English Language Grammar Course

Elizaveta Pachina Teaching Ideas Teaching a language seems to have its roots precisely in teaching grammar: one of the first learning methodologies in history was grammar-translation. Used to translate Greek into Latin, it was inefficient for speech development, yet it remains one of the most popular teaching methods in education. Unfortunately, even from my own experience as a student, this is the preferred teaching method and it wasn't until recently that a more interactive way of learning was introduced in schools. Reasons to Learn Grammar Approaches to Teaching Grammar 1. Deductive approach 2. Inductive approach Young Learners Adult Learners Potential problems Are you ready to teach English abroad? Related Articles: Listen to this blog post: This post was written by our TEFL...  [Read more]

  The structure of the question form of the Present Simple tense is the topic for this ITTT video. The positive and negative forms are discussed in other videos. Question Form: auxiliary verb 'do/does' + subject + base form of the verb Do I/you/we/they teach? Does he/she/it teach? Teaching English as a second language is an exciting and rewarding experience. The major qualifications necessary to gain a position teaching English as a second language are an internationally recognized TEFL or TESOL Certificate. ITTT has a range of courses that will provide you with the skills to begin your career teaching English as a second language. If you are interested in gaining your qualification follow the link above. Below you can read feedback from an ITTT graduate regarding one section of...  [Read more]

  This video explains the usage of the future perfect continuous tense. This tense is used to talk about how long an action/event will have been going on by a certain time in the future. Although the future perfect continuous is rarely used in everyday English, if you are looking to teach English as a second language, you will need to be knowledgeable on even rare grammar points such as this. So if you are considering entering the world of English teaching the best way to equip yourself with the necessary skills is to take a comprehensive TEFL course and ITTT's online TEFL courses give you a good foundation in the areas of English grammar that you are most likely to encounter when you first set out to teach English as a second language. More information can be found about the courses...  [Read more]

  This training video from one of ITTT's teaching English as a foreign language courses reviews the usage of the future perfect tense. This is used to talk about actions that will be completed by a point in the future. "I will have finished my TEFL course by the end of the year" If you are interested in teaching English as a foreign language the first thing you should think about is getting qualified. Many EFL employers require their teachers to have some form of teaching qualification and a 120-hour TEFL certificate meets that requirement. Follow the link above to browse the selection of TEFL courses that ITTT has to offer. Below you can read feedback from an ITTT graduate regarding one section of their online TEFL certification course. Each of our online courses is broken down...  [Read more]

Federico Riva Destinations TEFL Information Alumni Experiences Language is the key to communication, and grammar is the foundation that unlocks its potential. Often viewed as a daunting challenge, mastering grammar is an essential step in language acquisition. Beyond the complexities lie five compelling reasons why grammar should be at the core of every language learner's journey. 1. Building Strong Foundations 2. Bridging the Gap for New Concepts 3. Achieving Native-Like Fluency 4. Uncovering Language Nuances 5. Realizing the Role of Grammar in Language Proficiency Conclusion Are you ready to teach English as a foreign language? Related Articles: Check out what our course grads say in our many video testimonials! Disclaimer: The views and opinions expressed in this blog post are...  [Read more]

  This video from one of ITTT's teach English as a foreign language courses covers three teaching ideas for the future perfect tense. The future perfect is used to talk about things that will have been completed by a certain date in the future. The first idea involves asking students the following question "What will you have done by ...?" with an appropriate time in the future. For example: "What will you have done by the time you are 25?" "I will have become an English teacher". The second idea involves giving students monthly calendars to complete and asking them to say what they will have done by the end of the month. The last idea involves asking questions about a famous person and what they will have achieved in the future. "How many awards will she have won by 2025?" "How many...  [Read more]

  In this video for a teaching English second language teaching idea the students are given a sheet of paper with a series of pictures and each picture has a prompt with complicated verb structure as well as irregular verbs. The students will have to look at the prompts and order the pictures so as to make a story in the past simple tense. For higher level students you could remove the prompts and leave it up to them to create their own story. Teaching English as a second language is an increasingly popular career move. Not only do get the opportunity to help a variety of people around the world achieve their language learning goals but you also get to experience what it is like to live in another culture, often quite different to your own, which is always a rewarding experience. To...  [Read more]

