day 30: prepositions—the girl prayed _________________ the service

The other primary use for prepositions, in addition to “position,” is time. Prepositions show the relationship of one item to another as related to time—after, before, during, etc. This is where our second Preposition-Check Sentence comes into play:

The girl prayed ____________________ the service.

Obviously, there are not fifty to seventy prepositions that fit neatly into this check sentence, simply because there are not fifty to seventy time prepositions like there are position prepositions. However, for those more challenging “time” prepositions, this check sentence comes in handy.

“Test” this “Preposition-Check Sentence” with the time prepositions (plus some others that fit just because they fit) given below. Some of them might be a stretch to fit in, but for the most part, I think you will find this helpful for the “less than obvious” prepositions.

The girl prayed ________________ the services.

About

According to

After

Amid

Amidst

Among

amongst

Along with

Apart from

Around

At

Away from

Because

Before

Behind

Between

By means of

Close to

Concerning

Considering

Despite

Due to

During

Following

In between

In regards to

In accordance with

In lieu of

In coordination with

In connection with

Involving

Including

On account of

On behalf of

Out of

Over

Prior to

Pursuant to

Regardless of

Until

Via

With regards

With regard to

With respect to

Within

Through

Throughout

Until

day 29: prepositions—the angel flew ______________ the clouds--answers

Try the rest of the prepositions listed below in the “position” Preposition-Check Sentence:

The angel flew _______________ the clouds.

Aboard

About

Above

Across

Across from

After

Against
 
Ahead of

Along

Alongside

Alongside of

Along with

Amid

Amidst

Among

Amongst

Around

As far as

Aside

Aside of

Aside from

Astride

Atop

Atop of

Away from

Before

Behind

Below

Beneath

Beside

Beside of

Between

Betwixt

Beyond

By

By means of

Close to

Down

Far from

Following

From

In

In addition to

Inside of

In between

In place of

In front of

In addition to

In back of

Into

Like

Minus

Near

Near to

Next to

Off

Off of

Off the top of

On

Onto

On top

On top of

Opposite

Opposite of

Out

Out from

Out of

Outside

Outside of

Over

Past

Round

Through

Throughout

To

Towards

Under

Underneath

Unto

Up

Up to

Upon

Via

With

Within

Without

day 28: prepositions—the angel flew _________ the clouds

For older students, those who are not as dependent on object lessons with concrete objects (such as the bathroom tissue tube and Birdie from the previous few posts), we use two “Preposition-Check Sentences” to teach prepositions. The first one, which we will focus on today, involves physical space (Think “Prepositions show position”). The latter, which we will focus on in a couple of days, involves time (another use for prepositions).

Our first “Preposition-Check Sentence” goes like this:

The angel flew ___________________ the clouds.

Similar to the bathroom tissue tube and Birdie (without the physical objects in hand), this check sentence actually “fits” with about ninety percent of the “position” prepositions. It is a valuable tool for learning and memorizing dozens of prepositions. So, which prepositions fit into our “angel” sentence?

Try the following in the Preposition-Check Sentence, and you will see how simple learning prepositions can be.

The angel flew aboard the clouds.

The angel flew about the clouds.

The angel flew above the clouds.

The angel flew across the clouds.

The angel flew across from the clouds.

See how many prepositions you can think of with this “Preposition-Check Sentence.” Answers will follow tomorrow! Smile…

day 27: prepositions with the ppp (“preposition practice pal”)

Yesterday I introduced our PPP (“Preposition Practice Pal”) and how we teach elementary and middle school students to recognize “position” prepositions. Today, see for yourself all of the many prepositions that will work with the PPP!

Birdie flew _________________ the tube.

Aboard the tube, about the tube, above the tube, around the tube….etc.

Aboard

About

Above

Across

Across from

After

Against
 
Ahead of

Along

Alongside

Alongside of

Along with

Amid

Amidst

Among

Amongst

Around

Aside

Aside of

Aside from

Astride

Atop

Atop of

Away from

Before

Behind

Below

Beneath

Beside

Beside of

Between

Betwixt

Beyond

By

Down

Following

From

In

Inside of

In between

In place of

In front of

In addition to

In back of

Into

Like

Minus

Near

Next to

Off

Off of

Off the top of

On

Onto

On top

On top of

Opposite

Opposite of

Out

Out of

Outside

Outside of

Over

Past

Round

Through

Throughout

To

Towards

Under

Underneath

Unto

Up

Up to

Upon

Via

With

Within

Without

day 25: “preposition practice pal”

When it comes to little kids (second through fifth grade) learning prepositions, I have found that it is helpful to teach them prepositions in a way that emphasizes what prepositions are for and how they are used. (Again, memorizing is fine, but if they can learn them and at the same time learn about using them, that’s even better!)

