Ukubuyekeza 2: Usuku olujwayelekile
Chapter Objectives
By the end of this chapter, you will demonstrate that you can:
- Describe a home and neighborhood using active class 7/8 and 9/10 nouns and supported locative expressions.
- Locate people, objects, and places using existential constructions and common lexical locatives.
- Describe a daily schedule distinguishing positive and negative present-tense activities, time expressions, and sequence.
- Order food and drink, state preferences and dislikes, express quantities, and ask for prices.
- Shop for an item, describe and compare basic choices, and refer back to people and objects using active demonstratives and object concords.
- Use appropriate respect strategies in service and everyday settings.
- Apply all active noun-class subject concords, active possessive concords, active demonstratives, and introductory object and quantitative concords in connected communication.
- Produce correct conjunctive positive and negative verb spelling with no analytical hyphens in ordinary writing.
- Understand short connected speech at a measured pace covering home, routine, food, and shopping.
- Read short practical and descriptive texts by using active morphological and contextual cues.
Communication Scenario
It is a Saturday in Johannesburg. You have agreed to help your friend Nomsa plan a typical weekend day: describing her apartment to a visiting relative, walking through her morning routine, stopping for breakfast at a nearby café, and then buying a birthday gift at a local market. This entire day, from the description of the apartment to the final shopping exchange, draws on everything you have studied in Unit II. The five assessment tasks below move through this day from morning to afternoon.
- Before beginning the assessment tasks, review the Noun-Class and Grammar Review sections below. Use them as a quick reference to confirm what is active and what remains receptive.
- Check the active pronunciation and orthography targets. The Pronunciation and Orthography Review lists everything that is expected in your spoken and written production.
Assessment Overview
This chapter contains five assessment tasks, one for each mode of communication. You may complete them in any order your instructor specifies. If you are studying independently, complete the interpretive tasks first, then the interpersonal speaking, and finish with the presentational tasks.
| Task | Mode | What you do | Skills |
|---|---|---|---|
| Task 1 | Interpretive listening | Listen to three short audio segments about a day at home, a café, and a market, then answer comprehension questions | Listening |
| Task 2 | Interpretive reading | Read a short connected text describing Nomsa's Saturday and answer comprehension and interpretation questions | Reading |
| Task 3 | Interpersonal speaking | Role-play a linked conversation: describing your own living space, discussing a routine, and ordering food or shopping, with a partner or instructor | Speaking and listening |
| Task 4 | Presentational speaking | Deliver a short connected presentation about a typical day without notes | Speaking |
| Task 5 | Presentational writing | Write a connected paragraph describing a typical day at home, including routine, food, and a shopping or transaction reference | Writing |
Noun-Class and Concord Review
The table below summarizes every noun class and concord type that is active for productive use in your writing and speaking after Chapters 1 through 9. Study it before beginning the assessment tasks. If any row is unfamiliar, review the relevant chapter before proceeding.
| Class pair | Typical prefix | Subject concord (sg) | Subject concord (pl) | Introduced |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1/2 (human) | umu- / aba- | u- | ba- | Ch. 2 |
| 1a/2a (names, kin) | u- / o- | u- | ba- | Ch. 2 |
| 7/8 | isi- / izi- | si- | zi- | Ch. 6 |
| 9/10 | iN- / iziN- | i- | zi- | Ch. 6 |
| 5/6 | i- (ili-) / ama- | li- | a- | Ch. 8 |
| Class 15 (infinitival) | uku- | ku- | — | Ch. 7 |
| Personal (1sg / 2sg) | — | ngi- / u- | si- / ni- | Ch. 3 |
Active object concords
| Reference | Object concord | Example | Introduced |
|---|---|---|---|
| me (1sg) | -ngi- | Uyangibona. He/she sees me. | Ch. 8 |
| you, sg (2sg) | -ku- | Ngiyakubona. I see you. | Ch. 8 |
| us (1pl) | -si- | Uyasibona. He/she sees us. | Ch. 8 |
| class 7 (it) | -si- | Ngiyasithanda isinkwa. I like bread. (receptive) | Ch. 9 |
| class 9 (it) | -yi- | Ngiyayifuna inja. I want the dog. (receptive) | Ch. 9 |
| class 5 (it) | -li- | Ngiyalithanda iqanda. I like the egg. (receptive) | Ch. 8 |
Object concords for first and second person are productive: use them independently. Object concords for noun classes are receptive: recognize them, but you are not required to select them independently across all classes at this stage. This boundary is observed in all assessment tasks below.
