Grade 4 English Narratives – Riddles Notes
English Notes — Narratives: Riddles (Class 4, Kenya)
A riddle is a short question or statement that gives clues. Riddles make stories fun and help readers think. In English (grammar), riddles use special sentence types and words. Below we learn how riddles are built and how to make them.
1. Riddle sentence types
- Questions — Most riddles end with a question mark (?). Example words: What, Who, Where, How. Example: What has four legs and barks?
- Statements (clues) — Short sentences that describe. They end with a full stop (.) or sometimes a question. Example: I have a long trunk.
- Commands — Rarely: ask the reader to guess. Example: Guess who I am!
2. Parts of speech used in riddles
- Nouns — names of people, animals or things (e.g., elephant, mango, house).
- Verbs — action or being words (e.g., eat, grow, have).
- Adjectives — describing words (e.g., tall, yellow, heavy).
- Pronouns — replace nouns (I, it, he, she).
- Question words — What, Who, Where, When, How, Why.
3. Grammar rules for riddles (easy)
- Use simple present tense: Riddles usually use present simple (e.g., I am, I have, It grows).
- Use a question mark (?) at the end of a riddle question.
- Keep sentences short. Short clues are easier to guess.
- Use strong adjectives to give good clues (e.g., tall, soft, round).
- Make sure subject and verb agree: It is (not "It are").
4. Examples (with grammar notes)
Riddle 1: I am yellow, I grow on a cob. I am tasty when boiled. What am I? 🌽
Answer: Maize (corn)
Grammar: "I am" = subject (I) + verb (am) in present simple. Adjective "yellow" describes the noun. The question uses "What am I?" (question word + verb + subject).
Riddle 2: I have a long nose and big ears. I am very strong. Who am I? 🐘
Answer: Elephant
Grammar: "I have" (have = verb). "Long" and "big" are adjectives. Question word "Who" asks for a person/animal name.
Riddle 3: I hang on trees and I am sweet. Monkeys love me. What am I? 🍌
Answer: Banana
Grammar: "I hang" (present simple). "Sweet" is an adjective. Use "What am I?" to ask identity.
5. How to write a riddle (3 easy steps)
- Choose a thing you know (animal, food, object).
- Write 2–3 clues using nouns, verbs and adjectives in present simple. Keep them short.
- Ask a question at the end: "What am I?" or "Who am I?"
6. Practice (try these)
- Change this statement into a question: "I have four legs and meow." → ___________________
- Underline the adjectives: "I am small and fast. I catch mice."
- Write a riddle about a mango. Use one adjective and present simple. (Write 2–3 lines)
Answers
1. What has four legs and meows? OR What is the animal that has four legs and meows?
2. Adjectives: small, fast.
3. Example riddle: "I am sweet and orange. I grow on a tree. What am I?" (Answer: Mango) — Grammar: adjectives "sweet", "orange"; present simple "I am".
Tips: Read riddles out loud in class. Listen for question words and verbs. Try making riddles about Kenyan things you see: mangoes, maize, goats, buses, or trees.
Happy riddle-making! Practice grammar by writing one riddle every day.