Mastering Reported Commands and Questions: Key Conversions Structure English Grammar Primary 5 First Term Lesson Notes Week 8

Lesson Plan: English Grammar – Primary 5 First Term

Subject: English Grammar

Class: Primary 5

Term: First Term

Week: 8

Age: 9 years

Topic: Structure: Making Reported Commands and Reported Questions

Sub-topic: Changing Direct Commands and Questions to Reported Commands and Questions

Duration: 60 minutes

Behavioural Objectives:
By the end of the lesson, pupils should be able to:

  1. Identify and use command and interrogative statements.
  2. Change direct commands and questions to reported commands and questions.
  3. Analyze the sentence structure of direct and reported commands and questions.

Keywords: Direct Commands, Reported Commands, Direct Questions, Reported Questions, Reporting Verbs, Sentence Structure
Set Induction:
The teacher will start by discussing commands and questions pupils encounter daily. Examples may include requests from teachers or questions they ask. This will introduce the concepts of direct and reported commands/questions.

Entry Behaviour:
Pupils have a basic understanding of commands and questions and can identify these in sentences.

Learning Resources and Materials:

  • Flashcards with examples of direct and reported commands/questions.
  • Worksheets for practice exercises.
  • Whiteboard and markers.

Building Background/Connection to Prior Knowledge:
The lesson connects to previous knowledge about direct and reported speech, focusing specifically on commands and questions.

Embedded Core Skills:

  • Analytical skills in identifying and changing sentence structures.
  • Communication skills in correctly forming and reporting commands and questions.

Learning Materials:

  • Flashcards
  • Worksheets
  • Sentence strips

Reference Books:

  • Lagos State Scheme of Work
  • Primary English Textbook

Instructional Materials:

  • Whiteboard and markers
  • Flashcards with examples
  • Worksheets for practice

Content

  1. Definition of Direct and Reported Commands:
    • Direct Commands: Exact instructions given to someone, often using imperative verbs.
      • Example: “Close the door,” he said.
    • Reported Commands: Paraphrasing the instruction without using imperative verbs, often using reporting verbs like “asked” or “told.”
      • Example: He told me to close the door.
  2. Definition of Direct and Reported Questions:
    • Direct Questions: Questions that are asked directly and often start with question words like “what,” “where,” “when,” etc.
      • Example: “What time is it?” she asked.
    • Reported Questions: Paraphrasing the question, often using reporting verbs and changing the word order to fit reported speech.
      • Example: She asked what time it was.
  3. Changing Direct Commands to Reported Commands:
    • Steps:
      • Remove the imperative verb and replace it with a reporting verb like “told” or “asked.”
      • Change the command to a full sentence with “to” plus the base form of the verb.
      • Example: “Please pass the salt,” she said. → She asked me to pass the salt.
  4. Changing Direct Questions to Reported Questions:
    • Steps:
      • Remove the question mark and add a reporting verb like “asked.”
      • Change the sentence structure to a statement format (i.e., subject + verb + object).
      • Example: “Where is the nearest bus stop?” he asked. → He asked where the nearest bus stop was.
  5. Analyzing Sentence Structures:
    • Direct Commands: Imperative sentence structure.
      • Example: “Turn off the lights.”
    • Reported Commands: Sentence with reporting verb and infinitive.
      • Example: He instructed me to turn off the lights.
    • Direct Questions: Question structure with question words.
      • Example: “How did you do that?”
    • Reported Questions: Sentence with reporting verb and question words changed to statement structure.
      • Example: She inquired how I did that.

Evaluation

  1. Direct commands are often expressed using __ (a. declarative verbs, b. imperative verbs, c. auxiliary verbs).
  2. Reported commands usually include a reporting verb like __ (a. said, b. asked, c. told).
  3. “Please sit down,” the teacher said. In reported speech, this becomes __ (a. The teacher told me please sit down, b. The teacher asked me to sit down, c. The teacher said I should sit down).
  4. “What is your name?” she asked. In reported speech, this becomes __ (a. She asked what was my name, b. She asked what my name is, c. She asked what my name was).
  5. “Finish your homework,” he told me. In reported speech, this becomes __ (a. He told me to finish my homework, b. He told me finish my homework, c. He asked me to finish my homework).
  6. “Can you help me?” he asked. In reported speech, this becomes __ (a. He asked if I could help him, b. He asked if I can help him, c. He asked if I will help him).
  7. “Where did you go yesterday?” she asked. In reported speech, this becomes __ (a. She asked where did I go the day before, b. She asked where I went yesterday, c. She asked where I had gone yesterday).
  8. In reported commands, the reporting verb is followed by __ (a. a question mark, b. a comma, c. the base form of the verb).
  9. “Please be quiet,” she said. In reported speech, this becomes __ (a. She asked to be quiet, b. She asked me to be quiet, c. She said please be quiet).
  10. “When will the train arrive?” he inquired. In reported speech, this becomes __ (a. He inquired when will the train arrive, b. He inquired when the train would arrive, c. He inquired when would the train arrive).
  11. “Don’t touch that!” she warned. In reported speech, this becomes __ (a. She warned not to touch that, b. She warned me not to touch that, c. She warned me to not touch that).
  12. “How are you feeling today?” he asked. In reported speech, this becomes __ (a. He asked how are I feeling today, b. He asked how I am feeling today, c. He asked how I was feeling that day).
  13. “Could you pass the salt?” she asked. In reported speech, this becomes __ (a. She asked could I pass the salt, b. She asked if I could pass the salt, c. She asked if I pass the salt).
  14. “Why didn’t you call me?” he asked. In reported speech, this becomes __ (a. He asked why I didn’t call him, b. He asked why didn’t I call him, c. He asked why I haven’t called him).
  15. “Take out the trash,” he said. In reported speech, this becomes __ (a. He said to take out the trash, b. He told me to take out the trash, c. He said take out the trash).

