LESSON 26
ASPECTS:
Speech Work: Introduction to Intonation Pattern
Comprehension: Advertising and Publicity
Vocabulary Development (Words associated with Profession- Advertising)
Structure: Auxiliary Verbs-Modals
Writing Skills: Expository
ASPECT: Speech Work
TOPIC:
Introduction to Intonation Pattern
Intonation means the variation of the level of the voice in a continuous speech. When English is spoken, the level of the voice (otherwise called pitch) goes up or down, and the different notes of the voice combine to make tones. The changes in pitch are important because if there are no such changes, the speech would sound monotonous or even meaningless.
Intonation is used meaningfully in all languages but while it is used to distinguish words of the same spelling in many Nigerian languages, it is used in English to give special meaning to an utterance. The utterance could be a word, a phrase or a sentence. Intonation is so important in English that it forms an important part of the spoken utterance and shows a speaker’s attitude to what he is saying or to his listener. Intonation may indicate doubt, certainty, disbelief, interest or indifference.
Functions of Intonation
Intonation performs two basic functions in English. These are grammatical and attitudinal functions.
In considering grammatical function, it is associated with specific sentence types. In that case, intonation indicates whether a sentence is an ordinary statement, order/command, question, request, greeting, declaration, exclamation, etc. On the other hand, the attitudinal function of intonation is associated with the mood of the speaker to an issue under discussion or towards his listener(s). In this case, intonation indicates whether the speaker, on what is being discussed, is doubtful, surprise, indifferent, interested, uninterested, certain, uncertain, etc.
Classification of Intonation
There are two basic classes of intonation. These are:
i. Falling tune/tone
ii. Rising tune/tone.
However, the following types of intonation can be identified also. These are:
i. Fall and rise tune
ii. Rise and fall tune.
https://youtu.be/A6aE4nceJt8
EVALUATION: What is an intonation?
b. Mention and explain the two basic functions of intonation.
ASSIGNMENT: Explain the attitudinal function of intonation.
LESSON 27
ASPECT: COMPREHENSION/VOCABULARY DEVELOPMENT
TOPIC:
Advertising and Publicity
Advertising, according to the passage, is one of the ways of selling commodities. It means to talk in order to influence. Television commercials and bill posters are forms of advertising.
EVALUATION: Intensive English for SSS1; Exercises 18.2.2 and 18.2.3; pages 276-278.
ASSIGNMENT: Intensive English for SSS1; Exercises 18.2.5, 18.2.7 and 18.3.4; pages 279-289.
https://youtu.be/gs2S8KyNw5s
ASPECT: VOCABULARY DEVELOPMENT
TOPIC:
Words Associated with Profession – Advertising
Use your dictionary to learn the meanings of these words, which are associated with advertising and journalism. Then make a sentence with each one to show that you understand the meaning.
Bill
poster
Commercials
Trade fairs
Handbills
Cameramen
Press
photographers
exhibitions
Newscasters
Caption
Catalogue
Newsletter
Newsreel
Documentary
editor
EVALUATION: Use the above registers of advertising in sentences after using your dictionary to find their meaning.
ASSIGNMENT: Intensive English for SSS1; Exercise 18.2.6 (Dictionary Work); pages 280 & 281.
LESSON 28
ASPECT: Structure
TOPIC:
Auxiliary Verbs – Modals
Helping verbs or auxiliary verbs such as will, shall, may, might, can, could, must, ought to, should, would, used to, need are used in conjunction with main verbs to express shades of time and mood. The combination of helping verbs with main verbs creates what are called verb phrases or verb strings. In the following sentence, "will have been" are helping or auxiliary verbs and "studying" is the main verb; the whole verb string is underlined:
• As of next August, I will have been studying chemistry for ten years.
Shall, will and forms of have, do and be combine with main verbs to indicate time and voice. As auxiliaries, the verbs be, have and do can change form to indicate changes in subject and time.
• I shall go now.
• He had won the election.
• They did write that novel together.
• I am going now.
• He was winning the election.
• They have been writing that novel for a long time.
