An interjection is a word or short phrase used to express sudden feeling like anger, fear, surprise, joy, or disappointment. Interjections, such as

DAILY LANGUAGE

SKILLBUILDERS

DLS #1: INTERJECTIONS

An interjection is a word or short phrase used to express sudden feeling like anger, fear, surprise, joy, or disappointment. Interjections, such as the following, have no grammatical relation to any other word in a sentence.

Gee Wow No Whew Never Yes Strong interjections are followed by

exclamation points. Mild interjections are followed by commas. The examples below are from The Crucible.

“Oh, my God! God help me! Betty. Child. Dear child.”“Aye, sir. I pray for her.”

DLS #2: COPY EACH OF THE FOLLOWING SENTENCES. PROOFREAD THE SENTENCES AND WRITE THEM

CORRECTLY.

1. Alas Salem is about to have a call from the devil.

2. Well do you believe those women really were witches?

3. Why I’m sure my name is blameless, sir.

4. Oh, bosh Mr. Proctor, we were dancin’ in the woods and my uncle leaped in upon

us and frightened her.

5. No no Betty never flew into the air, Goody Putnam!

DLS #3: COPY EACH OF THE FOLLOWING SENTENCES. PROOFREAD THE SENTENCES AND WRITE THEM

CORRECTLY.

1. Enough I’ll have no more of this, Abigail!

2. What Tituba, have you sold yourself to the devil?

3. Fie Rebecca and Mrs. Putnam, cease this angry talk immediately.

4. Ah Elizabeth, trust me, trust me.

5. Impossible Sarah Good is not an evil woman.

DLS # 4: COMPLETE SENTENCES

A complete sentence has two basic parts: a subject and a predicate. The complete subject includes all the words that identify the person, place, thing, or idea the sentence is about. The complete predicate includes all the words that tell or ask something about the subject.

Each complete subject contains a simple subject that names exactly whom or what the sentence is about. The complete predicate contains a simple predicate (the

verb) that tells what the subject does or is. The verb may be one word or several words, but it does not contain modifiers.

In the example below, the complete subject is separated from the complete predicate by a vertical line. The simple

subject and the verb are in bold type. Kate Chopin’s brilliant story | demands from the reader

great sensitivity toward the status of women one hundred years ago.

DLS # 5: COPY EACH OF THE FOLLOWING SENTENCES. EXERCISE: ANALYZING COMPLETE SENTENCESIN THE SENTENCES BELOW, PLACE A VERTICAL LINE BETWEEN THE COMPLETE SUBJECT AND THE COMPLETE PREDICATE. THEN UNDERLINE THE SIMPLE SUBJECT AND THE SIMPLE PREDICATE (VERB) AND LABEL EACH WITH S OR P.

1. The main character in “The Story of an Hour” is Mrs. Mallard.

2. Young Mrs. Mallard with her ill heart receives the news of her husband’s death.

3. Delivering the bad news, her sister Josephine tells her in broken sentences about the railroad disaster.

4. Mrs. Mallard’s stifled life changes within the matter of an hour.

5. Sitting in her room with tears in her eyes, she begins to recognize this thing coming to her.

DLS #6: COPY EACH OF THE FOLLOWING SENTENCES. EXERCISE: ANALYZING COMPLETE SENTENCESIN THE SENTENCES BELOW, PLACE A VERTICAL LINE BETWEEN THE COMPLETE SUBJECT AND THE COMPLETE PREDICATE. THEN UNDERLINE THE SIMPLE SUBJECT AND THE SIMPLE PREDICATE (VERB) AND LABEL EACH WITH S OR P.

1. The vacant stare fades with her growing awareness of her freedom.

2. All sorts of wonderful days stretch out radiantly before her.

3. The joy flooding her heart makes her breathless.

4. Like a goddess she descends the stairs.

5. Brently Mallard, carrying his traveling bag and umbrella, comes through the front door.

DLS #7: COPY EACH OF THE FOLLOWING SENTENCES. EXERCISE: ANALYZING COMPLETE SENTENCESIN THE SENTENCES BELOW, PLACE A VERTICAL LINE BETWEEN THE COMPLETE SUBJECT AND THE COMPLETE PREDICATE. THEN UNDERLINE THE SIMPLE SUBJECT AND THE SIMPLE PREDICATE (VERB) AND LABEL EACH WITH S OR P.

