Announcement for Palabra del Día

Question

HI everybody

The new Palabra del Día is out , as Paralee has already announced here.

There has been a lot of work behind this and we would all like to keep it going .

However, we really need some nice short sentences to be posted for complete beginners to understand

We had some feedback on the New Word of the Day and people complained about the sentences to be really complicated and difficult and also very long.

I am afraid we had to cut some sentences to fit this requirement so if you see your sentence shorter than it was at the beginning, don't be surprised

So, no problem with longer sentences if you just want to practise, as I already said in a previous post.

So, the most voted will not necessarily be one of the sentences chosen if it does not meet the requirements.

But for those who will be posted the following must apply:

• The sentence must be short and to the point ( Café: Me gusta el café con azúcar. )
• No idioms or sayings can be chosen
• Sentences must make sense without the picture
• Don't use jokes
• Try to put yourself into a beginner's standpoint
• We can always choose one sentence for a complete beginner and one with a more complex grammar or sentence structure

Answer 1

Would it be possible for a person to write a simple sentence for the beginner and maybe a more complex, challenging sentence so that the participant can still gain from improving their own language skills? Something tells me that if the sentences are too basic the ones writing them will no longer feel that they are benefiting from the thread. What I am requesting may be a bit much, but this experience needs to be a win/win situation!

good point - billygoat, Oct 14, 2011

I agree with you, drvicente . . . - Ingeteacher, Oct 14, 2011

So do I, I don't mind being wrong, I like to try and I feel if we all take a step back it becomes pointless. We need the forward stpes, however faltering. - annierats, Oct 14, 2011

For me the main point of the thread was to challenge myself, and thereby learn. - territurtle, Oct 14, 2011

Answer 2

try to put yourself into a beginner's standpoint

That shouldn't be too hard

jejeje, lovely, chis and I are working on this and we are rolling on the floor, jejejeje - 00494d19, Oct 13, 2011

Well it might be hard for you, but I find it quite easy ;) - MaryMcc, Oct 14, 2011

Answer 3

I never thought about the purpose of the WOTD, but understand the need to make it simpler.

Do you want us to limit the tenses that are used also? Generally beginners start with the present, then the present progressive, preterit, imperfect and save the subjunctive for last. Should we just stick to the present mostly? Let us know!

perfect idea:) - 00494d19, Oct 14, 2011

Answer 4

I suppose that this does make sense - before I got involved in the forum, when I was still very much a beginner, I would always try to understand the sentences that were e-mailed with the Palabra del Día.

The sentences that we are picking now are very clever, and very funny and well-written.

However, as a beginner, they would be hard to understand, so as we are writing these sentences to help people learn, we will start choosing sentences that are simpler for beginners to understand....

Answer 5

Would it be possible for a person to write a simple sentence for the beginner and maybe a more complex, challenging sentence so that the participant can still gain from improving their own language skills?

I already said, if you want to practise, no problem, we accept all kind of sentences. However, for those who are beginners , simple sentences are the ones needed. And no, it is not possible to write two sentences.

We normally have a lot of people who write simple sentences anyway, one of them will be chosen. And then we can choose a more challenging sentence.

Everybody who wants to practise can continue writing as usual the sentence he wishes, they must only be aware that sentences which exceed the length cannot be chosen.

I am perfectly fine if I am never selected, I only want that my efforts be corrected, so that I am able to learn and improve from them. I did try to write one today that fit the criteria though. :-) - Stadt, Oct 14, 2011

Agreed, Stadt, being selected is unimportant to me, but my incredible learning experiences do mean *everything*. - territurtle, Oct 14, 2011