SPEECH WORK: STRESS

TOPIC: Identification of the correct points of pauses in different words. (Im’port/’import, ‘refuse/re’fuse)

INTRODUCTION: Stress is an important feature of speech which creates special problems for many Nigerian speakers of English. In speech sounds, some words are uttered or produced with greater breath effort and muscular energy than others. Such syllables with greater muscular energy are louder and longer and are therefore said to be stressed. Stress also involved an increase in the pitch of the voice. In English, there are three (3) degrees of stress, namely: 

1. Primary stress
2. Secondary stress
3. Unstressed words

Syllables with great muscular energy are referred to as “stressed” while those produced with less effort are “unstressed” 

A stressed syllable is indicated by placing a stroke at the beginning of the syllable.

RULES GUIDING STRESS PATTERN

There is no rule guiding the stress pattern of a word in English, but if a word consists of two syllables, the first syllable is a prefix, the second syllable attracts stress while the first syllable is unstressed. Examples:

HOstile ConTAIN

EAting           PreTEND

PIllow UnKNOWN

NEver UnTILL

DOCtor reMAIN

HOStel exCEED

TAble beHIND

WINdow canTEEN

More examples of stress patterns. The meaning and the classes of the following words can also be affected by a change in stress pattern.

NOUN VERB

OBject obJECT

CONtest conTEST

TRANSport transPORT

REbel reBEL

CONtrast conTRAST

PROtest proTEST

EScort esCORT

REcord reCORD

IMport imPORT

Assignment

Indicate the stressed syllable in each of the following words by writing it in capital letters. E.g. Subject (n) – SUBject

WORD STRESS SYLLABLE IN CAPITAL LETTER

Insult (n)

Suspect (v)

Desert (n)

Export (v)

Digest (v)

Project (n)

LESSON TWO

GRAMMAR: REPORTED COMMAND (SPEECH) CONTINUES

Reference to week Nine (9) first term (page 160) New Oxford.

LESSON THREE

READING AND COMPREHENSION: DIALOGUE

The recommended text: New Oxford secondary English course for junior secondary schools 2. 

Reference to comprehension

Unit 1: How we spent the holiday. A conversation between Emeka and Dara.

VOCABULARY DEVELOPMENT 

Words Associated with ICT

1. Keyboard 
2. Computer
3. Mouse
4. Projector 
5. Photocopy machine
6. Printer
7. Scanner
8. USB
9. Light pen
10. Internet
11. C.P.U system unit
12. Motherboard
13. Daughterboard 
14. Memory unit
15. Monitor 

Assignment

Use a dictionary to find the correct meaning of the above words.

LESSON FOUR: COMPOSITION – Formal Letter

TITLE: Write to the Local Government Chairman about the bad road in your area.

FORMAT

8, Fagboola Street Oko – Oba,
Agege,
Lagos.
23rd June, 2015

The Chairman,

Ile – Epo Oke – Odo,

Lagos.

Dear Sir,

BAD ROAD IN BORIPE ALIMOSHO AREA

I write to say congratulations on your recent electoral success which paved the way for your elevation to the exalted office of the chairman of the newly carved local government council. Once again, accept my profound sincere congratulations for your well-deserved office and position.

I would like to seize this opportunity to inform you about a major problem confronting my local government. We need a well-constructed road. Boripe is the bread and the source of food basket of this local government deserves a good road/network of well-tarred roads. These needs will ensure that the products of the local cottage industries and abundant farm produce get to the buyers and consumers outside our town fast and cheaply too. This dream can only materialize when new roads are constructed and the existing ones repaired to make them motorable all season. 

I will be grateful if my request is favourably granted.

Thanks so much.

Yours faithfully

(Signature)

Adeolu Joel

Assignment 

Write a letter to your local government chairman requesting for installment of good materials for effectiveness in your studies (200 words).

LESSON FIVE

LITERATURE – IN – ENGLISH 

1. Use the recommended text on Drama “Dangerous Reward”
2. Discussion on Language, setting, and characterization in the recommended text.

Assignment 

Write a short note on the following character

1. Enny
2. Nkechi
3.  Ayo
4. Nelson
5. Ben