In case/ In order to /No matter/ None/Never/ As long as/ Much to

1. Spend fifty dollars at this store. You will get a mystery gift.
In order to get a mystery gift, you have to spend fifty dollars at this store.

2. Brush your teeth and have a regular dental check-up. Then your teeth will not decay.
In order to prevent your teeth from decaying/ decay, brush your teeth and have a regular check-up.

3. I didn’t want to lose my key. I made a duplicate key.
I made a duplicate key in case I lost my key.

4. It was possible that they hadn’t heard me. I rang the bell again.
I rang the bell again in case they hadn’t heard me.

5. I was afraid of a virus attack. I installed an anti-virus software in my computer.
I installed an anti-virus software in my computer in case of a virus attack.


No matter /As long as/None/ Much
1. Diana looked everywhere for the ring. She could not find it.
No matter where Diana looked /how hard Diana looked for the ring, she could not find it.

2. I told him many times to find a job. He refused to find a job.
No matter .

3. If you don’t provoke the dog, it will not bite you.
__________________________ as long as ____________________________.

4. All the goldfish I bought died when I reached home.
None ___________________________________________________________.

5. I was disgusted by him. He blew his nose while at the table.
Much to _________________________________________________________.

6. She wrote the note. Then she emailed it to her friend in China.
Having __________________________________________________________.

7. Always wash your hands before eating.
Never ___________________________________________________________.

8. Celestine is more knowledgeable about computers than I do.
I don’t know as _________________________________________________

Grammar Revision Notes

Grammar Revision Notes

1. (Qn Tag) The girls jog at Bishan Park every other day, don’t they?
2. (Conditional if) If I were you, I would not act so rashly.
3. (S-V Agree) All/Both + plural verb
4. (S-V Agree) All the participants but one attend the seminar.
5. (S-V Agree) Ellen, together with the boys, / Ellen, like the boys, is /has /does/ goes
6. (S-V Agree) The boys, as well as Gillian, / with Gillian, are/have/ do/ go
7. (S-V Agree) Each/ Every/ someone/anyone/ No one / Not one/ Nobody is/has/ does/goes
8. (S-V Agree) Either of the boys /Neither of the boys is/has/does/goes
9. (S-V Agree) Neither Susan nor the girls /Either Susan or the girls are/have/do/go
10. Plural Countable Nouns are always followed by plural verbs: many, few, some, a lot of , a number of, a great deal of e.g. Few cats are kept by the Chinese.
11. Uncountable Nouns are always followed by singular verbs: much, a little, some, a lot of, a great amount e.g. News is spread fast.
12. (Tense) As Mr Tan was walking to the gate, he heard the emergency bell ring/ringing.
13. (Active / Passive Voice) Nobody cleaned the board.
The board was not cleaned.
14. The better of the two boys won the prize. (good)
15. Tom is neater (neat) than Ali.
16. Of all the children, Susan is the worst (bad).
17. (Relative Pronoun) Mr Leong whose son had gone abroad to study bought a condominium recently.
18. (Emphatic Pronouns) I did this myself; You did this yourself. By ourselves; by themselves
19. (Conjunctions) Although/Though/Even though Mrs Syed was busy with her work, she came to help out. OR
20. (Conjunctions)Despite/In spite of Mrs Syed’s business with her work, she came to help out. OR
21. (Conjunctions)Despite /In spite of being busy with her work, Mrs Syed came to help out.
(Prepositions/ Phrasal Verbs)
22. according to
23. called for
24. come round/come across/ come into/come down
25. delighted for/ delighted with
26. difference between/ differ from
27. similar to
28. compare with /comparison to
29. dislike for
30. divided between
31. engaged to
32. fond of
33. liking for
34. married to
35. peel off
36. interested in
37. related to
38. summoned by
39. regard for
40. rely on
41. run into
42. similar to
43. thought of
44. withdraw from
45. worried for
46. interfere with
47. protect from
48. prevent from
49. conscious of
50. approve of

Grammar Websites (Revision work to be done on PSLE Marking Days)

http://www.englisch-hilfen.de/en/grammar/english_tenses.htm

http://www.englisch-hilfen.de/en/exercises_list/passiv.htm

http://www.englisch-hilfen.de/en/exercises/reported_speech/statements2.htm

http://www.englisch-hilfen.de/en/exercises_list/zeitformen.htm

http://www.englisch-hilfen.de/en/exercises/structures/check.php

http://www.englisch-hilfen.de/en/exercises_list/phrasal.htm

http://www.englisch-hilfen.de/en/exercises/structures/phrasal_verbs_sentences.htm

http://www.englisch-hilfen.de/en/grammar/partizipien.htm

http://www.englisch-hilfen.de/en/exercises_list/partizipien.htm

A Robbery

A Robbery

1. day blossomed like a bright and lovely flower
2. warm rays of the sun filtered through the canopy of leaves
3. embracing the glistening dewdrops
4. bidding them farewell
5. screeched to a halt
6. leaped out of the vehicle with great ability
7. Before a befuddled Lucas could utter a word
8. put up a tough struggle
9. pair of burly arms that encased him
10. fear gripped the pits of his stomach
11. journey was treacherously long and bumpy
12. rough handling
13. turning blue in his face
14. ashen-faced
15. slowly regained his orientation
16. an idea dawned upon him
17. a dilapidated room
18. malodorous stench of garbage permeated the air
19. shuddered at the thought
20. creepy crawlers swarming
21. threatened malevolently
22. chuckling in glee at their imminent windfall
23. fatigue finally overwhelmed
24. jolted awake
25. tumultuous commotion
26. uncanny silence
27. ran fanatically
28. justice had finally been served


1 bustling activities
2 around the corner
3 a huge grin split across my face
4 at my disposal
5 broke my concentration
6 muttered in frustration
7 on the verge
8 torturous
9 devious
10 concorted
11 dressed to the nines
12 charming
13 pleasant and melodious
14 ingrained
15 flew out of my mind
16 boomed
17 ghastly pale
18 in a flash
19 stuttered and stammered
20 penetrating gaze
21 a shrug of his shoulders
22 took to his heels
23 apparently
24 con man
25 tactic
26 unsuspecting
27 a dressing down

1. mumbled irately
2. rummaging
3. exclaimed frenetically
4. literally ripping
5. an arduous search
6. priceless
7. coupled
8. alluring
9. critical perusal
10. arrays of mirrors
11. sauntered
12. edgy
13. muttering like a broken radio
14. threatened with baleful intent
15. mouths agape in shock
16. livid
17. berating
18. deck yourself like a Christmas tree
19. to catch the fancy of people
20. fell to the ground in a dead faint
21. register all that had just transpired
22. a dam of emotions
23. ear-splitting shriek
24. pierced through the silence of the night
25. screamed devastatingly
26. losing track of everything
27. flustered
28. cradling
29. crooned
30. staunch the flow of blood pooling ceaselessly
31. pleas echoed into the still night air
32. loud shrill that rang high into the night


1． A steady stream of customers
2． Crowd started to dwindle
3． Sinister expressions
4． Mean and menacing
5． Beads of perspiration streamed down his face
6． Stood rooted to the ground, his legs felt like jelly
7． Regained his composure
8． Bellowed
9． Demanded in a gruff voice
10． Stormed into the bank
11． Glanced
12． For the umpteenth time
13． Flustered
14． Accomplice
15． Scared speechless
16． Taken by surprise
17． Quivering in trepidation
18． Panic-stricken
19． Tension hung in the air
20． Lashed out threats
21． Brandished his knife
22． Whipped out a knife
23． With trembling hands
24． Discreetly pressed the silent alarm
25． Activate a distress signal
26． Shuddering in fear
27． Huddle in a corner
28． Worked the tellers
29． Eyes widened in awe
30． Excitement bubbled inside me
31． Chimney of money
32． Wads of money notes/cash
33． Stammered in a tone as soft and meek as a mouse
34． Grabbed the loot
35． Moment of jubilation
36． Made a dash
37． All was too late
38． Armed officers were hiding at strategic positions outside the bank, waiting to ambush the escaping robbers
39． Gave ourselves up
40． Everything happened in a blurry
41． Chill in my bones
42． Weight of repentance
43． “Low crime does not mean no crime”

Robbery 1

1. The robbery t_________ p________ in Nathan Road yesterday.

2. The a_______ robbery happened in broad d___________.

3. One of the salesmen pressed the a_________ .

4. The robbers e_________ f_________ with the police.

5. The taller robber was wearing a m_________ .

6. C_______________ television and a s____________ camera have been installed.

7. Finally, the policeman o______________ the robber and arrested them.

8. The valuables were r_________ .

9. The victims were g_________ to the police.

10. The police d___________ the on-lookers from the scene.

11. One of the robbers stood on g_________ while the other robbers ransacked the shop.

12. The police are still i_______________ the robbery.

13. Two policemen were p_________ the area at the time of the robbery.

14. Two police cars rushed to the s_________.

15. The jewellery shop had lost several trays of o___________.

1. took place
2. armed, daylight
3. alarm
4. exchanged fire
5. mask
6. Closed-circuit, surveillance
7. overpowered
8. recovered
9 grateful
10. dispersed
11. guard
12. investigating
13. patrol
14. scene
15. ornaments

Sample Compositions from Internet

http://www.englishdaily626.com/english_compositions.php?080

The Gorilla Gang

The Gorilla Gang

1. shying away from ‘the Gorilla Gang’
2. muscular boy
3. this ritual – swaggering around picking on the newcomers to impress on them who was boss
4. secret agenda to recruit a boy good enough to represent them within the new cohort
5. profound disappointment
6. no more daring to demur
7. a bespectacled tiny boy
8. keep our distance
9. “You’re ‘kacang putih’ (chickpeas), tiny and easy to gobble down, right?” Gorilla put to us, eyeing us from top to toe, challenging us to react.
10. he had reached sanctuary, namely the sacred vicinity of the teacher’s room
11. stood by helplessly
12. his eyes widening
13. Gorilla’s stance changed
14. turned him down flat
15. Gorilla looked surprised, then angry
16. not used to being turned down
17. Gorilla’s gang looked at their leader in sadistic expectation
18. said a silent prayer for Timmy
19. adding in a mumble something which sounded suspiciously like ‘Sir’
20. I almost fell on my knees in worship of my hero
21. Timmy blinked innocently behind his thick lenses
22. Timmy made it a point of waving to the gang who gaped at him – and then respectfully bowed.

