Week 6

EEL

This week we tackled a new structure and sentence pattern; we learned compound sentences and subject/verb transitive/direct object (S-Vt-DO).

S-Vt-DO
We talked about the fact that a transitive verb transfers action to an object.  We started with a subject/verb, then added an object.  For example,

Matthew threw...
(verb, who or what?) threw ball.

Watch out for the prepositional phrase ending instead of a noun acting as a direct object.  For example,

Mary swam in the lake.
If we are trying to find a direct object, the question that we ask is swam, who or what?.  In the lake answers the question where? and is adverbial. So, to make a direct object, we have to answer the right question, who or what?.  A possible answer would be,
Mary swam a mile.
swam, who or what? swam mile.  Mile is a noun, acting as a direct object.

Please remember to ask the question, subject, verb, who or what? when finding the DO.  If it doesn't answer that question, it isn't a direct object.

Compound Sentences
A compound sentence has to have two independent clauses (sentences) joined by a coordinating conjunction, both elements or it isn't compound.

First, we made compound sentences by adding a coordinating conjunction to join some independent clauses.  I gave them many examples,

I take good care of my cat.     He loves me.
The British attacked.     Washington defended.
Carl became an intern.     He makes great coffee.
I spent all my money.     I am broke.

Next, we moved on to differentiating between coordinating conjunctions that are joining words only and those that are joining independent clauses.  For example,

Bob and Carl ate donuts and talked.
(first and joins Bob, Carl = words (compound subject); second and joins donuts, talked=words (compound verb)) 

Claire sneezed, and milk came out her nose.
(and joins Claire sneezed, milk came out her nose=independent clauses)

Please note that a compound sentence requires a comma before the coordinating conjunction.  A compound subject or compound verb does not require a comma.  In fact, adding a comma is probably the biggest comma misuse out there.

Here is where it gets tricky.

Thomas hiked the mountain and reached the summit.  

No comma necessary because and is joining an independent clause with the phrase reached the summit.  This is a compound verb, not a compound sentence.  The temptation is to add that comma, but it doesn't belong.

When diagramming a compound sentence, use a dotted line with a "chair" between verbs.

Grammar (Drill)

Take a look at chart H (conjunctions) to see that there are many types of conjunctions.  Just memorize the grey area at the top (definition) and the coordinating conjunctions (for, and, nor, but, or, yet, so); forget the rest for right now.

Dialectic (Understanding)

Work through many compound sentences.  Create them, and "task" them on the task sheets.  Challenge yourself with S/Vt/DO compound sentences if you want.

English grammar is a puzzle! Have fun taking it apart and putting it back together and seeing the wonderful picture of language that God created so that we could relate to one another!

IEW

This week we started a two week paper, lesson 11, using the Shot Heard Round the World text. We also introduced a new dress-up, quality adjectives; a new decoration, similes and metaphors; and dialogue.  We had to jump around in the IEW resources quite a bit to cover these items.

Adjectives

In your writing this week, add some quality adjectives and avoid banned adjectives (good/bad, pretty/ugly, nice/mean, big, a lot, interesting).  Refer to the pink pages for suggestions. Underline these in your paper.

Similes and Metaphors

Try to incorporate a simile or metaphor in your writing this week.  For a thorough review of this and for practice and brainstorming instruction, please refer to the gray pages in the student notebook (p. 44-45).

Dialogue

Add a bit of dialogue to your two paragraphs this week.  The practice page we used in class is on page 68 in the student notebook (white pages that are not in page protectors).  The answer key is on page 88.

Assignment

Lesson 11, The Shot Heard Round the World is our source text.
This is a two week paper.  The first week we are writing paragraphs for
I. Setting, characters, mood
II. Conflict (plot)

Follow the outline on pp. 87 and use the questions in the left column to pull out a KWO.  Follow this with the brainstorming pages that follow in order to add adjectives and dialogue.  Finally, work in a simile or metaphor.

You will not turn in your rough draft for these two paragraphs to me.

Happy writing!