Learn tips on how to teach grammar and usage from our editors and grammar experts. 

Grammar & Usage

<p>Many words in the English language are easily confused because they&rsquo;re similar in sound or meaning. We&rsquo;ve examined many commonly confused words in the past. The words we&rsquo;ll look at today, while not as commonly used, are a set of terms that appear in context in our latest <a href="https://ellii.com/courses/82/lessons" target="_blank">Famous Things</a> lesson on <a href="https://ellii.com/courses/82/lessons/2764" target="_blank">The Supreme Court (US)</a>. Let&rsquo;s take a closer look at how these two words differ in&nbsp;usage.</p>

<h1>Quick Tip</h1>

<p>In a nutshell, <em>confirm</em> is fairly common and means to validate the truth about something (e.g., She <strong>confirmed</strong> the gossip when she announced she was pregnant). <em>Affirm</em> is much less common and means to say something with a strong conviction (e.g., During her speech, she <strong>affirmed</strong> her commitment to making the school more environmentally&nbsp;friendly).</p>

<h1>Confirm</h1>

<table>
	<tbody>
		<tr>
			<th>Type:</th>
			<td>The verb <em>confirm</em> is transitive (meaning it takes a direct&nbsp;object).</td>
		</tr>
		<tr>
			<th>Meaning:</th>
			<td>The most common meaning of <em>confirm</em> is &ldquo;to give approval or validity to something.&rdquo; It is used for both positive and negative&nbsp;situations.</td>
		</tr>
		<tr>
			<th>Synonyms:</th>
			<td>authenticate, corroborate, substantiate, validate,&nbsp;verify</td>
		</tr>
		<tr>
			<th>Examples:</th>
			<td>
			<ul>
				<li>The attack <strong>confirmed</strong> her worst fears about the neighborhood. (<a href="https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/confirm" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank"><em>Merriam-Webster</em></a>)</li>
				<li>The truth was reluctantly <strong>confirmed</strong> by the Pentagon after news reports corroborated the evidence. (<a href="https://en.oxforddictionaries.com/definition/confirm" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank"><em>Oxford</em></a>)</li>
			</ul>
			</td>
		</tr>
	</tbody>
</table>

<h3>Use in Law</h3>

<p>Unlike <em>affirm</em>, <em>confirm</em> isn&#39;t used that often in law. In legal contexts, <em>confirm</em> means &quot;to give approval to, to ratify&quot;&nbsp;(<em>Merriam-Webster</em>). The following is an example from <a href="https://www.cnn.com/2018/06/28/politics/senate-supreme-court-guide/index.html" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank"><em>CNN Politics</em></a>:</p>

<blockquote>
<p>Supreme Court Justice Anthony Kennedy announced his retirement Wednesday, and almost immediately the US Senate was launched into the national spotlight as it&#39;s the legislative body that will formally <strong>confirm</strong> whoever the next justice will&nbsp;be.</p>
</blockquote>

<h1>Affirm</h1>

<table>
	<tbody>
		<tr>
			<th>Type:</th>
			<td>The verb <em>affirm</em> can be transitive (meaning it takes a direct object) or intransitive (meaning it doesn&rsquo;t take a direct&nbsp;object).</td>
		</tr>
		<tr>
			<th>Meaning:</th>
			<td>The most common meaning of <em>affirm</em> is &ldquo;to assert or state positively.&rdquo; It is usually used for positive&nbsp;situations.</td>
		</tr>
		<tr>
			<th>Synonyms:</th>
			<td>assert, avow, declare,&nbsp;protest</td>
		</tr>
		<tr>
			<th>Examples:</th>
			<td>
			<ul>
				<li>They neither <strong>affirmed</strong> nor denied their guilt. (<a href="https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/affirm" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank"><em>Merriam‑Webster</em></a>)</li>
				<li>That means any two people who are not already married can publicly and formally <strong>affirm</strong> their commitment to each other. (<a href="https://en.oxforddictionaries.com/definition/affirm" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank"><em>Oxford</em></a>)</li>
			</ul>
			</td>
		</tr>
	</tbody>
</table>

<h3>Use in Law</h3>

<p><em>Affirm</em> is frequently used in legal contexts. As a transitive verb, <em>affirm</em> means &ldquo;to assert (something, such as a judgment or decree) as valid or confirmed&rdquo; (<em>Merriam‑Webster</em>). As an intransitive verb, it means &ldquo;to testify or declare by affirmation as distinguished from swearing an oath&rdquo; or &ldquo;to uphold a judgment or decree of a lower court&rdquo; (<em>Merriam‑Webster</em>). The following example is from <a href="http://guides.library.ubc.ca/legalcitation/cases" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank"><em>UBC Legal Citation&nbsp;Guide</em></a>:</p>

<blockquote>
<p>Further, you will want to let the reader know if the Court of Appeal decision is <strong>affirming</strong>/reversing the earlier decision and whether the Court of Appeal decision was <strong>affirmed</strong>/reversed by the Supreme Court of&nbsp;Canada.</p>
</blockquote>

<h1>Confirmation</h1>

<p>The noun <em>confirmation</em> describes the act of confirming something (e.g., The doctor&rsquo;s note provided the teacher with the required <strong>confirmation</strong>). It can also be used for a religious ceremony (where practitioners receive full church&nbsp;membership).</p>

<p>In law, it means &ldquo;the ratification of an executive act by a legislative body&rdquo; (e.g., the <strong>confirmation</strong> of a Supreme Court nominee), as defined by <em>Merriam‑Webster</em>.</p>

<h1>Affirmation</h1>

<p>The meaning of the noun <em>affirmation</em> that is most commonly used is that of a positive message or daily mantra. An example of an affirmation from this article, called <a href="https://www.huffingtonpost.com/dr-carmen-harra/affirmations_b_3527028.html" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">35 <strong>Affirmations</strong> That Will Change Your Life</a> (<em>Huffington Post</em>), is: &ldquo;I am the architect of my life; I build its foundation and choose its contents.&rdquo; <em>Affirmation</em> can also mean the act of affirming&nbsp;something.</p>

<p>In law, it means &ldquo;a formal declaration by a person who declines to take an oath,&rdquo; according to&nbsp;<em>Oxford</em>.</p>

<h1>Related Resources</h1>

<ul class="resources">
	<li class="lesson"><a href="https://ellii.com/courses/82/lessons/2764" target="_blank">The Supreme Court</a>&nbsp;(lesson)</li>

	<li class="blog-post"><a href="https://ellii.com/blog/6-commonly-confused-word-pairs" target="_blank">6 Commonly Confused Word Pairs</a>&nbsp;(blog&nbsp;post)</li>
</ul>


Confirm Vs. Affirm

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<p>Words with similar meanings and subtle usage differences can really confuse our students. We&rsquo;ve already examined the differences between <a href="https://ellii.com/blog/see-look-watch">see, look, and watch</a> in a previous post, and now we&rsquo;ve received a request to explain the differences between <strong>hear</strong> and <strong>listen</strong>. Let&rsquo;s take a closer&nbsp;look!</p>

<h1>Overview</h1>

<p>Here are the general rules for these two&nbsp;verbs:</p>

<table class="has-borders">
	<thead>
		<tr>
			<th>#</th>
			<th>Rule</th>
			<th>Example</th>
		</tr>
	</thead>
	<tbody>
		<tr>
			<td>1</td>
			<td>Use&nbsp;<em>hear</em> for <strong>instant</strong>&nbsp;actions.</td>
			<td>I hear a loud noise&nbsp;outside.</td>
		</tr>
		<tr>
			<td>2</td>
			<td>Use&nbsp;<em>listen</em> for <strong>longer</strong>&nbsp;actions.</td>
			<td>She is listening to the&nbsp;radio.</td>
		</tr>
	</tbody>
</table>

<p>Now let&rsquo;s look at these verbs in more&nbsp;detail.</p>

<h1>Hear</h1>

<p><em>Hear</em> is classified as a non‑action (stative) verb because it happens in that instant only. It is one of the &ldquo;five senses&rdquo; verbs that also include <em>see</em>, <em>smell</em>, <em>taste</em>,&nbsp;and&nbsp;<em>feel</em>.</p>

<ul>
	<li>I <strong>hear</strong> a police siren&nbsp;nearby.</li>
	<li>You don&rsquo;t have to yell. I can <strong>hear</strong>&nbsp;you.</li>
	<li>Did you <strong>hear</strong> that loud&nbsp;crash?</li>
</ul>

