english working with words - livewire learning

©2012 Live-wire Learning. Photocopying Prohibited. ISBN 978-0-9922465-2-5

ENGLISH Years 9 and 10

WORKING with WORDS

confusing words, prefixes and suffixes,

language and visual devices,

close reading

Workbook

+

Interactive Web based Learning

Neil Riley


Introduction

Neil Riley has taught English for 35 years and was Head of English at Southland Boys' High School. He

is currently teaching English and French and is the CEO and general editor of Live-wire Learning.

Live-wire Learning is New Zealand's most comprehensive on-line learning resource for secondary school

students providing detailed teaching material and graded questions in English from Years 7-12.

The goal of your teachers and school is that you become a self-directed life-long learner. Teachers will

help you achieve this but you have to help yourself as well. Like any sport, computer game or cultural

activity where practice makes perfect, you have to practise your English and literacy skills. This book and

eLive-wire is designed to help you to practise and become successful.

Our aim with this second book in the series is provide hard copy notes (which you can refer to in the

years ahead) from our site and some easy exercises that you can complete in class, so that then you can

practise this skill on line in your own time. Once you have mastered the easier Achieved-Only versions of

a module on line, you can then challenge yourself with the harder Merit and Excellence level questions in

the normal modules.

As a student you can now

go on line and use the eLive-wire programme to practise your knowledge and understanding of this material with Achieved level questions, gain success and confidence

get instant feedback from the hundreds of online questions + explanations to accelerate your learning

re-sit modules to improve your score out of 10 and your 'working at' level

extend yourself

track your record of learning and your place on the leader board (see our home page)

refer to the relevant modules or Glossary to make notes on the Key Terms

use the definitions modules to rehearse key terms.

We hope that this resource will motivate and equip you to succeed in this subject.

For instructions to access the web site, turn to the inside back cover.

All the best for your learning.

No material in this publication may be reproduced in any form without the permission of the publishers.

ISBN 978-0-9922465-2-5

© 2012 Livewire Learning Limited

Invercargill, NEW ZEALAND

For further information contact

Neil Riley

General Editor

Live-wire Learning Ltd

3 Avenal Street

Invercargill, NZ 9810

[email protected]

www.livewirelearning.co.nz


Table of Contents

Topics Page

Background to Spoken and Written Language

1. Recognising Spoken and Written Language 4

2. Recognising Formal and Informal Language 5

3. Recognising Spoken and Written Language 7

4. Recognising Fact and Opinion 8

Vocabulary Development: Derivations 5. The History of the English Language - Old English 10 6. The History of the English Language – Middle English 12 7. The History of the English Language – Early Modern English 15 8. The History of the English Language – Modern English 16 9. Prefixes and Suffixes 18 10. Confusing Words – Homophones and Homographs 21 Poetic Devices 11. Sound Devices: Alliteration, Assonance & Onomatopoeia, Rhyme, Rhythm 23 12. Image Devices: Literal and Figurative Imagery, Simile, Metaphor, Personification 29 Language Features 13. Clichés to Slang 34 14. Visual Language Features 43 Close Reading of Texts – Putting it into Practice 15. Approaches to Unfamiliar Text 46 16. Close Reading Passages 49

Index and Page References 59


PERIOD 4. THE MODERN ENGLISH PERIOD 1800 – 2013

Modern English

1. The 1800s to the present day marks what can be called the Modern English era. During

this time there have been significant developments in exploration, trade, settlement and

technology all of which have brought new words into English.

2. Borrowing

In New Zealand we have borrowed from a number of different countries or areas as a

result of trade and immigration. The words we have borrowed usually describe foods,

customs, and concepts that are new to English speakers. Some of these countries or areas

are: Maori, Japan, Australia, the Pacific (which refers to islands like Samoa, Tonga and

Fiji), South Africa, the Middle East, China, Russia, and Scandinavia.

