Vowel Contrast /ᴧ/ , /a:/ & Informal Letter JSS3 English Studies Lesson Note

SPEECH WORK:

TOPIC: VOWEL CONTRAST /ᴧ/ AND /a:/

Content:

  /a:/                                          /ᴧ/                                                                     

                                                   Come                                                                    calm

 cart                                              Cut                                                                  

                                             Hut                                                                     heart

                                             Dunce                                                               dance

                                             Must                                                                 mast

                                             Sum                                                                   psalm

  raft                                            Rough                                                    

EVALUATION: transcribe the following words and identify the following sounds /ᴧ/ and /a:/

1.       Heart
2. Clerk            
3. bark         
4. Buck             
5. Hum             
6. Harm           
7.       Barred             
8. Bud              
9. Lark   
10. Luck

ASSIGNMENT: transcribe any ten words of your choice for the vowel contrast  /ᴧ/ and /a:/

GRAMMAR: QUESTION TAGS

CONTENT:

A question tag is a type of question often found at the end of a statement. It is used to change a statement or sentence to a question when it is added. A question tag is a common device in conversation that is aimed at making a statement and at once asking the listener to confirm it.

 THE RULES OF QUESTION TAG

1.       Positive statements attract negative question tags (i.e. question tags with ‘not’). Examples are (a) He is early this morning, isn’t he? (b) You can swim very well, can’t you?
2.       Negative statements attract positive question tags (i.e. question tags without;’ not’). Example (a) he isn’t early this morning, is he? (b) You can’t swim very well, can you?
3.       The auxiliaries or helping verbs repeat themselves in the tag. Examples: (a) He has finished the work hasn’t he? (b) She will sing on Sunday, won’t she?
4.       Other verb (main or lexical) use ‘do’ in the tag. Example (a) Joseph called you yesterday didn’t he? (b) Mary and Yetunde always sing a song, don’t they?
5.       The subject in the tag is always a pronoun and a reflection of the subject in the statement or sentences to which it was added. Example: (a) Kunle always smokes cigarettes doesn’t he (b) You don’t care for your mother, do you?
6.       The positive forms ‘need’ and ‘dare are rarely used in the affirmative with question tags but when so used, they are treated as full or main verbs. Example (a) you need to come earlier don’t you? (b) We need to ask him, don’t we?
7.       “I am” usually has the tag “aren’t “I and ”used to” has a question tag with “did”. Example (a) I am your friend aren’t I? (b) She used to take her to the poultry, didn’t she?

EVALUATION: Add question tags to the following statement

1.       The president has done very well—————?
2.       Lagos isn’t a clean city———————?
3.       Taiwo should rise to the occasion—————–?
4.       He will have to work hard——————?
5.       Students who are lazy don’t pass————–?

COMPOSITION : 

TOPIC: INFORMAL LETTER

Letter writing is an act of communicating information, feelings, ideas, or opinions to somebody who is absent or resides in a distance. A letter should contain full details of the issue one is writing about to bring about the same reaction that would have occurred if the message contained in it had been a spoken one.

Types of letter writing

1.                Informal letter
2.                Semi-formal letter
3.               Formal letter

INFORMAL LETTER

An informal letter is also known as a personal letter. These are letters written to a close relative, friends, and close ones.

FORMAT OF INFORMAL LETTER

1. Address of the writer and date: this must be well–punctuated. The address must appear on the top right-hand corner of the page.

Example:

                                                                                             36, Adebayo Street,

                                                                                             Abule – Egba,

                                                                                             Lagos.

                                                                                             24th May, 2015.

Greeting/salutation: this is usually “Dear” plus the first name of the person you are writing to e.g. Dear Tolu, Dear John. This is so because an informal letter must reflect the cordial relationship between the writer and the receiver.

Complimentary close: ‘Yours sincerely’: is the most appropriate. Followed by the writer’s first name. Example:

                                                                                                 Yours sincerely,

                                                                                                         Dupe.

 EVALUATION: write a letter to your father asking him to send you some money, and give him three reasons for your request.

ASSIGNMENT: Write a letter to your friend living outside the country telling him/her three reasons why you like your school.