Transcript File

Grammar and Mechanics
“Do-Nows”
5 – 7 minutes only!
Directions
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On Tuesdays, write down the examples,
definitions, rule(s) that correspond with the
week’s focus grammar.
On Thursdays, you need to complete the
activity using the focus grammar definitions
and rule(s).
Assessments are on Fridays!
Tuesday
Words Often Confused: its, it’s
It’s
Its
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Possessive of it
Belonging to it
The lion stopped in its
tracks.
The company’s bonus was
retroactive, so its
employees were thrilled.
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Contraction of it is or it has
It’s snowing!
It’s started snowing!
It’s unbelievable that the
elephant can die if
something does not
counteract the infection.
Thursday
Words Often Confused: its, it’s
(Write the complete sentence and choose the correct form of the word its/it’s)
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Is the bank offering good interest rates on
(its, it’s) savings accounts and loans?
They both moved often when they were
young, so I guess they know what (its, it’s)
like.
I sure hope she doesn’t become reactionary
like her mother because (its, it’s) not an
appealing characteristic to me.
Words Often Confused: lose, loose
lose
loose
Verb
 To suffer loss
 Don’t lose your ticket
 It’s so easy to lose your
clothes in a capacious
closet.
Adjective
 Rhymes with noose
 Not tight, not securely
fastened; not close together
 The string on the pack is
too loose.
 In the incipient phase, the
handle was too loose for the
bike to steer well.
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Week of August 27-31
Words Often Confused: lose, loose
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For the first few months after we moved here,
I felt as though I’d been cut (lose, loose) from
everything I loved.
It was so unfortunate to (lose, loose) my
favorite pair of socks.
Don’t you dare (lose, loose) that car key!
I’m so glad the Lincoln didn’t (lose, loose) the
fight to emancipate the slaves.
Week of September 4-7
Words Often Confused: affect, effect
affect
effect
Verb
 To influence
 Do sunspots affect the
weather?
 My affinity for warm
weather affects my
vacation choices.
Verb – to bring about, to
accomplish
 Our new boss effected some
startling changes in our use of
technology.
 Noun – a result, a
consequence
 Name three effects of the
Industrial revolution on family
life.
 It seems like there are only
infinitesimal effects, even
though the results are actually
rather astounding.
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Week of September 4-7
Words Often Confused: affect, effect
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The rules go into (affect, effect) today.
“Of course,” she added, “forgetting to put a
videocassette in the camera has much the
same (affect, effect).
They will seriously (affect, effect) you.
The (affect, effect) was infinitesimal and
made it hard to tell what was real and what
was not.
Week of September 10-14
Words Often Confused: there, their, they’re
there
their
adverb
 at that place
 I’ll be there on
time.
 There isn’t any
milk left.
 She kept trying
the same thing,
even though her
efforts were
unavailing
there.
possessive of
they
 belonging to them
 The girls gave
their opinions.
 The unheralded
sons made their
mother proud
when they were
finally recognized
for their efforts.
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they’re
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contraction of
they are
They’re at the
station now.
I can’t believe
they’re going
to make such
an
unconsciona
ble decision.
Week of September 10-14
Words Often Confused: there, their, they’re
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I hope they remembered (there, their, they’re)
homework.
(there, their, they’re) coming up the ramp!
Finally someone shouted, “(there, their,
they’re) they are!”
(there, their, they’re) efforts were
unequivocal and could not be matched by
anyone.
Week of September 17-21
Words Often Confused: REVIEW
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How did the news (affect, effect) him?
“How could you (lose, loose) an entire bag of
groceries?” asked Belinda incredulously.
Please remember that every journey has (its,
it’s) good and bad points.
If (there, their, they’re) going to Disneyland
for ten days straight, they better love Mickey
Mouse.
I can’t imagine spending that many days
(there, their, they’re) as an adjunct duty.
