Grammar: an online lesson
Section 1: Verbals
EQ: What is a verbal?
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Section 2: Verb Moods
EQ: What are verb moods, and how are they used in literature??
Section 3: Sentence Structure
EQ: What are the 4 sentence types, and how do we diagram them?
Help columnKey: Subject
Verb Direct object |
There are four sentence types: simple, compound, complex, and compound complex. We will start with simple.
Simple: The simple sentence is just an independent clause. An independent clause has a subject, verb, and usually a direct object. They are indeed simple. Here are some examples: The badger destroyed a beehive. The baby cried. Do you get it? Good. Here is the next section: the compound sentence. Compound: A compound sentence is literally a compound of two simple sentences. It consists of two independent clauses, and what are they liked by? Semi-Colons: I walked to the store; it was boring The walrus was fat; it was ugly too Coordinating Conjunctions: I am good at math, but not good at science. Coordinating Conjunctions are FANBOYS: For, and, nor, but, or, yet, so. Complex: These are like compound sentences, but they only have one independent clause. Instead of the 2nd independent clause, they have a dependent clause. A dependent clause has a subject, verb, sometimes a direct object, and a subordinating clause. They are completely dependent! These are hard to explain, visit the button in the left help column. When we visit the zoo, I have fun. I have fun when we go to the zoo. When the dependent clause is at the end, a comma is not used. Wow! That was a complex sentence, too! Compound-Complex These, as the name suggests, are quite complex. They have two independent clauses and one dependent clause. All of the rules that apply are the same rules that apply to compound and complex sentences. After we went to the mall, we saw a movie, and we went home. You get it? Here is a short 7 question review to test your memory. Review 1. When I eat pie, it always gets messy. A. Simple 2. Go and clean your room. B. Compound 3.I washed the windows, and I cleaned the car C. Complex 4. I can't wait! D. Compound Complex 5. When the pistol sounds, I jump into the water, and I begin to swim 6. My dog gets scared when it rains heavily. 7. I like cake, but I don't like cupcakes. If you said C, A, B, A, D, C, B, then you are absolutely correct and ready for the TEST!!! |
Section 4: Homophones
EQ: What is a homophone?
A homophone is a word that sounds the same as another word, but doesn't have the same meaning and can have different spellings.. These are quite easy to identify. Technically, if they have different spelling, they are called heterographs. However, there are many more types such as homographs, homonyms, and heteronyms, but you don't need to worry about them.
A homophone is a word that sounds the same as another word, but doesn't have the same meaning and can have different spellings.. These are quite easy to identify. Technically, if they have different spelling, they are called heterographs. However, there are many more types such as homographs, homonyms, and heteronyms, but you don't need to worry about them.
Examples
Pair- a set of 2
Their- referring to possession Can- A can of tuna Pi- 3.1415926535... Plane- Flight |
Pear- a fruit
There- referring to a location Can- ability to Pie- Yummy! Plain- Boring |
Practice- identify as either homophone (HP) or heterograph (HG), or neither
1. Pair and Pear
2. Can and can
3. Recreation and Recreation
4. Fish and Shark
5. Plane and Plain
6. Key and Key
7. Yack and Yak
8. Crack and Crack
9. Clown and Dog
10. Beet and Beat
KEY: HG, HP, HP, Neither, HG, HN, HG, HN, Neither, HG
How did you do?
2. Can and can
3. Recreation and Recreation
4. Fish and Shark
5. Plane and Plain
6. Key and Key
7. Yack and Yak
8. Crack and Crack
9. Clown and Dog
10. Beet and Beat
KEY: HG, HP, HP, Neither, HG, HN, HG, HN, Neither, HG
How did you do?
Section 5: Parallel Structure
EQ: What is parallel structure?
Parallel Structure is many things:
If all items in a list are the same part of speech and are in the same tense, that is parallel structure. That basically means that if the same form of speech is used throughout the sentence, then it is parallel. Here are some examples:
Bob likes to sit, to lay down, and to eat.
The dogs eat, bark, and sit.
Here are some examples of non-parallel structure:
The lawn was mowed, cut, and is being watered.
These items are in different tenses.
QUIZ: Identify each as parallel or non-parallel.
1. Mary walked, swam, and drove.
2. The teacher said that the students should work, that they should sleep, and that they should get good grades.
3. The squirrel likes to eat, jumping, and leaping.
4. Bob ate, drank, and slept.
5. I told him to do yard work, that he should play sports, and that he should go to bed early.
Key: Yes, Yes, No, Yes, NO
Parallel Structure is many things:
If all items in a list are the same part of speech and are in the same tense, that is parallel structure. That basically means that if the same form of speech is used throughout the sentence, then it is parallel. Here are some examples:
Bob likes to sit, to lay down, and to eat.
