English First Additional Language - Term 4 - Week 3

Grammar is the set of rules that govern how we use language. It includes the structure of sentences, the use of words, and the correct application of punctuation. Punctuation marks, such as periods, commas, and question marks, help clarify meaning and indicate pauses in writing. Proper spacing between words is also essential for readability. In this lesson, we will explore common grammatical errors and how to correct them, as well as practice using punctuation effectively.

Let's look at the following sentence: 'the dog runned fast.' This sentence contains a grammatical error. The correct form is 'the dog ran fast.' Notice how we changed 'runned' to 'ran.' Now, let's add punctuation: 'The dog ran fast.' Here, we capitalized the first letter and added a period at the end. This shows that the sentence is complete.

In small groups, students will receive a list of sentences with various grammatical and punctuation errors. Each group will work together to identify the mistakes and rewrite the sentences correctly. For example, if a sentence reads, 'she go to the store,' students should discuss how to correct it to 'She goes to the store.' After correcting the sentences, each group will present their corrections to the class.

Students will individually receive a short paragraph filled with grammatical errors and incorrect punctuation. Their task is to read the paragraph carefully, identify the mistakes, and rewrite it correctly. For example, if the paragraph states, 'the cat sat on the mat it was very comfortable,' students should correct it to 'The cat sat on the mat. It was very comfortable.' This exercise will help reinforce their editing skills.

• She go to school every day.
• She goes to school every day.
• She going to school every day.
• She gone to school every day.

Answer: She goes to school every day.

The correct form uses 'goes' to match the subject 'She' in the present tense.

• .
• ,
• !
• ?

Answer: .

A period is used to indicate the end of a declarative sentence.

Answer: He doesn't like apples.

The contraction 'doesn't' is the correct form to use with 'he.'

• Its a sunny day.
• It's a sunny day.
• Its' a sunny day.
• It is a sunny day,

Answer: It's a sunny day.

The contraction 'It's' is correctly punctuated to mean 'It is.'

Answer: To indicate a pause or separate items in a list.

Commas help clarify meaning by separating elements within a sentence.

• Missing a comma
• Missing a period
• Incorrect verb tense
• No error

Answer: Missing a period

The sentence should be split into two sentences for clarity: 'The dog barked loudly. It was annoying.'

Answer: Where are you going?

A question mark is needed at the end of a question.