Primary Grammar: Creating Characters

Grammar worksheets focusing on the topic of creating characters. Students will go through exercises that will allow them to create and collect ideas for a character. Simple questions that can be answered that will add more depth in their work.

Creative restrictions

One of the biggest problems young learners of the English language is creativity. Thinking outside the box with a limited vocabulary range can harm the quality of a students work. To give the students more confidence, we should break down a complicated task with many simple tasks.

This exercise has been effective in my teaching, with students coming up with more ideas for their characters. I tell them to think outside the box and not to go for generic or simple answers. Let them be the commander of their own work.

A great book for example is filled with characters that captures the readers attention. This is achieved by great detail.

Why is the drawing exercise at the end?

The reason why the drawing exercise is at the end of the worksheets is to allow the student to reflect back on their work, and draw their character that is an accurate representation of what they wrote.

I have experimented letting students draw what they like first before writing down their character in more detail, but time after time they tend to draw very similar characters with no uniqueness. They will get off topic and will not focus on the depth.

Importance of Grammar

Each sentence is more than a pile of words that is jumbled up! The most important element of English language studies is grammar.

Grammar is the key to speaking English fluently and confidently when spoken correctly. Knowing the grammar concepts will help speakers avoid errors that can make their English sound strange to native speakers. Grammar shows diligence and an eye for detail.

Well spoken grammar doesn’t come naturally for second language speakers. For native speakers like myself, we have the benefits of learning the structures from a young age from listening. Learning grammar takes time and requires the student to practice it proactively to use it effectively. For young learners who are new to English, it is important that the teacher does the following;

• Be patient with the student. It won’t come naturally
• Explain the concept clearly and remind the student of how to use it effectively
• Always use the concept in an example, full sentences are best
• Be thorough with correction. Consistency is key

Useful Links

For more worksheets: http://www.mrgregenglish.com/mr-gregs-worksheets/

For teaching resources: http://www.mrgregenglish.com/teaching-resources/