CBSE Class 1 English

Ch 2: Greetings

3 sections AI-powered notes
GET THE FULL EXPERIENCE

This is the chapter notes. Students get the interactive version.

  • Ask Aarav Sir anything — instant voice + chat doubts
  • Interactive lessons with audio narration + visual diagrams
  • Study Lab — paste any photo, PDF, or YouTube link to get it explained

Greetings and Action Vocabulary

Page 1: Greetings and Action Vocabulary

Welcome to the World of Greetings!

Every day, when we meet people, we say something kind to them. We call these words greetings. In this chapter, you will learn how to greet people in English at different times of the day, and you will also learn many action words that describe what we do every day!

{{VISUAL: photo: two cheerful 7-year-old children in colorful school uniforms waving and smiling at each other at a sunny school gate, one boy and one girl, bright morning light, warm and friendly atmosphere}}

When you wake up in the morning and see your family, what do you say? When you meet your teacher at school, how do you greet her? When you go to bed at night, what special words do you use? Let's learn all these greetings together!


Greetings Throughout the Day

In English, we use different greetings at different times. Let's learn them one by one.

{{KEY: type=concept | title=Greetings in English | text=Greetings are polite words we use when we meet someone or say goodbye. In English, we use different greetings depending on the time of day — morning, afternoon, evening, and night.}}

Morning Greeting

When you wake up and the sun is shining bright, and it's time for breakfast and school, we say "Good morning". You can say this from the time you wake up until about 12 noon (lunchtime).

Example:

  • You meet your teacher at 8 o'clock → "Good morning, Teacher!"
  • You see your friend at the school gate → "Good morning, Ravi!"

Afternoon Greeting

After lunch, when the sun is high in the sky and you are playing or studying, we say "Good afternoon". You use this greeting from 12 noon until about 5 or 6 in the evening.

Example:

  • You meet your neighbour at 2 o'clock → "Good afternoon, Aunty!"
  • You visit your grandparents at 3 o'clock → "Good afternoon, Grandma!"

Evening Greeting

When the sun starts to go down and it's getting darker outside, we say "Good evening". You use this greeting from about 5 or 6 in the evening until bedtime.

Example:

  • Your father comes home from work → "Good evening, Papa!"
  • You meet someone on your evening walk → "Good evening!"

Night Greeting

When it's time to sleep and you are going to bed, we say "Good night". This is different from the other greetings because we only say it when we are going to sleep or saying goodbye late at night.

Example:

  • You are tucking into bed → "Good night, Mummy!"
  • Your brother is going to sleep → "Good night, sweet dreams!"

{{VISUAL: diagram: a cheerful sun-and-moon clock showing four cute cartoon sections labeled 'Good morning' with a bright sun, 'Good afternoon' with a high sun, 'Good evening' with a setting sun, and 'Good night' with a smiling moon and stars, all in candy-bright colors with chunky friendly labels}}

{{KEY: type=points | title=Remember These Greetings | text=- Good morning → when you wake up until lunchtime (12 noon)

  • Good afternoon → from lunchtime until evening (12 noon to 5-6 pm)
  • Good evening → from evening until bedtime (5-6 pm to bedtime)
  • Good night → only when going to sleep or saying goodbye at night}}

The Special Indian Greeting: Namaste

In India, we have a beautiful greeting called "Namaste" (or "Namaskar" in some languages). When we say Namaste, we put our palms together in front of our chest and bow our head a little. This is a respectful way to greet anyone at any time of the day!

Other regional greetings in India:

  • Vanakkam (Tamil)
  • Sat Sri Akal (Punjabi)
  • Nomoshkar (Bengali)
  • Aadab (Urdu)

You can use these greetings in your mother tongue too! English greetings are useful, but never forget the beautiful greetings from your own language and culture.

{{ZOOM: title=Why do we greet people? | text=Greeting someone is a way of showing respect and kindness. It makes people feel happy and welcome. When you greet someone with a smile, you spread joy! Greetings help us make friends and show that we care about others.}}


Learning Action Words

Now let's learn some exciting action words! Action words tell us what someone is doing. In your NCERT book, you saw sentences like "I comb my hair" and "I eat my food." The words comb and eat are action words because they tell us what action you are doing.

