Part C: Functional language

If I were you, I’d try to get out more Functional language

Meaning Giving advice

(statements of meaning)

Clarification of meaning:
(CCQs that check statement of CCQ 1: Is this advice or request? Advice
meaning/timelines/diagrams/personalised CCQ 2: Is this a real or imagined situation?
examples and questions) Imagined
Give the expected answers to any questions
used.
Form If I were you, I’d + bare infinitive
(each part of the sentence in bold needs to
be broken down)
NB: this can include spelling!
Pron: • •
(these could include weak forms, stress, Sentence stress: If I were you, I’d try to get
linking and problems sounds using out more
phonemics)
Contraction of would to ‘d.

Anticipated problems Meaning: Students might have difficulty in

(with meaning, form AND pronunciation – at realizing that “ If I were you” is used
least one example of each) idiomatically to express advice.
Students might think it is about the past.

Form: Confusion of contracted “I’d” as “I

had”, not “I would”. Students might avoid
using “I were” and use “I was” instead.

Pronunciation: - Students might stress the

weak forms
• •
(e.g. If I were you, I’d try to get out more)
References used:
Parrott, M. (2010) Grammar for English
Language Teachers (2nd Edition). Cambridge:
CUP.