You can actually even include a whole sentence INSIDE a sentence with dashes: One reason people didn’t like the picnic—it was always crowded and hot, with bad-tasting food—was that Kate talked nonstop about grammar. Give out Chapter Three of “Let’s Talk about Sentences” for students to do as homework. Mini-Lesson Four: Combining Sentences with FANBOYS and SEMICOLONS Materials: Quiz (attached separately) Sentence stems (see below) Have students take the 3-minute quiz and review as a class Tell students that they have learned about two different ways to expand sentences. Now they will learn about combining two different sentences. One way that two sentences are combined is with FANBOYS. FANBOYS vertically on the board and ask students whether they have heard of them and if they know of any of them. Write the word next to each letter in the acronym. As you do, talk about the meaning of each word and give an example sentence. “For” means “because” but we don’t use it very often anymore. “She was late, for there had been a traffic jam.” “Yet” means the same as “but” as a FANBOY. (Sometimes we hear “not yet.” When “Yet” is used as a FANBOY, it means “but.” “I was thirsty, yet I was unwilling to spend $4 on a bottle of water.” Also review “or” and “nor,” but explain to students that the FANBOYS used most are “and,” “but” and “so,” and those are the ones that we will be focusing on. Write two stems on the board: Lilian was tired. She went to bed. Which FANBOY, “and,” “but” or “so” would work best to combine the sentences? Once you have combined them, emphasize the comma that comes before the FANBOY. Try a few others: The teacher forgot an important handout. The class had to do a different lesson.
employee, but then she took another position. ADDITION: to introduce additional ideas or steps And, also, in addition, likewise, as well as, another, too, moreover, furthermore I don’t believe you are correct, and I believe my idea is better. As well as forgetting his sweater, he left his metrocard at home. In addition, consider the impact this step would have on employee morale. Another reason not to lower salaries is employee morale; likewise, lowering salaries could result in more workers quitting. EXAMPLE: For example, such as, for instance, specifically For example, lowering salaries cause workers to search for other jobs. Lowering salaries, for instance, might cause workers to look for other jobs. CONSEQUENCE or RESULT So, because, since, consequently, accordingly, as a result, therefore, thus, for this reason She overslept, so she arrived late to class. Because she overslept, she was late to class. Since she overslept, she was late to class. She overslept, and consequently, she was late to class. For this reason, I believe that students do not need a dress code at school. Therefore, I do not agree that we
should institute a dress code. CONTRAST or DISAGREEMENT but, although, even though, in contrast, yet, nevertheless, however, on the other hand, while, whereas, instead, rather I agree that some elderly drivers may not drive well, but I don’t think they need to retake the road test every year. Although I agree that some elderly drivers don’t drive well, I don’t think they need to retake the road test every year. While some elderly drivers don’t drive well, most are not a danger to the rest of us. Whereas some elderly drivers don’t drive well, others are perfectly capable. I agree that some elderly drivers don’t drive well; however, I don’t think they should retake the road test every year. Some elderly drivers don’t well. Nevertheless, they shouldn’t have to retake the road test every year. RESTATEMENT or EXPLANATION That is, in fact, indeed, in other words In fact, most elderly drivers don’t cause accidents. EMPHASIS or CLARIFICATION Even more, above all, more importantly, besides More importantly, most elderly drivers don’t cause accidents. POSSIBILITY (something that might or might not happen) If, unless, whether, otherwise Unless you stop doing that, you will fall asleep at the wheel. Learn to work hard; otherwise, you will never succeed.
Bake for ten minutes. Finally, eat! MINI-LESSON THIRTEEN: FIND THE RIGHT WORD: TONE Materials Quiz (attached separately) handout on Tone—see below Handout: Other Ways to Say…--see below Practice Test questions—see Steps: Tell students that there are two other types of “Find the Right Word” questions. One usually asks “Which maintains a formal, objective tone?” Ask students, “what do we mean by ‘formal’?” What do we mean by ‘objective’?” What does “maintain” mean?” Once you have working definitions, give out the handout. Ask students to look it over. Work as a to create short bullet points for “informal” and “formal, objective” writing. these two sentences on the board. Tell them the sentences are from a student essay on using human tissue. Sentence A: Selling people’s tissues is totally wrong because makes the family feel super worried and stressed out.