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Common Core English Grammar & Mechanics 5

Common Core

ENGLISH GRAMMAR
& Mechanics

Help Pages
Some material addressed in standards covered at earlier grade levels
may not be available in these Help Pages, but you can access all grade levels
of Simple Solutions Common Core English Grammar & Mechanics Help Pages at
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Eight Parts of Speech
Adjective

describes a noun or pronoun

Adverb

describes a verb, adjective, or another adverb

Conjunction

connects words or phrases in a sentence

Interjection

a word or short phrase that shows emotion

Noun

names a person, place, thing, or idea

Preposition

relates a noun or pronoun to other words in a sentence

Pronoun

takes the place of a noun

Verb

shows action or a state of being

Parts of Speech - Nouns

A common noun names a person, place, thing, or idea. A proper noun names a particular person,
place, thing, or idea. A proper noun begins with a capital letter. Nouns may be singular or plural.
Some of the Functions of Nouns
The subject is whom or what the sentence is about.
Example: Tom likes to play piano.

Subject
Direct Object

A direct object receives the action of the verb.

Example: Tom plays the piano.
To find the DO, ask: Tom plays what?

Object of a
Preposition

The object of a preposition comes at the end of a prepositional

phrase.
Example: Mr. Gore plays in an orchestra.

Predicate Nominative
(Predicate Noun)

A predicate nominative renames the subject.

Example: Tom and Mr. Gore are musicians.

Possessive

A possessive noun shows ownership and usually modifies another

noun.
Examples: Mr. Gores class uses Toms piano.

Collective

A collective noun names a group (Ex. team, family, herd, flock).

A collective noun is singular and takes a singular verb.
Example: The family enjoys camping.

Parts of Speech - Pronouns

A pronoun takes the place of a noun. The noun that the pronoun is referring to is called the
antecedent. The antecedent is in the same sentence or a recent, earlier sentence; occasionally, an
antecedent is not specifically named. It is implied, or understood.
Examples:

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The puppy is in its pen.

(its pen refers to the puppys pen, so puppy is the antecedent.)
It has been raining all day.
(There is no clear antecedent, but we know it refers to the weather.)

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Types of Pronouns
Case

Personal Pronouns

Subjective

Used as the subject of a sentence or clause

Singular: I, you, he/she, it
Plural: we, you, they

Objective

Used as an object; found in the predicate of a sentence

Singular: me, you, him/her, it
Plural: us, you, them

Possessive

Used to show ownership; modify nouns

Singular: my, mine*, your, yours*, his*, her, hers*, its*
Plural: our, ours*, your, yours*, their, theirs*
* These can stand alone.

Other Types of Pronouns

Indefinite

Replaces a noun that is not specific

Example: Someone is knocking.

(Singular: another, anybody, anyone, anything, each, either, everybody,

everyone, everything, little, much, neither, nobody, no one, nothing,
one, other, somebody, someone, something

Relative

(Plural:

both, few, many, others, several)

(Either:

all, any, more, most, none, some)

Connects incomplete thoughts to complete thoughts.

(that, which, who, whom, whose, whoever, whomever, whichever, whatever)
Example: She is the one who won the prize.

Interrogative

Asks a question
(what, which, who, whom, whose)

Example: What will you do?

Demonstrative Points out a noun or acts as an adjective

Example: That is not my dog.

(this, that, these, those)

Reflexive

Refers back to the subject

(Singular: myself, yourself, himself, herself, itself )
(Plural:

ourselves, yourselves, themselves)

Example: Ella made herself lunch.

Intensive

Emphasizes a noun or pronoun

(Singular: myself, yourself, himself, herself, itself )
(Plural:

ourselves, yourselves, themselves)

Example: I bought the tickets myself.

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Parts of Speech - Verbs
Action

Shows an action
Example: A stunt man performs dangerous feats.
The symphony performs every Sunday.

Being

Does not show action; shows a state of being

Examples: is, are, was, were, be, am, being, been

Linking

Links the subject with a noun or adjective

Examples: appear, become, feel, seem, smell, taste, sounds, and all forms of be

Helping
(Auxiliary)

Pairs with a main verb to form a verb phrase

Examples: is, are, was, were, be, am, being, been, might, could, should, would, can,
do, does, did, may, must, will, shall, have, has, had

Verb Tense
Verb tense tells the time when the action or condition of the verb occurs.
Simple Verb Tenses
Present
Past
Future

The action is occurring

now or is unchanging.

