ENGLISH FORM 3 CHAPTER 1: FAMILY TIES
Unit 1: Family Ties
Form 3 English Interactive Notes
📖 Vocabulary: Family & Relatives
Understanding the words we use to describe our family and ancestry is the first step to exploring our roots.
Genealogy Keywords
Gene: A part of a cell passed from parents to children that determines how they look.
Generation: The people of about the same age in a particular family or society.
Ancestor: A person related to you who lived a long time ago in the past.
Types of Family
Nuclear Family: A family consisting of two parents and their children.
Extended Family: A family unit that includes grandmothers, grandfathers, aunts, and uncles, etc., in addition to parents and children.
Expressions & Collocations
Take after: To look or behave like an older relative.
Look up to: To admire and respect someone.
Grow up: To develop from a child into an adult.
🔍 Reading: Meet the Ancestors
Genealogy is the study of families, family history, and the tracing of their lineages. Discovering your past can be an exciting journey!
1. Ask Your Relatives
Start by talking to your older relatives like grandparents. They are living history books! Ask them to tell you stories about when they were young and who their parents were.
2. Search for Records
Look for old photographs, diaries, letters, and official certificates (birth, marriage, death). These documents are physical clues to your ancestry.
3. Build a Family Tree
Use the information you gather to draw a family tree. This is a visual diagram showing the relationships between you and your ancestors across multiple generations.
⚙️ Grammar I: Tenses & Stative Verbs
| Tense / Concept | Usage | Examples |
|---|---|---|
| Present Simple Routines |
Used for habits, repeated actions, facts, and permanent situations. |
• I visit my grandparents every Sunday. • Water boils at 100°C. |
| Present Continuous Happening Now |
Used for actions happening exactly right now, or temporary situations happening around now. |
• She is looking at old family photos right now. • We are staying with my aunt this week. |
| Stative Verbs State of Being |
Verbs that describe a state, not an action (feelings, thoughts, senses, possession). *Usually NOT used in the continuous form (-ing). |
• I know her. (NOT: I am knowing her) • This book belongs to my dad. Common verbs: love, like, hate, believe, understand, need. |
📊 Grammar II: Nouns & Quantifiers
Understanding how to count things helps us use the correct quantifiers.
Countable Nouns
Things you can count. They have a singular and plural form.
Examples: an apple, two brothers, three families, many photographs.
Uncountable Nouns
Things you cannot count individually. They only have a singular form.
Examples: information, advice, water, time, money, homework.
Quick Guide to Quantifiers:
| Quantifier | Used With | Example in context |
|---|---|---|
| Some / Any | Both Countable & Uncountable | I have some cousins. / Do you have any information? |
| A lot of | Both Countable & Uncountable | She has a lot of relatives and a lot of patience. |
| Many / A few | Countable Nouns ONLY | How many uncles do you have? I only have a few. |
| Much / A little | Uncountable Nouns ONLY | I don’t have much time. Let me give you a little advice. |
✍️ Writing: Informal Emails
When writing to friends or family about special events, we use an informal style.
Checklist for Informal Emails:
- Greetings: Start with a friendly greeting (Hi Sam, Dear Uncle John).
- Opening: Ask how they are (How are things? Hope you’re well!).
- Abbreviations: It’s okay to use common abbreviations to save space (ASAP, RSVP, info).
- Contractions: Use short forms (I’m, can’t, don’t, we’ll).
- Inviting: Use friendly phrases (Would you like to come? You’re invited to…).
- Sign-off: End warmly and ask for a reply (Write back soon, Let me know ASAP, Lots of love).
“We’re having a family reunion next Sunday. I’d love it if you could make it! Pls let me know ASAP so we can prepare enough food.”
🎬 Story Focus: Flora Salonik
In this unit’s listening and viewing section, we explore the life of Flora Salonik, a woman who experienced life in two very different environments in Tanzania.
🌆 The City Life (Arusha)
Flora grew up in Arusha, one of Tanzania’s busiest cities. She was educated, went to university, and learned to speak four languages. The busy streets and comforts of the city were her home.
🛖 The Village Life (Kijungu)
Her life changed dramatically after she got married. She moved to the faraway village of Kijungu with her husband, Loshero. There, they raise cattle and grow crops on their farm to feed their three children.
🤔 The Big Decision
Because her husband was often away, Flora had to take care of the family’s farm and children mostly by herself. She missed her past and wondered what life would be like if she lived in the city again.
She traveled back to Arusha to visit her mother and think things over. After spending time in the city, she realized where her heart truly belonged. Flora made her decision: she stayed in Kijungu to raise her family.
English Form 3: Family Ties
Test your knowledge on vocabulary, grammar, and reading comprehension from Unit 1!
Format: 10 Random Questions
Topics: Family History, Tenses, Flora Salonik's Story