English 9B Grammar Packet – Usage

Name _______________________ Period: ______

PART 1: Verb Forms A verb has different forms depending on its number (singular, plural); person (first, second, third); voice (active, passive); tense (present, past, future, present perfect, past perfect, future perfect); and mood (indicative, imperative, subjunctive). 1.1: The Work of Verbs  Definition: The verb is one of the main parts of every sentence. Compare these groups of words. Look at the difference a verb makes. Without Verbs With Verbs The school band well The school band played well. Lee over the rake Lee tripped over the rake. Dan angry Dan seems angry.  Definition: The verb may tell what the subject of the sentence does or what happens. This kind of verb is an action verb. The action of the verb may be seen or unseen. Examples: She danced. Donna wanted a job. I have a cold. Ramon laughed. We enjoyed the show. We ate.  Definition: A verb may tell that something exists. This kind of verb is a state-of-being verb. These verbs include am, is, are, was, were, seem, look, feel, grow, taste, sound, become, and appear. Examples: Cheryl is here. Jack seems happy. The star grew brighter. The music sounded lively.  Recap: A verb shows action or state-of-being. Use these clues when you look for the verb in a sentence:  Look for a word that shows action (ran, walked).  Look for a word that shows action you cannot see (want, have).  Look for a word that shows a state-of-being (am, is, are, was, were, seem, look, feel, grow, taste, sound, become, appear)  When looking for verbs, remember that the parts of a verb may be separated. Remember also that the sentence may be in unusual order. Examples: Will he cook? Down the aisle came the bride.  Verbs Exercises: Underline the verb in each sentence. 1. The eagle guarded her nest.

5. From the attic came a strange sound.

2. On the other side of the tracks stood the church.

6. Our class decorated the hall for the bazaar.

3. Emily is a very good artist.

7. Marcy hit the ball over the fence.

4. The fire nearly destroyed the field house.

8. High above our heads stretched the Bay Bridge.

English 9B Grammar Packet 1

1.2: Verbs and Direct Objects  Definition: The direct object tells who or what receives the action of the verb. *In many sentences, a verb and its subject are enough to state a complete thought. Examples: Snow fell. Everyone laughed. *In other sentences the thought is not complete unless more words are added. Examples: 1. Roger cut ____________. 2. Linda met _________. You wonder what Roger cut and whom Linda met. You could complete the sentences as follows: 1. Roger cut the rope. 2. Linda met Alice. In sentence 1, the word rope receives the action of the verb cut. Rope is the direct object of the verb. In sentence 2, Alice receives the action of met. Alice is the direct object of the verb.  Recognizing Direct Objects: To find the direct object in the sentence, first find the verb. Then ask what or whom after the verb. Example 1: The engineers studied the plans. verb = studied studied what? Plans direct object = plans Example 2: A reporter interviewed Donna. verb = interviewed interviewed whom? Donna direct object = Donna  Direct objects only answer what or whom after the verb. They do not tell when or where or how. There are no direct objects in the following sentences: Kelly studies in the afternoon. (tells when) They drove around the block. (tells where) Andrew whistled sharply. (tells how)  Verbs And Direct Objects Exercises: Underline the verb and circle the direct object. 1. A huge puddle hid the path. 2. The players rushed the goalie. 3. Suddenly a breeze puffed the sail. 4. Mud splattered the windshield. 5. Dandelions covered the lawn. English 9B Grammar Packet 2

1.3: Linking Verbs  Definition: Verbs that show a state-of-being are often called linking verbs. Cindy is a member. The soup tastes good.  Linking verbs connect the subject with a word in the predicate. The word in the predicate tells something about the subject. In the examples given, member tells about Cindy and good tells about soup. Is and tastes are linking verbs.  The words is, am are, was, were, be, and become are often used as linking verbs. The words seem, look, appear, feel, grow, smell, taste, and sound are sometimes used as linking verbs.  The same verb may be used to show action in one sentence and state of being in another. We smelled smoke. The children looked in the box. The soap smelled sweet. Jean looked happy.  Linking Verbs Exercises: Underline the linking verb in each of the sentences below. 1. The new store was open for business. 2. Margo is a volunteer. 3. Thursday was Diane’s birthday. 4. The temperature is unbearable! 5. Do you ever feel lonesome?

