How can I explain something if I can’t find the exact word?
7 answers from our tutors
Best answer
This is where visual art can be useful in teaching, you can make use of a graphic design that illustrates, projects or represents what you are trying to explain or say.
there is a very simple way. It's called paraphrasing. You describe the word using simple language. Many native speakers do this. Listen to how native speakers speak... we use combinations of short words and short sentences.
Google Images - it's all there!
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Go to a word definition or if it's a truly hard word to explain like "debate" then simply tell a student to translate it because debate is the kind of word that needs multiple sentences to explain.
You can try using synonyms for the exact word or drawing an illustration of the specific word you are looking for.
Try to make examples of what you are trying to say.
Think about the situation you are explaining that will help you to create a definition to express yourself.
Other student questions
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- Can you share your experience how you teach students conditionals?
What kind of method do you use to explain clearly each conditional for students? Do you provide some examples from real life and how you do it? Thank you!
Best answer
Tsebo Lucia Lehloa
The best approach is to expose students to the what conditionals are through explanation. Explain all the types of conditionals providing examples for each. Then the details of the structure of each type of conditionals would better come last, then strengthen understanding by having the student produce written and spoken language. Lastly, expose them to more reading and real life listening examples regarding this, sometimesas homework. To gauge their understanding of the structure, give fill in exercises.
- Could you explain me, please, when I need to use 0,1,2,3 and mixed conditionals? Thank you!
Can you provide examples?
Best answer
Mixed conditional combined second and third conditionals to talk about the past situations has a present consequence or a present situations that is a result of a past action Structure: If + past perfect + would +verb If I had studied medicine, I would be a doctor now.