Active demonstratives (near, far, and out-of-sight series)
| Class | Near (this/these) | Far (that/those) |
|---|---|---|
| 1/2 (human) | lo / laba | lowo / labo |
| 1a/2a | lo / laba | lowo / labo |
| 5/6 | leli / lawa | lelo / lawo |
| 7/8 | lesi / lezi | leso / lezo |
| 9/10 | le / lezi | leyo / lezo |
Active demonstratives are for productive use. Position them before or after the noun according to the patterns practiced in Chapter 9. The out-of-sight series is receptive at this stage.
Grammar Review
Active verb patterns: summary
| Pattern | Structure or signal | Example | Gloss |
|---|---|---|---|
| Present positive (long) | SC + -ya- + root + -a | Ngiyasebenza. | I work / I am working. |
| Present positive (short) | SC + root + -a (object or adverbial follows) | Ngisebenza ekhaya. | I work at home. |
| Present negative | Neg-SC + root + -i | Angisebenzisanga. / Angisebenzi. | I do not work. |
| Class 15 infinitive | uku- + root + -a | ukudla | to eat; eating; food |
| Singular positive command | root + -a (or -i/-e for some verbs) | Hamba! | Go! |
| Plural positive command | root + -ani | Hambani! | Go! (plural) |
| Negative command | Musa uku- + root + -a (or Ningabi...) | Musa ukuhamba. | Don't go. |
| Polite request | Ngicela + noun / Ngicela u- + verb | Ngicela itiye. | I would like tea, please. |
| Existential (khona) | noun + ikhona / zikhona etc. | Itafula likhona. | The table is there / available. |
| Possession (na-) | SC + -na- + noun | Nginabantwana ababili. | I have two children. |
Active copulative and locative constructions
- Indlu ikhona eduze kwesitolo. The house is near the shop. (locative existence)
- Isitolo sikhona ngakwesokunxele. The shop is on the left. (lexical locative)
- Ngifunda esikoleni. I study at school. (e-...-ini locative)
- UNomsa uhlala eGoli. Nomsa lives in Johannesburg. (lexical locative)
The five tasks in this chapter assess whether you can combine the systems from Chapters 1 through 9 in connected, purposeful communication. You are not expected to be perfect in every morphological detail, but you are expected to communicate meaning clearly, use the correct noun-class forms for active classes, spell verb words conjunctively, and apply polite request and service strategies appropriately. See the rubrics in the Scoring Rubrics section for the specific evidence each task requires.
Pronunciation and Orthography Review
Vowels and syllables: Maintain the five distinct vowel qualities a, e, i, o, u. Produce final vowels clearly; do not reduce or swallow them. Remember penultimate lengthening in phrase-final position: the syllable before the last syllable is lengthened.
Tone: Tone is not marked in standard writing. In speaking, aim to reproduce the high-low patterns of whole phrases from the verified models in each chapter rather than assigning tones to individual syllables. Statement, question, and polite-request intonation carry distinct phrase-level melodies.
Clicks: Three click types are active: dental c, alveolar/postalveolar q, and lateral x. You have also been introduced to the aspirated accompaniments ch, qh, xh. Plain and aspirated clicks are meaningfully different: practice both types using verified models. Do not substitute an English sound.
Consonants: Pay attention to the following contrasts, which have been the focus of pronunciation work in Chapters 2 through 9: b / bh, hl / dl, aspirated ph / th / kh versus their plain counterparts, sh, ny, ng at the start of a syllable, and prenasalized consonants such as mb, nd, nj, ng.
Conjunctive writing: The verb complex, including subject concord, -ya-, object concord, root, and final vowel, is always written as one unbroken word. No spaces. No analytical hyphens. Write ngiyakubona, not *ngi ya ku bona and not *ngi-ya-ku-bona.
Nouns: Full noun forms include the augment and class prefix. Write inja, not *nnja; isitolo, not *sitolo. Plural forms are complete words: izinja, izitolo.
Negatives: The negative verb changes both its beginning and its final vowel. Angifuni is correct; *ngifuna hhayi is not isiZulu.
Locatives: Common lexical locatives are written as separate words: ekhaya, eGoli, esikoleni. The e-...-ini pattern writes the locative as one complete word attached to a modified noun form. Verify the spelling of each common locative rather than applying a mechanical rule to every noun.
