READING: POETRY Notes, Quizzes & Revision
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English β Hygiene
Subtopic: Reading: Poetry (Grammar focus) β Age 12 (Kenya)
Learning objectives
- Recognise and use the present simple for routines.
- Identify and form imperatives (commands) used in instructions.
- Classify nouns: countable and uncountable; use articles correctly (a/an/the).
- Use pronouns and possessive adjectives (you, we, your, our).
- Identify verbs, adjectives, adverbs, prepositions and conjunctions in short lines.
Short poem for reading
Wash Day π§Όπ§
1. Every morning we wash our hands and sing.
2. Water from the tap splashes β we are clean.
3. Soap bubbles dance on palms and thumbs.
4. Dry with a clean towel. Don't use another's towel!
5. At school we use the latrine and keep it neat.
6. Wash your hands before you eat β it's a good habit.
Grammar points (using lines from the poem)
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Present simple for routines
Example: "we wash our hands" (line 1), "we use the latrine" (line 5). These show habits or actions done regularly.
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Imperative verbs (commands)
Example: "Dry with a clean towel." and "Wash your hands before you eat." β subject (you) is understood. Negative imperative: "Don't use another's towel!" β use don't + base verb.
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Nouns: countable and uncountable
- Countable: towel, thumb, hand, latrine (we can count: one towel, two towels).
- Uncountable: water, soap (we say some water, some soap, not "a water"). Use a/an with countable nouns only. -
Articles (a / an / the)
Use "a" or "an" with singular countable nouns (a towel, an orange). Use "the" for something specific (the tap).
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Pronouns and possessive adjectives
Examples from poem: "we" (subject pronoun), "your" (possessive adjective in "Wash your hands"), "our" (possessive adjective in "our hands").
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Other parts of speech
- Verbs: wash, sing, splashes, dance, dry, use, keep, eat.
- Adjectives: clean (describes towel, hands).
- Adverbs are less used here; "before" is a conjunction/preposition showing time ("before you eat").
- Conjunctions: and (joins words/phrases), β dash used for a pause.
Short grammar exercises (try these)
- Underline the verbs in line 1 and write their tense. (line 1: "Every morning we wash our hands and sing.")
- Turn line 6 into a negative command. (line 6: "Wash your hands before you eat β it's a good habit.")
- Identify two countable and one uncountable noun from the poem.
- Choose the correct article: "___ towel" (one clean towel you see now).
- Replace the possessive adjective: change "our hands" (line 1) to show belonging to one person: write the new phrase.
Answers
- Verbs in line 1: wash, sing. Tense: present simple (used for routines).
- Negative command: "Don't wash your hands before you eat." (Note: logically we do not want students to actually say this β grammatically the negative form is shown. A better correct negative command about towel: "Don't use another's towel.")
- Countable: towel, thumb (or hand). Uncountable: water, soap.
- Correct article: "a towel" (one clean towel seen now). Use "a" before consonant sounds.
- Change "our hands" to show one person's possession: "my hands" (if you mean yourself) or "his hands" / "her hands" for another person.
Quick grammar tips
- Use present simple for daily actions: I/you/we/they wash, he/she washes.
- Imperatives use the base verb: "Wash!" β for negative use "Don't + base verb".
- Use "some" with uncountable nouns: "some water", "some soap".
- Check pronouns: "we" is more than one person; "you" can be one or many.
Use this poem to practise grammar while thinking about hygiene at home and school. Keep safe β wash hands well and often! π§