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Study & Master

Support Pack | Grade 12
CAPS

English
Grammar and Vocabulary
This support pack for the English FAL Grade 12 CAPS
Curriculum provides a valuable summary of key grammar and
vocabulary concepts, with revision activities. All activities have
answers provided. Learners can work through the material
individually at home, or it can form the basis of a catch-up
class or online lesson. The pack consists of 13 sections – refer
to the contents page for details. You have permission to print
or photocopy this document or distribute it electronically
via email or WhatsApp.
Cambridge University Press Africa is a proudly South
African publisher – we are providing this material in response
to the need to support teachers and learners during the school
shutdown and for the remainder of the 2020 school year.
For more information on our Study & Master CAPS-approved
textbooks and valuable resource materials, visit
www.cambridge.org

We are all in this together!

www.cambridge.org
Contents
Nouns........................................................................................................... 1

Adjectives..................................................................................................... 7

Verbs............................................................................................................. 12

Adverbs........................................................................................................ 20

Phrases and clauses................................................................................... 23

Conjunctions................................................................................................ 27

Sentence structure...................................................................................... 30

Types of sentences..................................................................................... 34

Punctuation.................................................................................................. 38

Active and passive voice............................................................................ 40

Direct and indirect speech.......................................................................... 42

Vocabulary................................................................................................... 45

Figures of speech........................................................................................ 58
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Nouns
Nouns are naming words. A noun names a thing, a place, a feeling or a person.

There are two main groups of nouns: concrete nouns and abstract nouns.

Concrete nouns
Concrete nouns name things we can experience through our five senses. They are things we can see,
hear, smell, taste and touch. The following nouns are concrete nouns:

Common nouns
Common nouns are the names of general, non specific things, places, feelings or people. They don’t
have capital letters unless they are at the beginning of a sentence.

Examples: boy, horse, school, tree, chair

Proper nouns
Proper nouns are special names for particular people, places and brands. They start with a capital letter.
Examples: Thandi, South Africa, Vaal River, Vodacom

1. Identify whether the following nouns are common nouns or proper nouns:
girl, town, Thando, Gauteng, dog, bush, Main Road, Eskom, goat, Shoprite

Countable nouns
Countable name things we can count. They have a singular and plural form.

Regular nouns follow rules to form their plural. Most nouns just need an -s to become plural. The other
rules for regular nouns are listed in the table below.

If a singular noun ends in: To make a plural noun: Examples

s add es princess – princesses
sh crash – crashes
ch beach – beaches
f change the f to ves loaf – loaves
y change the y to ies sky – skies
if there is a consonant before the y donkey – donkeys

2. Write the plural noun for the following singular nouns:

car, ball, dress, lunch, knife, wife, sash, lady, baby, fly

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Irregular nouns do not follow rules. You need to learn the plurals of these nouns. Examples:

Singular noun Plural noun

person people
man men
woman women
child children
ox oxen
tooth teeth
foot feet
mouse mice
medium media
phenomenon phenomena
sheep sheep
fish fish (or fishes)

3. Write the plural noun for the following irregular nouns:

goose, gentleman, larva curriculum, syllabus, index, crisis, tuna, oasis, trout

Uncountable nouns
Uncountable nouns name things we cannot count. They don’t have plurals. Examples:

• Please pass the water.

• I don’t believe in love.
• She hates milk.

4. Identify whether the following nouns are countable nouns or uncountable nouns: eggs, money,
salt, letters, sugar, bananas, shoes, sand, taxis, flour

Collective nouns
Collective nouns refer to a group of things. Examples:

a crowd of people a herd of antelope

a packet of chips a pride of lions
a bunch of grapes a troop of monkeys
a fleet of cars a flock of birds
a range of options a school of fish

5. Fill in the missing collective nouns: a) a ___ of flowers; b) a ____ of dolphins; c) a ____ of
players; d) a ___ of teachers; e) a ____ of furniture; f) a ____ of thieves; g) a ___ of books;
h) a ____ of paintings

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Abstract nouns
Abstract nouns are names given to feelings, qualities or states. You cannot see or touch abstract nouns.
Examples:

• We fought for freedom.

• Patience is a gift.

Other examples of abstract nouns are happiness, luxury, love, equality, justice.

6. Identify the abstract nouns in the following list: independence, city, tank, greed, joy, gratitude,
baby, honesty, computer, eagle

Possessive forms of nouns

You use an apostrophe and an ‘s’ at the end of a noun to show that someone owns something.
Examples:

• Thandi’s book
• The man’s book

Here are some more rules about possessive forms of nouns:

• If the person’s name ends in ‘s’, add an apostrophe and another ‘s’. Examples:
–– Fergus’s desk
–– James’s sister

• If the word is plural, and already ends in ‘s’, then just add an apostrophe. The rule is that you can
only add one ‘s’ to a word. Examples:
–– the girls’ brushes
–– the boys’ suitcases

• For irregular plural nouns, such as ‘women’ and ‘mice’, you place the apostrophe before the ‘s’ as the
word is already in plural form. Examples:
–– The women’s homes
–– Some mice’s tails are as long as their bodies.

7. Rewrite the following using the possessive form of the noun: the shoes belong to Lucas; the
ladies own the salon; the books belong to the children; the jeans belong to Alex; the cries of
the babies; the church of St Thomas; the college of St James; the humming of bees; the choir
of angels; the tails of the oxen

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Pronouns
Personal pronouns
Pronouns replace nouns. There are subject pronouns and object pronouns. Examples:

Subject pronouns Object pronouns

I me
you you
he/she/it him/her/it
we us
you you
they them

subject verb object subject verb object

Thandi helped Emily. She helped her.

8. Replace the underlined noun with the correct personal pronoun.

a) Sindiswa gave Thabo some water.
b) The teachers spoke to the learners.
c) The volunteers helped our community.
d) The donkey has a broken leg.
e) Please save the food for my sisters and me.

Possessive pronouns
Possessive pronouns show who owns something. Examples:

• That pencil is mine.

• This pen is yours.

Here is a list of all the possessive pronouns: mine, yours, his, hers, its, ours, theirs

9. Fill in the correct possessive pronoun.

a) The dress belongs to me. It is ___.
b) The family owns the business. It is _____.
c) The phone is Lihle’s. It is ____.
d) The water tank is for us. It is ____.

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Reflexive pronouns
If a pronoun refers back to the subject of a sentence, it is called a reflexive pronoun. Examples:

• I cut myself.
• What did you do to yourself?
• He made himself some tea.
• She made herself a list.

Here is a list of all the reflexive pronouns: myself, yourself, himself, herself, itself, ourselves, yourselves,
themselves

10. Fill in the correct reflexive pronoun.

a) She hurt ____.
b) We cooked ____ a meal.
c) He gave ____ a shock.
d) They bought ____ a new TV.
e) I prepared ___ for the news.

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Answers
1. Common nouns: girl, town, dog, bush, goat
Proper nouns: Thando, Gauteng, Main Road, Eskom, Shoprite

2. cars, balls, dresses, lunches, knives, wives, sashes, ladies, babies, flies

3. geese, gentlemen, larvae, curricula, syllabi, indices, crises, tuna, oases, trout

4. Countable nouns: eggs, letters, bananas, shoes, taxis

Uncountable nouns: money, salt, sugar, sand, flour

5. a) a bouquet of flowers; b) a pod of dolphins; c) a team of players; d) a staff of teachers;

e) a suite of furniture; f) a band of thieves; g) a library of books; h) a collection of paintings

6. independence, greed, joy, gratitude, honesty

7. a) Lucas’ shoes
b) the ladies’ salon
c) the children’s books
d) Thandi’s jeans
e) the babies’ cries
f) St Thomas church
g) St James college
h) the bees’ humming
i) our school’s choir
j) the oxen’s tails

8. a) She gave him some water.

b) They spoke to them.
c) They helped us.
d) It has a broken leg.
e) Please save it for us.

