Pennington Publishing Blog

Commas with Items in a List

Commas with Items in a List                                   

Play the quick video lesson HERE and click the upper left back arrow to return to this lesson.

Common Core Language Standard 2

One of the most controversial punctuation topics is the comma in a list. When listing three or more items, do we place commas before the coordinating conjunction that joins the last item in the list or not. Style manuals disagree and so do English-language arts teachers. In fact, newspapers and magazines drop that last comma, but it’s rare to find a published book that does not include that comma. The traditional rule is to keep the comma, so until everyone changes, that’s what we’ll learn.

Today’s mechanics lesson is on commas with items in a list. Remember that lists of items written in sentence form end with a coordinating conjunction before the last item. A coordinating conjunction connects words, phrases, or clauses with related meanings. The memory trick FANBOYS (For-And-Nor-But-Or-Yet-So) may help you remember the common coordinating conjunctions.

Now let’s read the mechanics lesson and study the examples.

Use commas after each item in lists except the last one. The item can be a word or a phrase. Example: My favorite classes are art, Spanish, and computers.

Now circle or highlight what is right and revise what is wrong according to mechanics lesson.

Practice: I would like to order the steak, potatoes, and string beans, but could I substitute fruit, bread or a roll for the salad?

Let’s check the Practice Answers.

Mechanics Practice Answers: I would like to order the steak, potatoes, and string beans, but could I substitute fruit, bread, or a roll for the salad?

Now let’s apply what we have learned.

Writing Application: Write your own sentence using three items in a list.

This writing opener is part of a comprehensive language conventions lesson from the Grammar, Mechanics, Spelling, and Vocabulary  

*****

Pennington Publishing Grammar Programs

Teaching Grammar, Usage, and Mechanics (Grades 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, and High School) are full-year, traditional, grade-level grammar, usage, and mechanics programs with plenty of remedial practice to help students catch up while they keep up with grade-level standards. Twice-per-week, 30-minute, no prep lessons in print or interactive Google slides with a fun secret agent theme. Simple sentence diagrams, mentor texts, video lessons, sentence dictations. Plenty of practice in the writing context. Includes biweekly tests and a final exam.

Grammar, Usage, and Mechanics Interactive Notebook (Grades 4‒8) is a full-year, no prep interactive notebook without all the mess. Twice-per-week, 30-minute, no prep grammar, usage, and mechanics lessons, formatted in Cornell Notes with cartoon response, writing application, 3D graphic organizers (easy cut and paste foldables), and great resource links. No need to create a teacher INB for student make-up work—it’s done for you! Plus, get remedial worksheets, biweekly tests, and a final exam.

Syntax in Reading and Writing is a function-based, sentence-level syntax program, designed to build reading comprehension and increase writing sophistication. The 18 parts of speech, phrases, and clauses lessons are each leveled from basic (elementary) to advanced (middle and high school) and feature 5 lesson components (10–15 minutes each): 1. Learn It!  2. Identify It!  3. Explain It! (analysis of challenging sentences) 4. Revise It! (kernel sentences, sentence expansion, syntactic manipulation) 5. Create It! (Short writing application with the syntactic focus in different genre).

Get the Diagnostic Grammar, Usage, and Mechanics Assessments, Matrix, and Final Exam FREE Resource:

Grammar/Mechanics, Writing Grammar Lessons, Language Conventions, Oxford comma, serial comma, writing openers

Complete Sentences, Fragments, and Run-ons

How to Write Complete Sentences                     

Play the quick video lesson HERE and click the upper left back arrow to return to this lesson.

Common Core Language Standard 1

One interesting fact about writing instruction is that teachers will teach students all the writing rules, but once students have mastered them, those same students will be encouraged to break many of them. Teachers will require students to write in complete sentences and revise fragments, but will read novels and poetry in which the professional authors intentionally use fragments. Perhaps it’s best to understand writing as purpose-driven. If the purpose of the writing is to inform or argue, complete sentences must be the norm. If the purpose is to tell a story or give a speech, then intentional fragments and even sentence run-ons may be appropriate and more life-like. The guiding principle should be to equip students to write such that rules are intentionally, and not unintentionally broken.

Today’s grammar and usage lesson is on complete sentences, fragments, and run-ons. Remember that we always use complete sentences in formal writing. In informal writing, authors sometimes use intentional fragments for literary effect.

