Grade 7 English MUSIC – READING:CHARACTERS AND THEIR TRAITS Notes
English — Music: Reading: Characters and Their Traits 🎵
Age: 12 (Kenya) — Focus: grammar used to describe characters in reading passages about music (singers, musicians, bands). Use these notes to read, write and talk about character traits correctly.
What you will learn
- How adjectives and adverbs describe characters
- Using comparatives and superlatives
- Making sentences with relative clauses (who/that)
- Direct speech and reported speech for song lines or quotes
- Correct verbs (subject-verb agreement) when describing bands or people
Key Grammar Points (with music examples)
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Adjectives — Describe nouns (people, instruments).
Example: She is a talented singer. — "talented" is an adjective describing "singer". Use adjectives before a noun: a calm drummer. Use after linking verbs: The drummer is calm.
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Adverbs — Describe verbs, adjectives or other adverbs.
Example: He sings beautifully. — "beautifully" describes how he sings. Adverbs can also modify adjectives: She is very confident.
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Comparatives & Superlatives
Use "-er" or "more" to compare two people, and "-est" or "the most" for three or more. Examples: Kendi is louder than Asha. (comparative) — Asha is the loudest singer. (superlative). Irregular: good → better → best.
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Relative Clauses (who / that)
Add extra information about a person: The guitarist who lives in Kisumu plays benga. Use "who" for people: the singer who writes songs. Use "that" for people or things in informal writing: the band that won.
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Possessive forms
To show something belongs to someone: Juma's guitar, or the band's song.
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Subject-verb agreement
The verb must match the subject. Singular: The band plays every Saturday. Plural people: The musicians are happy.
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Direct speech (quoting someone)
Use quotation marks for exact words: "I practice every day," said Amina.
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Reported speech (telling what someone said)
Change present to past and adjust pronouns and time words:
Direct: "I practice every day," said Amina.
Reported: Amina said (that) she practiced every day.
Short Reading Passage (music context)
Juma is a young guitarist from Kisumu. He is hardworking and patient. Every afternoon he practices his guitar under a big mango tree. His friend Asha, a cheerful singer, often practices with him. "We want to play at the county festival," Asha says. The duo write joyful songs that make people dance. The local band that supports them gives helpful advice.
Exercises (Try them)
- Find and list 4 adjectives and 2 adverbs in the passage. (Hint: adjectives describe people/things; adverbs describe actions.)
- Change the direct speech into reported speech:
Asha says, "We want to play at the county festival."
- Make the comparative and superlative for this adjective: cheerful. Write one sentence comparing Asha to another singer and one sentence saying she is the most cheerful.
- Combine these two sentences using a relative pronoun (who/that):
The local band gives helpful advice. The band supports Juma and Asha.
Answers (check your work)
- Adjectives: hardworking, patient, cheerful, joyful. Adverbs: often, every (as in "every afternoon" — time adverbial).
- Reported speech: Asha said (that) they wanted to play at the county festival. (Note: present → past; "we" → "they")
- Comparative & superlative:
Comparative: Asha is more cheerful than the other singer. Superlative: Asha is the most cheerful singer in the group.
- Combined sentence:
The local band that supports Juma and Asha gives helpful advice.
Quick Tips for Tests and Writing
- Spot adjectives and adverbs to describe characters quickly.
- When changing direct speech to reported, move the tense back (present → past) and change pronouns.
- Use "who" for people in relative clauses: the singer who, the band that.
- Check subject-verb agreement: The band plays (not play) if you treat the band as one group.
Final practice (one minute): Describe a musician you know in two sentences. Use at least one adjective, one adverb and a relative clause. Example start: "My cousin is a talented drummer who ..." 🎤🎸