LISTENING AND SPEAKING FOR FORM ONE
LISTENING AND SPEAKING FORM ONE:PRONUNCIATION
PRONUNCIATION OF VOWEL SOUNDS
In English, we have various vowel sounds. We shall study them one after the other.
Sound /ᵆ/
Consider the letter ‘a’ in the words below. Each says this sound.
- Pan
- Fan
- Ban
- Brash
- Cat
- Pat
- Dad
- Ham
- Mat
- Rash
- Track
- Cram
- Fanned
- Flash
- Pack
- Rag
- Sand
- Slam
- Tag
- Man
LISTENING AND SPEAKING FORM ONE
Sound /ᶾ˸/
- This sound is more like the sound you make when you are disgusted.
- The letters in boldface say this sound. Study them carefully.
- Bird
- Shirt
- Flirt
- Turn
- Learn
- First
- Berth
- Her
- Heard
- Hurt
- Purse
- Birth
- Cur
- Fur
- Firm
- Herd
- Burn
- Curt
- Pert
- Stir
- Blur
- Shirk
- Surg
Sound /a:/
- It is pronounced by having a much wider open mouth position.
- Inside your mouth is shown in the process of saying this sound.
- Examples of words bearing this sound include:
- Far
- Farm
- Guard
- Heart
- Hard
- Bar
- Bard
- Cart
- Car
- Dart
- Card
- Par
LISTENING AND SPEAKING FORM ONE
Sound /ə/
- This sound (referred to as schwa) is a short vowel sound.
- It mostly found in words containing letter ‘o’,
for example,
- Confuse
- Contemptuous
- Continue
- Condolence
- Also in words such as:
Business
Sound /Ʌ/
Examples of words containing this sound include:
- Sun
- Son
- Some
- Pun
- Fun
- Cum
- Cup
- But
- Much
- Begun
- Fun
- Sung
- Swum
- Bug
- Bunk
- Brush
- Hum
- Rung
- Truck
- Stunned
- Drum
- Dumb
- Fund
Sound /ɔ˸/
- It is a long sound.
- The mouth doesn’t move while saying this sound, and it can be pronounced as long as you have breath.
- It is said in words such as:
- Or
- More
- Chores
- Dorm
- Pork
- Door
- Four
- Fore
- Nor
- Law
- Cord
- Form
- Horn
- Lord
- Saw
- Shore
- Chalk
- Jaw
- Scorn
LISTENING AND SPEAKING FORM ONE
Sound /ᶛ/
- It is a short sound.
- The mouth doesn’t move.
- Each of the words below bear this sound:
- Got
- On
- Cost
- Lost
- Odd
- Boss
- Stock
- Plot
- Block
- Cock
- Cop
- Mop
- Rod
- Sock
- Shot
- Pot
- Blot
- Crock
- Frog
- Swat
- Swatch
Sound /ᶹ/
bosom
Sound /I:/
- Long sound
- Said in words such as the ones below:
- Sheep
- Feet
- Meat
- Tweet etc.
LISTENING AND SPEAKING FORM ONE
Sound /ᶦ/
It is a short sound.
In words such as:
- Fit
- Bit
- Quit
- Blip etc.
Exercise
The table below has columns with different sounds. Pronounce each of the words in the list and classify, according to the highlighted letter(s), under the column that bears that sound.
Chip
Jeep
Creek
Wet
Greased
Teal
Hill
Sit
Still
Blip
Fill
Bed
cheat
blink
thrill
jet
/i:/ | /ᶦ/ | /e/ |
LISTENING AND SPEAKING FORM ONE
PRONUNCIATION OF CONSONANT SOUNDS
The sound /ᵗᶴ/
- Made by releasing the stopped air through your teeth by the `tip of your tongue.
- It is voiceless because vocal cords do not vibrate when you say it.
- Most words with letters ‘CH’ say this sound, for example,
Church
Chips
Teach
Pinch
Crunch
Much
- There are those with letters ‘TCH’ for example,
Catch
Watch
Batch
Itch
Kitchen
witch
- Some are with letters ‘TU’, for example,
Century
Spatula
The Sound /ᵈᶾ/
- Pronounced the same way as /ᵗᶴ/. It is just that it is voiced.
- Letters representing this sound include:
Letters ‘DG’
- Fudge
- Budge
- Bridge
- Judge
Letter ‘J’
- Judge
- Jump
- Joy
- Joke
- Eject
- July
- Jake
- Project
Letters ‘DU’
- Procedure
- Graduate
- Individual
LISTENING AND SPEAKING FORM ONE
When letter ‘G represents the sound
It does that when it is in front of an ‘e’, ‘i’, or ‘y’
Letters ‘GE’, for example,
- Agent
- Germ
- Gem
- Budget
- Gel
- Angel
- Danger
- Emergency
- Gentle
- Bilge
- Urgent
- Knowledge
- Large
- Singe
- Enlarge
- Challenge
- Ridge
- Emerge
Letters ‘GI’, for example,
- Agile
- Allergic
- Apologize
- Contagious
- Gist
- Digitize
- Eligible
- Giraffe
- Engineer
- Fragile
- Fugitive
- Legion
- Original
- Vigilant
Letters ‘GY’, for example,
- Allergy
- Clergy
- Egypt
- Analogy
- Zoology
- Stingy
- Gym
- Liturgy
- Panegyric
The Sound /f/
- The sound is unvoiced or voiceless.
- Air is stopped by pushing the bottom lip and top teeth together. The air is then pushed through to produce this sound.
- The /f/ sound has the following letters saying it:
LISTENING AND SPEAKING FORM ONE
Letter ‘F’
- Four
- Wife
- Knife
- Life
- Family
- Staff
- Puff
- Five
Letters ‘PH’
- Phone
- Graph
- Paragraph
- Phrase
Letters ‘GH’
- Cough
- Rough
- Laugh
- Enough
- Tough
- Draught
The Sound /v/
- The same mouth shape as /f/ is formed when pronouncing the sound /v/.
- It is voiced.
- Your top teeth is put on your bottom lip.
- Words bearing this sound include:
- Van
- Vehicle
- Vice
- Unvoiced
- Voice
- Obvious
- Previous
- Drive
- Save
- Jovial
- Virtue
- Care
- Wolves
- Knives
The Sound /d/
- /d/ is voiced. The vocal cords vibrate.
- The low of air is stopped at the front of the mouth by tongue.
- Practice speaking the words below:
- Dad
- Do
- Did
- Dog
- Mad
- Sad
- Bad
- Done
- Loud
- And
LISTENING AND SPEAKING FORM ONE
Sound /t/
- To make this sound, your tongue stops the flow of air at the front of your mouth.
- It is a voiceless/unvoiced sound.
- It said in words like:
- To
- Top
- Get
- Hot
- Pot
- Butter
- Later
- What
- Today
- Tuesday
The sound /k/
There are various letters that say the sound /k/. let’s study these letters.
Letter ‘K’ always say this sound. Examples of words include:
- Kill
- Key
- Kick
- Sake
- Kitten
- Keep
Letter ‘C’, for example,
- Call
- Corn
- Cane
- Campaign
- Camp
- Confusion
- Cucumber
- Colic etc.
