EAST MEADOW SCHOOL DISTRICT 2009-2010 Curriculum Area Project

Grades 9-12 Common Grammatical Errors Regents Skills Students Make

Kimberly Jendzo Facilitator Mary Fernandes - Writer

Table of Contents
Abstract Rationale Understanding by Design Understanding Idioms PowerPoint Understanding Idioms Notes Understanding Idioms Practice Run-On Sentences PowerPoint Run-On Sentences Notes Sentence or Sentence Fragment? PowerPoint Run-On & Sentence or Sentence Fragment? Practice Comma Splices PowerPoint Comma Splices Notes Comma Splices Practice Commonly Confused Words PowerPoint Commonly Confused Words Notes Commonly Confused Words Practice Double Negatives PowerPoint Double Negatives Notes Double Negatives Practice Works Cited 3 4 5 6 8 9 10 11 12 14 15 17 18 20 22 23 25 26 27 28

Abstract
The Common Grammatical Errors Regents Skills Students Make CAP is a continuation of Grammar Basics for Regents Skills Students, however this CAP was created to explore the common grammar errors students of all levels, specifically Regents Skills students, make. After compiling a list of the most common errors our English students typically make we chose to focus upon use of idioms, runon sentences, sentence fragments, comma splices, commonly confused words, and double negatives. This CAP can was designed specifically for Regents Skills students, it can also easily be used for any high school English class as a brief review in each area, or as in introductory instructional tool to first teach students about such errors. The repetition of such lessons proves to be especially beneficial in correcting these particular grammatical errors. As a result of this CAP, teachers have a unified reference including powerpoints, worksheets, lesson plans, etc. available for use. This CAP also strives to meet the following New York State English Language Arts Standards: Standard 1: Students will be able to read, write, listen and speak for information and understanding. Standard 2: Students will be able to read, write, listen, and speak for literary response and expression. Standard 3: Students will be able to read, write, listen, and speak for critical analysis and evaluation. Standard 4: Students will be able to read, write, listen, and speak for social interaction (New York State Education Department: Elementary, Middle, Secondary, and Continuing Education).

Rationale
As English teachers, we often see the same errors repeated year after year by students on all levels. Often there is a tremendous amount of confusion regarding which there to use or what exactly a run-on sentence consists of. Although this CAP was designed specifically for the Regents Skills student, it can easily be used and applied at any level due to the fact that such errors are often made throughout the high school experience. After analyzing the repeated errors with our colleagues we found that the chosen errors our CAP focuses upon are the most common from the 12th grade English students right down to the 9th grade English students! In an effort to better prepare our students for life after East Meadow High School, we have designed a review lesson for each area of error in the form of a power point and a notetaking outline. In addition we have also provided review activities for each area. Our hope is that this CAP is used each year on all levels to make our students better aware of these errors and the proper way to revise each one.

5 Understanding by Design Stage One Desired Results Content Standard: New York State English Language Arts Standards: Standard 1: Students will be able to read, write, listen and speak for information and understanding. Standard 2: Students will be able to read, write, listen, and speak for literary response and expression. Standard 3: Students will be able to read, write, listen, and speak for critical analysis and evaluation. Standard 4: Students will be able to read, write, listen, and speak for social interaction. Understanding(s) Students will understand that 1. Grammer can be simple and straightforward. 2. Grammar errors are often made, but effort to remedy such errors must be made. 3. Correction of such grammar errors is easily revised. Students will know 1. How to correct the common grammar errors often made. 2. How to identify such errors and understand the proper way to handle each obstacle in the area of grammar. Essential Question(s): 1. How can we better prepare students for life after high school? 2. How can we help students better understand the errors they are continually making and how to correct such errors? Students will be able to 1. Identify common grammar errors. 2. Revise common grammar errors. 3. Avoid making such errors in the future.

Stage 2 Assessment of Evidence Performance Task(s): 1. Enjoy and understand Grammar. 2. Complete tasks that show knowledge has been gained regarding such common grammar errors. Other Evidence: 1. To create and provide a unified and comprehensive method of teaching students abut common grammar errors for educators.

