A Gimmick to Review Grammar – Grade 11
Ohio Standards
Connection
Writing Process
Benchmark C
Use a variety of strategies to
revise content, organization
and style, and to improve
word choice, sentence
variety, clarity and
consistency of writing.
Indicator 7
Use a variety of sentence
structures and lengths (e.g.,
simple, compound and
complex sentence, parallel or
repetitive sentence structure).
Lesson Summary:
In this lesson, students work in groups to develop two new
versions of a fairy tale or children’s story – one demonstrates
a patterned sequence of the three verbals and the other
demonstrates a patterned sequence of sentence structures.
Estimated Duration: About five hours
Commentary:
This lesson adds appeal to the often mundane task of teaching
grammar. Students move from a paper/pencil review to
composition of their own story versions which include
specific grammatical structures.
“This lesson addresses that frequently-observed characteristic
of student writing: lack of variety in sentence structure.”
Writing Conventions
Benchmark C
Demonstrate understanding
of the grammatical
conventions of the English
language.
Indicator 3
Use correct grammar (e.g.,
verb tenses, parallel structure,
indefinite and relative
pronouns).
Pre-Assessment:
 Observe students’ use of verbals and subordinate clauses
in prior ongoing assignments.
 Give individual students the pre-assessment paper and
pencil quizzes entitled Reviewing Verbals, Attachment A,
and Reviewing Sentence Structures, Attachment B.
 Score these quizzes with Answer Key, Attachment C. Use
the results to guide a classroom review of verbals and
sentence structures.
 Use an overhead projector to show some sample sentences
as the class creates them. The sentences should contain
examples of all types of verbals and all sentence
structures.
Scoring Guidelines:
Observe and support students as they take the pre-assessment
quizzes. Note students who show mastery of this knowledge
and those who will benefit from working in a heterogeneous
group. Record the scores from the pre-assessment quizzes to
assist the formation of groups.
Post-Assessment:
 Ask each heterogeneous group, with the benefit of a word
processing program, to type and print its children’s story
in a verbal version like Attachment D and in a version that
repeats varied sentence structures like Attachment E.
Specify that the story be double-spaced.
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A Gimmick to Review Grammar – Grade 11

Instruct each group to use parentheses to mark the verbal phrases on their verbal stories and
to use brackets to mark the subordinate clauses on the story with varied sentence structures.
Instructional Tip:
Some teachers may require students to label the type of verbal phrase (participles, infinitives or
gerunds) and the type of subordinate clause (noun, adjective or adverb).
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Require each group to print enough copies of its stories to hand out to the other groups in the
class.
Instruct each group to assess the accuracy of the grammar components of the stories from the
other groups. Move around the room to monitor this process.
Use an overhead projector to show any questionable sentences. Allow the class to work
together to identify and correct any errors.
Scoring Guidelines:
Provide students with feedback on the accuracy of the sentences in the stories they wrote and on
the accuracy of their assessments of the stories from other groups.
Instructional Procedures:
1. Distribute and read aloud Sleeping Beauty, A Verbal Version, Attachment D, and Sleeping
Beauty, A Version with Varied Sentence Structures, Attachment E.
2. Discuss Attachments D and E, making sure that all students recognize the distinguishing
characteristics of each type of verbal and subordinate clause.
3. Separate students into small, heterogeneous groups, being sure to include a strong grammar
student in each one.
4. Provide students with an assortment of fairy tales and children’s story books.
5. Ask each group to select a well-known fairy tale or children’s story. Each group rewrites its
chosen story twice. In the verbal version, sentences demonstrate a repeated series of
participles, infinitives and gerunds like the version in Attachment D. In the version with
varied sentence structures, the sentences demonstrate a repeated pattern of sentences that are
simple, complex, compound and compound-complex. See Attachment E for reference.
6. If desired, allow groups to share their stories aloud with the class.
Instructional Tips:
 Alternatively, show a video of a children’s story and ask the students to rewrite that story.
 Encourage willing students to create their own stories rather than select a well-known one.
