remember that a person&rsquo;s name is to that person the sweetest and most important sound in any&nbsp;language.&rdquo;</p>

<p class="attribution">&mdash;Dale Carnegie</p>
</blockquote>

<p>Teaching new classes and learners is exciting! We get to influence young minds and facilitate them in their learning&nbsp;journeys.</p>

<p>One of the most important rules for starting off on the right foot with your new students is to learn their names. This might seem daunting, especially when you teach language learners who might have names you&rsquo;ve never&nbsp;encountered.</p>

<p>You don&rsquo;t have to go through the semester asking students to repeat their names or help you pronounce their names again and again. Instead, try the activities and resources below to help you and your students learn each other&rsquo;s names and pronounce them correctly. Your learners will appreciate the effort taken to get their names correct. They will also feel more accepted and welcomed into your&nbsp;class.</p>

<h1>Who&rsquo;s In Our Class? Word&nbsp;Games</h1>

<p>On the first day of class, get students to write down their names, the phonetic transcription or pronunciation, and one cool fact about them. Collect these and create a word search, crossword or other word game for classmates to play with all your students&rsquo; names and their cool facts. Make crosswords and word searches with <a href="http://www.discoveryeducation.com/free-puzzlemaker/index.cfm" target="_blank">Discovery Education</a>, <a href="http://www.armoredpenguin.com/" target="_blank">Armored Penguin</a>, <a href="https://wordmint.com/" target="_blank">Word Mint</a>, and Abcya (<a href="http://www.abcya.com/make_a_word_search.htm" target="_blank">word search</a> /&nbsp;<a href="http://www.abcya.com/crossword_puzzle_maker.htm" target="_blank">crossword</a>).</p>

<h1>Class Names Dictionary</h1>

<p>Use a web tool, such as <a href="https://voicethread.com/" target="_blank">VoiceThread</a>, <a href="https://www.edu.buncee.com/" target="_blank">Buncee</a>, <a href="https://bookcreator.com/" target="_blank">Book Creator</a>, <a href="https://www.google.com/slides/about/" target="_blank">Google Slides</a> or <a href="http://www.livebinders.com/" target="_blank">Livebinders</a> to create a digital dictionary of the names of the students in your class. Feel free to use this <a href="https://docs.google.com/presentation/d/1kbRgnkwaChpiNOrNsUOo1bh8tw-wYoCeuNHMcw7oH28/copy" target="_blank">Google Slides template</a>, in which students write down the name they&rsquo;d like to be called and include a video pronouncing their name and sharing a fact about&nbsp;themselves.</p>

<h1>Name App</h1>

<p>One of my favorite ways to learn names is with the <a href="http://namesharkapp.com/" target="_blank">Name Shark app</a>. I pass my iPad around with the app opened. Students take a selfie and then enter their preferred first and last names. I can then play a variety of quizzes to guess the names and remember their&nbsp;faces.</p>

<h1>How Do I Pronounce Your&nbsp;Name?</h1>

<p>Put every student&rsquo;s first name on a strip of paper and put all the strips in a bag or jar. Use a smartboard or projector to display the website <a href="http://www.pronouncenames.com/" target="_blank">Pronouncenames.com</a>. Each student draws a name and types in the name on the Pronounce Names website. Make sure the audio is turned up so all hear the name pronounced. Ask the student with the name to stand and correct the pronunciation if needed. If the student agrees with the pronunciation, then the class says in unison, &ldquo;Hi <em>Name</em>! Nice to meet you.&rdquo; Make it more fun for young language learners by getting them to bow after the&nbsp;greeting.</p>

<h1>Name Meanings and&nbsp;Origins</h1>

<p>Students research their name meanings and origins. Then they use a web tool, like <a href="https://www.edu.buncee.com/" target="_blank">Buncee</a>, <a href="https://www.canva.com/" target="_blank">Canva</a> or <a href="https://www.google.com/slides/about/" target="_blank">Google Slides</a> to create a slide displaying their name and its meaning and origin. They should also include the story behind how they got their name. Students present the images and history behind their names to their&nbsp;peers.</p>

<h1>Acrostic Name Poems</h1>

<p>Students spell out their names vertically on a piece of paper or digital slide. For every letter, they write a few words or a sentence describing something about themselves. At least one word in the sentence should begin with the letter. Learn more about the various forms of acrostic poems <a href="http://www.acrosticpoem.org/" target="_blank">here</a>. Another idea is for learners to type in their names into the <a href="http://www.acrosticpoem.org/" target="_blank">Acrostic Poem Generator</a> and share the results in pairs. They discuss what words describe them and think of better words to replace the ones that&nbsp;don&rsquo;t.</p>

<p>Make sure students are able to present to peers so everyone learns each other&rsquo;s names. You may want to use a curation tool like Pinterest to add all the activities to one location so students can revisit the board to learn the names of their classmates. Another idea is to create a class Voicethread in which all learners pronounce their names and present their&nbsp;creations.</p>

<h1>Clapping Name Mingle</h1>

<p>Form two lines. Students face each other and introduce themselves. The pairs then play a <a href="https://icebreakerideas.com/hand-clapping-games/" target="_blank">hand clapping game</a>, in which, they spell the names aloud and clap hands for every&nbsp;letter.</p>

<h1>Jump Rope Name Chant</h1>

<p>Students line up while two peers hold the jump rope. The first one up says his/her full name then begins jumping and repeats the following chant beginning with the first letter of their name and filling in their own ideas: &ldquo;S my name is Shelly. My dog/cat/sister/brother/parent&rsquo;s name is Rosco, and I like&nbsp;pizza.&rdquo;</p>

<p>After each student jumps and completes the name chant then they go again in a second round. This time each student repeats the chant of the peer they follow in line. If Kim is behind me then she would chant while she jumps, &ldquo;S her name is Shelly. Her pug&rsquo;s name is Rosco and she likes&nbsp;pizza.&rdquo;</p>

<h1>Circle Ball Introductions</h1>

<p>This activity is especially fun for very young learners. This is the way my class of two-year-olds began the class. Sit in a circle. One student holds a ball. The student says, &ldquo;Hi! My name is Shelly.&rdquo; As the student says the name she should hit the ball for each syllable. For Shelly she hits the ball twice. Then the class says in unison, &ldquo;Hi, Shelly! Nice to meet you.&rdquo; Then the student passes the ball to another student and the activity&nbsp;repeats.</p>

<p>For older children try the Jump Rope Name Chant, but instead students repeat the chant and pound on the ball. The next person who takes the ball repeats the previous student&rsquo;s chant and adds their&nbsp;information.</p>

<h1>Name Action Syllables</h1>

<p>This is a great game that uses Total Physical Response (TPR) to remember names. Gather learners in a circle. Students greet the class with their names and associate an action with each syllable of their names for the class to repeat. For example, I might snap for &ldquo;Shel&rdquo; and stomp my foot for &ldquo;ly.&rdquo; The class says,&ldquo;Hi Shel (snaps) ly (stomps),&rdquo; repeating the&nbsp;actions.</p>

