Of Mice and Men part 5
Petting too hard
Subject:
English
Age groups:
11-14, 15-16
Topic:
Of Mice and Men
This resource was originally developed by S. Matzak and has been adapted for EAL Nexus. Character illustrations by J. de Podesta.
EAL Nexus – free downloadable teaching materials https://eal.britishcouncil.org/
© Bell Educational Trust 2016
Constructing sentences
A simple sentence just needs a subject and a predicate (e.g.
Lennie is worried. He is nervous. There is a reason for this. He killed
his puppy.) If we only use simple sentences in texts, our texts are
boring to read and we may not give the reader extra information
about how the events or ideas are linked together. Moreover, a text that only
has simple sentences often has to be much longer for the same information to
be given.
 In compound sentences we often need not repeat certain parts such as
the subject (e.g. Lennie is worried and nervous).
 In complex sentences a single word can give a lot of information. For
example, if something is the reason for something else we can simply put
the connective because to tell the reader this (e.g. Lennie is worried
because he has killed his puppy). If we use after, we stress that one
event follows another (e.g. Lennie is worried after he has killed his
puppy).
 Compound and complex sentences can be extended, e.g. Lennie is
worried and nervous because he killed his puppy.
 In English we can also use the –ing form of the verb instead of a
connective to build complex sentences (e.g. Having killed his puppy,
Lennie is worried and nervous).
 In order to make clear to the reader how the ideas in different sentences
are joined with each other, we can also use discourse markers (e.g.
firstly, consequently, alternatively), which are written equivalents to
words like ‘well’, ‘like’ and ‘so’ we use when we speak.
EAL Nexus – free downloadable teaching materials https://eal.britishcouncil.org/
© Bell Educational Trust 2016
Task
 Read the left-hand column with simple sentences which summarise part 5
 Then look at the two right-hand columns which give you information how to
link the sentences and which word to use.
 Now try to rewrite the short sentences between two blue lines as a longer
sentence by using the connective device in the right-hand column. (You
need not include the words in brackets and you need to change the words
in pink.)
 The first sentence has been done for you.
Simple sentences
Lennie is in the barn.
The other men are pitching
horseshoes outside.
Link or extra
information
Say that it happens
at the same time
Connective
when
Example:
Lennie is in the barn when the other men are pitching horseshoes outside.
Simple sentences
He has accidentally killed his puppy.
He petted it too hard.
He is sad.
(He) feels guilty.
Link or extra
information
Connective
Give a reason.
because
Say that this is the
result
as a result
Add this idea
and
EAL Nexus – free downloadable teaching materials https://eal.britishcouncil.org/
© Bell Educational Trust 2016
Simple sentences
He is worried.
Link or extra
information
Connective
Say to what extent this
is
most of all
Link these ideas
that
Say that it happens at
the same time
when
Make the first part the
subject of the
sentence by using an
–ing form. This clause
replaces the word
this.
Being
George told him to stay away from
her.
Give a reason
as
He had scared a woman at the
previous ranch.
Give a reason
because
Add this idea
and
Say that it happens
later
after
George might not now let him tend
the rabbits on their dream farm.
Curley’s wife enters the barn.
He shares his worries with her.
(He) is with Curley’s wife
(This) makes him even more worried.
Curley’s wife is desperate to talk to
someone about her loneliness.
(She) starts to talk openly about her
feelings and her dreams for a better
life.
Lennie tells her how much he likes
petting soft things.
She invites him to stroke her hair.
EAL Nexus – free downloadable teaching materials https://eal.britishcouncil.org/
© Bell Educational Trust 2016
Simple sentences
Lennie gets carried away.
(He) does it too hard.
She starts yelling.
Lennie panics.
they may be discovered by the men
outside
Link or extra
information
Connective
Add this idea
and
Say that it happens at
the same time
when
Link these ideas
that
Add this idea
and
(He) muffles her yells.
(He) puts his hand over her mouth.
Curley’s wife suffocates.
Lennie realises (something).
He has ‘done another bad thing’.
(He) goes to hide by the stream.
George had told him.
Candy finds the body of Curley’s
wife.
Add how this is done
by using the
preposition by and
the –ing form
Say that this is the
result
Link these ideas
Add this idea
by putting
as a result
that
and
Say that this is in the
way they agreed to
do things
Add this idea
as
and
(He) tells George.
EAL Nexus – free downloadable teaching materials https://eal.britishcouncil.org/
© Bell Educational Trust 2016
Simple sentences
They know that Lennie did not kill her
deliberately.
Link or extra
information
Connective
Make clear that this is
concessive, i.e. that
this happens despite
the following.
although
Lennie cannot get away with it this
time.
Link these ideas
that
(George) informs Curley and the
other workers on the ranch about
Curley’s wife’s death.
Say that this happens
later.
George realises (something)
George tries to persuade Curley not
to kill Lennie in revenge.
Curley is determined to shoot him.
Change the verb into
the –ing form and
leave out the subject.
after
informing
Say that there is a
contrast
EAL Nexus – free downloadable teaching materials https://eal.britishcouncil.org/
© Bell Educational Trust 2016
but