9. a) mine
b) theirs
c) his
d) ours

10. a) herself
b) ourselves
c) himself
d) themselves
e) myself

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Adjectives
Adjectives tell you more about nouns or pronouns. They can give you information about, for example,
quantity, colour, shape, size, age or texture. Examples:

quantity colour shape

ten oranges white sheets round stones

size age texture

large buildings elderly people rough fabric

1. Complete the sentence with the correct adjective. Write down only one word.
a) The driver stopped obediently at the ______ traffic light.
b) He wears his ___ jacket on cold days.
c) The family shares one ____ bedroom.
d) They discovered ruins from ___ times.
e) A cell phone has a ____ shape.

Adjectives of comparison
You can use adjectives to compare things.

Comparative adjectives compare two nouns or pronouns. Superlative adjectives compare three or more
nouns or pronouns.

Short regular adjectives follow a pattern when we change them to comparative or superlative adjectives.

• For comparative adjectives, add ‘er’.

• For superlative adjectives, add ‘est’.

Examples:

Adjective Comparative form Superlative form

bright brighter brightest
large larger largest
long longer longest
slow slower slowest
thin thinner thinnest
funky funkier funkiest
happy happier happiest

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If the adjective is a long word, add the word ‘more’ or ‘most’ or ‘less’ or ‘least’. Examples:

Adjective Comparative form Superlative form

comfortable more comfortable most comfortable
beautiful more beautiful most beautiful
appealing more appealing most appealing
careful less careful least careful
difficult less difficult least difficult
important more important most important

Irregular adjectives don’t follow the rules. Examples:

Adjective Comparative form Superlative form

good better best
bad worse worst
far further furthest
little less least

2. Rewrite the sentences using the correct form of the adjectives in brackets.
a) That was the (interesting) book I have ever read.
b) She was the (good) examination candidate.
c) His (great) challenge is to manage his time effectively.
d) You must use (polite) language in a formal letter than in an informal one.
e) The board will decide who is the (suitable) applicant from the shortlist.

Participles acting as adjectives

Sometimes participles can be used as adjectives. Examples:

present participle acting as adjective

the running boy

past participle acting as adjective

the injured boy

3. Rewrite the following sentences in a grammatically correct way.

a) The bang door is irritating me.
b) The howl wind frightened her.
c) The police recovered the vehicle that was stolen.

4. Rewrite the underlined words as a phrase containing an article, an adjective and a noun.
a) The wallet that was stolen was found by the police.
b) The child that was lost was returned to his parents.
c) The house that was destroyed has been rebuilt.

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Compound adjectives
Compound adjectives are made up of two or more words that describe a noun or pronoun.

Compound adjectives before a noun are usually hyphenated, except when the first word is an adverb
that ends in an ‘ly’. Examples:

• well-known person

• beautifully decorated room

5. Identify the compound adjective in each sentence. Then add a hyphen, if necessary.
a) We bought a seven seater vehicle.
b) Free range eggs are more expensive than other ones.
c) She followed a widely used procedure.
d) I was not involved in the decision making process.
e) He wrote a carefully worded letter to the press.

Demonstrative adjectives
Demonstrative adjectives are used to describe a noun so that we know which specific person, place or
thing is mentioned. Examples:

• This shirt is clean.

• That house is old.

• These socks are mine.

• Those children are noisy.

Note: demonstrative adjectives must not be confused with demonstrative pronouns, which do not come
before a noun and are used to identify someone or something. Examples:

demonstrative pronoun

This is my home.

demonstrative adjective

This home is mine.

6. Choose the best demonstrative adjectives to complete each sentence.

a) ___ chair over here is more comfortable than ___ one over there.
b) ___ neighbours on this side of the road are friendlier than ___ neighbours over the road.

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Possessive adjectives
Possessive adjectives are used to describe who or what a noun belongs to.

Possessive adjectives are: my, our, your, his, her, its, their. Examples:

• My house is smaller than your house.

• His bicycle got a puncture last week.

• Their grandfather passed away recently.

Remember: A possessive adjective must not be confused with a possessive pronoun, which replaces a
possessive adjective + noun to avoid repetition. Examples:

possessive adjectives

This book is my book, not your book.

possessive pronouns

This book is mine, not yours.

7. Identify whether the word in bold is a possessive adjective or not.

a) Their dog barks a lot.
b) The bag is his.
c) Your bed is warm.
d) They donated books to our school.
e) It is not mine. It is hers.

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Answers
1. a) red
b) warm
c) small
d) ancient
e) rectangular

2. a) most interesting
b) best
c) greatest
d) more polite
e) most suitable

3. a) The banging door is irritating me.

b) The howling wind frightened her.
c) The police recovered the stolen vehicle.

4. a) The stolen wallet

b) The lost child
c) The destroyed house

5. a) seven-seater
b) free-range
c) widely used
d) decision-making
e) carefully worded

6. a) This chair over here is more comfortable than that one over there.
b) These neighbours on this side of the road are friendlier than those neighbours over the
road.

7. a) yes
b) no (possessive noun)
c) yes
d) yes
e) no (possessive noun)

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Verbs
Verbs show actions or states of being. Examples:

• Thandi helped Emily. (action)

• They are swimming in the pool. (action)

• I was furious. (state of being)

Auxiliary verbs
An auxiliary verb is a helping verb. It helps the next verb in two ways:
• It changes the mood or feeling of a sentence. These are called modal auxiliaries. Examples:
–– I may go. (permission)
–– I can go. (I’m able to go)

• It shows the tense of the sentence. Examples:

–– He will dance. (in the future)
–– They were crying. (in the past)

Common auxiliary verbs

am  is  are  be  have  has  had  was  were  will  shall

You should use the following modal auxiliary verbs in these situations:
• If you have to do something, use ‘must’ or ‘should’.
• If you are being polite, use ‘would’ or ‘may’.
• If it is possible, use ‘could’ or ‘might’.

1. Which auxiliary verb indicates obligation in the sentence below?

The children (shall/will/can/may/must) put on their jerseys.

2. Which auxiliary verb indicates possibility in the sentence below?

It (should/can/would/might/will) rain in the morning.

3. Which auxiliary verb indicates politeness in the sentence below?

(Could/Would/Should) you mind opening the window?

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Participles
Participles are verbs that end in ‘ed’ or ‘ing’. A participle cannot be the only verb in the sentence.
It must be combined with an auxiliary verb.

• Present participles end with ‘ing’. Examples:

auxiliary verb + present participle

He was managing the event.

• Past participles end with ‘ed’, unless they are irregular.

Note: many simple past tense verbs end in -ed. The verb is only a participle if it is used with an
auxiliary. Examples:
auxiliary verb + regular past participle

They had climbed the mountain before.

auxiliary verb + irregular past participle

They cleared the table once they had eaten.

Finite verbs
A finite verb shows tense, person and number and is the main action in the sentence. It can be more
than one word. Examples:

auxiliary verb + participle = finite verb

I was walking to school.

finite verb

He ate all the pie.

auxiliary verb + participle = finite verb

They will be going to school.

4. Identify the finite verbs in these sentences. Then identify auxiliary verbs, and present and past
participles.
a) They are going on holiday.
b) She is very beautiful.
c) We have done our homework.

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Non-finite verbs
Non-finite verbs do not show tense, person or number. They are generally the base form of a verb with
‘to’ in front of it. They are called the infinitive. You often find infinitives after these verbs: like, want,
hope, prefer. Example:

infinitive

I like to dance.

5. Rewrite the sentences correctly.

a) I hope (become) a nurse.
b) Thandi prefers (travel) by bus.
c) He wants (study) food technology.

Concord
Verbs must match their subjects. A singular subject must have a singular verb. A plural subject must
have a plural verb. When they do not match, we say there is an error of concord.

General rule
I, we, you, they walk no s
He, she, it walks s

6. Correct the error of concord in the following sentences. Keep the sentence in the present tense.
a) The cow walk across the field.
b) The cat eat the food.
c) The child listen to a story.

7. Complete the following sentences with the correct form of the verb in brackets.
a) You (be) wonderful.
b) She (be) unhappy.
c) He (have) a younger brother.

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Tenses
Verbs have tenses that show when things happen. There are three main tenses: present, past and future.

