mirrors & windows - grammar & style level ii

Level II

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Grammar and Style, Level II

Care has been taken to verify the accuracy of information presented in this book. However, the authors, editors, and publisher cannot accept responsibility for Web, e-mail, newsgroup, or chat room subject matter or content, or for consequences from application of the information in this book, and make no warranty, expressed or implied, with respect to its content.

Trademarks: Some of the product names and company names included in this book have been used for identifi cation purposes only and may be trademarks or registered trade names of their respective manufacturers and sellers. Th e authors, editors, and publisher disclaim any affi liation, association, or connection with, or sponsorship or endorsement by, such owners.

Cover Image Credits: Scene, © Medioimages/Photodisc/Getty Images; ship steering wheel, StockXpert.

ISBN 978-0-82194-419-6

© 2009 by EMC Publishing, LLC875 Montreal WaySt. Paul, MN 55102E-mail: [email protected] site: www.emcp.com

All rights reserved. No part of this publication may be adapted, reproduced, stored in a retrieval system, or transmitted in any form or by any means, electronic, mechanical, photocopying, recording, or otherwise, without prior written permission from the publisher. Teachers using Mirrors & Windows: Connecting with Literature, Level II may photocopy complete pages in suffi cient quantities for classroom use only and not for resale.

Printed in the United States of America

18 17 16 15 14 13 12 11 10 09 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10

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iii© EMC Publishing, LLC LEVEL IIExceeding the Standards: Grammar & Style

CONTENTS Introduction v Correlation 1: Literature-Based Curriculum vi Correlation 2: Grammar-Based Curriculum vii Index of Mirrors & Windows Literature Models viiiUnit 1 The Sentence and Parts of Speech Lesson 1 The Sentence and Its Functions 1 Lesson 2 Subjects and Predicates: The Basic Building Blocks in a Sentence 7 Lesson 3 Simple and Complete Subjects and Predicates 10 Lesson 4 Compound Subjects, Compound Predicates, and Compound Sentences 13 Lesson 5 Identifying the Parts of Speech 16Unit 2 Namers: Nouns Lesson 6 Common and Proper Nouns 20 Lesson 7 Singular and Plural Nouns 23 Lesson 8 Possessive Nouns 25 Lesson 9 Compound Nouns and Collective Nouns 28 Namers: Pronouns Lesson 10 Pronouns 33 Lesson 11 Pronouns and Antecedents 37 Lesson 12 Subject and Object Pronouns 40 Lesson 13 Possessive Pronouns 43 Lesson 14 Indefinite Pronouns 46Unit 3 Expressers: Verbs Lesson 15 Action Verbs and State of Being Verbs 49 Lesson 16 Linking and Helping Verbs 52 Lesson 17 Transitive and Intransitive Verbs 58 Lesson 18 Verb Tenses 61 Lesson 19 Passive Voice and Active Voice 65 Lesson 20 Irregular Verbs 68 Lesson 21 Verbals 72 Subject-Verb Agreement and Usage Lesson 22 Subject and Verb Agreement 75 Lesson 23 Indefinite Pronoun and Verb Agreement 79Unit 4 Sentence Completers: Complements Lesson 24 Direct Objects 82 Lesson 25 Indirect Objects 85 Lesson 26 Predicate Nouns, Pronouns, and Adjectives 88 Modifiers Lesson 27 Adjectives and Adverbs: Choosing the Correct Modifier 92 Lesson 28 Appositives 100 Lesson 29 Positives, Comparatives, and Superlatives 103 Lesson 30 Contractions 107 Lesson 31 Commonly Confused Words 110

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LEVEL IIiv © EMC Publishing, LLCExceeding the Standards: Grammar & Style

Unit 5 Linkers and Joiners Lesson 32 Prepositions and Conjunctions 113 Lesson 33 Prepositions 116 Lesson 34 Coordinating Conjunctions 120 Interrupters Lesson 35 Interrupters 123 Lesson 36 Interjections 126 Lesson 37 Nouns of Direct Address 129Unit 6 Phrases and Clauses Lesson 38 Phrases and Clauses 132 Lesson 39 Prepositional Phrases 134 Lesson 40 Verbal Phrases 137 Lesson 41 Appositive Phrases 140 Lesson 42 Types of Clauses within a Sentence 144 Lesson 43 The Clauses of a Sentence: Simple and Compound Sentences 151 Lesson 44 The Clauses of a Sentence: Complex Sentences 153Unit 7 Punctuation Lesson 45 End Marks 156 Lesson 46 Commas 159 Lesson 47 Semicolons 163 Lesson 48 Colons 165 Lesson 49 Apostrophes 167 Lesson 50 Quotation Marks 169 Lesson 51 Hyphens and Dashes 171 Capitalization Lesson 52 Editing for Capitalization Errors 173 Lesson 53 Proper Nouns and Proper Adjectives 176 Lesson 54 I and First Words 179 Lesson 55 Family Relationships and Titles of Persons 182 Lesson 56 Titles of Artworks and Literary Works 184Unit 8 Common Usage Problems Lesson 57 Incorrect Subject-Verb Agreement 186 Lesson 58 Avoiding Double Negatives 190 Lesson 59 Avoiding Dangling Modifiers 193 Lesson 60 Avoiding Misplaced Modifiers 195 Lesson 61 Maintaining Consistent Verb Tense 198Writer’s Workshop: Building Effective Sentences Lesson 62 Sentence Fragments 201 Lesson 63 Run-On Sentences 204 Lesson 64 Wordy Sentences 207

Answer Key 211

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v© EMC Publishing, LLC LEVEL IIExceeding the Standards: Grammar & Style

IntroductionThe Exceeding the Standards resource books provide in-depth language arts instruction to enrich students’ skills development beyond the level of meeting the standards. Exceeding the Standards: Grammar & Style offers a comprehensive, developmental curriculum, using selections from each unit in the textbook as examples and exercises. This supplement includes explicit instruction and practice for grammar, usage, mechanics, and writing.

In the practice exercises, a unique three-step approach gives students the opportunity to: • Identify grammar concepts in literature models or sample sentences contextually

related to the textbook• Understand the usage of grammar concepts and correct errors in usage• Use grammar concepts in their own writingBy using these lessons in conjunction with the Mirrors & Windows: Connecting with Literature textbook, you will help your students become better readers, writers, and communicators.

Exceeding the Standards: Grammar & Style offers a variety of options to incorporate grammar instruction into the language arts classroom. Sixty-four lessons, developed to be used twice weekly, cover a broad range of topics from the sentence and parts of speech to common usage problems and writing effectively.

The material in the Grammar & Style supplement extends the instruction presented in the Student Edition. These lessons are organized in a developmental scope and sequence and are illustrated with literature models or examples related to the same unit in the Student Edition. The Grammar & Style workshops in the Student Edition incorporate vocabulary from the preceding selection or selections to teach corresponding grammar concepts.

The integration of these two program components—Grammar & Style supplement lessons and Grammar & Style textbook workshops—allows you two good teaching options.

Teaching Option 1: Literature-Based CurriculumUse the Grammar & Style supplement to enrich your core study of literature. If your students’ grammar and style skills are average to strong and you want to focus on a literature-based approach, consider this option. • Assign all or some of the Grammar & Style workshops in the Mirrors & Windows

Student Edition, as you work through the units in the textbook.• If your students struggle with a particular skill or concept, you can find extra

support in the Grammar & Style supplement. Use Correlation 1, following this introduction, to find lessons that provide additional material on skills and concepts covered in the Student Edition workshops.

• If you would like to focus on literature selections that offer additional grammar support, refer to the Index of Mirrors & Windows Literature Models, also following this introduction, to find the selections that are used as instructional models in the Grammar & Style supplement.

Teaching Option 2: Grammar-Based CurriculumUse the Grammar & Style supplement as a full grammar curriculum supported by literature. If your students are not strong in grammar and style and you want to focus on language skills enriched by literature, use this option.• Assign all the Grammar & Style lessons in the order given in the supplement’s

table of contents, and cover selections from the corresponding unit in the Student Edition as time allows.

• Use Correlation 2, following this introduction, to identify Student Edition workshops that relate to the lessons in the supplement.

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LEVEL IIvi © EMC Publishing, LLCExceeding the Standards: Grammar & Style

Correlation 1: Literature-Based CurriculumThe following chart lists the Grammar & Style Workshops presented in the textbook along with the lessons that cover the same concepts in this Exceeding the Standards: Grammar & Style supplement. This chart can help you design a supplemental grammar program that supports a core literature curriculum.

Student Edition Grammar & Style Workshop Related Grammar & Style Lesson

Subject and Verb Agreement, page 48 • Lesson 22, page 75• Lesson 23, page 79

Pronoun-Antecedent Agreement, page 56 • Lesson 11, page 37

Nominative and Objective Pronouns, page 72 • Lesson 12, page 40

Comma Use, page 162 • Lesson 46, page 159

Independent and Dependent Clauses, page 190 • Lesson 42, page 144• Lesson 43, page 151• Lesson 44, page 153

Consistent Verb Tense, page 219 • Lesson 18, page 61• Lesson 61, page 198

Phrases, page 264 • Lesson 38, page 132• Lesson 39, page 134

Sentence Types, page 296 • Lesson 1, page 1

Fragments and Run-on Sentences, page 321 • Lesson 62, page 201• Lesson 63, page 204

Adjective and Adverb Clauses, page 389 • Lesson 42, page 144

Simple and Compound Subjects, page 407 • Lesson 3, page 10• Lesson 4, page 13

Personal and Possessive Pronouns, page 480 • Lesson 10, page 33• Lesson 11, page 37• Lesson 12, page 40• Lesson 13, page 43

Nouns: Proper, Plural, Possessive, and Collective, page 490 • Lesson 6, page 20• Lesson 7, page 23• Lesson 8, page 25• Lesson 9, page 28

Reflexive and Intensive Pronouns, page 501 • Lesson 10, page 33

Simple, Compound, Complex, and Compound-Complex Sentences, page 543

• Lesson 3, page 10• Lesson 4, page 13

Simple, Complete, and Compound Predicates, page 571 • Lesson 3, page 10• Lesson 4, page 13

Verbals: Participles, Gerunds, and Infinitives, page 622 • Lesson 21, page 72• Lesson 40, page 137

Punctuation, Dashes, Semicolons, and Colons, page 693 • Lesson 46, page 159• Lesson 47, page 163• Lesson 51, page 171

Misplaced Modifiers, page 764 • Lesson 60, page 195

Dangling Modifiers, page 776 • Lesson 59, page 193

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vii© EMC Publishing, LLC LEVEL IIExceeding the Standards: Grammar & Style

Correlation 2: Grammar-Based CurriculumThe following chart lists the lessons in this Exceeding the Standards: Grammar & Style along with the textbook’s Grammar & Style Workshops that cover the same concepts. This chart can help you design a supplemental literature program that supports a core grammar curriculum.

Exceeding the Standards: Grammar & Style Lesson

Related Student Edition Grammar & Style Workshop

• Lesson 1, page 1 Sentence Types, page 296


Simple and Compound Subjects, page 407Simple, Complete, and Compound Predicates, page 571Simple, Compound, Complex, and Compound-Complex Sentences, page 543

• Lesson 6, page 20• Lesson 7, page 23• Lesson 8, page 25• Lesson 9, page 28

Nouns: Proper, Plural, Possessive, and Collective, page 490

• Lesson 10, page 33• Lesson 11, page 37• Lesson 12, page 40• Lesson 13, page 43

Pronoun-Antecedent Agreement, page 56Nominative and Objective Pronouns, page 72Personal and Possessive Pronouns, page 480Reflexive and Intensive Pronouns, page 501


Consistent Verb Tense, page 219


Subject and Verb Agreement, page 24


Phrases, page 264


Verbals: Participles, Gerunds, and Infinitives, page 622

• Lesson 42, page 144• Lesson 43, page 151• Lesson 44, page 153

Independent and Dependent Clauses, page 190 Adjective and Adverb Clauses, page 389

• Lesson 46, page 159• Lesson 47, page 163• Lesson 51, page 171

Comma Use, page 162Punctuation, Dashes, Semicolons, and Colons, page 693

• Lesson 59, page 193 Dangling Modifiers, page 776

• Lesson 60, page 195 Misplaced Modifiers, page 764


Fragments and Run-on Sentences, page 321

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LEVEL IIviii © EMC Publishing, LLCExceeding the Standards: Grammar & Style

Index of Mirrors & Windows Literature ModelsThe following index lists the literature selections in the Mirrors & Windows Student Edition that are used as instructional models in the Grammar & Style supplement. This index can help you design a supplemental grammar program that supports a core literature curriculum.

Unit 1 The 11:59, Patricia McKissack, page 18 Lesson 2, page 7 The Inn of Lost Time, Lensey Namioka, page 30 Lesson 1, page 4 Rikki-Tikki-Tavi, Rudyard Kipling, page 85 Lesson 5, page 17

Unit 2 Hollywood and the Pits, Cherylene Lee, page 141 Lesson 12, page 40 Amigo Brothers, Piri Thomas, page 163 Lesson 6, page 21 Jed’s Grandfather, Joseph Bruchac, page 191 Lesson 13, page 43 Antaeus, Borden Deal, page 199 Lesson 10, page 34 Seventh Grade, Gary Soto, page 212 Lesson 7, page 23

Unit 3 from An American Childhood, Annie Dillard, page 257 Lesson 18, page 62 Elizabeth I, Milton Meltzer, page 265 Lesson 22, page 76 The Eternal Frontier, Louis L’Amour, page 291 Lesson 16, page 56 from Off the Court, Arthur Ashe, page 297 Lesson 15, page 49 Fish Cheeks, Amy Tan, page 317 Lesson 17, page 58 A Bittersweet Memoir, Jerry Izenberg, page 322 Lesson 16, page 53 Madam C. J. Walker, Jim Haskins, page 340 Lesson 20, page 70

Unit 4 from Wild Turkey, John James Audubon, page 394 Lesson 27, page 94 Ships in the Desert, Al Gore, page 396 Lesson 27, pages 92–93 I Am a Native of North America, Chief Dan George, page 403 Lesson 27, pages 96–97 The Hummingbird That Lived Through Winter, William Saroyan,

page 412 Lesson 26, page 89

Unit 5 Mother to Son, Langston Hughes, page 491 Lesson 36, page 126 Under the Apple Tree, Diana Rivera, page 495 Lesson 33, page 117 The Tropics in New York, Claude McKay, page 502 Lesson 34, pages 120–121 from Lost in Translation, Steven Harvey, page 513 Lesson 35, page 123 Miracles, Walt Whitman, page 520 Lesson 32, page 114

Unit 6 Once by the Pacific, Robert Frost, page 544 Lesson 38, page 132 Annabel Lee, Edgar Allan Poe, page 547 Lesson 42, pages 146–147 The Highwayman, Alfred Noyes, page 551 Lesson 39, page 135 Lesson 42, pages 148–149 Refugee Ship, Lorna Dee Cervantes, page 586 Lesson 40, page 138 The Pasture, Robert Frost, page 591 Lesson 42, page 144

Unit 7 A Defenseless Creature, Neil Simon, page 611 Lesson 45, pages 156–157 The Christmas Carol: Scrooge and Marley, Israel Horovitz, page 645 Lesson 52, page 174

Unit 8 Tsali of the Cherokees, Norah Roper, page 747 Lesson 64, page 207

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1© EMC Publishing, LLC LEVEL II, UNIT 1Exceeding the Standards: Grammar & Style

Name: ____________________________________________________ Date: __________________

LESSON 1

The Sentence and Its Functions

The Sentence

From the time you entered school, you probably have been speaking and writing in sentences. In the English language, the sentence is the basic unit of meaning. A sentence is a group of words that expresses a complete thought. Every sentence has two basic parts: a subject and a predicate. The subject tells whom or what the sentence is about. The predicate tells information about the subject— what the subject is, what the subject does, or what happens to the subject.

examplesentence The old professor | read the dusty manuscript.

(subject) (predicate)

A group of words that does not have both a subject and a predicate is called a sentence fragment. A sentence fragment does not express a complete thought.

examplessentence fragment The baker. (The fragment does not have a predicate.

The group of words does not answer the question What did the baker do?)

sentence fragment Frosted the chocolate cake.(The fragment does not have a subject. The group of words does not answer the question Who frosted the chocolate cake?)

sentence fragment In his kitchen.(The fragment does not have a subject or predicate. The group of words does not tell what the sentence is about or tell what the subject does.)

complete sentence The baker frosted the chocolate cake in his kitchen.

E X E R C I S E 1

Identifying Sentences and Sentence Fragments

Identify each of the following groups of words as either a complete sentence or a sentence fragment. Write S for sentence or F for fragment.

_____ 1. James was a guitarist for a garage band.

_____ 2. Yelling at the children in the street.

_____ 3. Far above the snowcapped mountains.

_____ 4. The shark swam silently into the lagoon.

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LEVEL II, UNIT 12 © EMC Publishing, LLCExceeding the Standards: Grammar & Style

_____ 5. On the table in the corner of the living room.

_____ 6. His dog barked for three hours.

_____ 7. Over the fence she threw the plastic ball.

_____ 8. A politician and a lawyer.

_____ 9. Flowers add color and cheer on a winter day.

_____ 10. The aging queen and her son.

E X E R C I S E 2

Understanding Sentences and Their Basic Parts

Some of the following groups of words are missing a subject or predicate or both. Tell what part is missing; then revise the sentence to include the missing part. If the group of words contains both a subject and a predicate, write sentence.

exampleThe mysterious man.(predicate missing; The mysterious man disappeared in a cloud of fog.)

1. The girl waited in the long line.

2. Under the sofa.

3. An exciting movie.

4. Fills the pitcher with water.

5. A woman found the stone.



6. On a hastily constructed raft.

7. Had read the morning newspaper.

8. Dark mounds of dirt in the yard.

9. He could be in the shed.

10. The painted vase.

E X E R C I S E 3

Using Complete Sentences in Your Writing

Write a paragraph describing to a friend an unusual occupation that you find interesting. Why do you find this occupation appealing? What do people in this occupation usually do or make? Make sure that each sentence in your paragraph contains a subject and predicate.



1.

2.

3.

4.

5.

6.

Functions of Sentences

There are four different kinds of sentences: declarative, interrogative, imperative, and exclamatory. Each kind of sentence has a different purpose. You can vary the tone and mood of your writing by using the four different sentence types. Read the example sentences aloud and notice how your voice changes to express each sentence’s different meaning.

• A declarative sentence makes a statement. It ends with a period.exampleYour cat would like to eat her supper now.

• An interrogative sentence asks a question. It ends with a question mark.exampleWhen will your cat eat her supper?

• An imperative sentence gives an order or makes a request. It ends with a period or an exclamation point. An imperative sentence has an understood subject, you.

example(You) Please feed your cat.(You) Look in the cupboard for the cat food.

• An exclamatory sentence expresses strong feeling. It ends with an exclamation point.exampleYour cat is really hungry!

E X E R C I S E 4

Identifying Different Kinds of Sentences in Literature

Identify each of the sentences in the passage below as declarative, interrogative, imperative, or exclamatory. Write your answers on the corresponding lines below.

1The door opened wider and a man appeared beside the old woman. 2At first I thought it was our host of the previous night. 3But this man was much younger, although the resemblance was strong. 4He carried himself straighter and his hair was black, while the innkeeper had been grizzled and slightly bent with age. 5“Please excuse my mother,” said the man. 6“Her hearing is not good. 7Can we help you in some way?” 8Tokubei finally found his voice. 9“Isn’t this the inn where we stayed last night?” 10The man stared. 11“Inn? 12We are not innkeepers here!”

from “The Inn of Lost Time,” page 30Lensey Namioka



7.

8.

9.

10.

11.

12.

E X E R C I S E 5

Understanding the Functions of Sentences

Identify the following sentences as declarative, imperative, interrogative, or exclamatory. Then revise each sentence according to the directions in parentheses.

exampleDid you see the horse in the pasture? (Change into an imperative sentence.)(interrogative; imperative, See the horse in the pasture.)

1. Will you bring the lantern to me? (Change into an imperative sentence.)

2. Tell me what you ate for breakfast. (Change into an interrogative sentence.)

3. Is the basement flooded? (Change into an exclamatory sentence.)

4. I would like a drink of water. (Change into an interrogative sentence.)

5. Today is the last day of school! (Change into a declarative sentence.)

6. What is missing from your purse? (Change into a declarative sentence.)



7. Walk with me over to the park. (Change into an interrogative sentence.)

8. Are you aware that your car is on fire? (Change into an exclamatory sentence.)

9. Will you please rescue the turtle on the side of the road? (Change into an imperative sentence.)

10. I believe that you will not like this dessert. (Change into an exclamatory sentence.)

E X E R C I S E 6

Using Different Kinds of Sentences in Your Writing

Write a brief speech about a current event that is important to you and that you think will appeal to your fellow classmates. Your speech may be serious, humorous, or persuasive in tone. To gather ideas, look through recent newspapers and magazines. Use all four kinds of sentences in your speech. Then take turns with your classmates reading your speeches aloud. Consider how the four kinds of sentences make your speeches more expressive.



Name: ____________________________________________________ Date: __________________

LESSON 2

Subjects and Predicates: The Basic Building Blocks in a Sentence

Just as the sentence is the basic building block of the English language, the subject and predicate are the basic building blocks in a sentence. Every sentence has two basic parts: a subject and a predicate. The subject tells whom or what the sentence is about. The predicate tells information about the subject—what the subject is, what the subject does, or what happens to the subject.

examplesentence The speedy athlete | won the track competition.

(subject) (predicate)

To find the subject, ask who or what performs the action of the verb. To find the predicate, ask what information is given about the subject.

exampleWho won the track competition? (the speedy athlete, subject)What did the speedy athlete do? (won the track competition, predicate)

E X E R C I S E 1

Identifying Subjects in Literature

Underline each subject in the sentences from the literature passage below.

Suddenly he felt a sharp pain in his chest. At exactly the same moment he heard

the mournful sound of a train whistle, which the wind seemed to carry from some

faraway place. Ignoring his pain, Lester looked at the old station. He knew nothing

was scheduled to come in or out till early morning. Nervously he lit a match to

check the time. 11:59!

from “The 11:59,” page 18Patricia McKissack



E X E R C I S E 2

Understanding Subjects and Predicates

Items 1–5 include a list of subjects; items 6–10 include a list of predicates. Write a sentence for each subject or predicate listed, adding the missing part and any other details to create a clear, complete sentence.

1. Our country’s leaders

2. The green and yellow leaves

3. A bright, shining star

4. The squad of soldiers

5. The purple beads

6. are seeking to find the treasure

7. stood on the shoulder of the road

8. protected the helpless cubs

9. requires constant maintenance

10. bought a large hat



E X E R C I S E 3

Using Subjects and Predicates in Your Writing

Write a paragraph to be shared with a classmate in which you describe a person you recently observed engaging in an outdoor activity, such as flying a kite or shoveling snow. Make sure each sentence includes a subject and predicate and creates a clear picture for a peer reader.



Name: ____________________________________________________ Date: __________________

LESSON 3

Simple and Complete Subjects and Predicates

In a sentence, the simple subject is the key word or words in the subject. The simple subject is usually a noun or a pronoun and does not include any modifiers. The complete subject includes the simple subject and all the words that modify it. The simple predicate is the key verb or verb phrase that tells what the subject does, has, or is. The complete predicate includes the verb and all the words that modify it. In the following sentence, a vertical line separates the complete subject and complete predicate. The simple subject is underlined once. The simple predicate, or verb, is underlined twice.

example (complete subject) (complete predicate)The large black umbrella | shielded my brother and sister from the rain.

Sometimes, the simple subject is also the complete subject, and the simple predicate or verb is also the complete predicate.

exampleJesse Owens | ran.

To find the simple subject and simple predicate in a sentence, first break the sentence into its two basic parts: complete subject and complete predicate. Then, identify the simple predicate by asking yourself, “What is the action of this sentence?” Then, identify the simple subject by asking yourself, “Who or what is performing the action?” In the following sentences, the complete predicate is in parentheses. The simple predicate, or verb, appears in boldface. Remember, verbs may have more than one word, and as many as four.

examplesone-word verb Three energetic monkeys (climbed up the tree.)two-word verb Three energetic monkeys (are climbing up the tree.)three-word verb Three energetic monkeys (have been climbing up

the tree.)four-word verb Three energetic monkeys (might have been

climbing up the tree.)



E X E R C I S E 1

Identifying Simple and Complete Subjects and Predicates

Draw a vertical line between the complete subject and predicate in each sentence. Then, underline the simple subject once. Underline the simple predicate or verb twice.

exampleThe children on the playground | are playing hide and seek.

1. The aging general boldly rode out to the front lines.

2. A yellow wren waits for the wind to subside.

3. A lost sheep might have wandered into the cave.

4. The front porch has been the site of many interesting conversations.

5. Julia is planning to swim across the English Channel.

6. A flock of birds exited the tree in unison.

7. Two boats are tied to the pier.

8. The church bell rings each Sunday at 8:00 a.m.

9. Their son’s arraignment will be next Thursday.

10. The new city library branch opened its doors today.

E X E R C I S E 2

Understanding Simple and Complete Subjects and Predicates

Each of the following sentences contains a simple subject and predicate. Revise each sentence by adding details to the simple subject and predicate to create a more specific and clearer sentence. Then draw a vertical line between the complete subject and predicate you’ve created. Underline the original simple subject once. Underline the original simple predicate twice.

exampleThe snakes slithered.(The two green snakes | slithered into the house through the open door.)

1. A ballerina is dancing.

2. The girl walked.



3. The floor has been creaking.

4. The rabbit hid.

5. Their flowers are growing.

6. A tree fell.

7. Songs delight.

8. The officers talked.

9. The rain might have stopped.

10. The birds fly.

E X E R C I S E 3

Using Simple and Complete Subjects and Predicates in Your Writing

Write a short story about a crime-fighting superhero, such as Spider-Man or Wonder Woman. Add details to simple subjects and predicates to help your peer readers visualize the subject and the action that is taking place in the story. Use your own sheet of paper for this exercise.



Name: ____________________________________________________ Date: __________________

LESSON 4

Compound Subjects, Compound Predicates, and Compound Sentences

A sentence may have more than one subject or predicate. A compound subject has two or more simple subjects that have the same predicate. The subjects are joined by the conjunction and, or, or but. A compound predicate has two or more simple predicates, or verbs, that share the same subject. The verbs are connected by the conjunction and, or, or but.

examplescompound subjectIce and snow | make travel difficult in the winter.

compound predicateSome teachers | show videos and play CDs during their classes.

A sentence may have both a compound subject and a compound predicate.

examplecompound subject and compound predicateJohn and Diane | drove to the lake and fished all afternoon.

A compound sentence consists of two sentences joined by a semicolon or by a coordinating conjunction preceded by a comma. Each part of the compound sentence has its own subject and verb. The most common coordinating conjunctions are and, or, nor, for, but, so, and yet.

examplescompound sentenceGrover Cleveland served as president from 1885 to 1889; he served a second term in the White House from 1893 to 1897.

compound sentenceAn economic downturn gripped the nation during Cleveland’s second term, and his popularity with Americans dwindled.

E X E R C I S E 1

Identifying Compound Subjects, Predicates, and Sentences

Underline all of the simple subjects in each sentence once. Underline all of the simple predicates in each sentence twice. Then tell whether the sentence has a compound subject, compound predicate, or compound subject and predicate, and whether the sentence is a compound sentence.



exampleJesse and his brother robbed the bank, and they rode quickly out of town.(compound subject, compound sentence)

1. A raccoon knocked over the garbage can and spread trash all over the lawn.

2. Father’s retirement party will be at the Legion hall; he worked at the factory for 38 years.

3. Andy and Tim wanted to buy a new baseball, but they did not have enough money.

4. The bear’s claws and teeth terrified the campers.

5. Amy worked 62 hours last week, yet her boss was unimpressed.

6. Tiffany picked flowers in the meadow and made a bouquet for her mother.

7. The owl and the mouse eyed each other carefully in the bright moonlight.

8. For years, the old man in the mansion has been feared and has been loathed by the townspeople.

9. The winning lottery ticket brought wealth to Thomas; it also ended his friendship with Carl.

10. An eagle landed and rested on a fencepost in our backyard; it had been spotted in the area three days ago.



E X E R C I S E 2

Understanding Compound Subjects, Predicates, and Sentences

Write sentences containing the elements described in each of the directions below.

1. compound subject

2. compound predicate

3. compound subject and compound predicate

4. compound sentence using conjunction or

5. compound sentence using conjunction yet

6. compound sentence using conjunction for

7. compound sentence using semicolon

8. compound subject and compound sentence

9. compound predicate and compound sentence

10. compound subject, compound predicate, and compound sentence

E X E R C I S E 3

Using Compound Subjects, Predicates, and Sentences in Your Writing

Imagine that you are a screenwriter. For your agent, write a scene for the pilot episode of a new television drama. Keep in mind that you’ll need to establish the setting, introduce characters, and set up the episode’s conflict. Include in your scene five of the different combinations of compound elements listed in Exercise 2. Use your own sheet of paper for this exercise.



Name: ____________________________________________________ Date: __________________

LESSON 5

Identifying the Parts of Speech

Each word in a sentence performs a basic function or task. Words perform four basic tasks: they name, modify, express action or state of being, or link. By the arrangement of words in a sentence and the task that each word performs within a sentence, you can understand a sentence’s meaning. To illustrate how parts of speech work together, try to decipher the following nonsense sentence.

exampleThe darhmy, tramk puffums skeggered swin and swain.

What nonsense noun is the subject of the sentence? What adjectives modify the word puffums? Which nonsense verb expresses the action in the sentence? If you substitute real words for the nonsense words, but keep the same arrangement of words, you can identify the nouns, verb, and adjectives in the sentence.

exampleThe heavy, dark clouds threatened wind and rain.

There are eight different parts of speech. Each part of speech is defined in the following chart.

Part of Speech Definition

noun A noun names a person, place, thing, or idea.

pronoun A pronoun is used in place of a noun.

verb A verb expresses action or a state of being.

adjective An adjective modifies a noun or pronoun. The most common adjectives are the articles a, an, and the.

adverb An adverb modifies a verb, an adjective, or another adverb.

preposition A preposition shows the relationship between its object—a noun or a pronoun—and another word in a sentence. Common prepositions include after, around, at, behind, beside, off, through, until, upon, and with.

conjunction A conjunction joins words or groups of words. Common conjunctions are and, but, for, nor, or, so, and yet.

interjection An interjection is a word used to express emotion. Common interjections are oh, ah, well, hey, and wow.



examplesnoun Felix the cat curled up in my lap, shedding his fur all over

my pants.pronoun We remember how well you treated our grandmother

when she visited.verb The mischievous squirrels scrambled up the tree and

chased each other in circles.adjective On the dark and dreary day, they watched old classic

movies on television.adverb Max jumped quickly into the pool, nearly landing on the

raft.preposition Beside the edge of the ravine, the hikers waited for the

others in their group.conjunction Neither Kim nor Betsy wanted to be late, so they ran as fast

as they could.interjection Hey! Wait for me!

E X E R C I S E 1

Identifying the Parts of Speech in Literature

Identify the part of speech of each underlined word in the following excerpt.

Rikki-tikki’s 1eyes grew 2red again, and 3he 4danced up to Karait 5with the 6peculiar rocking, swaying motion that he had inherited 7from his family. 8It looks very funny, 9but it is so 10perfectly balanced a gait that you can 11fly off from it at any angle you please; 12and in dealing with 13snakes this is an advantage. If 14Rikki-tikki had only known, he was doing a much more dangerous thing than fighting Nag, 15for Karait is so 16small and can 17turn so 18quickly that unless Rikki 19bit 20him close 21to the back of 22the 23head, he would get the return stroke 24in 25his eye or his lip.

from “Rikki-Tikki-Tavi,” page 85Rudyard Kipling

1.

2.

3.

4.

5.

6.

7.

8.

9.

10.

11.

12.

13.

14.

15.

16.

17.

18.



E X E R C I S E 2

Understanding the Parts of Speech

Use each word and its designated part of speech in a sentence.

examplessnored (verb) The black bear snored while deep in hibernation.snoring (adjective) The snoring bear will not wake from its hibernation

until spring.

1. them (pronoun)

2. courage (noun)

3. request (verb)

4. honestly (adverb)

5. beneath (preposition)

6. but (conjunction)

7. oh (interjection)

8. cunning (adjective)

19.

20.

21.

22.

23.

24.

25.



9. green (adjective)

10. laughter (noun)

E X E R C I S E 3

Using the Parts of Speech in Your Writing

Write a paragraph to be shared with classmates, in which you describe your idea of Utopia, a place where all people would live together in peace and harmony. What would the place look like? What would people do there? Include in your paragraph at least three examples of each part of speech.



Name: ____________________________________________________ Date: __________________

LESSON 6

Common and Proper Nouns

A noun is a part of speech that names a person, place, idea, or thing. In this unit, you’ll learn about the different kinds of nouns and what they name.

examplespeople Sidney, teacher, mother, photographerplaces city, Wrigley Field, Kentuckyideas admiration, addition, relief, planthings checkerboard, butterfly, flight, ring

Type of Noun Definition Examples

common noun names a person, place, idea, or thing uncle, street, truth, pencil

proper noun names a specific person, place, or thing; begins with capital letter

Jefferson, 32nd Street, Declaration of Independence

concrete noun names a thing that can be touched, seen, heard, smelled, or tasted

shirt, picture, chimes, smoke, apple

abstract noun names an idea, a theory, a concept, or a feeling criticism, relativity, Modernism, happiness

singular noun names one person, place, idea, or thing referee, lake, wisdom, door

plural noun names more than one thing referees, lakes, opinions, doors

possessive noun shows ownership or possession of things or qualities

Matt’s, Mrs. Thompson’s, men’s, doctor’s

compound noun made up of two or more words supermarket, apple pie, daughter-in-law

collective noun names groups team, council, legislature

The two basic kinds of nouns are common nouns and proper nouns. A common noun names any person, place, thing, or idea. Common nouns are usually not capitalized.

examplescommon nounsany person The quarterback signed autographs for his fans.any place A valley is located between two hills or mountains.any thing A padlock prevented thieves from opening the door.any idea The beauty of the sunset awed the onlookers.



