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SECONDARY SCHOOL IMPROVEMENT
PROGRAMME (SSIP) 2015
GRADE 12
SUBJECT: ENGLISH FIRST ADDITIONAL LANGUAGE
TEACHER NOTES
(Page 1 of 54)
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TABLE OF CONTENTS
SESSION
TOPIC
PAGE
5
Visual Literacy – Advertising
3 - 15
6
Parts of Speech
16 - 32
7
Transactional Writing – Persuasive Letter
33 - 39
8
Critical Language Awareness
40 - 52
MARKING RUBRIC FOR SESSION 7 IS ON PAGE 53
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SESSION NO: 5
TOPIC: VISUAL LITERACY – ADVERTISING
Key-words: Target market, AIDA principles, Logo, Slogan, Copy and Graphics
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Explain to learners that “advertising” is all around them. Let them think about
newspapers, magazines, billboards, television, etc.
To understand advertising, the learners have to learn certain skills that they
can use in the answering of the examination questions.
Give learners the typical exam question and without explaining ask learners to
read the advertisement and answer the questions.
After the learner has answered the questions, mark the answers with the
learners. It is important that the learners see that their visual literacy skills
need attention.
Work through the content notes with close reference to the advertisements
that they have answered at the beginning of the session. Work through the
notes steps by step.
It would also be advisable for you to bring along a few magazines, so learners
can look for suitable advertisement to practically analyse these.
Give learners the homework questions to do for the next contact session.
Approximate timing for each section of the lesson:
Introduction
Questions
Notes on Content and explanations
– 05 minutes
– 20 minutes
– 55 minutes
SECTION A: TYPICAL EXAM QUESTIONS
QUESTION 1: 15 minutes
(Taken from NSC March 2013 Paper 1)
Study the advertisement below and answer the set questions.
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NOTE:
For one-word answers, write only the question number and the word.
1.1
Name the TWO supplements found in the advertised product.
(2)
1.2
Name TWO ways in which the advertiser attracts the reader's
attention.
(2)
Do you think a product such as 'Bettaway' should be taken by
students? Give a reason for your answer.
(1)
How do the boys in the background of the picture show 'the daily
pressure of student life'?
(1)
1.3
1.4
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1.5
1.6
1.7
What does the word 'gradually' tell you about how this product works?
Use your OWN words.
(1)
Quote no more than SIX consecutive words to prove that the
advertised product is safe and natural.
(1)
Explain which character in the picture needs the product most.
(2)
[10]
SECTION B: NOTES ON CONTENT
Advertising is a message designed to promote a product / service / idea.
These messages are shown to the public via the media by means of newspapers,
magazines, radio, television, billboards, flyers, etc.
Advertisements make use of emotive and persuasive means.
A successful advertisement will make use of one or more of the following techniques:
 creativity
 emotion
 reason
 fact
 opinion
Target Market
• This is the group of people that an advertisement is trying to reach.
• It may be divided into age, gender, social status and activities.
• Advertisers use the fact that buyers classify themselves in order to create
adverts to appeal to those classified groups.
– E.g.: teens, computer geeks, stay-at-home mothers, jetsetters,
corporates, etc.
AIDA Principle
 Attention – grab the attention of the consumer
 Interest – arouse and maintain the consumer’s interest
 Desire – create a desire to own the advertised product
 Action – manipulate the consumer into taking action
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A=
ATTENTION
It is vital that the advertiser grabs the attention of the consumer.
Attention can be attracted by:
 An eye-catching image
 Clever use of language
 Attractive layout
 Posing a question
 Font (type of lettering)
 Catchy headlines
I=
INTEREST
Once the consumer’s attention has been attracted, the advert must sustain
his/her interest. Then the consumer must feel compelled to read on.
There are two ways of doing this:
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Visual Techniques
Linguistic Techniques
Visual Techniques:
• Cartoons
• Graphs
• Colourful, attractive photographs
• Outline diagrams
• Statistics
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•
Unusual layouts
Linguistic Techniques:
• Punchy headlines / captions
• Rhetorical questions
• Puns, Alliteration
• Slogans, Clichés
• Repetition, Exaggeration
• Unusual trade names
• Emotive language
• Opinions stated as facts
• Jingles, catchy songs
• Jargon
Appealing visual and emotive language usage:
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D=
DESIRE
Advertisers also appeal to basic human desires or needs and hint that
desires/needs will be met if their product is purchased.
Advertisers try to convince consumers that their products will help them to fulfil
one or more of their basic needs, or that they are essential for survival.
For example, an advert may convey the idea that a new deodorant will lead to
love.
“Wants” are different from “needs” – we may want things such as holidays,
nice clothes or a fancy car, but these things are not essential for survival, or
true “needs”. Advertisers will try to convince you that you need what they are
selling, as opposed to just wanting it. They do this by creating desire.
The following techniques are used to create desire:
 Appealing to the readers’ emotions and desires - Almost everyone
wants to be safe, wealthy, beautiful, successful, admired, loved and
accepted. Advertisers convince people that their product will help them
to achieve these needs and desires. For example, an advert that says
“Your family will be safe behind a Burglar Shield!” implies that this
product will ensure that you and your family are safe.
 Flattering the reader - Adverts that flatter or compliment a reader play
on their sense of vanity and appeal to the need for self-actualisation.
So, advertisers will say things such as: you are special and unique;
therefore it is worth spending money on hair care products.
 Associating the product with a desirable lifestyle - Products may be
associated with a desirable lifestyle. For example, before they were
banned, cigarette adverts showing people skiing or sailing were
designed to convince us that smoking is part of a glamorous lifestyle.
 Claims of success - Because people value the opinions of
professionals, a pain-killer may be promoted by a doctor, or a washing
powder advert may claim that the product is “scientifically proven” to
remove more stains. Adverts may also cite statistics such as “three out
of four people lost weight by taking these pills” to convince us that the
product works.
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Desire to be safe:
A=
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ACTION
Not only must advertisers get the attention of the consumer but they also need
to ensure that the consumer acts in response to the advert.
Buy one get one free’
Limited stocks
Limited term offers
Money back guarantees
Easy payment plans
Discounts
Free gifts
‘Bargain of the century’
Clearance sales
Reduced prices
Order immediately and ….
Language used in adverts
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Example of action:
The language of Advertising:
Informal Language:
 Everyday speech
 Vocabulary less sophisticated
 Simple sentences
 Informal grammar
 Colloquialisms and slang
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Informative Language:
 Informs viewer of the product / service
 Language that aids the selling of the product
 Jargon
Emotive Language:
 Appeals to emotions rather than to intellect
 It is persuasive
 Bias = to be in favour or against something without prior knowledge
 Advertisers make use of fact and opinion, propaganda, sensationalism and
bias.
