BCSEA Notes : Nature of Language

These notes provide a thorough understanding of the nature, origin, structure, purpose, and development of language from various perspectives, as outlined by the Bhutan Council for School Examinations and Assessment (BCSEA).

9 Steps to Write a Good Persuasive Essay

Writing a persuasive essay involves convincing your reader to adopt your point of view on a particular topic. To write a good persuasive essay, you should follow these steps:

Glossary of Terms

The glossary of terms as given in the appendix B of English curriculum guide for teachers in Bhutan. This book is a publication of Royal Education Council (REC) of Bhutan, first printed in 2005, with revision in 2007, and a reprint in 2019.

Short Biography of Gelong Ma Pelmo

By venerable Kalu Rimpochhe

Translated by Chochi Ivyima

In the past, there was an extremely evil individual who nevertheless encountered the teachings of Dharma and forged a positive connection with the form and mantra of Avalokiteshvara. This individual was therefore reborn in the land of Uddiyana to the west [of India], as the daughter of a king. 

The Merchant of Venice

The Merchant of Venice is a 16th-century play written by William Shakespeare in which a merchant in Venice named Antonio defaults on a large loan provided by a Jewish moneylender, Shylock. It is believed to have been written between 1596 and 1599.

Although classified as a comedy in the First Folio and sharing certain aspects with Shakespeare's other romantic comedies, the play is most remembered for its dramatic scenes, and it is best known for Shylock and his famous "Hath not a Jew eyes?" speech on humanity. Also notable is Portia's speech about "the quality of mercy" (Source: Wikipedia)

How to Write Literary Analysis

When you read for pleasure, your only goal is enjoyment. You might find yourself reading to get caught up in an exciting story, to learn about an interesting time or place, or just to pass time. Maybe you’re looking for inspiration, guidance, or a reflection of your own life. There are as many different, valid ways of reading a book as there are books in the world.

When you read a work of literature in an English class, however, you’re being asked to read in a special way: you’re being asked to perform literary analysis. To analyze something means to break it down into smaller parts and then examine how those parts work, both individually and together. Literary analysis involves examining all the parts of a novel, play, short story, or poem—elements such as character, setting, tone, and imagery—and thinking about how the author uses those elements to create certain effects.

Expository Essays

The expository essay is a genre of essay that requires the student to investigate an idea, evaluate evidence, expound on the idea, and set forth an argument concerning that idea in a clear and concise manner. This can be accomplished through comparison and contrast, definition, example, the analysis of cause and effect, etc.

10 Quick Tips for Successful Exam Preparation

Now that exams are just a few weeks away, many of my readers must be anxious about it. I say that EXAMS are just a way of life. And even for those who have not started your preparation, it is not too late. START TODAY.

There are always various activities that can be done separately or combined in enhancing one’s experience. Herewith, there are few guidelines respectively outlined to serve as a practical reference.

Practice Exercises 2

This practice session is designed after reading my previous post on Articles. The answers are given for Q2, but you will have to write your answers for Q1.

Articles

Articles are actually adjectives because they describe the nouns that they precede. In English, there are only three articles: the, a, and an. However, the three are not interchangeable; rather, they are used in specific instances.

Practice Exercises 1: Answer Key

This practice exercises is to test the knowledge after the previous lessons on (1) The Eight Parts of Speech, (2) Gerunds and Infinitives, (3) Tenses.

Practice Exercises 1: Questions

This practice exercises is to test the knowledge after the previous lessons on (1) The Eight Parts of Speech, (2) Gerunds and Infinitives, (3) Tenses.

Tenses

It is a term used in grammar to indicate the time of the action or event. In any language, tense is divided into three classes namely; Past tense, Present tense, and Future tense.

Gerunds and Infinitives

A gerund is the ing form of a verb that functions the same as a noun. In a nutshell, a word formed from a verb acting as a noun and ending in ing is a gerund.

The Eight Parts of Speech

There are eight parts of speech in the English language: noun, pronoun, verb, adjective, adverb, preposition, conjunction, and interjection. The part of speech indicates how the word functions in meaning as well as grammatically within the sentence. An individual word can function as more than one part of speech when used in different circumstances. Understanding parts of speech is essential for determining the correct definition of a word when using the dictionary.

Transformation of Sentences

Transformation of Sentences means changing the sentences without changing its meaning. In English, there are mainly three types of sentences; Simple sentence, Compound sentence and Complex sentence. 

A simple sentence has just one clause. A complex sentence has one main clause and one or more subordinate clauses. A compound sentence has more than one main clause 

Notes on Nature of Language

What is Language?

Language is a system of symbols and rules that is used for meaningful communication. A system of communication has to meet certain criteria in order to be considered a language. A language uses symbols, which are sounds, gestures, or written characters that represent objects, actions, events, and ideas. Symbols enable people to refer to objects that are in another place or events that occurred at a different time. 

Nature of Language: BCSEA notes

BCSEA stands for Bhutan Council for School Examinations and Assessment. They have supplied some notes for Nature of Language.

What is a plot?

Plot refers to the sequence of events inside a story which affect other events through the principle of cause and effect. The causal events of a plot can be thought of as a series of sentences linked by "and so." The term plot can serve as a verb and refer to a character planning future actions in the story. In the narrative sense, the term highlights the important points which have important consequences within the story, according to Ansen Dibell. The term is similar in meaning to the term storyline.

What Makes a Good Story?

What makes a good story? This question always baffles young upcoming writers or students who have to write short stories as part of their writing in  schools. Good writers often break rules - but they know they’re doing it! Here are some good rules by Aaron Shepard that you should know. The following can also be used while reading a short story for critical analysis.