Now let’s read the grammar and usage lesson and study the examples.

A complete sentence has three characteristics: 1. It tells a complete thought. 2. It has both a subject and a predicate. 3. It makes the voice drop down at the end of a statement or go up at the end of a question.

A fragment is only part of a complete sentence. A sentence fragment is usually a dependent clause (a noun and verb that does not express a complete thought). Example: Once I found out.

To fix a sentence fragment, combine the dependent clause with an independent clause. Example: Once I found out, I was shocked.

A run-on joins two independent clauses without a conjunction or a semicolon. Example: She is pretty, she is also smart.

To fix a run-on, join the independent clauses with a comma-conjunction or semicolon, or change one of the independent clauses to a dependent clause.

Now circle or highlight what is right and revise what is wrong according to grammar and usage lesson.

Practice: The homeless man, he was hungry. Because he had no money.

Let’s check the Practice Answers.

Grammar and Usage Practice Answers:

The homeless man was hungry because he had no money to buy food.

or

Because he had no money to buy food, the homeless man was hungry.

or

Hungry, the homeless man had no money to buy food.

Now let’s apply what we have learned. 

Writing Application: Write your own sentence fragment and sentence run-on.

*****

Pennington Publishing Grammar Programs

Teaching Grammar, Usage, and Mechanics (Grades 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, and High School) are full-year, traditional, grade-level grammar, usage, and mechanics programs with plenty of remedial practice to help students catch up while they keep up with grade-level standards. Twice-per-week, 30-minute, no prep lessons in print or interactive Google slides with a fun secret agent theme. Simple sentence diagrams, mentor texts, video lessons, sentence dictations. Plenty of practice in the writing context. Includes biweekly tests and a final exam.

Grammar, Usage, and Mechanics Interactive Notebook (Grades 4‒8) is a full-year, no prep interactive notebook without all the mess. Twice-per-week, 30-minute, no prep grammar, usage, and mechanics lessons, formatted in Cornell Notes with cartoon response, writing application, 3D graphic organizers (easy cut and paste foldables), and great resource links. No need to create a teacher INB for student make-up work—it’s done for you! Plus, get remedial worksheets, biweekly tests, and a final exam.

Syntax in Reading and Writing is a function-based, sentence-level syntax program, designed to build reading comprehension and increase writing sophistication. The 18 parts of speech, phrases, and clauses lessons are each leveled from basic (elementary) to advanced (middle and high school) and feature 5 lesson components (10–15 minutes each): 1. Learn It!  2. Identify It!  3. Explain It! (analysis of challenging sentences) 4. Revise It! (kernel sentences, sentence expansion, syntactic manipulation) 5. Create It! (Short writing application with the syntactic focus in different genre).

Get the Diagnostic Grammar, Usage, and Mechanics Assessments, Matrix, and Final Exam FREE Resource:

Grammar/Mechanics, Writing Grammar Lessons, Language Conventions, writing openers

Commas with Middle Nouns of Direct Speech

Commas with Middle Nouns of Direct Speech         

Play the quick video lesson HERE and click the upper left back arrow to return to this lesson.

Common Core Language Standard 2

When your mom tells you to walk directly home, she means with no side trips. She is talking directly to you. If she mentions your full name directly, such as “Go directly home, John Michael Vincent, and no where else” you know she means business. Remember that direct means “face to face with nothing in between.”

Today’s mechanics lesson is on commas with middle nouns of direct speech. Remember that a noun can be named as in a proper noun or unnamed as in a common noun. When we talk to a person in our speech or writing, that person is a noun of direct speech. We place commas after nouns of direct speech used at the beginning of a sentence and before nouns of direct speech used at the end of sentences.

Now let’s read the mechanics lesson and study the examples.

Place commas before and after nouns of direct speech used in the middle of sentences.

Example: “If you wait your turn, Chelsea, you will get your fair share,” the teacher said.

Now circle or highlight what is right and revise what is wrong according to mechanics lesson.

Practice: Jake, you really are a handful. If you would stop messing around, Jake you could make something of yourself. It’s just that easy brother, but you’ve got to try.

Let’s check the Practice Answers.