Uses of Shall and Will and Should
Shall is used to express the simple future for first person I and we, as in "Shall we meet by the river?" Will would be used in the simple future for all other persons. Using will in the first person would express determination on the part of the speaker, as in "We will finish this project by tonight, by golly!" Using shall in second and third persons would indicate some kind of promise about the subject, as in "This shall be revealed to you in good time." The distinction between the two is often obscured by the contraction’ll, which is the same for both verbs.
In the United States, we seldom use shall for anything other than polite questions (suggesting an element of permission) in the first-person:
• "Shall we go now?"
• "Shall I call a doctor for you?"
(In the second sentence, many writers would use should instead, although should is somewhat more tentative than shall.) In the U.S., to express the future tense, the verb will is used in all other cases.
Shall is often used in formal situations (legal or legalistic documents, minutes to meetings, etc.) to express obligation, even with third-person and second-person constructions:
• The board of directors shall be responsible for payment to stockholders.
• The college president shall report financial shortfalls to the executive director each semester."
Should is usually replaced, nowadays, by would. It is still used, however, to mean "ought to" as in
• You really shouldn't do that.
• If you think that was amazing, you should have seen it last night.
In British English and very formal American English, one is apt to hear or read should with the first-person pronouns in expressions of liking such as "I should prefer iced tea" and in tentative expressions of opinion such as
• I should imagine they'll vote Conservative.
• I should have thought so.
The modal auxiliary can is used
• to express ability (in the sense of being able to do something or knowing how to do something):
He can speak Spanish but he can't write it very well.
• to expression permission (in the sense of being allowed or permitted to do something):
Can I talk to my friends in the library waiting room? (Note that can is less formal than may. Also, some writers will object to the use of can in this context.)
• to express theoretical possibility:
American automobile makers can make better cars if they think there's a profit in it.
The modal auxiliary could is used
• to express an ability in the past:
I could always beat you at tennis when we were kids.
• to express past or future permission:
Could I bury my cat in your back yard?
• to express present possibility:
We could always spend the afternoon just sitting around talking.
• to express possibility or ability in contingent circumstances:
If he studied harder, he could pass this course.
In expressing ability, can and could frequently also imply willingness:
Can you help me with my homework?
https://youtu.be/Nk9nQwoCFig
Can versus May
Whether the auxiliary verb can can be used to express permission or not — "Can I leave the room now?" ["I don't know if you can, but you may."] — depends on the level of formality of your text or situation. As Theodore Bernstein puts it in The Careful Writer, "a writer who is attentive to the proprieties will preserve the traditional distinction: can for ability or power to do something, may for permission to do it.
The question is at what level can you safely ignore the "proprieties." Merriam-Webster's Dictionary, tenth edition, says the battle is over and can can be used in virtually any situation to express or ask for permission. Most authorities, however, recommend a stricter adherence to the distinction, at least in formal situations.
Uses of May and Might
Two of the more troublesome modal auxiliaries are may and might. When used in the context of granting or seeking permission, might is the past tense of may. Might is considerably more tentative than may.
• May I leave class early?
• If I've finished all my work and I'm really quiet, might I leave early?
In the context of expressing possibility, may and might are interchangeable present and future forms and might + have + past participle is the past form:
• She might be my advisor next semester.
• She may be my advisor next semester.
• She might have advised me not to take biology.
Avoid confusing the sense of possibility in may with the implication of might, that a hypothetical situation has not in fact occurred. For instance, let's say there's been a helicopter crash at the airport. In his initial report, before all the facts are gathered, a newscaster could say that the pilot "may have been injured." After we discover that the pilot is in fact all right, the newscaster can now say that the pilot "might have been injured" because it is a hypothetical situation that has not occurred. Another example: a body had been identified after much work by a detective. It was reported that "without this painstaking work, the body may have remained unidentified." Since the body was, in fact, identified, might is clearly called for.
Uses of Will and Would
In certain contexts, will and would are virtually interchangeable, but there are differences. Notice that the contracted form 'll is very frequently used for will.
Will can be used to express willingness:
• I'll wash the dishes if you dry.