English 9B Grammar Packet 3

1.4: Verb Tense  Definition: Tense indicates time.  Verbs change their forms to show the time when an action or state of being occurs. These changes are called tense. The present tense shows present time: I am. I see. The past tense shows past time: I was. I saw. The future tense shows future time: I shall be. You will see.  Tense changes are made in three ways: 1. By changes in spelling: sing, sang, sung 2. By changes in ending: walk, walked 3. By adding helping verbs: has walked, will walk  Here are five important tenses (underline the verbs in each): Present Tense: Past Tense: Future Tense: Present Perfect Tense: Past Perfect Tense:

She talks. She talked. She will talk. She has talked. She had talked.

We know. We knew. We shall know. We have known. We had known.

 Three tenses are used to show different kinds of past time: past, present perfect, and past perfect. 1. The past tense forms of a verb are used alone. They are never used with helping verbs. we cleaned you ran they brought she slid 2. The present perfect tense uses the helping verbs has and have. The past perfect tense uses the helping verb had. Present Perfect tense expresses action that began in the past but continues in the present or is completed in the present. Our boat has weathered worse storms than this one. Past Perfect tense expresses an action in the past that occurs before another past action. They reported, wrongly, that the hurricane had missed the island. Present Perfect he has cleaned they have brought

Past Perfect you had run she had slid

Continued  English 9B Grammar Packet 4

 Verb Tense Exercises: Underline the verb / verb phrase in each sentence. Then on the line that follows name the tense of the verb in each sentence. 1. The pitcher caught the ball. __________________________ 2. Terry has seen the Painted Desert. __________________________ 3. Seth had taken his bicycle to the Dairy Queen. __________________________ 4. Toss the ring. __________________________ 5. You will find it on the table. __________________________ 6. Mr. Gray has an antique car. __________________________ 7. Has Rick already gone? __________________________ 8. Shall we go too? __________________________ 9. Gayle is happy. __________________________ 10. We had eaten lunch already. __________________________ ############################################################ 1.5: Voice of a Verb  Definition: Voice indicates whether the subject is acting or being acted upon.  Active voice indicates that the subject of the verb is, has been, or will be doing something. Baseball great Walter Johnson pitched 50 consecutive scoreless innings. For many years Lou Brock held the base-stealing record.  Passive voice indicates that the subject of the verb is being, has been, or will be acted upon. Fifty consecutive scoreless innings were pitched by baseball great Walter Johnson. For many years the base-stealing record was held by Lou Brock.  Voice of a Verb Exercises: Write whether each sentence is using active or passive voice. 1. Another deep pass was launched by Gerald. ______________________ 2. Gerald launched another deep pass. ______________________ 3. The class has seen the movie. ______________________ 4. The movie had been seen by the class. ______________________ 5. Maria enjoys sleeping in during vacation. ______________________ 6. Sleeping in during vacation is enjoyed by Maria. ______________________

English 9B Grammar Packet 5

PART 2: Subject – Verb Agreement A sentence is a group of words that expresses a complete thought and contains a subject and a predicate. A subject names someone or something that the sentence is about. A predicate tells what is or what happens. Verbs are included in the predicate. 2.1: Subjects and verbs must agree in number. A singular subject (only one) takes a singular verb, while a plural subject (more than one) takes a plural verb. The trick is knowing whether the subject is singular or plural. The next trick is recognizing a singular or plural verb. *Hint: Verbs do not form their plurals by adding an s as nouns do. In order to determine which verb is singular and which one is plural, think of which verb you would use with he or she and which verb you would use with they. Example: talks, talk. Which one is the singular form? Which word would you use with he? We say, “He talks.” Therefore, talks is singular. We say, “They talk.” Therefore, talk is plural.  A few verbs have special forms that you should keep in mind because they are frequently used. Singular: is, was, has, does Plural: are, were, have, do Examples:

Pat is here. Pat was here. She has a bike. He does the dishes.

They are here. They were here. They have bicycles. They do the dishes.

