RIC-20234 Primary Grammar and Word Study Year 3 – Parts of Speech
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<strong>Primary</strong> grammar <strong>and</strong> word study (Book D)<br />
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<strong>Primary</strong> grammar <strong>and</strong><br />
word study <strong>–</strong> Book D<br />
Foreword<br />
<strong>Primary</strong> grammar <strong>and</strong> word study is a series <strong>of</strong> seven books designed<br />
to introduce students to parts <strong>of</strong> speech, ways to underst<strong>and</strong> <strong>and</strong> choose<br />
words, punctuation <strong>and</strong> figures <strong>of</strong> speech.<br />
Titles in this series:<br />
• <strong>Primary</strong> grammar <strong>and</strong> word study Book A (Ages 5<strong>–</strong> 6)<br />
• <strong>Primary</strong> grammar <strong>and</strong> word study Book B (Ages 6<strong>–</strong>7)<br />
• <strong>Primary</strong> grammar <strong>and</strong> word study Book C (Ages 7<strong>–</strong>8)<br />
• <strong>Primary</strong> grammar <strong>and</strong> word study Book D (Ages 8<strong>–</strong>9)<br />
• <strong>Primary</strong> grammar <strong>and</strong> word study Book E (Ages 9 <strong>–</strong>10)<br />
• <strong>Primary</strong> grammar <strong>and</strong> word study Book F (Ages 10<strong>–</strong>11)<br />
• <strong>Primary</strong> grammar <strong>and</strong> word study Book G (Ages 11<strong>–</strong>12)<br />
Teaches notes ................................................iv <strong>–</strong> v<br />
English curriculum links ....................................... v<br />
Literacy character explanation ...................... vi <strong>–</strong> vii<br />
Checklists.................................................... viii <strong>–</strong> xi<br />
<strong>Parts</strong> <strong>of</strong> speech .............................................. 2<strong>–</strong>33<br />
Nouns .............................................................. 2<strong>–</strong>5<br />
Verbs .............................................................. 6<strong>–</strong>11<br />
Adjectives..................................................... 12<strong>–</strong>17<br />
Adverbs ........................................................ 18<strong>–</strong>21<br />
Pronouns ...................................................... 22<strong>–</strong>25<br />
Conjunctions ................................................ 26<strong>–</strong>27<br />
Determiners ................................................. 28<strong>–</strong>31<br />
Prepositions ................................................. 32<strong>–</strong>33<br />
Underst<strong>and</strong>ing <strong>and</strong> choosing words ........... 34<strong>–</strong>57<br />
<strong>Word</strong>s that are similar ...............................34<strong>–</strong>41<br />
Homographs ............................................ 34<strong>–</strong>35<br />
Homophones ............................................ 36<strong>–</strong>37<br />
<strong>Word</strong> groups ............................................ 38<strong>–</strong>41<br />
<strong>Word</strong>s that change .....................................42<strong>–</strong>49<br />
Plurals ...................................................... 42<strong>–</strong>45<br />
Prefixes .................................................... 46<strong>–</strong>47<br />
Suffixes .................................................... 48<strong>–</strong>49<br />
Contents<br />
<strong>Word</strong>s <strong>and</strong> their meanings ........................50<strong>–</strong>57<br />
Synonyms ................................................ 50<strong>–</strong>51<br />
Antonyms ................................................. 52<strong>–</strong>53<br />
Confused words .........................................54<strong>–</strong>57<br />
Punctuation .................................................. 58<strong>–</strong>71<br />
Full stops, question marks <strong>and</strong><br />
exclamation marks ....................................... 58<strong>–</strong>59<br />
Capital letters ............................................... 60<strong>–</strong>61<br />
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Commas ....................................................... 62<strong>–</strong>65<br />
Apostrophes ................................................. 66<strong>–</strong>69<br />
Quotation marks ........................................... 70<strong>–</strong>71<br />
Figures <strong>of</strong> speech ......................................... 72<strong>–</strong>83<br />
Alliteration .................................................... 72<strong>–</strong>73<br />
Anagrams <strong>and</strong> palindromes .......................... 74<strong>–</strong>75<br />
Similes ......................................................... 76<strong>–</strong>77<br />
Metaphors .................................................... 78<strong>–</strong>79<br />
Onomatopoeia .............................................. 80<strong>–</strong>81<br />
Personification .............................................. 82<strong>–</strong>83<br />
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<strong>Primary</strong> grammar <strong>and</strong> word study
<strong>Parts</strong> <strong>of</strong> speech checklist<br />
Name <strong>of</strong> student Nouns Verbs Adjectives Adverbs Pronouns Conjunctions Determiners Prepositions<br />
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<strong>Primary</strong> grammar <strong>and</strong> word study viii<br />
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<strong>Parts</strong> <strong>of</strong> speech<br />
Nouns<br />
Focus<br />
Common <strong>and</strong> proper nouns<br />
Definitions<br />
• Nouns are words used to name people, places,<br />
things, feelings <strong>and</strong> ideas.<br />
• Common nouns name general, rather than specific,<br />
people, places, ideas <strong>and</strong> things.<br />
Example: The words in bold in the following<br />
sentence are nouns (in this context):<br />
The boy started walking towards the building,<br />
but stopped when he saw the black cat cross his<br />
path.<br />
• Proper nouns are words used to name very specific<br />
people, places or things <strong>and</strong> begin with capital<br />
letters.<br />
Example:<br />
William started walking towards Viddle’s<br />
Bookshop, but stopped when T<strong>of</strong>fee, the black<br />
cat, crossed Station Street right in front <strong>of</strong> him.<br />
Explanation<br />
• The word ‘noun’ comes from the Latin ‘nomen’,<br />
which means ‘name’. Nouns are <strong>of</strong>ten called<br />
naming words.<br />
• While most nouns can be categorised as either<br />
common or proper nouns, there are two further<br />
main categories <strong>of</strong> nouns—collective; e.g. herd, <strong>and</strong><br />
abstract; e.g. fear.<br />
• Some words used as nouns can also be verbs or<br />
adjectives, depending on the context in which they<br />
are used.<br />
Example:<br />
We water (verb) our garden at night to conserve<br />
water (noun).<br />
• Common nouns are not capitalised unless they begin<br />
a sentence or start a title. Some words that would<br />
appear to need capitalisation, such as the names <strong>of</strong><br />
the seasons (winter, summer, spring <strong>and</strong> autumn),<br />
are no longer capitalised because, through long<br />
usage, they have come to be considered common<br />
nouns. Cardinal directions (north, south, east <strong>and</strong><br />
west); words for relatives (mum, aunty)—unless<br />
used as part <strong>of</strong> the name, such as Aunty Maude; <strong>and</strong><br />
names <strong>of</strong> subject areas (maths, science) are also no<br />
longer considered proper nouns.<br />
• Names <strong>of</strong> games or activities are common nouns.<br />
Example:<br />
swimming, running, football<br />
• Trade names are usually capitalised; e.g. Apple .<br />
Worksheet information<br />
• Explain the worksheet task to the students. They<br />
work individually to identify <strong>and</strong> sort the nouns in the<br />
newspaper headlines, adding some <strong>of</strong> their own to<br />
the table.<br />
• The four nouns in the second headline can be<br />
arranged in the grid so that they can be read both<br />
horizontally <strong>and</strong> vertically.<br />
Ideas for further practice<br />
• Students listen to <strong>and</strong> follow the lyrics <strong>of</strong> a song,<br />
then write the nouns <strong>and</strong> proper nouns they hear.<br />
• Using a list <strong>of</strong> common <strong>and</strong> proper nouns, students<br />
choose one to act out in a game <strong>of</strong> charades.<br />
• Students create a team presentation that will explain<br />
to the rest <strong>of</strong> the class the differences between<br />
common <strong>and</strong> proper nouns.<br />
• Students practise sorting proper <strong>and</strong> common nouns<br />
in an interactive online activity at<br />
.<br />
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Answers<br />
2. Proper nouns: Fluffy the Dragon, Cinderella,<br />
Princess, Hapl<strong>and</strong>, Three Blind Mice.<br />
Common nouns: disaster, police, sheep,<br />
resuscitation, newt, idea, gate, king, slipper, finger,<br />
shoes<br />
3. idea, newt, king, gate k i n g<br />
i d e a<br />
n e w t<br />
g a t e<br />
<strong>Primary</strong> grammar <strong>and</strong> word study 2<br />
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Common <strong>and</strong> proper nouns<br />
Proper nouns are words that start with capital letters to name<br />
particular people, places or things.<br />
Common nouns name general things, people, places, feelings<br />
<strong>and</strong> ideas.<br />
1. Read these fairytale newspaper headlines.<br />
2. Write the proper nouns <strong>and</strong> common nouns from each headline under the correct<br />
heading in the table below. Add some other nouns to the table that you think<br />
might be included in the rest <strong>of</strong> the articles.<br />
Proper nouns<br />
Common nouns<br />
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3. There are four four-letter nouns in the second newspaper report. Write them<br />
below, then try to fit them into this square puzzle.<br />
Each word must go both across <strong>and</strong> down.<br />
•<br />
•<br />
•<br />
•<br />
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k
<strong>Parts</strong> <strong>of</strong> speech<br />
Nouns<br />
Focus<br />
Collective <strong>and</strong> abstract nouns<br />
Definitions<br />
• Collective nouns are words used to name groups <strong>of</strong><br />
people, animals <strong>and</strong> things.<br />
Example:<br />
crowd, pack, class, bunch<br />
• Abstract nouns are words used to name ideas,<br />
feelings, events or qualities that can not be seen,<br />
heard, smelled, tasted or touched.<br />
Example:<br />
generosity, joy, enlightenment, honesty<br />
Explanation<br />
• A collective noun represents a single group made up<br />
<strong>of</strong> more than one person or a thing; e.g. a committee,<br />
team, or family can not consist <strong>of</strong> one member, at<br />
least two people must compose the unit. They can<br />
be considered singular or plural. When referring to<br />
the collective group, singular tends to be used when<br />
all members <strong>of</strong> the collective noun are doing the<br />
same thing at the same time.<br />
Example:<br />
