TOPIC I

PARTS OF SPEECH

1. NOUNS
A noun is a name of anything or it is a naming word. It names a person, an animal, a place, an object or an idea. For
example:
i. Mercy came
ii. The boy was ill.
iii. He comes from Lilongwe.
iv. Did you see the lion?
v. Give me that book.
vi. People should always tell the truth.
vii. Saturday and Sunday are holidays.

Types of Nouns
Common noun
Common noun is a name given to a common thing. For example, door, desk, ruler, window, chair, river, lake, tree,
school, boy, girl, stone, grass etc.

Proper noun
Proper noun is the special name given to a particular person or thing. Proper noun must always begin with a capital
letter. Here are some examples of proper nouns:
Names of people such as John, Mary, Nkhoma, Banda etc.
Names of places such as Zomba, Blantyre, Mzimba, Lilongwe, Machinga etc.
Names of sources of water such as Shire River, Lake Malawi, Songwe River, Lake Victoria etc.
Names of roads such as Chilambula Road, Kamuzu Highway, Paul Kigame Road etc.
Names of buildings such as Kang’ombe House
Names of the week such as Saturday, Sunday, Monday, Tuesday etc.
Names of Months such as January, February, September, December etc.
Names of special days such as Kamuzu Day, Mother’s Day, Independence Day, Christmas Day etc.

Collective noun.
Collective noun is a word which names a group of people or things of the same kind. For example:
i. Our team won the match.
ii. The class is having an English lesson.
iii. The army has come.
iv. The crowd is standing around the gate.
v. A swarm of bees stung me.
vi. The government is looking into the matter.
vii. The committee has reached a decision.
viii. The jury is considering the verdict.
ix. There are five people in the family.
x. The audience listened to the singer.
xi. The Pastor talked to the congregation before the sermon.
xii. I heard this choir sing last year.
xiii. The aeroplane changed its crew at Chileka International Airport.
xiv. A gang of thieves was arrested.
xv. The parliament is meeting tomorrow.
xvi. The cabinet has agreed on its decision.

Concrete Noun
A concrete noun is a name of a thing that you see and touch because it has physical characteristics. Most concrete
nouns are countable: they can either be singular or plural. For example:
i. The teacher is writing on the chalkboard.
ii. The boy is dancing.
iii. I am afraid of a lion.
Abstract noun
An abstract noun names an ideas or a state, something that we can think about or feel but that has no physical qualities.
Most abstract nouns are uncountable e.g.
i. Poverty is rampant in the rural areas.
ii. A lot of people are afraid of death.
iii. People must always tell the truth.
iv. The man has great wisdom.
v. The knowledge of our victory caused great excitement.
vi. He was respected for his politeness.
vii. Health is better than wealth.
viii. We must conquer poverty and ignorance.
ix. He was treated with kindness.
x. The soldiers fought with courage.
2. PRONOUNS
They are words that are used instead of nouns. For example, instead of repeating the noun “John” several times in a
paragraph, the writer uses the pronoun “he” to mean “John”.

Types of Pronouns
Personal pronouns
They are pronouns which refer to people.
a. First personal pronoun
(i) subject singular: I live in Lilongwe.
subject plural: We live in Lilongwe.
(ii) object singular: Mavuto saw me at the depot.
object plural: Mavuto saw us at the depot.
b. Second personal pronoun
(i) subject singular: You live in Lilongwe.
subject plural: You live in Lilongwe.
(ii) object singular: Mavuto saw you at the depot.
object plural: Mavuto saw you at the depot.
c. Third personal pronoun
(i) subject singular: She lives in Lilongwe. He lives in Lilongwe. It is John who lives in Lilongwe.
subject plural: They live in Lilongwe.
(ii) object singular: Mavuto saw her at the depot. Mavuto saw him at the depot. Mavuto saw it at the
depot. (“it” in this does not refer to a human being.)
object plural: Mavuto saw them at the depot.

Possessive pronouns
They are pronouns which show ownership or possession. For example,
i. The book is mine.
ii. We have sold ours.
iii. Where is yours?
iv. The dog id his.
v. These shoes are hers.
vi. Hers is under the table.
vii. His was sold yesterday.
viii. Theirs will be bought tomorrow.

Demonstrative pronouns
These are pronouns we use when pointing at a noun. For example:
i. That is not a good book.
ii. That is the house in which I live.
iii. This is what I want to do.
iv. I can sell that at a give away price.
v. Give me those.
vi. Such is life.

Interrogative pronouns
They have the wh- word plus a verb. They are used to ask questions. For example:
i. What is your name?
ii. What is the time?
iii. Who broke that window?
iv. Which do you like?
v. What have you said?
vi. Whom did you see?

Reflexive pronouns
They are pronouns we use to show that the action returns to the doer. The pronoun has the suffixes “-self” for singular
and “-selves” for plural. For example:
 i. I saw myself in the mirror.
ii. We saw ourselves in the mirror.
iii. You saw yourself in the mirror.
iv. You saw yourselves in the mirror.
v. She killed herself.
vi. They killed themselves.

Emphatic pronouns
They call attention to or show emphasis. For example:
i. I myself saw him do it
ii. Father himself built the house.
iii. Mrs Phiri herself saved the child.
iv. We ourselves saw the accident happen.
v. You yourself will have to pay for the damage.

Relative pronouns
They show relationship with the noun that precedes it; that is, they show relationship with the noun that is behind it.
For example:
i. The man who went to Blantyre is my cousin. (“who” is related to “man”)
ii. The book which I bought yesterday is lost. (“which” is related to “book”)
iii. They live in a house that was built in 2010. (“that” is related to “house”)
iv. The bus which brought us here has broken down ( “which” is related to “ bus”)
v. The jersey that I wore last year is now too small for me ( “ that” is related to “ jersey”)

Indefinite pronouns
They are pronouns which show that the speaker does not show exactly of what he or she is referring to. For example,
i. Somebody is knocking at the door (the speaker does not know who this somebody is: a boy or a girl?)
ii. Someone is knocking at the door.
iii. Some of us should attend the meeting.
iv. Nobody will agree to that.
v. John gave me something to eat.

Distributive pronouns
They refer to individuals or separate members of a group or class. For example:
i. Either of the cars is good for our purpose.
ii. Each of the boys was given a present.
iii. Neither of my friends has come.
iv. Each comes up in his turn.
3. ADJECTIVE
An adjective is a word that qualifies a noun. It gives more information about a noun by describing it.

Types of adjectives
Descriptive adjectives
They indicate the quality or state of a thing or a person. For example,
i. John is an intelligent boy.
ii. Blantyre is a large city.
iii. My father is a rich man.
iv. The river is not deep.
v. Martha is a beautiful girl.

Comparison of descriptive adjectives

Here are some examples of how different adjectives form their comparative and superlatives degrees
POSITIVE COMPARATIVE SUPERLATIVE
darker darker darkest
short shorter shortest
tall taller tallest
old older oldest
rich richer richest
small smaller smallest
young younger youngest
weak weaker weakest
strong stronger strongest

Note that the following adjectives double their last letter:

POSITIVE COMPARATIVE SUPERLATIVE
fat fatter fattest
hot hotter hottest
big bigger biggest
thin thinner thinnest
sad sadder saddest

Adjectives that end in y change the y to i in the comparative and superlative degrees respectively.
POSITIVE COMPARATIVE SUPERLATIVE
pretty prettier prettiest
happy happier happiest
heavy heavier heaviest
hungry hungrier hungriest
angry angrier angriest

If the adjective ends in “e”, only add “r” for the comparative degree and “st” for the superlative degree
POSITIVE COMPARATIVE SUPERLATIVE
fine finer finest
wise wiser wisest
large larger largest
brave braver bravest
safe safer safest

For with two or more syllables, comparative and superlative degrees are formed by putting more
or most in front of adjectives for comparative and superlative degree respectively.
POSITIVE COMPARATIVE SUPERLATIVE
interesting more interesting most interesting
important more important most important
 dangerous more dangerous most dangerous
valuable more valuable most valuable

A number of common adjectives have irregular comparison.

POSITIVE COMPARATIVE SUPERLATIVE
good better best
bad worse worst
little less least
much more most
far farther farthest
many more most

Note: The following adjectives have no comparison: perfect, full, equal, unique, round, straight, empty, square,
and circular.

Possessive adjectives
They show ownership or possession. For example,
i. I sold my book. (“my” is qualifying the noun “book”)
ii. He took our pen.
iii. She lost your money.
iv. We saw her sister.
v. Mavuto has his spoon.
vi. They have their food.
vii. The cat has its food.

Interrogative adjectives
They are used to ask questions. For example:
i. Whose pen is this?
ii. Which shirt do you want?
iii. What name shall we give to this baby?

Demonstrative adjectives
They are adjectives which are used to point at a noun. For example:
i. This book is good.
ii. I want that exercise book.
iii. These answers are wrong.
iv. You can throw away those pencils.
v. Such stories are not true.