Letters ‘CK’ for example
- Kick
- Mock
- Truck
- Back etc.
Letter ‘Q’ for example,
- Quack
- Quail
- Quartz
- Quarter
- Quick
Letters ‘CH’, for example,
- Chaotic
- Character
- Ache
LISTENING AND SPEAKING FORM ONE
The Sound /g/
Found in words such as:
- Galaxy
- Game
- Gate
- Gibbon
- Give
- Goat
- Gazelle
- Gecko
- Gold
- Gown
- Girl
- Ghost
- Geyser
- Garbage
The Sound /ᶴ/
- This sound is unvoiced – only air passes through the mouth when said.
- The teeth are put together and the corners of the lips are brought together towards the middle.
- Most words with letters ‘sh’ this sound. For example,
Shape
Shop
bishop
- There are words with letters ‘CH’ that say this sound, for example,
Brochure
Cache
Cachet
Chagrin
Champagne
Charade
Chute
Chef
Chiffon
Niche
Ricochet
Charlotte
Chicago
Michigan
Chevrolet
Fuchsia
Cliché
Chivalry
Quiche
chaise
- Some words with ‘SU’ also say it, for example,
Sugar
Surmac
Sure
Issue
Pressure
- There are yet those with letters ‘TIO’, for example,
Nation
Motion
Option
Caution
- Then there are those with letters ‘SIO’, for example,
Submission
Commission
Confession
LISTENING AND SPEAKING FORM ONE
Sound /ᶿ/
- Pronounced with your tongue between your teeth.
- It is unvoiced.
- The words bearing this sound include:
- Mouth
- Thing
- Faith
- Fourth
- Thick
- Think
- Three
- Thought
- Tenth
- Math
- Myth
- Thumb
- Youth
- Thrive
- Growth
- North
- Truth
- Pith
- Thank
- Thorn
- Thimble
- Three
- Theme
- Therapist
- Thigh
- Thickness
Sound /ᶞ/
- Unlike /ᶿ/, it is voiced.
- It also pronounced with tongue touching or between your teeth.
- It is found in such words as:
- With
- There
- Clothing
- These
- Thence
- Then
- Their
- they
Sound /s/
- This is a hissing sound like a snake.
- It is voiceless.
- The few rules for some of the common spellings that say the sound /s/ are:
Letter ‘S’, for example,
Sit
Wise
Dogs
Say
Sad
Sound
Boss
This
Lips
Misty
Sunday
- Letter ‘SC’, for example,
Muscle
Descend
Science
Scream
- Letter ‘X’, for example,
Fix
Fox
Next
Mix
- Letter ‘C’, for example,
Face
Practice
City
Circle
Fence
License
LISTENING AND SPEAKING FORM ONE
Sound /z/
- The /z/ is like the sound of buzzing bees.
- It is voiced.
- Most words with the letter ‘Z’ say /z/, for example
- Zoo
- Zip
- Zebra
- Quiz
- Buzz
- Freeze
- Doze
- prize
There are those words with letter ‘S’ saying this sound, for example,
- Is
- Was
- His
- Hers
- Nose
- Noise
- Noises
- Rose
- Roses
- Frogs
- Girls
- Friends
- Lies
- Busy
- Tuesday
- Wednesday
- Sounds
- Pose
- Reason
- Rise
- Eyes
- These
- Days
- Says
- Ties
- Has
- Flows
- Because
- Shoes
- Visit
- Those
- Bananas
- cows
The other group of words are those with letter ‘X’, for example,
Exist, anxiety
LISTENING AND SPEAKING FORM ONE
Sound /ᵌ/
- Words bearing this sound are borrowed from French.
- Pronounced in the same way as /ᶴ/ only that is voiced.
- The examples of words with this sound are:
Garage
Beige
Massage
Sabotage
Genre
Measure
Treasure
Closure
Seizure
Leisure
Persian
Conclusion
Casual
Casually
Usual
Usually
Amnesia
Collision
Division
Version
Television
Exposure
Occasion
Persuasion
Cashmere
Asia
Visual
Vision
Lesion
Decision
Caucasian
Practice in sentences
- Measure the beige door on the garage.
- It was my decision to fly to Asia to seek treisure.
Sound /r/
- Raise the back of your tongue to slightly touch the back teeth on both sides of your mouth. The centre part of the tongue remains lower to allow air to move over it.
- It is voiced.
- It is found in words with letter ‘R’ e.g.
- Red
- Friday
- Worry
- Sorry
- Marry
- It is also said in words with letters ‘WR’ e.g.
- Write
- Wrong
- Wrath
- Wry
- Wring
LISTENING AND SPEAKING FORM ONE
Sound /w/
- Your lips form a small, tight circle when making the sound /w/.
- Letters representing the /w/ sound are:
- Letter ‘W’
Woman
Wife
New
Sweet
Win
Rewind
Towel
Wait
- Letters WH
Why
Where
When
While
What
White
Whom
Who
Whole
- Letters ‘QU’
Quit
Quick
Quite
Quiet
Queer
Queen
Quota
Quickly
- Others
One
Choir
LISTENING AND SPEAKING FORM ONE
Sound /m/
- Made by pressing the lips lightly.
- The words that follow contain the sound:
- Mum
- Mine
- Me
- Morning
- Farmer
- Shame
- Meat
- Myself
Exercise 1
Read the sentence below pronouncing each word correctly and then group the words in their appropriate columns. Consider the highlighted letters.
The seven students took the first test for their driver’s licenceson Thursday.
/s/ | /z/ |
Exercise 2
Considering the pronunciation of highlighted letters, pick the odd word out.
- Judge, gesture, garage
- Jump, gift, geological
- Fungi, just, go
- Digit, game, gamble
- Hygiene, prodigy, entangle
- Gecko, gem, zoology
Exercise 3
Pronounce each word correctly and then group it under the column containing the sound that the highlighted letter(s) bear.
Tissue
Caucasian
Division
Passion
Ocean
Cautious
Leisure
Solution
Pressure
Vision
Persian
Casual
Chef
Conclusion
Television
Decision
Collision
Sure
Precious
Exposure
/ᶴ/ | /ᶾ/ |
LISTENING AND SPEAKING FORM ONE
Exercise 4
Circle the letter(s) that say /f/ and underline those saying /v/ in the sentences below.
- Please forgive me for forgetting the leftover food.
- Save the four wolves that live in the cave.
DIPHTHONGS
- A diphthong is a combination of two vowel sounds.