The team is flying to Melbourne for the finals.<br />
However, when referring to the individual members<br />
<strong>of</strong> the team acting, the plural can be used.<br />
Example:<br />
The team are reconsidering their futures.<br />
• ‘Terms <strong>of</strong> venery’ are collective nouns for types <strong>of</strong><br />
game <strong>and</strong> other wild animals, such as a murder <strong>of</strong><br />
crows <strong>and</strong> a parliament <strong>of</strong> rooks.<br />
• Abstract nouns can be either count (meeting,<br />
experience) or non-count nouns (love, charity).<br />
Worksheet information<br />
• If students have not been previously introduced to<br />
abstract nouns, it will be necessary to introduce<br />
the concept before starting this worksheet. Perhaps<br />
give them a list for a ‘treasure hunt’, such as ‘book,<br />
pencil, paper, happiness, youth’. Students go on the<br />
hunt <strong>and</strong> will finish having been unable to find the<br />
abstract nouns on their list. Explain to them that an<br />
abstract noun is not something that we can touch,<br />
hear, smell or see. It is usually a thought, idea, event,<br />
concept, emotion or feeling.<br />
• Some further examples include: advice, afterthought,<br />
anger, beauty, business, confidence, enjoyment,<br />
freedom, friendship, fun, happiness, health,<br />
help, history, honesty, importance, information,<br />
intelligence, justice, knowledge, law, love, luck,<br />
opportunity, patience, peace, pride, progress,<br />
responsibility, sleep, time, traffic, travel, trouble,<br />
truth, violence, vocabulary <strong>and</strong> wealth.<br />
• Give each student a copy <strong>of</strong> the worksheet <strong>and</strong> read<br />
the explanation <strong>and</strong> examples <strong>of</strong> abstract nouns.<br />
Students select two to write <strong>and</strong> draw a symbol for.<br />
This will reinforce the concept that an abstract noun<br />
can not be seen or touched; they may find it hard to<br />
decide upon an image.<br />
• For Question 2, students write an abstract noun for<br />
each concrete noun.<br />
• To complete the worksheet, students rearrange the<br />
boxes, without changing the order <strong>of</strong> the letters<br />
inside the boxes, to find the collective noun for the<br />
person, place or thing.<br />
Ideas for further practice<br />
• After reading aloud to the students, or shared<br />
reading, ask students to list some <strong>of</strong> the names<br />
<strong>of</strong> any feelings, events, ideas or thoughts the<br />
characters in the story may have had or felt.<br />
• Students paint an abstract noun, using the colours<br />
they feel best represent it. Different paintings <strong>of</strong><br />
the same noun can be presented as simply the way<br />
different people see it, with each representation<br />
having equal value.<br />
• Students investigate <strong>and</strong> create abstract artworks.<br />
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Answers<br />
1.<strong>–</strong>2. Teacher check<br />
3. (a) a host <strong>of</strong> angels<br />
(b) an orchestra <strong>of</strong> musicians<br />
(c) a string <strong>of</strong> ponies<br />
(d) a quiver <strong>of</strong> arrows<br />
(e) a gaggle <strong>of</strong> geese<br />
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Collective <strong>and</strong> abstract nouns<br />
Abstract nouns are words that name things we can not touch,<br />
smell, see, taste or hear. They are <strong>of</strong>ten the names <strong>of</strong> feelings,<br />
events <strong>and</strong> ideas.<br />
John’s friendship with the alien brought new information, technology <strong>and</strong><br />
knowledge to the people <strong>of</strong> Earth. In return, the alien had, for the first time,<br />
experienced humour <strong>and</strong> happiness. It was John’s belief that their friendship<br />
would create peace between the two planets.<br />
1. Write any two abstract nouns from the paragraph above <strong>and</strong> draw a symbol to<br />
represent each.<br />
2. For each <strong>of</strong> the concrete nouns below, write an abstract noun (idea or feeling) to<br />
show what each means to you or what feelings it gives you;<br />
e.g. My teacher’s smile means approval to me.<br />
(a)<br />
A puppy dog means<br />
(b) A good joke means<br />
(c)<br />
A shiny trophy means<br />
(d) A million dollars means<br />
Collective nouns are words that name groups <strong>of</strong> people, places<br />
<strong>and</strong> things. For example, ‘team’ is the collective noun for a group<br />
<strong>of</strong> people doing something (usually playing a game) together.<br />
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3. Rearrange the boxes with pairs <strong>of</strong> letters to find the collective nouns.<br />
Don’t change the order <strong>of</strong> the letters inside the boxes.<br />
(a) a<br />
(b) an<br />
st ho <strong>of</strong> angels<br />
ch or ra est<br />
<strong>of</strong> musicians<br />
(c) a<br />
(d) a<br />
ng ri st<br />
er qu iv<br />
<strong>of</strong> ponies<br />
<strong>of</strong> arrows<br />
(e) a<br />
le ga gg <strong>of</strong> geese<br />
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<strong>Primary</strong> grammar <strong>and</strong> word study
<strong>Parts</strong> <strong>of</strong> speech<br />
Verbs<br />
Focus<br />
Finite verbs, the verbs ‘to be’ <strong>and</strong> ‘to have’<br />
Definition<br />
• Verbs are words which show actions or states <strong>of</strong><br />
being or having.<br />
Example:<br />
The strong wind blew rubbish all over the<br />
playground. (action)<br />
Sarah is the best player in the soccer team.<br />
(being)<br />
We have a new teacher for music. (having)<br />
Explanation<br />
• Verbs must have someone ‘doing’ the action. This is<br />
the subject <strong>of</strong> the sentence.<br />
In the examples above, the actions are done by ‘The<br />
strong wind’, ‘Sarah’ <strong>and</strong> ‘We’.<br />
• The verbs to be <strong>and</strong> to have have many forms<br />
which change with the subject <strong>and</strong> the tense—see<br />
the chart below.<br />
The verb ‘to be’<br />
The verb ‘to have’<br />
Person Pronoun Present Past Present Past<br />
First I am was have had<br />
Second you are were have had<br />
third he/she/it is was has had<br />
First we are were have had<br />
Second you are were have had<br />
Third they are were have had<br />
• Every sentence must contain a verb.<br />
• Some verbs have more than one part.<br />
Example:<br />
‘is exhausted’, ‘is harmless’, ‘can kill’<br />
• Verbs can be finite or non-finite. Finite verbs change<br />
in form to match their subject or to indicate tense.<br />
Example:<br />
go, goes, went<br />
Non-finite verbs do not change. They include:<br />
<strong>–</strong> present participles <strong>–</strong> e.g. parking<br />
<strong>–</strong> past participles <strong>–</strong> e.g. parked<br />
<strong>–</strong> infinitives <strong>–</strong> e.g. to park<br />
Worksheet information<br />
• Discuss any unfamiliar words with the students, then<br />
allow them to read the text independently unless<br />
assistance is required.<br />
• Explain the definition <strong>of</strong> a verb <strong>and</strong> the words which<br />
indicate being or having. The students complete<br />
Question 1.<br />
• Questions 2 to 4 require students to select their own<br />
action verbs <strong>and</strong> use are (verb <strong>of</strong> being) <strong>and</strong> have<br />
(verb <strong>of</strong> having) to write their own short reports<br />
about snakes.<br />
• Students need to be aware that some verbs use is,<br />
are, will, can etc. to form part <strong>of</strong> a more complex<br />
verb.<br />
Ideas for further practice<br />
• Once the short snake report is completed, a student<br />
can be selected to read his/hers to the class as a<br />
short oral presentation.<br />
• Students select sentences from their snake report<br />
which contain are or have <strong>and</strong> rewrite them using<br />
different action verbs or from a personal point <strong>of</strong><br />
view, imagining themselves as a snake.<br />
• Students view the movements <strong>of</strong> a mongoose or a<br />
snake on DVD or a science program <strong>and</strong> attempt to<br />
recreate these in dance movements or actions.<br />
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Answers<br />
1. (a) Teacher check<br />
(b) being verbs include are, are found, is;<br />
having verbs include have<br />
(c) hunt, live, dig, kill, dodge, strikes, tires, seize,<br />
crush, eat<br />
2.<strong>–</strong>4. Teacher check<br />
<strong>Primary</strong> grammar <strong>and</strong> word study 6<br />
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Verbs<br />
A verb is a word which shows actions, or states <strong>of</strong> being or having.<br />
Being verbs include am, is, are, was <strong>and</strong> were.<br />
Having verbs include has, had <strong>and</strong> have.<br />
1. (a) Read the report below.<br />
Mongooses are carnivorous mammals. Usually, they are found in South Asia <strong>and</strong><br />
Africa. Mongooses hunt small animals, eggs <strong>and</strong>, sometimes, fruit for food. They<br />
live in rocky crevices <strong>and</strong> holes <strong>and</strong> <strong>of</strong>ten dig burrows. They have long bodies<br />
with rough, shaggy hair, pointed noses <strong>and</strong> long, bushy tails. Some mongooses<br />
kill snakes, including cobras. They quickly dodge the snake each time it strikes<br />
until the snake tires. Mongooses then seize the snake’s head in their jaws, crush<br />
its skull <strong>and</strong> eat it. The dead snake’s venom is harmless to the mongoose.<br />
(b) Choose two different coloured pencils or markers. Use one to identify all the ‘being’<br />
verbs <strong>and</strong> the other to identify all the ‘having’ verbs.<br />
(c) Write all the verbs which show action in the box below.<br />
2. Write a list <strong>of</strong> about 10 action verbs to use in a text about snakes.<br />
3. Complete the table.<br />
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Snakes are …<br />
Snakes have …<br />
4. Use the action verbs in Question 2 <strong>and</strong> the information above to write a short<br />
report about snakes on a separate sheet <strong>of</strong> paper.<br />
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<strong>Primary</strong> grammar <strong>and</strong> word study
<strong>Parts</strong> <strong>of</strong> speech<br />
Verbs<br />
Focus<br />
Comm<strong>and</strong> verbs (imperatives)<br />
Definition<br />
• Comm<strong>and</strong> verbs are used to order, comm<strong>and</strong> or<br />
instruct.<br />
Example:<br />
Button your jacket because it’s cold outside today.<br />
Set the table for tea, please.<br />
Finish doing your homework <strong>and</strong> then you can<br />
watch television.<br />
Explanation<br />
• Verbs can describe actions (‘doing’ words) <strong>and</strong> must<br />
have someone doing the action. (Refer to pages 6<br />
<strong>and</strong> 7.)<br />
• Comm<strong>and</strong> verbs are commonly used when writing<br />
procedures <strong>and</strong> are <strong>of</strong>ten the first word in the<br />
sentence.<br />
• Comm<strong>and</strong> verbs do not have a stated subject<br />
(anyone or anything doing the action). It is<br />
understood that the person doing the action is ‘you’.<br />
Worksheet information<br />
• Non-sudsy soap powders are usually high-efficiency<br />