Numerical adjectives
These are adjectives which show the show exactly how many things there are or in what order they are. For example:
i. I would like to meet six students.
ii. Who has taken two mangoes?
iii. This is the third person in our group.
iv. The first answer is correct.

Indefinite adjectives
The adjectives show a number of things without stating exactly what the number is. For example,
i. Some people are very clever. (The speaker does not know the actual people.)
ii. Any person is accepted.
iii. Several people were invited to the ceremony.
iv. Many houses have been built in Lilongwe.
v. All girls were working.

Distributive adjectives
They show that things are treated separately. For example :
i. Each learner received a copy of the book
ii. He was told to take the medicine every two hours.
iii. The chairman did not support either side.

Quantitative adjectives
They show how much of an object is meant. For example:
i. My father has got much money.
ii. Has Saturday is a half-day holiday in Malawi.
iii. The hungry man ate the whole loaf of bread.

Proper adjectives
Adjectives that are formed from proper nouns. A proper adjective begins with a capital letter. For example:
i. Mr. Kamwendo bought a French car.
ii. Japanese radios are becoming popular.
iii. Malawian women like to wear their traditional dress.
iv. Blantyre teams are stronger than those from Lilongwe.

Common nouns used as adjectives

If two common nouns are close to each other, the first is called an adjective, qualifying
the second. For example,
i. This is a stone wall.
ii. I bought a leather belt.

Participles used as adjectives

They are words from verbs which are used as adjectives.
Present participles
They are –ing words which qualify nouns. For example,
i. She saw a flying bird.
ii. He told us an amusing story.
iii. He has a very understanding parents.
iv. I belong to singing group.
Past participles
They are words which end in –en, -ed, or -d and they qualify nouns. For example,
i. The boy has a broken leg. (“broken” qualifies noun “leg”)
ii. The confused man ran away.
iii. The killed snake was thrown in the hole.

NOTE: when a word we know as an adjective is preceded by an article “the” and is not followed by a noun or does
not qualify a noun, the word becomes a noun. For example,
i. The sick are taken to the hospital (noun)
ii. The sick people are taken to the hospital (adjective).
iii. You must treat the mad with respect (noun).
iv. You must treat the mad boy with respect (adjective).
4. VERBS
They are doing words, or they are words which show an action in a sentence.

TYPES OF VERBS
There are basically three types of verbs. These are
1. ACTION VERB
It is a verb that expresses an action in the sentence.
There are two forms of action verb. These are:
a) Transitive Verb
It is a verb that expresses an action done by the subject to another thing or person (object). It always needs
an object. In other words, it transfers an action from the subject to the object.
Examples
 John killed a dog.
 She wrote the test.
 They play football.
 I solved the problem.
 He threw the ball.

b) Intransitive Verb
It is an action verb whose action is not transferred to the object. It expresses complete action without an
object.
Examples
 The girl cried.
 She smiled.
 They danced.
 He is running.
 Jessy was laughing.

2. LINKING VERB
It is a verb that expresses a state of being. It talks about the condition of the subject. It does not
express any action. Usually followed by adjectives or nouns These linking verbs are:

Be Are Look
Been Were Grow
Smell Seem Being
Am Become Appear
Is Feel Taste

Examples
 I am a student.
 They are happy.
 She looks beautiful.
 He became angry.
 He seems confused.

Note:
When some of the linking verbs are used in a sentence to express an action, they become action
verbs. Observe the sentences below:
Examples
 He likes to taste the food. (Action Verb)
 The oranges taste sweet. (Linking Verb)
 He looks at me. (Action Verb)
 She looks excited. (Linking Verb)
  He feels the pain. (Action Verb)
 She feels hungry around midnight. (Linking Verb)
 He likes to smell the food. (Action Verb)
 The rotten fruits smell bad. (Linking Verb)
 The boy appeared after two hours. (Action Verb)
 The problem appeared tricky. (Linking Verb)

3. AUXILLIARY VERB
An auxiliary verb is a verb that helps the main verb in a sentence. It is also known as a helping
verb. It helps to express the concept of tense, mood or possibility in a sentence. Some of the auxiliary verbs are also
called modal verbs.
Examples
 I will see you tomorrow.
 She is coming from school.
 They have gone to church.
 He has killed the rat.
 I can solve the problem.

Common Auxiliary Verbs

Is Has Can Does

Was Have Could Did
Are Had Shall Must
Were Will Should May
Am Would Do Might

Verb + infinitive
For example,
i. He learnt to ride a bicycle at the age of five.
ii. I forgot to take the pen.
Other verbs in this group: care, decide, deserve, expect, hope.

Verb + bare infinitive in the active voice (verb + another verb without “to”)
For example,
i. Active voice: She made me cook the food.
Passive voice: I was made to cook the food.
ii. Active voice: Let them go home.
Passive voice: They were let to go home.

Verb + –ing word

For example,
i. He admitted going home without permission.
ii. We enjoy playing football during the weekend.
Other verbs in this group: appreciate, avoid, consider, delay, deny, detest, dislike, excuse, finish, forgive, imagine,
mention, mind, postpone, practise, suggest, stop etc.

Verb + preposition + –ing word

For example,
i. She keeps on asking good questions.
ii. After reading the novel, he went to sleep.
 PRINCIPAL PARTS OF THE VERB
Verbs may be used to refer to actions in the past, in the present, or in the future.
Tenses are the names given to the times in which the action expressed by the verb is done.
The action which the verb expresses may take place at three different times in relation to the time of speaking
or writing: in the past, in the present and in the future.
The tense of the verb may also serve to indicate whether the action expressed by the verb is thought of as
being complete or continuous.
Verbs change their form to show past time and future time.
A verb has three principal parts: the present tense, the past tense, and the past participle.
PRESENT TENSE PAST TENSE PAST PARTICIPLE
eat ate Eaten

break broke Broken

run ran run

stand stood stood

write wrote written

swing swung swung

put put put

choose chose chosen

lose lost lost

begin began begun

catch caught caught

ring rang rung

grow grew grown

fly flew flown

WEAK VERBS
a. All verbs which form their past tense and past participle by adding ed, d or t to the present tense are known
as weak verbs.
For example:
PRESENT TENSE PAST TENSE PAST PATICIPLE
hope hoped hoped

want wanted wanted

walk walked walked

keep kept kept

flee fled fled

 b. All verbs whose past tense is formed by shortening the vowel of the present tense are weak verbs.
PRESENT TENSE PAST TENSE PAST PARTICIPLE
shoot shot shot

bleed bled bled

lead led led

light lit lit

c. All verbs whose past tense is the same as the present tense are weak verbs.
PRESENT TENSE PAST TENSE PAST PARTICIPLE
cut cut Cut

put put put

hit hit Hit

cost cost Cost

hurt hurt Hurt

STRONG VERBS
All verbs which form the past tense without adding a final d or t are strong verbs.
PRESENT TENSE PAST TENSE PAST PARTICIPLE
Drink drank drunk

Fall fell fallen

Blow blew blown

Arise arose arisen

MORE EXAMPLES OF PRINCIPAL PARTS OF THE VERBS

PRESENT TENSE PAST TENSE PAST PARTICIPLE
is was been
are were been
arrive arrived arrived
bear bore born
bind bound bound
bring brought brought
burn burnt burnt
buy bought bought
catch caught caught
choose chose chosen
come came come
dig dug dug
do did done
draw drew drawn
dream dreamed dreamt
drive drove driven
eat ate eaten
feed fed fed
Feel felt felt
fight fought fought
find found found
forbid forbade forbidden
forget forgot forgotten
give gave given
go went gone
has had had
hear heard heard
hide hid hidden
hold held held
keep kept kept
know knew known
lay laid laid
learn learned learnt
leave left left
lend lent lent
lie lay lain
make made made
pay paid paid
read read read
reply replied replied
say said said
see saw seen
seek sought sought
sell sold sold
send sent sent
set set set
sew sewed sewn
shake shook shaken
shine shone shone
shrink shrank shrunk
shut shut shut
sing sang sung
sit sat sat
sow sowed sown
speak spoke spoken
study studied studied
sweep swept swept
swim swam swum
take took taken
teach taught taught
tell told told
think thought thought
turn turned turned
wake woke woken
wear wore worn
weep wept wept
win won won
withdraw withdrew withdrawn
5. ADVERBS
They are words which modify verbs, adjectives or adverbs. For example:
i. Mabvuto washed the plates yesterday ( The adverb “yesterday” modifies the verb “washed”)
ii. Kondwani is very intelligent ( The adverb “very” modifies an adjective “ intelligent”)
iii. Please, don’t drive too fast ( The adverb “ too” modifies the adverb “ fast”)

Types of adverbs which modify verbs

Adverbs of manner
These adverbs describe how an action takes, took place or will take place.
They answer the question “how?” For example,
i. The little boy behaved badly. (The little boy behaved how? Or How did the little boy behave? badly.)
Therefore, “badly” modifies the verb “behaved”. Most adverbs of manner end in –ly, adverbs such as happily,
suddenly, wisely and actively.
ii. The man drove carelessly.
iii. The people left the place hurriedly.
iv. Please drive slowly.

