Voewl Sounds /ӕ/, /ӡ:/ & Types of Pronouns – JSS3 English Lesson Note (Second Term)

A pronoun is a word used in place of a noun to avoid repetition.

• Speech work: the vowel sounds /æ/ and /ɜː/.
• Comprehension: reading a passage and answering questions.
• Grammar: types of pronouns, with reflexive and relative pronouns in detail.
• Composition: the expository essay.

Behavioural objectives

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

1. pronounce and identify words that contain the vowel sounds /æ/ and /ɜː/;
2. define a pronoun and state its use;
3. list the reflexive pronouns and use them in sentences;
4. identify the relative pronouns and use them in sentences;
5. write an expository essay on a given topic.

What are the vowel sounds /æ/ and /ɜː/?

/æ/ is a short vowel as in “cat”, and /ɜː/ is a long vowel as in “bird”.

• /æ/: a short sound made with the mouth fairly open and the tongue low and forward. It is not the same as /e/ in “bed”.
• /ɜː/: a long sound made with the lips relaxed and the tongue in the middle of the mouth. Hold it for a moment.

Practice words

Each word in the first column contains /ɜː/ and each word in the second column contains /æ/.

How is /ɜː/ usually spelt?

• ir: bird, shirt.
• er: stern, term.
• ur: turn, burn.
• ear: search, learn.

How can you tell the two sounds apart?

Say each pair aloud and listen to the vowel.

How do you answer comprehension questions?

Comprehension is reading a passage carefully and answering questions on what it says.

Read the assigned passage in New Oxford English for Junior Secondary Schools 3 and answer the questions that follow.

1. Read the whole passage once for the general meaning.
2. Read the questions slowly.
3. Read the passage again and underline the parts that answer each question.
4. Answer in full sentences, using your own words where possible.
5. Check your spelling and grammar before you hand in.

What is a pronoun?

A pronoun is a word used in place of a noun to avoid repetition and monotony in speech or writing.

• Agreement: the pronoun must reflect the gender and number of the noun it replaces.
• Role: a pronoun performs the roles of the noun it replaces, such as subject or object.
• Example: “Ada said that Ada was tired” becomes “Ada said that she was tired”.

What are the types of pronouns?

There are six common types of pronoun taught at this level: personal, possessive, reflexive, relative, demonstrative and interrogative.

What are reflexive pronouns?

Reflexive pronouns reflect the subject of the sentence and also show emphasis.

• Singular: they end in “self”.
• Plural: they end in “selves”.

Examples of reflexive pronouns

• The man killed himself: the action returns to the subject.
• I did the work myself: “myself” adds emphasis.
• People sometimes talk to themselves: the action returns to the subject.

What are relative pronouns?

A relative pronoun describes or modifies an antecedent noun and introduces a subordinate clause to the main clause.

• Antecedent: the noun that the relative pronoun refers back to.
• Subordinate clause: the part that cannot stand alone as a sentence.

The relative pronouns

Examples of relative pronouns

1. The man who helped him has come.
2. The boy whom I told you about is crying.
3. The girl whose father died in an accident wanted to assist me.
4. I saw the book which he wrote.
5. She knows the boy who stole the money.

What about “where” and “when”?

“Where” and “when” can also join a clause to a noun, but they are called relative adverbs.

• When: That was the time when I came in.
• Where: Mama went to the place where she first met father.

What is an expository essay?

An expository essay is a piece of writing that explains a topic clearly using facts, reasons and examples.

• Purpose: to inform or explain, not to tell a story.
• Tone: clear, formal and well organised.
• Tense: usually the simple present.
• Examples of topics: why students fail examinations, the uses of water, how to keep a school clean.

What are the parts of an expository essay?

• Introduction: states the topic and what the essay will explain.
• Body: several paragraphs, each with one main point and an explanation or example.
• Conclusion: closes the essay with a short final comment.

What are the steps to writing a good expository essay?

1. Read the topic and be sure you understand it.
2. List all the points you can think of.
3. Choose the best points and arrange them in order.
4. Write an introduction that states the topic.
5. Write one paragraph for each point, with an example.
6. Write a short conclusion.
7. Read the essay again and correct errors in spelling, punctuation and grammar.

Evaluation

1. Write out 10 words each for the sounds /æ/ and /ɜː/.
2. Define a pronoun and state its use.
3. Use these pronouns in sentences and name the type of each: I, they, ours, hers, yours.
4. List the reflexive pronouns and the relative pronouns, and use two of each in sentences.
5. What are the steps to writing a good expository essay?

Assignment

Write an expository essay on why students fail examinations.