WEEK 2 / 3: (1) ADVERBIALS, AND (2) CONSONANT SOUNDS – PLOSIVES

 

JSS 2                        WEEK 2/3

                         ENGLISH LANGUAGE

TOPICS –     (1) ADVERBIALS

                   (2) CONSONANT SOUNDS – PLOSIVES

Specific objectives – By the end of the lesson, the students should be able to:

(1)        Underline the adverbs in given sentences and then draw an arrow to the word or words that each adverb modifies.

(2)        Underline plosives in given words.

INSTRUCTIONAL PROCEDURE

              Periods 1 and 2

Topics – Adverbials – types and grammatical functions

Step1: Meaning of Adverbs

An adverb is a word that modifies a verb, an adjective, or another adverb.

Just as an adjective makes the meaning of a noun or a pronoun more definite, an adverb makes the meaning of a verb, an adjective, or another adverb more definite.

Examples:

(1)        Reporters quickly gather the news. (The adverb ‘quickly’ modifies the verb ‘gather’.)

(2)        The route is too long. (The adverb ‘too’ modifies the adjective ‘long’)

(3)        Our newspaper carrier delivers the paper very early. (The adverb ‘very’ modifies another adverb ‘early’. The adverb ‘early’ modifies the verb ‘delivers’.)

An adverb answers the questions where, when, how or to what extent (how long or how much)

Examples:

Where? Let’s go inside.

            Will you stand there?

When?  We can leave now!

            The rain will stop soon.

How?  The alarm rang wildly.

           Speak slowly.

To what extent? She hardly noticed.

                          An owl hooted very late last night.

Adverbs may come before or after the verbs they modify. Sometimes, adverbs interrupt parts of a verb phrase. Adverbs may also introduce questions. Examples:

(1)        Recently, we learned about a new law. (The adverb ‘recently’ modifies the verb ‘learned’, telling when we learned.)

(2)        How can we quickly climb the rope? (The adverb ‘how’ introduces the question and modifies the verb phrase ‘can climb’. The adverb ‘quickly’ interrupts the verb phrase and tells how we climbed)

        If you are not sure whether a word is an adjective or an adverb, ask yourself what it modifies. If a word modifies a noun or a pronoun, it is an adjective. If it modifies a verb, an adjective, or an adverb, it is an adverb.

Often, adverbs can be recognised by the suffix – ly. Remember, however, that not all adverbs end in – ly and not all words that end in – ly are adverbs.

Examples – Adverbs - swam quickly

left later  

      Adjective -   only friend

        early flight

STEP 2 - Classification of Adverbs

Adverbs are classified on the basis of the functions they perform; that is, whether they answer the question how, when. why?, where?, for what purpose? To what extent, how often?

The following classifications are obtainable in English Language.

(1)        Adverb of time – This group tells us when something happens. Examples:

A.  She will visit us tomorrow. 

B.  The rain will come soon.

(2)        Adverb of place – It tells us where something happens or takes place. Examples:

A.  The man lives here.

B.  She eats anywhere.

(3)        Adverb of manner – Adverbs in this group tell how something happens. Examples:

A.  She walks gently.

B.  Ikem spoke happily.

(4)        Adverb of degree – Adverbs under this group show the extent of something. They tell the degree to which an action is performed.

Examples:

A.  She talks too much.

B.  They woman is very wicked.

(5)        Adverb of frequency – It shows how frequent or often something happens. Examples:

A.  John seldom visits his grandfather.

B.  He visits us weekly.

(6)        Adverbials of reason – Adverbials of cause or reason tell us the reason for an action. They tell us why an action occurred. Examples:

A.  He smiled because of his result.

B.  She built for lack of accommodation.

STEP 3 – Grammatical Functions of Adverbs

The grammatical function of an adverbial or adverb is to modify a verb, an adjective or another adverb. Examples:

A.  She dances quite gracefully. (‘Quite’ modifies the adverb ‘gracefully’).

B.  John screamed suddenly. (‘Suddenly’ modifies the verb ‘screamed’).

C.  That receptionist is always rude. (‘Always’  modifies the adjective ‘rude’)

D. Slowly, the procession moved to the vice chancellor’s office. (Slowly’ modifies the verb ‘moved’.)

STEP 4: Words often used as Adverbs

 Where?                          Here, there, away, up, outside

When?                            Now, then, later, soon, ago

How?                              Clearly, easily, quietly, slowly

How often or                   Never, always, often, seldom

How long?                      Frequently, usually, forever

To what                          Very, hardly, almost, so, really

Extent or how much?     Most, nearly, quite, less

 

PERIOD 3 - CONSONANT SOUNDS – PLOSIVES

STEP 1 – MEANING OF CONSONANTS

As we already know, there are forty – four speech sounds in English. While twenty of them are vowels, the remaining twenty – four are consonants.

       A consonant is a speech sound which is produced with the obstruction of airstream from the lungs somewhere in the buccal cavity (mouth). This obstruction could be total or partial depending on the sound being produced. For example, when a consonant like    /p/ is produced, the flow of air is obstructed by the lips. The obstruction here is called a total obstruction because the flow of air is completely obstructed for a while. But when a consonant like   /f/   is produced, the flow of air is partially obstructed by the lower lip and the upper teeth. The obstruction, in this case, is a partial obstruction because, even though the lower lip and the upper teeth are in contact, air still passes through the narrow space between the lip and the teeth. The air, however, passes with some frictional noise.

       There is always a degree of obstruction of the airstream from the lungs whenever a consonant sound is being produced.

STEP 2 - Types of Consonant According to their Manner of Articulation. They are:

(A)        Total obstruction – Plosives, Affricates, Nasals

(B)        Partial obstruction – Fricatives, Semivowels, Lateral, Liquid

 STEP 3 – PLOSIVES

The sounds under plosives are /p, b, t, d, k, g/. In their production there is a total obstruction of air. The air pressure which builds behind the articulators is released with an explosive noise. Because of the total obstruction and explosive release of the air pressure, the sounds produced in this manner are called plosives.

Examples of words that contain plosives:

/ p/   - Pan     Happy      Nap 

/ b/   - bud    rubber      rub

/ t/    - tea      heater      seat

/ d/   - dip      cradle       hide

/ k/   - come  marking   pack

/ g/   - get      target       rag

   EVALUATION QUESTIONS:
(1) Underline the adverbs in the sentences below. Then draw an arrow to the word or words that each adverb modifies.

Example – Recently, little rain has fallen.

(A)        Carefully, Ada crossed the road.

(B)        Our scout leader often discusses fire safety.

(C)        Lanre is extremely smart.

(D)       We never burn fires in windy weather.

(E)        You will be able to read this book on animals quite quickly.

(F)        They go to church regularly.

(G)       She will tiptoe quietly from the stage.

(2)  Underline plosives in the following words: pot, cab, gang, letter, lead, chemistry, account, troop, ban

ASSIGNMENT:

(A)        Underline the adverbs in the following sentences and state the type of adverb each underlined adverb is.

(1)        Nearby, a silversmith designs beautiful candlesticks, platters, and jewellery.

(2)        Sheila ran fast.

(3)        Put the kettle there.

(4)        The lecturer came late.

(5)        He is partly responsible for his failure.

(6)        Teachers rarely encourage students to drink beer.

(7)        Examples are shown below.

(B)        Indicate whether the word underlined is an adjective or an adverb in the following sentences.

(1)        John came early to school.

(2)        Seidu is early today.

(3)        The truck drove right into the shop.

(4)        He was actually right. We made the mistake.