Family Relationships
Primary 6 · English
Family Relationships
Lesson 3 of 5
40 min
If someone asked you, “Who do you love spending time with in your family?”, you might answer quickly. The harder question is: why?
A good answer gives a reason. Today you will meet Nyar-Kanyada again, the grandmother from Unit 2, and learn the small words that introduce reasons: because, since and as.
You read the whole story in Unit 2. Here are the parts that show what kind of person Nyar-Kanyada is. Listen to the whole story again (audio, read by Darshan Soni).
They found Nyar-Kanyada, their grandmother, resting on a mat under a tree. Nyar-Kanyada in Luo, means ‘daughter of the people of Kanyada’. She was a strong and beautiful woman.
Nyar-Kanyada welcomed them into the house and danced around the room singing with joy. [...] After she opened the presents, Nyar-Kanyada blessed her grandchildren in a traditional way.
[...] Nyar-Kanyada taught her grandchildren to make soft ugali to eat with stew. She showed them how to make coconut rice to eat with roast fish.
[...] On another day, the children went to the marketplace with Nyar-Kanyada. She had a stall selling vegetables, sugar and soap. Apiyo liked to tell customers the price of items. Odongo would pack the items that customers bought.
At the end of the day they drank chai tea together. They helped grandmother to count the money she earned.
But too soon the holidays were over and the children had to go back to the city. Nyar-Kanyada gave Odongo a cap and Apiyo a sweater. She packed food for their journey.
When their father came to fetch them, they did not want to leave. The children begged Nyar-Kanyada to go with them to the city. She smiled and said, “I am too old for the city. I will be waiting for you to come to my village again.”
Odongo and Apiyo both hugged her tightly and said goodbye.
[...] But most of all, everyone agreed that Odongo and Apiyo had a wonderful grandmother!
[...] shows where part of the story has been left out.
Answer each question in your head or in your exercise book first. Then tap Show answer to check.
How did Nyar-Kanyada welcome the children?
She welcomed them into the house and danced around the room, singing with joy.
Name two things she taught them.
To make soft ugali to eat with stew, and coconut rice to eat with roast fish.
Why did she not go to the city with them?
She said she was too old for the city.
Why do you think the children did not want to leave?
Because they loved her and enjoyed their life in the village: cooking, the market, the lake.
| Word | How to use it | Example |
|---|---|---|
| because | the most common; it answers the question “Why?” | Odongo loves his grandmother because she teaches him to cook. |
| since | a reason that is already known; often at the start | Since Grandmother lives near a lake, the children swim every day. |
| as | like since, a little more formal | As it was dark, they went inside for dinner. |
| because of | followed by a noun, not a sentence | They stayed inside because of the rain. |
Because gives the reason. So gives the result. They point in opposite directions:
| Person | Possessive | Example |
|---|---|---|
| I | my | My favourite person is my grandmother. |
| you | your | Is your uncle a teacher? |
| he | his | Odongo took his grandmother's cows to graze. |
| she | her | Apiyo helped her grandmother at the stall. |
| it | its | The village is famous for its fish. |
| we | our | Our cousins live in Rubavu. |
| they | their | The children hugged their grandmother. |
Choose his or her by the owner, not by the thing owned: Apiyo is a girl, so it is her grandmother. Don't mix up their (belonging to them) with there (a place), or its (belonging to it) with it's (it is).
The person I like most in my family is my aunt Mutesi, because she always has time to listen. Since she lives near our school, I visit her every Friday, and she helps me with my homework.
Tip
Because answers “Why?” So answers “What happened next?”
Grandma was kind (reason), so the children loved her (result).
Write your answers in your exercise book, then check.
Join with because: I love my uncle. He tells funny stories.
Answer: I love my uncle because he tells funny stories.
Join with so: It was raining. We stayed inside.
Answer: It was raining, so we stayed inside.
Choose: Apiyo sold vegetables with (his / her) grandmother.
Answer: her (Apiyo is a girl)
Choose: The children hugged (there / their) grandmother.
Answer: their
Complete in your own words: The person I like most in my family is ... because ...
Answer: Example: The person I like most in my family is my grandfather, because he tells me stories about Rwanda long ago.
What you learned today
Sources and credits
Quick check
Odongo was very tired, ___ he went to bed early.
