Daily Review of Writing Concepts

1. Commas in series2. Commas with appositives3. Commas in compound sentences4. Commas with introductory clauses5. It’s and its6. Apostrophes in possession7. Semicolons8. Colons9. Quotation marks in dialogue10. Quotation marks with irony11. There/their12. Their13. Whose/who’s14. Analogy15. Simile16. Metaphor17. Too/to

18. Onomatopoeia19. Your/you’re20. Expository writing21. Narrative writing22. Adjectives23. Nouns24. Verbs25. Adverbs26. Prepositions27. Verb tenses28. They’re and there29. Showing versus telling30. Ways to begin an essay

Commas separate items in a series.

The long, shadowy, leafy path led to a cabin.

The cozy, warm, clean cabin lay at the path’s end.

The leaves whispered, rustled, and fluttered in the breeze.

Forest air smells fresh, clean, pine-needly, and invigorating.

We enjoyed hiking, resting, laughing, and snacking on trailmix.

Sue observed a hawk, some orange fungi, a mountain laurel bloom, and a candy bar wrapper she picked up off the ground.

Commas separate extra information thatcome in “appositive phrases” like these.

The serval, who lives in a zoo near Cleveland,would like to take a swimming class.

Most cats, unlike this one, don’t typically enjoywater sports.

Water sports, such as surfing and snorkeling,require the ability to swim.

This serval has begun dating an adorablepenguin, whose name is Penny, and he wantsto improve his swimming skills to show herhe shares some of her interests.

Commas can separate the two independent clausesin a compound sentence, and put a comma before the conjunction.

Barney had eaten at a weird seafood restaurant, and now he had indigestion.

Never eat at a restaurant that has no cars in the parking lot, or you will be very sorry.

The menu looked interesting, but the food certainly didn’t agree with his tummy.

, and, but, or

Commas can separate an introductory clause from an independent clause.

Because each of the owl’s feathers has a unique edge, it can fly almost silently and sneak up on its prey.

Although this owl is flying silently, she is actually sneaking up on a friend to play a practical joke.

Whenever an arctic rabbit and a snowy owl become friends, there was probably a unicorn involved.

No matter what people think about the predator-prey connection between the owl and the bunny, this is a true friendship and it will not end in violence.

Because….,Although….,Whenever…..,No matter what…..,

It’s with an apostrophe means it is.Its without an apostrophe means something belongs to it.

It’s annoying to have teachers point at you.

The teacher is holding the book by its spine.

That student wonders if it’s just him or if this teacher’s eyes areabout to bug out of her skull.

That teacher’s hand, with its enormous pointer finger, seemsto have terrified the little boy.

Sometimes it’s best just to pretend you’re listening politely.

The kid’s brain is going to get its software somewhere otherthan from reading, I think.

Use an apostrophe to show possession.

The puffin’s rock gives her a gorgeous view.

This puffin’s name is Helga, but her friends all call her Muffin.

Muffin’s friends include a lobster named Harryand a fisherman called Captain Charley.

Muffin the Puffin enjoys crossword puzzles, eating a fish’s head off, and dance parties.

The ocean’s peaceful sounds provide a lovelyhome for this adorable bird, and hopefully that raptor in the distance is going to find its own food without bothering sweet little Muffin.

We use a semicolon sort of the same waywe use a period; it creates a slight pause.

Usually the pause comes between two sentencesthat have a very strong connection; that pausehelps the writer create a slightly different rhythm.

Kittens don’t typically need toilet paper; they learn to use a litter box.

This kitten has a special fondness for toilet paper; to her, it is a blanket.

I knew a person who’s cat thought toilet paper was an enemy; my friend’s catwould attack and shred toilet paper to protect its master.

Many of us know people whose cat thinks toilet paper is a toy; this is becausecats can’t spell and they don’t distinguish between oi and oy.

I believe cats should be given spelling lessons; cats who could spell would save a lot of toilet paper trees.