Stage 3 Learning Plan Learning Activities: 1. Assessment activities of the common grammar errors. 2. Worksheets, powerpoints, and activites to help students comprehension of the common grammar errors high school students typically make.

8 Understanding Idioms NOTES

*Idioms are phrases that are used in a special way. You cant understand an idiom just by . You must learn it as a whole. *For example, the idiom means , even though the

individual words in the phrase mean something much different.

*Here are a few of the common idioms in American English and their meanings Idioms 1. 2. 3. 4. 5. 6. 7. 8. 9. 10. Meanings

9 Understanding Idioms PRACTICE

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11 Run-On Sentence NOTES

*A run-on sentence is actually*Like , run-on sentences usually appear in your writing because . *You might mistakenly , , or the correct end punctuation .

*There are two good ways to revise run-on sentences: 1. a. Run-Onb. Correct2. a. Run-Onb. Correct*Note-

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13 Sentence or Sentence Fragment? NOTES

*A sentence is *A sentence begins with a or an *For example: .

that expresses a and ends with a ,a

. ,

*When a group of words looks like a sentence but does not express a complete thought, it is a . *For example: FragmentSentence-

14 Run- On & Sentence or Sentence Fragment? PRACTICE

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17 Comma Splice NOTES

A comma splice happens ________________________________________________________________ The Deans office used to be located in the Main office, now it is located on the first floor next to the Nurses office. How can this be fixed? If two sentences can stand alone by themselves, _____________________________________________________________________________________ _____________________________________________________________________________________ Lets fix it _____________________________________________________________________________________ _____________________________________________________________________________________ HOW TO FIND COMMA SPLICES: 1. 2. 3. 4. ______________________________________________________________ ______________________________________________________________ ______________________________________________________________ ______________________________________________________________

HOW TO FIX COMMA SPLICES: 1. ______________________________________________________________ 2. ______________________________________________________________ 3. ______________________________________________________________ F= A= N= B= O= Y= S=

18 Comma Splice PRACTICE

Directions: Use a period, a conjunction or a semicolon to correct the following comma splices. 1. She took a walk, she saw a movie. _____________________________________________________________________________________ 3. The dog caught the ball, she barked and ran away with it. _____________________________________________________________________________________ 4. The glass is empty, it is sitting next to the sink. _____________________________________________________________________________________ 5. The ink is blue, it is starting to smudge. _____________________________________________________________________________________ 6. He was tired, he went to bed. _____________________________________________________________________________________ 7. I ran down the stairs, they were at the door. _____________________________________________________________________________________ 8. She tried as hard as she could, she didnt try hard enough. _____________________________________________________________________________________ 9. The tree house was nestled in the oak tree, no one could see it. _____________________________________________________________________________________ 10. I have too much to do, I cant go with you. _____________________________________________________________________________________ 11. He saw his three friends yesterday, Dan, John, and Jake came over to play again today. _____________________________________________________________________________________ 12. Pizza is best with mushrooms, peppers, and pepperoni, onions, broccoli, and bacon and are gross. _____________________________________________________________________________________ 13. The papers were perfect, there would be no need for corrections. _____________________________________________________________________________________ 14. My fathers favorite shirt was still in the wash, he would not be going anywhere. _____________________________________________________________________________________ 15. The captain turned the ship around sharply, if he hadnt done so, he would have run into the rocks. _____________________________________________________________________________________

19 Directions: Use a combination of periods, conjunctions, and semicolons to eliminate comma splices in the following paragraph. At night the owls came out to chant, and the crickets sang their song of glee, moths fluttered in the windows, drawn to the light of the cheery house. In the pond, a frog croaked, in the yard, a mouse rustled its way through a pile of leaves. Soon all the sounds of night were out in force, and the moon was shining down brightly on it all. _____________________________________________________________________________________ _____________________________________________________________________________________ _____________________________________________________________________________________ _____________________________________________________________________________________ _____________________________________________________________________________________ _____________________________________________________________________________________ _____________________________________________________________________________________ _____________________________________________________________________________________ _____________________________________________________________________________________ _____________________________________________________________________________________ _____________________________________________________________________________________ _____________________________________________________________________________________ _____________________________________________________________________________________ _____________________________________________________________________________________ _____________________________________________________________________________________ _____________________________________________________________________________________

