Year 8 - English
A history of the English language
A history of language
Study Hub
Study Guides
This pupil-friendly study guide includes a unit summary, clear notes, common mistakes, and quick questions with answers.
Unit Summary
In this unit, pupils explore the history of the English Language. They first learn about the development of the English Language, before using a single word and the Lord's Prayer to explore how language changes. They then plan, write and deliver a persuasive speech about a new word.
Lesson Summary
You will learn to explain how the English language has been influenced by different historical events over time.
Key Notes
- The invading Angles, Saxons and Jutes brought useful language, for describing everyday things.
- The English population adopted Latin words through the Church and French words through the Norman invasion.
- Both Shakespeare and the King James Bible gave the English language many of the phrases that we use today.
- Scientific developments led to the creation of many new words.
- The expansion of the British Empire led to new words being adopted and the English language travelling globally.
Vocabulary To Learn
- Conquer: To conquer means to take control of a particular place and its people by force.
- Invade: To invade a country means to enter it by force with an army.
- Colonisation: Colonisation occurs when a country takes control of other lands and its people and creates settlements there.
- Adopt: If a group adopt a new word, they start using it.
Common Mistakes To Avoid
- That the English language developed quickly.
3 Quick Questions (With Answers)
1. Explain this English learning goal in two key points.
The invading Angles, Saxons and Jutes brought useful language, for describing everyday things. The English population adopted Latin words through the Church and French words through the Norman invasion.
2. Define this language term and use it in a sentence. 'Conquer'
To conquer means to take control of a particular place and its people by force.
3. Correct this common English misunderstanding.
Mistake: That the English language developed quickly. Correction: The English that we speak today was shaped across many hundreds of years by lots of significant events in our history.
More Lessons In This Unit
- Comparing the Lord's Prayer over time Study Guide
- Creating a new word Study Guide
- Delivering a persuasive speech about a new word Study Guide
- Exploring how a word's meaning can change over time Study Guide
- Planning a persuasive speech about a new word Study Guide
- Reading an Anglo-Saxon Bible extract Study Guide
- Writing a persuasive speech about a new word Study Guide
Browse all guides in the Year 8 English guide library.