Demonstratives: Demonstratives are separate words from the nouns they modify, written with standard spacing.
Capital letters: Sentence-initial capitalization, proper names, and official place names are capitalized according to current isiZulu rules. Common nouns are lowercase.
No tone marks: Ordinary isiZulu writing does not include accent marks or tone marks. Do not add any to your written work.
Interpretive Listening
Task 1: Interpretive Listening
Ukulalela — Ukuzwa kahle
Ask your instructor or a qualified isiZulu speaker to read each segment aloud at a measured pace. If no speaker is available, read the scripts in the Answer Key section aloud yourself at a natural but unhurried speed. Listen twice for each segment. On the first listen, capture the main idea. On the second listen, note details.
Isigaba A — Segment A: Indlu kaNomsa (Nomsa's home)
Listen for: rooms, objects, locations, and presence or absence of items.
Imibuzo A — Questions A
A1. Yiziphi izindlu ezisekhaya likaNomsa? Bhala izindlu ezimbili noma ngaphezulu. (Which rooms are in Nomsa's home? Write two or more.)
A2. Yini ekhona ekamelweni lokulala? (What is in the bedroom? Name at least one item.)
A3. Khona yini itafula ekhitshini? Phendula ngesiZulu ngomusho owodwa ophelele. (Is there a table in the kitchen? Answer in isiZulu with one complete sentence.)
A4. Uhlala phi uNomsa? Bhala igama ledolobha. (Where does Nomsa live? Write the name of the city.)
Isigaba B — Segment B: Usuku lwangoMgqibelo (Saturday's schedule)
Listen for: activities, time, and positive or negative expressions.
Imibuzo B — Questions B
B1. UNomsa uvuka ngo-ngaki ekuseni? (What time does Nomsa wake up?)
B2. Yini ayenzayo okokuqala ekuseni? (What does she do first in the morning?)
B3. Ukhuluma iqiniso noma amanga? UNomsa ugeza ngaphambi kokudla ibhulekfesi. Phendula ngesiZulu. (True or false? Nomsa showers before eating breakfast. Answer in isiZulu.)
B4. Bhala into eyodwa uNomsa angayenzi ngoMgqibelo. (Write one thing Nomsa does not do on Saturday.)
B5. UNomsa uya kuphi emva kwesidlo sakusihlwa? (Where does Nomsa go after dinner?)
Isigaba C — Segment C: Ukuthenga emakethe (Shopping at the market)
Listen for: items, quantities, prices, and reference to objects.
Imibuzo C — Questions C
C1. UNomsa ucinga ukuthenga ini? Bhala izinto ezimbili. (What is Nomsa thinking of buying? Write two items.)
C2. Likhulu noma lincane ibhegi? (Is the bag big or small?)
C3. Ibiza malini? Bhala intengo. (How much does it cost? Write the price.)
C4. UNomsa ulithengile ibhegi? Yebo noma cha? Chaza. (Did Nomsa buy the bag? Yes or no? Explain in English or isiZulu.)
Interpretive Reading
Task 2: Interpretive Reading
Ukufunda — Ukuqonda umbhalo
Read the following short connected text. All language is within the scope of Chapters 1 through 9. Read the full text once for meaning, then read it a second time more carefully before answering the questions. You may refer back to the text while answering.
USuku lukaNomsa olujwayelekile — Nomsa's typical day
UNomsa uhlala eGoli, eduze nesitolo esikhulu. Indlu yakhe incane kodwa inezindlu ezintathu: ikhishi, igumbi lokuhlala, nekamelweni lokulala. Ikhishi linamatafula amabili nezitsha eziningi. Igumbi lokuhlala linosihlalo omkhulu nethelevishini. UNomsa uthanda indlu yakhe kakhulu.
Usuku lwansuku zonke lukaNomsa luqala ngo-6 ekuseni. Uvuka, ageze, bese eya ekhishini. Akadli isidudu ekuseni, uthanda amaqanda nesinkwa. Ugeza inkomishi yetiye futhi, ngoba uthanda itiye kakhulu. Angathandi ikhofi.
Emva kwesidlo sasemini, uNomsa uya emakethe. Ufuna ukuthenga izimpahla. Uya esitolo esincane, lapho izinto zikhona zinhle futhi ezinye zikhona zixabiso eliphezulu. Uthenga ijezi elikhulu elimhlophe namabhuzu amabili amnyama. Ibhuzu lishonile ngempela, kodwa lijwayelekile kakhulu. Usebenzisa inadi.
