In-Class Group Assignment “You Are The Instructor” Create an exercise for a grammar rule

Objectives: • To write an explanation of a grammar rule for the class • To create a short exercise (with answers) for the class

I will compile all of the exercises together. You will complete everyone’s exercises in the next class meeting.

Purpose: To learn, through teaching others, a common grammar rule that would help correct some of the same grammar errors we all have in our writing.

Grading criteria: Your exercises will be graded using the following criteria:

Accuracy: The rule is accurately explained. The examples accurately represent the rule. No grammar errors in your explanation or exercise. (Check with other students if you are unsure about your grammar) Clarity: The explanation is easy to understand. The examples are also easy to understand. Style: The explanation and examples are entertaining and at the same time useful in learning the particular grammar rule.

Instructions: 1) Choose a partner to work with on this exercise. One person will record the lesson for you both. 2) Choose a piece of paper from the pile. You will work on the grammar rule from the list below that matches the number on your piece of paper. Every group will have a different grammar rule. 3) Look up and read the explanation of your rule in your textbook. The page numbers are given below, but you can use reference other than your book if you have it. 4) On a clean piece of notebook paper, in your own words, write an explanation of the rule using language that your classmates will understand and enjoy. 5) Write an example of correct and incorrect usage. 6) Write 5 sentences for an exercise on this grammar rule, giving clear instructions. These can be “fill-in-the- blank,” “true-false,” “multiple choice,” a combination of these, or some variation. 7) Write answers to those sentences on another sheet of paper. 8) Put both of your names on the exercise and hand it in.

Grammar rules 1) Explaining the difference between “rise and raise” and Correcting usage. (pg. 170) 2) Explaining and Correcting “pronoun agreement.” (pg. 196) 3) Explaining and Correcting use of apostrophe “possessive pronouns.” (pg. 299) 4) Explaining and Correcting commas after “introductory clauses.” (pg. 321) 5) Explaining and Correcting “dependent word” Fragments (pg. 98, 99) 6) Explaining and Correcting “ –ing and to” Fragments (pg. 102, 103) 7) Explaining and Correcting verb agreement using “Who, Which, and That” as subjects of the sentence (pg. 178, 179) 8) Explaining and Correcting commas that “interrupt the flow of thought.” (pg. 322) 9) Explaining and Correcting commas that go “between complete thoughts connected by a joining word.” (pg. 324) 10) Explaining and Correcting the difference between “all ready and already” and “than and then.” (pg. 366, 371) 11) Explaining and Correcting the difference between “accept and except” and “among and between.” (pg. 375, 376) 12) Explaining and Correcting using “being that” and can’t hardly.” (pg. 380) An example of the completed assignment would look like this:

Names: Angela and Joel Grammar rule: Using punctuation with quotation marks.

1) Explanation Ever wondered where the comma or the period is supposed to go after the title of an article or some dialogue in a sentence? Well, about 99.9999999% of the time, punctuation goes INSIDE quotation marks. You could think of it this way: quotation marks PROTECT what’s inside them. Punctuation always wants PROTECTION. Check out these examples:

2) Examples

WRONG: Eminem should have got a Grammy for “In Da Club”. (See? The period needs to be INSIDE the ending quotation.) RIGHT: After hearing R. Kelly’s “Down Low,” I knew I had to keep that song away from my girl. (See? The comma belongs INSIDE the quotation mark.)

3) Exercises: Now, try it out for yourself! Read these sentences and decide whether or not they are correct. Correct the ones that wrong. Write “OK” by the ones that are already correct.

1. Queen Latifa’s cover of the song "," an all-time classic by Barbara Lewis, really shows her amazing vocal range. 2. Latifah is at her seductive best when playing the sultry siren on 's original song "Simply Beautiful". 3. The big band swings with pure blues nostalgia in the Queen’s version of "Baby Get Lost" 4. Slightly disappointing in "," Latifa’s voice seems to lose energy. 5. But I still say, “Go out and get The Dana Owens ” it’s as hot as she is!

4) (Answers to exercises on a separate page.) 1. OK 2. Latifah is at her seductive best when playing the sultry siren on Al Green's original song "Simply Beautiful." 3. The big band swings with pure blues nostalgia in the Queen’s version of "Baby Get Lost." 4. OK 5. But I still say, “Go out and get The Dana Owens Album!” It’s as hot as she is!