Writing Rules
Lesson 1
The first rule we study is how to use capital letters. Below is a list of some of the most basic rules to know.
cap_rules.pdf | |
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Lesson 2
Here are the correction symbols we will be using in our class. You will write your paragraph. I will find the mistakes. I will make the symbols on your paper. You will rewrite your paragraph correctly.
Lesson 3
This exercise introduces the 3 ways to end a sentence. Read the top carefully. To do the exercise, you will need to add 33 periods, question marks, or exclamation marks all together. Please read the paragraph out loud. When your voice stops, you need to end the sentence.
period_question_marks.pdf | |
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Lesson 4
Here is our first comma rule. If you missed class, please print it out, study the top explanation carefully, and do the exercise.
Click here to download and print the exercise.
Lesson 5
Here is more practice of the capitals and periods. Click here to download and then you can print it.
Lesson 6
Comma Rule 5
Always use a comma when the following words start a sentence:
Note: You must read the sentence and listen for the pause in your voice. That is where the comma goes.
When these 6 words come in the middle of a sentence, however, you do not use a comma.
Always use a comma when the following words start a sentence:
- If
- Because
- When
- While
- Before
- After
- If you're sick, you shouldn't come to school.
- Because you're late, you can't take the test.
- When I wake up, I like to exercise.
- While I study, I listen to music.
- Before I take a shower, I shave.
- After we have dinner, we can watch a movie.
Note: You must read the sentence and listen for the pause in your voice. That is where the comma goes.
When these 6 words come in the middle of a sentence, however, you do not use a comma.
- You shouldn't come to school if you're sick.
- You can't take the test because you're late.
- I like to exercise when I wake up.
- I listen to music while I study.
- I shave before I take a shower.
- We can watch a movie after we have dinner.
Lesson 7
Here is a worksheet to help you practice Comma Rule 5.
comma_rule_5_simplified_for_new_3b.docx | |
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Lesson 8
What is a sentence?
Look at the following examples. Is it a sentence?
What's the difference between 1-5 and 6 and 7?
A sentence is a group of words that has a subject, a verb, and expresses a complete thought.
Ok. Well, what is a subject? A subject is a noun that is the focus or does the action of the sentence.
Oh, no! What is a noun? A noun is a word that is a person, place, thing, or idea.
Person: my mom, the teacher, the doctor, my son, the driver, he, she, we
Place: school, church, the kitchen, the park, Mexico, Africa
Thing: a pencil, a desk, a car, shoes, a TV
Idea: war, peace, problem, solution, vacation, religion
The 2 most basic elements of any sentence are 1. the action and 2. the actor.
Carlos ate the piece of pizza. (Carlos-actor, ate-action)
Maria cooked the dinner. (Maria--actor, cooked--action)
I am writing a book. (I--actor, am writing--action)
The actor in grammar is called a subject.
The action in grammar is called a verb.
While most verbs are physical actions, there are 5 other types.
Look at the following sentences and underline the subject with 1 line, and the verb with 2 lines. Then under the verb write the number for which type it is.
Look at the following examples. Is it a sentence?
- At the beach on Friday. No.
- In the back of the classroom. No.
- The difficult class on Tuesday. No.
- When she came to the U.S. No.
- After we have dinner. No.
- She works at Target. Yes.
- Carlos drives a truck. Yes.
What's the difference between 1-5 and 6 and 7?
A sentence is a group of words that has a subject, a verb, and expresses a complete thought.
Ok. Well, what is a subject? A subject is a noun that is the focus or does the action of the sentence.
Oh, no! What is a noun? A noun is a word that is a person, place, thing, or idea.
Person: my mom, the teacher, the doctor, my son, the driver, he, she, we
Place: school, church, the kitchen, the park, Mexico, Africa
Thing: a pencil, a desk, a car, shoes, a TV
Idea: war, peace, problem, solution, vacation, religion
The 2 most basic elements of any sentence are 1. the action and 2. the actor.
Carlos ate the piece of pizza. (Carlos-actor, ate-action)
Maria cooked the dinner. (Maria--actor, cooked--action)
I am writing a book. (I--actor, am writing--action)
The actor in grammar is called a subject.
