real life writing

7/29/2019 Real life writing

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REAL-LIFE

WRITINGby

Eleanor Angeles

Real-Life Writing Scholastic Teaching Resources


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Interior design: Sols

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ISBN: 0-439-23778-5

Copyright 2002



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REAL-LIFE

WRITINGTo the Teacher . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 4

Section 1: Spelling

1. Spelling Words That Sound the Same . . . .6

2. More Words That Sound the Same. . . . . . 8

3. Spelling Contractions. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 104. More Contractions . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 12

5. Spelling Words to Tell About the Past. . . 14

6. More Words About the Past . . . . . . . . . . 16

7. Using Alphabetical Order . . . . . . . . . . . . 18

8. Using Capital Letters . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 20

Section 1 Review . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 22

Section 2: Nouns and Verbs

1. Identifying Nouns . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 24

2. Pronouns: Words That Stand for Nouns . 26

3. Compound Nouns . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 28

4. Identifying Verbs . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 30

5. Using Regular Verbs. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 32

6. Using Irregular Verbs . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 34

7. Words That Can Be Nouns or Verbs . . . . 36

8. Turning Verbs Into Nouns and

Vice-Versa . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 38

Section 2 Review . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 40

Section 3: Adjectives and Adverbs

1. Recognizing and Using Adjectives . . . . . 42

2. Comparing Two Things . . . . . . . . . . . . . 44

3. Comparing More Than Two Things . . . . .46

4. Recognizing and Using Adverbs . . . . . . 48

5. More Ways to Use Adverbs . . . . . . . . . . 50

6. Using Adverbs in Comparisons . . . . . . . 52

7. Playing With Adjectives, Adverbs, and

Nouns.. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 54

Section 3 Review. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 56

Section 4: Building Sentences

1. Subjects and Predicates. . . . . . . . . . . . . 58

2. Different Kinds of Sentences . . . . . . . . . 60

3. Combining Sentences With And. . . . . . . 62

4. Combining Sentences With But and

Because . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 64

5. Using Phrases to Build Sentences . . . . . 66

6. Using Clauses to Build Sentences . . . . . 68

7. Finding the Right Word . . . . . . . . . . . . . 70

Section 4 Review. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 72

Section 5: Handbook

1. Rules for Capitalization and Punctuation.74

2. Synonyms and Antonyms . . . . . . . . . . . 76

3. Abbreviations. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 77

4. Words Often Confused. . . . . . . . . . . . . . 78

5. Idiomatic Expressions . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 79

6. Irregular Verbs . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 80

7. Taking Tests. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 82

8. Writing Letters . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 84

Answer Key . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 87

CONTENTS



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4

To the Teacher

Real-Life Writing is designed to help young adults apply the most basic spelling skillsand English grammar conventions to their own writing. The lessons will be of particular value

to ESL students, as well as to native English speakers who need intensive review of the

elementary skills and conventions.Here are the main features of the program:

1. Each lesson leads up to a brief independent writing assignment. In this way, students

see immediately how a mastery of the skills and conventions improves their own writing.

2.A useful redundancy or built-in review helps students revisit rules and broaden

concepts. For example, in lessons 5 and 6 of Section 1, students are introduced to present

and past tenses of verbs, and then review these forms in lessons 5 and 6 of Section 2 as

they learn how to write past participles.

3. The lesson format helps students learn in three ways: with you to instruct; with a part-

ner to practice, review, and extend the skills; and with a writing assignment that asks them

to independently use what theyve learned.

Suggested Procedure1. Teacher works with the class

to read and discuss the opening page for each section, and

to read and carry out the activities in the discuss section of each lesson.

2. In each lesson, students practice the skill individually through Writing Practice.

3. In Partner Work, students work with a classmate

to review and correct their Writing Practice work, and

to apply the concept or skill to an extension of it.Note: During Partner Work, you may wish to act as sort of wandering mentor to help

partners describe and resolve any problems they have.

4. In Writing on Your Ownas the title implieseach student independently applies

what she or he has learned through prior practice and partner work.

Notes: (1) As mentor, consider always being available to help students correct and amend

their independent writing. (2) Encourage students to share their corrected Writing on Your

Own products. The following are a few suggestions for sharing:

a. Students read their work aloud to the class or to a small group.

b. You or a student reads the final version of the work aloud to the class.

c. Students post their final versions on a bulletin board, or distribute copies toclassmates.

d. Encourage students to build a portfolio incorporating all the Writing on Your Own

work they do for this book. In individual conferences, discuss with the student what

she or he likes best about each product.

In conclusion, remember that we all learn about good writing through being exposed to it.

A good way to begin each writing/grammar lesson is to read to your class a wonderful literary

passage that has moved you through its command of English and through its precise choice

of words. Your enthusiasm for the brilliance of language will encourage your students to

aspire to it in their own writing.



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Contents

1. Spelling Words That Sound the Same . . 6

2. More Words That Sound the Same . . . . 8

3. Spelling Contractions . . . . . . . . . . . . . .10

4. More Contractions . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .125. Spelling Words to Tell About the Past. . 14

6. More Words About the Past. . . . . . . . . 16

7. Using Alphabetical Order.. . . . . . . . . . . 18

8. Using Capital Letters . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 20

Section 1 Review. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 22

1section

Spelling

When you write, you are sharing your ideas withother people. You want your readers to focus on those

ideas and move ahead with them. You dont want your

readers to get confused by spelling errors so that they

have to stop, go back, and figure out what you mean.

For example, write means to form letters with a toolsuch as a pencil, pen, or word processor. Right hasmany meanings. Among them are correct or true, and the

side opposite the left. So, whats confusing about the

sentences below?

Did you right a story about your family?

Go write when you get to Elm Street.

She cant do anything write.

I want to right a letter to my aunt.

In this section, youll get some tips about how to use the

right spelling in the things you write.



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1. Spelling Words That Sound the Same

Discuss

Many words sound the same when you say them, but they have different meanings

and different spellings. These words are called homophones. Here are someexamples of homophones. Say aloud the words in dark letters. Notice the different

meanings when the words are written.

Writing Practice

Complete the sentences by writing the correct words on the lines.

1. My _______________ is coming to visit us. She _______________ us a letter.ant aunt cent sent scent

2. This will _______________ a great day. I cant wait to _______________ her!bee be meet meat

3. She will be _______________ for a _______________ week.here hear whole hole

6

antan insect

aunta relative

beis; exist

beea kind of insect

centpenny

scentodor

sentdid send

chewsbites

chooseselect

hearlisten

herethis place

holeopening

wholecomplete

meatbeef

meetgreet

raphit

wrapcover



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Writing on Your Own

1. Choose five words from the box on page 6. Write the words and their meanings.

a. Word: __________________________________________ Meaning: ______________________________________

b. Word:__________________________________________ Meaning: ______________________________________

c. Word: __________________________________________ Meaning: ______________________________________

d. Word:__________________________________________ Meaning: ______________________________________

e. Word: __________________________________________ Meaning: ______________________________________

2. Now, write your own sentences using these words.

________________________________________________________________________________________________________

________________________________________________________________________________________________________

________________________________________________________________________________________________________

__________________________________________________________________________________________________________

Use what youve learned.

