Responding to written materials – WJECRecognising words

In order to understand the gist of any text, it’s important that you recognise key words – even if you’re not sure of their meaning at first glance.

Look at the words in bold print in the following piece that Lyn has written. Do you recognise them?

Roedd fy mhenwythnos i’n gyffrous iawn.

Codais i am un ar ddeg o’r gloch bore Sadwrn, neidiais i o’r gwely, bwytais i fy mrecwast a rhedais i i ddal y bws i’r dref. Es i i’r ganolfan fowlio gyda fy ffrindiau achos roedd pen-blwydd Sam dydd Sadwrn. Yna, am bedwar o’r gloch, aethon ni i’r dref i gael snac a phrynu gêm gyfrifiadur i Sam (ei anrheg pen-blwydd!). Yna, aethon ni i dŷ Sam achos roedd ffrindiau Sam yn aros yn ei dŷ e dros nos.

Ar ôl swper blasus – a llawer o gacen pen-blwydd flasus – aethon ni i chwarae gemau cyfrifiadur. Yna, aethon ni i’r gwely tua dau o’r gloch ond roedd hi’n amhosib cysgu!

Dydd Sul, ar ôl chwarae mwy o gemau cyfrifiadur a chinio dydd Sul bendigedig, es i adref – i barti arall. Roedd Dad yn cael ei ben-blwydd dydd Sul! Penwythnos gwych!

If you’re not sure of the meaning of these words, ask yourself:

• Have the words in bold print been mutated – what were the original forms?
• Do the verb forms look different because they’re in the past tense – what were the original forms?
• Does the context help you understand, eg it’s Sam’s birthday and there’s llawer o gacen pen-blwydd flasus? The word blasus – tasty – should help you understand the word gacen.
• Do any of the words resemble English words? What about snac and amhosib?

It’s also important to remember that some nouns may look different if they appear in their plural form. Ask yourself:

Does the word resemble another word I know – could it be the plural form of that word?