Adverbs of time
They indicate when the action of the verb takes place.
They answer the question “when?” For example,
i. I will do the work tomorrow. (“tomorrow” modifies “will do”)
ii. Please, write a letter soon.
iii. Can we meet now?
iv. He went to Mzuzu yesterday.
Adverbs of place
They indicate where the action of the verb takes place. They answer the question “where?” For example,
i. I shall stand here.
ii. They slept there.
iii. James enjoys staying abroad.
iv. The bird flew out.
v. John lives overseas.

Adverbs of frequency
They indicate the number of times or how often the action of the verb takes place. They answer the question “ how
often?” For example,
i. I always eat nsima.
ii. He often comes late.
iii. They rarely fight in the house
iv. I usually study in the morning.
v. She goes home twice a month.

Interrogative adverbs
They are used to ask questions. They are only four in number: when, where, how and why. For example,
i. When are you going away? (time)
ii. Where are you sending him? (place)
iii. How did you come here? (manner)
iv. Why did you say that? (reason)

Relative adverbs
These adverbs are used to introduce adverbial clauses. For example,
i. I saw them when I was at Bwiba Primary School.
ii. We shall eat where the food is good.
iii. I shall go where they go.

Adverbs which modify adjectives or adverbs

Adverbs of degree
They indicate the extent of any quality when they modify adjectives or adverbs.
They answer the question “to what extent…?” For example,
i. This tea is very bad. (To what extent is the tea bad? Or How bad is the tea? very) Therefore, “very” modifies
the adjective “bad”
ii. He is riding the bicycle too slowly. (How slowly is he riding the bicycle? too) Therefore, “too” modifies the
adverb “slowly”
iii. We are nearly there.
iv. The tea is too hot to drink.
v. The sum is rather difficult.
vi. I am quite sure we are on the right road.
Comparison of adverbs
They have the same degree of comparison as adjectives, positive, comparative and superlative.
1) Adverbs with one syllable, er to the end in the comparative and est in the superlative.

POSITIVE COMPARATIVE SUPERLATIVE

hard harder hardest
high higher highest
fast faster fastest
soon sooner soonest

2) The following adverbs have irregular forms.

POSITIVE COMPARATIVE SUPERLATIVE
well better best
much more most
far farther farthest
little less least
bad worse worst

3) Other adverbs use more in the comparative and most in the superlative degree.
POSITIVE COMPARATIVE SUPERLATIVE
quickly more quickly most quickly
happily more happily most happily
carefully more carefully most carefully
6. CONJUNCTIONS
A conjunction is a word that is used to join words, phrases or clauses in a sentences.

KINDS OF CONJUNCTIONS
a) COORDINATING CONJUNCTIONS
These are used to join words, phrases and clauses of the same rank. The most common coordinating
conjunctions include: and/ but / for / nor / so / or

Coordinating conjunction can link single words of the same rank such as two nouns, two pronouns,
two verbs or two adjectives. Examples:
 Mary and John went to London (Nouns= Mary and John).
 Go and look for the baby (Verbs= Go and look).
 He can use you and me to do it (Pronouns= You and me).
 John is powerful but wicked (Adjectives= Powerful but wicked).

Coordinating conjunctions can also link phrases. Examples:

 He drove along the street and around the corner (along the street and around the corner)
 I met John at school and at home (at school and at home)

Coordinating conjunctions also join clauses of the same rank. When coordinating conjunction links
two simple sentences, a compound sentence is formed. When two sentences are joined together by a
conjunction, each simple sentence becomes an “Independent Clause” in a compound sentence.
Examples:
 Mabvuto works badly but he plays football well (Mabvuto plays badly/ He plays football well)
 The bus was late I missed the train (The bus was late/ I missed the train)

b) SUBORDINATING CONJUNCTION
Subordinating conjunctions are used to join elements of unequal rank in a sentence. These elements are
usually independent clauses (main clauses) and dependent clauses (subordinate clauses). Examples:
 Etta went to Nairobi because she was the descendant of Uhuru Kenyatta.
 Susan went to London since she was invited by her sister
 She became the queen when her mother died.
 When Susan was born, her mother became a real woman.
 After he had finished his breakfast, he went to school.
 Although he was ill, he decided to keep the appointment.
 Unless she apologises, I will punish her.
 They called him before he was ready.
 He arrived home as the sun was setting.
 She slept while I was working.
 They are sleeping where I slept yesterday.

c) CORRELATIVE COONJUNCTION
Correlative conjunctions work in pairs. Examples include: Both …… and…. / Neither……nor….. /
Either…….. or…….. / Not only……….but also……..
 Both John and Mary work in the garden on Monday.
 She plans to wear either the blue dress or the red one.
 Neither Takondwa nor Mabvuto has a bicycle.
 Nyasa Big Bullets won not only TNM Super League but also FDH Cup.
7. INTERJECTIONS
They are used to express a sudden strong feeling.
They show surprise, pleasure, pain, confusion or some emotions. Examples include:
 Hey! You can’t go there.
 Oh! I left my notebook at home.
 Ouch! It bites.
 Alas! This is the end.

8. PREPOSITION
A preposition is a word that show relationship between the noun or pronoun to another word in a sentence.
 The dog ran into the house.
 I walked through the gate.
 They are in the house.
 We met outside the stadium.
 Maliro is sitting under a tree.
 This chapter is about prepositions.
 She got a letter from them.

PREPOSITIONS RELATING TO POSITION AND PLACE

 John was born in Blantyre.
 The cup is on the table.
 My sister is in the house.
 The book is under the table.
 His father is at home.
 The pictures are on the walls.
 The cat fell into the well.

PREPOSITIONS RELATING TO DIRECSTION AND MOVEMENT

These sentences contain prepositions associated with direction or movement from one point to another.
 Mr. Phiri walked along the road.
 The boy ran across the road.
 Some of them ran around the corner.
 She walked down the road.
 Kondwani has gone to Blantyre.
 He drove through the gate.

PREPOSITIONS ASSOCIATED WITH TIME

 I haven’t seen him since yesterday.
 They did most of the work during the day.
 She started attending school in October.
 He was born in 2011.
 The journey started at two thirty/ at half-past two.
 This ceremony takes place in winter/ in summer.
 She died on 12th June, 2023.
 I will see John in the morning.
 He has been living in Lilongwe for ten years.
 I met him at ten o’clock.
 She went home on Friday.
 The meeting took place in the morning / in the afternoon / in the evening.
 We are departing at sunset/ at dusk/ at dawn/ at night/ at noon/ at midnight.
CORRECT USE OF PREPOSITIONS
a) AGREE TO / AGREE WITH
 The student agree to the plan (agree to a proposal or thing).
 The students agreed with their professor (agree with a person)

b) BETWEEN / AMONG
 Maria and Ramadan divided the cake between them (two persons).
 Peter, Charles, Donald and Smith divided the cake among them (more than two persons)

c) DIFFER FROM / DIFFER WITH

 London differs from Addis Ababa in a number of ways ( a person or thing differ from other in certain
aspects)
 The student differs with his professor in many ways (differ with a person in matter of opinion).

d) IN / INTO
 The boy is in the garden (location or motion within a place).
 The boy jumped into the river (motion towards the inside of a place).

e) FOR / SINCE
FOR denotes a period of time and is used with the perfect continuous tense.
 I have been working at Mzuzu University for ten years.
SINCE shows the point of time. It also indicates continuity.
 India has been independent since 1947.
 I have been waiting for you since morning/ since yesterday/ since 2015.

f) AT / IN
At refers to an exact point.
 He lives at Ndirande / at Chitakale / at Chiweta / at Phwezi in Rumphi.
IN refers to a big area.
 He lives in Blantyre/ in Chitipa/ in Mulanje.
g) BESIDE / BESIDES
BESIDE means next to
 The comb is beside the brush.
BESIDES means in addition to
 Besides planning the trip, she is also getting the tickets

