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KISS Grammar
A Level One Teacher’s BookA Level One Teacher’s BookAnalysis KeysAnalysis Keys
Free, from the KISS Grammar Web Site
These Grade-Level books were originally designed for beginning with students in third grade. Asked to provide material for starting with second graders, I made a book for starting in second. I have deleted that book because people who want to start in first or second grade can start with the “Ideal Books.” The Grade-Level books were designed such that students would be able to move from one level to the next according to their grade level. In other words, all the Level One books were to have the same number and sequence of instruction and exercises, the only difference being the sophistication of the vocabulary.
The table may help clarify. First of all, there are five printable books in the sixth grade sequence. The table indicates that every Level 1 book contains 110 exercises. Thirty-seven of them are marked “Skip?” These are vocabulary or other exercises that are not needed for students to understand KISS. I suggest that you use the other 73. With fourth graders you can switch to the completed fourth grade book simply by starting with the level and exercise where you stopped in third grade. From there you’ll have to go to the sixth grade book. If I live long enough, I may complete the ninth or tenth book for students who start KISS in that grade. For additional exercises, see the Master Collection of KISS Exercises.
These teacher’s books also contain some suggestions for teaching and the analysis keys for the exercises. The keys in this book have been numbered to match the students’ workbook. Note
Book Total Skip? SuggestedLevel 1 110 37 73Level 2 48 13 35Level 3.1 62 27 35Level 3.2 60 22 38Level 4 45 19 26Total 325 118 207
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that in the printable books, instructional materials (and special notes for teachers) appear in green text in the table of contents.
© Ed VavraRevised March 9, 2019
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ContentsExercises in brackets have no analysis keys.
Introduction for Teachers and ParentsIntroduction for Teachers and Parents................................................................................................................................................................44Applying KISS to Students’ Own Reading and Writing....................................................................5
KISS Level 1.1. Identifying Subjects and Finite VerbsKISS Level 1.1. Identifying Subjects and Finite Verbs..............................................................................................................66Notes for Teachers..............................................................................................................................6
Additional Methods for Identifying Subjects and Finite Verbs.........................................9Ex. 1 - Is It a Sentence?.............................................................................................................14Ex. 2 - Identifying Simple Subjects and Verbs, from “Hansel and Grethel”............................14Ex. 3 - Identifying Subjects and Verbs From “Hansel and Grethel”........................................15Ex. 4. a. - Modal Helping Verbs, From My Book of Favorite Fairy Tales...............................16[Ex. 4. b. - Writing Sentences with Modal Helping Verbs] Skip?............................................17Ex. 5 - Other Helping Verbs from At the Back of the North Wind...........................................17Ex. 6 - More Practice with Helping Verbs From Pinocchio.....................................................19Ex. 7 - A Fill-in-the-Blanks Exercise:The Tale of Mr. Jeremy Fisher[Skip?]..........................20Ex. 8 - “The Boy in the Barn” (A Passage for Analysis) [Skip?].............................................22Ex. 9- Just for Fun [Skip?]........................................................................................................23
KISS Level 1. 2. Adding Nouns, Pronouns, Adjectives, Adverbs and PhrasesKISS Level 1. 2. Adding Nouns, Pronouns, Adjectives, Adverbs and Phrases..............................2323Notes for Teachers............................................................................................................................23
Ex. 1.a. From Pinocchio, The Tale of a Puppet, by C. Collodi.................................................29Ex. 1 b. From At the Back of the North Wind, by George Macdonald......................................31[*Ex. 2 - Number - Creating Plurals]........................................................................................32[*Ex. 3. - Number - Irregular Plurals].......................................................................................32Ex. 4. Replacing Nouns with Pronouns....................................................................................32Ex. 5.a. From At the Back of the North Wind by George Macdonald.......................................33Ex. 5.b. From Pinocchio, The Tale of a Puppet........................................................................35Ex. 6.a. Identifying Phrases, from Sandman's Goodnight Stories............................................36Ex. 6.b. Identifying Phrases From “Morning-glory”................................................................39Ex. 7 Possessive Nouns and Pronouns - from Pinocchio, The Tale of a Puppet......................41Ex. 8 Fill in the Blanks with Adjectives: The Cat, the Monkey, and the Chestnuts.................41[Ex. 9 Adjectives (Synonyms)] [Skip?]....................................................................................43[Ex. 10 Adjectives (Antonyms)] [Skip?]..................................................................................43Ex. 11.a Adapted from The Mother Tongue, Book II...............................................................43Ex. 11.b Adapted from “Wonderwings”...................................................................................45Ex. 12 “The Wolf and the Kid” from The ÆSOP for Children................................................46
KISS Level 1. 3. Adding Complements (PA, PN, IO, DO)KISS Level 1. 3. Adding Complements (PA, PN, IO, DO)..............................................................................................4949Notes for Teachers—The Grammarians’ Secret..............................................................................49
Ex. 1. a. - Mixed Complements, based on The Story of Miss Moppet, by Beatrix Potter.........56Ex. 1. b. - Mixed Complements, based on The Story of Miss Moppet, by Beatrix Potter........57Ex. 1. c. - The Crooked Sixpence.............................................................................................58Ex. 1. d. - Humpty Dumpty.......................................................................................................58Ex. 2. - A Focus on Predicate Adjectives, based on The Pie and the Patty-Pan......................59Ex. 3. - A Focus on Predicate Nouns, from Pinocchio.............................................................59Ex. 4. - A Focus on Direct Objects, from Pinocchio, The Tale of a Puppet.............................60
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Ex 5. - A Focus on Indirect Objects, based on Child-Story Readers: Wonder Stories 3..........61Ex. 6. - A Focus on Zero Complements, based on The Pie and the Patty-Pan........................62Ex. 7. - From At the Back of the North Wind............................................................................62
Predicate Adjective or Part of the Verb Phrase? (Background for Teachers).................63Ex. 8 - Based on The Tale of Samuel Whiskers by Beatrix Potter............................................64[Ex. 9. - Writing Sentences with Complements] [Skip?]..........................................................65Ex. 10. - A Passage for Analysis, from “Why Jimmy Skunk Wears Stripes”..........................65Ex. 11. - Just for Fun: Tongue Twisters....................................................................................65
KISS Level 1.4. - Coordinating Conjunctions and CompoundsKISS Level 1.4. - Coordinating Conjunctions and Compounds............................................................................6666Notes for Teachers............................................................................................................................66
Ex. 1 - Based on The Tale of Tom Kitten, by Beatrix Potter.....................................................69Ex. 2 - From “The Story of the First Woodpecker” by Florence Holbrook.............................70Ex. 3 - Adapted from Voyages in English - Fifth Year.............................................................70[Ex. 4 - Writing Sentences with Compounds]..........................................................................71Ex. 5 - From “The White Fawn,” by Edric Vredenburg...........................................................71Ex. 6 - From My Book of Favorite Fairy Tales by Edric Vredenburg......................................73Ex. 7 - “The Robin,” A Passage for Analysis...........................................................................74Ex. 8 Treasure Hunt [Skip?].....................................................................................................75
KISS Level 1. 5. Adding Simple Prepositional PhrasesKISS Level 1. 5. Adding Simple Prepositional Phrases........................................................................................................7575Notes for Teachers............................................................................................................................75
Ex. 1 - Fill in the Blanks - Adapted from Introductory Lessons in English Grammar.............79Ex. 2a - Based on Introductory Lessons in English Grammar.................................................80Ex. 2b - Based on Introductory Lessons in English Grammar.................................................81Ex. 3 - Mama Skunk.................................................................................................................82Ex. 4 - Based on Child-Story Readers: Wonder Stories 3........................................................83Ex. 5 - “He plays football on Saturdays”..................................................................................84
Ex. 6 - Notes for Teachers on Separated Objects of Prepositions...................................84Ex. 6 - From Pinocchio, The Tale of a Puppet, by C. Collodi..................................................87[Ex. 7 - Writing Sentences with Compound Objects of Prepositions]......................................87Ex. 8 - From Pinocchio, The Tale of a Puppet (#1) by C. Collodi...........................................87Ex. 9 - Using Adjectives or Prepositional Phrases to Combine Sentences [Skip?]..................89
Exercise 10 a & b - The Logic of Prepositional Phrases.................................................90Ex. 10. a. - Adapted from Voyages in English..........................................................................90Ex. 10. b. - Adapted from Voyages in English..........................................................................91[Ex. 11 - Adding Prepositional Phrases of Time and Space]....................................................92
Ex. 12. Notes for Teachers: The Branching of Adverbial Prepositional Phrases............92[Ex. 12. a - Style—Left-, Right-, and Mid-Branching Prepositional Phrases] [Skip?]............94Ex. 12. b. My Porcelain Doll [Skip?]........................................................................................94Ex. 13 - Based on The Tale of Peter Rabbit, by Beatrix Potter [Skip?]...................................96Ex. 14. a. - “The Sea,” by Richard Henry Stoddard.................................................................96Ex. 14. b. - From “Mrs. Redwing's Speckled Eggs” [Skip?]....................................................97[Ex. 15 - Write, Revise, Edit, and Analyze (Describing an Event)] [Skip?]............................99
KISS Level 1. 6. Case, Number, and TenseKISS Level 1. 6. Case, Number, and Tense................................................................................................................................................9999Notes for Teachers............................................................................................................................99
Ex. 1. From At the Back of the North Wind, by George Macdonald.......................................101Ex. 2. From At the Back of the North Wind, by George Macdonald.......................................104Ex. 3. From Pinocchio, The Tale of a Puppet, by C. Collodi.................................................106Ex. 4.a. Ten Sentences adapted from Wonderwings, by Edith Howes...................................107
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Ex. 4.b. Grandfather Skeeter Hawk’s Story............................................................................108Ex. 5 - Pronouns: The Gender Question.................................................................................109[Ex. 6.a. A Recipe Roster] [Skip?]..........................................................................................111[Ex. 6.b. Personal Pronouns (Recipe Roster)] [Skip?]............................................................111[Ex. 7.a. Pronouns as Predicate Nouns--Adapted from Voyages in English].........................111Ex. 7.b. Pronouns as Predicate Nouns Adapted from The New College Grammar]..............111[Ex. 7.c. Pronouns as Predicate Nouns - * A Research Project] [Skip?]................................113[Ex. 8.a. Identifying Tenses]...................................................................................................113Ex. 8.b. Changing Tenses—“The Clever Hen”......................................................................113Ex. 9. From At the Back of the North Wind, by George Macdonald.......................................114
KISS Level 1. 7. Punctuation and CapitalizationKISS Level 1. 7. Punctuation and Capitalization........................................................................................................................116116Notes for Teachers..........................................................................................................................116
Ex. 1 - Elizabeth, Eliza, Betsy, and Bess................................................................................118Ex. 2 - Punctuating Sentences.................................................................................................119Ex. 3 - Capitalization..............................................................................................................120Ex. 4 - Commas in a Series.....................................................................................................121Ex. 5 - Commas in Addresses and Dates................................................................................122[Ex. 6 - Apostrophes to Show Possession, based on Jemima Puddle-Duck]..........................123Ex. 7 - Apostrophes in Contractions, Based on The Pie and the Patty-Pan...........................123Ex. 8 - Quotation Marks..........................................................................................................123Ex. 9 - Replacing Punctuation & Capitalization, “The First Woodpecker”...........................124[Ex. 10 - Creating an Exercise] [Skip?]..................................................................................125
KISS Level 1.8. - Vocabulary and LogicKISS Level 1.8. - Vocabulary and Logic....................................................................................................................................................125125Notes for Teachers..........................................................................................................................125
Abstract and Concrete Words........................................................................................127Ex. 1 - Adapted from Child-Story Readers: Wonder Stories [Skip?].....................................129[Ex. 2 - Common and Proper Nouns] [Skip?].........................................................................130[Ex. 3 - Synonyms] [Skip?].....................................................................................................130[Ex. 4 - Antonyms] [Skip?].....................................................................................................130Ex. 5 - Fill in the Blanks with Interesting Words [Skip?].......................................................130Ex. 6 - The Logic of Words and Phrases [Notes for Teachers] [Skip?].................................131[Ex. 7 - Suffixes] [Skip?]........................................................................................................132[Ex. 8 - Prefixes] [Skip?]........................................................................................................132[Ex. 9 - Roots] [Skip?]............................................................................................................132
AppendixAppendix..........................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................132132The KISS Grammar Toolbox.........................................................................................................132Using the KISS Analysis Keys.......................................................................................................134Creating Directions for Your Students...........................................................................................135Conjugation of the Verb “To Discover”.........................................................................................137
Introduction for Teachers and ParentsIntroduction for Teachers and Parents
The study of grammar is a science.The teaching of grammar is an art.
Your primary objective in this level should be to enable your students to identify the most common constructions in English sentences. If, on the way to that objective, you and your
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students have time, you can have them explore some important points of punctuation, logic, and style. (I would suggest, however, that most of the most important aspects of punctuation, logic, and style in English sentences involve clauses, the subject of KISS Levels 3.1 and 3.2).
I strongly suggest you review the KISS Psycholinguistic Model with your students. (See the “Printable Books Page.”) The model changes the study of grammar into the study of how the human mind processes language, and it also validates (and sometimes challenges) the rules of punctuation.
General Reminders:1. Although the ability to identify constructions is essential, once students have the ability, such
exercises may become boring. You may therefore want to modify some of the directions. For example, punctuation exercises often ask students to identify constructions as well as fix the punctuation. You may want to change these to simply fixing and discussing the punctuation. The same is true for some of the exercises on logic.
2. Emphasize the systematic method. College instructors in math, electronics, and a number of other fields complain that students want the “answers” and ignore the methods by which they can find the answers. If you emphasize the method of systematic analysis (described in the students’ version), you will probably find that your students will do much better, much faster. And you will be helping them learn how to work systematically.
Applying KISS to Students’ Own Reading and Writing
The primary objective of KISS is to enable students to intelligently discuss the grammar of anything that they read and especially anything that they write. Those who understand KISS concepts could, theoretically, use the Master Books and then use only the students’ own writing for exercise materials. But particularly in classrooms, this would be impractical.
Imagine the dilemma of a teacher with twenty students in classroom. The students have been given the instructional material on subjects and verbs, and then the students immediately all try to find the subjects and verbs in a short passage that they wrote. The teacher would go nuts trying to check all of this. In other words, it makes much more sense for the students to all do a few of the same exercise, an exercise that can then be reviewed in class. KISS primarily provides the latter type of exercises.
Teachers should regularly supplement these exercises by having students analyze short passages from their own writing. The students can simply apply the directions they have been using to the analysis of their own writing. (In other words, if they are working at KISS Level Three, they would analyze their own writing through clauses.) The students can then work in small groups to check and discuss each others’ work. How often teachers should do this is an aspect of the art of teaching. But the more you do this, the more that you will probably see interested, motivated students.
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KISS Level 1.1. Identifying Subjects and Finite VerbsKISS Level 1.1. Identifying Subjects and Finite Verbs
Notes for Teachers
The key to enabling students to understand the structure of their own writing is to enable
them to identify the subjects and finite verbs in it. Even if you have been fairly well-taught in
grammar, the odds are that you have never heard of “finite” verbs. That’s because almost all
instruction in grammar is really just an explanation of some grammatical terms. I am unaware of
any grammar textbook that even claims to try to give students a practical understanding of
grammar.
Consider the typical instructions about subjects and “verbs.” Students are given some basic
definitions and are then asked to underline subjects once and “verbs” twice. But consider the
sentence:
Swimming is good exercise.
“Swimming” fits the typical definition of a verb, and thus many students would underline it
twice. But in this sentence, it is not a verb; it functions as a noun and is a subject. Or consider the
sentence:
They went to the store to buy some bread.
Here again, “buy” fits the typical explanation of a verb, but in this case, it functions as an adverb.
Or consider still another:
The way to win a man’s heart is through his stomach.
“Win” fits the typical definition of a verb, but in this case “to win” functions as an adjective to
“way.”
As you will learn if you stay with KISS, verbs can function as nouns, adverbs, or adjectives.
When they do so, they are called “verbals.” Those verbs that students are really expected to
underline twice are called “finite.” Defining a “finite verb” for beginners is extremely difficult--
the definitions require an understanding of other grammatical terms. But the ability to recognize
finite verbs can be gained relatively easily by studying examples, or, in KISS practice, short
exercises.
The details of verbals are the focus of KISS Level Four, but some exercises (starting in
KISS Level 1.2) do attempt to help students recognize verbals just so the students do not
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underline them twice. Here in KISS Level 1.1, our objective is to enable students to identify
verbs in the first place. This is one of the most difficult parts of studying grammar, for two
reasons. First, there are thousands of verbs in the language; and second, the same group of letters
can be either a noun or a verb -- or something else. Just think of words like “look,” “feel,”
“smile,” “xerox,” and even “like” itself.
Thus, in KISS Level 1.1 our objective is to help students develop a basic “sentence sense”
by giving them relatively short sentences (in short exercises) until they can almost automatically
underline finite verbs and their subjects. Remember, however, that students are expected to make
certain types of mistakes--such as underlining a verbal. On the other hand, once they have been
taught that “am,” “is,” “are,” “was,” and “were” are always finite verbs, students should NEVER
fail to underline them twice.
Most textbooks provide a wide array of suggestions for identifying nouns and pronouns (for
subjects) and for identifying verbs. There is, however, little if any evidence that any of these
explanations are effective. See “Methods for Identifying Subjects and Finite Verbs,” below. If
they help, use them. You may find, however, that the sheer number of suggestions (and
exceptions within them) can be overwhelming. The objective of instruction (the “game,” so to
speak) ought to be the analysis of sentences. In many cases, however, far too much time is spent
on explanations of how to identify nouns, verbs, etc. There is a better way.
Start instruction, not with the parts of speech, but with the analysis of sentences. If you are
beginning in primary grades, you and your students have lots of time, so you can begin with very
simple sentences. You can limit instruction to just two or three of these exercises every week
until all (or at least almost all) of the students can do them almost without thinking. In the
process, you can teach students to identify nouns and verbs. The verbs, of course, they will be
underlining twice. But, instead of all those gimmicks for identifying nouns, students need simply
learn that nouns (and pronouns) are the words that function as subjects (or, when you get to
them, as objects of prepositions, etc.).
As always in grammar, terminology causes problems. At this point in their work, students do
not need to know terms such as “tense,” “helping verbs,” or “auxiliary” (another word for
“helping”). They should, however, learn the term “phrase.” A “phrase” is simply a group of
words that work together as a unit, but do not include a subject and (finite) verb pattern. At this
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KISS Level, for example, students should learn to underline all the words in a verb phrase (such
as “would have been walking”). Exercises three through six focus on the various types of
helping verbs. But the purpose of the category names is to make sure that students are at least
exposed to the verbs that create various verb phrases. How often, for example, will students run
across “ought”? On the other hand, young writers will use “was going to…” and “kept on…”
fairly often. Thus, if we want students to be able to analyze their own writing, we need to pay
some attention to these verbs.
One of the problems in the grammar books is that they do not all agree on what is (and what
is not) a “helping” verb. Some books, for example, include “need” and “dare” among “helping”
verbs--for reasons that are not given. But if “need” is a helping verb, why isn’t “want”? The
KISS Approach to this is, of course, alternative explanations. In sentences such as
He needed to go to the store.
He wanted to go to the store.
KISS allows students to consider “needed to go” or “wanted to go” as the finite verb phrase,
especially in this KISS Level 1.1. (Exercise five, “Other Helping Verbs,” focuses on this
question. In it, you should probably accept either explanation as correct. If a student underlined
“wanted” twice and does nothing with “to go,” that is fine. It is, of course, also fine if they
underline “wanted to go” twice.)
You may or may not want to use the instructional material for Exercise # 5. It describes
“start,” “continue,” “stop,” “like,” “love,” “hate,” “want,” and “try” as “helping verbs.” Instead,
you might want to have them use the instructional material for exercise seven, “Verbs as
Subjects or Complements,” in KISS Level 1.3 “Adding Complements.” The question here is,
how much new information can you give your students without overwhelming them? You will
almost certainly find that what students need here is practice. For justification for this approach,
see the essay on Jerome Bruner’s “spiral curriculum” in the Background Essays.
Exercise seven (“Fill-in-the-blanks with Verbs”) is as much an exercise in vocabulary as it
is an exercise in learning to identify verbs. It probably works best as an in-class activity. Give the
students time to work alone to fill in the blanks, and then have them share their choices with the
rest of the class. You might want to write the verbs on the board as the students give their
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suggestions. That way, you can have students discuss which words are most effective. Exercise
eight is a short passage for analysis, and exercise nine is just for fun.
The most important things:
1. Focus students’ attention on how much they are learning.
2. Grammar should be meaningful and make sense. Students should understand why they are
learning it. (See the KISS psycholinguistic model.) And as students are learning it, the
definitions and exercises we give them should be sensible and useful.
3. Have fun! You may be surprised by the enjoyment that many students get out of simply seeing
how much they have learned.
Additional Methods for Identifying Subjects and Finite VerbsAdditional Methods for Identifying Subjects and Finite Verbs
Find the Verb First
Different people’s minds work differently, and some people seem to find it easiest to
identify subjects first and then the verb that goes with them. If you are stumped, try that, but it
may be easier to identify verbs first. Several methods for identifying verbs have been proposed.
Individually, none of them seem to be successful, but each may help.
The first is the definition of verbs as words that “show action or state of being.” The
definition is basically true, but it is probably too vague—what is meant by “show,” and by the
even vaguer “state of being”? In
She plays baseball.
“plays” shows action, but in
She made three excellent plays.
it names what she made. The difference is that in the first example, “plays” predicates action,
whereas in the second it answers the question “She made what?” But this means that one must
understand the concept of predication, and be able to apply it to a particular sentence, before one
can use this part of the definition.
As for “state of being,” I never knew what that meant, and still don’t. (And I love
philosophy.) Fortunately, the verbs that show state of being are limited in number and almost
always used as finite verbs. They can simply be remembered:
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am, is, are, was, were
Note that these words are extremely common. Students will do themselves a favor by
memorizing the small list. A little practice and some common sense should help students
recognize a few other common finite verbs:
can (when it does not mean the thing)
may (when it does not mean the month)
might (when it does not mean strength)
must (when it does not mean “necessity)
will (when it does not mean desire, or the legal document)
Suffixes such as “ing” and “ed” help to identify many words as verbs, but not every
word that ends in “ing” is a verb.
Another simple way to check to see if a word CAN BE a verb is to use it to fill in simple
blanks to make acceptable sentences:
She/They ______.
She/They ______ it.
Generally speaking, only words that can function as verbs will make sense in the blanks, but that
does not mean that the word functions as a verb in the sentence you are analyzing.
Another way of telling if a word can function as a verb is to test whether or not it can have
number and tense. Grammatically, “number” refers to the difference between one (singular) and
more than one (plural):
He walks. They walk.
Tense refers to the expression of time relationships:
Past: He walked. He was walking. He did walk.
Present: He walks. He is walking. He does walk.
Future: He will walk. He will be walking.
Suppose, for example, that you were attempting to decide if “time” is a verb in the following
sentence:
They time the contest.
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In this sentence, you could change “time” to “timed” and still have a meaningful sentence. Thus
“time” here functions as a verb. But in the sentence “Do you have the time?” “time” does not
function as a verb because you cannot sensibly substitute “timed.”
Perhaps a more helpful guideline is that words that can be verbs do not function as verbs
when they are directly preceded by “a,” “an,” or “the,” or by possessives (his, their, Mary’s):
They made the play.
She opened a can.
It is Mary’s can.
The lawyer read the will.
His will was short.
Verb Phrases
A verb phrase, in the simplest sense, is a group of verbs that work as a unit:
They were working on the road.
They would be working on the road for a long time.
She is going to go to the store.
He ought to read this book.
Bill has to do his homework.
As you will see in Level Four, verb phrases can be analyzed into smaller pieces, but at Level
Two, the students’ primary objective should be to identify all the verbs in a phrase as a part of
the phrase.
Sometimes the words in a phrase are separated from each other:
Would they like to come to supper?
She has often said that they would.
They do, in this case, have to go to court.
Finding Subjects
Always work one pattern at a time—find the verb, find its subject(s), and then find its
complement(s). I have seen many students who underline a verb here, another one there, then
perhaps a subject from a different pattern somewhere else. Such students never know when they
are done, and they almost never do a good job. Work systematically, sentence-by-sentence, one
pattern at a time.
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If you find the finite verb first, you can use what they teach in middle and high school to
help you find its subject. Unfortunately, most textbooks don’t give students everything they
need. The books say, “Find the subject by making a question with ‘who’ or ‘what.’” If the
sentence is
Sharon likes hamburgers.
students are supposed to ask the question “Who likes hamburgers?” which will give them the
subject—“Sharon.” This works fine for baby sentences, and even for some sophisticated ones.
But what happens with:
Some of these concepts are difficult.
We ask the question—“Who or what are difficult?” And we get the answer —“concepts.” We
tell that to the teacher, and we’re told that we’re wrong. (Thanks a lot.) Actually, this scenario
does not happen very often, because most teachers use exercises in grammar books, and the
grammar books avoid such sentences in their exercises.
And there is another problem:
It was the manager who caught the thief.
We ask “Who was the manager?” and we get the correct, if meaningless, “it.” We then ask “Who
caught the thief?” Obviously it was the manager—but that’s the wrong answer! “Manager” is the
meaningful answer, but the grammatical subject of “caught” is “who.”
Because of these problems, in addition to the “who or what + verb” question, we need two
additional rules:
1 If a verb is outside a prepositional phrase, its subject cannot be inside one.
In our first example (“Some of these concepts are difficult.”) this rule eliminates “concepts”
from consideration, and in effect forces students to the only word left, “some,” which is the
subject. Prepositional phrases between subjects and their verbs are fairly common, so students’
ability to identify prepositional phrases—KISS Level 1.5—will make Level Two easier.
For practical purposes, if students are working at Level Two, they can ignore anything and
everything in prepositional phrases as they look for subjects and verbs. Only one prepositional
phrase in two hundred involves subjects and verbs, a percentage so low that it is not worth
worrying about until students get to clauses—where the construction will become clear. (Again,
one thing at a time!)
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2. The complement of one verb can NEVER function as the subject of another. There
are NO exceptions.
This rule, firmly based on our psycholinguistic model of how the human brain processes
language, resolves the second problem. In our example (“It was the manager who caught the
thief.”) “manager” is a predicate noun after “was,” so it cannot be the subject of “caught.” In
most cases, as in this one, students will be left with only one word, usually “who,” “which,” or
“that” which functions as the subject.
A Psycholinguistic Approach to Finding Subjects
The basic sentence pattern of any sentence is subject / verb / optional complement. We each
figured this out for ourselves, as babies, and to this day our brains still expect the same basic
pattern. Generally speaking, our brains will take the first noun phrase as the subject of a
sentence. As we grew older, however, we mastered a few exceptions. An important one involves
words that denote time:
Sunday, we will watch the ballgame.
Sunday is my favorite day of the week.
English uses nouns that denote time as adverbs to indicate when the action of the verb will take
place. (This is one of the additional constructions explored in Level Five.) As a result,
readers/hearers have to wait until further into the sentence before deciding whether or not the
time-word is the subject. In the first example, as soon as a reader/hearer perceives “we,” “we” is
taken as the subject, and “Sunday” is processed as an adverb. But in the second example, the “is”
after “Sunday” confirms that “Sunday” is the subject of the sentence.
As explained in KISS Level One, prepositions never function as nouns. As a result, when
readers/hearers perceive a preposition at the beginning of a sentence, they expect the object of
that preposition before the subject of the sentence:
{In the winter}, they go sledding.
The initial preposition, in this case “in,” devours “winter” such that “winter” is not eligible to be
the subject of the sentence. So the next thing named, in this case “they,” is. We will learn about a
few other grammatical constructions that have this effect. But even without a conscious
awareness of those constructions, students may be able to use this rule and their knowledge of
15
English to help them identify subjects. With the exception of nouns that denote time, the brain
will tend to take the first “free” noun or pronoun as the subject of a finite verb. Questions
(Whom do you want?) are an exception to this rule. Other exceptions are explored in KISS Level
2.1.2 - Varied Positions in the S/V/C Pattern
Ex. 1 - Is It a Sentence?
Note that KISS Analysis Keys include the complete analysis of sentences.
