Grammar Handbook

Sentences Sentences and Fragments A complete sentence is a group of words that tells a complete thought. A sentence fragment is a group of words that does not tell a complete thought. The rocket. (does not tell a complete thought) The rocket soars into the clouds. (tells a complete thought) Your Turn Write each group of words. Tell whether it is " complete" or " fragment. " Write it. 1. My little brother. 2. My father takes a picture. 3. The engines roar. Types of Sentences When you write or talk, you use different kinds of sentences. A statement tells something. It ends with a period. My father likes to cook. A question asks something. It ends with a question mark. What are we having for lunch? A command tells you to do something and ends in a period. Help me set the table. An exclamation shows strong feeling. It ends with an exclamation mark. This will be the best meal ever! Your Turn Write each sentence. Tell what type it is. 1. Can my friend join us for dinner? 2. Pasta is his favorite meal. 3. I can't believe how hungry we are! 4. Call us when it's ready.

Subjects in Sentences Every sentence has two parts. The complete subject in a sentence tells what or whom the sentence is about. The complete subject of a sentence can be more than one word. Rain pours down from the sky. All of my friends run for cover. Your Turn Write each sentence. Draw a line under the complete subject of each sentence. 1. Lightning flashes. 2. Thunder rumbles in the distance. 3. A gust of wind shakes the tree. 4. Sheets of rain strike the window. 5. Do storms like these happen often? Predicates in Sentences Every sentence has a subject and a predicate. The complete predicate tells what the subject does or is. The complete predicate can be one or more words. The dog howled. The girl will feed him dinner. Your Turn Write each sentence. Draw a line under the complete predicate of each sentence. 1. The cat sneezes. 2. The bird flaps its wings. 3. The thirsty dog pushes his bowl. 4. My friends and I laugh. 5. Did the dog smile?

Sentences Simple Sentences A simple sentence expresses only one idea. It contains only one subject and one predicate. The young man wants to fly airplanes. Your Turn Write each sentence. Circle the subject and underline the predicate. 1. He reads about airplanes. 2. His friend was a pilot. 3. The man enrolls in a training program. 4. All of his classmates share his interest. 5. It will be quite an adventure! Compound Sentences A compound sentence expresses two or more complete thoughts, which are combined using a comma and a coordinating conjunction. A coordinating conjunction is a small word that links two things, such as and, but, or or. I walk to school. You ride the bus. (two simple sentences) I walk to school, but you ride the bus. (one compound sentence) Your Turn Write each pair of simple sentences as a compound sentence. 1. Sam runs down the hall. The dog chases him. 2. Tara goes outside. It starts to rain. 3. Tara gets a ride. Sam decides to walk in the rain. 4. The school bell rings. The students go inside. 5. The rain turns to snow. Students are sent home early.

Complex Sentences A complex sentence has an independent clause and one or more dependent clauses. An independent clause contains a subject and predicate and tells a complete thought. A dependent clause contains a subject and predicate, and begins with a subordinating conjunction, such as after, although, before, because, if, since, until, when, where, while. Place a comma after the dependent clause when it is at the start of a sentence. When we got there, the game began. Your Turn Write each sentence. Circle the independent clause. Underline the dependent clause. 1. People stopped to talk when they saw us there. 2. Because we sold so many, we raised a lot of money. Run-On Sentences A run-on sentence contains two or more independent clauses without the proper conjunctions or punctuation. I cooked dinner my family liked it they asked for seconds. You can correct run-on sentences using these strategies. Break the independent clauses into separate sentences. I cooked dinner. My family liked it. They asked for seconds. Create a compound subject or compound predicate. I cooked dinner. My family liked it and asked for seconds. Create a compound sentence using coordinating conjunctions. I cooked dinner, and my family liked it. They asked for seconds. Create a complex sentence using subordinating conjunctions. I cooked dinner. Since my family liked it, they asked for seconds. Your Turn Correct each run-on sentence. 1. This was my first time cooking my mother helped. 2. Did you make the dessert I didn't have time. 3. l cooked the meal l didn't have to do the dishes.

Nouns Common and Proper Nouns A noun names a person, place, thing, or idea. A common noun names any person, place, or thing. A proper noun names a particular person, place, or thing, and begins with a capital letter. The student studied the atlas. (common) Tom located Mount Rushmore. (proper) Your TurnWrite each sentence. Underline each common noun. Circle each proper noun. 1. The book had many maps. 2. Can Joanne find our state? 3. Which country in Africa did your parents visit? 4. The library has a huge globe. Concrete and Abstract Nouns A concrete noun names a person, place, or thing that can be seen or touched. An abstract noun names a quality, concept, or idea that cannot be seen or touched. Many abstract nouns have no plural form. Barbara set the book on the desk. (concrete) Reading gives me great joy. (abstract) Your Turn Write each sentence. Underline each concrete noun. Circle each abstract noun. 1. My cousin is afraid of the dark. 2. The dog slept under his bed. 3. His father read for an hour. 4. Silence filled the house.

Singular and Plural Nouns A singular noun names one person, place, thing, or idea. A plural noun names more than one. Add -s to form the plural of most nouns. Add -es to form the plural of nouns ending in s, x, ch, or sh. lf a noun ends in a consonant +y, change y to i and add -es. lf a noun ends in a vowel + y, add -s. lf a noun ends in -f, you sometimes change fto v and add -es. girl girls store stores bench benches city cities key keys leaf leaves Your Turn Write each sentence. Underline each singular noun. Circle each plural noun. 1. My mother bought two jackets. 3. Look at those hats near the door. 4. The boys found bats and balls. Special Plurals and Collective Nouns Some nouns change their spelling to name more than one. Others don't change at all. man men woman women child children tooth teeth mouse mice foot feet fish fish sheep sheep goose geese moose moose deer deer A collective noun names a group that acts together as one thing. It can be singular or plural. Our band will play after the three other bands. Your Turn Write each sentence. Use the correct form of the noun in ( ). 1. As a joke, we played " Three Blind (Mouse)" first. 2. All the (man) and (woman) laughed. 3. (Child) danced in front of the stage.