Goal: retell what people said in reported speech, write a 100-word biography from notes, write a 200-word success-story essay. Heavy in Test 10 (reported speech), Test 11 (biography fill-in), Test 14 (biography), Test 16 (essay).
📐 Reported speech — verb step-back
- like → liked · want → wanted · go → went
- is → was · are → were · has → had
- will → would · can → could · must → had to
- went → had gone · saw → had seen
- Pronouns: I → he/she · my → his/her
- Time words: today → that day · tomorrow → the next day · now → then
"I am tired." → He said he was tired.
"I will come." → She said she would come.
"Where is it?" → She asked where it was.
📐 Said vs Told · Commands · Questions
- say (to + person) — said to me / said that.
- tell (person) — told me / told her.
- NEVER "said me" — wrong.
- Commands: told/asked + sb + to + verb.
- Yes/no Q: asked + if/whether.
- Wh- Q: keep the wh-word, use statement word-order.
"Sit down." → She asked us to sit down.
"Don't run." → He told me not to run.
📖 Biography shape
- Full name and date of birth + place.
- Family / early life sentence.
- Schooling / first work.
- Major achievement(s) with dates.
- One obstacle overcome.
- Date of death (if any) + legacy line.
- Stay in past simple throughout.
🏆 Sri Lankan figures to memorise
- Dr. C.W.W. Kannangara — father of free education, Free Education Act 1945.
- Lasith Malinga — Sri Lankan cricket fast bowler, three hat-tricks at the World Cup.
- Sir Arthur C. Clarke — science-fiction writer, lived in Sri Lanka 52 years.
- Madam Sirimavo Bandaranaike — world's first elected female PM, 1960.
- Sister Anula Mendis — first Sri Lankan nun missionary in Africa.
✍️ Writing — official word counts
- Notice (Test 6): 40–50 words.
- Short paragraph (Test 8): 50–60 words.
- Biography / letter (Test 14): ~100 words. Use the notes IN ORDER, stay in past simple.
- Success essay (Test 16): ~200 words. Hook → 3 reasons → quote → close.
- Quote bank: "Slow and steady wins the race." · "Where there is a will, there is a way." · "Hard work beats talent."