A proper noun names a specific person, place, or thing, and begins with a capital letter.

examplescommon nouns governor, statue, streetproper nouns Jesse, Statue of Liberty, Pennsylvania Avenue

E X E R C I S E 1

Identifying Common and Proper Nouns in Literature

Identify the underlined nouns in the passage below as either common or proper.

Each youngster had a 1dream of someday becoming lightweight champion of the world. Every chance they had the 2boys worked out, sometimes at the 3Boys Club on 410th Street and 5Avenue A and sometimes at the pro’s gym on 614th Street. Early morning 7sunrises would find them running along the 8East River Drive, wrapped in 9sweat shirts, short 10towels around their necks, and handkerchiefs Apache style around their foreheads.

from “Amigo Brothers,” page 163Piri Thomas

1.

2.

3.

4.

5.

6.

7.

8.

9.

10.

E X E R C I S E 2

Understanding Common and Proper Nouns

For each common noun listed below, write two proper nouns.

1. newspaper

2. musician

3. ocean

4. town

5. ballplayer

6. sibling

7. journal



8. lake

9. star

10. restaurant

11. capital

12. nation

13. movie

14. legislator

15. student

16. island

17. college

18. store

19. song

20. lawyer

E X E R C I S E 3

Using Common and Proper Nouns in Your Writing

Write a paragraph to be shared with classmates, in which you describe a trip that you have taken. Include in your description some of the interesting sites you visited. Underline and label five common nouns and five proper nouns in your paragraph. Notice how the use of proper nouns helps to make your description more specific.



Name: ____________________________________________________ Date: __________________

LESSON 7

Singular and Plural Nouns

Nouns that represent one person, place, idea, or thing are called singular nouns. Nouns that represent more than one person, place, idea, or thing are called plural nouns. Most nouns can be made plural simply by adding –s to the end of the word. The spelling of some nouns changes slightly when the words are made plural, depending on how the word ends. Some nouns have the same spelling in both the singular and the plural forms.

examplesplural nounsFor most nouns, to form the plural add –s to the end of the word.

building buildings taco tacospaper papers thing things

If a noun ends in s, sh, ch, x, or z, add –es.pass passes dish dishes catch catchesfox foxes topaz topazes

If a noun ends in o preceded by a consonant, add –es.hero heroes dodo dodoes potato potatoes

If a noun ends in y preceded by a consonant, change the y to i and add –es.berry berries dairy dairies poppy poppies

For some nouns that end in f or fe, change the f to v and add –es or –s.loaf loaves life lives half halves

E X E R C I S E 1

Identifying Singular and Plural Nouns in Literature

Identify the underlined nouns in the following passage. Indicate whether they are singular or plural.

In 1homeroom, roll was taken, emergency 2cards were passed out, and they were given a 3bulletin to take home to their 4parents. The principal, 5Mr. Belton, spoke over the crackling 6loudspeaker, welcoming the 7students to a new 8year, new 9experiences, and new 10friendships. The students squirmed in their chairs and ignored him.

from “Seventh Grade,” page 212Gary Soto



E X E R C I S E 2

Correcting Singular and Plural Nouns

For each singular noun in items 1–10, write the correct plural form. In items 11–20 correct the error in the plural nouns listed. Write correct if the plural form is correct. You may need to use a dictionary to check your work.

1. writer

2. key

3. volcano

4. gazebo

5. canary

6. lottery

7. elf

8. knife

9. calf

10. jellyfish

11. roachs

12. burritos

13. potatos

14. factorys

15. dwarfs

16. rice

17. wolfs

18. witchs

19. datums

20. cods

E X E R C I S E 3

Using Singular and Plural Nouns in Your Writing

Write a paragraph describing the town or city you live in to someone who has never seen it. Use at least five singular and five plural nouns.

1.

2.

3.

4.

5.

6.

7.

8.

9.

10.



Name: ____________________________________________________ Date: __________________

LESSON 8

Possessive Nouns

Nouns that show ownership or possession of things or qualities are called possessive nouns. A possessive noun names who or what has something. Possessive nouns can be singular or plural. An apostrophe is used to form the possessive of nouns. To form the possessive of a singular noun, add an apostrophe and an s to the end of the word.

examplessingular possessive nounsJim’s game is on Friday. (Jim + ’s = Jim’s)Mr. Taylor’s car needs an oil change. (Taylor + ’s = Taylor’s)

The possessive of a plural noun is formed two different ways. If the plural noun does not end in s, you add an apostrophe and an s to the end of the word. If the plural noun ends with an s, add only an apostrophe.

examplesplural possessive nounsThe men’s books are located on the second floor of the library.(men + ’s = men’s)

The dogs’ hunger drove them to eat the birthday cake.(dogs + ’ = dogs’)

E X E R C I S E 1

Identifying Possessive Nouns

Indicate whether the underlined nouns in the following sentences are plural or possessive, or both plural and possessive.

1. Author Milton Meltzer has written about the lives of several queens.

2. Meltzer’s book, Ten Queens: Portraits of Women in Power, has a section on Elizabeth.

3. Elizabeth I became England’s queen in 1558.

4. Elizabeth took the throne after her half sister’s death.



5. Many Protestants were happy Elizabeth became queen.

6. The Catholics’ anger toward the queen led to conflict.

7. Spanish leaders sent ships to attack England.

8. The English sailors’ bravery helped lead to victory in battle.

9. Several family members tried to end the monarch’s reign.

10. Elizabeth responded by having her cousin, the Scots’ queen, beheaded.

E X E R C I S E 2

Understanding How to Form Possessive Nouns

Write the correct possessive form of each underlined word or group of words.

1. bear paw

2. friend loyalty

3. children books

4. rabbits cages

5. bike tire

6. Gorbachev speech

7. desert heat

8. Los Angeles smog

9. computer keyboard

10. fish bowl

11. Jesus parables

12. Twain novels



E X E R C I S E 3

Using Possessive Nouns

For each sentence write the correct possessive form of the underlined noun.

13. city government

14. ballplayers grievances

15. population unemployment rate

16. cavemen caves

17. hens eggs

18. Phil opinion

19. lion roar

20. tides risings

1. Roberto Clemente was one of Puerto Rico most famous athletes.

2. A ballplayers dream is to play in the Major Leagues.

3. The best competitors earn their teammates respect.

4. Clemente teacher encouraged him to play baseball.

5. He later paid his teacher doctor bills.

6. Clemente starred as one of the league best right fielders.

7. The Pirates success increased after Clemente joined the team.

8. The team World Series victory in 1971 put Clemente in the national spotlight.

9. Pittsburgh left fielder Willie Stargell was his close friend.

10. Clemente died a hero death in 1972.



Name: ____________________________________________________ Date: __________________

LESSON 9

Compound Nouns and Collective Nouns

A compound noun is a noun made up of two or more words. Some compound nouns are written as one word, some as two or more words, and some as hyphenated words.

examplesone word godfather, seahorse, rosebudtwo or more words Washington Monument, San Antonio, flying circus,

chief of staffhyphenated father-in-law, aide-de-camp, space-time continuum

Most compound nouns form their plurals by adding s or es at the end. In other cases, when one part of the compound noun is modified by another part, they add an s or es to the part that is modified.

E X E R C I S E 1

Identifying Compound Nouns

Underline the compound nouns in the following sentences.

1. My uncle Bob is a district attorney.

2. Joel was happy he had the chance to meet the Speaker of the House.

3. My great-grandmother Agnes keeps leaving her purse in the refrigerator.

4. The detective did a lot of spadework to solve the case.

5. We went to the museum to see the crossbow on display.

6. At night, Lynda becomes a masked superhero who fights crime in the city.

7. The painter was a popular neo-impressionist.

8. Jessica often works with hydrochloric acid in the research lab.

9. In the 1980s, the world’s top female weightlifters were usually East Germans.

10. The soldiers used flamethrowers to keep ground squirrels off the firing range.

11. I learned the flutter kick when I was a ninth-grader.

12. Earl ran an insurance company in New Mexico.

13. Ken waved the baseball bat through the air like it was a broadsword.

001-048_Gr07_Gram&Style_3R.indd Sec1:28001-048_Gr07_Gram&Style_3R.indd Sec1:28 3/24/09 11:48:24 AM3/24/09 11:48:24 AM


14. The party ended when we ran out of ice cubes.

15. Our team’s wide receivers keep running into the goalposts.

16. Prime Minister Gordon Brown met with the secretary of defense today.

17. We bought a house on a cul-de-sac.

18. Pickup trucks are useful for hauling firewood.

19. I read a book about a field marshall from Austria-Hungary.

20. My sister used to like to ride on merry-go-rounds.

E X E R C I S E 2

Understanding Plural Compound Nouns

Write the plural form of the compound noun in parentheses to complete each sentence. You may need to use a dictionary to check your answers.

1. We saw several (silverfish) in the water.

2. The meeting of the (joint chief of staff) was top secret.

3. Several countries in the world have (merchant marine).

4. The buildup of (natural gas) in the basement could be dangerous.

5. Did you remember to feed the (Yorkshire terrier) last night?

6. Our vacation took a turn for the worse after we offended the (witch doctor).

7. Generals from several (standing army) were present at the conference.

8. The warriors were all armed with (battle axe).

9. (Creampuff) are among my favorite desserts.



10. My grandfather has installed (public-address system) at many stadiums.

E X E R C I S E 3

Using Compound Nouns

Write a sentence using each of the compound nouns listed below.

1. dragonfly

2. know-it-all

3. fire station

4. powder room

5. right-of-way

6. great-granddaughter

7. station wagon

8. sunglasses

9. wildcat

10. grizzly bear



Collective NounsCollective nouns name groups—such as family, committee, and class—that are made up of individuals. A collective noun may be either singular or plural, depending on how the group acts. When the group acts together as one unit to do something, the group is considered singular. When individuals within the group act differently or do different things at the same time, the collective noun is plural.

examplessingular The team plays better in night games. The herd sleeps for seven hours each night.plural The team can’t agree about where to eat. The herd often fight among themselves.

E X E R C I S E 4

Identifying Collective Nouns

Underline the five collective nouns in the following paragraph.

Our class recently took a trip to Washington, D.C. We had an opportunity to watch

the legislature debate an important bill. The press was especially interested in

the outcome of the debate. When the session ended the bill was sent back to a

Senate committee. The Congress worked very hard that day.

E X E R C I S E 5

Understanding Collective Noun-Verb Agreement

Underline the collective noun in each of the following sentences. Then complete each sentence by using the correct form of the verb in parentheses.

1. The crowd (expresses, express) its disapproval of the play.

2. The band (plays, play) their solos to warm up for the show.

3. A platoon (attacks, attack) the hill north of the town.

4. Our fleet (sails, sail) south today.

5. The gang of thieves (fights, fight) each other over the money they stole.

6. That cluster of stars (shines, shine) brightest after midnight.

7. A murder of crows (targets, target) my car after I wash it.

8. The coven (casts, cast) their most devious spells on Halloween.



9. Each party (nominates, nominate) a candidate to run for president.

10. The tribunal (rules, rule) on cases that involve military officers.

E X E R C I S E 6

Using Collective Nouns in Your Writing

Write a paragraph about one of the following groups: an association, a league, an organization, a squad, or a group of your own choosing. Describe the group, including its activities. In your description use a collective noun so that it is singular at least once and plural at least once.



Name: ____________________________________________________ Date: __________________

LESSON 10

Pronouns

A pronoun is used in place of a noun. Sometimes a pronoun refers to a specific person or thing. Pronouns can help your writing flow more smoothly. Without pronouns, your writing can sound awkward and repetitive. Take a look at the following examples, which show the same sentence written without and with pronouns.

exampleswithout pronouns Terry went for a walk on Terry’s farm to inspect Terry’s

peach trees and apple trees and later decided to pick some fruit from the peach trees and apple trees.

with pronouns Terry went for a walk on his farm to inspect his peach trees and apple trees and later decided to pick some fruit from them.

The most commonly used pronouns are personal pronouns, reflexive and intensive pronouns, possessive pronouns, demonstrative pronouns, indefinite pronouns, interrogative pronouns, and relative pronouns.

Type of Pronoun Definition Examples

personal pronoun used in place of the name of a person or thing I, me, we, us, he, she, it, him, her, you, they, them, mine, yours, his, hers, ours, theirs

indefinite pronoun points out a person, place, or thing, but not a specific or definite one

one, someone, anything, other, all, few, nobody

reflexive pronoun refers back to a noun previously used; adds –self and –selves to other pronoun forms

myself, herself, yourself, themselves, ourselves

intensive pronoun emphasizes a noun or pronoun I myself, he himself, you yourself, they themselves, we ourselves

interrogative pronoun asks a question who, whose, whom, what, which

demonstrative pronoun

points out a specific person, place, idea, or thing this, these, that, those

relative pronoun introduces an adjective clause that, which, who, whose, whom



A personal pronoun is used in place of the name of a person or thing. Personal pronouns are singular, plural, or possessive.

Type of Pronoun Definition Examples

singular used in place of the name of one person or thing I, me, you, he, she, it, him, her

plural used in place of more than one person or thing we, us, you, they, them

possessive shows ownership or possession mine, yours, his, hers, ours, theirs

Use personal pronouns to refer to yourself (first person), to refer to people to whom you are talking (second person), and to refer to other people, places, and things (third person).

examplesfirst person the speaker or speakers talk about themselves: I, me, my,

mine, we, us, our, ourssecond person the speaker talks about the person talked to: you, your,

yoursthird person the speaker talks about someone or something else: he, him,

his, she, her, hers, it, its, they, them, their, theirs

E X E R C I S E 1

Identifying Pronouns in Literature

Underline the fourteen pronouns in the following passage.

Thinking about it now, I don’t see how he kept us at it. It was hard work, lugging

paper sacks and boxes of dirt all the way up the stairs of our own building, keeping

out of the way of the grown-ups so they wouldn’t catch on to what we were doing.

They probably wouldn’t have cared, for they didn’t pay much attention to us, but

we wanted to keep it secret anyway.from “Antaeus,” page 199

Borden Deal

E X E R C I S E 2

Understanding Pronouns

Rewrite each of the following sentences or sentence pairs. Use pronouns in place of any repetitive nouns or groups of nouns.



1. Adam and Geoff gave many speeches appealing to the voters. Adam and Geoff both wanted the voters’ support.

2. Adam wants to debate Geoff. Adam and Geoff disagree on many issues.

3. Bill said that Adam and Geoff could use Bill’s television show as a forum for Adam and Geoff ’s debate.

4. In October the two opponents held a debate. The two opponents realized that it would take the two opponents three more debates to cover all of the issues.

5. Lori told Lori’s father that Geoff needed a good campaign advisor. Lori’s father brought Lori’s father’s former advisor to Geoff ’s campaign headquarters.

6. Adam and I read articles about Geoff ’s campaign advisor. Adam and I wondered if Geoff ’s campaign advisor was from Adam’s home state.

7. “Yes,” Adam’s wife said, “Geoff ’s campaign advisor is from Adam and Adam’s wife’s home state.”

8. Joel asked Adam and Adam’s wife: “Do Adam and Adam’s wife want to campaign in Florida this weekend?” Joel wanted Adam and Adam’s wife to go with Joel to Disney World.



9. Joel liked Disney World’s many attractions. Disney World’s rides bought Joel much happiness.

10. The candidates reserved a flight for the candidates to travel to Orlando.

E X E R C I S E 3

Using Pronouns in Your Writing

Write a paragraph for a classmate, in which you describe a round in a boxing match. Begin your paragraph with this sentence: “The tired champion stepped slowly out to the middle of the ring.” Use at least five different pronouns in your descriptive paragraph.



Name: ____________________________________________________ Date: __________________

LESSON 11

Pronouns and Antecedents

As you know, a pronoun is a word used in place of one noun or more than one noun. The word that a pronoun stands for is called its antecedent. The antecedent clarifies the meaning of the pronoun. The pronoun may appear in the same sentence as its antecedent or in a following sentence.

examplesWhere is Michael? He is at the library.(Michael is the antecedent of He.)

Amy’s black dog barks loudly because he is hungry.(Dog is the antecedent of he.)

E X E R C I S E 1

Identifying Pronouns and Antecedents

Underline the personal pronoun(s) in each of the following sentences or sentence pairs. Then draw an arrow to the antecedent to which each pronoun refers.

1. Edward Estlin Cummings was born in Cambridge, Massachusetts. He was the son of a minister.

2. Cummings attended Harvard College, studying language and literature in its classrooms.

3. He served in World War I and wrote letters critical of the war. They led to his arrest by the French.

4. Cummings’s imprisonment provided material for his first book, The Enormous Room.

5. Cummings wrote many poems after the war, and they reflected a unique writing style.

6. Critics responded to Cummings’s work, but at first they were unsure about him.

7. Cummings also painted many pictures, many of them very good.

8. Tony and Suzanne went to the city library yesterday. They found that it contained many works by Cummings.

9. Cummings was frequently imitated by other poets. They were influenced by his writing.

10. Robert Frost was another twentieth-century poet. He was even more popular than Cummings.



E X E R C I S E 2

Understanding Pronouns and Antecedents

Complete the second sentence in each of the following sentence pairs with the correct pronoun. Then write the pronoun’s antecedent.

1. I recently watched a movie called 61*. is about baseball.

2. The movie focuses on two ballplayers, Roger Maris and Mickey Mantle.

played for the New York Yankees.

3. The plot focuses on the quest to break a record held by Babe Ruth.

also played for the Yankees.

4. Mantle and Maris were both famous ballplayers. I had read many books about

.

5. My friend James enjoyed watching 61*. The drama of the movie captivated

.

6. Jeff and Cynthia also liked 61*. It is one of favorite movies.

7. Cynthia does not like the Yankees. Jeff likes to tease when they win the World Series.

8. Jeff and Cynthia decided to write a review of the movie. took notes while watching it.



9. James and I offered to proofread the review. like to read their work.

10. Jeff and Cynthia were grateful for the help James and I provided. They took

out to dinner.

E X E R C I S E 3

Using Pronouns and Antecedents in Your Writing

Write a brief description of a recent family activity, to be read by your grandchildren. In your description, you might include who was present, where you went, and what you did. Use at least five different pronouns in your description. Check your writing for correct pronoun-antecedent agreement. Then draw an arrow from each pronoun to the antecedent to which it refers.



Name: ____________________________________________________ Date: __________________

LESSON 12

Subject and Object Pronouns

Personal pronouns are sometimes used as the subjects of sentences. Personal pronouns are also used as the objects of verbs or prepositions. A subject pronoun is used as the subject of a sentence. An object pronoun is used as the object of a verb or a preposition.

examplessubject pronoun Betty likes to read. She often shops at the bookstore.

(subject of sentence) object pronoun Suspense novels sometimes scare her. (direct object of

the verb scare)object pronoun Betty’s friend sent her a suspense novel. (indirect object

of the verb sent)object pronoun Betty might offer the book to you. (object of the

preposition to)

Singular Plural

used as subjects I youhe, she, it

we you they

used as objects me youhim, her, it

usyouthem

E X E R C I S E 1

Identifying Subject and Object Pronouns in Literature

Identify each of the underlined words as either a subject pronoun or an object pronoun. Write your answers on the corresponding lines below.

My mother looked at my face hopefully when 1I came into the room. 2I gave 3her a quick shake of the head. 4She looked bewildered. 5I felt bad for my mother then. How could 6I explain 7it to 8her? 9I didn’t understand 10it myself. 11We left, saying polite good-byes to all the other mothers.

from “Hollywood and the Pits,” page 141Cherylene Lee



Subject and object pronouns are also used in compound subjects and compound objects.

examplesMark and Claire walked quickly down the road.He and she walked quickly down the road.(He and she form the compound subject.)

Several flowers along the road looked pretty to Mark and Claire.Several flowers along the road looked pretty to him and her. (Him and her form the compound object.)

Use the subject pronoun I and the object pronoun me last when they are part of the compound subject or object.

examplescompound subjectincorrect I and Fred decided to climb the mountain.correct Fred and I decided to climb the mountain.

compound objectincorrect Shelly wanted me and Sidney to finish the brief today.correct Shelly wanted Sidney and me to finish the brief today.

E X E R C I S E 2

Understanding Subject and Object Pronouns

Choose the correct subject or object pronoun(s) in parentheses to complete each sentence. Then identify each pronoun as either a subject pronoun or an object pronoun.

1. Fred sent (we, us) to the store to buy milk.

2. Julie and (I, me) finished addressing the invitations.

1.

2.

3.

4.

5.

6.

7.

8.

9.

10.

11.



3. Because of Kenneth’s incompetence, the boss gave (he, him) a pink slip.

4. Dorian discovered the gold coins and stuffed (they, them) into his bag.

5. Candace, needing a ride, got in the car with (she, her).

6. It is so exciting that they selected (I, me) to be on the game show.

7. How many times have (they, them) tried to rob that bank?

8. (She, her) and (he, him) will be getting married today.

9. (He, him) helped (we, us) hide the evidence before the police arrived.

10. Will you allow (I, me) the honor of introducing you?

E X E R C I S E 3

Using Subject and Object Pronouns in Your Writing

Write a paragraph recommending to a classmate a story or book that you have recently read. Provide details about the story or book, and correctly use subject and object pronouns in the paragraph.



Name: ____________________________________________________ Date: __________________

LESSON 13

Possessive Pronouns

A possessive pronoun is a kind of pronoun that shows who or what has something. Possessive pronouns have two forms. When a possessive pronoun stands alone, it acts as a pronoun. When a possessive pronoun is used before a noun, it acts as an adjective.

examplesused alone The flowers are yours. Sink this putt and victory will be ours. The blue car in that lot is mine.

used before nouns I already put the saddle on his horse. My paper is delivered each day at 6:00 a.m. Please send me their ideas this afternoon.

Singular Plural

used alone mine yourshers, his, its

oursyourstheirs

used as adjectives my yourher, his, its

our yourtheir

E X E R C I S E 1

Identifying Possessive Pronouns in Literature

Underline the possessive pronouns in the following passage.

Jed’s mother smiled at him, wiped her hands on her apron. It was the first time

he had really noticed the way his mother always wiped her hands on her apron

before she spoke when they were at the table. She used the same care with her

words that she did in making their food.from “Jed’s Grandfather,” page 191

Joseph Bruchac



E X E R C I S E 2

Understanding Possessive Pronouns

Write a sentence using each of the following possessive pronouns.

1. mine

2. yours

3. hers

4. its

5. ours

6. theirs

7. his (used before a noun)

8. my

9. their

10. our



E X E R C I S E 3

Using Possessive Pronouns in Your Writing

Write a paragraph to a pen pal, in which you describe a friend. What are some of his or her best qualities? What is one of your favorite memories of time spent with your friend? Use five different possessive pronouns in your paragraph.



Name: ____________________________________________________ Date: __________________

LESSON 14

Indefinite Pronouns

An indefinite pronoun points out a person, place, or thing, but not a particular or definite one. The chart below lists indefinite pronouns.

Singular Plural

someone everything many

somebody another few

something either both

anyone neither several

anybody each others

anything one

everyone nobody

everybody nothing

examplesEveryone stops talking once class begins.Something is out there making that noise.

Don’t be confused if a phrase comes between an indefinite pronoun and the verb in a sentence. When an indefinite pronoun is the subject of a sentence, it must agree in number with the verb. However, the indefinate pronouns all, any, more, most, none, and some can be singular or plural.

examplesSome of the work was done. (singular)Some of the deputies serve all year long. (plural)

E X E R C I S E 1

Identifying Indefinite Pronouns

Underline the indefinite pronouns in the following sentences.

1. After the shark was sighted, few of the swimmers went back into the ocean.

2. The lifeguard said that anyone who went back in would be at risk.

3. Everybody in my group decided to stay on the land.

4. One of the swimmers went back into the water.



5. After seeing him back out there, both of the swimmer’s brothers yelled at him.

6. Most of the crowd on the beach watched with anticipation.

7. Several of the lifeguards discussed whether they should go get the swimmer.

8. After talking it over, none of the lifeguards wanted to take the risk.

9. The tension caused several of the people on the beach to pass out.

10. Nothing could have prepared us for what we saw next.

E X E R C I S E 2

Understanding Indefinite Pronouns

Underline the indefinite pronoun in each of the following sentences. Then select the word or words in parentheses that correctly complete the sentence. Tell whether the indefinite pronoun is singular or plural.

exampleAnyone who (swim, swims) well can make it across the river.(Anyone, swims, singular)

1. When I enter the room, everything (moves, move) to a different location.

2. Several of the explorers (describes, describe) similar experiences.

3. Each of the objects (seems, seem) to be alive for a moment.

4. Upon closer examination, none of the items (looks, look) unusual.

5. Others down the hall (feels, feel) that magic is at work among us.

6. Some of my courage (flits, flit) away when I hear such talk.

7. Nothing they say (keeps, keep) me from my task, however.

8. I know that most of my friends (believes, believe) I am crazy for coming here.



9. If any of them (asks, ask) why I explore, I try to explain.

10. Nobody truly (understands, understand) what motivates me to take such risks.

E X E R C I S E 3

Using Indefinite Pronouns

Write ten sentences using the indefinite pronouns below.

1. another

2. someone

3. one

4. anything

5. all

6. some

7. much

8. both

9. everybody

10. others



Name: ____________________________________________________ Date: __________________

LESSON 15

Action Verbs and State of Being Verbs

A verb is a word used to express action or a state of being. An action verb may express physical action or mental action. The action may or may not be one that you see—but, either way, an action verb tells you that something is happening, has happened, or will happen.

examplesphysical action My thirsty horse drinks water from the stream. The angry bull charged at the farm hands.mental action Finally, I memorized the list of names. Richard worries too much about problems.

A state of being verb does not tell about an action. A state of being verb tells you when and where someone or something exists. State of being verbs are formed from the verb to be.

Forms of Be

am be being was are been is were

examplesThe red pen is on the table.My sisters were in the garage.

E X E R C I S E 1

Identifying Action Verbs and State of Being Verbs in Literature

Tell whether each of the underlined verbs is an action verb or a state of being verb. Write your answers on the corresponding lines below.

I 1was too small for any sport but tennis. I learned to 2swim when I 3was very young, but I was always a bit afraid of water, even if there was no way to 4avoid Brook Pool on my doorstep. My father wouldn’t let me 5play football because of my size, which 6was a disappointment, so I tried to make up for it by 7working harder in other activities. When I wasn’t sitting on the front porch of our house buried in a book, I played baseball, basketball, and tennis.

from “Off The Court,” page 297Arthur Ashe



E X E R C I S E 2

Understanding Action Verbs and State of Being Verbs

Complete each of the following sentences. Include in the predicate an action verb or state of being verb, as indicated.

examplesThe chocolate chip cookies (state of being verb)(The chocolate chip cookies are in the oven.)

A wary lion (action verb)(A wary lion growled at the safari tourists.)

1. The small kittens (state of being verb)

2. A curious squirrel (action verb)

3. My brother’s attorney (state of being verb)

4. To escape, we (action verb)

5. An apple and an orange (state of being verb)

6. The yellow canoe (action verb)

7. A good fishing creek (state of being verb)

8. Beside the gray elephant (state of being verb)

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5.

6.

7.



9. The alert baby (action verb)

10. Her mother’s parakeet (action verb)

E X E R C I S E 3

Using Action Verbs and State of Being Verbs in Your Writing

Imagine that you are participating in some sort of competition. The competition can be in any sport or activity. Imagine that you are at a break in the competition—halftime, for example. For a relative, write a brief description of your experience thus far in the competition. Use three different state of being verbs and three different action verbs in your description. Carefully choose your action verbs to make your description vivid.



Name: ____________________________________________________ Date: __________________

LESSON 16

Linking and Helping Verbs

Like a state of being verb, a linking verb does not express an action. A linking verb links, or connects, the subject with a word or words in the predicate that describe or rename the subject.

examplesThe chocolate cake was rich. (The verb was connects the subject cake with a word that describes it—rich.)The wind and rain are cold. (The verb are connects the compound subject wind and rain with a word that describes it—cold.)

Linking verbs can be formed from the verb to be.

examples

am be being was are been is were

The common linking verbs are listed below.

Linking Verbsforms of be feel remain soundbecome grow seem tasteappear look smell

examplesThe apple pie tastes tart. (The linking verb tastes connects the subject pie with a word that describes the pie—tart.)

Our dance instructor became frustrated with the class. (The linking verb became connects the subject instructor with a word that describes the instructor—frustrated.)

Note that some linking verbs can also be used as action verbs.

exampleslinking verb Shelly remained optimistic about the trip.action verb Three fish remained in the pond.linking verb The ice cream tasted smooth and sweet.action verb The cat tasted tuna in the bowl.linking verb Our basement no longer feels damp and cold.action verb He feels a hole in the exhaust pipe.



E X E R C I S E 1

Identifying Linking Verbs in Literature

Identify the underlined verbs in the following literature passage as linking verbs or action verbs. Write your answers on the corresponding lines below.

He was born in Carolina, Puerto Rico. Today the town has about 125,000 people, but when Roberto was born there in 1934, it 1was roughly one-sixth its current size. María Isabella Casares 2is a schoolteacher. She 3has taught the children of Carolina for thirty years. Most of her teaching has been done in tenth-grade history classes. Carolina 4is her home and its children 5are her children. And among all of those whom she 6calls her own (who are all the children she taught), Roberto Clemente 7was something even more special to her.

from “A Bittersweet Memoir,” page 322Jerry Izenberg

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7.

E X E R C I S E 2

Understanding Linking Verbs

Use each of the following linking verbs in a sentence. If you wish, you may change the form of the verbs.

exampleis (form of be) (She is very tired right now.)

1. seem

2. was (form of be)

3. taste

4. smell



5. become

6. grow

7. sound

8. appear

9. feel

10. look

E X E R C I S E 3

Using Linking Verbs in Your Writing

Imagine that you have discovered a new type of vegetable growing in your garden. Write a paragraph describing this unique and surprising plant. Include each of the following verbs. (You may include other verbs as well.) Use one of these verbs twice, once as an action verb and once as a linking verb.

taste smell sound seem grow



Helping Verbs

A helping verb helps the main verb to tell about an action. One or more helping verbs followed by a main verb is called a verb phrase. In the following examples, the verb phrases are underlined and the helping verbs appear in boldface.

examplesI am walking to the store.The children will be playing soccer after school.You must have been sleeping.

The common helping verbs and their forms are listed in the following chart.

Helping Verbs

Forms of be Forms of do Forms of have Other helping verbs

am do have can shall

is does has could should

are did had may will

was might would

were must

be

being

been

Helping VerbsSometimes helping verbs and main verbs are separated by other words.

examplesI did not wash our car today. (The helping verb did and the main verb wash are separated by the word not.)

The rabbits had obviously eaten all of our flowers. (The helping verb had and the main verb eaten are separated by the word obviously.)

Note that some helping verbs can also be used as main verbs.

examplesmain verb I had an apple yesterday.helping verb I had eaten an apple yesterday.

Sometimes a helping verb becomes part of a contraction with a pronoun or a negative word.



examplesI have been studying each day after school.I’ve been studying each day after school.

We will be flying to Phoenix this weekend.We’ll be flying to Phoenix this weekend.

She does not like to eat anything with caramel in it.She doesn’t like to eat anything with caramel in it.

E X E R C I S E 4

Identifying Helping Verbs in Literature

Underline the six verb phrases that contain a helping verb and a main verb in the following literature passage. Remember that a word or group of words might separate a helping verb and main verb.

All that has gone before was preliminary. We have been preparing ourselves

mentally for what lies ahead. Many problems remain, but if we can avoid

a devastating war we shall move with a rapidity scarcely to be believed. In

the past seventy years we have developed the automobile, radio, television,

transcontinental and transoceanic flight, and the electrification of the country,

among a multitude of other such developments. In 1900 there were 144 miles

of surfaced road in the United States. Now there are over 3,000,000. Paved roads

and the development of the automobile have gone hand in hand, the automobile

being civilized man’s antidote to overpopulation.

from “The Eternal Frontier,” page 291Louis L’Amour

E X E R C I S E 5

Understanding Helping Verbs

Complete the following sentences by adding one or more helping verbs that fit the meaning. Then identify the complete verb phrase.

exampleThose three convicts always found a way to escape from their cells. (have, have found)



1. Our neighbor spotted a rare bird flying in this area.

2. The soldiers stationed at a base in Germany.

3. Frankie joined us when he had the chance.

4. Before driving to work in the morning, Father try to complete a crossword puzzle.

5. I hoping to finish my work in time to watch the start of the game.

6. Hanna is not a good fielder yet, but she try to stay in front of the ball.

7. The incident down by the lake frequently recounted by the townspeople.

8. The fish in this lake

biting all afternoon.

9. Your cousins attending the party next month.

10. A police officer directed traffic at the intersection all day.

E X E R C I S E 6

Using Helping Verbs in Your Writing

Write a paragraph for a history teacher, in which you describe a current event that you’ve been following in the news. Use at least five different helping verbs in your paragraph.



Name: ____________________________________________________ Date: __________________

LESSON 17

Transitive and Intransitive Verbs

An action verb that has a direct object is called a transitive verb. An action verb that does not have a direct object is called an intransitive verb.

examplestransitive verb Jeff put the trophy on the shelf. (The trophy receives the

action, therefore it is the direct object of the transitive verb put.)

intransitive verb The shiny trophy gleamed under the light. (There is no direct object, therefore gleamed is an intransitive verb.)

E X E R C I S E 1

Identifying Transitive and Intransitive Verbs in Literature

Identify the underlined verbs in the following literature passage as either transitive or intransitive. If a verb is transitive, identify its direct object. Write your answers on the corresponding lines below.

Dinner 1threw me deeper into despair. My relatives 2licked the ends of their chopsticks and reached across the table, dipping them into the dozens or so plates of food. Robert and his family 3waited patiently for platters to be passed to them. My relatives 4murmured with pleasure when my mother 5brought out the whole steamed fish. Robert 6grimaced. Then my father 7poked his chopsticks just below the fish eye and plucked out the soft meat. “Amy, your favorite,” he 8said, offering me the tender fish cheek. I wanted to disappear.

from “Fish Cheeks,” page 317Amy Tan

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2.

3.

4.

5.

6.

7.

8.



E X E R C I S E 2

Understanding Transitive and Intransitive Verbs

Write a sentence using the transitive or intransitive verb indicated. Underline the verb. If the verb is transitive, then underline its direct object as well.

exampleslifted (transitive) (His brother lifted the hood to look at the engine.)talks (intransitive) (Bob talks too much in class.)