<h1>Name Songs and Games</h1>

<p>Children love learning names with fun songs and games. A popular game is, <a href="http://supersimplelearning.com/songs/original-series/two/who-took-the-cookie/" target="_blank">Who Stole the Cookie From the Cookie Jar?</a>, and the <a href="https://thenamegame-generator.com/the-name-game-rules.html" target="_blank">Name Game (Banana Fana)</a>. Display the lyrics on a smartboard or projector along with a list of the class names on the side of the&nbsp;lyrics.</p>

<p>What tips do you have for remembering the names of your language&nbsp;learners?</p>

<h1>Related</h1>

<ul class="resources">
	<li class="lesson"><a href="https://ellii.com/courses/110/lessons/2269">What&rsquo;s Your Name?</a></li>
	<li class="lesson"><a href="https://ellii.com/courses/72/lessons/1211">Your Name</a></li>
	<li class="resource"><a href="https://ellii.com/resource_categories/classroom-management/resources/2209-class-list">Class List</a></li>
</ul>


Let's Learn Each Other's Names

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<p>English grammar often follows logical patterns and rules, which makes it easier to teach and learn. However, there are times when English grammar isn&rsquo;t logical, such as when the indefinite subject <em>there</em> is followed by a series of nouns. What&rsquo;s the best way to present this tricky grammar point to our&nbsp;students?</p>

<h1>Subject-Verb Agreement</h1>

<p>In English, a plural subject takes a plural verb. We often use the conjunction <em>and</em> to create a plural&nbsp;subject.</p>

<ul>
	<li><strong>Friends</strong> are&nbsp;important.</li>
	<li><strong>Mika and Juan</strong> are&nbsp;classmates.</li>
</ul>

<p>Sentences that begin with the indefinite subject&nbsp;<em>there</em> are very common in English. They are used to describe a situation (often involving preposition of place and a location). When we use <em>there</em> as a subject, the verb must agree with the nouns that come&nbsp;<strong>after</strong> the&nbsp;verb.</p>

<ul>
	<li>There is <strong>a book</strong> on the&nbsp;table.</li>
	<li>There are <strong>five books</strong> on the&nbsp;table.</li>
</ul>

<p>But when <em>there</em> refers to a series of nouns using a conjunction like&nbsp;<em>and </em>or<em> or</em>, it seems like logic goes out the window. We know that <em>X and Y</em> means at least <em>two</em>, so why would there ever be a singular verb used in this case? It can be very surprising for students to learn that it is not only possible but also common to see a singular verb before more than one&nbsp;noun.</p>

<ul>
	<li>There is <strong>a cat and a dog</strong> on my&nbsp;bed.</li>
	<li>There is <strong>a fork, a knife, and a spoon</strong> in front of&nbsp;me.</li>
</ul>

<p>Let&rsquo;s take a closer look at the not-so-logical rules for noun series with&nbsp;<em>there</em>.</p>

<h1>Rule 1: There Is</h1>

<p>When the first noun in the series is <strong>singular</strong> or <strong>non-count</strong>, use <em>there&nbsp;is</em>.</p>

<ul>
	<li>There is a book and a pen in my&nbsp;bag.</li>
	<li>There is a computer, a whiteboard, and an overhead projector in the&nbsp;classroom.</li>
	<li>There is a pillow, sheets, and two blankets on my&nbsp;bed.</li>
	<li>There is cream and sugar on the&nbsp;table.</li>
	<li>There is juice, milk, and soft drinks in the&nbsp;fridge.</li>
	<li>There is a lot of dirt and pebbles on my son&rsquo;s&nbsp;clothes.*</li>
</ul>

<p>*(<em>Dirt</em> is non-count, so we use&nbsp;<em>is&nbsp;</em>even with the plural quantifier&nbsp;<em>a lot&nbsp;of</em>.)</p>

<h1>Rule 2: There Are</h1>

<p>When the first noun in the series is <strong>plural</strong>, use&nbsp;<em>there&nbsp;are</em>.</p>

<ul>
	<li>There are flowers and herbs in my mom&rsquo;s&nbsp;garden.</li>
	<li>There are cookies and a sandwich in my lunch&nbsp;bag.</li>
	<li>There are three pens, a pencil, and two erasers in that desk&nbsp;drawer.</li>
	<li>There are chips and popcorn at the&nbsp;party.</li>
	<li>There are many types of music and food at this&nbsp;event.</li>
	<li>There are a lot of pebbles and dirt on my son&rsquo;s&nbsp;clothes.</li>
</ul>

<h1>Notes</h1>

<h2>1. Contractions</h2>

<p>It is very common to shorten <em>there is</em> to <em>there&rsquo;s</em> in informal speaking and writing. However, <em>there&rsquo;re</em> is almost never used because it is awkward to say and write (and to me it&rsquo;s wrong, though some people say it&rsquo;s possible). I encourage my students to use <em>there&rsquo;s</em>, but I teach them not to use <em>there&rsquo;re</em>.</p>

<ul>
	<li><strong>There&rsquo;s</strong> a box and some packing tape in the storage&nbsp;room.</li>
	<li><strong>There&rsquo;s</strong> a lot of money and help available for refugees in my&nbsp;city.</li>
</ul>

<h2>2. Articles</h2>

<p>Even though <em>there is</em> and <em>there are</em> are describing a specific noun, they are almost always followed by <em>a</em>, not <em>the</em> (see <a href="https://ellii.com/blog/there-is-a-vs-there-is-the" target="_blank">this post</a> for a few exceptions). Make sure students realize that the second noun in the sentence (that describes the location) will take&nbsp;<em>the</em>, as&nbsp;usual.</p>

<ul>
	<li>There is <strong>a</strong> bird and <strong>a</strong> squirrel in <strong>the</strong>&nbsp;tree.</li>
	<li>There is <strong>a</strong> piano and two guitars on <strong>the</strong>&nbsp;stage.</li>
</ul>

<h2>3. There, There</h2>

<p>Can we have&nbsp;<em>there</em> twice in a sentence? It&rsquo;s definitely possible. The first <em>there</em> is an indefinite subject with no real meaning, while the second&nbsp;<em>there</em> is a location that&rsquo;s usually a bit further away (i.e., the opposite of&nbsp;<em>here</em>).</p>

<ul>
	<li><strong>There</strong> is a gas station and a grocery store over&nbsp;<strong>there</strong>.</li>
	<li>You mean the parking lot behind the school? <strong>There</strong> is a car and three trucks&nbsp;<strong>there</strong>.</li>
</ul>

<h2>4. Tenses</h2>

<p>Tell learners that this rule can be used in any tense (e.g., <em>there was/were</em>, <em>there has been/have been</em>, etc.). You should also point out that modal constructions only have one form, so students can&rsquo;t go wrong here (e.g.,&nbsp;<em>there will be</em>, <em>there can be</em>, <em>there should be</em>,&nbsp;etc.).</p>