 The
 following words are considered
emotive in advertising:
o New
o Value
o Now
o Approved
o Free
o Unique
o Best
o Rewards
o Breakthrough
o Fast
o Unlimited
o Instantly
o Limited
o Proven
o Ultimate
o Winner
o Famous
o Fact
o True
o Stop
o Perfect
o Easy
o Save
o Happiness
o Amazing
o Revolutionary
o Improved
o Latest
o Discover
o Revealed
o Terrific
o Successful
o Dream
o Yours
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Information on an Advertisement
 Logo
 Picture / graphic used as an identifying symbol
 Acts as signature for a brand
 Slogan
 Short, memorable phrase that is immediately associated with a brand
 Copy
 Other written info
 Graphics
 Illustrations
Illustration
Copy
Logo
Slogan
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SECTION C:
HOMEWORK QUESTIONS
QUESTION 1: 15 minutes
(Taken from NSC Nov 2012 Paper 1)
Study the advertisement and answer the set questions.
*The results are guaranteed or we'll give you your money back. Call 0861 11 1100 for
details of guarantee.
© 2007 Reckitt Benckiser South Africa (Pty) Ltd, 8 Jet Park Road, Elandsfontein 1406. For
product comments or queries call 0861 11 1100.
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1.1
What is the name of the advertised product?
(1)
1.2
Who is likely to buy this product?
(1)
1.3
Explain what the use of the words 'guaranteed' and 'money back'
suggests about the advertiser's view of the product.
(2)
Give TWO reasons why the picture of the dog is suitable for this
advertisement.
(2)
How does the advertiser emphasise the speed at which the product
works?
(1)
Quote a single word which tells the reader that this product is the best
of its kind on the market.
(1)
How does the advertiser make the reader aware that there is a whole
range of products available?
(1)
How do we know the advertiser is willing to communicate with
customers?
(1)
1.4
1.5
1.6
1.7
1.8
[10]
SECTION D:
SOLUTIONS FOR SECTION A
1.1
multivitamins and minerals 
(2)
1.2
The advertiser uses a big picture. 
He uses humour – the boy is going to step into the pool/pond/ going to
fall. 
Different font sizes in the text
He uses a pun/play on the word 'Bettaway'/'better way'. 
NOTE: Accept any TWO of the above.
(2)
1.3
Yes. Students need products like this to boost their energy. 
OR
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No. Students should rather follow a healthy diet than drink pills or
supplements. 
NOTE: The above are only examples. Allow for the candidates' own
interpretation. Do NOT award a mark for YES or NO only.
(1)
The pair in the background is rushing, indicating time pressure/a busy
schedule. 
They all have heavy books/academic pressure. 
NOTE: Accept any ONE of the above.
(1)
1.5
It works slowly/over a long period of time.
(1)
1.6
'no artificial preservatives, colours or flavours'
NOTE: Do not penalise if quotation marks are omitted.
(1)
1.4
1.7
The boy in front  because he is not concentrating properly. 
OR
The boys in the background  because they look stressed/rushed. 
OR
The girls  because they are not focusing. 
NOTE: Accept any ONE of the above.
++
(2)
[10]
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SESSION NO: 6
TOPIC: PARTS OF SPEECH
Key-words: Nouns, Verbs, Adjectives, Adverbs, Pronouns, Conjunctions,
Prepositions, Interjections and Articles.
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Explain to learners that “parts of speech” is the building blocks for language.
Let them think about the various parts of speech that they can remember.
To understand parts of speech, the learners have to learn the names of the
parts of speech as well as the sub-categories within the various parts of
speech.
Give learners the questions and without explaining ask learners to answer the
questions.
After the learner has answered the questions, mark the answers with the
learners. It is important that the learners see what mistakes they have made.
Work through the content notes. Make sure that learners understand each of
the parts of speech before moving on to the next part of speech.
Give learners the homework questions to do for the next contact session.
Approximate timing for each section of the lesson:
Introduction
Questions
Notes on Content and explanations
– 10 minutes
– 20 minutes
– 60 minutes
SECTION A: TYPICAL EXAM QUESTIONS
QUESTION 1:
(Taken from various sources)
Identify the part of speech of the words in bold.
1. I like ice-cream.
2. Daniel is moving to Florida.
3. The cat keeps fighting with the dog.
4. Hey, this is mine!
5. He bought a new hat and a new shirt.
6. She handled it very smoothly.
7. This is the most beautiful view I've ever seen.
8. You should be able to fix it.
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9. Obviously, you will not be alone.
10. Hi, it's good to see you.
11. Reading is important.
12. This is for you.
13. He is the best in the area.
14. He probably hates himself now.
15. He is good looking, but is he smart?
16. I am ready.
QUESTION 2:
Correct the twelve (12) grammar errors in these sentences.
1. I bought some of them apples from he and Jim.
2. He had went there several times before.
3. The driver could of finished this if I had had the time.
4. The lawyer will do all the work hisself.
5. The tourists changed a large amount of dollars at the airport.
6. Could him and me rent a movie?
7. He sure done good on his last test.
8. Each of the students should buy their own textbook for this course.
SECTION B: NOTES ON CONTENT
The language section of Paper 1 is based on contextual prose texts and visual texts
from which you will be required to answer questions based on language used in the
particular context. The aim is to test your ability to use language and not only the
knowledge of language rules and structures.
Look at the rhyme below and remind yourself of the 9 parts of speech in English.
A noun’s the name of anything…
…as in school or garden, slide or swing.
Adjectives describe the kind of noun …
…as in great or small, pretty, white or brown.
Instead of nouns the pronouns fit…
…as in he and you and they and it.
Verbs tell of something being done…
…to read or write, sing, jump or run.
How, when and where the adverbs tell…
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…as in slowly, still or now or well.
Conjunctions join the words together…
…as in men and women, wind or weather.
The preposition stands before the noun…
…as in through a window or under the crown.
The interjection shows surprise…
…as in oh how stupid, ah, how wise.
Three little words you often see...
…are articles a, an and the
The whole are called the nine parts of speech…
…which reading, writing and speaking teach.
Many of you battle to identify the parts of speech in a sentence. We need to rectify
this because it will ALWAYS come up in exams and nobody can afford to throw away
these marks.
So how do we do this? We think of a soccer team.
The team consists of 11 players, each performing a specific task. How do you know
which player is playing in which position? Simple. We watch what he's doing on the
field.
If a player is staying in the area of the goal box, and is dressed in a different shirt
than the rest of the team, then he is the goalkeeper.
If a player is playing in front of his team’s goal keeper and seems to help protect the
goal box, then he is playing defence.
If a player is playing in the front line of the team and seems to attack the oppositions
goal box, then he is playing in a striker position.
The same is true of the parts of speech.
You simply look at the sentence and figure out what the particular word is doing in
the sentence. Is it naming a person, place or thing? Then it's a noun. Is it linking
two phrases or clauses? Then it's a conjunction.
And so on.
It's really NOT that hard to figure out! You just need to know the functions of each of
the nine parts of speech off by heart and then THINK. Apply your knowledge to the
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sentence and reason it out.
Now before you start getting all hysterical over actually having to learn nine parts of
speech ~ heaven forbid ~ consider how many songs you know off by heart ... or how
many sports stars or celebrities you can name ... etc. If you can recall all that, you
can surely remember nine parts of speech!
Study the notes below and memorise them off by heart, then tackle the
exercises. You'll get it in no time.