1. Fire burns. | 2. Full of apples
3. On the floor
4. Wasting his time
5. Is he well (PA)? | 6. Bitten by a dog
7. Eating a red apple
8. In the rain
9. The earth is round (PA). |
10. May I go {with you}? |
11. On a square piece of velvet
12. Why did you fall? | 13. In the running water
14. The rose is red (PA). | 15. Helping his mother
16. Sugar is sweet (PA). |
17. Life is short (PA). | 18. At my home by the sea
19. During the storm
20. When did you come? |
Ex. 2 - Identifying Simple Subjects and Verbs, from “Hansel and Grethel”
1. Grethel shared her bread (DO) {with Hansel}. |
2. We are ready (PA). |
3. Hansel peeped back {at the house}. |
4. The mother led the children (DO) deep {into the wood}. |
5. We have only half (DO) a loaf [#1] {of bread}. |
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6. It is the only means (PN) {of escape} {for us}. |
7. {In the back room} were two nice little beds. |
8. It was quite dark (PA). |
9. Nevertheless he comforted Grethel (DO). |
10. That is not a cat (PN). |
11. Hansel and Grethel were very happy (PA). |
12. I am Grethel's brother (PN). |
13. Then she gave them (IO) each [#2] a piece (DO) {of bread}. |
14. These are better (PA) {than pebbles}. |
15. The slice {of bread} was still smaller (PA) {than the former piece}. | Notes
1. “Only half a loaf” will raise long discussions among grammarians. Is “only” an adjective to “half”? Is “half” the direct object, or an adjective to “loaf.” It can be explained in several ways. In this case, I’ve opted for the explanation through ellipsis -- “only half *of* a loaf....”
2. “Each” can be explained as an adjective that sometimes follows the noun (or pronoun) that it modifies, or it can be explained as a pronoun that functions as an appositive to “them.”
Ex. 3 - Identifying Subjects and Verbs From “Hansel and Grethel”
1. Why did you sleep so long {in the wood}? |
2. You had better make [#1] the coffins (DO) {for us}. |
3. The crumbs {of bread} will show us (IO) the way (DO) home [#2]. |
4. Thousands {of birds} had been flying about {in the woods and fields}. |
5. But Hansel used to stretch out [#3] a bone (DO). |
6. But Hansel still kept dropping crumbs (DO). |
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7. We are going to walk {into the forest} to chop wood [#4] . |
8. What will become {of us}? |
9. They had never been that deep {in the woods} before [#5] . |
10. "That will be too much weight (PN) {for the Duck}, | [#6] she shall take us (DO)
over one [#7] {at a time}." | Notes
1. In “had better make,” “had better” is used idiomatically to mean “should.”
2. Here again we are dealing with an idiom that children almost certainly learn as a phrase. We
can, however, explain it as an ellipsed prepositional phrase—“the way *to* home.”
3. “Out” can be explained as an adverb or as part of the verb—“stretch out” means “extend.” For
more on this see KISS Level 2.1.5 - Phrasal Verbs (Preposition? Or Part of the Verb?).
4. “Wood” is the direct object of the verbal (infinitive) “to chop.” The infinitive phrase functions
as an adverb (of purpose) to “are going to walk.”
5. There are several ways of explaining “that deep in the woods before.” Some people may see
“deep” as a predicate adjective. I don’t, but the point is not worth arguing. “That” here
functions as an adverb (meaning “so”) to “deep.” The adverbial prepositional phrase can be
seen as modifying “deep,” or “deep” may be seen as modifying the prepositional phrase.
“Before” is an adverb derived from an ellipsed prepositional phrase—“before *this*.”
6. The comma splice is in the original.
7. “One” here is a pronoun that functions as a noun used as an adverb. See KISS Level 2.3.
Ex. 4. a. - Modal Helping Verbs, From My Book of Favorite Fairy Tales
1. How can I accept him (DO)? |
2. Her grandmother could not do enough [#1] {for her}. |
3. I shall not ever dare to show [#2] my face (DO) {to my friends}. |
4. You may fall and break the bottle (DO). |
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5. I must act cleverly. |
6. The old woman might eat Grethel (DO) as well {as Hansel} [#3] . |
7. You will not need to use [#4] this (DO) {at all}. |
8. She ought not to open that one particular door (DO). |
9. I shall miss the poor children (DO). |
10. The children should not be cold (PA). |
11. Then we will quickly find the way (DO). |
12. Who would have thought that (DO)? | Notes
1. Some people will see “enough” as a direct object that answers the question “what?”, and
others will see it as an adverb that answers the question “how much?” Thus, in KISS, either
explanation is acceptable.
2. Alternatively, “to show” can be explained as an infinitive that functions as the direct object of
“dare.”
3. It is probably simpler and more practical to treat “as well as” simply as a coordinating
conjunction, the equivalent of “and.” That would make “Hansel” another direct object.
There are, of course, differences in meaning between “and” and “as well as,” and you could
have students discuss those differences, but for general analysis, discussion of those
differences is too time-consuming.
4. Alternatively, “to use” can be explained as an infinitive that functions as the direct object of
“need.”
[Ex. 4. b. - Writing Sentences with Modal Helping Verbs] Skip?
Ex. 5 - Other Helping Verbs from At the Back of the North Wind
Remember that the explanations as marked are considered acceptable at KISS Level One. In later levels, students will be given other options, as suggested in the notes.
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1. The wind was beginning to blow. [#1] |
2. I will try to find a better one (DO). [#2] |
3. I don't want to get in. [#3] |
4. He started to rush up {after her}. [#4] |
5. His eyelids kept tumbling down {over his eyes}. [#5] |
6. H e began to feel almost warm (PA) once more! [#6] |
7. I want to go {to sleep}! [#7] |
8. It kept worrying her (DO). [#8] |
9. She began weaving her hair (DO) together. [#9] |
10. I should not like to live here. [#10] | Notes
1. Alternatively, “to blow” can be described as a verbal (infinitive) that functions as the direct
object of “was beginning.”
2. Alternatively, “to find” can be described as a verbal (infinitive) that functions as the direct
object of “will try.” That would make “one” the direct object of the infinitive.
3. “To get” can be described as an infinitive that functions as the direct object of “don’t want.”
4. “To rush” can be described as an infinitive that functions as the direct object of “started.”
(Should a student include “up” as part of the verb, I would simply accept it. See KISS Level
2.1.5 - Phrasal Verbs (Preposition? Or Part of the Verb?).
5. “Tumbling” can alternatively be explained as a verbal (gerund) that functions as the direct
object of “kept.”
6. “To feel” can be described as an infinitive that functions as the direct object of “began.”
7. “To go” can be described as an infinitive that functions as the direct object of “want.”
8. “Worrying” can alternatively be explained as a verbal (gerund) that functions as the direct
object of “kept.” That explanation makes “her” the direct object of the gerund.
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9. “Weaving” can alternatively be explained as a verbal (gerund) that functions as the direct
object of “began.” That explanation makes “hair” the direct object of the gerund.
10. “To live” can be described as an infinitive that functions as the direct object of “should like.”
Ex. 6 - More Practice with Helping Verbs From Pinocchio
1. The furniture could not have been simpler (PA) -- a rickety chair, a poor bed, and a
broken-down table [#1] . |
2. Opinions ought to be respected (P) . |
3. Then you must choose an art (DO), or a trade (DO), {according to your own wishes}. |
4. No one dared to breathe. |
5. Do you happen to know [#2] Pinocchio (DO)? |
6. Geppetto appeared to recognize his son (DO). |
7. And {besides the bread} you shall have a nice dish (DO) {of cauliflower}. |
8. A low voice seemed to come {from the other world}. |
9. He must have gone to have his breakfast [#3] . | 10. You had better suck [#4] some liquorice lozenges (DO) to cure that cold [#5] {in your
throat}. | Notes
1. “Chair,” “bed,” and “table” are appositives to “furniture.” See KISS Level 5.4 - Appositives.
2. “Happen to” is not on the list of helping verbs, but as noted elsewhere on this site, the typical
lists of such verbs give just that—the typical cases. Students should be aware that they need
to think about what they are looking at. Eventually, they will realize that in a case like this,
“happen to” functions as part of the verb phrase.
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3. Many students will probably mark the “to have” as part of the verb phrase. At this KISS
Level, that would not bother me. You might, however, point out the them that “to have his
breakfast” does not explain “what,” but rather “where?” or “why?” “Breakfast” is the direct
object of the verbal (infinitive) “to have.” The infinitive phrase functions as an adverb to
“must have gone.”
4. “Had better” is idiomatic for “should.”
5. “Cold” is the direct object of the verbal (infinitive) “to cure.” The infinitive phrase functions
as an adverb of purpose to “had better suck.” (Tell the students who underline it twice that
they are expected to make that mistake at this level. They will learn about verbals in KISS
Level Two.)
Ex. 7 - A Fill-in-the-Blanks Exercise:The Tale of Mr. Jeremy Fisher[Skip?]
This exercise is long, but it might prove interesting and helpful not only in learning to
recognize verbs, but also in finding interesting ones. (Have students share their choices.)
The Original Text
ONCE upon a time there was a frog called Mr. Jeremy Fisher; he lived in a little damp house
amongst the buttercups at the edge of a pond.
THE water was all slippy-sloppy in the larder and in the back passage.
But Mr. Jeremy liked getting his feet wet; nobody ever scolded him, and he never caught a
cold!
HE was quite pleased when he looked out and saw large drops of rain, splashing in the pond
—
“I WILL get some worms and go fishing and catch a dish of minnows for my dinner,” said
Mr. Jeremy Fisher. “If I catch more than five fish, I will invite my friends Mr. Alderman
Ptolemy Tortoise and Sir Isaac Newton. The Alderman, however, eats salad.”
MR. JEREMY put on a macintosh, and a pair of shiny goloshes; he took his rod and basket,
and set off with enormous hops to the place where he kept his boat.
THE boat was round and green, and very like the other lily-leaves. It was tied to a water-
plant in the middle of the pond.
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MR. JEREMY took a reed pole, and pushed the boat out into open water. “I know a good
place for minnows,” said Mr. Jeremy Fisher.
MR. JEREMY stuck his pole into the mud and fastened his boat to it.
Then he settled himself cross-legged and arranged his fishing tackle. He had the dearest little
red float. His rod was a tough stalk of grass, his line was a fine long white horse-hair, and he tied
a little wriggling worm at the end.
THE rain trickled down his back, and for nearly an hour he stared at the float.
“This is getting tiresome, I think I should like some lunch,” said Mr. Jeremy Fisher.
HE punted back again amongst the water-plants, and took some lunch out of his basket.
“I will eat a butterfly sandwich, and wait till the shower is over,” said Mr. Jeremy Fisher.
A GREAT big water-beetle came up underneath the lily leaf and tweaked the toe of one of
his goloshes.
Mr. Jeremy crossed his legs up shorter, out of reach, and went on eating his sandwich.
ONCE or twice something moved about with a rustle and a splash amongst the rushes at the
side of the pond.
“I trust that is not a rat,” said Mr. Jeremy Fisher; “I think I had better get away from here.”
MR. JEREMY shoved the boat out again a little way, and dropped in the bait. There was a
bite almost directly; the float gave a tremendous bobbit!
“A minnow! a minnow! I have him by the nose!” cried Mr. Jeremy Fisher, jerking up his
rod.
BUT what a horrible surprise! Instead of a smooth fat minnow, Mr.
Jeremy landed little Jack Sharp the stickleback, covered with spines!
THE stickleback floundered about the boat, pricking and snapping until he was quite out of
breath. Then he jumped back into the water.
AND a shoal of other little fishes put their heads out, and laughed at Mr. Jeremy Fisher.
AND while Mr. Jeremy sat disconsolately on the edge of his boat—sucking his sore fingers
and peering down into the water—a MUCH worse thing happened; a really FRIGHTFUL thing it
would have been, if Mr. Jeremy had not been wearing a macintosh!
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A GREAT big enormous trout came up—ker-pflop-p-p-p! with a splash—and it seized Mr.
Jeremy with a snap, “Ow! Ow! Ow!”—and then it turned and dived down to the bottom of the
pond!
BUT the trout was so displeased with the taste of the macintosh, that in less than half a
minute it spat him out again; and the only thing it swallowed was Mr. Jeremy’s goloshes.
MR. JEREMY bounced up to the surface of the water, like a cork and the bubbles out of a
soda water bottle; and he swam with all his might to the edge of the pond.
HE scrambled out on the first bank he came to, and he hopped home across the meadow
with his macintosh all in tatters.
“WHAT a mercy that was not a pike!” said Mr. Jeremy Fisher. “I have lost my rod and
basket; but it does not much matter, for I am sure I should never have dared to go fishing again!”
HE put some sticking plaster on his fingers, and his friends both came to dinner. He could
not offer them fish, but he had something else in his larder.
SIR ISAAC NEWTON wore his black and gold waistcoat,
AND Mr. Alderman Ptolemy Tortoise brought a salad with him in a string bag.
AND instead of a nice dish of minnows—they had a roasted grasshopper with lady-bird
sauce; which frogs consider a beautiful treat; but I think it must have been nasty!
Ex. 8 - “The Boy in the Barn” (A Passage for Analysis) [Skip?]
Remember that, although third graders may not understand the statistics, the objective of this exercise is to remind students of how much of real texts they can already explain.
A little boy went {into a barn},
And lay down {on some hay}. |
An owl came out, and flew about, |
And the little boy ran away.| How Much I Can Explain
Total Words = 26 Words Total Explained
% of Text
Words in Prepositional Phrases 6 6 23 %
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+ Adj & Adverbs (not in prep phrases) 9 15 58 %
+ Coordinating Conjunctions 2 17 65 %
+ Words in S / V / C patterns 8 25 96 %
+ “And” that joins main clauses 1 26 100 %
Ex. 9- Just for Fun [Skip?]
Why the English language is so hard to learn (# 1)
1. The bandage was wound (P) {around the wound}. |
2. We must polish the Polish furniture (DO). |
3. The soldier decided to desert (DO) his dessert [#1] {in the desert}. |
4. I did not object {to the object}. |
5. They were too close (PA) {to the door} to close it [#2]. | Notes
1. “Dessert” is the direct object of the infinitive “to desert.” The infinitive phrase functions as the
direct object of “decided.”
2. “It” is the direct object of the infinitive “to close.” The infinitive phrase functions as an
adverb, some people would say to “were”; others would say to “too”; some might say to
“close”; and some might say to all three of the preceding.
KISS Level 1. 2.KISS Level 1. 2.
Adding Nouns, Pronouns, Adjectives, Adverbs and PhrasesAdding Nouns, Pronouns, Adjectives, Adverbs and Phrases
Notes for Teachers
In KISS Level 1.1, students learned to identify the basic subjects and verbs that are the core
of every sentence. In KISS Level 1.2 exercises one (a & b), two, three, and four enable
students to identify nouns and pronouns and to see that the words that function as subjects are
25
called nouns or pronouns. These are basic identification exercises. More advanced questions
about pronouns are explored in Level 1.6.
Once students can identify nouns and pronouns (as well as verbs), Exercise five turns to the
identification of adjectives and adverbs. Most textbooks include the KISS functional approach
to teaching adjectives and adverbs—“adjectives modify nouns and pronouns”; “adverbs modify
verbs, adjectives, and other adverbs.” But the textbooks then focus on adverbs ending in “-ly,”
and/or explanations that adjectives and adverbs have comparative (“better”) and superlative
(“best”) forms. The textbooks then drop adjectives and adverbs and move on to something else.
In essence, students are taught the definitions, but they are never taught how to identify
adjectives and adverbs in real texts. Thus the definitions are never used, and students forget
them.
KISS reverses the typical textbook descriptions. Instead of “adjectives modify nouns and
pronouns,” KISS phrases the idea as “A word (or construction) that describes a noun or pronoun
functions as (and therefore is) an adjective.” This may not seem to be a major difference, but the
normal textbook definition actually assumes that one knows what an adjective is, and then it tells
one what it does. The KISS explanation, on the other hand, enables a person to look at a word in
a sentence and then determine that it is an adjective because it modifies a noun or pronoun.
Getting students to look at the question in this way prepares them to be able to identify all the
constructions that they will learn that also function as adjectives—prepositional phrases, clauses,
gerundives, and infinitives.
In learning to identify adjectives and adverbs, students should learn the two basic rules and
then do a few exercises based on them, exercises in which they draw an arrow from the adjective
or adverb to the word modified. It will, however, become extremely boring and repetitive if you
have students continue to identify all the adjectives and adverbs in everything they analyze. Once
students become comfortable with the concepts, you should probably stop requiring them to
identify every adjective and adverb in the texts they are analyzing. Obviously, students’
questions about the function of a particular word should be addressed, but otherwise the only
exceptions to the preceding suggestion are 1.) exercises that focus on the logic or style of
adjectives and adverbs, and 2.) assessment quizzes.
26
Exercise six introduces the concept of phrases and explains that a noun phrase consists of a
noun plus the adjectives that modify it and a verb phrase consists of a verb plus the adverbs that
modify it. The instructional material for this exercise also explains the related concepts of
“modification” and “chunking.”
The seventh exercise concerns the adjectival function of possessive nouns and pronouns. (In
part, this exercise shows students that words like “its” and “their” function as adjectives, as
opposed to the subject/verb function of “it’s” and “they’re.”) Textbooks disagree on whether
possessive nouns (Bill’s) are nouns or adjectives and whether possessives such as “his” and
“her” are pronouns or adjectives. Some textbooks do explain that grammarians disagree here, but
the underlying problem is the assumption that a word has to fit into one part of speech or
another. Many nouns, for example, also function as adjectives, and grammarians rarely discuss
them (town hall, garden tools, weather report). There is, therefore, no reason why possessive
nouns (Bill’s) cannot be considered as possessive nouns and/or as adjectives.
The problem about “his” and “her” is caused in part by the misperception that there must be
one (and only one) explanation in any particular case. A look at why grammarians disagree may
clarify the problem and explain why students should be allowed to give alternative explanations.
In a sentence such as “That book is his,” some grammarians will see “his” as a pronoun that
functions as a predicate noun. Other grammarians will see “his” as an adjective modifying an
ellipsed “book.” Still others will explain “his” as a predicate adjective. All three of these
explanations make sense, so by what right do teachers (or grammarians) claim that only the one
that they prefer is correct?
The next three exercises have a double function: 1.) reinforcing the identification of
adjectives and adverbs, and 2.) extending students’ vocabulary, and thus writing style. They are
most effective if students share their answers in class. The eighth exercise asks students to fill in
the blanks with adjectives and/or adverbs. The ninth and tenth exercises, which explain
synonyms and antonyms, ask students to think of synonyms (or antonyms) for a short list of
adjectives, and then to use the words in a short sentence.
A Note about Style
Some teachers instruct students to use more adjectives and adverbs; others tell students to
use fewer, and instead to use nouns and verbs that are more descriptive. Stylistic exercises on
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adjectives and adverbs are important, but they should be based on real texts. Descriptive nouns
and verbs are usually better than non-descriptive, but the opposing “instruction” suggests that
some teachers are attempting to impose their own stylistics prejudices upon their students. A
better approach is to have students analyze short paragraphs in which writers use numerous (or
no) adjectives and/or adverbs. Discussion can focus on the effects of the use (or lack of use) of
adjectives and adverbs. By actually teaching students how to identify adjectives and adverbs in
real texts, KISS enables students to make their own decisions about the use of adjectives and
adverbs.
Exercises eleven (a & b) can be used as simple identification exercises, but they are
intended to be used as exercises in the logic of adjectives and adverbs. If you use them as such,
and if you have used other texts that deal with the kinds of adjectives and adverbs, you will
probably note a problem. Many texts treat the kinds (classes) of adjectives and adverbs as boxes
into which an adjective or an adverb can be dropped. For example, they present adverbs of time
and adverbs of degree, as if an adverb has to be one or the other. But in a sentence such as “They
never eat chocolate,” “never” denotes degree in time. Thus it can be seen as both an adverb of
time and as an adverb of degree. The more you study the logic of adjectives and adverbs, the
more you will probably agree that it is an extremely complex question.
That is, however, no reason for ignoring the question, even with very young students. The
foundation of the KISS Grammar approach to logic is David Hume’s argument that thought is a
matter of perception plus three categories of logical relationships—identity, extension in time or
space, and cause/effect. (For more on this, see “An Introduction to Syntax and the Logic of
David Hume” in the Background Essays.) Put somewhat differently, we can say that words
denote Hume’s “perceptions,” and the logical relationships denote the ways in which adjectives
and adverbs modify words. Thus, in “They searched everywhere,” “everywhere” modifies
“searched” in respect to space.
The logical relationships in KISS Level One are limited basically to identity, extension in
time or space, and adverbs of manner. (For Hume, who uses an Aristotelian concept of “cause,”
“manner” is a cause.) The reason for focusing on these is that weak young writers often fail to
include details of time, space, and manner. Bringing these logical relationships to the students’
attention may improve their writing.
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The exercises on logic have a double function. For one, they foreshadow (and thus prepare
students for) the KISS exercises on the logic of prepositional phrases, subordinate clauses, etc.
(You will probably find that logical details of time, space, cause/effect are more frequently
expressed in prepositional phrases than they are in simple adjectives or adverbs.)
These exercises are also intended to apply directly to the students’ writing. Most textbooks
tell students, for example, that adjectives “add information” about the words they modify, but
these texts usually fail to point out that many adjectives “add information” by limiting other
possible interpretations. “They went to the brown house” means that they did not go to the white
house, the yellow house, or the pink house with purple polka-dots. In other words, many
adjectives restrict the meaning of the nouns they modify—they make the sentence more specific,
more exact.
The preceding may seem too simplistic to need teaching, but as a college writing instructor,
I’ll note that many college Freshmen fail to notice the differences among:
Lawyers are greedy.
A few lawyers are greedy.
Some lawyers are greedy.
Many lawyers are greedy.
Most lawyers are greedy.
All lawyers are greedy.
“Lawyers” implies “all,” and the failure of many students to make these distinctions may reflect
a much more significant problem with current political discourse. We have, for example,
conservatives complaining about “liberals” and liberals complaining about “conservatives” as if
our political discourse is a war between two monolithic sides. It is not, and to treat it as such
severely hampers rational political debate.
On a less political note, some students frequently write a topic sentence such as “The
symbols in ‘The Lost Phoebe’ emphasize the conflict of appearance vs. reality.” That statement
is simply not true. “Some,” “many,” perhaps “most” may do so, but the implied “all” do not. For
many college instructors, a student’s failure to make such distinctions automatically results in a
grade below “A.”
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The twelfth exercise is a “Passage for Analysis.” This should be as much an exercise in
style as it is in analysis. You can supplement this exercise in numerous ways. Select a short
passage from what your students are reading. Have your students select passages (so that they
know that you are not cooking the books). Perhaps best of all, have your students analyze and
discuss a short selection from something that they themselves have written.
*****
The preceding discussion assumes that the students are beginning the KISS approach in
primary or middle grades. In working with college students, I may spend five minutes, in class,
explaining what adjectives and adverbs are, and then tell students that I will not expect them to
identify any of them. There simply is not sufficient instructional and homework time to cover
everything, and these students know that in “the old man,” for example, “the” and “old” form a
phrase with “man.” And they know that in “He ran quickly,” “quickly” goes with “ran.” The
concepts (“adjective” and “adverb”), however, appear when the students add prepositional
phrases, clauses and verbals to their analytical toolboxes. Basic work on adjectives and adverbs
makes the understanding of clauses and verbals much easier for students, but until our schools
adopt a systematic sequence for the study of grammar, middle and high school teachers can only
do so much.
Additional Exercises
The workbooks originally included additional exercises. Among them were separate
exercises on descriptive adjectives, on adjectives of quantity, on comparative adjectives (and
adverbs), on sentence-combining, on sentence de-combining with adjectives, on sentence-
building with adjectives, and on sentence-building with adverbs. These can be found in the on-
line collection for KISS Level 1.2. In the primary grades, spending three to six weeks (at two or
three exercises per week) on adjectives and adverbs may not be much of a problem. But if you
are starting in later grades, do you really want to devote that much time to adjectives and
adverbs? Do students really need exercises that name the types of adjectives? Do they need to be
taught how to create comparatives? Probably not.
A Note about “A,” “An,” and “The”
Some textbooks use the term “articles” for “a,” “an,” and “the,” and consider them a
separate part of speech. Some modern linguists also consider these three words as a separate part
30
of speech and call them “determiners.” A focus on these three words is important for non-native
speakers, but few if any native speakers have problems with them. Traditional grammars make
the distinction between the “definite article” (the) and the “indefinite articles” (a and an.) I’m not
sure that these different labels add anything to native speakers’ understanding of English, so
KISS simply considers them as adjectives.
Ex. 1.a. From Pinocchio, The Tale of a Puppet, by C. Collodi
The objective of this and the following exercise is to familiarize students with the words that
typically function as pronouns. Because the grammar textbooks do not list all the words that can
function as pronouns, this can be difficult because many words function both as pronouns and as
adjectives. Making this distinction at this point in KISS Level 1.2 is not easy because students
have not yet been introduced to adjectives. Level 1.6 returns to the question of pronouns after
students have learned about adjectives and prepositional phrases.
Some students will have problems with recognizing “who,” “which,” and “that” when they
function as subjects in sentences such as “They saw the man who won the race.” When they ask
themselves the question “Who or what won the race?” they will see “man” as the answer to the
question. This problem is also addressed in Level 1.6, after students have learned to identify
complements and objects of prepositions, plus the rule that “The object of a preposition or the
complement of one verb can never be the subject of another verb. This rule stops students from
viewing “man” (or the object of any preposition) as the subject of “won,” and leaves them with
“who” as the only option.
These sentences contain a few constructions that students are
expected to get wrong. Be sure to remind them of that and focus their
attention on how much they get right.
1. "That (PRN) is true (PA), | that is true (PA)!" [ [#1] said Pinocchio (N) ]. | "I
(PRN) will never do it (PRN; DO) again." | 2. Just then he (PRN) thought [DO he (PRN) saw something [#2] (PRN; DO) {in the
dust-heap (N) }]. |
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3. "What (PRN) has brought you (PRN; DO) {to me (PRN) }, neighbor [#3] Geppetto
(N)?" |
4. "Who (PRN; PN [#4] ) are you (PRN)?" | 5. [Adv. to "knocked" While this (PRN) was going on] someone (PRN) knocked {at
the door (N) }. |
6. "She (PRN) has fallen seriously ill (PA), | and she (PRN) has not even enough [#5] to
buy herself (PRN; IO) a mouthful (N) [#6] {of bread (N) }." |
7. "Are you (PRN) coming {with us (PRN) }| or are you (PRN) going to remain
behind?" | 8. {Without any shame (N) } he (PRN) said {to the little boy (N) } [#7] [Adj. to "boy" {to
whom (PRN) }[#7] he (PRN) was talking]: [DO (of "said") "Would you (PRN)
lend me (PRN; IO) a dime (N; DO) {until tomorrow (N) }?"] | 9. "We (PRN) must escape {through the mouth (N) } {of the Dog-Fish (N) } , throw
ourselves (PRN; DO) {into the sea (N) }and swim away." | 10. Pinocchio (N), [Adj. to "Pinocchio" who (PRN) {up to that moment (N)} had lain
immovable (PA) [#8], {like a real piece (N) } {of wood (N) } ], was seized (P) {with a
fit (N) } {of convulsive trembling (N) } [Adj. to "fit" and/or "trembling" that (PRN)
shook the whole bed (N) ]. |Notes
1. KISS prefers to explain this clause as an interjection. See KISS Level 3.2.3 - Interjection? Or
Direct Object?
2. As you analyze real, randomly selected sentences, you will find many questionable ideas in
grammar textbooks. For example, why do many texts include words like “something” as
pronouns, but not the word “thing”? The question is not particularly important, but it does
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point out that the typical textbooks do not have all the answers. They simply omit anything
that would raise questions.
3. “Geppetto” is Direct Address. (See KISS Level 2.3.) “Neighbor” can be explained as either an
adjective or an appositive to “Geppetto.”
4. Note that in questions, complements typically come before the verb—“Whom did you see?”
5. Merriam-Webster defines “enough” as an adjective, adverb, pronoun, and noun. In other
words, in many cases whether a word is a noun, etc. is a matter of opinion. In this case, I
would accept “enough” as a pronoun, even though it is not listed on the KISS list of
pronouns. Personally, and I think easier, I would consider it an adjective to an ellipsed
“money,” with “money” functioning as the direct object of “had.”
6. At this point in their work, expect some students to underline “buy” twice. In KISS Level
2.1.6 (Distinguishing Finite Verbs from Verbals), they will learn that it is a verbal, and not
to be underlined twice. Technically, it is an infinitive (of purpose) that functions as an
adverb to “enough.” “Herself” is the indirect object of “to buy.” “Mouthful” can be
explained as the direct object of “to buy,” but it probably makes more sense to consider it a
Noun Used as an Adverb (How much?).
