Opening sentences (Modern Language Journal)
Generalization
”English is now widely established as the world language for
information exchange and communication.”
Definition
“Grammar, in the context of language education, tends to be
conceived as a series of syntactic rules where word order, lexical
choice, and morphological affixes affect the overall
wellformedness of sentences.”
Basic Formula for Sentence Definitions
Thing = General Class Plus Distinguishing Characteristics
T=G + (D1, D2, etc)
(from Writing Scientific English by John Swales )
Examples:
A clock is a device which measures time.
A school is a place where children learn to read and write.
Other Patterns:
Wheat is a grain used to make bread. (verb + ed)
A knife is an instrument for cutting things. (for verb+-ing )
Ice cream is a food product which consists of milk and sugar ,
(“wh-word + “s”)
Ice cream is a food product consisting of milk and sugar. (verb + ing)
A hybrid is a vehicle in which the power comes from an electric
motor and a gasoline engine. (preposition + wh-word).
A star is a planetary body with intense heat. (with + noun phrase).
Task:
With a partner or group:
head noun.
Write 5 basic definitions without the
EXPANDED DEFINITIONS
Simple definition plus:
Examples
Uses
Parts
History
Future predictions
LOVE IS
(Sentence Definitions)
Dictionary
(1) : strong affection for another arising out of kinship or personal
ties <maternal love for a child> (2) : attraction based on sexual
desire : affection and tenderness felt by lovers (3) : affection
based on admiration, benevolence, or common interests <love for
his old schoolmates> b : an assurance of love <give her my love>
Author
“Love is a preference of one person for another”.
Expansion? Love is patient. Love is kind. It is not jealous or
boastful. It is not arrogant or rude. Love does not insist on its own
way. Love bears all things, believe all things, hopes all things,
endures all things. Love never ends.