1. Concept Checking -Structures
Jo Gakonga
CELTA Trainer
elt-training.com

2. Revision
Why use concept checking?
What makes a concept check question effective?

3. Some guidelines
1. Make sure that you are checking the MEANING
2. Make sure that you are specific about the
meaning.
3. Avoid the target language in the question
4. Grade the vocabulary and structures
that you use below the target language

4. Checking structures
Let’s try an example……

5. I used to smoke.
What’s the meaning here?
I did something before.
I did it more than once (probably often)
I don’t do it now.

6. I used to smoke.
So we make those into questions:
• Did I smoke? Yes.
• More than once? Yes.
• Regularly? Often? Perhaps.
• Do I smoke now? No.

7. I used to smoke.
What’s wrong with these?
Did you smoke?
What did you used to do?
Did you regularly inhale tobacco fumes?

8. TIME-LINES
A useful way to check or illustrate meaning.
Time lines can show if we are talking about something
temporary or permanent, a point of time or a period of
time and the time setting of the action.

9. I used to smoke.
Now
Past Future

10. Important!!
Timelines are only helpful if TIME is involved…

11. I’d rather have a coffee.
Time isn’t important here
I’d rather have a coffee now.
I’d rather have a coffee in the morning.
So what is the core meaning of ‘would rather’?

12. I’d rather have a coffee.
I want a coffee
I want it more than something else.
BUT
It’s not very important to me

13. I’d rather have a coffee.
Do I want a coffee? Yes.
More than something else? Yes.
A lot more? Probably not.
Is it very important to me? No.

14. Time lines or not?
• I'll be flying to Kenya this time tomorrow.
• I had my suit cleaned
• You must have seen her!
• She looked, but I'd hidden it.

15. Time lines or not?
• I'll be flying to Kenya this time tomorrow.

16. Time lines or not?
• I'll be flying to Kenya this time tomorrow.
• I had my suit cleaned

17. Time lines or not?
• I'll be flying to Kenya this time tomorrow.
• I had my suit cleaned
• You must have seen her!

18. Time lines or not?
• I'll be flying to Kenya this time tomorrow.
• I had my suit cleaned
• You must have seen her!
• She looked, but I'd hidden it.

19. Practice
I'll be flying to Kenya this time tomorrow.
Draw the time line….

20. I’ll be flying to Kenya this time tomorrow.
2pm
Now (2pm) tomorrow
Past Future

21. Practice
I'll be flying to Kenya this time tomorrow.
Now what concept checks do you need?

22. Practice
I'll be flying to Kenya this time tomorrow.
When will I start?
When will I finish?

23. Don’t panic!
This gets easier with practice….
and….
we’ll do lots more practice in class.