Humanising Language Teaching
Year 3; Issue 3; May 2001

1. Write the following on the board and ask the students to see if they can supply a word which will make two coherent sentences. Tell them they will need to change punctuation.
   I need one more stamp to complete the _______ off early or you'll never arrive on time.
   
   If they can't come up with anything insert the word set above. You then create the two sentences
   
   I need one more stamp to complete the set. Set off early or you'll never arrive on time.
2. Give out copies of the sentences below and ask them to work in pairs finding the "hinge" word.

   A full stop should be placed at the end of a ___________ him to ten years, demanded the prosecuting barrister.

   I really don't see what you ________ old devil you never buy a drink when it's your round.

   I thought Mary looked absolutely _________ careless drivers more severely and they might begin to drive with more common sense.

   Some vegetarians will eat _________ out your old photo albums I haven't seen them for ages.

   All her colleagues were really sad when Sarah _______ to his own devices Paul was capable of producing excellent work.

   The Criminal Justice Bill wants to abolish silence as a statutory _______ after lunch we all left the office together.

   After the race James felt quite happy to have finished ___________ Robinson he's the most honest candidate standing for office.

   Grammarians when they are talking about pronouns sometimes refer to the first person __________ attention must be paid to all details.

   I'm going to have some wine would you like a _________ him from the team if he plays so badly again.
   

Note

For further material of this type see P.52 in More Grammar Games, Davis et al., CUP.