Please help me fix this!

[Hot Lava Mama]

Let's say you had a 9th grader whose grammar was spotty, at best.  What course would you do to catch him up to the proper level?  His writing is pretty good.  He is o.k. with some of the basics, like capitalization, punctuation.  But sometimes gets confused with labeling the kind of word (mostly adverb versus adjective, etc.).  Also, some of the higher level ideas, like clauses etc., are new concepts to him.

 

We will be doing Digging into Diagramming, so maybe that will help.  I was thinking Easy Grammar Ultimate Series for the 9th grade.  Will that be enough?

 

Hot Lava Mama

[klmama]

I don't think the program matters as much as the repetition of missing concepts.  I would pick any grammar program you want or already have that covers the things he doesn't have down and use it to remind YOU of what he needs to know.  Take 5-10 minutes a day to go over parts of speech, clauses, and anything else he struggles to remember.  Maybe you use the written assignments, maybe you don't; the point is you make sure your ds has exposure to all of the topics.

 

Start with nouns and verbs.  Make sure he understands definitions.  Write down a sentence, point them out.  Show another sentence, ask him to find them.  Go through several that way. If you want him to diagram, show him how.  Have him diagram a couple of the sentences you already used.

 

On the next day, review all of those briefly with sentences, then define adjectives.  Find nouns in sentences.  Find adjectives that describe those nouns.  If you diagram, show where adjectives go.  Practice.

 

On the next day, review all that briefly with sentences, then define adverbs.  Start with adverbs that describe verbs.  Find nouns, find verbs, find adverbs that modify the verbs.  If you diagram, show how.  Practice.

 

On the next day, review everything already covered.  Write a sentence with adjectives, then find or add adverbs that modify the adjectives.  If you diagram, show how.  Practice.

 

Keep on this way until he's covered all of the things you think he still needs to know and can come up with them on his own.  If you think worksheets or assignments in addition to this would help, assign them, but remember that the most important part is the oral practice with you and the daily review of concepts.  

 

[Hot Lava Mama]

Thanks klmama.  What if I am not that strong on those types of things and need a refresher (she says sheepishly)? 

 

I could probably do that with most of the grammar things, but things like gerunds, etc.!  Yuck!  I don't know.  :banghead:   I just don't know that stuff! 

 

Can you recommend something that I could read to help me out?

Thanks so much!

:)

Hot Lava Mama

 

 

[Candid]

For quick and easy I suggest the book Rex Barks could be used by both of you. Analytical Grammar is another strong grammar program which could be done in a year and you would be done with it. 

[klmama]

This site might be helpful to you.  http://owl.english.purdue.edu/owl/  Just search for whatever term you need defined and it will direct you (possibly through Google first, but you'll get back to the site).  Type in "gerund" and you'll see what I mean.

 

 

[klmama]

.

[purplelily]

http://www.englishgrammar101.com/

This site has tons of exercises to help with grammar.

 

http://grammar.ccc.commnet.edu/grammar/diagrams/diagrams.htm

This site helps with diagramming.

 

http://www.german-latin-english.com/diagrams.htm

Another one to help with diagramming.

[Maura in NY]

Another option would be Easy Grammar Plus. This is the last book of the "older" EZ Grammer series. (For my kids who used Easy Grammar straight through, they did this book in 7th/8th) In her description, Wanda Phillips "EG Plus will give any student beyond Grade 6 a solid, basic understanding of grammar." Unless you want to do grammar every year through high school, I think it might be a better choice. It's simple, not over-whelming. It will covers everything you need to know, without becoming a full time subject.

[Hot Lava Mama]

Awesome!  Awesome, and awesome!  Thanks!  The people on this site are, shall I say it again, AWESOME!

:)

Hot Lava Mama

(I'm off to really learn what the h#ll a stupid "gerund" is!)

 

[Miss Marple]

I used Our Mother Tongue for my boys at about that age. It was relatively painless...and a good, thorough review of what they had already learned.

[HollyDay]

We have used and liked Analytical Grammar.  It is a solid grammar, word use,  and punctuation program.  The scope and sequence is a bit different from other more "traditional texts". 

 

Have you ever looked at Winston Grammar?  This is strictly grammar, no punctuation or word usage.  But, you could supplement with something like Punctuation Power.  It is a visual program that uses cards to "build" sentences rather than diagram

 

The Blue Book of Grammar and Punctuation is very good:

 

Jensen's Grammar? http://cathyduffyreviews.com/grammar-composition/jensens-grammar.htm for an overview of the book. 

 

Another idea would be to get a high school grammar program from most any company (BJU, Abeka, GWG) and just work through it. 

[Beth in Mint Hill]

Thanks klmama.  What if I am not that strong on those types of things and need a refresher (she says sheepishly)? 

 

I could probably do that with most of the grammar things, but things like gerunds, etc.!  Yuck!  I don't know.  :banghead:   I just don't know that stuff! 

 

Can you recommend something that I could read to help me out?

Thanks so much!

:)

Hot Lava Mama

 

Hi there,

You are not alone! This is the most common problem for the vast majority of Latin students, and that's why I put up a page with some helpful and FREE resources for grammar. I recorded some short whiteboard sessions that show what various clauses and phrases are via diagramming.  Some of the "entities" discussed in them are gerunds, infinitives, dependent clauses, and more. Here is the link:

http://www.summerlatin.org/LinksResources.html

I think that Lesson #3 is on gerunds.

[Hot Lava Mama]

Fabulous!

:)

 

[Artichoke]

Another vote for Analytical Grammar :-) We're in the same positiion and decided on AG after spending a lot of time going through it and other programs at the conference in Cincy. It's been quick and straight to the point.

[Beth in Mint Hill]

I used Our Mother Tongue for my boys at about that age. It was relatively painless...and a good, thorough review of what they had already learned.

 

:iagree:

 

Our Mother Tongue by Nancy Wilson is just what the doctor ordered! It was written for the very purpose of giving older students a quick review of grammar. It's user friendly, with just the right number of exercises. Plus, it even has marginal notes giving you fascinating glimpses into the history of the English language.

[debraarzn]

I could probably do that with most of the grammar things, but things like gerunds

[Hot Lava Mama]

:iagree:

 

Our Mother Tongue by Nancy Wilson is just what the doctor ordered! It was written for the very purpose of giving older students a quick review of grammar. It's user friendly, with just the right number of exercises. Plus, it even has marginal notes giving you fascinating glimpses into the history of the English language.

 

Yep.  This is what I am leaning towards.  Although, some of the other suggestions look good, too!  Decisions, decisions! 

 

Thanks so much for the help.  I don't feel stranded anymore!

:)

Hot Lava Mama