The house is new. (singular subject)

The action was started

and completed in the past.

The clock stopped. (singular subject)

The action will not start

until the future.

The snow will fall. (singular subject)

The boys swim. (plural)

The buses ran. (plural)
The lakes will freeze. (plural)
Perfect Verb Tenses

A perfect verb tense or perfect verb form describes a completed action. All perfect verb
forms use past tense verbs with helping verbs.
Present
Action is ongoing or
(has / have) indefinite.

Nick has finished two of his assignments.

We have played soccer for five years.

Past
(had)

Shows which event

in the past happened
first.

She had asked for help before she began working.

The children had napped before coming down to
dinner.

Future
(will have)

Action will occur in

the future before
some other action.

I will have completed my chores by bedtime.

They will have learned the routines by next year.
Progressive Verb Tenses

A main verb that ends in ing works with a helping verb to form the progressive tense. The
verb phrase shows action that is ongoing in present, past, or future.
Present
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We are talking.

Past

We were talking.

Future

We will be talking.

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Verb Tense (continued)
Irregular Verbs
Irregular verbs do not follow the patterns of simple or perfect tense. Such verbs must be
memorized. Here is a list of some common irregular verbs.
Present

Past

Use with has,

have, or had

Present

Past

Use with has,

have, or had

awake

awoke

awoken

keep

kept

kept

become

became

become

leave

left

left

build

built

built

mistake

mistook

mistaken

catch

caught

caught

ride

rode

ridden

creep

crept

crept

shake

shook

shaken

drink

drank

drunk

shrink

shrank

shrunk

fall

fell

fallen

sneak

sneaked (snuck)

sneaked (snuck)

fight

fought

fought

stink

stank

stunk

forbid

forbade

forbidden

sweep

swept

swept

get

got

gotten

teach

taught

taught

hide

hid

hidden

understand

understood

understood

hear

heard

heard

wind

wound

wound

Parts of Speech - Conjunctions

Conjunctions connect similar words, clauses, or phrases within a sentence.
Coordinating

Join two equal elements or two complete thoughts

Use the acronym FANBOYS (for, and, nor, but, or, yet, so)
Example: We swam in the ocean and roasted hot dogs over the fire.

Correlative

Work in pairs to join words

either/or
neither/nor
both/and whether/or
as/as
Example: Neither Jim nor his father cared for mushrooms.

Subordinating

if/then

Join a complete thought with an incomplete thought

See chart below.
Example: Finish your homework before you go outside.
Examples of Subordinating Conjunctions

after

before

if

though

whenever

although

even if

since

unless

while

as

than

until

wherever

because

how

that

even though

when

till
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Parts of Speech - Adverbs
Adverbs modify verbs, adjectives and other adverbs.
Adverbs That Tell When
after
afterwards
again
always
before

earlier
early
finally
first
frequently

last
late
later
never
next

now
seldom
occasionally
since
often
sometimes
once
soon
permanently
still

then
today
tomorrow
until
usually

when
whenever
while
yesterday
yet

selfishly
slowly
softly

unbelievably
wildly
willingly

Adverbs That Tell How

angrily
calmly
eagerly

firmly
gracefully
greedily

happily
kindly
loudly

noisily
perfectly
politely

quickly
quietly
sadly

Adverbs That Tell Where

away
back

downstairs
far

forward
here

inside
near

outside
somewhere

there
upward

Adverbs That Tell To What Extent

almost
also
barely

completely
extremely
more

permanently
quite
rather

really
scarcely
thoroughly

too
vaguely
very

Parts of Speech - Adjectives

Adjectives modify nouns or pronouns. Adjectives tell how many, what color, how big, how small,
what kind, and so on. Example: He was a tall man.
A proper adjective begins with a capital letter. Example: Siberian Husky
An article is a special type of adjective (a, an, the). Example: Throw Jack the ball.