Colons mean “stop: I am going to give you a list ortell you something really important.”

The mountains in Switzerland are gorgeous:they tower over tiny villages set amidst greenvalleys.

Switzerland’s mountain range is called the Alps:that’s where we get the word “alpine” to describe things that are mountainous.

Switzerland is known for the following things:beautiful mountains, charming alpine villages,and hand-carved cuckoo clocks.

I wish I could take you to Switzerland: the Chocolate, the cheese, and the beauty wouldrelax and inspire you.

Use quotation marks to show what the character said versus what the narrator said.

Tony was a very popular turtle, and he drove theladies crazy. “I guess you either got it or you don’t,”he would always say.

“O.M.G., he is totes adorbs!” said Stella. She hadhad a crush on Tony since elementary school. “Hejust is so much cooler than all that teenage mutantNinja stuff.”

“He isn’t totes adorbs, he’s turts adorbs,” correctedPatti. “And baby, he aint into you. Mm-mm.”

Tony himself didn’t mind the attention, and he often kind of encouraged it. For example, he wouldswim all groovy and slow and act like he didn’t notice.“Oh, I know my powers, though,” he admitted to hispal Shelly, who wasn’t a shell-fish at all but, rather,some species of eel or sea-snake.

Quotation marks can be used to indicate irony. Something is ironic when it’s sort ofthe opposite of what you think it should be.

Jeff had been told he had a “beautiful” voice,but it was exactly the opposite.

Jeff “sang” all the time, but it sounded likea horrible alarm or a person being hurt.

This is why grownups should never tell lies toencourage children: kids can’t tell , and ifthey believe the lies, you send them down an ugly path to disappointment.

Regrettably, Jeff believed the lies, and he used his “beautiful singing voice” to make the world a “better place.”

Even as the gorilla guard hauled him off into the forest, Jeff continued to “sing.”

THERE --- THEY’RE

There is a duckling trying to climb up a curb.

There is some chance that it’s going to make it.

Isn’t there someone who can help him?

When he gets to the top, where will go from there?----------------------------------------------------------------------

Ducklings: they’re very yellow!

Do you like the Easter candy called Peeps? They’relike ducklings made of weird marshmallow stuff.

It’s weird they’re called peeps, because you wouldn’tReally make a sound eating something so soft.

Unless they’re made with an actual duckling insidethe marshmallow coating. In that case, I think they’regoing to make worse sounds than peeping.

THEIR

Bananas: what is about their funny shape?

Their shape can be a phone, a smile, a frown, ora gun.

Monkeys and babies love their mushiness.

Old people like their nutritious qualities, whereas kids like their easiness to peel and eat.

Their color is festive and fun, but their spellingCan be a little confusing.

Bananas: they’re definitely a fruit with their own unique “appeal.”

Using WHO’S and WHOSE “Who’s the idiot now?” chirped the bird,whose archenemy was trapped.

Whose pets are these, I wonder. SomeoneWho’s probably not home or is in another partof the house, I am guessing.

Do you think the bird, whose brain is smaller than one of the cat’s teeth, outsmarted its felineadversary? Or is it the cat who’s smart and is planning a huge surprise for the bird?

Who’s in charge? I wonder whose memory ofthis event will be positive and whose won’t be.

In an analogy we compare relationships. Study these examples.

What the fir tree is to Christmas, the kitten is to cute.

The kittens’ ugliness is related to a wave’s dryness.

On the one hand you have kittens trying to sleep butNot being quite able to; similarly, you have 5th grade boys trying to crack each other up.

There’s enough adorableness in this picture to calm downa planeload of tired passengers.

The kitten is to the blanket as the student is to his desk.

Just as much as you would love to pick up and cuddle these kittens, you might wish you could walk out of thiswriting lesson.

Kittens represent the sunshine and rainbows for people whohave moved past unicorns and leprechauns.

Well too bad----you can’t do either.

