May be vs Maybe

They look the same (except for the space) and they sound the same. They also have a similar meaning, so what's the difference and how do you use them? Basically, maybe means 'possibly' or 'perhaps', and may be means the same as 'might be'. In terms of grammar, maybe is an adverb and may be is a verb phrase.

Examples:

He may be the fastest runner in the world.

I may be a little late.

The train is late. Maybe it's because of the weather.

'Can you go to the party?' 'Maybe. I'll have to make sure.'

You can swap may be for 'might be' and maybe for 'possibly' or 'perhaps' in the sentences above without changing the meaning.

Practice:

Insert maybe or may be into each of the following sentences (click 'continue reading' for the answers):

I                  the only person who can do this!

I                  able to help you.

               nobody will notice that your hair is blue.

That                   the best thing to do.

               that's not such a good idea.

NOTE: Be careful with other sentences that use 'may' and mean that something is/is not allowed, for example:

You may sit wherever you like. = You can sit wherever you like. (You are allowed to sit anywhere.)

This information may be used in classrooms. = You are permitted to use this information in classrooms.

The 'best' way to learn English

I am often asked what the 'best way' to teach – or learn – English is or which the 'best method' is. I don't believe there is a 'best' way or method because everybody is different. I know this sounds like a lame excuse, so let me expand a little and look at some of the various techniques and methods used to teach languages (and other subjects, for that matter).

1) Direct Method

This approach to language learning dictates that the teachers and students use only the target language to communicate and it is used extensively in private language schools. All communication takes places in the target language, for example English, which in theory gives the student a kind of mini immersion in the language. The lessons are more often than not structured around a topic or grammar point. There is no translation from the target language into the learner's own language.

2) Translation

This is probably the most common form of teaching English currently used in Japanese public schools and involves learning vocabulary and grammar, mainly by rote, and mainly by translating from English to Japanese and vice-versa. In tests, there are many grammatical, spelling, translation and vocabulary exercises. There is little emphasis on spoken English.

3) Audio-lingual Method

Like the Direct method, this method uses the target language exclusively, although the focus is on aural (listening) and oral (speaking) skills. There is little or no use of a reading or writing component.

4) 'Self-learning'

This method of learning has been used in various ways and by many teachers, schools and companies, and generally entails the students learning by themselves (often in a silent environment) using pre-prepared textbooks, worksheets and other materials (for example Gattegno's sound & colour charts) with little or no guidance from the teacher.

The above are perhaps some of the more well-known of the many approaches to language education, but there are many more styles of teaching which are more likely to depend on the teacher. Some teachers prefer a relaxed, hands-off approach to teaching, whereas others prefer to get more involved with the students. Many teachers like to inject some humour into the lessons, whereas many like to take a more serious, conservative approach.

I have used all of these approaches to teaching and more besides and have found advantages and disadvantages to them all. I have taught students using the direct method who had to translate at some point or other, others who were very serious and wanted to concentrate on grammar, and others who took a very lax attitude to learning English and mainly wanted to chat. All require a different approach which is why I no longer use one approach or one set of materials exclusively. If you do (or your teacher does) you will quickly find that you will become frustrated.

If you are a teacher, you will start to blame the students, the materials or the school/staff/other teachers. I'm amazed at how many teachers never stop to think that maybe they are the problem. Be flexible, innovative and inventive. Show some interest in what you are doing and react to your students. Make the best of materials if you are forced to use a certain textbook or other materials. Think about how you use the language.

If you are a student, you may also blame the materials, your teacher or your fellow students. Think about your own motivation for studying and be honest about your own abilities.

It is for these reasons, and many more besides, that you will never find me claiming that there is a 'K Creative Way' or a 'K Creative Method' and that it is the best. I, and the other teachers I work with, employ various techniques and never treat one student the same as the last. Lastly, we don't pretend that we know it all. We have many years of experience, but we still have a lot to learn. If you have any questions about EFL/ESL, please leave a comment or email us at: media[at]k-creative-japan[dot]com

I vs Me

People often make mistakes with these two, including many native speakers of English (many seem to think that 'I' makes them sound more intelligent or posh, so it's not terribly unusual to hear things like 'He should ask Tom or I.').

The problem usually occurs when two or more people are referred to in the sentence (it is very rare indeed to hear somebody saying 'He should ask I.'). So... The easy solution is: Try the sentence with only I or me (we or us if you need a plural).

Examples:

Frank and I/me are going to the park. (I = we, me = us)

Us are going to the park. WRONG

We are going to the park. RIGHT

Therefore: Frank and I are going to the park.

Between you and I/me, this guy doesn't seem to know what he's talking about.

Between we... WRONG

Between us... RIGHT

Therefore: Between you and me, this guy doesn't seem to know what he's talking about.

Perhaps you and I/me should work together on this project.

