What is IN a preposition?
Have you ever thought about how prepositions work in a sentence?
Prepositions can have 1. spatial, 2. temporal, or 3. abstract meanings
- I live in a house.
- I left home at 9am.
- Something came across my mind
There is a concept of Space in prepositions. How do we locate an object relative to space?
- John is at the dentist.
- John went to the dentist.
However, the scale is Relative. Look at these two sentences.
- The ant walked across his hand.
- A bus drove across the country.
What is the semantic category/communicative function?
- The balloon passed over the house.
- The balloon passed over.
- The balloon went up. (postulate)
- The balloon went over there. (landmark)
How does Spatial Awareness work?
Think about dimensions: 1D, 2D, and 3D
- John drove down the road. (a line – one dimensional space)
2. The skater twirled on the pond. (the pond is a surface, 2D)
3. The astronaut checked his equipment in the airlock. (a room has 3D and we are placing him inside)
Where is the location of space?
at – (non-directional) Amy ran at the track.
at – (core meaning, denote position) I am at school.
at – (being at a specific point) The intersection of the lines is at co-ordinates 3,4 on the graph.
How does a motion verb work with prepositions?
- John threw the ball at Mary.
- John threw the ball to Mary.
How does the preposition modify the verb?
- (place) John exercised inside the house.
- (path) John stormed inside the house.
What is a phrasal verb?
kick-off
ran into my teacher
ask out
blow up
break-in (interrupt)
break up (relationship)
How does the phrase with a preposition become idiomatic?
hold your hand up
off like a shot
in at the deep end
off the record
in the pink
English can be crazy!
- A house can burn up as it burns down.
- You can fill in a form by filling it out.
- Why is it after dark when it is after light?
Fate in The The Melancholy Hussar of the German Legion 
(438 words)
Thomas Hardy was living at a time of social change when the sense of the old rural order was beginning to break down as people moved away from the land and the economy began to modernise. For Hardy, this was a danger and in his stories, the characters are seen to be fighting against their fate when they attempt to change the established order of their lives. For Hardy fate is a very strong and harsh power and characters who defy this pay the price.
In the story, Phyllis Grove is a girl living alone with her father. In meeting Humphrey Gould, she was pleased with his offer of marriage. In keeping with the local order, her fate might be marrying this local man, living locally, and continuing the pattern of life established by their respective parents. This is not a love match but it is accepted and welcomed by all involved.
When Humphrey is driven to Bath – in itself a break with normal rural life – the arrangement is put under strain. Humphrey becomes involved with the social life of Bath and begins to feel that his link with Phyllis is not as strong as he thought. Phyllis becomes lonely and looks to the German Mattthäus Tina for friendship and comfort.
Phyllis is very attracted by Mattthäus’ description of his life in Germany and the possibilities of escaping her life in England. Mattthäus himself is looking to escape from the army which he finds intolerable. In planning to escape their fate, the characters take on a powerful force and eventually pay a high price.
Mattthäus in his attempts to escape is caught and shot, Phyllis’s punishment is more subtle. When her resolve is finally tested by the appearance of Humphrey just as she is to leave with Mattthäus, she weakens and so betrays him. Believing that she is choosing between Mattthäus and Humphrey. Cruelly this is not the case. Humphrey is in fact only there to give his apologies to her and Phyllis is left alone faced with a lonely future. Further punishment is added when she realises that she might have gained happiness with Mattthäus and also saved his life but has been tricked by the fates.
In this story, I feel that Hardy is warning of the dangers to society of breaking with what he sees as the natural order. He sees this as a balance between man and nature that the forces of nature will fight to preserve. In a similar way to the religious stories, Hardy does not accept. Hardy may be trying to offer a warning in a time of intense change.
The Role of Irony in Oedipus Rex
Irony plays a central role in Sophocles’ Oedipus Rex, shaping both the structure of the play and its tragic meaning. Sophocles uses dramatic irony to create a powerful contrast between what Oedipus believes to be true and what the audience already understands to be true. As Oedipus attempts to discover the murderer of King Laius, the audience knows that he is unknowingly searching for himself. This creates a sense of tension and inevitability because every step he takes towards solving the mystery brings him closer to discovering his own identity and his tragic fate. Through irony, Sophocles explores themes such as human ignorance, pride, fate, and the limitations of human knowledge.
