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Published byRodger Carter Modified over 6 years ago
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Engaging Grammar: Practical Advice for Real Classrooms
Presented by Amy Benjamin Part Three: Complete Sentences and Sentence Renovation “ I’ve never known a person who wasn’t interested in language.” -Steven Pinker, The Language Instinct
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Now Entering the Complete Sentence Zone:
Here are three ways to test whether a group of words forms a complete sentence. (We are talking ONLY about DECLARATIVE sentences.)
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Now Entering the Complete Sentence Zone:
Test One: The “Guess What!” test How it works: Say “Guess What!” in front of a group of words. If the group of words tells you “guess what!” then you have a complete sentence!
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Now Entering the Complete Sentence Zone:
Test Two: The “They believed that…” test How it works: Say “They believed that…” in front of a group of words. If the group of words makes sense when you say “They believed that…” in front of it, then you have a complete sentence!
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Now Entering the Complete Sentence Zone:
Test Three: The “Yes/No Question” test How it works: Can you turn your group of words into a question that can be answered with YES or NO? If you can, then your group of words is a complete sentence.
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Phrase, Clause, Sentence
A phrase is two or more words that go together (without being a sentence). There are noun phrases and verb phrases. Once we have both a noun and a verb, then we have a clause. A clause is a group of words that may or may not be a complete sentence. If a clause can stand alone as a sentence, then we call it an independent clause. (If a clause cannot stand alone as a sentence, then we call it a subordinate clause.
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Run-ons result from the improper joining of independent clauses.
Why run-ons? Run-ons result from the improper joining of independent clauses. When independent clauses are joined by JUST a COMMA, we call that kind of run-on a COMMA SPLICE. To fix a comma splice, just add and, but, so, or a semicolon. How do you know if you have a run-on? Try your favorite sentence test. Listen carefully for the point at which the information in each independent clause ends. A clause is a group of words that may or may not be a complete sentence. If a clause can be a complete sentence, then we call it an independent clause.
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Fragments are usually subordinate clauses that
Why fragments? Fragments are usually subordinate clauses that need to be attached to the previous sentence. Subordinate clauses often begin with: Which, That, Who Adjective clauses: Tell you “which one?” “what kind?” Adverbial clauses: Tell you “when?” “where?” “why?” “how?” “to what extent?” Subordinate clauses often begin with: AAAWWUUBBI: As, Although, After, When, While, Until, Unless, Because, Before, If
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I went to bed early because <GUESS WHAT>
I don’t have my homework because <GUESS WHAT’>
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Now, reverse: Because <GUESS WHAT>, I went to bed early Because <GUESS WHAT, > I don’t have my homework
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The game will be cancelled IF<GUESS WHAT>
Keywords: triumph, winning, winner, team The game will be cancelled IF<GUESS WHAT> Our team usually wins WHEN <GUESS WHAT> Format Size Dimensions
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When <GUESS WHAT>, the game was cancelled.
our team usually wins.
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Sentence Renovation: Four Forms Additions Deletions Rearrangements
Replacements 16 Cards: Lily (2) is commas (3) period the best athlete at our school wants to be a senator in the government yearns aspires intends our school’s
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Procedure: As demonstrated, set up a group of students as two sentences: Lily wants to be a senator in government. Lily is the best athlete. ADDITION: Add the prepositional phrase: “at our school” to “the best athlete” (The prepositional phrase makes the sentence more specific.) DELETION: 1. Delete “in the government” because it is redundant. (All senators serve in some kind of government). 2. Create an appositive out of “the best athlete at our school” to eliminate the sentence with the weak verb and create a single sentence that has dimension (appositive) REARRANGEMENT: Switch “Lily” and “the best athlete at our school”; switch “at our school” and “the best athlete” (You will need a comma after “at our school” if it begins the sentence.) REPLACEMENT: 1. Replace the weak verb “wants” with “yearns,” “aspires,” “intends” 2. Replace “the best athlete at our school” with “our school’s best athlete” (This change does not necessarily improve the sentence—it just makes it a little different.)
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The Sentence-Making Kit
Fold a 5 x 8 index card in half, width-wise: They believed that… Guess What! Yes/no question 2. 1. 3.
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The Sentence-Making Kit
On the inside of the card: AAAWWUBBIS: although, as, after while, when until because, before if, since If a sentence begins with any of these words, it must have two parts. Place a comma between the two parts if one of these words begins the sentence. These words, plus the comma, may join two sentences. Writers sometimes begin sentences with these words if they are doing so for emphasis. ,and ,but ,so Use as many ACTION VERBS as possible. Flip the switch into formal English: a lot = a great many or a great deal gonna= going to wanna= want to hafta= have to get,got = become, became, receive received, obtain, obtained gotta: must These words will help you give detail in your sentences: Try beginning some of your sentences with these words: Use words and groups of words that answer the ADVERB QUESTIONS: When? Where? Why? How? To what extent? How often? IN FOR ON WITH AT
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The Sentence-Making Kit
On the back of the card: Substitutions for homophones and spelling problems: their = his there = here they’re = they are your = his you’re = you are its = his it’s = it is; it has woman = man women = men I before E except after C Or when sounded as A As in neighbor or sleigh
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