Thursday, October 8, 2009
The Beginning of the End: GRAMMAR AND COMPOSITION
Though many of you may think grammar is challenging, I'm here to tell you that it really isn't. There's a formula to it just like the ones you've studied in math class. I love to teach it because it's not the typical subjective English task where all the answers are shades of gray. So, I'll try to break down the sentence patterns in this packet. Let's start off with this basic fact:
Proper, formal English has EIGHT (8) sentence patterns. That's it!! Just 8! You can make these sentences longer by adding commas, conjunctions, and semi-colons. That is grammar in a nutshell!
Here is a list of the terms I use to identify the various parts of each sentence pattern:
NP | noun phrase | A noun and its modifiers (hence "noun phrase"): can function as a subject, direct object, indirect object, subject complement, or object complement | |
S | subject | ||
SC | subject complement | a noun, pronoun, or adjective that renames or describes the subject of a sentence | |
DO | direct object | ||
IO | indirect object | ||
OC | object complement | a noun, pronoun, or adjective that renames or describes the object of a sentence | |
V | verb of being OR linking verb | Examples:
|
|
V(int) | intransitive verb | ||
V(tr) | transitive verb | ||
ADV | adverb
OR
adverbial of time or place |
part of a sentence that performs the same function as a normal adverb by describe the | |
ADJ | adjective | ||
THE EIGHT SENTENCE PATTERNS
1. S + V + ADV
The verb (TO BE) is followed by an adverb indicating where or when.
My friends are here.
NP V ADV
subject
The adverbial indicating where or when may be a prepositional phrase.
My friends are at the library.
NP V ADV
2. S + V + ADJ
The verb (TO BE or LINKING) is followed by an adjective that functions as the subjective complement.
His clear tenor voice was quite lovely.
NP V ADJ
subject to be subject
verb complement
The cake on the table looks delicious.
NP V ADJ
subject linking subject
verb complement
The adjectival functioning as the subjective complement may be a prepositional phrase.
The supervisor was in a good mood today.
NP V ADJ
subject subject
complement
3. S + V + SC
The verb (TO BE or LINKING) is followed by a noun that functions as the subjective complement.
Mr. James has been a teacher for forty years.
NP V NP
subject to be subject
verb complement
At a very early age, Joan became a Buddhist.
NP V NP
subject linking subject
verb complement
4. S + V(int)
The action verb takes no direct object.
In a few weeks, my cousin will arrive.
NP V
subject verb
intransitive
Even if the action verb is followed by a prepositional phrase, the verb is still intransitive as long as it does not take a direct object.
In a few weeks, my cousin will arrive with my uncle.
NP V
subject verb
intransitive
5. S + V(tr) + DO
The action verb is followed by a direct object.
The archer shot an arrow into the target.
NP V NP
subject verb direct object
transitive
6. S + V(tr) + IO + DO
The action verb is followed by an indirect object and then a direct object.
Smithers gave the employees a raise.
NP V NP NP
subject verb indirect object direct object
transitive
7. S + V(tr) + DO + ADJ
The action verb is followed by a direct object. The direct object is followed by an adjective functioning as an objective complement.
The jury found the defendant guilty.
NP V NP ADJ
subject verb direct object objective
transitive complement
8. S +V(tr) + DO + (OC)
The action verb is followed by a direct object. The direct object is followed by a noun functioning as an objective complement.
Most people consider Jacobsen a loyal friend
NP V NP2 NP2
subject verb direct object objective
transitive complement
Note: The second NP, the direct object, receives a different numerical designation (NP2) because it is not
the same as the subject (NP1). The third NP, the objective complement, receives the same
numerical designation as the direct object (NP2) because it is the same as the direct object (Jacobsen
= friend).
Tuesday, October 6, 2009
Random
See you tomorrow.
LYRICS:
This is how it works
You're young until you're not
You love until you don't
You try until you can't
You laugh until you cry
You cry until you laugh
And everyone must breathe
Until their dying breath
No, this is how it works
You peer inside yourself
You take the things you like
And try to love the things you took
And then you take that love you made
And stick it into some
Someone else's heart
Pumping someone else's blood
Monday, October 5, 2009
Sunday, October 4, 2009
The Crucible Vocabulary
Noun | Adjective | Adverb | Verb | |
Person Quality | Describes a Noun | Describes a Verb | Action | |
disseminator | dissemination | disseminate | ||
disdainful | disdainfully | disdain | ||
trepidation, trepidity | trepidatious | |||
chastiser | chastisement | chastisable | chastise | |
blasphemer | blasphemousness | blasphemous | blasphemously | blaspheme |
stringency | stringent | stringently | ||
contempt | contemptuous, contemptible | contemptuously, contemptibly | ||
remorsefulness | remorseful | remorsefully | remorse | |
turbulence | turbulent | turbulently | ||
contriteness | contrite | contritely | ||
virulence, virulency | virulent | virulently | ||
propitiator | propitiation | propitiative | propitiatingly | propitiate |
resignation | resigned | resign | ||
deviousness | devious | deviously | ||
slanderer | slander | slanderous | slanderously | slander |
vilifier | vilification | vilify | ||
ruer | rue | rue | ||
surreptitious | ||||
heinousness | heinous | heinously | ||
vindictiveness | vindictive | vindictively | ||
malice | malicious | maliciously | ||
maligner | malignance | malignant | malignantly, malignly | malign |
iniquity | iniquitous | iniquitously | ||
Friday, October 2, 2009
Revising your Paragraph: First Impression of Abigail Williams
What I Expect for Your Paragraph:
- Identify which of the 6 logical fallacies you have used.
- Identify other errors with the structure and mechanics of your original paragraph.
- Create an interesting hook.
- Type and resubmit paragraph with rough draft attached.
Helpful Hints:
- Books are heavy. They are placed on a shelf (when handwritten). They tilt (when typed).
- The correct way to cite a quote:
- "I am happy" (Thompson 20).
(If the sentence that you are quoting ends with a period, do not put include it. Instead, please put the period on the outside of the parentheses).
- "Are you happy?" (Thompson 20).
(If the sentence that you are quoting ends with a question mark, include it. You must also put the period on the outside of the parentheses).
- "Yay!" (Thompson 20).
(If the sentence that you are quoting ends with an exclamation mark, include it. You must also put the period on the outside of the parentheses).
- "…when I was telling the story…" (Thompson 20).
(If you are not quoting an entire sentence, you can use ellipses […] to show where you have shortened the quote. You must also put the period on the outside of the parentheses).
- You may change words in a quote. The words you've changed must be surrounded by the following brackets: "She [Abigail]" or you can simply state "[Abigail]," leaving the original "she" out.