Exemplification and classification
Exemplification
The action of giving examples
Commonly used in academic writing
There are several ways of referring to
examples, not just the expression for example
or e.g. (although these are the most common)
Commonly used abbreviations
f.e. / e.g. – for example
i.e. – that is (to say); in other words
viz. – namely; it is/they are
e.g. There are four language skills, viz.
listening, speaking, reading and writing.
What is Language?
Read the text What is Language (p. 39)
The definition:
A language is a signalling system which
operates with symbolic vocal sounds, and
which is used by a group people for the
purposes of communication.
Finding exemplifiers
Read the text again and circle all the
expressions which have the same meaning as
for example
Draw a line under all the examples
For example, many birds utter warning calls..
Such as expressions of anger, fear and
pleasure
For instance, animals’ cries are not articulate
For example, the kind of structure given by
the contrast between vowels and consonants
Illustration of this is a soldier who can say
e.g. ‘tanks approaching from the north’
The great tit is a case in point
Complete the sentences using:
illustration, for example, a case in point, an example,
for instance, such as
At the approach of danger many birds utter warning calls:
this is _______ of animals communicating with each other.
Cries, ____________ those of anger, fear and pleasure, are
uttered by apes.
There are important differences between human language
and animal communication: ___________, animals’ cries are
not articulate.
Animals’ cries lack, ____________, the kind of structure that
enables us to divide a human utterance into words.
A good _________ of changing an utterance by substituting
one word for another is a soldier who can say...
The number of signals that an animal can make is very
limited: the great tit is __________________.
At the approach of danger many birds utter warning calls:
this is AN EXAMPLE of animals communicating with each
other.
Cries, SUCH AS those of anger, fear and pleasure, are
uttered by apes.
There are important differences between human language
and animal communication: FOR INSTANCE, animals’ cries
are not articulate.
Animals’ cries lack, FOR EXAMPLE, the kind of structure that
enables us to divide a human utterance into words.
A good ILLUSTRATION of changing an utterance by
substituting one word for another is a soldier who can say...
The number of signals that an animal can make is very
limited: the great tit is A CASE IN POINT.
Exercise 3
Read the following carefully (especially the
part in italics):
There are now over two thousand different
languages in the world; an examination of
them shows that many of them belong to a
group of related languages, and some of
these groups are very large, constituting
what we can call language families. An
example of such a family is the Semitic
group of languages. Examples of members
of the family are Arabic and Hebrew.
Write out a sentence or two substituting the
following:
Germanic – e.g. English, German, Dutch,
Swedish, Danish, Norwegian
Vocabulary aid
Alternatives to the word examples: cases,
instances
Other commonly used verb forms and
methods of expression:
This is shown/exemplified/illustrated by
X shows/exemplifies/illustrates this
Writers such as (such writers as) X and Y
Classification
Dividing something into groups, classes or
categories
Classification is normally made according to a
criterion or several criteria (e.g. age, size,
number...)
Read the text State Schools in England and
Wales (p. 43)
Complete Exercise 1 below the text
Answer key
Schools can be classified according to the
pupils’ ages and type of education.
There are two types of school: primary and
secondary.
Primary schools can be subdivided into
infant and junior schools.
Secondary school pupils may be grouped
according to their ability.
The criterion for classifying secondary
schools is whether or not there is an
examination.
Exercise 2 (p. 44) – put the sentences in the
correct order
Answer key
1e
2b
3g
4a
5f
6d
7c
Write a brief description of the education
system in your country!
Pyramid Discussion
Which purposes of compulsory education are
the most important?
Read the list on p. 47 and select from it; the
order of the choices is not important.
Add one or more purposes of your own.
Exercise
Write a brief description of the criteria that
should be used for determining if education
has been successful!
Vocabulary aid
Useful nouns: criterion/criteria, basis/bases,
features, characteristics, categories, classes,
gruops, types, kinds, sorts, species, breeds,
orders, divisions, families, members
sub-categories/classes/divisions/groups
Useful verbs:
to classify, categorise, group, divide into,
arrange in, put into, distinguish (between),
differentiate (between/from)
To sub-classify, sub-categorise, sub-group or
sub-divide
Something may be classified
1. according to…
2. on the basis of…
3. depending (up)on
The classification is based upon…
Thank you for your attention!
