Real Life Writing

REAL-LIFE WRITING
by Eleanor Angeles
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Real-Life Writing Scholastic Teaching Resources
Photography: PhotoDisk/Getty Images Illustration: Sols Cover design: Sols Interior design: Sols Scholastic grants teachers permission to photocopy the reproducible pages for classroom use. No other part of this publication may be reproduced in whole or in part, or stored in a retrieval system, or transmitted in any form or by any means, electronic, mechanical, photocopying, recording, or otherwise, without written permission of the publisher. For information regarding permission, write to Permission Dept., Scholastic Inc., 557 Broadway, New York, NY 10012 ISBN: 0-439-23778-5 Copyright 2002
REAL-LIFE WRITING
CONTENTS
To the Teacher . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 4 Section 1: Spelling 1. Spelling Words That Sound the Same . . . .6 2. More Words That Sound the Same. . . . . . 8 3. Spelling Contractions . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 10 4. More Contractions . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 12 5. Spelling Words to Tell About the Past. . . 14 6. More Words About the Past . . . . . . . . . . 16 7. Using Alphabetical Order . . . . . . . . . . . . 18 8. Using Capital Letters . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 20 Section 1 Review . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 22 Section 2: Nouns and Verbs 1. Identifying Nouns . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 2. Pronouns: Words That Stand for Nouns . 3. Compound Nouns . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 4. Identifying Verbs . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 5. Using Regular Verbs. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 6. Using Irregular Verbs . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 7. Words That Can Be Nouns or Verbs . . . . 8. Turning Verbs Into Nouns and Vice-Versa . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Section 2 Review . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 6. Using Adverbs in Comparisons . . . . . . . 52 7. Playing With Adjectives, Adverbs, and Nouns. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 54 Section 3 Review . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 56 Section 4: Building Sentences 1. Subjects and Predicates. . . . . . . . . . 2. Different Kinds of Sentences . . . . . . 3. Combining Sentences With And. . . . 4. Combining Sentences With But and Because . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 5. Using Phrases to Build Sentences . . 6. Using Clauses to Build Sentences . . 7. Finding the Right Word . . . . . . . . . . Section 4 Review . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 58 . . . 60 . . . 62 . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 64 66 68 70 72
24 26 28 30 32 34 36 38 40
Section 3: Adjectives and Adverbs 1. Recognizing and Using Adjectives . . . . . 42 2. Comparing Two Things . . . . . . . . . . . . . 44 3. Comparing More Than Two Things . . . . .46 4. Recognizing and Using Adverbs . . . . . . 48 5. More Ways to Use Adverbs . . . . . . . . . . 50
Section 5: Handbook 1. Rules for Capitalization and Punctuation. 74 2. Synonyms and Antonyms . . . . . . . . . . . 76 3. Abbreviations. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 77 4. Words Often Confused. . . . . . . . . . . . . . 78 5. Idiomatic Expressions . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 79 6. Irregular Verbs . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 80 7. Taking Tests . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 82 8. Writing Letters . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 84 Answer Key . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 87
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To the Teacher
Real-Life Writing is designed to help young adults apply the most basic spelling skills
and English grammar conventions to their own writing. The lessons will be of particular value to ESL students, as well as to native English speakers who need intensive review of the elementary skills and conventions. Here are the main features of the program: 1. Each lesson leads up to a brief independent writing assignment. In this way, students see immediately how a mastery of the skills and conventions improves their own writing. 2. A useful redundancy or built-in review helps students revisit rules and broaden concepts. For example, in lessons 5 and 6 of Section 1, students are introduced to present and past tenses of verbs, and then review these forms in lessons 5 and 6 of Section 2 as they learn how to write past participles. 3. The lesson format helps students learn in three ways: with you to instruct; with a partner to practice, review, and extend the skills; and with a writing assignment that asks them to independently use what theyve learned.
Suggested Procedure
1. Teacher works with the class to read and discuss the opening page for each section, and to read and carry out the activities in the discuss section of each lesson. 2. In each lesson, students practice the skill individually through Writing Practice. 3. In Partner Work, students work with a classmate to review and correct their Writing Practice work, and to apply the concept or skill to an extension of it. Note: During Partner Work, you may wish to act as sort of wandering mentor to help partners describe and resolve any problems they have. 4. In Writing on Your Ownas the title implieseach student independently applies what she or he has learned through prior practice and partner work. Notes: (1) As mentor, consider always being available to help students correct and amend their independent writing. (2) Encourage students to share their corrected Writing on Your Own products. The following are a few suggestions for sharing: a. Students read their work aloud to the class or to a small group. b. You or a student reads the final version of the work aloud to the class. c. Students post their final versions on a bulletin board, or distribute copies to classmates. d. Encourage students to build a portfolio incorporating all the Writing on Your Own work they do for this book. In individual conferences, discuss with the student what she or he likes best about each product. In conclusion, remember that we all learn about good writing through being exposed to it. A good way to begin each writing/grammar lesson is to read to your class a wonderful literary passage that has moved you through its command of English and through its precise choice of words. Your enthusiasm for the brilliance of language will encourage your students to aspire to it in their own writing.
Spelling
When you write, you are
sharing your ideas with
other people. You want your readers to focus on those ideas and move ahead with them. You dont want your readers to get confused by spelling errors so that they have to stop, go back, and figure out what you mean. For example,
section
write means to form letters with a tool such as a pencil, pen, or word processor. Right has
many meanings. Among them are correct or true, and the side opposite the left. So, whats confusing about the sentences below? Did you right a story about your family? Go write when you get to Elm Street. She cant do anything write. I want to right a letter to my aunt. In this section, youll get some tips about how to use the right spelling in the things you write.
Contents
1. Spelling Words That Sound the Same . . 6 2. More Words That Sound the Same . . . . 8 3. Spelling Contractions . . . . . . . . . . . . . .10 4. More Contractions . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .12 5. Spelling Words to Tell About the Past. . 14 6. More Words About the Past. . . . . . . . . 16 7. Using Alphabetical Order.. . . . . . . . . . . 18 8. Using Capital Letters . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 20 Section 1 Review . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 22
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1. Spelling Words That Sound the Same

Discuss
Many words sound the same when you say them, but they have different meanings and different spellings. These words are called
homophones. Here are some
examples of homophones. Say aloud the words in dark letters. Notice the different meanings when the words are written.
antan insect aunta relative beis; exist beea kind of insect centpenny scentodor sentdid send
hearlisten herethis place holeopening wholecomplete meatbeef meetgreet raphit
chewsbites chooseselect
wrapcover
Writing Practice
Complete the sentences by writing the correct words on the lines.
1. My _______________ is coming to visit us. She _______________ us a letter. ant aunt cent sent scent 2. This will _______________ a great day. I cant wait to _______________ her! bee be meet meat 3. She will be _______________ for a _______________ week. here hear whole hole
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Use what youve learned.

2. In the sentences below, the underlined words are not correct for the meaning of the sentence. Read the sentences aloud with your partner. Then write each sentence to make it correct. a. Please chews a gift and rap it. ____________________________________________ b. I can here the be buzz. ____________________________________________ c. An aunt came out of the whole. ____________________________________________ d. The cent of meet made me hungry. ____________________________________________
Partner Work
1. With a partner, discuss the words you chose in Writing Practice. Why did you choose them? Make any corrections that you think are needed.
Writing on Your Own

1. Choose five words from the box on page 6. Write the words and their meanings. a. Word: __________________________________________ b. Word: __________________________________________ c. Word: __________________________________________ d. Word: __________________________________________ e. Word: __________________________________________ Meaning: ______________________________________ Meaning: ______________________________________ Meaning: ______________________________________ Meaning: ______________________________________ Meaning: ______________________________________
2. Now, write your own sentences using these words. ________________________________________________________________________________________________________ ________________________________________________________________________________________________________ ________________________________________________________________________________________________________ __________________________________________________________________________________________________________
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2. More Words That Sound the Same

Discuss
In the box below, there are more homophones. Remember: Homophones are words that sound the same but have different meanings and spellings. Say the words. Discuss the meanings.
forin favor of foura number
woodtree product wouldwilling to
fairhonest farecost of transportation
tooalso twoa number
weaknot strong hoursixty minutes ourbelonging to us weekseven days
Writing Practice
Complete the sentences by writing the correct words on the lines.
1. I am voting _______________ Louisa as Most Helpful Teacher. four for 2. She _______________ do anything for her students. wood would 3. She is _______________ in the grades she gives us. fare fair 4. I learn something in every _______________ I spend with her. our hour 5. I was _______________ in English before I met Louisa. week weak 6. Now I can speak English better, and write it better, _______________. too two
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Partner Work
Choose a word from the box on page 8 or the box on page 6. Say the word aloud in a sentence of your own. Then say the word again. Ask your partner to spell the word.
Example:
Say: I sat there for an hour. HOUR. Partner: h-o-u-r Discuss the spelling. Is it right or wrong? Tell why. Take turns doing this until you have discussed ten words altogether.
Writing on Your Own

1. Write the meanings of the following words.
a. hole ________________________________________________________________________________________ b. wood ______________________________________________________________________________________ c. fare ________________________________________________________________________________________ d. our ________________________________________________________________________________________ e. two ________________________________________________________________________________________
2. Now, write your own sentences using the words above.
a. ____________________________________________ ____________________________________________ b. ____________________________________________ ____________________________________________ c. ____________________________________________ ____________________________________________
d. ____________________________________________ ____________________________________________ e. ____________________________________________ ____________________________________________
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3. Spelling Contractions
Discuss A contraction is a shortened form of two words. Say the examples below.
What letter is left out in the contraction? What mark takes the place of the letter that is left out?
Two Words I am he is she is we are you are they are
Contraction Im hes shes were youre theyre
Two Words it is that is is not are not does not do not
Contraction its thats isnt arent doesnt dont
Writing Practice
Complete the sentences by writing the contraction for the words under the line. Refer to the chart above. Be sure to put the apostrophe () in the right place.
1. _______________ going to the movies with Laura. I am 2. I _______________ really like the stars, but _______________ Lauras favorites. do not they are 3. Next week,_______________ going to see Slime From Outer Space. we are 4. _______________ a movie I really want to see! That is 5. The alien is ugly, but _______________ also very friendly. he is
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Partner Work
1. With your partner, go over the contractions you wrote in Writing Practice. Where did you put the apostrophes? What letters did you correctly leave out? Make any corrections that are needed. Then read your sentences aloud to one another. a. Shes Shes a basketball star. b. I think its __________ too late to go to the movies. c. A poem doesnt __________ have to rhyme. d. That book isnt __________ in our library. e. My dogs arent __________ allowed to go out without leashes.
3. With your partner, write the two words that 2. In the following sentences, the underlined words are not spelled correctly. With your partner, decide how they should be spelled. Cross out the incorrect spelling. Write the correct spelling on the line after the word. The first one is done for you. each correct contraction above stands for. The first one is done for you.
She is a.____________________ d. ________________ b.______________________ e.__________________ c.______________________
Writing on Your Own

Rewrite the following paragraph. Use contractions for the underlined words. We are taking a test tomorrow. I am not looking forward to it. It is a science test and science is not my best subject. Jan will help me study because she is a science whiz. I do not know what I would do without her help.
________________________________________________________________________________________________________ ________________________________________________________________________________________________________ ________________________________________________________________________________________________________ __________________________________________________________________________________________________________

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4. More Contractions
Discuss
Youve learned that a an
contraction is a short form of two words. You know that
apostrophe stands for the letter that is left out.
Say the following sentences. Talk about what letter is left out in the contraction.
Sentence John is asleep. Marisa is giving a report. Jamie is a good student. Contraction Johns asleep. Marisas giving a report. Jamies a good student.
In some contractions, more than one letter is omitted. Say the following words and contractions. Talk about what letters are omitted in each contraction. What stands for the missing letters?
I will she will we will you will Ill shell well youll he will it will they will hell itll theyll
Writing Practice
Complete the sentences. Use a contraction for the words under each line.
1. _________________________ singing. Tammy is 2. _________________________ playing the guitar. Steve is 3. _________________________ perform together. They will 4. _________________________ listen and applaud. We will 5. _________________________ like this concert. You will
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Writing on Your Own

Partner Work
1. With your partner, go over the contractions you wrote in Writing Practice. Where did you put the apostrophes? What letters do they replace? Make any corrections that are needed. 1. Rewrite the following paragraph. Use contractions for the underlined words. You will like the play we are going to present. We will do a modern version of Romeo and Juliet. Adell is great in the part of Juliet. John plays Romeo, and he will surprise you with his talent. I hope I will see you at the theater on opening night. ____________________________________________________ ____________________________________________________ 2. In each of the sentences below, an apostrophe is missing in the underlined word. With your partner, decide where the apostrophe belongs. Then write the sentence correctly. a. Ill help you do your homework. __________________________________________ b. Sarah said shell help you, too. __________________________________________ c. Alex says hell win the race. __________________________________________ d. Do you think itll be fun? __________________________________________ e. I think well be the winners. __________________________________________ ____________________________________________________ c. Itll be a wonderful night. ____________________________________________________ d. I hope well see you there. ____________________________________________________ e. The usher says hell look for you. ____________________________________________________ ______________________________________________________ ______________________________________________________ 2. Now, rewrite the following sentences, changing the underlined contractions to make them two words. Example: The plays the thing that will get your attention. The play is the thing that will get your attention. a. Theyll be the ushers at the theater. ____________________________________________________ b. Lanas taking the tickets. ____________________________________________________ ______________________________________________________
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5. Spelling Words to Tell About the Past

Discuss
Read the sentence pairs aloud. Which sentence in the pair tells about the past?
They answer the questions. They jump over the stream. They like the movie. They walk in the woods. They answered the questions. They jumped over the stream. They liked the movie. They walked in the woods.
Notice that to form the past, or
past tense, of the words above, you add -ed
or -d. Many words are like that. Read these pairs aloud. Say each word in a sentence.
Present Tense talk look show love
Past Tense talked looked showed loved
Writing Practice
Complete the sentences. Use the past tense of the word below each line.
1. We _______________ that movie! love 2. We _______________ all the actors. like 3. We _______________ about the movie for a long time. talk 4. It _______________ how different people act in emergencies. show 5. The movie _______________ a lot of questions about being a hero. answer
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Partner Work
1. Spell aloud the words you wrote in Writing Practice. Make any corrections that are needed. 2. With your partner, rewrite the following sentences to make the underlined words tell about the present. a. We walked in the woods. __________________________________________________________ b. We jumped over fallen trees. __________________________________________________________ c. We talked about what we see. __________________________________________________________ d. I showed my friend a birds nest. __________________________________________________________ e. We looked at it carefully. __________________________________________________________
Writing on Your Own

Write a story about something that happened to you in the past. It could be an event at school, at home, or with a friend. Here are some story ideas: A movie you just saw, why you like it, and why you would recommend it to friends. A goal you reached and felt happy about. A frightening thing that happened to you. A big problem that happened in your neighborhood. In your story, you must use all four past-tense words from the list under Discuss on page 14. Write your story on the lines below. Underline the past-tense words. ______________________________________________________________________________________________________________________ ______________________________________________________________________________________________________________________ ____________________________________________________________________________________________________________________ ____________________________________________________________________________________________________________________ ____________________________________________________________________________________________________________________
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6. More Words About the Past

Discuss
With many words, spelling the past tense is not as easy as adding -ed or -d. Often, the word changes a lot in the spelling. Read aloud the sentence pairs below.
Present Tense Past Tense
I think about the story. I thought about the story.