Nouns:
Nouns provides labels or names for people, places, things or ideas. All nouns are
either common (i.e. non-specific) or proper (i.e. specific) nouns. Other types of
nouns include:
Collective Nouns ... e.g. gang of boys, fleet of cars
Compound Nouns ... e.g. physical education
Abstract Nouns ... e.g. love (emotion), democracy (concept), poverty (state of
being)
These words are made up
of two or more words. Most
compound nouns in English
are formed by nouns
modified by other nouns or
adjectives. E.g. toothpaste,
monthly ticket, underground,
haircut.
These words name everyday
objects we can touch. E.g.
pen, chair, table, shoe.
These words name things
we can’t see. E.g. love,
poverty, democracy, fear.
These words name
people and places. E.g.
Spain, Samantha, John,
Monday. They ALWAYS
have a capital letter.
These words name
groups. E.g. choir, class,
team, pride of lions.
Common nouns are further classified into:
 Concrete nouns – things you can see or touch (e.g., tree, cloud)
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Non-countable nouns (mass nouns) – things you cannot count (e.g., food,
music)
Gender-specific nouns – words which are definitely male or female (e.g.,
vixen, actress)
Verbal nouns – nouns derived from verbs (e.g., a building, an attack)
Gerunds – nouns that represent actions (e.g., running fast, guessing a
number)
Possessive nouns – When we want to show that something belongs to
somebody or something, we usually add ‘s to a singular noun and an
apostrophe to a plural noun (e.g. the boy’s ball – one boy; the boys’ ball – two
or more boys). Notice that the number of balls does not matter. The structure
is influenced by the possessor not the possessed.
Adjectives:
Adjectives define, describe, illustrate, or in some way give more information
about nouns (or pronouns) to which they are always attached. We call this
'qualifying' the noun.
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John is watching a funny movie.
A recent movie review told him it would be good.
John went with his two friends.
They spent much time at the movies.
If you want to identify an adjective in a sentence, first identify the noun and then ask
yourself if the word adds to your understanding of it. If so, then it's an adjective.
Pronouns:
A pronoun is a word that is used to replace a noun.
Without pronouns, we would sound ridiculous = John wanted to go to the shop
because John thought that John might need something for John's cold. So John
hopped into John's car and went.
It sounds less clumsy to replace the noun with a pronoun = John wanted to go to the
shop because he thought that he might need something for his cold. So he hopped
into his car and went.
There are seven types of pronouns:
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Personal Pronouns ... e.g. I, you, he, she, it, we, us, they, them
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Possessive Pronouns ... e.g. his, hers, ours, mine, its
Relative Pronouns ... e.g. who, whose, whom, which, that
Reflexive Pronouns ... e.g. himself, herself, themselves, itself
Interrogative Pronouns ... e.g. what? Who? Whose?
Indefinite Pronouns ... e.g. Someone, anyone, no one
Demonstrative Pronouns ... e.g. this, these, those
Verbs:
Verbs aren't easy to deal with because there's a whole lot more to them than I'm
going to describe here, but basically, verbs express action or behaviour. They tell us
what an object does (or did, or will do).
There are three types of verbs:
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The action verb tells us what action a subject has performed in the past / is
performing now / will perform in the future ... e.g. he ran, his is running, and
he will run.
The linking verb connects (or links) a subject to a noun / adjective. The most
common linking verb is the verb "to be". Different forms of the verb "to be" =
is, are, was, were, been, being, am ... e.g. It is Friday. I am John Mokoena. It
was a Toyota.
The helping verb assists the main verb in a sentence ... e.g. am, is, are, was,
were, be, been, being, has, had, have, do, does, did, may, might, must, can,
could, shall, should, will, would
Adverbs:
Just as adjectives 'qualify' the noun, adverbs 'modify' verbs, adjectives or other
adverbs. In other words, they tell us the time, place or manner in which the action
happened, or the extent to which it happened:
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Adverbs modify verbs ... e.g. John ate quickly. (= Manner)
Adverbs modify other adverbs ... e.g. John ate too quickly. (= Manner)
Adverbs modify adjectives ... e.g. the food was very delicious. (= Extent)
Adverbs are categorized on the basis of it information it gives, into the following
categories.
1. Adverbs of manner
2. Adverb of place
3. Adverb of time
4. Adverb of frequency
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Adverbs of Manner
These adverbs tell us that in which manner the action occurs or how the action
occurs or occurred or will occur.
Examples.
She speaks loudly.
He was driving slowly.
You replied correctly.
He runs fast.
They solved the problem easily.
Listen to me carefully.
Adverb of Place.
Adverb of place tells us about the place of action or where action occurs/occurred/will
occur.
e.g. here, there, near, somewhere, outside, ahead, on the top, at some place.
Examples.
He will come here.
The children are playing outside.
He was standing near the wall.
They were flying kites on the top of hill.
He lives somewhere in New York.
She went upstairs.
Adverb of time
These adverbs tell us about the time of action. e.g. now, then, soon, tomorrow,
yesterday, today, tonight, again, early, yesterday.
Examples.
I will buy a computer tomorrow.
The guest came yesterday.
Do it now.
She is still waiting for her brother.
He got up early in the morning.
Adverb of frequency
Adverbs of frequency tell us how many times the action occurs or occurred or will
occur.
e.g. daily, sometimes, often, seldom, usually, frequently, always, ever, generally,
rarely, monthly, yearly.
Examples.
He goes to school daily.
She never smokes.
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He is always late for class.
They always come in time.
Barking dogs seldom bite.
The employees are paid monthly.
The employees are paid every month.
Prepositions:
Prepositions show the relationships between a noun (or pronoun) and another
noun (or pronoun) ... e.g. what is the relationship between the dog and the
table? The dog (noun) is under the table (noun).
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Examples of common prepositions include ... aboard, about, above, across,
after, against, along, among, around, as, at, before, behind, below, beneath,
beside, besides, between, beyond, but, by, concerning, despite, down, during,
except, for, from, in, inside, into, like, near, of, off, on, onto, opposite, out,
outside, over, past, since, though, throughout, till, to, toward, under,
underneath, until, up, upon, with, within, without
 Examples of compound-word prepositions ... as regards, up to, near to,
because of, with regard to, as far as, as well as, on behalf of, in accordance
with
Prepositions can show location, time or movement:
Location
Time
Movement
Above
After
Against
Behind
Before
Along
Below
By
Down
Beside
During
From
Between
From
Into
By
On
Off
In
Past
On
Inside
Since
Onto
Near
Through
Out of
On
To
Towards
Over
Until
Up
Through
Upon
Upon
I am in the pool.
We will meet after the
I am getting out of the
swimming lesson.
pool.
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Conjunctions:
Conjunctions connect words, phrases, or clauses ... e.g. the boys and girls walked to
class. I would like to help but I am too busy.
There are three types of conjunctions:
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Co-ordinating Conjunctions are used to link or join two words or phrases that
are equally important and complete in terms of grammar when compared with
each other. That is to say, the sentences or words do not depend on anything
to give themselves meaning.
There are seven main coordinating conjunctions For
And
Nor
But
Or
Yet
Soon
As you can see, these conjunctions are arranged in this way to provide the
mnemonic acronym of FANBOYS so that it is easier to remember them.
