day 91: sit and set

Sit and rise have I's--and lie does too.
"Coz these are things that I, all by myself, can do.
Set, raise, and lay are words that you choose
When each one has an object after it to use.

"Sit, Fido! Before I have to set you down myself!"

Remember these sit and set tips:

1. Sit has an I—and I alone can do it (it is not done TO something else).
1. I sit down.
2. Yesterday I sat down.
3. Before that I had sat down.

2. Sit means to recline or lower down to a sitting position—anybody or anything can sit, as long as it does it by itself (i.e. it is NOT set)
1. The chair sits in the corner empty, missing its owner.
2. She sat there and pouted all afternoon.
3. They are sitting down in protest.
4. She has sat there in tears all day.
5. They are sitting in the parlor.

3. Set does not have an I—it is done TO something.
4. Set must have an object following it—something that it is setting.
1. Set the table.
2. Set the baby down in her seat.
3. God set the stars in the sky.
4. Set the book on the counter.
5. We will be setting up decorations at noon.
6. The jello still needs to set . (It's like you are saying to set the jello!)
7. She sets the table as though a king is coming.

5. Set is the same base word for all of its tenses: set; set; set; sets; setting. That is why I recommend teaching this Wacky Word pair first (of the three).

Okay…the tenses for the three:

1, Sit

            a. Base form: sit—Today I sit down. (Remember—no object; down is an adverb here, not an object.

            b. Past simple: sat—Yesterday I sat down.

            b. Past participle: sat—Before that, I had sat down.

            d. Third person singular: sits—The dog sits in the corner.

            e. Present participle/gerund: sitting—I was sitting down.

2. Set

1. Base form: set—Today I set the vase on the table. (Object—vase)
2. Past simple: set—Yesterday I set the vase on the table.
3. Past participle: set—Before that I set the vase on the table.
4. Third person singular: sets—She sets the vase on the table.
5. Present participle/gerund: setting—I am setting the vase on the table.

Tomorrow is quiz day…so be ready! J