CUM6010 Activities

​CUM6010 Activities

By Lap Kwan, Alex LAM

Open Ended

What do you think of when we say, “Language Awareness”?

Word Cloud

Have you learned anything about language awareness before?

Open Ended

What differences in vocabulary, grammar, and structure do you notice in text A and text B?

Open Ended

How does our awareness of register challenge our simple ideas about "correct" vs. "incorrect" language?

Session 2 Activities

Open Ended

What is “correct grammar”?

Is “natural language” important to you?

Multiple Choice

A worker is trying to discuss something with his boss. He sent this message: “Boss, I want to invite you for a coffee.”

From a purely grammatical perspective, is there an error?

• YES!

• NO~

Replace this text with your title

Open Ended

A worker is trying to discuss something with his boss. He sent this message: “Boss, I want to invite you for a coffee.”

Why might this sentence sound strange or inappropriate to a native speaker in a working environment?

Fill in the Blank

A worker is trying to discuss something with his boss. He sent this message: “Boss, I want to invite you for a coffee.”

How would a teacher with a narrow, product-based view of correctness respond?

Great! You sentence is grammatically _______.

Fill in the Blank

A worker is trying to discuss something with his boss. He sent this message: “Boss, I want to invite you for a coffee.”

How could a teacher with a broad, critical TLA respond?

Your sentence is ________ incorrect.

Session 3 Activities

Multiple Choice

For each pair of statements, decide which one is TRUE.

• • A) In English, "will go" is the future tense.

• • B) In English, we use present tense forms or modals to talk about the future.

Multiple Choice

For each pair of statements, decide which one is TRUE.

• A) All verbs can be used in the progressive (-ing) form.

• B) Some verbs, called "stative verbs" (like know, love, own), are not normally used in the progressive form.

Multiple Choice

For each pair of statements, decide which one is TRUE.

• A) "I lost my keys" and "I have lost my keys" mean the same thing.

• B) "I have lost my keys" emphasizes the present result of a past action.

Multiple Choice

For each pair of statements, decide which one is TRUE.

• A) It is grammatically correct to say, "I have seen that movie yesterday."

• B) The Present Perfect cannot be used with a finished past time marker (like yesterday or in 2010).

Multiple Choice

For each pair of statements, decide which one is TRUE.

• A) "She has read the book" focuses on the completion of the action.

• B) "She has been reading the book" and "She has read the book" have identical meanings.

Multiple Choice

For each pair of statements, decide which one is TRUE.

• A) The Past Progressive is often used to describe a background action that was interrupted by a shorter action.

• B) "She was cooking when I arrived" means she started cooking after I arrived.

Multiple Choice

For each pair of statements, decide which one is TRUE.

• A) "Since" is used to talk about a period of time (e.g., since two years).

• B) "Since" is used to mark the starting point of a period of time (e.g., since 2022).

Multiple Choice

For each pair of statements, decide which one is TRUE.

• A) The Past Perfect ("I had finished") is used to talk about an action that happened before another action in the past.

• B) You can use the Simple Past and the Past Perfect interchangeably in a story.

Multiple Choice

For each pair of statements, decide which one is TRUE.

• A) "He works at the university" and "He is working at the university" are exactly the same.

• B) The Progressive aspect ("is working") can suggest a situation is temporary, while the Simple form ("works") suggests permanence.

Multiple Choice

For each pair of statements, decide which one is TRUE.

• A) To talk about life experiences without a specific time, we often use the Present Perfect (e.g., "Have you ever been to Japan?").

• B) To talk about life experiences, you must always use the Simple Past.

CUM6010 Session 5

Multiple Choice

Your doctor looks at your test results and says, “You really should get more rest.” What is the doctor doing?

• Stating a law that you must legally follow.

• Giving you strong, expert advice for your health.

• Guessing about what might be a good idea.

• Giving you permission to sleep more.

Multiple Choice

You call your friend at 2 AM and a sleepy, unfamiliar voice answers. What is your most logical, immediate thought?

• “That must be my friend.”

• “That can’t be my friend.”

• “That should be my friend.”

• “That will be my friend.”

Multiple Choice

You need to ask a busy stranger in a coffee shop to watch your laptop for a minute. Which question sounds more polite and respectful of their time?

• “Will you watch my laptop?”

• “Would you watch my laptop?”

• “Shall you watch my laptop?”

• “Must you watch my laptop?

Multiple Choice

Your new boss explains the work schedule: “Work ends at 5 PM, but on Fridays, you don’t have to stay until 5.” What does this mean?

• You are forbidden from staying late on Fridays.

• You have the choice to leave early on Fridays if you want.

• You are required to leave early on Fridays.

• You should ask for permission to leave early on Fridays.

Multiple Choice

At a formal dinner party, the host says, "You must try the dessert I made!" What is the host most likely expressing?

• A strict, enforceable law of the dinner party.

• A logical deduction that you will inevitably eat the dessert.

• A very strong, enthusiastic encouragement because they are proud of their dessert.

• A weak suggestion that you can easily ignore.

Multiple Choice

A child asks their parent, “Can I go to the party?” The parent replies, “Yes, but you have to be home by 10 PM.” The phrase “have to” establishes…

• A piece of friendly advice.

• A possibility for the future.

• A logical deduction.

• A non-negotiable rule or condition.

CUM6010 Session 6

Multiple Choice

Your friend is practicing English and says, "Last night, the rain was very strong." Your first thought is:

• It should be "heavy rain.

• Perfect! "Strong" is a good word.

Multiple Choice

You read a student's paragraph: "My brother has a dog. It is made of wood." The second sentence is grammatically perfect, but...

• The connection feels logical and clear.

• The connection is confusing; "It" seems to refer to the wrong thing.

Multiple Choice

Someone walks up to you at dinner and says, "Give me the salt." Your immediate reaction is:

• "This person is efficient and direct."

• "This person is being a bit rude."

Multiple Choice

Which sounds more natural?

• "I need to do my homework."

• "I need to make my homework."

Multiple Choice

You receive a formal email that begins with "P.S. Before I forget..." You think:

• "This is a creative way to start an email."

• "This feels structurally strange and out of place."