• We're going to the movies. Will you join us?
It can also express intention (especially in the first person):
• I'll do my exercises later on.
and prediction:
• specific: The meeting will be over soon.
• timeless: Humidity will ruin my hairdo.
• habitual: The river will overflow its banks every spring.
Would can also be used to express willingness:
• Would you please take off your hat?
It can also express insistence (rather rare, and with a strong stress on the word "would"):
• Now you've ruined everything. You would act that way.
and characteristic activity:
• customary: After work, he would walk to his home in West Hartford.
• typical (casual): She would cause the whole family to be late, every time.
In a main clause, would can express a hypothetical meaning:
• My cocker spaniel would weigh a ton if I let her eat what she wants.
Finally, would can express a sense of probability:
I hear a whistle. That would be the five o'clock train.
Uses of Used to
The auxiliary verb construction used to is used to express an action that took place in the past, perhaps customarily, but now that action no longer customarily takes place:
• We used to take long vacation trips with the whole family.
https://youtu.be/POFfLs0Uaio
EVALUATION: Choose the correct alternative:
1. I don't think I (shall, should, can) be able to go.
2. He (shall, will, dare) not pay unless he is compelled.
3. You (should, would, ought) be punctual.
4. I wish you (should, would, must) tell me earlier.
5. (Shall, Will, Would) I assist you?
6. (Shall, should would) you please help me with this?
7. You (ought, should, must) to pay your debts.
8. He said T (can, might, should) use his telephone at any time.
9. If you (shall, should, would) see him, give him my regards.
10. He (need, dare, would) not ask for a rise, for fear of losing his job.
ASSIGNMENT: From the list of alternatives A-D, choose the word or group of words that best completes each of the following sentences:
1. I ………. There quite often but I have no time these days.
A. use to go
B. have been used to going
C. used to go
D. am use top going
2. If you are Richard, I …………. you to inform him of our meeting tomorrow.
A. needn’t to have been telling
B. needn’t be telling
C. needn’t to be telling
D. needn’t tell
3. Since he received the bill last month, he …… by now.
A. used to have paid
B. should have paid
C. must have to pay
D. had to have pay
4. Mrs. Awuku did not tell her husband about her journey yesterday, although she …….. him.
A. ought to have been told
B. ought to tell
C. ought to have told
D. ought to have tell
5. Marian: I thought I saw you at the market yesterday.
Cecelia: It …….. me because I travelled to ondo.
A. won’t be
B. oughtn’t to have been
C. shouldn’t have been
D. couldn’t have been
6. The old vase is so fragile that I ……. It.
A. dare not to touch
B. am not daring to touch
C. dare not touch
D. did not dare touching
7. “He ……. be able to pass the examination,” the teacher said doubtfully.
A. could
B. must
C. will
D. may
8. Odunayo …………. all the clothes herself.
A. wasn’t needing to was
B. wasn’t in need of washing
C. needn’t have washed
D. needn’t have to wash
9. Bisi: Father, I would like to go hunting with you today.
Father: well, I you promise to be a good boy, you …….. come.
A. must
B. can
C. might
D. should
10. According to the terms of the contract, the builder ……… the house last month.
A. may have finished
B. ought to have finished
C. has to finish
D. should finish
LESSON 29
ASPECT: Writing Skill
TOPIC:
Continuous Writing - Argumentative (Written)
An argumentative writing is a form of writing in which you attempt to persuade the reader to agree to your point of view on a controversial subject matter. An argumentative is not a quarrel or a shouting competition. There are usually two sides to an argument and what you do in this type of essay is to persuade your readers by appealing to their feelings and minds. Ultimately, your aim is to convince them to agree with you on the main point of argument and for them to accept a belief they did not hold before.
An argumentative essay would require you to
1. Prove a point, or
2. Present a view point, or
3. Balance two sides of an argument
The following are examples of topics requiring argumentative writing:
i. Female children are more beneficial to parents than male children.
ii. Corporal punishment should be abolished in schools.
iii. Science has done more harm than good to the society.
iv. Military rule is preferable to civil rule.
v. Polygamy is more relevant to our society than monogamy.
vi. Education should be free at all levels.
vii. We are happier than our forefathers were.
