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4PRACTICE FOR LITERATURE
One Hundred Four-Level Analysis Practice Sentences
A Supplement to The Grammar of Literature, The Vocabulary of Literature, and The Poetry of Literature
Teacher Manual
Michael Clay Thompson
Royal Fireworks PressUnionville, New York
Royal Fireworks Language Arts by Michael Clay Thompson
4
GRAMMAR IS A WAY OF THINKING ABOUT LANGUAGE.
8 Parts of Speechnoun, pronoun, adjective, verb, adverb, conjunction, preposition, interjection
5 Parts of Sentencesubject, predicate, direct object, indirect object,subject complement
Phrasesprepositional phrase, appositive phrase, verbal phrases
Clausesindependent clause, dependent clause
5
GRAMMAR IS A WAY OF THINKING ABOUT LANGUAGE.
Notes to Teachers
4Practice for Literature has two practical purposes: practice and unification.
Practice: This book presents a collection of four-level analysis sentences for year-long practice and improvement in a sequence of graduated difficulty that will let students begin with the basics and work up through increasing complexity.
Unification in the Writing Process: The second purpose of this practice book is to overcome the damaging misconception that the different aspects of language arts are separate and disconnected. Students are all too likely to think of grammar as a useless tedium, to think that vocabulary and grammar have nothing to do with one another, to think that poetics is of interest only to poets, and to think that none of these is relevant to writing. The format of these pages presents students with an indelible image of how the writing process subsumes grammar, vocabulary, and poetics into a single coherent system of communication.
In each sentence students will see all four levels of grammar simultaneously, they will see the words or stems from The Vocabulary of Literature, and they will see an element of poetics that they have encountered in The Poetry of Literature or another of my poetry texts. It all comes together on each page, just as it does in the actual process of writing.
4Practice for Literature provides one hundred practice sentences that instructors can use to supplement the work begun in The Grammar of Literature and The Vocabulary of Literature. Those two books provide the instruction for the four-level method of grammar analysis, which overcomes the perils of studying grammar elements in isolation by presenting all four levels of grammar in a simple, visual, easy-to-learn format. In four-level analysis, students quickly realize that all sentences are similar, arranging eight kinds of words into the subject and predicate sides of each clause. Students soon realize that they are seeing the exact same (simple) patterns over and over again.
6
GRAMMAR IS A WAY OF THINKING ABOUT LANGUAGE.
Flexibility: 4Practice for Literature has been prepared with the goals of maximum simplicity and flexibility in mind. It is organized in the most straightforward and uncomplicated form possible: one hundred sentences of four-level analysis, generally beginning with the least difficult sentences, and roughly grouped into four chapters of twenty-five sentences each for the four levels of grammar. The first twenty-five sentences (Chapter One) feature parts of speech, the second chapter features the parts of sentence, the third the phrases, and the fourth the clauses. All four chapters, however, do analyze all four levels. There is no expectation that every sentence in the book be done or that they be done in the precise order that they appear. Rather, this is a collection you can draw from freely and creatively to enhance and continue the learning initiated in The Grammar of Literature and The Vocabulary of Literature.
The 4Practice for Literature teacher manual and student book are designed to be ultra-low cost so that the student books can be consumable. Each student can have a student book and can work in the blank spaces. If you use The Grammar of Literature alone, then 4Practice for Literature allows you to follow that instruction with several example sentences per week for the entire year. The sentences can be assigned as homework, as Socratic discussions, or as in-class written assignments. If you use both The Grammar of Literature and The Vocabulary of Literature, then 4Practice for Literature will show students over and over how their vocabulary can only be correctly applied if the words follow the grammar rules, i.e., insidious is an adjective; there is no such thing as an insidious.
Written Assignments: For written assignments done as in-class activities or as written homework, there are a few ideas that make the process clear and straightforward. There is a sentence at the top of each page with four lines beneath it. The first line is for the abbreviations of the parts of speech, the second for the parts of sentence, the third for phrases, and the fourth for clauses. Abbreviations need not be used if space permits.
