Pennington Publishing Blog

Reading Incentive Programs

I’m not active on Facebook, but my wife passed along this post, “This Barbershop is Getting Kids to Read.” Kids are encouraged to read out loud during their haircuts at this Pennsylvania barbershop “to help boost confidence and conquer fears of public speaking.” The incentive? Kids who read a line, page, or chapter (presumably based upon age and the discretion of the barber) are awarded $3.00 for their efforts.

As kids you don’t realize that fear can carry on as an adult. I want people to feel like they have a voice and they need to use it.

Jon Escueta, Owner City Cuts Barbershop as told to NOW THIS NEWS.

A smart marketing ploy? Undoubtedly. But also a terrific business partnership to develop with local schools. Escueta says he serves roughly 500 kids in his community.

As an M.A. reading specialist, I have served in elementary, middle school, high school, and community college settings. Getting kids and adults to put down their phones and video controllers and to pick up a book is a challenge at any age. I’ve helped implement both schoolwide and classroom-based reading incentive programs. While we all want the extrinsic rewards to be replaced with the intrinsic motivation to enjoy and learn from reading, raw behaviorism does have its place. A few guidelines I’ve found to be helpful follow:

Reading incentives should be connected to literacy. Avoid such crazy ideas such as “If students in the school read 30,000 pages, the principal will spend the night in a tent on top of the multi-purpose room.”

• Keep reading incentives fresh. Vary the incentives and don’t keep them going on too long.
• Kids do like competitions. Class v. class, grade v. grade, school v. school
• Establish business partnerships, such as the barbershop idea above.
• Get parents on board, reading along with their children.
• The teachers need to read and share what they’ve been reading with their students.
• Providing time for kids to share about the books they’ve been reading is motivating.
• Reading incentives can also become confused with reading accountability. I see them as separate programmatic and instructional issues.

Independent reading programs (check out this great collection of articles) need not include reading incentives; however, most teachers and parents would agree that an effective independent reading program does require a workable system of accountability. The downside of confusing incentive and accountability has been shared by parents, students, and teachers in the hundreds of comments I’ve received on my article, “The 18 Reasons Not to Use Accelerated Reader.” One comment regarding this confusion will suffice:

As an elementary school student, I loved AR. I still have my first ever AR t-shirt, and I remember my first ever AR book (Stone Soup). The program was used 100% as an incentive. There were no requirements, no class-wide rewards or “only the top ## of scorers get this prize” prizes. Everything was t-shirts, treasure chests, and pizza parties. No teacher pushed you to do AR, and you weren’t required to read at a specific level–the higher point values of books were incentive enough. Some of us took part in friendly rivalry, but there was no real pressure on the student to participate in the program or else let down their teachers/peers. I went back to work at the elementary school I attended for a few years, and that is still how the program works. Students read for fun and take the tests for fun. No requirements, no peer pressure.

However, when I went to middle school, AR became my worst enemy. The school implemented a program that required students to take the STAR test each year, then grouped you into classes with students who performed similarly on the STAR test. We were expected to sit and read something “on or above reading level” (12.9+ for me) in silence for 40 minutes. We were also expected to get a certain number of points each nine weeks, or we would fail the class. That’s right, the WHOLE CLASS was nothing but taking AR tests. I hated it, and learned to hate reading. I RAILED against it, protested it, wrote angry articles in the school paper, and was eventually granted (along with my fellow 12.9+ers) the opportunity to take an extra elective class–2 years later.

My experiences with AR were truly at the opposite ends of the spectrum, and that was entirely due to how the program was used/implemented.