Note: Each main tense can be divided into the following sub tenses: simple, continuous, perfect and
perfect continuous.

Simple tenses
We use the simple tenses to talk about things that are true, or things that we usually do.
• To make the past tense, add ‘ed’ to the verb.
• To make the future tense, add ‘will’ or ‘shall’ before the verb.

Past tense Present tense Future

I walked I walk I will/shall walk
you walked you walk you will walk
he/she/it walked he/she/it walks he/she/it will walk
we walked we walk we will/shall walk
you walked you walk you will walk
they walked they walk they will walk

8. Change the following sentence so that it refers to the past.

They walk back home.

9. Change the following sentence so that it refers to the present.

We went to the shops a lot.

10. Change the following sentence so that it refers to the future.

She talks to her mother.

11. Complete the sentence with the correct form of the verb ‘play’.
Yesterday I ______ very well.

Irregular verbs have their own past-tense forms, but they also use ‘will’ to refer to the future.

TO BE
Past tense Present tense Future tense
I was I am I will be
you were you are you will be
he/she/it was he/she/it is he/she/it will be
we were we are we will be
you were you are you will be
they were they are they will be

12. Change the following sentence so that it refers to the past.

I am so happy!

13. Change the following sentence so that it refers to the present.

They were there.

14. Change the following sentence so that it refers to the future.

She is a doctor.

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 TO HAVE
Past tense Present tense Future tense
I had I have I will have
you had you have you will have
he/she/it had he/she/it has he/she/it will have
we had we have we will have
you had you have you will have
they had they have they will have

15. Change the following sentence so that it refers to the future.

We had a great game.

16. Change the following sentence so that it refers to the past.

We have a big dog.

17. Change the following sentence so that it refers to the present.

She had a big suitcase.

Here are some other examples of irregular verbs.

Verb Past-tense verb

sing sang
do did
eat ate
run ran
break broke
come came
make made
take took
wear wore
build built
speak spoke
think thought
buy bought
send sent

18. Rewrite the following sentences in the past tense.

a) They (do) their homework.
b) I (run) home from school.
c) We (give) our grandmother a gift.

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Continuous tenses
We use continuous tenses to talk about actions that continue for a period of time. They were taking
place in the past, or are taking place now, or will still be taking place in the future. We form the
continuous tense by using the auxiliary verb with the present participle. Example:

auxiliary present participle

She was eating an apple.

Past continuous Present continuous Future continuous

I was walking. I am walking. I will be walking.
He was sleeping. He is sleeping. He will be sleeping.
We were running. We are running. We will be running.

19. Rewrite these sentences in the continuous tense.

a) Thandi and Emily shop today.
b) I study when the lights went out.
c) They write examinations in November.

Perfect tenses
We use the perfect tense to talk about an action that is already completed. We form the perfect tense by
using the auxiliary verb with the past participle. Example:

auxiliary past participle

I have eaten an apple.

When the past participle is based on an irregular verb, sometimes it is the same as the past-tense form,
but sometimes it is different. Examples:

Past-tense verb Past participle

sang sung
did done
ate eaten
ran run
broke broken
came come
made made
took taken
wore worn
built built
spoke spoken
thought thought
bought bought
sent sent

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 20. Rewrite this sentence to show the action is finished.
I am making supper.

21. Correct the following sentence.

I am torn my jeans.

Perfect continuous tense

We use the perfect continuous tense to show an action that continues and then ends in the past, present
or future. We form the perfect continuous tense by using the auxilary verb with ‘been’ and the present
participle.

Past perfect Present perfect Future perfect

continuous tense continuous tense continuous tense
Structure Example Structure Example Structure Example
had been I had been have/has been I have been will have been I will have been
+ present sleeping when + present sleeping. + present sleeping for
participle my TV was participle participle three hours by
stolen. the time you get
home.

22. Write a sentence in the past perfect continuous tense using the verb ‘clean’.

23. Write a sentence in the present perfect continuous tense using the verb ‘clean’.

24. Write a sentence in the future perfect continuous tense using the verb ‘clean’.

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Answers
1. must

2. might

3. would

4. a) are going = finite verb, are = auxiliary verb, going = present participle
b) is = figurative verb
c) have done = figurative verb, have = auxiliary verb, done = past participle

5. a) I hope to become a nurse.

b) Thandi prefers to travel by bus.
c) He wants to study food technology.

6. a) The cow walks across the field. / The cows walk across the field.
b) The cat eats the food. / The cats eat the food.
c) The child listens to a story. / The children listen to a story.

7. a) You are wonderful.

b) She is unhappy.
c) He has a younger brother.

8. They walked back home.

9. We go to the shops a lot.

10. She will talk to her mother.

11. played

12. I was so happy!

13. They are there.

14. She will be a doctor.

15. We will have a great game.

16. We had a big dog.

17. She has a big suitcase.

18. a) They did their homework.

b) I ran home from school.
c) We gave our grandmother a gift.

19. a) Thandi and Emily are shopping today.

b) I was studying when the lights went out.
c) They will be writing examinations in November.

20. I have made supper.

21. I have torn my jeans.

22. My mother had been cleaning when the door blew open.

23. Fred and Sarah have been cleaning the apartment.

24. I will have been cleaning for the entire morning by the time you get home.

25. red

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Adverbs
Adverbs tell you more about verbs, adjectives and other adverbs. Example:

verb adverb

He talks loudly.

adverb adjective

She was very upset.

verb adverb

You walk too slowly.

There are different kinds of adverbs.

Adverbs of manner neatly  quickly  happily  sadly

Adverbs of time yesterday  tomorrow  today  then  soon
Adverbs of place there  here  near  far
Adverbs of degree very  really  nearly  just  always  never
Adverbs of frequency daily often sometimes rarely
Adverbs of probability certainly definitely possible perhaps probably
Adverbs of duration briefly permanently temporarily forever

1. Identify the adverbs in the sentences. Then name each type of adverb.
a) We often visit our cousins.
b) The family will be housed temporarily.
c) Mrs Mohale lives far from the clinic.
d) We will hear more details tomorrow.
e) He appeared unexpectedly on our doorstep.

2. Put the words ‘neatly’, ‘yesterday’, ‘there’ and ‘definitely’ in the correct positions.
When I was ______ ______, I ______ finished my work very ______.

3. Add ‘very’ to the adverb in the sentence below.

I wrote clearly because my teacher has bad eyesight.

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Adverbs of comparison
Comparative adverbs compare the way two things are done.

Superlative adverbs compare the way three or more things are done.

You can use these forms to make comparisons.

Adverb Comparative form Superlative form

neatly more neatly the most neatly
less neatly the least neatly

4. Rewrite the sentences correctly using the comparative form of the adverbs.
a) I filled in his form because I write (neatly) than he does.
b) I speak (loudly) to her than I do to others, because she cannot hear well.
c) He is trying to exercise (frequently) than usual, as he has gained weight.
d) The President addressed the nation (briefly) than usual.
e) When you write a test, you should check your answers (carefully) than you do normally.

5. Change the following sentences so that they compare three people.

a) Of the two of them, Emily danced more beautifully.
b) Out of the two speakers, the first one spoke more clearly.
c) Of the two babies, the girl sleeps more easily.
d) Out of the two students, Xolile studied more diligently.
e) Of the two employers, Mr Mponda pays more generously.

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Answers
1. a) often – adverb of frequency
b) temporarily – adverb of duration
c) far – adverb of place
d) tomorrow – adverb of time
e) unexpectedly – adverb of manner

2. When I was there yesterday, I definitely finished my work very neatly.

3. I wrote very clearly because my teacher has bad eyesight.

4. a) I filled in his form because I write more neatly than he does.

b) I speak more loudly to her than I do to others, because she cannot hear well.
c) He is trying to exercise more frequently than usual, as he has gained weight.
d) The President addressed the nation more briefly than usual.
e) When you write a test, you should check your answers more carefully than you do
normally.

5. a) Of the three of them, Emily danced the most beautifully

b) Out of the three speakers, the first one spoke the most clearly.
c) Of the three babies, the girl sleeps the most easily.
d) Out of the three students, Xolile studied the most diligently.
e) Of the three employers, Mr Mponda pays the most generously.