1. took (transitive)

2. believe (transitive)

3. started (intransitive)

4. is humming (intransitive)

5. leaves (transitive)

6. bought (transitive)

7. hear (transitive)

8. cooked (intransitive)

9. close (transitive)

10. had lost (transitive)



E X E R C I S E 3

Using Transitive and Intransitive Verbs in Your Writing

Write a descriptive paragraph to a pen pal about a form of transportation you have taken at least once during the past week. Use at least three transitive verbs and three intransitive verbs in your paragraph.



Name: ____________________________________________________ Date: __________________

LESSON 18

Verb Tenses

The Simple Tenses

Verbs have different forms, called tenses, which are used to tell the time in which an action takes place. In your writing and speaking, you most commonly use the simple tenses. The simple tenses of the verb are present, past, and future.

The present tense tells that an action happens now—in the present time.

examplespresent tense singular The green frog jumps into the pond.present tense plural The green frogs jump into the pond.present tense singular The teacher walks down the hall.present tense plural The teachers walk down the hall.

The past tense tells that an action happened in the past—prior to the present time. The past tense of a regular verb is formed by adding –d or –ed to the present verb form.

examplespast tense singular The green frog jumped into the pond.past tense plural The green frogs jumped into the pond.past tense singular The teacher walked down the hall.past tense plural The teachers walked down the hall.

The future tense tells that an action will happen in the future. The future tense is formed by adding the word will or shall before the present verb form.

examplesfuture tense singular The green frog will jump into the pond.future tense plural The green frogs will jump into the pond.future tense singular The teacher shall walk down the hall.future tense plural The teachers shall walk down the hall.

The Perfect Tenses

The present perfect tense expresses an action or state of being that occurred at an indefinite time in the past or an action or state of being that began in the past and continues into the present. The past perfect and future perfect tenses express an action or state of being that precedes some other point in time.



present perfect(have or has + past participle)

singular: Vera has baked the birthday cake.plural: Vera and Hans have baked the birthday cake.

past perfect(had + past participle)

singular: Vera had baked the birthday cake.plural: Vera and Hans had baked the birthday cake.

future perfect(will have or shall have + past participle)

singular: Vera will have baked the birthday cake.plural: Vera and Hans will have baked the birthday cake.

E X E R C I S E 1

Identifying Verb Tenses in Literature

Identify the tenses of the underlined verbs in the following literature passage. Write your answers on the corresponding lines below.

That anyone 1had lived the fine life described in Chapter 3 2astonished me. Although the title page 3indicated quite plainly that one Ann Haven Morgan 4had written The Field Book of Ponds and Streams, I nevertheless 5imagined, perhaps from the authority and freedom of it, that the author was a man. It would be good to write him and assure him that someone 6had found his book, in the dark near the marble floor in the Homewood Library. I would, in the same letter or in a subsequent one, ask him a question outside the scope of his book, which was where I personally 7might find a pond, or a stream. But I did not know how to address such a letter, of course, or how to learn if he was still alive.

from “An American Childhood,” page 257Annie Dillard

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7.

E X E R C I S E 2

Understanding Verb Tenses

Rewrite each of the following sentences with the form of the verb given in parentheses.

exampleA cake baked by my grandmother usually (present of have) a pleasant taste. (A cake baked by my grandmother usually has a pleasant taste.)



1. Thomas (past of hope) that the show would be over by ten o’clock tonight.

2. Jenny (present of recite) a poem to the class each day.

3. The bear (past perfect of hibernate) for the past several months.

4. Tomorrow at this time, we (future of be) in New Orleans.

5. When we return from our trip, do you think that Joe (future perfect of decide) what to do with his money?

6. I wonder if Greg (future of work) for this firm again.

7. With little trouble, Mickey (present of deceive) the goalie.

8. Kelly (present perfect of fix) the bicycle petal.

9. By the time they know who did it, Garret (future perfect of disappear).

10. While preparing to make a move, Roger noticed that the flag on his clock (past perfect of drop).



E X E R C I S E 3

Using Verb Tenses Correctly in Your Writing

Imagine that you are an explorer who has been searching for a lost treasure in the mountains for several months. Write a paragraph to a fellow explorer in which you describe a sequence of events that leads finally to your discovery of the treasure. Include at least one example of each of the six verb tenses: present, past, future, present perfect, past perfect, and future perfect.



Name: ____________________________________________________ Date: __________________

LESSON 19

Passive Voice and Active Voice

Did you know that verbs have voices? The voice of an action verb tells whether the subject of the sentence performs or receives the action. When the subject performs the action of the verb, the verb is in the active voice. When the subject receives the action of the verb, the verb is in the passive voice.

examplesactive voice Professor Higginbotham found a passage in the textbook.passive voice He was found studying in the library.

The active voice is used more frequently than the passive voice. Active verbs express your ideas more directly. The passive voice is usually used when the receiver of the action is emphasized or the performer of the action is unknown or indefinite. In the following example sentence, the persons who notice the new painting on the wall are indefinite.

exampleThe new painting on the museum is noticed at the gala event.

A sentence written in the passive voice can usually be revised to the active voice.

examplespassive voice Three of Sally’s short stories were written last summer.active voice Sally wrote three short stories last summer.

E X E R C I S E 1

Identifying Passive and Active Verbs

Identify the underlined verbs as either active or passive.

1. Andrew was imprisoned for income tax evasion.

2. Their grandfather drives a bright red pickup truck.

3. Kim bought food and beverages for the publications meeting.

4. The captain joins his crew on the deck.



5. An annoying bee flew in through the open window.

6. I have been called about that noise three times today.

7. He has been praised for his unique portrayal of modern life.

8. A family of raccoons cross the stream.

9. That house on the hill is believed to be haunted.

10. Last Monday Laura started her marathon training.

E X E R C I S E 2

Understanding Passive and Active Verbs

Revise the following sentences so the verbs are in the active voice.

examplespassive verb Writing courses are sometimes taught by famous authors.active verb Famous authors sometimes teach writing courses.

1. Joey was lectured by his parents about keeping his cat off of the furniture.

2. Whiskers, his cat, is petted by Grandmother during the lecture.

3. Mother and Father were concerned about Whiskers’s claws.

4. Joey was reassured by Grandmother that the cat would behave.

5. Whiskers was taken outside by Joey after the conversations ended.



6. The cat was fed by Joey later in the day.

7. Whiskers was talked to by the neighbor’s cat after he finished eating.

8. Joey was surprised by the felines’ conversation, since he thought that cats could not talk.

9. The boy was watched by the cats as he stared in disbelief.

10. Joey was told by Whiskers, “Of course we can talk, but let’s keep this our little secret.”

E X E R C I S E 3

Using Passive and Active Verbs in Your Writing

For your classmates, write a description of a funny turn of events that you either took part in or witnessed. Use at least three passive verbs and three active verbs to describe this event.



Name: ____________________________________________________ Date: __________________

LESSON 20

Irregular Verbs

As you know, verb forms change to show when an action happens. The many forms of the verb are based on its three principal parts: the present, the past, and the past participle. For all regular verbs, –d or –ed are added to form the past and the past participle.

examplespresent walk scratchpast walked scratchedpast participle (has, have) walked (has, have) scratched

Some regular verbs change their spelling when –d or –ed is added.

examplespresent carry nappast carried nappedpast participle (has, have) carried (has, have) napped

Verbs that do not follow the regular pattern of adding –d or –ed are called irregular verbs. Some of these irregular verbs have the same spelling for their past and past participle forms. Some have the same spelling in all three principal forms. Other irregular verbs have three different forms.

examplespresent fight knit takepast fought knit tookpast participle (has, have) fought (has, have) knit (has, have) taken

When you’re not sure whether a verb is regular or irregular, look up the verb in a dictionary. Many of the common irregular verbs are listed in the following chart.



Pattern Present Past Past Participle

Three different forms

begin began (has, have) begun

drink drank (has, have) drunk

grow grew (has, have) grown

know knew (has, have) known

ring rang (has, have) rung

shrink shrank or shrunk (has, have) shrunk

sing sang (has, have) sung

spring sprang or sprung (has, have) sprung

swim swam (has, have) swum

throw threw (has, have) thrown

write wrote (has, have) written

Same past and past participle form

bring brought (has, have) brought

buy bought (has, have) bought

catch caught (has, have) caught

creep crept (has, have) crept

feel felt (has, have) felt

get got (has, have) got/gotten

keep kept (has, have) kept

lay laid (has, have) laid

lead led (has, have) led

leave left (has, have) left

lend lent (has, have) lent

lose lost (has, have) lost

make made (has, have) made

pay paid (has, have) paid

say said (has, have) said

seek sought (has, have) sought

sell sold (has, have) sold

sit sat (has, have) sat

sleep slept (has, have) slept

swing swung (has, have) swung

teach taught (has, have) taught

think thought (has, have) thought

win won (has, have) won



E X E R C I S E 1

Identifying Regular and Irregular Verbs in Literature

Identify each of the underlined verbs as either regular or irregular. Write your answers on the corresponding lines below.

Sarah was a widow at the age of twenty, and the sole support of a two-year-old daughter. She 1took in laundry to 2earn a living and was determined to 3leave the South. With Lelia, she 4made her way up the Mississippi River and 5settled in St. Louis, where she 6worked fourteen hours a day doing other people’s laundry. She 7enrolled Lelia in the St. Louis public schools and was 8pleased that her daughter would 9get the education that had been denied to her. But she 10wanted more for her daughter and for herself.

from “Madam C. J. Walker,” page 340Jim Haskins

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E X E R C I S E 2

Understanding Irregular Verbs

Write the correct past or past participle form of the irregular verb given in parentheses.

exampleThe cheerful goldfinch has (sing) in the tree all morning. (sung)

1. She has (buy) a toy for her best friend’s child.

2. Julia has (make) a mobile at school today.

3. It is too bad that our team has not (hit) well during this series.

4. I have (seek) that ring of power for over three centuries.



5. Darryl has (sweep) the dusty front porch.

6. The tiger has (creep) quietly in the bushes behind the hunters.

7. The computer listed for sale in the paper has been (sell).

8. Winifred has (take) the figurine from the shelf.

9. Vincent has (pay) the man with gold coins.

10. What he has (say) will never be forgotten.

E X E R C I S E 3

Using Irregular Verbs in Your Writing

Choose an occupation that you think might be interesting to have. Pretend that you are employed in this particular occupation. Write a paragraph to a friend, describing what you think a typical morning would be like for you in this job. Use at least five irregular verbs in the past and past participle forms in your paragraph.



Name: ____________________________________________________ Date: __________________

LESSON 21

Verbals

A verbal is the form of a verb used as a noun, adjective, or adverb. There are three types of verbals: gerunds, participles, and infinitives.

Participles

A participle is a verb form that ends in –ing, –d, or –ed and acts as an adjective, modifying a noun or a pronoun.

examplesA present participle describes a present condition. The laughing children played in the park.

A past participle describes something that has happened.The smoked fish was a delicious appetizer.

Gerunds

A gerund is a verb form that ends in -ing and acts as a noun.

exampleWalking after dark can be dangerous.

Gerunds are frequently accompanied by other associated words making up a gerund phrase (“walking after dark”). See Verbal Phrases in Lesson 40 on page 137. Gerunds and gerund phrases can be used any way that a noun can be used:as subject: Being captain of the debate team is a demanding role. as object of the verb: He didn’t particularly like being captain. as object of a preposition: He wrote an essay about the challenges of being captain.

Infinitives

An infinitive consists of the base form of the verb plus the word “to,” as in “to walk.” Infinitives may act as adjectives, adverbs, or nouns.

exampleTo try is to succeed.

A present infinitive describes a present conditionI like to dream.

The perfect infinitive describes a time earlier than that of the verbI would like to have won the lottery.



E X E R C I S E 1

Identifying Verbals

Circle the correct answer for the underlined part of speech in each sentence.

1. Sarah Breedlove grew up in the South living under very racist conditions.

a. gerund b. participle c. infinitive

2. Realizing that her hair was falling out, she had an idea.


3. Madam C. J. Walker was the first American woman to earn a million dollars.


4. Working fourteen-hour days was a way to support her daughter and herself.


5. Sarah created a concocted formula to regrow hair.


6. She began to sell her haircare product.


7. Advertising was a good way for others to hear about her product.


8. Helping other black women succeed in business was a goal of Madam C. J. Walker.


9. Madam C. J. Walker handed over her company to her hard-working daughter in 1918.


10. Even though Madam C. J. Walker was an uneducated daughter of a former slave, she worked hard to overcome barriers and be a success.




E X E R C I S E 2

Using Verbals in Your Writing

Have you ever invented something? Have you had an idea for a new invention? Write a paragraph about your invention or an idea you have for a new invention. Explain what it is or does and how it solves a problem. Use at least one gerund, one participle, and one infinitive in your paragraph.



Name: ____________________________________________________ Date: __________________

LESSON 22

Subject and Verb Agreement

A singular noun describes or stands for one person, place, thing, or idea. A plural noun describes or stands for more than one person, place, thing, or idea.

examples

singular nouns book apple rose mouse child

plural nouns books apples roses mice children

In a sentence, a verb must be singular if its subject is singular and plural if its subject is plural. In other words, a verb must agree in number with its subject.

examplessingular subject and verb The apple seems ripe.plural subject and verb The apples seem ripe.singular subject and verb A rose smells lovely in the evening.plural subject and verb The roses smell lovely in the evening.singular subject and verb A mouse runs across the room.plural subject and verb The mice run across the room.

Usually a verb directly follows the subject in a sentence. Sometimes, however, a prepositional phrase or a clause will separate the subject and verb. Even though the subject and verb may be separated, they must still agree in number.

examplesThe apple on the counter seems ripe.The apples, which are red, seem ripe.

The hawk in the sky searches for food.The hawks in the sky search for food.



E X E R C I S E 1

Identifying Subject-Verb Agreement in Literature

Read the following passage. Identify the underlined subjects as either singular or plural. Then identify the subject’s verb. Note how the verb agrees in number with its subject. Write your answers on the corresponding lines below.

It was commonly believed then that 1kings and queens had the magical power to cure disease in their subjects. Eager to demonstrate that she too had the sacred power of royalty, 2Elizabeth prayed intensely before using the royal touch on people with scrofula, a nasty skin disease. Her 3chaplain said he watched “her exquisite hands, boldly, and without disgust, pressing the sores and ulcers.” In one day it was reported that 4she healed thirty-eight persons. But if 5she did not feel divinely inspired, she would not try her touch.

from “Elizabeth I,” page 265Milton Meltzer

1.

2.

3.

4.

5.

E X E R C I S E 2

Understanding Subject-Verb Agreement

Circle the correct verb form in parentheses that agrees in number with the subject of the sentence.

1. Seven judges (selects, select) the winner.

2. Our coach (stomps, stomp) onto the court to yell at the referee.

3. One knight (battles, battle) the enemies of the throne.

4. Richard, a brilliant mathematician, often (lectures, lecture) at the university.

5. The famous teammates, Joe Montana and Jerry Rice, (is headed, are headed) for the Hall of Fame.

6. Her dogs (remains, remain) alert, looking for any intruders.

7. Mr. Morales (hates, hate) to see you leave the neighborhood.

8. A pair of lions (sits, sit) in the tall grass waiting for the zebras.

9. Three falcons (swoops, swoop) down upon the luckless rabbits.

10. Can you believe the principal (has contacted, have contacted) my parents?



E X E R C I S E 3

Correcting Subject-Verb Agreement

Read each of the following sentences. If the subject and verb in a sentence agree in number, write correct. If the subject and verb do not agree in number, correct the sentence.

1. Different creatures crawls out of the hole.

2. Our cars needs to be washed today.

3. Tigers from the jungle rests quietly in the cage.

4. The Andes Mountains in South America is beautiful to visit.

5. The cause of this disaster remain undetermined.

6. Diverse groups of people settle in this state every year.

7. Her enemies is gathering around the fortress’s perimeter.

8. As the driver of many cars, Jeff know how to shift gears.

9. We can reads the treaty for ourselves.

10. Matt and Taylor look at the magazines at the store.



E X E R C I S E 4

Using Subject-Verb Agreement in Your Writing

Imagine that you could travel back or forward in time. What century would you like to visit? Write a paragraph describing a day spent in the century of your choice. Explain the sights, sounds, and activities. Make sure that each of your verbs agrees with its subject.



Name: ____________________________________________________ Date: __________________

LESSON 23

Indefinite Pronoun and Verb Agreement

In Unit 2 you learned about different types of pronouns, including indefinite pronouns. An indefinite pronoun does not refer to a specific person, place, or thing. Some indefinite pronouns are always singular and take singular verbs: anybody, anyone, anything, each, either, everybody, everyone, everything, much, neither, nobody, no one, nothing, one, somebody, someone, something.

examplessingularNobody knows the size of the universe.Something occurs at noon every day.

Some indefinite pronouns are always plural and take plural verbs: both, few, many, others, several.

examplespluralMany of our presidents were military officers.Both understand that this must never happen again.

Some indefinite pronouns can be either singular or plural, depending on their use in the sentence: all, any, most, none, some. They are singular when they refer to a portion or to a single person, place, or thing. They are plural when they refer to a number of individual persons, places, or things.

examplessingular None of the wall requires more paint.plural None of the teachers sit together.

E X E R C I S E 1

Identifying Correct Indefinite Pronoun-Verb Agreement

Complete each sentence by circling the correct form of the verb in parentheses.

1. Most of the flowers (grows, grow) better in sunlight.

2. Many of the candidates (campaigns, campaign) on Sunday.

3. I found that all of the house (creaks, creak) at night.

4. One never (chooses, choose) to serve in the pit.

5. Nothing (resists, resist) scratches like Teflon.



6. Everything in this room (collects, collect) dust.

7. None of the drivers (understands, understand) the directions to the town.

8. Most of the city (burns, burn) through the night.

9. Neither of the boys (is, are) going to play in the game.

10. Others in the class (has, have) finished the test already.

E X E R C I S E 2

Correcting Indefinite Pronoun-Verb Agreement

Write the verb form that agrees in number with the indefinite pronoun of each sentence. If a sentence contains no errors in indefinite pronoun-verb agreement, write correct.

1. All of the obstacles was removed from the track.

2. All of our hope rest on the shoulders of one brave guinea pig.

3. Several of the kangaroos in the park jumps over to see us.

4. Nothing in the garage smell like gasoline.

5. No one at the table suspect that I am the real culprit.

6. None of the buildings remains standing after the blast.

7. Both of the tacos is in the microwave oven.

8. Everything crumble if you reveal the secret to just one person.

9. Nothing you did changes our overall situation.



10. If either of the sisters win, the fans will be happy.

E X E R C I S E 3

Using Indefinite Pronoun-Verb Agreement in Your Writing

Write a paragraph to be shared with classmates, in which you describe a suspenseful or exciting moment, such as the final minute of a basketball game. Use at least three different indefinite pronouns in your paragraph. Check your paragraph to make sure that the verbs agree in number with the indefinite pronouns.



Name: ____________________________________________________ Date: __________________

LESSON 24

Direct Objects

A direct object receives the action in the sentence. It usually answers the question what? or whom? To find the direct object, find the action verb in the sentence. Then ask what? or whom? about the verb.

examplesI found a coin in the pond. (Found is the action verb. What did I find? Coin is the direct object.)

The dog jumped the fence. (Jumped is the action verb. What did the dog jump? Fence is the direct object.)

Remember to use object pronouns for a direct object.singular me, you, him, her, itplural us, you, them

examplesBetty scared us.Evan questioned him about the wallet.

E X E R C I S E 1

Identifying Completers for Action Verbs: Direct Objects

Write the direct object in each of the following sentences. If the sentence does not contain a direct object, write none.

1. The professor tapped the microphone.

2. She stepped over the cords on the stage.

3. Teachers encouraged the students.

4. Students brought their notebooks to the hall.

5. The professor provided a long discussion about Great Plains history.



6. She presented many interesting facts to think about.

7. Both of my classmates took notes at the lecture.

8. Teachers discuss policy before returning to class.

9. We smelled the cake sitting on the table in the lobby.

10. Three rabbits ran into their hole outside the lecture hall.

E X E R C I S E 2

Understanding Completers for Action Verbs: Direct Objects

Supply a direct object to complete each of the following sentences. You may need to provide a group of words so that the sentence makes sense.

1. After entering the room, I spotted .

2. Can you believe ?

3. Allison sent her friends several for Christmas.

4. Snow covered the .

5. A hailstorm pelted our .

6. Ants invaded the .

7. Did you turn off the last night?

8. The pig eats and

each evening.

9. Candace recorded a of beautiful songs.

10. The professor gave me a .



E X E R C I S E 3

Using Direct Objects in Your Writing

Think about a public figure who interests you. Write a paragraph describing why you want to write a book about this person. Explain how you find the public figure to be interesting or important. Use at least five direct objects in your proposal.



Name: ____________________________________________________ Date: __________________

LESSON 25

Indirect Objects

Sometimes someone or something receives the direct object. This receiver is called the indirect object. It usually comes before the direct object and tells to whom the action is directed or for whom the action is performed. Only verbs that have direct objects can have indirect objects.

exampleSeth sold Karl a car. (Sold is the action verb. Car is the direct object because it tells what Seth sold. Karl is an indirect object. It tells to whom Seth sold a car.)

There are two tests that you can use to identify the indirect object: (1) Look for a noun or pronoun that precedes the direct object. (2) Determine whether the word you think is an indirect object seems to be the understood object of the preposition to or for.

exampleThe teacher gave the student a pencil. (The noun pencil answers the question What did the teacher give? so it is the direct object. The understood preposition to can be inserted into the sentence before the noun student: The teacher gave (to) the student a pencil. Therefore, student is the indirect object of the sentence.)

Do not confuse direct and indirect objects with objects of prepositions. For example, the words to and for are prepositions. If the word order of the above sentence was changed to include the preposition to, then the sentence would read this way: The teacher gave a pencil to the student. In this new sentence, the word student is the object of the preposition to; it is not the indirect object.

Remember to use object pronouns for indirect objects.

singular me, you, him, her, itplural us, you, them

examplesYour sister sent me an invitation to the party.Read her a story before bedtime.

E X E R C I S E 1

Identifying Completers for Action Verbs: Indirect Objects

Write the indirect object in each of the following sentences. If the sentence does not contain an indirect object, write none.

1. Casey hopes to sell Grandpa a box of cookies.



2. The camp provided young athletes a chance to improve their skills.

3. The inmates fled to the cave up in the mountains.

4. Iowa farmers plant their crops in the spring.

5. Sam lent his brother the money to buy the house.

6. She told listeners a story about Abraham Lincoln.

7. My uncle bought me a collection of Mark Twain’s books.

8. The upcoming history test gave me many fears.

9. The bald eagle flew over the canyon.

10. I gave the king all of my gold.

E X E R C I S E 2

Understanding Completers for Action Verbs: Indirect and Direct Objects

Supply an indirect and direct object to complete each of the following sentences. You may need to provide more than one word for the sentence to make sense.

1. Joel paid the a large

.

2. Bill sent a .

3. Sandi gave his .

4. The banker lent the

to buy the car.



5. Our official web page provides the

to learn about the city.

6. I offered in studying for the exam.

7. A real estate agent showed

of houses I might like.

8. He bought a beautiful

.

9. The storm sent an unwelcome

.

10. After much discussion, she read her

several .

E X E R C I S E 3

Using Indirect Objects in Your Writing

Assume that you keep a diary. Write a paragraph describing an activity that you took part in with your friends. Include who participated and some interesting highlights from the activity. Use at least five indirect objects in your paragraph.



Name: ____________________________________________________ Date: __________________

LESSON 26

Predicate Nouns, Pronouns, and Adjectives

A predicate noun is a noun that completes a sentence that uses a form of the verb to be. Similarly, a predicate pronoun is a pronoun that completes a sentence that uses a form of the verb to be. In fact, the relationship between the subject and the predicate noun or pronoun is so close that the sentence usually suggests an equation. Such sentences can often be reordered without changing the meaning.

examplespredicate nounFrancine is the first girl to solve the puzzle. (Francine = girl)The first girl to solve the puzzle is Francine. (girl = Francine)

predicate pronounThat noise outside could have been anything. (noise = anything)Anything could have been that noise. (Anything = noise)

To find a predicate noun or pronoun, ask the same question you would ask to find a direct object.

examplesOur car is a sedan. (Our car is a what? Sedan is the predicate noun that renames or identifies car, the subject of the sentence.)The villain is probably he. (The villain is probably who? He is the predicate pronoun that renames or identifies villain, the subject of the sentence.)

Remember to use subject pronouns after linking verbs.singular I, you, he, she, itplural we, you, they

examplesThe top scorer was I. (Think: I was the top scorer.)The last-place finishers were he and she. (Think: He and she were the last-place finishers.)

Predicate Adjectives

A predicate adjective completes a sentence by modifying, or describing, the subject of a sentence. To find a predicate adjective, ask the same question you would ask to find a direct object.

exampleThe wind is cold. (The wind is what? Cold is the predicate adjective that describes wind, the subject of the sentence.)



E X E R C I S E 1

Identifying Predicate Nouns and Predicate Adjectives in Literature

First read the following passage. Then identify the underlined words as predicate nouns or predicate adjectives. Write your answers on the corresponding lines below.

Across the street lived old Dikran, who was almost 1blind. He was past eighty and his wife was only a few years 2younger. They had a little house that was as 3neat inside as it was 4ordinary outside—except for old Dikran’s garden, which was the best 5thing of its kind in the world. Plants, bushes, trees—all strong, in sweet black moist earth whose guardian was old 6Dikran. All things from the sky loved this spot in our poor neighborhood, and old Dikran loved them.

from “The Hummingbird That Lived Through Winter,” page 412William Saroyan

1.

2.

3.

4.

5.

6.

E X E R C I S E 2

Identifying Completers for Linking Verbs: Predicate Nouns, Predicate Pronouns, and Predicate Adjectives

Write the predicate nouns, predicate pronouns, or predicate adjectives in each of the following sentences. If a sentence does not contain a predicate noun, predicate pronoun, or a predicate adjective, write none.

1. Pizza is popular with children and adults.

2. It is a tasty treat at almost any time of the day.

3. Many pizza-lovers say that it is good for you.

4. Pizza is usually round.

5. It is a big seller at restaurants in college towns.



6. Pizza can be hot or cold.

7. Italy is the birthplace of pizza.

8. Pizza is often the food of choice for sports fans.

9. The friend who bought me a pizza yesterday was he.

10. Pizza tastes cheesy and meaty at the same time.

E X E R C I S E 3

Understanding Completers for Linking Verbs: Predicate Nouns, Predicate Pronouns, and Predicate Adjectives

Complete each of the following sentences with a predicate noun, predicate pronoun, or predicate adjective. You may add a word or a group of words to help the sentence make sense. Identify your addition to the sentence as a predicate noun, predicate pronoun, or predicate adjective.

1. The song sounds .

2. The squirrels in the yard are often .

3. The assignment for math class could be .

4. That pasta sauce you are cooking smells .

5. The agency’s primary means of support is .

6. Could he be the new ?



7. By the afternoon, I grew .

8. Your house is .

9. The smartest delegates are .

10. Those ancient artifacts seemed .

E X E R C I S E 4

Using Predicate Nouns, Predicate Pronouns, and Predicate Adjectives in Your Writing

Write a paragraph to be shared with classmates about one of your favorite television shows. Describe the show’s setting, characters, and storyline. Complete some of your sentences with predicate nouns, predicate pronouns, and predicate adjectives to help your readers understand why the show is one of your favorites.



Name: ____________________________________________________ Date: __________________

LESSON 27

Adjectives and Adverbs: Choosing the Correct Modifier

Adjectives and adverbs—two kinds of modifiers—add meaning to nouns, adjectives, verbs, and adverbs. An adjective modifies a noun or pronoun. An adverb is a word that modifies a verb, an adjective, or another adverb.

examplesadjective Hockey is a confusing game for inexperienced players.

(Confusing modifies the noun game; inexperienced modifies the noun players.)

adverb My uncle is already late for the play. (Already modifies the adjective late.)

To determine whether a modifier is an adjective or an adverb, you can follow these steps.

1. Look at the word that is modified. 2. Ask yourself, “Is this modified word a noun or a pronoun?”

If the answer is yes, the modifier is an adjective. If the answer is no, the modifier is an adverb. In the following example, the word house is modified by the word old. The word house is a noun, so the word old is an adjective.

exampleThe old house collapsed during the windstorm.

In the next example, the word hissed is modified by the word angrily. The word hissed is a verb; therefore, the word angrily is an adverb.

exampleThe snake hissed angrily at us.

E X E R C I S E 1

Identifying Adjectives and Adverbs in Literature

Identify each of the underlined words in the literature passage as either an adjective or adverb. Write your answers on the corresponding lines below.

As it happens, some of the most 1disturbing images of environmental destruction can be found 2exactly halfway between the North and South poles—3precisely at the equator in Brazil—where 4billowing clouds of smoke 5regularly blacken the sky above the 6immense but now threatened Amazon rain forest. Acre by acre, the rain forest is being burned to create fast pasture for 7fast-food beef; as I learned



when I went there in 8early 1989, the fires are set 9earlier and earlier in the 10dry season now, with more than one Tennessee’s worth of rain forest being slashed and burned each year.

from “Ships in the Desert,” page 396Al Gore

1.

2.

3.

4.

5.

6.

7.

8.

9.

10.

E X E R C I S E 2

Using Adjectives and Adverbs in Your Writing

Write a short paragraph to a friend about another friend or a relative who has an interesting or unusual hobby or job. Use adjectives and adverbs in your paragraph to describe the person and the way he or she goes about that hobby or job.

Adjectives

Adjectives modify nouns by telling specific details about them.

examplesnoun a cara little more specific an orange carmore specific yet the fast, orange careven more specific a sporty, fast, orange car

The articles a, an, and the are the most commonly occurring adjectives. A and an refer to any person, place, or thing in general. The refers to a specific person, place, or thing.

examplesWould you like a football as a present? (A refers to a ball and a present in general.)The bridge over the river is closed. (The refers to a specific bridge over a specific river.)



Some adjectives tell how many or what kind about the nouns or pronouns they modify.

examplesThere were several cars in the lot.They chose the car with the tinted windows.

Other adjectives tell which one or which ones.

examplesOur car has rust spots.Those cars in the junkyard were once very expensive.

Adjectives usually precede the words they modify, but they may also follow linking verbs.

examplespreceding noun The sleek, shiny car raced down the road.following linking verb The car was sleek and shiny.

E X E R C I S E 3

Identifying Adjectives in Literature

Identify the eighteen adjectives, including the articles a, an, and the, in the passage below. Tell which noun or pronoun each adjective modifies.

While at Henderson, on the Ohio in Kentucky, I had many wild birds. I had a fine male Turkey that I had raised from its youth, having caught it when it was two or three days old. It became so tame that it would follow any person who called it, and it was the favorite of the little village where I lived. Yet it would never roost with the tame Turkeys, but always slept at night on the roof of the house, where it remained until dawn.

from “Wild Turkey,” page 394John James Audubon



E X E R C I S E 4

Understanding Adjectives

Rewrite the paragraph below, replacing general, overused adjectives with more colorful and precise choices and adding adjectives that bring the scene to life.

We saw the large dragon off in the distance. She breathed hot fire into the air. The sight gave me a bad feeling. I was grateful that my strong companion Ironbeard was good with an axe. We slowly crept up the long path toward the dragon’s lair. The beast’s wings were big. We knew our quest was dangerous, but the dragon guarded a pile of wonderful treasure. The warm wind blew in our faces. When the ugly creature looked in our direction, we stopped in our tracks. If attacked, I felt that our big shields might not protect us from the hot fire. Just then, we spotted a small hole in the rocks alongside the road. Ironbeard and I ran into the hole. It opened into a large dark cave. Our torches provided light that illuminated a small area around us. Here, we planned our strategy.

E X E R C I S E 5

Using Adjectives in Your Writing

Write a short paragraph for a students’ book club, about one of your favorite fictional characters. Use vivid adjectives to create a portrait in words of how you envision the character.



Adverbs

Adverbs modify anything that isn’t a namer (noun or pronoun). Adverbs can modify verbs, adjectives, or other adverbs. Often they tell us how, when, where, or to what extent; nouns and pronouns tell us who or what.

examplesadverbs modify verbs The children sing cheerfully. (Cheerfully tells how they sing.) Eagles usually fly high in the summer sky. (Usually tells when they fly in the sky; high tells where they fly.)adverbs modify adjectives These noble birds are especially graceful. (Especially tells to what extent they are graceful.) Some rare birds are nearly extinct. (Nearly tells to what extent the birds are extinct.)adverbs modify adverbs The eagles swoop down on their prey very quickly.

(Very tells to what extent they swoop down on their prey quickly.) The birds grip so strongly, few animals can escape their clutches.

(So tells how strongly they grip.)

Many adverbs, such as quickly, fortunately, poorly, and sadly, are formed by adding –ly to adjectives. Note, though, that you cannot depend on –ly to identify adverbs, since some adjectives have the same ending, as in brotherly, comely, manly, and wily. Also, many common adverbs, such as always, forever, here, not, now, and far, do not have a consistent ending. The only sure way to distinguish between adjectives and adverbs is to determine how the individual word functions in its sentence.

E X E R C I S E 6

Identifying Adverbs in Literature

Underline the twelve adverbs in the passage below.

Love is something you and I must have. We must have it because our spirit feeds

upon it. We must have it because without it we become weak and faint. Without

love our self-esteem weakens. Without it our courage fails. Without love we can

no longer look out confidently at the world. Instead we turn inwardly and begin to

feed upon our own personalities and little by little we destroy ourselves.

You and I need the strength and joy that comes from knowing that we are

loved. With it we are creative. With it we march tirelessly. With it, and with it alone,

we are able to sacrifice for others.



There have been times when we all wanted so desperately to feel a reassuring

hand upon us…there have been lonely times when we so wanted a strong arm

around us…I cannot tell you how deeply I miss my wife’s presence when I return

from a trip.

Her love was my greatest joy, my strength, my greatest blessing.

from “I Am a Native of North America,” page 403Chief Dan George

E X E R C I S E 7

Identifying Adverbs

Identify each adverb in the following sentences and tell whether it modifies a verb, an adjective, or another adverb.