7. The two “to” phrases can be explained as adverbial or as indirect objects to “said” and “was
talking.”
8. KISS explains “immovable” as a predicate adjective in a palimpsest pattern in which “had
lain” is written over “was.” See KISS Level 2.1.4 - Palimpsest Patterns.
Ex. 1 b. From At the Back of the North Wind, by George Macdonald
Diamond (N) soon found the woven nest (N, DO) and crept {into it (PRN)}. | The
next moment [(N) NuA] he (PRN) was rising {in the air (N)}. | North Wind (N) grew
towering [#1] up {to the place (N)} {of the clouds (N)} . | Her [#2] hair (N) went streaming [#3] out {from her (PRN)} [Adv. to "went streaming" till it (PRN) spread {like a mist (N)}
{over the stars (N)}]. | She (PRN) flung herself (PRN, DO) abroad {in space (N)}. | Diamond (N) made a little place (N, DO) {through the woven meshes (N)} {of her hair
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(N)} and peeped {through that (PRN)}, [Adv. (cause) to "peeped" for [#4] he (PRN) did not
dare look [#5] {over the top (N)} {of his nest (N)} . | Notes
1. “Grew towering” can be explained in three ways. If we consider “towering” to be part of the
finite verb phrase, then we have a palimpsest pattern with “grew” written over “was.” (See
KISS Level 2.1.4 - Palimpsest Patterns.) Another alternative is to view just “grew” as the
finite verb. “Towering” then can be explained as a gerundive that modifies “North Wind,” or
as a gerund that functions as a Noun Used as an Adverb. (See KISS Level Four Verbals
(Gerunds, Gerundives, & Infinitives).) These explanations, of course, are way above KISS
Level One, so I would accept either “grew” or “grew towering” as the verb to be underlined
and leave it at that.
2. “Her” can be seen simply as an adjective, or it can be seen as a possessive pronoun that
functions as an adjective (just as possessive nouns function as adjectives).
3. Just like “grew towering,” “went streaming” can be explained in the same three ways.
4. See KISS Level 3.2.2 - “So” and “For” as Conjunctions.
5. Alternatively, “look” can be explained as a verbal (infinitive) that functions as the direct
object of “did dare.”
[*Ex. 2 - Number - Creating Plurals]
[*Ex. 3. - Number - Irregular Plurals]
Ex. 4. Replacing Nouns with Pronouns
These sentences contain multiple S/V patterns and some constructions that students have not
yet studied, so you might want to present this exercise to students as both a review and a
preview. They are expected to make mistakes—and to be praised for seeing things that they have
not yet studied.
1. Frank learned his lessons before he went to school.
2. The kitten ate its breakfast.
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If the sex of the kitten is known, the speaker/writer might use “his” or “her.”
3. Robert and George took their skates and went to the lake.
4. The girls ate their lunch under a large tree.
5. Jennie and Bertie are happy because they are good.
6. The little dog ate its meat and drank its milk. If the sex of the dog is known, the speaker/writer might use “his” or “her.”
7. The children were frightened at the elephant because it was so large.
8. My brother was cutting wood, and he cut his foot.
9. Mary said that she had finished her work, but she was mistaken. This is an unusual case. “Mistaken” can be considered part of the verb “was mistaken,” or it can be viewed as a predicate adjective.
10. John’s father told him that he must learn his lesson before he went to school.
11. Walter said, “*You* Give me my dinner.”The ellipsed “you” is the focus of KISS Level 2.2.1, so expect students to miss it.
Ex. 5.a. From At the Back of the North Wind by George Macdonald
Because the color codes should explain the function of most adjectives and adverbs, notes have been used only for those cases that might require explanation. (Unlike the analysis keys for most exercises, the functions of individual words within prepositional phrases are color coded here.)
1. A gentle air breathed softly {in his face}. |
2. She had on [#1] a most beautiful ring (DO) {with a rich red stone} {in it}. | “Most” functions as an adverb modifying “beautiful.”
3. Oh [Inj] yes, the big yellow moon came down closer and closer {to the grass} {in front} {of me} . | 4. The North Wind swooped down and tucked Diamond (DO) snugly in [#3] {amongst
some flags}. |
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5. He saw a squirrel appear [#4] suddenly and as suddenly vanish {among the top-most
branches}. | 6. She was settling quietly down {on a grassy hill side [#5] } {in the midst} {of a wild, furzy
common}. |
7. Diamond taught Nanny (IO) how to read [#6] | and [Adv. to "picked" as she was a
very clever little girl (PN),] she picked it (DO) up very fast. | The first “very” is an adverb that modifies the adjective “clever”; the second is an adverb that modifies the adverb “fast.”
8. I have seen Nanny (DO) a great many times [NuA] [Adv. to "have seen" since you
have], | and that is she (PN). | “Great” here functions as an adverb that modifies the adjective “many.”
9. She melted slowly away [Adv. to "melted" till all [Adj. to "all" that was left [#7] ] was a
pale face (PN) {with two great lucid eyes} {in it} . |
10. Now the wind was blowing furiously, | but old Diamond finally got {to Miss
Coleman's house}. | Notes
1. “On” here means “on her hand.” Thus “on” functions as an adverb. For more on this, see KISS
Level 2.1.5 - Phrasal Verbs (Preposition? Or Part of the Verb?).
2. Depending on context, this “yes” could be an interjection (introducing the addition of an
afterthought) of an adverb (the response to a question).
3. If we want to be more technical, this “in” is a preposition with an understood, and therefore
ellipsed, object—“tucked Diamond snugly in *a place* amongst some flags. Such ellipsis is
common, as in “Come in.” When we say that, the context always supplies the place into
which we have made the invitation.
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4. Expect students to be confused by this. “Squirrel” is the subject of the verbals (infinitives)
“appear” and “vanish.” The infinitive phrase functions as the direct object of “saw.” See
KISS Level 2.1.6 - Distinguishing Finite Verbs from Verbals. At this KISS Level, I would
be happy to see students just mark “squirrel” as the direct object. “Suddenly,” of course,
functions as an adverb to “appear.” The “as” modifies the second “suddenly.”
5. “Hillside” has, of course, become one word. If students ask, you can use this to discuss how
language changes over time.
6. The verbal (infinitive) “to read” functions as an adjective to “how” which is a pronoun that
functions as the direct object of “taught.”
7. “Was left” can be explained as a passive verb, or “left” can be considered a verbal (gerundive)
that functions as a predicate adjective. For more, see Exercise # 10 in KISS Level 1.2.
Identifying Complements.
Ex. 5.b. From Pinocchio, The Tale of a Puppet
Because the color codes should explain the function of most adjectives and adverbs, notes have been used only for those cases that might require explanation. (Unlike the analysis keys for most exercises, the functions of individual words within prepositional phrases are color coded here.)
1. A lively little old man immediately walked {into the shop}. |
2. The poor Cricket had scarcely breath (DO) to cry "Cri-cri-cri!" [#1] |
3. I will immediately buy {for my papa} a beautiful new cloth coat (DO). |
4. The lame Fox began to laugh [#2] rudely and scornfully. |
5. The poor old man must have sighed yesterday. |
6. Disobedient boys never come {to any good} {in the world}. |
7. {In the meantime} a tempestuous northerly wind began to blow and roar [#2] angrily. | 8. The wind beat the poor puppet (DO) {from side} {to side} and made him swing [#3]
violently. |
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9. Pinocchio awkwardly climbed the trunk (DO) {of a very high pine tree} and seated
himself (DO) {in the topmost branches}. | 10. {In the gloom} two evil-looking dark figures were completely enveloped (P) {in charcoal
sacks}. | Notes
1. “Cri-cri-cri!” is the direct object of the verbal (infinitive) “to cry.” The infinitive phrase
functions as an adjective to “breath.”
2. At this KISS Level, I would accept “began to laugh” as the finite verb phrase. In KISS Level
Four, students will learn an alternative explanation—“to laugh” is a verbal (infinitive) that
functions as the direct object of “began.”
3. “Him” is the subject of the verbal (infinitive) “swing.” The infinitive phrase is the direct object
of “made.”
Ex. 6.a. Identifying Phrases, from Sandman's Goodnight Stories
Answer Key
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Complete Analysis Key
1. Dicky Duck was a very wise young fellow (PN). |
2. Mr. Fox could see [DO that he was a nice plump duck (PN)]. |
3. Now it longed to climb [#3], | but it was too small (PA). |
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4. The little violets never would dare show their timid little heads (DO). |
5. The poor, lonely, sad little Morning-glory promised to do anything [#4] . | 6. I should hate to show my miserable little self [#5] {to such a big, fine-looking creature}
[Adv. to "big" and "fine-looking" as you are]. |
7. The summer came again, | and up came the little Glory, | but it was a sad little flower
(PN). |
8. [Adv. to "awoke" As they talked] all the spring flowers awoke | and the insects
began lazily to stretch [#1] their wings (DO). | 9. The Little Fairy flew {to the willow tree} {beside the river} and tripped lightly {along a
slender bough}. |
10. Then the cold days came | and the poor little Glory grew faded [#2] and had to crawl
{under the dead leaves} {for protection}. | Notes
1. At this point in the students’ work, I would accept “began to stretch” as the verb phrase. Later, students may prefer to see “began” as the finite verb here, and “to stretch” as a verbal (infinitive) that functions as the direct object of “began.”
2. I would accept “faded” as either part of the verb phrase or as an adjective. For more on this, see “Predicate Adjective or Part of the Verb?” in KISS Level 1.3 - Identifying Complements. 3.
3. You probably will not find explanations of “longed to climb” in grammar textbooks. In KISS, two explanations make sense. In either, “to climb” is a verbal (infinitive). It can be considered as functioning as an adverb to “longed”—longed why? Or, by analogy with “wanted,” “to climb” could be explained as the direct object of “longed.”
4. “Anything” is the direct object of the verbal (infinitive) “to do.” The infinitive phrase functions as the direct object of “promised.”
5. “Self” is the direct object of the verbal (infinitive) “to show.” The infinitive phrase functions as the direct object of “should hate.”
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Ex. 6.b. Identifying Phrases From “Morning-glory”
Answer Key
41
Complete Analysis Key
Once {upon a time} a very little Morning-glory grew {on the end} {of a high vine}. |
One day [NuA] the wind was blowing, | and a brisk breeze passed {by [#1] the little Morning-
glory}. | The Morning-glory wished [DO that it, too, could go along and see more
(DO) {of the world}]. | The big mother vine knew [DO what was {in the heart} {of her
little Glory}]. | She whispered soft words (DO) {of love} {to it} [#3] and told the little
flower (IO) [DO that it must never follow the breeze (DO)]. | The breeze was a
wanderer (PN) and might take the little Morning-glory (DO) far [#4] {from its home}. |
There it would be very unhappy (PA) and perhaps die out {in the cold world}. | But the
silly little Morning-glory still wanted to leave the big vine [#5]. | The next time [NuA] [Adj.
to "time" the breeze came along] the little Morning-glory pushed up its head (DO) | and the breeze took it (DO) {off the big vine} and bore it (DO) along {with it} far, far
away. | Notes
1. This “by” could be considered an adverb to “passed” and “Morning-glory” could be seen as
the direct object of “passed.” Alternatively, “by the little Morning-glory” can be explained
as an adverbial prepositional phrase to “passed.”
2. The adverb “far” modifies the adverb “away.”
3. Alternatively, this “to it” phrase can be explained as the indirect object of “whispered.”
4. There are two ways of explaining “far from its home.” For one, “far” can be seen as an adverb
to “might take,” and “from its home” as an adverbial phrase to “far.” Conversely, “from its
home” can be viewed as adverbial to “might take,” and “far” can be seen as an adverb to the
prepositional phrase.
5. “Vine” is the direct object of the verbal (infinitive) “to leave.” The infinitive phrase functions
as the direct object of “wanted.”
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Ex. 7 Possessive Nouns and Pronouns - from Pinocchio, The Tale of a Puppet
1. They clapped their hands (DO) and applauded him (DO). |
2. He saw his yellow wig (DO) {in the puppet's hand}. |
3. {In fact} the cat had lost her paw (DO) {with all its claws}. |
4. Pinocchio's legs were stiff (PA) | and he could not move. |
5. He carried a large whip (DO) made [#1] {of snakes and foxes' tails}. |
6. It's Pinocchio's gold pieces (PN). |
7. A big fish was going quietly {on its own business} {with its head} {out of the water} . |
8. She combed her whiskers (DO) {with her forepaws}. |
9. Pinocchio ran {at once} and climbed {like a squirrel} {up the showman's beard}. |
10. The poor boy's thoughts were continually fixed (P) {on the Field} {of Miracles} . | Note
1. “Made” is a verbal (a gerundive) that modifies “whip.”
Ex. 8 Fill in the Blanks with Adjectives: The Cat, the Monkey, and the
Chestnuts
Original
The blanks are numbered so that you might be able to save paper and ink by having students
write the numbers and words on separate paper. (You can then use an overhead of the
assignments pages to review it in class.
Two things can happen with this type of exercise. First, the students learn something about,
in this case, adjectives. You might want to create lists on the board of the words that students
used for each blank. For some students, this exercise will add new words to their vocabulary, but
it also suggests, in many cases, the range of words that can be used and how they affect meaning.
The second thing that can happen is that some students take a particular stylistic slant to the
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story. They may consistently change the setting in interesting ways, or take a humorous tone.
When this happens, you may want to share these versions with the class. For this reason, this is
not a good exercise for small group work, but you might want to follow this exercise by having
students work in small groups to select a short story (or passage) and make similar exercises.
(They have to pick out the adjectives in order to do so.)
After the students share their adjectives, you might want to show them the original.
Suggestions about the effect of some of the adjectives are in the notes below.
The original is:
It was a (1) cold (2) November night. Outside, the wind blew hard. The (3) first snow of the
season covered up the grass and leaves with a (4) beautiful (5) white blanket. Inside, a (6)
bright (7) log fire sent its (8) blue and (9) gold flames up the chimney and made the room (10)
warm and (11) light and (12) cozy.
Some (13) big (14) brown chestnuts were roasting in the (15) hot ashes on the hearth. A
(16) lively (17) little monkey and a (18) big (19) yellow cat sat in front of the fire warming
themselves.
After a while the heat of the fire made the chestnuts pop (20) open. Then the monkey said,
“The chestnuts are roasted and (21) ready to eat. (22) Pretty pussy, your (23) long, (24) lovely
paws were made to pull chestnuts out of the fire. See whether you can reach them.”
The (25) foolish cat was greatly pleased by what the (26) clever monkey said. He grinned
and stretched out his (27) long, (28) yellow paw and pulled a chestnut out of the (29) hot ashes.
His paw was badly burned.
“Meow! Meow!” the cat cried in pain, as he jumped up and down and blew on his paw.
“(30) Poor pussy, (31) pretty pussy, let me blow on your paw,” said the monkey. He caught
hold of the (32) cat’s paw and blew on it time and time again.
Then the (33) cunning, (34) clever monkey said in a (35) soft, (36) sweet voice, “Now, (37)
dear pussy, pull the (38) other chestnuts out of the fire. Be quick, and the fire will not burn you.
Pull the chestnuts out of the ashes. Then we’ll have supper.”
The (39) foolish cat had not learned his lesson; He was more pleased than ever with the (40)
monkey’s flattery. So he stretched out his paw and pulled chestnut after chestnut out of the fire.
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As the cat reached for the (41) last one, he said, “Now, (42) friend monkey, supper is (43)
ready. We’ll eat.” Then the cat blew the ashes off his paw and turned around to get some of the
chestnuts which he had pulled out of the fire, but the (44) sly, (45) cunning monkey had eaten
every one.
Notes (by the numbers)
4. “Beautiful” sets a tone that contrasts with the ugly acts of the monkey. The adjectives in the
entire first paragraph set a pleasant tone that further sets up a pleasant tone.
8 & 9. How many students will select “blue” and “gold” for the colors of flames? Are blue and
gold warmer colors than red and yellow?
10 - 11. Note the use of three adjectives. (Many third graders would stop at one.)
17 & 18. In a conflict between “little” and “big,” doesn’t “big” usually win?
22. Flattery, thy name is adjective?
23. Foreshadowing is a big concept for third graders, but they probably would understand the
idea that this use of “foolish” suggests that the cat is in for trouble, no sign of which has yet
appeared.
32 & 40. This is an opportunity to point out that possessives (the apostrophe) function as
adjectives.
39. Is it “foolish” to trust a “friend”? What is a “friend”?
42. This is the first (and only) use of “friend” in the story. How does it set up the moral of the
fable?
In 26, we get “clever.” In 33 and 34, we get “cunning, clever.” In 44 and 45, we get “sly,
cunning.” What are the differences among “clever,” “cunning,” and “sly”?
[Ex. 9 Adjectives (Synonyms)] [Skip?]
[Ex. 10 Adjectives (Antonyms)] [Skip?]
Ex. 11.a Adapted from The Mother Tongue, Book II
Note that unlike most of the analysis keys, in this one the adjectives and adverbs within prepositional phrases are color coded as individual words.
45
1. The bright [1] sun is unusually [2] warm (PA) today [3]. |
2. The farmer's [4] old [5] ax is very [6] sharp (PA). |
3. Three [7] salty sailors sadly [8] followed him (DO) down {to the deserted [9] beach}. |
4. Down [10] George rapidly [11] sank {in the foamy [12] waves}. |
5. The children saw the lost [13] dog (DO) here [14] yesterday [15]. |
6. You cannot easily [16] swim {to that [17] rock} {in windy weather}. |
7. La Fleur carefully [18] pulled a very [19] dirty old letter (DO) {out of his [20] pocket}. | 1. bright Adjective to “sun” Identity What kind of?2. unusually Adverb to “warm” Degree How much?3. today Adverb to “is” Time When?4. farmer’s Adjective to “ax” Identity Whose?5. old Adjective to “ax” Identity What kind of?6. very Adverb to “sharp” Degree How much?7. Three Adjective to “sailors” Identity How many?8. sadly Adverb to “followed” Manner How?9. deserted Adjective to “beach” Identity What kind of?10. Down Adverb to “sank” Space In what direction?11. rapidly Adverb to “sank” Manner How?12. foamy Adjective to “waves” Identity What kind of?
13. lost Adjective to “dog” Identity Which? What kind of?
14. here Adverb to “saw” Space Where?15. yesterday Adverb to “saw” Time When?16. easily Adverb to “cannot swim” Manner How?17. that Adjective to “rock” Identity Which?18. carefully Adverb to “pulled” Manner How?19. very Adverb to “dirty” Degree How much?20. his Adjective to “pocket” Identity Whose?
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Ex. 11.b Adapted from “Wonderwings”
Note that unlike most of the analysis keys, in this one the adjectives and adverbs within prepositional phrases are color coded as individual words.
1. Why is everybody getting up [#1] so [1] early [2] ? | 2. The [3] older [4] fairies were dressing themselves (DO) neatly [5] and brushing their [6]
long fine [7] hair (DO). | 3. Presently [8] she was awakened (P) {by the sound} {of the sweetest [9] singing} [Adj. to
"singing" she had ever [10] heard]. |
4. I hope [DO I am not too [11] late [12] ]. |
5. Then [13] she ran out [14] {into the garden}. |
6. The older fairies stood all [15] {in a group}. |
7. Poppypink crept nearer [16] {to the beautiful fairy}. |
8. Wonderwings tenderly [17] took the little fairy's [18] hand (DO). |
9. Below [19], a crippled child sat {among rags} {in a dark corner} {of a dreary [20] room}. | 1. so Adverb to “early” Degree How much?2. early Adverb to “getting up” Time When?3. The Adjective to “fairies” Identity Which?4. older Adjective to “fairies” Identity Which? What kind of?5. neatly Adverb to “early” Manner How?6. their Adjective to “hair” Identity Whose?7. fine Adjective to “hair” Identity What kind of?8. Presently Adverb to “was awakened” Time When?9. sweetest Adjective to “singing” Identity What kind of?10. ever Adverb to “had heard” Degree How often?11. too Adverb to “late” Degree How much?12. late Adverb to “am” Time When?13. Then Adverb to “ran” Time When?14. out Adverb to “ran” Space Where? In what
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direction?15. all Adjective to “fairies” Identity How many?
Alternatively, “all” can be considered an adverb (of degree) that means “completely” and modifies the following phrase (“in a group”).
16. nearer Adverb to “crept” Space Where? In what direction?
17. tenderly Adverb to “took” Manner How?18. fairy’s Adjective to “hand” Identity Whose?19. Below Adverb to “sat” Space Where?20. dreary Adjective to “room” Identity What kind of?
Note
1. Alternatively, “up” can be described as an adverb.
Ex. 12 “The Wolf and the Kid” from The ÆSOP for Children
The referent of most adjectives and adverbs should be obvious, so notes are provided only for questionable cases.
1. There [#1] was once a little Kid (PN) [Adj. to "Kid" whose growing horns made
him think [#2] [DO he was a grown-up Billy Goat (PN) and able (PA) to take care [#3] {of
himself} ]]. | So one evening [NuA] [Adj. to "evening" when the flock started home [NuA]
{from the pasture}] and [Adj. to "evening" *when* his mother called], the Kid paid no
heed (DO) and kept right on nibbling the tender grass (DO) . | A little [NuA] [#4] later
[Adv. to "later" when he lifted his head (DO),] the flock was gone (PA). |
2. He was all alone (PA) [#5]. | The sun was sinking. | Long shadows came
creeping [#6] {over the ground}. | A chilly little wind came creeping {with them} making
scary noises [#7] {in the grass}. | The Kid shivered [Adv. to "shivered" as he thought {of
the terrible Wolf}]. | Then he started wildly {over the field}, bleating [#8] {for his mother}. |
But not [#9] half-way [NuA], {near a clump} {of trees} , there [#1] was the Wolf (PN)! |
3. The Kid knew [DO there [#1] was little hope (PN) {for him}]. |
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4. "Please [#10], Mr. Wolf [DirA]," [ [#11] he said trembling [#8] ], "I know [DO you are
going to eat me (DO) ]. | But first please [#10] *you* pipe me (IO) a tune (DO), [Adv.
(cause) to "pipe" for [#12] I want to dance and be [#13] merry (PA) as long [Adv. to the
previous "as" as I can]]." | 5. The Wolf liked the idea (DO) {of a little music} {before eating [#14] } , [Adv. (result)
to "liked" so he struck up a merry tune (DO)] and [#15] [Adv. (result) to "liked" *so* the
Kid leaped and frisked gaily]. |
6. Meanwhile, the flock was moving slowly homeward. | {In the still evening air} the
Wolf's piping [#16] carried far. | The Shepherd Dogs pricked up their ears (DO) . | They
recognized the song (DO) [Adj. to "song" the Wolf sings {before a feast}], | and {in a
moment} they were racing back {to the pasture}. | The Wolf's song ended suddenly, | and
[Adv. (time) to "called" as he ran, {with the Dogs} {at his heels} ,] he called himself a fool [#17] {for turning piper [#18] } to please a Kid [#19], [Adv. to "turning" when he should have
stuck {to his butcher's trade}]. |
6. *You* Do not let anything turn you [#20] {from your purpose}. | Notes
1. See KISS Level 2.1.3 - Expletives (Optional) for an alternative explanation.
2. Expect many students to see “him” as the direct object of “made.” At this early KISS Level,
that is a good response. Technically, “him” is the subject of the verbal (infinitive) “think,”
and the verbal phrase functions as the direct object of “made.”
3. “Care” is the direct object of the verbal (infinitive) “to take.” This infinitive phrase functions
as an adverb to the predicate adjective “able.”
4. Those who feel uncomfortable explaining “little” as a noun can assume an ellipsed “bit”—a
little *bit* later. Whether one considers the noun to be “little” or “bit,” it functions as an
adverb to “later.”
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5. Alternatively, some people will see “alone” as an adverb explaining the condition of “was.”
6. KISS explains “came creeping” as a palimpsest pattern with “came” written over “were.” See
KISS Level 2.1.4 - Palimpsest Patterns.
7. “Noises” is the direct object of the verbal (gerundive) “making” which functions as an
adjective to “wind.” See KISS Level 2.1.6 - Distinguishing Finite Verbs from Verbals and
Level 4 - Verbals (Gerunds, Gerundives, & Infinitives).
8. “Bleating” is a verbal (gerundive) that modifies “he.” See Note # 7.
9. Nouns Used as Adverbs are normally modified by adjectives, but you will find cases in which
they are modified by adverbs. Thus this “not” can be described either as an adjective or as
an adverb.
10. Some grammar textbooks include “Please” in lists of interjections; others consider it to be an
adverb. Still another explanation is to consider it a reduction of a subordinate clause—“If it
pleases you.” In KISS any of these explanations is acceptable.
11. KISS explains this clause as an interjection. See Level 3.2.3 - Interjection? Or Direct Object?
12. See KISS Level 3.2.2 - “So” and “For” as Conjunctions.
13. Technically, “to dance” and “be” are verbals (infinitives) that function as the direct objects of
“want.” At this early KISS Level, however, I would simply accept them as part of the finite
verb phrase.
14. “Eating” is a verbal (gerund) that functions as the object of the preposition “before.”
15. Here we hit something rarely, if ever, discussed in grammar textbooks. Note how this “and”
can be seen as joining two subordinate clauses (as labeled above), or it can be seen as
joining two main clauses—“The wolf liked . . . . and the Kid leaped . . . .”
16. “Piping” is a verbal (gerund) that functions as a subject.
17. Expect students to be confused by this. In KISS, “fool” is a predicate adjective, and
“himself” is the subject of an ellipsed infinitive “to be”—“himself *to be* a fool.” The
infinitive phrase is the direct object of called. See “Ellipsed Infinitives” in KISS Level 4 -
Verbals (Gerunds, Gerundives, & Infinitives).
18. “Piper” is a predicate noun after the verbal (gerund) “turning.” The gerund phrase functions
as the object of “for.”
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19. “Kid” is the direct object of the verbal (infinitive) “to please.” The infinitive phrase functions
as an adverb to “turning.”
20. “You” is the direct object and “anything” is the subject of the verbal (infinitive) “turn.” The
infinitive phrase functions as the direct object of “let.”
KISS Level 1. 3. Adding Complements (PA, PN, IO, DO)KISS Level 1. 3. Adding Complements (PA, PN, IO, DO)
KISS Level 1.3 may be the “make or break” point in using the KISS Approach because (unlike most pedagogical grammars) it introduces students to procedures—short sequences of questions—that they should use to identify the types of complements (predicate adjectives, predicate nouns, indirect and direct objects). Many students refuse to do this, but if they do not learn how to use sequences of questions to analyze sentences, they will have major problems not only with most of KISS Grammar, but also with math and many other subjects, including the writing process. For more on this, see “Emphasizing the Analytical Process,” below.
Notes for Teachers—The Grammarians’ Secret
The “What”
Once students can identify most subjects and finite verbs in a sentence, the next step is to
add complements. A complement, very simply, is whatever answers the questions “Whom?”
or “What?” after a verb. As noted in the discussion of KISS differences, KISS offers the S/V/C
pattern as the basis of a sentence rather than the traditional “subject and predicate.” (See “The
Differences between KISS and Traditional Terms” in the Background Essays.) Traditional
grammar books rarely enable students to analyze complicated sentences because they basically
ignore complements. Thus they cannot give students an essential, invariable guideline—the
complement of one verb can never be the subject of another verb. As you will see as you get into
the analysis of complicated sentences, this guideline is extremely important.
Distinguishing the Types of Complements—The Grammarians’ Secret
Traditionally, grammarians have focused on categorizing words, not on analyzing sentences.
Because verbs are so central to the language, the grammarians have given them a lot of attention.
One of the things they have done is to put them into three categories—transitive, intransitive, and
“linking.” Following the grammarians, the textbooks have uselessly tortured students with
definitions of “transitive” and “intransitive,” and with lists of “linking” verbs. I say “uselessly”
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because most college Freshmen cannot identify a verb in the first place, and because even many
teachers find the categories to be confusing. (I’m thinking of the teacher on NCTE-Talk who
advocated the teaching of grammar and asked why we no longer teach “transient” and
“intransient” verbs.) KISS skips this whole problem by simply using the methods that the
grammarians used to derive the three categories in the first place.
Grammarians noted that some verbs take indirect and/or direct objects -- Our cat brought us
(IO) a mouse (DO). They named these verbs “transitive.” They also noted that some verbs are
not followed by words that answer the questions “Whom?” or “What?” (She runs every day.)
They named these verbs “intransitive.” And they noted that some verbs take predicate nouns or
predicate adjectives. (She is a teacher (PN). She is smart (PA).) They categorized these verbs as
“linking.” Because most grammar textbooks do not teach students to identify complements in the
first place, they cannot use this method for teaching the three categories of verbs. But KISS does,
and thus KISS can.