One way that we begin teaching kids prepositions is by teaching them how to “show position”—since that is what prepositions do.

We begin with the concept that “prepositions show position”! Once they learn that rhyme, we have them practice prepositions with a “Preposition Practice Pal” (PPP) and a bathroom tissue tube.

A PPP can be an army man, Polly Pocket, Lego guy, or any little toy animal or person. The student uses that little PPP and the bathroom tissue tube to show position of the PPP to the tube—and thus to practice prepositions.

Consider if my PPP were Birdie (though it could be Polly, Kitty, Joe, Superman, etc.), and I held it up in relation to my bathroom tissue tube. See how many prepositions fit in the sentence using the two objects:

Birdie flew _________________ the tube.

Practice prepositions with the PPP and bathroom tissue tube—and see how many prepositions you can name. Tomorrow I will give you a list of prepositions that fit with Birdie! J

Note: If you are stuck, think Birdie flew above the tube; Birdie flew around the tube…get creative with your PPP and tube! It helps to actually move your PPP in positions with your bathroom tissue tube.

day 24: prepositions list

Today I will give you a preposition list. Many grammar and language arts programs have students memorize prepositions in alphabetical order, assuming this is the most advantageous way to learn them. I am not opposed to that entirely; however, whenever possible, I prefer memorization techniques in grammar that will help the student also know the purpose for the word or part of speech. (This isn’t always possible, I know. But with prepositions there are some simple memory tricks that can help students not only learn prepositions but also learn the reason for them/how to use them. Those will follow in the coming days.)

Today I will give you an incomplete preposition list (since there is no such thing as a complete preposition list!). In days to come, these will be divided to aid in retention.

Aboard

About

Above

Across

Across from

After

Against

Ahead

Ahead of

Along

Alongside

Alongside of

Along with

Amid

Amidst

Among

Amongst

Anti

Around

As

Aside

Aside of

Aside from

Astride

At

Atop

Atop of

Away

Away from

Barring

Before

Behind

Below

Beneath

Beside

Beside of

Besides

Between

Betwixt

Beyond

By

By means of

Circa
Concerning

Considering

Despite

Down

During

Except

Except for

Excepting

Excluding

Following

For

From

In

Inside of

In between

In spite of

In regards to

In case of

In place of

In front of

In addition to

In back of

In accordance with

Into

Like

Minus

Near

Next to

Notwithstanding

Of

Off

Off of

Off the top of

On

Onto

On top

On top of

Opposite

Opposite of

Out

Out of

Outside

Outside of

Over

Past

Per

Plus

Regarding

Round

Save

Since

Than

Through

Throughout

Till

To

Towards

Under

Underneath

Unlike

Until

Unto

Up

Up to

Upon

Versus

Via

With

With regards to

Within

Without

See the last two days of posts to learn more about why someone should learn prepositions!

day 23: homework help—more why learn prepositions?

Check out yesterday’s post for the introduction for “why learn prepositions.” Then read on for information that might help you as a student, parent, teacher, or anyone who wants to write with proper subject-verb agreement.

A preposition is a word that shows position or time between one item and another. It is the first word of the prepositional phrase.

A prepositional phrase is a group of words that begins with a preposition and ends with the object of the preposition—the word that shows the “position” from or to. In the prepositional phrase, “the angel flew into the clouds,” clouds is the object of the preposition.

Again, we learn prepositional phrases so that we can mentally eliminate them in order to match our sentence’s subject with its correct verb. Recognizing and mentally removing prepositional phrases is a truly “writing worthy” skill as it will help a person write more grammatically correct.

Consider the sentences below that have the prepositional phrases isolated with parentheses. Once you mentally eliminate these prepositional phrases, you can easily match the sentences’ subjects with their verbs.

1. The boy (in the woods) was lost.
1. Isolating “in the woods” with parentheses keeps the writer from thinking that the sentence’s subject is woods—and keeps the writer from writing “woods were,” which is not correct.
2. The sentence’s real subject is boy and needs the singular verb was.