Oedipus’ life is revealed during the hours on stage. It is difficult to think of another play in which the unity of time, as a formal property of the drama, contributes more to meaning. Every step Oedipus takes to solve the old murder mystery, every new confrontation with those he summons to appear with pieces of the past, and every one of their chance disclosures brings him closer both to the solution he seeks and to the self-discovery he does not foresee. When the last piece falls into place, the detective becomes the criminal, his success becomes his doom, his happy ignorance becomes tragic knowledge, and the evil without becomes the evil within. This summary of the plot demonstrates the heavily ironic nature of the play.
Dramatic irony operates whenever the audience is aware of some circumstance in the plot or character that gives meaning beyond, or at odds with, what the speaker consciously intends. It can also occur when a situation has a significance that the character does not recognise. The more hostile the hidden significance is to the unwitting character, and the further that character is from realising it, the more poignant the irony becomes. Sophocles uses this technique throughout Oedipus Rex to ensure that the audience understands the tragic truth long before Oedipus does.
Dramatic irony begins with the appearance of Oedipus in his kingly robes and with his first words: “I myself come hither, Oedipus, famous among all men.” The pitiful townspeople have appealed for help to the very man who is, in reality, the cause of their suffering. This creates an immediate contrast between appearance and reality. The irony is further emphasised through the character of Tiresias, who is physically blind but can see the truth, while Oedipus, who has physical sight, is blind to his own identity and actions. Oedipus welcomes the information that Creon has brought from Delphi. His optimism and determination to follow Apollo’s commands and punish Laius’ murderer are deeply ironic because the audience knows that Oedipus himself is the murderer he intends to punish.
Sophocles develops this irony further through Oedipus’ words to the citizens in Scene 1: “sick as you are, not one is as sick as I.” On one level, we hear the King expressing genuine concern for his suffering people and identifying himself with their fate. However, the statement has a second and much darker meaning. Oedipus is indeed more “sick” than the citizens because he is unknowingly responsible for the plague affecting Thebes. The audience recognises the dreadful accuracy of his words, while Oedipus remains unaware of their true significance.
This pattern of irony continues when Oedipus curses Laius’ murderer and promises to avenge the dead king “just as though I were his son.” The irony is particularly powerful because Oedipus is, in fact, connected to Laius as both his killer and his son. Similarly, Oedipus berates Tiresias for his arrogance, mocks his blindness, and accuses him of being involved in the murder. The audience understands that Tiresias is the character who truly “sees” the truth, while Oedipus remains ignorant. Sophocles therefore uses blindness as both a physical condition and a metaphor for Oedipus’ lack of self-knowledge.
Oedipus even goes further by exhorting the people to help in the search for Laius’ murderer. He proclaims a curse upon the murderer, forbids him from having contact with the Thebans, and emphasises his own determination to bring the criminal to justice. These declarations are deeply ironic because Oedipus is unknowingly placing the curse upon himself. His determination to discover the truth ultimately becomes the means by which he destroys his own life. His greatest strength — his intelligence, confidence, and determination — becomes the instrument of his downfall.
Far from being an ineffective or premature revelation of the plot, Sophocles’ use of irony engages the audience with the deeper meaning of tragedy. The irony becomes an image of the frailty of human defences, the foolishness of human feelings of security and power, and the strange inevitability of fate. Oedipus believes that he can control his destiny through intelligence and action, yet every action he takes brings him closer to the fate he is attempting to escape. His confidence can also be understood in terms of the Greek concept of hubris, meaning excessive pride or self-confidence. Oedipus believes that he possesses the knowledge and power necessary to solve any problem, but he cannot recognise the truth about himself.
The audience’s suspense is therefore different from the suspense created by not knowing the outcome. The audience already understands much of Oedipus’ fate, but we remain interested in discovering how the individual ironies will eventually connect and reveal the truth. Each revelation brings the past into the present until Oedipus can no longer deny his identity. If we fail to recognise this pattern of irony, the plot may appear to be merely a series of shocking and brutal events. However, Sophocles’ use of irony gives the events a deeper significance by showing how human beings can be trapped by their own ignorance, pride, and attempts to control their destiny.
