Pennington Publishing Blog

Shifts in Verb Tense

Shifts in Verb Tense         

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

Common Core Language Standard 1

Time travel would definitely be an interesting experience. Not so much, however, if the time machine confused past, present, and future. The same is true in your writing. English allows us to change verb tense in the same paragraph and sometimes even within the same sentence, but only if you plan this shift in time. Confused verb tense reflects poor planning and, usually, poor proofreading.

Today’s grammar and usage lesson is on shifts in verb tense. Remember that a verb can mentally or physically act or serve as a state of being.

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

Verb tense is the form of the verb that indicates time. There are three simple verb tenses: the past, present, and future. Examples: Mykah jumped, Mykah jumps, Mykah will jump.

Generally, keep the same verb tense in a sentence or group of related sentences. This is especially important with the past tense. However, when a change in time is necessary, it is certainly appropriate to change tenses, even within the same sentence.

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

Practice: Michael Jackson’s Thriller amaze audiences in 1987, and is an album that still gets plenty of radio play. Undoubtedly that continued for many years in the future.

Let’s check the Practice Answers.

Grammar and Usage Practice Answers: Michael Jackson’s Thriller amazed audiences in 1987, and is an album that still gets plenty of radio play. Undoubtedly that will continue for many years in the future.

Now let’s apply what we have learned.

Writing Application: Write your own sentence using an appropriate change in verb tense.

This writing opener is part of a comprehensive language conventions lesson from the Grammar, Mechanics, Spelling, and Vocabulary   Grades 4‒8 programs.

*****

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 change verb tense, grammar books, Grammar Lessons, grammar programs, grammar teaching resources, Language Conventions Lessons, shift in verb tense, teaching resources, verb tense, writing openers

Capitalizing Languages, Dialects, and People Groups

Capitalization of Languages, Dialects, and People Groups     

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

Common Core Language Standard 2

Capitalization rules for nouns can get tricky. Any proper noun name needs to be capitalized, including languages, dialects, and groups of people.

Today’s mechanics lesson is on capitalizing languages, dialects, and people groups.

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

Capitalize the names of languages, dialects, and people groups. Dialect refers to a variety of a language that is different in pronunciation, grammar, and vocabulary than other varieties of that language. Examples: Spanish, Creole, Roma

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

Practice: Both Canadians spoke Swahili fluently to the Africans.

Let’s check the Practice Answers.

Mechanics Practice Answers: I woke up this morning at 7:30 a.m. because I fell asleep last night at 10:00 p.m.

Now let’s apply what we have learned.

Writing Application: Write your own sentence using the name of a language and people group.

This writing opener is part of a comprehensive language conventions lesson from the Grammar, Mechanics, Spelling, and Vocabulary   Grades 4‒8 programs.

*****

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 and People Groups, Capitalization of Languages, capitalization rules, capitalize cultures, capitalize languages, dialects, grammar, grammar books, Grammar Lessons, grammar programs, grammar teaching resources, Language Conventions Lessons, Mark Pennington, pennington publishing, teaching resources, writing openers

Plural Subject-Verb Agreement

Plural Subject-Verb Agreement       

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

Common Core Language Standard 1

We all know that verbs have to match their subjects. One way that they have to match is in number. Singular has to match singular and plural must match plural. What gets confusing is when other words seem to be subjects, but are not. Knowing how to identify sentence subjects is essential.

Today’s grammar and usage lesson is on plural subject-verb agreement. A plural subject agrees with (matches) a plural verb and involves more than one person, place, or thing. In present tense the plural nouns do not end in s. For example, we say “Birds chirp,” not “Birds chirps.”

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

Following are the key rules of plural subject-verb agreement:

• Some words seem to be singular, but are actually plural because they each have two parts: scissors, tweezers, pants, and shears. Example: Those scissors are sharp.
• Sports teams not ending in s are plural and require plural verbs. Example: The Orlando Magic have been looking for a point guard.
• A compound subject joined by and is plural and takes a plural verb. Example: Bob and Pam are friends.
• These indefinite pronouns take plural verbs: both, few, many, others, and several. Example: Both seem wonderful.