 Subject-Verb Agreement Exercises: Circle the correct verb in each sentence. (See more rules on subject-verb agreement on the next page for more help!) 1. These sets of books (are, is) to be returned to the library. 2. One of the motors (need, needs) oil. 3. This group of skiers (give, gives) lessons to beginners. 4. I (sing, sings) a solo in the second act. 5. The band and the chorus (is, are) performing tonight. 6. (Have, Has) either Carol or Brenda heard that record? 7. There (is, are) no reason for that. 8. Sometimes there (is, are) taxis waiting here. 9. You (was, were) late today. 10. The chances for a victory (is, are) good. 11. The footprints in this cave (seem, seems) very large. 12. The paper on the walls (was, were) silvery. English 9B Grammar Packet 6

Rules for Subject-Verb Agreement  When the subject of a sentence is composed of two or more nouns or pronouns connected by and, use a plural verb. She and her friends are at the fair.  When two or more singular nouns or pronouns are connected by or or nor, use a singular verb. The book or the pen is in the drawer.  When a compound subject contains both a singular and a plural noun or pronoun joined by or or nor, the verb should agree with the part of the subject that is nearer the verb. The boy or his friends run every day. His friends or the boy runs every day.  Doesn’t is a contraction of does and not and should be used only with a singular subject. Don’t is a contraction of do not and should be used only with a plural subject. The exception to this rule appears in the case of the first person and second person pronouns I and you. With these pronouns, the contraction don’t should be used. He doesn’t like it. They don’t like it.  Unlike other pronouns, you is the same for both singular and plural. But you is never used with a singular verb. It is always used with plural verbs. You have my best wishes. You were next on the list.  Do not be misled by a phrase that comes between the subject and the verb. The verb agrees with the subject, not with a noun or pronoun in the phrase. One of the boxes is open. The people who listen to that music are few. The team captain, as well as his players, is anxious. The book, including all the chapters in the first section, is boring.  In sentences beginning with there is or there are, the subject follows the verb. Since there is not the subject, the verb agrees with what follows. There are many questions. There is a question.  Collective nouns are words that imply more than one person but that are considered singular and take a singular verb, such as: group, team, committee, class, and family. The team runs during practice. The committee decides how to proceed.

English 9B Grammar Packet 7

PART 3: Pronoun Usage  Definition: A pronoun is a word used in place of a noun. 3.1: Forms of Pronouns: Pronouns have three forms: subject, object, and possessive. Notice how the pronoun she changes as its use changes: She left. (She is the subject.) I saw her. (Her is the direct object.) It is hers. (Hers is the possessive.) 1st Person Singular: 2nd Person Singular: 3rd Person Singular 1st Person Plural: 2nd Person Plural: 3rd Person Plural:

Subject I you she, he, it we you they

Object me you her, him, it us you them

Possessive my, mine your, yours her, hers, his, its our, ours your, yours their, theirs

 The following sentences use pronouns correctly.  SUBJECT FORM: We tried the mushroom pizza. The girl on the left is she.  OBJECT FORM: Sam’s friend congratulated him for winning the speech contest. John sent her a valentine.  POSSESSIVE FORM: Our friends are coming today. Tom keeps his room clean.  Forms of Pronouns Exercises: Circle the correct pronoun in each of the following sentences. Then, on the line that follows, write the correct form of the pronoun. 1. The base runners were Mark and (I, me). ____________________ 2. (We, Us) boys were selected as the finalists. ____________________ 3. Chris and (her, she) are coming. ____________________ 4. Kirk helped (he, him) and (she, her) with the dishes. ____________________ 5. The bear could not find (it’s, its) cubs. ____________________ 6. The parade delayed my grandmother and (we, us). ____________________ 7. It was Todd and (me, I) to the rescue. ____________________ 8. Ms. Gianetti picked (we, us) two for the parts. ____________________ 9. (It’s, Its) about time for the news. ____________________ 10. Mrs. Folette asked (they, them) and Kent to dinner. ____________________

English 9B Grammar Packet 8

3.2: Pronouns and Antecedents  Definition: The antecedent of a pronoun is the noun or pronoun that it replaces or to which it refers. Examples:

Larry came today and brought his tools. (Larry is the antecedent of his.) Debbie and Tom came in. They were laughing. (Debbie & Tom are the antecedents of they.)

