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Split Infinitives

To Split Infinitives

Split Infinitives

“Hey, James, Mr. Pomeroy is wrong about splitting infinitives! To occasionally split an infinitive is fine. Captain Kirk splits an infinitive when he states the mission of the Starship Enterprise at the beginning of each Star Trek episode.

“You’re talking about ‘to boldly go where no man has gone before’ where ‘boldly’ is placed between the two words of the infinitive, to go. That’s not Captain Kirk’s only grammatical mistake. Saying ‘man’ excludes both women and alien beings. He also ends the sentence with a preposition: ‘before.’ We should report him to Star Fleet Command.”

Definition and Examples

An infinitive usually consists of to plus the base form of the verb. Examples: to run, to hide

This infinitive form does not indicate past, present, or future verb tense and does not connect to the subject of the sentence. Example: Joseph liked to go to the mall. “Joseph” is the subject and “liked” is the predicate. The infinitive “to go” serves as a modifier of the verb, “liked,” but does not signal past, present, or future action.

A split infinitive occurs when the speaker or writer inserts one or more words between the to and the base form of the verb. Examples: To never walk is his goal. She wants to someday soon ski.

Read the rules.

Writing and Reading Syntax

Syntax in Reading and Writing

  • Splitting infinitives is fine in casual conversation and in informal writing; however, avoid adding more than one word between the to and the base form of the verb.
  • Avoid using split infinitives in formal writing, such as in essays.

Practice

Write the following sentences and [bracket] the split infinitives in the following sentences.

  1. To seriously ask the question of the comic was his choice, alone.
  2. Zoe wished to always be considered the expert, and she hoped to soon achieve her goal.
  3. Why do you need to completely and totally abandon the plan to somehow defend your honor?
  4. I did not expect to have to willingly go when I would have rather stayed at home.
  5. Listening to music makes me happy to be alive and to often visit my friends.

Revise the split infinitive.

It is a mistake to ever split an infinitive.

Answers

  1. [To seriously ask] the question of the comic was his choice, alone.
  2. Zoe wished [to always be] considered the expert, and she hoped [to soon achieve] her goal.
  3. Why do you need [to completely and totally abandon] the plan [to somehow defend] your honor?
  4. I did not expect to have [to willingly go] when I would have rather stayed at home.
  5. Listening to music makes me happy to be alive and [to often visit my friends].

Pennington Publishing's TEACHING ESSAYS BUNDLE

TEACHING ESSAYS BUNDLE

For more essay rules and practice, check out the author’s TEACHING ESSAYS BUNDLE. This curriculum includes 42 essay strategy worksheets corresponding to teach the Common Core State Writing Standards, 8 on-demand writing fluencies, 8 writing process essays (4 argumentative and 4 informative/explanatory), 64  sentence revision and 64 rhetorical stance “openers,” writing posters, and helpful editing resources. 

Differentiate your essay instruction in this comprehensive writing curriculum with remedial writing worksheets, including sentence structure, grammar, thesis statements, errors in reasoning, and transitions.

Plus, get an e-comment bank of 438 prescriptive writing responses with an link to insert into Microsoft Word® for easy e-grading (works great with Google Docs),

Download the following 24 FREE Writing Style Posters to help your students learn the essay rules. Each has a funny or ironic statement (akin to “Let’s eat Grandma) to teach the memorable rule. 

Get the Writing Style Posters FREE Resource:

Grammar/Mechanics, Literacy Centers, Study Skills, Writing , , , , , , , , , , , ,

Prepositions | Writing Style Rules

How to Use Prepositions

Prepositions Writing Style Rules

Jenna remarked, “I read in my history textbook that someone named Sir Winston Churchill got upset when an editor revised one of his sentences to avoid ending it in a preposition.”

“Yes,” responded Jenna’s English teacher. “Churchill said, ‘This is the sort of English up with which I will not put.’”

“That’s awkward. If Churchill ended sentences with prepositions, why can’t I?”

“When you write as many books as Churchill, you may write what you want, but not until.”

Definition and Examples

preposition is a word that shows some relationship or position between the preposition and its object (a noun or a pronoun). The preposition is always part of a phrase and comes before its object. The preposition asks “What?” or “Whom?” and the object provides the answer.

