X-Words
They’re everywhere!
Communication…
Good Communication…
GC = SI
Bad Communication…
“What we got here is a failure to communicate!”
Communication
Communication in English:
Requires an idea worth sharing
AND
Share it in a way that makes
sense to readers
“Readers want our pages
to look very much like
pages they have seen
before.” – Kurt
Vonnegut
Barriers to Clear Writing
What can we do?
X-word grammar is an attempt to
address this problem.
X-word grammar is a classroom
application of sector analysis
developed by linguist, Robert Allen.
Patterns vs. Rules
• It is not a prescriptive grammar, focusing on
rules.
• It’s a descriptive grammar making
observations about patterns of written English.
What is an X-word?
An X-word is any word that can begin a
Yes-No question in English.
Your list should look something like
this…
HAVE
DO
BE
MODAL
have
do
am
can
could
has
does
is
shall
should
had
did
are
will
would
was
ought to
must
were
might
may
Learn the X-Words
have
do
am
can
ought to
has
does
is
could
must
had
did
are
will
might
was
would
may
were
shall
should
Lesser Significance of Main Verbs
In combination with x-words, the main verb
occurs in only 3 forms:
base
Akiko can speak Spanish.
-ing
Akiko is speaking Spanish.
3rd form
(D-T-N)
Akiko has spoken Spanish for many years.
Find the X-words – Notice the Base
A. Adult students’ needs are constantly changing
B. Many students have worked all day.
C. The budgets are tight.
D. Students can focus better when routines are established.
E. Most classes involve guided discussion.
1. Commitment
F. Teachers should allow “think time” for the students. 2. Creativity
G. Has your class been a priority in your life?
3. Flexibility
H. She was teaching because she loved her job.
4. Humility
5. Listening
I. Commitment is modeled by the teacher.
6. Motivation
J. A lesson doesn’t work out like we had planned.
7. Organization
8. Patience
9. Professionalism
10. Sensitivity
X-Words Combine with Main Verbs in
Six Different Ways
DO
+
Base
(Simple)
MODAL
+
Base
(Modal)
HAVE
+
3rd (DNT)
(Perfect)
BE
+
-ing
(Progressive)
BE
+
3rd (DNT)
(Passive)
BE
+
(nothing)
(Descriptive)
Quick Review
•
•
•
•
How many X-Words?
How many families?
How many main forms of the verb?
How many basic patterns?
Now….
• How many jobs/uses of X-words?
Why are X-words significant for
learners?
1. Akiko can speak Spanish.
2. Peter is teaching grammar.
3. They have worked hard all year.
•YES/NO QUESTIONS
•NEGATIVE STATEMENTS
•FIND THE SUBJECT
•ADD MEANING
•ADD TENSE/TIME
•SHORT ANSWERS
•TAG QUESTIONS
Why are X-words significant for
learners?
1. Can Akiko speak Spanish?
2. Is Peter teaching grammar?
3. Have they worked hard all year?
Helpful Tool for Making Questions
Why are X-words significant for
learners?
1. Akiko can speak Spanish.
2. Peter is teaching grammar.
3. They have worked hard all year.
•YES/NO QUESTIONS
•NEGATIVE STATEMENTS
•FIND THE SUBJECT
•ADD MEANING
•ADD TENSE/TIME
•SHORT ANSWERS
•TAG QUESTIONS
Why are X-words significant for
learners?
1. Akiko can not speak Spanish.
2. Peter is not teaching grammar.
3. They have not worked hard all year.
Why are X-words significant for
learners?
1. Akiko can speak Spanish.
2. Peter is teaching grammar.
3. They have worked hard all year.
•YES/NO QUESTIONS
•NEGATIVE STATEMENTS
•FIND THE SUBJECT
•ADD MEANING
•ADD TENSE/TIME
•SHORT ANSWERS
•TAG QUESTIONS
Why are X-words significant for
learners?
1. Akiko can speak Spanish.
2. Peter is teaching grammar.
3. They have worked hard all year.
Why are X-words significant for
learners?
1. My friend Akiko can speak Spanish.
2. Peter’s grandfather is teaching grammar.
3. The men at this site have worked hard all year.
Why are X-words significant for
learners?
1. My friend Akiko can usually speak Spanish.
2. Peter’s grandfather is still teaching grammar.
3. The men at this site have never worked hard
this year.
Why are X-words significant for
learners?
1. Akiko can speak Spanish.
2. Peter is teaching grammar.
3. They have worked hard all year.
•YES/NO QUESTIONS
•NEGATIVE STATEMENTS
•FIND THE SUBJECT
•ADD MEANING
•ADD TENSE/TIME
•SHORT ANSWERS
•TAG QUESTIONS
Why are X-words significant for
learners?
Akiko can speak Spanish.
Akiko might speak Spanish.
Akiko may speak Spanish.
Akiko should speak Spanish.
Why are X-words significant for
learners?
1. Akiko can speak Spanish.
2. Peter is teaching grammar.
3. They have worked hard all year.
•YES/NO QUESTIONS
•NEGATIVE STATEMENTS
•FIND THE SUBJECT
•ADD MEANING
•ADD TENSE/TIME
•SHORT ANSWERS
•TAG QUESTIONS
Why are X-words significant for
learners?
1. Akiko can speak Spanish.
Akiko could speak Spanish.
2. Peter is teaching grammar.
Peter was teaching grammar.