  This video explores the structure and usage of the past simple tense. The different structures of this tense are: Positive: Add --ed or --d to the base form of the verb She worked last night. Negative: Add did not or didn't before the base form of the verb He didn't teach yesterday. Question: Add did plus the subject before the base form of the verb Did she drive yesterday? The past simple tense is used to talk about completed actions in the past. For example: I watched television last night. In order to be a confident and successful English language teacher in the classroom, it is necessary to have a good understanding of the various English language tenses such as the one shown above. The best way to achieve this understanding is to complete a high-quality TEFL course as offered...  [Read more]

  This ITTT video outlines the structure of the Present Perfect Continuous tense, the tense that is used for events which started in the past and are still continuing, or which have stopped, but whose effects are still ongoing. This one of two videos -- this one focuses on the structure of the positive and negative forms. Positive form: subject + auxiliary verb 'have'/'has' + been + present participle I have been working for ten years. Negative form: subject + auxiliary verb 'have'/'has' + not +been + present participle She has not been working here for some time. It is essential for any TESOL Course to provide teachers with a sound knowledge of the English language tense system and to give teachers the confidence to present productive, meaningful and correct information to their...  [Read more]

  This video reviews the four future tenses; the future simple, future continuous, future perfect and future perfect continuous. The future simple: Subject + will + base verb Used for predictions without evidence/threats/promises/spontaneous decisions. I'll have an orange juice. The future continuous: Subject + will + be + present participle Used for actions in progress at a particular time in the future. This time next year, I'll be teaching English in Thailand. The future perfect: Subject + will + have + past participle Used for actions completed before a certain time in the future. I'll have finished my TESOL course by the end of the month. The future perfect continuous: Subject + will + have + been + present participle Used for talking about the duration of an action up to a...  [Read more]

  This video outlines two usages of the Present Simple tense. There are several usages but the video focuses on the two main ones. The first usage is to talk about habits and routines. For example, I teach every Monday. She walks to school every day. It rains almost every day in the wet season. His mother does yoga twice a week. The second main usage of the Present Simple is to talk about general facts and truths. For example, The sun rises in the east. The earth is round. She works at the local mall. Coming to terms with the tense system can often cause both students and teachers the greatest amount of difficulty, not to mention other grammar points such as conditionals, modals, active and passive voice. ITTT's online teaching courses assume no previous knowledge of English grammar...  [Read more]

  This video explores the usages of the Present Perfect Continuous -- the tense that relates past activities to the present. It implies that the activity is likely to continue in the future or that the activity was in progress for some length of time, or both. The first usage is to talk about an incomplete and ongoing activity, when we want to say how long it has continued. For example, "I have been teaching for ten years." It talks about an action that started in the past and is continuing now. The second usage is to describe recently finished activities that have present results. For example, "He is tired because he has been chopping trees." It is talking about an action that was continuing until very recently. The Present Perfect Continuous emphasizes the action or the activity...  [Read more]

  This video looks at how two present tenses can be used to talk about the future. The two tenses are the present simple and present continuous. The present simple is used to talk about time tables and scheduled events. The bus leaves at 12. The concert starts at 8. The present continuous is used to talk about future arrangements. I am playing football at the weekend. ITTT's online TESOL Courses feature other videos explaining the future tense as well as other important grammar points needed by all potential English teachers. To find a TESOL course that is best suited to your needs visit us by following the link above. Below you can read feedback from an ITTT graduate regarding one section of their online TEFL certification course. Each of our online courses is broken down into...  [Read more]

Linda Dunsmore Alumni Experiences Some may conclude that the correct usage of English grammar only matters to teachers and have no real relevance in day to day life. We have to conclude that this is incorrect because grammar, disregarding the country or the language, is the infrastructure of communication. For instance, in the simplest of examples, when a message is delivered with the correct usage of grammar, it is much more understandable and precise to comprehend the intent and meaning of that message. Knowing proper grammar use is key Grammar in writing Grammar to cultivate habits Improving grammar at its best Do you want to teach English abroad? Take a TEFL course! Related Articles: This post was written by our TEFL certification graduate Rosendo D. Please note that this blog post...  [Read more]

Elizaveta Pachina Alumni Experiences Admittedly, learning grammar may not be the most appealing part when learning a new language. It usually connects with conjugations, tenses and in some languages, the position of the verbs, for example, German. Grammar itself can cause a huge problem for both the teacher and students to carry out the language class smoothly. People might argue that unconscious imitation is the best approach to learning a language since it is the most natural way. I would like to say this is the idealist method. Truth speaking, not many students are able to enjoy the bilingual or even multi-lingual background. Moreover, even with the mother tongue, people will encounter grammar courses in school. This essay focuses on the necessities and importance of learning grammar...  [Read more]