<ul>
	<li>There <strong>was</strong> a business conference and a wedding going on at our hotel last&nbsp;night.</li>
	<li>There <strong>were</strong> two canoes and a kayak out on the lake last&nbsp;weekend.</li>
	<li>There <strong>will be</strong> a luncheon and an awards ceremony next&nbsp;Friday.</li>
	<li>There <strong>will be</strong> refreshments and drinks at the&nbsp;meeting.</li>
</ul>

<h2>5. Euphony</h2>

<p>When how something sounds to the ear trumps grammatical logic, it is known as <em>euphony</em>. <em><a href="http://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/euphony" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">Merriam-Webster</a></em> defines euphony as &ldquo;pleasing or sweet sound; <em>especially</em>: the acoustic effect produced by words so formed or combined as to please the ear.&rdquo; Euphony helps explain the less-than-logical situation of <em>there is</em> + nouns in a&nbsp;series.</p>

<h2>6. Controversy</h2>

<p>Note that not everyone agrees on how to treat <em>there</em> with a series of&nbsp;nouns.</p>

<ul>
	<li>Some grammar books consider the rules mentioned in this post to be standard. For example,&nbsp;<em>Collins Cobuild English Grammar</em> states &ldquo;You use a singular form of &lsquo;be&rsquo; when you are giving a list of items and the first noun in the list is singular or&nbsp;uncountable.&rdquo;</li>
	<li>Other grammar books state that the above rules are only for <strong>informal&nbsp;</strong>English. They say that in formal English, you should always use a plural verb with a series of nouns, even if the first noun is singular. Consider Azar&rsquo;s&nbsp;<em>Understanding and Using English Grammar</em>, which states: &ldquo;Sometimes in informal English, a singular verb is used after <strong><em>there</em></strong> when the first of two subjects connected by <em><strong>and</strong></em> is singular. For example: <em>Formal: There<strong> are a book and a pen</strong> on the desk. Informal: There <strong>is a book and a pen</strong> on the&nbsp;desk.&rdquo;</em></li>
</ul>

<h1>Related</h1>

<ul class="resources">
	<li class="resource"><a href="https://ellii.com/resource_categories/grammar-usage/resources/2478-there-is-there-are-nouns-in-a-series" target="_blank">There Is/There Are Grammar &amp; Usage&nbsp;Resource</a></li>
	<li class="lesson"><a href="https://ellii.com/courses/88/lessons/1609" target="_blank">Subject-Verb Agreement</a></li>
	<li class="lesson"><a href="https://ellii.com/courses/88/lessons/2028" target="_blank">Articles 1</a></li>
	<li class="lesson"><a href="https://ellii.com/courses/88/lessons/1606" target="_blank">Articles 2</a></li>
	<li class="blog-post"><a href="https://ellii.com/blog/there-is-a-vs-there-is-the/" target="_blank">&ldquo;There Is A&rdquo; Vs. &ldquo;There Is&nbsp;The&rdquo;</a></li>
</ul>


There Is/There Are + Nouns in a Series

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<h1>What are you reading?</h1>

<p>In my TESOL presentation on Blending Authentic Materials with Ready-Made ELT Materials, I talked about how teachers can find creative ways to teach or review bits of English using excerpts from books they are reading. Students love to know personal tidbits about teachers, and what better way to let them in than through what we&#39;re&nbsp;reading?</p>

<h1>One Summer&hellip;</h1>

<p>Right now, I&#39;m reading a book of personal essays by Nicholson Baker called <em>The Way the World Works</em>. One of my favorite essays so far is called <em>One Summer</em>. It&#39;s a collection of paragraphs, each beginning with <em>One summer&hellip;</em> and ranging in length from one to ten sentences. Each paragraph is about a summer memory. The paragraphs also range in content from the author&#39;s recent summer memories to his childhood&nbsp;ones.</p>

<blockquote>
<p>One summer my family went on a boat in Georgian Bay with another family. There was a girl who slept on the boat with her eyes&nbsp;open.</p>
</blockquote>

<blockquote>
<p>One summer a guy down the street got mad at the fact that people were allowing their dogs to poop every day in the front yard. He took some white forks and put them in the dog poops. They looked like little&nbsp;sailboats.</p>
</blockquote>

<p>Immediately after reading Baker&#39;s essay, I was inspired to write my own collection of <em>One summer&hellip;</em>&nbsp;paragraphs:</p>

<blockquote>One summer my friend and I sold my brother&#39;s BMX bike at a neighbor&#39;s garage sale. We had to find a way to buy it back, so we set up a Kool-Aid&nbsp;stand.</blockquote>

<p>It&#39;s fun to see what kinds of memories come back when you use this&nbsp;prompt.</p>

<h1>Writing Prompts</h1>

<p>A collection of <em>One summer&hellip;</em> memories can quickly become a set of past tense <a href="https://ellii.com/courses/90/lessons">Grammar Stories</a>. You can pair this exercise with a ready-made lesson on the past tense (see links below). Here are some activities to try with this writing&nbsp;prompt:</p>

<ol class="spaced-list">
	<li><have a="" anonymously="" each="" student="" write="">One summer&hellip; paragraph and put the stories together in a collection. Work together to guess which story belongs to which student. You may also want to guess how old the student was that&nbsp;summer.</have></li>
	<li>Have each student write 3&ndash;5 <em>One summer&hellip;</em> paragraphs and have a read-aloud session. Choose the best ones to go in a <em>One Summer&hellip;</em> anthology. Encourage the other students to say, <em>Tell me&nbsp;more!</em></li>
	<li>Have students write a series of <em>One summer&hellip;</em> paragraphs with 1, 2, 3, 4, and 5 or more sentences. Discuss which works best for this type of short&nbsp;story.</li>
	<li>Have students write one factual and one fictional story using the <em>One summer&hellip;</em> prompt. Guess which ones are true and which ones are fiction.</li>
	<li>Have students write one or two sentences using the prompt at the top of a piece of paper, and then have them pass it to another student. The next student will add a related story, starting with &quot;<em>Oh yeah? One summer&nbsp;I&hellip;&quot;</em></li>
</ol>

<p>Repeat any of these activities with other seasons (<em>One winter&hellip;</em>) and create a <em>Year Book</em> using your students&#39; awesome&nbsp;writing.</p>

<h1>Blog Challenge</h1>

<p>Write your own <em>One Summer&hellip;</em> memory in the comments&nbsp;below!</p>

<h1>Pairings</h1>

<p>You can pair this prompt with content from our <a href="https://ellii.com/collections/holidays-events/sensational-summer" target="_blank">Sensational Summer</a> collection or one of the&nbsp;following Ellii lessons:</p>