Parts of Speech - Prepositions

Prepositions relate nouns or pronouns to other words in the sentence. A prepositional phrase
begins with a preposition and ends with a noun or a pronoun.
Some Common Prepositions
about
above
across
after
against
along
alongside
among

around
before
behind
below
beneath
beside
between
beyond

by
down
during
except
for
from
in
inside

into
near
nearby
next to
of
off
on
onto

out
outside
over
past
through
throughout
to
toward

under
underneath
until
up
upon
with
within
without

Parts of Speech Interjections

An interjection is a word or a phrase that shows emotion (surprise, relief, fear, or anger etc.).
Examples: Ouch!
Good grief!
Wow!
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Sentences
Parts of a Sentence
Subject

The simple subject has no modifier. Every sentence has a simple subject.
The complete subject includes the simple subject plus all of the modifiers that go
with it.
Example: A few ravenous teenagers devoured the pizza. Teenagers is the simple
subject. A few ravenous teenagers is the complete subject.

Predicate

The simple predicate is the verb.

The complete predicate is the verb plus the other words that say something about
the subject what the subject is or does.
Example: The tired children climbed slowly upstairs. Climbed is the simple
predicate, or verb. Climbed slowly upstairs is the complete predicate.

The Four Sentence Types

Type

Other Name

Punctation

Example:

declarative

statement

period

This is a sentence.

interrogative

question

question mark

Is this correct?

imperative

command/request

period

Please open the door.

exclamatory

exclamation

exclamation point

This is awesome!

Features of a sentence
1. begins with a capital letter
2. ends with punctuation/end mark
3. conveys a complete thought
Fragments
A fragment is not a sentence because it does not express a complete thought. A fragment is missing
either a subject or a verb.
Examples:

The book that I read. (missing a verb)

Running down the street. (missing a subject)
Run-on Sentences
A run-on is two or more complete thoughts that run together without proper punctuation or
conjunctions.
Examples:
Incorrect: Lori wants to be a biologist she likes nature but she does not enjoy being outside if it is
cold she is more of a warm weather person some biologists must do research outside so
maybe Lori should study something else instead.
Correct: Lori wants to be a biologist because she likes nature. However, Lori does not enjoy being
outside if it is cold. She is more of a warm weather person, and some biologists must do
research outside. Maybe Lori should study something else instead.
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Sentence Structure
Simple

Parts: subject and predicate only

Example: We will hold a rally at the local park.

Compound

Parts: two or more complete thoughts

Joined by: coordinating conjunction
Example: There will be speeches in the morning, and we will play games in
the afternoon.

Complex

Parts: a complete thought and one or more incomplete thoughts

Joined by: subordinating conjunction
Example: The rally will last until dusk unless the weather is severe.

Punctuation
Use commas to separate words or phrases in a series.
Example: Sun brought a coloring book, some crayons, and a pair of scissors.
Use a comma to separate two independent clauses joined by a conjunction.
Example: Dad works in the city, and he is a commuter.
Use a comma to separate two words or two numbers when writing a date.
Example: Friday, April 8, 2011
Use a comma between the city and state in an address.
Examples: Boston, MA
Seattle, WA
Honolulu, Hawaii
Use a comma before or after a quote if there is no end mark.
Example: You know, said Marta, Robert is an excellent violinist.
Place a comma after an introductory word, phrase, or subordinate clause.
Commas ( , )

Example: Hey, who wants to play tennis?

Example: On the other hand, you may not need any help.
Example: Since it is raining, we will have indoor recess.
Use a comma to separate the words yes and no from the rest of a sentence.
Examples: Yes, I will join you. No, thank you.
Use a comma to separate a tag question from the rest of a sentence.
Examples: You saw that, didnt you? George will lead the choir, wont he?
Use a comma to show direct address.
Examples: Please sit down, Mrs. Schumacher. Come here, Peggy, I want you
to meet Mrs. Schumacher.
Use commas in greetings and closings of letters.
Examples: Dear Mr. Clydesdale,
Sincerely yours,

Apostrophe ( )
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Use an apostrophe to form a contraction or a possessive noun.

Examples: I dont want to go. That was Sherrys little sister.