Examples: He found it under the house. He found it under what? the house

Secrets were shared between friends (them). Secrets were shared between whom? friends (them)

Read the rules.

Writing and Reading Syntax

Syntax in Reading and Writing

  • In formal writing, such as essays, prepositions and prepositional phrases never stand on their own. They always modify other words in the sentence, so Keep prepositional phrases close to the words they modify. Prepositional phrases act as adjectives to answer How Many? Which One? or What Kind? of a noun or pronoun or as adverbs to answer How? When? Where? or What Degree? of a verb, adjective, or another adverb.
  • Avoid stringing together more than two prepositional phrases.
  • Don’t use prepositional phrases instead of possessive adjectives.

Practice

Write the following sentences and [bracket] misused prepositions and prepositional phrases.

  1. “Who will you go to?” she asked.
  2. Down the road, through the gate, and past the fence rode the bicyclist.
  3. I don’t know where you’re at.
  4. Would you please hand me the coat of Sue.
  5. The lady found my dog in a blue dress.

Revise the intentional fragment.

Prepositions are not good to end sentences with.

Answers

  1. “Who will you go [to]?” she asked.
  2. Down the road, through the gate, and [past the fence] rode the bicyclist. This sentence has one too many prepositional phrase strings.
  3. I don’t know where you’re [at].
  4. Would you please hand me the coat [of Sue]. Don’t use prepositional phrases instead of possessive adjectives, such as “Sue’s coat.”
  5. The lady found my dog in a [blue dress]. Keep prepositional phrases close to the words they modify.

Check out this more detailed article, “How to Teach Prepositional Phrases,” to find out when to use to, in, and of.

Pennington Publishing's TEACHING ESSAYS BUNDLE

TEACHING ESSAYS BUNDLE

For more essay rules and practice, check out the author’s TEACHING ESSAYS BUNDLE. This curriculum includes 42 essay strategy worksheets corresponding to teach the Common Core State Writing Standards, 8 on-demand writing fluencies, 8 writing process essays (4 argumentative and 4 informative/explanatory), 64  sentence revision and 64 rhetorical stance “openers,” writing posters, and helpful editing resources. 

Differentiate your essay instruction in this comprehensive writing curriculum with remedial writing worksheets, including sentence structure, grammar, thesis statements, errors in reasoning, and transitions.

Plus, get an e-comment bank of 438 prescriptive writing responses with an link to insert into Microsoft Word® for easy e-grading (works great with Google Docs),

Download the following 24 FREE Writing Style Posters to help your students learn the essay rules. Each has a funny or ironic statement (akin to “Let’s eat Grandma) to teach the memorable rule. 

Get the Writing Style Posters FREE Resource:

Grammar/Mechanics, Literacy Centers, Study Skills, Writing , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , ,

Useless Adjectives and Adverbs

Eliminate Writing Crutches

Eliminate Adjective and Adverb Crutches

Writing and Reading Syntax

Syntax in Reading and Writing

“‘The amazing author profoundly utilizes many symbols to creatively symbolize his very meaningful ideas.’ What do you think of my concluding statement?”

“You sure use plenty of words to say what you mean, Marci.”

“I do try. My English teacher says that I’m in love with adjectives and adverbs. They are my most favorite and often-used parts of speech.”

Definition and Examples

Writers often use adjectives to make general nouns more interesting or specific. However, readers prefer writing with well-chosen, specific nouns. Example: Instead of absolutely, positively necessary, the writer might say essential. Also, writers may include useless adverbs when more concrete and specific verbs would serve better. Examples: Instead of the runner ran incredibly quickly, the writer might say the runner sprinted.

Read the rules.

  • Writers should avoid using adjectives to make general nouns (people, places, things, or ideas) more interesting or specific. An adjective modifies a noun or pronoun and asks, “How Many, Which One, or What Kind?”
  • Writers should avoid using useless adverbs. An adverb modifies an adjective, adverb, or verb and asks, “What Degree, How, Where, or When?”

Practice

Write the following sentences and [bracket] the useless adjectives and adverbs.