<ul class="resources">
	<li class="lesson"><a href="https://ellii.com/courses/88/lessons/1594">Grammar Practice Worksheets: Simple Past</a></li>
	<li class="lesson"><a href="https://ellii.com/courses/90/lessons/1642">Grammar Stories: Simple Past Stories</a></li>
	<li class="lesson"><a href="https://ellii.com/courses/89/lessons/1565">Basic Grammar Sentences: Simple Past &ndash; I used&nbsp;to</a></li>
	<li class="lesson"><a href="https://ellii.com/courses/89/lessons/1566">Basic Grammar Sentences: Simple Past &ndash; Past&nbsp;Irregular</a></li>
	<li class="lesson"><a href="https://ellii.com/courses/89/lessons/1564">Basic Grammar Sentences: Simple Past &ndash; What did you do last&nbsp;night?</a></li>
</ul>

<h1>Related</h1>

<ul class="resources">
	<li class="external-article"><a href="https://www.amazon.ca/Way-World-Works-Essays/dp/1416572481/ref=tmm_pap_swatch_0?_encoding=UTF8&amp;qid=1500390346&amp;sr=8-1">The Way the World Works</a> By Nicholson&nbsp;Baker</li>
	<li class="external-article"><a href="http://Songs for Summertime " target="_blank">Songs for Summertime</a>&nbsp;Spotify playlist by Ellii</li>
</ul>


One Summer – Collaborative Writing Prompt

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<p>Why are there so many verbs associated with using our eyes in English, and how do we explain the differences to our students? The verbs <em>see</em>, <em>look</em>, and <em>watch </em>don&rsquo;t always follow the rules that action (active) and non-action (stative) verbs normally&nbsp;follow.</p>

<p>While I was writing the grammar notes for our reformatted&nbsp;<a href="https://ellii.com/courses/88/lessons/1593" target="_blank">Simple Present Vs. Present Progressive</a> lesson the other day, the phrase &ldquo;seeing a movie&rdquo; came up. Head writer Tara and I debated questions like <em>Can we use this present progressive form to mean present time, or does it only indicate the future?</em> and <em>Would we ever use this to mean at home, or do we only use it for a&nbsp;theater?</em></p>

<p>We also discussed what the best verb was for <em>fireworks</em> since it was the end of June at the time, and <a href="https://ellii.com/courses/93/lessons/1882" target="_blank">Canada Day</a>, <a href="https://ellii.com/courses/93/lessons/1883" target="_blank">Independence Day</a>, and <a href="https://ellii.com/courses/93/lessons/2471" target="_blank">Bastille Day</a> (La F&ecirc;te Nationale) were all about to take place in July. Do we <em>see</em>, <em>look at</em>, or <em>watch</em>&nbsp;fireworks?</p>

<p>Let&rsquo;s take a closer look at the basic rules and the many exceptions for&nbsp;<em>see</em>, <em>look</em>, and <em>watch</em> and see if we can&rsquo;t answer all these&nbsp;questions.</p>

<h1>Overview</h1>

<p>In general, here are the rules for the three &ldquo;seeing&rdquo;&nbsp;verbs:</p>

<table>
	<thead>
		<tr>
			<th>#</th>
			<th>Rule</th>
			<th>Example</th>
		</tr>
	</thead>
	<tbody>
		<tr>
			<td>1</td>
			<td>Use <em>see</em> for <strong>instant</strong>&nbsp;actions.</td>
			<td>I see an accident up&nbsp;ahead.</td>
		</tr>
		<tr>
			<td>2</td>
			<td>Use <em>look</em> for <strong>short</strong>&nbsp;actions.</td>
			<td>He is looking at his&nbsp;watch.</td>
		</tr>
		<tr>
			<td>3</td>
			<td>Use <em>watch</em> for <strong>longer</strong>&nbsp;actions.</td>
			<td>We are watching&nbsp;TV.</td>
		</tr>
	</tbody>
</table>

<h1>See Vs. Watch</h1>

<h2>See</h2>

<p><em>See</em> is classified as a non-action (stative) verb because it happens in that instant only. It is one of the &ldquo;five senses&rdquo; verbs that also include <em>hear</em>, <em>smell</em>, and&nbsp;<em>taste</em>.</p>

<ul>
	<li>See this? It&rsquo;s my new&nbsp;tablet.</li>
	<li>Do you see what I see? Is it a&nbsp;UFO?</li>
	<li>I can see you from across the&nbsp;room.</li>
</ul>

<p>We normally don&rsquo;t use progressive forms with non‑action&nbsp;verbs.</p>

<ul class="resources">
	<li class="correct">I see a black&nbsp;cat.</li>
	<li class="incorrect">I am seeing a black&nbsp;cat.</li>
</ul>

<h2>Watch</h2>

<p><em>Watch</em> is classified as an action verb that is the longest of the three verbs. We can use <em>watch</em> for a few minutes or a few hours. Progressive forms are common with this&nbsp;verb.</p>

<ul>
	<li>I watch TV for two hours every&nbsp;day.</li>
	<li>I am watching a TV&nbsp;show.</li>
</ul>

<h2>Exceptions</h2>

<p>In informal speaking and writing, <em>see</em> can take on the role of a longer action verb. We use <em>see</em> in place of <em>watch</em> in certain expressions, the most common of which is with movies and plays at a theater. See <a href="https://ellii.com/blog/non-action-verbs-exceptions">Non-Action Verbs &amp; Exceptions</a> for more&nbsp;examples.</p>

<ul>
	<li>She is seeing a movie with her friends on&nbsp;Friday.</li>
	<li>They are seeing a play this&nbsp;afternoon.</li>
</ul>

<p><a class="button" href="https://ellii.com/resource_categories/107/resources/2148" target="_blank">Check out our Eye Idioms poster</a></p>

<h2>Notes</h2>

<h3>Note #1</h3>

<p>It is interesting to note that we would never use&nbsp;<em>see</em> when watching a movie at home. Use it only when at a movie&nbsp;theater.</p>

<ul class="resources">
	<li class="correct">They are watching a movie at&nbsp;home.</li>
	<li class="incorrect">They are seeing a movie at&nbsp;home.</li>
</ul>

<h3>Note #2</h3>

<p>Also note that the progressive&nbsp;<em>see</em> is used for future actions, not present&nbsp;ones.</p>

<ul class="resources">
	<li class="correct">He is seeing a movie&nbsp;tomorrow.</li>
	<li class="incorrect">He is seeing a movie&nbsp;now.</li>
</ul>

<h3>Note #3</h3>

<p>We can use <em>watch a movie/play</em> for the present and <em>see a movie/play</em> for the future. Another common future option is <em>go to a movie/a play/the movies*</em> (*remind/teach students that <em>the movies</em> means a movie&nbsp;theater).</p>

<ul>
	<li>We are watching a movie&nbsp;now.</li>
	<li>We are seeing a movie this&nbsp;weekend.</li>
	<li>We are going to a movie later&nbsp;tonight.</li>
	<li>We are going to the movies this&nbsp;weekend.</li>
</ul>

