KNEC ENGLISH SYLLABUS 101

FORM 1
1. LISTENING AND SPEAKING 2. Regular and irregular adjectives
1. Pronunciation 3. Gradable and non-gradable adjectives
1. English sounds: vowel and consonant 5. Adverbs 1. Adverbs of manner time and
sounds. frequency
2. Distinction between English sounds 6. Prepositions 1. Simple prepositions e.g.
and mother tongue and Kiswahili. in, of at
3. Identification of problematic sounds. 7. Conjunctions 1. Co-coordinating
4. Mastery of problematic sounds in conjunctions (and, but, or) 8. Phrases 1.
meaningful contexts e.g. through use Constituents
of tongue twisters, songs and poems. and examples of the noun phrase
9. Simple sentences
2. Listening Comprehension and 1. Sentence structure (subject, predicate)
note-taking 2. Types of sentences - Interrogative -
1. Listening and responding to oral Imperative -
narratives (trickster and ogre stories) and Exclamatory - Declarative/ affirmative -
riddles. Negative
2. Features of trickster and ogre stories, 3. READING
and riddles. 3. Listening and responding 1. Reading Skills 1. Identification of the
to Information/articles on children\'s learner\'s reading problems in silent
rights, child labor, environment, reading
HIV/AIDS and on moral values. e.g. moving lips, verbalizing words, use of
3. Mastery of Content 1. Debate fingers and moving the head. 2.
4. Etiquette Development of good reading habits in: -
1. Use of courteous language e.g. thank Silent reading - Reading aloud - Speed
you, excuse me, sorry, please. 5. Reading 3. Using a dictionary 4. Using the
Non-verbal library
cues that enhance listening and speaking 2. Intensive Reading
1. Importance of respecting personal 1. Study of poems, plays and short stories.
space 2. Focus on plot and literary language.
3. Extensive Reading
2. GRAMMAR 4. Literary and non-literary materials on
1. Parts of speech-Nouns 1. Common contemporary
nouns 2. Proper nouns 3. Concrete nouns issues such as: - Children\'s rights - Child
- Count - labor - Environment - HIV/AIDS - Moral
Non-count 4. Abstract nouns 5. Number - values 2. Adventure stories
Regular and irregular nouns 6. Articles - 3. Fairy tales 4. Poem 5. Plays 6. Novels 7.
Definite and indefinite articles - Functions Short stories 8. Newspapers / Magazines /
of pronouns Periodicals
2. Pronouns 4. Comprehension Skills
1. Personal pronouns 1. Recall, comprehension and application
2. Possessive pronouns 2. Summary and note-making
3. Reflexive pronouns
4. Functions of pronouns 4. WRITING
3. Verbs 1. Handwriting 1. Legibility and tidiness
1. Lexical - Regular - Irregular verbs 2. Spelling 1. Spelling rules
2. Tenses - Simple present tense - Simple 3. Building sentence skills and
past tense paragraphing
4. Adjectives 1. Writing clear and correct sentences
1. Comparative and superlative forms
2. Structure of the paragraph. - Topic 7. Study Writing
sentences 1. Making notes
Supporting - Sentences - Clincher 2. Taking notes
sentences - Sequencing of ideas - Unity in 8. Creative Writing
paragraphs 1. Imaginative compositions
4. Punctuation 2. Poems
1. Capitalization 9. Institutional Writing
2. Final punctuation marks 1. Public notices
3. Commas 2. Inventories
5. Personal writing
1. Diaries
2. Addresses
3. Packing lists
6. Social Writing Informal letters