<p>We normally don&rsquo;t use progressive forms with non-action&nbsp;verbs.</p>

<ul class="resources">
	<li class="correct">I <strong>hear</strong> a dog&nbsp;barking.</li>
	<li class="incorrect">I <strong>am hearing</strong> a dog&nbsp;barking.</li>
</ul>

<h1>Listen</h1>

<p><em>Listen</em> is classified as an action (active) verb. We can use <em>listen</em> for short or long periods of time. Progressive forms are common with this verb. <em>Listen</em> is often followed by the preposition&nbsp;&ldquo;to.&rdquo;</p>

<ul>
	<li>They <strong>are listening</strong> to their teacher talk about&nbsp;grammar.</li>
	<li>He <strong>listened</strong> to the first five minutes of the&nbsp;podcast.</li>
	<li>We <strong>have been listening</strong> to the news all&nbsp;morning.</li>
</ul>

<h1>Tip</h1>

<p>Point out that <em>listen</em> is usually followed by a preposition (such as <em>to</em> or <em>for</em>), whereas <em>hear</em> is&nbsp;not.</p>

<ul>
	<li>I am listening <strong>to</strong> my&nbsp;playlist.</li>
	<li>We listened <strong>for</strong> the&nbsp;bell.</li>
	<li>I hear something.</li>
</ul>

<h1>Exceptions</h1>

<h2>Exception #1</h2>

<p>When giving instructions or commands (using imperative verbs), we use <em>listen</em>, not <em>hear</em>, even though we expect the action to happen in that&nbsp;instant.</p>

<ul>
	<li><strong>Listen</strong> to me! You&rsquo;ll fail if you don&rsquo;t study&nbsp;harder.</li>
	<li><strong>Listen</strong>, that&rsquo;s not what I&nbsp;said.</li>
	<li><strong>Listen</strong> up! We only have 20 minutes to finish our&nbsp;project!</li>
</ul>

<h2>Exception #2</h2>

<p><em>Hear</em> is not usually followed by a preposition, but we can use &ldquo;hear about&rdquo; to introduce a topic. The topic is often news or gossip and can be positive or&nbsp;negative.</p>

<ul>
	<li>Did you <strong>hear about</strong> the big train accident?</li>
	<li>I <strong>heard about</strong> her award. That&rsquo;s great&nbsp;news!</li>
</ul>

<h2>Exception #3</h2>

<p><em>Hear</em> does not usually take a progressive <span class="inlineBlock">(-ing)</span> form, but we can use it for emphasis, especially when we&rsquo;re&nbsp;angry.</p>

<ul>
	<li>Why <strong>am</strong> I only <strong>hearing</strong> about this now? You should have told me&nbsp;before!</li>
</ul>

<h1>Related Resources</h1>

<ul class="resources">
	<li class="lesson"><a href="https://ellii.com/courses/88/lessons/1593">Simple Present Vs. Present Progressive</a></li>
	<li class="blog-post"><a href="https://ellii.com/blog/simple-present-vs-present-progressive">Simple Present Vs. Present Progressive</a></li>
	<li class="resource"><a href="https://ellii.com/resource_categories/grammar-usage/resources/2329-non-action-verbs-exceptions">Non-Action Verbs &amp; Exceptions</a></li>
	<li class="blog-post"><a href="https://ellii.com/blog/non-action-verbs-exceptions">Non-Action Verbs &amp; Exceptions</a></li>
	<li class="blog-post"><a href="https://ellii.com/blog/see-look-watch">Commonly Confused Verbs: See, Look, Watch</a></li>
</ul>


Commonly Confused Words: Hear Vs. Listen

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<p>Why do some verbs in English have two different ways of spelling the past and/or past participle forms? Forms such as <a href="https://ellii.com/blog/got-vs-gotten" target="_blank">Got Vs. Gotten</a>, <a href="https://ellii.com/blog/learned-vs-learnt" target="_blank">Learned Vs. Learnt</a>, <a href="https://ellii.com/blog/lay-vs-lie-lets-lay-this-matter-to-rest" target="_blank">Laid Vs. Lain</a>, and <a href="https://ellii.com/blog/hanged-vs-hung" target="_blank">Hanged Vs. Hung</a> differ because of region, meaning, or usage. What about the forms <em>sneaked</em> and <em>snuck</em>? The answer isn&#39;t so&nbsp;simple!</p>

<h1>To Sneak or Not to&nbsp;Sneak</h1>

<p>The verb <em>to sneak</em> is&hellip;well&hellip;sneaky! No one knows exactly when or how this verb came into being. Shakespeare seems to have been the first person to record it in writing back in 1596 and again in 1605. Back then, the past and past participle forms were clearly <em>sneaked</em>, which gave us <em>sneak&ndash;sneaked&ndash;sneaked</em> (similar to <em>leak&ndash;leaked&ndash;leaked</em>).</p>

<h1>It Snuck Up on&nbsp;Us</h1>

<p>The origins of the past tense and past participle form <em>snuck</em> are equally mysterious. The first documented use was in America in 1902, and early usage suggests that it was a form used by the uneducated rural class. However, there are no other verbs with the endings <span class="inlineBlock">-eak</span> or <span class="inlineBlock">-eek</span> that take <span class="inlineBlock">-uck</span> as the past form, so it&rsquo;s strange that <em>snuck</em> even exists at&nbsp;all.</p>

<h1>Historically Sneaking</h1>

<p>From its infrequent and underprivileged roots, <em>snuck</em> started being used much more frequently in the US and Canada in the 1950s. Nowadays, <em>sneaked</em> and <em>snuck</em> are almost considered equals in terms of frequency and status in North America. <em>Snuck</em> is less commonly used in the UK, Australia, and New Zealand, though there is evidence that it is sneaking its way into the lexicon in these countries as well. <a href="https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/sneak" target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer">Merriam‑Webster Online</a> has this to say about its&nbsp;usage:</p>

<blockquote>
<p>From its earliest appearance in print in the late 19th century as a dialectal and probably uneducated form, the past and past participle snuck has risen to the status of standard and to approximate equality with sneaked. It is most common in the U.S. and Canada but has also been spotted in British and Australian&nbsp;English.</p>
</blockquote>

<h1>Sources</h1>

<ul>
	<li><em>Merriam-Webster&#39;s Dictionary of English Usage</em>, Merriam-Webster, Incorporated,&nbsp;1994.</li>
	<li><em>Fowler&#39;s Dictionary of Modern English Usage</em>, Oxford University Press, Fourth Edition,&nbsp;2015.</li>
</ul>


Sneaked Vs. Snuck

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<p>Sometimes it feels like we&rsquo;re always searching for ways to make grammar fun and interesting. Why not try an activity that gets your students moving? This acting activity is fun and easy to&nbsp;prepare!</p>

<p>Use this acting activity as a preview, filler, or review of almost any verb tense. It works very well for the present progressive, but it can also be adapted for the simple present, simple past, simple future, or present&nbsp;perfect.</p>

<p>Subscribers can use the <a href="https://ellii.com/resource_categories/grammar-usage/resources/2247-verb-cards-present-past-past-participle">Verb Cards</a> (pages 1&ndash;2) in our <a href="https://ellii.com/resources">Grammar &amp; Usage Resources</a> for this activity. Non-subscribers can easily make their own verb cards by writing down 40&ndash;50 common base verbs on equally sized slips of&nbsp;paper.</p>

<h1>Method</h1>

<ol>
	<li>One student comes up to the front of the&nbsp;class.</li>
	<li>That student chooses a verb card from the pile. (Prepare the cards before class by cutting up pages 1&ndash;2 of our <a href="https://ellii.com/resource_categories/grammar-usage/resources/2247-verb-cards-present-past-past-participle">Verb Cards</a> or making your&nbsp;own.)</li>
	<li>That student then tries to act out the verb that is written on the card. No speaking&nbsp;allowed!</li>
	<li>To answer, the rest of the class must make a guess using the verb tense you assign to the game. You can choose if you want all students to shout out their guesses (generates more enthusiasm) or if you&rsquo;d like to call on individual students for the answer (ensures everyone is&nbsp;participating).</li>
</ol>

<h2>Examples</h2>

<ul>
	<li>Present Progressive - She is washing her&nbsp;hair!</li>
	<li>Simple Present - He washes his&nbsp;hair!</li>
	<li>Simple Past - She washed her&nbsp;hair!</li>
	<li>Simple Future - He will wash/is going to wash his&nbsp;hair!</li>
	<li>Present Perfect - She has washed her&nbsp;hair!</li>
</ul>

<h2>Note</h2>

<p>If your students are shy, divide the class into smaller groups (or even pairs) so that it&rsquo;s less intimidating. Have them take turns acting out the verbs and&nbsp;guessing.</p>

