Our adventure club weekend was enjoyed by everybody. On Friday morning a climbing wall was climbed. After that a rafting race was held. It was won by our team, the Lazy Lizards. Then clay oxen were made. Finally a fire was made, and a potjie was cooked by each team for supper.


Paragraphs


Do you remember that a paragraph should have one main idea and that the sentence that gives the main idea is called the topic sentence? Write the passage that follows in your book and divide it into three paragraphs. Underline the topic sentence in each paragraph.


The college holds a fashion show for the students every year. The students have to design and make their own outfits and they model them themselves or persuade other students to model for them. They choose their own music for modelling and one of the students organises a sound system. The shows are always very popular and every year there are queues for tickets. Each year the show is based on a different theme.


The first time it was held the theme was “garbage” and students could only use materials associated with garbage, such as black bags and cardboard. The following year students created stylish outfits from materials such as foil and bottle tops for a metallic theme. This year the learners had to make their outfits entirely from organic materials. This was possibly the most challenging theme so far. The show always takes place early in the year. It helps new students feel part of the college. A surprising number of students take part with gusto. The experience definitely builds the confidence of shy students as well as encouraging creativity. The students gain experience in organisation, as they run everything themselves. There is, therefore, no doubt that these fashion shows bring a number of important benefits to the college.


Clauses and complex sentences


1 Phrases and clauses add more interest and detail to a sentence. Below are some simple sentences. Turn them into complex sentences by adding clauses. The clause you add should answer the question in brackets. Remember that your clause must have a verb. Underline the main clause in each new sentence in one colour and the subordinate (dependent) clause in another colour. Remember to draw a key to show which colour shows the main clause and which colour shows the subordinate clause. a He walked to town. (Why?)


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b He dropped the bottle of tomato sauce. (When?)


c She threw the frisbee. (Where?) d The dog had to be dosed with worm medicine. (Which dog?)


Punctuation


1 Many people struggle to recognise when to start a new sentence. You need to read your writing to yourself and listen to the sense of what you have written. Rewrite the passage, adding in the missing full stops and capital letters


the tuck shop will be open at first break every day a wide range of chips, sweets, drinks and healthful snacks is available the tuck shop is run by the grade 7 learners and part of the profits go towards their end of year farewell party please come and support them


2 Commas mark short pauses. The main function of a comma is to make meaning clear. In one sentence the person is talking to Hannah and in the other sentence his or her younger sister is called Hannah. Which one is which? a Hannah, my younger sister, will bring the silkworms.


b Hannah, my younger sister will bring the silkworms.


3 In which sentence is there only one climber? a The climber, who was suffering from frostbite, decided to stop.


b The climber who was suffering from frostbite decided to stop.


4 Fill in the missing commas. a They told us to bring sleeping bags a plate a bowl a cup and cutlery.


b Because I had remembered to bring my money I went in first.


c The dog had a wiry matted coat. d James laughed and asked “Are you sure you want to come?”


e Until you prove you can do your work independently I will check up on you.


5 Complete the sentences. Add commas where necessary. a Before I left I . . . (add in four things you did before you left.)


b The . . . (add two adjectives) man refused to allow us into his house.


c Although I had told him I was coming . . . (say what happened.)


d My neighbour . . . (explain which side he lives on) used to be a teacher.


6 Remember that question marks are used for questions (sentences that need answers). Which sentences should have question marks? a Do you want to come.


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