- Some of the diphthongs include:
- /ᵊᶹ/
- /ᵃᶸ/
- /ᵉᶦ/
/ᵊᶹ/
In words like;
- Role
- Bone
- Phone
- Stone
- Close
- Note
- Notice
- Lonely
- Home
- Hope
- Open
- Ocean
- Remote
- Solar
- Polar
- Modal
- Total
- Motor
- Moment
- Bonus
- Focus
- Vogue
- Social
- Soldier
- Coworker
- Most
- Post
- Host
- Ghost
- Both
- Low
- Know
- Mow
- Sow
- Show
- Tow
- Owe
- Own
- Bowl
- Blow
- Grown
- Throw
- Go
- Ago
- No
- So
- Toe
- Hero
- Zero
- Veto
- Ego
- Echo
- Radio
- Studio
- Mexico
- Potato
- Tomato
- Logo
- Motto
- Cold
- Gold
- Bold
- Sold
- Told
- Roll
- Poll
- Control
- Bolt
- Colt
- Folk
- Comb
- Won’t
- Don’t
- Soul
- Shoulder
- Road
- Load
- Boat
- Coast
- Coat
- Oak
- Soak
- Approach
- Boast
- Ok
- Obey
- Omit
- Hotel
- Motel
LISTENING AND SPEAKING FORM ONE
/ᵃᶸ/
Said in words such as:
- How
- Cow
- Now
- Allow
- Owl
- Brown
- Down
- Town
- Clown
- Drown
- Crown
- Crowd
- Powder
- Browse
- Loud
- Proud
- Cloud
- Out
- Shout
- About
- Doubt
- Foul
- Noun
- House
- Mouse
- Mouth
- South
- Couch
- Found
- Ground
- Around
- Pound
- Sound
- Count
- Amount
- Mountain
- Announce
- Bounce
- Allowing
- Towel
- Bowel
- Power
- Tower
- Flower
- Shower
- Hour
- Our
- Sour
- Flour
- coward
/ᵉᶦ/
The words containing this diphthong are:
- wait
- late
- bait
- date
- tale
- bail
- bale
- sale
- gate
- waste
- wade
- baby
- bacon
- paper
- April
- Danger
- Angel
- Stranger
- Basis
- Lazy
- Crazy
- Fail
- Sail
- Rail
- Raise
- Raid
- Afraid
- Wait
- Straight
- Faint
- Paint
- Fate
- Rate
- Kate
- Race
- Base
- Place
- Lake
- Take
- Name
- Ache
- Rage
- Patient
- Racial
- Nation
- Nature
- Fatal
- Patriot
- Radio
- Vacant
- Weight
- Eight
- Vein
- Neighbour
- Break
- Steak
- Age
- Wage
- Save
- Cave
- Wave
- Ray
- Gray
- Play
- Lay
- Day
- May
- Pray
- Convey
- Survey
- Stain
- Change etc.
Exercise
Write another word pronounced the same way as:
- Gait
- Made
- Pale
- Pain
- Plain
- Sale
- Tale
- Vain
- Waist
- Wait
- Eight
- Sew
- No
- Toe
- Grown
LISTENING AND SPEAKING FORM ONE
MINIMAL PAIRS
Study the pairs of words below carefully.
Fit – feet
Let – late
Van – fan
Pun – pan
- What do you notice? You realize that only one sound makes the pronunciation of one word distinct from the other. Each pair is called a minimal pair.
- A minimal pair is therefore a pair of words that vary by only one sound especially those that usually confuse learners, such as /l/ and /r/, /b/ and /p/, and many others.
Minimal Pairs of Vowel Sounds
Sound /i/ and /i:/
- Bid – bead
- Bit – beat
- Bitch – beach
- Bin – bean/ been
- Chip – cheap
- Fit – feat/ feet
- Fist – feast
- Fizz – fees
- Gin – gene
- Sin – seen/ scene
- Still – steal/ steel
- Sick – seek
- Is – ease
- Itch – each
- Risen – reason
- Piss – piece/ peace
- Pick – peak/ peek
- Mill – meal
Exercise
Write another word in which either sound /i/ and /i:/ will make it vary from the one given.
- Hit
- Sheet
- Tin
- Peach
- Lip
- Neat
- Kip
- Eel
- Greed
- Pill
- Skied
- Skim
Sounds /i/ and /e/
- Did – dead
- Disk – desk
- Built – belt
- Bit – bet
- Lipped – leapt
- Middle – meddle
- Fill – fell
- Bid – bed
- Bill – bell
- Lit – let
- List – lest
- Clinch – clench
Exercise
Complete the table below with a word in which either the sound /e/ or /i/ brings the difference in pronunciation.
/e/ | /i/ | |
1 | Head | |
2 | Miss | |
3 | Hymn | |
4 | Led | |
5 | Fen | |
6 | Lid | |
7 | Den | |
8 | Peg |
LISTENING AND SPEAKING FORM ONE
Sounds /e/ and /ei/
The following words vary by one having the vowel sound /e/ and the other a diphthong /ei/
- Wet – wait
- Bread – braid
- Fen – feign
- Bed – bade
- Get – gate/ gait
- Let – late
- Met – mate
- Lest – laced
- Tech – take
- West – waste/ waist
- When – wane
- Edge – age
- Gel – jail
- Lens – lanes
- Breast – braced
- Sent – saint
- Test – taste
- Best – based
- Wren – rain/ reign
- Led – laid
- Bled – blade
- Fed – fade
Exercise
Each word below has another word in which either the sound /e/ or /ei/ will bring the distinction in pronunciation. Write that word.
- Fell
- Pain
- Hail
- Sell
- Well
- Mate
- Raid
- Date
- Men
- Stayed
- Bet
- Jail
Sounds /ᵆ/ and /ᶺ/
- Batter – butter
- Cap – cup
- Cat – cut
- Back – buck
- Brash – brush
- Dabble – double
- Rang – rung
- Track – truck
- Bad – bud
- Began – begun
- Bag – bug
- Pan – pun
- Drank – drunk
- Fan – fun
- Hat – hut
- Badge – budge
- Hang – hung
- Massed – must
- Rash – rush
- Sank – sunk
- Ran – run
- Swam – swum
- Ban – bun
- Ham – hum
Exercise
Complete the table below with the minimal pair of the word. Consider the sound indicated in each column.
/ᵆ/ | /ᶺ/ | |
(a) | But | |
(b) | Match | |
(c) | Mad | |
(d) | Flush | |
(e) | Cam | |
(f) | Dumb | |
(g) | Sang | |
(h) | Uncle | |
(i) | Crash | |
(j) | Sack | |
(k) | Dump | |
(l) | Tug |
LISTENING AND SPEAKING FORM ONE
Sounds /ᵆ/ and /e/
look at the list below.
- Bad – bed
- And – end
- Had – head
- Jam – gem
- Pat – pet
- Sat – set
- Shall – shell
- Man –men
- Bag – beg
- Ham – hem
- Pan – pen
- Sad – said
- Manned – mend
- Land – lend
Exercise
Complete the table with appropriate word that vary with the sound indicated in the column.
