APPENDIX: POSSIBLE LANGUAGE FUNCTIONS USED IN

CLASS SESSIONS*

Purpose Main Sub Language (Possible) Teacher Talk

Language Functions
Functions
Initiating Beginning the Greeting • Good morning (afternoon) class.
the lesson • Good morning (morning)
instruction everyone.
• Good morning (afternoon)
students.
• Good afternoon.
• Good evening.

Asking condition • How are you?

• How are you today?
• How’re you, students?

• I am very well, thank you.

• I am fine, thank you.
• We’re very well, thanks.
• Not bad, thanks.

• And how are you, Sir?Maam?

• And how about you, Ma’am?
• And you?

• I am fine too, thank you.

Saying a Prayer • Before we start, let’s say a prayer

together.
• Let’s say a prayer everyone.
• Let’s say a prayer, students. Shall
we?
• Let’s say a prayer together. Budi,
will you lead the prayer,
please?
• ………….
• Amen

Checking students’ • Is everyone here?

attendance • Who is not here yet?
• Who is absent today?
• Let’s call the roll. Anita, Budi,
Johan

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 • Present, Maam.
• I am here, Sir.
• Yes, Maam.
• She is absent.
• He has not come yet, Sir.

Inquiring students’ • Why is she/he absent?

absence • Why?
• Is there any letter for his/her
absence?
• What happen to her?
• What’s wrong with her/him?

Inquiring students’ • Why are you late?

being late • Why do you come late?
• Why are you late again?
• Why do you always come late in
my subject?

Checking students’ • Are you ready, class?

readiness • Are you all ready, students?
• Let’s start the lesson. Are you
ready everyone?

Inquiring the previous • Where were we last time?

lesson. • What did we talk about last time?
• Where did we stop last time?
• Were we talking about …… (name
of the topic)

Recalling/reviewing • Let’s have a quick review on our

the previous lesson previous lesson.
• Well, last time we discussed ….
• Our last discussion was about …..
• We discussed …. last time.

Delivering Structuring the Stating the day’s • Today we’re going to discuss/talk
the lesson topic about/deal with …….
instruction • Our today’s discussion is ………
• Students, today we will see/discuss
….
• Today we are going to do an
experiment on ….

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 Limiting the scope of • The topic is broad. We will only
the topic discuss a part of it, that is …. .
• We will focus our discussion on
several topics. These are …
• Alright. Let’s limit today’s
discussion on three points:
…………
• We shall divide our discussion into
(three, ….) parts. First, we
will talk about …. . Then, we
will focus on ….. Finally, we
will touch on ….

Setting goals and • At the end of this session, you will

objectives be able to …..
• By the end of this session, you are
expected to have been able to
…..

Explaining the • This lesson will benefit you in

significance of the several ways. These are ….
lesson • There are several benefits from this
lesson. They are …
• The benefit of the lesson is that
you will …
• There are several advantages you
can gain from this lesson. First, ….

Asking Asking possibility • What happens if we ….. ?

questions • If we …. what will happen?

Asking causes/effects • What are the causes of ….?

• What are the effects of ….?
Asking relationship • Is there any relationship between
…. and ….
• What is the relation between ….
and ….

Confirming • Don’t you think that ….

• Do you think that …

Checking • Are you with me everyone?

understanding • Do you get the point?
• Is there any question?
• Do you have any question?
• Is everything clear to you?
• Are we clear?

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Changing sub Directing • Let’s discuss topic two.
topics • Let’s move onto the next part.
• We have been talking about …..
Now, turn our discussion to …..
• Next, we will be talking about …..

Responding to Giving remarks • Right. That’s good.

students’ • Excellent!
performance • Very good.
• Absolutely correct.
• Ok.
• Yes. Right.
• Nice try
• Not bad

Motivating students • Try it again, Jeni. I’m sure you will

make it.
• If you have more practice, you will
improve. I’m sure.
• Maybe you need some more
practice, Jeni.