2. (On the outskirts) (of town,) a little house fell down.
1. This sentence contains a double prepositional phrase.
2. This double prepositional phrase is used as a sentence opener—coming before the sentence’s real subject and real verb.
3. By isolating both prepositional phrase openers with parentheses, we find that the sentence’s real subject is house (or a little house—some grammarians consider the one word subject and some consider the entire subject with its describers) and the sentence’s verb is fell.

3. The blonde girl (out of all the girls) was (on key.)
1. This sentence contains two prepositional phrases

                                                    i.     Out of all the girls

                                                   ii.     On key

2. By isolating them with parentheses (and thus, not considering them when we find our subject and verb), we can see that the sentence’s subject is girl and verb is was.
3. If we did not isolate “out of all the girls,” we might be tempted to think that “girls” is our subject and use the plural verb “were.”

Re-read the sample sentences carefully. Without isolating the prepositional phrases, would you have been tempted to use the wrong verbs? Isolating prepositional phrases is one of the most helpful beginning writing skills that a writer can learn. It helps eliminate one of the most common sentence writing errors—that of mismatched subjects and verbs.

That’s enough for today! Join us tomorrow for many tricks and tips to help you and/or your students memorize many of the one hundred-plus prepositions.

day 22: homework help--why learn prepositions?

For the last week of January—the “word” month at LL 365—we will have our “homework help” week focused on prepositions.

The simplistic description of preposition, the one we use with our youngest language arts students, is that “prepositions show position.” That is, they are words that show position of one thing to something else.

Of course, prepositions show time, space, and direction (among other things) of one thing to another thing.

The first thing we need to know here about prepositions, as parents, older students, or adults, is the role that prepositions play in writing. So, today we will examine the role of prepositions—and the rest of the week we will give tips, hints, and lists for learning these vital words.

Our “grammar theory” here at Training for Triumph is that we learn grammar to write or speak. I am a big “purpose for learning” type of teacher. If we know why we need to learn something, we will be more apt to want to learn it (or at least to see the value in learning it). Thus, phonics is for reading and spelling. (No reason to learn phonics without also reading from a reader at the same time to apply the phonics skills.) And grammar is for writing and speaking.

So it is with preposition learning. Here is the sequence of “reasoning” for learning prepositions:

1. Prepositions are words that are found at the beginning of prepositional phrases.
2. The prepositional phrase
1. A phrase—a group of words that does not contain a subject and a verb
2. Prepositional phrase--a phrase (group of words) that begins with a word known as a preposition

3. The subject of a sentence is seldom found within a prepositional phrase.
4. Subjects in a sentence (anywhere in a sentence) must match their verbs in tense, number, etc.
5. Since the subject of a sentence is not found in a prepositional phrase, if you learn to recognize prepositional phrases easily, you can eliminate them (mentally) and easily find your sentence’s subject(s) and verb(s) to be sure they match.

We will pick this discussion up tomorrow. Thanks for joining us at Language Lady 365!

day 21: further vs farther

January is "word" month here at Language Lady 365, so today I have another Wacky Word pair for you...and more"Tricky Tricks to Help It Stick"!

Do you know when to use further? How about when to use farther? Most people do not--I know I didn't know until I began writing language arts books!

Here's the scoop:

1. Farther is for going distances: I ran farther than he did OR He drove farther than I did.
2. Further is for other uses, such as thinking or understanding: Let me explain this further.

Of course, I have "Tricky Tricks to Help It Stick":

1. fArther--has an A in it and is for Area...distances
2. fUrther--has a U in it and is for Understanding (you further your thinking or go further in college or make your point further..)

Hope this helps! Don't forget to join us next week for "Homework Help" here at LL 365!

day 19: loan some cash; lend a hand?

It was so simple in my mind—banks loan money; friends lend a hand. Use loan for money and lend for everything else. Until I found out that, that is the British rules, not the US unwritten rules! Agggh….

US rules follow the loan is a noun and lend is a verb. Stuffy grammarians would not approve of my “loan money; lend a hand” philosophy.

So…if you are not concerned about impressing the grammarians of the world (especially US ones):

1. Always loan money (or never do if you want to keep friends and family!)
2. Always lend a hand…and anything else someone wants to borrow (but do not expect to get it back!)

If you are a stickler for US vs British grammar rules, and you are in the US:

1. lOAn is a nOUn (two vowels each)
2. lEnd is a vErb (one noun; e)

Regardless, always remember to lend a hand to those in need! Smile…

day 18: i “wonder” as i “wander”

In that old hymn, “I Wonder as I Wander,” is the writer thinking while he meanders or meanders while he’s thinking?

