KISS Grammar
KISS Grammar
A Level Two Workbook: Expanding the Basics
Analysis Keys and Notes for Teachers
Free, from the KISS Grammar Web Site
This book assumes that the students have completed the Level One book. As the table shows there are 48 exercises in this book, thirteen of which you can skip. The 35 that remain should be enough for students to master the concepts. If you want to add or substitute exercises, see “The Master Collection of KISS Exercises.”
|Book |Total |Skip? |Suggested |
|Level 1 |110 |37 |73 |
|Level 2 |48 |13 |35 |
|Level 3.1 |62 |27 |35 |
|Level 3.2 |60 |22 |38 |
|Level 4 |45 |19 |26 |
|Total |325 |118 |207 |
This book also contains some suggestions for teaching KISS Level Two and the analysis keys for the exercises. The keys in this book have been numbered to match the students’ workbook. Note that in the printable books, instructional materials (and special notes for teachers) appear in green text in the table of contents.
© Ed Vavra
Revised March 8, 2019
Contents
Exercises in brackets have no analysis keys.
Introduction for Teachers and Parents 3
Applying KISS to Students’ Own Reading and Writing 5
KISS Level 2. 1. The Complexities of S/V/C Patterns 6
KISS Level 2.1.1. - Understood “You” – Notes for Teachers 6
Ex. 1 - Based on The Tale of Jemima Puddle-Duck [Skip?] 6
Ex. 2 - From “Hansel and Grethel,” by Edric Vredenburg 7
KISS Level 2. 1. 2 - Varied Positions in the S/V/C Pattern -- Notes for Teachers 8
Ex. 1 - From My Book of Favorite Fairy Tales, by Edric Vredenburg 8
Ex. 2 - From “Clytie, the Heliotrope” [Skip?] 9
[Exercise # 3 Model Sentences from “Clytie, the Heliotrope”] [Skip?] 10
KISS Level 2. 1. 3 - Expletives (Optional) – Notes forTeachers 10
Ex. 1 - Based on The Tale of Tom Kitten 10
Ex. 2 - Based on “The Tale of the Pie and the Patty-Pan” 11
KISS Level 2. 1. 4 - Palimpsest Patterns – Notes for Teachers 12
Ex. 1 - From At the Back of the North Wind 14
Ex. 2 - From Pinocchio, The Tale of a Puppet by C. Collodi 15
KISS Level 2. 1. 5 - Phrasal Verbs – Notes for Teachers 16
Ex. 1 - Based on The Tale of the Flopsy Bunnies 18
Ex. 2 - Based on The Tale of Jemima Puddle-Duck 18
Ex. 3 - Based on The Tale of Samuel Whiskers [Skip?] 19
KISS Level 2. 1. 6 - Distinguishing Finite Verbs from Verbals 20
Important Notes for Teachers! 20
Ex. 1 - From Pinocchio, The Tale of a Puppet 23
Ex. 2 - From Pinocchio, The Tale of a Puppet 24
Ex. 3 - From Andrew Lang’s “Thumbelina” 26
Ex. 4.a. - Based on The Tale of Samuel Whiskers 27
Ex. 4.b. - Based on The Tale of Samuel Whiskers 28
Ex. 5 - A Passage for Analysis—The Shark (93 %) 29
Ex. 6 - Just for Fun—The Farmer, the Fly, and the Cow 32
KISS Level 2.1.7 - The Subjunctive Mood 33
The KISS Perspective on the Subjunctive Mood 33
Ex. 1 - On the Subjunctive Mood 34
Ex. 2 - From Heidi by Johanna Spyri 34
KISS Level 2. 2. The Complexities of Prepositional Phrases 35
KISS Level 2. 2. 1. The “To” Problem & Verbs as Objects of Prepositions 35
Notes for Teachers 35
Ex. 1.a. - From Pinocchio, The Tale of a Puppet 38
Ex. 1.b. - A Robin and a Robin’s Son 39
Ex. 1.c. – “To Market” [Skip?] 40
Verbs as Objects of Prepositions 40
Ex. 2 - From Pinocchio, The Tale of a Puppet 40
[Exercise # 3 Writing Sentences with “To” or “Too”] [Skip?] 42
[Exercise # 4 Treasure Hunt and/or Recipe Roster] [Skip?] 42
KISS Level 2.2.2 - Preposition (or Subordinate Conjunction)? 42
Notes for Teachers 42
Ex.1 - Is it a preposition? 42
Ex. 2 - From My Book of Favorite Fairy Tales, by Edric Vredenburg 44
KISS Level 2. 2. 3 - Embedded Prepositional Phrases 45
Notes for Teachers 45
Ex. 1.a. - Based on The Tale of Jemima Puddle-Duck 46
Ex. 1.b. - Based on The Tale of Johnny Town Mouse 47
Ex. 1.c. - Based on The Tale of Mr. Jeremy Fisher [Skip?] 47
Ex. 2.a. - A Passage for Analysis—The Pledge of Allegiance to the Flag 48
Ex. 2.b. - From “How Reddy Fox Was Surprised” 48
Exercise # 3 - Treasure Hunt and/or Recipe Roster [Skip?] 49
KISS Level 2. 2.4 - Prepositional Phrases - Advanced Questions 49
Notes for Teachers 49
Ex. 1 - Unusual Prepositional Phrases (Gerunds with Complements) 50
Ex. 2 - Subordinate Clauses as Objects of Prepositions 51
Ex. 3 - A Study in Ellipsed Objects of Prepositions 52
KISS Level 2. 3. Adding Three Level Five Constructions 54
Notes for Teachers 54
Ex. 1 - Nouns Used as Adverbs—From the Writing of Third and Seventh Graders 56
Interjections—Special Notes for Teachers 56
Ex. 2 - Interjections—from the Writing of Third Graders 59
Ex. 3 - Punctuating Interjections [Skip?] 60
Ex. 4.a. - Direct Address 61
Ex. 4.b. - “Rain, Rain, Go away” 62
Ex. 4.c. - “Little Boy Blue” [Skip?] 62
Ex. 5 - The Punctuation of Direct Address [Skip?] 62
Ex. 6 - Based on The Tale of Samuel Whiskers 63
Exercise # 7 Treasure Hunts and/or Recipe Rosters [Skip?] 64
Appendix 64
The KISS Grammar Toolbox 64
Using the KISS Analysis Keys 66
Creating Directions for Your Students 67
Introduction for Teachers and Parents
The study of grammar is a science.
The teaching of grammar is an art.
As you will see, this workbook expands students’ understanding of the basic concepts covered in Level One. Some of the concepts presented here are covered in most grammar textbooks. Others, such as “Palimpsest Patterns” may be exclusive to the KISS Approach.
Many of the concepts are relatively easy for students to understand, but some are more important than others. For example, KISS Level 2.1.6—“Distinguishing Finite Verbs from Verbals” is very important preparation for KISS Level Three—clauses. A clause is a subject / (finite) verb / complement pattern. Students who cannot distinguish finite verbs from verbals will therefore have serious difficulties in KISS Level Three. KISS Level 2.2.1—“The ‘To’ Problem and Verbals as Objects of Prepositions” deals with basically the same problem, but from the perspective of prepositional phrases.
You may want to skip (and come back to) two of the sub-levels in this book. At this point in their work, KISS Level 2.1.7—“The Subjunctive Mood” is more important for teachers than it is for students. Its basic objective is to emphasize that in sentences such as “If he were here, I would leave,” “were” is a subjunctive, not a subject/verb agreement error. The objective of KISS Level 2. 2.4—“Prep Phrases—Advanced Questions” is to suggest the types of things that, at this KISS Level, students should be expected to have problems with.
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. You should at least browse through the “Master Books” for KISS Level Two. They include explanations for the nature and sequencing of exercises, comments on unusual cases, and sample exercises. (Repeating and updating this material in each of the nine grade-level KISS Level Two books does not make sense.) The on-line versions of the Master Books include links to all the KISS exercises for what we might call a “KISS slot.” You are welcome to switch exercises to match texts that your students are reading.
3. 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. |
KISS Level 2. 1. The Complexities of S/V/C Patterns
KISS Level 2.1.1. - Understood “You”
– Notes for Teachers
When they see a sentence such as “Close the door,” some students can figure out on their own that “You” is the understood subject of “close.” However, brief instruction and an exercise or two should make this clear for all students. Traditional grammars refer to these sentences as “Imperatives” or the “Imperative Mood.” Some grammars simply use the term “Commands.” Obviously, you can, if you wish, teach students these names, but remember that the primary problem in the teaching of grammar is an overabundance of terminology.
Suggested Directions for Analytical Exercises
1. Place parentheses ( ) around each prepositional phrase. Draw an arrow from the preposition to the word that the phrase modifies, and above the phrase write “Adj.” for “adjective” or “Adv.” for “adverb.”
2. Write in the understood “you” in each sentence.
3. Underline verbs twice, their subjects once, and label complements (“PA,” “PN,” “IO,” “DO”).
Probable Time Required
An exercise done in class is probably all that most students will need to master this idea.
Ex. 1 - Based on The Tale of Jemima Puddle-Duck [Skip?]
1. *You* Listen {to the story} {of Jemima Puddle-duck}. |
2. *You* Let us have [#1] a dinner-party all {to ourselves}! |
3. *You* Come {into the house}. |
4. *You* Give me (IO) the herbs (DO) {for the omelette} [#2]. |
5. *You* Be sharp (PN)! |
Notes
1. At this KISS Level, I would expect students to mark “us” as the direct object of “Let,” and I would simply accept that. Technically, “us” is the subject of the infinitive “have.” “Dinner-party” is the direct object of the infinitive “have,” and the infinitive phrase is the direct object of “Let.”
2. This phrase can also be described as an adverb to “Give.”
Ex. 2 - From “Hansel and Grethel,” by Edric Vredenburg
1. "*You* Be quiet (PA), Grethel [DirA]." |
2. "*You* Do not cry." |
3. "*You* Get up, you [DirA] lazy things [#1]." |
4. "*You* Wait a little while [NuA] ." |
5. "*You* Sit down here | [#2] and *you* rest." |
6. "*You* "Do not weep." |
7. "*You* "Get up, you lazy brat [#1]." |
8. "Now, you [DirA] children [#1], [#3] *you* lie down {near the fire}, | [#2] and *you* rest yourselves (DO)." |
9. "Hansel [DirA], *you* stretch out your finger (DO)." |
10. "*You* Be {of good cheer} (PA) [#4], dear sister [DirA], | [#2] and *you* sleep {in peace}." |
Notes
1. In constructions like “you lazy things,” “you lazy brat,” and “you children,” the second noun can be explained as an appositive to the “you.”
2. In sentences with an implied “you” as subject and compound finite verbs, we can explain the clause structure either as a single clause with compounded verbs, or as two separate clauses. [I have never seen a grammar textbook deal with this question, and the only context in which the question is important is in statistical studies of words (or compounds) per main clause.]
3. Some students will want to see either the first “you” or “children” as the subject of “lie” and “rest,” but for most readers the comma after children tends to break the S/V connection.
4. Alternatively, “of good cheer” can be explained as an adverb to “Be.” [It depends on whether one reads “of good cheer” as answering the question “Be what?” or “Be how?”]
