Apostrophes

Have a look here for a complete guide to using the apostrophe!

Othello Act 1.1 and Act 1.2

Dear Grade 12s

Here is a useful guide to what happens in Act 1.1. You will need to match the coloured blocks next to the text to the Theme Key on the left-hand side of the page.

Here is the same sort of guide to Act 1.2.

Happy reading!

Comprehensions

Dear English Classes

(This is a repeat of a previous post)

Everyone has to write comprehension tests every now and then.
They are generally something that you dislike doing as many of you think that "comprehensions are difficult!"

They do not need to be difficult if you remember to follow some simple but important guidelines.

1) Take a deep breath, calm down and think slowly.
2) Draw a margin down the right hand side of the page and write your full name, class and teacher's name at the top of the page.
3) Read the text carefully and underline and words and ideas that you think are important.
4) Read the questions carefully and underline any important words in the question:
Eg. What is the author’s attitude to ducks? Identify the tone of lines 5-7 that shows this attitude. Quote to support your answer.
5) Write your answers in full sentences and do not begin those sentences with conjunctions: “and, but or because.”
6) Please write clear and specific answers. For example: “He told him that he played golf with his boss and would get him fired if he continued to be so rude.” This is meant to be about Mr Birling and Inspector Goole from An Inspector Calls but it is very poorly constructed. I have no idea who you are referring to.
7) Always State your answer, Support it with evidence (a quote or an example) from the text and Explain the link between your evidence and your answer.
8) Please leave a line between your answers. This gives me the space to scribble my thoughts on your answer; it gives you the space to add any information needed when we go through the test in class and finally you can add to your own answer if you receive a flash of inspiration during the test.

The most important of all of these guidelines is to think slowly!

Good luck for your comprehensions in the future!

Important Dates for Term 1

Dear English Classes

Here are the important dates (so far) for Term 1. I will update this as we get more information.

Grade 12:
Standardised Comprehension and Language Test: 31 January.
Commonwealth Essay to be written in class: 4 February.

Grade 11:
Standardised Comprehension and Language Test: 28 February

Grade 10:
Standardised Comprehension and Language Test: 7 February
Commonwealth Essay to be written in class: 13-15 February.

Grade 9:
Standardised Comprehension and Language Test: 7 March

Grade 8:
Standardised Comprehension and Language Test: 31 January
Diary Entry:

Matrics: Othello Introduction

Dear Grade 12s.

Here are the links to the websites we looked at this morning with reference to Othello.

The Tragic Hero:
http://shakespeare.nuvvo.com/lesson/4435-elements-of-a-tragic-hero-in-literature

Othello as a Tragic Hero:
http://whatsitallaboutshakespeare.blogspot.com/2012/04/is-othello-tragic-hero.html

Map of the Mediterranean:
http://www.welt-atlas.de/datenbank/karten/karte-4-634.gif

Editing Checklist

Dear English Classes

Some of us really do not like the writing component of English - we get stuck when we have to edit our work and land up with red pen all over our essays. It is terrible as we try so hard but still somehow make mistakes.

Take a look at this Editing Checklist and make sure you aren't making any of these simple errors:
1) Don't never use double negatives.
2) Concord between subjects and verbs are vital.
3) Use a dictionary to look up difficult words and check your spelling.
4) Use a Thesaurus to find synonyms so you don't use the same word repeatedly.
5) Punctuate correctly:
- Do not use more than one exclamation mark!!!
- Avoid, the temptation, to use too many, commas.
- Do not abuse commas and use them to glue sentences together.
- Capital letters should only be used at the beginning of sentences and proper
nouns - do not use them in sentences as YOU ARE SHOUTING.
- Do not abuse ellipsis ... and use them ... in excess ... or else ...
- Apostrophe's should be used to show ommision and possession; try not to make
mistakes's when you use them.
6) Be careful to never split an infinitive.
7) Read your work carefully you have written it to ensure that you have not left words out or or repeated them.
8) Every sentence needs a main clause and a subject.
9) Do not begin a sentence with "and." And do not begin a sentence with "but" either. Use conjunctions to join sentences.
10) American spelling is out of favor - we are in South Africa.
11) Every sentence needs a finite verb.
12) Do not end sentences with prepositions.
13) Choose your pronouns carefully and use them correctly.
14) Do not over-use inverted commas.
15) Style is important:
- Keep your vocabulary simple and to the point.
- Avoid cheesy cliches.
- Avoid repetition and unnecessary redundancy which appears here, there and
everywhere. Check for repetition or repeated ideas that have been said
before,
earlier in your text.
- Use a consistent style and register and don't allow inappropriate colloquial
language to rock up without an invite.
- You will find that writing short and focussed sentences will avoid, you
making unnecessary and avoidable punctuation, grammar and content errors that
invariably make your work difficult to read and understand and cloud the real
meaning of the thing that you are trying, but not really succeeding to say.
- Do not mix your metaphors.
- Using inappropriate jargon and sounding like a politician whereby you attempt
to exemplify the properest means of communicating ideas to the stakeholders
only makes you sound silly.
- Inappropriate use of hyperbole will see you thrown out of the window for your
crimes.

Expand your knowledge of English

Dear 2013 Classes

Here is an interesting list of Collective Nouns with some history on their creation.

It is worth a read - some of them are quite unexpected!

http://mentalfloss.com/article/33580/50-collective-nouns-bolster-your-vocabulary

Take a look at the Comments at the bottom of the page too.

Welcome!

Dear English Classes

Welcome to English in 2013!

Before we begin classes you can have a look at these two videos:





Keep looking at the blog for updates on homework, classwork and tests.

I hope that we have a lot of fun together this year!