<h1>Variations</h1>

<p>These variations involve dividing the class into two groups to make this activity more competitive. Before you begin, get the two groups to come up with team names (animals, food, etc.) and keep score by writing the points on the&nbsp;board.</p>

<h2>Variation #1</h2>

<p>Divide the class into two groups. One student comes to the front of the class and acts out the verb. Whoever guesses the action first gets a point for their&nbsp;group.</p>

<h2>Variation #2</h2>

<p>Divide the class into two groups. One student from each group comes to the front of the class and acts out the same verb at the same time, and whichever group guesses it first gets a point. (Be aware that the answers are shouted out quickly, so it&rsquo;s often difficult to tell who gets the&nbsp;point.)</p>

<h2>Variation #3</h2>

<p>Prepare two sets of verb cards. Divide the class into two groups. Set a timer for 15 seconds, and have one student from each group come up at the same time and act out as many verbs as their group can guess within that time frame. (Make sure the cards are shuffled into two different orders so one group can&rsquo;t overhear the other group say the next&nbsp;answer.)</p>

<h2>Variation #4</h2>

<p>For a mixed tense review, divide the class into two groups. One student comes to the front of the class and chooses a verb card. You will say which tense the guesses have to be in (e.g., present progressive, simple present, simple past, simple future, present perfect, etc.). Whoever guesses the action first gets a point for their group. You may also choose to deduct a point when a team member gives an incorrect answer (wrong tense, wrong form, and/or wrong action). Be sure to vary the tense each time a student comes to the front of the&nbsp;class.</p>

<h1>Related</h1>

<ul class="resources">
	<li class="resource"><a href="https://ellii.com/resource_categories/grammar-usage/resources/2247-verb-cards-present-past-past-participle">Verb Cards</a></li>
	<li class="lesson"><a href="https://ellii.com/courses/88/lessons/2464">Present Progressive</a></li>
	<li class="lesson"><a href="https://ellii.com/courses/116/lessons/2501">Present Progressive for Kids</a></li>
	<li class="lesson"><a href="https://ellii.com/courses/88/lessons/2403">Simple Present</a></li>
	<li class="lesson"><a href="https://ellii.com/courses/88/lessons/1594">Simple Past</a></li>
	<li class="lesson"><a href="https://ellii.com/courses/88/lessons/1596">Simple Future</a></li>
	<li class="lesson"><a href="https://ellii.com/courses/88/lessons/1597">Present Perfect</a></li>
</ul>


Acting Activity for Verb Tense Review

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<p>English is full of tricky participle forms! Many verbs in English have two different ways of spelling the past participle form of a verb. The reasons are various, including different regions, different meanings, or different usages. Some participles we&rsquo;ve explored in the past include <a href="https://ellii.com/blog/learned-vs-learnt" target="_blank">Learned Vs. Learnt</a>, <a href="https://ellii.com/blog/lay-vs-lie-lets-lay-this-matter-to-rest" target="_blank">Laid Vs. Lain</a>, and <a href="https://ellii.com/blog/hanged-vs-hung/" target="_blank">Hanged Vs.&nbsp;Hung</a>.</p>

<p>Today we&rsquo;ll explore <strong>Got Vs. Gotten</strong>, which we cover in our updated Grammar Practice Worksheets Lesson on the <a href="https://ellii.com/courses/88/lessons/1604" target="_blank">Third Conditional</a>. (Note: the new and improved lesson will be available on the site next&nbsp;week).</p>

<h1>Got Vs. Gotten</h1>

<p>The choice of <em>got</em> or <em>gotten</em> as the past participle of the verb &ldquo;get&rdquo; mainly depends on where you&nbsp;live.</p>

<ul>
	<li>&ldquo;Gotten&rdquo; is more commonly used in the US and&nbsp;Canada.</li>
	<li>&ldquo;Got&rdquo; is more commonly used in the&nbsp;UK.</li>
</ul>

<p>Having said that, both <em>gotten</em> or <em>got</em> are acceptable in the US and Canada, so it&rsquo;s important that we teach our students that both forms are possible. I&rsquo;ve also heard, in various English language forums, that <em>gotten</em> is becoming more acceptable in the&nbsp;UK.</p>

<p>What do the dictionaries say? Both <em>Merriam‑Webster&rsquo;s</em> (US) and the <em>Oxford Canadian Dictionary</em> list the past participle form as &ldquo;got or gotten,&rdquo; while <em>Oxford Dictionaries</em> (online) list &ldquo;got&rdquo; as the British English past participle form and &ldquo;gotten&rdquo; as the North American past participle form. Again, we can see the importance of teaching both forms to our students no matter what region they&rsquo;re in, though I believe it&rsquo;s equally as important to point out the most commonly used form (<em>gotten</em> in North America and <em>got</em> in the&nbsp;UK).</p>

<p>What do the style and usage guides have to say? <em>Merriam‑Webster&rsquo;s Dictionary of English Usage</em> mentions that while some grammarians have insisted in the past that <em>gotten</em> is informal and shouldn&rsquo;t be used, both forms are frequently and commonly used in North America&nbsp;today.</p>

<p><em>The Chicago Manual of Style</em> (16th&nbsp;ed,&nbsp;5.250), which is a very reputable source used by many editors and publishers, has this&nbsp;entry:</p>

<blockquote>
<p>The verb is conjugated get&ndash;got&ndash;gotten in American English and get&ndash;got&ndash;got in British&nbsp;English.</p>
</blockquote>

<h1>Examples</h1>

<p>Here are some examples that use <em>gotten</em> in North American&nbsp;English:</p>

<ul>
	<li>Things have gotten out of hand&nbsp;lately.</li>
	<li>She has finally gotten her son to clean his&nbsp;room.</li>
	<li>He hasn&rsquo;t gotten very far with his&nbsp;homework.</li>
</ul>

<p>Here are the same examples in British English (using&nbsp;<em>got</em>):</p>

<ul>
	<li>Things have got out of hand&nbsp;lately.</li>
	<li>She has finally got her son to clean his&nbsp;room.</li>
	<li>He hasn&rsquo;t got very far with his&nbsp;homework.</li>
</ul>

<h1>Tips</h1>

<ul>
	<li>Remind students in North America that <strong>get&ndash;got&ndash;gotten</strong> is conjugated similarly to forget&ndash;forgot&ndash;forgotten.</li>
	<li>Tell students in the UK to use the same form for the past participle as they do for the past: <strong>get&ndash;got&ndash;got</strong>.</li>
</ul>

<h1>Did You Know?</h1>

<p>Both <em>got</em> and <em>gotten</em> have been around for centuries. <em>Got</em> was the past form of <em>get</em> in Middle English and <em>gotten</em> was the past participle form. The US and Canada held onto the original p.p. form, <em>gotten</em>, while most other English-speaking countries shortened the p.p. form to&nbsp;<em>got</em>.</p>

<p>Today, the verb <em>get</em> is one of the five most common English verbs, according to <em><a href="https://en.oxforddictionaries.com/definition/get" target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer">Oxford&nbsp;Dictionaries</a></em>.</p>

<h1>Other Uses of Got</h1>

<h2>Have Got</h2>

<p>The expression <em>have got</em> can be used to show <strong>possession</strong> in the US, Canada, and the UK (especially in informal&nbsp;situations).</p>

<ul>
	<li>I&rsquo;ve got two brothers and one&nbsp;sister.</li>
	<li>She&rsquo;s got a red&nbsp;car.</li>
</ul>

<p>Showing two examples side‑by‑side will help highlight the difference for students learning English in North&nbsp;America:</p>

<ul>
	<li>I&rsquo;ve got a new jacket. (something that is possessed/owned)</li>
	<li>I&rsquo;ve gotten better at writing in English. (something that is&nbsp;obtained)</li>
</ul>

<p>If students learning North American English are struggling with this rule, point out that both forms are often acceptable, depending on the&nbsp;meaning.</p>

<ul>
	<li>I&rsquo;ve got a new jacket. (I now <strong>own</strong> a new&nbsp;jacket.)</li>
	<li>I&rsquo;ve gotten a new jacket. (I <strong>have bought</strong> a new&nbsp;jacket.)</li>
</ul>

<h2>Have Got To</h2>

<p>Another expression that never uses <em>gotten</em> is the modal expression <em>have got to</em>, which means &ldquo;must.&rdquo; Use <em>have got to</em> no matter where you&nbsp;live.</p>

<ul>
	<li>I&rsquo;ve got to study tonight. I have a big test&nbsp;tomorrow.</li>
	<li>You&rsquo;ve got to log in before you can access the&nbsp;site.</li>
</ul>


Got Vs. Gotten

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Stay up-to-date with ELT trends and ideas with articles from experts and teachers in the field.