1. Sue, my neighbor, usually plants her flowers in April.

2. Sometimes she buys seeds at Flowers-R-Us, where she also shops for houseplants.

3. Sue plans her garden carefully, but she is not especially knowledgeable about flowers.

4. She is probably most pleased when her plants bloom in a variety of colors.

5. Her friends are always impressed with her garden.

6. The weather rarely creates problems for Sue in the spring.

7. While Sue is busily planting, her cats romp playfully in the lawn.

8. She thinks highly of her cats and her flowers.



9. Sue is quite proud that her garden is always the subject of neighborly conversation.

10. Her flowers are often the most impressive on the block.

E X E R C I S E 8

Understanding Adverbs

In most of the following sentences, an adjective form is used in place of an adverb form. Correct each such adjective. Write correct if the adverb form in a sentence is used correctly.

1. The cheetah can move very quick when it wants to.

2. I believe the coil is wound too tight.

3. All of the musicians performed marvelous that night.

4. Most bank robberies need to be planned deft to succeed.

5. He made sure all of the products were handled careful.

6. Her reaction was swift and she rightly identified the problem.

7. The engine roared powerful after the tune-up.

8. It is hard to find someone who can paint a house competent.

9. The teacher read the textbook knowledgeable to the class.

10. I am glad he told her about the mix-up tactfully.



E X E R C I S E 9

Using Adverbs in Your Writing

For a nature magazine, write a paragraph about an animal that lives in the wild. Describe the animal’s movements and habits. In your paragraph, use adverbs to modify verbs, adjectives, and other adverbs.



Name: ____________________________________________________ Date: __________________

LESSON 28

Appositives

An appositive is a noun that is placed next to another noun to identify it or add information about it. In these examples, the noun Larry identifies the noun uncle, and the noun Thanksgiving gives more information about the noun holiday. Both Larry and Thanksgiving are appositives.

examplesThe car belongs to my uncle Larry.My favorite holiday, Thanksgiving, is coming up soon.

An appositive phrase is a group of words that includes an appositive and other words that modify it, such as adjectives and prepositional phrases. The group of words adds information about the noun it modifies. In the next example, the appositive phrase a state in the Midwest gives further information about the noun Iowa.

exampleIowa, a state in the Midwest, is a leader in agricultural production.

An appositive or an appositive phrase that provides extra information about the noun is set off from the rest of the sentence with one or more commas. If, however, the appositive is needed to identify the noun, it is not set off with commas.

examplesYour brother, a very intelligent student, won the essay contest.(The appositive a very intelligent student further identifies your brother.)

The pitcher Roger Clemens won the Cy Young Award. (The appositive Roger Clemens identifies which pitcher won the Cy Young Award.)

E X E R C I S E 1

Identifying Appositives

Underline the appositives and appositive phrases in the sentences below. Then write the noun or pronoun the appositive identifies or adds information about.

1. Al Gore, an environment activist, is the author of An Inconvenient Truth.

2. In 2007, Gore was given the Nobel Peace Prize, a prestigious award.



3. An Inconvenient Truth, an Academy Award-winning documentary, is about global warming.

4. He also wrote “Ships in the Desert,” an essay.

5. The Aral Sea, once the world’s fourth-largest inland sea, is located in central Asia.

6. Environmental stress caused the death of many dolphins, a marine mammal, on the Gulf Coast.

7. Scientists were measuring the thickness of the polar ice cap, a part of the earth covered in ice.

8. Gore was born in Washington, D.C., our nation’s capital.

9. Global warming, an increase in the global temperature, is caused by carbon dioxide and other air pollutants.

10. Al Gore, the forty-fifth Vice President, has had many accomplishments.

E X E R C I S E 2

Understanding Appositives

Underline the appositive or appositive phrase in each sentence. Then insert a comma or commas where they are needed to show information that is not essential to the meaning of the sentence.

1. Virginia one of the original thirteen colonies was home to the first English settlement in North America.

2. President George Washington lived in Mount Vernon, Virginia.

3. Washington the father of our country was the first U.S. president.

4. Thomas Jefferson another early president was also from Virginia.

5. During his term the United States purchased a great area of land the Louisiana Territory from France.



6. Jefferson’s home Monticello is a tourist attraction today.

7. The commonwealth Virginia set up its own government in the 1770s.

8. In 1863 part of Virginia broke off to be a separate state West Virginia.

9. Richmond Virginia’s capital was also the capital of the Confederacy.

10. The state’s highest point Mount Rogers is over 5,700 feet high.

E X E R C I S E 3

Using Appositives in Your Writing

Appositives are often used by advertising or marketing departments to promote their products. Write a promotional headline that contains an appositive, such as “Scrubs,” a new soap that is serious about teenage acne. Then write a short paragraph to convince consumers to purchase the new product. Use appositives and appositive phrases to identify and provide more information about the product. Be sure to punctuate your appositives correctly.



Name: ____________________________________________________ Date: __________________

LESSON 29

Positives, Comparatives, and Superlatives

The form of an adjective or adverb is often changed to show the extent or degree to which a certain quality is present.

examplesWill is tall for a seventh-grader. (The adjective tall shows that the quality is present.)

Will is taller than Elijah. (The quality expressed by the adjective taller exists to a greater degree in one of the two people or things being compared.)

Will is the tallest boy in the seventh grade. (The quality expressed by the adjective tallest exists to the greatest degree in one of more than two people or things being compared.)

Each modifier has a positive, comparative, and superlative form of comparison. Most one-syllable modifiers and some two-syllable modifiers form their comparative and superlative degrees by adding –er or –est. Other two-syllable modifiers and all modifiers of more than two syllables use more and most.

Positive Comparative Superlative

Adjectives happy happier happiest

dull duller dullest

light lighter lightest

frightening more frightening most frightening

Adverbs early earlier earliest

fast faster fastest

close closer closest

completely more completely most completely



To show a decrease in the quality of any modifier, form the comparative and superlative degrees by using less and least.

EXAMPLES

solid less solid least solid

analytical less analytical least analytical

Some modifiers form the comparative and superlative degrees irregularly. Check the dictionary if you are unsure about the comparison of a modifier.

EXAMPLES

good better best

well better best

bad worse worst

E X E R C I S E 1

Identifying Positives, Comparatives, and Superlatives

Identify the underlined words in the following sentences as positive (P), comparative (C), or superlative (S).

_____ 1. Robert E. Lee and Ulysses S. Grant are two of the most famous American generals.

_____ 2. Grant was several years younger than Lee.

_____ 3. The two generals opposed each other in the Civil War, the bloodiest war in U.S. history.

_____ 4. Grant had more soldiers and a greater amount of supplies for his army.

_____ 5. In 1864, the wisest strategy for Lee was to go on the defensive.

_____ 6. Lee had earned his reputation early in the war with a series of daring attacks on the Union Army.

_____ 7. Grant had a better understanding of how to win the war than his Northern colleagues.

_____ 8. Thousands of brave soldiers served in the armies of both generals.

_____ 9. After four years, the bitterly contested war finally came to an end.

_____ 10. Grant later ascended to the presidency, the highest office in the land.



E X E R C I S E 2

Understanding Degrees of Comparison

For each incorrectly used adjective or adverb in the following sentences, write the correct positive, comparative, or superlative form. Write correct if the adjective or adverb comparison is used correctly.

1. Alaska is the farther north of all states in the union.

2. We had hoped to arrive at the checkpoint earliest than our rivals.

3. I am a slow reader, but I always finish my homework on time.

4. My prank was daringer than those of my coworkers.

5. I can’t figure out which is worst, your laziness or your arrogance.

6. The deep valley in New Mexico is larger enough to hide the spaceship.

7. Of all the players on the team, Edgar is the better.

8. George is the most fuller developed intellectual in the group.

9. We played more better than they did and won the game.

10. The crowd engaged in the most riotous behavior in the town’s history.



E X E R C I S E 3

Using Comparisons Correctly in Your Writing

Write a review of a novel or short story you have recently read, for a classmate who has not read the selection. Highlight the main conflict and the way the characters solve it. To help your classmate understand what he or she will be reading, compare the book or short story to others of its type. Use the positive, comparative, and superlative forms of adjectives and adverbs to express your opinion about the work.



Name: ____________________________________________________ Date: __________________

LESSON 30

Contractions

Contractions combine two words by shortening them and joining them with an apostrophe. When you are trying to determine subjects and verbs in a sentence, write out contractions into the two words that they represent. After the contraction is written out, each word should be considered separately. Remember that a negative is never part of a verb but is an adverb.

examplesTodd wasn’t home yesterday. (was = verb; not = adverb)He’ll be arriving next week. (he = subject; will be = helping verb and verb)I couldn’t decide what to do. (I = subject; could decide = helping verb and verb; not = adverb)

E X E R C I S E 1

Identifying Contractions

Underline the contraction in each of the following sentences. Write out each contraction as the two words it represents. Then write the verb or verb phrase.

1. I’ll tell you about the author Shel Silverstein.

2. I’ve read most of Silverstein’s works, including his poems, cartoons, stories, and plays.

3. Many believe he might’ve been the most versatile.

4. Some people think that he could’ve become a great magazine writer.

5. Instead he’s remembered as one of the best authors of children’s books.

6. If Silverstein hadn’t written books for children, many readers would have missed out on his wonderful stories.



7. It’s always fun to read his stories to the children.

8. I first read Where the Sidewalk Ends because that’s one of his most famous books.

9. What’ve you read lately?

10. Who’s your favorite author of children’s books?

E X E R C I S E 2

Understanding Contractions

Revise the following paragraph to make it more formal by removing all contractions.

When Opening Day arrives in April, it’s like a holiday for baseball fans. For several months they’ve waited with anticipation for the first pitch. It doesn’t matter which team they root for, on Opening Day all fans have hope. Whether they’re pulling for the world champs or last year’s cellar-dwellers, these fans view the start of the season with excitement. A team can’t be counted out of the pennant race on Opening Day. If the fans didn’t believe in their teams, no underdogs would’ve ever made it to the World Series. People shouldn’t underestimate how much their support means to the players. Playing on Opening Day in stadiums packed with excited, hopeful fans creates memories that the players won’t ever forget.



E X E R C I S E 3

Using Contractions in Your Writing

Write a paragraph about a bad habit you have that you would like to break. For example, maybe you’d like to stop biting your fingernails, or perhaps you’d like to stop procrastinating about studying for tests. Describe when the habit started, what causes you to do it, and why you would like to stop doing it. Write with an informal tone and use at least five contractions in your paragraph.



Name: ____________________________________________________ Date: __________________

LESSON 31

Commonly Confused Words

The modifiers good, well, bad, and badly can be confusing because the distinctions between good and well and between bad and badly are often not followed in conversation. Confusion can also occur because well can function as either an adjective or an adverb.

examplesThe cheese smelled bad after it had sat out all night. (Bad is an adjective. It follows the linking verb smelled.)

Mike skied badly after his accident. (Badly is an adverb that modifies skied.)

Ken is a good bowler. (Good is an adjective that modifies the noun bowler.)

Ken bowls well. (Well is an adverb meaning “skillfully.” It modifies the verb bowls.)

Ken was ill, but now he seems well enough to bowl. (Well is an adjective meaning “healthy” or “in a state of satisfactory condition.” It follows the linking verb seems.)

E X E R C I S E 1

Identifying Commonly Confused Words

Underline the correct form of good, well, bad, and badly in the sentences below.

1. The children behave (bad, badly) each day after school.

2. She skates (good, well), but success comes with a price.

3. These burritos you brought home taste really (good, well).

4. We had some (good, well) times when we were in high school.

5. The skunk carries a (bad, badly) odor with it.

6. That child does not play (good, well) with others.

7. I told you that the car performs (bad, badly) under pressure.

8. He has not been (good, well) since receiving his quarterly stock report.

9. The exterminator felt (bad, badly) when he realized he sprayed the wrong house.

10. You put on a (good, well) performance for the others, but I can see right through you.



E X E R C I S E 2

Understanding Commonly Confused Words

Correct any misuse of good, well, bad, and badly in the following sentences. If no modifiers are misused in the sentence, write correct.

1. With three of its starters out, the team lost bad last night.

2. The lawn looks well after it rains.

3. The chicken soup you made helped her feel well again.

4. Whatever is rotting in your locker smells badly.

5. I shot good enough to earn a marksmanship award.

6. I know it looks bad, but it tastes good.

7. Those houses look good now that they have been painted.

8. You need to practice if you want to sing good next week.

9. He golfed well enough to make the cut.

10. I hate to tell you this, but you have a bad cat.



E X E R C I S E 3

Using Commonly Confused Words in Your Writing

Write a short review of a television show, movie, or play you recently watched. Check to be sure that you have used the modifiers good, well, bad, and badly correctly.



Name: ____________________________________________________ Date: __________________

LESSON 32

Prepositions and Conjunctions

Prepositions and conjunctions are the linkers of the English language. They are used to join words and phrases to the rest of a sentence. They also show the relationships between ideas. Prepositions and conjunctions help writers vary their sentences by connecting sentence parts in different ways. A preposition is used to show how a noun or a pronoun used as its object is related to other words in the sentence. Some commonly used prepositions include above, after, against, among, around, at, behind, beneath, beside, between, down, for, from, in, on, off, toward, through, to, until, upon, and with.

examplesA whale swam under our boat.We had to crawl through the tunnel between the two buildings.

A conjunction is a word used to link related words, groups of words, or sentences. Like a preposition, a conjunction shows the relationship between the words it links. Some of the most commonly used conjunctions are and, but, for, nor, or, yet, so, if, after, because, before, although, unless, while, and when. Some conjunctions are used in pairs, such as both/and, neither/nor, and not only/but also.

examplesI found leaves and twigs in the yard.He stopped running after he twisted his ankle.Neither the plaintiffs nor the defendants understand the ruling.

Certain words can function as either conjunctions or prepositions. There are two important differences between a word used as a preposition and one used as a conjunction.

1. A preposition is always followed by an object, but a conjunction is not.

examplespreposition They sat beside a roaring fire. (The noun fire is the object of

the preposition beside.)conjunction Because they ate lunch, the students were not hungry.

(Because is not followed by an object. It introduces a group of words that depends on the rest of the sentence for meaning.)

2. A preposition introduces a prepositional phrase that connects parts of a sentence. A conjunction connects words or groups of words.

examplespreposition I drove to the airport before the storm. (Before introduces the

prepositional phrase before the storm.)conjunction Call her before the deadline passes. (Before connects two

groups of words, call her and the deadline passes.)



E X E R C I S E 1

Identifying Prepositions and Conjunctions in Literature

Identify the underlined words in the literature passage as prepositions or conjunctions. Write your answers on the corresponding lines below.

Why, who makes much 1of a miracle?As 2to me I know 3of nothing else but miracles,Whether I walk the streets of Manhattan,4Or dart my sight 5over the roofs of houses 6toward the sky,Or wade 7with naked feet 8along the beach just in the edge of the water,9Or stand under trees 10in the woods,

from “Miracles,” page 520Walt Whitman

1.

2.

3.

4.

5.

6.

7.

8.

9.

10.

E X E R C I S E 2

Using Prepositions and Conjunctions

Write a sentence for each preposition or conjunction below.

1. and (conjunction)

2. onto (preposition)

3. beside (preposition)



4. while (conjunction)

5. neither/nor (conjunction)

6. after (preposition)

7. after (conjunction)

8. because (conjunction)

9. through (preposition)

10. over (preposition)



Name: ____________________________________________________ Date: __________________

LESSON 33

Prepositions

A preposition shows the relationship that exists between its object, a noun or pronoun, and another word in a sentence. Notice in the following sentences the number of different relationships shown between the noun overpass and the verb happened.

examplesThe multicar accident happened under the overpass.The multicar accident happened near the overpass.The multicar accident happened on the overpass.The multicar accident happened behind the overpass.The multicar accident happened beside the overpass.

The noun or pronoun that follows the preposition is called the object of the preposition. Together, the preposition, the object of the preposition, and the modifiers of that object form a prepositional phrase. In the following sentence, in the bowl, against the glass, and during feeding time are all prepositional phrases.

The goldfish in the bowl brushed its fantail against the glass during feeding time.

To test a word to see if it is a preposition, ask questions like “in what?” “against what?” or “during what?” The answers are “bowl,” “glass,” and “feeding time.” All three are objects of the preposition. Therefore, there are three prepositional phrases in the sentence. These are the most commonly used prepositions. Remember, though, that any word on this list may not always be used as a preposition. When it is used as a preposition, it will always have an object.

Prepositionsaboard behind for throughout

about below from to

above beside in under

across besides into underneath

after between like until

against beyond of up

along but (meaning “except”) off upon

amid by on with

among concerning over within

around down past without

at during since

before except through



E X E R C I S E 1

Identifying Prepositional Phrases in Literature

Underline the nine prepositional phrases in the literature passage below.

I like it here,

under the apple tree,

knotty, with its hollow

belly

here

sitting on its branch

above stone fences that separate pastures,

taking life

here

with the sun that strokes

the sides of trees

casting its shadows on emerald hills.

I like it here,

entering the dark crevice of trunks,

studying the butterfly’s tiny blue hearts

on powdery wings.from “Under the Apple Tree,” page 495

Diana Rivera



E X E R C I S E 2

Understanding Prepositional Phrases

Rewrite each of the following sentences, supplying a preposition and an object of the preposition in each blank. Some objects of the preposition may be more than one word.

1. Jerry ran the

.

2. She studied less the

.

3. Are you going to go the

?

4. the a frightened bunny scampered.

5. It was decided the

of .

6. Your team stood anxiously the

.

7. Frank bowled a strike the

.

8. Julie was praised her

.

9. This country used to be blanketed

.

10. The wrapped package was sent .



E X E R C I S E 3

Using Prepositional Phrases in Your Writing

Write a description of an interesting historical site that you have visited or would like to visit. Use prepositional phrases to help locate your readers at the site so that they can visualize the place as you walk them through it.



Name: ____________________________________________________ Date: __________________

LESSON 34

Coordinating Conjunctions

A coordinating conjunction is a word used to join words or groups of words of equal importance in a sentence. The most common coordinating conjunctions are and, or, nor, for, but, yet, and so. Coordinating conjunctions can connect nouns, verbs, adjectives, adverbs, prepositional phrases, other sentence elements, and sentences themselves. Each coordinating conjunction shows a different relationship between the words that it connects. When a coordinating conjunction joins two or more complete thoughts that could be independent sentences, then a compound sentence is formed. A comma is placed before the coordinating conjunction that joins the two complete thoughts.

examplesThe car is elegant yet affordable. (Yet shows the contrast between elegant and affordable. The coordinating conjunction joins two adjectives.)

He will hide in the closet or under the bed. (Or shows choice. The coordinating conjunction joins two prepositional phrases.)

The enemy will not prevail, for we have not yet begun to fight. (For shows a cause and effect relationship. The coordinating conjunction joints two complete thoughts.)

Be careful not to confuse the coordinating conjunction for with the subordinate conjunction because. The latter can introduce a sentence: Because we have not yet begun to fight, the enemy will not prevail. The former cannot. For we have not yet begun to fight, the enemy will not prevail does not make sense.

E X E R C I S E 1

Identifying Coordinating Conjunctions in Literature

Underline the eight coordinating conjunctions in the literature passage below.

Bananas ripe and green, and ginger-root,

Cocoa in pods and alligator pears,

And tangerines and mangoes and grapefruit,

Fit for the highest prize at parish fairs,



Set in the window, bringing memories

Of fruit-trees laden by low-singing rills,

And dewy dawns, and mystical blue skies

In benediction over nun-like hills.

from “The Tropics in New York,” page 502Claude McKay

E X E R C I S E 2

Understanding Coordinating Conjunctions

Write the coordinating conjunction that best fits the blank in each item below by linking the words, phrases, or sentences.

1. The fish the chicken is tastier than the steak.

2. The opposing center was tall, Dan was much quicker.

3. Germany won a series of victories in 1942, the Allies would turn the tide the next year.

4. This production requires a lot of money, the props are very expensive.

5. Our car gasped, wheezed, coughed before it finally died in the middle of the road.

6. Sally, dreaming of winning, not sure if her score was high enough, sat and waited for the judges’ decision.

7. My cat is afraid of the neighbor’s dog, we have to leave him inside.

8. The network tried to decide if it should go with Ted

Dave.

9. That pretty flower looks harmless, it has hundreds of poisonous thorns.

10. We did not eat, did we sleep yesterday.



E X E R C I S E 3

Using Coordinating Conjunctions in Your Writing

Write five sentences about a class that you liked because of what you learned or because of the teacher. Use in your sentences each of the seven coordinating conjunctions at least once. Check to be sure that you use a comma and a coordinating conjunction between two complete thoughts.



Name: ____________________________________________________ Date: __________________

LESSON 35

Interrupters

An interrupter is a word or phrase that breaks, or interrupts, the flow of thought in a sentence. In your writing, you will sometimes want to use an interrupter to emphasize a point. An interrupter is usually set off by commas or dashes from the rest of the sentence because it is not a basic part of the sentence or essential to its meaning. The commas that set off an interrupter indicate a pause before and after the interruption.

examplesYou will find, however, that first impressions are not always accurate.Her latest book, of course, is on the bestseller list.My uncle—the one you met last summer—collects bugs.

E X E R C I S E 1

Identifying Interrupters in Literature

Underline the four interrupters in the passage below.

“Ama-no-gawa,” I said in her language, haltingly, like a child—the word, not a word for me, but a plaything on my tongue.

“Mil-ky way,” she answered. “Yes.”

After a half hour of poking around at this text, our literal translation of Issa’s immortal haiku looked like this:

Then:

Sliding door’s hole’s

Milky Way.

We both examined the sheet for a while, not sure what to do next—this was our first experiment in translating haiku, and the results seemed, well, meager.

from “Lost in Translation,” page 513Steven Harvey



E X E R C I S E 2

Understanding Interrupters

Underline the interrupters in the following sentences. Then rewrite each sentence, correctly adding commas or dashes to set off each interrupter from the rest of the sentence.

1. Porcupines have quills stiff and sharp that they use to defend themselves.

2. There is a porcupine I believe living in the brush behind the shed.

3. Children of course should not wander into that area alone.

4. Joey for example was pricked twice in the leg last week.

5. The porcupine however is not dangerous unless it feels threatened.

6. The animals according to our teacher really want to be left alone.

7. If you happen to spot a porcupine a disturbing sight stop and slowly back away.

8. Porcupines like opossums will not try to chase you.



9. Some groups nonetheless believe the animals should be protected.

10. Did you know that the porcupine is actually a rodent a small gnawing mammal and has some similarities to a rat?

E X E R C I S E 3

Using Interrupters in Your Writing

Write a paragraph to be shared with classmates, in which you describe the characteristics and movements of a particular animal, perhaps a pet, if you have one. Remember to set off each interrupter with commas or dashes.



Name: ____________________________________________________ Date: __________________

LESSON 36

Interjections

An interjection is a part of speech that expresses feeling, such as surprise, joy, relief, urgency, pain, or anger. Common interjections include ah, aha, alas, bravo, dear me, goodness, great, ha, help, hey, hooray, hush, indeed, mercy, of course, oh, oops, ouch, phooey, really, say, see, ugh, and whew. Interjections actually indicate different degrees of emotion. They may express intense or sudden emotion, as in Wow! I can’t believe it. Notice that the strong expression of emotion stands alone in the sentence and is followed by an exclamation point. Interjections can also express mild emotion, as in Well, I suppose it has to be this way. In this sentence, the interjection is part of the sentence and is set off with only a comma. Even when interjections are part of a sentence, they do not relate grammatically to the rest of the sentence.

E X E R C I S E 1

Identifying Interjections in Literature

Identify the interjection in the following passage. Explain why the interjection is punctuated with a comma.

Well, son, I’ll tell you:Life for me ain’t been no crystal stair.It’s had tacks in it,And splinters,And boards torn up,And places with no carpet on the floor—Bare.But all the timeI’se been a-climbin’ on,And reachin’ landin’s,And turnin’ corners,And sometimes goin’ in the darkWhere there ain’t been no light.So, boy, don’t you turn back.

from “Mother to Son,” page 491Langston Hughes



E X E R C I S E 2

Understanding Interjections

For each emotion listed below, write a sentence that expresses the emotion. Include an appropriate interjection, and use either a comma or an exclamation point to set off the interjection from the sentence.

1. happiness

2. shock

3. rage

4. glee

5. terror

6. extreme exhaustion

7. mild discomfort

8. disbelief

9. annoyance

10. sadness



E X E R C I S E 3

Using Interjections in Your Writing

Write a dialogue for a conversation that might occur between two teammates on the practice field, a principal and a student in the principal’s office, or a musician and his or her teacher after a performance. Try to make your conversation realistic by using interjections to convey the emotion of the people involved. Use commas or exclamation points to punctuate your interjections correctly.



Name: ____________________________________________________ Date: __________________

LESSON 37

Nouns of Direct Address

Nouns of direct address name the person or group spoken to. A noun of direct address is never the subject of the sentence. When the subject of a sentence is understood, or not stated, be careful not to confuse the understood subject with the noun of direct address.

examplesJeffrey, take out the garbage. (Jeffrey is the noun of direct address. You [understood] is the subject of the sentence.)

Betty, will Wally be moving soon? (Betty is the noun of direct address. Wally is the subject of the sentence.)

A noun of direct address can appear at any place in a sentence. Notice in the following examples where the nouns of direct address appear and how commas are used to set them off from the rest of the sentence.

examplesYour homework had better be finished, John, or you will be staying home Friday night. (John is the noun of direct address. Homework and you are the subjects of the two independent clauses.)

Stand at attention, soldier. (Soldier is the noun of direct address. You is the understood subject of the sentence.)

E X E R C I S E 1

Identifying Nouns of Direct Address

Write the nouns of direct address used in the sentences below. Then write the subject of the main clause in each sentence.

1. The telephone is for you, Josh.

2. Would you tell me, ma’am, did you see anything unusual here?

3. Students, you are about to explore the fun and exciting world of calculus.



4. Yolanda, would you like to share your note with the rest of the class?

5. Ladies, one more victory is needed for you to be national champions.

6. Not all Roman emperors, Sam, were good role models.

7. This discovery could change your life forever, Phil.

8. You must remember that practice, Mark, makes you a better musician.

9. Kevin, you need to pull over immediately when the oil light comes on.

10. Rachel, your cartoon will be understood by only a few people.

E X E R C I S E 2

Understanding Nouns of Direct Address

Insert commas where needed to set off the nouns of direct address from the rest of the sentence.

1. Why did you leave the front door unlocked Cleo?

2. Students please pass your papers to the front of the class.

3. Stuart you left the lights on in the basement again.

4. Where did you see the UFO Seth?

5. Few basketball players Kelvin have the talent to play in the NBA.

6. There have been others Ian who have tried to climb this mountain.

7. Family it’s time to have a discussion about finances.

8. Mr. Summers I did not realize that you were driving that car.

9. My fellow Americans I am proud to lead this country for the next four years.

10. You should probably remove the lens cover first Carolyn.



E X E R C I S E 3

Using Nouns of Direct Address in Your Writing

Sometimes a speaker will directly address the audience. This can help the speaker communicate with his or her listeners. Write a paragraph for a speech in which you inspire or motivate your audience. The speech can cover any topic. Be sure to punctuate nouns of direct address correctly.



Name: ____________________________________________________ Date: __________________

LESSON 38

Phrases and Clauses

Sometimes groups of words function as one part of speech. These groups of words are either phrases or clauses. Clauses have both subjects and verbs; phrases do not.

examplesphrase I want to eat one more slice of pizza.phrase He is being taken to the county jail.clause You can have dessert after you finish your spinach.clause Could you find out what is making that terrible noise?

E X E R C I S E 1

Identifying Phrases and Clauses in Literature

Identify the underlined groups of words in the literature passage as phrases or clauses. Write your answers on the corresponding lines below.

1The shattered water made a misty din.2Great waves looked over others coming in,And thought of doing something 3to the shoreThat water never did 4to land before.5The clouds were low and hairy in the skies,6Like locks blown forward in the gleam of eyes.7You could not tell, and yet it looked as if8The shore was lucky in being backed by cliff,The cliff in being backed by continent;It looked as if 9a night of dark intentWas coming, and 10not only a night, an age.

from “Once by the Pacific,” page 544Robert Frost

1.

2.

3.

4.

5.

6.

7.

8.

9.

10.



E X E R C I S E 2

Using Phrases and Clauses

Write a complete sentence incorporating each of the following phrases or clauses.

1. about what happened on the boat

2. when you discover the problem

3. that I could understand

4. who the teacher is

5. in fifteen minutes

6. beyond the third hill

7. at the top of the mountain

8. among the farmers

9. if we could figure it out

10. without any distractions



Name: ____________________________________________________ Date: __________________

LESSON 39

Prepositional Phrases

Phrases

A phrase is a group of words used as a single part of speech. A phrase lacks a subject, a verb, or both. Therefore, it cannot be a sentence. There are three common kinds of phrases: prepositional phrases, verbal phrases, and appositive phrases. A prepositional phrase consists of a preposition, its object, and any modifiers of that object. A prepositional phrase adds information to a sentence by modifying another word in the sentence. It may function as an adjective or an adverb.

examplesadjectives Ted bought a car with a sunroof. (The prepositional phrase

with a sunroof tells what kind of car Ted bought. The phrase is an adjective modifying the noun car.)

He bought the car from a dealership on Washington Street. (The prepositional phrase on Washington Street tells at which dealership Ted bought the car. The phrase is an adjective modifying the object of the prepositional phrase from a dealership.)

adverbs The fog drifted over the hill. (The prepositional phrase over the hill tells where the fog drifted. The phrase is an adverb modifying the verb drifted.)

The soldier is accurate with a rifle. (The prepositional phrase with a rifle tells how the soldier is accurate. The phrase is an adverb modifying the adjective accurate.)

Use prepositional phrases to create sentence variety. When every sentence in a paragraph starts with its subject, the rhythm of the sentences becomes boring. Revise your sentences, where it is appropriate, to start some with prepositional phrases.

exampleThe professor lectured about economic theory for two hours.For two hours the professor lectured about economic theory.



E X E R C I S E 1

Identifying Prepositional Phrases in Literature

Write the word that each underlined group of words modifies on the corresponding lines below. Then label each prepositional phrase as an adjective or an adverb phrase.

The wind was a torrent 1of darkness 2among the gusty trees.The moon was a ghostly galleon tossed 3upon cloudy seas.The road was a ribbon 4of moonlight over the purple moor,And the highwayman came riding—Riding—riding—The highwayman came riding, 5up to the old inn door.

He’d a French cocked hat on his forehead, a bunch 6of lace at his chin,A coat 7of the claret velvet, and breeches 8of brown doeskin.They fitted with never a wrinkle. His boots were 9up to the thigh.And he rode 10with a jewelled twinkle,His pistol butts a-twinkle,His rapier hilt a-twinkle, under the jewelled sky.

from “The Highwayman,” page 551Alfred Noyes

1.

2.

3.

4.

5.

6.

7.

8.

9.

10.

E X E R C I S E 2

Understanding Prepositional Phrases

Rewrite the following sentences so that each begins with a prepositional phrase.

1. An argument about the future of the town rages inside the meeting hall.

2. The thief removed the diamond without a trace of evidence.

3. Your dog will come wandering in the house with his supper dish in his mouth.



4. Coach Gaines watched the practice from the observation tower.

5. The shots were fired from the abandoned house.

6. My house sits on a hill across the lake.

7. Sheri finished her Christmas shopping at the mall.

8. I believe you will find the evidence you are looking for underneath the rug.

9. The frightened cat climbed up the tree in the middle of the backyard.

10. Your friend is resting in the shade under the awning.

E X E R C I S E 3

Using Prepositional Phrases in Your Writing

For a school newspaper, write a human-events story about an event that recently happened in your life. Make sure that your story answers the journalists’ questions Who? What? Where? When? Why? and How? Use prepositional phrases in the story to help your readers visualize what happened, and try to vary the placement in your sentences. Use your own sheet of paper for this exercise.



Name: ____________________________________________________ Date: __________________

LESSON 40

Verbal Phrases

Verbals are verb forms that act as namers (nouns) or modifiers (adjectives and adverbs). There are three kinds of verbals: participles, gerunds, and infinitives.

Participial Phrases

A participle is a verb form that usually ends in –ing, –d, or –ed and that acts as an adjective, modifying a noun or a pronoun. A participial phrase includes a participle and may include objects of the participle, and any adjectives, adverbs, and prepositional phrases that modify the participle. The entire phrase acts as an adjective.

examplesClimbing carefully up the tree, Elijah was able to reach the cat. (The participle climbing, the adverb carefully, and the prepositional phrase up the tree make up the participial phrase that modifies Elijah.)

Jim came up with the idea for the mural painted on the building. (The participle painted and the prepositional phrase on the building make up the participial phrase that modifies mural.)

Andrea, carrying heavy books, almost fell down the stairs at school today. (The participial carrying, the adjective heavy, and the noun books make up the participial phrase that modifies Andrea.

For variety, begin some of your sentences with participial phrases. However, be sure to place the participial phrase close to the word it modifies. Otherwise, you may say something you do not mean.

examplesmisplaced participial phrase We discussed what to do about the bird

standing at the water cooler.

revised sentence Standing at the water cooler, we discussed what to do about the bird.



E X E R C I S E 1

Identifying Participial Phrases in Literature

Identify the participial phrase in the literature passage below. Then, identify the noun or pronoun the participial phrase modifies.

I’m orphaned from my Spanish name.The words are foreign, stumblingon my tongue. I see in the mirrormy reflection: bronzed skin, black hair.

from “Refugee Ship,” page 586Lorna Dee Cervantes

E X E R C I S E 2

Understanding Participial Phrases

For each of the following participial phrases, write a complete sentence. Try to vary your sentence structure, and be sure to place the participial phrase close to the word it modifies.

1. remembered each year

2. scribbled on the menu

3. borrowing from his sister

4. spotted over the trees

5. shocked at the outcome

6. diving into the pool

7. traveling across the state



8. talking of trouble

9. flying near the ground

10. operated by the boss

E X E R C I S E 3

Using Participial Phrases in Your Writing

Imagine that you are writing a letter to a business as part of a summer job application. To let your potential employers know what qualities you would bring to the job, describe in the letter your skills. Use participial phrases in your letter to explain your abilities and experience.