Partner Work

1. With a partner, discuss the words you chose

in Writing Practice. Why did you choose

them? Make any corrections that you think

are needed.

2. In the sentences below, the underlined

words are not correct for the meaning of the

sentence. Read the sentences aloud withyour partner. Then write each sentence to

make it correct.

a. Please chews a gift and rap it.

____________________________________________

b. I can here the be buzz.

____________________________________________

c. An aunt came out of the whole.

____________________________________________d. The cent of meet made me hungry.

____________________________________________



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2. More Words That Sound the Same

Discuss

In the box below, there are more homophones. Remember: Homophones are words

that sound the same but have different meanings and spellings. Say the words.Discuss the meanings.

Writing Practice

Complete the sentences by writing the correct words on the lines.

1. I am voting _______________ Louisa as Most Helpful Teacher.four for

2. She _______________ do anything for her students.wood would

3. She is _______________ in the grades she gives us.

fare fair

4. I learn something in every _______________ I spend with her.our hour

5. I was _______________ in English before I met Louisa.week weak

6. Now I can speak English better, and write it better, _______________.too two

8

forin favor of

foura number

fairhonest

farecost of

transportation

hoursixty minutes

ourbelonging to us

woodtree product

wouldwilling to

tooalso

twoa number

weaknot strong

weekseven days



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Writing on Your Own1. Write the meanings of the following words.

a. hole ________________________________________________________________________________________

b. wood ______________________________________________________________________________________

c. fare ________________________________________________________________________________________

d. our ________________________________________________________________________________________

e. two ________________________________________________________________________________________

2. Now, write your own sentences using the words above.


Partner Work

Choose a word from the box on page 8 or the box on page 6. Say the word aloud in a sentence of

your own. Then say the word again. Ask your partner to spell the word.

Example:

Say: I sat there for an hour. HOUR.

Partner: h-o-u-r

Discuss the spelling. Is it right or wrong? Tell why.

Take turns doing this until you have discussed ten words altogether.

a. ____________________________________________

____________________________________________

b. ____________________________________________

____________________________________________

c. ____________________________________________

____________________________________________

d. ____________________________________________

____________________________________________

e. ____________________________________________

____________________________________________



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3. Spelling Contractions

Discuss

Acontraction is a shortened form of two words. Say the examples below.

What letter is left out in the contraction? What mark takes the place of the letterthat is left out?

Writing Practice

Complete the sentences by writing the contraction for the words under the line. Refer to the

chart above. Be sure to put the apostrophe () in the right place.

1. _______________ going to the movies with Laura.I am

2. I _______________ really like the stars, but _______________ Lauras favorites.do not they are

3. Next week,_______________ going to see Slime From Outer Space.we are

4. _______________ a movie I really want to see!That is

5. The alien is ugly, but _______________ also very friendly.he is

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Two Words Contraction Two Words Contraction

I am Im it is its

he is hes that is thats

she is shes is not isnt

we are were are not arent

you are youre does not doesnt

they are theyre do not dont



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Writing on Your Own

Rewrite the following paragraph. Use contractions for the underlined words.

We are taking a test tomorrow. I am not looking forward to it. It is a science test and science is not my

best subject. Jan will help me study because she is a science whiz. I do not know what I would do without

her help.

________________________________________________________________________________________________________

________________________________________________________________________________________________________

________________________________________________________________________________________________________

__________________________________________________________________________________________________________


Partner Work

1. With your partner, go over the contractions

you wrote in Writing Practice. Where did

you put the apostrophes? What letters did

you correctly leave out? Make any correc-

tions that are needed. Then read your sen-

tences aloud to one another.

2. In the following sentences, the underlined

words are not spelled correctly. With your

partner, decide how they should be spelled.

Cross out the incorrect spelling. Write the

correct spelling on the line after the word.

The first one is done for you.

a. Shes Shes a basketball star.

b. I think its __________ too late to go to the

movies.

c. A poem doesnt __________ have to rhyme.

d. That book isnt __________ in our library.

e. My dogs arent __________ allowed to go

out without leashes.

3. With your partner, write the two words thateach correct contraction above stands for.

The first one is done for you.

a.____________________ d. ________________

b.______________________ e.__________________

c.______________________

She is



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4. More Contractions

Discuss

Youve learned that a contraction is a short form of two words. You know that

an apostrophe stands for the letter that is left out.Say the following sentences. Talk about what letter is left out in the contraction.

In some contractions, more than one letter is omitted. Say the following words and

contractions. Talk about what letters are omitted in each contraction. What stands for

the missing letters?

Writing Practice

Complete the sentences. Use a contraction for the words under each line.

1. _________________________ singing.

Tammy is

2. _________________________ playing the guitar.

Steve is

3. _________________________ perform together.

They will

4. _________________________ listen and applaud.

We will

5. _________________________ like this concert.

You will

12

Sentence Contraction

John is asleep. Johns asleep.

Marisa is giving a report. Marisas giving a report.

Jamie is a good student. Jamies a good student.

I will Ill he will hell

she will shell it will itll

we will well they will theyll

you will youll



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Partner Work

1. With your partner, go over the contractions

you wrote in Writing Practice. Where did

you put the apostrophes? What letters do

they replace? Make any corrections that are

needed.

2. In each of the sentences below, an

apostrophe is missing in the underlined

word. With your partner, decide where

the apostrophe belongs. Then write the

sentence correctly.

a. Ill help you do your homework.

__________________________________________

b. Sarah said shell help you, too.

__________________________________________

c. Alex says hell win the race.

__________________________________________

d. Do you think itll be fun?

__________________________________________

e. I think well be the winners.

__________________________________________

Writing on Your Own

1. Rewrite the following paragraph. Use contractions

for the underlined words.

You will like the play we are going to present. We will

do a modern version of Romeo and Juliet.Adell is

great in the part of Juliet. John plays Romeo, and

he will surprise you with his talent. I hope I will see

you at the theater on opening night.

____________________________________________________

____________________________________________________

____________________________________________________

______________________________________________________

______________________________________________________

______________________________________________________

2. Now, rewrite the following sentences, changing the

underlined contractions to make them two words.

Example: The plays the thing that will get your attentionThe play is the thing that will get your attention.

a. Theyll be the ushers at the theater.

____________________________________________________

b. Lanas taking the tickets.

____________________________________________________

c. Itll be a wonderful night.

____________________________________________________

d. I hope well see you there.

____________________________________________________

e. The usher says hell look for you.

____________________________________________________



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5. Spelling Words to Tell About the Past

Discuss

Read the sentence pairs aloud. Which sentence in the pair tells about the past?

