Public Speaking Register, Visualising Action, Countable Nouns, Transition Signals and Types of Poems

1. Features of Public Speech

Public speech is formal and carefully organised. The speaker greets the audience in order of rank, states the purpose, makes the main points and ends politely. Sentences are clear and not too long, because listeners cannot go back as readers can. Repetition of key words helps people to remember.

2. Common Expressions

3. Model: A Vote of Thanks

"Mr Chairman, distinguished guests, teachers and fellow learners, good afternoon. On behalf of the students of Asanteman JHS, I wish to thank our guest speaker, Dr Boateng, for sparing time to speak to us about career choices. Her words have opened our eyes. We also thank the PTA for sponsoring today's event, and our teachers for their hard work. May God bless you all and grant you a safe journey home. Thank you."

4. Announcements

An announcement should be short and clear. Say who it is for, what will happen, when and where, and what listeners must do. For example: "All members of the Debate Club are to meet in the Science Laboratory at three o'clock on Thursday. Please bring your notebooks." Repeat the time and place at the end if possible, because listeners often miss details the first time.

1. Picturing Action

To visualise action, slow down and imagine each movement in order. Look for strong verbs, such as "lunged", "dived" and "scrambled". Notice how sentences get shorter when the action speeds up. Try to see where each character is and what each one is doing.

2. Reading Passage: The Final Minute

The score was one all, and only a minute remained. Adwoa picked up the ball near the halfway line and glanced up. Two defenders rushed towards her. She dragged the ball left, spun, and shot past the first. The second lunged. Adwoa leapt over the sliding boot, stumbled, and somehow stayed on her feet.

The goalkeeper crept forward, arms spread. The crowd rose. Adwoa drew back her right foot and struck. The ball curved through the dusty air, kissed the post and dropped into the net. For a moment, there was silence. Then the whole of Ho Sports Stadium exploded with noise, and her teammates buried her under a pile of green shirts.

3. Words That Create Pictures

4. Pace and Feeling

Notice the short sentences: "The second lunged." "The crowd rose." They make the reader's heart beat faster. Then a long sentence follows the ball through the air, stretching the moment. Words such as "kissed the post" are figurative: the ball only just touches it. Visualising helps you feel the tension before the joy.

1. Countable and Uncountable Nouns

Countable nouns can be counted and have plurals: one egg, two eggs. Uncountable nouns cannot be counted with numbers and have no plural: water, rice, furniture, advice, information, luggage, equipment, news, money. English treats some of these as uncountable even where Ghanaians often add -s. So write "furniture", not "furnitures", and "advice", not "advices".

2. Words Used with Each Type

3. Counting Uncountable Nouns

Use a measure word: a piece of advice, a bag of rice, a bottle of water, an item of news, a loaf of bread, a head of cattle, a bar of soap, a sheet of paper. The measure word is what becomes plural: "three bags of rice".

4. Subject-Verb Agreement

A singular noun takes a singular verb and a plural noun takes a plural verb: "The boy runs" and "The boys run". Uncountable nouns take singular verbs: "The furniture is new" and "Your advice was helpful". In "One of the boys is late", the verb agrees with "one", not "boys". With "a number of", use a plural verb ("A number of learners are absent"); with "the number of", use a singular verb ("The number of learners is growing").

5. Common Ghanaian English Errors

Some errors are common in Ghana. Write "furniture", not "furnitures"; "luggage", not "luggages"; "equipment", not "equipments"; and "advice", not "advices". Also remember that "people" is already plural, so we say "many people are here". Noticing these errors in your own writing will raise your marks.

1. What Are Transition Signals?

Transition signal: A word or phrase that shows how one idea or paragraph relates to the next.

2. Types of Transition Signals

3. Linking Paragraphs

A good way to link paragraphs is to begin a new paragraph by referring to the last one. If one paragraph is about the benefits of mobile phones, the next could begin: "Despite these benefits, mobile phones also cause problems for learners." The words "these benefits" look back, and "problems" look forward.

4. Model Essay Extract

"Mobile phones have made learning easier. Learners can look up words, watch lessons and share notes with friends. Furthermore, parents can reach their children quickly in an emergency."

"However, phones can also harm learners. Many spend hours on social media instead of studying. As a result, their grades fall and they sleep too little."

"In conclusion, a phone is a useful servant but a bad master. Learners must use it wisely."

5. Using Signals Well

Choose the signal that shows the true relationship between ideas. Do not write "however" where there is no contrast. Do not put a signal at the start of every sentence, as this makes writing mechanical. After an introductory signal at the start of a sentence, use a comma: "However, phones can also harm learners."

1. What Is a Poem?

Poem: A piece of writing that uses carefully chosen words, rhythm and often rhyme to express feelings and ideas.

2. Types of Poems

3. A Short Lyric Poem

Harmattan Morning

The dust hangs still above the road,

The sun comes pale and slow;

My grandmother lights the morning fire,

Her hands are warm with glow.

This poem has four lines (a stanza), and "slow" rhymes with "glow". It expresses a quiet, gentle feeling, so it is a lyric poem.

4. Ghanaian Poetry

Ghana has a rich poetry tradition. Court poets recite praise poems to chiefs, and Ewe dirges mourn the dead. Written poets include Kofi Awoonor, whose poems drew on Ewe dirges, Kofi Anyidoho and Atukwei Okai. Traditional forms and modern poetry both use repetition, imagery and sound to move the listener.