Grammar Academic English OneAcademic English One

Commas Use commas to separate a series of three or more phrases. Example: He ran down the hall, out the door, and into the yard. Use no commas in a series when all items are joined by or, and, or nor.

Practice Instructions: Place commas where they are needed. 1. The rain splashed against the house onto the sidewalk and into the street. 2. Through the trees around the cabin and down the valley roared the wind. 3. College is to gain knowledge to make new friends and to prepare for a career. 4. The cat climbed up the tree and out on a limb and finally onto the roof. 5. Munching on an apple listening to a recording and sitting on the couch Martha looked very happy.

Answers 1. against the house, onto the sidewalk, and into the street. 2. Through the trees, around the cabin, and down the valley, 3. to gain knowledge, to make new friends, and to prepare for a career. 4. no commas needed 5. Munching on an apple, listening to a recording, and sitting on the couch,

Practice Check your Start One and see if you put commas with items in a series.

Commas To set off an introductory clause or phrase. Ex. Because I could not stop for ice cream, it kindly stopped for me. Ex. At noon, I will dance the hula on the teacher’s desk. Not really, but see how I put the comma in there? Now you look in your Start One for any introductory phrases or clauses that need to be set off. Set them off!

Sentence Fragments A sentence fragment is a sentence that: Does not express a complete thought - Example: Joe is. This sentence is lacking a complete thought- Joe is "something" but we don't know what Joe is. Is lacking a subject Example: Eating chicken. This sentence is lacking a subject-who or what is eating chicken? Is lacking an action Example: A book without a cover. What about a book without a cover? Is the book doing something? Is someone doing something to the book? We don't know, because there is no subject

Sentence Fragments "Joe is" can be corrected by describing what Joe is being. For example, "Joe is smart." The sentence now expresses a complete thought. "Eating chicken" can be corrected by adding a subject. "Ann is eating chicken." "Eating chicken" could also become the subject. "Eating chicken is healthy." "A book without a cover" can be corrected by adding an action. "I am reading a book without a cover."

You Try

Run –on Sentences Adam is a sweet boy he really loves animals. Adam is a sweet boy, he really loves animals. To correct a run-on sentence, make it into two sentences. Correct Sentence: Adam is a sweet boy. He really loves animals.

Run-on Sentences A semicolon can also be used to separate two complete thoughts Run-on: It was a beautiful day there was not a cloud in the sky. Correct: It was a beautiful day; there was not a cloud in the sky. A run-on sentence can sometimes be prevented by using a comma and joining word to join sentences together. Wrong: John went to the movies Sue stayed home. Correct: John went to the movies, and Sue stayed home.

Run-On Sentences You can also use a subordinating conjunction, like the word “because” to correct the run-on sentence. Run-on: I don't play tennis well I have a poor backhand. Correct: I don't play tennis well because I have a poor backhand.

Common Grammar mistakes

Common Grammar Mistakes

Nouns – a person, place, or thing Nouns can be concrete or abstract Concrete nouns are tangible, like a rock Abstract nouns are intangible, like courage Nouns are either common or proper Proper nouns name specific people, places, or things Ex: Ms. Lafferty, Mississippi River, Golden Gate Bridge Common nouns name general people, places, or things Ex: teacher, river, bridge Tangible – something you can touch

Practice Label the following words as either common or proper nouns ( note: PowerPoint capitalizes everything, so don’t let that confuse you) Louisville State Doctor Assumption Label the following words as either concrete or abstract nouns Fame Food Fun Fan

Answers Label the following words as either common or proper nouns ( note: PowerPoint capitalizes everything, so don’t let that confuse you) Louisville - P State - C Doctor - C Assumption - P Label the following words as either concrete or abstract nouns Fame - A Food - C Fun - A Fan - C

Verbs – it’s what you do! Action Verbs - Describe actions Ex: run, jump, skip Linking Verbs – connect words together; uses a form of to be PresentPast IAmWas He/she/itIsWas We/you/theyareWere

Tenses We usually write in either past or present tense. Stay in the same tense when you write.

Tenses

Please change the paragraph so that it is written in the past tense: On Saturday I woke up early. I am going to St. James Art Fair and it is going to be so much fun. I asked my mom when we were going to go, and she told me that we are going after lunch. We eat, and then we went down to St. James. I walk around looking at all the pretty art. We were there a really long time because there is so much to look at. Finally, I am really tired and we decided to go home. It has been a great day.

Tenses Please change the paragraph so that it is written in present tense: The girls walked a three mile lap around Assumption. They are all dressed up and cheering. They were wearing a lot of superhero costumes. These girls are walking to raise money for financial aid. It was a very fun walk. When it is over, the participants all had a snack and then got to go home.

Tenses Check today’s bell ringer to see if you switched tenses at any time. Make corrections.