Grammar Answer Book

Analysis Keys and Notes for Teachers
for
A KISS Grammar
Second Grade Workbook
Free, from the KISS Grammar Web Site

http://home.pct.edu/~evavra/kiss/wb/Pbooks/index.htm
© Edward A. Vavra
April, 2008
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Contents
For Parents and Teachers..........................................................................................................

Teachers..........................................................................................................5
5
Introduction to the KISS Grade-Level Workbooks............................................................
Workbooks............................................................5 5
Introduction to the Workbook for Grade Two.....................................................................
Two.....................................................................9 9
Codes and Colors for Analysis Keys.............................................................................................................12
Analysis Keys & Notes for Teachers...................................................................................
Teachers...................................................................................14 14
1. Subjects, Verbs and Sentences.........................................................................................
Sentences.........................................................................................14
14
1 What Is a Sentence? Ex # 1........................................................................................................................14
2. The Punctuation of a Sentence........................................................................................
Sentence........................................................................................16
16
4 Punctuating a Sentence (Ex # 1)................................................................................................................16
5 Punctuating a Sentence (Ex # 2)................................................................................................................17
3. Recognizing Single-Word Verbs (and their Subjects)...................................................
Subjects)...................................................18
18
6 Recognizing Subjects and Verbs (Ex # 1)..................................................................................................18
4. Adding Simple Complements..........................................................................................
Complements..........................................................................................21
21
11 Adding Complements (Ex # 1)..................................................................................................................22
12 Adding Complements (Ex # 2).................................................................................................................22
15 A Punctuation Exercise – Quotation Marks...........................................................................................25
5. Verb Phrases......................................................................................................................
Phrases......................................................................................................................28
28
23. Adding Helping Verbs (Ex # 1)................................................................................................................30
28. Adding Helping Verbs (Modal) Ex # 1....................................................................................................34
33. Adding Helping Verbs (Other) Ex # 1....................................................................................................37
37. Contractions (Ex # 1)...............................................................................................................................42
38. Contractions (Ex # 2)...............................................................................................................................43
39. Contractions (Ex # 3)...............................................................................................................................44
6 - Identifying Nouns, Pronouns, Adjectives, & Adverbs..................................................
Adverbs..................................................45
45
42. Identifying Nouns.....................................................................................................................................45
43. Identifying Pronouns................................................................................................................................46
44. Identifying Pronouns................................................................................................................................47
46. Identifying Adjectives..............................................................................................................................48
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48. Identifying Adverbs..................................................................................................................................49
7. More Practice with Adjectives and Adverbs..................................................................
Adverbs..................................................................50
50
50. Adjectives and Adverbs (Ex # 1).............................................................................................................50
55. Apostrophes to Show Possession Ex # 1.................................................................................................55
56. Apostrophes to Show Possession Ex # 2.................................................................................................56
8. Compounds.......................................................................................................................
Compounds.......................................................................................................................57
57
59. Compounds (Ex # 1).................................................................................................................................57
60. Compounds (Ex # 2).................................................................................................................................58
9. Adding Simple Prepositional Phrases.............................................................................
Phrases.............................................................................59
59
65. Adding Prepositional Phrases (Ex # 1)...................................................................................................59
67. A Punctuation Exercise............................................................................................................................61
70. An Exercise in Punctuation.....................................................................................................................63
74. A Matching Game with Prepositional Phrases......................................................................................65
77. A Punctuation Exercise............................................................................................................................67
10. “You” Understood as the Subject..................................................................................
Subject..................................................................................68
68
80. “You” as the Understood Subject Ex # 1................................................................................................68
81. “You” as the Understood Subject Ex # 2................................................................................................68
82. “You” as the Understood Subject–“Betty Blue”...................................................................................69
11 - Sentence Combining & Style.......................................................................................
Style.......................................................................................69
69
86. Using Adjectives & Prepositional Phrases to Combine Sentences.......................................................69
87. Using Prepositional Phrases to Combine Sentences..............................................................................70
88. Sentence Combining with Adjectives.....................................................................................................70
89. Sentence Combining with Prepositional Phrases..................................................................................71
90. Combining to Make Compound Subjects or Verbs...............................................................................72
12. Distinguishing Complements.........................................................................................
Complements.........................................................................................72
72
91. The Subject/Verb/No Complement Pattern...........................................................................................74
92. Focusing on Predicate Adjectives............................................................................................................75
93. Focusing on Predicate Nouns..................................................................................................................75
94. Focusing on Indirect and Direct Objects...............................................................................................76
95. A Special Focus on Indirect Objects.......................................................................................................76
96. Focusing on Subjects and Verbs..............................................................................................................79
97. Focusing on Predicate Adjectives............................................................................................................79
98. Focusing on Predicate Nouns..................................................................................................................80
99. Focusing on Indirect and Direct Objects...............................................................................................80
100. Focusing on Mixed Complements.........................................................................................................81
101. Mixed Complements Ex # 1...................................................................................................................82
105. A Punctuation Exercise..........................................................................................................................84
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112. Jack Sprat...............................................................................................................................................87
13 Assessment........................................................................................................................
Assessment........................................................................................................................87
87
Assessment Quiz # 1.......................................................................................................................................88
Assessment Quiz # 2.......................................................................................................................................89
Assessment Quiz # 3.......................................................................................................................................90
Assessment Quiz # 4.......................................................................................................................................91
Assessment Quiz # 5.......................................................................................................................................92
Assessment Quiz # 6.......................................................................................................................................92
Assessment Quiz # 7.......................................................................................................................................93
Assessment Quiz # 8.......................................................................................................................................94
Assessment Quiz # 9.......................................................................................................................................95
Assessment Quiz # 10.....................................................................................................................................96
Looking Ahead - A Challenging Exercise........................................................................................................97
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For Parents and Teachers

An introduction in the middle of a book is not normal, but this book is set up in this way so
that teachers and parents can print the first part of the book–in as many copies as they need–for
students. This second part includes introductions and explanations for teachers and answer keys
for the exercises. The exercises in Part One are numbered such that you can find the
corresponding answer key in Part Two. Instructional material for students is often included in the
exercises. Where longer explanations are required, you will find it in the green sub-headings in
the table of contents. Note that frequently several exercises are based on the same literary text,
and those texts are indicated in blue in the table of contents.
Part Two begins with a basic introduction to KISS, and then an introduction to this second
grade workbook. These are followed by the “Code and Color Key” for the answer keys to the
exercises. Among the analysis keys, you will find short explanations of each of the twelve
sections of this book.
Introduction to the KISS Grade-Level Workbooks

Because this is the first workbook in the KISS grade-level sequence, some comments are in
order about what KISS is and how it works. KISS is a specific set of grammatical terms
(concepts) and a sequence for teaching them such that students will be able to use them to
understand and intelligently discuss how any English sentence (including their own) works.
KISS is heavily based on 1) research, 2) theory, 3) logic, and 4) common sense. This book,
however, focuses on the practical. But to achieve KISS objectives, parents and teachers should
have at least a minimal understanding of the theories that KISS is built on. These are discussed in
more detail in the separate Introduction to KISS Grammar and in the instructional books for each
of the five KISS levels, so the following are simply short explanations.
Some Crucial Pedagogical Concepts
Vygotsky’s “Zone of Proximal Development”
Lev Vygotsky, a famous educational theorist, argued that any

educational sequence should be based on what he called the “zone of
proximal development.” He visualized this with two concentric circles.
The inner circle symbolizes knowledge that the child has already
mastered. The area between the two circles is the “zone,” and the area
beyond the outer circle represents concepts that the child simply will not
be able to understand until the material within the zone has been
mastered. In math, for example, multiplication makes no sense to a child
who cannot understand addition, and algebra makes no sense to a student who cannot understand
multiplication.
KISS is built on this concept. The major problem in almost all current instruction in
grammar, for example, is that students are taught what subjects and verbs are, but they are not
taught how to identify subjects and verbs in real sentences, including those that they write.
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Subjects and verbs are the core of English sentences, and thus students who cannot identify them
have little chance of understanding more advanced questions of grammar. Within KISS, a clause
is defined as a subject/verb/complement pattern and all the words that modify it. Students who
have not mastered the ability to identify subjects, verbs, and complements, will find clauses to be
unreachable.
Bruner’s “Spiral Curriculum”
Vygotsky's “zone” is intimately connected to Jerome Bruner’s concept of a “spiral

curriculum.” Within such a curriculum, “ideas are first presented in a form and language, honest
though imprecise, which can be grasped by the child, ideas that can be revisited later with greater
precision and power until, finally, the student has achieved the reward of mastery.” (On
Knowing, 107-8). Within the work for second grade, a simple example of this is the introduction
of complements. “Complement” is an inclusive word for predicate adjectives, predicate nouns,
indirect and direct objects. To find a complement, all a student has to do is to learn to ask the
question “Whom or what?” after a verb, as opposed, for example, to the questions “Where?”
“When?” “Why” or “How?” Later, once the students have become comfortable with identifying
complements, they can learn how to distinguish the types of complements (predicate adjectives,
predicate nouns, indirect and direct objects).
Alternative Explanations
Some people (including some grammarians) believe that there should be one and only one
explanation of how any word fits in a sentence. Among themselves, however, grammarians
disagree as to what these explanations should be. Within KISS, your students will be learning
how to analyze sentences from real texts. In so doing, people will see things differently.
Consider, for example, the following sentence from Aesop's "The Ant and the Grasshopper"
I am helping to lay up food for the winter.
Does the prepositional phrase "for the winter" function as an adjective to "food" or as an adverb
to “to lay up?” In one sense, it functions as both. Thus, within KISS, some students will explain
it as an adjective, and other students will explain it as an adverb. Either explanation should be
accepted. The validity of an explanation depends on its making sense to the people who are using
it. That includes both the person making the explanation and the people to whom it is being
explained.
Exercises Should Be Based on Real Texts
KISS focuses an enabling students to analyze and meaningfully discuss real sentences in real
texts. The best way to reach that objective is to create exercises that are based on real texts.
Using real texts is important for three reasons. First, if the students are reading the texts as they
do the exercises, they will see for themselves that the grammar they are learning clearly relates to
what they read and write.
Second, exercises that are created from such texts automatically provide an instructional
focus. Which helping verbs, for example, do students really need to know? Most grammar
textbooks simply provide a list of helping verbs. Students are expected to learn these with no
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context provided. But the early exercises in this book, for example, are based on the stories in
Mary Frances Blaisdell’s Bunny Rabbit's Diary. The helping verbs “ought” and “dare” simply do
not appear in the book. “Can,” “could,” “would,” and “should,” however, appear fairly
frequently. If, at the end of second grade, some students still do not recognize “ought” as a part
of a verb phrase, is their failure to do so a major problem? I would suggest not. On the other
hand, at the end of second grade, every student should be able to recognize “can,” “could,”
“would” and “should.”
Another way of looking at this is in terms of Vygotsky's two circles, but in this case consider
the center circle to represent the most frequently used examples of the concept. The area between
the two circles then represents the less frequently used examples (such as “must” and “need”),
and the area outside the circle represents the rarely used examples (such as “dare” and “ought”).
As students learn how to analyze real sentences, surely the examples in the inner circle are the
most important. In this sense, exercises that are created based on real texts limit the amount of
material that the students have to master at a given time.
The third reason for using real texts is to expand the instructional material that students need
to master at a given time. A simple example of this is words such as “begin,” “start,” and “stop”
as helping verbs. Most grammar textbooks pay little attention to these words, but students will
read (and write) these words far more frequently than they do “dare” and “ought.” Thus KISS,
again using Bruner’s concept of the spiral curriculum, introduces these words to second graders
as “helping” verbs. (For more on this, see the notes for the exercises on helping verbs.)
The “helping” verbs are just one example of how text-based exercises expand instruction.
Here again Vygotsky's two circles can help explain what is involved, but in this case the center
circle represents the simplest form of a concept, and the area between the circles represents the
variations that are found in real texts. In presenting direct objects, for example, most textbooks
provide only simple S/V/DO patterns—“I like him.” Exercises based on real texts, however, will
include sentences such as “Him I like.”
Ideally, students can read a story or poem and then do exercises that are based on it. They
can, of course, also discuss the story or poem as a story or poem, and they can even write about
it. My intention is to collect the stories used in this book and some suggestions for writing about
them in a separate MS Word document. My guess, however, is that once classroom teachers
become familiar with the KISS Approach and objectives, they will replace many of the exercises
given here with exercises on other works that their students are reading. Of course the exercises
can be done without reference to the texts upon which they are based.
Tell Students that They Are Expected to Make Mistakes
The preceding explanations should have suggested that within the KISS approach, students
are almost always expected to make mistakes. As you work your way into KISS exercises, you
will see which mistakes students are expected to make, and why. But the pedagogical principle
involved needs to be explained here. Learning (as opposed to memorizing) always involves some
confusion and thus some mistakes. All native speakers of English taught themselves the
language. (How could anyone explain it if the child did not understand the language in the first
place?) In doing so, they learned the core concepts first and made mistakes with those in the
outer circle. As children, for example, we all said, “We cutted the paper.” Only after we mastered
the basic rule (“-ed” for past tense) did we begin to distinguish the irregular cases.
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Two comments of a parent (whose child was doing the early exercises in this book) illustrate
how this applies to second grade. She noted, for example that her child had a problem with the
tenth sentence in Exercise # 7. The sentence is “He melted the snow in the warm hollows.” At
this point in instruction, the students are expected to identify only the subject and the verb. As
the parent explained, the student “didn't want to mark the verb as ‘melted,’ because he himself
didn’t melt. She decided the whole verb had to be ‘melted the snow,’ because without the DO,
the verb just didn’t make sense to her.’ If I had been working with this student, I would have said
something such as, “That’s very good thinking. Actually, ‘the snow’ is a type of complement, a
direct object, and we will be studying them later this year.”
The second comment involved the first sentence in Exercise # 9. The sentence is, “And
before long the sound of the axe rang out through the stillness.” Even after the mother explained
that “sound” is the subject, the student remained “convinced in her own mind that it was the axe
that did the ringing.” As in the previous case, the student’s confusion resulted from a
construction that will be studied later in second grade–in this case prepositional phrases. Here
again I would have pointed out that her answer made sense, but that “axe” is in a prepositional
phrase (which she will be studying later) and thus cannot be the subject.
There is, of course, the question of grading. I have already suggested that most exercises
should be reviewed in class, and not be graded. But even if these two exercises were graded, it
appears that the student had no problem with nine of the ten sentences in each exercise, and in
the sentences that did cause problems, the student got half perfectly correct (in the first, the
subject, and in the second, the verb). Thus the student was apparently 95% perfectly correct.
That 5% confusion is, I would argue, a pedagogical necessity. We learn most from examples,
not from definitions. But it is very easy to look at simple examples without thinking. Within
KISS, exercises provide the most important instruction, and some of the exercises should
confuse the students. We are going to be asking these students to analyze randomly selected
sentences from real texts, including their own writing. There will be points that confuse them,
and the sooner they learn that they are expected to make mistakes, the better off they will be.
Most of the exercises in KISS workbooks include “Answer Keys” followed by “Complete
Analysis Keys.” The “Answer Keys” suggest what you should expect from students. They
include both mistakes that you should expect and some alternative explanations. The “Complete
Analysis Keys” provide the rest of a complete KISS explanation of the text. These are intended
to enable you to answer any questions that students may have about other words. (For example,
about the sentence “Bobby slept all night,” a student might ask what “night” is. The complete
analysis key enables you to say, “’Night’ is a noun that is used as an adverb. You'll be studying
those later.”) Of course the complete analysis keys also enable you to use exercises for additional
purposes. Thus, for example, you might want to introduce the types of complements before they
are introduced in this book. The complete keys will give you the KISS explanations of the
complements in the earlier exercises.
Printable Books vs. On-line Versions
KISS books are developed on-line, and are then modified into printable documents. The
substance of each “book” is the same, but each version has advantages and disadvantages. In the
on-line versions, each exercise, analysis key, original text, and instructional handout is a separate
document. Thus teachers and parents can simply choose (and print) what they want. The on-line
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versions also include hyperlinks from analysis keys to explanations of advanced constructions.
Such hyperlinks will not work, of course, in printable versions, so they are eliminated. (If you are
interested in these explanations, you can find them all in the instructional materials for the five
KISS levels.) The printable versions also make it much easier to come to the web site once,
download a book for a specific year, and have everything you need.
A Note on the Graphics
Although not all members of the KISS List favor graphics in the exercises, I find a text-only
worksheet somewhat boring, especially when there are so many interesting graphics that can be
included. To my knowledge all of the graphics in this book are in the public domain, but since
the book is being given away, and not sold, I’m not particularly worried about using any of these
graphics. I will, of course, remove graphics if they are found to be copyrighted, but most of them
are from out-of-copyright texts. Some I scanned myself; others are from clipart (or art)
collections on the web. The only ones I have some question about are the illustrations for
Andersen’s Fairy Tales in exercises 84 – 87. They are by Jan Marcin Szancer, are were taken
from a Polish site – http://www.klaban.torun.pl/children/andersen/index-en.html.
Introduction to the Workbook for Grade Two

The Objectives for Grade Two
The primary objective for second grade is to make the identification of subjects, verbs,
complements, adjectives, adverbs, compounds, and simple prepositional phrases almost
automatic. In addition, students should begin to see how all the words within a “sentence” fit
together – adjectives, adverbs and prepositional phrases function as modifiers of the words in the
S/V/C pattern. This will enable students to more easily understand the more complicated
constructions as they are introduced in later years. Given relatively simple sentences, second
graders should have little trouble reaching this objective.
Suggestions for Using this Book
Some of the instructional material in this book is included within exercises. In addition,
exercises are at least paired, and in most cases several similar exercises follow in sequence, all
aimed at the same objective. For example, the first three exercises are all on “What is a
sentence?” Parents and teachers may want to go over the first exercise with students and then
assign the second, third, etc.
Some exercises (such as five and six) focus on punctuation, but then the focus returns to the
identification of subjects and verbs. There are thousands of verbs in English, and it will take
students a fair amount of practice to be able to identify them. The KISS Approach, however, is
cumulative – students will always identify the subjects and verbs in the sentences they are
analyzing. Thus there is no major problem in moving on in the sequence if some students in a
class are still having problems. Because some students will need more practice than others, there
is no “ideal” number of exercises on a specific focus that can be included within a book. But
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once you see how the KISS Approach works, you can go to the web site for additional exercises,
or, better yet, have students create exercises for each other.
The Importance of the Different Types of KISS Exercises
Identification exercises are the heart of KISS grammar. If students cannot identify subjects,
verbs, prepositional phrases, etc. in real sentences, then anything else they are taught is
meaningless – the students will be unable to apply it effectively to the sentences that they read
and write. ID exercises are short, and should take students not more than five minutes to do.
KISS punctuation exercises are also short, and almost always consist of real texts from which
the punctuation (and capitalization) has been stripped. The students are asked to “fix” the text,
after which you can show them the original and discuss why the original is punctuated as it is. In
Recipe Rosters, students are asked to write sentences that include specific constructions; in
Treasure Hunts, they need to find sentences that contain specific constructions within either a
variety of different texts or in one text. Treasure Hunts will take more time on the students’ part,
but they are very important because they make the students see that what they are learning
applies to all the texts that they read.
Sentence-combining and/or manipulation exercises become more frequent in later grades,
but even in second grade they can often help students learn to revise what they have written. It is
not uncommon to see second (and third) graders write something like “I live in a big house. It is
brown. It is on Maple Street.” One reason for this type of writing is that the students are
searching for things to say. As each idea pops into mind, it gets written down as a separate
sentence. Combining exercises can thus help students revise this into “I live in a big brown house
on Maple Street.” Note that you can create additional combining exercises simply by taking
sequences of sentences from your students’ writing. Students can also be asked to create such
exercises for each other.
Once students have a basic ability to identify a construction, perhaps the most useful and
important exercise for second graders is to have them create an exercise. Give them a short text
and have them create an exercise comparable to the exercises that they have just been doing. See,
for examples, exercises 10, 20, 40, 61, 79, 83, and 110 in this book. Note that exercises 21 and
22 in this book consist of having students make an answer key for their exercises (22), and then
doing each others’ exercises (23). I have not repeated these exercises because you can obviously
apply them to any student-created exercises. These exercises are important for several reasons.
First, we learn most when we teach, and these exercises make the students the teachers. Second,
the students will here also be making a connection between what they read and the grammar that
they are learning. Third, teachers can use these exercises to replace many of the exercises in this
book. (Remember that a KISS assumption is that students will be doing exercises based texts that
they are actually reading. Ultimately, this book itself is just an example of what can be done and
suggestions for doing it.)
The ten “Assessment” quizzes are intended for use at the end of the year, but you can, of
course, use them at any time. Note that the format of these quizzes differs from that of other
exercises. In assessment quizzes, students are asked to identify the words in the subject / verb /
complement pattern and then to explain how other words in the sentence connect to the words in
that pattern. This is the standard format of all KISS assessment quizzes. For second grade,
students will be working with isolated, and very simple sentences. At this level of instruction, the
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difficulty in creating these quizzes is in finding sequential passages that do not include advanced
constructions. In upper grade levels, more of the assessment quizzes are based on a single, real
paragraph. (In the upper levels of KISS, the difficulty in creating assessment quizzes is in finding
paragraphs that do include advanced constructions.)
The Sequence of Instruction
The exercises in this book are spread across twelve instructional objectives. Students should
probably do two or three exercises a week. Note that instruction should be spread across the
entire school year. Otherwise, students will forget what they have previously learned. (Use it, or
lose it.)
Although students should be able to do most of these exercises in less than five minutes,
reviewing exercises in class will take longer. Rather than “correcting” these assignments,
however, teachers should, as a general rule, review them in class. Not only will this approach
save the teacher’s sanity, it will also help students master the concepts. One enjoyable way to do
this is to use the KISS Grammar Game. (It is explained in An Introduction to KISS Grammar.)
In-class review of exercises, especially using the grammar game, is also an excellent motivator.
Currently, most people hate studying (or teaching) grammar. In part, that is because of poor
instructional materials. Most students, however, will catch on to the KISS approach rather
quickly. And in-class review will show the other students not only that their classmates are
“getting it,” but also that they are enjoying it.
Note also that having students do short exercises even after they have mastered the relevant
concepts tends to increase students’ enjoyment and motivation. Doing what we can do well is
enjoyable, especially if it is something that we are supposed to be able to do and it only takes
five minutes. Take the attitude that KISS exercises are short puzzles. Students will be able to
solve them, and the more of them they solve, the stronger their confidence will be.
Although some exercises should be done as homework, teachers might want to have
students, as a class, do some exercises, especially exercises that introduce a new concept..
Instead of giving each student a copy of these exercises, you can simply make an overhead
transparency.
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Codes and Colors for Analysis Keys

