- •Topic 1: General Account of the Grammatical Structure of the English Language under Theoretical Analysis
- •1.2. Basic notions of the grammatical description: grammatical form, grammatical meaning, paradigm, grammatical category
- •1.Pick out the word forms with common grammatical meaning to create appropriate grammatical categories. Do they correspond to the English variants?
- •2.Analyse the following pairs of words. What grammatical devices are used to denote grammatical meanings? Figure out cases in English:
- •3.Which grammatical categories are made up by the paradigm of the given grammatical forms?
- •1.3. Classification of words into parts of speech
- •1.Provide a suitable context to figure out the parts of speech these words belong to:
- •2.Recognize the following words as notional or structural parts of speech. Consider the grammatical form, lexical meaning and syntactical function (make up a phrase):
- •2.1. Categorial meaning, division of nouns into subclasses
- •1.Translate into Russian. Match the nouns with the items in the list: common, proper, abstract, collective, mass:
- •2.Think of the English equivalents to the given nouns. Recognise their subclasses:
- •Revision tasks for self-control
- •2.2. Grammatical categories of the noun: number
- •1.Make up if possible singular and plural of the nouns. Compare them with the corresponding English word forms:
- •2.Supply a predicate in the singular or the plural as appropriate to the nouns used as subjects:
- •2.3. Grammatical categories of the noun: Case
- •1.Point out the grammatical content of the inflectional Genitive; translate into Russian:
- •2.Analyse the meaning of the ‘of-Genitive’. What are the corresponding Russian word forms? Do possible substitutions for ‘s-inflection:
- •3.Choose the correct case form in English. Note appropriate transformations in the translation:
- •Revision tasks for self-control
- •3.1. Categorial meaning, grammatical forms and classes of the Verb
- •1.Point out notional and structural verbs:
- •2.Identify the verbs as stative, dynamic, transitive, intransitive:
- •3.Find phrasal verbs, identifying them as transitive/intransitive, separable/inseparable. Think of both grammatical and lexical differences:
- •4.Match modal verb forms in accordance with the given meanings: ability, possibility, probability, logical assumptions, permission, necessity, obligation, duty, prohibition:
- •Revision tasks for self-control
- •Finite versus non-finite verb forms
- •1.Name the grammatical categories in which the verbals differ:
- •2.Consider different functions of the infinitive:
- •3.Consider different functions of the gerund:
- •4.Consider different functions of the participle:
- •5.Point out verbal constructions:
- •Revision tasks for self-control
- •3.3. Grammatical categories of the verb: tense, taxis, aspect
- •1.What time (present, past, future) does the process denoted by the verb refer to?
- •2.Consider the following oppositions and account for the difference between the verb forms belonging to Continuous / Non-Continuous, Perfect / Non-Perfect:
- •3.Translate into English. Match the verb forms with the meanings indicating:
- •Revision tasks for self-control
- •3.4. Grammatical categories of the verb: voice
- •1.Make as many active – passive transformations as possible:
- •2.Rewrite the following passages into Passive; wherever necessary translate into English:
- •3.Translate into English. Put the Passive voice wherever necessary:
- •3.5. Grammatical categories of the verb: mood
- •1.How do the underlined verbs differ grammatically? Is there difference in person? number? mood? tense? aspect? taxis? voice?
- •2.Match English and Russian verb forms of the Subjunctive in accordance with the given meanings; Work them out in the given sentences:
- •3.Think of possible similarities and differences in the choice of conjunctions:
- •4.Transform the situations by using the sentences with the Subjunctive Mood; recognize unreal meanings:
- •5.Translate into English. Are the verb forms equal? What is preferable in formal and informal speech?
- •Revision tasks for self-control
- •4.1. General remarks on syntactic problems
- •4.2. Syntagmatic connections in word-groups: types of syntactic relations
- •4.3. Syntactic relations and ways of their expression
- •1.Determine the type of syntactic relations between the components of word-phrases. Translate either into Russian or English:
- •2.Distinguish between the phrases; show differences in translation:
- •5.1. Predication, its types and expression
- •5.2. Classification of sentences: structural, semantic, communicative
- •1.Make difference between types of predication: explicit / implicit, single-headed / double-headed:
- •2.Point out structural types of sentences: one-member / two-member, extended / non-extended, complete / incomplete, simple / composite, quasi-sentences:
- •3.Distinguish between communicative types of sentences: declarative, interrogative, negative, exclamatory:
- •4.Consider semantic types of sentences: personal / impersonal, definite / indefinite, actual / relational / statal:
- •5.Look at the one-member Russian sentences and translate them into English:
- •5.3. Division of the sentence: principal vs secondary parts
- •1.Note the way how the predicative centre is formed in the English simple sentence; take care of inversion. Highlight different types of the predicate and the subject.
