Syllabus of Grade 5

Grammar Topics
Prepositions: A preposition is a word that shows the relationship between a noun (or pronoun) and
other words in a sentence. It often indicates direction, location, time, or manner.
Examples:
1. Location:
o The book is on the table.
o The cat is under the chair.
2. Time:
o We will meet at 5 PM.
o She is leaving in the morning.
3. Direction:
o He walked to the store.
o The bird flew over the lake.
4. Manner:
o She did it with care.
o He came by car.
Prepositions help clarify where, when, or how something happens.
Correlative conjunctions: Correlative conjunctions are pairs of conjunctions that work together to
connect words, phrases, or clauses that are of equal importance. These pairs show a relationship
between the elements they connect.
Examples:

1. Either...or
o You can either go to the park or stay home.
o Either John or Mark will be there.
2. Neither...nor
o Neither the teacher nor the students were present.
o He neither eats vegetables nor likes fruit.
3. Both...and
o She is both smart and hardworking.
o He plays both basketball and football.
4. Not only...but also
o She is not only talented but also hardworking.
o He is not only a doctor but also a teacher.
5. Whether...or
o Whether you like it or not, the decision is final.
o I don't know whether we should go or stay.
6. Just as...so
o Just as she is kind, so is her sister.
o Just as I enjoy reading, so do I like writing.

Suffix: A suffix is a group of letters added at the end of a word to change its meaning or grammatical
function, such as altering its tense, form, or part of speech.
Examples of Suffixes:
1. -ly (forms adverbs)
o Quickly
o Happily
o He ran quickly to catch the bus.
2. -ness (forms nouns)
o Happiness
o Darkness
o The happiness in her eyes was unmistakable.
3. -ful (forms adjectives)
o Beautiful
o Careful
o The child was careful with the fragile glass.
4. -able (forms adjectives)
o Readable
o Enjoyable
o The book was readable and easy to understand.
5. -ed (forms past tense verbs)
o Walked
o Played
o She walked to the store yesterday.
6. -ing (forms present participles or gerunds)
o Running
o Talking
o He was running late for the meeting.
Suffixes modify words, often changing their meaning or grammatical role in a sentence.
Prefixes for Opposites:
A prefix is a group of letters added to the beginning of a word to change its meaning. Prefixes for
opposites are specific prefixes that reverse or negate the meaning of the root word.
Common Prefixes for Opposites:
1. Un- (not, opposite of)
o Happy → Unhappy
o Known → Unknown
o The news made her unhappy.
2. In- (not, opposite of)
o Active → Inactive
o Possible → Impossible
o It was an impossible task to complete.
3. Dis- (opposite of, reverse)
o Agree → Disagree
o Connect → Disconnect
o They disagree on the proposal.
4. Im- (not, opposite of)
o Perfect → Imperfect
o Possible → Impossible
o The plan was imperfect from the start.
5. Non- (not)
 o Sense → Nonsense
o Profit → Nonprofit
o The idea sounded like nonsense.
These prefixes help create words that express the opposite or negation of the original word.

Tenses
Tenses indicate the time of an action or event. There are three main tenses: Present,
Past, and Future, each having four forms.

1. Present Tense:
 Simple Present: Action happens regularly or is a fact.
o Rule: Base verb (add -s for third-person singular).
o Example: She reads books.
 Present Continuous: Ongoing action at the moment.
o Rule: Am/Is/Are + verb-ing.
o Example: She is reading a book.
 Present Perfect: Action completed in the past with relevance to the present.
o Rule: Have/Has + past participle.
o Example: They have finished their homework.
 Present Perfect Continuous: Ongoing action that started in the past and continues to the
present.
o Rule: Have/Has been + verb-ing.
o Example: She has been reading for an hour.

2. Past Tense:
 Simple Past: Action completed in the past.
o Rule: Verb in past form.
o Example: He walked to the park.
 Past Continuous: Action happening at a specific moment in the past.
o Rule: Was/Were + verb-ing.
o Example: They were watching a movie.
 Past Perfect: Action completed before another past action.
o Rule: Had + past participle.
o Example: She had left before I arrived.
 Past Perfect Continuous: Ongoing action that was happening before another past event.
o Rule: Had been + verb-ing.
o Example: He had been working for hours before he took a break.

3. Future Tense:
 Simple Future: Action that will happen.
o Rule: Will + base verb.
o Example: I will go to the market.
 Future Continuous: Action that will be ongoing at a specific time in the future.
o Rule: Will be + verb-ing.
o Example: She will be studying at 8 PM.
  Future Perfect: Action that will be completed before a certain point in the future.
o Rule: Will have + past participle.
o Example: By next week, I will have finished the project.
 Future Perfect Continuous: Ongoing action that will continue up to a specific future time.
o Rule: Will have been + verb-ing.
o Example: By 5 PM, he will have been working for 8 hours.

