Lesson Links by Irv Leskowitz - November 2004
Word additives | Thinking about & thinking that | Coulda, woulda, shoulda | Animals


SAY THE WORDS

Exercise: Circle the words with the sound uu as in hood.

1. foot food noon good
2. too took book told
3. pull pool phone full
4. soon look brook hook
5. cook cool could cost
6. would hook hold who
7. push much bush put

Etc.  Try this with other sound families.

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WORD ADDITIVES: THE SUFFIX -NESS

Exercise 1:  Change the following words from adjectives to nouns.
The rule for words ending in –y: Change -y to -i and add–ness.

1.  sleepy   __________ 5.  nasty  _____________ 9.  holy   ___________
2.  ugly  ____________ 6.  lovely  ____________ 10.  clumsy  __________
3.  dizzy  ___________ 7.  dusty  _____________ 11.  happy  ___________
4.  lively  ___________  8.  lazy ____________ 12.  lonely  ___________

Exercise 2:  Ask your student to find words other than those ending in –y which end in –ness.

Example: goodness

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THINKING ABOUT & THINKING THAT

  • I think about my family every day. (Ideas about my family are in my mind every day.)
  • I am thinking about homework right now. (My mind is busy now.)
  • I think that Ruth is funny. (In my opinion, Ruth is funny.)
    (People think that when they want to state their beliefs.)
  • I think Ruth is funny. ((c) and (d) have the same meaning.)
    People often omit that after think, especially in speaking.   

Exercise:  Complete the sentences inserting about or that or leave space blank if it is correct.

  1. I think ______ the weather today is ______.
  2. I think _______ my classmates are _______.
  3. Right now I’m thinking ________ my homework.
  4. I think __________ LVA-GNH is ___________.

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COULDA, WOULDA, SHOULDA

Can is one of several verbs that, in sentences, are immediately followed by the simple form of a verb.

Can expresses ability in the present or future.

(a)  She can play the piano.

(b)  You can find that word in the dictionary.

(c)  I can meet you at three o’clock tomorrow.

The negative form of can may be written in these ways:

(d) I can’t play the clarinet.

     I cannot play the clarinet.

     I can not play the clarinet.

Could is the past form of can.

(e)  Robin could read when she was 2 years old.

The negative form of could:  couldn’t or could not.

(f)  He couldn’t whistle until he was 14.

Exercise:  Writesentences that can be completed withcan,can’t, could, or couldn’t.

Example:

You ______ lead a horse to water, but you _____ make him drink.  [can, can’t]

I ______ read when I was 3, but I _________ write.   [could, couldn’t]

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ANIMAL TALK

Having command of colloquial expressions and idioms give students a greater feeling of comfort in speaking (and understanding) spoken English.  Herewith some animal names commonly used in colloquialisms.  They can be presented to your student unaccompanied or in a sentence.

            top dog                       talk turkey                   get his goat                 cold turkey

            chicken                       smell a rat                   monkey on his back      

 

ANIMALS IN HIDING

Exercise: Find the animal hidden in each of the sentences below.

1. We can go at six o'clock. (goat)
2. It's nice to do good deeds. (dog)
3. Take soap and a towel. (panda)
4. Most rich people wear fancy clothes. (ostrich)
5. You can keep the watch or sell it. (horse)
6. Use a ladder. (seal)
7. It will be a rainy day. (bear)
8. I came late. (camel)
9. Tell me if I should start now. (fish)
10. Will a map help you? (llama)
Etc.  Create some variations by hiding the names of foods or flowers or whatever in home-made sentences:  It was just a littlemonkey, but it made a lot of noise.

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