Because the codes and colors that are used in these keys include every construction that students
need to know to explain any word in any sentence, this section is also called:
The KISS Grammar Toolbox
Two KISS Concepts
Compounding – Coordinating Conjunctions

Most grammar texts explain compounding in multiple places (compound subjects;
compound verbs, compound clauses, etc.), thereby suggesting that some grammatical
constructions can be compounded and that others cannot be. KISS treats compounding as a
concept. Any identical parts of speech (such as adjective and adjective) or any construction can
be compounded, usually by using "and," "or," or "but"). Once students can be expected to
identify the constructions that are being joined, the conjunctions are colored red.
Ellipsis – The Omission of Understood Words

The analysis keys indicate words that are ellipsed by placing them between asterisks –
*You* close the door.
KISS Levels One and Two
Subjects and finite verbs are underlined, with subjects colored green and finite verbs blue.
Complements are in brown and labeled: PN (Predicate Noun); PA (Predicate Adjective); IO
(Indirect Object); and DO (Direct Object).
A (P) after a finite verb indicates that it is in passive voice.
Adjectives are colored green and adverbs blue.
Prepositional Phrases are identified {by braces}. Phrases that function as adjectives are in
green; those that function as adverbs are in blue. Those that function as interjections are in
purple. Adjectives, adverbs and coordinating conjunctions within prepositional phrases are in the
color of the phrase because we are more interested in the functions of phrases than in the
functions of individual words. Other constructions that appear within these phrases are explained
in the notes. Embedded phrases and the phrases they are embedded in are underlined.
13
KISS Level Three

Subordinate clauses are identified (P) {by red brackets}. | The function {of the clause}
follows the opening bracket (DO). | Subordinate conjunctions [Adj. to "conjunctions" that
have no other function (DO)] are {in bold red}. A red vertical line "|" identifies the end (DO)
{of each main clause}. |
KISS Level Four

Verbals (gerunds, gerundives, and infinitives) are identified by and explained in footnotes.
KISS Level Five – Additional Constructions

The additional constructions that are needed to explain every word in any sentence are
identified by bracketed, superscript abbreviations:
Noun Used as an Adverb [NuA]
Interjection [Inj]
Direct Address [DirA]
Appositive [App]
Delayed Subject [DS]
Post-Positioned Adjective [PPA]
Retained Complements [RDO], [RPN], [RPA]
Noun Absolute [NAbs]
Expletives (It and There) [Exp]
In the web version of analysis keys, these abbreviations are links to the relevant instructional
material. If you are not familiar with some of the constructions in the Toolbox, you can find the
relevant explanations in the KISS Instructional Material books. They are available on the
“Printable Books” page of the web site.
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Analysis Keys & Notes for Teachers

1. Subjects, Verbs and Sentences
These exercises are a brief introduction (or review) on what a simple sentence is.
1 What Is a Sentence? Ex # 1
Answer Key
1. The three little rabbits lived in the woods.
2. Each little rabbit had a name.
3. Bunny was full of fun.
4. But Billy was lazy.
5. The rabbits had many playmates.
6. They played with the gray squirrels.
7. Sometimes Bunny ran down to the brook.
8. One Christmas Mrs. Rabbit gave Bunny a book.
9. She pinned the leaves together with thorns.
10. Sometimes he talked to Mrs. Duck.
11. He turned one leaf and then another.
12. They were all alike.
13. This is a funny book.
14. What kind of a book is this?
15. She made it herself out of maple leaves.
Complete Analysis Key
1. The three little rabbits lived {in the woods}. |

2. Each little rabbit had a name (DO). |
3. Bunny was full (PA) {of fun}. |
4. But Billy was lazy (PA). |
5. The rabbits had many playmates (DO). |
6. They played {with the gray squirrels}. |
7. Sometimes Bunny ran down {to the brook}. |
8. One Christmas [NuA] Mrs. Rabbit gave Bunny (IO) a book (DO). |
9. She pinned the leaves (DO) together {with thorns}. |
10. Sometimes he talked {to Mrs. Duck}. |
11. He turned one leaf (DO) and then another (DO). |
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12. They were all alike (PA). |
13. This is a funny book (PN). |
14. What kind {of a book} is this (PN)? |
15. She made it (DO) herself [#1] {out of maple leaves}. |
Notes
1. “Herself” is an appositive to “She.”
Answer Key
1. So Bunny Rabbit ran back to the big stump.
2. But Bunny shook his head.
3. He was very busy.
4. He hid his book in the hollow tree.
5. I found the hollow tree.
6. The gray squirrels lived in the big oak tree.
7. It was all full of stories about the three little rabbits.
8. They played with the red squirrels.
9. It was about the slide on the long hill beside the pond.
10. The rose-bush grew on the wall.
1. So Bunny Rabbit ran back {to the big stump}. |

2. But Bunny shook his head (DO). |
3. He was very busy (PA). |
4. He hid his book (DO) {in the hollow tree}. |
5. I found the hollow tree (DO). |
6. The gray squirrels lived {in the big oak tree}. |
7. It was all full (PA) {of stories} {about the three little rabbits}. |
8. They played {with the red squirrels}. |
9. It was {about the slide} (PA) {on the long hill} {beside the pond}. |
10. The rose-bush grew {on the wall}. |
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Answer Key
1. Bunny saw the book.
2. He jumped up and down.
3. He clapped his hands.
4. Mrs. Duck came to the brook.
5. Bunny jumped off the stump.
6. That is a diary.
7. The book is full.
8. I found the little maple-leaf book.
9. He hopped off toward home.
10. "Bunny Rabbit's Diary" was the name of the book.
1. Bunny saw the book (DO). |

2. He jumped up and down. |
3. He clapped his hands (DO). |
4. Mrs. Duck came {to the brook}. |
5. Bunny jumped {off the stump}. |
6. That is a diary (PN). |
7. The book is full (PA). |
8. I found the little maple-leaf book (DO). |
9. He hopped off {toward home}. |
10. "Bunny Rabbit's Diary" was the name (PN) {of the book}.|
2. The Punctuation of a Sentence

For second graders, this may be a review of basic punctuation, but it also establishes the
KISS rules for punctuation and capitalization. (Note that additional punctuation exercises are
spread throughout the exercises.)
4 Punctuating a Sentence (Ex # 1)

Answer Key
1. One morning in winter Bunny opened his eyes.
2. Then he pulled Bobtail’s long ears.
3. Oh, I am so sleepy!
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We should also accept a period after "sleepy." The exclamation point is the
writer's tool for indicating an exclamation. Without it, readers cannot be expected
to know that the sentence is one. Similarly, we should accept exclamation points
after sentences which do not have them in the original. The point here is to
discuss with students why they used the exclamation point.
4. the sled going faster every minute [NS]
Although they may have missed this, once it is pointed out most students will
easily agree that "The sled is going faster every minute," or "The sled was going
faster every minute," would be sentences.
5. It is too cold.
6. The three little rabbits hopped off through the woods.
7. Bunny jumped up and down in the snow.
8. Something hit Bunny on the head.
9. The three rabbits soon found some tender little roots.
10. This is a good breakfast.

1. One morning [NuA] {in winter} Bunny opened his eyes (DO). |
2. Then he pulled Bobtail’s long ears (DO). |
3. Oh [Inj], I am so sleepy (PA)! |
4. the sled going faster every minute [NuA] [NS]
This is actually a noun absolute fragment – a noun modified by a gerundive.
5. It is too cold (PA). |
6. The three little rabbits hopped off {through the woods}. |
7. Bunny jumped up and down {in the snow}. |
8. Something hit Bunny (DO) {on the head}. |
9. The three rabbits soon found some tender little roots (DO). |
10. This is a good breakfast (PN). |
5 Punctuating a Sentence (Ex # 2)

Answer Key
1. Soon they came to the long hill.
2. Is the ice thick on the pond?
3. Jack Frost covered the pond with ice last night.
4. the time to sleep [NS]
5. Ice is very thick.
6. The big round sun peeped up from behind the hills.
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7. I know that.
8. Billy was on the sled.
9. It was not very deep.
10. It came to the pond.
1. Soon they came {to the long hill}. |

2. Is the ice thick (PA) {on the pond}? |
Some people may prefer to see “on the pond” as an adjective to “ice.”
3. Jack Frost covered the pond (DO) {with ice} last night [NuA]. |
4. the time to sleep [NS]
5. Ice is very thick (PA). |
6. The big round sun peeped up {from behind the hills}. |
7. I know that (DO). |
8. Billy was {on the sled}. |
9. It was not very deep (PA). |
10. It came {to the pond}. |
3. Recognizing Single-Word Verbs (and their Subjects)

The focus here is to enable students to identify single-word verbs in simple sentences.
6 Recognizing Subjects and Verbs (Ex # 1)

Answer Key
1. The little pine tree stood near the path.
2. The path led through the woods.
3. The rabbits often sat under this tree.
4. The tree listened to the stories.
5. The birds flew to its branches.
6. Sammy Red Squirrel knew something about this tree.
7. The hole was not very large.
8. He put a piece of bark in the hole.
9. This is a good door for my store-house.
10. I am sure.
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1. The little pine tree stood {near the path}. |
2. The path led {through the woods}. |
3. The rabbits often sat {under this tree}. |
4. The tree listened {to the stories}. |
5. The birds flew {to its branches}. |
6. Sammy Red Squirrel knew something (DO) {about this tree}. |
7. The hole was not very large (PA). |
8. He put a piece (DO) {of bark} {in the hole}. |
9. This is a good door (PN) {for my store-house}. |
Alternatively, “for my house” may be seen as an adverb either to “is” or to “good.”
10. I am sure (PA). |

Answer Key
1. Sammy ran to the hole very often.
2. The little red squirrel hunted for nuts under the trees.
3. The holes were empty.
4. The hunting was always good.
5. Then Sammy went to his store-house in the stone wall.
6. At last it became very cold.
7. North Wind blew through the woods.
8. The squirrels slept in their nests.
9. Blacky Crow stayed in the deep woods.
10. He melted the snow in the warm hollows.

1. Sammy ran {to the hole} very often. |
2. The little red squirrel hunted {for nuts} {under the trees}. |
3. The holes were empty (PA). |
4. The hunting was always good (PA). |
5. Then Sammy went {to his store-house} {in the stone wall}. |
6. {At last} it became very cold (PA). |
7. North Wind blew {through the woods}. |
8. The squirrels slept {in their nests}. |
9. Blacky Crow stayed {in the deep woods}. |
10. He melted the snow (DO) {in the warm hollows}. |
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Answer Key
1. The squirrels ran up and down the trees.
2. All at once Bunny Rabbit heard a noise.
3. The other rabbits listened, too.
4. It is the dog!
5. Sammy and Bobby were safe in the tree.
6. The man had an axe in his hand.
7. The two children ran along the path.
8. This is a good one.
9. She pointed right at the little pine tree.
10. That is too large for our Christmas tree.
1. The squirrels ran {up and down the trees}. |

2. All {at once} Bunny Rabbit heard a noise (DO). |
3. The other rabbits listened, too. |
4. It is the dog (PN)! |
5. Sammy and Bobby were safe (PA) {in the tree}. |
6. The man had an axe (DO) {in his hand}. |
7. The two children ran {along the path}. |
8. This is a good one (PN). |
9. She pointed right {at the little pine tree}. |
10. That is too large (PA) {for our Christmas tree}. |

Answer Key
1. And before long the sound of the axe rang out through the stillness.
2. I thought so, too.
3. But I have a store-house in this tree.
4. Where is it?
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5. I am as hungry as a bear.
6. So am I.
7. Sammy took out a nut.
8. I saw many pretty things.
9. Oh, it was pretty!
10. Then the little sparrow flew away.
1. And {before long [#1]} the sound {of the axe} rang out {through the stillness}. |
2. I thought so (DO) [#2], too. |
3. But I have a store-house (DO) {in this tree}. |
4. Where is it? |
5. I am as hungry (PA) {as a bear}. |
6. So [#3] am I. |
7. Sammy took out a nut (DO). |
8. I saw many pretty things (DO). |
9. Oh [Inj], it was pretty (PA)! |
10. Then the little sparrow flew away. |
Notes
1. "Long" is not a noun or pronoun. What we have here is a case of ellipsis – the leaving out of
understood words – that has become idiomatic. We all understand this to mean "before a
long time had passed."
2. Alternatively, "so" can be explained as an adverb meaning "in the same way." [For an
explanation of "alternative explanations," see the Introduction to KISS Grammar.]
3. It is difficult to tell how most grammarians would explain this "so." Most grammar textbooks
do not explain how to analyze real sentences. My guess is that many grammarians would
explain it as an adverb, but note how, in the context of the preceding sentence, it functions as
a "pro-adjective" – it replaces "hungry." I would not, by the way, even attempt to explain this
to second-graders. I mention it as an example of the difference of the KISS Approach.
4. Adding Simple Complements

A “complement” answers the question “whom or what?” after a verb. Having some
experience with single-word verbs, students can add complements to their analytical toolbox.
KISS Grammar is cumulative. From this point on, therefore, students will identify the subjects,
verbs, and complements in every sentence that they analyze. Introducing complements at this
point therefore means that students will be able to get more practice (and the sentences will make
more sense) as they work on “Verb Phrases.”
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Complements are not really difficult, but some students have problems distinguishing the
“whom or what?” question from other questions such as “Where?” “When?” “Why?” or “How?”
Getting students accustomed to this difference in questions will make it easier for them to
understand adverbs and later to distinguish the types of complements.
11 Adding Complements (Ex # 1)

Answer Key
1. North Wind played a game (C).
2. He blew the dry leaves (C) over the ground.
3. He piled them (C) up under the oak tree.
4. The oak tree bowed.
5. And it bowed its head (C).
6. North Wind blew on and on.
7. He blew through the woods.
8. Bunny heard North Wind (C).
9. North Wind blew past their house.
10. Oh, how the wind blows!

1. North Wind played a game (DO). |
2. He blew the dry leaves (DO) {over the ground}. |
3. He piled them (DO) up {under the oak tree}. |
4. The oak tree bowed. |
5. And it bowed its head (DO). |
6. North Wind blew on and on. |
7. He blew {through the woods}. |
8. Bunny heard North Wind (DO). |
9. North Wind blew {past their house}. |
10. Oh [Inj], how the wind blows! |

Answer Key
1. I reached the big oak tree (C) first.
2. So they both hopped out of their warm house.
3. The path led to the big oak tree.
4. They came to the oak tree.
5. Bobtail saw the pile (C) of leaves.
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6. Who put all those leaves (C) under this tree?
7. Then North Wind puffed out his cheeks (C).
I would also accept "puffed out" as the verb here.
8. North Wind blew more leaves (C) under the oak tree.
9. The children always fly kites (C).
10. The wind blows.

1. I reached the big oak tree (DO) first. |
2. So they both [#1] hopped out {of their warm house}. |
3. The path led {to the big oak tree}. |
4. They came {to the oak tree}. |
5. Bobtail saw the pile (DO) {of leaves}. |
6. Who put all those leaves (DO) {under this tree}? |
7. Then North Wind puffed out his cheeks (DO). |
8. North Wind blew more leaves (DO) {under the oak tree}. |
9. The children always fly kites (DO). |
10. The wind blows. |
Notes
1. Most grammar textbooks do not discuss this use of "both." Perhaps the simplest explanation is
to consider it an appositive to "They."

Answer Key
1. We had a kite (C).
2. It sailed up in the air and over the trees.
3. A boy dropped a string (C) out of his pocket the other day.
4. It is on the ground, under the pine tree.
5. Bobtail tied the string (C) to the short stem of the oak leaf.
6. We take turns (C).
7. He picked the kite (C) up.
8. And he tossed it (C) into the air.
9. This is not a good kite (C).
10. So Billy took hold (C) of the string.

1. We had a kite (DO). |
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2. It sailed up {in the air} and {over the trees}. |
3. A boy dropped a string (DO) {out of his pocket} the other day [NuA]. |
4. It is {on the ground}, {under the pine tree}. |
The comma after “ground” cuts it off from the “under” phrase, thereby making that
phrase adverbial to “is.”
5. Bobtail tied the string (DO) {to the short stem} {of the oak leaf}. |
6. We take turns (DO). |
7. He picked the kite (DO) up. |
8. And he tossed it (DO) {into the air}. |
9. This is not a good kite (PN). |
10. So Billy took hold (DO) {of the string}. |

Answer Key
1. He tossed the kite (C) into the air.
2. The oak leaf fell to the ground at Billy’s feet.
3. North Wind watched the three little rabbits (C).
4. He laughed softly to himself.
5. Up, up in the air flew the kite.
6. The branches of the oak tree caught the string (C).
7. Now it is my turn (C).
8. Bobtail picked himself (C) out of the big pile of leaves.
9. He shook his long ears (C) back and forth.
10. North Wind sang a gay little song (C).

1. He tossed the kite (DO) {into the air}. |
2. The oak leaf fell {to the ground} {at Billy’s feet}. |
Alternatively, “at Billy’s feet” can be explained as an adjective to “ground,” and thus this
phrase would be embedded in the “to the ground” phrase.
3. North Wind watched the three little rabbits (DO). |
4. He laughed softly {to himself}. |
5. Up, up {in the air} flew the kite. |
6. The branches {of the oak tree} caught the string (DO). |
7. Now it is my turn (PN). |
8. Bobtail picked himself (DO) {out of the big pile} {of leaves}. |
9. He shook his long ears (DO) back and forth. |
10. North Wind sang a gay little song (DO). |
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15 A Punctuation Exercise – Quotation Marks
Based on “Bobtail’s Kite” by Mary Frances Blaisdell
The Original Sentences:
1. “Bend your head and bow to me, big oak tree,” said North Wind.
2. “Oh, how the wind blows!” said Bunny.
3. “I shall stay in the house to-day,” said Billy. “I do not like the wind.”
4. “Let’s go out and have a game of tag,” he said to his two brothers.
5. “Look out for me!” called North Wind. “I can catch you all.”
6. “Who put all those leaves under this tree?” he said.
7. “I did, I did,” called North Wind. “And here are some more to make the pile larger.”
8. “Oh, what fun!” said Bunny. “I should like to do that.”
9. “This is just the day to fly a kite,” said Bobtail.
10. “Yes,” said Billy. “The children always fly kites when the wind blows.”

Based on “April Fool’s Day,” by Mary Frances Blaisdell
Answer Key
1. Billy opened his sleepy eyes (C).
2. Then he went to the door.
3. Billy hopped out of doors.
4. It was a warm sunny day (C).
5. But first the little rabbits found their breakfast (C).
6. Bobtail grew very fat (C).
7. They stored away nuts (C).
8. Jack Frost covered the ground (C) with snow.
9. The squirrels dug up these nuts (C).
I would also accept "dug up" as the verb. (See the discussion of "phrasal verbs" in the
instructional material for Level Two.)
10. But now the ground was soft (C) again.

1. Billy opened his sleepy eyes (DO). |
2. Then he went {to the door}. |
3. Billy hopped {out of doors}. |
4. It was a warm sunny day (PN). |
5. But first the little rabbits found their breakfast (DO). |
6. Bobtail grew very fat (PA). |
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7. They stored away nuts (DO). |
8. Jack Frost covered the ground (DO) {with snow}. |
9. The squirrels dug up these nuts (DO). |
10. But now the ground was soft (PA) again. |

Answer Key
1. They never opened the store-house doors (C).
2. They just hopped around under the trees.
3. But on this first day of April Bunny found the biggest acorn (C).
4. He told Bobtail (C) about the joke.
5. In a few minutes the three rabbits finished their breakfast (C).
6. Bunny saw a string (C) under the oak tree.
7. It was the same string (C).
8. The string held the kite (C) to the branch for a long time.
9. Then one day North Wind came again.
10. The string dropped to the ground under the oak tree.
1. They never opened the store-house doors (DO). |
2. They just hopped around {under the trees}. |
3. But {on this first day} {of April} Bunny found the biggest acorn (DO). |
4. He told Bobtail (IO) {about the joke}. |
5. {In a few minutes} the three rabbits finished their breakfast (DO). |
6. Bunny saw a string (DO) {under the oak tree}. |
“Under the oak tree” could also be explained as an adjective to “string.”
7. It was the same string (PN). |
8. The string held the kite (DO) {to the branch} {for a long time}. |
9. Then one day [NuA] North Wind came again. |
10. The string dropped {to the ground} {under the oak tree}. |

Answer Key
1. He tied the string (C) around the acorn.
2. Then he scampered back to his brothers.
3. They waited for him near the old stone wall.
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4. Bunny put the acorn (C) in front of Sammy’s door.
5. Billy hid behind the pine tree.
6. He kept very still (C).
Some people will see "still" as answering the question "How?" rather than "Whom or
what?" Thus "still" can be explained as an adverb. [See "Alternative Explanations" in the
Introduction to KISS Grammar.]
7. The acorn lay on the ground near his door.
8. Now Sammy was very fond (C) of big acorns.
9. So he pounced on the acorn.
10. But it was not there!

