Of Yours

Lead-in

  • How important are family ties?
  • What does it mean to be family?
  • What separates friends from family?

Presentation

Pre

  • What are some of the reasons why families fall apart?
  • What can be done, in terms of reconciliation, when family ties are cut?

Top Down

  • What does “prodigal” mean?
  • Read the text. How many characters are there? What is their relationship?

There was a man who had two sons. The younger son said to him, ‘Father, give me my share of the estate.’ So he divided his property between them. After a few days, the younger son got everything together and journeyed to a distant country, where he squandered his wealth in wild living. After he had spent all he had, a severe famine swept through that country, and he began to be in need. So he went and hired himself out to a citizen of that country, who sent him into his fields to feed the pigs. He longed to fill his belly with the pods the pigs were eating, but no one would give him a thing. Finally he came to his senses and said, ‘How many of my father’s hired servants have plenty of food? But here I am, starving to death! I will get up and go back to my father and say to him, “Father, I have sinned against heaven and against you. I am no longer worthy to be called your son. Make me like one of your hired servants.”?

So he got up and went to his father. But while he was still in the distance, his father saw him and was filled with compassion. He ran to his son, embraced him, and kissed him. The son declared, ‘Father, I have sinned against heaven and against you. I am no longer worthy to be called your son’. But the father said to his servants, ‘Quick! Bring the best robe and put it on him. Put a ring on his finger and sandals on his feet. Bring the fattened calf and kill it. Let us feast and celebrate. For this son of mine was dead and is alive again! He was lost and is found!’ So they began to celebrate.

Meanwhile the older son was in the field, and as he approached the house, he heard music and dancing, so he called one of the servants and asked what was going on. ‘Your brother has returned,’ he said, ‘and your father has killed the fattened calf, because he has him back safe and sound.’ The older son became angry and refused to go in. So his father came out and pleaded with him. But he answered his father, ‘Look, all these years I have served you and never disobeyed a commandment of yours. Yet you never gave me even a young goat so I could celebrate with my friends. But when this son of yours returns from squandering your wealth with prostitutes, you kill the fattened calf for him!’ ‘Son, you are always with me,’ the father said, ‘and all that is mine is yours. But it was fitting to celebrate and be glad, because this brother of yours was dead and is alive again; he was lost and is found.’?

Adapted from Source

Bottom Up

  • All of the statements bellow are false. Read the text again and explain why they are false.

Example: The prodigal son wanted his inheritance because his father had died. > The prodigal son wanted his inheritance while his father was still alive.

  1. The prodigal son decided to go back to his father’s house because he knew his father would have mercy on him and take him back as a son.
  2. The father accepted the return of his son under the condition that he get back to work.
  3. The older brother was happy to receive his younger brother home.
  4. The older brother still recognized his younger brother as part of the family when he came back.
  5. As his son had taken half of his inheritance, there was no way to throw him a welcome-back party.
  6. The father did not care for reconciling his two sons.
  1. The prodigal son decided to go back to his father’s house because he was starving and wanted to receive the same treatment as the servants.
  2. The father accepted the return of his son unconditionally, having a celebration feast prepared for him.
  3. The older brother was angry to receive his younger brother home and refused to go in.
  4. The older brother didn’t recognize his younger brother as part of the family when he came back.
  5. Although his son had taken half of his inheritance, he threw him a welcome-back party.
  6. The father attempted to reconcile his two sons.

Post

  • What implications are there, if any, in asking for your inheritance before anyone dies?
  • Describe the differences between the mentalities of the father, older son and prodigal son..
  • Which of the three do you relate to most?

Target Language

Of + Possessive 

Use of + possessive noun to establish a relationship of possession between two elements

  • A friend of mine used to work here.
  • A dog of hers is black and white, the other is brown.
  • A lot of suitcases were lost on this flight, luckily none of ours.
  • A child of theirs is an famous artist!
  • That notebook of yours is really beautiful! 

It’s also possible to use a noun + ‘s instead of a possessive pronoun

  • I love that cat of my coworker’s, it’s so cute!
  • I used to love a friend of my mother’s, she was really fun.
  • A student of my father’s it’s a great engineer.

Controlled Practice

Complete the sentences with one of the following expressions:

  • of his
  • of mine
  • of dad’s 
  • of ours
  • of theirs
  • of Rachel’s 

Example: Jake never told me anything about this. I heard from a friend ____ that he’s planning to get a divorce. > Jake never told me anything about this. I heard from a friend of his that he’s planning to get a divorce.

  1. A friend ____ said he could find me a position in his company. He’s been friends with my dad since I was a toddler.
  2. Chandler and Monica are such responsible parents. They’d never allow a child ____ to drop out of school.
  3. During the meeting, a comment ____ was misinterpreted. Now my coworkers are mad at me for saying that.
  4. An old boyfriend ____ left her a message this morning. I can’t believe he’s not over Rachel after all these years.
  5.  The federal government has the power of veto over any project ____. I don’t think our project is going to pass.
  1. A friend of my dad’s said he could find me a position in his company. He’s been friends with my dad since I was a toddler.
  2. Chandler and Monica are such responsible parents. They’d never allow a child of theirs to drop out of school.
  3. During the meeting, a comment of mine was misinterpreted. Now my coworkers are mad at me for saying that.
  4. An old boyfriend of Rachel’s left her a message this morning. I can’t believe he’s not over Rachel after all these years.
  5.  The federal government has the power of veto over any project of ours. I don’t think our project is going to pass.

Freer Practice

  • Make sentences about the following items using the Target Language.
  1. a T-shirt
  2. a friend
  3. a movie
  4. a habit
  5. a memory
  6. a teacher

Example: An old T-shirt of mine is my favorite thing to wear. I don’t care if it’s stained and worn out. 

