3.3 Treat writing as a process

Write down 10 words that have been derived from other languages, but are used as ordinary English words today. Write down the meaning of each of these words or expressions, and then use it in a short sentence to show that you know how to use it.

Activity 3

1. Compare the following sentences:

• I work hard every day.
• I am working hard at the moment, so I don’t have time to go to the movies with you right now.
• I have been working really hard at my schoolwork, so I should do well this year.

The verbs that have been printed in bold in the sentences above are various forms of the verb “to work”. Can you see that different forms suggest different meanings?

Look at the last sentence and try to explain exactly what it means. Now look at the following similar sentences and read them out loudly:

• Mark has been visiting many schools lately.
• Many South Africans have been following the news about our own spaceman this year.
• I have been compiling a scrapbook about Mark’s life this term.
• Mark’s company has been growing rapidly.
• Many learners have been making projects about the first African in space lately.

DO YOU SEE THAT THE VERB SUGGESTS A RECENT ONGOING PROCESS ? This form is called the PERFECT PROGRESSIVE. (You don’t have to remember that!)

Underline the verb in each sentence. Remember, in this form, the verb consists of more than one word each time.

• Write four sentences of your own in which you use this form of the verb. Underline the complete verb (finite verb) in each sentence.
• Now consider the following sentences and note the verbs in bold. The verbs are in a different form called the CONDITIONAL. Read the sentences out loudly. You will see that they suggest a condition .

• If I had the money, I would go on a space trip.
• If Thabile could sing, she would become a pop star.
• If only we were allowed to wear ordinary clothes to school, I would wear my denims every day.

Do you see that the sentences start with “If”? That means a condition is being set. It is something that is wished for, or desired, or hoped.

Now make two of your own sentences in which you use the conditional form:

AND FINALLY, JUST FOR FUN:

Dramatise a visit to your school by Mark Shuttleworth. One of the learners must be Shuttleworth. The others must ask various interesting or amusing questions for him to answer. They must make sense, however! Perhaps you will be allowed to hold a Soyuz party at school … use your imagination. You could even learn a few Russian words, if you wanted to. Perhaps you could also create a “space menu” or a Russian menu. Be creative and enjoy it! Perhaps you could try to do a Cossack dance.

Assessment

Memorandum

Assignment 1

1. Any suitable questions.

2. Conditions where there is very little (almost no) gravity.

3. Embryos of mammals.

4. Any strange mammals.

5. Project

6. One takes it apart to study the parts of the whole.

7. Synthesis. That means putting the constituent parts together to form a whole.

8. Own comments.

LEARNING UNIT 6: LANGUAGE STRUCTURE AND USE

Assignment 2

1. On reading the passage, special attention must be given to stress and intonation by the learners.

2. mania craze, obsession, passion

campaign movement, crusade, promotion

enthusiastic excited, eager, keen, passionate

tumultuous chaotic, noisy, boisterous

related recounted, told, shared, communicated

all and sundry everybody

1. The university, college or school where one studied. (The Romans: “fostering mother”)

2. Learners’ own contributions. See Guidelines.

Assignment 3

1. Underline the following verbs:

has been visiting; have been following; have been comiling; has been growing; have been making.

2. Four sentences of their own