The dogs eat, bark, and sit.
Here are some examples of non-parallel structure:
The lawn was mowed, cut, and is being watered.
These items are in different tenses.
QUIZ: Identify each as parallel or non-parallel.
1. Mary walked, swam, and drove.
2. The teacher said that the students should work, that they should sleep, and that they should get good grades.
3. The squirrel likes to eat, jumping, and leaping.
4. Bob ate, drank, and slept.
5. I told him to do yard work, that he should play sports, and that he should go to bed early.
Key: Yes, Yes, No, Yes, NO
Section 6: Active and passive voice
EQ: What is the difference between active and passive voice?
ActiveActive voice is what you would think a standard sentence would be. The order is SUBJECT VERB DIRECT OBJECT. It is very easy.
Suzie likes ice cream. Bob plays football. The teachers graded the tests. |
PassivePassive Voice is a little bit more complex. The order of the parts is DIRECT OBJECT VERB SUBJECT. It is easy to recognize because it doesn't flow off the tongue easily.
Ice cream is liked by Suzie. Football is played by Bob. The tests were graded by the teachers. |
Pretty easy? Try the quiz.
Identify as AV or PV
1. The snake ate the mouse
2. The boat was ridden by the tourists.
3. Pi was recited by Amadeus Cho.
4. The teachers yelled at the students.
5. The polynomial was factored by Jimmy Bob Joe.
6. I read a book, and it was very good.
7. I love alligators.
8. The Periodic Table was discovered by Dmitri Mendeleev.
9. I saw monkeys at the zoo.
10. The mouse was moved by the hand.
KEY: AV, PV, PV, AV, PV, AV, AV, PV, AV, PV
Are you a master? TAKE THE TEST!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
Identify as AV or PV
1. The snake ate the mouse
2. The boat was ridden by the tourists.
3. Pi was recited by Amadeus Cho.
4. The teachers yelled at the students.
5. The polynomial was factored by Jimmy Bob Joe.
6. I read a book, and it was very good.
7. I love alligators.
8. The Periodic Table was discovered by Dmitri Mendeleev.
9. I saw monkeys at the zoo.
10. The mouse was moved by the hand.
KEY: AV, PV, PV, AV, PV, AV, AV, PV, AV, PV
Are you a master? TAKE THE TEST!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
Section 7: Capitalization
EQ: When do you capitalize certain words and phrases?
You are probably already know the main rules of capitalization: Beginning of a sentence Proper Nouns Names But do you know about some of the other rules? Wrong When I was talking to my Mom... Hi mom! OTHER RULES: Book Titles: Capitalize the first word and all major nouns in the title. DO NOT CAPITALIZE ANY INSIGNIFICANT WORDS!!! When used as a direction, do not capitalize cardinal directions. I am travelling north. When used as a noun, do capitalize I am travelling to the North. Country Names If a season is used as a title, Capitalize I can't wait until Summer. If it is used in a "calm" fashion, do not. I hate the hot summer. Days, Months, Holidays are all Capitalized Always capitalize first word in quotations. Always capitalize Bobby. ALWAYS |
Correct I was talking to my mom... Mom is used as a common noun Hi Mom! Mom is used as a proper noun |
Say whether the bold word is correctly capitalized.
1. I'm going to the Galapagos in the Summer.
2. I'm travelling north of Nebraska.
3. I read the book "Journey To the Center of the Earth."
4. My Mom yelled at me.
5. My cousin lives in Nauru.
KEY: No, Yes, No, No, Yes
Take the Test
1. I'm going to the Galapagos in the Summer.
2. I'm travelling north of Nebraska.
3. I read the book "Journey To the Center of the Earth."
4. My Mom yelled at me.
5. My cousin lives in Nauru.
KEY: No, Yes, No, No, Yes
Take the Test
Section 8: Poetry
Ok so this lesson will be very different than all of the other lessons. It will be more about identification than quizzing and content.
LIST OF WORDS:
Alliteration: The repetition of the consonant at the beginning of a word. (Tongue Twisters)
Couplet: Two lines or words that rhyme.
Hyperbole: An exaggeration.
Imagery: Appealing to the senses to paint an image in the mind.
Metaphor: A comparison without using the words like or as.
