Infernal Grammar Name __________________ ____/24 Grammar Lesson One • Language Skill: Pronouns and their antecedents. A pronoun is a word that is used to substitute for a noun. The word it replaces is called its antecedent. Each pronoun must agree with its antecedent in number, person and gender. It is easy to make a careless error in matching antecedents and pronouns. Look at the following sentence and try and "hear" what's wrong. Example: Every teenager should have their own car. This sentence is wrong because "teenager" is singular and "their" is plural. The sentence could be recast in several different ways to make it correct. Teenagers should have their own cars. A teenage girl should have her own car. A teenage boy should have his own car. Pronouns and antecedents can also cause problems if they are placed "too far" away from each other in the sentence or paragraph. Usually the pronoun and its antecedent are placed "close" together. Sometime the sense of the sentence will make clear which pronoun refers to which noun. (Check sentence 4 below.) Example: Dante left his hometown. Dante and his are singular, third person, masculine. They agree in number, person and gender. Sometimes the pronouns and antecedents appear in the same sentence, sometimes in different sentences. Look at this example: Dante Alighieri was born in Florence in 1265. He was descended from a well respected family . Here are a few more examples of sentences with correct pronoun/antecedent agreement. Circle the both the pronoun and its antecedent. 1. The Inferno is very precise; it was written in terrza rima. 2. Dante makes Virgil an important character in the story. He represents Reason. 3. Dante also employs Beatrice in the poem. She symbolizes the divine love of God, the power of faith, and the importance of hope. 4. Dante was influenced greatly by Beatrice although he saw her only twice in his lifetime. 5. Dante lived in Florence. It was a burgeoning center of trade, banking and manufacturing. 6. Beatrice died when she was only 24 years old. http://www.teachersfirst.com/lessons/dante/guide.htm 1 Lesson Two: Let's join Dante on the journey.... • Cantos 1-3 The Vestibule • Language Skill: Parallel structure The Vestibule Canto I Location: The Dark Wood Dante, in mid-life, finds himself lost in a dark and treacherous wood. It is Easter time -- Good Friday. In the distance he glimpses what he thinks is a way out, but immediately he is confronted with three wild beasts -- a leopard, a lion and a she-wolf. These creatures symbolize three types of error or sin: the leopard symbolizes mean-spiritedness and fraud, the lion represents violence, and the she-wolf represents unrestrained passions. Dante stands frozen in fear when suddenly the figure of Virgil appears. Virgil explains that he has been "hired" to guide Dante through the terrors of both the Inferno and the Purgatorio. Canto II Dante is terrified and reluctant to make the journey. Virgil explains that he has been sent by Beatrice to aid Dante. Canto III The poets make their way to the vestibule of hell. They must pass through a gateway with the following message carved into the stone: “Abandon all hope ye who enter here”. This place is like an anteroom or a foyer -- it is not part of Hell-proper so to speak. Here Dante -- and we, the readers -- see the plan of symbolic retribution that will make up the rest of the story. Dante is horrified at the sight before him. He is viewing the punishment of the uncommitted. Dante sees the souls of those who, in life, took no stand, kept no promises, honored no loyalties. Their punishment is to forever chase after an ever-moving flag, all the while surrounded by horrible fetid air full of stinging bees and wasps. As the insects bite the sinners, maggots emerge to suck the pus that oozes from their sores. Dante now crosses the river Acheron to visit the First Circle of the Inferno. Grammar Lesson Two: Parallel Structure Using parallel structure correctly can make writing memorable. Look at the following example from a famous source: Veni, vidi, vici. I came, I saw, I conquered. ---Julius Caesar. Parallel structure refers to the matching of grammatical elements within a sentence. A sentence structured with grammatically parallel elements will most likely be clear, stylish and balanced. Listen for the pleasing rhythm of the sentence, the logical balance of ideas and the repetition of form. Simply "match" the appropriate structures to create a delightful sentence! http://www.teachersfirst.com/lessons/dante/guide.htm 2 Practice exercise: The following sentences are incorrect. Re-write using proper parallel structure. Remember you might have to totally re-cast the form of the sentence to make it read correctly. Don't be afraid of re-writing! 