The three categories of verbs are more important as vocabulary words than they are as
analytical tools, so KISS basically ignores them, opting for the sentence patterns instead. But if
you do want to teach students the differences among transitive, intransitive, and linking verbs,
begin with the normal KISS process for distinguishing complements, and then give the students
the information in the preceding paragraph.
Distinguishing the types of complements is not necessary in order to understand the
syntactic connections in a sentence. It is, however, very important for helping students
understand the logic of sentence structure. Most important of all is an understanding of predicate
nouns. A predicate noun in some way equals the subject. (That is how KISS teaches it. See the
instructional material.) Students, however, often use the pattern improperly. One student, for a
simple example, wrote, “The practice room is the only time I can get away.” But a room is not a
time. Thus the primary reason for having students distinguish the types of complements is to help
them keep the logic of their writing clear.
I might note, by the way, that S/V/PN patterns are also the expected beginning sentences of
formal definitions. In upper level courses, some students lose a lot of credit because, when asked
to define a term, they will explain what it does, where it is, why it works, but they never give the
instructor the required information regarding what it is.
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If you are working with randomly selected texts, tell students that there are some
complements that you expect them to miss. Among these are infinitive phrases:
Gerald wanted Bill to leave.
Students will clearly see that the answer to the question “Gerald wanted what?” is “Bill to
leave,” but “Bill to leave” is not a simple complement. Thus they will be confused. Similarly,
they will be confused by clauses:
Geraldine hoped that Sunday would come soon.
When they first start exploring for complements, students will be looking for single words. The
clause will confuse them.
I would strongly suggest that you not try to teach them infinitives, clauses, etc. at this point.
If you do, you will be following in the footsteps of most grammar textbooks—trying to teach
everything at once and effectively teaching nothing. On the other side of the question, students
should be expected to identify all of the single-word complements in any sentence:
Susan played baseball (DO) in the morning, tennis (DO) in the
afternoon, and soccer (DO) in the evening.
Technically, such compounding is the focus of KISS Level 1.4, but most students should have
little trouble with the underlying idea, even though they may not remember the term
“compound” at this point.
Emphasizing the Analytical Process and Teaching Students How to Think Better
Many students strongly resist learning to use an instructional sequence—a set series of
questions—to arrive at the answer to a problem. This has been noted by Arthur Whimbey in
Blueprint for Educational Change, by Jane Healy in Endangered Minds, and by many others.
Failure to master the very idea of using a process to figure out the answer to a problem accounts
in large part for the problems that students have with math. (Remember how math teachers
typically insist that students “show their work”?) As Art Whmiby notes, “strong” students break
any task down into steps; “weak” students think that one either knows the answer or one does
not.
In Endangered Minds: Why Children Don’t Think—and What We Can Do About It, Jane
Healy discusses the following question (p. 189):
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National Math Assessment:
Sample QuestionOnly 6.4% of the 17-year-olds could solve multi-step problems like this one:
R S 40
35 25 15
T V W
In the figure above, R, S, T, V, and W represent numbers. The figure is called a magic square because adding the numbers in any row or column or diagonal results in the same sum. What is the value of R? 30; 40; 50; can’t tell.
Source: “The Mathematics Report Card: Are We Measuring-Up?”
As the figure notes, “Only 6.4% of the 17-year-olds could solve multi-step problems like this
one.”
The point here is that simply understanding the importance of solving multi-step problems is
a foundation stone of a good education. In some cases, as in math and in KISS Grammar,
students can actually be given the specific series of steps. Note that in the math problem above,
however, that students have to figure it out for themselves. By giving students the specific steps,
and by forcing students to learn and use those steps, KISS can both make such problems easier
and help students understand the importance of using steps to solve problems.
In the teaching of writing, “the writing process” has been a major focus for the last two
decades. Most weak writers believe that writing a paper is a one-shot deal. One simple sits down
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and writes it. Good writers, however, know that good writing requires a process—brainstorming,
tentative outlining, drafting, revising, perhaps more brainstorming, revising again, and finally
editing. It is, however, one thing to “teach” the process; getting students to use it is something
entirely different.
Some of my college Freshmen have explained that resistance to process results from
laziness, irresponsibility, or the distraction of too many college parties. Some educators have
argued that our educational system itself reinforces the belief in facts—the “right” answers.
Perhaps many students logically use this focus on facts to justify their resistance to learning a
process. After all, if the answers are what are important, why waste time and effort learning a
process? A process is not an answer.
I have belabored this point because in KISS Level 1.3, students should be encouraged to
learn the first of several processes (sets of steps) that make grammar much easier to understand.
If, in other words, you can convince students to learn and use these steps, you may be able to
convince them that other processes (in math, writing, etc.) can also be very useful. In still other
words, you may be able to teach students how to think better.
The “How”
As noted above, KISS Level 1.3 is the first of many KISS Levels that really depend on
students learning how to use a multi-step approach to getting the “right” answer. In fact, this
level includes two steps, the second of which itself is a series of steps. The first step is to identify
complements as complements. To identify complements, students need to memorize and learn to
use the following:
To find a complement of a verb, ask the question “whom or what?” after the verb.
Note that the question must be “whom or what?” Other questions, such as “how?” “when?”
“where?” or “why?” will identify adverbs, but not complements.
The second step is to identify the types of the complements. The instructional material for
students includes some examples, but the sequence itself is:
1. If nothing answers the question “Verb + whom or what?”, the pattern is S/V. [STOP:
You have your answer.]
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2. If the word that answers the question describes the subject, the pattern is S/V/PA.
[STOP: You have your answer.]
3. If the word that answers the question is a noun (or pronoun) that renames the subject
and the verb implies an equality or identity between subject and complement, the
pattern is S/V/PN. [STOP: You have your answer.]
4. If a word or construction answers the question is not a predicate noun or predicate
adjective, it has to be an indirect or direct object. An indirect object indicates the
person “for” or “to” whom something is done. [STOP: You have your answer.]
5. Any other complement has to be a direct object.
Remember that “complement” is simply one word which can be used instead of repeating the
five possibilities: Zero Complement, Predicate Adjective, Predicate Noun, Indirect and/or Direct
Object. Note too that the sequence is an exercise in Boolean logic that can also be illustrated as a
flow chart.
Ideally students should start by studying the instructional materials for both identifying
complements and for identifying their type. Personally, I would not ask students to memorize the
instructional material before they start doing exercises. Simply let them use the instructional
material as they do the first few exercises—most students will probably absorb the sequence in
this way. At some point, however, you may want to give a quiz to see if they have it. The
answers to such a quiz can be “short-hand”—“describes subject = PA” etc.
Because some students have trouble both with multi-step procedures and with limiting the
question for a complement to “whom or what?” you may want to separate instruction into two
parts. Thus, you can have the students simply label complements as “C” in a few exercises. Once
students are fairly comfortable with identifying complements as complements, give them the
sequence for identifying the types of complements.
In either case, you will probably find that all students will learn faster if you review two or
three exercises in class. Indeed, some students will not learn to use the procedure unless you use
it to review some exercises in class. Many students also like to use the KISS Grammar Game.
(See “An Overview of the Types of KISS Exercises,” in the Background Essays.)
Empress upon students the importance of working systematically. Systematic thinking is
another skill that many students lack. Students should first find the verb, then the subject(s) of
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that verb, then any complements for that verb. Then they should check for any other verbs in the
sentence. If there is one, they should underline it, find its subject(s) and its complement(s). If
there are none, they should go on to the next sentence. (Once they add prepositional phrases to
their analytical toolboxes, students should begin by finding all the prepositional phrases in a
sentence first, and then the verb/subject/complement patterns.)
A systematic approach to one’s task is a key characteristic of good thinking. It will also
make it much easier to understand sentence structure. If you do not emphasize systematic
thinking, you will find that many students will underline a verb here, a subject three sentences
further into the text, etc. In essence, they will be looking to identify individual words rather than
patterns. Pattern recognition is another major skill of good thinkers. Don’t forget to remind the
students that there are mistakes that they are expected to make at this level.
Another Problem — Predicate Adjective or Part of the Verb Phrase?
If you have students analyze randomly selected texts, including samples of their own
writing, you will run into another problem that is rarely, if ever, discussed in grammar textbooks.
Consider the following two sentences:
1. He was worried about the game.
2. The Eagles were defeated by the Patriots.
In (1), “worried” describes the emotional state of “He” more than it denotes any particular
action. But in (2), “were defeated” denotes a specific action performed by the Patriots. Thus
some grammarians would consider “worried” a predicate adjective, whereas “were defeated”
should be considered as a finite verb in the passive voice.
In effect, the two constructions, S/V/PA and passive voice slide into each other, and thus
how you should explain it depends on how you interpret the sentence. Passive voice is, I should
note, an “advanced” question (KISS Level 5.7). But at Level 1.2, the problem is that some
students will mark both “worried” and “defeated” as predicate adjectives. At this level, therefore,
I would gently nudge students toward considering these predicate adjectives that are based on
verbs to all be part of the finite verb. Once students learn about passive voice, they can begin to
deal with the “passive voice or predicate adjective” problem. (This is, you may have noted,
another application of Jerome Bruner’s concept of the “spiral curriculum.”)
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The Sequence of the Exercises in KISS Level 1.3
Exercise One (a-d) present students with sentences that have a mix of complements. If you
can get students to remember and use the analytical process, you should be able to skip exercises
two through six, each of which focuses on a specific type of complement.
Exercise seven (“Verbs as Subjects or Complements”) introduces students to relatively
simple sentences such as “Swimming is good exercise.” or “They like hiking.” Technically,
“Swimming” and “hiking” are verbals (verbs that function as nouns, adjectives, or adverbs), but
students do not need to know that yet. (Distinguishing finite verbs from verbals is the focus of
KISS Level 2.1.6.) But even very young students, if they analyze their own writing, will run
across sentences in which a verbal functions as a subject or a complement. Thus the purpose of
this exercise is to introduce the idea. In sentences such as “Swimming is good exercise,” most
students will automatically guess that “Swimming” is the subject. Thus this exercise simply
confirms that they are right.
Exercise eight is on the “predicate adjective or part of the verb” problem. Nine invites
students to write sentences using various types of complements. Ten presents a passage for
analysis (as opposed to isolated sentences). Eleven is a “Just for Fun” practice exercise.
Remember that the on-line section for this KISS Level includes additional exercises (most of
which are used in other grade-level books). Another excellent way of teaching students is to have
them make similar exercises for their classmates, preferably based on what they are reading.
Finally, to end this KISS Level, have students analyze a short passage of their own writing.
Ex. 1. a. - Mixed Complements, based on The Story of Miss Moppet, by Beatrix
Potter
1. Miss Moppet ties up her head (DO) {in a duster} [Adv. to "ties"], and sits {before the fire} [Adv. to "sits"]. |
I can see a fair argument for explaining “in a duster” as an adjective to “head,” so I would also accept that explanation.
2. The Mouse comes a little [NuA] nearer. |
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3. Miss Moppet jumps {upon the Mouse} [Adv. to "jumps"]! |
4. Miss Moppet is jumping just too late. |
5. But she forgot {about that hole} [Adv. to "forgot"] {in the duster} [Adj. to "hole"] . | Alternatively, “forgot about” can be considered the verb and “hole” its direct object.
6. He has wriggled out and run away. |
7. Miss Moppet is looking very ill (PA). | 8. The Mouse is dancing a jig (DO) {on the top} [Adv. to "is dancing"] {of the
cupboard} [Adj. to "top"] ! |
9. The Mouse is peeping out {behind the cupboard} [Adv. to "is peeping out"]. | 10. Miss Moppet looks {at him} [Adv. to "looks"] {through a hole} [Adv. to "looks"] {in
the duster} [Adj. to "hole"] . |
Ex. 1. b. - Mixed Complements, based on The Story of Miss Moppet, by Beatrix
Potter
1. She has heard a mouse (DO)! |
2. It is a very hard cupboard (PN)! |
3. He is not afraid (PA) {of a kitten}. |
4. The Mouse has teased Miss Moppet (DO). |
5. She misses the Mouse (DO). |
6. She hits her own head (DO). |
7. Miss Moppet holds her poor head (DO) {in her paws} [Adv. to "holds"]. |
8. She tosses the duster (DO) about {like a ball} [Adv. to "tosses"]. |
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9. That is not {at all} [Adv. to "not"] nice (PA) {of Miss Moppet}. | Some people will see “of Miss Moppet” as an adverb to the adjective “nice”; others will take it to “is.”
10. The Mouse watches Miss Moppet (DO) {from the top} [Adv. to "watches"] {of the
cupboard} [Adj. to "top"] . |
Ex. 1. c. - The Crooked Sixpence
There [Expletive] was a crooked man (PN), | and he went a crooked mile [#1], |
He found a crooked sixpence (DO) {beside a crooked stile} [#2]; |
He bought a crooked cat (DO), [Adj. to "cat" which [#3] caught a crooked mouse (DO)], |
And they all lived together {in a little crooked house}. | Notes
1. “Mile” is a Noun Used as an Adverb, and not a direct object because it answers the question
“Went how far?” not “Went what?”
2. The “beside” can also be seen as an adjective to “sixpence.”
3. At this point in their work, most students will have trouble identifying “which” as the subject
of “caught.” [Many of my college Freshmen have the same problem.] Expect them to get it
wrong, but then you can tell them the rule—“The object of a preposition, or the complement
of another verb, can never, ever be the subject of a verb. Once they learn this rule, they will
almost always be forced, as they are here, to select the pronoun as the subject. There simply
are no other options within the sentence.
Ex. 1. d. - Humpty Dumpty
Humpty Dumpty sat {on a wall}, |
Humpty Dumpty had a great fall (DO); | All the King's horses, and all the King's men
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Cannot put Humpty Dumpty (DO) together again. |
How Much I Can Explain
Total Words = 27 Words Total Explained
% of Text
Words in Prepositional Phrases 3 3 11 %
+ Adj & Adverbs (not in prep phrases) 10 13 48 %
+ Words in S / V / C patterns (including comjunctions) 14 27 100 %
Ex. 2. - A Focus on Predicate Adjectives, based on The Pie and the Patty-Pan
1. I am glad (PA). |
2. She was sure (PA). |
3. It would be wiser (PA). |
4. It is most admirable (PA). |
5. But it is very strange (PA). |
6. I am dreadfully afraid (PA). |
7. It is impossible (PA), my dear Duchess [DirA]. |
8. The dinner-plates were white (PA) and blue (PA). |
9. It is most undesirable (PA). | 10. How good (PA) that pie smells! |
Ex. 3. - A Focus on Predicate Nouns, from Pinocchio
1. What is your father's name (PN) ? |
2. He is a beggar (PN). |
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3. I have become a gentleman (PN). |
4. I have indeed been a bad son (PN). |
5. That is an exceedingly easy calculation (PN). |
6. I am the ghost (PN) {of the Talking-Cricket}. |
7. {By tomorrow} my papa will be a gentleman (PN). |
8. What is the matter (PN) now? |
9. What a good Fairy (PN) you are! |
10. You shall be my little brother (PN) | [#1] and I will be your good little sister (PN). | Note
1. There was no comma here in the edition that I used. (It may be interesting to see how many
students realize that there are two patterns in this sentence.)
Ex. 4. - A Focus on Direct Objects, from Pinocchio, The Tale of a Puppet
1. I saw him (DO) yesterday {at the door} {of his house} . |
2. {On the whole}, however, he had not a bad heart (DO). |
3. And the puppet made a gesture (DO) {with his hands}. | 4. The magnificent Poodle had a chocolate-colored waistcoat (DO) {with diamond buttons
and two large pockets}. |
5. Pinocchio heard a slight rustle (DO) {of leaves} {behind him}. |
6. And what trade (DO) does he follow? |
7. Then you have hidden your money (DO) {under your tongue}! |
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8. The Fairy therefore dissolved a certain white powder (DO) {in half [ #1 ] a tumbler} {of
water}. | 9. The cat could only eat thirty-five fish (DO) {with tomato sauce} and four portions
(DO) [#2] {of tripe} {with Parmesan cheese}. |
10. One assassin seized the puppet (DO) {by the end} {of his nose} , | and the other took
him (DO) {by the chin}. | Notes
1. Some people may prefer to explain with as two phrases with an ellipsed “of” here.
2. It may be interesting to see how many students note both complements in this sentence (and
both S/V/C patterns in the next).
Ex 5. - A Focus on Indirect Objects, based on Child-Story Readers: Wonder
Stories 3
1. The king gave the big man (IO) rich gifts (DO). |
2. Hok Lee paid the doctor (IO) a lot (DO) {of money} [Adj. to "lot"]. |
3. Hok Lee told the dwarfs (IO) all his troubles (DO). |
4. They brought him (IO) fine new clothes (DO). |
5. The White Cat gave the Prince (IO) an acorn (DO). |
6. He showed them (IO) his acorn (DO). |
7. They will cook me (IO) my food (DO). |
8. The people {in the country} gave the ogre (IO) and Jagar (IO) many presents (DO). |
9. She brought me (DO) {to this place} and gave me (IO) a troop (DO) {of cats}. |
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Watch some of the students mark the first "me" as an indirect object (as I did in first marking
this key).
Ex. 6. - A Focus on Zero Complements, based on The Pie and the Patty-Pan
1. The top oven bakes too quickly. |
2. Shall I run {for the doctor}? |
3. I will call directly {after breakfast}. |
4. A curious thing had happened {to Duchess}. |
5. Ribby stared {with amazement}. |
6. Ribby arrived {with the doctor}. |
7. The patty-pan was {under the pump}. |
8. The pie-dish was emptying rapidly! |
9. She peeped {into the bottom oven}. |
10. Ribby had to run. |
Ex. 7. - From At the Back of the North Wind
(Verbs as Subjects or Complements)
Note that verbs that function as nouns, adjectives, or adverbs are called “verbals.” There are
three, and only three, types of verbals. They are gerunds, gerundives, or infinitives. See KISS
Level 4.
1. Wandering [#1] up and down wasted a lot (DO) {of time}. |
2. Diamond's first thought was to run (PN) [#2] away {from the misery} {of it} . |
3. To drive all sorts (DO) [#3] {of horses} amused Diamond (DO). |
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4. Watching the ships (DO) [#4] {at Sandwich} interested Diamond (DO). |
5. To not give them (IO) a share (DO) is not being (PN) really kind (PA) [#5] {to them}. | 6. To use many rough and bad words (DO) {in front} {of the boy} embarrassed the men
(DO). | Notes
1. “Wandering” is a gerund.
2. The infinitive “to run” functions as a predicate noun because the “thought” equals “to run.”
3. Expect some students to have problems here. They will ask “what amused” and find “all sorts
of horses” as the answer. But “sorts” cannot be the subject of “amused” because, according
to our psycholinguistic model, the receivers’ brains will process “sorts” as the direct object
of “to drive.” The brain will never take the complement of one verb as the subject of
another. Thus, the infinitive “to drive” functions as the subject.
4. “Watching” is a gerund, but otherwise, this sentence works in the same way that the preceding
one does.
5. This one is tough. The infinitive “to give” functions as the subject, and a gerund (“being”)
functions as a predicate noun!
Predicate Adjective or Part of the Verb Phrase? (Background for Teachers)Predicate Adjective or Part of the Verb Phrase? (Background for Teachers)
There are several things that we need to keep in mind here:
1. KISS may be the only pedagogical grammar that even attempts to teach students how
to analyze the structure of their own sentences.
2. We are dealing here with an advanced question related to passive voice, the focus of
KISS Level 5.7. Most textbooks can’t even teach students to identify verbs in the
first place. As a result, they do very poorly with passive voice and don’t even address
this question.
3. Students are much smarter than we usually give them credit for.
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Students unintentionally suggested the need for this exercise as they analyzed randomly selected
sentences. For example, in the sentence “This castle is enchanted,” some students will label
“enchanted” as a predicate adjective. As the instructional material suggests, this is a valid
explanation. It is, after all, an “enchanted castle.” But these same students will tend to eliminate
traditional passive voice by labeling all such sentences in the same way.
A primary purpose of this exercise is to stop the students from doing the latter, while
simultaneously recognizing the students’ intelligence. Passive voice is an important stylistic and
semantic concept. But to understand passive voice, students need to recognize that the verbs in
question are part of the verb phrase. I’d suggest, therefore, that you use this exercise to explain
that there are times when a verb (technically a “verbal”) can function as a predicate adjective, but
at the same time encourage them, for now at least, to consider these verbs as part of the verb
phrase.
Put differently, seeing these verbs as predicate adjectives is a fine point, but it is a fine point
that many students will see for themselves. Because they will do so, we need to address the
question. Most textbooks, however, do not consider these verbs as predicate adjectives. They
consider all of the sentences in these exercises as passive voice. (In KISS statistical studies, they
are all counted as passive voice.) Let’s give students credit for their intelligence and address the
question.
Ex. 8 - Based on The Tale of Samuel Whiskers by Beatrix Potter
1. The cupboard door was not locked (P). | The status of the door is more important here than the action, so an argument can easily made that the S/V/PA pattern is actually better here.
2. He was tied (P) up {in very tight knots}. |
3. Yes, it is infested (P) {with rats}. | Technically, the S/V/PA pattern would be better here because the important point is the infested condition of “it,” and not the action of infesting.
4. He was quite exhausted (P). |
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5. We shall be obliged (P) to leave this pudding [#1]. |
6. The fire had only just been lighted (P). |
7. Tom Kitten was left (P) alone {under the floor} {of the attic} . | Note
1. “Pudding” is the direct object of the infinitive “to leave.” The infinitive phrase functions as a
retained direct object after the passive verb, retained from the active form “Someone will
oblige [require] us to leave this pudding.”
[Ex. 9. - Writing Sentences with Complements] [Skip?]
Ex. 10. - A Passage for Analysis, from “Why Jimmy Skunk Wears Stripes”
Indeed, it was hinted (P) {in the wood} and {on the Green Meadows}[ [#1] that not all
{of Jimmy Skunk's doings} would bear the light (DO) {of day}.] | It was openly said [ [#1]
that he was altogether too fond (PA) {of prowling [#2] about} {at night} ,] | but no one
could prove [DO of "could prove" that he was responsible (PA) {for mischief} done [#3]
{in the night},] [Adv. to "could prove" for no one saw him (DO).] | You see [DO of "see"
[#4] his coat was so black (PA) [Adv. to "so" that {in the darkness} {of the night} it was
not visible (PA) {at all}.]] | Notes
1. This clause functions as a delayed subject. I would not expect students to get this until well
after you have added that construction to their analytical toolbox.
2. A gerund that functions as the object of the preposition “of.”
3. Gerundive to “mischief.”
4. Note how close the “You see” is to an interjection.
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Ex. 11. - Just for Fun: Tongue Twisters
1. Which witch wished which wicked wish (DO)? |
2. The blue bluebird blinks. |
3. Sam's shop stocks short spotted socks (DO). |
4. Cheerful Charles chose cherry chocolates (DO) {for Cheri}. |
5. A noisy noise annoys an oyster (DO). |
6. Friendly Frank flips fine flapjacks (DO). |
7. Vincent vowed vengeance (DO) very vehemently. |
8. Which wristwatches are Swiss wristwatches (PN)? |
9. The crow flew {over the river} {with a lump} {of raw liver} . |
10. Gertie's great-grandma grew aghast (PA) {at Gertie's grammar}. |
KISS Level 1.4. - Coordinating Conjunctions and CompoundsKISS Level 1.4. - Coordinating Conjunctions and Compounds
Notes for Teachers
Objectives
The exercises on compounds are intended to help students identify all the components in a
compound. (You’ll find that if you do not reinforce the idea, some students will find one of
several compounds--and stop there.) But because compounding is an important stylistic aspect of
writing, most of these exercises are intended to provide stylistic models for writing. Their
objective is to nudge students toward giving specific examples in their writing. Instead of writing
“We bought groceries,” students should be able to give specifics, such as E. B. White’s”
A bird doesn’t have to go to a supermarket and buy a dozen eggs and a pound of
butter and two rolls of paper towels and a TV dinner and a can of Ajax and a can of
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tomato juice and a pound and a half of ground round steak and a can of sliced peaches
and two quarts of fat-free milk and a bottle of stuffed olives.
(See Exercise # 5 from The Trumpet of the Swan.) The ability to support abstract statements is
not just an aspect of good writing, it is imperative to inductive thinking. Too many people make
general statements, and, if asked for specifics, are unable to give any.
What Is a “Coordinating” Conjunction?
At some point in their work, students should learn the name “coordinating conjunctions.”
But I doubt that they absolutely need this term when they are working at this KISS Level. Most
grammar textbooks get things backwards -- they teach the term, but students rarely get the
concept. Often, the concept should come first, then the name. Teaching in this way is relatively
simple -- have the students learn and remember that
“And,” “or,” and “but” join equal grammatical things.
“Things” here means words or constructions that have the same grammatical function -- subjects
to subjects, verbs to verbs, prepositional phrases to prepositional phrases, etc.
Some textbooks add “either ... or” and “neither ... nor” to the list, but these are simply
emphatic (“either”) and negated (“neither”) version of “or.” “And” and “or” are sweet little
words that always and only behave as coordinating conjunctions. “But” is the bad boy of the
group -- it also functions (relatively rarely) as an adverb (meaning “approximately”) or as
preposition (meaning “except”). For students, this presents a problem. We tell students that when
it means “except,” “but” functions as a preposition. The problem is that it also usually means
“except” when it functions as a conjunction. We can see this best, perhaps, by considering the
logical functions of these words.
The Logic of “And,” “Or,” and “But”
“And,” “or,” and “but” are what philosophers would now call “logical operators” in
“whole/part” logical relationships. “And” joins “parts” into a logical “whole.” In “Bill, Toni, and
Mary” went fishing,” the “and” creates a “whole” group. Thus we can replace “Bill, Toni, and
Mary” with “They.” “Or” divides a group into parts -- “Bill, Toni, or Mary went fishing.” “But”
extends this whole/part logical relationship to imply both a whole and an excepted part of that
whole. “Bill and Toni went fishing, but Mary didn’t.”
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Another way of looking at this is to consider the compounded subjects as individual
sentences:
Bill went fishing, and Toni went fishing, and Mary went fishing. =
They went fishing.
As noted above, if we form a group from individual parts, we can combine the sentences and
substitute “They” for the subject. If, however, we divide or separate the parts of the whole, each
part has to be named:
Bill went fishing, or Toni went fishing, or Mary went fishing. =
Bill, Toni, or Mary went fishing.
Look at what happens, however, when we use “but” to make an exception to the implied
whole.
“Bill went fishing, and Toni went fishing, but Mary didn’t.” becomes
Everyone but Mary went fishing.
The coordinating conjunction has become a preposition.
The preceding is important for two reasons. First, teachers should expect students to have
problems with “but,” and they should understand why. Second, the logical relationships
discussed here are fundamental. At the college level, many students study logical fallacies, either
in a composition or in a philosophy course. “And,” “or,” and “but,” as noted above, are what
philosophers call “logical operators.” They are fundamental for understanding many, if not most,
of the logical fallacies. [For more on this, the web version includes a link to a study of “The
Logic of Compounding Main Clauses in ‘The Yellow Dwarf’.”]
“So” and “For” as Coordinating Conjunctions
Some readers may have been taught that “so” and “for” are also coordinating conjunctions.
In KISS, they can be, but they can also be subordinating conjunctions. Unlike “and,” “or,” or
“but,” “so” and “for” (when used as conjunctions) imply a cause/effect, not a part/whole logical
relationship. We therefore need to look at “so” and “for” with the other subordinating
conjunctions (such as “because” and “since”) that denote logical connections other than
part/whole. This double perspective on “so” and “for” is the focus of KISS Level 3.2.2 - “So”
and “For” as Conjunctions.
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A Brief Overview of the Sequence of Exercises
The objective of the first exercise is simply to remind students that in analyzing sentences,
they should include all the parts of a compound. Exercises two through six focus on writing
style. Exercise two and exercise three focus respectively on compound finite verbs and
compound complements because these are the two parts of a sentence that are most often
compounded. Their objective therefore is to nudge students toward compounding. Exercise four
asks students to write sentences with compounds. Five is a sentence combining exercise; six asks
students to de-combine. Exercise seven provides students with a real-text short passage for
analysis. Exercise eight (“Treasure Hunt” and “Creating an Exercise”) invite students to explore
texts to find examples of compounding.
If you are pressed for time, you might be able to skip this sub-level altogether or have the
students do just one exercise on mixed compounds.