  1. The huge sumo-wrestler entered the arena slowly to face his fighting opponent.
  2. The well-trained and experienced navy pilot took off quickly and rapidly from the large aircraft carrier.
  3. Meteorologists carefully studied the devastating impact of the swirling tornado.
  4. He gently sifted the tiny grains of sand through his fingers into the bucket.
  5. Sad mourners attended the funeral service and later after the service witnessed the burial.

Revise the sentence to eliminate useless adjectives and adverbs.

Avoid using very interesting, nice words that contribute little to a sentence.

Answers

  1. The [huge] sumo-wrestler entered the arena [slowly] to face his [fighting] opponent.
  2. The [well-trained and experienced] navy pilot took off [quickly and rapidly] from the [large] aircraft carrier.
  3. Meteorologists [carefully] studied the [devastating] impact of the [swirling] tornado.
  4. He [gently] sifted the [tiny] grains of sand through his fingers into the bucket.
  5. [Sad] mourners attended the funeral service and later [after the service] witnessed the burial.

Pennington Publishing's TEACHING ESSAYS BUNDLE

TEACHING ESSAYS BUNDLE

For more essay rules and practice, check out the author’s TEACHING ESSAYS BUNDLE. This curriculum includes 42 essay strategy worksheets corresponding to teach the Common Core State Writing Standards, 8 on-demand writing fluencies, 8 writing process essays (4 argumentative and 4 informative/explanatory), 64  sentence revision and 64 rhetorical stance “openers,” writing posters, and helpful editing resources. 

Differentiate your essay instruction in this comprehensive writing curriculum with remedial writing worksheets, including sentence structure, grammar, thesis statements, errors in reasoning, and transitions.

Plus, get an e-comment bank of 438 prescriptive writing responses with an link to insert into Microsoft Word® for easy e-grading (works great with Google Docs),

Download the following 24 FREE Writing Style Posters to help your students learn the essay rules. Each has a funny or ironic statement (akin to “Let’s eat Grandma) to teach the memorable rule. 

Get the Writing Style Posters FREE Resource:

Grammar/Mechanics, Literacy Centers, Study Skills, Writing , , , , , , , , , , , , , ,

Don’t Generalize: Get Specific

Use Specific Details and Evidence

Avoid Generalizations

“Where do you want to go to lunch? Carlos asked.

“Wherever there’s food to eat and something to drink,” said Ella.

“Could you be a bit more specific? I’d like to narrow my search terms.”

“How about ‘Italian restaurants with deep-dish pizza and red and white checkered tablecloths’?”

“That might be a little too specific, but it sounds good to me.”

Definition and Examples

The hierarchy of an essay refers to the organizational structure and the relationship of ideas within that structure. The most common essay hierarchy is the general to specific organizational pattern. Ideas, groups, and patterns are general. Facts, examples, quotations, details, and statistics are specific. Examples of the General to Specific Organizational Pattern: Substance abuse has become the leading cause of preventable deaths. Last year, opioid deaths surpassed automobile deaths. More than 80,000 Americans died due to opioid overdoses.

Read the rule.

Essays usually begin with general statements and funnel down into a specific thesis statement. A narrow focus is much easier to argue, inform, or explain than a general one. Topic sentences should provide specific reasons to support the thesis statement in an argumentative essay or include specific information or explanation about the thesis statement in an informational/explanatory essay. Supporting evidence, analysis, and minor details must be even more specific. Your teacher may comment “too general” or “be specific” in your body paragraphs. The essay conclusion may return to more general applications of the proven thesis.

Practice

Write the following sentences and [bracket] the writer and essay references.

  1. Some people need to understand the issues in this world.
  2. Poisons in our waterways threaten our way of life.
  3. Many solutions create more problems than they solve.
  4. Overall, the citizens were basically happy.
  5. All challenges can be overcome with everyone’s support.

Revise the “too general” sentence to eliminate the writer or essay references.

Generally be sport of specific in your writing.

Answers

  1. [Some people] need to understand the [issues] in this [world].
  2. [Poisons] in our [waterways] threaten our [way of life].
  3. Many [solutions] create more [problems] than they solve.
  4. [Overall], the [citizens] were [basically] happy.
  5. [All challenges] can be overcome with [everyone’s support].

