Transcript Grammar Recipes and Writing Labs

1. Write a complex declarative sentence
that begins with a dependent clause
and that contains both a direct object
and a subject complement—each of
which are personal pronouns.
 2. Write a sentence that contains a
compound personal pronoun as a
subject and a compound personal
pronoun as the object of a preposition.

1. Write a short description, one page or
less, of an interesting event in your life.
 2. Rewrite the description, converting the
entire description into simple declarative
sentences.
 3. Compare the two descriptions for
sound, fluency, interest, naturalness, or
anything else that emerges in contrast.
 4. What does knowledge of sentence
structure have to do with writing?

1. Write a compound sentence that
contains a gerund phrase in the first
clause and a participial phrase in the
second clause.
 2. Write a three-clause compound
sentence.
 3. Write a three-clause complex
sentence.

1. Write a paragraph that is filled with
gerunds and participles.
 2. Rewrite the paragraph so that it contains
no gerunds and no participles, but every
idea in the first version is still present.
 3. Think about which paragraph was easiest
to write and which paragraph you prefer.
 4. What are gerunds and participles, really?
What effects do gerunds and participles
allow a writer to achieve?

1. Write a one-clause sentence that
contains an infinitive phrase as subject
and a gerund phrase as direct object.
 2. Write a complex sentence that
contains two dependent clauses and
only one independent clause.
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
1. Write a paragraph of 50-100 words using only
simple sentences, and more than ten
coordinating conjunctions.
2. Rewrite the paragraph, but this time, you are
not allowed to put the same part of speech on
both sides of any conjunction.
3. Reflect on what this attempt has shown you.
4. Write a statement about the nature of
conjunctions, and what the complete structure
of conjunction and two conjuncted terms is like
when it is well made.
1. Write a short statement explaining the
difference between good writing and
bad writing. Defend the qualities you
choose.
 2. Create a metaphorical definition of a
grammatical term; for example: An
essay is a path that ends where it begins.
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1. Write a simple imperative sentence
that begins with a one-letter interjection,
followed by a present tense intransitive
verb, followed by an adverbial
prepositional phrase consisting of
preposition, definite article and a
singular common noun.
1. Write three sentences that have
indirect objects.
 2. Rewrite each sentence, using
prepositional phrase after the direct
object to replace the indirect object.
 3. Compare the two versions of the
sentences.
 4. Write a statement explaining why you
might choose either option over the
other.

1. Write a sentence that contains four
pronouns; every pronoun in the sentence
must have more than one syllable.
 2. Write a five clause sentence that
contains only five words.

1. Write a paragraph of five to ten clauses.
The paragraph can only contain one
sentence.
 2. Revise the paragraph, breaking it into
simple sentences.
 3. Compare two versions of the paragraph
to see which you like best.
 4. Write a statement explaining the effect of
each version, and suggesting times when
each version might be more appropriate.

1. Imagine that someone was extremely
upset and was telling his or her side of a
story to a best friend. What do you think
would be the most common sentence
structures in this person’s conversation?
Why?
 2. What are the most important
similarities between grammar and
music? Explain.

1. Write a sentence in which the subject
of the main clause contains a clause,
and the direct object of the main clause
also contains a clause.
 2. Write a compound-complex sentence
in which the most common word in
every clause is the adverb.
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1. Write a paragraph describing nonstop
frenzied action. Use no verbals.
 2. Rewrite the sentences, replacing
much of the language with verbals.
 3. Consider carefully what the verbals let
you do, as a writer. Explain.

1. Are some interjections happy or sad?
Write a paragraph explaining the
emotional nature of interjections.
 2. Create one more verb tense. Fill out
our tense structure. What would the new
tense be?
 3. Categorize adverbs into two, three or
four groups.
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1. Write a sentence that contains more
conjunctions than any other part of
speech.
 2. Write a correct sentence that uses
three different verb tenses.
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1. Write a paragraph of at least five short
sentences in which every sentence is
simple and declarative, and in which
there are no compounds or tense
changes.
 2. Write a comment about what this
paragraph teaches you about writing
style.
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1. When you do a four-level analysis of a
sentence, in what ways is that like doing
mathematics, and in what ways is it
different from doing mathematics?
 2. Imagine that a grammar plague struck
the English speaking world, and
everyone was unable to use a certain
part of speech. Which part of speech’s
disappearance would be funniest?
Why?

1. Write a sentence that contains a
correlative conjunction and three
indefinite pronouns.
 2. Write a simple sentence that uses
three demonstrative pronouns.

1. Write three sentences use gerunds.
 2. Change the gerunds to infinitives.
 3. Write a statement explaining the
difference in tone or style that result from
the change.
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1. We use different tones in writing.
Some writing is formal, informal, serious,
humorous or sad. What criteria could be
used to determine if a piece of writing
was successful in using a formal tone?
 2. In what life situations are we most likely
to use the four different sentence
structures (declarative, imperative,
interrogative, exclamatory)?
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1. Write a six-word sentence that has no
noun or pronouns.
 2. Write a sentence that contains no
noun or adjective, and that has a
compound subject complement.

1. Write a paragraph describing an
exciting action. Modify every verb with
at least one adverb, preferably more.
 2. Rewrite the paragraph without using
any adverbs.
 3. Consider Steven King’s dictum: “The
adverb is not your friend.” What do you
think of adverbs now? Why?
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1. Which two parts of speech do you
think have the most in common and
why?
1. Write a sentence in which a clause
with a subject complement predicate
adjective is the direct object of the main
clause.
 2. Write a sentence that has two
intentional misplaced modifiers.

1. Write a dialogue of ten or more lines
between two characters; neither
character ever uses a complete
sentence, and there are no verbs at all.
 2. Think about how this passage sounds,
and how difficult it was to do.
 3. Explain what truths about grammar this
process either reinforced or revealed.
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