I choose a book. I see the title. I say the title. I find the book. I chose a book. I saw the title. I said the title. I found the book.
Below, match each past-tense word in the box to the correct present-tense word. Say each past tense aloud. catch drew do held bring caught draw did keep brought hold kept
Writing Practice
Complete the sentences. Write the past tense of the word shown below each line.
1. We _______________ a map. draw 2. I _______________ a fish. catch 3. I _______________ that movie. see 4. She _______________ a partner. choose 5. They _______________ the answer. find
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6. They _______________ about the test. think

Partner Work
1. With your partner, discuss the past-tense words you wrote for Writing Practice. Is your spelling correct? Say your sentences. Rewrite any words that you didnt spell correctly.
Writing on Your Own

Write at least one paragraph on one of the subjects below. Circle the subject you choose.

friendship shopping
jobs pets
food television
2. With your partner, rewrite each sentence below by changing the underlined word to the present tense. Say your sentences. We kept the secret. ____________________________________________ I held his hand. ____________________________________________ They brought their kids to school. ____________________________________________ Did you like the movie?
In your paragraph, you must use at least five pasttense words from the boxes on page 16. Write your paragraph on the lines below. Underline your pasttense words. Example: I saw a job in the newspaper. I drew a circle around it. __________________________________________________ __________________________________________________ __________________________________________________ __________________________________________________ __________________________________________________ __________________________________________________ __________________________________________________ __________________________________________________ __________________________________________________ __________________________________________________ __________________________________________________ __________________________________________________ __________________________________________________ __________________________________________________ __________________________________________________
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____________________________________
7. Using Alphabetical Order

Discuss
If you want to find the correct spelling of a word, the best place to look is the
dictionary. Words in a dictionary are listed in alphabetical order.

Capital letters:
A B C D E F G H I J K L MN O P Q R S T U V W X Y Z
Lower-case letters: a b c d e f g h i j k l m n o p q r s t u v w x y z
What letter or letters are missing in each group below? Write the missing letters, then read aloud the whole group. A B ___ D e f ___ h I J ___ L d ___ ___ g K ___ ___ N T ___ ___ W p q ___ s ___ g h ___ ___ h ___ j ___ ___ Q ___ O ___ ___ R M ___ ___ P
Writing Practice
Rewrite each group below so that the words are in alphabetical order.
1. hand enter ill grow fall ________________________________________________________________________________________ 2. ever dandy candy gun fun ________________________________________________________________________________________ 3. many kick open never low __________________________________________________________________________________________ 4. time see very run under ________________________________________________________________________________________ 5. next play jam box van ________________________________________________________________________________________
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Writing on Your Own

Find the following words in a dictionary. Each word has more than one meaning. Write one of the meanings for the word. Then use the word in a sentence of your own. 1. stop Meaning:________________________________________ My sentence: ____________________________________ __________________________________________________
Partner Work
1. With your partner, go over your Writing Practice work. Make any corrections that are needed. 2. If words begin with the same letter or letters, you must look at the next letters to put the words in alphabetical order. Examples: cake cheese (a comes before h) cola crew (f comes before l) (a comes before w)
2. stoop Meaning:________________________________________ My sentence: ____________________________________ ________________________________________________
coffee cream
With your partner, put each list below in alphabetical order. pear potato pound pint
3. cape Meaning:________________________________________ My sentence: ____________________________________ __________________________________________________
__________________________________________________ strange stretch stuff straight
______________________________________________ meat market melt meant
______________________________________________ 4. cap Meaning: ________________________________________ My sentence: ____________________________________ __________________________________________________ fright frost from fight
______________________________________________ tax tale tall tape
______________________________________________ 7. band Meaning: __________________________________________ My sentence:______________________________________ __________________________________________________
5. fine Meaning:________________________________________ My sentence: ____________________________________ __________________________________________________
6. find Meaning:________________________________________ My sentence: ____________________________________ __________________________________________________
8. ban Meaning: __________________________________________ My sentence: ____________________________________ __________________________________________________

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8. Using Capital Letters

Discuss The capital letters in the
sentences below are in bold. Look in the Rule Box.
RULE BOX
CAPITALIZE: a. the first word in a sentence b. the word I c. the names of particular people and their titles
Which rules found in the Rule Box are followed in the sentences below? 1. We waited at the corner.
d. the names of days and months e. the names of particular places, such as streets, cities, states, countries, and buildings
2. I liked the book, but I didnt like the movie. 3. He went to New York with his friend Lucia Gomez. 4. The party will be on Monday, March 21, at Sunset Lodge. 5. She drove Mrs. Smith to Dr. Lanes office on Fern Street.
On page 74, youll find more rules for using capital letters.
Writing Practice
Rewrite each sentence to make it correct.
1. is this the right answer? __________________________________________________________________________________ 2. This is the book i told you about. __________________________________________________________________________________ 3. I think mr. ansel lives on second avenue. __________________________________________________________________________________ 4. he went to work on tuesday, april 25. __________________________________________________________________________________ 5. They live at fern gardens in new jersey. __________________________________________________________________________________
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Writing on Your Own

Read the paragraph in the box. In each sentence, three words need to be capitalized. Rewrite the paragraph correctly on the lines below the box.
Partner Work
1. With your partner, go over your Writing Practice work. Make any corrections that are needed. 2. The first word and all the important words in the titles of books, movies, TV shows, plays and musicals must also be capitalized. Examples: Jake and I are reading Baseball and Its Heroes. My favorite TV show is Clenda, the Elderly Witch. With your partner, rewrite the following sentences to make them correct. a. Maria is reading a book called the mystery of wilderness castle. __________________________________________ b. I read work in the 21st century to get some tips about good jobs. __________________________________________ c. The TV show heres george! is based on the movie wheres george? __________________________________________ d. I have two tickets for the musical the phantom cats. __________________________________________
tina and Andre are driving through the state of new mexico. Its early in the month of april, and Andre is looking at his guide book, The american southwest. We have to go to the city of santa fe! says andre. It was featured in the TV program land of enchantment, and i want to check it out. Tina says, Maybe we can stay there overnight on monday with mrs. perez!
__________________________________________________ __________________________________________________ __________________________________________________ __________________________________________________ __________________________________________________ __________________________________________________ __________________________________________________ __________________________________________________ __________________________________________________ __________________________________________________ __________________________________________________ __________________________________________________
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Section 1 Review
A. Write the correct word in each sentence. 1. We ____________ her a birthday card. cent sent 2. He has ___________ sisters and two too D. On the line below the box, write the words in alphabetical order. quiz quick quit question quiet
________________________________________________
___________ brothers.
for four 3. I cant ____________ the music here hear from ____________. here hear E. Find the two words in each sentence that need to be capitalized. Write the sentences correctly. 1. We drove to the city of helena, montana. ________________________________________________ 2. On tuesday, Laurie and i missed the bus. B. Write the contraction for the words under each line. 1. I think ____________ pass this test. I will 2. Leo ____________ going to the party, but is not ________________________________________________ 3. who likes the TV program so You Think Youre So Smart? ________________________________________________
____________ going to be there.

Jake is 3. It ____________ look like ____________ win. does not she will
C. Write the past-tense form of the word under each line. 1. They ____________ the puppies in a warm keep place. 2. We ____________ some fish and catch
With a partner or your instructor, go over the questions and your answers. Make a check mark () beside each of your correct answers. Discuss any answers that are not correct. Make any changes that are needed. Check the box that shows how you rate yourself:
____________ them home.

bring 3. She ____________ me the picture she show
Superior: All my answers are correct. Good: No more than four of my answers were incorrect. I Need to Review This Section: Five or more of my answers had to be corrected.
____________.
draw
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Nouns and Verbs

Nouns and verbs are nothing new to you because you use them constantly when you speak. In
this section, youll become skillful in identifying nouns
section
read and in using nouns and verbs correctly when you write.
and verbs in the material you In fact, if you can identify the nouns and verbs in the following sentences, youre already on your way to success. 1. The audience applauded loudly. (1 noun, 1 verb) 2. The car stopped at the light. (2 nouns, 1 verb) 3. Tomas cooked and served the meal. (2 nouns, 2 verbs)
Contents
1. Identifying Nouns . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 24 2. Pronouns: Words That Stand for Nouns . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 26 3. Compound Nouns . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 28 4. Identifying Verbs . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 30 5. Using Regular Verbs . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 32 6. Using Irregular Verbs . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 34 7. Words That Can Be Nouns or Verbs. . . 36 8. Turning Verbs Into Nouns and Vice-Versa . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 38 Section 2 Review . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 40
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1. Identifying Nouns
Discuss A noun is a word that names a person, place, animal, or thing. Read aloud the
following examples. person: woman place: Ohio animal: dog thing: desk Gloria umpire airport butterfly ear window student George teacher house Mr. Perry school mall
Mexico horse shoe
Empire State Building robin book snake fish
basketball
river
flower
planes
Keep in mind: A thing may also be something you cannot touch or see. Read aloud the following nouns. music English sadness friendship Spanish humor problem idea
Writing Practice
Complete each sentence with a noun from the boxes above. For some questions, different answers are possible.
1. The ______________________ didnt fit. *2. ______________________ is an important language. *3. ______________________ was his favorite sport. *4. ______________________ owns a grocery store. 5. The ______________________ scared us. *6. ______________________ make good pets. 7. The ______________________ was crowded. *8. ______________________ flew over our house.
*Check your sentences. Each one with an asterisk should begin with a capital letter!
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Partner Work
1. With your partner, read aloud your Writing Practice sentences. Identify the noun you wrote. Tell whether it names a person, place, animal, or thing. 2. With your partner, identify and underline the noun in each sentence below. a. The house was empty. b. Jacob went in. c. Music was playing. d. The sound was mysterious. e. A bird sang. f. The flowers wilted and drooped. g. Two people were dancing. h. My friend sang along happily. 3. With your partner, write a noun to complete each sentence below. a. ___________________ won the prize.
b. _________________ like to eat bananas.
c. _____________ cant come to the party.
d. _____________ are amazing animals.
e. The _____________ seemed confusing.
Writing on Your Own

Choose and circle a topic from the box below. Look at the nouns listed after the topic. Write about your topic using each of the nouns at least once. Underline those nouns. Topics An Awful Situation Good Friends Feeling Sad Feeling Happy Nouns to Use situation fright adventure family predicament friends helpfulness school people neighborhood sadness anger luck lesson person happiness pleasure fun places excitement
__________________________________________________________________________________________________ __________________________________________________________________________________________________ __________________________________________________________________________________________________ __________________________________________________________________________________________________ __________________________________________________________________________________________________ __________________________________________________________________________________________________ __________________________________________________________________________________________________

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2. Pronouns: Words That Stand for Nouns

Discuss
Read aloud the sentence pairs below. Identify which noun or nouns in sentence 1 have been replaced by the underlined word in sentence 2. Example: 1. Jon hit the ball. 2. He watched it fly out of the park. He stands for Jon. 1. My sister goes to college 1. The building is empty. 1. The dogs are lonely. 1. Kim and I like to write. 1. The books were helpful. 2. She studies every night. 2. It is falling apart. 2. They miss their owner. 2. We write stories about our childhood. 2. They provided the information I needed.
The underlined words above are pronouns. A pronoun is a word used in place of a noun. By using pronouns correctly, you can make your writing smooth and professional. Decide which pronouns to use in place of the underlined nouns below. Then read aloud the new second sentence in each pair.

Laura is a nurse. Laura works at Mercy Hospital. Tim and Robert repaired the car. Tim and Robert replaced the gears and wheels. The music was soothing. The music helped me calm down. David owns a truck. David drives hundreds of miles each day. Stella and I were late for work. Stella and I ran to the bus stop.
Writing Practice
Read the sentence pairs. Rewrite the second sentence in the pair by replacing the underlined noun or nouns with the correct pronoun.
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1. Jane read the book. Jane recommended it to us. ________________________________________________________________________________________ 2. The book is exciting. The book is definitely worth reading. ________________________________________________________________________________________ 3. Laurie and Ben liked the book. Laurie and Ben admired the main character. ________________________________________________________________________________________ 4. Mr. King talked about the book. Mr. King had read it several times. ________________________________________________________________________________________ 5. Fernando and I saw the movie. Fernando and I thought it was better than the book. __________________________________________________________________________________________
Writing on Your Own

Rewrite the following paragraph by using the correct pronouns in place of the underlined words.
Partner Work
1. With your partner, read aloud your Writing Practice sentences. Discuss and make any corrections that are needed.
2. With your partner, rewrite the second sentence in each pair below. Use the noun or nouns that each underlined pronoun stands for. a. Arnold gave a report. He did a good job. ______________________________________________ b. I saw the plane take off. It left on time. ______________________________________________ c. Renee avoids the mall on weekends. She shops on Monday or Tuesday. ______________________________________________ d. The lot was full of used cars. They were in bad shape. ______________________________________________ e. Lenny and I visited our parents. We try to see them at least once a month. ______________________________________________ ______________________________________________
After my sister graduates from high school, my sister will go to the community college. The college is near our home, and the college offers a variety of classes. Business Skills and Computer Literacy are the two most popular classes. Business Skills and Computer Literacy are offered five days a week and on four evenings. Mr. Lennon teaches the evening classes. Mr. Lennon is a great teacher. Rocky and I studied with him last year, so Rocky and I advised my sister to register for the evening classes.
____________________________________________________ ____________________________________________________ ____________________________________________________ ____________________________________________________ ____________________________________________________ ____________________________________________________ ____________________________________________________ ____________________________________________________ ____________________________________________________ ____________________________________________________ ____________________________________________________ ____________________________________________________ ____________________________________________________ ____________________________________________________
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3. Compound Nouns
Discuss A compound noun is two nouns used to name one thing.

