Language
Explain the difference between prefix and suffix
A common term for building up words is affixation. This involves adding to the front and rear of a word to make others. For this essay, affixation highlights the use of prefixes and suffixes to words. You put the prefix at the front of a word, for example ‘un’ in ‘untidy’. Here tidy is a verb that becomes the adjective, untidy. Suffix can be put at the end of the word, for example, ‘untidiness’ but notice the spelling. So, from this quick example of the word ‘tidy’ it can be seen to have a prefix, suffix or both. I will expand on the thought of inserting extra morphemes to change a word. That is, we can see that the word is built up this way in our lexicon (the formal term for our mental dictionary which contains morphemes and the rules for their combination).
To begin with and to give more meaning to the above explanation and make a distinction, I will first talk about suffixes. They are not words on their own so they can not stand on their own. Its job is to come at the end of a word. Once put at the end it changes the form of the word thus changing its meaning. The verb ‘govern’ is not the same meaning as the noun ‘government’. This shows the conversion of word, not only the verb into noun (entertain –entertainment), but also nouns to adjectives (certain – certainty). This is not forgetting that regular verbs which represent past tense are suffixed by ‘ed’. A suffix can be derivational or inflectional. An example is the word ‘development’ which a suffix ‘ment’ is added. In this case ‘ment’ is a derivational suffix. It should be noted that derivational affixes can be either prefixes or suffixes in ENGLISH. So, [un-] is a derivational prefix, while [-ment] is a derivational suffix. By adding ‘ment’ onto the word ‘develop’ we can make another word; ‘development’. By adding the suffix we have changed the verb ‘develop’ into a now ‘development’. We can say that if the suffix changes the part of speech is it derivational. Of course with this later example we can see that two suffix can be added namely ‘ment’ and ‘s’. [-s] simply makes the noun plural. It doesn’t change the part of speech and create a brand new word in the same way that adding [-ment] to [govern] did. The difference is that [-ment] is a derivational suffix, while plural [-s] is an inflectional suffix In the other case for the inflectional suffix the word ‘developments’ with the added suffixes only gives the word a plural meaning. In the other case for the inflectional suffix the word ‘developments’ with the added suffixes only gives the word a plural meaning. This could be said for nearly all nouns that a suffix ‘s’ changes its meaning, although it is known that there are uncountable nouns. This could be said for nearly all nouns that a suffix ‘s’ changes its meaning, although it is known that there are uncountable nouns.
We find that prefix has the same characteristics of a suffix but of course, it appears at the front of words. It is seen and acknowledged that by modifying the word it changes its meaning (tend – attend)., although there can be examples where the part of speech stays the same as in ‘kind’ and ‘unkind’ which still stays an adjective but changes the positive and negative qualities,
In this essay, I have given an introductory illustration of prefixes and suffixes. By learning about these word builders we can see how vocabulary can be built up into an Immense amount of words but also scale down to unearth the root of the word by taking away the additions. This leads one to have a better understanding of the working of a language.
Teaching Young Learners – Songs, Rhymes and Chants
Task One
Where would you put the stresses on the following rhyme?
I would put the stress on the vowel (letter strings) in each sentence, showing rhyme. Nearly all of these vowel sounds also marry up with the final consonant sounds (n-ew-s / sh-oe–s). I would give the students more examples of these sounds (choose, lose, blues). With younger learners I think vowel sound is important but also the sound they make with the final consonant.
Have you heard the latest news? Isabel has bought new shoes
And did you know that Harry’s dad has got a dog that’s completely mad?
Well, Alice copied Tommy’s work and she’s taken Helen’s skirt
Johnny Jones has been much worse, he’s stolen money from Angie’s purse
Wait till you hear what Cathy’s done, she’s eaten a worm, just for fun!
Task Two
Choose a song or devise an activity that can be used in the classroom. State the age you have in mind.
1. Old MacDonald’s Farm
Age: Young learners
Aim: Practice listening and singing
Practice listening for animal names and sounds
Preparation: Collect pictures of a farm and a farmer, models of animals
1. The teacher starts by showing a picture of a farm and a farmer.
2. The teacher asks the learners ‘who and where is this?’ and gets them to call out the place and hopefully the farmer’s name (Old MacDonald).
