Due April 5 (5P Country Essay & Fix Its 3&4 & Red Pony)

INTRIGUING TITLE REQUIRED  You will be subtly referring to it in your conclusion!

INTRODUCTION (T/C not required)

ww        bc       asia      #6

ly          SV      QA       #2

--> Your first sentence should be an grab attention & hook the audience’s interest.

--> The middle of the intro gives background, general, and/or basic information about your following paragraphs. It introduces the body of your essay.  

--> The last part of your introduction is your THESIS STATEMENT  This tells your audience what your three topics are.

       

___________________________________________________________________

Three BODY PARAGRAPHS 

These are the three "topic paragraphs" you have already written about your country.

Each one requires T/C

____________________________________________________________________

CONCLUSION (special clincher rule - last 2 sentences)

ww        bc       asia      #6

ly          SV      QA       #2

--> Briefly recall the three topics. You can elaborate (slightly) on the significance of your topics. 

--> The last paragraph helps your reader appreciate your country and feel happy that they read your essay.

REMEMBER THE RULE FOR THE LAST TWO SENTENCES.

--> One of the sentences should tell the reader, "the most significant topic in your essay.

--> One of the sentences should reflect, or restate @ least part of your TITLE. 

_____________________________________________________________________

_____________________________________________________________________

The Little Mermaid part 3

Correct any punctuation, spelling, capitalization, and general grammatical errors. Special notes for these sentences:

• Run-on sentences have two main clauses that sometimes need to be joined with something stronger than a comma (a comma splice). 
• Check for correct usage of like & as. Like is a preposition and should be followed by an object to create a prepositional phrase (she sings like a bird). As is a conjunction and should be followed by a clause with a subject and a verb (she sings as a bird does). 
• Note: Hung refers to having suspended something. Hanged means to have executed someone. If you look up “irregular verbs,” you can find all sorts of lists of verbs with their tense forms. 
  

Part 3

to each of the young princesses the sea king bequeathed a little garden plot where they might dig and plant as they pleased, one princess arranged her flowerbed as a whale, another as a mermaid, that of the youngest contained flowers as red as the suns ray’s at sunset.

She was a singular child quiet and thoughtful, whereas her sisters would be thrilled with the marvelous things they obtained from the wrecks of vessels’ the younger princess cherished nothing, but her lovely flowers—except one thing a marble statue

Carved out of pure white stone the statue was the rendering of a handsome boy which had fallen to the bottom of the sea from a wreck, beside the statue, the youngest mermaid had planted a rose-colored, weeping willow

Splendidly it had grown, and soon hanged it’s fresh branches over the statue, enchanted by any information she might gain about the world above the sea the little mermaid made her venerable grandmother tell her all she new of the ships and towns.

The Little Mermaid part 4

Correct any punctuation, spelling, capitalization, and general grammatical errors. Special notes for these sentences:

• Spell out ordinal numbers (first, second, third, etc.).
• Go over the rules of commas and quotes as they pertain to conversation. 
• Several other comma rules are tested. Fix errors and be ready to explain as needed.
  
  Part 4
  To her, it seemed most amazing that flowers of the land should have fragrance, and that fish among the tree’s could sing so sweetly, when you have reached your 15th year said the grandmother. You will have our sanction to rise up out of the sea. [quotation continues]
  
  you may sit on the rocks in the luminous moonlight while the great ships are sailing by in the following year, one of the sister’s would be 15 since each mermaid was a year younger then the next the youngest would have to endure 5 years before her turn came.
  
  However each promised to tell the others’ what they discovered on their impending visit, and what they thought the most pleasing, because there grandmother could not tell them as much as they wanted to know.
  
  None of them yearned so much for their turn to come as the younger. She who had the longest time to wait, and who was so quiet and thoughtful

_____________________________________________________________________

Read John Steinbeck's book,  The Red Pony

We will discuss it and have a writing assignment about the book on April 19.

SaveSave

Due March 22 (Fix-Its & Portfolio)

1) Correct two parts of The Little Mermaid Fix-Its (below).

• Make a copy of the Fix-Its.
• Correct your copy in red pencil or ink so that you can remember the corrections you made & contribute to class discussion when we review this work.
• Rewrite the corrected passage in your notebook. Be sure to double-space.
• Vocabulary: Find the bolded vocabulary words. Look each word up in a dictionary, and then write the definition that best fits the context. Include part of speech and a sentence for each word.

2) Update your portfolio and bring it to class.

