Daily Review of Writing Concepts

1. Daily Review of Writing Concepts

2. Commas in series Commas with appositives Commas in compound sentences Commas with introductory clauses It’s and its Apostrophes in possession Semicolons Colons Quotation marks in dialogue Quotation marks with irony There/their Their Whose/who’s Analogy Simile Metaphor Too/to Onomatopoeia Your/you’re Expository writing Narrative writing Adjectives Nouns Verbs Adverbs Prepositions Verb tenses They’re and there Showing versus telling Ways to begin an essay

3. Commas separate items in a series. The long, shadowy, leafy path led to a cabin. The cozy, warm, clean cabin lay at the path’s end. The leaves whispered, rustled, and fluttered in the breeze. Forest air smells fresh, clean, pine-needly, and invigorating. We enjoyed hiking, resting, laughing, and snacking on trailmix. Sue observed a hawk, some orange fungi, a mountain laurel bloom, and a candy bar wrapper she picked up off the ground.

4. Commas separate extra information that come in “appositive phrases” like these. The serval, who lives in a zoo near Cleveland, would like to take a swimming class. Most cats, unlike this one, don’t typically enjoy water sports. Water sports, such as surfing and snorkeling, require the ability to swim. This serval has begun dating an adorable penguin, whose name is Penny, and he wants to improve his swimming skills to show her he shares some of her interests.

5. , and , but , or Commas can separate the two independent clauses in a compound sentence, and put a comma before the conjunction. Barney had eaten at a weird seafood restaurant, and now he had indigestion. Never eat at a restaurant that has no cars in the parking lot, or you will be very sorry. The menu looked interesting, but the food certainly didn’t agree with his tummy.

6. Because…., Although…., Whenever….., No matter what….., Commas can separate an introductory clause from an independent clause. Because each of the owl’s feathers has a unique edge, it can fly almost silently and sneak up on its prey. Although this owl is flying silently, she is actually sneaking up on a friend to play a practical joke. Whenever an arctic rabbit and a snowy owl become friends, there was probably a unicorn involved. No matter what people think about the predator-prey connection between the owl and the bunny, this is a true friendship and it will not end in violence.

7. It’s with an apostrophe means it is. Its without an apostrophe means something belongs to it. It’s annoying to have teachers point at you. The teacher is holding the book by its spine. That student wonders if it’s just him or if this teacher’s eyes are about to bug out of her skull. That teacher’s hand, with its enormous pointer finger, seems to have terrified the little boy. Sometimes it’s best just to pretend you’re listening politely. The kid’s brain is going to get its software somewhere other than from reading, I think.

8. Use an apostrophe to show possession. The puffin’s rock gives her a gorgeous view. This puffin’s name is Helga, but her friends all call her Muffin. Muffin’s friends include a lobster named Harry and a fisherman called Captain Charley. Muffin the Puffin enjoys crossword puzzles, eating a fish’s head off, and dance parties. The ocean’s peaceful sounds provide a lovely home for this adorable bird, and hopefully that raptor in the distance is going to find its own food without bothering sweet little Muffin.

9. We use a semicolon sort of the same way we use a period; it creates a slight pause. Usually the pause comes between two sentences that have a very strong connection; that pause helps the writer create a slightly different rhythm. Kittens don’t typically need toilet paper; they learn to use a litter box. This kitten has a special fondness for toilet paper; to her, it is a blanket. I knew a person who’s cat thought toilet paper was an enemy; my friend’s cat would attack and shred toilet paper to protect its master. Many of us know people whose cat thinks toilet paper is a toy; this is because cats can’t spell and they don’t distinguish between oi and oy. I believe cats should be given spelling lessons; cats who could spell would save a lot of toilet paper trees.

10. Colons mean “stop: I am going to give you a list or tell you something really important.” The mountains in Switzerland are gorgeous: they tower over tiny villages set amidst green valleys. Switzerland’s mountain range is called the Alps: that’s where we get the word “alpine” to describe things that are mountainous. Switzerland is known for the following things: beautiful mountains, charming alpine villages, and hand-carved cuckoo clocks. I wish I could take you to Switzerland: the Chocolate, the cheese, and the beauty would relax and inspire you.