Similes use the words LIKE or AS

The fruit artwork is as silly as a cartoon.

Those banana slash palm trees are likea gifted painter’s masterpiece.

“You’re going to eat your fruit salad,Pablo Picasso, or you’ll be as sorry as aprisoner!” barked the angry dad.

This fruit plate is like a bottle of vitamins,except it’s more fun to look at.

Metaphors just say one thing IS another thing without using like or as.

Leaves arranged in a circle are nature’s halo.

Haloes are angels’ Frisbees.

Colorful leaves are nature’s party confetti.

The circle of life is the chord that ties us alltogether.

Leaves are the currency in nature’s bank account.

Too and To

This place looks almost too beautifulto describe. The path may lead to a mountain lookout or to a cold lake.

If you enjoy nature and hiking, you probablylike getting exercise, too. It’s so refreshingand invigorating to push yourself to reachsome destination in the forest.

We’re lucky, too, because many places in the world don’t have as many lovelynatural places as we have. Is there a placenearby you’ve hiked to?

Onomatopoeia ----words that mimic a sound effect

SplashGurgleBlub blub blubwhoosh

SplishChoooshBubblebubblebubbleGlug

AAAAHHH! Smack. Drip drip drip dripPlinkPlop

Your ---- you’re

Your puppies look interestedin this lesson about a writingconvention.

Your teacher wishes yourheads were as focused asyour puppies’ heads.

You’re not looking at the words,guys; you’re looking at the adorable puppies.

You’re not going to be as educatedAs your puppies if you don’t payAttention!

Hey—you’re supposed to look atyour teacher’s examples!

Expository Writing EXPLAINS things:

MAIN IDEA State a fact Offer your opinion Ask a question

Support For one thing, First of all,

Support Additionally, Furthermore,

Support Finally, Last,

Conclusion Suggest why this is important to you Ask your reader to do something

A few ideas if you’re flabbergasted:Explain how Crater Lake formedExplain why you would want to go hereExplain why you would not want to go hereExplain why you think this is a great photoExplain something about hiking or campingExplain something about the Pacific Northwest

Narrative Writing Tells a STORY

It has a character who

•wants something or•who faces some sort of challenge

A Way To Organize your Narrative WritingIntroduction Conflict Event #1 Event #2 Event #3 Resolution

Ask a questionDescribe the scene

Describe the character

State your opinion

State a fact

Use onomatopoeia

Trouble between friends

Trouble between enemies

Person versus a natural disaster

Person versus society

First,

At the beginning,

When all this began,

Early on,

At the start of all this,

Next,

Later on,

A few minutes after…

After….

Notwithstanding the fact that….

No sooner had….

Predictably…

As you might expect,..

Unpredictably, however, …

Ultimately

As you can see,

___ realized that….

____ changed: __ began….

This shows why…

Adjectives are words that describe things and ideas.

The starry sky left us breathless.

That cozy cabin looked inviting.

The cool air felt refreshing!

My new skis pinched my tired feet.

A noun is a type of word that names a person,a thing, or an idea. We capitalize “proper nouns,” whichare the names of specific people or places.

Person Place Thing Idea Proper Noun

lunch lady bathroom sunflower imagination John Adams

child field snail freedom Jane

clown mall unicycle pain Fred

doctor office paintbrush gravity King George

superhero cave computer weirdness Karen

Verbs are the type of wordsthat name actions, or thingssomeone or something does.

The tense of a verb tells us whenthe action happened.

Infinitive Simple present tense Simple past tense Simple future tense

to hold the otter holds the otter held the otter will hold

To sleep the otter sleeps the otter slept the otter will sleep

To drift the otter drifts the otter drifted the otter will drift

To be the otter is the otter was the otter will be

To float the otter floats the otter floated the otter will float

Adverbs are a type of word that tell us how, when, or where. They always describea verb or an adjective.

