Help With Sentence Structure
Replies: 19 - Last Post: Sep 1, 2012 1:50 PM Last Post By: Nice_But__
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Help With Sentence Structure
Hey guysI'm working on a TEFL cert and can't figure out what I'm doing wrong with this one sentence. First let me give you an example sentence to clarify what they are asking:
ex: I was living in Peru at the time
answer: auxiliary 'be' (past tense) + present participle
Now I have to do the same with the following sentence:
I went to Thailand last year to teach.
Would anybody care to help? I've gotten everything correct except for this sentence. I know 'go' is irregular, so maybe I'm just wording it wrong, I don't know, but I only have one more attempt. Thanks =)
3
Sorry Micolett you not correct.Sorry also to you singer. I grew up at time in Australia when they did not teach formal grammar so I dont even understand the question but I can tell you for sure that Micolette is not correct.
I repeat that I dont know the technical rules. I dont remember what an infinitve is and I am completely bamboozled by the idea of a past participle so I might be completely incorrect
Here is my guess
I taught in Thailand last year.
4
If you want to follow the same structure as the example, I'd write..."I was teaching in Thailand last year",
but if you have to use the verb "to go" in past tense...
"I went teaching in Thailand last year", although I don't like the sound of that and would not suggest that it is the best way.
What was your first answer?
7
I also think 'I went teaching in Thailand last year' is fine!8
I also think 'I went teaching in Thailand last year' is fine!It doesn't sound fine to me, a native speaker.
"I went hiking/exploring/traveling/diving in Thailand" would sound fine.
9
I also think 'I went teaching in Thailand last year' is fine!
It doesn't sound fine to me, a native speaker.
Of course, It doesn't sound fine to me either. And wouldn't to any native speaker.
But, just to be clear, #7 changed the sentence. The OP's sentence--the sentence he was asked to explain, not rewrite--was "I went to Thailand last year to teach," which is perfectly natural.
10
Based on the first example, I think you're just meant to identify the tense used for the main verb of the sentence, which is 'went'. (based on the language awareness required on a TEFL course, I'm pretty sure it's just a coincidence that the rest of the sentence contains another verb 'to teach' so I think you're meant to ignore it)So, the answer would be the past simple (UK) / simple past (US) of the verb 'go'. You can also call this tense 'preterite' but I've never seen that in any grammar book or course book used in teaching English, only in linguistics.
But it's confusing that they don't describe 'I was teaching' as past continuous/past progressive, which (I think) is the standard way to call the structure 'was/were + -ing'
11
I think that it's the word order which is wrong. IMHO, it should be eitherLast year, I went to teach in Thailand
or
I went to teach in Thailand last year.
12
I think that it's the word order which is wrong.
O, for the love of God. I'll say it one more time, then shut up:
THERE IS NOTHING WRONG WITH THE ORIGINAL SENTENCE. That isn't the task!
If absolutely nothing else, this thread is doing an excellent job of identifying TT regulars who should never, ever, be let anywhere near a language classroom.
14
I dont ever intend to intend to go near a language classroom.Next guess based on all erudite commentry
I was teaching in Thailand last year.