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

Practice: We have plenty of supplies for the project. Scissors are required to cut out the sports pictures from magazines. The Miami Heat is the students’ favorite team. There is plenty of their pictures. Most of the students finish quickly, but a few needs more time. Bob and Joe always ask for more time.

Let’s check the Practice Answers.

Grammar and Usage Practice Answers: We have plenty of supplies for the project. Scissors are required to cut out the sports pictures from magazines. The Miami Heat is the students’ favorite team. There are plenty of their pictures. Most of the students finish quickly, but a few need more time. Bob and Joe always ask for more time.

Now let’s apply what we have learned. 

Writing Application: Write two of your own sentences: the first with a compound subject and the second with an indefinite plural pronoun subject.

This writing opener is part of a comprehensive language conventions lesson from the Grammar, Mechanics, Spelling, and Vocabulary   Grades 4‒8 programs.

*****

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, grammar books, Grammar Lessons, grammar programs, grammar teaching resources, Language Conventions Lessons, Mark Pennington, mechanics, pennington publishing, Plural Subject-Verb Agreement, subject and predicate, subject verb agreement, teaching resources, Teaching the Language Strand, verb agreement, writing openers

Capitalization of Organizations and Businesses

Capitalization of Organizations and Businesses     

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

Common Core Language Standard 2

Even organizations and businesses, if they are named, are considered to be proper nouns.

Today’s mechanics lesson is on capitalizing organizations and businesses.

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

Capitalize the names of organizations and businesses. Don’t capitalize articles, conjunctions, and prepositions in the middle of the named organization or business. Examples: Helping with Hands Association, Durability for Life, Inc.

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

Practice: The Girl Scouts of America is over 100-years-old. The united way of America and Pizza to Go® help fund that organization.

Let’s check the Practice Answers.

Mechanics Practice Answers: The Girl Scouts of America is over 100-years-old. The United Way of America and Pizza to Go® help fund that organization.

Now let’s apply what we have learned. 

Writing Application: Write your own sentence using the name of an organization including a preposition.

This writing opener is part of a comprehensive language conventions lesson from the Grammar, Mechanics, Spelling, and Vocabulary   Grades 4‒8 programs.

*****

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 Capitalization of Organizations and Businesses, capitalization rules, capitalize businesses, capitalize organizations, grammar, grammar books, Grammar Lessons, grammar programs, grammar teaching resources, Language Conventions Lessons, Mark Pennington, pennington publishing, teaching resources, Teaching the Language Strand, writing openers

Singular Subject Verb Agreement

Singular Subject-Verb Agreement     

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

Common Core Language Standard 1

Singular subject-verb agreement probably presents more challenges for the writer than plural subject-verb agreement because of collective nouns and indefinite singular pronouns.

Today’s grammar and usage lesson is on singular subject-verb agreement. Remember that a singular subject noun usually adds an ending s to agree with (match) a singular verb. Collective nouns which refer to a group, such as herd, and indefinite pronouns which end in “_body’ or “_one,” such as anybody or everyone also match singular verbs.

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

Some singular subject subject-verb agreements are tricky:

• Subject case pronouns must match these helping verbs: I matches am, was, have, and had; He, she, it, and you match is, was, has, and had. Examples: I am, she is
• When two or more nouns or pronouns are joined by or or nor, use the verb that agrees with (matches) the noun or pronoun closest to the verb. Examples: Joe or Pam eats first; Joe or the children eat first before I do.
• In clauses beginning with there is (are), the subject follows and the is (are) must agree (match) with that subject. Examples: There is a dog; There are dogs.

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

Practice: Peter or Mick doesn’t seem ready. Their success depend on this. There is little time.

Let’s check the Practice Answers.

Grammar and Usage Practice Answers: Peter or Mick don’t seem ready. Their success depends on this. There is little time.

Now let’s apply what we have learned. 

Writing Application: Write two of your own sentences: the first one with two or more noun or pronoun subjects joined by or or nor and the second one beginning with “There is.”

This writing opener is part of a comprehensive language conventions lesson from the Grammar, Mechanics, Spelling, and Vocabulary   Grades 4‒8 programs.

