My Big Fat Greek Wedding: Transitions x Subordinating Conjunctions

This is one of the best romantic comedies of all times. The cultural conflicts, good humor, and clever plot make it stand out the others. It is full of scenes you can use in your classroom. Here are a few of them, which I used to practice the use of subordinating conjunctions and transitions, the grammar point my Thomas Prime 7 students are learning right now.




I. Watch the first movie segment from the movie My Big Fat Greek Wedding. Then choose the best conjunction or transition. Next, decide if the sentences contain a subordinating conjunction or a transition word. The 1st scene shows Toula, the young Greek woman, meeting her American fiance's family for the first time.








1. The American family is quite polite, but they don't like talking very much.


The American family is quite polite. Nevertheless / Otherwise, they don't like talking very much.

( ) subordinating conjunction
( ) transition

The American family is quite polite, although/ since they don't like talking very much.

( ) subordinating conjunction
( ) transition


2. Toula showed her future parents-in-law her creative, unusual wedding plans, but they didn't seem very excited about them.


Toula's future parents-in-law didn't seem very excited, even though/however her wedding plans were creative and unusual.

( ) subordinating conjunction
( ) transition


II. Now watch the second segment from the same movie. Now, Ian, the American guy, meets his fiancee's Greek family.

1. Ian got very surprised with his fiancee's Greek family during the dinner party. The reason is that they are noisy and agitated.


Since / Provided that the Greek family is very loud and agitated, Ian got really surprised during the dinner party.


( ) subordinating conjunction
( ) transition


The Greek family is very loud and agitated. Therefore / However, Ian got very surprised during the dinner party.


( ) subordinating conjunction
( ) transition



2. The only way for Ian to be happy after getting married is to get some ear plugs.


Unless / If Ian gets some ear plugs, he won't be happy after getting married.


( ) subordinating conjunctions
( ) transition


Ian must get some ear plugs. Consequently / Otherwise, he won't be happy after marrying Toula.

( ) subordinating conjunction
( ) transition


3. Being accepted by the Greek family depends on Ian's positive reaction to their different behavior.

As long as / Even though Ian has a positive reaction to their different behavior, He will be accepted.


( ) subordinating conjunction
( ) transition



4. Toula believes that her Greek family will treat Ian well. They don't care if he doesn't know anything about the Greek culture.


Toula believes that her Greek family will treat Ian well unless / even if he doesn't know anything about the Greek culture.


( ) subordinating conjunction
( ) transition


5. Toula and Ian have very different families. For this reason, their integration will not be very easy.


Toula and Ian have very different families. Nonetheless / Consequently, their integration will not be very easy.

( ) subordinating conjunction
( ) transition



The integration of Toula's and Ian's families will be difficult since / unless they have very different families.


( ) subordinating conjunctions
( ) transition



III. Now watch the 3rd segment from the movie My Big Fat Greek Wedding. Then connect your ideas, using subordinating conjunctions to connect ideas within a sentence and transitions to connect ideas between sentences.







Ex: (provided that - subordinating conjunction)


Toula's mother will understand spoken English well provided that (as long as, only if or if) someone occasionally translates or paraphrases difficult words.


Ex: (otherwise - transition)


Ian's parents had a few drinks. Otherwise, they would not relax during the dinner party.



1. because (or since) - subordinating conjunction

..............................................................................


2. even though (or although) - subordinating conjunction

..............................................................................

3. therefore (or consequently) - transition

...............................................................................

4. However (or nevertheless) - transition

...............................................................................



Answer key:
I.
1. Nevertheless (transition) and although (subordinating conjunction)
2. Even though (subordinating conjunction)

II.
1. Since (subordinating conjunction) and therefore (transition)
2. Unless (subordinating conjunction) and otherwise (transition)
3. As long as (subordinating conjunction)
4. even if (subordinating conjunction)
5. Consequently (transition) and since (subordinating conjunction)


III. Answers will vary.



WORKSHEET

Knowing: Simple Present

A. Watch the segment. It takes place in 1960. Then imagine the same situation in the movie, but nowadays. Make a list of 1o things that you usually do in your free time or about the world, talking about your routine. Your sentences will be placed in a capsule and people will open it in 2060.

Ex:

I listen to music with my I-pod.

I eat pizza every Sunday.


1. __________________________
2. __________________________
3. __________________________
4. __________________________
5. __________________________
6. __________________________
7.__________________________
8. __________________________
9. __________________________
10. _________________________











.

B. Exchange your list with another friend. Check which activities are similar to yours.
.

C. Now imagine you received a capsule from the future, Year 2060. Write three sentences about people's routine in 2060. Use your imagination and be creative:

Ex: We spend our vacation in a house on the moon.

1. _________________________________
2. _________________________________
3. _________________________________

D. Read your sentences to the class. Do you all have the same idea of the future? Which was your favorite one?


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Mr. Woodcock: Modals for Obligation - Must, Can't

This movie is funny and this opening scene shows the traumatic experience the main character had with his mother's future husband, Mr Woodcock, the teacher. I used it to practice modals for obligation and prohibition.

A. Work in small groups. Make a list of 5 qualities or characteristics a good teacher must (has to) have and which ones he can't have.

He / She MUST:

1 ................................................
2 ................................................
3.................................................
4 ................................................
5 ................................................

He / She CAN'T:

1 ................................................
2 ...............................................
3 ...............................................
4 ...............................................
5 ...............................................

B. Now watch the movie segment. Which of the characteristics you have listed before apply to Mr. Woodcock?

C. Imagine you are talking to Mr. Woodcock now. Tell him what he must (has to) do and what he can't do to become a better teacher.

