- 1 -
The story of English language

Let’s watch a short video about the history of the English language, but also try to get information on the history of English language.

If you need subtitles, there’s an option in the tool bar of the video so that you can understand it better.

You may watch it as many times as you need in order to solve the next exercise correctly.

The History of English in 10 minutes

Mauro Gilmozzi. (February 16th 2013). Copy of The History of English in 10 Minutes - Sub ENG. [video].
Retrieved on March 2017 from https://goo.gl/3sX6OE

- 2 -
English language history: starring characters

So, what do you think? Did you ever wonder English language had such an interesting history?

Let’s use the information from the video to continue learning English. But first, how good is your memory?

Identify whichever character or group did as part of the English language history.

Drag the different elements from the right column to the appropriate space in the left column. You have unlimited attempts to answer every item. You can know your score at the end of the exercise.

This exercise will not be part of the evaluation, though you might want to try to solve it so you can get familiarized with the topic.

If necessary, watch the video again by following the next link:

English language history: Starring Characters

- 3 -
Summarizing the English language history

It is always important to remember the most important facts in a long history, it helps us get a wider knowledge of the world and understand why some things are the way they are nowadays.

In the following exercise, you’ll find a paraphrase of the history in the video.

Select the most appropriate verb for every statement so that it summarizes part of the history.

Drag the different options to the appropriate spaces to complete the sentences. You have two attempts to answer the exercise. You can know your score at the end of the exercise.

You can know your score at the end of the exercise. Remember that this exercise will not be part of the final score, just do your best!

- 1 -
The grammar of the gerunds

Welcome to the grammar section of the topic about gerunds!

Here you’ll study the correct use of gerunds as well as the two variants that exist.

verb + gerund
go + gerund

So, ready? Let’s go!

- 2 -
The grammar of the gerunds: Only with verbs

The first variant, as it was said before, is a verb followed directly by a gerund.

Its syntactical structure is:

verb + gerund

There are certain verbs that are ALWAYS followed by gerunds like: enjoy, appreciate, mind, avoid, postpone, discuss, etc.

In the lexicon part of this topic you’ll study a list of all the common verbs that are ALWAYS followed by gerund.

Note: the verbs that you’ll study ONLY accept a gerund following them, NEVER an infinitive.

This exercise was an easy one, ready for another one? Follow the next link so you can solve another one directly from the original source. Read the instructions inside:

Delayed - Read for errors
Julie Sevastopoulos. (2017). Verbs followed by Gerunds.
Palo Alto, California USA: Grammar Quizzes.
Retrieved on 2017, March 23 from https://goo.gl/zmm8KO

After you’ve finished, click the button Check on every statement so you can receive feedback.

Note: you can click the button “reset” if necessary to solve it again.

- 3 -
The grammar of the gerunds: Following to the verb “go”

The syntactical structure of this variant is this:

go + gerund

This variant is usually used in certain idiomatic expressions, for most part, recreational activities.

Keep in mind the next list where its shown with some of this common structure:

List of Verbs used in the Variant Go + Gerund

Grammatical structures do not accomplish their objective if they’re not practiced with original ideas proposed by the student.

Keep this in mind so you won’t lose track of what is going to be done during this topic, or any forthcoming you may take to learn languages.

- 1 -
Getting to know the right occasion

Welcome to the Lexicon part of this topic!

Until now, you’ve studied about the gerund and its linguistic function, now you’ll learn how to identify whether you should use the gerund form.

Actually, one of the most difficult topics to get is the native communicative competence.

However, if you learn well the lexicon in this session, the use of the gerund will be easier for you.

Ready? Let’s begin!

- 2 -
Who with whom? Time to learn definitions

Here is a list of verbs that are ALWAYS followed by gerunds, so when you see one of them you know that you have to use the gerund form.

Read the list of verbs so that you get familiarized with them.

Do you know the meaning of all of them?

It’s time to learn their definitions.

As you maybe remember, so you can say that you know a word in English or whatever language, you must know its spelling, definition, meaning and its correct use.

Now it’s time for learning their definition and writing a personal idea.

Enlist some verbs (maximum 6) and write their definitions next to them as well as a paraphrase of that definition.

Click the link so you can easily find the definitions of each one verb.

- 1 -
Gerund and daily language

Gerund isn’t just another form of English language; it is also part of English idiosyncrasy. Did you know that there are idioms using gerunds?

Do you know what an “idiom” is?

According to the Cambridge Dictionary, an “idiom” is a group of words whose meaning is considered as a unit, and is different from the meanings of each word considered separately.

For example:
“Shoot yourself in your foot”

The literal meaning would be to command a person to shoot itself with a gun. However, this idiom means that if you’re going to do something risky, risk yourself instead of others.

Another meaning would be: do something that only hurts yourself, if you must.

In this section, you’ll study some of these idioms that uses gerunds or need before/after them gerunds.

- 2 -
Learning new idioms with gerund

Read the following list of words that are used in some idioms. These words are always followed by gerunds, specifically the gerund “being”.

List of words used in idioms with gerunds (“being”)

Keep practicing everything you learnt in English so you don’t forget it and… good luck!

- 3 -
Classifying verbs

Now, so you can memorize them and later you can solve the quiz easily, follow these instructions very carefully:

Classify the list of words in five groups following different criteria.

Here are some criteria you may choose from:

Use a different color for each group.

- 4 -
A-B-C

Once you’ve classified all the words of the list, look for the definition of each one as well as the meaning in Spanish.

Enlist all the words in alphabetical order with their definition and their meaning in Spanish.

You can find the definition and the meaning in this link

- 5 -
Re-classifying idioms

Now, write each word with its definition and meaning but classify them in five different groups using different criteria.

You can use the same criterions you used in the first activity.

- 6 -
Playing with idiomatic words and gerunds

Have you learnt these words? Do you think that you are ready to answer a quiz?

Click the following link so you can answer the quiz:

Test how good your memory is.