Some compound nouns are written as one word; headache is an example. Some compound nouns are written as two words; tape recorder is an example.
Usually, the first word of a compound noun is
stressed when you say the noun.
That is, emphasis is placed on the first noun. Read aloud the compound nouns in the box below. HEADache TAPE recorder AIRplane HOMEwork BALLgame
Writing Practice
Write the compound noun found in each sentence. Then underline the part of the noun to stress when you say the noun aloud.
Example: This is a tape recorder. tape recorder 1. Wheres the restroom? 2. Can you read my handwriting? 3. Whats your phone number? 4. Shes my science teacher. 5. Ill buy a notebook.
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Writing on Your Own

1. First, choose and circle five of the compound nouns from the following list.
Partner Work
1. With your partner, identify the compound nouns you wrote for Writing Practice. Read aloud the compound nouns to make sure you stress the correct part of the noun.
chalkboard firefighter handshake library book ceiling fan grammar lesson
guesswork candlelight flying saucer Pacific Ocean underwater cottage cheese
traffic light Thanksgiving Day United States driveway Main Street mailbox
2. With your partner, write sentences using the following compound nouns. a. textbook _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ ____________________________________________________ b. tennis player _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ c. water ski _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ d. math test _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ e. classroom _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ ____________________________________________________ ____________________________________________________ ____________________________________________________ ____________________________________________________ ____________________________________________________
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2. Now, use the five compound nouns youve circled in a paragraph of your own. Check your spelling. ____________________________________________________
____________________________________________________ ____________________________________________________ ____________________________________________________ ____________________________________________________ ____________________________________________________ ____________________________________________________ ____________________________________________________ ____________________________________________________
4. Identifying Verbs
Discuss A verb is a word that names an action or a state of being. The verbs in the
sentences below are underlined. Read aloud the sentences, then say the verbs.

Glen stacks the firewood. The logs are heavy.
The boy helps his neighbor. Then the job becomes easier. The men rest on the porch.
A verb can tell about something that happens now (the something that happened in the
present), or about
past. The underlined verbs above are in the present tense. In the box below, youll find the past tense of the verbs.
rested helped stacked became were
Say the sentences above again, this time using the past tense. Example: Glen stacked the firewood.
Writing Practice
1. Complete each sentence with a verb from the box below. Different choices are possible.
liked hated saw left passed attended were are the cat. that movie. the fair. the test. hard.
a. The dog b. We c. A lot of people d. Everyone in our class
e. Some of the lessons in the book
2. On the line after each sentence, write the verb in that sentence.
a. My sister works at ValueMart. b. She trains new employees. c. Last week she got a raise. d. The boss praised her.
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e. She needs the extra money for her kids.

Partner Work
1. With your partner, read aloud the sentences you completed for part 1 in Writing Practice. Ask your partner to identify the verb in each sentence. Example: We followed the recipe and baked the cake. a. I read the schedule and chose a program. b. She sang the song and danced with her partner. 2. With your partner, check the verbs you wrote for part 2 in Writing Practice. Make any corrections that are needed. c. John likes soccer but hates basketball. d. Tanya was sad, but now she is happy. e. He feels proud when he reads his story aloud to the class. 3. Each sentence at right has two verbs. With your partner, identify the two verbs and underline them.
Writing on Your Own

Each noun phrase at right can become part of a sentence if you add a verb phrase. Write the whole sentences. Underline the verbs. Remember to capitalize the first word in your sentences and to end the sentence with a period (.).
Noun Phrases 1. most students
Verb Phrases left for the holiday
____________________________________________________ 2. angry passengers wandered around the airport
Examples: Noun Phrases the party the car in the dump Verb Phrases was a lot of fun has no wheels
____________________________________________________ 3. all the flights were late
____________________________________________________ 4. bad weather on the East Coast delayed the flights
Sentences: The party was a lot of fun. The car in the dump has no wheels.
____________________________________________________ 5. a great many people spent Christmas at the airport
____________________________________________________
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5. Using Regular Verbs

Discuss
Verbs can indicate the time at which something happened. A
regular verb is
one that shows its past tense, or past time, by adding -ed. Read aloud the following examples.
Present help(s) move(s) look(s) open(s) Past helped moved looked opened Past Participle (have, has, had) helped (have, has, had) moved (have, has, had) looked (have, has, had) opened
The verbs in the box at right are also regular. Say the past and past participle forms of each. Example: jump(s) jumped have jumped, has jumped, had jumped save(s) wonder(s) work(s)
Look at the chart at right. Can you figure out when you add -s to the present form of a verb?
I help you help he, she, it helps
we help they help
Writing Practice
Complete the sentences. Write each verb in the form named below the line.
1. They have the fair.
organize past participle of help
4. He present of work 5. They
at the garage.
into a larger apartment. past of move
2. He past of open
the door.
6. The children had 3. She present of save all her records. the stream.
across past participle of jump
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Partner Work
1. With your partner, read the sentences you completed for Writing Practice. Make any corrections that are needed in the forms and spellings of verbs.
Writing on Your Own

1. The present tenses of four regular verbs are given below. Write the past and past participle of each verb.
Present
Past
Past Participle (have, has, had) ________ (have, has, had) ________ (have, has, had) ________ (have, has, had) ________
hope(s) ____________ 2. With your partner, discuss the spelling changes that you need to make when writing the verbs below. need(s) ____________ rest(s) yell(s) ____________ ____________
Present cry, cries try, tries pass, passes
Past cried tried
Past Participle (have, has, had) cried (have, has, had) tried
passed (have, has, had) passed 2. Write a. a sentence using the past participle of rest. ____________________________________________________ b. a sentence using the past of yell.
Which spelling of the present tense of cry do you use after I? After she?
Which spelling of the present tense of pass do you use after it? ____________________________________________________ c. a sentence using the past participle of need. ____________________________________________________ d. a sentence using the past of hope. ____________________________________________________
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6. Using Irregular Verbs

Discuss
Many verbs are
irregular. That is, the past and past participle forms dont use -ed.
They are spelled in different ways. Read aloud the sentences in the box below.
Present I write a story. I forget the ending. They build a house. She sees the movie.
Past I wrote a story. I forgot the ending. They built a house. She saw the movie.
Past Participle I have written a story. I have forgotten the ending. They had built a house. She has seen the movie.
Writing Practice
It takes practice to learn the forms of irregular verbs. In the box below, find the correct form to write in each sentence.
Example: Our teacher has 1. The geese

past of fly
shown
past participle of show
us how to observe birds.
over the pond.

Present Past flew did ate saw heard showed Past Participle (have, has, had) flown done eaten seen heard shown
2. They have
past participle of fly
this way every year.
fly, flies do, does eat, eats see, sees hear, hears show, shows
3. I
past of hear
them calling to one another.
4. They have
past participle of eat
some fish.
5. I have
past participle of see
them come down on ponds to find food.
6.
past of do
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the birds know we were watching them?
Writing on Your Own

Choose a verb from the box below. Underline the present tense of the verb you choose. Then write a paragraph in which you use the present, past, and past participle of your verb. Example: wear Every year she wears an army hat in the July 4th parade. She wore the hat last year, too. Her dad had worn the hat when he was a Marine.
Partner Work
1. With your partner, read aloud your Writing Practice sentences. Check one anothers use of the past, present, and past participle forms of verbs. Make any corrections that are needed. 2. With your partner, write a sentence using each verb below. Present
Present wear, wears pay, pays go, goes make, makes know, knows ring, rings grow, grows hurt, hurts
Past wore paid went made knew rang grew hurt
Past Participle (have, has, had) worn (have, has, had) paid (have, has, had) gone (have, has, had) made (have, has, had) known (have, has, had) rung (have, has, had) grown (have, has, had) hurt
take, takes ________________________________________________ ________________________________________________ Past took ________________________________________________ ________________________________________________ Past Participle (have, has, had) taken ________________________________________________ ________________________________________________
__________________________________________________________ __________________________________________________________ ____________________________________________________
____________________________________________________________________________________________________________ ____________________________________________________________________________________________________________ ____________________________________________________________________________________________________________ ____________________________________________________________________________________________________________ ____________________________________________________________________________________________________________ ____________________________________________________________________________________________________________ ____________________________________________________________________________________________________________

35
7. Words That Can Be Nouns or Verbs

Discuss
Some words can be used as both nouns and verbs. For example, in the first sentence below,
dance is a verb because it names an action. In the second sentence, dance is a noun because it names a thing (the dance).

Raisa and Martin dance every Saturday night. Everybody went to the dance.
Read aloud the sentences below. Decide whether the underlined words are used as verbs or nouns. Explain your choices. 1. The paint was dry. 2. She paints pictures of her family. 3. They enjoy their work. 4. They work six days a week. 5. Our family will drive to Oregon. 6. Its a long drive. 7. The answer is easy. 8. We answer the question.
Writing Practice
Complete each sentence with the word below the line. Read the sentence to yourself. Then write noun or verb on the line after the sentence to show how the word is used in that sentence.
Example: We look forward to the
race race
noun
1. The show 2. Jon and Tina
lasted for two hours.
a lot of interest in science. show
3. The baby cries 4. We heard the cries 5. The end
a lot.
of the wolves.
of that story was sad.
6. We thought the show would never

36
. end
Partner Work
1. With your partner, read aloud your Writing Practice sentences. Explain why each word you wrote is a noun or a verb.
Writing on Your Own

Write a sentence using each of the words below. On the line after each of your sentences, tell whether you used the word as a noun or as a verb. Examples: like(s)
2. With your partner, use each word below as instructed. Write your sentences together. Example: Use cook or cooks as a noun. He is a cook in a restaurant. a. Use cook or cooks as a verb. ________________________________________________ b. Use sounds as a verb.
Verb Jon and Naomi like dogs. ___________ or noun She listed her likes and dislikes. ___________
1. face(s) ______________________________________________________ ______________________________________________________ ____________________________ 2. help(s)
________________________________________________ c. Use sound or sounds as a noun. ________________________________________________ d. Use love or loves as a verb. ________________________________________________
______________________________________________________ ______________________________________________________ ____________________________ 3. hit(s) ______________________________________________________ ______________________________________________________
3. Read your sentences aloud to another group of students. Note and discuss any disagreements. Make any corrections that are needed. ____________________________ 4. fight(s) ______________________________________________________ ______________________________________________________ ____________________________ 5. talk(s) ______________________________________________________ ______________________________________________________ ____________________________
37
8. Turning Verbs Into Nouns and Vice-Versa

Discuss
Language is an exciting thing because you can work with it in different ways. For example, there are many English verbs that you can
change into nouns
just by adding -er or -or. Read aloud and discuss the following examples together. How do you change the verbs into nouns? a. He teaches our science class. (Teaches is a verb.) He is a teacher. (Teacher is a noun.) b. They collect stamps. (Collect is a verb.) They are collectors. (Collectors is a noun.) c. Arno writes stories. (Writes is a verb.) Arno is a writer. (Writer is a noun.) d. Naomi conducts an orchestra. (Conducts is a verb.) Naomi is a conductor. (Conductor is a noun.)
Now try it the other way. Change the underlined noun into a verb, and say the new sentence. Example: She is a hiker. She hikes in the hills. a. Pam is a good speller. She b. Hes a great driver. He a truck. everything right. c. They are mowers of lawns. They lawns.
Writing Practice
Complete each sentence with the word below the line. Read the sentences to yourself. Then write noun or verb to identify the word you added.
Example: Mark and his band play

38
rap music.
verb

1. All the players 2. They win 3. Mark and the band are winners 4. Mark manages the band. . a lot of contests. went to school together.
Partner Work
1. With your partner, read aloud your Writing Practice sentences and tell whether the word you added is a noun or a verb. Make any corrections that are needed. 2. With your partner, change each verb below into a noun by adding -er. Then write a sentence using your noun.
Writing on Your Own

Use the words below in sentences of your own. Verbs 1. swim 2. listen 3. run 4. speak 5. help Nouns swimmer(s) listener(s) runner(s) speaker(s) helper(s)
Example:
Verb: talk Noun: talker Sentence: He was a fast talker.
1. ________________________________________________ __________________________________________________ 2. ________________________________________________ __________________________________________________ 3. ________________________________________________ __________________________________________________ 4. ________________________________________________ __________________________________________________ 5. ________________________________________________ __________________________________________________
a. Verb: lead Noun: ____________________________________ Sentence:________________________________ ____________________________________________ b. Verb: read Noun: ____________________________________ Sentence:________________________________ ____________________________________________ c. Verb: work Noun: ____________________________________ Sentence: ______________________________ ____________________________________________
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Section 2 Review
A. On the line after each sentence, write the two nouns in that sentence. Hint: Several of the nouns are compound nouns. 1. The classroom was filled with laughter. __________________________________________________ 2. She picked up the package at the post office. __________________________________________________ 3. The soccer game will be held in Central Park. __________________________________________________ 4. The deer ran through the tall grass. __________________________________________________ 5. Jeff signed up for the computer class. __________________________________________________ D. Complete each sentence with the verb form under the line. You may refer to pages 3435 if you wish. Jeanne for ten years. 1. I have past participle of know 2. We past of see 3. The kids past of go 4. I past of ring 3. The tenants wrote to the landlord. The tenants complained about the noise. __________________________________________________ 4. Lenny and I studied the map. Lenny and I planned our trip. __________________________________________________ 5. Tom joined the gym. Tom planned to go there every day. __________________________________________________
C. Write the two verbs in each sentence. 1. He wrapped and sent the present. __________________________________________________ 2. She made a turn at Elm Street and then turned left on Park. __________________________________________________ 3. The driver swerved and drove off the road. __________________________________________________ 4. They answer the questions and then check their answers. __________________________________________________
B. Write the pronoun that can stand for the underlined word or words. 1. Mary sat down. Mary said she was tired. __________________________________________________ 2. The storm was destructive. The storm blew down huge trees. __________________________________________________
that movie last night. on a hike. the bell and waited for an answer. all the assignments. past participle of do
5. He has

40
Adjectives and Adverbs

Adjectives and adverbs are Here are two examples: A tremendous crowd gathered in the park. (Tremendous is an
descriptive words. You
use adjectives and adverbs all the time when you speak.
section
adjective describing the noun crowd.) loudly for the home team.
Everyone cheered
(The verb in this sentence is cheered. Loudly is an
adverb describing how everyone cheered.)

