Grammar Resources
Chart 1.1
Subjects and Predicates
Word | Definition | Example |
Subject | The person or thing that does the action of a sentence | The old man wept for joy. I never remember the time. Bacon is the most delicious food ever. Where are you? |
Predicate | The action of a sentence | The old man wept for joy. I never remember the time. Bacon is the most delicious food ever. Where are you? |
Chart 1.2
Types of Clauses
When you write a subject and a predicate, you write a complete idea. This complete idea is called a clause. A clause can be independent or dependent. An independent clause can be understood by itself. A dependent clause needs more information to be understood. You can see more information about what makes an independent clause and what makes a dependent clause below.
Word | Definition | Example |
Independent | A clause containing at least one subject and one predicate that forms an independent idea. This could make its own sentence. | The girl ate the apple. There was a large, large window in the house. |
Dependent | A clause containing at least one subject and one predicate that forms a dependent idea. This idea needs another clause to explain it. A dependent clause can not make its own sentence by itself. | Because the girl ate the apple Although there was a large, large window in the house |
Chart 1.3
Types of Sentences
What type of sentences you use is your choice as a poet. Which sentences best help you show your meaning?
Sentence Type | Definition | Example |
Simple | A sentence that has 1 independent clause. There is one subject and one predicate. I | The beautiful woman danced all evening. The man and the woman from city in the stars were married last week. The little girl ran and jumped at the playground. |
Compound | A sentence that has 2 independent clauses that are connected with a coordinating conjunction like “and”. There are two subjects and two predicates. I + I | The beautiful woman danced all evening, but she forgot her shoes. The man and the woman from city in the stars were married last week, and now they live on Earth. The little girl ran and jumped at the playground, for she loved to play. |
Complex | A sentence that has 1 independent clause and 1 dependent clause that are connected with a subordinating conjunction like “because”. There are two subjects and two predicates. I + D or D + I | The beautiful woman danced all evening because she loved salsa. Although the parents didn’t like it, the man and the woman from city in the stars were married last week. As soon as the sun came out, the little girl ran and jumped at the playground |
Compound-Complex | A sentence that has at least 2 independent clauses and 1 dependent clause. This type of sentence will use both coordinating conjunctions between the independent clauses and subordinating conjunctions to connect the dependent clause. There are at least three subjects and three predicates I + I+ D or D + I +I or I+D+I | The beautiful woman danced all evening because she loved salsa, but she forgot her shoes. Although the parents didn’t like it, the man and the woman from city in the stars were married last week, and now they live on Earth. As soon as the sun came out, the little girl ran and jumped at the playground, for she loved to play. |
Chart 2.1
| Type | Possible Situations | Tools You Can Use | Example |
| Formal |
|
| Margret: (looking at Nancy) I should go verify he is doing well. He could be hurt. Nancy: (standing up) I do not think so. You do not need to. I will go. |
| Informal |
|
| Margret: (looking at Nancy) I should go check on him. He could be hurt. Nancy: (standing up) As if. Don't. I'll go. |
This chart is based on information from: https://edtechbooks.org/-zPNc. and https://edtechbooks.org/-RaUt
Chart 2.2
How to Make Contractions
When we speak we naturally shorten what we say. We often leave out some sounds to say things easier or faster. When writing what this sounds like, we remove a few letters and replace them with an apostrophe ' . See some examples of this in the chart below.
| Expansion | - a few letters | + an apostrophe ' | Contraction |
| I will | - wi | + ' | I'll |
| they have | - ha | + ' | they've |
| he has | - ha | + ' | he's |
| will not | - no | + ' | won't* |
| can not | - no | + ' | can't |
| do not | - o | + ' | don't |
| would not | - o | + ' | wouldn't |
| could not | - o | + ' | couldn't |
| would not have | - o -ha | + ' + ' | wouldn't've |
*This contraction is based on the 16th century English version, "wonnot"1. The "o" from "wonnot" is removed and replaced with an apostrophe: wonnot - no + ' = won't. This is why the contraction is "won't", not "willn't".