Mechanics Practice Answers: Jake, you really are a handful. If you would stop messing around,Jake,you could make something of yourself. It’s just that easy,brother, but you’ve got to try.

Now let’s apply what we have learned.

Writing Application: Write your own sentence using a noun of direct speech in the middle of a sentence.

*****

Pennington Publishing Grammar Programs

Teaching Grammar, Usage, and Mechanics (Grades 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, and High School) are full-year, traditional, grade-level grammar, usage, and mechanics programs with plenty of remedial practice to help students catch up while they keep up with grade-level standards. Twice-per-week, 30-minute, no prep lessons in print or interactive Google slides with a fun secret agent theme. Simple sentence diagrams, mentor texts, video lessons, sentence dictations. Plenty of practice in the writing context. Includes biweekly tests and a final exam.

Grammar, Usage, and Mechanics Interactive Notebook (Grades 4‒8) is a full-year, no prep interactive notebook without all the mess. Twice-per-week, 30-minute, no prep grammar, usage, and mechanics lessons, formatted in Cornell Notes with cartoon response, writing application, 3D graphic organizers (easy cut and paste foldables), and great resource links. No need to create a teacher INB for student make-up work—it’s done for you! Plus, get remedial worksheets, biweekly tests, and a final exam.

Syntax in Reading and Writing is a function-based, sentence-level syntax program, designed to build reading comprehension and increase writing sophistication. The 18 parts of speech, phrases, and clauses lessons are each leveled from basic (elementary) to advanced (middle and high school) and feature 5 lesson components (10–15 minutes each): 1. Learn It!  2. Identify It!  3. Explain It! (analysis of challenging sentences) 4. Revise It! (kernel sentences, sentence expansion, syntactic manipulation) 5. Create It! (Short writing application with the syntactic focus in different genre).

Get the Diagnostic Grammar, Usage, and Mechanics Assessments, Matrix, and Final Exam FREE Resource:

Grammar/Mechanics, Writing Grammar Lessons, Language Conventions, writing openers

Phrases and Clauses

Phrases and Clauses                 

Play the quick video lesson HERE and click the upper left back arrow to return to this lesson.

Common Core Language Standard 1

To simplify grammar, we could say that it’s all about words, phrases, and clauses and how they fit together in a sentence or paragraph and the order in which they appear. Good writers know how to write, rearrange, and revise phrases and clauses to suit the needs of their writing and engage their readers.

Today’s grammar and usage lesson is on phrases and clauses. Remember that a phrase is a group of related words without a noun and connected verb. A clause is a part of a sentence that has a noun and a connected verb.

Now let’s read the grammar and usage lesson and study the examples.

A phrase is a group of related words without a noun and connected verb. Examples: handsome men (adjectival phrase), had always known (verb phrase), before the flood (prepositional phrase)

A noun and connected verb forms a clause. A clause is either independent or dependent. An independent clause is a sentence or part of a sentence that expresses a complete thought. A dependent clause has a noun and verb, but does not express a complete thought. Examples: Most people enjoy desserts (independent), although not everyone has a sweet tooth (dependent).

Let’s compare noun phrases and noun clauses to see the difference.

Examples 

Noun Phrase: They wanted new shoes and any pair of shoes was fine with me. 

Noun Clause: Whichever pair of new shoes they wanted was fine with me. 

Now circle or highlight what is right and revise what is wrong according to grammar and usage lesson.

Practice: On the road because the truck rambled to a stop the ambulance had arrived.

Let’s check the Practice Answers.

Grammar and Usage Practice Answers: On the road the truck rambled to a stop because the ambulance had arrived.

Now let’s apply what we have learned. 

Writing Application: Write your own sentences using a phrase, an independent clause, and a dependent clause. 

*****

Pennington Publishing Grammar Programs

Teaching Grammar, Usage, and Mechanics (Grades 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, and High School) are full-year, traditional, grade-level grammar, usage, and mechanics programs with plenty of remedial practice to help students catch up while they keep up with grade-level standards. Twice-per-week, 30-minute, no prep lessons in print or interactive Google slides with a fun secret agent theme. Simple sentence diagrams, mentor texts, video lessons, sentence dictations. Plenty of practice in the writing context. Includes biweekly tests and a final exam.

