Consonant m/, /n/ and /⌡/ JSS2 English Studies Lesson Note

SPEECH WORK: Consonant /m/, /n/ and /⌡/

These sounds are called nasal sounds. The nasal sounds in English are consonants that are produced when the soft palate is lowered to close the oral cavity so that airstream passes through the nasal cavity. The nasals are /m/, /n/, and /J/, and they are all voiced.

The lips are closed while the soft palate is lowered to cover the oral cavity and allow air to pass through the nasal cavity for the production of /m/. This nasal sound is therefore produced if you close the lips, breathe out through the nose, and add some “voice” to the breath stream. The spelling symbol is usually “m”. Pronounce the following words where /m/ occurs at the initial and final position.

/m/ at Initial Position Final Position

1. man cram 
2. make lame
3.  meat steam
4. mile calm
5. mob bomb
6. mark clamp
7.  mean blame 

In /n/, while the soft palate is lowered to allow the air stream to pass through the nasal cavity, the tip of the tongue forms a closure with the alveolar ridge for the production of /n/. The vocal cords vibrate during the articulation of /n/ which is an alveolar nasal. The spelling symbol is “n” but it is silent after “m” in the word-final position as in “damn” and “hymn”. 

/n/ at Initial Position Final Position

1. nab         ban
2. net         tin
3.  knit         corn
4. nice         sign
5. nose tone

/J/ – As the airstream passes through the nasal cavity, as a result of the lowering of the soft palate, the back of the tongue forms a closure with the volume for the production of /J/. The vocal cords vibrate during the production of the consonant which is alveolar nasal /J/ does not occur at the beginning of a word and the spelling symbols are: “ng” and “nk”.

/J/ at Initial Position Final Position

1. ringer bang
2. hunger swing
3.  tangle tongue
4. anger sting
5. stronger sing
6. banquesst wing etc.

Assignment 

Indicate the consonant at the final position in each of the following words. Write the appropriate symbols.

1. E.g. boom /m/
2. Damn
3. Sign
4. Nose
5. Halve
6. Walked 
7. Cough
8. Legs
9. Limb
10. With 

LESSON TWO

GRAMMAR: Punctuation Marks (Continues)

Sub–Title: The Question Marks, The Colon, and The Semicolon.

1. THE QUESTION MARKS (?) – It is used after direct speech. Example: (i) What is your name? (ii) Who are you?
2. THE COLON (:) – It is used for introducing quotations, lists, etc, examples

(i) In the Oke–Odo market, I saw the following: maize, yams, fisher, vegetables, and tomatoes.

(ii) My father said this coming Christmas, he will ride a Toyota Camry car.

1. THE SEMICOLON (;) – It is used between two closely joined principal or main clauses. Examples 

(i) The sun was setting; the shadow was long

(ii) The book is not mine; it is my uncle’s 

Assignment 

Punctuate the following sentences

Exercise 19D. Page 153

Question No 11 – 20 

Reference: Progressive English An Elaborate Coverage of Grammar. By J. Addai.

LESSON THREE

READING AND COMPREHENSION

As in Week 8

Reference –  New Oxford for junior Secondary school book 2. Unit 10. Page 96

Reading to understand the writer’s purpose

Persuasion:

Read this. Then do the exercise below.

Title: When Should They Go?

LESSON FOUR

COMPOSITION: Revision of the types of Letters and Essay

LESSON FIVE

LITERATURE – IN – ENGLISH 

Revision on Literacy