3. They have worked hard all year.
They had worked hard all year.
Why are X-words significant for
learners?
1. Can Akiko speak Spanish?
2. Is Peter teaching grammar?
3. Have they worked hard all year?
•YES/NO QUESTIONS
•NEGATIVE STATEMENTS
•FIND THE SUBJECT
•ADD MEANING
•ADD TENSE/TIME
•SHORT ANSWERS
•TAG QUESTIONS
Why are X-words significant for
learners?
1. Can Akiko speak Spanish? Yes, she can.
2. Is Peter teaching grammar? No, he is not.
3. Have they worked hard all year? Yes, they have.
Why are X-words significant for
learners?
1. Akiko can speak Spanish.
2. Peter is teaching grammar.
3. They have worked hard all year.
•YES/NO QUESTIONS
•NEGATIVE STATEMENTS
•FIND THE SUBJECT
•ADD MEANING
•ADD TENSE/TIME
•SHORT ANSWERS
•TAG QUESTIONS
Why are X-words significant for
learners?
1. Akiko can speak Spanish, can’t she?
2. Peter is teaching grammar, isn’t he?
3. They have worked hard all year, haven’t they?
Which of the six basic patterns is it?
Group 1
1. My brother can ride a unicycle.
2. She should take a grammar class.
3. I would like to study Chinese.
MODAL + base
Modals
Group 2
1. She is reading Things Fall Apart.
2. He was trying to help.
3. I am telling the truth.
BE + -ing
Progressive
Group 3
1. She has lived in East Lansing for three
years.
2. Few of us had heard of x-words before.
3. They have decided to sell their house.
HAVE + 3rd
Perfect
Group 4
1. Two cars were stolen from the parking
lot.
2. Our apartment was painted last week.
3. These shoes are made in the USA.
BE + 3rd
Passive
Group 5
1. I love my monkey.
2. He speaks four languages.
3. She lived in Haiti for many years.
DO + base
Simple
Group 6
1. She is a doctor.
2. He was absent.
3. We are happy.
BE
+ (nothing)
Strong Be!
X-WORDS
BASIC VERB PATTERNS
MODAL + Base
Modal
HAVE
+ 3rd Form
Perfect
BE
+ ing
Progressive
BE
+ 3rd Form
Passive
DO
+ Base
Simple
BE
(+ nothing)
Descriptive
How to Teach X-Words
• Make a set of visual tools to use whenever the
need pops up.
languageguide.org
Little by Little
• Teach One Family
▫ Memorize Family Members
▫ Practice Making Questions and Negatives
 Use Manipulative Word Cards
▫ Answer Yes/No Questions
▫ Change the meaning or time
• Sing the List - Write the List
• Match the Verb Forms with the X-Words
• Make Negatives and Yes/No and Information ?
With a Small Reading Passage
•
•
•
•
Find the X-Words in specified sentences
Change these sentences to yes/no and negatives
Box the subject
Make an information question
(1) Montgomery is the capital of the US state
of Alabama.
(2) The 2010 census ranked Montgomery as the
second-largest city in Alabama.
(3) The city was incorporated in 1819, as a merger
of two towns on the Alabama River.
(4) Montgomery has been a major site of events in
the African-American Civil Rights Movement.
(5) Many military personnel are living in
Montgomery from Maxwell Air Force Base.
(6) Visitors may wish to tour the Hyundai Motor
Manufacturing plant.
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Montgomery,_Alabama
With a Small Listening Passage
• Make a scrambled sentence from the script.
• Make a scrambled question from the script.
• Make it…
▫
▫
▫
▫
Negative
Yes/No Question and Answer It.
Information Question.
Tag Question
• Identify…
▫ The X-word
▫ The X-Word’s job
▫ The Subject
The Question Word
The Main Verb
Any Hidden X-Words
Mathematical Combinations
They should have finished the repairs
yesterday.
MODAL
+
MODAL
+
Modal Perfect
base
HAVE +
have
+
3rd
3rd
You must be holding it wrong.
MODAL
MODAL
+
+
base
BE
be
Modal Progressive
+
+
-ing
-ing
It will be cleaned tomorrow.
MODAL
MODAL
+
+
Modal Passive
base
BE
be
+
+
3rd
3rd
She has been working overtime every
night this week.
HAVE
HAVE
+
+
3rd
BE
been
Perfect Progressive
+
+
-ing
-ing
All of your grades have been recorded.
HAVE
HAVE
+
+
Perfect Passive
3rd
BE
been
+
+
3rd
3rd
Our class was being observed by two
visitors.
BE
BE
+
+
-ing
BE
being
Progressive Passive
+
+
3rd
3rd
They may have been selling illegal
drugs.
MODAL
MODAL
+
+
base
HAVE
have
Modal Perfect Progressive
+
+
3rd
BE +
been +
-ing
-ing
It should have been cooked longer.
MODAL
MODAL
+
+
base
HAVE
have
Modal Perfect Passive
+
+
3rd
BE +
been +
3rd
3rd
Thank you for coming!
• And thanks to the X-Word group at TESOL 2012
for sharing their resources.
▫ (Peter Hoffman, Akiko Ota, Nadine Roya, and
Carlee Salas)
• And thanks to the folks who developed the XWord Wiki http://xwordgrammar.pbworks.com
▫ Richard Abend and friends
▫ Bonnie Hart and her Prezi on X-Word Grammar as
well as many other documents