Parts of Speech Nouns and Verbs

What do these words have in common? Stanza 3 from “Ex-Basketball Player” Once Flick played for the high-school team, the Wizards. He was good: in fact, the best. In ’46 He bucketed three hundred ninety points, A county record still. The ball loved Flick. I saw him rack up thirty-eight or forty In one home game. His hands were like wild birds.

Nouns Noun - a word used to name a person, a place, a thing, an idea, a quality, or an action.  Nouns can be classified in these ways: Common Nouns - general names, common to entire groups (doctor, mountain, war, love). Proper Nouns – specific, one-of-a-kind thing (Dr. Phil, Rocky Mountains, Civil War).

Color-Code the Nouns Pearl Avenue runs past the high-school lot, Bends with the trolley tracks, and stops, cut off Before it has a chance to go two blocks, At Colonel McComsky Plaza. Berth’s Garage Is on the corner facing west, and there, Most days, you'll find Flick Webb, who helps Berth out.

Proper Nouns and Common Nouns Pearl Avenue runs past the high-school lot, Bends with the trolley tracks, and stops, cut off Before it has a chance to go two blocks, At Colonel McComsky Plaza. Berth’s Garage Is on the corner facing west, and there, Most days, you'll find Flick Webb, who helps Berth out.

Rule of Thumb Use capital letters for proper nouns. Use lower case letters for common nouns.

What do these words have in common? Stanza 3 from “Ex-Basketball Player” Once Flick played for the high-school team, the Wizards. He was good: in fact, the best. In ’46 He bucketed three hundred ninety points, A county record still. The ball loved Flick. I saw him rack up thirty-eight or forty In one home game. His hands were like wild birds.

Verbs Verb - a word that expresses an action, a condition, or a state of being. Verbs can be classified in these ways: Action verbs express mental or physical activity (write, run, think, dance) Linking verbs join subjects with words or phrases that rename or describe them (is, am, are, was, were, be, being, been, has, have) She is the principal. I am your teacher, and you are my student.

Color-Code the Verbs Pearl Avenue runs past the high-school lot, Bends with the trolley tracks, and stops, cut off Before it has a chance to go two blocks, At Colonel McComsky Plaza. Berth’s Garage Is on the corner facing west, and there, Most days, you'll find Flick Webb, who helps Berth out.

Action Verbs and Linking Verbs Pearl Avenue runs past the high-school lot, Bends with the trolley tracks, and stops, cut off Before it has a chance to go two blocks, At Colonel McComsky Plaza. Berth’s Garage Is on the corner facing west, and there, Most days, you'll find Flick Webb, who helps Berth out.

Rule of Thumb Action verbs add clarity and vividness to writing. Linking verbs are to be used sparingly. (How could you revise this sentence?)

Adjectives and Adverbs Parts of Speech Adjectives and Adverbs

What do these words have in common? Stanza 3 from “Ex-Basketball Player” Once Flick played for the high-school team, the Wizards. He was good: in fact, the best. In ’46 He bucketed three hundred ninety points, A county record still. The ball loved Flick. I saw him rack up thirty-eight or forty In one home game. His hands were like wild birds.

Adjectives and Adverbs Adjectives - words that modify nouns and pronouns. What kind, how many, which one? Adverbs- words that modify everything but nouns and pronouns. They modify verbs, adjectives, and other adverbs. How, when, or where or to what extent? They often end in –ly … but not always!

Color-Code Adjectives & Adverbs Pearl Avenue runs past the high-school lot, Bends with the trolley tracks, and stops, cut off Before it has a chance to go two blocks, At Colonel McComsky Plaza. Berth’s Garage Is on the corner facing west, and there, Most days, you'll find Flick Webb, who helps Berth out.

Color-Code Adjectives & Adverbs Pearl Avenue runs past the high-school lot, Bends with the trolley tracks, and stops, cut off Before it has a chance to go two blocks, At Colonel McComsky Plaza. Berth’s Garage Is on the corner facing west, and there, Most days, you'll find Flick Webb, who helps Berth out.

The word good is an adjective, while well is an adverb. Rule of Thumb The word good is an adjective, while well is an adverb. Examples: You did a good job. Good describes the job. You did the job well. Well answers how. You smell good today.

Sentence Construction Clauses versus Phrases

Clauses vs. Phrases A clause is a group of words with a subject and a verb. Clauses can be classified Independent (It stands alone.) Dependent/Subordinate (It cannot stand alone.) A phrase is a group of words without a subject and verb. Types of phrases Prepositional, in a sentence Appositive, a phrase, Gerund, Stopping by the Woods on a Snowy Evening Participial, the crying baby Infinitive, to read is divine

Sentence Smack-Downs 1. But most of us remember Look at the following samples. Identify which samples are clauses and which are phrases. 1. But most of us remember 2. With Mercury’s insignia on our sneakers 3. The ball loved Flick 4. That exploded the skull cap of hope and good intention 5. Off work, he hangs around Mae’s Luncheonette 6. Glistening with sweat 7. Before it has a chance to go two blocks 8. On swivels of bone and faith

Sentence Smack-Downs 2. With Mercury’s insignia on our sneakers Look at the following samples. Identify which samples are clauses and which are phrases. 1. But most of us remember 2. With Mercury’s insignia on our sneakers 3. The ball loved Flick 4. That exploded the skull cap of hope and good intention 5. Off work, he hangs around Mae’s Luncheonette 6. Glistening with sweat 7. Before it has a chance to go two blocks 8. On swivels of bone and faith Notes to Teacher: “Ex-Basketball Player” uses primarily clauses while “Slam, Dunk, and Hook” uses many phrases. This stylistic choice helps to further the meaning. The phrases and fragments in “Slam, Dunk, and Hook” give the poem a faster pace and added vibrancy.

Sentence Smack-Downs 1. Most of us remember 2. The ball loved Flick Look at the following samples of clauses. Identify which clauses are independent and which are dependent. 1. Most of us remember 2. The ball loved Flick 3. Off work, he hangs around Mae’s Luncheonette 4. Who helps Berth out 5. Before it has a chance to go two blocks

Sentence Smack-Downs 1. Most of us remember 2. The ball loved Flick Look at the following samples of clauses. Identify which clauses are independent and which are dependent. 1. Most of us remember 2. The ball loved Flick 3. Off work, he hangs around Mae’s Luncheonette 4. Who helps Berth out 5. Before it has a chance to go two blocks 1. Explain to students that the independent clause “most of us remember” is linked with another independent clause, “he dribbles an inner tube,” and a coordinating conjunction, “and,” to form a compound sentence.

Rule of Thumb Independent clauses can stand on their own as sentences. Dependent clauses cannot stand on their own as sentences; they are fragments.