When Winnie the Pooh would rather be wondering, would he rather be thinking or would he rather be meandering?

These age-old questions can now be answered—with a quick tip from LL 365!

1. Wonder is spelled like ponder—and means the same thing—to think
2. Wander is spelled like land—and you wANDer all over the lAND—you roam around (or meander)

Another quick tip—wander has an A in it and Area has an A in it—you wAnder around an Area…

Tricky Tricks to Help It Stick

1. wONDER—pONDER—think
2. wANDer—lAND—roam the land

day 17: pop quiz—allude, elude, allusion, illusion….answer key!

Answer Key:

1. The word was so allusive/elusive; it just wouldn’t come to me.

Hint: Elude and exclude look similar. “I excluded that song from the program because it eluded me.”



2. He made an illusion/allusion/elusion to our previous conversation.

Hint: Allusion related to allude. “What he alluded to is ludicrous.” Means to refer to something.



3. The ride gives you the allusion/illusion that you are on a mountain top.

Hint: Illusion comes from illustrate. A picture….gives you the picture or feeling of something else.



4. I excluded the word from the program because its spelling alluded/eluded me.

Hint: Eluded—excluded. Elude means “not able to grasp.”



5. What did he elude/allude to?

Hint: Allude/allusion—something you refer to. “What he alluded to was ludicrous.”



6. They used Kleenexes to give you the allusion/illusion of fabric.

Hint: Illusion is a facsimile or picture. Related to illustrate.



7. What he alluded/eluded to was ludicrous!

Hint: “What he alluded to was ludicrous.”



8. What was his illusion/allusion to your situation?

Hint: Allude/allusion—referring to something else.



9. Allusion/illusion is related to hallucination.

Hint: Illusion is related to hallucination—pictures that are not there.



10. He made an elusion/allusion to our previous conversation.

Hint: Allusion is to refer to something else; elusion is to be out of your grasp. He referred to the previous conversation…not that he couldn’t grasp it.

day 17: pop quiz—allude, elude, allusion, illusion

1. The word was so allusive/elusive; it just wouldn’t come to me.
2. He made an illusion/allusion/elusion to our previous conversation.
3. The ride gives you the allusion/illusion that you are on a mountain top.
4. I excluded the word from the program because its spelling alluded/eluded me.
5. What did he elude/allude to?
6. They used Kleenexes to give you the allusion/illusion of fabric.
7. What he alluded/eluded to was ludicrous!
8. What was his illusion/allusion to your situation?
9. Allusion/illusion is related to hallucination.
10. He made an elusion/allusion to our previous conversation.

Answer Key with hints coming tomorrow! Smile…

day 16: it was just an “illusion” (or was it an “allusion”?)

Adding to the alluded/eluded and allusive/elusive quandary is the illusion/allusion Wacky Word pair! Again, looking at roots and affixes can be a great help.

Let’s start with allusion—since we had alluded yesterday. (Yes, you read that right—the roots are the same!)

1. Allusion (allude)

a.      Related to ludicrous: Hint—“What he alluded to was ludicrous!”

b.     Related to allusion—“He made an allusion to our previous conversation.”

c.      If you remember the allude/ludicrous (What he alluded to was ludicrous!), you will also remember allusion—allusion is something you allude to.

                                                                        i.     Allude is the verb---“What did he allude to?”

                                                                      ii.     Allusion* is the noun—The thing—“What was his allusion to your situation?”

2. Illusion

      a. Related to illustrate—See that root?

              i. Illustration is a picture

             ii. Illusion is an abstract picture

b.     Used to mean a facsimile or something that appears different than it is

i. “The ride gives you the illusion that you are on a mountain.”

ii. “They used Kleenexes to give you the illusion of fabric.”

iii. “Her success is just an illusion."

c.  Illusion is also related to hallucination—seeing things that are not really there!

*Note: A more advanced vocabulary technique that you will learn this year on LL 365 is “illustrated” in suffixes—tion and sion generally signify a word is a noun.

day 15: when a word just “eludes” you (or is that “alludes” you?)

Another Wacky Word pair that is commonly confused is that of “elude” and “allude.” Here is another time when roots and spin-offs of a word come in handy.

1. Elude
1. Related to elusive—“The word was so elusive. It just wouldn’t come to me.”
2. I think of elude with exclude—I excluded the word from the program because its spelling eluded me. (That may or may not help you!)

