Features and Format of an Informal Letter

Subject: 

ENGLISH STUDIES

Term:

FIRST TERM

Week:

WEEK 10

Class:

SS 2

Previous lesson: 

The pupils have previous knowledge of

SS 2 FIRST TERM REVISION TEST ENGLISH STUDIES

BEHAVIOURAL OBJECTIVES:

At the end of the lesson, the learners will be able to

• Read comprehension passage for main points – 2; Unit 4; Building,pg 66
• Speech Work: Unstressed Vowel Sound /ə /
• Writing (Argumentative) “Corruption Should be fought from the top to the bottom”

INSTRUCTIONAL MATERIALS:

• Wall charts
• Pictures
• Related Online Video
• Flash Cards

Methods of Teaching:

• Class Discussion
• Group Discussion
• Asking Questions
• Explanation
• Role Modelling
• Role Delegation

REFERENCE MATERIALS :

• Scheme of Work
• Online Information
• Textbooks
• Workbooks
• Education Curriculum

CONTENT 

WEEK TEN

Comprehension (Reading to Paraphrase a Prose Passage; Effective English; Nazzruddin, page 80

A paraphrase is saying or rewriting something in different words that makes it simpler. Paraphrase may mean using fewer words or it may require using more words and changing its structure or sentence.

A paraphrase is different from a summary to an extent. In a summary, you are expected to pick out the essence, the bare bones of the matter, you leave outillustrations and examples. In a paraphrase, you try to re-express the same information in a simpler, less complicated, less figurative form. Also any illustrations and examples are paraphrased.

The passage, Nazzruddin is an extract from A Bend in the Rivers by V.S Naipaul. It reveals his (Nazzruddin) plans to put up his property for sale. He however used terms that could not easily be understood by anyone not in the business world.

EVALUATION

Read the passage and answer the questions

READING ASSIGNMENT

Effective English pages 80-81

Structure: Phrasal Verbs.

Verbs often combine with adverbial particles to form multi – word verbs or phrasal verbs. It is a group of words composed of simple (lexical) verb and a preposition, an adverb or both. The complete meaning of a phrasal verb cannot be determined from the meaning of the verb and the particle in isolation; rather, it has to be comprehended from the entire phrase.

Examples

Turndown – refuse, reject: I turned down the offer.

Give in – surrender: Our team refused to give in to their opponents.

Run across- meet by chance: We ran across an old friend yesterday at Aba.

Fall on: attack – The robbers fell on two travellers on the lonely road

Fall out – quarrel: They were good friends before but fell out yesterday.

Give up – stop: My brother has given up smoking.

In the phrasal verb structure, the lexical or simple verb constitutes the nucleus of the unit while the adverbial particle modifies the lexical verb.

Sometimes, phrasal verbs have more than one particle, and the whole combination has a single meaning. Phrasal verbs of this kind are sometimes called phrasal verbs with double particles.

Examples

1. My town has done away with certain obsolete customs (abolished).
2. I cannot put up with his insulting behavior (tolerate).
3. I will not be surprised if the man goes back on his promise (breaks).
4. Our friend may look in on us today (visit).
5. Everyone seems to be fed up with his attitude (tired of).

More Examples of Phrasal Verbs:

Come to, come round, go off, cut in, do in, get through, take after, throw up, let down, make away with, make up, set in etc.

EVALUATION

Use a single word verb to replace the following underlined phrasal verbs.

1. Ronke fainted but came to  when some water was thrown on her face
2. Tadetakes after his father, he walks and talks like him.
3. I moved aside to let the man get by
4. The chairman decided to hold over the remaining items till next week.
5. The bad weather held up work on the building for a week.

Features and Format of an Informal Letter

We have different types of letters and different styles or ways of writing them. Formal, semi-formal and informal letters are the three types of letters we have.

Informal letters are friendly letters to contemporaries ( classmates/colleagues, friends and relatives), close older relatives (father, mother, uncle etc.) and close pen-pals.

Features

1. An informal letter must be chatty. Open minded and discuss freely, as if you are actually chatting with the receiver.
2. The language must be very familiar, colloquialisms and slang are expected to be used, but do not overdo it e.g. “How life?” Hope no skin pain. Warn that coconut head for me. Bye for now.

• Use short forms. They are expected here. E.g. I’m, you’ve, can’t, he’s etc.

1. In the first paragraph, inquire after the welfare of the recipient and tell him about your own welfare.
2. Bring in other topics of interest to both of you into the letter, but keep the main topic in mind as you write.
3. In the concluding paragraph, send greetings to people known to both of you.

Format

The format is as shown in the box.

C.H.S Uromi,

P.O.Box 1008,

Uromi.

10th June, 2012.

My dear…

How are ……….

I’m………………….

I learnt ………………………..

As they …………………..

She left ………………………

Really, we ……………………..

When …………………..

Give my regards to ……………………..

Yours sincerely,

Bisi

Salutation

Introductory

paragraph

Body of the

letterin

paragraphs

Conclusion

Informal letters are the easiest to write, in that no limitations are placed on you as regards choice of language and content, provided you do not write off the topic or use official language. However, you have to use correct grammar and punctuate correctively.

EVALUATION

What are the features of an informal letter.

GENERAL EVALUATION/REVISIONAL QUESTIONS

1. Write ten phrasal verbs that have more than one meaning
2. What distinguishes a formal letter from an informal letter.

READING ASSIGNMENT

Countdown in English, pg 70 – 72

WEEKEND ASSIGNMENT

SECTION A

Choose the option that has the same consonant sound as the sound represented by the letters underlined:

1. Chief Cheap  B.Graph  C.Save   D.Think
2. Cease Place   B.Plays    C.Please D.Lazy
3. Work Whose  B. Draw    C.View  D.Which
4. Social Shoot B.Circle C.Science D.Local
5. Giant Measure B. Gap   C.Juice D.China

SECTION B

Practice 2, page 99