The action in grammar is called a verb.
While most verbs are physical actions, there are 5 other types.
- actions: run, walk, eat, cook, drink, drive, work, go
- mental processes: think, know, remember, forget
- emotional processes: love, hate, want, need, like
- human senses: see, hear, smell, taste, feel
- be: (to exist) I am, you are, he is, she is
- possession: have, own, cost
Look at the following sentences and underline the subject with 1 line, and the verb with 2 lines. Then under the verb write the number for which type it is.
- Mario watches TV at night.
- Sofia loves her dog.
- You are a good friend.
- He has black hair.
- I know the answer.
- We hear music.
Lesson 9
Remember, a verb can be made with 2 or more words.
She is eating. (verb= is eating)
They were sleeping. (verb = were sleeping)
I have eaten breakfast. (verb = have eaten)
She should study more. (verb = should study)
He doesn't speak English. (verb = doesn't speak)
They didn't work last night. (verb = didn't work)
A subject can also be more than one word.
My sister reads a lot. (subject = my sister)
The best chefs are men. (subject = the best chefs)
My last teacher was from New York. (subject = my last teacher)
The new iphone is very expensive. (subject = the new iphone)
Please read the worksheet carefully before you do the exercise.
She is eating. (verb= is eating)
They were sleeping. (verb = were sleeping)
I have eaten breakfast. (verb = have eaten)
She should study more. (verb = should study)
He doesn't speak English. (verb = doesn't speak)
They didn't work last night. (verb = didn't work)
A subject can also be more than one word.
My sister reads a lot. (subject = my sister)
The best chefs are men. (subject = the best chefs)
My last teacher was from New York. (subject = my last teacher)
The new iphone is very expensive. (subject = the new iphone)
Please read the worksheet carefully before you do the exercise.
simple_sentence_12.pdf | |
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Lesson 10
Direct Quotes
How do you write what someone said to you. Imagine you're writing a story and you remember that your mom told you that she was in a car accident. You would write it like this: One day I came home from school, but my mom wasn't home. Later, she called me from the hospital and she said, "I was in a car accident." Writing what someone said is called direct speech. We use quote marks (") to show that someone is speaking. We use them at the beginning and the end.
She said, "I'm late for work."
There are 5 punctuation rules: 1) comma 2) open quotes 3) capital letter 4) period 5) close quotes
He said, "It's very cold out."
She said, "We need to buy some milk."
If a person asks a question, change the period to a question mark.
She asked, "Do you have any money?"
He asked, "What time is it?"
She asked, "Have you seen Carlos?"
If someone says something with a lot of emotion, they yell, or tell you what to do, use an exclamation mark.
He yelled, "I hate you!"
She shouted, "Stop doing that!"
He ordered, "Take off your hats!"
How do you write what someone said to you. Imagine you're writing a story and you remember that your mom told you that she was in a car accident. You would write it like this: One day I came home from school, but my mom wasn't home. Later, she called me from the hospital and she said, "I was in a car accident." Writing what someone said is called direct speech. We use quote marks (") to show that someone is speaking. We use them at the beginning and the end.
She said, "I'm late for work."
There are 5 punctuation rules: 1) comma 2) open quotes 3) capital letter 4) period 5) close quotes
He said, "It's very cold out."
She said, "We need to buy some milk."
If a person asks a question, change the period to a question mark.
She asked, "Do you have any money?"
He asked, "What time is it?"
She asked, "Have you seen Carlos?"
If someone says something with a lot of emotion, they yell, or tell you what to do, use an exclamation mark.
He yelled, "I hate you!"
She shouted, "Stop doing that!"
He ordered, "Take off your hats!"
Lesson 11
Here's a worksheet that explains the punctuation rules and gives you lots of practice.
basic_quote_rules.docx | |
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Lesson 12
Here I explain the 2nd form of quotes and give you practice.
basic_quotes_2.docx | |
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Lesson 13
Here you can practice both forms of quotes.
quote_practice_both_forms.docx | |
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Lesson 14
Comma rule 2 is about transitions between sentences. Sometimes at the beginning of a sentence we put in a word or two to connect it to the previous sentence. After the 'transition,' we add a comma.