Can you identify the adjectives and adverbs in the following sentences? If so, youre already on your way to success with adjectives and adverbs. 1. A few fans brought cameras. 2. The angry umpire stopped the game. 3. The game stopped suddenly. 4. The umpire walked slowly onto the field. In this section, youll learn how to use adjectives and adverbs to add sparkle to your writing.
Contents
1. Recognizing and Using Adjectives . . . . 42 2. Comparing Two Things . . . . . . . . . . . . 44 3. Comparing More Than Two Things. . . . 46 4. Recognizing and Using Adverbs . . . . . 48 5. More Ways to Use Adverbs . . . . . . . . . 50 6. Using Adverbs in Comparisons . . . . . . 52 7. Playing With Adjectives, Adverbs, and Nouns . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 54 Section 3 Review . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 56
41
1. Recognizing and Using Adjectives

Discuss An adjective is a word that describes or adds to the meaning of a noun or
pronoun. For example, in the sentence below, strange is an adjective that adds to the meaning of the noun noise. The strange noise keeps us awake.
Often an adjective can appear after the noun it describes: The noise is strange. In the sentence below, strange modifies the pronoun it: It is strange. Read aloud the sentences below. Identify the adjective. Tell what noun or pronoun it describes. 1. Most students passed the test. 2. The test was difficult. 3. The homeless cat wandered along the street. 4. It was hungry. 5. A kind family adopted the cat. 6. She is happy. 7. The house seems small. 8. The cat sleeps on a tiny cushion.
Writing Practice
Choose an adjective from the box to complete each sentence below. Write your choices on the lines. Different answers are possible. green difficult several scary big delicious beautiful silly first little new special
1. He made 2. She prepared a 3. It was 4. The 5. They made a 6. The trees are 7. Nobody liked that
42
mistakes on the test. dessert. . kids didnt like the movie. poster for the fair. and full of blossoms. TV program. contestants won a
8. The
prize.
Partner Work
1. With your partner, read aloud the sentences you completed for Writing Practice. Name the adjective or adjectives you used in each sentence. Then tell which word in the sentence your adjective describes. Example: He made several mistakes on the test. The adjective several describes the noun mistakes.
Writing on Your Own

Use each of the words in the box below as an adjective in a sentence of your own. Underline the adjective. Circle the word it describes. Example: large The mail carrier delivered a large box. large easy mysterious purple sad good enormous different quiet
1. ________________________________________________ __________________________________________________
2. With your partner, write sentences using each word below as an adjective. a. gloomy ____________________________________ ______________________________________________ b. confusing ____________________________________ ______________________________________________ c. horrible ______________________________________ ______________________________________________ d. brave ______________________________________ ______________________________________________ 2. ________________________________________________ __________________________________________________ 3. ________________________________________________ __________________________________________________ 4. ________________________________________________ __________________________________________________ 5. ________________________________________________ __________________________________________________ 6. ________________________________________________ __________________________________________________ 7. ________________________________________________ __________________________________________________ 8. ________________________________________________ __________________________________________________ 9. ________________________________________________ __________________________________________________
43
2. Comparing Two Things

Discuss
You can use
adjectives to compare two things, or to tell how the two things are
alike or different. Read these examples together. What do you add to show the comparison? 1. The movie was strange. It was stranger than the movie I saw last week. 2. The music was loud. It was louder than the music on the tape. 3. Jake is happy about the test results. He is happier than his brother is. Some adjectives are longer than the ones above. They have more than two syllables. Say these examples: peculiar interesting amazing fascinating
With long adjectives like these, you dont add -er to compare two things. Instead, you add more before the word. Read aloud these examples. This mystery story was more peculiar than the last one we read. The plot was more interesting than the one in the other book. The outcome of the story was more amazing than the one in the first book. The characters are more fascinating than the ones in the last book.
Writing Practice
1. On the line in each sentence, choose and write the correct comparative form of the adjective. It will help if you say the adjective aloud to yourself first to figure out how many syllables it has.
a. big
Their house is bigger, more big
than ours.
b. long
Her story is more long, longer
than mine.
c. terrifying
His ghost story was terrifyinger, more terrifying
than the one I wrote.
44

d. deep Sutter Lake is deeper, more deep e. unusual The end of her story is more unusual, unusualer than yours. than Long Lake.
2. Now, draw an arrow
from the adjectives you wrote in part 1 to the nouns they describe.
Example: The end of her story is more unusual than yours.
Writing on Your Own

Partner Work
1. With your partner, read aloud the sentences you completed for part 1 in Writing Practice. Make any corrections that are needed. 1. ________________________________________________ __________________________________________________ 2. ________________________________________________ 2. With your partner, write the comparative form of each adjective below. a. cute ______________________________________ b. nice ______________________________________ c. intelligent ________________________________ d. tough ____________________________________ 6. ________________________________________________ e. inquisitive ________________________________ __________________________________________________ 7. ________________________________________________ __________________________________________________ 8. ________________________________________________ __________________________________________________
45
Use each adjective below in a sentence of your own that compares two things. easier sweeter more exciting less interesting funnier more helpful sadder less helpful
__________________________________________________ 3. ________________________________________________ __________________________________________________ 4. ________________________________________________ __________________________________________________ 5. ________________________________________________ __________________________________________________
3. Comparing More Than Two Things

Discuss
Read aloud the sentences in the box below. How does the
Base Form
(Describes one thing.)
adjective change?
Superlative Form
Comparative Form
(Compares two things.)
(Compares more than two things.)
1. This band is loud.
2. It is louder than the band we heard yesterday. 2. It was funnier than the movie we saw last week. 2. It was sillier than the one you told last week.
3. In fact, it is the loudest band Ive ever heard! 3. The funniest part was when the whale ate the car. 3. Its the silliest riddle Ive ever heard.
1. The movie was funny.
1. The riddle was silly.
In the second sentences above, two things are being compared. What ending is added to the adjective? In the third sentences above, more than two things are being compared. What ending is added to make the superlative form? With adjectives that have one syllable, like loud, you usually add -est to form the superlative. Note: Many two-syllable adjectives that end in -y, like funny and silly, change -y to -i before adding -er or -est. Now, say the base forms and sentences below. How many syllables are in the base form of each adjective? What is the superlative form of each adjective? (Base forms) 1. (expensive) This car is the most expensive one on the lot. 2. (beautiful) It is the most beautiful car Ive ever seen. 3. (comfortable) Of all the cars, however, it is the least comfortable. 4. (reasonable) Ill buy the car that is most reasonable.
To form the superlative of longer adjectives, use most or least before the base form.
46

Writing Practice
1. Complete the sentences below. Write the superlative form of the adjective under the line.
e. They have the beautiful block. f. We took the short
garden on our
a. Thats the small b. It was the difficult c. Whats the long read? d. The mayor holds the
dog Ive ever seen! test wed had all year. book youve ever
route to the park.
2. For each sentence in part 1 above, draw an arrow from the adjective you wrote to the noun it describes.
Example: job responsible She won the prize for the most unusual costume. unusual
in our town.
Writing on Your Own

Read the following paragraph and decide which adjectives are correct. Circle the correct adjectives. Then write the paragraph correctly. The (most new, newest) store at the mall is SellMore. They claim to have the (lowest, most low) prices and the (helpfulest, most helpful) staff of any store around here. However, the signs in the store are the (confusingest, most confusing) Ive ever seen. The (most peculiar, peculiarest) sign said Not in This Section.
Partner Work
With your partner, read aloud the sentences you completed in Writing Practice. Identify the superlative form of the adjective and the noun it describes. If you disagree, explain your choices, then make any corrections that are needed.
____________________________________________________________________________________________________________ ____________________________________________________________________________________________________________ ____________________________________________________________________________________________________________ ____________________________________________________________________________________________________________ ____________________________________________________________________________________________________________ ____________________________________________________________________________________________________________

47
4. Recognizing and Using Adverbs

Discuss Adverbs are descriptive words that usually modify, or add to the meaning of,
verbs. The adverbs tell how, when, or where an action takes place. For example, in the following sentences, walks is the verb. The adverbs add to the meaning of walks.

Andre walks slowly. (Slowly is an adverb telling how Andre walks.) Andre always walks. (Always is an adverb telling when Andre walks.) Andre walks everywhere. (Everywhere is an adverb telling where Andre walks.)
As a writer, you can use adverbs to make your writing more interesting and exact. For example, Andre walks slowly gives a more precise description of Andre than simply Andre walks. Read aloud each sentence in the box below. Identify the adverb and the verb. Tell whether the adverb tells how, when, or where. 1. She carefully opened the package. 2. They often watch TV game shows. 3. The children played outdoors.
Writing Practice
Choose a different adverb from the box below to complete each sentence. Then, underline the verb that your adverb modifies. Different answers are possible.
4. He quickly completed the assignment. 5. She visited us yesterday. 6. They ran inside.
Example: Selma answered the phone cautiously
cautiously down somewhere bravely tomorrow suddenly today nervously eagerly 1. The reports are due __________________________________________. 2. The class listened ____________________________________________. 3. He mislaid his homework ____________________________________. 4. We ___________________________________ followed the directions. 5. They ___________________________________ climbed the steep cliff.
48
6. She threw the book __________________________________________.

Partner Work
1. With your partner, read aloud the sentences you completed for Writing Practice. Check to make sure you correctly underlined the verb your adverb modifies.
Writing on Your Own

1. Read the following paragraph and decide which word in parentheses is correct. Circle the correct word. Underline the verb it modifies The first sentence is done for you as an example.
Jen stepped (confident, confidently ) up to the 2. With your partner, discuss what each adverb you chose tells about the verb: Is it how, when, or where? starting line. She (usually, usual) felt nervous, but today she knew she would (surely, sure) win the race. The starting whistle blew (loudly, loud). Jen ran (swift, swiftly), but saw that Peter was (quickly, quick) catching up with her. Jen breathed (deeply, deep) and plunged toward the finish line.
2. Check the words you chose in 1 above with your instructor or with a classmate. Then write the entire paragraph correctly on the lines below.
____________________________________________________ ____________________________________________________ ____________________________________________________ ____________________________________________________ ____________________________________________________ ____________________________________________________ ____________________________________________________ ____________________________________________________ ____________________________________________________ ____________________________________________________ ____________________________________________________
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5. More Ways to Use Adverbs

Discuss
Youve just learned how to use adverbs to add to the
meaning of verbs in your
writing. For example, in the following sentence the adverb quickly adds to the meaning of the verb opened. Quickly tells how she opened the package. She opened the package quickly. You can also use adverbs to add to the meaning of adjectives and other adverbs. For example, in the sentence below, very is an adverb that adds to the meaning of the adverb quickly. She opened the package very quickly. In the sentence below, very is an adverb that adds to the meaning of the adjective good. She writes very good stories. Read aloud the sentences below. Tell what word each underlined adverb modifies. 1. He was really hungry. 2. He really likes science class. 3. I almost lost my way. 4. I almost always finish my homework on time. 5. She truly enjoys babysitting. 6. He wrote a truly wonderful sci-fi story.
Writing Practice
Use a word from the box below to complete each sentence. Draw an arrow to the word it modifies. Different choices are possible.
Example: They nearly 1. He is 2. The mail arrived 3. They watched 4. Our electric bill was 5. She
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won the contest. likely to succeed. early today. as the boat drifted away. lower this month. tossed the ball over the fence.
definitely quietly least helplessly nearly fairly angrily
Partner Work
1. With your partner, read aloud the sentences you completed for Writing Practice. Identify the word you wrote and the word it modifies. Make any corrections that are needed.
Writing on Your Own

Write about a big event in your life. Some possible subjects are in the box below.
2. With your partner, write sentences using the following phrases. a. quite silly b. awfully sad c. fairly recently
moving to a new home responding to an emergency a big achievement an argument with a friend finding a good job conquering fear
d. very best e. quite badly a. __________________________________________ __________________________________________ b. __________________________________________ __________________________________________ c. __________________________________________ __________________________________________ d. __________________________________________ ____________________________________________________ __________________________________________ e. __________________________________________ __________________________________________ ____________________________________________________ ____________________________________________________ ____________________________________________________ ____________________________________________________ ____________________________________________________ ____________________________________________________ ____________________________________________________ ____________________________________________________ ____________________________________________________
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When writing about the big event, use at least five adverbs. You can use adverbs listed in this lesson or in Lesson 4. Underline each of your adverbs. Be ready to tell which word each adverb modifies.
____________________________________________________ ____________________________________________________ ____________________________________________________
6. Using Adverbs in Comparisons

