English 8

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English – Grade 8
Quarter 4 – Module 2: Using Appropriate Grammatical Signals or Expressions
Suitable to Problem- Solution Pattern of Idea Development
First Edition, 2020

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Published by the Department of Education - Schools Division of Pasig City

Development Team of the Self-Learning Module

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Layout Artist:
Management Team: Ma. Evalou Concepcion A. Agustin
OIC-Schools Division Superintendent
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Pasig City

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 English 8
Quarter 4
Self-Learning Module 2
Using Appropriate Grammatical Signals or
Expressions Suitable to Problem- Solution Pattern
of Idea Development

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Introductory Message

For the Facilitator:

Welcome to the Grade 8 Self-Learning Module on Using Appropriate

Grammatical Signals or Expressions Suitable to Problem- Solution Pattern of
Idea Development

This Self-Learning Module was collaboratively designed, developed and

reviewed by educators from the Schools Division Office of Pasig City headed by its
Officer-in-Charge Schools Division Superintendent, Ma. Evalou Concepcion A.
Agustin, in partnership with the City Government of Pasig through its mayor,
Honorable Victor Ma. Regis N. Sotto. The writers utilized the standards set by the K
to 12 Curriculum using the Most Essential Learning Competencies (MELC) in
developing this instructional resource.

This learning material hopes to engage the learners in guided and

independent learning activities at their own pace and time. Further, this also aims
to help learners acquire the needed 21st century skills especially the 5 Cs, namely:
Communication, Collaboration, Creativity, Critical Thinking, and Character while
taking into consideration their needs and circumstances.

In addition to the material in the main text, you will also see this box in the
body of the module:

Notes to the Teacher

This contains helpful tips or strategies
that will help you in guiding the learners.

As a facilitator you are expected to orient the learners on how to use this
module. You also need to keep track of the learners' progress while allowing them
to manage their own learning. Moreover, you are expected to encourage and assist
the learners as they do the tasks included in the module.

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 For the Learner:

Welcome to the Grade 8 Self-Learning Module on Using Appropriate

Grammatical Signals or Expressions Suitable to Problem- Solution Pattern of
Idea Development
This module was designed to provide you with fun and meaningful
opportunities for guided and independent learning at your own pace and time. You
will be enabled to process the contents of the learning material while being an
active learner.

This module has the following parts and corresponding icons:

Expectations - This points to the set of knowledge and skills

that you will learn after completing the module.

Pretest - This measures your prior knowledge about the lesson

at hand.

Recap - This part of the module provides a review of concepts

and skills that you already know about a previous lesson.

Lesson - This section discusses the topic in the module.

Activities - This is a set of activities that you need to perform.

Wrap-Up - This section summarizes the concepts and

application of the lesson.

Valuing - This part integrates a desirable moral value in the

lesson.

Posttest - This measures how much you have learned from the
entire module.

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 EXPECTATIONS
This is your self-instructional module in English 8. All the activities
provided in this lesson will help you learn and understand: Using
Appropriate Grammatical Signals or Expressions Suitable to Problem-
Solution Pattern of Idea Development
After going through this lesson, you are expected to:
1. Define what grammatical signals or expressions are
2. Provide examples of grammatical signals or expressions suitable to
problem-solution pattern of idea development
3. Use grammatical signals or phrases suitable to problem-solution
pattern of idea development

PRETEST

Choose the letter of the word that correctly identifies the appropriate
signal word or expression.

1. There has been a great deal of misinformation in social media. ______,

the public must learn to distinguish the truth from lies.
A. Because B. In order to C. Therefore, D. So that
2. We settled on riding a bicycle _________ the quarantine that prohibited
the operation of some public transportation.
A. as a result of B. thus C. in order to D. so that
3. There are some ways to make a boring task become more pleasant.
________to listen to music on the earphones while you work.
A. The main difficulty C. Problem is
B. One challenge is D. One solution is
4. Other countries have implemented the two-child policy ________stop
the fast growing population.
A. so that B. if…then C. since D. in order to
5. ________the Philippine economy has greatly suffered from the
pandemic; the government is doing its best to boost the employment
in the country.
A. In order to B. So that C. Because D. Thus

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 RECAP
Previously, you learned the pattern of idea development called the
general-to-specific order. This is a method of developing a paragraph, essay,
or speech by moving from a broad observation about a topic to
specific details in support of that topic. This is also known as
the deductive method of organization.
Additionally, you have been taught that the first sentence in this
method or approach presents the general statement about the topic. The
succeeding statements consist of details and examples, introduced by the
transitions first, second, and third. Finally, the pattern ends with a broad or
general statement that summarizes what the writer wishes to conclude
about the meaning of the details.

LESSON
The next pattern of idea development that you will be taught is
Problem-Solution pattern.

