Department of English and American Studies Teaching English Language and Literature for Secondary Schools

Masaryk University Faculty of Arts Department of English and American Studies Teaching English Language and Literature for Secondary Schools Pavla Kadová Teaching and Learning English Verbs Effectively Master’s Diploma Thesis Supervisor: James Edward Thomas, M.A 2013 I declare that I have worked on this thesis independently, using only the primary and secondary sources listed in the bibliography Author’s signature Acknowledgement I would like to thank my supervisor James Edward Thomas, M.A., for his help, useful comments and advice TABLE OF CONTENTS Introduction TEACHING GRAMMAR 1.1 Definition of grammar 1.2 Kinds of meaning 1.3 Grammar rules 1.4 To teach or not to teach grammar RESEARCH PART 12 2.1 Competence and performance 12 2.2 Think Aloud Protocol 19 2.3 Evaluation of various teaching methods used to present and practise problematic verb forms 27 2.4 The Audio-Lingual Method 28 2.5 Content-based Instruction 39 2.6 Communicative Language Teaching 47 2.7 Task-based Instruction 55 2.8 Grammar-Translation Method 62 2.9 Corpus-based lesson 69 2.10 Students’ evaluation of the lessons 75 2.11 Conclusion 79 Bibliography 82 Resumé …………………………………………………………………… 84 Appendices 86 Introduction Since language is the principal way of communication among people, they also start learning foreign languages The English language has become the main language of world communication over the last century, therefore the number of its learners is increasing rapidly English is also used as a lingua franca since it is a common means of communication for speakers of different mother tongues The motivation of learners of English varies Some people need English for their work, some for travelling, some are interested in the culture of English-speaking countries, and there is a large group of learners that have to study English as a part of their school curriculum Generally speaking, the task of English language teachers of such learners is quite hard, since they have to present their students with information bound to the foreign language in spite of the fact that the students’ intrinsic motivation is sometimes very low The process of English language learning comprises of acquiring vocabulary, grammatical rules, correct pronunciation, etc The same holds true in the case of learning English verbs This thesis concentrates chiefly on the grammatical domain of English verbs, adopting Michael Lewis’s (2002) classification of English verbs into categories like The First/Second/Third Form of the Verb, Modal Auxiliaries or The Passive This thesis consists of an introduction to the issue of teaching grammar; a discussion on whether to teach or not to teach grammar; in the research part of the thesis the performance and competence factors of the observed learners have been determined; a qualitative method of finding out more about the students’ procedural knowledge was applied; and finally, the most important part of the research comprises of six taught lessons, each of them having been carried out with the use of a different teaching method, whose efficiency has been evaluated both by the researcher and the students that experienced them TEACHING GRAMMAR 1.1 Definition of grammar One can meet with a plenty of definitions of grammar, more or less alike Grammar is the set of structural rules that govern the composition of clauses, phrases and words in any given natural language The term refers also to the study of such rules, and this field includes morphology, syntax, and phonology, often complemented by phonetics, semantics and pragmatics (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Grammar) Brown (2007: 420) defines grammar as “the system of rules governing the conventional arrangement and relationship of words in a sentence.” Thornbury (1999: 2) in his book How to Teach Grammar explains that grammar is seen as “the study of the syntax and morphology of sentences it is the study of linguistic chains and slots That is, it is the study both of the way words are chained together in a particular order, and also what kinds of words can slot into any one link in the chain.” Thornbury [1] also claims that grammar is a tool for making meaning, since learners need to know not only what forms are possible but also what forms will express their meanings [1] Thornbury, S (1999) 1.2 Kinds of meaning Thornbury [2] distinguishes between two main kinds of meaning of grammatical forms: representational and interpersonal They both reflect the two chief purposes of language Representational role of meaning represents the world as people perceive and experience it To explain it, verbs convey the meaning of events or processes happening in the world These events are instigated by people or things, which are typically represented by noun phrases, forming the subject of the verb The object of the verb is the thing or person affected by the events or processes The time of the events can be also conveyed by using a particular verb tense The second main function of language is its interpersonal role It influences the way things happen in the world, especially in people’s relations with others A grammatical means by which interpersonal meaning can be transmitted is called modality As Thornbury [3] implies, “in learning a new language learners need to see how the forms of the language match the range of meanings - both representational and interpersonal – that they need to express and understand.” 