Nouns: Nouns and Determiners/Articles, Narrative (Writing Introductory Paragraph) and Words associated with Agriculture (Fishing).
Subject : English Grammar
Class : SS 1
Week : Week 3
Topics :
Speech Work: Vowel Sounds /i/, /i:/, /æ/, /a:/
Comprehension: Reading Comprehension Passage
Vocabulary Development: Words associated with Agriculture (Fishing).
Structure: Nouns: Nouns and Determiners/Articles
Writing Skills: Narrative (Writing Introductory Paragraph)
ASPECT: SPEECH WORK
TOPIC: Vowels /i/,/i:/; /æ/,/a:/
Sub – Topic: Vowels: /i/ and /i: /
Introduction:
The vowels /i/ and /i: / are monophthongs. Monophthongs are single vowel sounds. They are used in contrast with the word diphthong, which literally means a “double sound” in Ancient Greek. Another term for monophthong is pure vowel.
Description of the vowel: /i:/ This is a long, front, close, spread vowel sound. It si produced by keeping the front of the tongue for some time at a height very close to the hard palate and the same time keeping the lips loosely spread.
Features of vowel /i: /
The phonetic symbol of the sound represents the sound of the following underlined letters in their respective words.
e ee ea ie ei eo ey ae oe i
complete bleed steaeam field ceiling people key aether croesus machine
mete bee weak siege deceit feoff geyser caesure phoebe police
these see teach achieve conceive turnkey orthorpaedic subpoena marine
rebate heel reach believe perceive anaemia phoenix latrine
regent feel wheat thief being aethology amoeba margarine
Jesus agree peace brief caffeine aesthetic foetus automobile
comedian meet season apiece receive caesar fatigue
she geese eager shield deceive mediaeval vaseline
Other features ‘uay’ —– quay, etc.
Description of the vowel /i/: This is a short, front, half close, spread vowel sound. It is produced by keeping the front of the tongue briefly at a position midway towards the close region and by keeping the lips loosely spread.
Features of vowel /i/
a ai ay e ee ei ey i o
homage certain Monday television coffee forfeit donkey village women
courage chaplain Tuesday telegraph toffee foreign monkey rich
adage portrait Wednesday receipt levee surfeit chimney fish
linkage captain Thursday elevate yankee hockey milk
plumage fountain Friday houses Geoffrey trim
dosage mountain Saturday deposit turkey pit
village plantain Sunday elegy lit
Other features include:
ie u ui y ed et eb ec eff
ladies minutes built city wicked eternity ebullient eclair efficient
carries busy guild pity naked etiologic ecology effectual
babies business guitar body shouted etcetera eccentric effusion
bodies lettuce guilty larynx melted eternal eclipse effusive
cowries build myth wanted economy effete
auntie quito mystic divided effect
sieve mosquito symbol reported effective
More features:
el ej em ep eq er es eth ev
elapse eject employ epistle equator erase eschew ethos evolve
elastic ejaculate emaciate ephemeral equip erect estate ethereal evince
elect embark epistolary equation erotic espy evasion
elope embalm epitome equal erosion escort evade
elude emit erupt esteem evoke
elide emphatic erosive escape evasive
electron embed erection espouse eviction
Contrast of /i:/ and /i/
/I:/ /i/
seat sit
peat pit
heat hit
read rid
feat, feet fit
bead bid
deed did
leap lip
beat bit
keats kit
neat nit
seek sick
reach rich
leap lip
peak pick
SUB-TOPIC: Vowels: /æ/, /a: /
CONTENT:
1. Description of vowels /æ/, /a: /
2. Features of the vowels
3. Contrast of the sounds.
Introduction: Vowels /æ/, /a: / are pure vowels.
Description of the vowel /æ/: This is a short, front, half open, spread vowel sound. It is produced by keeping the front of the tongue briefly at a position midway towards the open region and by keeping the lips spread.