11. Use quotation marks to show what the character said versus what the narrator said. Tony was a very popular turtle, and he drove the ladies crazy. “I guess you either got it or you don’t,” he would always say. “O.M.G., he is totes adorbs!” said Stella. She had had a crush on Tony since elementary school. “He just is so much cooler than all that teenage mutant Ninja stuff.” “He isn’t totes adorbs, he’s turts adorbs,” corrected Patti. “And baby, he aint into you. Mm-mm.” Tony himself didn’t mind the attention, and he often kind of encouraged it. For example, he would swim all groovy and slow and act like he didn’t notice. “Oh, I know my powers, though,” he admitted to his pal Shelly, who wasn’t a shell-fish at all but, rather, some species of eel or sea-snake.

12. Quotation marks can be used to indicate irony. Something is ironic when it’s sort of the opposite of what you think it should be. Jeff had been told he had a “beautiful” voice, but it was exactly the opposite. Jeff “sang” all the time, but it sounded like a horrible alarm or a person being hurt. This is why grownups should never tell lies to encourage children: kids can’t tell , and if they believe the lies, you send them down an ugly path to disappointment. Regrettably, Jeff believed the lies, and he used his “beautiful singing voice” to make the world a “better place.” Even as the gorilla guard hauled him off into the forest, Jeff continued to “sing.”

13. THERE --- THEY’RE There is a duckling trying to climb up a curb. There is some chance that it’s going to make it. Isn’t there someone who can help him? When he gets to the top, where will go from there? ---------------------------------------------------------------------- Ducklings: they’re very yellow! Do you like the Easter candy called Peeps? They’re like ducklings made of weird marshmallow stuff. It’s weird they’re called peeps, because you wouldn’t Really make a sound eating something so soft. Unless they’re made with an actual duckling inside the marshmallow coating. In that case, I think they’re going to make worse sounds than peeping.

14. THEIR Bananas: what is about their funny shape? Their shape can be a phone, a smile, a frown, or a gun. Monkeys and babies love their mushiness. Old people like their nutritious qualities, whereas kids like their easiness to peel and eat. Their color is festive and fun, but their spelling Can be a little confusing. Bananas: they’re definitely a fruit with their own unique “appeal.”

15. Using WHO’S and WHOSE “Who’s the idiot now?” chirped the bird, whose archenemy was trapped. Whose pets are these, I wonder. Someone Who’s probably not home or is in another part of the house, I am guessing. Do you think the bird, whose brain is smaller than one of the cat’s teeth, outsmarted its feline adversary? Or is it the cat who’s smart and is planning a huge surprise for the bird? Who’s in charge? I wonder whose memory of this event will be positive and whose won’t be.

16. In an analogy we compare relationships. Study these examples. What the fir tree is to Christmas, the kitten is to cute. The kittens’ ugliness is related to a wave’s dryness. On the one hand you have kittens trying to sleep but Not being quite able to; similarly, you have 5th grade boys trying to crack each other up. There’s enough adorableness in this picture to calm down a planeload of tired passengers. The kitten is to the blanket as the student is to his desk. Just as much as you would love to pick up and cuddle these kittens, you might wish you could walk out of this writing lesson. Kittens represent the sunshine and rainbows for people who have moved past unicorns and leprechauns. Well too bad----you can’t do either.

17. Similes use the words LIKE or AS The fruit artwork is as silly as a cartoon. Those banana slash palm trees are like a gifted painter’s masterpiece. “You’re going to eat your fruit salad, Pablo Picasso, or you’ll be as sorry as a prisoner!” barked the angry dad. This fruit plate is like a bottle of vitamins, except it’s more fun to look at.

18. Metaphors just say one thing IS another thing without using like or as. Leaves arranged in a circle are nature’s halo. Haloes are angels’ Frisbees. Colorful leaves are nature’s party confetti. The circle of life is the chord that ties us all together. Leaves are the currency in nature’s bank account.

19. Too and To This place looks almost too beautiful to describe. The path may lead to a mountain lookout or to a cold lake. If you enjoy nature and hiking, you probably like getting exercise, too. It’s so refreshing and invigorating to push yourself to reach some destination in the forest. We’re lucky, too, because many places in the world don’t have as many lovely natural places as we have. Is there a place nearby you’ve hiked to?

