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Writing & Listening
Lessons 1 and 2
Real World Scenario Games for English Students
Skill Sharpeners
Lesson 1
Play "Literal Meaning Quiz"
Difficulty: Bronze
Scenario A: Training Workshop for Teachers.
Did you know that the words you choose can either carry clear meaning to a person, or misrepresent what you really wanted to say? Denotative writing is all about clear, direct meaning from the text. The writer's message is not hidden, but is clear. Imagine you are invited to attend a teacher's workshop, would the message be clear, and unambiguous, or hidden and unclear? You be the judge at this meeting. Start with the first picture placing your mouse on the picture to activate the script, follow with each picture to get the whole script. Answer the questions that follow.
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Skill: To understand and explain the literal meaning in a text.
Good morning ladies and gentlemen. Thank you for coming today.
The theme for our workshop is "Good Classroom Culture." As your instructor, I embark upon training you in the necessary skills of creating a scholastic atmosphere in every classroom.
On your hand-out is an outline of the areas we shall target today. If you have any questions, you may stop me at any time.
I can do all things through Christ who strengthens me. Philippians 4:13
How do you communicate in a social, academic, or professional environment?
Communication starts with grammar and our word choice.
When we speak or write, our words carry a message. It is important to carefully choose the words we use, so we will not be misunderstood.
Our language can also create the setting we want. Here are different categories of the words we speak:
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formal
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informal
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non-standard English
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standard English
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Creole
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literal
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figurative
Grammar is also crucial, since poorly spoken or written grammar can create an ambiguous message.
I Mean... Literally Speaking
Lesson 1
Play "Non-Literal Meaning Quiz"
Scenario B: School Drama of "Old Mother Hubbard."
Depending on the purpose, some writers choose to use connotation in writing. This writing is artful, and uses a lot of "reading between the lines" in the message. The reader must figure out the writer's real purpose by using clues to get to the writer's message. How would you judge the writing below? Imagine you are invited to attend a school's poetry recital. Is the message literal or is it ambiguous? To play, begin with the first picture, placing your mouse on the picture to activate the script. Follow with each picture to get the whole script. Answer the questions that follow.
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Skill: To understand and explain non-literal meaning in a text.
Difficulty: Bronze
Welcome to our "Poetry Extravaganza." We hope you enjoy this event. Our children have all been waiting to present this play today. We hope you all enjoy! They shall play "Old Mother Hubbard"
"Old Mother Hubbard, went to the cupboard to give the poor dog a bone. When she got there the cupboard was bare... but oh my! She spied a fly, and Buddy a mouse, sweet pies and pastries they both ate!
So Old Mother Hubbard went to the fruiterer's to buy him some fruit; And when she came back the dog played his flute. The End"
Be Encouraged!
Now therefore thus saith the LORD of hosts; Consider your ways.
Haggai 1: 5 KJV
Denote this... Connotate that...
Denotative language is the literal, dictionary meaning that comes from a word. This type of writing is best for formal letters, and expository essays that depend on just the facts, such as the "Compare and Contrast essay"; "The How To or Process essay"; and "Cause and Effect essay." Summary writing also depends on the denotative language.
Connotative language is the meaning that comes with a word's association to something and triggers a certain emotion; or the word is interpreted differently from its literal meaning. This type of writing is best for essays like the "Narrative or Creative Essay"; "The Descriptive Essay"; "The Persuasive Essay"; also, poems and informal letters.
Follow the cartoon below. Notice that the word "killer" has a connotation (another meaning) of its own and is interpreted literally (denotative - or the dictionary meaning of "killer") by the passerby who overhears the conversation of the two children. The connotation of the book report being the real "killer", is not literal, a book report cannot literally kill anything (though some may disagree :). On the other hand, the little boy really means that the book report will be the most challenging to do. It may "kill" his energy at the end of it. What other connotations can you find in the little boy's expression? *Warning, video can become loud at the end.
Do you need more practice with denotative and connotative language?
Try another one!
It's ExPlicit! No, that's ImPlicit!
A good English student pays close attention to both explicit and implicit information - they then make logical inferences from the explicit and implicit.
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Explicit language is writing that is clearly stated so there is no room for confusion.
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Implicit language is writing that is implied or suggested and is not clearly presented.
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Denotative writing is explicit and clear. You do not need to read between the lines, because its meaning is clearly stated.
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Connotative language is implicit. It is cunningly written and the meaning is not clear. The reader must draw an inference from what they've read, and arrive at a logical conclusion.
Test your skill in drawing inferences by following this story presented in the short movie below. The movie contains both explict and implicit details. Here are a few:
EXPLICIT-
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The cookies are on the top of the refrigerator.
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The pig wants the cookies.
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The pig uses various ways to reach the cookies.
