Grammar, Punctuation and Usage

1. Grammar, Punctuation and Usage How Do We Use Them?

2. The Apostrophe • Apostrophes show possession • Miss Peister’s class • Simon’s car • They can also be used for contractions • It is becomes it’s • Cannot becomes can’t • Do not becomes don’t

3. The Comma • Commas can be used for lists • I have three cats, four dogs, and a fish. • I need tomatoes, carrots, and ice cream at the grocery store. • Commas separate lists of adjectives • He was tall, dark and handsome. • That car was fast, shiny, red and expensive. • Commas also help separate conjunctions • They connect two independent clauses with a conjunction • He hit the bell well, but he ran towards third base!

4. The Comma • Commas offset introductory elements • These two clauses are exchangeable • Running towards third base, he suddenly realized how silly he looked • Commas surround parts of sentences that are not essential • This part of the sentence can be removed without altering the meaning of the sentence • The commas surround additional information • Nicholas, who was also a great ball player, enjoyed playing video games. • Lisa, though she didn’t want to, went to the store anyway.

6. Quotation Marks • When someone is speaking, we need to surround what they are saying with quotation marks • This eliminates confusion about who is saying what! • For example • Sheila said, “I like him a lot.” • “I don’t think so,” replied John. “He is too cool for you!”

7. Now It’s Your Turn!

8. The Master of Punctuation • http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=6bpIbdZhrzA

10. Nouns • Nouns are the most basic part of speech • They include any person, place, thing, or idea • Dog, cat, Ontario, France, Mrs. Gardiner, or thought

12. Verbs • These are action words • Jump, sleep, die, stand up, watch, etc. • They give our nouns excitement!

13. Sentence Structure • Our most basic sentences can be made with only nouns and verbs • Lucy sleeps. • A common, English sentence is generally structured as follows: • Subject Verb Object • I chased the dog.

14. Pronouns • A pronoun can replace a noun • This makes a sentence less repetitive • The most common form is the personal pronoun • Personal pronouns can also be names • Shelly • Derek • Miss Peister

15. Pronouns • Pronouns can also be possessive! • Mine, yours, his, hers, its, ours and theirs • Remember: if something is possessive, it means that something owns another thing • His ball • My cat • Her cellphone • Remember: its, when it is showing possession, DOES NOT need an apostrophe

16. Adjectives • Adjectives are used to make ordinary objects cool! • You can use a lot of cool words to describe an object • They make life more exciting! • Instead of that car you could say that shiny, new, sleek sports car!

17. Prepositions • A preposition links nouns, pronouns and other phrases in a sentence • Usually it is the “place” of something… • The book SITS on the counter • …but it can also be the state of being • The children jumped into the water WITHOUT fear • Common prepositions include above, through, inside and behind

18. Prepositions • Think of prepositions as the locators of nouns in time and place • He sat IN FRONT OF the desk • He went OUTSIDE to play • He is the noun; that noun is currently located outside • Fun fact: when trying to define a prepositional word such as in or on, you usually use your hands!

21. Conjunctions • Conjunctions are joiners; they connect, or conjoin, parts of sentences • Stacey wants to play for Swan Hills, but she has troubles meeting the grade requirements • Most often, conjunctions come in the form of coordinating conjunctions • Coordinating conjunctions combine two independent clauses • The first clause is written, followed by a comma, then the second clause is written following the comma AND the conjunction

22. Conjunctions • An example of a coordinating junction • I spent my summer studying Social Studies, but there is a lot of information to remember! • Josh ate all of his lunch, yet he was still hungry. • Note the use of the comma and the word but • The most common conjunctions include • And, but, or, yet, for, nor and so

23. Conjunctions • Conjunctions can be remembered with the following acronym: • F- for • A- and • N- nor • B- but • O- or • Y- yet • S- so

25. Adverbs • Adverbs modify, or change, nouns and verbs • He drove slowly --- How did he drive? • They also tell us how, when, where, why or under what conditions something is happening • He drove a car very fast --- How fast was his car? • Remember: how is the something happening, when and where is it happening, and why is it happening? • She moved quite slowly down the aisle --- How slowly did she move?

26. Adverbs • The most important thing to remember when dealing with adverbs is to ask a question: • How is the (noun) happening? • How well was the (verb) completed? • How (adjective) is the (noun)? • Ex: My teacher (noun) is reallytall (adjective).

27. Interjections • Boo! Pow! Gotcha! Wow! Cool! • Interjections exclaim protest, command or excitement • Stop! Don’t! Wait! • Sometimes, they are sound words; sometimes they seem like shouting • Oh no! I shouldn’t have done that! • Oh no would be the interjection • They can stand alone or they can be in a sentence