Is it or Isnt It?

Run-ons and Prepositions

 What does it mean to be dependent?

What does it mean to be independent? How are sentences independent? How are fragments dependent?

They handle the BB gun carelessly. -- Jim Grimsley, Winter Birds

Is this sentence independent?

Trading it back and forth. -- Jim Grimsley, Winter Birds

Is this sentence independent? Independent a complete thought that makes sense by itself.

They handle the BB gun carelessly, trading it back and forth.

What do you notice?
How did the change affect the meaning of the sentence?

Dependent relies on an independent part of a sentence. It does not make sense by itself.

We know 1. Every sentence has a subject 2. Every sentence has a verb 3. Sentences are independent 4. Fragments are dependent 5. Dependent things can lean on independent things
Just listen:

They handle the BB gun carelessly, trading it back and forth, each slinging the barrel over his shoulder like a hunter in a frontier television show.

They handle the BB gun carelessly, trading it back and forth, each slinging the barrel over his shoulder like a hunter in a frontier television show.
We learned 1. Dependent things can lean on independent things 2. We can add to sentences without running on.

HW: Find or write 2 examples of sentences that have an independent part and a dependent part.

Lets celebrate our findings! Twenty minutes into the movie, I fell asleep. For our family, movie-going was rare. One Saturday I decided to be extra good. The weeds were really Bermuda grass, long stringers that ran deep into the ground.

Yesterday, we learned 1. Dependent things can lean on independent things 2. We can add to sentences without running on.

What do I mean by running-on?

A run-on sentence is when 2 or more independent sentences are smooshed together without punctuation or conjunctions.

Something that makes me happy is my friend Destiny she doesnt try to act all cool and she is just goofy like when she dances she dont care about what nobody says and she just does dancing and laughs and doesnt worry. -- Desiree, student
What do you notice?

What changes when we add commas?

Something that makes me happy is my friend Destiny, she doesnt try to act all cool , and she is just goofy, like when she dances, she dont care about what nobody says and she just does dancing and laughs and doesnt worry.
Which do you prefer this way, or the old way? Is it a sentence now? Why? What else is needed to fix this sentence?

Sometimes we can fix run-ons by 1. Adding commas. 2. Adding end marks. 3. Adding both commas and end marks.
How do we decide what to do and where? Depends on the message were trying to get across Depends on the meaning we want in the sentence

HW: 1. Write at least 4 lines of thoughts without any punctuation (commas, periods, etc.) 2. Adding only commas, see if you can fix your run-on. Is it a sentence now? 3. Adding end marks, see if you can fix your run-on. Is it a sentence now? 4. Adding or changing words, see if you can fix your run-on. 5. Which version of your corrected sentence is best? (step 2, 3, or 4) Why?

Quick Check today!

Share your thoughts about your homework.

Were continuing our discussion about what makes a sentence and how to deal with fragments and run-ons.

How important are prepositions?

A preposition shows the relationship between a noun and other words in a sentence.

One way to think about preposition is to think about everywhere a cat can go.

Above, around, behind, beneath, in, toward, outside, over, under, with, etc.

Lets look at some prepositions in action Take the teasing comb and back-comb all your hair until it looks like an electrified Persian cat. To tease your hair, grab a small section and hold it up by the end. Comb downward with the teasing comb in short fast strokes until it gets tangled at the bottom. Pull the teased hair up and out to achieve maximum altitude. Liberally apply the hair spray to hold the teased hair in place. If you can still see the walls, you havent sprayed enough. Spray more. All these styles must be taken care of while you sleep. Some women use the beehive hairnet; others use feather pillows to sleep upon; while still others sleep upright in the La-Z-Boy. Your mileage may vary. Just be careful not to put anyones eye out. --Kinky Friedman, Kinky Friedmans Guide to Texas Etiquette.

What happens if we take out the prepositions?

Take the teasing comb and back-comb all your hair. To tease your hair, grab a small section and hold it. Comb downward. Pull the teased hair. Liberally apply the hair spray. If you can still see the walls, you havent sprayed enough. Spray more. All these styles must be taken care of while you sleep. Some women use the beehive hairnet; others use feather pillows; while still others sleep upright. Your mileage may vary. Just be careful not to put anyones eye out. --Kinky Friedman, Kinky Friedmans Guide to Texas Etiquette. What do you notice?

