English language study

Context and analysis of meaning/use

Anticipated problems with meaning/use

Concept questions

If I were you, I'd go to the doctor.

Target language: If I were you, I'd go

To offer suggestion or advice

Meaning

-Refers to the person is not feeling well.

-The person has been unwell for a length of time.

-The person has not gone to the doctor.

Context

Show picture of someone in bed with a thermometer. Elicit from SS student 'the person is not feeling good'

Show picture of a doctor, elicit advice from SS that if they were the sick person (pointing at the sick person and then the doctor) what would they do?

SS may confuse I'd i.e. I would with I had and vice versa.

SS may have difficulty grasping the idea of reflecting oneself (I) to another person (you)

SS may not be aware of the different conditional statements 0,1,2,3 and hence their implied meaning(s). In this instance, it is 2nd, hypothetical condition which will not happen at the time of speaking.

-Is the person feeling well? No

-Have they been unwell for a long time? possibly

-Has the person gone to the doctor? No

Analysis of form

Anticipated problems with form *

(+) If+ subject+past simple, subject+would+inifinitive to

(-) If I were you, I wouldn't go…

If+ subject+past simple, subject+wouldn't+inifinitive to

(?) Would you go to the doctor if you were me?

Would+subject+infitive to +if +subject+ past simple+subject?

Was/were for unlikely/impossible conditions causes much confusion:

SS students may be unwilling to create construction with I were

SS may experience difficulties in the modals and tenses used in this construction.

SS may confuse between was/were, and interchange were and was in all persons, such as If we was…

SS may omit the comma after the 'if clause'

SS may not know...