Language Bank 2: Grammar, Syntax, and Vocabulary
1. Compose a poem that features many of the 30 root words we’ve look at (of
course applying their definitions).
2. Create an imaginary product and imaginary billboard advertisement. What
catchy words, phrases, and visuals make it effective? What roots can you use to
create a suitable name for your product?
3. Trace the etymology of at least 15 of these words:
Town
Law
Persecution
Scent
Shire
Drive
House
Mansion
Forward
Apartment
Burn
Home
Handbook
Room
Climb
City
Hunt
Residence
Flee
generation
Chase
Bower
Bow
Village
Righteousness
Chamber
Weep
Palace
Quarry
Money
4. Read a book, newspaper, or magazine and identity 15 words you don’t know. Write their
definitions. Are there any roots in those words? Identify them if you find them.
5. Create a list of 5 characters who have goofy occupations based on your original
combinations of our root words (ex. A “portologist” is one who studies carrying). Select
one character and write an original sketch of a day on the job.
6. Find at least 10 ordinary household objects whose names contain root words (benadryl,
automobile).
7. Create at least 5 original pictures that display the definitions of different roots without using
words (visual vocabulary).
8. Pick a root and find at least 8 English words that contain that root. What do all those
words’ meanings have in common?
9. Context/environment is a major influence on vocabulary. Find one unique setting/event
(science class, church, soccer practice) and make a list of words and their meaning in that
context that are unique to that particular setting (chromosome, sacrament, meg). Now make
a second list for another setting and compare!
10. Research the derivations of the names of the days of the week. Then, consider the
following poem. How do the poet’s descriptions relate to the word origins?
Monday’s child is fair of face;
Tuesday’s child is full or grace;
Wednesday’s child is full of woe;
Thursday’s child has far to go;
Friday’s child is loving and giving;
Saturday’s child works hard for its living;
And a child who’s born on the Sabbath day
Is fair and wise and good and gay.
Now research the names of the months. After doing so, write your own poem about people
born in those months.
11. Most numbers are Anglo-Saxon, but not the prefixes. Make a list of words you know that
being with prefixes given below. Then, look up the words and the derivation of the prefixes.
How have the meanings changed? Have they? What new words did you find to increase your
vocabulary? Come up with at least twenty.
1 –uni, prim-, mono-, proto2 –di-, bi-, bin3 –tri-, ter-, tert4 –quadr(i)-, quat-, qart-, tetr5 –penta-, quin-
6 – ses-, sext-, hex7 –sept-, hept8 –oct(o)9 –non-, nov10 –de-, deca-, deci-
12. Make your own comprehensive list of popular Power of 3s, comparable to the one seen in
class. Illustrate!
13. Write your own narrative description that involves the heavy use of repetition. If you’ve
got an interesting story or message and you’re feeling creative, turn it into a poem or song
(with music!).
14. Find 5 songs that use frequent repetition of certain phrases. Write those particular phrases
in your Language Bank and then explain how each lyric’s significance fits in with the rest
of that song.
15. Party Time! You’ve invited 7 unusual friends to a party at your house. What’s unique
about your friends is that each one only speaks with one of the syntax structures we’ve
discussed. Write out a story, play, or simple dialogue that all of you have together at the
party. Make your madcap scene as exciting as a true party would be!
16. Test your skills as a poetic communicator. Write a poem that focuses on using any of the 7
syntax skills discussed. Then, rewrite the poem in two more different ways, each time
specifically focusing on getting your poem’s message across with a different effect of
syntax.
; .
,
: “