Exercises to generate sentences 1

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Techniques to generate sentences 1

 Student instruction

Take a correct phrase or sentence and modify it, replacing one or more of its elements.

Most commonly heard sentences fall into a limited number of construction patterns. Practicing to generate a great number of sentences according to those patterns, you lay the railroad tracks for transporting your future speech.

Example:

Take a very simple sentence in Spanish. “Quiero” means “I want”. Let us say you found the following sentence in your Spanish book. Therefore, it should be correct.

Quiero un libro.

With a dictionary at hand, or rehearsing the words you have already learned, you generate as many sentences as possible -- at least ten.

Quiero un coche. Quiero un helado. Quiero un refrigerador. Quiero una casa. Quiero una bicicleta. …

The goal is to produce phrases quickly. No need for philosophical profundity. At least, not at this stage. Fill in any words that come to your mind, even if they make no sense.

Then, start transforming and expanding the sentences further. For example, by changing or adding another element.

Mi padre quiere un libro. No quiero ningún libro. Quiero un libro interesante. Quiero comprarme un libro. Quiero comprar un libro en el mercado.

Advice

·        Practice this technique first in your native language. This way you develop a sense of how it works. I guarantee you will become a much quicker and more flexible speaker and negotiator.

·        Take pattern sentences from everywhere: not only from your textbook but also from advertisements, the news, literature, chat rooms, etc.

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Stay tuned!

Gerhard

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About me

Psychologist and polyglot from Hamburg /Germany (*1979). Married with children. MA in psychology from the University of Hamburg. More than 15 years of experience as a university lecturer in psychology as well as a consultant for UNICEF, Terre des Hommes, IOM, the EU and private companies. Coordinator of the GO Method network, with representatives in more than 90 countries worldwide.

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