- •2.Point out the forms of secondary parts of a sentence, with a special focus on possible Russian equivalents:
- •6.1. Features of a composite sentence
- •6.2. Complex sentence
- •6.3. Semi-complex sentence
- •6.4. Compound sentence
- •6.5. Semi-compound sentence
- •1.Pay attention to the form of a subject and a predicate in clauses of composite sentences, highlighting logic focus on them. Translate into Russian:
- •2.In the given below semi-composite sentences point out cases of secondary predication, performing objective, attributive and adverbial function. Think of possible corresponding Russian variants:
- •3.Express the syntactic positions of subject, predicate, object, attribute and adverbial modifier by corresponding clauses, wherever possible:
- •4.Complete the structure of the semi-composite sentences, translating from Russian into English:
- •5.Translate into English; justify the choice either of a clause or a verbal construction:
- •Recommended literature
- •I. Engagement and comprehension activities:
- •1. Making predictions
- •2. Setting up expectations about the theme of the text
- •3. Making guesses about the author’s tone and intention
- •4. Deducing meaning and ideas
- •5. Making cross-cultural comparison
- •6. Vocabulary development
- •II. Activate activities:
- •2. Setting up expectations about thematic formation of the text
- •1. Do the following statements agree with the information given in the passage?
- •2. Reassemble sequences of lines to provide cohesion and coherence of the text in the form of a,b,c,d,e,f,g,h:
- •3. Scan the text for keywords and phrases essential to your understanding of the theme?
- •4. The author recognizes the fact that
- •5. Which of the sentences best summarizes what the text is about?
- •5. Making cross-cultural comparison
- •1. Think of the associations you have with the word ‘stress’.
- •2. Do the following statements reflect the author’s attitude to gender differences in stress response:
- •3. Make cross-cultural connections:
- •Indicating purpose:
- •III. Summarizing statements on the given reading passage :
- •IV. Conclusive remarks:
- •1.Pick out the word forms with common grammatical meaning to create appropriate grammatical categories. Do they correspond to the English variants?
- •2.Analyse the following pairs of words. What grammatical devices are used to denote grammatical meanings? Figure out cases in English:
- •3.Which grammatical categories are made up by the paradigm of the given grammatical forms?
- •1.Provide a suitable context to figure out the parts of speech these words belong to:
- •2.Recognize the following words as notional or structural parts of speech. Consider the grammatical form, lexical meaning and syntactical function (make up a phrase):
- •1.Translate into Russian. Match the nouns with the items in the list: common, proper, abstract, collective, mass:
- •2.Think of the English equivalents to the given nouns. Recognise their subclasses:
- •1.Make up if possible singular and plural of the nouns. Compare them with the corresponding English word forms:
- •2.Supply a predicate in the singular or the plural as appropriate to the nouns used as subjects:
- •1.Point out the grammatical content of the inflectional Genitive; translate into Russian:
- •2.Analyse the meaning of the ‘of-Genitive’. What are the corresponding Russian word forms? Do possible substitutions for ‘s-inflection:
- •3.Choose the correct case form in English. Note appropriate transformations in the translation:
- •Topic 3: Morphological Features of the Verb as Part of speech
- •1.Point out notional and structural verbs:
- •2.Identify the verbs as stative, dynamic, transitive, intransitive:
- •3.Find phrasal verbs, identifying them as transitive/intransitive, separable/inseparable. Think of both grammatical and lexical differences:
- •4.Match modal verb forms in accordance with the given meanings: ability, possibility, probability, logical assumptions, permission, necessity, obligation, duty, prohibition:
- •1.Name the grammatical categories in which the verbals differ:
- •2.Consider different functions of the infinitive:
- •3.Consider different functions of the gerund:
- •4.Consider different functions of the participle:
- •5.Point out verbal constructions:
- •1.What time (present, past, future) does the process denoted by the verb refer to?
- •2.Consider the following oppositions and account for the difference between the verb forms belonging to Continuous / Non-Continuous, Perfect / Non-Perfect:
- •3.Translate into English. Match the verb forms with the meanings indicating:
- •1.Make as many active – passive transformations as possible:
- •2.Rewrite the following passages into Passive; wherever necessary translate into English:
- •3.Translate into English. Put the Passive voice wherever necessary:
- •1.How do the underlined verbs differ grammatically? Is there difference in person? number? mood? tense? aspect? taxis? voice?
- •2.Match English and Russian verb forms of the Subjunctive in accordance with the given meanings; Work them out in the given sentences:
- •3.Think of possible similarities and differences in the choice of conjunctions:
- •4.Transform the situations by using the sentences with the Subjunctive Mood; recognize unreal meanings:
- •5.Translate into English. Are the verb forms equal? What is preferable in formal and informal speech?
- •4.2. Syntagmatic connections in word-groups: types of syntactic relations.