Discuss
You may remember that you can use adjectives to make comparisons. You can use
adverbs to make comparisons, too. Read aloud the examples below. Notice that
-er is added to form the comparative, and -est is added to form the superlative.
Base Form He arrived late. She arrived early. I can run fast. Comparative Form He arrived later than the teacher. She arrived earlier than he did. I can run faster than you can. Superlative Form Of all the students, he arrived latest. Of all the students, she arrived earliest. Of all our team members, I run fastest.
Heres an important rule to keep in mind: For most adverbs that end in -ly, add more to form the comparative and add most to form the superlative. (Youll notice that early, above, is an exception to this rule.) Read aloud these examples:
Base Form Comparative Form Superlative Form
quickly easily clearly
more quickly more easily more clearly
most quickly most easily most clearly
Writing Practice
Refer to the boxes above to complete the sentences. Use the directions under the lines to write the correct form of each adverb.
1. The test results arrived comparative form of quickly 2. She sings superlative form of clearly 3. He does his chores comparative form of easily 4. They eat supper comparative form of early 5. That train arrives superlative form of late 6. Which of the ten contestants ran
than we had expected. when she is part of a choir. than his sister does. than we do. on Monday. in the race? superlative form of fast
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Partner Work
1. With your partner, read aloud the sentences you completed for Writing Practice. Make any corrections that are needed. 3. With your partner, rewrite each sentence below to make it correct. a. His desk looks more neater than mine. __________________________________________________ 2. Discuss the following rules with your partner: a. Dont add both more and -er to comparative forms. Wrong: He arrived more later than I did. Right: He arrived later than I did. c. She seems more happier today than she did yesterday. __________________________________________________ b. Dont add both most and -est to superlative forms. Wrong: Roz was the most cutest dog in the dog show. Right: Roz was the cutest dog in the dog show. e. This dress is more prettier than that one. __________________________________________________ d. That movie is the most scariest one Ive seen in a long time. __________________________________________________ b. This story is the most longest Ive ever written. __________________________________________________
Writing on Your Own

Use each adverb below in a sentence of your own. 1. sooner _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ ____________________________________________________ 2. finally ____________________________________________ ____________________________________________________ 3. really __________________________________________ ____________________________________________________ 4. wearily __________________________________________ ____________________________________________________ 5. again __________________________________________ ____________________________________________________ 6. more confidently ________________________________ ____________________________________________________ 7. hastily __________________________________________ ____________________________________________________ 8. most often ____________________________________ ____________________________________________________
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7. Playing With Adjectives, Adverbs, and Nouns

Discuss
Many words can appear as
nouns, adjectives, or adverbs in a sentence.
It all depends upon the form of the word and how its used in the sentence. Once youve learned the difference between nouns, adjectives, and adverbs, you can play with many words in many ways in your writing. Discuss the following examples: 1. They run fast. (In this sentence, run is a verb.) He hit a home run. (In this sentence, run is a part of the compound noun home run.) 2. They danced slowly. (Slowly is an adverb modifying the verb danced.) The turtle was the slowest contestant in the race. (Slowest is an adjective telling more about the noun contestant.) 3. He cant face big problems. (Face is a verb in this sentence.) His face is on all the posters. (Face is a noun in this sentence.) 4. She promptly rang the bell. (Promptly is an adverb modifying the verb rang.) The teacher provided prompts to help us on the test. (Prompts is a noun in this sentence.)
Writing Practice
Complete each sentence with the word below the line. The read the sentence to yourself. Write noun, adjective, or adverb to tell how the word is used.
Example: The
cost
cost more lately.
of gas went up.
noun
1. Gas costs 2. He moved 3. The movers 4. He drove slowly

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to Oregon.
packed the furniture.
across the country.

5. It was the slowest 6. The drive seemed endless. trip he had ever made.
Partner Work
7. He is an excellent driver 8. He reads road maps carefully . .
1. With your partner, discuss your Writing Practice answers. Explain why you classified the word you wrote as a noun, adjective, or adverb. Make any corrections that are needed.
2. With your partner, use each word below in a sentence. Write noun, adjective, or adverb after your sen-
Writing on Your Own

Use each word below in a sentence of your own. The word in parentheses tells you how to use the word. Example: comedy (noun) The play was a comedy about stupid television shows. 1. suddenly (adverb) ____________________________________________________ 2. successfully (adverb) ____________________________________________________ 3. dangerous (adjective) ____________________________________________________ 4. lovingly (adverb) ____________________________________________________ 5. writer (noun) ____________________________________________________
tence to tell how you used the word. a. best __________________________________ ________________________________________ b. winning ______________________________ ________________________________________ c. slower ________________________________ ________________________________________ d. carefully ______________________________ ________________________________________
6. idea (noun) ____________________________________________________ 7. trip (noun) ____________________________________________________ 8. slow (adjective) ____________________________________________________
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Section 3 Review
A. Circle the two adjectives in each sentence below. Underline the word or words they modify. 1. Some students read exciting mysteries. 2. The first book was short. 3. The longest chapter described an amazing discovery. 3. She can see easily 4. Of all the cars, this one starts fast B. Complete each sentence. Write the correct form of the adjective below the line. 1. That piano is old 2. The music was the weird 3. Jason was interested 4. The Brightcliff Band was the popular 5. He had a soft
D. Complete each sentence. Write the correct form of the adverb below the line. 1. She writes clearly 2. He stayed up late with her new glasses. than his brother did. than I do.
than this one.
I had ever heard.
in the composer than I was.
band in our town.
voice than his sister did.
C. Circle the adverb in each sentence. Underline the word it modifies. 1. They almost lost their way. 2. She is a truly great friend. 3. He put the book down. 4. We never leave the kids.
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Building Sentences
section
nouns, pronouns, verbs, adjectives, and adverbs correctly, the
As you learn to identify and use sentences you write become more interesting. For example, complete each of the following sentences with the kinds of words named in parentheses. See how many different sentences you can come up with. 1. The (adjective) truck moved (adverb) along the (adjective) highway. 2. A (adjective) (noun) ran across the (adjective)(noun). 3. (pronoun) stopped (adverb) at the edge of the (noun). In this section, youll become even more experienced in writing interesting sentences.
4
Contents
1. Subjects and Predicates. . . . . . . . . . . . 58 2. Different Kinds of Sentences . . . . . . . . .60 3. Combining Sentences With And . . . . . .62 4. Combining Sentences With . . . . . . . . . . But and Because . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 64 5. Using Phrases to Build Sentences . . . . 66 6. Using Clauses to Build Sentences . . . . 68 7. Finding the Right Word . . . . . . . . . . . . 70 Section 4 Review . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 72
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1. Subjects and Predicates

Discuss
Every sentence has a
subject and a predicate.
The complete subject, underlined below, tells who or what the sentence is about. The wild horses ran freely along the shore. The simple subject is the most important word in the complete subject. The wild horses ran freely along the shore.
Together, read the sentences below. Identify the complete subject and the simple subject. Several tourists watched the horses. The newborn colt stayed close to its mother.
The complete predicate of a sentence, underlined below, tells what the subject does or is. The wild horses ran freely along the shore. The most important word in the complete predicate is the verb. The verb is called the simple predicate. Several tourists watched the horses.
Together, read the sentences below. Identify the complete predicate and the simple predicate. The newborn colt stayed close to its mother. The older colts played together on the beach.
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Writing Practice
Copy each sentence. Then draw a line between the complete subject and the complete predicate.
Example: Most of the dancers/come from Spain. 1. The audience was fascinated by the performance.
____________________________________________________________________________________________________________
2. All of the performers wore beautiful costumes.

____________________________________________________________________________________________________________
3. Two guitarists provided the music.

____________________________________________________________________________________________________________
4. Everyone in the audience applauded.

____________________________________________________________________________________________________________
5. This group has fans all over the world.

____________________________________________________________________________________________________________
Partner Work
1. Check your Writing Practice work with your partner. Did you correctly separate the complete subject from the complete predicate? Make any corrections that are needed. 2. Read the following sentences with your partner. Draw a line between the complete subject and the complete predicate. Then underline the simple subject once. Underline the simple predicate twice. Example: The youngest kids/swim in the shallow pool. a. My older brother applied for a job at the pool. b. Ralph is an excellent swimmer. c. He often gives lessons at the YMCA. d. Most little children need lots of instruction about safety. e. A responsible parent watches the child every minute.
Writing on Your Own

Write a sentence about each of the following topics. Draw a line between the complete subject and the complete predicate. Underline the simple subject once. Underline the simple predicate twice. Example: Topic: music I / like rap music. 1. Topic: pet(s) ____________________________________________________ 2. Topic: book(s) ____________________________________________________ 3. Topic: friendship ____________________________________________________ 4. Topic: food ____________________________________________________ 5. Topic: car(s) ____________________________________________________
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2. Different Kinds of Sentences

Discuss
In your writing, you use four different kinds of sentences. All four kinds begin with a capital letter.
A
declarative sentence makes a statement. It ends with a period. interrogative sentence asks a question. It ends with a question mark. imperative sentence makes a request or gives a command. It ends with a period.
Example: The subways usually run on time.

An
Example: Was the subway station crowded?

An
Notice that in an imperative sentence the subject is not stated. The subject is understood to be you: (You) please dont push. Examples: Please dont push. Take your time.
An
exclamatory sentence expresses a strong feeling. It ends with an
exclamation point. Examples: What a slow train this is! Goodness, look at this crowd!
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Writing Practice
Copy each sentence. Add the correct capitalization and end punctuation. Example: buy your tickets here Answer: Buy your tickets here.
1. did you get to work on time

____________________________________________________
5. where are we meeting

____________________________________________________
2. the boss was glad to see me

____________________________________________________
6. write down the address

____________________________________________________
3. what a pile of work there was on my desk

____________________________________________________
7. youll like the food there a lot

____________________________________________________
4. dont forget our lunch date

____________________________________________________
8. wow, what a fantastic menu this is

____________________________________________________
Partner Work
1. Check your Writing Practice sentences with your partner. Did you capitalize the first word in each sentence? Explain the end punctuation you used. 2. With your partner, read each group of words below. Which group is a sentence? Explain your choice. a. The city streets. What a crowd there is at lunch time! b. Taxis honk their horns. So much noise and action. c. A full bus? Is the bus full? d. Dont take a bus. A short trip across town to the restaurant. e. All kinds of delicious food. I ordered the salad.
Writing on Your Own

1. Choose a topic from the box below. Circle the topic you choose. Best Friends Looking for a Job My Favorite Sport My Family
2. Write your topic on the first line below. Then write a paragraph on your topic. Your paragraph can have as many sentences as you like, but you must use at least one declarative sentence; at least one interrogative sentence; at least one imperative sentence; and at least one exclamatory sentence. TOPIC : ________________________ ____________________________________________________ ____________________________________________________ ____________________________________________________ ____________________________________________________ ____________________________________________________ ____________________________________________________
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3. Combining Sentences With And

Discuss
You can often combine two short sentences to make a longer sentence. You can often use
and to connect the sentences. Read these examples together:
1. Karen is reading a book. Antonio is writing a report. Karen is reading a book, and Antonio is writing a report. 2. Carlos is coming home tomorrow. His friends are coming with him. Carlos is coming home tomorrow, and his friends are coming with him. 3. Jake is cooking dinner. Jake is serving dinner. Jake is cooking and serving dinner. 4. Lenore was listening to the teacher. Lenore was taking notes. Lenore was listening to the teacher and taking notes. Which example in each pair above sounds more professional and grown-up? Why? Notice that you use a comma (,) before and when its needed to make the meaning clear.
Writing Practice
Use and to combine the two sentences in each pair below into one sentence.
Examples:
Sam played tennis. Sam played golf. Sam played tennis and golf.
Tina is a swimming instructor. Jorge is a lifeguard. Tina is a swimming instructor, and Jorge is a lifeguard.
1. My grandmother visited over the holidays. My grandfather visited over the holidays.
______________________________________________________________________________________________
2. I swept up the leaves. Tim trimmed the bushes.

______________________________________________________________________________________________
3. She applied for the job. She waited for the answer.
______________________________________________________________________________________________
4. Selma wrote the play. Her friends played the different roles.
______________________________________________________________________________________________
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5. The truck entered the driveway. The truck knocked over the mailbox.
____________________________________________________________________________________________________________
6. Luis gobbled up the sandwich. Luis asked for another one.

____________________________________________________________________________________________________________
7. Jake plays the bongos. Ellie plays the flute.

____________________________________________________________________________________________________________
8. The puppy curled up at my feet. The puppy went to sleep.

____________________________________________________________________________________________________________
Partner Work
1. With your partner, read aloud the sentences you wrote for Writing Practice. Discuss any likenesses and differences between your answers. 2. Is it possible to use and too much? The answer is yes. As an example, read aloud the paragraph below. We got on the bus and traveled to the museum and went inside and saw the exhibit of dinosaurs and ate lunch and then we went to the IMAX theater and saw a movie about dolphins and then we hopped a bus and went home and we told my Dad about what we learned. With your partner, rewrite the paragraph above to make four or more sentences. Use and only where it seems correct to combine sentences. Eliminate the other ands. ________________________________________________ ________________________________________________ ________________________________________________ ________________________________________________
Writing on Your Own

First, read the following paragraph to yourself. Then improve it by combining some sentences with and, and eliminating and in some places to make a new sentence.
Write your revised paragraph on the lines provided. Jon went to the yard sale. I went to the yard sale. We saw a lot of beat-up furniture and some stained and dirty clothing and Jon decided it wasnt worth staying any longer and he said he wanted to go home and then all of a sudden I saw a beautiful painting. The painting was of horses running along the shore. The painting cost only $8.00 and I bought it and I hung it in my bedroom. ______________________________________________________ ______________________________________________________ ______________________________________________________ ______________________________________________________ ______________________________________________________ ______________________________________________________ ____________________________________________________
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4. Combining Sentences With But and Because

Discuss The word but usually signals an exception or difference. Read the examples together.
Examples: The job pays well, but its awfully boring. He needs money, but he wont look for a job. She buys lottery tickets, but she never wins anything. She wanted to go to college, but she had to save some money first. Notice that you put a comma before but. The word
because usually comes before a reason. Read the examples together.

He doesnt eat ice cream because hes on a diet. He passed the test because he studied hard. The house is cold because the pipes froze. She picked up the baby because he was crying.
Examples:
Notice that the words but and because help writers show the connection between ideas and actions. Read the examples together. Examples: 1. She read the book. Her friend recommended it. She read the book because her friend recommended it. 2. He got the job. He had a lot of experience. He got the job because he had a lot of experience. 3. They went to the airport. They forgot to bring their tickets. They went to the airport, but they forgot to bring their tickets. 4. The movie is popular. I think its a waste of time. The movie is popular, but I think its a waste of time.
Writing Practice
1. Use but to combine each pair of sentences below into one sentence. Remember to use a comma before but.
a. They packed the van. There wasnt enough room for everything.
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____________________________________________________________________________________________________

b. The cold winter wind howled outside. Everyone inside was warm and cozy.
____________________________________________________________________________________________________________
c. We boarded on time. The plane was delayed on the runway.

____________________________________________________________________________________________________________
2. Use because to combine each pair of sentences below into one sentence.
a. The kids were unhappy. The TV was broken.