1. He tied the string (DO) {around the acorn}. |
2. Then he scampered back {to his brothers}. |
3. They waited {for him} {near the old stone wall}. |
4. Bunny put the acorn (DO) {in front} {of Sammy’s door}. |
5. Billy hid {behind the pine tree}. |
6. He kept very still (PA). |
7. The acorn lay {on the ground} {near his door}. |
8. Now Sammy was very fond (PA) {of big acorns}. |
9. So he pounced {on the acorn}. |
10. But it was not there! |

Answer Key
1. That was a good trick (C).
2. Bobby often comes to the big oak tree.
3. Then they all hid behind the tree.
4. Sammy Red Squirrel dropped that big acorn (C).
5. Then all at once it was not still (C) in the woods.
Because "still" means "quiet" in the original text, it functions as a complement (a
predicate adjective). But if one interprets "still" to mean "was and continues to be," then
it functions as an adverb.
6. Bobby forgot all (C) about the acorn.
There are two equally valid options for explaining "all." If one reads it as "everything,"
then it functions as a complement (a direct object). But if one interprets it as
"completely," then it functions as an adverb.
7. Sammy skipped up the tree after him.
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8. The three little rabbits put their ears (C) down on their heads.
9. Four little bright eyes watched Jip (C) from the oak tree.
10. One of the squirrels had that big acorn (C) for his dinner.
Note how many students underline "squirrels" as the subject here. The fact that they will
do so indicates why students need to learn to identify prepositional phrases.

1. That was a good trick (PN). |
2. Bobby often comes {to the big oak tree}. |
3. Then they all hid {behind the tree}. |
4. Sammy Red Squirrel dropped that big acorn (DO). |
5. Then all {at once} it was not still (PA) {in the woods}. |
6. Bobby forgot all (DO) {about the acorn}. |
Without the “all,” the “about the acorn” phrase would be adverbial to “forgot.”
7. Sammy skipped {up the tree} {after him}. |
8. The three little rabbits put their ears (DO) down {on their heads}. |
9. Four little bright eyes watched Jip (DO) {from the oak tree}. |
10. One {of the squirrels} had that big acorn (DO) {for his dinner}. |
5. Verb Phrases
The objective here is to help students include all the helping verbs (also known as “auxiliary
verbs”) when they underline verbs. The exercises break this section into parts by first presenting
tense auxiliaries, then modal auxiliaries, and finally an “other” group. (See below.). This division
is primarily intended to organize the presentation of the material. In other words, attempting to
make second graders remember which verbs are “tense” and which are “modals” may confuse
them more than help. The KISS objective is to have students work with the tense auxiliaries (“is
playing,” “had been sleeping,” “does read,” etc. until their recognition is almost automatic. Then
add the modals (“can,” “could,” “would,” etc.), and finally, the “other” group.
The tense auxiliaries are a matter of general agreement among grammarians (although some
grammarians claim that English does not have a future tense). Grammarians disagree (among
themselves) about what modals are and about which verbs should be included in the category,
but the KISS objective is simply to help students learn that in a sentence such as :”Bobtail must
like nuts,” “must” is part of the verb phrase.
KISS includes the “other” category because it is easier for students, at this level, to view
these words as helping verbs. In their writing, and in their reading, students will frequently find
sentences such as:
She started to swim.
Bobby Duck stopped talking.
We liked to play.
Suzie wanted to leave.
29
Technically, these are finite verbs that have verbs (verbals) as their direct object. At this point,
however, our objective is to help second graders identify verbs that function as verbs within a
sentence. Introducing verbs that function as nouns will probably confuse more students than it
helps. Both Bruner's “spiral curriculum” and Vygotsky's “zone of proximal development”
suggest that there is no problem, especially in the first three KISS Levels, in having the students
underline “started to swim,” “stopped talking,” etc. as verbs. Once they get to verbals in KISS
Level Four, few if any students will have difficulty in re-seeing these verb formations as a finite
verb plus a verb that functions as a direct object.
Problems to Expect
“Not” is a frequently used adverb that often appears in the midst of a verb phrase–“They did
not stop.” Because the exercises are based on real sentences, no attempt was made to eliminate
sentences with “not” from these early exercises, even though adverbs are not introduced until
section seven. At this point in their work, therefore, you can tell students that “’Not’ is never a
verb and should never be underlined,” or you can simply let them underline it until they get to
adverbs in section seven.
The “other” category of “helping” verbs may introduce a problem if you are having students
analyze randomly selected sentences. The forty sentences in the exercises in this section were all
taken from Blaisdell’s Bunny Rabbit’s Diary, but in collecting them I also collected the following
six sentences:
She did not stop to talk to Bunny.

She did not stop to catch any of the little bugs.
Every few minutes he stopped to hunt for some hidden nut.
The little squirrel stopped to take another sniff.
North Wind came to help him.
Bunny ran to find Mother Rabbit.
In these sentences, “stop,” “came,” and “ran” are the finite verbs (the verbs that should be
underlined twice) and the infinitives (“to” plus a verb) answer the question “Why?” not “What?”
Note, for example, the difference between:
She did not stop to talk to Bunny.
and
She did not stop talking to Bunny.
If you are creating your own exercises (or having students create them) expect problems here and
ignore (for purposes of grading) any errors that students make.
23. Adding Helping Verbs (Ex # 1)

Based on “Mrs. Duck’s Secret” by Mary Frances Blaisdell
Answer Key
1. But Bobby did not know it (C).
2. And Sammy Red Squirrel did not know it (C).
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3. Sometimes she was going to the barn.
4. Sometimes she was coming from the barn.
5. Why is she walking along this little path?
6. I will ask Mrs. Duck (C).
7. The sun was just going to bed.
8. Have you seen Mrs. Duck (C) today?
9. Bobby Squirrel was sitting in the maple tree over their heads.
10. I will try again tomorrow.
1. But Bobby did not know it (DO). |

2. And Sammy Red Squirrel did not know it (DO). |
3. Sometimes she was going {to the barn}. |
4. Sometimes she was coming {from the barn}. |
5. Why is she walking {along this little path}? |
6. I will ask Mrs. Duck (IO). |
In a sentence such as this, it is no major problem if students were to label "Mrs. Duck" as
a direct object. Normally, however, we ask someone something. The someone is
considered to be the indirect object, and the something the direct object.
7. The sun was just going {to bed}. |
8. Have you seen Mrs. Duck (DO) today? |
9. Bobby Squirrel was sitting {in the maple tree} {over their heads}. |
10. I will try again tomorrow. |

Answer Key
1. She was going to the barn.
2. Where are you going this fine morning?
3. Where have you been?
4. She had eaten everything (C).
5. Mrs. Duck had gone to sleep.
I would also accept “had gone to sleep” as the verb here. The phrase is idiomatic for “had
fallen asleep.” Grammarians can spend a great deal of time discussing the technical
differences involved in the explanations, but most students, indeed, most people, will not
care about the technicalities.
6. Mrs. Duck was still sitting in the nest.
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7. We will come again.
8. Mrs. Duck was leading her family (C) to the barnyard.
9. I am going down to the brook.
10. I will show you (C) my secret (C).
1. She was going {to the barn}. |

2. Where are you going this fine morning [NuA]? |
3. Where have you been? |
4. She had eaten everything (DO). |
5. Mrs. Duck had gone {to sleep}. |
Alternatively, "to sleep" can be explained as an infinitive of purpose, but this explanation
might mean that she is not currently sleeping.
6. Mrs. Duck was still sitting {in the nest}. |
7. We will come again. |
8. Mrs. Duck was leading her family (DO) {to the barnyard}. |
9. I am going down {to the brook}. |
10. I will show you (IO) my secret (DO). |

Based on “The Swimming Lesson” by Mary Frances Blaisdell
Answer Key
1. Mrs. Duck was walking along the little path through the meadow.
2. Bunny Rabbit was sitting under a tree.
3. He did not hear them (C).
4. He was dreaming about the little birds.
5. All the other rabbits were sitting on the ground.
6. What (C) are you saying, Bunny?
7. I was going far away.
8. I am going to teach my little ones (C).
9. I will teach you (C), too.
10. Mrs. Duck was talking to her ducklings.
1. Mrs. Duck was walking {along the little path} {through the meadow}. |
2. Bunny Rabbit was sitting {under a tree}. |
3. He did not hear them (DO). |
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4. He was dreaming {about the little birds}. |
5. All the other rabbits were sitting {on the ground}. |
6. What (DO) are you saying, Bunny [DirA]? |
7. I was going far away. |
8. I am going to teach my little ones (IO). |
The object is indirect, because we teach someone (IO) something (DO).
9. I will teach you (IO), too. |
10. Mrs. Duck was talking {to her ducklings}. |

Answer Key
1. We will all go into the water together.
2. That will be the best way (C) for me.
3. The little ducks had been standing in a row behind their mother.
4. Mrs. Duck was soon swimming in the middle of the brook.
5. All the little ducks were swimming after their mother.
6. Why don’t you try it (C), Bunny?
7. Mr. Green Frog was sitting on a rock close by.
8. Bunny had been sitting still (C) on the bank.
Some people will read “still” as a predicate adjective for two reasons. First, it can be
seen as describing “Bunny”–the equivalent of “motionless.” Second, as an adverb, “still”
is usually interpreted as referring to time. Other people will explain “still” as an adverb.
Within KISS the predicate adjective explanation can be accepted by seeing this as an
example of a “palimpsest pattern.” Thus, either explanation should be accepted. (For
more on “alternative explanations,” see the Introduction to KISS Grammar.)
9. But he had not said a word (C).
10. The ducks had to paddle their feet (C).
1. We will all go {into the water} together. |
“All” can be explained in three ways: 1) as an adjective to “We,” 2) as an adverb, or 3) as
an appositive to “We.”
2. That will be the best way (PN) {for me}. |
3. The little ducks had been standing {in a row} {behind their mother}. |
4. Mrs. Duck was soon swimming {in the middle} {of the brook}. |
5. All the little ducks were swimming {after their mother}. |
6. Why don’t you try it (DO), Bunny [DirA]? |
7. Mr. Green Frog was sitting {on a rock} close by. |
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“Close” is a post-positioned adjective to “rock.” “By” is a preposition in an ellipsed
phrase, “by *them*.”
8. Bunny had been sitting still (PA) {on the bank}. |
9. But he had not said a word (DO). |
10. The ducks had to paddle their feet (DO). |

Answer Key
1. He did put one foot (C) in the water.
2. You will like it (C).
3. Bunny had gone a step nearer.
Expect some students to label “step” and/or “nearer” as a complement since they can be
seen as answering the question “Bunny had gone what?” I would accept those answers at
this point, even though most grammarians would probably consider “nearer” to be an
adverb (answering “where?”), and “step” to be a noun that functions as an adverb to
“nearer.”
4. Bunny did not know how (C).
5. He was splashing around in the brook.
6. The water was running into his eyes.
7. At last his feet had touched the ground (C).
8. You did not paddle your feet (C).
9. But Mr. Sun had been shining down brightly.
10. Bunny will soon be dry (C).
1. He did put one foot (DO) {in the water}. |

2. You will like it (DO). |
3. Bunny had gone a step [NuA] nearer. |
4. Bunny did not know how (DO). |
5. He was splashing around {in the brook}. |
6. The water was running {into his eyes}. |
7. {At last} his feet had touched the ground (DO). |
8. You did not paddle your feet (DO). |
9. But Mr. Sun had been shining down brightly. |
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10. Bunny will soon be dry (PA). |
28. Adding Helping Verbs (Modal) Ex # 1

Answer Key
Note that since the students have not yet studied adverbs,
you can simply accept words like "not" as part of the verb phrase.
1. Mrs. Duck would not tell him (C).

2. Mrs. Duck must have gone long ago.
3. They ran back and forth [#1] along the little path.
4. In the sun we shall go to sleep [#2].
5. After a while the three little rabbits became sleepy (C).
6. I can not tell you (C).
7. Where are you going, now?
8. But they did not tell the secret (C) to any of their friends.
9. May we go with you?
10. Some little yellow heads were peeping out from under her wings.
1. Mrs. Duck would not tell him (IO) [#3]. |
2. Mrs. Duck must have gone long ago. |
3. They ran back and forth [#1] {along the little path}. |
4. {In the sun} we shall go to sleep [#2]. |
5. {After a while} the three little rabbits became sleepy (PA). |
6. I can not tell you (IO) [#3]. |
7. Where are you going, now? |
8. But they did not tell the secret (DO) [#3] {to any} {of their friends}. |
9. May we go {with you}? |
10. Some little yellow heads were peeping out {from under her wings}. |
Notes
1. Some students may mark "back" and "forth" as complements, but these words indicate "ran
where," not "ran what."
2. "[T]o sleep" may be explained as part of the finite verb, or as a prepositional phrase, or, with a
slightly different meaning, as an infinitive of purpose.
3. We tell someone something. The someone is the indirect object; the something is the direct
object.
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Answer Key
1. Now I must cover my eggs (C) up.
2. Mrs. Duck would not get off the nest.
Since "get off" means "leave," I would also accept it as the verb here. That would make
nest a complement (a direct object).
3. I will show you (C) my secret (C).
4. Then we shall not see Mrs. Duck (C).
5. How pretty (C) they are!
Expect some students to miss this. A complement before the subject and verb is unusual
and will surprise them.
6. Where can the ducks be?
7. Perhaps he can keep awake (C) [#1].
8. Perhaps you have guessed Mrs. Duck’s secret (C) by this time.
9. What (C) can you see?
10. You must stay in the nest.
1. Now I must cover my eggs (DO) up. |
2. Mrs. Duck would not get {off the nest}. |
3. I will show you (IO) my secret (DO). |
4. Then we shall not see Mrs. Duck (DO). |
5. How pretty (PA) they are! |
6. Where can the ducks be? |
7. Perhaps he can keep awake (PA) [#1]. |
8. Perhaps you have guessed Mrs. Duck’s secret (DO) {by this time}. |
9. What (DO) can you see? |
10. You must stay {in the nest}. |
Notes
1. Some students will not see "awake" as answering the question "He can keep what?" and will
thus miss "awake" as a complement. To explain it to them, you might note that "keep" here
means "remain," or simpler still, "to be and to continue to be." Thus, "perhaps he can
continue to be what?" – "Awake." In addition to this problem, I don't remember ever seeing
a grammar textbook that included "keep" among a list of so-called "linking verbs." "Awake"
is, however, an adjective, and it modifies the "he," so it functions as a predicate adjective.
36
Based on Bunny Rabbit’s Diary (Ch. 1-7) by Mary Frances Blaisdell
Answer Key
1. Bunny could not find one picture (C).
2. You must write the stories (C) in the book.
3. You can write about the good times.
4. I can not find one story (C).
5. What (C) shall we do?
6. That must be a Christmas tree (C).
7. They could not find very much (C).
8. Bunny may have his turn (C) first.
9. This would make a good Christmas tree (C).
10. I shall stay in the house today.
1. Bunny could not find one picture (DO). |
2. You must write the stories (DO) {in the book}. |
3. You can write {about the good times}. |
4. I can not find one story (DO). |
5. What (DO) shall we do? |
6. That must be a Christmas tree (PN). |
7. They could not find very [#1] much (DO). |
8. Bunny may have his turn (DO) first. |
9. This would make a good Christmas tree (PN). |
10. I shall stay {in the house} today. |
Note
1. Here we hit a question that is rarely discussed in grammar textbooks. Grammarians will
disagree about how to explain "very." The problem revolves around "much," which is
technically an adjective, but here functions as a pronoun. Thus, in KISS, "very" would be
explained as an adverb to "much," which is an adjective that functions as a pronoun because
its noun is ellipsed (as in "very much stuff").

Based on Bunny Rabbit’s Diary (Ch. 1-7) by Mary Frances Blaisdell
Answer Key
1. We must find one (C).
2. This would make a good kite (C).
3. Sammy dared to play a joke (C) on Bobby Gray Squirrel.
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4. I am going to teach my little ones (C).
5. Bobby Gray Squirrel must have been here.
6. The squirrels could not dig up these nuts (C).
I would also accept "could not dig up" as the verb.
7. The squirrels ought to dig them (C) out.
8. Bobtail could not see it (C).
9. Sammy Red Squirrel must have dropped that big acorn (C).
10. Would you show it (C) to me?
1. We must find one (DO). |

2. This would make a good kite (PN). |
3. Sammy dared to play a joke (DO) {on Bobby Gray Squirrel}. |
4. I am going to teach my little ones (IO). |
Some students may mark "ones" as a direct object, but we teach someone (IO) something
(DO).
5. Bobby Gray Squirrel must have been here. |
6. The squirrels could not dig up these nuts (DO). |
7. The squirrels ought to dig them (DO) out. |
8. Bobtail could not see it (DO). |
9. Sammy Red Squirrel must have dropped that big acorn (DO). |
10. Would you show it (DO) {to me}? |
33. Adding Helping Verbs (Other) Ex # 1

Based on Bunny Rabbit’s Diary by Mary Frances Blaisdell
Answer Key
1. But Jip wanted to play.
2. Bobtail stopped eating.
3. I like to see the water (C).
4. Bobtail began to hop around.
I would expect some students to include "around" in the verb, and I would simply accept
it since the phrase is almost idiomatic.
5. Bobtail liked to play with Bunny.
6. I never can learn to swim.
7. The birds tried to keep warm (C).
8. I love to eat the seeds (C).
9. Bobby began to scold Jip (C).
10. Do you like to live in a little house?
38
1. But Jip wanted to play. |
The infinitive "to play" functions as the direct object of "wanted."
2. Bobtail stopped eating. |
The gerund "eating" functions as the direct object of "stopped."
3. I like to see the water (DO). |
The infinitive "to see" functions as the direct object of "like," and "water" is the direct
object of the infinitive.
4. Bobtail began to hop around. |
The infinitive "to hop" functions as the direct object of "began."
5. Bobtail liked to play {with Bunny}. |
The infinitive "to play" functions as the direct object of "liked."
6. I never can learn to swim. |
The infinitive "to swim" functions as the direct object of "can learn."
7. The birds tried to keep warm (PA). |
The infinitive "to keep" functions as the direct object of "tried." Expect "warm" to
confuse many students. (Note also that you will probably never find this phrase explained
in grammar textbooks.) "Warm" can be explained in at least two ways. The simplest is
that it is a predicate adjective to "tried to keep." Note that within KISS, the procedure will
lead students to predicate adjective because the question "tried to keep what?" evokes the
answer "warm" and "warm" describes "birds." To explain what is going on here, note that
"tried to keep" implies that they "were," and, if they get their wish, they "will be."
(Students will probably easily accept "warm" as a predicate adjective in "The birds were
warm," and in "The birds will be warm.)
In a KISS level-four explanation, "warm" is a predicate adjective after an ellipsed
infinitive *to be*, the subject of which is an ellipsed "*themselves*. The infinitive phrase
("themselves to be warm") functions as the direct object of "to keep."
8. I love to eat the seeds (DO). |
The infinitive "to eat" functions as the direct object of "love." "Seeds" is the direct object
of the infinitive.
9. Bobby began to scold Jip (DO). |
The infinitive "to scold" functions as the direct object of "began," and "Jip" is the direct
10. Do you like to live {in a little house}? |
The infinitive "to live" functions as the direct object of "do like."

Answer Key
1. The wind stopped blowing.
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2. He did not like to work.
3. I am trying to find someone (C).
4. Bobtail began to nibble the greenest leaves (C).
5. He did not ask to play.
6. And the rabbits did not like to wet their feet (C).
7. I did not want to leave my home (C) in the field this week.
8. He loved to curl up in the tall grass.
9. A gentle wind began to blow over the tall grass in the field.
10. Billy always liked to have a game (C) of tag with Bobtail.

