English Grammar Teaching - Assignment Example

English Grammar Teaching Introduction Without pronouns English is an incomplete language that would not make sense to anybody. Pronouns act like oxygen to English body or if put in better words like a backbone. To have proper understanding of pronouns it is best if you read and analyze The Pronoun System. The Pronoun System will give you clear teaching of pronouns and its kinds. The Pronoun System- the summary: According to The Pronoun System, the pronouns are small words that replace nouns. There are mainly four kinds of pronouns, subject pronouns, object pronouns, possessive pronouns, and reflexive pronouns. Pronouns mainly undergo four kinds of functions: subject, direct object, indirect object, and prepositional complement. All students need to have proper understanding of pronouns to speak fluent English. (Heather Marie Kosur, 09) Although the pronoun system identifies only four kinds of pronouns, I in my assignment will total explain 8 nouns that evolved as modern English became more sober. Below you will read not only my comprehension of “The Pronoun System” but also other extensive research done. The Four Pronouns illustrated in “The Pronoun System”: Subject Pronouns These pronouns work like subject of clauses. A clause is a sentence consisting subject and predicate. For example, the child laughed contains the subject the child and the predicate laughed (Hopper and Paul J, 1999) Subject pronouns are: I (first person singular) you (second person singular) he (third person singular masculine) she (third person singular feminine) it (third person singular neuter) we (first person plural) you (second person plural) they (third person plural) For example: I am a cook. (I functions as subject) He laughed at me. (he functions as subject) My aunt is sick. (she functions as predicate nominative) They are singers. (they functions as predicate nominative) (Heather Marie Kosur,09) How to explain subject pronoun in the class? The only way to make kids understand is by telling them what verbs are before learning pronouns, because subject pronouns usually come before the action For Example: I love my mom. 1)"Love" is the action, so... 2) WHO is doing it? (I) Object Pronouns: These pronouns act on direct object, indirect object and prepositional complement. The object pronouns in English are: me (first person singular) you (second person singular) him (third person singular masculine) her (third person singular feminine) it (third person singular neuter) us (first person plural) you (second person plural) them (third person plural) For example: My puppy played with you. (you functions as direct object) The boy gave her chocolate. (her functions as indirect object) Three gifts were given for us. (us functions as prepositional complement) (Hopper and Paul J,1999) How to explain Object pronouns in class: Once again we will concentrate on the action. If the pronoun comes after the verb then it is object pronoun. For example: Mrs. Nina received gifts. She did not open them. 1st sentence: 1) Received is the verb 2) Who received the gifts ( Mrs. Nina) 3) What did she receive( gifts) 2nd sentence: 1) Open is the verb 2) Who did not open the gifts? (she) 3) What did she not open? (them) Like this, if you explain to the kids, that subjective pronoun comes before the verb like “she” in sentence two and objective pronouns after the verb like “them” in sentence 2. It will become very simple for the children. (Tools for Educators, 2009) Possessive Pronouns Possessive pronouns are seen where five functions are being performed: subject, predicate nominative, direct object, indirect object, and prepositional complement. The possessive pronouns are: mine (first person singular) yours (second person singular) his (third person singular masculine) hers (third person singular feminine) its (third person singular neuter) ours (first person plural) yours (second person plural) theirs (third person plural) (Heather Marie Kosur, 2009) For example: This bag is mine. (mine functions as subject) This book is yours. (yours functions as predicate nominative) This needle is his. (his functions as direct object) Our children are in Boston. (ours functions as indirect object) The car is theirs. (theirs functions as prepositional complement) (Heather Marie Kosur, 2009) How to teach Possessive Pronouns in class? The teacher shall explain to the children that possessive nouns show having or owning. The best way to make the kids learn is through the flash card game. Take pictures of the kid’s bags, and then hide their bags. Make two groups. Draw one card and ask any group whose bag is this if the group identifies correctly let them draw another card. Also keep on reminding them about the possessive pronouns as they answer. (Tools for Educators, 2009) Reflexive Pronouns Reflexive pronouns refer back to the main subject, they also at time act as intensive pronouns. The reflexive pronouns are: myself (first person singular) yourself (second person singular) himself (third person singular masculine) herself (third person singular feminine) itself (third person singular neuter) ourselves (first person plural) yourselves (second person plural) themselves (third person plural) For example: I wrote about myself in that story. (myself functions as direct object) She embarrassed herself in the class. (herself functions as indirect object) He grinned at himself. (himself functions as prepositional complement) How to teach reflexive pronouns in class? One successful way of teaching reflexive pronouns in class is by listing verbs like think, do, make, hear, see, look. Then ask the students to thinks of things they did or somebody did from these verbs. For example: 1) Think: jenny thought if she wanted to eat something then she ought to cook something for herself. 2) Make: he decided to make the drawing himself. 3) Hear: they heard the spooky music themselves. And so on. (Heather Marie Kosur, 2009) Other nouns: Other nouns include Pronouns that show number Demonstrative Pronouns Universal, Indefinite, and Reciprocal Pronouns Some and Its Relatives Many and Its Relatives Pronouns that show neither person, gender, nor number WH- Pronouns Interrogative Pronouns Relative Pronouns These nouns are relatively easier to explain to the children if their basics have been strong. You can teach them through flash cards or by many games. The best way to make a kid understand is by making him/ her do various exercises in the copy and make sentences on the verbs that revolve around a particular pronoun. (Hopper and Paul J, 1999) Conclusion: Teaching pronouns is a difficult and tricky task but the teachers have to be very careful while making the students understands. The teachers ought to realize that pronouns form the basics of English both while writing and communication. And if a student lacks in pronouns he would lack in English which would be a trouble for him throughout his educational life and then career too. References Heather Marie Kosur (July 14, 09), the English Personal Pronoun System for ESL Students. Retrieved on Oct 6 from http://www.brighthub.com/education/languages/articles/28157.aspx?p=2 Tools for Educators (2009), Retrieved on Oct 6 from http://www.mes-english.com/flashcards/pronouns.php Hopper, Paul J. (1999), a Short Course in Grammar. W.W. Norton & Company: New York. Read More