English 9
Language Skills19
Mrs. Rohrer
Name__________________
I. Vocabulary .
1. Reproach (v.) to criticize somebody for doing something wrong.
2. Indignation (n.) anger at unfairness.
3. Reverie (n.) daydream
4. Nonchalant (adj.) calm and unconcerned about things.
5. Braggart (n.) somebody who talks with excessive pride about himself or herself.
II. Grammar
Conjunctions. Conjunctions join words, clauses, and phrases.
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III. Mechanics
Semicolons.
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There are three kinds of conjunctions: coordinating, correlative, and subordinate.
Coordinating conjunctions join equal parts. (Boys and girls; running, skipping, and
jumping, The weather was bad, but the party went on.)
The major coordinating conjunctions are AND, BUT, OR, NOR, FOR, YET, SO
Remember the mnemonic FANBOYS to remember the coordinating conjunctions.
Use a semicolon in place of a period to separate two sentences where the
conjunction has been left out. (Mary prayed; her prayers came true.)
It is preferable to use a semicolon before introductory words such as namely,
however, therefore, that is, i.e., for example, e.g., or for instance when they
introduce a complete sentence. It is also preferable to use a comma after the
introductory word. (I need more exercise; however, walking, pushups, and lifting
weights are boring to me. Sherida broke her back; therefore, she could not go to
college this year.)
IV. Reading Skills Review the following text structures.
Sequence
The author lists items or events in numerical or chronological sequence, either
explicit or implied.
Description
The author describes a topic by listing characteristics, features, attributes, and
examples.
Comparison/
Information is presented by detailing how two or more events, concepts, theories,
Contrast
or things are alike and/or different.
Cause/Effect
The author presents ideas, events in time, or facts as causes and the resulting
effect(s) or facts that happen as a result of an event.
Problem/Solution
The author presents a problem and one or more solutions to the problem
V. The Exercises.
Day One
A. Vocabulary. Match the correct word to the sentence it fits.
a. reproach
b. indignation c. reverie
d. nonchalant
e. braggart
_____1. He was a ____who actually had done most of the things he said he had done.
_____2. Mrs. Nelson had to ____the children who were trampling her grass as they crossed her lawn.
_____3. Michael seemed rather____ about his job loss, but then we learned he was a secret millionaire.
_____4. In a moment of ____, I thought I was the King of the world and you were my queen.
_____5. I felt a great deal of _____when I found out that Leslie was stealing my Twinkies.
B. Grammar. Circle the coordinating conjunctions in the following sentences.
1. Jennifer, Holden, and Missy are cousins.
2. I don’t want to give you a second chance, but I owe your father a favor.
3. Lily had found peace of mind, for she had discovered God.
4. Nobody but Mr. Price could understand that problem, yet Jason figured it out.
5. Would you rather have raisins or prunes?
C. Semicolons. Insert semicolons and other punctuation where needed in the
following sentences.
1. I have no plan to go to Ireland furthermore I don’t even like Irish people.
2. Jason has a lisp however he can overcome it with voice therapy.
3. I ate some ice cream I shouldn’t have done that because I’m lactose intolerant.
4. I watched the late show moreover I decided that it was better than prime time
television.
5. The escaped kangaroo hopped into the gymnasium however the custodians trapped
it in the locker room.
D. Text Structures. Identify the text structures for each of the following.
A.
B.
C.
D.
E.
Sequence
Description
Comparison/Contrast
Cause/Effect
Problem/Solution
1. The little brick house stood in grove of lush, green Maple trees that created a cool and
shady tent around the homestead.
2. First, put water into the ice trays. Then, open the freezer. Finally, wait until the ice
freezes and use it for cold drinks.
3. If you ever have a flat tire and you can’t change it yourself, you should be a member of
Triple A. They will see to it that your tire is changed in a timely manner.
4. Because of low ratings, the daytime drama industry is slowly in decline.
5. Marci is tall, but her sister Corrine is short. Marci dates punks, and Corrine will only
date professionals. Marci uses makeup; Corrine does not.
