1. D.L.P. – Week Seven GRADE SEVEN

2. Day One – Skills Capitalization – Proper Nouns - Places Names of specific places must be capitalized since they are proper nouns. These could include the names of buildings and monuments. They could also include towns, cities, states, and countries. Capitalization – Proper Adjectives Adjectives describe nouns. When a proper noun is changed into an adjective form, then it must be capitalized. America is a proper noun, so when it becomes the adjective American, it must still be capitalized. Punctuation – Hyphen Some compound words are connected by a hyphen. To be certain if a word needs a hyphen, consult a dictionary. Hyphens are also used at the end of a written or typed line of text if the complete word does not fit. Use the hyphen between syllables of the word. Dates A date that contains the month, day, and year can be written two ways. It can be done numerically (9/4/66) or in words (September 4, 1966). Note that in the written form, a comma is needed after the day and the year contains four digits. When an entire date is included in the context of a sentence, it must be followed by a comma.

3. In puerto rico and other spanish speaking countries, some people celebrate Three Kings’ Day. DAY ONE – SENTENCE ONE In Puerto Rico and other Spanish- speaking countries, some people celebrate Three Kings’ Day.

4. The holiday takes place on January, 6. DAY ONE – SENTENCE TWO The holiday takes place on January 6.

5. Day Two – Skills Spelling A final draft must contain correctly spelled words. Be conscious of words that often misspelled such that sound one way but are spelled another. Be aware of homophones. (its, it’s) When in doubt, consult a dictionary or look for the same word used in text to verify its spelling. (Perhaps it is in the prompt or the text that is read.) Capitalization – Proper Nouns – People Names of people are always capitalized. If the person has a title such as Mr. or Dr., the title is also capitalized. Animal’s names are also capitalized. Punctuation –Comma – Prepositional Phrases When a sentence starts with one prepositional phrase, it is the writer’s choice to place a comma after it or not. Be consistent. Some single prepositional phrases involving time seem logical. (At first, I was unsure.) However, if more than prepositional phrase begins a sentence, a comma must be placed at the end of them. (On Thursday in the morning, I…) Agreement – Subject and Verb The subject and verb of a clause must agree in person and number. This involves something called conjugation. Every verb can be conjugated as to first person, second person, or third person and as singular or plural. Take the verb go. Use the nominative pronouns I, you, and he as singular and we, you, and they as plural. Make the verb go match the pronoun. “I go” means the verb is first person singular. “They go” makes it third person and plural. Note the third person singular – “he goes.” When an action verb is third person singular, it typically ends in an “s.” Be careful to not let words between the subject and verb such as prepositional phrases sway the verb choice.

6. The holiday celabrates the story of the Three Kings – Melchior, Balthazar, and Gaspar. DAY TWO – SENTENCE ONE The holiday celebrates the story of the three kings – Melchior, Balthazar, and Gaspar.

7. On the twelfth day after Christmas the Three Kings was guided by a star to travel to Bethlehem. DAY TWO – SENTENCE TWO On the twelfth day after Christmas, the three kings were guided by a star to travel to Bethlehem.

8. Day Three– Skills Verb Usage – To ride The verb ride is an action verb that is irregular. In the past it becomes rode and the past participle becomes ridden. Capitalization – Proper Nouns – People Names of people are always capitalized. If the person has a title such as Mr. or Dr., the title is also capitalized. Animal’s names are also capitalized. Punctuation – Apostrophes in Possession An apostrophe is used to show possession or ownership. If the word showing ownership is singular, then the apostrophe is placed before the s. (boy’s) If the word is plural and ends in an s, then the apostrophe is placed after the s. (groups’) However, if the plural word does not end in an s, then the apostrophe is placed before the s. (children’s) Joint possession means more than one person owns something. If one thing is owned by more than one person, the apostrophe and s appear only on the final person in the group. (Bob and Mark’s car) Sentence Fragment A fragment occurs because a sentence is missing a vital part, a subject or a verb. Correct it by adding the missing part. A second way that a fragment occurs is that it is not a complete thought. Perhaps, it is only a dependent clause. Correct this type of fragment by adding an independent clause.

9. In Puerto Rico tradition says that the Three Kings rided their camels to the childrens homes. DAY THREE – SENTENCE ONE In Puerto Rico tradition says that the three kings rode their camels to the children’s homes.

10. The Three Kings gave fabulous presents to the children. Who had been good all year. DAY THREE – SENTENCE TWO The three kings gave fabulous presents to the children who had been good all year.

11. Day Four– Skills Sentence Combining –Using Immersion Two sentences can be combined simply by including the information from one sentence into the other. This helps to prevent short, choppy sentence. (Mary is tall. Mary is my friend. These can be combined by immersing one into the other and saying, “My friend Mary is tall.”) Confused Words – their, there, they’re The word there is a possessive pronoun and shows ownership. The word there can be used to show a place. It can also be called an expletive when it is followed by a linking verb. They’re is a contraction made up of the words they and are. Capitalization – Proper Nouns – People Names of people are always capitalized. If the person has a title such as Mr. or Dr., the title is also capitalized. Animal’s names are also capitalized. Relative Pronouns The relative pronouns (who, whom, whose, which, that) start a subordinate (dependent) adjective clause in a sentence. They must refer correctly back to their antecedent. Who and whom refer to people. Whose shows ownership. Which refers to things. That can refer to people and things. (The girl who is tall… The girl that I met...)

12. The children leave grass for the camels in shoe boxes. They put the shoe boxes under they’re beds. DAY FOUR – SENTENCE ONE The children leave grass for the camels in shoe boxes under their beds.

13. The Kings bring gifts to children which believe in them. DAY FOUR – SENTENCE TWO The kings bring gifts to children who believe in them.

14. Day Five– Skills Punctuation – Apostrophes in Possession An apostrophe is used to show possession or ownership. If the word showing ownership is singular, then the apostrophe is placed before the s. (boy’s) If the word is plural and ends in an s, then the apostrophe is placed after the s. (groups’) However, if the plural word does not end in an s, then the apostrophe is placed before the s. (children’s) Joint possession means more than one person owns something. If one thing is owned by more than one person, the apostrophe and s appear only on the final person in the group. (Bob and Mark’s car) Voice – Active vs. Passive Active voice means that the subject is in the tradition subject spot as the doer of the action. In a passive voice construction, the subject is either in a prepositional phrase at the end of the sentence or not stated at all. (Active – I like cats. Passive (The cats were liked.) Note that in the passive construction, there is typically a linking verb. Writers should write in active voice. Style – Specific Word Choices Like with precise adjectives, the goal of a writer is to be visual. Using specific words can help. Instead of car, say what it is – Ford Mustang convertible, jalopy, four door sedan. Avoid words that are not precise. What does good really mean? What is stuff? What does one mean by etcetera? Use specifics.

15. Their friends homes are gone to by children for parties. DAY FIVE – SENTENCE ONE Children go to their friends’ homes for parties.

16. They eat tamales, which are cornmeal pancakes filled with stuff. DAY FIVE – SENTENCE TWO They eat tamales, which are cornmeal pancakes filled with beef, cheese, and spicy peppers.