_______________________________________________________

Fix-It: The Little Mermaid Student Editing Checklist   

•  Vocabulary: Find the bolded vocabulary word. Look it up in a dictionary, and then write the definition that best fits the context.
•  Indent? Decide if each passage needs to be indented.
•  Capitalization: Check for proper capitalization.
•  Punctuation: Check for proper quotation marks and end marks.
•  Fragments: Watch for incomplete sentences.
•  Correct use of coordinating conjunctions (cc): avoid using cc’s to string together sentences; avoid starting sentences with a cc.
•  Correct use of who/which and who/whom
•  Commas: Correct comma errors. Some are missing; some are not needed.
•  Apostrophes: Correct apostrophe (’) errors.
•  Agreement: Check for subject/verb or noun/pronoun agreement.
•  Verb Tense: Check for consistency in verb tense (past or present).
•  Numbers: Spell out numbers written as one or two words.
•  Spelling: Watch for the correct spelling of common words.
•  Tricky words: Correct misuse of tricky words, homophones, contractions, and possessives.
•  Underline Dress-ups: “-ly” adverb, quality adjective, strong verb, adverb clause (www.asia.buwu: when, while, where, as, since, if, although, because, until, whereas, unless), who/which.
• 
  Mark Sentence Openers with numbers: 
  [2] Prepositional openers
  [3] “-ly” adverbial openers
  [4] “-ing” openers
  [5] adverb clause AKA: asia openers
  [6] V.S.S., or Very Short Sentence
• 
  
• _________________________________________________________
  
  The Little Mermaid part 1
  Correct any punctuation, spelling, capitalization, and general grammatical errors. Special notes for these sentences:
  
  
  

  • Be sure the subject and verb agree. Review singular and plural verbs (Jon loves; they love) and explain how it can be tricky sometimes to choose the correct one.
    
  • Watch out when using superlatives (-er, -est, most). It is appropriate to use most when the next word is three syllables (i.e., beautiful). However, for shorter words such as pretty or nice, use –er or –est instead of most. Never combine most with an –er or –est.
    
    Part 1
    Far out in the ocean where the water is as blue as the most stunning cornflower and as clear as crystal it is very deep—so deep indeed that no cable could fathom it.
    
    Many, church steeples, piled one upon another, would not reach from the ground beneath too the surface of the water above, in that place, dwells the Sea King, and his aquatic subjects.
    
    We must not imagine that there is nothing at the bottom of the sea but bare, yellow sand no indeed the most remarkable plants grow their. The leaves and stems of which are so pliant that the most slight agitation of the water causes them to stir like they had life
    
    Fish both large and small glide between the branches, as birds fly between the trees here upon land. In the most deepest spot of all stands the castle of the sea king, and it’s walls are built of coral and the long gothic windows are of the clearest amber.
    
    
    _______________________________________________________________________________
    
    
    
    The Little Mermaid part 2

    Correct any punctuation, spelling, capitalization, and general grammatical errors. Special notes for these sentences:

    • Go here to learn how to use lie versus lay. Lay is something you do to something else: Lay the book on the table. Lie is something you do to yourself: Lie down on the couch. It gets tricky with the past tenses: the past tense of lay is laid; the past tense of lie is lay! 
• 
  Part 2
  Splendidly the roof is formed of shells which open and close as the water flows over them, there appearance is magnificent because in each lays a glittering pearl fit for the diadem of a queen.
  
  
  For many years the sea king had been a widower so his aged mother kept house for him she deserved very great praise especially for her nurturance of the little sea-princess’s her granddaughters.
  
  
  Although, all six were comely children the younger were the most striking of them all her skin was as delicate as a rose leaf, and her eyes as blue as the deepest sea, like all the others she had no feet and her body ended in a fish’s tail.
  
  
  throughout the day they frolicked in the palatial halls of the castle, fish swam in threw the large amber windows right up to the princess’s where they nibbled from the mermaids hands, and allowed themselves to be stroked.
  • • 
      
• 

SaveSave

Quotations & Commas Helps

Quotations  

Rule 1. Use quotation marks with direct quotations but not with indirect speech, which usually begins with that. 

“It’s no wonder that child has turned out so blemished,” clucked Lady Constance.

What Arthur failed to disclose was that only one demonstrated any gratitude for the kindness.

Rule 2. Commas and periods always go inside closing quotations (unless they are followed by parentheses, in which case they go after the parentheses).

“It’s gold, you know.”

Rule 3. Exclamation marks and question marks go inside closing quotations when they are part of the material quoted; otherwise, they go outside. Also, use only one ending mark of punctuation—the stronger—with quotation marks, em-dashes excepted.