powders used in front-loading washing machines.<br />
• It is not expected that the procedure will actually be<br />
carried out.<br />
• Students can read the definition <strong>and</strong> the procedure<br />
independently with minimal assistance.<br />
• Explain the definition if necessary <strong>and</strong> give other<br />
examples to the students. Ask the students to supply<br />
examples as well.<br />
• The students can complete Questions 1 <strong>and</strong> 2<br />
independently.<br />
• Question 3 should be completed in pairs.<br />
Ideas for further practice<br />
• Read the instructions <strong>and</strong> rules <strong>of</strong> a board game to<br />
see whether comm<strong>and</strong> verbs have been used.<br />
• Students copy a favourite recipe to contribute to a<br />
class cookbook.<br />
The comm<strong>and</strong> verbs could be highlighted.<br />
• Play games such as ‘May I?’ where students are<br />
given instructions for actions or movements. For<br />
example, ‘Jane, take three steps forward’.<br />
Answers<br />
1. (b) Mix, Add, Stir, Add, Refrigerate<br />
2. (a) Hold (b) Step, slide<br />
(c) Brush, tie (d) H<strong>and</strong><br />
(e) Put<br />
3. Teacher check<br />
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Comm<strong>and</strong> verbs<br />
Comm<strong>and</strong> verbs are verbs used to order, comm<strong>and</strong> or give<br />
instructions. They can usually be found at the beginning <strong>of</strong> a<br />
sentence in a procedure.<br />
1. (a) Read the procedure.<br />
Ingredients <strong>and</strong> equipment<br />
• 250 mL smooth peanut butter<br />
• 125 mL non-sudsy soap powder<br />
• 30 mL red food colouring<br />
Fake blood<br />
• 1 L white corn syrup<br />
• about 15 drops blue food colouring<br />
• bowl, spoon, airtight container<br />
Method<br />
1. Mix peanut butter with small amount <strong>of</strong> corn syrup in bowl to make a<br />
runny mixture.<br />
2. Add soap <strong>and</strong> food colourings.<br />
3. Stir well.<br />
4. Add more corn syrup until <strong>of</strong> desired consistency.<br />
5. Refrigerate any unused ‘blood’ in an airtight container.<br />
(b) Write the five comm<strong>and</strong> verbs used in the procedure.<br />
2. Use the comm<strong>and</strong> verbs below to complete the sentences.<br />
(a)<br />
H<strong>and</strong> Step Hold slide Put Brush tie<br />
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tightly to the string <strong>of</strong> the kite!<br />
(b) to the left <strong>and</strong> to the right. That’s the<br />
next part <strong>of</strong> the dance.<br />
(c) your hair <strong>and</strong> it back with a b<strong>and</strong>.<br />
(d)<br />
(e)<br />
your homework in now, please!<br />
the bottles in the recycling bin.<br />
3. Think <strong>of</strong> something that requires simple instructions to explain to a friend;<br />
for example, how to shade a picture, fanfold a sheet <strong>of</strong> paper, sketch a face,<br />
work out fractions or address an envelope. Ask your friend to write down your<br />
oral instructions, then, together, highlight the comm<strong>and</strong> verbs.<br />
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<strong>Primary</strong> grammar <strong>and</strong> word study
<strong>Parts</strong> <strong>of</strong> speech<br />
Verbs<br />
Focus<br />
Past, present <strong>and</strong> future tense (including irregular)<br />
verbs; auxiliary verbs<br />
Definitions<br />
• Verb tense shows whether the action <strong>of</strong> the verb<br />
occurs in the present, the past or the future.<br />
• Auxiliary verbs are small verbs, <strong>of</strong>ten a form <strong>of</strong> the<br />
verb ‘to have’ or ‘to be’, that combine with another<br />
verb to form a compound verb.<br />
Example:<br />
We are driving slowly <strong>and</strong> I know we will be late.<br />
Explanation<br />
• There are three basic verb tenses—present, past<br />
<strong>and</strong> future. Future <strong>and</strong> past tense <strong>of</strong>ten form a<br />
compound verb using an auxiliary or helping verb.<br />
• Most verbs in the past tense end in ed. Most present<br />
tense verbs end in s or es.<br />
Example:<br />
Claire dances but Tim does taekwondo. David is<br />
driving a go-kart. (present tense)<br />
Daniel stacked the books in the bookcase. He<br />
has worked hard. (past tense)<br />
Merrilyn will start gym classes next week. (future<br />
tense)<br />
• In the sentences above, ‘is’, ‘has’ <strong>and</strong> ‘will’ are<br />
auxiliary verbs, with ‘is’ used as part <strong>of</strong> a present<br />
tense verb, ‘has’ used as part <strong>of</strong> the past tense <strong>and</strong><br />
‘will’ forming part <strong>of</strong> a future tense verb.<br />
• Most verb tense forms are regular (they have ed,<br />
es or add auxiliary verbs such as ‘is’ <strong>and</strong> ‘will’ to<br />
make the correct tense) but many are irregular. For<br />
example: ‘We usually buy our lunch on Mondays’<br />
(present tense) becomes ‘I bought my lunch<br />
yesterday’ (past tense). Other examples include be/<br />
was/were; begin/began; do/did; grow/grew; get/got;<br />
choose/chose; make/made.<br />
A more detailed list can be found by accessing the<br />
Internet.<br />
Worksheet information<br />
• Read the text <strong>and</strong> the explanation with the students<br />
<strong>and</strong> discuss. Revise verbs <strong>and</strong> ensure the students<br />
realise that some verbs have two or more parts such<br />
as ‘are fighting’, ‘will make sure’.<br />
• Discuss the verbs <strong>and</strong> decide which tell about<br />
things that are happening now (present tense),<br />
which things have already happened (past tense)<br />
<strong>and</strong> which things will happen in the future (future<br />
tense). Students can select from these to complete<br />
Question 2.<br />
• Students should realise that words such as ‘are’ <strong>and</strong><br />
‘is’ relate to the present, words such as ‘would’ <strong>and</strong><br />
‘will’ relate to future tense <strong>and</strong> words such as ‘have’<br />
<strong>and</strong> ‘were’ relate to past tense. This may help them<br />
to complete Question 3.<br />
• All the verbs in Question 4 are irregular verbs.<br />
Students will need to spell <strong>and</strong> write completely new<br />
words to complete the table <strong>and</strong> can add one <strong>of</strong> their<br />
own choosing.<br />
Ideas for further practice<br />
• Compile a list <strong>of</strong> simple present tense words ending<br />
in s or es <strong>and</strong> past tense words ending in ed for use<br />
in writing activities.<br />
• Display auxiliary words such as ‘are’, ‘is’, ‘were’,<br />
was’, ‘am’ etc. on ‘helping h<strong>and</strong>’ shapes.<br />
Answers<br />
1. Teacher check<br />
2. Answers will vary but should include words from<br />
the list.<br />
(a) present tense <strong>–</strong> feel, see, are fighting, are<br />
caught, have, to live, to eat, am<br />
(b) past tense <strong>–</strong> have seen, helped, put up, gave,<br />
was<br />
(c) future tense <strong>–</strong> will make sure, will settle, will<br />
be<br />
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3. (a) were fighting/fought<br />
(b) will help<br />
(c) are settling/settle<br />
<strong>Primary</strong> grammar <strong>and</strong> word study 10<br />
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4.<br />
Present<br />
tense<br />
Past<br />
tense<br />
Present<br />
tense<br />
Past tense<br />
catch caught see saw<br />
eat ate fight fought<br />
give gave keep kept<br />
make made Teacher check Teacher check
Past, present <strong>and</strong> future verbs<br />
1. Read the text.<br />
I feel very sad when I see news programs about countries where different<br />
groups <strong>of</strong> people are fighting each other. Many children are caught in the<br />
middle. Many families have nowhere to live <strong>and</strong> little to eat.<br />
I have seen how aid workers helped put up tents for refugees. They also<br />
gave them food but life was still hard for these families because <strong>of</strong> wars.<br />
When I am ‘king <strong>of</strong> the world’, I will make sure that people will settle<br />
disagreements as peacefully as possible <strong>and</strong> that innocent people will be<br />
safe.<br />
A verb is a word which shows actions, or states <strong>of</strong> being or<br />
having. Verb tenses can tell about the past, the present <strong>and</strong><br />
the future. Many verbs have more than one part.<br />
2. Write two examples <strong>of</strong> each verb tense from the text. The verbs are shown in<br />
bold print.<br />
(a) present tense<br />
(b) past tense<br />
(c) future tense<br />
3. Change each verb to the new tense shown in brackets.<br />
(a) are fighting (past)<br />
(b) have helped (future)<br />
(c) will settle (present)<br />
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4. These verbs don’t change tense in the same way. Complete the table, adding one<br />
verb <strong>of</strong> your own.<br />
Present tense Past tense Present tense Past tense<br />
caught<br />
see<br />
eat<br />
fight<br />
give<br />
kept<br />
make<br />
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<strong>Primary</strong> grammar <strong>and</strong> word study
<strong>Parts</strong> <strong>of</strong> speech<br />
Adjectives<br />
Focus<br />
Common adjectives<br />
Definition<br />
• An adjective is a describing word. It adds meaning<br />
to or changes the meaning <strong>of</strong> a noun or a pronoun.<br />
Example:<br />
I’m wearing leather shoes. (describes the noun,<br />
‘shoes’)<br />
The fog is thick. (describes the noun, ‘fog’) Note:<br />
The adjective does not always come before the<br />
noun.<br />
She is careless. (describes the pronoun, ‘she’)<br />
Explanation<br />
• The use <strong>of</strong> suitable adjectives not only makes<br />
written or spoken language more interesting, it gives<br />
the reader or listener a clearer underst<strong>and</strong>ing.<br />
Worksheet information<br />
• Discuss adjectives with the students. Ask them to<br />
think <strong>of</strong> suitable adjectives to describe classroom<br />
objects or class members. Encourage them to use<br />
the adjective in context in a sentence.<br />
Example:<br />
Tanya has straight hair.<br />
The blackboard ruler is long.<br />
• Discuss the explanation at the top <strong>of</strong> the worksheet<br />
<strong>and</strong> the information <strong>and</strong> hint in Activity 1 about<br />
identifying adjectives.<br />
• Students read the paragraph, identifying the<br />
adjectives <strong>and</strong> highlighting them. Point out that not<br />
all nouns will have a word that describes them.<br />
• After completing the activity, discuss how the choice<br />
<strong>of</strong> adjectives helped students to imagine what a<br />
dragonfly looked like <strong>and</strong> learn about some aspects<br />
<strong>of</strong> its nature.<br />
• Students then use adjectives to answer the<br />
questions in Activity 2.<br />
• Students are required to think carefully about their<br />
choice <strong>of</strong> adjectives to complete Activity 3.<br />
Ideas for further practice<br />
• Identify the adjectives used to describe characters<br />
in books. Some <strong>of</strong> these adjectives may be found in<br />
a phrase <strong>and</strong> not necessarily in front <strong>of</strong> a noun. They<br />
may also be describing a pronoun.<br />
• Use the paragraph about the dragonfly to brainstorm<br />
