SECTION 1: LANGUAGE DEVELOPMENT : CRITICAL THINKING - KNOW THYSELF

 

Convergent thinking is the process of finding the single best solution to a problem that you are trying to solve. Many tests that are used in schools, such as multiple-choice tests, spelling tests, math quizzes, and standardized tests, are measures of convergent thinking. The problem of convergent thinking is systematic and logical, unlike divergent thinking, which is spontaneous and free-flowing. It works best in situations where a single best correct answer exists and it is possible to discover the answer through analyzing available stored information. For example, if someone asked you what 2 + 2 is, you know there is only one solution that works and that you can use your understanding of addition and numbers to find the best answer, which is 4.

Divergent thinking is the process of creating many unique solutions in order to solve a problem. Divergent thinking often referred to as lateral thinking, is the process of creating multiple, unique ideas or solutions to a problem that you are trying to solve. Through spontaneous, free-flowing thinking, divergent thinking requires coming up with many different answers or routes forward. Whenever we use divergent thinking, we search for options instead of just choosing among predetermined options. It works best in problems that are open-ended and allow for creativity.

Critical thinking is the active, persistent, and careful consideration of a belief or form of knowledge. It includes analysis and judgments about the ideas and conditions that support beliefs and the conclusions that follow. Critical thinking involves analyzing and evaluating one’s own thinking and that of others. It is subject to intellectual standards, including clarity, accuracy, precision, relevance, significance, depth, breadth, logic, and fairness. Creative thinking involves searching for meaningful new connections by generating many unusual, original, and varied possibilities, as well as details that expand or enrich possibilities.

Creative thinking is the generation of new ideas within or across disciplines. It draws upon or breaks rules and procedures in those disciplines and actively engages students in bringing together existing ideas into new configuration; developing new properties or possibilities for something that already exists, and discovering or imagining something entirely new. Standards for judging creative thinking include originality, appropriateness, flexibility, and contribution to the domain. Creative thinking involves examining possibilities carefully, fairly, and constructively focusing your thoughts and actions by organizing and analyzing possibilities, refining and developing the most promising possibilities, ranking or prioritizing options, and choosing certain options.

GRAMMAR

Question Tag

We can add question tags like isn't it?, can you? or didn't they? to a statement to make it into a question. Question tags are more common in speaking than writing.

We often use question tags when we expect the listener to agree with our statement. In this case, when the statement is positive, we use a negative question tag.

She's a doctor, isn't she?

Yesterday was so much fun, wasn't it?

• Auxiliary Verbs: 
•  have = has/have/had
• do = do/does/did
• be = be/am/is/are/was/were/been/being
• Modal Auxiliary Verbs: can, could, will, would, shall, should, may, might, and must

If the statement is negative, we use a positive question tag. 

He isn't here, is he?

The trains are never on time, are they?

Nobody has called for me, have they?

If there is an auxiliary verb in the statement, we use it to form the question tag.

I don't need to finish this today, do I?

James is working on that, isn't he?

Your parents have retired, haven't they?

The phone didn't ring, did it?

It was raining that day, wasn't it?

Your mum hadn't met him before, had she?

Sometimes there is no auxiliary verb already in the statement. For example, when:

• ... the verb in the statement is present simple or past simple and is positive. Here we use don't, doesn't or didn’t:

Jenni eats cheese, doesn't she?

I said that already, didn't I? 

• ... the verb in the statement is a modal verb. Here we use the modal verb to make the question tag:

They could hear me, couldn't they?

You won't tell anyone, will you?

If the main verb or auxiliary verb in the statement is am, the positive question tag is am I? but the negative question tag is usually aren't I?:

I'm never on time, am I?

I'm going to get an email with the details, aren't I?

If the statement is affirmative, helping verbs are used as follows:

• can = can’t 
• will = won’t 
• shall = shan’t 
• am/‘m/‘re = aren’t 
• am not = am
• ’s + other words = is
• ‘ve + … = haven’t 
• ‘d + v3 = hadn’t 
• ‘ll = won’t/shan’t 
• ‘d better= hadn’t
• ‘d rather = wouldn’t 
• ‘d + V1 = wouldn’t
• ‘d + have + V3 = haven’t/hasn’t/hadn’t
• has/have/had + V3 = haven’t/hasn’t/hadn’t
• has/have/had + no main verb = doesn’t/didn’t/don’t
• V1 = don’t 
• V2 = didn’t 
• V3 = doesn’t
• Let's + ... = shall we
• Let us + ... = will you
• have/please/kindly ... = will you

If in the place of statement nothing, everything, this, that is used then, in tag "it" is used: All are absent, isn't it?

In the place of subject nobody, everyone, all, these, those are used, then the tag comes with "they". 

B. Rewrite the following sentences adding an appropriate question tag. 

1. Gill does not know Ann, does he? 
2. I’m very patient, aren't I? 
3. They’d never met me before, had they? 
4. Listen carefully, will you? 
5. Let’s have a break, shall we? 
6. Let us invite them, will you? 
7. Hari used to live in France as a boy, didn't he? 
8. You’d better not take a hard drink, had you? 
9. Sheep eat grass, don't they? 
10. Mr. Pande can speak nine languages, can't he? 
11. She’s finished her classes, hasn't she? 
12. She barely managed to reach the goal, did she? 
13. Don’t let him swim in that pond, will you? 
14. There are lots of people here, aren't there? 

C. Read the following situations. What do you say in these situations? Use question tags.

1. The sky is full of clouds. You can see lightning and hear thunder. It’s going to rain soon, isn't it?
2. You want to pay the taxi fare but you are short by 100 rupees. Shyam, you pay the taxi fare please, will you?
3. You have met a stranger at a party and you want to have a chat with him/ her. You are enjoying the party, aren't you? Let's dance together, shall we?
4. You came out of the film hall with your friend. You enjoyed the film. The film was really interesting, isn't it?
5. You and your friend listened to a comedian on the stage and felt spellbound by his/her performance. He gave an excellent performance, didn't he?
6. You think your friend’s father has arrived from the US but you are not sure. Your father has come back from the US, hasn't he?
7. You think Susan will join the new job tomorrow but you are not sure. Susan is going to start the new job tomorrow, isn’t she?
8. Your friend’s hair looks too short. You have got your hair cut, haven't you?
9. You want to go for a picnic with your friends in class. Let’s go for a picnic tomorrow, shall we?
10. You want permission from your father to go for a walk. Let us go for a walk, will you?

Sources: 

https://learnenglish.britishcouncil.org/grammar/intermediate-to-upper-intermediate/question-tags

https://study.com/academy/lesson/convergent-thinking-definition-examples-quiz.html

https://faculty.chass.ncsu.edu/slatta/hi216/cc.htm

https://kullabs.com/class-miscellaneous/grammar/tag-questions/tag-questions