Suggested Directions for Analytical Exercises1. Underline verbs twice, their subjects once, and label complements (PA, PN, IO, or DO).
Once the students have started on prepositional phrases, change this to:1. Place parentheses ( ) around each prepositional phrase. 2. Underline verbs twice, their subjects once, and label complements (PA, PN, IO, or DO).
Probable Time Required:It depends on your students. The concept itself is simple, so as soon as your students start
getting all the members of compounds, move on. (Remember that they should be expected to get all the compounds in everything that they analyze from this point on.)
You may want to do one or two simple exercises, then add prepositional phrases to the students' analytical toolbox, and then come back to these exercises.
Ex. 1 - Based on The Tale of Tom Kitten, by Beatrix Potter
1. They had very small eyes (DO) and looked surprised (PA) [#1]. |
2. Moppet and Tom descended {after her} [Adv. to "descended"]. | 3. They stopped and [#2] stood {in a row} [Adv. to "stood"] and stared up {at the
kittens} [Adv. to "stared"]. | 4. They turned their pinafores (DO) back [#3] {to front} [Adv. to "turned"] and went up
{with a skip and a jump} [Adv. to "went"]. |
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5. Mr. Drake Puddle-duck advanced {in a slow sideways manner} [Adv. to
"advanced"] and picked up [#4] the various articles (DO). | Notes
1. The explanation of “looked surprised” could get very complicated, and I am sure that
grammarians will disagree about it.
2. I doubt that you will find this use of more than one “and” to join items in a series discussed in
most grammar textbooks for students.
3. The best explanation of this “back” is probably to consider it a noun used as an adverb -- The
back of the pinafores were turned to the front.
4. I would also accept “picked up” (“collected”) as the finite verb. Some grammarians would
insist on this explanation, claiming that these are “phrasal verbs.” Other grammarians have
different names for the same basic construction, and thus the textbooks become confusing.
The problem with all of this debate among the grammarians is that they miss the important
point -- that students should not mark “up the various articles” as a prepositional phrase.
Ex. 2 - From “The Story of the First Woodpecker” by Florence Holbrook
1.) {In the days} {of long ago} the Great Spirit came down {from the sky} and talked
{with men}. |
2.) The woman made a very little cake (DO) and put it (DO) {on the fire}. |
3.) {With a loud cry} she rose {from the earth} and flew away {to the forest}. |
4.) So she put it (DO) away and made a small one (DO). | 5.) And {to this day} all woodpeckers live {in the forest} and hunt {for their food} {in the
bark} {of trees} . |
6.) You shall go out {into the forest} and hunt {for your food} {in the bark} {of trees}. |
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Ex. 3 - Adapted from Voyages in English - Fifth Year
1. We sell fruit (DO) and vegetables (DO). |
2. The callers were Elizabeth (PN) and Gertrude (PN). |
3. Do you prefer football (DO) or baseball (DO)? |
4. The players and fans were restless (PA) and noisy (PA). |
5. William saw Charles (DO) and James (DO). |
6. My cousins are Dorothy (PN) and Marie (PN). |
7. They serve tea (DO) or coffee (DO). |
8. The student is clever (PA) but careless (PA). |
9. The girls made dresses (DO) and coats (DO). |
10. Is that he (PN) or she (PN) [#1] ? | Note
1. An exercise on pronouns as predicate nouns is included in KISS Level 1.6.
[Ex. 4 - Writing Sentences with Compounds]
Ex. 5 - From “The White Fawn,” by Edric Vredenburg
In the 1970’s and 80’s sentence-combining became an educational fad. The idea was to get
students to write longer main clauses (w/mc—words per main clause). The fad has basically died
out because the exercises were not geared to an understanding of natural syntactic development.
As a few educators finally pointed out, students understood the idea of “longer,” but they could
not control the grammatical constructions that they were being asked to use. As a result, they
made more fundamental errors in sentence structure and punctuation.
KISS avoids this problem by emphasizing sentence-combining in the context of
constructions that students are actually learning to identify. Note the difference in w/mc in the
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following sentences, based simply on compounding. Spreading a few such sentences through a
student’s writing not only increases average words per main clause, but it may also add more
details—students may begin to create compounds not just by combining what they would
normally write—they may begin to add new ideas as compounds.
Example: The little Fawn drew near. | She looked at the Prince quietly. | [5.5 w/mc]
The little Fawn drew near and looked {at the Prince} quietly. | [11 w/mc]
Probable Responses
1. Desirée's father was delighted. | And Desirée's mother was delighted. | [4.5 w/mc]
Desirée's father and mother were delighted (P). | [6 w/mc]
2. Then the Prince covered the Fawn with roses. | And he fed her with the choicest leaves. | [8
w/mc]
Then the Prince covered the Fawn (DO) {with roses} and fed her (DO) {with the
choicest leaves}. | [15 w/mc]
3. Prince Guerrier was a brave young man. | And he was noble. | [5.5 w/mc]
Prince Guerrier was a brave and noble young man (PN). | [9 w/mc]
4. The Princess was so good. | And she was beautiful. | [4.5 w/mc]
The Princess was so good (PA) and beautiful (PA). | [7 w/mc]
5. Prince Guerrier could not eat. | Nor could he sleep. | [4.5 w/mc]
Prince Guerrier could neither eat nor sleep. | [7 w/mc]
6. Giroflée loved Princess Desirée passionately. | And she loved her faithfully. | [5 w/mc]
Giroflée loved Princess Desirée (DO) passionately and faithfully. | [7 w/mc]
7. A thunderstorm had destroyed her carriage. | It also scattered her other attendants. | [6 w/mc]
A thunderstorm had destroyed her carriage (DO) and also scattered her other
attendants (DO). | [12 w/mc]
8. The sceptre she carried in her hands. | And she carried the orb in them too. | [7.5 w/mc]
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The sceptre (DO) and orb (DO) she carried {in her hands}. | [9 w/mc]
9. The false Princess was taken to be shut up in a castle. | And the Lady in Waiting was taken to
be shut up in a castle. | [13 w/mc]
The false Princess and the Lady {in Waiting} were taken (P) to be shut up [#1] {in a
castle}. | [17 w/mc]
10. The Fairy of the Fountain called up a great thunderstorm. | She scattered them in every
direction. | [8 w/mc]
The Fairy {of the Fountain} called up [#2] a great thunderstorm (DO) and
scattered them (DO) {in every direction}. | [16 w/mc]
Notes
1. “To be shut up” is an infinitive (verbal) phrase that functions as an adverb (“Where?” or
“Why?”) to “were taken.” Verbals are the focus of KISS Level Four.
2. “Up” here can be considered part of the verb phrase or an adverb to “called.” For more on this
see KISS Level 2.1.5 - Phrasal Verbs (Preposition? Or Part of the Verb?).
Ex. 6 - From My Book of Favorite Fairy Tales by Edric Vredenburg
1. Desirée and her Lady {in Waiting} were shut up (P) {in the castle}. | Desirée was shut up in the castle. And so was her Lady in Waiting.
2. Then she called Snow-White (DO) and Rose-Red (DO). | Then she called Snow-White. And she called Rose-Red.
3. So he invited his relations (DO), friends (DO), and neighbours (DO). | So he invited his relations. He invited his friends. And he invited his neighbours.
4. Her children purchased cotton (DO), needles (DO), ribbon (DO) and tape (DO). | Her children purchased cotton. They purchased needles. They purchased ribbon. And they purchased tape.
5. Giroflée then went on, and entered the old woman's house (DO). |
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Giroflée then went on, and she entered the old woman's house.
6. The princess was so beautiful (PA), and well-behaved (PA), and amiable (PA),
and wise (PA). | The princess was so beautiful. She was well-behaved. She was amiable. And she was wise.
7. He went softly and knocked {at the chamber door}. | He went softly, and he knocked at the chamber door.
8. He was happy (PA) and comfortable (PA). | He was happy. And he was comfortable.
9. Hansel and Grethel gathered together quite a little mount (DO) {of twigs}. | Hansel gathered together quite a little mount of twigs. And Grethel gathered together quite a little mount of twigs. [Note the difference in meaning -- two "mounts"]
10. The wild beasts will soon come and tear them (DO) {to pieces}. | The wild beasts will soon come. And they will tear them to pieces.
Ex. 7 - “The Robin,” A Passage for Analysis
The north wind doth blow, |
And we shall have snow (DO), | And what (DO) will poor robin do then,
Poor thing [#1] ? |
He'll sit {in a barn},
And keep himself warm [#2],
And hide his head (DO) {under his wing},
Poor thing [#1] ! |Notes
1. Appositive to “robin,” and, in the second stanza, to “He.”
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2. Expect students to be confused. I would accept “himself” as the direct object here, but the
KISS technical explanation for this is that “warm” is a predicate adjective after the ellipsed
infinitive (“to be”). “Himself” is the subject of the infinitive, and the infinitive phrase is the
direct object of “keep.”
Ex. 8 Treasure Hunt [Skip?]
KISS Level 1. 5. Adding Simple Prepositional PhrasesKISS Level 1. 5. Adding Simple Prepositional Phrases
Notes for Teachers
If you are not familiar with prepositional phrases, you might want to look at the instructional material (on the next pages) first.
There are several approaches to helping students remember the words that can function as
prepositions. These include games, paper flags with the prepositions on them (made by the
students), and a list of prepositions set to the tune of "Yankee Doodle." You can find these in the
Appendix to the Printable Book for this level. In essence, this is a question of what works most
effectively for you and your students.
I usually give students the instructional material on identifying phrases (See Exercises 1 &
2, below.), and tell them to study it and then have it in front of them as they do exercises--until
they no longer need it. Level 1.5 is devoted to "simple" prepositional phrases in the sense that it
avoids complexities, such as the "to" problem that are the focus of KISS Level 2.2. Once they
learn to identify prepositional phrases, students should always begin the analysis of a sentence by
placing the prepositional phrases in parentheses. Otherwise, as sentences become more
complicated, they will incorrectly mark the object of a preposition as the subject or complement
of a verb.
Determining Your Objective(s)
Your primary objective should be to work with students until they can put parentheses
around every simple prepositional phrase in any sentence. If you do not have the time to do more
than that, you shouldn't have any problem moving on to higher KISS Levels. As the following
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overview of the exercises in KISS Level 1.5 suggests, you should be able to skip the exercises
devoted to writing and logic.
Consider, however, the style of students' writing. In the 80s and 90s, for example, English
educators placed great stress on trying to get young students to write longer sentences.
Unfortunately, these educators had little sense of how writing "grows" naturally. Nor did they
pay much attention to prepositional phrases. The odds are, however, that young students'
sentences increase in length because the better writers include more details by adding more
prepositional phrases. Eventually, I hope to study this statistically by exploring samples of
students' writing from the documents from state assessment reports. Many states put scored
essays written by students in these documents. It will thus be possible to calculate the number of
prepositional phrases (per main clause) used by the students who received high scores compared
to those who earned low scores. Meanwhile, you can consider this yourself simply by looking at
these samples. For more on this, see the booklet on KISS Level 6.5 Statistical Stylistics.
An Overview of the Exercises in KISS Level 1.5
Exercises 1 through 6 focus on identification.
Exercise 1 asks students to fill in the blanks with prepositions and then identify the
prepositional phrases. The primary objective is to help students recognize words that can
function as prepositions. Note that you can have your students create additional exercises for
their classmates. They can select a short paragraph and replace the prepositions with blanks.
Exercises 2 a & b have students identify the phrases and their functions as adjectives or
adverbs. In other words, in these two exercises students will be looking beyond simple
identification to exploring how phrases chunk (connect) to the other words in the sentence. These
two exercises (and the two later exercises on logic) ask students to draw an arrow from the
preposition to the word that the phrase modifies. I would not, however, ask students to draw
these arrows in any other exercises. Once students have learned that prepositional phrases chunk
to other words in the sentence, drawing arrows to the words that phrases modify becomes
busywork and also clutters the analysis. Questions, of course, should always be addressed, and
the Analysis Keys to the KISS exercises include notes on interesting or unusual cases.
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In most cases, seeing how prepositional phrases function as adjectives or adverbs to other
words in a sentence is relatively easy, but sometimes it is not. Denise Gaskins, a member of the
KISS list, offered the following suggestion for the difficult cases:
1. Read the sentence with the prepositional phrase.
2. Read the sentence without the prepositional phrase.
3. Identify where the meaning changes between the two sentences.
In the sentence, “They had posted the first positive numbers in over a year,” the word that
changes meaning is “first.” Without the prepositional phrase, it seems to mean “the first ever,”
which is quite a bit different from the original sentence. Therefore, the phrase modifies “first.”
Accepting alternative explanations is very important in dealing with prepositional phrases.
Consider the sentence:
The ground was soon wet under the oak tree.
Some people will see the phrase "under the oak tree" as modifying the predicate adjective "wet."
Others will see it as modifying the verb "was," and still others will see it as identifying what
"ground" is meant (and thus as an adjective to "ground"). One might easily argue that it modifies
all three. Thus any one of these answers should be accepted. The important point is that each
explanation meaningfully connects to another word or phrase in the sentence.
Exercise 3 is a joke that shows how prepositions without objects often function as simple
adverbs.
Exercise 4 presents an alternative explanation that lets students see that some prepositional
phrases can function as indirect objects--"They gave the award to James."
Exercise 5 - Compound Objects of Prepositions. In a sentence such as "They played with
Bill and Bob," many students will place parentheses around "with Bill" and miss the compound
-- "with Bill and Bob." This exercise reminds students to watch for compounds.
Exercise 6 - Separated Objects of Prepositions. As students become more mature writers,
some of their prepositional phrases will have compound objects and the objects themselves will
be modified or otherwise elaborated. The result can separate the later complements from the
preposition. In analyzing these sentences, students can become confused. To make the analysis
clearer for them, I allow them to write in *ellipsed* prepositions. For example:
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I have worked {for Bonanza} {in both Lock Haven and Williamsport PA,}
{*for* Burger King} {in both Omaha NE and Williamsport PA}, {*for*
McDonalds} {in Birmingham AL}, {*for* Taco Bell} {in Winchester VA}, and
{*for* Papa John’s Pizza and Joey’s Six Pack and Deli} both {on Washington
Boulevard} {in Williamsport PA}.
Exercises 7 through 13 all focus on writing and logic.
Exercise 7 asks students to write sentences that include prepositional phrases with
compound objects.
Exercise 8 - Rewriting Adjectives as Prepositional Phrases - is, as its name suggests,
aimed at helping students improve their syntactic fluency.
Exercise 9 - Sentence-Combining and Prepositional Phrases - builds on the sentence-
combining that students did with adjectives and adverbs in KISS Level 1.3. To adults, these
exercises may seem simplistic, but a major complaint of many college professors is that students
write sentences in cement. They are, in other words, complaining that students never change,
never combine (or de-combine) a sentence once it has been written. These little steps in KISS
Level One are intended to accustom students to the very idea of revising what they have written.
Exercises 10 (a & b) - The Logic of Prepositional Phrases - introduce students to David
Hume’s three fundamental logical categories—identity, extension in time and space, and
cause/effect. Hume’s three categories underlie almost all of the KISS connections between
sentence structure and logic. (For more on this, see the essay on David Hume in the Background
Essays.) As the next exercise suggests, this material is also intended to help students write better.
Exercise 11 - Adding Prepositional Phrases of Time and Space - asks students to apply
some of what they learned from the preceding two exercises. Teachers often tell students to put
more details into their writing, but “details” is a very abstract concept. Much of what teachers are
looking for can be supplied by prepositional phrases that logically “identify” other words, or add
information about the time and place in which the students’ stories are set. Once students can
identify prepositional phrases and see what the phrases modify, the idea of adding “details” by
adding prepositional phrases is much more concrete. Logic can be a complicated question, but,
following Bruner's idea of a spiral curriculum, it can also be very simple.
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Exercise 12 a & b - Style - Left, Right, and Mid-Branching Phrases - shows students
how adverbial modifiers can easily be moved "left" (before the S/V pattern), "right" (after the
S/V pattern) or "mid" (between the subject and verb) to add variety to, and shift focus in,
sentences.
Exercise 13 - Style - Sentence Models for Writing with Style - are short selections that
use prepositional phrases in interesting ways. It will take some time to find additional exercises
for different grades, but consider the following from E. B. White's The Trumpet of the Swan:
Louis liked Boston the minute he saw it from the sky. Far beneath him was a
river. Near the river was a park. In the park was a lake. In the lake was an island.
On the shore was a dock. Tied to the dock was a boat shaped like a swan. The
place looked ideal. There was even a very fine hotel nearby.
Students are asked to analyze the passage and then try to write a similar passage on a topic of
their own. Note also that this passage is a beautiful example of parallel construction. The second,
third, fourth, fifth, and sixth sentences each begin with an adverbial prepositional phrase,
followed by the verb, which is followed by the subject.
Exercises 14 (a & b) - Passages for Analysis - help students to see that what they are
learning applies to real texts.
Exercise 15 - Write, Revise, Edit, Analyze -- Describing an Event is the same in each
grade level. Students are asked to write a description of an event, revise it (especially by adding
prepositional phrases), and then analyze their own writing.
Suggested Directions for Analytical Exercises:1. Place parentheses ( ) around each prepositional phrase. 2. Underline verbs twice, their subjects once, and label complements (“PA,” “PN,” “IO,” or “DO”).Probable Time Required:
For many students, this will require a lot of practice. In part, it depends upon how quickly they can learn to recognize the words that can function as prepositions, and how quickly they can learn, and learn to use, the directions for identifying prepositional phrases.
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Ex. 1 - Fill in the Blanks - Adapted from Introductory Lessons in English
Grammar
Various prepositions will work in these sentences.
1. Fishes live {in the water}. |
2. The house stood {behind a hill}. |
3. A boy {with a drum} stood {near me}. |
4. Wolves prowl about {during night}. |
5. The baby was sitting {between two chairs}. |
6. The boy was running {through the trees}. |
7. The camel is called (P) the ship (PN) [#1] {of the desert}. |
8. The clouds {above the hills} were beautiful (PA). |
9. We walked {along the beach} {in the evening}. |
10. A fine painting hung {on the wall} {above the piano}. | Note
1. Technically, this is a retained predicate noun after the passive “is called.” See KISS Level 5.7
- Passive Voice and Retained Complements.
Ex. 2a - Based on Introductory Lessons in English Grammar
1. The little girl {in the blue hat} [Adj. to "girl"] smiled {at her brother} [Adv. to "smiled"]. |
2. The earth is round (PA) {like a ball} [Adv. to the adjective "round"]. |
3. Time flies very swiftly {in the summer} [Adv. to "flies"]. |
4. George Washington was the father (PN) {of his country} [Adj. to "father"]. |
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5. The royal family rode {to church} [Adv. to "rode"] {in a beautiful carriage} [Adv. to
"rode"]. |
6. A beautiful vase fell {with a crash} [Adv. to "fell"] {to the floor} [Adv. to "fell"]. |
7. The flag {of the United States} [Adj. to "flag"] waved proudly aloft. |
8. Very early {in the morning} [#1] begin the songs {of the birds} [Adj. to "songs"]. | 9. {After breakfast} [Adv. to "started"] the traveler {from Arizona} [Adj. to "traveler"]
started {on his journey} [Adv. to "started"]. |
10. {Behind the clouds} [Adv. to "is shining"] the sun is still shining. | Note
1. This “in the morning” can be explained as adverbial to “early” (which is adverbial to
“begin”) or as directly adverbial to ‘begin.”
Ex. 2b - Based on Introductory Lessons in English Grammar
1. Our cabin {in the forest} [Adj. to "cabin"] has a chimney (DO) {of stone} [Adj. to
"chimney"]. | 2. {During the storm} [Adv. to "uprooted"], the force {of the torrent} [Adj. to "force"]
uprooted the trees (DO) {along the river’s bank} [#1]. | 3. The shadow {on the dial} [Adj. to "shadow"] marks quite correctly the hour (DO) {of
the day} [Adj. to "hour"]. | 4. The sun sent {through my window} [Adv. to "sent"] his morning rays (DO) {of light and
heat} [Adj. to "rays"]. |
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5. {On the bright May mornings} [Adv. to "were seen"], groups {of merry children} [Adj. to
"shadow"] were seen (P) {in the park} [Adv. to "were seen"]. |
6. The judge rode slowly {down the lane} [Adv. to "rode"]. |
7. She filled {for him} (IO) [#2] her small tin cup (DO). | 8. The students {of the college} [Adj. to "students"] often rowed {on the lake} [Adv. to
"rowed"]. | Notes
1. Some people will see “along the river’s bank” as explaining where the trees were uprooted,
and therefore consider the phrase as adverbial to “uprooted.” Others will see it as explaining
which trees were uprooted, and therefore see the phrase as adjectival to “trees.” Others will
see it as both.
2. Alternatively, “for him” could be seen as an adverb of purpose to “filled.”
Ex. 3 - Mama Skunk
Mama Skunk was worried (P) [Adv. to "was worried" because she could never
keep track (DO) {of her two children}]. | They were named (P) In (RPN) and Out
(RPN) [#1], | and [Adv. to "was" whenever In was in], Out was out; | and [Adv. to "was"
if Out was in], In was out. | One day [NuA] she called Out (DO) in {to her} and told him
(IO) to go out and bring In [#2] in. | So [#3] Out went out | and {in no time} {at all} he
brought In (DO) in. |
"Wonderful!" (DO) said Mama Skunk. | "How, {in all that great forest}, could
you find him (DO) {in so short a time}?" |
[DO [#4] "It was easy (PA),"] said Out. | "In stinct. [#5] " |
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Notes
1. Technically, these are retained predicate nouns after the passive "were named." [The active
voice version would be "She named them *to be* In and Out." For more on this, see KISS
Level 5.7 - Passive Voice and Retained Complements.] Here in KISS Level One, however, I
would expect students to label them simply as predicate nouns. If they follow the procedure,
they should ask, "They were named what?" The answer to that question is "In" and "Out."
And because "In" and "Out" are the same as (equal) "They," these complements would be
predicate nouns.
2. Expect students to be confused here. "To go" and "bring" are verbals (in this case, infinitives
that function as the direct object of "told"). Students will get to distinguishing finite verbs
from verbals in KISS Level 2.1.6, so here they are expected to make mistakes. ("In" is the
direct object of the verbal "to bring.")
3. Alternatively, "So" can be viewed as a coordinating conjunction. See KISS Level 3.2.2 - "So"
and "For" as Conjunctions.
4. KISS Level 3.2.3 - Interjection? Or Direct Object? gives an alternative explanation for this
clause structure.
5. The grammatical error here is, of course, essential to the joke.
Ex. 4 - Based on Child-Story Readers: Wonder Stories 3
1. The crane sends greetings (DO) {to Akka, the wild goose, and her flock} (IO or
Adv. to "sends"). | The crane sends Akka, the wild goose, and her flock greetings.
2. He gave a bag (DO) {of money} [Adj. to "bag"] {to the big man} (IO or Adv. to
"gave"). | He gave the big man a bag of money.
3. Often Tom caught flies (DO) and gave them (DO) {to the trout} (IO or Adv. to
"gave"). | This is the type of thing that linguists love to explore since most people would not consider “Tom gave the trout them” to be an acceptable sentence.
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4. A few days [NuA] later a king {from a far country} [Adj. to "king"] marched {upon the
city} [Adv. to "marched"] and sent a message (DO) {to its king} (IO or Adv. to
"sent"). | A few days latter a king from a far country marched upon the city and sent its king a
message.
5. Jagar paid no attention (DO) {to him} (IO or Adv. to "paid"). | Jagar paid him no attention.
6. The beautiful princess sent away all the people (DO), and then told the story (DO) {of
her life} [Adj. to "story"] {to the Prince} (IO or Adv. to "told"). | The beautiful princess sent away all the people, and then told the Prince the story of her life.
Ex. 5 - “He plays football on Saturdays”
1. He plays football (DO) {on Saturdays}, | but {on Wednesdays and Thursdays} he goes
{to the library}. |
2. Sam won't get that done [#1] {until Thursday or Friday}. |
3. Sarah plays {with Jane and Sallie}, not just {with Suzie}. |
4. Kelly bought a nice present (DO) {for her mother and father}. |
5. They like living (DO) [#2] {among their friends and relatives}, and not {among strangers}. |
6. Joe works hard {at home and school}. |
7. The kite flew {above the roofs and trees}. |
8. The settlers traveled {across rivers and mountains}. |
9. They received a letter (DO) {from their grandmother and grandfather}. |
10. Everyone had a turn (DO) {at bat} {except Kate and Carl} [#3]. |
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Notes
1. Constructions such at “that done” are rarely discussed in grammar textbooks. In KISS, it can
be analyzed in either of two ways. “that” can be considered the subject of a partially ellipsed
infinitive (“that *to be* done”) and the infinitive phrase can be explained as functioning as
the direct object of “won’t get.” The other option is to consider “that done” as a noun
absolute that functions as the direct object of “won’t get.”
2. “Living is a gerund (a verbal) that functions as the direct object of “like.”
3. “Except Kate and Carl” functions as an adjective to “Everyone.”
Ex. 6 - Notes for Teachers on Separated Objects of PrepositionsEx. 6 - Notes for Teachers on Separated Objects of Prepositions
One of the complexities of prepositional phrases involves separated objects. In analyzing
randomly selected texts, these complexities appear fairly rarely, and thus when students should
be introduced to them must be decided by teachers. These notes, therefore, are intended to help
teachers be aware of what is involved.
Let’s face it, humans are smart and economical. If something is understood, we don’t take
the trouble to spell it out. Consider the following sentence from Sherwood Anderson’s “The
Egg”:
The local freight train came in and the freight crew were fed.
It’s obvious that the train came “in” to the station, but the last part of the preposition and the rest
of the phrase are simply ellipsed. Students can deal with sentences such as this by considering
the preposition as part of the verb phrase or as an adverb, but it might be a good idea to spend a
little time discussing them in terms of ellipsis.
Sometimes two prepositional phrases are combined and the object of one can be considered
as ellipsed — “They walk {to and from school.}” I would not expect students to spell out the
ellipsis here — I note it simply because some people are temporarily confused by it. Note also
that phrases with compound objects can be considered in terms of the preposition and
conjunction being ellipsed — “They went to school and the playground” equals “They went to
school and to the playground.” Here again I would not expect students to discuss ellipsis, but
sometimes ellipsis can help students better see the relationships among words. This happens
when objects of compounded phrases are themselves modified—
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They went to school where they practiced for a play
and the playground where they played baseball.
In analyzing cases such as this, most students find it much clearer if they add an “ellipsed”
preposition—
They went {to school} [where they practiced for a play]
and {*to* the playground} [where they played baseball]. |
Confusion May Result from Separating Compound Objects of Prepositions
Separated objects of prepositions may confuse readers. Fortunately, the problem is rare, and
it probably appears most frequently in complicated texts. But one of the purposes of teaching
grammar is to help students navigate the sentence structure of such texts. The following example,
which is very complex, also illustrates the often associated problems of vocabulary and context.
Consider the function of the bold “and the proof” in the second sentence in following
passage from F. M. Cornford’s From Religion to Philosophy: A Study in the Origins of Western
Speculation (Dover Publications, 2004, 183):
The two theories make their appearance at the same time, and both alike belong to
the scientific tradition. Plato, who condemned both alike as atheistical and
immoral, devoted the argument of the Republic to the refutation of political
Atomism and the proof that the State is natural, and, if reconstructed on ideal
lines, might embody the same principle of Justice that rules through every part of
the cosmos.
Which preposition (“to” or “of”) governs the object “proof”?
The question is crucial because it makes the difference between two distinctly opposing
interpretations: “Plato devoted the Republic to the proof . . . .” or “Plato devoted the Republic to
the refutation of the proof. . . .” Obviously, Cornford, as he wrote the sentence, knew which he
meant. But readers, in addition to having to deal with the vocabulary, must also call on their
previous knowledge of the subject matter, and even then they may not be sure. Although I have
read a fair amount of and about Plato, I’m still only guessing when I say that Cornford probably
meant “and to the proof.” Had Cornford added the preposition, readers would not have to guess.
Two lessons can be drawn from this passage. First, in reading difficult texts, students should
always remember that their difficulties may not be their fault—the sentence structures may be
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ambiguous. Second, in writing, be careful that separated objects of prepositions don’t confuse
your readers. In case of doubt, insert the intended preposition before the compound objects.
