English Honors 10August 19, 2015 Mrs. Fernandez  Please remove your ball cap and place gum into the trash can.

August 19, 2015  Grammar  The Book Thief Literary Groups  15 minutes – read  Newspaper perspectives

Actions  1a. The cause of our schools failure at teaching basic skills is not understanding the influence of cultural background on learning.  1b. Our schools have failed to teach basic skills because they do not understand how cultural backgrounds influence the way children learn.  Describe each sentence – how do they make you “feel” ?

Telling Stories: Characters and Actions  2a. Once upon a time, as a walk through the woods was taking place on the part of Little Red Riding Hood, the Wolf’s jump out from behind a tree occurred, causing her fright.  HUH ??  2b. Once upon a time, Little Red Riding Hood was walking through the woods, when the Wolf jumped out from behind a tree and frightened her.

Telling Stories: characters and Actions  2a. In the less clear sentence, the two main characters n the story, Little Red Riding Hood and the Wolf, are not subjects of any verbs, and neither of the two verbs, was taking and occurred, names a key action.  2b. In the clearer sentence, those two characters are subjects, and the verbs do name their key actions, walking, jumped, and frightened.

Principle of Clarity 1: Characters as Subjects  The simple subjects ( boldfaced ) and main characters (italicized) are different words:  Once upon a time, as a walk through the woods was taking place on the part of Little Red Riding Hood, the Wolf’s jump out from behind a tree occurred, causing her fright.  The subjects are not characters; they are instead actions expressed as abstract nouns, walk and jump.  Contrast those abstract subjects with the concrete subjects in 2b. Notice how the subjects and the main characters are the same words:  Subject : Little Red Riding Hood Verb: was walking  Subject: the Wolf Verb: jumped

Principle of Clarity 2: Actions as Verbs  In 2a, the actions and verbs are also different words: the actions are not in verbs but in abstract nouns, and the verbs that are there (was taking, occurred) express little specific action (actions are boldfaced; verbs are capitalized):  Once upon a time, as a walk through the woods was TAKING place on the part of Little Red Riding Hood, the Wolf’s jump out from behind a tree OCCURRED, causing her fright.  Once upon a time, Little Red Riding Hood was walking through the woods, when the Wolf jumped out from behind a tree and frightened her.  The actions and the verbs are the same words!

Verbs as actions and not Nominalizations  Abstract nouns derived from verbs and adjectives, nouns ending in – tion, -ence, and so on, especially when those nouns are subjects of verbs. Verb –NominalizationAdjective--Nominalization  Discover ---discoverycareless--carelessness  Resist –- resistancedifferent --differences  React –reaction proficient -- proficiency  Also occurs with –ing  We sang – our singingShe flies –her flying

Nominalizations  Too many characterizes abstract, indirect, difficult academic and professional writing.  Action s can be hidden in adjectives, also.  The data ARE indicative of the problem.  The data INDICATE the problem Examples: Is applicable –appliesis dubious -- doubts Is deserving -- deserves

Practice  1. The steering committee raised an objection to the proposed parking garage north of the stadium.  When the faculty senate has made a determination about the desirability of a lecture series, a proposal will be presented to the chancellor. (Hint. Perhaps we have ONE useful nominalization.)