{{VISUAL: photo: a group of four happy 6-year-old children performing different actions in a bright classroom — one child combing hair, one child eating an apple, one child walking, one child waving, all smiling, colorful clothes, warm soft lighting}}

Common Action Words from Your Book

Let's look at the actions from your textbook:

Action WordWhat It MeansExample Sentence
combTo make your hair neat with a combI comb my hair.
eatTo put food in your mouth and swallowI eat my food.
seeTo look at someone or somethingI see my teacher.
hearTo listen to a sound with your earsI hear the bell ring.
walkTo move by putting one foot in front of the otherI walk to school.
playTo have fun with games or toysI play football.

{{KEY: type=definition | title=Action Words (Verbs) | text=Action words, also called verbs, are words that tell us what someone or something is doing. Examples: run, jump, eat, sleep, dance, sing. They describe the action happening in a sentence.}}

More Fun Action Words!

Your NCERT book also has a wonderful song called "Hop a Little". This song teaches you many more action words! Let's learn them:

  • Hop → to jump on one foot
  • Jump → to push yourself off the ground with both feet
  • Stamp → to put your foot down hard on the ground
  • Skip → to move forward with little jumps, lifting one foot then the other
  • Tap → to touch something lightly and quickly
  • Dance → to move your body to music
  • Twist → to turn your body or a part of your body around
  • Shake → to move something quickly back and forth
  • Yawn → to open your mouth wide when you are sleepy
  • Sleep → to close your eyes and rest at night

{{KEY: type=exam | title=Remember for Activities | text=Your teacher may ask you to act out these action words in class. Listen carefully to the word and do the action with energy and a smile! This helps you remember the words better and makes learning fun.}}


Let's Practice Together!

Now that you know greetings and action words, let's practice them!

Activity 1: Match the Greeting

What would you say in these situations?

  1. You wake up at 7 AM and see your mother → Good morning, Mummy!
  2. You meet your friend at 3 PM in the park → Good afternoon!
  3. Your father comes home at 7 PM → Good evening, Papa!
  4. You are going to bed at 9 PM → Good night!

Activity 2: Action Time!

Can you do these actions? Try them right now!

  • Clap your hands five times
  • Hop on one foot
  • Stretch your arms high above your head
  • Bend down and touch your toes

Great job! You are learning action words by doing them!

{{VISUAL: diagram: a cute cartoon sequence showing a smiling child doing four actions in chunky rounded panels — hopping on one foot, jumping with both feet, dancing with musical notes, and sleeping with a soft pillow and stars, all labeled clearly in big friendly letters}}


Key Takeaway

Learning greetings helps you be polite and kind to everyone you meet. Action words help you talk about all the wonderful things you do every day!

Keep practicing your greetings at home and school. Say "Good morning" to your family, "Good afternoon" to your friends, and "Good night" before you sleep. And remember — a smile makes every greeting even better! 😊


Exploring Initial Letter Sounds and Writing (F-T)

Page 2: Exploring Initial Letter Sounds and Writing (F-T)

Welcome back, little learners! Now that we've started our journey through the alphabet, let's explore some exciting new letters and the sounds they make. In this section, we will practise writing letters from G to Z, and discover how words start with special sounds from F all the way to T. Get ready to match pictures, write letters, and have lots of fun with sounds!


Writing Letters: G to Z

Learning to write letters correctly is an important skill. Each letter has its own special shape. Some letters are tall, some have tails, and some sit nicely on the line. Let's practise writing the second half of the alphabet together.

{{VISUAL: diagram: a cheerful alphabet train with colourful carriages, each carriage carrying one big letter from G to Z in bright friendly fonts, smiling cartoon conductor waving from the front}}

Capital and Small Letters (Q to Z)

Just like we learned A to P, now we will complete the alphabet with letters Q to Z. Remember, each letter has a capital (big) form and a small (little) form.

