Grammar Review packet

Declarative Sentences A declarative sentence is a statement. Declarative sentences always end with a period. Examples: The Constitution of the United States of America became the supreme law of the nation on March 4, The United States has the oldest continuous constitutional government in the world, directed by a written constitution.

Interrogative Sentences An interrogative sentences is a question. Interrogatives always end with a question mark. Examples: When was the Constitution written? Why do we not have a direct democracy?

Imperative Sentences An imperative sentence is a command or request. Imperative sentences can end with either a period or an exclamation mark. The subject of imperative sentences is the understood you. Examples: Give the historical background of the Constitution. Please become familiar with the supreme law of the nation. Help me!

Exclamatory Sentences An exclamatory sentence expresses strong feeling or emotion. An exclamatory sentence always ends with an exclamation mark. Examples: Wow, March 4, 1789, was an important date! I passed the history test!

Simple Subject The simple subject is who or what the sentence is about. In an imperative sentence, the subject is the understood you. Simple Predicate The simple predicate is the action taken or being performed by the simple subject. The simple predicate is made up of the entire verb phrase, including helping verbs.

Diagramming the Simple Subject and Simple Predicate Always diagram the simple subject and simple predicate using the t-chart. Always include all helping verbs when diagramming the simple predicate. Subject Predicate

Examples of Subject/predicate Diagramming Is Katie wearing her new shoes tonight? Katie is wearing Fred might have been cheating on his final exam. Fred might have been cheating Did Ellie take the paper to her father? Ellie did take

Complete sentences, sentence fragments, and run on sentences Complete sentences express one complete thought and have appropriate punctuation. Complete sentences must have a simple subject and a simple predicate. Sentence fragments express an incomplete thought, or lack proper punctuation. Sentence fragments lack a subject or predicate. Run on sentences express two or more complete thoughts, and lack appropriate connecting words and punctuation.

Action verbs describe what the subject does, did, or will do. Helping verbs help form the verb tense. Common helping verbs include: is, am, are, was, were, be, being, been, has, had, may, might, must, can, could, do, does, did, shall, will, should, would. Verb phrases include ONLY the action verbs and the helping verbs. Never include nouns, adjectives, articles, or any other part of speech when writing the verb phrase.

Verb phrase Examples: “Write the verb phrase and underline the helping verb.” The singers are watching their director closely. are watching Will the fox appear wise with this mask on his face? will appear

Abstract nouns identify something that can’t be seen or touched. Abstract nouns name an idea, emotion, or concept. Common abstract nouns include days of the week, time, holidays, and emotions such as joy and grief. Concrete nouns identify something which can be seen or touched. Concrete nouns name people, objects, and places.

Common nouns do not name specific people, places, or things. Examples of common nouns include holiday, month, document, teacher. Common nouns are never capitalized. Proper nouns do name specific people, places, or things. Example of proper names include Fourth of July, December, Declaration of Independence, Mrs. Dunlap. Proper nouns are always capitalized.

Plural nouns show more than one of a person, place, or thing. To form the plural, you normally add an –s or –es to the end of the noun. Some plurals are irregular. Plural nouns are always formed from a singular noun. Collective nouns show more than one of a person, place, or thing. Collective nouns are not formed from a singular noun. Examples of collective nouns include team, family, group, set, and herd.

Irregular Plural Rules and Examples Words that end with z, s, sh, ch, and z are modified to show plurality by adding an –es. For example: SingularPlural MartinezMartinezes flashflashes boxboxes Change the y to an I and add es to a noun when it ends with a consonant followed by a y (unless it is a name). For example: SingularPlural supplysupplies majoritymajorities judiciaryjudiciaries

For most verbs, the present tense is formed by adding –s or –es to the end of the verb. When a verb ends with a consonant followed by –y, you normally turn the y into an I before adding the –s or –es For most verbs, the past tense is formed by adding –d or –ed to the end of the verb. When a verb ends with a consonant followed by a –y, you normally turn the y into an I before adding the –d or –ed. Future tense is formed by adding either will or shall to the verb. The word shall is only used if the subject is either I or we. Otherwise, form the future tense with the word will.

Present Tense/ Present Participle/ Present Perfect Present TensePresent ParticiplePresent Perfect advertIs advertingHas or had adverted walkIs walkingHas or had walked lobbyIs lobbyingHas or had lobbied Past Tense/Past Participle/Past Perfect Past TensePast ParticiplePast Perfect advertedHave or has adverted Had adverted walkedHave or has walkedHad walked lobbiedHave or has lobbied Had lobbied

Future Tense/ Future Perfect Future TenseFuture Perfect Will/shall advertWill/ shall have adverted Will/shall walkWill/shall have walked Will/shall lobbyWill/shall have lobbied

Plural nouns show more than one of something. Do not use an apostrophe for plural nouns. Possessive nouns show ownership. Always use an apostrophe with a possessive noun. Singular possessive nouns are formed with an apostrophe before the s (‘s). Plural possessive nouns are formed with an apostrophe following the s (s’).

Masculine Names a person or animal which is biologically male. Feminine Names a person or animal which is biologically female. Indefinite Names a person or animal, but the gender is unclear. Examples of indefinite nouns include cousin, teacher, dog. Neuter Names an object, place, or idea (abstract noun) which has no biological gender. It does not matter if an object belongs to a male or female, or has masculine or feminine qualities. Objects are always neuter.

Noun Gender Examples: Masculine: Father, Uncle, Brother, Billy, Stallion, Rooster, Grandfather, Mr. Jones Feminine: Mother, Aunt, Sister, Jane, Mare, hen, Grandma, Mrs. Jones Indefinite: Parent, Relative, Sibling, Student, horse, Grandparent, cat Neuter: Dress, tie, shadow, Lake Dixon, school, doll, anger

Compound nouns are made up of two or more words. Compound nouns can be written as one word, such as fingernail, doorknob, or pigpen. Compound nouns can be written as two or more words which are naming one person, place, thing, or idea. They may or may not be hyphenated. For example, post office, mother-in law, and house mouse are all compound nouns.

Normally, the first word of each line of poetry is capitalized. Always capitalize the following in titles: first word, last word, nouns, verbs (including all helping verbs), and prepositions with five or more letters. Capitalize the first letter of a quotation when it is the first word of the speaker’s sentence. Do not capitalize the first word of a quotation if it is the second half of an interrupted quote.

Gerunds Gerunds can function as the subject of a sentence. They are formed as verbs ending with –ing, but function as nouns. For example, the underlined words in the sentences below are gerunds which are functioning as subjects. Speech writing proved challenging. Her campaigning turned the election in her favor. Executing the laws weighs heavily on the President.