Articles

<p>Commonly confused words can be tricky for language learners (and native speakers too) but can also be interesting teaching points. Recently a staff member at ESL&nbsp;Library mentioned that it would be great to have a post on the spelling of <em>Philippines</em> and <em>Filipino</em>. Why is the country spelled with a &ldquo;ph&rdquo; but the language and people with an &ldquo;f&rdquo;?</p>

<h1>Historically Speaking</h1>

<h2>Country</h2>

<p>In 1542 after the Spanish conquest, the Spanish named the islands <em>las Islas Filipinas</em> after King Philip II (the name <em>Philip</em> being <em>Felipe</em> in Spanish). The English spelling of the country name became <em>the Philippines</em> (since <em>Philip</em> is the English spelling of the name <em>Felipe</em>). Since there was no <span class="inlineBlock">/f/</span> sound in almost all of the islands&rsquo; many languages and dialects at that time, the country name was pronounced <em>Pilipinas</em> (with a <span class="inlineBlock">/p/</span> sound) by the native inhabitant of the&nbsp;Philippines.</p>

<p>Today, we say <em>the Philippines</em> in English and <em>Filipinas</em> in Spanish and Filipino. However, many Filipino people still prefer to call their country&nbsp;<em>Pilipinas</em>.</p>

<h2>Language</h2>

<p>The two current official languages of the Philippines are Filipino and English. <em>Filipino</em> is spelled with an &ldquo;f&rdquo; in almost all languages, including English and Spanish. There was a time where Filipinos called their language <em>Pilipino</em>, but its official name is now <em>Filipino</em>. Interestingly, there are approximately 182 languages in the Philippines, 12 of which have more than one million speakers each and are spoken by more than 90% of the population. The Filipino language was developed in the 19th century and is mainly based on Tagalog, which was the language spoken in the capital of&nbsp;Manila.</p>

<h2>People</h2>

<p>The terms Filipino (male) and Filipina (female) are used for the inhabitants of the Philippines. These words function as both nouns and adjectives (e.g., a Filipino [noun] / Filipinos [noun] / Filipino people [adjective]). English never came up with a suitable equivalent (possibly because the use of <em>Filipino</em> for an inhabitant of the Philippines only came about in the late 19th&nbsp;century), so the Spanish <em>Filipino</em> (with the &ldquo;f&rdquo; spelling) was adopted into&nbsp;English.</p>

<p>Like with the country name, many Filipino people still prefer to call themselves&nbsp;<em>Pilipino</em>.</p>

<p>What commonly confused words or spelling difficulties come up in your classroom? Share them with us in the comments section below. You might even inspire another blog&nbsp;post!</p>

<h1>Related</h1>

<p>See blog posts on <a href="https://ellii.com/blog/lay-vs-lie-lets-lay-this-matter-to-rest/" target="_blank">Lay Vs. Lie</a>, <a href="https://ellii.com/blog/especially-vs-specially" target="_blank">Especially Vs. Specially</a>, and <a href="https://ellii.com/blog/everyday-vs-every-day" target="_blank">Everyday Vs. Every Day</a>. </p>

<h1>Sources</h1>

<ul>
	<li><a href="http://www.pilipino-express.com/history-a-culture/in-other-words/127-the-basics-of-philippino-filipino.html" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">http://www.pilipino-express.com/history-a-culture/in-other-words/127-the-basics-of-philippino-filipino.html</a></li>
	<li><a href="https://www.grammarphobia.com/blog/2010/04/why-is-filipino-spelled-with-an-f.html" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">https://www.grammarphobia.com/blog/2010/04/why-is-filipino-spelled-with-an-f.html</a></li>
	<li><a href="http://www.hawaii.edu/cps/filipino.html" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">http://www.hawaii.edu/cps/filipino.html</a></li>
	<li><a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Languages_of_the_Philippines#National_and_official_languages" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Languages_of_the_Philippines#National_and_official_languages</a></li>
</ul>


Tricky Spelling: Philippines Vs. Filipino

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<p>At ESL Library, we think spelling is swell! We&rsquo;ve recently completed a <a href="https://ellii.com/blog/spelling-rules-for-regular-past-verbs/">blog post</a>, <a href="https://ellii.com/resource_categories/103/resources/2732">grammar resource</a>, and <a href="https://ellii.com/courses/88/lessons/1594">grammar lesson</a> on spelling rules for adding -<em>ed</em> to regular past verbs. The rules for adding -<em>er</em> to form comparative adjectives and -<em>est</em> for superlative adjectives are quite similar to the rules for adding -<em>ed</em> to regular past&nbsp;verbs.</p>

<p>If your students aren&rsquo;t familiar with the form and function of these adjectives, review our posts on <a href="https://ellii.com/blog/comparative-adjectives/">comparative adjectives</a> and <a href="https://ellii.com/blog/superlative-adjectives/">superlative adjectives</a> before presenting the spelling rules below. You can also check out the related materials at the end of this post for further examples and&nbsp;practice.</p>

<h1>Spelling Rules for Comparative&nbsp;Adjectives</h1>

<p><a href="https://ellii.com/resource_categories/103/resources/2162"><img alt="Spelling Rules for Comparative Adjectives chart" src="https://esllibrary.s3.amazonaws.com/uploads/ckeditor/pictures/233/content_Tanya_Comparative-Adjectives-Spelling_Chart.png" /></a></p>

<p class="caption"><a href="https://ellii.com/resource_categories/103/resources/2162">Comparative Adjectives</a> &ndash; Grammar &amp; Usage&nbsp;Resources</p>

<h2>Examples</h2>

<ol>
	<li>The hotel room is <strong>larger than</strong> my bedroom at&nbsp;home.</li>
	<li>An elephant is <strong>bigger than</strong> a&nbsp;horse.</li>
	<li>Today&rsquo;s test was <strong>easier than</strong> last&nbsp;week&rsquo;s.</li>
	<li>My new pillow is <strong>softer than</strong> my old&nbsp;one.</li>
</ol>

<h1>Spelling Rules for Superlative&nbsp;Adjectives</h1>

<p><a href="https://ellii.com/resource_categories/103/resources/2163"><img alt="Spelling Rules for Superlative Adjectives chart" src="https://esllibrary.s3.amazonaws.com/uploads/ckeditor/pictures/234/content_Tanya_Superlative-Adjectives-Spelling_Chart.png" /></a></p>

<p class="caption"><a href="https://ellii.com/resource_categories/103/resources/2163">Superlative Adjectives</a> &ndash; Grammar &amp; Usage&nbsp;Resources</p>

<h2>Examples</h2>

<ol>
	<li>My painting is <strong>the largest</strong> one on the&nbsp;wall.</li>
	<li>He is working for <strong>the biggest</strong> company in the&nbsp;city.</li>
	<li>That was <strong>the easiest</strong> test I&rsquo;ve ever&nbsp;taken.</li>
	<li>This puppy is <strong>the softest</strong> one in the&nbsp;litter.</li>
</ol>

<h1>Practice</h1>

<p>Have students write the comparative and superlative forms of the adjectives below.</p>

<p>Example: big = bigger, biggest</p>

<h4>Adjectives</h4>

<ol>
	<li>hot</li>
	<li>loud</li>
	<li>close</li>
	<li>thin</li>
	<li>noisy</li>
	<li>quiet</li>
	<li>safe</li>
	<li>funny</li>
	<li>wet</li>
	<li>high</li>
</ol>

<h4>Answers</h4>

<ol>
	<li>hotter, hottest</li>
	<li>louder, loudest</li>
	<li>closer, closest</li>
	<li>thinner, thinnest</li>
	<li>noisier, noisiest</li>
	<li>quieter, quietest</li>
	<li>safer, safest</li>
	<li>funnier, funniest</li>
	<li>wetter, wettest</li>
	<li>higher, highest</li>
</ol>

