Grade 7 English TOURIST ATTRACTION SITES:KENYA – LISTENING AND SPEAKING:ORAL REPORTS Notes
LISTENING AND SPEAKING: ORAL REPORTS — Grammar Notes
Subject: English • Topic: Tourist Attraction Sites: Kenya • Age: 12 (Kenyan context)
What these notes focus on:
Grammar you need to prepare and deliver short oral reports about Kenyan tourist sites (e.g., Maasai Mara, Mount Kenya, Diani Beach, Amboseli). Simple rules, sentence patterns and practice activities.
1. Useful sentence types
- Statements (facts): use Present Simple for general facts.
Example: "Maasai Mara is famous for its animals."
- Descriptions (now): use Present Continuous for activities happening now.
Example: "Tourists are watching the wildebeest migration."
- Past events: use Past Simple.
Example: "I visited Diani Beach last year."
- Future plans: use 'will' or 'going to' for plans.
Example: "We will go to Mount Kenya next holiday."
2. Subject–Verb Agreement (short rule)
Singular subjects use verbs with -s in Present Simple; plural subjects do not.
- "The beach is beautiful." (be + singular)
- "The lakes are deep." (be + plural)
- "A guide explains the rules." vs "The guides explain the rules."
3. Articles: a / an / the
- a / an — use with one non-specific thing: "a guide", "an elephant".
- the — use for something specific or known: "the Maasai Mara", "the mountain".
- Place names: use "the" with some names (the Rift Valley) but not with most proper names (Mount Kenya, Diani Beach).
4. Adjectives and order (short tip)
Use short descriptive words before a noun: size, colour, quality, origin.
Example: "a large, green forest" or "a beautiful white beach".
5. Comparatives and Superlatives
- Comparative: add -er or use more: "Mount Kenya is higher than the nearby hill."
- Superlative: add -est or use most: "Amboseli is the most famous for elephants."
6. Linking words for oral reports
Use sequence and reason words to organise speech:
- Sequence: First, Then, Next, Finally.
- Reason/Result: because, so, therefore.
- Example: "First, we visited the park. Then we saw lions. Because the animals were close, we were excited."
7. Modals for suggestions and permission
- Can / Could: ability or polite requests — "Can I take photos?"
- Should / Must: advice and rules — "You should bring water." / "You must stay in the vehicle."
8. Reporting verbs (useful in oral reports)
Use simple verbs to report information: say, tell, explain, report, describe.
Example: "The guide explained the history of the site." / "People say the view is amazing."
9. Making questions and answers (for Q&A after your report)
Form questions using do/does (present), did (past), will (future) or question words (what, where, when, why, how).
- Present: "Does the park charge an entrance fee?" — "Yes, it does."
- Past: "When did you visit?" — "I visited in August."
- Why/how: "Why is it famous?" — "Because of the wildebeest migration."
10. Short speaking tips linked to grammar
- Keep sentences short and clear (good for Present Simple facts).
- Use linking words to connect ideas — your listener follows better.
- When giving dates or facts, use Past Simple or Present Simple correctly.
Practice activities
-
Fill in the correct verb form (Present Simple or Past Simple):
a) "Last year we ____ (visit) Amboseli."
b) "Amboseli ____ (have) many elephants."
c) "The tour guide ____ (tell) us about the Maasai." -
Choose the correct article (a / an / the / no article):
a) "I saw ___ elephant at ___ Maasai Mara."
b) "We walked on ___ Diani Beach."
c) "___ Mount Kenya is tall." -
Make these sentences into questions for the class:
a) "You visited Lake Nakuru last month."
b) "The guide explains the rules."
c) "We will leave at 8 am." -
Use linking words to join two short sentences:
a) "We saw birds. We took photos." → "We saw birds ___ we took photos."
b) "The road was rough. We arrived late." → "Because ___, we arrived late." -
Change to comparative or superlative:
a) "Mount Kenya is high." → "Mount Kenya is ___ than the hill."
b) "Diani is beautiful." → "Diani is the ___ beach in Kenya."
Answers (check your work):
- a) visited b) has c) told
- a) an / the b) the c) Mount Kenya (no 'the' before Mount Kenya is usual)
- a) "Did you visit Lake Nakuru last month?" b) "Does the guide explain the rules?" c) "Will we leave at 8 am?"
- a) "so" or "and" b) "the road was rough" → "Because the road was rough, we arrived late."
- a) "higher" b) "most beautiful"
Quick sample mini-report (use grammar above)
"First, we visited the Maasai Mara. The park is famous for its animals. We saw lions and cheetahs. The guide explained that the migration happens every year. Finally, we returned home very happy."
Tip: Practice your report aloud. Use short clear sentences, correct verb tenses, and linking words. Ask a friend questions after your report to practise question forms.