Grade 10 indigenous languages – Social Writing Quiz
1. Which Swahili salutation is correct when addressing a group in a social letter?
Wapendwa is the plural form of mpendwa and is used when addressing a group (plural agreement).
2. How do you say 'your book' (to one person) correctly in Swahili?
Kitabu is in the ki- class (class 7/8) and the correct 2nd-person singular possessive suffix is -chako, so 'kitabu chako' is correct.
3. What is the correct plural form of 'rafiki' (friend) in Swahili?
Rafiki forms its plural with the ma- prefix (class 6), so the plural is 'marafiki'.
4. Which sentence is the correct negative form of 'Yeye anaandika' (He/she is writing)?
Negative present uses the prefix ha- plus the -na- progressive marker: 'yeye hanaandika' = 'he/she is not writing'.
5. Which relative pronoun should you use for 'the people who came' in Swahili?
Ambao is the plural relative pronoun used with plural nouns (e.g., 'watu ambao/watu ambao = watu ambao' — standard form 'watu ambao' or 'watu ambao/ambao'). 'Ambaye' is singular.
6. Which subject prefix marks 2nd person singular (you) in Swahili verbs?
The 2nd person singular subject prefix is 'u-', as in 'unaandika' (you are writing).
7. How do you say 'our book' correctly in Swahili?
For ki- class nouns like 'kitabu', the 1st-person plural possessive is 'chetu' (kitabu chetu).
8. Which preposition correctly expresses 'to' when indicating the recipient of a letter in Swahili?
Kwa is used to indicate the recipient or target (e.g., 'Nilimtumia barua kwa rafiki yangu' = I sent a letter to my friend).
9. Which conjunction is the correct Swahili word for 'and' when joining words or phrases?
'Na' is the coordinating conjunction meaning 'and' in Swahili.
10. Which sentence correctly shows the simple past tense 'I wrote a letter' in Swahili?
The past tense marker is -li- (niliandika = I wrote). 'Naandika'/'Ninaandika' indicate present/progressive.
11. Which sentence correctly expresses 'I will write a letter' (future) in Swahili?
The future tense uses the marker -ta- (nit aandika = I will write). 'Niliandika' is past, 'nimeandika' is present perfect.
12. Which Swahili sentence correctly means 'If you come, we will eat'?
The correct conditional uses 'kama' + present/future: 'kama utakuja' (if you come) and future result 'tutakula' (we will eat).
13. What is the correct passive past form of 'Amina wrote a letter' in Swahili?
The past passive of 'aliandika barua' is 'Barua iliandikwa na Amina' (the letter was written by Amina); 'iliandikwa' is the past passive form.
14. Which sentence correctly means 'The students are writing' in Swahili?
'Wanaandika' uses the 3rd person plural subject prefix 'wa-' plus progressive '-na-' to mean 'they are writing'.
15. Which particle is commonly placed at the start of a Swahili yes/no question?
'Je' is the question particle used to introduce yes/no questions (e.g., 'Je, unaenda?').
16. How do you say 'their house' correctly in Swahili?
For plural possessors the correct possessive is 'yao' (nyumba yao = their house).
17. Which form expresses the negative imperative 'Don't go' (singular) in Swahili?
The negative imperative for 'go' (kwenda) is 'usiende' (use the negative imperative prefix 'usi-' + verb root).
18. What is the correct plural of 'tunda' (fruit) in Swahili?
'Tunda' forms its plural with the ma- prefix: 'matunda'.
19. Which word is the simple copula used to link subject and predicate (e.g., 'I am a student') in Swahili?
'Ni' is the copula used for identification: 'Mimi ni mwanafunzi' = I am a student.
20. Which demonstrative correctly refers to a person who is near the speaker in Swahili?
'Huyu' is the demonstrative for a near person (this person). 'Yule' refers to someone far.
21. Which sentence shows the correct basic Swahili word order (Subject-Verb-Object)?
Swahili typically follows SVO order: subject (mwalimu) + verb (anafundisha) + object (wanafunzi).
22. How do you say 'my teacher' correctly in Swahili?
'Mwalimu' (m-/wa- class) takes the possessive 'wangu' for 1st-person singular: 'mwalimu wangu' = my teacher.
23. Which Swahili sentence correctly means 'We are writing a letter'?
'Tunaandika' uses the 1st person plural prefix 'tu-' plus progressive '-na-' to mean 'we are writing'.
24. Which verb is commonly used at the start of a polite request in Swahili (e.g., 'I request' or 'Please may I')?
'Naomba' is used to make polite requests (e.g., 'Naomba barua yako' = I request your letter/Please may I have your letter).
25. Which informal salutation is grammatically correct for 'Dear friend' in Swahili when writing to one friend?
'Rafiki mpendwa' (literally 'friend dear') is the standard informal salutation meaning 'Dear friend' in Swahili; it places the adjective after the noun.