You are here:
Levels 1 and 2 table
Summary
At levels 1 and 2 - introduce basic ideas about the structure of words, phrases and sentences in Māori. Add to this ‘unanalysed chunks’, or formulaic and routine ways of expressing particular meanings – for example, simple greeting and leave-taking routines - without analysing their structure.
Aim for your learners to begin to understand the following ideas:
- Māori has a basic VSO word order (Verb Subject Object).
- Sentences are made up of phrases.
- There are sentences without verbs and sentences with verbs.
- The sentences without verbs are called nominal sentences.
- The sentences with verbs are called verbal sentences.
- Sentences usually have at least two parts, a predicate or first phrase, and a subject.
- Sentences may also have additional phrases after the subject.
- That the phrases in a sentence each have a function.
- The predicate, or first phrase, of nominal sentences (sentences without verbs) can start with:ko (identifying things); he (classifying things); prepositions which express location (for example: kei, i, hei); prepositions which express ownership and belonging (for example: nā / nō); number or quantity expressions (for example: Kotahi te … , e waru ngā … ).
- Verbal sentences start with a verb phrase, and the particles that start the phrase help determine the time and type of action that is being expressed.
- How to express simple commands.
- The form or structure of verb phrases.
- The form or structure of noun phrases.
- The form or structure of preposition phrases.
- That there are two key types of words: content and function words (or bases and particles).
- That within these there are a number of classes of words, for example: verbs, nouns, pronouns, adjectives, adverbs, determiners, prepositions, verbal and nominal particles.
- That some content words or bases can be used in several different ways, as nouns, verbs and adjectives.
- That there are different types of verbs; focus on common intransitive verbs, and on common transitive verbs and their passive forms, and the sentences that can be formed with these.
- That there are different types of nouns; focus on common nouns and personal nouns.
- The personal pronouns, and neutral possessive pronouns.
- That there are different categories of possession.
- That some words are made up of more than one part (for example, a base and affixes such as the prefixes whaka- and kai-, and the passive suffix); focus on the regular meanings and uses of whaka- and kai-, and on passive suffixes.
- How to express numbers to 100, counting, and the number prefixes toko- and tua-.
- How to express dates and telling the time.
- How to express simple ideas about quantity.
- How to express simple ideas about prices and money.
Levels 1 and 2 Table
| Levels 1 and 2 | References to Harlow, 2001 | Harlow pages | References to Head, 1989 | Head pages |
|---|---|---|---|---|
|
Basic word order is (VSO): Verb (or nominal predicate)+ Subject (a noun phrase) + Object (a preposition phrase) (VSO order can be manipulated for effect. A sentence may have additional parts). | ||||
| Simple sentences without verbs | ||||
|
Identifying sentences, with ko (expressing the identity of someone or something). Ko Manu ia |
Predicate Sentences beginning with ko |
138-140 149-150 | Identity sentences | 10-19 |
| Classifying sentences, with he (expressing the nature or characteristics of something). He kaiako ia |
Predicate he |
138-139 73-74 | Classifying sentences | 34-42 |
|
Negating nominal sentences with ko: ehara. Brief introduction, leave analysis of these as a focus for next levels. Ehara ia i a Manu | Negation of simple sentences; Sentences beginning with ko |
141-153 149-150 | Negative identifying sentences | 16-19 |
|
Negating nominal sentences with he: ehara. Brief introduction, leave analysis of these as a focus for next levels. Ehara tērā i te tūī | Negation of simple sentences Sentences whose predicate is a phrase beginning with he |