As a final note, the sentence from Cornford is similar to what linguists call “garden path
sentences.” The origin of that label might be interesting to trace. For many people, “cul-de-sac”
might be more meaningful. The idea is that sentences are understood to lead us to a meaning—a
place. A “garden path” (cul-de-sac) leads, but to a dead end. Thus it forces readers to turn
around, go back, and look for a different way. Wikipedia.org, which gives a nice explanation of
them, includes the following example: “The old man the boat.” In garden paths, we initially read
the text other than the way intended by the writer. Thus, readers will tend to process “man” as
the subject. The result is that the sentence does not make sense. In our example, we must go back
and figure out that “man” is being used as a verb—“The old (people) man the boat.” Note that
the Cornford example is not really confusing in this way. Some people will interpret it as “to the
proof” and others may interpret it as “to the refutation of the proof” without ever sensing the
syntactic ambiguity.
Ex. 6 - From Pinocchio, The Tale of a Puppet, by C. Collodi
The objects of “with” are “face,” “mouth,” and “voice.”
*You* Picture {to yourself} a little man (DO) {with a small round face} {like an
orange}, {*with* a little mouth} [Adj. to "mouth" that was always laughing], and {*with* a
soft, caressing voice} {like a cat} [ [#1] when she is trying to insinuate herself [#2] {into the
good graces} {of the mistress} {of the house}]. | Notes
1. Alternatively, “like a cat” can be explained as an ellipsed adjectival clause—“like a cat *has* .
. . .” Ultimately, this explanation is preferable because the “when” clause is then clearly seen
as adverbial to the ellipsed “has.” Obviously, we should not expect students working at
KISS Level One to be able to explain this. Thus I would accept “like a cat” as a
prepositional phrase.
2. “Herself” is the direct object of the verbal (infinitive) “to insinuate.” The infinitive phrase is
the direct object of “is trying.”
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[Ex. 7 - Writing Sentences with Compound Objects of Prepositions]
Ex. 8 - From Pinocchio, The Tale of a Puppet (#1) by C. Collodi
1. The lightning flashes made it as light [#1] {as day}. | The flashes {of lightning} made it as light as day.
2. You need to earn a piece (DO) {of bread} honestly! | You need to earn a piece of bread {in an honest manner}!
3. {In every square}, canvas theaters had been erected (P). | In every square, theaters had been erected {from canvas}.
4. Pinocchio jumped {at once} {on the Pigeon's back}. | Pinocchio jumped at once {on the back} {of the Pigeon}.
5. The Fox began to laugh [#2] scornfully. | The Fox began to laugh {with scorn}.
6. A big cricket was crawling slowly {up the wall}. | A big cricket was crawling {in a slow manner} up the wall.
7. "My boy [DirA], that is a carpenter's work (PN)." | "My boy, that is the work {of a carpenter}."
8. The torrential rain came down. | The rain came down {in torrents}.
9. Poor Pinocchio was apparently more dead (PA) [ [#3] than alive (PA)]. | Poor Pinocchio was {in appearance} more dead than alive.
10. The soldier planted himself (DO) courageously {with his legs} apart [#4] {in the
middle} {of the road} . |
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{With courage}, the soldier planted himself with his legs apart in the middle of the
road.
Notes
1. “It” is the subject and “light” is a predicate adjective to an ellipsed infinitive—“it *to be*
light.” The infinitive phrase functions as the direct object of “made.” The phrase “as day”
can alternatively be explained as an ellipsed subordinate (adverbial) clause—“as day *is
light*.”
2. “To laugh” can be explained as a verbal (infinitive) that functions as the direct object of
“began,” but at this KISS Level I would also simply accept “began to learn” as the finite
verb.
3. “Than alive” is an ellipsed subordinate clause—“than *he was* alive” that functions as an
adverb to “more.” Expect most students to miss this until they get to KISS Level 3.2.1 -
Semi-Reduced and Other Ellipsed Clauses.
4. “Apart” is usually considered an adverb so to explain how it can modify “legs” we can see
“legs apart” as an ellipsed noun absolute—“legs *being* apart” that functions as the object
of the preposition “with.” See KISS Level 5.8 - Noun Absolutes.
Ex. 9 - Using Adjectives or Prepositional Phrases to Combine Sentences
[Skip?]
1. Sam had spent all his money for the book. It was a story book.
Sam had spent all his money for the story book.
Sam had spent all his money for the book of stories.
2. The old cat is asleep on the mat. The mat is by the door.
The old cat is asleep on the door mat.
The old cat is asleep on the mat by the door.
3. It is evening. Shadows steal across the sky.
Evening shadows steal across the sky.
Shadows of the evening steal across the sky.
4. He caught hold of the clothes. The clothes were Mr. Brown’s.
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He caught hold of Mr. Brown’s clothes.
He caught hold of the clothes of Mr. Brown.
5. A woman was standing at a table. She was of middle age.
A middle aged woman was standing at a table.
A woman of middle age was standing at a table.
6. In two of our trees there are boxes. They are for squirrels.
In two of our trees there are squirrel boxes.
In two of our trees there are boxes for squirrels.
Exercise 10 a & b - The Logic of Prepositional PhrasesExercise 10 a & b - The Logic of Prepositional Phrases
The teaching of logic is as troubled as is the teaching of grammar. Just like the pedagogy of
grammar, that of logic is mired in terminological questions. And, just as the linguists who
dominate the teaching of grammar love to “teach” advanced topics and to ignore the basics, so
do the professors of logic. But logic can be simple. This is somewhat illustrated by the
instructional material (below) on “What Prepositional Phrases Can Add to a Text.” This type of
instruction has long been included in grammar textbooks. For reasons explained in the
background essay (“An Introduction to Syntax and the Logic of David Hume”), KISS prefers
Hume’s three categories (identity, extension in time or space, and cause/effect) -- which are even
simpler than what is usually taught.
Ex. 10. a. - Adapted from Voyages in English
1. The kitten {with white fur} [Adj. to "kitten" - Which?] fell {into the muddy stream} [Adv.
to "fell" - Where?]. | 2. That book {about animals} [Adj. to "book" - What kind of?] is lying {on the table} [Adv.
to "is lying" - Where?]. | 3. The boys {in snowsuits} [Adj. to "boys" - Which?] coasted {down the steep hill} [Adv. to
"coasted" - Where?]. |
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4. The boy drank a glass (DO) {of milk} [Adj. to "glass" - What kind of?, Which?] {in a big
hurry} [Adv. to "drank" - How? How long?]. | 5. The ship {from Egypt} [Adj. to "ship" - Which?] arrived {in the morning} [Adv. to
"arrived" - When?]. | 6. A fish {with big fins} [Adj. to "fish" - What kind of?] plunged {beneath the waves} [Adv.
to "plunged" - Where?]. | 7. The squirrel scampered {down the tree} [Adv. to "scampered" - Where?] {in the park}
[Adj. to "tree" - Which?]. | 8. A large picture {by Raphael} [Adj. to "picture" - Which? What kind of?] hangs {on the
wall} [Adv. to "hangs" - Where?]. | 9. The men {near the river} [Adj. to "men" - Which?] heard the hum (DO) {of the motor}
[Adj. to "hum" - Which? What kind of?]. | 10. The man {from Virginia} [Adj. to "man" - Which?] was injured (P) {in a car accident}
[Adv. to "was injured" - Where? When? How?]. |
Ex. 10. b. - Adapted from Voyages in English
1. The explorers {of the West} [Adj. to "explorers" - Which?] often traveled {by canoe}
[Adv. to "traveled" - How?]. | 2. The children {from Germany} [Adj. to "children" - Which?] stayed here {for three
months} [Adv. to "stayed" - How long?]. | 3. A light {from a lamp} [Adj. to "light" - What kind of?] gleamed {through the window}
[Adv. to "gleamed" - Where?]. |
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4. The grass {in the back yard} [Adj. to "grass" - Which?] sparkles {with dew} [Adv. to
"sparkles" - How? Under what condition?]. | 5. The apple trees {on the golf course} [Adj. to "trees" - Which?] blossom {in the spring}
[Adv. to "blossom" - When?]. | 6. The early settlers {from Europe} [Adj. to "settlers" - Which?] lived {in crude homes}
[Adv. to "lived" - Where?]. | 7. {In Europe} [Adv. to "met" - Where?] , the Gundersons met a number (DO) {of
gypsies} [Adj. to "number" - What? What kind of?] . | 8. We passed a field (DO) {of snow-white daisies} [Adj. to "field" - What kind of?] {during
our walk} [Adv. to "passed" - When?]. | 9. The Pilgrims {from England} [Adj. to "Pilgrims" - Which?] landed {at Plymouth} [Adv.
to "landed" - Where?]. | 10. The wind {from the north} [Adj. to "wind" - Which?] echoed {through the forest} [Adv.
to "echoed" - Where?]. |
[Ex. 11 - Adding Prepositional Phrases of Time and Space]
Ex. 12. Notes for Teachers: The Branching of Adverbial Prepositional PhrasesEx. 12. Notes for Teachers: The Branching of Adverbial Prepositional Phrases
With these exercises, we are in the subjective area of style. One problem of many weak
writers is that they begin almost every sentence with the simple subject and verb. Some teachers
attempt to get students to vary their sentences by opening with a prepositional phrase. Typically,
the problem for the students is that they do not know what prepositional phrases are. In the KISS
Approach, of course, students have learned to identify prepositional phrases. As a result, these
exercises on variety should be much more successful.
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Like many things in life, this question can be either very simple or extremely complex. How
complex you want to make it is up to you and your students. You can, for example, ask students
to indicate just the type of branching in each of the indicated phrases in each sentence, or you
can have students subjectively rate the “normality” of the branching of each phrase, and then
have a class discuss this aspect of branching for emphasis.
The instructional material for students suggests that many things affect branching. Asking
students to rate and discuss the types of branching may lead the students to find some of these
causes. (It would probably be possible, given lots of time, to catalog a list of reasons for different
branching. But it is probably better to have students explore the question for themselves.)
In Level 1.5 on the KISS web site, you can find an analysis of the 35 adverbial phrases in
Flora J. Cooke’s version of “Philemon and Baucis.” Twenty-seven of the phrases branch to the
right; seven, to the left, and one is mid-branching. This analysis takes up a lot of space, so I have
decided not to include it in the printable books. That analysis, time-consuming as it was, misses
some obvious cases in which, for example, left-branching is normal:
For example, he wrote an excellent paper about fishing. [10]
In this sentence, mid-branching would also be almost normal:
He, for example, wrote an excellent paper about fishing. [10]
Right-branching is probably less effective in this sentence:
He wrote an excellent paper about fishing, for example. [5]
Phrases such as “for example,” or “in other words,” indicate the purpose of what follows, and
many writers use these phrases as transitions near the beginning of the sentence.
Mid-branching phrases are of particular interest for two reasons. First, be careful about
pushing weak writers to use mid-branching. Many weak writers, especially young ones, are still
developing the connection between subject and verb. Words that separate the two may be more
confusing than helpful.
Second, have older, more experienced writers seriously consider the effects of heavy mid-
branching. Both Joseph Williams and Richard Lanham, two well-respected writers on style,
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suggest that even experienced writers should not separate subjects from their verbs by inserting
long mid-branching modifiers.
Although it pertains more to subordinate clauses than it does to phrases, you may want to
have your students discuss another question. Francis Christensen, a well-known writer about
teaching grammar, advocated sentence-combining exercises that teach students to make their
sentences longer and more complex by right-branching. His argument was basically that right-
branching is the norm. But in Tough, Sweet, and Stuffy, Walker Gibson suggested that left-
branching implies a more organized mind. His argument is that in order to left branch, the writer
has to already have in mind what the branch is going to branch from. In other words, Gibson
suggested that right-branching can simply result from the writer’s tacking one idea after another.
Even though the following exercises focus on prepositional phrases (and students have not
yet even begun to study clauses), you may find this to be an interesting question for your
students. Consider, for example, the following sentence from “The Sheep and the Pig”:
One day a shepherd discovered a fat Pig in the meadow where his Sheep were pastured.
Even though your students have not studied clauses, when they attempt to left-branch “in the
meadow,” some students will probably move “where his Sheep were pastured” with it:
One day, in the meadow where his Sheep were pastured, a shepherd discovered a fat Pig.
Gibson’s argument is that one can easily write, “One day a shepherd discovered a fat Pig,” and
only then, before putting down the period, think about adding “in the meadow where his Sheep
were pastured.” But one really can’t write “One day, in a meadow where his sheep were
pastured” without already knowing what “in a meadow” will modify. Thus one must be able to
hold the whole sentence in mind as one begins to write it.
Note that the KISS position on this is that Gibson has an interesting idea, an idea that, in the
KISS Approach, students can explore and take their own positions on. (Christensen’s idea has
always bothered me because he basically forces a style on students without students even being
able to recognize subordinate clauses or consider options.)
As a final question, consider the mid-branching version of this sentence:
One day a shepherd, in the meadow where his Sheep were pastured, discovered a fat Pig.
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Is the mid-branching too long? At this point, all I can say is that it depends on the intended
readers. There is a fair amount of evidence that young readers will have trouble connecting the
subject to the verb. On the other end, most experienced readers will have no trouble with it.
Unfortunately, because of the confusion over grammatical terminology, little research has been
done on questions like this. But the questions are important because, as noted above, if we push
weak writers into writing sentences like this, we may just confuse them. Don’t fool with Mother
Nature.
[Ex. 12. a - Style—Left-, Right-, and Mid-Branching Prepositional Phrases]
[Skip?]
Ex. 12. b. My Porcelain Doll [Skip?]
Remember, there are no “right answers” here. The object of the assignment is to have the
students discuss their impressions of the effects of the different branching options. Ideally, it
will add a little left-branching to eliminate strings of sentences that begin with simple subject and
verb, but I would not push that. For primary school students, this is a very sophisticated exercise.
When it was my birthday and I was turning eight, I got a porcelain doll from my Grandma. (1)
R When it was my birthday and I was turning eight, I got a porcelain doll from my Grandma. 10
L When it was my birthday and I was turning eight, from my Grandma I got a porcelain doll. 8
M When it was my birthday and I was turning eight, I, from my Grandma, got a porcelain doll. 6
The left-branching not only adds variety to the style, it also emphasizes that the doll came from grandma as opposed to someone else. The mid-branching does that even more.
I hope I get to keep it for my whole life. (2)
R I hope I get to keep it for my whole life. 10L I hope for my whole life I get to keep it. 2M I hope I for my whole life get to keep it. 5
Here the left-branching causes confusion about what the phrase modifies—“hope,” or “get to keep it.” In speech, pausing and intonation would resolve that problem and simply make the phrase more emphatic. Mid-branching varies the style
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and makes the phrase slightly more emphatic.
That is how special it is to me. (3)
R That is how special it is to me. 10L To me, that is how special it is. 7M That is how special it to me is. 6
In this case, left-branching really has to be brought all the way to the front of the sentence. Doing so does make the “To me” more important. “That is how to me special it is” sounds like a non-native speaker. The mid-branching also puts more stress on “to me,” but to my ear it sounds awkward.
It is a ballet dancer. Her hair is braided. She has roses in her headband. (4)
R She has roses in her headband. 10L In her headband, she has roses. 9M She, in her headband, has roses . 5
The left-branching gives slight emphasis to the headband, but more than anything else, it adds variety to the overall style by decreasing the straight subject/verb openings of most of the sentences. In this case, the mid-branching emphasizes the headband, in part because it separates the subject from its verb.
Her skirt is pink. She has a rose on her white blouse. (5)
R She has a rose on her white blouse. 10L On her white blouse, she has a rose. 9M She, on her white blouse, has a rose. 5
These options are the same as in the preceding sentence. Note that another element of style could be added to this paper by left-branching this sentence and the fourth—“In her headband, she has roses. . . . On her white blouse, she has a rose.” This would make these two sentences parallel constructions.
Her ballet shoes are pink. She has blue eyes. Her hair is blondish brown. Her lips are rosy pink. Her skin is whitish peachish. She has a beautiful pink bow on the edge of her sleeves. (6)
R She has a beautiful pink bow on the edge of her sleeves. 10L On the edge of her sleeves, she has a beautiful pink bow. 9M She, on the edge of her sleeves, has a beautiful pink bow. 3
This one is also close to numbers four and five, but the embedded phrase modifying “edge” makes the “on the edge” phrase longer and even less likely to be mid-branched, especially by younger writers.
She makes beautiful music when you wind her up. She is the most beautiful thing I’ve ever had.
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Ex. 13 - Based on The Tale of Peter Rabbit, by Beatrix Potter [Skip?]
If you have read Peter Rabbit, you'll know that these sentences combine phrases from numerous different sentences. Indeed, it extends the concept of parallel prepositional phrases to the extreme, but it will probably both make a point plus evoke some smiles. Peter Rabbit ran straight {through the fields}, {into Mr. McGregor's garden} {to some
lettuces and some French beans}, then {to some radishes}, then, {for some parsley}, and next
{round the end} {of a cucumber frame} . | {In a fright}, he then rushed all {over the garden},
{past a white cat}, {towards the toolshed}, {underneath the bushes} {behind it} , up {on a
wheelbarrow}, down {to a straight walk} {behind some black-currant bushes} , {underneath the
gate}, {into the wood} {outside the garden} , and back {to his home} {in a sand-bank} ,
{underneath the root} [#1] {of a very big fir-tree} . | Note
1. The comma before “underneath” allows us to explain this phrase as an adjective to “sand-
bank” and/or as as adverb to “back,” which is an adverb that modifies “rushed.”
Ex. 14. a. - “The Sea,” by Richard Henry Stoddard
{Through the night}, {through the night},
{In the saddest unrest},
Wrapped [#1] {in white}, all {in white},
{With her babe} {on her breast} ,
Walks the mother so pale [#2],
Staring [#1] out {on the gale},
{Through the night}! | {Through the night}, {through the night},
[Adv. to "Stands" or Adj. to "night" Where the sea lifts the wreck (DO)],
Land [#3] {in sight}, close {in sight},
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{On the surf-flooded deck},
Stands the father so brave [#2],
Driving [#1] on {to his grave}
{Through the night}! | Notes
1. At KISS Level Four, students will learn that “Wrapped” and later “Staring” are gerundives that modify “mother.” Similarly, later in the poem, “Driving” is a gerundive that modifies “father.”
2. There is probably no harm done if students simply consider “pale” as an adjective to “mother,” and, later, “brave” as an adjective to “father.” At KISS Level Five these would be explained as post-positioned adjectives, derived from “who is so pale” and “who is so brave.”
3. “Land in sight” is, of course, a sailors’ call. Technically, it means “Land is in sight,” and the “in sight” functions as a predicate adjective. Here the best explanation is probably to say that the phrase based on “Land” functions as a Noun Used as an Adverb in relation to “Stands.” Note that the two lines before it can be explained as adverbial to “Stands,” as can the line after it. Thus the “Land in sight” would tend to fall into the adverbial pattern.
Ex. 14. b. - From “Mrs. Redwing's Speckled Eggs” [Skip?]
And [Adv. to "were" if they teased Johnny Chuck (DO)] they were good (PA)
{to him} [#1], too. | [Adv. to "would dance" When they saw Farmer Brown coming [#8]
{across the Green Meadows} [#2] {with a gun} [#3] ] one {of them} [#4] would dance over {to
Johnny Chuck} [#5] and whisper {to him} [#6] [DO that Farmer Brown was coming], | and then Johnny Chuck would hide away, deep down {in his snug little house} {under
ground} [#7], | and Farmer Brown would wonder and wonder [DO why it was [PN
that he never, never could get near enough to shoot Johnny Chuck [#9] ]]. | But he never,
never could. | Notes
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1. It is interesting that grammar textbooks rarely, if ever, get into the question of what
prepositional phrases, in real texts, modify. In this case, I would accept both “adverbial to
‘good’” and “adverbial to ‘were’” as explanations. See “Alternative Explanations.”
2. Adverb to “coming.”
3. Adverb to “coming.”
4. Adjective to “one.”
5. Adverb to “would dance.” I would also accept “over to” as the preposition here.
6. Adverb to “whisper.” Note that it could also be explained as the indirect object of “whisper.”
7. The first phrase is adverbial to “would hide.” The second phrase can be explained either as an
adjective to “house,” and thus embedded in the first phrase, or it can be explained as an
adverb to “would hide.”
8. At KISS Level Four “coming” would be explained as a gerundive that modifies the direct
object “Farmer Brown.” At KISS Level Five, some people may prefer to see “Farmer Brown
coming” as the core of a noun absolute that functions as the direct object of “saw.”
9. “Johnny Chuck” is the direct object of the verbal (infinitive) “to shoot.” The infinitive phrase
functions as an adverb to “enough” which functions as an adverb to “near.”
[Ex. 15 - Write, Revise, Edit, and Analyze (Describing an Event)] [Skip?]
KISS Level 1. 6. Case, Number, and TenseKISS Level 1. 6. Case, Number, and Tense
Notes for Teachers
Although KISS is primarily focused on syntax (how words relate to each other to create
meaning), students should have a basic understanding of case (nominative, possessive,
objective), number (singular vs. plural) and tense (past, present, future). This section of KISS
Level One focuses on explanations and exercises on these questions. The instruction is important
because students will need them for two reasons—to learn to avoid errors, and to be able to
follow directions.
Some of the errors are usage errors—“Billy and me went fishing.” In this instance, “me,” an
objective case pronoun is used where a nominative case (“I”) is the standard. Ironically, some
students may make this error because they have been taught not to use “I.” They have been so
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taught because students are not generally well taught about grammatical “person.” “Person”
refers almost exclusively to personal pronouns. (See the instructional material, below.) Students
should know what grammatical “person” means because in some college courses, such as civil
engineering or human services, they will be instructed not to use “first person” in their papers.
Students have reported having to rewrite papers, or even, in some cases, losing a letter grade on
papers because they were told not to use—“first person.” Not knowing what that means, they
used it, and suffered.
“Tense” can become a maze of grammatical categories -- see, for example, the conjugation
of the verb “discover.” The major practical problem for some students, however, is that they
“shift” tenses—from past to present, etc., and teachers mark this as a “tense shift.” Once students
realize what the teachers mean, they do not have much trouble learning to fix (or better, avoid)
the error, but that means that they need to know the differences among “past,” “present,” and
“future” tenses. Instead of teaching this to future teachers, some idiotic “professors” teach
students that there is no future tense. (They claim this because unlike past and present tenses, the
future tense always requires a helping verb. The instruction, however, does not help students in
some courses where they may be directed to use future tense in some assignments.)
In addition to “tense shifts,” some students have problems with “pronoun shifts.” This
means that they shift from “I,” to “you,” to “he” without reason. Here again, the question is
primarily one of understanding the grammatical terms. Once they do, they usually can see and
understand any problems.
The Exercises in KISS Level 1.6Exercise # 1 - The Antecedents of Pronouns
Once students can identify pronouns, they can begin to understand the question of
antecedents. Note that the instructional material points out that some “antecedents” come after
their pronouns, and that some pronouns do not have antecedents.
Exercise # 2 - The Antecedents of Pronouns - Fill-in-the-Blanks
This is a simple practice exercise.
Exercise # 3 - Pronouns as Subjects in Multi - S/V/C Sentences
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This exercise focuses on pronouns such as “who,” “which” and “that” that can also function
as subordinating conjunctions. In a sentence such as “They saw the mouse that ate the cheese,”
some students will find the verb “ate,” ask “Who or what ate?” and conclude that the subject is
“mouse.” Students should have been taught that neither the complement of a verb nor the object
of a preposition can function as the subject of a verb, but some students will forget. Thus this
exercise gives them practice on identifying “who,” “which,” and “that” as subjects.
Exercise # 4 - Pronouns—Person, Number, and Case
This exercise focuses on the personal pronouns and adds the concept of “case.” Different
grammar books use different terms for the cases, and some grammar books claim that there are
more than three. KISS uses the terms “nominative,” “possessive,” and “objective.” Exercise 4a
consists of ten sentences—in an attempt to include as many different pronouns as possible.
Exercise 4b consists of a short text—to show how the antecedents of many pronouns appear in
previous sentences.
Exercise # 5 - Pronouns: The Gender Question
This exercise addresses the problem of using masculine or feminine pronouns in sentences
such as “Everyone should bring his/her book.” It is a question of usage rather than syntax, but
students should be made aware of the question.
Exercise # 6 (a & b) - Writing Sentences with Personal Pronouns
In these two exercises, students are asked to write sentences using various personal
pronouns, and then to label the person, number, and case of each pronoun.
Exercise #7a - Pronouns as Predicate Nouns
Pronouns as predicate nouns raise questions of usage and sometimes of meaning. This
exercise focuses on “SAE” (Standard American English) that students are expected to use in
formal writing.
Exercise # 7b * - Pronouns as Predicate Nouns (Choose)
This exercise, the same in every grade level, is like those “(who/whom)” exercises that
many of us had to do in school—and some students may still have to do. The difference is that in
KISS students should already have learned to identify subjects and complements. Thus they will
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be able to understand why direct objects, for example, are in objective case. The exercise also
includes some sentences in which either objective or nominative case can be used.
Exercise # 7c *- Pronouns as Predicate Nouns—A Research Project
Students are invited to use the sentences in exercise # 7b as a survey, asking a number of
other people to make the choices. The students can then discuss the results and explore a
difference between formal and informal styles.
Exercise # 8a - Identifying Tenses
This is the first KISS exercise on identifying past, present, and future tenses.
Exercise # 8b - Changing to a Different Tense
For practice, students are given a short passage (or several sentences) in one tense, and they
are asked to rewrite the sentences in the two other tenses.
Exercise # 9 - Person, Number, Case, and Tense reviews the primary concepts covered in this
section.
Ex. 1. From At the Back of the North Wind, by George Macdonald
1. {For a fortnight}, Diamond went on driving [#1] his cab (DO) and helping his family
(DO). | Some people began to know him [#2] and to look for him [#3] to drive them [#4]
[Adv. to "to drive" where they wanted to go [#5] ]. | One old gentleman [Adj. to
"gentleman" who lived {near the stables}] hired him (DO) to carry him [#6] {into the city}
every morning [NuA] {at a certain hour}. | In the first sentence, the antecedent of “his” and “his” is “Diamond.”
In the second sentence, the antecedent of “him” and “him” is “Diamond,” and the antecedent
of “them” and “they” is “people.”
In the third sentence, the antecedent of “who” is “gentleman,” the antecedent of the first
“him” is “Diamond,” and the antecedent of the second “him” is “gentleman.”
2. [Adv. to "to came" As Diamond wandered about], he came to stand [#7] {by the little
door} [Adj. to "door" which opened {upon the lawn} {of the house} next door [#8] ]. | That
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made him remember [#9] [DO how the wind had driven him (DO) {to this same spot}
{on the night} {of his dream} ]. | In the first sentence, the antecedent of “he” is “Diamond,” and the antecedent of
“which” is “door.”
In the second sentence, the antecedent of “That” is the clause that begins with “he” and
ends with “door.” The antecedent of “him,” “him,” and “his” is “Diamond.”
3. It was a long time (PN) [Adv. to "was" since Diamond had seen North Wind
(DO) or even thought much {about her}]. | Now [#10] , [Adv. to "to was thinking" as his
father drove along], he was thinking not [#11] {about her} but {about the crossing sweeper}.
| He was wondering [DO what made him feel [#12] [Adv. (condition) to "feel" as if he
knew her (DO) quite well] [Adv. (condition) to "made" when he could not remember
anything (DO) {of her}]]. | But a picture arose {in his mind} {of a little girl} running [#13]
{before the wind}, and dragging her broom [#13] {after her}. | {From that}, he recalled the
whole adventure (DO) {of the night} [Adj. to "night" when he had gone out {with North
Wind} and made her put him [#14] down {in a London street}]. | In the first sentence, the antecedent of “her” is “North Wind.”
In the second sentence, the antecedent of “his” and “he” is “Diamond.” The antecedent
of “her” is “North Wind.”
In the third sentence, the antecedent of “He,” “him,” “he,” and “he” is “Diamond.” The
antecedent of “her” and “her” is “North Wind.”
In the fourth sentence, the antecedent of “his” is “Diamond,” and the antecedent of
“her” and “her” is “North Wind.”
In the fifth sentence, the antecedent of “that” is “picture,” and the antecedent of “he,”
“he,” and “him” is “Diamond.” The antecedent of “her” is “North Wind.”
Notes
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1. “Went on driving” can be explained in a number of ways, one of which is to consider the
entire phrase the entire finite verb. This perspective views “went on” as meaning
“continued.” From the same perspective, “went on” can be seen as the finite verb and
“driving” can be seen as a verbal (gerund) that functions as the direct object of “went on.”
Another view is to see “driving” as a verbal (gerund) that functions as a Noun Used as an
Adverb. See KISS Level 4 - Verbals (Gerunds, Gerundives, & Infinitives). The same applies
to “helping.”
