Pennington Publishing Blog

Predicate Adjectives

Predicate Adjectives                

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

Common Core Language Standard 1

Each part of speech, such as adjectives, takes plenty of different forms in our speaking and writing sentence structure. Because adjectives modify nouns and pronouns, this means that they also modify the way nouns and pronouns are used in sentences, such as subjects which act and objects which receive the action.

Today’s grammar and usage lesson is on predicate adjectives and adjectival phrases. Remember that an adjective modifies a noun or pronoun and answers Which one? How many? or What kind? A linking verb describes or renames the subject.

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

An adjective that follows a linking verb to describe a preceding noun or pronoun is called a predicate adjective. Example: Mark is nice and he looks good. Because the predicate adjective serves as an object, it often has modifiers.Example: Joe was very cool.

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

Practice: Their year-end final exams were difficulter, but most were manageable.

Let’s check the Practice Answers.

Grammar and Usage Practice Answers: Their year-end final exams were difficulter, but most were manageable.

Now let’s apply what we have learned. 

Writing Application: Write your own sentence using predicate adjective as part of an adjectival phrase.

*****

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:

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Punctuation of Plays and Works of Art Titles

Punctuation of Plays and Work of Art Titles         

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

Common Core Language Standard 2

Plays would include dramas, comedies, and musicals. Works of art would include most every other creative visual or auditory form of expression.

Today’s mechanics lesson is on how to punctuate plays and work of art titles. Works of art include paintings, sculptures, photographs, and more.

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

Underline or italicize the titles of plays, musicals, and works of art. Plays and works of art are whole things, big things, or things that can be picked up from a table. Examples: Hamlet, Carousel, Pieta

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

Practice: I read about that book, titled The Lincoln Conspiracy. The article appeared in both Seventeen and “The Los Angeles Times.”

Let’s check the Practice Answers.

Mechanics Practice Answers: I read about that book, titled The Lincoln Conspiracy. The article appeared in both Seventeen and The Los Angeles Times.

Now let’s apply what we have learned.

Writing Application: Write your own sentence using the title of a play or painting.

*****

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:

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Adjective (Adjectival) Phrases

Adjective (Adjectival) Phrases Writing Opener                 

Common Core Language Standard 1

Teacher Talk: Adjectival Phrases are probably more often called adjective phrases; however, to be technical we are supposed to use an adjective to modify a noun, such as phrases, if one exists, and not two nouns. Adjectival is the adjective form of the noun, adjective, so that’s why we use it. Of course it’s much more important to know what an adjectival phrase is and how to identify it when we see it and write it when we want to.

Today’s grammar and usage lesson is on adjectival phrases. Remember that an adjective modifies a noun or pronoun and answers Which one? How many? or What kind? A phrase is a group of related words without a connected noun and verb.

Display the lesson here: Adjective Phrases

Read the grammar and usage lesson and study the examples.

An adjectival phrase has more than one adjective and modifies a noun or pronoun. The phrase answers Which one? How many? or What kind? of the noun or pronoun. Examples: The handsome and entertaining speaker received thunderous applause from an appreciative, welcoming, and receptive audience.

When using more than one adjectival phrase follow this order of adjectival functions: Which One-How Many-What Kind. Examples: these specific (Which one?) two-footed How many? handsome and strong (What kind?) alien beings.

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

Practice: A young terrific man  left me in the capable, kind, and caring hands of my doctor.

Let’s check the Practice Answers.

Grammar and Usage Practice Answers: A terrific young man  left me in the capable, kind, and caring hands of my doctor.

Now let’s apply what we have learned. 

Writing Application: Write your own sentence using an adjectival phrase.

This Adjective (Adjectival) Phrases writing opener is part of a comprehensive language conventions lesson from Pennington Publishing’s Teaching Grammar, Usage, and Mechanics programs.

*****

Click to view the quick Grade 4 Video Preview or PDF Program Preview.

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Each Teaching Grammar, Usage, and Mechanics Grades 4, 5, 6, 7, and 8 full-year program includes lessons, independent practice, and unit tests in printable PDFs, Google slides, forms, and sheets. Students will love the secret agent theme in the Google slides with drag and drop activities, type-in-the-box practice, audio files, and problem-solving (secret codes and such). The theme is fun, but the learning tasks are rigorous.

Also available from Pennington Publishing: High school, interactive notebook, and literacy center grammar programs. Enter discount code 3716 at check-out for the lowest price on Pennington Publishing programs.

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

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Punctuation of Book, Website, Newspaper, and Magazine Titles

Punctuation of Book, Website, Newspaper, and Magazine Titles

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

Common Core Language Standard 2

One confusing punctuation rule deals with the punctuation of titles of whole works. The issue is with pen or pencil and paper we punctuate differently than we do when word processing. We use underlining when we write these titles on paper, but we italicize (make slanted letters) when we use the computer.

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.

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

Underline or italicize the titles of books, websites, newspapers, and magazines. Books, newspapers, websites, and magazines are whole things, big things, or things that can be picked up from a table. Examples: War and Peace, New York Times, YouTube, Tiger Beat  

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

Practice: Joe, Jones. Eat for Fun. Azusa: Lee Publishing, 2014. Print

Let’s check the Practice Answers.

Mechanics Practice Answers:

Joe, Jones. Eat for Fun. Azusa: Lee Publishing, 2014. Print

or

Joe, Jones. Eat for Fun. Azusa: Lee Publishing, 2014. Print

Now let’s apply what we’ve learned.

Writing Application: Write your own sentence using a book and a magazine 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:

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Vague Pronoun References

Vague Pronoun References         

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

Common Core Language Standard 1

Different parts of sentences have to relate to each other to make sense. When it’s unclear how one part of the sentence relates to another, the reader has difficulty understanding what is being said.