/ᵆ/ | /ᵉ/ | |
(a) | Marry | |
(b) | Blend | |
(c) | Cattle | |
(d) | Vat | |
(e) | Sacks | |
(f) | Trek | |
(g) | Trad | |
(h) | met |
Minimal Pairs of /ɑ˸/ and /ᵌ˸/
- fast – first
- bath – berth/birth
- heart – hurt
- bard – bird
- car – cur
- card – curd
- guard – gird
- pa – per
- bar – bur
- barn – burn
- carve – curve
- dart – dirt
- par – purr
- park – perk
- star – stir
- arc – irk
Exercise 6
Considering the sounds /ɑ˸/ and /ᵌ˸/, write the minimal pair of:
- far
- heard/herd
- pass
- farm
- shark
- curt
Minimal Pairs of /b/ and /v/
- bat – vat
- beer – veer
- bowl – vole
- bow – vow
- gibbon – given
- bale – veil
- bane – vein
- curb – curve
- bolt – volt
- bowl – vole
- broom – vroom
- dribble – drivel
- dub – dove
- jibe – jive
- rebel – revel
LISTENING AND SPEAKING FORM ONE
Exercise 7
There is another word that will vary with the one written below with just one sound. Depending on the sounds /b/ and /v/, write that word.
- van
- boat
- Vest
- Vowels
- Vent
- Bury
- Loaves
- Verve
Minimal pairs of /f/ and /v/
- Fan – van
- Off – of
- Fat – vat
- Fee – v
- Foul – vowel
- Fender – vendor
- Serf/Surf – serve
- Duff – dove
- Fie – vie
- Foal – vole
- Guff – guv
- Waif – waive
- Gif – give
- Life – live
- Safe – save
- Belief – believe
- Feel – veal
- Staff – starve
- Feign – vain/ vein
- Foist – voiced
- Fox – vox
- Reef – reeve
Exercise 8
Write the minimal pair of the word below with consideration being either the sound /f/ or /v/.
- Ferry
- Leaf
- Vast
- Fine
- Half
- Proof
- Veil
- Grief
- Calf
- Fault
- Vile
- Strive
Minimal Pairs of Sounds/s/ and /ᶿ/
- Mouse – mouth
- Sing – thing
- Face – faith
- Force – fourth
- Sick – thick
- Sink – think
- Sort – thought
- Tense – tenth
- Mass – math
- Miss – myth
- Pass – path
- Saw – thaw
- Seem – theme
- Some – thumb
- Song – thong
- Worse – worth
- Gross – growth
- Sigh – thigh
- Sin – thin
- Sum – thumb
- Piss – pith
- Sawn – thorn
- Symbol – thimble
- Sore – thaw
- Truce – truth
- Suds – thuds
- Sought – thought
- Moss – moth
- Sank – thank
- Sump – thump
LISTENING AND SPEAKING FORM ONE
Sounds /t/ and /d/
- Town – down
- Touch – Dutch
- Tear – dare
- Ten – den
- Tongue – dung
- Tart – dart
- Tech – deck
- Tin – din
- Toe – doe
- Tough – duff
- Tuck – duck
- Tab – dab
- Tank – dank
- Tick – dick
- Tine – dine
- Hat – had
- Spent – spend
- Too/ to/two – do
- Train – drain
- Tide – dyed/died
- Torn – dawn
- Teal – deal
- Teen – dean
- Tyre/tire – dire
- Toes – doze
- Tout – doubt
- Tug – dug
- Tale/ tail – dale
- Teed – deed
- Tier – deer
- Tint – dint
- Sheet – she’d
- Wait – weighed
- Tie – die
- Try – dry
- Tear – dear
- Tip – dip
- Tame – dame
- Team – deem
- Tent – dent
- Toast – dosed
- Tomb – doom
- Tower – dour
- Tux – ducks
- Tamp – damp
- Tell – dell
- Till – dill
- Tusk – dusk
- Sight – side
- Beat – bead
Exercise 9
Each word below has another word in which all the sounds are the same except either the sound /t/ or /d/ is different. Write that word.
- Bat
- God
- Write
- And
- At
- Bed
- Bored
- Eight
- Bet
- Feet
- Hit
- Hurt
- Mat
- Mend
- Neat
- Nod
- Set
- Played
- Sat
- Dead
LISTENING AND SPEAKING FORM ONE
Minimal Pairs of /k/ and /g/
Initial
- Came – game
- Card – guard
- Cold – gold
- Clean – glean
- Crate – great
- Cap – gap
- Coast – ghost
- Kale – gale
- Can – gone
- Course – gorse
- Cram – gram
- Crepe – grape
- Crew – grew
- Croup – group
- Crow – grow
- Key – ghee
- K – gay
- Clamour – glamour
- Clad – glad
- Crane – grain
- Creed – greed
- Krill – grill
- Cunning – gunning
- Cab – gab
- Cape – gape
- Clam – glam
- Cord – gored
- Coup – goo
- Crate – grate
- Cuff – guff
Final
- Clock – clog
- Dock – dog
- Frock – frog
- Muck – mug
- Brick – brig
- Broke – brogue
- Crack – crag
- Prick – prig
- Puck – pug
- Shack – shag
- Slack – slag
- Snuck – snug
- Stack – stag
- Whack – wag
- Wick – wig
- Jock – jog
- Lack – lag
- Luck – lug
- Beck – beg
- Cock – cog
- Hack – hag
- Pick – pig
Exercise 10
Complete the table with appropriate word that only differs with one sound with the one given. Consider the sounds in the columns.
/k/ | /g/ | |
(a) | Tack | |
(b) | Flog | |
(c) | Tuck | |
(d) | Gum | |
(e) | Gash | |
(f) | Jack | |
(g) | Cave | |
(h) | Sag | |
(i) | Leak | |
(j) | Crab | |
(k) | Class | |
(l) | Good | |
(m) | Goat | |
(n) | Blog | |
(o) | Kill | |
(p) | Dug | |
(q) | Gut | |
(r) | Log | |
(s) | Rack | |
(t) | Cot |
HOMOPHONES
Words pronounced the same way but have different spellings and meanings are the homophones. The list below is English homophones.