Features of vowel /æ/
The phonetic symbol of the sound represents the sound of the following identified letter(s) in their respective words:
a ai ei i
bad plait reveille spinach
track plaid impasse
rat meringue
catch
mass
sand
trap
accent
Activity: Use your dictionary and fill the blank spaces in the table above with words that have those features as /æ/
Description of the vowel /a: /
This is a long, back, open, neutral vowel sound. It is produced by keeping the back of the tongue for some time at the bottom of the mouth (open region) and keeping the lips neutral.
Features of the vowel /a: /
a al ar are au ear
ask almond part are laugh hearken
branch embalm star bizarre draughts heart
class psalm ark caviare aunt hearten
grant calm remark hearth
staff qualm bark
fast calf martial
bath half bar
More examples:
er oir eois ois ua eur
derby reservoir bourgeois chamois guava coiffeur
clerk repertoire guano
sergeant abattoir guard
Berkshire memoir guardian
escritoire
Contrast between /æ/, /a:/
/æ/ /a: /
pack part
back bark
mack mark
hat heart
cat cart
pat part
mat mart
EVALUATION
1. Describe the articulation of /a: /.
2. Mention the difference between /æ/, /a: /.
3. What is the difference between spread and neutral vowel sounds?
4. Draw a table of features for /a:/ with all its possible allophones.
5. Classify the following words according to their vowel sounds: man, mat, map, mass, Marty, marmalade, mother
6. What is the difference between a long vowel and a short vowel?
7. Write down the minimal pairs of words with /æ/, /a:/.
Answers:
1. The articulation of /a:/ involves the back part of the tongue raised towards the soft palate at the back of the mouth and held there for a brief moment. The lips are in a neutral position.
2. /æ/ is a short, front vowel sound while /a:/ is a long, back vowel sound.
3. A spread vowel is one where the lips are spread while a neutral vowel is one where the lips are in a neutral position.
4. The table of features for /a:/ would include the following:
Feature Value
Length Long
Height Back
Articulation Rounded
Lip position Neutral
5. The words can be classified as follows:
man: /æ/
mat: /æ/
map: /æ/
mass:
VOCABULARY BUILDING:
Words associated with Animal Husbandry (Fishing)
Animal husbandry is the branch of agriculture concerned with animals that are raised for meat, fibre, milk, eggs, or other products. It includes day-to-day care, selective breeding, and the raising of livestock. The words listed below are associated with fishing:
1. Aquaculture: the farming of fish, shellfish, and other aquatic animals and plants, usually in man-made ponds or tanks.
2. Bait: a substance used to attract fish or other animals so that they can be caught.
3. Catch: the fish or other animals that are caught.
4. Fisherman: a person who catches fish, either as a profession or for sport.
5. Fishing: the activity of catching fish, either as a profession or for sport.
6. Lure: a bait or object used to attract fish or other animals so that they can be caught
fisherman longline scup pilchard
fishery trapping surfperch haddock
sport fishing fiske purse seining trawl
anglers halibut striped seine
vessel whaling clamming herring
smashing lobster billfish bait
bobbing dredge gillnetting
1. fisherman: someone who catches fish for a living
2. fishery: a place where fish are caught for commercial purposes
3. sport fishing: fishing for recreation
4. anglers: people who fish for sport
5. vessel: a boat or ship used for fishing
6. smashing: breaking the ice in order to fish
7. bobbing: a method of fishing where the bait is attached to a float and left in the water
8. dredge: a device used for dredging up bottom-dwelling fish
9. gillnetting: a method of fishing where a net is suspended in the water to catch fish by their gills
EVALUATION: Use your dictionary to find the meaning of the words listed above. Use them and construct your own sentences. Show your work to your educator.
ASPECT: STRUCTURES
TOPIC:
Nouns: Nouns and Determiners /Articles
CONTENT:
1. Definition of Determiners /articles
2. Types of Determiners / articles: indefinite and definite
3. Use of Determiners / Articles
4. Forms of Determiners / Articles: a/an & the
5. Position of Determiners / articles in a sentence
6. Omission of determiners /
2. Types of Determiners
3. The use of Articles (Definite and Indefinite Articles)
What is a determiner?