Ebusuku, uNomsa uphila kahle. Uhlala ekhaya, adlule nge-thelevishini, bese elala ngo-10 ebusuku.
A few expressions are above the current productive scope: bese (and then; used here as a sequence marker), xabiso eliphezulu (high price), shonile (expensive, literally "gone"), inadi (card). Read them for context without being assessed on their production.
Ingxenye A — Main idea and details
1. UNomsa uhlala phi? Indlu yakhe inezindlu ezingaki? (Where does Nomsa live? How many rooms does her home have?)
2. UNomsa udlani ekuseni? Uphuza ini? (What does Nomsa eat in the morning? What does she drink?)
3. UNomsa uthenga ini emakethe? Bhala izinto ezimbili. (What does Nomsa buy at the market? Write two items.)
4. UNomsa wenza ini ebusuku? (What does Nomsa do in the evening?)
Ingxenye B — Grammar and word-level questions
5. Thola umusho owodwa okusetshenziswa kuwo ikhonsodi yenhloko yethi li-. Bhala umusho wonke. (Find one sentence in the text that uses a class 5 subject concord li-. Write the full sentence.)
6. Bhala isiZulu: Nomsa does not like coffee. Qinisekisa ukubhala okufanele kwesiZulu. (Write the isiZulu for: Nomsa does not like coffee. Check your spelling.)
7. Chaza ngesiNgisi: yini eyenza itiye lihluke ku-ikhofi endleleni okubhaliwe ngayo? (Explain in English: what makes itiye and ikhofi behave differently from each other in class terms?)
8. Thola igama elilodwa elibonisa isimo sezulu noma uhlobo ngehlobo endabeni. Bhala igama nencazelo yalo ngesiNgisi. (Find one word in the text that describes a physical quality of an item Nomsa buys. Write it and its English meaning.)
Ingxenye C — Interpretation
9. Ngokombhalo, yini uNomsa athanda kakhulu ekudleni naseziphuzweni? Phendula ngesiZulu ngomusho owodwa noma emibili. (According to the text, what does Nomsa most enjoy in food and drink? Answer in isiZulu with one or two sentences.)
10. Ngabe uNomsa uyakholisa ukuthenga? Sebenzisa ubufakazi obusuke embhalweni. Bhala ingxenye yakho ngesiNgisi noma ngesiZulu. (Does Nomsa seem to enjoy shopping? Use evidence from the text. You may answer in English or isiZulu.)
Interpersonal Speaking
Task 3: Interpersonal Speaking
Inkulumo yoxhumano — Ukuxhumana ngokukhuluma
This task is completed with a partner or an instructor. The conversation moves through three linked stages. Allow two to four minutes total. If you are studying independently, complete the solo alternative below.
Stage 1 — At home: describing your living space
Partner A asks Partner B to describe where they live and what their home is like. Partner B responds using at least three sentences, including one existential or locative construction and one mention of an active class 7/8 or 9/10 noun. Then switch roles.
Useful language: Ngihlala e___. Indlu yami ina___. Ikhona i___ ekamelweni lokuhlala.
Stage 2 — Discussing routines: positive and negative activities
Partner A asks two questions about Partner B's morning or weekend routine, including at least one "how often" question and one "at what time" question. Partner B answers fully, using at least one positive and one negative present-tense form. Then switch roles.
Useful language: Uvuka ngo-ngaki? Udlani ekuseni? Angidli ___. Ngigeza ngo-___.
Stage 3 — Service interaction: café or market
Choose one setting: a café or a market. One partner plays the server or seller, and the other plays the customer. The customer must: greet the seller, order or request at least two items using Ngicela, state one preference or dislike using -thanda, politely decline one item the seller offers, and ask for the price using Yimalini? The seller must respond naturally using expressions from Chapters 8 and 9. Then switch roles.
Solo alternative — If no partner is available
Record yourself completing all three stages as a monologue: first describe your home, then describe your routine including a negative activity, then deliver a full café or market ordering exchange speaking both roles. Aim for ninety seconds to two minutes total. Play back the recording and check your conjunctive spelling when you transcribe one sentence from each stage.