Pennington Publishing's TEACHING ESSAYS BUNDLE

TEACHING ESSAYS BUNDLE

For more essay rules and practice, check out the author’s TEACHING ESSAYS BUNDLE. This curriculum includes 42 essay strategy worksheets corresponding to teach the Common Core State Writing Standards, 8 on-demand writing fluencies, 8 writing process essays (4 argumentative and 4 informative/explanatory), 64  sentence revision and 64 rhetorical stance “openers,” writing posters, and helpful editing resources. 

Differentiate your essay instruction in this comprehensive writing curriculum with remedial writing worksheets, including sentence structure, grammar, thesis statements, errors in reasoning, and transitions.

Plus, get an e-comment bank of 438 prescriptive writing responses with an link to insert into Microsoft Word® for easy e-grading (works great with Google Docs),

Download the following 24 FREE Writing Style Posters to help your students learn the essay rules. Each has a funny or ironic statement (akin to “Let’s eat Grandma) to teach the memorable rule. 

Get the Writing Style Posters FREE Resource:

Grammar/Mechanics, Literacy Centers, Study Skills, Writing , , , , , , , , , , , , , , ,

Essay Rules | Word Choice

Word Choices for Essays

Essay Word Choice

“Why are you using that thesaurus?” asks Lance.

“I need bigger words, so that everyone will see how smart I am,” replies Dawn.

“You are so pretentious,” says Lance.

“Is that a criticism or a compliment?” asks Dawn.

Definition and Examples

Precision (exactness) of meaning, the tone of the writing, and the audience should guide your selection of word choices in an essay. Using a word which doesn’t match what you mean to say or how you want to say it creates confusion for your readers.

Example: The comprehensive solution regarding cake and ice cream for the class party failed to address many of the students’ concerns.

Comprehensive means “thorough and complete” and suggests that nothing else is needed. A solution which failed to “address many of the students’ concerns” would not be comprehensive, so the word choice is imprecise. Also, the word choices, comprehensive, address, and concerns are formal and serious and don’t match the tone of the rest of the sentence with words such as “cake and ice cream” and “class party” and the audience of students preparing for a class party.

Read the rule.

If a simple word means exactly what you want to say and it fits the tone of your writing and your audience, use it. If a technical term or unfamiliar word must be used, define it or build writing context so that it is easily understood.

Practice

Write the following sentences and [bracket] the poor word choices.

  1. She planned to enhance her drawing in the coloring book with a few stickers.
  2. Frances exaggerated how badly she did on the math quiz.
  3. The author suggested adding a mysterious villain and a clown to the children’s cartoon.
  4. The cafeteria lunch included a burrito, fruit, and milk. The fruit was a tragic choice.
  5. The witness statements, DNA, police report, and the defendant’s opinion were convincing.

Revise the poor word choices. Use a dictionary if necessary.

Avoid big words when more utilitarian words would suffice.

Answers

  1. She planned to [enhance] her drawing in the coloring book with a few stickers.
  2. Frances [exaggerated] how badly she did on the math quiz.
  3. The author suggested adding a [mysterious villain] and a clown to the children’s cartoon.
  4. The cafeteria lunch included a burrito, fruit, and milk. The fruit was a [tragic] choice.
  5. The witness statements, DNA, police report, and the defendant’s [opinion] were convincing.

Pennington Publishing's TEACHING ESSAYS BUNDLE

TEACHING ESSAYS BUNDLE

For more essay rules and practice, check out the author’s TEACHING ESSAYS BUNDLE. This curriculum includes 42 essay strategy worksheets corresponding to teach the Common Core State Writing Standards, 8 on-demand writing fluencies, 8 writing process essays (4 argumentative and 4 informative/explanatory), 64  sentence revision and 64 rhetorical stance “openers,” writing posters, and helpful editing resources. 

Differentiate your essay instruction in this comprehensive writing curriculum with remedial writing worksheets, including sentence structure, grammar, thesis statements, errors in reasoning, and transitions.

Plus, get an e-comment bank of 438 prescriptive writing responses with an link to insert into Microsoft Word® for easy e-grading (works great with Google Docs),

Download the following 24 FREE Writing Style Posters to help your students learn the essay rules. Each has a funny or ironic statement (akin to “Let’s eat Grandma) to teach the memorable rule. 

