Grammatical Scaffolding Writing Basics Communicating an idea Can

Grammatical Scaffolding

Writing Basics ● Communicating an idea ● Can be incredibly simple ● Evolves into more complex ideas

Writing Basics ● Look at children o o o Simple vocabulary to communicate basic info “Cookie” “TV” ● Develops in complexity as they mature o o o “I want a cookie. ” “Can I watch TV? ” Now includes subject and verb working to complete an idea.

Writing Basics ● Eventually they add description to the idea o o “I am really hungry!” “I hate soggy cookies!” “I want to watch my favorite show now!” Now adjectives and adverbs are added to give clarity to their idea.

Writing Basics ● Then they learn that two different ideas can be connected “I am really hungry, so can I have a cookie? ” “I don’t want to go to bed because my favorite show is on!” o Now conjunctions and dependent clauses are used to better express ideas o o

Sentence Scaffolding Simple to Complex ● Verbs ● Nouns (subject, direct object, , indirect object, object of preposition) ● Descriptors (adjectives and adverbs) ● Sentence types (simple, compound, complex, compound-complex) ● Rhetoric

Sentence Basics ● All sentences have three basic elements: o o o Subject (noun) Predicate (verb) Complete thought ● The simplest sentence? The command. o o o “No. ” “Run. ” Understood you as the subject, run is the verb, the idea is clearly stated.

Sentence Basics: Noun ● Subjects are nouns ● Nouns can be person, place, thing, or IDEA. ● Proper nouns are capitalized because they are a specific thing o Milwaukee Lutheran High School or just any high school

Sentence Basics: Noun ● Nouns can also be other parts of the sentence direct objects § I gave a passing grade. o indirect objects § I gave Jack a passing grade o object of preposition § I gave a passing grade to Jack. o predicate nominative § Torture is running in the morning. o

Sentence Basics: Noun ● Collective nouns are nouns refering to a group o The class sat in their seats. ● Compound nouns are two or more things acting as one o peanut butter and jelly, ham and cheese. . .

Sentence Basics: Noun ● IDEA nouns can be anything that can’t be physically touched - they are ideas freedom o love o is § “Is”? Yes, “is”. Is is a word that has two letters. “Is” is the subject - the idea of the word “is”, therefore, ‘is’ is a noun. o

Sentence Basics: Noun ● IDEA nouns can be more than just one word - they can be clauses, phrases. . . Freedom from oppression is important. o Loving a TV show like Lost can be difficult. o To pass this test is a key goal of her’s. o Whoever passes the test will pass the class. § In each case, the subject is more than one word it is the idea of something expressed in a phrase or clause. o

Sentence Basics: Phrase as Noun ● Gerund phrase (verb + “ing” used as a noun) Loving a TV show like Lost can be difficult. o Greunds can also be direct objects, indirect objects, objects of prepositions, predicate nominatives o For example. . . o

Sentence Basics: Noun - Gerund ● Nouns can also be other parts of the sentence o direct objects § I hate exercising in the morning. - gerund

Sentence Basics: Noun - Gerund ● Nouns can also be other parts of the sentence o indirect objects § I gave exercising in the morning a try. - gerund

Sentence Basics: Noun - Gerund ● Nouns can also be other parts of the sentence o objects of preposition § After exercising in the morning, I was tired. gerund

Sentence Basics: Noun - Gerund ● Nouns can also be other parts of the sentence o Predicate nominative – renames or identifies subject § Happiness is sleeping in until noon. - gerund

Sentence Basics: Phrase as Noun ● Infinitive phrase (“to” + verb used as a noun) To pass this test is a key goal of her’s. o Infinitives can also be used as adjectives and adverbs (more on this later) o

Sentence Basics: Noun – Infinitive ● Nouns can also be other parts of the sentence o direct objects § I want to go to the movies. - infinitive

Sentence Basics: Noun – Infinitive ● Nouns can also be other parts of the sentence o Predicate nominative – renames or identifies subject § Happiness is to sleep until noon. - infinitive

Sentence Basics: Clause as Noun ● Noun Clause (Dependent word + verb phrase) Whoever passes the test will pass the class. o Noun clauses have a verb o Noun clauses start with a dependent word § who/whoever - whom/whomever - which/whichever where/wherever - when/whenever - that - if - how why o

Sentence Basics: Noun – Noun Clause ● Nouns can also be other parts of the sentence o direct objects § I love whatever she loves. - noun clause

Sentence Basics: Noun – Noun Clause ● Nouns can also be other parts of the sentence o indirect objects § I want whoever studied to get an “A”. - noun clause

Sentence Basics: Noun – Noun Clause ● Nouns can also be other parts of the sentence o objects of preposition § I will have to go before whatever happens. - noun clause

Sentence Basics: Noun – Noun Clause ● Nouns can also be other parts of the sentence o Predicate nominative – renames or identifies subject § The winner is whoever finishes first. - noun clause

Sentence Basics: Punctuation ● Because all of these (gerund, infinitive, noun clause) are essential to the sentence, there is usually no need for a comma. ● Non-essential is the exception o added information that could be removed and the sentence would not lose any meaning

Description

Sentence Basics: Description ● Description comes in two forms: o adjectives modify § nouns/pronouns § The red car slid on the icy road. § The broken clock only worked once a day. § Everyone’s favorite day is the first day of summer vacation.

