Basic 7 · Ghanaian Language · Term Revision
Term Revision in Ghanaian Language
In this topic you will recall and summarise the term's work on customs and institutions, listening and speaking, reading, grammar, writing and literature, and practise answering end-of-term questions.
By the end of these notes you should be able to:
- Recall key ideas on naming, day names, birth-order names and clans
- Recall key ideas in grammar, writing and literature
- Answer revision questions accurately in your Ghanaian language
What you already know
- All topics covered in Ghanaian Language this term
Copy everything that has a blue line on its left into your notebook. The other parts are for reading.
Lesson 1
- Strand
- Revision
- Sub-strand
- Term Revision
Introduction
Revision helps you link everything you learned this term. Use these summaries to check what you remember and what you need to study again.
1. Customs and Institutions
| Topic | Key points |
|---|---|
| naming ceremony | eighth day; outdooring at dawn; water and drink; gifts; prayers |
| significance of naming | new life, identity, truthfulness, family ties |
| day names | Kofi and Afia (Friday), Kwame and Amma (Saturday) |
| birth-order names | Manu, Mensah, Anan, Nsia, Nkrumah, Badu; Ata and Tawia |
| clan system | eight Akan clans; totems; matrilineal and patrilineal descent |
2. Language Skills
| Area | Key points |
|---|---|
| register | formal for elders and ceremonies; informal for friends |
| listening and conversation | active listening; open questions for elaboration |
| reading | main ideas and supporting points; familiar and unfamiliar texts |
| translation | meaning first; natural expression; idioms by meaning |
| vowels | oral vowels a, e, ɛ, i, o, ɔ, u; long vowels written double |
| grammar | sentence types; common, proper and collective nouns; pronouns; adjectives after nouns |
3. Writing and Literature
| Area | Key points |
|---|---|
| paragraph | topic sentence, support, unity, coherence, conclusion |
| essays | three paragraphs: introduction, body, conclusion; narrative and descriptive |
| oral literature | performer, audience, occasion, text, techniques, purpose; play songs |
| prose | plot, setting, characters, theme, conflict, point of view |
| drama | playwright, dialogue, acts, scenes, stage directions |
4. Linking the Topics
The topics are closely connected. When you write a narrative essay about a naming ceremony, you use your knowledge of customs, vocabulary, sentence types, paragraphs and the right register. When you read a play or story, you use reading skills and your knowledge of literature. Seeing these links helps you remember better.
5. Revision Methods
- Make flash cards with a Ghanaian-language word on one side and its meaning on the other.
- Practise saying day names and birth-order names aloud.
- Retell a folktale to a family member and identify its components.
- Write one paragraph each day and check its topic sentence and unity.
- Translate short sentences from your English book into your Ghanaian language.
Using several methods keeps revision interesting and helps you remember more.
6. Self-Check Questions
Test yourself without looking at your notes. Can you describe the steps of a naming ceremony? Can you give the day names for your own day of birth? Can you name four Akan clans and their totems? Can you write one simple, one compound and one complex sentence in your language? If you cannot answer any of these, go back to that topic and revise it again.
New words
- revision
- Studying again what has been learned.
- mind map
- A diagram linking ideas around a topic.
- strand
- A major area of a subject.
- review
- To look again carefully.
Summary
- Customs topics include naming, day names, birth-order names and clans.
- Language skills include register, listening, reading, translation, vowels and grammar.
- Writing and literature cover paragraphs, essays, oral literature, prose and drama.
Class activity: Revision Cards
- Use review cards to quiz each other on the term's topics.
- Answer in your Ghanaian language.
- Record topics that need more revision.
You need: Printed Ghanaian-language review cards, Exercise books, Pencils, Chalkboard, Chalk
Exercises
Answer in your exercise book first, then check your answers.
1. Among the Akan, a baby is usually named on the…
- A. eighth day
- B. second day
- C. twentieth day
- D. first day
Show answer
Answer: eighth dayNaming.2. Which is a component of drama?