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23 Commonly Confused Words NOTES

1. Some words ____________ so similar, it's easy to confuse or misuse them when writing. Example(s) 2. Sometimes, words get confused, because of _______________. These ________________ are sometimes confusing words that are ____________________________. Example(s ) 3. Other times, we simply mistake words that don't sound alike but confuse us anyway. Example(s) Hint: Chickens lay eggs. I lie down when I am tired. 4. Words also get confused when it is difficult to determine whether to use ______________________. Example(s) At last I was all ready to go, but everyone had already left. The number of commonly confused words can easily take up numerous pages, maybe even a book. Some of the MOST commonly confused words include:

accept, except advice, advise all ready, already buy, by choose, chose complement, compliment emigrate, immigrate it's, its loose, lose miner, minor past, passed principal, principle stationary, stationery than, then their, there, they're threw, through to, too, two weather, whether

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your, you're Commonly Confused Words PRACTICE

Directions: Choose the word in parentheses that completes each sentence correctly. When you are done, compare your responses with the answers at the bottom of this page. 1. She worked harder (than, then) she had ever worked before. 2. If I had known your number, I would (have, of) called. 3. The bingo game has (all ready, already) started. 4. (Whose, Who's) shorts are hanging from the flagpole? 5. Britney has (alot, a lot) of problems. 6. The program changes will not (affect, effect) you. 7. What is your (principal, principle) reason for wearing a parrot on your head? 8. (Whose, Who's) hiding in your closet? 9. Last year Beckham (lead, led) the league in goals. 10. Get your facts first, and (than, then) you can distort them as much as you please.

11. The ultimate result of shielding men from the (affects, effects) of folly is to fill the world with fools. 12. There cannot be a crisis next week: my schedule is (all ready, already) full.

13. Computers are being called on to perform many new functions, including the consumption of homework (formally, formerly) eaten by the dog. 14. Kate (implied, inferred) that she had a good alibi, but Jack (implied, inferred) otherwise from her nervous behavior. 15. Many are predicting that the TV series Lost wont last much longer because (fewer, less) people are watching these (days, daze). 16. clearly. 17. 18. Although the recording (device, devise) was primitive, (you're, your) voice came across I was (conscience, conscious) after the collision but (to, too) frightened (to, too) move. (Quiet, Quite, Quit) was restored, and the judge (preceded, proceeded) with the case.

25 19. Following the ice storms, (there, their, they're) (maybe, may be) a plague of locusts and a swarm of frogs. 20. The handle was (lose, loose) and could (have, of) fallen off at any moment.