Sentence Basics: Description ● Description comes in two forms: o adverbs modify § Verbs § He quickly added up his score. § Adjectives § The deep red car sped down the road. § Adverbs § The children woke unusually early today. ● can be individual words or. . . Phrases and Clauses

Sentence Basics: Descriptive Phrases ● prepositions can be used either as adjectives or adverbs § The cat flew over the boat. (v) § The note from Sam was delivered too late. (j) o should always be places as close to the word modified (described) as possible o ALWAYS separate with commas when starting a sentence when 4+ words are used in 1 or more phrases. o

Sentence Basics: Descriptive Phrases ● infinitives can be used either as adjectives or adverbs § The best way to prepare for the test is studying. (j) § He attended school to become a lawyer. (v) o ALWAYS separate with commas when § starting a sentence and a noun follows the phrase § To become a doctor, Jack went to medical school. § Interrupting the subject and the verb § Jack, to become a doctor, went to medical school. o

Sentence Basics: Descriptive Phrases ● participles present verb + “ing” o past tense of verb o only used as adjectives § Broken into three pieces, the bat was unusable. § The bat, broken into three pieces, was unusable. o can be just the participle without modifiers § He grabbed the broken bat. o

Sentence Basics: Descriptive Phrases ● participle punctuation o ALWAYS separate with commas when § starting a sentence § interrupting the subject and verb § never when it ends a sentence

Sentence Basics: Descriptive Phrases ● participle and prepositional phrase placement o should always be places as close to the word being modified (described) as possible § Made of snow, the children built a fort. § The children built a fort made of snow.

Sentence Basics: Descriptive Clauses ● adjective clauses have a subject and a verb o lacks a complete thought o begins with § relative pronoun o § ● who, whom, whose, which, or that ● at times these can be omitted (understood) ● “The movie (that) you recommended was not good. ” relative adverb ● when, where, or why

Sentence Basics: Descriptive Clauses ● adjective clauses o answers § what kind? § which one? § how many?

Sentence Basics: Descriptive Clauses ● adjective clauses o commas? § only if the information is non-essential § “Mike, who claimed to have a limp, went to the movies. ” ● § “The man who claimed to have a limp ran to the bus. ” ● o added information not relevant to the main idea of the sentence essential information because it lets you know which specific man is running. place as close to the modified word as possible

Sentence Basics: Descriptive Clauses ● adverb clauses have a subject and a verb o adverb clauses do not have a complete thought o begins with § subordinate conjunction o ● after, although, as, because, before, even if, even though, in order that, once, provided that, rather than, since, so that, than, though, unless, until, whenever, whereas, wherever, whether. while, why

Sentence Basics: Descriptive Clauses ● adverb clauses o answers § time, place, or cause/effect relationship § reduces the importance of one clause so that a reader understands which ideas is more important (the independent clause)

Sentence Basics: Descriptive Clauses ● adverb clauses o commas? § ALWAYS when § ● it starts a sentence ● interrupts the main clause’s subject and verb NEVER at the end of a sentence

Sentence Basics: Descriptive Clauses ● adverb clauses o placement § a moveable feast ● do not have to be near the modified item because it modifies/gives a condition/restriction to the entire independent clause, not just a part of it “Mike, whenever it rains, goes to the movies. ” § “Whenever it rains, Mike goes to the movies. ” § “Mike goes to the movies whenever it rains. ” §

Sentence Basics: Sentence types ● simple Subject, verb, complete thought o Also called an independent clause o

Sentence Basics: Sentence types ● compound o 2 (+) subjects, verbs, and complete thoughts § punctuation: 2 options ● comma (, ) + conjunctions for, and, nor, but, or, yet, so (fanboys) ● semi-colon (; ) o can use semi-colon alone, or use it with a conjunctive adverb § accordingly, also, besides, consequently, conversely, finally, furthermore, hence, however, indeed, instead, likewise, meanwhile, moreover, nevertheless, otherwise, similarly, still, subsequently, then, therefore, thus

Sentence Basics: Sentence types ● compound o The punctuation exception: o If the clauses are short (usually 3 or fewer words each), then no conjunction or semi-colon is needed.

Sentence Basics: Sentence types ● complex o 1 independent clause + 1(or more) dependent clauses § Punctuation: ● comma (, ) ● See Noun and Descriptive Clauses for details

Sentence Basics: Sentence types ● Compound-complex o 2 (+) independent clauses + 1(or more) dependent clauses § Sophisticated ideas § Punctuation: ● See Compound Sentences for details