Pennington Publishing Blog

Commas with Surname Titles

Commas with Surname Titles 

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

Common Core Language Standard 2

We use titles attached to our names for a variety of reasons. These titles indicate gender, family relationships, qualifications, licences, and educational degrees.

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

Place a comma before and after any educational degrees and special qualifications which follow peoples’ last names. Educational degrees and special qualifications are often abbreviated. Examples: M.A. for Master of Arts, M.D. for Medical Doctor

Family titles that follow first names, such as Jr. for Junior or IV for the fourth family member with the same first name, are not set off by commas, but family titles that follow first and last names are set off by commas. Examples: John Jr. and Maurice Small, IV

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

Practice: Hiram Larkin, Sr. met with Hiram Jr., to discuss the hire of Kim Singh, M.A. English.

Let’s check the Practice Answers.

Mechanics Practice Answers: Hiram Larkin, Sr. met with Hiram Jr. to discuss the hire of Kim Singh, M.A. English.

Now let’s apply what we have learned. 

Writing Application: Write your own sentences using a doctor’s title and a family title.

*****

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

Subordinating Conjunctions

Subordinating Conjunctions                       

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

Common Core Language Standard 1

Using this type of conjunction will improve the maturity and complexity of your writing more than any other grammatical form. The subordinating conjunction is used to begin a special kind of dependent clause known as an adverbial clause and helps form complex or compound-complex sentences. This conjunction signals a thought that limits, provides a condition, or adds information to the main clause of the sentence. It depends upon the rest of the sentence.

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

A subordinating conjunction always introduces an adverbial clause. The subordinating conjunction signals the relationship between the adverbial clause and the independent clause. Use a comma to set off an introductory adverbial clause, but not an adverbial clause that ends a sentence. Use this memory trick to remember the subordinating conjunctions:

Bud is wise, but hot! AAA WWW

Subordinate Conjunctions

before, unless, despite (in spite of), in order that, so, while, if, since, even though (if), because, until, that, how, once, than, after, although (though), as (as if, as long as, as though), whether, when (whenever), where (wherever)

Examples: Unless I’m wrong, the show is on tonight. The show is on tonight unless I’m wrong.

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

Practice: If things don’t improve, it’s going to be a long time, before you get off restriction.

Let’s check the Practice Answers.

Grammar and Usage Practice Answers: If things don’t improve, it’s going to be a long time before you get off restriction.

Now let’s apply what we have learned. 

Writing Application: Write your own sentence using a subordinating conjunction to introduce an adverbial 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:

Get the Conjunction Posters FREE Resource:

Grammar/Mechanics, Writing adverb clauses, Grammar Lessons, Language Conventions, subordinating conjunctions, writing openers

Commas in Addresses

Commas in Addresses         

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

Common Core Language Standard 2

Everyone likes receiving personal mail. However, the post office is even stricter than your English-language arts teacher about using correct punctuation. If you want your card, letter, or package to arrive at its destination, you have to know how to address each properly. Don’t get a “Return to Sender” on that card, letter, or package you send to your friend or loved one.

Today’s mechanics lesson is on commas in addresses. Remember that on a letter or package the top line(s) identifies the name and/or company. The middle line includes the street number and name. The bottom line(s) contains the city, state or province (two-letter abbreviation), zip code, and country (if different than that of the sender).

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

Don’t use abbreviations when addresses are listed in formats other than on letters and packages. Commas follow the name and/or company, the street name, the city, and the state or province. Commas are never placed before zip codes. Examples: Send the package to Smith Publishing, 123 Main Street, Anytown, South Carolina 29804.

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

Practice: Amanda sent the letter to 425 Post Avenue, Park City, New York, 10001.

Let’s check the Practice Answers.

Mechanics Practice Answers: Amanda sent the letter to 425 Post Avenue, Park City, New York 10001.

Now let’s apply what we have learned.

