Grammar and Writing for Grade 8

I.

Parts of Speech
Objective: Be able to identify the part of speech of an underlined word in sentences.
A. Nouns (common, proper, concrete, abstract, collective, compound, plural)
B. Verbs (action, linking, helping)
C. Adjectives (articlesa, an, the)
D. Adverbs
E. Pronouns (personal, demonstrative, interrogative, indefinite, relative, reflexive, intensive)
F. Prepositions
G. Conjunctions (coordinating, correlative, conjunctive adverb, subordinating)
H. Interjections

II.

Parts of a Sentence
Objectives: Be able to identify the underlined sentence part. Be able to choose the word, or
words, that form the simple subject and the simple predicate.
A. Subject (simple, compound)
B. Predicate (simple, compound)
C. Hard-to-find subjects (you understood in imperative sentences, sentences with here and there,
inverted word order, questions, etc.)
D. Complements
1. Direct objects
2. Indirect objects
3. Predicate nominatives (nouns/pronouns)
4. Predicate adjectives

III.

Phrases
Objectives: Be able to identify the prepositional phrase as adjective or adverb phrases. Be able
to identify appositive phrases and verbal phrasesparticipial, gerund, and infinitive. Be able to
identify the function of gerund phrases and infinitive phrases in sentences.
A. Prepositional phrases
B. Appositive phrases
C. Verbal phrases
1. Participial phrases
2. Gerund phrases (as subjects, predicate nouns, direct objects, or object of the
preposition)
3. Infinitive phrases (as nouns, adjectives, or adverbs)

IV.

Clauses and Sentence Structure

Objectives: Be able to identify word groups as adjective, adverb, and noun clauses. Be able to
identify sentences as simple, compound, complex, and compound-complex. Be able to identify
improper sentences (fragments and run-ons).
A. Main clauses
B. Subordinate clauses
1. Adjective clauses (introduced by relative pronounswho, whom, which, whose, that
and sometimes where and when)
2. Adverb clauses (introduced by subordinating conjunctionsalthough, as, because, if,
since, when, before, after, etc.)
3. Noun clauses (introduced by words like how, that, what, whatever, when, where,
which, whoever, whose, why, etc.)
4. Simple sentences
5. Compound sentences
6. Complex sentences
7. Compound-complex sentences
8. Fragments
9. Run-ons

V.

Usage
Objectives: Be able to identify the correct verb tense, subject-verb agreement, and pronoun
agreement. Be able to identify the form or word that completes the sentences correctly. Be able
to recognize misplaced and faulty modifiers.
A. Common usage problems
B. Double negative
C. Logical comparisons

VI.

Mechanics
Objectives: Be able to identify the part of a sentence that requires capitalization and
punctuation. Be able to indicate which punctuation mark is needed.
A. Capitalization
B. Punctuation
1. End marks
2. Semicolons and colons
3. Commas
4. Quotation marks
5. Apostrophes

VII.

Writing
Objectives: Be able to identify and apply writing terms, such as main idea, topic sentence,
thesis statement, supporting sentences, clincher, and transitions. Be able to identify and
elements of a good literary analysis paper. Be able to apply the above grammar concepts
effectively in writing.
A. Writing process (prewriting, drafting, revising, editing/proofreading, publishing/presenting)
B. Modes (i.e., exposition, persuasion, literary analysis, poetry)
B. Unity
C. Coherence
D. Organization
E. Style

apply