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=gh1jLd7uic

How important are prepositions?

Can you describe a room, painting, or a process without prepositions? HW: Write a paragraph about a room in your house. Use as many prepositions as possible in your description.

Share your thoughts about your homework.

Were continuing our discussion about what makes a sentence and how to deal with fragments and run-ons.

We learned yesterday that prepositions (and prepositional phrases) are used to orient us in time and space in our writing.
A preposition shows the relationship between a noun and other words in a sentence in one of three ways 1. Location/space 2. Time 3. Other relationships

Look at this: For a small favor. Is it a sentence? Why?

My neighbor said she wanted to ask me for a small favor.

Is it a sentence? Why?

Prepositions (and prepositional phrases) are dependent on the rest of the sentence to make sense.
Which means, we still have to have 1. A subject 2. A verb when we use prepositions.

My neighbor said she wanted to ask me for a small favor. Little did I know what was in store for me when I agreed to feed her cat. After my neighbor left on her trip, I walked across the street to her house. Once I got inside the house, I was overwhelmed by the stench of cat urine. I

looked around the house and couldnt believe what I saw. My eyes fell
on two salad dressing containers sitting on a table beside the couch, which was completely covered with dirty laundry, except for this one worn area by the table. The volume on the TV was turned up all the way. In disbelief and despite my better judgment, I walked toward the restroom. Around the base of the tub, I saw these red velvety mushrooms coming up between the tub and the tile floor. This filth was way beyond anything Id ever seen in my life. Within two minutes, the cat was fed and I was out of there. Since she returned from her trip, I have never been available to watch her cat again.

 Work with your desk partner. Circle the prepositions Put parentheses around all the prepositional phrases. Label the subject in each sentence. Label the verb in each sentence.

My neighbor said she wanted to ask me [for a small favor]. Little did I know what was [in store] [for me] when I agreed to feed her cat. After my neighbor left [on her trip], I walked [across the street] [to her house]. Once I got [inside the house], I was overwhelmed [by the stench] [of cat urine]. I looked [around the house] and couldnt believe what I saw. My eyes fell [on two salad dressing containers] sitting [on a table] [beside the couch], which was completely covered [with dirty laundry,] except [for this one worn area] [by the table]. The volume [on the TV] was

turned up all the way. [In disbelief] and despite my better judgment, I
walked [toward the restroom].[ Around the base] [of the tub,] I saw these red velvety mushrooms coming up [between the tub and the tile floor.] This filth was way [beyond anything] Id ever seen in my life. [Within two minutes,] the cat was fed and I was out [of there.] Since she returned [from her trip,] I have never been available to watch her cat again.

HW: Find 3 examples of sentences with prepositional phrases. I ran across the football field. She cut her eyes at Claire and Molly. He gave me 50 pounds of moose meat. He jumped up and down and made dance motions with his arms. The sky seemed to creep literally into the house. on the rocky shores they shared the bounty.

Share your homework.

Were continuing our discussion about what makes a sentence and how to deal with fragments and run-ons and prepositions.

We were going towards San Antonio, but we stopped at San Marcos to eat the McDonalds.
Clayton, student What do you notice?

I went to the grocery store at Legacy and Coit. Ms. Conway

What do you notice?

When we use prepositions, we have to make sure we show the right kind of relationship between the noun and other words in the sentence.

HW: 1. Use the HW where you described a room using prepositions. 2. Circle the prepositions. Ask yourself to what? 3. Put parentheses around all the prepositional phrases. 4. Label the subject in each sentence. 5. Label the verb in each sentence. 6. Reflect in 2 sentences:

a) Did you use the right prepositions to describe the relationships in your writing? b) Did all of your sentences have subjects and verbs?

Did all of your sentences have a subject and a verb? O.o

Look at this picture.

Write as many prepositional phrases as you can to describe this picture.

Prompt: Would you eat a bowl of live crickets for $40,000? Explain why or why not?
On a sheet of notebook paper, respond to this prompt. 1. Use complete sentences. 2. Use independent and dependent parts of sentences. 3. Put parentheses around all the prepositional phrases. 4. Label the subject in each sentence. 5. Label the verb in each sentence.