KISS Level 2. 1. 2 - Varied Positions in the S/V/C Pattern
-- Notes for Teachers
Some students are confused when a complement comes before the subject and verb (as in “Him I respect.”) or when the subject comes after the verb (as in “With deep sorrow wept mother.”) These are just a few short exercises that can give students examples of this relatively uncommon structural variation in English sentences. The plan is to include two exercises in each “complete” (grade-level) book. One can be done quickly in class; the other can be assigned for homework.
In the “complete” workbooks, the first exercise is different for each grade. The second and third exercises are the same in all of the “complete” workbooks. The second is a short passage that includes two varied S/V/C patterns. The third exercise focuses on those two patterns and asks students to use them as models to write similarly structured sentences.
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: One exercise?
Ex. 1 - From My Book of Favorite Fairy Tales, by Edric Vredenburg
1. Presently in [#1] came the masters {of the cottage}. | ["Snow-White"]
Note: My “grammar checker” states that this “came” results in “Verb Confusion.” You often can’t trust the grammar checkers.
2. All this (DO) the old king saw. | ["The Goose Girl"]
3. That (DO) I must not tell you (IO) or any man (IO). | ["The Goose Girl"]
4. How meek (PA) and patient (PA) she had been! | ["The Goose Girl"]
5. Then first came two white doves in {at the kitchen window}. | ["Cinderella"]
6. {In this garden} stood a fine large pear tree full [#2] {of ripe fruit}. | ["Cinderella"]
7. "How sad (PA) I feel [#3] !" | ["Little Red Riding Hood"]
8. "But, grandmother [DirA], what very great teeth (DO) you have!" | ["Little Red Riding Hood"]
9. This (DO) I can never do. | ["The White Fawn"]
10. Great (PA) is my love {for the Princess Desirée}. | ["The White Fawn"]
Notes
1. “In” functions as an adverb here because it is what is left of an adverbial prepositional phrase—“came in *the cottage.”
2. “Full” is a post-positioned adjective (a reduction of “*which was* full”) that functions as an adjective to “tree.”
3. KISS explains this as a palimpsest pattern with “feel” written over “am.” See KISS Level 2.1.4 - Palimpsest Patterns.
Ex. 2 - From “Clytie, the Heliotrope” [Skip?]
And her limbs became rooted (P) [#1] {to the ground}. | Green leaves enfolded her body (DO). | Her beautiful face was concealed (P) {by tiny flowers}, violet-colored [#2] and sweet [#2] {with perfume}. | Thus was she changed (P) {into a flower} | and her roots held her (DO) fast {to the ground}; | but ever she turned her blossom-covered face (DO) {toward the sun}, following [#3] {with eager gaze} his daily flight. | {In vain} were her sorrow and tears, [Adv. to "were" for [#4] Apollo regarded her (DO) not.] |
Notes
1. At KISS Level Four, some people will see “rooted” as a gerundive functioning as a predicate adjective.
2. “Violet-colored” and “sweet” are post-positioned adjectives.
3. “Following” is a gerundive to “she” (and/or “face”); “flight” is the direct object of “following.”
4. See the discussion of “for” as a conjunction.
[Exercise # 3 Model Sentences from “Clytie, the Heliotrope”] [Skip?]
KISS Level 2. 1. 3 - Expletives (Optional)
– Notes forTeachers
In sentences such as “There are five men in the woods,” traditional grammars explain “There” as an “expletive” and they consider “men” as the subject. Although this is an acceptable explanation in KISS, the “expletive” concept is not needed (Keep It Simple, S....) because modern linguistics has shown that “There” can be explained as the subject and “men” as a predicate noun in an S/V/PN pattern. KISS uses the latter explanation, but those people who prefer the “expletive” explanation can obviously use it.
I have been asked how KISS deals with subject/verb agreement questions if it considers “there” as the subject. The answer to this is quite simple. In an S/V/PN pattern, the complement always has to equal the subject. Thus, if the complement is plural, the verb must be also.
Ex. 1 - Based on The Tale of Tom Kitten
In the explanation using “expletives,” the KISS predicate nouns are considered to be the subjects of the verb. Another alternative to both of these explanations is to consider the “there” as an adverb, as in “No buttons were there.” These different explanations have philosophical ramifications, but they are too fine to be of interest to most adults. For students in K-12, the KISS explanation always works, and it eliminates the need for adding “Expletives” to the students’ analytical toolbox.
1. Once {upon a time} there were three little kittens (PN). |
Or: Once {upon a time} there [Expletive] were three little kittens. |
2. There were several green smears (PN)! |
Or: There [Expletive] were several green smears! |
3. There was a pit pat, paddle pat (PN)! |
Or: There [Expletive] was a pit pat, paddle pat! |
4. Somehow there were very extra--ordinary noises (PN) overhead. |
Or: Somehow there [Expletive] were very extra--ordinary noises overhead. |
5. There were no buttons (PN). |
Or: There [Expletive] were no buttons. |
Ex. 2 - Based on “The Tale of the Pie and the Patty-Pan”
1. There [Expletive] were no CATS {in Sawrey}! |
Or: There were no CATS (PN) {in Sawrey}! |
2. But there [Expletive] was nobody there. |
Or: But there was nobody (PN) there. |
3. There [Expletive] was nothing {in the pie}. |
Or: There was nothing (PN) {in the pie}. |
4. So there [Expletive] really was a patty-pan? |
Or: So there really was a patty-pan (PN)? |
5. There [Expletive] was a very savoury smell. |
Or: There was a very savoury smell (PN). |
6. There [Expletive] began to be a pleasing smell {of baked mouse}! |
Or: There began to be a pleasing smell (PN) {of baked mouse}! |
7. There [Expletive] most certainly is not one, my dear Duchess [DirA]. |
Or: There most certainly is not one (PN), my dear Duchess [DirA]. |
8. There [Expletive] seemed to be a sort {of scuffling noise} {in the back passage}. |
Or: There seemed to be a sort (PN) {of scuffling noise} {in the back passage}. |
9. Can there [Expletive] really have been someone {in the house}? |
Or: Can there really have been someone (PN) {in the house}? |
10. There [Expletive] [#1] stood a fine brown pie. |
Or: There stood a fine brown pie (PN). |
Note
1. In this example, “There” could easily be explained as an adverb, depending on the context in which the sentence appears. In the KISS explanation, “stood” can be additionally explained in terms of a palimpsest pattern, with “stood” written over “was.”
KISS Level 2. 1. 4 - Palimpsest Patterns
– Notes for Teachers
To my knowledge, the concept of the “palimpsest” pattern is unique to KISS Grammar. Once one has spent a little time analyzing randomly selected texts, however, the concept becomes somewhat obvious. As noted elsewhere in KISS, the traditional “transitive,” “intransitive,” and “linking” verbs are not very helpful, especially because “linking” verbs are usually presented in a short, incomplete list that students are expected to memorize and then forget. They can't use the list effectively because it is incomplete.
In analyzing real texts, however, one will run across a sentence such as the following,
The moonlight flooded that great, silent land. The reaped field lay yellow in it.
“Lay” is rarely, if ever, included in that useless list of “linking” verbs. The KISS question (“Lay what?”) does not make sense here, but that leaves the question of how to explain “yellow.” One could, I suppose, call it an adverb, but it functions more as an adjective to “field.” Thus, the palimpsest pattern—“lay” is “written over” “was.” You will not find a lot of such patterns, but, as the exercises in this section illustrate, there are enough to make the concept helpful. In most cases, they are fairly obvious. I doubt that students will have many problems with them, once they have a name for them.
It might be interesting to study the stylistic implications of palimpsests, especially against the context of post-positioned adjectives. (See KISS Level 5.5) Conrad, for example, uses a number of palimpsests (or perhaps I was just looking for them in his story), but compare Conrad’s palimpsest
It flowed cold and gray in the darkness.
to a version with commas added—
It flowed, cold and gray, in the darkness.
The commas cut “cold and gray” from the verb, thereby making them function more like post-positioned adjectives.
The two exercises from Maxwell’s Intermediate Grammar raise interesting questions of usage and meaning. For example, in the sentence “Bessie felt bad because she missed her lesson,” the use of “bad” means that Bessie felt that she had been bad, but suppose the sentence were “Bessie felt badly because her friend was hurt in an accident.” Traditional prescriptive grammars insisted that in cases like this, "felt badly" should be used in both sentences, but such prescriptiveness runs against common usage. It also hides a distinction in meaning.
In most cases, palimpsest patterns involve a verb written over an S/V/PA pattern, but sometimes the pattern has a predicate noun. The following example is from The Dark Frigate by Charles Boardman Hawes:
The other ship, in which he now sat a prisoner, was like some great tiger.
I have no idea of how most grammar textbooks would explain “prisoner” In KISS, however, this can easily be explained as a palimpsest pattern with “sat” written over “was.” Note, however, that “prisoner” can alternatively be explained as a noun used as an adverb.
Suggested Directions for Analytical Exercises:
1. Place parentheses ( ) around each prepositional phrase.
2. Underline every finite verb twice, its subject(s) once, and label any complements (“PA,” “PN,” “IO,” or “DO”).
Probable Time Required:
One exercise ought to give students the concept. After that you will run into cases, but if you want to be sure, you might do one short exercise that focuses on palimpsests yearly.
Ex. 1 - From At the Back of the North Wind
1. Even the ground smelled sweet (PA). |
2. Even the ground smelled sweetly. |
3. They had been sitting silent (PA) {for a long time}. |
4. The stars were still shining clear (PA) and cold (PA) overhead. |
5. Diamond stood looking [#1] {at the great elm tree}. |
6. She sat motionless (PA) {with drooping head} and did not move nor speak. |
7. But a little [#2] later they came floating [#1] {past a window} [Adj. to "window" {in which} a light was burning]. |
8. And indeed [Inj], Diamond felt very strange (PA) and weak (PA). |
9. The small panes {in the roof} {of his loft} were glimmering blue (PA) {in the light} {of the morning}. |
10. The grass showed white (PA) {in the morning} {with the hoar frost} [Adj. to "frost" which clung {to every blade}]. |
11. {After the first month}, however, he fell lame (PA). |
12. But the primrose lay still (PA) {in the green hollow}. |
Notes
1. Alternatively, “stood” can be considered the verb, and “looking” as a verbal (gerundive) that modifies “Diamond.” See KISS Level 4 - Verbals.
2. “A little” can be explained as a noun used as an adverb that modifies “later.” People who are uncomfortable with that explanation can view “a little” as modifying an ellipsed “bit,” thereby making “bit” the noun that functions as an adverb.
Ex. 2 - From Pinocchio, The Tale of a Puppet by C. Collodi
The last half of this exercise should present a challenge to most third graders. Point out to them that they are dealing with some big, real sentences.
1. Geppetto seems a good man (PN)! |
"Seems" is written over "is."
2. {In that way} you will grow up a perfect donkey (PN). |
"Grow up" is written over "become."
3. But [Adv. to "did feel" as he went] he did not feel {at all} comfortable (PA). |
"Did feel" is written over "was."
4. The showman felt very sorry (PA) {for Pinocchio}. |
"Felt" is written over "was."
5. Little [#1] {by little} his eyes began to grow [#2] dim (PA). |
"Grow" is written over "become."
6. He appeared dead (PA), | but he cannot really be quite dead (PA). |
"Appeared" is written over "was."
