Speech Work: Vowel Sound Contrast /ͻ:/, /D/ & /^/ – JSS2 English Lesson Note (Third Term)

The vowel sounds /ɔ:/, /ɒ/ and /ʌ/ are three different sounds, and changing one for another changes the meaning of a word, as in cord, cod and cud.

This lesson note covers five areas for JSS2:

• Comprehension: a listening passage on a fire outbreak.
• Speech work: the contrast between /ɔ:/, /ɒ/ and /ʌ/.
• Grammar: adjectives and their types.
• Writing: a narrative essay, “A Journey I Once Made”.
• Literature: the poem “Sweet Sorrow” by Pious Oleghe.

Behavioural objectives

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

1. give a report after listening to the comprehension passage on a fire outbreak;
2. pronounce and tell apart words with the vowel sounds /ɔ:/, /ɒ/ and /ʌ/, for example cord, cod and cud;
3. define an adjective and name its types;
4. pick out the adjectives in given sentences;
5. write a narrative essay on “A Journey I Once Made”;
6. explain the main idea of the poem “Sweet Sorrow”.

How do you answer a comprehension passage on a fire outbreak?

A listening comprehension is answered by listening carefully to the passage and then reporting what happened.

• Listen first: pay attention to the whole reading before you write anything.
• Note the facts: who was involved, what happened, where, when and how.
• Note the cause: find out what started the fire.
• Note the effect: find out the damage, injuries and the help that came.
• Report in order: tell the events in the order in which they happened.
• Use your own words: write in the past tense and keep your report short and clear.

What is the contrast between /ɔ:/, /ɒ/ and /ʌ/?

The contrast is the difference in length, mouth shape and tongue position between these three vowel sounds.

How is each sound made?

• /ɔ:/: a long vowel. The lips are rounded and the sound is held longer, as in cord, port and sport.
• /ɒ/: a short vowel. The mouth is open and the lips are slightly rounded, as in cod, pot and spot.
• /ʌ/: a short vowel. The mouth is relaxed and the lips are not rounded, as in cud, cut and nut.

How do the three sounds compare?

What are the word pairs for practice?

Words that differ by only one sound are called minimal pairs. Compare the words in each row. The vowel sound changes from one column to the next.

How do you practise the sounds?

1. Listen to the teacher say each word in a row.
2. Repeat the words slowly, one column at a time.
3. Watch your lips: round them for /ɔ:/ and relax them for /ʌ/.
4. Hold /ɔ:/ a little longer than /ɒ/ and /ʌ/.
5. Say the three words in a row together, then put each one in a sentence.

Does spelling help?

• Letter u: often gives /ʌ/, as in cut, nut and hut.
• Letter o: often gives /ɒ/, as in hot, pot and spot.
• Letters or: often give /ɔ:/, as in cord, port and sport.
• Exceptions: the letter o also gives /ʌ/ in some words, for example come, love and money. Always check the sound.

What is an adjective?

An adjective is a word that describes or qualifies a noun or a pronoun.

• Example: The ancient house has a gigantic fireplace.
• ancient: describes the kind of house.
• gigantic: tells us what kind of fireplace it is.

Where does an adjective stand in a sentence?

• Before the noun: The tall boy won the race.
• After a verb such as is or seems: The boy is tall.

What are the types of adjectives?

This note teaches seven types of adjectives: descriptive, articles, possessive, demonstrative, number, interrogative and indefinite.

• Descriptive adjectives: tell the quality of a noun, for example ancient, gigantic, strong. A strong wind blew.
• Articles: point out nouns, and they are a, an and the.
• Possessive adjectives: show that something belongs to somebody or something, for example my, your, our, its, his, her, their. His book is torn.
• Demonstrative adjectives: point at nouns, for example this, that, these, those. These books are very interesting. That book is mine.
• Number adjectives: answer the question “how many?”. I have three puppies. Two girls joined our school today.
• Interrogative adjectives: ask questions about a noun. Which book is yours? What time should we go?
• Indefinite adjectives: refer to non-specific people or things. They are drawn from the indefinite pronouns, for example any, many, several, few. Grandfather has been retired for many years now.

How do you write a narrative essay?

A narrative essay is a piece of writing that tells a story of events in the order in which they happened.

What is the structure of the essay?

• Introduction: say where you were going and why.
• Body: tell the events of the journey in order, from the start to your arrival.
• Ending: tell how the journey ended and how you felt.

What should you write about in “A Journey I Once Made”?

Use these guidelines to plan the essay. It is an essay, so do not number your points.

• Where did you travel to?
• What is so important or peculiar about the journey?
• Where did you board your vehicle?
• If in a motor park, describe the scenes, arrival and departure of passengers.
• Mention the transport fare, garage touts and police checkpoints.
• Describe the scene at each stopping point, the speed and the destination.
• Describe the condition of the road.
• Describe your arrival: welcome greetings, gifts, your stay and your departure.
• Give any other details.

What tips make the essay better?

• Tense: write mostly in the past tense.
• Person: use “I”, because it is your own journey.
• Adjectives: use them to describe the road, the vehicle and the people.
• Paragraphs: start a new paragraph for each stage of the journey.

What is the poem “Sweet Sorrow” about?

“Sweet Sorrow” by Pious Oleghe is a poem about parting, which says the sadness of parting shows that the time before it was happy.

There’s nothing more gladdening than sorrow
At parting,
It indicates a happy yesterday; remove it;
For, of presence-absence inverse is
The better that, the worse this;
Nor words nor weeping nor aught amend it,
Saving knowing.
Such sorrowful omen, yet a happier tomorrow.

What is the main idea?

• Sorrow at parting: the sorrow lovers usually express at parting is not necessarily negative.
• Memory: it is a way of recalling good moments from the past.
• Reunion: parting often gives a chance for a reunion, which should be a joyful experience.

What is a paradox?

• Paradox: a statement that seems to contradict itself but contains a truth.
• In this poem: the title “Sweet Sorrow” joins a pleasant word and a sad word.
• Another example: the poem calls sorrow “gladdening”.

Evaluation

Speech work

1. Write ten words for each sound: /ɔ:/, /ɒ/ and /ʌ/.

Adjectives

Underline the adjective in each sentence or phrase:

1. A strong wind
2. Powerful engines roared.
3. Bring some money.
4. More help is coming.
5. Three girls arrived in Nigeria today.

Narrative essay

1. Write an essay on the topic: A Journey I Once Made.

Poem: “Sweet Sorrow”

1. Discuss the use of paradox in this poem.
2. ‘Nor words nor weeping nor aught amend it’ means ‘nothing can ___’.
   A. complement it B. change the situation C. prevent from leaving D. adjust it E. adjust to the situation
3. The poem relies heavily on ___.
   A. simile B. paradox C. alliteration D. pun E. repetition
4. The theme of the poem is ___.
   A. sorrow B. sadness C. pain D. parting E. homecoming
5. Parting indicates a ___ yesterday.
   A. happy B. dull C. painful D. unhappy E. sad
6. The statement ‘our past co-dwelling loses meaning’ means that their past will be ___.
   A. futile B. saddening C. cheering D. peaceful E. worthless

General evaluation and revision

A sextet is a poem or stanza of six lines. A rhyme scheme shows the end rhymes with letters, for example ababcc.

1. Write a poem of six lines (sextet) using an appropriate rhyme scheme.

Assignment

Reading assignment

Effective English, p. 217 (punctuation).

Weekend assignment

Test for continuous assessment, p. 220 (2), questions 1 to 8, Effective English.