Week 10

EEL

This week's focus was the compound, declarative, S/VL/PA sentence.  In order to learn what a predicate adjective is, we must first understand the adjective.

Adjectives

 We went over Chart L (Adjectives).  Remember, the first focus for a good foundation in Essentials is always the memory work in gray.  So above all, memorize the definition of an adjective and the questions that an adjective answers.

Definition: An adjective modifies a noun or pronoun by describing, qualifying or limiting.
Questions: What kind? How many? Which? Whose?

S/VL/PA

The predicate adjective (PA) follows a linking verb and modifies or describes the subject.
To proof whether or not you have a PA, first ask,

"Do I have a possible linking verb?"
(If the list of linking verbs is not yet memorized, look at the linking verb list located between Chart C (Verbs) and Chart D.

If you have a possible linking verb, next ask,

"Does the word following the linking verb modify or describe the Subject Noun?
If yes, PA.

So…
The rose smells sweet.

Do I have a possible linking verb?
Well, smells is my verb.  Yes, it is on the linking verb list.

Does the word following the linking verb modify or describe the Subject Noun?
Yes, sweet describes the subject rose. Rose smells sweet. Sweet smells rose.
Sweet is a predicate adjective.

Watch out for verbs on the linking verb list that are used as action verbs.
She smells the rose.

In this sentence, smells is an action verb, transferring action to the rose.  So this is an example of a S/Vt/DO.

An action verb can never be a linking verb.
You should be able to replace a linking verb with is and the sentence still make sense.

IEW
We had fun with vocabulary memory for a good portion of the class. We also were able to read some papers!

Vocabulary: compliant, obstinate, compel, deliberate

Writing assignment:
The assignment is an extension of what we have been working on the last two weeks.  The source text for the final paragraph of the three paragraph paper (due next Tuesday) is on page 116, "Colonial Life: Care of the Sick."  Your student will need to key word outline the text, pulling only 5-7 interesting or important facts.  They will have to include a topic sentence in the beginning of the paragraph and then end the paragraph with a clincher.

Please remember, students, you are not key word outlining every sentence.  You are going to have to skip some information, limiting the facts to the ones you think are the best. This exercise is good for practicing pulling out pertinent information (Like my alliteration?).

In addition to this final paragraph, they will have to add an introductory statement as part of the first paragraph.  This introductory statement will introduce the entire paper, previewing the topics to be discussed. (Tell them what you are going to tell them). Next comes the body paragraphs (Tell them).  Finally, attached to the end of the final paragraph, add a final clincher--a sentence that restates the topics covered in the paper (Tell them what you told them).

As always, if you have any questions or need help scaling this assignment (or any other) for your student, please email, text or call me.  After this, only one more short and fun paper to write this semester! Yea!