Sept. 4, 2014 Thurs. : Passive and Active Voice
In class for grammar, we’ve been learning about passive and active voice. We watched a rap video and learned that in an active voice, the subject is always first, and in a passive voice, the verb is before the subject, or there’s not enough details. If you use active voice, it allows you to use stronger verbs in the sentences, but I think a passive voice would be good for mystery stories.
Example: (These examples are taken from a mini test we did.)
Passive: The race was won.
Active: Mark’s team won the race.
Sept. 22, 2014 Mon. : Commas
– Commas are used before the conjunction. (There’s no homework today, but you can read ahead if you want.)
– You use a comma when you’re addressing someone in particular (Example from the video: “Let’s eat, Grandma!” and “Let’s eat Grandma!”)
– You use commas when you’re making a list (I like to eat rice, salad, chocolate, and fruits.)
– To separate more than one adjective modifying a noun. (The amusement park is fun, thrilling, and crowded.)
Oct. 7, 2014
– You use commas if there’s an interrupted sentence. Ex.: “Hey,” waved Kevin, “How’re you doing?”
– You put the punctuation marks inside the quotation marks. Ex.: “Wait!” yelled Felicity.
-Make sure the quotation marks are facing the right way. Ex.: “I’m so hungry.“ moaned Tom.
(The beginning quotation mark “points” inward to the sentence, and the ending quotation mark “points” to the end of the speech. The second quotation mark is facing the wrong way. I can’t make it face the right way for some reason.)
– Have a new sentence for each new speaker (or different speaker). Ex.:
“Hey,” waved Kevin, “How’re you doing?”
“Hey. I’m hungry, so want to grab something to eat?” replied Tom. <- Different speaker, another line.
– The only thing you capitalise after the dialogue was spoken is a name, or I. Ex.: “Good-bye home! I’m going on an adventure!” Alice waved.
Ex. of a word that shouldn’t be capitalised: “Bye mom, I’m leaving!” yelled Christopher.
Oct. 16, 2014 – Tenses and Sentence Types
Sentence Types:
1. Simple Sentences
– Also called independent clause.
– Has a subject and a verb. Could have an object. Example ~ The teacher stared and Andrew. Sentence would still make sense with just ‘The teacher stared.”
– Has to make sense.
2. Compound Sentences
– Made up of two independent clauses connected with a conjunction (for, and, nor, but, or, yet, so. FAN BOYS)
– The independent clauses are connected (have the same idea.) Example ~ The night sky was like a black blanket but there weren’t any stars you can see.
3. Complex Sentences
– Made up of the Main Clause which is basically a simple sentence because it makes sense on its own, and it has the main ideas in it.
– Complex sentences also contain one or more Subordinate Clauses, and they CAN’T make sense on their own. It gives extra information about what’s happening.
– If the subordinate clause comes before the main clause, there has to be a coma. Example ~ Although he was well fed, the dog howled.
– If the subordinate clause is after the main clause, you don’t need a coma. Example ~ The dog howled although he was well fed.
– If the subordinate clause is between the main clause, you need a coma before and after the subordinate clause. The dog, although he was well fed, howled loudly.
– If there’s more than one subordinate clause and they’re before and after the main clause, you need comas. Example ~ Although the cat had just eaten, the cat paced back and forth in front of the fish bowl, hungrily staring at my goldfish.
– “Making” complex sentences…
– Start sentence with 2 adjectives. Example ~ Exhausted and tired, Anna fell on her bed.
– Start with an adverb (“ly”). Example ~ Excitedly, Tom went on first car of the roller coaster ‘The Hair Raiser’.
– Start with a verb (“ing”). Example ~ Running away with the jewels in hand, the burglar thought if he would be able to get away.
– Can also end with a verb (“ing”). Example ~ Julie climbed up the tree thinking, No one would find me here.
– Sandwich Technique: Main clause, subordinate clause, main clause. Example ~ The room, smelling like mold and dust, was empty.
– Prepositional Phrase: where or when something is taking place. Example ~ At the cashier, the man smiled warmly at each customer.
– Start or end with subordinating conjunction. Example ~ Although he was tired, Josh had to finish his project which was due in two days.
~ We went into the forest even though we knew that we would get in trouble.
– Start with a simile (Like…). Example ~ Like a cheetah, Mary ran really fast, winning the race.
4. Compound-Complex Sentences
– Has two independent clauses or main clauses connected by a conjunction and has at least one subordinate clause. Example ~ After eating dinner, I was still hungry and I wanted dessert.