2. Allude
1. Related to ludicrous: Hint—“What he alluded to was ludicrous!”
2. Related to allusion—“He made an allusion to our previous conversation.”

Tricky Tricks to Help It Stick:

1. What he alluded to was ludicrous (allud/lud).
2. The word was excluded from the program because its spelling eluded me (exclude/elude).

days 13 & 14: roots and affixes list

I am putting all of the roots and affixes I want to share (from our CQLA curriculum) together for two days (rather than dividing them up in two entries). Feel free to print them off, give a sheet to each of your kids, tape it on the fridge, work on a root or affix a week…however it can help you or your kids/students.

    (a) GEN--birth, race, kind                                                              

 generous, generate, generation, geneology, gender    

           

b) DIC, DICT, DIT--tell, say, word

        dictate, verdict, edict, contradict, predict, diction, indict

  

    (c) SPEC, SPIC, SPIT--look, see

 perspective, aspect, spectator, spectacle, suspect     

           

d) SUPER, SUR, SUM--above

        surpass, summit, supersede, superstition

  

   

   (e) TENT, TENS, TEND, TENU--stretch, thin                                           

 tension, extend, tendency, tendon, tent, distend         

(f) TRANS--across

transfer, transient, transitory, transgress, transport

  

    (g) DOC, DUC, DAC--teach, lead                                         

          conduct, document, doctrine, induce, indoctrinate                    

 (h) CO, CON, COM-with, together

company, collaborate, comply, congruent,

(i)              VERS, VERT--turn                                                                      

 convert, revert, subvert, divert, diverse, extrovert, versatile          

  

(j) LOC, LOG, LOQU--word, speech

        

        eloquent, logic, apology, monologue, dialogue, prologue

    (k) SEN--feel, sense                                                                                  

  sensitive, sensation, consent, dissent, assent, sentiment  

                 

(l) DE--away, down, off

denounce, defraud, decry, deplete, devoid, defile

  

    

    (m) NOM, NOUN, NOWN, NAM, NYM--name, order, rule

anonymous, nominate, renounce, renown, misnomer                                                      

(n) CLA, CLO, CLU--shut, close

          closet, enclose, disclose, include, conclude, seclude

  

      

    (o) VO, VOC, VOK, VOW--call                                                      

vocal, advocate, vocation, convoke, revoke, avow     

                        

 (p) MAL--bad

          malicious, malady, dismal, malign, malevolent

  

      

    (q) FRA, FRAC, FRAG—break

fracture, fraction, fragment, fragile, frail, fractious                                                                                        

   (r) OB--against

          objective, obsolete, obscure, obstruct, obstinate

  

        

    (s) SUB—under

          submissive, subordinate, sublime, subtle, subversion                                                                                                        

(t) AB--from, away

 abandon, abhor, abstain, absolve, abstruse, abstract

  

       

    (u) GRESS, GRAD—step

progress, regress, gradual, digress, degrade, transgress                                                                       

 (v) SEC, SEQU--follow

          second, sequel, sequence, consequence, prosecute

  

  

     (w) PRO--much, for, a lot 

prolific, profuse, prodigal, prtracted, prodigy, propensity                                                                   

  (x) QUE, QUIS--ask, seek

           inquire, question, request, quest, query, acquire, querulous

  

     

     (y) SACR, SANCT, SECR—sacred

sacrifice, sanctuary, sanctify, sanction, consecrate                                                                   

 (z) SCRIB, SCRIP--write     

                     scribble, describe, script, prescribe, ascribe, inscribe

  

                                                             

   (aa) PATHY, PAS, PAT--feeling               

          apathy, sympathy, empathy, antipathy, passionate                                  

 (bb) DIS, DIF--not

                                  disdain, dissuade, dismay, disparate, disparage

  

  

  (cc) CIRCU--around

circumference, circulation, circumstances, circumvent                                                            

 (dd) NON, UN, IN, AN, A--no or not

  

nonviolent, uncooperative, inappreciative, anonymous

  

  

  (ee) AD--to  

          adhere, adjective, addict, adverb

                                                                          

(ff) INFRA--below

 infrastructure, infraction, infrared, infra-bass

  

  

  (gg) AMBI—both

  ambidextrous, amibguous, ambition, ambivalent                                                                                

 (hh) EPI--on

 epidemic, epic, epitomy, episode