20. Onomatopoeia ----words that mimic a sound effect AAAAHHH! Smack. Drip drip drip drip Plink Plop Splash Gurgle Blub blub blub whoosh Splish Chooosh Bubblebubblebubble Glug

21. Your puppies look interested in this lesson about a writing convention. Your teacher wishes your heads were as focused as your puppies’ heads. You’re not looking at the words, guys; you’re looking at the adorable puppies. You’re not going to be as educated As your puppies if you don’t pay Attention! Hey—you’re supposed to look at your teacher’s examples! Your ---- you’re

22. Expository Writing EXPLAINS things: MAIN IDEA State a fact Offer your opinion Ask a question Support For one thing, First of all, Support Additionally, Furthermore, Support Finally, Last, Conclusion Suggest why this is important to you Ask your reader to do something A few ideas if you’re flabbergasted: Explain how Crater Lake formed Explain why you would want to go here Explain why you would not want to go here Explain why you think this is a great photo Explain something about hiking or camping Explain something about the Pacific Northwest

23. Narrative Writing Tells a STORY • It has a character who • wants something or • who faces some sort of challenge

24. Adjectives are words that describe things and ideas. The starry sky left us breathless. That cozy cabin looked inviting. The cool air felt refreshing! My new skis pinched my tired feet.

25. A noun is a type of word that names a person, a thing, or an idea. We capitalize “proper nouns,” which are the names of specific people or places.

26. Verbs are the type of words that name actions, or things someone or something does. The tense of a verb tells us when the action happened.

27. Adverbs are a type of word that tell us how, when, or where. They always describe a verb or an adjective.

28. Prepositions are types of words that explain relationships between one thing and another.

29. Verbs, as you know, name actions. We use them in tenses----that is, we change the form of a verb to make it clear when the verb occurred. There are simple tenses and what we refer to as perfect tenses. In this case, perfect doesn’t mean “the best.” Instead, it means “completed” or “finished.”

30. they’re and their Jeepers creepers: where’d you get those peepers? They’re weird! They’re all a little similar and yet all a little different! They’re beautiful but they’re also a little frightening! Animals: their eyes are amazingly freaky! Can you tell which of their eyes are fishes’ and which ones are reptiles’? Their colors tend to be shades of blue, green, and yellow! How many can you guess? Left to right, top to bottom: caiman, husky, gecko, crocodile, frog, python, squid, toucan, goat.

31. SHOWING VERSUS TELLING LANGUAGE THAT TELLS LANGUAGE THAT SHOWS The turtle looks grumpy. The turtle’s mouth turned down in a frown. The turtle was tired. The turtle’s eyes drooped and he sighed heavily. We helped the baby turtle. We carried the baby turtle to the water. Turtles worry about being eaten. Turtles ‘ minds swirl with fears and concerns .

32. SOME WAYS TO BEGIN AN ESSAY • Ask a question • Have you ever…? • Did you know…? • Use onomatopoeia • SMASH! That’s the sound of… • SPLASH! That’s the sound of… • Explain when and where • On an icy Wednesday last February… • In a red house on Holly Street in Issaquah… • State a fact • My teacher fears turtles. • Turtles have shells. • State your opinion • I adore turtles! • Mary thinks narwhals are scary and creepy. • Use dialogue • “I’m going up for some air,” said the turtle. • “Where are my keys?” inquired the turtle.

33. Sometimes commas separate items in a series Maria packed bandaids, apples, sandwiches, trail mix, and a water filter before the big hike. Larry brought the following pointless items hiking: a jar of mayonnaise, extra ballet slippers, a potholder and a unicorn pillow pet. The hikers crossed rivers, valleys, mountains, forests and mountains.

34. Sometimes commas separate a phrase or clause that adds extra, but not vital, information. Your cat, which is adorable, looks like a wild animal. Your cat, who looks like a wild cheetah, just bit my hand really hard. My hand, which is now bleeding horribly from the cat bite, really hurts. You, who used to be my friend, don’t seem interested in my cat-bitten hand.

35. Sometimes commas separate an Introductory clause from the main part of the sentence. Because I am outgrowing my exoskeleton, I shed it this morning . Although you think that’s gross, you yourself are always shedding skin cells. Whenever I shed my exoskeleton, I like to leave it on a branch for kids to come find. No matter how cool they think my old exoskeleton is, some kid is going to say “GROSS!”