These conjunctions are always placed between the two clauses or words that
they are joining. The following are some examples of the coordinating
conjunctions Chris does not want tea. Chris does not want coffee. - Chris does not want tea
or coffee. Here, we see how ‘or’ was used to combine the two words and
make a cohesive sentence using them. Also, notice how the ‘or’ is between
the two words.
I scored 60% in the exams this year. Anita scored 7% more than me this year.
- I scored 60% in the exams but Anita scored 7% more than me this year.
Here we see that ‘but’ was used in the middle to combine and show the
relation between the two sentences that were both equally important and
cohesive by themselves.
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Correlative Conjunctions are simply pairs of conjunctions used in a sentence
to join different words or groups of words in a sentence together. Correlative
Conjunctions are generally not used to link sentences themselves, instead
they link two or more words of equal importance within the sentence itself.
Some of the more commonly used correlative conjunctions are Both the shoes and the dress were completely overpriced. (This is an
example of using the correlative conjunctions ‘both/and’ in a sentence. As
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you can see in this sentence, the ‘shoes’ and the ‘dress’ were equally
important elements that needed to be given the same importance.)
They should either change their strategy or just forfeit the game. (The
‘either/or’ conjunctions are used to suggest a choice between two options.
Here the choice being suggested is between - ‘change their strategy’ or ‘forfeit
the game’.)
Just as she loves hiking so she enjoys travelling as well. (The correlative
conjunctions ‘just as/so’ are used to link two phrases that have a similar
theme or are referring to a similar thing together. This conjunction is used to
show the correspondence between two phrases or words.)
He neither helps around the house nor does he look for a job. (‘Neither/nor’
are conjunctions that are used to deny or negate words and phrases. In the
case of ‘neither’, it gives two options that are both negated. ‘Nor’ is the
negative form of ‘or’.)
Not only does he play the lead guitar but he is also the band’s songwriter.
(The correlative conjunctions ‘not only/but’ are used to show an additional
and important element in the sentence that is used to indicate excess when
combined with the first element. For instance, in this sentence the fact that he
is a guitarist and a song writer are equally important but when shown together,
they indicate an excess of talent in the person.)
It doesn’t matter whether the roses are fresh or if they are drooping, just buy
them. (‘Whether/or’ is used as a conjunction to show two different options in
the sentence. The conjunction can be used both in a manner of negation and
confirmation.)

Sub-ordinating conjunctions are used to join an independent and complete
clause with a dependent clause that relies on the main clause for meaning and
relevance. The dependent clause cannot exist on its own as a sentence and
often does not make sense without the main clause.
The subordinating conjunction always comes before the dependent clause but
the dependent clause itself can be placed either ahead of or following the
independent clause.
Since they had misbehaved, the boys were given one week suspensions from
school. (Here, we see the dependent clause is ‘they had misbehaved’ which
is not a valid sentence by itself. The independent main clause is ‘the boys
were given one week suspensions from school’. They are joined by the
subordinating conjunction ‘since’.)
He was fond of playing basketball because it was his father’s favourite game.
(In this sentence, because is the subordinating conjunction as it introduces
the dependent clause ‘it was his father’s favourite game’. The main clause in
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this sentence is ‘he was fond of playing basketball’ as it is the sentence which
can be said independently and still be grammatically correct.)
Other subordinating conjunctions are - Although, As, Before, Once, Though,
Until, Whether, etc.
Articles:
There are only three articles: the, a and an. They are very small words which cause
very large problems if used incorrectly. If, for example, you wanted someone to hand
you the book, but you accidentally said a book, the other person might hand you any
book and not the specific book you were referring to.
The definite article refers to a noun, either in the singular or plural. It can be used
with uncountable nouns. The refers to a specific thing or quantity. It should be placed
before the noun, or before the adjective which directly modifies the noun.
Please give me the hammer.
Please give me the hammer and the nail.
The indefinite articles are used when we are referring to an unspecified thing or
quantity. We use them when we don’t know (or don’t care) which thing we’re talking
about.
There once was a sheep.
I don’t know which sheep it was – don’t know its name or where it’s from, or anything
about it – so I can’t say the sheep.
We use a before nouns or adjectives which begin with a consonant, or when U
sounds like a Y, or O sounds like a W.
A cat
A dog
A university
A young puppy
A one-eyed pirate
We use an before words which begin with a vowel sound or a soft H sound.
An egg
An hour-glass
An antique necklace
This rule also applies to acronyms.
A Society of Writers member was quoted in the article.
A SOW. member was quoted in the article.
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An S.O.W. member was quoted in the article.
Because S sounds like it begins with a vowel (ess), an should be used in front of it.
Interjections:
Interjections express emotions such as anger, pain or surprise ... e.g.
Ahh! Bravo! Damn! Eek! Gosh! Hallelujah! Hey! Hurray! Mmm! Oh! Oh
no! Oops! Ouch! Really! Well! Whoa! Wow! Yeh! Yes! Yippee!
Let me show you what I mean by reasoning things out:
Passage:
I am currently sitting comfortably on the couch in my country-style lounge with my
high-tech computer on my lap. I am working diligently on the "Parts of Speech" notes
for my beloved learners.
Answer:
I (stands in for me, the speaker = pronoun) am sitting (helping verb + action verb)
comfortably (describes the way I am doing the verb, i.e. sitting = an adverb) on
(describes the relationship between my butt and the couch = a preposition) the
(article) couch (an object = a noun) in (shows the relationship between the couch
and my lounge = a preposition) my (stands in for me, the speaker = pronoun)
country-style (describes my lounge = adjective) lounge (a place = a noun) with my
(stands in for me, the speaker = a pronoun) high-tech (describes the noun, i.e. my
computer = an adjective) computer (an object = a noun) on (describes the
relationship of my PC to my lap = a preposition) my (stands in for the speaker = a
pronoun) lap (a part of a person = a noun). I (stands in for the speaker = a pronoun)
am working (helping verb + action verb) diligently (describes the way that I am
doing the verb = an adverb) on (shows the relationship between my actions and what
I'm doing the action on = a preposition) the (article) "Parts of Speech" (describes
the noun, i.e. notes = an adjective) notes (an object = a noun) for (shows the
relationship between what I'm doing and who I'm doing it for = preposition) my
(stands in for the speaker = a pronoun) beloved (describes the noun = an adjective)
learners (people = noun).
To sum it up:
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SECTION C:
HOMEWORK QUESTIONS
QUESTION 1: 20 minutes
(Taken from various Past papers)
Read the passage below, which has some deliberate errors, and answer the set
questions.
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SINCERELY YOURS
Handwriting is a simple and beautiful way of connecting with others, but it may be a
dying art.
Handwriting is a simple and beautiful way of connecting with others, but it may be a
dying art.
The loss of handwriting in our high-tech world is saddening. People of all ages have
bad handwriting as keyboards replace pen and paper. Increasingly, school children
do assignments on computer and struggle to write, having had little
(practice/practise).