Rhyme Scheme: The order in which rhyming words appear at the end of lines. (aabb, ababcdcdefefgg, abcdabcd)
Internal Rhyme: The rhyme is in the middle of a line, unlike regular rhyme that you are used to.
End Rhyme: The most common type; the rhyming word is at the end of each line.
Onomatopoeia: A sound effect. (Boom, Crash, KABANG)
Personification: Giving a non-human human qualities.
Repetition: Repeating something over and over to give effect.
Rhythm: The feel of the poem; or how it pulses and bounces. The stress on certain words.
Simile: No to be confused with metaphor, it is a comparison WITH the words like or as.
Stanza: A grouping of lines in a poem.
Pun: A statement that has two meanings. (Writing with a broken pencil is pointless)
Triplet: A rare three line stanza relying heavily on rhyme.
Verse: Any grouping of lines in a poem, made up of stanzas.
Assonance: An alliteration, but with vowels, not consonants.
Haiku: A three line poem with 5 syllables in the first and last lines, and 7 in the center.
Ballad: A folk song that tells a story.
Ode: An irregular but lyrical poem about a certain subject.
Epic: A very long poem telling of works of heroism.
Elegy: A reflection-like poem, usually referring to dead loved ones.
Quatrain: A 4-line stanza.
Allusion: A reference to another work in a poem or piece of literature.
Now for the fun part...
THE NEW COLOSSUS: By Emma Lazarus
Not like the brazen giant of Greek fame (Simile)
With conquering limbs astride from land to land; <-- Couplet
Here at our sea-washed, sunset gates shall stand <--
A mighty woman with a torch, whose flame <--End Rhyme
Is the imprisoned lightning (metaphor), and her name<---
Mother of Exiles. From her beacon-hand
Glows world-wide welcome; her mild eyes command
The air-bridged harbor that twin cities frame,
"Keep, ancient lands, your storied pomp!" cries she
With silent lips. "Give me your tired, your poor,
Your huddled masses yearning to breathe free,
The wretched refuse of your teeming shore,
Send these, the homeless, tempest-tossed to me,
I lift my lamp beside the golden door (Metaphor)!"
NOW CLOSE THE WINDOWS
Now close the windows and hush all the fields:
If the trees must, let them silently toss (Personification);
No bird is singing now, and if there is,
Be it my loss.
It will be long ere the marshes resume, <--Quatrain
It will be long ere the earliest bird: <--
So close the windows and not hear the wind, <--
But see all wind-stirred. <--
- Robert Frost
ODE TO A PENCIL: By Gregory Paul (Ode)
Evaluate the pencil's fate
The endless notations it must make
It leaves the message written well (Couplet)
The original story remains there to tell
Indelibly recorded and altered not
Lest the many facts be forgot.
It is the accountant's treasured tool
The advertiser's message pool
It leaves the dreamer's list for 'honey do'
The writers first draft to re-do
It is a souvenir from time gone by
Used up, worn out, usefulness a little bit shy.
Where? Oh where can I a pencil find? (Quatrain)
Can I borrow yours, I've lost mine
Somewhere it has been left behind
It was such a treasured toy
Recorded so many enjoys
Can I borrow yours, I've lost mine.
SUMMER NIGHT: By Alfred Lord Tennyson
Now sleeps the crimson petal, now the white;
Nor waves the cypress in the palace walk;
Nor winks the gold fin (personification) in the porphyry font:
The firefly wakens: waken thou with me.
Now droops the milk-white peacock like a ghost, Simile
And like a ghost she glimmers on to me.
Now lies the Earth all Danaë to the stars,
And all thy heart lies open unto me.
Now slides the silent meteor on, and leaves (imagery)
A shining furrow, as thy thoughts in me.
Now folds the lily all her sweetness up (personification) ,And slips into the bosom of the lake
So fold thyself, my dearest, thou, and slip
Into my bosom and be lost in me.
LIST OF WORDS:
Alliteration: The repetition of the consonant at the beginning of a word. (Tongue Twisters)
Couplet: Two lines or words that rhyme.
Hyperbole: An exaggeration.
Imagery: Appealing to the senses to paint an image in the mind.
Metaphor: A comparison without using the words like or as.
Rhyme Scheme: The order in which rhyming words appear at the end of lines. (aabb, ababcdcdefefgg, abcdabcd)
Internal Rhyme: The rhyme is in the middle of a line, unlike regular rhyme that you are used to.
End Rhyme: The most common type; the rhyming word is at the end of each line.
Onomatopoeia: A sound effect. (Boom, Crash, KABANG)
Personification: Giving a non-human human qualities.