Name: ____________________________________________________ Date: __________________

LESSON 41

Appositive Phrases

An appositive phrase is a group of words made up of an appositive and all its modifiers. The phrase renames or identifies a noun or pronoun.

examplesDr. George, the former football coach, is our new professor. (The appositive phrase renames the noun Dr. George.)

The television show Let’s Make a Deal used to be very popular. (The appositive phrase identifies which show used to be very popular.)

The first example above, the former football coach, is a nonessential appositive phrase. It is not necessary to identify Dr. George, who has already been named. Therefore, it is set off with commas. The second example, Let’s Make a Deal, is an essential appositive phrase. It is necessary for identifying the particular television show. This appositive phrase is not set off with commas. Appositive phrases add versatility to your writing because they can be placed at the beginning, in the middle, or at the end of a sentence. They also provide variety. Using appositive phrases to combine sentences eliminates unimportant words and creates more fact-filled sentences. When you join two ideas with an appositive phrase, place the idea you wish to stress in the main clause and make the less important idea the appositive.

examplesTammy sings in the church choir. She is a ninth-grader.Tammy, a ninth-grader, sings in the church choir.

E X E R C I S E 1

Identifying Appositive Phrases

Write the appositive phrases you find in the sentences below. Then tell the noun or pronoun each appositive phrase identifies.

1. That man at the bar, Brett Samuels, arrived in town two days ago.

2. I’ve heard that he is from Barren Canyon, a town about 150 miles northeast of here.



3. The sound of gunshots, three loud cracks, rang out in the street.

4. Everyone in the bar, gamblers, miners, and drifters, scrambled out the door.

5. A man dressed in a black jacket, a threatening figure, stood in the middle of Main Street 100 feet away.

6. Right outside the bar, Cole West, the town sheriff, lay face down in the street.

7. Cole had been the only law enforcement in Broken Cactus, a small mining community.

8. No one dared to challenge the defiant gunman, a menacing presence who stood his ground unmoving.

9. Brett Samuels, a stranger to most in this town, ambled out into the street and faced the gunman.

10. Onlookers breathlessly awaited the showdown, a duel between two outsiders that would determine the fate of an entire town.

E X E R C I S E 2

Understanding Appositive Phrases

Combine each pair of sentences with an appositive or an appositive phrase.

1. Alaska is the largest state in the union. It has the fewest people per square mile.

2. The state’s total area is nearly 600,000 square miles. Alaska is over one-fifth the size of the entire lower forty-eight states.



3. Alaska is the northernmost state in the union. It has only one city with a population greater than 100,000.

4. Mount McKinley is in Alaska. It is the highest mountain in North America.

5. America bought Alaska in 1867 from Russia for $7.2 million. The price was two cents an acre.

6. Alaska’s population grew by more than 10 percent in the 1990s. The state has fewer than 1.5 people per square mile.

7. Oil was discovered in Alaska in 1968. Oil became a major part of the state’s economy.

8. In 1989, ten million gallons of oil were spilled into Prince William Sound in the Exxon Valdez disaster. This was the worst oil spill in U.S. history.

9. Included as part of Alaska are the Aleutian Islands. Three of these islands were occupied by the Japanese during World War II.

10. Alaska has been known for several economic pursuits throughout its history. Hunting for furs, fishing, whaling, and gold mining have all been part of the state’s economy.



E X E R C I S E 3

Using Appositives in Your Writing

Choose an ordinary object, such as an apple, a bowling ball, or a snowflake. Write a poem, to be shared with classmates, in praise of the object. Use at least five appositive phrases to describe the object in detail.



Name: ____________________________________________________ Date: __________________

LESSON 42

Types of Clauses within a Sentence

A clause is a group of words that contains a subject and verb and that functions as one part of speech. There are two types of clauses—independent and subordinate. An independent clause, sometimes called a main clause, has a subject and a verb and expresses a complete thought. Since it can stand alone as a sentence, it is called independent.

exampleAbraham Lincoln is often called the “Great Emancipator.”

A subordinate clause has a subject and a verb, but it doesn’t express a complete thought. It can’t stand alone. It must be attached to or inserted into an independent clause. That’s why subordinate clauses are also called dependent clauses. When you combine subordinate clauses with independent clauses, you form complete sentences.

examplesWhen the bell rang, the students ran out of the room. (The subordinate clause when the bell rang is attached to an independent clause.)

The dog that barked all night slept throughout the day. (The subordinate clause that barked all night is inserted into the independent clause The dog slept throughout the day.)

There are three types of subordinate clauses: adjective clauses, adverb clauses, and noun clauses.

E X E R C I S E 1

Identifying Independent and Subordinate Clauses in Literature

Identify each underlined clause in the following passage as independent or subordinate.

1I’m going out to fetch the little calf2That’s standing by the mother. 3It’s so young,It totters 4when she licks it with her tongue.5I sha’n’t be gone long.—You come too.

from “The Pasture,” page 591Robert Frost

1.

2.



3.

4.

5.

E X E R C I S E 2

Understanding Independent and Subordinate Clauses

Label the following clauses as independent (I) or subordinate (S). Then rewrite the subordinate clauses so that they are attached to or inserted into an independent clause.

_____ 1. James entered the room

_____ 2. when the horse runs out of the barn

_____ 3. wherever we look for the cat

_____ 4. since it gets cold outside at night

_____ 5. I understand

_____ 6. although they passed the class

_____ 7. that crashed into the building

_____ 8. this ordeal is over

_____ 9. they run for cover

_____ 10. if you cannot sit still



Adjective Clauses

An adjective clause is a subordinate clause that functions as an adjective. It modifies a noun or pronoun. Adjective clauses are introduced most frequently with words like the following: that, which, who, whom, whose, when, why, and where. An adjective clause follows the word it modifies.

examplesJulie, who is fourteen years old, will be playing in the golf tournament.Tomorrow is the day when the season starts.

When an adjective clause is essential to the meaning of a sentence, it should not be set off from the rest of the sentence with commas. When an adjective clause is nonessential, it is set off with commas.

examplesessential We found the couch spring that had been squeaking. Each person who enrolls in the class receives a green notebook.nonessential Our car, which we bought last year, has 65,000 miles on the

odometer. Our camp counselor, who frowns upon practical jokes,

should not find out about this.

E X E R C I S E 3

Identifying Adjective Clauses in Literature

For each of the three underlined adjective clauses in the poem, circle the word that the clause modifies..

It was many and many a year ago,

In a kingdom by the sea.

That a maiden there lived 1whom you may know

By the name of Annabel Lee;

And this maiden she lived with no other thought

Than to love and be loved by me.

I was a child and she was a child,

In this kingdom by the sea;

But we loved with a love 2that was more than love—

I and my Annabel Lee—



With a love 3that the wingèd seraphs of heaven

Coveted her and me.from “Annabel Lee,” page 547

Edgar Allan Poe

E X E R C I S E 4

Correcting Adjective Clauses

Correct the punctuation of the adjective clauses in the following sentences. If a sentence has no punctuation errors, write correct.

1. The car, that is in the garage, is a priceless antique.

2. Is Bernice the girl who is having a birthday party?

3. This book, which can be purchased at any bookstore, will change your life.

4. The center needs a volunteer who knows how to speak Spanish.

5. The snowman that you built in the backyard is melting.

6. Saturday is the day, when all of our hard work will pay off.

7. Bill is the player, whom you will be guarding in the game.

8. Dawn whose cat frequently visits lives three houses down the street.

9. Your table which is made of oak is over 100 years old.

10. They will fly to Seattle where the convention is being held.



E X E R C I S E 5

Using Adjective Clauses in Your Writing

For a peer, write a description of your favorite mode of transportation. Tell about what it is, how it functions, and what you especially like about it. Use at least four adjective clauses in your description.

Adverb Clauses

An adverb clause is a subordinate clause that functions as an adverb. It modifies a verb, an adjective, or another adverb.

examplesMarlene played the flute whenever she had the time.(Whenever she had the time modifies the verb played.)

Your car is faster than my car is. (Than my car is modifies the adjective faster.)

The mayor will speak a half-hour longer than he normally does. (Than he normally does modifies the adverb longer.)

Adverb clauses often, but not always, start with a subordinating conjunction such as after, although, because, before, if, so that, though, unless, when, whether, and while.

E X E R C I S E 6

Identifying Adverb Clauses in Literature

Underline the two adverb clauses in the following passage.

“One kiss, my bonny sweetheart, I’m after a prize tonight,

But I shall be back with the yellow gold before the morning light;

Yet, if they press me sharply, and harry me through the day,

Then look for me by moonlight,



Watch for me by moonlight,

I’ll come to thee by moonlight, though hell should bar the way.”

from “The Highwayman,” page 551Alfred Noyes

E X E R C I S E 7

Understanding Adverb Clauses

Write an independent clause to attach to each of the following adverb clauses. When you begin a sentence with an adverb clause, use a comma after the adverb clause.

1. whenever it is possible

2. even though they were confused

3. before the storm hits

4. until we come up with a better idea

5. that we could find such a necklace

6. than she does

7. if the problem continues

8. whether you choose or not

9. so that our parents won’t be mad

10. after the sun goes down



E X E R C I S E 8

Using Adverb Clauses in Your Writing

Write a paragraph, to be shared with classmates, describing a recent accomplishment of which you are proud. In your paragraph, use at least three adverb clauses.



Name: ____________________________________________________ Date: __________________

LESSON 43

The Clauses of a Sentence:Simple and Compound Sentences

Sentences are classified according to the number and kinds of clauses they contain. Three types of sentence structures are simple, compound, and complex. A simple sentence contains one independent clause and no subordinate clauses. It may have any number of phrases. It may also have a compound subject and a compound verb. A simple sentence is sometimes called an independent clause because it can stand by itself.

examplesThe bird flew over the mountain.Snow and sleet hampered our travel.We loaded the cannon and commenced firing.

A compound sentence consists of two or more independent clauses that are joined together with a comma and a coordinating conjunction (and, but, or, nor, for, yet, or so).

examplesOccasionally the fox will appear near the edge of the forest, but usually he doesn’t venture out of the trees.

The gang buried the money, and their cars were pushed into the lake.

I feel good about myself today, for I figured out the ingredients to the secret formula.

E X E R C I S E 1

Understanding Simple and Compound Sentences

Add a coordinating conjunction and one or more independent clauses to each of the simple sentences below to create a compound sentence.

1. Juan played soccer.

2. Terri went to the mall.

3. The mother and child ate lunch in the park.



4. The teacher returned the homework.

5. I tried to speak Spanish.

6. Cassandra eats breakfast at 8:00 a.m.

7. We bought tickets to the baseball game.

8. The train was late.

9. Martin and Jaclyn will have to go to the grocery store.

10. The dog left a puddle of drool on the floor.

E X E R C I S E 2

Using Simple and Compound Sentence Structures in Your Writing

Write a short paragraph about an organization or charity that you feel strongly about. Describe what the organization or charity does and why you think it is a good cause. Use simple and compound sentences in your paragraph.



Name: ____________________________________________________ Date: __________________

LESSON 44

The Clauses of a Sentence:Complex Sentences

A complex sentence consists of one independent clause and one or more subordinate clauses. In the following examples, the independent clauses are italicized.

examplesAfter the game was over but before the postgame interview began, the coach sat down and talked to us.

When the whistle blew, an army of three hundred raced out to their cars.

E X E R C I S E 1

Identifying Sentence Structures

Identify the sentences below as simple, compound, or complex.

1. Before 1980, Mount Saint Helens had a symmetrical cone that is now largely gone.

2. The eruption was preceded by two months of earthquakes and emissions of steam.

3. When the volcano erupted on May 18th, 1980, it devastated more than 150 square miles.

4. Mount Saint Helens continued to erupt intermittently for the next three days.

5. Volcanic ash spread over large areas of the Northwest, bringing midday darkness, disrupting travel, and causing widespread economic damage.

6. The eruption of Mount Saint Helens was catastrophic, and the effects of the blast could be felt around the world.

113-155_Gr07_Gram&Style_Final.indd 153113-155_Gr07_Gram&Style_Final.indd 153 4/9/09 11:18:02 AM4/9/09 11:18:02 AM


E X E R C I S E 2

Understanding How to Use Clauses to Create Different Sentence Structures

Expand each of the following simple sentences into a compound or complex sentence by adding a subordinate clause and/or an independent clause. Label each sentence type that you create.

1. The poodle devoured the cake.

2. Chris fell down.

3. Ben’s computer broke.

4. This blanket feels warm.

5. A few of the books are worth reading.

6. Debbie tried to call her.

7. The nightly news will never be the same.

8. Both Peter and Bob played soccer.



9. Jen believed Tim’s story.

10. Kenneth wrote the novel.

E X E R C I S E 3

Using Different Sentence Structures in Your Writing

Check a newspaper, news broadcast, or the Internet to learn about a current event that is happening overseas. For your classmates, write a summary in which you describe the important details of this event. In your summary, use a variety of simple, compound, and complex sentences.



Name: ____________________________________________________ Date: __________________

LESSON 45

End Marks

An end mark tells the reader where a sentence ends. An end mark also shows the purpose of the sentence. The three end marks are the period, the question mark, and the exclamation point.

examplesdeclarative sentence I will be attending the play tonight.imperative sentence Return the overdue library books.interrogative sentence Will you be studying this weekend?exclamatory sentence There is a tarantula in the house!

A declarative sentence makes a statement and ends with a period.

exampleThe circus is coming to town next week.

An imperative sentence gives a command or makes a request. Often, the understood subject of these sentences is you.

example(You) Take out the garbage.

An interrogative sentence asks a question. It ends with a question mark.

exampleWhen will their train arrive at the station?

An exclamatory sentence expresses strong feeling and ends with an exclamation point.

exampleWatch out for the avalanche!

E X E R C I S E 1

Identifying Sentence Purposes in Literature

Identify each numbered sentence in the following literature passage as declarative, interrogative, or exclamatory. Write your answers on the corresponding lines below.

ASSISTANT. [With volume.] Good morning, Mr. Kistunov!KISTUNOV. Shhh! 1Please....Please lower your voice.ASSISTANT. [Whispers.] 2I’m sorry, sir.KISTUNOV. 3It’s just that my gout is acting up again and my nerves are



like little firecrackers. 4The least little friction can set them off.ASSISTANT. 5It must be very painful, sir.KISTUNOV. 6Combing my hair this morning was agony.ASSISTANT. Mr. Kistunov.KISTUNOV. 7What is it, Pochatkin?

from “A Defenseless Creature,” page 611Neil Simon, based on a story by Anton Chekhov

1.

2.

3.

4.

5.

6.

7.

E X E R C I S E 2

Understanding End Marks

Punctuate the end of each sentence with the correct mark of punctuation—a period, question mark, or exclamation point.

1. I believe this hammer belongs to you

2. We just won a million dollars

3. The deadline for paying taxes is April 15

4. This rain cannot last much longer

5. Give me the remote control

6. Should the cat be roaming free in Mrs. Nelson’s garden

7. Jack asked me when I would be home

8. The roof is on fire

9. Why can’t we stay home today

10. Tomorrow we will go fly a kite



E X E R C I S E 3

Using End Marks in Your Writing

Choose a household product, for example, a broom, a detergent soap, or a can opener. Imagine that you make a living by selling this object door to door. Write out what you would say as part of your sales pitch, noting facts and details that would interest customers in your product. Use sentences that end with periods, exclamation points, and question marks.



Name: ____________________________________________________ Date: __________________

LESSON 46

Commas

A comma separates words or groups of words within a sentence. Commas tell the reader to pause at certain spots in the sentence. These pauses help keep the reader from running together certain words and phrases when they should be kept apart.

Use commas to separate items in a series. Three or more items make a series.

examplesPossums, rabbits, and squirrels invaded my yard.The school supplies he needs include pencils, erasers, paper, and a ruler.

Use commas when separating adjectives modifying a noun. In this case the comma can be thought of as replacing the word and.

exampleIt was a dark, stormy night. (It was a dark [and] stormy night.)

Use commas when you combine sentences using and, but, or, nor, yet, so, or for. Place the comma before these words.

examplesYou and your mother can drive to the store, but make sure you have enough gas in the tank.

The burglars broke in through the window, or they entered through the cellar door.

Use a comma after an introductory word or phrase.

examplesFinally, the semester is over.Looking across the ocean, Shelly thought back to the previous summer.

Use a comma to set off words or phrases that interrupt sentences. Use two commas if the word or phrase occurs in the middle of the sentence. Use one comma if the word or phrase comes at the beginning or at the end of a sentence.

examplesMy brother plays for the Iowa Cubs, a minor league baseball team in Des Moines, Iowa.

The Battle of Stalingrad, the turning point of World War II, was fought in late 1942 and early 1943.



Use a comma to set off names used in direct address.

examplesJames, will you go to the store for me?Don’t forget to check the oven, Sara.

Use commas to separate parts of a date. Do not use a comma between the month and the year.

examplesA fire swept through Baltimore on February 7, 1904.Bill Clinton left office in January 2001.

Use commas to separate items in addresses. Do not use a comma between the state and the ZIP Code.

examplesThe National Baseball Hall of Fame is located in Cooperstown, New York.My new address is 4487 Starbuck Street, Birmingham, Alabama 35235.

E X E R C I S E 1

Identifying Commas

Identify the use of the commas in each sentence of the passage below as one of the following: interrupter, series, combining sentences, or introductory.

1Drama and fiction share many elements, such as plot, characters, dialogue, and setting. 2However, playwrights are faced with additional challenges. 3A typical play usually lasts a few hours, and all the action and plot development must take place within that time frame. 4Playwrights must always be conscious of time, the size of the stage, and an audience’s ability to endure and immediately understand what is taking place.

1.

2.

3.

4.



E X E R C I S E 2

Correcting Comma Use

Rewrite the following sentences so that they are correctly punctuated with commas. If a sentence is already punctuated correctly, write correct.

1. The battleship in the harbor has been painted gray so it matches the other ships in the fleet.

2. Indianapolis is the capital and largest city in the state of Indiana.

3. The address for Nebraska Wesleyan University is 5000 Saint Paul Avenue Lincoln Nebraska 68504.

4. Athena one of the Greek gods is the subject of this story.

5. Looking into the old chest I found a musket a cutlass and a uniform.

6. My grandfather told me that September 2 1945 was a special day for him.

7. The town’s newspaper founded in 1845 is having financial difficulties.

8. Blankets clothes food and medical supplies are needed for the disaster victims.



9. You might want to buy a new tent and don’t forget to bring along a couple of lanterns.

10. Dedication determination and stamina will be needed to finish the race for it covers twenty miles of mountains forests and streams.

E X E R C I S E 3

Using Commas in Your Writing

Write a letter to a pen pal describing an important day in your life. Include information about your age at the time, where you lived, who was with you, and what happened on that day. Choose details that will be interesting to your pen pal and that will help him or her understand why this day is special to you. Be sure that you have used commas correctly in your essay.



Name: ____________________________________________________ Date: __________________

LESSON 47

Semicolons

A semicolon joins two closely related independent clauses.

exampleThe Nelsons are finished moving in; they are probably exhausted right now.

Conjunctions such as and, but, so, or, nor, for, and yet can be used to combine two related independent clauses. A semicolon is a punctuation mark that also joins two closely related independent clauses. The semicolon can be used in place of the comma and the conjunction. Using a semicolon instead of a comma and a coordinating conjunction adds emphasis to the second clause. The semicolon signals a pause that is longer than a comma’s pause but shorter than a period’s.

examplestwo separate The Titanic was a majestic 882-foot ship that was independent clauses believed to be indestructible. It sank on its first

voyage across the Atlantic.

joined with semicolon The Titanic was a majestic 882-foot ship that was believed to be indestructible; it sank on its first voyage across the Atlantic.

E X E R C I S E 1

Understanding Semicolons

Combine each pair of independent clauses by correctly placing a semicolon between them.

1. The Vietnamese people have been occupied by foreign powers for much of their history the Mongols and Chinese ruled over them hundreds of years ago.

2. European powers dominated much of Asia in the 1800s France established its rule over the Vietnamese and Laotians in the 1860s.

3. During World War II many French colonies were occupied by Japan the Japanese ruled Vietnam for five years.

4. After World War II France reestablished its control over Vietnam the Vietnamese and Laotian people fought to gain their independence.

5. The Vietnamese and Laotians fought with determination in 1954 they defeated the French, who pulled out of Southeast Asia.

6. In 1954 the United States entered Vietnam to oppose its new government this was the start of America’s involvement in the Vietnam War.



7. For the Vietnamese the war was a struggle to throw off another foreign power they fought with great determination.

8. The Vietnam War became unpopular in the United States protesters demonstrated against the war on campuses across America.

9. President Lyndon Johnson lost support because of his Vietnam policy he did not choose to run for reelection in 1968.

10. In 1973 the United States pulled its troops out of Southeast Asia two years later Vietnam was united under a Communist government.

E X E R C I S E 2

Using Semicolons

Each independent clause that follows is the first half of a sentence. Add a semicolon and a second independent clause. Make sure that your second clause is related to the first thought, and can stand alone.

1. The hungry tiger prowled in the night

2. Jennifer heard an ominous noise

3. Our car rolled slowly down the hill

4. Soldiers marched toward the town

5. The boss made a decision about the project

6. Beavers built a dam in the river

7. An alarm sounded in the building

8. Betty read half of the book this morning

9. A mist crept in among the houses

10. Snow came down for three days straight



Name: ____________________________________________________ Date: __________________

LESSON 48

Colons

A colon introduces a list of items. Colons are also used between numbers that tell hours and minutes and after the greeting in a business letter.

examplesThe speech covered three topics: parking permits, housing, and leash laws.You will be meeting the boss at 10:00 a.m.Dear Human Resources: Please send a job application.

A colon may be used when the second clause explains or amplifies the first clause.

examplesI seldom eat dinner: after 6:00 p.m., food doesn’t appeal to me.I was disappointed they left without me: I didn’t want to miss the concert.

E X E R C I S E 1

Understanding Colons

Insert colons where they are needed in the following sentences. If no colons are needed, write correct.

1. The collection included the works of four nineteenth-century American writers Nathaniel Hawthorne, Herman Melville, Harriet Beecher Stowe, and Mark Twain.

2. Melville wrote about his experiences in three of his well-received books Typee, Omoo, and Redburn.

3. These books are based on his voyages to the Marquesas Islands, Tahiti, and Liverpool.

4. In Moby-Dick, Melville writes about the experiences of the fictional characters Ishmael, Ahab, Starbuck, Stubb, and Queequeg.

5. The book blends these elements drama, adventure, and a technical treatise on whaling.



6. Moby-Dick bears the influence of these writers Shakespeare, Hawthorne, and Byron.

7. Melville also wrote these three short stories “Bartleby the Scrivener,” “The Encantadas,” and “Benito Cereno.”

8. Later in his life, he wrote the books John Marr and Other Sailors, Timoleon, and Billy Budd.

9. Melville’s siblings included three brothers Gansevoort, Allan, and Tom.

10. Near the end of Moby-Dick, I became so engrossed in the story that I stayed up reading until 230 a.m.

E X E R C I S E 2

Using Colons in Your Writing

Write a letter to a company that manufactures a product you use. Ask for information that you could use in a report about the company. Just for practice, try to use a number of colons in your letter.



Name: ____________________________________________________ Date: __________________

LESSON 49

Apostrophes

An apostrophe is used to form the possessive of nouns. To form the possessive of a singular noun, add an apostrophe and an s to the end of the word.

examplesa week’s pay a friend’s bicycle James’s cat the dress’s collar

The possessive of a plural noun is formed two different ways. If the plural noun does not end in –s, you add an apostrophe and an s to the end of the word. If the plural noun ends with an s, add only an apostrophe.

exampleswomen’s shoes geese’s flight children’s jokesfans’ cheers six days’ wages actresses’ agents

E X E R C I S E 1

Identifying Singular and Plural Possessive Nouns

Identify each of the following possessive nouns as singular (S) or plural (P).

_____ 1. Mrs. Talbot’s garden

_____ 2. Germans’ hopes for peace

_____ 3. three months’ vacation

_____ 4. anyone’s guess

_____ 5. PETA’s objective

_____ 6. her professors’ advice

_____ 7. his brothers’ cars

_____ 8. James’s house

_____ 9. Socrates’ wisdom

_____ 10. Zeus’s bolts



E X E R C I S E 2

Correcting the Use of Apostrophes

Correct each of the following sentences by inserting ’s or an apostrophe alone to form the possessive case of the underlined words.

1. On the first day of class, Marias books had not yet arrived.

2. A teachers job is not done after the last class.

3. Mrs. Jones assignments are always the most difficult.

4. The principals first two years on the job went smoothly.

5. This schools music department needs funding.

6. Pizza was served for the semesters first lunch.

7. Our lockers combinations had all been changed from last year.

8. The citys streets had been repaired before the school year started.

9. This weeks assignments had piled up by Friday.

10. The bells ring brought the much welcome sound of freedom.

E X E R C I S E 3

Using Apostrophes in Your Writing

For your journal, write a paragraph describing a typical Saturday morning in your household. Include details about your activities, meals, and other people with whom you interact. Be sure to use apostrophes correctly in your singular and plural possessive nouns.



Name: ____________________________________________________ Date: __________________

LESSON 50

Quotation Marks

When you use a person’s exact words in your writing, you are using a direct quotation. Enclose the words of a direct quotation in quotation marks.

examples“Good morning, fans,” announced the sports anchor. “It’s time to cover last night’s games.”

Hovering above his friends, Ivan teased, “Haven’t you seen a boy fly before?”

A direct quotation should always begin with a capital letter. Separate a direct quotation from the rest of the sentence with a comma, question mark, or exclamation point. Do not separate the direct quotation from the rest of the sentence with a period. All punctuation marks that belong to the direct quotation itself should be placed inside the quotation marks.

examples“You can count on me,” Chris replied.Bobby roared, “Get your head in the game!”“Why did you say that?” Mr. Ross asked.“Please,” Robin begged, “give me another chance.”

Use quotation marks to enclose the titles of short works such as short stories, poems, songs, articles, essays, and parts of books.

examplesshort stories “The Inn of Lost Time,” “Hollywood and the Pits”poems “Father William,” “Once by the Pacific”songs “Bridge Over Troubled Water,” “Again”articles, essays, “The Eternal Frontier,” “Moving West: A Native and parts of books American Perspective”

E X E R C I S E 1

Identifying the Correct Use of Quotation Marks

The following sentences include direct quotations and the titles of short works. Add the appropriate quotation marks, commas, question marks, exclamation points, and periods to the sentences.

1. This semester’s reading list made me feel like singing I Am a Man of Constant Sorrow

2. According to William James Wherever you are it is your own friends who make your world



3. Reeve Lindbergh wrote that in the air her father Charles wasn’t flying the airplane, he was being the airplane

4. In the song One Night in Bangkok the arbiter declares Siam’s gonna be the witness to the ultimate test of cerebral fitness.

5. Billie Jean King once gave the advice If you’re going to make an error, make it a doozy, and don’t be afraid to hit the ball.

6. I’ll be watching you is Sting’s promise in the hit Police song Every Breath You Take

7. When can their glory fade asks Alfred, Lord Tennyson about the soldiers in the Light Brigade in his poem The Charge of the Light Brigade

8. Ronald Reagan’s speechwriter Peggy Noonan proclaimed The crew of the space shuttle Challenger honored us by the manner in which they lived their lives

9. One’s destination is never a place but rather a new way of looking at things is an inspiring quote by Henry Miller.

10. After Paul Harvey told his listeners Now you know the rest of the story he signed off by saying Good day

E X E R C I S E 2

Using Quotation Marks

Write a sentence in response to each direction below. Be sure to use quotation marks correctly.

1. Name your favorite short story, and tell why it appeals to you.

2. Name a song you dislike, and give your thoughts about its lyrics.

3. Tell about a poet who has written a poem that you like.

4. Write a sentence about an inspiring quote from a famous person.

5. Write a sentence about a magazine article that provided you with useful information.



Name: ____________________________________________________ Date: __________________

LESSON 51

Hyphens and Dashes

Hyphens are used to make a compound word or compound expression.

examplesgreat-grandfather Joneslift-offlong-windedcul-de-sacthirty-eight-year-old

A dash is used to show a sudden break or change in thought. Note that a dash is longer in length than a hyphen. Dashes sometimes replace other marks of punctuation, such as periods, semicolons, or commas.

Now, Helen—this is exactly what I mean.from “Let Me Hear You Whisper,” page 669

Paul Zindel

This one—this—Scrooge—before your very eyes, returns to life, among the living.

from “A Christmas Carol: Scrooge and Marley, Act 1,” page 623Israel Horovitz

E X E R C I S E 1

Identifying the Correct Use of Hyphens and Dashes

Rewrite the following sentences, adding hyphens and dashes where they are appropriate.

1. Running a fifty meter dash will get your blood pumping.

2. Winning a medal at the Olympics is a great feeling earning a gold medal is indescribable.

3. Paying one half of the bill ahead of time might ensure a first rate job.

4. This is a job for Batman and Robin the fearless crime fighting duo.



5. Before he went to prison, my uncle was a top notch safecracker.

6. She read a book about James Madison the fourth president of the United States.

7. His report was about the difficulties of growing up in a lower class neighborhood.

8. You have plenty of apples in your basket only four will be needed for the dessert.

9. I saw your uncle a strange looking man crossing the street downtown.

10. You should be more safety conscious always wear a hard hat at the construction site.

E X E R C I S E 2

Using Hyphens and Dashes in Your Writing

Write for the dietitian in the school cafeteria a description of an ideal meal that you would like to eat. Include at least three of your favorite foods and a beverage in this meal. Include hyphens and dashes in your description.



Name: ____________________________________________________ Date: __________________

LESSON 52

Editing for Capitalization Errors

To avoid capitalization errors, check your draft for proper nouns and proper adjectives, including geographical names, directions, and historical events, as well as titles of artworks and literary works.

Proper nouns and proper adjectives are capitalized. A proper noun names a specific person, place, or thing.

examplesAndrew Jackson Queen VictoriaMadison Square Garden Russia

A proper adjective is an adjective formed from a proper noun or a proper noun used as an adjective.

examplesJacksonian democracy Victorian culture Russian novelist

A possessive proper noun functions as an adjective when it modifies a noun.

examplesMr. Murphy’s movie Italy’s buildings Angelo’s sweater

Geographical names of specific places are capitalized, including terms such as lake, mountain, river, and valley when they are used as part of a name. Do not capitalize general names for places.

examplescapitalized Lake Huron Kuskokwim Mountains Highway 61not capitalized a lake the mountains the highway

Geographical directions are capitalized if they are part of a specific name of a commonly recognized region. Do not capitalize such words as east(ern), west(ern), north(ern), and south(ern) if they are used only to indicate direction.

examplescapitalized Far East West Texas West Coastnot capitalized east of the river western Canada the south bay

Historical events are capitalized, as are special events and recognized periods of time.

examplesGilded Age Super Bowl Era of Good Feelings



The titles of artworks and literary works are capitalized. Note that articles, conjuctions, and prepositions in the title do not need to be capitalized unless they are the first word of a title.

examplesWhere the Red Fern Grows Gabrielle with a Rose To Kill a Mockingbird

E X E R C I S E 1

Identifying Capitalized Words in Literature

For each underlined word in the following passage, identify the capitalization rule. Write your answers on the corresponding lines below.

MAN. 1Camden-Town’s where it’s goin’, sir?SCROOGE. Oh, I didn’t tell you? Yes, I’ve written the precise address down just

here on this...[Hands paper to him.] 2Bob Cratchit’s house. Now he’s not to know who sends him this. Do you understand me? Not a word...[Handing out money and chuckling.]

MAN. I understand, sir, not a word.SCROOGE. Good. There you go then...this is for the turkey...[Chuckle.] and this is

for the taxi. [Chuckle.]...and this is for your world-record run, 3Adam.ADAM. But I don’t have change for that, sir.SCROOGE. Then keep it, my lad. It’s 4Christmas!

from “The Christmas Carol: Scrooge and Marley, Act 2,” page 645Israel Horovitz

1.

2.

3.

4.

E X E R C I S E 2

Correcting Capitalization

Rewrite each sentence, correcting errors in capitalization.

1. Titus smith rode with his brothers, fred and paul, from kansas city to tulsa.

2. During the trip, Titus read the famous novel the hobbit.



3. Titus is a seventh-grade student at Lincoln middle school; he is studying the american revolution.

4. He hopes to someday visit spain, france, and other countries in western europe.

5. On the trip, the brothers listened to CDs by diamond rio, sawyer brown, and alabama.

6. Soon after crossing the mississippi river, Fred pulled into a gas station.

7. Paul took over driving and piloted the car down highway 44 toward tulsa.

8. At the university of oklahoma, Paul is studying english literature.

9. After eating in the cafeteria, the smith brothers watched the old television show bonanza.

10. Titus once wrote a poem, “the gray box,” about the experience of watching television.

E X E R C I S E 3

Using Capitalization in Your Writing

Write for your classmates a summary of a trip you once took with your family, fellow students, or friends. In your summary, note the rule for each capitalized word: proper noun, proper adjective, geographical name, geographical direction, historical name, title of an artwork, or title of a literary work. Try to include at least one capitalized word for each rule listed above. Use your own sheet of paper for this exercise.



Name: ____________________________________________________ Date: __________________

LESSON 53

Proper Nouns and Proper Adjectives

Proper Nouns

A proper noun names a specific person, place, or thing. The following kinds of proper nouns should be capitalized.

Names of peopleexamplesAbigail Adams Harry S. Truman Ken Griffey Jr.

Months, days, and holidaysexamplesApril Sunday Thanksgiving

Names of religions, languages, races, and nationalitiesexamplesJudaism HinduismGerman SanskritMexican Asian AmericanCaucasian Latin

Names of clubs, organizations, businesses, and institutionsexamplesAmerican Cancer Society Boy ScoutsFranklin Life Insurance Company Union Bank

Names of awards, prizes, and medalsexamplesTony Award Pulitzer Prize Medal of Freedom

Proper Adjectives

A proper adjective is either an adjective formed from a proper noun or a proper noun used as an adjective.

Proper adjectives formed from proper nounsexamplesChinese puzzle Kafkaesque plotCanadian pilots Italian envoy

Proper nouns used as adjectivesexamplesHouse chamber Hitchcock classic Torah scholar



A possessive proper noun functions as an adjective when it modifies a noun.examplesSpain’s cuisine Patricia’s textbook Minnesota’s lakes

E X E R C I S E 1

Identifying Proper Nouns and Proper Adjectives

Underline the proper nouns once and proper adjectives twice in the following sentences.