As you can see from these topics, there are always two sides to the subject of an argumentative essay and your mode of presentation will depend on the way the question is set. Usually, you would be told whether to write on only one side or both sides of the topic. When you are to write on only one side, you should even do so with due cognizance of the view of the other side at least to show that you are aware of the opposition. However, your points should be logical enough to lend support to the side you are supporting.
Features of Argumentative Writing
A. Presenting a Viewpoint
B. Appropriate Introduction
If the medium of expressing the argument is a debate, then it should have some of the features of a writing that is to be delivered orally. The introduction should begin with the usual vocatives:
Definition of Proposition/Background Information
What you do next is to define the subject matter of the debate or give some background information on the controversy. Here, you may sketch the history of events leading up to the present argument. Since it is often the case that disagreements or misconceptions arise because people are poorly informed, the background component of the argument becomes very important. Getting people to change their minds is sometimes simply a matter of providing them with additional information upon which to base their conclusion.
Proof of the Proposition
This is the use of logical proofs to change the reader or audience’s mind. Logic is the art of drawing inferences or conclusions. Where possible you may use facts or statistics to support your argument. There should be good paragraphing, coherence and a logical sequence of ideas.
Disproof of Competing Arguments
One of the marks of a skillful debater is the ability to anticipate the competing argument of the
Opponent and then disprove it. By doing it, you are able to pull the rug from under the feet of your opponent. In the language of logic and argument, this is called refutation. The following is an example of refutation:
thus to argue effectively, you should first reckon with the opposition, make some concessions to his point of view, and then ‘demolish’ that point of view with a superior argument.
Concluding the Argument
The concluding paragraph summarizes all the points that have been made and also restates your stand very convincingly:
Balancing Two Sides of an Argument
An essay that requires you to present a balanced view of two sides of an argument would have features that are somewhat different from those of a debate where you are articulating a particular point of view.
https://youtu.be/KqJ707-HbQ8
EVALUATION: You are a speaker in a debate on the topic: Child Abuse, who is to be blamed – Government or parents? Write out your contribution for or against the motion.
ASSIGNMENT: You are the chief speaker in a debate on the topic: Female children are more beneficial than male children to their parents.
Choose the correct alternative:
1. I (needn't to see, needn't have seen, didn't need to see) him, so I sent a letter.
2. (Shall, Might, Could) you show me the way to the station?
3. To save my life, I ran fast, and (would, could, was able to) reach safely.
4. I (would, used, ought) to be an atheist but now I believe in God.
5. You (needn't, mustn't, won't) light a match; the room is full of gas.
6. The Prime Minister (would, need, is to) make a statement tomorrow.
7. You (couldn't wait, didn't need to wait, needn’t have waited) for me; I could have found the way all right.
8. I was afraid that if I asked him again he (can, may, might) refuse.
9. She (shall, will, dare) sit outside her garden gate for hours at a time, looking at the passing traffic.
10. (Should, Would, Shall) you like another cup of coffee?
11. I wish he (should, will, would) not play his wireless so loudly.
12. I (am to leave, would leave, was to have left) on Thursday. But on Thursday I had a terrible cold, so I decided to wait till Saturday.
13. He (used, is used, was used) to play cricket before his marriage.
14. (Shall, Will, Would) I carry the box into the house for you?
15. He (will, can, might) come, but I should be surprised.
PRE-READING: Read Goodbye to Failure in English for SSS1 by Ken Mebele and Fem Omodara, pages 146 – 148.
ACTIVITY: Identify the modal auxiliaries with their functions.
REFERENCES:
1. Intensive English for SSS Book1 by B.O.A. Oluikpe et al.
2. Goodbye to Failure in English for SSS Book1 by Ken Mebele and Femi Omodara.
3. English Lexis and Structure for SSS & Colleges by Ayo Bamgbose.
4. Oral English for Schools and Colleges by Sam Onuigbo.