<h1>Related</h1>

<ul class="resources">
	<li class="lesson"><a href="https://ellii.com/courses/88/lessons/1607">Equative, Comparative &amp; Superlative Adjectives</a></li>
	<li class="lesson"><a href="https://ellii.com/courses/88/lessons/1600">Comparatives &amp; Superlatives</a></li>
	<li class="lesson"><a href="https://ellii.com/courses/89/lessons/1556">Comparatives &ndash; Who Is Taller?</a></li>
	<li class="lesson"><a href="https://ellii.com/courses/116/lessons/2531">Comparative Adjectives</a></li>
	<li class="lesson"><a href="https://ellii.com/courses/116/lessons/2532">Superlative Adjectives</a></li>
	<li class="resource"><a href="https://ellii.com/resource_categories/grammar-usage/resources/2162-comparative-adjectives">Comparative Adjectives</a></li>
	<li class="resource"><a href="https://ellii.com/resource_categories/grammar-usage/resources/2163-superlative-adjectives">Superlative Adjectives</a></li>
	<li class="blog-post"><a href="https://ellii.com/blog/comparative-adjectives/">Comparative Adjectives</a></li>
	<li class="blog-post"><a href="https://ellii.com/blog/superlative-adjectives/">Superlative Adjectives</a></li>
</ul>


Spelling Rules for Comparative & Superlative Adjectives

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<blockquote>
<p>&ldquo;Don&rsquo;t tell me the moon is shining; show me the glint of light on broken&nbsp;glass.&rdquo;</p>

<p class="attribution">&mdash;Anton Chekhov</p>
</blockquote>

<p>Writing is a skill that English learners usually find challenging. Not only do they need to understand and apply grammar, spelling, and punctuation rules, but they also need to know how to compose a paragraph, essay, or story. How can we make writing easier and more enjoyable for our&nbsp;students?</p>

<p>Creative writing <em>can</em> be fun. One way to motivate students to write is to teach them ways to start a story. Using the <a href="https://ellii.com/courses/88/lessons/1595" target="_blank">past progressive</a> (also known as the <em>past continuous</em>) is a great way to create atmosphere and set the mood of a&nbsp;story.</p>

<h1>Create Atmosphere with the Past&nbsp;Progressive</h1>

<p>If your students need a refresher with this not-so-common verb tense, remind them how the <a href="https://ellii.com/courses/88/lessons/1595" target="_blank">past progressive</a> (<em>was/were + -ing verb)</em> is used in English (see <a href="https://ellii.com/blog/simple-past-vs-past-progressive/" target="_blank">Simple Past Vs. Past Progressive</a> for teaching&nbsp;tips).</p>

<p>Then tell your students they can do one or more of the following to begin their&nbsp;stories:</p>

<h2>1. Describe the Weather</h2>

<p>Common verbs: <em>rain</em>, <em>pour</em>, <em>snow</em>, <em>howl</em>, <em>blow</em></p>

<ul>
	<li>The rain was pouring down from the sky while the storm was&nbsp;raging.</li>
	<li>It was snowing heavily and I could barely see a&nbsp;thing.</li>
	<li>The wind was howling through the&nbsp;trees.</li>
</ul>

<h2>2. Describe the Scene</h2>

<p>Common verbs: <em>hurry</em>, <em>walk</em>, <em>rush</em>, <em>talk</em>, <em>greet</em></p>

<ul>
	<li>Everywhere I looked, people were rushing by at top&nbsp;speed.</li>
	<li>Traffic was at a standstill, and commuters were laying on their horns in&nbsp;frustration.</li>
	<li>When I arrived, the group members were greeting one another&nbsp;enthusiastically.</li>
</ul>

<h2>3. Describe Clothing and&nbsp;Accessories</h2>

<p>Common verbs: <em>wear</em>, <em>carry</em>, <em>sport</em></p>

<ul>
	<li>The man was wearing a long, dark trench coat, which only added to his air of&nbsp;mystery.</li>
	<li>She was carrying a red briefcase. That&rsquo;s the first thing I noticed as my lawyer rushed into the&nbsp;courtroom.</li>
	<li>The opposing team&rsquo;s coach was sporting a goatee and a smug look on his&nbsp;face.</li>
</ul>

<h2>4. Describe the Action</h2>

<p>Common verbs: <em>drive</em>, <em>go</em>, <em>run</em>, <em>walk</em>, <em>talk</em></p>

<ul>
	<li>John Smith was driving along a long, winding road one foggy&nbsp;afternoon.</li>
	<li>Oh, to be a teenager again! My daughter was talking to her friend on the phone for hours last&nbsp;night.</li>
	<li>We were running late as usual, and we were&nbsp;arguing.</li>
</ul>

<h2>5. Add a Surprising (Short)&nbsp;Action*</h2>

<p>*Remind students that the short action will be in the simple past tense (whereas the longer, continuing action will be in the past progressive&nbsp;tense). Common verbs: <em>appear</em>, <em>ring</em>, <em>hit</em>, <em>crash</em>, <em>go&nbsp;out</em></p>

<ul>
	<li>Last night, the Johnson family was watching TV at home. All of a sudden, the power went out and they were plunged into&nbsp;darkness.</li>
	<li>My husband and I were driving along aimlessly when the car in front of us suddenly swerved off the&nbsp;road.</li>
	<li>Maya was walking home along a dark, deserted street when a huge UFO appeared in the&nbsp;sky.</li>
</ul>

<h1>Practice</h1>

<p>Have your students write five different story‑starting sentences using the past progressive. Get them to write one from each category (above) if you like. Then ask them to pick the one they like the most and have them continue writing a short story to hand in or read out in&nbsp;groups.</p>

<p>How do you motivate your students to write? Share your methods in the comments section&nbsp;below.</p>

<h1>Related</h1>

<ul class="resources">
	<li class="lesson"><a href="https://ellii.com/courses/74/lessons/2563" target="_blank">How to Write a Basic Paragraph</a>: Writing in English</li>
	<li class="lesson"><a href="https://ellii.com/courses/74/lessons/2116" target="_blank">How to Write a Descriptive Paragraph</a>: Writing in English</li>
	<li class="lesson"><a href="https://ellii.com/courses/74/lessons/2004" target="_blank">How to Write a Short Story</a>: Writing in English</li>
	<li class="lesson"><a href="https://ellii.com/courses/88/lessons/1595" target="_blank">Past Progressive</a>: Grammar Practice Worksheets</li>
	<li class="lesson"><a href="https://ellii.com/courses/89/lessons/1560" target="_blank">What Were You Doing When?</a>: Basic Grammar Sentences</li>
	<li class="lesson"><a href="https://ellii.com/courses/90/lessons/1641" target="_blank">Simple Past &amp; Past Progressive</a>: Grammar Stories</li>
	<li class="lesson"><a href="https://ellii.com/courses/116/lessons/2520" target="_blank">Past Progressive</a>: Fun Grammar Lessons</li>
	<li class="blog-post"><a href="https://ellii.com/blog/simple-past-vs-past-progressive/" target="_blank">Simple Past Vs. Past Progressive</a></li>
	<li class="blog-post"><a href="https://ellii.com/blog/10-tips-and-resources-for-inspiring-learners-to-write" target="_blank">10+ Tips &amp; Resources for Inspiring Learners to&nbsp;Write</a></li>
</ul>


Creating Atmosphere in Writing with the Past Progressive

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<p>For the past few weeks at ESL&nbsp;Library, we&rsquo;ve been stuck in the past! We&rsquo;re rewriting our <a href="https://ellii.com/courses/88/lessons/1594">Simple Past</a> lesson (in the <a href="https://ellii.com/courses/88/lessons">Grammar Practice Worksheets</a> section) to include grammar notes, speaking exercises, a writing exercise, and a quiz (available on June&nbsp;1,&nbsp;2018). This has inspired us to blog about the <a href="https://ellii.com/blog/pronunciation-of-past-tense-endings">Pronunciation Rules of Past Tense Endings</a> and has prompted us to make a new <a href="https://ellii.com/resources">Grammar &amp; Usage Resource</a> on the <a href="https://ellii.com/resources/grammar-usage/2732-spelling-rules-for-regular-past-verbs">Spelling Rules for Regular Past&nbsp;Verbs</a>.</p>

<p>English spelling can be tough, but luckily there are some rules to help students in certain situations. While <a href="https://ellii.com/blog/5-fun-activities-for-irregular-verbs/">irregular past verbs</a> have far too many spelling changes to list, forming the past tense for regular verbs is relatively easy. We thought we&rsquo;d share these simple rules in this week&rsquo;s blog&nbsp;post!</p>

<h1>Rules</h1>

<p>Go over the spelling rules and examples with your students. See if your students can think of other examples for each&nbsp;rule.</p>

<h2>Rule #1</h2>

<p>If a verb ends in <em class="inlineBlock">-e</em>, add <em class="inlineBlock">-d.</em></p>

<ul>
	<li>like &rarr; liked</li>
	<li>arrive &rarr; arrived</li>
	<li>decide &rarr; decided</li>
</ul>