- •1.Determine the type of syntactic relations between the components of word-phrases. Translate either into Russian or English:
- •2.Distinguish between the phrases; show differences in translation:
- •Topic 5: Sentence as a predicative unit: structural, semantic, communicative aspects
- •Practical assignments
- •1.Make difference between types of predication: explicit / implicit, single-headed / double-headed:
- •2.Point out structural types of sentences: one-member / two-member, extended / non-extended, complete / incomplete, simple / composite, quasi-sentences:
- •3.Distinguish between communicative types of sentences: declarative, interrogative, negative, exclamatory:
- •4.Consider semantic types of sentences: personal / impersonal, definite / indefinite, actual / relational / statal:
- •5.Look at the one-member Russian sentences and translate them into English:
- •1.Note the way how the predicative centre is formed in the English simple sentence; take care of inversion. Highlight different types of the predicate and the subject;
- •2.Point out the forms of secondary parts of a sentence, with a special focus on possible Russian equivalents:
- •Topic 6: Composite sentence: types, clauses, connectors
- •1.Pay attention to the form of a subject and a predicate in clauses of composite sentences, highlighting logic focus on them. Translate into Russian:
- •2.In the given below semi-composite sentences point out cases of secondary predication, performing objective, attributive and adverbial function. Think of possible corresponding Russian variants:
- •3.Express the syntactic positions of subject, predicate, object, attribute and adverbial modifier by corresponding clauses, wherever possible:
- •4.Complete the structure of the semi-composite sentences, translating from Russian into English:
- •5.Translate into English; justify the choice either of a clause or a verbal construction:
- •Recommended literature
6. Vocabulary development
Before we go any further, it is important to distinguish type of language used in certain genre, socio-cultural conditions and style as individual peculiarity; a special role is played by the vocabulary in keeping particular register distinct with the purpose to convey ideas, give commentary, express critical opinion, etc.
Commonly, readers are supposed to record all the words and expressions they come across. However, extensive reading cannot be confined only to these procedures, mainly on account of the fact that command of English is not often sufficient enough to mark off the proper lexicon. Otherwise stated, reading could be considered as carrier of information that should be observed and attended to with subsequent performance around major topical points: if the reader manages to comprehend the text, he begins to understand the proper choice of words, thus acquiring the ability to use the vocabulary effectively to the best advantage. As long as we master reading comprehensively, we enlarge and diversify its lexical background: one is bound to familiarize oneself with the variety of expression, and therefore one’s own style improves subconsciously. Hence, elaboration of special techniques becomes a must and consists in separation of the text into ultimate meaningful arrangements enabling the reader to proceed step by step on the way to proper understanding. Clearly, the goal is not to offer a closed inventory of lexical items but to attract attention to existing association and interactive relationships between different specimens of English vocabulary. In this respect, it is possible to single out the following:
words of general language functioning, used both in every day situations and professional settings as a means of spoken and written interaction;
words of general scientific vocabulary, not specialized enough to become terms but occurring in formal context and registers - constituting thematic word maps
covering subject areas divided into Arts ( education, history, linguistics, politics, psychology, sociology), Commerce (economics, industrial relations, management, marketing, public policy), Law ( constitutional law, criminal law, family law, international law), Science ( computer science, biology, geography, ecology);
lexical items like terms of standard use identified with the conceptual foundation of some industries, sciences, professional areas and functions;
systematic organization of the vocabulary with the focus on associative/paradigmatic relations realized as derivatives, synonymic/antonymic series, pairs of general vs particular, sets of related items around topical areas; - and syntagmatic relations reproduced in recurrent patterns of lexical-phraseological collocation and syntactic colligation;
words with changed meaning (narrowing\widening) and innovative coinages recently having entered the lexicon to name a new concept, trend, procedure or approach and represented in modern reference books, glossaries, dictionaries as well electronic media; mainly, these are words and expressions questionable from the point of view of the user, requiring comment and explanation, taking into account range of connotations, positive or negative, emotional or neutral;
expressive variation in functional use embedded in metaphors and idioms as part of stylistic interplay.
Follow up tasks:
What does comprehension of the text imply in the view of its vocabulary?
Is it enough to record unknown words and expressions? Why?
Tell difference between words of general language use, words of general scientific vocabulary, terms of standard use, words with changed meaning.
In what subject areas can you make up certain word maps?
How are paradigmatic/syntagmatic relations realized in vocabulary organization?
What items of the vocabulary require special comments?
Reading strategies:
You may not understand every word in the passage, so guess the meaning from the context; if you have no idea – ask yourself if it contributes positive or negative meaning to the sentence.
If an unfamiliar word does not affect your understanding of the text, ignore it.
The more frequently unfamiliar words appear, the more important they are likely to be crucial for comprehension and you need to work out what it means from the general context of the text, words before or after the unknown word, phrases which expand or explain the meaning.
- Make a note of keywords/phrases and associated vocabulary.
Note that the keywords may not be written exactly in the same way; the corresponding item may contain substituted words or those with a similar meaning.
Recognize cases of substitution with the help of paraphrases fitting into the content.
Recognize groups of words with the same pattern, a similar pattern, a less recognizable patter.
When considering a word or phrase, distinguish them according to their function as parts of speech.
Remember about alternative ways of expressing the same meaning by synonyms, explanations or examples.
Focus on the words that link and relate ideas or emphasise the author’s point.
Study skills:
- guess unknown words and expressions from the context;
- deduce the meaning of unfamiliar lexical items by using analogy;
- recognize paraphrased meaning of common expressions;
- make inferences related to the writer’s choice of words;
- distinguish between literal and figurative language;
- deal with unfamiliar words in context.