Perhaps us should work together. WRONG

Perhaps we should work together. RIGHT

Therefore: Perhaps you and I should work together on this project.

The Grammar

I refers to the person performing the action of a verb. (The first person singular subject pronoun.)

I play the piano.

You and I should work together.

My wife and I watched a film.

Me refers to the person that the action of a verb is being done to (or the person a preposition refers to). (The object pronoun.)

He asked me to play the piano.

My wife gave me a present.

Between you and me, his cooking is terrible.

Can you use the subject pronoun and object pronoun together?

For example, would the following be OK?

He asked she and me to play the piano.

The answer is NO – it should be:

He asked her and me to play the piano.

Loose vs Lose

It is quite a common mistake to confuse these two words, but it is often down to misspelling rather than misunderstanding. Most people write loose when they mean lose (the opposite is rarer).

What's the difference between the words? Loose is an adjective, which means not tight or not contained. Lose is a verb that has a number of meanings. Perhaps the most common are:

• To fail to win.
• To misplace something.
• To be unable to find one's way.

Usage Examples

Loose:

- My shoelaces are loose.
- I've got a loose tooth.
- There's a dog loose in the street.

Lose:

- If you play badly, you will lose the match.
- Put your money in a safe place so that you don't lose it.
- Take this map so that you don't lose your way. (Or 'Take this map so that you don't get lost'.)

Five Questions You Should Ask Your English Teacher (EFL/ESL)

English teachers (EFL/ESL) are often too keen to teach a certain grammar point or phrase without really thinking about how useful it is (I have also been guilty of this in the past). Here are some quick questions to ask your teacher if you are unsure about how or when to use something:

1) Is this natural?

2) Can you give me three situations when you would use this?

3) How often do you use this? (Or When was the last time you used this?)

4) Can you use this the same way in both writing and speech?

5) What are some other ways to say this?

I am not suggesting that your English teacher is trying to trick you! I am suggesting that you should not feel bad about asking questions. I encourage my students to ask as many questions as they like - it helps them to understand and it helps me to become a better teacher.

5 Minute English Quiz: Greetings (あいさつ)

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Greetings Quiz

Decide whether the following greetings are formal, informal, both or neither. Click the 'Final Results' button to see how you did!

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1.Long time, no see.

Formal
Informal
Both
Neither


2.Hey, how's it going?

Formal
Informal
Both
Neither


3.How do you do?

Formal
Informal
Both
Neither


4.Hello.

Formal
Informal
Both
Neither


5.What's up?

Formal
Informal
Both
Neither

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How to "Sound Like a Native"

I noticed with some surprise in this morning's newspaper that a company here in Japan is offering a workshop on 'how to acquire English pronunciation as good as that of a native speaker of the language.'
This troubles me for a number of reasons:

It is only four hours long. Do they realistically expect to have people sounding like natives in such a short amount of time?

What exactly does a 'native speaker of English' sound like? Are we talking about British English speakers, American English speakers, Australian English speakers…? What about the differences in regional pronunciation?

Is it raising false hopes? It does not say who the workshop is aimed at, therefore the inference is that it is aimed at English language learners from absolute beginners to advanced students. They are saying that they can teach anybody skills to sound like a native speaker.

To explain my reservations, let me expand a little on the above points. A workshop that lasts only four hours may give students some exercises and skills to work on in order to improve pronunciation, but I very much doubt if that workshop alone will enable students to put such things into practice independently and that is the key.

Many Japanese students are very conscious of their English pronunciation: I have met students who have attended pronunciation classes only to end up sounding very forced and unnatural while pulling all manner of faces in order to recreate the way 'natives' speak. Secondly, the question of what form of pronunciation they are aiming at arises. Two British speakers of English may say words differently, as may two American speakers of English (and all the rest). Rhotic and non-rhotic dialects are an example. Surely it would be better to focus on skills which address problems that Japanese students have when speaking English, for example the absence of sounds like 'th', 'v' and 'l' in Japanese syllabary, or working on katakana pronunciation.

My final reservation is actually a continuation of the previous two. As there are many students who are not satisfied with their English pronunciation, the appeal of these quick-fix type workshops is very high. I don't doubt that the people running the workshops are highly-skilled and educated, I just question such marketing tactics and the promises they are making. This is not to mention the fact that pronunciation is only a part of learning a language: how important is good pronunciation when you can't make a coherent sentence? I sound like a native speaker of English because that is exactly what I am – I grew up immersed in the language and use it on some level at every waking moment. Can a second language speaker learn to sound like me in four hours? That is quite a tall order.

Creative English

I am currently working on a new course and book about 'Creative English", so I thought I would say a little about it.

What is 'Creative English'?

When people imagine creative English, they usually think in terms of something artistic, imaginative and complex: a novel, a poem or a song, for example. While we encourage people to try these things, our Creative English course is a little more down to earth.

