Mastering Spivey Sentences: Enhance Your Writing Skills

Expanders Ms. Treuel

Table of Contents • Goals • Standards • Lesson

Goals By the end of this slide show, I want you to be able to: • Understand what Trigger words are. • Compose sentences with partner

Standards 1.4.8 • Write with an understanding of the stylistic aspects of composition. • Use different types and lengths of sentences. • Use nouns, pronouns, verbs, adjectives, adverbs, conjunctions, prepositions and interjections properly. • Use complete sentences (simple, compound, complex, declarative, interrogative, exclamatory and imperative).

What are Action Expanders? Action Expanders are just a way of studying sentence structure. The advantage to using Spivey Sentences is that you not only learn about the parts of sentences, you learn how to WRITE better sentences as well.

P-E-T? When you look at Spivey sentences, you must look at the Pattern of the sentence, the Example of how the sentence is written, and the Trigger words for that type of sentence. It’s like Math class and the order of operations. Our “order of operations” is PET.

The first sentence pattern we are going to study is called the sentence trunk. It is called this because ALL sentences must have a “trunk,” or a who/what (subject)+ action (verb/predicate).

The Main Sentence Trunk All sentences must have at least two parts called the “trunk” of the sentence. Who/What--the subject Action--the verb/predicate

Examples The dog The boy played. The checker board sat on the table. ran to its owner.

So let’s look at P-E-T…. P-- who/what+ action E-- The dogran to its owner. T-- there are no trigger words for the trunk.

Now you try. Take out a sheet of blank notebook paper Create a proper header Write 4 sentences that express Who + Action. Write 4 sentences that express What + Action.

The When Group Now that you have the main trunk of your sentence, you have to begin to build on that trunk using different groups. You can expand the action by using TRIGGER WORDS, or you can expand the subject by using more patterns. You can also add more then one group to a sentence. We are going to work with one group at a time, and continue to build on our SPIVEY sentence. We will begin with expand the action groups.

The When Group REMEMBER: When you look at Spivey sentences, you must look at the Pattern of the sentence, the Example of how the sentence is written, and the Trigger words for that type of sentence. It’s like Math class and the order of operations. Our “order of operations” is PET.

When Group Trigger Words • Before we begin to look at writing Spiveys, we need to look at the Trigger words. Each “expand the action group” has its own trigger words.

Trigger Words Where above, across, against, along, alongside, among, around,at, before, behind,below, beneath,beside, between, beyond, by, down,from, in, inside, into, near, off, on, onto, out, outside, over, past, through, to, toward, under, up, upon Noun Describers Describer noun Describer, Describer, and Describer Noun, describer and describer Noun + ing Renamer How like/as with/without/by ly When as, after, before, since, until, when, while, during Condition although, if, though, unless, even though Renamer, Repeat Jane, my sister, helps me. My pet, the chubby hamster in the cage, keeps me awake all night. Main Sentence Trunk Why because, so that, since, to + verb Noun Part Who/What subject Action verb Day Two

When Trigger Words When as, after, before, since, until, when, while, during You need to MEMORIZE these words.

When Group PATTERN “When group,” + Who/What + Action Who/What + Action+ When group Any group that comes at the beginning is followed by a comma unless it is a single word!!!!!!!!!!!

The When Group Example Who/what “The when group” After returning home from grandma’s house, we Action cleaned our rooms.

Now you try. Write 4 sentences that express Who/What + Action+When. Write 4 sentences that express When, Who/What + Action.

The Where Group Now that you have the main trunk of your sentence, you have to begin to build on that trunk using different groups. You can add more then one group to a sentence. We are going to work with one group at a time, and continue to build on our SPIVEY sentence.

The Where Group REMEMBER: When you look at Spivey sentences, you must look at the Pattern of the sentence, the Example of how the sentence is written, and the Trigger words for that type of sentence. It’s like Math class and the order of operations. Our “order of operations” is PET.

TRIGGER WORDS Where above, across, against, along, alongside, among, around,at, before, behind,below, beneath,beside, between, beyond, by, down,from, in, inside, into, near, off, on, onto, out, outside, over, past, through, to, toward, under, up, upon Noun Describers Describer noun Describer, Describer, and Describer Noun, describer and describer Noun + ing Renamer How like/as with/without/by ly When as, after, before, since, until, when, while, during Condition although, if, though, unless, even though Renamer, Repeat Jane, my sister, helps me. My pet, the chubby hamster in the cage, keeps me awake all night. Main Sentence Trunk Why because, so that, since, to + verb Noun Part Who/What subject Action verb Day Three

Where Trigger Words above, across, against, along, alongside, among, around, at, before, behind, below, beneath, beside, between, beyond, by, down, from, in, inside, into, near, off, on, onto, out, outside, over, past, through, to, toward, under, up, upon

Where Group PATTERN “Where group,”+ Who/What + Action Any group that comes at the beginning is followed by a comma unless it is a single word!!!!!!!!!!! Who/What + Action+ Where group

The Where Group Example Who/what The where group a stream Inside the football stadium, Action flooded the bleachers.

Now you try. Write 1 sentence that express Who/What + Action+Where. Write 1 sentence that express Where,Who/What + Action.

