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Concordancing with Students
Remember vs. Remind

A student wants an exercise to help him understand the difference between 'remember' and 'remind'. We can make such an exercise using concordance data. Here's how we might proceed.

concordance for remind | concordance for remember | extract 10 examples of each | blank out the target words | place the result in an exercise template | and voila!

To get some raw concordance data, let's visit the Hong Kong Virtual Language Centre's web based concordancer at: http://vlc.polyu.edu.hk/scripts/concordance/WWWConcappE.htm

Choose a corpus and do a concordance on remind* (that is, all strings starting with 'remind'). For the following results, I chose the LOB.

Concordances for remind = 54

t very agreeable to anybody,**" he reminded a complaining Portuguese magnate

a horrid experience, and must have reminded Georgina of adventure in Italy l

country where each blade of grass reminded her of him. ^She wondered if he

since you saw me last,**" the girl reminded her smilingly. P29 45 ^*"A

uilt the villa for his family. ^He reminded her that they must abide by Roma

ver was in love with her? ^But she reminded herself, he doesn't say things l

ssi. ^*'Except me,**' Marechal reminded him. ^*'I can lick you in a

ant about being a suspect, Tarrant reminded himself, when the truth was that

in her brisk, clackety voice, that reminded Lea of nothing so much as a chil

and as he wanted to do so: and he reminded me of Nina, the little Russian v

mproved two-horse plough**', which reminded me of the name of my old-type of

l oddly breathless. ^*"But my wife reminded me that I have an appointment at

xt, you could call it that), but I reminded myself of how kind they were and

a moment in which I expected to be reminded of another book that is frequent

n philosophy (here readers will be reminded of the familiar gap with which m

people then in the land. ^They are reminded of the words spoken to them earl

r chapter the men who enquired are reminded of this, and are plainly challen

ses in Silver-street, Lincoln, has reminded one reader of something*- and pr

prosperity upon them, but they are reminded that He called for suitable beha

arette has he been so unexpectedly reminded that there is a right way and a

g and started charges, \0Mr. Brown reminded the hostile Government benches t

ent to their bent heads would have reminded the observer of some early Itali

d the emerald meadows because they reminded them of Maine. ^Small, rich fiel

up*- and at the same time they are reminded to provide dwellings specially s

ions, as Professor Butterfield has reminded us, which are none the less real

stical processes. ^For I have just reminded you that time in quantum mechani

eet, *0until July 8, is a pleasant reminder mainly of the age of the coloure

ian cities. ^For a moment it was a reminder of former glories of \0St. Peter

flower-wreathed ruins, a pathetic reminder of Rome's former greatness. ^In

to her own. ^This move today was a reminder of that fact. ^Whilst she au

f an English village. ^They were a reminder of the time when the districts h

rought effigies standing here as a reminder of them. ^His more recent shield

liable to give us a sharp nip as a reminder of what lies ahead. ^As it can p

d the lonely a card is a wonderful reminder that they are not forgotten. B1

l, but it carried with it too many reminders of his terrible indiscretions*-

this modern age very few of these reminders of man's early attempts at mech

s by a passion for cricket, but in reminders of our habits, such as the sash

by make-up*- were the only visible reminders of the accident, which occurred

and the sharp cries of birds were reminders of things to do and things whic

ose enjoyment consists of constant reminders that he is not as young as he w

ruths he was asked to swallow. ^He reminds his French readers of Rimbaud's o

door lavatories and we had to keep reminding her to pull the chain. ^One of

ched herself to Lieutenant Robson, reminding him he had promised to play dom

ace was less than in Plato, almost reminding him of sleepy sub towns like Ph

how much the idea appealed to me, reminding myself that he could only have

o a dapper and mannered exquisite, reminding one of Shakespeare's Frenchmen.

