Grammar & Punctuation

A revisit

A Grammar Companion for Primary

Teachers by Beverly Derewianka  

If you only have one Grammar resource this would be it.

Resources

Teaching Strategies 2010 DEC See Literacy – Language Conventions

Pinterest

You Tube

Resources

Three types of sentences

Simple Vicki has a cat.

Compound Vicki has a cat and the cat is huge.

Complex Vicki, who loves animals, has a very large cat.

Sentence structure

Choose a simple sentence

Determine noun group

Add adjective Add adjectival phrase Add adjectival clause

Find similar sentences in the text

Sentence structure

Starting dependent adjectival clauses

Who, which, whom, whose or that - these relative pronouns usually start dependent adjectival clauses which describe a person, place or thing. The clause depends on the main clause - it doesn’t make sense on its own as a statement.

Examples: I like the woodturner who makes bowls so skillfully.I found the old house which stood beside the river.I was so terrified that I never swam again [describing the

adjective terrified]

Sentence structure

Choose a simple sentence

Determine verb group

Add adverb Add adverbial phrase Add adverbial clause

Find similar sentences in the text

Sentence structure

Starting dependent adverbial clauses

Conjunctions like because, when, after, if, so, until, before start adverbial clauses describing how, why, when, where something happened

Example: Because you have been so mean to me, I feel very angry.Until you apologise, I won’t be able to forgive you.I could finally relax after they had all gone home.

Sentence structure

Teach students how to write complex

sentences in 3 ways:

1. Ask for more detail.2. Sentence building in the topic area your class

is writing about 3. Sentence combining to link related ideas

within one sentence

Boosting writing

1. Ask for more detail: How? When? Where? Why? What did it/they look

like? What did they sound like? The extra detail must contain a verb!!!

2. Sentence building - complete the sentence below to give more detail: I ran there quickly because I often shop there although

3. Sentence combining - join the two sentences using the word in brackets

I really like you. You are such a kind person. [because] We ate lunch. We went home. [after] I really liked the woman. She was so kind to me. [who] Get rid of

she!!

Boosting writing