- Accessary accessory
- Ad, add
- Ail, ale
- Air, heir
- Aisle, I’ll, isle
- All, awl
- Allowed, aloud
- Alms, arms
- Altar, alter
- Ante, anti
- Arc, ark
- Aural, oral
- Away, aweigh
- Awe, oar, or, ore
- Axel, axle
- Aye, eye, I
- Bail, bale
- Bait, bate
- Baize, bays
- Bald, bawled
- Ball, bawl
- Band, banned
- Bard, barred
- Bare, bear
- Bark, barque
- Baron, barren
- Base, bass
- Bay, bey
- Bazaar, bizarre
- Be, bee
- Beach, beech
- Bean, been
- Beat, beet
- Beau, bow
- Beer, bier
- Bell, belle
- Berry, bury
- Berth, birth
- Bight, bite, byte
- Billed, build
- Bitten, bittern
LISTENING AND SPEAKING FORM ONE
- Blew, blue
- Bloc, block
- Boar, bore
- Board, bored
- Boarder, border
- Bold, bawled
- Boos, booze
- Born, borne
- Bough, bow
- Boy, buoy
- Brae, bray
- Braid, brayed
- Braise, brays, braze
- Brake, break
- Bread, bred
- Brews, bruise
- Bridal, bridle
- Broach, brooch
- Bur, burr
- But, butt
- Buy, by, bye
- Buyer, byre
- Call, caul
- Canvas, canvass
- Cast, caste
- Caster, castor
- Caught, court
- Caw, core, corps
- Cede, seed
- Ceiling, sealing
- Censer, censor, sensor
- Cent, scent, sent
- Cereal, serial
- Cheap, cheep
- Check, cheque
- Choir, quire
- Chord, cord
- Cite, sight, site
- Clack, claque
- Clew, clue
- Climb, clime
- Close, cloze
- Coarse, course
- Coign, coin
- Colonel, kernel
- Complacent, complaisant
- Complement, compliment
- Coo, coup
- Cops, copse
- Council, counsel
- Cousin, cozen
- Creak, creek
- Crews, cruise
- Cue, queue
- Curb, kerb
- Currant, current
- Cymbol, symbol
- Dam, damn
- Days, daze
- Dear, deer
- Descent, dissent
- Desert, dessert
- Deviser, divisor
- Dew, due
- Die, dye
- Discreet, discrete
- Doe, dough
- Done, dun
- Douse, dowse
- Draft, draught
- Dual, duel
- Earn, urn
- Ewe, yew, you
- Faint, feint
- Fair, fare
- Farther, father
- Fate, fete
- Faun, fawn
- Fay, fey
- Faze, phase
- Feat, feet
- Ferrule, ferule
- Few, phew
- File, phial
- Find, fined
- Fir, fur
- Flair, flare
- Flaw, floor
- Flea, flee
- Flex, flecks
LISTENING AND SPEAKING FORM ONE
- Flew, flu, flue
- Floe, flow
- Flour, flower
- Foaled, fold
- For, fore, four
- Foreword, forward
- Fort, fought
- Forth, fourth
- Foul, fowl
- Franc, frank
- Freeze, frieze
- Friar, fryer
- Furs, furze
- Gait, gate
- Gamble, gambol
- Gays, gaze
- Genes, jeans
- Gild, guild
- Gilt, guilt
- Gnaw, nor
- Gneiss, nice
- Gorilla, guerrilla
- Grate, great
- Greave, grieve
- Greys, graze
- Groan, grown
- Guessed, guest
- Hail, hale
- Hair, hare
- Hall, haul
- Hangar, hanger
- Hart, heart
- Haw, hoar, whore
- Hay, hey
- Heal, heel, he’ll
- Hear, here
- Heard, herd
- He’d, heed
- Heroin, heroine
- Hew, hue
- Hi, high
- Higher, hire
- Him, hymn
- Ho, hoe
- Hoard, horde
- Hoarse, horse
- Holey, holy, wholly
- Hour, our
- Idle, idol
- In, inn
- Indict, indite
- It’s, its
- Jewel, joule
- Key, quay
- Knave, nave
- Knead, need
- Knew, new
- Knight, night
- Knit, nit
- Knob, nob
- Knock, nock
- Knot, not
- Know, no
- Knows, nose
- Laager, lager
- Lac, lack
- Lade, laid
- Lain, lane
- Lam, lamb
- Laps, lapse
- Larva, lava
- Lase, laze
- Law, lore
- Lay, ley
- Lea, lee
- Leach, leech
- Lead, led
- Leak, leek
- Lean, lien
- Lessen, lesson
- Levee, levy
- Liar, lyre
- Licker, liquor
- Lie, lye
- Lieu, loo
- Links, lynx
- Lo, low
- Load, lode
- Loan, lone
- Locks, lox
- Loop, loupe
- Loot, lute
- Made, maid
- Mail, male
- Main, mane
- Maize, maze
- Mall, maul
- Manna, manner
- Mantel, mantle
LISTENING AND SPEAKING FORM ONE
- Mare, mayor
- Mark, marque
- Marshal, martial
- Mask, masque
- Maw, more
- Me, mi
- Mean, mien
- Meat, meet, mete
- Medal, meddle
- Metal, mettle
- Meter, metre
- Might, mite
- Miner, minor
- Mind, mined
- Missed, mist
- Moat, mote
- Mode, mowed
- Moor, more
- Moose, mousse
- Morning, mourning
- Muscle, mussel
- Naval, navel
- Nay, neigh
- None, nun
- Od, odd
- Ode, owed
- Oh, owe
- One, won
- Packed, pact
- Pail, pale
- Pain, pane
- Pair, pare, pear
- Palate, palette, pallet
- Paten, pattern,
- Pause, paws, pores, pours
- Pawn, porn
- Pea, pee
- Peace, piece
- Peak, peek
- Peal, peel
- Pearl, purl
- Pedal, peddle
- Peer, pier
- Pi, pie
- Place, plaice
- Plain, plane
- Pleas, please
- Plum, plumb
- Pole, poll
- Practice, practise
- Praise, prays, preys
- Principal, principle
- Profit, prophet
- Quarts, quartz
- Quean, queen
- Rain, reign, rein
- Raise, rays, raze
- Rap, wrap
- Raw, roar
- Read, reed
- Read, red
- Real, reel
- Reek, wreak
- Rest, wrest
- Retch, wretch
- Review, revue
- Rheum, room
- Right, rite, write
- Ring, wring
- Road, rode
- Roe, row
- Role, roll
- Roux, rue
- Rood, rude
- Root, route
- Rose, rows
- Rota, rotor
- Rote, wrote
- Rough, ruff
- Rouse, rows
- Rung, wrung
- Rye, wry
- Saver, savour
- Spade, spayed
- Sale, sail
- Sane, seine
- Satire, satyr
- Sauce, source
- Saw, soar, sore
- Scene, seen
- Scull, skull
- Sea, see
- Seam, seem
- Sear, seer, sere
- Seas, sees, seize
- Sew, so, sow
- Shake, sheikh
- Shear, sheer
- Shoe, shoo
- Sic, sick
- Side, sighed
- Sign, sine
- Sink, synch
- Slay, sleigh
- Sloe, slow
- Sole, soul
- Some, sum
- Son, sun
- Sort, sought
- Spa,spar
- Staid,stayed
- Stair,stare
- Stake,stoak
- Stalk,stork
- Stationary,stationery
- Steal,steel
- Stile,style
- Storey,story
- Straight,strait
- Sweat,sweet
- Swat,swot
- Tacks,tax
- Tale,tail
- Talk,torque
- Tare, tear
- Taught,taut,tort
- Tea,tee
- Team,teem
- Teas, tease
- Tare, tear
- Tern,t urn
- There,their, they’re
- Threw,through
- Throes,throws
- Throne, thrown
- Thyme,time
- Tic,tick
- Tide,tied
- Tire,tyre
- To,too,two
-
LISTENING AND SPEAKING FORM ONE
- Told,tolled
- Tole,toll
- Ton,tun
- Tor,tore
- Tough,tuff
- Troop,troupe
- Tuba,tuber
- Vain,vane,vein
- Vale,veil
- Vial,vile
- Wail,wale,whale
- Wain, wane
- Waist, waste
- Waive, wave
- Wall, waul
- War, wore
- Warn, worn
- Watt, what
- Wax, whacks
- Way, weigh
- We, wee
- Weak, week
- We’d, weed
- Weal, we’ll, wheel
- Weather, whether
- Weir, we’re
- Were, whirr
- Wet, whet
- Weald, wheeled
- Which, witch
- Whig, wig
- While, wile
- Whine, wine
- Whirl, whorl
- Whirled, world
- Whit, wit
- White, wight
- Who’s, whose
- Wood, would
- Yaw, yore, your, you’re
- Yoke, yolk
- You’ll, yule
Exercise
Write two words pronounced the same way as each of the following words.