Writing Application: Write your own mailing address.

*****

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

Correlative Conjunctions

Correlative Conjunctions     

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

Common Core Language Standard 1

English has a set of pair conjunctions used to join words, phrases, and clauses called correlative conjunctions.

Today’s grammar and usage lesson is on correlative conjunctions. I call them paired conjunctions. Remember that a conjunction joins words, phrases, and clauses. 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.

Correlative conjunctions are pairs of conjunctions used in the same sentence.

Examples: both−and; such−that; whether−or; as−as; not−but; neither−nor; no sooner−than; either−or; as many−as; rather−than

Correlative Conjunctions

If used within the same phrase or clause, don’t use a comma to separate the correlative conjunctions. A comma is placed before the second of the paired conjunctions if that conjunction begins a different independent clause. Examples: Either chocolate or vanilla is fine. Both girls like chocolate, and they also like vanilla.

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

Practice: Both men, and women were spies. Either they were successful, nor they were not.

Let’s check the Practice Answers.

Grammar and Usage Practice Answers: Both men and women were spies. Either they were successful, or they were not.

Now let’s apply what we have learned. 

Writing Application: Write your own sentence using a pair of correlative conjunctions.

*****

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:

Get the Conjunction Posters FREE Resource:

Grammar/Mechanics, Literacy Centers, Study Skills, Writing Grammar Lessons, Language Conventions, writing openers

Commas in Letters

Commas in Letters                   

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

Common Core Language Standard 2

Teachers teach students two forms of letters: the friendly letter and the business letter. Each has its own special greetings and closings. A friendly letter is personal and informal. A business letter may be personal or impersonal; however, it certainly is formal.

Today’s mechanics lesson is on commas in letter greetings and closings. Remember that there are two basic kinds of letters: friendly and business.

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

Place a comma after the greeting and after the closing in a friendly letter. Examples: Dear Mom, and Love, Place a colon after the greeting and a comma after the closing in a business letter.

Examples: To Whom It May Concern: and Sincerely,

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

Practice: He signed his business letter “Sincerely,” and his friendly letter “Yours truly,”. His business letter greeting was “To Whom It May Concern:” and his friendly letter was just “Hello”.

Let’s check the Practice Answers.

Grammar and Usage Practice Answers: He signed his business letter “Sincerely,” and his friendly letter “Yours truly,”. His business letter greeting was “To Whom It May Concern:” and his friendly letter was just “Hello,”.

Now let’s apply what we have learned. 

Writing Application: Write your own short business letter.

*****

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

Coordinating Conjunctions

Coordinating Conjunctions                     

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

Common Core Language Standard 1

A coordinating conjunction is the joining word that connects words, phrases, and clauses. Those who remember “Schoolhouse Rock” are happily hearing “Conjunction Junction: What’s your function?” However, the song tells only part of the story about this useful part of speech. Plus, we do have two other types of conjunctions. But let’s start with the familiar ones first.

Today’s mechanics lesson is on using Latin abbreviations for time. Remember that periods end declarative statements, such as “That is my pen” and imperative commands, such as “Give me my pen.”Periods are also used to abbreviate words and phrases. Let’s read the mechanics lesson and study the examples.

Coordinating Conjunctions

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

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. A comma is placed before the conjunction if it joins two or more long independent clauses. Example: I walk about two miles, and then I run about a mile every day.

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

Practice: The actor likes the stage, and he prefers movies. He is successful in both yet he makes more money on the silver screen.

Let’s check the Practice Answers.

Coordinating Conjunctions

Grammar and Usage Practice Answers: The actor likes the stage,but he prefers movies. He is successful in both, yet he makes more money on the silver screen.

Now let’s apply what we have learned. 

Writing Application: Write your own sentence using a coordinating conjunction.

*****

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, Literacy Centers, Study Skills, Writing coordinating conjunctions, Grammar Lessons, Language Conventions, writing openers