Page 2 Next>> <<Last   Want to print this article? Use this version Go to the Grapevine: Book Page Video Page		A clear progression from simple to complex We have a mission in Grapevine! For several years, we have felt that the classic skills of the course-designer were being eroded. As more and more attention had been paid to integrating skills, learner training and so on, we have found that courses have ignored the basic importance of a clear and logical structural syllabus. We found that important structural items (e.g. object pronouns) were thrown into longer units and were never actually 'taught.' There seemed to be a lack of awareness of sentence length and structure. Courses assumed that the use of infinitive and gerund patterns did not need teaching. They could just be thrown in. Grapevine has a clear, carefully graded structural syllabus. We assume that learners will not be meeting native speakers nor having to "survive" in an English-speaking situation for at least the first level. We graded the first half of level one so as to blend the immediately useful (can, I'd like …, have got ) with units that presented thebasic building blocks thoroughly. Some courses equate the word 'grammar' with 'tense grammar' and rush headlong through the tenses. In Grapevine One, we present the verb to be, have got, I'd like … and can in the first twenty units, but we make sure that at the same time "non-tense" grammatical items are taught carefully - singular and plural, subject and object pronouns, possessive determiners, articles, mass and unit, possessive pronouns, number. The present continuous is used as a formula early on when it is functionally useful - describing people (She's wearing … ) and asking for directions (I'm looking for … ) Grapevine 2 Unit 9 Grammar summary The present continuous, going to future, present simple, past simple and future simple appear in the second half of the first level. We have often been asked why the present simple is taught later than most comparative textbooks, Try it! You'll find plenty to do in the early stages of Grapevine without 'racing through the tenses.' This solid foundation means that once students are working with more tense grammar, they will not be confused by other, simple problems. Each level has a clear Grammar Summaries section at the end of the book. In the Spanish edition this includes translation.