Download D.L.P. – Week Four Grade eight Day One – Skills Correction of a

D.L.P. – Week Four
G R A DE E IG HT
Day One – Skills
• Correction of a sentence fragment
A fragment occurs because a sentence is missing a vital part, a subject or a verb. Correct it
by adding the missing part. A second way that a fragment occurs is that it is not a complete
thought. Perhaps, it is only a dependent clause. Correct this type of fragment by adding an
independent clause.
• Correct punctuation in dialogue
The spoken and non-spoken parts of a sentence must be separated. Typically, that is done
with a comma. (“Hello,” Mom said. I said, “How are You?”) The exception would be when
an exclamation or question mark is used to separate the two parts. (“How are you?” she
asked. “How wonderful!” Bob yelled.)
• Use of a colon in items in a series
When a list of items is included in a sentence so that the reader is warned that a list is
coming, a colon must precede the list. However, if the reader gets no forewarning that a list
will be coming, no colon is needed.
D AY O NE – SE NT E NCE O NE
A girl called Squeaky, the main
character in Toni Cade Bombara’s
story “Raymond’s Run”.
A girl called Squeaky is the main
character in Toni Cade Bombara’s
story “Raymond’s Run.”
D AY O NE – SE NT E NCE T WO
Squeaky’s family includes: her
father, her mother, her brother
George, her brother Raymond, and
herself.
Squeaky’s family includes her
father, her mother, her brother
George, her brother Raymond, and
herself.
Day Two – Skills
• Correction of easily confused words – good/well
The word good is an adjective which means it describes a noun. (It was a good book.) It turns
to better in the comparative degree and best in the superlative degree. (I like this book better
than that one. That was the best of all the books.)
The word well is an adverb. It describes an action and tells how it was done. In the comparative
degree it becomes better and the superlative becomes best. (He did better this time than last
time. That was the best he ever did.)
The word well is also used every time someone’s health is discussed; therefore, it can also be an
adjective. (I feel well.)
• Capitalization of the pronoun I
The pronoun I is always capitalized. I is still capitalized in contractions such as I’ll, I’m, and I’ve.
• Correct use of punctuation in dialogue
The spoken and non-spoken parts of a sentence must be separated. Typically, that is done with
a comma. (“Hello,” Mom said. I said, “How are You?”) The exception would be when an
exclamation or question mark is used to separate the two parts. (“How are you?” she asked.
“How wonderful!” Bob yelled.)
D AY T WO – SE NT E NCE O NE
Squeaky runs very good.
Squeaky runs very well.
D AY T WO – SE NT E NCE T WO
“As anybody can tell you, i’m
the fastest thing on two feet,
she says proudly.
“As anybody can tell you, I’m
the fastest thing on two feet,”
she says proudly.
Day Three– Skills
• Correct spelling – a lot
One of the most commonly misspelled words in the English language is a lot. It is two words.
• Correct spelling – neighborhood
Most English words follow the rule, “I before e except after c.” Hence, these words are spelled as such: piece
and ceiling.
• 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.
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.)
D AY T HR E E – SE NT E NCE O NE
Squeaky cares alot for her
brother Raymond, who is
mentally handicapped.
Squeaky cares a lot for her
brother Raymond, who is
mentally handicapped.
D AY T HR E E – SE NT E NCE T WO
If one of the nieghborhood boys
try to tease her brother, she
stands up for him.
If one of the neighborhood boys
tries to tease her brother, she
stands up for him.
Day Four– Skills
• Correction of easily confused words – who’s/whose
The word whose is a relative pronoun. It is used to show ownership and start a relative clause.
(The author whose book won the prize will be at the library.)
The contraction who’s takes the place of the words who and is. To use who’s, both words must
fit in the sentence.
• Use of an adverb to modify an adverb
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.)
• Use of a hyphen
Some compound words are connected by a hyphen. To be certain if a word needed a hyphen,
consult a dictionary.
Hyphens are also used at the end of a written or typed line of text if the complete word does
not fit. Use the hyphen between syllables of the word.
D AY FO UR – SE NT E NCE O NE
Squeaky, who’s name is Hazel
Elizabeth Deborah Parker, is real
good at everything she tries.
Squeaky, whose name is Hazel
Elizabeth Deborah Parker, is really
good at everything she tries.
D AY FO UR – SE NT E NCE T WO
At the fifty yard dash, she dreams
of becoming a running coach with
Raymond as her champion.
At the fifty-yard dash, she dreams
of becoming a running coach with
Raymond as her champion.
Day Five– Skills
• Pronoun case with compounds
Pronouns are used differently depending on what case they are. Subject pronouns, also known as
nominative pronouns can work as subjects or predicate nouns. They are I, we, you, he, she, it, and
they. Objective pronouns can work as direct objects, indirect objects, or objects of the preposition.
They are me, us, you, him, her, it, and them. Possessive pronouns show ownership. They are my,
mine, our, ours, your, yours, his, her, hers, its, their, and theirs. Note that possessive pronouns do
not have apostrophes.
To use pronouns correctly, they must be in the right case. See the explanation in the above entry.
When the pronoun is compound, it must still be in the case to match the function of the pronoun in
the sentence. (Maxine and I are friends. I talked to him and her.) If the pronoun is paired with a
noun, the noun will precede the pronoun in the pair (Bobby and me).
• Correction of easily confused words – teach/learn
The verb teach means to give information. The verb learn means to get information.
• Correction of easily confused words – its/it’s
Its is a possessive pronoun. It’s is a contraction formed by combining it and is. Both of these words
must fit in the sentence for the contraction to be used.
D AY FIVE – SE NT E NCE O NE
The race between she and
Gretchen learns Squeaky an
important lesson.
The race between Gretchen and
her teaches Squeaky an
important lesson.
D AY FIVE – SE NT E NCE T WO
Its about respect for the efforts
of others.
It’s about respect for the efforts
of others.