7. He shut his eyes (DO), opened his mouth (DO), stretched his legs (DO), gave a long shudder (DO), and hung stiff (PA) and insensible (PA). |
"Hung" is written over "was."
8. {At last}, {after a desperate race} {of nearly two hours}, he arrived quite breathless (PA) {at the door} {of the house}, and knocked. |
"Arrived" is written over "was."
9. The people {in the street}, [Adj. to "people" who saw a wooden puppet (DO) running [#3] {like a race-horse}], stood still (PA) {in astonishment} to look [#4] {at it}, and laughed and laughed. |
"Stood" is written over "was."
10. I was lying {on the shore} more dead (PA) than alive [#5] [Adv. to "was lying" when the wind brought {to me} (IO) the smell (DO) {of fried fish}]. |
"Was lying" is written over "was."
Notes
Adjectives that function as nouns are usually preceded by “a,” but “Little by little” is idiomatic. Thus the first “little” functions as a noun that functions as an adverb, and the second “little” as the object of the preposition.
2. Technically, most grammarians would probably consider “to grow” as a verbal (infinitive) that functions as the direct object of “began.” But at this KISS Level, I would still accept “began to grow” as the finite verb phrase.
3. Expect students to underline “running” as a verb, and simply remind them that because they are dealing will real sentences, they are expected to make mistakes. In this case, “running” is a verbal (a gerundive) that modifies “puppet.” Verbals are the focus of KISS Level Four. When they get to Level 5.8 - “Noun Absolutes,” many students may prefer to explain “puppet running” as a noun absolute that functions as the direct object of “saw.”
4. “To look” is another verbal, in this case an infinitive that functions as an adverb of purpose to “stood still.”
5. Some students may mark “than alive” as a prepositional phrase, and at this level I would simply accept that and note that it is actually an ellipsed clause construction. (But we haven’t gotten to clauses yet.) If you want to explain further, it means “than *I was* alive.” Thus “alive” is a predicate adjective to the “I was.” The clause functions as an adverb to “more.”
KISS Level 2. 1. 5 - Phrasal Verbs – Notes for Teachers
“Phrasal verbs” is used by some grammarians to discuss words that look like prepositions after some verbs:
“Come on,” “Look at,” “Look for,” “Run up”
As with expletives and objective complements, most lovers of grammar (and those who write the textbooks) enjoy themselves in discussions of “phrasal verbs,” which other grammarians refer to as verbs + particles. The linguists have still other names for the same phenomenon. That these verbs present few problems to students, and that these terms simply add to the confusion of the average student, does not seem to concern the grammarians or linguists.
Applying the principles of alternative explanations and of keeping things simple, KISS uses the term “phrasal verb” primarily for teachers and parents so that we have a word to label the question. Students can simply 1) consider the “preposition” to be part of the verb, or 2) consider it to be an adverb, or 3) consider it to be a preposition. In most cases, which of these three options is best can be determined by relying on the meaning of the words being examined. In cases such as “Come on,” for example, some students will consider the “on” as part of the verb since “Come on” can be interpreted as meaning “Continue.” Other students will prefer to view this “on” as an adverb modifying “Come.” Since linguists don’t agree, I would accept either explanation.
Verbs such as “look at” and “look for” are, again, best analyzed in terms of their meaning. In a case such as “look at the house,” I would accept either “look” as the verb and “at the house” as a prepositional phrase, or “look at” as the verb (substitutable by “see” or “note”) and “house” as the direct object. The combination “look for” is probably more variable in meaning. In “Look for him” in the sense of “Find him,” “for” would best be analyzed as part of the verb. But if it meant “Look for his sake,” then “for his sake” would be more meaningfully explained as a prepositional phrase, simply because it functions as an adverb indicating why one should look.
Note again that the instructional material does not use the term “phrasal verbs.” The term is important to us as teachers, so we can know which problem we are discussing. The students’ objective, however, is to know how to explain these “prepositions” when they find them in the sentences that they are trying to analyze. You can, of course, use the term in working with students, and you can even expect students to remember what it means, but also remember that the primary problem in the teaching of grammar is the confusion that results from the vast amount of confusing terminology. Thus, the question is, will the knowledge of the term itself help or hurt your students?
Suggested Directions for Analytical Exercises
1. Place parentheses ( ) around each prepositional phrase.
2. Underline every finite verb twice, its subject(s) once, and label any complements (“PA,” “PN,” “IO,” or “DO”).
Probable Time Required
In the third grade workbook, where this concept is introduced, only three exercises focus on it. For students who already have a solid command of S/V/C patterns, this may be sufficient. I would, however, expect many students to continue to be confused. Fortunately, the confusion here is not serious—students will recognize the basic verb (so they will be able to go on to clauses), and the cumulative nature of KISS will eventually clear up their questions.
Ex. 1 - Based on The Tale of the Flopsy Bunnies
1. Mr. McGregor tied up the sack (DO). |
Or: tied up (secured)
2. A little old mouse picked over the rubbish (DO) {among the jam pots} [#1]. |
Or: picked over (searched)
3. Mr. McGregor threw down the sack (DO) {on the stone floor}. |
4. Mr. McGregor came back and picked up the sack (DO), and carried it (DO) off. |
5. Suddenly Mr. McGregor emptied out a sackful (DO) [#2] {of lawn mowings} right (upon the top} {of the sleeping Flopsy Bunnies}! |
Note
1. Some people will consider “among the jam pots” as an adverb to “picked (over)”; others will see it as an adjective to “rubbish.”
2. Some thoughtful students are going to note that “sackful” answers the question “How much?” as well as “What?” Thus they may justifiably want to consider “sackful” a noun used as an adverb.
Ex. 2 - Based on The Tale of Jemima Puddle-Duck
1. He folded up the newspaper (DO), and put it (DO) {in his coat-tail pocket}. |
“Up the newspaper” is not a prepositional phrase.
2. He was looking {over the top} {of the newspaper}. |
I have analyzed this one to fit the meaning in the story, but in another context “over” would be considered as part of the verb if “was looking over” meant “was examining.”
3. You have looked {at your eggs}. |
Alternatively, "at" could be considered as part of the verb ("looked at" = "seen").
4. Unfortunately the puppies rushed in and gobbled up all the eggs (DO). |
“Up all the eggs” is not a prepositional phrase.
Ex. 3 - Based on The Tale of Samuel Whiskers [Skip?]
Some students will mark anything that begins with what looks like a preposition as a prepositional phrase. The purpose of this exercise is to show students that “out the rain,” “up the jar,” “down some soot,” “up the dough,” and “up the chicken food” are not prepositional phrases.
1. The slanting slates kept out the rain (DO). |
The slates kept the rain out of the house.
2. They tipped up the jar (DO). |
They tipped the jar upward.
3. Tom Kitten knocked down some soot (DO) {into the fender}. |
Tom knocked some soot down.
4. She borrowed a small saucer (DO), and scooped up the dough (DO) {with her paws}. |
“Up the dough” does not make any sense here as a prepositional phrase. She scooped the dough upward.
5. The rats eat up the chicken food (DO), and steal the oats (DO) and bran (DO), and make holes (DO) {in the meal bags}. |
Or: “Eat up” (“consume”). The rats do not eat “up the food” and then “down it.”
KISS Level 2. 1. 6 - Distinguishing Finite Verbs from Verbals
Important Notes for Teachers!
Even many teachers who have been “taught” grammar are not familiar with the term “verbal.” A verbal is a verb that functions as noun, adjective, or adverb. In other words, verbals can function in any way that a noun, adjective, or adverb can. In KISS Level Four — Verbals, students will learn that there are three, and only three, types of verbals (gerunds, gerundives, and infinitives). They will also learn that like any other verb, verbals can have subjects, complements and be modified by adverbs. Notes in the analysis keys explain the subjects and complements of verbals, but remember that these explanations are for teachers and parents. At this KISS Level (2.1.6) students simply need to learn how to distinguish finite verbs (the verbs they should underline twice) from verbals. They can learn how to do this by using the three tests explained in the instructional materials.
Consider:
1. They went to the zoo to see the monkeys.
In (1), “went” is a finite verb because it makes a sentence — “They went to the zoo.” “See,” however, is not. First, it’s got a “to” directly before it. But most importantly, the “to see” cannot be used to form an acceptable sentence — They to see the monkeys??? Zoo to see the monkeys??? Nonsense. Thus “to see” is a verbal. It functions as an adverb to explain why “They went.”
2. He likes everything from hunting to fishing.
3. Anthony’s driving is dangerous.
Situations like that in (2) should be easy for students because, if they are using the KISS approach, “hunting” and “fishing” should already be tucked out of the way in the parentheses that mark prepositional phrases. Both “hunting” and “fishing” function as nouns, the objects of prepositions. In (3), “driving” is a verb, but it is not finite because the sentence does not mean “Anthony is driving”; it means that his driving — whenever he drives — is dangerous. Simply put, “driving” functions as a noun, the subject of the sentence. (Here again, meaning is crucial to the KISS approach.)
4. Hearing his mother call, Paul always went to her.
Sentence (4) includes two verbals. “Hearing” is a verb, but it is not finite. If we ask “Who or what is hearing his mother call?” the answer is “Paul,” but “Paul hearing his mother call” is, as students know, not an acceptable sentence. Students should be expected to use their knowledge of basic sentence structure. Their knowledge of it is just as good as any grammarian’s. And it will help them to find — and then to ignore — the other verbal in (4). Thus, “call” is a verb, but “His mother call.” (unlike “His mother calls.”) is not an acceptable sentence. Thus “call” is not a finite verb. “His mother call” functions as a noun, the direct object of “Hearing.”
5. Sent to the store by his mother, he went to the park instead.
As always in the KISS approach, students must pay attention to meaning. In (5), students could make an acceptable sentence with “sent”: “He sent to the store.” But that is not what “sent” means in this sentence. It means “he *was* sent.” Verbs cannot be added to a phrase to make it finite. Such verbs are verbals. In this case, “Sent” functions as a verbal adjective that modifies “he.” If you are not familiar with verbals, you might want to look at KISS Level Four — Verbals.
There is one case that is not covered by the three tests. Consider, for example, the sentence:
6. They made Sam and Sally go to school every day.
Since students will rightly see “Sam and Sally go to school every day” as an acceptable sentence, they will probably identify “go” as a finite verb. To see that it is not, we need to apply an additional test (which we might call the “Substitution Test”). If they were to substitute a pronoun for “Sam and Sally,” every student would substitute “them” — “They made them go to school every day.” And “Them go to school every day” fails the sentence test. You can, of course, add this test to the instructional material yourself. As of now, however, my sense is that such cases are relatively rare. Thus, rather than add instructional material for relatively rare cases, it is probably better to focus students’ attention on the majority of cases, and to expect students to make mistakes with such rare cases. Once they have mastered the basic distinction, you can point out this additional test.
Teaching Verbals at KISS Level Two
Finite verbs are not easy to define. Perhaps that is why even many experienced English teachers do not know what they are. (Ask some.) This does not, by the way, suggest that teachers are stupid. The problem is that the professors who teach the teachers, and the people who write the textbooks, are more interested in teaching the names of constructions. They do not even attempt to help K-12 teachers learn how to analyze the sentences that students read and write. Thus, instead of using the term “verbals,” the professors (and the textbooks) focus on the three types of verbals — “gerunds,” “participles” (KISS “gerundives”), and “infinitives.” This “Divide and Confuse” strategy keeps power and money in the hands of the professors and textbook publishers, but it does not help the teachers and students.
