Reminders to having a clear direction in studies

Students’ checklist — do you pay attention to your teacher in class? Do you take down notes as the lesson progresses? Are you an active learner in class? Do you participate where necessary during the lesson? Do you come to class to learn or to doze throughout the lesson?

Do you give due diligence to homework or you just rush through to finish off the task thereafter forget about it and never mind the results?

Is your writing legible to the reader? Is it clear and readable? Illegible writing makes it difficult for the examiner to understand and follow your line of thinking leading to low grades.

Extra lessons: Do you go for extra lessons during the holidays? Is it out of your own volition that you go there? Do you go because your parents or guardian force you to go? How much preparation do you make before you go for extra lessons? Do you go there for specific topics which are a challenge to you or you go there for all the topics? If you go for the latter is it necessary then to go there?

Select topics which give you problems and ask your helper to assist you in working them out. There is no point in scoring high marks in what you already know and forget to work and master what is unfamiliar to you.

Do you make independent decisions in all that you do at school or you believe in mob psychology? That is you are influenced by others to do things? If so then you are liable to find yourself in big trouble. You are likely to be always involved in indiscipline. Learn to be independent and follow your own mind and participate in group work when necessary and productive.

Be focused and put all the effort in whatever you do. Be positive and look at the positive side of life. Never doubt your potential. Tell yourself that whatever the situation I am going to pass my examinations and work toward that goal.

The above rhetoric questions are merely reminders to assist you have a clear direction in your studies. I am reminded of the question which was always asked to all students starting from the smallest age group — What do you want to be when you grow up? You would get as many answers including others considered funny. Though not seriously taken such questions gave pupils or students something to ponder and give direction to something to look forward to. Students would learn with a clear purpose.

Relative clauses — clauses with who/that/ which. Study this example: The teacher who taught us science in Form 1 is back from abroad. Who taught us is a relative clause. A clause is a part of a sentence. A relative clause tells which person or thing or what kind of person or thing) the speaker means: The teacher who taught us — who taught us tells us which teacher.

We use who as a relative clause when we are talking about people. We use who instead of he/she/they. The teacher –he taught us science – is back. The man who lives next door is very friendly. We know a lot of people who live in town. We know a lot of people – they live in town. We know a lot of people who live in town.

An architect is someone who designs buildings. What is the name of the man who helped you carry your luggage? The boy who was hurt in the accident is back home after spending a couple of days in hospital. Anyone who wants to go on a trip must register before the end of the day. It is also possible to use that instead of who: The man that lives next door is very friendly.

When we are talking about things, we use that (not who) in a relative clause. We use that instead of it/they. Where are the drinks? –They were in the fridge. Where are the drinks that were in the fridge? That is more usual than which in the sentences used as examples here. Remember that we use who/that/which/ instead of he/she/they/it. Do you know the man who lives next door? (not . . . who he lives ….

Relative clauses (2) – clauses with or without who/that: Look again at these examples used before: The teacher who taught us science is back from abroad. (or that taught). Where are the drinks that were in the fridge? (or “which were’). In these sentences who and that are subjects of the verbs in the relative clauses: The man taught; the drinks were in the fridge. You cannot leave out who  or that in these sentences.

Sometimes who and that are objects of the verbs: The man – I wanted to see him – was on leave. – The man who – or that I wanted to see was on leave. –Have you found the keys?-you lost them. – Have you found the keys that you lost.

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