 Use a singular pronoun for a singular antecedent. Use a plural pronoun for a plural antecedent. Examples:

The runner talked about his Olympic medals. (Runner and his are singular.) The actors learned their lines. (Actors and their are plural.)

 Pronouns and Antecedents Exercises: Underline the pronoun and draw an arrow to its antecedents. 1. Tim and Rick didn’t bring their raincoats. 2. Steel mills can create a serious problem. They pollute the air. 3. Owen had the injured sparrow with him. He carried it carefully. ############################################################ 3.3: Compound Personal Pronouns  Definition: A compound personal pronoun is formed by adding –self or –selves to certain personal pronouns. myself ourselves yourself yourselves himself, herself, itself themselves Examples: We always do the repairs ourselves. (You) Read the story yourself. She weighs herself every day.  Compound Personal Pronoun Exercises: Write the correct compound personal pronoun on the given line for each of the following sentences. 1. Nancy thought of ____________________ as everyone’s friend. 2. He bandaged the cut ____________________. 3. The wolves threw ____________________ against the cage in an attempt to escape. 4. A motor-driven robot can walk by ____________________. 5. Cut ____________________ another piece of cake.

English 9B Grammar Packet 9

3.4: Interrogative Pronouns  Definition: The interrogative pronouns are who, whose, whom, which, and what.

Who plays tennis? Whose is this bike? Whom did you call?

Which came first? What is the answer?

Using Who and Whom  Rule. Use this he/him method to decide whether who or whom is correct: he = who him = whom Examples:

Who/Whom wrote the letter?  He wrote the letter. Therefore, who is correct. Who/Whom should I vote for?  Should I vote for him? Therefore, whom is correct. We all know who/whom pulled that prank. This sentence contains two clauses: “we all know” and “who/whom pulled that prank.” We are interested in the second clause because it contains the who/whom. He pulled that prank. Therefore, who is correct.

We wondered who/whom the book was about. This sentence contains two clauses: “we wondered” and “who/whom the book was about.” Again, we are interested in the second clause because it contains the who/whom. The book was about him. Therefore, whom is correct.  Note: This rule is compromised by an odd infatuation people have with whom—and not for good reasons! At its worst, the use of whom becomes a form of one-upmanship some employ to appear sophisticated. The following is an example of the pseudo-sophisticated whom:

Incorrect: a woman whom I think is a genius In this case whom is not the object of I think. Put “I think” at the end and witness the folly: “A woman whom is a genius, I think.” …weird.

Correct: a woman who I think is a genius  Interrogative Pronouns Exercises: Circle the correct interrogative pronoun in each sentence. 1. (Who, Whom) recorded that album? 2. At (who, whom) did the bus driver yell? 3. (Who, Whom) ate all the banana bread? 4. (Who, Whom) did Emily invite to the dance? 5. To (who, whom) did Eva pass the ball? 6. (Who, Whom) plays first base? English 9B Grammar Packet 10

3.5: Indefinite Pronouns  Definition: Indefinite pronouns do not refer to a particular person.  Singular indefinite pronouns: anybody each anyone everybody anything everyone

everything neither nobody

no one somebody someone

*Because these indefinite pronouns are singular, use the singular possessive pronouns his, her, or its to refer to them. Perhaps these sentences will help you to remember: Examples: Everybody took his turn. Something had its burrow here. Someone left her raincoat. No one had his or her ticket.  Plural indefinite pronouns: both many Examples:

few

several

Both raised their hands. Many of the fans left their seats.

Few stopped their cars. Several offered their help.

 Singular OR plural indefinite pronouns, depending on their meaning in the sentence: all any some none Examples:

All of the salad was eaten. (singular) All of the seats were empty. (plural) Does any of this newspaper need to be saved? (singular) Do any of these songs sound familiar? (plural)

 Indefinite Pronouns Exercises: Circle the correct pronoun in each of the following sentences. On the line that follows the sentence, write whether it is a singular or plural indefinite pronoun. 1. Somebody lost (his or her, their) hockey stick. _________________________ 2. Both of the referees blew (his or her, their) whistles. _________________________ 3. No one raised (his or her, their) hand. _________________________ 4. All of the snakes shed (its, their) skins. _________________________ 5. Each of the boys displayed (his, their) drawing. _________________________ 6. Some of the plants dropped (its, their) leaves. _________________________ 7. Did everyone bring (his or her, their) permission slip? _________________________ 8. Many of the runners clocked (his or her, their) best times. _________________________ 9. Can anyone touch (his or her, their) toes? _________________________ 10. Neither of the twins remembered (her, their) locker number. _________________________