Grammar, Usage, and Mechanics Interactive Notebook (Grades 4‒8) is a full-year, no prep interactive notebook without all the mess. Twice-per-week, 30-minute, no prep grammar, usage, and mechanics lessons, formatted in Cornell Notes with cartoon response, writing application, 3D graphic organizers (easy cut and paste foldables), and great resource links. No need to create a teacher INB for student make-up work—it’s done for you! Plus, get remedial worksheets, biweekly tests, and a final exam.

Syntax in Reading and Writing is a function-based, sentence-level syntax program, designed to build reading comprehension and increase writing sophistication. The 18 parts of speech, phrases, and clauses lessons are each leveled from basic (elementary) to advanced (middle and high school) and feature 5 lesson components (10–15 minutes each): 1. Learn It!  2. Identify It!  3. Explain It! (analysis of challenging sentences) 4. Revise It! (kernel sentences, sentence expansion, syntactic manipulation) 5. Create It! (Short writing application with the syntactic focus in different genre).

Get the Diagnostic Grammar, Usage, and Mechanics Assessments, Matrix, and Final Exam FREE Resource:

Grammar/Mechanics, Writing Grammar Lessons, Language Conventions, writing openers

Commas with Ending Nouns of Direct Speech

Commas with Ending Nouns of Direct Speech   

Play the quick video lesson HERE and click the upper left back arrow to return to this lesson.

Common Core Language Standard 2

Remember that direct means “face to face with nothing in between.” For example, a direct answer would be responding to someone–not about that someone.

Today’s mechanics lesson is on commas with ending nouns of direct speech. Remember that a noun can be named as in a proper noun or unnamed as in a common noun. When we talk to a person in our speech or writing, that person is a noun of direct speech. We place commas after nouns of direct speech used at the beginning of a sentence.

Now let’s read the mechanics lesson and study the examples.

Place commas before nouns of direct speech used at the end of sentences. Example: “Why aren’t you helping, Sandy?” I asked.

Now circle or highlight what is right and revise what is wrong according to mechanics lesson.

Practice: I really wish you would, Rob. You do need a job son.

Let’s check the Practice Answers.

Mechanics Practice Answers: I really wish you would, Rob. You do need a job, son.

Now let’s apply what we have learned. 

Writing Application: Write your own sentence using a noun of direct speech at the end of the sentence.

*****

Pennington Publishing Grammar Programs

Teaching Grammar, Usage, and Mechanics (Grades 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, and High School) are full-year, traditional, grade-level grammar, usage, and mechanics programs with plenty of remedial practice to help students catch up while they keep up with grade-level standards. Twice-per-week, 30-minute, no prep lessons in print or interactive Google slides with a fun secret agent theme. Simple sentence diagrams, mentor texts, video lessons, sentence dictations. Plenty of practice in the writing context. Includes biweekly tests and a final exam.

Grammar, Usage, and Mechanics Interactive Notebook (Grades 4‒8) is a full-year, no prep interactive notebook without all the mess. Twice-per-week, 30-minute, no prep grammar, usage, and mechanics lessons, formatted in Cornell Notes with cartoon response, writing application, 3D graphic organizers (easy cut and paste foldables), and great resource links. No need to create a teacher INB for student make-up work—it’s done for you! Plus, get remedial worksheets, biweekly tests, and a final exam.

Syntax in Reading and Writing is a function-based, sentence-level syntax program, designed to build reading comprehension and increase writing sophistication. The 18 parts of speech, phrases, and clauses lessons are each leveled from basic (elementary) to advanced (middle and high school) and feature 5 lesson components (10–15 minutes each): 1. Learn It!  2. Identify It!  3. Explain It! (analysis of challenging sentences) 4. Revise It! (kernel sentences, sentence expansion, syntactic manipulation) 5. Create It! (Short writing application with the syntactic focus in different genre).

Get the Diagnostic Grammar, Usage, and Mechanics Assessments, Matrix, and Final Exam FREE Resource:

Grammar/Mechanics, Writing comma rules, Grammar Lessons, Language Conventions, writing openers

Indirect Objects       

Play the quick video lesson HERE and click the upper left back arrow to return to this lesson.

Common Core Language Standard 1

The word direct means “face to face with nothing in between.” A direct object tells whom or what receives the action of the verb. When we add on the prefix in (meaning not) to form indirect, this word means that something is in between. Let’s see how this fits into our understanding of indirect objects.