PREPOSITIONAL PHRASES

AT FOR ON BY IN
At a disadvantage For fear of On approval By chance In all likelihood
At a discount For good On the increase By the name of In a mess
At a distance For granted On the record By luck In agreement with
At a grance For hire On horseback By accident In due course
At a loss For life On second thoughts By all accounts In blossom
At a rate of For love On the edge of By invitation In time
At a speed of For the good of On display By air In demand
At a standstill For the sake of On the assumption By road In answer to
At a time For a reason On the agenda By water In anticipation of
At all cost For a change On oath By sea In arrears
At any cost For certain On watch By all accounts In danger
At breakfast For the first time On schedule By all means In debt
At ease For instance On the road By any standard In detail
At face value For nothing On a diet By appointment In defence of
At fault For once On a journey By birth In decline
At first sight On a large scale By check In disgrace
At full length On a small scale By coincidence In disguise
At hand On a regular basis By courtesy of In confusion
At high speed Of account of By definition In fact
At large On an expedition By design In favour of
At length On an island By far In fear of
At liberty On approval By force In flames
At night On average By hand In flower
At noon On bail By heart In full
At dawn On behalf of By law In future
At once On order By marriage In general
At one time On strike By means of In good faith
At one’s disposal On the dot By mistake In harmony with
At one’s leisure On foot By my watch In haste
At home On the phone By nature In hiding
At one’s request On behalf of By no means In high spirits
At pains On the occasions By request In honour of
At peace By rights In horror
At war By sight In ink/pencil
At present By bus/ train/ plane In writing
At risk By phone In black and white
At school By oneself In a sense
At short notice By post In conjunction with
At short distance By one’s side In anticipation of
At sight By surprise In earnest
At stake By this time In doubt
At the age of By the way In bad mood
At the bottom of By word of mouth In bulk
At the beginning of By hand In a hurry
At the expense of By profession In addition
At the mercy of By appointment In advance
At the moment By virtue of In exchange for
At the outset In fashion
At the height of In stock
At this juncture In summer/winter
At random In tears
In the air
In the dark
In the beginning
In brief
In love with
In the habit of
In case
In cash
In instalment
In charge of
In common with
In control of
In no time
 In pain
In other words
In particular
In person
In absence
In absentia
In private/public
In practice/theory
In the meantime
In the mood for
In touch
In town
In vain
In danger of
In difficulty
In return
In one’s opinion
In secret
In spite of

Examples

1. He graduated in absentia.(in absentia)

2. He saw a lion for the first time (for the first time)
3. He went to Mzuzu by bus (by bus / by train / by plane)
 TOPICS AT JCE LEVEL

PAPER 1 (50 marks)

SECTION A- MULTIPLE CHOICE

Question tags

Verb tenses

Subject-verb agreement

Registers

Parts of speech

Phrasal verbs

Prepositional structures

Figurative expressions (Idiomatic expressions)

Synonyms

Antonyms

SECTION B- RE-WRITING SENTENCES

Using conjunctions

Active and passive voices

Direct and indirect speeches

PAPER 2 (50 marks)

SECTION A- Complehension

SECTION B – Gap filling

SECTION C - Poetry

SECTION D – Short Story

PREPARED BY GRIFFIN THEU (CHAMINADE SECONDARY SCHOOL) 2025

SENTENCE COMBINATION AND TRANSFORMATION
This is one of the most important topics at Junior level. It is therefore necessary that we master
this topic as it always comes during exams.

SENTENCE COMBINATION
It involves the joining of two or more sentences to make one sentence without affecting the
essential meaning.
Example
 I went to the hospital. I was very sick.
Because I was very sick, I went to the hospital.

It usually involves the use of conjunctions and phrases. Some of the common conjunctions used
in sentence combination are:
Although
After
If
Whenever
Neither…nor
Though
As
Until
As long as
Not only…but also
Even though
Before
While
As soon as
Even if
Despite
Since
Whereas
No sooner……. than
Hardly …… when
Because
In spite of
Unless
When
Should
So long as
Provided
Had
Both
Even
Till
Having

ALTHOUGH
It is used to indicate that something happened or did not happen against the background of a
challenge or contrary to expectation. It is always followed by: [Subject + Verb].
Examples
a. I wrote all the exams, but I was not prepared.
• Although I was not prepared, I wrote all the exams.
• Although I wrote all the exams, I was not prepared.
b. He has forgiven her. She did not apologise.
• Although she did not apologize, he has forgiven her.
• Although he has forgiven her, she did not apologise.
THOUGH
It is used to indicate that something happened or did not happen against the background of a
challenge or contrary to expectation. It is always followed by: [Subject + Verb]. It is the same as
“although”
Examples
a. The teacher punished John, but he was innocent.
• Though the teacher punished John, he was innocent.
• Though John was innocent, the teacher punished him.
b. I love her although she hates me so much.
• Though she hates me so much, I love her.
• Though I love her, she hates me so much.

EVEN THOUGH
It is a stronger form of “although” or “though”. It is used to indicate that something happened or
did not happen, against the background of a challenge or contrary to expectation. It is always
followed by: [Subject + Verb].
Examples
a. I was late, but I still learnt everything.
• Even though I was late, I still learnt everything.
• Even though I still learnt everything, I was late.
b. She is very rude, but her sister still loves her so much.
• Even though she is very rude, her sister still loves her so much.
• Even though her sister loves her so much, she is very rude.
AS

It is used to show that two things are/were happening at the same time.

Examples

a) She was reading a novel, and John was writing notes.

 As she was reading a novel, John was writing notes.
 As John was writing notes, she was reading a novel.

b) The teacher was teaching, and the students were listening.

 As the teacher was teaching, the students were listening.
 As the students were listening, the teacher was teaching.

It can also be used to indicate the reason why something happened. In this case, “as” is attached to the
part expressing the reason.

Examples

a) I did not go to school since I was very sick.

As I was very sick, I did not go to school.

b) I could not write the test because I was very busy.

As I was very busy, I could not write the test.

WHILE

It is used to indicate time. It shows that two things were happening at the same time. It can be used with
any part of a sentence.

Examples

a) She cooked nsima as her mother looked after the baby.

 While she cooked nsima, her mother looked after the baby.
 While her mother looked after the baby, she cooked nsima.
 b) We were watching a movie as it was raining heavily outside.
 While we were watching a movie, it was raining heavily outside.
 While it was raining heavily outside, we were watching a movie.

It can also be used to show contrast between two ideas, things or people. Here it can also be used with any
part of the sentence.

Examples

a) Infatuation is a feeling based on an emotion, but love is a feeling based on a decision.

 While infatuation is a feeling based on an emotion, love is a feeling based on a
decision.
 While love is a feeling based on a decision, infatuation is a feeling based on an
emotion.

b) Stress is good for us although it also makes us commit suicide.

 While stress is good for us, it also makes us commit suicide.
 While it also makes us commit suicide, stress is good for us.
DESPITE
It has the same meaning as “though”, “although”, or “even though” which is to indicate that something
happened or did not happen, against the background of a challenge or contrary to expectation. It is
followed by any of the following structures: [Despite + Determiner + Noun]
The determiner can be “the”, “a”, “his”, “her”, “my”, “our”, “their”
Example
a. Although it was raining, I enjoyed the party.
• Despite the rain, I enjoyed the party.
b. Even though he apologized, the teacher punished him.
• Despite his apology, the teacher punished him.

[Despite + Verb (ing)]

This is formed by changing the verb to –ing.
Examples
a. I loved her, but she did not love me.
• Despite loving her, she did not love me.
b. They came to school early, but they were punished.
• Despite coming to school early, they were punished.

[Despite + Being + adjective / participle]

This is formed when the sentence is having a linking verb (is, was, am, are, were) + adjective or Verb
(past participle). The linking verb is changed to “being”.
Examples
a. They were late, but they finished writing the test.
• Despite being late, they finished writing the test.
b. She was tired, but she watched the whole movie.
• Despite being tired, she watched the whole movie

IN SPITE OF
It is the same as “despite” in terms of meaning as well as structure. It also indicates that something
happened or did not happen, against the background of a challenge or contrary to expectation. It is
followed by any of the following structures: [In spite of + Determiner + Noun]
The determiner can be “the”, “a”, “his”, “her”, “my”, “our”, “their”
Example
a. Although she failed the test, she did not give up.
• In spite of her failure, she did not give up.
b. They apologized, but the teacher did not forgive them.
• In spite of their apology, the teacher did not forgive them.

[In spite of + Verb(ing)]

This is formed by changing the verb to –ing.
Examples
a. She tried her best, but she never succeeded.
• In spite of trying her best, she never succeeded.
b. John arrived at school early in the morning, but he missed the assembly.
• In spite of arriving at school early in the morning, John missed the assembly.

[In spite of + Being]

This is formed when the sentence has a linking verb (is, was, am, are, were) + adjective or Verb (past
participle). The linking verb is changed to “being”.
Examples
a. He was angry, but the students did not stop making noise.
• In spite of being angry, the students did not stop making noise.
b. They are very intelligent, but they have failed the test.
• Despite being very intelligent, they have failed the test.
Note:
Where there is “Despite” you can exchange it with “In spite of” without changing the
meaning of the sentence. It is used to show that two things are/were happening at the same time.
EVEN IF
It is used to show or indicate that nothing can/will change even when something is done. It is usually used
in a negative sense. Attach the word “even if” to the statement that shows what is done before you talk
about the result.
Examples
a) She tries hard to solve the problem, but she will never find a solution.
Even if she tries hard to solve the problem, she will never find a solution.
b) She apologises to the teacher but he will never forgive her.
Even if she apologises to the teacher, he will never forgive her.

EVEN WHEN
It is used to show that something does not change when something is done. Join the word “even when” to
the statement that is talking about what is done,
Examples
a) The police tried to stop the demonstrations, but the people continued.
Even when the police tried to stop the demonstrations, the people continued.
b) The mother gave the baby some milk, but the baby continued crying.
Even when the mother gave the baby some milk, the baby continued crying.