- B
- C
- I
- P
- T
- U
SILENT LETTERS
In English there are letters that are usually not pronounced in certain words. Let us have a look at these letters and words in which they are silent.
Letter ‘A’
- Logically
- Musically
- Romantically
- Stoically
- Artistically
Letter ‘B’
- Aplomb
- Bomb
- Climb
- Comb
- Crumb
- Debt
- Jamb
- Lamb
- Limb
- Numb
- Plumb
- Subtle
- Succumb
- Thumb
- Tomb
- Womb
LISTENING AND SPEAKING FORM ONE
Letter ‘C’
- Ascend
- Abscess
- Ascent
- Conscience
- Conscious
- Crescent
- Descend
- Descent
- Discipline
- Fascinate
- Fluorescent
- Isosceles
- Luminescent
- Muscle
- Obscene
- Resuscitate
- Scenario
- Scene
- Scent
- Scissors
Letter ‘D’
- Wednesday
- Hedge
- Dodge
- Pledge
- Grudge
- Sandwich
- Handkerchief
Letter ‘E’
- Hate
- Name
- Like
- Hope
- Lessen
- Surprised
Letter ‘G’
- Align
- Assign
- Benign
- Campaign
- Champagne
- Cologne
- Consign
- Gnarl
- Gnash
- Gnaw
- Gnome
- Gnu
- Reign
- Sign
Letter ‘H’
- Honest
- Hour
- Heir
- Honour
- Ache
- Anchor
- Archeology
- Architect
- Archives
- Chaos
- Character
- Cholera
- Charisma
- Chemical
- Chemist
- Chorus
- Choir
- Echo
- Loch
- Shepherd
- Monarch
- Scheme
- psych
Letter ‘I’
- Business
- Parliament
Letter ‘K’
- Knock
- Knapsack
- Knave
- Knead
- Knee
- Kneel
- Knell
- Knew
- Knickers
- Knife
- Knight
- Knit
- Knob
- Knock
- Knot
- Know
- Knowledge
- Knuckle
Letter ‘L’
- Calm
- Half
- Talk
- Walk
- Would
- Should
- Calf
- Salmon
- Yolk
- Folk
- Balk
Letter ‘N’
- Autumn
- Column
- Condemn
- Damn
- Hymn
- Solemn
Letter ‘O’
- Lesson
LISTENING AND SPEAKING FORM ONE
Letter ‘P’
- Psychology
- Pneumonia
- Pseudo
- Psychiatrist
- Psychotherapy
- Psychotic
- Receipt
- Corps
- Coup
Letter ‘S’
- Island
- Aisle
- Apropos
- Bourgeois
Letter ‘T’
- Apostle
- Bristle
- Bustle
- Castle
- fasten
- glisten
- hustle
- jostle
- listen
- moisten
- mortgage
- nestle
- rustle
- thistle
- trestle
- whistle
- wrestle
Letter ‘U’
- baguette
- biscuit
- build
- built
- circuit
- disguise
- guess
- guide
- guild
- guile
- guillotine
- guilt
- guilty
- guilty
- guise
- guitar
- rogue
- silhouette
- colleague
- tongue
Letter ‘W’
- awry
- playwright
- sword
- wrangle
- wrap
- wrapper
- wrath
- wreak
- wreath
- wreck
- wreckage
- wren
- wrench
- wretched
- wriggle
- wring
- wrinkle
- wrist
- writ
- write
- wrote
- wrong
- writhe
- wrong
- wrought
- wrung
- wry
LISTENING AND SPEAKING FORM ONE
Exercise
Identify the silent letter(s) in:
- debtor
- isle
- mock
- depot
- acquit
- womb
- patios
- thyme
- handsome
- sandwich
- government
- listen
- Christmas
- Whether
- Rapport
- Ballet
- Chalet
- Aplomb
- Ricochet
- Clothes
- Cupboard
- Faux
- Mnemonic
- Numb
- Rendezvous
- Catalogue
- Vegetable
- Asthma
- months
- debris
RIDDLES
- A riddle is a statement or a question with veiled meaning posed as a puzzle to be solved.
- The riddles play functions such as:
- They boost the creativity of kids.
- They entertain.
- Some examples of riddles include:
- What gets wetter and wetter the more it dries? A towel.
- What can you catch but not throw? A cold.
- What goes around the world but stays in a corner? A stamp.
- Give me food, and I will live; give me water, and I will die. What am I ? Fire.
LISTENING AND SPEAKING FORM ONE
Riddling Process
- There are two parties involved: the audience (respondents) and the challenger(or the riddler).
- There are basically four stages of a riddling process, but at times six.
- The parts of the riddling process are:
- The riddlerchallenges the audience. The challenge differs from community to community. Some phrases used here include: riddle riddle!, I have a riddle! Etc.
- The respondents accept the challenge. The invitations include: riddle come! Throw it! Etc.
- The riddler then poses the riddle.
- The guess or guesses. The audience tries to come up with the solution. If they are unable, then the next part follows.
- The challenger asks for a prize. The prize can be a town or city, or any other thing. The challenger accepts the prize.
- Then the solution is given by the challenger.
Exercise
Read the riddling convention below and then identify its six parts.
Challenger: I have a riddle!
Respondent: Throw it.
Challenger: What comes down but never goes up?
Respondent: Wind
Challenger: no, try again.
Respondent: Bird
Challenger: What will you give me if I offer the solution?
Respondent: You will have the entire fire to yourself.
Challenger: The answer is rain.
FEATURES OF OGRE STORIES AND TRICKSTERS
- OGRE STORIES
- An ogre usually represents an evil.
- Ogre are usually destroyed at the end.
- They have happy ending.
Functions of Ogre Stories
- They warn against strangers.
- They caution youth against marrying the people they don’t know.
TRICKSTER STORIES
- A character makes up for a physical weakness with cunning and subversive humour.
- The trickster alternatives between:
- Cleverness and stupidity;
- Kindness and cruelty;
- Deceiver and deceived; and
- Breaker of taboos and creator of culture.
LISTENING AND SPEAKING FORM ONE
MASTERY OF CONTENT
DEBATE
- A formal contest of argumentation between two sides is what debate is.
- Debate embodies the ideals of reasoned argument, and tolerance for divergent points of view.
- There are two sides in the debate: the proposition and the
- These two teams are presented with a resolution, such as, ‘Girls and Boys Should play in a mixed football team.’
- The teams are given enough preparation time.
- The team affirming the resolution speaks first.
- The opposing team then must refute the arguments offered by the affirming team and offer arguments rejecting the resolution.
- Both sides are given the opportunity to present their positions and to directly question the other team.
- Neutral judge (s) then evaluate the persuasiveness of the arguments and offer constructive feedback.