Differentiated Instructional Support:
Instruction is differentiated according to learner needs, to help all learners either meet the intent
of the specified indicator(s) or, if the indicator is already met, to advance beyond the specified
indicator(s).
 Rather than mark verbal phrases with parentheses and subordinate clauses with brackets,
some visual learners may prefer to use colored highlighters. For example, a pink highlighter
could indicate a verbal phrase and a blue highlighter could indicate a subordinate clause.
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A Gimmick to Review Grammar – Grade 11

Tactile learners may prefer to physically manipulate the sentence parts in order to examine
how they combine to form various sentence structures. Type sentences and cut them apart
into pieces so that each piece is a verbal or an independent clause or a subordinate clause.
Ask students to rearrange the pieces to create different sentence types.
Extensions:
 Use the next writing assignment to extend this lesson. Ask students to examine their writing
styles on their rough drafts by using parentheses to mark the verbals and brackets to mark the
subordinate clauses. This reveals overused patterns and neglected options. Their final drafts
should reflect a more balanced and varied style.
 Ask students to use this same procedure to identify the structural styles of different authors.
 To extend the grammar applications, ask students to identify the punctuation rules which
govern each of the verbals and clauses.
Home Connection:
Magazines or newspapers read at home provide samples of different writing styles. Suggest that
students analyze the structural styles of these periodicals and compare them to authors in
literature textbooks.
Interdisciplinary Connections:
Foreign Language
Standard: Comparisons: Develop insight into the nature of language and culture
Benchmark: B. Analyze and explain how the target language and English express meaning
through variations in style.
Indicator: 2. Analyze and explain how the target language and English express such forms as
time and tense relationships (e.g., conditional clauses, use of subjunctive versus simple
indicative).
Materials and Resources:
The inclusion of a specific resource in any lesson formulated by the Ohio Department of
Education should not be interpreted as an endorsement of that particular resource, or any of its
contents, by the Ohio Department of Education. The Ohio Department of Education does not
endorse any particular resource. The Web addresses listed are for a given site’s main page,
therefore, it may be necessary to search within that site to find the specific information required
for a given lesson. Please note that information published on the Internet changes over time,
therefore the links provided may no longer contain the specific information related to a given
lesson. Teachers are advised to preview all sites before using them with students.
For the teacher: overhead projector, transparencies, pencils, video tape or DVD player
For the students: papers, pencils, computer with a word-processing program
Vocabulary:
 complex sentence
 compound-complex sentence
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A Gimmick to Review Grammar – Grade 11
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compound sentence
gerund
infinitive
participle
subordinate clause
simple sentence
Technology Connections:
 Students demonstrate knowledge and use of a word processing program in order to create
their two versions of the story.
 Require an overhead projector and a video tape or DVD player to facilitate the review of
content.
Research Connections:
Atwell, Nancie. In the Middle: Writing, Reading and Learning with Adolescents. Portsmouth,
NH: Boynton/Cook Publishers, 1987.
Mini-lessons are 15- to 30-minute direct-instruction lessons designed to help students learn
literacy skills and become more strategic readers and writers. In these lessons students and the
teacher are focused on a single goal; students are aware of why it is important to learn the skill or
strategy through modeling, explanation and practice. Then independent application takes place
using authentic literacy materials.
Use the Index of Research on Effective Instructional Strategies provided. Cut and paste the
reference and the applicable summary notes that support strategies and materials used in the
lesson.
Marzano, Robert J., Jane E. Pollock and Debra Pickering. Classroom Instruction that Works:
Research-Based Strategies for Increasing Student Achievement, Alexandria, VA: Association for
Supervision and Curriculum Development, 2001.
1. Cooperative learning grouping has a powerful effect on student learning. This grouping
includes the following elements:
 Positive interdependence
 Face-to-face interaction
 Individual and group accountability
 Interpersonal and small group skills
 Group processing
2. Setting objectives and providing feedback establishes a direction for learning and a way to
monitor progress. This provides focus on learning targets and specific information to allow
the student to make needed adjustments during the learning process, resulting in increased
student learning.
Torrance, E. Paul. The Search for Satori and Creativity. Buffalo, NY: Creative Education
Foundation, 1979.