____________________________________________________________________________________________________________
b. He liked her. She was honest and had a great sense of humor.
____________________________________________________________________________________________________________
c. I missed the bus. My alarm clock didnt go off.

____________________________________________________________________________________________________________
Partner Work
1. Read aloud the sentences that you wrote for Writing Practice. Did you use a comma after but? Did you use capital letters correctly? 2. Read aloud the following sentence pairs. Decide how to combine each pair into one sentence. Will you use but or because? Write the new sentence. a. I threw the darts. I kept missing the target. ________________________________________________ b. She joined the YWCA. She wanted to use the swimming pool there. ________________________________________________ c. Fido was a huge dog with long teeth. He was very friendly. ________________________________________________ d. I watched the TV show. I fell asleep halfway through it. ________________________________________________ e. I took my car to Lemmons Repair. Its prices are lower. ________________________________________________
Writing on Your Own

Read the sentence pairs. Combine each pair by correctly using but or because. 1. I cant eat peanuts. Im allergic to them. ____________________________________________________ 2. I went to the museum. I wanted to see the new dinosaur exhibit there. ____________________________________________________ 3. She wants to learn Spanish. She cant find a good teacher. ____________________________________________________ 4. The car is twenty years old. It still runs well. ____________________________________________________ 5. The tree fell over. The windstorm was severe. ____________________________________________________
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5. Using Phrases to Build Sentences

Discuss A phrase is a group of words that acts as a unit within a sentence. The phrases are
underlined in the examples below. Read the rules and discuss the examples together.
A
phrase can act like a noun.
Example: Postal workers sort thousands of letters.

A
phrase can act like a verb.
Example: The mail delivery was late.

A
phrase can modify a noun.
Example: The picture is from a satellite circling the earth.
A phrase can modify a verb. Example: He left in a hurry.
Writing Practice
Complete each sentence with a phrase from the box below. her paintings with watercolors is old on the wall a lot of money to pay cant afford every day
1. Look at the picture ____________________________. 2. The frame ____________________________________. 3. The artist painted ______________________________. 4. People buy ____________________________________. 5. I _____________________________________ to buy one. 6. She makes ____________________________________. 7. She has bills __________________________________. 8. She works ______________________ on her paintings.
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Partner Work
1. With your partner, read aloud the sentences you completed for Writing Practice. Discuss how you used each phrase: As a noun? As a verb? To modify a noun? To modify a verb?
2. With your partner, write a sentence using each phrase below, then discuss how you used each phrase: As a noun? As a verb? To modify a noun? To modify a verb? a. a great many people ________________________________________________ b. never stopped ________________________________________________ c. over the wall ________________________________________________ d. at the Animal Shelter ________________________________________________
Writing on Your Own

Complete the paragraph using the kind of phrase indicated below each line. Example: We see The adjective phrase to modify the noun movie We sat adverb phrase to modify the verb sat None of us liked noun phrase We verb phrase
the latest movies

noun phrase
at the mall cineplex. movie this month was Revenge of the Spider People.
the best parts of the movie.

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6. Using Clauses to Build Sentences

Discuss A clause is a group of words that has a subject and a predicate. There are two
types of clauses.
Youre already familiar with one kind: the independent
clause. The independent
clause can stand alone as a sentence. Together, identify the subject and the predicate in the following sentences:

They practiced all summer. The coach helped them. Jake joined the practice. He passed the test.
You can join independent clauses with the words and or but. The subjects and predicates are underlined in the following sentences:

They practiced all summer, and the coach helped them. Jake joined the practice, but he failed the test.
Sometimes, you can also use the word so to join independent causes.

He wanted adventure. He joined the Coast Guard. He wanted adventure, so he joined the Coast Guard. The boat was sinking. The Coast Guard sent a rescue team. The boat was sinking, so the Coast Guard sent a rescue team.
dependent clause also has a subject and a predicate. But a dependent
clause cannot stand alone. It is part of a sentence. Read the following examples together. The dependent clauses are bold. The subjects and verb form are underlined in each dependent clause. The joining words are circled.

We will go on a picnic tomorrow if it is sunny. I cant understand what they are saying. Write my address so you dont forget it.
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Writing Practice
1. Join the sentences below with and, but, or so to make two independent clauses. Example: (Use so) The VCR was broken. We took it to the repair shop.
Partner Work
Together, read the sentences you wrote for 1 and 2 in Writing Practice. Then exchange papers. Check one anothers sentences to make sure youve used capital letters, lowercase letters, and periods correctly. Make any corrections that are needed.
The VCR was broken, so we took it to the repair shop.

a. (Use so) The movie was boring. We left before it ended.
______________________________________________________________
b. (Use and) Linda drove. Kerry read the directions from the map.
______________________________________________________________ ______________________________________________________________
Writing on Your Own

Use each clause below as a dependent clause in a sentence of your own. Example: why he bought a parachute
c. (Use but) Josh has a new computer. He doesnt know how to use it.
______________________________________________________________ ______________________________________________________________ 2. Correctly write one sentence based on the two clauses. Examples: He told me. Why he was unhappy.
He couldnt explain why he bought a parachute.

1. when the tent blew over __________________________________________ __________________________________________ 2. so that the puppies were safe __________________________________________ __________________________________________ 3. after everyone had gone to bed __________________________________________ __________________________________________ 4. as the lights went out __________________________________________ __________________________________________ 5. while it was still warm __________________________________________
He told me why he was unhappy.

Shell go the party. You go, too.
Shell go to the party if you go, too

a. They will tell us. They are ready.
______________________________________________________________
b. Use the map. You dont get lost.

______________________________________________________________
c. She wouldnt explain. She was scared.

______________________________________________________________
__________________________________________ 6. if you arrive too late __________________________________________ ________________________________________ 69
d. Doreen couldnt figure out. Which answer was correct.

______________________________________________________________
7. Finding the Right Word

Discuss
When you write, you want to use words that say
exactly what you mean. Many
words are close in meaning, but the differences make a big difference! Read the following examples together:
look glance Look means turn your eyes toward something. I looked at the photos. Glance means to look quickly at something. I glanced at the clock to see what time it was. Peek means to look quickly and slyly. Dont peek at the answers. Stare means to look at something for a long time with wide-open eyes. She stared at the stars for hours. Glare means to look angrily at someone or something. He glared at the driver who was honking her horn.
peek stare
glare
As a group, discuss which word in parentheses fits best in each sentence below. Explain your choices. 1. He (glared, glanced) at his watch to see what time it was. 2. She (stared, peeked) around the corner to see where he was hiding. 3. They (stared, looked) at the table of contents to find the right chapter. 4. I (glared, stared) at my favorite rock stars as they entered the stadium. 5. She (peeked, glared) at the kids who were making fun of her brother.
Writing Practice
Study the words and meanings below. Then complete each sentence following the box with the best word possible. handsome Handsome describes someone who is good-looking or something that is very impressive. The castle was extremely handsome. Gorgeous means very beautiful and colorful. She wore a gorgeous red and gold dress to the dance. Graceful means beautiful in form and movement. She was a graceful dancer. The tree swayed gracefully in the breeze. Pretty describes something that is nice to look at, but isnt outstanding enough to be called gorgeous or beautiful. These daisies are pretty. The blue dress isnt gorgeous, but its very pretty.
gorgeous
graceful
pretty
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1. She wore a _______________________________ costume made of red and green silk. 2. He was modest about his looks, even though he was very ______________________________. 3. The daffodils are _______________________________, but they cant compare with the beauty of the roses. 4. As she left the stage, the singer waved in a ______________________________ way to her fans.
Partner Work
1. Discuss the sentences you completed for Writing Practice. Explain your choices.
Writing on Your Own

Use a dictionary to find the exact meaning of each word below. Write the meaning. Then use the word in a sentence of your own. Example: request
2. With your partner, read aloud each boldfaced word and its meaning. Then use each word in a sentence. Example: leave: to go away from or move away from The bus will leave the terminal at 8
A.M.
Meaning: ask for something or ask someone to do something Sentence: I requested a favor from my teacher. 1. beg Meaning: ________________________________________ Sentence:______________________________________ ________________________________________________ 2. coax Meaning: ________________________________________ Sentence:__________________________________________ __________________________________________________ 3. demand Meaning: ______________________________________ Sentence:________________________________________ __________________________________________________ 4. plead Meaning: ________________________________________ Sentence:__________________________________________ __________________________________________________
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a. quit: to stop doing something ________________________________________________ b. vacate: to go away from a place and leave nothing in it ________________________________________________ c. abandon: to leave a place or person and never return ________________________________________________
Section 4 Review
A. Underline the complete subject once. Underline the complete predicate twice. 1. The Thanksgiving Day parade will begin at noon. 2. Most of the marchers are wearing uniforms. 3. My father and my uncle march with the Vietnam veterans. D. Correctly use but or because to combine the following sentences. 1. She packed her suitcase. She forgot to put it in the car. __________________________________________________ 2. He ordered a salad. He is on a strict diet. __________________________________________________ 3. The lights went out. You forgot to pay the electric bill. __________________________________________________
B. Copy each sentence. Use capital letters and end punctuation correctly. 1. what a pleasure it will be to see my friends again __________________________________________________ 2. well get together for a big party __________________________________________________ 3. did you send the invitations __________________________________________________ 4. please bring something to eat __________________________________________________
E. Underline the two phrases in each sentence. 1. Little kids enjoy the amusement park. 2. The water slide is very popular. 3. Some kids slide over and over.
C. Combine the sentences below with and. 1. Tony likes sci-fi movies. Tony likes sci-fi books. __________________________________________________ 2. Jorge designed the poster. Terry made copies of it. __________________________________________________ 3. Look at this drawing. Tell me what you think of it. __________________________________________________
F. Draw one line under each independent clause. Draw two lines under each dependent clause. 1. We waited for the letter but it never arrived. 2. She watered the flowers so that they wouldnt die. 3. We will go to the movies if we have time. 4. I dont know why he hasnt arrived. 5. I wrapped the present and Lenore signed the card.
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Handbook
A
handbook provides directions or short notes on
specific topics. Heres what youll find in this handbook:
section
Contents
1. Rules for Capitalization and Punctuation . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 74 2. Synonyms and Antonyms . . . . . . . . . . 76 3. Abbreviations . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 77 4. Words Often Confused. . . . . . . . . . . . . 78 5. Idiomatic Expressions . . . . . . . . . . . . . 79 6. Irregular Verbs . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 80 7. Taking Tests . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 82 8. Writing Letters . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 84
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1. Rules for Capitalization and Punctuation

Capital Letters
1. Capitalize the first word in a sentence. We waited at the corner. 2. Capitalize the word I. Max and I washed the car. 3. Capitalize the names of particular people, cities, states, countries, buildings, and streets. She asked Luis Uribe to describe the Colombian city of Medelin. The Empire State Building is on Fifth Avenue in New York. 4. Capitalize a title used with a persons name. I asked Miss Seacrove and Dr. Allan to give me a recommendation for the job. 5. Capitalize the names of days, months, and holidays. Do not capitalize the names of the four seasons. Our spring vacation begins on Monday, March 21. In November, we celebrate Thanksgiving with our whole family. 6. Capitalize the names of languages, religions, and nationalities. Many Americans study Buddhism. Many people in Switzerland speak French and German. 7. Capitalize the names of clubs, organizations, businesses, and groups. We asked the Tinnitus Ear Breakers to play at the Fast Track Club. She was offered a great job by the president of Cyber Works. 8. Capitalize the beginning of a direct quotation. Samantha yelled, Dont forget to wash the car. 9. Capitalize the first word, last word, and all other important words in book and story titles. I just read For Whom the Bell Tolls.
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The title of his story is I Like It, But...

Periods
1. Use a period at the end of a statement or command. The band has rehearsed for days. Please clap when you hear them play. 2. Use a period after an abbreviation. He arrived at Spring St. at 4 3. Use a period after an initial. The winners are Elaine T. Jones and E. J. Walker.
P.M.
If the two names come in the middle of a sentence, place a comma after the second name. They traveled to Davis, West Virginia, last summer. 3. Use a comma after introductory words such as yes and no. No, I wont be able to come to the party. Yes, supper is ready. 4. Use a comma in a long compound sentence. She worked very hard during high school, and many colleges offered her scholarships and student loans. He had tried to help his friend, but somehow his efforts never paid off. 5. Use a comma to set off the name of a
Question Marks
Use a question mark a the end of a question. Is this the right road? Where on Earth are we? asked Beryl.
Exclamation Points
Use an exclamation point to show strong feeling. What a fantastic time we had at the party! Ouch! That hurts!
person spoken to. Charlie, you may be right. I think, Charlie, that you may be right. Lets go home and eat, Charlie. 6. Use a comma to separate an introductory dependent clause from the rest of the sentence. Although I had met her before, I couldnt remember her name. After the movie was over, we discussed it. 7. Use a comma after the greeting of a friendly
Commas
1. Use a comma after items in a series. He bought bread, milk, eggs, and yogurt. Mindy, Jake, and Lenore organized the trip. 2. Use a comma to separate the name of a city from the name of a state or country. They traveled to Davis, West Virginia.
letter and after the closing of any letter. (See pages 84 and 85 for examples.)
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2. Synonyms and Antonyms

Synonyms are words that are very close in meaning. The small differences,
however, are usually important. Here are some examples of synonyms:
every, all, entire He ate every cookie in the box. He ate all the cookies in the box. He ate an entire box of cookies.
push, shove, nudge They pushed the car out of the ditch. Some people were shoving their way into the line. She got my attention by nudging me with her elbow.
Here are some other commonly used synonyms: yank, drag, tug, haul contribute, donate, present expensive, valuable, costly lengthen, stretch, extend, continue law, rule, regulation examine, investigate, explore serious, solemn, thoughtful shake, tremble, shudder, shiver decrease, shorten, cut, dwindle special, particular, unique strength, power, energy sudden, quick, hasty, abrupt weak, feeble, frail, flimsy danger, peril, menace, threat delicious, appetizing, tasty throw, toss, pitch, hurl
Antonyms are words with opposite meanings.

