Using "A Fish Out of Water" for Sense Verbs + Infinitives

(TESOL Materials--Sense Verbs + Infinitives, Using Picture Books as Model Texts for Grammar Lesson)

Worksheet: docs, pub

Video: HERE or HERE

I recently had to teach a lesson on sense verbs + Infinitives (from Impact 3) and I thought about using A Fish Out of Water by Helen Palmer, which repeatedly contains the line "I saw him grow"

As with any model text, before drawing attention to the grammar point, the text should be read for comprehension (and in this case enjoyment.)

I've actually used this book before for my Storybooks ESL Listening project, and have materials already created: video, quizlet, and worksheet.  

However, for purposes of using this in class, I found a video that was a little bit cleaner than mine--here. In my own class, I play that video with the sound off, and just read out the story itself, but I use the video for it's nice clean copy of the picture book.   

I also created another copy of the worksheet so that I could get rid of all the extra stuff and only include the specific information questions.  That copy is here.   

After finishing the story, board the model sentence "I saw him grow" and use it to illustrate the grammar of sense verbs + infinitives: Subject + sense verb + object pronoun + bare infinitive

A Fish Out of Water by Helen Palmer: ESL Listening Storybook

A Fish Out of Water

1. What did Mr. Carp tell the boy not to do?

2. After the fish bowl, where did the boy put Otto?

3. Where did the boy grab Otto by when he was running up to the tub?

4. After the door crashed open, where did Otto go?

5. Who did the boy call for help first?

6. Who did the policeman call for help?

7. Where did the firemen bring Otto?

8. How did the people feel about Otto being in the pool?

9. When Mr. Carp came to the pool, what did he have in his hand?

10. When Mr. Carp jumped out of the pool, what did he have in his hand?

1. What did Mr. Carp tell the boy not to do?

Not to feed the fish too much.

2. After the fish bowl, where did the boy put Otto?

The flower bowl

3. Where did the boy grab Otto by when he was running up to the tub?

He grabbed him by the tail.

4. After the door crashed open, where did Otto go?

Into the cellar

5. Who did the boy call for help first?

He called a policeman.

6. Who did the policeman call for help?

The firemen

7. Where did the firemen bring Otto?

To the pool.

8. How did the people feel about Otto being in the pool?

They didn’t like Otto in the pool.

9. When Mr. Carp came to the pool, what did he have in his hand?

A black box

10. When Mr. Carp jumped out of the pool, what did he have in his hand?

A little fish bowl