Preparation Time
This is the time you have from when the motion is announced to the beginning of the debate. During this time:
- Research on the motion to get facts. The facts can be got from the teachers, other students, etc.
- Write notes on the facts. You can once in a while look at them during your presentation.
- Practice how to speak. Do it in front of friends and relatives, as well as in front of a mirror.
- If anxious, do some physical exercise. You can also take a deep breath just before your presentation.
- Dress decently.
Points Delivery
Here are the points that will help you be successful during your points delivery:
- Deliver your points in a confident and persuasive way.
- Vary your tone to make you sound interesting. Listening to one tone is boring.
- Speak quite loudly to be comfortably heard by everyone in the room. Shouting does not win debates.
- Make eye contact with your audience, but keep shifting your gaze. Don’t stare at one person.
- Concisely and clearly express your points to be understood by your audience members.
- Provide a proof for each point you put across. If you don’t you will not earn a point.
- Speak slowly and enunciate your words. When you slow down your speech, you give your audience and the judge more time to process your strong points.
- Use gestures to elaborate on your points.
- Pause to divide your major points.
Heckling
- Only supportive and argumentative heckling is permitted.
- Heckling is a brief phrase (about two words) or other non- verbal actions that are directed to the judge of the debate.
- They are reminder to the judge to pay close attention to the message immediately expressed by the speaker.
- There are two types of heckles:
- Those that are non-verbal, such as,
- Rapping the knuckles on the desktop.
- Rapping the palm on the desk.
- Stamping the feet
They are meant to encourage the judge to heed a particularly strong point being made by the speaker.
- Those that are verbal, such as,
- Objective
- Evidence
- Point of information
They are said after standing up by one member of the opposing side. These are meant to alert the judge to a problem in the opposing side’s argument.
Exercise
After you deliver your points during the debate, everyone claps for you. How could you have delivered your points to earn their heckling?
LISTENING AND SPEAKING FORM ONE
ETIQUETTE
Etiquette is the rules that indicate the proper and polite manner to behave.
USE OF COURTEOUS LANGUAGE
- When one uses courteous language, he/she uses a language that is very polite and polished to show respect.
- At no time should you allow yourself be rude, ill-mannered, impolite, inconsiderate, or even thoughtless.
- Being and remaining polite will go a long way in building relationships.
- To show politeness and respect:
- Use the word please in request;
- Say thank you to those who help or compliment you.
- Start your requests or interrogatives beginning with words such as can, could, may, will, or would.
- Say excuse me when you interrupt other people or intrude into their time or privacy.
- Use question tags.
- In this section, we shall learn the words and phrases that show respect.
Please
- We use it when you want someone to do something for you. For example: Can you pass that cup, please?
- also used when you want something from someone. For example: Lend me ten shillings, please.
Thank you
- Use it whenever someone does something for you.
- Use it when someone commends you.
Sorry
- Say it any time you inconvenience someone.
- Say it when step on someone’s toes, etc.
- Also when someone asks you something you cannot do.
- Excuse me
To introduce a request to someone, or to get past someone, use this phrase. For example
Excuse me, can you show me where Amina lives?
- Pardon me
Almost as ‘excuse me’
Exercise 1
Jennifer has gone to the shop to buy a bar of soap. The shopkeeper tells her to be polite the next time she comes to buy from him. Showing where, which polite phrases could Jennifer have failed to use?
Exercise 2
Read the dialogue below and then explain how Jacinta expresses politeness.
John: I would like to send this letter to japan by airmail, how much is the charge?
Jacinta: It’s one pound, do you need extra stamps?
John: I do, I have been also expecting a package from New-York. Here is my identity card and receipt.
Jacinta: Would you mind signing this form? Here is the package.
John:Finally, I would like to send this registered letter to London.
Jacinta:Please fill in the complete address in capital letters.
NON VERBAL SKILLS IN LISTENING AND SPEAKING
IMPORTANCE OF RESPECTING PERSONAL SPACE
A personal space is an imaginary area between a person and their surrounding area. This space makes the person feel comfortable and should therefore not be encroached.
The distance can exist at work, at home and in our social circles.
The personal space varies depending on factors such as:
- Gender
- Trust
- Relationship
- Familiarity with the person.
Why Respect People’s personal Space?
- To make them feel comfortable.
- To maintain good relationships.
- To enhance listening. Especially during a talk.
General Personal Space Rules
The personal space guidelines below will help enhance listening and speaking:
- Respectfully keep your distance if you walk into a room and see two people in private conversation.
- Pay attention to your volume when you speak, whether on the phone or in person, to ensure you don’t distract attention of others.
- Maintain physical space at table and chair rows so the people around you have enough room to write, raise their hands, etc.
- Be mindful of amount of perfume or cologne you wear as if it is in excess it might distract others.
- Never lean on the other person’s shoulder unless invited to.
- Don’t eavesdrop on another person’s phone conversation. In case you overhear details of the conversation, keep it confidential.
LISTENING AND SPEAKING FORM ONE
Dealing with Space Intrusion
Depending on the nature of the intrusion, you would deal with space encroachment in different ways. Here are the steps of dealing with a person who leans on your shoulder:
- Lean away or take a step back away from the person hoping they would take a hint.
- Come right out and say you feel discomfort being too close.
- Explain why you need more space. You can for example tell them you need more space to write.
Exercise
You have attended a one day seminar. The person sitting next to you is said to be intruding your personal space. What four personal space guidelines could this person have failed to follow?
LISTENING AND SPEAKING ANSWERS
PRONUNCIATION OF VOWEL SOUNDS
/ᶦ/
- Hill
- Sit
- Still
- Blip
- Fill
- Blink
- Thrill
/i:/
- Jeep
- Creek
- Greased
- Teal
- cheat
/e/
- jet
- bed
- wet
PRONUNCIATION OF CONSONANT SOUNDS
Exercise 1
Sound /s/: seven, students, first, test, licences
Sound /z/ : driver’s, licences, Thursday
Exercise 2
- Garage
- Gift
- Go
- Digit
- Entangle
- Gecko
Exercise 3
Sound /ᶴ/ :tissue, passion, ocean, cautious, solution, pressure, Persian, chef, sure, precious
Sound /ᶾ/ :Caucasian, division, leisure, vision, casual, conclusion, television, decision, collision, exposure
Exercise 4
Sound /f/ : forgive, for, forgetting, leftover, food
Sound /v/ :forgive, leftover
LISTENING AND SPEAKING FORM ONE
DIPHTHONGS
- Gate
- Made
- Male
- Pail
- Pane
- Plane
- Sail
- Tail
- Vane/vein
- Waste
- Weight
- Ate
- Sow
- Know
- Tow
- Groan
MINIMAL PAIRS
Exercise 1
- Heat
- Shit
- Teen
- Pitch
- Leap
- Knit
- Keep
- Ill
- Grid
- Peel
- Skid
- Scheme
Exercise 2
- Hid
- Mess
- Hem
- Led
- Fin
- Led
- Din
- Pig
Exercise 3
- Fail
- Pen
- Hell
- Sail/sale
- Whale
- Met
- Read/red
- Debt
- Main
- Stead
Exercise 4
- Bat
- Much
- Mud
- Flash
- Come
- Dam
- Sung
- Ankle
- Crush
- Suck
- Damp
- Tag
Exercise 5
- Merry
- Bland
- Kettle
- Vet
- Sex
- Track
- Tread
- Mat
Exercise 6
- Fir/fur
- Hard
- Purse
- Firm
- Shirk
- Cart
Exercise 7
- Ban
- Vote
- Best
- Bowels
- Bent
- Very
- Lobes
- Verb
Exercise 8
- Very
- Leave
- Fast
- Vine
- Halve
- Prove
- Fail
- Grieve
- Carve
- Vault
- File
- Strife
Exercise 9
- Bad
- Got
- Ride
- Ant
- add
- Bet
- Bought
- Aid
- Bed
- feed
- Hid
- Heard
- Mad
- Meant
- need
- Not
- Said
- Plate
- Sad
- Debt
LISTENING AND SPEAKING FORM ONE
Exercise 10
- Tag
- Flock
- Tuck
- Come
- Cash
- Jag
- Gave
- Sack
- League
- Grab
- Glass
- Could
- Coat
- Block
- Gill
- Duck
- Cut
- Lock
- Rag
- got
HOMOPHONES
- bee, be
- see, sea
- aye, eye
- pee, pea
- tea, tee
- ewe, you
SILENT LETTERS
- b
- s
- c
- t
- c
- b
- s
- h
- d
- d
- n
- t
- t
- h
- t
- t
- t
- b
- t
- e
- p
- x
- m
- b
- z
- ue
- e
- th
- th
- s
RIDDLES
- Challenge – I have a riddle!