Notice that to form the past, or past tense, of the words above, you add -ed

or -d. Many words are like that. Read these pairs aloud. Say each word in a sentence.

Writing Practice

Complete the sentences. Use the past tense of the word below each line.

1. We _______________ that movie!love

2. We _______________ all the actors.

like3. We _______________ about the movie for a long time.

talk

4. It _______________ how different people act in emergencies.show

5. The movie _______________ a lot of questions about being a hero.answer

14

They answer the questions. They answered the questions.

Theyjump over the stream. Theyjumped over the stream.

They like the movie. They liked the movie.

They walk in the woods. They walked in the woods.

Present Tense Past Tense

talk talked

look looked

show showed

love loved



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Writing on Your OwnWrite a story about something that happened to you in the past. It could be an event at school, at home,

or with a friend.

Here are some story ideas:

A movie you just saw, why you like it, and why you would recommend it to friends.

A goal you reached and felt happy about.

A frightening thing that happened to you.

A big problem that happened in your neighborhood.

In your story, you must use all four past-tense words from the list under Discuss on page 14.

Write your story on the lines below. Underline the past-tense words.______________________________________________________________________________________________________________________

______________________________________________________________________________________________________________________

____________________________________________________________________________________________________________________

____________________________________________________________________________________________________________________

____________________________________________________________________________________________________________________


Partner Work

1. Spell aloud the words you wrote in Writing Practice. Make

any corrections that are needed.

2. With your partner, rewrite the following sentences to make

the underlined words tell about the present.

a. We walked in the woods.

__________________________________________________________

b. Wejumped over fallen trees.

__________________________________________________________

c. We talked about what we see.

__________________________________________________________

d. I showed my friend a birds nest.

__________________________________________________________

e. We looked at it carefully.

__________________________________________________________



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6. More Words About the Past

Discuss

With many words, spelling the past tense is not as easy as adding -ed or -d. Often,

the word changes a lot in the spelling. Read aloud the sentence pairs below.

Below, match each past-tense word in the box to the correct present-tense word. Say

each past tense aloud.

catch do bring draw keep hold

Writing Practice

Complete the sentences. Write the past tense of the word shown below each line.

1. We _______________ a map.draw

2. I _______________ a fish.

catch3. I _______________ that movie.

see

4. She _______________ a partner.choose

5. They _______________ the answer.find

6. They _______________ about the test.think16

Present Tense Past Tense

I think about the story. I thought about the story.

I choose a book. I chose a book.

I see the title. I saw the title.

I saythe title. I said the title.

I find the book. I found the book.

drew held caught did brought kept



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Writing on Your OwnWrite at least one paragraph on one of the subjects

below. Circle the subject you choose.

In your paragraph, you must use at least five past-

tense words from the boxes on page 16. Write your

paragraph on the lines below. Underline your past-

tense words.

Example: I saw a job in the newspaper. I drew acircle around it.

__________________________________________________

__________________________________________________

__________________________________________________

__________________________________________________

__________________________________________________

__________________________________________________

__________________________________________________

__________________________________________________

__________________________________________________

__________________________________________________

__________________________________________________

__________________________________________________

__________________________________________________

__________________________________________________

__________________________________________________


Partner Work

1. With your partner, discuss the past-tense

words you wrote for Writing Practice. Is your

spelling correct? Say your sentences. Rewrite

any words that you didnt spell correctly.

2. With your partner, rewrite each sentence

below by changing the underlined word to

the present tense. Say your sentences.

We kept the secret.

____________________________________________

I held his hand.

____________________________________________

They brought their kids to school.

____________________________________________

Did you like the movie?

____________________________________

friendship

shopping

jobs

pets

food

television



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7. Using Alphabetical Order

Discuss

If you want to find the correct spelling of a word, the best place to look is the

dictionary. Words in a dictionary are listed in alphabetical order.

What letter or letters are missing in each group below? Write the missing letters,

then read aloud the whole group.

Writing Practice

Rewrite each group below so that the words are in alphabetical order.

1. hand enter ill grow fall

________________________________________________________________________________________

2. ever dandy candy gun fun

________________________________________________________________________________________

3. many kick open never low

__________________________________________________________________________________________

4. time see very run under

________________________________________________________________________________________

5. next play jam box van

________________________________________________________________________________________

18

A B ___ D

e f ___ h

I J ___ L

d ___ ___ g

K ___ ___ N

T ___ ___ W

p q ___ s

___ g h ___

___ h ___ j

___ ___ Q ___

O ___ ___ R

M ___ ___ P

Capital letters: A B C D E F G H I J K L M N O P Q R S T U V W X Y Z

Lower-case letters: a b c d e f g h i j k l m n o p q r s t u v w x y z



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Writing on Your OwnFind the following words in a dictionary. Each word

has more than one meaning. Write one of themeanings for the word. Then use the word in a

sentence of your own.

1. stop

Meaning:________________________________________

My sentence: ____________________________________

__________________________________________________

2. stoop

Meaning:________________________________________

My sentence: ____________________________________

________________________________________________

3. cape

Meaning:________________________________________

My sentence: ____________________________________

__________________________________________________

4. cap

Meaning: ________________________________________

My sentence: ____________________________________

__________________________________________________

5. fine

Meaning:________________________________________

My sentence: ____________________________________

__________________________________________________

6. find

Meaning:________________________________________

My sentence: ____________________________________

__________________________________________________


Partner Work

1. With your partner, go over your Writing

Practice work. Make any corrections that are

needed.

2. If words begin with the same letter or letters,

you must look at the next letters to put the

words in alphabetical order.

Examples: cake cheese (a comes before h)

coffee cola (f comes before l)

cream crew (a comes before w)

With your partner, put each list below in

alphabetical order.

pear potato pound pint

__________________________________________________

strange stretch stuff straight

______________________________________________

meat market melt meant

______________________________________________

fright frost from fight

______________________________________________

tax tale tall tape

______________________________________________

7. band

Meaning: __________________________________________

My sentence:______________________________________

__________________________________________________

8. ban

Meaning: __________________________________________

My sentence: ____________________________________

__________________________________________________



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8. Using Capital Letters

20

RULE BOXCAPITALIZE:

a. the first word in a sentence

b. the word I

c. the names of particular people and

their titles

d. the names of days and months

e. the names of particular places, such

as streets, cities, states, countries,

and buildings

Discuss

The capital letters in the

sentences below are in bold.Look in the Rule Box.

Which rules found in the Rule Box

are followed in the sentences below?

1. We waited at the corner.

2. I liked the book, but I didnt like the movie.

3. He went to NewYork with his friend Lucia Gomez.

4. The party will be on Monday, March 21, at Sunset Lodge.

5. She drove Mrs. Smith to Dr. Lanes office on Fern Street.

On page 74, youll find more rules for using capital letters.

