Mr. Robinson’s
A simple guide to improving communication
Tell Me What’s in a Sentence #1
Notes
Nouns
Write down the 5 functions of nouns
Give two examples for each function
Write the definition of a clause.
Write the definition of a compound Subject.
Write the definition for a compound Verb.
Write the definitions for the three sentence types.
Write the definitions for Coordinating and Subordinating Conjunctions.
Work
Write down 9 sentences
-Three must have compound Subjects
-Three must have compound Verbs
-Three of the sentences must be Simple
-Three of the sentences must be Compound
-Three of the sentences must be Complex
-Randomly list all coordinating conjunctions, a semicolon, and 8 subordinating conjunctions
-Include at least 3 uses of nouns in each sentence
Group Check
-Have two sets of the same 9 sentences (3 simple, 3 compound, 3 complex)
--one of the sets will be clean and one will have all of the terms listed
Noun Functions
1. Subject- Doer of the verb
Ex.: He became excited while baking Sally a cake with his mom.
2. Direct Object- Receives the action
Ex.: He became excited while baking Sally a cake with his mom.
3. Indirect Object- Names to whom or for whom something is done
Ex.: He became excited while baking Sally a cake with his mom.
4. Object of a preposition- Declares the relationship to location of a preposition
Ex.: He became excited while baking Sally a cake with his mom.
5. Predicate noun-follows a linking verb and renames the subject
Ex.:He became excited while baking Sally a cake with his mom.
Clause
A Clause is a single agreement between at least one Subject and Predicate/Verb
Coordinating Conjunction
-Full List: For, An, Nor, But, Or, Yet, So
-Compound Noun
--uses a coordinating conjunction, usually “and” connects them (same rule connecting
compound verbs)
Subordinating Conjunction
-If, Then, Because, even though, although, First, Second, etc.
Sentence Types
Simple Sentence
-A Simple Sentence is a sentence with one clause.
Compound Sentence
-A Compound Sentence is a sentence with two or more clauses linked by a coordinating
conjunction or a semicolon.
Complex Sentence
-A Complex Sentence is a sentence with two or more clauses joined by a subordinating
conjunction.
Tell Me What’s in a Sentence #2
Notes
Verbs
Define the difference between regular and irregular verbs.
What does the past participle indicate?
What does the progressive participle indicate?
What does the word have/has/had indicate?
Work
List the 12 verb forms.
Write down 12 sentences using and randomly arranging the different verb forms
Group Check
-Select 12 sentences, with different verb forms, from your group’s total selection
-write out two papers, one with the verb forms defined and one with them blank
Verbs
Regular and Irregular
Regular Verbs, when in the past tense, end in “ed,” “d,” or sometimes “t.”
-Play-Played, jump-jumped, walk-walked
Irregular Verbs change their structure when they change tense.
-Ran-run, swim-swam, bring-brought, ride-ridden
Adjuncts
-Adjuncts indicate timing
--Yesterday, ago, soon, later
Verb Aspects
-Aspect refers to the state of the verb; whether it is perfected (completed) or Continuous
(progressive).
Action vs. State of Being
State of Being Verbs
-Am, is, are, was, were
Action
-Run, walk, sit, cavort, cajole, harangue
Simple Present
Simple Present
Simple Future
Verb + “ed”
Verb
“Will” + Verb
Past Continuous
Present Continuous
Future Continuous
“was” + Verb + “ing”
“am/is/are” + verb + “ing”
“will be” + Verb + “ing”
Past Perfect
Present Perfect
Future Perfect
“had” + Verb + “ed”
“have/has” + Verb + “ed”
“will have/has” + Verb + “ed”
Past Perfect Continuous
Present Perfect Continuous Future Perfect Continuous
“had been” + Verb + “ing”
“have/has been” + Verb + “ing”
“will have/has been” + Verb + “ing”
Tell Me What’s in a Sentence #3
Notes
Modifiers
Determiners
-List the five types of determiners
-give at least three examples of each of the types of determiners
Define an adjective.