Class Activity Discussion

  1. Q: What is a direct command?
    A: A direct command is a sentence that gives an instruction or request, often using an imperative verb.
  2. Q: What is a reported command?
    A: A reported command is when you convey an instruction without using imperative verbs, often using reporting verbs like “told” or “asked.”
  3. Q: How do you change a direct command to reported speech?
    A: Remove the imperative verb, use a reporting verb, and add “to” before the base verb.
  4. Q: How do you change a direct question to reported speech?
    A: Remove the question mark, use a reporting verb, and change the sentence to a statement format.
  5. Q: What is the structure of a direct command?
    A: It usually has an imperative verb and no subject (e.g., “Close the door”).
  6. Q: What is the structure of a reported command?
    A: It includes a reporting verb and an infinitive verb (e.g., “He told me to close the door”).
  7. Q: How do you handle the word order in reported questions?
    A: Change the question format to a statement format and adjust the verb tense accordingly.
  8. Q: What is an example of a direct question?
    A: “What time is the meeting?”
  9. Q: What is an example of reported speech for a question?
    A: She asked what time the meeting was.
  10. Q: What changes occur when converting direct commands to reported commands?
    A: The imperative verb is replaced with “to” plus the base form of the verb, and the reporting verb is added.
  11. Q: What changes occur when converting direct questions to reported questions?
    A: The question mark is removed, the sentence is converted to a statement, and reporting verbs are added.
  12. Q: How do you report a command that begins with “please”?
    A: Use the reporting verb followed by “to” and the base form of the verb (e.g., “She asked me to please close the door”).
  13. Q: Can you give an example of a direct command and its reported form?
    A: Direct: “Sit down.” Reported: “He told me to sit down.”
  14. Q: Can you give an example of a direct question and its reported form?
    A: Direct: “What is your name?” Reported: “She asked what my name was.”
  15. Q: How do you identify errors in reported commands or questions?
    A: Check if the imperative or question format has been properly converted to a statement with appropriate reporting verbs.

Presentation

Step 1: The teacher will revise the previous topic on reported speech by discussing commands and questions.

Step 2: The teacher will introduce the new topic on making reported commands and questions, explaining the steps and providing examples.

Step 3: Pupils will practice converting direct commands and questions to reported forms and discuss their findings with the teacher correcting their work as needed.

Teacher’s Activities

  1. Introduce and explain the topic of reported commands and questions.
  2. Provide examples and guide pupils through practice exercises.
  3. Monitor pupils’ work and correct mistakes.
  4. Facilitate discussions on sentence structure and reporting rules.

Learners’ Activities

  1. Participate in discussions about converting commands and questions.
  2. Complete practice exercises in changing direct commands and questions to reported forms.
  3. Analyze sentence structures and identify rules for reporting.

Assessment

  1. Change the direct command “Please pass the book” to reported speech.
  2. Change the reported question “She asked where I had been” to direct speech.
  3. Identify the error in the reported command: “He told me finish my homework.”
  4. Describe the basic rules for changing direct questions to reported questions.
  5. Correct the following reported question: “He asked where do you live.”

Evaluation Questions

  1. Define a direct command and provide an example.
  2. Explain how to convert a direct command to reported speech.
  3. Define a direct question and provide an example.
  4. Explain how to convert a direct question to reported speech.
  5. Identify the errors in this reported command: “She told me to please close the door.”
  6. Describe the reporting verbs used in converting commands.
  7. Provide an example of a direct question and its reported form.
  8. Analyze this sentence for errors: “He asked where I live.”
  9. Convert the command “Stand up” to reported speech.
  10. Convert the question “What are you doing?” to reported speech.

Conclusion

The teacher will go around to mark pupils’ work, provide feedback, and address any issues. The lesson will conclude with a summary of the rules for reporting commands and questions.

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