(TESOL Ideas and Worksheets Subdivisions)
* Omitting the Relative Pronoun Worksheet (first page only)
Showing posts with label Defining and Non-Defining Relative Clauses. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Defining and Non-Defining Relative Clauses. Show all posts
Tuesday, October 15, 2024
Monday, October 14, 2024
Using Strega Nona to Teach the Difference Between Defining and Non-Defining Relative Clauses (i.e. defining and describing)
(TESOL Materials--Relative Clauses)
Specific information questions (these were made by my co-teacher--and originally from this post): docs, pub
Video on Youtube: HERE
Notes:
This is my second time using Strega Nona to illustrate a grammar point. For the previous time, when see HERE. This time, it is to illustrate the difference between defining and non-defining relative clauses.
The staging is as follows:
* Present the Strega Nona story--either using the slideshow or the video. You can use the specific information questions if you want, but they're not mandatory.
* Use the first page of this worksheet. I typically either cut it in half, or fold it in half, so that students first can only see the left-hand table, and must discuss: "In which sentences do you know what thing is being referred to? In which sentences do you need more information?" Then, once students have decided which sentences need more information, I hand out the second half of the table (or allow students to unfold their sheet), and they can match the sentence halves.
* There's an option extra step, in which I play the audio again, and students match the relative clause sentences to the gaps using this worksheet.
* Then, students are given the second page of this worksheet, and must work out which relative clauses define the thing, and which describe it. Feedback is with the Kahoot game.
Here are some sentences from the story. In which sentences do you know what thing is being referred to? In which sentences do you need more information? | Here is some more information. Which sentences do they go with? Can you make new sentences using this information? |
there lived an old lady. She made special potions for the girls. Big Anthony went to see her. The one thing is touch the pasta pot. Strega Nona met with the people. everyone laughed at him, because it sounded so silly--a pot? How ridiculous! she took a fork from a lady. | Big Anthony didn’t pay attention. The lady was standing nearby. Everyone called the old lady Strega Nona. The girls wanted husbands. Strega Nona meant grandma witch. the pot cooked pasta all by itself You must never do this thing. The people came to see Strega Nona for headaches and husbands and warts. |
there lived an old lady who everyone called Strega Nona
this tells us which old lady we are talking about
this gives us extra information about the old lady
everyone called her Strega Nona which meant “Grandma Witch”
this tells us what Strega Nona means
this gives us extra information about Strega Nona
She made special potions for the girls who wanted husbands.
this tells us which girls we are talking about
this gives us extra information about the girls
Big Anthony, who didn’t pay attention, went to see her
this tells us who Big Anthony is
this gives us extra information about Big Anthony
The one thing that you must never do is touch the pasta pot
this tells us what the thing is
this gives us extra information about the thing
Strega Nona met with the people who came to see her for headaches and husbands and warts.
this tells us which people Strega Nona is meeting
this gives us extra information about the people
a pot that cooked pasta all by itself?
this tells us which pot we are talking about
this gives us extra information about the pot
she took a fork from a lady who was standing nearby
this tells us which lady it was
this gives us extra information about the lady
Sunday, January 23, 2022
Wednesday, January 08, 2014
Omitting the Relative Pronoun Worksheet
[This work sheet was designed for students who are not yet confident enough to omit the relative pronoun in real time conversation, but need to understand the rules for a written test at the end of the term. The worksheet is my own, although, since it was difficult to think of 23 relative clause sentences off the top of my head, many of these sentences were borrowed from other books.
On a sidenote: I've learned a lot of interesting things about grammar over the years teaching TESOL. One of the things that fascinates me is that native speakers do all these calculations sub-consciously when they speak.]
Omitting the relative Pronoun: Yes or No.
It is often difficult for learners of English to know when they
can omit the relative pronoun. Especially
when speaking, learners may not have time to think through everything in real
time. At this level, don’t worry so much
about omitting relative pronouns in speaking.
