For:
Grade 10
Excerpt From This Document
Proverbs are brief, popular sayings that convey a moral lesson (aphorisms).They are often found in folklore & in the Bible. In Things Fall Apart, Achebe writes, “Among the Ibo, the art of conversation is regarded highly, & proverbs are the palm-oil with which the words are eaten (10).”
Proverbs can come in many forms:
- Metaphor- “Don’t bite off more than you can chew.”
- Antithesis (Contrasting words or phrases in parallel structure)- “Man proposes, God disposes.”
- Play on words- “Forewarned, forearmed.”
- Rhyme- “A friend in need is a friend indeed.”
- Alliteration- “Better safe than sorry.”
- Parallelism- “Waste not, want not.”
Choose 2 proverbs from the following list and for each:
Explain the meaning.
Proverb #1
Proverb #2
Identify a situation (real or imagined) to which the proverb can apply, andexplain how that saying applies to the scenario.
Proverb #1
Proverb #2
- You can’t judge a book by its cover.
- Pride goes before a fall.
- A stitch in time saves nine.
- Haste makes waste.
- Beggars can’t be choosers.
- Don’t bite off more than you can chew.
- Actions speak louder than words.
- You’re barking up the wrong tree.
- Don’t put the cart before the horse.
- You can’t have your cake & eat it too.
- Waste not, want not.
- The acorn doesn’t fall far from the tree.
- Never put off until tomorrow what you can today.
About this Document
An assignment designed to increase students' understanding and familiarity with the concept of proverbs. I chose commonly used American proverbs to introduce students to the term.