Expressing • Nope.
dissatisfaction • That does not answer the question
yet, Dani.
• Not bad. But, I think there is a
better answer.
• Nice try. But, I think this is not the
answer.

• Any more opinion?

• What do you think of Andi’s
answer?

Stating Agreeing • Why not?

agreement • Of course.
• Okay?
• Go ahead!
• Agreed.
• Sure.
• Right.

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Asking the Commanding • Go right ahead. Ok? Then turn left.
students to do The scale is on the rack.
things • Come here, Boni. Look at the
picture!
• Look at the whiteboard!
• Come in front of the class, Moni.

Requesting • Do you mind cleaning the

whiteboard, Rita?
• Sit over there, will you please
Boy?
• Would/could you please stand up
everyone?
• May I have your favor, Noni? Take
this glass to …

Suggesting • How about Verb+ing (drawing the

line here?)

Requiring attention • Everyone, may I have your

attention please.
• Everyone, please listen.
• Your attention please.
Using learning Using OHP/LCD • Plug in the wire to the LCD,
aids please.
• Please adjust the focus.
• Project the pictures on the
screen/wall, please.
• Sari, turn the power on/off, please.
• Bring that extension cable, please.

Using the • Clean the board please.

black/whiteboard • Write your answer on the
whiteboard.

Using Distributing the books • Please pass the books to the back.
books/references • Could you circulate the dictionary,
please?

Getting the book out • Gets your books out, please.

• Have your exercise book ready
everyone.
• Take your physics book out please.

Finding the page • Open page 25, please.

• Open your book please. Page 25.
• Open your book please on page 25.

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 Showing the position • The graph is at the bottom of page
on a page 33.
• The formula is at the footnote on
page 99.

Congratulating • Congratulation on your

achievement.
• Congrats, John.

Apologizing • I’m sorry for my coming late,

class.
• Sorry for the inconvenience.
• Please accept my apology for my
faults.
Thanking • Thanks.
• Thank you very much.
• Thanks a lot.
• Thanks for cleaning the board.
• Thanks for your patience.
• Thank you for your attention.

Reminding • Don’t forget to ….

• Next time, please don’t come late.
• Next time, please be on time.

Informing • Everyone, please be informed that

….
• I want to tell/inform you that …

Examining Administering Preparing the test or • Please close all of your books.
tests or exams exams • All books are closed, please.
• No dictionary please.
• Please use no calculator/Don’t use
any calculator, please.
• You are not allowed to use any
calculator/dictionary/
• Everyone, please spread your seats.
• Please sit on every other chair.
• No cheating, please.
• Do it by yourself.

Proctoring • Be quiet, please!

• Work on your own please!
• Keep silent please!

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 Ending the exams • Well, 5 more minutes.
• 5 more minutes.
• Time is up. Stop working. Collect
your work, please.
• Time is over. Stop working and
leave your work on the table.
• Stop working please. Return the
test paper please together with the
answer sheet.
• Has everyone submitted the test
paper and the answer sheet?

Ending the Reflecting Checking the • What was the topic we discussed
lesson student’s learning today?
• So far, what was the topic about?
• What have we discussed so far?
• What do we learn from the topics?

Summarizing the • In short, the lesson today was

lesson about …
• Let’s summarize the lesson. It is
obvious that ….
• In brief, we can say that ….
Asking the students to • It’s nine thirty. It’s time to stop the
stop working lesson.
• Well, I think we must stop the
lesson now. Time is up.
• All right everyone. It’s time to end
the lesson now.
• The time is up/over. I think that’s
all for today’s discussion.

Assigning homework • For home work, please do exercise

7 part 2. Hand in your work next
week.
• Could you please do task 6 as
homework?
• For your home assignment, do the
exercises on the page 30 A and B.
Parting • See you.
• Bye.
• Bye-bye.
• See you next week.
• See you on Friday.

*With some addition and modifications by Gunadi HS (of materials for Classroom English, Developer Team of Self-
Learning Materials of English for Science)

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