1.3 Grammar rules As Thornbury reminds us, there two types of grammar rules – a prescriptive rule and a descriptive rule The former tells people how they ought to use a language, i.e what should be said or written Nevertheless, descriptive rules are more important for foreign language teaching They are about what speakers of the language actually say O’Keeffe et al [4] in their book From Corpus to Classroom similarly [2] Ibid [3] Ibid, p.6 [4] O’Keeffe, A., McCarthy, M & Carter, R (2007: 104) differentiate between deterministic and probabilistic grammar rules and patterns According to these authors, deterministic rules are those “which always and invariably apply.” The second type of rules – probabilistic – “state what is more likely or least likely to apply in particular circumstances.” [5] The authors also point out that it is often difficult for learners of a foreign language to concentrate on what is possible to say or write and not to be bound to what is correct or incorrect 1.4 To teach or not to teach grammar The question whether to teach grammar in language classes has aroused educators Thornbury [6] looks at the issue with a compromise solution when he names cases both for teaching grammar and against it Let us now have a look at some of his points more closely The case for grammar Thornbury [7] gives seven arguments for putting grammar into the foreground in foreign language teaching Here are some of them: • the sentence-machine argument Part of the process of second language learning is item-learning, which is putting [5] Ibid, p.105 [6] Thornbury, S (1999) [7] Ibid words and phrases into one’s memory However, memory has its limits and there comes the moment when the learner needs to use some grammar rules to be able to produce new sentences Thus grammar is necessary for conveying the intended meaning • the fossilisation argument Thornbury [8] means that when motivated students with a high ability for learning languages achieve a certain level of proficiency without formal study, it is often hard for them to progress beyond this level “To put it technically, their linguistic competence fossilises.” [9] Such a situation definitely speaks for certain formal study, even if it was self-directed study • the advance-organiser argument The grammar rules and patterns one learns can have a delayed effect When, for example, a learner communicates with native speakers of the target language, he can perceive that certain grammatical items capture his attention He simply notices them because these were the grammatical items he learned in his language classes Therefore, as Thornbury concludes, noticing is a condition needed for acquisition [8] Ibid [9] Ibid • the rule-of-law argument Since grammar is a system of rules, the learning and teaching of it can be known as transmission The rules and facts are transferred from the teacher to the learners Such a kind of teaching and learning is typical for schools, or institutions, that appreciate rules and discipline It can be of great value for unmotivated groups of teenagers Thornbury [10] adds that the pure experience of the target language through communication is not enough The case against grammar Similarly, Thornbury [11] gives several cases against teaching grammar Let us scrutinize some of them • the knowledge-how argument Contrary to the last case for grammar, Thornbury [12] suggests that enough exposure and chances to communicate in the target language are more desirable than the knowledge of grammatical rules He calls this learning-by-doing experiential learning [10] Ibid [11] Ibid [12] Ibid • the communication argument There have been arguments that knowing the grammar of the target language is not sufficient The proponents of Communicative Language Teaching have implied that communicative competence consists of more than just linguistic competence, e.g grammatical knowledge As Thornbury [13] remarks, “Communicative competence involves knowing how to use the grammar and vocabulary of the language to achieve communicative goals, and knowing how to this in a socially appropriate way.” • the acquisition argument 10 A: 1st C: 3rd B: 2nd D: 4th Why was The Treaty of Waitangi so important? A: it declared New Zealand its sovereignty B: it was the basis of European-Maori relations C: it guaranteed the Maori people compensation for confiscated property D: it was the first contract between New Zealand and Australia The capital of New Zealand is A: Auckland C: Wellington B: Christchurch D: Hobart 10 How many per cent of New Zealand population speak Maori language? A: 98 C: 28 B: D: 10 11 School attendance in New Zealand is compulsory up to the age of A: 14 C: 16 B: 15 D: is not compulsory 12 What is ‘haka’? A: the name of NZ rugby representation C: Maori dance B: Maori name for rugby D: the name of Maori warriors Appendix V – New Zealand – handouts