  The 'going to' future tense is used to make predictions based on evidence and to talk about plans and intentions. This Online TEFL Course video discusses two teaching ideas that can be used with the 'going to' future tense. The first idea encourages students to make predictions based on evidence with a weather forecasting activity. The students are given information about the weather in a particular country and give weather forecasts for the following week or month: On Monday it's going to rain in the morning but then it's going to be sunny for the rest of the day. In the second teaching idea students discuss plans for an upcoming birthday party/holiday: We're going to eat at a fancy restaurant. I'm going to have a massive birthday cake. I'm going to sunbathe the whole time. We're...  [Read more]

  The Present Simple tense teaching idea in this video is called "20 Questions." The teacher frames this game in the context of, What's my job? Who am I? What am I? (for objects) A student comes to the front of the room and selects a card. The class then asks appropriate questions such as; Do you work in an office? Do you wear a uniform? And try to guess the job, person or object. The student with the card answers using the Present Simple. Each student has a turn and there is a two minute time limit for each person. When teaching the Present Simple tense or any other grammar point, a good English language teacher will always model the language correctly. Students need to be exposed to new language, they need to understand its meaning, they need to understand how it is constructed and...  [Read more]

  The past perfect is used as the past in the past to talk about events that happened in the past before another past event. For example: The concert had started before I arrived. The past perfect is covered in more detail in ITTT's 120-hour online teaching course. There are other courses available from 60-hour courses covering teaching skills to a 250-hour Diploma in TESOL. You can also take a specialisation teaching young learners or in teaching business English. Whatever your requirements are, if you are looking to become qualified to teach English from your own home, ITTT will have the right online teaching course for you. Below you can read feedback from an ITTT graduate regarding one section of their online TEFL certification course. Each of our online courses is broken down...  [Read more]

    170-hr TEFL Certificate with tutor (Specialization in Teaching Online) Our 170-hour Teaching English as a Foreign Language with Online Specialization has been designed for those who would like to gain a qualification to enter the TEFL/TESOL employment market and wish to maximize their options. Through this course we will give you the knowledge and skills needed to teach English in both classroom and online settings. The course is taken in two parts: First, our 120-hour certification is completed. This is followed by a further 50-hours of study looking at the particular skills needed to teach English online. One added benefit of the course is that on completion you will gain access to a unique graduate network, connecting you to ITTT alumni currently employed by many of the...  [Read more]

  The teaching idea in this video is for the past continuous involves students miming an action; however, unlike the mime activity for the present continuous students will not be doing the mimes for others to see. Instead they will stop the mime before the other students open their eyes. The students will then have to say what their classmates were doing before they stopped. For example: You were driving a car. You were eating a sandwich. Being able to come up with interesting teaching ideas for what students often see as boring grammar points is an important skill for any English teacher. Taking an Online TEFL Course with ITTT will give you an understanding of the grammar points that you need to teach when starting out as a new teacher of English and will also give you some great...  [Read more]

  This video covers the structure of the future perfect continuous. Other videos look at the usage and possible teaching ideas. The structure is as follows: Positive -- Subject + will + have + been + present participle By the end of this week, I will have been teaching English for three years. Negative -- Subject + will + not + have + been + present participle I won't have been waiting long by the time you get here. Question -- Will + subject + have + been + present participle? How long will you have been teaching English in Korea by the time you leave? One thing that worries many people thinking about teaching English as a foreign language is the grammar side of things. Most simply won't have been taught the ins and outs of English grammar while they were at school. ITTT's online...  [Read more]

Federico Riva Destinations TEFL Information Alumni Experiences In this insightful blog post, we'll explore the essence of grammar, examining various approaches to its teaching, offering a comprehensive understanding of this linguistic foundation. What is Grammar? Preparation Grammar Practice Activities and Games Grammar Quiz Memory test Miming an action Ready to teach English as a Foreign Language? Related Articles: Check out what our course grads say in our many video testimonials! For decades, mastering grammar stood pivotal in students' perception of language learning. However, contemporary perspectives vary widely on what constitutes essential learning for learners and the most effective teaching methodologies. Here are some key questions concerning teaching grammar: Prepare some...  [Read more]