The Why Group Now that you have the main trunk of your sentence, you have to begin to build on that trunk using different groups. You can add more then one group to a sentence. We are going to work with one at a time, and continue to expand the action of our SPIVEY sentence.

The Why Group REMEMBER: When you look at Spivey sentences, you must look at the Pattern of the sentence, the Example of how the sentence is written, and the Trigger words for that type of sentence. It’s like Math class and the order of operations. Our “order of operations” is PET.

TRIGGER WORDS Where above, across, against, along, alongside, among, around,at, before, behind,below, beneath,beside, between, beyond, by, down,from, in, inside, into, near, off, on, onto, out, outside, over, past, through, to, toward, under, up, upon Noun Describers Describer noun Describer, Describer, and Describer Noun, describer and describer Noun + ing Renamer How like/as with/without/by ly When as, after, before, since, until, when, while, during Condition although, if, though, unless, even though Renamer, Repeat Jane, my sister, helps me. My pet, the chubby hamster in the cage, keeps me awake all night. Main Sentence Trunk Why because, so that, since, to + verb Noun Part Who/What subject Action verb Day Four

Why Trigger Word • Why • because, so that, since, to + verb

Why Group PATTERN Why group,+ Who/What + Action Who/What + Action+ Why group Any group that comes at the beginning is followed by a comma unless it is a single word!!!!!!!!!!!

The Why Group Example Action Who/what The Why Group we cleaned our rooms. Since they were messy, Who/what Action The Why Group We cleaned our rooms so that they were not messy.

Now you try. Write 1 sentence that expresses Who/What + Action+Why. Write 1 sentence that expresses Why,+Who/What + Action.

The How Group Now that you have the main trunk of your sentence, you have to begin to build on that trunk using different groups. You can add more then one group to a sentence. We are going to work with one group at a time, and continue to expand the action of our SPIVEY sentence.

The How Group REMEMBER: When you look at Spivey sentences, you must look at the Pattern of the sentence, the Example of how the sentence is written, and the Trigger words for that type of sentence. It’s like Math class and the order of operations. Our “order of operations” is PET.

HOWTRIGGER WORDS Where above, across, against, along, alongside, among, around,at, before, behind,below, beneath,beside, between, beyond, by, down,from, in, inside, into, near, off, on, onto, out, outside, over, past, through, to, toward, under, up, upon Noun Describers Describer noun Describer, Describer, and Describer Noun, describer and describer Noun + ing Renamer How like/as with/without/by ly When as, after, before, since, until, when, while, during Condition although, if, though, unless, even though Renamer, Repeat Jane, my sister, helps me. My pet, the chubby hamster in the cage, keeps me awake all night. Main Sentence Trunk Why because, so that, since, to + verb Noun Part Day Five Who/What subject Action verb

How Trigger Words • like/as • with/without/by • ly

How Group PATTERN How group,+ Who/What + Action Who/What + Action+ How group Any group that comes at the beginning is followed by a comma unless it is a single word!!!!!!!!!!!

The How Group Example Action Who/what The How Group we cleaned our rooms. Like busy beavers, Who/what Action The How Group We cleaned our rooms quickly.

Now you try. Write 1 sentence that expresses Who/What + Action+ How. Write 1 sentence that expresses How,+Who/What + Action.

The Condition Now that you have the main trunk of your sentence, you have to begin to build on that trunk using different groups. You can add more then one group to a sentence. We are going to work with one group at a time, and continue to expand the action of our SPIVEY sentence.

The Condition REMEMBER: When you look at Spivey sentences, you must look at the Pattern of the sentence, the Example of how the sentence is written, and the Trigger words for that type of sentence. It’s like Math class and the order of operations. Our “order of operations” is PET.

CONDITION TRIGGER WORDS Where above, across, against, along, alongside, among, around,at, before, behind,below, beneath,beside, between, beyond, by, down,from, in, inside, into, near, off, on, onto, out, outside, over, past, through, to, toward, under, up, upon Noun Describers Describer noun Describer, Describer, and Describer Noun, describer and describer Noun + ing Renamer How like/as with/without/by ly When as, after, before, since, until, when, while, during Condition although, if, though, unless, even though Renamer, Repeat Jane, my sister, helps me. My pet, the chubby hamster in the cage, keeps me awake all night. Main Sentence Trunk Why because, so that, since, to + verb Noun Part Day Six Who/What subject Action verb

The Condition Trigger Words although, if, though, unless, even though

The Condition PATTERN Condition,+ Who/What + Action Who/What + Action+ Condition Any group that comes at the beginning is followed by a comma unless it is a single word!!!!!!!!!!!

The Condition Example Action Who/what The Condition we cleaned our rooms. Although it was hard, Who/what Action Condition We cleaned our rooms even though we didn’t want to.

Sentence Strip Activity Get with your group of 4. Listen for the teachers instructions. Create a sentence using your sentence strips.

Now you try. Write 1 sentence that expresses Who/What + Action+ Condition. Write 1 sentence that expresses Condition,+Who/What + Action.

All the groups we’ve studied so far “Expand the action”:When did the action occur?Where did the action occur?Why did the action occur?How did the action occur?What conditions were surrounding the action?

Turn in sentences making sure you have a proper header and each group labeled correctly. Work on Word within a Word homework OR Read Silently.

Mastering Spivey Sentences: Enhance Your Writing Skills