Basic 6 · English Language

Pace, Stress and Tone, Silent Reading, Conjunctions, Supporting Opinions and Correlative Conjunctions

In this topic you will use pace, stress and tone to convey meaning, read silently for meaning, use conjunctions, support opinions with explanations and examples, and use correlative conjunctions.

By the end of these notes you should be able to:

Use pace, stress and tone to convey meaning
Read silently and answer questions on a passage
Use coordinating and subordinating conjunctions
Write explanations and examples to support opinions
Use correlative conjunctions correctly

What you already know

Role-Play, Building Vocabulary, Verb Forms, Free Writing on National Issues and Prepositions

Copy everything that has a blue line on its left into your notebook. The other parts are for reading.

Lesson 1

Strand: Oral Language
Sub-strand: Presentation
Indicator: B6.1.10.1.3 – Demonstrate awareness of how meaning is conveyed through. appropriate pace stress and tone

Introduction

The same words can carry different meanings depending on how fast we speak, which words we stress and the tone of our voice.

Pace, Stress and Tone

Effects

Feature	Effect	Example
slow pace	seriousness, importance	reading a safety announcement
fast pace	excitement, urgency	commentary on a football goal
stress	changes meaning	"I didn't say SHE took it." (someone else did)
rising tone	question or uncertainty	"You're coming?"
falling tone	statement, certainty	"You're coming."
warm tone	friendliness	welcoming a visitor
firm tone	authority	giving instructions

Practice: Say "I never said he stole the money" seven times, stressing a different word each time, and notice how the meaning changes.

A radio presenter speaking into a microphone in a studio — Figure 1: Using voice to convey meaning Write a sentence and mark the word you would stress to change its meaning.Photo: Joy Agyepong, CC BY-SA 4.0, via Wikimedia Commons

New words

pace: The speed of speaking.
stress: Emphasis on a word.
tone: The feeling in the voice.

Summary

Pace, stress and tone change how a message is understood.
Choose them to suit the message and audience.

Exercises

Answer in your exercise book first, then check your answers.

1. A football commentator usually speaks at a…
- A. fast pace
- B. very slow pace
- C. whisper
- D. silence
Show answer
Answer: fast paceExcitement.
2. Stressing different words can change the meaning.
- A. True
- B. False
Show answer
Answer: TrueEmphasis.
3. A rising tone at the end usually shows a ______.
Show answer
Answer: questionUncertainty.
4. What does "I didn't say SHE took it" suggest?
Show answer
Answer: That someone else took it, not her.Stress.

Lesson 2

Strand: Reading
Sub-strand: Silent Reading
Indicator: B6.2.8.1.1 – Read silently and reasonably for meaning from a level-appropriate text

Introduction

Silent reading lets you read faster and think more deeply. Read carefully, then answer the questions.

Reading Passage: Ghana's Mobile Money Revolution

"Twenty years ago, sending money from Accra to a grandmother in a village meant a long, expensive bus journey or trusting a driver with an envelope. Today, it takes a few seconds on a mobile phone.

Mobile money allows people to send, receive and save money using their phones, even without a bank account. A trader in Techiman can pay a supplier in Kumasi instantly. A student can pay school fees without queuing at a bank. Farmers can receive payment for cocoa directly.

Mobile money has helped millions of Ghanaians, especially in rural areas where banks are few. It has created jobs for agents who run small kiosks across the country.

However, mobile money also brings risks. Fraudsters send fake messages claiming that money was sent by mistake and ask for it to be returned. Others trick people into revealing their PIN. The Bank of Ghana and telecommunications companies warn customers never to share their PIN and to check their balance before responding to any request.

Like every tool, mobile money is only as safe as the person using it. Used wisely, it is a powerful way to bring financial services to all."

Comprehension questions

Question	Answer
How was money sent to villages in the past?	by bus journey or giving an envelope to a driver
State two uses of mobile money.	paying suppliers, paying school fees (or receiving cocoa payments)
Who benefits most in rural areas?	people with few or no banks nearby
What is one trick used by fraudsters?	claiming money was sent by mistake and asking for it back
What does the last paragraph mean?	mobile money is safe only if users are careful

A mobile money kiosk with a customer and agent — Figure 2: A mobile money kiosk List three dos and don'ts for using mobile money safely.Photo: Bukulu Steven, CC BY-SA 4.0, via Wikimedia Commons

New words

fraudster: A person who cheats people to get money.
PIN: A secret number that protects an account.
kiosk: A small shop or booth.

Summary

Mobile money has made sending and receiving money fast and easy.
Users must protect their PIN and beware of fraud.

Exercises

Answer in your exercise book first, then check your answers.

1. What must you never share?
- A. your PIN
- B. your name
- C. your town
- D. your age
Show answer
Answer: your PINIt protects your account.
2. Mobile money needs a bank account.
- A. True
- B. False
Show answer
Answer: FalseIt works without one.
3. People who run mobile money kiosks are called ______.
Show answer
Answer: agentsParagraph 3.
4. Explain "mobile money is only as safe as the person using it".
Show answer
Answer: If users are careless with PINs or messages, fraudsters can steal; careful users stay safe.Inference.