Compound Adjectives

Compound Adjectives

Breath-taking view
Daily-rated worker
Dimly-lit room
Gaily-coloured clothes
Hand-painted batiks
Hard-boiled eggs
High-heeled shoes
Ill-tempered farmer
Man-eating tiger
Old-fashioned ideas
Pale-looking boy
Shabbily-dressed man
Time-consuming task
Well-kept garden
White-collar job
White-washed house

1. The old beggar is a _____________________.
2. Mr Low cannot see eye to eye with his employer who has _________________.
3. At the annual sale, ______________ were on sale.
4. Does your brother earn a monthly salary or is he a ________________.
5. John prefers _______________ to fried ones.
6. We were thrilled by the ______________ from the top of Mount Faber.
7. The hunt is on for the _______________.
8. Mrs Tan has a _______________ with many potted plants.
9. The boys who teased the ____________ were scolded by him.
10. Who is that ___________ waiting for his turn to see the doctor?

Synthesis (Yellow Bklet) p 5 & 7: Active and Passive Voice

p 5
1. The stranger was requested by us to leave the premises (by us).
2. The new students were told by the others where to sit.
3. You will be asked by them several questions.
4. The men will be ordered to stop work soon by the guard.
5. The room shall be painted by us tomorrow.
6. Tea is sold by the grocer.
7. The dog was beaten by the naughty boys every day.
8. The land is ploughed by the farmer alone.
9. All the cookies have been eaten by the boys.
10. The roof has been repaired by the workmen.
11. A bookshop has just been opened by Philip.
12. These eggs are laid by the biggest hen.


P 7
1. The old lady is read to every afternoon by May.
2. The letter will be written by her tonight.
3. The flyover has been built by the construction workers .
4. Flowers in that shop are sold by Mrs Wang.
5. A box of chocolates was given byZhiyuan for her birthday.
6. The torn dress has been mended.
7. You will be laughed at if you wear that silly hat.
8. The little boat was overturned by a huge wave.
9. All the curry was eaten up by us yesterday.
10. Many valuable paintings will be destroyed by this fire.
11. Higher wages are promised to us by them.
12. Our meal has already been paid by Mr Lim.

Writing At The Sentence Level

Adding an adjective (61-62)

1. The thief sneaked into the house.
The bold and desperate thief sneaked into the house.

2. The dejected ice-cream seller cycled in the rain.

3. The angry toddler screamed at the frightened maid.

4. The hardworking girls sweated in the sun.

5. Charming Johan smiled at his unexpected date.

6. Frustrated, I ran out of the room.

7. The dark and stormy sky was full of grey clouds.

8. Furious, Mrs Lim clenched her fist.

9. My father patted the adorable dog.

10. Curious, Aloysius watched the exciting tennis match.


Adding an adverbial (63-64)

1. The maid sobbed.
The maid sobbed broken-heartedly.

2. The cat purred contentedly.

3. The wind blew caressingly.

4. Mother screamed hysterically.

5. Hillary waltzed gracefully.

6. The building swayed gently.

7. The flames roared wildly.

8. Mr Chan paused dramatically.

9. The pupils wrote tirelessly.

10. The day dragged on listlessly.


Combining Short and Long Sentences (65)

1. The day was hot. It was humid. The sky was cloudless. It was unbearable.
The day was hot, humid and cloudless and it was unbearable.
The hot, humid and cloudless day was unbearable.

2. The girl chewed gum, drank juice and gnawed on chicken wings.

3. The cat got up, stretched its back, yawned and left the room.

4. Ah Beng was a tall and stout sneaky bully who told lies.

5. She took out her licence, placed it on the dashboard, smiled and winked at the policeman.

Sentence Variety


Use prepositional phrases (66-67)

1. The thieves wore black stockings over their faces.
Over their faces, the thieves wore black stockings.

2. Throughout the housing estate, Mrs Lim looked for her missing poodle.

3. Against the raging storm, the brave girl struggled to get help for her mother.

4. Underneath her coat, she hid the stolen chicken.

5. Without the support of his devoted wife, Mr Muthu was devastated.

6. From a podium way up above the stadium, the policeman waved to the crowd.

7. Instead of turning up at work, Janice went to the park.

8. Upon the freshly-dug soil in the garden, rain fell.

9. With a loud shot,Devi jumped over the hurdle.

10. With a loud “plok”, the stone landed on the bonnet of Mr Tan’s Mercedes.

Use A Participle (68)

1. The tired boys slept through the night.
Tired, thee boys slept through the night.

2. Frightened, the maid hid in the bathroom.

3. Howling, the dogs kept the neighbours awake the whole night.

4. Sadly, the broken swing hung in the garden.

5. Screaming, my sister hung on to my mother’s arm when the nurse arrived.

6. Chattering, the extras at the set got into place slowly.

7. Wide-eyed, the children gazed at the rainbow in silent wonder.

8. Frowning, the salesgirl pointed out the sales items to me.

Use participle phrases (69-70)

1. The clown tipped his hat and blew kisses to the crowd.
Tipping his hat, the clown blew kisses to the crowd.

2. Sniggering gleefully, the teenager threw stones at the terrified kitten.

3. Measuring out the ingredients carefully, Mother put them into a mixing bowl.

4. Walking cautiously across the wet toilet floor, Mrs Siva slipped.

5. Sweating profusely, the sataty seller fanned the flames energetically.

6. The fragile butterfly, fluttering its wings weakly, tried to fly out of the bowl of water.

7. Snapping her fingers angrily, the shopkeeper shouted out several times.

8. Couging loudly, Ronald vomited into the spittoon.


Rewrite sentences (71)

1. The dog barked. The dog attacked the stranger.
The dog barked and attacked the stranger.
Barking, the dog attacked the stranger.

2. The stranger screamed and fell into the drain.
Screaming, the stranger fell into the drain.

3. Mrs Lee gasped and ran towards the dog.
Gasping, Mrs Lee ran towards the dog.

4. Mrs Lee grabbed the dog’s leash and shouted at the dog.
Grabbing the dog’s leash, Mrs Lee shouted at the dog.

5. Julian Lee helped the stranger up and apologised to him.
Helping the stranger up, Julian Lee apologised to him.


Use participle phrases (72)

1. Driven by intense hunger, the children in the ghettos began to wat bits of grss and other vegetation.

2. Amazed by his talent, the talent scouts signed on Talib immediately as their next recording artist.

3. Angered by his son’s behaviour, Mr Lim walked out of the school.

4. Stressed out by her increasing workload, Junita decided to take a long holiday in another country.

5. Looking out of the window, Mrs Salim saw her husband walking slowly home with a big sack on his back.

Use infinitive phrases (73)

1. Mary should avoid spicy food if she wants to win the singing contest.
To win the singing contest, Mary should avoid spicy food.

2. To collect the prize, winners must provide receipts as proof of purchase.

3. To prevent the branches from falling on the cars, the trees must be trimmed.

Use adjective clauses (74)

1. The teachers are extremely hardworking.
The teachers, who teach the PSLE classes, are extremely hardworking.

2. Mrs Lim’s pets, which are fed at the family dining table, are a lucky lot.

3. The sky, which is full of dark clouds, is a threatening sight.


Use appositives and appositive phrases (75-76)
1. The house stood silently at the end of the road.
The house, a large dilapidated mansion, stood silently at the end of the road.

2. The dog, a tiny poodle with a loud voice, barked non-stop throughout the night.

3. The contractor, a conscientious businessman, worked throughout the weekend to finish the job.

4. The dancer, a slim, youthful woman, floated across the stage.

5. John, an aspiring body-builder, lifted the heavy bag effortlessly.

Graphic Stimulus 9 - 11

Ex 7
4
1
3
4
4
4
4
2

Ex 8
4
3
4
3
3
2
3
4
2
2

Ex 9
3
2
1
2
4
1
3
4
2
2

Ex 10
3
2
3
2
1
3
2
1
4
1

Ex 11
1
4
2
4
1

Direct & Indirect Speeches (Yellow Book)

Direct/Indirect Speech WS 1
Answers:

1) Jumil told his aunt that he would be in Primary Six the following year.
2) Alison told her best friend, Susan, that the cake her sister had baked the day before had been delicious.
3) When Donald saw his classmates at school, he told them that he had a new baby sister.
4) Mrs Lee said that she had not seen Mary since the previous Saturday.
5) The tour guide said that the little blue penguins come out only at night.
6) Siew Hui said that she had not been to Ipoh for a long time.
7) Ann told her husband that Jack had asked them for dinner that night.
8) He said that he had found the wallet among the flower pots.
9) Max said that he had to save up for the Penang trip.
10) Pat exclaimed that nobody knew how to pitch the tent.

Direct/Indirect Speech WS 2
Answers

1) Barbara claimed that she knew that a spider has four pairs of legs.
2) Ahmad told me James wanted to know how many tickets were still available.
3) Jane told everyone that she would coming to the party at six.
4) James said that he had gone for a long walk the day before.
5) I said that I did not like coffee.
6) We said that we had tried to help.
7) I said that I would never speak to her again.
8) The neighbour told me that she had quarreled with her husband the night before.
9) He told me that it had rolled into that hole.
10) Jessie told David that that tie looked good on him.

Direct/Indirect Question WS 1
Answers:

1) Miss Lim asked her pupils last Friday if they had completed their project on animals.
2) The policeman asked the boy if he had stolen that wallet.
3) When the secretary went into his office, the manager asked her if she could take down that message.
4) The librarian asked me if I wanted to collect my book then.
5) The woman asked my mother if those were the children.
6) Henry’s aunt asked him if she had been home the evening before.
7) The boy asked Joshua if he could lend him a dollar.
8) I asked if Jeremy swam regularly.
9) Michelle wondered if the famous painting had been sold.
10) The reporter asked the spokesman if the passengers had been hurt in the accident.

