Patterns In English

Patterns are a much easier way to approach English than grammar. Students and teachers alike recoil from technical terms. Yet, we happily remember sentences based on how we arrange the words. The fastest way to remove that frustration barrier is simple. Focus on the patterns and not the technical terms. This puts learning in the realm of communication rather than the technical. After all, we want to engage students in high-frequency, repeatable language. Plus, the majority of opportunities to teach only require the most basic grammar terms.

That being said, I firmly believe the teacher must be well-versed in the grammar. How we apply that knowledge can, however, be done with care and focus.

If you have ideas how to improve these materials or what I can add, please get in touch: myenglishimages@gmail.com

Adjectives

Articles

Clauses

Conditionals

Indirect Questions

Locations

Modals

Nouns

One-point Patterns

The gallery on the left can be a great resource for mastering sentence patterns. It’s a growing resource and I want to add the phrases you find helpful.

New teachers often give long-winded explanations of sentences instead of just teaching patterns. We’re all guilty of this at one time or another. The key to helping students master those patterns is to keep it short and simple.