* FORM 2 4. Auxiliary verbs -primary and modal

1. LISTENING AND SPEAKING 5. Aspect - perfective and progressive
1. Pronunciation 1. Further practice on 6. Future time
problematic sounds 2. Stress and 4. Adjectives 1. Order of adjectives
intonation 3. 5. Adverbs
Rhyme in poetry 4. Word play (puns) 2. 1. Adverbs of place and degree
Listening Comprehension and 2. Comparative and superlative forms of
Note-taking adverbs
1. Listening and responding to 6.2 myths, 6. Prepositions 1. Complex prepositions
legends and songs. e.g. in spite of
2. Features of myths, legends and songs. 7. Conjunctions 1. Subordinating
3. Listening and responding to conjunctions e.g. because, when, that,
information on issues of social which
responsibility, drug and substance abuse 8. Interjections 1. Identification and usage
equal role of men and women in sentences
Integrity/anti 9. Phrases 1. Constituents of verb and
corruption education information adverb phrases and examples
technology 4. Skills of attention and turn 10.Clauses 1. Independent and
taking subordinate clauses (relative and adverbial
through use of dialogues. 3. Mastery of clauses)
content 1. Interviews 2. Compound sentences. 3. Complex
4. Etiquette 1. Telephone etiquette sentences. 4. Active and passive voice.
5. Non-verbal skills in listening and
speaking
1. Facial expressions, gestures and eye
contact. 3. READING
2. Bowing/curtsying. 1. Reading Skills 1. Scanning and
skimming. 2. Using reference materials
3. GRAMMAR (library,
1. Nouns 1. Collective nouns 2. Compound Encyclopedia and the internet)
nouns 3. Use of phrasal quantifiers e.g. a 3. Interpretive reading. 2. Intensive
piece of advice 4. Possessives reading
2. Pronouns 1. Study of novels, plays and poems.
1. Number and person in pronouns. 2. Focus on characterization and themes.
2. Indefinite pronouns. 3. Aspects of style.
3. Verbs 4. Extensive reading
5. Literary and non literary materials on 3. Punctuation
contemporary 1. Quotation marks
issues such as: Social responsibility 2. Apostrophe
Gender responsiveness Drug and 3. Hyphen
substance abuse 4. Study Writing
Human rights 2. Biographies 3. Novels 4. 1. Summaries
Plays 5. Poems 2. Descriptive essays
4. Comprehension Skills 5. Creative Writing
1. Recall, comprehension, application and 1. Imaginative compositions
analysis. 2. Dialogues
2. Summary and note-making. 6. Institutional Writing
1. Letters
4. WRITING 2. Posters
1. Spelling 1. Commonly misspelt words 3. Advertisements
2. Building sentence skills and 7. Personal Writing
paragraphing 1. Personal journals
1. Sentence variety; using simple, 2. Shopping lists
compound and complex sentences 8. Social Writing 1. Invitations
2. Devices of developing paragraphs 9. Public Writing
Giving reasons/examples comparing and 1. Telephone messages
Contrasting using idiomatic expressions 2. Filling forms
using facts/statistics Using rhetorical 3. Letters of apology
Questions

