Download D.L.P. – Week Three Grade eight Day One – Skills Punctuation

D.L.P. – Week Three
G R A DE E IG HT
Day One – Skills
• Punctuation – Comma – Nonrestrictive Clause vs. Restrictive Clause
A nonrestrictive clause is a subordinate (dependent) clause that is not needed for the
independent clause to make sense. This nonrestrictive clause adds detail and description,
but since the independent clause can function without it, it must be set off by commas. If
the subordinate clause is integral to the meaning of the independent clause, it is called a
restrictive clause, and no commas are used.
• Use of the verb “to know”
The verb know is an action verb that is irregular. In the past, the verb changes to knew, and
in the past participle it becomes known.
• Punctuation of titles
When referring to a title when writing, it must be punctuated properly. Shorter works are
placed in quotations. Shorter works include poems, short stories, songs, a chapter in a
longer book, or a newspaper or magazine article. Longer works include books, names of
magazines or newspapers, and movies.
D AY O NE – SE NT E NCE O NE
O. Henry who had spent time in
prison based many of his characters
on people he had knowed.
O. Henry, who had spent time in
prison, based many of his
characters on people he had
known.
D AY O NE – SE NT E NCE T WO
The main character in the story A
Retrieved Reformation may have
been based on a real gentleman
bank robber.
The main character in the story “A
Retrieved Reformation” may have
been based on a real gentleman
bank robber.
Day Two – Skills
• Pronoun usage - case with who and whom
The pronoun who is nominative. That means it can be a subject of a sentence. (Who is going to
the party? The man, who is tall, is my neighbor.) Whenever no other subject is found in the
clause, who should be used. The pronoun whom is objective; therefore, it can work as a direct
object, indirect object, or object of the preposition. (Whom do you see? I gave whomever
wanted a prize a choice of one. To whom did you speak?) Remember, if a subject can be
located, use whom.
• Use of a comma after an interrupting introductory word
An interrupter breaks up the flow of a sentence. If the interrupter starts the sentence, place a
comma after it. If the interrupter is mid-sentence, place commas before and after it.
• Using an adverb to modify a verb
Adverbs are used to describe verbs, adjectives, and other adverbs. An adjective cannot be used
to describe a verb. (opened quick must be opened quickly) An adjective cannot be used to
describe another adjective. (real exciting must be turned into really excited.)
D AY T WO – SE NT E NCE O NE
Ralph Spencer is a young man
who everybody in town likes.
Ralph Spencer is a young man
whom everybody in town likes.
D AY T WO – SE NT E NCE T WO
Actually Ralph is Jimmy Valentine,
a former bank robber who wants
very bad to keep his past a secret.
Actually, Ralph is Jimmy Valentine,
a former bank robber who wants
very badly to keep his past a
secret.
Day Three– Skills
• Agreement with indefinite pronouns
Indefinite pronouns are words that can take the place of nouns, but they are not specific. They are also complicated to use since
they affected by whether they are singular or plural. They must agree with the verb and other pronouns in the sentence.
Another, anybody, anyone, anything, everybody, everyone, everything, much, nobody, no one, nothing, one, somebody, someone,
and something are singular. That means these words would pair with an action verb that ends in an s or a linking verb like “is” or
“was.”
Both, few, many, and several are plural. That means these words would pair with an action verb that does not end in an s or a
linking verb like “are” or “were.”
All, any, more, most, none, and some can be either singular or plural. To determine how to make these words agree with their verb,
look at the object of the preposition that follows the pronoun. If it is singular, it needs a singular verb. (All of ice is melted.) If it is
plural, it needs a plural verb. (All of the pages are torn.)
• Correction of easily confused words – lie/lay
The verb lie means to rest or recline. It’s parts are lie, lay, and lain. (I lie on the beach. I lay on the blanket. I have lain in bed for
hours.)
The verb lay means to put something down or to place it somewhere. It’s parts are lay, laid, and laid. (I lay the book on the floor. I
laid the pencil on the desk. I have laid the papers aside for now.)
• Use of a comma after introductory prepositional phrases
When a sentence starts with one prepositional phrase, it is the writer’s choice to place a comma after it or not. Be consistent. Some
single prepositional phrases involving time seem logical. (At first, I was unsure.) However, if more than prepositional phrase begins
a sentence, a comma must be placed at the end of them. (On Thursday in the morning, I…)
D AY T HR E E – SE NT E NCE O NE
Someone knows Jimmy’s secret,
and they are laying in wait for
Jimmy to make a mistake.
Someone knows Jimmy’s secret,
and he is lying in wait for Jimmy
to make a mistake.
D AY T HR E E – SE NT E NCE T WO
In an emergency at the local bank
Jimmy must choose between
keeping his secret and saving a
child’s life.
In an emergency at the local bank,
Jimmy must choose between
keeping his secret and saving a
child’s life.
Day Four– Skills
• Capitalization of a proper noun- place
Names of specific places must be capitalized since they are proper nouns. These could
include the names of buildings and monuments. They could also include towns, cities,
states, and countries.
• Use of punctuation in monetary amounts
When writing monetary amounts, a comma is used to separate the thousands from the
hundreds spot. (1,203) In addition, a period is used to separate the dollars from the
cents. ($2.12) When writing numbers in general, be careful of the punctuation.
• Capitalization of a proper noun – thing
Names of specific things must be capitalized. They may be the names of products
(Kleenex), holidays (Fourth of July), languages (French), historical events (Battle of
Gettysburg), or companies (Nike). When the noun is more than one word, follow the
same rules for capitalizing words in a title.
D AY FO UR – SE NT E NCE O NE
Some popular O. Henry stories are
about ordinary people living in new
york city in the early 1900’s.
Some popular O. Henry stories are
about ordinary people living in
New York City in the early 1900’s.
D AY FO UR – SE NT E NCE T WO
“The Gift of the Magi” is about a
young wife with not quite two
dollars – actually $1,87 – to spend
as christmas approaches.
“The Gift of the Magi” is about a
young wife with not quite two
dollars – actually $1.87 – to spend
as Christmas approaches.
Day Five– Skills
• Use of consistent verb tense
For logic purposes, the verbs used in a sentence or longer piece must be in the same tense.
• Elimination of a double comparison
The three degrees of comparison are positive, comparative, and superlative. The positive
degree is simply the adjective or adverb. The comparative degree means that two things
are being compared. The suffix “er” is used or the words more or less. (bigger, more
interesting, less exciting) The superlative degree compares more than two things. The
suffix “est” or the words most or least are used. (biggest, most interesting, least exciting)
A double comparison occurs when both the suffix and the words are used. Use one or the
other.
• Correction of a dangling modifier – participle
A participle must describe a noun. When it is not placed near enough to what it describes
or the noun is not present, the participle is said to be dangling. To solve this, place the
participle close to what it describes.
D AY FIVE – SE NT E NCE O NE
To get money, Della sells her
beautiful hair, and Jim sold his
watch, the most finest thing he
owns.
To get money, Della sells her
beautiful hair, and Jim sells his
watch, the finest thing he owns.
D AY FIVE – SE NT E NCE T WO
Their gifts to each other, a watch
chain and combs, are useless,
having sold her hair and his watch.
Their gifts to each other, a watch
chain and combs, are useless since
he sold his watch she sold her hair.