MEED Primary School

Grade 4 English First Additional Language Baseline Assessment

Comprehension, LSC, Writing and Reading Aloud
Mark Allocation: 40 marks
Time: 1 hour 30 minutes

Instructions and information:

1. This question paper consists of FOUR sections:

SECTION A: Comprehension (10 marks)

SECTION B: Language Structures and Conventions (10 marks)
SECTION C: Writing (10 marks)
SECTION D: Reading Aloud (10 marks)
2. Read all the instructions carefully.
3. Answer all the questions.
4. Write neatly and legibly.

Comprehension __________/10
LSC __________/10
Writing __________/10
Reading __________/10

Page 1 of 8
SECTION A: COMPREHENSION (10 MARKS)
QUESTION 1: READING FOR MEANING AND UNDERSTANDING
TEXT A

Read the story and then answ er the questions that follow.

On 18 July 1918, a little Xhosa boy was born in a peaceful village called Mvezo. His
name was Rolihlahla Mandela. He grew up in Qunu and lived with his mother
Nosekeni, father Gadla and sisters Baliwe, Nothusile and others. Rolihlahla looked
after cattle and played with the boys in the village.

At the age of 7, he started attending a Methodist Mission school. His teacher named
him Nelson. After he had finished Grade 7, he went to a boarding school where he
passed Grade 12. He qualified as a lawyer a few years later.

Mandela joined the ANC and was arrested for fighting for freedom and equality for
all South Africans. He was sent to prison on Robben Island. After, 27 years he was
released.

In 1994, he became the first democratically elected President of South Africa. Nelson
Mandela loved people and was very fond of children. He was known as Tata, which
means, ‘Father’. Tata died a hero on the 5th of December 2013 at the age of 95.
[Adapted from Long Walk to Fr eedom]

Answer the following questions.

1.1 Give the story a title. (1)
__________________________________________________________________

1.2 Circle or underline the letter next to the correct answer.

1.2.1 Who is the main character in the story? (1)
A Nosekeni Mandela
B Nelson Mandela
C Gadla Mandela
D Baliwe Mandela

Page 2 of 8
1.2.2 Which country’s president was Nelson Mandela? (1)
A South America
B South Africa
C South Arabia
D South Asia

1.3 Show the correct order of the events in the story. Number the sentences
from 1-4 in the boxes to show the correct order. (1)

He became President in 1994.

On 18 July 1918, a little boy was born.

Tata died a hero.

His teacher named him Nelson.

1.4 Why was Nelson Mandela sent to prison? (1)

He was sent to prison because

___________________________________________
________________________________________________________________________
________________________________________________________________________
________________________________________________________________________
________________________________________________________________________

1.5 Why do you think people called Nelson Mandela ‘Tata’? (1)

________________________________________________________________________
________________________________________________________________________
________________________________________________________________________
________________________________________________________________________
1.6 Say whether the following statement is true or false. (1)

Nelson Mandela was in prison for a very long time. ___________________

Page 3 of 8
TEXT B

1.7 Circle the letter next to the correct answer. (1)

1.7.1 Which stationery items is this store advertising?
A pencils and apples
B numbers and letters
C schoolbooks and smiling faces
D pens, rulers, erasers and schoolbooks
1.8 Complete the following sentence. (1)

The smiling faces tell us that going back to school makes a learner feel
________________________________________.

1.9 If you could be any of the products in the advertisement, which would
you like to be? (1)
______________________________________________________________________

Page 4 of 8
SECTION B: LANGUAGE STRUCTURES AND CONVENTIONS (10 MARKS)

5. An adjective describes a noun. Circle one adjective in the following

sentence. (1)

A little boy was born in a peaceful village.

6. A noun is a naming word. Circle one noun in the following sentence. (1)

He looked after cattle and played with the boys.

7. A conjunction is a joining word. Circle one conjunction in each of the

following sentences. (2)

9.1 Mandela loved people and was fond of children.

9.2 His name was Rolihlahla, but his teacher called him Nelson.

8. Rewrite the sentences in the tense as indicated. (2)

10.1 past tense (1)

His sisters live in Qunu.

___________________________________________________________________________
___________________________________________________________________________
___________________________________________________________________________
10.2 future tense (1)
He fights for freedom.
___________________________________________________________________________
___________________________________________________________________________
___________________________________________________________________________
9. Rewrite the sentence using the correct punctuation. (1)
tata died a hero

___________________________________________________________________________
___________________________________________________________________________

10. Fill in the correct verb in the space provided. (1)

The boys play with many sticks but the boy ___________________ with one stick.

Page 5 of 8
SECTION C: WRITING AND PRESENTING (10 MARKS)

Write two paragraphs of at least 10 sentences in total about someone who is

your hero or heroine. Make sure that you use the correct punctuation,

grammar and spelling. Do not number or repeat sentences.

My Hero/Heroine

__________________________________________________________________________________________

__________________________________________________________________________________________

__________________________________________________________________________________________

__________________________________________________________________________________________

__________________________________________________________________________________________

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__________________________________________________________________________________________

__________________________________________________________________________________________

__________________________________________________________________________________________

__________________________________________________________________________________________

__________________________________________________________________________________________

__________________________________________________________________________________________

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__________________________________________________________________________________________

__________________________________________________________________________________________

__________________________________________________________________________________________

__________________________________________________________________________________________

__________________________________________________________________________________________

Page 6 of 8
 Grade 4 English First Additional Language 2020
Baseline Assessment

Your writing will be assessed according to the following rubric:

Criteria 5 4 3 2 1,0
Content Content is Content is Some effort is Effort is made Content does
very creative creative and made to to write a not match
and matches matches the write paragraph. the topic.
the topic topic. creatively. Content is Learners
well. Content is not related to copied
topic related. the topic. instructions.
Paragraph Excellent Good Acceptable Only one to One
structure paragraph paragraph paragraph three sentence
structure with structure with structure with sentences only.
10 sentences between between four written. Sentences
written. seven and and six numbered.
eight sentences. Not a
sentences paragraph.
Spelling Almost no Only some Many spelling Many spelling Too many
spelling spelling errors. errors. spelling
errors. errors. Reading not Difficult to errors.
affected. read. Difficult to
read.
Language Almost no Only some Many Many Too many
structures language language language language spelling
errors. errors. errors. errors. errors.
Reading not Difficult to Difficult to
affected. read. read.
Total: 20/2 =
10
Grade 4 English First Additional Language 2020
Baseline Assessment

SECTION D: READING ALOUD (10 MARKS)