Repetition: Repeating something over and over to give effect.
Rhythm: The feel of the poem; or how it pulses and bounces. The stress on certain words.
Simile: No to be confused with metaphor, it is a comparison WITH the words like or as.
Stanza: A grouping of lines in a poem.
Pun: A statement that has two meanings. (Writing with a broken pencil is pointless)
Triplet: A rare three line stanza relying heavily on rhyme.
Verse: Any grouping of lines in a poem, made up of stanzas.
Assonance: An alliteration, but with vowels, not consonants.
Haiku: A three line poem with 5 syllables in the first and last lines, and 7 in the center.
Ballad: A folk song that tells a story.
Ode: An irregular but lyrical poem about a certain subject.
Epic: A very long poem telling of works of heroism.
Elegy: A reflection-like poem, usually referring to dead loved ones.
Quatrain: A 4-line stanza.
Allusion: A reference to another work in a poem or piece of literature.
Now for the fun part...
THE NEW COLOSSUS: By Emma Lazarus
Not like the brazen giant of Greek fame (Simile)
With conquering limbs astride from land to land; <-- Couplet
Here at our sea-washed, sunset gates shall stand <--
A mighty woman with a torch, whose flame <--End Rhyme
Is the imprisoned lightning (metaphor), and her name<---
Mother of Exiles. From her beacon-hand
Glows world-wide welcome; her mild eyes command
The air-bridged harbor that twin cities frame,
"Keep, ancient lands, your storied pomp!" cries she
With silent lips. "Give me your tired, your poor,
Your huddled masses yearning to breathe free,
The wretched refuse of your teeming shore,
Send these, the homeless, tempest-tossed to me,
I lift my lamp beside the golden door (Metaphor)!"
NOW CLOSE THE WINDOWS
Now close the windows and hush all the fields:
If the trees must, let them silently toss (Personification);
No bird is singing now, and if there is,
Be it my loss.
It will be long ere the marshes resume, <--Quatrain
It will be long ere the earliest bird: <--
So close the windows and not hear the wind, <--
But see all wind-stirred. <--
- Robert Frost
ODE TO A PENCIL: By Gregory Paul (Ode)
Evaluate the pencil's fate
The endless notations it must make
It leaves the message written well (Couplet)
The original story remains there to tell
Indelibly recorded and altered not
Lest the many facts be forgot.
It is the accountant's treasured tool
The advertiser's message pool
It leaves the dreamer's list for 'honey do'
The writers first draft to re-do
It is a souvenir from time gone by
Used up, worn out, usefulness a little bit shy.
Where? Oh where can I a pencil find? (Quatrain)
Can I borrow yours, I've lost mine
Somewhere it has been left behind
It was such a treasured toy
Recorded so many enjoys
Can I borrow yours, I've lost mine.
SUMMER NIGHT: By Alfred Lord Tennyson
Now sleeps the crimson petal, now the white;
Nor waves the cypress in the palace walk;
Nor winks the gold fin (personification) in the porphyry font:
The firefly wakens: waken thou with me.
Now droops the milk-white peacock like a ghost, Simile
And like a ghost she glimmers on to me.
Now lies the Earth all Danaë to the stars,
And all thy heart lies open unto me.
Now slides the silent meteor on, and leaves (imagery)
A shining furrow, as thy thoughts in me.
Now folds the lily all her sweetness up (personification) ,And slips into the bosom of the lake
So fold thyself, my dearest, thou, and slip
Into my bosom and be lost in me.
Section 9: Commas, Ellipses, and Dashes
COMMA: You are probably very used to the comma, but do you know what it really does?
USAGE 1: A comma can be used to separate words in a list. Be sure to always put the comma before the and, even though some teachers may have told you otherwise.
I bought a cactus, wood, and a slinky at the store.
USAGE 2: You can add a comma and a coordinating conjunction to form a separation to join two independent clauses.
I went to the store to buy a cactus, but the were all out!
ELLIPSE: You have probably never even heard of the ellipse, but you use them all the time. It is the ...
USAGE 1: Omit words from a quote. Always put spaces on either side.
"I went to the store to buy some food, like eggs and bacon, for breakfast.
"I went to the store to buy some food ... for breakfast."
USAGE 2: Can be used to trail off or pause.
I wondered why the frisbee was getting bigger ... then it hit me.
DASH: The -- is a dash (the small - is a hyphen, so use tow to make a dash).
USAGE 1: To use as an alternative to parenthesis, especially when there is a list.
