Contents
Acknowledgements |
iii |
Foreword |
iv |
| v | |
| vii | |
| xi | |
| xvii | |
Part I – Statement Patterns |
1 |
| 3 | |
| 4 | |
Lesson 1 The Parts of a Sentence |
5 |
Lesson 2 Statements with Noun-Verb Pattern |
8 |
Lesson 3 Noun Modifiers |
9 |
Lesson 4 Verb Modifiers |
11 |
Lesson 5 Using Modifiers |
13 |
Lesson 6 Choosing Vivid Words |
17 |
Lesson 7 Varying the Sentence Order |
20 |
Lesson 8 Review of the Noun-Verb Pattern |
22 |
Lesson 9 Statements with a Noun-Verb-Noun Pattern |
24 |
Lesson 10 Expanding Noun-Verb-Noun Statements |
27 |
Lesson 11 Using Personal Pronouns |
32 |
Lesson 12 Using Demonstrative Pronouns and Indefinite Pronouns |
34 |
Lesson 13 Review of the Noun-Verb-Noun Pattern |
36 |
Lesson 14 Statements with a Noun-Verb-Noun-Noun Pattern |
38 |
Lesson 15 Verb Forms and Tenses |
43 |
Lesson 16 Review of the Noun-Verb-Noun-Noun Pattern |
51 |
Lesson 17 Statements with a Noun-Linking Verb-Adjective Pattern |
53 |
Lesson 18 Recognizing Linking Verbs |
56 |
Lesson 19 Expanding Noun-Linking Verb-Adjective Statements |
58 |
| Lesson 20 Review of the Noun-Linking Verb-Adjective Pattern | 63 |
Lesson 21 Statements with a Noun-Linking Verb-Noun Pattern |
65 |
Lesson 22 Expanding Noun-Linking Verb-Noun Statements |
68 |
Lesson 23 Review of the Noun-Linking Verb-Noun Pattern |
73 |
Lesson 24 Review of All Five Patterns |
75 |
Part II |
77 |
Unit 1 Pet Beefs |
79 |
Unit 2 The Effect of Latin on the English Language |
83 |
Unit 3 Punctuation |
97 |
Unit 4 Nouns |
110 |
Unit 5 A Guide to the Use of Capitals |
112 |
Unit 6 Degree in Adjectives and Adverbs |
113 |
Unit 7 Conjunctions and Making Sentences More Interesting |
114 |
Unit 8 Pretend! Imagine! Enjoy a Bit of Nonsense |
119 |
Unit 9 Writer's Tools |
123 |
Appendix |
130 |
Casey at the Bat |
131 |
Gift of the Magi |
133 |
The Highwayman |
137 |
To the Teacher
In committing ourselves to this profession, we accept “awesome” (in the true sense of the word) responsibilities. We undertake a mission to present facts and figures in such a way that our students will understand and retain the knowledge as a firm foundation, ready to be built on in the next grades.
More important, by far, than doing our duty to the curriculum, we hope to inspire our charges. We want to help them discover the joy and satisfaction of striving for and achieving excellent results. We want to be on hand to see their amazement as they discover hidden talents, and the results when they unleash them to attack assignments once considered dull.
Today’s children are inundated with other people’s ideas – the result of other people’s talents being put into practice. From earliest childhood their companions are the TV and other electronic devices. There is little, if any, time for their own creative juices to develop from a drop to a trickle … from a pleasant little rivulet to a gushing torrent. For the most part, they meekly supply the audience for someone else to test his/her talents while their own talents, uncultivated, shrivel and waste away.
As teachers, we ardently desire to stop this robbery by developing our students’ curiosity about their own potential.
We will know we have begun this process when we see some of these symptoms:
- Eager anticipation at the prospect of getting at an assignment that will allow them the companionship of their own unique talents.
- The birth of an idea that can’t wait to be tested or followed to see where it leads.
- Laughter resulting from ridiculous exercises deliberately designed by the teacher to ban the tedious and the mundane.
- Assignments where the student has ventured beyond a mediocre response into the realm of excellence, propelled by freed talents demanding to be tested.
As the students develop their talents and experience the resulting joy and satisfaction, they will discover that areas of their education, other than grammar and composition, will benefit.
Now, for some practical suggestions concerning how to use this book so that learning may take place successfully and happily.
There are two parts to the book. Firstly, we deal with five Statement Patterns. Each begins with the basic or skeleton parts of the statement. In Statement Pattern I (N-V), the exercises for this first step are immediately followed by building the mobile to this point. It will consist of the noun triangle showing the basic subject noun with two well-chosen synonyms, plus the verb triangle showing the basic predicate verb with two well-chosen synonyms. At this point there are two important things to check:
- Have you chosen synonyms that will combine for unusual, exciting situations? Do not settle for the dull and boring.