The older generation learnt to write by dipping a pen in ink and then carefully forming
beautiful letters. After that came the fountain pen and then the ballpoint pen. Every
generation was convinced that the next invention was not an improvement for the
previous one. Handwriting dominated every aspect of a school going childs' life from
the first moment he started to shape letters.
Many older people still have dairies to write down the important aspects of their lives.
Written records have been replaced.
Handwritten letters are as rare as square apples. Today's lovers cannot even
imagine the (romantic) of a real love letter. Few of us write letters any longer, even to
our nearest and dearest. We communicate by e-mail, fax, SMS and phone. All these
methods are faster, but the (tragic) is that the communication is lost after the
message has been delivered. Just by pressing a 'delete' button, (a/an) entire history
can be destroyed.
Should children still be taught to write with pen and paper? Should pen and paper be
kept alive when laptops and mobiles are faster and accurate?
Handwritten cards, letters and notes from dear family members and friends who have
passed away is precious possessions. People should write thank-you notes to friends
and family, postcards instead of e-mails and SMS messages when they travel, and
keep handwritten journals for their own memories.
Steven Miller, the archivist at an art gallery said, "Saving material in digital format
only is risky and unstable. We do not know how long it will survive."
[Adapted from READER'S DIGEST, March 2010]
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1.1
Correct the SINGLE error in each of the following sentences. Write
down only the question number and the answer.
(a) Handwritten cards, letters and notes from dear family members and
friends who have passed away is precious possessions.
(1)
(b) Should pen and paper be kept alive when laptops and mobiles are
faster and accurate?
1.2
(1)
Choose the correct word from those in brackets:
(a) Increasingly, school children do assignments on computers and
struggle to write, having had little (practice/practise).
(1)
(b) Just by pressing a 'delete' button, (a/an) entire history can be
destroyed.
1.3
Replace the underlined word with the correct one:
Every generation was convinced that the next invention was not an
improvement for the previous one.
1.4
(1)
(1)
Combine the following sentences into a single sentence starting with
the given word:
We communicate by e-mail, fax, SMS and phone.
We use these methods because they are faster.
Start with: Since ...
1.5
(1)
Study the picture below and answer the questions
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Give the correct form of the words in brackets:
(a) Many rivers and streams have been (pollution).
(b) The (tragic) is that we abuse our environment.
(1)
(1)
1.6 Study the picture below and answer the questions.
1.6.1 Give the correct form of the word in brackets:
Having enough money makes you (a) (independence). The more
(2)
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money you have, the (b) (happy) you might be.
1.6.2 Form suitable nouns from the words in brackets:
She sees expensive items in her (a) (imagine), but she must
remember that she cannot buy (b) (happy).
SECTION D:
(2)
[12]
SOLUTIONS FOR SECTION A
QUESTION 1:
1. Verb
2. Proper noun
3. Preposition
4. Interjection
5. Conjunction
6. Adverb
7. Adjective
8. Pronoun
9. Interjection
10. Interjection
11. Noun
12. Preposition
13. Adjective
14. Pronoun
15. Conjunction
16. Verb
QUESTION 2:
1. I bought some of those apples from Jim and him.
2. He had gone there several times before.
3. The driver could have finished this if he had had the time.
4. The lawyer will do the work himself.
5. The tourists changed a large number of dollars at the airport.
6. Could he and I rent a movie?
7. He certainly did well on his last test
8. Each of the students should by his or her own textbooks for this course.
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SESSION NO: 7
TOPIC: PERSUASIVE LETTER WRITING
Key-words: Persuasive, salutations, introduction and conclusion








Explain to learners that “a persuasive letter” is useful in many situations. Let
them think about situations where the skill of writing persuasively can be
useful.
To understand persuasive writing, the learners have to learn certain skills that
they can use.
Explain to learners that writing is their most important skill to pass English with
good marks. Not only does the writing paper count the most of all the papers,
but 70% of learner SBA marks are also based on writing skills.
Give learners the typical exam question and clearly explain to learners that
they should not attempt to write the full letter.
Learners should carefully consider the topic. Focus their attention on how
important it is to analyse the topic before writing.
Learners should write only the introduction, three main points and conclusion.
Work through the content notes and strategies with the learners. Slowly go
through the steps with them.
Give learners the homework questions to do for the next contact session.
Approximate timing for each section of the lesson:
Introduction
Questions
Notes on Content and explanations
– 10 minutes
– 25 minutes
– 55 minutes
SECTION A: TYPICAL EXAM QUESTIONS
QUESTION 1: 15 minutes
Plan to write a persuasive letter on the topic below.
In your planning include the following:



Introduction
Three valid points
Conclusion
Write a persuasive letter to your principal to convince him/her to allow you start a
brand new club at the school. In your planning also remember to use the format of a
formal letter.
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SECTION B: NOTES ON CONTENT
The formal letter must be written in direct, simple English. The writer must keep in
mind that the intended audience should understand what is communicated for the
results/ response to be positive.
The letter should be …



clear and straightforward – the recipient must not be left wondering at what you are
trying to communicate;
concise and to the point; and
logical.
Structure
 All letters should have an introduction, a body and a conclusion.
 There must be two addresses, the writer’s and the recipient’s;
 A formal salutation – Dear Sir, Dear Mrs Bukov, etc. - follows the recipient’s
address;
 A title or subject line follows the salutation. This is a one-line summary of the
letter and should be underlined;
 The language register must be formal;
 The conclusion must also be formal – Yours faithfully – followed by the writer’s
surname and initials.
Issues to avoid
 Slang and colloquial language;
 Contractions, abbreviations and acronyms;
 Unsubstantiated accusations, threats that cannot be carried out, emotional
language, sarcasm, clichés, etc.
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The format of a formal letter:
Your address and the date in full
The Manager
City Groove Magazine
55 Tabloid Street
Bloemfontein
9300
Dear Sir
Starting a Youth Talk Club
15 Church Street
Sandton
Johannesburg
2008
31 October 2014
The title of the receiver of the letter
The company name
The full address of the company
Skip a line.
Sir/Madam is acceptable if you do not know the gender of
the recipient.
Skip a line.
The topic line should be underlined and very short and to
the point.
Introductory paragraph
Paragraph one
Paragraph two
Concluding paragraph
Yours faithfully
Doe, J.
If the letter begins with Dear Sir, Dear Sirs, Dear Madam,
or Dear Sir/Madam, the COMPLIMENTARY CLOSE
should be "Yours faithfully". If the letter begins with a
personal name, e.g. Dear Mr James, Dear Mrs Robinson,
or Dear Ms Jasmin, it should be "Yours sincerely”.
Only add your title if female e.g. Doe, J (Ms)
Writing an effective persuasive letter can be a very challenging and time consuming
task.
Many people have sat down to put pen to paper and have ended up wanting to bang
their head against the wall out of sheer frustration.
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15 Church Street
Sandton
Johannesburg
2008
31 October 2014
The Principal
Sandton Secondary School
55 Tabloid Street
Johannesburg
9300
Dear Sir
We should ban breaks at school
In my opinion, children at primary school do not need a break.
The most important reason for this is that breaks waste work time. The children need
to spend more time on their English or Maths work. Children are at school to be
educated.