Direct/Indirect Question Wsh 2
Answers:

1) Our English teacher asked us who had won first prize in the Art competition the previous Sunday.
2) The policeman asked the eye witness how the accident had happened.
3) Mother asked me how long I took to complete my Mathematics test that day.
4) I asked the salesman how much that computer cost.
5) The Scoutmaster asked Tuck Hwee why he was late for the meeting.
6) Miss Tan wanted to know how long I took to finish my homework.
7) He asked me what my name was.
8) Siti asked Mani what he was doing then.
9) Mohan asked Jasper whom he had met at the library.
10) Gloria asked her friend what she had bought at Takashimaya.

Direct/Indirect Commands Wsh 1
Answers:

1) The teacher warned the naughty boys not to play when she was explaining a sum.
2) Mrs Wee warned the children not to play near the pond.
3) Tony told Rio to take the pictures home.
4) The policeman shouted at the fleeing gangster to stop or he would shoot.
5) He ordered the students not to leave.
6) The chairman ordered the class to be quiet.
7) He ordered the children to go to school.
8) My friend told me to take it easy.
9) My sister told me to leave her alone.
10) Jill told me to call before I came.

Direct/Indirect Commands Wsh 2
Answers:

1) The guide told me to go down the hill and turn right.
2) The P5 camp instructor asked us to ask more questions.
3) The boss told us to be sure to get the project done on time.
4) The instructor told me that I should take up an inline skating course.
5) He told me to try it again.
6) He said that I should try it again.
7) My father told me to be home by midnight.
8) My father said that I should be home by midnight.
9) The President said that we should not give up hope.
10) Mitch said that we should not believe him.

Vocabulary Discrete (Yellow Book) Ex 1 - 5

Ex 1
1. (2)
2. (3)
3. (2)
4. (1)
5. (3)

Ex 2
1. (3)
2. (4)
3. (1)
4. (4)
5. (2)

Ex 3
1. (1)
2. (2)
3. (3)
4. (2)
5. (3)


Ex 4
1. (4)
2. (2)
3. (4)
4. (3)
5. (2)


Ex 5
1. (3)
2. (1)
3. (2)
4. (2)
5. (1)

Comprehension Cloze (Yellow Book) Ex 14 - 16

Comprehension Cloze Ex 14

1. changed
2. women
3. up
4. this
5. been
6. people
7. room/space
8. Jogging
9. as
10. very
11. need
12. shorts
13. shoes
14. can
15. groups

Ex 15
1. herd
2. it
3. bad
4. railway
5. a
6. it 6. After
7. very
8. trumpeted
9. day
10. waiting
11. soon
12. killed
13. group
14. carcass / elephant
15. buried

Ex 16
1. would
2. its
3. with
4. around
5. like
6. easily
7. snow
8. still
9. looks
10. goes
11. for
12. coming
13. will
14. colour
15. trunk

TMV Set of Section J - Synthesis & Transformation Practice 11 - 20

TMV Synthesis Practice Paper (11)
66. The ruby is more expensive than the sapphire.
67. You can have one piece of this brownie cake which my mother baked.
68. Mei Ling wanted to know where I had put her assignment.
69. Unless you stop daydreaming, you will never finish your work.
70. On hearing that her son was involved in an accident, Mrs Teo passed out.

Practice Paper (12)
66. No matter how hard Tom trained for the wrestling match, he was unable to beat his opponent.
67. Richard asked Cindy if her parents had questioned her about the travel fair she had visited the previous weekend.
68. On seeing the police officers, the burglars quickly made their escape.
69. Neither Sally nor Jimmy participated in the drama performance last night.
70. Mrs Chan is such a strict woman/ teacher that her pupils are afraid of her.

Practice Paper (13)
66. I would rather swim than jog.
67. Amierah said that she had gone to Sentosa with her family the previous day/ the day before.
68. Sheena was too skinny to fit into her mother’s jeans.
69. Unless you take your medicine regularly, you will not recover from your flu.
70. The fire had burnt down the whole row of shop houses before the fire engine arrived.

Practice Paper (14)
66. My grandfather who used to work as a Japanese interpreter is celebrating his ninetieth birthday.
67. Mr Lee reminded his maid to wash his car the following /next morning before she went to the market.
68. My brother improved considerably in his English and Science last year.
69. By the time the police arrived, the robbers had disappeared into the crowd.
70. All the students in this class are contributing to the School Pocket Money Fund.

Practice Paper (15)
66. Mrs Chia prefers cooking her own meals to eating out.
67. The man whom he is talking to is my uncle.
68. My mother will be worried unless I give her a call.
69. My parents will take me on a holiday as long as I do well in my examinations.
70. John said that he would come back that night.

Practice Paper (16)
66. As it was a public holiday last Friday, we decided to hold a barbecue at Hazel’s home. OR
As last Friday was a public holiday, we decided to hold a barbecue at Hazel’s home.
67. Mr Nathan told his pupils not to play near the slope.
68. She prefers running to swimming.
69. Unless you wake up early tomorrow, you will be late.
70. Neither Julia nor Patricia enjoyed the concert.


Practice Paper (17)
66. The rescue team set out at night regardless of the danger.
67. Ben would rather stay at home than go out on a hot day.
68. Rayner took a compass with him in case he got lost during the hike.
69. Tammy’s mother dresses her in grown-up clothes although she is only three.
70. Janie said that she was taking her piano examination that day.

Practice Paper (18)
66. I prefer swimming to cycling.
67. Ali was scolded by his father for returning home at midnight yesterday.
68. Meimei wondered if Doris needed her help in the class project.
69. Both Kumar and his sister are diligent.
70. Unlike deciduous forests, tropical forests do not have four seasons.
Tropical forests, deciduous forests have four seasons.

Practice Paper (19)
66. Chong Jin invited me to visit Kuala umpur where he was born.
67. Both Rahman and his brothers are going to Eat Cost Park.
68. He succeeded in his application for a scholarship to study in England.
69. Mrs Tn informed the pupils that there would not be basketball practice that week.
70. Despite the very bad weather, the fishermen still went out to sea.
Or Despite the weather being very bad, the fishermen still went out to sea.

Practice Paper (20)
66. Our teacher whose daughter is a President’s Scholar, makes Algebra incredibly simple.
67. Unless you apologise at once, he will not forgive you.
68. Although I got up half an hour earlier, I still arrived at school late.
69. My grandfather is such a good storyteller that we enjoy listening to his stories.
70. Mr Tseng said that he expected all homework to be in the next day without fail.

Vocabulary Cloze (Yellow Book) Answers Ex 16 -23

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Vocabulary Cloze Ex 17
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Vocabulary Cloze Ex 19
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Vocabulary Cloze Ex 20
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Vocabulary Cloze Ex 22
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Vocabulary Cloze Ex 23
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Race Against Time

A Race Against Time

Xing was putting every ounce of energy he had into running that race. He knew that his father, lying in hospital, diagnosed with cancer, would be watching him.
His father had been a champion runner and had won several awards before having found out about his deadly illness. Xing wanted to make his father proud and happy and to do that he needed to win the race.
Now, as he ran, flanked by seven other lithe bodies, he put every spare bit of energy into his running. He surged forward and passed Third quite easily. Now there was only Second and First in front of him. He managed to pass Second, and started to gain on First, who reacted to Xing’s challenge and spirited with desperate determination, kept his lead, even pulled ahead slightly.
Xing, muscles crying out for oxygen, stopped breathing altogether and used every last bit of his strength to pass First in one sustained burst. Heart bursting in agony, he saw in his mind’s eye, his pale father, bald as an egg from chemotherapy, urging him on. His strength renewed, Xing went on running to the finishing line. At the end, he found himself being presented with a trophy –-- he had won!
Drenched in perspiration, Xing rushed to the hospital to find his father dead and his sister sitting by his bed looking stunned and devastated. She was not crying, though. Her grief seemed to be beyond tears. For the longest time, they stared at each other.
“He was watching you,” said Xing’s sister at length. “He insisted on it. He was urging you on, cheering like a maniac. He struggled to stay awake. When you passed Second, the strain overcame him and he dropped off.
Then he came back to life! He watched you gain on First, and when your glorious moment came, his eyes shone with a strange fire. And then … he closed his eyes and never opened them again.”
Xing’s one consolation was that his father had seen him win, and had probably died peacefully and happily.
(by Natasha Ann Sahetapy)

Terrorism

Leave no stones unturned
startling piece of news
evoked memories of terrorizing incident
expanse of azure blue
reigned supreme
yearned for nothing more than having fun
scrumptious lunch
savour it
chattered animatedly
earth shattering blast punctured the vivacious spirit of the Sunday crowd
flames and smoke were whirling in all directions
stunned at the shocking spectacle
became tumultuous
scurried for the exit (scurried = ran)
shrills and sobs resounded through the air (resounded = rang)
intense heat from the raging fire
wide-eyed horror at his motionless father and brother
scorched to the bone and charred black
throbbed
total state of distraught bemusement
smoke charged into his nostrils depriving him of oxygen
breathing in the noxious toxic fumes made his head spin (noxious = poisonous)
lost consciousness
swathed in bandages (swathed = wrapped)
pain was overwhelming
lost of his kin
instil fear in people (instil = build)
indomitable courage to face the cruelties (indomitable = unwavering)
Justice will prevail!

A Runner Approaching The Finishing Line

Runner Approaching the Finishing Line
He entered the stadium. The scorching sun beat mercilessly on his back. A sea of grim faces stared at him. His shoes continued to pound the track. The sweat from his face trickled into his mouth that opened and closed like the mouth of a goldfish.
Suddenly the crowd stood up and started to cheer. He looked up. Many people waved at him. He realized that he was fast catching up on the only runner in front of him. He accelerated his pace. The crowd went wild. He felt as though he was walking on air. Soon, he was side by side with the runner. He extended his stride and overtook the runner. He was now in the lead. He gave one last push and his sweat drenched body cut through the white tape. He won.

Study how a simple sentence can be changed into a more creative and vivid sentence

Study how a simple sentence can be changed into a more creative and vivid sentence

The table was filled with mouth-watering dishes.
Sandwiches, curry puffs, cookies and ice-cream in every flavour filled the table.