NEW ZEALAND – Environment Geography 92 New Zealand (Maori: Aotearoa) is an island country in the south-western Pacific Ocean The country geographically comprises of two main landmasses – the North and South Islands – and numerous smaller islands The two main islands are separated by the Cook Strait New Zealand is situated some 1,500 kilometres south-east of Australia across the Tasman Sea The South Island is the largest landmass of New Zealand, and is divided along its length by the Southern Alps The highest peak is Mount Cook at 3,754 metres The North Island is less mountainous but is marked by volcanism Climate New Zealand has a mild and temperate climate Biodiversity New Zealand’s geographic isolation for 80 million years and island biogeography is responsible for the country’s unique species of animals and plants Before the arrival of humans an estimated 80 per cent of the land was covered in forest The forests were dominated by birds, and the lack of mammalian predators led to some like the kiwi or kakapo More penguin species are found in New Zealand than in any other country The largest insect in the world called weta is also found in New Zealand Trade New Zealand is heavily dependent on international trade, particularly in agricultural products Its principal export industries are agriculture, fishing, forestry and mining Dairy farming increased and has become New Zealand’s largest export earner The number of sheep was estimated to be 40 million in 2007 NEW ZEALAND – History New Zealand was first settled by Eastern Polynesians between 1250 and 1300 Over the centuries these settlers developed a distinct culture now known as Maori The population was divided into tribes and subtribes which would cooperate, compete and sometimes fight with each other The first Europeans known to have reached New Zealand were Dutch explorer Abel Tasman and his crew in 1642 Europeans did not revisit New Zealand until 1769 when British explorer James Cook mapped almost the entire coastline Following Cook, New Zealand was visited by numerous European and North American whaling, sealing and trading ships From the early 19 th century, 93 Christian missionaries began to settle New Zealand and a lot of the Maori population were eventually converted In 1840 a treaty with the Maori – The Treaty of Waitangi that guaranteed the Maori people compensation for their confiscated property – was signed and British sovereignty over all of New Zealand was also declared this year With the signing of the Treaty and declaration of sovereignty the number of immigrants, particularly from the United Kingdom, began to increase New Zealand became a separate Colony of New Zealand on July 1841 and in 1856 the colony effectively became self-governing, gaining responsibility over all domestic matters In 1893 the country became the first nation in the world to grant all women the right to vote In 1907 King Edward VII proclaimed New Zealand a dominion within the British Empire, reflecting its self-governing status NEW ZEALAND – Society Demography The population of New Zealand is approximately 4.4 million 53 per cent of the population live in the four largest cities in Auckland, Christchurch, Wellington (the capital) and Hamilton In the 2006 census, 67.6 per cent identified ethnically as European and 14.6 per cent as Maori New Zealanders are informally called ‘Kiwis’ Languages English is the predominant language in New Zealand It is spoken by 98 per cent of the population After the Second World War, Maori were discouraged from speaking their own language (te reo Maori) in schools and workplaces and it existed as a community language only in a few remote areas It has recently undergone a process of revitalization and now it is spoken by 4.1 per cent of the population Education and religion Primary and secondary schooling is compulsory for children aged to 16 There are 13 school years and attending public schools is free New Zealand has an adult literacy rate of 99 per cent, and over half of the population aged 15 to 29 hold a tertiary qualification Christianity is the predominant religion in New Zealand In the 2006 94 census, 55.6 per cent of the population identified themselves as Christians, while another 34.7 per cent indicated that they had no religion Culture Aspects of British and Irish culture were brought to New Zealand and also influenced Maori culture However, Maori kinship roles still resemble those of other Polynesian peoples New Zealand music has been influenced by blues, jazz, country, rock and roll and hip hop Sports Most of the major sporting codes played in New Zealand have English origins Golf, netball, tennis and cricket are the four top participatory sports, soccer is the most popular among young people and rugby union attracts the most spectators New Zealand’s national rugby union team is often regarded as the best in the world Rugby players perform the famous ‘haka’ dance before a match Appendix VI – Sports-column extract & predictions about the future BBC Sport TENNIS 95 16 January 2013 AUSTRALIAN OPEN: The challenges of playing in 40C heat Amid the snow and ice of a British January, it’s difficult to imagine tennis players at the Australian