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88 [eighty-eight]

Past tense of modal verbs 2

88 [agt en tagtig]	Verlede tyd van modale werkwoorde 2

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Babies can learn grammar rules

Children grow up very quickly. And they also learn very quickly! It has yet to be researched how children learn. Learning processes take place automatically. Children don't notice when they are learning. Nevertheless, every day they are capable of more. This also becomes clear with language. Babies can only cry in the first few months. With a few months they can say short words. Then sentences are created from those words. Eventually the children speak their native language. Unfortunately, that doesn't work in the case of adults. They need books or other material in order to learn. Only this way can they learn grammar rules, for example. Babies, however, learn grammar as early as four months old! Researchers taught German babies foreign grammar rules. In order to do this, they played Italian sentences aloud to them. These sentences contained certain syntactical structures. The babies listened to the correct sentences for about fifteen minutes. Afterwards, sentences were played for the babies again. This time, however, a few of the sentences were incorrect. While the babies listened to the sentences, their brainwaves were measured. This way the researchers could identify how the brain reacted to sentences. And the babies showed different levels of activity with the sentences! Although they had just learned them, they registered the mistakes. Naturally, babies do not understand why some sentences are wrong. They orient themselves toward phonetic patterns. But that is enough to learn a language – at least for babies…

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My son did not want to play with the doll.	M_ s_u_ w_u n_e m_t d_e p_p s_e_l n_e_ My seun wou nie met die pop speel nie. M_ s___ w__ n__ m__ d__ p__ s____ n___ My seun wou nie met die pop speel nie. __ ____ ___ ___ ___ ___ ___ _____ ____ My seun wou nie met die pop speel nie.
My daughter did not want to play football / soccer (am.).	M_ d_g_e_ w_u n_e s_k_e_ s_e_l n_e_ My dogter wou nie sokker speel nie. M_ d_____ w__ n__ s_____ s____ n___ My dogter wou nie sokker speel nie. __ ______ ___ ___ ______ _____ ____ My dogter wou nie sokker speel nie.
My wife did not want to play chess with me.	M_ v_o_ w_u n_e m_t m_ s_a_k s_e_l n_e_ My vrou wou nie met my skaak speel nie. M_ v___ w__ n__ m__ m_ s____ s____ n___ My vrou wou nie met my skaak speel nie. __ ____ ___ ___ ___ __ _____ _____ ____ My vrou wou nie met my skaak speel nie.

My children did not want to go for a walk.	M_ k_n_e_s w_u n_e g_a_ s_a_ n_e_ My kinders wou nie gaan stap nie. M_ k______ w__ n__ g___ s___ n___ My kinders wou nie gaan stap nie. __ _______ ___ ___ ____ ____ ____ My kinders wou nie gaan stap nie.
They did not want to tidy the room.	H_l_e w_u n_e d_e k_m_r o_r_i_ n_e_ Hulle wou nie die kamer opruim nie. H____ w__ n__ d__ k____ o_____ n___ Hulle wou nie die kamer opruim nie. _____ ___ ___ ___ _____ ______ ____ Hulle wou nie die kamer opruim nie.
They did not want to go to bed.	H_l_e w_u n_e g_a_ s_a_p n_e_ Hulle wou nie gaan slaap nie. H____ w__ n__ g___ s____ n___ Hulle wou nie gaan slaap nie. _____ ___ ___ ____ _____ ____ Hulle wou nie gaan slaap nie.

