Concept Checking and Timelines
Concept Checking and Timelines
It means:
In simpler language:
Turn these simpler statements into questions and we have the concept check:
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1. She has been living here since 2016 2. He had his suit washed.
CELTA | Concept Checking
HO 2
2. He felt embarrassed He did not know the answers. Did he know the answers? (No)
when he couldn’t He did not feel comfortable. Did he feel comfortable (No)
4. She’s looking The course will finish in the future. When will the course finish? (In the
future)
forward to the end She wants the course to finish.
Does she want to the course to finish?
of the course. She is excited about it. (Yes)
Is she excited about the course finishing?
(Yes)
5. She’s been to She went there sometime in the past. Did she go there in the past? (Yes)
6. He couldn’t stand her She complains a lot. Does she complain a lot? (Yes)
complaining.
He does not like it at all. Does he like this? (No)
raining. The rain finished before we arrived. What happened next? (We arrived)
We knew it was raining before we Did we know that it was raining before we
arrived. arrived?(Yes)
2. He felt embarrassed
when he couldn’t
answer the student’s
question.
3. I wish I was at
home.
4. She’s looking
forward to the end
of the course.
5. She’s been to
Timbuktu.
7. When we arrived in
Bangkok, it had been
raining.
HO3
GOOD CONCEPT QUESTIONS:
• shouldn’t use the target language to check itself, especially if it’s a tense /
structure
• should be graded so that the language in the questions is simpler than the
target structure
• should check the target language, not something else in the sentence
• should cover all areas of concept and potential confusion (eg don’t have to /
For example, for the target sentence: She went to Laos two years ago.
1999 Now
past ____________X_________________________future
Students work out the differences between pairs of sentences (this is especially useful with higher levels).
For example, students work out the differences in form, meaning and concept between: She left when the police got
there. and She’d left when the police got there.
T: I’m sorry, I haven’t got the extra three baht. S: Never mind!
For example, for the target language: How would you like it?
In pairs or groups, students discuss and define concepts. This is only useful (or indeed possible) with higher levels.
T. gets Ss to give examples. If Ss responds correctly, it shows they have understood. (e.g. T: “What’s an example of a
mammal?” – S: “Monkey.”)
Useful references:
Parrott, Martin Grammar for English Language Teachers (2000) Cambridge University Press