Presentational Speaking
Task 4: Presentational Speaking
Inkulumo yokuphawula — Ukukhuluma ngaphandle kwamaphepha
Deliver a connected presentation of approximately ninety seconds without notes. Address a listener who does not know you. Cover all four of the points below. You will be assessed on task completion, comprehensibility, concord use, verb-form accuracy, and pronunciation.
- Your home and neighborhood: Describe where you live and at least one thing that is in or near your home. Use at least one locative or existential construction.
- Your daily routine: Describe two or three typical weekday activities, including at least one negative activity. Use time or sequence expressions.
- Food preferences: State what you like and what you do not like to eat or drink. Use -thanda in both polarities and name at least one class 5/6 food item.
- A recent shopping or transaction: Describe an item you recently bought or tried to buy, mentioning a quality or quantity and a price.
You may use any vocabulary and structures from Chapters 1 through 9. You are not penalized for natural pauses, self-correction, or rephrasing, provided your meaning remains clear.
Presentational Writing
Task 5: Presentational Writing
Ukubhala — Ukuchaza usuku olujwayelekile
Write a connected paragraph of eight to twelve sentences describing a typical day. The paragraph should read as a natural, coherent account rather than a list of unrelated sentences. Use the planning and revision steps below.
- Plan. Decide on the person you are writing about: yourself, a friend, or a fictional character. Choose a weekday or weekend. Note five or six things that happen during the day, including at least one activity that does not happen.
- Draft. Write eight to twelve sentences in isiZulu. You must include: a description of the home or setting using a locative or existential form, at least two present positive verb forms (one long, one short), at least one present negative verb form, at least one class 5/6 noun with correct agreement, at least one polite request or service expression, and at least one sequence expression connecting two activities.
- Check concord. After drafting, underline every noun. For each underlined noun, confirm that you have used the correct subject concord in any clause where that noun is the subject. Correct any mismatch before finalizing.
- Check orthography. Read through your draft once more, checking that every verb complex is written conjunctively, that no analytical hyphens appear in ordinary text, and that all nouns carry their full augment and class prefix.
- Write your final version. Submit a clean copy applying any corrections from steps 3 and 4.
Isikhungo sokuhlola — Writing editing checklist:
- Every verb complex is written as one continuous word without spaces or hyphens.
- Every noun is in its full standard form, including augment and class prefix.
- Negative verbs change the final vowel from -a to -i.
- At least one class 5/6 noun appears with correct class agreement.
- At least one sequence expression such as ngemuva kwalokho, bese, or okokuqala appears.
- Sentences begin with a capital letter and end with a full stop or question mark.
- No tone marks appear in the ordinary writing.
- Place names and personal names are capitalized correctly.
Scoring Rubrics
Use these rubrics for instructor or peer evaluation of Tasks 3, 4, and 5. For interpretive tasks (1 and 2), use the answer key scores. The standard for this unit assessment is not native-like accuracy; it is functional communication with emerging control of the active language systems.
Speaking rubric (Tasks 3 and 4)
| Criterion | 3 — Strong | 2 — Developing | 1 — Beginning |
|---|---|---|---|
| Task completion | All required points addressed clearly. | Most required points addressed; one may be incomplete. | Two or more required points missing or incomprehensible. |
| Comprehensibility | A sympathetic listener understands all main messages without significant effort. | Most main messages are understandable with occasional effort. | Meaning is frequently unclear; listener must guess. |
| Noun-class concord | Active class forms and subject concords are consistently correct. | Most active class forms are correct; occasional concord error does not obscure meaning. | Frequent concord errors obscure which noun is being discussed. |
| Verb morphology | Positive and negative present forms used correctly; polarity is always clear. | Positive and negative usually correct; one or two errors in polarity do not obscure meaning. | Positive and negative frequently confused; polarity often unclear. |
