English Lesson on National Grammar Day

 ESL Holiday Lessons.com

  PDF | Word | Quiz | Help my site

THE LESSON ON NATIONAL GRAMMAR DAY

Try the online quiz, reading, listening, and activities on grammar, spelling and vocabulary for this lesson on National Grammar Day. Click on the links above or see the activities below this article:


READ

March 4 is a very important day for all language students. It is National Grammar Day (NGD). This is the day for you to be extra careful with your grammar in class. It is also a good day to promise yourself to make your grammar better. This day is not just for students. Many native speakers of all languages have terrible grammar and make many mistakes. There is an annual award for famous people with poor grammar and U.S. Presidents have won it in the past! NGD is also a day when teachers around the world need to review their teaching methods and make their activities better. If your grammar isn’t good, you can't always say what you mean. People might not always be able to guess what you want to say.

National Grammar Day was created by the Society for the Promotion of Good Grammar (SPOGG) and MSN Encarta. The NGD website says: “If we don't respect and honor the rules of English, we lose our ability to communicate clearly and well.” So what do we do on National Grammar Day? The folks at SPOGG advise us to: “Speak well! Write well! And on March 4, march forth and spread the word. If you see a sign with a catastrophic apostrophe, send a kind note to the storekeeper. If your local newscaster says "Between you and I," set him straight with a friendly e-mail.” The site offers ten top tips for good grammar and encourages visitors to send photos of public notices that contain bad grammar.

Sources: http://www.wikipedia.org/ and assorted sites.

MY e-BOOK


SEE A SAMPLE


Mail this lesson to friends and teachers. Click the @ below.

Match the following phrases from the article.

Paragraph 1

1.

be extra careful with your

a.

have terrible grammar

2

native speakers of all languages

b.

to review their teaching

3.

an annual award for famous people

c.

you want to say

4.

teachers around the world need

d.

what you mean

5.

you can't always say

e.

grammar in class

6.

guess what

f.

with poor grammar

Paragraph 2

1.

respect and honor the

a.

spread the word

2

we lose our ability to communicate

b.

good grammar

3.

march forth and

c.

contain bad grammar

4.

set him straight with a

d.

rules of English

5.

ten top tips for

e.

clearly

6.

photos of public notices that

f.

friendly e-mail

LISTENING GAP FILL

March 4 is a very important _______________ language students. It is National Grammar Day (NGD). This is the day for you to _______________ with your grammar in class. It is also a good day to promise yourself to make your grammar better. This day _______________ students. Many native speakers of all languages have terrible grammar and make many mistakes. There is an annual award for famous people _______________ and U.S. Presidents have won it in the past! NGD is also a day when teachers around the world _______________ their teaching methods and make their activities better. If your grammar isn’t good, you can't always say what you mean. People might not always be able _______________ you want to say.

National Grammar Day _______________ the Society for the Promotion of Good Grammar (SPOGG) and MSN Encarta. The NGD website says: “If we don't respect and _______________ of English, we lose our ability to communicate clearly and well.” So _______________ on National Grammar Day? The folks at SPOGG advise us to: “Speak well! Write well! And on March 4, _______________ spread the word. If you see a sign with a catastrophic apostrophe, send a kind note to the storekeeper. If your local newscaster says "Between you and I," _______________ with a friendly e-mail.” The site offers ten top tips for good grammar and encourages visitors to send photos of public notices _______________ grammar.

WHILE READING / LISTENING GAP FILL

Put the words into the gaps in the text.

March 4 is a very important day for all __________ students. It is National Grammar Day (NGD). This is the day for you to be __________ careful with your grammar in class. It is also a good day to __________ yourself to make your grammar better. This day is not just for students. Many native speakers of all languages have __________ grammar and make many mistakes. There is an annual __________ for famous people with poor grammar and U.S. Presidents have won it in the past! NGD is also a day when teachers around the world need to __________ their teaching methods and make their activities better. If your grammar isn’t good, you can't always say what you __________. People might not always be able to __________ what you want to say.

 

 

 

review
promise
guess
terrible
language
award
mean
extra

National Grammar Day was __________ by the Society for the Promotion of Good Grammar (SPOGG) and MSN Encarta. The NGD website says: “If we don't respect and __________ the rules of English, we lose our __________ to communicate clearly and well.” So what do we do on National Grammar Day? The folks at SPOGG advise us to: “Speak well! Write well! And on March 4, march forth and __________ the word. If you see a __________ with a catastrophic apostrophe, send a kind note to the storekeeper. If your local newscaster says "Between you and I," set him __________ with a friendly e-mail.” The site offers ten top __________ for good grammar and encourages visitors to send photos of public notices that contain __________ grammar.

