Grammar/Structure: Adverbials of Condition and Contrast for JSS 3

Class: JSS 3
Term: First Term
Week: 3
Age: 13-14 years
Duration: 60 minutes
Subject: English Language Studies
Curriculum Theme: Grammar/Structure
Previous Lesson: Listening and Speaking: Contrasting /f/ and /v/ Consonant Sounds
Topic: Grammatical Accuracy
Subject Matter: (c) Condition e.g. unless, if, until, provided (d) Contrast e.g. yet, though, although

Specific Objectives

By the end of the lesson, pupils/students should be able to:

Cognitive Domain

• Define adverbials of condition and contrast.
• Identify adverbials of condition and contrast in given sentences.
• State the correct tenses to use with specific adverbials of condition and contrast.

Affective Domain

• Appreciate the importance of using adverbials correctly for clear communication.
• Show willingness to practice using adverbials of condition and contrast in their writing.

Psychomotor Domain

• Construct grammatically correct sentences using adverbials of condition.
• Construct grammatically correct sentences using adverbials of contrast.

Social Domain

• Collaborate with peers to identify and correct errors in sentences containing adverbials.

Reference Materials

The following resources were used in planning this lesson:

• 2014 Senior Secondary Education Curriculum (SSEC)
• Relevant State Unified Scheme of Work
• A suitable English Language textbook for JSS 3
• FCT ERC/NAPPS Scheme of work

Instructional Materials

The teacher will teach this lesson with the aid of:

• Whiteboard or blackboard
• Markers or chalk
• Prepared sentences illustrating adverbials of condition and contrast
• Charts showing examples of adverbials and their usage

Rationale for the Lesson

This lesson is important for JSS 3 students to enhance their grammatical accuracy and fluency in English. Mastering adverbials of condition and contrast allows students to express complex ideas, relationships, and nuances in their communication, which is essential for academic success and effective daily interactions.

Prerequisite/Previous Knowledge

Students should have a basic understanding of adverbs, clauses, and simple sentence structures.

Lesson Content/Board Summary

Grammatical Accuracy

Adverbials of Condition and Contrast

Adverbials are words or groups of words that function like adverbs, modifying verbs, adjectives, or other adverbs. They provide additional information about how, when, where, or why an action occurs. Adverbials of condition and contrast are specific types that express conditions or opposing ideas.

Adverbials of Condition

Adverbials of condition introduce clauses that state the circumstances under which something else will happen or might have happened. They answer the question “Under what condition?”.

Common adverbials of condition include:

1. If: Used to introduce a condition.
2. Unless: Means “if not” or “except if”.
3. Until: Indicates a point in time up to which something happens or is true.
4. Provided/Providing (that): Means “on the condition that”.
5. As long as: Means “on the condition that” or “only if”.

Examples of Adverbials of Condition and Tense Usage

When using adverbials of condition, especially with ‘if’ and ‘unless’ for future events, the present simple tense is often used in the conditional clause, even though the meaning is future.

1. If it rains tomorrow, we will stay indoors. (Present simple in condition, future simple in main clause)
2. You won’t pass the exam unless you study hard. (Present simple in condition, future simple in main clause)
3. We will wait here until the bus arrives. (Present simple in condition, future simple in main clause)
4. You can borrow my book provided that you return it next week. (Present simple in condition, present simple/modal in main clause)
5. As long as you finish your homework, you can watch TV. (Present simple in condition, present simple/modal in main clause)

Adverbials of Contrast

Adverbials of contrast introduce clauses that present information contrary to or unexpected given the information in the main clause. They show a difference or opposition between two ideas.

Common adverbials of contrast include:

1. Though/Although/Even though: Used to introduce a statement that makes the main statement seem surprising.
2. While/Whereas: Used to show a direct contrast between two facts or ideas.
3. Yet: Used to introduce a contrasting idea, often after a comma.
4. However: Used to introduce a statement that contrasts with something previously said.
5. In spite of/Despite: Used before a noun or a gerund to show contrast.

Examples of Adverbials of Contrast and Tense Usage

The tenses used with adverbials of contrast generally follow the natural sequence of tenses for the events being described.

1. Although it was raining, we went for a walk. (Past continuous in contrast clause, past simple in main clause)
2. He is very rich, yet he is not happy. (Present simple in both clauses)
3. Even though she studied hard, she didn’t pass the test. (Past simple in both clauses)
4. Some people prefer tea, while others prefer coffee. (Present simple in both clauses)
5. Though he tried his best, he couldn’t win the race. (Past simple in both clauses)

Teaching Methods/Instructional Techniques

Discussion, Explanation, Question and Answer, Guided Practice, Sentence Construction, Group Work

Instructional Procedures

Step 1: Introduction

Time: 5 minutes

Teaching Skill: Activating prior knowledge

Teacher’s Activity: The teacher greets the students and asks them to recall what an adverb is and its function in a sentence. The teacher then introduces the topic: Adverbials of Condition and Contrast.

Pupils’ Activity: Pupils respond to the questions about adverbs and listen attentively to the introduction of the new topic.

