Assignment Cover Sheet
Grammar 1.…everything that has happened to us during the day.
Meaning
In this sentence has happened is used to talk about events in the past – but it is a
‘present’ tense. It is used to link the past to the present, focusing on the effect or
result at the time of speaking or writing.
Now
Past Future
X X X X XX
CCQs:
Did it happen at some time in past? Yes.
Do we know exactly when? No.
Form
Has + past participle (regular verb = base + ed)
that has + happened to us
This structure is referred to as the present perfect.
Has (he/she/it form of have)1 is an auxiliary verb and is followed by the main verb in
a past participle form.
Past participles may be regular or irregular.
Happened is a verb (past participle of happen) and is followed by a preposition to
(used for showing who experiences and action – in this sentence ‘us’)
Contractions are made with auxiliary verbs, and also with be and have when they are not
auxiliary verbs.
(e.g. she’s, he’s, it’s).
Pronunciation
… that has happened to us.
/ hæzˈhæp.ənd/
There is linking between that and has.
Sentence stress is placed on the pronoun that and the auxiliary verb has.
Anticipated problems and solutions
1. Problem: Students may use contractions and write ‘that’s happened to us’. They
may think that contractions can be used with has when they are auxiliary verbs.
Solution: Highlight that has is used as an auxiliary verb in this text.
2. Problem: Students may want to use simple past ‘that happened to us’ instead of
the present perfect thinking the event is past.
Solution: Use the timeline shown above.
References
1 Cambridge Academic Content Dictionary © Cambridge University Press
Leech, Geoffrey; Cruickshank, Benita; Ivanic, Roz. An A – Z of English Grammar &
Usage, Fifteenth Impression, 2016
Scrivener, Jim. Teaching English Grammar Macmillan Publishers Limited 2010
Parrott, Martin. Grammar for English Language Teachers Cambridge University Press,
2010
Lexis 1 We can put off sleeping for a limited period.
Meaning
To delay doing something, especially because you do not want to do it. 1
The phrasal verb in this sentence does not mean that you are literally moving the object.
Now Put off
CCQs:
Is it positive? No.
Do we want to do it? No.
Do we do it now? No.
Form
Put off is a phrasal verb which consists of verb + adverb + (object). The adverb in
this phrase changes the meaning of the verb.
put off + object
put off + sleeping
Pronunciation
We can put off sleeping for a limited period
/pʊt’ɒf /
Anticipated problems and solutions
Page 2 of 4
1. Problem: The adverb off can also be a preposition which can be confused with the
second word of a prepositional verb.
Solution: Highlight the form.
2. Problem: Students may pronounce off as /ɒv/ instead of /ɒf/
Solution: Do drilling exercises
3. Problem: Students might misspell the second word write ‘of’ instead of ‘off’
Solution: Elicit correct spelling and write the word on the board
References
1 Macmillan Dictionary, [Link]
Leech, Geoffrey; Cruickshank, Benita; Ivanic, Roz. An A – Z of English Grammar &
Usage, Fifteenth Impression, 2016
Grammar 2 …but sooner or later we have to sleep.
Meaning
When something is an obligation or necessity 1
Is an auxiliary verb meaning (used with the infinitive form of another verb) to need to
or be forced to; must: 2
CCQs:
Do we need to do it? Yes.
Can we avoid it? No.
Form
Have to + verb
we have to + sleep
Pronunciation
… we have to sleep.
/ˈhæv·tu/
There is linking between have and to.
Sentence stress is placed on the auxiliary verb have.
Anticipated problems and solutions
1. Problem: Students might mispronounce it as /ˈhæf·tu/ instead of /ˈhæv·tu/.
Solution: Have modelling or drilling exercises to correct the pronunciation. Write
on the board to show the difference in phonology.
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References
1 Leech, Geoffrey; Cruickshank, Benita; Ivanic, Roz. An A – Z of English Grammar &
Usage, Fifteenth Impression, 2016
2 Cambridge Academic Content Dictionary © Cambridge University Press
Lexis 2 …we suffer hallucinations, and eventually die.
Meaning
We use the adverb eventually to mean ‘in the end’, especially when something has
involved a long time, or a lot of effort or problems:
CCQs:
Is it positive? No.
Has it been happening for a long time? Yes.
Is it the beginning of something? No.
Is it in the past? No.
Form
Adverb + verb
and eventually + die
Pronunciation
and eventually die
/ɪˈven.tʃu.ə.li/
Anticipated problems and solutions
1. Problem: Students might mispronounce it as /eˈven.tʃu.ə.li/ instead of /ɪˈven.tʃu.ə.li/.
Solution: Show the difference in phonology and do speaking practices and drilling.
References
1 Cambridge Advanced Learner’s Dictionary & Thesaurus © Cambridge University Press
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