a list <strong>of</strong> suitable adjectives to describe an animal<br />
being studied in science.<br />
Answers<br />
1. Adjectives are in bold print.<br />
A dragonfly is a flying insect. It gets its scary<br />
name because it looks like a tiny dragon. However,<br />
a dragonfly is a gentle creature <strong>and</strong> does not bite<br />
or sting people. It can have a blue, red or green<br />
body <strong>and</strong> white, yellow or black markings. A<br />
dragonfly has compound eyes, large wings, <strong>and</strong><br />
strong jaws <strong>and</strong> sharp teeth for crunching up<br />
other insects. It is most likely to be found near<br />
damp places.<br />
2. (a) flying<br />
(b) scary<br />
(c) blue, red, green<br />
(d) white, yellow, black<br />
(e) strong, sharp<br />
(f) damp<br />
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3. (a) (i) long (ii) warm<br />
(iii) local (iv) icy<br />
(v) lazy (vi) chilly<br />
(b) (i) lazy, long, local<br />
(ii) chilly/icy, chilly/icy, warm<br />
<strong>Primary</strong> grammar <strong>and</strong> word study 12<br />
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Adjectives <strong>–</strong> 1<br />
Adjectives are describing words.<br />
They help make writing more interesting <strong>and</strong> clearer.<br />
1. Read the paragraph about the dragonfly. Some <strong>of</strong> the nouns are<br />
in bold print. Highlight the adjectives that describe these nouns.<br />
(Hint: Ask ‘What kind <strong>of</strong>?’ in front <strong>of</strong> the noun.)<br />
A dragonfly is a flying insect. It gets its scary name because it looks like a<br />
tiny dragon. However, a dragonfly is a gentle creature <strong>and</strong> does not bite or<br />
sting people. It can have a blue, red or green body <strong>and</strong> white, yellow or black<br />
markings. A dragonfly has compound eyes, large wings, <strong>and</strong> strong jaws<br />
<strong>and</strong> sharp teeth for crunching up other insects. It is most likely to be found near<br />
damp places.<br />
2. Use adjectives to answer the questions about the dragonfly.<br />
(a) What type <strong>of</strong> insect is it?<br />
(b) What kind <strong>of</strong> name does it have?<br />
(c) What colours can its body have?<br />
(d) What colour markings can it have?<br />
(e) Describe its jaws <strong>and</strong> its teeth.<br />
(f) What kind <strong>of</strong> places can it be found?<br />
3. (a) Unjumble the words below. The first letter is in bold print.<br />
(i) olng<br />
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(ii) rmaw<br />
(iii) llcao<br />
(v) zlay<br />
(iv) yic<br />
(vi) hilycl<br />
(b) The words above can be used as adjectives. Use them to fill in the missing words<br />
in these sentences.<br />
(i) Our<br />
dog is getting too fat <strong>and</strong> needs to be<br />
taken on walks in the park.<br />
(ii) The<br />
wind was coming <strong>of</strong>f the<br />
mountain <strong>and</strong> made us huddle around the<br />
fire.<br />
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<strong>Primary</strong> grammar <strong>and</strong> word study
<strong>Parts</strong> <strong>of</strong> speech<br />
Adjectives<br />
Focus<br />
Common adjectives<br />
Definition<br />
• An adjective is a describing word. It adds meaning<br />
to or changes the meaning <strong>of</strong> a noun or a pronoun.<br />
Example:<br />
I’m holding a green umbrella. (describes the<br />
noun, ‘umbrella’)<br />
The sun is bright. (describes the noun, ‘sun’)<br />
Note: the adjective does not always come before<br />
the noun.<br />
He is worried. (describes the pronoun, ‘he’)<br />
Explanation<br />
• The use <strong>of</strong> suitable adjectives not only makes<br />
written or spoken language more interesting, it gives<br />
the reader or listener a clearer underst<strong>and</strong>ing.<br />
Worksheet information<br />
• Discuss adjectives. Ask students to think <strong>of</strong> suitable<br />
words to describe classroom objects or class<br />
members. Encourage them to use the adjective in<br />
context in a sentence.<br />
Example:<br />
Leon has brown eyes.<br />
The outdoor mat is dusty.<br />
• Discuss the explanation at the top <strong>of</strong> the worksheet.<br />
Explain how to ask questions such as ‘What kind?’<br />
in front <strong>of</strong> the noun to help guess the adjectives in<br />
the crossword. The nouns come after the adjectives,<br />
except in 10 Across <strong>and</strong> 8 Down.<br />
2.<br />
Ideas for further practice<br />
• In pairs, students brainstorm to list words that can<br />
be used as adjectives. Make up clues similar to page<br />
15. Use grid paper to construct a crossword frame.<br />
When complete, swap crosswords with another pair<br />
<strong>of</strong> students.<br />
• Write a paragraph about an object, using as many<br />
adjectives as possible to describe it.<br />
Answers<br />
1.<br />
B<br />
C L U M S Y<br />
O S T<br />
4.<br />
L H B L A C K<br />
6. 7.<br />
3.<br />
O Y U L P<br />
U S L O<br />
R A I N Y S L<br />
F T I<br />
8. 9.<br />
U M T H I R S T Y<br />
10. 11.<br />
L A R G E N A E<br />
12.<br />
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S L E E P I N G<br />
S W G<br />
Y<br />
E<br />
5.<br />
<strong>Primary</strong> grammar <strong>and</strong> word study 14<br />
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Adjectives <strong>–</strong> 2<br />
Adjectives are describing words. They help make writing<br />
more interesting <strong>and</strong> clearer for the reader.<br />
The answers to the clues<br />
for the crossword puzzle<br />
are words that can be<br />
used as adjectives. Use<br />
the crossword to help you<br />
work out the answers.<br />
Across<br />
2. The boy tripped over his shoelaces.<br />
4. We <strong>of</strong>ten see crows feeding on the riverbank.<br />
6. As it was a day, we stayed indoors.<br />
9. The dog lapped up the water greedily.<br />
10. The truck was too to fit in the garage.<br />
12. The baby was woken by the door banging.<br />
Down<br />
1. A fox has a tail.<br />
2.<br />
1.<br />
4.<br />
6. 7.<br />
3.<br />
8. 9.<br />
10. 11.<br />
12.<br />
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5.<br />
2. A peacock has feathers.<br />
3. The giraffe easily reached the topmost branch.<br />
4. The ants hurried into their nest.<br />
5. The child held the door open for the old lady.<br />
7. We all jumped when we heard the noise.<br />
8. Our bedroom was so we spent two hours tidying it.<br />
11. shoes <strong>of</strong>ten cause blisters.<br />
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<strong>Primary</strong> grammar <strong>and</strong> word study
<strong>Parts</strong> <strong>of</strong> speech<br />
Comparatives <strong>and</strong> superlatives<br />
Focus<br />
Comparative <strong>and</strong> superlative adjectives<br />
Definitions<br />
• Comparative adjectives are words used to<br />
compare two things, usually by adding the suffix er.<br />
Example:<br />
tall, taller<br />
• Superlative adjectives are words used to compare<br />
more than two things, usually by adding the suffix<br />
est.<br />
Example:<br />
brave, bravest<br />
Explanation<br />
• If the adjective has two or more syllables, ‘more’ or<br />
‘most’ is usually added before the adjective.<br />
Example:<br />
terrible, more terrible, most terrible<br />
• But if the adjective <strong>of</strong> two or more syllables ends in<br />
‘y’, er or est is usually used.<br />
Example:<br />
ugly, uglier, ugliest<br />
• Some comparative <strong>and</strong> superlative adjectives are<br />
irregular.<br />
Example:<br />
bad, worse, worst<br />
good, better, best<br />
Worksheet information<br />
• Use the information at the top <strong>of</strong> page 17 to discuss<br />
with the students how ‘er’ <strong>and</strong> ‘est’ are added<br />
to adjectives to compare things. Use qualities <strong>of</strong><br />
common objects in the classroom or students to<br />
practise the concept; e.g. identify three students—a<br />
student with long hair, a student with longer hair <strong>and</strong><br />
a student with the longest hair.<br />
Note how ‘the’ is <strong>of</strong>ten used before the superlative<br />
form (the longest hair).<br />
• Students complete the paragraph in Activity 1,<br />
changing the adjectives when necessary by adding<br />
‘er’ or ‘est’. Remind them to change the ‘y’ to ‘i’<br />
before adding ‘er’ or ‘est’.<br />
• Use the information above Activity 2 to discuss how<br />
‘more’ <strong>and</strong> ‘most’ are also used before adjectives<br />
when comparing. To complete Activity 2, students<br />
need to identify when to add ‘er’ ,‘est’, ‘more’ or<br />
‘most’ to an adjective. Remind them again to change<br />
the ‘y’ to ‘i’ before adding ‘er’ or ‘est’.<br />
• Activity 3 provides practice in using the correct<br />
comparative or superlative form <strong>of</strong> adjectives.<br />
Compare answers.<br />
Ideas for further practice<br />
• Students compile two lists <strong>of</strong> comparative <strong>and</strong><br />
superlative adjectives—one where ‘er’ <strong>and</strong> ‘est’ is<br />
added <strong>and</strong> the other where ‘more’ <strong>and</strong> ‘most’ are<br />
used. They could work in small groups <strong>and</strong> make<br />
decisions about which words use either form by<br />
putting the words in sentences <strong>and</strong> saying them<br />
aloud. This is <strong>of</strong>ten a good way to decide. Expect a<br />
few giggles when someone says something like ‘My<br />
s<strong>and</strong>wich is deliciouser than yours!’<br />
• The activity above will probably help students to<br />
identify irregular forms <strong>of</strong> the comparative <strong>and</strong><br />
superlative. These include ‘good/better/best’, ‘many/<br />
more/most’; ‘bad/worse/worst’ <strong>and</strong> ‘little/less/least’.<br />
Students could use these words in spoken or written<br />
sentences or paragraphs in pairs or groups.<br />
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Answers<br />
1. wavy, cheeky, wavier, cheekier, waviest, cheekiest<br />
2. (a) tidy, tidier, tidiest<br />
(b) famous, more famous, most famous<br />
(c) narrow, narrower, narrowest<br />
(d) horrible, more horrible, most horrible<br />
(e) wonderful, more wonderful, most wonderful<br />
3. Teacher check<br />
<strong>Primary</strong> grammar <strong>and</strong> word study 16<br />
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Comparing things<br />
When we compare two people or things we change the adjective,<br />
usually by adding er; for example: ‘This tree is tall but that tree is taller’.<br />
When we compare three or more people or things we change the<br />
adjective, usually by adding est; for example: ‘This tree is tall but<br />
that tree is taller. The tree over there is the tallest’.<br />
1. Use the adjectives below to complete the paragraph. You will have<br />
to change the words by adding er or est to them.<br />
wavy<br />
I have three brothers. Dylan has<br />
grin. Blair has<br />
grin. Nicholas has the<br />
grin.<br />
cheeky<br />
hair <strong>and</strong> a<br />
hair than Dylan <strong>and</strong> a<br />
Instead <strong>of</strong> adding er or est to an adjective when we compare<br />
things, we use more or most before some adjectives;<br />
e.g. beautiful, more beautiful, most beautiful.<br />
hair <strong>of</strong> all three <strong>and</strong> the<br />
2. Finish the table below, changing the adjectives by adding er, est, more or most.<br />
(a)<br />
3. Use each adjective in a sentence.<br />
(a) stronger<br />