*****

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, pennington publishing, Singular Subject-Verb Agreement, subject and predicate, teaching resources, Teaching the Language Strand, writing openers

Capitalization of Special Events and Historical Periods

Capitalization of Special Events and Historical Periods     

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

Common Core Language Standard 2

Capitalization rules are loosely applied in some circumstances. This is particularly true with special events. What exactly is a special event, as opposed to a non-special event? This is also true with historical periods. Most of us would agree that The Age of Reason seems like a well-defined historical period. But what about the Obama years?

Today’s mechanics lesson is on capitalizing special events and historical periods.

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

Capitalize the names of special events and historical periods. Don’t capitalize articles, conjunctions, and prepositions in the middle of a special event or historical period. Examples: The Boston Marathon, Middle Ages

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

Practice: The Bastille marathon celebrates The French revolution and The Age of Reason.

Let’s check the Practice Answers.

Mechanics Practice Answers: The Bastille Marathon celebrates The French Revolution and The Age of Reason.

Now let’s apply what we have learned.

Writing Application: Write your own sentence using the name of an historical period.

This writing opener is part of a comprehensive language conventions lesson from the Grammar, Mechanics, Spelling, and Vocabulary   Grades 4‒8 programs.

*****

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 Capitalization of Special Events and Historical Periods, capitalization rules, capitalize historical, capitalize special events, grammar, grammar books, Grammar Lessons, grammar programs, grammar teaching resources, Language Conventions Lessons, Mark Pennington, pennington publishing, teaching resources, Teaching the Language Strand, writing openers

Verb Phrases

Verb Phrases 

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

Common Core Language Standard 1

If we add other words onto the main verb, we form phrases. Phrases can add description, share a condition, or set the mood for verbs. They can also change the verb tense of the main verb.

Today’s grammar and usage lesson is on verb phrases. Remember that a verb can mentally or physically act or serve as a state of being. A phrase is a group of related words without a noun and connected verb.

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

A verb phrase consists of the main verb with a linking verb, helping verb, adverb, and/or prepositional phrase. Example: She had been serving faithfully for three years.

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

Practice: The teachers will really watching carefully to make absolutely sure that none of the students has any cheat notes.

Let’s check the Practice Answers.

Grammar and Usage Practice Answers:

The teachers will really watch carefully to make absolutely sure that none of the students has any cheat notes.

or

The teachers will really be watching carefully to make absolutely sure that none of the students has any cheat notes.

Now let’s apply what we have learned. 

Writing Application: Write your own sentence using two different types of verb phrases.

*****

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, pennington publishing, teaching resources, Teaching the Language Strand, verb phrases, verb tense, verbs, writing openers

Capitalization of Holidays and Dates

Capitalization of Holidays and Dates

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

Common Core Language Standard 2

Holidays certainly are special things. And because they are special, they are named. And because they are named, they are proper nouns. And because they are proper nouns, they must be capitalized. The same is true for special dates. 

Today’s mechanics lesson is on capitalizing holidays and dates.

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

Capitalize the names of holidays and dates. Don’t capitalize articles, conjunctions, and prepositions in the middle of a holiday. Examples: New Year’s Day, The Fourth of July

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

Practice: When memorial day is celebrated on March 29, 2017, I will just be graduating from high school.

Let’s check the Practice Answers.

Mechanics Practice Answers:

When Memorial Day is celebrated on March 29, 2017, I will just be graduating from high school.

Now let’s apply what we have learned.

Writing Application: Write your own sentence using the name of a holiday.

This writing opener is part of a comprehensive language conventions lesson from the Grammar, Mechanics, Spelling, and Vocabulary   Grades 4‒8 programs.

*****

Teaching Grammar and Mechanics Grades 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, and High School Programs

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 Capitalization of Holidays and Dates, capitalization rules, capitalizing dates, capitalizing holidays, grammar, grammar books, Grammar Lessons, grammar programs, grammar teaching resources, Language Conventions Lessons, Mark Pennington, pennington publishing, teaching resources, Teaching the Language Strand, writing openers