Our Creative English course is not designed to turn you into Shakespeare or John Lennon. It is designed to show you that you do not need to be a native English speaker to be able to communicate freely and expressively in English. For the purposes of this course, Creative English means the ability to use English naturally and tailor language to suit almost any occasion. It does not require an exceptionally high level of English – beginners can learn it – and it does not require extensive study of grammar patterns and vocabulary.

What is does require, however, is a change in focus on behalf of both the student and the teacher.

More later.

Some simple guidelines for teaching English (EFL/ESL) to children

These guidelines are for conversation classes only and are aimed at teaching children. I try to follow these rules when teaching and creating materials and I have found them to be very helpful – I hope you do too.

1) Smile

Foreign languages are difficult and often intimidating. The easiest way to make a student feel less intimidated or nervous is to smile. Show that you enjoy what you are doing and inject a little humour and fun into the learning.

2) Create a need – better yet, a desire – to use the language

I believe in creating an ‘English Zone’ in the classroom. Both I and the kids speak only English in the classroom (I have also used a ‘passport’ system whereby children carry passports which are stamped when entering and leaving the classroom. The students loved it and it had the added bonus getting them in ‘English mode’). If you are team-teaching, use only English when addressing the other teacher and encourage them to use mostly English to both you and the students (the tendency for teachers inJapan to translate everything is a common gripe amongst Assistant Language Teachers).

3) If you speak to parents of the children in the school, use English with them also

Children are a lot more perceptive than we give them credit for and small things make a big difference. If the children see that the best way to communicate with you and learn more is to use English, they will hopefully feel a need to use it. If they see their teachers, friends and parents using English to you (and ideally looking like they are having a good time), they will hopefully have a desire to use it. This is also a good way to get the parents more involved in what their children are learning, rather than just sending them to an English school because they feel they should.

4) Make it useful

If you have a class full of primary school students, there probably isn’t much point doing a lesson all about business terms (and before you scoff, I have seen it done…). Find out beforehand what kids like and try to make the language relevant to them. This is closely tied in with the point above, as people are much more willing to talk about something familiar to them than struggle with unfamiliar topics, grammar and vocabulary. This doesn’t mean that every lesson needs to be (or should be) about the latest pop sensation, fashion or cartoon, but you should try to tailor language and situations to maximise student input.

5) Make it realistic

Some people get so hung up on putting certain grammar patterns or vocabulary into lessons or materials they lose sight of how often they are actually used, or how they are used. I don’t advocate leaving out certain tenses or grammar patterns, but what I do advocate is taking a step back before you teach a certain pattern and ask yourself ‘would I say that?’ Ask yourself whether the examples you have chosen are realistic and natural.

As a rule of thumb, if you are struggling to find example sentences for the pattern you are teaching (or have been asked to teach) chances are it is not used on a very regular basis. While this certainly does not mean that you should leave it out, you may want to place less emphasis on it.

6) Don’t over-correct

People make mistakes. You should not expect your students to be using flawless grammar from the outset – your primary aim should be to ensure that what they say is understandable. Constantly pointing out small mistakes that don’t really affect the flow of the conversation only serves to make the student more apprehensive about speaking English.

I used to have an adult student who basically communicated mainly in nouns and generally in the present tense. An example sentence would be along the lines of ‘Weekend, daughter and grandson, my home, eat sushi. Very nice!’ Simply by my asking whether she meant this weekend or last weekend it was not too difficult to get what she was trying to tell me. She was conveying her message and having a great time doing so (she was constantly laughing and smiling). If I had corrected her as soon as she said ‘weekend’ and every subsequent mistake, I probably would have destroyed her confidence and put her off learning English altogether.

7) Don’t be afraid to correct mistakes

The point above, naturally, comes with a caveat. Sometimes correction is essential, but it often goes hand in hand with the aims and expectations of both you and your students. For some children direct correction may be necessary, but for others more subtle forms of correction are often preferable. I prefer indirect correction as students become aware of their own mistakes and their confidence doesn’t take such a bash. Try repeating what they said back to them in the correct form and then throw on a question at the end. This may sound like a lot for a child to do, but as I said, we often underestimate their ability. Example:

Teacher: Where do you live?

Student: I live at Tokyo.

Teacher: You live in Tokyo? Where in Tokyo?

In this very simple example, the student made a mistake with the preposition (a common mistake) which was corrected and then reinforced by the teacher’s response. Students often respond very well to this kind of correction.

8) Have fun!

This, I know, is very similar to number one, but it took me a long time to realise that I actually enjoyed teaching kids. I used to hate it and dreaded doing it. I began to realise, however, that kids were a lot of fun to teach. They are full of energy, they are not afraid to give things a go (and have a laugh when they get things wrong), they are keen to learn and they have a tremendous capacity for learning. Enjoy it – teaching kids is incredibly rewarding.