7
GRAMMAR IS A WAY OF THINKING ABOUT LANGUAGE.
For example, if the sentence were “I continued with unabated fervour to traverse immense deserts,” one could write the abbreviations of the parts of speech directly below each word in the first line, the parts of sentence in the second, phrases in the third, and clauses in the fourth. For phrases and clauses, you would make little lines to show where the phrase or clause begins and ends. Notice that every word is a part of speech, but only some words are a part of sentence. Each answer should be written straight down from its target.
The abbreviations used in 4Practice for Literature are:
Parts of Speech Parts of Sentencen. noun subj. subjectpron. pronoun AVP action verb predicateadj. adjective LVP linking verb predicatev. verb BVP being verb predicateadv. adverb D.O. direct objectprep. preposition I.O. indirect objectconj. conjunction S.C. subject complementinterj. interjection
Phrases Clausesprep. prepositional (phrase) indep. independent (clause)app. appositive (phrase) dep. dependent (clause)ger. gerund (phrase) I independent clausepar. participial (phrase) D dependent clauseinf. infinitive (phrase) ,cc comma and coordinating
conjunction
8
GRAMMAR IS A WAY OF THINKING ABOUT LANGUAGE.
65
GR
AM
MA
R IS A W
AY OF TH
INK
ING
AB
OU
T LAN
GU
AG
E.
Sen
tence 54
From
Mary S
helley’s F
ranken
stein, 1816
“I contin
ued w
ith u
nabated fervou
r to traverse imm
ense deserts.”
pron. v. prep. adj. n
. ----------n.--------- adj. n
.
______________________________________________________________________________________
subj. A
VP
------------------------------D.O
.---------------------------
______________________________________________________________________________________
----------------prep. phrase-------------- ------------------in
fi nitive ph
rase-----------------------
______________________________________________________________________________________
--------------------------------------------------------------indepen
dent clau
se------------------------------------------------------------ a sim
ple declarative senten
ce
______________________________________________________________________________________
G
ram
ma
r: T
his sen
tence con
tains a beau
tiful in
fi nitive ph
rase, to traverse imm
ense d
eserts, acting as th
e direct object. Th
e in
fi nitive to traverse is con
sidered to be one w
ord, and d
eserts is the object of th
e infi n
itive. Th
e prepositional
phrase acts as an
adverb to modify th
e verb.
V
oca
bu
lary
: M
ary Sh
elley used th
e British
spelling of fervor. A
fervor is a passion (V
L2). T
he adjective u
nabated
mean
s not
reduced, n
ot lessened (V
L5).
P
oetics:
Beyon
d its solid rhyth
m, th
e senten
ce does not con
tain obviou
s poetics such
as alliteration or asson
ance.
W
riting
: T
he sen
tence dem
onstrates M
ary Sh
elley’s usu
al vocabulary pow
er; she w
as an in
tellect, married to an
intellect
(Percy B
ysshe S
helley), an
d the dau
ghter of in
tellects Mary W
ollstonecraft an
d William
Godw
in. A
powerfu
l vocabu
lary allows u
s to say more w
ith few
er syllables, thu
s increasin
g the stren
gth of th
e senten
ce.
9
GRAMMAR IS A WAY OF THINKING ABOUT LANGUAGE.
In the first line, parts of speech, there are only eight possible answers because there are only eight parts of speech (kinds of words). We would therefore, for example, identify the articles (a, an, and the) as adjectives.
In the second line, parts of sentence, we look for the subject, the simple predicate (action or linking), the direct object, indirect object, and subject complement. We can teach students what the complete predicate is, but in the analysis we are looking for the verb/simple predicate and trying to determine whether it is an action verb (AVP), a linking verb (LVP), or a being verb (BVP). If it is a linking verb, we are looking to see if there is a subject complement. There are two kinds of subject complements: the predicate nominative (if it is a noun or pronoun) and the predicate adjective (if it is an adjective). It is important to use the term subject complement because this is a key to understanding pronoun usage.