English 9B Grammar Packet 11

PART 4: Adjectives / Adverbs Adjectives  Definition: Adjectives modify or describe a noun or pronoun.  Adjectives help to give your readers a clear picture of what you are writing about. They add to the meaning of another word. They make the meaning more exact.  Adjectives can tell three things about the words they modify: 1. Which one or ones? this book, that jet, these shoes, those passengers 2. What kind? blue sky, hot oven, small jar, old house, beautiful sunrise 3. How many? four bicycles, several cars, many people, few children  Some adjectives come from verbs and have verb endings. Most adjectives from verbs have –ing and –ed endings, but some have irregular forms.

running water dividing line

toasted muffin buried treasure

broken glass forbidden castle

 Adjectives Exercises: Underline the adjectives in each sentence and draw arrows to the words they modify. 1. The bogus deal made me crabby. 2. A jagged little pill slipped down my aching throat. 3. The poor, defenseless creature just needed a hug. 4. My snarling mutt of a dog was a big old softie at heart. 5. Grandma is a warmhearted soul who needs constant, loving care.

English 9B Grammar Packet 12

4.1: Pronouns Used as Adjectives  Definition: Possessive pronouns are used as adjectives. A possessive pronoun is a modifier because it makes the meaning of a noun more exact. The words my, your, his, her, its, our, and their are possessive pronouns used as adjectives:

my book our room your game your trophies his house, her ruler, its foot their school  Possessive Pronouns as Adjectives Exercises: Underline the possessive pronoun and draw an arrow to the word it modifies. 1. Dick and Elsie brought their stamps. 2. My new book has a red leather cover. 3. The horse has lost its rider. 4. My watch is on the mantel. 5. Did you wash your car? ############################################################ 4.2: Demonstrative Adjectives  The words this, that, these, and those may be used as modifiers with nouns to point out specific things. Examples: I liked this book, but I really didn’t like that one. These peas are fine, but those beans are tasteless.  Definition: When used as modifiers, these four words re called demonstrative adjectives. They tell which one or which ones about the nouns they modify. (When they are used by themselves, instead of as modifiers, these words are called demonstrative pronouns: I like that. This is better.) Demonstrative Adjective I liked this book. We saw that play.

Demonstrative Pronoun I liked this. We saw that.

 Demonstrative Adjectives Exercises: Circle the demonstrative adjective or pronoun in each sentence and write whether it’s an adjective or a pronoun on the line that follows. If it’s an adjective, draw an arrow to the word it modifies. 1. These are my friends Terry and JoAnn. ______________________ 2. That woman told my fortune. ______________________ 3. This is the field where we play softball. ______________________ 4. That was my final trip to the orthodontist. ______________________ 5. That motor should be oiled. ______________________ English 9B Grammar Packet 13

4.3: Adjectives in Comparisons  When one person or thing is compared with another, use the comparative form of the adjective. Examples: Rob is taller than John. My dog is smarter than yours. *The comparative form is made in two ways: 1. For short adjective like calm and slow, ad –er. calm + -er = calmer slow + -er = slower happy + -er = happier bright + -er = brighter 2. For longer adjective like delicious, use more. more delicious more gracious *Most adjective ending in –ful and –ous form the comparative with more. more thoughtful more gracious  When a person or a thing is compared with more than one other person or thing, use the superlative form of the adjective. Examples: Lynn is the tallest person in the class. The tiger seems to be the most ferocious animal in the zoo.  Forming comparative and superlative adjectives: *The superlative form of adjectives is made by adding –est or by using most. *For adjectives that take -er in the comparative, add –est for the superlative. *Adjectives that use more to form the comparative use most for the superlative. Adjective full dim pretty practical courageous