1. Dante became lost in the woods, was threatened by three animals and he felt overcome with fear. 2. The leopard represents malice, the lion represents violence, unchecked passions are symbolized by the she-wolf. 3. Dante was terrified of the dark wood, the three beasts, and to see the swarming insects. 4. Virgil is a symbol of reason and Beatrice has the function of representing divine love. 5. The sinners in the Vestibule are pursued by wasps, maggots and a lot of bees follow them. 6. Dante also employs the character of Beatrice in the poem. She symbolizes the divine love of God, the power of faith, and hoping. 7. The sinners in the Vestibule are tortured by insects who chase them, sting them, and are sucking the pus out of their sores. Lesson 3: • Canto IV - Circle One: Limbo • Language Skill--Indefinite pronouns/ agreement of subject and verb Circle One: Limbo Dante finds himself across the great river Acheron and views the First Circle -- Limbo. This circle is different from all the rest that he will visit. Here there is no punishment or torture. This place is inhabited by the "good pagans." These are the souls of those who died unbaptized; their only pain is that they will never see the face of God. Here Dante sees such great poets as Homer and Ovid. Grammar Lesson Three: Subjects, Verbs, Indefinite pronouns There are a few devilish traps in dealing with pronouns. Remember that the following indefinite pronouns are singular in number: each, either, neither, one, everybody, another, everybody, everyone, nobody, everything, someone, and somebody Note the following examples: http://www.teachersfirst.com/lessons/dante/guide.htm 3 1. Each of the poem's sections is divided into cantos. (Singular subject takes singular verb) 2. Each of the sinners is punished according to the plan of symbolic retribution. 3. Everything is dark and dreary in the woods. 4. One of the characters in the story represents reason. 5. Another of the great poets is Homer. Now you try! Each of the sentences above has no error. Use these sentences as patterns as you select the correct verb in the examples below. Remember these are singular: each, either, neither, one, everybody, another, everybody, everyone, nobody, everything, someone, and somebody 1. Everyone in Circle One ( seems / seem) to recognize Virgil. 2. Each of the circles of hell (represents/ represent) the punishment of a different sin. 3. Everyone in the Vestibule (suffers/suffer). 4. Nobody in Limbo (is/are) tortured. 5. Another of the characters in the story ( addresses/address) Virgil. 6. One of the characters (carries/carry) a wavering flag. Lesson Four: • Canto V - Circle Two: The Lustful • Language skill: Possessive review Circle Two: The Lustful In order to pass to Circle Two Dante and Virgil must pass by Minos the great Judge of the Underworld. Minos evaluates each sinner as he appears before him and coils his tail reveal the sinner's assigned circle. Two coils mean Circle Two, three coils mean Circle Three and so on. Dante now views the punishment of the Carnal and Lustful. These are sinners who let their passions sweep them away in life, now, in death they are condemned to be "swept away" for all eternity. A dirty, smelly, powerful and tempestuous wind batters and whirls these sinners at a fervid speed. Here Dante sees such memorable characters as Dido, Queen of Carthage; Helen, the beauty of Troy; and Cleopatra, the great ruler of Egypt. In honor of Dante's visit, the winds cease for a short spell -- long enough for Dante to hear the sad and famous story of the lovers Paulo and Francesca. http://www.teachersfirst.com/lessons/dante/guide.htm 4 Grammar Lesson Four: Possessives Possessives show ownership! In English we can show ownership in two ways-- by either using a prepositional phrase or by using a possessive form. Example: Dante's hat is red. OR The hat of Dante is red. Look at the examples below. The rules! To form the possessive of a singular noun, add 's (Option: If a singular noun ends in s, you may add either 's or just ' ) To form the possessive of a plural noun ending in s, add ' To form the possessive of a plural noun not ending in s, add 's Word Rule Possessive form in use Dante To form the possessive of a singular Dante's story ... noun, add 's Dido To form the possessive of a singular Dido's punishment was to inhabit Circle Two. noun, add 's lovers To form the possessive of a plural noun The lovers' story moved Dante to tears. ending in s, add ' Minos To form the possessive of a singular Minos's tail or noun, add 's Minos' tail...