The Basics of Grammar Mini-Unit

What is a

A sentence is a group of wordsthat expresses a completethought.

There are four kinds of sentences…1. Declarative sentence- a sentence thatmakes a statement. It ends with a period.

Ex: David and Chris will go to the mall onSaturday to purchase new hats.

2. Interrogative sentence: A sentence thatasks a question. It ends with a questionmark.Ex: Did you study for your final exam?

3. Imperative sentence- a sentence thatgives a command or makes a request. It ends with a period.

Ex: Be quiet during the quiz so that others can focus.

4. Exclamatory sentence- a sentence that expresses strong feeling. It ends with an exclamation mark.

Ex: Watch out for the shark in the water!

1. Which of these is a declarative sentence?

a. Will you go to the store with me?b. Wow, you did a great job!c. I am a student at Rush Strong School.

2. Which of these is an interrogative sentence?

a. You won the prize!b. Can you play basketball?c. He has blonde hair and blue eyes.

3. Which of these is an exclamatory sentence?

a. You are a third grade student.b. What a beautiful day!c. What is your address?

Subjects and Predicates!Every COMPLETE sentence has a subject and a

predicate!1. Subject = tells who or what the sentence is

about (NOUN)2. Predicate= tells something about the subject

(VERB) what the subject does, has, is, feels, etc.

Let’s watch a video to help us remember the definitions for subjects and predicates (vimeo.com)

Simple vs. Complete SubjectsSimple Complete

Definition: the main word or word group that tells the who or what

Example: This book on animals will provide information for my report.

Definition: ALL the words that tell the who or what

Example: This book on animals will provide information for my report.

Simple vs. Complete PredicatesSimple Complete

Definition: is the main word or group of words that tells something about the subject.

Example: Sam goes to the movies every weekend.

Definition: consists of a verb and ALL the words that modify the verb and complete its meaning.

Example: Sam goes to the movies every weekend.

Let’s Practice! (Subjects /Predicates)Underline the complete subject, then circle thesimple subject1. His broken leg will heal in three months.

2. All of the townspeople ran from the burning building.

Underline the complete predicate, then circle thesimple predicate2. The farmers are plowing the field.

2. The stern judge ruled that the defendant was not guilty.

Now for….

THE 8 PARTS OF SPEECH!

NOUN – word or word group that names a person, place, thing, or idea

• COMMON NOUN names any person, place, thing or idea & generally not capitalized

• team• book• city• monument

• PROPER NOUN names particular person, place, thing or idea & is capitalized

• Wildcats• The Hunger Games• Atlanta• Eiffel Tower

NOUN

• CONCRETE NOUN names noun that can be perceived by 1 or more of senses

• photograph• music• sandpaper• rose• chocolate

• ABSTRACT NOUN names idea, feeling, quality or characteristic

• love• freedom• wisdom• beauty• Buddhism

NOUN

• COLLECTIVE NOUN names a group

Group of students: classGroup of relatives: familyGroup of cows: herdGroup of musicians: bandGroup of players: team

VERB – expresses action or a state of being

ACTION VERB expresses either physical or mental activity

Gloria plays volleyball. (physical action)She thought about the problem. (mental action)

VERBS

LINKING VERB expresses a state of being & connects or links the subject to word that identifies or describes the subject

Emma Stone is an actress. The students remained quiet.

The Verb Be is the most common: am is are was were be being been

Other linking verbs:appear seem become feel grow look remain

smell sound stay taste turn

PRONOUN- word that is used in place of one or more nouns or pronouns; word that pronoun stands for is called its

antecedent

• PERSONAL PRONOUN refers to the one speaking(1st person), one spoken to(2nd person) or the one spoken about (3rd person)

Singular Plural

1st person I, me, my, mine we, us, our, ours2nd person you, your, yours you, your, yours3rd person he, him, his, she, they, them, their, her, hers, it, its theirs

ADJECTIVE - word used to modify a noun or pronoun to

describe the word or make its meaning more definite

Adjectives tellWhat kind? busy dentist, braided hair, Korean child Which one? seventh grade, this country, any book How much or how many? several days, five dollars

Adjectives sometimes come after the word they modify:A woman, kind and helpful, gave us directions.

ADJECTIVES

• Most commonly used adjectives are articles: a an the

• PROPER ADJECTIVE is formed from a proper noun

Africa African continent England English tea Switzerland Swiss chocolate

ADVERB – modifies a verb, adjective or another adverb making the meaning more definite

ADVERBS answer the following questions: Where? Away, here, inside, there, up When? Later, now, soon, then, tomorrow How? Clearly, easily, quietly, slowly How often or how long? Always, usually, never To what extent or how much? Almost, so, too

Adverbs may come before, after or between the words they modify

PREPOSITION – shows the relationship of a noun or pronoun to another word

The cat walked through the door.The cat walked toward the door.The cat walked past the door.

See p. 58 for commonly used prepositions

A PREPOSITIONAL PHRASE includes a preposition, noun or pronoun called the object of the preposition & any modifiers of that object

PREP MODIFIERS OBJ

The books in my new bag are heavy.

PREP MODIFIERS OBJ

It happened during the last game.

CONJUNCTION – joins words or word groups

Coordinating Conjunctions join words used in same way For And Nor But Or Yet So

Correlative Conjunctions are pairs of conjunctions that join words used in same way

both . . . and either . . . or neither . . . nor not only . . . but also whether . . . Or

Subordinating Conjunctions introduce an adverb clause

INTERJECTION – word that expresses emotion

Usually an interjection is followed by an exclamation point

Ow! That hurts.Goodness! What happened to your hair?Yeah! I know the answer.

Sometimes an interjection is set off by a commaOh, I wish it were Friday.Well, what have you been doing?