Understanding Grammar Issues: Form-Function Mismatch and Language Interference
This document, prepared by Nurliyana Nor Haziqah and Nur Al-Fhatiha, explores common issues in grammar, notably the mismatch between form and function. It explains that there is often no direct correspondence between grammatical forms and their intended functions and provides examples of various tenses. It also highlights exceptions to grammar rules, such as irregular verbs and the influence of learners’ native languages, which can cause confusion. Issues like a lack of motivation in learning grammar are discussed, emphasizing the need for engaging teaching methods.
Understanding Grammar Issues: Form-Function Mismatch and Language Interference
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Presentation Transcript
ISSUES IN GRAMMAR PREPARED BY: NURLIYANA NOR HAZIQAH NUR AL FHATIHAH
MISMATCH BETWEEN FORM AND FUNCTION • There is no one to one correspondence between form and function • It is very often possible to use a number of different forms to express a similar function.
For example: • I am going tomorrow - present continuous • I go tomorrow - simple present tense • I will go tomorrow - simple future tense • I will be going tomorrow – future perfect continuous
EXCEPTIONS TO THE RULE • There are many exceptions to the grammar rules. • For example; when students has learnt that the past tense of a verb is formed by adding –ed to the root words but they will become confuse with past tense form such as read, began, went and sat. • This is because of the regular and irregular verbs.
REGULAR VERB - change their form very little. • For example: The past tense and past participle of regular verbs end in –ed. walk walked walked • IRREGULAR VERB – we sometimes need a dictionary to help us write the different forms of irregular verbs. • For example: see saw seen
INTERFERENCE FROM THE LEARNERS’ OWN LANGUAGE • The influence from children’ mother tongue will give impact on their grammar. • Example 1: • The rules of SVA in English does not have a parallel in BM or Mandarin.
Example 2: • In BM, a sentence with although, in it also have a but. • For English, we can’t put although and but together in a sentence. • Most of the pupils write: • Although he is clever but he is lazy. x • He is clever but he is lazy √
Example 3: • The third person singular(he, she, it) is not distinguished for gender in BM and Mandarin.
LACK OF MOTIVATION • Grammar learning requires multiple repetition and this is BORING • It also requires the perception of rules which may be difficult and abstract for some children. • Therefore, very few children enjoy learning grammar.