Just understand what the grammar rules are for the test and you’ll do
fine.
If you think through everything carefully, it shouldn’t be a
problem.
In order to omit the relative pronoun, you need two things.
1) The relative clause must be defining.
2) The relative pronoun must be the object of the relative
clause.
Both of these things should be easy if you think through
them carefully. The first step is to
decide whether the relative clause is defining or non-defining. This should be pretty easy if you use the
commas to help you make decisions.
For the sentences below, decide whether they are defining or
non-defining.
1. The man who I wanted to see was on holiday. (defining / non-defining)
2. Tom’s father, who is 78, goes swimming every day.
(defining / non-defining)
3. The house at the end of the street, which has been empty
for two years, has just been sold.
(defining / non-defining)
4. I don’t like stories that have unhappy endings. (defining / non-defining)
5. She told me her address, which I wrote down on a piece of
paper. (defining / non-defining)
6. Have you found the keys that you lost? (defining / non-defining)
7. The man who lives next door is very friendly. (defining / non-defining)
8. Martin, whose mother is Spanish, speaks both Spanish and
English fluently. (defining /
non-defining)
9. We know a lot of people who live in London. (defining / non-defining)
10. Where are the eggs that were in the fridge? (defining / non-defining)
11. The strike at the car factory, which lasted ten days, is
now over. (defining / non-defining)
12. The bed that I slept in was too soft. (defining / non-defining)
13. I didn’t get the job that I wanted. (defining / non-defining)
14. A friend of mine, whose father is the manager of a
company, helped me to get a job.
(defining / non-defining)
15. Everything that happened was my fault. (defining / non-defining)
16. Yesterday I met John, who told me he was getting
married. (defining / non-defining)
17. My sister, who you met once, is visiting us next
week. (defining / non-defining)
18. This is the worst film that I’ve ever seen. (defining / non-defining)
19. The waitress who served us was very impolite. (defining / non-defining)
20. The museum that Tom recommended was shut when we got
there. (defining / non-defining)
21. Gerry works for a company that makes typewriters. (defining / non-defining)
22. The man that I met has been married twice. (defining / non-defining)
23. Last night went to Ann’s party, which we enjoyed very
much. (defining / non-defining)
Once you have decided that a relative clause is defining,
then you can omit the pronoun if it is in the object position. The sentences below are the defining relative
clause sentences from the previous exercise.
Now go through and decide which ones have relative pronouns as objects,
and which ones have relatives pronouns as subjects. Remember you can omit relative pronouns used
as objects, but not as subjects.
1. The man who I wanted to see was on holiday.
What is the relative clause?
__________________________________________________
What is the relative pronoun? ____
What noun does the relative pronoun refer
to? _______
Rewrite the relative clause using the noun: ______________________________________________
Is the relative pronoun the subject or the object of the
clause? ________
Can you omit the relative pronoun in this sentence? ____
2. I don’t like stories that have unhappy endings
What is the relative clause?
__________________________________________________
What is the relative pronoun? ____
What noun does the relative pronoun refer
to? _______
Rewrite the relative clause using the noun:
______________________________________________
Is the relative pronoun the subject or the object of the
clause? ________
Can you omit the relative pronoun in this sentence? ____
3. Have you found the keys that you lost?
What is the relative clause?
__________________________________________________
What is the relative pronoun? ____
What noun does the relative pronoun refer
to? _______
Rewrite the relative clause using the noun:
______________________________________________
Is the relative pronoun the subject or the object of the
clause? ________
Can you omit the relative pronoun in this sentence? ____
4. The man who lives next door is very friendly.
What is the relative clause? __________________________________________________
What is the relative pronoun? ____
What noun does the relative pronoun refer
to? _______
Rewrite the relative clause using the noun:
______________________________________________
Is the relative pronoun the subject or the object of the
clause? ________
Can you omit the relative pronoun in this sentence? ____
5. We know a lot of people who live in London.
What is the relative clause?