UNLESS
It is used in a negative sense. It expresses the idea “if not”. It shows or indicates that if something is not
done, a result (usually negative) will follow. The conditional clause looks like positive (but the negativity
is expressed in the word “Unless”) and the main clause has a negative statement (explicit or implicit).
Examples
a) You will fail exams if you don‟t work hard.
Unless you work hard, you will fail exams.
b) If you don‟t come to school early you will be punished.
Unless you come to school early, you will be punished.
UNTIL
It indicates time/condition. It shows that something will happen when something is done. The word
“until” is attached to the condition.
Examples
a) I will not make a judgment until I hear your side of the story.
Until I hear your side of the story, I will make a judgment.
b) I will not go unless I receive an invitation.
Until I receive an invitation, I will go.

TILL
It indicates time. It shows that something will happen when something is done. It has the same
meaning as “until”.
Examples
a) She will not come if you don’t call her.
Till you call her, she will come.
b) I will help you until the day I die.
Till the day I die, I will help you.

AS LONG AS
It is used to show that something will happen or will continue to happen if or when something is
done. Attach the phrase “as long as” to the condition/cause of the event and not the result.
Examples
a) I will help you if you work hard.
As long as you work hard, I will help you.
b) She will love you on the condition that you stay faithful to her.
As long as you stay faithful to her, she will love you.

SO LONG AS
It is used to show that something will happen or will continue to happen if or when something is
done. It has the same meaning as “as long as”. Attach the phrase “so long as” to the condition/cause
of the event and not the result.
Examples
a) You will receive a nice gift if you pass exams.
So long as you pass the exams, you will receive a nice gift.
b) Provided you come early, you will talk to the celebrity.
So long as you come early, you will talk to the celebrity.
HAVING
It is used to show that something happened soon after the first one was done. It uses this structure:
[Having + Verb (past participle)].
The subject is removed and replaced with the word “having”, the verb is changed to past participle,
and the subject removed is transferred to the second part of the sentence where it becomes a
subject.
Examples
a) Joan wrote a test, and then went to the library.
Having written a test, Joan went to the library.
b) After Dominic talked to me, he went out.
Having talked to me, Dominic went out.

WHENEVER
It is used to indicate both time and condition. It shows that every time something is done, a result
comes out. Attach “whenever” to the thing done and not the result.
Examples
a) When you talk to John, he always listens.
Whenever you talk to John, he always listens.
b) God always answers when you pray.
Whenever you pray, God always answers.

BEFORE
It is used to indicate time. It shows that something happened before the other thing happened.
Always attach the word “before” to the second event. The following structures can be used:
[Before + Subject + Verb]
Examples
a) I went to church after I ate my breakfast.
Before I went to church, I ate my breakfast
b) After I cleaned my room, I brushed my teeth.
Before I brushed my teeth, I cleaned my room.
[Before + Verb(ing)]
The subject (if there is a subject) is moved to the second part of sentence (if there is no subject)
and the verb is changed to “-ing”
Examples
a) I wrote the test, and then went for a walk.
Before going for a walk, I wrote the test.
b) I cleaned my room, and then watched Joyce Meyer.
Before watching Joyce Meyer, I cleaned my room.
NEITHER
It is used to indicate a negative idea or concept. It is used to show that two or more
things/people share a negative status. The structure used is:
[Neither + Subject (1st) + Nor + Subject (2nd) + The rest of the sentence]
If the last subject is singular, use a singular verb. If it is plural, use a plural verb.
Observe sentences below:
Examples
a) Lucy does not like watching movies. Her brother doesn’t as well.
Neither Lucy nor her brother likes watching movies.
b) The teacher and the students are not happy with the results.
Neither the teacher nor the students are happy with the results

BOTH
It is used to show that two things/people share the same state of affairs. Use this
structure:
[Both + Subject (1st) + and + Subject (2nd) + Verb (plural) + The rest of
sentence]
Always use a plural verb after the last subject. Observe below:
Examples
a) Rhoda is my student. So is Stella.
Both Rhoda and Stella are my students.
b) Justice is studying. Innocent is studying
Both Justice and Innocent are studying.

BECAUSE
It is used to indicate a reason why something happened. The word “because” is
attached to the reason behind the event or action
Example
a) I went to the hospital as I was very sick.
Because I was very sick, I went to the hospital.
b) Since I am not yet prepared, I will not address the assembly.
Because I am not yet prepared, I will not address the assembly.
VERBAL TENSES
There are mainly three types of tenses namely; Past Tense, Present Tense and Future Tense.

A. THE PRESENT TENSE

1) Simple Present Tense

This tense is used to express the habitual actions
 They live in Mchinji.
 The girl goes to school at 7:00 a.m.
 John always walks to school.
It is also used to express general truths.
 The sun rises in the east.
 Water boils at 100 degree Celsius.
 Oil floats on water.
It may also be used to express a present activity immediately completed.
 I pronounce you man and wife.
 I declare the meeting open.
 I name this road Chilambula Higway.
It is also used to express future actions which have been decided upon.
 School starts on Monday.
 He leaves for London next month.
 Frank goes to Lusaka tomorrow.

2) The Present Continuous Tense

This indicates that the activity is still going on at the time of speaking
 I am going to school.
 They are singing and dancing.
 The man is working in the garden.
It is also used to express an action which is happening in the near future.
 I am going home this afternoon.
 What are you waiting for here?
 Where are you spending your next holidays?

3) The Present Perfect Tense

This tense may be used to express an action that has just been completed but which still has
current relevance.
 I have written a letter to my sister.
 I have finished my work.
 He has cut his finger.

4) The Present Perfect Progressive Tense

This indicates the duration of an activity which is still considered incomplete.
 I have been studying this book for two weeks
 We have been studying French for two years
 She has been waiting to see you for some time.
THE FUTURE TENSE

1. The Simple Future Tense

This tense is used to indicate future activities.
 I shall be forty tomorrow.
 The goods will be here in few days.
This is also used in the main clause of a conditional sentence (open condition)
 If you go out in the rain, you will get wet.
 I am sure they will come if you ask them.
 He will lend it to you if you ask him.
 I will buy a car if I find money.

2. The Future Continuous Tense

This tense is used to express an activity which will begin before and continue after a given
period of time in the future.
 His friends will be waiting at the bus stop to welcome him.
 We shall be travelling all night.
 After the rain we shall be enjoying the beautiful sunshine.
 They will be expecting us home soon.

3. The Future Perfect tense

It is used to express an activity which will have been completed by a certain time in the future.
 In 2014, Malawi will have been independent for fifty years.
 I shall have finished this work by four o’clock.
 My brother will have come by the time you arrive.
 By this time next year, Jane will have taken her University Degree.

4. The Future Perfect Progressive Tense

It is used to refer to an activity which extends from the past, through the present into the
future.
 By the time we arrive he will have been waiting for many hours.
 When Jacqueline gets her degree, she will have been studying at Chancellor College for
fours.
A. THE PAST TENSE

1) The Past Simple Tense

This tense is used to express actions which took place in the past.
 I bought this shirt last year.
 I lived here long time ago.
 I was born in 1970.
It is used in polite requests and to express wishes.
 I wish I knew where he is.
 I wanted to speak to you.
 Did you want to see him?
It may also be used in conditional clauses (unlikely conditions).
 If I wrote my father today, he would receive the letter tomorrow.
 I would write to him if I knew his address.
 If he came, he would find out the truth of the story.

2) The Past Continuous Tense

It shows that an activity was happening at a time when another activity occurred.
 When I was going to school, I met Mr. Gama.
 Was it raining when the accident occurred?
 She ran after me as I was crossing the street.
It may also be used to indicate that a number of activities were taking place at the same time.
 James was sewing while Jane was cutting the grass.
 Jimmy was cleaning the window and James was cutting the grass.
 While Jacqueline was ploughing, Jane was milking the cows.

3) The Past Perfect Tense

This shows that out of two activities which took place in the past, one happened before the
other.
 He had already left when I arrived.
 At six o’clock, he had finished writing letters.
 We came to Malawi because we had heard so much about it
It is also used to indicate the continuation of an activity up to a certain time in the past.
 I had been in the teaching service for sixteen years by the time Mr. Phiri retired.
 In 1999 Mr. Banda had been in marriage for ten years
 When I first met him, he had lived in Malawi for two years.

4) The Past Perfect Continuous Tense.

This tense is used to indicate that a continuous activity had not been complete before another
activity took place at some later period
 When I came to the school in 2009, Mr. Shaba had been teaching for five years.
 When I first met him, he had been studying for a degree.
 When it started raining, she had been preparing the last bed.
 ACTIVE AND PASSIVE VOICE
A sentence is said to be in active voice if the subject is doing an action. The action is done to the object.
Examples
1) Monica killed a dog.
2) He has read two books.
3) I love the students.
A sentence is said to be in passive voice if the focus is on the object who or which is receiving the action.
In passive voice the object becomes more like the subject.
Observe the above sentences as they change from active to passive voice. Note the positions of subject
and object.
Examples
1) A dog was killed by Monica.
2) Two books have been read by him.
3) The students are loved by me.

BASIC RULES OF ACTIVE AND PASSIVE VOICE

When changing a sentence from active to passive voice, there are rules which must be observed (verb
tense and sometimes pronoun changes).

