Reflexive Pronouns: Myself, Himself, Herself, Ourselves, and Themselves (Never Theirselves…Let’s Get That Straight in the Title of This Post!)

by Donna | May 10, 2018

Did you know that there is a group of pronouns called reflexive pronouns? I know, right? Not mentioned that often. I hardly remember studying them in school at all. And yet, we use them all the time—and even eloquent people use them wrong quite often. (How many interviews or speeches have you heard someone say, “Then my friend and myself….” or “He began talking to my friend and myself…” WRONG!

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Welcome to Summer School

by Donna | Apr 11, 2018

I know that title is a lot cheerier than most people are when they think of Summer School. However, I want to help you look at Summer School in a little more positive light. It CAN be an opportunity to catch up on missed skills, reinforce what was just learned, or prep for the upcoming school year. It CAN be an opportunity to focus on one area of academics instead of several. It CAN be an opportunity to grow your student in an area of interest. It CAN be a great opportunity!

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3 P’s of Persuasive Writing Review Session Video (With Free Download!)

by Donna | Mar 17, 2018

I recently had a student miss an important class session in my sequence of teaching the 3 P’s of Persuasive Writing, so I recorded the review for him. When I finished recording it, I thought it would make a good review for parents and teachers who are teaching in these areas (and for those who would like to see what goes on in my advanced writing classes). So….here you go!

Watch the teaching video and follow along with the downloadable portions provided. It really is fun to learn how to take your POSITION, design your POINTS, and gather your PROOFS! 🙂

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Major Works and Minor Works – Tricky Tricks Download for Students!

by Donna | Mar 1, 2018

So I did a Major Works and Minor Works Slideshow. I did a lesson in a video class about them. I gave parents and teachers a quiz! I’m going to end this subject with a Tricky Trick Download for students!

I’ve been putting together Tricky Trick Downloads for a few months now, and I love how they take complicated information and make that info succinct and understandable. Print them off and put them on your bulletin board–or in your student’s language arts binder. They will come in handy regardless of the curriculum you are using!

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5 Tips for Using Its and It’s From Language Lady

by Donna | Jan 16, 2018

For optimal viewing on a mobile device, tilt your device to landscape mode.

5 Tips for Using Its and It’s

#1

Its Is a Pronoun That Shows Possession.

Possessive pronouns are pronouns that show ownership of something: The dog lost its collar. (Pronouns are FOR-nouns…IT is used FOR (in place of) a noun….noun is dog; pronoun is it).

There are many pronouns that show possession. We call these possessive pronouns. Some of these include hers, his, ours, theirs, its.

#2

Pronouns Do Not Use Apostrophes to Show Possession.

Generally speaking, we do not show possession to pronouns with apostrophes. We do not write her’s or our’s–and we do not write it’s when we want to say its.

If we remember this first rule of thumb, it will help us in showing possession to pronouns. Nouns DO use apostrophes to show possession (dog—dog’s). Pronouns do NOT use apostrophes to show possession (it—its).

#3

When We Use an Apostrophe With a Pronoun, We Nearly Always Create a Contraction.

A contraction is two words squeezed together with a letter or letters squeezed completely out (and the apostrophe put in place of the “squeezed out” letters). She’s says she is or she was. He’s says he is or he was. It’s says it is or it was.

The best rule of thumb for not using its when you want it’s or it’s when you want its is to always say a contraction uncontracted (silently or aloud) when the confusing word comes up. When you write it’s, say IT IS and ask yourself if that is what you really want in that sentence. This rule of thumb works for ALL contractions all the time!

#4

It’s Is a Contraction That Means It Is.

Using the “say it uncontracted” rule of thumb, we will always know that it’s stands for it is. It is a pronoun. Is happens to be a being verb. We use it’s when we want to say it is.

When we are writing, we can say the contraction aloud to see if that is the word or words we want: The dog lost ITS collar. (Yes!) The dog lost IT IS collar (it’s–NO!).