He pushed his way into the crowd.
He jostled and nudged his way into the crowd.

He was fat and heavy.
He sat on the sofa which sagged under his weight.

She was frightened when she opened her result slip.
With trembling fingers, she opened her result slip.

An old man with no teeth and an evil smile walked towards me.
A toothless old man with a wicked grin walked towards me.

The continuous ticking of the grandfather’s clock disturbed the silence.
‘Tick…Tock…Tick…Tock …’ the grandfather’s clock disturbed the silence.

The music was nice to hear.
The melodious music was soothing to my ears.

It is a windy day.
The wind blew gently as the leaves rustled in the trees.

I was approached by a very old lady.
An old lady whose face was wrinkled like a prune approached me.

It is very noisy outside my house.
Cars screech, children scream, dogs bark outside my house.

It was going to rain.
The great heavy clouds swept over the hills, the lightning flashed and the thunder roared.

The rain flooded the river.
The river was swollen with continuous rain.

He spoke loudly.
His booming voice filled the auditorium.

The police questioned the robber thoroughly.
The police grilled the robber.

The pain was unbearable.
He screamed more than he had ever screamed in his whole life, as the pain was too unbearable.

The teenagers pushed to get closer to their superstar.
The teenagers jostled and nudged each other to get closer to the superstar.

He smiled.
He grinned showing all his brilliant white teeth.

My mother greeted me warmly.
My mother hugged me and planted sweet kisses on my face.

The sun set slowly.
The large bright sun dipped slowly over the horizon and disappeared.

My teacher praised me.
My teacher heaped praises on me.

She walked out very dejected.
She walked with her head hung low.

He looked around suspiciously when he entered the room.
His eyes darted hither and thither when he entered the room.

Vinod waited nervously for the school principal.
Vinod drummed his fingers on the table as he waited for the school principal.

My grandmother is so old that she can hardly see.
My grandmother has to squint her eyes to see through her glasses.

She cried and cried uncontrollably.
She could not stifle her sobs nor hold back her tears.

She is so beautiful and has sharp features.
She has a delicate chiseled face and black eyebrows angled like a soaring seagull’s wings.

School Bullies

School Bullies
1. The canteen was as boisterous as a cavalcade
2. Students chatted animatedly and cutlery clanged as stall owners set about work to cater to all their young customers’ orders.
3. jam-packed and buzzing with all the sporting activities.
4. submitted to the temptation and threw all caution to the wind.
5. munching on sour grapes
6. perking his head out for a quick scan
7. Temperatures immediately dropped to sub-zero as Ken came face-to-face with the terrors in school
8. The chill in his spine made his knuckles turn white from clutching the broom in his hands.
9. Being confined in the classroom with these four bullies brought the gloom of the night along with the grim of death upon Ken. Inevitably, Ken knew he was doomed.
10. leader of the pack growled with hostility
11. Ken was the school midget, grossly outsized and outnumbered
12. he handed over the meagre amount of money and that incited their wrath
13. unleashed more verbal threats
14. froze in fear
15. seizing the golden opportunity, Ken whacked his perpetrator in his groin with the broom in his hands
16. The pain sent the bullies tumbling to the ground upon one another like dominoes.
17. blurted out the whole episode
18. growling in pain
19. Ken felt triumphant at having justice prevail for him

Tsunami

Tsunami

1. Dappled sun rays filtered through the canopy of leaves creating mysterious shadows.
2. A gentle breeze caressed my raven black hair as I skipped my way to the beach for some sun-tanning.
3. Suddenly the tranquility of my peaceful surroundings was shattered by piercing screams.
4. Throngs of people were running helter-skelter away from the beach.
5. Screams of the word ‘tsunami’ reverberated through the air.
6. My eyes grew as wide as saucers.
7. A pillar of water was bearing straight towards me!
8. Without hesitation, I whipped a hundred and eighty degrees turn and took to my heels.
9. escape the wrath of the raging waves
10. The roaring of the tumultuous waves grew louder and louder.
11. Couging and spluttering, I was dragged onto the rooftop.
12. Finally after what seemed like eternity, the flash floods ceased.
13. All around us was the macabre sight of destruction and death.
14. salvage their belongings
15. combed through the rubble in the hope of finding survivors.
16. heart filled with sorrow
17. survived the ordeal

A Car Collision

A Car Collision

When he drove past a petrol station, a huge rectangle poster caught his eyes. ’10 percent discount’, the bright red words on an equally bright orange background were crying for his attention. He turned to read the words in smaller print. He did not notice a car ahead of him. When he did, he jammed his brakes. The tyres screeched but the car did not stop.
He pressed the brakes harder. Too late. Bam! Clash! Crash! Clash! His car shook and vibrated. His body slumped forward. He gripped the steering wheel. His heart pounded. Beads of perspiration had formed on his forehead. A thousand pieces of broken glasses from the smashed windscreen lay scattered on the road, broken, sparkling and glittering like diamonds.

1. His spirits were immediately buoyed by the prospect of a weekend of relaxation.
2. walking along a hectic road to head home from school
3. His eyes went saucer-wide when he realized that an accident had occurred at the traffic junction.
4. A commotion of crowd had gathered in no time.
5. Acrid white fumes were ascending into the sky, shattered glass tinged with blood was scattered along the road.
6. Metal crumpled into a heap from the sheer force of the collision.
7. Traffic came to a standstill.
8. Two people staggered out of their respective cars.
9. One of them was drenched in blood that was oozing out from his forehead.
10. The latter had nasty cuts on his face. It was a ghastly sight.
11. A moment of paralysis struck Edwin. He was stunned speechless.
12. He could not believe he was witnessing the aftermath of a car collision. It was a really painful scene to look at.
13. Within minutes, the police and ambulance arrived at the scene. Medical assistance was rendered swiftly to the injured.
14. Edwin was commended for his prompt actions.

Grammar Items Learnt

Lessons (Refer to Preston English Contents)
1     Nouns (P1)
2     Countable and Uncountable Nouns (P1)
3     Proper Nouns (P1)
3.1  Nouns, Noun Phrases & Clauses (P5)
4     Collective Nouns ( P2)
4.1  Demonstrative Pronouns (P1)
5     Singular and Plural Nouns (P1)
6     Agreement (1) (P1)
7     Gender (P3)
8     Possession -Nouns, Adjectives, Pronouns (P1)
9     Forming Nouns (P4)
10   Forming Verbs (P4)
11   Forms of the Verbs (P2)
11.1Stative Verbs (P4)
11.2The Verbs 'To be', 'To have', 'To do' (P1)
12   Present Continuous Tense (P1)
13   Simple Present Tense (P1)
14   Present Perfect Tense (P4)
15   Simple Past tense (P2)
16   Past Continuous Tense (P3)
17   Past Perfect Tense (P5)
17.1Present perfect Continuous Tense (P6)
17.2Past Perfect Continuous Tense (P6)
18   Simple Future Tense & 'Going To" Form (P5)
18.1Expressing Future Time (P5)
19   Future Continuous & Future Perfect Tense (P6)
19.1Modals (1) -'Can', 'Shall', 'Will' and 'May' (P2)
19.2Modals (2) -'Must', 'Used To', 'Need' and 'dare' (P3)
19.3The Infinitive (P3)
20   Have To', 'Must', 'Ought To', 'Shoukl' etc (P3)
21   Conditional Tenses (Present, Past & Past Perfect) (P5)
22   Tense Sequence (P5)
23   Adjectives (P2)
24   Comparison of Adjectives (P2)
25   Forming Adjectives (P3)
25.1Adjectival Phrases (P3)
26   Definite and Indefinite Articles (P1)
27   A, An, The, Some and Any (P2)
27.1Quantifiers (P2)
28   Adverbs (P1, P3)
29   Comparison of Adverbs (P3)
30   Forming Adverbs (P4)
31   Pronouns - Personal and Reflexive (P3)
32   Adverbials (1) (P5)
32.1Adverbials (2) (P5)
33   Relative Pronouns (P3)
33.1Reciprocal Pronouns (P4)
33.2Gerunds and Gerund Phrases (P4)
37   Prepositions (P1)
38   More About Prepositions (P3)
39  Words Followed by Prepositions (P4)
40  Agreement (2) (P4)
41  Positive and Negative Sentences (P2)
42  Question Tags (P3)
43  Question Words (P1)
44  Yes and No Answers + Expected Answers (P1)
45  Transitive and Intransitive Verbs (P4)
45.1Types of Sentences (P3)
45.2Sentence Structures (P3)
46   Punctuation (P1)
47   Indirect Statements (P4)
48   Indirect Questions (P4)
49   Changing Statements into Questions (P3)
50   Active and Passive Voice (P5)
51   Noun Clauses (P5)
52   Use of Present and Past Participles as Adjectives

