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Podcast about grammar for English as a Foreign Language Students.
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Podcast about grammar for English as a Foreign Language Students.
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Podcast about grammar for English as a Foreign Language Students.
In this episode of English Grammar Insights, the host, Hector García Gómez, discusses three essential grammar topics: first conditionals, future tenses, and object pronouns. He provides explanations and examples for each topic and highlights common mistakes learners make. The guest interviewer, Nerea García, asks questions and engages in a conversation with Hector. The episode provides insights and tips for effectively using these grammar concepts in speech and writing. Hello, dear listeners, and welcome to English Grammar Insights, your guide to mastering English grammar. I'm your host, Hector García Gómez, and I am thrilled to have you join us for today's exploration. In today's episode, we'll be delving into three essential grammar topics, first conditionals, future tenses, and object pronouns, but with a twist. Instead of traditional dialogues, we'll be bringing you insightful interviews with experts in the field. So, sit back, relax, and get ready to enhance your grammar skills in a whole new way. First of all, we have here Nerea García. Hi, hello, good morning. She is going to interview teacher Hector García Gómez, right? Yes. So, have you got any questions for teacher Hector García? Yes. The first one will be, how would you describe first conditionals in English? Well, first conditionals are used to talk about possible or likely future situations based on a specific condition in the present. And what is the basic structure of a first conditional? Well, that's a good question. The basic structure of a first conditional consists of an if clause, a conditional clause in the present simple tense, and a main clause in the future simple tense. Okay, thank you. And my third question is, could you give us an example of a first conditional in action? Sure. An example of a first conditional is, if it rains tomorrow, I will bring an umbrella. Okay, and what role do first conditionals play in expressing cause and effect in English? First conditionals play a crucial role in expressing cause and effect relationships in English sentences. And can you explain, please, the difference between the conditional clause and the main clause in a first conditional? Yes, of course. In a first conditional, the conditional clause, after if, expresses the condition or situation that must be fulfilled for the main clause to happen. The main clause expresses the result or consequence of the condition. Are there any common mistakes learners make when using first conditionals? Yes, of course. Common mistakes learners make with first conditionals include incorrect verb tense usage, such as using the future tense in the conditional clause or the present tense in the main clause. This is very common among my students. Okay, and how do first conditionals differ from zero conditionals and second conditionals? Well, that's a tricky question. First conditionals differ from zero conditionals used for general truths and second conditionals used for hypothetical or unlikely situations in terms of their likelihood and probability. Okay, and in what context are first conditionals commonly used in everyday English? In everyday English, well, first conditionals are commonly used in everyday English for talking about future plans, predictions or even likely outcomes based on present conditions. And what tips do you have for learners to effectively use first conditionals in their speech and writing? To effectively use first conditionals, learners should pay attention to verb tense agreement and ensure that the condition in the if clause matches the consequence in the main clause. Finally, are there any nonces or exceptions to be aware of when using first conditionals in English? Yes, of course. Learners should be aware of exceptions, such as modal verbs. Here, my students make a lot of mistakes when it comes to modal verbs. They don't remember that they are an essential part of the conditionals. Actually, modal verbs in the main clause is one of the most important aspects because here the meaning can be altered and the certainty of the conditional statement may change too. Okay, so thank you so much, Hector. Thank you. It has been a pleasure talking to you. Same to me. Hello, I am the host. I am back again and we are moving on to the second interview. Now we have Nuria, Nuria Garcia. Nuria Garcia, I have a few questions for you here. Okay, I am ready. All right. So, number one, what are the different future tenses in English? So, the different future tenses in English are the simple future, future continuous and future perfect. Are you teaching any of these tenses in primary education? Yes, of course, all of them. All of them? Yes, they are in 6th grade and they need to know everything about the future. Right, that's quite interesting. All the tenses. Yeah, you are right. So, things happen here in secondary school, but I didn't know that you were using them in primary school. Yes. Well, interesting. So, next one. Could you explain the usage of the simple future tense? Of course. The simple future tense is used to express actions that will happen at a later time. And it is formed with the auxiliary verb will followed by the base form of the main verb. All right. Do your students know how to use the will auxiliary verb in 6th grade? Yes. All right. They are experts in the future. I think that the most difficult tense for them is the past. The past, all right. So, you mean simple past or past continuous. Yeah, and the past perfect. Past perfect is a bit tricky for them too. All right. Thank you. So, question number 3. How is the future continuous tense formed and used in sentences? The future continuous tense is formed with the auxiliary verb will plus be plus the present participle of the main verb and is used to describe actions that will be in progress at a specific future time. So, I guess that an example is I will be playing football tomorrow, right? Exactly. All right. Thank you. So, that's very interesting for my students. And we move on to question number 4. Can you provide examples of how the future perfect tense is used to express actions completed by a certain time in the future? Sure. An example of the