Musical English Lessons International, England

Established since 1993

This free website has been created especially for you by Bibi Baxter (International Author, Teacher & ESL/EFL Materials Specialist)  <>()<> This website contains 'something' for everyone <>()<> Established since 1993, Musical English Lessons International are the only world-wide suppliers of special ESL/EFL study ideas by Bibi Baxter (formerly Bibi Boarder)

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Grammar Feedback & Requests for Help

Acknowledgements of all feedback regarding errors are on the relevant pages

THIS PAGE IS BEING DISCONTINUED;  HOWEVER, IN ORDER TO CONTINUE DISCUSSING THIS SUBJECT

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Click on either of the following links to start your own forum to discuss subjects featured on this website and I will add a link to your forum on this page 

• phpbb3.net 

• bravenet 

• Your Grammar Questions (scroll to next box)

  • The American use of simple present & present perfect (scroll to next box)

  • Regular forms of irregular verbs

  • Allow v permit

  • Most:  adjective v adverb

  • Descriptions

  • However v Though

  • Present Perfect

  • Clauses beginning with a gerund

  • 2nd Conditional

  • Clauses beginning with AS

  • Present Perfect v Past

• Concept Questions

• Adjusting the level of exercises

MISCELLANEOUS GRAMMAR QUESTIONS

Bibi's Reply: Thank you for your interesting request. Yes, I will certainly do that for you in more detail on the website as soon as I can. 

The American use is grammatically incorrect. I would therefore be interested to know whether this use is considered acceptable in American-based exams and whether the correct grammatical version is therefore considered 'wrong' in the same exams, because it is a real problem when I have advised multi-national students in British classrooms, who may later take TOEFL exams, or similar.

The rules and changes can be found at:

• www.musicalenglishlessons.org/grammar-tenses.htm#pres.perfect
• www.musicalenglishlessons.org/grammar-overview.htm 
• www.musicalenglishlessons.org/grammar-tenses.htm#changes 

Bibi's Reply:  Both my modern and 100-year-old dictionaries show only 'spelt'. I suspect both forms exist as a result of regional pronunciation and childhood errors being carried into adulthood. 

• Some people say 'spelled' with a strong D sound at the end and presumably spell it as such, whilst others say it with a T sound at the end.
• Children can take up to 8 years to use irregular verbs in speech instead of regular forms, but if no-one corrects their errors and if they leave school early, they may continue to use some errors into adulthood.   

Having said that, it is fairly common to see the regular form in modern literature and occasionally in newspapers, although I cannot quote a reference off the top of my head.
There are many other verbs which have regular and irregular forms in this way, eg: burned, lighted, etc. Nevertheless, I advise my students to only use the irregular forms in exams, because not every examiner abroad is aware of the regular form.

• Why can't we smoke in the kitchen?  It (smoking) is not allowed.  
• We are not allowed to smoke in the kitchen.

• She is the one wearing a blue dress
• She is the one in a blue dress

Bibi's Reply:  Hope the following helps,

• She is the one with the blue dress
• She is the one who is wearing the blue dress
• She is the one who has the longest blue dress
• She is the one whose blue dress is torn
• She is the one who is trying on the blue dress
• She is the one who has won the lottery

I am not sure whether you want to change the verb, the subject, etc.  Your examples only include a woman and a blue dress.  The last 2 examples have verb changes.

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Thank you Bibi, could you tell me if, in the following sentence, "however" is a conjunction or an adverb?  And what about "though"?

• It is a very interesting city. It is too expensive, however
• It is a very interesting city. It is too expensive though

Bibi's Reply:  They are both adverbs.

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Could you tell me how to explain the following uses of most:
 
1) WHY DO YOU THINK FRANCE HAS THE MOST TOURISTS?
 
2) WHICH COUNTRIES WOULD YOU MOST LIKE TO VISIT?
 
Bibi's Reply:   Example (1) is a comparative adjective (much/more/the most).  Example (2) is an adverb.

• An adjective qualifies the noun

• An adverb modifies the verb

In order to identify the grammar form, students should therefore decide which word is being described - the noun or the verb.

Bibi's Reply:  Thank you Eliana,  It is nice of you to write and heartening to know how my website has helped you.

From : Dana Matusiak <kydana@hotmail.com>
Sent : 05 January 2004 02:25:29
Subject : Starting a sentence with a gerundial clause

Hi Bibi,  I tried to explain to my friend who is Thai and studying for M.A. in English that this sentence is wrong:  "Wrecking the car, he bought a new red van."  Please advise how I can explain why it is wrong.  Your comments would be much appreciated.  Thanks in advance.
Best Regards - Dana

Bibi's Reply:  "Feeling proud, he rode the bull in the arena."  This one sounds o.k. to me, but it should be INTO.  Nevertheless, I suggest you apply the following ‘rule of mine’ to avoid errors:-

SIMULTANEOUS

• “He felt proud, as he rode the bull into/around the arena”   (FEELING + ACTION)

• “Holding his head high, he rode the bull into/around the arena” (ACTION + ACTION)

NOT SIMULTANEOUS ACTIONS -  THEREFORE INCORRECT

• “Wrecking the car, he bought a new red van”.

Dear Bibi,  Thank you very much for your kind assistance.  I teach part time at the Police Cadet Academy and work part time in an office trading in HI End Audio/Video.  I am British (Polish parents) I have been working in BKK for 10 years.