Learning Point: Recall of adverbs

Step 2: Explanation of Adverbials of Condition

Time: 10 minutes

Teaching Skill: Explanation/Demonstration

Teacher’s Activity: The teacher explains what adverbials of condition are, providing examples like ‘if’, ‘unless’, ‘until’, ‘provided’. The teacher demonstrates their use in simple sentences and highlights the typical tense usage (e.g., present simple for future conditions).

Pupils’ Activity: Pupils listen, ask questions for clarification, and note down key points and examples.

Learning Point: Understanding conditional adverbials

Step 3: Guided Practice with Adverbials of Condition

Time: 10 minutes

Teaching Skill: Guided Practice

Teacher’s Activity: The teacher provides incomplete sentences or scenarios and guides students to complete them using appropriate adverbials of condition and correct tenses. For example: “______ you study, you will fail.” (Unless).

Pupils’ Activity: Pupils participate by suggesting words and constructing sentences orally, receiving immediate feedback from the teacher.

Learning Point: Using conditional adverbials

Step 4: Explanation of Adverbials of Contrast

Time: 10 minutes

Teaching Skill: Explanation/Demonstration

Teacher’s Activity: The teacher explains what adverbials of contrast are, providing examples like ‘though’, ‘although’, ‘yet’. The teacher demonstrates their use in sentences, showing how they connect opposing ideas and noting appropriate tense usage.

Pupils’ Activity: Pupils listen, observe the examples, and ask questions to deepen their understanding.

Learning Point: Understanding contrast adverbials

Step 5: Guided Practice with Adverbials of Contrast

Time: 8 minutes

Teaching Skill: Guided Practice

Teacher’s Activity: The teacher provides sentences or pairs of contrasting ideas and guides students to combine them using suitable adverbials of contrast. For example: “It was cold. We went out.” (Although it was cold, we went out.)

Pupils’ Activity: Pupils work individually or in pairs to construct sentences, sharing their answers with the class.

Learning Point: Using contrast adverbials

Step 6: Integrated Sentence Construction

Time: 5 minutes

Teaching Skill: Application

Teacher’s Activity: The teacher provides a short passage or a few sentences and asks students to identify both types of adverbials and explain their function. The teacher also asks students to create their own sentences combining both types of adverbials if possible.

Pupils’ Activity: Pupils identify the adverbials and construct their own sentences, demonstrating their understanding.

Learning Point: Identifying and applying adverbials

Step 7: Evaluation/Review

Time: 5 minutes

Teaching Skill: Questioning/Assessment

Teacher’s Activity: The teacher evaluates the learning by asking the following questions:

1. What is an adverbial of condition? Give two examples.
2. Construct a sentence using ‘unless’ correctly.
3. What is an adverbial of contrast? Give two examples.
4. Combine these two sentences using an adverbial of contrast: “He is strong. He cannot lift the box.”

Pupils’ Activity: Pupils answer orally and in writing.

Learning Point: Adverbials identification and use

Step 8: Note-Taking

Time: 10 minutes

Teaching Skill: Guided Writing

Teacher’s Activity: The teacher guides pupils/students to copy the essential Board Summary notes on adverbials of condition and contrast, including examples and tense usage, into their notebooks.

Pupils’ Activity: Pupils/students copy the notes carefully into their notebooks.

Learning Point: Recording lesson content

Step 9: Conclusion

Time: 2 minutes

Teaching Skill: Consolidation

Teacher’s Activity: The teacher briefly recaps the main points of the lesson, emphasizing the importance of using adverbials of condition and contrast to make sentences more precise and expressive. The teacher encourages students to practice using them in their daily communication.

Pupils’ Activity: Pupils listen and reflect on the lesson’s key takeaways.

Learning Point: Reinforcement of adverbials

Continuous Assessment/Further Study

Type: Homework

Instruction: Complete the following tasks in your English notebook:

1. Write five sentences using different adverbials of condition (e.g., if, unless, provided).
2. Write five sentences using different adverbials of contrast (e.g., although, yet, while).
3. Identify the adverbial and the tense used in the adverbial clause in each sentence below:
   1. If you come early, you will meet him.
   2. Although she was tired, she continued working.
   3. You cannot go out until you finish your chores.

Lesson Keywords

• Adverbials – Words or groups of words that function like adverbs.
• Condition – A circumstance or prerequisite.
• Contrast – A difference or opposition between two things.
• If – An adverbial used to introduce a condition.
• Unless – An adverbial meaning “if not”.
• Although – An adverbial used to show contrast.
• Yet – An adverbial used to introduce a contrasting idea.

Differentiation

For students who struggle, provide simpler sentence structures and more direct prompts for filling in adverbials. For advanced learners, challenge them to write short paragraphs incorporating both types of adverbials to express more complex ideas, or to identify subtle differences in meaning between similar adverbials (e.g., ‘though’ vs. ‘even though’).

Suggested Lesson Videos

Search on YouTube for: adverbials of condition and contrast JSS3