Monday 6 June 2011

Wagging the question, tagging the dog

You can tag the dog, but can you wag the question? Watch these two hilarious videos, and my question may become a little clearer. Reading Idioms Part 12 may also help.

UK version:


US version:


The main issue, as you've probably noticed, is that of question tags (in both versions). In the US version, one of the girls constantly mixes up idioms - this is difficult to understand if you don't know the idioms to begin with!

Either or both of these videos can be used with intermediate level upwards (even up to non-native teacher level) - you know your students, you judge. What I'd normally do is to play the video once. Hand out the script. Play the video again. Then, ask them to find and correct the mistakes. Check and explain. Later, discuss the making and correction of mistakes. Are they afraid/embarrassed to make mistakes? Do they feel people might laugh at them? Do they like being corrected by their teachers/peers? What are their most common errors? Why do they keep making them even though they realise it? Elicit methods from the class of  'tricks' they use to help them remember.

A quick explanation on question tags

We add these at the end of sentences to confirm what we are saying; it's like saying, 'Do you agree?' or 'Don't you think so?'. They're the equivalent of, for example, n'est-ce pas? in French and verdad? in Spanish.

The tag comprises of an auxiliary verb (or the verb 'be') and a pronoun:
    We've met before, haven't we?
    She's really gorgeous, isn't she?

Usually, a positive tag follows a negative sentence, and a negative tag follows a positive sentence:
    You don't know where I can find a locksmith, do you?
    You were supposed to be here at five o'clock, weren't you?

Notice that the tag agrees with the verb in the preceding sentence:
    She won't do it, will she? (modal auxiliary 'will')
   They were singing really well, weren't they? (past continuous with the past form of 'be' as a tag)

The verb 'have' sometimes causes confusion. As you may know, the British usually use 'have got' to talk about possession:
    Janet's got a really stunning voice.

We can only use the verb 'have' as a tag in this case.
    Janet's got a really stunning voice, hasn't she?

However, if we use 'have' as the main verb, both 'have' and 'do' are acceptable as tags:
    Janet has a really stunning voice, hasn't she?
    Janet has a really stunning voice, doesn't she?

Note the tag we usually use with 'I am':
    I'm clever, aren't I?

Or you may hear
    I'm clever, ain't I? (non-standard)

SCRIPT (UK VERSION)

Hi! Are we all on the same English course?
Oh yeah, how's it going?
Not bad, but sometimes I have trouble with grammar, isn't it?
Really?
Sometimes I spot on and other times I don't, aren't they?
I'm all right with my grammar; my problem is spilling.
Can't spill to save my loaf!
I have to rely on my spill chock on my compluter!
Well, don't worry about it too much.
I'm sure you'll be treated with a lot of understanding and COMPASSION!
All right!
I've got problems with my spilling not my herring!
She's got trouble with her punctuation, isn't it?
Yeah, sorry.
I sometimes put an explanation mark at the end by MISTAKE!
It's all right for you lot; I've got a very small vocabulary.
What's that like?
It's all right for you lot; I've got a very small vocabulary.
Sometimes I have trouble with my emphaasis.
Your emphaasis?
Yes. In variious different parts of my senteences.
In my job that can cause a lot of awkwordness.
What do you do?
I'm a speech theraapist.
A speech therapist who can't spike prifferly!
I'm surprised your boss hasn't sucked you!
It's all right for you lot; I've got a very small vocabulary.
Can I make a suurgestion?
Why don't you purchaase a dictionary? You'll save yourself a lot of embarraasment.
I know! We could all try studying together, isn't it?
How doesn't next week sounds?
GOOD IDEA!
It's all right for you lot...
SHUT UP!


SCRIPT (US VERSION)

Hey! Aren't we all on the same English course?
Oh yeah, how's it going?
Er, not bad, except that I sometimes have trouble with my grammar, isn't it?
I mean sometimes I perfect but other times I don't, won't they?
You see, I'm all right with my grammar; my problem is spelling.
I can't spell to save my loaf!
Yeah?
Yeah, I have to rely on my spell chock on my compluter!
Well, you know, look at it this way. You can lead a horse to water, but you can't eat it, too. You know what I'm saying?
No, no, not really.
Er...I think that she sometimes has trouble mixing metaphors, aren't she?
Yeah.
Sorry, guys. I'm always crying over spilt chickens before they're hatched.
It's all right for you all; I've got a very small vocabulary.
What's that like?
It's all right for you all; I've got a very small vocabulary.
That's ok. I have problems with my emphaasis.
Your emphaasis?
Yes. My emphaasis. On different parts of the sentances.
In my job that can cause a lot of awkwordness.
What do you do?
I'm a speech theraapist.
A peach therapist that can't spike prifferly!
I'm surprised your boss hasn't sucked you!
It's all right for you all; I've got a very small vocabulary.
Can I make a suurgestion?
Why don't you purchaase a dictionery? You'll save yourself a lot of embarraasment.
I'll tell you what. Why doesn't we all try studying together, isn't it?
How does next week sound, didn't we?
Brave idea!
Fabuulous!
Yeah, You give 'em an inch, it's worth two in the bush.
It's all right for you all...
SHUT UP! Isn't it?

The correct idioms are:

    You can give someone the opportunity, but you can't force him to take it.
    To want to have two things which are incompatible.

It's no good/use crying over spilt milk  or There's no point crying over spilt milk:
    It's no use getting upset over something that had happened but that cannot be undone.
Count one's chickens before they hatch:
    To imagine what you'd do with the results of something that hasn't been accomplished yet.

give someone an inch (and they’ll take a mile/yard):
    This refers to people who wants more and more of what is given to them.
a bird in the hand (is worth two in the bush):
    What you definitely have is far better than something which, although it could be better, is not guaranteed.

Related posts:

Ideas for using videos in the classroom

If you need the corrections to the text, email me.

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