MAJMILLE - Grammar Rules

When writing a paragraph remember .....

Indent every new paragraph .
Always start your paragraph with a topic sentence. Your goal is to "hook" your reader .
Check your spelling.
Write neatly .
Avoid run on sentences, and write in complete sentences .
Avoid using "casual language".

Ever wonder about how to use an apostrophe?

Just remember the jingle.....

"One person, or thing, plus something they own, means you use an apostrophe s.

The bike that Mike owns = Mike's bike

The car that Sarah owns = Sarah's car

A dog's collar = the dog owns a collar

Remember

All sentences must start with a capital letter.
All sentences need a subject and a predicate.
An imperative sentence tells someone to do something. Example: Adam, please hang up your coat.
A declarative sentence makes a statement. Aaron likes sausage and eggs for breakfast.
An exclamatory sentence shows strong emotion. Jacob said, "Ouch, that hurts!"
An interrogative sentence asks a question. What time is it?

Here’s a Clue

Alliteration -- when two or more words have the same beginning sound, like a tongue twister -- ex. Sue sells sea shells.

Antonym -- words that are the opposites – ex. hot/cold, wet/dry

Autobiography – a true story of someone’s own life written by oneself

Biography -- true facts about someone’s life written by another person

Comma – when to use:

After introductory words – Yes, I like pizza.
In dates and addresses – I will visit 741 Green Street, Richmond, on October 7, 2006.
In a series – Jacob likes brownies, candy, ice cream, and cake.
In combining two sentences -- Adam lives in Chesapeake, and Aaron lives in Virginia Beach.
In quotation marks – Mary said, “Remember to use a comma when you use quotation marks.”

Compare -- how objects are the same

Conjunction -- Remember FANBOYS --

for, and, nor, but, or, yet, so

Contrast -- How two or more things are different

Fable – type of genre with 3 parts: talking animals, problem, moral (lesson)

Genre – a type of writing – ex. biography, fable, historical fiction

Historical fiction --uses details about real places or events in history to tell a story, some parts of story like setting or character may be fiction

Idiom -- a saying that doesn’t really mean what it says – ex. Mom chewed me out when she found out that I left my book at school.

Imagery -- painting a picture with words – ex. The glistening moon shimmered over the mountains.

Moral -- lesson at the end of a fable

Narrative – tells a story

Onomatopoeia -- words borrowed from sounds, ex. whoosh, buzz, clomp

Similes -- compares one item to another and uses the word like or as. Ex. Her smile was as bright as the sky.

Topic sentence -- usually the first sentence in a paragraph that states the main idea. A topic sentence is NOT – This paragraph is about…..