The 40 common words spelling game

GRADE 5
Grade 5 English First Additional Language Term 2 Weeks 1 & 2 Unit 6: Stories from Africa Language structure and conventions
Name:

Look at the words below. Use them in a spelling game

became above before how careful better good where have young
Change know about once quite make friend here great discover
what dream there don’t afraid name bring can’t because people
again talk everyone across always time why could enough were

Work with a partner
1. Write out the 40 words above on small individual cards.
2. Spread them out face down.
3. Take a word and say it out loud. Your partner spells it. If your partner spells it
correctly, he or she keeps the card.
4. If your partner is not correct, he or she replaces the card face down.
5. The player who has the most cards when all of them
have been picked up is the winner.
6. When you have finished the game, put the words in
alphabetical order.

Language structures: Countable and

uncountable nouns

A noun is a naming word.

Countable nouns: Nouns you can count. You can use a/an in front of countable
nouns. They have a plural form, e.g. I like to eat sausages.
Uncountable nouns: Nouns you cannot count. You normally cannot use a/an in
front of them, and you mostly do not use the. Uncountable nouns do not have a
plural form, e.g. I like to eat meat.

Make two columns in your book: Countable nouns and Uncountable nouns, and
write the following nouns in the correct column. Make a sentence with each word.

book money chair sugar coffee door

sand rain salt house

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 GRADE 5
Language structures: Adjectives

Grade 5 English First Additional Language Term 2 Weeks 1 & 2 Unit 6: Stories from Africa Language structure and conventions
An adjective is a describing word and it describes a noun or a
pronoun. In a sentence you first find the noun or pronoun and
then identify the adjective that describes it.
For example: The horse has a long tail. (The noun is tail). The adjective ‘long’
describes the noun.

Read the following sentences. Write out the sentences and underline the adjectives.
1. The huge pumpkin blocked the path.
2. The little worm nibbled at the large pumpkin.
3. The pumpkin landed in a small field at the bottom of the hill.
4. The shepherds took a big stone and tried to break open the
pumpkin.
5. The pumpkin scattered tiny seeds all over the village.

Language structures: Comparison of adjectives

Some adjectives can be compared by adding on -er or -est.

a) When we compare two or more nouns or pronouns, we use the comparative
form. We add -er to an adjective to make the comparative form. For example: Her
dog was smaller than his dog.
b) When we compare more than two things or people, we use the superlative
form. We add -est to an adjective to make the superlative form. For example: Her
dog was the smallest of the three dogs.

Make a table as shown. Copy each adjective below and write its comparative and
superlative form. After that, make a sentence with each adjective.

quick smart strong heavy large old

tiny lazy pretty big

Adjective Comparative (-er) Superlative (-est)

small smaller smallest

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 Memorandum

GRADE 5
Language structures: The 40 common words spelling game

Grade 5 English First Additional Language Term 2 Weeks 1 & 2 Unit 6: Stories from Africa Language structure and conventions
Let the learners read through the 40 common words with a partner. When they are
finished, they write out the 40 words on small individual cards. They spread them out
face down. When the game starts, they take it in turns to play. They take a word and
say it out loud. Their partner spells it aloud. If the partner spells it correctly, he or she
he keeps the card.
If the partner is not correct, he or she replaces the card face down. The player who has
the most cards when all of them have been picked up is the winner.

When the learners have finished the game, they put the words in alphabetical order.

Suggested answers:

about, above, across, afraid, again, always, became, because, before, better, bring,
can’t, careful, change, could, discover, don’t, dream, enough, everyone, friend,
good, great, have, here, how, know, make, name, once, people, quite, talk, there,
time, were, what, where, why, young

Language structures: Countable and uncountable nouns

Make two columns in your book: Countable nouns and Uncountable nouns, and
write the following nouns in the correct column. Make a sentence with each word.

Countable nouns Uncountable nouns

book, chair, door money, sugar, coffee, sand, rain, salt

Language structures: Adjectives
Write out the sentences and underline the adjectives.

1. The huge pumpkin blocked the path.

2. The little worm nibbled at the large pumpkin.
3. The pumpkin landed in a small field at the bottom of the hill.
4. The shepherds took a big stone and tried to break open the pumpkin.
5. The pumpkin scattered tiny seeds all over the village.

Language structures: Comparison of adjectives

Make a table as shown. Copy each adjective below and write its comparative and
superlative form. After that, make a sentence with each adjective.

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 GRADE 5
quick smart strong heavy large old

Grade 5 English First Additional Language Term 2 Weeks 1 & 2 Unit 6: Stories from Africa Language structure and conventions
tiny lazy pretty big

Adjective Comparative (-er) Superlative (-est)

quick quicker quickest
smart smarter smartest
strong stronger strongest
heavy heavier heaviest
large larger largest
old older oldest
tiny tinier tiniest
lazy lazier laziest
pretty prettier prettiest
big bigger biggest

Sentences are the learner’s own choice.

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