3. The learners are told this is ‘Old Mac Donald farm’. The students are asked ‘What animals can you see on a farm?’
4. The students can shout out the names of animals. The teacher can check that they know the English word for the animals.
5. The teacher gets the children to think about their favourite animal that lives on a farm.
6. The teacher then shows some models of animals including the ones in the song. The names for the animals are elicited and chorally drilled.
7. The teacher then asks ‘what sound they make?’ The teacher gives examples.
8. The teacher already has prepared sheets of paper to match animals and their sounds. The teacher gets the learners in groups and gets them to match the animals and sounds. This helps to solidify the exercise a little more.
9. The teacher gives each group the animal models from the song. She tells the group when they hear in the song an animal’s name she wants them to grab the animal. This helps them get an idea of the animals in the song. She plays the song and lets the groups grab the animals. She checks who got the most animals in each group.
10. If it is necessary, stop the song line by line until they get the idea.
11. The teacher gets the learners to sing the song together with the accompaniment provided by the tape. The children may learn very easily by using echoic memory. The teacher could promote mimics, gestures, etc. associated to the meaning to make children play a participative role freely.
12. A follow up could be that the learners make their own farm or individual groups come up to the front and sing.
Explain the Communicative Competence Model of Teaching Grammar
Communicative competence refers to the knowledge and skills required to use language effectively and appropriately in different communicative contexts. Grammar is an important component of communicative competence because it enables learners to construct meaningful and accurate utterances. However, effective communication involves more than grammatical accuracy alone; it also requires an understanding of how language varies according to context, purpose, and the relationship between speakers. For example, the language used when addressing a king or queen is likely to differ considerably from the language used when speaking to a close friend. Therefore, grammar needs to be taught not simply as a set of rules, but as a resource that enables learners to communicate appropriately in a range of social situations. This essay will examine how grammar can be taught through a communicative competence model.
Language is used for a variety of social and communicative purposes, and the appropriateness of an individual’s language can influence how they are perceived by others. Consequently, learners need to understand how grammatical structures operate in both formal and informal contexts. Teaching grammar communicatively allows students to recognise that different grammatical forms may be appropriate depending on the situation, the intended meaning, and the relationship between participants. Rather than learning isolated grammatical rules, learners should be exposed to language in meaningful contexts in which grammatical structures serve a genuine communicative purpose.
A communicative approach also recognises that language is fundamentally social. Individuals use language not only to exchange information but also to express their identity, establish relationships, and respond appropriately to others. For this reason, grammatical structures should be presented within meaningful contexts rather than as decontextualised forms. This approach places greater emphasis on authentic communication and learner-centred teaching. In stronger versions of Communicative Language Teaching (CLT), the teacher is expected to adopt a “less dominant role”, while learners are encouraged to become “more responsible managers of their own learning” (Larsen-Freeman, 1986, p. 131). This shift allows learners to take a more active role in developing their communicative abilities.
A further consideration is the tendency for learners to rely on simplified language or memorised chunks of language when communicating. Although learning language in chunks can support fluency, an excessive reliance on fixed expressions may result in learners paying insufficient attention to the grammatical system underlying the language. A communicative competence model therefore aims to establish a balance between fluency and accuracy. Learners should be given opportunities to communicate meaningfully while also being encouraged to notice, understand, and apply grammatical structures. In this way, grammar becomes an integral part of communication rather than an isolated area of language study.
English Business Etiquette
(770 words)
In this essay, I am going to talk about how to understand English business etiquette better, so as not to be embarrassed when you visit England and have a business meeting. This is why it is wise to learn about and show an understanding of the rich business culture that England has. It could help you out of a problem.
England has a rich history and heritage that is world-renowned. English people are very proud of their heritage.
One of the first things you will notice is that English people say ‘please’ and ‘thank you’ a lot. Even when they are not wrong they may still say ‘sorry’ just to make the situation calmer. English people are known to be kinder to you if you behave politely. One important factor to remember though is a visitor may upset an English person by the things they say and do in your own culture which is not frowned upon.