The instructional materials for this objective begin with the three tests that students can use to make the distinction — the Noun Test, the “To” Test, and the Sentence Test. The first exercise is on the Noun Test, the second on the “To” test, and the third on the Sentence test. The material on the Noun Test includes a brief general explanation of verbals. The “Sentence Test” usually covers the examples in the “Noun” and “To” tests, but the “Noun” and “To” tests are easier to remember and to apply. This separation into three types of exercises should help teachers help students master one test at a time.
Students are then given “A Summary Sheet of the Three Tests.” Exercises four (a & b) are on “Mixed” verbals. Exercise five is a “Passage for Analysis,” and six is “Just for Fun.” Students who have a good sense of what is, and what is not a good sentence, should be able to master this distinction with these seven exercises. If they need more practice, remember that you can find additional exercises in the on-line Master Master Collection of Exercises on the KISS web site.
Two Notes of Caution:
First, before you begin using these exercises, you should be sure that the students are fairly comfortable with identifying the finite verbs in the “basic” exercises, exercises in which there are few, if any, verbals. Students who cannot do so will probably find exercises on verbals extremely confusing and frustrating.
Second, since, in context, every verb is either finite or a verbal, the instructional material on the “tests” explains much of KISS Level Four. It is, however, one thing to explain gerunds, gerundives and infinitives, and something quite different to expect the students to remember all these terms and details. Unfortunately, it is very easy to get caught up in teaching the three kinds of verbals. I simply want to emphasize, therefore, that the objective here is to enable students to identify the finite verbs, not the three types of verbals. The study of clauses (KISS Level Three) is much more important than the details of verbals. Once students are at least well into the mastery of clauses, you can start the advanced work on verbals.
Suggested Directions for Analytical Exercises:
1. Place parentheses ( ) around each prepositional phrase.
2. Underline every finite verb twice, its subject(s) once, and label any complements (“PA,” “PN,” “IO,” or “DO”).
3. Make a rectangle around each verbal.
Probable Time Required:
How much time you want to devote to focusing on the distinction between finite verbs and verbals depends on several variables, including the amount of time you can spend on grammar, whether or not you are working within a coordinated curriculum design, and your personal objectives. Because infinitives (“to” plus a verb) frequently function as complements, the KISS grade-level books suggest introducing it in Grade Three. The basic distinction between finite verbs and verbals is then introduced in Grade Four. When you first introduce the distinction, if you have the time, you should probably do at least two exercises on the noun test, two on the “to” test, and two on the sentence test. (Review the first, in-class, before the students do the second.) The distinction, however, cannot simply be taught and then forgotten, as is so often the case in most grammar books.
Ex. 1 - From Pinocchio, The Tale of a Puppet
Remember that the primary objective of this exercise is not to teach students about the details of verbals, but rather simply to teach them not to underline them as finite verbs.
1. Today {at school} I will learn to read [#1] {at once}. |
2. And the Fox, {in relating this} [#2] , dried a tear (DO). |
3. Walking upright {on his hind legs} was easy (PA) {for the Poodle}. |
4. The puppet was petrified (P) {on hearing this unexpected sentence} [#3] . |
5. The mouth then ceased laughing (DO) [#4] . |
6. He had the disgraceful fault (DO) {of telling lies} [#5] . |
7. Turning around {with such a long nose} was almost impossible (PA) . |
8. He continued staring (DO) [#6] {at her} {with wide open eyes}. |
9. One {of the assassins} tried to put his hand [#7] {in my mouth}. |
10. The soldier {without disturbing himself} [#8] {in the least} caught Pinocchio (DO) cleverly {by the nose} and gave him (DO) {to Geppetto} [#9] . |
Notes
1. The verbal (infinitive) “to read” functions as the direct object of “will learn.”
2. “This” is the direct object of the verbal (gerund) “relating.” The verbal phrase functions as the object of the preposition.
3. “Sentence” is the direct object of the verbal (gerund) “hearing.” The verbal phrase functions as the object of the preposition.
4. “Laughing” is a verbal, a gerund.
5. “Lies” is the direct object of the verbal (gerund) “telling.” The verbal phrase functions as the object of the preposition.
6. “Staring” is a verbal, a gerund.
7. “Hand” is the direct object of the verbal (infinitive) “to put.” The infinitive phrase functions as the direct object of “tried.”
8. “Himself” is the direct object of the verbal (gerund) “disturbing.” The verbal phrase functions as the object of the preposition.
9. The phrase “to Geppetto” can be described either as an adverb or as an indirect object.
Ex. 2 - From Pinocchio, The Tale of a Puppet
1. {In his hurry} to model Pinocchio [#1] , Geppetto had forgotten to make any ears [#2] . |
2. Poor Geppetto rushed {after Pinocchio} but was not able (PA) to overtake him [#3] . |
3. Here I am, ready [#4] to serve you [#5] . |
4. Master Antonio [DirA] , I came to ask a favor [#6] {of you}. |
5. I would travel {about the world} to earn a piece {of bread} and a glass [#7] {of wine}. |
6. He is right (PA) not to wish to return [#8] home [NuA] ! |
7. Geppetto took his tools (DO) and set to work to cut out and model his puppet [#9] . |
8. He then took the puppet (DO) {under the arms} and placed him (DO) {on the floor} to teach him to walk [#10] . |
9. It was impossible (PA) to say [#11] [DO where it came {from} [#12] ]. |
10. To tell you [#13] {in confidence}, I have no wish (DO) to learn [#14] . |
Notes
1. “Pinocchio” is the direct object of the verbal (infinitive) “to model.” The infinitive phrase functions as an adjective to “hurry.”
2. “Ears” is the direct object of the verbal (infinitive) “to make.” The infinitive phrase functions as the direct object of “had forgotten.”
3. “Him” is the direct object of the verbal (infinitive) “to overtake.” The infinitive phrase functions as an adverb to “able.”
4. “Ready” could be explained as a predicate adjective, but the comma that separates it from “am” argues against this interpretation. It functions more as a post-positioned adjective. See KISS Level 5.5 - Post-Positioned Adjectives.
5. “You” is the direct object of the verbal (infinitive) “to serve.” The infinitive phrase functions as an adverb to “ready.”
6. “Favor” is the direct object of the verbal (infinitive) “to ask.” The infinitive phrase functions as an adverb of purpose to “came.”
7. “Piece” and “glass” are direct objects of the verbal (infinitive) “to earn.” The infinitive phrase functions as an adverb of purpose to “would travel.”
8. “To return” is a verbal (infinitive) that functions as the direct object of “to wish.” “To wish” is a verbal (infinitive) that is modified by “not” and functions as an adverb to “right.”
9. “Puppet” is the direct object of the verbals (infinitives) “to cut” and “model.” If one considers “work” to be a noun here, then the infinitive phrases function as adjectives; if one considers “work” to be a verb, then the infinitives function as adverbs. “To work” can be explained either as a prepositional phrase that functions as an adverb to “set,” or as a verbal (infinitive) that functions either as an adverb or as the direct object of “set,” depending on the question that one sees it as answering in relation to “set.”
10. “Him” is the subject of the verbal (infinitive) “to walk.” That infinitive phrase functions as the direct object of the infinitive “to teach.” The “to teach” phrase functions as an adverb (of purpose) to “placed.”
11. The phrase headed by the verbal (infinitive) “to say” functions as a delayed subject {”to say ... is impossible”). See KISS Level 5.6 - Delayed Subjects and Sentences.
12. “Where” functions simultaneously as the subordinating conjunction and the object of the preposition “from”—“It came from where?”
13. “You” is the indirect object of the verbal (infinitive) “To tell.” The infinitive phrase functions as an adverb to “have.” (Note that the whole phrase means “confidentially. Note also that there is a good case for considering either of these as interjections. They do not modify the “have” as much as they indicate the speaker’s attitude toward the words in the “have” pattern.)
14. “To learn” is a verbal (infinitive) that functions as an adjective to “wish.”
Ex. 3 - From Andrew Lang’s “Thumbelina”
Remember that the primary objective here is that students should not underline the verbals twice. The students should not be expected to remember the names or functions of the verbals, but for those who may be interested, I have placed those explanations in brackets.
1. There was the swallow (PN) flying past! |
“The swallow flying past” is not an acceptable sentence. [”Flying” is a gerundive that modifies “swallow.” For “There,” see also “Expletives.”]
2. On she sailed {past several towns}, | and the little birds sitting {in the bushes} saw her (DO), and sang. |
“The little birds sitting in the bushes” is not an acceptable sentence. [”Sitting” is a gerundive that modifies “birds.”]
3. But the corn had been gone a long time [NuA]; | only the dry, bare stubble was left (P) standing {in the frozen ground}. |
At KISS Level Two, if a student underlined “was left standing” as the finite verb phrase, I would simply accept it. If, however, “was left” is underlined as the finite verb phrase, then “the stubble standing” does not make an acceptable sentence. [Within KISS, two explanations are easily acceptable: 1) “Standing” is a gerundive that modifies stubble. 2) “stubble was left standing” is a palimpsest pattern in which “the stubble was standing” is written over “the stubble was left.”]
4. So he took his golden crown (DO) {from off his head} and put it (DO) {on hers}, asking her her name, and [DO of "asking" if she would be his wife (PN)], | and then she would be Queen (PN) {of all the flowers}. |
“He asking her her name” is not an acceptable sentence. [”Her” is the indirect object, and “name” is the direct object of “asking.” “Asking” is a gerundive that modifies “he.”]
Note the technical problem in the final clause. I have marked it as a separate main clause because of the “and,” but in meaning, the clause conveys the result of her saying “Yes” to his request—“If she would be his wife, then she would be Queen of all the flowers.” It could have been written as “asking ... if she would be his wife so that then she would be Queen of all the flowers.” But this would mean that her purpose in becoming his wife would be that she would become Queen. Obviously, that was not the Little Prince’s primary idea. Thus the sentence, so to speak, snaps, and the idea of her becoming Queen is broken off as a separate idea.
Ex. 4.a. - Based on The Tale of Samuel Whiskers
1. They were busy (PA) lighting the candle [#1]. |
2. There [Expl] were some mutton bones (PN) lying [#2] about. |
3. He could not make anybody hear him [#3]. |
4. Once {upon a time} there [Expl] was an old cat (PN), called Mrs. Tabitha Twitchit [#4]. |
5. They found Mittens (DO) hiding [#5] {in an empty jar}. |
6. He could hear the sticks (DO) beginning to crackle and burn [#6] {in the fire-place} down below. |
Notes
1. Note that if “busy” were the adverb “busily,” our brains would read “were lighting” as a finite verb. As a predicate adjective, however, “busy” cuts off the pattern, and thus “lighting” is mentally processed as a gerundive to “They.” “Candle” is the direct object of “lighting.”
2. This sentence will almost certainly evoke a number of different explanations from different grammarians. I would not argue with a student who wanted to consider “There” an adverb, “bones” as the subject, and “were lying” as the finite verb. KISS considers “lying” a gerundive that modifies “bones.”
3. Because it is not a question, “anybody hear him” fails the sentence test. [“Anybody” is the subject, and “him” is the direct object, of the infinitive “hear.” The entire infinitive phrase functions as the direct object of “could not make.”
