Spoken Vs.
Written Grammar
The difference between written and spoken language
Written Grammar Spoken Grammar
Sentence is the basic unit of Clause is the basic unit of
construction construction
Clauses are often embedded Clauses are usually added
(subordination) (coordination)
Sub+verb+object construction Head+body+tail construction
Reported speech favored Direct speech favored
Precision favored Vagueness tolerated
Little ellipsis A lot of ellipsis
No question tags Many question tags
No performance effects Performance effects;
Hesitations
Repeats
False starts
Incompletion
Systanctic blends
The difference between spoken and written grammar is like an argument
formal and informal grammar although there are disputes that prove that spoken
grammar doesn't really seem to exist technically because it is essentially the
same as the written grammar. The spoken grammar has a distinct approach from
the one used in written grammar. The distinction is practically due to the fact that
we don't speak the way we write and we certainly don't write the way we speak.
In spoken grammar, contractions such as I'll, don't, etc, are allowed but are
strictly not appropriate for written grammar, while the inclusion of slang words or
colloquialism can be allowed in spoken grammar. Breaking of strict grammar
rules such as excluding prepositions in beginning a sentence is included in
spoken grammar. It is more dynamic and immediate; therefore, the speaker may
commit many grammatical errors that can never be possible and acceptable in
written grammar.
Assessing grammar is a fundamental aspect of teaching that helps determine
student proficiency in language. It can be used to help identify the strengths and
weaknesses of learners. Assessment has to be used constantly to determine
how well students are comprehending the materials that have been covered.
Assessment of grammatical ability is characterizing proficiency in different levels
and contexts.
Grammatical Assessment
ASSESSING GRAMMAR
In term of assessment, grammar is central to language description and test taker
performance. Today, the knowledge of grammar is evaluated by its correct use in
communication through listening, speaking, reading, and writing in second
language.
Communicative competence has four components: grammatical, sociolinguistic,
discourse, and strategic competence. Grammatical knowledge consist of three
elements;
a) Grammatical forms or the structures of a language.
Form is both morphology or how words are formed, and syntax, how words are
strung together, both of them are concerned with the linguistic accuracy of
language.
b) The grammatical meaning of those forms.
Grammatical meaning consists of both the literal and intended message that is
conveyed by the form. It concerned with the meaningfulness of the language
used.
c) Their pragmatic meaning or use in a given context.
The pragmatic or implied meaning results from the appropriate language choices
a learner makes in a given communicative event.
DESIGNING ASSESSMENT TASKS
1. SELECTED RESPONSE
Multiple-choice tasks - the most common selected response task presents
a blank or underlined words in a sentence and the test taker must choose the
correct response from the options that are given. (Grammatical form,
Grammatical meaning, Grammatical for and meaning)
Discrimination tasks - The tasks that asks the test-takers to attend to input
that can be either language or non-language and to respond in the form of a
choice between or among contrasts or opposites, such as true/false.
(grammatical form and meaning) Noticing tasks or consciousness-raising
tasks.
Test-takers are asked to indicate (underline or circle) that they have
identified a specific feature in the language sample. (grammatical meaning).
2. LIMITED PRODUCTION
Gap-filling tasks - The language is presented in the form of sentence,
dialogue, or passage in which a number of words are deleted. The test-taker
must choose the appropriate response for the deletion or gap based on the
context in which language is presented. (grammatical form, grammatical form
and meaning).
Short answer tasks - The input is presented in the form of a question
following reading passage or oral/visual stimulus. The expected test-taker
response can vary from single word to a sentence or two. (grammatical form
and meaning, testing grammatical form and meaning).
Dialogue-completion tasks - The input is presented in the form of a short
conversation or dialogue in which a part of the exchange or the entire
exchange is left blank and the expected response meant to be grammatically
correct.
3. EXTENDED PRODUCTION
Five-point scale for assessing syntactic knowledge (Bachman & Palmer,
1996) 0 none, 1 limited, 2 moderate, 3 extensive, 4 complete.
Information Gap Tasks - Presents the input in terms of incomplete
information. That is, one test taker is given half-or some- of the information
and another test taker are given complementary information. Both test-takers
then have question each other to get all the information. (grammatical form,
meaning, and pragmatic use).
Role-play or Simulation Tasks - The input presents test-takers with a
language or non-language prompt that asks them to take on a role or
stimulate a situation to solve a problem, make decision, or perform some
transaction collaboratively. (grammatical form, meaning, and pragmatic use).
ASSESSING VOCABULARY
The Nature of Vocabulary - We can identify words us tokens and types.
Tokens are all the words in the paragraph. Types, on the other hand, do not
count words that are repeated, only words that are different forms
The difference between function words and content words. Function
words-prepositions articles, conjunctions, and other "little words are seen as
belonging more to the grammar of the language than vocabulary. Content words
- nouns, verbs, adjectives, and adverbs.
Some vocabulary tests have might focus larger on lexical items such as
phrasal verbs (“put up with”, “run into”), compound words (“personal computer”),
or idioms (“a pretty penny”), which have meaning only as a whole unit.