In addition to this, breaks are too dangerous. Most injuries to children at school
happen during break. Very few injuries happen in the classroom.
Finally, breaks are bad for teachers. Many teachers are too old to run around and so
they get too cold outside. Also, they have to miss out on having a cup of tea and a
chat with other teachers.
Therefore, I believe it would be best if breaks were banned.
Yours faithfully
Doe, J.
Reasons given for Banning Breaks
• Wastes work time
• Too dangerous
• Teachers get cold and lonely!
Do you want to lose your breaks?
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You need to use the planning bubbles below to create your reasons for NOT banning
breaks.
Spend 1 minute talking with your talk partner to come up with lots of reasons.
Now, decide on your 3 main reasons and put them in to your bubbles.
Think back to the letter sample…
Firstly, the most important reason for children being at school is to be educated. If
children are outside playing, they are losing valuable time to be developing their
math’s and literacy skills, which are extremely important.
What explanations was given for the first reason?
Secondly, the number of injuries that occur during breaks are much greater than
those caused in the classroom. To ensure that children are safe, and do not hurt
themselves, we should keep them in the classroom, calmly learning so that they do
not have the opportunity to run around and hurt themselves, or indeed others.
What explanations was given for the second reason?
Finally, when children go out to play, they need to be supervised. Teachers talk a lot,
and need a rest and a cup of tea to soothe their throats. They also like being able to
speak to other staff to share their best practice and gain advice. If they are on the
playground supervising these sessions, they not only run the risk of getting hurt
themselves, but they also become extremely lonely and feel somewhat isolated and
thirsty.
What explanations was given for the final reason?
Your Explanations:
Spend a minute talking to your partner to come up with explanations for your first
reason.
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Now swap!
Now, you need to use your planning bubbles to write at least two explanations for
your first reason.
Now, do the same again for your 2nd and 3rd reason.
Think back to the sample letter…
Have a look at the introduction to the letter…
I am writing to you to propose that we ban breaks from All Saints Junior School to
benefit both the children and staff greatly.
What information have been included?
Now, put the details you will include in bullet points
Have a look at the summary or conclusion to the letter…
As a result of all of these reasons, I believe that it better for all, yourself, the children,
and the staff of Your School if breaks were banned.
Thank you for your consideration of this matter and I look forward to hearing your
response.
What information have been included?
Now, put the details you will include in bullet points
Now you’re ready to write a draft of your own letter to persuade
your principal not to ban breaks.
SECTION C:
HOMEWORK QUESTIONS
QUESTION 1: 20 minutes
Look at the letter you planned to write at the beginning of the session. Make
changes to it, applying what you have learned in this session.
Write the final copy of a persuasive letter to your principal to convince him/her to
allow you to start a brand new club at the school. Remember to use the format of a
formal letter.
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SECTION D:
SOLUTIONS FOR SECTION A
Instructions to Markers:

Use the 30-mark assessment rubric to mark the letter. The texts produced by
candidates must be assessed according to the following criteria as set out in the
attached rubric:
o Content, planning and format (18 marks)
o Language, style and editing (12 marks)
NOTE: Penalise candidates that did not use the correct letter format in the content
and planning section.





The tone and register of the letter should be formal.
The following aspects of format should be included:
o Address of sender
o Date
o Address of recipient
o Greeting/Salutation
o Subject line
o Suitable ending
o Signature and name of sender
The candidate must give details on his/her intended club.
The candidate must motivate why he/she should be allowed to form the club.
The candidate must mention the benefits of such a club for the school.
Total: 30
MARKING RUBRIC IS ON PAGE 53
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SESSION NO: 8
TOPIC: CRITICAL LANGUAGE AWARENESS
Key-words: Critical Language Awareness, Active and Passive, Prefixes and Suffixes,
Phrases and Clauses, Hyperbole, Repetition, Contrast, Sound Patterns, Emotive
Language, Description and Imagery, Manipulation, Persuasion, Fact and Opinion,
Slang, Jargon, Style and Register.






Explain to learners that “Critical Language Awareness” is a crucial skill to
understand the meaning of language and more subtle nuances of the
language.
To fully understand language, the learners have to learn critical skills that they
can use in the answering of the examination questions.
Give learners the typical exam question and without explaining ask learners to
read the extract and answer the questions.
After the learners have answered the questions, mark the answers with the
learners. It is important that the learners see that their language skills need
attention.
Work through the content notes section by section.
Give learners the homework questions to do for the next contact session.
Approximate timing for each section of the lesson:
Introduction
Questions
Notes on Content and explanations
– 10 minutes
– 25 minutes
– 55 minutes
SECTION A: TYPICAL EXAM QUESTIONS
QUESTION 1: 20 minutes
TEXT 1
1. Shakespeare asked if he should compare his lover “to a summer’s day”. A New
York zoo suggests cockroaches instead.
2. Ahead of Valentine’s Day this week, the Bronx Zoo wants New Yorkers to pay $10
for the right to give their sweetheart’s name – or perhaps that of an ex – to one of its
Madagascar hissing cockroaches.
3. For $25, lovebirds can name a cockroach couple.
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4. “There is no better way to say ‘forever’ than with the gift of a cockroach. The
Wildlife Conservation Society’s Bronx Zoo is offering a light-hearted way to make
sure your loved one knows your feelings are forever – with a roach in their name,”
the zoo said in a statement.
5. “Each gift comes with a colourful certificate emailed to your loved one announcing
that a cockroach has been named in his or her honour.”
6. To sweeten the deal, the zoo is also offering boxes of chocolate replica
cockroaches.
– Sapa-AFP (25 January 2012)
TEXT 2
Lonely hearts rejoice: there’s at least one place in the world where you’ll feel at
home. The central Asian state of Uzbekistan will not observe Valentine’s Day this
year. Russia’s RIA-Novosti news agency reports the unofficial ban on the romantic
holiday follows years of irritation with the observance, with one newspaper describing
the event as being organised by “forces with evil goals bent on putting an end to
national values.” In place of Valentine’s Day, Uzbeks will have the opportunity to
enjoy reading of the poetry of Babu, a 16th-century Mughal emperor.
- Associated Press ( 2 February 2012)
TEXT 3
1. Every year on 14 February, chocolates, flowers, gifts and cards are exchanged
between loved ones around the world, all in the name of St. Valentine. But do any of
us even know who St. Valentine is anymore or have we just got caught up in another
21st Century “Hallmark” holiday?
2. The legend of St. Valentine is, to this day, surrounded in mystery and there remain
at least three different accounts dating back to the third century, of individuals with
the same name. One of these legends is that of Bishop Valentine. After being jailed
for holding illegal marriage ceremonies despite the Emperor’s law that no Roman
soldier could marry, he fell in love with the jailer’s daughter and began sending her
letters and love notes. On the night of his execution he wrote a farewell letter to her
signing it ‘From your Valentine.’ Come on, it doesn’t get more romantic than that,
surely?