4. Since the sentence means “who was called,” “called” fails the sentence test. [It is a gerundive that modifies “cat.” And, since “called” is passive here, “Mrs. Tabitha Twitchit” is a retained predicate noun after the ellipsed infinitive in the active voice version—They called her *to be* Mrs. Tabitha Twitchit.”]
5. “Mittens hiding in an empty jar” fails the sentence test. [“Hiding” is a gerundive that modifies “Mittens.” At KISS Level Five, some students may prefer to explain “Mittens hiding” as a noun absolute that functions as the direct object of “found.”]
6. “Sticks beginning to crackle and burn” fails the sentence test. [“To crackle” and “burn” are infinitives that function as the direct objects of “beginning.” “Beginning” is a gerundive that modifies “sticks.” At KISS Level Five, some students may prefer to explain “sticks beginning to crackle and burn” as a noun absolute construction that functions as the direct object of “could hear.”]
Ex. 4.b. - Based on The Tale of Samuel Whiskers
1. The two cats ran to look [#1] {at the dough pan}. |
2. It makes me sneeze [#2]. |
3. I have got half a smoked ham (DO) hidden [#3] {in the chimney}. |
4. Mrs. Tabitha went up and down all {over the house}, mewing [#4] {for Tom Kitten}. |
5. He pushed the rolling-pin (DO) {in front} {of him} {with his paws}, {like a brewer's man} trundling a barrel [#5]. |
Notes
1. Some thoughtful students are going to mark “ran to look” as the finite verb. When you don’t accept that, they will probably ask why? Can’t “ran” function as a helping verb? Tell them it is an excellent question, but that most grammarians do not consider it to be one. Instead, “ran” is the finite verb. They might accept the idea that “to look” explains why they “ran” and thus functions as an adverb to “ran.” [Technically, it is an infinitive.]
2. “Me sneeze” fails the sentence test. [”Me” is the subject of the infinitive “sneeze,” and the infinitive phrase functions as the direct object of “makes.”
3. “Ham hidden in the chimney” fails the sentence test. [”Hidden” is a gerundive that modifies “ham.”]
4. “Mrs. Tabitha mewing for Tom” fails the sentence test. [”Mewing” is a gerundive that modifies “Mrs. Tabitha.”]
5. “A man trundling a barrel” fails the sentence test. [”Trundling” is a gerundive that modifies “man.” “Barrel” is the direct object of “trundling.” At KISS Level Five, some students will prefer to see “man trundling a barrel” as a noun absolute construction that functions as the object of the preposition “like.”]
Ex. 5 - A Passage for Analysis—The Shark (93 %)
Note: Although this is a relatively long story for an exercise, most students should be able to finish it in ten minutes or less. It is word-for-word from the original.
How Much I Can Explain
You might want to point out to students how many of the words they can already explain.
There are 217 words in the text. If we:
1.) include all the adjectives, adverbs, and coordinating conjunctions,
2.) exclude the eleven verbals and other words that remain in black in the following, and
3.) exclude the five subordinating conjunctions (“Although,” “what,” “for,” “that,” and “for”), and
4.) assume that the students will get the two pronouns that function as subjects in subordinate clauses {”which lives,” and “which aid”),
then 217 - 11 - 5 = 201. And 201 / 217 = 93 %!
1. [Adv. (Concession) to "find" Although Nature has made many strange creatures (DO) to live [#1] {at a great depth} {under the sea}], we find just as queer and interesting fish (DO) living [#2] {in [OP what we call the surface waters [#3] ] }. |
2. Long ago there [#4] were great giant sea animals (PN) [Adj. to "animals" that were {of far greater size} [#5] {than those} {of today}]. | Whales and sharks belong {to these giants}. |
3. Man fears the sharks (DO) more {than any other creature} [#6], great [#7] or small [#7], [Adj. to "creature" which lives {in the sea}]. | The white shark is the most dreaded monster (PN) {in the deep}. | Many are armed (P) {with strong, sharp, cutting teeth} [Adj. to "teeth" which aid them (DO) [#8] {in their hunt} {for large fish}]. | These creatures will attack men (DO) | [#9] and they can tear off a leg (DO) or even bite {through the trunk} {of a man} {with ease}. |
4. Sharks often follow ships (DO). | Sailors catch these huge fishes (DO) {by using a great hook [#10] } baited [#11] {with a piece} {of meat}. | The hook is fastened (P) {to a chain}, [Adv. to "is fastened to a chain" [#12] for the great jaws and teeth {of the fish} would bite {through a rope} {with ease}]. |
5. Some sharks are enemies (PN) {of large whales}. | Whales have often been found (P) {with pieces} bitten [#13] {out of their tails} {by these animals}. |
6. We know [DO that a long time [NuA] ago many giant sharks swarmed {in the sea}], [Adv. (cause) to "know" for [#12] {upon the bottom} {of the ocean} their teeth are found (P) {by bushels}]. |
Notes
1. “To live” fails both the “to” and the “sentence” tests, thus it is not finite and should not be underlined twice. [It is a verbal (an infinitive). As such, its function can be described in three different ways, each of which implies a slight difference in meaning. For one, it could be considered an adverb (of purpose) to “has made.” Second, it can be seen as an adjective to “creatures.” Finally, it can be seen as part of the direct object of “has made.” In this sense, “creatures” becomes the subject of the infinitive, and thus “creatures to live” is the direct object of “has made.” In other words, nature did not so much make the creatures, as it made them live at a great depth.]
2. “Fish living in what we call the surface waters” fails the sentence test. Thus “living” is a verbal. [It is a gerundive that modifies “fish.”]
3. At this KISS Level, I would be happy and simply accept “waters” as the direct object of “call.” [When they get to Level 3 and study subordinate clauses that function as objects of prepositions, students will see that in some cases (like this one), part of the direct object in the subordinate clause is replaced by a subordinating conjunction. Here, for example, the unsubordinated clause would be “we call them the surface waters.” When subordinated, the “them” is replaced by “what,” so that this becomes “what we call the surface waters.” The internal structure, however, remains the same—“them” (“what”) is the subject and “waters” is a predicate adjective to an ellipsed infinitive *to be.* The infinitive phrase is the direct object of “call.” (You can see why this explanation is delayed until students have a better understanding of clauses.)]
4. For an alternative explanation of “there,” see KISS Level 2.1.3 - Expletives (Optional).
5. “Of far greater size” can also be described as a predicate adjective. “Than those” can alternatively be explained as an ellipsed subordinate clause—“than those of today are of great size.” Either way, the “than” functions as an adverb to “greater.”
6. “Than any other creature” can be explained as a prepositional phrase—which is what I would expect at this KISS Level. Note, however, that that explanation hides a structural ambiguity. If we view this as an ellipsed clause, it means “more than *he fears* any other creature,” and not “more than any other creature *fears the sharks*.”
7. “Great” and “small” are post-positioned adjectives. See KISS Level 5.5 - Post-Positioned Adjectives.
8. Some grammarians may see “them” as an indirect object because it can function as the subject of an infinitive after “aid,” as in “the teeth aid them hunt . . . .”
9. Note that the two main clauses are joined by “and” without a comma.
10. “Using” fails the noun test, so it should not be underlined twice. [”Hook” is the direct object of the gerund “using.” The gerund phrase functions as the object of the preposition “by.”]
11. “A great hook baited with a piece of meat” fails the sentence test. [”Baited” is a verbal (gerundive) that modifies “hook.”]
12. See KISS Level 3.2.2 - “So” and “For” as Conjunctions.
13. “Pieces bitten out of their tails” fails the sentence test. [”Bitten” is a verbal (gerundive) that modifies “pieces.”]
Ex. 6 - Just for Fun—The Farmer, the Fly, and the Cow
A farmer was milking his cow (DO). | An annoying fly was buzzing about and eventually flew {into the cow's ear}. | Still milking [#1], the farmer was amazed (P) to see the fly come [#1] out {in the stream} {of milk}. |
[DO of "said" "What (DO of "do know") do you know?"] said the farmer, [#3] [DO of "said" "*It went* {In one ear} and {out the udder}."] |
Notes
1. If we ask “Who is milking?” the subject is “farmer,” but “The farmer milking” does not pass the sentence test. Thus it is a verbal. [It is a gerundive that modified “farmer.”]
2. “The farmer to see the fly come out” would not make an acceptable sentence. Thus “to see” is a verbal. It is an infinitive that functions as an adverb (tells why) to “was amazed.” Similarly, “the fly come out . . . .” would not make an acceptable sentence, so “come” is a verbal. It too is an infinitive, and “fly” is its subject. The infinitive phrase “the fly come out ...” functions as the direct object of the infinitive “to see.”
3. Alternatively, “said the farmer can be explained as a subordinate clause that functions as an interjection. See KISS Level 3.2.3 - Interjection? Or Direct Object?
KISS Level 2.1.7 - The Subjunctive Mood
The KISS Perspective on the Subjunctive Mood
Discussions of the subjunctive mood can become very complicated, but from the KISS perspective what teachers and students need to know is very simple—some verbs in the subjunctive mood look as if their subjects do not agree with their verbs in number:
If he were here, he would not do that.
In other cases, “be” is used as a finite verb:
Be he devil or angel, she won’t like him.
Students are rarely, if ever, taught to use the subjunctive mood. Those who use it have learned it in the same way that they learned the language—from what they hear or what they read. It is included in KISS primarily so that students and teachers will recognize these unusual forms as correct finite verbs. Two exercises are included in each of the grade-level books. Some teachers may want to skip them; others may want to use additional exercises, either from this site or elsewhere.
The instructional material was adapted from Wm. H. Maxwell’s Intermediate Grammar. He calls this the “subjunctive mode” and refers to dependent and independent clauses, but I have revised his otherwise brief and relatively clear explanation to match KISS terms. You may want to replace this material with a simpler explanation:
Verbs in the subjunctive mood express a condition that is not true. “If I were you, I would go fishing.” means that I am not you, but if I were, I would go fishing.
Ex. 1 - On the Subjunctive Mood
1. [Adv. (Condition) to "not" Were he my own brother (PN),] I should not excuse his fault (DO). |
“Were”—He is not my brother.
2. [Adv. (Condition) to "will return" Unless he die], he will certainly return {to his home}. |
“Die”—He may or may not die.
3. We should start {at once}, [Adv. (Undesired result) to "should start" lest we be late (PA) {for the train}]. |
“Be”—We might be late, or we might not.
4. [Adv. (Condition) to "shall be punished" Whether he be poor (PA) or rich (PA),] he shall be punished (P) {for his crime}. |
“Be”—He may be poor, or he may be rich—it doesn’t make any difference.
5. [Adv. (Condition) to "deserves" Be he guilty (PA) or innocent (PA),] he deserves our pity (DO). |
“Be”—He may be guilty, or he may be innocent—it doesn’t make any difference.