1. Add More--'And'
In general, we do not start sentences with the word 'and.' The word 'and' is considered too informal to start a sentence in writing. Two better choices are 'also' or 'in addition.' We use these transitions to give the reader more information that is similar to what we just wrote in the earlier sentence.
Example: She is a single mother and has two jobs. (You're thinking, "Wow! She has it hard!" But there's more!) Also, her 4 year old son has autism. (I told you one more thing that shows how hard her life is. After the first sentence, you probably didn't expect she'd have even more challenges.)
Example: He makes 5 million dollars a year and has 3 houses. (Wow! He's really rich, right? You'd be surprised to learn ...) In addition, his wife makes 2 million dollars a year as a corporate lawyer. (This new information adds dramatically to your understanding of how rich he is.)
Notice the transition comes at the beginning of a sentence, but not the first sentence. It comes after another sentence ends.
Use Also or In addition with a comma to show more of what is said in the first sentence.
She is the most popular girl in high school and gets good grades. Also, ______________________________________
(Also, all the boys want to go out with her.)
(Also, she volunteers at an elementary school.)
(Also, she works part-time in a clothing store.)
(Also, she makes the dinners for her family every night.)
(Also, she's the best soccer player on her team.)
(Also, she sings beautifully.)
You see, we are impressed with the first sentence, and the writer knows that. The writer is going to prepare you for even more by starting with 'Also,' or 'In addition.'
Try this one.
Ben doesn't pay attention in class and gets bad grades. In addition, _______________________________________
Hint: what else do a bad student do?
Try another.
Silvia cooks for her children and helps them with their homework every day. Also, ____________________________
Hint: What else does a loving mother do for her kids?
2. Contrast--'But'
The word 'but' is fine in the middle of sentences. When you speak, you can use 'but' at the beginning. When you write, you should use a word like 'However.' It means the same thing. What does the word 'but' do? It shows a contrast: a positive to a negative, or a negative to a positive. It's the same with however.
He's very rich. (that's good) However, he isn't happy. (that's bad)
She's beautiful. (that's good) However, she is lonely. (that's bad)
He misses his family in El Salvador. (that's bad) However, he skypes with them twice a week. (that's good)
She gets confused in English class. (that's bad) However, she comes to class every day and studies at home. (that's good)
We also use the words 'but' and 'however' when things are different than we expect.
It's very hot out today. However, he's wearing a jacket.
The house is very expensive. However, it's ugly.
He's very intelligent. However, he didn't finish high school.
Try these.
He has a bad cold. However, _____________________________________________________
She's very heavy. However, ______________________________________________________
He loves dogs. However, ________________________________________________________
1. Add More--'And'
In general, we do not start sentences with the word 'and.' The word 'and' is considered too informal to start a sentence in writing. Two better choices are 'also' or 'in addition.' We use these transitions to give the reader more information that is similar to what we just wrote in the earlier sentence.
Example: She is a single mother and has two jobs. (You're thinking, "Wow! She has it hard!" But there's more!) Also, her 4 year old son has autism. (I told you one more thing that shows how hard her life is. After the first sentence, you probably didn't expect she'd have even more challenges.)
Example: He makes 5 million dollars a year and has 3 houses. (Wow! He's really rich, right? You'd be surprised to learn ...) In addition, his wife makes 2 million dollars a year as a corporate lawyer. (This new information adds dramatically to your understanding of how rich he is.)
Notice the transition comes at the beginning of a sentence, but not the first sentence. It comes after another sentence ends.
Use Also or In addition with a comma to show more of what is said in the first sentence.
She is the most popular girl in high school and gets good grades. Also, ______________________________________
(Also, all the boys want to go out with her.)
(Also, she volunteers at an elementary school.)
(Also, she works part-time in a clothing store.)
(Also, she makes the dinners for her family every night.)
(Also, she's the best soccer player on her team.)
(Also, she sings beautifully.)
You see, we are impressed with the first sentence, and the writer knows that. The writer is going to prepare you for even more by starting with 'Also,' or 'In addition.'