1. The wind stopped blowing. |
The gerund "blowing" functions as the direct object of "stopped."
2. He did not like to work. |
The infinitive "to work" functions as the direct object of "did like."
3. I am trying to find someone (DO). |
The infinitive "to find" functions as the direct object of "am trying," and "someone"
functions as the direct object of the infinitive.
4. Bobtail began to nibble the greenest leaves (DO). |
The infinitive "to nibble" functions as the direct object of "began," and "leaves" functions
as the direct object of the infinitive.
5. He did not ask to play. |
The infinitive "to play" functions as the direct object of "did ask."
6. And the rabbits did not like to wet their feet (DO). |
The infinitive "to wet" functions as the direct object of "did like," and "feet" functions as
the direct object of the infinitive.
7. I did not want to leave my home (DO) {in the field} this week [NuA]. |
The infinitive "to leave" functions as the direct object of "did want," and "home"
functions as the direct object of the infinitive. The phrase “in the field” can also be
explained as adverbial to “to leave.”
8. He loved to curl up {in the tall grass}. |
The infinitive "to curl up" functions as the direct object of "loved." (Note that "curl up" is
idiomatic, but if a student wanted to consider it as an adverb (not part of the verb phrase),
I would simply accept that.
9. A gentle wind began to blow {over the tall grass} {in the field}. |
The infinitive "to blow" functions as the direct object of "began."
10. Billy always liked to have a game (DO) {of tag} {with Bobtail}. |
The infinitive "to have" functions as the direct object of "liked," and "game" is the direct
40
Answer Key
1. He was trying to tell Jack (C) something (C).
Expect students to be confused by two complements.
2. Bunny liked to play tricks (C) on his brothers.
3. Sammy stopped eating the nut (C).
4. Bobtail continued to nibble the sweet leaves (C).
5. We will learn to swim.
6. So Bobby began to carry the nuts (C) to a safe place.
7. Bunny would not like to live in a house all the time.
8. I did not want to come so far anyway.
9. The sled kept on sliding faster and faster.
10. Jip loves to play tag (C) with Bobby.

1. He was trying to tell Jack (IO) something (DO). |
The infinitive "to tell" functions as the direct object of "was trying"; "Jack" and
"something" are complements of the infinitive.
2. Bunny liked to play tricks (DO) {on his brothers}. |
The infinitive "to play" functions as the direct object of "liked," and "tricks" is the direct
3. Sammy stopped eating the nut (DO). |
The gerund "eating" functions as the direct object of "stopped," and "nut" is the direct
object of the gerund.
4. Bobtail continued to nibble the sweet leaves (DO). |
The infinitive "to nibble" functions as the direct object of "continued," and "leaves" is the
direct object of the infinitive.
5. We will learn to swim. |
The infinitive "to swim" functions as the direct object of "will learn."
6. So Bobby began to carry the nuts (DO) {to a safe place}. |
The infinitive "to carry" functions as the direct object of "began," and "nuts" is the direct
7. Bunny would not like to live {in a house} all the time [NuA]. |
The infinitive "to live" functions as the direct object of "would like."
8. I did not want to come so far anyway. |
The infinitive "to come" functions as the direct object of "did want."
9. The sled kept on sliding faster and faster. |
41
The gerund "sliding" functions as the direct object of "kept on." (Alternatively, "on" can
be explained as an adverb.)
10. Jip loves to play tag (DO) {with Bobby}. |
The infinitive "to play" functions as the direct object of "loves," and "tag" is the direct
object of the infinitive. (Note that some people will see the prepositional phrase "with
Bobby" as functioning as an adjective to "tag," and others will see it as an adverb to "to
play." Thus either explanation should be accepted.)

Answer Key
1. Bunny started to run after the sled.
2. But I like to see the tree (C) in the woods better.
3. Bobby did not try to run away.
4. North Wind tried to carry the string (C) away.
5. The largest trees helped to keep him (C) warm.
Expect students to be confused here. I would accept either "him" or "him warm" as the
complement. See the complete analysis below.
6. Of course Teddy did like to stay in the playroom.
7. Blacky Crow continued to fly round and round over Sammy's head.
8. Then the water began to fall down on the ground at the foot of the tree.
9. He just kept on wiggling and twisting.
10. Now all the families will have to move out.
I would also accept "out" as part of the verb phrase because "move out" means "leave."

1. Bunny started to run {after the sled}. |
The infinitive "to run" functions as the direct object of "started."
2. But I like to see the tree (DO) {in the woods} better. |
The infinitive "to see" functions as the direct object of "like," and "tree" is the direct
object of the infinitive. Note how context affects grammatical analysis. The phrase "in the
woods" can be explained as an adjective to "tree." In the context of the story, however,
that explanation is not satisfactory because the tree in question has been cut down and
taken out of the woods. Thus the speaker is saying "I would like to see the tree *to be* in
the woods better. To explain this (the real) meaning, we can do either of two things. The
simplest is simply to explain "in the woods" as a modifier to "to see." The other way is to
explain the ellipsed infinitive "to be," thereby arriving at an infinitive phrase ("the tree to
be in the woods") that would function as the direct object of "to see."
3. Bobby did not try to run away. |
The infinitive "to run" functions as the direct object of "did try."
4. North Wind tried to carry the string (DO) away. |
42
The infinitive "to carry" functions as the direct object of "tried," and "string" is the direct
5. The largest trees helped to keep him warm. |
"Him" is the subject, and "warm" is a predicate adjective, of the ellipsed infinitive "to
be." This infinitive phrase functions as the direct object of the infinitive "to keep" which
functions as the direct object of "helped."
6. {Of course} Teddy did like to stay {in the playroom}. |
The infinitive "to stay" functions as the direct object of "did like." (Note that the phrase
"of course" can be explained either as an adverb to "did like" or as an interjection.)
7. Blacky Crow continued to fly round and round {over Sammy's head}. |
The infinitive "to fly" functions as the direct object of "continued."
8. Then the water began to fall down {on the ground} {at the foot} {of the tree}. |
The infinitive "to fall" functions as the direct object of "began."
9. He just kept on wiggling and twisting. |
The gerunds "wiggling" and "twisting" function as direct objects of "kept on." (Some
people will see them as answering the question "how?" rather than "what?" Within KISS,
they can justify this interpretation by considering these gerunds as functioning as nouns
used as adverbs.)
10. Now all the families will have to move out. |
Note that "will have to" means "must."
37. Contractions (Ex # 1)

Answer Key
Note: Students often ask if the "n't" should be underlined in contractions of "not." I have never
seen this question discussed in any grammar textbook, so my answer is that it does not make any
difference.
1. I don’t like to fly kites (C). [do not]

2. I’ve never seen you (C) before. [I have]
3. But Teddy didn’t speak. [did not]
4. You can’t swim on dry land. [can not]
5. It’s the dog (C)! [It is]
1. It is going to rain. [It's]

2. I do not like the wind (C). [don't]
3. Teddy did not say a word (C). [didn't]
4. But you will never be hungry (C) here. [you'll]
5. But he could not find Bobtail (C). [couldn't]

43
1. I don’t like to fly kites (DO). |
2. I’ve never seen you (DO) before. |
3. But Teddy didn’t speak. |
4. You can’t swim {on dry land}. |
5. It’s the dog (PN)! |
1. It is going to rain. |
2. I do not like the wind (DO). |
3. Teddy did not say a word (DO). |
4. But you will never be hungry (PA) here. |
5. But he could not find Bobtail (DO). |

Answer Key
1. I don’t want that (C) now. [do not]
2. It’s too cold (C). [It is]
3. I’ll never go in there again. [I will]
4. I’m out. [I am]
5. I don’t like to stay in this yard all the time. [do not]
1. I am so hungry (C). [I'm]
2. I am going home. [I'm]
"Home" answers the question "Where?" Thus it is not a complement.
3. I will show you (C). [I'll]
4. I have had enough (C) to last me all day. [I've]
5. I can not swim. [can't]
1. I don’t want that (DO) now. |
2. It’s too cold (PA). |
3. I’ll never go in there again. |
Alternatively "in there" can be explained as a prepositional phrase. In this case, the "in"
can be explained as an adverb because either the "in" or the "there" can be dropped from
the sentence without making it ungrammatical. [This is the type of thing that is not
discussed in most grammar textbooks.]
4. I’m out. |
5. I don’t like to stay {in this yard} all the time [NuA]. |
1. I am so hungry (PA). |
44
[NuA]
2. I am going home .|
3. I will show you (IO). |
4. I have had enough (DO) to last me all day [NuA]. |
"To last" will confuse students. It is an infinitive that functions as an adjective to
"enough." Grammarians will probably disagree as to whether "me" is its direct or its
indirect object.
5. I can not swim. |

Answer Key
1. I don’t believe him (C). [do not]
2. I’m going to eat this one (C). [I am]
3. I'll write a story (C) every day. [I will]
4. I don’t want to learn to swim. [do not]
5. They’re going to the pond. [They are]
1. I will go to the pond. [I’ll]
2. Bobby Gray Squirrel did not like the noise (C). [didn’t]
3. We are going to the garden. [We’re]
4. But Blacky Crow did not fly down to the garden. [didn’t]
5. They will look just like wings. [They’ll]
1. I don’t believe him (DO). |
2. I’m going to eat this one (DO). |
3. I'll write a story (DO) every day [NuA]. |
4. I don’t want to learn to swim. |
"To swim" is an infinitive that functions as the direct object of "to learn," which is an
infinitive that functions as the direct object of "don't want."
5. They’re going {to the pond}. |
1. I will go {to the pond}. |
2. Bobby Gray Squirrel did not like the noise (DO). |
3. We are going {to the garden}. |
4. But Blacky Crow did not fly down {to the garden}. |
5. They will look just {like wings}. |
6 - Identifying Nouns, Pronouns, Adjectives, & Adverbs

Here we enter the swamp into which most grammar textbooks sink. Most people are not
interested in the theoretical questions involved in the definitions of the parts of speech, but we
need to note that those questions can become somewhat complex and confusing. As a simple
example, some textbooks consider “his” to be a pronoun; others consider it to be an adjective.
45
Most of the confusion results from the grammarians’ focus on categories rather than on how the
words actually function in sentences.
Because there is no national standard curriculum, and because in some schools kindergarten
students are taught to identify basic nouns, verbs, pronouns, adjectives, and adverbs, KISS at this
point simply needs to establish the concept of “noun.” The instructional material is intentionally
basic, primarily because KISS depends on the exercises to reinforce and expand the concepts.
It makes sense to introduce pronouns at this point, primarily because they appear frequently
in what the students will be reading and writing. The instructional material has been limited to
the most commonly used pronouns. Giving second graders a list that includes less commonly
used pronouns, such as “whoever,” “whosoever,” “whichever,” “whatever,” and “whatsoever,”
would probably confuse more students than it will help. The KISS objective for second grade is
not to have students remember these words as “pronouns,” but rather to help students recognize
these words when they appear as subjects, complements, or, later in the year, as objects of
prepositions.
Note that this section includes the instructional material for adjectives and adverbs, but
only four exercises. One exercise focuses on identifying adjectives, one on identifying adverbs.
The other two are writing exercises, one for adjectives and one for adverbs. The reason for this is
that the next section provides numerous exercises on adding adjectives and adverbs to the
students’ analytical toolbox.
42. Identifying Nouns

Note that this exercise includes nouns that function in constructions that students are not yet
expected to identify. The students' ability to identify nouns will make the identification of some
of these constructions easier when they get to them.
Answer Key
1. So Bunny (N) sat down on the stump (N) and opened his book (N).
2. One morning (N) in winter (N) Bunny (N) opened his eyes (N).
3. The big round sun (N) peeped up from behind the hills (N).
4. The ground (N) was covered with snow (N).
5. Something (N) hit Bunny (N) on the head (N).
6. Billy (N) can make a long slide (N) over in the meadow (N).
7. The rabbits (N) stood at the top (N) of the hill (N) and looked down at the pond (N).
8. Jack Frost (N) covered the pond (N) with ice (N) last night (N).
9. But the garden (N) was far away, across the field (N) and over the other side (N) of the road
(N).
10. All the red squirrels (N) scampered off to get the best seats (N) among the branches (N) of
the oak tree (N).
1. So Bunny sat down {on the stump} and opened his book (DO). |
2. One morning [NuA] {in winter} Bunny opened his eyes (DO). |
Some people will see “in winter” as an adjective to “morning,” and others will see it as an
adverb to “opened.” The question is not worth an argument. Either explanation should be
46
accepted. KISS prefers the adjectival explanation because the model of how our brains
process language suggests that we chunk words as soon as possible. Therefore, our minds
would probably connect “in winter” to “morning.”
3. The big round sun peeped up {from behind the hills}. |
4. The ground was covered (P) {with snow}. |
5. Something hit Bunny (DO) {on the head}. |
6. Billy can make a long slide (DO) {over in the meadow}. |
7. The rabbits stood {at the top} {of the hill} and looked down {at the pond}. |
8. Jack Frost covered the pond (DO) {with ice} last night [NuA]. |
9. But the garden was far away, {across the field} and {over the other side} {of the road}. |
10. All the red squirrels scampered off to get the best seats {among the branches} {of the oak
tree}. |
"Seats" is the direct object of the infinitive "to get." The infinitive phrase functions as an
adverb (of purpose) to "scampered."
43. Identifying Pronouns

Answer Key
Because circles are difficult to make in Word, pronouns have simply been labeled "PRN."
1. That (PRN) is too large (C) for our Christmas tree.
2. Why don’t you (PRN) try it (C) (PRN), Bunny?
3. They (PRN) were waiting for him (PRN) near the old stone wall.
4. But they (PRN) did not tell the secret (C) to any (PRN) of their friends.
5. You (PRN) did not make it (C) (PRN) the right way.
6. Then he (PRN) went to the door and peeped out of it (PRN).
7. She (PRN) made it (C) (PRN) herself (PRN) out of maple leaves.
8. That (PRN) is a diary (C). You (PRN) must write the stories (C) in it (PRN) yourself (PRN).
9. There Bunny found the acorn (C), and he (PRN) tied the string (C) around it (PRN).
10. Bunny sat still on the bank, but he (PRN) did not say anything (C) (PRN).

1. That is too large (PA) {for our Christmas tree}. |
2. Why don’t you try it (DO), Bunny [DirA]? |
3. They were waiting {for him} {near the old stone wall}. |
4. But they did not tell the secret (DO) {to any} {of their friends}. |
5. You did not make it (DO) the right way [NuA]. |
6. Then he went {to the door} and peeped {out of it}. |
7. She made it (DO) herself [App] {out of maple leaves}. |
8. That is a diary (PN). | You must write the stories (DO) {in it} yourself [App]. |
9. There Bunny found the acorn (DO), | and he tied the string (DO) {around it}. |
10. Bunny sat still {on the bank}, | but he did not say anything (DO). |
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44. Identifying Pronouns
Answer Key
1. I (PRN) will ask Bobtail to come with me (PRN).
2. They (PRN) saw many pretty things hanging on the branches.
3. “Swimming may be easy for ducks,” he (PRN) said to himself (PRN).
4. If you (PRN) are with me (PRN), I (PRN) shall not go to sleep.
5. That (PRN) is a good place to hide some nuts for the winter.
6. Sammy hid ten acorns in the tree. He (PRN) packed them (PRN) in one (PRN) by one (PRN).
7. Rabbits and squirrels can run and hop and jump. And that (PRN) is easy for them (PRN).
8. “It (PRN) may have been funny for you (PRN),” said Bunny. “But it (PRN) was not funny for
me (PRN).”
9. Bunny knew she (PRN) had a secret, but she (PRN) would not tell him (PRN) what (PRN) it
(PRN) was.
10. They (PRN) heard someone (PRN) talking and they (PRN) looked to see who (PRN) it
(PRN) was.
1. I will ask Bobtail to come {with me}. |
"Bobtail" is simultaneously the indirect object of "will ask" and the subject of the
infinitive "to come." The infinitive phrase functions as the direct object of "will ask."
2. They saw many pretty things (DO) hanging {on the branches}. |
"Hanging" is a verbal (a gerundive) that modifies "things."
3. [DO of "said" “Swimming may be easy (PA) {for ducks},”] he said {to himself}. |
Note that "Swimming" is a verb that functions as a subject. Thus it is a verbal, in this case
a gerund.
4. [Adv. to "not" If you are {with me}], I shall not go {to sleep}. |
5. That is a good place (PN) to hide some nuts {for the winter}. |
"Nuts" is the direct object of the verbal (in this case, an infinitive) "to hide." The
infinitive phrase functions as an adjective to "place."
6. Sammy hid ten acorns (DO) {in the tree}. | He packed them (DO) in one [NuA] {by one}. |
7. Rabbits and squirrels can run and hop and jump. | And that is easy (PA) {for them}. |
8. [DO of "said" “It may have been funny (PA) {for you},”] said Bunny. | “But it was not
funny (PA) {for me}.” |
Note that in terms of meaning, the "But" clause is also part of the direct object of "said."
To explain this, KISS offers an alternative explanation. (See "Interjection or Direct
Object?")
9. Bunny knew [DO she had a secret (DO)], | but she would not tell him (IO) [DO what (PN)
it was]. |
The "what" here functions as both subordinate conjunction and as the predicate noun to
"it was."
10. They heard someone (DO) talking | and they looked to see [DO who (PN) it was]. |
At KISS Level Four (Verbals), "talking" is explained as a gerundive to "someone."
However, at KISS Level Five, some students may prefer to see "someone talking" as a
noun absolute that functions as the direct object of "heard."
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The infinitive "to see" functions as an adverb (of purpose) to "looked." For the
function of "who," see the note to the previous sentence.
46. Identifying Adjectives

Answer Key
Note: Arrows are cumbersome to create in MS Word, so adjectives are simply marked in
these keys by a smaller font and green letters.
1. The gray squirrels lived in the big oak tree.

2. The red squirrels lived in the old stone wall.
3. The ten little acorns were in the small hole in the tree.
4. I will eat these nuts (C) last of all.
5. He sat up on his hind legs and held up his long ears (C).
Because compounds have not yet been introduced, this sentence enables teachers to
praise students who note that it has two verb phrases.
6. Four little bright eyes watched Jip (C) from the oak tree.
7. Santa Claus gave the pretty toys (C) to the happy children.
8. The next day Bunny sat down under the maple tree.
9. One, two, three, four, five, six little yellow ducks waddled after their mother along the
little path through the meadow.
10. The new slide was smooth (C) and hard (C).

1. The gray squirrels lived {in the big oak tree}. |
2. The red squirrels lived {in the old stone wall}. |
3. The ten little acorns were {in the small hole} {in the tree}. |
4. I will eat these nuts (DO) last {of all}. |
5. He sat up {on his hind legs} and held up his long ears (DO). |
6. Four little bright eyes watched Jip (DO) {from the oak tree}. |
7. Santa Claus gave the pretty toys (DO) {to the happy children}. |
8. The next day [NuA] Bunny sat down {under the maple tree}. |
9. One, two, three, four, five, six little yellow ducks waddled {after their mother} {along the
little path} {through the meadow}. |
The “through the meadow” phrase can be explained either as an adjective to “path” or as
an adverb to “waddled.”
10. The new slide was smooth (PA) and hard (PA). |
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48. Identifying Adverbs
Answer Key
Note that you can modify the directions to this exercise to have students also draw
arrows from each adjective to the word it modifies.
1. He had never written one (C) before.

Both adverbs go to "had written." Note that many prepositions function as adverbs when
their object ("before *this*") is ellipsed.
2. Bunny jumped up and down in the snow.
3. And just then something else went, too.
"Just" modifies "then" which modifies "went."
4. It is a very good breakfast (C).
5. Bunny was soon dry (C) and warm (C).
6. That is too far away.
"Too" modifies "far" which modifies "away" which modifies "is."
7. Then the little sparrow flew away.
8. Bobtail hopped faster and faster over the ground.
9. The rabbits slept in their warm home and did not come out very often.
10. The three rabbits soon found some tender little roots (C).

1. He had never written one (DO) before. |
2. Bunny jumped up and down {in the snow}. |
3. And just then something else went, too. |
"Else" is one of a few adjectives that normally follow rather than precede the noun that
they modify.
4. It is a very good breakfast (PN). |
5. Bunny was soon dry (PA) and warm (PA). |
6. That is too far away. |
7. Then the little sparrow flew away. |
8. Bobtail hopped faster and faster {over the ground}. |
9. The rabbits slept {in their warm home} and did not come out very often. |
10. The three rabbits soon found some tender little roots (DO). |
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7. More Practice with Adjectives and Adverbs
Once students have a general introduction to nouns, pronouns, adjectives, and adverbs, they
will need some practice exercises to solidify these concepts, particularly adjectives and adverbs.
However, once students do have a command of adjectives and adverbs, having them identify
them in every exercise is not necessary. Indeed, it can become boring. Thus the exercises in this
section do require the students to draw an arrow from every adjective and from every adverb to
the word it modifies. After this group of exercises, adjectives and adverbs are ignored except for
special cases that are explained in the analysis keys.
50. Adjectives and Adverbs (Ex # 1)

Based on “The Clover Patch” by Mary Frances Blaisdell
Answer Key
Note: What most adjectives and adverbs modify is usually obvious. Therefore,
because arrows would require time-consuming graphic images of the keys, they have
been left out. Cases that might raise questions are explained within small brackets or in
the notes.
Also, since these exercises deal with adjectives and adverbs, the complete keys
include the adjectival and adverbial functions of the prepositional phrases.
1. It was a lovely day (C) in June.

2. I know a great big patch (C) of clover.
3. I have not had a taste (C) of clover.
4. I like clover (C), too.
5. Is it very far from here?
6. The three little rabbits hopped off to the patch of clover.
7. They hopped down to the brook.
8. But they could not see any clover (C) there.
Note how definitions of adjectives often fail. "Any" does not really describe "clover." But
any native speaker of English intuitively knows that "any" forms a phrase with "clover"
in this sentence.
9. The brook runs quietly through the meadow.
10. Then it runs quickly through the woods.