2. “Him” is the direct object of the verbal (infinitive) “to know.” The infinitive phrase functions
as the direct object of “began,” but at this KISS Level, I would simply accept “began to
know” as the verb phrase. (See KISS Level 2.1.6 - Distinguishing Finite Verbs from
Verbals.)
3. “For him” can be explained as an adverbial prepositional phrase to the verbal (infinitive) “to
look,” or “to look for” can be viewed as a phrasal verb with “him” as its direct object. (See
KISS Level 2.1.5 - Phrasal Verbs (Preposition? Or Part of the Verb?) The infinitive phrase
functions in the same way that “to know” does.
4. “Them” is the direct object of the verbal (infinitive) “to drive.” The infinitive phrase functions
as an adverb of purpose to “to look for.”
5. The verbal (infinitive) “to go” functions as the direct object of “wanted.”
6. “Him” is the direct object of the verbal (infinitive) “to carry.” The infinitive phrase functions
as an adverb (of purpose) to “hired.”
7. The verbal (infinitive) “to stand” functions as an adverb of result to “came.” (At this KISS
Level, I would simply accept “came to stand” as the finite verb phrase.
8. “Next door” clearly describes the house. The easiest way to explain it is as a Noun Used as an
Adverb in an ellipsed adjectival clause—“...house *which was* next door.”
9. “Him” is the subject of the verbal (infinitive) “remember.” The infinitive phrase functions as
the direct object of “made.”
10. Some grammarians will see this “Now” as an adverb; others will consider it an interjection.
11. This “not modifies the following prepositional phrase.
12. “Him” is the subject of the verbal (infinitive) “feel.” This infinitive phrase is the direct object
of “made.”
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13. “Running” and “dragging” are verbals (gerundives) that modify “girl.” When they get to
KISS Level 5.8 - Noun Absolutes, many students will probably prefer to see “girl running . .
. and dragging” as a noun absolute that functions as the object of the preposition “of.”
“Broom” is the direct object of “dragging.”
14. “Her” is the subject and “him” is the direct object of the verbal (infinitive) “put.” The
infinitive phrase functions as the direct object of “made.”
Ex. 2. From At the Back of the North Wind, by George Macdonald
The original text is:
1. Diamond ran after the little girl and caught hold of her frock but it tore in his hand. Then he ran fast enough to get in front of her and turning around, caught her in his arms. Just then, he thought he got a glimpse of North Wind turning the corner in front of them. They must go with her of course, and sure enough, when they turned the corner after her, they found it quite quiet there.
2. At last, Diamond gave a great sigh and said, “I am so tired!” He did not hear the gentle echo which answered from far away over his head. For at that moment, he came against the lowest of a few steps that stretched across the church, and fell down and hurt his arm. He cried a little at first, and then crawled up the steps on his hands and knees. At the top, he came to a little bit of carpet on which he lay down.
Analysis Key
1. Diamond ran {after the little girl} and caught hold (DO) {of her frock} | but it tore
{in his hand}. | Then he ran fast enough to get [#1] {in front} {of her} and turning [#2]
around, caught her (DO) {in his arms}. | Just then, he thought [DO he got a glimpse
(DO) {of North Wind} turning the corner [#3] {in front} {of them}]. | They must go {with
her} {of course} [#4], | and sure enough, [Adv. to "found" when they turned the corner
(DO) {after her}], they found it quite quiet [#5] there. |
2. {At last}, Diamond gave a great sigh (DO) and said, [DO "I am so tired (PA)!"] | He did not hear the gentle echo (DO) [Adj. to "echo" which answered {from far away}
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{over his head}]. | For [#6] {at that moment}, he came {against the lowest} {of a few steps}
[Adj. to "steps" that stretched {across the church}], and fell down and hurt his arm
(DO). | He cried a little [NuA # 7] {at first}, and then crawled {up the steps} {on his hands and
knees}. | {At the top}, he came {to a little bit} {of carpet} [Adj. to "carpet" {on which} he
lay down]. |
Notes
1. The verbal (infinitive) “to get” functions as an adverb of purpose to “enough.”
2. The verbal (gerundive) “turning” functions as an adjective to “he.”
3. “Corner” is the direct object of “turning.” “Turning” can be explained as a verbal (gerundive)
that modifies “North Wind.” At KISS Level 5.8 - Noun Absolutes, many students may
prefer to see “North Wind turning” as the core of a noun absolute that functions as the object
of the preposition. Note that the “in front” phrase can also be explained as an adverb
(Where?) to “turning.”
4. Some people will see “of course” functioning as an adverb, and others will see it as an
interjection.
5. “It” is the subject of and “quiet” is a predicate adjective after an ellipsed verbal (infinitive) “to
be.” The infinitive phrase functions as the direct object of “found.” See “ellipsed infinitives”
in KISS Level 4 - Verbals (Gerunds, Gerundives, & Infinitives).
6. See KISS Level 3.2.2 - “So” and “For” as Conjunctions.
7. If you do not want to consider “little” a noun that functions as an adverb, consider it an
adjective to an ellipsed noun, “bit.”
Ex. 3. From Pinocchio, The Tale of a Puppet, by C. Collodi
This is a very challenging exercise for third graders, so if they do well, be sure to praise them for
it.
1. His nose, [Adj. to "nose" which was already long (PA)], became longer (PA) {by {at
least} three inches}. |
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2. [Adv. to "occurred" When Pinocchio came {into the little puppet theater}], an incident
occurred [Adj. to "incident" that almost produced a revolution (DO)]. |
3. It is only fathers (PN) [Adj. to "fathers" who are capable (PA) {of such sacrifices}]! | 4. Geppetto lived {in a small ground-floor room} [Adj. to "room" that was only lighted (P)
{from the staircase}]. | 5. "Now *you* keep your promise (DO) and drink these few drops (DO) {of water},
[Adj. to "drops" which will restore you (DO) {to health}]." | 6. Geppetto, [Adj. to "Geppetto" who {from all this jumbled account} had only
understood one thing (DO), [Adj. to "thing" which was [PN that the puppet was
dying {of hunger}]], drew {from his pocket} three pears (DO). | 7. Pinocchio, [Adj. to "Pinocchio" who was {in a fever} {of curiosity} ], lost all control
(DO) {of himself}. | 8. The Fairy allowed the puppet to cry [#1] {for a good half-hour} {over his nose}, [Adj. to
"nose" which could no longer pass {through the door} {of the room} ]. |
9. {At the end} {of the room} there [#2] was a fireplace (PN) {with a lighted fire}; | but the
fire was painted (P), | and {by the fire} was a painted saucepan [Adj. to "saucepan"
that was boiling cheerfully and sending out a cloud (DO) {of smoke} [Adj. to
"cloud" and/or "smoke" that looked exactly {like real smoke}]]. | 10. Geppetto, [Adj. to "Geppetto" who was poor (PA)] and [Adj. to "Geppetto" who
had not so much {as a penny} {in his pocket}], then made him (IO) a little dress (DO)
{of flowered paper}, a pair (DO) {of shoes} {from the bark} {of a tree } , and a cap
(DO) {of the crumb} {of bread} . |
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Notes
1. Expect students to have problems here. “Puppet” is the subject of the verbal (infinitive) “to
cry.” The infinitive phrase is the direct object of “allowed.”
2. For alternative explanations of “there,” see KISS Level 2.1.3 - Expletives (Optional).
Ex. 4.a. Ten Sentences adapted from Wonderwings, by Edith Howes
Person Number Case Antecedent1. She third singular nominative Wonderwings
2. they third plural nominative Wonderwings & fairy
3. I first singular nominative Poppypink4. she third singular nominative Poppypink5. her third singular possessive She6. its third singular possessive hair7. My first singular possessive U8. me first singular objective U9. yours second plural possessive & objective [#1] U10. mine first singular possessive & objective [#1] U11. these third plural objective [#2]
12. herself third singular objective She13. them third plural objective armfuls [#3]
14. her third singular objective child15. them third plural objective sunbeams16. who third plural nominative the little ones17. she third singular nominative daughter18. it third singular objective [#4]
19. its third singular objective water and/or pool
20. them third plural objective cascades [#5]
Notes1. Out of context, the antecedent of “yours” is unknown. Note that, unlike the possessive “your,”
the possessive pronoun “yours” functions as a noun. In this case, it is the object of the
preposition “like.”
2. “These” functions as a pronoun, the object of the preposition “than.” One could easily argue
that its antecedent is “lands,” since without that “lands” one would not know that the “these”
means “these lands.”
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3. These “armfuls” are, of course, of “sunbeams.”
4. Note how the typical textbook explanations are not comprehensive. The antecedent of this “it”
is the idea that she should have a kingdom too.
5. Here again, the antecedent is technically ambiguous. It could be “cascades,” but some readers
may easily perceive it to be the “diamonds” and “pearls.”
Ex. 4.b. Grandfather Skeeter Hawk’s Story
You might want to point out how quotation marks are used in this story. Once Gran’pa
begins his story, it is in “double quotes,” but when his story goes from paragraph to paragraph,
there is an opening double quotation mark at the beginning of the next paragraph, but no mark at
the end of the preceding paragraph. In addition, the story illustrates how quotations within
quotations are in ‘single quotes.’ This is seen in the words of the catfish, etc.
Person Number Case1. them third plural objective2. we first plural nominative3. us first plural objective4. they third plural nominative5. it third singular nominative6. he third singular nominative7. them third plural objective8. You second plural nominative9. themselves third plural objective10. I first singular nominative11. who - [#1] singular nominative12. me first singular objective13. him third singular objective14. they third plural nominative15. you second plural nominative16. us first plural objective17. we first plural nominative18. they third plural nominative19. them third plural objective20. who - [#1] singular nominative
Note
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1. “Who” is not a personal pronoun.
Ex. 5 - Pronouns: The Gender Question
This is a question of political, not grammatical correctness. In general, the answers below
are the politically correct ones. Different books will give you different rules for handling this
problem. In Children’s Writing and Reading, Katharine Perera claimed that using the plural
pronoun with a singular antecedent “is probably the preferred solution, although it means using
plural pronouns to refer to a singular [antecedent].” According to her:
Aware of this gap in the pronoun system, the Equal Opportunities Commission
commissioned Dr. David Firnberg to create a new pronoun. He has suggested two
possibilities: ist, ist, ists; and hey, hem, heir, heirs, e.g.:
. . . If anyone has lost heir ticket hey should report to a stewardess
who will do her best to help hem.
Despite the clear need for such an item, there is no sign of its being adopted.
(Basil Blackwell, 1984, 38-39)
You might enjoy sharing this information with your students. As for her own book, Perera notes,
“Whenever possible I have avoided the issue by using a plural noun and they. Sometimes,
however, a singular form is essential. On these occasions, I have adopted the convention of
referring to teachers as she and the pupil as he—naturally, this should not be taken to mean that
male teachers and female pupils are discounted.” (14)
1. Nobody cleaned his desk (DO) neatly enough. | Nobody cleaned their desk neatly enough.
or: Nobody cleaned her or his desk neatly enough.
or: Nobody cleaned his or her desk neatly enough.
2. Who believes [DO his story is really good (PA)]? | Who believes his or her story is really good?
or: Who believes their story is really good?
3. Someone dropped his paper (DO) {on the sidewalk}. |
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Someone dropped a paper on the sidewalk.
or: Someone dropped their paper on the sidewalk.
or: Someone dropped her or his paper on the sidewalk.
4. Will anyone show me (IO) his map (DO)? | Will anyone show me a map?
or: Will anyone show me their map?
or: Will anyone show his or her map?
5. Can anybody let me use his ruler [#1] ? | Can anybody let me use their ruler?
or: Can anybody let me use her or his ruler?
or: Can anybody let me use a ruler?
6. Everybody can make up [#2] her own rules (DO). | Everybody can make up rules.
or: Everybody can make up their own rules.
or: People can make up their own rules.
or: Everybody can make up his or her own rules.
7. Neither Sally nor Bob understands his job (DO). | Neither Sally nor Bob understands their jobs.
or: Neither Sally nor Bob understands her or his job.
8. Every student will read his own story (DO) {to the class}. | Students will read their own story to the class.
or: Every student will read their own story to the class.
or: Every student will read their own story to the class.
or: Every student will read her or his own story to the class.
9. A person should mind his manners (DO). | People should mind their manners.
or: A person should mind his manners.
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10. Neither Bill nor Sarah finished his homework (DO). | Bill and Sarah did not finish their homework.
or: Neither Bill nor Sarah finished their homework.
or: Neither Bill nor Sarah finished his or her homework.
Notes
1. “Me” is the subject, and “ruler” is the direct object of the verbal (infinitive) “let.” The
infinitive phrase functions as the direct object of “let.”
2. “Can make up” is a phrasal verb (meaning “can invent”). See KISS Level 2.1.5 - Phrasal
Verbs (Preposition? Or Part of the Verb?).
[Ex. 6.a. A Recipe Roster] [Skip?]
[Ex. 6.b. Personal Pronouns (Recipe Roster)] [Skip?]
[Ex. 7.a. Pronouns as Predicate Nouns--Adapted from Voyages in English]
Ex. 7.b. Pronouns as Predicate Nouns Adapted from The New College Grammar]
1. It is we (PN). |
2. Wasn't it they (PN)? |
3. {Between you and me}, this plan will not work. |
4. Is it I (PN) [ [#1] that you addressed], or he (PN)? |
5. It must be you (PN) or they (PN) [ [#1] that I saw]. |
6. They took us to be them [#2] . |
7. Was it we (PN) [ [#1] you desired to see [#3] ], or she (PN)? |
8. They may not permit you and us to vote [#4]. |
9. Are you as old (PA) as (he or him) [#5] ? |
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10. She likes this story (DO) as well as ( I or me) [#6]. |
11. She likes the flower (DO) better than (I or me) [#6]. |
12. Would you not like to be she [#7] ? | Notes
1. This clause can be described as an adjective to “it” or as a delayed subject (to “it”). See KISS
Level 5.6 - Delayed Subjects and Sentences. It may be interesting to note that many
grammarians would argue that “that” should, in formal grammar, be “whom” here because it
refers to a person, not a thing. I have left it as I found it. In casual, idiomatic English, of
course, we usually use “that.”
2. “Us” is the subject of, and “them” is a predicate noun after the verbal (infinitive) “to be.”
Because the subject of the infinitive is in the objective case, so is the predicate noun. The
infinitive phrase functions as the direct object of “took.”
3. The verbal (infinitive) “to see” functions as the direct object of “desired.” Note that if a
subordinating conjunction were used within this clause, it would be in the objective case
because it would be the direct object of “to see” -- “Was it we *whom* you desired to see,
or she?”
4. “You” and “us” are subjects of the infinitive “to vote,” and subjects of infinitives are in
objective case -- “We asked him to go with us.” The infinitive phrase is the direct object of
“may permit.”
5. Prescriptive grammarians claim that this should be “as he,” because they see it as an ellipsed
subordinate clause -- “as he *is old*.” Common usage, however, often treats this as a
prepositional phrase -- “as him.” In either case, the “as” construction modifies the first “as.”
(See also Note 6.)
6. In this sentence, the choice of “I” or “me” affects meaning: “She likes the story as well as I
*like the story*” or “She likes the story as well as *she likes* me.” The latter would be
somewhat strange. A better example is one for which I have been criticized, but one which
came from a student -- “No one can train a horse better than (I or me).” In this case, the
“me,” which is what the student wrote, makes sense, but was probably not what the student
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meant. Hence our need to teach this distinction. Note how in sentence # 7, both options
make sense, but they have very different meanings.
7. “She” is a predicate noun after the infinitive “to be.” But unlike sentence # 6, in this case the
antecedent of “she” is the subject (“you”) of the finite verb. Thus this predicate noun is in
the nominative case.
[Ex. 7.c. Pronouns as Predicate Nouns - * A Research Project] [Skip?]
[Ex. 8.a. Identifying Tenses]
Ex. 8.b. Changing Tenses—“The Clever Hen”
Note: If the students are already very comfortable with the analysis of passages such as this one, I would skip the analysis and simply have the students rewrite the text in the present and then in the future tense.
I had a little hen (DO), the prettiest ever seen [#1], |
She washed me (IO) the dishes (DO) and kept the house clean [#2]; |
She went {to the mill} to fetch me some flour [#3], |
She brought it (DO) home [NuA] {in less} {than an hour} ; |
She baked me (IO) my bread (DO), | she brewed me (IO) my ale (DO), |
She sat {by the fire} and told many a fine tale (DO). |
Present Tense:
I have a little hen, the prettiest ever seen, She washes me the dishes and keeps the house clean; She goes to the mill to fetch me some flour, She brings it home in less than an hour; She bakes me my bread, she brews me my ale, She sits by the fire and tells many a fine tale.
Future Tense:
I will have a little hen, the prettiest ever seen, She will wash me the dishes and keep the house clean;
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She will go to the mill to fetch me some flour, She will bring it home in less than an hour; She will bake me my bread, she will brew me my ale, She will sit by the fire and tell many a fine tale.
Notes1. “The prettiest” is an appositive to “hen,” in effect, a reduction of the subordinate clause “who
was the prettiest.” “Seen” is a post-positioned adjective to “the prettiest.” In effect it is also reduction of a subordinate clause—“who was ever seen.”
2. Expect students to be confused. The KISS explanation of this is that “house” is the subject, and “clean” is a predicate adjective, to an ellipsed infinitive “to be.”
3. “Me” in the indirect, and “flour” is the direct object of the infinitive (of purpose) “to fetch.” The infinitive is adverbial to “went.”
Ex. 9. From At the Back of the North Wind, by George Macdonald
1. The tulips were closed [past] for the night but the wind was waving [past] them [3rd, plural, obj. - “tulips”] slightly.
2. “Will you [2nd, sing., nom. - unknown] take [future] your [2nd, sing., possessive. - “you”] head out of the bed-clothes?” said [past] the voice a little angrily.
3. You [2nd, sing., nom. - unknown] see [present], the north wind will blow [future] right in my [1st, sing, possessive - unknown] face.
4. Diamond heard [past] a low, soft murmuring as if the lovely figures were talking [past] to themselves [3rd, plural, obj.. - “figures”] about him [3rd, sing., obj.. - “Diamond”].
5. “Yes, yes!” cried [past] Diamond, as he [3rd, sing., nom. - “Diamond”] stretched [past] out his [3rd, sing., possessive. - “Diamond”] arms toward her [3rd, sing., obj.. -unknown]. “Yes, I [1st, sing, nom - “Diamond”] will go [future] with you [2nd, sing., obj. - “North Wind”], dear North Wind. I [1st, sing, nom - “Diamond”] am [present] not a bit afraid. I [1st, sing, nom - “Diamond”] will go [future]! But,” he [3rd, sing., nom. - “Diamond”] added [past], “how shall I [1st, sing, nom - “Diamond”] get [future] my [1st, sing., possessive. - “Diamond”] clothes? They [1st, plural, nom - “clothes”] are [present] in mother’s room and the door is locked [present].”
Analysis Key
1. The tulips were closed (P) {for the night} | but the wind was waving them (DO)
slightly. | 2. [DO "Will you take your head (DO) {out of the bed-clothes}?"] said the voice a little
[NuA] angrily. |
3. [ [#1] You see], the north wind will blow right [#2] {in my face}. |
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4. Diamond heard a low, soft murmuring (DO) [Adj. to "murmuring" as if the lovely
figures were talking {to themselves} {about him}]. | 5. "Yes, yes!" (DO) cried Diamond, [Adv. to "cried" as he stretched out his arms
(DO) {toward her}]. | "Yes, I will go {with you}, dear North Wind [DirA]. | I am not a
bit [NuA] afraid (PA). | I will go! | But," [ [#3] he added], "how shall I get my clothes
(DO)? | They are {in mother's room} | and the door is locked (PA) [#4]." | Notes
1. “You see” could be considered the main subject and verb, but it can also be seen as a
subordinate clause that functions as an interjection. See KISS Level 3.2.3 - Interjection? Or
Direct Object?
2. The adverb “right” (directly) modifies the following prepositional phrase.
3. KISS explains this clause as an interjection. See KISS Level 3.2.3 - Interjection? Or Direct
Object?
4. Alternatively, “is locked” can be described as a passive verb. See “Predicate Adjective or
Passive Verb?” in KISS Level 1.2. - Adding Complements (“PA,” “PN,” “IO,” “DO”).
KISS Level 1. 7. Punctuation and CapitalizationKISS Level 1. 7. Punctuation and Capitalization
Notes for Teachers
There is much more difficulty in pointing, than people are generally aware of.
—In effect, there is scarce any thing in the province of the grammarians so little
fixed and ascertained as this. The rules usually laid down are impertinent, dark,
and defective; and the practice, at present, perfectly capricious, authors varying
not only from one another, but from themselves, too. . . .-- Ephraim Chambers [Quoted by Joseph M. Williams at the beginning of Chapter Ten (on punctuation) in Style: Ten Lessons in Clarity & Grace. Scott, Foresman and Company, 1981. p. 184.]
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When it comes to writing, punctuation (especially commas) probably worries many good
writers more than anything else. We need to realize, however, that the “rules” of punctuation are
not essentially about etiquette -- although too many people think they are. The rules are about
helping the reader understand what words go with what other words in a sentence. Put
differently, punctuation lets readers understand which words chunk to which other words.
(Remember the KISS Psycholinguistic Model.) In speech, this is easily handled by intonation
and pauses. Readers do not have access to intonation and pauses, and written sentences are often
longer and more complex than are spoken sentences. As Chambers (above) observed, many
textbooks present “impertinent, dark, and defective” rules. They do so in part because many
people want the “rules,” so that is what textbooks give them. But rules without context are often
meaningless.
The rules in most textbooks are often meaningless because they focus almost exclusively on
the simple, easily understood rules. Most students easily and quickly learn to begin a sentence
with a capital letter, to use capital letters for the names of specific people and places, to use
commas in a sentence, and even to use quotation marks to set off the words spoken by someone.
Apostrophes give many students problems, but those problems probably result from the fact that
most textbooks do not teach students how to identify adjectives and subjects and verbs.
(Possessive nouns always function as adjectives; contractions almost always contract some part
of a subject/verb pattern.) These simple rules are what KISS Level 1.7 is primarily about. In
essence, it is a basic introduction.
In the KISS sequence, the most important instruction about punctuation appears as part of
the study of specific constructions. For example, the punctuation of main clauses (a major
problem for some students) is a focus of KISS Level 3.1. There the exercises go beyond what
you will find in most textbooks because KISS first teaches students how to identify main clauses,
and then shows them how punctuation (including semicolons, colons, and dashes) can be used to
suggest the logical relationships between those clauses. The use of the comma for restrictive and
non-restrictive punctuation is introduced in KISS Level 3.1.2 -- Subordinate Clauses. Similarly,
the various ways in which appositives can be set off is a focus of KISS Level 5.4. (Note that in
the on-line books, punctuation exercises have a yellow background.)
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The primary KISS punctuation exercises are in the “Practice/Application” sections. There
you will find exercises based on short passages from which the punctuation and capitalization
have been stripped. Students are asked to “fix” hem, and then to compare their versions with the
original. Also indexed in Level 6.1 are exercises about “Bending and Breaking the Rules.”
(Exercise Nine is this book is an example; most of these exercises are indexed in KISS Level
6.1)
An Overview of the Exercises in KISS Level 1.7
Note: Most of the exercises in KISS Level 1.7 either include, or can be
adapted to include, analytical directions (prepositional phrases and S/V/C
patterns). These can, of course, be ignored, or the students can follow them to
improve their analytical ability. Most of the analysis keys include a complete
analysis of all the sentences.
Exercise # 1 is a study in the importance of Punctuation. Students are given a passage to
punctuate. After doing it, the class should discuss how the punctuation affects the meaning of the
passage. These are not easy to do, but that is the point--punctuation clarifies meaning.
Exercise # 2 presents students will relatively simple sentences that lack final punctuation
marks. Students are asked to use a period, exclamation point, or question mark to complete the
punctuation.
Exercise # 3 addresses the use of capital letters.
Exercise # 4 explores the use of commas in a series.
Exercise # 5 focuses on the use of commas in addresses and dates.
Exercise # 6 addresses the use of apostrophes to show possession.
Exercise # 7 addresses the use of apostrophes in contractions.
Exercise # 8 asks students to identify the words that were said by placing them in quotation
marks “ ”.
Exercise # 9 is an introduction to most of the punctuation exercises that students will meet
in later KISS Levels, especially in the Practice/Application booklets. As noted above, students
are given a short passage from which the punctuation and capitalization have been “lost.” They
are asked to fix it. These exercises are most effective if students discuss their “fixes” with their
classmates.
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Exercise # 10 invites students to make an exercise like the one above. Students can then do
one another’s exercise and discuss the results.
Ex. 1 - Elizabeth, Eliza, Betsy, and Bess
Elizabeth, Eliza, Betsy, and Bess,
All [#1] went together to seek a bird's nest [#2]. |
They found a bird's nest (DO) {with five eggs} {in it}. |
They all took one (DO), and left four (DO) {in it}. |
Notes
1. At this KISS Level, the easiest way to explain “All” is simply as an adjective to the four
preceding names. It can also be explained as an appositive to those names, but there is no
reason to distract students at this level with discussions of appositives.
2. “Nest” is the direct object of the infinitive “to seek.” The infinitive functions as an adverb (of
purpose) to “went.”
Notes on Punctuation
The periods, of course, end sentences. The first three commas in the first line separate items
in a series. The comma after “Bess” is optional, but in the poem it effectively ends the line and
separates the specific names from the generalizing “all.” The comma after “one” in the last line
is optional, and I would expect many students not to insert it. Note that it does have a function in
terms of maintaining the metrical rhythm -- It ensures a mid-line break in the middle of the last
line, comparable to the breaks in the preceding two lines. The apostrophe in “bird’s,” of course,
indicates possession.
Ex. 2 - Punctuating Sentences
Note that where one uses an exclamation point as opposed to a period is sometimes just a
matter of intended tone and emphasis. Thus some of the periods below could be exclamation
points, and some exclamation points could be periods.
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1. Does your son attend school (DO) regularly? |
2. *You* [#1] Always study your lessons (DO) carefully. |
3. There [#2] is no finer sport (PN) {than skating} [#3] ! |
4. May John be excused (P) {from the room}? |
5. *You* [#1] Do not be discouraged (P) {by failure}! |
6. Are you always obedient (PA) {to your teacher}? |
7. Fairy stories are very pleasant reading (PN) [#4]. |
8. *You* [#1] Come along {to the woods} {for nuts}. |
9. Did he fall {into the river}? |
10. *You* [#1] Do not go {with John}! |
11. Spring is the most pleasant season (PN). |
12. Will you not go {with us} tomorrow? |
13. The teacher sent a letter (DO) {to your father} (IO) [#5]. |
14. There [#2] are many lions (PN) found [#6] {in Africa}. |
15. *You* [#1] Do not be afraid (PA) {of the wind and storm}. | Notes
1. Expect some students to be confused by this—Understood “You” is the focus of KISS Level
2.1.1.
2. For an alternative explanation, see KISS Level 2.1.3 - Expletives (Optional).
3. “Skating” is a verbal, a verb that, in this case, functions as a noun. For more on verbals, see
KISS Level 4 - Verbals (Gerunds, Gerundives, & Infinitives).
4. Grammarians would have a number of explanations for “reading.” I would simply accept it as
a predicate noun from those students who see it this way. Perhaps a more consistent
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explanation would be to see is as an adjective to an ellipsed “materials,” thereby making
“materials” the predicate noun.
5. Alternatively, “to your father” can be viewed as an adverb.
6. “Found” is a verbal (gerundive) that functions as an adjective to “lions.”
Ex. 3 - Capitalization
1. My cousin Herbert [#1] lives {in Providence, Rhode Island} [#2]. |
2. I have just read Mrs. Piggle-Wiggle (DO) {by Betty MacDonald}. |
3. Mr. Thomas J. McDonnell visited Washington, D. C. (DO) |
4. Gen. U. S. Grant was born (P) April 27, 1822 [#3] . |
5. {On Tuesday,} I went {to Independence Hall}. | 6. The three largest cities {of the United States} are New York (PN), Chicago (PN), and
Philadelphia (PN). | [#4]
7. Samuel F. B. Morse was born (P) {in Charlestown, Massachusetts}. |
8. Anne said, [DO "I have never seen the Lincoln Memorial (DO)."] |
9. Mother [DirA], this is my friend (PN), Joan Walsh [#5]. |
10. Capt. Lawrence fought {in the War} {of 1812} . | Notes
1. In cases like this, some grammarians consider “cousin” to be the subject and “Herbert” to be an appositive to “cousin.” Other grammarians, when they discuss it, view “Herbert” as the subject and “cousin” as an adjective that describes “Herbert.” As usual in KISS, when grammarians disagree, either explanation is acceptable.