^Not so long ago older folk were reminding young wives, harassed by shorta

ready on time for the printer. ^It reminds me also, once again, that yet ano

uage, more than that of any other, reminds me of the great utterances of Sir

The church clock striking the hour reminds me that I must hurry if this is t

lly in his smaller canvases, which reminds one of the intriguing and charmin

avafy was certainly eccentric); it reminds one, too, of the *1leve clinamen

nd in its peculiar blend of effect reminds us ... of the novel.**" ^And agai

spect of the highest in the realm, reminds us. ^The outlaws shot their deer

 

Now we'll do a concordance on remember* (that is, all strings starting with 'remember'). Here's the result (again, using the LOB): 

 

*1rigor mortis *0set in. ^Then he remembered a story of a man who had pulled

r became K06 141 settled. ^He remembered a time when they had gone to sta

ery the possibility of diabetes is remembered and any significant data noted.

like horrifics of Wiertz are still remembered and have won a small place in th

loor to count them. ^Of course, he remembered being in a great hurry to get th

self, by Saint Christopher?**' but remembered Father Brenes and instead picked

e white men so absurdly do. ^Kungo remembered Father McCarthy well*- a tall, w

of the twenties and thirties*- one remembered for her vivacity in musicals, an

31 108 the sheath. ^It will be remembered from \0p. 123 (\0Q.186) that all

as the people who lived in it. ^He remembered having thought that they were fa

for women over men). ^It should be remembered here that for these informants t

lt herself stiffening again as she remembered his voice and manner. ^She would

he thought from his mind. ^Tarrant remembered how close he himself had come to

e could have blamed him. ^Then she remembered how he had been passed over, and

had scythed away a man's head. ^He remembered how the decapitated body had tak

t know what to say, but have often remembered Innocencio's dialect version of

uld hurt unbearably every time she remembered it, and she would go on remember

he marsh villages. ^And Rebow is a remembered name. ^The melodrama, however, a

road to the hills were the kind I remembered on country routes in England bac

deep scent of gardenia, that well-remembered scent. ^All carefully preser

st behind the station**". ^Michael remembered seeing a small school near sever

r compact just before she left. ^I remembered seeing her open it and glance in

ught this change about are not now remembered so I was fortunate that among th

occasion rather overawed him. ^He remembered something else. ^He again turned

these attributes, and it has to be remembered that a bird has to earn each one

among his own officers. ^Geoffrey remembered that a famous field marshal, inc

ally her own son. ^Other times she remembered that both Michael and Derek were

accurately assessed. ^It should be remembered that competition is still extrem

erhaps not the same maturity. ^One remembered that he was a lawyer by training

iew of the matter. ^It will be remembered that I began this discussion by

at to do next and then of course I remembered that I had better go find Dan Ma

America's Cup races but it must be remembered that in *1Evaine *0she only had

or a bride and wedding guests. ^He remembered that in his own childhood he spe

d dully at the hatch. ^No one ever remembered that it was there as it was neve

, about their neighbours. ^Lea remembered that Mort Paladrey had put an en

2 126 listen to him. ^If it be remembered that not only the legend of Orph

the many flowers in the room, she remembered that she had not brought any her

^Nevertheless it should always be remembered that the British created the fra

in \0Figs. 7 to 11. ^It should be remembered that the theory is only strictly

(*+370-*+208)? ^It should be remembered that until the implementation of

the dose-rate in air, it should be remembered that variations of air dose with

together at South Croydon, and he remembered that when they reached Redhill,

cials of some kind. ^Miss Jourdain remembered that when they spoke to the men

beyond reality. ^Suddenly she remembered the announcer on the radio. ^He

e ago and he now shuddered when he remembered the clinical weekends he used to

his mind at unguarded moments. ^He remembered the day on the Rockall Bank when

there. ^He dug out some people who remembered the family. ^In the end he piece

" ^With something of a start I remembered the man who'd brought us into th

ustic craft he had discovered. ^He remembered the planks set up to form a moul

llow. ^She felt depressed when she remembered the promise made to her guardian

. ^*0Charles Corran smiled and remembered the red brick cafe*?2 with its r

their truth as few could do. ^She remembered the war, when he had his hand on

Lord Jesus Christ. ^*"Often we remembered the work of the Trinitarian Bibl

G19 71 wheat I ever grew. ^I remembered then an old country saying I had

ence in after years, *'the King... remembered there was a luxurious old bed tr

e sea washing on the beach, and he remembered those other hot sandy beaches an

out to him, her eyes lighting, her remembered voice saying, ^*"Ettore! ^Welcom

^She struggled weakly until a remembered voice spoke urgently to her. N1

eakening, but then all at once she remembered what she had heard the previous

