Welcome to Summer School

by | 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 | 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 | 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 | Jan 16, 2018

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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!).

#5

 

It’s Can Also Mean It Has in Informal Settings.

Some people use it’s for it has. This still consists of the pronoun it with the being verb has.

The same rule of thumb applies: Say contractions “uncontracted” as you write them to be sure you have the correct word.

Thanks for Joining Donna to Learn About Grammar and Writing!

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Punctuation Puzzle: Proper Nouns and Quotations

by | Oct 20, 2017

 

By Zac Kieser and Donna Reish

Oh, proper nouns and quotations. Where do I start to explain the myriad of difficulties that students (and adults!) have with these. Am I starting to sound more like Lamenting Lady than Language Lady in the openings to these Punctuation Puzzles? If so, I am sorry! When you have taught fifty to one hundred students (in second through twelfth grades) English/language arts every semester for nearly twenty years (and you write books and products for them literally every year for nearly two decades as well), you just start to really feel sorry for these precious people who have to navigate the grammar waters with all of its exceptions and varying rules. (Sympathetic, she is!?)

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