1. It was a lovely day (PN) {in June}. |
The phrase “in June” can be explained either as an adjective to “day” or as an adverb to
“was.” Most people will probably take it to "day," simply because our brains tend to
connect words to the nearest word that makes sense.
2. I know a great big patch (DO) {of clover} [Adj. to "patch"]. |
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3. I have not had a taste (DO) {of clover} [Adj. to "taste"]. |
4. I like clover (DO), too. |
5. Is it very far {from here} [Adv. to "far" and/or "is"]? |
6. The three little rabbits hopped off {to the patch} {of clover}. |
"Of clover" functions as an adjective to "patch" and thus is embedded in that phrase. "To
the patch" functions as an adverb to "hopped."
7. They hopped down {to the brook} [Adv. to "hopped"]. |
8. But they could not see any clover (DO) there. |
9. The brook runs quietly {through the meadow} [Adv. to "runs"]. |
10. Then it runs quickly {through the woods} [Adv. to "runs"]. |

Answer Key
1. Clover would not grow under the trees.
2. The warm sun shines brightly in the meadow.
3. They were eagerly watching the small fishes (C) in the water.
4. Billy hopped very close to the brook.
The arrow from "very" should go to "close," and that from "close," to "hopped."
5. Then Billy hopped back from the water.
6. That was just old Mr. Green Frog (C).
Grammar textbooks rarely, if ever, discuss a word such as "just." Since is means "only,"
here most grammarians would probably consider it to be an adverb to "was," but expect
students to have problems here, and don't worry about them. Ultimately, it does not make
much difference how "just" is explained in this context.
7. There he is now.
8. I frightened you (C), too.
9. You almost hopped on my back.
10. I was very frightened (C).
Alternatively, "was frightened" can be consider the verb here, but I would expect most
students to explain "frightened" as a complement. Either explanation should be accepted.

1. Clover would not grow {under the trees} [Adv. to "would not grow"]. |
2. The warm sun shines brightly {in the meadow} [Adv. to "shines"]. |
3. They were eagerly watching the small fishes (DO) {in the water}. |
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Although most people will probably explain "in the water" as an adjective to "fishes,"
others may, with reason, see it as adverbial to "were watching."
4. Billy hopped very close {to the brook} [Adv. to "close"]. |
Note that the phrase is not adverbial to "hopped" because "very close" indicates that he
did not get there.
5. Then Billy hopped back {from the water} [Adv. to "back"]. |
6. That was just old Mr. Green Frog (PN). |
7. There he is now. |
8. I frightened you (DO), too. |
9. You almost hopped {on my back} [Adv. to "hopped"]. |
10. I was very frightened (PA). |

Answer Key
1. We must find that clover patch (C) soon.
2. They could not hop so near the brook now.
Expect students to be confused by "so." It modifies the prepositional phrase "near the
brook." (That adverbs can modify prepositional phrases is rarely explained in grammar
textbooks.)
3. The muddy ground was very soft (C) and wet (C).
This one should really confuse most students. First, compounds have not yet been
explained. Thus I would expect many students to miss "wet." Second, "very" modifies the
predicate adjectives "soft" and "wet," and students have not yet been exposed to the
types of complements, and thus to predicate adjectives.
4. The white blossoms held their heads (C) up to the sun.
5. The sun smiled sweetly at the pretty white flowers among the green leaves.
6. Many bees were flying over the clover patch.
7. They were politely asking the beautiful blossoms (C) for nectar.
8. The busy bees flew swiftly from flower to flower.
9. Bobtail hungrily began to nibble the greenest leaves (C).
10. What good honey (C) we can make!

1. We must find that clover patch (DO) soon. |
2. They could not hop so {near the brook} now. |
The phrase "near the book" functions as an adverb to "could not hop," and "so" functions
as an adverb to the phrase.
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3. The muddy ground was very soft (PA) and wet (PA). |
4. The white blossoms held their heads (DO) up {to the sun} [Adv. to "held"]. |
5. The sun smiled sweetly {at the pretty white flowers} {among the green leaves}. |
The phrase "among the green leaves" functions as an adjective to "flowers," and thus this
phrase is embedded in the "at ,,, flowers" phrase. That phrase functions as an adverb to
"smiled."
6. Many bees were flying {over the clover patch} [Adv. to "were flying"]. |
7. They were politely asking the beautiful blossoms (DO) {for nectar} [Adv. to "were
asking"]. |
8. The busy bees flew swiftly {from flower} {to flower}. |
Both phrases are adverbial to "flew."
9. Bobtail hungrily began to nibble the greenest leaves (DO). |
The infinitive "to nibble" functions as the direct object of "began," and "leaves" is the
direct object of "to nibble."
10. What good honey (DO) we can make! |

Answer Key
1. How good (C) this clover is!
Expect students to have problems with "How" because they have not yet been introduced
to predicate adjectives. [This sentence is included primarily so the students will see
another example of a complement that precedes its subject and verb.]
2. I never tasted such sweet clover (C) before.
"Such" can be explained as an adverb to "sweet" or as an adjective to "clover." Note also
that "before" is a preposition with its object ("this clover") ellipsed.
3. Billy hopped round and round.
4. He carefully rubbed his sore nose (C).
5. I just took a big bite (C) of this clover.
6. A small bee flew up from the clover.
7. I did not want to come so far anyway.
"So" modifies "far" which modifies "to come." "Anyway" modifies "did not want."
8. Billy hopped along home very slowly.
9. He stopped every few steps and softly rubbed his poor little nose (C).
"Every" here functions as an adverb to "few" which is an adjective to "steps." Note that
compounding has not yet been introduced. The sentence is included so that you can praise
any students who note it on their own.
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10. Because of the dirt on his nose, the pain soon went away.

1. How good (PA) this clover is! |
2. I never tasted such sweet clover (DO) before. |
3. Billy hopped round and round. |
4. He carefully rubbed his sore nose (DO). |
5. I just took a big bite (DO) {of this clover} [Adj. to "bite"]. |
6. A small bee flew up {from the clover} [Adv. to "flew"]. |
7. I did not want to come so far anyway. |
The infinitive "to come" functions as the direct object of "did not want."
8. Billy hopped along home [NuA] very slowly. |
9. He stopped every few steps [NuA] and softly rubbed his poor little nose (DO). |
10. {Because of the dirt} {on his nose}, the pain soon went away. |
The phrase "on his nose" functions as an adjective to "dirt" and thus is embedded in the
"Because ... dirt" phrase. The "Because" phrase functions as an adverb to "soon."

Young writers often have trouble getting ideas flowing. They will make a statement -- "Our
house is big."– and then try to think of what else to say. Thus, the previous sentence may be
followed by "It is new." This exercise is intended to give students a conscious choice of
combining the two sentences into one.
1. We have a cat. He is white and orange.

We have a white and orange cat.
2. Down the hall to the left is another room. It is my brother's room.

Down the hall to the left is my brother's room.
3. My parents' room has a blue carpet. The carpet is fluffy.

My parents' room has a blue fluffy carpet.
4. I live in a house with four bedrooms. It is green and white

I live in a green and white house with four bedrooms.
5. Then I had homework. It was math and English.

Then I had math and English homework.
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6. Our house has bricks and trim. The bricks are red. The trim is white.
Our house has red bricks and white trim.
55. Apostrophes to Show Possession Ex # 1

Based on Bunny Rabbit's Diary by Mary Frances Blaisdell
Answer Key
1. Then he pulled Bobtail’s long ears (C).
2. Teddy jumped out of Jack’s arms.
3. Someone is in my master’s garden.
"My" modifies "master's" which modifies "garden."
4. Poor Bunny’s heart began to beat very fast.
"Poor" modifies "Bunny's" which modifies "heart." "Very" modifies "fast" which
modifies "beat."
5. They came to Mr. Man’s barn.
6. Then they told Mrs. Duck’s secret (C) to all their friends.
7. One little duck wriggled out from under her mother’s wing.
"Her" modifies "mother's" which modifies "wing."
8. At last they reached Whitie’s house (C).
9. The rabbits could hear Bobby’s feet (C).
10. Bunny put the acorn (C) in front of Sammy’s door.

1. Then he pulled Bobtail’s long ears (DO). |
2. Teddy jumped out {of Jack’s arms}. |
Alternatively, "out of" can be considered the preposition.
3. Someone is {in my master’s garden}. |
4. Poor Bunny’s heart began to beat very fast. |
5. They came {to Mr. Man’s barn}. |
6. Then they told Mrs. Duck’s secret (DO) {to all their friends}. |
7. One little duck wriggled out {from under her mother’s wing}. |
8. {At last} they reached Whitie’s house (DO). |
9. The rabbits could hear Bobby’s feet (DO). |
10. Bunny put the acorn (DO) {in front} {of Sammy’s door}. |
Some grammarians consider "in front of" as a preposition.
56. Apostrophes to Show Possession Ex # 2

56
Answer Key
1. One great big drop fell on Bunny’s nose.
Note how "great" could be considered as modifying "big," and thus functioning as an
adverb to it. [This is the type of thing that is rarely discussed in grammar textbooks.]
2. You would have to go to Mr. Man’s garden.
3. Did he know Mrs. Duck’s secret (C)?
4. Jack dropped Whitie’s supper (C) on the ground.
5. The oak leaf fell to the ground at Billy’s feet.
6. And the little duck wriggled back again under her mother’s wing.
("Her" is an adjective to "mother's")
7. Jip is Jack’s dog (C).
8. They could not find the bunnies’ home (C).
Without the apostrophe, "bunnies" will be read as a noun, the direct object of "could not
find," and "home" will be read as a noun used as an adverb, in effect meaning "at home."
9. The kite was stuck in the tree’s branches.
When students are confused about the apostrophe in this one, point to the importance of
the place of the apostrophe for determining whether it means one tree, or more than one.
10. The children’s Christmas tree was very big (C).

1. One great big drop fell {on Bunny’s nose}. |
2. You would have to go {to Mr. Man’s garden}. |
3. Did he know Mrs. Duck’s secret (DO)? |
4. Jack dropped Whitie’s supper (DO) {on the ground}. |
5. The oak leaf fell {to the ground} {at Billy’s feet}. |
If one views "at Billy’s feet" as describing "ground," then the phrase would function as
an adjective and be embedded in "to the ground."
6. And the little duck wriggled back again {under her mother’s wing}. |
7. Jip is Jack’s dog (PN). |
8. They could not find the bunnies’ home (DO). |
9. The kite was stuck (P) {in the tree’s branches}. |
10. The children’s Christmas tree was very big (PA). |
8. Compounds
In a sentence such as “Bill likes baseball and football,” many students will mark “baseball”
as a complement, but ignore “football.” Compounding is a relatively simple concept, and by
introducing it at this point, sentences with compound subjects, verbs, and/or complements can be
used in the exercises on prepositional phrases.
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59. Compounds (Ex # 1)

Based on “Moving Day” by Mary Frances Blaisdell
Answer Key
If you feel that your students need the practice, you can, of course, add the instruction to
draw arrows from adjectives and adverbs to the words that they modify.
1. It was warm (C) and sunny (C) in the meadows.

2. Mrs. Rabbit had on her bonnet (C) and shawl (C).
3. Bunny and Bobtail and Billy hopped and skipped along.
4. Then she shook her head (C) and wiped a tear (C) from her eye.
5. Sammy sat on the wall and watched the mice (C).
6. Mrs. Mouse and the little mice were peeping into the hole.
7. Mrs. Mouse picked up the bag (C) and started into the hole.
8. Mrs. Mouse heard the noise (C) and jumped back.
9. Sammy jumped off the wall and ran up into the pine tree.
10. The cat sat down beside the hole and waited and waited.

1. It was warm (PA) and sunny (PA) {in the meadows}. |
2. Mrs. Rabbit had on her bonnet (DO) and shawl (DO). |
"On" can be explained as an adverb (an ellipsed prepositional phrase - "on *her body*"),
or it can be considered part of the verb ("had on" means "wore.") These verbs plus what
look like prepositions are known as "phrasal verbs" and are a primary focus in grade
three.
3. Bunny and Bobtail and Billy hopped and skipped along. |
4. Then she shook her head (DO) and wiped a tear (DO) {from her eye}. |
5. Sammy sat {on the wall} and watched the mice (DO). |
6. Mrs. Mouse and the little mice were peeping {into the hole}. |
7. Mrs. Mouse picked up the bag (DO) and started {into the hole}. |
8. Mrs. Mouse heard the noise (DO) and jumped back. |
9. Sammy jumped {off the wall} and ran up {into the pine tree}. |
10. The cat sat down {beside the hole} and waited and waited. |
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60. Compounds (Ex # 2)
Based on “Moving Day” by Mary Frances Blaisdell
Answer Key
1. Bunny kicked and kicked and scrambled and splashed around in the brook.
2. But Bobby only laughed and ran higher up among the branches of the oak tree.
3. Bunny hopped down the hill and made a little path (C) in the snow.
4. The sled was half way down the hill and going faster every minute.
Note how the "was" carries across the "and" to "going."
5. Bobby Gray Squirrel and his brothers often ran up into the pine tree.
6. Mr. Sun came up from behind the hills and shone brightly all day long.
7. The little rabbits whirled around and hopped back to their house.
8. The man and the two children and the dog came back through the woods.
9. And hippity-hop went Billy and Bunny after him.
10. Then he climbed up on the old stump and tossed the kite (C) into the air.

1. Bunny kicked and kicked and scrambled and splashed around {in the brook}. |
2. But Bobby only laughed and ran higher up {among the branches} {of the oak tree}. |
3. Bunny hopped {down the hill} and made a little path (DO) {in the snow}. |
4. The sled was half way {down the hill} and going faster every minute [NuA]. |
"Way" is a noun used as an adverb that modifies the phrase "down the hill," which
modifies "was."
5. Bobby Gray Squirrel and his brothers often ran up {into the pine tree}. |
6. Mr. Sun came up {from behind the hills} and shone brightly all day [NuA] long. |
7. The little rabbits whirled around and hopped back {to their house}. |
8. The man and the two children and the dog came back {through the woods}. |
9. And hippity-hop [NuA] went Billy and Bunny {after him}. |
10. Then he climbed up {on the old stump} and tossed the kite (DO) {into the air}. |
9. Adding Simple Prepositional Phrases

In a sentence such as “One of the boys is here,” some students will see “boys” as the subject
of “is.” This interference from prepositional phrases (“of the boys”) causes numerous problems,
so, in order to identify subjects and verbs, students need to learn to identify prepositional
phrases. There are about sixty words that can function as prepositions, so learning to identify
these phrases takes some practice. (Mastering some of the complications in these phrases is an
objective for grade three.)
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65. Adding Prepositional Phrases (Ex # 1)
Based on “A Summer Shower” by Mary Frances Blaisdell
Answer Key
Because these sentences are so simple, and to save space, the following includes a complete
analysis of each sentence. Thus complements are indicated as "PA," "PN," 'IO," or "DO."
1. The flowers would like to have a drink (DO) {of fresh water} [Adj. to "drink"]. |
When they get to infinitives, students will be able to explain "to have" as the direct object
of "would like," and "drink" as the direct object of the infinitive.
2. We will go down {to the brook} [Adv. to "will go"]. |
Alternatively, "down to" can be considered the preposition.
3. Will you come {with us} [Adv. to "will come"]? |
4. There is not much water (PN) {in the brook} today. |
Expect students to be confused here. Alternatively, "water" can be considered the subject,
and "There" can be explained either as an adverb or as an expletive. Note that an
argument can easily be made that "in the brook" functions as an adjective to "water,"
rather than as an adverb explaining where there is not much of it. Thus either explanation
should be accepted.
5. So {at last} [Adv. to "sat"] Bunny sat down {under the oak tree} [Adv. to "sat"]. |
6. Mrs. Duck and all the little ducks waddled {along the path} [Adv. to "waddled"]. |
7. It was really nothing (PN) {but mud} [Adj. to "nothing"]. |
8. The little ducks were playing {in the muddy brook} [Adv. to "were playing"]. |
9. They pushed their flat bills (DO) {into the mud} [Adv. to "pushed"]. |
10. Their little yellow feet were black (PA) {with mud} [Adv. to "black"]. |
11. Mr. Sun looked down and smiled {at them} [Adv. to "smiled"]. |
12. A gentle wind began to blow {over the tall grass} [Adv. to "to blow"] {in the
field} [Adj. to "grass"]. |
The infinitive "to blow" can be explained as the direct object of "began." Some people
may see "in the field" as describing "blow." This view will make the phrase an adverb to
"blow" and thus not embedded in the "over the tall grass phrase.
13. It rushed along {to the woods} [Adv. to "rushed"]. |
Alternatively, "along to" can be considered the preposition.

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1. The clouds sailed faster and faster {across the sky} [Adv. to "sailed"]. |
2. We must go back {to the barn} [Adv. to "must go" and/or "back"]. |
3. So the robin flew {to the woods} [Adv. to "flew"]. |
4. Billy and Bobtail were playing {in their yard} [Adv. to "were playing"]. |
5. Patter [NuA], patter [NuA], patter [NuA]! the rain drops fell {on the oak leaves} [Adv. to
"fell"]. |
6. {In a few minutes} [Adv. to "were"] the leaves were wet (PA). |
7. Faster and faster the rain drops fell {from the black clouds} [Adv. to "fell"].
8. The ground was soon wet (PA) {under the oak tree} [Adv. to "was"]. |
Some people will see "under the oak tree" as modifying "wet," whereas others will see it
as going to "was." Either way, it functions as an adverb.
9. I am going to take a bath (DO) {in that puddle} [Adv. to "am going to take"] {of
water} [Adj. to "puddle"]. |
10. Mr. Green Frog came {out of his hole} [Adv. to "came"]. |
11. {On his way} [Adv. to "met"] he met Mrs. Duck (DO) and all the little ducks
(DO). |
12. And Robin Redbreast took a bath (DO) {in the puddle} [Adv. to "took"] {under
the oak tree} [Adj. to "puddle"]. |
13. The duck and all the little ducks waddled {across the road} [Adv. to "waddled"]
and {into the meadow} [Adv. to "waddled"]. |
67. A Punctuation Exercise

The Original Text
Remember that the purpose of these exercises is not to have the students reproduce the exact
original punctuation, but rather to fix the punctuation and then discuss their versions, the
original, and the reasons for any differences.
Then the water began to fall down on the ground at the foot of the tree. One great big
drop fell on Bunny’s nose. Then another fell on his ear. He waked up with a start.
“What is the matter?” he said. “What is the matter?”

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Then the water began to fall [#1] down {on the ground} {at the foot} {of the tree}. | One
great [#2] big drop fell {on Bunny’s nose}. | Then another fell {on his ear}. | He waked
up {with a start}. |
[DO [#3] “What is the matter (PN)?”] he said. | “What is the matter (PN)?” |
Notes
1. Alternatively, "to fall" is an infinitive that functions as the direct object of "began."
2. Because "great" modifies the adjective "big," it functions as an adverb.
3. This is the traditional explanation of this sentence, but KISS offers an alternative explanation.
In it, the subordinate clause is the main clause, and the "he said" is a subordinate clause that
functions as an interjection. Note that the traditional explanation does not take into account
that the following "What is the matter?" is also "subordinate" to "he said."

Based on “Sammy’s Flying Machine” by Mary Frances Blaisdell
1. Sammy Red Squirrel was sitting {on the stone wall} [Adv. to "was sitting"]. |
2. Blacky Crow flew {over the field} [Adv. to "flew"]. |
3. I am going {to the pasture} [Adv. to "am going"] now. |
4. The crow flew {over the tallest tree} [Adv. to "flew"] and {out of sight} [Adv. to
"flew"]. |
5. Just then something hit Sammy (DO) {on the head} [Adv. to "hit"]. |
Note that "just" modifies "then."
6. There {at his feet} lay an oak leaf. |
Some people will see "at his feet" as modifying "There," and others will se it as
modifying "lay." Either explanation is acceptable.
7. He looked up {in the top} [Adv. to "looked"] {of the tree} [Adj. to "top"]. |
8. West Wind flew by and shook the branches (DO) {of the tree} [Adj. to
"branches"] very gently. |
"By" can be explained as a preposition with its object ("them") ellipsed. It would thus
answer the question "Flew where?" so it functions as an adverb. "Very" modifies
"gently."
9. And another leaf floated softly down {to the ground} [Adv. to "floated"] {beside its
brother} [Adj. to "ground"]. |
"Beside its brother" can also be explained as an adverb to ""floated" or to "down."
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10. I can make some wings (DO) {for myself} [Adv. to "can make"] {out of those oak
leaves} [Adv. to "can make"]. |
Note that "for myself" can also be explained as an adjective to "wings."

