Sunday, September 23, 2012

FANBOYS use AAAWWUBBIS'



I am still a little uncertain about linking verb patterns, intransitive verb patterns, and transitive verb patterns. I understand the intransitive sentences include a noun and a verb and do not need any other information, BUT the intransitive and transitive sometimes confuse me. You can say, “The students studied,” OR, “The students studied science.” It is correct either way. Does the extra noun at the end make it transitive? In class when we put together sentences on the magnetic boards, sometimes a sentence would be longer than just a noun and a verb, BUT they weren’t intransitive sentences. WHILE I sometimes understand a sentence and its type right away, there are still times when I get confused.

SINCE I learned elementary grammar and sentence particles over a decade ago, it is a good refresher to review the names of different types of sentences such as ‘imperative sentences,’ AND reviewing all the prepositions again is helpful too. ALTHOUGH the things we are learning and reviewing often seem easy, they are difficult at times because we all learned them so long ago, SO it is good that we have this course to help remind us and prepare us for teaching. Sometimes I think, “I learned this stuff in elementary school, it’s easy,” YET, then there are moments when I have to pause and think about something or ask questions even.

This class is perfect for reviewing before I begin to teach in a couple short years. Even though I am teaching high school I know I will need to explain what an adverb is, or what a run-on sentence is. I did a three week practicum this summer in a high school classroom and the students in the classes often did not know things that I had thought should be mastered by their age. Reading pieces of writing from high school and college students in my courses this year, and the articles and research on the level of writing dropping in schools, it has opened my eyes to what all I will have to teach my students. I am thankful for this grammar class this year and know it will really help me.

WHEN we talked about comma splices in class, I realized that I probably use them occasionally. I notice when it should be a period when I am reading someone else’s paper, but when I am writing my own piece, I tend to use extra commas. I do not always notice when I am writing my own work, FOR (not sure if this is correct?) lack of concentration and time perhaps, that I have more of when it is someone else’s writing and all I have to do is read. I neither have to think about what I need to say, NOR do I have to create something when I am reading someone’s paper, so I have a lot more time to study the punctuation and grammar. 

2 comments:

  1. Good use of the pattern of the week! I can see that you included a varity of FANBOYS. I'm on the same page as you because I still feel slightly confused about the verb patterns. Like you said, this class has been helpful in refreshing all the grammar details I've forgotten over the years.

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  2. let me see if I can clear up the difference between transitive and intransitive. To answer your question, Chelsea:
    You can say, “The students studied,” OR, “The students studied science.” It is correct either way. Does the extra noun at the end make it transitive?
    Yup. That noun answers the question, "The students studied WHAT?" That WHAT is a direct object.
    "Study" can be either intransitive or transitive, depending on the sentence. Not all verbs are like that, though. Also, you'll notice that intransitive verbs often do have extra stuff after them. That stuff is usually adverbs or prepositional phrases--but no nouns or pronouns receiving the action of the verb. So those patterns are S-Vi

    just a couple of other things to note about punctuation in your blog:
    "Sometimes I think, “I learned this stuff in elementary school, it’s easy,” YET, then there are moments when I have to pause and think about something or ask questions even."
    No comma after YET, just before.

    "Even though I am teaching high school I know I will need to explain what an adverb is, or what a run-on sentence is. I did a three week practicum this summer in a high school classroom and the students in the classes often did not know things that I had thought should be mastered by their age."
    --comma after "high school" to mark off introductory AAAWWUUBBIS clause.
    --no commas before OR in "what an adverb is or what a run-on sentence is" because you're just connection two direct objects (I will need to explain WHAT? what an adverb is or what a run-on sentence is.)

    Gets tricky in practice, huh?

    Nice, thoughtful closing paragraph. Spot-on, methinks.

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