Ebenezer School

(From KG up to preparatory)

Bishoftu

English handout for grade 4 students

FUTURE TENSE

 Future tense is always concerned with the future time. It is usually formed by using ‘Shall’ or
‘will’ with verb [Present tense].So the form is -

[ S + Shall / Will + Present tense + object]-------------positive sentence/affirmative

[S + Shall / will + not + present tense + object]-----negative sentence

[Will/Shall + s present tense + object]-----------------interrogative/question sentence

We

I You

We  Shall He Will

She

It

They

English Page 1
 Note: At one time ‘shall’ was used with the first person [I/We] and ‘will’ was used for the other
persons [You/ he /she/it/ they]. This distinction is no longer followed and ‘will’ is freely used
for all persons [I/We/You/They/He / She/It].

Example- I shall/will call him again.

We shall/will call him again.

You will call him again.

He will call him again.

She will call him again.

They will call him again.

 The short form of will not is ---Won’t

 The short form of shall not is ---shan’t
 [we can’t say willn’t or shalln’t]

E.g. 1:

 She will be at home tomorrow. [ Positive sentence]

 She won’t be at home tomorrow. [ negative sentence]
 Will she be at home tomorrow? [interrogative sentence]

E.g. 2 –

 I shall/ will give them a present.

 I Shan’t/ won’t give them a present
 Shall I give them a present? /will you give them a present?

Eg: 3

 This mango will bear fruits next year.

 This mango won’t bear fruits next year.
 Will this mango bear fruit next year?

 we can use the short form[ shan’t] or[ won’t] and the long form[will not] or[ shall not].

English Page 2
Exercise-1

Complete the sentences with ‘shall’ or ‘will’ and the verbs given in the brackets.

1. Your bag is very heavy. I will /shall carry it for you. (carry)
2. They ----------------------you tomorrow. ( phone)
3. I don’t think it ----------------------this afternoon. (rain )
4. I think the exam---------------------difficult. (be)
5. Meron and Sifen-------------------coffee before they go to bed. (drink)
6. I am tired .I Think I-----------------------to bed early tonight. (go)
7. We are sure that we ---------------------------a nice party next Monday. (have)
8. Leave the old bread in the garden. The birds ----------------------it. (eat)
9. I think he----------------------. (win)
10. M y parents----------------------you a post card.(send)

Exercise 2

Practice the above questions in negative.

1. Your bag is very heavy. I won’t/ shan’t carry it for you. (carry)
2. They ----------------------you tomorrow. ( phone)
3. I don’t think it ----------------------this afternoon. (rain )
4. I think the exam---------------------difficult. (be)
5. Meron and Sifen-------------------coffee before they go to bed. (drink)
6. I am tired .I Think I-----------------------to bed early tonight. (go)
7. We are sure that we ---------------------------a nice party next Monday. (have)
8. Leave the old bread in the garden. The birds ----------------------it. (eat)
9. I think he----------------------. (win)
10. M y parents----------------------you a post card.(send)

Exercise 3

Make[exercise 1] interrogative/question.

1. Your bag is very heavy. Shall I / Will I carry it for you?

2.
English Page 3
 3.
4.
5.
6.
7.
8.
9.
10.

ONE WORD FOR MANY

 We can shorten along sentence by using just one proper word for a number of words .The
shortened sentence look more graceful and effective.

Example-1- she bought bananas, oranges, apples, mangoes etc

She bought fruits.

Example 2 -he sold cabbage, carrots, onions, lettuce etc

 The word ‘fruits’ and ‘vegetables’ stands for all the words underlined in the sentences 1 and 2
above and is preferable ‘graceful and effective.

Exercise

Fill in the blanks with one proper word for the underlined words .[choose the words from the
list given below.]

1. This is a room for physical exercise.

This is a--------------------------------------------------.

2. He was driving with out any thought of safety.

He was driving-------------------------------------------.

3. He is a person who eats no meat.

He is a-----------------------------------------------------.

English Page 4
 4. This is a place where grain is stored.

This is a---------------------------------------------------.

5. Boys who attend school have to wear school uniforms.

--------------------------------have to wear school uniforms.

6. The audience cheered the speaker over and over again.

The audience cheered the speaker----------------------------.

7. He is a man whose wife is dead.

He is a-----------------------------------------------.

8. This is a woman who has lost her husband.

This is a-----------------------------------------------.

9. Buses, cars, jeeps, trucks, Lorries etc. are not allowed in this road.

------------------------are not allowed in this road.

10. We visited a place where bread and biscuits are baked.

We visited a------------------------. She removed all tables, cupboards, stools, chairs etc.

She removed all--------------------------.

11. This is a person who repairs water pipes.

This is a------------------------------------.

