everything you need to ace english language arts
TRANSCRIPT
EVERYTHING YOU NEED TO ACEENGLISH
LANGUAGE ARTS
IN ONE BIG FAT NOTEBOOK™
Flexibound paperback
5⅞" x 8" • 496 pages
$14.95 U.S. • Higher in Canada
978-0-7611-6091-5 • No. 16091
EVERYTHING YOU NEED TO ACEENGLISH
LANGUAGE
IN ONE BIG FAT NOTEBOOK™
$14.95 U.S. • Higher in Canada
978-0-7611-6091-5 • No. 16091
Coming August
2016
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CLAUSES A CLAUSE is a group of words that includes at least a subject and a verb. A clause always contains a subject that acts through a verb.
Examples:
PHRASE CLAUSEIn the nick of time before the summer ended
Tripping merrily along Because the wolf hid out in the forest
Clauses make up a pretty wide category! But they are categorized into two groups to help us work with them.
CLAUSECLAUSE is a group of words that includes at least a
Examples:Examples:Examples:Examples:Examples:Examples:Examples:Examples:Examples:Examples:Examples:Examples:Examples:Examples:
How to tell clauses and phrases apart
* A phrase doesn’t have a subject that acts through a verb.
* A clause DOES have a subject that acts through a verb.
have a subject that acts
NO VERB, SO IT’S A PHRASE
NO SUBJECT, SO IT’S A PHRASE
THE “SUMMER” IS DOING SOMETHING— IT’S ENDING—SO IT’S A CLAUSE.
THERE IS A SUBJECT DOING SOMETHING—THE WOLF IS
HIDING—SO IT’S A CLAUSE.
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Verb PhrasesA VERB PHRASE is a phrase that acts like a verb.
Example:These strange rocks may be worth a fortune.
Adverb PhrasesAn ADVERB PHRASE is a phrase that acts like an adverb.
Example:She moved through the library like a spy through an enemy's headquarters.
Adjective PhrasesAn ADJECTIVE PHRASE is a phrase that acts like an adjective.
Example:The crowd was far more excited now than during the first half of the game.
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Example:Example:Example:Example:Example:Example:Example:Example:Example:Example:Example:Example:Example:Example:Example:Example:
Example:Example:Example:Example:Example:Example:Example:Example:Example:Example:Example:
Verb a word that describes an action, state of being, or
event
adjective a word that modifies or describes the quality of
a noun
adverb a word that modifies or
describes the quality of a verb, adjective, or another adverb
WORKS TOGETHER AS A VERB
WORKS TOGETHER AS AN ADVERB
WORKS TOGETHER AS AN ADJECTIVE
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FIGURES of SPEECH A FIGURE OF SPEECH is language that isn’t LITERAL, straightforward, or factual. A figure of speech is the opposite of LITERAL LANGUAGE, which states the facts, and nothing but the facts.
LITERALLITERAL, straightforward, or
Chapter 10FIGURATIVELANGUAGE
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LITERALan understanding of words at their most
basic sense
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Example: Instead of writing, “It ’s raining hard out there,” we might write, “It ’s raining cats and dogs.” We don’t mean that puppies and kit tens are literally falling from the sky.
So why would we write it that way? Well, it ’s more interesting, and figures of speech can amplify what we're trying to communicate. People will pay more attention to what we’re saying . . . and be more likely to remember it. That ’s called RHETORICAL FORCE: the way we use words to make our points clear, interesting, and memorable.
But it ’s important to be able to recognize the difference between figurative and literal language, otherwise we might think cats and dogs are literally falling from the sky.
Example:Example:Example:Example:Example:Example:Example:Example:Example:Example:Example:Example:Example:
the difference between figurative and the difference between figurative and
think cats and dogs are think cats and dogs are
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CHRONOLOGICAL STRUCTURE organizes events by when they happened.
PROCESS STRUCTURE explains the series of actions of
how they happen.
CAUSE AND EFFECT STRUCTURE describes an action or event
and its consequences.
PROBLEM AND SOLUTION STRUCTURE
explains a problem and offers a solution.
