Common Core Grammar Review Verbals Ellipses Dashes and

Common Core Grammar Review: Verbals, Ellipses, Dashes and Commas

Understanding Verbals * A verbal is a verb that is being used as another part of speech rather than a verb. *It can be the subject of a sentence, noun, or a modifier.

There are three types of Verbals • Participles • Gerunds • Infinitives Examples – – – The frightened cat scratched my eye. Running seems tiresome at first. Sometimes I like to swing and sometimes I like to slide at the park.

Verbals • A verbal is a verb that is being used as Participle another part of speech rather than a verb. Gerund • Examples – – – The frightened cat scratched my eye. Running seems tiresome at first. Sometimes I like to swing and sometimes I like to slide at the park. Infinitive

Participles • A participle is a verbal that acts as an adjective. – The crying woman left the movie theater. – The frustrated child ran away from home.

Participles • A participle is a form of a verb that acts as an adjective. – The crying woman left the movie theater. – The frustrated child ran away from home.

Past or Present Participles • • Participles ending in an “ing” are Present Participles ending in an “ed” are Past Participles

Identify the Participles in the following sentences • • • Sometimes my gurgling stomach keeps me from concentrating While sleeping with the TV on, the tormented child dreamt of monsters. Screaming adults tend to be very impatient.

Gerunds • A gerund is a verbal that acts as a noun. -Running is great exercise -Most people enjoy eating.

Gerunds • A gerund is a verbal that acts as a noun. (always end in “ing”) -Running is great exercise -Most people enjoy eating.

Identify the Gerunds in the following sentences • • • Talking is a disruptive activity. My son loves playing with his toy dinosaur. The doctor gave studying all of his attention.

Infinitives • An infinitive is a Verbal that appears with the word “to” and acts as a noun, adjective, or adverb – 2 types of infinitives • Present infinitive (only “to” + verb) • Perfect infinitive (“to have” or “to have been” + past tense version of the verb)

Infinitive examples • Present – I like to debate. – To play with matches is wrong. • Perfect – I would have liked to read the paper. – To have been mentioned would have been enough.

Identify the verbals in the following sentences and identify them as a participle, a gerund or an infinitive. • • • Meditating on positive ideas brings great physical health. The explorer struggled to find the remote colony. The heated pool is great for sore muscles

Ellipses (…) • Use an ellipses to: – Indicate a pause in dialogue or a break in a story. • “I don’t know what to do…” she whined

Ellipses (…) • Use an ellipses to: – Indicate an omission in a quotation. • Patrick Henry said, “Is life so dear, or peace so sweet, as to be purchased at the price of chains and slavery? . . . I know not what course others may take; but as for me, give me liberty or give me death!”

Dash (-) • Use a dash to indicate a break in thought. – I talked to Chris-you know he is- and he ignored me.

Comma • Use a comma to: – Separate an introductory element (subordinate clause) from the rest of the sentence • When I got to school, I went to home room.

Comma • Use a comma to: – Separate nonessential elements from the rest of the sentence • The ring, which is solid gold, has been in the family for years.

Comma • Use a comma to: – Set off interjections, such as yes and no • Yes, I am going to the game.

Comma • Use a comma to: – Set off a tag question from the rest of the sentence • It was Tim, wasn’t it? – Indicate a direct address • You see, Tito, we had to go.

Comma • Use a comma to: – Separate independent clauses joined by a coordinating conjunction. • She went to the store, but it was closed. – Separate three or more words, phrases, or clauses written in a series • We drove up the hill, around the corner, and into the driveway.

Comma • Use a comma to: – Set off geographical names • He moved to Brooklyn, New York, after college.