Language works: Grammar in context Book 4

Unit 13 I worried and thought I might be late!

thinking verbs

Talk about grammar

Ask students to worry about the weather for a forthcoming excursion. Ask
students if there is any action when they worry. Ask students to wish for good
weather. Ask students if there is any action when they wish.
Point out that things that go on in their heads do not display any observable
actions. These words that describe their thinking are called thinking verbs
because they are concerned with things that go on in ones head.
Have students brainstorm a list of thinking verbs. Ask them to refer to books
they are reading, as authors often tell the reader what different characters are
thinking and feeling.
ANSWERS TO ADDITIONAL EXERCISES
Practise your grammar
1. a. wonder, considering b. thought, hoped c. think d. believe
Fun with words
1. a. past b. waist c. steal d. wait e. more

Bill Spence and Sue Bremner, Cambridge University Press 2007

Language works: Grammar in context Book 4

Practise your grammar

1. Circle the thinking verbs in the following text. If you are not sure, ask
yourself if there is any observable action. If there is, it is probably not
going to be a thinking verb.
a. I wonder what I will do when I grow up. I am considering becoming
a doctor, a builder, a pilot or a teacher.
b. Sally thought that everyone in her new class was quite nice, and
hoped that she would make friends before long.
c. I think Tuesday is my favourite day of the week, because I have
dance class after school.
d. I believe I can do just about anything if I try as hard as I can.

Fun with words

1. Homophones are words that sound the same. Think of the word
phone it means sound.
Circle the correct homophone in each sentence.
a. In the (passed, past) a lot of people travelled on bicycles.
b. My father tied an apron around his (waste, waist).
c. It is difficult to (steal, steel) money from a bank.
d. How long will we have to (weight, wait)?
e. Did she (wear, were) her brand new shoes?

Bill Spence and Sue Bremner, Cambridge University Press 2007

Language works: Grammar in context Book 4

Wordsearch
Thinking verbs are used by narrators to make the readers think deeply
about characters. See how many you can find. Do you know what all
these thinking verbs mean? Have you ever seen them used in stories you
have read?

consider

ponder

contemplate

believe

worry

fret

vex

muse

brood over

cogitate

reflect

imagine

deem

Bill Spence and Sue Bremner, Cambridge University Press 2007