In the third and fourth lines, students should draw lines on either side of their terms to show where phrases and clauses begin and end.
Below the sentence, there are separate teaching tips about the grammar, the vocabulary, the poetics, and the writing style of the sentence. In the example at left, in the vocabulary comment, the codes VL2 and VL5 mean that the vocabulary words in the sentence come from The Vocabulary of Literature Lessons II and V. Sometimes there are two vocabulary words used.
Particularly early in the year, grading on these assignments should be lenient, giving students time to build comprehension without feeling demoralized. Give them credit for doing the assignment, rather than deducting points for each item. Build patiently. The point of the book is a positive and enlightening opportunity for lots of practice.
31
GR
AM
MA
R IS
A W
AY O
F TH
INK
ING
AB
OU
T LA
NG
UA
GE.
Sen
ten
ce 2
0
Fro
m W
alt
Wh
itm
an’s
Lea
ves
of G
rass
, 188
2
“Th
e
pal
pabl
e
is
in
i
ts
pla
ce,
an
d
th
e
impa
lpab
le
is
in
i
ts
pla
ce.”
ad
j.
n
.
v.
pre
p.
adj.
n
.
c
onj.
adj.
n.
v.
pre
p.
adj.
n
.
____
____
____
____
____
____
____
____
____
____
____
____
____
____
____
____
____
____
____
____
____
__
su
bj.
LV
P
subj
.
LV
P
____
____
____
____
____
____
____
____
____
____
____
____
____
____
____
____
____
____
____
____
____
__
-
----
prep
. ph
rase
----
-
-
----
-pre
p. p
hra
se--
---
____
____
____
____
____
____
____
____
____
____
____
____
____
____
____
____
____
____
____
____
____
__
---
----
----
----
----
-in
depe
nde
nt
clau
se--
----
----
----
----
--
-
----
----
----
----
----
--in
depe
nde
nt
clau
se--
----
----
----
----
--
an I
,ccI
com
pou
nd
decl
arat
ive
sen
ten
ce
____
____
____
____
____
____
____
____
____
____
____
____
____
____
____
____
____
____
____
____
____
__
G
ram
ma
r:
I de
cide
d n
ot t
o u
se t
his
bea
uti
ful
sen
ten
ce b
ecau
se i
t is
so
sim
ple,
an
d th
en I
red
ecid
ed t
o u
se i
t be
cau
se i
t is
so
sim
ple.
It
rem
inds
me
of S
hak
espe
are’
s “F
air
is f
oul,
and
fou
l is
fair
.”
V
oca
bu
lary
: T
he
adje
ctiv
e pa
lpab
le m
ean
s to
uch
able
. V
L8
P
oet
ics:
N
otic
e P
aLP
abL
e P
Lac
e im
PaL
Pab
Le
PL
ace.
W
riti
ng
:
Man
y pe
ople
th
ink
that
Wh
itm
an’s
Lea
ves
of G
rass
is
Am
eric
a’s
grea
test
poe
m.
Wh
itm
an r
evol
uti
oniz
ed p
oeti
c st
yle
and
infl
uen
ced
poet
s al
l ov
er t
he
wor
ld.
Loo
k at
th
e h
arm
ony
and
bala
nce
an
d co
nti
nu
ity
of s
oun
d in
th
is
lin
e.
51
GR
AM
MA
R IS
A W
AY O
F TH
INK
ING
AB
OU
T LA
NG
UA
GE.
Sen
ten
ce 4
0
Fro
m J
osep
h C
onra
d’s
Hea
rt o
f D
arkn
ess,
190
2
“I
rem
embe
red
his
ab
ject
pl
eadi
ng,
h
is
abje
ct
thre
ats,
th
e c
olos
sal
sca
le
of
his
vi
le
desi
res.
”
pro
n.
v.
ad
j.
adj
.
n.
a
dj.
a
dj.
n
.
a
dj.
adj
.
n.
pre
p. a
dj.
adj
.
n
.