Comparative fuller dimmer prettier more practical more courageous

Superlative fullest dimmest prettiest most practical most courageous

 Adjectives in Comparisons Exercises: Circle the correct form of the adjective. On the line that follows, state whether it is a comparative or superlative adjective. 1. My suitcase is (heavier, heaviest) than yours. ______________________ 2. It was (warmest, warmer) in Texas than in Florida. ______________________ 3. Wilson’s store was always the (busiest, busier) in town. ______________________ 4. Of the two parks, I like this one (best, better). ______________________ 5. This is the (worse, worst) program I’ve ever seen. ______________________

English 9B Grammar Packet 14

Adverbs  Definition: Adverbs modify or describe verbs, adjectives, and other adverbs.  In order to make your meaning clear, vivid, and complete, you often use words that tell how, when, where, or to what extent. These words are called adverbs. Adverbs Modify Verbs We walked. How? We walked slowly. When? We walked yesterday. Where? We walked out.

Adverbs Modify Other Adverbs How fast?

Joe talked fast. Joe talked extremely fast.

The senators agreed Adverbs Modify Adjectives enthusiastically. It was a clear day. How enthusiastically? The senators agreed most How clear? It was a fairly clear day. enthusiastically. The problem was difficult. How difficult? The problem was too The ball rolled away. difficult. To what extent? The ball rolled far away. I was late. To what extent? I was very late. ############################################################# 4.4 Position of Adverbs:  When an adverb modifies an adjective or another adverb, it usually comes before the word it modifies: Examples: very hot quite still not often  When an adverb modifies a verb, its position is not usually fixed: Examples: I see now. Now I see. I now see. Forming Adverbs:  Many adverbs are made by adding –ly to an adjective: Examples: plain + -ly = plainly brave + -ly = bravely  Sometimes the addition of –ly involves a spelling change in the adjective: Examples: noisy + -ly = noisily (y changed to i) terrible + -ly = terribly (final e dropped)  Adverbs Exercises: Underline the adverb(s) in each sentence and draw and arrow to the word it modifies. 1. Our puppy barked eagerly. 6. Ben scored easily from mid-court. 2. Sandra and Andy play tennis regularly.

7. The water rose steadily.

3. Rain fell heavily during the night.

8. He will leave tomorrow for San Francisco.

4. They ran swiftly from the car to the house.

9. Have you skied lately?

5. The Warners had parked nearby.

10. The skiers raced daringly down the slopes. English 9B Grammar Packet 15

4.5: Adverbs in Comparisons  When one action is compared with another one, use the comparative form of the adverb. *The comparative form is made in two ways: 1. For short adverbs like high and early, add –er. Examples: The rocket soared higher into space. Betsy left the party earlier than Sue. 2. For most adverbs ending in –ly, use more to make the comparative. Examples: Stores handle eggs more carefully than other foods. The instructor skied more smoothly than his pupils.  When one action is compared with two or more actions of the same kind, use the superlative form of the adverb. Examples:

Of all the clerks, Debbie works most efficiently. Connie and Dave try hard, but Joe tries hardest.

 Forming comparative and superlative adverbs: *The superlative form of adverbs is formed by adding –est or by using most. *Adverbs that form the comparative with –er form the superlative with –est. *Adverbs that use more for the comparative use most for the superlative. Adverb late fast fiercely softly

Comparative later faster more fiercely more softly

Superlative latest fastest most fiercely most softly

 Adverbs in Comparisons Exercises: Circle the correct form of the adverb from the two given in parentheses. On the line that follows, state whether it is a comparative or superlative adverb. 1. I walked into the library (more quietly, most quietly) than before. ___________________ 2. Nobody can count money (best, better) than she. ______________________ 3. My mother exercises (more regularly, most regularly) than I do. ____________________ 4. Our relay team could run the (faster, fastest) of all. ______________________ 5. He wrapped my package the (more carefully, most carefully) of all. __________________

English 9B Grammar Packet 16

4.6: Adjective or Adverb? An adverb tells how when where to what extent

An adjective tells what kind how many which one

about a verb, adjective, or adverb.

about a noun or pronoun.

