Form, function and meaning

Multiple-choice test

Choose the best answer
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  1. Formal theory focuses on ...
    1.   ... getting the language right in the right style
    2.   ... communicating accurately
    3.   ... only on the grammar of the language
    4.   ... the items and operations of the grammar and forms of the language
  2. Functional language analysis lies at the heart of ...
    1.   ... getting learners to form correct sentences
    2.   ... linguistic competence
    3.   ... a communicative approach to teaching language
    4.   ... listen-and-repeat approaches to teaching
  3. The quotation from Widdowson was intended to emphasise that ...
    1.   ... communicative success should be the only criterion to judge successful learning
    2.   ... grammar is more important than communicative success
    3.   ... both formal linguistic and communicative competence is needed
    4.   ... grammar is less important than communication
  4. We can only decide what He may come means by ...
    1.   ... understanding it in context
    2.   ... being aware that it means possibility or permission
    3.   ... asking the speaker what he/she meant
    4.   ... guessing from clues around us
  5. If I say The fridge is over there. I could mean ...
    1.   ... please put away the cheese.
    2.   ... I'm not waiting on you - get it yourself.
    3.   ... help yourself to a beer.
    4.   ... that's where it is.
  6. Knowing who the participants in a conversation are can help learners ...
    1.   ... get the grammar right.
    2.   ... decide how much information to give.
    3.   ... pronounce things better.
    4.   ... choose an appropriate style.
  7. Which of the following are examples of adjacency pairs?
    Select multiple answers.
    1. offering and accepting
    2. asking permission and giving permission
    3. complaining and explaining
    4. making and giving excuses
    5. forbidding and allowing
    6. asking for clarification and explaining
    7. offering and declining
    8. greeting and saying goodbye
  8. The meaning of The bank's at the end of the road can be made clear by reference to ...
    1.   ... setting
    2.   ... medium
    3.   ... participants
    4.   ... roles
  9. Intonation can affect the function of what we say.
    1.   False
    2.   True
  10. If we stress should in I don't know where he is, he should be here by now. We are changing the function from making a deduction to ...
    1.   ... explaining
    2.   ... asking for explanation.
    3.   ... expressing surprise.
    4.   ... expressing doubt.