 

 

tips
 
ability
sign
straight
created
bad
honor
spread

CHOOSE THE CORRECT WORD

Delete the wrong word in each of the pairs of italics.

March 4 is a very important / importance day for all language students. It is National Grammar Day (NGD). This is the day for you to be extra careful / carefully with your grammar in class. It is also a good day to promise yourself to make your grammar better. This day is not justly / just for students. Many native speakers of all languages have terrible grammar and make much / many mistakes. There is an annual award for famous people with poorly / poor grammar and U.S. Presidents have won it in the past! NGD is also a day when teachers around the world need to review / reviews their teaching methods and make their activities better. If your grammar isn’t well / good, you can't always say what you mean. People might not always be able to / for guess what you want to say.

National Grammar Day was creation / created by the Society for the Promotion of Good Grammar (SPOGG) and MSN Encarta. The NGD website says: “If we don't respect and honor the ruler / rules of English, we lose our ability / able to communicate clearly and well.” So what do we do on National Grammar Day? The folks at SPOGG advice / advise us to: “Speak well! Write well! And on March 4, march forth and spread / spreading the word. If you see a sign with a catastrophic apostrophe, send a kind / kindly note to the storekeeper. If your local newscaster says "Between you and I," set / sit him straight with a friendly e-mail.” The site offers ten top tops / tips for good grammar and encourages visitors to send photos of public notices that contain bad grammar.

MULTIPLE CHOICE

March 4 is a very (1) ____ day for all language students. It is National Grammar Day (NGD). This is the day for you to be extra careful with your grammar in class. It is also a good day to (2) ____ yourself to make your grammar better. This day is not just for students. Many native speakers of all languages have terrible grammar and make many mistakes. There is an (3) ____ award for famous people with poor grammar and U.S. Presidents have won it in the past! NGD is also a day when teachers around the world need to (4) ____ their teaching methods and make their activities better. If your grammar isn’t good, you can't always (5) ____ what you mean. People might not always be (6) ____ to guess what you want to say.

National Grammar Day was (7) ____ by the Society for the Promotion of Good Grammar (SPOGG) and MSN Encarta. The NGD website says: “If we don't respect and honor the (8) ____ of English, we lose our ability to communicate clearly and well.” So what do we do on National Grammar Day? The folks at SPOGG (9) ____ us to: “Speak well! Write well! And on March 4, march forth and spread the word. If you see a sign with a catastrophic apostrophe, send a (10) ____ note to the storekeeper. If your (11) ____ newscaster says "Between you and I," set him straight with a friendly e-mail.” The site offers ten top tips for good grammar and encourages visitors to send photos of (12) ____ notices that contain bad grammar.

Put the correct words from this table into the article.

1.

(a)

importance

(b)

importantly

(c)

important

(d)

imported

2.

(a)

promising

(b)

promises

(c)

promise

(d)

promised

3.

(a)

annual

(b)

year

(c)

annul

(d)

annually

4.

(a)

reviewing

(b)

reviewer

(c)

reviewed

(d)

review

5.

(a)

speak

(b)

tell

(c)

voices

(d)

say

6.

(a)

ability

(b)

able

(c)

enabled

(d)

enable

7.

(a)

created

(b)

creation

(c)

creator

(d)

creative

8.

(a)

ruler

(b)

rules

(c)

rulings

(d)

ruled

9.

(a)

advice

(b)

advisory

(c)

advise

(d)

advising

10.

(a)

kindly

(b)

kind

(c)

kindest

(d)

kindness

11.

(a)

locally

(b)

locale

(c)

locals

(d)

local

12.

(a)

public

(b)

publicity

(c)

in public

(d)

publican

SPELLING

Spell the jumbled words (from the text) correctly.

Paragraph 1

1.

be extra rauflec

2.

atievn speakers

3.

an nnaual award

4.

need to eriwve

5.

teaching esmdhot

6.

able to sesgu

Paragraph 2

7.

communicate rycleal

8.

we lose our ybiltai

9.

adpres the word

10.

your callo newscaster

11.

ten top tspi

12.

libucp notices

PUT THE TEXT BACK TOGETHER

Number these lines in the correct order.