Summary:
 Simple Tenses describe habitual or completed actions.
 Continuous Tenses describe actions in progress.
 Perfect Tenses describe actions completed relative to another time.
 Perfect Continuous Tenses describe ongoing actions that started in the past and have continued
until a point in the future.
Direct and Indirect Speech
Direct Speech is when we report someone's exact words, using quotation marks to indicate the spoken
words.
 Example: She said, "I am going to the store."
Indirect Speech (or reported speech) is when we report what someone said without using their exact
words. It often involves changing pronouns, tense, and time expressions.
 Example: She said that she was going to the store.
Rules of Direct and Indirect Speech:
1. Changes in Pronouns:
 Direct: She said, "I am going to the store."
 Indirect: She said that she was going to the store.
2. Changes in Tense:
 Present Simple → Past Simple
o Direct: She says, "I like tea."
o Indirect: She says that she liked tea.
 Present Continuous → Past Continuous
o Direct: He says, "I am studying."
o Indirect: He says that he was studying.
 Past Simple → Past Perfect
o Direct: They said, "We visited the museum."
o Indirect: They said that they had visited the museum.
 Present Perfect → Past Perfect
o Direct: She said, "I have finished my work."
o Indirect: She said that she had finished her work.
3. Reporting Verb:
 Use a reporting verb (e.g., said, told, asked, explained) in the past tense.
o Direct: She said, "I am tired."
o Indirect: She said (that) she was tired.
4. Use of ‘That’:

 Indirect speech often uses "that" to introduce the reported speech (optional in informal cases).
o Direct: "I am busy," he said.
o Indirect: He said (that) he was busy.
5. No Quotation Marks:
 Direct: She said, "I will go home."
 Indirect: She said she would go home.
6. Time Expressions:

 Today → That day

 Tomorrow → The next day
 Yesterday → The day before
o Direct: She said, "I will see you tomorrow."
o Indirect: She said that she would see me the next day.
7. Questions:

 In indirect speech, questions become statements, and the word order changes.
o Direct: He asked, "What time is it?"
o Indirect: He asked what time it was.
 For yes/no questions:
o Direct: "Are you coming?"
o Indirect: She asked if I was coming.
8. Commands:

 For commands, use the verb in the infinitive form.

o Direct: "Close the door," he said.
o Indirect: He told me to close the door.
Summary:

 Pronouns and tenses change in indirect speech.

 Reporting verbs are used in the past tense.
 Quotation marks are removed.
 Time expressions, word order, and questions/commands adapt accordingly.
Active and Passive Voice
Active Voice: The subject performs the action.
 Structure: Subject + Verb + Object
o Example: The cat (subject) chased (verb) the mouse (object).
Passive Voice: The subject receives the action.
 Structure: Subject + Form of "be" + Past Participle + (by + Agent)
o Example: The mouse (subject) was chased (verb) by the cat (agent).

Rules:
1. Subject and Object Swap:
o In active voice, the subject is the doer of the action. In passive voice, the object becomes the
subject.
2. Form of "Be":
 o The verb "to be" (am, is, are, was, were, etc.) is used in the passive form and changes according
to the tense of the active voice.
 Present Simple: He writes a letter. → A letter is written by him.
 Past Simple: She painted the wall. → The wall was painted by her.
 Present Continuous: They are playing the game. → The game is being played by them.
3. Past Participle: The main verb in passive voice is always in its past participle form (written, played,
eaten).
4. Agent (optional):
o The doer of the action (agent) can be omitted in passive sentences if it is not important.
o Active: The teacher explained the lesson.
o Passive: The lesson was explained. (Agent "teacher" omitted)
Summary:
 Active Voice: Subject → Action → Object
 Passive Voice: Object → Action → Subject (optional)
Idioms:
An idiom is a phrase or expression whose meaning is different from the literal meaning of the
individual words. It is a type of figurative language used to convey an idea or feeling in a creative way.
 A piece of cake
Meaning: Something that is very easy to do.
Example: "The math test was a piece of cake!"
 Break the ice
Meaning: To start a conversation and make people feel more comfortable.
Example: "I told a funny joke to break the ice at the party.
 Bite the bullet
Meaning: To do something unpleasant that you have been avoiding.
Example: "I didn't want to clean my room, but I had to bite the bullet and do it.
 Hit the nail on the head
Meaning: To describe exactly what is causing a situation or problem.
Example: "When Tim said we needed more practice, he hit the nail on the head."
 Under the weather
Meaning: Feeling sick or unwell.
Example: "I'm feeling a little under the weather today, so I’m staying home from school."
 Let the cat out of the bag
Meaning: To accidentally reveal a secret.
Example: "We were planning a surprise party for Emma, but Tim let the cat out of the bag."
 The ball is in your court
Meaning: It's up to you to make the next decision or take action.
Example: "I’ve done my part; now the ball is in your court."
 Burn the midnight oil
Meaning: To stay up late working on something.
Example: "She had to burn the midnight oil to finish her project."
 Don't count your chickens before they hatch
Meaning: Don’t assume something will happen before it actually does.
Example: "I know you want that new toy, but don’t count your chickens before they hatch."
 Cry over spilled milk
Meaning: To be upset about something that cannot be fixed or changed.
Example: "Yes, you broke your pencil, but there's no need to cry over spilled milk.