All of my pets-- Stetson, Daisy, Bobby, and Cupcake-- are watching television.
USAGE 2: When speaking, it can signify and abrupt stop.
"I was wondering where you were--" Jason said.
"I was taking out the trash!" Bob said.
"Geez, you didn't have to interrupt me..." <- Ellipse!
Quiz: State what was used in the sentence. This will be very easy: unlike the test!
1. I went shopping, eating, and then I did more shopping.
2. The alligators in the tank-- Jim, Teethy, Albino, and Snappers-- were all excited for dinner.
3. Jim pondered the existence of life... then stopped.
4. "I went to the Caribbean ... it was very fun."
5. "What is that scream--" Jason cut to a whisper.
6. I wanted a pet porcupine, but my sister said no.
KEY: Comma, Dash, Ellipse, Ellipse, Dash, Comma
Are you ready for the Test?
USAGE 1: A comma can be used to separate words in a list. Be sure to always put the comma before the and, even though some teachers may have told you otherwise.
I bought a cactus, wood, and a slinky at the store.
USAGE 2: You can add a comma and a coordinating conjunction to form a separation to join two independent clauses.
I went to the store to buy a cactus, but the were all out!
ELLIPSE: You have probably never even heard of the ellipse, but you use them all the time. It is the ...
USAGE 1: Omit words from a quote. Always put spaces on either side.
"I went to the store to buy some food, like eggs and bacon, for breakfast.
"I went to the store to buy some food ... for breakfast."
USAGE 2: Can be used to trail off or pause.
I wondered why the frisbee was getting bigger ... then it hit me.
DASH: The -- is a dash (the small - is a hyphen, so use tow to make a dash).
USAGE 1: To use as an alternative to parenthesis, especially when there is a list.
All of my pets-- Stetson, Daisy, Bobby, and Cupcake-- are watching television.
USAGE 2: When speaking, it can signify and abrupt stop.
"I was wondering where you were--" Jason said.
"I was taking out the trash!" Bob said.
"Geez, you didn't have to interrupt me..." <- Ellipse!
Quiz: State what was used in the sentence. This will be very easy: unlike the test!
1. I went shopping, eating, and then I did more shopping.
2. The alligators in the tank-- Jim, Teethy, Albino, and Snappers-- were all excited for dinner.
3. Jim pondered the existence of life... then stopped.
4. "I went to the Caribbean ... it was very fun."
5. "What is that scream--" Jason cut to a whisper.
6. I wanted a pet porcupine, but my sister said no.
KEY: Comma, Dash, Ellipse, Ellipse, Dash, Comma
Are you ready for the Test?
Section 10: Irony
Not many people realize what irony really is. There are three distinct types: Verbal, Dramatic, and Situational.
VerbalThe best definition would be sarcasm. Here is an example:
"Nice going, Einstein." The speaker is saying Einstein sarcastically, so it is verbal irony |
DramaticDramatic irony is when you know that something is going to occur. It is like a DUH! moment.
Ex: When watching a movie, and the person hears a scream in the basement and goes to check it out, you know that their role in the movie won't be much longer. You know that it will happen, so it is dramatic irony. |
SitauationalSituational irony is the polar opposite of dramatic irony. You know for sure what will happen, but then the unexpected happens. It is similar to a surprise ending. (But it is not at the end.)
Ex: You are watching the same movie, and the person hears a scream and decides to check it out. They walk down, and it turns out that it is just her brother playing a prank on her. She's alive, for now. You had no idea that it would be her brother, so it is situational. |
Here is the quiz. I will say a word or a short sentence, and you tell me what irony I am trying to convey. Use V, D, and S as shortcuts
1. Duh!
2. Sarcasm
3. You knew what was coming
4. Whoa! Twist ending!
5. You were surprised
6. The other students all said, "Good grade, genius," after Bob got a 7% on his math EOCT.
7. The monster is always in the abandoned house. ALWAYS.
8. After some investigation, the unhuman screeching Jim heard was just his injured hamster.
9. Saying one thing while meaning another
KEY: D, V, D, S, S, V, D, S, V
Ready to take the Test?
1. Duh!
2. Sarcasm
3. You knew what was coming
4. Whoa! Twist ending!
5. You were surprised
6. The other students all said, "Good grade, genius," after Bob got a 7% on his math EOCT.
7. The monster is always in the abandoned house. ALWAYS.
8. After some investigation, the unhuman screeching Jim heard was just his injured hamster.
9. Saying one thing while meaning another
KEY: D, V, D, S, S, V, D, S, V
Ready to take the Test?