Chart 2.3
How to use phrasal verbs and stand alone verbs in sentences
| Type of Verb | Example | Example Sentence | |
| Informal | Phrasal Verbs | make up | 24 hours make up a day. |
point out | Please point out your favorite. | ||
go beyond | This report goes beyond my expectations. | ||
make sense of | Can you make sense of what he said? | ||
make it plain | The drop in plane ticket prices makes it plain why everyone is going on vacation now. | ||
| Formal | Stand-alone Verbs | constitute* | 24 hours constitute a day. |
indicate* | Please, indicate your favorite. | ||
exceed* | This report exceeds my expectations. | ||
understand | Can you understand what he said? | ||
explain | The drop in plane ticket prices explains why everyone is going on vacation now. |
*Academic Word List word
Chart 3.1
3 Major Time Frames
How to Make It Positive | Examples | Example Sentences | |
| Past | base verb + "ed" or change to the irregular past tense verb | liked walked ate | We liked cake. I walked to the store. He ate an apple. |
| Present | base verb or base verb + s for 3rd person singular verbs | like walk eat eats | We like cake. I walk to the store. I eat an apple. He eats an apple. |
| Future | will + base verb | will like will walk will eat | We will like cake. I will walk to the store. He will eat an apple. |
How to Make It Negative | Examples | Examples Sentences | |
| Past | did not + base verb | did not like did not walk did not eat | We did not like cake. I did not walk to the store. He did not eat an apple. |
| Present | do not + base verb or does not + base verb for 3rd person singular verbs | do not like do not walk do not eat does not eat | We do not like cake. I do not walk to the store. I do not ate an apple. He does not eat an apple. |
| Future | will not + base verb | will not like will not walk will not eat | We will not like cake. I will not walk to the store. He will not eat an apple. |
Chart 3.2
Progressive Aspect
How to Make It Positive | Examples | Example Sentences | |
| Past | was + base verb + "ing" | was walking was eating | She was walking to the store. I was eating an apple. |
| Present | is + base verb + "ing" or am + base verb + "ing" for 1st person singular verbs or are + base verb + "ing" for plural verbs | is walking is eating am eating are eating | She is walking to the store. She is eating an apple. I am eating an apple. We are eating a pizza. |
| Future | will be + base verb + "ing" | will be walking will be eating | She will be walking to the store. I will be eating an apple. |
How to Make It Negative | Examples | Examples Sentences | |
| Past | was not + base verb + "ing" | was not walking was not eating | She was not walking to the store. I was not eating an apple. |
| Present | is not + base verb +"ing" or am not + base verb + "ing" for 1st person singular verbs | is not walking is not eating am not eating | She is not walking to the store. She is not eating an apple. I am not eating an apple. |
| Future | will not be + base verb +"ing" | will not be walking will not be eating | She will not be walking to the store. I will not be eating an apple. |
Chart 3.3
Perfect Aspect
How to Make It Positive | Examples | Example Sentences | |
| Past | had + past participle verb | had liked had walked had eaten | We had liked cake back then, but now we don't like it. I had walked to the store when I realized I left my wallet at home. He had eaten an apple when his mom said dinner was ready. |
| Present | have + past participle verb or has + past participle verb for 3rd person singular verbs | have liked have walked have eaten has eaten | We have liked cake since we were children. I have walked to the store before. I have eaten an apple sometime today. He has eaten an apple sometime today. |
| Future | will have + past participle verb | will have liked will have walked will have eaten | We will have liked each other for five years as of our anniversary tomorrow. I will have walked two miles by this evening. He will have eaten seven apples by Saturday because he eats an apple every day. |
How to Make It Negative | Examples | Examples Sentences | |
| Past | had not + past participle verb | had not liked had not walked had not eaten | We had not liked cake back then, but now we do like it. I had not walked to the store when I realized I left my wallet at home. He had not eaten an apple when his mom said dinner was ready. |