<h3>Note #4</h3>

<p>When else do we use <em>see</em> for a long action? <em>See</em> (future) or <em>watch</em> (present) are common for a movie, play, show, musical, or performance. For a concert <em>go</em> (future) or <em>be</em> (present) are the most natural-sounding&nbsp;verbs.</p>

<ul>
	<li>We are seeing/watching a movie/play/show/musical/performance.</li>
	<li>We are going to a concert. <em>or</em> We are at a&nbsp;concert.</li>
</ul>

<h3>Note #5</h3>

<p>Remember our <em>fireworks</em> question from this post&rsquo;s intro? Stick with <em>watch</em>.</p>

<ul class="resources">
	<li class="correct">We are watching the&nbsp;fireworks.</li>
	<li class="incorrect">We are seeing the&nbsp;fireworks.</li>
</ul>

<h3>Note #6</h3>

<p>Can we ever use <em>watch</em> as an instant non-action verb? We can indeed. <em>Look</em>, too. Because English. Note that the meaning becomes less about using our eyes and more about being&nbsp;careful.</p>

<ul>
	<li>Watch out!</li>
	<li>Look out!</li>
</ul>

<h3>Note #7</h3>

<p>For higher-level students, point out that <em>see</em> can also mean <em>date</em> in English. For this case, the active, progressive form is also possible, and we can use it to indicate present time, unlike with the &ldquo;watch&rdquo; meaning of&nbsp;<em>see</em>.</p>

<ul>
	<li>He is seeing someone new&nbsp;now.</li>
	<li>We&rsquo;ve been seeing each other for two&nbsp;months.</li>
</ul>

<h1>Look: Two Uses</h1>

<h2>Action Verb</h2>

<p><em>Look</em> is usually an action verb where we use our eyes for a short period of time. It is often followed by a preposition such as&nbsp;<em>at</em> or&nbsp;<em>out</em>. The progressive form can be used and is very&nbsp;common.</p>

<ul>
	<li>She is looking at him&nbsp;again.</li>
	<li>They are looking out the&nbsp;window.</li>
	<li>I am looking for the answer&nbsp;online.</li>
	<li>You have looked at your watch 10 times in the past five&nbsp;minutes.</li>
	<li>He looks at his phone every morning as soon as he wakes&nbsp;up.</li>
</ul>

<h2>Non-Action Verb</h2>

<p><em>Look</em> also has a non-action meaning that has nothing to do with using our eyes. It describes a state of being/feeling that is used in place of the verb <em>to be</em>. Like most non-action verbs, the progressive form is rarely used with this&nbsp;case.</p>

<ul>
	<li>He looks nervous.</li>
	<li>You look beautiful!</li>
	<li>They look like they could use a&nbsp;break.</li>
</ul>

<p>The difference between <em>be</em> and the non-action <em>look</em> depends on&nbsp;<strong>who</strong> is noticing the state of being. We can use <em>be</em> when the subject knows something or when the observer knows something. We can only use <em>look</em> when the observer observes something (and usually doesn&rsquo;t know for&nbsp;sure).</p>

<ul>
	<li>She is tired. <em>(She knows she is tired and/or I know she is&nbsp;tired.)</em></li>
	<li>She looks tired. <em>(I think she is tired because she has bags under her&nbsp;eyes.)</em></li>
</ul>

<h2>Tip</h2>

<p>Tell students to look for a <strong>preposition.</strong> If <em>look&nbsp;</em>is followed by a preposition, it is an action verb meaning &ldquo;use one&rsquo;s eyes&rdquo; and can take the progressive form. If <em>look</em> isn&rsquo;t followed by a preposition, it is a non-action verb meaning &ldquo;be/seem&rdquo; and cannot take the progressive form. For more tips and examples on the two uses of <em>look</em>, see <a href="https://ellii.com/blog/look-appear-feel-adjective-or-adverb" target="_blank">Look, Appear, Feel + Adjective or&nbsp;Adverb?</a></p>

<h1>Related Resources</h1>

<ul class="resources">
	<li class="lesson"><a href="https://ellii.com/courses/88/lessons/1593" target="_blank">Simple Present Vs. Present Progressive</a>&nbsp;(grammar&nbsp;lesson)</li>
	<li class="blog-post"><a href="https://ellii.com/blog/simple-present-vs-present-progressive" target="_blank">Simple Present Vs. Present Progressive</a>&nbsp;(blog&nbsp;post)</li>
	<li class="resource"><a href="https://ellii.com/resource_categories/grammar-usage/resources/2329-non-action-verbs-exceptions" target="_blank">Non-Action Verbs</a>&nbsp;(chart)</li>
	<li class="blog-post"><a href="https://ellii.com/blog/non-action-verbs-exceptions" target="_blank">Non-Action Verbs</a>&nbsp;(blog&nbsp;post)</li>
	<li class="lesson"><a href="https://ellii.com/courses/88/lessons/1596" target="_blank">Simple Future</a>&nbsp;(grammar&nbsp;lesson)</li>
	<li class="blog-post"><a href="https://ellii.com/blog/simple-future-teaching-the-three-forms/" target="_blank">Simple Future: Teaching the Three Forms</a>&nbsp;(blog&nbsp;post)</li>
</ul>


Commonly Confused Verbs: See, Look, Watch

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<p>Is it easy to learn the conditional mood in English? If&nbsp;only!</p>

<p>After English students learn the <a href="https://ellii.com/blog/an-easy-way-to-teach-conditionals">four types of conditionals</a> with <em>if-clauses</em> and figure out when to use each one, they are told that there are other words and patterns to indicate the conditional mood, such as <em>unless</em>, <em>even if</em>, and&nbsp;<em>should</em>.</p>

<p>Students often struggle with the <em>conditional should</em> (also called <em>should-inversion</em>) for a few reasons. First, the pattern differs from other conditional patterns, and second, the meaning is unrelated to <em>should</em> as a modal of advice. It is also quite formal, so students don&rsquo;t come across it all that&nbsp;often.</p>

<p>But much like any grammar target in English, the <em>conditional should</em> can be explained and learned fairly painlessly using patterns and&nbsp;examples.</p>

<h1>Meanings</h1>

<p><em>Conditional should</em> and <em>modal should</em> have very different&nbsp;meanings.</p>

<p>Students first learn that&nbsp;<em>should</em> is a modal of advice. The meaning of <em>modal should</em> is a&nbsp;<em>suggestion.</em></p>

<ul>
	<li>You <strong>should</strong> pay attention in&nbsp;class.<br />
	<em>(I <strong>suggest</strong> that you pay attention in&nbsp;class.)</em></li>
</ul>

<p><em>Conditional should</em> means&nbsp;<em>if</em> and is used for hypothetical&nbsp;situations.</p>

<ul>
	<li><strong>Should</strong> you need anything else, please call this&nbsp;number.<br />
	<em>(<strong>If</strong> you need anything else, please call this&nbsp;number.)</em></li>
</ul>

<h1>Patterns</h1>

<p><em>Conditional should</em> and <em>modal should</em> have different patterns in&nbsp;English.</p>