1. Grant Rollins told me that the math assignment is hanging over him like a Damoclean sword.

2. He likes to play Whiz Kid, a popular word game that is made by the Smart Games Company.

3. She went downtown to meet a friend for Chinese food.

4. Maria said that the old house was a good example of Victorian architecture.

5. Mary said the song “Puff, the Magic Dragon” does not contain a hidden meaning.

6. The Spartan men often won the chariot races.

7. Jesse James had several family members in his gang, including Cole Younger, Jim Younger, and Frank James.

8. Scott and Rick will be playing softball on Wednesdays and Fridays through the summer.

9. The German exchange student came to my house to study for the English exam.

10. I think Santa Claus vacations in the Bahamas from New Year’s Day until Labor Day.

E X E R C I S E 2

Correcting Capitalization for Proper Nouns and Proper Adjectives

Correct any capitalization errors in the following sentences.

1. I believe that our tree in the front yard has dutch elm disease.

2. The movie a beautiful mind is based on the life of john nash.

3. You leave for your trip on saturday, october 23, and will return from england a week later.



4. uncle seymour studied spanish, french, and romanian in college.

5. William jennings bryan lived in lincoln, nebraska, for many years.

6. I once saw larry bird play basketball at the boston garden.

7. The teacher gave a lecture on james madison’s contributions to the federalist papers.

8. She may only be one-eighth irish, but she sure enjoys St. patrick’s day.

9. Bill is a member of the kiwanis club and the American legion.

10. Gale, a surveyor from st. louis, used a gunter’s chain to mark off the land.

E X E R C I S E 3

Using Capitalization of Proper Nouns and Proper Adjectives in Your Writing

Write a brief narrative to share with classmates, about two friends who visit an unfamiliar city to see the sights. Be sure to furnish specific details so that your readers will know the characters’ names, where they are from, where and why they are going, when their trip occurs, with whom they meet, and other details that add interest to the narrative. Be sure to capitalize proper nouns and proper adjectives correctly. Use your own sheet of paper for this exercise.



Name: ____________________________________________________ Date: __________________

LESSON 54

I and First Words

Capitalize the pronoun I.exampleYesterday I found a quarter on the sidewalk.

Capitalize the first word of each sentence.exampleWe will be driving to San Antonio later this month.

Capitalize the first word of a direct quotation. Do not capitalize the first word of a direct quotation if it continues after an interruption in the quote or the identification of the speaker. Do not capitalize an indirect quotation.

examplesdirect quotation“That possum will regret the day he dug a hole under my garage,” Mr. Rawling said determinedly to his neighbor.

direct quotation interrupted“The animal sleeps in there during the day,” he explained, “but at night he comes out to look for food.”

indirect quotationMr. Rawling said that the possum will regret digging a hole under the garage.

When citing poetry, follow the capitalization of the original poem. Though most poets capitalize the first word of each line in a poem, as is the case in the first set of lines below, some poets do not. The second example shows how the poet uses a combination of uppercase and lowercase letters at the beginning of lines.

One is amazedBy a water-lily budUnfoldingWith each passing day,Taking on a richer colorAnd new dimensions.

from “Unfolding Bud,” page 505Naoshi Koriyama



He hunches over the table, pencil gripped in fist,shaping the heavy lettersDays later we will write story-poems, sound-poems,but always the same subject for Carlos

from “The Lost Parrot,” page 572Naomi Shihab Nye

Capitalize the first word in a letter salutation and the name or title of the person addressed.

examplesMy dear Bettina Dear Dave Dear Sir

Capitalize only the first word in letter closings.examplesSincerely yours Your pal Admiringly Best regards

E X E R C I S E 1

Correcting Capitalization for the Pronoun I and First Words

Correct any errors in capitalization you find in the following sentences. If there are no errors in the sentence, write correct.

1. The coach yelled, “let’s start playing some defense!”

2. I think that leslie will believe Anything I tell her.

3. We noticed that Sally started her letter with “dear John” and closed with “your friend.”

4. that was the best movie i’ve seen in a long time.

5. She is a Professor who teaches at the University.

6. The famous Tennyson poem “the charge of the light brigade” is about a small but brave group of british soldiers.

7. Grandma always begins her letters to me with the salutation, “my dear boy.”



8. My guidance counselor advised me to join the junior rotary club.

9. “if you look into the cauldron,” warned the witch, “You will see more than you can handle.”

10. “The mouse is too smart to get caught in the trap,” moaned Oscar. “I’m going to buy a cat.”

E X E R C I S E 2

Using Capitalization of I and First Words in Your Writing

Write a sentence for each of the directions below. Be sure to capitalize any proper nouns and proper adjectives, in addition to the pronoun I and first words in sentences, quotations, and lines of poetry.

1. Write a sentence in which you quote a line from a poem, short story, or book.

2. Turn the direct quotation you wrote in item 1 into an indirect quotation.

3. Write a lyric from your favorite song.

4. Write a sentence about a family member, including his or her birthplace and occupation.

5. Describe in a sentence or two a favorite holiday memory.



Name: ____________________________________________________ Date: __________________

LESSON 55

Family Relationships and Titles of Persons

Capitalize the titles or abbreviations that come before the names of people.examplesGeneral William Sherman Dr. SpockChief Justice Marshall Ms. Carey Hall

Capitalize a person’s title when it is used as a proper noun, in place of a name.examplesThis plan will not succeed, General.Can you translate this passage, Professor?

Capitalize words showing family relationships when used as titles or as substitutes for a name.

examplesUncle Ross Grandmother Cousin Vito

E X E R C I S E 1

Understanding Capitalization of Titles and Family Relationships

Correct the capitalization in the following items. If the item is correct as written, write correct.

1. senator Dole

2. my aunt

3. dr. williams

4. grandma gertrude

5. sammy davis jr.

6. king richard I



7. mayor davidson

8. his brother and father

9. reverend lovejoy

10. a bishop

E X E R C I S E 2

Using Titles and Family Relationships in Your Writing

Write a story for a school newspaper, about a family trip to Washington, D.C. This story can be based on an actual experience or can be completely fictional. Describe who went on the trip with you and the leaders you met (or could potentially meet) in the nation’s capital. Use a variety of capitalized and lowercased titles and words for family relationships in your sentences. Use your own sheet of paper for this exercise.



Name: ____________________________________________________ Date: __________________

LESSON 56

Titles of Artworks and Literary Works

Capitalize the first and last words and all important words in the titles of artworks and literary works, including titles of books, magazines, short stories, poems, songs, movies, plays, paintings, and sculpture. Do not capitalize articles (a, an, and the), conjunctions, and prepositions that are less than five letters long unless they are the first word in the title, as in “A Rose for Emily” or The Great Santini.

examplesAmerican History (magazine)King Solomon’s Mines (book)“The White Umbrella” (short story)Faun Playing the Pipe (painting)

Capitalize the titles of religious works.

examplesBible Koran Old Testament

E X E R C I S E 1

Identifying and Correcting Errors in Capitalization of Titles of Artworks and Literary Works

Rewrite the following sentences, capitalizing the appropriate words.

1. We read the short story “the serial garden” in class today.

2. John Adams, Benjamin Franklin, and George Washington are three of the main characters in rise to rebellion.

3. The principal saved the show when he jumped up on stage and sang “born to be wild.”

4. Besides the poem “the raven,” Edgar Allan Poe wrote many famous short stories, including “the tell-tale heart” and “the pit and the pendulum.”



5. I read about the Stanley Cup finals in the latest issue of sports illustrated.

6. My professor has the Georges Roualt painting the apprentice in his office.

7. Hugo von Hofmannsthal wrote the libretto for Richard Straus’s opera elektra.

8. The musicals jesus christ superstar and godspell both premiered in 1971.

9. “eyes in the heart” is my art teacher’s favorite jackson pollock painting.

10. My grandfather used to be a reporter for the washington post.

E X E R C I S E 2

Using Correct Capitalization in Your Writing

Have you ever wanted to learn more about the culture in which your parents or guardians grew up? Make a list of titles of books, movies, television shows, magazines, short stories, albums, songs, poems, and paintings that were popular when your parents or guardians were your age. Beside each reference, write a sentence explaining why it is noteworthy or what your parents or guardians liked about it. You may want to interview one or both of your parents or guardians for this exercise. Be sure to capitalize your references correctly.



Name: ____________________________________________________ Date: __________________

LESSON 57

Incorrect Subject-Verb Agreement

A subject and its verb must agree in number. Use singular verb forms with singular subjects and plural verb forms with plural subjects.

Intervening Words

A prepositional phrase that comes between a subject and a verb does not determine whether the subject is singular or plural.

examplesThe captain on the bridge gazes across the sea. (captain gazes, singular)The detective, in addition to the police, looks for clues at the house. (detective looks, singular)The players on the team practice diligently. (players practice, plural)The books in the back of the store are only half price. (books are, plural)

Compound Subjects

Use a plural verb with most compound subjects connected by and.

examplesJim and his brother plan strategy before each game.Cars, trucks, and motorcycles roar past our house.

Use a singular verb with a compound subject that refers to one person or thing or that generally conveys the idea of a unit.

examplesPork and beans is my favorite menu item at this restaurant. (one selection)The same song and dance comes from this sales clerk every time we visit here. (one technique)

Use a singular verb with a compound subject made up of singular nouns or pronouns connected by or or nor. Use a plural verb with a compound subject formed from plural nouns or pronouns.

examplessingularNeither rain nor snow keeps me from attending the opera.Either Joe or Mary needs to address the audience.



pluralEither hot dogs or hamburgers are on the menu.Neither the players nor the coaches like the new chancellor.

When a compound subject consists of a singular subject and a plural subject connected by or or nor, use a verb that agrees in number with the subject that is closer to it in the sentence.

examplesEither Jamie or her friends cause trouble at school each day. (friends cause, plural)Neither the workers nor the supervisor understands the new regulation. (supervisor understands, singular)

Indefinite Pronouns as Subjects

Indefinite pronouns are pronouns that refer to people or things in general. Some indefinite pronouns are always singular and take singular verbs: anybody, anyone, anything, each, either, everybody, everyone, everything, much, neither, nobody, no one, nothing, one, other, somebody, someone, something.

examplesNobody sings well in this town. (nobody sings, singular)Everything seems to be in order here. (everything seems, singular)

Some indefinite pronouns are always plural and take plural verbs: several, both, few, many.

examplesSeveral are hidden in the backyard. (several are hidden, plural)Few were seen outside before six o’clock. (few were seen, plural)

Some indefinite pronouns can be either singular or plural, depending on their use in the sentence: all, any, enough, more, most, none, plenty, some. They are singular when they refer to a portion or to a single person, place, or thing. They are plural when they refer to a number of individual persons, places, or things. The verb form may be controlled by the object of the preposition.

examplesNone of the cake was eaten yesterday. (None refers to a portion of the cake and is therefore singular.)

None of the apples were eaten. (None refers to multiple apples and is therefore plural.)

Inverted Word Order

In questions and in sentences beginning with Here or There, the verb appears before the subject. In these sentences with inverted word order, you must identify the subject and then make the verb agree with it in number. Saying the sentence to yourself in normal order often helps.



examplesOver the hill were seven angry dwarves. (dwarves were, plural)Here is the solution for the problem. (solution is, singular)Where are the keys to this old car? (keys are, plural)There are three whales and a shark swimming below us. (whales and shark are swimming, plural)

E X E R C I S E 1

Identifying Problems with Subject-Verb Agreement

Circle the correct verb form in parentheses that agrees in number with the subject of the sentence.

1. The baseball season (begins, begin) in April for most major league teams.

2. Fans in America, as well as other nations, (roots, root) for their favorite team.

3. Sports (provides, provide) identity, pride, and entertainment to cities that (has, have) a professional team.

4. The players in major league baseball often (quarrels, quarrel) with the owners.

5. The average fan (gets, get) annoyed with these labor disputes, which (is, are) too frequent.

6. Arbitrators sometimes (resolves, resolve) salary issues between a player and an owner.

7. In smaller cities, free agency and low revenue (causes, cause) teams to lose top players.

8. New York and Atlanta (was, were) dominant franchises in the 1990s.

9. Everyone who (studies, study) baseball economics (concludes, conclude) that success is related to spending.

10. The top teams in the game (spends, spend) more money on players than the other franchises.

E X E R C I S E 2

Correcting Subject-Verb Agreement Problems

Change the verb form so that it agrees in number with the subject of each sentence. If there are no subject-verb agreement problems in the sentence, write correct.

1. The possum, along with his rodent followers, have staked out a claim in my backyard.



2. Your plant between the trees seem bigger this year.

3. The cars in the driveway needs to be washed today.

4. An officer, plus two reporters, was looking for you.

5. Stan, Stew, and their father believes that the weather will change soon.

6. I tried to buy a couple of rakes, but the store were out of them.

7. Neither the dog nor the cats want to come back inside.

8. No one in the audience seem eager to volunteer.

E X E R C I S E 3

Using Correct Subject-Verb Agreement

Some of the following clauses are singular and some are plural. For each of the clauses, write an interesting sentence containing the clause. Then change each clause from singular to plural or from plural to singular, and write five new sentences.

1. bird flies

2. pretty flowers were

3. teachers meet and discuss

4. many are

5. either Paul or Jesse runs



Name: ____________________________________________________ Date: __________________

LESSON 58

Avoiding Double Negatives

Make sure that you use only one of the following negatives in each clause: not, nobody, none, nothing, hardly, can’t, doesn’t, won’t, isn’t, aren’t. A double negative is the use of two negative words together when only one is needed. Correct double negatives by removing one of the negative words or by replacing one of the negative words with a positive word.

examplesdouble negative We won’t hardly make it in time.corrected sentence We will hardly make it in time. We won’t make it in time.double negative Nell wasn’t never able to win the big prize.corrected sentence Nell was never able to win the big prize. Nell wasn’t ever able to win the big prize.

E X E R C I S E 1

Identifying Double Negatives

Circle the correct word in parentheses to complete each sentence. After you have completed the exercise, read each sentence aloud with the correct word in place.

1. She (is, isn’t) hardly able to see the signals from the ship.

2. Our coach didn’t take (no, any) time to think about the call.

3. I’ve never smelled (nothing, anything) like my grandmother’s cookies.

4. You haven’t (never, ever) finished a book that you started.

5. Her poodles (were, weren’t) hardly able to climb the stairs.

6. It’s unbelievable that (somebody, nobody) didn’t figure out what happened.

7. Couldn’t you (ever, never) decide what to do about the truck?

8. We (couldn’t, could) barely hear the person at the drive-up window.

9. The gym coach didn’t have (any, no) idea when class was supposed to end.

10. There isn’t (anything, nothing) here that we are interested in.



E X E R C I S E 2

Correcting Double Negatives

Rewrite the following sentences to remove the double negative. Remember that you can either remove one of the negative words or replace it with a positive word. If a sentence does not contain a double negative, write correct.

1. We don’t see nobody at the gas station.

2. Hans won’t eat no ice cream with sprinkles on it.

3. There wasn’t barely a trace of dust in the room.

4. I can’t hardly see the ship out there.

5. Greg and Nancy didn’t do no proofreading of their assignments.

6. Fred couldn’t find no one in the backyard.

7. Julie can’t believe that you didn’t ever win a trophy.

8. I haven’t never heard anything like that before.

9. Carrie never did nothing wrong at school.

10. His voice didn’t make barely a whisper.



E X E R C I S E 3

Using Negatives Correctly

Write a sentence using each of the following negative words. Avoid using any double negatives in your sentences.

1. no

2. not

3. no one

4. nobody

5. never

6. nowhere

7. nothing

8. scarcely

9. barely

10. hardly



Name: ____________________________________________________ Date: __________________

LESSON 59

Avoiding Dangling Modifiers

Place modifying phrases and clauses as close as possible to the words they modify; otherwise, your sentences may be unclear or unintentionally humorous. A dangling modifier has nothing to modify because the word it would logically modify is not present in the sentence. In the following sentence, the modifying phrase has no logical object. The sentence says that a whale was flying.

exampleFlying above the ocean, a whale was spotted.

You can eliminate dangling modifiers by rewriting the sentence so that an appropriate word is provided for the modifier to modify. You can also expand a dangling phrase into a full subordinate clause.

examplesFlying above the ocean, we saw a whale.As we flew above the ocean, we spotted a whale.

E X E R C I S E 1

Rewrite the following sentences to correct the dangling modifier.

1. Running across the floor, the rug slipped.

2. Sitting on the porch, the sun began to set in the sky.

3. While driving, a deer ran across the street.

4. Having entered the house, the light turned on.



5. While reading the book, the doorbell rang.

6. After eating the kibble, the bowl was empty.

7. After hitting the ball, the bases were loaded.

8. Planting the crops, the animals began to eat the corn.

9. Dropping the skillet, a mouse ran across the floor.

10. Pointing to the sky, the bird circled the mountain.



Name: ____________________________________________________ Date: __________________

LESSON 60

Avoiding Misplaced Modifiers

A misplaced modifier is located too far from the word it should modify.

exampleI found a penny during my morning jog on a park bench.

You can revise a misplaced modifier by moving it closer to the word it modifies.

examplesI found a penny on a park bench during my morning jog.During my morning jog, I found a penny on a park bench.

E X E R C I S E 1

Identifying Dangling and Misplaced Modifiers

Identify the dangling modifiers in the following sentences by writing DM. Identify the misplaced modifiers by writing MM.

_____ 1. The rusty old car is in the garage missing two tires.

_____ 2. Joe fell into the newly filled swimming pool with a splash.

_____ 3. The city has an old bridge over the river made entirely of wood.

_____ 4. Arriving after 8:00 a.m., the meeting had already started.

_____ 5. Your cat jumped over the fence from the picnic table, which is ten feet high.

_____ 6. After settling into the room, a fire alarm sounded.

_____ 7. To sell your house, the outside walls need to be painted.

_____ 8. Ending with a great finale, applause shook the concert hall.

_____ 9. I adopted a dog from the humane society with black and white spots.

_____ 10. Before reading the report, the cats wanted to be fed.



E X E R C I S E 2

Correcting Dangling and Misplaced Modifiers

Revise the sentences in Exercise 1 so that the modifiers are placed as close as possible to the words they modify.

1.

2.

3.

4.

5.

6.

7.

8.

9.

10.

E X E R C I S E 3

Using Modifiers Correctly

Expand each of the following sentences by adding a phrase or clause that provides detail. Be sure to place your phrases and clauses as close as possible to the words they modify.

1. The sharks swam toward their prey.

2. Jim declined the invitation to speak.

3. Water poured into the ship.



4. The tall tree fell to the ground.

5. Each line needs to be memorized.

6. It’s best to study for the test alone.

7. This movie is easy to sleep through.

8. The counselor discussed three options.

9. I believed it to be the artifact we had been searching for.

10. The police arrived on the scene to disperse the crowd.



Name: ____________________________________________________ Date: __________________

LESSON 61

Maintaining Consistent Verb Tense

Verb tense indicates when (past, present, future) the action of the verb occurs. Changes in verb tense help readers understand the relationships among various events. However, unnecessary or inconsistent shifts in tense can cause confusion. Writing should not shift from one tense to another if the time frame for each action or state is the same. Avoid shifting verb tenses in your writing unless you want to show that actions occur at different times.

examplesinconsistent The path climbed up from the creek bed, and the foliage

changes dramatically. (The past tense verb climbed is not consistent with the present tense verb changes.)

consistent The path climbed up from the creek bed, and the foliage changed dramatically. (Both verbs—climbed and changed— are in the past tense.)

E X E R C I S E 1

Correcting Inconsistent Verb Tense

Rewrite each sentence to correct the verb tense changes.

1. A fable is a brief story that usually included animal characters and a moral.

2. Many associate the fables with Aesop, but some attributed the animal fables to an imaginary author.

3. The characters in a fable are usually animals that were given human characteristics.



4. You can figure out the message that each fable conveyed.

5. A grasshopper spent the summer singing while the ant works hard gathering food for the winter.

6. The ant refuses to give the grasshopper any food and the grasshopper was left cold and hungry.

7. The crow has a piece of cheese and the fox wanted it.

8. The fox flattered the crow so that the crow sings and drops the cheese.

9. The man thought that humans are stronger than lions.

10. The man showed the lion a statue of Hercules killing a lion, but the lion was not convinced because the statue is built by a man.



E X E R C I S E 2

Using Consistent Verb Tense

Write a short paragraph about a trip you took in the past or about a trip you would like to take in the future. Make sure that you use consistent verb tenses throughout your paragraph.



Name: ____________________________________________________ Date: __________________

LESSON 62

Sentence Fragments

A sentence contains a subject and a verb and expresses a complete thought. A sentence fragment is a phrase or clause that does not express a complete thought but that has been punctuated as though it does.

examplescomplete sentence The gray fox ran across the field.sentence fragment Ran across the field. (The subject is missing.)sentence fragment The gray fox. (The verb is missing.)sentence fragment Across the field. (The subject and verb are missing.)

E X E R C I S E 1

Identifying Sentence Fragments

Identify each of the following items as either a sentence or a sentence fragment.

1. The goddess Isis.

2. Will have a son.

3. She decides to steal Ra’s power.

4. Ra is protected by a secret name.

5. Mixing the saliva.

6. The serpent bites him.

7. He is in agony.

8. Use her magic.

9. Betrayed him.

10. Isis rejoices.



E X E R C I S E 2

Understanding Sentence Fragments

Tell what is missing in each of the following sentence fragments—subject, verb, or subject and verb.

1. underneath the black chair

2. rammed the wooden ship

3. his large white dog

4. the winding river

5. slept for three hours in the cellar

6. over the whole city

7. in the jar underneath the sink

8. trimmed the hedges in the backyard

9. administrators, teachers, and students

10. sold the family farm



E X E R C I S E 3

Correcting Sentence Fragments

Correct each of the following sentence fragments. Make each fragment into a complete sentence by supplying the missing element(s).

1. drank orange juice and milk

2. on the coffee table

3. the old oak tree

4. ran for office

5. an angry otter

6. past the fencepost

7. at the second gas station

8. the peaceful lake

9. above the garage

10. talked directly to the audience



Name: ____________________________________________________ Date: __________________

LESSON 63

Run-On Sentences

A run-on sentence is made up of two or more sentences that have been run together as if they were one complete thought. A run-on sentence can confuse the reader about where a thought starts or ends. Take a look at the following examples of run-on sentences. In the first run-on, no punctuation mark is used between the run-on sentences. In the second run-on, a comma is used incorrectly.

examplesThe umpire watched the two teams warm up before the game his headache had gone away.

At the start of the American Revolution, about three million people lived in the thirteen colonies, about one third of them supported the British government.

You can correct a run-on by dividing it into two separate sentences. Mark the end of each idea with a period, question mark, or exclamation point. Capitalize the first word of each sentence.

exampleThe umpire watched the two teams warm up before the game.His headache had gone away.

You can also correct a run-on by using a semicolon. The part of the sentence after the semicolon is not capitalized unless it is a proper noun or adjective. Use a semicolon to join two clauses only if they are very closely related.

exampleAt the start of the American Revolution, three million people lived in the thirteen colonies; about one third of them supported the British government.

E X E R C I S E 1

Identifying Run-on Sentences

Identify which of the following sentences are run-ons. Write correct if the sentence has no run-ons.

1. The American Revolution began in 1775 the Declaration of Independence was written the next year.



2. George Washington commanded the Continental Army the Continental Congress gave him command of this force.

3. Few observers in Europe thought the colonists had much of a chance against the British.

4. The British government hired Hessians to help put down the uprising, they were professional soldiers.

5. In the early years of the war, Washington lost many battles to the British.

6. The Continental Army was vulnerable in 1776 and 1777, the British missed their chance to end the revolution.

7. France agreed to support the colonists, providing money, arms, and troops for the cause.

8. Benedict Arnold helped the Americans win the Battle of Saratoga he later switched sides.

9. British troops occupied Philadelphia, but the colonists did not give up.

10. Yorktown was a great victory for the Americans and the French in 1881, it was the last major battle of the war.

E X E R C I S E 2

Understanding Run-on Sentences

Correct each of the following run-on sentences. Decide whether the run-on sentence can be corrected by dividing it into two separate sentences or by using a semicolon and forming one sentence.

1. The bears wandered into the campsite Frank watched them from the trees.



2. Frank was simultaneously frightened and amused by the bears he did not make a sound.

3. Each bear stuck its head into a tent the boy wondered what they were looking for.

4. One bear started clawing at a bag he smelled food inside.

5. Frank calmly watched the spectacle the bears did not notice him.

6. The bear ripped open the bag spilling the campers’ food onto the ground the other bears shared in the prize.

7. Frank thought those bears must really be hungry he was amazed at how fast they devoured the food

8. The bears quickly finished eating they knocked over the three tents looking for more food.

9. After ransacking the campsite, the bears wandered away they left a mess in their wake.

10. Frank walked among the remains of the campsite he wondered what his parents were going to say.



Name: ____________________________________________________ Date: __________________

LESSON 64

Wordy Sentences

A wordy sentence includes extra words and phrases that can be unnecessarily difficult, confusing, or repetitive to read. When you write, use only words necessary to make your meaning clear. Revise and edit your sentences so that they are not unnecessarily wordy or complicated. Review the following examples to learn about ways that you can correct wordy sentences.

Replace a group of words with one word.

exampleswordy I quit my job because of the fact that the company wanted me to

work overtime each week.revised I quit my job because the company wanted me to work overtime

each week.

Delete a group of unnecessary or repetitive words.

exampleswordy What I think is your book will appeal to children in grade school.revised I think your book will appeal to grade-school children.wordy Joe suffers from insomnia, and he doesn’t sleep well at night.revised Joe suffers from insomnia.

Do not confuse a wordy sentence with a lengthy or necessarily complicated sentence. Writers vary their sentence lengths to create rhythm and add variety and liveliness to their work. Note the lengthy sentence underlined in the following excerpt. Even though the sentence is long, it does not contain extra words. The precise word choices in the long sentence make its meaning clear and create a vivid picture.

The missionaries seldom came into the uplands then. Tsali took his sons and their wives, and his own wife, to the great dance ground where the seven Keetoowah villages gathered each month at the time of the full moon. There they danced their prayers in time to the beating of the women’s terrapin-shell leg rattles, around and around the mound of packed white ashes on top of which bloomed the eternal fire that was the life of all the Cherokees.

from “Tsali of the Cherokees,” page 747Norah Roper, as told to Alice Lee Marriott



E X E R C I S E 1

Identifying Wordy Sentences

Read the following sentences. Underline any unnecessary words and phrases and any wordy constructions in each of the sentences.

1. Father told me I needed to do more dishwashing and said I should wash the dishes more often.

2. The peasants were upset due to the fact that their village had been burned down.

3. Hannah called during dinner when we were eating.

4. We looked in the barrel full of apples, and there were many apples in the barrel.

5. The shiny new car glistened in the sun, and many of its parts shone brightly.

6. We saw a variety of animals, lions, tigers, zebras, bears, and monkeys at the zoo.

7. After a short and brief speech, the mayor returned to her office.

8. Father set the watch in the sun so that it would dry out from the sun’s rays.

9. Nathan talked about his book to the crowd and explained that in the book he wrote from many different perspectives.

10. Manny is part of a fast crew of rowers who can row a boat quickly through the water.

E X E R C I S E 2

Correcting Wordy Sentences

The following paragraph contains some wordy sentences. Revise the paragraph by eliminating unnecessary words and making the meaning clear.

I like to jog five miles after I wake up and get out of bed each morning. Many people believe that consistent exercise is important for good health. I usually run on a path in the forest that cuts through a wooded area. I see many animals while I am jogging, including for example squirrels, rabbits, and woodchucks. On the weekends, I see more people out jogging on Saturday and Sunday. I like to jog because of the fact that it makes me feel better about myself.



E X E R C I S E 3

Using Only Necessary Words in Your Writing

Write a paragraph for the school newspaper about one of your favorite ways to stay healthy and fit. When writing your paragraph, try to use only necessary words. After writing, read your paragraph aloud to yourself, or ask a classmate to read it aloud while you listen. Correct any sentences that sound wordy.


211© EMC Publishing, LLC LEVEL IIExceeding the Standards: Grammar & Style

ANSWER KEY

Lesson 1: The Sentence and Its Functions

EXERCISE 1 1. S 2. F 3. F 4. S 5. F 6. S 7. S 8. F 9. S 10. F

EXERCISE 2Responses will vary. Sample responses: 1. sentence 2. subject and predicate missing; The girl hid her

earrings under the sofa. 3. predicate missing; An exciting movie is showing at

the theater. (OR subject and predicate missing; It was an exciting movie.)

4. subject missing; A server fills the pitcher with water.

5. sentence 6. subject and predicate missing; The castaway

floated on a hastily constructed raft. 7. subject missing; Father had read the morning

newspaper. 8. predicate missing; Dark mounds of dirt in the

yard revealed the presence of a mole. (OR subject and predicate missing; I found dark mounds of dirt in the yard.)

9. sentence 10. predicate missing; The painted vase sits on the

mantle.

EXERCISE 3Responses will vary. Each sentence in students’ paragraphs should contain a subject and a predicate.

EXERCISE 4 1. declarative 2. declarative 3. declarative 4. declarative 5. imperative (The complete sentence is a declarative.

The portion in parentheses is imperative.) 6. declarative 7. interrogative 8. declarative 9. interrogative

10. declarative 11. interrogative 12. exclamatory

EXERCISE 5Responses will vary. Sample responses: 1. interrogative; imperative—Please bring the

lantern to me. 2. imperative; interrogative—What did you eat for

breakfast? 3. interrogative; exclamatory—The basement is

flooded! 4. declarative; interrogative—May I go get a drink of

water? 5. exclamatory; declarative—The last day of school is

today. 6. interrogative; declarative—Something is missing

from your purse. 7. imperative; interrogative—Will you walk with me

over to the park? 8. interrogative; exclamatory—Your car is on fire! 9. interrogative; imperative—Please rescue the turtle

on the side of the road. 10. declarative; exclamatory—You’re going to hate

this dessert!

EXERCISE 6Responses will vary. Students should use all four kinds of sentences to write their speeches.

Lesson 2: Subjects and Predicates: The Basic Building Blocks in a Sentence

EXERCISE 1Suddenly he felt a sharp pain in his chest. At exactly the same moment he heard the mournful sound of a train whistle, which the wind seemed to carry from some faraway place. Ignoring his pain, Lester looked at the old station. He knew nothing was scheduled to come in or out till early morning. Nervously he lit a match to check the time. 11:59!

EXERCISE 2Responses will vary. Sample responses: 1. Our country’s leaders gathered for a conference in

Washington. 2. The green and yellow leaves brought color to the

countryside. 3. A bright, shining star inspired the poet. 4. The squad of soldiers waited in the trench for the

enemy tank to pass. 5. The purple beads are from the Samoan Islands. 6. Two adventurers from England are seeking to find

the treasure.

211_236_Gr07_Gram&Style-AK_3R.indd Sec1:211211_236_Gr07_Gram&Style-AK_3R.indd Sec1:211 3/24/09 11:52:06 AM3/24/09 11:52:06 AM

LEVEL II212 © EMC Publishing, LLCExceeding the Standards: Grammar & Style

7. A hitchhiker stood on the shoulder of the road. 8. The angry mother bear protected the helpless cubs. 9. Your old car requires constant maintenance. 10. My great-aunt bought a large hat.

EXERCISE 3Responses will vary. Each sentence should include a subject and predicate; the overall paragraph should create a clear picture of the activity.

Lesson 3: Simple and Complete Subjects and Predicates

EXERCISE 1 1. The aging general | boldly rode out to the front

lines. 2. A yellow wren | waits for the wind to subside. 3. A lost sheep | might have wandered into the cave. 4. The front porch | has been the site of many

interesting conversations. 5. Julia | is planning to swim across the English

Channel. 6. A flock of birds | exited the tree in unison. 7. Two boats | are tied to the pier. 8. The church bell | rings each Sunday at 8:00 a.m. 9. Their son’s arraignment | will be next Thursday. 10. The new city library branch | opened its doors

today.

EXERCISE 2Responses will vary. Sample responses: 1. A graceful ballerina | is dancing on the stage. 2. The courageous girl | walked to the front of the

auditorium. 3. The oak floor | has been creaking ominously. 4. The frightened white rabbit | hid in the tall green

grass. 5. Their red, yellow, and orange flowers | are

growing quickly this spring. 6. A tree in the backyard | fell to the ground with a

crash. 7. Songs with lively melodies | delight small children. 8. The mounted officers from the sheriff’s office |

talked about where to search next. 9. The driving rain | might have stopped too

abruptly this evening. 10. The large black birds | fly gracefully overhead.

EXERCISE 3Responses will vary. Students’ short stories should demonstrate their understanding of how to build on simple subjects and predicates to create complete subjects and predicates that help readers picture the subject and action that is taking place.

Lesson 4: Compound Subjects, Compound Predicates, and Compound Sentences

EXERCISE 1 1. A raccoon knocked over the garbage can and

spread trash all over the lawn. (compound predicate)

2. Father’s retirement party will be at the Legion hall; he worked at the factory for 38 years. (compound sentence)

3. Andy and Tim wanted to buy a new baseball, but they did not have enough money. (compound subject, compound sentence)

4. The bear’s claws and teeth terrified the campers. (compound subject)

5. Amy worked 62 hours last week, yet her boss was unimpressed. (compound sentence)

6. Tiffany picked flowers in the meadow and made a bouquet for her mother. (compound predicate)

7. The owl and the mouse eyed each other carefully in the bright moonlight. (compound subject)

8. For years, the old man in the mansion has been feared and has been loathed by the townspeople. (compound predicate)

9. The winning lottery ticket brought wealth to Thomas; it also ended his friendship with Carl. (compound sentence)

10. An eagle landed and rested on a fencepost in our backyard; it had been spotted in the area three days ago. (compound predicate; compound sentence)

EXERCISE 2Responses will vary. Sample responses: 1. Jeff and William picked apples in the orchard. 2. They gathered the fruit and rode back to town. 3. Nell and Frieda watched a movie and went to the

mall. 4. The rain had better stop by 4:00 in the afternoon,

or your game will be cancelled. 5. I spent four hours proofreading the paper, yet I

failed to detect three mistakes. 6. Niles received the first-place trophy, for he is the

best speller in his grade. 7. My cat wants to be fed at 6:00 p.m. every day; he

likes to follow a strict schedule. 8. Mary and Ken are moving back to Ohio; they did

not like living in this city. 9. Johanna bought a picture and hung it in her living

room, but she did not like how it looked. 10. Fred and Thelma drove to the park and went for a

walk, but they came home early.