Problem-Solution pattern of idea development clearly states a problem

and proposes a solution to the problem. It explains why a problem is worth
considering; at the same time, it presents one or more solutions and shows
how each one would work. To do this, the use of grammatical signals or
expressions is highly needed.

Today, let us talk about USING GRAMMATICAL SIGNALS OR

EXPRESSIONS SUITABLE TO PROBLEM-SOLUTION PATTERN OF IDEA
DEVELOPMENT.

Lets’ say you have a problem as well as the possible solutions, but
how can you be sure that the readers will understand the relationships
between them? How are the ideas tied to one another?

One way to emphasize these relationships is through the use of

grammatical signals. Through these expressions, you can signal the
readers on what the problem is and highlight the possible answer to it.

The grammatical expressions or signals below are examples to be used

for problem-solution pattern of idea development.

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 Signal Words or Expressions for
Problem-Solution Pattern of Idea Development
A reason for the problem Because
The problem is/ Problem is Since
The question is… This led to…so that
One challenge…. One possible solution is….
Dilemma is…. Therefore,
Puzzle is…. If….then
The main difficulty…. Thus
Cause One answer is
As a result / As a result of In order to
One problem

Let us use some of these signals in the given paragraphs that follow.

Sample Paragraph 1
One challenge in the use of internet over the last decade is the easy
access of children to different online sites including the dangerous ones.
There is no doubt that this affects their thoughts and development, which is
a negative impact for the children and society. Thus, the government must
ensure adequate legislation and control that will prevent young people from
accessing malicious sites. Parents should also closely monitor the online
activities of their children.

In this example, the expression one challenge is used to introduce the

problem and thus to propose a possible solution to the challenge.
Sample Paragraph 2
Most of us consider junk food as our comfort food. The problem is,
junk food can make us overweight, which can lead to serious illnesses in the
future such as diabetes and heart disease. A reason for the problem is
because junk foods have a high content of fat and sugar. In order to
address this problem, we need to change our diet and include physical
exercise in our daily routine. Additionally, if the government could build
more cycle lanes in the cities, then, the citizens will be encouraged to walk
or ride bicycles instead of taking a car.

In this example, the problem is stated through the use of the

expression the problem is, explained the cause of the problem with the use
of a reason for the problem and provided possible solutions with the help of
signals in order to and if…then.

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Guided Practice

Complete the following paragraphs by filling in the blanks with the

correct signal or expression.
1. Having a cold is a problem because it hardly makes us fall asleep.
________________ to try some tea with honey in it. The honey will
soothe our throat. There may be no cure for the cold, but you can
treat its symptoms.

Very good! The answer is ‘One possible solution is’ because you
provided a possible answer to the problem.
2. A sprain is a tear in the muscle. Sprains happen when a muscle is
twisted or overstretched. If you sprain a muscle, you should ice it
immediately _______ putting an ice to the sprain will reduce
swelling and pain.

Excellent! The best answer is because. The signal because explained

how the possible solution would work.
3. Nobody wants to be stung by a bee. Bee stings are itchy and
painful. ____________, what if a bee stings you anyway? One thing
that you can do is to put vinegar on it. The acid in the vinegar may
reduce the pain and swelling from the sting.

Good job! The expression ‘The question is’ fits the sentence because
the problem was introduced in the form of a question.

ACTIVITIES

Activity 1
Write T if the statement is True and F if the statement is False. Write
your answer on the space provided before each number.
_____1. Problem-Solution pattern of idea development clearly states a
problem and doesn’t propose a solution to the problem.

_____2. One of your primary goals as a writer is to present your ideas in a

clear and understandable way.

_____3. One way to emphasize the relationships between ideas is through

the use of grammatical signals.

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_____4. It is not necessary to give details and provide support in conveying
your thoughts.

_____5. It is also a must to help your readers move through your complex
ideas by letting them know what’s coming next or remind them
about what has already been covered.
Activity 2
Identify the appropriate signal word or expression to complete the
statements. Choose the correct answer from the given choices.

Therefore Thus
If…..then… In order to
Because A reason for the problem is
One possible solution is Since

1. One problem with the use of internet is online hacking. _______ the
companies improve their security systems, ________the problem
about online hacking will be avoided.
2. He failed in the test; _________, he studied well to pass the next
exam.
3. _________the bad weather ruined our weekend getaway, we decided
to have an indoor camping.
4. One challenge of distance learning was the unavailability of self-
learning modules. ________, the City Government helped the
Education sector in making and reproducing the modules.
5. _______ nobody wanted to help him, he did everything he could to
support himself.

Activity 3
Choose the best possible solution to each problem given below.

1. Problem: Increasing Number of Teenage Pregnancy in the Philippines

A. Creating campaigns on the use of contraceptives.
B. Creating programs that will teach teenagers the value of self-
respect and the difficulties of getting pregnant at an early age.
C. Educating the parents about child prostitution.
D. Reminding teens to protect themselves from sexually
transmitted diseases.

