Grammar in Speech

9. Supply the correct form of the verbs given in brackets and perform the role play given below. Asbo bars London teenager from going to school

A teenager (1) _____________ (to become) the first youth in Britain to receive an anti-social behaviour order that bans him from going to school. The two-year Asbo on Gary Addy, 16, stops him from going within 50 metres of any educational premises in Newham, East London, unless he (2) ______________ (to receive) prior permission from the headteacher.

Police officials from Newham council (3) ______________ (to impose) the order after staff at Eastlea community school (4) _________________ (to complain) that the teenager (5) ______________ (to assault) them with eggs and water in July. Yesterday Addy told ‘The Guardian’: “I’m no criminal and I never (6) __________________ (to break) the law. I’m a bit naughty sometimes, but what the teachers (7) _______________________ (to expect)? It was the last day of term. And I wasn’t the only person who (8) _________________ (to throw) eggs.”

Newham councilor Ian Corbett, who (9) _____________ (to watch) Addy’s behaviour since his Asbo (10) _______________ (to issue), says Addy is one of a number of people who “make others’ lives a misery.” He added: “Lots of people (11) ______________________ (to tell) me recently they don’t want anti-social behaviour on their doorsteps. The council will not stand for it.”

Addy, who lives with his family, for the last few weeks (12) _________________ (to work) as a labourer on a building site. He said: “I (13) ________________ (to work) quite hard since I got the job, and I already (14) __________________ (to be) tired. The Asbo stops me from seeing friends I (15) ________________ (to have) since nursery. It’s madness. My friends (16) ________________ (to laugh) when I told them about the Asbo. They don’t take it seriously. My mates are just vexed they (17) ___________________ (to hang around) without me all this time.”

Home Office figures show 4,698 Asbos (18) _______________ (to issue) since 1999, 448 of which (19) ______________ (to impose) in Greater London.

(From ‘The Guardian’, abridged)

Role play

A year has passed since Addy’s Asbo was issued and now he would like to return to school. He has applied to Newham council to have his Asbo cancelled. You are taking part in a sitting of the council hearing the case.

Role 1. You are John Brown, chairman of the council. Outline Addy’s case to the members of the council and ask the people invited (see roles 2, 3, 4) to inform them about Addy’s behaviour during the past year. Take a decision on the basis of the information you get. Give your reasoning.

Role 2. You are Gary Addy. Your cues: to work as a labourer on a building site for a year; to come to realise the importance of learning; Asbo restrictions – to become unbearable; don’t want to throw your life away.

Role 3. You are Ian Corbett, Newham councillor. Your cues: to watch Addy’s behaviour; he – to break his Asbo once; recently he – to behave in a way that alarms and distresses people; if he – to break his Asbo again, he – to face jail.

Role 4. You are George Grimson, headteacher of Eastlea community school. Your cues: many disruptive students at school; teachers – to complain recently of increasing violence; one more disruptive student – undesirable.