- Have you chosen synonyms that will make sense when any face of the noun triangle is combined with any face of the verb triangle?
Finish each unit of the mobile by adding the rest of the information gleaned from that lesson (e.g. the question it answers and the part of speech and its job in the sentence). Then hang up the mobile. (The diagrams on pages vii to x will clarify these instructions.)
Proceed, using the book lesson and mobile building, step by step, together. As each Statement Pattern is finished, the complete mobile should be hung in a suitable spot where it may remain for everyone to enjoy. It is quite mesmerizing!
The second half of the book covers other subjects recommended by the curriculum. They are there for your use if they apply to your needs. Units such as “punctuation” have covered the subject in some detail and are suitable for reference, when memory leaves us in doubt. Use the units, or part of them, in any order that suits your needs.
May this book be a source of happy learning, fun, inspiration, creative growth, and memories of your friends Grammar Guy, G.G. and all the rest, whose chief desire was, and still is, to acquaint you with the “Joy of Excellence”.
Suggestions for Using “The GrammaR Crusade”
This book contains the grammar required by many curricula to be taught in Elementary School. It is probably best suited for presentation to students beginning at Grade 6.
We suggest that each student have a book of his or her own to take along from grade to grade. The teacher would have the children use the lessons that they are required to cover at each level. You may write in this book to fill in the obvious places with the answers to exercises and with illustrations. Keeping in mind that the work in the book should be the student’s best works, since it will accompany them through the years.
Their “Scrap Books” would also be started then. The students would do their work to the best of their ability knowing that they were building books which would accompany them throughout the grades until all the lessons had been covered. The end result would be a book for their own libraries to be available for reference when needed, as well as a Scrap Book (or several Scrap Books depending on the volume of their work) containing their own compositions and illustrations from every grade. What a treasure—a keepsake to be shared when they have families of their own!
In the case of home schooling or English as a second language, of course, the work would proceed at any convenient rate.
The benefits of this would be many. There would be the money saving aspect as well as a record of what had been covered. Also it would be a tool for review and reference.
This is how we see the book being used.
A note from a former student of the author
I think it is safe to say that most people, particularly children, like to have their work admired and displayed. Many refrigerator doors have become gallery walls for pre-school crayon creations, Kindergarten paste-’em-ups, and unique cards mothers will keep forever.
In Grade 7, Mrs. Lawrence, my English teacher, had all of us make ”Scrap Books” which contained our best polished pieces of writing including three line descriptions of such things as, “The Taste of Raspberry Jam”, “The Feel of Sandpaper” and even full-length essays on various topics of her choice. One Friday afternoon, art day, we all finger-painted white pieces of good quality paper with red paint in paisley and abstract designs and then cut out black capital letters which spelled out, “Scrap Book”. When completed, they were carefully folded into book covers, and creased strategically to reinforce the folds. These dressed up the plain workbooks which contained our literary treasures. A small hole was punched into the top left hand corner through the notebook and the cover and through this hole went a string about 8” long, tied at the very end to form a loop. Equally spaced nails were driven below the blackboard ledge. From these hung the “Scrap Books”, making a bright display for all to observe and read.
Each book contained favourite selections worked at until they reached their maximum potential, finally earning the term of excellence from the teacher and the student. There was a partnership of pride on that wall of words and we all felt a sense of satisfaction because we knew we had done our personal best and that felt good.
The Mobile
The mobile is a wonderful way of making the abstract concepts of grammar concrete and accesible. In the book you will find complete instructions for building a mobile for each of the five statement patterns.
The Legend of GrammaR
Time: Eons Ago
Setting Planet Earth and the space around it
Meet the Grand Royal Family!
From left to right they are:
Grand Father R, Grand Mother R,
and Grandest of All, their son.
When their oldest son had been elected to rule the Galaxy, He inherited the title “Grandest of All R”. His parents graciously stepped down to lighter duties. Their titles now became, as was the age-old custom, “Grand Father R” and “Grand Mother R”. The “R” stood for royalty and was much treasured by its owners. Their portraits joined those of their ancestors on the castle wall.
Grand Mother R posed for her royal portrait in ruby red redingote* and royal jewels.
*redingote – a woman’s long coat with a cutaway front or contrasting piece on the front; a riding-coat.
Grand Father R posed for his royal portrait, in rakish, royal rocket outfit.
“Dad!” said the newly appointed Grandest of All. “This is a huge job. Would you and mom consider taking on Planet Earth? It’s a jewel among planets, thanks to Mother Nature. It might mean less time for mom’s rhumba lessons and your rocket races with the boys…”
“Say no more, Grandest, my son!” dad broke in eagerly. “We would welcome a smaller job.” And so it was.
