Download Grammar on Your Feet: Grades 3-5

Grammar on Your Feet
Can be used to teach:
The sentence core: (Day One)
Have students arrange themselves into
simple sentences.
Show that a sentence is a two-part thing:
subject and verb
Use “The Sentence Inspection Committee” to
verify the completeness of all of the sentences.
Grammar on Your Feet
Can be used to teach:
The sentence core: (Day One)
Have students arrange themselves into
simple sentences.
Use the Post-it notes to capitalize the
first word of the sentence and add end
punctuation
Grammar on Your Feet
Can be used to teach:
The sentence core: (Day One)
Have students arrange themselves into
simple sentences.
Switch (re-match) the subjects and
verbs around to show what we mean by
subject-verb agreement.
Grammar on Your Feet
Can be used to teach:
Elaboration: (Day Two)
Now, add the modifiers (adjectives,
adverbs, prepositional phrases). Show that
we can place modifiers in various positions in the
sentence. Show that modifiers answer
questions:
Adjectives: Which one? What kind? How
many?
Adverbs: Where? When? Why? How? To
what extent?
Grammar on Your Feet
Can be used to teach:
Elaboration: (Day Two)
Show that if we have two adjectives
preceding a noun, we need a comma IF
we can reverse them.
Grammar on Your Feet
Can be used to teach:
Joining to create compound subjects and
compound verbs
(Day Three):
Show that we use and (without a
comma) to bring more than one item into
the subject slot or the predicate slot
Grammar on Your Feet
Can be used to teach:
Joining to create compound sentences
(Day Four):
Show what happens when sentences want to get
together. They bump into each other if they are not
properly separated. Establish that we can use a comma
+ and, but, so to properly join two sentences. (A comma
alone is not sufficient to join two sentences)
Grammar on Your Feet
Can be used to teach:
That when we introduce a subordinating conjunction, we
need to add a “guess what” part
Add: AAAWWUUBBI
Although, as, after
While, when
Unless, until
Before, because
If
a handsome prince appeared
This is an independent clause: It can stand alone as a complete sentence.
the princess ran away
This is an independent clause: It can stand alone as a complete sentence.
penguins
This is a count noun: It takes S to make it plural
waddle
This is an intransitive verb: It does not want a direct object.
,and
,but
,so
These are the most common coordinating conjunctions: Along with a comma, they
can join two independent clauses to create a compound sentences. Most professional writers begin sentences with coordinating conjunctions
FOR EMPHASIS. Many teachers do not want you to begin sentences with coordinating conjunctions. Follow your teacher’s expectations.
.
,
,
;
This is a semicolon: It can join two independent clauses to
create a compound sentence. It can also separate items
in a series if the items themselves contain commas.
moreover
furthermore
however
therefore
These are conjunctive adverbs: They can easily begin sentences. With commas around them, they can move within their own clauses. They
CANNOT join two independent clauses UNLESS you also have a semicolon (not a comma).
the
This is the most common noun marker:
When you see this word, expect a noun
structure (single noun, noun phrase, or
noun clause.
ing
All verbs can take this ending.
It forms the progressive tense.
It also forms a gerund (a verb
that is acting as a noun).
s
When S is added to a word, it could mean:
Plural form of a noun
Singular form of a verb, to match the third person singular subject
With apostrophe, possessive form of a noun
es
Use this to form the plural of a noun or the singular
of a verb if adding a syllable
d
This forms the past tense of regular verbs. It also forms the participle, which
can be used to create the perfect tense, OR can create an adjective.
ed
Use this ending when you need to say another syllable
to create the past tense or participle.
in the pond
This is a prepositional phrase: It gives “where” information.
at night
This is a prepositional phrase: It gives “when” information.
After
As
Although
While
When
Unless
Until
Because
Before
If
These are the most common subordinating conjunctions. They create complex sentences. If they appear between two independent
clauses, then you DON”T need a comma; if they appear at the beginning of the complex sentence, then you DO need a comma between
the independent clauses.
awesome
This is an adjective: It answers the question WHAT KIND?
fuzzy
This is an adjective: It answers the question WHAT KIND?
This word will help
you locate the verb.
today
This is an adverb: It answers one of these questions:
WHEN? WHERE? WHY? HOW? TO WHAT EXTENT?
HOW OFTEN?
This word will help
you locate the verb.
yesterday
This is an adverb: It answers one of these questions:
WHEN? WHERE? WHY? HOW? TO WHAT EXTENT?
HOW OFTEN?
carefully
This is an adverb: It answers one of these questions:
WHEN? WHERE? WHY? HOW? TO WHAT EXTENT?
HOW OFTEN?
suddenly
This is an adverb: It answers one of these questions:
WHEN? WHERE? WHY? HOW? TO WHAT EXTENT?
HOW OFTEN?
itch
This word can easily function as a noun or a verb.
scratch
This word can easily function as a noun or a verb.
princess
This is a count noun: It takes S to make it plural
prince
This is a count noun: It takes S to make it plural
climb
This is a transitive verb, but it can easily act intransitively (without a direct object).
kiss
This is a transitive verb, but it can easily act intransitively (without a direct object).
like
This is a transitive verb: It wants a direct object.
find
This is a transitive verb: It wants a direct object.
frog
This is a count noun: It takes S to make it plural
bamboo
This is a npn-count noun: It doesn’t like to add S to make it plural
mud
This is a npn-count noun: It doesn’t like to add S to make it plural
water
This is a npn-count noun: It doesn’t like to add S to make it plural
panda
This is a count noun: It takes S to form the plural.
monkey
This is a count noun: It takes S to form the plural.
birds
This is a count noun: It takes S to form the plural.
trees
This is a count noun: It takes S to form the plural.
want
This is a transitive verb: It wants a direct object.
swim
This is an intransitive verb: It does not want a direct object.
fly
This is an intransitive verb: It does not want a direct object.
yell
This is an intransitive verb: It does not want a direct object.
is
am
are
was
were
be
being
been
These are the 8 forms of BE.
They can serve as the main verb.
They can combine with ING to create progressive tenses.
They can combine with the participle (the form of the verb
That goes with HAVE) to create the passive voice.
would
could
should
can
will
shall
may
might
must
Modal auxiliaries: These combine with verbs to create actions and states that didn’t actually happen.
look
sound
smell
taste
seem
appear
become
grow
These are other verbs that can be linking verbs. They sometimes follow the rules of BE.
Something
This is how you can tell where a nominal beings and ends. (By a nominal, we mean a noun, a noun phrase, or a noun clause.
I
we
you
you
he, she
they
it
who
These are the subjective case pronouns. They are used as subjects of clauses and as predicate nominatives (pronouns that follow action verbs to
complete the sentence.
me
us
you
you
him, her
them
it
whom
These are the objective case pronouns. They are used as direct objects, indirect objects, and objects of prepositions