Mixed Constructions

Mixed constructions occur when sentence parts don’t logically fit together (Langan & Goldstein, 2011, p. 201).  They can be corrected by either turning the first part of the sentence into a subject or turning the second part of the sentence into a complete thought.

Examples:

Mixed: By running four times a week helped me get ready for the marathon.

Fixed: Running four times a week helped me get ready for the marathon.

Mixed: Just because you did your chores does not automatically give you permission to play with your friends.

Fixed: Just because you did your chores, you do not automatically get permission to play with your friends.

These groups of words lead to mixed constructions:

• is when

• is where

• reason is because

Because is and other “being” verbs are linking verbs, they must be followed by a noun not words like where, when, and because (Langan & Goldstein, 2011, p. 201).

Teaching Resources:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=U6YdPMt6EV0

This video begins by reviewing basic sentence structure.  Lots of examples and color coding are provided to make concepts clearer.  Mixed constructions are introduced around the three minute mark.  The speaker talks very clearly and slowly.  This video would be most appropriate middle or high school students.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=97FrhfiPHLk

Walden University’s writing center produced this video.  It is short, but provides many examples.  It would be most appropriate for high school age students or even college students.

http://www.srjcwritingcenter.com/clearsentcs/mixedcnst/mixedcnst.html

At this link, you’ll find a self-paced interactive lesson students can complete independently.  Again, the target audience is a bit older, as the lesson was created by a college writing center.

"Documented"

Watch this trailer for the film "Documented."  There are approximately 11 million undocumented immigrants in America.  Simply powerful. 

Homonyms

This simple video introduces the concept of homonyms via song.  Each group of homonyms is discussed using both words, pictures, and definitions, making this video especially helpful for ELLs. 

The Birth of a Word

In this video, MIT researcher Deb Roy gives a TED Talk on the influence of social environments on language acquisition.  Watch as Roy explains his research on the three years worth of audio and video he captured after bringing his son home from the hospital.  Powerful!  

Commas, Commas, Commas

Looking for a way to help you ELs master the use of the comma?

Check out these resources:

This video is a great review of general comma rules.  Key words are highlighted and concepts are paired with picture clues to support comprehension.  The video also covers common comma errors.  It would be most appropriate for middle school or high school students.

This video reviews using commas to separate items in a series.  The review is done via a silly song that elementary-age kids would enjoy.  The video would be especially helpful for ELLs because it utilizes a red arrow to really draw the viewer’s attention to the use and placement of each comma in the examples.

Using sentence strips and macaroni noodles as commas is another hands-on way to practice utilizing this punctuation mark!

Do you have any strategies to share?  Post them in the comments below.

Subject-Verb Agreement

Subject-verb agreement may be a difficult concept for ELLs to master because in some languages, the rules are reversed in English. For example, in Standard English one correctly says, "You need water." In Spanish, "Tu necesitas agua" means the same thing. (Notice the addition of the "s" on the verb.)

The video linked in this posting reviews the basics of subject-verb agreement.  It also includes some "tricky" subject-verb agreement scenarios.  The presenter speaks slowly, the audio is matched with text on the screen, and color coding is used to make the information easier to digest.  Additionally, a transcript of the video is provided in the comments, making it especially helpful for ELLs.

This article presents several instructional strategies for teaching subject-verb agreement.  This first activity outlined in the piece is my favorite because it incorporates movement.  Students are asked to describe a physical activity "in progress."

Do you have any suggestions for teaching subject-verb agreement?  Share them in the comments!