Grade 7 English LEADERSHIP – LISTENING AND SPEAKING:SELECTIVE LISTENING Notes
ENGLISH: Listening & Speaking – SELECTIVE LISTENING
Topic: LEADERSHIP (for learners aged 12, Kenya)
Objective: When listening to short speeches about leadership, pick out important grammar items: imperatives (commands), modal verbs (advice/obligation), direct vs indirect speech, subject–verb agreement, and adjectives. Then practise speaking using those grammar points.
Selective listening means listening for specific grammar features rather than trying to remember everything. For example, listen only for commands or for words that show obligation (must, should).
Key grammar points to listen for (all about leaders)
- Imperatives (commands) – verbs used to tell people what to do. Example: "Stand up." "Help your classmate."
- Modal verbs (advice/obligation) – should, must, ought to, can, may. Example: "You should be honest."< /li>
- Direct and indirect speech – leaders often speak directly. Practice changing direct speech to reported (indirect) speech.
- Subject–verb agreement – ensure the verb matches the subject. Example: "The leader is ready." NOT "The leader are ready."
- Adjectives – words that describe leaders (honest, brave, fair).
How to do the listening tasks
- Teacher reads one short passage aloud twice.
- Listen only for the grammar item named (e.g., "just listen for modal verbs").
- Write or say what you heard (words or short sentences).
Listening passages (teacher reads aloud)
"Class captain said, 'Please sit quietly. Help clean the class after school. We must finish the project by Thursday.'"
Listen task: Listen for (a) all imperatives, (b) modal verbs. Write them down.
"The headteacher told the pupils, 'You should respect others and always be honest.'"
Listen task: Listen for modal verbs and the exact phrase in direct speech. Then report it in indirect speech.
"Each of the team leaders are ready to begin. A good leader is fair and brave."
Listen task: Spot the sentence with wrong subject–verb agreement and correct it. Also list the adjectives you hear.
Speaking practice (pair work)
- Student A: Give three short commands (imperatives) about leading a team. Example: "Choose a secretary."
- Student B: Give three pieces of advice using modal verbs. Example: "You should listen to your team."
- Switch roles. Use at least one reported sentence: e.g., "She said we should vote for honesty."
Written exercises (do after listening)
- From Passage A: Write all imperatives you heard. (Hint: look for verbs that order someone.)
- From Passage B: Change the direct speech to indirect speech: The headteacher told the pupils, "You should respect others."
- From Passage C: Correct the sentence with subject–verb error: "Each of the team leaders are ready to begin."
- Pick two adjectives that describe a good leader. Use each in a sentence about your school leader.
- Choose the correct modal to complete: "A leader ___ (must / can / may) listen to everyone's idea." Explain why.
Answers (teacher use)
Passage A answers: Imperatives: "Please sit quietly." (sit quietly); "Help clean the class after school." (help clean). Modal verb: "must" (We must finish the project by Thursday.)
Passage B answers: Modal: "should". Direct speech: "'You should respect others and always be honest.'" Indirect speech: The headteacher told the pupils that they should respect others and always be honest.
Passage C answers: Wrong agreement: "Each of the team leaders are ready to begin." Correct: "Each of the team leaders is ready to begin." Adjectives: "good," "fair," "brave" (from sentence: "A good leader is fair and brave").
Example answers for exercise 4 & 5:
- Adjective sentences: "Our class captain is fair." "The headteacher is brave during challenges."
- Modal: "A leader must listen to everyone's idea." Explanation: "must" shows strong obligation—leaders have the duty to listen.
Quick grammar tips
- Imperatives usually begin with the base form of a verb: "Help", "Do", "Choose".
- When changing direct to indirect speech, shift pronouns and change tenses when needed: "I will" → "he said he would".
- "Each" takes a singular verb: Each + singular verb (is, has).
- Modals show degree: must (strong obligation), should/ought to (advice), can/may (ability/permission).
Use these notes in class: teacher reads the short passages aloud while learners practise selective listening for grammar. Then learners speak and write to reinforce the grammar they heard.
📚 End of notes.