Food, animals and little texts

‘I like’ tells a preference. ‘I don’t like’ tells a negative preference. For countable foods in general, a plural is common: ‘I like mangoes.’ For food treated as a substance, use its name: ‘I like rice.’ A preference is an opinion, so two people can give different answers without either being wrong.

With he or she, the positive verb usually gains s: ‘He likes milk.’ In ‘He doesn’t like milk’, the helper doesn’t carries the change and like stays in its basic form. At this level, learn the two patterns together. We can add a simple reason using because: ‘I like mangoes because they are sweet.’ Choose kind language when discussing another person’s food. ‘No, thank you’ declines an offer more politely than an unkind comment about the food.

වැඩි විස්තර අවශ්‍ය විට පමණක් මෙම කොටස කියවන්න.

A short description contains facts about a person, animal or object. Begin by reading the whole passage to understand its subject. Then read the question and find the detail it asks for. In ‘Our cat is called Mimi. She is black. She sleeps on a mat’, the name, colour and sleeping place are different facts.

A question such as ‘What colour is Mimi?’ needs the colour, not the whole passage. ‘Black’ may be enough when short answers are requested; ‘She is black’ is a complete sentence answer. Look back to check rather than guessing from what cats are usually like. If the passage says something surprising but possible, answer from the passage. Keep the question word in mind: who asks for a person, where for a place and what may ask for a name or thing.

වැඩි විස්තර අවශ්‍ය විට පමණක් මෙම කොටස කියවන්න.

A request asks someone to do something or give something. ‘May I have some water, please?’ is useful when asking for a drink. ‘Please help me’ asks for assistance. The listener may agree, ask a question or explain that they cannot help yet. A conversation needs both a suitable request and attention to the answer.

A simple exchange has a beginning, a request and a response. ‘Excuse me. May I use your ruler, please?’ ‘Yes, here you are.’ ‘Thank you.’ Practise with familiar classroom objects so the meaning stays clear. In writing, a request question ends with a question mark. A full conversation does not have to use difficult vocabulary; it should sound respectful and make the need clear. If someone says no, respond calmly and ask another trusted adult when help is needed.

වැඩි විස්තර අවශ්‍ය විට පමණක් මෙම කොටස කියවන්න.