GRADE 10 ENGLISH
UNIT 1 – LANGUAGE, COMMUNICATION AND SOCIAL ETIQUETTE
A Comprehensive
Learning Resource
1. SOCIAL ETIQUETTE
Learning Objectives
By the end of this
section, learners should be able to:
- Define social etiquette
- Identify polite and impolite behaviour
- Demonstrate proper etiquette in
different environments
- Use polite expressions in communication
Definition of Social Etiquette
Social etiquette refers to the accepted rules of polite
behaviour that guide how people interact with others in society.
These rules help
maintain respect, order, and harmony in social environments such as
schools, homes, workplaces, and public places.
Good etiquette shows:
- respect for others
- discipline
- responsibility
- awareness of social expectations
Polite Expressions
Polite expressions
help make communication respectful and pleasant.
Examples:
please
thank you
excuse me
sorry
may I
kindly
Example sentences:
Please help me carry
this book.
Thank you for assisting me.
Excuse me, may I enter the room?
Importance of Social Etiquette
1. Promotes Respect
Good etiquette shows
appreciation and respect for others.
Example:
Students should greet
their teachers politely.
2. Builds Good Relationships
Polite individuals are
easier to work and live with.
Example:
A polite student
easily makes friends.
3. Prevents Conflict
Polite communication
reduces misunderstandings.
Example:
Instead of saying
“Move!”, say “Excuse me.”
4. Encourages Discipline
Etiquette teaches
people how to behave responsibly.
Example:
Students should wait
for their turn before speaking.
Etiquette in Different Settings
School Etiquette
Students should:
- greet teachers politely
- raise hands before speaking
- respect school property
- listen attentively
Example:
Students remained
quiet while the teacher explained the lesson.
Home Etiquette
Children should:
- obey parents
- help with household tasks
- speak respectfully
- apologise when wrong
Example:
James apologised to
his mother for breaking the cup.
Public Etiquette
People should:
- queue properly
- avoid littering
- respect others’ space
- assist elderly people
Example:
She offered her seat
to an elderly man.
Common Mistakes
Students sometimes:
- interrupt others while speaking
- use rude language
- ignore greetings
- speak loudly in public
Good etiquette
requires self-control and respect.
Practice Exercise
- Define social etiquette.
- Mention three examples of polite
expressions.
- State two ways students can show
etiquette in school.
Quick Summary
Social etiquette
refers to rules that guide polite behaviour in society. Practicing good
manners helps maintain respect, harmony, and discipline.
1. NOUNS
Proper Nouns
Proper nouns refer to specific
names of people, places, institutions, or events. They always begin with capital
letters.
Examples of proper
nouns:
People
John
Mary
Nelson Mandela
Albert Einstein
Places
Kenya
Uganda
Nairobi
Lake Victoria
Institutions
United Nations
Moi High School
Nairobi University
Events
Christmas
Easter
Independence Day
Example sentences:
John travelled to
Nairobi last week.
Mary studies at Moi High School.
Kenya celebrates Independence Day every year.
Nelson Mandela fought for freedom in South Africa.
Lake Victoria is the largest lake in Africa.
Common Nouns
Common nouns refer to general
names of people, places, animals, or things.
Examples:
person → teacher,
student, doctor, farmer
place → city, school, market, village
thing → pen, book, chair, bag
animal → dog, cow, goat, bird
Example sentences:
The teacher entered
the classroom.
The student carried a bag to school.
The farmer works in the field.
The dog barked loudly.
The children played in the village.
Concrete Nouns
Concrete nouns refer
to things that can be seen, touched, heard, smelled, or tasted.
Examples:
Things you can see
car
tree
house
mountain
Things you can hear
music
bell
drum
Things you can smell
perfume
flower
Things you can taste
sugar
coffee
Example sentences:
The bell rang loudly.
She smelled the perfume.
The children climbed the tree.
The car stopped suddenly.
The coffee tasted bitter.
Abstract Nouns
Abstract nouns refer
to ideas, emotions, qualities, or concepts that cannot be touched or
seen.
