[Idiom] A research

[faryan]

Hi everyone.

Preparing some paragraphs for the purpose of teaching idioms, I need some help to check either the cultural accuracy or collocational accuracy. Any input from the side of teachers would be appreciated. This is a part of a research and any comment is welcomed.

Para #1:
This is Michael Lee. I remember the years of studies. We had a lot of tasks to do. It was really time consuming and difficult for me to do them but I knew that I have...............to get with it.................. . That hard tasks could guarantee my success and I believed that I could ..........go far................... in the future. I found that if you .........stick to............... your books, you will develop your knowledge. But if you want to deepen your knowledge, you must use your knowledge in the real world; in other words, you should ................put it into practice................. to maintain it. It's a better idea to know about what you want to do in the future because it will work for you as a map. Then ...............set out............... a plan for your success as soon as possible. Knowing your needs and wills can help you to make safe and sound decisions so it can help you to ...............go ahead.................... .

Thanks in advance.

 

[emsr2d2]

I'm still slightly confused as to the purpose of your questions. Are you actually writing lesson plans for students or are your questions forming part of some kind of thesis or dissertation for a course of education which you are undertaking?

 

[faryan]

I'm providing some paragraphs for the purpose of teaching idioms. It is a part of research for M.A. thesis.
Since a given number of idioms are going to be taught in conversations ,as input, finding appropriate paragraphs that include all those idioms or expressions is kind of impossible, then I have to prepare them myself. Such paragraphs are about to be used as comprehension checkers. I wonder if I could ask for some help to make sure about collocational or cultural accuracy. I'm looking forward to see any recommendation about be some more interesting alternations.
*** This is not an assignment***

 

[faryan]

Have a look at this please:
This is Michael Lee. I remember what I learned through the years of studies and like to share with you. Actually we had a lot of tasks. They were really time consuming and difficult for me to do all those tasks, but I knew that I have...............to get with them.................. . Teachers kept telling us that hard tasks could guarantee our success. They believed that this is a good way to ..........go far................... . But I found something else; I understood that if you .........stick to............... your books, you will develop your knowledge. In contrast, if you want to deepen your knowledge, you must use it in the real world. In other words, you should ................put it into practice................. to maintain it. Moreover, It's a better idea to know about what you want to do in the future because it will work for you as a map. Then ...............set out............... a plan for your success. Knowing your needs and wills can help you to make safe and sound decisions so it can help you to ...............go ahead.................... .

 

[SoothingDave]

You are better off filling in the blanks yourself and letting us comment on how appropriate or natural the use of idiom is.

I have no idea what idioms you are going for in this exercise.

 

[faryan]

Sorry. Seems it's not clear. Let me explain it. The blanks are filled, for example the first blank space is filled with to get with them.

 

[faryan]

Let me put it this way:
This is Michael Lee. I remember what I learned through the years of studies and like to share with you. Actually we had a lot of tasks. They were really time consuming and difficult for me to do all those tasks, but I knew that I have to get with them. Teachers kept telling us that hard tasks could guarantee our success. They believed that this is a good way to go far. But I found something else; I understood that if you stick to your books, you will develop your knowledge. In contrast, if you want to deepen your knowledge, you must use it in the real world. In other words, you should put it into practice to maintain it. Moreover, It's a better idea to know about what you want to do in the future because it will work for you as a map. Then set out a plan for your success. Knowing your needs and wills can help you to make safe and sound decisions so it can help you to go ahead .

The underlined parts are formulaic expressions. Are they used appropriately?
Thanks in advance

 

[SoothingDave]

#1, you had to get through them. "I have to" indicates future and you are talking about the past.

"Stick to your books" sounds odd. I would stick to my studies.

It's a better idea to know what you want to do... Not "know about"

You know your needs and wants (or "desires"), not your "wills."

"Get ahead" is correct for the last one.

 

[faryan]

I was wondering if I could check 12 paragraphs here in this thread. I'm afraid of reaching the site limit. May I?

 

[Rover_KE]

You'll stand a better chance of getting an answer if you post them one at a time.

I still haven't figured out what it's about.:-?

 

[MikeNewYork]

I don't consider most of the fill-ins to be idioms. For example "stick to". That meaning of "stick" is a dictionary definition. To "go far" may not be dealing with distance, but I don't see it as an idiom. The last one should be "get ahead", but that is not an idiom either. "Set out is a phrasal verb and is, therefore, an idiom.

 

[faryan]

You'll stand a better chance of getting an answer if you post them one at a time.

I still haven't figured out what it's about.:-?

The paragraphs are about different topics. And they are apart of thesis research.

 

[faryan]

I don't consider most of fill-ins to be idioms. For example "stick to". That meaning of 'stick" is a dictionary definition. To "go far" may not be dealing with distance, but I don't see it as an idiom. The last one should be "get ahead", but that is not an idiom either. "Set out is a phrasal verb and is, therefore, an idiom.

You are right somehow. They may not seem to be idioms, but they are defined as formulaic expressions. The above expressions were classified as idioms in the free dictionary though. There is no need to be concerned, I know their functions. Thanks for rigorous attention.

 

[SoothingDave]

The paragraphs are about different topics. And they are apart of thesis research.

"A part." "Apart" is a different word with a different meaning.

 

[emsr2d2]

[STRIKE]This is[/STRIKE] I am/My name is Michael Lee. I remember what I learned through [STRIKE]the[/STRIKE] years of [STRIKE]studies[/STRIKE] study and I would like to share with you. Actually, we had a lot of tasks. They were really time consuming and it was difficult for me to do all those tasks ​(no comma required here) but I knew that I [STRIKE]have[/STRIKE] had to get with them. Teachers kept telling us that hard tasks could guarantee our success. They believed that this [STRIKE]is[/STRIKE] was a good way to go far. But I found out something else - [STRIKE]I understood that[/STRIKE] if you stick to your books, you will develop your knowledge. In contrast, if you want to deepen your knowledge, you must use it in the real world. In other words, you should put it into practice to maintain it. Moreover, it's a [STRIKE]better[/STRIKE] good idea to know about what you want to do in the future because it will work [STRIKE]for you as[/STRIKE] like a map for you. Then set out a plan for your success. Knowing your needs and [STRIKE]wills[/STRIKE] wants can help you to make safe and sound decisions [STRIKE]so it can[/STRIKE] to help you to [STRIKE]go ahead[/STRIKE] get ahead .


Thanks in advance.

Please see what I have amended in red above.

 

[faryan]

"A part." "Apart" is a different word with a different meaning.

Gee, sorry! That was not my fault but it was a fault with my device. Sometimes it selects a predicted word and replaces it! I will be much more careful! Thanks.

 

[faryan]

Paragraph #2:
I wonder if you could take a look at this one.

I am really busy with my job here. At times, I get bored with all the responsbilities and think about getting back to my hometown. Now I miss my parents a lot and can only call them for the time being. Although I call them from time to time, I don't like this way because I am pressed for time here and can't talk on the phone freely. When I am homesick I like to talk more, but as soon as I start talking with my sister and brother time is up . Sometimes my siblings come to see me and I wish they would do that time after time.

Thanks in advance.