1. Sammy put the two leaves (DO) {on the ground} [Adv. to "put"] and covered
them (DO) {with a stone} [Adv. to "covered"]. |
2. You must be {at the tree} [Adv. to "must be"] {in a few minutes} [Adv. to "must be"].
|
3. All the red squirrels scampered off {among the branches} [Adv. to "scampered"]
{of the oak tree} [Adj. to "branches"]. |
4. You would have to go {to Mr. Man’s garden} [Adv. to "would have to go"] and ask
him (IO) {for some} [Adv. to "ask"] {of the leaves} [Adj. to "some"] {from the
rhubarb plants} [Adj. to "leaves"]. |
5. I will fly {to the oak tree} [Adv. to "will fly"] this very minute [NuA]. |
6. He ran {up the tree} [Adv. to "ran"] and out {on one} [Adv. to "ran" and/or "out"] {of
the longest branches} [Adj. to "one"]. |
7. He stood {on the very end} [Adv. to "stood"] {of the branch} [Adj. to "end"] {for
just one minute} [Adv. to "stood"]. |
"Just" functions as an adverb to the adjective "one."
8. The wings would not hold Sammy (DO) up {in the air} [Adv. to "would hold"]. |
9. And down {to the ground} [Adv. to "down" and/or "fell"] Sammy fell. |
10. He almost fell {on top} [Adv. to "fell"] {of Bunny Rabbit} [Adj. to "top"]. |
70. An Exercise in Punctuation

The Original Text
Sammy stopped eating the nut, and looked up to see who was talking to him. He saw
Blacky Crow sailing round and round over his head.
“I am eating my breakfast,” he answered. “Would you like to have a nut to eat, too?”
“Oh, no,” answered Blacky Crow. “I can find something better than that.”
Complete Analysis Key (FYI)

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Sammy stopped eating [#1]
the nut (DO), and looked up to see [#2]
[DO who was
talking {to him}]. | He saw Blacky Crow (DO) sailing [#3] round and round {over his
head}. |
[DO [#4] “I am eating my breakfast (DO),”] he answered. | “Would you like
to have [#5] a nut (DO) to eat [#6], too?” |
“Oh [Inj], no,” (DO) answered Blacky Crow. | “I can find something (DO)
better [#7] {than that}.” |

Notes
1. Alternatively, "eating" is a verbal (a gerund) that functions as the direct object of "stopped,"
and "nut" is the direct object of the gerund.
2. The infinitive "to see" (another verbal) functions as an adverb (of purpose) to "looked up." The
"who" clause is the direct object of "to see."
3. "Sailing" is a verbal (a gerundive) that functions as an adjective to "Blacky Crow." At KISS
Level Five, some people will prefer to see "Blacky Crow sailing" as the core of a noun
absolute construction that functions as the direct object of "saw."
4. In an alternative explanation, the "I am ..." clause is the main S/V/C pattern, and the "he
answered" is a subordinate clause that functions as an interjection.
5. Alternatively, "to have" is an infinitive that functions as the direct object of "would like," and
"nut" is the direct object of the infinitive.
6. The infinitive "to eat" functions as an adjective to "nut."
7. "Better" is a post-positioned adjective, a reduction of "something *that is* better...."

Based on “The Cabbage Patch” by Mary Frances Blaisdell
1. Bobtail and Bunny hopped off {down the road} [Adv. to "hopped"]. |
2. They hopped {along the road} [Adv. to "hopped"] and came {to Mr. Man’s barn}
[Adv. to "came"]. |
3. So the two little rabbits laid their ears (DO) down {on their heads} [Adv. to "laid"]
and hopped away {behind the barn} [Adv. to "hopped"]. |
4. Where are you going {in such a hurry} [Adv. to "are going"]? |
5. The rooster flapped his wings (DO) and flew up {on the fence} [Adv. to "flew"]. |
6. This is no place (PN) {for us}. |
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"For us" can be explained as either an adjective to "place" or as an adverb to "is."
7. Not a word (DO) did the little rabbits speak. |
"Not" is an adverb to the adjective "a."
8. How still (PA) it was {in the garden} [Adv. to "was"]! |
"Still" can be explained either as an adverb to "was" or as a predicate adjective.
9. The bees were humming {among the flowers} [Adv. to "were humming"]. |
10. The tender and sweet corn had just peeped {out of the ground} [Adv. to "had
peeped"]. |

1. Jip bounded {across the field} [Adv. to "bounded"]. |
2. Someone is {in my master’s garden} [Adv. to "is"]. |
3. Off {through the garden} [Adv. to "hopped"] they hopped. |
4. Jip ran {after them} [Adv. to "ran"] and barked louder and louder {at every step}
[Adv. to "barked"]. |
5. They hopped {across the field} [Adv. to "hopped"] and {into the woods} [Adv. to
"hopped"]. |
6. They had hopped {into a hole} [Adv. to "had hopped"] {under the big rock} [Adj.
to "hole"] {at the foot} [Adj. to "rock"] {of the oak tree} [Adj. to "foot"]. |
7. {At last} [Adv. to "pulled"] Bunny pulled his head (DO) back {through the hole}
[Adv. to "pulled"]. |
8. He was safe (PA) {on the outside} [Adv. to "was" and/or "safe"] {of the hole} [Adj.
to "outside"]. |
9. Mother Rabbit was standing {at the door} [Adv. to "was standing"] and watching
{for him} [Adv. to "watching"]. |
Note how the "was" carries across the "and" to "watching."
10. Bunny pointed {to his poor little scratched nose} [Adv. to "pointed"]. |
74. A Matching Game with Prepositional Phrases

Answer Key
The two rabbits hopped off ____5______ and _____3_____.
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Note that lacking context, many students may justifiably have these two reversed.
There they found the biggest cabbages they had ever seen.
There were rows and rows ____7______.
They were great big green cabbages. How good they did look ____1______!
“I am going to eat this one,” said Bunny. And he stopped _____6_______
_____4___ ____2______.
The two rabbits hopped off {across the yard} and {into the garden}. |
There they found the biggest cabbages (DO) [Adj. to "cabbages" they had ever
seen]. |
There [#1] were rows (PN) and rows (PN) {of them}. |
They were great big green cabbages (PN). | How good (PA) they did look {to the
hungry little rabbits}! |
[DO [#2] “I am going to eat this one (DO),”] said Bunny. | And he stopped {at a
big, big cabbage} {at the end} {of one long row}. |
Notes
1. Alternatively, "There" can be explained as an expletive or as an adverb, and "rows" and "rows"
as the subject.
2. KISS allows an alternative explanation in which the "I am" clause is the main clause, and
"said Bunny" is a subordinate clause that functions as an interjection.

Based on “The White Rabbit” by Mary Frances Blaisdell
1. Billy was fond (PA) {of cabbage} [Adv. to "fond"], too. |
2. But the garden was far away, {across the field} [Adv. to "was"] and {over the other
side} [Adv. to "was"] {of the road} [Adj. to "side"]. |
"Far" modifies "away."
3. Mother Rabbit and Bobtail were {in the garden} [Adv. to "were"] {on a warm
summer day} [Adv. to "were"]. |
4. Bunny ate clover (DO) {in the meadow} [Adv. to "ate"] {with Billy} [Adv. to
"ate"]. |
5. The two little rabbits nibbled {at the tender leaves} [Adv. to "nibbled"]. |
Some people will probably prefer to see the "at" as part of the verb phrase and "leaves" as
a complement (direct object). Grammarians will disagree with each other here, so either
explanation should be accepted.
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6. But Billy only shook his head (DO) and hopped off {toward home} [Adv. to
"hopped"]. |
7. He could not see any (DO) {of his friends} [Adj. to "any"]. |
8. I will go over {to the garden} [Adv. to "will go"] and find mother (DO) and
Bobtail (DO). |
I would also accept "over to the garden" as the prepositional phrase.
9. He hopped {across the field} [Adv. to "hopped"] and {across the road} [Adv. to
"hopped"]. |
10. The rooster was sitting {on the fence} [Adv. to "was sitting"]. |

1. Bunny hopped along {past the hen-yard fence} [Adv. to "hopped"], and {into the
orchard} [Adv. to "hopped"]. |
2. I live {in a little house} [Adv. to "live"] {near the barn} [Adj. to "house"]. |
Some people will see "near the barn" as adverbial to "live," and thus not embedded in the
"in a little house" phrase.
3. So Bunny and Whitie hopped off {toward the barn} [Adv. to "hopped"]. |
4. The white rabbit pointed {to a little house} [Adv. to "pointed"] {under the apple
tree} [Adj. to "house"]. |
5. He had never been so {near the barn} [Adv. to "had been"] before. |
"So" functions as an adverb to the adverbial prepositional phrase "near the barn."
6. The two little rabbits hopped {through the gate} [Adv. to "hopped"]. |
7. Jack left them (DO) here {for my dinner} [Adv. to "left"]. |
8. The dog was not running along {beside him} [Adv. to "was running"]. |
9. But I like my home (DO) {in the woods} [Adj. to "home"] much better. |
10. Bunny ran {out of the house} [Adv. to "ran"] and played a game (DO) {of tag}
[Adj. to "game"] {with Billy and Bobtail} [Adv. to "played"]. |

The original text is:
And then he heard Jack talking to the dog.
Poor Bunny’s heart began to beat very fast.
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“What shall I do? What shall I do?” he said.
“Jack and Jip will not hurt you,” said Whitie. “I think Jack is coming to close the
gate.”
Bunny hid himself in one corner of the house and held his breath for fear Jack would
see him.
And then he heard Jack (DO) talking [#1] {to the dog}. |
Poor Bunny’s heart began to beat [#2] very fast. |
“What (DO) shall I do? | What (DO) shall I do?” [ [#3] he said]. |
“Jack and Jip will not hurt you (DO),” [ [#3] said Whitie]. | “I think [DO Jack
is coming to close the gate [#4].]” |
Bunny hid himself (DO) {in one corner} {of the house} and held his breath (DO)
{for fear} [Adj. to "fear" Jack would see him (DO)]. |
Notes
1. At KISS Level Four, students will learn that "talking" is a gerundive that modifies "Jack." At
Level Five, some students will prefer to see "Jack talking" as the core of a noun absolute that
functions as the direct object of "heard."
2. At this level, "began to beat" can be considered the verb phrase. At KISS Level Four, many
students will prefer to see "began" as the finite verb and "to beat" as an infinitive (a verbal)
that functions as the direct object of "began."
3. This sentence and the next illustrate why KISS offers a non-traditional explanation of clauses
involving quotations. Traditional grammars rarely, if ever, discuss the question of several
main clauses inside a quotation. When the "said" appears before the quotation, KISS
considers the first main clause in the quotation to be a subordinate clause that functions as
direct object. Subsequent clauses are then considered to be separate main clauses:
He said [DO "What shall I do?] | What shall I do?" |
When the quotation comes first, KISS explains the "said" clause as an interjection. For more
on this see "Interjection or Direct Object?" in the Instructional Materials for KISS Level
Three.
4. "Gate" is the direct object of the infinitive "to close" which functions as an adverb (of
purpose) to "is coming."
10. “You” Understood as the Subject

This is relatively simple, but it does need to be explained to students.
80. “You” as the Understood Subject Ex # 1

1. *You* Follow us (DO) | and you will see. |
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2. *You* Come down here. |
3. *You* Wait {for me} [Adv. to "wait"]. |
4. *You* See this big oak leaf (DO)? |
5. *You* Look, | *You* look! |
6. *You* Come, little leaves [DirA]. |
7. *You* Put on your dresses (DO) {of red and gold} [Adj. to "dresses"]. |
Expect some students to mark "on your dresses" as a prepositional phrase. Explain to
them that the sentence means to put the dresses on "you." Thus "dresses" is a
complement. (This problem is a major focus in Grade Three.)
8. *You* Wake up, Billy [DirA] ! |
9. *You* Don’t make a noise (DO). |
10. *You* Come down and play {with us} [Adv. to "play"]. |
Note that in # 5 and # 10, "you" may be included before each verb, or just before the first.
(This is another question that most grammar books do not discuss.)
81. “You” as the Understood Subject Ex # 2

1. *You* Look {at that} [Adv. to "Look"] ! |
2. *You* See my ducks (DO). |
3. *You* Come back! |
4. *You* See Mrs. Duck (DO) and all the little ducks (DO). |
5. *You* Paddle your feet (DO), | *You* paddle your feet (DO)! |
6. *You* Show it (DO) {to us} [Adv. to "Show"]. |
7. *You* See the fishes (DO) {in the water} [Adj. to "fishes," or "Adv. to "See"] . |
8. *You* Don't go {into that house} [Adv. to "Don't go"]. |
9. *You* Just see the flowers (DO) {after the rain} [Adv. to "see"]. |
10. *You* Flap your wings (DO)! |
82. “You” as the Understood Subject–“Betty Blue”

Little Betty Blue
Lost her holiday shoe (DO); |
What (DO) shall little Betty do? |
*You* Give her (IO) another (DO) [#1]
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To match the other [#2] |
And then she'll walk {upon two}. |
Notes
1. Although "another" is normally an adjective, it functions here as the direct object, since "shoe"
is understood. Technically, we could consider the missing "shoe" as ellipsed, and thus
explain "shoe" as an adjective, but do we really need to be that technical?
2. "Other" is the direct object of the infinitive "To match." The infinitive modifies "Give." I
would expect some students to mark "To match" as a prepositional phrase until they have
done some exercises specifically on the "to" problem.
11 - Sentence Combining & Style

These introductory and simple combining exercises are intended to improve students’ ability
to change sentences once they are written.
86. Using Adjectives & Prepositional Phrases to Combine Sentences

Answers & Options
1. Sam had spent all his money for the book. It was a story book.
Sam had spent all his money for the story book.
Sam had spent all his money for the book of stories.
2. The old cat is asleep on the mat. The mat is by the door.
The old cat is asleep on the door mat.
The old cat is asleep on the mat by the door.
3. It is evening. Shadows steal across the sky.
Evening shadows steal across the sky.
Shadows of the evening steal across the sky.
4. He caught hold of the clothes. The clothes were Mr. Brown's.
He caught hold of Mr. Brown's clothes.
He caught hold of the clothes of Mr. Brown.
5. A woman was standing at a table. She was of middle age.
A middle aged woman was standing at a table.
A woman of middle age was standing at a table.
6. In two of our trees there are boxes. They are for squirrels.
In two of our trees there are squirrel boxes.
In two of our trees there are boxes for squirrels.
87. Using Prepositional Phrases to Combine Sentences

Notes
This exercise is intended to give students a conscious option for combining two sentences
into one.
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1. I had a popcicle. It was in my hand.

I had a popcicle in my hand.
2. My dad had just got home. He had been at work.
My dad had just got home from work.
3. We have another shower. It is in our basement.
We have another shower in our basement.
4. I live in a brick house. It is on Maple Street.
I live in a brick house on Maple Street.
5. We have a living room. It has a table, two chairs, and a couch.
We have a living room with a table, two chairs, and a couch.
88. Sentence Combining with Adjectives

Based on “Teddy Bear” by Mary Frances Blaisdell
The following are the most probable ways in which the students will combine the sentences.
1. Teddy stared {at the duck} [Adv. to "stared"] {with his little black eyes} [Adv. to
"stared"]. |
2. You lived {in the new playroom} [Adv. to "lived"]. |
3. He saw happy Bobby Gray Squirrel (DO). |
4. “Good-morning,” (DO) Bobby said {to the little brown bear} [Adv. to "said"]. |
5. Teddy stared {at the polite squirrel} [Adv. to "stared"]. |
6. He thought {of Jack-in-the-box, and the bright tin soldiers} [Adv. to "thought"]. |
Some grammarians would insist that the verb here is "thought of" (which equals
"remembered"). That explanation, which is acceptable in KISS, would make the objects
of the preposition into direct objects of the verb. {These "phrasal verbs" are a focus of
study in the KISS book for third grade.}
7. He thought {of the new automobile} [Adv. to "thought"] and {of all the pretty
dolls} [Adv. to "thought"]. |
See the note above.
8. Baby May was sitting {on the floor} [Adv. to "was sitting"]. |
9. I will go {to the pond} [Adv. to "will go"] and see wise old Mr. Green Frog (DO). |
10. So the little brown bear lay {on the soft grass} [Adv. to "lay"]. |
89. Sentence Combining with Prepositional Phrases

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1. Teddy Bear lay {on the grass} [Adv. to "lay"] {in the meadow} [Adj. to "grass"]. |
The "in the meadow" phrase can also be explained as an adverb modifying "lay," and thus
not embedded in the "on the grass" phrase.
2. Jip picked Teddy (DO) up {in his mouth} [Adv. to "picked"] and ran along
{through the meadow} [Adv. to "ran"]. |
3. Bobby Gray Squirrel was hunting {for nuts} [Adv. to "was hunting"]. |
4. Jip liked to play tag (DO) {with Bobby} [Adv. to "to play"]. |
The infinitive "to play" functions as the direct object of "liked," and "tag" is the direct
5. I had just found a nut (DO) {for my breakfast} [Adj. to "nut" and/or Adv. to "had
found"]. |
6. Jack came {along the path} [Adv. to "came"] {with Jip} [Adv. to "came"] . |
7. {Near the tree} [Adv. to "saw"], Jack saw Teddy Bear (DO) {on the ground} [Adj.
to "Teddy Bear" and/or Adv. to "saw"]. |
8. Bunny hopped off {down the path} [Adv. to "hopped"]. |
9. Then Jip started {along the path} [Adv. to "started"] {in the woods} [Adj. to
"woods"]. |
10. He would tell his friends (IO) {about his day} [Adv. to "would tell"] {in the
woods} [Adj. to "day"]. |
90. Combining to Make Compound Subjects or Verbs

1. Baby May had dropped him (DO) there and had forgotten all {about him}
[Adv. to "had forgotten"]. |
Because it can mean "everything," I would accept "all" as a complement here. It would be
a direct object, and that would make the "about him" phrase an adjective that modifies
"all." But it can also mean "completely," so some people will see it as an adverb.
2. Blacky Crow flew {over the meadow} [Adv. to "flew"] and called {to the bear}
[Adv. to "called"]. |
3. Mrs. Duck and all the little ducks waddled {along the path} [Adv. to "waddled"]. |
4. Teddy just stared, and stared, but did not say a word (DO). |
5. He tossed him (DO) up {in the air} [Adv. to "tossed"] and caught him (DO) {in
his mouth} [Adv. to "caught"]. |
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6. But Bobby saw the dog (DO) and skipped up {into the oak tree} [Adv. to
"skipped"]. |
7. He forgot {about Teddy} [Adv. to "forgot"] and left him (DO) {under the tree}
[Adv. to "left"]. |
8. May was sitting {on the floor} [Adv. to "was sitting"] and playing {with her dolls}
[Adv. to "playing"]. |
Note that the "and" is necessary for the compound. In "May was sitting on the floor
playing with her dolls," "playing" has been reduced to a verbal adjective (a gerundive).
9. Then {at last} [Adv. to "fell"] Teddy fell asleep and dreamed {about the playroom}
[Adv. to "dreamed"]. |
10. May picked Teddy (DO) up and gave him (IO) a great bear hug (DO). |
12. Distinguishing Complements

I was asked to provide more extensive material, beyond the basic Instructional Material for
Distinguishing Complements. My initial response was “No,” but I should amend that response,
both by explaining the logic behind it and also by adding some possibilities.
To begin, we need to ask why students need to distinguish complements in the first place.
The answer to that question is that the ability to distinguish complements can improve both their
reading and their writing. It does so most clearly by enabling them to identify predicate nouns.
Note that, within KISS, the way that students learn to identify a predicate noun is first to
eliminate the predicate adjective, and then to ask 1.) if the complement is, in some way, equal to
the subject and 2) if the verb in any ways means “equals.” This important “equality” of the
predicate noun and the subject is rarely explored in traditional grammars. The result is often poor
reading and poor writing.
As a simple example, a student wrote, “Often the practice rooms are the only time one can
be alone.” A room, however, is a place, not a time. One of my favorite examples of this problem
with the logic of predicate nouns is still
The taste of a sizzling foot-long hotdog coated with tangy sauerkraut with mounds
of pickle relish is a typical snack when accompanied by a tall, chilled paper cup of
Coke."
The hotdog may be a tasty snack, but a taste is not. This example, by the way, suggests why the
S/V/PN may continue to be a problem for some students as their sentences naturally become
more complex and as more words fall between the subject and verb or between the verb and the
complement.
That still leaves open the question of how to teach students to recognize complements. In
essence, KISS uses a logical process, a sequence of questions to arrive at the type of the
complement, thereby sidestepping the traditional “transitive,” “intransitive,” and “linking” verbs.
What's wrong with the traditional approach?
The simple answer to that question is that it is ultimately useless, perhaps even confusing, if
one’s objective is to teach students how to analyze real texts. We’ll skip the problems with
“transitive” and “intransitive,” and simply look at how most grammar textbooks explain “linking
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verbs.” First of all, most textbooks explain that linking verbs take predicate adjectives or
predicate nouns, and not direct or indirect objects. They also explain that the verb “be,” (“am,”
“are,” “is,” “was,” and “were”) when it is used as the primary verb (and not as a helping verb) is
a linking verb. (Are you getting all of this? If you are, many students won't. I’ve had students
mark “working” as a predicate noun in the sentence “He is working in the garden.”)
Having explained the preceding, most textbooks give a list of additional verbs that may
function as linking verbs. Since you may want to use it, the following example is from Paul
Roberts’ Understanding Grammar (N.Y.: Harper & Row, 1954, 115-116):
Though be is the most common linking verb in Modern English, many others
are in common use. The following are illustrative:
seem: The weather seems nasty.
become: The weather became nasty.
turn: The weather turned nasty.
continue: The weather continued nasty.
loom: The difficulties loomed large.
grow: His love grew cold.
taste: The pie tasted foul.
feel: Don't feel bad.
run: The cow ran dry.
get: Hurry and get well.
You can probably find other verbs included in other books. No such list claims to be complete,
and that is the problem. What are students supposed to do when the verb in the sentence they are
analyzing (or writing) is not on the list? Note, for example, that one of the exercises for Grade
Two includes the sentence “Perhaps he can keep awake.” “Keep” is not on Roberts’ list, but it
functions as a linking verb in this sentence, and “awake” is a predicate adjective.
In another of his grammar books, Roberts discusses the problem. He uses “grow” as an
example, as in:
a..) Tom grew quickly.
b.) Tom grew tall.
c.) Tom grew tomatoes.
In (a.) “grew” is intransitive; in (b.) it is linking; and in (c.) it is transitive. How do we know
that? Ultimately, the grammarians end up using the basic KISS instructional material on the
types of complements. (Or should I say that KISS instructional material is based on what
grammarians themselves do to determine the types of verbs and complements?) In (a.) there is no
complement. (Thus the verb is intransitive.) In (b.) the complement is an adjective that describes
“Tom.” (Thus the verb is “linking.”) In (c.) there is a complement, but it neither describes, nor is
it equal to, “Tom.” (Thus the verb is transitive.)
In order to analyze real sentences, students are going to have to master the KISS
instructional sequence. You can, if you wish, use the preceding information to give students
additional instruction, but I suggest caution. First, it may cause more confusion than it is worth.
Second, too much focus on knowing that word "x" can be a linking verb may easily detract from
the more important instruction on knowing how to decide what type of complement is involved.
Instructors of math (and professors of electronics) regularly complain that students are too
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focused on what the answer is (the “that”) and thus the students fail to learn the process (the
“how”) to work one’s way to the correct answer. The basic KISS instructional material on the
types of complements is, in addition, an introduction to procedures that will be used later within
KISS, but it is also important instruction in learning how to learn.
91. The Subject/Verb/No Complement Pattern