| Present | have + past participle verb or has not + past participle verb for 3rd person singular verbs | have not liked have not walked have not eaten has not eaten | We have not liked cake since we were children. I have not walked to the store before. I have not eaten an apple sometime today. He has not eaten an apple sometime today. |
| Future | will not have + past participle verb | will not have liked will not have walked will not have eaten | We will not have liked each other for five years as of the anniversary of our breakup tomorrow. I will not have walked two miles by this evening because I have been sitting all day. He will not have eaten seven apples by Saturday because he skipped eating an apple two days this week. |
Chart 3.4
Perfect Progressive Aspect
How to Make It Positive | Examples | Example Sentences | |
| Past | had been + base verb + "ing" | had been walking had been eating | I had been walking to the store when I realized I left my wallet at home. He had been eating an apple when his mom said dinner was ready. |
| Present | have been + base verb + "ing" or has been + base verb + "ing" for 1st person singular | have been walking have been eating has been eating | I have been walking to the store for ten minutes now. I have been eating the apple pie for a while now. He has been eating the apple pie for a while now. |
| Future | will have been + base verb + "ing" | will have been walking will have been eating | I will have been walking for an hour by the time I get there. He will have been eating the apple pie for ten minutes by three o'clock. |
How to Make It Negative | Examples | Examples Sentences | |
| Past | had not been + base verb + "ing" | had not been walking had not been eating | I had not been walking to the store when I realized I didn't have my wallet. He had not been eating an apple when his mom said dinner was ready. |
| Present | have not been + base verb + "ing" or has not been + base verb + "ing" for 1st person singular | have not been walking have not been eating has not been eating | I have not been walking for three months since I broke my leg. I have not been eating much lately because I have been sick. He has not been eating much lately because he has been sick. |
| Future | will not have been + base verb + "ing" | will not have been walking will not have been eating | I will not have been walking for three months as of next Wednesday since I broke my leg. He will not have been eating the apple pie for ten minutes by 3:00 because he started at 2:55. |
Chart 3.5
Combinations of Tense and Aspect
| 3 Major Time Frames | Progressive | Perfect | Perfect Progressive |
Past
| Past Progressive
| Past Perfect
| Past Perfect Progressive
|
Present
| Present Progressive
| Present Perfect
| Present Perfect Progressive
|
Future
| Future Progressive
| Future Perfect
| Future Perfect Progressive
|
Chart 4.1
Parallel Structure
| Structure | Example | Explanation |
| Not Parallel | Stress can affect students personally, in their academic lives, and in their professional lives. | Subject + Verb + Object + Adverb + Prepositional phrase + Prepositional phrase |
| Parallel | Stress can affect students in their personal lives, in their academic lives, and in their professional lives. | Subject + Verb + Object + Prepositional phrase + Prepositional phrase + Prepositional phrase |
Chart 4.2
Types of Parallel Structure
The structure of a sentence is made up of many pieces. Any of these pieces can be used to create parallelism with a sentence. You can also create parallelism within a paragraph.
| Level | Example |
| Word | Over time, we can find joy, hope, and wonder. The poverty, famine, and hardship found in the world can bring us low, but we can lift each other up. |
| Phrase | We can give of our time, our expertise, our effort, and our hearts. The solutions of tomorrow can be found in the classrooms of today, in the minds of the children of today. |
| Clause | The future of housing is undecided. The future of transportation is unknown. The future of infrastructure is in flux. This new airport will bring thousands of new visitors to our area who will need transportation into our city, who will need hotels to stay at and conference spaces to meet at, who will need restaurants to eat at, and who will need experiences to fill their leisure time. The new visitors this airport will bring to our area will bring many opportunities for growth to our local economy. There is no better time to make this change than now; there are no better people to make this change than us. |
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