Today’s grammar and usage lesson is on indirect objects. Remember that an object receives the action of a verb.

Now let’s read the grammar and usage lesson and study the examples.

An indirect object answers To whom? For whom? To what? or For what? is the action of the verb completed. A sentence with an indirect object must also have a direct object. Usually, the indirect object is found between a verb and a direct object. Examples: I gave him a gift, We gave it a home.

Now circle or highlight what is right and revise what is wrong according to grammar and usage lesson.

Practice: Leticia gave her sister the necklace. She always gave she gifts.

Let’s check the Practice Answers.

Grammar and Usage Practice Answers: Leticia gave her sister the necklace. She always gave her gifts.

Now let’s apply what we have learned.

Writing Application: Write your own sentence using an indirect object.

*****

Pennington Publishing Grammar Programs

Teaching Grammar, Usage, and Mechanics (Grades 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, and High School) are full-year, traditional, grade-level grammar, usage, and mechanics programs with plenty of remedial practice to help students catch up while they keep up with grade-level standards. Twice-per-week, 30-minute, no prep lessons in print or interactive Google slides with a fun secret agent theme. Simple sentence diagrams, mentor texts, video lessons, sentence dictations. Plenty of practice in the writing context. Includes biweekly tests and a final exam.

Grammar, Usage, and Mechanics Interactive Notebook (Grades 4‒8) is a full-year, no prep interactive notebook without all the mess. Twice-per-week, 30-minute, no prep grammar, usage, and mechanics lessons, formatted in Cornell Notes with cartoon response, writing application, 3D graphic organizers (easy cut and paste foldables), and great resource links. No need to create a teacher INB for student make-up work—it’s done for you! Plus, get remedial worksheets, biweekly tests, and a final exam.

Syntax in Reading and Writing is a function-based, sentence-level syntax program, designed to build reading comprehension and increase writing sophistication. The 18 parts of speech, phrases, and clauses lessons are each leveled from basic (elementary) to advanced (middle and high school) and feature 5 lesson components (10–15 minutes each): 1. Learn It!  2. Identify It!  3. Explain It! (analysis of challenging sentences) 4. Revise It! (kernel sentences, sentence expansion, syntactic manipulation) 5. Create It! (Short writing application with the syntactic focus in different genre).

Get the Diagnostic Grammar, Usage, and Mechanics Assessments, Matrix, and Final Exam FREE Resource:

Grammar/Mechanics, Writing Grammar Lessons, indirect objects, Language Conventions, writing openers

Commas with Beginning Nouns of Direct Speech       

Play the quick video lesson HERE and click the upper left back arrow to return to this lesson.

Common Core Language Standard 2

To understand nouns of direct speech, we have to understand that direct means “face to face with nothing in between.” For example, a direct conversation would be talking to someone–not about that person.

Today’s mechanics lesson is on commas with beginning nouns of direct speech. Remember that a noun can be named as in a proper noun or unnamed as in a common noun.

Now let’s read the mechanics lesson and study the examples.

When we talk to a person in our speech or writing, that person is a noun of direct speech. Place a comma after nouns of direct speech used at the beginning of a sentence. Example: “Barbara, please listen to me,” I said.

Now circle or highlight what is right and revise what is wrong according to mechanics lesson.

Practice: Marsha and Susan, I really wish you would visit. Tim you should come, too.

Let’s check the Practice Answers.

Mechanics Practice Answers: Marsha and Susan, I really wish you would visit. Tim, you should come, too.

Now let’s apply what we have learned. 

Writing Application: Write your own sentence using a noun of direct speech at the beginning of the sentence.

*****

Pennington Publishing Grammar Programs

Teaching Grammar, Usage, and Mechanics (Grades 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, and High School) are full-year, traditional, grade-level grammar, usage, and mechanics programs with plenty of remedial practice to help students catch up while they keep up with grade-level standards. Twice-per-week, 30-minute, no prep lessons in print or interactive Google slides with a fun secret agent theme. Simple sentence diagrams, mentor texts, video lessons, sentence dictations. Plenty of practice in the writing context. Includes biweekly tests and a final exam.