Based on “Bobby’s Party” by Mary Frances Blaisdell
1. And all day [NuA]
long the children played {with their fire-crackers} [Adv. to
"played"]. |
Grammarians will disagree about the function of "long." Among others, some will
consider it an adverb to the adverbial function of "day," and others will consider it an
adjective to "day." In either explanation, it is clear that "long" goes with "day."
2. So he peeped {out of his door} [Adv. to "peeped"] once more. |
3. The sun was not shining now. |
4. The big round moon was looking down. |
5. All the children were {in bed} [Adv. to "were"]. |
6. He jumped up and ran {out of doors} [Adv. to "ran"]. |
7. He ran {down the branch} [Adv. to "ran"] {of the oak tree} [Adj. to "branch"] and off
{through the woods} [Adv. to "ran"]. |
8. He ran {past the three rabbits} [Adv. to "ran"]. |
9. Bobby jumped up {on the highest stone} [Adv. to "jumped"]. |
10. Right {at his feet} [Adv. to "was"] was a paper bag. |
Note how "Right" functions as an adverb that modifies the following prepositional
phrase.
92. Focusing on Predicate Adjectives

1. Fourth {of July} is fun (PN) {for boys and girls}. |
Some people will see "for boys and girls" as modifying "fun," and others will see it as
modifying "is." (The same is true for the next sentence.)
2. But it is not so funny (PA) {for rabbits and squirrels}. |
3. {At last} [Adv. to "was"] it was quiet (PA). |
4. I am hungry (PA). |
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5. And the bag smelled very good (PA). |
6. This bag is full (PA) {of peanuts} [Adv. to the adjective "full"]. |
7. Sammy Red Squirrel had been wide awake (PA) all day [NuA]. |
8. Bobby's teeth were little (PA) and sharp (PA). |
9. Some {of the squirrels} [Adj. to "Some"] were red (PA). |
10. But Bobby's storehouse was empty (PA). |
93. Focusing on Predicate Nouns

1. It was morning (PN). |
2. This is a good morning (PN). |
3. What a big squirrel (PN) am I. |
4. It was a peanut (PN). |
5. That was a good joke (PN). |
6. The hiding place was a hole (PN) {behind a big rock} [Adj. to "hole"]. |
7. It was a funny sound (PN) up {in the maple tree} [Adv. to "was"]. |
Some people will justifiably see "in the maple tree" as an adjective to "sound."
8. It was a wonderful party (PN). |
9. The nuts were big, juicy peanuts (PN). |
10. Sammy Red Squirrel was a trickster (PN). |
94. Focusing on Indirect and Direct Objects

1. He poked his nose (DO) out once or twice. |
2. But each time [NuA] he heard a loud bang (DO). |
3. Bobby had not heard a sound (DO) {for a long time} [Adv. to "had not heard"]. |
4. Bobby saw the moon (DO). |
5. I might find an apple (DO) {on one} [Adv. to "might find"] {of the trees} [Adj. to
"one"]. |
6. I will make a hole (DO) {in the bag} [Adv. to "will make"]. |
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7. I will show you (IO) a big pile (DO) {of peanuts} [Adj. to "pile"]. |
8. Not one peanut (DO) could they see. |
9. So Bobby began to carry the nuts (DO) {to a safe place} [Adv. to "began to carry"].
|
In KISS Level Three: "Nuts" is the direct object of the infinitive "to carry" which is the
direct object of "began."
10. *You* Meet me (DO) {at the old stone wall} [Adv. to "Meet"]. |
95. A Special Focus on Indirect Objects

Analysis Key
The details of the "to" and "for" variations may be too complex for some second graders to
follow, but discussing them will probably get the students to start thinking about the differences
in the placement of modifiers. The options discussed below are meant to be suggestive, not
exhaustive.
1. The frog gave the boy (IO) a ride (DO) {beneath the moonlight}. |
a.) The frog gave a ride to the boy beneath the moonlight.
b.) Beneath the moonlight, the frog gave a ride to the boy.
c.) The frog beneath the moonlight gave a ride to the boy.
The phrase "beneath the moonlight" can be explained either as an adjective to "ride" or
as an adverb to "gave." Note how in version (a), the phrase can be interpreted to mean that
the boy was beneath the moonlight (before the ride). Version (b) eliminates this
interpretation by separating the "beneath" phrase from "ride," and placing it where it will
naturally chunk to "gave." In version (c), the "beneath" phrase chunks to "frog." In context,
it would serve to identify which frog (of several) was meant.
2. Tommy paid Curt (IO) a dollar (DO) {for a baseball card}. |

a.) Tommy paid a dollar to Curt for a baseball card.
b.) To Curt, Tommy paid a dollar for a baseball card.
Most people will probably see the "for" phrase as an adverb (explaining why) to "paid,"
but is there any reason for telling people who sees it as an adjective to "dollar" that they are
wrong? The (a) version is the norm; the (b) version is emphatic (or marked) and would
probably be used to distinguish Curt from other people to whom Tommy paid money.
3. Steve painted his mother (IO) a beautiful picture (DO) {of her garden} [Adj. to
"picture"]. |
a.) Steve painted for his mother a beautiful picture of her garden.
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b.) For his mother Steve painted a beautiful picture of her garden.
c.) Steve painted a beautiful picture of her garden for his mother.
See the notes for 2. Version (c) raises a question which might or might not be
answerable if this sentence were in a context -- Whose garden is her garden?
4. Please *will you* save me (IO) a seat (DO). |

Please save a seat for me.
The word "Please" will afford grammarians hours of pleasurable (for them) discussion.
Some may consider it to be a helping verb. KISS assumes it to be an ellipsed form of the
adverbial subordinate clause – "If it pleases you,...." Thus it functions as an adverb. Since all
students can use this word correctly, the discussions are primarily matters of terminology.
Thus any sensible explanation of it should be accepted.
5. Debbie got Sam (IO) a new brown coat (DO) {for the winter} [Adj. to "coat"]. |
a.) Debbie got a new brown coat for the winter for Sam.
b.) For Sam, Debbie got a new brown coat for the winter.
The "for" phrase can alternatively be explained as an adverb to "got."
6. Carla drew the police (IO) a picture (DO) {of the man} [Adj. to "picture"]. |
Carla drew a picture of the man for the police.
7. Omar taught the elephant (IO) his name (DO). |

This sentence is ambiguous:
a.) Omar taught the elephant Omar's name.
b.) Omar taught the elephant the elephant's name.
Omar taught his name to the elephant.
8. Sally blew her father (IO) a kiss (DO). |

Sally blew a kiss to her father.
9. {In the evening} [Adv. to "read"] Rick read Margo (IO) a story (DO) {about
elves} [Adj. to "story"]. |

In the evening Rick read a story about elves to Margo.
10. The director refused the man (IO) a part (DO) {in the play} [Adj. to "part"]. |
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"To" or "for" don't really work here, but "man" is still an indirect object -- the sentence
means "The director refused *to give* the man a part in the play."
11. Carlos threw Ginny (IO) the ball (DO). |

Carlos threw the ball to Ginny.
12. The coach hit Sandra (IO) some fly balls (DO). |
The coach hit some fly balls to Sandra.
13. Can you win me (IO) a stuffed elephant (DO) {at the circus} [Adv. to "Can
win"]? |
Can you win a stuffed elephant for me at the circus?
14. {On Mother's Day} [Adv. to "brought"], the children brought their mother (IO)
her breakfast (DO). |
On Mother's Day, the children brought her breakfast to their mother.
15. Can you find me (IO) a book (DO) {about animals} [Adj. to "book"] {in South
America} [Adj. to "animals"]? |

Can you find a book for me about animals in South America?
96. Focusing on Subjects and Verbs

Based on “The Ugly Duckling” by E. Louise Smythe
1.) The mother duck was {in the water} [Adv. to "was"]. |
2.) They all jumped in and began to swim. |
In KISS Level Four, "to swim" can also be explained as an infinitive that functions as the
direct object of "began."
3.) The big, ugly duckling swam, too. |
4.) They all went {into the duck yard} [Adv. to "went"]. |
5.) Now, my dears [DirA], *you* have a good time (DO). |
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"Now" would usually be considered an adverb, but it functions more like an interjection
here.
6.) The big ducks walked {on him} [Adv. to "walked"]. |
7.) {At night} [Adv. to "came"] he came {to an old house} [Adv. to "came"]. |
8.) An old woman lived there {with her cat and her hen} [Adv. to "lived"]. |
9.) And the duckling hid {in a corner} [Adv. to "hid"]. |
10.) The next day [NuA] he went {for a walk} [Adv. to "went"]. |
11.) One day [NuA] he flew far away. |
12.) The summer went by. |
13.) He put his head (DO) down {to the water} [Adv. to "down" and/or "put"]. |
14.) The other swans came to see him. |
"Him" is the direct object of the infinitive "to see." The infinitive phrase functions as an
adverb (of purpose) to "came." But because the students have not yet been introduced to
infinitives, I would accept "came to see" as the finite verb here.
97. Focusing on Predicate Adjectives

1.) He will not be so ugly (PA) [Adv. to "will be" when he is bigger (PA)]. |
Remember that students have not yet been introduced to sentences with more than one
S/V/C pattern. Thus students who note both of the patterns in this sentence deserve
praise.
2.) They are all pretty (PA) {but one} [Adv. to "all"]. |
"All" here can be explained either as an adverb to "pretty" or as an adjective to "They."
(This is, we should note, an idiomatic use of "all.")
3.) He is very ugly (PA). |
4.) But he is very good (PA). |
5.) It was so old (PA). |
6.) The poor duckling was very sad (PA). |
7.) Then the leaves fell | and it was very cold (PA). |
8.) The ugly duckling was big (PA) now. |
9.) The little birds {in the bushes} [Adj. to "birds"] were afraid (PA) and flew away. |
98. Focusing on Predicate Nouns

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1.) He is not a turkey (PN). |
2.) He is my own little duck (PN). |
3.) {At last} [Adv. to "was"] it was spring (PN). |
4.) But he was not an ugly duck (PN). |
5.) He was a white swan (PN). |
6.) It was a happy time (PN) {for the ugly duckling} [Adv. to "was"]. |
99. Focusing on Indirect and Direct Objects

1.) He did not hurt you (DO). |
2.) You have lovely ducklings (DO). |
3.) The hens all bit him (DO). |
4.) What (DO) did he see? |
5.) He saw a big pond (DO). |
6.) He saw himself (DO) {in the water} [Adv. to "saw" and/or Adj. to "himself"]. |
7.) And they gave him (IO) bread (DO) and cake (DO). |
8.) I will keep the duck (DO). | I will have some eggs (DO). |
9.) The next day [NuA], the cat saw the duckling (DO) and began to growl. |
In KISS Level Four: the infinitive "to growl" functions as the direct object of "began."
10.) But the poor, big, ugly duckling did not have a good time (DO). |
11.) The poor duckling had a hard time (DO). |
12.) Soon he saw three white swans (DO) {on the lake} [Adj. to "swans" and/or Adv. to
"saw"]. |
13.) What a noise (DO) the ducks made! |
14.) [Adv. to "bit" While the mother duck was eating a big bug (DO),] an old
duck bit the ugly duckling (DO). |
100. Focusing on Mixed Complements

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This exercise is an exploration of a real text. It includes several constructions
that the students have not yet studied, so expect some confusion.
A duck made her nest (DO) {under some leaves} [Adv. to "made"]. |
She sat {on the eggs} [Adv. to "sat"] to keep them warm [#1]. |
{At last} [Adv. to "broke"] the eggs broke, one {after the other} [#2]. | Little ducks
came out. |
Only one egg was left (P). | It was a very large one (PN). |
{At last} [Adv. to "broke"] it broke, | and out came a big, ugly duckling. |
“What a big duckling!” (DO) said the old duck. | “He does not look {like us}
[Adv. to "look"]. | Can he be a turkey (PN)? | – We will see. | [Adv. to "not" If he
does not like the water (DO)], he is not a duck (PN)." |
The next day [NuA] the mother duck took her ducklings (DO) {to the pond} [Adv. to
"took"]. |
Notes
1. "Warm" is a predicate adjective in an ellipsed infinitive construction "them *to be* warm."
"Them" is the subject of the infinitive, and the infinitive phrase functions as the direct object
of the infinitive "to keep." That infinitive phrase functions as an adverb (of purpose) to "sat."
[It answers the question "Sat why?"]
2. Within KISS, there are two ways to explain this "one." First, it can be considered an appositive
to "eggs." Second, it can be explained as a noun used as an adverb. The phrase "after the
other" here is an adjective, simply because it obviously connects to the pronoun "one." Note
that the appositive is a reduction of a clause – "One *broke* after the other." In this full
form, "after the other" functions as an adverb to broke."
101. Mixed Complements Ex # 1

Based on “The Story of the Oriole” by Florence Holbrook
1. The king {of the north} {Adj. to "king"] struck {at him} [Adv. to "struck"] {with a
war-club} [Adv. to "struck"]. |
2. The sun hid himself (DO) {in fear} [Adv. to "hid"]. |
3. An oriole is loved (P) {by every one} [Adv. to "is loved"]. |
4. I am master (PN) {of the country} {Adj. to "master"] {of ice and snow} {Adj. to
"country"]. |
5. The land {of the south} {Adj. to "land"] was ever bright (PA) and sunny (PA). |
6. And even the oaks could not stand {against its power} [Adv. to "could stand"]. |
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7. He will build his nest (DO) {on our trees} [Adv. to "will build"]. |

1. The thunder growled {in the hollows} [Adv. to "growled"] {of the mountains}
[Adj. to "hollows"]. |
2. My king [DirA], {on all the earth} [Adv. to "loves"] no one loves me (DO). |
Some people may justifiably see "on all the earth" as an adjective to "no one." Even more
people would so see it if the sentence was "No one on all the earth loves me."
3. The arrows {of the lightning} [Adj. to "arrows"] are aimed (P) {at us} [Adv. to "are
aimed"]. |
4. You shall no longer be a stinging insect (PN). |
5. Their roots were tough (PA) and strong (PA). |
6. {At last} [Adv. to "went"] the king {of the north} [Adj. to "king"] went back {to his
own country} [Adv. to "went"], [#1] and drove {before him} [Adv. to "drove"] the
thunder (DO) and lightning (DO) and rain (DO) and the black storm-clouds
(DO) and the icy wind (DO). |
Note
1. This comma is optional, but it serves to signal the end of the prepositional phrase, thereby
letting the reader easily see the "and" as connecting "went" and "drove" rather than
something such as {to his own country and the home of this parents}.

1. The northwind shall bear my icy breath (DO). |
2. The cruel storm-wind and rain beat {upon them} [Adv. to "beat"]. |
3. You shall be a bright and happy oriole (PN). |
4. Bird and beast shall quiver and tremble {with cold} [Adv. to "shall quiver" and
"tremble"]. |
5. The fallen trees lay {on the earth} [Adv. to "lay"] and wailed {in sorrow} [Adv. to
"wailed"]. |
6. The little insect went out alone, and bravely stung the master (DO) {of the storm
wind} [Adj. to "master"]. |
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1. But all {at once} the sky grew dark (PA). |
In constructions like "all at once," the "at once" can be described as an adverb to "all," or
the "all" can be described as an adverb to "at once." Either way, one ends up with an
adverbial phrase that modifies "grew."
2. A mocking laugh was heard (P) {from among the clouds} [Adv. to "was heard"]. |
3. I cannot be ruler (PN) {of the land} [Adj. to "ruler"] {of sunshine and flowers}
[Adj. to "land"]. |
4. {In the fearful gloom} [Adv. to "came"] came the white fire {of the forked
lightning} [Adj. to "fire"]. |
5. My king [DirA], may I go out and fight the wicked master (DO) {of the storm-wind}
[Adj. to "master"] ? |
6. O [Inj] dear ruler [DirA] {of the southland} [Adj. to "ruler"], must we yield {to the
cruel master} [Adv. to "must yield"] {of the north} [Adj. to "master"] ? |

Original
1.
The land of the south was ever bright and sunny, but all at once the sky grew dark,
and the sun hid himself in fear. Black storm-clouds came from the north. An icy wind blew
over the mountains. It wrestled with the trees of the southland, and even the oaks could not
stand against its power.
2.
Will you make men love me?
3.
“Brave little hornet,” said the king of the south.
1. The land {of the south} [Adj. to "land"] was ever bright (PA) and sunny (PA), |
but all {at once} [Adv. to "grew"] the sky grew dark (PA), | and the sun hid himself
(DO) {in fear} [Adv. to "hid"]. | Black storm-clouds came {from the north} [Adv. to
"came"]. | An icy wind blew {over the mountains} [Adv. to "blew"]. | It wrestled
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{with the trees} [Adv. to "wrestled"] {of the southland} [Adj. to "trees"], | and even the
oaks could not stand {against its power} [Adv. to "could stand"]. |
2. Will you make men love me [#1] ? |
3.) “Brave little hornet [#2],” said the king {of the south} [Adj. to "king"]. |
Notes
1. "Me" is the direct object, and "men" is the subject, of the infinitive "love." The infinitive
phrase functions as the direct object of "will make."
2. In context, "Brave little hornet" functions as both Direct Address and the direct object of
"said."

1. So Bunny sat down {on the stump} [Adv. to "sat"] and opened his book (DO). |
2. He opened the book (DO) and looked {at the first leaf} [Adv. to "looked"]. |
3. Bunny made a snowball (DO) and threw it (DO) {at Billy} [Adv. to "threw"]. |
4. Bobby Gray Squirrel was running up and down {in the big oak tree} [Adv. to
"was running"]. |
5. I will give you (IO) a good start (DO). |
6. *You* Come down here. |
7. Bunny hopped {down the hill} [Adv. to "hopped"] and made a little path (DO) {in
the snow} [Adv. to "made"]. |
Although most people will probably see "in the snow" as explaining where he made the
path, and thus, as adverbial to "made," I would be hard pressed to explain why the phrase
cannot also be explained as functioning as an adjective to "path." Thus either explanation
should be accepted.
8. Swimming is the easiest thing (PN) {in the world} [Adv. to "easiest"]. |
Most students will probably underline "swimming" as the subject, but be sure to point out
to them that it is a verb that is acting as a subject. (Technically, it is a gerund, a verbal
noun.)
9. Swimming may be easy (PA) {for ducks} [Adv. to "may be" an/or "easy"]. |
10. They were safe (PA) {in their own cozy home} [Adv. to "were" and/or "safe"]. |
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1. The ground had been covered (P) {with snow} [Adv. to "had been covered"] {for two
or three weeks} [Adv. to "had been covered"]. |
2. They were dragging a little tree (DO) {over the snow} [Adv. to "were dragging"]. |
3. But {at last} [Adv. to "came" and "covered"] Jack Frost came and covered
everything (DO) {with snow} [Adv. to "covered"]. |
4. They had chased each other (DO) {up and down the trees} [Adv. to "had chased"]
and {along the little path} [Adv. to "had chased"]. |
5. One {of the boys} [Adj. to "one"] dropped it (DO) {out of his pocket} [Adv. to
"dropped"] the other day [NuA]. |
This sentence illustrates why students should mark prepositional phrases first. If they do
not, some students will underline "boys" as the subject of "dropped."
6. But first the little rabbits had to find their breakfast (DO). |
7. {Over the stone} [Adv. to "fell"] he fell, – right {into the big pile} [Adv. to "fell"]
{of leaves} [Adj. to "pile"] {under the oak tree} [Adj. to "leaves"]. |
"Right" functions as an adverb to the following prepositional phrase. Some people will
see "under the oak tree" as modifying "leaves"; others will take it to "pile."
8. The man and the two children and the dog came back {through the woods} [Adv.
to "came"]. |
9. He piled the leaves (DO) up {under the oak tree} [Adv. to "piled"] {at the edge}
[Adj. to "tree"] {of the woods} [Adj. to "edge"]. |
10. They had played tag (DO), and hide-and-seek (DO), and ever so many other
games (DO). |
"Ever" functions as an adverb to "so," which functions as an adverb to "many."

