Spot the Difference

Objectives: To involve students actively in the teaching of grammar; to provide a lead-in to the Grammar Focus exercise

Rationale: Many Grammar Focus exercises point out differences between two grammar sturctures. Instead of explaining the differences to your students, first show them some examples and ask them to try to figure out the differences themselves.

Steps:

1. Before teaching a Grammar Focus exercise that points out differences between two grammar structures, make a list of expressions using one grammar structure (for example, the present perfect tense). For each expression, make a similar expression using the related grammar structure (for example, the past tense).
2. Make enough copies of the list for your students. Ask your students to try to find the difference between the two patterns. If they can't, tell them the difference.
3. Ask your students if they can find out why there is a difference between the two patterns. In the example below, all the sentences in the past tense refer to a specific event in the past. The sentences in the present perfect refer to an indefinite time in the past. Help your students understand the difference.
4. Once the students have worked out why there is a difference, move on to the Grammar Focus exercise for more examples.

Example: The following example is for New Interchange 1, Unit 10: "Have You Ever Ridden a Camel?" The Grammar Focus exercise, on the difference between present perfect and past tenses, appears on p. 62 of the Student's Book.

Example sentences: I took a yoga class last week. I've taken a yoga class. I went to Tokyo in June. I've been to Tokyo. I read the first Harry Potter novel in 1999. I've read the first Harry Potter novel. I went skydiving on my 21st birthday. I've gone skydiving.