Past participle

[Vera-ann]

How do you help a group of Entry 1 students understand the rudiments of the past participle. (False beginners, but only taking lessons since Sept.2010)
Help!

 

[5jj]

How do you help a group of Entry 1 students understand the rudiments of the past participle. (False beginners, but only taking lessons since Sept.2010)
Help!

What do you want them to understand?

If it's the use, in the present perfect, then there is not a lot to understand. It's simply a form of the verb - and they are used to different forms by now, having encountered, for example, walk, walks, walking.

If it is the form, then that is very straightforward with regular verbs. You need to ensure the correct pronunciation of the -(e)d ending, but I am sure you know that. Irregular verbs, unfortunately, just have to be learnt.

If it's the combination with HAVE to form the present perfect, then they have also encountered combinations of auxiliary + main verb with the negative and interrogative of the present simple (DO) and the present progressve (BE).

Is there anything specific that is causing difficulty?

 

[BookAddict]

They can always use the verb "to be"
the book is/was written in English

or they can use it as adjective
a blocked road
a finished project

I do not really know, depends on what level your students are

 

[Tdol]

Also, what problems are they having with it so far and what is expected of them at Entry 1 level? (It's a long time since I was teaching in the UK and have forgotten what the various levels required)

 

[Vera-ann]

Thanks the first reply is brilliant ... why do simple things so complex on first viewing. I was stuck on the idea of explaing something beyond their capacity, but as you say they already know quite a lot of the concepts involved. In the end I used power point to demonstrate the use and compared it (as you said walk, walks, walking but with the past tense as well). I just have to devise some kind of work sheet where they can practice .... shouldn't be too difficult though. Thanks to you all.

 

[5jj]

Thanks the first reply is brilliant .