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Thursday, November 7, 2019

Working Hard or Hardly Working

English has so many irregulars!  


Recently, I was working on adjectives and adverbs with one of my students. Adjectives describe things/nouns and adverbs describe actions/verbs.  Most adverbs are made up of an adjective+ly, but there are a few irregulars that don't take the LY, such as good, fast, hard (well, fast, hard).  I should have emphasised the irregulars more, I guess.  


At the end of class, I gave him an assignment for the next class to make up some sentences about the student and his work, using adverbs .  The next week, the student said "I hardly work at my job."  I said, "Really?  Does your boss know this?" My student replied, "Yes, I tell him."  At first my student didn't understand my smile.  We discussed the irregulars again, then I told him that "hardly" meant scarcely or slightly, and I gave him some examples. We had a good laugh about "hardly working".  This student does work hard.  All of his other adverb sentences were great.  



How about you - are you working hard, or hardly working this week?

8 comments:

  1. A bit of both this week 😁😁

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  2. Oh, I'm really working hard, this Week !
    I had programmed lots of applique on my "Sweet Surrender" quilt, daily handquilting, etc... Talk about the best laid plans !
    My youngest daughter (who is teacher at the elementary school) came with a huge request for making a BIG fabric panel, with 26 pockets for the 26 letters of the alphabet on the front, and the same for the back for the sounds. This way, the kids are picking letters and/or sounds, and are working forming words...
    Of course, this had to be done, using a stiff fabric (she bought Denim) and with the sewing machine (which I HATE !)…

    Aaah, the wonders of English language, indeed! I LOVE it :)
    I recently added a "Language Improvement" board on my Pinterest, and although I used to be an English teacher, I'm still learning every day. But I must say that most of my progress is made while reading in English only… to the point that I sometimes surprise myself thinking in English, HeHeeee…

    xoxo
    Nadine

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  3. I would hate to have to learn English as a second language. So many words don't make sense when you think about them!

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  4. Ha, ha! I, too, have often had to explain the difference between hard and hardly.
    This week, I am working hard, but not on my hobby stitching!

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  5. Hi Pamela this made me smile,i just go at my own pace now,i enjoy being at home pottering around,hope you have a lovely day my friend xx

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  6. English is such a difficult language. All your students much work very hard.

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  7. Ha, ha!
    Yes, English is hard to understand!
    I’m sure your students try very hard!
    Have a lovely weekend, Pamela!
    Hugs,
    Barbara xx

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  8. I'm usually hardly working on Mondays and working hard the rest of the week! Haha.

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