Production

  • Which possession of yours do you value most?
  • What friend of yours do you think is the most interesting? Why?
  • How many examples can you think of using the Target Language?

Homework

Match the possessives with their definitions. There is one example.

  1. Of mine

  2. Of yours

  3. Of his

  4. Of hers

  5. Of theirs

  6. Of ours

(6)  Belonging to or associated with us.

(   ) Used to refer to a thing or things belonging to or associated with two or more people or things previously mentioned.

(   ) Used to refer to a thing or things belonging to or associated with a female person.

(   ) Used to refer to a thing or things belonging to or associated with the speaker.

(   ) Used to refer to a thing or things belonging to or associated with a male person

(   ) That which belongs to or is connected with you.

  1. Of mine

  2. Of yours

  3. Of his

  4. Of hers

  5. Of theirs

  6. Of ours

(6)  Belonging to or associated with us.

(5) Used to refer to a thing or things belonging to or associated with two or more people or things previously mentioned.

(4) Used to refer to a thing or things belonging to or associated with a female person.

(1) Used to refer to a thing or things belonging to or associated with the speaker.

(3) Used to refer to a thing or things belonging to or associated with a male person

(2) That which belongs to or is connected with you.

Choose the best option to complete each sentence.

Example: That cousin off mine/of mine is pretty cool. > That cousin of mine is pretty cool.

  1. I was looking for this shirt of yours/of mine! I have it since I was young.
  2. This game of mine/of yours won’t get you anywhere. You should stop.
  3. All we want is someone who thinks as we do. One of ours/of theirs.
  4. You take something of theirs/of yours and leave something of yours/theirs in return.
  5. Brazil should be proud of hers/of its culture.
  1. I was looking for this shirt of mine! I have it since I was young.
  2. This game of yours won’t get you anywhere. You should stop.
  3. All we want is someone who thinks as we do. One of ours.
  4. You take something of theirs and leave something of yours in return.
  5. Brazil should be proud of its culture.

Complete the sentences with the following:

Example: This shirt is ____  > This shirt is of Kate’s.

OF MINE – OF YOURS – OF HERS – OF KATE’S – OF HIS – OF KEVIN’S

  1. Do you remember Amy? That guy over there is a friend ____.

  2. Look! It’s Paul Mccartney, I am a big fan ____.

  3. Where’s my ring? I love that jewel ____.

  4. Laura introduced us to Kevin and now we are all friends ____.

  5. I’m crazy about this shirt ____, can you lend me it?

  1. Do you remember Amy? That guy over there is a friend of hers.

  2. Look! It’s Paul Mccartney, I am a big fan of his.

  3. Where’s my ring? I love that jewel of mine.

  4. Laura introduced us to Kevin and now we are all friends of Kevin’s.

  5. I’m crazy about this shirt of yours, can you lend me it?

Put the sentences in order.

Example: loves / No one / you / I do / like > No one loves you as I do.

  1. his scratched / A cat / me yesterday! / of 
  2. I /  want to / don’t know / her but  / be a / hers someday. / friend of / I really
  3.  “Gorillaz”? I am / you remember / of theirs. / that band / a / huge fan / Do
  4. cares about / his / drama of / . / all that / No one
  5.  the floor, / There is / one of / yours / a pencil on / I think it’s / .
  1. A cat of his scratched me yesterday!
  2. I don’t know her but I really want to be a friend of hers someday.
  3. Do you remember that band “Gorillaz”? I am a huge fan of theirs.
  4. No one cares about all that drama of his.
  5. There is a pencil on the floor, I think it’s one of yours.

Read each statement and choose the best description.

Example: I watched TV and slept. >

(x) First I watched TV and then I slept.

(   ) First I slept and then I watched TV.

  1. By the time I got to the park, he had already lost that key of his.
    (  ) First I got to the park and then he lost his key.
    (  ) First, he lost his key, then I got to the park.

  2. That party of hers was really good!! It’s a shame that Nilton had to leave early.
    (  ) First, the party started and then Nilton left.
    (  ) First Nilton left and then the party started.

  3. He bought that car of his and 10 minutes later he crashed it.
    (  ) First, he crashed the car and then he bought a new one.
    (  ) First, he bought a new car and then he crashed it.

  4. No one really knew who she was until she sang at that concert.
    (  ) People knew her and then she sang at the concert.
    (  ) First, she sang at the concert and then people got to know her.

  5. Catarina did her homework and was playing in the playground when she got hurt.
    (  ) First, she did the homework and then she got hurt.
    (  ) First, she was playing in the playground and then she did her homework.

  1. By the time I got to the park, he had already lost that key of his.
    (  ) First I got to the park and then he lost his key.
    (x) First, he lost his key, then I got to the park.

  2. That party of hers was really good!! It’s a shame that Nilton had to leave early.
    (x) First, the party started and then Nilton left.
    (  ) First Nilton left and then the party started.

  3. He bought that car of his and 10 minutes later he crashed it.
    (  ) First, he crashed the car and then he bought a new one.
    (x) First, he bought a new car and then he crashed it.

  4. No one really knew who she was until she sang at that concert.
    (  ) People knew her and then she sang at the concert.
    (x) First, she sang at the concert and then people got to know her.

  5. Catarina did her homework and was playing in the playground when she got hurt.
    (x) First, she did the homework and then she got hurt.
    (  ) First, she was playing in the playground and then she did her homework.

Writing

Write a short text about some objects you and your family own using the Target Language.

Example: That necklace of mine was my mother’s…