Bakery, widow, gymnasium, vehicles, barn, widower, vegetarian,

Furniture, plumber, carelessly, schoolboys, repeatedly

TELLING TIME OR COUNTING TIME

 We already learnt counting time last year. Let us see as an example from four o’clock up to five
o’clock.
English Page 5
  4:00-four o’clock
 4:05-five past four
 4:10-ten past four
 4 :15-quarter past four
 4 :20-twenty past four
 4:25-twenty five past four
 4 :30-half past four
 4 :35-twenty five to five
 4 :40-twenty to five
 4 :45-quarter to five
 4 :50-ten to five
 4:55-five to five
 5 :00-five o’clock

Exercise 1

Study the time given in the above and practice the rest of time in your exercise book.

Exercise 2

1. 8 : 40 =
2. 10 : 13 =
3. 4 : 2 4=
4. 11 : 02 =
5. 2 : 51 =
6. 12 : 29 =
7. 3 : 15 =
8. 9 : 43 =
9. 1 : 39 =
10. 7 : 09 =
11. 9 : 22 =
12. 10 : 50 =
 Remember telling time is 05, 10, 15, 20, 30, 35, 40, 45, 50, 55, not 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, …………..
(Only the minutes).
English Page 6
E.g. 4:00 4:22

4:01 four o’clock 4:23

4:02 4:24

4:03 4:25 twenty five past four

4:04 4:26

4:05 five past four 4:27

4:06 4:28

4:07 4:29 half past four

4:08 4:30

4:09 4:31

4:10 ten past four 4:32

4:11 4:33

4:12 4:34 twenty five to five

4:13 4:35

4:14 4:36
4:37
4:15 quarter fast four
4:38
4:16
4:39 twenty to five
4:17 4:40

4:18 4:41
4:42
4:19

4:20 twenty past four

4:21

English Page 7
 4:43 4:51

4:44 4:52

4:45 quarter to five 4:53

4:46
4:54
4:47
4:55 five to five
4:48
4:56
4:49

4:50 ten to five 4:57

Read the dialogue and answer the questions.

Tell me the difference

Son: dad, may I ask you a question?

Father: yes, of course. Go ahead.

Son: can you tell me the differ4ence between clocks and watches?

Father: yes, my little son. In fact both clocks and watches measure and show time. But, clocks
are usually larger than watches and can be found hanging on a wall or placed on a time.

English Page 8
Son: what about watches?

Father: they are small in size. People wear them on their arm or carry them in their pockets.

Son: it is clear now. Can you tell me how they work?

Father: it is a good question. They use power from the sun (solar) or battery. The power makes
the hour, the minute and the second hands move to keep track of time.

Son: can you tell me more about the hour, the minute and the second hands?

Father: yes. The three hands move at different speeds. The hour hand always tells the hour. For
example, we can say five o’clock. The minute hand tells what minute it is with in the hour. For
example, we can say five minutes after five o’clock. Finally the second hand tells how many
seconds have passed during each minute.

Son: do they have the same size?

Father: no, the hour hand is the shortest, the second hand is usually the next longest and minute
hand is very long and thin. It is in fact, the longest. All move around the dial and clock.

Son: thank you very much, dad. I can now do my home work.

Source- English for Eth. Grade 4 Book 2, page 3 – 4

Exercise 1-

1. Where clocks are usually placed?

2. What is the use of a battery in a clock or a watch?

3. What are the three hands of a watch or clock?

4. Which one of the clock hands or watch hands ca we see best when it moves?

English Page 9
 5. Which clock hand is the shortest?

6. Which clock hand do you think is the fastest? Tell why?

Exercise 2: What is the difference between analogue and digital?

Exercise 3: Matching

A B

1. One year A. seven days

2. One month B. twenty four hours

3. One week C. twelve months

4. One day D. sixty minutes

5. One hour E. sixty seconds

6. One minute F. thirty days

Read comprehension

Pre reading

1. How many subjects are you learning in grade 4?

2. How do you study those subjects?

English Page 10
While reading

Read the text titled “use your time wisely” and think about how a successful student studies
his/her lessons.

Use your time wisely

There are 24 hours or 1440 minutes in one day. Because you have many activities to do, you
must plan your day if you want to be successful. Some important activities include attending
classes, revising your lessons, playing with your friends, helping family and getting sleep. These
activities take different amounts of time to do each day.

As a student, you should pay attention to your studies. Start revising your notes from the
beginning of the school day. Set a program for your daily activities. Plan and study at regular
times every day. Pay attention to the amount of time you study and give enough time to all
subjects. Sometimes, your study time may need some changes depending on your daily activities.
Try to work according to your program. Plan time for all activities. This will help you use your
time wisely and will help you to be successful.

Source grade 4 English for eth. Book 2, page 20

Exercise 1: Read the text again and again and answer the questions.

1. Why can’t you do only one activity in a single day?

2. Why must student pay attention to their studies?

3. When should students start revising their notes?

4. What will help if you do not use your time wisely?

English Page 11
Exercise 2: choose the words from the word bank to complete the text.

I always do well at school because I use my plan regularly. The

is for doing homework and my notes. I usually working on

my lessons at 5:30 p.m. if I don’t have any work to do in the , I go and play
with my friends.

Word banks

Study evening plan

Revising Start week

Have a nice Study!!

Use your time wisely at home!

English Page 12