Describing a verb Describing an adjective

Proposed sweetly Deeply purple

Carefully holding Gloriously sunshiny

Gently whispering Radiantly beautiful

Refusing politely Incredibly adorable

Prepositions are types of words that explain relationships between one thing and another.

Preposition Prepositional Phrase

On On the bed

In In his mouth

Between Between his teeth

With With his mommy

At At the school

To To the hospital

Of Of the whole family

By By the river

From From Santa

After After the party

For For anyone

Verbs, as you know, name actions.We use them in tenses----that is, wechange the form of a verb to make it clear when the verb occurred. There aresimple tenses and what we refer toas perfect tenses. In this case, perfectdoesn’t mean “the best.” Instead, it means “completed” or “finished.”

Infinitive Simple present

Simple past Simple future

Present perfect

Past perfect Future perfect

To comfort Bear comforts Bear comforted

Bear will comfort

Bear has comforted

Bear had comforted

Bear will have comforted

To hug Bear hugs Bear hugged Bear will hug Bear has hugged

Bear had hugged

Bear will have hugged

To snuggle Bear snuggles Bear snuggled Bear will snuggle

Bear has snuggled

Bear had snuggled

Bear wil have snuggled

To wrestle Bear wrestles Bear wrestled Bear will wrestle

Bear has wrestled

Bear had wrestled

Bear will have wrestled

To embrace Bear embraces Bear embraced Bear will embrace

Bear has embraced

Bear had embraced

Bear will have embraced

How many can you guess?

Left to right, top to bottom: caiman, husky, gecko, crocodile, frog, python, squid, toucan, goat.

Jeepers creepers: where’d you get those peepers? They’re weird!

They’re all a little similar and yet all a little different!

They’re beautiful but they’re also a little frightening!

Animals: their eyes are amazingly freaky!

Can you tell which of their eyes are fishes’ and which ones are reptiles’?

Their colors tend to be shades of blue, green, and yellow!

they’re and their

SHOWING VERSUS TELLING

LANGUAGE THAT TELLS LANGUAGE THAT SHOWS

The turtle looks grumpy. The turtle’s mouth turned down in a frown.

The turtle was tired. The turtle’s eyes drooped and he sighed heavily.

We helped the baby turtle. We carried the baby turtle to the water.

Turtles worry about being eaten. Turtles ‘ minds swirl with fears and concerns .

SOME WAYS TO BEGIN AN ESSAY

Ask a question• Have you ever…?• Did you know…?

Use onomatopoeia• SMASH! That’s the sound of…• SPLASH! That’s the sound of…

Explain when and where• On an icy Wednesday last February…• In a red house on Holly Street in Issaquah…

State a fact• My teacher fears turtles.• Turtles have shells.

State your opinion• I adore turtles!• Mary thinks narwhals are scary and creepy.

Use dialogue• “I’m going up for some air,” said the turtle.• “Where are my keys?” inquired the turtle.

Sometimes commas separate items in a series

Maria packed bandaids, apples, sandwiches, trail mix, and a water filter before the big hike.

Larry brought the following pointless items hiking: a jar of mayonnaise, extra ballet slippers, a potholder and a unicorn pillow pet.

The hikers crossed rivers, valleys, mountains, forests and mountains.

Sometimes commas separatea phrase or clause that adds extra, but not vital, information.

Your cat, which is adorable, looks like a wild animal.

Your cat, who looks like a wild cheetah, just bit my hand really hard.

My hand, which is now bleeding horribly from the cat bite, really hurts.

You, who used to be my friend, don’t seem interested in my cat-bitten hand.

Sometimes commas separate an Introductory clause from the main part ofthe sentence.

Because I am outgrowing my exoskeleton, I shed it this morning .

Although you think that’s gross, you yourself are always shedding skin cells.

Whenever I shed my exoskeleton, I like to leave it on a branch for kids to come find.

No matter how cool they think my old exoskeleton is, some kid is going to say “GROSS!”