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A Gimmick to Review Grammar – Grade 11
Category
Fluency
Flexibility
Focus
Generate many ideas
Think of alternative to the
conventional
Originality Conceive innovations unique
to context
Elaboration Extend new ideas; provide
details for application
Evaluation Assess performance; examine
gaps; exercise judgment
Process
Free association, brainstorming
Imagining, integrating subjects
Reviewing alternatives, imagining, combining
Testing; analyzing, synthesizing
Analyzing, comparing, experimenting, fine-tuning
General Tip:
Be prepared to answer questions about complicated structures that the students may discover.
Often verbals are embedded within clauses which, for example, may be embedded inside another
clause.
Attachments:
Attachment A, Pre-assessment; Reviewing Verbals
Attachment B, Pre-assessment; Reviewing Sentence Structures
Attachment C, Answer Key
Attachment D, Sleeping Beauty, A Verbal Version
Attachment E, Sleeping Beauty, A Version with Varied Sentence Structures
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A Gimmick to Review Grammar – Grade 11
Attachment A
Pre-Assessment: Reviewing Verbals
Match the term to its definition.
1. ____ infinitive
2. ____ gerund
3. ____ participle
4. ____ verbal phrase
A. a verb form ending in “ing” that is always used
as a noun
B. the verbal and all the words that belong with it,
such as its direct object, predicate words and
adverbial modifiers
C. a verb form used as an adjective. This verbal
often ends in “ing,” “d,” “ed,” or “t”
D. a verbal formed by “to” and a present form of a
verb. It is used as a noun, adjective or adverb.
IDENTIFY THE WORD OR PHRASE ENCLOSED IN PARENTHESES AS AN INFINITIVE
(I), A GERUND (G), OR A PARTICIPLE (P).
1. ____ Jon needed (to improve his English grades.)
2. ____ (Earning high scores) seemed easy for Maria, who sat next to Jon in class.
3. ____ (Leaning closer to her), Jon asked for help with the essay that he was writing.
4. ____ Maria smiled and kindly offered (to be of assistance.)
5. ____ Jon suggested (meeting in the library) so they could write an essay together.
6. ____ In the library, (enjoying each other’s company), they sat side-by-side.
7. ____ (To start the essay), Jon wrote a rough draft.
8. ____ Maria offered suggestions and patiently checked his (writing) for errors.
9. ____ Jon was already looking forward to other opportunities (to work together.)
10. ____ It was an assignment in (essay writing) that made all of this possible.
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A Gimmick to Review Grammar – Grade 11
Attachment B
Pre-Assessment: Reviewing Sentence Structures
Match the term to its definition.
1. ____ simple sentence
2. ____ compound sentence
3. ____ complex sentence
4. ____ compound-complex
sentence
A. a sentence containing two or more independent
clauses
B. a sentence containing one independent and one
or more subordinate clauses
C. a sentence containing two or more independent
clauses and one or more subordinate clauses
D. a sentence containing one independent clause
IDENTIFY THE FOLLOWING SENTENCES ACCORDING TO STRUCTURE. USE THESE
ABBREVIATIONS: SIMPLE (S), COMPOUND (C), COMPLEX (CX), AND COMPOUNDCOMPLEX (CCX).
1. ____ Although he had never spoken about it, Carlos had always liked Dolores, who
lived in his neighborhood.
2. ____ Dolores, however, never seemed to notice Carlos.
3. ____ One day at school Carlos complimented Dolores on her new hairstyle, but she
barely even looked at him.
4. ____ Carlos wondered what he could do to win her affection.
5. ____ He offered to help her with her math, but Dolores just ignored him.
6. ____ Carlos had a new idea that she was sure to enjoy; he left a rose on her desk with
his name on it.
7. ____ Dolores put the rose on the floor and never even thanked him!
8. ____ When Carlos wrote some poetry and delivered it to her, Dolores read his writing,
but then she never mentioned it.
9. ____ As a last resort Carlos handed her a box of delicious chocolates in a box wrapped
with red paper.
10. ____Carlos was awed by the power of chocolate when Dolores opened the box and
turned toward him with a delighted, warm smile.