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 2. Problem: Malnourished Kids in the Philippines
A. Avoid getting treatments for any medical conditions causing
malnutrition.
B. Prohibiting the kids from taking vitamin and mineral
supplements.
C. Providing seminars about causes of malnutrition.
D. Providing support for families to help them manage factors affecting
the child’s nutritional intake.

3. Problem: Fake news is Everywhere

A. Take away the credentials of the news providers.
B. Restrict who has the right to publish.
C. Do not believe in news.
D. Inform the public that fake news is everywhere.

4. Problem: Cyber Bullying among Teenagers

A. Do not criminalize cyber bullying.
B. Refrain teens from using social media.
C. Teenagers who enjoy bullying should be sent to juvenile
detention centers for punishment.
D. Parents should get involved.

5. Problem: Drug Abuse

A. A light sentence for all drug traffickers.
B. Provide immediate access to various treatment facilities.
C. Drugs that are needed for medical purposes should be carefully
regulated.
D. Provide accurate information about drug abuse.

WRAP-UP
Compose a 5-8 sentence essay about the problem provided. Make sure
to use signal words or expression in the organization of the proposed
solutions.

Problem: Too Many Teens Are Addicted to Online Games

Proposed Solutions:
Solution 1: Parents should limit their children’s playing time.
Solution 2: Motivate these teens to learn a new skill.
Solution 3: Encourage these young people to play outdoor sports or socialize
in the real world.

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________________________________________________________________________________
________________________________________________________________________________
________________________________________________________________________________
________________________________________________________________________________
__________________________________________________________________________
__________________________________________________________________________
__________________________________________________________________________
__________________________________________________________________________

Possible answer:
Nowadays, online game addiction has become a serious problem
especially among teenagers. This kind of addiction affects someone’s
behavior. For example, it can make someone become quite aggressive. In
addition, the person addicted to online games may focus only in playing.
Thus, learning more relevant things could be difficult because of poor
concentration.
One answer to address this problem is, parents must limit their
children’s gaming activity by closely monitoring the amount of time the
children are playing. Another solution is to allow their children to spend
more time with friends and encourage them to become more active in doing
physical activities.
In conclusion, online gaming is a good way to relieve our stress after a
busy day. However, we should be careful not to cross the border because
between addiction and leisure is a thin line.

VALUING

Since problems or challenges are part of our lives, do answer the given
below.
A. Identify an EXISTING PROBLEM in your family.
B. Provide three (3) solutions to address the problem.

Problem: ________________________________________________________________
Solution 1: ________________________________________________________________
Solution 2: ________________________________________________________________
Solution 3: ________________________________________________________________

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 POSTTEST

Choose the most appropriate signal word or expression to

complete each sentence in the paragraph.

Being a student may be considered as one of the most demanding

times in one’s life. _______1. (A. One challenge B. Dilemma is C. One
solution is D. Therefore) that is considered inevitable when you are a
student is dealing with stress. ___________2. (A. Because B. A solution
is C. Thus D. So that), some students could not handle stress
properly, they have showed poor academic performance.

There are various factors that cause stress such as family

background, poor learning environment and lack of proper time
management. Fortunately, there are also recommendations to fight stress.
Some people strongly believe that __________3. (A. hence B. thus
C. if D. Therefore) you give yourself enough time to sleep, you also allow
your brain to relax. ________
4. (A. In order to B. This led to C. As a result D. The dilemma is),
your ability to handle challenging issues in an effective manner is boosted.
________, 5. (A. So that B. Since C. If D. Therefore), make it a
habit to sleep for at least eight hours at night to relieve stress.

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 KEY TO CORRECTION
2. E
D 1. 11. . Plain Folks
C 5. 5. T 5. Since
D 4. 4. F 4. Thus
D 3. 3. T 3. Because
A 2. 2. T 2. Therefore
C 1. 1. F 1. If…then
Pretest Activity 1 Activity 2

B
5. 5. D
C
4. 4. C
B
3. 3. C
D
2. 2. A
B
1. 1. A
Activity 3 Posttest

References
Navarro, Michaela. Eloquence 8. Manila: St. Augustine Publications Inc.
2015
(accessed August 15, 2020).
Top 50 Problem Solution Essay Topics (Completed in 2015)
https://www.aceyourpaper.com/essay-writing/problem-solution-
essay-topics/ (accessed August 16, 2020).
IELTS Problem Solution Essays
https://www. ieltsbuddy.com/problem-solution-essays.html
(accessed August 16, 2020).
Smith, Sheldon. Problem-solution essays
https://www.eapfoundation.com/writing/essays/problemsolution/
(accessed August 16, 2020)
Problem and Solution Ereading Worksheets
https://www.ereadingworksheets.com/text-structure/patterns-of-
organization/problem-and-solution/ (accessed August 16, 2020)

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