English Semester 1 – Exam Material Block 2
BViUA Units 1-15: definitions, parts of speech & fill-
in-the-blank texts, Do’s and don’ts of academic
writing, Reading & Writing CH 1, 3, 5, 6: elements of
a text, paragraph structure, paragraphs, topic
sentences, simple and complex sentences, signal
words, text/essay structure
Reading & Writing – Chapter 1, 3, 5, 6
Chapter 1: Communication in General
All acts of communication have a sender, a
message and a receiver. The communication path starts with the sender and ends with the
receiver. As soon as the message leaves the sender’s mind (encoding), it travels the channel.
The moment it arrives in the receiver’s mind (decoding), it leaves the channel again.
Communication can serve three purposes: informative purpose, persuasive purpose and
stimulating purpose.
Chapter 3: Text Structure
The three main elements of a text are:
1. Introduction: Tells you in general terms what the body is about.
2. Body: The place where the writer discusses his points in detail, possible consisting out
of multiple paragraphs/sections. Every paragraph contains a topic sentence, serving as
an introduction to the paragraph.
3. Conclusion: Sums up the body in general terms, also referring to the future in some
way.
Because of its defining nature, the topic sentence does not contain details. The topic sentence
can be the first sentence, but also the last sentence or a sentence in the middle.
One way of analyzing sentences is by describing the role of agent and undergoer in sentences:
the agent carries out the action described. In active sentences, it is the subject. In passive
sentences, it may not be identified, or it appears in a ‘by-adjunct’. The undergoer undergoes the
action described. In active sentences, it is usually the object. In passive sentences, it is the
subject.
Agents and undergoers only occur in sentences describing an action, not in sentences
describing a state. Sentences that describe an action can be active or passive. An agent in an
active sentence retains this role in the passive equivalent: it is the function that changes, not
the role.
You can analyze a sentence in terms of simple and complex sentences. Complex sentences
are combinations of two or more simple sentences; that is, a complex sentence has more than
one subject and more than one finite (a verb in a particular tense and number). A complex
sentence consequently consists of two or more clauses. In other words: a sentence is complex
as soon as it has more than one clause (a part of a sentence with a subject and finite of its
own).
A subclause always has a functional connection to the main clause. A subclause may take
many forms: it may be a subject clause, object clause, adverbial clause or adjectival clause.
Within the main clause, a subject clause contains the subject of the sentence, the object
clause the object of the sentence, an adverbial clause fulfils an adverbial function and an
adjectival clause an adjectival function.
The difference between a subject clause and a simple subject is that a subject clause has a
subject and a finite of its own, while a simple subject does nos.
A signal word is a word or phrase that functions as a connector in a sentence, between
sentences, or between paragraphs.
Chapter 5: Writing Well-Structured Texts
BViUA Units 1-15: definitions, parts of speech & fill-
in-the-blank texts, Do’s and don’ts of academic
writing, Reading & Writing CH 1, 3, 5, 6: elements of
a text, paragraph structure, paragraphs, topic
sentences, simple and complex sentences, signal
words, text/essay structure
Reading & Writing – Chapter 1, 3, 5, 6
Chapter 1: Communication in General
All acts of communication have a sender, a
message and a receiver. The communication path starts with the sender and ends with the
receiver. As soon as the message leaves the sender’s mind (encoding), it travels the channel.
The moment it arrives in the receiver’s mind (decoding), it leaves the channel again.
Communication can serve three purposes: informative purpose, persuasive purpose and
stimulating purpose.
Chapter 3: Text Structure
The three main elements of a text are:
1. Introduction: Tells you in general terms what the body is about.
2. Body: The place where the writer discusses his points in detail, possible consisting out
of multiple paragraphs/sections. Every paragraph contains a topic sentence, serving as
an introduction to the paragraph.
3. Conclusion: Sums up the body in general terms, also referring to the future in some
way.
Because of its defining nature, the topic sentence does not contain details. The topic sentence
can be the first sentence, but also the last sentence or a sentence in the middle.
One way of analyzing sentences is by describing the role of agent and undergoer in sentences:
the agent carries out the action described. In active sentences, it is the subject. In passive
sentences, it may not be identified, or it appears in a ‘by-adjunct’. The undergoer undergoes the
action described. In active sentences, it is usually the object. In passive sentences, it is the
subject.
Agents and undergoers only occur in sentences describing an action, not in sentences
describing a state. Sentences that describe an action can be active or passive. An agent in an
active sentence retains this role in the passive equivalent: it is the function that changes, not
the role.
You can analyze a sentence in terms of simple and complex sentences. Complex sentences
are combinations of two or more simple sentences; that is, a complex sentence has more than
one subject and more than one finite (a verb in a particular tense and number). A complex
sentence consequently consists of two or more clauses. In other words: a sentence is complex
as soon as it has more than one clause (a part of a sentence with a subject and finite of its
own).
A subclause always has a functional connection to the main clause. A subclause may take
many forms: it may be a subject clause, object clause, adverbial clause or adjectival clause.
Within the main clause, a subject clause contains the subject of the sentence, the object
clause the object of the sentence, an adverbial clause fulfils an adverbial function and an
adjectival clause an adjectival function.
The difference between a subject clause and a simple subject is that a subject clause has a
subject and a finite of its own, while a simple subject does nos.
A signal word is a word or phrase that functions as a connector in a sentence, between
sentences, or between paragraphs.
Chapter 5: Writing Well-Structured Texts
