Grammer - Junior Secondary 1 - Punctuation

S/N

STEPS

TEACHER’S ACTIVITY

LEARNERS ACTIVITY

1

INTRODUCTION

The teacher revises the previous lesson and introduces the new topic by explaining what punctuation is

Punctuation is the right use of “stops” in a sentence to assist the reader in grasping its meaning or add fluency.

Learners observe, learn and participate

2

EXPLICIT INSTRUCTION/TEACHER MODELLING

She explains the various punctuation marks

Punctuation marks

1.   The full stop(.)

a.   It is used to mark the end of a sentence that is not a question or an exclamation

b.   It is also used to mark an abbreviation e.g Ph.D., B.A., M.Sc., etc

2.   The comma(,)

a.   To separate items in a list of wrods or word groups e.g

My son was told to bring a blanket, sandwiches, cutlery and a small flute for the picnic

b.   To separate two or more adjectives which qualify the same noun e.g

My uncle is a handsome, hardworking, brillian teacher

c.   To separate phrases or clauses e.g

Okocha dribbled the ball past two defenders, stumbled slightly, raised the ball, and scored Nigeria’s only goal of the match

d. To separate a question tag from the rest of the sentence e.g

Your father served in the army, didn’t he?

a.   It is used before a direct speech or a short quotation e.g

The girl grumbled and said, “I wish I had prepared well for the examination”

3.   The question mark(?)

It is used at the end of a direct question e.g

a.   Where do you live?

b.   Shall we go into the house?

c.   Could you lend me a thousand naira?

4.   The semi-colon(;)

It is used to mark a pause that is longer than a comma but shorter than a full stop. It is used to separate two sentences that are closely connected in meaning e.g

a.   Some people are afraid of flying on planes; personally, I find travelling on planes most interesting.

b.   To err is human; to forgive is divine.

5.   The colon(:)

a.   It is similar to the semi colon. It suggests that what follows is an explanation of what goes before it e.g

a.   Okonkwo’s achievements rested on three things: first, he defeated Amalinze the cat, then he worked hard, this was followed by his challenge to the white man’s culture.

b.   It is used to introduce a list e.g

The candidate failed the following subjects: Biology, Physics and Chemistry

6.   The quotation marks(“) or (‘)

a.   It is used to separate words actually spoken by someone from the remainder of a sentence(direct speech) e.g

“Did you come with your parents?”, the Principal asked

b.   It is used to draw attention to a word that is abnormal for the situation e.g

Tinuke’s father was so angry at her performance in the last examination that he promised her a “special gift”

c.   It is used to enclose the titles of poems, articles etc e.g

The title of the columnist’s article is “How to improve the country’s economy”  

Learners observe, learn and participate

3

EVALUATION

The Learners are asked to

1.   Define punctuation

2.   List and explain the use of the punctuation marks treated

- Learners observe, learn and participate

4

CLASS-WORK

Learners are asked to answer Exercise I 1-10 on page 221-222 of the New Concept English for Junior Secondary School 1.

Learners observe, learn and participate

5

ASSIGNMENT

Learners are asked to answer Exercise II on page 222 of the New Concept English for Junior Secondary School 1.

Learners participate

6

CONCLUSION

The teacher marks their books, corrects it and commends the Learners