Week of September 17-21
Words Often Confused: REVIEW
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Write sentences using all nine ‘words often
confused’ and at least 4 words of the week
from the past four weeks. You may combine
the sentences, tell a story, or write individual
sentences.
its, it’s
lose, loose
there, their, they’re
affect, effect
Week of September 24-28
Fragments
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definition—a word or word group that is
capitalized and punctuated as a sentence but
that does not contain both a subject and a
verb or does not express a complete thought
Was waiting by the door.
After you have finished the test.
Since she was the monitor.
Week of September 24-28
Fragments
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Identify the word groups as a sentence or a
fragment. If it is a fragment, revise it to make
a complete sentence.
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looking up at the monument
on the way to the science fair
it is theirs
patiently waiting for the mail carrier
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Week of October 1-5
Fragments
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Rewrite each fragment to make a sentence
using at least one word of the week per
sentence.
Encouraging her to become a doctor
One of the most important essays I have ever
read.
The fishing boats that were tied up by the
impasse.
Week of October 1-5
Fragments
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Tell whether the item is a complete sentence,
missing a subject, missing a verb, or does not
express a complete thought. Rewrite each
fragment to make a sentence using at least
one word of the week per sentence.
His characters lively yet impecunious.
Is one of his most moving stories.
Spent six years researching the nonfiction
titled In Cold Blood.
Week of October 8-12
Run-ons
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definition—two or more complete sentences
run together as one
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fused sentence- sentence have no punctuation at
all
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Schools in the Middle Ages were different from ours
students usually did not have books which was an
impediment.
comma splice- links together sentences with only
a comma to separate them from one another
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Schools today have books for every student, many
schools also have televisions and computers to
expedite learning.
Week of October 8-12
Run-ons
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You can make a compound sentence by
using a comma and a coordinating
conjunction (and, but, or)
You can make a compound sentence by
using a semi-colon
You can make a compound sentence by
using a semicolon and a conjunctive adverb:
therefore, instead, meanwhile, still, also,
nevertheless, or however.
Week of October 15-19
Run-ons
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Revise the run-on sentences using the
method given in parentheses.
Making an omelet is not very difficult, you
must have all the ingredients ready and take
your time. (Use a semicolon, a conjunctive
adverb, and a comma)
Veraciously break three eggs into a deep
bowl, wash your hands after you break the
eggs. (Make two sentences)
Week of October 15-19
Run-ons
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Movies entertain millions of people every day
the cinema is popular all over the world.
(Make two sentences)
The director of a movie has an important job
the cast and crew all follow the director's
instructions. (Use a semi-colon)
Movies are great entertainment they are also
an art form revealing the veracity of our
society. (Use a semicolon and a conjunctive
adverb)
Week of October 22-26
Capitalization
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Brainstorm an many capitalization rules as
possible with a partner.
Week of October 22-26
Capitalization
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Rewrite each of the following using proper
capitalization as discussed on Tuesday.
(insert samples based on the pre-assessment
from Tuesday)
Week of October 29-November 2
Capitalization
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Traditionally, capitalize the first word of a line
of poetry
A bird came down the walk:
He did not know I saw;
He bit an angleworm in halves
And ate the fellow, raw.
Capitalize the first word of a directly quoted
sentence
Eduardo wondered, “Where did I put my
extraordinary backpack?”
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Week of October 29-November 2
Capitalization
Rewrite each of the following using proper
capitalization
 my favorite verses from that scene are
see how she leans her cheek upon her hand!
oh, that I were a glove upon that hand,
that I might touch that cheek!
 In “jazz fantasia,” the speaker tells the
musicians, “go to it, o jazzmen.”