Writing Practice

Rewrite each sentence to make it correct.

1. is this the right answer?

__________________________________________________________________________________

2. This is the book i told you about.

__________________________________________________________________________________

3. I think mr. ansel lives on second avenue.

__________________________________________________________________________________

4. he went to work on tuesday, april 25.

__________________________________________________________________________________

5. They live at fern gardens in new jersey.

__________________________________________________________________________________



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Writing on Your OwnRead the paragraph in the box. In each sentence,

three words need to be capitalized. Rewrite theparagraph correctly on the lines below the box.

tina and Andre are driving through the state of

new mexico. Its early in the month of april, and

Andre is looking at his guide book, The american

southwest. We have to go to the city of santa

fe! says andre. It was featured in the TV

programland of enchantment, and i want to

check it out. Tina says, Maybe we can staythere overnight on monday with mrs. perez!

__________________________________________________

__________________________________________________

__________________________________________________

__________________________________________________

__________________________________________________

__________________________________________________

__________________________________________________

__________________________________________________

__________________________________________________

__________________________________________________

__________________________________________________

__________________________________________________


2

Partner Work

1. With your partner, go over your Writing

Practice work. Make any corrections that

are needed.

2. The first word and all the important words

in the titles of books, movies, TV shows, plays

and musicals must also be capitalized.

Examples: Jake and I are readingBaseball

andItsHeroes.

My favorite TV show is Clenda, the

ElderlyWitch.With your partner, rewrite the following

sentences to make them correct.

a. Maria is reading a book called the mystery

of wilderness castle.

__________________________________________

b. I read work in the 21st centuryto get some

tips about good jobs.

__________________________________________

c. The TV showheres george! is based on

the movie wheres george?

__________________________________________

d. I have two tickets for the musical the

phantom cats.

__________________________________________



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Section 1 Review

A. Write the correct word in each sentence.

1. We ____________ her a birthday card.cent sent

2. He has ___________ sisters andtwo too

___________ brothers.for four

3. I cant ____________ the musichere hear

from ____________.here hear

B. Write the contraction for the words undereach line.

1. I think ____________ pass this test.I will

2. Leo ____________ going to the party, butis not

____________ going to be there.Jake is

3. It ____________ look like ____________ win.does not she will

C. Write the past-tense form of the wordunder each line.

1. They ____________ the puppies in a warmkeep

place.

2. We ____________ some fish andcatch

____________ them home.bring

3. She ____________ me the picture sheshow

____________.draw

D. On the line below the box, write the words in

alphabetical order.

quiz quick quit question quiet

________________________________________________

E. Find the two words in each sentence that need

to be capitalized. Write the sentences correctly.

1. We drove to the city of helena, montana.

________________________________________________

2. On tuesday, Laurie and i missed the bus.

________________________________________________

3. who likes the TV programso You Think Youre

So Smart?

________________________________________________

22

With a partner or your instructor, go over the

questions and your answers. Make a check mark

() beside each of your correct answers. Discuss

any answers that are not correct. Make any

changes that are needed.

Check the box that shows how you rateyourself:

Superior:All my answers are correct.

Good: No more than four of my answers

were incorrect.

I Need to Review This Section: Five or more

of my answers had to be corrected.



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Contents

1. Identifying Nouns. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 24

2. Pronouns: Words That Stand for

Nouns . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 26

3. Compound Nouns . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 28

4. Identifying Verbs . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 30

5. Using Regular Verbs . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 32

6. Using Irregular Verbs . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 34

7. Words That Can Be Nouns or Verbs. . . 36

8. Turning Verbs Into Nouns and

Vice-Versa . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 38

Section 2 Review. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 40

2Nouns and verbs are nothing new to youbecause you use them constantly when you speak. Inthis section, youll become skillful in identifying nouns

and verbs in the material you read and in using nounsand verbs correctly when you write.

In fact, if you can identify the nouns and verbs in the

following sentences, youre already on your way to

success.

1. The audience applauded loudly. (1 noun, 1 verb)

2. The car stopped at the light. (2 nouns, 1 verb)

3. Tomas cooked and served the meal. (2 nouns,

2 verbs)

section

Nouns and Verbs



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1. Identifying Nouns

Discuss

Anoun is a word that names a person, place, animal, or thing. Read aloud the

following examples.

Keep in mind:A thing may also be something you cannot touch or see. Read aloud

the following nouns.

Writing PracticeComplete each sentence with a noun from the boxes above. For some questions,

different answers are possible.

1. The ______________________ didnt fit.

*2. ______________________ is an important language.

*3. ______________________ was his favorite sport.

*4. ______________________ owns a grocery store.

5. The ______________________ scared us.

*6. ______________________ make good pets.

7. The ______________________ was crowded.

*8. ______________________ flew over our house.

*Check your sentences. Each one with an asterisk should begin with a capital letter!

24

person: woman Gloria umpire student George teacher Mr. Perry

place: Ohio Mexico airport Empire State Building house school mall

animal: dog horse butterfly robin snake fish

thing: desk shoe ear window book basketball river flower planes

music English sadness friendship Spanish humor problem idea



25/92

Writing on Your OwnChoose and circle a topic from the box below. Look at the nouns listed after the topic. Write about your

topic using each of the nouns at least once. Underline those nouns.

__________________________________________________________________________________________________

__________________________________________________________________________________________________

__________________________________________________________________________________________________

__________________________________________________________________________________________________

__________________________________________________________________________________________________

__________________________________________________________________________________________________

__________________________________________________________________________________________________


2

Partner Work

1. With your partner, read aloud your Writing

Practice sentences. Identify the noun you

wrote. Tell whether it names a person, place,

animal, or thing.

2. With your partner, identify and underline

the noun in each sentence below.

a. The house was empty.

b. Jacob went in.

c. Music was playing.

d. The sound was mysterious.e. A bird sang.

f. The flowers wilted and drooped.

g. Two people were dancing.

h. My friend sang along happily.

3. With your partner, write a noun to complete

each sentence below.

a. ___________________ won the prize.

b. _________________ like to eat bananas.

c. _____________ cant come to the party.

d. _____________ are amazing animals.

e. The _____________ seemed confusing.

Topics Nouns to Use

An Awful Situation situation fright adventure family predicament

Good Friends friends helpfulness school people neighborhood

Feeling Sad sadness anger luck lesson person

Feeling Happy happiness pleasure fun places excitement



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2. Pronouns: Words That Stand for Nouns

Discuss

Read aloud the sentence pairs below. Identify which noun or nouns in sentence 1

have been replaced by the underlined word in sentence 2.

Example: 1. Jon hit the ball. 2. He watched it fly out of the park. He stands for Jon.

1. My sister goes to college 2. She studies every night.

1. The building is empty. 2. It is falling apart.

1. The dogs are lonely. 2. They miss their owner.

1. Kim and I like to write. 2. We write stories about our childhood.

1. The books were helpful. 2. They provided the information I needed.

The underlined words above are pronouns. A pronoun is a word used in place of anoun. By using pronouns correctly, you can make your writing smooth and professional.

