Lesson 2 Keeping up with technology 3 Grammar builder: gerunds
Language help Many students are unsure how to tell if a word ending in -ing is a gerund or a verb form. If this is true of your students, tell them that the test is to try to replace the word with a pronoun. If this is possible, e.g. I enjoy walking / I enjoy it, the word is a gerund. If the new sentence does not make sense, e.g. I heard him laughing. / I heard him it, the word is not a gerund.
3a
Explain to the students that gerunds are nouns made with the -ing form of a verb, and read the example. Elicit further sentences containing gerunds and write them on the board. Explain that gerund phrases can be formed using a gerund and other words. Draw the students’ attention to the example, pointing out that the subject of the sentence is a gerund phrase, which is underlined. Check their understanding by asking What is a problem right now? (Storing energy in batteries.) Have the students read the other sentences and underline the gerund phrase in each. Check answers. Again, check understanding by asking questions that elicit the gerund phrases.
4 Reading and speaking 4a
Put the students into pairs. Have Student A read the statements in column A and Student B read the statements in column B. Have them cover their partner’s statements. Explain that they are going to discuss whether they agree or disagree with each other’s statements. Invite two students to take the parts of A and B and read the example conversation aloud. Ask the students what they might say if they agreed with the statement. Elicit several examples and write the best ones on the board, e.g. Yes, you’re right. People improve your life. You can live without computers, but you can’t live without people. Have the students take turns reading a statement from their column. The other student should respond, saying whether they agree or disagree and why. Students should then extend the discussion as far as they can. Allow time for students to complete the activity, and then have some pairs report back to the class.
ANSWERS: 2 Travelling by ZEV 3 Using a portable computer 4 creative thinking
3b
Explain that we often use gerunds after prepositions. Illustrate this by writing an example on the board, e.g. I’m thinking of getting a new mobile phone. Tell students to use one preposition and one gerund from the boxes to complete the sentences. Point out that they need to use each preposition and gerund once.
Alternative: Before students complete the sentences, you could focus on the verbs that precede the prepositions in them. Have the students match each verb with a preposition before they select the correct gerund e.g. depend on. Check answers. ANSWERS: 1 on knowing 2 of ignoring 3 in watching 4 for meeting 5 at preventing
Workbook D
Have your students work through the exercises on pages 36 and 37. Answers on page 83.
3c
Draw the students’ attention to the example, where the noun has been replaced by a gerund phrase. Have the students replace the underlined nouns in the remaining sentences with gerund phrases. Check answers. ANSWERS: 2 Working at night 3 Living in a city / cities 4 developing technology
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Unit 6
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12/04/2013 16:38