tidy<br />
(b) more famous<br />
(c)<br />
(d)<br />
(e)<br />
horrible<br />
narrowest<br />
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most wonderful<br />
(b) funniest<br />
(c) most beautiful<br />
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<strong>Primary</strong> grammar <strong>and</strong> word study
<strong>Parts</strong> <strong>of</strong> speech<br />
Adverbs<br />
Focus<br />
Common adverbs <strong>of</strong> manner <strong>and</strong> time<br />
Definition<br />
• An adverb is a word that adds information, usually<br />
to a verb <strong>and</strong> can tell how (manner), when (time) or<br />
where (place) something happens.<br />
Example:<br />
Today (time), the boys rudely (manner)<br />
interrupted the concert by running upstairs<br />
(place).<br />
Note: Adverbs can modify (add information to) any<br />
words that are not nouns or pronouns. (These are<br />
modified by adjectives.)<br />
Explanation<br />
• Adverbs can clarify meaning by telling more about<br />
the action, allowing for greater precision <strong>and</strong> adding<br />
interest to writing.<br />
Worksheet information<br />
• Discuss the things some family members can<br />
do really well <strong>and</strong> how sometimes other family<br />
members do not have the same talents. Introduce<br />
the concept <strong>and</strong> discuss ways in which some<br />
members <strong>of</strong> a family can be opposites; for example,<br />
in height, hair colour, personality, likes, dislikes,<br />
interests <strong>and</strong> habits.<br />
• Read the text then discuss why some words are<br />
in bold. Remind students that words telling about<br />
something someone does or things that happen are<br />
called verbs (see pages 6<strong>–</strong>11) <strong>and</strong> that these words<br />
are all verbs.<br />
• Some students may need assistance to underst<strong>and</strong><br />
the meaning <strong>of</strong> some <strong>of</strong> the adverbs used in the<br />
text. They should be encouraged to use contextual<br />
information.<br />
• Identify ‘sang’ (the first two verbs in bold) <strong>and</strong><br />
discuss the words that tell how Dave <strong>and</strong> Dad sang.<br />
These are adverbs <strong>and</strong> should be underlined.<br />
• Identify the adverbs that tell how each boy played<br />
<strong>and</strong> underline them.<br />
• Students complete Question 1 by identifying <strong>and</strong><br />
underlining the adverbs that describe each <strong>of</strong> the<br />
verbs in bold in the text .<br />
• Revise adjectives (see pages 12<strong>–</strong>17) before students<br />
change the adjectives to adverbs in Question 2.<br />
• As many <strong>of</strong> the adverbs are quite long <strong>and</strong> may not<br />
be easy for some students to spell, encourage them<br />
to copy the words carefully from the text.<br />
• Explain that adverbs can not only tell how something<br />
happened, but they can also tell about when <strong>and</strong><br />
where, it happened.<br />
• In Question 3, students will need to identify the<br />
adverb telling when the verb happened, then change<br />
it <strong>and</strong> rewrite the sentence so it has the opposite<br />
meaning.<br />
Ideas for further practice<br />
• Students work in pairs to mime one action<br />
completed in opposite ways. Other students should<br />
identify what they are both doing <strong>and</strong> how they<br />
are individually doing it; for example, ‘You are both<br />
brushing your hair, but one is brushing slowly <strong>and</strong> the<br />
other is brushing quickly’.<br />
• Demonstrate the function <strong>of</strong> adverbs by writing a<br />
simple sentence on the board.<br />
Example:<br />
The boys walked.<br />
Ask the question how <strong>and</strong> add different adverbs <strong>of</strong><br />
manner after ‘walked’. Then ask when they walked<br />
<strong>and</strong> add possible answers at the beginning <strong>of</strong> the<br />
sentence. Individual students then take turns at<br />
compiling a sentence from the possibilities listed on<br />
the board.<br />
Example:<br />
Recently, the boys walked sadly.<br />
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Answers<br />
1. The following adverbs should be underlined:<br />
beautifully, woefully, enthusiastically, reluctantly,<br />
swiftly, easily, slowly, awkwardly, neatly, carelessly,<br />
patiently, perfectly, quickly, messily<br />
2. (b) woefully (c) enthusiastically (d) carelessly<br />
(e) patiently (f) messily<br />
3. Answers may include:<br />
(a) earlier later<br />
(b) After Before<br />
(c) always never<br />
<strong>Primary</strong> grammar <strong>and</strong> word study 18<br />
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Adverbs <strong>–</strong> 1<br />
<strong>Word</strong>s telling how, when or where things happen are called<br />
adverbs.<br />
1. (a) Read about the two opposite people.<br />
My dad <strong>and</strong> his brother, Dave, are very different. When they were young,<br />
Dave played the piano <strong>and</strong> sang beautifully, while Dad sang woefully.<br />
Dad enjoyed sport <strong>and</strong> played enthusiastically, but Dave hated sport <strong>and</strong><br />
played reluctantly. Unlike Dad, who could run swiftly <strong>and</strong> kick <strong>and</strong> catch<br />
balls easily, he ran slowly <strong>and</strong> kicked <strong>and</strong> caught balls awkwardly. In<br />
class, Dad wrote neatly, but Dave wrote carelessly <strong>and</strong> his work was<br />
untidy. However, Dave loved art. He worked patiently <strong>and</strong> could draw <strong>and</strong><br />
paint perfectly, while Dad worked quickly <strong>and</strong> painted messily. How more<br />
opposite could two boys be?<br />
(b) The words in bold are verbs. Underline the adverbs telling how each <strong>of</strong> these things<br />
was done.<br />
2. Change the highlighted adjectives into adverbs telling how something<br />
happened. The first one has been done as an example.<br />
(a) Dave was a beautiful singer. He sang .<br />
(b) Dad was a woeful singer. He sang .<br />
(c) Dad was an enthusiastic sportsman. He played sport .<br />
(d) Dave was a careless writer. He wrote .<br />
(e) Dave was a patient worker. He worked .<br />
(f) Dad was a messy painter. He painted .<br />
3. Rewrite each sentence by changing the adverb so it now tells the opposite <strong>of</strong><br />
when each thing happened.<br />
(a) Dave arrived at school earlier.<br />
beautifully<br />
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(b) After Dave sang he played the piano.<br />
(c) Dave always enjoyed sport.<br />
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<strong>Primary</strong> grammar <strong>and</strong> word study
<strong>Parts</strong> <strong>of</strong> speech<br />
Adverbs<br />
Focus<br />
Common adverbs <strong>of</strong> place <strong>and</strong> interrogative adverbs<br />
Definitions<br />
• An adverb is a word that adds information, usually<br />
to a verb <strong>and</strong> can tell how (manner), when or where<br />
something happens.<br />
Example:<br />
Earlier (time), the ranger had sternly (manner)<br />
warned the campers not to swim there (place).<br />
• An interrogative adverb asks questions about how,<br />
when, where or why something happens.<br />
Note: Adverbs can modify any words that are<br />
not nouns or pronouns. (These are modified by<br />
adjectives.)<br />
Explanation<br />
• Adverbs can clarify meaning by telling more about<br />
the action, allowing for greater precision <strong>and</strong> adding<br />
interest to writing.<br />
• On the worksheet, common adverbs have been<br />
classified as those that add information about<br />
manner, time or place, but there are other<br />
categories such as: adverbs <strong>of</strong> frequency;<br />
e.g. usually <strong>and</strong> seldom <strong>and</strong> adverbs <strong>of</strong> extent;<br />
e.g. quite <strong>and</strong> almost. These other categories could<br />
also be discussed with students.<br />
• Although adverbs <strong>of</strong>ten answer the questions how,<br />
when <strong>and</strong> where about the verb, the actual words<br />
how, when, where <strong>and</strong> why are themselves<br />
adverbs. They are known as interrogative adverbs.<br />
Worksheet information<br />
• Introduce the worksheet by discussing occasions<br />
when students, family members or friends have<br />
had to search for something, <strong>and</strong> ask students to<br />
describe how the people involved were feeling <strong>and</strong><br />
behaving at the time. Did they try to blame each<br />
other for whatever was missing?<br />
• Remind students that identifying adverbs is made<br />
easier by first finding the verbs.<br />
• Read the text. The students should then locate <strong>and</strong><br />
circle all the verbs. (See pages 6<strong>–</strong>11 to revise verbs.)<br />
• Model asking the ‘where’ question after each verb.<br />
For example, ‘Does the text tell where the sneaker<br />
has disappeared? (No) ‘Does the text tell where I’ve<br />
searched?’ (Yes, so here is the adverb <strong>and</strong> should be<br />
underlined.) Students should complete Question 1.<br />
• Explain that if the answers for Question 2 are located<br />
in the text, they should be used; but if not, students<br />
will need to use their imagination <strong>and</strong> make up<br />
some appropriate adverbs. For example, ‘How<br />
would Mum have checked?’ (carefully? crossly?<br />
impatiently?)<br />
• Before students complete Question 4, they will<br />
need to underst<strong>and</strong> that all the words in the box are<br />
adverbs. Some teachers may choose to introduce<br />
the term interrogative adverb <strong>and</strong> to explain<br />
that these question words are themselves special<br />
adverbs. Encourage students to choose the adverbs<br />
wisely as some words will fit in more than one space<br />
<strong>and</strong> each word should only be used once.<br />
Ideas for further practice<br />
• Students work in small groups to highlight verbs on<br />
a newspaper or magazine page then list any adverbs<br />
used in the text to modify them.<br />
Answers<br />
1. The following adverbs <strong>of</strong> place should be<br />
underlined: here, there, upstairs, down, inside,<br />
outside, near, far, everywhere, <strong>of</strong>f<br />
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2. (a) Teacher check (b) Teacher check<br />
(c) inside/outside<br />
3. Answers should indicate that they searched<br />
because they couldn’t find the sneaker.<br />
4. (a) How, quickly (b) Where, everywhere<br />
(c) When, today (d) Why<br />
<strong>Primary</strong> grammar <strong>and</strong> word study 20<br />
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Adverbs <strong>–</strong> 2<br />
<strong>Word</strong>s telling how, when or where things happen are called adverbs.<br />
1. Underline the adverbs <strong>of</strong> place that tell where things happened.<br />
My sneaker has disappeared.<br />
I’ve searched here <strong>and</strong> I’ve searched there.<br />
I’ve looked upstairs <strong>and</strong> I’ve looked down.<br />
Mum’s checked inside, then checked outside.<br />
Even Dad searched near <strong>and</strong> he searched far.<br />
We’ve just looked everywhere.<br />
But I know it can’t be my fault,<br />
as it must have sneaked <strong>of</strong>f by itself!<br />
2. Add one adverb to answer each question.<br />
(a) ‘How do you think Mum checked inside <strong>and</strong> out?’<br />