 Consider the following sentences. Which one sounds right? 1. Our team won easy. 2. Our team won easily. The second sentence is the correct one! An adverb (easily) should be used, not an adjective (easy) because it is modifying the verb won.  It is sometimes difficult to decide whether an adjective or an adverb should be used in sentences like the two given above. When you are not sure which modifier to use, ask yourself these questions: 1. Which word does the modifier describe? If it describes a verb (like won in the sentences above), it is an adverb. It is also an adverb if it describes an adjective or another adverb. If it describes a noun or a pronoun, it is an adjective. 2. What does the modifier tell about the word it describes? If the modifier tells how, when , where, or to what extent, it is an adverb. If it tells what kind, how many, or which one, it is an adjective. In the sentences above, the modifier tells how our team won. Therefore, it must be an adverb: easily.

Continued  English 9B Grammar Packet 17

 Adjectives or Adverbs Exercises #1: Choose the correct word from the words in parentheses. Then draw an arrow to the word it modifies. 1. He lined up his airplane collection (neat, neatly). 2. This way is (more quickly, quicker). 3. That’s a (real, really) tough question. 4. Watch this film (more close, more closely) than that. 5. The roads are icy, so drive (safe, safely). 6. He can run (quick, quickly). 7. My mother exercises (more regular, more regularly) than I do. 8. May plays the piano (good, well), doesn’t she? 9. Marcus did (terrible, terribly) on his math homework. 10. Mr. Wilson’s store was always the (busiest, busier) in town.

 Adjectives or Adverbs Exercises #2: Circle all adjectives and underline all adverbs. Then draw an arrow to the word each modifies. 1. The sportscaster talked endlessly about the new season. 2. A single sailboat drifted on the peaceful lake. 3. Suddenly, a heavy rainstorm flooded the streets. 4. The tiny car left a gray cloud of smoke as it quickly pulled away. 5. This salesperson seems too pushy. 6. An extremely deep hit by Garvey scored two runs. 7. Rapidly and skillfully, the farmer steered a huge tractor through the fields. 8. The gray horse responds more gently than the brown one. 9. Jed was pleasantly surprised by very good grades last semester. 10. Kris usually studies in the quietest room in the house.

English 9B Grammar Packet 18

PART 5: Confused Pairs accept means “to agree to something” or “to receive something willingly.” except means “to exclude” or “omit.” (As a preposition, except means “but” or “excluding.”) Kay did accept the Hansens’ invitation to go camping with them. The ninth grade will be excepted from locker inspection. Everyone except the team will sit in the bleachers. affect means “to influence” and is a verb. effect means “to produce, accomplish, or complete” as a verb or “the result” as a noun. Mark’s hard work effected an A on the test, which positively affected his semester grade. Good grades have a calming effect on parents. a lot is a vague descriptive phrase that should be used sparingly. alot is not a word. Ever. allot means to divide or distribute by share or portion “You can observe a lot just by watching.” –Yogi Berra I will allot the snacks equally among the children. allusion means an indirect reference to someone or something. illusion means a false picture or idea. My little sister, under the illusion that she’s movie-star material, makes frequent allusions to her future fans. among is used when speaking of more than two persons or things. between is used when speaking of only two. The friends talked among themselves to decide between going out or eating in. borrow means “to receive for temporary use.” lend means “to give for temporary use.” I told Mom I needed to borrow $18 for a CD, but she said her lending service was for school supplies only. capital means “most important” or “most serious.” It also refers to the city or town that is the official seat of government of a state or nation. capitol is a building in which a state legislature meets. the Capitol is the building in Washington, D.C., in which the US Congress meets. Montpelier is the capital of Vermont. Use a capital letter to begin every line of poetry. The committee held a special meeting at the capitol building. We visited the Capitol in Washington, D.C., last summer. farther refers to a physical distance. further refers to additional time, quantity, or degree. Alaska extends farther north than Iceland. Further information can be obtained in an atlas.