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Week of November 5-9
Capitalization
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Edit the following sentences for proper
capitalization.
the highest peak in the alps is mont blanc, on
the french-italian border, or so i’m told.
the program was titled animals of the
serengeti plain
Henri matisse’s early paintings include a
glimpse of notre dame in the late afternoon
and green stripe
Week of November 5-9
Capitalization
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Edit the following sentences for proper
capitalization.
my aunt terrry is an editor at a large textbook
publishing company in texas
the united nations building is on the east river
in new york city.
the queen elizabeth 2 was defiant to those
that did not believe in her
Week of November 13-16
Agreement: indefinite pronouns
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Singular indefinite
pronouns
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Anybody, anyone,
anything
Each, either
Everybody,
everyone,
everything
Neither
Nobody, no one,
nothing, one
Somebody,
someone and
something
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Plural indefinite
pronouns
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Both
Few
Many
Several
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Other indefinite
pronouns that
can be singular
or plural
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All
Any
More
Most
None
Some
Week of November 13-16
Agreement: indefinite pronouns
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Each of the comedians (tries, try) to outdo the
other.
Somebody on the the bus (was, were) trying.
Neither of these books (has, have) an index.
Each of the these pieces of jewelry (has,
have) too much embellishment.
Week of November 26-30
Agreement: Don’t and Doesn’t
doesn’t
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Contraction of does not.
 Use doesn’t with all
singular subjects except
the pronouns I and you
 One doesn’t give up.
Doesn’t Donna care that
people think she is
malevolent?
don’t
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Contraction of do not
Use don’t with all plural
subjects and with the
pronouns I and you
Apathetic people don’t
care.
 Don’t these
immunizations prevent
malaria?
Week of November 26-30
Agreement: Don’t and Doesn’t
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(doesn’t, don’t) several of those in the front
window cost more than these in the fruit cart?
One of the players (doesn’t, don’t) plan to go.
The international children’s chorus is so
marvelous that their new fans (doesn’t, don’t)
want to leave the theatre.
Just because you don’t like pickles, (doesn’t,
don’t) mean you need to say they are
malodorous.
Week of December 3-7
Agreement: Collective Nouns
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When the subject
follows the verb, find
the subject and make
sure that the verb
agrees with it
Here is a list including
protocol.
Here are two lists
including protocol
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Some nouns that are
plural in form take
singular verbs
Politics is a
controversial topic.
The news of the
nominee was a
surprise.
Week of December 3-7
Agreement: Collective Nouns
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The class (has, have) chosen titles for their
original plays.
First prize (was, were) two tickets to Hawaii.
Crime and Punishment (is, are) a world
famous novel with a tormented protagonist.
Mathematics (is, are) an important part of
many everyday activities.
Week of December 10-14
Agreement: Pronoun/Antecedent
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A pronoun usually refers to a noun or another pronoun that comes
before it. The word that a pronoun refers to is called its antecedent.
A pronoun should agree in number and
gender with its antecedent
Daniel Defoe wrote his first book at the age
of fifty-nine. (singular)
Reliable cards make their owners happy.
(plural)
The elephant is a long-lived animal. It lives
in the quietude of Africa. (singular)
Week of December 10-14
Agreement: Pronoun/Antecedent
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Claire or Ida will go to the nursing home early
so that ___________ can help the residents
into the lounge.
Several of the volunteers contributed
_______ own money to buy the shelter a new
van.
Neither of the women __________ acquitted
from stealing the car.
Week of December 17-20
Agreement: Pronoun/Antecedent
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Collective noun rules apply for pronoun /
antecedent agreement
The pride of lions is hunting its prey on the
savanna.
The pride of lions are licking their chops in
anticipation.
The United States celebrated its bicentennial
in 1976; indubitably one of the most
important days in our history.
Week of December 17-20
Agreement: Pronoun/Antecedent
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The school finally sent Michael and Kathyrn
the results of the tests he or she had taken.
After World War II, the United Stated gave
most of their foreign aid to help Europe
rebuild.
The cheetah was indefatigable on its victim.
Week of January 7-11
Semester Review
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Survey students and use previous
assessments to determine, by class, which
skills need reinforcement.
Week of January 7-11
Semester Review

Survey students and use previous
assessments to determine, by class, which
skills need reinforcement.