“If only I could have my ball back, I would bestow a handsome reward on my benefactor!”

“Dorinda, who was at the door?” King Morton inquired. (No comma in addition to the question mark.)

Rule 4. Use single quotation marks only for quotations within quotations.

“She also insisted on stripping the top coverlets from all the mattresses because, as she put it, ‘They might be

unclean.’”

Rule 5. When a quotation is interrupted, close the first part and begin the second with quotation marks. Do not capitalize the first letter of the continuation.

“At about midnight,” he continued confidingly, “you take your cat to the graveyard.”

Rule 6. Use italics or place quotation marks around words referred to as words. Trick: Insert “the word(s)” before the word in question to tell if this rule applies.

He would have none of this recent drivel of dropping “Sir” and “Madam” when addressing one’s elders. (dropping the words “Sir” and “Madam”) 

Commas

Rule 1.

Usually use commas to separate two or more adjectives before a noun.

Advanced: Use commas with coordinate adjectives, in which each adjective separately modifies the noun. Do not use commas with cumulative adjectives, in which the first adjective modifies the next adjective plus noun. The adjectives are cumulative if the last one deals with time, age, or color or if it forms a noun phrase with the noun. Trick to tell the difference: If you can insert the word and between the adjectives or if you can switch their order, they are probably coordinate adjectives and need a comma.

Huck followed him to the old haunted house just outside St. Petersburg. (“haunted house” --> noun phrase)

“I have dishwater blond hair and wear thick, black-framed glasses.” (“blond” --> color; “thick and black-framed” and

“black-framed, thick glasses” both work, so comma)

Rule 2.

Use commas with three or more items in a series, which can involve any part of speech except conjunctions. Some grammar handbooks consider the comma before the final and optional, but since it can cause confusion to omit it, it is easier to include it always.

Muff Potter, Injun Joe, and young Doc Robinson tramped right up to the grave with a lantern, shovels, and a wheelbarrow.

Rule 3. 
Use commas after introductory prepositional phrases (#2 Sentence Openers) of five or more words. The comma is usually optional with fewer than five words. Let the pause test be your guide.

During the weeks of preparation, Mel had been shuffled off to the hunting lodge. On his journey north(,) Gawain encountered few obstacles. (comma optional)

Rule 4. 
Use a comma after introductory transitional expressions and interjections. Also use commas on both sides of transitional or interrupting words or phrases that appear elsewhere in a sentence.

Moreover, didn’t they realize cell phones were intended for emergencies only?

As grown-up girls, however, they could go when they pleased.

“Fellow, in faith, you have found the king.” (Here, “in faith” means “indeed” or “in truth.”)

Rule 5. 
Use commas after introductory adverb clauses (#5 Sentence Openers), even if they are short. 

If any one of the young knights here is truly valiant, let him take up my ax.

Rule 6.
Use commas after introductory –ing phrases (#4 sentence openers), even if they are short. 

Excusing herself from the table, Dorinda hastened away.

Rule 7. 
Use a comma with a verb of speaking that introduces a direct quotation, whether the verb comes before or after the quotation.

“King Mel loathes courtly balls,” Lord Ashton protested. Lord Ashton protested, “King Mel loathes courtly balls.”

Commas!

For a quick and easy to understand guide to using commas in American English, see the The Owl at Purdue, a writing guide for students:

http://owl.english.purdue.edu/owl/resource/607/02 

Common Errors in English

A good source for keeping your students’ compositions error-free.

http://www.wsu.edu/~brians/errors/errors.html

Tom Sawyer FIX IT 2013-14

FIX-IT Help

 

Vocabulary: Find the bolded vocabulary word. Look it up in a dictionary, and then write the definition that best fits the context.

  
Indent: Decide if each passage needs to be indented.

Capitalization: Check for proper capitalization.

Punctuation: Check for proper quotation marks and end marks.

Fragments: Watch for incomplete sentences.

  
Correct use of coordinating conjunctions (cc): avoid using cc’s to string together sentences; avoid starting sentences with a cc.

  
Correct use of who/which and who/whom

Commas: Correct comma errors. Some are missing; some are not needed.

  
Apostrophes: Correct apostrophe (’) errors.

Agreement: Check for subject/verb or noun/pronoun agreement.

Verb Tense: Check for consistency in verb tense (past or present).

Numbers: Spell out numbers written as one or two words.

Spelling: Watch for the correct spelling of common words.

Tricky words: Correct misuse of tricky words, homophones, contractions, and possessives..

Hand-write corrected FIX-IT on lined paper. Be sure to double-space.