Irony is a rhetorical device for holding different or opposite truths in suspension and for focusing attention on the discrepancy between what seems to be and what actually is. It is therefore an appropriate technique for a tragedy centred on self-ignorance. At the beginning of the play, Oedipus has a clear and single purpose: to find Laius’ murderer. Later, he begins to investigate his own parentage. The obvious irony is that this wise and self-assured man does not realise that his purpose has changed. The deeper irony, however, is that his purpose has not really changed at all, because the answer to the question of whose son he is will also answer the question of who killed Laius. His search for the murderer and his search for his identity are ultimately the same quest. Pride motivates both, as Oedipus is determined to prove that he can uncover the truth regardless of the consequences.
In conclusion, irony is essential to the meaning and tragic impact of Oedipus Rex. Sophocles uses dramatic irony to create a constant gap between Oedipus’ understanding of events and the audience’s knowledge of the truth. Oedipus believes himself to be a powerful and intelligent king who can save Thebes, yet the audience knows that he is unknowingly responsible for the very suffering he is trying to end. His attempts to discover the truth, punish Laius’ murderer, and escape his fate ultimately lead him towards his own destruction. Through these ironies, Sophocles demonstrates the limits of human knowledge and the dangers of pride and self-confidence. Most importantly, irony transforms Oedipus’ search for the truth into a tragic journey of self-discovery, making the play a powerful exploration of fate, identity, and the difference between appearance and reality.
Setting out some ideas for developing and maintaining motivation in either young children or teenagers
(590 Words)
The teacher’s ability to motivate young learners should be regarded as a central component of effective teaching. Motivation involves encouraging learners to engage with the learning process, acquire new skills, and develop a sustained interest in their learning. Identifying and incorporating learners’ interests can be an effective means of fostering such engagement, as interest can function as an important intrinsic motivator. When children are genuinely engaged in learning activities that they find meaningful and enjoyable, they are more likely to participate actively and develop deeper approaches to learning. However, young learners are motivated by a range of different factors, and teachers therefore need to recognise and respond to individual differences in motivation. The teacher’s own attitudes, enthusiasm, and approach to learning can significantly influence learners’ attitudes and engagement. Furthermore, maintaining learners’ interest throughout the learning process requires the teacher to create a supportive and inclusive classroom environment. Learners should feel that they are respected and accepted as individuals and that they are able to express themselves without fear of criticism when making genuine mistakes. Such an environment can promote confidence, participation, and willingness to take risks in learning. Young learners therefore require appropriate levels of support, encouragement, and sufficient time to develop their skills.
Teaching methodology should consequently aim to sustain learners’ motivation while providing meaningful opportunities for engagement and learning. Although games and enjoyable activities can contribute to motivation, their educational value depends on whether they provide meaningful opportunities for learners to develop and apply new knowledge and language. For example, activities should enable learners to acquire new vocabulary, understand language structures, and use new expressions purposefully rather than simply providing entertainment. In this respect, teachers need to adopt a holistic perspective of children’s development, recognising that education encompasses not only linguistic development but also social, cognitive, and emotional growth. An activity-based approach, in which children participate in meaningful tasks and purposeful activities, can support this broader development. Such activities provide opportunities for children to use English in meaningful contexts, acquire new knowledge, interact with their peers, and develop as individuals.
Variety in teaching approaches is also important in maintaining learners’ engagement. Drama and role-play, for instance, can provide effective opportunities for motivating young learners, particularly when supported by costumes, props, and imaginative contexts. These activities can encourage interaction and collaboration while providing learners with opportunities to use language in meaningful and authentic ways. Consequently, the teacher’s role extends beyond the delivery of language content and encompasses a broader educational responsibility in supporting learners’ overall development.
This broader role requires teachers to recognise that children are at different developmental stages and that their abilities, needs, and readiness to undertake particular tasks may vary considerably. Although learners may possess an inherent capacity and desire to learn, the level and nature of their motivation can differ between individuals. It is therefore the teacher’s responsibility to channel and develop this motivation through lessons that have clear learning objectives, an appropriate level of challenge, and a coherent sense of purpose. In addition, curriculum and syllabus design should take account of learners’ age, cultural backgrounds, social contexts, and individual experiences. Teachers can personalise learning by providing opportunities for children to discuss topics that are relevant to their own interests, families, and experiences. Where necessary, teachers may also need to adapt the syllabus or learning activities to accommodate the specific needs and interests of particular learners or groups. Such flexibility can contribute to a more inclusive learning environment in which children are able to participate meaningfully and make progress according to their individual developmental needs.
