Lesson 4

To be able to recognize the formal English equivalent of reduced colloquial speech.

Newspaper Item:

Dear Abby,

My problem is (problem's) my brother, his wife and (wife'n) their three children, ages six, five and (five'n) three. They live 1,000 (a thousand) miles away, but they have (they've) announced they are going to (gonna) visit us this summer. We do not want them to ('em to) come.

Their children are not disciplined. They do anything they want to (wanna) do. They have no respect for authority or property. They run wild, climb onto furniture with dirty shoes, get into everything, leave the table during mealtime and (mealtime'n) chase each other all over the house.

We have two children (ages seven and ten) who are never a problem. We have a nice home that we have worked hard to furnish nicely and I am afraid these kids will (kids'll) do real damage.

I hate to be rude, but we do not want these people to come. What should we do?

Activity 1: Discussion

Discuss alternatives and students recommendations before reading the answer given. Discuss the answer if there is disagreement.

Activity 2: Discuss Abby's Response

Answer:

Why don't you meet them somewhere else? If that is not possible, you should be totally open and honest with them. It might hurt family relations, but if their children are wild and undisciplined, they would not be surprised that you do not want them to come.

Activity 3: Comprehension Questions

Ask comprehension questions such as those below regarding the dictation exercise.

1. How many children does the brother have?
2. When does the brother's family want to visit?
3. What are the brother's children like?
4. What do the children do during mealtime?

Activity 4: Cloze Procedure

First read the story. Have students answer questions. Then give students a copy of the story with words missing. Read the story with reductions-students fill in the complete words (without reductions). (See Appendix)

My __________ my brother, his __________ their three children, ages six, __________ three. They live __________ miles away, but they have __________ announced they are __________ visit us this summer. We do not want __________ come.

__________ children are not disciplined. They do anything they __________ do. They have no respect __________ or property. They run wild, climb __________ with dirty shoes, get __________ everything, leave the table during __________ chase each other __________ house.

We have two children (ages __________) who are never a problem. We __________ nice home that we have worked __________ furnish nicely and I am afraid these __________ do real damage.

I __________ be rude, but we do not want these people __________. What should we do?