Grammar/Structure: Functions of Adverbs, Conjunctions and Prepositions for JSS 3

Class: JSS 3
Term: First Term
Week: 6
Age: 14 years
Duration: 60 minutes
Subject: English Language Studies
Curriculum Theme: Grammar/Structure
Previous Lesson: Listening and Speaking: Listening
Topic: Grammatical Accuracy
Subject Matter: Features of adverbs, conjunctions and prepositions; Functions of adverbs, conjunctions and prepositions

Specific Objectives

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

Cognitive Domain

• Describe adverbs, conjunctions, and prepositions.
• Identify features of adverbs, conjunctions, and prepositions.
• State and explain the functions of adverbs, conjunctions, and prepositions.

Psychomotor Domain

• Use adverbs, conjunctions, and prepositions correctly in sentences.
• Identify the stated adverbials in given sentences.

Affective Domain

• Appreciate the importance of grammatical accuracy in communication.
• Show willingness to practice correct sentence construction.

Social Domain

• Collaborate with peers in identifying and using parts of speech.

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 chalkboard
• Markers or chalk
• Prepared sentences and short passages on flashcards or charts
• Students’ English Language textbooks and notebooks

Rationale for the Lesson

This lesson is important because a strong understanding of adverbs, conjunctions, and prepositions is fundamental for constructing grammatically correct and coherent sentences. Mastering these parts of speech enhances students’ ability to express themselves clearly and effectively in both spoken and written English, which is crucial for academic success and everyday communication.

Prerequisite/Previous Knowledge

Students should have a basic understanding of other parts of speech such as nouns, pronouns, verbs, and adjectives, and be able to identify simple sentence structures.

Lesson Content/Board Summary

Grammatical Accuracy

Adverbs

Adverbs are words that modify verbs, adjectives, or other adverbs. They provide more information about how, when, where, or to what extent an action is performed or a quality exists.

Features of Adverbs

1. Many adverbs are formed by adding “-ly” to an adjective (e.g., quick – quickly, careful – carefully).
2. They can modify verbs, adjectives, or other adverbs.
3. They can appear in different positions within a sentence (beginning, middle, end).
4. Some adverbs do not end in “-ly” (e.g., fast, well, very, always, never).

Functions of Adverbs

1. Modifying a Verb: They tell how, when, where, or how often an action happens.

   Example: She sings beautifully. (How she sings)

   Example: He arrived late. (When he arrived)

   Example: They played outside. (Where they played)

2. Modifying an Adjective: They intensify or qualify the meaning of an adjective.

   Example: The food was very delicious. (How delicious)

   Example: She is quite happy. (To what extent happy)

3. Modifying Another Adverb: They intensify or qualify the meaning of another adverb.

   Example: He runs extremely fast. (How fast)

   Example: She spoke too quickly. (How quickly)

Correct Use of Adverbs

Adverbs should be placed correctly in a sentence to avoid ambiguity. Adverbs of manner usually come after the verb or object. Adverbs of time and place can come at the beginning or end of a sentence.

1. The boy ran quickly.
2. She always studies hard.
3. We will meet tomorrow.

Conjunctions

Conjunctions are words used to connect words, phrases, clauses, or sentences. They help to show the relationship between the connected elements.

Features of Conjunctions

1. They join grammatical units of similar or different types.
2. They can be single words (e.g., and, but, or) or phrases (e.g., as well as, in order that).
3. They are essential for creating complex and compound sentences.

Functions of Conjunctions

1. Coordinating Conjunctions (FANBOYS – For, And, Nor, But, Or, Yet, So): These join words, phrases, or independent clauses of equal grammatical rank.

   Example: I like tea and coffee. (Joining words)

   Example: She is smart, but she is lazy. (Joining independent clauses)

2. Subordinating Conjunctions (e.g., because, although, while, if, when, since): These connect a dependent clause to an independent clause, showing a relationship of cause, time, condition, etc.

   Example: We stayed home because it was raining. (Cause)

   Example: Although it was cold, she went out. (Contrast)

3. Correlative Conjunctions (e.g., both…and, either…or, neither…nor, not only…but also): These are pairs of conjunctions that work together to connect grammatically equal elements.

   Example: Both John and Mary are coming. (Joining words)

   Example: She is not only intelligent but also kind. (Joining adjectives)

Correct Use of Conjunctions

Conjunctions must be chosen carefully to reflect the intended relationship between the connected ideas.

1. He is poor, yet he is happy. (Contrast)
2. You can have either an apple or a banana. (Choice)
3. She studied hard so that she could pass the exam. (Purpose)

Prepositions

Prepositions are words that show the relationship between a noun or pronoun and other words in a sentence. They typically indicate location, direction, time, or manner.

Features of Prepositions

1. They are usually short words (e.g., in, on, at, to, from).
2. They are always followed by a noun or pronoun (called the object of the preposition).
3. They form prepositional phrases (preposition + object).

Functions of Prepositions

1. Indicating Location/Position:

   Example: The book is on the table.

   Example: She lives in Lagos.

2. Indicating Direction:

   Example: He walked to the school.

   Example: The bird flew over the house.

3. Indicating Time:

   Example: We meet at 3 o’clock.

   Example: She works from morning till evening.

4. Indicating Manner/Means:

   Example: He writes with a pen.