Sentence Structures Learnt

Sentence Structure
• Construct a variety of sentences:@
° Simple sentences:
- Subject + Verb (e.g., Cheryl sings.)
- Subject + Verb + Object (e.g., Cheryl sings lullabies.)
- Subject + Verb + Adverbial (e.g., Cheryl sings sweetly.)
° Simple sentences with:#
- a direct object (e.g., Mrs Tay asked him.)
- an indirect object (e.g., Mrs Tay asked him a question.)
° Compound sentences:
- use connectors ‘and’ and ‘but’ to join two simple sentences (e.g., John ran. Lina walked. → John ran but Lina walked.)
° Complex sentences (made up of a main clause with one or more dependent or subordinate clauses):
- with a comparison clause (e.g., I eat more than you do.)
- with a relative clause (e.g., He is looking for the bag which he has lost.)
- with an adverbial clause (e.g., The children do as they are told.)
° Different sentence types:
- Declarative (e.g., Wei Ling is my friend.)
- Interrogative (e.g., Who is Frankie?)
- Imperative (e.g., Sit down.)
- Existential (e.g., There once lived a prince.)
- Negative sentences (e.g., It was not a rainy day.)
- Exclamatory (e.g., What a beautiful day!)
- Conditional (e.g., If you leave, I will not stay either.)
- Subjunctive, to express a wish that cannot be fulfilled (e.g., I wish I had a sister.)
° Direct speech (e.g., I said, “He is leaving.”)
• Vary the way sentences are written:
° Using parallel structures: employing the same pattern of words through the use of connectors ‘and’/ ‘or’ to show that two or more ideas have the same level of importance (e.g., John and Lina like to run. John and Lina like to walk. John and Lina like to hike. → John and Lina like to run, to walk and to hike.)
° Substituting connectors (e.g., Mei and Lina did not go for the run. → Neither Mei nor Lina went for the run.)
° Using Reported Speech:
- with reporting verbs (e.g., said, told, asked)
- for statements with tense changes (e.g., John said, “I want to go to the library.”→ John said that he wanted to go to the library.)
- for statements without tense changes (e.g., “The sun rises in the east,” the teacher said. → The teacher said that the sun rises in the east.)
- for statements with change in pronouns (e.g., John said, “I love swimming.” →John said that he loved swimming.)
- for questions with tense changes (e.g., She said, “Are there any oranges in the bowl?” → She asked whether there were any oranges in the bowl.)
- for orders (e.g., “Sit down, John,” the teacher said. → The teacher ordered John to sit down.)
° Altering the Voice:
- from active to passive (e.g., I broke the window. → The window was broken [by me].)
- from passive to active (e.g., This work will be completed [by the team]. → The team will complete this work.)
° Exchanging the positions of the Direct Object and the Indirect Object (e.g., I read a story to Max. → I read Max a story.)*

Vocabulary Syllabus

Vocabulary
• use the following terms:
° word, compound, idiom, simile, synonym, antonym, type of, part of, prefix, suffix, phrasal verb, word cline
• Develop a rich vocabulary through:
° extensive reading
° reading a variety of rich texts appropriate to age and ability
° recognising words from reading materials
° substituting selected nouns, verbs or adjectives in a book that is read aloud with synonyms/ near-synonyms
° keeping a record of words (e.g., word wall, word bank)
° using a dictionary and/ or online resources to:
- look up/ clarify meaning of words
- look up information about words (e.g., word class, how the word is used in a sentence, pronunciation)@
° using a thesaurus to look up synonyms
• Deduce meaning of words from how they are used in context:
° use of contextual clues
° word class the words belong to
• Deduce meaning of words from how they relate to one another:
° words belonging to the same lexical field (e.g., ‘pupil’ and ‘recess’ belong to the lexical field of ‘school’)
° words which are synonyms (e.g., quick/ fast)
° words which are near synonyms (e.g., in the word cline, cool – cold – freezing)
° words which are antonyms (e.g., far/ near)
° words which are hyponyms: type of (e.g., apple → type of fruit)
° words which are meronyms: part of (e.g., finger → part of a hand)
° words which are homonyms: spelt and/or pronounced alike but have different meanings (e.g., flower/ flour)
• Learn the vocabulary of fixed expressions and what they mean:
° phrasal verbs (e.g., blow up → get angry)
° collocations (e.g., happy birthday 3, cheerful birthday 7)
° idioms (e.g., lend a hand → help)
° proverbs (e.g., Never judge a book by its cover. → Do not judge others by their appearance.)
• recognise how words are formed:
° compounding (e.g., workbook, playground, doorway)
° affixation: joining prefixes and suffixes to base words (e.g., en + large → enlarge)
° acronyms (ASEAN: Association of Southeast Asian Nations)
° clipping (e.g., telephone → phone)
° blending (e.g., breakfast + lunch → brunch)
• recognise the playful use of words in spoken and written language:
° jokes
° riddles
° puns
Using Appropriate Vocabulary
• use words suitable for purpose, audience, context and culture in relation to:
° type of texts (e.g., explanations: technical language, expositions: persuasive language)
° medium (spoken or written)
° register (formal or informal)
• use collocations appropriately
• use idioms, proverbs and phrasal verbs appropriately
• recognise and use literary language, e.g.,
° simile (e.g., She is as graceful as a swan.)
° imagery (e.g., The use of ‘velvet tiger’ paints an image of a tiger with a thick and soft coat.)
° metaphor (e.g., The moon is the eye of the night.)

Description of a place

My favourite place is near Queenstown. It is very peaceful with many beautiful old trees and parks all around.

My apartment is in a black and white block which used to belong to the British Army. It is large, with high ceilings and a long, wide balcony. There are many blocks like mine in the estate.

As there are no busy roads, children can play safely. It is a good place to play football or climb trees. When the grass has been cut, the air is full of its sweet smell. At night, the perfume from the frangipani trees makes you feel dizzy.

There are many animals in the estate. In the daytime, we often kingfishers sitting on the telephone wires or hear them screeching when they have caught some food. Sometimes golden orioles flash like lightning through the trees.

At night, cats prowl along the storm drains where frogs croak and rats scamper. You must be careful where you walk because it is quite dangerous to leave the paths because there are many poisonous snakes.

Descriptions of People

Describing a person

George

George is someone you do not forget easily. Although he is not particularly tall, he is very well built with a broad chest and strong arms. He is as big as a bear and probably as powerful.
The thing you notice most about him is his enthusiasm. He gets really excited about things. He can be very loud and quite opinionated, yet is always careful about hurting other people’s feelings. I would say that he is one of the kindest people I have ever met.
George is very intereated in music. He plays the guitar very well and often comes over to my house for a sing-a-long. He is also a talented artist and sends his drawings around the world to his friends.
When you are with George, you feel much more excited about life. His laughter and enthusiasm are infectious. He is a large man with a very big heart.

Johnson

Johnson was a menace to society. In and out of prison since his late teens, he did not seem to have thought of turning over a new leaf. Dressed casually in a faded T-shirt and long, black jeans, paired with a pair of flimsy rubber shoes, Johnson came across as being rough. His mop of ruffled hair on his head added to his untidy appearance. Above all, his face, with slanted eyes, narrow lips and stubble on his chin, was capable of instilling fear into the victims he robbed at knifepoint.

Madam Lim
Madam Lim was the grandmother every child longed to have. The crow’s feet around her eyes and other facial wrinkles helped to draw attention to her loving eyes and sweet, gentle smile. Her long, flowing hair, once her crowning glory, was now grey and tied up neatly into a tight bun. She was always impeccably dressed in a traditional Chinese samfoo and a pair of nondescript slip-ons. Like many ladies of her generation, Madam Lim wore a jade pendant held round her neck by a pearl necklace. A jade bangle adorned her left wrist. Madam Lim was a regular at the nearby wet market. All the stallholders knew her by name and reserved the freshest produce at the best bargains just for her.

David
David was a pesky seven-year-old boy with boundless energy. There was always a broad grin plastered across his impish face. His wide, sparkling eyes looked upon the world with curiosity and wonder. Those who saw him when he was under the watchful eyes of his mother often complimented him on being a cute, bright kid. However, when he was left to his own resources, David morphed into a little devil. He could never sit still and was constantly conjuring up new pranks in his little head. Not a peaceful afternoon could go by when David was at home with his younger sister in the care of their maid.

Samples of Good Introductions

Sample 1
I cycled along the road and struggled up the hill. It was hot but I knew the effort would be worth it. Finally, standing on the pedals and pushing with all my strength, I reached the top. There below me, ws the long stretch of beach and the sea.

Sample 2
With the morning sun beating down upon me, I cycled up the long, straight road. The slowly rising hill stretched before me, but the thought of getting off my bicycle and pushing it never entered my head. I stood on the pedals and pushed with all my might. Cows raised their heads, chewing thoughtfully and gazing at me. “Why is he rushing?” they must have thought. “There’s time enough.” Still, I could smell the sea salt in the air and was in no mood for strolling.
At last, with one final push, I reached the top of the hill. There, far below me was the long, deserted stretch of beach and the endless blue of the sparkling sea.

Sample 3
I sat nervously in my seat. The senior judge stood with the envelope in his hnd which his colleagues had given him. He told the excited audience that they had been very impressed by all the competitors’ speeches. Finally he opened the envelope and took out a piece of paper. The crowd held its breath. He looked up for a moment and said, “I’ll read out the winners in reverse order…”

Sample 4
Everywhere the eye could see there were sunbathers lying on large beach towels all along the golden sand. Not that there ws much sand left, though. The packed mass of shouting, sweating sun-worshippers with blaring radios, flying Frisbies and screaming, sand-kicking children covered the whole beach.

Sample 5
I had hoped for an escape in the warm waters but I was disappointed. Fat paddlers gleefully kicked water at anyone nearby and, further out, swimmers came splashing at me from all angles. I had to leap for cover as surfers tried their best to knock my head off with their boards!
I decided to give up and go home. A suntan was not worth the danger.

Sample 6
The blue ocean sparkled in the sunlight beneath the cloudless sky. Gentle waves rolled lazily onto the deserted beach. The leaves of the palm trees rustled softly in the breeze and we stretched out gratefully beneath them on large towels, trying to get some shade from the cruelly hot midday sun.

Sample 7
The wild wind whipped the waves into heaving mountains which crashed down upon the stony shore. Greedy fingers of foam grabbed at rocks, trying to pull them back and slapped my face with spray in their frustration.

A Train Crash

Train Crash
1. The sky was overcast. Dark clouds loomed ablve giving the sky an ominous feel as though rain would come crashing through any time soon.

2. The next six hours was sheer mental torture.

3. However, thoughts of seeing Grandpa and all my favourite cousins warmed my heart, making this all well worth it.

4. A sudden explosion followed by an earth-shattering jerk shook through the entire train.

5. Everyone was thrown off their seats as the train tilted perilously to its side.

6. Chaos reigned in the train as passengers flew into a panic.

7. The train had come to a full halt. My train had run off its track.

8. A glance outside to the once picturesque sights of calm hills filled with greenery was now a major nightmare.

9. To keep my balance was like attempting mission impossible.

10. People were going berserk just to save their own lives.

11. There was no time to spare. Anxiety charged through my veins.

12. With all my might, I heaved that luggage at the window smashing it.

13. The sight that greeted me challenged my sanity.

14. Women were screaming, children were crying and men were bellowing above the din for their wives and children.

15. Dead bodies were strewn everywhere.

16. I groped my way through the turmoil and destruction.

17. The rescue team reached the crash site at record time.

18. I was whisked away to one of the hospitals to be treated.

A Story About Hatred and Revenge

1. His body shook violently from side to side. Blood and froth gurgled freely from his mouth. His hands were cold and clammy and his face contorted in a picture of pure pain. I could only watch as the paramedics took him away…

2. Everything was ;like a competition between us. His hate for me grew each time I”won” and likewise mine for him, each time he did. Our rivalry knew no bounds.

