Grade 7 English NATURAL RESOURCES:FORESTS β READING:VISUALS Notes
READING: VISUALS β Forests (English)
For: Kenyan learners (age 12). Focus: English grammar needed to read and write about pictures, charts and labels about forests π³.
1. What is a visual?
A visual is any picture, map, chart, poster or labelled diagram. When you read a visual, use English grammar to name, describe and explain what you see.
2. Important grammar points with examples
- Nouns & noun phrases β name things: trees, forest, canopy, animals.
Example labels: "Mau Forest", "a young tree", "forest floor". - Articles (a, an, the)
- Use a/an for any one of something: "a tree", "an animal".
- Use the for something specific in the picture: "the tall tree next to the path". - Adjectives β describe: size, color, age.
Order example: "a tall, green, old tree".
Short caption: "A dense forest". - Verbs and tenses
- Present simple for facts: "This forest provides wood."
- Present continuous for actions shown: "People are planting trees."
- Past simple for past events: "They planted trees last year." - Prepositions of place β use to read positions: in, on, under, behind, between, near.
Examples: "A bird on a branch." "Roots under the soil." - Comparatives and superlatives
Compare visuals or labels: "Kakamega Forest is smaller than Mau Forest." "Mount Kenya forest is the highest." - Quantifiers and numbers
Use many, few, several, some, or exact numbers: "There are many trees." vs "50% of the area is forest." (match verbs: "There is 50% coverage" / "There are 100 trees"). - Captions and labels
Captions tell what a visual shows. Keep them short and clear. Use present simple: "Farmers plant seedlings in Kakamega." Labels are one or two words: "canopy", "trunk", "river". - Relative clauses β add information: "trees that grow near rivers", "the path which leads to the hill".
- Passive voice (simple)
Use when the action is important but the doer is not: "Trees are cut down." vs active: "People cut down trees." - Reporting visuals
Use verbs like shows, illustrates, indicates: "The map shows forest areas in western Kenya."
3. How to write captions for forest visuals
- Use present simple (what the picture shows): "The picture shows..."
- Say where and who if needed: "in Kakamega, local students..."
- Use short clear phrases: "Tree planting day β learners plant seedlings."
4. Small visual expressions (examples)
π³ β tree π¦ β bird πΊοΈ β map π β chart
Example 1: Picture of people planting trees
Caption (present continuous): "People are planting seedlings in the school garden."
Short label: "seedlings" β noun.
Grammar note: Use are planting because the action is happening now.
Caption (present continuous): "People are planting seedlings in the school garden."
Short label: "seedlings" β noun.
Grammar note: Use are planting because the action is happening now.
Example 2: Map showing forest areas
Sentence: "The map shows forest cover in western Kenya."
Grammar note: Use shows (present simple) for facts given by visuals.
Sentence: "The map shows forest cover in western Kenya."
Grammar note: Use shows (present simple) for facts given by visuals.
5. Quick practice (write answers below)
- Fill: "_____ tree is tall." (a / the) β Answer: "The tree is tall." (specific picture)
- Write caption (present simple) for a photo of children planting: ____________________ β Sample answer: "Children plant trees."
- Choose preposition: "A bird is sitting ___ the branch." (on / in / under) β Answer: "on"
6. Short checklist when reading a visual about forests
- What nouns do you see? (trees, river, farmer)
- Which tense fits best? (present simple for facts; present continuous for actions)
- Use correct articles and prepositions.
- Keep captions short and clear.
Use these grammar tips to read posters, maps and diagrams about Kenyan forests (Mau, Kakamega, Mount Kenya) and to write clear captions and sentences. Practice by describing one picture in one sentence: try it now!