Here's how we write them:

Capital LetterSmall LetterHow to Write It
QqStart with a round circle, add a little tail at the bottom-right
RrMake a straight line down, then a curve at the top and a leg going out
SsLike a curvy snake, wiggle from top to bottom
TtA tall stick with a cross on top
UuA smile that opens upward, then a tall stick
VvTwo slanting lines meeting at the bottom like a valley
WwLike two 'V's holding hands
XxTwo sticks crossing each other like a kiss
YyTwo slanting lines meeting in the middle, then one line going down
ZzA zigzag line — left to right, slant down, then left to right again

{{KEY: type=concept | title=Letter Formation | text=Each letter in English has a capital form (big) and a small form (little). When we write, we start at the top and follow a special path so the letter looks neat and clear. Practising every day helps us remember the shapes.}}

{{VISUAL: diagram: a smiling pencil character showing how to write the letter M step-by-step with numbered arrows — down, up, down, up — in chunky rainbow colours on lined paper}}


Understanding Initial Letter Sounds (F to T)

Every word begins with a sound. When you say a word like "fish", the very first sound you hear is "fff". This is called the initial sound. Recognising these sounds helps us read and spell new words!

Let's explore the sounds made by letters F, G, H, I, J, K, L, M, N, O, P, Q, R, S, and T.

Letter Sound: F

The letter F makes the "fff" sound, like the wind blowing gently.

Words that begin with F:

  • Fox — a clever animal with a bushy tail
  • Foot — what we use to walk and run
  • Fish — a creature that swims in water

{{KEY: type=definition | title=Initial Sound | text=The initial sound is the very first sound we hear when we say a word. For example, the word 'fox' starts with the 'fff' sound made by the letter F.}}

Letter Sound: G

The letter G makes the "guh" sound, like a gentle growl.

Words that begin with G:

  • Goat — an animal with horns
  • Gate — a door in a fence
  • Girl — a young female child

Letter Sound: H

The letter H makes the "huh" sound, like a soft breath.

Words that begin with H:

  • House — where we live
  • Hand — what we use to hold things
  • Hut — a small, simple home

Letter Sound: I

The letter I makes the "ih" sound, like the beginning of "ink".

Words that begin with I:

  • Iron — a tool used to press clothes
  • Ice — frozen water
  • Inkpot — a container that holds ink

Letter Sound: J

The letter J makes the "juh" sound, like the start of "jump".

Words that begin with J:

  • Jacket — a piece of clothing we wear when it's cold
  • Jackfruit — a large, sweet fruit
  • Jug — a container for holding liquids

{{VISUAL: photo: four cheerful 6-year-old children sitting in a bright classroom, each holding a colourful picture card — one shows a fox, one a goat, one a house, one a jacket — all smiling and raising their cards happily}}


More Letter Sounds: K to T

Letter Sound: K

The letter K makes the "kuh" sound.

Words that begin with K:

  • Kettle — used to boil water
  • Kite — a toy that flies in the sky
  • Key — opens a lock

Letter Sound: L

The letter L makes the "lll" sound.

Words that begin with L:

  • Leaf — green part of a plant
  • Lion — a big, strong animal
  • Lemon — a sour, yellow fruit

Letter Sound: M

The letter M makes the "mmm" sound.

Words that begin with M:

  • Mouth — part of our face we use to eat and speak
  • Mango — a sweet, juicy fruit
  • Mouse — a tiny animal

Letter Sound: N

The letter N makes the "nnn" sound.

Words that begin with N:

  • Nine — the number after eight
  • Nest — a bird's home
  • Nose — part of our face we use to smell
Stuck on something here?
Aarav Sir explains any part — voice or chat — 24/7.

Letter Sound: O

The letter O makes the "oh" sound.

Words that begin with O:

  • Owl — a bird that flies at night
  • Ox — a strong farm animal
  • Orange — a round, orange-coloured fruit

Letter Sound: P

The letter P makes the "puh" sound.

Words that begin with P:

  • Pencil — used for writing and drawing
  • Pot — used for cooking
  • Parrot — a colourful bird

Letter Sound: Q

The letter Q makes the "kw" sound.