PRONOUN CHANGES
Subject pronouns change to object pronouns and object pronouns change to subject pronouns whenever
changing sentences from active to passive voice. This is so because the subject moves to object position
while the object moves to subject position.
SUBJECT PRONOUN OBJECT PRONOUN
I Me

We Us

They Them

He Him

She Her

You You

It It
 ACTIVE VOICE PASSIVE VOICE
Present Simple
[am/ is/ are + verb (past participle)]
When the active voice is in present perfect the passive voice takes “am/is/are + verb (pp). The
auxilliary verb used depends on the subject. Examples:
 Mr Banda teaches English.
English is taught by Mr Banda.
 He paints many houses.
Many houses are painted by him.
 She teaches me.
I am taught by her
Note:
Single subjects take the verb “is” except “I” which takes the verb “am”. Plural subjects take the
verb “are” (subject-Verb Agreement)

Past Simple
[was/were + verb (past participle)]
Examples
 A dog killed the rat.
The rat was killed by a dog.
 All students wrote the test.
The test was written by the students.
 She washed the plates.
The plates were washed by her.

Future Simple
[will + be + verb (past participle)]
Examples
 The students will write the test.
The test will be written by the students.
 The headmaster will address the assembly.
The assembly will be addressed by the headmaster.
 He will solve the philosophical problem.
The philosophical problem will be solved by him.
 Present Perfect
[has/have + been + verb (past participle)
Examples
 She has written the four books.
The four books have been written by her.
 The teacher has invited all the students.
All the students have been invited by the teacher.
 Getrude has bought a book.
A book has been bought by Getrude.

Past Perfect
[had + been + verb (past participle)
Examples
 Memory had eaten all the fruits.
All the fruits had been eaten by Memory.
 We had written the notes.
The notes had been written by us.
 John and Mary had killed the dog when we arrived.
The dog had been killed by John and Mary when we arrived.
 Present Continuous
[is/are/am + being + verb (past participle)
Examples
 She is watching a romantic movie.
A romantic movie is being watched by her.
 They are mopping the rooms.
The rooms are being watched by them.
 My parents are advising me.
I am being advised by my parents.

Past Continuous
[was/were + being + verb (past participle)
Examples
 He was carrying me.
I was being carried by him.
 The students were solving the mathematical problems.
The mathematical problems were being solved by the students.
 I was cutting a tree.
A tree was being cut by me.

Infinitive
[to + be + verb (past participle)]
Examples
 Yusuf needs to clean the windows.
The windows need to be cleaned by Yusuf.
 The class needs to sweep the room.
The room needs to be swept by the class.
 John needed to see the book.
The book needed to be seen by John.
Note:
Sometime the active voice may have a clause or phrase connected to the sentence. It is advisable
to first move the object to the subject position and leave the phrase or clause at the end of the
sentence.
Examples
 John killed a dog because it ate his food.
A dog was killed by John because it ate his food
 I will buy tomatoes today.
Tomatoes will be bought by me today.
 The headmaster will address the assembly this afternoon.
The assembly will be addressed by the headmaster this afternoon.

Sometimes the active voice may have phrasal verbs. When changing the active voice to passive
voice, take the verb together with the preposition e.g. cut down, shut down etc.
Examples
 He is cutting down trees.
Trees are being cut down by him.
 I shut down the computer because the battery was low.
The computer was shut down by me because the battery was low.

Sometimes the active voice can be in form of questions. The rules do not change. The only
change is in the order of words. The question takes the following form:
Auxiliary Subject Main Verb Object
 Have you killed the dog?
 Will she solve the problem?
 Are they writing exams?
When changing the question to passive voice, start with “auxiliary + Object + Main Verb
(changed) + by + Subject (now object)”
Examples
 Have you killed the dog? (Present Perfect)
Has the dog been killed by you?
 Will she solve the problem? (Future Simple)
Will the problem be solved by her?
 Are they writing exams? (Present Continuous)
Are exams being written by them?
 TOPIC 15
WORD-PREPOSITION COMBINATION
There are certain established structures in English which need to be observed at all times. The
understanding of these structures can also help one in areas like cloze passages and gap questions.
Some words are followed by specific prepositions which when a different preposition is used, the
whole sentence becomes ungrammatical.
Example
1. I depend to you for financial advice. (Ungrammatical sentence)
2. I depend on you for financial advice. (Correct sentence)
These structures have been categorized into groups for ease of understanding

GROUP 1
[Word + Preposition]
In this group, one word has a specific (one) preposition. In a case where they are two, it means
they can be used interchangeably.
1. Absorbed in
2. Deficient in
3. Invest in
4. Abstain from
5. Deprive of
6. Jealous of
7. Accuse of
8. Despair of
9. Join in
10. Amazed at
11. Desperate for
12. Kind of
13. Amount to
14. Desist from
15. Laugh at
16. Annoyed with
17. Determined to
18. Liking for
19. Anxious about
20. Develop into
21. Loyal to
22. Approve of
23. Devoid of
24. Marvel at
25. Armed with
26. Digress from
27. Mistake for
28. Beware of
29. Disapprove of
30. Object to
31. Based on
32. Disguise as
33. Obliged to
34. Boast about
35. Dismiss from
36. Persist in
37. Borrow from
38. Dispose of
39. Praise for
40. Capable of
41. Dissuade from
42. Prefer to
43. Charged with
44. Enquire about
45. Proof of
46. Coincide with
47. Envious of
48. Protect from
49. Collide with
50. Escape from
51. Prevent from
52. Close to
53. Due to
54. Except for
55. Far from
56. Instead of
57. Out of
58. Owing to
59. Prior to
60. Regardless of
61. Aside from
62. Confidence in
63. Glance at
64. Remind of
65. Confine to
66. Grateful for
67. Reply to
GROUP 2
[Word + Preposition]
In this group, the word can be used with two different prepositions. They cannot be used
interchangeably because they give a different meaning.
Observe the pairs below:
1. Accompany by (someone) I was accompanied by Samson to Chipata.
2. Accompany on (trip) Mr. Banda will accompany me on the trip to Lunzu.
3. Alarmed at (something) She is alarmed at the increasing crime rate.
4. Alarmed by (something) Joana was alarmed by his shouting.
5. Apologise to (someone) They apologized to Sosten.
6. Apologise for (doing something) He apologized for breaking the window.
7. Arrive at (specific place) I arrived at Jenda at noon.
8. Arrived in (general area) I arrived in Blantyre around twelve midnight.
9. Angry about (something) He was angry about the child’s behaviour.
10. Angry with (someone) She is angry with you for telling lies.
11. Afraid of (someone/something) John is afraid of the dog
12. Afraid to (do something) They are afraid to walk at night.
13. Complain about (general) The man is complaining about health problems.
14. Complain of (specific) My grandmother complained of back pains.
15. Continue with (something/someone) I will continue with the students up to form four.
16. Continue to (do something) I will continue to write poems.
17. Distinguish between (two things) He failed to distinguish between love and infatuation
18. Distinguish from (something) We are all able to distinguish right from wrong.
19. Divert from (away from something) He is fond of diverting from the truth
20. Divert to (towards something) They have diverted the money to a different project.
21. Dream about (someone/something) I dreamt about you last night
22. Dream of (something) I am dreaming of going to University.
23. Entrust to (someone) I entrusted the job to James.
24. Entrust with (something) They have entrusted me with the project.
25. Familiar to (someone) He looks familiar to me.
26. Familiar with (something) She is familiar with Zambian music.
27. Good at (something) The girl is very good at English.
28. Good to (someone) He has been so good to me.
29. Happy about (something) I am happy about your success
30. Happy with/for (someone) We are all happy for you.
31. Result from (cause) The war resulted from the political differences.
32. Result in (effect) The political differences will result in war.
33. Sorry for/about (something) I am sorry for the mistake.
34. Sorry to (verb) I am sorry to call you at this late hour.
35. Supply with (something) He will supply the school with maize
36. Supply to (area or company etc.) He will supply maize to the school.
GROUP 3
[Word + Preposition/adverb + Preposition]
In this group, the word is followed by two prepositions. Some require an object after the first 1.
preposition.
Examples
1. Gratitude to (someone) for (something) My gratitude to Dorothy senior for her support
on my education
2. Indebted to (someone) for (something) I am indebted to my father for educating me.
3. Nice of (someone) to (verb) It was nice of you to help us with some money
4. Kind of (someone) to (verb) It was kind of you to consider my proposal.
5. Look forward to I look forward to receiving a letter from you.
6. Fed up with I am fed up with your lies.