  In this Online TESOL Course video we will look at a useful teaching idea for the past perfect tense. Students are given statements written in the past simple and will have to complete the statement with sentences in the past perfect. Each statement would have been cut out before the class and distributed to pairs or small groups. The student will turn over their card, read out the statement then complete it with their own past perfect sentence. For example: I didn't do my homework ... because I hadn't brought my book home. Teaching ideas such as this become an important part of an English teacher's resources, enabling them to create interesting plans when required. To learn more about this tense and others consider taking one of ITTT's online TESOL courses. Follow the link above...  [Read more]

  The teaching idea covered here is one that would be appropriate for adult English language learners. It involves students writing a CV including personal data such as where they were born, their education history and their work experience. This activity could be a precursor to a job interview activity where students interview each other for different jobs using information from their CVs. By taking one of ITTT's TESOL Courses you will learn useful teaching ideas such as the one covered in this video. There are number of options available to study from short 60-hour introductory courses to longer 120-hour TESOL Courses. It is also possible to take ITTT's TESOL Courses in-class at any one of our training centres around the world. Please visit the link above for more information about...  [Read more]

  In this video we look at the last of three teaching ideas for the past simple. This is a two part exercise that involves students initially guessing the answer to a given question before taking a poll on what the real answers is. This is idea is one of many that can be learned on one of ITTT's online TEFL courses. There are number of options available to study from short 60-hour introductory courses to longer 120-hour TEFL courses. It is also possible to take ITTT's TEFL courses in-class at one of many locations around the world. Please visit the link above for more information about the courses ITTT provides to help you become an English teacher. Below you can read feedback from an ITTT graduate regarding one section of their online TEFL certification course. Each of our online...  [Read more]

Elizaveta Pachina Alumni Experiences The best thing I have learned from this TEFL course is that teaching methodology is no longer dominated by the framework of translation/grammar-based learning, but newer, more holistic methods are starting to be used by teachers, such as the ESA method. Considering Language Structure A New Methodology Learned My Findings Are you ready to take your TEFL course? Related Articles: Listen to this blog post This post was written by our TEFL certification graduate Leslie H. Please note that this blog post might not necessarily represent the beliefs or opinions of ITTT. Grammar/translation learning primarily uses the practice of finding equivalents of the students' language in their target language. One of my main criticisms of this method is the...  [Read more]

Register now & get certified to teach english abroad! The word "do" comes up a lot in English. This is because it can be used in a variety of ways and tenses. Let’s look at each one in more detail below.       Another example would be: One thing to note here is that "did" is used for positive sentences in the past tense and that the main verb is in its base form.   Register now & get certified to teach english abroad!  [Read more]

Elizaveta Pachina Alumni Experiences Over a hundred years ago, in the late 19th century, a Polish-Jewish eye doctor named Dr. Ludwig Lazarus Zamenhof wanted to bridge the gaps and misunderstandings between different ethnic groups that he grew up around. Being from a Polish city that, at the time, was a polyglot, multi-ethnic mixture of Poles, Russians, Jews, Lithuanians, and Germans, he saw there was a great deal of distrust between each group, and he believed it was due to the language barriers that each imposed. To create a common ground between every group, he created an international, universal language called Esperanto (Yaffe, 2017). While it was a great idea to create a language that did not belong to any ethnic group and could be used universally, it did not take off in the 20th...  [Read more]

Register now & get certified to teach english abroad! Verbs are one of the most important parts of speech in English and incredibly important for learners of English. The below infographic showcases all types of verbs in the English language.   Generally speaking, a verb is a word that shows an action, state or an event. It is an essential part of a sentence and is known as the soul of language. For example: "They study English grammar." (Action) "We celebrate independence day." (Event) "I sleep at night." (State)    Following are the different types of verbs:   When a verb's past tense (2nd form) and past participle (3rd form) is created by adding ‘d’ or ‘ed’, it is called a regular verb. Some examples of a regular verb include: Walk Walked ...  [Read more]

  Being able to use the correct tense when communicating with others is essential. We often use more than one tense when talking to others so it is important that our students have the confidence to be able to know which tense to use in any given situation. For the teaching idea in this video a card game is used to give students the opportunity to ask questions and give answers using more than one tense, in particular reinforcing the Present Perfect Continuous tense. The activity requires the students to work in pairs, taking it in turns to ask a question and give a correct answer. Each card will have a result and a reason, and one student will be required to form the correct question and the other student the correct answer. ITTT offers a variety of TEFL courses. For example, for...  [Read more]