Words and punctuation – Introduction

In this module, we’re going to explore the topics of words and punctuation.

It’s important to learn about these topics because an English teacher needs to have a good understanding of the language itself. You should be familiar with the different kinds of words, how words are constructed, and how punctuation is used in English.

Grammar isn’t the most exciting of topics to cover, but it’s essential to cover this at the start of your TESOL course so that we can build on this understanding when it comes to planning lessons and selecting suitable activities for your students.

Types of word – Introduction

You’ll likely already be aware of some of the topics we’ll cover here – such as verbs and nouns etc. However, when it comes to teaching them to students, there are certain techniques that are useful to learn. For other topics, such as sentence structures and tenses, it may be daunting how much there is to remember.

It’s important to note here that early on in your TEFL career, you won’t be expected to have full mastery of every intricate detail about the English language. There are countless grammar patterns, phrase structures, word roots, rule exceptions and more. Your knowledge of these will build as you gain more classroom experience and will add to your value as a seasoned teacher.

What is vital, however, is that you’re familiar with the frameworks and foundations of the language, and can use this understanding to prepare lessons for specific topics as you encounter them in your syllabus.

Types of word – Introduction continued

The first parts of the English language which we’ll cover are the different types of words that exist.

The English language is made up of nine different types of word, each with its own name, rules of use, and roles. These are commonly referred to as “parts of speech” or “word classes”.

In the following pages we’ll explore these words, and address several useful approaches for introducing them to students:

Noun

Verb

Adjective

Pronoun

Adverb

Preposition

Conjunction

Interjection

Determiner

📝 Exercise: Above are the different types of words used in the English language. See if you can define, and write down 3 examples for each one before we start the lesson. At the end, you can come back and check your notes to see how well you did.