Try this one.
Ben doesn't pay attention in class and gets bad grades. In addition, _______________________________________
Hint: what else do a bad student do?
Try another.
Silvia cooks for her children and helps them with their homework every day. Also, ____________________________
Hint: What else does a loving mother do for her kids?
2. Contrast--'But'
The word 'but' is fine in the middle of sentences. When you speak, you can use 'but' at the beginning. When you write, you should use a word like 'However.' It means the same thing. What does the word 'but' do? It shows a contrast: a positive to a negative, or a negative to a positive. It's the same with however.
He's very rich. (that's good) However, he isn't happy. (that's bad)
She's beautiful. (that's good) However, she is lonely. (that's bad)
He misses his family in El Salvador. (that's bad) However, he skypes with them twice a week. (that's good)
She gets confused in English class. (that's bad) However, she comes to class every day and studies at home. (that's good)
We also use the words 'but' and 'however' when things are different than we expect.
It's very hot out today. However, he's wearing a jacket.
The house is very expensive. However, it's ugly.
He's very intelligent. However, he didn't finish high school.
Try these.
He has a bad cold. However, _____________________________________________________
She's very heavy. However, ______________________________________________________
He loves dogs. However, ________________________________________________________
Lesson 15
Comma Rule 2 is about transitions. Here are 2 more types.
3. Show me! Prove it!
Do you believe everything someone says? Do you believe everything you read? I hope not. Often people will make a generalization and it's their job to prove it to you. The best way to do that is to show you a specific example.
Some students have incredibly difficult jobs. (Oh, yea? Like who?) For example, Benito works in a liquor store in a dangerous part of town from 9 until 5 in the morning. (Oh, ok. I see. I believe you now).
There are some students who come here to learn English, but they never went to school in their country. (Really? That seems hard to believe.) For instance, Juana grew up in Mexico but never even went to kindergarten because her dad wanted her to help work on his ranch. (Wow. That's a sad example).
You can find great food in L.A. that isn't too expensive. For example, Pollo a la Brasa makes the most delicious chicken in the city, and you can get it with rice and beans for your family for less than $20.
Try these.
My daughter is a bad student. For example, ___she___________________________________________________________
Gloria eats very badly. For example, ____she______________________________________________________________
4. Get it in order! First things first!
What do you do first after you wake up? Eat? Exercise? Take a shower? Everyone is different. You have your reasons for what you do first and second. If the order is important, tell the reader.
I wake up at 5:30. First, I start to exercise. This helps me wake up. Second, I take a shower because after exercising I'm sweaty. Third, I eat breakfast because by then I'm very hungry. Finally, I pack my bag and leave for school.
If you're teaching someone how to do something, you should use these transitions of order.
Here's how I cook beans. First, I pick out the bad beans and little stones from the bag. Second, I cover the beans with water in a big pot. Third, I let the beans sit in the water for 4 hours. Next, I boil the water for about 2 hours. Finally, I rinse the beans, put them in a bowl, and serve them at the table.
Lesson 16
Here you can practice Comma Rule 2.
comma_rule_2_transitions_new_edited.docx | |
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Lesson 17
Comma Rule 3
Before we start Comma Rule 3, you must know what a preposition is. A preposition is a little word that connects other words: at, in, of, for, with, before, after, about, under, over, until, behind.
You see prepositions in sentences all the time:
She went to school in Mexico.
They bought lunch from the truck after class.
He is worried about his son who is a new student at L.A. High.
He looked for a new job in a factory in Vernon.
My shoes are in the closet under the dresser.
A preposition starts something we call a prepositional phrase: a group of words that starts with a preposition and ends with a noun.
He went (to the restaurant) (with his new girlfriend). ('to' starts the phrase, the noun, restaurant ends it; 'with' starts the phrase; girlfriend, the noun, ends it)
She doesn't eat any food (with sugar).
Ok. Now you have an idea of what is a preposition and what a prepositional phrase is.
Look up at all the examples above. Did I use any commas? No. Prepositional phrases in the middle or end of a sentence don't require a comma.
However, if you start a sentence with a prepositional phrase, you should use a comma.