<h2>Rule #2</h2>

<p>If a verb ends in consonant + <em class="inlineBlock">-y</em>,&nbsp;change <em class="inlineBlock">-y</em> to <em class="inlineBlock">-i</em> and add&nbsp;<em class="inlineBlock">-ed</em>.</p>

<ul>
	<li>carry &rarr; carried</li>
	<li>try &rarr; tried</li>
	<li>study &rarr; studied</li>
</ul>

<h2>Rule #3</h2>

<p>If a verb ends in vowel + <em class="inlineBlock">-y</em>, add&nbsp;<em class="inlineBlock">-ed</em>.*</p>

<ul>
	<li>play &rarr; played</li>
	<li>stay &rarr; stayed</li>
	<li>enjoy &rarr; enjoyed</li>
</ul>

<h2>Rule #4</h2>

<p>If a verb ends in a consonant-vowel-consonant (CVC) pattern, double the final consonant and add&nbsp;<em class="inlineBlock">-ed</em>.**</p>

<ul>
	<li>hug &rarr; hugged</li>
	<li>plan &rarr; planned</li>
	<li>stop &rarr; stopped</li>
</ul>

<h2>Rule #5</h2>

<p>For all other verbs, add&nbsp;<em class="inlineBlock">-ed</em>.</p>

<ul>
	<li>watch &rarr; watched</li>
	<li>ask &rarr; asked</li>
	<li>clean &rarr; cleaned</li>
</ul>

<h2>Notes</h2>

<h3>*Note 1:</h3>

<p>There are some exceptions to Rule&nbsp;#3:</p>

<ul>
	<li>pay &rarr; paid</li>
	<li>lay &rarr; laid</li>
</ul>

<h3>**Note 2:</h3>

<p>Rule #4 is true only for verbs that have the stress on the final syllable. Notice the difference&nbsp;below:</p>

<ul>
	<li>pre<strong>fer</strong> &rarr; pre<strong>ferred</strong></li>
	<li><strong>vi</strong>sit &rarr; <strong>vi</strong>sited</li>
</ul>

<p>Rule #4 also depends on which country&rsquo;s spelling system you&rsquo;re using. In the American spelling of words ending in the CVC with <strong>consonant + e + l</strong>, the final l will not double in the most commonly accepted form (e.g., <em>travel &rarr; traveled</em>, <em>cancel &rarr; canceled</em>). Most other English-speaking countries prefer to double the final l (e.g., <em>travel &rarr; travelled</em>, <em>cancel &rarr;&nbsp;cancelled</em>).</p>

<h1>Practice</h1>

<p>Write the following words on the board or <a href="https://ellii.com/resource_categories/grammar-usage/resources/2732-spelling-rules-for-regular-past-verbs">print out the worksheet</a> if you&rsquo;re a subscriber. Have students write the past tense form for each of the following&nbsp;verbs.</p>

<ol>
	<li>cry</li>
	<li>decide</li>
	<li>walk</li>
	<li>sob</li>
	<li>enjoy</li>
	<li>wash</li>
	<li>hurry</li>
	<li>refer</li>
	<li>clean</li>
	<li>free</li>
	<li>pour</li>
	<li>check</li>
	<li>visit</li>
	<li>dye</li>
	<li>smile</li>
	<li>bake</li>
	<li>admit</li>
	<li>love</li>
	<li>pray</li>
	<li>listen</li>
</ol>

<h2>Answer Key</h2>

<ol>
	<li>cried</li>
	<li>decided</li>
	<li>walked</li>
	<li>sobbed</li>
	<li>enjoyed</li>
	<li>washed</li>
	<li>hurried</li>
	<li>referred</li>
	<li>cleaned</li>
	<li>freed</li>
	<li>poured</li>
	<li>checked</li>
	<li>visited</li>
	<li>dyed</li>
	<li>smiled</li>
	<li>baked</li>
	<li>admitted</li>
	<li>loved</li>
	<li>prayed</li>
	<li>listened</li>
</ol>

<p><a href="https://ellii.com/resource_categories/103/resources/2732"><img alt="Spelling Rules for Regular Past Verbs" src="https://esllibrary.s3.amazonaws.com/uploads/ckeditor/pictures/235/content_103_Spelling-Rules-Regular-Past-Verbs_US.png" /></a></p>

<p class="caption">Grammar &amp; Usage &ndash; <a href="https://ellii.com/resource_categories/103/resources/2732">Spelling Rules for Regular Past Verbs</a></p>

<h1>Related Materials</h1>

<ul class="resources">
	<li class="lesson"><a href="https://ellii.com/courses/88/lessons/1594">Simple Past</a>:&nbsp;Grammar Practice Worksheets</li>
	<li class="lesson"><a href="https://ellii.com/courses/90/lessons/1642">Simple Past</a>: Grammar Stories</li>
	<li class="lesson"><a href="https://ellii.com/courses/116/lessons/2504">Simple Past</a>: Fun Grammar Lessons</li>
	<li class="lesson"><a href="https://ellii.com/courses/89/lessons/1589">Simple Past</a>: Basic Grammar Sentences</li>
	<li class="resource"><a href="https://ellii.com/resources/grammar-usage/2732-spelling-rules-for-regular-past-verbs">Spelling Rules for Regular Past Verbs</a>: Grammar &amp; Usage</li>
	<li class="resource"><a href="https://ellii.com/resources/grammar-usage/2733-pronunciation-rules-regular-past-verbs">Pronunciation Rules for Regular Past Verbs</a>: Grammar &amp; Usage</li>
	<li class="resource"><a href="https://ellii.com/resources/grammar-usage/2161-irregular-verb-list-present-past">Irregular Verb List</a>: Grammar &amp; Usage</li>
	<li class="blog-post"><a href="https://ellii.com/blog/pronunciation-of-past-tense-endings">Pronunciation of Past Tense Endings</a></li>
	<li class="blog-post"><a href="https://ellii.com/blog/5-fun-activities-for-irregular-verbs/">5 Fun Activities for Irregular Verbs</a></li>
</ul>


Spelling Rules for Regular Past Verbs

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<p>Vocabulary about family members and relationships is useful for all ages and levels. Beginner‑level students need to learn basic relations (e.g., mother, uncle, niece, etc.) while intermediate‑level learners can expand on the basics (e.g., brother‑in‑law, stepsister,&nbsp;etc.).</p>

<p>If &ldquo;family&rdquo; is a new topic for your learners, teach them the basics before you try the family vocabulary review activity. If you&rsquo;re looking for lessons, ESL&nbsp;Library has a lot of materials on the family! (See the Related section at the end of this&nbsp;post.)</p>

<p>Once your students are familiar with basic family vocabulary, challenge them to the following fun, fast-paced activity! It&rsquo;s one of my favorite ways to review family vocabulary. My students love the competition that this brain-teaser activity&nbsp;provides!</p>

<h1>How to Play</h1>

<ol class="spaced-list">
	<li>Divide the class into two&nbsp;teams.</li>
	<li>Pick one person from each team to take a turn&nbsp;simultaneously.</li>
	<li>Read out the first phrase from the Teachers&rsquo; Guide below. (Don&rsquo;t read out the answers in parentheses. Answers are provided for your reference&nbsp;only.)</li>
	<li>Give a point to the team of the student who yells out the correct answer&nbsp;first.</li>
	<li>Continue by choosing two more students and reading the second&nbsp;phrase.</li>
</ol>

<p>Alternatively, you could divide the class into two teams but let anyone from either team shout out the answer. The pro to this method is that it gets loud and competitive! The con is that you might not hear from all the students, especially the quieter&nbsp;ones.</p>

<h1>Teachers&rsquo; Guide</h1>

<ol>
	<li>My father&rsquo;s brother. (uncle)</li>
	<li>My brother&rsquo;s sister. (sister)</li>
	<li>My mother&rsquo;s father. (grandfather)</li>
	<li>My son&rsquo;s sister. (daughter)</li>
	<li>My grandfather&rsquo;s daughter. (mother/aunt)</li>
	<li>My aunt&rsquo;s son. (cousin)</li>
	<li>My sister&rsquo;s daughter. (niece)</li>
	<li>My father&rsquo;s mother. (grandmother)</li>
	<li>My mother&rsquo;s son. (brother)</li>
	<li>My cousin&rsquo;s brother. (cousin)</li>
	<li>My sister&rsquo;s mother. (mother)</li>
	<li>My uncle&rsquo;s wife. (aunt)</li>
	<li>My grandmother&rsquo;s son. (father/uncle)</li>
	<li>My mother&rsquo;s mother. (grandmother)</li>
	<li>My uncle&rsquo;s daughter. (cousin)</li>
	<li>My nephew&rsquo;s mother. (sister)</li>
	<li>My brother&rsquo;s uncle. (uncle)</li>
	<li>My daughter&rsquo;s brother. (son)</li>
	<li>My brother&rsquo;s son. (nephew)</li>
	<li>My mother&rsquo;s husband. (father)</li>
</ol>