____
____
____
____
____
____
____
____
____
____
____
____
____
____
____
____
____
____
____
____
____
__
su
bj.
AV
P
D
.O.
D.O
.
D
.O.
____
____
____
____
____
____
____
____
____
____
____
____
____
____
____
____
____
____
____
____
____
__
-
----
----
-pre
p. p
hra
se--
----
--
____
____
____
____
____
____
____
____
____
____
____
____
____
____
____
____
____
____
____
____
____
__
-
----
----
----
----
----
----
----
----
----
----
----
----
----
----
----
----
----
----
----
--in
depe
nde
nt
clau
se--
----
----
----
----
----
----
----
----
----
----
----
----
----
----
----
----
----
-
a
sim
ple
decl
arat
ive
sen
ten
ce
____
____
____
____
____
____
____
____
____
____
____
____
____
____
____
____
____
____
____
____
____
__
G
ram
ma
r:
Th
is s
ente
nce
has
a m
ost
un
usu
al s
tru
ctu
re:
an a
ctio
n v
erb
that
tra
nsf
ers
its
acti
on t
o a
trip
le-c
ompo
un
d di
rect
ob
ject
. T
he
idea
is:
I r
emem
bere
d p
lead
ing,
th
reat
s, a
nd
sca
le.
Not
ice
that
ple
adin
g is
a g
eru
nd,
bu
t it
is
not
a
geru
nd
phra
se b
ecau
se it
doe
s n
ot h
ave
its
own
mod
ifier
s or
obj
ect.
V
oca
bu
lary
: T
he
adje
ctiv
e ab
ject
mea
ns
wre
tch
ed, w
ith
nei
ther
pri
de n
or d
ign
ity.
VL
9
P
oet
ics:
N
otic
e h
ow t
he
reso
nan
ce o
f so
un
d in
col
ossa
l sc
ale
mak
es t
he
wor
ds l
oude
r. N
otic
e th
e as
son
ance
in
vil
e d
esir
es
that
als
o ca
lls
our
atte
nti
on t
o th
ose
wor
ds.
W
riti
ng
:
Th
e lo
ng
list
of
dire
ct o
bjec
ts is
hel
d to
geth
er b
y a
stri
ng
of h
is’s
th
at k
eeps
eve
ryth
ing
para
llel
.
81
GR
AM
MA
R IS
A W
AY O
F TH
INK
ING
AB
OU
T LA
NG
UA
GE.
Sen
ten
ce 7
0
Fro
m M
arti
n L
uth
er K
ing,
Jr.
’s W
hy
We
Can
’t W
ait,
196
3
“As
w
e
tal
ked,
a
sen
se
of
doom
bega
n
to
perv
ade
t
he
r
oom
.”
con
j.
pron
.
v.
adj
.
n
.
p
rep.
n
.
v
.
----
----
--n
.---
----
--
adj.
n
.
____
____
____
____
____
____
____
____
____
____
____
____
____
____
____
____
____
____
____
____
____
__
su
bj.
AV
P
su
bj.
AV
P
-
----
----
----
----
----
D.O
.---
----
----
----
----
---
____
____
____
____
____
____
____
____
____
____
____
____
____
____
____
____
____
____
____
____
____
__
-pr
ep. p
hra
se-
---
----
----
--in
fin
itiv
e ph
rase
----
----
----
-
____
____
____
____
____
____
____
____
____
____
____
____
____
____
____
____
____
____
____
____
____
__
-
----
-dep
ende
nt
clau
se--
---
-
----
----
----
----
----
----
----
----
----
----
-in
depe
nde
nt
clau
se--
----
----
----
----
----
----
----
----
----
----
--
a D
,I c
ompl
ex d
ecla
rati
ve s
ente
nce
____
____
____
____
____
____
____
____
____
____
____
____
____
____
____
____
____
____
____
____
____
__
G
ram
ma
r:
Her
e is
an
ou
tsta
ndi
ng
D,I
com
plex
sen
ten
ce.