I have one more question for you.  

What would you do.....    ?  (One student wrote  if you graduated????)

The sentence sounds incomplete to me.  Thanks in advance.  Best Regards, Dana

Bibi's Reply:  That question is correct.  It sounds a little odd, because the speaker is assuming the person to whom they are speaking, has little or no chance of graduating.

• She got lost as she travelled in Bangkok
• She got lost she visited her grandmother.

Thanking you in advance. Best Regards, Dana

Bibi's Reply:  I have given you the following examples, as you can understand better if there is more context.

• She got lost as she travelled to Bangkok, but it did not make her too late.
• She got lost as she travelled through Bangkok (THROUGH + town/city) and had to ask for directions.
• She got lost while she was travelling in Thailand (country) and arrived in Bangkok a day behind schedule.
  ALSO:
  She got lost while travelling through Bangkok (THROUGH + town/city)
  She got lost whilst travelling in Thailand. (IN + country)

Bibi's Reply:    The are times when there is an overlap of tasks and two entirely different tenses or constructions can be seen to do the same job. (eg: BOTH going to + infinitive AND simple future can be used when predicting, eg:

• What do you think is going to happen next?
• What will happen next? 

Explaining grammar in sentences out of context is always  difficult;  however, your query is reasonably clear.   Your logic is understandable;  however, in this case, the simple past must be used.  The word 'because' dictates this.  (because + reason)

• I had to move to a new house, because I changed my job..  (Reason:  I had no choice;  the new job, or objections to it, forced my move.)
• I moved to a new house, because I changed my job. (Maybe for money, distance, or other practical reasons)

When the sequence of events is important

• I moved to a new house, after I changed my job (Timing of the move is important)
• I didn't move to a new house, until after I had changed my job (Determination to change jobs came first and achieving that aim before moving, is important in this sentence)

CONCEPT QUESTIONS

Bibi's Reply:  Thank you for you query and also for the interesting philosophy which you enclosed.  (I would be grateful for the name of the author).  

• The philosophy can be found on: www.musicalenglishlessons.org/your-philosophies.htm#eleni 
• The concept questions can be found on www.musicalenglishlessons.org/grammar-tenses.htm#concept

ADJUSTING THE LEVEL OF EXERCISES

•  www.musicalenglishlessons.org/music-shakira3.htm
•  www.musicalenglishlessons.org/music-shakira4.htm

There are also easy jigsaw sequencing exercises for songs by Ms.Dynamite, Rod Stewart, Elvis & Chumbawumba

• www.musicalenglishlessons.org/music-dynamite1.htm
• www.musicalenglishlessons.org/music-rod1.htm
• www.musicalenglishlessons.org/music-elvis1.htm
• www.musicalenglishlessons.org/music-chumbawumba.htm

Admittedly, the two gapped exercises would be too difficult if you ask him to provide the grammar;  however, the secret is to adapt difficult exercises.  Therefore......
 
USING GAPPED WORKSHEETS
If you give him the missing words in jumbled form and ask him to fit them in where he hears them, this will provide adequate listening and word recognition practice for his agegroup  www.musicalenglishlessons.org/music-elvis1.htm

Dear Bibi, first of all, I'd like to complement you on your site.  It's excellent.  I would very much like to incorporate your ideas into my teaching (I teach adults) but would appreciate some advice on how to assess what kind of song/activity is appropriate to which language level.  Is it possible to use such activities with low level learners, or only once they reach Lower Intermediate?  I couldn't find any level indication on the activities on your site, or references to it in the FAQs or the article on how to write your own listening activities.  Can you advise me?  Kind regards, Caroline Weedon  

Bibi's Reply: Thank you for your feedback.  I am glad the content of my website will prove useful.  The reason I have not stated any levels is because all the exercises can be made easier by adding information or more difficult by omitting information or changing the task.

Admittedly, the two gapped exercises would be too difficult if you asked elementary students to provide the grammar;  therefore, the secret is to adapt difficult exercises as follows: 

USING GAPPED WORKSHEETS

If you give the missing words in jumbled form and ask students to fit them in where they hear them, this will provide adequate listening and word recognition practice for their level. 

•  www.musicalenglishlessons.org/music-elvis1.htm

There are also two easy jigsaw sequencing exercises for Shakira songs (Cool I Am & Hey Mr. D.J. See the URLS at the end of this paragraph) which would suit beginners.  (You would need to play one line at a time - probably several times and if that doesn't help, give the students words from the lines, so they can gist-read the lines.  If necessary write words on the board so they can be matched.  If they find more than one line, then get them to listen again.  The speed with which they progress from line to line is not important;  however, if they show signs of flagging, or disinterest, give additional help to maintain their interest.)

• www.musicalenglishlessons.org/music-shakira3.htm

• www.musicalenglishlessons.org/music-shakira4.htm

There are also easy jigsaw sequencing exercises for songs by Ms.Dynamite, Rod Stewart, Elvis & Chumbawumba

• www.musicalenglishlessons.org/music-dynamite1.htm

• www.musicalenglishlessons.org/music-rod1.htm

• www.musicalenglishlessons.org/music-elvis1.htm

• www.musicalenglishlessons.org/music-chumbawumba.htm

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