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A Gimmick to Review Grammar – Grade 11
Attachment C
Answer Key
Key for Attachment A, Reviewing Verbals
1. I
2. G
3. P
4. I
5. G
6. P
7. I
8. G
9. I
10. G
Key for Attachment B, Reviewing Sentence Structures
1. CX
2. S
3. C
4. CX
5. C
6. CCX
7. S
8. CCX
9. S
10. CX
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A Gimmick to Review Grammar – Grade 11
Attachment D
Sleeping Beauty, A Verbal Version
The following version of the well-known story of Sleeping Beauty has a special feature. It
provides a review of verbals—participles, infinitives and gerunds. The sentences follow a
sequence wherein the first sentence contains a participle, the second sentence contains an
infinitive and the third sentence contains a gerund. The sequence repeats throughout the story.
Each verbal phrase is in parentheses.
This is a story about a lovely princess (named Aurora.) At her birth the king and queen
invited everyone (to attend a gala celebration.) (Forgetting an invitation for one wicked fairy)
was, however, a serious mistake. This fairy, (uninvited), arrived anyway. (To vent her anger),
she issued a disastrous curse upon Princess Aurora. (Pricking her finger on a spinning wheel)
would cause Aurora’s death at the age of 16. (Moderating this evil prediction), good fairies
changed the outcome from death to a 100-year, death-like sleep.
It was impossible for Princess Aurora (to avoid her fate.) (Pricking her finger on a
spinning wheel) sent the young princess into a deep sleep. The good fairies, (being helpful), put
the entire kingdom into a similar state. This caused the 100 years (to pass quickly.) (Waiting)
was easy. Finally, a charming young prince, (seeking his fortune,) rode his horse into the strange,
silent kingdom. He was astonished (to see so many unconscious people.) He could not resist
(kissing one particularly beautiful, young woman.) The kiss, (given in true love), woke Princess
Aurora from the wicked fairy’s curse. Everyone instantly awoke (to celebrate the union of this
delightful couple.) (The ringing of bells) sounded throughout the kingdom. (Hoping for a free
meal and cake), the townspeople joyously dashed to the wedding. Only in a fairy tale could such
a rushed marriage turn out (to be happy ever after.)
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A Gimmick to Review Grammar – Grade 11
Attachment E
Sleeping Beauty, A Version with Varied Sentence Structures
The following version of the well-known story of Sleeping Beauty has a special feature. It
provides a review of sentence structures—simple, complex, compound and compound-complex.
The sentences follow a sequence wherein the first sentence is simple, the second sentence is
complex, the third sentence is compound and the fourth sentence is compound-complex. The
sequence is repeated throughout the story. Each subordinate clause is in brackets.
Once upon a time a lovely baby was born to a king and queen. With great joy, they
named her Aurora, [which means “dawn.”] To celebrate her birth, they invited everyone to a gala
party, but they forgot to include one crabby, old, evil fairy. Unfortunately, the evil fairy came
anyway, and she struck Princess Aurora with a curse [that grieved the whole kingdom.] At the
age of 16, Aurora would prick her finger on a spinning wheel and die! Some comfort was
immediately provided by good fairies [who modified this curse.] Princess Aurora would not die
at that untimely age; she would only fall into a deep sleep lasting 100 years.
As predicted, at age 16 Aurora pricked her finger on a spinning wheel, and she instantly
fell into a deep sleep [that resembled death.] To soften the predicament, the good fairies put
everyone else in the kingdom to sleep also. The fairies guarded the sleeping kingdom [until 100
years had passed.] Finally, one happy day a charming prince rode his noble steed into the silent
kingdom; he found it to be most peculiar. He rode past one sleeping person after another, and
suddenly he saw an enchanting young woman [whom he could not resist.] Overcome by love, he
placed a tender kiss on her lips. This kiss of true love woke Princess Aurora, [who melted into
the prince’s embrace.] Instantly, the entire kingdom awoke [as though no time had passed at all],
and they rejoiced at the fortuitous union of the loving couple. Of course Aurora and the prince
lived happily ever after.
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