‘Mum could have checked .’<br />
(b) ‘When do you think Dad could have searched near <strong>and</strong> far?’<br />
‘ Dad searched near <strong>and</strong> far.’<br />
(c) ‘Where did Mum check?’<br />
‘Mum checked .’<br />
3. Complete the sentence to answer the question.<br />
‘Why did they search?’<br />
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‘They searched because .’<br />
4. Choose the best adverbs from the box below to complete the sentences.<br />
(a) ‘ fast can you run?’<br />
‘I can run .’<br />
(b) ‘ are you looking for it?’<br />
‘I’m looking .’<br />
(c) ‘ did you lose it?’<br />
‘I lost it .’<br />
(d) ‘ do you think that?’<br />
quickly<br />
everywhere<br />
how<br />
when<br />
today<br />
where<br />
why<br />
Don’t forget to use<br />
a capital letter if<br />
the word begins a<br />
sentence!<br />
R.I.C. Publications ® www.ricpublications.com.au 21<br />
<strong>Primary</strong> grammar <strong>and</strong> word study
<strong>Parts</strong> <strong>of</strong> speech<br />
Pronouns<br />
Focus<br />
Worksheet information<br />
Personal pronouns: emphatic, reflexive<br />
Definitions<br />
• A pronoun is a word substituted for a noun.<br />
• A personal pronoun is used in place <strong>of</strong> a person or<br />
thing.<br />
• An emphatic personal pronoun emphasises the<br />
subject <strong>of</strong> the verb.<br />
Example:<br />
They (subject) play football themselves.<br />
• A reflexive personal pronoun is the object <strong>of</strong> the<br />
verb.<br />
Example:<br />
He hid himself (object) very well.<br />
Explanation<br />
• The use <strong>of</strong> pronouns prevents constant repetition <strong>of</strong><br />
a noun, making the text more manageable <strong>and</strong> fluid.<br />
• It is important for students to know the correct<br />
pronouns to use in the context <strong>of</strong> any sentence so<br />
their grammar, in speech <strong>and</strong> in writing, is accurate.<br />
• The following table shows which personal pronoun<br />
to use:<br />
<strong>–</strong> when the person the pronoun refers to is the<br />
subject or object<br />
Example:<br />
He (subject) is old. The man noticed us. (object)<br />
<strong>–</strong> to emphasise the subject <strong>of</strong> the verb<br />
Example:<br />
We built the bonfire ourselves. (emphatic pronoun)<br />
<strong>–</strong> when the object <strong>of</strong> the verb is the same person as<br />
the subject<br />
Example:<br />
He dried himself. (reflexive pronoun)<br />
<strong>–</strong> to indicate possession.<br />
Example:<br />
This book is yours.<br />
Person Subjective Objective<br />
Emphatic/<br />
Reflexive<br />
Possessive<br />
First singular I me myself mine<br />
Second you you yourself yours<br />
Third (male) he him himself his<br />
Third (female) she her herself hers<br />
Third (neuter) it it itself its<br />
First plural we us ourselves ours<br />
Second you you yourselves yours<br />
Third they them themselves theirs<br />
• Before beginning the activity, revise the role <strong>of</strong><br />
personal pronouns. For example, change the nouns<br />
in the sentence ‘Mr McGregor returned the ball to the<br />
girls because the ball was the girls’, to become: ‘He<br />
returned it to them because it was theirs’.<br />
He is the subject <strong>of</strong> the verb, it <strong>and</strong> them are<br />
objects <strong>of</strong> the verb <strong>and</strong> theirs refers to ownership <strong>of</strong><br />
it by them.<br />
• Emphasise to students that each missing word in<br />
the first text is an emphatic pronoun; e.g. yourself,<br />
ourselves.<br />
• Activity 1 (b) reinforces the match between each<br />
form <strong>of</strong> emphatic pronoun <strong>and</strong> the subject <strong>of</strong> the<br />
verb.<br />
• In Activity 2, students are required to demonstrate<br />
their underst<strong>and</strong>ing between the emphatic <strong>and</strong><br />
reflexive personal pronouns <strong>and</strong> the noun or pronoun<br />
it refers to.<br />
Ideas for further practice<br />
• With the students, develop a short play script in<br />
which emphatic-reflexive personal pronouns are<br />
overused so as to emphasise their use.<br />
• Play a circle game in which students take turns to<br />
deliver a sentence containing an emphatic-reflexive<br />
personal pronoun. The rest <strong>of</strong> the circle determine<br />
whether the correct one has been used.<br />
Answers<br />
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1. (a) myself, yourself, ourselves, himself, yourself,<br />
themselves<br />
(b)<br />
I have dressed myself.<br />
You can help yourself.<br />
We are going to enjoy ourselves.<br />
He (Thomas) hurt himself.<br />
you must get yourself.<br />
They can’t clean themselves.<br />
2. (a) himself, yourself, yourself, myself<br />
(b) James, you, you, I<br />
<strong>Primary</strong> grammar <strong>and</strong> word study 22<br />
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Myself, yourself<br />
A pronoun replaces a noun.<br />
1. (a) Read through the text, adding the missing pronouns.<br />
‘Look, Mum! I have dressed<br />
room with his T-shirt on back-to-front.<br />
!’ shouted Ben as he walked into the<br />
Mum hid a smile <strong>and</strong> said, ‘Now you can help<br />
breakfast’. She then added, ‘We are going to enjoy<br />
park today’.<br />
‘I’ll see Thomas!’ cried Ben excitedly. ‘He hurt<br />
when he fell <strong>of</strong>f the swing.’<br />
‘That’s right’, said Mum. ‘Now you must get<br />
brush your teeth. They can’t clean<br />
, can they!’<br />
to some<br />
at the<br />
last time<br />
ready. Go<br />
(b) Find these verbs in the text <strong>and</strong> complete the table by adding the correct pronouns<br />
before <strong>and</strong> after each one. The first one is done for you.<br />
I have dressed myself.<br />
can help<br />
are going to enjoy<br />
hurt<br />
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must get<br />
can’t clean<br />
2. (a) Circle the ‘-self’ pronouns.<br />
(b) Underline the noun or pronoun it is about.<br />
James wanted to bake the cake himself. It was to be a surprise for his Dad.<br />
But after a while, Mum came into the kitchen.<br />
‘Well, you have managed to cover yourself with flour from head to toe. I think you<br />
had better go <strong>and</strong> clean yourself up before Dad comes home.’<br />
‘I couldn’t make it myself, Mum’, said James sadly. ‘Will you help me try again?’<br />
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<strong>Primary</strong> grammar <strong>and</strong> word study
<strong>Parts</strong> <strong>of</strong> speech<br />
Pronouns<br />
Focus<br />
Indefinite pronouns<br />
Definitions<br />
• A pronoun is a word substituted for a noun.<br />
• An indefinite pronoun refers to an unspecified<br />
person or thing.<br />
Example:<br />
Someone broke the vase.<br />
Explanation<br />
• The use <strong>of</strong> pronouns prevents constant repetition <strong>of</strong><br />
a noun, making the text more manageable <strong>and</strong> fluid.<br />
• It is important for students to know the correct<br />
pronouns to use in the context <strong>of</strong> any sentence so<br />
their grammar, in speech <strong>and</strong> in writing, is accurate.<br />
• Within a sentence, a pronoun performs the same<br />
role as a noun.<br />
Example:<br />
I want you to enjoy yourselves.<br />
• There are 12 indefinite pronouns, formed by<br />
combining each <strong>of</strong> the words: some, any, no <strong>and</strong><br />
every with each <strong>of</strong> the words: body, one <strong>and</strong> thing.<br />
somebody, someone, something, anybody, anyone,<br />
anything, nobody, no-one, nothing, everybody,<br />
everyone, everything<br />
Note: Indefinite pronouns ending in -body or -one<br />
refer to people. Those ending in -thing refer to<br />
things.<br />
Worksheet information<br />
• On the board, write the seven words from the<br />
boxes <strong>and</strong> find the 12 compound words (indefinite<br />
pronouns) as a class/group before distributing the<br />
worksheets.<br />
• Explain that the words, some, any, no, <strong>and</strong> every<br />
always take the third person singular <strong>of</strong> a verb.<br />
To help students remember this, explain that even<br />
though some words from the first box may imply<br />
‘more than one’, all those in the second box are<br />
singular. The indefinite pronouns are singular <strong>and</strong><br />
related verbs, other pronouns <strong>and</strong> determiners must<br />
also be singular.<br />
• Students can check their choices by substituting the<br />
subjective pronoun he, she or it, for the indefinite<br />
pronoun; e.g. 2(a) He (nobody) likes to work…<br />
Ideas for further practice<br />
• Write each <strong>of</strong> the 12 pronouns on small pieces <strong>of</strong><br />
card. Students choose a card <strong>and</strong> say a sentence<br />
containing that word. Verbs <strong>and</strong> other pronouns<br />
relating to the indefinite pronouns must be correct.<br />
• Draw two display charts for the indefinite pronouns<br />
that relate to:<br />
<strong>–</strong> people (ending in -one <strong>and</strong> -body)<br />
<strong>–</strong> things (ending in -thing).<br />
Add the correct subjective, objective, possessive <strong>and</strong><br />
emphatic-reflexive pronouns that apply to each.<br />
Example:<br />
<strong>–</strong> people: he, she (subj.); him, her (obj.); his<br />
hers (poss.); himself, herself (em. re.)<br />
<strong>–</strong> things: it (subj.); it (obj.); its (poss.);<br />
itself (em. re.)<br />
• Prepare text containing deliberate errors in pronoun<strong>–</strong><br />
verb agreement for students to pro<strong>of</strong>read <strong>and</strong> edit.<br />
Answers<br />
1. somebody, someone, something<br />
anybody, anyone, anything<br />
nobody, no-one, nothing<br />
everybody, everyone, everything<br />
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2. (a) likes (b) needs (c) looks<br />
(d) wants (e) enjoys<br />
3. (a) his/her (b) it (c) its<br />
(d) himself/herself<br />
(e) his/her, is<br />
<strong>Primary</strong> grammar <strong>and</strong> word study 24<br />
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Somebody, anybody …<br />
A pronoun replaces a noun.<br />
1. Write all the pronouns you can make by using one word from each <strong>of</strong><br />
the boxes. e.g. somebody.<br />
some any no every body one thing<br />
The above pronouns are always singular <strong>and</strong> need a<br />
singular verb.<br />
2. Use the correct verb (in brackets) to complete the sentence.<br />
(a) Nobody to work in the garden in the heat. (like/likes)<br />
(b) Everything in the garden attention. (need/needs)<br />
(c) Nothing worse than a neglected garden. (look/looks)<br />
(d) Someone to hear your beautiful voice. (want/wants)<br />
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(e) Everyone listening to music. (enjoy/enjoys)<br />
3. Choose the correct words to match the singular pronoun in each sentence.<br />
(a) Everyone who visits the mountains in winter will need to pack<br />
(their, his/her, its) warmest clothes.<br />
(b) Anything that grows in the garden will suffer if<br />
is not watered.<br />
(c) Can nothing be done to improve<br />
(they, he/she, it)<br />
(their, his/her, its) flavour?<br />
(d) Anybody who visits the beach should cover<br />
(themselves, himself/herself, itself) with sunscreen.<br />
(e) Anyone who leaves<br />
(is, are) wasting water.<br />
(their, his/her, its) taps running<br />