In my hometown, we celebrate a special Mayan holiday. (Notice the first word is 'in,' a preposition. The comma goes after hometown which is a place, a noun).
On her last birthday, her husband bought her a new car. (The first word is 'on,' a preposition. The phrase ends after birthday, a noun).
If you have 2 prepositional phrases at the beginning of a sentence, put the comma at the end of the second phrase.
In the middle of the night, I heard a scream.
After the first test of the semester, she knew she could pass the class.
Remember, don't use a comma just because a sentence has a prepositional phrase in it. It must be at the beginning of the sentence.
She married a rich man from Italy. (from comes at the end, no comma)
Next to my house, there is a popular bar. (next to is a preposition at the beginning, use a comma)
Before we start Comma Rule 3, you must know what a preposition is. A preposition is a little word that connects other words: at, in, of, for, with, before, after, about, under, over, until, behind.
You see prepositions in sentences all the time:
She went to school in Mexico.
They bought lunch from the truck after class.
He is worried about his son who is a new student at L.A. High.
He looked for a new job in a factory in Vernon.
My shoes are in the closet under the dresser.
A preposition starts something we call a prepositional phrase: a group of words that starts with a preposition and ends with a noun.
He went (to the restaurant) (with his new girlfriend). ('to' starts the phrase, the noun, restaurant ends it; 'with' starts the phrase; girlfriend, the noun, ends it)
She doesn't eat any food (with sugar).
Ok. Now you have an idea of what is a preposition and what a prepositional phrase is.
Look up at all the examples above. Did I use any commas? No. Prepositional phrases in the middle or end of a sentence don't require a comma.
However, if you start a sentence with a prepositional phrase, you should use a comma.
In my hometown, we celebrate a special Mayan holiday. (Notice the first word is 'in,' a preposition. The comma goes after hometown which is a place, a noun).
On her last birthday, her husband bought her a new car. (The first word is 'on,' a preposition. The phrase ends after birthday, a noun).
If you have 2 prepositional phrases at the beginning of a sentence, put the comma at the end of the second phrase.
In the middle of the night, I heard a scream.
After the first test of the semester, she knew she could pass the class.
Remember, don't use a comma just because a sentence has a prepositional phrase in it. It must be at the beginning of the sentence.
She married a rich man from Italy. (from comes at the end, no comma)
Next to my house, there is a popular bar. (next to is a preposition at the beginning, use a comma)
Lesson 18
Practice Comma rule 3. One quick trick is simply to look at the first word of the sentence. If you see a preposition, add a comma.
comma_rule_3.odt | |
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Lesson 19
Before we learn Comma Rule 4, we need to review some sentence basics. If they seem familiar to you, that's good. You can scroll up this page and see Lessons 8 and 9 that cover the same topic if you want even more review.
A sentence is a group of words that includes a subject, a verb, and expresses a complete idea.
A Simple Sentence to Study
Jim washes the dishes every day.
An easy way to get more comfortable with this is to think action = verb, and actor = subject.
Look at these examples and try to find the verb (action) and the subject (actor).
Once you understand the above examples, we need to look at how verb can be a little more complicated.
A verb is often an action. Sometimes a verb can be other things. Think, remember, forget, understand, know...these words are all verbs, but they're not physical, external actions. They're mental processes, and they are verbs, too.
Love, hate, want, need, feel....none of these are things that you do. They're inside of you. But they are movement. They're emotional processes, and they are verbs.
Hear, smell, taste, see, touch/feel.....these are the 5 senses. You don't have to try to do them. They just happen. They are verbs, too.
I am Mexican, She was at home, They are rich....no action here. Yet, this is the first verb you learn in English: to be. It just says you exist, you live. Be (am, is, are, was, were) is definitely a verb.
I have a good job, She has two children, We have black hair, It costs $25, They own a house....these are verbs that describe possession.
See if you can identify the subjects and verbs here.
Ok. There's one more thing about verbs that might escape you. Often a verb has more than one part.
She is cooking for the family.
