Lesson Notes: English Language for SS 1
Subject: English Language
Class: SS 1
Term: Second Term (Relevant to Nigerian NERDC Curriculum)
Topic: Phrasal Verbs and Synonyms
Part 1: Phrasal Verbs
1. Definition
A Phrasal Verb is a phrase that consists of a verb and a particle (a preposition or an adverb, or both). When these two or three words are combined, they usually take on a completely different meaning from the original verb.
- Formula: Verb + Preposition/Adverb = Phrasal Verb
- Example: Look (to see) + After (behind) = Look after (to take care of).
2. Key Phrasal Verbs (As requested)
A. "Come" Phrasal Verbs
- Come across: To find something by chance or to meet someone unexpectedly.
- Example: While cleaning the store, I came across my old primary school results.
- Come in: To enter a room or building; to become fashionable; to finish a race in a certain position.
- Example: The teacher asked the student to come in and sit down.
- Come by: To obtain something that is difficult to get.
- Example: Good jobs are hard to come by these days.
- Come up with: To suggest or think of an idea or plan.
- Example: Tunde came up with a brilliant idea for the cultural day.
B. "Put" Phrasal Verbs
- Put up: To build/erect something; to provide someone with a place to stay.
- Example: My uncle promised to put me up in his house during the holidays.
- Put in: To spend a lot of time or effort doing something; to install equipment.
- Example: You need to put in more effort if you want to pass the WAEC exams.
- Put off: To postpone an event; to make someone dislike something.
- Example: The inter-house sports competition was put off due to the heavy rain.
- Put up with: To tolerate or endure a difficult situation or person.
- Example: I cannot put up with his rude behavior any longer.
3. Usage Table
| Phrasal Verb | Meaning | Sample Sentence |
|---|
| Break down | To stop functioning (machine) | My father’s car broke down on the Third Mainland Bridge. |
| Give up | To stop trying | Never give up on your dreams. |
| Call off | To cancel | The NLC decided to call off the strike. |
| Take after | To resemble a parent | Chidi takes after his father in character. |
Part 2: Synonyms
1. Definition
Synonyms are words that have the same, or nearly the same, meaning as another word in the same language.
Note: In English, few words are exact synonyms. The choice of a word often depends on the context (the situation in which it is used).
2. Examples of Synonyms
| Word | Synonym |
|---|
| Commence | Begin / Start |
| Wealthy | Rich / Affluent |
| Courteous | Polite / Respectful |
| Difficult | Hard / Challenging |
| Terminate | End / Stop / Conclude |
| Fragile | Weak / Breakable |
| Enormous | Huge / Gigantic |
| Sufficient | Enough / Adequate |
3. Importance of Synonyms
- Avoiding Repetition: Instead of saying "The boy is good and his work is good," you can say "The boy is well-behaved and his work is excellent."
- Precision: Choosing the exact word to describe a feeling or situation (e.g., "furious" is stronger than "angry").
Part 3: Exercises
Exercise A: Phrasal Verbs
Fill in the blanks with the correct phrasal verb from the options: (come across, put up with, put off, come in, put in).
- I was walking through the market when I ___________ my old childhood friend.
- The Principal decided to ___________ the meeting until next Friday.
- Please ___________ and have a seat; the Manager will see you soon.
- How do you ___________ the noise from that generator every night?
- The workers ___________ ten hours of labor to finish the project on time.
Exercise B: Synonyms
Choose the word that is nearest in meaning to the underlined word in each sentence.
- The Governor’s speech was very brief.
- (a) Long (b) Short (c) Interesting (d) Loud
- The old man is very wealthy.
- (a) Poor (b) Healthy (c) Affluent (d) Kind
- The students were astonished by the magic trick.
- (a) Sad (b) Happy (c) Surprised (d) Angry
- It is mandatory for all SS 1 students to wear a tie.
- (a) Optional (b) Compulsory (c) Good (d) Difficult
- The witness gave a vivid description of the thief.
- (a) Clear (b) Dark (c) Bad (d) False
Exercise C: Sentence Replacement
Rewrite the following sentences by replacing the underlined words with a suitable phrasal verb.
- I cannot tolerate your laziness anymore.
- The school had to cancel the excursion.
- He resembles his grandfather.
- We found the missing keys by accident.
Answer Key (For Teacher/Self-Correction)
Exercise A: 1. came across, 2. put off, 3. come in, 4. put up with, 5. put in.
Exercise B: 1. b, 2. c, 3. c, 4. b, 5. a.
Exercise C: 1. put up with, 2. call off, 3. takes after, 4. came across.
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