Ex. 2 - From Heidi by Johanna Spyri
1. It would not be so hard (PA), [Adv. to "not" if he were {like other mortals}]. |
2. [Adv. to "not" If grandfather were here], he would fasten it (DO). |
3. [DO "God be {with you},"] said the parson, and left him (DO) sadly. |
4. [Adv. to "not" If I were you (PN)], I would not have it brought [#1] {to court}. |
5. [Adv. (Condition) to "would have been" Had the cottage been exposed (P) {to the tempests}], it would have been a doubtful habitation (PN) {in its state} {of decay}. |
6. I should do exactly the same thing (DO), [Adv. to "should do" if I were left (P) alone {like that}]. |
7. I wish [DO the day were twice as [#2] long (PA)]. |
Notes
1. “It brought” is a construction rarely, if ever, discussed in grammar textbooks. In KISS, it can be explained in two ways. For one, it can be seen as an ellipsed infinitive phrase—‘it *to be* brought.” The infinitive phrase functions as the direct object of “would have.” For the other, it can be viewed as a noun absolute that functions as the direct object of “would have.” See KISS Level 5.8 - Noun Absolutes.
2. The adverb “twice” modifies the adverb “as,” and the “as” implies what would be a following subordinate clause—“as it is long.”
KISS Level 2. 2. The Complexities of Prepositional Phrases
KISS Level 2. 2. 1. The “To” Problem & Verbs as Objects of Prepositions
Notes for Teachers
Little words cause the biggest problems. If we wish to enable students to analyze and discuss real texts, students need to distinguish “to” as a preposition from “to” as the sign of an infinitive. Note that the instructional material tells students that they are not expected to remember the term “infinitive.” All they need to learn at this point is that if whatever answers the question “What?” after “to” is a noun or pronoun, they are dealing with a prepositional phrase and should put parentheses around it. If whatever answers the question is a verb, they should not.
It takes some practice for most students to both remember this rule and learn to identify verbs. In a few cases, the distinction between verb and noun is ambiguous. Consider the sentence: “They went to sleep.” If “to sleep” denoted their purpose for going, “sleep” is a verb; but if it means the state of being to which they went, it is a noun. (Note the implications of this for using “state of being” to identify verbs.) Fortunately, there are very few words that involve such ambiguities.
Overview of Exercises in KISS Level 2.2.1
Exercises One (a & b): “To”—Is It a Preposition?
The primary reason for having students learn to distinguish “to” prepositional phrases from infinitives at this level is that prepositional phrases almost never function as subjects, predicate nouns, or direct objects. Infinitives do:
To breathe fresh air is to enjoy life.
Sammy loves to swim.
Since, in teaching students to identify S/V/C patterns, KISS directs students to ignore the words that they have identified as prepositional phrases, the students need to be able to recognize infinitives as subjects, predicate nouns, or direct objects. (Most students can do so without formally knowing that they are “infinitives.”)
Exercise Two: Verbs as Objects of Prepositions
Originally, this exercise was to be about “to” plus a gerund—which does create a prepositional phrase. For example, “She loves everything {from boating} {to fishing}.” In real texts, however, these are few and far between. Thus a ten-sentence exercise based on a real (long) text might include only four such sentences, the rest being reinforcements of exercises one and two. On the other hand, KISS Level 1.5 (on prepositional phrases) does not include an exercise on verbs as objects of prepositions. This exercise could go there, but Level 1.5 presents students with many other things to learn.
Fortunately, “to” phrases with gerunds as their objects are relatively rare. In collecting sentences for exercises from Sewell’s Black Beauty, I was surprised by the number of sentences that included both “to” as a preposition and “to” as an infinitive. I had collected around forty such sentences when I stopped copying them. On the other hand, in the whole text I found only eight sentences in which “to” functions as a preposition with a gerund (“-ing” verb) as its object. In the Gutenberg edition of Spyri’s Heidi, I found none.
Thus this exercise has been redesigned. Each exercise includes at least one example of “to” plus a gerund, but the repetitions from exercises one and two have been replaced with other sentences that have gerunds as objects of prepositions:
{After swimming}, they took a nap.
(In making the table), they used a lot of wood.
If they have been working with randomly selected texts, students have probably met this construction and had little trouble with it except for how to mark the complements (like “table”).
The exercise has been extended to include the even more infrequent constructions in which infinitives function as objects of prepositions:
They did nothing {but sleep}.
He will do any chores (except to wash the dishes}.
In Black Beauty I found only about six such sentences with “but” and only two with “except.” Thus in some exercises based on real texts, sentences may have to be invented in order to include these constructions.
At this point in their work, students do not need to remember the terms “gerund” and “infinitive.” (They are the primary focus of KISS Level Four.)
Exercise Three: “To” and “Too”
“To” presents students with an additional problem in that they confuse it with “too.” As the instructional overhead explains, this results in errors that are readily noted by most readers, not just because they are “errors,” but because they lead the reader to expect something that does not appear (“Samantha wanted to go to.”) or hit the reader with a “what” when the reader does not expect it (“Samantha wanted to go too the park.”)
Some teachers claim that this is not a serious error, and that may be true. But the differences between “to” and “too” are not that difficult to understand. Thus, people who regularly use these words incorrectly give the impression of being either uneducated or lazy. As I tell my college Freshmen, misspellings of “to” and “too” have, and will continue to, make the difference between an A or a B (or a B and a C) on papers, not just in my English class, but also in papers for any other course. The errors are very noticeable, and they give the instructor the impression that the writer is not very careful or concerned with the paper.
Exercise Four: Treasure Hunt and/or Recipe Roster
Like all KISS treasure hunts and/or recipe rosters, this one invites students to see that what they are learning clearly applies to randomly selected texts and/or to their own writing.
Suggested Directions for Analytical Exercises:
1. Place parentheses ( ) around each prepositional phrase.
2. Underline every finite verb twice, its subject(s) once, and label any complements (“PA,” “PN,” “IO,” or “DO”).
Probable Time Required:
This depends on how quickly your students can master the distinction. Two or three initial exercises would probably be a good idea, time permitting. Thereafter, you can expect some students to make mistakes until they finally get it.
Ex. 1.a. - From Pinocchio, The Tale of a Puppet
1. I don't choose to listen [#1] {to that tiresome Cricket}. |
2. We have only to go {to the bookseller's} and buy [#2] it (DO). |
3. The carpenter did not have the strength (DO) to rise [#3] {to his feet}. |
4. I wish to go [#4] {to school} to study [#5] {in earnest}. |
5. *You* Don't trust {to those} [Adj. to "those" who promise to make [#6] you rich [#7] {in a day}]. |
6. You are already beginning to show [#8] want (DO) {of respect} {to your father}! |
7. I shall be sent (P) {to school} and shall be made (P) to study [#9] either {by love} or {by force}. |
8. I came {to the field} to pick two bunches [#10] {of these Muscatel grapes}. |
9. He was always the first (PN) to come [#11] {to school}, and the last (PN) to leave [#11]. |
10. Geppetto has now taken it (DO) {into his head} to go [#12] {to the distant countries} {of the New World} {in search} {of you}. |
Notes
1. The infinitive “to listen” functions as the direct object of “don’t choose.”
2. Note how the “and” joins “go” and “buy,” thereby making “buy” part of the finite verb phrase. If it had been “to buy it,” “to buy” would have been an adverbial infinitive of purpose.
3. The infinitive “to rise” functions as an adjective to “strength.”
4. The infinitive “to go” functions as the direct object of “wish.”
5. The infinitive “to study” functions as an adverb of purpose to “to go.”
6. The infinitive “to make” functions as the direct object of “promise.”
7. “You” is the subject and “rich” is a predicate adjective to an ellipsed infinitive—“you *to be* rich.” This infinitive phrase functions as the direct object of “make.” (For more on this, see “Ellipsed Infinitives” in KISS Level Four.)
8. Alternatively, “to show” can be explained as an infinitive that functions as the direct object of “are beginning.”
9. The infinitive “to study” is a retained direct object after the passive “shall be made.” (See KISS Level 5.7 - Passive Voice and Retained Complements.)
10. “Bunches” is the direct object of the infinitive “to pick.” The infinitive phrase functions as an adverb of purpose to “came.”
11. The infinitive “to come” functions as an adjective to “the first,” and the infinitive “to leave” functions as an adjective to “the last.”
12. The infinitive “to go” functions as an adjective (some would say an appositive) to “it.”
Ex. 1.b. - A Robin and a Robin’s Son
A robin and a robin's son
Once went {to town} to buy a bun [#1]. |
They couldn't decide {on plum or plain} |
And so they went back home [NuA] again. |
Note
1. “Bun” is the direct object of the infinitive “to buy.” The infinitive functions as an adverb (of purpose) to “went.”
This illustration and poem are from In the Nursery of My Bookhouse, edited by Olive Beaupré Miller; (The Bookhouse for Children, 1920).
Ex. 1.c. – “To Market” [Skip?]
{To market}, {to market} [#1], to buy a fat pig [#2]. |
Home [NuA] again, home [NuA] again, jiggety jig [NuA]. |
{To market}, {to market}, to buy a fat hog [#2], |
Home [NuA] again, home [NuA] again, jiggety jog [NuA]. |
{To market}, {to market}, to buy a plum bun [#2], |
Home [NuA] again, home [NuA] again, market is done (P). |
Notes
1. Although the word “market” can function as a verb, here they are not going to sell (market), but rather to buy. Thus “to market” here is a prepositional phrase. Note that there is no verb in this sentence, but you might want to point out to students that it is a poem, and poems often break, or play on, grammatical rules.
2. “Pig,” “hog,” and “bun” are direct objects of the infinitive “to buy.” The infinitive functions as an adverb to the implied “are going,” as in “We are going to the market.”
This illustration and poem are from The Real Mother Goose. Illustrated by Blanche Fisher Wright. Chicago: Rand McNally & Co., 1916.
Verbs as Objects of Prepositions
Ex. 2 - From Pinocchio, The Tale of a Puppet
1. He is quite capable (PA) {of tearing him [#1] } {in pieces}! |
2. {After having walked [#2] half [NuA] the day [NuA] } they reached a town (DO). |
3. I am not accustomed (P) {to doing the work [#3] } {of a donkey}. |
4. Pinocchio ended {by demanding justice [#4] }. |
5. {After stumbling [#5] two or three times [NuA] }, he fell his whole length [NuA] {on the floor}. |
6. Pinocchio liked to do everything {except study} [#6]. |
7. Geppetto was very angry (PA) | and {at first} he did nothing (DO) {but scold [#7] }. |
8. Geppetto could not succeed {in finding Pinocchio's ears [#8] }. |
9. Geppetto tried everything (DO) {from pleading} {with Pinocchio} {to scolding him} [#9]. |
10. {On hearing himself called Pudding [#10] } {for the third time} Geppetto fell {upon the carpenter} | and they fought desperately. |
Notes
1. “Him” is the direct object of the verbal (gerund) “tearing” which functions as the object of the preposition “of.”
2. “Having walked” is a verbal (gerund) that functions as the object of the preposition “After.” An alternative explanation of “half the day” is to consider “half” a noun used as an adverb with an ellipsed “of” after it, thereby making “*of* the day” a prepositional phrase that modifies “half.”
3. “Work” is the direct object of the verbal (gerund) “doing” which functions as the object of the preposition “to.”
4. “Justice” is the direct object of the verbal (gerund) “demanding” which functions as the object of the preposition “by.”
5. The gerund “stumbling” functions as the object of the preposition “After.”
6. The verbal (infinitive) “study” functions as the object of the preposition “except.” The prepositional phrase modifies “everything,” which is the direct object of the infinitive “to do” which is the direct object of “liked.”
7. The infinitive “scold” functions as the object of the preposition “but.” The phrase modifies “nothing.”
8. “Ears” is the direct object of the verbal (gerund) “finding” which functions as the object of the preposition “in.”