A determiner is a word that is used in front of a noun or pronoun to give some information about it.
Types of Determiners
1. Articles (definite and indefinite articles): a, an, the.
2. Demonstrative determiners: this, that, these, those.
3. Possessive determiners: my, your, its, her,
4. Indefinite determiners: each, both, neither, few, several, some, little,
5. Number determiners: one, two, three … first, second, fourth, fifth,
The use of Articles (Definite and Indefinite Articles)
1. Use of the Definite Article: the
We use the definite article to talk about a particular person or thing that is already known to the speaker and the listener
For example:
I’ve seen that film before. It’s very good.
I live in the United Arab Emirates.
The definite article is also used with plural nouns and uncountable nouns to talk about a whole group or class of people or things
For example:
Birds can fly.
Tigers are animals.
2. Use of the Indefinite Article: a, an
We use the indefinite article to talk about someone or something for the first time
For example:
I’ve seen that film before. It’s very good.
I live in the United Arab Emirates.
The indefinite article is also used with plural nouns and uncountable nouns to talk about a whole group or class of people or things
For example:
Birds can fly.
Tigers are animals.
The indefinite article is used with singular countable nouns when we are referring to someone or something for the first time
We use a before words beginning with a consonant
Definite Article:
The definite article is ‘the’. It is used to refer to a particular person or thing.
The Use of Definite Article
It can be used in a sentence to refer back to a person or thing that has already been mentioned or identified. Examples:
1. Mrs Brown gave birth to a boy and the boy was called John.
2. I was asked to choose a restaurant and the restaurant I chose was The Olive Tree.
3. Father bought a new dog and the dog is a Labrador.
The definite article can also be used to identify someone or something as the only one of its kind. Examples:
1. He is reading the Bible.
2. Tourists often visit the Tower of London.
3. He has been declared the new Prime Minister of the United Kingdom.
The definite article is used to refer to a whole class or group of things or people.
Examples:
1. Lions belong to the big cats.
2. She really does not like the English.
3. Because of a long-lasting family feud the Smiths did not speak to the Simpsons at John and Jane’s wedding.
The definite article can be used to indicate the unique quality of someone or something. Examples:
1. In the sixties it was the restaurant to go to in London.
2. It is currently the city venue for fashionable wedding receptions.
3. The musical is the show to see this Christmas.
Indefinite Article:
An indefinite article does not refer to any particular person or thing. The form of the indefinite article is either ‘a’ or ‘an’. The form ‘a’ is used before words that begin with a consonant sound such as a box, a garden, a road, a star, a wall. The form ‘an’ is used before words that begin with an initial vowel sound such as an apple, an egg, an igloo, an ostrich, an uncle.
The Use of the Indefinite article (a/an)
The indefinite article can also be used in the following ways:
It can be used in the same way as the adjective one. Examples:
1. The town is exactly a mile away.
2. We waited an hour for the bus to come.
3. A year ago we were happy, but things have changed.
It can be used with the word ‘other’ in the same way as one. Examples:
1. I don’t like this colour, but I might like the other one/a.
2. There are five bedrooms and a sitting room in this house, but there is no kitchen or bathroom.
The indefinite article is also used to refer to or single out a specific person or thing. Examples:
1. Jim married a girl called Mary from the next village.
2. The family had a black cat called Sooty.
3. Sue is going out with a young man called Tom.
The indefinite article is also used with an indefinite meaning, in the same way that any is.
Examples:
1. He was as big as a house.
2. An island is a piece of land entirely surrounded by water.
3. A paediatrician is a doctor who specializes in children’s illnesses.
The indefinite article is also used in the following way, with the word ‘for’ implied but omitted before it: Examples:
1. The grapes are £3 a kilo.
2. The gardener will charge you £12 an hour.
3. The cake is £2 a slice.
The indefinite article can be used before an adjective to form what is called a ‘partitive’. A partitive is used when we want to talk about a quantity of something which is not specific. The indefinite article changes to ‘some’ when the noun it precedes is plural.