udience. ^The Queen blushed as she remembered what was past, and looking on th

y hand at that cheese concoction I remembered you liked. ^And heated up some s

s important enough for her to have remembered, and it was as though a red mist

king-glass, *0in which, it will be remembered, as two characters are about to

ing step forward. ^For, it must be remembered, fifty years ago the Canadian Es

10 165 0D.S.I.R. ^It must be remembered, however, that a research associ

solidly spiritual front. ^Colmore remembered, too, how one of their number ha

dful steps before it fell. ^He remembered, too, the night off North Cape w

e at Tojeda, haven't you?**" Julia remembered. ^*"On the cliffs*- somebody was

wledge which cannot be immediately remembered. ^The *"organisation**" and the

into the present through his being remembered. ^There is an element of present

99 hutch. ^He was the boy Alan remembered: thick glasses, and rather weedy

rgets. ^The Catholic Church always remembers. ^Hence all the quarrels between

these important words *1learning, remembering *0and *1knowing, *0or rather to

a last embrace. ^*"You will not be remembering a mere garage hand when you are

er, watching the people in church, remembering clearly the things he saw and t

in love with her and her only, yet remembering for a second the kisses she had

y always touching his nose, and me remembering from that snap you once showed

hen the significance of the act of remembering in the Hebrew mind is recognize

remembered it, and she would go on remembering it all her life. ^Perhaps C

ey from God knew where. ^Starving, remembering nothing but his name, Ettore, a

odd expression, as though he were remembering painful things. ^After dinn

^She hesitated on the landing, remembering that Gregory disliked cre*?3pe-

rt considered for a moment. ^Then, remembering that Hal had asked for a slice

dn't enjoy it very much. ^She kept remembering that tomorrow night she'd be ba

consequently cheaper. ^It is worth remembering that vintage ciders*- Merrydown

18 133 mama. ^*'Why, fancy you remembering that, you clever boy! ^In two d

derstand Gavin's point of view and remembering the advice that Larry had given

the dog.**" ^Carol shuddered, remembering the dream Sarah had had. ^All t

to the gloved tips of her fingers, remembering the tall shape of Malpais Bill

flushed suddenly in the darkness, remembering the times without number when s

n pursuit but still using caution, remembering there might well be two men. L

ducation by reading good books and remembering what was in them. ^He had left

s an element of present reality in remembering*- the past is re-presented. ^To

f these three processes, learning, remembering, and knowing, there are four po

, Whitefield and Prestwich*- still remembers that early exercise in common sen

not altogether surprising when one remembers that ships of the Trinity House S

s all the more remarkable when one remembers the disadvantages under which the

er be erased from her memory. ^She remembers the dry, hot painfulness of her e

e important, and a young thing who remembers to say thank you in a friendly wa

n: ^*"What if the ticket bloke remembers us? ^'Ow do you know 'e \2ain't r

 

Now, we pick, let's say, 5 instances of each in which the context for the word is clearly set (you could as easily pick 10 of each). For simplicity, all examples chosen here are in past tense. For example:

 

FOR REMIND 

a horrid experience, and must have reminded Georgina of adventure in Italy l

country where each blade of grass reminded her of him. ^She wondered if he

uilt the villa for his family. ^He reminded her that they must abide by Roma

ver was in love with her? ^But she reminded herself, he doesn't say things l

l oddly breathless. ^*"But my wife reminded me that I have an appointment at

FOR REMEMBER

of the twenties and thirties*- one remembered for her vivacity in musicals, an

for women over men). ^It should be remembered here that for these informants t

lt herself stiffening again as she remembered his voice and manner. ^She would

he thought from his mind. ^Tarrant remembered how close he himself had come to

e could have blamed him. ^Then she remembered how he had been passed over, and

 

Now, we blank out the target words in each sentence. This can be done with cut and paste, or the search and replace feature in any word processor.

 

FOR REMIND 

a horrid experience, and must have __________ Georgina of adventure in Italy l

country where each blade of grass __________ her of him. ^She wondered if he

uilt the villa for his family. ^He __________ her that they must abide by Roma

ver was in love with her? ^But she __________ herself, he doesn't say things l

l oddly breathless. ^*"But my wife __________ me that I have an appointment at

FOR REMEMBER

of the twenties and thirties*- one __________ for her vivacity in musicals, an

for women over men). ^It should be __________ here that for these informants t

lt herself stiffening again as she __________ his voice and manner. ^She would

he thought from his mind. ^Tarrant __________ how close he himself had come to

e could have blamed him. ^Then she __________ how he had been passed over, and

 

Finally, we'll prepare an exercise template, incorporate these sentences into the template, and the result is ready for use.


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