CELTA Assignment 2 : Language Related Tasks – Phill Storer 27 Nov 2019.

Sentence 3.
….but sooner or later we have to sleep. (grammar)

MEANING
In this sentence have is used to express the fact that we need to sleep or something bad
may occur, for example or we may start to hallucinate.
This is opposed to the use of have used in the context of the hold or possess.
This sentence could be used to explain the use of have in two different ways. Eg ‘I have
(own) a car that I have (need) to drive to work as there are no buses.’
CCQs
Are we talking about something we need to do? Yes- We need or have to sleep
Are we talking about the present? Yes- We are explaining that we have to sleep in the
present and future. It is something we have to do in order to stay healthy in the future.
In this sentence it takes the form of a necessity (internal need) rather than an obligation (eg
by law- eg. We have to sleep or we are breaking the law).

FORM
Have + adverb + verb
We have to sleep.
This is modal in meaning but not in form. In this structure it a mix of the present tense and
the future simple.
Have to is a semi-modal followed by an adverb.
To is an adverb in this context. Sleep in this context is a verb.

PRONUNCIATION

…sooner or later we have to sleep.

……………………………
 /hæv tʊ sli:p/

APPROPRIACY
Language is neutral.

In spoken English and in informal written English, many people use ‘have got to’ as an
alternative to ‘have to’.

ANTICIPATED PROBLEMS AND SOLUTIONS

1. Problem: Students may say ‘..sooner or later we to sleep’. They miss out the have as
they think we to sleep is enough reinforcement.
Solution: Ensure that on the board you highlight the have in the sentence as the
hinge or link to the need to do something.

2. Problem: Some students may pronounce the word sleep as ‘sweep’.

Solution: Model and Drill , emphasising the position of the tongue when using an “s”
like an snake hissing and the “l” with the tongue clenched under the front teeth and
the end “p” as a “pah” where the lips join together and blow out the “pah”.

REFERENCES

Parrot, Martin. Grammar for English Language Teachers 2nd Edition, Cambridge University
Press, 2010.
Sentence 4
…we suffer hallucinations, and eventually die. (lexis)
MEANING
In this sentence eventually infers a consequence or effect. Something that will happen or
follow if we fail to do something. In this case we can potentially die if we fail to or don’t
sleep.
CCQs
Will we die if we don’t sleep for a long time? Yes- eventually we will die.
What will happen if we don’t sleep? Eventually – ie. In the future we may die.
Will we suffer form hallucinations if we don’t sleep? Yes

At this point I would also ask students to discuss what hallucinations are and how they
might come about (eg drugs, illness, lack of sleep).

Other examples; If we don’t breathe, don’t drink water or eat eventually we will die.

I would then use a timeline on the board with a time frame to demonstrate the short
eventually and the long eventually. Eg if we don’t breathe, we will die in about 3 minutes, if
we don’t drink water (or fluids) we will die in about 3 days, if we don’t eat we will die in
about 3 weeks. This would demonstrate that ‘something’ will happen eventually, but it can
be a short time or a long time. We could then refer to the article and discuss how long you
can go with out sleep for. This would provide more context.

FORM
Eventually is the adverbial form of eventual. Eventually is normally preceded by a cause and
then the effect. In this context if we do or don’t do something ‘eventually’ something will
happen.

PRONUNCIATION

…we suffer hallucinations, and eventually die.

……………………………………………… /əvenʧʊələ/
APPROPRIACY
Language is neutral.
Other uses include an example: “We will get there eventually”. That is the use when a
particular time frame cannot be established, or there is a blocker (eg traffic jam) in your
path. This is a more informal use of the word.

ANTICIPATED PROBLEMS AND SOLUTIONS

1. (Meaning) Problem: Students may get confused by the use of Event at the beginning
of the word when they consider an Event to be something concrete like a rock
concert.
Solution: Discuss what an event is and then go on to explain eventually as something
that may occur as a result of something else.

2. (Form/Appropriacvy) Problem: Students may shorten the form of the word to

Eventual – without the ‘ly’.
Solution: Discuss that eventual is an adjective and explain that the sentence could
read…’we suffer hallucinations, and the eventual result is that we may die.’ Then go
on to explain that eventually used this way is an adverb (verb being die) makes the
language a bit less formal.

3. (Pronunciation) Problem: Students may pronounce the ‘v’ as a ‘w’ ewentually.

4. Solution: Model and Drill the pronunciation. Emphasis the mouth movement where
the bottom lip drops, and the top teeth are exposed when we pronounce ‘v’.

REFERENCES

Parrot, Martin. Grammar for English Language Teachers 2nd Edition, Cambridge University
Press, 2010.
Budget Macquarie Dictionary, Macquarie Dictionary Publishers, 2017.