3. It’s certainly no secret that the day is laced with history but as with most things in
this day and age we seem to have forgotten these true meanings. In fact, over the
years the holiday has become somewhat ‘generic’ in itself and a lot of people merely
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see it as an excuse to get presents and, well let’s be honest, brag about how well
their significant others did. What was supposed to be a celebration of love and
togetherness has simply become another way for our mad capitalist society to cash
in and make some money.
4. Call me an old romantic but surely we shouldn’t need presents and mass produced
cards to express such important sentiment to our loved ones. Love should be
spontaneous; it shouldn’t be forced because we are being bombarded with reminders
and messages every way we look. We could learn a lot from old fashioned romance
values.
(By Amy Loudon: The Independent 10 February 2011).
Refer to Text 1:
1.
What is the effect of the mention of Shakespeare’s poem in the first
sentence, in the context of the paragraph as a whole?
(3)
What is implied in paragraph 2 by the statement, “or perhaps that of an
ex”?
(2)
Discuss the stylistic devices employed in paragraph 3 and the effect
they achieve.
(3)
Refer to Text 2:
4.
Consider the sentence in Text 2: “…forces with evil goals bent on
putting an end to national values”. By referring to the connotations of
the words, describe the tone of this statement.
(3)
2.
3.
5.
How does the writer’s tone in the final sentence contrast with the tone
discussed in the previous question (number 4)?
Refer to Text 3:
6.
Describe the register of this piece of writing and quote from the
passage to justify your answer.
7.
What do you think is meant by the phrase, “another 21st Century
Hallmark holiday”?
(2)
(2)
(2)
Refer to Texts 1, 2 and 3:
8.
“Amy Loudon (Text 3) seems to have similar sentiments to those
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9.
expressed by the Uzbekistani newspaper (Text 2).” Would you agree
with this statement? Why or why not? Quote from both texts to support
your answer.
(3)
Discuss the differences in the intentions behind Texts 1 and 3, by
referring to the attitudes (to Valentine’s Day) of the respective authors
of the texts.
(4)
TOTAL: 24
SECTION B: NOTES ON CONTENT
People do not use language neutrally. Language is used not only as a means of
sharing ideas, but also as a way of controlling people and influencing what they think
and do.
Language use involves making word choices, register, etc., and these choices are
often made for particular reasons. For example, Register might be used to encourage
people to act in certain ways. Advertisements, for example, often use a friendly,
familiar tone of voice (‘we care for you') to make people feel that a product is
important to them personally.
•
•
•
•
•
•
Style deals with the wording and delivery of messages. It includes the
speaker’s/writer’s choice of words, the use of language, sentence structures and the
characteristics of delivery.
Register refers to properties within a language variety that associates that language
with a given situation. This is distinct from, say, professional terminology that might
only be found, for example, in a legal document or medical journal.
Jargon is terminology that relates to a specific activity, profession or group. It
develops as a kind of shorthand, to express ideas that are frequently
discussed between members of a group.
Jargon is used in several fields such as sports, medicine etc.
Slang is the use of highly informal words and expressions that are not
considered standard in the speaker's dialects or language. Slang is often very
colloquial (being specific to a particular terminology).
A fact is a statement that can be proven true or something that is a certainty.
A fact does not change from person to person, or from place to place.
E.g. Hlamalani Tlakula was born on 1 March 1958.
An opinion is someone’s belief or way of thinking about something. Some
opinions are more valid than others.
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•
•
•
•
•
•
Persuasion is a form of influence. It is the process of guiding people toward
the adoption of an idea, attitude, or action by rational and symbolic (though not
always logical) means. It is strategy of problem-solving relying on "appeals"
rather than force.
Some of the persuasive words in the English language are: You, money save,
new, results, health, easy, safety, love, discovery, proven and guarantee.
Manipulation is taking persuasion to an extreme, where the one party
benefits at the other's cost. Manipulation is to influence or manage shrewdly
or deviously.
Malapropism is using an inappropriate word that sounds similar to the word
that should be used/the mistaken use of long words to impress (derived from
Mrs. Malaprop, a character in drama). A rolling stone gathers no moths.
(moss). Good punctuation means not to be late. (punctuality)
Emotive language is language that makes the listener/reader feel something,
often pity or anger. Let’s look at the following sentence: Imagine being cast
out into the street, cold, lonely and frightened.
Language can be used to exercise instrumental and influential power
Influential power (e.g. advertising, politics, media, culture)
Instrumental power (e.g. law, education, business, management)
Rhetorical questions
Can we really expect the school to keep paying from its limited resources?
•
Emotive language
Imagine being cast out into the street, cold, lonely and frightened.
•
•
Sound patterns
Alliteration: Callous, calculating cruelty – is this what we must expect?
Assonance: A fine time we all had, too.
Contrast
Sometimes we have to be cruel to be kind.
•
Description and Imagery (i.e. using metaphor, simile and personification)
While we wait and do nothing, we must not forget that the fuse is already
burning.
•
Repetition
Evil minds will use evil means.
•
Hyperbole (using exaggeration for effect)
While we await your decision, the whole school holds its breath.
Phrases and Clauses
In sentences we identify parts that are more than nouns, verbs, adjectives, etc. We
call them phrases and clauses.
Phrase
A group of words which does not contain a finite verb.
Finite Verb
A verb which has tense and number, e.g. He says, they sang,
etc.
Clause
A group of words which contains a finite verb.
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Simple sentence
Contain only one verb.
Complex sentence Contain two or more verbs.
Study the following sentences:
This is the man who bought the theatre.
There stands the building which was renovated.
The boy whose arm was broken in the match had to be operated.
The truck of which the wheel fell off had to be towed to them.
The man to whom I spoke was British.
She is the girl whom I suspect of theft.
It was the best film that I had ever seen.
The leopard whose foot was caught in the trap, was dangerous.
When do we use who? When we refer to people. The word who is also the subject.
The word whose is the possessive case. The word whom is the object. The word
whose can also be used for animals.
All the clauses introduced by who, which, etc. as in the above examples, are called
relative clauses. They relate to someone in the other clause, e.g. the man who is ill,
is rich. Who relates to the man, and is therefore a relative pronoun introducing a
relative/adjectival clause.
Prefixes and suffixes
It is important to be able to break words up into their separate parts to be able to
understand their meaning better. Most words can be split up into smaller parts and
these parts are relatively easy to identify once you have learned how. Overall, the
knowledge of the meanings of affixes greatly improves any reader’s ability to work
out the meaning of an unknown or unfamiliar word.
All words have a root and any addition made to it is known as an affix. A root word
(or stem) is the main part of the word that gives it its basic meaning, e.g. the root of
verbal is verb, derived from the Latin word meaning word. The roots of English
words come from a variety of sources, usually from the languages which helped
bring about the English language such as Greek, Latin and Old English. There are
two types of affixes, namely the prefix and suffix:
Vocabulary extension:
The prefix
A prefix is usually a Greek or Latin adverb, preposition, a syllable or part of a word
that is placed at the beginning of a word, before the root, to define its meaning more
clearly. A prefix is used to change the root word either by changing it into a new word
altogether or forming an antonym of that word.