Decide which pronouns to use in place of the underlined nouns below. Then read

aloud the new second sentence in each pair.

Laura is a nurse. Laura works at Mercy Hospital.

Tim and Robert repaired the car. Tim and Robert replaced the gears and wheels.

The music was soothing. The music helped me calm down.

David owns a truck. David drives hundreds of miles each day.

Stella and I were late for work. Stella and I ran to the bus stop.

Writing Practice

Read the sentence pairs. Rewrite the second sentence in the pair by replacing the underlined

noun or nouns with the correct pronoun.

1. Jane read the book. Jane recommended it to us.

________________________________________________________________________________________

2. The book is exciting. The book is definitely worth reading.

________________________________________________________________________________________

3. Laurie and Ben liked the book. Laurie and Ben admired the main character.

________________________________________________________________________________________

4. Mr. King talked about the book. Mr. King had read it several times.

________________________________________________________________________________________

5. Fernando and I saw the movie. Fernando and I thought it was better than the book.

__________________________________________________________________________________________26



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Writing on Your OwnRewrite the following paragraph by using the

correct pronouns in place of the underlined words.

____________________________________________________

____________________________________________________

____________________________________________________

____________________________________________________

____________________________________________________

____________________________________________________

____________________________________________________

____________________________________________________

____________________________________________________

____________________________________________________

____________________________________________________

____________________________________________________

____________________________________________________

____________________________________________________


2

Partner Work


Practice sentences. Discuss and make any

corrections that are needed.

2. With your partner, rewrite the second

sentence in each pair below. Use the

noun or nouns that each underlined

pronoun stands for.

a. Arnold gave a report. He did a good job.

______________________________________________

b. I saw the plane take off. It left on time.

______________________________________________

c. Renee avoids the mall on weekends. She

shops on Monday or Tuesday.

______________________________________________

d. The lot was full of used cars. They were

in bad shape.

______________________________________________

e. Lenny and I visited our parents. We try to

see them at least once a month.

______________________________________________

______________________________________________

After my sister graduates from high school,

my sister will go to the community college.

The college is near our home, and the college

offers a variety of classes. Business Skills and

Computer Literacy are the two most popular

classes. Business Skills and Computer Literacy

are offered five days a week and on four

evenings. Mr. Lennon teaches the eveningclasses. Mr. Lennon is a great teacher. Rocky

and I studied with him last year, so Rocky and I

advised my sister to register for the evening

classes.



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3. Compound Nouns

Discuss

Acompound noun is two nouns used to name one thing.

Some compound nouns are written as one word; headache is an example.

Some compound nouns are written as two words; tape recorder is an example.

Usually, the first word of a compound noun is stressed when you say the noun.

That is, emphasis is placed on the first noun. Read aloud the compound nouns in the

box below.

Writing Practice

Write the compound noun found in each sentence. Then underline the part of the noun to

stress when you say the noun aloud.

Example: This is a tape recorder. tape recorder

1. Wheres the restroom?

2. Can you read my handwriting?

3. Whats your phone number?

4. Shes my science teacher.

5. Ill buy a notebook.

28

HEADache

TAPE recorder

AIRplane

HOMEwork

BALLgame



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Writing on Your Own

1. First, choose and circle five of the compound

nouns from the following list.

2. Now, use the five compound nouns youve

circled in a paragraph of your own. Check

your spelling.

____________________________________________________

____________________________________________________

____________________________________________________

____________________________________________________

____________________________________________________

____________________________________________________

____________________________________________________

____________________________________________________

____________________________________________________

____________________________________________________

____________________________________________________

____________________________________________________

____________________________________________________

____________________________________________________

____________________________________________________


2

Partner Work

1. With your partner, identify the compound

nouns you wrote for Writing Practice. Read

aloud the compound nouns to make sure

you stress the correct part of the noun.

2. With your partner, write sentences using the

following compound nouns.

a. textbook

__________________________________________________________________________________________

__________________________________________________________________________________________

b. tennis player

__________________________________________________________________________________________

__________________________________________________________________________________________

c. water ski

__________________________________________________________________________________________

__________________________________________________________________________________________

d. math test

__________________________________________________________________________________________

__________________________________________________________________________________________

e. classroom__________________________________________________________________________________________

__________________________________________________________________________________________

chalkboard

firefighter

handshake

library book

ceiling fan

grammar lesson

guesswork

candlelight

flying saucer

Pacific Ocean

underwater

cottage cheese

traffic light

Thanksgiving Day

United States

driveway

Main Street

mailbox



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4. Identifying Verbs

Discuss

Averb is a word that names an action or a state of being. The verbs in the

sentences below are underlined. Read aloud the sentences, then say the verbs.

Glen stacks the firewood. The boy helps his neighbor.

The logs are heavy. Then the job becomes easier.

The men rest on the porch.

A verb can tell about something that happens now (the present), or about

something that happened in the past. The underlined verbs above are in the

present tense. In the box below, youll find the past tense of the verbs.Say the sentences above again, this time using the past tense.

Example: Glen stacked the firewood.

Writing Practice

1. Complete each sentence with a verb from the box below. Different choices

are possible.

a. The dog the cat.

b. We that movie.

c. A lot of people the fair.

d. Everyone in our class the test.

e. Some of the lessons in the book hard.

2. On the line after each sentence, write the verb in that sentence.

a. My sister works at ValueMart.

b. She trains new employees.

c. Last week she got a raise.

d. The boss praised her.

e. She needs the extra money for her kids.30

rested helped stacked became were

liked hated saw left passed attended were are



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Writing on Your OwnEach noun phrase at right can become part of a

sentence if you add a verb phrase. Write the whole

sentences. Underline the verbs. Remember to capi-

talize the first word in your sentences and to end

the sentence with a period (.).

Examples:

Noun Phrases

the party

the car in the dump

Sentences: The party was a lot of fun.

The car in the dump has no wheels.

Noun Phrases

1. most students

____________________________________________________

2. angry passengers

____________________________________________________

3. all the flights

____________________________________________________

4. bad weather on the

East Coast

____________________________________________________

5. a great many people

____________________________________________________


3

Partner Work

1. With your partner, read aloud the sentences

you completed for part 1 in Writing Practice.

Ask your partner to identify the verb in each

sentence.

2. With your partner, check the verbs you wrote

for part 2 in Writing Practice. Make any


3. Each sentence at right has two verbs. With

your partner, identify the two verbs and

underline them.

Example: We followed the recipe and baked

the cake.

a. I read the schedule and chose a program.

b. She sang the song and danced with her

partner.

c. John likes soccer but hates basketball.

d. Tanya was sad, but now she is happy.

e. He feels proud when he reads his story

aloud to the class.

