Nemom Posted October 24, 2014 Share Posted October 24, 2014 Dd struggles with verbs for some reason. Any tricks, fun games, or ideas that I can use to help her remember/find them? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Chris in VA Posted October 24, 2014 Share Posted October 24, 2014 1. Memorize a list of linking verbs. 2. In non-linking-verb sentences, name the subject and ask what "it" is doing. That's all I've got! Maybe some Montessori symbols would help? They use a red ball for verbs--it rolls/moves (performs an action). Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
redsquirrel Posted October 24, 2014 Share Posted October 24, 2014 What you mean 'struggles"? As in she can't find the verb in a simple sentence? Like if you asked her to find the verb in the sentence "The cat sat" she can't do it? Or do you mean she struggles with state of being verbs or linking verbs? I see from your sig that she is 12. What grammar have you been using? Maybe something like FLL 4 might be useful. Some chanting of definitions and linking verbs might get her over the hump. And diagramming can also help. I know that when I was that age, diagramming helped me to see how all the part of the sentence worked together and it was easier for me to identify the 'jobs' of the different words. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
OneStepAtATime Posted October 24, 2014 Share Posted October 24, 2014 Agree with above suggestions but also, have you ever run her through the School House Rock videos? A bit dated now but the kids like them and some have genuinely helped us (they helped me, too, when I was that age). Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
cintinative Posted October 24, 2014 Share Posted October 24, 2014 We memorized the definition of a verb from First Language Lessons. A verb is a word that does an action, shows a state of being, links two words together, or helps another verb. We memorized songs for the helping verbs and the linking verbs. Helping Verbs Song (to the tune of Jingle Bells) Helping verbs, helping verbs, there are 23! Am is are, was and were, being been and be have has had, do does did, shall should will and would, there are five more helping verbs may might must can and could Linking verbs (to the tune of London Bridges) Linking Verb Song ------------------------------------------------------ London Bridge is falling down,Falling down, falling down,London Bridge is falling down,My fair Lady. ----------------------------------------------------- Am, are, is, was, were (and) be Forms of be Forms of be Taste, smell, sound, seem, look, feel, say Become, grow, appear, remain Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Korrale Posted October 24, 2014 Share Posted October 24, 2014 Just helping verbs or verbs in general? Verbs are things you do/feel. When my son was little I would use his name and he would tell me if he could do it. Jamesy eats, drinks, sleeps, feels, loves, thinks. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Reefgazer Posted October 25, 2014 Share Posted October 25, 2014 Have your daughter use this sentence: Can I ___________? If the word makes sense in this sentence, it is a verb. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest ruonboothb Posted October 25, 2014 Share Posted October 25, 2014 We memorized the definition of a verb from First Language Lessons. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Tranquility7 Posted October 25, 2014 Share Posted October 25, 2014 Kites Sail High: a Book about Verbs by Ruth Heller is great - it's a picture book with a wonderful poem throughout. The poem is very memorable, and if your DD is really struggling, I'd just have her memorize it. And even though it is a picture book, it is not babyish at all. It covers action verbs, linking verbs, helping verbs, tenses, mood, and voice (albeit the latter three in brief, but still, a helpful introduction, in my opinion). Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Nemom Posted October 26, 2014 Author Share Posted October 26, 2014 Yikes-I am getting old(er). I completely forgot I posted this question! Thank goodness for insomnia in the middle of the night so I can "remember" everything that I have forgotten. LOL Great suggestions. I had thought about the School House Rocks videos. Loved them when I was a kid. I have also been thinking about having her do some sentence diagramming. We used Easy Grammar when I first brought her home in 5th but it was boring and didn't stick. We have been using LLATL for the last year but this year it is clear that it is not enough. So, I am trying to figure out how to finish the year without spending anymore money. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
mom2bee Posted October 26, 2014 Share Posted October 26, 2014 Words Are Categorical books are nifty for this sort of thing. Check your library. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Erin Posted October 27, 2014 Share Posted October 27, 2014 Have your daughter use this sentence: Can I ___________? If the word makes sense in this sentence, it is a verb. State of being verbs pretty much have to be memorized, but the above is what I have always done for other verbs, also. Can you ______? Did you _________? Nouns are the same way. Can I reach out and touch __________ ? Obviously, it's a little more difficult to do this for abstract nouns ("idea"), but usually by the time they get to the point of having abstract nouns, they have a pretty good grasp of concrete ones. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
FloridaLisa Posted October 28, 2014 Share Posted October 28, 2014 I agree with PPs who suggested memorizing a list of linking verbs. Shurley English has a nice chant for this. Can she identify the subject noun? If so, then she should next ask "what is being said about {the subject noun}?" For example: The weary farmhands trudged in from the field. Can she identify that farmhands is the subject noun? If so, then ask out loud, "What is being said about the farmhands?" Answer: "They trudged." Shurley English does a great job with oral parsing. Lisa Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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