Get the Writing Style Posters FREE Resource:

Grammar/Mechanics, Literacy Centers, Spelling/Vocabulary, Study Skills, Writing , , , , , , , , , , , ,

Essay Rules | Intentional Fragments

How to Avoid Intentional Fragments in Essays

Avoid Intentional Fragments in Essays

“Wow! Look at all those FRAG comments Ms. Johnson wrote on your essay. You sure do love your fragments! Maybe consider writing a complete sentence once in a while,” suggested John.

“Ah… life’s too short to have to write all those words,” complained Lara. “I could type an entire essay in emojis.”

Definition and Examples

An intentional fragment is simply an incomplete sentence. It is intentional because the author chooses to use a fragment instead of a complete sentence. Writers use intentional fragments as substitutes for any of the four types of sentences: declarative (statement), imperative (command), or exclamatory (surprise or strong emotion) in narratives (story), poetry, texting, notes, and other forms of informal writing to reflect the authentic language used in everyday speech.

Examples: How dumb. Time to run. That’s amazing! Really?

Read the rule.

Write in complete sentences for all formal writing, including essays and reports, and do not use intentional fragments. A complete sentence expresses a complete thought and includes both a subject and predicate. The voice drops down at the end of a declarative (statement), imperative (command), and exclamatory (surprise or strong emotion) sentence and rises at the end of an interrogative (question) sentence.

Practice

Write the following sentences and [bracket] the intentional fragments.

  1. How very strange. They would have expected him to put up less of a fight. Go figure!
  2. Seriously? The author questions whether freedom of assembly should be a right. What a joke!
  3. Ah, to be young and foolish once again. Who knows if they will return home.
  4. Visiting the National Parks is amazing. Such beauty and wildlife! All in our protected parks.
  5. She left her phone at the beach. So sad. No doubt the tide has come in by now. What a loss!

Revise the intentional fragment.

Avoid intentional fragments. Right?

Answers

  1. [How very strange.] They would have expected him to put up less of a fight. [Go figure!]
  2. [Seriously?] The author questions whether freedom of assembly should be a right. [What a joke!]
  3. [Ah, to be young and foolish once again.] Who knows if they will return home.
  4. Visiting the National Parks is amazing. [Such beauty and wildlife!] [All in our protected parks.]
  5. She left her phone at the beach. [So sad.] No doubt the tide has come in by now. [What a loss!]

Pennington Publishing's TEACHING ESSAYS BUNDLE

TEACHING ESSAYS BUNDLE

For more essay rules and practice, check out the author’s TEACHING ESSAYS BUNDLE. This curriculum includes 42 essay strategy worksheets corresponding to teach the Common Core State Writing Standards, 8 on-demand writing fluencies, 8 writing process essays (4 argumentative and 4 informative/explanatory), 64  sentence revision and 64 rhetorical stance “openers,” writing posters, and helpful editing resources. 

Differentiate your essay instruction in this comprehensive writing curriculum with remedial writing worksheets, including sentence structure, grammar, thesis statements, errors in reasoning, and transitions.

Plus, get an e-comment bank of 438 prescriptive writing responses with an link to insert into Microsoft Word® for easy e-grading (works great with Google Docs),

Download the following 24 FREE Writing Style Posters to help your students learn the essay rules. Each has a funny or ironic statement (akin to “Let’s eat Grandma) to teach the memorable rule. 

Get the Writing Style Posters FREE Resource:

Grammar/Mechanics, Literacy Centers, Study Skills, Writing , , , , , , ,

Teaching Essay Style: 15 Tricks of the Trade

“Never start a sentence with But.” Countless middle school and high school English-language arts teachers cringe when their students faithfully repeat this elementary school dictum. “Never use I in your five-paragraph essay.” Now university professors similarly cringe and shake their heads at the straight-jacketed rules placed upon their students. However, maybe there is a method to our madness. Perhaps these writing absolutes serve a useful purpose for coaching developing writers. Perhaps the little white lies that we teach our students are actually our tricks of the trade.

Instead of bemoaning past “bad writing instruction,” we should celebrate the fact that our students did remember these rules. After all, writing teachers of all levels are always shocked at how little transfer students make from grade to grade or from course to course. Anything that students retain from previous writing instruction can be used by resourceful teachers as “teachable moments.” Perhaps it’s time that we trust our colleagues that they understand best what works for their students at their age levels.