Examples: to, from in, out all, none different, same less, more lost, found stay, leave apart, together off, on up, down like, dislike yes, no begin, end dark, light last, first start, stop
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3. Abbreviations
Abbreviations of Words Used in Addresses
Ave. (Avenue) St. (Street) Rd. (Road) Dr. (Drive) Blvd. (Boulevard) Apt. (Apartment) Rte. (Route)
Mr. Henry Miller 1560 Kendall St. Apt. 9B Delmarville, NY 15672
Examples of Post Office Abbreviations for Names of States

Ask at your post office for a complete list. AL (Alabama) AK (Alaska) AZ (Arizona) AR (Arkansas) NE (Nebraska) NV (Nevada) NH (New Hampshire) NY (New York)
Abbreviations of Words Used in Measurements

yd. (yard) ft. (foot) in. (inch) km (kilometer) g (gram) pt. (pint) qt. (quart) gal. (gallon) oz. (ounce) lb. (pound) tsp. (teaspoon) tbsp. (tablespoon)
Abbreviations of the Names of Months

(May, June, and July are not abbreviated.) Jan. (January) Feb. (February) Mar. (March) Apr. (April) Aug. (August) Sept. (September) Oct. (October) Nov. (November) Dec. (December)
Abbreviations of Time Words

yr. (year) mo. (month) wk. ( week) hr. (hour) min. (minute) sec. (second)
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4. Words Often Confused

Many words look
similar in writing. These words, however, really do have
different spellings, and they have different meanings, too. Be sure to use the
correct spelling when you write.

1. alley ally 2. anyway any way 3. desert An alley is a narrow street between buildings. He found the puppy in an alley. An ally is someone who supports you. She was my ally in our demand for better day-care for kids. Anyway means regardless or in spite of. I dont care what you think. Ill do it anyway. Any way means in whatever way. Well rescue the child in any way possible. A desert is a huge area of dry land. The camels plodded across the desert. Desert means to leave or abandon someone. Dont desert me in this awful place! A dessert is something to eat. For dessert, he served apple pie and ice cream. Later means after this particular time. Ill register as a voter later today. Latter means the last of two things mentioned. Of the two photos you showed me, I prefer the latter. Loose means not tight. These jeans are too loose on me. Lose means to misplace something. Dont lose your ticket to the concert. Of means part of or belonging to. The beginning of the story was fascinating. Off is the opposite of on. She jumped off the ski lift. Quiet means silent. The children were quiet as they watched the play. Quite means very. It is quite cold today. A picture is a drawing. I drew a picture of my brother. A pitcher is a someone who throws a ball. The pitcher struck a lot of players out. Pitcher can also mean a container that holds liquid. We poured the lemonade into the pitcher. Than is used for comparing two things. She can run faster than I can. Then means the next thing that happened. She studied the assignment, and then she completed it.
dessert 4. later latter 5. loose lose 6. of off 7. quiet quite 8. picture pitcher
9. than then
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5. Idiomatic Expressions
An
idiom is a phrase or expression whose meaning cant be understood from the
ordinary meanings of the words in it. For example, Get off my back! is an idiom meaning Stop bothering me! The idiom You hit the nail on the head means Youre exactly right. Here are some other idioms you might use in your writing.
Idiom
Were in hot water. Drop me a line. She gave him a dirty look. The traffic was heavy. We dont see eye to eye. Were all in the same boat. The boss just gave him the ax. You really put your foot in your mouth. The judge threw the book at her. This car can stop on a dime. Im hung up on this problem. Its in the bag. Im stumped. He passed the test by the skin of his teeth. Lets see which way the wind blows. She let the cat out of the bag. You cant pull the wool over my eyes. He gave me a leg up. Give me a hand with this assignment. He thinks hes hot stuff. Shell full of herself. I gave the assignment my all. Lets face the music. The story really got to me.
Meaning
Were in trouble. Write me a short letter or call me sometime. She looked at him angrily. There was a lot of traffic. We dont agree. We all have the same problem. The boss just fired him. You really said the wrong thing. The judge gave her a severe penalty. This car can stop very quickly. I cant figure out this problem. It will surely happen. I cant figure this out. He barely passed the test. Lets see what happens. She told the secret. You cant fool me. He helped me when I was in need. Help me with this assignment. Hes conceited. Shes conceited. I worked very hard on the assignment. Lets admit were in a difficult situation. The story affected me strongly.
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6. Irregular Verbs
As you learned on pages 32 and 33,
regular verbs form their past and past participle by adding -ed. As you learned on pages 34 and 35, irregular verbs
form their past and past participle in very different ways. Example: (present) Lets sing that song together. (past) They sang off key. (past participle) They have sung that song too often. Use the lists on these pages to help you choose the correct forms of irregular verbs in your writing. You can also use a dictionary to find irregular past and past participle forms. Look under the present tense form of the verb.
Present
Past
Past Participle
(Use with have, has, had.)
be become begin bet break bring buy choose cut draw drive fall feel find forgive
was became began bet broke brought bought chose cut drew drove fell felt found forgave
been become begun bet broken brought bought chosen cut drawn driven fallen felt found forgiven
Here are some sample sentences using present forms. Please be quiet. The story begins on page 8. Your sad story breaks my heart. I drive to work every day on Route 8. She buys too much stuff from the Shopping Channel.
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Here are some sample sentences using past and past participle forms. He was tired. He had been out late the night before. She became a teacher. She has become devoted to her students. They began a neighborhood campaign. They have begun to find a lot of support. He bet that Tony would win the race. He had bet on Tony before. Last year Tony broke racing records. Has he broken any this year? You bought a lot of stuff today. Have you ever bought that much before? He cut his hand while he was working. He had cut his arm the same way last year. He drove the Land Rover through Mercer Park. Had he driven that way before? I forgave him for making fun of me. I have forgiven him many times before. Here are some sample sentences using present forms. He hides his fears from other people. She keeps her money under the mattress. Please leave the check in my mailbox. I often lose my car keys. He often rides the bus to Boston.
Present
Past
Past Participle
(Use with have, has, had.)
hide hit keep lean leave lose meet ride run send shake shrink sink sit speak stand steal swim teach tear think throw understand win write
hid hit kept leaned left lost met rode ran sent shook shrank sank sat spoke stood stole swam taught tore thought threw understood won wrote
hidden hit kept leaned left lost met ridden run sent shaken shrunk sunk sat spoken stood stolen swum taught torn thought thrown understood won written
Below are a few sample sentences using past and past participle forms. They hid the prize behind the tree. They have never hidden it there before. He kept the money in a safe. Has he always kept his money there? She left the kids at the day-care center. She had left their lunch in the kitchen. Mary lost the race. She had never lost a race before. He rode his bike to work today. He has ridden it to work all summer.
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7. Taking Tests
To do well on a test, you must: (1) indicate or write the correct answer; (2) show the correct answer in the way the directions tell you to.
Direction Words to Know

Circle Check Put an X Print Underline
Print or print
Underline
You must
fill in
the correct answer.
Below are examples of directions and correct ways to answer the questions.
1. Circle the number of the correct answer. The capital of the United States is (1) Philadelphia. (2) New York City.
(3) Washington, D.C.
2. Fill in the correct answer to the question. Alaska AK is the abbreviation for the state of (a) Alaska (b) Arizona (c) Alabama
3. Put a check in the box to show the correct answer to the question. What country is directly north of the United States? Canada England Mexico
4. Put an X in the box beside the row of letters. Put a of letters. AWER A W E R
in the box by the column
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5. Underline the word that means almost the same as the word in capital letters. (a) RESCUE brave save dare yell (b) SCREAM talk fear
ANSWER SHEET
a. 1 b. 1 c. 1 2 2 2 3 3 3 4 4 4
anger
yell
Essay Questions
The following are examples of true-false questions. Every part of a true-false statement must be true, or the statement is false. Be careful of words like all, always, every, and never. Examples: Circle T or F to tell whether the sentence is true or false. 1. T F All wild animals are dangerous to humans. 2. T F Most of Earth is made up of oceans and other water. 3. T F Holidays always occur on weekends. To answer an essay question, you must write several sentences on a specific topic. A good way to begin is to restate the question as an opening statement. Then add several sentences that back up or support your opening statement. Example essay question: What are some problems in our community today? Example of a way to begin the essay: Our community has several problems these days. One problem is the lack of day-care facilities for children of working parents. Another problem is the number of teenagers who get in trouble after school because there are no after-school activities for them. (You would add to this essay with other examples of community.)
Answer Sheets
For some tests, you must put your answer on a separate sheet or form. Be sure to mark the answer sheet according to the directions. Examples: Find the right answer. Underline the number on the answer sheet. a. Which word does not belong in the group? 1. tall 2. person 3. short 4. tiny b. Which word does not belong in the group? 1. look 2. gaze 3. stare 4. like c. Which word names a feeling? 1. luck 2. prize 3. happy 4. winning
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8. Writing Letters
While many of us communicate via e-mail these days, there are situations when a handwritten letter is more appropriate. Here are some models of social
letters
that you might write by hand and then send through the post office. Notice that a social letter has five parts to it. Also notice where capital letters are used.
A Thank-You Note:
1. HEADING Your address and todays date
2. GREETING Name of person to whom you are writing. Put a comma after the name.
A Letter of Sympathy
8 Dillono Street Twigsberry, NY 12 879 August 18, 2002
HEADING
3. BODY The main part of the letter
4. CLOSING Follow with a comma. 5. SIGNATURE Your name in longhand
Dear Elmore and Sa rah, GREETING Were so sorry to hear about Willies death. He was such a grea BODY t dog! I remember how he cuddled up to our cat, Sissy, and how happy he was to meet all ki nds of visitors. We w ill miss him a lot. All our love, Jack and Susan
SIGNATURE CLOSING
BUSINESS LETTERS
The box below contains some examples of when you might write a business letter. to apply for a job
to express your opinion in a newspaper letters column to write to a political representative
to order something from a store
Notice that a business letter has six parts to it. Also notice that you use a colon (:), not a comma, after the greeting, and that you print your name under your signature.
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1. HEADING The heading in a business letter should include the senders address and todays date.
12 Wolf Drive San Solo, CA 94611 May 9, 2002 Editor The San Solo Weekly Times 4123 Fair Street San Solo, CA 94611 Dear Editor: I want to thank the Weekly Times for the advance publicity you gave to our annual Fur Ball. As a result, more than two hundred people attended the event and we raised $12,000 for the Animal Rescue Center. Thanks to everyone who attended! Sincerely,
5. CLOSING 2. INSIDE ADDRESS The address of the person to whom you are writing. This same address appears on the envelope.
3. GREETING Put a colon after the name.
4. BODY
6. SIGNATURE
Jenny Atwater
Jenny Atwater
RETURN ADDRESS The address of the sender

Jenny Atwater Animal Rescue Center 12 Wolf Drive San Solo, CA 94611
Editor The San Solo Weekly Times 4123 Fair Street San Solo, CA 94611
ADDRESS The address of the person to whom you are sending the letter
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Answer Key
Section 1: Spelling
pp. 67 Writing Practice
1. aunt, sent 2. be, meet 3. here, whole

1. Tammys 2. Steves 3. Theyll 4. Well 5. Youll
Writing on Your Own

Answers will vary.

1. enter, fall, grow, hand, ill 2. candy, dandy, ever, fun, gun
Partner Work Partner Work

2. a. choose, wrap b. hear, bee c. ant, hole d. scent, meat 2. a. Ill b. shell c. hell d. itll e. well
3. kick, low, many, never, open 4. run, see, time, under, very 5. box, jam, next, play, van
Writing on Your Own

1. Youll, were, well, Adells, hell, Ill 2. a. c. e. They will It will he will b. Lana is
Partner Work
2. pear, pint, potato, pound straight, strange, stretch, stuff market, meant, meat, melt fight, fright, from, frost tale, tall, tape, tax
Writing on Your Own

Answers will vary.

1. for 2. would 3. fair 4. hour 5. weak 6. too
d. we will
Writing on Your Own

Answers will vary.

1. loved 2. liked 3. talked 4. showed 5. answered

1. Is this the right answer? 2. This is the book I told you about. 3. I think Mr. Ansel lives on Second Avenue. 4. He went to work on Tuesday, April 25. 5. They live at Fern Gardens in New Jersey.
Writing on Your Own

1. a. hole: opening b. wood: tree product c. fare: cost of transportation d. our: belonging to us e. two: a number
Partner Work
2. a. c. walk talk look b. jump
Partner Work
2. a. Maria is reading a book called The Mystery of Wilderness Castle.

1. Im 2. dont 3. theyre 4. Thats 5. hes
d. show e.
Writing on Your Own

Answers will vary.
b. I read Work in the 21st Century to get some tips about good jobs. c. The TV show Heres George! is based on the movie Wheres George?

1. drew d. isnt e. arent 2. caught 3. saw 4. chose 5. found d. is not e. are not 6. thought Shes doesnt She is does not
d. I have two tickets for the musical The Phantom Cats.
Partner Work
2. a. c. 3. a c. b. its
Writing on Your Own

Tina and Andre are driving through the state of New Mexico. Its early in the month of April, and Andre is looking at his guide book, The American Southwest. We have to go to the city of Santa Fe! says Andre. It was featured on the TV program Land of Enchantment, and I want to check it out. Tina says, Maybe we can stay there overnight on Monday with Mrs. Perez!
b. it is
Partner Work
2. keep hold bring do
Writing on Your Own

Were, Im, Its, isnt, shes, dont
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Answer Key
p. 22
Section 1 Review
A. 1. sent 2. two, four 3. hear, here B. 1. Ill 2. isnt, Jakes 3. doesnt, shell C. 1. kept 2. caught, brought 3. showed, drew D. question, quick, quiet, quit, quiz E. 1. We drove to the city of Helena, Montana. 2. On Tuesday, Laurie and I missed the bus. 3. Who likes the TV program So You Think Youre So Smart? 4. The cars were in bad shape. 5. Lenny and I try to see our parents at least once a month. 2. Angry passengers wandered around the airport. 3. All the flights were late. 4. Bad weather on the east coast delayed the flights. 5. A great many people spent Christmas at the airport.
Writing on Your Own

After my sister graduates form highschool, she will go to the community college. The college is near our home, and it offers a variety of classes. Business Skills and Computer Literacy are the two most popular classes. They are offered five days a week and on four evenings. Mr. Lennon teaches the evening classes. He is a great teacher. Rocky and I studied with him last year, so we advised my sister to register for the evening classes.

