ADVANCED PLUS

Lesson 1 5th September, 2016

Unit: Language and Communication Lesson 1
1. Warmer
Aim: discuss animals learning language
a. Look at the picture on the TV and answer the questions with a
partner.
1. What do you think is happening? How successful do you think it will be?
How do you think the woman and ape feel?
2. What kinds of things do you think the ape wants to communicate? What
kinds of things do you think the woman wants to the ape to
communicate?
3. What do you think the benefits of teaching animals language are for?
humans
animals
4. In what ways do you think this apes language learning experience is
similar / different to a humans?
b. Further discussion discuss the following questions:
1. In what other situations do humans and animals communicate with
each other?
2. Which animals are known for their ability to communicate well with
humans?
3. If you could converse with any animal, which one would it be? What
would you like to ask it?

2. Reading Second Language Learning

Aim: read and understand a text about why and how different
people learn languages
a. Pre-reading Do you agree with these statements about second
language learning? Why? Why not?
1. Its helpful to get feedback from native speakers.
2. New words are more memorable if you like the thing they describe.
3. Communicating in a different language makes you behave a bit
differently.
4. Grammar is a waste of time I dont even know it in my first language!
5. The biggest reward is being able to relate to people from another
culture.
6. Its possible to learn a language without writing anything down.
7. When youve learned one second language, its easier to learn another.

b. Read about four language learning experiences. Who might agree

with each of the statements in exercise 2a?
c. Read the texts again and discuss the questions.
1.
2.
3.
4.

Who do you think studies the most systematically?

Who do you think has/had the strongest motivation to learn? Why?
Whose language learning experience was the most challenging?
Which, if any, of the people do you relate to most?

3. Grammar Adverbs and Adverbial Phrases

Aim: use adverbs and adverbial phrases in their correct positions in
a sentence
a. Notice the highlighted adverbials in the texts. Add them to the lists
below. The first one is done for you.
1. Comment (used to express the speakers point of view): clearly,
apparently, actually, basically
2. Degree (used to make the meaning stronger or weaker): very, quite,
, , ,
, , .
3. Manner (used to say how): slowly, on foot, ,
, , .
4. Time: in the eighties, , .
5. Frequency: never, .
b. What position(s) can each adverbial take in these sentences? Which
adverbials change meaning in different positions?
1. a in the end
1,3 b eventually
1
2
I managed to hold a conversation in Japanese 3.
2. a extremely
1
I 2 found it 3 difficult.

b often

3. a frequently
b all the time
1
2
I made silly mistakes 3.
4. a slowly
b clearly
1
I 2 would like native speakers to speak to me 3.
5. a naturally
b well
1
2
Im quite envious of friends who can already speak the language 3.
c. Look at the sentences and complete the rules for the position of
adverbs.
1

I write very slowly.

Adverbials of manner, place, time

I live nearby so well be there

and frequency usually go at the

soon.

beginning / end of the clause, after the

We have a test every couple of

verb and object.

weeks.
I go there regularly.

Some single-word frequency adverbs

can also go at the beginning / end of

We didnt sleep well on those

the clause.
The usual order for adverbs at the end

airbeds last night.

of a sentence is:

! But: I came here on foot.

.
(place / manner / time) except when
the adverb of place is necessary to
complete the meaning of the verb.

I quickly decided to take the

Where there are two verbs, adverbs of

job.

manner go before / after the first verb

She made the effort to drive

or before / after the second verb,

carefully.

depending on which verb the adverb

Good exam results dont

modifies.
Adverbs of probability, certainty,

inevitably mean success in

frequency, and focus often take the

later life.

middle position. The adverb goes

Grammar is usually her weakest

before / after the main verb and usually

point.

before / after the first auxiliary or

She still practises her Japanese.

modal verb, or before / after be.

Many adverbs of frequency (never,
always, ever) and certain time adverbs

She practises her Japanese still.

(just, still) can only go in the middle

(spoken only)
Ill probably see you soon.

position / at the end.

Adverbs of certainty usually go before

She probably / definitely cant

/ after auxiliaries, but the go before /

hear you.

after contracted negative auxiliaries.

Obviously, he knows his

Comment and linking adverbs usually

grammar. However, he isnt as

go at the front / end of the clause,

fluent as hed like to be.

In London, there are plenty of

followed by a comma.
Adverbials of time, place and

jobs.

frequency can also go at the front /

Every so often I forget the word end when we want to set the scene or
1

for window in French.

Laura speaks German

change the focus.

Adverbials of degree go directly before

reasonably well but her French

/ after the word(s) they modify.

is a bit basic.
Luckily for you, Im in a good

Adverbs can be modified by phrases

mood.

with .

I drove here slowly by my

standards.

BE CAREFUL:
I dont really care. (= not much)
I really dont care. (= not at all)

I definitely wont come. (= no chance)

I wont definitely come. (= not sure)

Some adverbs have different meanings in different positions: amazingly,

strangely, naturally, clearly, fairly, reasonably,
Strangely, Kate speaks Chinese. (= surprisingly)
Kate speaks Chinese strangely. (= badly)
Clearly, you need to learn French if you want to live in France. (=
obviously)
The lines terrible, could you speak more clearly? (= (not) easy to
understand)
Naturally, he failed the exam he hadnt done any work! (= totally
normal and unsurprising)
Relax and try to behave naturally. (= in a normal way)
d. Tick the correct sentences. Correct the mistakes you found in the
remaining sentences.
1.
I am definitely thinking of going abroad, by the way.
2.

The secretary put abruptly the phone down. The secretary put the phone down
abruptly.

3.
4.
5.
6.
7.
8.
9.

10.
11.
12.

Presumably, your wife knows youve sold the car?

At the end of the walk, I was exhausted utterly.
The ambulance arrived on the scene within minutes.
I beforehand had had a nasty feeling.
That was the certainly best game so far.
You will find the bathroom downstairs on the left.
You have ignored repeatedly all my warnings.

She definitely wont resign. Shes undecided.

He wasnt behaving reasonably at all.
We decided to go by taxi home.

e. Add the words and phrases in brackets to each sentence.

first

1.
2.
3.
4.
5.
6.

So where did language come from? (first)

Well, funnily enough, we cant answer this question. (still)
Some of the theories are ridiculous. (simply)
It has been said that we copied the animal sounds. (even)
Language developed for a variety of reasons. (no doubt)
Our brains increased in size and we became more intelligent.

(dramatically, a great deal)

7. Also, unfortunately, we started working in groups to get more food. (for
other animals)

8. Group behaviour would have made the need for language essential.
(undoubtedly, absolutely)
9. We wont know the exact causes with any certainty. (probably, ever)
10.
What we can say is that the origins of language will fascinate us.
(always)

f. Use the adverbials in the box to describe an experience you have

had of learning a new skill, without naming the skill. Can you guess
what skill your partner is talking about?
in the beginning obviously

extremely

eventually
properly

clearly

incorrectly naturally

in

the end

Obviously, I was
hopeless in the
beginning.
In order to do it properly, you
have to concentrate on the
ball.

Playing a complete game

involved a lot of walking and I
was extremely tired
afterwards.