*****

The Science of Reading Intervention Program

The Science of Reading Intervention Program: Word Recognition includes explicit, scripted instruction and practice with the 5 Daily Google Slide Activities every reading intervention student needs: 1. Phonemic Awareness and Morphology 2. Blending, Segmenting, and Spelling 3. Sounds and Spellings (including handwriting) 4. Heart Words Practice 5. Sam and Friends Phonics Books (decodables). Plus, digital and printable sound wall cards and speech articulation songs. Print versions are available for all activities. First Half of the Year Program (55 minutes-per-day, 18 weeks)

The Science of Reading Intervention Program: Language Comprehension resources are designed for students who have completed the word recognition program or have demonstrated basic mastery of the alphabetic code and can read with some degree of fluency. The program features the 5 Weekly Language Comprehension Activities: 1. Background Knowledge Mentor Texts 2. Academic Language, Greek and Latin Morphology, Figures of Speech, Connotations, Multiple Meaning Words 3. Syntax in Reading 4. Reading Comprehension Strategies 5. Literacy Knowledge (Narrative and Expository). Second Half of the Year Program (30 minutes-per-day, 18 weeks)

The Science of Reading Intervention Program: Assessment-based Instruction provides diagnostically-based “second chance” instructional resources. The program includes 13 comprehensive assessments and matching instructional resources to fill in the yet-to-be-mastered gaps in phonemic awareness, alphabetic awareness, phonics, fluency (with YouTube modeled readings), Heart Words and Phonics Games, spelling patterns, grammar, usage, and mechanics, syllabication and morphology, executive function shills. Second Half of the Year Program (25 minutes-per-day, 18 weeks)

The Science of Reading Intervention Program BUNDLE  includes all 3 program components for the comprehensive, state-of-the-art (and science) grades 4-adult full-year program. Scripted, easy-to-teach, no prep, no need for time-consuming (albeit valuable) LETRS training or O-G certification… Learn as you teach and get results NOW for your students. Print to speech with plenty of speech to print instructional components.

Get the SCRIP Comprehension Strategies FREE Resource:

Get the Diagnostic ELA and Reading Assessments FREE Resource:

Reading, Spelling/Vocabulary accelerated reader, book clubs, independent reading, Mark Pennington, reading comprehension, reading incentive programs, reading incentives, reading rewards, SSR, Teaching Reading Strategies

Avoid Alliteration

“I want my fans to pay attention to my magnificent mastery and manipulation of the English language in this argumentative essay,” explained Teddy.

“I’d rather focus their attention on my evidence,” said Cherish. “Save the attention-getting alliteration for your poetry.”

Definition and Examples

Alliteration is a poetic device in which the initial (first) consonant sound is repeated. Example: Peter Piper picked a peck of pickled peppers.

Read the rule.

Don’t use poetic devices, such as alliteration, in formal writing. Poetic devices focus the reader’s attention on the writing itself, while essays are designed to argue a point of view or inform and explain. Essays focus on the content of the writing.

Practice

Write the following sentences and [bracket] the alliteration.

1. The bear buried its nose in the berry patch.
2. My cat cowered under the couch, afraid of the vacuum monster.
3. Sam simply asked if the salmon seemed a bit under-cooked.
4. The four hyenas paced nervously in their constricting cages.
5. Amaria never noticed that the champion chihuahua was dressed in a fur-lined sweater and diamond dog collar.

Revise the sentence to eliminate alliteration.

Always avoid attention-getting alliteration.

Answers

1. The [bear buried] its nose in the [berry] patch.
2. My [cat cowered] under the [couch], afraid of the vacuum monster.
3. [Sam simply] asked if the [salmon seemed] a bit under-cooked.
4. The four hyenas paced nervously in their [constricting cages].
5. Amaria [never noticed] that the [champion chihuahua] was dressed in a fur-lined sweater and [diamond dog] collar.

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:

Spelling/Vocabulary, Study Skills, Writing alliteration, composition rules, essay rules, essay structure, essay style, essay writing, essay writing rules, figures of speech, five paragraph essays, how to write an essay, Mark Pennington, poetic devices, Teaching Essay Strategies, writing programs

Three Types of Conjunctions

Every teacher knows the wisdom of not telling the whole story, especially with respect to holiday celebrations. But for the purpose of this article, let’s add on conjunctions to the list of teach some of it now and save some for later instruction. Elementary teachers should teach the common conjunctions and secondary teachers should build upon that foundation with less frequently used conjunctions.