GROUP 4
[Preposition + Word + Preposition]
These are usually signaling devices.
1. By means of
2. By virtue of
3. For the sake of
4. In front of
5. In addition to
6. In case of
7. In spite of
8. In order to
9. In place of
10. On top of
11. On account of
12. On behalf of
13. With a view to
14. With regard to
15. With respect to
EXERCISE 16
Encircle the letter representing the right answer.
1. The movie is based __________ on the story written by Owen Banda.
A. in
B. of
C. on
D. at
2. Children are usually scared __________animals.
A. in
B. of
C. at
D. with
3. She is good __________ Mathematics.
A. at
B. in
C. with
D. on
4. He is the one responsible __________ the registration of students.
A. at
B. in
C. on
D. for
5. I depend __________ my parents for advice on life in general.
A. with
B. on
C. at
D. to
6. He has been suffering __________ malaria for the past two days.
A. for
B. from
C. off
D. of
7. The baby is smiling __________ you.
A. to
B. on
C. of
D. at
8. We arrived __________ Blantyre at three o’clock.
A. at
B. in
C. on
D.to
9. I don’t agree __________ John on the matter.
A. to
B. with
C. on
D. for
10. The man has been charged __________murder case.
A. on
B. to
C. with
D. of
SYNONYMS
abandon……….desert, forsake, leave
abbreviate…….curtail, abridge, compress.
abundant……...ample, coplous, plentiful.
adore……….....worship, idolize.
alive…….…….lively, vivacious.
ally….………...colleague, helper, partner, accomplice.
alms….…….....offertory, dole, gratuity.
amend……...…improve, ameliorate.
anxiety….….....misgiving, foreboding, solicitude.
assent….……...consent, acquiesce, agree.
bad………..…..evil, wicked, devilish, naughty, worthless.
beautify…….....adorn, decorate.
beg…………….implore, solicit, supplicate, beseech.
behavior…….....conduct, demeanour, deportment.
big…………..…enormous, gigantic, huge, mighty, great, vast, immense, large, majestic, bulky.
biography…..…memoir
blame……….....censure, upbraid, reprove.
blessing……......benediction, benison.
brave………….courageous, fearless, daring, intrepid.
bright…………clear, brilliant, lustrous, transparent, intelligent.
brittle…………frail, fragile.
burlar…………bandit, highwayman, thief, brigand.
busy…………..industrious, diligent, active, assiduous, alert, nimble, lively, energetic.
candid………...frank, sincere, straightforward, outspoken, open, ingenuous.
care…………...solicitude, anxiety.
catch…………..capture, seize, arrest, apprehend.
cause…………..reason, purpose, motive.
character………reputation.
charity…………benevolence, philanthropy.
choose…………select, discriminate, differentiate.
clever………….ingenious, versatile, precocious.
clothes…………attire, dress, garb, apparel, raiment.
confess…………admit, apologise, own, acknowledge.
constant………..incessant, eternal, perpetual, continuous.
cross…………...fretful, ill-tempered, crusty, ill-humoured.
cruelty…………oppression, tyranny, persecution.
dangerous……..perilous, risky, hazardous.
dear……………expensive, costly.
decrease……….curtail, reduce, diminish, contract, lessen.
difficult………..hard, involved, intricate, unmanageable, perplexing.
disaster………..misfortune, catastrophe, calamity, adversity.
discourse………lecture, sermon, exhortation, dissertation.
disease………...malady, sickness, ailment.
disfigure……….mar, deface, injure.
dishonest………unjust, unfair, fraudulent, deceitful, deceptive, unscrupulous.
disorder………..confusion, chaos.
dull…………….dreary, gloomy, cheerless, lonesome, melancholy, backward.
eager…………...keen, enthusiastic.
earn…………….achieve, gain, win, merit, acquire.
ebb……………..wane, decline, recede, sink, decay.
educate…………train, guide, instruct, teach.
eject…………….expel, dislodge, emit, cast.
elevate………….raise, lift, improve, heighten.
elude……………baffle, avoid, cheat, fool.
emancipate……..free, liberate, loose, release.
embrace………...hug, clasp.
emotion………...feeling, passion, tremor, agitation.
enemy………….foe, adversary, opponent, antagonist.
enough…………adequate, sufficient.
enquire…………seek, search, investigate, pry, explore, trace, inspect, examine
entice…………..lure, persuade, allure.
eradicate……….whole, total.
eradicate…..……exterminate, eliminate, destroy.
esteem………….love, value, honour, prize, admire.
external….……...perpetual, infinite, ceaseless.
exaggerate……....magnify, heighten, enlarge, overstate, amplify.
excess…………...surplus, increase.
famous………….renowned, celebrated, eminent, distinguished.
fashion………….custom, style, form.
fasten……………bind, tether, fix, join.
fatal……………..deadly, mortal.
fate……………...lot, destiny, end.
fault……………..error, flaw, defect.
fear……………...terror, dread.
fearful…………...timid, cowardly, frightened, faint-hearted, nervous.
fight……………..battle, contest, combat, struggle, conflict, strife, contention.
firm……………...substantial, durable, lasting, binding.
float…………….glide, drift, slip.
fond…………….affectionate, loving, devoted.
frank……………candid, outspoken, artless, open, sincere, plain, ingenuous.
friend…………..comrade, companion, associate, colleague.
frugal…………..thrifty, economical, sparing.
fruitful…………fertile, productive, luxuriant, prolific, fecund.
game…………..pastime, recreation, sport, fun, frolic.
gay…………….cheerful, merry, lively, jolly, blithe, buoyant.
gaze……………stare, espy, peer, reconnoiter.
general………..universal, common.
generous………liberal, big-hearted, noble.
genuine………..pure, real.
good…………..righteous, just, true, virtuous, upright.
habit…………..custom, usage, way.
hateful………...abominable, detestable, execrable.
help…………...assist, aid, succour, support.
high…………...tall, lofty, elaborate.
hinder…………obstruct, impede, thwart.
home………….dwelling, residence, abode, habitation.
increase……….enlarge, augment, amplify, multiply, extend, magnify, expand
infinite………...endless, eternal, everlasting, boundless, limitless.
Injure………….hurt, harm, violate, wrong, ill-treat, damage.
Insolvent………bankrupt.
Invasion……….raid, attack.
Invoke…………call, summon.
Irritate…………tease, provoke.
kind…………...thoughtful, considerate, tender, good, affectionate.
lazy……………indolent, slothful, idle, inactive, sluggish, inert.
lure…………….coax, entice, wheedle, persuade, inveigle, seduce, beguile.
map…………….plan, design, outline, chart, sketch.
malice………….malevolence, spite, hate, rapacity.
merry………...…gay, mirthful, jolly, sportive, joyous, jovial, jocund.
mistake….……...error, blunder, inaccuracy, fault.
motive………….reason, purpose.
mute……………dumb, silent.
narrate………….tell, say, report, recite.
necessary……….needful, requisite, essential.
necessity………..want, need.
obey…………….yield, submit.
obedient………...servile, cringing, submissive, meek, respectful.
oblation………....gift, offering.
obscene…………indecent, impure, vile.
odious…………...offensive, hateful.
old……………….ancient, antiquated, obsolete, antique.
omen…………….sign, foreboding, augury.
oral………………verbal, unwritten.
oratory…………..eloquence, rhetoric.
pale………………sallow, wan, pallid.
patron……………champion, advocate, supporter.
pitiful……………compassionate, sympathetic, consoling, piteous, merciful
polite…………….affable, courteous, civil, obliging, polished, well-bred.
poor……………..needy, destitute.
port………………harbour, haven, shelter.
power…………….ability, capacity, talent.
poverty…………..want, penury.
prattle……………chatter, jabber, gabble, gossip.
praise…………….compliment, commend, applaud.
predict……………presage, herald, foretell.
pretty…………….beautiful, lovely, fine, attractive, handsome, neat, elegant, trim,
gorgeous.
propagate………..broadcast, advertise, proclaim, multiply, increase.
quiet…………….calm, still, tranquil, serene, placid, peaceful.
rash……………..careless, tactless, indiscreet, reckless.
ready……………prompt, alert, agile, nimble.
real……………..authentic, genuine, original.
recruit………….tiro, novice, apprentice, amateur.
refugee…………outlaw, fugitive, exile, outcast.
regent…………..viceroy, deputy, substitute.
riot……………..insurrection, revolt, mutiny, rising.
rude……………insolent, impolite, abusive, offensive.
rule…………….govern, manage, supervise.
safe……………..secure, sure, protected, locked, guarded.
scandal…………slander, calumny.
scorn…………....despise, abhor, condemn, deprecate.
see……………...behold, perceive, discern, view, scan, descry.
silent……………reticent, taciturn, speechless.
sin………………transgression, offence, misdemeanour.
sly………………cunning, artful, crafty, subtle, shrewd, wily.
small……………tiny, puny, little.
smell…………….scent, odour, perfume, fragrance.
smooth………….level, plain, flat, uneven.
souvenir………...memento, memorial, token, relic, remembrance.
speech…………..eloquence, oratory, rhetoric.
spread…………..scatter, disperse, distribute, disseminate, diffuse, broadcast.
stranger…………foreigner, alien, immigrant.
strong…………..powerful, muscular, robust, able, stalwart, sturdy, lusty.
suitable…………appropriate, befitting, becoming.
surrender……….yield, relinquish, abandon, submit, capitulate.
timid…………..cowardly, fearful, faint-hearted.
trick…………...hoax.
trust…………...rely, believe.
try……………..attempt, strive, endeavour, essay.
ugly……………hideous, unsightly, horrid, uncouth, grotesque, squalid, repulsive.
value…………..esteem, worth, appreciate, reverence.
victory………...success, triumph.
weak…………..feeble, infirm, impotent, frail, flimsy.