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Phrases and clauses
Phrases
A phrase is a group of words without a verb. Phrases add information to the main meaning of the
sentence. Examples:

phrase phrase

The girl with the long hair was eating curry. We arrived home at seven o’clock.

You get different types of phrases.

• A noun phrase acts like a noun in a sentence. It often functions as the subject or object in the
sentence. Example:

noun phrase (subject)

All the people on the left must form a line.

• An adjectival phrase describes the noun in a sentence. Example:

noun adjectival phrase

The boy with the irritating voice answered the questions.

Note: A phrase can be place within a main clause, as in the example above.

• An adverbial phrase gives more information about when, where or how an action occurs. Examples:

verb adverbial phrase (of time)

He left at six o’clock.

verb adverbial phrase (of place)

They walked to the end of the road.

verb adverbial phrase (of manner)

He laughed like a hooligan.

1. Identify the phrases and say what kind of phrases they are.
a) The girl with the balloons likes my brother.
b) All of us went home at six o’clock.
c) He got a lift all the way to school.
d) We took food to people staying in the shelter.
e) She made sure she listened to the instructions very carefully.

23
Clauses
A clause is a group of words with a finite verb. Remember: a finite verb has a tense, person and number.

• The main clause is the main idea in the sentence. It makes sense on its own. It is also known as an
independent clause. Example:

finite verb

Thoko gets good marks.

main clause

• Some sentences have two main clauses. They are joined with a conjunction. Examples:

finite verb conjunction finite verb

He washed his clothes and he ironed his shirts.

main clause main clause

finite verb conjunction finite verb

She visited her friends, but she did not stay long.

main clause main clause

• Some clauses cannot stand on their own. They need a main clause to make sense. They are known as
subordinate, or dependent clauses. Example:

finite verb conjunction finite verb

Daniel got good marks, because he studied hard.

main clause subordinate clause

• You classify subordinate clauses by what they do in the sentence – just like you classify phrases. And
they can also be placed at the beginning, the end or within a main clause.

–– A noun clause acts like a noun in a sentence. Example:

subordinate clause (noun clause)

I wonder what the weather will be like tomorrow.

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–– An adjectival clause describes the noun in a sentence. Example:

subordinate clause (adjectival clause)

The person who runs the fastest will win the prize.

–– An adverbial clause gives more information about when, where or how an action occurs.
Examples:

subordinate clause
(adverbial clause of place)

I went to where my friend lives.

subordinate clause
(adverbial clause of time)

We left when the game finished.

subordinate clause
(adverbial clause of manner)

She shouted as if know one could hear her.

subordinate clause
(adverbial clause of reason)

I like him, because he is a caring person.

subordinate clause (adverbial

clause of condition)

If you come with me, I will be happy.

2. Identify the clauses in these sentences.

a) We went to the movies because it was raining.
b) The learner who reads the most books will receive a certificate.
c) The victim led the police to where the incident occurred.
d) If it rains, the match will be cancelled.
e) The children who do not have masks can collect them from the office.

25
Answers
1. a) with the balloons = adjectival phrase
b) all of us = noun phrase; at six o’clock = adverbial phrase of time
c) all the way to school = adverbial phrase of place
d) people staying in the shelter = noun phrase
e) very carefully = adverbial phrase of manner

2. a) main clause = we went to the movies; subordinate clause (adverbial clause of reason) =
because it was raining
b) main clause = the learner will receive a certificate; subordinate clause (adjectival clause) =
who reads the most books
c) main clause = the victim led the police; subordinate clause (adverbial clause of place) to
where the incident occurred
d) main clause = the match will be cancelled; subordinate clause (adverbial clause of
condition) = if it rains
e) main clause = the children can collect them from the office; subordinate clause (noun
clause) = who do not have masks

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Conjunctions
Conjunctions are words that join words, phrases or clauses together. Examples:

• eggs and bacon (word to word)

• at the supermarket or the pharmacy or at the pharmacy (phrase to phrase)

• I like sugar but I know it is not good for me. (clause to clause)

There are different kinds of conjunctions.

Co-ordinating conjunctions
Co-ordinating conjunctions join two main clauses together. Each clause makes sense on its own.
Examples:

co-ordinating
main clause conjunction main clause

He switched on the TV and turned up the volume.

co-ordinating
main clause conjunction main clause

She was running late, but she met with him anyway.

co-ordinating
main clause conjunction main clause

We will do revision this week, because we have a test next week.

Other examples of co-ordinating conjunctions are: yet, or

1. Join the two main clauses with the co-ordinating conjunction in brackets.
a) She failed the examination. She did not study for it. (because)
b) Father cooked a chicken. He boiled some potatoes. (and)
c) The teacher explained the homework. We still did not understand it. (yet)
d) It is pouring with rain. They have to walk to work. (but)
e) You may read a book. You may listen to music. (or)

27
Subordinating conjunctions
Subordinating conjunctions join a main clause with a subordinate clause. The subordinate clause is
introduced by the conjunction and gives supporting information to the main clause. Examples:

subordinating
main clause conjunction subordinate clause

The principal collapsed, while she was addressing the school.

subordinating
main clause conjunction subordinate clause

We were eating supper when the lights went out.

subordinating subordinate
main clause conjunction clause

He tidied the house before he went out.

Other examples of subordinating conjunctions are: unless, until, although, after, whenever

2. Join the main clause with the subordinate clause using the subordinating conjunction in
brackets.
a) Tea was served. The meeting had ended. (after)
b) You will remain in the classroom. It has been tidied up. (until)
c) My grandfather watches me. I play a soccer match. (whenever)
d) They met at a party. He did not recognise her. (although)
e) You may not go out tonight. You wash the dishes. (unless)

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Answers
1. a) She failed the examination, because she did not study for it.
b) Father cooked a chicken and he boiled some potatoes.
c) The teacher explained the homework, yet we still did not understand it.
d) It is pouring with rain, but they have to walk to work.
e) You may read a book or you may listen to music.

2. a) Tea was served after the meeting had ended.

b) You will remain in the classroom until it has been tidied up.
c) My grandfather watches me whenever I play a soccer match.
d) They met at a party, although he did not recognise her.
e) You may not go out tonight unless you wash the dishes.

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Sentence structure
A sentence is a group of words that express a complete idea. It consists of a main clause and sometimes
one or more subordinate clauses. Examples:

main clause

Thandi helped Emily.

part of part of
main clause subordinate clause main clause

Thandi, who lives next door, helped Emily.

part of part of
main clause subordinate clause main clause subordinate clause

Thandi, who lives next door, helped Emily whose mother was ill.

Subject and predicate

The basic structure of a sentence consists of a subject and a predicate. The subject of a sentence is the
person or thing the sentence is about. The predicate is the rest of the sentence. The predicate can consist
of just a verb, or it can include other parts of speech. Examples:

subject predicate

The president arrived.

subject predicate

The president sang his favourite song to the people.

subject predicate

The people laughed when they heard the words.

1. Identify the subject and the predicate in each sentence.

a) John found a new job.
b) Healthcare workers handed out masks to the elderly.
c) The Minister of Education addressed the nation.
d) All the learners completed the tasks online.
e) The national netball and rugby teams experienced great successes in 2019.

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Direct object
The predicate can include a direct object. A direct object is placed directly after the verb. It is the
person or thing that the action is directly affecting. To find a direct object, ask Who? or What? after
the verb. Examples:

subject verb direct object

Wanda combed her hair.

subject verb direct object

Peter ate the very hot chilli.

Note: Verbs that have direct objects are called transitive verbs.

Indirect object
The predicate can also include an indirect object. The indirect object refers to something that is
indirectly affected by the verb. It usually comes after the direct object, but not always. If there is a
preposition, it will probably be before the indirect object. Examples:

direct indirect
subject verb object object

I gave a CD to my friend.

indirect direct
subject verb object object

I gave my friend a CD.

2. Identify the direct and indirect objects in the sentences.

a) I made a sandwich for the hungry man.
b) We donated money to the shelter.
c) He presented an award to the company.
d) They offered the applicant another job.
e) Mpho lent money to her brother.