1. I am going to pile some more leaves (DO) {under the oak tree} [Adv. to "am going
to pile"]. |
2. He kept very still (PA) and held on {to the string} [Adv. to "held on"]. |
People who interpret "still" as meaning "motionless," will see is as a predicate adjective;
others will see it as an adverb to "kept." "On" can be considered as part of the verb or as
an adverb to it.
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3. Was it Sammy (PN) or Bobby (PN)? |
4. Bunny Rabbit and his brothers came out and hopped around. |
5. Just then he saw the acorn (DO) {on the ground} {near his door} [Adj. to ground"].
|
If one sees "on the ground" as answering the question "Saw where?", then it functions as
an adverb to "saw." But some people will see "on the ground" as describing the position
of the acorn, and thus will see the phrase as an adjective to "acorn."
6. {After a while} [Adv. to "went"] Jip went home [NuA]. |
7. The water looked cool (PA) {to the little ducks} [Adv. to "looked"]. |
8. So the man and the two children went {along the path} [Adv. to "went"] {into the
woods} [Adj. to "path"]. |
Here again, some people will see "into the woods" as an adverb to "went."
9. And Bunny and Billy and Bobtail were growing very fat (PA). |
10. The three little rabbits put their ears (DO) down {on their heads} [Adv. to "put"],
and hopped away {out of sight} [Adv. to "hopped"]. |
112. Jack Sprat

Jack Sprat
Could eat no fat (DO), |
His wife could eat no lean (DO); |
And so,
{Betwixt them both [#1]} [Adv. to "licked"],
They licked the platter (DO) clean [#2]. |
Notes
1. The little words cause the biggest problems. "Both" would be, I'm sure, a matter of debate for
grammarians. The easiest explanation is to consider it to be an adjective that immediately
follows the pronoun it modifies.
2. The KISS explanation of "clean" is that it functions as a predicate adjective after an ellipsed
infinitive ("to be"). "Platter" is the subject of the infinitive, and the infinitive phrase, and not
just "platter," is the direct object of "licked."
13 Assessment
Parents or others who are working with a limited number of students probably will not need
formal assessments to know what their students do and do not understand. Classroom teachers,
87
however, have to deal with many students at a time. They also may need to report the results of
formal assessments, especially since the results of such assessment can be used to modify
objectives and methods for future instruction.
The KISS assessment quizzes for second grade are designed to include only core examples
such that all students can be expected to get everything right. (For example, “dare” and “ought”
do not appear in them as helping verbs because they are used so infrequently that we probably
should not expect second graders to remember them in addition to all the other materials that
they have been presented with during this year.)
The quizzes consist of selected sentences that should, as a whole, include at least one
predicate adjective, one predicate noun, one indirect object, one understood “you,” one
compound (subject, verb, or complement) and several prepositional phrases.
The format for KISS assessment quizzes remains fairly standard from second grade through
eleventh. Students are given a numbered sequence of sentences, and are asked to identify the
subjects, verbs, and complements (as they do in most exercises). The sentences are followed by
other words selected from the sentences, and students are asked to “explain how that word
grammatically connects to the subject, verb, or complement.” Note that the words are presented
in a specific sequence that moves further and further from the main pattern. For example:
They had stored away nuts (DO) and acorns (DO) in little holes in the ground.
The students might first be asked to explain “holes.” The expected answer would be that “holes”
is the object of the preposition “in,” and that the prepositional phrase functions as an adverb to
“had stored.” (I allow students to use abbreviations and incomplete sentences in these responses
– “obj. of ‘in’; pp. is adv. to ‘had stored’.”) Next, they might be asked to explain “little.” Because
they have already explained how “holes” connects to the pattern, all they need to write for
“little” is that it is an adjective to “holes.” Similarly, asked to explain “ground,” all they need to
write is that it is the object of “in,” and that prepositional phrase functions as an adjective to
“holes.”
Point values may differ from quiz to quiz, but as a general rule for second grade:
Every word that functions as, or as part of, a subject or verb is worth three points.
Every complement is worth one point; its type is worth one more.
The explanation of each listed word is worth one point.
It is not necessary to test every word in every sentence, so the listed words are selected to bring
the point value of the quiz to 100 points.
You may want to consider deducting points for, for example, words that are underlined as
verbs but that are not verbs. (I have seen college students underline “in” as a verb.) If the
students have done most of the exercises in this book, spread across the school year, every
student should be able to score at least a 95%. If they do not, you will probably find that students'
scores will fall into an inverted bell curve–either they understand most of the material, or they
are totally lost.
(I'd like to note here that most, if not all, of the students who are totally lost will be students
who simply refuse to pay attention, memorize short definitions, and/or do the homework. This is
easily documented. Teachers and school systems should be evaluated on what and how they
teach, not on how many student pass or fail.)
88
Assessment Quiz # 1
Words in S or V slots 24 x 3 ea. = 72
Complements 8 (x 1 + 1) = 16
Adj., Adv., + Prep. Phrases 12 x 1 ea. 12
1. Who will give me (IO) some (DO)?

2. *You* Come {with me}.
me object of prep. "with"; pp. is adv. to "Come"
3. The farmer's apples were pretty (PA).
farmer's adj. to "apples"
4. The cat went {to the house}.
The adj. to "cat"
house object of prep. "to"; pp. is adv. to "went"
5. Away he ran {to his mother}.
Away adv. to "ran"
mother object of prep. "to"; pp. is adv. to "ran"
his adj. to "mother"
6. I will give you (IO) some apples (DO).
some adj. to "apples"
7. Bobbie was a little boy (PN).
little adj. to "boy"
8. You may have four apples (DO).
four adj. to "apples"
9. *You* Go {to the cow}.
cow obj. of prep. "to"; pp. is an adverb to "Go."
10. Where did you get them (DO)?
Where adv. to "did get"
Assessment Quiz # 2
1. Alice ran {to the dog}.
dog obj. of prep. "to"; pp. is adv. to "ran"
2. Spot had to find her kittens (IO) a mouse (DO).
89
her adj. to "kittens"
3. Soon she came {to a bird}.
Soon Adv. to "came"
bird obj. of prep. "to"; pp. is adv. to "came"
4. I give rides (DO) {to boys and girls}.
boys object of "to"; pp. is adv. to "give"
girls another object of "to"
5. Soon little sister was fast asleep.
Soon Adv. to "was"
asleep adv. to "was"
fast adv. to "asleep"
6. Alice's sister was not sleepy (PA).
Alice's adj. to "sister"
not adv. to "was" and/or "sleepy"
7. A cow was {in the meadow}.
A adj. to "cow"
meadow obj. of prep. "in"; pp. is adv. to "was"
8. *You* Sing little sister (DO) {to sleep}.
sleep obj. of prep. "to"; pp. is adv. to "Sing"
9. Alice was a playful little girl (PN).
playful adj. to "girl"
little adj. to "girl"
10. I must make my nest (DO).
my adj. to "nest"
Assessment Quiz # 3
1. This is a very good Christmas tree (PN).
very adverb to "good" "Good" is adj. to "tree"
2. Now my kite is going {over the tall trees}.
Now adv. to "is going"
trees obj. of "over"; pp is adv. to "is going"
3. I shall never be dry (PA) again.
never adverb to "shall be"
again adverb to "shall be"
90
4. The rabbits slept {in their warm home} and did not come out very often.
home obj. of "in"; pp is adv. to "slept"
their adj. to "home"
5. {In the fall} they had stored away nuts (DO) and acorns (DO) {in little holes}
{in the ground}.
away adverb to "had stored"
holes obj. of "in"; pp is adv. to "had stored"
little adjective to "holes"
ground obj. of "in"; pp is adj. to "holes" (or adv. to "had stored")
6. Bobtail tied the string (DO) {to the short stem} {of the oak leaf}.
stem obj. of "to"; pp is adv. to "tied"
leaf obj. of "of"; pp is adj. to :stem"
oak adjective to "leaf"
7. But she did not tell them (IO) her secret (DO).
not adverb to "did tell"
her adjective to "secret"
8. *You* Don’t call {for rain}.
rain obj. of "for"; pp is adv. to "Don't call"
Assessment Quiz # 4
1. {In the woods} it was very cool (PA) and shady (PA) {under the pine trees}.
very adv. to "cool"
trees obj. of "under"; pp. is adv. to "was"
pine adj. to "trees"
2. He quickly sat up {on his hind legs} and held up his long ears (DO).
quickly adv. to "sat"
legs obj. of "on"; pp. is adv. to "sat"
3. This is not a good kite (PN).
not adv. to "is" (or to "good")
4. *You* See this big oak leaf (DO)?
big adj. to "leaf"
5. Bobtail gave it (IO) a toss (DO).
6. Where has everyone gone?
91
Where adv. to "has gone"
7. They sat up {on their hind legs} and nibbled away happily.
up adv. to "sat"
happily adv. to "nibbled"
8. Four little bright eyes watched Jip (DO) {from the oak tree}.
Four adj. to "eyes"
tree obj. of "from"; pp. is adv. to "watched"
9. He picked himself (DO) {out of the big pile} {of leaves}, and shook his long
ears (DO) back and forth.
pile obj. of "out of"; pp. is adv. to "picked"
leaves obj. of "of"; pp. is adj. to "pile"
Assessment Quiz # 5
1. What is the matter (PN)?

2. Out jumped the tiger and seized the poor man (DO).
Out Adv. to "jumped"
poor Adj. to "man"
3. Has the tiger treated me (DO) fairly?
fairly Adv. to "Has treated"
4. The Brahman turned and walked sadly back {to the tiger}.
sadly Adv. to "walked"
back Adv. to "walked"
tiger Obj. of prep. "to"; pp. is adv. to "walked" and/or "back"
5. The Brahman told everything (DO) all over again {to the jackal}.
again Adv. to "told"
jackal Obj. of prep. "to"; pp. is adv. to "told"
6. Why do you look so sad (PA)?
Why Adv. to "do look"
so Adv. to "sad"
7. *You* Give me (IO) but five minutes (DO) more.
8. Then the sad Brahman told his story (DO) {to a buffalo} {in a field}.
Then Adv. to "told"
buffalo Obj. of prep. "to"; pp. is adv. to "told"
92
field Obj. of prep. "in"; pp. is adj. to "buffalo"
9. {At this} the tiger roared {with rage}, and jumped {into the cage}.
rage Obj. of prep. "with"; pp. is adv. to "roared"
cage Obj. of prep. "into"; pp. is adv. to "jumped"
Assessment Quiz # 6
1. The early morning sun was just beginning to shine {through the bamboo trees}.
just Adv. to "was beginning to shine"
trees Obj. of prep. "through"; pp. is adv. to "to shine"
In later KISS levels, students will have the option of explaining "to shine" as an infinitive
that functions as the direct object of "was beginning."
2. The windows {of the queer little house} were open (PA).
3. They took the crowded rice plants (DO) {from the seed bed} and planted them
(DO) {in the mud} {of the rice field}.
crowded Adj. to "plants"
mud Obj. of prep. "in"; pp. is adv. to "planted"
field Obj. of prep. "of"; pp. is adj. to "mud"
4. Manuel gave the carabao (IO) some hay (DO).
5. Bananas and rice are a fine breakfast (PN).
fine Adj. to "breakfast"
6. *You* Change your shirt (DO) and trousers (DO) quickly.
quickly Adv. to "Change"
7. I have caught a big mud fish (DO) {without a fish trap}.
big Adj. to "fish"
trap Obj. of prep. "without"; pp. is adv. to "have caught"
fish Adj. to "trap"
8. You must help us (IO) {with the rice plants} today.
plants Obj. of prep. "with"; pp. is adv. to "must help"
Some grammarians may explain "us" as a direct object here, so I would also accept that
explanation.
93
Assessment Quiz # 7
1. So Juan was “It.” (PN)
2. Mother and the children climbed {into the two-wheeled carriage}.
carriage Obj. of prep. "into"; pp. is adv. to "climbed"
two-wheeled Adj. to "carriage"
3. {In some} {of the fields} the rice was ripe (PA).
some Obj. of prep. "In"; pp. is adv. to "was"
fields Obj. of prep "of"; pp. is adj. to "some"
4. {On the back} {of the carriage} he hung a lighted lantern (DO).
back Obj. of prep. "On"; pp. is adv. to "hung"
carriage Obj. of prep "of"; pp. is adj. to "back"
lighted Adj. to "lantern"
5. Juan had to hop {to each stick}, pick it (DO) up, and hop back {with it} {to
the stone}.
stick Obj. of prep. "to"; pp. is adv. to "had to hop"
up Adv. to "pick"
it (2nd) Obj. of prep. "with"; pp is adv. to "hop"
stone Obj. of prep. "to"; pp is adv. to "hop"
6. Finally the road left the ocean (DO), and ran along {between fields and fields}
{of rice}.
Finally Adv. to "left"
fields (2nd) Obj. of prep. "between"; pp. is adv. to "ran"
rice Obj. of prep "of"; pp. is adj. to "fields"
7. *You* Wake up!
8. The squealing {of the pig} could be heard {above the shouts} {of laughter}
{of the boys}.
pig Obj. of prep. "of"; pp. is adj. (or adv.) to "squealing"
shouts Obj. of prep "above"; pp. is adv. to "could be heard"
laughter Obj. of prep. "of"; pp. is adj. to "shouts"
boys Obj. of prep "of"; pp. is adj. to "laughter" and/or "shouts"
Assessment Quiz # 8
94
1. Susie Sunbeam was not her real name (PN).

real Adj. to "name"
2. She would sit {by her mother's side} {for an hour} {at a time}.
side obj. of prep. "by"; pp. is adv. to "would sit"
mother's adj. to "side"
hour obj. of prep. "for"; pp. is adv. to "would sit"
time obj. of prep. "at"; pp. is adj. to "hour"
3. She had such a sweet, smiling face (DO), and always brought brightness (DO)
{with her}.
smiling adj. to "face"
always adv. to "brought"
4. One day, a poor little girl {with a very ragged dress} was going by.
ragged adj. to "dress"; "dress" is the object of "with"; pp. is adj. to "girl"
very adv. to "ragged"
Note that "by" can be explained either as part of the verb phrase, or as an adverb.
5. She gave her (IO) a nice dress (DO) and a pair (DO) {of shoes}.
shoes obj. of prep. "of"; pp. is adj. to "pair"
6. Susie was always pleasant (PA) {in her play} {with other children}.
play obj. of prep. "in"; pp. is adv. to "was"
children obj. of "with"; pp. is adv to "was" and/or adj. to "play"
7. She loved to go {about the house} and get things (DO) {for her mother}, and {in
this way} save her (IO) many steps (DO).
house obj. of prep. "about"; pp. is adv. to "loved to go"
mother obj. of prep "for"; pp. is adv. to "get" and/or adj. to "things"
Later, students will learn that "to go," "get," and "save" can be explained as infinitives
that function as the direct objects of "loved."
Assessment Quiz # 9
1. May I touch every leaf (DO) {in the forest}?

95
forest object of preposition "in"; pp. is adj. to "leaf"
2. The poor little bird began to fly away.
away adv. to "(began) to fly"
3. I can give you (IO) berries (DO) all winter long.
4. The leaves {of the spruce, the pine, and the juniper} are always green (PA).
spruce obj. of "of"; pp is adj to "leaves"
juniper obj. of "of"; pp is adj to "leaves"
always adv. to "are"
5. The willow did not look gentle (PA) then.
not adv. to "did look"
6. *You* Come right here, then.
here adv. to "Come"
7. I would not have strange birds (DO) {on my boughs}.
boughs obj. of "on"; pp. is adv. to "would have"
8. A cold north wind had come {in the night}.
night obj. of "in"; pp. is adv. to "had come"
9. I am big (PA) and strong (PA).
Assessment Quiz # 10
1. You shall live {on my warmest branch}.

branch obj. of "on"; pp. is adv. to "shall live"
warmest adj. to "branch"
2. So the spruce gave the lonely little bird (IO) a home (DO).
lonely adj. to "bird"
3. You might even eat up some (DO) {of my acorns}.
acorns obj. of "of"; pp. is adj. to "some"
4. I can keep the north wind (DO) {from you and the spruce}.
you obj. of "from"; pp. is adv. to "can keep"
spruce obj. of "from"
5. The other trees looked on and talked together wisely.
other adj. to "trees"
together adv. to "talked"
96
wisely adv. to "talked"
6. {In the morning} all those shining green leaves lay {on the ground}.
morning obj. of "In"; pp. is adv to "lay"
those adj. to "leaves"
ground obj. of "on"; pp. is adv to "lay"
7. *You* Leave me (DO) {at once}.
once obj. of "at"; pp. is adv. to "leave"
8. Some trees have been kind (PA) {to the little bird} {with the broken wing}.
bird obj. of "to"; pp is adv. to "have been" and/or "kind"
wing obj. of "with"; pp. is adj. to "bird"
broken adj. to "wing"
9. I am very cold (PA).
very adv. to "cold"
Looking Ahead - A Challenging Exercise

Note: Although there are many words and constructions that students are expected to
miss in this exercise, impress upon the students how many words they actually can
already explain.
Answer Key – What You Might Expect
WINTER was coming, and the birds had flown far {to the south} [Adv. to "had
flown"], where the air was warm (PA) and they could find berries (DO) to eat.
One little bird had broken its wing (DO) and could not fly {with the others} [Adv.
to "could fly"]. It was alone [#1]
{in the cold world} [Adv. to "was"] {of frost and snow}
[Adj. to "world"]. The forest looked warm (PA), and it made its way (DO) {to the
trees} [Adj. to "way" or Adv. to "made"] as well as it could, to ask {for help} [Adv. to
"ask"].
WINTER was coming, | and the birds had flown far [#2] {to the south}, [Adv. to
"south" where the air was warm (PA)] and [Adv. to "south" *where* they could find
berries (DO) to eat [#3]]. | One little bird had broken its wing (DO) and could not fly
{with the others}. | It was alone [#1] {in the cold world} {of frost and snow}. | The forest
97
looked warm (PA), | and it [#4] made its way (DO) {to the trees} as well [ [#5] as it
could,] to ask [#6] {for help}. |

Notes
1. "Alone" may be seen as answering the question "What?", but most grammarians would
consider it to be an adverb that describes the state in which "It" was.
2. Note how "far" can easily be seen as an adverb to "had flown" and/or as an adverb to the
following prepositional phrase.
3. Many students will probably mark "to eat" as a prepositional phrase. Because "eat" is a verb,
"to eat" is an infinitive that functions as an adjective to "berries." This problem with "to" is a
major focus of the third grade workbook.
4. Students are often faulted for poor pronoun reference, but we have a case of it here. This "it" is
easily read as referring to "forest."
5. This "as" clause functions as an adverb to the previous "as," which then functions as an adverb
to "well," which functions as an adverb to "made."
6. The infinitive "to ask" functions as an adverb (of purpose) to "made."

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Analysis Keys and Notes for Teachers

Free, from the KISS Grammar Web Site

For Parents and Teachers..........................................................................................................

For Parents and Teachers

Introduction to the KISS Grade-Level Workbooks

Some Crucial Pedagogical Concepts

Vygotsky’s “Zone of Proximal Development”

Lev Vygotsky, a famous educational theorist, argued that any

Bruner’s “Spiral Curriculum”

Vygotsky's “zone” is intimately connected to Jerome Bruner’s concept of a “spiral

Exercises Should Be Based on Real Texts

Tell Students that They Are Expected to Make Mistakes

Printable Books vs. On-line Versions

A Note on the Graphics

Introduction to the Workbook for Grade Two

Suggestions for Using this Book

The Importance of the Different Types of KISS Exercises

The Sequence of Instruction

Codes and Colors for Analysis Keys

The KISS Grammar Toolbox

Two KISS Concepts

Compounding – Coordinating Conjunctions

Ellipsis – The Omission of Understood Words

KISS Level Three

KISS Level Four

KISS Level Five – Additional Constructions

Analysis Keys & Notes for Teachers

Complete Analysis Key

1. The three little rabbits lived {in the woods}. |

Complete Analysis Key

1. So Bunny Rabbit ran back {to the big stump}. |

Complete Analysis Key

1. Bunny saw the book (DO). |

2. The Punctuation of a Sentence

4 Punctuating a Sentence (Ex # 1)

Complete Analysis Key

5 Punctuating a Sentence (Ex # 2)

Complete Analysis Key

1. Soon they came {to the long hill}. |

3. Recognizing Single-Word Verbs (and their Subjects)

6 Recognizing Subjects and Verbs (Ex # 1)

7 Recognizing Subjects and Verbs (Ex # 2)

Complete Analysis Key

8 Recognizing Subjects and Verbs (Ex # 3)

Complete Analysis Key

1. The squirrels ran {up and down the trees}. |

9 Recognizing Subjects and Verbs (Ex # 4)

Complete Analysis Key

4. Adding Simple Complements

11 Adding Complements (Ex # 1)

Complete Analysis Key

12 Adding Complements (Ex # 2)

Complete Analysis Key

13 Adding Complements (Ex # 3)

Complete Analysis Key

14 Adding Complements (Ex # 4)

Complete Analysis Key

16 Adding Complements (Ex # 1)

Complete Analysis Key

17 Adding Complements (Ex # 2)

18 Adding Complements (Ex # 3)

Complete Analysis Key

19 Adding Complements (Ex # 4)