Define and adverb.
Describe the three things an adverb can describe.
Verbals
Define an Infinitive.
Define a Gerund
Work
Write 10 sentences
- use only one adjective and adverb in each sentence
- include one gerund in five of the sentences
- include one infinitive in five of the sentences
-use 15 determiners within the sentences
Group Check
-Collaborate with your members and write 10 sentences with the rules defined in the work above.
-Write two sets of these sentences, one with the modifiers defined and one without
Modifiers
Determiners
-Function as adjectives
Articles
-are words that answer the question of which
--Examples: A, An, The
Possessive Adj.
-are words that answer the question of to whom something belongs
--Examples: His, Her, Their, Your, Mine
Demonstrative Adj.
- answers the question of which while showing
--Example: This, That
Interrogative Adj
-indicate that there is a question about something in particular
--Examples: Which, What,
Quantifiers
-answer the question of how many; either specific or non-specific
--Example: 1,2,3,4,187, few, many, some
Adjectives
-describe nouns and can be coordinating on non-coordinating
Adverbs
-describe verbs in ways relating to time, manner, and place
Infinitive
-“to” + a verb
-this can function as a direct object, adj., or indirect object
--Example: to play, to act, to see
Gerund
-a present participle verb used as a noun
--Example: Running is healthy.
Conjunction
-serves to join items together
-they can link items in a series, subjects, verbs, and clauses
Tell Me What’s in a Sentence #4
Notes
Capitalization and Ending a sentence
-List the types of sentences and what punctuation you use to end them
Capitalization
-List the uses and proper places to capitalize letters
Work a
-Write a letter using no capitalization
-use a salutation
-use a signature and signoff
-include the name of at least two countries
-include at least one Ellipsis
Punctuation
Define an Ellipsis.
Define the two uses for an apostrophe.
Define the use of quotation marks.
List the types of sentences and the ending punctuation that goes with them.
Work b
Write a second letter using no punctuation making sure that the following should be used.
-periods
-exclamation point
-question marks
-possessive apostrophe (plural and singular)
-quotation marks
Group Work
-Write a letter with all the appropriate capitalizations and punctuation included and one without
Capitalization
Beginning a sentence
Ex.: How are you?
Proper nouns
Ex.: Mr. Robinson helped Mary with Robin’s bullying issue for the Rapid City Public Schools.
Every word in a salutation or signature line that is not a preposition or determiner, unless at the
beginning of the line.
Ex.: Dear Minister of Finance, … Sincerely in South Dakota,
Punctuation
Periods
-Demonstrative and Declarative Sentences
-at the end of abbreviations
Question Marks
-Interrogative Sentences
Exclamation Marks
-to end a sentence with extreme emotion
Quotation Marks
-Define an exact statement of someone’s
-The quotation marks almost always come after the punctuation, whether it is a comma or ends the
sentence
--Ex.: He said, “Your day is packed.”
--Ex.: “How’s your day going,” he asked?
-the exception is as follows
--Did you say, “I like this”?
Apostrophe
-show possession or contraction(substitutes letters and causes the words to join)
-Contraction example: Can’t, won’t, wouldn’t
-Possession example: Jimmy’s, Frank’s, bird’s, dog’s
--If the owner is plural, the apostrophe can either be at the end or have another “s” added as long as the
usage is consistent, though ending with the apostrophe is becoming the conventional norm.
Ellipsis
-affectionately known as … dot dot dot
-indicates that a thought is unfinished or that there are things to add
Tell Me What’s in a Sentence #5
Notes
Commas
Write down and give an example of the five main uses of commas.
Work
Write 15 sentences including 3 comma uses for
-series
-coordinate adjective
-contrasting statements
-interjections and conjunctions
-when the dependent clause follows the independent clause
Group Work
-Collaboratively choose 15 sentences including the comma uses as defined in the “work” section
-Write two copies; one with all adjective uses listed and one without
Commas
-series
--Ex.: I found a coin, a watch, and a wire.