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Complement
Some verbs don’t have an object – they have a complement. A complement is a word or phrase that
complements, or refers to, the subject. Complements are often adjectives.

These verbs need complements: to be, to feel, to become. Examples:

complement

She was happy.

complement

He is very upset.

complement

People are mostly good.

3. What are the complements of the verbs in these sentences?

a) All the entrants in Idols are talented.
b) Ishmael wants to become a teacher.
c) She felt excited.
d) Lindiwe is blind.
e) Most of the learners are well-prepared.

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Answers
1. a) subject = John; predicate = found a new job
b) subject = Healthcare workers; predicate = handed out masks to the elderly
c) subject = The Minister of Education; predicate = addressed the nation
d) subject = All the learners; predicate = completed the tasks online
e) subject = The national netball and rugby teams; predicate = experienced great successes
in 2019

2. a) sandwich = direct object; the hungry man = indirect object

b) money = direct object; the shelter = indirect object
c) an award = direct object; the company = indirect object
d) another job = direct object; the applicant = indirect object
e) money = direct object; her brother = indirect object

3. a) talented
b) a teacher
c) excited
d) blind
e) well-prepared

33
Types of sentences
Statements
A statement gives information. Statements are the most common type of sentence and usually end with
a full stop. Examples:

• This book teaches grammar.

• You will pass if you work hard.

• The student failed because she did not study.

Exclamations
An exclamation expresses a strong feeling, such as anger, excitement, frustration, enjoyment, love or
hate. Exclamations usually end with an exclamation mark. Examples:

• I hate exams!

• This is so difficult!

• It is my favourite movie!

Commands
A command tells someone to do something. Most commands usually begin with a verb, as there is an
invisible ‘You’ or ‘You must’ at the beginning. Commands end with a full stop or an exclamation mark.
Examples:

• Pour me a glass of water.

• Fetch your plate.

• Leave me alone!

Questions
• Questions ask for information.They end with a question mark.

• You can use question words to make questions. Examples:

–– That is Thandi. Who is that?

–– Those socks are his. Whose are those?

–– That magazine is called Cosmopolitan. What is that called?

–– That twin is sick. Which twin is sick?

–– He is arriving at 8 p.m. When is he arriving?

–– He is arriving at the bus station. Where is he arriving?

–– He is coming for the party. Why is he coming?

–– He is coming by train. How is he coming?

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• If the verb in a sentence is made up of more than one word, for example, an auxiliary and a
participle, start the sentence with the auxiliary, and leave the participle in its original position.
Examples:
statement question

Your mother will let you come. → Will your mother let you come?

statement question

I am your best friend. → Am I your best friend?

• You can add ‘does’ or ‘do’ to make questions. Examples:

She selects the freshest vegetables. → Does she select the freshest vegetables?

I look good. → Do I look good?

• Some questions need to be answered in certain ways. Example:

Do you have some water? Positive answer: Yes, I have some water.

Negative answer: No, I don’t have any water.

1. Make questions of these statements, using question words.

a) She was leaving at midnight.
b) They left because the baby was sick.
c) He lives in the Northern Cape.
d) A pedestrian was hurt.
e) They are my shoes.

2. Make statements for these questions.

a) May I have something to eat?
b) When did you arrive?
c) Where is your homework?
d) How does she travel to work?
e) Do these jeans suit me?

Negative sentences
There are many ways to make sentences negative.

• You can add the adverb ‘not’ into sentences to make them mean the opposite. Example:

They are happy. They are not happy.

• If the verb is made up of more than one word, put the ‘not’ after the first verb. Example:

He has had an accident. He has not had an accident.

3. Change the following sentences so that they mean the opposite.

a) She is a good driver.
b) He is a good-looking young man.
c) They are coming to the party.

35
• You can also use ‘do not’ or ‘does not’ to make a sentence negative. Examples:

He loves you. → He does not love you.

They want supper. → They do not want supper.

I enjoy walking. → I do not enjoy walking.

4. Rewrite the sentences in the negative.

a) She works hard.
b) I have a new cell phone.
c) We did this exercise last week.

• You can also use negative words to make a sentence mean the opposite.

Negative word Sample sentence

never I will never do that.
nothing I will give you nothing.
none I have none.
no one No one is home.
neither They could find neither
nor the dog nor the cat.
unfriendly The boy is unfriendly.

5. Choose one of the words in brackets to complete the following sentences.

a) (Neither/None/Never) he nor she will eat meat.
b) You should (neither/never/nor) be dishonest.
c) I knocked on the door, but (none/nothing/no one) opened it.
d) There is (nothing/none/nobody) we can do about it.
e) (Nor/No one/Neither) my sister (none/nor/never) my brother have finished their supper.

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Answers
1. a) When did she leave?
b) Why did they leave?
c) Where does he live?
d) Who was hurt?
e) Whose shoes are these?

2. a) Yes, you may. / No, you may not.

b) I arrived at six o’clock.
c) My homework is in my bag.
d) She travels to work by bus.
e) Yes, they do. / No, they do not.

3. a) She is not a good driver.

b) He is not a good-looking young man.
c) They are not coming to the party.

4. a) She does not work hard.

b) I do not have a new cell phone.
c) We did not do this exercise last week.

5. a) Neither he nor she will eat meat.

b) You should never be dishonest.
c) I knocked on the door, but no one opened it.
d) There is nothing we can do about it.
e) Neither my sister nor my brother have finished their supper

37
Punctuation
Punctuation is used in writing to separate sentences and different parts of sentences. It helps to convey
meaning in a written text too. Here’s a brief summary of punctuation marks.

Punctuation Mark Use Example

Full stop . To end a sentence The shirt is red.
Question mark ? To end a question Where do you go to school?
Exclamation mark ! To emphasise something. I got the job!
To show strong feelings Oh dear!
Ellipsis … To show that something has been left I smelt something wonderful coming
unsaid from your kitchen …

To create suspense The door creaked open …

Comma , To separate items in a list I like running, dancing, swimming and
soccer.

To separate a phrase or a clause from After the sweaty game ranger arrived
the rest of the sentence with a short home, his wife told him to have a
pause shower.

The game ranger understands nature,

not people, so he says very little.
Dash – To separate a phrase or a clause from The beach was filled with
the rest of the sentence with a longer holidaymakers – happy and carefree –
pause but in the water swam a shark.
Colon : To introduce a list I like: drawing with charcoal; painting
with oils; and modelling things out of
Semicolon ; To separate lists of phrases clay.
Forward slash / Used instead of the word ‘or’ Go and ask your teacher, and he/she
will tell you which group to join.
Apostrophe ’ To show that a letter has been left out You can’t do that!

To show that someone owns That is Thandi’s book.

something
Hyphen - To form a new word four-by-four

To make a compound adjective long-distance trips

Hyphen - If the prefix ends on a vowel and the anti-abortion
root word starts with a vowel

To show that a word continues on the We would like to raise some more
next line money for a commemorative statue.
Double inverted “” To show direct speech James called, “Wait for me!”
commas / quotation
marks

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Punctuation Mark Use Example
Single inverted ‘ ’ To show that something is a quotation According to the President, ‘an
commas understanding’ has been achieved.

To show speech within speech Desmond Tutu said, “When the

missionaries came to Africa, they had
the Bible and we had the land. They
said, ‘Let us pray.’ We closed our eyes.
When we opened them, we had the
Bible and they had the land.”

To distance yourself from terms that Under apartheid, people were

you can’t avoid using, or to show that categorised as ‘white’, ‘black’, ‘Indian’
these terms aren’t true or ‘coloured’.

For titles of short texts Please tell your ‘friendly’ dog to stop
growling.

To refer to a word that is not being ‘The Beautiful Changes’ is my

used in the normal way favourite poem.

I never use the word ‘neither’.

Round brackets () To add extra information He went up to Sarah (who had looked
after him for six months) and gave her
a big hug.
Square brackets [] To show that words have been added Desmond Tutu said, “When we opened
to or replaced in a quotation to make [our eyes], we had the Bible and [the
it clearer missionaries] had the land.”