Open battling with 40C temperatures The effects of playing tennis in the heat One of the hottest matches on record was the 2002 women’s singles final After being a set and 4-0 up, with four match points, Martina Hingis lost to Jennifer Capriati Hingis says she found the conditions draining “It’s the legs that stop functioning The brain still wants it, you want to run and you want to get to the ball and play, but you feel like your body can’t cope with what your brain tells it to do.” “Playing in the heat is highly stressful for the body,” says Dr Glyn Howatson, an exercise physiologist from Northumbria University “I imagine players will be coming off the courts a couple of kilograms lighter.” He believes players’ core temperatures could rise to around 40C “For most normal people you’d be close to being in hospital, but Andy Murray will be acclimatized,” he says “He’ll have given his body the best possible chance of playing in these inhospitable conditions.” Towards the end of five-set matches, players’ reaction times may slow by up to a quarter of a second “Your judgement will go, to a certain extent,” says professor Clyde Williams, a sports scientist at Loughborough University who has worked in Melbourne “There is no space for error and these kinds of conditions have a huge impact on who wins matches.” He says players should focus on cooling down the body before the match and take icepacks on court As the players slow down, the balls get faster in the heat “They bounce higher and fly quicker,” says Mark Taylor, head coach of the performance academy at Nottingham “Players will have their racquets strung slightly tighter to try to get more control of the ball.” “In addition,” says Taylor, “the soft rubber on their shoes may stick to the courts You tend to trip a bit more.” How to play tennis in the Australian climate For the players, preparation is key Murray says: “For a majority of the day, it’s going to be tough conditions to play in and I need to be ready for it.” 96 “I think it’s going to be tough for everyone on Thursday but you’ve just got to try to get through it,” adds Robson “There are going to be some iced towels on court for sure I’ll have to try to hydrate as much as possible.” Robson has played in high temperatures before At the Hobart International, in Tasmania, temperatures got up to 42C “The wind there was like a hairdryer in my face, so hopefully it won’t be that bad,” she says Nick Weal, the men’s head coach at the Lawn Tennis Association, says Murray’s preseason training regime in Miami will help him “These guys have been playing in the heat a lot over the last few years, so they know what it’s like I think if you came from an English winter and hadn’t seen the sun, that would be pretty much impossible.” Tennis in the heat: The long-term outlook Fortunately for the players, after the extreme heat tomorrow it’s expected temperatures will cool again by the weekend Weatherman Simon Kings says: “You might get that spike on Thursday but it’s only short-lived By Friday temperatures will be back down to 28C.” Tournament director Craig Tiley says: “The long-term forecast is looking very good There will be some warmer days – that’s why we have the roof We can manage it with the roof so play can continue.” Predictions about the future: By 2014, Scotland will not be a part of the United Kingdom anymore By 2020, solar energy will replace the world’s reliance on fossil fuels By 2030, scientists will find a cure for cancer By 2050, people will be living on the moon Appendix VII – handout – verb forms for the future Jealousy I want you to imagine that you are just about to visit a small village It doesn’t matter which country it’s in because all villages are the same whichever part of the world they 97 are in There were only about 300 inhabitants in total in this particular village and everyone knew everybody’s business A typical street conversation would run like this: “I hear Joan’s going to have a baby next year I expect it’ll be a boy this time She’s having a nurse come next week to help with her girls - maybe a boy will make life easier for her!” In this village people usually help each other whenever they can If someone is going to the “big” town – that is one with more than a thousand people– invariably they will say to their neighbours: “I’ll get you some vegetables, if you like.” But it’s not all sweetness and light here because there is a longstanding feud going on between two families I’ll let the local gossip, Mary tell you the background “It must be ten years since it all started I doubt it’ll ever stop,” she laughed when she said that “But then I’ve been told I am to tell you the beginning of it all and also you are to listen, remember There are two women who are always arguing about something One of them lives in that huge house over there Don’t look now because she’ll open her front door in a minute She’s going to catch the 9.15 bus that goes in ten minutes from that stop there Now, she’s a fine lady, she is She’s due to become a councillor next month after the elections and she’ll probably make a good job of it Now hold on a second the other lady is leaving her house in a minute Yes, what did I say? She’s