Following are brief overviews of the three types of conjunctions: coordinating, subordinate (subordinating), and correlative. The relevant Common Core State Standards are provided and memorable acronyms to help your students identify and apply these grammatical forms. Plus, classroom posters are provided as FREE downloads.

Elementary Instruction: Coordinating Conjunctions

Primary and intermediate teachers face the sometimes daunting task of introducing students to coordinating, subordinating, and correlative conjunctions.

• CCSS.ELA-LITERACY.L.1.1.G
  Use frequently occurring conjunctions (e.g., and, but, or, so, because).
• CCSS.ELA-LITERACY.L.2.1.F
  Produce, expand, and rearrange complete simple and compound sentences (e.g., The boy watched the movie; The little boy watched the movie; The action movie was watched by the little boy).
• CCSS.ELA-LITERACY.L.3.1.H
  Use coordinating and subordinating conjunctions.
• CCSS.ELA-LITERACY.L.4.1.F
  Produce complete sentences, recognizing and correcting inappropriate fragments and run-ons.*
• CCSS.ELA-LITERACY.L.4.2.C
  Use a comma before a coordinating conjunction in a compound sentence.
• CCSS.ELA-LITERACY.L.5.1.A
  Explain the function of conjunctions, prepositions, and interjections in general and their function in particular sentences.

To help students avoid writing in sentence fragments, elementary teachers often counsel their students, “Never start a sentence with but, or, and, or so (the common coordinating conjunctions),” and many teachers would throw in because or like (two subordinating conjunctions) for good measure.

Additionally, most elementary teachers teach the proper use and identification of but, or, and, or so, but not the less frequently used for, nor, and yet. This certainly makes sense.

Elementary teachers may find the BOAS acronym helpful to teach the four common but, or, and, so (boas) coordinating conjunctions:

BOAS (Mark Pennington’s Acronym)

Coordinating Conjunctions

but, or, and, so

Anchor Sentence: I watched and waited to see the boas eat or climb the tree, but they did neither, so I left.

If teaching only the four BOAS seems a bit constricting :), elementary teachers can add in the three additional coordinating conjunctions, usually reserved for middle school.

Secondary Instruction: Coordinating Conjunctions

By middle school, teachers amend the “Never start a sentence with but, or, and, so, because, or like“elementary rule with the addition of “unless you finish the sentence.” Even though the middle school, high school, and college permit and even encourage their developing writers to start sentences with coordinating conjunctions, when appropriate, all would caution their students to use these sentence constructions sparingly.

Plus, secondary teachers will add the three less common and more sophisticated coordinating conjunctions (for, nor, yet) and may use the helpful FANBOYS acronym to teach all seven coordinating conjunctions:

Coordinating Conjunctions

FANBOYS (Creator Unknown)

for, and, nor, but, or, yet, so

Anchor Sentence: I watched and waited for the boas to eat or climb the tree, but they did neither. They were not hungry nor active, so I left. Yet I would like to see them sometime.

For both elementary and secondary teachers, try using this word part trick to help your students understand the meaning of coordinating conjunctions:

The “co” in coordinating means with in Latin. Coordinating conjunctions join with other words, phrase, or clauses of equal importance or emphasis. Example: Both Juan and Stella are good writers.

Elementary Instruction: Subordinate Conjunctions

• CCSS.ELA-LITERACY.L.3.1.H
  Use coordinating and subordinating conjunctions.

Elementary teachers may wish to teach their students the 10 most common subordinate conjunctions to introduce dependent clauses (connected nouns and verbs which do not express complete thoughts) at the beginnings and endings of sentences. Examples: After she gave her speech in front of the class, Leslie sat down. Leslie sat down after she gave her speech in front of the class.

