English Language SSS 1 (3rd term)

English Language – SSS 1 3rd Term Course Description This term’s English Language syllabus for Senior Secondary School 1 (SSS 1) focuses on advanced grammar structures, phonetics, vocabulary, and punctuation. Over eight weeks, students will examine adverbs and sentence adjuncts, master complex clauses, refine spelling rules, practice stress timing, and distinguish homophones. Each week includes in-class activities and assignments to reinforce learning and foster clarity in both speech and writing.

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Week 1 – Adverbs and Their Types

• Content:
  • Definition and roles of adverbs in modifying verbs, adjectives, and other adverbs.
  • Types: manner, place, time, frequency, degree, probability.
• Activities:
  • Identify adverbs in passages and classify by type.
  • Rewrite sentences swapping different adverb types for nuance.
• Assignment:
  • Compose ten original sentences using at least one example of each adverb type.

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Week 2 – Sentence Structure: Adjuncts, Conjuncts, and Disjuncts

• Content:
  • Adjuncts: Optional sentence elements that add detail (e.g., “She sang beautifully”).
  • Conjuncts: Linking words/phrases connecting ideas (e.g., “However,” “Therefore,” “Meanwhile”).
  • Disjuncts: Comment on the speaker’s attitude or viewpoint (e.g., “Frankly, I disagree.”).
• Activities:
  • Diagram sentences to spot each structural element.
  • Practice combining simple sentences with conjuncts and disjuncts.
• Assignment:
  • Write a short paragraph (6–8 sentences) incorporating at least two adjuncts, two conjuncts, and one disjunct.

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Week 3 – Vocabulary: Some Relevant Words

• Content:
  • Curate a thematic list (e.g., words related to education, technology, or environment).
  • Explore word meanings, pronunciation, and usage in context.
• Activities:
  • Matching exercises: word ↔ definition.
  • Fill-in-the-blank sentences using new vocabulary.
• Assignment:
  • Create a mini-glossary of 15 words with definitions and example sentences.

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Week 4 – Phonetics: Stress Timing in Sentences

• Content:
  • Concepts of word stress vs. sentence stress.
  • Patterns of rhythm and timing in English speech.
• Activities:
  • Clap or tap to the stressed syllables in sample sentences.
  • Record and playback short dialogues, marking stress patterns.
• Assignment:
  • Transcribe three sentences, mark primary and secondary stress, and practice reading aloud.

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Week 5 – Complex Sentences: Features & Types of Clauses

• Content:
  • Definition of complex sentences (main clause + one or more subordinate clauses).
  • Types of subordinate clauses: noun, adjective (relative), and adverbial clauses.
• Activities:
  • Identify clauses in mixed-sentence worksheets.
  • Combine pairs of simple sentences into complex ones using appropriate subordinators.
• Assignment:
  • Write five complex sentences, labeling the main and subordinate clauses and specifying clause types.

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Week 6 – Spelling: Dropping ‘e’ and Retaining ‘e’

• Content:
  • Rules for retaining or dropping a final ‘e’ when adding suffixes (–ing, –ed, –able, –ful).
• Activities:
  • Spelling drills: convert root words by adding suffixes correctly.
  • Error-spotting in a paragraph with misspelled words.
• Assignment:
  • Prepare a list of 20 words, apply two suffixes each, and spell them correctly according to the rules.

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Week 7 – Punctuation & Capitalization

• Content:
  • Uses of Capital Letters, Full Stops, Commas, Semicolons, and Question Marks in complex sentences.
• Activities:
  • Punctuate unmarked passages.
  • Peer-review exercise: exchange written work and check each other’s punctuation.
• Assignment:
  • Write a short dialogue (8–10 lines) using all five punctuation marks and correct capitalization.

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Week 8 – Homophones

• Content:
  • Homophone pairs/groups (e.g., their/there/they’re; affect/effect; stationery/stationary).
• Activities:
  • Fill-in-the-blank exercises choosing the correct homophone.
  • Create minimal-pair drills for pronunciation practice.
• Assignment:
  • Compose a super-short story (100–120 words) that correctly uses ten different sets of homophones.

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Ongoing Exercises & Assessment

• Weekly Quizzes: Short objective tests on each week’s topic.
• Portfolio Submission: Collect all assignments in a single folder for end-of-term review.
• Oral Presentations: Two-minute reading of a chosen complex sentence or homophone story to demonstrate stress timing and clarity.

By the end of this term, students will have mastered advanced adverb usage, sentence adjuncts and clause structures, sophisticated spelling rules, precise punctuation, rhythmic speaking patterns, and an expanded vocabulary—including confident use of homophones—equipping them for higher-level English studies.