-coordinate adjective (if the adjectives’ order can be switched is a good clue)
--Ex.: I was infuriated by the difficult, stubborn child.
-contrasting statements (only when extreme)
--Ex.: She was broken hearted, even though she had just won the lottery.
-interjections
--Ex.: While walking around, I thought about the weather. To notice me now, of all the times, was
heartbreaking.
-in front of coordinating conjunctions
--Ex.: I ran over there, and I leaped out of danger. I like roses; they are the most beautiful flower.
-when dependent clauses precede independent clauses
--Ex.: If I get my chores done, I can go to the movies. Because I was late, I was grounded.
-single word introductions
--Ex.: Yes, I do want to go to town. Moreover, the DNA tested negative!
Tell Me What’s in a Sentence #6
Phrases
Appositive
-Define
Gerund Phrase
-Define
Infinitive Phrase
-Define
Participle Phrase
-Define
Prepositional Phrase
-Define
Work
Write fifteen simple sentences with only one of the above phrases in it; there should be three examples
of each type of phrase.
Group Work
-Write two sets of fifteen sentences, one with the phrase types listed and one without
Phrases
•Noun Phrase - “The crazy old lady in the park feeds the pigeons every day.” A noun phrase consists of a
noun and all of its modifiers, which can include other phrases (like the prepositional phrase in the park).
More examples.
◦Appositive Phrase – “Bob, my best friend, works here” or “My best friend Bob works here.” An
appositive (single word, phrase, or clause) renames another noun, not technically modifying it. See this
page from the Armchair Grammarian for everything you ever wanted to know about appositives.
◦Gerund Phrase - “I love baking cakes.” A gerund phrase is just a noun phrase with a gerund as its head.
◦Infinitive Phrase – “I love to bake cakes.” An infinitive phrase is a noun phrase with an infinitive as its
head. Unlike the other noun phrases, however, an infinitive phrase can also function as an adjective or
an adverb. More examples.
•Verb Phrase – The verb phrase can refer to the whole predicate of a sentence (I was watching my
favorite show yesterday) or just the verb or verb group (was watching).
•Adverbial Phrase – The adverbial phrase also has two definitions; some say it’s a group of adverbs
(very quickly), while others say it’s any phrase (usually a prepositional phrase) that acts as an adverb —
see this second definition.
•Adjectival Phrase – As with adverbial phrases, adjectival phrases can either refer to a group of
adjectives (full of toys) or any phrase (like a participial or prepositional phrase) that acts as an adjective
– see this second definition.
•Participial Phrase – “Crushed to pieces by a sledgehammer, the computer no longer worked” or “I
think the guy sitting over there likes you.” A participial phrase has a past or present participle as its
head. Participial phrases always function as adjectives.
•Prepositional Phrase – “The food on the table looked delicious.” A prepositional phrase, which has a
preposition as its head, can function as an adjective, adverb, or even as a noun.
•Absolute Phrase – “My cake finally baking in the oven, I was free to rest for thirty minutes.” Unlike
participial phrases, absolute phrases have subjects and modify the entire sentence, not one noun.
Almost a clause, the absolute phrase can include every sentence element except a finite verb. For
example, “My cake finally baking in the oven” would be its own sentence if you just added one finite
verb: “My cake was finally baking in the oven.” See Absolute Phrase for more.
Tell Me What’s in a Sentence #7
Conditionals
Notes
Define and give an example of the four conditionals
Work
Write 12 sentences randomly using the four conditionals
Group Work
-Collaboratively choose twelve sentences using the four conditionals three times each
-Write down the twelve sentences twice, once with the conditionals defined and once without
Conditionals
Zero conditional
True in the Present
If people eat too much they get fat.
First conditional
Possibly true in the Present
If I have time I will visit you.
Second conditional
Untrue in the present
If I had more time I would travel the world.
Third conditional
Untrue in the Past
If I had had time I would have gone to the football match.