9. “Him” is the direct object of the gerund “scolding” which is the object of the preposition “to.” This phrase functions as an adverb to the “from” phrase. The gerund “pleading” functions as the object within that “from” phrase.
10. “Pudding” is a retained predicate noun after the passive “called.” (See KISS Level 5.7 - Passive Voice and Retained Complements.) “Himself called” is the core of a noun absolute that functions as the direct object of “hearing.” (See KISS Level 5.8 - Noun Absolutes.) The gerund “hearing” functions as the object of the preposition “On.”
[Exercise # 3 Writing Sentences with “To” or “Too”] [Skip?]
[Exercise # 4 Treasure Hunt and/or Recipe Roster] [Skip?]
KISS Level 2.2.2 - Preposition (or Subordinate Conjunction)?
Notes for Teachers
Most grammar textbooks give students sanitized, simplistic sentences for exercises. Thus in an exercise on prepositional phrases (if they ever get to prepositional phrases), these textbooks will not include in an exercise a sentence in which “after” is used as a subordinate conjunction. Similarly, in an exercise on subordinate clauses, they will not use “after” as a preposition. In learning to deal with real texts, however, students need to learn to make the distinction. At this level, students need simply learn that if whatever answers the question “What?” after a “preposition” is a sentence, then the construction is not a prepositional phrase. You can tell them that it is a subordinate clause, and that they will learn more about subordinate clauses in KISS Level Three, but the focus at this point should be on their ability to identify the prepositional phrases.
Ex.1 - Is it a preposition?
1. They haven't eaten {since breakfast} [Adverb to "haven't eaten"]. |
2. They have had nothing (DO) to eat [#1] [Adv. (time) to "have had" since they had breakfast (DO)]. |
3. Karen was late [#2] {because of her brother} [Adverb to "was"]. |
4. Roberta won the race (DO) [Adv. (cause) to "won" because she practiced a lot [NuA]]. |
5. My mother made supper (DO) [Adv. (time) to "made" after she returned {from [ [#3] where she works]}]. |
6. My brother played baseball (DO) {with us} [Adverb to "played"] [Adv. (time) to "played" when he got home [NuA] {from work} [Adverb to "got"]]. |
7. [Adv. (time) to "wrote" After they read the story (DO)], they wrote {about it} [Adverb to "wrote"]. |
8. They took a nap (DO) {after dinner} [Adverb to "took"]. |
9. They talked {about Sam} [Adverb to "talked"]. |
10. They talked {about [ [#3] what they wanted to do [#4] ]}. |
Notes
1. The verbal (infinitive) "to eat" functions as an adjective limiting the meaning of "nothing."
2. Some people will see "late" as a predicate adjective, and others will see it as an adverb to "was." Either explanation should be accepted.
3. Two of these sentences include prepositional phrases which, if they follow the directions, students are expected to miss. These are phrases that have noun clauses as the object of a preposition. I decided to include them here as a reminder that students are expected to be confused and/or make mistakes, especially if they are analyzing randomly selected texts.
4. The verbal (infinitive) "to do" functions as the direct object of "wanted." Note that the direct object of "to do" is "what," which also functions as the subordinating conjunction.
Ex. 2 - From My Book of Favorite Fairy Tales, by Edric Vredenburg
1. They took care (DO) {of Beauty's father} {until the end} {of his days}. |
2. I have traveled all {over the world}, [Adv. to "have traveled" since we parted]. |
3. There {before them} was standing a handsome man. |
4. Every morning [NuA], [Adv. to "placed" before her mother awoke], Rose-Red placed {by her bed} a bouquet (DO). |
5. {After this}, every evening [NuA] {at the same time} the bear came, lay {by the fire}, and allowed the children to play [#1] {with him}. |
6. He stole my treasure (DO), and compelled me to roam the woods [#2] [Adv. to "roam" until his death should set me free [#3] . |
7. The kind children did not hesitate {for an instant}. |
8. Grethel took the bread (DO) {in her apron}, [Adv. (cause) to "took" for [#4] Hansel's pocket was full (PA) {of pebbles}]. |
9. Bluebeard recognized them (DO) {as the brothers} {of his wife}. |
10. One evening [NuA], [Adv. (time) to "was" as they were all sitting cozily together {like this}], there was a knock (PN) {at the door}. |
Notes
1. At this KISS level, expect students to mark “children” as a direct object. (Whether it is direct or indirect is probably a matter of debate among grammarians.) At KISS Level Four (verbals), students will learn that “children” functions as the subject of the verbal (infinitive) “to play.” The infinitive phrase functions as the direct object of “allowed.”
2. “Woods” is the direct object and “me” is the subject of the infinitive “to roam.” The infinitive phrase is the direct object of “compelled.”
3. “Free” is a predicate adjective to and “me” is the subject of an ellipsed infinitive “to be.” The infinitive phrase functions as the direct object of “should set.” For more on this, see the discussion of ellipsed infinitives in KISS Level 4.
4. For more on “for” as a conjunction, see KISS Level 3.2.2 - “So” and “For” as Conjunctions.
KISS Level 2. 2. 3 - Embedded Prepositional Phrases
Notes for Teachers
“Embedding” is a concept, not a construction, but it is an extremely important concept. It simply means that a grammatical construction has been put into the “bed” of another S/V/C pattern. Any modifier can be viewed as embedded. Consider the sentences
They live in a big house. It is brown.
They live in a big brown house.
In the second version, “brown” has been taken from its separate pattern, the “It is” has been deleted, and “brown” has been embedded in the first sentence. Similarly, a subordinate clause that functions as the direct object in another clause is embedded in that clause. We do not usually talk about embedding in these simple sentences, but English sentence structure is actually based on a very limited number of constructions. The complexity of our sentences results from the embedding of one construction within another. Although it is not essential to teach the concept of embedding at this level, it will help students understand how all the words in a “sentence” chunk to the main S/V/C pattern. For example, in the sentence
MR. JEREMY bounced up {to the surface} {of the water},
{like a cork and the bubbles} {out of a soda water bottle}.
the concept of embedding lets students see that “out of a soda water bottle” modifies “cork” and “bubbles” and is thus embedded in the “like” phrase. The “like” phrase then connects to “bounced” as an adverb. Similarly, “of the water” modifies “surface,” so it is embedded in the “to the surface” phrase which modifies “bounced.”
In the analysis keys, embedded phrases, and the phrases they are embedded in, are denoted by underlining. The grade-level books each contain six exercises, in part because this is the last main sub-level in Level 2.2. (KISS Level 2.2.4 includes advanced questions that teachers may or may not want to have their students look at in this point in their work.) Because they can be used as a general review, there are three sentence-based exercises (# 1, a, b, & c) in each grade-level book. The next two exercises (#2, a & b) are passages for analysis; the last exercise is a Treasure Hunt.
Suggested Directions for Analytical Exercises:
1. Underline subjects once, finite verbs twice, and label complements (“PA,” “PN,” “IO,” “DO”).
2. Place parentheses around each prepositional phrase. Draw an arrow from the beginning of each phrase to the word it modifies. Underline any embedded phrases and the phrases they are embedded in.
Probable Time Required:
Although it will help students later understand the embedding of clauses, it is not required at this KISS level. In a single-year framework, I’d skip embedded phrases. In a longer curriculum design, these exercises can also be used for review.
Ex. 1.a. - Based on The Tale of Jemima Puddle-Duck
1. I have a sackful (DO) {of feathers} {in my wood-shed}. |
2. The collie listened, {with his wise head} {on one side}. |
3. Jemima Puddle-duck went {up the cart-road} {for the last time}, {on a sunny afternoon}. |
4. She flew {over the wood}, and alighted {opposite the house} {of the bushy long-tailed gentleman}. |
5. She was rather burdened (P) {with bunches} {of herbs} and {*with* two onions} {in a bag} [#1] . |
6. He asked several questions (DO) {about the wood}, and {about the exact position} {of the house and shed}. |
7. She rather fancied a tree-stump (DO) {amongst some tall fox-gloves}. |
Note
1. Note the ambiguity—Are the “bunches of herbs” in the bag?
Ex. 1.b. - Based on The Tale of Johnny Town Mouse
1. Timmy Willie went {to town} {by mistake} {in a hamper}. |
2. The gardener sent vegetables (DO) {to town} once a week [NuA] {by carrier}. |
3. Timmy Willie crept in {through a hole} {in the wicker-work}. |
4. {With the utmost politeness} he introduced Timmy Willie (DO) {to nine other mice}. |
5. But {after the first exclamation} {of surprise} he instantly recovered his manners (DO). |
6. So Timmy Willie said good-bye (DO) {to his new friends}, and hid {in the hamper} {with a crumb} {of cake} and {*with* a withered cabbage leaf}. |
Ex. 1.c. - Based on The Tale of Mr. Jeremy Fisher [Skip?]
1. Mr. Jeremy Fisher lived {in a little damp house} {amongst the buttercups} {at the edge} {of a pond}. |
Note that whether or not a phrase is embedded is often a matter of perception, and thus there are often alternative explanations. Some people will see “amongst the buttercups” as modifying “house,” and thus embedded in that phrase. Others, however, will see it at modifying “lived,” and thus not embedded within the previous phrase. The same is true of “at the edge” in relation to “buttercups.” “Of a pond,” however, clearly completes the meaning of “edge,” and is thus embedded in “at the edge.” Not all alternatives are explained in the rest of this key.
2. His boat was tied (P) {to a water-plant} {in the middle} {of the pond}. |
Or: {to a water-plant} {in the middle} {of the pond}. |
3. MR. JEREMY bounced up {to the surface} {of the water}, {like a cork and the bubbles} {out of a soda water bottle}. |
4. He hopped home [NuA] {across the meadow} {with his macintosh} all {in tatters}. |
5. {Instead of a nice dish} {of minnows} -- they had a roasted grasshopper (DO) {with lady-bird sauce}. |
Ex. 2.a. - A Passage for Analysis—The Pledge of Allegiance to the Flag
I pledge allegiance (DO) {to the flag} [Adverb to "pledge" or adjective to "allegiance"] {of the United States} [Adjective to "flag"] {of America} [Adjective to "United States"] and {to the republic} [Adverb to "pledge" or adjective to "allegiance"] [Adj. to "republic" {for which} [Adverb to "stands"] it stands]: one nation [#1] {under God} [Adjective to "nation"], indivisible [#2], {with liberty and justice} [Adjective to "nation"] {for all} [Adjective to "liberty" and "justice"].|
Notes
1. Appositive to “republic”
2. Post-positioned adjective to “nation,” and thus also to “republic.”
Ex. 2.b. - From “How Reddy Fox Was Surprised”
One bright summer day [NuA] Johnny Chuck was out looking {for a good breakfast} {of nice tender clover} [#1]. | He had wandered quite a long way [NuA] {from his snug little house} {in the long meadow grass} [#2], [Adv. to "had wandered" although his mother had told him (IO) never to go [#3] {out of sight} {of the door} [#4] ]. | But Johnny was {like some little boys} [#5] [Adj. to "boys" I know], and forgot all (DO) [Adj. to "all" he had been told (P) ]. |
Notes
1. The second phrase functions as an adjective to “breakfast” (and thus is embedded in the first phrase). The first phrase functions as an adverb to “was looking.”
