TrendSpeak English

Linguistics basics

Written by

poster

in

English Learning Content for Beginners: Linguistics Basics

Dialogue

Alice: Hey, Bob! What’s with the confused face? Are you having trouble with your English homework again?

Bob: Alice! You know me too well. This word… “onomatopoeia.” My teacher said it’s about how words sound like what they mean. But… why? Why doesn’t “chair” sound like sitting?

Alice: Haha! That’s a great question, Bob. So, “onomatopoeia” is a special kind of word, like “buzz” or “meow.” Most words don’t work like that.

Bob: So, language isn’t just about sound then? It’s not like everything “clicks” into place?

Alice: Exactly! It’s much more complex. We have sounds – that’s called phonetics, how we make ‘t’ or ‘s’.

Bob: Phonetics? Sounds like “funny-tics.” Is it about funny sounds?

Alice: (Laughs) Not exactly! It’s just about the sounds themselves. Then we put together sounds to make words. Like “cat” has three sounds: ‘k’, ‘a’, ‘t’.

Bob: Okay, so sounds make words. What about “cat” versus “cats”? That ‘s’ is different.

Alice: Good observation! That’s morphology – how words change their form. Adding ‘s’ makes it plural, meaning more than one cat.

Bob: Wow, so words are kind of like little LEGO bricks that can change shape!

Alice: Kind of! And then we put these word-bricks together to make sentences. “The cat sleeps.” That’s a complete thought.

Bob: And that’s grammar, right? The rules for putting sentences together?

Alice: You got it! That’s syntax, the rules for building sentences. Without rules, it would be just a pile of words, not a meaning.

Bob: So, linguistics is basically like the instruction manual for language? How it’s built and how it works?

Alice: Exactly! It’s the study of language. Understanding these basics can help you see why English works the way it does.

Bob: Hmm, “onomatopoeia” still sounds like a magic spell, but now I understand why it’s special. Thanks, Alice! This actually makes sense!

Alice: Anytime, Bob! Keep asking those curious questions. They’re the best way to learn!

Current Situation

For beginners, learning English can often feel like a massive memory challenge, filled with new words and seemingly random rules. However, understanding very basic concepts from linguistics can actually make the process less overwhelming and more logical.

These “linguistics basics” aren’t about deep academic theory, but rather about grasping that language isn’t arbitrary. It has a structure, a system of sounds (how we speak), how words are formed and changed (like adding ‘s’ for plural), and rules for building meaningful sentences. By knowing that English has these underlying systems, learners can move beyond just rote memorization to a more intuitive understanding of why English works the way it does. This foundation helps build confidence and provides a framework for organizing new information, making the entire learning journey feel more structured and less like a puzzle with missing pieces.

Key Phrases

  • Having trouble with: Experiencing difficulty with something. I’m having trouble with this math problem; it’s very hard.
  • Sound like: To give the impression of a certain sound or idea. That music sounds like jazz, doesn’t it?
  • Work like that: To function or operate in a particular way. My old computer doesn’t work like that anymore; it’s too slow.
  • Put together: To assemble or combine different parts. We need to put together a plan for our summer vacation.
  • Good observation: A compliment for noticing something important or insightful. You made a good observation about the difference in their voices!
  • Kind of: Somewhat; to some extent. It’s kind of cold outside today, so bring a jacket.
  • You got it!: An informal way to say “That’s correct!” or “You understand!” The answer is 7. You got it!
  • Works the way it does: Functions in its particular manner. Learning about history helps us understand why society works the way it does.
  • Make sense: To be logical or understandable. Does this explanation make sense to you, or should I explain it again?
  • Anytime: You’re welcome; used as a response to “thank you.” “Thanks for your help with my project!” “Anytime!”

Grammar Points

1. “What is a/an…?” (Asking Questions)

This is a fundamental way to ask for definitions or explanations of things. It’s used when you want to know about a single, general item or concept.

  • Structure: What + is + a/an + noun?
  • When to use ‘a’ vs. ‘an’:
    • Use ‘a’ before words that start with a consonant sound (e.g., a cat, a word).
    • Use ‘an’ before words that start with a vowel sound (e.g., an apple, an egg).
  • Examples from dialogue:
    • “What’s with the confused face?” (Short for “What is…”)
    • “What about ‘cat’ versus ‘cats’?”
  • Other examples:
    • What is a dog?
    • What is an idea?
    • What is a sentence?

2. Present Simple Tense (for General Truths and Facts)

The Present Simple tense is used to talk about things that are always true, facts, habits, or things that happen regularly. It describes the general nature of something.

  • Structure: Subject + base form of verb (add -s/-es for third person singular: he, she, it)
  • Examples from dialogue:
    • “My teacher said it’s about how words sound like what they mean.” (describes a general fact about onomatopoeia)
    • “Most words don’t work like that.” (general truth)
    • “Adding ‘s’ makes it plural.” (general fact)
    • “It works the way it does.” (general truth about language)
  • Other examples:
    • The sun rises in the east. (always true)
    • Birds fly. (general fact)
    • She speaks English well. (a habit/skill)

3. Plural Nouns (Regular -s)

In English, we often make nouns plural (meaning “more than one”) by adding ‘-s’ to the end of the word.

  • Structure: Singular Noun + -s
  • Examples from dialogue:
    • “We have sounds.”
    • “Then we put sounds together to make words.”
    • “So, words are like little LEGO bricks…”
    • “Keep asking those curious questions.”
  • Other examples:
    • book → books
    • chair → chairs
    • cat → cats
    • friend → friends

Practice Exercises

Exercise 1: Matching

Match the descriptions with the correct words from the dialogue’s topic (Linguistics Basics).

  1. How we make sounds to talk.
  2. Smallest units of meaning (like “cat”).
  3. Words put together to make complete thoughts.
  4. How words change their form (like adding ‘s’ for plural).
  • a. Sentences
  • b. Morphology
  • c. Phonetics
  • d. Words
Your Answers:
  1. ______
  2. ______
  3. ______
  4. ______

Answers:
1. c
2. d
3. a
4. b

Exercise 2: Fill in the Blanks

Use the key phrases from the list to complete the sentences. (Each phrase used once)

  • having trouble with
  • make sense
  • Anytime
  • put together
  • Kind of
  1. I’m really _______________ my new camera. I can’t figure out how to use it.
  2. That story about the talking dog doesn’t _______________ to me.
  3. “Thank you for helping me move!” “_______________!”
  4. We need to _______________ a team for the new project.
  5. “Is it cold outside?” “_______________, but not too bad.”
Your Answers:
  1. _______________
  2. _______________
  3. _______________
  4. _______________
  5. _______________

Answers:
1. having trouble with
2. make sense
3. Anytime
4. put together
5. Kind of

Exercise 3: Make it Plural

Change these singular nouns to plural nouns by adding ‘-s’.

  1. book → _______________
  2. dog → _______________
  3. table → _______________
  4. friend → _______________
  5. car → _______________
Your Answers:
  1. _______________
  2. _______________
  3. _______________
  4. _______________
  5. _______________

Answers:
1. books
2. dogs
3. tables
4. friends
5. cars

Comments

Leave a Reply

Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *

More posts