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Punctuation (continued)
Commas and Quotation Marks in Dialogue
Put quotation marks before and after the actual words that someone says. Quotation marks are like
a frame around spoken words. Keep the end mark inside the quotes.
Example: She said, We need to go now.
Do not capitalize words in the middle of a quote unless they are proper nouns or the first word in a
sentence.
Example: That intersection is dangerous! warned Betsy. So hold your sisters hand.
Use a comma or end mark before and after a quote.
Examples: Its starting to rain! Marcy exclaimed. Mickey replied, Dont worry, you wont melt.
Do not use a comma at the end of a sentence within quotes if there is another end mark.
Example: Grandmas here! exclaimed Sasha.
Capitalization Rules
Capitalize the first word in a sentence, the pronoun I, proper nouns, and proper adjectives.
Capitalize the day and the month when writing dates.
Capitalize holidays, product names, and geographic names. These are all proper nouns.
Capitalize the first word and the important words in titles.
Example: From the Mixed-Up Files of Mrs. Basil E. Frankweiler
Other Types of Punctuation
Punctuating Titles
Show the title of a book, movie, play, television show, or website by using italics or by
underlining it.
Examples:
Sarah, Plain and Tall
or
Sarah, Plain and Tall
Peter and the Wolf
or
Peter and the Wolf
Sesame Street
or
Sesame Street
www.Toys.com
or
www. Toys.com
Put quotation marks around the title of a short work, such as a poem, song, short story, or book
chapter.
Examples: Dreams is a poem by Langston Hughes.
We sang Jingle Bells and many other winter songs.
The Monkeys Paw is a scary short story by W.W. Jacobs.
In My Side of the Mountain, by Jean Craighead George, one of the chapters is called
The Old, Old Tree.
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Proofreaders Symbols
Description

Symbol

Example

Make capital

the car raced down the street.

The car raced down street.

Add something

the

Make lower case

The Car raced down the street.

Take something out

The car raced down the the street.

sp

sp

Check spelling

The cor raced down the street.

The car raced down the street.

Indent

Add end punctuation

The car raced down the street

Greek and Latin Roots and Their Meanings

Root / Meaning

Root / Meaning

able

able to

con

with

im, in

not

phobe

fear

agora

open space

de

take away

inter

between

phon

sound

amphi

both

di

two

jus

law

photo

light

ante

before

dia

across

less

without

poly

many

anthropo

human

dict

speak

log/o

word

port

carry

anti

against

dis

not

mal

bad

post

after

astro

star

ex

out of

micro

tiny

pre

before

auto

self

ful

full of

milli

thousand

prim

first

bi

two

geo

earth

mis

bad

pro

for

biblio

book

graph

written

mono

one

re

again

bio

life

gram

written

morph

form

scrib

write

centi

hundred

hemi

half

non

not

script

write

centri

center

hospit

guest

ology

study of

sub

below

chrono

time

hydro

water

pan

all

thermo

heat

circum

around

ible

able

ped

foot

trans

across

co, com

with

il

opposite

philic

fondness

un

not

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Root / Meaning

Root / Meaning

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Figurative Language
A simile is a way to describe something using a comparison. A simile compares two things
using the words like or as.
Example: The baby is as playful as a kitten. (A baby is compared to a kitten.)
A metaphor compares two things but does not use like or as. It uses a form of the verb be.
Example: Joey is a magnet for bad luck. (He attracts bad luck.)
Personification gives human features to something non-human.
Example: A battalion of sunflowers stood at attention, facing the commanding officer. (On a
farm, sunflowers grow in rows; they are rigid, like soldiers in formation, and the flower
always turns toward the sun.)
An idiom is a phrase whose meaning cant be understood from the literal meaning of the words.
Example: This article is way over my head. This phrase could mean something is taller than I am.
But when over my head is an idiom, it means something is too complicated to be understood.
Examples: We bought a used car, and its a real lemon!
(refers to a car that has many problems or doesnt run)
At first I was angry, but I got over it.
(refers to letting go of something that was upsetting)
An adage, or proverb, is a wise saying that most people think is true. It may give advice.
Example: All that glitters is not gold. This saying warns us that something might seem valuable,
but it really is not valuable.