Examples:
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Prefix
Meaning
Words
abadambianteantibicircumconcontradedidiadisduoe, exextrahemiheptahexhyperim, ininfraintermononeononoctapentaperpolypostpre, proresemisubsupersynsubtranstriununi-
away from
to, towards, near
both
before, in front of
against
two
around
with
against
down, from, away
twice, double
through
against, not
two
out of
outside, beyond
half
seven
six
over, above
in, into, on
below
between
one
new
not
eight
five
through, thorough, complete
many
after, behind
in front of, before
back, again
half
under, below
above, upper
with
under
across
three
not
one
abnormal
advance
ambidextrous
antecedent
anticlockwise
bicycle
circumlocution
converse
contradiction
detract
dioxide
diameter
displeased
duologue
exit
extraordinary
hemisphere
heptagon
hexagon
hyperactive
implode, inward
infrastructure
interrelate
monotonous
neoclassicism
non-negotiable
octagon
pentagon
perceive, percolate, perennial
polygon, polygamy
postmodern
precede, proactive
return
semi-desert
subway
superintendent
synchronise
submarine
transport
triangle
unwelcome
unisex
The suffix
This is a form that is attached to the end of a root word to indicate quality, action or
relation. Suffixes usually have the function of changing the word from one part of
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speech to another. In the word certainty, the suffix –ty has been added to show that
the word is a noun.
Sometimes a word has all three elements, e.g. circumnavigation:
circum – prefix meaning ‘around’
navigate – root word meaning ‘find your way’
-ion – suffix showing that the word is a noun.
Examples:
Suffix
Meaning/usage
Words
-able; -ible
-ably
-age
-al/-ial
-ant
-arch
-ary/-ery/-ory/-ury
-ate
-ation
-ative
-cide
-dom
-ed
-ence
-ent
-er
-ern
-ese
-ess
-ette
-ful
-holic
-hood
-ic
-icle
-ious
-ise
-ish
-ism
-ist
-ite
-ity
-ive
-less
-like
-mania
-sion/-tion
-meter
-ness
forms an adjective
forms an adverb
forming a noun
forms an adjective
forming an adjective
forms a noun
forms a noun or adjective
forming an adjective
forming a noun
forming an adjective
forms a noun
forms an abstract noun
forms adjectives/past tense verbs
forms a noun
forms an adjective
changes verb to a noun
forms an adjective
forms an adjective or noun
forms a noun
forms a noun
full of/comprising
forms a noun
forms a noun
forms an adjective
forms a noun
forms an adjective
forms a verb
forms an adjective
forms a noun
forms a noun
forms a noun
forms a noun
forms an adjective
forms an adjective
forms an adjective
forms a noun
forms a noun
forms a noun
forms a noun
reliable, capable, responsible
capably
courage
original, remedial
defiant
patriarch
flattery, sensory
passionate
fascination
imaginative
Homicide
freedom, kingdom
walked, tired
independence
independent
worker
Eastern
Portuguese
actress (female form)
statuette
beautiful, wonderful
chocoholic
childhood
cyclic
icicle
studious
socialise
childish
materialism
activist
Socialite
eternity
active
careless
childlike
megalomania
Attention
thermometer
attractiveness
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-ography
-onomy
-ous
-phobia
-phone
-polis
-science
-scope
-script
-ship
-some
-vore
-wards
-wise
-wright
-y
forms a noun
forms noun
forms an adjective
forms a noun
noun/adjective
forms a noun
forms an adjective
forms a noun
forms a noun
forms a noun
forms a noun
forms a noun
forms an adjective, adverb
forms an adjective
forms a noun
forms an adjective
geography
astronomy
pious
hydrophobia
homophone
metropolis
conscience
telescope
manuscript
friendship
tiresome
carnivore, herbivore
Upwards
streetwise
Playwright
dirty
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SECTION C:
HOMEWORK QUESTIONS
QUESTION 1: 30 minutes
(Taken from various sources)
TEXT 1:
From: Cartoonstock
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TEXT 2:
(Zapiro cartoon from The Sunday Times 29/01/12)
1.
2.
2.1
2.2
2.3
Consider Text 1. Discuss the full significance of the statement, “My
boyfriend’s a Cardiologist” by referring to the visual details of the
text.
(4)
In Text 4, Pieter de Villiers (former Springbok rugby coach) uses a
number of malapropisms.
What is the definition of a malapropism?
(1)
“Cardinal” is a malapropism. What is the appropriate word he should
have used?
(1)
How does this word link with “cardiologist” in Text 1?
(1)
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2.4
3.
What is the other malapropism that he uses? What word should he
have used?
(1)
Several idioms are muddled-up, creating “mixed metaphors”. Identify
one of these and provide the correct idiom, as well as its meaning.
(2)
TOTAL: 10
SECTION D:
1.
2.
3.
4.
5.
6.
7.
SOLUTIONS FOR SECTION A
The allusion is to one of Shakespeare’s well-known sonnets (the
sonnet is included at the end of this memorandum). In the context of
the paragraph as a whole, it stands in sharp contrast to the next
sentence. Beautiful poetry about love by a literary giant such as
Shakespeare is juxtaposed with something as reprehensible a
cockroach!
(3)
The action of giving your lover’s name to a cockroach might be more
appropriate for an ex, as it is possibly more of a vindictive rather than
a loving action.
(2)
The brevity of the sentence adds to the dramatic effect; “cockroach
couple” employs alliteration which highlights the incongruity of the
situation – “couple” is not a word that one usually associates with
“cockroach”, particularly when “lovebirds” is referred to in the same
sentence as a cute-sounding metaphor for loving couples.
(3)
The tone is hostile and threatening; this is brought out by words such
as “forces with evil goals”. This phrase is associated with enemy
forces of darkness; the expression “bent on” has connotations of
single-mindedness and relentlessness.
(3)
The tone here is ironic, bringing in a light-heartedness which is in
contrast with the serious, threatening tone discussed in question
number 4.
(2)
An informal register… this can be seen in the frequent use of
contractions, as well as colloquialisms like “come on”…
(2)
According to Wikipedia, "Hallmark holiday" is a disparaging term, to
(2)
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describe a holiday that is perceived to exist primarily for commercial
purposes. The name comes from Hallmark cards, an American
company that manufactures greeting cards. (Be open to interesting
interpretations as this might well be an obscure allusion for South
African students.)
8.
9.
One could see similarities in the way Loudon writes critically about
“our mad Capitalist society …cash(ing) in”; the Uzbekistani
newspaper also writes about “forces with evil goals”… in both, there
is a sense of something unpleasant and sinister commandeering the
day. However, students could argue otherwise, pointing to the
chattiness of Loudon’s tone and the use of the inclusive pronoun,
“we” which is in contrast to the dogmatic tone in the newspaper
quote. Loudon is more opposed to the way in which Valentine’s Day
is celebrated than the day itself, while it is the day itself that the
newspaper in Text 2 clearly opposes.
(3)
Text 1: attitude is lighthearted, there is a sense of ridicule; intention
is to amuse/entertain. Text 2: the author’s attitude is critical of the
way in which Valentine’s Day is celebrated; her intention is to
express an opinion and educate/convince her readers or to moralise.
(4)
TOTAL: 24
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