141-153 143 | Negative classification sentences | 39-41 |
|
Negating 'existence' sentences: kāore. Brief introduction, leave analysis of these as a focus for next levels. There are / are no monsters: He taniwha. / Kāore he taniwha | Sentences consisting of a phrase beginning with he | 143 | ||
|
Location sentences (expressing where something is / was / will be) in space or in time. Kei te kāinga au | Comments of place | 167-168 |
Location sentences Negative location sentences |
92-100 93-94 |
| Sentences beginning with nō or nā (expressing owning and belonging). Nō Porirua au. Nā Manu tēnei pukapuka |
Nō in predicate phrases Nā in predicate phrases | 150-152 | N-class possession sentences Negative n-class possession sentences | 85-91 |
| Simple sentences with verbs | ||||
|
Structure of simple verbal sentences Verb phrase + Subject: a noun phrase (+ Direct object: a preposition phrase) for example: Kei te moe + a Manu. Kei te kai + a Manu + i te āporo | Sentences whose predicate is a verb phrase | 143-147 | Action sentences | 43-66 |
|
Verbal particles ka verb kei te verb (non-past progressive) e verb ana (progressive aspect) i verb (simple past tense) kua verb (perfect aspect) ka kai, kei te kai, e kai ana i kai, kua kai |
Verb phrases Verbal particles |
108 51-64 | ||
|
Intransitive verbs, for example:haere, moe, tangi, tae Kei te moe a Manu | Intransitive verbs |
30-31 216-217 | ||
|
Transitive verbs, for example:kōrero, mahi, āwhina, hoko, kai Kei te kai a Manu i te āporo |
Transitive verbs ‘i’ as object marker ki as object marker objects marked with ‘i’ and ki |
29-30, 77 163-164 78, 174 164, 174 | ||
|
Neuter verbs / statives (brief introduction only), for example: mate, oti, pakaru, mahue | Neuter verbs | 31-32 | State sentences | 77-84 |
|
Commands E kai! Kōrero! | Commands |
189-190 216-222 | Command sentences | 67-76 |
| Passive voice: introduce in verb sentences and in commands Kua horoia ngā kākahu | Passive voice, passive action sentences | 55-60 | ||
| Pānuitia te pukapuka! | ||||
|
Negatives: negating simple verbal sentences: brief introduction, leave analysis of these as a focus for next levels. Kāore … Kei te kai a Manu. Kāore a Manu i te kai |
Negation of simple sentences Sentences whose predicate is a verb phrase |
141-153 143-147 |
Negative action sentences Negative passive action sentences |
50-53 60 |
|
Questions: Introduce simple questions: yes / no questions, WH- questions (with interrogatives). Kei te kai a Manu? Kei te aha a Manu? Kei hea a Manu? |
Questions Yes-no questions Interrogatives |
223-234 223-224 225-226 |
Questions: identity sentences classification sentences action sentences state sentences n-class possession sentences location sentences counting sentences |
38 53-55 80-81 87-89 94-95 122-123 |
| Numbers, time, dates | ||||
|
Expressing numbers, counting to 100 | Numerals and time expressions | 277-287 | Counting sentences pp. 117-123 | 117-123 |
| Expressing times and dates |
Time expressions Clock time Dates |
277-296 281 288-291 | ||
| Expressing quantity and money | ||||
| Simple phrases | The structure of the phrase | 18-111 | ||
|
Noun phrases Determiner + Noun (+ Modifier) For example: ērā + whare | Noun phrases | 109 | ||
|
te + whare + whero taku + pukapuka + Māori a + Manu (a) + rātou | ||||
|
Preposition phrases Determiner + Noun phrase For example: ki + ērā whare i + te whare whero i + taku pukapuka Māori | Prepositional phrases | 109 | ||
|
Verb phrases Verb particle + Verb (+ Adverb / Modifier) For example: Kei te + haere + atu Kua + kai I + tae + mai | Verb phrases | 108-109 | ||
| The function of phrases in a sentence | Sentences consisting of two phrases | 135-136 | ||
|
Predicate phrases (The predicate is what is said about the subject). | Predicate | 138-141 | Lyndsay Head does not use the term predicate, but refers to predicate phrases in various ways according to the type of sentence she is describing, for example, first phrase (identity sentences), information phrase (classifying sentences); first (action) phrase (action sentences). | |