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<strong>Primary</strong> grammar <strong>and</strong> word study
<strong>Parts</strong> <strong>of</strong> speech<br />
Conjunctions<br />
Focus<br />
Conjunctions<br />
Definition<br />
• Conjunctions are joining words which can be used<br />
to connect words, phrases, clauses or sentences.<br />
Example:<br />
black <strong>and</strong> white<br />
a fast car but difficult to control<br />
The man carried an umbrella because he thought<br />
it might rain.<br />
Explanation<br />
• Using conjunctions enables a writer to build <strong>and</strong><br />
combine ideas <strong>and</strong> avoid needless repetition.<br />
• Conjunctions can join:<br />
<strong>–</strong> one word with another, such as: cold <strong>and</strong> wet<br />
<strong>–</strong> one adjective with another, such as: The girl was<br />
hot <strong>and</strong> tired.<br />
<strong>–</strong> one sentence with another, such as: It was raining<br />
so I took an umbrella.<br />
Worksheet information<br />
• It is not necessary to include the subject twice when<br />
joining clauses or sentences. For example, joining<br />
‘I went to the shop’ <strong>and</strong> ‘I bought some fruit’ becomes:<br />
‘I went to the shop <strong>and</strong> bought some fruit’. Notice the<br />
second ‘I’ has been omitted. Students practise this in<br />
Question 2.<br />
Ideas for further practice<br />
• Create a ‘conjunctions’ poster for your classroom to<br />
help students write interesting sentences.<br />
• Students reread their most recent piece <strong>of</strong> creative<br />
writing text <strong>and</strong> rewrite it, adding conjunctions to<br />
join shorter sentences <strong>and</strong> to make them more<br />
interesting.<br />
Answers<br />
1. (b)<br />
To begin, you need to decide on a good location.<br />
The ocean is full <strong>of</strong> fish but a boat is usually<br />
required to get to them. A river is simpler because<br />
you can sit on the bank; although, you will have to<br />
wait for the fish to come to you.<br />
To fish, you will need a rod, fishing line, the correct<br />
bait, perhaps some worms or frozen fish, <strong>and</strong><br />
some sinkers <strong>and</strong> hooks. When you feel a tug on<br />
the line, yank the rod, but not too hard or the fish<br />
might get away. You will also need a bucket to<br />
store your catch <strong>and</strong>, most <strong>of</strong> all, lots <strong>of</strong> luck!<br />
2. (a) The drink was hot <strong>and</strong> sweet.<br />
(b) The lion looked fierce <strong>and</strong> proud.<br />
(c) Chloe <strong>and</strong> Tim love playing cricket.<br />
3. (a) Mum <strong>and</strong> Dad were having a party because it<br />
was their anniversary.<br />
(b) Reece missed the school bus so he had to call<br />
his dad.<br />
(c) Wash your h<strong>and</strong>s before you sit down to eat.<br />
(d) The old man was wearing a winter coat<br />
although it was hot day.<br />
(e) I was not allowed to open the present until it<br />
was my birthday.<br />
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<strong>Primary</strong> grammar <strong>and</strong> word study 26<br />
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Conjunctions<br />
A conjunction is a joining word which can be used to join words,<br />
groups <strong>of</strong> words or sentences.<br />
1. (a) Read the text about how to catch a fish.<br />
To begin, you need to decide on a good location. The ocean is full <strong>of</strong> fish but<br />
a boat is usually required to get to them. A river is simpler because you can<br />
sit on the bank; although, you will have to wait for the<br />
fish to come to you.<br />
To fish, you will need a rod, fishing line, the correct<br />
bait, perhaps some worms or frozen fish, <strong>and</strong> some<br />
sinkers <strong>and</strong> hooks. When you feel a tug on the line,<br />
yank the rod, but not too hard or the fish might get<br />
away. You will also need a bucket to store your catch<br />
<strong>and</strong>, most <strong>of</strong> all, lots <strong>of</strong> luck!<br />
(b) Find the 11 conjunctions in the text <strong>and</strong> circle them.<br />
2. Try using the conjunction ‘<strong>and</strong>’ to join two short sentences.<br />
For example: The pizza was hot. The pizza was delicious.<br />
(a) The drink was hot.<br />
(b) The lion looked fierce.<br />
(c) Chloe loves playing cricket.<br />
The pizza was hot <strong>and</strong> delicious.<br />
The drink was sweet.<br />
The lion looked proud.<br />
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Tim loves playing cricket.<br />
3. Choose from the following conjunctions to join these sentences.<br />
before because until so although<br />
(a) Mum <strong>and</strong> Dad were having a party<br />
(b) Reece missed the school bus<br />
it was their anniversary.<br />
he had to call his dad.<br />
(c) Wash your h<strong>and</strong>s<br />
you sit down to eat.<br />
(d) The old man was wearing a winter coat<br />
(e) I was not allowed to open the present<br />
it was a hot day.<br />
it was my birthday.<br />
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<strong>Primary</strong> grammar <strong>and</strong> word study
<strong>Parts</strong> <strong>of</strong> speech<br />
Determiners<br />
Focus<br />
Articles: the (definite) <strong>and</strong> a/an (indefinite)<br />
Demonstratives: this, that (singular) <strong>and</strong> these,<br />
those (plural)<br />
Definitions<br />
• A determiner is a word usually used before a noun<br />
that determines how definite it is.<br />
Example:<br />
Our homework was placed on that table with<br />
some books because the teacher wanted us to<br />
take a book home each night.<br />
• An article is a type <strong>of</strong> determiner that precedes<br />
a noun <strong>and</strong> identifies how definite (specific) or<br />
indefinite (nonspecific) that noun is.<br />
Example:<br />
a book (meaning any book)<br />
the book (meaning a particular book)<br />
• A demonstrative determiner signals whether the<br />
associated noun is near (this, these) the writer or<br />
speaker, or far away (that, those) from the writer or<br />
speaker.<br />
Note: In traditional grammar, some words used as<br />
what are now called determiners in functional<br />
grammar, are referred to as adjectives, e.g. first,<br />
seven, or possessive pronouns; e.g. my, your.<br />
Explanation<br />
• Determiners are useful for making information more<br />
precise for the reader or listener.<br />
• The definite article the is used to refer to a particular<br />
thing or things <strong>and</strong> when referring to specific, one<strong>of</strong>-a-kind<br />
things.<br />
Example:<br />
the Nile River<br />
the book (meaning a particular book)<br />
• Indefinite articles such as a <strong>and</strong> an are used to refer<br />
to any thing. The noun following an indefinite article<br />
is nonspecific.<br />
Example:<br />
a boat (meaning any boat)<br />
an umbrella (meaning any umbrella)<br />
• Articles can indicate a significant difference in<br />
meaning.<br />
Example:<br />
a house (any house)<br />
the house (a particular house)<br />
• The indefinite article a precedes a noun that begins<br />
with a consonant sound.<br />
Example:<br />
a yacht, a boat, a dog, a unicycle<br />
• The indefinite article an precedes a noun that begins<br />
with a vowel sound.<br />
Example:<br />
an apple, an ice-cream, an umbrella, an hour<br />
• Demonstratives generally indicate the proximity <strong>of</strong><br />
the noun to the writer or speaker. This (singular) <strong>and</strong><br />
these (plural) suggest the noun/nouns are close by,<br />
while that (singular) <strong>and</strong> those (plural) suggest the<br />
noun/nouns are far away or out <strong>of</strong> reach.<br />
Worksheet information<br />
• For the first activity, a short text has been provided<br />
to show students how articles are used in real-life<br />
text. The relevant nouns are in bold print to make<br />
it easier for students to identify the words which<br />
require an article.<br />
• The second activity provides students with specific<br />
rules <strong>and</strong> examples <strong>and</strong> then provides opportunity<br />
for them to practise what they have learnt. Before<br />
students write their own sentences, they could share<br />
ideas with the class.<br />
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Ideas for further practice<br />
• Students select a piece <strong>of</strong> text from their favourite<br />
book, magazine or newspaper article <strong>and</strong> use a<br />
pencil to lightly underline the ‘articles’ <strong>and</strong> related<br />
nouns.<br />
• Students work in four teams to write sentences<br />
using one <strong>of</strong> these words: ‘this’, ‘these’, ‘that’ <strong>and</strong><br />
‘those’. Set the timer for five minutes <strong>and</strong> the group<br />
with the greatest number <strong>of</strong> correct sentences wins.<br />
Answers<br />
1. (a) an (b) a (c) the (d) the<br />
(e) a (f) a (g) an<br />
2. Teacher check<br />
<strong>Primary</strong> grammar <strong>and</strong> word study 28<br />
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Determiners <strong>–</strong> 1<br />
Determiners such as a, an <strong>and</strong> the tell us more about a noun.<br />
The words a <strong>and</strong> an tell us that the thing is general.<br />
The tells us that it is a particular thing.<br />
1. Use the words a, an <strong>and</strong> the to complete the text.<br />
Mum <strong>and</strong> I were busy planning my birthday party. I decided I wanted<br />
ice-cream cake <strong>and</strong> Mum decided we could have<br />
party. I would make <strong>and</strong> deliver<br />
organise<br />
(b)<br />
spooky-themed<br />
(c)<br />
invitations <strong>and</strong> Mum would<br />
(d)<br />
spooky decorations. We decided that I could dress up as<br />
(e)<br />
ghost <strong>and</strong> she would be<br />
in on the act <strong>and</strong> dress up as<br />
(g)<br />
old, bony skeleton!<br />
(f)<br />
goblin. Dad wanted to get<br />
2. Read the rules <strong>and</strong> examples. Then write a sentence using each word.<br />
The words this, these, that <strong>and</strong> those tell us whether the thing<br />
or person is near or far away.<br />
(a) Use this with singular nouns near you.<br />
This cake is delicious.<br />
(b) Use these with plural nouns near you.<br />
These biscuits are tasty.<br />
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(a)<br />
(c) Use that with singular nouns far from<br />
you.<br />
Is that boy your brother?<br />
(d) Use those with plural nouns far from<br />
you.<br />
Those boys are by the swings.<br />
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<strong>Primary</strong> grammar <strong>and</strong> word study
<strong>Parts</strong> <strong>of</strong> speech<br />
Determiners<br />
Focus<br />
Determiners: Possessives <strong>–</strong> my, your, his, her, its, our,<br />
their<br />
Distributives <strong>–</strong> all, both, half, either, neither,<br />
each, every<br />
Definitions<br />
• A determiner is a word usually used before a noun<br />
that determines how definite it is.<br />
Example:<br />
Our homework was placed on that table with<br />
some books because the teacher wanted us to<br />
take a book home each night.<br />
• A possessive determiner is a word which identifies<br />
who something belongs to.<br />
Example:<br />
Callum lost his shoes.<br />
• A distributive is a type <strong>of</strong> determiner which tells<br />