future perfect tense is by the time you arrive, we will have finished dinner. Okay. Thank you. You're welcome. Number 5. What role do future tenses play in expressing future plans, predictions and possibilities? Well, future tenses are essential for expressing future plans, predictions and possibilities in English discourse, providing information about upcoming events and actions. Okay. That's great. Wow. Very, very good memory. So, number 6. Are there any common errors learners make when using future tenses? Common errors learners make with future tenses include incorrect verb tense usage, confusion between different future forms and overuse of the simple future tense for all future situations. Yes. Even if we give them the rules, they keep making mistakes. All right. I think that's because they are not studying. It's not easy to... Yes, to remember and learn. Even then, native speakers find problems about these tenses. Okay. So, number 7. How do future tenses vary in their levels of certainty and probability? Future tenses vary in their levels of certainty and probability with the simple future expressing certainty. The future continues expressing ongoing actions and the future perpetuates expressing completed actions. Thank you. That's a very lovely way to summarize the differences here. So, number 8 that I've got here for you. In what context are future tenses commonly used in spoken and written English? Future tenses are commonly used in both spoken and written English for discussing future plans, making predictions and describing hypothetical situations. All right. So, then, what strategies can learners use to improve their understanding and usage of even future tenses? You've got a lot of questions for me. I know. I know. Learners can improve their understanding and usage of future tenses by practicing with various languages' resources, paying attention to context and seeking feedback from teachers or native speakers. Okay. So, as you said, you've got a lot of questions. Yes. You have the last one. Okay. I'm sorry to bother you. We are about to end now. It's okay. It's okay. Thank you. Thank you. Are there any idiomatic expressions or colloquialisms involving future tenses that learners should be aware of? Sure. Learners should be aware of idiomatic expressions involving future tenses such as I'll believe it when I see it or it'll be a cold day in July. These expressions convey a skepticism or improbability about future events. All right. Thank you so much. You're welcome. So, that's the end of our second interview here. I am the host. I'm back here. And now we are about to start with the number three interview which is going to be about the object pronouns. And we have here again teacher Hector García Gómez. Actually, we have the interviewer next to us. So, I'm introducing here Nuria García. Can you please start the interview? Yes, of course. Okay, Hector. So, are you ready? Yes, of course. Okay. So, first one. What are object pronouns and how do they differ from subject pronouns? Well, actually we are learning this now in the sixth unit of my course book. And object pronouns such as me, you, him, her, it, us and them are used as the object of a verb, preposition or infinitive phrase in a sentence. They receive the action of the verb rather than performing the action unlike subject pronouns. Okay. And could you provide, please, examples of object pronouns used in sentences? Yes. Examples of object pronouns in sentences include she gave me a book and I talked to him yesterday. Okay. And how are object pronouns positioned in relation to the verb in English sentences? Object pronouns are typically positioned after the verb in English sentences either as a direct or indirect object of the action. Oh, and can you explain the function of object pronouns in receiving the action of the verb? Yes, sure. Object pronouns function to receive the action of the verb, serving as the recipients or beneficiaries of the action performed by the subject. So interesting. Number five. My question number five will be what are some common object pronouns used in English? Common object pronouns used in English include me, you, him, her, it, us and them. Are there any instances where object pronouns are used in place of nouns? Well, actually object pronouns can be used in place of nouns to avoid repetition and streamline sentence structure, improving clarity and efficiency because coherence and cohesion is very important for the writing exams. All right. So, question number seven again. And how do object pronouns contribute to sentence clarity and efficiency? Well, object pronouns contribute to sentence clarity by clearly indicating the recipient or target of the action, thereby enhancing communication effectiveness. And in what context are object pronouns commonly used in everyday English? Well, object pronouns are commonly used in everyday English for referring to people, animals or things that are the direct or indirect recipients of an action. And the question number nine is are there any special considerations or exceptions to be aware of when using object pronouns? Well, learners, in this case my students, should be aware of exceptions such as reflexive pronouns and possessive pronouns, which serve different grammatical functions in sentences. They must not confuse these items and pronouns. And last one. What strategies can learners use to master the use of object pronouns in their speech and writing? Learners can master the use of object pronouns by practicing with various sentence structures, paying attention to context and seeking clarification on any confusing aspects of usage. OK. So, that's all. OK. Thank you. Thank you so much. Well, coming back to the course of the program, wow, what an enlightening journey it has been exploring English grammar through insightful interviews. We've gained valuable insights into first conditionals, future tenses and object pronouns, thanks to our expert guests. Remember... Thank you so much. You're welcome. But remember that practice is key to mastering grammar skills, so keep practicing and exploring the intricacies of English language. And always remember to enjoy the learning process. Well, that's all for today on English Grammar Insights. But fret not, there's plenty more grammar wisdom waiting for you in our next episode. Until then, keep exploring and learning English with passion and curiosity. Thank you for tuning in and until next time. Goodbye, everyone. Thank you. Goodbye. Goodbye.