Verb Phrases

was a lot of fun

has no wheels

Verb Phrases

left for the holiday

wandered aroundthe airport

were late

delayed the flights

spent Christmas atthe airport



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5. Using Regular Verbs

Discuss

Verbs can indicate the time at which something happened. Aregular verb is

one that shows its past tense, or past time, by adding -ed. Read aloud the followingexamples.

The verbs in the box at right are also regular. Say the past and past participle

forms of each.

Example:

jump(s) jumped have jumped, has jumped, had jumped

Look at the chart at right. Can you figure out

when you add -s to the present form

of a verb?

32

Present Past Past Participle

help(s) helped (have, has, had) helped

move(s) moved (have, has, had) moved

look(s) looked (have, has, had) looked

open(s) opened (have, has, had) opened

save(s)

wonder(s)

work(s)

I help we help

you help they help

he, she, it helps

1. They have organizepast participle ofhelp

the fair.

2. He the door.past of open

3. She all her records.present ofsave

4. He at the garage.present of work

5. They into a larger apartment.past ofmove

6. The children had acrosspast participle ofjump

the stream.

Writing Practice

Complete the sentences. Write each verb in the form named below the line.



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3

Partner Work

1. With your partner, read the sentences you

completed for Writing Practice. Make any

corrections that are needed in the forms and

spellings of verbs.

2. With your partner, discuss the spelling

changes that you need to make when writing

the verbs below.


cry, cries cried (have, has, had) cried

try, tries tried (have, has, had) tried

pass, passes passed (have, has, had) passed

Which spelling of the present tense of crydo

you use after I?Aftershe?

Which spelling of the present tense ofpass do

you use afterit?

Writing on Your Own1. The present tenses of four regular verbs are

given below. Write the past and past participle ofeach verb.


hope(s) ____________ (have, has, had) ________

need(s) ____________ (have, has, had) ________

rest(s) ____________ (have, has, had) ________

yell(s) ____________ (have, has, had) ________

2. Write

a. a sentence using the past participle ofrest.

____________________________________________________

b. a sentence using the past ofyell.

____________________________________________________

c. a sentence using the past participle ofneed.

____________________________________________________

d. a sentence using the past ofhope.

____________________________________________________



34/92

6. Using Irregular Verbs

Discuss

Many verbs are irregular. That is, the past and past participle forms dont use -ed.

They are spelled in different ways. Read aloud the sentences in the box below.

Writing Practice

It takes practice to learn the forms of irregular verbs. In the box below, find the correct form to write in

each sentence.

Example: Our teacher has us how to observe birds.past participle ofshow

1. The geese over the pond.past of fly

2. They have this way every year.

past participle of fly

3. I them calling to one another.

past ofhear

4. They have some fish.past participle of eat

5. I have them come down on ponds to find food.

past participle ofsee

6. the birds know we were watching them?

past of do

34


I write a story. I wrote a story. I have written a story.

I forget the ending. I forgot the ending. I have forgotten the ending.

They build a house. They built a house. They had built a house.

She sees the movie. She saw the movie. She has seen the movie.

shown

Present Past Past Participl

(have, has, ha

fly, flies flew flown

do, does did done

eat, eats ate eaten

see, sees saw seen

hear, hears heard heard

show, shows showed shown



35/92

Writing on Your OwnChoose a verb from the box below. Underline the

present tense of the verb you choose.Then write a paragraph in which you use the

present, past, and past participle of your verb.

Example: wear

Every year she wears an army hat in the July 4th

parade. She wore the hat last year, too. Her dad

had worn the hat when he was a Marine.


wear, wears wore (have, has, had) worn

pay, pays paid (have, has, had) paid

go, goes went (have, has, had) gone

make, makes made (have, has, had) made

know, knows knew (have, has, had) known

ring, rings rang (have, has, had) rung

grow, grows grew (have, has, had) grown

hurt, hurts hurt (have, has, had) hurt

__________________________________________________________

__________________________________________________________

____________________________________________________

____________________________________________________________________________________________________________

____________________________________________________________________________________________________________

____________________________________________________________________________________________________________

____________________________________________________________________________________________________________

____________________________________________________________________________________________________________

____________________________________________________________________________________________________________

____________________________________________________________________________________________________________


3

Partner Work


Practice sentences. Check one anothers use

of the past, present, and past participle forms

of verbs. Make any corrections that are

needed.

2. With your partner, write a sentence using

each verb below.

Present

take, takes________________________________________________

________________________________________________

Past

took

________________________________________________

________________________________________________

Past Participle

(have, has, had) taken

________________________________________________

________________________________________________



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7. Words That Can Be Nouns or Verbs

Discuss

Some words can be used as both nouns and verbs. For example, in the first

sentence below, dance is a verb because it names an action. In the secondsentence, dance is a noun because it names a thing (the dance).

Raisa and Martin dance every Saturday night.

Everybody went to the dance.

Read aloud the sentences below. Decide whether the underlined words are used

as verbs or nouns. Explain your choices.

1. Thepaintwas dry. 5. Our family will drive to Oregon.

2. Shepaints pictures of her family. 6. Its a long drive.

3. They enjoy their work. 7. Theansweris easy.

4. They worksix days a week. 8. Weanswerthe question.

Writing PracticeComplete each sentence with the word below the line. Read the sentence to yourself.

Then write noun or verb on the line after the sentence to show how the word is used in that

sentence.

Example:

We look forward to the .race

1. The lasted for two hours.show

2. Jon and Tina a lot of interest in science.show

3. The baby a lot.cries

4. We heard the of the wolves.cries

5. The of that story was sad.end

6. We thought the show would never .end36

race noun



37/92

Writing on Your OwnWrite a sentence using each of the words below. On

the line after each of your sentences, tell whetheryou used the word as a noun or as a verb.

Examples: like(s)

Jon and Naomi like dogs. ___________

or

She listed her likes and dislikes. ___________

1. face(s)

_____________________________________________________

_____________________________________________________

____________________________

2. help(s)

_____________________________________________________

_____________________________________________________

____________________________

3. hit(s)_____________________________________________________

_____________________________________________________

____________________________

4. fight(s)

_____________________________________________________

_____________________________________________________

____________________________

5. talk(s)

_____________________________________________________

_____________________________________________________

____________________________


3

Partner Work


Practice sentences. Explain why each word

you wrote is a noun or a verb.

2. With your partner, use each word below as

instructed. Write your sentences together.

Example: Use cookor cooks as a noun.

He is a cook in a restaurant.

a. Use cookor cooks as a verb.________________________________________________

b. Usesounds as a verb.

________________________________________________

c. Usesoundorsounds as a noun.

________________________________________________

d. Uselove orloves as a verb.

________________________________________________

3. Read your sentences aloud to another

group of students. Note and discuss any

disagreements. Make any corrections that

are needed.

Verb

noun



38/92

8. Turning Verbs Into Nouns and Vice-Versa

Discuss

Language is an exciting thing because you can work with it in different ways.