__________________________________________________
What is the relative pronoun? ____
What noun does the relative pronoun refer
to? _______
Rewrite the relative clause using the noun:
______________________________________________
Is the relative pronoun the subject or the object of the
clause? ________
Can you omit the relative pronoun in this sentence? ____
6. Where are the eggs that were in the fridge?
What is the relative clause?
__________________________________________________
What is the relative pronoun? ____
What noun does the relative pronoun refer
to? _______
Rewrite the relative clause using the noun:
______________________________________________
Is the relative pronoun the subject or the object of the
clause? ________
Can you omit the relative pronoun in this sentence? ____
7. The bed that I slept in was too soft.
What is the relative clause?
__________________________________________________
What is the relative pronoun? ____
What noun does the relative pronoun refer
to? _______
Rewrite the relative clause using the noun:
______________________________________________
Is the relative pronoun the subject or the object of the
clause? ________
Can you omit the relative pronoun in this sentence? ____
8. I didn’t get the job that I wanted.
What is the relative clause?
__________________________________________________
What is the relative pronoun? ____
What noun does the relative pronoun refer
to? _______
Rewrite the relative clause using the noun:
______________________________________________
Is the relative pronoun the subject or the object of the
clause? ________
Can you omit the relative pronoun in this sentence? ____
9. Everything that happened was my fault.
What is the relative clause?
__________________________________________________
What is the relative pronoun? ____
What noun does the relative pronoun refer to?
_______
Rewrite the relative clause using the noun:
______________________________________________
Is the relative pronoun the subject or the object of the
clause? ________
Can you omit the relative pronoun in this sentence? ____
10 This is the worst film that I’ve ever seen.
What is the relative clause?
__________________________________________________
What is the relative pronoun? ____
What noun does the relative pronoun refer
to? _______
Rewrite the relative clause using the noun:
______________________________________________
Is the relative pronoun the subject or the object of the
clause? ________
Can you omit the relative pronoun in this sentence? ____
11. The waitress who served us was very impolite.
What is the relative clause? __________________________________________________
What is the relative pronoun? ____
What noun does the relative pronoun refer
to? _______
Rewrite the relative clause using the noun:
______________________________________________
Is the relative pronoun the subject or the object of the
clause? ________
Can you omit the relative pronoun in this sentence? ____
12. The museum that Tom recommended was shut when we got
there.
What is the relative clause?
__________________________________________________
What is the relative pronoun? ____
What noun does the relative pronoun refer
to? _______
Rewrite the relative clause using the noun:
______________________________________________
Is the relative pronoun the subject or the object of the
clause? ________
Can you omit the relative pronoun in this sentence? ____
13. The man that I met has been married twice.
What is the relative clause?
__________________________________________________
What is the relative pronoun? ____
What noun does the relative pronoun refer to?
_______
Rewrite the relative clause using the noun:
______________________________________________
Is the relative pronoun the subject or the object of the
clause? ________
Can you omit the relative pronoun in this sentence? ____
14. Gerry works for a
company that makes typewriters.
What is the relative clause?
__________________________________________________
What is the relative pronoun? ____
What noun does the relative pronoun refer
to? _______
Rewrite the relative clause using the noun: ______________________________________________