| Vocabulary | Vocabulary is appropriate and varied; active items used accurately. | Vocabulary is generally appropriate; occasional incorrect item does not impede communication. | Vocabulary frequently inappropriate or insufficient for the task. |
| Pronunciation | Vowels clear, clicks recognizable, phrase boundaries perceptible. | Most sounds intelligible; a few errors do not impede understanding. | Sound errors frequently impede understanding. |
| Respect and register | Appropriate polite forms used consistently in service and formal contexts. | Polite forms used most of the time; one oversight does not disrupt interaction. | Polite forms absent or consistently misapplied in service contexts. |
Writing rubric (Task 5)
| Criterion | 3 — Strong | 2 — Developing | 1 — Beginning |
|---|---|---|---|
| Task completion | All required elements present; paragraph is 8–12 sentences. | Most elements present; paragraph is slightly shorter or one element is thin. | Several required elements missing; paragraph is fewer than 6 sentences. |
| Organization | Connected paragraph with clear sequence; ideas flow logically. | Mostly connected; transitions present but not always smooth. | Reads as an unconnected list; sequence is unclear. |
| Noun-class accuracy | Full noun forms correct; active class concords consistently accurate. | Most noun forms correct; occasional prefix or concord error does not obscure class. | Frequent noun-prefix or concord errors make class identification difficult. |
| Verb morphology | Positive and negative verb forms correct; long and short present used appropriately. | Most verb forms correct; one or two errors do not change polarity meaning. | Frequent verb errors; polarity or tense frequently wrong or missing. |
| Orthography | Verb complexes written conjunctively; augments present; no hyphens in ordinary text; capitals correct. | Most orthography correct; one or two spacing or augment errors. | Frequent spacing, augment, or capitalization errors throughout. |
| Vocabulary | Vocabulary appropriate to task; active items used accurately in context. | Generally appropriate vocabulary; occasional incorrect item. | Vocabulary frequently insufficient or misapplied. |
Advancement standard: A learner who scores 2 or above in all criteria on Tasks 3, 4, and 5, and who demonstrates comprehension of at least 70 percent of the interpretive items in Tasks 1 and 2, has demonstrated the A1 development level expected at this stage of the course and is ready to proceed to Unit III.
Answer Key and Listening Scripts
Listening Script — Segment A: Indlu kaNomsa
(Instructor reads at a measured pace.)
"UNomsa uhlala eGoli, eduze nesitolo. Indlu yakhe inamaseli amathathu: ikhishi, igumbi lokuhlala, nekamelweni lokulala. Ekamelweni lokulala, kukhona umbhede omkhulu netafula elincane. Ekhishini, kunamatafula amabili. Indlu yakhe incane kodwa ihlanzekile."
Listening Script — Segment B: Usuku lwangoMgqibelo
"UNomsa uvuka ngo-6:30 ekuseni ngoMgqibelo. Okokuqala, ugeza. Ngemuva kwalokho, uya ekhishini awokhe itiye. Akadli isidudu; uthanda amaqanda nesinkwa ekuseni. UNomsa akayi emsebenzini ngoMgqibelo. Emva kwesidlo sasemini, uya emakethe. Ebusuku, uhlala ekhaya alale ngo-10."
Listening Script — Segment C: Ukuthenga emakethe
"Emakethe, uNomsa ufuna ukuthenga ibhegi nezinyawo zokugqoka. Uthole ibhegi elimhlophe elincane. Ubuza umthengisi: 'Yimalini leli bhegi?' Umthengisi uphendula: 'Libiza amashumi amane nesihlanu.' UNomsa uthanda ibhegi kodwa ucabanga ukuthi likhulu kakhulu intengo. Akawuthenganga."
Task 1 — Answers
Segment A:
- ikhishi, igumbi lokuhlala, ikamelweni lokulala (accept any two of the three).
- umbhede omkhulu, itafula elincane (accept one or both).
- Yebo, kunamatafula amabili ekhishini. (Accept any well-formed affirmative sentence locating a table in the kitchen.)
- eGoli / Johannesburg.
Segment B:
- Ngo-6:30.
- Ugeza. (He/she showers first.)
- Iqiniso. (True — she showers, then makes tea, then eats.)
- Accept: akayi emsebenzini / does not go to work. (Other reasonable negatives based on the text.)
- Ekhaya. (At home.)
Segment C:
- ibhegi, izinyawo zokugqoka (shoes).
- Elincane. (Small.)
- Amashumi amane nesihlanu. (Forty-five.)
- Cha. Ucabanga ukuthi intengo ikhulu kakhulu. (No. She thinks the price is too high.) Accept reasonable summary in English or isiZulu.
Task 2 — Suggested answers
- UNomsa uhlala eGoli. Indlu yakhe inezindlu ezintathu.
- Udla amaqanda nesinkwa. Uphuza itiye.
- Ijezi elikhulu elimhlophe, namabhuzu amabili amnyama.
- Uhlala ekhaya, adlule nge-thelevishini, bese elala ngo-10 ebusuku.
- Accept: Ikhishi linamatafula amabili. / Ibhuzu lishonile. — any clause with a class 5 li- subject concord.
