Feeling tense?Let’s go!

TENSESPast, present and future

Miss Kate. 30 April 2014

Activities in teams

What are some differences between US and British English? Brainstorm.

British English and American English

Point 1

British English speakers use the present perfect tense more than Americans do. A British teacher might mark wrong things that an American teacher would say are correct.

US Did you do your homework yet? Brit. Have you done your homework yet? US I already ate. Brit. I’ve already eaten. (possessive sense of ‘have’)

UK vs. US

http://learnenglish.britishcouncil.org/en/grammar-reference/british-english-and-american-english

DialogueTalk about preparing for an exam.Present to the class.

UK vs. USPoint 2

In British English:‘have got’ (UK) is often used for the possessive sense of ‘have’ (US)‘have got to’ (UK) is informally used for ‘have to’ (US)

I’ve got two sisters (UK) I have two sisters (US)

I’ve got to go now (UK) I have to go now (US)

http://learnenglish.britishcouncil.org/en/grammar-reference/british-english-and-american-english

ExerciseDiscuss who’s in your family with your group.Present to the class.

“I wish I was a little bit taller, I wish I was a baller, I wish I had a…”

Should be: I wish I were a little bit taller, I wish I were a baller, I wish I had a…”

‘Was’ vs. ‘Were’“If I were rich…” (hypothetical). "I wish I were more perceptive" or "I wish I was more perceptive"?e.g. “I wish I were more perceptive” (her sentence is wishful)Wishful sentences call for the subjunctive mood of the verb “to be”.

Verbs have moods just like you do. So, like many other languages, English has verbs with moods ranging from commanding to questioning and beyond. The mood of the verb "to be" when you use the phrase "I were" is called the subjunctive mood, and you use it for times when you're talking about something that isn't true or you're being wishful.If I were in charge, I would declare every Friday a holiday. If he were nicer, I wouldn't dislike him so much. If the ladder were taller, we could reach the cat.

When I am …I will / If I were …. I wouldExercise

Contrast and compare your lives and how you think they’d be different if you were British or American.Write: “If I were a British teenager, I …” or “If I were an American teenager, I…”

Or “If we were British teenagers, we…” or “If we were American teachers, we …”

‘me’ versus ‘I’Take the other person out of the equation

- Billy is taking me and Johnny to the movies ??- Billy is taking Johnny and I to the movies ??

Note: He wouldn’t take “I” to the movies, he’d take “me”Hint: remove the other person’s name to see if it’s correct.

Subject predicate disagreement “this person didn’t know what they were doing”[“s/he didn’t know what s/he was doing” – sing.][“they didn’t know what they were doing” – plur.]

DialogueYou need to tell your grandmother that you are going to go hiking with your friend.

She asks you 1. who will be going 2. How you and your friend will get backYou tell her3. You and your friend have the same birthday

SHORT VIDEO http://community.copypress.com/was-vs-were-and-me-vs-i-episode-one/

Still feeling ‘tense’?Check out the additional exercises in the supplementary file.