UNIT II: Fluency1. Use of conventional formulae - greeting - apology - invitation - refusal - accepting - thanking.

2. Describing and interpreting picture, tables, graphs, maps, etc.

3. Various concepts and ways in which they are expressed - construction - suggestion – prohibition - permission - probability - likelihood - possibility - obligation - necessity - concession.

4. Oral drills - Repetition drills - Mechanical drills - Substitution drills

Use of conventional formulae - greeting - apology - invitation - refusal - accepting - thanking.

We should know “what to say” in a particular context and “how to say” it.

We should learn how to use language for carrying out various communicative functions.

There are certain conventional formulae in English generally used in such communicative functions.

Greetings

Some of the common expressions of greetings are given below.

Nice to see you after a long time.

Hi, Rajesh! How are you?

Hi/Hello, Everybody!

How’z life?

I hope you are well.

How nice to see you again.

Choice of the appropriate expression depends on the degree of intimacy with the person.

Expressions such as Hi and Hello are used in informal context with friends.

Others are used in very formal, indicative of respect to seniors.

Apologising

Good manners and common courtesy demand expressions of apology. Some of the common expressions are the following –

Sorry

I am really sorry

Pardon me …

Please accept my apology for…

Please forgive me for…

I owe you an apology

 

Response to apology

That’s alright

Not at all

Please don’t worry

Don’t feel bad about it please.

It doesn’t matter at all

While in the company of others when we want to sneeze, cough or hiccup or interrupt someone talking, we apologize saying sorry or excuse me.

InvitingThe commonly used expressions of

invitation are the following -

I would like you to …

Won’t you please…..?

We should be delighted if you could….

Please accept our invitation

Accepting an invitation

Thank you. I’d be happy to

With pleasure

I would love to

I would be delighted to

Refusing an invitation

No, Thank you

I am really sorry, I don’t think I can

I am sorry. I can’t

I wish I could. But…

ThankingWe thank/express gratitude in different ways for different reasons.

"Thank you so much for the gift!"

Many examples of thanking appear in a ritualized form, such as saying "Thanks" or "Thank you" to a bus driver, a cashier, or to a friend who has handed you something.

Describing and interpreting picture, tables, graphs, maps

Describing and interpreting picturesIntroduction Be organised and systematicUse a wide and suitable range of

vocabularyFacial expressionsInterpretation of PeopleInterpretation of Place and Objects

Describing and Interpreting Graphs, Tables and Maps

The ability to interpret graphs and tables is useful in everyday life.

Tables and graphs are visual representations.

They are used to organise information to show relationships.

A graph shows this information by representing it as a shape.

Researchers and scientists use tables and graphs to report findings of their research.

In newspapers, magazine articles, and on television they are often used to support an argument.

Students must know how to interpret the data and the way it is presented.

Uses of a Table

A table helps to organise information and so it is easier to see relationships.

If a variable is continuous the table reveals a lot more information.

It may show the range, interval, and number of readings.

Tables with multiple variables can provide a lot of information.

Characteristics of graphsGraphs are by nature a summarizing device.

Effective tool for comparisons and contrast.

Made according to exact specifications and depict quantitative data

Graphs, being symbolic are abstract in character.

Self explanatory is possible.

Regarded as flat pictures which employ dots, lines or pictures to visualize numerical and statistical data to show relationships.

Uses of MapsTo depict geographical features of earth’s surface and to understand the position of earth in the universe.

To show relationship between places

To furnish information concerning distances, directions, shapes and sizes.

To clarify descriptive materials.

To reduce the scale of areas and distances

To understand the lines

Various concepts and ways in which they are expressed

Suggestion

Prohibitions

Permission

Probability and Likelihood

Possibility

Obligation and Necessity

Concession

SuggestionThere are numerous forms of polite request and

suggestion.

Would you mind opening the window?

Note also the use of suppose/supposing, how/what about to make informal suggestions

Suppose we try to do it my way.

Suppose you let me have a try.

These are not much different from the use of let’s

Let’s try to do it my way.

We’d better start early.

You’d better do as the doctor says and stay in bed.

ProhibitionsProhibitions are often indicated by means of

brief announcements, e.g. with no and a gerund.

No smoking!

No parking!

Smoking not allowed.

Parking prohibited between 8 a m and 6 p m.

Must is the most usual verb in spoken English for orders and prohibitions.

You `must be back before dark.

Permission

There are numerous ways in which permission may be asked for and granted. The verbs permit, allow, let and the noun permission are obvious examples.

Will you allow/permit me to use your bicycle?

My doctor won’t let me get up yet.

Probability and Likelihood

These concepts may be expressed by the use of the adjectives, probable and likely,

It’s likely/probable that he’ll come.

Is there any probability/likelihood/chance of his coming?

He’s likely to come.

He’ll probably come

Possibility

Possibility depends upon ability or knowledge

It’s possible that he’ll come.

It may rain tomorrow

The news may, or may not, be true.

Can the news be true?

Obligation and Necessity

In most countries the law obliges parents to send their children to school.

Is attendance at school obligatory?

He was compelled by illness to give up his studies.

Concession

A simple way of expressing concession is by the use of the conjunctions ‘although’ and ‘though’.

Although they are brothers they never write to each other.

Though he is rich he has made his money honestly.

Oral drills – Repetition drills – Mechanical drills – Substitution

drillsDrill is commonly used in connection with the teaching of mental skills.

Practice is commonly used in connection with the teaching of motor skills.

Drill or practice is basically an individualized method.

Practice makes things perfect and permanent.

Repetition drillsGive clear, natural sounding and consistent models.

Use hand movements to indicate intonation,

Use fist to beat the stress.

Back chaining helps learners focus on correct pronunciation and intonation.

Example: yesterday / get up yesterday/ did you get up yesterday/what time did you get up yesterday?

Guessing games

Substitution drill

Conversion drill

Manipulation drill

Completion Drill

Matching tables