* FORM 3 5. Non-verbal cues that enhance listening

1. LISTENING AND SPEAKING and speaking 1. Appearance and
1. Pronunciation 1. Stress and intonation grooming
in sentences 2. Rhythm in poetry 3.
Alliteration and assonance in poetry 2. GRAMMAR
2. Listening Comprehension and 1. Parts of Speech- Nouns 1. Typical noun
Note-taking 1. Listening and responding derivations 2. Gender - sensitive language
to 2. Pronouns
Information on: HIV/AIDS Rights and 1. Pronoun case Subjective and objective
responsibilities of citizens 2. Listening 2. Demonstrative pronouns
and 3. Verbs
Responding to dilemma and aetiological 1. Transitive and intransitive verbs
oral narratives 3. Features of dilemma and 2. infinitives
aetiological stories 4. Receiving and giving 3. Phrasal verbs and idiomatic expressions
instructions 5. Giving directions. 3. 4. Participles
Mastery of Content 4. Adjectives
1. Discussion 1. Quantifiers - few, a few, little, a little
2. Speeches 2. Predicative and attributive adjectives
4. Etiquette 1. Appropriate choice of i.e.
register position of adjectives
5. Adverbs
1. Formation of adverbs 4. Comprehension Skills 1. Recall,
2. Functions of adverbs (modifiers) comprehension, application, analysis,
3. Prepositions synthesis and
4. Distinguishing prepositions from evaluation 2. Summary and note making
connectors and adverb particles.
5. Conjunctions 4. WRITING
6. Correlative conjunctions, e.g. both..,and 1. Building Sentence Skills and
, not..only, Paragraphing 1. Cohesion in paragraphs 2.
But..also, neither..nor, either..or Using transitional words and phrases 3.
8. Phrases 1. Prepositional and adjectival Choice of words 4. Recurrent words
phrases (different words
9. Clauses that refer to the same idea in the
1. Conditional and adjectival clauses paragraph) 2. Punctuation
2. Noun clauses 1. Colon
3. Compound-complex sentences 2. Semi-colon
4. Direct and indirect speech Form and 3. Dash
usage 4. Parenthesis
3. Personal writing
1. Reminders
2. Personal journals
3. READING 4. Social writing
1. Reading skills 1. Study reading 2. 1. Notes of thanks, congratulations and
Note-making 3. Critical reading 4. condolences
Recognizing attitude and tone 5. 2. Telegrams
Distinguishing facts from opinions 6. 5. Public writing 1. Letter application
Interpretive reading 7. Close reading 6. Study writing
2. Intensive reading 1. .Synopsis
1. Study of novels, plays, poems and short 2. Argumentative essays
stories 7. Creating writing
2. Focus on critical analysis of three 1. Imaginative compositions
prescribed 2. .Plays
texts: 1 novel I play I 3. .Short stories
play/novel/anthology of short stories 3. 8. Institutional Writing
Focus on oral literature 1. Notification of meetings
3. Extensive reading 1. Literary and non- 2. Agenda and minute writing
literary materials on contemporary issues 3. Memoranda
such as: Good governance integrity
HIV/AIDS Technological advancement 2.
Newspapers, Journals and magazines on a
variety of subjects 3. Reports 4. Novels
5.Plays 6. Poems 7. Short stories

* FORM 4 2. Listening Comprehension and

1. LISTENING AND SPEAKING Note-taking Listen and respond to:
1. Pronunciation 1. Distinguish word class 1. Oral poetry
on basis of stress 2. Use of tone to reveal 2. Proverbs
attitude 3. Features of oral poetry and proverbs
4. Information on poverty eradication
3. Mastery of content 1. Oral reports 4. Comprehension Skills 1. Summarizing
4. Etiquette and note-making
1. Interrupting and disagreeing politely
2. Negotiation skills 4. WRITING
3. Turn-taking 1. Building sentence skills and
4. Paying attention (listening) paragraphing 1. Paraphrasing
2. Punctuation 1. Devices for presenting
2. GRAMMAR quotations and headings
1. Parts of Speech - Nouns 1. Functions of 3. Personal writing 1. Recipes
nouns in sentences e.g. subject, object, 4. Social writing
Complement 1. E-mails
2. Pronouns 2. Fax
1. Interrogative pronouns 3. Instructions to family and friends
2. Relative pronouns 5. Public writing
3. Verbs 1. Letters of inquiry
1. Participle phrases 2. Letters of request
2. Gerunds 6. Study writing
4. Adjectives 1. Reviews
1. Typical endings of adjectives (e.g. - ful, - 2. Expository writing
less,-ous) 3. Questionnaires
2. Functions of adjectives 7. Creative writing
5. Adverbs 1. Imaginative compositions
1. Position of adverbs in sentences 2. Autobiographies
2. Typical endings of adverbs e.g. -ly, 3. Biographies
-wards, -wise) 8. Institutional writing
3. Prepositions 1. Curriculum vitae
4. Functions of prepositions in sentences 2. Speeches
7. Conjunctions 1. Functions of
conjunctions in sentences
8. Clauses
1. Inversions
2. Sentence connectors
3. Substitution and ellipsis

3. READING
1. Reading Skills 1. Note-making 2. Study
reading 3. Critical reading 4. Interpretive
reading 5. Responsive reading 6.
Recognizing attitude and tone 7.
Distinguishing facts from opinions
2. Intensive Reading 1. Focus on critical
analysis of prescribed texts: I novel play 1
play/novel/anthology of short stories 2.
Focus on oral literature
3. Extensive Reading 1. Literary and non
literary materials on contemporary issues
such as: Poverty Eradication Drug and
Substance abuse 2. Journals and
magazines on
different subjects 3. Novels 4. Short stories
5. Plays 6. Reports