Spelling Rules
Adding Prefixes
When adding a prefix or joining two words, do not change the spelling of the base word.
Adding Suffixes that Begin with a Consonant
When adding a suffix that begins with a consonant, do not change the spelling of the base word.
Examples: joy + ful joyful
wool + ly woolly
agree + ment agreement,
pain + ful painful
sincere + ly sincerely
govern + ment government
Common Exceptions: argue + ment argument
true + ly truly nine + th ninth,
judge + ment judgment due + ly duly awe + ful awful
Adding Suffixes that Begin with a Vowel
When a word ends in a vowel + y, add a suffix without changing the spelling of the base word.
Examples: employ + er employer
play + ing playing
gray + est grayest
enjoy + ment enjoyment
When a word ends in silent -e, usually drop the -e to add a suffix that begins with a vowel.
Examples: love + able lovable
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Spelling Rules (continued)
Adding Suffixes that Begin with a Vowel (continued)
When a word ends in a consonant + y pattern, usually change the y to i when adding a suffix.
Examples: try + ed tried
(ends in consonant + y; change the y to i)
Do not change the y to i if the word ends in a vowel + y pattern or if the suffix is ing.
Examples: destroy + ed destroyed
(vowel + y)
hurry + ing hurrying
(consonant + ing)
When a one-syllable word ends in the cvc pattern (consonant - vowel - consonant), usually
double the final consonant to add a suffix that begins with a vowel.
Examples: ship + ing shipping
(suffix begins with a vowel)
ship + ment shipment
(suffix begins with a consonant)
nut + y nutty
(suffix is y)
When a one-syllable word ends in the cvc pattern, and the final consonant is s, x or w, do not
double the final consonant.
Examples: mix + ing mixing
box + ed boxed
slow + er slower
When a multi-syllable word ends in the cvc pattern, and the accent is on the last syllable, usually
double the final consonant to add a suffix that begins with a vowel.
Example: commit + ing committing
(suffix begins with a vowel)
Common Exception: prefer + able preferable
Making Plurals
When a word ends in s, x, z, ch, or sh add -es to make the plural
Examples: tax taxes; wish wishes
Many words that end in f or fe, change the f or fe to -ves.
Examples: life lives; thief thieves
Other words that end in f or ff do not follow the rule for making plurals.
Examples: cliff cliffs; belief beliefs
For words that end in a consonant + o, add an s to make the plural.
Example: piano pianos
Other words that end in a consonant + o, add an es to make the plural.
Example: tomato tomatoes
Irregular plural nouns have a completely different spelling in the plural form.
child
louse

children
lice

Common irregular plural nouns

man
men
ox
oxen
mouse
mice
person
people

tooth
woman

Place i before e, except after c, or when sounded like // as in neighbor and weigh.
Examples: mischief
receive
eight
There are many exceptions to spelling rules. If you are not sure of the
spelling of a word, use a dictionary to check.
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A

Adjectives 288
Adverbs 288
that tell how 288
that tell to what extent 288
that tell when 288
that tell where 288
Antecedent 284
Apostrophe 290

Object of a preposition 284

Titles, punctuating 291

V
Verb 286
action 286
auxiliary 286
being 286
helping 286
irregular 287
linking 286
Verb tense 286

Exclamatory 289

Parts of speech 284

Perfect verb tense 286
Personal pronouns 285
Personification 293
Possessive noun 284
Predicate nominative 284
Predicate noun 284
Prepositions 288
Pronoun 284
demonstrative 285
indefinite 285
intensive 285
interrogative 285
objective 285
possessive 285
reflexive 285
relative 285
subjective 285
Proofreaders symbols 292
Punctuating titles 291
Punctuation 290, 291
apostrophe 290
commas 290

Figurative Language 293

Fragments 289

Run-on sentences 289

C
Capitalization, Rules of 291
Commas 290
Complete predicate 289
Complete subject 289
Conjunctions 287
coordinating 287
correlative 287
subordinating 287

D
Declarative 289
Dialogue, punctuation 291
Direct Object 284

G
Greek and Latin roots 292

I
Imperative 289
Interjections 288
Interrogative 289
Irregular Verbs 287

M
Metaphor 293

N
Nouns 284

S
Sentences 289
features of a sentence 289
fragments 289
run-on sentences 289
Sentence structure 290
complex 290
compound 290
simple 290
Sentence types 289
Simile 293
Simple predicate 289
Simple subject 289
Simple verb tense 286
Spelling rules 293, 294
Subject 284
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