- UNomsa akathandi ikhofi.
- Accept: both itiye and ikhofi are class 5 singular nouns; they take the prefix i- and the subject concord li-. They are both mass nouns whose plural forms are rarely used in ordinary speech.
- Accept: elikhulu (big), elimhlophe (white), amnyama (black), or elincane (small — used for the bag). Each appears with relative concord on the adjective stem.
- Accept any well-formed sentences about Nomsa liking eggs, bread, and tea and disliking coffee, e.g., UNomsa uthanda amaqanda nesinkwa netiye. Akathandi ikhofi.
- Accept reasonable inference: she seems to enjoy or at least engage in shopping since she goes to the market, examines items, and asks prices — though she decides against buying when the price is too high. Evidence from the text should be cited.
Task 5 — Model paragraph
The following is one example of a strong response. Many other valid paragraphs exist. Use the rubric, not this model alone, to evaluate.
Ngihlala eThekwini, eduze nolwandle. Indlu yami inamaseli amabili nensindla. Igumbi lokuhlala likhona, futhi linosihlalo omkhulu. Okokuqala ekuseni, ngigeza bese ngidla ibhulekfesi. Angidli isidudu, ngithanda amaqanda nesinkwa. Ngiyaphuza itiye, angiphuzi ikhofi. Ngemuva kwesidlo sasemini, ngiya emakethe ngoba ngifuna ukuthenga izingubo. Ngicela ejezi elimhlophe nelincane. Likhona futhi lizinhle kakhulu. Ibiza amashumi amathathu. Ngililithengile. Ebusuku, ngihlala ekhaya ngilale ngo-9.
Note: ngililithengile contains a perfect form beyond the current productive scope; a learner may write ngithenga ijezi (I buy a jersey) or a simple present instead. Accept any natural alternative that completes the task.
Remediation Guidance
If your performance on any task suggests a gap in a specific area, use the following guidance to identify which chapter to review before proceeding to Unit III.
| If you had difficulty with… | Review this chapter | Focus on this section |
|---|---|---|
| Describing rooms, objects, and locations | Chapter 6 | Existential constructions, classes 7/8 and 9/10, common locatives |
| Positive and negative present-tense verbs | Chapter 7 | Present negative, final vowel -i, negative subject markers |
| Long versus short present forms | Chapter 3 and Chapter 7 | Long form with -ya-, short form with following object or adverbial |
| Class 5/6 nouns and agreement | Chapter 8 | Grammar 8.1, subject concord li- and a-, class 5/6 nouns in vocabulary |
| Object concords (first and second person) | Chapter 8 | Grammar 8.4, object concord placement inside the verb word |
| Demonstratives and descriptive concords | Chapter 9 | Active demonstratives, adjective concords, referring back to items |
| Polite requests and service language | Chapter 8 and Chapter 9 | Ngicela frame, commands in service contexts, comparison and decline |
| Conjunctive verb spelling and no hyphens | Chapters 3, 7, and 8 | Orthography notes in each chapter; Common Mistakes on spacing |
| Clicks and aspirated consonants | Chapter 2 (c), Chapter 4 (q/x), Chapter 8 (ch/qh/xh) | Pronunciation Focus boxes in each of those chapters |
Unit II has moved through four domains of everyday life in isiZulu-speaking communities: the home and neighborhood, the daily schedule, food and drink, and shopping. These domains differ significantly across regions, households, and individual circumstances in South Africa. The language you have learned, including class 7/8 and 9/10 vocabulary for household objects, class 5/6 vocabulary for food and market items, and the polite request frames used in service settings, reflects contemporary urban and peri-urban usage across KwaZulu-Natal, Gauteng, and other isiZulu-speaking areas. As you move into Unit III, the community settings will expand to include transport, leisure, health, and work, where many of the same concord and verb systems will reappear in new contexts.
Looking Ahead
Okungakwenzeka manje — What you can do now
After completing Unit II, you can describe a home and neighborhood, talk about a daily routine with positive and negative activities and time expressions, order food and drink politely, and shop for goods by describing, comparing, and referring back to items. You control subject concords for classes 1/2, 1a/2a, 5/6, 7/8, 9/10, and class 15, and you can use introductory first- and second-person object concords. You write verb complexes conjunctively and distinguish the long and short present forms in most contexts. These are the foundations on which Unit III builds.