- A. stage directions
- B. chapters
- C. footnotes
- D. captions
Show answer
Answer: stage directionsDrama feature.3. In Twi, long vowels are often written with double letters.
- A. True
- B. False
Show answer
Answer: Truee.g. kɔɔ.4. An animal that represents a clan is its ______.
Show answer
Answer: totemClan symbol.5. Name three Akan birth-order names and their positions.
Show answer
Answer: Manu (second), Mensah (third), Nsia (sixth).Any three correct.6. Explain how register is used at a naming ceremony.
Show answer
Answer: Formal register is used: greetings from the right, titles, proverbs, and speaking through elders or a linguist.Formal occasion.
Lesson 2
- Strand
- Revision
- Sub-strand
- Term Revision
Introduction
Practice questions help you prepare for the examination. Read each question carefully and answer in clear, correct language.
1. Answering Questions Well
- Read each question twice and identify what it asks.
- Answer in complete sentences in your Ghanaian language unless told otherwise.
- Use special letters and long vowels correctly.
- Give examples from your community.
- Check your spelling and grammar before handing in.
2. Sample Questions and Model Answers
Practice question 1
Describe three steps in a traditional naming ceremony.
- The family gathers at dawn on the eighth day.
- The baby is outdoored and the name is announced by an elder.
- The elder touches the baby's tongue with water and drink, teaching truthfulness.
Answer: Gathering at dawn, outdooring and naming, and the water-and-drink ritual.
Practice question 2
State the components of oral literature.
- Performer: the storyteller or singer.
- Audience: the listeners who take part.
- Occasion, text, performance techniques and purpose.
Answer: Performer, audience, occasion, text, techniques and purpose.
Practice question 3
Translate into your language: "The small child is crying."
- Identify the noun (child), adjective (small) and verb (is crying).
- Follow the noun-adjective order.
Answer: e.g. Twi: Abɔfra ketewa no resu.
3. Holiday Practice
During the holidays, speak your Ghanaian language with elders, listen to stories and radio programmes in the language, and read any books or newspapers you can find. Write a short diary in the language every few days. Ask elders about customs such as naming, clans and festivals, and note what they say.
4. Common Mistakes to Avoid
Many learners lose marks by leaving out special letters such as ɛ and ɔ, forgetting to double long vowels, placing adjectives before nouns as in English, and translating idioms word for word. Others write one long paragraph instead of three organised paragraphs in an essay. Reading your answers aloud slowly helps you notice and correct these mistakes before you hand in your work.
New words
- model answer
- An example of a complete, correct answer.
- diary
- A daily written record of events and thoughts.
- examination
- A formal test of knowledge.
- complete sentence
- A sentence with a subject and verb expressing a full idea.
Summary
- Read questions carefully and answer in complete, correct sentences.
- Use model answers to check your understanding.
- Keep practising your Ghanaian language during the holidays.
Class activity: Revision Quiz
- Answer ten quick questions from the teacher on all strands.
- Swap books and mark using the model answers.
- Correct mistakes in your exercise book.
You need: Printed Ghanaian-language review cards, Exercise books, Pencils, Chalkboard, Chalk
Exercises
Answer in your exercise book first, then check your answers.
1. An Akan girl born on Saturday is called…
- A. Amma
- B. Akua
- C. Abena
- D. Adwoa
Show answer
Answer: AmmaMemeneda.2. A sentence with a main clause and a dependent clause is…
- A. complex
- B. simple
- C. compound
- D. a phrase
Show answer
Answer: complexe.g. with "because".3. Play songs are part of oral literature.
- A. True
- B. False
Show answer
Answer: TrueSung during games.4. The first paragraph of an essay is the ______.
Show answer
Answer: introductionOpening.5. Give two features of a good paragraph.
Show answer
Answer: Topic sentence and unity (or supporting sentences, coherence).Any two.6. Explain why idioms should be translated by meaning.
Show answer
Answer: Their meanings differ from their individual words, so word-for-word translation would confuse the reader.Idioms.
Homework
- Make a mind map of all the topics of the term.
- Write a diary entry in your Ghanaian language about your plans for the holidays.