Is the relative pronoun the subject or the object of the
clause? ________
Can you omit the relative pronoun in this sentence? ____
Answers
1. The man who I wanted to see was on holiday.
What is the relative clause? who I wanted to see
What is the relative pronoun? who
What noun does the relative pronoun refer
to? the man
Rewrite the relative clause using the noun: I wanted to
see the man
Is the relative pronoun the subject or the object of the
clause? object
Can you omit the relative pronoun in this sentence? yes
2. I don’t like stories that have unhappy endings
What is the relative clause? that have happy endings
What is the relative pronoun? that
What noun does the relative pronoun refer
to? stories
Rewrite the relative clause using the noun: stories have
happy endings
Is the relative pronoun the subject or the object of the
clause? subject
Can you omit the relative pronoun in this sentence? no
3. Have you found the keys that you lost?
What is the relative clause? that you lost
What is the relative pronoun? that
What noun does the relative pronoun refer
to? the keys
Rewrite the relative clause using the noun: you lost the
keys
Is the relative pronoun the subject or the object of the
clause? object
Can you omit the relative pronoun in this sentence? no
4. The man who lives next door is very friendly.
What is the relative clause? who lives next door
What is the relative pronoun? who
What noun does the relative pronoun refer
to? the man
Rewrite the relative clause using the noun: the man lives
next door
Is the relative pronoun the subject or the object of the
clause? subject
Can you omit the relative pronoun in this sentence? no
5. We know a lot of people who live in London.
What is the relative clause? who live in London
What is the relative pronoun? who
What noun does the relative pronoun refer
to? people
Rewrite the relative clause using the noun: people live in London
Is the relative pronoun the subject or the object of the
clause? subject
Can you omit the relative pronoun in this sentence? no
6. Where are the eggs that were in the fridge?
What is the relative clause? that were in the fridge
What is the relative pronoun? that
What noun does the relative pronoun refer
to? the eggs
Rewrite the relative clause using the noun: the eggs were
in the fridge
Is the relative pronoun the subject or the object of the
clause? subject
Can you omit the relative pronoun in this sentence? no
7. The bed that I slept in was too soft.
What is the relative clause? that I slept in
What is the relative pronoun? that
What noun does the relative pronoun refer
to? the bed
Rewrite the relative clause using the noun: I slept in
the bed
Is the relative pronoun the subject or the object of the
clause? object
Can you omit the relative pronoun in this sentence? yes
8. I didn’t get the job that I wanted.
What is the relative clause? that I wanted
What is the relative pronoun? that
What noun does the relative pronoun refer
to? the job
Rewrite the relative clause using the noun: I wanted the
job
Is the relative pronoun the subject or the object of the
clause? object
Can you omit the relative pronoun in this sentence? yes
9. Everything that happened was my fault.
What is the relative clause? that happened
What is the relative pronoun? that
What noun does the relative pronoun refer
to? everything
Rewrite the relative clause using the noun: everything
happened
Is the relative pronoun the subject or the object of the
clause? subject
Can you omit the relative pronoun in this sentence? no
10 This is the worst film that I’ve ever seen.
What is the relative clause? that I've ever seen
What is the relative pronoun? that
What noun does the relative pronoun refer
to? the (worst) film
Rewrite the relative clause using the noun: I've seen the
film
Is the relative pronoun the subject or the object of the
clause? object
Can you omit the relative pronoun in this sentence? yes
11. The waitress who served us was very impolite.
What is the relative clause? who served us
What is the relative pronoun? who
What noun does the relative pronoun refer
to? the waitress
Rewrite the relative clause using the noun: the waitress
served us
Is the relative pronoun the subject or the object of the
clause? subject
Can you omit the relative pronoun in this sentence? no
12. The museum that Tom recommended was shut when we got
there.
What is the relative clause? that Tom recommended
What is the relative pronoun? that
What noun does the relative pronoun refer
to? the museum
Rewrite the relative clause using the noun: Tom recommended the museum
Is the relative pronoun the subject or the object of the
clause? object
Can you omit the relative pronoun in this sentence? yes
13. The man that I met has been married twice.
What is the relative clause? that I met
What is the relative pronoun? that
What noun does the relative pronoun refer
to? the man
Rewrite the relative clause using the noun: I met the man
Is the relative pronoun the subject or the object of the
clause? object
Can you omit the relative pronoun in this sentence? yes
14. Gerry works for a
company that makes typewriters.
What is the relative clause? that makes typewriters
What is the relative pronoun? that
What noun does the relative pronoun refer
to? a company
Rewrite the relative clause using the noun: a company
makes typewriters
Is the relative pronoun the subject or the object of the
clause? subject
Can you omit the relative pronoun in this sentence? no
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