<p><em>Modal should</em> follows the typical <strong>S-V-O</strong> sentence&nbsp;pattern:</p>

<p><strong>subject +&nbsp;</strong><strong>modal + base&nbsp;verb</strong></p>

<p><em>Conditional should</em> has&nbsp;<strong>inversion</strong> in the sentence, which means that the subject and verb are switched. This is confusing for students because although inversion is common in questions, it rarely occurs in&nbsp;sentences.</p>

<p>The pattern of a <em>conditional should</em> sentence&nbsp;is:</p>

<p><strong>modal + subject + base&nbsp;verb</strong></p>

<table class="horizontal has-borders">
	<thead>
		<tr>
			<th>Function</th>
			<th>Type</th>
			<th>Example</th>
		</tr>
	</thead>
	<tbody>
		<tr>
			<th rowspan="2">Modal</th>
			<td>sentence</td>
			<td>She <strong>should</strong> <strong>study</strong> for tomorrow&rsquo;s&nbsp;exam.</td>
		</tr>
		<tr>
			<td>question</td>
			<td><strong>Should</strong> we <strong>study</strong> for tomorrow&rsquo;s&nbsp;exam?</td>
		</tr>
		<tr>
			<th rowspan="2">Conditional</th>
			<td>sentence</td>
			<td><strong>Should</strong> you <strong>call</strong> after hours, leave a&nbsp;message.</td>
		</tr>
		<tr>
			<td>question</td>
			<td><strong>Should</strong> I happen to&nbsp;<strong>call</strong> after hours, is it possible to leave a&nbsp;message?</td>
		</tr>
	</tbody>
</table>

<p>The patterns for <em>conditional if</em> and <em>should</em> are fairly similar, but note that if-clauses follow normal tense conjugation patterns with <em><strong>-s</strong></em>, <em><strong>-ed</strong></em>, etc., whereas <em>conditional should</em> takes a&nbsp;<strong>base verb</strong> (as modals always&nbsp;do).</p>

<table class="horizontal has-borders">
	<thead>
		<tr>
			<th>Word</th>
			<th>Type</th>
			<th>Example</th>
		</tr>
	</thead>
	<tbody>
		<tr>
			<th rowspan="2">If</th>
			<td>sentence</td>
			<td><strong>If</strong> he <strong>calls</strong>, please answer right&nbsp;away.</td>
		</tr>
		<tr>
			<td>question</td>
			<td><strong>If</strong> he&nbsp;<strong>calls</strong>, can you please answer right&nbsp;away?</td>
		</tr>
		<tr>
			<th rowspan="2">Should</th>
			<td>sentence</td>
			<td><strong>Should</strong> he&nbsp;<strong>call</strong>, please answer right&nbsp;away.</td>
		</tr>
		<tr>
			<td>question</td>
			<td><strong>Should</strong>&nbsp;he&nbsp;<strong>call</strong>, can you please answer right&nbsp;away?</td>
		</tr>
	</tbody>
</table>

<h1>Examples &amp; Usage</h1>

<p>The <em>conditional should</em> is a formal expression that we don&rsquo;t use in speaking too often. It is more common to see in written form, such as in guidelines or regulations, on signs, or in legal&nbsp;documents.</p>

<ul class="spaced-list">
	<li><strong>Should</strong> anything <strong>happen</strong>, call this&nbsp;number.</li>
	<li><strong>Should</strong> the computer <strong>lock</strong> you out, try resetting the&nbsp;password.</li>
	<li><strong>Should</strong> you <strong>fail</strong> to comply with these regulations, you will be banned from the&nbsp;organization.</li>
	<li><strong>Should</strong> we <strong>be unable to reach</strong> our goal, we will try again next&nbsp;year.</li>
</ul>

<p>The <em>conditional should</em> is most often used in place of the zero or first conditional. Remind your learners that the zero conditional is used for true facts or repeated actions, and the main clause is formed with a <em>simple present verb</em>. The first conditional is used when an outcome is&nbsp;<em>likely</em> or&nbsp;<em>possible</em>, and the main clause is usually formed with&nbsp;<em>will + base&nbsp;verb</em>.</p>

<ul class="spaced-list">
	<li>If no one <strong>answers</strong>, please <strong>call</strong> <strong>back</strong>&nbsp;tomorrow.</li>
	<li>Should no one <strong>answer</strong>, please <strong>call</strong> <strong>back</strong>&nbsp;tomorrow.</li>
	<li>If I <strong>pass</strong> the test, I <strong>will</strong>&nbsp;<strong>graduate</strong>.</li>
	<li>Should I <strong>pass</strong> the test, I <strong>will</strong>&nbsp;<strong>graduate</strong>.</li>
</ul>

<p>It is possible, though not common, to use the <em>conditional should</em> in place of the second conditional when an outcome is <em>unlikely</em> or <em>impossible</em>. The main clause is usually formed with <em>would + base verb</em>. Remind students that the verb following <em>conditional should</em> must be a base verb (not a past&nbsp;verb).</p>

<ul>
	<li>If I <strong>were</strong> rich, I <strong>would</strong> <strong>travel</strong> around the&nbsp;world.</li>
	<li>Should I <strong>become</strong> rich, I <strong>would</strong> <strong>travel</strong> around the&nbsp;world.</li>
</ul>

<h1>Practice</h1>

<ul class="resources">
	<li class="resource"><a href="https://ellii.com/resource_categories/grammar-usage/resources/2164-conditionals-chart">Conditionals Chart</a></li>
	<li class="lesson"><a href="https://ellii.com/courses/88/lessons/1602">First Conditional</a></li>
	<li class="lesson"><a href="https://ellii.com/courses/88/lessons/1603">Second Conditional</a></li>
	<li class="lesson"><a href="https://ellii.com/courses/88/lessons/1604">Third Conditional</a></li>
</ul>


How to Use the Conditional "Should"

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Find fun games and activities for teaching English to young learners and middle schoolers. 

