Tuesday 29 September 2009

past tense, future perfect

Right, every learner is a unique human being and he or she brings into classroom all of those magnificent things about him or her, but I can’t resist the temptation of trying to divide these unique creatures I meet into certain categories. I wonder where you would place yourself, if you were asked to.

ELEMENTARY FOREVER – always chooses the safe beginner path. The one who starts everything from scratch, hoping this time he/she’ll get it right. Never beyond simple present and continuous, with the tendency to use them even while talking about what he/she did two years ago. At the point of departure, already left with no self-confidence.

INTERMEDATE EVER AFTER – he/she thinks his/her English is not so good ("It probably might be better, but somehow, it’s clumsy and probably predestined to remain so"). She/he knows present perfect and has heard everything about it, but when it comes to use it, she/he always ponders: “is that the right moment?” Usually the answer is “yes!” and present perfect pops up in every sentence, just in case, to impress the teacher.

Has anybody seen an upper-intermediate? – this category is most often blank. In language schools, learners are labeled upper-intermediate because nobody knows what to do with them once they’ve completed the “intermediate” level.

How advanced am I? – He/she knows they know much. They have heard of most of the structures and can use them. But what worries them most of all is the question: “am I advanced enough?” Relax, take it easy, learn vocab, learn about the world in English, too – they should be reassured.

And last, but not least, there is a Student Always Wanted. A SAW knows learning is a process. A SAW knows he has already learnt something and is ready to ask for more. A SAW can say why he/she wants to learn and motivation is 75 % success.

A SAW is open-minded and believes in, as Zadie Smith wrote in her White Teeth, “past tense, future perfect”. What you expect is, most often, where you end up.

him or her [lub him/her], he or she - the politically correct way to refer to an individual regardless of sex
resist the temptation - oprzec się pokusie
path /pa:θ/- ścieżka, droga
start from scratch /skræt∫/- zaczynać od nowa, od zera
the point of departure - punkt wyjścia
self-confidence - wiara w siebie
clumsy - niezgrabny
is predestined to - jest mu przeznaczone
ponder - rozmyslać
pop up - pojawiać się
blank - pusty
label - etykietować, szufladkować
vocab=vocabulary

and remember that
a saw /so:/ means also: piła
and tense means also - napięty, "past tense" tutaj: przeszłość pełna napięć

2 comments:

  1. 'past tense, future perfect': such discoveries really appeal to me, to find something fresh in a phrase, (or anything else really) that is so worn that nobody notices it anymore. Do you have that book of Ms Zadie's? Or, perhaps I should not ask as I have time to read only when bedridden...

    thanks

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  2. Yes, I've got the book, it abounds in humour - a pleasure to read in English. I'll lend it to you only if you promise not to ride your bike while reading;)

    ReplyDelete