going to catch the bus too but she’ll get on at the next stop to avoid meeting the councillor lady Now the second lady runs a small restaurant, as a matter of fact I’m taking lunch there later today.” I asked Mary why these two women didn’t get on She looked me straight in the eye and said: “Jealousy One runs a successful restaurant and the councillor lady runs a small guesthouse Both of them are going to make a lot of money this year because of the festival but the guesthouse lady will make more and she always has done and that’s the cause of the trouble.” “Now what I haven’t told you,” continued Mary, “and I’m just about to reveal it, is that there are two other people in 98 the story Namely the son of one of the ladies and the daughter of the other And yes, they are getting married next year and the whole village will be invited It’s going to be a big affair.” I interrupted Mary at this point and asked her what had happened to the feud “Oh that doesn’t matter much now,” continued Mary, “they’ll be too busy making arrangements for the wedding They’re due to meet a catering firm this morning.” “So what’s all this about separate bus stops?” I asked “Oh, that’s just for the tourists who are coming here next month.” I tried to understand but had one more question: “And what about jealousy?” – “Now, you’re not to worry about her There are plenty of villages round here and she’ll soon find another one to visit and cause trouble in.” I thanked Mary and walked away, totally confused thinking to myself; “I shall never understand village life.” Appendix VIII – verb forms for the future – adapted from Eastwood’s Oxford Practice Grammar Read the news report and complete the gaps with the given verbs in the correct form (start, fight, be – 3x, build, take, have, happen) 99 The Maxi-Shop company …………… a huge new shopping centre on the edge of Millingham, it was announced yesterday There …………… at least three hundred shops, including some big department stores When the project is complete, there …………… hundreds of new jobs for local people But not everyone is happy ‘We …………… this plan,’ said a spokesperson for the local Environment Group ‘Just think what …………… to our countryside When shopping malls have covered the whole country, there …………… no green fields left So we …………… a protest meeting tomorrow evening at the town hall It …………… at half past seven.’ Owners of shops in the town centre are also unhappy ‘The new centre …………… our customers away,’ said one of them Appendix IX – verb forms for the future - handout Be going to or will? Choose the correct form a Why are you writing in your diary? I’ll / I’m going to eat at that new restaurant in town on Friday 100 b Have you planned your next holiday? Yes, we’ll / we’re going to fly to Thailand on Wednesday! c I can’t hear the radio I’ll / I’m going to turn it up for you d Do you prefer the red or black shoes? I think the red ones will / are going to look nicer with your new dress e I plan to be a teacher I’ll / I’m going to apply for a course as soon as I can f Sarah telephoned last night Will she / Is she going to come to the party on Saturday? Appendix X – concordance lines – adverbials (extract) [001] ' 'Yes I'll invite him to this fIat at six o'clock _ evening Before that, I hope we'll have some answer [002] All right,' Holmes said 'Tell me What happened?' ' _ is the first day of some important exams,' Mr Soames [003] aren shouted from behind the door 'I've got an exam _ , and I'm busy I can't see anybody!' 'I'm sorry,' Mr 101 [004] Oh, are you going, Mr Holmes?' Mr Soames cried 'But _ is the exam! What am I going to about it? I can't [005] oing to about it? I can't - ' 'I'll come here early _ morning,' Holmes told him 'I'll have answers for yo [006] to warm houses and factories! I have to go to London _ to get a passport! I'm leaving on Saturday.' 'Saturda [007] must all get some sleep It's going to be a busy day _ ' At the LouvreThe group was standing in front of [008] ness and about tours like these So, we're in Lucerne _ Then after that is Venice I have to read all abou [009] et back to the UK Anything can happen before that _ we're leaving Florence for Rome A beautiful city! T [010] It will be beautiful sailing down the Adriatic coast _ morning.' 'I'd like to post some cards before we leav [011] plates and danced on the tables I'm tired now but _ - no, today - we're going to Istanbul Another long [012] ! I was too tired to be polite We've got a full day _ First we're visiting Topkapi Palace and then we're [001] at, these four?' cried the Greycoats teacher 'You'll _ make a team out of them One of them's a girl too [002] happily 'Why us?' said Bean 'It's not fair! We'll _ beat Greycoats [003] beat Greycoats _ in a million years!' But everybody in the school was [004] n teach the rest of us! And I'll be in the team too _ mind that rubbish about not having girls I can ride [005] e sounded very unhappy 'I don't like it at all We _ thought that Hawkwood would beat us! But your sister [006] Jazz's long hair was hidden under his turban Sikhs _ cut their hair, and although Jazz wanted to cut his, 102 [007] and she got down on the floor, looking for it 'You _ had a handbag, Madam,' the