Lesson 3

Strand: Grammar
Sub-strand: Conjunctions
Indicator: B6.3.8.1.1 – Identify and use simple conjunctions (coordinating and subordinating)

Introduction

Conjunctions join words, phrases and clauses. Choosing the right one makes your meaning clear.

Coordinating and Subordinating Conjunctions

Coordinating conjunctions (FANBOYS)

Conjunction	Use	Example
for	reason	She smiled, for she had passed.
and	addition	Kofi and Ama sang.
nor	negative addition	He does not lie, nor does he cheat.
but	contrast	It was late, but we continued.
or	choice	Tea or coffee?
yet	unexpected contrast	He was tired, yet he finished.
so	result	It rained, so we stayed in.

Subordinating conjunctions

Conjunction	Use	Example
because, since, as	reason	We stayed in because it rained.
although, though	contrast	Although it was late, we continued.
if, unless	condition	Unless you hurry, you will be late.
when, while, before, after, until	time	Wait until the bell rings.

Passage: "Although the road was muddy, the farmers carried their produce to market, for they needed money. They sold their yams quickly because prices were good, and they returned home before dark."

New words

conjunction: A joining word.
coordinating conjunction: Joins equal parts (FANBOYS).
subordinating conjunction: Introduces a dependent clause.

Summary

Coordinating conjunctions join equal parts.
Subordinating conjunctions introduce clauses of reason, contrast, condition and time.

Exercises

Answer in your exercise book first, then check your answers.

1. Which shows a result?
- A. so
- B. but
- C. or
- D. although
Show answer
Answer: soResult.
2. "Although" introduces contrast.
- A. True
- B. False
Show answer
Answer: TrueSubordinating.
3. ______ you hurry, you will miss the bus. (Unless/Because)
Show answer
Answer: UnlessCondition.
4. Join with a subordinating conjunction: "We stayed home. It was raining."
Show answer
Answer: We stayed home because it was raining.Reason.

Lesson 4

Strand: Writing
Sub-strand: Persuasive Writing
Indicator: B6.4.13.1.1 – Write explanations and examples to support opinions

Introduction

Persuasive writing is stronger when every opinion is supported by explanations and examples.

Supporting Opinions with Explanations and Examples

The PEE structure

Part	Meaning	Example
Point	state your opinion or reason	School uniforms should remain compulsory.
Explanation	explain why	Uniforms make all pupils look equal, so rich and poor pupils are treated the same.
Example	give evidence	In our school, pupils do not compete over expensive clothes.

Useful phrases: "In my opinion…", "This is because…", "For example…", "For instance…", "This shows that…", "Furthermore…", "As a result…".

Sample paragraph: "In my opinion, every school should have a library. This is because reading improves pupils' vocabulary and performance in all subjects. For example, after our school opened a library, the number of pupils passing English increased. This shows that books make a real difference."

New words

opinion: A personal belief or view.
evidence: Facts or examples that support an opinion.
persuade: To convince someone.

Summary

Use Point, Explanation and Example (PEE) for each reason.
Use linking phrases to connect ideas.

Exercises

Answer in your exercise book first, then check your answers.

1. In PEE, the first "E" stands for…
- A. Explanation
- B. Ending
- C. Error
- D. Essay
Show answer
Answer: ExplanationWhy.
2. Examples make opinions more convincing.
- A. True
- B. False
Show answer
Answer: TrueEvidence.
3. "For ______, our school library improved results."
Show answer
Answer: example (instance)Giving evidence.
4. Write a PEE paragraph on "Pupils should plant trees".
Show answer
Answer: Point, explanation (trees prevent erosion, give oxygen), example (our school's shade trees).PEE structure.

Lesson 5

Strand: Writing Conventions/ Extensive Reading
Sub-strand: Using Conjunctions, Building the Love and Culture of Reading
Indicator: B6.5.8.1.1 – Identify and use conjunctions

Introduction

Correlative conjunctions come in pairs and link equal ideas.

Correlative Conjunctions

Pairs

Pair	Example
either … or	You can either stay or go.
neither … nor	Neither the teacher nor the pupils were late.
both … and	Both Kofi and Ama passed.
not only … but also	She is not only clever but also kind.
whether … or	I don't know whether to laugh or cry.
as … as	He is as tall as his father.

Parallel structure: the words after each part should be the same type: "She likes not only reading but also writing" (both -ing forms), not "not only reading but also to write".

Reading extract: "Both the Black Stars and the Black Queens trained hard. Neither the heat nor the rain stopped them. The coach said they needed not only speed but also teamwork, and that they would either win together or lose together."

New words

correlative conjunction: A pair of conjunctions used together.
parallel structure: Using the same grammatical form in matching parts.
pair: Two things that go together.

Summary

Correlative conjunctions work in pairs.
Keep parallel structure after each part.

Exercises

Answer in your exercise book first, then check your answers.

1. Complete: Neither Ama ___ Kofi was late.
- A. nor
- B. or
- C. and
- D. but
Show answer
Answer: norNeither … nor.
2. "Both … and" is a correlative pair.
- A. True
- B. False
Show answer
Answer: TrueUsed together.
3. She is not only clever ______ also kind.
Show answer
Answer: butNot only … but also.
4. Correct: "He likes not only singing but also to dance."
Show answer
Answer: He likes not only singing but also dancing.Parallel structure.

Homework

Write two PEE paragraphs on a national issue.