Grammar, Oral, Writing, Words for the Week 4 – SS2 English Lesson Note (Third Term)

Voice shows whether the performer of an action comes before the verb (active voice) or after it (passive voice). An article is a piece of writing meant for a school magazine, a newspaper or a journal, with a heading, an introduction, a body of at least three paragraphs and a conclusion.

Behavioural objectives

By the end of the lesson, students should be able to:

• explain the terms active voice and passive voice;
• change active sentences to the passive form, keeping the same tense;
• state the rules for changing a sentence from active to passive;
• list the basic features of an article;
• write an article from a given outline.

What are active and passive voice?

Voice is a term that is used to explain whether the performer of an action comes before the action (verb) or after the verb in a sentence. When the performer comes before the verb (action), we say the verb is in the active form, for example:

Dairo (S) killed a snake (O). (Active voice)

However, when the two nouns in the sentence above are swapped, we say the sentence is in the passive form.

A snake (S) was killed by Dairo. (Passive voice)

Examples of active and passive voice

What are the rules for changing active voice to passive voice?

1. The subject and the object exchange positions.
2. The tense of both voices (active and passive) must be the same.
3. The word ‘by’ is introduced in the passive voice.
4. A form of the verb ‘be’ is also introduced in the passive voice.

What is article writing?

An article is a type of writing that is meant to be published in a school magazine, a newspaper or a journal.

What are the basic features of an article?

1. It must have a heading.
2. It must have an introductory paragraph.
3. Its body should contain at least three well-developed paragraphs, which serve as the content of the writing. With the introductory and concluding paragraphs added, the writing should have at least five paragraphs. It can have more.
4. It must contain a concluding paragraph.
5. Write your full name and your class, school, town or city as the situation may require.

Outline: women in politics

1. Topic/Heading
2. Introduction: Men have dominated the political space for long
3. The effects of men’s domination
4. The need for women’s involvement (equality, less corruption, compassion, talent use, examples from other countries)
5. Conclusion: challenge the audience

Words for the week

• Arcane
• Battery
• Plenitude
• Interject
• Laconic
• Primeval
• Quandary
• Tranquil
• Rail
• Vacillate

Evaluation

1. What does the term voice describe in a sentence?
2. State the four rules for changing a sentence from active to passive voice.
3. What is an article, and where can it be published?
4. List the basic features of an article.

Assignment

Part 1: Voice

Change the following sentences to the passive form:

1. Amaka sings a song.
2. Bukola was cooking a nice meal.
3. Emmanuel has posted the letter.
4. The principal permitted me.
5. They offered him a nice job.

Part 2: Article writing

Write an essay on the outlined topic above (women in politics).