Setswana First Additional Language - Term 1 - Week 9

Grammar is the set of rules that helps us use language correctly. In Setswana, just like in any language, we need to pay attention to how we form our sentences. This includes using the right words, putting them in the correct order, and using punctuation marks like full stops and question marks. Today, we will look at some sentences and see how we can make them better.

Let’s look at the sentence: 'me go ja bogobe'. This sentence is missing a subject. A correct version would be 'Ke ja bogobe', which means 'I am eating porridge'. Notice how we added 'Ke' to indicate who is doing the action. We will practice correcting more sentences together.

In groups, you will receive a list of sentences that have mistakes. Work together to identify the errors and correct them. For example, if you see 'O a etela', you might need to add a question mark if it is a question. After correcting, share your sentences with the class and explain the changes you made.

Now, it’s your turn to write! Write three sentences about your favorite food. Make sure to use correct punctuation at the end of each sentence. After writing, swap your paper with a partner and check each other’s work for any grammatical errors. Remember to look for missing subjects or punctuation.

• Ke ya sekolong
• O ya sekolong
• Ba ya sekolong

Answer: Ke ya sekolong

The correct subject 'Ke' indicates 'I' in the sentence.

Answer: Question mark

A question mark indicates that the sentence is asking something.

• Ke ja
• Ke ja bogobe
• Ja bogobe

Answer: Ke ja bogobe

This sentence has a subject and a verb, making it complete.

Answer: Bana ba a bapala.

This sentence means 'The children are playing' and is grammatically correct.

• To make sentences longer
• To clarify meaning
• To confuse readers

Answer: To clarify meaning

Punctuation helps readers understand the structure and meaning of sentences.

Answer: Capital letter

The first word of a sentence should always start with a capital letter.

• Ke a etela.
• O a etela?
• Ba etela

Answer: Ba etela

This sentence is missing punctuation at the end.

Answer: Grammar

Grammar refers to the rules that govern how we use a language.