1. helped 2. opened 3. saves 4. works 5. moved 6. jumped
Section 2: Nouns and Verbs

Different answers are possible in most cases. Example answers: 1. The shoe didnt fit. 2. Spanish is an important language. 3. Basketball was his favorite sport. 4. Gloria owns a grocery store. 5. The snakes scared us. 6. Dogs make good pets. 7. The airport was crowded. 8. Robins flew over our house.

1. restroom 2. handwriting 3. phone number 4. science teacher 5. notebook
Partner Work
2. Present tense: After I, use cry. After she, use cries. After it, use passes.
Writing on Your Own

1. Past Past Participle (have, has, had) hoped needed rested yelled
Partner Work
2. Answers will vary. hoped needed rested yelled
Writing on Your Own

Answers will vary.
Partner Work
2. a. house b. Jacob c. Music d. sound 3. Answers will vary. e. bird f. flowers g. people h. friend

1. Different answers are possible in most cases. Example answers: a. c. The dog liked the cat. A lot of people attended the fair. b. We hated that movie. d. Everyone in our class passed the test. e. Some of the lessons in the book are hard.
2. Answers will vary. Examples: a. The baby has rested for an hour. b. The coach yelled at the players. c. He has needed extra help for a long time. d. We hoped our team would win first prize.
Writing on Your Own

Answers will vary.

1. flew 2. flown 3. heard 4. eaten 5. seen 6. Did

1. She recommended it to us. 2. It is definitely worth reading. 3. They admired the main character. 4. He had read it several times. 5. We thought it was better than the book.
2. a. works b. trains c. got d. praised e. needs
Partner Work
3. a. c. read, chose b. sang, danced likes, hates feels, reads d. was, is e.
Partner Work
2. Answers will vary. Examples: They take a vacation every year. She takes the test on Monday. He took his dog to the animal hospital. He had taken all his pets there before.
Partner Work
2. 1. Arnold did a good job. 2. The plane left on time. 3. Renee shops on Monday or Tuesday.
Writing on Your Own

1. Most students left for the holiday.
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Writing on Your Own

Answers will vary.
2. saw 3. went 4. rang 5. done
Partner Work
2. a. cuter b. nicer c. more intelligent d. tougher e. more inquisitive

1. noun 2. verb 3. verb 4. noun 5. noun 6. verb
Writing on Your Own
Section 3: Adjectives and Adverbs

Answers will vary. Examples: 1. He made several mistakes on the test. 2. She prepared a delicious dessert. 3. It was difficult. 4. The little kids didnt like the scary movie. 5. They made a beautiful poster for the fair. 6. The trees are green and full of blossoms. 7. Nobody liked that silly TV program. 8. The first contestants won a special prize.
Answers will vary.

1 and 2 a. Thats the smallest dog Ive ever seen! b. It was the most difficult test wed had all year. c. Whats the longest book youve ever read? d. The mayor has the most responsible job in our town. e. They have the most beautiful garden on our block. f. We took the shortest route to the park.
Partner Work
2. Answers will vary. Examples: a. He cooks in a famous restaurant. b. The music sounds funny. c. He liked the sound of the ocean waves. d. My boyfriend loves classical music.
Writing on Your Own

Answers will vary.

1. noun 2. verb 3. noun 4. verb
Partner Work
2. Answers will vary. Examples: a. The house was gloomy. b. She gave confusing directions. c. We had a horrible time at the party. d. The brave sailors rescued the sinking ship.
Writing on Your Own

The newest store at the mall is SellMore. They claim to have the lowest prices and the most helpful staff of any store around here. However, the signs in the store are the most confusing Ive ever seen. The most peculiar sign said Not in This Section.
Partner Work
2. Answers will vary. Examples: a. leader. Sam is the leader of he band. b. reader. Shes a good reader. c. worker. He is a worker at Louies garage.
Writing on Your Own

Answers will vary.

1 and 2 a. Their house is bigger than ours.
Writing on Your Own

Answers will vary.

Answers will vary. Examples: 1. The reports are due tomorrow. 2. The class listened nervously. 3. He mislaid his homework somewhere. 4. We cautiously followed the directions. 5. They bravely climbed the steep cliff. 6. She threw the book down.
p. 40 Section 2 Review
A. 1. classroom, laughter 2. package, post office 3. soccer game, Central Park 4. deer, grass 5. Jeff, computer class B. 1. She 2. It 3. They 4. We 5. He C. 1. wrapped, sent 2. made, turned 3. swerved, drove 4. answer, check D. 1. known
b. Her story is longer than mine. c. His ghost story was more terrifying than the one I wrote. d. Sutter Lake is deeper than Long Lake. e. The end of her story is more unusual than yours.
Writing on Your Own

2. Jen stepped confidently up to the starting line. She usually felt nervous, but today she knew she would surely win the race. The starting whistle blew loudly. Jen ran swiftly, but saw that Peter was quickly catching up with her. Jen breathed deeply and plunged toward the finish line.
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Answer Key
Answers may vary. Examples: 1. He is least likely to succeed. 2. The mail arrived fairly early today. 3. They watched helplessly as the boat drifted away. 4. Our electric bill was definitely lower this month. 5. She angrily tossed the ball over the fence.
Writing on Your Own

Answers will vary.

1. 2. 3. 4. 5. 6. 7. 8. verb verb noun adverb adjective noun noun adverb
D. 1. 2. 3. 4.
more clearly later easily fastest
Section 4: Building Sentences

1. The audience/was fascinated by the performance. 2. All of the performers/wore beautiful costumes. 3. Two guitarists/provided the music. 4. Everyone in the audience/applauded. 5. This group/has fans all over the world.
Partner Work
2. Answers will vary. Examples: a. He wrote the best answer. (adjective) b. She had the winning number. (adjective) c. He drove slower when he got to town. (adverb) d. Lena opened the door carefully. (adverb)
Partner Work
2. 1. My older brother/applied for a job at the pool. 2. Ralph/is an excellent swimmer. 3. He/often gives lessons at the YMCA. 4. Most little children/need lots of instruction about safety. 5. A responsible parent/watches the child every minute.
Partner Work
2. Answers will vary. Examples: a. She acted quite silly during the rehearsal. b. He looked awfully sad as he spoke about his grandmother. c. They arrived in our town fairly recently. d. He does his very best when hes on his own. e. It hurt quite badly when they pulled out the stitches.
Writing on Your Own

Answers will vary. Examples: 1.They suddenly reached the end of the road. 2. He successfully finished his assignment. 3. The hurricane was dangerous. 4. She cuddled the kitten lovingly. 5. Linda is a great writer. 6. I had a great idea. 7. We took a trip to Washington, D.C. 8. It was a slow train.
Writing on Your Own

Answers will vary.
Writing on Your Own

Answers will vary.

1. Did you get to work on time? 2. The boss was glad to see me. 3 What a pile of work there was on my desk! 4. Dont forget our lunch date. 5. Where are we meeting? 6. Write down the address. 7. Youll like the food there a lot. 8. Wow, what a fantastic menu this is!

1. The test results arrived more quickly than we had expected. 2. She sings most clearly when she is part of a choir. 3. He does his chores more easily than his sister does. 4. They eat supper earlier than we do. 5. That train arrives latest on Monday. 6. Which of the ten contestants ran fastest in the race?
A. 1. Some students read exciting mysteries. 2. The first book was short. 3. The longest chapter described an amazing discovery. B. 1. 2. 3. 4. 5. older weirdest more interested most popular softer
Partner Work
2. a. What a crowd there is at lunch time! b. Taxis honk their horns. c. Is the bus full? d. Dont take a bus. e. I ordered the salad.
Partner Work
3. a. His desk looks neater than mine. b. This story is the longest Ive ever written. c. She seems happier today than she did yesterday. d. That movie is the scariest one Ive seen in a long time. e. This dress is prettier than that one.
Writing on Your Own

C. 1.They almost lost their way. 2. She is a truly great friend. 3. He put the book down. 4. We never leave the kids. Answers will vary.
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1. My grandmother and grandfather visited over the holidays. 2. I swept up the leaves and Tim trimmed the bushes. 3. She applied for the job and waited for the answer. 4. Selma wrote the play, and her friends played the different roles. 5. The truck entered the driveway and knocked over the mailbox. 6. Luis gobbled up the sandwich and asked for another one. 7. Jake plays the bongos and Ellie plays the flute. 8. The puppy curled up at my feet and went to sleep.
Partner Work
2. a. I threw the darts, but I kept missing the target. b. She joined the YWCA because she wanted to use the swimming pool there. c. Fido was a huge dog with long teeth, but he was very friendly. d. I watched the TV show, but I fell asleep halfway through it. e. I took my car to Lemmons Repair because their prices are lower.
Writing on Your Own

Answers will vary. Example: The most popular movie this month was Revenge of the Spider People. We sat through the entire thing. None of us liked the ridiculous plot. We couldnt identify the best parts of the movie.

1. a. The movie was boring, so we left before it ended. b. Linda drove and Kerry read the directions on the map. c. Josh has a new computer, but he doesnt know how to use it. 2. a. They will tell us when they are ready. b. Use the map so that you dont get lost. c. She wouldnt explain why she was scared. d. Doreen couldnt figure out which answer was correct.
Writing on Your Own

1. I cant eat peanuts because Im allergic to them. 2. I went to the museum because I wanted to see the new dinosaur exhibit there. 3. She wants to learn Spanish, but she cant find a good teacher. 4. The car is twenty years old, but it still runs well. 5. The tree fell over because the wind storm was severe.
Partner Work
2. Paragraphs will vary. Example: We got on the bus and traveled to the museum. We went inside and saw the exhibit of dinosaurs. After we ate lunch, we went to the IMAX theater and saw a movie about dolphins. Then we hopped a bus and went home. We told my Dad about what we learned.
Writing on Your Own pp. 6667 Writing Practice

Answers will vary. Examples: 1. Look at the picture on the wall. 2. The frame is old. 3. The artist painted with watercolors. 4. People buy her paintings. 5. I cant afford to buy one. 6. She makes a lot of money. 7. She has bills to pay. 8. She works every day on her paintings. Answers will vary. Examples: 1. The party ended when the tent blew over. 2. She locked the gate so that the puppies were safe. 3. The electricity went out after everyone had gone to bed. 4. He finished reading the book as the lights went out. 5. They went swimming while it was still warm. 6. There wont be any food left if you arrive too late.
Writing on Your Own

Paragraphs will vary. Example: Jon and I went to the yard sale. We saw a lot of beat-up furniture and some stained and dirty clothing. Jon decided it wasnt worth staying any longer, and said he wanted to go home. Then all of a sudden I saw a beautiful painting of a horse running along the shore. It cost only $8.00. I bought it and hung it in my bedroom.

1. a. They packed the van, but there wasnt enough room for everything. b. The cold winter wind howled outside, but everyone inside was warm and cozy. c. We boarded on time, but the plane was delayed on the runway. 2. a. The kids were unhappy because the TV was broken. b. He liked her because she was honest and had a great sense of humor. c. I missed the bus because my alarm clock didnt go off.
Partner Work
2. Answers will vary. Examples: a. A great many people attended the fair. (noun) b. The noise never stopped. (verb) c. The dog jumped over the wall. (adverb, modifies the verb jumped) d. The volunteers at the Animal Shelter organized a party. (adjective, modifies the noun volunteers)

1. 2. 3. 4. gorgeous handsome pretty graceful
Partner Work
Answers will vary. Examples: a. He decided to quit smoking. b. They were asked to vacate the apartment. c. We decided to abandon that campground and look for a better one.
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Answer Key
Writing on Your Own
Example sentences: 1. Im going to beg Mr. Hendrik to let me retake the test. 2. She coaxed the baby to eat the cereal. 3. The landlord demands that we pay the rent on time. 4. The captives plead for mercy.
A. 1. The Thanksgiving Day parade will begin at noon. 2. Most of the marchers are wearing uniforms. 3. My father and my uncle march with the Vietnam veterans. B. 1. What a pleasure it will be to see my friends again! 2. Well get together for a big party. 3. Did you send the invitations? 4. Please bring something to eat. C. 1. Tony likes scifi movies and books. 2. Jorge designed the poster and Terry made copies of it. 3. Look at this drawing and tell me what you think of it. D. 1. She packed her suitcase, but she forgot to put it in the car. 2. He ordered a salad because he is on a strict diet. 3. The lights went out because you forgot to pay the electric bill. E. 1. Little kids enjoy the amusement park. 2. The water slide is very popular. 3. Some kids slide over and over. F. 1. We waited for the letter but it never arrived. 2. She watered the flowers so that they wouldnt die. 3. We will go to the movies if we have time. 4. I dont know why he hasnt arrived. 5. I wrapped the present and Lenore signed the card.
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REAL-LIFE WRITING

sharing your ideas with

1. Spelling Words That Sound the Same

homophones. Here are some

hearlisten herethis place holeopening wholecomplete meatbeef meetgreet raphit

Use what youve learned.

Writing on Your Own

2. More Words That Sound the Same

forin favor of foura number

woodtree product wouldwilling to

fairhonest farecost of transportation

tooalso twoa number

weaknot strong hoursixty minutes ourbelonging to us weekseven days

Use what youve learned.

Writing on Your Own

2. Now, write your own sentences using the words above.

a. ____________________________________________ ____________________________________________ b. ____________________________________________ ____________________________________________ c. ____________________________________________ ____________________________________________

d. ____________________________________________ ____________________________________________ e. ____________________________________________ ____________________________________________

Two Words I am he is she is we are you are they are

Contraction Im hes shes were youre theyre

Two Words it is that is is not are not does not do not

Contraction its thats isnt arent doesnt dont

Use what youve learned.

She is a.____________________ d. ________________ b.______________________ e.__________________ c.______________________

Writing on Your Own

contraction is a short form of two words. You know that

apostrophe stands for the letter that is left out.

Use what youve learned.

Writing on Your Own

5. Spelling Words to Tell About the Past

Notice that to form the past, or

past tense, of the words above, you add -ed

Present Tense talk look show love

Past Tense talked looked showed loved

Use what youve learned.

Writing on Your Own

6. More Words About the Past

I think about the story. I thought about the story.

6. They _______________ about the test. think

Use what youve learned.

Writing on Your Own