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Categorisation
Aim:
This exercise introduces the vocabulary and grammar needed for the function of
categorisation. For students taking the English for Academic Purposes course, this
function is from Unit 3 of the EAP book and will help EAP students prepare for Assignment
One. (Teachers: Click here for a printable version
of this document.)
Instructions:
Read the 'Background' and 'Vocabulary
and Grammar' sections, then complete the exercise.
Background
Categorisation is dividing a topic into sub-topics. Some topics can be divided into a
small number of sub-topics that account for all of the topic. For example humans can be
categorised as either male or female.
However, many other topics cannot be divided so easily. For example movies can be
categorised as romances, horror, thrillers and comedies. The number of categories is
uncertain, as some people may categorise computer animated films such as 'Shrek' as different from cartoons.
To deal with this problem, you should use a word such as 'main' or 'including'. For
example, 'Movies can be categorised into a number of main types. There
are comedies, horror, thrillers, musicals, and romances.' or 'Movies can be categorised
into a number of types, including comedies, horror, thrillers, musicals,
and romances.' The words 'main' or 'including' are used to show that there may be other
types, but that these are not so important. For example, there may be experimental or art
movies such as 'Dancer in the Dark'
that do not fit into any of these categories. Also, some movies combine these types.
You do not need to worry about exceptions to your categorisation system if you use the
words 'main' or 'including'. See the Vocabulary and
Grammar section for more examples.
Vocabulary and Grammar
Examples of introductions to categorisation:
| - ' |
Students can be categorised in a number of ways, including as
independent or dependent, collaborative or competitive and participant or avoidant.' |
| - ' |
Students can be categorised as isolated, social,
alienated, phantom, dependent and task-orientated.' |
| - ' |
There are a number of different types of student, including
independent or dependent, collaborative or competitive and participant or avoidant ones.' |
| - ' |
There are six main types of student:
isolated, social, alienated, phantom, dependent and task-orientated.' |
Describing a Category
After introducing a categorisation system the categories need to be explained. This can
be done by describing the category and / or by giving examples:
| - ' |
Comedy movies are designed to make the audience laugh. An example is 'Home Alone'.' (Available in CILL.) |
| - ' |
Horror movies are frightening for audiences. An example of a horror movie
is 'The Sixth Sense'.' (Available in CILL.)
(Language Note: NOT 'Horrible movies...' because this means that the movies are low
quality.) |
| - ' |
Dependent students depend on their teachers for guidance, for instance in
what books to use.' |
| - ' |
Social students like to work in groups, for example when cooperating on
projects.' |
Singular or plural can be used in descriptions of categories, although
plural is more common and easier to understand. For example: |
| - ' |
A dependent student depends on his
or her teacher for guidance, for instance in what books to use.' |
| - ' |
A social student likes to work in
groups, for example when cooperating on projects.' |
| - ' |
The dependent student depends on his
or her teacher for guidance, for instance in what books to use.' |
| - ' |
The social student likes to work
in groups, for example when cooperating on projects.' |
| The descriptions of the categories
can also be done using relative clauses, for example: |
| - ' |
Romance movies are movies which are for people who want
to feel romantic.' |
| - ' |
A phantom student is a student who is quiet but
attentive.' |
Exercise
The following sentences have grammatical and meaning mistakes. Correct the
grammatical ones and make write a comment about the meaning ones:
Answers
Students can categorised in a number of ways, including as independent or dependent, collaborative or competitive and participant or avoidant. Question: Students can categorised in a number of ways, including as independent or dependent, collaborative or competitive and participant or avoidant.
The correct answer is: 'Students can be categorised in a number
of ways, including as independent or dependent, collaborative or competitive and
participant or avoidant.' As 'can be categorised' is a passive voice verb phrase, it
needs to have the verb 'be'.
There are a number of different type of student, including independent or dependent, collaborative or competitive and participant or avoidant ones. Question: There are a number of different type of student, including independent or dependent, collaborative or competitive and participant or avoidant ones.
The correct answer is, 'There are a number of different types of student,
including independent or dependent, collaborative or competitive and participant or
avoidant ones.' The phrase 'a number of' should be followed by a plural noun, such as
'types' or 'categories'.
There are six types of student: isolated, social, alienated, phantom, dependent and task-orientated. Question: There are six types of student: isolated, social, alienated, phantom, dependent and task-orientated.
The correct answer is 'There are six main types of student: isolated, social,
alienated, phantom, dependent and task-orientated.' 'Main' is important because there may
be other types of student, such as independent ones.
Dependent students depend on their teachers. Question: Dependent students depend on their teachers.
This is not a good description of this category because of course dependent students
depend on someone, and obviously they are likely to depend on teachers. This description
needs an example to help the reader to understand more than what is obvious.
Romance movies are movies which for people who want to feel romantic. Question: Romance movies are movies which for people who want to feel romantic.
The correct answer is 'Romance movies are movies which are for people who want
to feel romantic.' After relative pronouns such as 'which' and 'that' there must be a
verb.
Social student like to work in groups, for example when cooperating on projects. Question: Social student like to work in groups, for example when cooperating on projects.
The correct answer is 'Social students like to work in groups, for example when
cooperating on projects.' or 'A social student likes to work in a group, for example
when cooperating on projects.', or 'The social student likes to work in a group, for example
when cooperating on projects.' You can choose singular or plural, but you must choose one.
The original sentence did not show if the student(s) were singular or plural because it
did not have an article or a plural 's'.
A social student likes to work in group, for example when cooperating on projects. Question: A social student likes to work in group, for example when cooperating on projects.
The correct answer is 'A social student likes to work in groups, for example
when cooperating on projects.' or 'A social student likes to work in a group,
for example when cooperating on projects.' Not only do you need to decide whether the
subject is singular or plural, you also need to check every noun in the sentence to make
sure that you have chosen correctly whether it should be singular or plural.
Comedy movies are designed to make the audience laugh, for example, Home Alone. Question: Comedy movies are designed to make the audience laugh, for example, Home Alone.
The sentence in the question, 'Comedy movies are designed to make the audience laugh,
for example Home Alone' is not good because Home Alone is not an example of laugh. The
example should follow the thing it is an example of, such as 'Comedy movies such as
Home Alone are designed to make the audience laugh.', or be in a separate sentence;
e.g. 'Comedy movies are designed to make the audience laugh. An example is Home Alone.'
Last updated on: Monday, March 26, 2012
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