Contractions The words couldn t and It s are contractions. The mark that replaces the missing letters is called an apostrophe ( uh-paws-tro-fee ). Couldn t stands for could not. It s stands for it is. Think of some other contractions and practice writing both the contractions and the words they represent. Practice these skills with PB 84. 4.2.1 Tomas and the Library Lady SA
Word Roots sign and spect A word root is a word part that has meaning, but cannot stand alone. Many English words contain word roots from ancient Latin. The Latin root sign means a sign or mark. The word design means a drawing or pattern. The Latin root spect means to look at. The word inspected means looked over carefully. Practice these skills with PB 104. 4.2.2 Tanya s Reunion - SA
Suffixes er, -or, and ist A suffix is a word part that comes after a base word and changes its meaning. The suffixes er, or and ist all carry the meaning someone who. Examples: A tourist is someone who tours. A visitor is someone who visits. A hatter is someone who makes hats. A baker is someone who bakes. A bicyclist is someone who rides a bicycle. A donor is someone who donates something. Practice these skills with PB 119. 4.2.3 Boss of the Plains SA
Possessives Read the sentence below: The window sill in Rosa s room was covered with snow. The word Rosa s is a possessive noun. The apostrophe stands for ownership, so the word means belonging to Rosa. To create the possessive form of singular nouns, writers usually add apostrophe s. Read the sentence below: The Castros coats hung in the front hall. The word Castros is a possessive noun that means belonging to all the Castros. Here the apostrophe shows ownership by two or more people. To create plural possessive nouns, writers usually add an apostrophe after the s. Writers add an apostrophe and s to plural nouns that do not end in s, such as : men s hats, children s toys. Practice these skills with PB 134. 4.2.4 A Very Important Day SA
Proper Nouns A proper noun names a particular person, place or thing. A proper noun may consist of more than one word. A proper noun begins with a capital letter. Examples: boy is a common noun. Tomas is a proper noun. lake is a common noun. Lake Elsinore is a proper noun. school is a common noun. Elsinore Elementary School is a proper noun. teacher is a common noun. Mrs. Rhea is a proper noun. Practice these skills with PB 89 & PB 90 4.2.1 Tomas and the Library Lady Grammar
Singular & Plural Nouns A singular noun names one person, place or thing. A plural noun names more than one person, place or thing. To form most plural nouns, add s to the singular noun. If a singular noun ends with s, x, ch, or sh, form the plural by adding es to the singular noun. Examples: boy > > boys couch > > couches desk > > desks box > > boxes church > > churches Practice these skills with PB 109 & PB 110. 4.2.2 Tanya s Reunion - Grammar
More Plural Nouns A singular noun names one person, place, or thing. A plural noun names more than one person, place or thing. If a singular noun ends in a consonant + y, form the plural by changing the y to i and adding es. Some singular nouns have special plural forms. Some nouns have the same form for both the singular and plural. Practice these skills with PB 124 & PB 125. 4.2.3 Boss of the Plains - Grammar
Singular and Plural Possessive Nouns A possessive noun is a noun that shows ownership. To form the possessive of a singular noun, add an apostrophe and s. To form the possessive of a plural noun that ends with s, add only an apostrophe. To form the possessive of a plural noun that does not end with s, add an apostrophe and s. Practice these skills with PB 139 & PB 140 4.2.4 A Very Important Day - Grammar
Compound Words A compound word is made up of two or more words put together. It is often possible to figure our the meaning of a compound word by combining the meanings of the two smaller words. Examples: barnyard homework playground myself whatever everybody Practice these skills with PB 68. 5.2.1 Michelle Kwan:Heart of a Champion SA
Roots spec/t and opt Spec or spect is a Latin root that means to look. To respect someone is to look up to that person. The root spec is found in many words that have to do with looking or seeing: spectacles, spectacular, specimen, specific, perspective. Opt is a Greek root that means eye. An optician is a doctor who specializes in eyes. The root opt is found in many words that have to do with the eye: optical, optometry Practice these skills with PB 88. 5.2.2 La Bamba - SA
Suffixes ward and ous A suffix is a word part that comes after a base word or root and changes its meaning. Recognizing a suffix makes it easier to identify the base word or root word, and identify the meaning of the whole word. -ous is a suffix that means full of envious means full of envy dangerous means full of danger -ward is a suffix that means in a certain direction downward means in a down direction homeward means in the direction of home Practice these skills with PB 103. 5.2.3 The Fear Place - SA
Suffixes ive and ic A suffix is a word part that comes after a base word or root and changes its meaning. Recognizing a suffix makes it easier to identify the base word or root word, and identify the meaning of the whole word. The suffixes ive and ic are often found at the end of longer words. Words with these endings are usually adjectives (words that describe what something is like). Examples: Supportive means giving support or assistance Historic means important in history Practice these skills with PB 118. 5.2.4 Mae Jemison:Space Scientist - SA
Common & Proper Nouns A common noun names any person, place, or thing. A proper noun names a particular person, place or thing. It is always capitalized. In proper nouns of more than one word, each important word is capitalized. Singular & Plural Possessive Nouns A possessive noun shows ownership or possession. To make a singular noun possessive, add an apostrophe and s ( s). To make a plural noun possessive, add an apostrophe if the noun ends with s ( ), otherwise, add an apostrophe and s ( s). Practice these skills with PB 73 & PB 74. 5.2.1 Michelle Kwan:Heart of a Champion Grammar
Action Verbs An action verb tells what the subject does or did. The verb is the main word or words in the complete predicate. Examples: pantomimed, danced, sing, walks, ripped Direct Objects A direct object is a noun or pronoun in the predicate that receives the action of the verb. It answers the question What? or Whom? Not every action verb has a direct object. Read the sentence: Some contestants practice their acts for weeks. The word acts is the direct object, because it tells what the contestants practice. Practice these skills with PB 93 & PB 94. 5.2.2 La Bamba - Grammar
Main Verbs & Helping Verbs A verb may be more than one word. The main verb is the most important word. The helping verb comes before the main verb. Linking Verbs A linking verb joins the subject to a word in the predicate that names or describes the subject. It does not show action. A predicate noun follows a linking verb and names the subject. Doug is a strong hiker. A predicate adjective follows a linking verb and describes the subject. He was very brave today. Practice these skills with PB 108 & PB 109. 5.2.3 The Fear Place - Grammar
Verb Tenses Verbs have forms, or tenses, that tell when the action happens. A present tense verb shows action that happens now, or that happens regularly over time. To form the present tense, add s or es to most verbs if the subject is singular. Do not add s or es if the subject is plural or I or you. A past tense verb shows that something already happened. To form the past tense, add ed to most verbs. A future tense verb shows that something is going to happen. To form the future tense, use the helping verb will or shall with the main verb. Practice these skills with PB 123 & PB 124. 5.2.4 Mae Jemison:Space Scientist - Grammar