The verb here is not just cooking. Cooking is the Main Verb, the one that expresses an action. But 'is' is another part of the verb. We need it to show that action is done by one person, and that it's happening now. 'Is' in this case is called a helping verb, or an auxiliary verb. Together, the helping verb and main verb form the Complete Verb.
A Complete Verb can even have 3 parts:
He has been studying English for 3 years.
The words 'has' and 'been' are both helping verbs, while 'studying' is the Main Verb. The Complete Verb is 'has been studying.'
A Helping Verb can be a negative form.
I don't go to school at night.
'Don't' is my helping verb. It is the English way of saying 'no' for a routine action. (We never say, 'I no go to school.' The 'no' in English must reflect the person and the time: She doesn't...., They don't...., Last night, we didn't......, This year she hasn't....)
The Main Verb is go. The Complete Verb is 'don't go.'
Find the Complete Verbs in these examples.
Are you still with me?
A sentence can be simple. Here are 4 examples of simple sentences.
1. She works at night. (Verb: works. Subject: She. Structure: SV)
2. They sing and dance. (Verbs: sing, dance. Subject: They. Structure: SVV)
3. Maria and Carlos have two children. (Verb: have. Subjects: Maria, Carlos. Structure: SSV)
4. Jim and I exercise in the morning and study in the afternoon. (Verbs: exercise, study. Subjects: Jim, I. Structure: SSVV)
Now what happens when we want to put 2 simple sentences together? We can do it by putting special words in the middle to connect the two. These words are called Coordinating Conjunctions: and, or, but, so.
Use and to tell us more.
Linda wants to be a musician. She is taking classes every day. (Two Simple Sentences)
Linda wants to be a musician, and she is taking classes every day. (SV, and SV)
When we put two sentences together, we must put a comma before the word 'and.'
Use but to show a contrast.
He is sick. He went to work anyway. (Two Simple Sentences)
He is sick, but he went to work anyway. (SV, but SV)
Use or to show 2 options or choices.
You can take the bus. You can ride your bike.
You can take the bus, or you can ride your bike.
Use so to show the result.
He was tired. He went to bed early.
He was tired, so he went to bed early.
Compound Sentences can be any combination of two Simple Sentences
SVV, and SV
Carlos plays the guitar and sings, and his brother dances.
SSV, but SV
Maria and Jose live in the U.S., but their parents are in El Salvador.
Quick Trick
Check after the Coordinating Conjunction to see if there is a new subject. If there is, add a comma. If not, it's not a compound sentence.
Do you need a comma?
Lucy reads a lot and she writes stories.
(After the word 'and,' do you see a new subject? --Yes: 'she.' Therefore, you should put a comma).
Correct: Lucy reads a lot, and she writes stories. (SV, and SV)
Do you need a comma?
Ben watches soccer and drinks with his friends.
(After the word 'and,' do you see a new subject? ---No. This is just a simple sentence: Ben--watches, drinks. SVV)
Still not sure about this? That's OK. We're going to practice more. It takes time. This is just an introduction.
A sentence is a group of words that includes a subject, a verb, and expresses a complete idea.
A Simple Sentence to Study
Jim washes the dishes every day.
- Sometimes it's easier to look for the verb first. Often the verb is an action. Here it is 'washes.'
- Then look for who is doing the action, or the actor. It's Jim.
An easy way to get more comfortable with this is to think action = verb, and actor = subject.
Look at these examples and try to find the verb (action) and the subject (actor).
- The teacher gave a test.
- Mom cooked last night.
- Bill studies at college.
- The children play in the afternoon.
Once you understand the above examples, we need to look at how verb can be a little more complicated.
A verb is often an action. Sometimes a verb can be other things. Think, remember, forget, understand, know...these words are all verbs, but they're not physical, external actions. They're mental processes, and they are verbs, too.
Love, hate, want, need, feel....none of these are things that you do. They're inside of you. But they are movement. They're emotional processes, and they are verbs.
Hear, smell, taste, see, touch/feel.....these are the 5 senses. You don't have to try to do them. They just happen. They are verbs, too.
I am Mexican, She was at home, They are rich....no action here. Yet, this is the first verb you learn in English: to be. It just says you exist, you live. Be (am, is, are, was, were) is definitely a verb.