Grammar, Usage, and Mechanics Interactive Notebook (Grades 4‒8) is a full-year, no prep interactive notebook without all the mess. Twice-per-week, 30-minute, no prep grammar, usage, and mechanics lessons, formatted in Cornell Notes with cartoon response, writing application, 3D graphic organizers (easy cut and paste foldables), and great resource links. No need to create a teacher INB for student make-up work—it’s done for you! Plus, get remedial worksheets, biweekly tests, and a final exam.

Syntax in Reading and Writing is a function-based, sentence-level syntax program, designed to build reading comprehension and increase writing sophistication. The 18 parts of speech, phrases, and clauses lessons are each leveled from basic (elementary) to advanced (middle and high school) and feature 5 lesson components (10–15 minutes each): 1. Learn It!  2. Identify It!  3. Explain It! (analysis of challenging sentences) 4. Revise It! (kernel sentences, sentence expansion, syntactic manipulation) 5. Create It! (Short writing application with the syntactic focus in different genre).

Get the Diagnostic Grammar, Usage, and Mechanics Assessments, Matrix, and Final Exam FREE Resource:

Grammar/Mechanics, Writing comma rules, Grammar Lessons, Language Conventions, writing openers

Direct Objects

Direct Objects                           

Play the quick video lesson HERE and click the upper left back arrow to return to this lesson.       

Common Core Language Standard 1

To understand direct objects, we have to understand subjects. A subject is the “do-er” of the sentence. A direct object does nothing; it receives an action. Find the predicate in the sentence and ask Whom? or What? and you’ll find the direct object.

Today’s grammar and usage lesson is on direct objects. Remember that an object receives the action of a verb.

Now let’s read the grammar and usage lesson and study the examples.

A direct object tells whom or what receives the action of the verb. For example, I asked him, and he brought appetizers. The direct objects are him (the whom)and appetizers (the what).

The simple direct object consists of the single word object; the complete direct object consists of the complete object within a phrase or clause. Examples: I saw it. It destroyed the whole city.

A linking verb (a verb that expresses no action) does not signal a direct object. Example: He seems nice. The word nice is not a direct object.

Also, an object of a preposition or a possessive pronoun is not a direct object. Examples: He lied to me and said it was his. The words me and his are not direct objects.

Now circle or highlight what is right and revise what is wrong according to grammar and usage lesson.

Practice: I helped they and they sent letters.

Let’s check the Practice Answers.

Grammar and Usage Practice Answers: I helped them and they sent letters.

Now let’s apply what we have learned.

Writing Application: Write your own sentence using a direct object.

*****

Pennington Publishing Grammar Programs

Teaching Grammar, Usage, and Mechanics (Grades 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, and High School) are full-year, traditional, grade-level grammar, usage, and mechanics programs with plenty of remedial practice to help students catch up while they keep up with grade-level standards. Twice-per-week, 30-minute, no prep lessons in print or interactive Google slides with a fun secret agent theme. Simple sentence diagrams, mentor texts, video lessons, sentence dictations. Plenty of practice in the writing context. Includes biweekly tests and a final exam.

Grammar, Usage, and Mechanics Interactive Notebook (Grades 4‒8) is a full-year, no prep interactive notebook without all the mess. Twice-per-week, 30-minute, no prep grammar, usage, and mechanics lessons, formatted in Cornell Notes with cartoon response, writing application, 3D graphic organizers (easy cut and paste foldables), and great resource links. No need to create a teacher INB for student make-up work—it’s done for you! Plus, get remedial worksheets, biweekly tests, and a final exam.

Syntax in Reading and Writing is a function-based, sentence-level syntax program, designed to build reading comprehension and increase writing sophistication. The 18 parts of speech, phrases, and clauses lessons are each leveled from basic (elementary) to advanced (middle and high school) and feature 5 lesson components (10–15 minutes each): 1. Learn It!  2. Identify It!  3. Explain It! (analysis of challenging sentences) 4. Revise It! (kernel sentences, sentence expansion, syntactic manipulation) 5. Create It! (Short writing application with the syntactic focus in different genre).

Get the Diagnostic Grammar, Usage, and Mechanics Assessments, Matrix, and Final Exam FREE Resource:

Grammar/Mechanics, Writing direct objects, Grammar Lessons, Language Conventions, writing openers