39
Active and passive voice
Most sentences are written in the active voice, where the subject affects the object. The subject is the
‘doer’ or agent. Example:

subject verb object

Thandi helps Emily.

In the passive voice, the subject is affected by the object. The object is the ‘doer’ or agent. Example:

subject verb object

Emily is helped by Thandi.

To change active to passive:

• move the object to the subject position in the sentence
• add a preposition – usually ‘by’
• change the tense of the verb. The table below gives some examples.

Active voice Passive voice

Simple tense The boy herds the cows. The cows are herded by the boy.
Progressive tense The boy is herding the cows. The cows are being herded by the boy.
Perfect tense The boy has herded the cows. The cows have been herded by the boy.

You use the passive voice if you don’t need to show a person doing the action – for example, if you
want to write in a scientific style. You can also use it to hide someone’s responsibility for an action.
Examples:

• Temperatures in the 30s were recorded. (by scientists)

• The window was smashed. (by me)

1. Change the following sentences into the passive voice.

a) The teacher called the children.
b) The policeman saved the baby.
c) Owami was interviewing the president.
d) Mohale has cooked the meal.
e) He will write a letter to the press.

2. Rewrite the following sentences in the passive voice and remove all signs of who did the action.
a) James broke the glass.
b) The secretary stole some money.
c) Bongi lost the document.
d) Nomsa burnt the toast.
e) The official signed the documents.

3. Make these passive sentences active.

a) Cars are repaired by mechanics.
b) The robbers were chased by the dogs.
c) The cake was baked by Gogo.
d) The bicycle was repaired by my uncle.
e) The animals are fed by the farmer.

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Answers
1. a) The children were called by the teacher.
b) The baby was saved by the policeman.
c) The president was being interviewed by Owami.
d) The meal has been cooked by Mohale
e) A letter to the press will be written by him.

2. a) The glass was broken

b) Some money was stolen.
c) The document was lost.
d) The toast was burnt.
e) The documents were signed.

3. a) Mechanics repair cars

b) The dogs chased the robbers.
c) Gogo baked the cake.
d) My uncle repaired the bicycle.
e) The farmer feeds the animals.

41
Direct and indirect speech
Direct speech is exactly what someone has said. The person’s words are put in inverted commas. You
introduce the words by saying who said them. Example:

Emily said, “I like fashionable clothes.”

Indirect speech is when you report what someone has said without using inverted commas. It is also
called reported speech. Example:

Emily said that she liked fashionable clothes.

• To change direct to indirect speech:

–– drop the inverted commas
–– add ‘that’
–– use the past tense – you are reporting what the person said in
the past
–– change the pronouns
–– change the time words as in the table below.

Direct speech Indirect speech

this that
today that day
tomorrow the next day / the following day
yesterday the day before / the previous day

Here are some more examples of sentences in direct and indirect speech.

direct speech

“Yesterday I saw a cool T-shirt,” said Emily.

indirect speech

Emily said that she had seen a cool T-shirt the previous day.

direct speech

Thandi said, “There is a reason that ’80s clothes are out of fashion!”

indirect speech

Thandi exclaimed that there was a reason that ’80s clothes were out of fashion.

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• When the direct speech contains noises, you need to try to describe the noises in the indirect speech.
Example:

direct speech direct speech

“Grrr!” exclaimed Emily. “Thandi, you never like what I like.”

indirect speech

Emily made an irritated noise and said that Thandi never liked what she liked.

• If you are changing questions into direct speech, you need to add ‘if’ or ‘whether’. Example:

direct speech indirect speech

Thandi asked, “Emily, are you upset with me?” → Thandi asked Emily if she was upset with her.

direct speech indirect speech

Emily asked, “Does it matter?” → Emily asked whether it mattered.

• When there is a question with an interrogative pronoun (for example: what, which, who), use the
same pronoun in indirect speech. Example:

direct speech indirect speech

“How can you say that, Emily?” Thandi asked. → Thandi asked Emily how she could say that.

1. Change the following sentences into indirect speech.

a) After a brief silence Thandi asked, “Where was that shirt that you saw?”
b) Mrs Vava asked, “When does the bus leave the depot?
c) “Ssh!” whispered my mother, “you will wake the baby.”
d) “You are always late,” complained the teacher.
e) “Haha!” laughed Thembi. “These jokes are very funny!”

2. Change the following sentences into direct speech.

a) He answered that he had finished the work the day before.
b) She asked whether we would like something to drink.
c) Refilwe made a surprised noise and said that I had given her a big fright.
d) The assistant explained that we should return our documents the following day.
e) The nurse asked my grandfather how he was feeling.

43
Answers
1. a) After a brief silence Thandi asked where that shirt was that Emily had seen.
b) Mrs Vava asked when did the bus leave the depot.
c) My mother made a hushing sound and whispered that I/we would wake the baby.
d) The teacher complained that we were always late.
e) Thembi laughed and said that those jokes were very funny.

2. a) “I finished the work yesterday,” he answered.

b) She asked, “Would you like something to drink?”
c) “Ah!” cried Refilwe in surprise. “You have given me a big fright!”
d) The assistant explained, “You must return your documents tomorrow.”
e) The nurse asked my grandfather, “How are you feeling?”

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Vocabulary
Abbreviations
Abbreviations are shortened words. Usually, if the last letter of the abbreviation is the last letter of the
original word, then you don’t need a full stop. Examples:

Full term Abbreviation

telephone tel. (formal)/phone (informal)
cellular telephone cell
facsimile fax
electronic mail email
short message service SMS
kilometre(s) km
millimetre(s) mm
centimetre(s) cm
metre(s) m
kilogram(s) kg
litre(s) ℓ
African National Congress ANC
black economic empowerment BEE
broad-based black economic empowerment BBBEE
human immunodeficiency virus HIV
Mister Mr
Mistress (married woman) Mrs
Mistress (unmarried woman) Miss
Mistress (a woman not declaring her marriage status) Ms
Doctor Dr
Reverend Rev.
Professor Prof.
before midday (from the Latin term ‘ante meridiem’) a.m.
after midday (from the Latin term ‘post meridiem’) p.m.
Please reply. (from the French phrase ‘Répondez s’il vous plaît.’) R.S.V.P.
and other things (from the Latin term ‘et cetera’) etc.
for example (from the Latin term ‘exempli gratia’) e.g.

Acronyms
Acronyms are words that are made by combining the first letters of terms.

Full term Acronym

Congress of South African Trade Unions COSATU
Acquired Immune Deficiency Syndrome AIDS

45
Contractions
You can shorten two words into one word. Use an apostrophe to show where letters have been removed.

Personal pronouns and the verb ‘to be’

I am I’m
you are you’re
he is he’s
she is she’s
it is it’s
we are we’re
they are they’re

Relative pronouns and the verb ‘to be’

that is that’s
what is what’s what are what’re
who is who’s who are who’re
there is there’s
here is here’s

Personal pronouns + ‘to have’ Personal pronouns + ‘to have’

(present tense) (past tense)
I have I’ve I had I’d
you have you’ve you had you’d
he has he’s he had he’d
she has she’s she had she’d
it has it’s it had it’d
we have we’ve we had we’d
they have they’ve they had they’d

Verb + not (present tense) Verb + not (past tense)

cannot can’t could not couldn’t
may not mayn’t might not mightn’t
must not mustn’t should not shouldn’t
will not won’t would not wouldn’t
shall not shan’t
do not don’t did not didn’t
does not doesn’t

1. Write the abbreviations for the following:

a) here is
b) street
c) National Union of Mineworkers
d) gram(s)
e) you have

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Homophones
Homophones are words that sound the same, but are spelt differently. They mean completely different
things.