Young Learners

<blockquote>
<p>&ldquo;There is another alphabet, whispering from every leaf, singing from every river, shimmering from every&nbsp;sky.&rdquo;</p>

<p class="attribution">&mdash;Dejan Stojanovic</p>
</blockquote>

<p>Knowing the alphabet is the first step for children to learn English vocabulary and spelling. Learning the alphabet goes beyond memorizing each consonant and vowel. Children need to be able to recognize letters, sound them out, know how vowels and consonants work, and understand the rules associated with each letter. Children also need to be able to understand the relationship between pairing certain letters and how this impacts pronunciation and&nbsp;spelling. The best way to teach young language learners the English alphabet is to make it fun, engaging, and relatable. The websites and apps below make learning the alphabet engaging and interactive. Children are encouraged to learn by reading, listening, practicing, spelling, and&nbsp;pronouncing. &nbsp;</p>

<h1>Fun ABC Websites</h1>

<p><a href="http://alphabetimals.com/" rel="noopener noreferrer nofollow" target="_blank">Alphabetimals</a> is one of the best websites and apps (iOS, Android) for children to have fun learning the alphabet. The <a href="http://alphabetimals.com/en/dictionary.php" rel="noopener noreferrer nofollow" target="_blank">Animal Alphabet Dictionary</a> lets children click on animal-disguised letters to hear the sound. Children spell their names with the <a href="http://alphabetimals.com/en/typer.php" rel="noopener noreferrer nofollow" target="_blank">Name Typer</a> tool, which spells their names with alphabetimals and allows printing for T-shirts and stickers. Children will also enjoy the videos and engaging&nbsp;apps. Check out <a href="https://app.edu.buncee.com/buncee/d9e37979df1a4d8a84bad1a17d08f957" rel="noopener noreferrer nofollow" target="_blank">EduBuncee&rsquo;s Alphabet Treasure Hunt</a>. Children match stickers that begin with the letter&nbsp;show. <a href="http://www.abcya.com/alphabet_matching_game.htm" rel="noopener noreferrer nofollow" target="_blank">Monster Mansion Alphabet Match</a> is a game where children match letter sounds to beginning word sounds. Young learners click on the windows of the Monster Mansion to see the friendly monsters and match the letters to the appropriate words. All letters and words are sounded&nbsp;out. Find several ABC games children will enjoy playing on&nbsp;<a href="https://www.turtlediary.com/games/alphabet.html" rel="noopener noreferrer nofollow" target="_blank">Turtle Diary</a>, <a href="https://www.education.com/games/alphabet/" rel="noopener noreferrer nofollow" target="_blank">Education.com</a>, and <a href="http://www.learninggamesforkids.com/alphabet_games.html" target="_blank">Learning Games for&nbsp;Kids</a>. <a href="http://www.starfall.com/" rel="noopener noreferrer nofollow" target="_blank">Starfall</a> has animated games, songs, and stories for children to learn the&nbsp;alphabet.</p>

<h1>Recommended Free Apps</h1>

<p><a href="https://itunes.apple.com/us/app/abc-alphabet-phonics-preschool-game-for-kids/id415071093?mt=8" rel="noopener noreferrer nofollow" target="_blank">ABC Alphabet Phonics</a> (iOS) &ndash; Children learn the alphabet through sight, sound, and touch. Awesome features include a self-recording tool, a photo-taking tool, realistic photos, and dynamic game&nbsp;play. <a href="https://itunes.apple.com/us/app/kids-picture-dictionary-learn-english-a-z-words/id482972824?mt=8" rel="noopener noreferrer nofollow" target="_blank">Kids Picture Dictionary: Learn English A&ndash;Z Words</a> (iOS) &ndash; This picture dictionary has over 600 words and sentences for each letter. Parents and children can record themselves repeating the phrases for each&nbsp;letter. <a href="https://itunes.apple.com/us/app/alphabet-picture-dictionary/id670575686?mt=8" rel="noopener noreferrer nofollow" target="_blank">Alphabet Picture Dictionary</a> (iOS) &ndash; This picture dictionary has over 500 words sounded aloud with realistic&nbsp;pictures. <a href="https://itunes.apple.com/in/app/my-first-alphabet-for-preschooler/id598113474?mt=8" rel="noopener noreferrer nofollow" target="_blank">My First Alphabet for Preschooler</a> (iOS) &ndash; This app is made by the same company as the Alphabet Picture Dictionary. Children learn to read and write the English&nbsp;alphabet. <a href="https://itunes.apple.com/us/app/feed-the-animals-with-alphabet-tracing-spelling/id500099457?mt=8" rel="noopener noreferrer nofollow" target="_blank">Feed the Animals with Alphabet, Tracing &amp; Spelling</a> (iOS) &ndash; Children learn the alphabet by playing nine fun animal&nbsp;games. <a href="https://itunes.apple.com/us/app/kids-abc-games-toddler-girls-boys-learning-free/id635603974?mt=8" rel="noopener noreferrer nofollow" target="_blank">Kids ABC Games: Toddler Girls &amp; Boys Learning Free</a> (iOS/Android) &ndash; Children learn the alphabet with four puzzle games set in an animated&nbsp;aquarium.&nbsp;</p>

<p>How do you make learning the alphabet fun for your young language&nbsp;learners?</p>

<p>Find <a href="https://ellii.com/blog/author/shelly-terrell/">more of Shelly&rsquo;s tips for online resources</a> on this&nbsp;blog!</p>

<h1>Related Resources</h1>

<ul class="resources">
	<li class="flashcards"><a href="https://ellii.com/flashcard_genres/23/flashcard_categories" target="_blank">Alphabet Flashcards</a></li>
	<li class="resource"><a href="https://ellii.com/resource_categories/grammar-usage/resources/2152-the-alphabet" target="_blank">Alphabet Chart</a></li>
	<li class="resource"><a href="https://ellii.com/resource_categories/grammar-usage/resources/2447-the-phonetic-spelling-alphabet" target="_blank">The Phonetic Spelling Alphabet</a></li>
	<li class="lesson"><a href="https://ellii.com/courses/74/lessons/2392" target="_blank">How to Use Capital Letters</a></li>
	<li class="lesson"><a href="https://ellii.com/courses/110/lessons/2269" target="_blank">What&rsquo;s Your Name?</a></li>
</ul>

<h1>Young Learners &amp; Literacy</h1>

<p>Did you notice that ESL&nbsp;Library is gradually adding materials for teaching young learners and absolute beginners? Check out the <a href="https://ellii.com/courses/113/lessons" target="_blank">Word Bank</a> section and watch for more YL lesson sections coming&nbsp;soon!</p>


Let’s Learn the Alphabet Digitally! 15 Fun Websites & Apps

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<p>Uppercase, lowercase, ...CamelCase? With all the texting and tweeting out there, teachers would do well to become familiar with this modern capitalization technique to share with their students (or, more importantly, so that they know what the heck their students are talking about). Let&#39;s take a closer look at the formation and usage of&nbsp;<em>CamelCase</em>.</p>

<h2>Form</h2>

<p>This fairly recent way of capitalizing,&nbsp;known as <em>camel case,&nbsp;</em><em>camelCase, camel caps, medial capitals</em><em>,&nbsp;</em>or&nbsp;<em>CamelCase&nbsp;</em>(my fave), is formed by adding a capital letter to the second noun in a joined compound noun. A preceding noun is also usually capitalized, whereas a single letter is not. This stylish term gets its name from the humps of a Bactrian camel (as demonstrated in the banner above). Recognizable examples include <em>WordPerfect, FedEx,</em>&nbsp;<em>eBay,</em>&nbsp;and<em>&nbsp;iPhone.</em></p>

<h2>Function</h2>

<p>Using CamelCase&nbsp;in company names has been the norm for a while now, but recently&nbsp;hashtags, usernames, and other social media tools using CamelCase have been in the spotlight. Some benefits of using CamelCase&nbsp;include:</p>