Th
e de
pen
den
t cl
ause
beg
ins
wit
h a
su
bord
inat
ing
con
jun
ctio
n, a
nd
the
inde
pen
den
t cl
ause
has
an
infi
nit
ive
phra
se a
s a
dire
ct o
bjec
t.
V
oca
bu
lary
: T
o pe
rvad
e is
to
spre
ad t
hro
ugh
out.
VL
8
P
oet
ics:
N
otic
e th
e ec
ho
of d
oom
an
d ro
om.
W
riti
ng
:
Dr.
Kin
g of
ten
inco
rpor
ated
poe
tic
effe
cts
into
his
spe
ech
es a
nd
book
s.
101
GR
AM
MA
R IS
A W
AY O
F TH
INK
ING
AB
OU
T LA
NG
UA
GE.
Sen
ten
ce 9
0
Fro
m E
dith
Wh
arto
n’s
Eth
an F
rom
e, 1
911
“Sh
e
had
p
ale
o
paqu
e
eye
s
wh
ich
r
evea
led
n
oth
ing
a
nd
r
eflec
ted
n
oth
ing.
”
pro
n.
v.
adj.
a
dj.
n.
pro
n.
v.
pro
n.
con
j.
v.
n.
____
____
____
____
____
____
____
____
____
____
____
____
____
____
____
____
____
____
____
____
____
__
su
bj.
A
VP
D
.O.
su
bj.
A
VP
D
.O.
AV
P
D.O
.
____
____
____
____
____
____
____
____
____
____
____
____
____
____
____
____
____
____
____
____
____
__
no
phra
ses
____
____
____
____
____
____
____
____
____
____
____
____
____
____
____
____
____
____
____
____
____
__
----
----
----
----
--in
depe
nde
nt
clau
se--
----
----
----
-
-
----
----
----
----
----
----
----
----
---d
epen
den
t cl
ause
----
----
----
----
----
----
----
----
----
a
n I
D c
ompl
ex d
ecla
rati
ve s
ente
nce
____
____
____
____
____
____
____
____
____
____
____
____
____
____
____
____
____
____
____
____
____
__
G
ram
ma
r:
Th
is i
s a
com
plex
sen
ten
ce i
n w
hic
h t
he
dire
ct o
bjec
t of
th
e m
ain
cla
use
is
mod
ified
by
an a
djec
tive
cla
use
th
at
begi
ns
wit
h a
rel
ativ
e pr
onou
n.
In t
he
seco
nd
clau
se w
e se
e a
com
pou
nd
acti
on v
erb
in w
hic
h e
ach
ver
b ta
kes
its
own
dir
ect
obje
ct, b
ut
the
two
dire
ct o
bjec
ts a
re t
he
sam
e w
ord.
Th
is is
bea
uti
ful.
V
oca
bu
lary
: T
he
adje
ctiv
e op
aqu
e m
ean
s n
ot t
ran
spar
ent
or e
ven
tra
nsl
uce
nt.
VL
9
P
oet
ics:
T
he
char
acte
r of
her
eye
s is
em
phas
ized
in t
he
reso
nan
ce o
f P
Ale
oP
Aqu
e.
W
riti
ng
:
Not
ice
how
mu
ch s
tron
ger
this
sen
ten
ce is
th
an if
it s
aid,
“S
he
had
pal
e op
aqu
e ey
es w
hic
h r
evea
led
and
refl
ecte
d n
oth
ing.
” O
r: “
Sh
e h
ad p
ale
opaq
ue
eyes
wh
ich
nei
ther
rev
eale
d n
or r
eflec
ted
anyt
hin
g.”
Wh
arto
n’s
str
uct
ure
is
effe
ctiv
e. A
not
her
det
ail:
We
wou
ld p
ut
a co
mm
a af
ter
pale
, bu
t th
is is
fict
ion
, not
res
earc
h, a
nd
Wh
arto
n w
ante
d th
e se
nte
nce
to
flow
.