For example, there are many English verbs that you can change into nounsjust by adding -er or -or. Read aloud and discuss the following examples together.

How do you change the verbs into nouns?

a. He teaches our science class. (Teaches is a verb.)

He is a teacher. (Teacheris a noun.)

b. They collectstamps. (Collectis a verb.)

They are collectors. (Collectors is a noun.)

c. Arno writes stories. (Writes is a verb.)

Arno is a writer. (Writeris a noun.)

d. Naomi conducts an orchestra. (Conducts is a verb.)

Naomi is a conductor. (Conductoris a noun.)

Now try it the other way. Change the underlined noun into a verb, and say the

new sentence. Example: She is a hiker.

She hikes in the hills.

a. Pam is a good speller.

She everything right.

b. Hes a great driver. c. They are mowers of lawns.

He a truck. They lawns.

Writing PracticeComplete each sentence with the word below the line. Read the sentences to yourself.

Then write noun or verb to identify the word you added.

Example: Mark and his band rap music.play

38

verb



39/92

Writing on Your OwnUse the words below in sentences of your own.

Verbs Nouns

1. swim swimmer(s)

2. listen listener(s)

3. run runner(s)

4. speak speaker(s)

5. help helper(s)

1. ________________________________________________

__________________________________________________

2. ________________________________________________

__________________________________________________

3. ________________________________________________

__________________________________________________

4. ________________________________________________

__________________________________________________

5. ________________________________________________

__________________________________________________

1. All the went to school together.players

2. They a lot of contests.win

3. Mark and the band are .winners

4. Mark the band.manages


3

Partner Work


Practice sentences and tell whether the word

you added is a noun or a verb. Make any


2. With your partner, change each verb below

into a noun by adding -er. Then write a

sentence using your noun.

Example: Verb: talk

Noun: talker

Sentence: He was a fast talker.

a. Verb: lead

Noun: ____________________________________

Sentence:________________________________

____________________________________________

b. Verb: read

Noun: ____________________________________

Sentence:________________________________

____________________________________________

c. Verb: work

Noun: ____________________________________

Sentence: ______________________________

____________________________________________



40/92

Section 2 Review

A. On the line after each sentence, write the two

nouns in that sentence. Hint: Several of the

nouns are compound nouns.

1. The classroom was filled with laughter.

__________________________________________________

2. She picked up the package at the post office.

__________________________________________________

3. The soccer game will be held in Central Park.

__________________________________________________

4. The deer ran through the tall grass.

__________________________________________________

5. Jeff signed up for the computer class.

__________________________________________________

B. Write the pronoun that can stand for the

underlined word or words.

1. Mary sat down. Mary said she was tired.

__________________________________________________

2. The storm was destructive. The storm blewdown huge trees.

__________________________________________________

3. The tenants wrote to the landlord. The tenants

complained about the noise.

__________________________________________________

4. Lenny and I studied the map. Lenny and I

planned our trip.

__________________________________________________

5. Tom joined the gym. Tom planned to go there

every day.

__________________________________________________

C. Write the two verbs in each sentence.

1. He wrapped and sent the present.

__________________________________________________

2. She made a turn at Elm Street and then turnedleft on Park.

__________________________________________________

3. The driver swerved and drove off the road.

__________________________________________________

4. They answer the questions and then check their

answers.

__________________________________________________

D. Complete each sentence with the verb form

under the line. You may refer to pages 3435

if you wish.

1. I have Jeanne for ten years.

past participle ofknow

2. We that movie last night.

past ofsee

3. The kids on a hike.

past ofgo

4. I the bell and waited for an answer.

past ofring

5. He has all the assignments.

past participle of do

40

With a partner or your instructor, go over the

questions and your answers. Make a check mark

() beside each of your correct answers. Discuss

any answers that are not correct. Make any

changes that are needed.

Check the box that shows how you rate

yourself:

Superior:All my answers are correct.

Good: No more than four of my answers

were incorrect.

I Need to Review This Section: Five or more

of my answers had to be corrected.



41/92

Contents

1. Recognizing and Using Adjectives . . . . 42

2. Comparing Two Things . . . . . . . . . . . . 44

3. Comparing More Than Two Things. . . . 46

4. Recognizing and Using Adverbs . . . . . 485. More Ways to Use Adverbs . . . . . . . . . 50

6. Using Adverbs in Comparisons . . . . . . 52

7. Playing With Adjectives, Adverbs,

and Nouns . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 54

Section 3 Review. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 56

3section

Adjectives and Adverbs

Adjectives and adverbs are descriptive words. Youuse adjectives and adverbs all the time when you speak.

Here are two examples:

A tremendous crowd gathered in the park. (Tremendous

is an adjective describing the noun crowd.)

Everyone cheered loudly for the home team.(The verb in this sentence is cheered. Loudlyis an

adverb describing how everyone cheered.)

Can you identify the adjectives and adverbs in the

following sentences? If so, youre already on your way

to success with adjectives and adverbs.

1. A few fans brought cameras.

2. The angry umpire stopped the game.

3. The game stopped suddenly.

4. The umpire walked slowly onto the field.

In this section, youll learn how to use adjectives and

adverbs to add sparkle to your writing.



42/92

1. Recognizing and Using Adjectives

Discuss

An adjective is a word that describes or adds to the meaning of a noun or

pronoun. For example, in the sentence below, strange is an adjective that adds tothe meaning of the noun noise.

The strange noise keeps us awake.

Often an adjective can appear after the noun it describes:

The noise is strange.

In the sentence below, strange modifies the pronoun it:

It is strange.

Read aloud the sentences below. Identify the adjective. Tell what noun or

pronoun it describes.

1. Most students passed the test. 5. A kind family adopted the cat.

2. The test was difficult. 6. She is happy.

3. The homeless cat wandered along the street. 7. The house seems small.

4. It was hungry. 8. The cat sleeps on a tiny cushion.

Writing PracticeChoose an adjective from the box to complete each sentence below. Write your choices on

the lines. Different answers are possible.

1. He made mistakes on the test.

2. She prepared a dessert.

3. It was .

4. The kids didnt like the movie.

5. They made a poster for the fair.

6. The trees are and full of blossoms.

7. Nobody liked that TV program.

8. The contestants won a prize.42

green several scary beautiful silly firstdifficult big delicious little new special



43/92


4

Partner Work


you completed for Writing Practice. Name

the adjective or adjectives you used in each

sentence. Then tell which word in the

sentence your adjective describes.

Example: He made several mistakes on the

test. The adjectiveseveraldescribes the noun

mistakes.

2. With your partner, write sentences using

each word below as an adjective.

a. gloomy ____________________________________

______________________________________________

b. confusing ____________________________________

______________________________________________

c. horrible ______________________________________

______________________________________________

d. brave ______________________________________

______________________________________________

Writing on Your OwnUse each of the words in the box below as an

adjective in a sentence of your own. Underlinethe adjective. Circle the word it describes.

