Unit notes and practice questions
Everything here is for unit 9 of the Grade 10 English textbook: what the chapter covers, the short notes, practice questions with their answers, and the lesson video where one exists.
The cards filed under this chapter on the Grade 10 English page. Open one at a time.
When you use it
Use the pattern 'if + subject + were ... , subject + would + base verb' to express imaginary conditions and wishes about the present.
Watch out
Use 'were' instead of 'was' for all subjects including I, he, she, and it when expressing imaginary wishes, such as 'If I were a teacher' or 'If she were here'.
Drafted from Grade 10 English, pages 240-266, then checked twice before it went up
When you use it
Use when formatting official letters such as job applications or complaints with standard elements like heading, inside address, salutation, body, closing, and signature.
Watch out
In full block format, align every single element against the left margin. In modified block format, keep the body and addresses on the left, but place the date line, complimentary closing, and signature on the right margin.
Drafted from Grade 10 English, pages 240-266, then checked twice before it went up
When you use it
Use 'a' before singular countable nouns beginning with a consonant sound, and 'an' before nouns beginning with a vowel sound.
Watch out
Base the choice on the spoken sound, not the written letter. Use 'a' before vowel letters pronounced with consonant sounds like 'a European', 'a uniform', 'a one-eyed person', and 'an' before silent letters like 'an hour', 'an honest person', 'an heir'.
Drafted from Grade 10 English, pages 240-266, then checked twice before it went up
10 multiple-choice questions written against this chapter, each with its answer and the reason. Try one before you open the answer.
Question 1
Choose the correct article: I have ___ English book.
Answer: B an
Why
The article an is used before nouns that begin with vowel sounds. The word 'English' begins with a vowel sound, so we write an English book.
Question 2
According to the grammar notes, the article 'a' is used with nouns that begin with ___ sounds.
Answer: B consonant
Why
The textbook says the article 'a' means one and is used with nouns that begin with consonant sounds. The article 'an' is used with vowel sounds.
Question 3
Choose the correct verb: The janitors ___ the office every morning.
Answer: A clean
Why
In the simple present tense, no -s is used with a plural subject. 'The janitors' is plural, so the verb is clean. The sentence in the notes is: The janitors clean the office every morning.
Question 4
In a full block format letter, where are all the elements of the letter placed?
Answer: C against the left hand margin
Why
The textbook says that in full block format, all the elements of the letter are placed against the left hand margin. The modified block format puts the date line, closing and signature on the right.
Question 5
Choose the correct past simple form: After she graduated from the college, she ___ a midwife.
Answer: B became
Why
The action happened in the past, after graduation, so we use the past simple form. The past simple of become is became.
Question 6
Which sentence is written correctly in the simple future tense?
Answer: A We will not go to church on next Sunday.
Why
The textbook shows that the negative of the simple future is made with will not before the main verb. So the correct sentence is We will not go to church on next Sunday.
Question 7
Which sentence is correct? (Remember: state verbs such as think are not normally used in continuous forms.)
Answer: B I think that being multilingual is advantageous.
Why
Think is a verb of thought, and state verbs are not normally used in continuous forms. The correct form is the simple present: I think that being multilingual is advantageous.
Question 8
According to the reading passage, bilingualism can delay the onset of dementia and Alzheimer's disease by an average of how many years?
Answer: B five years
Why
The passage says that several studies show bilingualism can delay the onset of dementia and Alzheimer's disease by an average of five years.
Question 9
According to the reading passage, which part of the brain controls your ability to switch your attention and exercise working memory?
Answer: A the executive control system
Why
The passage says: 'This is the part of the brain that controls your ability to switch your attention and exercise working memory.' That part is the executive control system.
Question 10
Wishes can be expressed in conditional sentences using which pattern?
Answer: A if + subject + were + main clause
Why
The grammar section gives the pattern if + subject + were + main clause for expressing wishes. Example: If I were your sister, I would marry him.
The app holds 12 questions on this unit, marked as you go. These are the first 10.
Unit 9 runs from page 239 to page 265 of the Ministry of Education edition.
Ministry of Education edition, English, 319 pages
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