Pair of Meaning of each homophone

homophones
new just made or just bought
knew the past tense of the verb ‘know’
two a number, used to indicate a pair of items
too also
may verb showing permission
May a month of the year
its third-person possessive pronoun
it’s contraction of ‘it is’
compliment a flattering statement
complement a word or phrase that is not an object but is needed
to complete a sentence
stationary not moving
stationery writing equipment
peace harmony and no violence
piece part
buy pay money in order to get something
by next to

roll something rolled up

role part someone plays in a show
write draw words
right correct
I a way of referring to yourself
eye what you see with

2. Use each homophone below in a sentence to show that you understand what the word means.
a) its
b) it’s
c) there
d) their

3. Correct the following sentences.

a) I broke off a peace of bread.
b) He bought a new pear of shoes.
c) The mother cleaned the baby’s bear bottom.
d) My stomach feels very saw.
e) We have to do a roll model in groups.

47
Homonyms
Homonyms are words that are spelt the same and sound the same, but which mean completely
different things.

Word with two Meaning 1 Meaning 2

meanings
sink go under the water basin for washing dishes
right correct direction that is the
opposite of left
left the past tense of ‘leave’ direction that is the
opposite of right
well healthy deep hole with fresh
water at the bottom
light not dark not heavy
just only fair
fair just blonde
beat hit repetitively win against someone
still stationary in the same situation
fry cook in oil in a pan baby fish

4. Which words completes the following sentences?

a) Many of the ______ were eaten by the other fish.
b) The small child was very ____ to carry.
c) If you are not feeling ___, you should stay at home.
d) Cross the road and turn ___.
e) That leaking boat is going to ___ in the water.

Paronyms
Paronyms are derived from other words and have meanings that are related to the words they are
derived from.

motherhood mothered

mother

motherland mothering

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5. Think of four paronyms that are related to the word ‘child’.

child

Polysemes
Polysemes are pairs of words that sound the same, are spelt the same, and have meanings that are
related to one another.

Word with two Meaning 1 Meaning 2

meanings
wood hard part of a tree (noun) many trees standing together (noun)
guard keep something safe (verb) person who keeps something safe (noun)
look direct your eyes and see (verb) appearance (noun)
compliment say something nice about someone (verb) something nice that has been said about
someone (noun)
spot identify (verb) mark or blemish (noun)
show make something noticed (verb) performance (noun)

6. Which words complete the sentences?

a) It is difficult to ___ a particular person in a crowd.
b) I really like the ___ of your new hairstyle.
c) She was not sure if the comment was an insult or a ____.

Synonyms
Synonyms are words that have similar meanings.

Nouns that are synonyms

robber thief
sickness disease
assembly gathering
bias prejudice
queen empress
king emperor
driver motorist
gadget device
surprise astonishment
home residence

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 Adjectives that are synonyms
rich wealthy
fast quick
raw uncooked
correct right
legible readable
small little
big large
still stationary
happy cheerful
sad depressed
confused bewildered

Verbs that are synonyms

say state
spot identify
show indicate
praise compliment
jump leap
choose select
copy imitate
want desire
protect guard

7. Replace each underlined word with a suitable synonym.

a) Many vegetables are healthier to eat raw.
b) He hired someone to protect his home.
c) She attended a workshop on anti-bias.

Antonyms
Antonyms are words that have opposite meanings.

Nouns that are antonyms

sickness health
question answer
day night
summer winter
war peace
past future
everybody nobody

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Adjectives that are antonyms
rich poor
fast slow
raw cooked
correct incorrect
readable unreadable
small big
lazy hard-working
happy sad
light dark
hot cold
hard soft
young old
true false
strong weak
fair unfair
satisfied dissatisfied

Verbs that are antonyms

find lose
show hide
protect attack
give receive
come go
buy sell
remember forget

8. Change the underlined words to antonyms.

a) The soldiers attacked the northern part of the country.
b) The statement is false.
c) I remembered to give the letter to my parents.
d) Nobody was wearing a mask at the shop today.
e) The customer was satisfied with the quality of the product.

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Idioms
An idiom is a phrase that has a meaning which is different from its literal meaning.

Idiom Meaning
make a mountain out of a molehill make something seem more of a problem than it really is
grow in leaps and bounds grow quickly
set the cat among the pigeons create a big disturbance
put your heart and soul into something do everything you can to make something work
be packed like sardines be squashed very closely together
drag out a story take so long telling a story that it gets boring
drive someone up the wall irritate someone a lot
hit rock bottom be in a situation that can’t get worse
beat around the bush not speak directly about something
cut someone down to size say something to make an arrogant person feel less superior
a fair-weather friend someone who seems to be your friend when times are good, but
isn’t there for you when times are tough

9. Complete the sentences with a suitable idiom.

a) Every time I see the children, they are taller and seem to be ____.
b) Too many people were ____ in the overcrowded train.
c) I dislike it when my girlfriend doesn’t say what she means and she _____.

Proverbs
Proverbs are wise sayings that are a part of our culture.

Proverb Meaning
It’s no use crying over spilt milk. We cannot improve a situation by wishing that something had never
happened.
Make hay while the sun shines. Do something while the opportunity is there.
Don’t judge a book by its cover. People’s appearances are often not a good sign of what they are
really like.
Prevention is better than cure. It is better to stop a problem from happening than to fix it once it
has happened.
Many hands make light work. A job becomes easier when lots of people help.
Practice makes perfect. If you do something many times you will get it right.
A stitch in time saves nine. It’s better to fix a problem now before it gets worse.
Don’t look a gift horse in the mouth. If somebody gives you a present, be thankful.
An apple a day keeps the doctor away. Eating fresh fruit will keep you healthy.
Absence makes the heart grow fonder. When you are parted from someone, you start to think of that
person in a more loving way.

10. Complete the sentences with suitable proverbs.

a) Wash your hands regularly to avoid catching the virus, as _____.
b) You should try to save some money when you have a job so that you _____.
c) Let us all help to clean the house since ______.

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Root words
A root word is the core meaning of a word. You can make new words by adding prefixes and suffixes to
a root word. Example:

The root word ‘phone’ comes from Greek. It means ‘sound’ or ‘voice’.

suffix
prefix root participle showing
‘from far away’ ‘voice’ progressive aspect

tele- phon- ing

Literally, the word ‘telephoning’ means ‘speaking from far away’. We use it to mean ‘speaking on the
telephone’.

Suffixes
You can add a suffix to the end of a word to change a word into a different part of speech, or to make a
singular noun plural. Suffixes can also be added to verbs so that they can be used in different contexts.

Suffix Indicating Examples

s plural noun dogs
verb walks
es plural noun classes
verb fixes
ed past-tense verb walked
en past-tense verb/participle given
ing participle reading
ise verb (South African and British English) memorise
ize verb (American English) memorize
er comparative form/noun younger/player
est superlative form tallest
able adjective comfortable
ful adjective successful
ly adverb quickly
tion noun education
ism noun tourism
ment noun government
ness noun kindness
less adjective showing lack of something meaningless
let small noun booklet
dom noun freedom
hood noun neighbourhood
ology noun climatology

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Prefixes
You can add a prefix to the front of a word to change its meaning.

Prefix Meaning Examples

semi half semicircle
bi two biweekly
tri three triangle
centi one hundredth centimetre
milli one thousandth millimetre
multi many multifunctional
mini small minibus
co together cooperate
pro in support of pro-government
anti against anticlockwise
counter against counteract
re again redo
step related by remarriage stepmother
non not non-fiction
un not unequal
in not incomplete
dis not dishonest
im not/in impatient/implant
en in/on endanger/enthrone
circum around circumnavigate
sub under submarine
trans across transport
tele from far away telescope
auto by itself autofocus
hyper more than normal hyperactive
super bigger/better than normal superhuman
mal badly malnourished
mis badly misinterpret

11. Identify the root word in the following words.

a) equality
b) disassociate
c) misinformation
d) bilateral
e) intervention

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Using a dictionary
If you look up the word ‘fry’ in the Cambridge Advanced Learner’s Dictionary, you will find these entries.