inspector said, not amused [008] ough the centre of town was something that they would _ forget The crowds shouted with laughter when this s [009] e counted But Nutty suddenly realized that they had _ tried all four parts of the competition on the same d [010] t like flying, and Nails began to realize that he had _ enjoyed anything in his life as much as this He rod [011] ner Without him, they would probably fail Jazz had _ been anywhere as grand as Swallow Hall before, and he [012] r-old, ready to race and to win Little Hoomey would _ be able to stop him, Appendix XI – concordance lines (extract) – verb forms for the future 10 he asked Because I liked this sad person so much, I said, " WILL you have a drink with me"? I could see the ancient cyni 011 ip from him and led him down a corridor to a small parlor " WILL you please wait in here M ICKIE SAT over his second whi 012 iticians and unions fear unrest over 600,000 arrivals Bonn " WILL benefit from refugee influx By Anna Tomforde in Bonn W 103 013 lve months old The water hawthorn, Aponogeton distachyus , WILL grow if sown straight aw ay or if kept until the followi 014 m is abundant The Alliance Report recognized that the STV " WILL not on all occasions resu lt in exact proportionality be 015 me Go to the same hotel and occupy the same suite- 1105" " WILL the hotel rent it so soon a fter the crime"? "Why not? T 016 O should have no role in the peace talks March elections " WILL cripple opposition for ever, merger congress told Zimb 017 oelig;uvres were satisfactory At each table she murmured, " WILL you be taking coffee this e vening?" and on being answer 018 on I heard them! Uncle and Aunt Howe were the witnesses" " WILL he die"? "Everybody es" Ludie could be hateful To s 019 oslash;ller was "on the bridge", attending to some papers " WILL you take it in the drawingroom with our other guests?" 020 others, those come with the beans, potatoes, the tomatoes, " WILL any of us do"? Moss, a ma n who knows how much the canne 021 r that He said the electoral defeat of opposition parties " WILL be so massive and crippling th at they will not rise aga Appendix XII – evaluation questionnaire – class Q STUDENTS’ EVALUATION OF THE LESSONS – Class Q • Which of the following activities you think were the most useful when learning grammar? (1-I really not find this a useful way of learning; 2-I not find it very useful; 3-Neither helpful nor useless; 4-This was quite helpful to me; 5-This was really helpful to me) Drills, pronunciation practice 104 Discovering the rules myself by answering the teacher’s questions Using a text (Australian Open) to state the certainty of modal verbs A discussion – predictions about the future A role-play – a company meeting Translating the verb forms for the future in a text (Jealousy) into Czech Filling-in grammar exercises, translating the sentences and stating the uses of the verb forms Translating my own sentences from English to Czech, and back, in pairs Which of the used materials did you like the best? (mark only) • Two pictures A sports column about Australian Open 2013, a list of four predictions A text about a village life called Jealousy, two exercises practising the future In which of the three lessons did you have the impression you were learning something? Audio-Lingual (the Passive Voice) Communicative Language Teaching – CLT (modal verbs) Grammar-Translation (verb forms for the future) • Appendix XIII – evaluation questionnaire – class S STUDENTS’ EVALUATION OF THE LESSONS – Class S • Which of the following activities you think were the most useful when learning grammar? (1-I really not find this a useful way of learning; 2-I not find it very useful; 3Neither helpful nor useless; 4-This was quite helpful to me; 5-This was really helpful to me) Answering the quiz questions Presentation of the Passive Voice using the handouts about New Zealand A mind map on the board (an introduction to the topic of utopian societies) Creating our own utopian society Presentations of our utopian societies + teacher’s feedback Working with adverbials in the concordance lines 105 Working with verb forms for the future using concordance lines – stating the uses of them Which of the used materials did you like the best? (mark only) A quiz about New Zealand, handouts with facts about NZ A map of an uninhabited island, dictionaries Concordance lines • In which of the three lessons did you have the impression you were learning • something? Content-based (the Passive Voice) Task-based (language emerging from the task) Corpus-based (verb forms for the future) 106 ... motivation of learners of English varies Some people need English for their work, some for travelling, some are interested in the culture of English- speaking countries, and there is a large group of. .. with the first and second form of the verb However, about 60 per cent of them responded that they sometimes find the third form of the verb, continuous forms and the verb forms for future difficult... ways of teaching and learning English verbs, three areas of language learning were examined, all of them 11 within two groups of grammar school low-intermediate students Firstly, the competence and