Elementary teachers will find the following acronym helpful to teach students to identify and use these subordinate conjunctions:

AAAWWUBBIS (Jeff Anderson’s Acronym)

Subordinate Conjunctions

after, although, as, when, while, until, because, before, if, since

Secondary Instruction: Subordinate Conjunctions

Secondary teachers may wish to teach their students the 29 most common subordinate conjunctions to introduce dependent clauses (connected nouns and verbs which do not express complete thoughts) at the beginnings, in the middle, and the endings of sentences. Examples: After she gave her speech in front of the class, Leslie sat down and heaved a huge sigh of relief. Leslie sat down, after she gave her speech in front of the class, and heaved a huge sigh of relief. Leslie sat down and heaved a huge sigh of relief after she gave her speech in front of the class.

Secondary teachers will find the following acronym helpful to teach students to identify and use these subordinate conjunctions:

Subordinate Conjunctions

Bud is wise, but hot! AAA WWW (Mark Pennington’s Acronym)

Bud is wise, before, unless, despite (in spite of), in order that, so, while, if, since, even though (if)

but hot! because, until, that, how, once, than

AAA after, although (though), as (as if, as long as, as though)

WWW whether, when (whenever), where (wherever)

For both elementary and secondary teachers, try using this word part trick to help your students understand the meaning of subordinating conjunctions:

The “sub” in subordinating means under or below in Latin. Subordinating conjunctions begin adverbial clauses, which are under or below the connecting main (independent clause) in terms of importance or emphasis. Example: Because you listened well this morning, we will work in our groups this afternoon.

Upper Elementary and Secondary Instruction: Correlative Conjunctions (Correlative is pronounced as cor/rél/lƏ/tive.)

• CCSS.ELA-LITERACY.L.5.1.E
  

  Correlative Conjunctions

  Use correlative conjunctions (e.g., either/or, neither/nor).

Teach the common correlative conjunctions:

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

For both elementary and secondary teachers, try using this word part trick to help your students understand the meaning of correlative conjunctions:

The “cor” in correlative means to run (correr in Spanish) and “rel” indicates a relationship (in Latin). Coordinating conjunctions are word pairs which run in relationship with each other. The word pairs join parallel words, phrases, or clauses. In grammar, parallel means similar in meaning, structure, and length. Examples: Either chocolate or vanilla is fine. Both girls like chocolate, and they also like vanilla.

*****

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:

Want the poster size 11 x 17 Conjunction Posters you see in this article for your classroom? I’ll send the PDFs right away to your email.

Get the Conjunction Posters FREE Resource:

Grammar/Mechanics, Literacy Centers, Study Skills, Writing 3 types of conjunctions, AAAWWUBBIS, BOAS, complex sentences, compound sentences, conjunction junction, conjunction types, conjunctions, coordinating conjunctions, correlative conjunctions, FANBOYS, grammar interactive notebook, Grammar Literacy Center, grammar programs, Language Conventions, Mark Pennington, parts of speech, schoolhouse rock, subordinate conjunctions, subordinating conjunctions, Teaching Grammar and Mechanics

Coordinating Conjunctions

“My told me not to start sentences with coordinating conjunctions unless I finish them,” Peter said. “But I won’t.”

“Won’t what?” I asked. “Start sentences with coordinating conjunctions or finish them?”

“Oh… now I get it. You’re pretty clever.”

“And so I am.”

Definition and Examples

A coordinating conjunction joins words, phrases, or clauses of equal importance or emphasis. The seven coordinating conjunctions are easily remembered by the acronym, FANBOYS (For-And-Nor-But-Or-Yet-So). Examples: Jack and Jill; thinking quickly; but acting slowly; She left her job early, so she would be able to clean the house before the guests arrived.

*****

Read the rules.

Frequently, teachers will tell their students not to begin their sentences with coordinating conjunctions. Teachers give this advice because many students who use these sentence beginnings often

Syntax in Reading and Writing

fail to complete their sentences and wind up with fragments. However, writers many begin sentences with coordinating conjunctions under the following conditions:

• An independent clause (a subject and predicate expressing a complete thought) must follow the beginning coordinating conjunction.
• Don’t begin too many sentences in an essay with coordinating conjunctions. Sentence variety is important, so don’t overuse the same sentence structure.

Practice

Write the following sentences and [bracket] the conjunctions.