<p>Use the <a href="https://ellii.com/resource_categories/grammar-usage/resources/2721-family-vocabulary-review">review worksheet</a> from our Resources section as a follow-up. Students can complete it individually for&nbsp;homework or during&nbsp;class in pairs or small&nbsp;groups.</p>

<p><a href="https://ellii.com/resource_categories/103/resources/2721"><img alt="Family Vocabulary Review at ESL Library" src="https://esllibrary.s3.amazonaws.com/uploads/ckeditor/pictures/236/content_103_Family-Vocabulary-Review_US.png" width="400" height="auto" /></a></p>

<p class="caption">Grammar &amp; Usage &ndash; <a href="https://ellii.com/resource_categories/103/resources/2721">Family Vocabulary Review</a></p>

<h1>Related</h1>

<h3>Teens &amp; Adults</h3>

<ul class="resources">
	<li class="lesson"><a href="https://ellii.com/courses/75/lessons/1655">Family</a>: Living in English</li>
	<li class="lesson"><a href="https://ellii.com/courses/90/lessons/1647">Adjective Clause &amp; Phrase Stories</a>: Grammar Stories</li>
	<li class="lesson"><a href="https://ellii.com/courses/72/lessons/2346">Family Feuds</a>: Discussion Starters</li>
	<li class="resource"><a href="https://ellii.com/resource_categories/warm-ups-fillers/resources/2222-my-family-tree">My Family Tree</a>: Miscellaneous Resources</li>
	<li class="flashcards"><a href="https://ellii.com/flashcard_genres/5/flashcard_categories/36">Family</a>: Flashcards</li>
</ul>

<h3>Children &amp; Literacy&nbsp;Students</h3>

<ul class="resources">
	<li class="lesson"><a href="https://ellii.com/courses/113/lessons/2458">Family Vocabulary</a>: Word Bank</li>
	<li class="lesson"><a href="https://ellii.com/courses/116/lessons/2495">Subject &amp; Object Pronouns</a>: Fun Grammar Lessons</li>
	<li class="lesson"><a href="https://ellii.com/courses/119/lessons/2631">My Family</a>: Guided Writing</li>
	<li class="lesson"><a href="https://ellii.com/courses/120/lessons/2656">My Family</a>: Artistic Activities</li>
	<li class="flashcards"><a href="https://ellii.com/flashcard_genres/5/flashcard_categories/36">Family</a>: Flashcards</li>
</ul>

<p>How do you practice family vocabulary in class? Share your ideas in the comments section&nbsp;below!</p>


Family Vocabulary Activity

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<p>Pairing &ldquo;opposite&rdquo; words is a great way to learn new vocabulary. English language learners have an easier time attaching meaning to a word when they are also presented with a word&rsquo;s antonym. For example, the meaning of the word &ldquo;big&rdquo; is a lot easier to grasp when presented as <span class="inlineBlock">&ldquo;big/small.&rdquo;</span></p>

<p>Visuals are also very helpful with opposites. Words such as &ldquo;tall/short,&rdquo; when accompanied by images of tall and short people, are instantly understood. You can find plenty of images of common opposites in our <a href="https://ellii.com/flashcard_genres/4/flashcard_categories/29">Descriptive Adjective&nbsp;Flashcards</a>!</p>

<p>Opposites can also be reinforced through various practice activities such as word tasks or card games. After presenting the lists of opposites in the charts below to your students, try some of the activities suggested at the end of this&nbsp;post.</p>

<h1>Lists of Opposites</h1>

<p>We&rsquo;ve divided these lists into different parts of speech so that students can better understand their role in a sentence. For more practice with nouns, verbs, adjectives, adverbs, and prepositions, see our <a href="https://ellii.com/courses/88/lessons/1605" rel="noopener" target="_blank">Parts of Speech</a> lesson for teens and adults or our <a href="https://ellii.com/courses/116/lessons/2499" rel="noopener" target="_blank">Fun Grammar Lesson</a> for&nbsp;kids.</p>

<h2>Adjectives</h2>

<ul>
	<li>tall &rarr; short</li>
	<li>big &rarr; small</li>
	<li>hot &rarr; cold</li>
	<li>soft &rarr; hard</li>
	<li>loud &rarr; quiet</li>
	<li>easy &rarr; difficult</li>
	<li>happy &rarr; sad</li>
	<li>low &rarr; high</li>
	<li>shy &rarr; outgoing</li>
	<li>clean &rarr; dirty</li>
	<li>new &rarr; old</li>
	<li>light &rarr; heavy</li>
	<li>safe &rarr; dangerous</li>
	<li>strong &rarr; weak</li>
	<li>fast &rarr; slow</li>
	<li>early &rarr; late</li>
</ul>

<h2>Adverbs</h2>

<ul>
	<li>quickly &rarr; slowly</li>
	<li>loudly &rarr; quietly</li>
	<li>politely &rarr; rudely</li>
	<li>internally &rarr; externally</li>
	<li>always &rarr; never</li>
</ul>

<h2>Prepositions</h2>

<ul>
	<li>in &rarr; out</li>
	<li>into &rarr; out of</li>
	<li>on &rarr; off</li>
	<li>in front of &rarr; behind</li>
	<li>next to &rarr; far from</li>
	<li>above &rarr; below</li>
	<li>over &rarr; under</li>
</ul>

<h2>Nouns</h2>

<ul>
	<li>sun &rarr; moon</li>
	<li>day &rarr; night</li>
	<li>land &rarr; sea</li>
	<li>beginning &rarr; ending</li>
	<li>everybody &rarr; nobody</li>
	<li>love &rarr; hate</li>
	<li>past &rarr; future</li>
</ul>

<h2>Verbs</h2>

<ul>
	<li>ask &rarr; answer</li>
	<li>arrive &rarr; leave</li>
	<li>give &rarr; take</li>
	<li>sit &rarr; stand</li>
	<li>find &rarr; lose</li>
</ul>

<h1>Activities</h1>

<h2>1. Brainstorming</h2>

<p>There are millions of opposites out there! Brainstorm in groups (students can record their opposites on a piece of paper) or as a class (you can record their opposites on the board). Make it more challenging by brainstorming for a particular part of speech. Make it more interesting by dividing students into teams for a class brainstorming session&mdash;whichever team comes up with 10&nbsp;opposites first (or the most opposites in a given timeframe)&nbsp;wins!</p>

<h2>2. Matching</h2>

<p>Matchup tasks are perfect for practicing opposites. Write opposite terms onto small pieces of paper, mix them up, and give them to pairs to groups to sort into matching opposites. (For premade blank cards, use page 7 from <a href="https://ellii.com/resource_categories/grammar-usage/resources/2247-verb-cards-present-past-past-participle" rel="noopener" target="_blank">Verb Cards</a> in our Resources&nbsp;section.)</p>

<p>You could also write one set of opposite pairs in a list on the left side and the other on the right of a piece of paper (for pairs or groups) or on the board (for a class activity) and have students draw lines between the opposites. Be sure to mix up the order on the right side so that the opposites aren&rsquo;t directly across from one&nbsp;another.</p>

<h2>3. Complete the List</h2>

<p>Put students into pairs (or have them work individually) and have them write one-half of an opposite word pair in a column on the left side of a piece of paper (e.g., big, tall, etc.). Challenge them to come up with 10 words (and ask for them all to be a particular part of speech if you want to practice that too). Then have them pass the paper to another pair (or individual) who will try to complete the list by writing down the opposite words (e.g., small, short,&nbsp;etc.).</p>

<h2>4. Memory Game</h2>

<p>There are a lot of card games you can use for practice with opposites, such as Go Fish or&nbsp;Memory.</p>

<p>For the Memory game, cut up a set of same‑sized cards (for premade blank cards, use page&nbsp;7 from this <a href="https://ellii.com/resource_categories/grammar-usage/resources/2247-verb-cards-present-past-past-participle" rel="noopener" target="_blank">Verb Cards</a> resource) before class and write one word on each. Make sure each word card has another card with the opposite word on it. Have one set of cards for each&nbsp;group.</p>

<p>In class, shuffle the cards and place individual cards face‑down in a grid on a table for each group. Students will take turns in their group. For a turn, a student will flip over any two cards. If the words are matching opposites, the student can keep the pair of cards. If they&rsquo;re not opposites, the students must flip them back over. At the end of the game, when all the opposite pairs are found, the student with the most pairs&nbsp;wins!</p>

