ENGLISH LANGUAGE NOTES FOR JSS 1 (GRADE 7)

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TOPIC 1: MORE ON SYLLABLES

What is a Syllable?

A syllable is a single unit of pronunciation having one vowel sound, with or without surrounding consonants, forming the whole or a part of a word.

Think of a syllable as the "beat" of a word.

Types of Syllables

1. Monosyllabic Words: Words with only one syllable.
   • Examples: Boy, Go, Sit, School, Bread.
2. Disyllabic Words: Words with two syllables.
   • Examples: Fa-ther, Tea-cher, Mar-ket, Wa-ter.
3. Trisyllabic Words: Words with three syllables.
   • Examples: Beau-ti-ful, Com-pu-ter, E-ner-gy, To-mor-row.
4. Polysyllabic Words: Words with four or more syllables.
   • Examples: E-du-ca-tion (4), In-for-ma-tion (4), Un-u-su-al-ly (5).

How to Count Syllables (The "Clap Test")

To find the number of syllables in a word, place your hand under your chin. Every time your chin drops to make a vowel sound, that is one syllable. Alternatively, clap every time you hear a "beat" in the word.

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TOPIC 2: EXERCISES ON PASSIVE VOICE

Quick Review

• Active Voice: The subject does the action. (The boy kicked the ball.)
• Passive Voice: The subject receives the action. (The ball was kicked by the boy.)

Rule: To change to passive, use: Object + "to be" verb + Past Participle (V3) + by + Subject.

Class Exercise: Change the following from Active to Passive

1. The girl swept the floor.
2. My mother is cooking Jollof rice.
3. The teacher marked the registers.
4. The dog chased the cat.
5. Obinna wrote a beautiful poem.

Answers (For Self-Correction)

1. The floor was swept by the girl.
2. Jollof rice is being cooked by my mother.
3. The registers were marked by the teacher.
4. The cat was chased by the dog.
5. A beautiful poem was written by Obinna.

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TOPIC 3: ARGUMENTATIVE ESSAY

Topic: "Tribalism is a lesser evil than cultism."

What is an Argumentative Essay?

It is a piece of writing where you take a stand on an issue and try to convince the reader that your opinion is correct using facts and logic.

Outline for the Topic

1. Introduction:

• Define Tribalism (favouring one’s ethnic group).
• Define Cultism (membership in secret groups, often involving violence).
• State your position (e.g., "While both are bad, I believe tribalism is a lesser evil than cultism.")

2. Body Paragraph 1: The Nature of Cultism

• Cultism involves secrecy, blood oaths, and extreme violence.
• It leads to the untimely death of young students and terrorizes schools.

3. Body Paragraph 2: The Nature of Tribalism

• Tribalism is often based on a misplaced sense of loyalty to one’s roots.
• While it causes unfairness (nepotism), it does not always involve the intentional killing of peers in the way cultism does.

4. Body Paragraph 3: Impact on Society

• A "tribalist" might hire his brother over a stranger (unfair), but a "cultist" will attack or kill a rival group member (deadly).

5. Conclusion:

• Summarize your points.
• Reiterate that while tribalism hinders national growth, cultism destroys lives immediately and should be eradicated first.

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TOPIC 4: VOCABULARY: COOKING WORDS

To speak and write well about food, you need to know specific verbs used in the kitchen.

Key Vocabulary List

1. Sauté: To fry quickly in a little hot fat/oil.
2. Simmer: To cook food in liquid just below the boiling point (slow bubbles).
3. Grate: To rub food (like carrots or ginger) against a rough surface to break it into small pieces.
4. Knead: To press and stretch dough with your hands (usually for bread or meat pie).
5. Parboil: To boil food (usually rice) until it is partly cooked.
6. Whisk: To beat eggs or cream very quickly with a fork or wire tool.
7. Dice: To cut food into small, square cubes.
8. Marinate: To soak meat or fish in a sauce before cooking to give it flavor.

Example Sentences:

• "Please grate the nutmeg into the chin-chin mixture."
• "You should parboil the rice before cooking it to remove excess starch."
• "Whisk the eggs thoroughly before pouring them into the frying pan."

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Student Checklist

• Can I count the syllables in my name?
• Do I remember to use "was/were" in Passive Voice?
• Can I list three reasons why Cultism is dangerous?
• Do I know the difference between dicing and grating?