   Example: They travelled by bus.

Correct Use of Prepositions

The choice of preposition depends on the context and the specific relationship being expressed. Some common errors include using the wrong preposition or omitting a necessary one.

1. I am interested in music. (Not “on” music)
2. She is good at mathematics. (Not “in” mathematics)
3. He waited for his friend. (Not “on” his friend)

Teaching Methods/Instructional Techniques

Discussion, Explanation, Question and Answer, Guided Practice, Individual Practice, Group Work

Instructional Procedures

Step 1: Introduction

Time: 5 minutes

Teaching Skill: Recalling/Engaging

Teacher’s Activity: The teacher greets the students and reviews previous knowledge on parts of speech by asking them to name some parts of speech they know and give examples.

Pupils’ Activity: Pupils respond by naming parts of speech like nouns, verbs, adjectives, and giving examples.

Learning Point: Review of parts of speech

Step 2: Explanation of Adverbs

Time: 10 minutes

Teaching Skill: Explaining/Demonstrating

Teacher’s Activity: The teacher explains what adverbs are, their features, and their functions (modifying verbs, adjectives, and other adverbs), providing clear examples on the board. The teacher demonstrates how adverbs are used correctly in sentences.

Pupils’ Activity: Pupils listen attentively, ask questions for clarification, and copy examples.

Learning Point: Adverb features and functions

Step 3: Guided Practice – Adverbs

Time: 5 minutes

Teaching Skill: Guiding/Facilitating

Teacher’s Activity: The teacher writes incomplete sentences on the board and asks students to supply appropriate adverbs or identify adverbs in given sentences. The teacher provides feedback and corrections.

Pupils’ Activity: Pupils identify and use adverbs in guided sentences.

Learning Point: Correct adverb usage

Step 4: Explanation of Conjunctions

Time: 10 minutes

Teaching Skill: Explaining/Illustrating

Teacher’s Activity: The teacher explains what conjunctions are, their features, and their functions (coordinating, subordinating, correlative), giving examples for each type. The teacher demonstrates how conjunctions connect different parts of sentences.

Pupils’ Activity: Pupils listen, take notes, and observe the examples.

Learning Point: Conjunction features and functions

Step 5: Guided Practice – Conjunctions

Time: 5 minutes

Teaching Skill: Guiding/Correcting

Teacher’s Activity: The teacher provides sentences with blanks for conjunctions or asks students to combine simple sentences using appropriate conjunctions. The teacher guides them in making correct choices.

Pupils’ Activity: Pupils practice using conjunctions to join sentences or fill blanks.

Learning Point: Correct conjunction usage

Step 6: Explanation of Prepositions

Time: 10 minutes

Teaching Skill: Explaining/Clarifying

Teacher’s Activity: The teacher explains what prepositions are, their features, and their functions (showing location, direction, time, manner), providing various examples. The teacher emphasizes common prepositional phrases.

Pupils’ Activity: Pupils pay attention, ask questions, and note down key examples.

Learning Point: Preposition features and functions

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 adverb? Give two examples.
2. How do conjunctions help in sentence construction?
3. Identify the preposition in the sentence: “The cat jumped over the fence.”
4. Form a sentence using an adverb to modify an adjective.

Pupils’ Activity: Pupils answer orally and in writing.

Learning Point: Understanding adverbs, conjunctions, prepositions

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 adverbs, conjunctions, and prepositions into their notebooks.

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

Learning Point: Recording lesson content

Step 9: Conclusion

Time: 5 minutes

Teaching Skill: Summarising/Reinforcing

Teacher’s Activity: The teacher briefly recaps the main points of the lesson, emphasizing the importance of using adverbs, conjunctions, and prepositions correctly for clear communication. The teacher encourages students to practice identifying and using them in their daily language.

Pupils’ Activity: Pupils listen and ask any final questions.

Learning Point: Consolidation of grammatical accuracy

Continuous Assessment/Further Study

Type: Homework

Instruction: Complete the following tasks in your English notebook.

1. Identify all adverbs, conjunctions, and prepositions in the following paragraph: “Although it was raining heavily, John quickly ran to the market because he needed to buy food for his family. He walked carefully through the puddles and arrived at the shop just before it closed.”
2. Write three sentences, each demonstrating a different function of an adverb.
3. Write three sentences, each using a different type of conjunction (coordinating, subordinating, correlative).
4. Write three sentences using different prepositions to show location, time, and direction.

Lesson Keywords

• Adverb – A word that modifies a verb, adjective, or another adverb.
• Conjunction – A word that connects words, phrases, clauses, or sentences.
• Preposition – A word that shows the relationship between a noun/pronoun and other words.
• Grammatical Accuracy – The correct use of grammar rules in language.
• Modify – To describe or limit the meaning of a word.

Differentiation

For struggling learners: Provide simpler sentences and a list of common adverbs, conjunctions, and prepositions to choose from during guided practice. Offer one-on-one support and more direct examples. Focus on identifying the parts of speech before moving to their functions.

For advanced learners: Challenge them to create complex sentences using multiple adverbs, conjunctions, and prepositions. Ask them to analyze short passages for the effective use of these parts of speech and to explain the impact of their usage on meaning.

Suggested Lesson Videos

Search on YouTube for: “JSS 3 adverbs conjunctions prepositions functions examples”