3. But now, he seemed to have changed. His face was thinner, his step had lost its aggressiveness and his voice was no longer strong. As I looked at him, I even felt a certain sympathy for him.

4. The tattooed snake on his forearm seemed to come alive. He was almost shouting. I looked into his dark, inscrutable eyes and all the warmth I had in me vanished. He was still the same cruel, savage beast he had always been.

5. “You will be my maid. You will clean my mansion, serve me food and lick my boots! And in exchange, you wcan have my heart to save your son. You see, I will die a contented man knowing I had the last laugh.” The audacity of it all! It took all I had to keep me in my seat and stop me from punching his face. Then I saw the expression on my son’s face, purple from the lack of oxygen, trying to call out my name. I heard my wife’s voice, her last dying wish, “Please …please…look after our son.”

6. I cleaned and cooked and served with subservience, catering to Huat Cai’s every single whim and fancy. During that week, I learnt the meaning of shame.

7. Not once did he show any remorse. Not once did he feel sympathy. Not once did I even see the slightest show of emotion that could prove he was human. But I never complained. Even as he whipped me and kicked me and spat at me, I knew his offer was too good to pass.

8. I thought of my son all the time. I thought of the things we could do together, I thought of the fun we would have and I thought of his lovely smile. I knew that no matter what, I had to fulfil my part of the bargain.

9. Huat Cai pulled out a large silver pistol, cocked it, stood up, and aimed it at himself and screamed with all his might. “This will be my final victory over you! I am the winner!”

10. When the coroner performed the autopsy on Huat Cai, he found the cause of death was three bullets straight through the heart. “What a waste of a good heart.”

Please Learn Your Spelling Words Every Tuesday; Dictation is from Descriptions of Weather, Places, Time, Actions .../Wow-Wow Words

Spelling on Tues 21 Sept

1. behaviour changed radically
2. send tremors down my spine
3. ruefully
4. shrug their shoulders
5. eyes were glazed and red
6. staggered back a step
7. throb with pain
8. stood in a daze
9. undermined her authority
10. combination of fear and embarrassment
11. stomped my feet in protest
12. infuriated
13. surged with relief
14. blood drained from my face
15. grizzly obsessions

Spelling on Tues 28 Sept


1. grim smile on her face
2. ice-cold chill rushed through my body
3. breath smelled of booze
4. outcast
5. stomach coiled with a combination of fear and anticipation
6. ingenious
7. dire consequences
8. as solid as a rock
9. tempo build to an ear-shattering climax
10. overactive imagination
11. snake-like charm
12. feeling of total emptiness
13. heightened confidence
14. conquest
15. dignified manner

Spelling on Tues 5 Oct


1. warm sensation oozed from my nostrils
2. a walking disgrace
3. exhausted all possibilities
4. devised a plan
5. crumpled to her knees
6. interrupted by hunger pangs
7. thrashed relentlessly
8. nauseating
9. gobbled the food as fast as I could
10. abrupt halt
11. squirmed in every direction
12. reminiscence
13. began to whimper
14. sophisticated
15. regurgitated

Spelling on Tues 12 Oct

1. heated battle of words
2. privileged
3. trance-like state
4. a calmness filled my soul
5. tears of panic streamed down my cheeks
6. morale dwindled
7. no remorse in her eyes
8. laboured breathing
9. saturated with blood
10. monotonous
11. feeling of friendship and warmth
12. flinching from the pain
13. screaming was muffled
14. overcame great odds
15. a river of tears

Spelling on Thurs 14 Oct

1. sarcastically
2. slumped my shoulders
3. retreating into the solitude of my dreams
4. instinctively
5. morbid life
6. cringed with hate
7. immaculately dressed in a suit
8.renewed vigour
9. rapturous
10. squirmed away from grip
11. despondent
12. turbulent
13. endless sea of faces
14. alienate from him
15. confrontation

TMV Set of Section J - Synthesis & Transformation

TMV Synthesis

Practice Paper (1)
66. The plainclothes policemen, Siva and Kumar, handcuffed the burglar.
67. I enjoy writing to young people around the world and making friends with them.
OR I enjoy writing to and making friends with young people around the world.
68. Undaunted that the books he wanted were not available in the library, Jim continued to search for more information.
69. Mr Lim informed Peter that he had to attend the interview that night.
70. James would not risk driving that car with faulty brakes.

Practice Paper (2)
66. Though he confessed to the crime, he refused to reveal the mastermind.
67. Mrs Li took her daughter who was sick to the doctor.
68. It has been a long time since you called her.
OR You have not called me since a long time ago.
69. Unless I call you, you must not go to the interchange.
70. Mother told Alice to take her medicine after she had seen/after seeing the doctor.

Practice Paper (3)
66. Tommy would rather play basketball with his friends than go to the beach with his family.
OR Tommy would rather be playing basketball with his fiends than going to the beach with his family.
67. The teacher whom Mrs Tan wanted to see is on medical leave.
68. Clara exclaimed that that was the pair of shoes they had been looking for.
69. Neither Sin Ming nor his brothers want to feed the dog.
70. In spite of being fearful, Evelyn climbed up the stairs to check out the noise coming from the attic.
OR In spite of her fear/being fearful, Evelyn climbed up the stairs to check out the noise coming from the attic.

Practice Paper (4)
66. Owing to the bad weather, the soccer match was cancelled this morning.
67. Our principal will speak to all primary 6 pupils to remind them to study hard for the coming PSLE.
68. If I were the princess, I would have kissed the frog to turn it into a handsome prince.
69. Jia Hua said that he/she had come to Singapore to live with his/her aunt since he/she was twelve years old.
70. Apart from knowing how to make dough for a pizza, the pizza chef makes sure the ingredients used are fresh from Italy.

Practice Paper (5)
66. Mother told me not to forget to take my raincoat.
67. If Mr Chen does not take his medication, he will suffer from a heart attack.
68. Mrs Lim sent the dirty clothes to the laundry to be washed.
69. John can choose either/either choose to stay at home or go swimming.
70. Many people came to watch the soccer match in spite of the heavy rain.

Practice Paper (6)
66. He turned up early in order to be the first in the queue.
67. During Miss Tan’s absence, the prefect chaired the meeting.
68. Despite her wealth/ Despite being wealthy, she lived a simple life.
69. You cannot watch the movie unless you purchase the tickets. (first- wrong)
70. They said that they had seen the accident from the balcony.

Practice Paper (7)
66. Mrs Lee, who is a florist, has a beautiful garden.
Or Mrs Lee, who has a beautiful garden, is a florist.
67. The fire had destroyed the whole building before the firemen arrived/the arrival of the firemen.
68. The watch on the counter belongs to Tianwen.
OR The watch which/that is on the counter belongs to Tianwen.
69. Although May’s ankle was swollen, she insisted on taking part in the race.
70. A heavy traffic jam was caused by an accident involving a chain of cars/ because there was an accident involving a chain of cars.

Practice Paper (8)
66. This is the spider which bit my mother on her leg.
67. Mrs Tan asked Jane if/ whether she should drop by her house the next day.
68.Johnny prefers swimming to cycling.
69. She was very angry so she screamed at the top of her voice.
70. Mr Lim used to teach Mathematics at St James Secondary School.

Practice Paper (9)
66. Despite having an artificial leg, he climbed to the top of the mountain.
67. Mr Tan warned Diana not to go there as it was dangerous.
68. Take the umbrella in case it rains.
69. Unless you write it down, you will forget.
70. If you are going to the supermarket, please buy me a bottle of orange juice.

Practice Paper (10)
66. Malar did not receive the parcel which you sent (her) last week.
67. Amy is unpopular because she often throws her weight around.
68. Due to the heavy downpour, the soccer match was cancelled.
69. Both my father and brother are coming home soon.
70. The girls told their mother that they had to go to the tuition centre the following day.

Composition Topics and pointers

Composition Topics

For each of the following topics, write a composition of about 150 words. You may use some or all of the following points in your compositions.

1. A visit to a sick friend in hospital
- When your friend was warded in the hospital
- In which hospital he was warded
- With whom you visited your sick friend
- Describe the hospital: the wards, the visitors, the patients
- What you felt about the visit

2. A bus-ride
- At which bus-stop you waited
- Where you were going to
- Describe the bus, the driver, the conductor, the passengers
- Describe any interesting incident which happened to make the ride a pleasant/unpleasant one
- What you felt about the ride

3. My neighbourhood
- What sort of a neighbourhood you live in
- Describe the houses in your neighbourhood, the people living in the neighbourhood
- What are the things you like/do not like in your neighbourhood
- What your neighbourhood is like at different times of the day
- How you feel about living in your neighbourhood
- What are the changes you would like to see done, or if you are satisfied living in the neighbourhood, give reasons why.