Words that begin with Q:

  • Question mark — a punctuation mark (?)
  • Quilt — a soft, warm blanket
  • Quill — an old-fashioned pen made from a feather

Letter Sound: R

The letter R makes the "rrr" sound.

Words that begin with R:

  • Rainbow — colourful arc in the sky after rain
  • Rose — a beautiful, sweet-smelling flower
  • Ring — a circle, often worn on a finger

Letter Sound: S

The letter S makes the "sss" sound, like a hissing snake.

Words that begin with S:

  • Spoon — used for eating
  • Swan — a graceful white bird
  • Seven — the number after six

Letter Sound: T

The letter T makes the "tuh" sound.

Words that begin with T:

  • Ten — the number after nine
  • Tomato — a red, juicy vegetable (or fruit!)
  • Table — furniture we use for eating and writing

{{KEY: type=points | title=Remembering Initial Sounds | text=- Say the word slowly and listen to the first sound.

  • Match the sound with the letter it starts with.
  • Practise every day by finding objects around you that start with different sounds.}}

{{VISUAL: diagram: a colourful sound-matching chart showing six cartoon objects — fox, goat, house, iron, jacket, kite — each with its first letter highlighted in a big cheerful bubble above it}}


Matching Activities: Finding the Odd One Out

A fun way to practise sounds is to play odd one out. This means looking at a group of pictures and finding the one that starts with a different sound.

Example:

Look at these three pictures:

  • Cap
  • Mouse
  • Mango

Which one is the odd one out?

Answer: Cap is the odd one out because it starts with the "cuh" sound, while mouse and mango both start with the "mmm" sound.

{{KEY: type=exam | title=Common Question Type | text=In CBSE Class 1 exams, students are often asked to circle or tick the picture that has a different starting sound. Listen carefully to the first sound of each word to find the right answer.}}


Letter Writing Practice

Now it's your turn! Practise writing these letters neatly in your notebook:

  1. Write capital G and small g five times each.
  2. Write capital M and small m five times each.
  3. Write capital S and small s five times each.
  4. Write capital T and small t five times each.

Remember: Start at the top, follow the shape carefully, and take your time. Beautiful writing comes with practice!


Well done, little learners! You've now explored letters G to Z, discovered the sounds from F to T, and practised matching pictures to their initial sounds. Keep singing the alphabet song, keep writing, and keep listening to the sounds around you. In the next section, we will dive even deeper into word-building and fun activities with our families and friends. Happy learning! 🎉


My Family and Concluding Phonics (U-Z)

Page 3: My Family and Concluding Phonics (U–Z)

Welcome to the final page of Chapter 2: Greetings! In this section, you will learn all about family relationships, read a delightful story about a sparrow family, and master the initial letter sounds for the last six letters of the alphabet — U, V, W, X, Y, and Z. Let's dive in!


Understanding My Family

A family is a group of people who love and care for each other. Your family might include your mother, father, sister, brother, grandparents, aunts, uncles, and cousins. Every family is unique and special in its own way!

{{VISUAL: diagram: a cheerful cartoon family portrait showing a smiling mother, father, grandmother, grandfather, brother, sister, and a friendly pet dog, all standing in a sunny garden with flowers and butterflies, chunky bright colours}}

In the NCERT story, we meet Mama and Papa Sparrow and their three baby sparrows. The story teaches us how families work together, help each other, and celebrate special moments — just like your own family!

{{KEY: type=concept | title=What is a Family? | text=A family is a group of people who live together or are related to each other. Families love, support, and help one another every day. Your family might have different members like parents, grandparents, brothers, sisters, and even pets!}}

Family Members and Their Names

Here are some common family members and what we call them in English:

Family MemberExample Name
MotherMama, Mummy, Mum
FatherPapa, Daddy, Dad
GrandmotherGrandma, Nani, Dadi
GrandfatherGrandpa, Nana, Dada
SisterDidi, younger sister
BrotherBhaiya, younger brother
AuntAunty, Bua, Mausi
UncleUncle, Chacha, Mama
CousinCousin brother, Cousin sister

You can also share what you call your family members in your mother tongue — for example, in Hindi we say "Dadi" for grandmother and "Nana" for grandfather. Every language has special, loving words for family!