The pronunciation guide ‘[I or T]’ means the ‘[C]’ means it is a There are two entries
uses a special phonetic verb can be intransitive countable noun. for the word ‘fry’
alphabet to show you or transitive. because it can be
what the word sounds like. used as two different
parts of speech.
Fry (1) Each entry gives a
Fry [’frai] verb [I or T] to cook food in a pan over direct heat, with hot pronunciation guide,
oil or fat: Fry the potato chips in hot oil for 10 minutes. Past: fried. Adj: We tells you what part of
ate fried eggs for breakfast.
Figurative [informal]: to be very hot, to get sunburn: Stay out of the sun at speech the word is,
midday or you will fry. and defines the word.
Fryer, frier [’frai,ә] noun [C] a large pan for deep-frying: The restaurant
cooks crumbed chicken in a deep-fat fryer.
Frying pan [’frai,iŋ] noun [C] a shallow metal long-handled pan for
The headword is bold. frying: Melt the butter in the frying pan, then add the mushrooms.
Idiomatic [informal]: to go from one bad situation to one that is worse: He
went from the frying pan into the fire when he broke his tooth using a knife to
remove something stuck between his teeth. The word can be
Fry-up [’frai] noun [informal] a casual meal consisting of fired meat, eggs used in an idiom.
or vegetables: They invited their friends for a fry up after watching the match.
[from Latin frigere, to roast. 13 C]
The origin of the Fry (2)
word. In this case the Fry [’frai] noun [collective] small young fish: The fish breeding project The question mark
homonyms ‘fry’ and stocks the dam with fry every year. indicates that the
Figurative [informal] unimportant people, things or events: Pedestrians
‘fry’ both come from who do not cross where they should are small fry compared to drunk drivers.
information about the
Latin and Old French. [from old French freier to spawn, 14 C?] origin is not definite.

12. Which syllable is stressed in the word ‘frier’?

13. Use the noun ‘fry’ in a sentence of your own that shows you know what it means.

14. Use the verb ‘fry’ in a sentence of your own that shows you know what it means.

15. Complete the idiomatic expression in the following sentence. Just write down the missing word.
Don’t go to the beach in the middle of the day or you will _____.

16. Write a sentence using the idiom ‘out of the frying pan into the fire’, which is explained in the
dictionary extract.

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Answers
1. a) here’s
b) st
c) NUM
d) g
e) you’ve

2. a) We gave the dog its supper.

b) I hate sports day and will be glad when it’s over
c) Please put your books over there.
d) The teacher asked the learners to hand in their homework.

3. a) I broke off a piece of bread.

b) He bought a new pair of shoes.
c) The mother cleaned the baby’s bare bottom.
d) My stomach feels very sore.
e) We have to do a role model in groups.

4. a) fry
b) light
c) well
d) right
e) sink

5. Any four: childish, childlike, childless, children, childfree, childproof, childhood, childbearing,
childminder

6. a) spot
b) look
c) compliment

7. a) uncooked
b) guard
c) prejudice

8. a) protected
b) true
c) forgot
d) Everybody
e) dissatisfied

9. a) growing in leaps and bounds

b) packed like sardines
c) beats around the bush

10. a) prevention is better than cure

b) make hay while the sun shines
c) many hands make light work

11. a) equal
b) associate
c) inform
d) lateral
e) intervene

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12. The first syllable

13. The fry were not looked after by the adult fish and so had to look after themselves.

14. When you fry eggs, you will need to put some oil in the pan.

15. fry

16. When I left my job in the army and joined a security firm in central Jo’burg, I realised I had
jumped out of the frying pan into the fire.

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Figures of speech and sound
devices
You use figures of speech and sound devices to create interesting visual comparisons or to make writing
fresh or meaningful.

• Similes are comparisons that use comparing words such as ‘like’, ‘as’ or ‘than’. Examples:
–– When she got angry she exploded like a nuclear bomb.
–– When my brother’s band practises, it sounds as if a bomb is going off.
–– She is more explosive than a pile of fireworks on a hot day.

• A metaphor is a comparison that does not use a comparing word. Examples:

–– Don’t go in there! She is a bomb waiting to go off.
–– The young band exploded onto the South African music scene.

• Personification is when you compare something to a person. Examples:

–– The sun was smiling that morning.
–– Death walked through the hospital that night.

• A symbol is something that is used to represent something else. Example:

–– Katherine looked through the burglar bars towards the man she must marry.
(The burglar bars are a symbol of her lack of freedom to choose the man she must marry.)

• An exaggeration (or hyperbole) is when something is described as bigger than it is, or things are
described as being more numerous than they are. Examples:
–– The cow was the size of an elephant.
–– There were a million ants on my slice of cake.

• An understatement is when someone reacts less strongly to a situation than might be expected. Some
people use understatement as a form of humour. Examples:
–– During apartheid there was some tension between blacks and whites.
–– The railway bridge was broken and would take weeks to mend, so the driver told the passengers
to expect ‘a small delay’.

• A euphemism is a more polite term that is used in place of a term that might upset people. Example:
–– The term passed away is a euphemism for died.

• A paradox seems to contradict itself, but actually makes sense. Example:

–– Flavius Vegetius said, “If you want peace, prepare for war.” (This is so that no one will attack you
because no one wants to lose a war.)

• Irony is when the real situation is the opposite of how it is described. Example:
–– A man standing in the rain says, “Lovely weather!”

• Sarcasm is irony designed to be hurtful.

–– A teacher says to a slow student, “You are clever!”

1. Identify the figures of speech in the following sentences.

a) The branches of the trees danced in the wind.
b) Nandi was as quiet as a mouse when she entered the house.
c) I nearly died of fright!
d) The couple had a bit of a disagreement and so they got divorced.
e) The wealthy man employs many people at his palace.

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• Alliteration is when nearby words have consonants that sound the same. Example:
–– the clumsy cow

• Assonance is when nearby vowels sound the same. Example:

–– the pea-green sea

• Onomatopoeia is when a word sounds like the noise it describes. Examples:

–– Splash! Buzz!

• Repetition is when you repeat a word or phrase more than once. Example:
–– She ran, she ran as quickly as she could.

• A text has rhythm if there is a pattern to the number of beats in a line. Example:
–– When he sang, the village listened;
All the warriors gathered round him …

• A text rhymes if the sounds at the end of the lines sound the same. Exampls:
–– I shot an arrow into the air,
It fell to earth, I knew not where …

• A pun is an intentional play on a word that has two meanings or two words that sound the same.
Examples:
A horse is a very stable animal.
–– Seven days without food makes one weak.

• Metonymy is when you use a word or phrase to represent something that is associated with it.
Examples:
–– The people are no longer loyal to the crown. (crown represents monarchy)
–– Computers take a lot of sweat out of accounting. (sweat represents hard work)
–– I have never been in trouble with the law. (law represents police)

• Synecdoche is when a part of something is used to represent the whole thing. Examples:
–– There are many new faces in the class. (faces represents people)
–– Come and have a look at my new wheels. (wheels represents a car)
–– I use plastic to pay for everything. (plastic represents credit card )

• An oxymoron contains two contradictory words side by side. Examples:

–– educated guess
–– living dead
–– true lies

• Litotes is when you use a negative statement to say something affirming about someone or
something. Examples:
–– She is not the friendliest person. (meaning she is unfriendly)
–– He is not bad at Maths. (meaning he is good at Maths)

• An anti-climax is a sudden change from something that is important or exciting to something that is
unimportant or dull. Examples:
–– He lost his wife, his children and his cell-phone.
–– I bought a house, a car and a packet of chips.

• A rhetorical question is one that requires no answer because the answer is obvious. Examples:
–– Who knows? (meaning nobody knows)
–– Can’t you do anything right? (meaning you can’t do anything right)

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2. Identify the sound devices used in the following sentences.
a) The cup crashed to the floor.
b) Bless Africa. Bless her people.
c) The green grass grows.
d) I watch the falling rain, splashing into the drain.
e) Let us look at a good book.

3. Identify the figures of speech in the following sentences.

a) He is not bad-looking.
b) They sell expensive jewellery, designer clothes and key rings.
c) How many times have I told you?
d) an honest lie

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Answers
1. a) personification
b) simile
c) exaggeration / hyperbole
d) understatement
e) symbol

2. a) onomatopoeia
b) repetition
c) alliteration
d) rhyme
e) assonance

3. a) litotes
b) anti-climax
c) rhetorical question
d) oxymoron

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