Lesson Notes: English Language for S.S. 1
Subject: English Language
Class: S.S. 1
Topic: Phrasal Verbs (The "Give" Family) & Debate Practice
Curriculum: Nigerian (NERDC)
Part 1: Phrasal Verbs (Focus: "Give")
1. Definition
A phrasal verb is a phrase that consists of a verb and a preposition or an adverb (or both). When combined, they usually take on a new meaning different from the original verb.
2. Common Phrasal Verbs with "Give"
| Phrasal Verb | Meaning | Example Sentence |
|---|
| Give up | To stop doing something; to surrender or quit. | Tunde decided to give up smoking for his health. |
| Give in | To finally agree to what someone wants after refusing; to surrender. | The government refused to give in to the strikers' demands. |
| Give away | To give something for free OR to reveal a secret. | The bride's father will give her away. / Don't give away the ending of the movie! |
| Give off | To produce or emit (a smell, heat, light). | The rotten eggs give off a terrible smell. |
| Give out | To distribute OR to stop working (for a machine/body part). | The teacher gave out the test papers. / His legs gave out after the long marathon. |
| Give back | To return something to its owner. | Please give back the pen you borrowed from Amaka. |
| Give way | To collapse or break under pressure. | The old wooden bridge gave way during the heavy rain. |
3. Usage Tips
- Separable: Some phrasal verbs can be separated by the object. (Give the book back vs. Give back the book).
- Inseparable: Some must stay together. (Give in cannot be separated).
Part 2: Debate Practice
1. What is a Debate?
A debate is a formal discussion on a particular topic in a public meeting or legislative assembly, in which opposing arguments are put forward.
2. Structure of a Formal Debate
- Salutation: "Mr. Moderator, Panel of Judges, Accurate Timekeeper, Co-debaters, and my Fellow Students..."
- Introduction: State your name and the side you are supporting (Proposer or Opposer).
- Body: Present 3–4 strong points with evidence.
- Conclusion: Summarize your points and end with a strong closing statement.
Topic A: "Women are Better Leaders than Men"
Points for the Proposer (Supporting the motion):
- Empathy and Communication: Women are often more collaborative and better at listening, which builds stronger teams.
- Multitasking: Statistically, women are skilled at managing multiple responsibilities simultaneously (home and work).
- Conflict Resolution: Women often prefer negotiation over aggression.
- Example: Mention successful female leaders like Ellen Johnson Sirleaf or Ngozi Okonjo-Iweala.
Points for the Opposer (Against the motion):
- Leadership is Gender-Neutral: Leadership depends on individual character, education, and experience, not gender.
- Physical and Emotional Demands: Opponents might argue that certain high-stress roles have historically been handled effectively by men.
- Historical Precedent: Most of the world's greatest empires and innovations were led by men.
Topic B: "Farmers are More Important than Doctors"
Points for the Proposer (Supporting Farmers):
- The Foundation of Life: Food is the most basic human need. Without food, the doctor and the patient will both die.
- Preventive Medicine: Eating healthy food produced by farmers prevents diseases before a doctor is even needed.
- Raw Materials: Farmers provide materials for clothing (cotton) and medicine (herbs).
- Slogan: "No Farmers, No Food, No Future."
Points for the Opposer (Supporting Doctors):
- Preservation of Life: A farmer can produce food, but if there is an outbreak of Cholera or Malaria, only a doctor can save the community.
- Specialized Knowledge: It takes over 7 years of intense study to become a doctor; the level of skill required is higher.
- Emergency Response: In accidents or childbirth complications, a farmer is helpless; a doctor is the savior.
Part 3: Exercises
Exercise 1: Phrasal Verbs (Fill in the blanks)
Complete the sentences using the correct form of the phrasal verbs: give up, give in, give off, give away, give back.
- The chemistry experiment started to ___________ a strange green gas.
- I will ___________ your textbook tomorrow morning.
- Chidi tried to solve the math problem for an hour before he finally ___________.
- The NGO decided to ___________ free mosquito nets to the villagers.
- Even though the enemy was stronger, the soldiers refused to ___________.
Exercise 2: Debate Preparation
Choose one of the two topics discussed above and write a five-sentence introduction for a debate. Ensure you include the proper salutations.
Exercise 3: Vocabulary Match
Match the phrasal verb to its meaning:
- Give out | A. To reveal a secret
- Give way | B. To distribute
- Give away | C. To collapse
Answer Key for Exercise 1:
- give off
- give back
- gave up
- give away
- give in
Teacher's Note: Encourage students to practice their debate points aloud to improve fluency and confidence. For the phrasal verbs, remind them that the verb "give" changes tense (give, gave, given, giving) depending on the sentence.
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