|
Subject phrases (The subject is the person or thing doing what is expressed in the predicate). | Subject | 136-138 | Subject phrase / second phrase |
10-11 34-35 43-44 |
| Phrases other than subject and predicate | Comments | 154-180 | ||
| Object / Direct object |
Comments Comments following verbs Objects of transitive verbs Objects of experience verbs |
154-180 163-166 163-164 164-165 |
Extending action sentences with an object phrase Extending negative sentences with an object phrase |
47-50 52-53 |
| Indirect object | Indirect objects | 165 | ||
|
Agent phrase of passive e + Noun phrase e te kaiako, e ia, e ngā tamariki | Extending passive action phrases with an agent phrase | 58-59 | ||
|
Source and goal phrases i / ki + noun phrase For example:i te kura, ki te kura | Source and goal with movement verbs | 165-166 |
|
Word classes At levels 1 and 2 all word classes will be encountered in authentic texts, however it is not necessary to focus on all of these in depth. It is useful for the teacher to understand word classes and to be able to answer questions from the learners. The teacher might, for example, focus on intransitive verbs (kei te moe a Manu.) and transitive verbs – verbs that take a comment or phrase introduced with ‘i’ as direct object - at levels 1 and 2 (kua tuhi au i taku reta) and leave focus on experience verbs and neuter or stative verbs until levels 3 and 4. |
| Simple bases |
Word classes: bases and particles Types of base |
19 19-20 | ||
| Verbs: transitive, experience, intransitive, neuter (stative); focus on intransitive and transitive verbs | Verbs | 29-31 | ||
| Nouns: common, locative / local, personal; focus on common and personal nouns | Nouns | 20-29 | ||
| Adjectives | Adjectives | 32-33 | ||
| Pronouns (see note in introduction); personal pronouns (for example: au, koe, ia, koutou, tātou, etc.) - introduce singular and plural first, and when these are established add the dual pronouns, and the inclusive / exclusive distinction in the first person plural and dual pronouns | Pronouns | 33-37 | Pronouns | 23-33 |
| Possessive pronouns - neutral for possessive category, one person possessing: taku / aku, tō / ō, tana / ana | Neutral possessive determiners | 71-72 | Pronouns | 23-33 |
| Possessive pronouns plural and dual – brief introduction (for example: tō tātou, tā tātou, ō tātou, ā tātou; tō tāua, tā tāua, ō tāua, ā tāua) | Possessive determiners | 69-74 | Pronouns | 31-33 |
| Categories of possession, a brief introduction |
Comments following nouns: … entities that typically fall into the a-category … o-forms are used for the following |
157-163 158-160 160-163 | The categories of relationship and possession | 101-116 |
| Question words, for example: aha? wai? pēhea? hea? hia? tokohia? | Interrogatives | 225-234 | ||
|
Numerals tahi, rua etc. |
Numerals Numbers | 277-287 | ||
| Particles at the beginning of phrases or comments |
Verbal particles Nominal particles |
51-64 65-85 | ||
|
Determiners: singular and plural te, ngā, taku, aku, tētahi, ētahi | Determiners | 65-76 | ||
|
Prepositions, for example:i, ki, kei, hei, mā, nō etc. | Prepositions | 76-85 | ||
| Word formation | Word formation | 112-132 | ||
| Regular prefixes: whaka- (select the common, regular uses of whaka- at levels 1 and 2; introduce the less common later). Whaka- + tangi = whakatangi |
Overview of whaka- whaka- with adjectives, neuter verbs and transitive verbs |
121-125 122-123 | ||
|
Regular prefixes: kai- kai + base; kaimahi, kaiwaiata | kai- | 120-121 | ||
|
Number prefixes: tua- ordinal, for example:tuatoru | tua- | 118-119 | ||
|
Number prefixes: toko- people, for example:tokowaru | toko- | 119 | ||
|
Suffixes: passive, for example:-tia, -ngia, -hia etc. | The passive suffix | 126-129 | ||
| Reduplication - focus on full reduplication and its meanings using high frequency words, for example: paki, pakipaki; kata, katakata | Reduplication | 113-118 | ||
| Exception: plural form of noun: tamaiti / tamariki | Plural | 20-21 |