how something is shared or divided.<br />
Example:<br />
I think every person is special.<br />
Note: In traditional grammar, some words used as<br />
what are now called determiners in functional<br />
grammar are referred to as adjectives; e.g. first,<br />
seven, or as possessive pronouns; e.g. my, your.<br />
Explanation<br />
• Determiners are useful for making information more<br />
precise for the reader or listener.<br />
• Possessive determiners are always used before the<br />
noun to say who the noun belongs to. They can be<br />
used in first, second or third person form as well as<br />
singular or plural. Refer to the table below to see<br />
which possessive determiners are used in each<br />
situation.<br />
Singular<br />
Plural<br />
Person Determiner Pronouns<br />
1st my I, me, mine<br />
2nd your you, yours<br />
his he, him, his<br />
3rd her she, her, hers<br />
its it, its<br />
1st our we, us, ours<br />
2nd your you, yours<br />
3rd their they, them, theirs<br />
Note: Possessive proper nouns are determiners.<br />
Example:<br />
Breigh’s homework<br />
• The distributive determiner is always used before<br />
the noun. It is also common to add ‘<strong>of</strong>’ after the<br />
distributive in some situations.<br />
Example:<br />
Each <strong>of</strong> my siblings is unique.<br />
Worksheet information<br />
• For Activity 1, read the explanation text <strong>and</strong> discuss<br />
how these words are used. Students may need<br />
clarification between pronouns <strong>and</strong> possessive<br />
determiners as used in the text. Read the text <strong>and</strong><br />
underline the pronouns used. Point out words such<br />
as its, which are being used both in the pronoun<br />
form <strong>and</strong> the possessive determiner form. It would<br />
be great if students observed that in its pronoun<br />
form, it can sit on its own, whereas when being<br />
used in its possessive determiner form, it must<br />
come before the noun.<br />
• In Activity 2 the nouns have been italicised in bold<br />
print to help students identify the distributives in the<br />
sentences. Read each sentence <strong>and</strong> ask students<br />
if they are able to identify the word which tells<br />
how something is shared, distributed or divided.<br />
Underline the word. Some students may have great<br />
difficulty identifying these <strong>and</strong> may need direct<br />
guidance.<br />
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Ideas for further practice<br />
• Select a piece <strong>of</strong> text <strong>and</strong> highlight the pronouns<br />
in one colour <strong>and</strong> the possessive determiners in a<br />
different colour.<br />
• Students write their own sentences using the<br />
distributive determiners.<br />
Answers<br />
1. his, its, his, his, his, its, her<br />
2. Across: 3. Neither 4. each<br />
Down: 1. every 2. either<br />
3. Teacher check<br />
<strong>Primary</strong> grammar <strong>and</strong> word study 30<br />
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Determiners <strong>–</strong> 2<br />
A determiner tells us more about a noun.<br />
The words my, your, his, her, its, our <strong>and</strong> their are determiners<br />
that tell who the noun belongs to.<br />
1. Select the correct word to complete the text.<br />
John loves his her pet crab. Its name is Milo. John <strong>of</strong>ten lets Milo out <strong>of</strong> its our<br />
tank to explore while it is being cleaned. Milo always seems to go missing <strong>and</strong> this time<br />
was no different. John’s mum was cross with him when he lost his<br />
John searched the entire house from top to bottom. He finally found his<br />
your crab again.<br />
her pet<br />
crab hiding under his my sister’s bed. He was worried their its shell would be<br />
crushed by all their<br />
her dolls.<br />
2. The words you need to complete this crossword can be found hidden in each<br />
sentence. The words you are looking for tell how the highlighted nouns are<br />
shared or divided.<br />
Across<br />
3. Neither John nor his parents<br />
like it when Milo goes missing.<br />
4. John’s mum got cross each<br />
time Milo was lost.<br />
Down<br />
1. John looked in every room for his<br />
lost crab.<br />
2. It was John’s job to clean the tank<br />
on either Saturday or Sunday.<br />
3.<br />
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2.<br />
1.<br />
3. Select two determiners from Activity 1 <strong>and</strong> two<br />
words from the crossword in Activity 2. Use them<br />
to write four separate sentences, or combine<br />
them to write two sentences.<br />
4.<br />
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<strong>Primary</strong> grammar <strong>and</strong> word study
<strong>Parts</strong> <strong>of</strong> speech<br />
Prepositions<br />
Focus<br />
Prepositions: movement, direction, time <strong>and</strong> place<br />
Definition<br />
• Prepositions are words used to show the relationship<br />
between nouns <strong>and</strong>/or pronouns in the same sentence.<br />
Example:<br />
The steam engine powered through the dark tunnel.<br />
Explanation<br />
• The word ‘preposition’ combines the prefix ‘pre’ (meaning<br />
‘before’ or ‘in front <strong>of</strong>’) <strong>and</strong> the word ‘position’. This<br />
indicates the nature <strong>of</strong> prepositions, as words that are<br />
‘positioned in front’ <strong>of</strong> nouns or other words that function<br />
as nouns (such as pronouns or noun phrases).<br />
• Prepositions indicate a connection between things<br />
mentioned in a sentence, such as between a person <strong>and</strong><br />
where she/he is going.<br />
Example:<br />
Jill moved towards the table.<br />
Prepositions can refer to manner (he came by bus), time<br />
(school starts at 9 am), place (he left his shoes at the park),<br />
position (the cat lay under the table) <strong>and</strong> direction (it ran<br />
between the buildings).<br />
Some prepositions are formed by combining words, such<br />
as the phrases in front <strong>of</strong>, on top <strong>of</strong> <strong>and</strong> prior to.<br />
• Prepositions are <strong>of</strong>ten used to introduce phrases that<br />
add more information to the noun or verb <strong>and</strong> are called<br />
prepositional phrases. These phrases start with a<br />
preposition <strong>and</strong> end with a noun or noun equivalent, called<br />
the ‘object’ <strong>of</strong> the preposition. <strong>Word</strong>s that modify the object<br />
are part <strong>of</strong> the phrase.<br />
Example:<br />
The little girl (subject) was shorter than (preposition)<br />
her younger brother (object). (The prepositional<br />
phrase is underlined.)<br />
• As a rule, prepositions do not come before verbs.<br />
• A former rule with prepositions was that they should never<br />
end a sentence. This rule no longer applies. For example,<br />
It is commonly accepted as correct to say ‘Have you found<br />
the shoes you were looking for?’ rather than the Old English,<br />
‘Have you found the shoes for which you were looking?’<br />
• Prepositions add meaning <strong>and</strong> information. They also help<br />
to distinguish between the object <strong>and</strong> the subject in a<br />
sentence. Commonly used prepositions include:<br />
about, above, across, after, against, around, at, before,<br />
behind, beneath, beside, between, beyond, by, for, from,<br />
in, inside, near, <strong>of</strong>f, on, out, over, through, to, toward,<br />
under, until, upon <strong>and</strong> with<br />
Bear in mind that these words are not always prepositions;<br />
sometimes they function as conjunctions or adverbs.<br />
For example, in the sentence ‘Mia decided to stay inside’,<br />
‘inside’ has no object <strong>and</strong> so is an adverb.<br />
Worksheet information<br />
• Although prepositions can refer to things other than<br />
position, the focus at this level remains on position <strong>and</strong><br />
location. As an introduction, perhaps place a number <strong>of</strong><br />
students in front <strong>of</strong> the class <strong>and</strong> discuss their positions<br />
in relation to each other; e.g. Sarah is between Jacob <strong>and</strong><br />
Mara, Poppy is in front <strong>of</strong> Ben <strong>and</strong> behind Kiera. Focus on<br />
the prepositions linking two nouns.<br />
• Give each student a copy <strong>of</strong> the worksheet <strong>and</strong> read<br />
the introductory text. Ask the students to identify some<br />
prepositions. Students then complete Question 1 by circling<br />
the prepositions. They can draw a scene for the front <strong>of</strong><br />
the postcard based on the description. To complete the<br />
worksheet, students write a description <strong>of</strong> a place they<br />
have been to on holiday, using as many prepositions as<br />
they can.<br />
Ideas for further practice<br />
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• Give students an outline <strong>of</strong> a house. Instruct them to draw<br />
something in, on, above, below, next to etc. the house.<br />
Students share <strong>and</strong> describe their pictures with others in<br />
the class.<br />
• Students can choose one preposition <strong>and</strong> a specified<br />
person or animal <strong>and</strong> draw an illustration showing both.<br />
These can be compiled as a class book.<br />
Answers<br />
1. Prepositions: at, up, between, with, On, behind, near, to,<br />
<strong>of</strong>, Below, down, with<br />
2.<strong>–</strong>3. Teacher check<br />
<strong>Primary</strong> grammar <strong>and</strong> word study 32<br />
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Prepositions<br />
Prepositions are words that can show the connection between<br />
things in sentences. They are usually short words in front <strong>of</strong><br />
nouns or pronouns; for example: ‘That day, during practice, the<br />
basketball rolled towards the door, out <strong>of</strong> the gym <strong>and</strong> down<br />
the hill, finally stopping among rocks under a tree’.<br />
1. Circle the prepositions. The nouns <strong>and</strong> pronouns connected with them have been<br />
highlighted.<br />
Hi Ruby!<br />
It’s awesome here at the Alpine Hotel. It’s<br />
halfway up a mountain, between a river<br />
<strong>and</strong> the ski slopes. The mountains are<br />
sprinkled with tall pine trees <strong>and</strong> snow.<br />
On the mountain, behind the hotel, is a<br />
forest. It’s beautiful, but I haven’t been<br />
near it … it looks dark <strong>and</strong> scary! I’d<br />
like to catch the cable car to the top <strong>of</strong> the<br />
mountain. Below the hotel, down the hill<br />
a bit, is a little town with a cafe that sells<br />
the best hot chocolate.<br />
See you soon, Annabel xxoo<br />
2. Use the description to draw the scene on the front <strong>of</strong> the postcard.<br />
Greetings from<br />
the Alpine Hotel!<br />
‘Number One’<br />
•<br />
New Zeal<strong>and</strong><br />
• South<br />
• Holiday destination<br />
(Queenstown)<br />
Isl<strong>and</strong><br />
•<br />
75 c<br />
Barky, the rescue dog: 2008 (Queenstown)<br />
Ms Ruby McLean<br />
24 Gosford Place<br />
Scarborough WA<br />
AUSTRALIA<br />
6019<br />
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3. On the back <strong>of</strong> this sheet, write a description <strong>of</strong> a place you have been to on<br />
holiday, using as many prepositions as you can.<br />
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