1 .....................................................
2 ....................................................
3 ....................................................
4 ...................................................
5 ...................................................

D. Talk to a partner:

1. Would you like to have a teacher like Mr. Woodcock? Why (not)?

2. Have you ever had a teacher like him? If so, talk about it.

3. What would you do if your teacher treated you like Mr. Woodcock treated some of his students?

4. Are there teachers like Woodcock?

5. Who is your favorite teacher? Why do you like him / her so much?



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Reservation Road: Past Modal - Should - Expressing Regrets

This is a shocking scene that pictures a common current event in our society. Hit and run. I chose it to practice expressing regrets using past modal verbs. The movie is really interesting and the ending is great. I recommend it.





A. Talk to a partner:



1. Have you ever witnessed a car accident? What happened?

2. Is traffic a problem where you live? Explain it.

3. Are traffic laws too strict, too lenient or just fair? Justify your answer.

4. What can be done to improve the traffic flow and prevent accidents?

5. What is hit and run? What should the punishment be in that kind of accident?

6. What about drinking and driving?





B. Watch the video segment and read the items below. Check the characters' wrong decisions.


( ) 1. The boy didn't fasten his seatbelt.


( ) 2. The family stopped at a gas station.


( ) 3. The driver answered his cell phone while he was driving.


( ) 4. Josh's parents left him by himself too close to the main road.


( ) 5. The driver didn't stop to rescue the victim.


( ) 6. The driver lied to his son about the accident.


C. Rewrite the sentences you checked expressing regrets. Use should + have + past participle in your sentences.


WORKSHEET




Answer key:

B.

1. The boy should have fastened his seatbelt.
2. The family shouldn't have stopped...
3. The driver shouldn't have answered...
4. Josh's parents shouldn't have left him...
5. The driver should have stopped...
6. The driver shouldn't have lied...

How to prepare your own video activity:

- Select a scene in which the characters perform actions they regret.
- Select a few of their wrong decisions.
- Have students check the ones that the characters might regret
- Ask the students to write down sentences expressing regrets using the past modal should

Coraline: Past Perfect x Simple Past

I loved this movie, but I believe many children might have been afraid at certain scenes of this highly creative film. I used it to have students combine sentences with the past perfect and simple past tenses.


A. Take a look at the pair of sentences below. Write 1 next to the action that took place first and 2 next to the one that took place later.




___ Coraline went through a purple tunnel.
___ She entered a beautiful, neat living room.


___ She smelled something good.
___ She saw her other mother cooking in the kitchen.


___ Coraline talked to her other mother in the kitchen.
___ Her father sang her a song.


___ Coraline ate some chicken.
___ She drank some mango milk shake.


___ She went to bed in a comfortable bedroom.
___ She saw and talked to her friends in the picture.


B. Now connect the sentences above using the past perfect tense for the action that took place first and the simple past tense for the action that took place later.

Ex: Coraline had gone through a purple tunnel when she entered a beautiful, neat living room.



WORKSHEET

How to prepare your own video activity:

- Select a scene in which there is a sequence of events.

• Prepare an exercise in which the students have to decide which action took place first.

• Students write 1 or 2 next to the actions, according to the order of the events in the segment

• Students combine both sentgences using the simple past or the past perfect tenses.

Falling Down: Present Continuous

This is a classic movie with a very current issue. Living in big cities seems to be getting harder and harder. I took advantage of this scene to practice the present continuous tense.

A. Talk to a partner:


1 - Do you face traffic jams to go to school or work?

2 - What do you do to kill time?

3 - Is it dangerous to be locked inside your car during a traffic jam? Explain.

4 - Do you prefer to live in a big city or in a small town? Why?



B. Before watching the scene, check the items you do when you are stuck in a traffic jam.


( ) 1. Throw objects at passers-by.

( ) 2. Talk on the phone

( ) 3. Listen to the radio.

( ) 4. Put on some lipstick.

( ) 5. Honk the horn.

( ) 6. Play games.

( ) 7. Leave the car and walk home.

( ) 8. Sleep in the car.

( ) 9. Read a book.

( ) 10. Do my homework.



C. Now write sentences saying who is performing the activities above during the traffic jam.


Ex: 1. Some children are throwing objects at the passers-by.

2......................................................................................

3......................................................................................

4......................................................................................

5.....................................................................................

6.....................................................................................

7.....................................................................................

8.....................................................................................

9.....................................................................................

10...................................................................................






WORKSHEET

How to make your own video activity:

- Select a scene in which several characters are performing different activities at the same time

- Make sure the activities are still in process.

- List activities the characters are performing and other ones that other people would probably be doing as well if they were there.

- Ask sts to tell each other what they usually do when they are in such situation.

- Have students watch the segment and write sentences saying what the characters are actually doing in the segment.

17 Again: Present Perfect

This is one of those movies with a creative, original idea. Going back in time and being young again is always great for food for thought because this film is witty and fun. I used the whole idea of the film and segment to have students practice the use of the present perfect and present perfect continous tense, using already, still and yet in a meaningful manner. I. Watch the movie segment and put yourself in the main characters shoes. Imagine you have gone 20 years back in time. You meet your best friend, who is now 20 years younger than you, and tell him what you have accomplished in your life since then (if you are not old enough to go back 20 years in time, make it 10 years).






You must use the present perfect tense.


Ex: I have become a lawyer.

1 .........................................................


2 ........................................................


3 .......................................................


4 .......................................................


II. Now tell your friend a few things that you still haven't done or haven't done yet in these 20 years but you intend to do soon.


1 .....................................................

2 ....................................................

3 ....................................................

4 ...................................................


IV. Switch roles with your partner.



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