Listen, point, act—and ask for help
Objective: Follow six learning commands and use one complete sentence when you do not understand.
I can act on “open,” “close,” “point,” “write,” “read,” and “listen,” and I can say “Please say that again.”
Build the idea
A useful first language lesson gives you control over the lesson itself. The verbs open, close, write, listen, point, and read tell you what action to perform. English commands usually omit the subject you because the listener is already clear.
Understanding does not mean recognizing every word. It means connecting enough sound to meaning to choose the right action. When the connection breaks, use a repair sentence. “Please say that again” is not a failure; it is a tool that keeps the conversation moving.
Listen for the stressed action word: OPEN your NOTEbook; WRITE your NAME. American English often makes important content words clearer and reduces small grammatical words. First catch the action, then confirm the object.
Language model
- Teacher Open your notebook.
- Learner I opened it.
- Teacher Write your address.
- Learner Please say that again.
- Teacher Write your name.
- Learner Okay. My name is Mina.
Notice
- A command begins with the base verb: Open, not Opens or To open.
- Please can make a command polite: Please open your notebook.
- That in “say that again” refers to the message you did not catch.