{{KEY: type=points | title=How Families Help Each Other | text=- Parents take care of us and give us food, clothes, and a safe home.

  • Grandparents tell us stories and share their wisdom.
  • Brothers and sisters play with us and share toys.
  • We help our family by being kind, listening, and doing small tasks like keeping our room tidy.}}

Let's Read: The Sparrow Family

Now let's revisit the beautiful story from your NCERT textbook about the Sparrow Family. This story shows us how baby sparrows grow up with the love and support of their parents, grandparents, aunts, uncles, and cousins — just like you!

Story Summary

Mama and Papa Sparrow find a safe place and build a soft, warm nest. Mama Sparrow lays three small eggs. One day, the eggs break open, and three tiny baby sparrows pop their heads out! Papa Sparrow brings them food every day.

Grandmother and Grandfather Sparrow, Aunt and Uncle Sparrow, and all their cousins and friends come to visit the babies. The baby sparrows grow bigger and stronger.

Finally, one day, the baby sparrows hop out of the nest and fly up into the big blue sky. What an exciting adventure!

{{VISUAL: photo: three cheerful baby sparrows with big smiling eyes sitting in a cozy nest made of twigs and soft feathers, one baby sparrow flapping tiny wings, bright sunny background with fluffy clouds, storybook illustration style}}

Think and Speak

After reading the story, answer these questions with your teacher and classmates:

  1. Who are the members of the sparrow family in the story?
    Hint: Mama, Papa, Grandmother, Grandfather, Aunt, Uncle, cousins, friends, and the three baby sparrows.

  2. What did Papa Sparrow do to help the babies?
    Hint: He brought them food every day.

  3. What happened when the baby sparrows grew bigger?
    Hint: They hopped out of the nest and flew into the sky!

  4. If you were a baby sparrow, where would you fly?
    Share your ideas — maybe to a garden, a river, or a mountain!

{{ZOOM: title=Birds Around Your Home | text=Look outside your window or visit your garden. Can you spot any birds like sparrows, crows, parrots, or pigeons? Try to learn their names in English and in your mother tongue. Birds are wonderful neighbours who share our world!}}

{{KEY: type=exam | title=Story Comprehension Tip | text=In exams, you may be asked "Who brought food for the baby sparrows?" or "What did the baby sparrows do at the end?" Read the story carefully and remember the key actions of each character — Mama laid eggs, Papa brought food, and babies flew into the sky!}}


Letter Sounds: U, V, W, X, Y, Z

Let's complete our journey through the English alphabet by learning the initial sounds for the final six letters: U, V, W, X, Y, and Z. These letters have special sounds, and you will find them at the beginning of many fun words!

{{VISUAL: diagram: a bright alphabet phonics chart showing big friendly letters U V W X Y Z, each paired with a cute cartoon picture — umbrella for U, van for V, watermelon for W, xylophone for X, yak for Y, zebra for Z, chunky rainbow-coloured labels}}

Letter U

The letter U makes the sound "uh" (as in up) and "yoo" (as in uniform).

Words that begin with U:

  • Uniform – the special clothes we wear to school
  • Utensils – spoons, forks, and plates we use for eating
  • Umbrella – we use it when it rains
  • Up – the opposite of down

Letter V

The letter V makes the sound "vuh" (as in van).

Words that begin with V:

  • Van – a vehicle used for traveling
  • Vase – a pretty pot for keeping flowers
  • Vegetables – healthy foods like carrots, tomatoes, and peas
  • Voice – the sound we make when we speak or sing

Letter W

The letter W makes the sound "wuh" (as in wall).

Words that begin with W:

  • Wall – the sides of a room or house
  • Well – a place where we get water from underground
  • Water – we drink it and use it every day
  • Window – we look outside through it

Letter X

The letter X makes the sound "ks" (as in box) when it comes at the end of a word, and "eks" at the beginning.