2. In place names that include city and state (or country), KISS, for the sake of simplicity, considers them a single unit. The alternative requires additional explanation through ellipsis. In this case, “Providence, *which is in* Rhode Island.” That explanation is always the same, so it seems silly to require students to make it every time.
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3. When there is no preposition (“on”) in dates like this, they can be explained as Nouns Used as Adverbs. As with cities and states, KISS considers the dates as a unit instead of always having to explain an ellipsed “in” or “of”-- April 27 *in* 1822.
4. You might want to have your students check the accuracy of this statement. 5. “Joan Walsh” is an appositive to “friend.”
Ex. 4 - Commas in a Series
1. Spinach, lettuce, and cabbage are leafy vegetables (PN). |
2. Trunks, bags, and boxes were piled (P) {in the hallway}. |
3. Longfellow, Whittier, and Lowell were American poets (PN). |
4. {Beside the house} stood a blind man, a little girl, and a dog. |
5. Heat, darkness, and silence made the night insufferable [#1]. |
6. The man was tired (PA), weak (PA), and sick (PA). |
7. The princess was beloved (P) {by men, women, and children}. |
8. China exports rice (DO), tea (DO), and silk (DO). |
9. The cargo consists {of iron ore, coal, and lumber}. |
10. The Panama Canal saves time (DO), money (DO), and distance (DO). | Notes
1. Until they get to ellipsed infinitives, expect students to mark “night” as the direct object. Many of them, however, will naturally feel that “insufferable” goes with it (as it does). The KISS explanation here is that “insufferable” is a predicate adjective after an ellipsed infinitive, the subject of which is “night” -- “night *to be* insufferable.” This infinitive construction functions as the direct object of “made.”
Ex. 5 - Commas in Addresses and Dates
1. {In April, 1917,} we entered the World War (DO). |
2. The itinerary includes San Francisco, California (DO) [#1]. |
3. They live {at 1415 Park Avenue, Washington D. C.} |
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4. He left our school (DO) {on May 27, 1934} [#2]. |
5. Savannah, Georgia, is a great market (PN) {for naval stores} [#3]. | 6. We left the United States (DO) {on Sunday June 17, 1933} [#4] , [#5] and returned {on
Thursday October 25, 1934}. |
7. What happened {on April 17, 1775}? |
8. November 11, 1918 was the first Armistice Day (PN). | 9. [Adv. to "was" If I was born (P) {on November 17, 1919},] how old (PA) was I {on
November 17, 1934}? |
10. It was {on Thanksgiving Day, Thursday, November 29, 1934}. | Notes
1. If we wanted to get technical, we could explain the later parts of an address as reduced subordinate clauses -- “San Francisco, *which is in* California.” Such technicality, however, is probably not worth the trouble.
2. As in Note 1, a technical explanation here might assume an ellipsed preposition -- “in (or) of 1934.)
3. Some people will see “for naval stores” as an adverb (of purpose) to “is.” 4. In cases like this, we could consider the date (June 17, 1933) as an appositive to “Sunday.” 5. Some writers would include this comma, and some would not. Grammarians will probably
disagree about its function -- does it close the date, or does it separate the two finite verb phrases?
[Ex. 6 - Apostrophes to Show Possession, based on Jemima Puddle-Duck]
Ex. 7 - Apostrophes in Contractions, Based on The Pie and the Patty-Pan
1. Ribby isn’t there. | Ribby is not there.
2. I can’t find it (DO) anywhere. | I can not find it anywhere.
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3. It’s a party (PN). | It is a party.
4. I’ve brought you (IO) some flowers (DO). | I have brought you some flowers.
5. Oh [Inj], I didn’t put one (DO) in, my dear Duchess [DirA]. | Oh, I did not put one in, my dear Duchess.
6. There isn’t a patty-pan (PN). | There is not a patty-pan.
7. It’s a pie (PN) {of the most delicate and tender mouse} {with bacon}. | It is a pie of the most delicate and tender mouse with bacon.
Ex. 8 - Quotation Marks
1. [DO "*You* Don't give up the ship,"] said Captain Lawrence. | [#1]
2. [DO "We have a new flag (DO) {for our school},"] said Mary Alice. | [#1]
3. " [DO *You* Wait {for us},"] called James, | [#1] "and we shall go {with you}." |
4. Mother whispered, [DO "The baby is asleep."] |
5. "Yes," (DO) replied the general. |
6. "Gold," [ [#1] said the teacher,] "was discovered (P) {in California} {in 1848}." |
7. [DO " *You* "Try it (DO) again,"] coaxed the boy. | [#1]
8. "Your books," [ [#1] remarked the girl,] "are {in the briefcase}." |
9. Benjamin Franklin said, [DO "A word {to the wise} is sufficient (PA)."] |
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10. [DO " *You* "Please deliver this package (DO) today,"] requested the customer.
| Note
1. Alternatively, the “don’t give up” clause can be considered the main clause, and the “said”
clause can be explained as an interjection. See KISS Level 3.2.3 - Interjection? Or Direct
Object?
Ex. 9 - Replacing Punctuation & Capitalization, “The First Woodpecker”
[Adv. to "was" When that cake was baked (P),] it was larger (PA) than [#1] the first
one. | "It is so large (PA) [Adv. (of result) to "so" that I will keep it (DO) {for a feast),]"
[Inj [#2] she thought]. | So she said {to her guest}, [DO "I will not give you (IO) this
cake (DO)], but [DO (of "said") [Adv. to "will make" if you will wait], I will make you
(IO) another one (DO).]" | "I will wait," [Inj [#2] said the Great Spirit again]. | Notes
1. “Than the first one” can be explained either as a prepositional phrase, or as an ellipsed
subordinate clause—“than the first one *was large*.” See Sliding Constructions.
2. See the discussion of subordinate clauses as direct objects or interjections.
[Ex. 10 - Creating an Exercise] [Skip?]
KISS Level 1.8. - Vocabulary and LogicKISS Level 1.8. - Vocabulary and Logic
Notes for Teachers
KISS primarily focuses on sentence structure, but its objective is primarily to improve
students’ thinking and writing skills. To reach these objectives, words, and particularly the logic
of words, cannot be ignored. You’ll note that many of these exercises are also (or will be)
included in the “Practice/Application” booklets.
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The first exercise in each sequence is on “Abstract and Concrete” words. As the “Notes
for Teachers” suggests, this distinction is very important, but it does not need to be spread out in
a sequence in the same way that instruction in sentence structure does. The exercise in Level 1.8
is very simple, but more complex exercises are included in the “Practice/Application” sections of
the workbooks. Essentially, these exercises can be identical across grade levels, so I have
included them all here. (Remember that the assumption is that your students will be doing one
KISS Level per year. It is certainly a good idea to have them do at least one exercise on abstract
and concrete words every year that they are in school.)
The second exercise explores the commonly taught distinction between “common” and
“proper” nouns. This is a subset of the abstract/concrete continuum. Here again, when they deal
with them, most textbooks treat these two categories as a separate topic that includes two distinct
boxes. But all “common” are nouns abstract. And “proper” nouns are at the extreme “concrete”
end of the abstract/concrete continuum -- they name one specific thing. But many “common”
nouns can also denote one specific thing. For example, “dog” is generally considered a common
noun, but in the sentence “The little dog barked noisily,” “dog” clearly refers to one specific dog.
Ultimately, the distinction between “common” and “proper” is clear if we define “proper” as
names that are typically capitalized, and “common” as nouns that are not usually capitalized. But
in context, common nouns, like proper nouns, can refer to one specific thing.
The next two exercises, on “Synonyms and Antonyms,” are primarily important for
vocabulary, but they too have logical implications. Not only can things be somewhat defined by
their opposites, but thinking about those opposites begins to raise meaningful questions. In my
Freshman literature classes, my students are asked to think about the works we read in terms of
literary “conflicts.” These conflicts are usually stated as antonyms -- “youth/age,” “good/evil.”
But such antonyms bring us back to abstract/concrete questions: What, more precisely, does
“youth” mean in this story? Or what does “evil” mean in Hawthorne’s “Young Goodman
Brown”? For those who are not so philosophically or religiously oriented, however, this section
simply improves one’s vocabulary. Particularly interesting may be the several exercises based on
“Tom Swifties.” They offer very useable (and some absolutely ridiculous) alternatives for “said.”
The fifth exercise asks students to fill in blanks with interesting words. Originally this
was intended to be limited to verbs, but it has been expanded to include adjectives, adverbs, and
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nouns. The blanks indicate which part of speech should be inserted, so this exercise can also
reinforce those concepts. Coming after the exercises on synonyms and antonyms, it may also
provide further exploration of these two concepts, especially if students can share their versions
with their classmates. (Students are not expected to guess the original words, but rather to make
interesting sentences of their own.) The directions also ask students to identify the prepositional
phrases and S/V/C patterns, but tell students to ignore these -- unless you feel that your students
need more practice.
Exercises seven, eight and nine are on “Word Families -- prefixes, suffixes, and roots.”
Where to put these within the KISS framework is a problem. KISS is primarily concerned with
syntax, the part of grammar that concerns sentence structure. Word families, on the other hand,
are the subject of two other areas of linguistics -- phonology and morphology --the studies of the
sound structures and intra-word meaning units of language. Whereas the primary KISS premise
is that students need to master basic sentence constructions before they can understand more
complicated ones, the study of word families needs no such sequential structure. Prefixes,
suffixes, and roots can be studied in any sequence, in dozens of different ways.
Why, then, are word-families included in the KISS sequence? For one, vocabulary is
important. But from the KISS perspective even more important is that word families teach
students how to change words from one part of speech to another. Consider, for example, the
difference between:
My explanation is different from yours.
My explanation differs from yours.
The first sentence has a weak verb. In the second, the predicate adjective has been changed into
the verb. Simply put, a bigger vocabulary and the ability to manipulate words have a major affect
on students’ ability to manipulate sentence structure.
That still leaves the problem of fitting word-families into the KISS sequence. In essence,
KISS offers these exercises primarily as a reminder of their importance. Level 1.8 includes
eleven exercises on suffixes, one on prefixes, and one on roots. There are eleven exercises on
suffixes because suffixes change the functions of words, for example from verb (“create”) to
noun (“creation”). As a result, suffixes help students recognize the part of speech of many words.
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The eleven exercises present students with various suffixes that create nouns, adjectives, verbs,
and adverbs.
The “Practice/Application” booklets each include three exercises on suffixes, prefixes, and
roots. After students do KISS Level 1.8, the KISS booklets thus provide students with only three
exercises a year. They should probably do many more than that. There are, I should note, many
other web sites that include instructional material and exercises on this topic. And, if you are
interested, I have included my original (adapted) version of the exercises from Sadlier. [See the
web version of this document for the link..]
For now, most of the exercises are used across all grade levels. This will probably pose a
vocabulary problem for third and fourth graders, so these exercises may be revised in the future.
Currently, I need to get back to the basic KISS exercises.
The last exercise on “The Logical Patterns of the Parts of Speech” is Lewis Carroll’s
famous “Jabberwocky.” This classic selection is Exercise # 8 in Practice/Application for Level 2
for each complete grade-level book.
Abstract and Concrete WordsAbstract and Concrete Words
The difference between abstract and concrete words is a matter of semantics (meaning)
rather than syntax (sentence structure). But the difference has major implications for the structure
of students’ sentences. For example, some of the KISS exercises on abstract and concrete words
ask students to replace a single, relatively abstract word with several more concrete words. In
effect, this requires replacing, for example, a single complement with several compounded ones:
In his workshop, Mr. James has many tools.
In his workshop, Mr. James has, among other things,
hammers, chisels, and saws.
As the instructional material for students suggests, the second version is much more
concrete, but it is also much easier to develop—the writer can go on to discuss the various types
of hammers, chisels, and saws, perhaps even including their various purposes.
I foresee a problem here—the instructional material is included starting in grade three, and
I’m not sure that most third graders will be able to understand it. This may be a major problem
that I am currently unable to address. I’m assuming that teachers will adapt it to fit their own
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students, or just skip it. Indeed, most of the exercises in Level 1.8 can probably be done without
the instructional material. For example, they just give students a list of words and ask the
students to put those words into more abstract groups that have already been listed for the
students—“animals,” “food,” “birds,” “people,” etc.
A few words about terminology and purpose may be helpful here. I have seen numerous
instructional material that explains both “abstract/concrete” and then, as a seemingly separate
distinction, “general/specific.” In many cases, but not always, the two distinctions come close to
what I refer to as the “two perspectives.” The problem with that is that any abstraction is a
generalization, and any generalization is an abstraction. Thus, one meaningful distinction is
presented as two different ones. In addition, the materials that I have seen appear to be dead-end
definitions. The distinction is made, and exercise (or two) is done, and then the question is
dropped.
To be honest, it is also more or less dropped in the KISS workbooks. I think that you fill find
at least some connections. Consider, for example, the exercises in Level 3.1 on the punctuation
and logic of compound main clauses. The implication of the instructional material is that colons
or dashes are used when the first main clause makes an abstract (general) statement and the
second main clause is a more concrete (specific) version of the first.
The conclusion to draw is this: Never trust a dog!
The abstract word “conclusion” is here clarified by the concrete “Never trust a dog!”
And there is the exercise on writing a “general to specific paragraph” based on “Why The
Hoofs of The Deer Are Split” from The Book of Nature Myths by Florence Holbrook:
Directions: 1. Place parentheses ( ) around each prepositional phrase.2. Underline verbs twice, their subjects once, and label complements (“PA,” “PN,”
“IO,” or “DO”).3. Place a vertical line after each main clause.
Everything is good and happy. The green leaves are whispering merrily
together, the waves are lapping on the shore and laughing, the squirrels are
chattering and laying up their food for winter.
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Note that the second sentence has three main clauses, each of which gives a
specific example of the idea in the first sentence. Write two sentences. In the first, state
a general idea. In the second, use compound main clauses to give specific examples of
the idea in the first sentence.
Because the abstract/concrete distinction is not usually needed for an understanding of
sentence structure, I have included most of the exercises about it in the “Practice/Application”
books. For now, these exercises are almost always the same for every grade level, but you will
probably be able to adapt them if you want to use them more than once. (If I live long enough, I
plan on extending the KISS site to include much more about the teaching of writing, and there
you will find the abstract/concrete distinction to be emphasized much more than it is here.)
Ex. 1 - Adapted from Child-Story Readers: Wonder Stories [Skip?]
Possible Responses
Concrete Concrete Concrete Concrete Abstract1. evening morning picnic afternoon times (of day)2. hundred nineteen bushes thousand numbers3. bacon bread cookies basket foods4. pan dipper dish needle kitchenware5. bluebird sunfish robin owl birds6. vest pants block cap clothes7. May June Niels April months8. Chicago New Orleans France Miami cities9. silk cotton water wool fabrics10. pine fir oak speed trees11. birds stones animals plants living things12. silver gold house steel metals13. autumn summer winter journey seasons14. checkers swimming dominoes chess games
15. hills mountains moon valleys geographical features
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[Ex. 2 - Common and Proper Nouns] [Skip?]
[Ex. 3 - Synonyms] [Skip?]
[Ex. 4 - Antonyms] [Skip?]
Ex. 5 - Fill in the Blanks with Interesting Words [Skip?]
1. The hungry dog ate the raw meat (DO). |
2. I crept noiselessly {out of bed}. |
3. The tiny brown mouse slowly nibbled the stale cheese (DO). |
4. The little girl went quietly {around the new barn}. |
5. Joe's old shaggy dog ran suddenly {into the empty room}. |
6. Silently, we looked {at the tall purple mountains}. |
7. The tired pony trotted slowly {along the winding road}. |
8. The excited traveller happily departed {on his dangerous trip}. |
9. The new teacher permitted the pupils (DO) [#1] to enter the classroom. |
10. John leaped bravely {from the moving train} and dashed {into his father's arms}. | Note
1. At this point in their work, I would expect most students to label “pupils” as the direct object
of the verb. Later they will learn that “pupils” is the subject of the verbal (infinitive) “to
enter,” the direct object of which is “classroom.” The infinitive phrase functions as the
direct object of “permitted.”
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Ex. 6 - The Logic of Words and Phrases [Notes for Teachers] [Skip?]
This type of exercise should be excellent for third graders as an introduction to basic logic.
KISS is based on a fundamental concept from the logic of David Hume. He claims that every
logical relationship falls into one of three categories – identity, extension (in time or space), or
cause/effect. How these categories relate to the study of sentence structure is developed in much
more detail in the upper grades, but here we might simply note that “Who? and “What?” are
questions of identity. “When?” and “Where?” are questions of extension in time and space.
Hume was assuming an Aristotelian concept of cause in which the manner in which something
was done (“How?”) was considered one of several causes for what was done.
The directions in the assignment are straight from the original, but you might want to
modify them. First, this could be a good small group exercise. Assign each group one (not two)
of the headings, but have at least five groups so that each heading is covered. Then have the
groups report their results to the class.
You might also want to have the students identify the typical grammatical functions of the
“groups” of words in their lists. For example, “an Indian squaw” is a noun phrase, “along the
street” is a prepositional phrase, and “suddenly” is an adverb. (The subordinate clause “when
snowflakes fall” will probably confuse them.) When they finish, don’t forget to point out that the
words and phrases in the “Who” and “What” lists tend to be nouns, whereas those in the
“When,” “Where,” and “How” lists tend to be adverbs or prepositional phrases. Gently stress the
importance of including “when,” “where,” and “how” words in their own writing.
Although this exercise does not directly address this, you might want to have students look
(treasure hunt) for sentences that include both “where” and “when” words or phrases. They are
fairly common in narratives – “In the park on Sunday, we played baseball.” (In the 1980’s there
was a push to get students to increase the length of their sentences by having them do sentence-
combining exercises. Sentence-combining can be problematic, in part because the content in
exercises is often meaningless. Adding prepositional phrases of place and time almost tripled the
length of “we played baseball.”)
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[Ex. 7 - Suffixes] [Skip?]
[Ex. 8 - Prefixes] [Skip?]
[Ex. 9 - Roots] [Skip?]
AppendixAppendix
In addition to explaining the codes and colors used in the analysis keys, this key is also
called “The KISS Grammar Toolbox.” It presents, in very brief form, all the essential concepts
that students will need to learn in order to explain, and thus intelligently discuss, how any word,
in any English sentence, functions within that sentence.
The KISS Grammar Toolbox
With the exception of passive voice (which is required to understand retained complements),
this list includes all the concepts and constructions that students need in order to explain the
function of any word in any sentence. In effect, it is the KISS Toolbox. The following colors and
codes are used throughout the analysis keys in the KISS Workbooks.
Two KISS Concepts
Compounding – Coordinating Conjunctions
Whereas most grammar texts explain compounding in multiple places (compound subjects;
compound verbs, compound clauses, etc.) KISS treats compounding as a concept. Any identical
parts of speech (such as adjective and adjective) or any construction can be compounded, usually
by using "and," "or," or "but"). Once students can be expected to identify the constructions that
are being joined, the conjunctions are coded orange.
Ellipsis – The Omission of Understood Words
The analysis keys indicate words that are ellipsed by placing them between asterisks –
*You* close the door.
KISS Levels One and Two
Subjects and finite verbs are underlined, with subjects colored green and finite verbs blue.
(Html does not allow for double underlining of finite verbs.) Complements are in brown and
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labeled: PN (Predicate Noun); PA (Predicate Adjective); IO (Indirect Object); and DO (Direct
Object). A (P) after a finite verb indicates that it is in passive voice.
Adjectives and Adverbs are not always identified, but when they are, adjectives are in green
and adverbs in blue. In some of the upper level keys, adjectives and adverbs are identified simply
by being in smaller type to show how much of the text students can already be expected to
analyze. Sometimes they are not colored because the result is a confusion of colors. Likewise,
once students have some experience identifying prepositional phrases, I do not usually ask them
to draw arrows from simply adjectives and adverbs to the words they modify. Doing so often
results in a confusion of lines on the students' papers.
Prepositional Phrases are identified {by braces}. The words in adjectival phrases are in
green; adverbial; phrases are in blue because we are more interested in the functions of phrases
than in the functions of individual words. Embedded phrases and the phrases they are embedded
in are underlined when the directions specifically call for identifying the embeddings.
KISS Level Three
Subordinate clauses are identified (P) {by brackets}. The function {of the clause} follows
the opening bracket (DO). Subordinate conjunctions [Adj. to "conjunctions" that have no other
function (DO)] are {in bold red}. A vertical line "|" identifies the end (DO) {of each main
clause}. | KISS Level Four
The functions of verbals (gerunds, gerundives, and infinitives) are explained in notes.
KISS Level Five
All these constructions are identified by bracketed, superscript links that lead to the basic
instructional material about them.
Expletives (It and There) [Exp] Noun Used as an Adverb [NuA] Interjection [Inj] Direct Address [DirA] Appositive [App] Delayed Subject [DS] Post-Positioned Adjective [PPA] Retained Complements [RDO], [RPN], [RPA] Noun Absolute [NAbs]
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If additional explanation is needed, links are included in notes at the bottom of the page.
Using the KISS Analysis Keys
Originally, there were analysis keys for each KISS level for each KISS exercise. They used
a lot of paper so they have been replaced by one key, a key in which every word in every
sentence is explained. My assumption is that parents and teachers will usually know which
words students should be expected to explain. In many cases, the keys include notes about this.
But this can be confusing for teachers who are not themselves comfortable with KISS
terminology. Consider a couple of examples.
An exercise in KISS Level 1.5 (Adding Prepositional Phrases) includes the sentence:
The corn which had been sowed in the field over the field-mouse's home grew up high
into the air, and made a thick forest for the poor little girl, who was only an inch high.
The first thing we should note is that this is a very sophisticated sentence for a grammar
textbook. The directions for this exercise are:
1. Place parentheses ( ) around each prepositional phrase.
2. Underline verbs twice, their subjects once, and label complements (“PA,” “PN,” “IO,”
or “DO”).
In the analysis key, you will find it analyzed as:
The corn [Adj. to "corn" which had been sowed (P) {in the field} {over the field-
mouse's home}] grew up high {into the air}, and made a thick forest (DO) {for the
poor little girl}, [Adj. to "girl" who was only an inch [NuA] high (PA).] |Based on the directions, you should expect the students to analyze the following:
The corn which had been sowed {in the field} {over the field-mouse's home}
grew up high {into the air}, and made a thick forest (DO) {for the poor little
girl}, who was only an inch high (PA).
In other words, you can ignore the rest of the analysis. It is there as information for parents and
teachers who want to know how to analyze every word. You are, of course, always welcome to
ask questions on the KISS Grammar List or the Yahoo Grammar Group about sentences in
exercises (or any other sentences).
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Creating Directions for Your Students
The directions for KISS analytical exercises are in the Master Books for each level and also
in the exercises in the workbooks. Don’t forget, however, that you can adapt these directions to
suit the needs of your own students. The only things I would suggest is that once students get to
prepositional phrases, the following basic sequence should usually be used. (Numbers 3 and 4, of
course, would be added in KISS Level 3.)
1. Place parentheses ( ) around each prepositional phrase.
2. Underline verbs twice, their subjects once, and label complements (“PA,” “PN,” “IO,” or
“DO”).
3. Place brackets [ ] around each subordinate clause. If the clause functions as a noun, label
its function.
4. Place a vertical line after each main clause.
Because students will already have the sentences to be analyzed one paper in front of them, they
will not have to copy sentences, etc. It therefore should take them very little time to do these four
things, and these four mark out the major parts of most sentences.
Directions for KISS Punctuation Exercises
Punctuation exercises are very easy for anyone to create. Simply select a short text, remove
all the punctuation marks, change capital letters to lower case, and give the students the text with
the following directions:
Directions: The punctuation and capitalization in the following text was lost. Please fix it (right on this page).
These exercises will be most effective if they are followed by a class discussion of various
changes that students made, particularly if the students are also shown the punctuation in the
original passage.
Directions for Sentence-Combining Exercises
The following directions are standard for KISS sentence-combining exercises. I give them
here so that you can use them to create your own exercises without confusing students by
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changing directions that they may be accustomed to. These are, I should note, the directions that
were used for the "Aluminum" passage created by Roy O'Donnell.
Read the passage all the way through. You will notice that the sentences are
short and choppy. Study the passage, and then rewrite it in a better way. You may
combine sentences, change the order of words, and omit words that are repeated
too many times. But try not to leave out any of the information.
Directions for De-Combining Exercises
Many of the sentences in the following selection are long and complex.
Rewrite the passage, breaking each sentence into as many shorter sentences as
you can. Then consider the stylistic differences between the original and your
rewritten version.
Although textbooks tend to focus on combining exercises, de-combining may be as or more
important than combining exercises. Developmental psychologists such as Piaget and Vygotsky
claimed that reversibility -- the ability to undo a mental operation -- is a sign of cognitive
mastery. More specifically in terms of syntactic maturity, de-combining exercises can help
students see the relationships between ellipsed and reduced forms (such as verbals) and the
simpler "underlying" sentences. Finally, decombining exercises give students a somewhat
different perspective on style since they will find some sentences very difficult to decombine.
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Conjugation of the Verb “To Discover”
Active VoiceSimple Present Tense Present Progressive
Singular Plural Singular PluralI discover We discover I am discovering We are discovering
You discover You discover You are discovering You are discoveringHe, she, it discovers They discover He, she, it is discovering They are discovering
Present Perfect Tense Present Perfect ProgressiveSingular Plural Singular Plural
I have discovered We have discovered I have been discovering We have been discovering
You have discovered You have discovered You have been discovering You have been discovering
He, she, it has discovered They have discovered He, she, it has been discovering
They have been discovering
Simple Past Tense Past ProgressiveSingular Plural Singular Plural
I discovered We discovered I was discovering We were discoveringYou discovered You discovered You were discovering You were discovering
He, she, it discovered They discovered He, she, it was discovering They were discoveringPast Perfect Tense Past Perfect Progressive
Singular Plural Singular PluralI had discovered We had discovered I had been discovering We had been discovering
You had discovered You had discovered You had been discovering You had been discovering
He, she, it had discovered They had discovered He, she, it had been discovering They had been discovering
Simple Future Tense Future ProgressiveSingular Plural Singular Plural
I will discover We will discover I will be discovering We will be discoveringYou will discover You will discover You will be discovering You will be discovering
He, she, it will discover They will discover He, she, it will be discovering They will be discoveringFuture Perfect Tense Future Perfect Progressive
Singular Plural Singular Plural
I will have discovered We will have discovered I will have been discovering We will have been
discovering
You will have discovered You will have discovered
You will have been discovering
You will have been discovering
He, she, it will have discovered
They will have discovered
He, she, it will have been discovering
They will have been discovering
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Passive VoiceSimple Present Tense Present Progressive
Singular Plural Singular PluralI am discovered We are discovered I am being discovered We are being discovered
You are discovered You are discovered You are being discovered You are being discovered
He, she, it is discovered They are discovered He, she, it is being discovered They are being discovered
Present Perfect Tense Present Perfect ProgressiveSingular Plural Singular Plural
I have been discovered We have been discovered I have been being discovered We have been being
discoveredYou have been
discoveredYou have been
discoveredYou have been being
discoveredYou have been being
discoveredHe, she, it has been
discoveredThey have been
discoveredHe, she, it has been being
discoveredThey have been being
discoveredSimple Past Tense Past Progressive
Singular Plural Singular PluralI was discovered We were discovered I was being discovered We were being discovered
You were discovered You were discovered You were being discovered You were being discovered
He, she, it was discovered They were discovered He, she, it was being discovered
They were being discovered
Past Perfect Tense Past Perfect ProgressiveSingular Plural Singular Plural
I had been discovered We had been discovered I had been being discovered We had been being
discovered
You had been discovered You had been discovered
You had been being discovered
You had been being discovered
He, she, it had been discovered
They had been discovered
He, she, it had been being discovered
They had been being discovered
Simple Future Tense Future ProgressiveSingular Plural Singular Plural
I will be discovered We will be discovered I will be being discovered We will be being discovered
You will be discovered You will be discoveredYou will be being discovered You will be being discovered
He, she, it will be discovered
They will be discovered
He, she, it will be being discovered
They will be being discovered
Future Perfect Tense Future Perfect ProgressiveSingular Plural Singular Plural
I will have been discovered
We will have been discovered
I will have been being discovered
We will have been being discovered
You will have been discovered
You will have been discovered
You will have been being discovered
You will have been being discovered
He, she, it will have been discovered
They will have been discovered
He, she, it will have been being discovered
They will have been being discovered