Today’s grammar and usage lesson is on vague pronoun references. Remember that a pronoun takes the place of a noun and identifies its antecedent. An antecedent is the noun or pronoun that the pronoun refers to or re-names.

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

Three vague pronoun references have pronouns which do not clearly identify their antecedents:

1. Demonstrative pronouns (this, that, these, or those) are used on their own. Revise by adding a noun following the pronoun. Example: That is beautiful. That painting is beautiful.

2. Plural antecedents match one pronoun. Revise by repeating the noun. Example: He did have pens, but we didn’t need any right now. He did have pens, but we didn’t need any right pens now.

3. The antecedent is an adjective. Revise by changing the pronoun reference from an adjective to a noun. Example: I called Jesse’s work Jesse at his work, but he never answered.

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

Practice: Get some paper from your binder and write on it. I like Amy’s friend, but Amy doesn’t.

Let’s check the Practice Answers.

Grammar and Usage Practice Answers: Get some paper from your binder and write on the paper. I like Amy’s friend, but Amy doesn’t.

Now let’s apply what we have learned. 

Writing Application: Write your own sentence using a pronoun antecedent which clearly and specifically matches its antecedent.

*****

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 books, Grammar Lessons, grammar programs, grammar teaching resources, Language Conventions Lessons, Mark Pennington, mechanics, pennington publishing, pronoun antecedents, pronouns, teaching resources, Teaching the Language Strand, vague pronoun antecedents, writing openers

Movie and Television Show Titles

Punctuation of Movie and Television Show Titles 

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

Common Core Language Standard 1

Both movie and television show titles are punctuated the same. 

Today’s mechanics lesson is on how to punctuate movie and television show titles. Remember that we underline when writing, but italicize when word processing.

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

Underline or italicize the titles of movies and television shows. Movies and television shows are whole things, big things, or things that can be picked up from a table such as a DVD.The titles of television episodes are placed within quotation marks. Examples: Avatar, “The Nightmare” is the third episode of Lost in Time.

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

Practice: The movie titled Back Once Again appeared as the television show titled “Back Home Again” in the 1970s.

Let’s check the Practice Answers.

Mechanics Practice Answers: The movie titled Back Once Again appeared as the television show titled Back Home Again in the 1970s.

Now let’s apply what we have learned. 

Writing Application: Write your own sentence using a movie 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:

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Pronoun Number and Person Shifts

Pronoun Number and Person Shifts         

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

Common Core Language Standard 1

Writers often confuse their readers by changing the number of pronouns. In other words the writers confuse singular and plural forms. Additionally, writers frequently make the mistake of changing the person. In other words the writers change first person, second person, or third person pronouns within the same paragraphs.

Today’s grammar and usage lesson is on vague pronoun references. Remember that a pronoun takes the place of a noun and identifies its antecedent. An antecedent is the noun or pronoun that the pronoun refers to or re-names.

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

A personal pronoun must match singular pronouns to singular nouns or pronouns and plural pronouns to plural nouns or pronouns. Example: Julie has their her own style.

Often number errors are made with gender-specific pronouns. Revise by making the antecedent nouns plural. Example: The student students ate their lunch lunches.Or revise the sentence without the pronouns. Example: The student ate their lunch.

A personal pronoun must also be in the same person as its antecedent. Pronouns are in the first, second, or third person. Revise pronoun person problems by matching the pronoun person to its antecedent. Example: Julie has your her own style.

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

Practice: Tommy and Ashley like his or her school a lot. Both say you have to try their best.

Let’s check the Practice Answers.

Grammar and Usage Practice Answers:

Tommy and Ashley like their school a lot. Both say you have to try your best.

or

Tommy and Ashley like their school a lot. Both say they have to try their best.

Now let’s apply what we have learned. 

Writing Application: Write your own sentence using a pronoun antecedent which correctly matches the number of its antecedent.

*****

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 books, Grammar Lessons, grammar programs, grammar rules, grammar teaching resources, Language Conventions, Mark Pennington, mechanics, pennington publishing, pronoun antecedents, pronoun number shifts, pronoun person shifts, pronouns, punctuation rules, teaching resources, Teaching the Language Strand, vague pronoun antecedents, writing openers

Punctuation of Direct Quotations

Punctuation of Direct Quotations     

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

Common Core Language Standard 2

Punctuating direct quotations is not that difficult, until you have to use a quotation or quoted title within a quotation. Punctuation can also get tricky when you don’t want to use all of the quote. Using citations properly can also be a bit of a challenge, but you have to tell the writer where you got the words and/or ideas you are borrowing.

Today’s mechanics lesson is on how to punctuate quoted references within direct quotations. Remember that a direct quotation includes the spoken or written words.

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

When quotations or quoted titles are placed within quoted speech, use single quotation marks (‘__’) at the beginning and end of the inside quotations. Use double quotation marks (“__”) at the beginning and end of the entire quotation. Example: Beth said, “Do you agree with Beth’s statement that ‘the case is closed?’”

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

Practice: “Just 22% of adults drink milk (Dent 8).” Another author believes it’s 28% (Lind 42).

Let’s check the Practice Answers.

Mechanics Practice Answers: “Just 22% of adults drink milk”(Dent 8).Another author believes it’s 28% (Lind 42).

Now let’s apply what we have learned.

Writing Application: Write your own sentence with a make-believe quoted reference within a direct quotation.

*****

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 quotation punctuation, direct quotations, grammar books, Grammar Lessons, grammar programs, grammar rules, grammar teaching resources, Language Conventions, Mark Pennington, mechanics, pennington publishing, punctuation rules, teaching resources, Teaching the Language Strand, writing openers