Words that begin with X:

  • X-ray – a picture of our bones inside our body
  • Xylophone – a musical instrument with coloured bars

X is a rare letter at the beginning of words, but very common at the end — like in "box", "fox", and "six"!

Letter Y

The letter Y makes the sound "yuh" (as in yak).

Words that begin with Y:

  • Yak – a big furry animal that lives in cold mountains
  • Yo-yo – a fun toy that goes up and down on a string
  • Yellow – a bright, cheerful colour like the sun
  • Yawn – we open our mouth wide when we are sleepy

Letter Z

The letter Z makes the sound "zuh" (as in zebra).

Words that begin with Z:

  • Zebra – a black-and-white striped animal
  • Zip – we use it to close our bags and jackets
  • Zoo – a place where we see many animals
  • Zero – the number 0

{{KEY: type=definition | title=Initial Letter Sound | text=The initial letter sound is the very first sound you hear when you say a word aloud. For example, the word "van" starts with the sound "vuh", so its initial letter sound is V.}}


Practice Activity: Find the Odd One Out

Look at the pictures in each row. Say the name of each picture aloud and listen carefully to the initial sound. Then, circle the picture that has a different starting sound from the others.

Row 1:
🦓 Zebra | 🧩 Zip | 🌈 Van
Which one is different?

Row 2:
🎻 Violin | 🌊 Water | 🧱 Wall
Which one is different?

Row 3:
🟡 Yellow | 🪀 Yo-yo | ☂️ Umbrella
Which one is different?

{{VISUAL: diagram: a playful worksheet showing three rows of cute cartoon pictures for the odd-one-out game — zebra/zip/van, violin/water/wall, yellow yo-yo/umbrella — each picture with a happy face, chunky outlines, candy-bright colours}}

{{KEY: type=exam | title=Phonics Exam Tip | text=In Class 1 exams, you may be asked to circle the picture that starts with a given letter, or find the odd one out. Always say the word aloud softly and listen to the very first sound — this is the trick to getting it right every time!}}


Congratulations!

You have now learned all 26 letters of the English alphabet and their initial sounds — from A to Z! You can now recognise letters, say their sounds, and match them to words and pictures. You also understand the meaning of family and can name your own family members in English.

Keep practicing your greetings (Good morning, Good afternoon, Good evening, Good night, Namaste), your action words (hop, skip, jump, dance), and your letter sounds every day. The more you practice, the better you will become at reading, writing, and speaking English!

"Learning letters and loving your family — these are the first steps to a lifetime of joy and knowledge!"

Well done, little learner! Now move on to the next chapter and keep shining!


In this chapter

  • 1.Greetings and Action Vocabulary
  • 2.Exploring Initial Letter Sounds and Writing (F-T)
  • 3.My Family and Concluding Phonics (U-Z)

Frequently asked questions

What is Greetings and Action Vocabulary?

Every day, when we meet people, we say something kind to them. We call these words **greetings**. In this chapter, you will learn how to greet people in English at different times of the day, and you will also learn many **action words** that describe what we do every day!

What is Exploring Initial Letter Sounds and Writing (F-T)?

Welcome back, little learners! Now that we've started our journey through the alphabet, let's explore some exciting new letters and the sounds they make. In this section, we will practise writing letters from **G** to **Z**, and discover how words start with special sounds from **F** all the way to **T**. Get ready to

What is My Family and Concluding Phonics (U-Z)?

Welcome to the final page of **Chapter 2: Greetings**! In this section, you will learn all about **family relationships**, read a delightful story about a sparrow family, and master the **initial letter sounds** for the last six letters of the alphabet — U, V, W, X, Y, and Z. Let's dive in!

More chapters in CBSE Class 1 English

Want the full CBSE Class 1 English experience?

Every chapter. Interactive lessons. AI tutor on tap. Study Lab for any photo or PDF. 7-day free trial — no credit card.

1000s of students
100% NCERT-aligned
Powered by AI

Install Learn Skill

Add to home screen for the best experience