4. A road accident
- Where you were when the accident happened
- What were the vehicles involved in the accident
- Whether anyone was hurt in the accident
- Who witnessed the accident – what the witnesses did
- Who helped the injured whilst waiting for the arrival of the police and the ambulance
- What the police /ambulance attendants did
- What evidence the witnesses gave
- Where the injured people were taken to
- How the crowd was dispersed
- What you felt about the accident
- The lesson you learnt from the accident

5. The time when I fell sick
- How you fell ill
- Whether anyone accompanied you to the clinic
- Which clinic you went to
- Describe the scene at the waiting room and some of the patients
- What the doctor said/did when you were in the consultation room
- What advice the doctor gave you
- What you did when you went home
- How you felt during the days you were ill
- The lesson you learnt after you recovered from your illness

6. how my family and I celebrated a festival
- what festival it was
- the preparations you/your family made before the day of the festival
- describe the day of the festival
- describe how you and members of your family felt during the festival
- state whether you went to any special places such as the Jurong Bird Park
- say how you felt after the festival had come to an end

Describing Weather, Places, Time, Actions, Appearance, Feelings

Describing the Weather

thunder rumbled in the distance

the breeze slowly grew into a gust

the wind hit against the window panes

the silver moon was hanging in the starless sky

a bolt of lightning pierced through the darkness

the sun cast a warm rosy glow through the windows

a blanket of dark clouds unrolled and covered the entire sky

a magnificent flash of lightning illuminated the blackened sky

flashes of lightning were followed by deafening claps of thunder

lightning zigzagged across the sky, followed by a boom of thunder

Describing Places

from across the hall

seated in his favourite armchair

under the shade of a Banyan tree

scurried across the open-air car park

the streets and pavements stood empty

standing outside the brightly lit jewellery shop

pale silver moonlight seeped through the blinds

a metallic blue limousine made its way slowly round the bend

Describing Time

after a hard day’s work

as the seconds ticked by

slowly, she lifted her head

his footsteps came to a sudden halt

the late afternoon light cast a shadow

the first drop of rain splattered onto the ground

he spent almost every moment waiting by her side

as vivid images of his past flashed through his mind

Describing Actions

he sauntered into the room

he walked menacingly towards her with a deliberate slow pace

when he walked, he clenched his fists as if he was about to hit someone

he threw back his head and a hysterical laugh escaped from his chapped, dry lips

pointing an accusing finger at his assailant, he collapsed onto the floor with a thud

she staggered backwards, eyes darting about, in a desperate search for someone to help her


Describing Appearance

a bespectacled middle-aged man

he stood at a towering height of two metres

dark brown curls framed her porcelain smooth face

great flabby folds of fat bulged from every part of his body

a mass of frizzy black hair fell loosely over his pockmarked face

she was a jolly plump woman with a smile that lit up her entire face

her uneven complexion was carefully concealed with a thick layer of powder

Expressing Anger

anger simmered within him

his nostrils flaring with rage

her eyes were filled with rage

her body shook with uncontrollable rage

waves of fury coursed through his veins

feeling angry, he clenched his fists tightly

Expressing Fear

fear clawed at her heart

his glare sent a ripple of fear down my spine

petrified, she cowered into a corner, shivering

he staggered backwards as fear gripped his heart

icy cold fear gripped her heart as the killer advanced towards her

his heart was palpitating wildly as beads of perspiration rolled down his forehead

Expressing Sadness

fighting back his tears, he choked as he spoke

heard the heartrending cries of the starving children

I pleaded tearfully as a feeling of despair welled up inside me

Bitter tears glistened on her eyelashes as she recalled her past

tears filled her eyes as she tried to uncap her bottled up feelings

torn apart by grief and remorse, she let out a heart-wrenching sob

a forlorn look spread across his wrinkled face as a lone tear trickled down his cheek

Expressing Happiness

he broke into peals of laughter

a feeling of elation came over him

whirling around with a cheeky grin on his face

she squealed in delight and jumped around ecstatically

her joyful rendition captured the hearts of everyone in the audience

his face broke into a toothy grin and his eyes sparkled with tears of joy

Writing Skill: Organisation of a paragraph

Read the two paragraphs below, and follow the instructions.

Movies

There are three reasons why I love movies. First of all, movies take us all over the world. We can see beautiful sights and learn about interesting cultures without people ever leaving home. Second, movies show us how other people live and solve their problems. This helps us make decisions about our own problems. Finally, and maybe most important movies are just plain fun. After a hard day at work it feels good to sit down and be entertained by a good movie.


Television

My family has three television sets. Some channels are in languages other than English, so I can’t watch them. I like TV because there are so any different shows, but I don’t like to watch television with my brother because he changes the channels all the time. Some people like comedies because they help us forget a hard day at work. As for me, I like news and music shows the best. Some shows are very funny and some teach us about foreign countries and cultures.

1. Which paragraph is easier to understand because it’s better organized? Circle one.
Movies Television

If you said Movies is better organized, you are right!

2. Movies is better organized because it has only one topic. Circle its topic.
Travel Movies what kinds of movies are best why I like movies

3. Movies has a topic sentence. The topic sentence gives the main idea of the
paragraph. Underline the topic sentence in the paragraph.

4. Movies uses transition words and phrases such as 'first of all' to connect ideas in the
paragraph. Find the other two transition words in the paragraph. Circle them.

Describing Actions of People

1. The toddler just learning to walk with his mother beside him.
The toddler stands up _____________________. He ____________________ and _________________ forward. He walks ______________ but __________________. His arms are __________________. Each step he _______________ is ____________________.

2. A middle-aged lady shopping for fruits and vegetables and bargaining at the market.
The lady points at the _____________ as she ______________________. She _____________ when she hears _________________________________. She ___________________________ at the fruit seller and _______________________ a lower price.

3. A boy rushing down the escalator, trying to catch the train at the train station.
The boy __________________ towards the train. His shoes ________________________ on the floor like _______________________________. His arms swing _________________________ as he ___________________________ to run ____________.

4. Mother cooking in the kitchen.
Mother ________________________ the vegetables with the ___________________. With one hand on _____________________________, she ___________ the frying pan towards _____________________________. She _________________________________ as her vegetables __________________________________.

5. A busy stall keeper cooking noodles at a hawker centre.
The stall keeper ________________________________________________ uncooked noodles from the packet. He _______________ the noodles into ________________ water. Using ___________________________ pair of chopsticks, he _____________ the noodles __________________ in the water before _____________________ onto a strainer. After __________________ the water, he puts the noodles ________________________.

6. A sales assistant trying to persuade an old lady to buy a new brand of tea.
The sales assistant _____________________ the old lady. She _________________ the packet of tea and says ___________________________________ voice the ________________ of drinking the tea. The old lady ______________________ the sales assistant.

7. A little boy irritated by the smoke.
The little boy _______________________ as the smoke _______________ him. He _______________ his eyes. __________________________ to roll down his cheeks. He _____________________________ coughing ______________ as the smoke _________________ him.

8. The posture of an old lady walking up the stairs in public.
The old lady ______________ the handrail. Her _____________ legs are _____________. She ___________ over, her _______________ heaving. As she ____________, her body ________________ forward even more. She looks like ______________________________.

Describing Scenery (31 Aug)

Describing Scenery

As I wandered along the path to the park, I felt (1)________________________________. Without warning, the sky (2) _____________________. The trees (3) ______________. I looked up and (4) _______________________________________ . Having no umbrella with me, I ran as quickly as I could to the nearest shelter on the park.

By the time I took cover, my clothes were already wet through. After waiting for fifteen minutes, the rain (5) _______________________________________. It was only then that I realized how beautiful the park could be after a heavy rain. The air was so (6)_____________. Above the canopy of the trees, there seemed (7) ________________________________ . Even the bushes and flowers beside the shelter I was in seemed to (8) _________________. Up in the sky, I could see (9) __________________________________________.
I had never taken the time to appreciate what nature had to offer me. After today, I will always keep my eyes open for such beauty that nature provides for me.

A Close Shave

A Close Shave

“Have a good day!” Mr and Mrs Tan smiled to their maid, Rina, as they left their apartment to go to work. The two twins, May and Margaret, smiled too as they skipped out of the house to go to school. As the door closed behind them, Rina went about to clear and wash the used breakfast plates and glasses. Next, she went to tidy the bedroom of the twin girls. On the nightstand table was lovely picture of the twin girls. Looking at the picture, Rina smiled widely. She had been serving the Tan family for seven years and she had raised these girls with her own hands.

After she washed the clothes, it was nearly lunch-time. She cooked herself a simple meal consisting of fried vegetables and chicken. She sat down to watch a television programme for a little while, before washing the toilet and sweeping the floor. Suddenly the telephone rang and she ran to pick it up.

“Is everything all right?” Mrs Tan’s voice rang at the other end.

“Yes, Madam, I’m eating my lunch now. I will proceed to do the washing of the toilet and sweeping of the floor,” Rina said in a lively voice.

After sweeping the floor, she looked around and noticed that the windows looked dirty. She decided to clean the windows since she had the time. She thought that it would be difficult for her to clean the windows from the inside of the house. She thought it looked quite safe for her to climb out onto the window parapet where the air-conditioning condenser was placed. Immediately, she took her pail of soapy water and a piece of rag and climbed out onto the parapet. Her legs were not long enough to reach the floor of the parapet, so she tried to jump down to reach it. However, she exerted too much energy in her jump that her legs landed too far to the edge of the parapet. She was really in a panic. Her heart was in her mouth. Her hands gripped hard and tight on the edge of the parapet, while her legs were dangling in the air below the parapet. At any time, when her hands slipped, she would fall to her death.

Her face turned pale and she shivered with fear as she looked down at the great height she was at. She was at the eightth floor. If she fell right down, her body would be smashed and her head would break. At the thought of how gruesome her corpse would look sent a tingling sensation down her spine and she screamed at the top of her lungs for help. Her scream sounded ear-piercing and heart stopping. Some passers-by below the block of flats looked up upon hearing her frantic scream. They looked shocked, their eyes widened and their jaws dropped. Luckily, one of them was quick-witted enough to call the Civil Defence Force and ambulance.

Soon, sirens wailed at a distance. The Civil Defence Force efficiently galvanised into action. They pulled out a trampoline and then shouted to Rina to jump down from her position. Rina heard them and decided to pluck up all her courage and jumped down. She prayed hard to God that she would land safely on the trampoline, before she steeled herself for the jump.

Down, down, down, she went, her eyes closed all the time. When she heard the loud thud on the bouncy trampoline, she realized that she had landed safely. She then opened her eyes and stared at the Civil Defence Force officers with her eyes wide in unbelief. She was actually still alive! This is indeed unexpected and incredulous! She survived her jump and for a while, she sat there on the trampoline, still in a daze.

The ambulancemen took her to the hospital for a check-up. Her employers, Mr and Mrs Tan, later visited her at the hospital to fetch her back home, as she did not suffer from any injuries, other than the momentary shock from the jump.