EXERCISE 17
Encircle the letter (A, B, C or D) representing the word of the same meaning with the underlined word.
1) He is the one to help you with the research.
A. want
B. leave
C. assist
D. make

2) John is a very kind person.

A. cruel
B. rude
C. dishonest
D. considerate

3) She has bought a new car.

A. ancient
B. modern
C. outdated
D. antique

4) His behaviour is not tolerable.

A. thought
B. conduct
C. personality
D. opinion

5) Mary has built a big house.

A. small
B. tiny
C. minute
D. huge

6) He has a lot of passion for the subject.

A. thought
B. words
C. drink
D. feeling

7) The student confessed that he teased a fellow student.

A. wanted
B. admitted
C. denied
D. rejected

8) She was the speaker during the entire ceremony.

A. some
B. whole
C. part
C. big
9) The purpose of the workshop was to instill in the students the passion for writing.
A. opinion
B. problem
C. motive
D. disadvantage

10) He enticed the young man away from home

A. forced
B. assisted
C. persuaded
D. discouraged
ANTONYMS
(Graded from simple to difficult, and arranged in groups of ten)
Word Opposite Word Opposite
cold………………………..………hot absent…………..………………present
dry………………………………...wet poor…...……………………………rich
love……………………….hate, hatred right……..……………………....wrong
question………………………..answer win…………………………...……lose
asleep………………………..….awake peace…...…………………………..war
front………………………………back coarse…………..………………….fine
joy……………………….sorrow, grief rough…………………………..smooth
begin……………………….end, cease top……...………………………bottom
find……………………………….lose buy…..……………………………..sell
friend………………….…..enemy, foe life…..……………………………death

dead……………………………...alive proud…………………………...humble
busy……………………………….idle easy……………..……….difficult, hard
sweet………...………sour, acid, bitter cheap…..………………dear, expensive
bright……………………………...dull inside…..………………………outside
rise…………………………...fall, sink give…..……………………………take
true……………………………….false hit…………………………………miss
quick……………………………..slow wide…….………………………narrow
start……………………………...finish loud…………………..……………soft
ugly…………………………..beautiful clean…………….………………...dirty
near………………………...far, distant weep……………………………..laugh

kind…………………………..…..cruel collect…...……………………disperse
empty……………………………...full youth………………...…………….age
ever………………………….…..never modern…….…………..……..ancienty
bless………………………….….curse former……………………………latter
adult……………………………..child least…...…………………..…..greatest
north…………………………….south slender……………………………stout
east………………………………west robust……….…………feeble, delicate
high……………………………….low good…………………………….….bad
upper……………………………lower big…….………………………….small
higher…………………………...lower smart, clever….………...foolish, stupid

better………………………...…worse here…….…………………………there
entrance…………………………..exit first…….…………………………...last
active………………………….passive early………..………………………late
noise…………………………...silence fat……….……………………thin, lean
quiet……………………………..noisy join, unite……………………..separate
inner……………………………..outer light……..………….…heavy, darkness
lend……………………………borrow day……..…………………………night
go………………………………..come many…….…………………………few
hard………………………………..soft all…...……………………………none
old…………………………………new often…...………………………seldom

junior……………………………senior fresh…...…………………………stale
live…………………………………die straight…….…………………crooked
long………………………………short weak……………………….…...strong
enjoy……………………………dislike deep…………………..……….shallow
gay……………………………….grave open………...………...…..shut, closed
rejoice…………………..mourn, grieve black…...……………………….white
pleasant…………………..disagreeable praise……...……………………blame
success……………………….…failure this……..………………………....that
harmony……………………….discord these….………………………….those
blessing………………………….curse morning…….………………...evening

generous………………...mean, selfish summer………………………..winter

valour………………………cowardice young………...……………………old
bravery……………………..cowardice giant………...…………………..dwarf
advance……….…………retreat, retire wild…...………………………….tame
arrive…………………………...depart profit, gain………………………loss
attack…………………………..defend happy………………………………sad
before………………………….behind daily…………………...………nightly
engage………………………...dismiss health……………….sickness, disease
appear………………………….vanish lead………...…………………..follow
everywhere…………………..nowhere land…….………………….…....water

earth……………………………….sea bow…………………………..….stern
hill…………………...…………valley stationary…………………..…moving
mountain………………………...plain dynamic…………….……..…….static
right……………………………….left centrifugal…………...…….centripetal
public………………………….private oriental…………………….occidental
acute…………………….……...obtuse miser……………...……….spendthrift
lazy…………………….….industrious spacious……………………….limited
master………………………....servant sober………………...….....intoxicated
arrive…………………………...depart future………...……………………past
remember……………………….forget abundance…………………….scarcity

appoint………………………...dismiss common…………………………...rare
knowledge…………….……ignorance simple..………………………complex
pale……………………………...ruddy barren…..………………………fruitful
raw…………………………….cooked ally………..……………………enemy
help…………………………….hinder flow…..……………………………ebb
accept……………………reject, refuse teach…….……………………….learn
natural………………………..artificial think….…………………………guess
polite…………………………….saucy work…….…………………………rest
summit……………………………base worker…...………………………drone
apex………………………………base truth………...…………………....error

cloudy…………………………....clear familiar…..……………………strange
dawn……………………………...dusk freedom………………………captivity
ascend………………………...descend poverty………….………………riches
vacant………………………..occupied extravagance………….…………thrift
hope…………………………....despair danger………….………………safety
interior………………………...exterior sacred…………………………profane
permanent…………………..temporary virtue…………..…………………vice
obey…………………………command wisdom…………..……………...folly
negative……………………….positive within………...………………without
conceal………………………….reveal polite………..…………………...rude

hide………………………………show proper…………….…………common
singular………………………….plural saint………....…………………sinner
foreign…………………………..native height…………..………………depth
smile…………………………….frown asleep………….………………awake
multiply…………………………divide convex…………….…………concave
wax………………………………wane agree……………………….contradict
prosperity……………………adversity bashful………………..…………bold
victory………………………….defeat indolent…………...………….diligent
superior……………………….inferior inhale………….………………exhale
level……………………………...steep expand……………….………contract
liquid…………………………….solid victor…………….……….vanquished
pardon………………………….punish real………………...………imaginary
complainant………………...defendant antecedent………...………consequent
debtor…………………………creditor eager…………..…………….reluctant
rural……………………………..urban order……………………………chaos
emigrant……………………immigrant certain…………….……………doubt
optimist……………………...pessimist affirmative………..…………negative
ingenuous……………………insincere venial…………..………unpardonable
numerous……………………….sparse liquid……………………………solid
transparent………..translucent, opaque rigid……………………….…flexible

pedestrian…………………..passenger novice…………...……………veteran
powerful………………………..feeble industry………..………………..sloth
guilty………………………...innocent genuine……………...……counterfeit
hell……………………………Heaven accelerate………………………retard
heroic…………………………….base celestial………….…………terrestrial
ancestor………………………progeny benevolent………….…….malevolent
assemble……………………...disperse benediction…………...….malediction
condemn…………………....exonerate compulsory………..……….voluntary
slim……………….…….chubby, stout compulsory……………………option
minimum…………………...maximum obligatory………….………voluntary

arrival…………………….…departure analysis………..……………synthesis
reward…………………….punishment excess………….……………shortage
economy………………...extravagance surplus………..………….……deficit
increase………………………decrease prosperous……………….….indigent
majority……………………...minority assent…………………………dissent
employ………………………...dismiss consent………..………………dissent
liberty………………………….slavery include……………..………...exclude
lawful…………………………..illegal indigenous………..……………exotic
transverse………………...longitudinal apprehend…………………….release
attract………………………….distract gaiety……...……………..melancholy

amateur…………………..professional solitary……………...………populous
confine………………………...release sparse…………….………..populated
orthodox……………………heterodox predecessor…………...……successor
pure………………………..adulterated confusion…………………orderliness
lovely………………………..repulsive pleasure……………….…………pain
graceful……………………….hideous convict…………………………acquit
pugnacious…………………...peaceful concurrent…………….…consecutive
theory…………………………practice poison…………..……………antidote
hostile…………………………friendly prolific…………………………sterile
Gentile…………………………….Jew initial………….…………………final

monotony……………………...variety regularly…………...…….periodically
survive………………………succumb submissive…………...……intractible
prospective……………...retrospective incessantly……………..………rarely
premature…………………….overdue monogamy………………...polygamy
caution…………………...recklessness prologue…………………….epilogue
force, compel………….…….persuade latitude……………………..longitude
colleague…………………..antagonist precept………………………example
prudence………………....indiscretion ancestry……..………………posterity
motionless…………………....agitated creditor…………...……………debtor
exact………………….……inaccurate prose……..……………………..verse