Teaching all of the seemingly arbitrary rules and enforcing them in student writing practice makes sense. As writers mature, 7-12 English-language arts teachers and university professors can encourage “rule breaking” with sly nods and winks. Without knowing the rules, developing writers cannot make informed choices about which ones to break and when they should break them to serve their writing purposes. In fact, the best writers are rule-breakers. E.B. White revised and updated Strunk’s Bible of writing style, yet he consistently chose to break the rules in his own writing. He knew enough to consciously deviate from the norm.

Writing teachers should worry more when their students unconsciously deviate from the norm. Of course, other forms of prose and poetry have their own stylistic rules to learn and break. But this article will concentrate on those of the essay. So, following is a list of the Teaching Essay Style: 15 Tricks of the Trade.

  1. Require students to write in a formal voice. No figures of speech, slang, clichés, abbreviations, flowery language, or contractions. Teach them to dress in a tuxedo or bridesmaid dress when they are in a wedding, not baggy pants or skinny jeans with flip-flops.
  2. Teach students to write in third person. It’s not that the I is inappropriate in all essays. The problem is that the use of the I requires a sophisticated rationale and limited usage. For example, qualitative research requires the I; however, quantitative research does not. Let the post-graduate supervising professors teach their students to break this rule. Furthermore, the “no I rule” forces a certain degree of objectivity and requires students to focus on the subject, rather than on the writer. These are the real concerns of K-12 and university professors.
  3. Teach students not to use their to reference singular non-gender nouns. Approving such sentences as “The student likes their classes” transfers to other more egregious pronoun reference problems as in “Those desk in the back of our room belong to them guy.” Also, no one likes reading he/she, him or her, s/he or the like. It does make sense to teach students to pluralize when at all possible, but the use of he or she throughout (please don’t alternate!) is no crime.
  4. Teach students to vary their sentence structures. “Never more than two simple sentences back-to-back and never follow a complex sentence with another complex sentence” will increase readability. “Have no more than 50% of your sentences follow the subject-verb-complement pattern” helps students focus on sentence variety.”
  5. “No more than one to-be verb per paragraph” will force students to avoid passive voice and strengthen nouns and verbs.
  6. Require your students to write in complete sentences. “No declarative sentences beginning with but, and, or, so, like, because, how, when, where, or why, unless you finish them” reduces fragments.
  7. “No unparallel verb structures” helps eliminate verb tense errors and awkward writing. For example, “Going to the store, to get some gas, and maybe have a cup of coffee are appearing on my agenda for today” can be eliminated with this rule.
  8. Require transitions between paragraphs. Sophisticated writers may have no need, but your students do to write coherent essays.
  9. Teach your students to choose simple words, not their weekly vocabulary words. Precision is better than pomposity.
  10. Demand specificity and do not permit generalizations, except in conclusions.
  11. Don’t allow your students to make parenthetical remarks. Most misuse these.
  12. Never allow repetition for emphasis. Developing writers do not have the skills to use this rhetorical strategy properly.
  13. Never allow double negatives. Students will confuse their readers.
  14. Teach students not to over-state evidence and to limit their conclusions.
  15. Teach students to place pronoun references close to their subjects to avoid ambiguity and dangling modifiers.

*****

Teaching Essays

TEACHING ESSAYS BUNDLE

The author’s TEACHING ESSAYS BUNDLE includes the three printable and digital resources students need to master the CCSS W.1 argumentative and W.2 informational/explanatory essays. Each no-prep resource allows students to work at their own paces via mastery learning. How to Teach Essays includes 42 skill-based essay strategy worksheets (fillable PDFs and 62 Google slides), beginning with simple 3-word paragraphs and proceeding step-by-step to complex multi-paragraph essays. One skill builds upon another. The Essay Skills Worksheets include 97 worksheets (printables and 97 Google slides) to help teachers differentiate writing instruction with both remedial and advanced writing skills. The Eight Writing Process Essays (printables and 170 Google slides) each feature an on-demand diagnostic essay assessment, writing prompt with connected reading, brainstorming, graphic organizer, response, revision, and editing activities. Plus, each essay includes a detailed analytical (not holistic) rubric for assessment-based learning.

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