1. The vacant stare fades with her growing awareness of her freedom.

2. All sorts of wonderful days stretch out radiantly before her.

3. The joy flooding her heart makes her breathless.

4. Like a goddess she descends the stairs.

5. Brently Mallard, carrying his traveling bag and umbrella, comes through the front door.

DLS #8: PREPOSITIONAL PHRASES

A prepositional phrase is a group of words consisting of a preposition, its object, and any modifiers of the object. A prepositional phrase acts as a modifier in a sentence.

In his poem “I Hear America Singing,” Walt Whitman celebrates the American spirit.

Clearly, Whitman was moved by his encounters with people from all walks of life.

Exercise: Underline the prepositional phrase in each of the following sentences. Underline the subject of the sentence twice and circle the verb.

1. Free verse is a form of poetry that does not have regular patterns of rhyme and meter.

2. A master of free verse, Whitman wrote revolutionary poetry.

DLS #9: SUBJECT AND VERB

Copy each sentence. Underline the correct verb in each sentence.

1. Perhaps I (are, am) wrong.2. All of the ice (has, have) melted since

Monday’s storm.3. The most beautiful sight (is, are) the

tropical gardens on Ria Island.4. Everybody (take, takes) turns serving

the refreshments at the tea.5. My favorite vegetable (are, is) turnips.6. Both of the tennis players (is, are)

excellent.



1. (Has, Have) you seen that movie, Chelsea?2. Some of the girls (has, have) left the party

early.3. The folders, not the notebook, (are, is)

what you need for classwork today.4. (Does, Do) all of these children know what

to do during a fire drill?5. My aunt (is, are) planning to move to Eden

Valley.6. Many of the cows in the Smalleys’ herd

(grazes, graze) on our pasture.



1. The flowers on the dining room table (looks, look) beautiful.

2. Each of the Maramoto sisters (has, have) a pet cat.

3. There (go, goes) the Bellville twins.4. Nobody (wants, want) a ride to Fisher

Lake.5. Spanish (are, is) Ella’s favorite subject this

year.6. (Have, Has) any of this mail been opened?



1. (Are, Is) there other choices in this situation?2. No one (understand, understands) the

directions on the instruction sheet.3. Where (were, was) you last night when I

called?4. Many of the tickets to the carnival (has,

have) been sold.5. The tigers (pace, paces) back and forth in

the huge cage.6. (Is, Are) there anyone here who has seen

Elena this morning?



1. A mass of dark clouds (are, is) blowing in from the north.

2. Neither of the houses (have, has) been sold.3. Bill Andros, not his older brothers,

(own,owns) the antique car.4. Each of the first graders (draw, draws) a

picture of the sun.5. Not even the winners (were, was) happy

with the judge’s decision on the lawsuit.6. Everyone (takes, take) pride in the

committee’s work on preventing pollution.



1. The hammers from John’s tool set (was, were) lost.2. Either the kitten or the puppy (has, have) chewed two holes

in Aunt Alma’s slipper.3. Shrimp casserole (is, are) to be served at the club luncheon.4. None of the plants (was, were) ruined by the heavy rains.5. The main attraction of the stage show (are, is) the antics or

the two comedians.6. If one of the twins (get, gets) a new jacket, the other will too.7. The berries in this bowl (taste, tastes) sour.8. Several of the crowd (want, wants) to ask the speakers some

questions.9. Charles, along with Maria and Dan, (was, were) elected to

the Student Council.10. Some of the talent show (were, was) good, but a few of the

acts (were, was) terrible.

Documents

An interjection is a word or short phrase used to express sudden feeling like anger, fear, surprise, joy, or disappointment. Interjections, such as