Why I See a Bicycle

When learning to ride a bicycle, it's good practice to know one end of the bike from the other. That seems a no-brainer, right? The wheel attached to the handlebars goes in front.

What does that have to do with English language teaching? Everything.

Why? Because English verb forms behave like bicycles.

The difference

Here's a fun trick for your English learners. To illustrate the difference between helping verbs and main verbs, I invite you to share the following out loud with your students: Bob is.

Just that. Bob is. There's obviously some vital information missing in this utterance (except maybe if spoken by a philosopher, lifestyle guru, or zen master).

Missing in action?

And the obvious conclusion is: helping verbs do not make much sense on their own.

Bob is... Anyone will immediately wonder WHAT Bob is.

The same goes for: Bob has, Bob will, Bob must... WHAT? Tell me WHAT?

The main thing

The main information, on the other hand, can get across even without a helping verb.

No matter how silly it sounds, it still does the trick (and remember to do a silly voice): Bob smiling, Bob dancing, Bob swimming...

Show the pattern

So here's the thing: English verb forms behave like bicycles, with a front wheel and a rear one. Only Simple doesn't, which prompts this pertinent question: why start on a unicycle exception?

In English, helping verb and main verb typically work in unison, like the two wheels on a bicycle. The One Rule shows that typical pattern.

You try

So this is how you can explain English verb forms, without making it too complicated. Act it out and do silly voices. Show the typical pattern and have some serious fun.

Have your learners see a bicycle.

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???? Hi, I'm Leon, and I help English language teachers discover how a ONE RULE approach to grammar ?EMPOWERS them & their students, ?SAVES TIME better spent on serious fun with the language, and ?BOOSTS motivation & results. ONE RULE, to rule them all...