3. Borrowing from other languages has continued right up to the present day. As contact

with other countries is extended through contact, immigration and television, so loan

words are added from these new sources. Note the increased familiarity with Asian or

Pacific words in New Zealand. Some relate to food and drink – 'sushi' and 'sake' – for

example, others relate to customs such as 'haka' and 'hongi'.

4. Compounding and blending are two common ways we add words to our language.

a. Compounding means to add words together to form a new one.

Initially there are two words, then they may become hyphenated, then a single word. This

has been a common way of creating new words in New Zealand especially in farming

and agriculture. Challenge yourself – write down some other compound words commonly used in New Zealand English.

.

b. Blending occurs when parts of two words are added to form a new one.

Challenge yourself – write down some other blends commonly used in New Zealand English or create some of your own.

Worked example 11: the term 'typhoon' was originally borrowed from Asia.

In Chinese, a hurricane or typhoon is called 台风 (tái fēng).

Worked example 12: breakfast – originally this was two words: break and fast - the

practice of not eating before ‘God’s meal’ or communion was taken. Later it used to

refer to merely breaking a period of fasting. Then it was used to describe the first

meal people ate to break their fast of not eating over the night time.

Worked example 13: smog – the two words smoke and fog are blended to form smog.


Challenge yourself – write in the meanings of as many Maori words as you can.

COMPUTER WORK – Log on to Live-wire Learning and test your understanding.

MODULE First

Attempt /10

Working

at

Second

Attempt /10

Working

at

The Development of English 7 – Modern 1



The Development of English 8 – Blends

Maori Means Maori Means Maori Means

Hui A meeting or

gathering

Tapu Morena

Marae Taonga Tena koe

Haere mai Turangawaewae Tena korua

Nau mai Tino

rangatiratanga

Tena koutou

Tangihanga Whakapapa Tena tatou katoa

Tangi Whenua Arero

Karanga Ariki Ihu

Manuhiri Hapu Aroha

Tangata whenua Iwi Kauae / kauwae

Whaikorero Kaumatua Kia ora

Kaikorero Ngai Tatou Waka

Haka mana E noho ra

Waiata Rangatira E haere ra

Koha Tama Haere mai

Whare nui Tamahine Tane

Whare whakairo Tamaiti Teina / Taina

Whare kai Tamariki Whare horoi


9. Prefixes and Suffixes

Prefixes In Summary prefixes 1. The teacher was taking

her students from the

known to the unknown as

they explored their science

topic

A prefix is a part of a word that we fix to the start

of a word to change its meaning.

Common ones include:

e/ex-, in-, im-, un-, dis-, mis-, de-, re-

Several like in-, im-, un-, dis-, non- mean 'not'.

Prefixes In Detail

1. A prefix is a part of a word that we fix to the start of a word to change its meaning.

2. Many new words have been added to the English language in this way. On the next

page there is a table of common prefixes, their origins (what language they came from),

their meanings and an example. Differences in origins of prefixes affect their meaning.

3. Prefixes attach to the root of a word and word roots generally belong to word families.

4. There are a large number of prefixes that mean 'not' and therefore when added to a

word change the meaning to the opposite (they become antonyms). For example, in-, im-,

un-, dis-, non- mean not.

Worked example 3: dictionary The Latin root 'dict-' meaning 'say, speak' appears in the words: 'dictionary, dictate, unpredictable', predict (Note the prefixes 'un' and 'pre' also in use here.)

Worked Example 4: transplant The prefix 'trans' means 'across'. If we add it to the word 'plant', it now means 'to plant across' in a different place.

Worked Example 5: replant

The prefix 're' means 'again' or 'back'. If we add it to the word 'plant', the meaning of

the new word is 'to plant again'.

Worked example 2: ante- anti-

The Latin prefix 'ante' = 'before' and the Greek prefix 'anti' = 'against' or 'in place

of' are sometimes confused but both have quite different meanings because they

come from different languages.

Worked Example 6:

kind – unkind

persuade – dissuade

Worked Example 1: prefix

Note how the word 'prefix' itself begins with the prefix 'pre' means 'before' or 'in

front of' and so its meaning is 'to fix before'.