Name: _____________________ The Three Little Pigs

Date: _____________

Once upon a time, _______________ were three little pigs. ______________ was Curly. He was the oldest. _______________ was Wurly. He was the smartest. And then _______________ was Flo. She was everyone's favourite pig. Even _______________ mother loved Flo the best. Curly, Wurly and Flo lived with _______________ mother in an apartment building in Grande Prairie. _______________ apartment was on the 7th floor. The pigs didnt mind this because _______________ was an elevator that opened right in front of _______________ apartment door. It was on the days that _______________ elevator wasnt working that the pigs suffered. _______________ little hoofs would be aching by the time they reached _______________ apartment. _______________ mother would have to have little hoof baths waiting for her three little pigs when they finally reached the top. Of course, Flo always got the warmest hoof bath because she was _______________ mothers favourite. One day, Mama Pig sent the three pigs to the store to buy apples for _______________ dinner. She gave them a list of items that she needed. She also gave them _______________ allowance, and she told them that they could buy _______________ favourite candy which they would eat for ______________ dessert. The three pigs put on _______________ jackets (it was winter). They put on ______________ gloves and scarves. Next, it was time to put on _______________ boots. Curly slipped on his bright red leather boots over his red and yellow polka dot socks. Wurly, being the most intelligent, slipped on his waterproof, fully lined boots over his white socks. Curly and Wurly were ready and waiting for _______________ sister. She could not find her boots. "Curly and Wurly," she said, "have you seen my boots?" Curly and Wurly looked at each other and then they looked at _______________ sister. "Ill tell you where they are," said Wurly, "if youll give us your allowance to hold while you go and get them." "Okay," agreed Flo as she handed the boys her allowance. "_______________ are your boots, over _______________ ," said Curly. "Where?" asked Flo suspiciously. "Over _______________ !" squealed the boys as they pointed to the window in _______________ living room. "_______________ over _______________ behind that curtain." Flo slowly walked toward the window. They boys followed closely behind _______________ sister. Just as she reached the window, Curly opened the window and Wurly pushed Flo through! Curly and Wurly squealed with delight as _______________ sister fell 7 floors. Curly and Wurly were thrilled that _______________ plan worked. They were rid of Flo and they had her money! Luckily for Flo, she landed on a huge snow pile and was not hurt. Her brothers were not so fortunate. Mama Pig heard the commotion, ran into the living room, and when she realized what they had done, sent the boys to live with _______________ Uncle Oscar Meyer. Uncle Oscar always knew what to do with bad little pigs. The boys protested. They were just doing Flo a favor by helping her find her boots; it wasnt _______________ fault that she was clumsy. But Mama would not listen to _______________ excuses and off they went to Uncle Oscars.

26 Flo and Mama Pig still live on the 7th floor of the apartment building in Grande Prairie, and _______________ very happy _______________ . Now Flo gets her brothers allowance since _______________ not _______________ .

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28 Double Negative NOTES

Negative _________________ It is the ______________ of a positive word. A negative word can mean: no, not, none, or nothing. Negative: No, Nothing Positive: Yes, Something A negative word tells A double negative is Negative Words The following list contains words that are regarded as negative. If you use them in your sentences once, your statements will be negative. Just dont do it twice! .

Negative words also include adverbs with a negative slant. Just dont combine with another negative word!

Negative words are also formed by contractions that use the word not. Again, dont mix with negative words! For example:

Double Negative PRACTICE

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Directions: Rewrite these sentences so that none of them contains double negatives. 1. I think the new song will not last barely a month. _____________________________________________________________________________ 2. The pilot could not find nowhere to land. _____________________________________________________________________________ 3. After being replaced, the pipes did not run no water as expected. _____________________________________________________________________________ 4. New York had scarcely no rain last summer. _____________________________________________________________________________ 5. The storm rose so quickly that the road crews could not do nothing about clearing the highways. _____________________________________________________________________________ Directions: Underline each correct word in parentheses. 1. She couldnt eat (anything, nothing). 2. I didnt see (nothing, anything). 5. I could not see (no, any) way to help. 6. I cannot find my money (anywhere, nowhere). 8. The children do not need (no, any) candy. 12. The tear in his shirt (was, was not) barely noticeable. 13. The lecturer did not say (anything, nothing) interesting. 14. Of all the cars I tried, I did not buy (none, any). 17. Havent you (any, no) size 10 dresses? 18. We did not meet (nobody, anybody) at Janes party. 19. I could not find my purse (nowhere, anywhere). 20. The wind was so strong I (could, couldnt) hardly stand.

Works Cited

30 English Workshop- Introductory Course. Austin: Holt, Rinehart, and Winston, 2007

Write Ahead- A Student Handbook for WRITING and LEARNING. Massachusetts: Write Source, 2004

Umstatter, Jack. Grammar Grabbers! Ready-to-Use Games & Activities for Improving Basic Writing Skills. San Francisco, Jossey-Bass, 2001

Umstatter, Jack. Hooked on English! Ready-to-Use Activities for the English Curriculum, Grades 7-12. San Francisco, Jossey-Bass, 1997