Westerners are known in Asia for being a bit extravagant and flamboyant. Here in Asia, they might seem to have looser morals but the United Kingdom has a strong culture of how to behave properly not just in a business setting but in life. This culture although still ingrained in many people has changed since World War II in England after seeing an influx of immigrants. England is actually very multi-cultural nowadays.
Any business person should understand where England is. This may be hard for some because it is actually an island away from central Europe. It is in Europe but English people still do not think of themselves as Europeans although they are part of Europe. If a visitor is doing business in any other part of the United Kingdom or meets a British person they do not refer to those people as English they will be rather offended. For example, if the business person is from Scotland, Ireland or Wales they are Scottish, Irish or Welsh not English.
Appearance at a business meeting, although English people are generally conservative, is generally relaxed although a person should be polished and well-groomed. English weather always prevails not to be bright and sunny so this is generally shown in business attire. Dark suits, black or grey are usually accepted. Men wearing shirts should not have pockets in them. If they have pockets they should be kept empty. Ties are worn but be careful what pattern and colour you choose. Ties are used to show many clubs or groups in England usually with stripes. These should be avoided as they might look like copies of well-known member’s club ties. A solid or patterned this is a better choice. Men should wear laced up shoes and not loafers. Women are not so limited to colours but should still keep to a conservative dress.
So, the business visitor is ready for the meeting, it is now the case of how to behave when meeting. First of all English people are very punctual. If a person says the meeting is at 9am the visitor should be there on time. The usual view is to plan to get to the place 15 minutes before but if for a major reason the person should call and say they will be late. A visitor must also remember that English people can be very reserved and not friendly but with more meetings can form deep and lasting friendships. Visitors often get the wrong idea because in their cultures people smile more and ask more questions than an English person would. A business visitor must be careful not to mix their culture with English.
Remember the English are rather formal. When the visitor first meets an English business person, a simple handshake is enough. Eye contact should be kept while initiating handshakes. This is the same for men and women. It is also better to use Mr, Miss, Mrs plus surname when meeting. Business cards can be given but there is no formal ceremony. There is also no need for a present to be given. English people do not stand on ceremony. Any gift should be small if any.
With first conversations, any visitor must remember that privacy is important in England so informal talk should not include talk about salaries or marriage. English people also value their personal space so try not to come too close while conversing. It is also not normal to touch people in public. If the visitor is invited out for lunch it will normally be in a pub with light food and a pint of lager. It is not wise to talk about work in the pub.
Remember in a business meeting if everyone is of the same level the meeting can flow while if there is someone of superior ranking they will do most of the talking. Usually, a meeting will have an agenda so the meeting will have been planned beforehand. English people like to be told information through facts and figures rather than through emotion. This makes it easier for them to make a decision. If straight questions are asked an English business person may give an indirect or evasive answer. A visitor must not be aggressive or too persuasive actually English people like a bit of humour but not lewd or unfitting language. The final decision will be taken by the senior executives and may take some time.
Building Language
As much as a teacher tries to build language, it helps to highlight certain grammar points that help to expand the students’ sentences by questioning them about factors such as time, place and manner. We can add details to the students’ speech or writing with adverbial phrases.
Example #1
Time (answers the question ‘When?’)
She will be arriving in a short time.
Place (answers the question ‘Where?’)
He is waiting near the wall.
Manner (answers the question ‘How?’)
They are discussing the matter in a civilized way.
Example #2
“Sue went” doesn’t convey much information.
S: Sue went.
T: Where did Sue go?
S: Sue went to the gym.
T: And, when did Sue go to the gym?
S: Sue went to the gym after work.
T: And also, why did Sue go to the gym after work?
S: Sue went to the gym after work to keep her New Year’s resolution.
“Sue went to the gym after work to keep her New Year’s resolution” explains the where, when and why of the event.
Moreover, adverbial phrases can be created by using prepositions to tell how, where, when, and how often. For example, “Sue swam with perfect technique in the pool before lunch on Tuesdays.”
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