5. Spelling changes occur using the prefix 'in' when it means 'not'.

Challenge yourself – fill in the rest of the definitions for these common prefixes. Use a dictionary with derivations to add other examples.

COMPUTER WORK - Log on to Live-wire Learning and test your understanding. MODULE First

Attempt /10

Working at Second

Attempt /10

Working at

Using Prefixes 1 – Recognition – AO

Using Prefixes 2 – Meanings 1 – A

Using Prefixes 3 – Meanings 2 – AO

Using Prefixes 4 – Forming Antonyms 1

Using Prefixes 5 – Forming Antonyms 2

Worked examples 7: a. 'in' becomes 'im' before a word starting with 'm' or 'p' e.g. patient = impatient

b. 'in' becomes 'il' before a word starting with 'l' e.g. legal = illegal

c. 'in' becomes 'ir' before a word starting with 'r' e.g. regular = irregular

Origin Prefix Example Meaning Definition Other Examples

Old

English un- unlikely not not likely

undo reverse

mis- misdeed

mistake wrong

fore- foresee before

with- withdraw back

withstand against

Latin ante antenatal before before birth

non- nonsense not

in- insert into

insane not

dis discover not

dismiss away

e-, ex- exit, export out of

pre- predict before

post- postpone after

re- return again, back

semi- semitone half

sub- subway under

trans- transplant beyond,

across

Greek anti- antibodies against proteins against

invaders, e.g. bacteria

arch archbishop chief

auto- automatic self

dia- diameter through

hemi- hemisphere half

mono- monologue one

peri- perimeter around

pro- proceed before,

forward,

in favour of

tele- telephone at a distance


Close Reading of Texts – Putting it all into Practice

Part 1 offers some ways you can approach a piece of unfamiliar text; Part 2 offers some

suggestions for answering NCEA Level 1 type questions on some passages of unfamiliar text.

You should go online to read and answer first in order to prepare you for the kind of written

answers you will encounter in NCEA level 1.

Part 1 Approaches to Unfamiliar Text

a. Features of Style

Style Features to look out for and questions to consider.

letter to

the

editor

Expect that the writer's purpose will be to persuade, to present a point of view. - Are there any supporting facts or is it just opinion?

- Does the writer use hyperbole?

- Is the tone unbiased and factual or emotive?

- How has the writer structured the piece? How does the writer capture your interest? Is there a

strong conclusion?

- How formal or informal is the letter?

formal

writing

Expect that the ideas will be presented and developed in a structured, logical and reasoned

way. - What is the writer's purpose?

a. To inform? How is the material structured? Are there subheadings? Images? Supporting

evidence? Is there the Statement – Evidence – Comment (SEC) format?

b. To persuade? Does the writer take the reader from the known to the new? Or the most

important to least? Or the least important to most? Or the general to the specific?

- What is the writer's message?

- What is the writer's point of view and attitude? Can you find examples of emotive language

that reveal this?

- Who is the likely audience? How does the writer use personal pronouns to create a relationship

with that audience?

- How formal and technical is the language? Does it use concrete nouns (as in a technical

manual) or abstract nouns (as in a more theoretical text)?

poetry Expect that the poet will be telling a story or exploring an experience or conveying a

message. Helpful hints:

- The poem's title will provide a clue.

- Try to work out who is involved, where the event is taking place, what is happening.

- The main idea or message will appear at the end of the poem.

- Poets use the best words in the best order so you will need to read slowly and paraphrase it in

your own mind.

- Punctuation will help you understand what is happening but you will have to decide whether

an idea stops at the end of the line or runs on to the next line.

- What narrative point of view is being used? First person (I) or third person (he, she)?

- Is the poet using emotive language? How does the poet feel? How does the poet want us to

feel about the subject being described?

- Is there both literal and figurative language? How vivid and original are these images?

- What sound effects has the poet included and why?