<p>What are some other ways you would practice opposites in class? Share your ideas in the comments section&nbsp;below.</p>


Opposites – A Fun Way to Learn New Vocabulary

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<p>Many languages have a one-to-one spelling-pronunciation relationship, but the English language has no such thing! This is why English pronunciation can be difficult for students to&nbsp;master.</p>

<p>On top of the 26 vowel sounds and many tricky consonant sounds, students also need to learn the pronunciation of endings that change according to the last sound of a&nbsp;word.</p>

<p>The past tense ending <em>-ed</em>, for example, is pronounced as /t/, /d/, or /ɪd/ depending on the last letter of the verb. Luckily there are easy rules (listed below) for language learners to&nbsp;follow!</p>

<h1>Rule 1</h1>

<h4><em>-ed</em> becomes /t/ following voiceless consonants</h4>

<p>Voiceless (also called <em>soft</em> or <em>unvoiced</em>) consonants refer to sounds that don&rsquo;t make your vocal cords vibrate. If you put your hand to your throat when you pronounce these sounds, you won&rsquo;t feel a vibration. These sounds are all soft like a&nbsp;whisper.</p>

<p>Voiceless consonants in English include: /f/, /k/, /p/, /s/,&nbsp;/ʃ/ (also written as /sh/, as in the first sound in &ldquo;shirt&rdquo;), /tʃ/ (also written as /ch/, as in the first sound in &ldquo;cheese&rdquo;), and /&theta;/ (also written as /th/, as in the first sound in&nbsp;&ldquo;thanks&rdquo;).</p>

<p>When a base verb ends in these sounds, the <em>-ed</em> ending is pronounced with the voiceless sound /t/. The reason for this is that it is natural (i.e., easier to pronounce) for a voiceless sound to follow another voiceless&nbsp;sound.</p>

<div class="white-box">
<h2>Rule 1</h2>

<p>If the verb ends with the sound <strong>f</strong>, <strong>k</strong>, <strong>p</strong>, <strong>s</strong>, <strong>ʃ</strong>, <strong>tʃ</strong>, or <strong>&theta;</strong>, pronounce the past tense ending as&nbsp;<strong>t</strong>.</p>
</div>

<h1>Rule 2</h1>

<h4><em>-ed</em>&nbsp;becomes /d/ following voiced&nbsp;sounds</h4>

<p>Voiced (also called <em>loud</em>) consonants and vowels refer to sounds that make your vocal cords vibrate. If you put your hand to your throat when you pronounce these sounds, you will feel a vibration. These sounds are all loud&mdash;you can hear the noise they&nbsp;make.</p>

<p>Voiced consonants in English include: /b/, /dʒ/ (as in the first sound in &ldquo;jump&rdquo;), /ʒ/ (also written as /zh/, as in the final sound in &ldquo;beige&rdquo;),&nbsp;/g/, /j/ (also written as /y/, as in the first sound in &ldquo;yes&rdquo;), /l/, /m/, /n/, /ŋ/ (the &ldquo;ing&rdquo; sound), /&eth;/ (also written as /th/, as in the first sound in &ldquo;there&rdquo;), /r/, /v/, /w/, /z/, and any vowel&nbsp;sound.</p>

<p>When a base verb ends in these sounds, the <em>-ed</em> ending is pronounced with the voiced sound /d/. The reason for this is that it is natural (i.e., easier to pronounce) for a voiced sound to follow another voiced&nbsp;sound.</p>

<div class="white-box">
<h2>Rule 2</h2>

<p>If the verb ends with the sound <strong>b</strong>, <strong>dʒ</strong>, <strong>ʒ</strong>, <strong>g</strong>, <strong>j</strong>, <strong>l</strong>, <strong>m</strong>, <strong>n</strong>, <strong>ŋ</strong>, <strong>&eth;</strong>, <strong>r</strong>, <strong>v</strong>, <strong>w</strong>, <strong>z</strong>, or any <strong>vowel sound</strong>, pronounce the past tense ending as&nbsp;<strong>d</strong>.</p>
</div>

<h1>Rule 3</h1>

<h4><em>-ed</em> becomes /ɪd/ following <em>t</em> or&nbsp;<em>d</em></h4>

<p>When a base verb ends in the letters <em>t</em> or <em>d</em>, the&nbsp;<em>-ed</em> ending is pronounced with the syllable /ɪd/ (also written as /əd/ or /ed/&mdash;the same vowel sound as the word&nbsp;&ldquo;it&rdquo;).</p>

<p>The reason we add a whole extra syllable, including a vowel sound, is because it would be impossible to say two /t/ or two /d/ sounds together without a vowel in between. Imagine trying to say &ldquo;wantt&rdquo; instead of &ldquo;wanted&rdquo; or &ldquo;needd&rdquo; instead of&nbsp;&ldquo;needed&rdquo;!</p>

<div class="white-box">
<h2>Rule 3</h2>

<p>If the verb ends with the sound <strong>t</strong> or <strong>d</strong>, pronounce the past tense ending as&nbsp;<strong>ɪd</strong>.</p>
</div>

<h1>Pronunciation Practice</h1>

<p>Play the recording for your students (or read out the words yourself) and have them repeat the&nbsp;words.</p>

<div class="ckeditor-html5-audio">
<audio controls="controls" controlslist="nodownload" src="https://esllibrary.s3.amazonaws.com/uploads/ckeditor/attachments/1/ed-endings-ESL.mp3">&nbsp;</audio>
</div>

<h2>Rule 1</h2>

<h4><em>-ed</em>&nbsp;as /t/</h4>

<p>Say /t/ when the <em>-ed</em> ending follows a voiceless&nbsp;sound.</p>

<ol>
	<li>looked</li>
	<li>stopped</li>
	<li>watched</li>
	<li>finished</li>
	<li>danced</li>
</ol>

<h2>Rule 2</h2>

<h4><em>-ed</em>&nbsp;as /d/</h4>

<p>Say /d/ when the <em>-ed</em> ending follows a voiced&nbsp;sound.</p>

<ol>
	<li>listened</li>
	<li>preferred</li>
	<li>cried</li>
	<li>smiled</li>
	<li>studied</li>
</ol>

<h2>Rule 3</h2>

<h4><em>-ed</em>&nbsp;as /ɪd/</h4>

<p>Say /ɪd/ when the <em>-ed</em> ending follows a /t/ or&nbsp;/d/.</p>

<ol>
	<li>wanted</li>
	<li>needed</li>
	<li>visited</li>
	<li>shouted</li>
	<li>ended</li>
</ol>

<p><a href="https://ellii.com/resource_categories/103/resources/2733"><img alt="" height="auto" src="https://esllibrary.s3.amazonaws.com/uploads/ckeditor/pictures/237/content_103_Pronunciation-Rules-Regular-Past-Verbs_US.png" width="200" /></a></p>
<p class="caption"><a href="https://ellii.com/resource_categories/103/resources/2733">Pronunciation Rules: Regular Past Verbs</a> &ndash; Grammar &amp; Usage&nbsp;Resources</p>

<h1>Related Materials</h1>

<ul class="resources">
	<li class="lesson"><a href="https://ellii.com/courses/88/lessons/1594">Simple Past &ndash;&nbsp;Grammar Practice Worksheets</a></li>
	<li class="lesson"><a href="https://ellii.com/courses/90/lessons/1642">Simple Past &ndash; Grammar Stories</a></li>
	<li class="lesson"><a href="https://ellii.com/courses/116/lessons/2504">Simple Past &ndash; Fun Grammar Lessons</a></li>
	<li class="lesson"><a href="https://ellii.com/courses/89/lessons/1589">Simple Past &ndash; Basic Grammar Sentences</a></li>
	<li class="resource"><a href="https://ellii.com/resource_categories/grammar-usage/resources/2732-spelling-rules-for-regular-past-verbs">Spelling Rules for Regular Past Verbs</a></li>
	<li class="resource"><a href="https://ellii.com/resource_categories/grammar-usage/resources/2733-pronunciation-rules-regular-past-verbs">Pronunciation Rules for Regular Past Verbs</a></li>
	<li class="blog-post"><a href="https://ellii.com/blog/simple-past-vs-past-progressive/">Simple Past Vs. Past Progressive &ndash; Blog Post</a></li>
</ul>

<p>Note: The <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/IPA" rel="noopener" target="_blank">International Phonetic Alphabet (IPA)</a>&nbsp;is used in this&nbsp;post.</p>


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Tanya Trusler