(Modified from Ho Xue Lin’s top part)

Synthesis p44 (Prefer, would rather )

Synthesis (Prefer, would rather )

1. I prefer calling my friends to writing letters.
2. Most pilots prefer flying a fighter jet to a helicopter.
3. Susan would rather go to the beach than (to) the zoo.
4. David prefers watching television to drawing pictures.
5. I prefer this coat to the one that you were wearing yesterday.
6. Mrs Li would rather drive than travel by train.
7. I would rather eat at home than go to a restaurant.

Relative Pronouns p 42-43 (who, whose, whom, which, that)

Relative Pronouns (who, whose, whom, which, that) p 42-43

1. Mr Carter whom I spoke to on the phone last night is very interested in our plays.
2. Most of the information which was given to us was useless.
3. Only members of the family were invited to the wedding which took place last Friday.
Or The wedding which only members of the family were invited to took place last Friday.
4. Some paintings which were stolen from the museum have not been found yet.
5. My cousin whose house is just opposite mine has left for India.
6. That woman whom you bought the vegetables from is Ailing’s mother.
7. She lost the pen which her mother gave (her) on her birthday.
8. The child who is crying has a fever.
9. Where is the boy whose brother is your best friend?
10. The boy whose painting won the first prize is only fifteen years old.
11. The fisherman has sold the fish which he caught this morning.
12. Those are the players whom we saw yesterday.
13. Mrs Lim who was bitten by a snake was taken to the hospital.
14. The sailors whose ship sprang a leak in the ocean have all been rescued.

Synthesis p41 (because, although, after, so, despite, in spite of, unless)

Synthesis (because, although, after, so, despite, in spite of, unless)

1. Peter hurried because he was afraid of being late again.
2. We could not open the door although we pushed hard against it.
3. He felt sorry after telling a lie.
4. He gashed his hand badly so he had to go through minor surgery.
5. Despite living in the same street, we hardly ever see each other.
6. You won’t pass the examinations unless you works much harder.
7. In spite of having very little money, they are happy.
8. Although my foot was injured, I managed to walk to the next village.

Synthesis - Conjunctions p40 : so…that/either…or/whether…or/not only… but also )

Conjunctions: so…that/either…or/whether…or/not only… but also )

1. She was so worried that she could not sleep.
2. Either you do as you are told or you will be punished.
3. They may come here either tomorrow or on Friday.
4. The bag was so heavy that I could not carry it.
5. She does not care whether she passes or fails.
6. The boys were not only naughty but also rude.
7. The drink was so sweet that we had to add some more water to it.

Synthesis (Conjunctions p 38-39)

Synthesis (Conjunctions p 38-39)

1. Stephen and Stuart are angry with Mary for revealing their secret.
2. He had to rush to the airport although it was raining heavily.
3. The runaway teenager disguised herself so that she could not be recognised.
4. Unless Fiona has finished her homework, she cannot come with us.
5. I could not sleep despite feeling tired.
6. I will play tennis tomorrow unless it is raining.
7. As yesterday was a public holiday, most of the shops were closed.
8. I am not working tomorrow so I do not have to get up early.
9. As the thief was climbing over the wall, someone saw him.
10. Lisa hung the clothes out to dry after washing the clothes/ she washed the clothes/ she had washed the clothes.
11. Dave switched on the light because it was very dark inside.

Miscellaneous WS 2 p 36-37(as soon as, until, once, as long as, as well as, without, other than)

Miscellaneous WS 2 p 36-37(as soon as, until, once, as long as, as well as, without, other than)

1. As soon as the fire alarm rang, the occupants rushed out through the door immediately.
2. Joshua has to wait outside the house until the locksmith comes.
3. Once the musical has started, latecomers have to wait outside the theatre.
4. Until Cody has cleaned up the spilled beans, he cannot have his dinner.
5. As long as you are under fifteen years old, you can join the story-telling competition.
6. The thief took all the old lady’s money as well as her precious antique clock.
7. They walked out of the supermarket without paying for the goods.
8. William came home from his holidays in Tasmania without any money left.
9. No one other than Cindy can stand on her head.
10. Bryce is brilliant in Mathematics as well as Science.

Synthesis p34-35 (Miscellaneous WS 1)

Miscellaneous WS 1 p 34-35(since, as, in case, lest, before, after, while)

1. Mrs Snow is worried about Cheryl since she had never stayed out so late at night.
2. The computer has broken down as it is making strange noises.
3. We should take our raincoats with us in case it might rain.
4. Barry put his spare keys at his parents’ place in case he might misplace his own set.
5. I made sure to stay with the tour group lest I got lost.
6. Before sweeping the floor thoroughly, Gail picked up the broken pieces of glass.
Or Before Gail swept the floor thoroughly, she picked up the broken pieces of glass.
7. While climbing mountains is fun, it is very tiring physically.
8. After breaking the egg into the bowl, stir it into the mixture.
9. The garage used to be green before it was painted pink.
10. After the old lady had fallen down the stairs, she needed two operations to fix her broken bones.

Synthesis p 30-31 : Both/Either...or/Neither...nor (WS1-2)

Synthesis p 30-31: Both/Either...or/Neither...nor (WS1-2)

1. Both Christine and Phyllis are attending the ballet class.
2. Neither Susan nor Christine enjoyed the opera.
3. Vicki can either take the green bag or the red one to the party.
4. Peggy is neither stupid nor lazy.
5. Louise can either take the train or taxi to her friend’s house.
6. Charlotte likes neither spiders nor snakes.
7. Neither Albert nor his sisters like bittergourd.
8. Either Nancy or her friends have finished the lemonade.
9. Neither Bobby nor the girls know how to do the sum.
10. Neither the boys nor the girl has any money.


WS 2

1. Peter neither speaks Japanese or French.
2. Either Larry or his sisters take piano lessons.
3. Both Malek and Stephen play football well.
4. Neither Arthur nor his sister speaks Malay.
5. Neither Peter nor the boys are band members.

1. Both Mr Wong and Mr Martin go to the gymnasium three times a week.
2. Neither the girl nor the boys have long hair.
Or Neither the boys nor the girl has long hair.
3. Neither Maggie nor the pupils believe in ghosts.
Or Neither the pupils nor Maggie believes in ghosts.
4. Neither Mr Omar nor his colleagues have to work overtime.
5. Neither the boys nor Jack is a basketball fan.
Or Neither Jack nor the boys are basketball fans.

FIGURATIVE LANGUAGE (Personification)

FIGURATIVE LANGUAGE
PERSONIFICATION

Sometimes an inanimate object (non-living thing), an abstract idea or an animal is given human characteristics (personified) so as to enable the reader to picture what is happening to the object, abstract thought or animals much better.

Examples :

Sadness gripped me by my throat and took away my speech.

Emotion, which is abstract, is personified since it seems capable of executing motions (‘gripped’ and ‘took away’) that only humans can execute.

The top spun round and round like a ballerina before collapsing breathless onto the ground.

The inanimate object, the top, is given human characteristics, i.e. the ability to ‘spin’ and go ‘breathless’. It is also compared to a ballerina – note use of the word, ‘like’. Do you remember what you had learnt earlier? Name the figurative language used and the two dissimilar things that are being compared.

Figurative Language : _________________________________________________
Comparison is made between __________________________and _____________

Example : An instance of personification and its effect on the poem is given below.

The Wind By James Stephens

The wind stood up and gave a shout.
He whistled on his fingers and
Kicked the withered leaves about
And thumped the branches with his hand
And said he’d kill and kill and kill
And so he will and so he will.

A. Below identify the thing, or things, that is, or are, being personified and describe the effect that the use of personification has on the piece of writing below.

So Peter Hovenden and his daughter Annie plodded on, without further conversation, until, in a by-street of the town, they found themselves passing the open door of a blacksmith’s shop. Within was seen the forge, now blazing up, and illuminating the high and dusky roof, and now confining its lustre to a narrow precinct of the coal-strewn floor, according as the breath of the bellows was puffed forth, or again inhaled into its vast leathern lungs. In the intervals of brightness, it was easy to distinguish hung upon the wall; in the momentary gloom, the fire seemed to be glimmering amidst the vagueness of unenclosed space. Moving about in this red glare and alternate dusk, was the figure of the blacksmith, well-worthy to be viewed in so picturesque an aspect of light and shade, where the bright blaze struggled with the black night, as if each would have snatched his comely strength from the other. Anon, he drew a white-hot bar of iron from the coals, laid it on the anvil, uplifted his arm of might, and was seen enveloped in the myriad of sparks which the strokes of his hammer scattered into the surrounding gloom.

A. Identify at least 2 similes, 1 metaphor, 2 personifications, 5 adjectives and 3 adverbs and explain the effect that each would have on the reader.

We had been two days without water in the hilly, sand-covered August furnace of the Gobi Desert and I felt the first fluttering of fear. The early days of the sun rising over the rim of the world dispersed the sharp chill of the desert night. Fear came with small, fast-beating wings and was suppressed as we sucked pebbles and dragged our feet on to make maximum distance before the blinding heat of noon. From time to time one or other of us would climb one of the endless knolls and look south to see the same deadly landscape stretching to the horizon.

The heat enveloped us, sucking most of the moisture from our bodies, putting ankle-irons of lethargy about our legs. Each one of us walked with his own thoughts and none spoke, dully concentrating on placing one foot ahead of the other interminably. Most often l led the way, and the others bunched together a few yards behind. I was driving them now, making them get to their feet in the mornings, forcing them to cut short the noon rest. As we still walked in the rays of the setting sun the fear hit me again. It was, of course, the fundamental, most oppressive fear of all – that we should die here in the burning wilderness.

It began to take shape and definition, and hope began to well up in us. And hope became certainty. There were trees – real, live, growing, healthy trees in a clump, outlined against the sand like a blob of ink on a fresh-laundered tablecloth.
The trees loomed larger and I saw they were palms and in their shade was a sunken hollow, roughly oval-shaped, and I knew there must be water. A few hundred yards from the oasis we crossed an east-west caravan track. On the fringe of the trees we passed an incongruous pile of what looked like rusting biscuits tins as in some fantastic mid-desert junk yard. In the last twenty yards we quickened our pace and I think we managed a lope that was very near a run.