(FTU) Thematic Unit: Friendship - Grammar Guru

Thematic Unit: Friendship - Grammar Guru

Introduction

Various words, known as the parts of speech, join together to create the clauses and phrases to form sentences. Knowing the structure of a sentence helps in many aspects of the English language. However, sentences often contain more than just a subject and a verb. In order to become a Grammar Guru, or an expert, and truly understand the advanced aspects of sentences, look at clauses and phrases. The clauses and phrases provide context clues for all readers to determine the meanings of unknown words. Knowing clauses and phrases shows a more complex knowledge of grammar and catapults any student to the level of Grammar Guru!

Essential Questions

1. What is the difference between a clause and a phrase?
2. How do I identify the different types of clauses and phrases?
3. How do context clues clarify the meanings of unknown words and phrases in order to help build vocabulary?
4. What do figurative language and word variation add to the English language?

Key Terms

1. Writing conventions: The rules of the English language that include spelling, punctuation, capitalization, grammar, and paragraphing.
2. Sentence: A complete sentence begins with a capital letter, includes an end mark (period, question mark, or exclamation point), and contains a subject and verb that expresses a complete thought.
3. Clause: A sentence part that contains a subject and a verb
4. Phrase: A group of words acting as a single part of speech and not containing both a subject and a verb. It is a part of a sentence and does not express a complete thought.
5. Independent clause: A clause containing a subject and a verb that can stand by itself that is also known as a simple sentence.
6. Dependent clause: A clause that contains a subject and verb but does not express a complete thought.
7. Subject: The subject is who or what does the verb.
8. Predicate: The part of a sentence or clause containing a verb and stating something about the subject.
9. Verb: A verb says something about the subject of the sentence and expresses actions, events, or states of being.
10. Declarative sentence: A sentence that forms a statement.
11. Interrogative sentence: A sentence that forms a question by using a question mark.
12. Imperative sentence: A sentence that makes a command or request.
13. Exclamatory sentence: A sentence that attempts to convey a strong emotion by using an exclamation point.
14. Simple sentence: A simple sentence contains a subject and verb, and it expresses a complete thought.
15. Compound sentence: A compound sentence contains two independent clauses joined by a coordinator such as: for, and, nor, but, or, yet, so.
16. Complex sentence: A complex sentence contains an independent clause joined by one or more dependent clauses.
17. Compound-complex sentence: A compound-complex sentence contains two independent clauses and one or more dependent clauses.
18. Noun: Nouns name people, places, and things.
19. Adjective: Adjectives describe nouns by answering one of these three questions: What kind is it? How many are there? Which one is it?
20. Adverb: Adverbs slightly change the meanings of verbs and answer one of these four questions: How? When? Where? and Why?
21. Pronoun: A pronoun is a word that takes the place of a noun such as he, she, it, they, someone, who, etc.
22. Subordinating clause: Depends on the rest of the sentence for its meaning. It does not express a complete thought, so it does not stand alone. It must always be attached to a main clause that completes the meaning.
23. Subordinating conjunction: A subordinating conjunction joins a subordinate clause to a main clause.
24. Preposition: Words that relate a noun or pronoun (called the object of the preposition) to another word in the sentence.
25. Gerund: A gerund is a verb ending in -ing and used as a noun.