He was not allowed to eat ice cream.	H_ m_g n_e r_o_y_ g_ë_t h_t n_e_ Hy mag nie roomys geëet het nie. H_ m__ n__ r_____ g____ h__ n___ Hy mag nie roomys geëet het nie. __ ___ ___ ______ _____ ___ ____ Hy mag nie roomys geëet het nie.
He was not allowed to eat chocolate.	H_ m_g n_e s_o_o_a_e g_ë_t h_t n_e_ Hy mag nie sjokolade geëet het nie. H_ m__ n__ s________ g____ h__ n___ Hy mag nie sjokolade geëet het nie. __ ___ ___ _________ _____ ___ ____ Hy mag nie sjokolade geëet het nie.
He was not allowed to eat sweets.	H_ m_g n_e l_k_e_g_e_ g_ë_t h_t n_e_ Hy mag nie lekkergoed geëet het nie. H_ m__ n__ l_________ g____ h__ n___ Hy mag nie lekkergoed geëet het nie. __ ___ ___ __________ _____ ___ ____ Hy mag nie lekkergoed geëet het nie.

I was allowed to make a wish.	E_ m_g v_r i_t_ g_w_n_ h_t_ Ek mag vir iets gewens het. E_ m__ v__ i___ g_____ h___ Ek mag vir iets gewens het. __ ___ ___ ____ ______ ____ Ek mag vir iets gewens het.
I was allowed to buy myself a dress.	E_ m_g v_r m_ ’_ r_k g_k_o_ h_t_ Ek mag vir my ’n rok gekoop het. E_ m__ v__ m_ ’_ r__ g_____ h___ Ek mag vir my ’n rok gekoop het. __ ___ ___ __ __ ___ ______ ____ Ek mag vir my ’n rok gekoop het.
I was allowed to take a chocolate.	E_ m_g v_r m_ ’_ s_o_o_a_e g_v_t h_t_ Ek mag vir my ’n sjokolade gevat het. E_ m__ v__ m_ ’_ s________ g____ h___ Ek mag vir my ’n sjokolade gevat het. __ ___ ___ __ __ _________ _____ ____ Ek mag vir my ’n sjokolade gevat het.

Were you allowed to smoke in the airplane?	M_g j_ i_ d_e v_i_g_u_g r_o_? Mag jy in die vliegtuig rook? M__ j_ i_ d__ v________ r____ Mag jy in die vliegtuig rook? ___ __ __ ___ _________ _____ Mag jy in die vliegtuig rook?
Were you allowed to drink beer in the hospital?	M_g j_ i_ d_e h_s_i_a_l b_e_ d_i_k_ Mag jy in die hospitaal bier drink? M__ j_ i_ d__ h________ b___ d_____ Mag jy in die hospitaal bier drink? ___ __ __ ___ _________ ____ ______ Mag jy in die hospitaal bier drink?
Were you allowed to take the dog into the hotel?	M_g j_ d_e h_n_ i_ d_e h_t_l s_a_n_e_? Mag jy die hond in die hotel saamneem? M__ j_ d__ h___ i_ d__ h____ s________ Mag jy die hond in die hotel saamneem? ___ __ ___ ____ __ ___ _____ _________ Mag jy die hond in die hotel saamneem?

During the holidays the children were allowed to remain outside late.	I_ d_e v_k_n_i_ m_g d_e k_n_e_s l_a_ u_t_e_l_ h_t_ In die vakansie mag die kinders laat uitgebly het. I_ d__ v_______ m__ d__ k______ l___ u_______ h___ In die vakansie mag die kinders laat uitgebly het. __ ___ ________ ___ ___ _______ ____ ________ ____ In die vakansie mag die kinders laat uitgebly het.
They were allowed to play in the yard for a long time.	H_l_e m_g l_n_ i_ d_e w_r_ g_s_e_l h_t_ Hulle mag lank in die werf gespeel het. H____ m__ l___ i_ d__ w___ g______ h___ Hulle mag lank in die werf gespeel het. _____ ___ ____ __ ___ ____ _______ ____ Hulle mag lank in die werf gespeel het.
They were allowed to stay up late.	H_l_e m_g l_a_ w_k_e_ g_b_y h_t_ Hulle mag laat wakker gebly het. H____ m__ l___ w_____ g____ h___ Hulle mag laat wakker gebly het. _____ ___ ____ ______ _____ ____ Hulle mag laat wakker gebly het.

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Babies can learn grammar rules

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