Quick ESL Writing Lesson: Using THE

This is a quick writing lesson that helps ESL students learn how to use the definite article in their writing.

First, here are five troublesome areas of writing where ESL students have some trouble using THE properly. These five areas come from the Bedford handbook.

WHEN TO USE THE IN WRITING

PART A Some simple rules.

1.  The noun was already mentioned in a previous sentence.

She is a carrying a bag. The bag is yellow.

2.  The clause that comes after the noun restricts the noun’s identity.

Please pass me the book on the TV.

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Fall 2013 Beginner ESL Conversation: Week 11

This is week 11 of the school semester.

Food and Cooking worksheet is here.

Activity Verbs

You will need to know these verbs when talking about hobbies. Here is a list of verbs and examples.

Different Kinds of Questions

Page 51 of the book is a pair work exercise. Here you have to make many different kinds of sentences. Here are some examples.

1. What (5 W’s)

  • What kind of cards do you collect?

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Fall 2013 Advanced Conversation Class: Week 10

Last week, we started to look at analogies. Let’s finish analogies this week. We will watch a few videos that make arguments with analogies. This will show us how analogies can be used to make very strong arguments. Then we will finish the analogy worksheets.

Here is the schedule for the rest of the semester:

Week 11, November 11 – case study analysis using fallacies

Week 12, November 18 – critical thinking test

Week 13, November 25 – oral presentations and quiz #2

Week 14, December 2 – review

Week 15, December 9 – make up week

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