IMPLICIT:
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The pig bounces up and down on something that is unseen.
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The toilet bowl plungers gets attached to the pig in a few suggestive ways.
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The pig cuts a hole around the refrigerator, which causes the refrigerator and the cookies to disappear into a hole.
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The refrigerator looks the same after it lands on floor, with the cookies still at the top.
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At the end, the pig knocks the refridgerator as he falls in exasperation, causing the jar to tip open, and the cookies to tumble out effortlessly.
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As he joyfull guides one cookie into his mouth, the cookie jar lands on his head, barring him from getting the cookie into his mouth.
What other explicit or implicit details can you find?
Lesson 2
Play "Be Explicit!" Quiz: "The explicit"
Difficulty: Bronze
Scenario A: Team Marketing on Popular Smart Phone Colours.
In English, it is important to know the difference between explicit and inexplicit details and how to identify them in writing.
Different types of writing will require explicit information as in the Process essay, Summary writing, and other factal writing. This exercise will teach you how to identify explicit information.
To play, read the scripts on each picture in scenario A. Imagine you are at a team marketing meeting discussing a new project on the best smartphone colours. The meeting is led by the project manager in the first picture. Can you identify the plainly stated facts presented in the meeting by the project manager? Answer the questions that follow.
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Skill: Learn to identify explicit details, or plainly stated facts in text.
O.K one more!
Good morning and thank you for attending our second meeting. Please take a copy of our stat figures on popular smart phone colours. You can view our pie chart ahead.
Data taken from users of the major brands such as Samsung, Apple, Huawei, Lenovo, Xiaomi show that: colours that blend with red, pink, blue and sliver hues are popular among 15-17 age range. Popular colours in a survey done in the UK and France showed that over 50% of the respondents listed black to be their favourite colour.
Mrs. Brown will be in charge of our marketing team, and we'll have a summary of this report sent to everyone at 3:00 this afternoon. Thanks for joining us today.
Be Encouraged!
Then Moses stood in the camp, and said, Who is on the Lord's side? Let him come unto me. And all the sons of Levi gathered themselves together unto him.
Exodus 32: 26 KJV
Lesson 2
Play What did You Say? "The implied"
Difficulty: Sliver
Scenario B: Letter to the ABC Shipping Company: Customer Complaint About Broker
The letter below is a complaint from a customer of the ABC Shipping Company. This letter contains some connotative words which leaves a bit of implied meaning throughout the letter. You are the supervisor of Mr. Sazman, and must talk over the contents of the letter as explicitly as you can with him, eliminating all the connotations. To do this quiz, read the scripts on each picture in scenario B. The letter has already been rewritten below, so simply click any letter corresponding to the original letter, and the mystery edit in this hangman game shall reveal itself. Beware! You must guess the possible word replacements for each connotation, and one wrong letter can end this rephrase!
Skill: Learn to identify implied information.
Dear Mr. Brown, I am a customer of the ABC shipping company and I am writing about an incident which has left me fuming. One of your brokers, Mr. Sazman was critically laid-back about shipping my boxes to the Bahamas.
His egotistical attitude towards my business caused me to miss the shipping date of the vessel to the Bahamas since he was lackadaisical about informing me on the cost to ship and the documents I needed for shipping.
He was also very inquisitive about the money in my bank account and annoyingly talkative about everything but shipping my boxes. I eventually became tired of his childish behaviour and told him I won't need his help anymore. Please rectify this matter and the time that I lost with your broker. Thank you. Sincerely, Alex Bossman
Do you need more practice with the explicit and implicit?
Do the quiz below.
Read this paragraph, then state what is being implied - draw an inference.
Read this paragraph, then state what is being implied -
draw an inference.
Jump to another!
Read this paragraph, then state what is being implied - draw an inference.
Read these explicit details, then predict the next move- make an educated guess.
Read these explicit details, then predict the next move- make an educated guess.
Read these explicit details, then predict the next move- make an educated guess.
An inference is drawing a conclusion based on information, evidence and reasoning. When writers do not state everything about characters and events, the readers have to use clues from the text, background information that they have, and knowledge to make an inference.
A reader begins an inference through these thinking questions:
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I can infer...
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Perhaps...
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This could mean...
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Maybe...
*The difference between a prediction and an inference-
An inference is reading between the lines, and coming up with a logical conclusion, usually about implicit details.
A prediction is making an educated guess about future events, which can be double-checked for accuracy, usually about explicit details; but making predictions or drawing an inference both require students to use clues, evidence, and background knowledge to form a logical conclusion.
Predictions Inferences Make a Guess!
Be Encouraged!
Commit thy works unto the Lord, and thy thoughts shall be established.
Proverbs 16: 3 KJV
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