(    )

to be extra careful with your grammar in class. It is also a good day to promise yourself to make your grammar

(    )

better. This day is not just for students. Many native speakers of all languages have terrible grammar and make many

(    )

National Grammar Day was created by the Society for the Promotion of Good Grammar (SPOGG) and

(    )

to communicate clearly and well.” So what do we do on National Grammar Day? The folks at SPOGG advise

1  )

March 4 is a very important day for all language students. It is National Grammar Day (NGD). This is the day for you

(    )

MSN Encarta. The NGD website says: “If we don't respect and honor the rules of English, we lose our ability

(    )

past! NGD is also a day when teachers around the world need to review their teaching methods and make their

(    )

might not always be able to guess what you want to say.

(    )

mistakes. There is an annual award for famous people with poor grammar and U.S. Presidents have won it in the

(    )

us to: “Speak well! Write well! And on March 4, march forth and spread the word. If you see a sign

(    )

with a catastrophic apostrophe, send a kind note to the storekeeper. If your local newscaster says "Between you

(    )

tips for good grammar and encourages visitors to send photos of public notices that contain bad grammar.

(    )

and I," set him straight with a friendly e-mail.” The site offers ten top

(    )

activities better. If your grammar isn’t good, you can't always say what you mean. People

SCRAMBLED SENTENCES

With a partner, put the words back into the correct order.

1.

students    language    all    for    day    important    very    a

2.

for    be    This    day    to    careful    the    you    extra    is

3.

better    yourself    make    grammar    promise    to    your

4.

always    what    mean    can't    say    you    you

5.

not    might    People    guess    to    able    be    always

6.

lose    clearly    our    and    ability    well    to    we    communicate

7.

do    on    Day    what    do    Grammar    So    we    National?   

8.

kind    to    storekeeper    a    note    the    send

9.

tips    site    for    offers    good    ten    grammar    top    The

10.

that   photos   contain   of   bad   public   grammar   notices   send

DISCUSSION (Write your own questions)

STUDENT A’s QUESTIONS (Do not show these to student B)

1.

________________________________________________________

2.

________________________________________________________

3.

________________________________________________________

4.

________________________________________________________

5.

________________________________________________________

6.

________________________________________________________

------------------------------------------------------------------------------

STUDENT B’s QUESTIONS (Do not show these to student A)

1.

________________________________________________________

2.

________________________________________________________

3.

________________________________________________________

4.

________________________________________________________

5.

________________________________________________________

6.

________________________________________________________

THE NATIONAL GRAMMAR DAY SURVEY

Write five questions about National Grammar Day in the table. Do this in pairs/groups. Each student must write the questions on his / her own paper.

Without your partner, interview other students. Write down their answers.

 

STUDENT 1

_____________

STUDENT 2

_____________

STUDENT 3

_____________

Q.1.

 

 

 

 

Q.2.

 

 

 

 

Q.3.

 

 

 

 

Q.4.

 

 

 

 

Q.5.

 

 

 

 

Return to your original partner(s) and share and talk about what you found out.  Make mini-presentations to other groups on your findings.

WRITING

Write about National Grammar Day for 10 minutes. Show your partner your paper. Correct each other’s work.

______________________________________________________________________________

______________________________________________________________________________

______________________________________________________________________________

______________________________________________________________________________

______________________________________________________________________________

______________________________________________________________________________

______________________________________________________________________________

______________________________________________________________________________

______________________________________________________________________________

______________________________________________________________________________

______________________________________________________________________________

______________________________________________________________________________

______________________________________________________________________________

______________________________________________________________________________

______________________________________________________________________________

______________________________________________________________________________

______________________________________________________________________________

______________________________________________________________________________

______________________________________________________________________________

______________________________________________________________________________

______________________________________________________________________________

HOMEWORK

1. VOCABULARY EXTENSION: Choose several of the words from the text. Use a dictionary or Google’s search field (or another search engine) to build up more associations / collocations of each word.

2. INTERNET: Search the Internet and find more information about National Grammar Day. Talk about what you discover with your partner(s) in the next lesson.

3. MAGAZINE ARTICLE: Write a magazine article about National Grammar Day. Write about what happens around the world. Include two imaginary interviews with people who did something on this day.

Read what you wrote to your classmates in the next lesson. Give each other feedback on your articles.

4. POSTER: Make your own poster about National Grammar Day. Write about what will happen on this day around the world.

Read what you wrote to your classmates in the next lesson. Give each other feedback on your articles.

ANSWERS

Check your answers in "THE READING / TAPESCRIPT" section at the top of this page.


Follow this site and my other sites on Facebook.