Examples:
1. Would you like a cup of coffee?
2. Can I have some more bread please?
3. I’d like to buy some new shoes.
4. I think we need a little more salt.
The definite and indefinite articles are both used to refer to specific people or things, but there is a difference in how they are used. The definite article is used to refer to someone or something that is known or specified, whereas the indefinite article is used to refer to someone or something that is not specified.
The definite article is used:
– when we are referring to a specific person or thing
– when we are referring to a class or group of things or people
– to indicate the unique quality of someone or something
The indefinite article is used:
– when we are referring to a single person or thing
– when we are referring to a specific person or thing
– with the word ‘other’ in the same way as one
– to refer to or single out a specific person or thing
– with an indefinite meaning, in the same way that any is
– before an adjective to form a ‘partitive’
ASPECT: CONTINOUS WRITING
TOPIC:
Narrative (Writing Introductory Paragraph)
CONTENT:
1. Definition of Narrative Essay
2. Guidelines to Introductory Paragraphs
3. Examples of Introductory Paragraphs
The term “narrative” refers to a type of essay, a short story or a novel. In narrative writing, the introductory paragraph has an important impact on the readers. The opening sentence of a narrative should grab the readers’ attention. Thus, understanding the components of the first paragraph, as well as narrative writing in general, will help to create an effective opening to the story.
Guideline to Introductory Paragraphs
The following guidelines will help to write an interesting and catchy introductory paragraph in narrative essay.
1. You must ensure your opening sentence grab the readers’ attention. This depends on your personal style of writing and the story you tell in your work. For example, you may have a first line that appears as:
“The moment my sister got married, I was on the other side of the world.”
This type of statement will raise questions that encourage your reader to continue reading your paper.
In a nutshell, you must use vivid language and build tension from the beginning that sets the tone for the rest of the story makes your reader stay connected.
2. You should know the purpose of your story and create a theme which runs through the story. Your characters, setting and plot help develop the theme throughout the story.
3. After your opening sentence, you begin setting up the narrative essay. You can build off the first sentence and start giving your readers some background information before you dive into telling the story. For example:
“The moment my sister got married, I was on the other side of the world. We hadn’t spoken in three years, and no one bothered to tell me Susan was planning on walking down the aisle for the seventh time in as many years.”
4. Also, your first paragraph should introduce the main character and what lies at the heart of the story as in:
“The moment my sister got married, I was on the other side of the world.”
Examples of Introductory Paragraphs
The following are examples of introductory paragraphs that grab the reader’s attention and give some background information about the story.
Example 1
“The moment my sister got married, I was on the other side of the world. We hadn’t spoken in three years, and no one bothered to tell me Susan was planning on walking down the aisle for the seventh time in as many years.”
Example 2
“The day my grandmother died was the most memorable day of my life. I was only six years old, but I remember it as if it were yesterday. It was a hot summer day, and the sun was beating down on us mercilessly. My grandmother and I were sitting on the porch, rocking back and forth in our rocking chairs. We were shelling peas and chatting about this and that. Suddenly, she clutched her chest and gasped for breath. I sat there frozen in shock as I watched the life slowly drain out of her eyes.”
Example 3
My eyes were red and burning as blood slowly ran down my forehead. My cramped and trembling fingers hovered over the keyboard like it was an Ouija board. I closed my eyes and, when I opened them again, the blog post was finished. It was like nothing I had written before…
Example 4
The moment my sister got married, I was on the other side of the world. We hadn’t spoken in three years, and no one bothered to tell me Susan was planning on walking down the aisle for the seventh time in as many years…
Example 5
I have never looked through the windows of my bedroom without feeling like a captive…
Example 6
I nearly lost my life. Father and I had gone in a lorry to convey his planks home, he being a planks-seller…
EVALUATION
1. Define a narrative essay?
2. Identify four basic guidelines to a catchy introductory paragraph.
3. What should be included in the introductory paragraph?
4. Why is it important to have a theme running through the story?
5. How does setting up the narrative essay help engage the reader?
6. Are the examples good introductions? Why or why not?
7. What else could be included in the introductions?
1. A narrative essay is a story written about a personal experience.
2. The four guidelines to a catchy introductory paragraph are
– Use vivid language
– Build tension
– Set the tone for the story
– Introduce the main character
3. The introductory paragraph should include
– The opening sentence
– Background information
– The main character
4. It is important to have a theme running through the story because it helps develop the story and keeps the reader engaged.