Example: large

The mail carrier delivered a large box.

1.________________________________________________

__________________________________________________

2.________________________________________________

__________________________________________________

3.________________________________________________

__________________________________________________

4.________________________________________________

__________________________________________________

5.________________________________________________

__________________________________________________

6.________________________________________________

__________________________________________________

7.________________________________________________

__________________________________________________

8.________________________________________________

__________________________________________________

9.________________________________________________

__________________________________________________

large easy purple good different

mysterious sad enormous quiet



44/92

2. Comparing Two Things

Discuss

You can use adjectives to compare two things, or to tell how the two things are

alike or different. Read these examples together. What do you add to show thecomparison?

1. The movie was strange.

It was stranger than the movie I saw last week.

2. The music was loud.

It was louder than the music on the tape.

3. Jake is happyabout the test results.

He is happier than his brother is.

Some adjectives are longer than the ones above. They have more than two syllables.

Say these examples: peculiar interesting amazing fascinating

With long adjectives like these, you dont add -er to compare two things. Instead, you

addmore before the word. Read aloud these examples.

This mystery story was more peculiar than the last one we read.

The plot was more interesting than the one in the other book.

The outcome of the story was more amazing than the one in the first book.

The characters are more fascinating than the ones in the last book.

Writing Practice1. On the line in each sentence, choose and write the correct comparative form of the

adjective. It will help if you say the adjective aloud to yourself first to figure out how many

syllables it has.

a. big Their house is than ours.bigger, more big

b. long Her story is than mine.more long, longer

c. terrifying His ghost story was than the one I wrote.terrifyinger, more terrifying

44



45/92

Writing on Your OwnUse each adjective below in a sentence of your

own that compares two things.

1.________________________________________________

__________________________________________________

2.__________________________________________________________________________________________________

3.________________________________________________

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4.________________________________________________

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5.________________________________________________

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7.________________________________________________

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8.________________________________________________

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d. deep Sutter Lake is than Long Lake.deeper, more deep

e. unusual The end of her story is than yours.more unusual, unusualer

2. Now, draw an arrow from the adjectives you wrote in part 1 to the nouns they describe.

Example: The end of her story is more unusual than yours.


4

Partner Work


you completed for part 1 in Writing Practice.

Make any corrections that are needed.

2. With your partner, write the comparative

form of each adjective below.

a. cute ______________________________________

b. nice ______________________________________

c. intelligent ________________________________

d. tough ____________________________________

e. inquisitive ________________________________

easier sweeter more exciting less interesting

funnier more helpful sadder less helpful



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3. Comparing More Than Two Things

Discuss

Read aloud the sentences in the box below. How does the adjective change?

In the second sentences above, two things are being compared. What ending is

added to the adjective?

In the third sentences above,more than two things are being compared. What ending

is added to make the superlative form?

With adjectives that have one syllable, like loud, you usually add -est to form the

superlative. Note: Many two-syllable adjectives that end in -y, like funnyand silly,

change -yto -i before adding -er or -est.

Now, say the base forms and sentences below. How many syllables are in the base

form of each adjective? What is the superlative form of each adjective?

(Base forms)

1. (expensive) This car is the most expensive one on the lot.

2. (beautiful) It is the most beautiful car Ive ever seen.

3. (comfortable) Of all the cars, however, it is the least comfortable.

4. (reasonable) Ill buy the car that is most reasonable.

To form the superlative of longer adjectives, use most or least before the base form.

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Base Form Comparative Form Superlative Form(Describes one thing.) (Compares two things.) (Compares more than two things.)

1. This band is loud. 2. It is louderthan the band 3. In fact, it is the loudestband

we heard yesterday. Ive ever heard!

1. The movie was funny. 2. It was funnierthan the 3. The funniestpart was when the

movie we saw last week. whale ate the car.

1. The riddle was silly. 2. It was sillierthan the one 3. Its the silliestriddle Ive ever heard

you told last week.



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e. They have the garden on ourbeautiful

block.

f. We took the route to the park.short

2. For each sentence in part 1 above, draw an

arrow from the adjective you wrote to the noun

it describes.

Example:

She won the prize for the most unusual costume.

unusual

Writing Practice1. Complete the sentences below. Write the

superlative form of the adjective under the line.

a. Thats the dog Ive ever seen!small

b. It was the test wed had all year.difficult

c. Whats the book youve everlong

read?

d. The mayor holds the jobresponsiblein our town.


4

Writing on Your OwnRead the following paragraph and decide which

adjectives are correct. Circle the correct adjectives.

Then write the paragraph correctly.

The (most new, newest) store at the mall is

SellMore. They claim to have the (lowest, most

low) prices and the (helpfulest, most helpful) staff

of any store around here. However, the signs in

the store are the (confusingest, most confusing)

Ive ever seen. The (most peculiar, peculiarest)

sign said Not in This Section.

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Partner Work

With your partner, read aloud the sentences

you completed in Writing Practice. Identify

the superlative form of the adjective and the

noun it describes. If you disagree, explain

your choices, then make any corrections

that are needed.



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4. Recognizing and Using Adverbs

Discuss

Adverbs are descriptive words that usually modify, or add to the meaning of,

verbs. The adverbs tellhow, when, or where an action takes place. For example, inthe following sentences, walks is the verb. The adverbs add to the meaning of walks.

Andre walks slowly. (Slowlyis an adverb tellinghowAndre walks.)

Andrealways walks. (Always is an adverb telling whenAndre walks.)

Andre walks everywhere. (Everywhere is an adverb telling whereAndre walks.)

As a writer, you can use adverbs to make your writing more interesting and exact.

For example,Andre walksslowlygives a more precise description of Andre than

simplyAndre walks.

Read aloud each sentence in the box below. Identify the adverb and the verb.

Tell whether the adverb tellshow, when,

or where.

Writing PracticeChoose a different adverb from the box

below to complete each sentence. Then,

underline the verb that your adverb modifies.

Different answers are possible.

Example: Selma answered the phone .

1. The reports are due __________________________________________.

2. The class listened ____________________________________________.

3. He mislaid his homework ____________________________________.

4. We ___________________________________ followed the directions.

5. They ___________________________________ climbed the steep cliff.

6. She threw the book __________________________________________.

cautiously down somewhere bravely tomorrow suddenly today nervously eager

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1. She carefully opened the package.

2. They often watch TV game shows.

3. The children played outdoors.

4. He quickly completed the assignment.

5. She visited us yesterday.

6. They ran inside.

cautiously



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Writing on Your Own1. Read the following paragraph and decide which

word in parentheses is correct. Circle the correctword. Underline the verb it modifies The first

sentence is done for you as an example.

2. Check the words you chose in 1 above with your

instructor or with a classmate. Then write the

entire paragraph correctly on the lines below.

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real life writing

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