DESCRIPTION STRUCTURE gives an account of something by offering the relevant details, characteristics, and information.
This structure often
overlaps with chronological
and cause and effect structures.
A piece of writing can blend or combine structures as well.
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One way to differentiate between the types of text is to look for these signal words:
Text Type Purpose Signal Words
COMPARE and
CONTRAST
Shows how two or more things are similar and/or different
in comparisonby contrastsimilarlybuton the other handon the contraryyet howeverdespiteas opposed to
CHRONOLOGICAL or
PROCESS
Shows the order or ranking of a series of actions
firstnextthenbeforeafter1,2,3, . . .lastfinallyA,B,C, . . .
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Major SectionsThe major sections of a piece of writing are the big pieces that make up the whole.
In a NEWS ARTICLE, the major sections are:
HEADLINE: the big title that appears above the article
LEAD (or LEDE): the first lines of the article, which contain the main idea
BODY: contains the elaboration and details of the main idea
Generally, news articles are structured like this:
Who, What, When, Where, Why, How, Etc...
Supporting Details
BACKGROUND DETAILS
General Details
MOST IMPORTANT
INFORMATION
LEAST IMPORTANT
INFORMATION
LEAST LEAST LEAST LEAST LEAST LEAST LEAST IMPORTANT IMPORTANT IMPORTANT IMPORTANT IMPORTANT IMPORTANT IMPORTANT IMPORTANT IMPORTANT IMPORTANT IMPORTANT IMPORTANT IMPORTANT IMPORTANT IMPORTANT IMPORTANT IMPORTANT IMPORTANT IMPORTANT IMPORTANT IMPORTANT IMPORTANT IMPORTANT IMPORTANT IMPORTANT IMPORTANT IMPORTANT IMPORTANT IMPORTANT
INFORMATIONINFORMATIONINFORMATIONINFORMATIONINFORMATIONINFORMATIONINFORMATIONINFORMATIONINFORMATIONINFORMATIONINFORMATIONINFORMATIONINFORMATIONDetails359359359
In an ARGUMENT, the major sections are:
INTRODUCTION OF THE ARGUMENTMAIN POINT ONE
SUPPORTING EVIDENCEMAIN POINT
TWO
CONCLUSION
SUPPORTING EVIDENCE
The number of main points
can vary.
DESCRIPTION OF HIS/HER EARLY LIFE
INTRODUCTION OF THE PERSON
HIS/HER MOST IMPORTANT ACCOMPLISHMENTS/MAJOR EVENTS IN LIFE
HIS/HER EFFECTS OR IMPACT ON SOCIETY AND HISTORY
In a BIOGRAPHY, the major sections often are:
Some teachers call this warrants, or the explanation of the evidence that connects it to the grounds.
Some teachers call this
GROUNDS.
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DevelopmentYou want to write something, but where do you start? You start with DEVELOPMENT. There are two stages of development:
1. Planning: laying the initial plans
2. Revising your plan: going over the initial plans and making any necessary changes
DEVELOPMENT. There are two
Chapter 29WRITINGPRACTICES
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1.1. Planning Planning: laying the initial plans laying the initial plans
2.2. Revising your plan Revising your plan: going over the initial plans going over the initial plans and making any necessary changesand making any necessary changes
DEVELOPMENTthe planning that goes into a writing project before you
begin writing
1.1.1.1.2.2.
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There are three questions to think about to develop an idea:
1. TASK: What do you want to write? (Or what have you been assigned to write?)
EXAMPLE: writing a business plan for your soccer team fund-raiser
2. PURPOSE: Why do you want to write it?
EXAMPLE: to get enough money from your friends, family, and community to rent a van to travel to a state competition
3. AUDIENCE: Who are you writing to?
EXAMPLE: your friends, family, community, and local business owners
You may even want to jot down the answers to these questions before starting to write. You can keep the answers in front of you as a reminder of what you must write.
Just think of these three question words
when you are in development to focus your task, purpose,
and audience:
WHAT? WHY?WHO?
1.1.1.
2.2.2.2.
3.3.3.