EXERCISE 3Responses will vary. Students’ scenes should establish the setting, introduce characters, and set up the story’s conflict. Students should include five of the different combinations of compound elements listed in Exercise 2.

Lesson 5: Identifying the Parts of Speech

EXERCISE 1 1. noun 2. adjective 3. pronoun 4. verb 5. preposition 6. adjective 7. preposition 8. pronoun 9. conjunction 10. adverb 11. verb 12. conjunction 13. noun 14. noun 15. conjunction 16. adjective 17. verb 18. adverb 19. verb 20. pronoun 21. preposition 22. adjective 23. noun 24. preposition 25. pronoun

EXERCISE 2Responses will vary. Sample responses: 1. Craig asked them to save two seats for us. 2. Their courage made the entire nation proud. 3. They request a quiet table by the window. 4. The defendant answered the questions honestly. 5. The diver swam beneath the boat, looking for

sunken treasure. 6. We tried to call you, but your phone line was

disconnected. 7. Oh! What a surprise! 8. The cunning pair of crows circled the

unsuspecting rabbit. 9. The green canopy of the forest stretched for miles

and miles. 10. Their sparkling laughter brought life to the dull

party.

EXERCISE 3Responses will vary. Students’ descriptive paragraphs should include and correctly use at least three examples of each of the eight parts of speech.

Lesson 6: Common Nouns and Proper Nouns

EXERCISE 1 1. common 2. common 3. proper 4. proper 5. proper 6. proper 7. common 8. proper 9. common 10. common

EXERCISE 2Responses will vary. Sample responses: 1. New York Times, Des Moines Register 2. Beethoven, Billy Joel 3. Pacific Ocean, Indian Ocean 4. Cooperstown, Bethlehem 5. J. D. Drew, Curt Schilling 6. Brenda, Ron 7. William and Mary Quarterly, Great Plains

Quarterly 8. Lake Michigan, Great Salt Lake 9. Vega, Polaris 10. Applebees, The Spot 11. Washington, D.C., Tokyo 12. United States, Japan 13. Eight Men Out, The Green Mile 14. Tom Osborne, Lloyd Doggett 15. Jeff, Cynthia 16. Puerto Rico, Guam 17. Central College, Wartburg College 18. K-Mart, Younkers 19. “Hotel California,” “Let It Be” 20. Clarence Darrow, Thurgood Marshall

EXERCISE 3Responses will vary. Each descriptive paragraph should correctly use and identify at least five common nouns and five proper nouns.

Lesson 7: Singular and Plural Nouns

EXERCISE 1 1. homeroom—singular 2. cards—plural 3. bulletin—singular 4. parents—plural



5. Mr. Belton—singular 6. loudspeaker—singular 7. students—plural 8. year—singular 9. experiences—plural 10. friendships—plural

EXERCISE 2 1. writers 2. keys 3. volcanoes or volcanos 4. gazeboes or gazebos 5. canaries 6. lotteries 7. elves 8. knives 9. calves 10. jellyfishes or jellyfish 11. roaches 12. correct 13. potatoes 14. factories 15. dwarves or dwarfs 16. correct 17. wolves 18. witches 19. data 20. cods or cod

EXERCISE 3Responses will vary. Students’ paragraphs should correctly use at least five singular and five plural nouns.

Lesson 8: Possessive Nouns

EXERCISE 1 1. plural 2. possessive 3. possessive 4. possessive 5. plural 6. plural possessive 7. plural 8. plural possessive 9. possessive 10. plural possessive

EXERCISE 2 1. bear’s paw 2. friend’s loyalty 3. children’s books 4. rabbits’ cages 5. bike’s tire 6. Gorbachev’s speech 7. desert’s heat 8. Los Angeles’s smog 9. computer’s keyboard

10. fish’s bowl 11. Jesus’s parables 12. Twain’s novels 13. city’s government 14. ballplayers’ grievances 15. population’s unemployment rate 16. cavemen’s caves 17. hens’ eggs 18. Phil’s opinion 19. lion’s roar 20. tides’ rising

EXERCISE 3 1. Puerto Rico’s 2. ballplayer’s 3. teammates’ 4. Clemente’s 5. teacher’s 6. league’s 7. Pirates’ 8. team’s 9. Pittsburgh’s 10. hero’s

Lesson 9: Compound and Collective Nouns

EXERCISE 1 1. district attorney 2. Speaker of the House 3. great-grandmother 4. spadework 5. crossbow 6. superhero 7. neo-impressionist 8. hydrochloric acid, research lab 9. weightlifters, East Germans 10. flamethrowers, ground squirrels, firing range 11. flutter kick, ninth-grader 12. insurance company, New Mexico 13. baseball bat, broadsword 14. ice cubes 15. wide receivers, goalposts 16. Prime Minister Gordon Brown, secretary of

defense 17. cul-de-sac 18. Pickup trucks, firewood 19. field marshall, Austria-Hungary 20. merry-go-rounds



EXERCISE 2 1. silverfish or silverfishes 2. joint chiefs of staff 3. merchant marines 4. natural gases 5. Yorkshire terriers 6. witch doctors 7. standing armies 8. battle axes 9. Creampuffs 10. public-address systems

EXERCISE 3Responses will vary. Sample responses: 1. A dragonfly landed on his shoulder. 2. Betty is a know-it-all who tries to answer every

question in class. 3. That Dalmatian lives down at the fire station. 4. Our dates excused themselves to go to the powder

room. 5. Although I had the right-of-way, the Chevy

rammed into my car. 6. My great-granddaughter learned to play chess at

the age of three. 7. He tried to outrun the police in his station wagon. 8. Where did you hide my sunglasses? 9. I think there is a wildcat living in our shed. 10. The grizzly bear did not welcome the

photographer into her den.

EXERCISE 4Our class recently took a trip to Washington, D.C. We had an opportunity to watch the legislature debate an important bill. The press was especially interested in the outcome of the debate. When the session ended the bill was sent back to a Senate committee. The Congress worked very hard that day.

EXERCISE 5 1. crowd; expresses 2. band; play 3. platoon; attacks 4. fleet; sails 5. gang; fight 6. cluster; shines 7. murder; targets 8. coven; cast 9. party; nominates 10. tribunal; rules

EXERCISE 6Responses will vary. Sample response:

A squad is an organized group of soldiers. In a war, the squad might arrive from different directions into a

target area and could offer diverse opinions about how to proceed. At dawn, the squad decides to attack the targeted town, capturing it after a two-hour fight.

Lesson 10: Pronouns

EXERCISE 1Thinking about it now, I don’t see how he kept us at it. It was hard work, lugging paper sacks and boxes of dirt all the way up the stairs of our own building, keeping out of the way of the grown-ups so they wouldn’t catch on to what we were doing. They probably wouldn’t have cared, for they didn’t pay much attention to us, but we wanted to keep it secret anyway.

EXERCISE 2Responses may vary slightly. 1. Adam and Geoff gave many speeches appealing to

the voters. They both wanted the voters’ support. 2. Adam wants to debate Geoff. They disagree on

many issues. 3. Bill said that Adam and Geoff could use his

television show as a forum for their debate. 4. In October the two opponents held a debate.

They realized that it would take them three more debates to cover all of the issues.

5. Lori told her father that Geoff needed a good campaign advisor. Her father brought his former advisor to Geoff’s campaign headquarters.

6. Adam and I read articles about Geoff’s campaign advisor. We wondered if his campaign advisor was from Adam’s home state.

7. “Yes,” Adam’s wife said, “Geoff’s campaign advisor is from our home state.”

8. Joel asked Adam and his wife: “Do you want to campaign in Florida this weekend?” Joel wanted them to go with him to Disney World.

9. Joel liked Disney World’s many attractions. They bought him much happiness.

10. The candidates reserved a flight for themselves to travel to Orlando.

EXERCISE 3Responses will vary. Students should use at least five different pronouns in their paragraphs. Sample response:

The tired champion stepped slowly out to the middle of the ring. He did not know how much longer he could last. His youthful challenger seemed to have unlimited strength. The crowd thought the fight would soon end. They did not know that the champion had a final plan. If it worked, he could still win. The champion told himself, “Now is the time to unleash the dogs.”



Lesson 11: Pronouns and Antecedents

EXERCISE 1 1. antecedent—Edward Estlin Cummings,

pronoun—He 2. antecedent—Harvard College, pronoun—its 3. antecedent—letters, pronoun—They 4. antecedent—Cummings, pronoun—his 5. antecedent—poems, pronoun—they 6. antecedent—Critics, pronoun—they; antecedent—

Cummings, pronoun—him 7. antecedent—pictures, pronoun—them 8. antecedent—Tony and Suzanne, pronoun—They;

antecedent—library, pronoun—it 9. antecedent—Cummings, pronoun—his;

antecedent—poets, pronoun—They 10. antecedent—Robert Frost, pronoun—He

EXERCISE 2 1. It—a movie 2. They—Roger Maris and Mickey Mantle 3. He—Babe Ruth 4. them—Mantle and Maris 5. him—James 6. their—Jeff and Cynthia 7. her—Cynthia 8. They—Jeff and Cynthia 9. We—James and I 10. us—James and I

EXERCISE 3Responses will vary. Students’ descriptions should include at least five different pronouns and use correct pronoun-antecedent agreement. Students should draw an arrow from each pronoun to the antecedent to which it refers.

Lesson 12: Subject and Object Pronouns

EXERCISE 1 1. subject pronoun 2. subject pronoun 3. object pronoun 4. subject pronoun 5. subject pronoun 6. subject pronoun 7. object pronoun 8. object pronoun 9. subject pronoun 10. object pronoun 11. subject pronoun

EXERCISE 2 1. us—object pronoun 2. I—subject pronoun

3. him—object pronoun 4. them—object pronoun 5. her—object pronoun 6. me—object pronoun 7. they—subject pronoun 8. She—subject pronoun; he—subject pronoun 9. He—subject pronoun; us—object pronoun 10. me—object pronoun

EXERCISE 3Responses will vary. Students should correctly use subject and object pronouns in their paragraph.

Lesson 13: Possessive Pronouns

EXERCISE 1 Jed’s mother smiled at him, wiped her hands on her apron. It was the first time he had really noticed the way his mother always wiped her hands on her apron before she spoke when they were at the table. She used the same care with her words that she did in making their food.

EXERCISE 2Responses will vary. Sample responses: 1. The car is not much to look at, but it is all mine. 2. Some day all of this will be yours. 3. The purse on the table is hers. 4. The house was moved off its foundation. 5. The choice is ours to make. 6. Can you believe the books are theirs? 7. His bicycle is purple and yellow. 8. Let me know if my shoestring comes untied. 9. The bears did not come out of their cave. 10. Cleaning the kitchen is not our responsibility.

EXERCISE 3Responses will vary. Students should correctly use five different possessive pronouns in their descriptive paragraphs. Make sure students do not confuse possessive pronouns with contractions.

Lesson 14: Indefinite Pronouns

EXERCISE 1 1. After the shark was sighted, few of the swimmers

went back into the ocean. 2. The lifeguard said that anyone who went back in

would be at risk. 3. Everybody in my group decided to stay on the

land. 4. One of the swimmers went back into the water. 5. After seeing him back out there, both of the

swimmer’s brothers yelled at him. 6. Most of the crowd on the beach watched with

anticipation.



7. Several of the lifeguards discussed whether they should go get the swimmer.

8. After talking it over, none of the lifeguards wanted to take the risk.

9. The tension caused several of the people on the beach to pass out.

10. Nothing could have prepared us for what we saw next.

EXERCISE 2 1. everything, moves, singular 2. Several, describe, plural 3. Each, seems, singular 4. none, look, plural 5. Others, feel, plural 6. Some, flits, singular 7. Nothing, keeps, singular 8. most, believe, plural 9. any, ask, plural 10. Nobody, understands, singular

EXERCISE 3Responses will vary. Sample responses: 1. We found another of the cats in the tree. 2. I think that someone is in the attic. 3. One of the presidents was born in Iowa. 4. Anything is possible on election day. 5. All of the marbles are in the bag. 6. They were some of the team on the field. 7. He did not know much about the engine. 8. Both of the horses are too tired to run. 9. Everybody thinks they know the answer. 10. I looked in the cellar and found the others.

Lesson 15: Action Verbs and State of Being Verbs

EXERCISE 1 1. state of being verb 2. action verb 3. state of being verb 4. action verb 5. action verb 6. state of being verb 7. action verb

EXERCISE 2Responses will vary. Sample responses: 1. The small kittens are very cute. 2. A curious squirrel crawled into the cellar. 3. My brother’s attorney was in Kentucky at the

time. 4. To escape, we dug a tunnel under the wall. 5. An apple and an orange were on the table. 6. The yellow canoe floated down the river.

7. A good fishing creek is 300 feet behind the cabin. 8. Beside the gray elephant are two small mice. 9. The alert baby noticed the candy on the counter. 10. Her mother’s parakeet sings in the morning.


I am in the locker room. The coach roars his disapproval with the team’s effort. Sweat trickles down my back. The team is behind by 15 points. I was in the game for all 20 minutes of the first half. My body aches with fatigue.

Lesson 16: Linking and Helping Verbs

EXERCISE 1 1. linking verb 2. linking verb 3. action verb 4. linking verb 5. linking verb 6. action verb 7. linking verb

EXERCISE 2Responses will vary. Sample responses: 1. The house seems cold and lonely now. 2. He was the perfect candidate. 3. These cookies taste delicious. 4. Your car smells new. 5. The night became dark. 6. I grow weary with this discussion. 7. Your stereo sounds powerful. 8. Our principal appears angry. 9. After reading this book, I feel melancholy. 10. That house looks old and run down.

EXERCISE 3Responses will vary. In their descriptive paragraphs, students should include each of the following linking verbs: taste, smell, sound, seem, and grow. Students should use one of these verbs twice, once as a linking verb and once as an action verb.

EXERCISE 4 All that has gone before was preliminary. We have been preparing ourselves mentally for what lies ahead. Many problems remain, but if we can avoid a devastating war we shall move with a rapidity scarcely to be believed. In the past seventy years we have developed the automobile, radio, television, transcontinental and transoceanic flight, and the electrification of the country, among a multitude of other such developments. In 1900 there were 144 miles of surfaced road in the United States. Now there are over 3,000,000. Paved roads and the development of the



automobile have gone hand in hand, the automobile being civilized man’s antidote to overpopulation.

EXERCISE 5Responses may vary slightly. Sample responses: 1. Our neighbor had spotted a rare bird flying in this

area. 2. The soldiers were stationed at a base in Germany. 3. Frankie should have joined us when he had the

chance. 4. Before driving to work in the morning, father

would try to complete a crossword puzzle. 5. I was hoping to finish my work in time to watch

the start of the game. 6. Hanna is not a good fielder yet, but she does try to

stay in front of the ball. 7. The incident down by the lake was frequently

recounted by the townspeople. 8. The fish in this lake have been biting all afternoon. 9. Your cousins might be attending the party next

month. 10. A police officer has directed traffic at the

intersection all day.”

EXERCISE 6Responses will vary. Students’ paragraphs should include at least five different helping verbs.

Lesson 17: Transitive and Intransitive Verbs

EXERCISE 1 1. transitive; direct object—me 2. transitive; direct object—ends of their chopsticks 3. intransitive 4. intransitive 5. transitive; direct object—whole steamed fish 6. intransitive 7. transitive; direct object—chopsticks 8. transitive; direct object—“Amy, your favorite”

EXERCISE 2Responses will vary. Sample responses: 1. Barb took an hour to decide what to do. 2. I believe the story she told us. 3. The car started. 4. Most students are singing, but Jed is humming. 5. Father leaves the paper on the table each morning. 6. Gary bought bagels for us to eat in the morning. 7. I hear music on the stereo in the basement. 8. Ursula cooked for the first time today. 9. Please close the door when you leave. 10. Frank had lost the election for mayor.

EXERCISE 3Responses will vary. Students should use at least three transitive verbs and three intransitive verbs in their descriptive paragraphs.

Lesson 18: Verb Tenses

EXERCISE 1 1. past perfect 2. past 3. past 4. past perfect 5. past 6. past perfect 7. present

EXERCISE 2 1. hoped 2. recites 3. had hibernated 4. will (or shall) be 5. will have decided 6. will work 7. deceives 8. has fixed 9. will have disappeared 10. had dropped

EXERCISE 3Responses will vary. Students’ descriptive paragraphs should chronicle a sequence of events and include at least one example of each of the six verb tenses: present, past, future, present perfect, past perfect, and future perfect.

Lesson 19: Passive Voice and Active Voice

EXERCISE 1 1. passive 2. active 3. active 4. active 5. active 6. passive 7. passive 8. active 9. passive 10. active

EXERCISE 2Responses may vary. Sample responses: 1. Joey’s parents lectured him about keeping his cat

off the furniture. 2. Grandmother petted Whiskers, his cat, during the

lecture.



3. Whiskers’s claws concerned Mother and Father. 4. Grandmother reassured Joey that the cat would

behave. 5. Joey took Whiskers outside after the conversations

ended. 6. Joey fed the cat later in the day. 7. The neighbor’s cat talked to Whiskers after he

finished eating. 8. The felines’ conversation surprised Joey, since he

thought that cats could not talk. 9. The cats watched the boy as he stared in disbelief. 10. Whiskers told Joey, “Of course we can talk, but

let’s keep this our little secret.”

EXERCISE 3Responses will vary. Students should use at least three passive verbs and three active verbs in their descriptions.

Lesson 20: Irregular Verbs

EXERCISE 1 1. irregular 2. regular 3. irregular 4. irregular 5. regular 6. regular 7. regular 8. regular 9. irregular 10. regular

EXERCISE 2 1. bought 2. made 3. hit 4. sought 5. swept 6. crept 7. sold 8. taken 9. paid 10. said

EXERCISE 3Responses will vary. Students should correctly use at least five irregular verbs in the past and past participle forms in their paragraphs.

Lesson 21: Verbals

EXERCISE 1 1. b 2. b 3. c

4. a 5. b 6. c 7. a 8. a 9. b 10. c

EXERCISE 2Responses will vary. Students should correctly use one gerund, one participle, and one infinitive in their paragraphs.

Lesson 22: Subject and Verb Agreement

EXERCISE 1 1. plural; had 2. singular; prayed 3. singular; said 4. singular; healed 5. singular; did feel

EXERCISE 2 1. select 2. stomps 3. battles 4. lectures 5. are headed 6. remain 7. hates 8. sits 9. swoop 10. has contacted

EXERCISE 3The correct form of the verb is underlined. 1. Different creatures crawl out of the hole. 2. Our cars need to be washed today. 3. Tigers from the jungle rest quietly in the cage. 4. The Andes Mountains in South America are

beautiful to visit. 5. The cause of this disaster remains undetermined. 6. correct 7. Her enemies are gathering around the fortress’s

perimeter. 8. As the driver of many cars, Jeff knows how to shift

gears. 9. We can read the treaty for ourselves. 10. correct.

EXERCISE 4Responses will vary. Students should use correct subject-verb agreement.



Lesson 23: Indefinite Pronoun and Verb Agreement

EXERCISE 1 1. grow 2. campaign 3. creaks 4. chooses 5. resists 6. collects 7. understand 8. burns 9. is 10. have

EXERCISE 2 1. were 2. rests 3. jump 4. smells 5. suspects 6. remain 7. are 8. crumbles 9. correct 10. wins

EXERCISE 3Responses will vary. Students should use correct indefinite pronoun-verb agreement.

Lesson 24: Direct Objects

EXERCISE 1 1. microphone 2. none 3. students 4. notebooks 5. discussion 6. facts 7. notes 8. policy 9. cake 10. none

EXERCISE 2Responses will vary. Sample responses: 1. After entering the room, I spotted a tarantula. 2. Can you believe the price of salad dressing? 3. Allison sent her friends several fruitcakes for

Christmas. 4. Snow covered the valley. 5. A hailstorm pelted our brand-new Jeep.

6. Ants invaded the basement. 7. Did you turn off the computer last night? 8. The pig eats corn and grain each evening. 9. Candace recorded a number of beautiful songs. 10. The professor gave me a stern lecture.

EXERCISE 3Responses will vary. Students’ paragraphs should be clear and well organized and should show an understanding of the way in which direct objects complete the thoughts conveyed by action verbs. Students should use at least five direct objects in their paragraphs.

Lesson 25: Indirect Objects

EXERCISE 1 1. Grandpa 2. athletes 3. none 4. none 5. brother 6. listeners 7. me 8. me 9. none 10. king

EXERCISE 2Responses will vary. Sample responses. 1. Joel paid the troll a large fee. 2. Bill sent the president a birthday card. 3. Sandi gave her boyfriend his pair of rollerblades. 4. The banker lent my brother the money to buy the

car. 5. Our official web page provides visitors the

information to learn about the city. 6. I offered Jeff help in studying for the exam. 7. A real estate agent showed me dozens of houses I

might like. 8. He bought Peggy a beautiful diamond ring. 9. The storm sent vacationers an unwelcome

mountain of snow. 10. After much discussion, she read her children

several stories.

EXERCISE 3Responses will vary. Students’ paragraphs should be clear and well organized and should show an understanding of the way in which indirect objects complete the thoughts conveyed by action verbs and direct objects. Students should use at least five indirect objects in their paragraphs.



Lesson 26: Predicate Nouns, Pronouns, and Adjectives

EXERCISE 1 1. predicate adjective 2. predicate adjective 3. predicate adjective 4. predicate adjective 5. predicate noun 6. predicate noun

EXERCISE 2 1. popular—predicate adjective 2. treat—predicate noun 3. good—predicate adjective 4. round—predicate adjective 5. seller—predicate noun 6. hot, cold—predicate adjectives 7. birthplace—predicate noun 8. food—predicate noun 9. he—predicate pronoun 10. cheesy, meaty—predicate adjectives

EXERCISE 3Responses will vary. Sample responses: 1. The song sounds upbeat. Predicate adjective 2. The squirrels in the yard are often pranksters.

Predicate noun 3. The assignment for math class could be difficult.

Predicate adjective 4. That pasta sauce you are cooking smells delicious.

Predicate adjective 5. The agency’s primary means of support is he.

Predicate pronoun 6. Could he be the new mayor? Predicate noun 7. By the afternoon, I grew weary. Predicate adjective 8. Your house is large. Predicate adjective 9. The smartest delegates are they. Predicate

pronoun 10. Those ancient artifacts seemed authentic.

Predicate adjective

EXERCISE 4Responses will vary. Students’ paragraphs should illustrate their understanding of how complements that follow linking verbs can enhance writing. You may want to point out, however, that too many linking verbs can make a piece of writing monotonous and wordy.

Lesson 27: Adjectives and Adverbs: Choosing the Correct Modifier

EXERCISE 1 1. adjective 2. adverb

3. adverb 4. adjective 5. adverb 6. adjective 7. adjective 8. adjective 9. adverb 10. adjective

EXERCISE 2Responses will vary. Students’ paragraphs should use adjectives and adverbs to describe a person performing his or her hobby or job. Sample response:

My friend Terry is a professional wrestler. He is large, muscular, and agile. His wrestling character, the Fire-Breathing Rooster, is loved by millions of adoring fans. Terry skillfully throws his opponents around the ring. His devastating bodyslams cause the crowd to cheer loudly. He is already quite established in the wrestling business. Someday soon, Terry hopes to complete his long climb to the top of the wrestling pecking-order.

EXERCISE 3 1. the—Ohio 2. many—birds 3. wild—birds 4. a—Turkey 5. fine—Turkey 6. male—Turkey 7. its—youth 8. two—days 9. three—days 10. tame—It 11. any—person 12. the—favorite 13. the—village 14. little—village 15. the—Turkeys 16. tame—Turkeys 17. the—roof 18. the—house

EXERCISE 4Responses will vary. Students should replace such overused adjectives as large, big, hot, and small. They can add or replace adjectives where they think they can improve the paragraph. Sample response:

We saw the enormous dragon off in the distance. She breathed scorching fire into the air. The sight gave me a dreadful feeling. I was grateful that my mighty companion Ironbeard was proficient with an axe. We slowly crept up the long, rocky, winding path toward the dragon’s lair. The beast’s wings were gargantuan. We knew our quest was perilous, but the dragon guarded a pile of brilliant treasure. The humid wind blew in our faces. When the hideous creature looked



in our direction, we stopped in our tracks. If attacked, I felt that even our sizable shields might not protect us from the blistering fire. Just then, we spotted a little hole in the rocks alongside the road. Ironbeard and I ran into the hole. It opened into a huge unlit cave. Our torches provided light that illuminated the immediate area around us. Here, we planned our desperate strategy.

EXERCISE 5Responses will vary. Students should use adjectives creatively but judiciously to create a mental image for their readers. Students should avoid trite adjectives.

EXERCISE 6Love is something you and I must have. We must have it because our spirit feeds upon it. We must have it because without it we become weak and faint. Without love our self-esteem weakens. Without it our courage fails. Without love we can no longer look out confidently at the world. Instead we turn inwardly and begin to feed upon our own personalities and little by little we destroy ourselves.

You and I need the strength and joy that comes from knowing that we are loved. With it we are creative. With it we march tirelessly. With it, and with it alone, we are able to sacrifice for others.

There have been times when we all wanted so desperately to feel a reassuring hand upon us…there have been lonely times when we so wanted a strong arm around us…I cannot tell you how deeply I miss my wife’s presence when I return from a trip.

Her love was my greatest joy, my strength, my greatest blessing.

EXERCISE 7 1. usually—verb 2. sometimes—verb; also—verb 3. carefully—verb; not—adverb; especially—adjective 4. probably—adjective; most—verb 5. always—verb 6. rarely—verb 7. busily—verb; playfully—verb 8. highly—verb 9. quite—adjective; always—verb 10. often—verb; most—adjective

EXERCISE 8 1. quickly 2. tightly 3. marvelously 4. deftly 5. carefully 6. correct 7. powerfully

8. competently 9. knowledgeably 10. correct

EXERCISE 9Responses will vary. Students’ paragraphs should describe one of their favorite animals. Evaluate the sketch for a variety of adverbs that modify verbs, adjectives, and other adverbs. Sample response:

The rattlesnake is one of nature’s most interesting creations. Many do not like the rattlesnake for reasons that are quite easy to understand. It is actually not as dangerous as people seem to think. A few highly overblown incidents each year keep casting the snake in a bad light. The rattlesnake is not particularly ferocious; it would really rather be left alone. One must still tread carefully in areas the snakes are known to inhabit. Spotting a tightly coiled rattlesnake can be quite terrifying. A person could easily get bit. The snake’s amazingly quick strike is dreadfully effective. The rattlesnake just wants to protect itself, and it does so effectively.

Lesson 28: Appositives

EXERCISE 1 1. an environmental activist—Al Gore 2. a prestigious award—Nobel Peace Prize 3. an Academy Award-winning documentary—An

Inconvenient Truth 4. an essay—“Ships in the Desert” 5. once the world’s fourth-largest inland sea—The

Aral Sea 6. a marine mammal—dolphins 7. a part of the earth covered in ice—polar ice cap 8. our nation’s capital—Washington, D.C. 9. an increase in the global temperature—global

warming 10. the forty-fifth Vice President—Al Gore

EXERCISE 2 1. Virginia, one of the original thirteen colonies,

was home to the first English settlement in North America.

2. President George Washington lived in Mount Vernon, Virginia.

3. Washington, the father of our country, was the first U.S. president.

4. Thomas Jefferson, another early president, was also from Virginia.

5. During his term the United States purchased a great area of land, the Louisiana Territory, from France.

6. Jefferson’s home, Monticello, is a tourist attraction today.



7. The commonwealth Virginia set up its own government in the 1770s.

8. In 1863 part of Virginia broke off to be a separate state, West Virginia.

9. Richmond, Virginia’s capital, was also the capital of the Confederacy.

10. The state’s highest point, Mount Rogers, is over 5,700 feet high.

EXERCISE 3Responses will vary. Students should include an appositive in a headline, then write a compelling paragraph that describes the product they are promoting. Students should correctly punctuate appositives that are not essential to the meaning of the sentence.

Lesson 29: Positives, Comparatives, and Superlatives

EXERCISE 1 1. superlative 2. comparative 3. superlative 4. comparative 5. superlative 6. positive 7. comparative 8. positive 9. positive, positive 10. superlative

EXERCISE 2 1. farthest 2. earlier 3. correct 4. more daring 5. worse 6. large 7. best 8. fully 9. better 10. correct

EXERCISE 3Responses will vary. Reviews should include information about conflict and character, and students should make comparisons between their chosen novel or short story and others of its type, allowing them to use the positive, comparative, and superlative degrees of modifiers. Sample response:

Harry Potter and the Sorcerer’s Stone is one of the best fantasy novels written for children. It is a fast-moving tale about a young boy in London who discovers that he is actually a wizard. After escaping from his unhappy home life, Harry becomes a student at

Hogwarts, a school for wizards. In the course of the school year, Harry and his friends attempt to thwart the evil plans of Voldemort. The story combines the traditional struggle of good versus evil with several original twists. The characters and the Hogwarts setting are the strongest parts of the book. Although The Lion, the Witch and the Wardrobe is a better all-around work, Harry Potter captured a huge audience with its contemporary appeal.

Lesson 30: Contractions

EXERCISE 1 1. I’ll, I will, will tell 2. I’ve, I have, have read 3. might’ve, might have, might have been 4. could’ve, could have, could have become 5. he’s, he is, is remembered 6. hadn’t, had not, had not written 7. it’s, it is, is 8. that’s, that is, is 9. what’ve, what have, have read 10. who’s, who is, is

EXERCISE 2When Opening Day arrives in April, it is like a holiday for baseball fans. For several months they have waited with anticipation for the first pitch. It does not matter which team they root for, on Opening Day all fans have hope. Whether they are pulling for the world champs or last year’s cellar-dwellers, these fans view the start of the season with excitement. A team cannot be counted out of the pennant race on Opening Day. If the fans did not believe in their teams, no underdogs would have ever made it to the World Series. People should not underestimate how much their support means to the players. Playing on Opening Day in stadiums packed with excited, hopeful fans creates memories that the players will not ever forget.

EXERCISE 3Responses will vary. Student’s paragraphs should include a description of one of their bad habits that they would like to break. Check to be sure that students have maintained an informal tone and have used at least five contractions correctly.

Lesson 31: Commonly Confused Words

EXERCISE 1 1. badly 2. well 3. good 4. good 5. bad 6. well



7. badly 8. well 9. bad 10. good

EXERCISE 2 1. With three of its starters out, the team lost badly

last night. 2. The lawn looks good after it rains. 3. correct 4. Whatever is rotting in your locker smells bad. 5. I shot well enough to earn a marksmanship award. 6. correct 7. correct 8. You need to practice if you want to sing well next

week. 9. correct 10. correct


The City High Drama Club performed Godspell last Saturday in the school auditorium. With lively music and dancing, it provided good entertainment for the audience. Dane Osgood was originally cast as Jesus but was not feeling well after coming down with the flu. His replacement, Joel Sandberg, sang well enough not to detract from the show.

The entire cast was well prepared. Only once did a performer badly miss her line. Since Godspell has been done many times before, this performance provided the director with a good opportunity to tinker with music and lyrics. The cast handled the changes well. If you missed last week’s show, don’t feel bad. An encore performance is scheduled for this Friday.

Lesson 32: Prepositions and Conjunctions

EXERCISE 1 1. preposition 2. preposition 3. preposition 4. conjunction 5. preposition 6. preposition 7. preposition 8. preposition 9. conjunction 10. preposition

EXERCISE 2Responses will vary. Sample responses: 1. Jack and Terrance spent the day at Disney World. 2. The dancer leapt onto the stage.

3. Your water glass is beside the radio. 4. Frankie was eating your cake while you were

talking on the phone. 5. Neither the police nor the FBI knew who

committed the crime. 6. You can talk to Grandma after the show. 7. Lonnie took his bike apart after he realized that it

was broken. 8. Your answer is wrong because you failed to

consider all of the factors. 9. The train raced through the tunnel. 10. Fifteen horses ran over the hill.

Lesson 33: Prepositions

EXERCISE 1I like it here,under the apple tree,knotty, with its hollowbellyheresitting on its branchabove stone fences that separate pastures,taking lifeherewith the sun that strokesthe sides of treescasting its shadows on emerald hills.I like it here,entering the dark crevice of trunks,studying the butterfly’s tiny blue heartson powdery wings.

EXERCISE 2Responses will vary. Sample responses: 1. Jerry ran across the street. 2. She studied less after the midterm. 3. Are you going to go to the store? 4. Into the hole a frightened bunny scampered. 5. It was decided before the beginning of class. 6. Your team stood anxiously beside the bus. 7. Frank bowled a strike in the last frame. 8. Julie was praised for her volunteer work. 9. This country used to be blanketed with snow. 10. The wrapped package was sent to Greg.


The Battle of Antietam was the bloodiest single day of the Civil War. The battlefield site is located in the state of Maryland. An observation tower allows visitors to stand above the area where the battle was fought. From that spot, one can still look down into Sunken Road, a lane where many Confederate soldiers died. Visitors may also visit Burnside Bridge, which still stands over Antietam Creek. Confederate foxholes are still visible



in the bluffs above the bridge. A church is located at the north end of the battlefield. It is moving to look across the site and think about all who died on that day.

Lesson 34: Coordinating Conjunctions

EXERCISE 1Bananas ripe and green, and ginger-root,Cocoa in pods and alligator pears,And tangerines and mangoes and grapefruit,Fit for the highest prize at parish fairs,

Set in the window, bringing memoriesOf fruit-trees laden by low-singing rills,And dewy dawns, and mystical blue skiesIn benediction over nun-like hills.

EXERCISE 2Responses will vary. Have students discuss the logic behind the conjunctions they select. Sample responses: 1. The fish or the chicken is tastier than the steak. 2. The opposing center was tall, yet Dan was much

quicker. 3. Germany won a series of victories in 1942, but the

Allies would turn the tide the next year. 4. This production requires a lot of money, for the

props are very expensive. 5. Our car gasped, wheezed, and coughed before it

finally died in the middle of the road. 6. Sally, dreaming of winning, but not sure if her

score was high enough, sat and waited for the judges’ decision.