1. Byron and Jake were late, not Pedro or Tamara.
2. Misty, my calico cat, loves to be petted, but hates to be scratched.
3. Mandy hates the smell of cotton candy yet loves the taste and texture.
4. Pedro refuses to sleep in the tent, nor will he sleep outside under the stars.
5. The Larsens stopped skiing and snowboarding, for these sports cost too much and take up so much of their leisure time.

Re-write the sentence to eliminate the fragment.

But do not start a sentence with a coordinating conjunction unless you finish it.

Answers

1. Byron [and] Jake were late, not Pedro [or] Tamara.
2. Misty, my calico cat, loves to be petted, [but] hates to be scratched.
3. Mandy hates the smell of cotton candy [yet] loves the taste and texture.
4. Pedro refuses to sleep in the tent, [nor] will he sleep outside under the stars.
5. The Larsens stopped skiing [and] snowboarding, [for] these sports cost too much [and] take up so much of their leisure time.

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 complete sentences, composition rules, compound sentences, conjunction junction, conjunctions, coordinating conjunctions, essay rules, essay structure, essay style, essay writing, essay writing rules, FANBOYS, five paragraph essays, fragments, grammar, how to write an essay, independent clauses, Mark Pennington, start sentences with and, start sentences with but, Teaching Essay Strategies, writing programs

Similes and Essay Rules

Sandra said, “I’m trying to add some spice to my essay by adding similes. I know a simile uses like or as. Let me read two of them that might work in my conclusion: ‘He did not like being wrong, and as an inexperienced cook, he was often corrected by veteran chefs.’”

“Similes need to compare unlike objects, such as ‘Rafael was as sour as a lemon.’ Your sentence doesn’t use like or as to compare, so they aren’t similes,” corrected Mark. “However, you shouldn’t include poetic devices, such as similes, in essays, so your sentence is fine.”

“So, I was wrong, but I was also right,” said Sandra.

Definition and Examples

A simile compares two unlike things and is often introduced by like or as. However, not every usage of like or as signals a simile. Examples: His voice was like the roar of a lion. “I think that I shall never see a poem as lovely as a tree” (Joyce Kilmer). A simile is a figure of speech in which the words are not meant literally. Similes are commonly used in poetry, speeches, songs, and in literature.

Read the rule.

Don’t use similes or other figures of speech in formal writing, such as essays. If comparisons are used to provide better understanding or analysis, the objects of comparisons should be similar.

Practice

Write the following sentences and [bracket] the similes.

1. Her best friend seemed as wise as an owl, but he really was as dumb as an ox.
2. Those roommates were like two peas in a pod. They both had the same interests, like music and video games.
3. Anything he loses is as if he could care less about finding. Plus, he is as blind as a bat.
4. As amazing as this price seems, an additional discount would bring in customers like wildfire.
5. Like a cold drink to a thirsty man, so is a good book to a reader. True readers are like ships in a storm, never finding rest in a safe harbor.

Revise the sentence to eliminate the simile and provide a like comparison.

Avoid similes like the plague.

Answers

1. Her best friend seemed [as wise as an owl], but he really was [as dumb as an ox].
2. Those roommates were [like two peas in a pod]. They both had the same interests, like music and video games.
3. Anything he loses is as if he could care less about finding. Plus, he is [as blind as a bat].
4. As amazing as this price seems, an additional discount would bring in customers [like wildfire].
5. Like a cold drink to a thirsty man, so is a good book to a reader. True readers are [like ships in a storm], never finding rest in a safe harbor.

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:

Literacy Centers, Study Skills, Writing figures of speech, Mark Pennington, metaphors, poetic devices, similes, Teaching Essay Strategies

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.

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].

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 composition rules, essay rules, essay structure, essay style, essay writing, essay writing rules, five paragraph essays, how to write an essay, Mark Pennington, split infinitives, splitting infinitives, Teaching Essay Strategies, writing programs

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

A 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.

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.

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:

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Eliminate Adjective and Adverb Crutches

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.

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:

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