- Acceptance – Throw it.
- Pose/ Riddle – What comes down but never goes up?
- Guesses – wind, bird
- Prize – Fire
- Solution – rain
Exercise 2
aabcddbceeccffccgghh
DEBATE
I could have:
- Spoken confidently
- Varied my tone appropriately
- Spoken loud enough to be heard by everyone
- Made my contact with my audience
- Provided proofs for my points in persuasive way.
- Spoken slowly and enunciated words correctly
- Used gestures that reinforced my ideas
- Paused at key points
USE OF COURTEOUS LANGUAGE
Exercise 1
- Failed to use ‘thank you’ after being given the bar of soap.
- Failed to use ‘please’ when asking to be given the bar of soap.
- Failed to use ‘excuse me’ to get the shopkeeper’s attention.
Exercise 2
- She has used ‘please’ when asking John to fill the address.
- She has used ‘would’ in asking questions.
LISTENING AND SPEAKING FORM ONE
IMPORTANCE OF RESPECTING PERSONAL SPACE
He could have failed to:
- Speak in a low voice during the talk.
- Maintain the physical distance between the two of us at the table.
- Resist leaning on my shoulder or chest.
- Resist eavesdropping on my phone conversation
READING FOR FORM ONE
READING SKILLS
SILENT READING
- It involves reading without pronouncing the words out loud.
- It is reading to oneself.
Bad Silent Reading Habits
The following are some of the bad silent habits which you must try to break:
(a) Moving your lips when you read
(b) Vocalizing
Vocalizing means that you are pronouncing words in the voice box of the throat without making sounds. This also slows your reading rate to that of speaking.
(c) Regressing out of habit
Regressing means rereading a word, phrase, or sentence out of habit and not because of need. Sometimes, it is necessary to reread something, especially in a difficult passage. But habitual, unnecessary regressing really slows you down.
(d) Reading one word at a time
(e) Moving of the head as one reads.
(f) Pointing the words as you read.
USING A DICTIONARY
Reasons for using a dictionary
A dictionary is a very important tool for anyone who is learning a new language. With a good dictionary you can do the following:
- look up the meaning of an English word you see or hear
- find the English translation of a word in your language
- check the spelling of a word
- check the plural of a noun or past tense of a verb
- find out other grammatical information about a word
- find the synonym or antonym of a word
- look up the collocations of a word
- check the part of speech of a word
- find out how to say a word
- find out about the register of a word
- find examples of the use of a word in natural language
To be a good dictionary user, however, it is not enough to know what to use the dictionary for. You must also decide which is the best dictionary for any of the purposes listed above.
Finding words quickly
- You will need to know the English alphabet perfectly.
- Use the guide words at the top of each dictionary page.
Finding the right meaning of an English word
Very often when you look up a new English word, you find that it has more than one meaning. If you are not sure which one is correct, check through all the meanings and find the one that makes most sense in the context where you found the word.
Finding the right spelling
Another problem you may have is when you want to check your spelling but you can’t find the word you’re looking for. Here is what to do:
- If you are sure of the first few letters, just look down the page until you find the right spelling.
- If you are not sure of the first few letters, try some other possibilities. You know for example that some words that start with an -n sound have p as their first letter; e.g. . So if you can’t find the word under N, try looking in the P pages.
USING THE LIBRARY
When you walk into a library, there are many resources at your fingertips. You just need to know what to use, how to use it, and when to ask for help.
Different Types of Libraries to Use
Depending on the topic you need to study, you might find that different libraries might serve you better.
The different types of libraries include:
- Public: This library is the typical library working to make sure the local community has the books it needs without having to charge anyone to read them.
- Home library
- Class library.
- School library
Using the library is easy and it only takes a little direction from you in order to fully realize how many books can help you with your topic of study.
LISTENING AND SPEAKING FORM ONE
Consulting the Librarian
At times, you may not know where to begin with a research topic. If you are not sure where to go or what questions to ask, it can help to bring in a third party who is not attached to your research: the librarian.
Talking to the librarian will help have book titles that have been helpful to you. If you already have found helpful books, show the librarian so they can look for similar books in the stacks.
COMPREHENSION SKILLS
SUMMARY AND NOTE-MAKING
SUMMARIES
SUMMARY
- An excellent summary is a summary written to show that you have read and understood something.
- You will get assignments that ask you to read a certain material and summarize it.
How to produce a summary:
1.Read the material to be summarized and be sure you understand it.
2.Outline the major points.
3.Write a first draft of the summary without looking at the material.
4.Always use paraphrase when writing a summary.
5.Target your first draft for approximately 1/4 the length of the original.
6.Never put any of your own ideas, opinions, or interpretations into the summary. This means you have to be very careful of your word choice.
- Write in prose – not point form.
NOTE-MAKING
NOTE MAKING
How to Make Notes
The following tips will come in handy when making notes:
- Read the material carefully and thoroughly.
- Underline the key sentences as you read. This will help in forming the title.
- Make a rough note of the main points in a logical sequence.
- Write the final notes.
You should have in mind that a note:
- Should be short and to the point.
- Contain all the important and relevant information.
- Should have information systematically divided and subdivided.
- Should have a short title. Avoid long sentences as titles.
- Must be written in points only.
Notes Template
TITLE …………………….
- ………………………………………….
- …………………………………………
- ………………………………………..
- ………………………………………..
ALL ENGLISH NOTES FORM 1-4 WITH TOPICAL QUESTIONS & ANSWERS
PRIMARY NOTES, SCHEMES OF WORK AND EXAMINATIONS