English 9B Grammar Packet 19

fewer refers to the number of separate units. less refers to bulk quantity. Because we have fewer orders for cakes, we’ll buy less sugar and flour. good is an adjective; it describes nouns. Well is nearly always an adverb or to describe a state of health. The strange flying machines worked well and made our team look good. its is a word that indicates ownership. it’s is a contraction for it is or it has. The city lost its power during the thunderstorm. It’s almost noon, and I haven’t finished my work. lead (lēd) means “to go first.” led (lĕd) is the past tense of lead. lead (lĕd) is a heavy, silvery-blue metal. A circus wagon pulled by horses will lead the parade. This wagon had led the parade for many years. Lead is one of the heaviest metals, yet it melts at a very low temperature. lie means “to recline.” (It’s an intransitive verb which means it completes the action on its own.) lay means “to place.” (It’s a transitive verb which means its action is received by an object.) In this heat, the children must lie down for a nap. Yesterday they lay down without one complaint. Sometimes, they have lain in the hammocks to rest. Lay your books on the big table where your friend laid his packages. lose means “to misplace” or “suffer the loss of something.” loose means “free” or “not fastened.” Our car began to lose some of its power as we reached the top of Pike’s Peak. The hinges on the back gate are quite loose. past refers to that which has ended or gone by. passed is the past tense of pass and means went by. Our past experience with that team has taught us to use a different defense. We passed through the Grand Tetons on our vacation last summer. saw is the past tense of see which means to view or have the power of sight. seen is the past participle of see which means to view or have the power of sight. Last night a saw a falling star for the first time. I have seen Taylor Swift in concert three times. there means in that place. their means belonging to them. they’re is a contraction for they are. Please put the groceries over there on the counter. In 1803, the explorers Lewis and Clark led their expedition to the western United States. Sue and Pam are skiing, and they’re going snowmobiling on Saturday.

English 9B Grammar Packet 20

to means toward, or in the direction of. too means also or very. two is the number 2. We all went to the zoo last weekend. / It was too cold to go cross-country skiing. / Two television stations carried the President’s last press conference. who is used as the subject of a verb. whom is used as the object of a preposition or as a direct object. To whom do we owe our thanks for these pizzas? And who ordered that one with pepperoni and pineapple? weather refers to atmospheric conditions such as temperature or cloudiness. whether helps to express choice. Daily weather reports are studied by meteorologist all over the world. Whether we call or write for our vacation reservations, we must do it soon. whose is the possessive form of who. who’s is a contraction for who is or who has. Do you know whose bicycle is chained to the parking meter? Who’s going to volunteer to help at the children’s Christmas party? your is the possessive form of you. you’re is a contraction of you are. Please take your books back to the library today. You’re going there right after school, aren’t you?  Confused Pairs Exercises: Choose the correct word from the words in parentheses. 1. This (past, passed) year I had a special tutor to help me in math. 2. Theodore Roosevelt (lead, led) the charge up San Juan Hill. 3. The latch door is (lose, loose) and needs to be fixed. 4. All of the players (accept, except) the goalie were involved in the argument. 5. My daughter loved the magician’s great (allusions, illusions) during his show. 6. (Lay, Lie) your keys on the table so we know where to find them. 7. Call us when (your, you’re) ready. 8. Our neighbors never let (their, there) cat out at night. 9. That movie was (to, too) funny for words. 10. (Whose, who’s) making all that noise? 11. If the (weather, whether) permits, we will have a picnic. 12. Greg will be dancing with (who, whom) at the homecoming dance? 13. Mother will (a lot, allot) a certain amount of money for groceries this week. 14. The athlete’s attitude will (affect, effect) her performance. 15. I can’t believe (its, it’s) almost Christmas. 16. The thief had previously been arrested for a (capital, capitol) offence. English 9B Grammar Packet 21

PART 6: Idiomatic English  Definition: An idiom is a phrase or expression that means something different from what the words actually say (using over his head for didn’t understand). Examples:

A piece of cake = a task that can be accomplished very easily Blue moon = a rare event or occurrence Cut to the chase = leave out all the unnecessary details and just get to the point. Get over it = to move beyond something that is bothering you Pig out = to eat a lot and eat it quickly You are what you eat = in order to stay healthy you must eat healthy foods  Idiom Exercises: For each group of idioms, circle the one that is worded correctly. 1. A chip on the shoulder Chips on your shoulder A chip on your shoulder

3. Keep an eye on him Keep eyes on him Keeps eyeing him

2. Until the cows go home Till the cows come home Till the cows arrive home

BONUS: Can you think of other common idioms?

English 9B Grammar Packet 22