I’ve just completed a great book of exercises explaining motion verbs in Russian and at last, with motion verbs at least, I feel I’ve crossed a threshold. I first learned about motion verbs in Russian last autumn, where I discovered that in slavic languages it’s important to make the difference, not only (as with German) between travelling on foot or by a vehicle but also between travelling one way or more than one way, between travelling now and regularly -and more! I’ve watched the excellent playlist on motion verbs on the Russian grammar channel and I chanced upon a practice book on Russian motion verbs by Red Kalinka. (And no, I am not paid by them!) The book outlines the conjugations and uses of verbs such as to walk, to run, to carry, to fly, to swim/sail – and gives exercises after each one. Of course, retrieval is important when learning a language but so is repetition, drilling – and these exercises drill thoroughly! The exercises build on and build up your understanding as you go along. With each verb the exercises start with simple tasks for just that verb, then they mix up the tenses, then they mix up the verbs including previously practised ones. By the final exercises in the book you are presented with questions on any of the verb pairs studies in any tense. I loved it! But more than that, I feel, after doing the 900+ questions they offer, that I am getting to grips with motion verbs and can put this into practice in my other studies. AND – of course, practising the root verbs might also mean I have a chance with the many prefixed verbs of motion that I will come across, too. Thanks RedKalinka for helping me through the motion verbs portal 🙂
‘Threshold Concepts’ may be considered to be “akin to passing through a portal” or “conceptual gateway”that opens up “previously inaccessible way[s] of thinking about something”
(Meyer and Land , 2003)