Actually it solved a problem which Grand Father R had been mulling over for quite some time. Since his retirement he had been at home much more than usual. He loved his wife dearly, but a habit of hers was becoming increasingly hard on his nerves. He hadn’t liked to say anything. In all other ways she was perfection – royally regal, ravishingly beautiful, radiant at receptions, a renowned raconteur and gifted at repartée. Naturally, she was a welcome guest at parties.
Unfortunately, Grand Mother R talked constantly at home. Morning, noon and night she happily chattered away, oblivious to the input of others.
One morning she came downstairs to find her husband all dressed up for rocket racing. “My dear,” he said before she could open her mouth, “I’m off to inspect the development of Planet Earth, so I leave you with one assignment—one for which you are perfectly suited—I want you to teach our Earthlings … Language”!
She was still thanking him as he shot out the door, revved up his rocket, blew her a kiss and vanished into space.
Grand Mother R gathered her Grand Children around her and regaled them with recitations, readings, rondelays, and rhymes. She was regal in her ruby red redingote. Reggae and rhumba bands provided background music.
The Grand Children, as they coaxed for more, had shortened her name. In chorus, it sounded like “GrammaR”. She didn’t mind for she realized that Grand Mother R was too big a mouthful for the little ones.
Soon she bid her goodbyes, cautioning the children to practise their reading, writing and rhyming in her absence. The chauffeur handed Grand Mother R into her private, comfortably-appointed flying saucer.
They hovered over different areas of Planet Earth and paused, occasionally, while she took notes.
Over one rocky area indented with caves, fur-clad figures with clubs emerged. They grunted menacingly and pointed. She couldn’t make out a single word! On she went to another group of settlers who stopped their gouging of clay walls and tablets. With wedge-shaped tools in hand, they looked up, pointing and muttering. Some people seemed to be communicating with smoke signals; others by the beating of drums.
“Driver! Stop this hovering around! Return at once to our home. What we have here on Earth is a failure to communicate. I must teach them vocabulary and sentence structure – with nouns, verbs and modifiers…” She kept talking all the way back. The crew put on their headphones and listened to the music of “The Stars”.
She appointed her best scholars to instruct every settlement on Planet Earth. Although each group developed its own vocabulary, the sentence patterns and parts of speech were often similar. Like every good teacher, she checked samples of her pupils' work regularly. She knew they were happiest when excellence was achieved by stretching their talents to the utmost. For a fine effort she allowed them to adopt one tiny, perfect star from the galaxy.
Gradually these Earthlings began to write stories and books for each other to read. Gramma R was content with the results of her “Language” assignments. Some earthly students, through the ages, wrote not only correctly, but wisely or beautifully or humorously. Some wrote fiction, fantasy, mystery and adventure. Many stories were translated into the languages of their neighbouring countries.
So, today, we are entrusted with the preservation and protection of our own language. May we pass it on, in all its dignity, beauty and elegance. May we guard its ability to communicate truthfully and tactfully with all languages around the world. May “GrammaR’s” legacy be honoured and loyally supported during our time, not allowing it to deteriorate or diminish by so much as a single misplaced apostrophe or a “lay” where “lie” belongs. On your feet! Raise your glass! A toast! Long live GrammaR!
The End
Grammar Guy
To accompany you along your journey you have a guide. As is usual in any conquest, such as climbing to the top of Mount Everest, a good guide is a great help.
Your Grammar Guide is an encouraging, friendly fellow who prefers to be called “Grammar Guy”. He takes on several personalities as he travels with you. Here they are, Grammar Guy’s guises!
Meet the Guys
Exercise Guy
Dictionary Guy
Detective Guy
Scholarly Guy
Author Guy
By the way, Grammar Guy can trace his ancestry back to GrammaR. He figures that the number of greats before "Grandmother" would fill a page, but he definitely has inherited her love of language. He has devoted his life to guiding others and is eager to escort you along the journey.
Introducing G.G.
Hello Fellow Grammarians! Let me introduce myself. My name is Grammar Girl or G.G. for short, coming to you from Station XLN(soft)C (c as in cent).
As you know, striving for excellence results in great satisfaction. So that is our goal.
Many famous people have put this into words. Now and then I will quote what they have to say.
Today’s quote is from Aristotle (a Greek philosopher) who lived from 384 – 322 BC. He said:
“With regard to excellence, it is not enough to know, but we must try to have and use it.”
Working together we’ll discover this truth. I promise you we’ll have great times together. I’m looking forward to it.
G.G.
P.S.
By the way, my station letters stand for a word of vital importance to us in our work and you in yours. To discover it, if you already haven’t, say the first three letters quickly and then hiss (make an “s” sound”).