Examples:
qualities
honesty
kindness
bravery
wisdom
emotions
love
anger
fear
happiness
concepts
freedom
peace
justice
Example sentences:
Honesty is the best
policy.
Love brings people together.
The soldiers showed great bravery.
Peace is important for development.
Happiness filled the room after the victory.
Collective Nouns
Collective nouns refer
to groups of people, animals, or things treated as one unit.
Examples:
Group of people
team
committee
class
audience
Group of animals
herd of cattle
flock of birds
pack of wolves
Group of things
bunch of bananas
bundle of sticks
pile of books
Example sentences:
- The team won the football match.
- The class listened carefully to the teacher.
- A flock of birds flew across the sky.
- The audience applauded the performance.
- A bunch of bananas was placed on the table.
2. PRONOUNS
Personal Pronouns
These pronouns replace
nouns referring to people or things.
Subject pronouns
I
you
he
she
it
we
they
Example sentences:
I am going to school.
She is reading a book.
He plays football every weekend.
They arrived early for the meeting.
We completed the assignment.
Object pronouns
me
you
him
her
it
us
them
Example sentences:
The teacher called me.
She gave him a book.
The manager praised them.
They invited us to the meeting.
Reflexive Pronouns
Reflexive pronouns
show that the subject performs the action on itself.
Examples:
myself
yourself
himself
herself
itself
ourselves
themselves
Example sentences:
She blamed herself for
the mistake.
The boy hurt himself while playing football.
I prepared the meal myself.
They organised the event themselves.
The dog scratched itself.
Emphatic Pronouns
Emphatic pronouns
emphasize the subject of the sentence.
Example sentences:
The principal himself
addressed the students.
The president himself attended the ceremony.
I myself solved the problem.
The teacher herself checked the exam papers.
We ourselves cleaned the classroom.
3. QUANTIFIERS
Quantifiers describe the
amount or number of something.
Quantifiers with Countable Nouns
Examples:
many
few
a few
several
Example sentences:
Many students attended
the assembly.
Several teachers were present at the meeting.
A few learners asked questions.
Few students understood the difficult topic.
Quantifiers with Uncountable Nouns
Examples:
much
little
a little
Example sentences:
Much information was
given during the lecture.
There is little water in the bottle.
We still have a little time before the exam begins.
She showed little interest in the discussion.
Quantifiers Used with Both
Examples:
some
any
a lot of
plenty of
enough
Example sentences:
Some students arrived
late.
Some water remained in the container.
A lot of people attended the concert.
There is plenty of food for everyone.
We have enough chairs for the visitors.
4. COLLOCATIONS
Collocations are natural
combinations of words frequently used together in English.
Examples:
make a decision
pay attention
take responsibility
show respect
keep quiet
break the rules
give advice
Example sentences:
Students should pay
attention during lessons.
The manager made a difficult decision.
Parents give advice to their children.
The learners kept quiet during the examination.
The driver broke the traffic rules.
Teachers expect students to show respect.
5. BINOMIAL EXPRESSIONS
Binomials are pairs
of words connected by “and” or “or” and usually appear in a fixed order.
Examples:
safe and sound
law and order
peace and harmony
give and take
sooner or later
bread and butter
black and white
Example sentences:
The lost child
returned home safe and sound.
Every country needs law and order.
Communities should live in peace and harmony.
Friendship requires give and take.
Sooner or later the truth will be known.
6. SIGNAL WORDS
Signal words help
organise ideas in writing.
Addition
also
furthermore
moreover
in addition
Example sentences:
Good manners show
respect. Furthermore, they promote cooperation.
The student worked hard. Moreover, she helped others.
Contrast
however
although
but
on the other hand
Example sentences:
He studied hard;
however, he failed the exam.
Although the task was difficult, she completed it.
The weather was cold, but the children continued playing.
Cause and Effect
because
therefore
as a result
so
Example sentences:
She studied hard;
therefore, she passed the exam.
He was sick; as a result, he missed school.
Sequence
first
next
then
finally
Example sentences:
First wash your hands.
Next open the book.
Then read the passage carefully.
Finally answer the questions.