7. My cat is afraid of the neighbor’s dog, so we have to leave him inside.

8. The network tried to decide if it should go with Ted or Dave.

9. That pretty flower looks harmless, yet it has hundreds of poisonous thorns.

10. We did not eat nor did we sleep yesterday.

EXERCISE 3Responses will vary. Students should combine words, phrases, and complete sentences using coordinating conjunctions. In at least two sentences, they should use more than one coordinating conjunction. Students may provide descriptive details about the class or explain why they liked it.

Lesson 35: Interrupters

EXERCISE 1“Ama-no-gawa,” I said in her language, haltingly, like a child—the word, not a word for me, but a plaything on my tongue.

“Mil-ky way,” she answered. “Yes.”

After a half hour of poking around at this text, our literal translation of Issa’s immortal haiku looked like this:

Then:

Sliding door’s hole’s

Milky Way.

We both examined the sheet for a while, not sure what to do next—this was our first experiment in translating haiku, and the results seemed, well, meager.

EXERCISE 2Responses will vary slightly. 1. Porcupines have quills—stiff and sharp—that they

use to defend themselves. 2. There is a porcupine, I believe, living in the brush

behind the shed. 3. Children, of course, should not wander into that

area alone. 4. Joey, for example, was pricked twice in the leg last

week. 5. The porcupine, however, is not dangerous unless

it feels threatened. 6. The animals, according to our teacher, really want

to be left alone. 7. If you happen to spot a porcupine—a disturbing

sight—stop and slowly back away. 8. Porcupines, like opossums, will not try to chase

you. 9. Some groups, nonetheless, believe the animals

should be protected. 10. Did you know that the porcupine is actually a

rodent—a small gnawing mammal—and has some similarities to a rat?

EXERCISE 3Responses will vary. Students should correctly use commas and dashes to set off each interrupter.

Lesson 36: Interjections

EXERCISE 1Line 1: WellInterjections punctuated with commas express mild emotion.

EXERCISE 2Responses will vary. Sample responses: 1. Yeah! I received an A in English! 2. Wow! I never would have dreamed this could

happen so fast! 3. Argh! We will pillage their cities and plunder their

castles. 4. Whee! This is a fun ride! 5. Hush! If he hears us, we’re finished.



6. Ugh, I can’t take another step. 7. Oh dear, that anchovy is not agreeing with me. 8. No! Did you really see Elvis at the gas station? 9. Hey, can you turn down that racket? 10. Oh, I’m so sorry to hear the news.


“Man, I can’t figure out why the coach is always riding me,” Craig said. “Well, it could be because he knows how much talent you have. Really, you aren’t playing at even close to your potential,” lectured Anthony. “Heads up! Here comes a line drive!” he said pointing toward the infield. Craig lazily gloved the ball and responded, “Shoot, I’m tired of being asked to carry this team. See, I don’t even like baseball.” “What? You don’t like baseball?” Anthony asked in disbelief. “Hey, just because I’m good at it doesn’t mean I like it,” replied Craig. “Ugh, the rest of us have to practice for hours to be half as good as you,” Anthony lamented. “He doesn’t want to play baseball, indeed,” he continued to himself scratching his head.

Lesson 37: Nouns of Direct Address

EXERCISE 1 1. Josh, telephone 2. ma’am, you 3. Students, you 4. Yolanda, you 5. Ladies, victory 6. Sam, emperors 7. Phil, discovery 8. Mark, you 9. Kevin, you 10. Rachel, cartoon

EXERCISE 2 1. Why did you leave the front door unlocked, Cleo? 2. Students, please pass your papers to the front of

the class. 3. Stuart, you left the lights on in the basement again. 4. Where did you see the UFO, Seth? 5. Few basketball players, Kelvin, have the talent to

play in the NBA. 6. There have been others, Ian, who have tried to

climb this mountain. 7. Family, it’s time to have a discussion about

finances. 8. Mr. Summers, I did not realize that you were

driving that car. 9. My fellow Americans, I am proud to lead this

country for the next four years.

10. You should probably remove the lens cover first, Carolyn.


My fellow Vikings, the time has come for us to act. The so-called “cultured” elements in Europe have been mocking us for long enough. Friends, we need to give up our swords, but not our ships. Brave warriors, it is time to leave your violence behind and bask in our valiant heritage of shipbuilding. Europe’s kings and queens will bow before us and say, “Vikings, we were wrong, but please, teach us how to build such strong ships.”

Lesson 38: Phrases and Clauses

EXERCISE 1 1. phrase 2. clause 3. phrase 4. phrase 5. clause 6. phrase 7. clause 8. clause 9. phrase 10. phrase

EXERCISE 2Responses will vary. Sample responses: 1. Do not tell the owner about what happened on the

boat. 2. When you discover the problem, write it down

and call me. 3. He finally spoke in a language that I could

understand. 4. I don’t know who the teacher is. 5. The library will open in fifteen minutes. 6. Hans’s cottage is beyond the third hill. 7. At the top of the mountain, you will find a wise

old man who knows many secrets. 8. The idea was discussed among the farmers. 9. If we could figure it out, then we would not keep

having this problem. 10. I need to study for this test without any

distractions.

Lesson 39: Prepositional Phrases

EXERCISE 1 1. torrent, adjective 2. darkness, adjective 3. tossed, adverb 4. ribbon, adjective 5. riding, adverb



6. bunch, adjective 7. coat, adjective 8. breeches, adjective 9. were, adverb 10. rode, adverb

EXERCISE 2

Responses will vary slightly. Sample responses: 1. Inside the meeting hall, an argument about the

future of the town rages. 2. Without a trace of evidence, the thief removed the

diamond. 3. With his supper dish in his mouth, your dog will

come wandering in the house. 4. From the observation tower, Coach Gaines

watched the practice. 5. From the abandoned house, the shots were fired. 6. Across the lake, my house sits on a hill. 7. At the mall, Sheri finished her Christmas

shopping. 8. Underneath the rug, I believe you will find the

evidence you are looking for. 9. Up the tree in the middle of the backyard climbed

the frightened cat. 10. Under the awning, your friend is resting in the

shade.

EXERCISE 3Responses will vary. Students should include specific factual details about the event and prepositional phrases to locate readers in time and space. For variety, students should begin several sentences with prepositional phrases.

Lesson 40: Verbal Phrases

EXERCISE 1 1. stumbling on my tongue—words

EXERCISE 2Responses will v ary. Sample responses: 1. The anniversary of the battle, remembered each

year, brings many veterans to this town. 2. Her e-mail address, scribbled on the menu, was

barely legible. 3. Borrowing from his sister, Thomas finally made

the final payment on the car. 4. Spotted over the trees, the UFO hovered for a

while and then disappeared. 5. Shocked at the outcome, he studied the results of

the lab experiment. 6. Diving into the pool, Doug made quite a splash. 7. The fugitives, traveling across the state, tried to

avoid major highways. 8. Talking of trouble, the citizens gathered at the

town square.

9. I saw that eagle flying near the ground. 10. The crane, operated by the boss, toppled onto the

ground.

EXERCISE 3Responses will vary. Students’ letters should feature clear explanation aided by participial phrases. Check to be sure that they have placed their phrases correctly in the sentences. Look for sentence variety based on varying the placement of participial phrases.

Lesson 41: Appositive Phrases

EXERCISE 1 1. Brett Samuels—man 2. a town about 150 miles northeast of here—Barren

Canyon 3. three loud cracks—sound 4. gamblers, miners, and drifters—everyone 5. a threatening figure—man 6. the town sheriff—Cole West 7. a small mining community—Broken Cactus 8. a menacing presence who stood his ground

unmoving—gunman 9. a stranger to most in this town—Brett Samuels 10. a duel between two outsiders that would

determine the fate of an entire town—showdown

EXERCISE 2Responses will vary. Sample responses: 1. Alaska, the largest state in the union, has the

fewest people per square mile. 2. Alaska’s total area is nearly 600,000 square miles,

over one-fifth the size of the entire lower forty-eight states.

3. Alaska, the northernmost state in the union, has only one city with a population greater than 100,000.

4. Mount McKinley, the highest mountain in North America, is in Alaska.

5. America bought Alaska in 1867 from Russia for $7.2 million, a price of two cents an acre.

6. Alaska, a state with a population growth of more than 10 percent in the 1990s, has fewer than 1.5 people per square mile.

7. Oil, a major part of Alaska’s economy, was discovered in the state in 1968.

8. In 1989, ten million gallons of oil were spilled into Prince William Sound in the Exxon Valdez disaster, the worst oil spill in U.S. history.

9. Three of the Aleutian Islands, part of Alaska, were occupied by the Japanese during World War II.

10. Throughout its history, Alaska has been known for several economic pursuits—hunting for furs, fishing, whaling, and gold mining.



EXERCISE 3Responses will vary. Students should use at least five appositives in their poems.

Lesson 42: Types of Clauses within a Sentence

EXERCISE 1 1. I’m going out to fetch the little calf—independent 2. That’s standing by the mother—subordinate 3. It’s so young—independent 4. when she licks it with her tongue—subordinate 5. I sha’n’t be gone long—independent

EXERCISE 2 1. independent 2. subordinate; When the horse runs out of the barn,

ride after him and try to lasso him. 3. subordinate; The dog follows us wherever we look

for the cat. 4. subordinate; Since it gets cold outside at night, be

sure to wear a cap and gloves. 5. independent 6. subordinate; Although they passed the class, their

grades were low. 7. subordinate; Please find out who was driving the

car that crashed into the building. 8. independent 9. independent 10. subordinate; If you cannot sit still, we will need to

leave the theater.

EXERCISE 3 1. whom you may know—maiden 2. that was more than love—love 3. that the wingèd seraphs of heaven/Coveted her

and me.—love

EXERCISE 4 1. The car that is in the garage is a priceless antique. 2. correct 3. correct 4. correct 5. correct 6. Saturday is the day when all of our hard work will

pay off. 7. Bill is the player whom you will be guarding in the

game. 8. Dawn, whose cat frequently visits, lives three

houses down the street. 9. Your table, which is made of oak, is over 100 years

old. 10. They will fly to Seattle, where the convention is

being held.

EXERCISE 5Responses will vary. Students should describe their chosen mode of transportation, how it functions, and what they like about it, while using correctly punctuated adjective clauses.

EXERCISE 6“One kiss, my bonny sweetheart, I’m after a prize

tonight,But I shall be back with the yellow gold before the

morning light;Yet, if they press me sharply, and harry me through the

day,Then look for me by moonlight,Watch for me by moonlight,I’ll come to thee by moonlight, though hell should bar

the way.”

EXERCISE 7Responses will vary. Sample responses: 1. I think you should practice whenever it is possible. 2. Even though they were confused, they found their

way out the back of the building. 3. Be sure to shut all of the windows before the storm

hits. 4. We’ll have to use the duct tape until we come up

with a better idea. 5. Grandma is so happy that we could find such a

necklace. 6. I like this place better than she does. 7. If the problem continues, we will need to call a

specialist. 8. Whether you choose or not, his plans will come

through. 9. Fix the broken lamp so that our parents won’t be

mad. 10. After the sun goes down, you can see the lightning

bugs.

EXERCISE 8Responses will vary. Students should provide a description of a recent accomplishment.

Students should create sentence variety by placing their adverb clauses at the beginning or end of their sentences. Check to be sure that they have punctuated them correctly.

Lesson 43: The Clauses of a Sentence: Simple and Compound Sentences

EXERCISE 1Responses will vary. Sample responses: 1. Juan played soccer, so Andrea went to the gym. 2. Terri went to the mall, but she did not buy

anything. 3. The mother and child ate lunch in the park, and



they played on the swings. 4. The teacher returned the homework, yet she was

not happy with the students’ grades. 5. I tried to speak Spanish, but he did not understand

me. 6. Cassandra eats breakfast at 8:00 a.m., so she can

get to work by 8:30 a.m. 7. We bought tickets to the baseball game, so we

could watch our friend Aiden play. 8. The train was late, for the tracks were being

repaired. 9. Martin and Jaclyn will have to go to the grocery

store, or else they won’t have any food in the house.

10. The dog left a puddle of drool on the floor, and my neighbor stepped in it.

EXERCISE 2Responses will vary. Students’ paragraphs should contain simple and compound sentences.

Lesson 44: The Clauses of a Sentence: Complex and Compound-Complex Sentences

EXERCISE 1 1. complex 2. simple 3. complex 4. simple 5. simple 6. compound

EXERCISE 2Responses will vary. Sample responses: 1. Even though he had already eaten supper, the

poodle devoured the cake. Complex 2. Although he had practiced his jumps all week,

Chris fell down. Complex 3. I finally fixed my machine, but Ben’s computer

broke. Compound 4. This blanket feels warm, for it has just come out of

the dryer. Compound 5. While the list is not too impressive, a few of the

books are worth reading. Complex 6. Debbie tried to call her because she was upset.

Complex 7. After this anchor leaves, the nightly news will

never be the same. Complex 8. Both Peter and Bob played soccer, but neither of

them enjoy watching football. Compound 9. Jen believed Tim’s story, though the incident

would not be completely forgotten. Complex 10. Kenneth wrote the novel, and Jill provided the

illustrations. Compound

EXERCISE 3Responses will vary. Students should summarize the details of the event. Check to see if students have used all three sentence structures and have achieved sentence variety.

Lesson 45: End Marks

EXERCISE 1 1. imperative 2. declarative 3. declarative 4. declarative 5. declarative 6. declarative 7. interrogative

EXERCISE 2 1. I believe this hammer belongs to you. 2. We just won a million dollars! (or .) 3. The deadline for paying taxes is April 15. 4. This rain cannot last much longer. 5. Give me the remote control. (or !) 6. Should the cat be roaming free in Mrs. Nelson’s

garden? 7. Jack asked me when I would be home. 8. The roof is on fire! (or .) 9. Why can’t we stay home today? 10. Tomorrow we will go fly a kite.


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Lesson 46: Commas

EXERCISE 1 1. interrupter; series 2. introductory 3. combining sentences 4. series



EXERCISE 2 1. The battleship in the harbor has been painted

gray, so it matches the other ships in the fleet. 2. correct 3. The address for Nebraska Wesleyan University is

5000 Saint Paul Avenue, Lincoln, Nebraska 68504. 4. Athena, one of the Greek gods, is the subject of

this story. 5. Looking into the old chest, I found a musket, a

cutlass, and a uniform. 6. My grandfather told me that September 2, 1945,

was a special day for him. 7. The town’s newspaper, founded in 1845, is having

financial difficulties. 8. Blankets, clothes, food, and medical supplies are

needed for the disaster victims. 9. You might want to buy a new tent, and don’t

forget to bring along a couple of lanterns. 10. Dedication, determination, and stamina will be

needed to finish the race, for it covers twenty miles of mountains, forests, and streams.

EXERCISE 3Responses will vary. Students should use commas to separate items in a series, for sentence combining, to indicate interrupters, and to separate parts of dates and addresses.

Lesson 47: Semicolons

EXERCISE 1 1. The Vietnamese people have been occupied by

foreign powers for much of their history; the Mongols and Chinese ruled over them hundreds of years ago.

2. European powers dominated much of Asia in the 1800s; France established its rule over the Vietnamese and Laotians in the 1860s.

3. During World War II, many French colonies were occupied by Japan; the Japanese ruled Vietnam for five years.

4. After World War II, France reestablished its control over Vietnam; the Vietnamese and Laotian people fought to gain their independence.

5. The Vietnamese and Laotians fought with determination; in 1954 they defeated the French, who pulled out of Southeast Asia (or ...detemination in 1954; they defeated...)

6. In 1954, the United States entered Vietnam to oppose its new government; this was the start of America’s involvement in the Vietnam War.

7. For the Vietnamese, the war was a struggle to throw off another foreign power; they fought with great determination.

8. The Vietnam War became unpopular in the United States; protesters demonstrated against the war on campuses across America.

9. President Lyndon Johnson lost support because of his Vietnam policy; he did not choose to run for reelection in 1968.

10. In 1973, the United States pulled its troops out of Southeast Asia; two years later Vietnam was united under a Communist government.

EXERCISE 2Responses will vary. Sample responses: 1. The hungry tiger prowled in the night; he had not

eaten for two days. 2. Jennifer heard an ominous noise; it filled her with

a sense of dread. 3. Our car rolled slowly down the hill; the brake lines

had been cut. 4. Soldiers marched toward the town; citizens

cheered, anticipating their arrival. 5. The boss made a decision about the project; no

one dared to disagree with him. 6. Beavers built a dam in the river; I knew they lived

in this area. 7. An alarm sounded in the building; smoke poured

down the hallway. 8. Betty read half of the book this morning; she is a

fast reader. 9. A mist crept in among the houses; it was an eerie

reminder of the night’s events. 10. Snow came down for three days straight; the drifts

were over ten feet high.

Lesson 48: Colons

EXERCISE 1 1. The collection included the works of four

nineteenth-century American writers: Nathaniel Hawthorne, Herman Melville, Harriet Beecher Stowe, and Mark Twain.

2. Melville wrote about his experiences in three of his well-received books: Typee, Omoo, and Redburn.

3. correct 4. correct 5. The book blends these elements: drama,

adventure, and a technical treatise on whaling. 6. Moby-Dick bears the influence of these writers:

Shakespeare, Hawthorne, and Byron. 7. Melville also wrote these three short stories:

“Bartleby the Scrivener,” “The Encantadas,” and “Benito Cereno.”

8. correct 9. Melville’s siblings include three brothers:

Gansevoort, Allan, and Tom. 10. Near the end of Moby-Dick, I became so engrossed

in the story that I stayed up reading until 2:30 a.m.




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Lesson 49: Apostrophes

EXERCISE 1 1. singular 2. plural 3. plural 4. singular 5. singular 6. plural 7. plural 8. singular 9. singular 10. singular

EXERCISE 2 1. Maria’s 2. teacher’s 3. Jones’s 4. principal’s 5. school’s 6. semester’s 7. lockers’ 8. city’s 9. week’s 10. bell’s

EXERCISE 3Responses will vary. Students should include several singular and plural possessive nouns, punctuated correctly with apostrophes.

Lesson 50: Quotation Marks

EXERCISE 1 1. This semester’s reading list made me feel like

singing “I Am a Man of Constant Sorrow.” 2. According to William James, “Wherever you are,

it is your own friends who make your world.” 3. Reeve Lindbergh wrote that in the air her father

Charles “wasn’t flying the airplane, he was being the airplane.”

4. In the song “One Night in Bangkok,” the arbiter declares, “Siam’s gonna be the witness to the ultimate test of cerebral fitness.”

5. Billie Jean King once gave the advice, “If you’re going to make an error, make it a doozy, and don’t be afraid to hit the ball.”

6. “I’ll be watching you” is Sting’s promise in the hit Police song “Every Breath You Take.”

7. “When can their glory fade?” asks Alfred, Lord Tennyson about the soldiers in the Light Brigade in his poem “The Charge of the Light Brigade.”

8. Ronald Reagan’s speechwriter Peggy Noonan proclaimed, “The crew of the space shuttle Challenger honored us by the manner in which they lived their lives.”

9. “One’s destination is never a place but rather a new way of looking at things” is an inspiring quote by Henry Miller.

10. After Paul Harvey told his listeners, “Now you know the rest of the story,” he signed off by saying, “Good day.”

EXERCISE 2Responses will vary. Sample responses: 1. My favorite short story, “The Foghorn” by Ray

Bradbury, has McDunn and Johnny see the monster as its “head rose a full forty feet above the water on a slender and beautiful dark neck.”

2. I dislike “Billie Jean” by Michael Jackson because in the song he keeps repeating, “The kid is not my son.”

3. With lines such as “They that had fought so well / Came thro’ the jaws of Death / Back from the mouth of Hell, / All that was left of them, / Left of six hundred,” Alfred, Lord Tennyson’s poem “The Charge of the Light Brigade” creates dramatic images that stir one’s senses.

4. Mahatma Gandhi advised, “You must be the change you wish to see in the world.”

5. In American History, the article “George Washington’s Dire Straits” provided me with the information I needed to finish my report on the Revolutionary War.



Lesson 51: Hyphens and Dashes

EXERCISE 1Responses will vary. Sample responses: 1. Running a fifty-meter dash will get your blood

pumping. 2. Winning a medal at the Olympics is a great

feeling—earning a gold medal is indescribable. 3. Paying one-half of the bill ahead of time might

ensure a first-rate job. 4. This is a job for Batman and Robin—the fearless

crime-fighting duo. 5. Before he went to prison, my uncle was a top-

notch safecracker. 6. She read a book about James Madison—the fourth

president of the United States. 7. His report was about the difficulties of growing up

in a lower-class neighborhood. 8. You have plenty of apples in your basket—only

four will be needed for the dessert. 9. I saw your uncle—a strange-looking man—

crossing the street downtown. 10. You should be more safety conscious—always

wear a hard hat at the construction site.


My favorite meal would not include any low-calorie foods. The appetizer—an important start to any fine-dining occasion—would consist of mozzarella cheese sticks. I would then have a first-rate cook prepare a one-half pound cheeseburger. To complement the main entrée, I would add tater tots—a tasty alternative to the more traditional French fries. Drinks are an important part of any feast. A cherry phosphate—slightly chilled—would fit the bill at this occasion. For dessert, nothing beats fresh-baked chocolate chip cookies.

Lesson 52: Editing for Capitalization Errors

EXERCISE 1 1. geographical name 2. proper adjective 3. proper noun 4. special event

EXERCISE 2 1. Titus Smith rode with his brothers, Fred and Paul,

from Kansas City to Tulsa. 2. During the trip, Titus read the famous novel The

Hobbit. 3. Titus is a seventh-grade student at Lincoln Middle

School; he is studying the American Revolution.

4. He hopes someday to visit Spain, France, and other countries in western Europe.

5. On the trip, the brothers listened to CDs by Diamond Rio, Sawyer Brown, and Alabama.

6. Soon after crossing the Mississippi River, Fred pulled into a gas station.

7. Paul took over driving and piloted the car down Highway 44 toward Tulsa.

8. At the University of Oklahoma, Paul is studying English literature.

9. After eating in the cafeteria, the Smith brothers watched the old television show Bonanza.

10. Titus once wrote a poem, “The Gray Box,” about the experience of watching television.

EXERCISE 3Responses will vary. Students should use proper capitalization and try to include one example of a proper noun, proper adjective, geographical name, geographical direction, historical name, title of an artwork, and title of a literary work.

Lesson 53: Proper Nouns and Proper Adjectives

EXERCISE 1 1. Grant Rollins, Damoclean 2. Whiz Kid, Smart Games Company 3. Chinese 4. Maria, Victorian 5. Mary, “Puff, the Magic Dragon” 6. Spartan 7. Jesse James, Cole Younger, Jim Younger, Frank

James 8. Scott, Rick, Wednesdays, Fridays 9. German, English 10. Santa Claus, Bahamas, New Year’s Day, Labor

Day

EXERCISE 2 1. Dutch Elm 2. A Beautiful Mind, John Nash 3. Saturday, October, England 4. Uncle Seymour, Spanish, French, Romanian 5. William Jennings Bryan, Lincoln, Nebraska 6. Larry Bird, Boston Garden 7. James Madison’s, Federalist Papers 8. Irish, St. Patrick’s Day 9. Kiwanis Club, American Legion 10. St. Louis, Gunter’s Chain



EXERCISE 3Responses will vary. Students should correctly capitalize names of people, titles or abbreviations that precede people’s names, names of organizations or businesses, proper adjectives formed from proper nouns, and proper nouns used as adjectives.

Lesson 54: I and First Words

EXERCISE 1 1. The coach yelled, “Let’s start playing some

defense!” 2. I think that Leslie will believe anything I tell her. 3. We noticed that Sally started her letter with “Dear

John” and closed with “Your friend.” 4. That was the best movie I’ve seen in a long time. 5. She is a professor who teaches at the university. 6. The famous Tennyson poem “The Charge of the

Light Brigade” is about a small but brave group of British soldiers.

7. Grandma always begins her letters to me with the salutation, “My dear boy.”

8. My guidance counselor advised me to join the Junior Rotary Club.

9. “If you look into the cauldron,” warned the witch, “you will see more than you can handle.”

10. correct

EXERCISE 2Responses will vary. Sample responses: 1. In The Fellowship of the Ring, Gandalf tells

Frodo, “But you have been chosen, and you must therefore use such strength and heart and wits as you have.”

2. In The Fellowship of the Ring, Gandalf tells Frodo that he has been chosen and must therefore use the strength and heart and wits he has.

3. How does it feel/ To be on your own/ With no direction home/ Like a complete unknown/ Like a rolling stone?

—from “Like a Rolling Stone” Bob Dylan 4. My great-grandfather, who was a barber, was born

in Lake Mills, Wisconsin, to German immigrants. 5. On Independence Day my family always holds a

table tennis tournament; on July 4, 1992, I finally won the trophy by defeating my father, my sister, and Grandpa Earl.

Lesson 55: Family Relationships and Titles of Persons

EXERCISE 1 1. Senator Dole 2. correct 3. Dr. Williams 4. Grandma Gertrude

5. Sammy Davis Jr. 6. King Richard I 7. Mayor Davidson 8. correct 9. Reverend Lovejoy 10. correct

EXERCISE 2Responses will vary. Students’ sentences should illustrate their understanding of when capitalization is used for titles and family relationships.

Lesson 56: Titles of Artworks and Literary Works

EXERCISE 1 1. “The Serial Garden” 2. Rise to Rebellion 3. “Born to Be Wild” 4. “The Raven,” “The Tell-Tale Heart,” “The Pit and

the Pendulum” 5. Sports Illustrated 6. The Apprentice 7. Elektra 8. Jesus Christ Superstar, Godspell 9. “Eyes in the Heart,” Jackson Pollock 10. Washington Post

EXERCISE 2Responses will vary. Students should capitalize titles of art and literary works correctly as well as any other proper nouns they include in the assignment.

Lesson 57: Incorrect Subject-Verb Agreement

EXERCISE 1 1. begins 2. root 3. provide, have 4. quarrel 5. gets, are 6. resolve 7. cause 8. were 9. studies, concludes 10. spend

EXERCISE 2 1. has 2. seems 3. need 4. correct 5. believe 6. was



7. correct 8. seems

EXERCISE 3Responses will vary. Sample responses: 1. The bird flies to South America each winter. The

birds fly to South America each winter. 2. Those pretty flowers were planted by inmates at

the prison. That pretty flower was planted by an inmate at the prison.

3. The teachers meet and discuss report cards with the parents. A teacher meets and discusses report cards with the parents.

4. I can see that many are going to finish the race. I can see that one is going to finish the race.

5. Either Paul or Jesse runs the store while their father is away. Both Paul and Jesse run the store while their father is away.

Lesson 58: Avoiding Double Negatives

EXERCISE 1 1. is 2. any 3. anything 4. ever 5. were 6. somebody 7. ever 8. could 9. any 10. anything

EXERCISE 2Responses will vary. Sample responses: 1. We don’t see anybody at the gas station.

(OR We see nobody at the gas station.) 2. Hans won’t eat any ice cream with sprinkles on it.

(OR Hans will eat no ice cream with sprinkles on it.)

3. There wasn’t a trace of dust in the room. (OR There was barely a trace of dust in the room.)

4. I can hardly see the ship out there. (OR I can’t see the ship out there.)

5. Greg and Nancy didn’t do any proofreading of their assignments. (OR Greg and Nancy did no proofreading of their assignments.)

6. Fred couldn’t find anyone in the backyard. (OR Fred could find no one in the backyard.)

7. correct 8. I haven’t ever heard anything like that before.

(OR I have never heard anything like that before.) 9. Carrie never did anything wrong at school.

(OR Carrie did nothing wrong at school ever.) 10. His voice didn’t make much of a whisper.

(OR His voice made barely a whisper.)

EXERCISE 3Responses will vary.

Lesson 59: Avoiding Dangling Modifiers

EXERCISE 1Responses will vary. Sample responses: 1. As I ran across the floor, the rug slipped and I fell. 2. While we sat on the porch, the sun began to set in

the sky. 3. While I was driving, a deer ran across the street. 4. As I entered the house, the light turned on. 5. While he was reading the book, the doorbell rang. 6. After the dog ate the kibble, the bowl was empty. 7. After she hit the ball, the bases were loaded. 8. When we planted the crops, the animals began to

eat the corn. 9. She dropped the skillet as the mouse ran across

the floor. 10. As we pointed to the sky, the bird circled the

mountain.

Lesson 60: Avoiding Misplaced Modifiers

EXERCISE 1 1. MM 2. MM 3. MM 4. DM 5. MM 6. DM 7. DM 8. DM 9. MM 10. DM

EXERCISE 2Responses may vary slightly. Sample responses: 1. The rusty old car missing two tires is in the garage. 2. Joe fell with a splash into the newly filled

swimming pool. 3. The city has an old bridge made entirely of wood

over the river. 4. Arriving after 8:00 a.m., I found that the meeting

had already started. 5. From the picnic table, your cat jumped over the

fence, which is ten feet high. 6. After we settled into the room, a fire alarm

sounded. 7. To sell your house, be sure to paint the outside

walls. 8. After the concert ended with a great finale,

applause shook the concert hall.



9. At the humane society, I adopted a dog with black and white spots.

10. Before I started reading the report, the cats wanted to be fed.

EXERCISE 3Responses will vary. Sample responses: 1. With their teeth showing, the sharks swam toward

their prey. 2. Because of his busy schedule, Jim declined the

invitation to speak. 3. Water poured into the ship that had a gaping hole. 4. The tall tree fell to the ground with a thud. 5. For those on stage, each line needs to be

memorized. 6. Because you are easily distracted, it’s best to study

for the test alone. 7. This movie, which is slow and boring, is easy to

sleep through. 8. The counselor discussed three options that

seemed appealing. 9. Since it was shaped like a hammer, I believed it to

be the artifact we had been searching for. 10. The police, armed with tear gas, arrived on the

scene to disperse the crowd.

Lesson 61: Maintaining Consistent Verb Tense

EXERCISE 1Responses will vary. Sample responses: 1. A fable is a brief story that usually includes animal

characters and a moral. 2. Many associate the fables with Aesop, but some

attribute the animal fables to an imaginary author. 3. The characters in a fable are usually animals that

are given human characteristics. 4. You can figure out the message that each fable

conveys. 5. A grasshopper spends the summer singing while

the ant works hard gathering food for the winter. 6. The ant refused to give the grasshopper any food

and the grasshopper was left cold and hungry. 7. The crow has a piece of cheese and the fox wants

it. 8. The fox flatters the crow so that the crow sings

and drops the cheese. 9. The man thinks that humans are stronger than

lions. 10. The man showed the lion a statue of Hercules

killing a lion, but the lion was not convinced because the statue was built by a man.

EXERCISE 2Responses will vary. Students’ paragraphs should use consistent verb tenses.

Lesson 62: Sentence Fragments

EXERCISE 1 1. sentence fragment 2. sentence fragment 3. sentence 4. sentence 5. sentence fragment 6. sentence 7. sentence 8. sentence fragment 9. sentence fragment 10. sentence

EXERCISE 2 1. Subject and verb are missing. 2. Subject is missing. 3. Verb is missing. 4. Verb is missing. 5. Subject is missing. 6. Subject and verb are missing. 7. Subject and verb are missing. 8. Subject is missing. 9. Verb is missing. 10. Subject is missing.

EXERCISE 3Responses will vary. Each sentence should include a subject and a verb and express a complete thought. Sample responses: 1. At breakfast, Mary drank orange juice and milk. 2. Paul set the book on the coffee table. 3. The old oak tree withstood the terrible storm. 4. In the last election, Sandra ran for office for the

first time. 5. An angry otter encouraged us to take another

path. 6. The squirrel ran past the fencepost. 7. You will see a red car at the second gas station. 8. We sat and gazed at the peaceful lake. 9. Arthur lives above the garage. 10. The speaker talked directly to the audience.

Lesson 63: Run-on Sentences

EXERCISE 1 1. run-on 2. run-on 3. correct 4. run-on 5. correct 6. run-on 7. correct 8. run-on 9. correct 10. run-on



EXERCISE 2Responses will vary. Sample responses: 1. The bears wandered into the campsite. Frank

watched them from the trees. 2. Frank was simultaneously frightened and amused

by the bears; he did not make a sound. 3. Each bear stuck its head into a tent. The boy

wondered what they were looking for. 4. One bear started clawing at a bag; he smelled food

inside. 5. Frank calmly watched the spectacle; the bears did

not notice him. 6. The bear ripped open the bag, spilling the

campers’ food onto the ground. The other bears shared in the prize.

7. Frank thought those bears must really be hungry. He was amazed at how fast they devoured the food.

8. The bears quickly finished eating. They knocked over the three tents looking for more food.

9. After ransacking the campsite, the bears wandered away; they left a mess in their wake.

10. Frank walked among the remains of the campsite. He wondered what his parents were going to say.

Lesson 64: Wordy Sentences

EXERCISE 1Responses will vary. Sample responses: 1. Father told me I needed to do more dishwashing

and said I should wash the dishes more often. 2. The peasants were upset due to the fact that their

village had been burned down. 3. Hannah called during dinner when we were

eating. 4. We looked in the barrel full of apples, and there

were many apples in the barrel. 5. The shiny new car glistened in the sun and many

of its parts shone brightly. 6. We saw a variety of animals, lions, tigers, zebras,

bears, and monkeys, at the zoo. 7. After a short and brief speech, the mayor returned

to her office. 8. Father set the watch in the sun so that it would dry

out from the sun’s rays. 9. Nathan talked about his book to the crowd and

explained that in the book he wrote from many different perspectives.

10. Manny is part of a fast crew of rowers who can row a boat quickly through the water.


I like to jog five miles after awakening each morning. Many people believe that consistent exercise is important for good health. I usually run in the forest on a path. I can see many animals, including squirrels, rabbits, and woodchucks. On the weekends, I see more people out jogging. I enjoy jogging because it makes me feel better about myself.

EXERCISE 3Responses will vary. Students’ paragraphs should describe their favorite ways to stay healthy and fit and should not contain wordy sentences.


mirrors & windows - grammar & style level ii

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