5. Setting up the narrative essay helps engage the reader by providing background information and introducing the main character.
6. The examples are good introductions because they use vivid language, build tension, and set the tone for the story.
7. Other things that could be included in the introductions are
– The plot of the story
– The conflict of the story
GENERAL EVALUATION
(a) Underline each plural noun in the sentences below and indicate if it is regular (REG) or irregular (IRREG) in terms of how it is pluralized.
Example: The women (IRREG) received their education at some exclusive schools (REG)
1. The doctor treated most of the patients who were waiting.
2. The geese crossed the road near my car.
3. She set a trap to catch the mice that had invaded her kitchen.
4. You will have to feed the oxen most afternoons.
5. Whenever I travel to the countryside, I see many sheep, ducks, deer, and cows.
6. Those husbands and wives lead interesting lives.
7. Her feet have grown since last year.
8. The back window of my apartment overlooks about a dozen roofs.
9. The salesmen surrounded me in the showroom.
10. Kenneth had to buy two bottles of disinfectant to get rid of the lice in his bathroom.
1. The doctor treated most of the patients who were waiting.
2. The geese (IRREG) crossed the road near my car.
3. She set a trap to catch the mice (IRREG) that had invaded her kitchen.
4. You will have to feed the oxen (IRREG) most afternoons.
5. Whenever I travel to the countryside, I see many sheep (REG), ducks (REG), deer (IRREG), and cows (IRREG).
6. Those husbands and wives lead interesting lives.
7. Her feet have grown since last year.
8. The back window of my apartment overlooks about a dozen roofs.
9. The salesmen surrounded me in the showroom.
10. Kenneth had to buy two bottles of disinfectant to get rid of the lice (IRREG) in his bathroom.
(b) Which of the following are countable nouns and which are uncountable nouns?
Examples
Example: information (UNCOUNTABLE)
1. furniture
2. suggestion
3. music
4. news
5. advice
6. luggage
7. information
8. equipment
9. evidence
10. clothing
1. furniture (COUNTABLE)
2. suggestion (COUNTABLE)
3. music (UNCOUNTABLE)
4. news (UNCOUNTABLE)
5. advice (UNCOUNTABLE)
6. luggage (COUNTABLE)
7. information (UNCOUNTABLE)
8. equipment (UNCOUNTABLE)
9. evidence (COUNTABLE)
10. clothing (UNCOUNTABLE)
(b) Which of the following are countable nouns and which are uncountable nouns?
happiness, saucer, source,pencil, discretion, fence, lawn, misery, cooker, information, beach, location, bed, luggage, bottle, forest, poem, inspiration, jewel, milk,ruler, suitcase, music, poetry, essay, literature, man, choir, legislation,book, beauty, cookery, knowledge.
.
ASSIGNMENT:
Write an essay not less than 250 on the topic: ‘How I spent my last holiday’.
My last holiday was quite eventful. I went on a road trip with my friends to visit some of our other friends who live in different parts of the country. We had a lot of fun travelling together and spending time with each other. We also did some sightseeing and visited some new places. Overall, it was a great experience and I’m really glad I went on the trip.
What are the three basic parts of a paragraph?
The three basic parts of a paragraph are the topic sentence, the supporting sentences, and the concluding sentence. The topic sentence introduces the main idea of the paragraph, the supporting sentences provide details and evidence to support the main idea, and the concluding sentence summarizes the paragraph or provides a transition to the next paragraph.