I have a good job, She has two children, We have black hair, It costs $25, They own a house....these are verbs that describe possession.
See if you can identify the subjects and verbs here.
- She is nice.
- They want lunch.
- He runs at the beach.
- I know the answer.
- We see the whiteboard.
- She has a nice car.
- We love that restaurant.
- She thinks about her country.
- It smells good.
- She understands English.
Ok. There's one more thing about verbs that might escape you. Often a verb has more than one part.
She is cooking for the family.
The verb here is not just cooking. Cooking is the Main Verb, the one that expresses an action. But 'is' is another part of the verb. We need it to show that action is done by one person, and that it's happening now. 'Is' in this case is called a helping verb, or an auxiliary verb. Together, the helping verb and main verb form the Complete Verb.
A Complete Verb can even have 3 parts:
He has been studying English for 3 years.
The words 'has' and 'been' are both helping verbs, while 'studying' is the Main Verb. The Complete Verb is 'has been studying.'
A Helping Verb can be a negative form.
I don't go to school at night.
'Don't' is my helping verb. It is the English way of saying 'no' for a routine action. (We never say, 'I no go to school.' The 'no' in English must reflect the person and the time: She doesn't...., They don't...., Last night, we didn't......, This year she hasn't....)
The Main Verb is go. The Complete Verb is 'don't go.'
Find the Complete Verbs in these examples.
- He isn't studying in the library.
- She doesn't exercise at a gym.
- You didn't clean the bathroom.
- He hasn't taken the last test.
- We don't know the answer.
- They aren't working today.
- We haven't eaten yet.
Are you still with me?
A sentence can be simple. Here are 4 examples of simple sentences.
1. She works at night. (Verb: works. Subject: She. Structure: SV)
2. They sing and dance. (Verbs: sing, dance. Subject: They. Structure: SVV)
3. Maria and Carlos have two children. (Verb: have. Subjects: Maria, Carlos. Structure: SSV)
4. Jim and I exercise in the morning and study in the afternoon. (Verbs: exercise, study. Subjects: Jim, I. Structure: SSVV)
Now what happens when we want to put 2 simple sentences together? We can do it by putting special words in the middle to connect the two. These words are called Coordinating Conjunctions: and, or, but, so.
Use and to tell us more.
Linda wants to be a musician. She is taking classes every day. (Two Simple Sentences)
Linda wants to be a musician, and she is taking classes every day. (SV, and SV)
When we put two sentences together, we must put a comma before the word 'and.'
Use but to show a contrast.
He is sick. He went to work anyway. (Two Simple Sentences)
He is sick, but he went to work anyway. (SV, but SV)
Use or to show 2 options or choices.
You can take the bus. You can ride your bike.
You can take the bus, or you can ride your bike.
Use so to show the result.
He was tired. He went to bed early.
He was tired, so he went to bed early.
Compound Sentences can be any combination of two Simple Sentences
SVV, and SV
Carlos plays the guitar and sings, and his brother dances.
SSV, but SV
Maria and Jose live in the U.S., but their parents are in El Salvador.
Quick Trick
Check after the Coordinating Conjunction to see if there is a new subject. If there is, add a comma. If not, it's not a compound sentence.
Do you need a comma?
Lucy reads a lot and she writes stories.
(After the word 'and,' do you see a new subject? --Yes: 'she.' Therefore, you should put a comma).
Correct: Lucy reads a lot, and she writes stories. (SV, and SV)
Do you need a comma?
Ben watches soccer and drinks with his friends.
(After the word 'and,' do you see a new subject? ---No. This is just a simple sentence: Ben--watches, drinks. SVV)
Still not sure about this? That's OK. We're going to practice more. It takes time. This is just an introduction.
Lesson 20
Please make sure you've read and done Lesson 19 first. Then continue with this lesson.
comma_rule_4.docx | |
File Size: | 21 kb |
File Type: | docx |
Lesson 21
compound_sentence.doc | |
File Size: | 27 kb |
File Type: | doc |
Lesson 22
comma_rule_goldilocks.pdf | |
File Size: | 358 kb |
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