<ul>
	<li>ease of reading, instant comprehension (e.g., #worldoceansday becomes #WorldOceansDay)</li>
	<li>decipherable first and last names in usernames (e.g., harbinderbahl becomes HarbinderBahl)</li>
	<li>ease of reading of domain names (e.g., redriverpress becomes RedRiverPress)</li>
	<li>pronounceable words (e.g., most screen readers can recognize words written with CamelCase)</li>
</ul>

<p>Facebook&#39;s use of CamelCase&nbsp;for hashtags is mentioned in Inverse Innovation&#39;s&nbsp;<a href="https://www.inverse.com/article/15607-the-juiciest-bits-from-facebook-s-28-page-guide-on-trending-topics">article</a>, &quot;The Juiciest Bits from Facebook&#39;s 28-Page Guide on Trending Topics&quot;:</p>

<blockquote>&quot;The editorial team pays close attention to hashtags and attempts to make them as easy for users to comprehend at a quick glance as possible. The guidelines use the example of turning long hashtags into up style #teacherappreciationweek becomes #TeacherAppreciationWeek.&rdquo;</blockquote>

<p>Here at ESL Library, we often use CamelCase&nbsp;in hashtags such as&nbsp;<em>#AuthenticMaterials,</em>&nbsp;in URL links such as&nbsp;<em><a href="http://bit.ly/AffectEffectComparison">http://bit.ly/AffectEffectComparison</a>,&nbsp;</em>and in domain names such as&nbsp;<em>SproutEnglish&nbsp;</em>and&nbsp;<em>YumiClass</em>. When and why do you use CamelCase?</p>

What Is CamelCase?

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<p>Questions are an essential part of communicating in English. From classroom instruction to small talk, English language learners need to grasp the basics of question formation early on in their studies. A subscriber recently asked us for a <a href="https://ellii.com/resource_categories/103/resources/2462">resource on question formation</a>, and we decided to share it on our blog as well. So how exactly do we form questions in&nbsp;English?</p>

<h1>Question Formation Chart</h1>

<p><a href="https://ellii.com/resource_categories/103/resources/2462"><img alt="Question formation chart" src="https://esllibrary.s3.amazonaws.com/uploads/ckeditor/pictures/247/content_Tanya_Question-Formation_Chart.jpg" /></a></p>

<p class="caption"><a href="https://ellii.com/resource_categories/103/resources/2462">Question Formation</a> &ndash; Grammar &amp; Usage&nbsp;Resources</p>

<h2>Chart Key</h2>

<ul>
	<li>S = Subject</li>
	<li>Aux = Auxiliary</li>
	<li>V = Verb</li>
	<li>O = Object</li>
</ul>

<h1>Notes</h1>

<h2>Note #1</h2>

<p>When the <strong><em>Be</em> verb</strong> is the main verb in a question, it has a different pattern in the simple present and past&nbsp;tenses.</p>

<table>
	<thead>
		<tr>
			<th>Question</th>
			<th>Pattern</th>
			<th>Example</th>
		</tr>
	</thead>
	<tbody>
		<tr>
			<th>Yes/No</th>
			<td>Be + S</td>
			<td>Is this your dog?</td>
		</tr>
		<tr>
			<th>Wh-</th>
			<td>Wh‑ + Be + S +&nbsp;O</td>
			<td>When were you in&nbsp;Rome?</td>
		</tr>
	</tbody>
</table>

<h2>Note #2</h2>

<p>The auxiliaries <em>do</em>, <em>be</em>, and <em>have</em> take an <em>‑s</em> in the <strong>third person singular</strong> form (with <em>he</em>, <em>she</em>, <em>it</em>, singular count nouns, and non‑count&nbsp;nouns).</p>

<ul>
	<li>Does she like ice&nbsp;cream?</li>
	<li>How is your son feeling&nbsp;today?</li>
	<li>Has everyone left&nbsp;yet?</li>
</ul>

<h2>Note #3</h2>

<p><em>Wh-</em> words usually act as the <strong>object</strong> of a&nbsp;sentence.</p>

<h4>Wh- + Aux + S + V</h4>

<ul>
	<li>She&nbsp;(S) likes&nbsp;(V) pizza&nbsp;(O).</li>
	<li>What&nbsp;(O) does&nbsp;(Aux) she &nbsp;(S) like&nbsp;(V)?</li>
</ul>

<p>However, some <em>Wh-</em> words, especially <em>who</em> and <em>what</em>, can also act as <strong>subjects</strong> in&nbsp;English.</p>

<h4>Wh- + V (+ O)</h4>

<ul>
	<li>Nobody&nbsp;(S) cares&nbsp;(V).</li>
	<li>Who&nbsp;(S) cares&nbsp;(V)?</li>
</ul>

<ul>
	<li>Something&nbsp;(S) happened&nbsp;(V).</li>
	<li>What&nbsp;(S) happened&nbsp;(V)?</li>
</ul>

<h2>Note #4</h2>

<p><strong>Auxiliary phrases</strong> like <em>be going to</em>, <em>be able to</em>,&nbsp;<em>have to</em>, etc. follow the usual&nbsp;patterns.</p>

<ul>
	<li>Are you going to call me&nbsp;later?</li>
	<li>Does he have to&nbsp;leave?</li>
</ul>

<h1>Fun Activity</h1>

<p>For an easy warm-up or filler activity, try doing a student-designed Q&amp;A.</p>

<ul>
	<li>First, cut up enough blank cards to have five (or ten) per&nbsp;student.</li>
	<li>Next, get students to write conversation questions of their choosing on their cards. (You can give students free reign or choose to practice only Yes/No questions, Wh‑ questions, questions in a certain tense,&nbsp;etc.)</li>
	<li>If needed, put some examples on the board (e.g., <em>What&rsquo;s your favorite dish? When did you start studying English? Do you prefer summer or&nbsp;winter?</em>).</li>
	<li>When they&#39;ve finished writing their questions, collect the cards and shuffle them&nbsp;together.</li>
	<li>Now put students into small groups and divide the cards up&nbsp;evenly.</li>
	<li>Finally, have students take turns choosing a question and asking it to one or more of their group members. (You can choose a time limit, such as 20 minutes, or let them talk until their cards run&nbsp;out.)</li>
</ul>

<h1>Related Resources</h1>

<ul class="resources">
	<li class="lesson"><a href="https://ellii.com/courses/88/lessons/1627">Wh- Questions</a> &ndash; Grammar Practice Worksheets lesson</li>
	<li class="resource"><a href="https://ellii.com/resource_categories/grammar-usage/resources/2462-question-formation">Question Formation</a> &ndash; Grammar &amp; Usage resource</li>
	<li class="course"><a href="https://ellii.com/courses/110/lessons">Super Simple Questions</a> &ndash; 12&nbsp;lessons</li>
	<li class="course"><a href="https://ellii.com/courses/89/lessons">Basic Grammar Sentences</a> &ndash; 41&nbsp;lessons</li>
</ul>


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