Day Two
A. Vocabulary. Match the correct word to the sentence it fits.
a. reproach
b. indignation c. reverie
d. nonchalant
e. braggart
_____1. That Judith got away with cheating on her paper causes me great____.
_____2. Nola is always in a state of ____; I swear that girl needs to live in the real world.
_____3. We were amazed at how____ Stacy was after the car accident.
_____4. Woody was such a ____; he told everyone that he once had seven tacos in his mouth at one
time.
_____5. I need to ___you for your grammar, Dudley. You have a lot of problems with your past
participles.
B. Grammar. Identify the part of speech of the underlined words in the blanks at
left.
a. Noun
b. Pronoun
c. Verb
d. Adjective
e. Adverb
____1. I need a dentist for my cavity.
____2. Everyone but Mick has a date for the party.
____3. These cabbages are not good enough for the stew.
____4. Paisley is a gorgeous girl.
____5. Ethan and Natalie are happy about the picnic.
f. Preposition
g. Conjunction
_____7. They aren’t planning on an awards program this year.
_____8. Florence, Italy is a wonderful vacation place.
_____9. Frankly, I don’t think Mona belongs with Otis.
____10. I could use a good shower and rest before heading out to do more chores.
C. Semicolons. Insert semicolons and other punctuation where needed in the
following sentences.
1. The furniture was on sale I bought a truck load for the bedroom.
2. Marjorie has a big birthmark however nobody can see it.
3. The snowman melted nonetheless Nola was still enchanted by the winter
wonderland in her front yard.
4. I cant spell worth a darn so I am happy to have spell check.
D. Text Structures. Identify the text structures for each of the following.
A.
B.
C.
D.
E.
Sequence
Description
Comparison/Contrast
Cause/Effect
Problem/Solution
1. If you put aerosol cans in the trash, they may cause an explosion when they are taken
to the landfill.
2. Perhaps the best policy the school can endorse to overcome dress code violations is
the institution of uniforms.
3. The gymnasium, draped in black silk and lit up with sparkling white Christmas lights
was a perfect setting for our prom, “An Evening under the Stars.”
4. When you turn in your composition, follow these steps: (a) put the assignment sheet on
top and the rough draft on the bottom of your final copy, (b) put your name on the back of
the last page, and (c) place the packet in the tray on the teacher’s desk.
5. Cat lovers and dog lovers are two different kinds of people. Below are some of the
differences between them.
English 9
Language Skills19
Mr. Anderson
Name________________________
I. Vocabulary. Place the letter of the word that completes the sentence in the blank at left (2
points each)
a. reproach
b. indignant
c. reverie
d. nonchalant
e. braggart
_____1. Monica needs to____ her son who is always spray painting graffiti on the overpass.
_____2. Mr. Gumbs became ____when his wife danced with Mr. Spencer.
_____3. Don’t become a ____when I tell you this, but your speech was the best, Hope.
_____4. When we learned the prize winner was from our town, our minds were full of ____,
dreaming of ways to spend the money.
_____5. When she found out that she had gotten the job, on the outside she was very ____, but
inside her voice was screaming “Hurray!”
II. Grammar. Place the part of speech for the underlined words in the blanks at left. You may
use some parts more than once and some not at all. (2 points each; 14 points)
a. Noun
b. Pronoun
c. Verb
d. Adjective
e. Adverb
f. Preposition
g. Conjunction
_____1. The acne cream was quite effective.
_____2. Hiram bought a new dog and named it Pauley.
_____3. The clown was certainly a bad idea at the birthday party.
_____4. Melanie was a graceful girl, for she had had proper training.
_____5. The dating service set Miranda and Michael up on a date.
_____6. Which do you like better, the red or the green?
_____7. Hazel wanted to marry Milo, yet she was horrified by his prison record.
III. Place a semicolon in the following sentence (2 points)
Jasper was failing English nonetheless, he refused to read the book for his book report.
IV. Text Structures. Identify the type of text structure for each of the following (2 points each)
1. If you text while you are driving, there is a chance that you will be in an
accident or ticketed.
2. American vacation traditions are very different from European vacation
traditions.
Extra Credit.
1. What does FANBOYS stand for?