- How is the poem structured?

creative

writing

Expect that an event is being narrated or a scene or person is being described. - Who is involved? Where and when is the event taking place? What is happening?

- What is the message?

- Does the writer use literal imagery? If, so, what kind of mood/atmosphere is being created?

- Does the writer use figurative imagery? If so, how vivid or original are these images?

- Does the writer use emotive language? If so, what is the writer's attitude and how does the

writer want us, as readers, to respond?

- How is the story told? Is it first or third person narrative point of view?

- What other language techniques are being used and what effects do they have?


visual

text

Expect that a message is being conveyed by the images and words.

- What is presented in the picture?

- What is the message and who is it aimed at?

- Why has the image been created?

- What visual and verbal features are used and how well do they convey the message?

b. The CAPITAL approach

As you read through the text, you might like to annotate (make notes on) the text using the

acronym CAPITAL approach:

Content Who is present? Where and when does it all take place? What happens in each

paragraph or stanza?

Audience Who is the text written for? What clues are there?

Purpose Why has the writer written the text? To entertain? To inform? To provoke?

Ideas What is/are the messages that the writer is exploring and wants us to think about?

Tone What is the writer's attitude to the topic and to the audience reading it?

Attention How does the writer gain and maintain the audience's attention?

Language What visual and verbal features (language features, poetic devices, structural

techniques) does the writer use? How do these techniques help the writer express

the ideas across? How well do these techniques work?

Part 2 Answering the Questions

It is important to realise that the questions give some clues about what you should focus on.

They are worded so that you to start with a narrow focus on a part of the text and the require you

to broaden out and comment on the whole passage:

i. firstly you will have to identify a language technique and give an example

ii. then you will have to explain how that is used to create an effect or response

iii. finally you will have to comment on the passage as a whole explaining how the

writer's techniques reveal the message/idea or purpose.

It is important to have a clear understanding of the writer's purpose and to identify that in your

long answer so that you can peg your explanation and comment back to that.

Challenge yourself –

1. reread the poem Arms and the Boy on page 29

2. read the paragraph (taken from a larger answer)

3. find and annotate on the sheet the following aspects:

- the poet's purpose

- reference to the poem's title and author

- techniques mentioned

- supporting quotes or references

- links to the poet's purpose

Owen's purpose in writing 'Arms and the Boy' was to expose how unnatural it was for young men to

be fighting and killing each other. He does this by using the two techniques of personification and

contrast. In the first two stanzas he personifies the bayonet and bullets which are lean – 'thinly

drawn with famishing for flesh', 'keen with hunger of blood' and strongly desire to 'muzzle in the

hearts' of the young men. In the last stanza he contrasts these unnatural weapons with the natural

defences of a bird's talons and a stag's antlers. The fact that humans do not have these natural

'weapons' and that 'god' will never cause humans to grow any proves how unnatural war is.


Close Reading Passage 3 - Poetry

QUESTION (a) Identify one language feature used to show how poet is alive and alert to the world around her. Provide an example from stanza 1.

(i) Feature:______________________________________________________________

(ii) Example: ____________________________________________________________

(b) Explain how the feature you identified in (a) expresses the poet's feelings.

(c) Look at the whole poem. In your own words, explain the ways the poet helps you, as a reader, to become involved in the scene. Comment on how features such as language, tone, structure, narrative point of view and imagery are used. Support your answer with evidence from the text.

'Lines Composed In A Wood On A Windy Day'

(1) My soul is awakened, my spirit is soaring And carried aloft on the wings of the breeze; For above and around me the wild wind is roaring, Arousing to rapture the earth and the seas.

(2) The long withered grass in the sunshine is glancing, The bare trees are tossing their branches on high; The dead leaves, beneath them, are merrily dancing, The white clouds are scudding across the blue sky.

(3) I wish I could see how the ocean is lashing The foam of its billows to whirlwinds of spray; I wish I could see how its proud waves are dashing, And hear the wild roar of their thunder to-day! - Anne Bronte Jones

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