I full-heartedly recommend you read the guidebook prepared for the graders of your matura exams (it is attached below this post). There you'll find examples of corrected scripts (i.e. essays) with assigned points. You'll also be able to see which criteria is applied when assessing how many points your script gets for each category (4 categories - Grammar, Vocabulary, Task Completion, Coherence & Cohesion). This week, we'll focus on the category of Grammar and how to get the maximum number of points by using complex structures (subordination, modals, auxiliaries and participles* - terms explained below). The following is stated in the graders' guidebook: You might ask yourself, and rightfully so, what are simple and complex structures or subordinate clauses that your graders are interested in. The explanation offered is: Although you have been using simple, coordinated and subordinated structures, modal and auxiliary verbs, as well as participles for (at least) 3 and a half years of your education, I'm sure that to some these linguistic terms don't mean much. Watch the video below to find out which of your sentences can be considered simple and which complex. !!! If you used one of the ("simpler") conjunctions that you can remember through the use of the FANBOYS acronym (For, And, Nor, But, Or, Yet, So), your sentence is a coordinated simple sentence. The trouble begins when you have to use complex structures: 1. SUBORDINATION 2. MODALITY/ AUXILIARIES 3. PARTICIPLES 1. First things first, subordination - HOW DO WE/I ACHIEVE SUBORDINATION??? A subordinate clause—also called a dependent clause—will begin with a subordinate conjunction or a relative pronoun. Here is a list of subordinate conjunctions and relative pronouns (this is not an exhaustive list): So, do you know how to form CONDITIONAL sentences? How about RELATIVE sentences? If you know how to do that, then you've used subordination! Let's try to combine two simple sentences with the word in the brackets and, THUS, achieve subordination. a) My wife hit that dog with the car. The dog was very old. (2 simple sentences) ---- That's the dog _________________________ the car. (whom) - relative pronoun ----- That's the dog whom my wife hit with the car. --- subordination, complex sentence, relative sentence b) I signed the contract. My lawyer was there. (2 simple sentences) ---- I _________________________________ my lawyer had been present. (unless) - negative conditional conjunction (E.g. Unless you study more, you won't get a passing grade) ---- I wouldn't have signed the contract unless my lawyer had been present. --- subordination, complex sentence, 3rd conditional. 2. Secondly, modality and auxiliaries (*pomoćni glagoli) - WHAT'S THAT? So, do you know how to form PASSIVE sentences (formed with the variations of the auxiliary verb to BE) or perfect tenses (formed with the variations of the auxiliary verb to HAVE)? If you do, you know how to use auxiliaries. Do you know how to form the past tense with modal verbs (should, ought to, would, needn't, might, could...)? Great. Prove it. Combine two simple sentences with words in brackets. c) We had to go up the stairs. Someone was using the lift. (2 simple sentences) Since the lift .............................................., we had to go up the stairs. (being) - auxiliary verb Since the lift was being used, we had to go up the stairs. - complex/ passive sentence, subordination d) Mr. Diamond lives in Abu Dhabi. He moved there in 2010. (2 simple sentences) Mr. Diamond _________________________________2010. (has) - auxiliary verb Mr. Diamond has been living in Abu Dhabi since 2010. - perfect tense/complex structure e) I went to the office. I then remembered it was my day off. (2 simple sentences) I ________________ to the office as it was my day off. (needn't) - modal verb I needn't have gone to the office as it was my day off. - past modality, subordination, complex sentence 3. Finally, we have participle clauses as our last example of complex structures. There are 3 kinds of participles : present participle (--ing form), past participle (usually ends in --ed, if the verb is a regular one), perfect participle (having + past participle) Let's try to combine two simple sentences with the help of participles and, THUS, achieve subordination. f) I saw an accident ahead. I stopped my car. (2 simple sentences) Seeing an accident ahead, I stopped my car. -- present participle clause, complex structure g) I hadn't had a shower for two days. I was desperate to get to the bathroom. (2 simple sentence) ______________a shower for two days, I was desperate to get to the bathroom. (having) Not having had a shower for two days, I was desperate to get to the bathroom.--- perfect participle clause, complex structure. The first step in activating our latent grammatical skills is through sentence transformations. Then, when we remind ourselves of the variety of (complex) structures that exist in the English language, we should try to put them in practice. Go through this quizlet to reactivate the knowledge of certain (grammatical) structures (quizlet.com/_8989hk?x=1jqt&i=ol6mm), then make a list of grammar structures you have mastered and are confident about using (the so-called checklist of structures you want to integrate in your writing) and write a short paragraph (100 words max) using these structures on the topic of how adults can influence young people's behaviour. !!! Download the document (*ways to integrate grammar into your writing) below where a step-by-step tutorial of what you're supposed to write is provided (along with a model). Upload your short piece of writing together with the list of grammatical structures you've decided to use (min 6 different structures) till 4 April. ***If you find it easier to study along with an audio-visual stimuli, do watch the video below that discusses various ways and provides examples how we can transform sentences.
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