2. The second phrase functions as an adjective to “house” (and thus is embedded in the first phrase). The first phrase functions as an adjective to “way.”
3. “Him” functions as both the indirect object and as the subject of the verbal (infinitive) “to go.” The infinitive phrase functions as the direct object of “had told.”
4. The second phrase functions as an adjective to “sight” (and thus is embedded in the first phrase). The first phrase functions as an adverb to “to go.”
5. This phrase can be explained either as adverbial, explaining how he was, or, once students get to them in Level Two, as a predicate adjective.
Exercise # 3 - Treasure Hunt and/or Recipe Roster [Skip?]
KISS Level 2. 2.4 - Prepositional Phrases - Advanced Questions
Notes for Teachers
KISS Level 2.2.4 is more for teachers and parents than it is for students. In analyzing real, randomly selected texts, students who have mastered KISS Level 2.2.1 (The “to” problem) and KISS Level 2.2.2 (Preposition or Subordinate Conjunction) will probably find that they can easily identify more than 95% of the prepositional phrases in any text. As usual in KISS, you should always remind students that there are some things that they are expected to always get right, and there are other things that they are expected to get wrong—at least until they have thoroughly mastered KISS Level Five. KISS Level 2.2.4 suggests the kinds of things that students should be expected to get wrong at this point in their work.
Constructions that students have not yet studied also function as objects of prepositions, and, obviously, we should expect students to make mistakes in analyzing them. These include subordinate clauses, two of the three verbals (gerunds and infinitives), and noun absolutes. The exercises in this section include only gerunds and subordinate clauses—the two constructions that students are most likely to run into. The functions of all of these constructions as objects of prepositions is presented again, in the study of those constructions.
In the “complete” books, this level consists of three exercises, one on gerunds, one on subordinate clauses, and one on ellipsed objects of prepositions. (See below.) You may what to show your students a few of the exercises and briefly explain them now. Doing so will show students that you really do know what they are expected to miss, and why.
Note that the only “instructional material” for this section is about gerunds with complements, and it is presented to students as “Unusual Prepositional Phrases.” Otherwise, these exercises follow the KISS principle of teaching students to apply what they have already learn to examples that are not normally presented in textbooks.
See also:
KISS Level 3.2.1 - Semi-Reduced and Other Ellipsed Clauses
KISS Level 4 - Infinitives as Objects of Prepositions
KISS Level 5.8 - Noun Absolutes as Objects of Prepositions
Suggested Directions for Analytical Exercises:
1. Place parentheses around each prepositional phrase.
2. Underline subjects once, finite verbs twice, and label complements (“PA,” “PN,” “IO,” “DO”).
Probable Time Required:
This section is primarily an explanation for students of mistakes that they will be expected to make until they get to clauses and verbals. You may want to have them do an exercise or two, but essentially, this section could be just the focus of one in-class illustration.
Ex. 1 - Unusual Prepositional Phrases (Gerunds with Complements)
1. Sam was happy (PA) {about hitting a home run [#1] }. |
2. {After reading a story [#2] }, they took a nap (DO). |
3. {Without catching a fish [#3] }, they still had a good time (DO). |
4. The teacher thanked Sue (DO) {for asking the question [#4] }. |
5. {In writing her story [#5] }, Rhonda remembered her old friend (DO). |
Notes
1. “Home run” is the direct object of the gerund “hitting.”
2. “Story” is the direct object of “reading.”
3. “Fish” is the direct object of “catching.”
4. “Question” is the direct object of “asking.”
5. “Story” is the direct object of “writing.”
Ex. 2 - Subordinate Clauses as Objects of Prepositions
Reminder: This is a very difficult exercise for third graders. Remind them that they are expected to make mistakes.
1. The North Wind must live {in [OP what they call "Out-of-Doors." [#1] ] } |
2. We shall soon get {to [OP where the waves are dashing about] }. |
3. [DO "Is it {like [OP what's {in my book}] } [#2] ?"] he said {to himself} (IO) sleepily. |
4. Just then, a great blast {of wind} brought down the key (DO) {upon the stones} {at his feet} {from [OP where it was kept (P) hanging [#3] high {above his head}] }. |
5. The night shimmered {with a milky whiteness} {of stars} {except [OP where, just {before them}, the gray towers {of a cathedral} blotted out the sky (DO)] }. |
Notes
1. For students working at this KISS Level, this may seem really tricky. The “what” functions simultaneously as the subordinating conjunction and it replaces “it” within its own clause—“They call it “Out-of-Doors.” At KISS Level Four, students will learn that in the later version, “it” is the subject and “Out-of-Doors” is a predicate noun of an ellipsed infinitive “to be”—“it *to be* Out-of-Doors.” The ellipsed infinitive construction is the direct object of “call.”
2. This “like” phrase can be explained either as an adverb to “is” or as a predicate adjective.
3. The easiest way to explain “was kept hanging” is to consider it a palimpsest pattern with “was kept” written over the “was” in “was hanging.” See KISS Level 2.1.4 - Palimpsest Patterns.
Ex. 3 - A Study in Ellipsed Objects of Prepositions
Note: In most analysis keys, prepositions with ellipsed objects are simply explained either as phrasal verbs or as adverbs.
1. They thought it better [#1] to stop to give a good look {around *them*} [#2]. |
2. It would be too dreadful (PA) to open a mullet, or a fried whiting, and to find {inside *it*} a donkey's tail [#3] ! |
3. Then a horrible Dog-Fish, [Adj. to "Dog-Fish" who was {near *me*}], came {towards me}. |
4. But Pinocchio caught the assassin's hand (DO) {with his teeth}, and {with one bite} bit it (DO) clear {off *his hand*} and spat it (DO) {out *of his mouth*}. |
5. He was, {in fact} [#4], a little donkey (PN) to fall [#5] {in love} {with *such a little donkey*} ! |
[pic]
The ellipsed object of the second “in” is “his mouth.” (Some people may prefer to see the “in” as an ellipsed version of “into.”
FYI – Full Analysis Key
Only to think [#6] {of poor Pinocchio's terror} {at the sight} {of the monster}. | He tried to avoid it [#7], to change his direction [#8]; | he tried to escape [#9], | but that immense, wide-open mouth came {towards him} {with the velocity} {of an arrow}. |
[DO [#10] "*You* Be quick (PA), Pinocchio [DirA], {for pity's sake!}"] cried the beautiful little goat, bleating [#11]. |
And Pinocchio swam desperately {with his arms, his chest, his legs, and his feet}. |
"*You be* Quick (PA), Pinocchio [DirA], | the monster is close {upon you}!" |
And Pinocchio swam quicker than ever [#12], and flew on {with the rapidity} {of a ball} {from a gun}. | He had nearly reached the rock (DO), | and the little goat, leaning [#13] {over *the rock*} {towards the sea}, had stretched out her fore-legs (DO) to help him [#14] {out of the water}! |
But it was too late! | The monster had overtaken him (DO) | and, drawing {in*to his lungs*) his breath [#15], he sucked {in*to his mouth*} the poor puppet (DO) [Adv. to "sucked" as he would have sucked a hen's egg (DO)]. |
Notes
1. At this KISS Level, expect students to be confused by the object of “thought.” Some will see “it” as the direct object; others will sense that “it better” better captures the meaningful answer to “thought what?” They are right, but they can’t be expected to explain it here. KISS views “it better” as an ellipsed infinitive construction—“it *to be* better.” Infinitives are the focus of KISS Level Four.
2. At this level, students should realize that “to stop” and “to give” are not prepositional phrases. As long as they get that right, they deserve praise. “Look” is the direct object of the verbal (infinitive) “to give.” [The following phrase is adjectival because “look” here functions as a noun.] “To give” functions as an adverb (of purpose) to the verbal (infinitive) “to stop.” “To stop” is a delayed subject to “it” in “it better.” [They thought to stop . . . better.] See KISS Level 5.6 - Delayed Subjects and Sentences.
3. “Mullet” and “whiting” are direct objects of the verbal (infinitive) “to open.” “Tail” is the direct object of the verbal (infinitive) “to find.” The two infinitives function as Delayed Subjects to “would be.”
4. Some people will consider “in fact” an adverb, whereas others see it as an interjection.
5. The verbal (infinitive) “to fall” functions as an adjective to “donkey.”
6. The “to” makes this a fragment, but readers understand this as meaning “think of.”
7. “It” is the direct object of the verbal (infinitive) “to avoid.” The infinitive phrase is the direct object of “tried.”
8. “Direction” is the direct object of the verbal (infinitive) “to change.” Because there is no “and” between the two infinitive phrases, and because the second further defines the first, the second phrase functions as an appositive to the first. See KISS Level 5.4 - Appositives.
9. The verbal (infinitive) phrase “to escape” is the direct object of “tried.”
10. For an alternative explanation of the clause structure here, see KISS Level 3.2.3 - Interjection? Or Direct Object?
11. “Bleating” is a verbal (gerundive) that modifies “goat.”
12. “Than ever” is an ellipsed adverbial subordinate clause—“than *he had* ever *swam*.”
13. “Leaning” is a verbal (gerundive) that modifies “goat.”
14. “Him” is the direct object of the verbal (infinitive) “to help.” The infinitive phrase functions as an adverb (of purpose) to “had stretched.”
15. “Breath” is the direct object of the verbal (gerundive) “drawing.” The gerundive phrase functions as an adjective to the following “he.”
KISS Level 2. 3. Adding Three Level Five Constructions
Notes for Teachers
These concepts are optional in the sense that students do not need to understand them in order to advance to KISS Level Two. Thus, for example, if you are trying to start the KISS Approach with middle school students and you want to enable the students to be able to identify clauses, you should probably skip these concepts. On the other hand, if you are beginning in primary school, you have plenty of time to include these concepts. The concepts, moreover, explain constructions that are frequently used in narrative writing, which is typically what primary students are asked to do. Because these constructions are so simple, the instructional materials and exercises are included here, even though they are technically Level Five Constructions. Nouns Used as Adverbs are very simple and raise few questions.
Interjections are the most complex of the three. For one, they slide into adverbs. Consider the following two sentences:
a.) Duh, do you think so?
b.) Really, do you think so?
“Duh” is an obvious interjection, but many grammarians would consider “really” as an adverb, especially since it can be moved in the sentence—“Do you really think so?” This is, however, just a question of how the words should be named (categorized). As always in cases like this, KISS allows either explanation.
More debatable is that KISS considers some prepositional phrases to be functioning as interjections:
{Of course} he voted in the last election.
{In fact}, he voted in the last election.
One can, in KISS, explain such phrases as adverbs, but when the phrase modifies the sentence as a whole, rather than a specific word or construction within the sentence, KISS accepts either explanation. (Many linguists call these “sentence modifiers.) Still more debatable is the KISS explanation of some clauses as interjections. (See KISS Level 3.2.3—Interjection? Or Direct Object?)
Direct Address (“Sally, close the door.”) is, if one thinks about it, a specific type of interjection. As such, it could be dropped from the KISS toolbox, but the concept is so simple, and it is so widely used in grammar textbooks, that it seemed better to keep it.
Exercises three and five are devoted to punctuation, but they can also be used as a second exercise on interjections and direct address, respectively.
Suggested Directions for Analytical Exercises
1. Place parentheses (around each prepositional phrase).
2. Underline every finite verb twice, every subject once, and label complements (“PA,” “PN,” “IO,” or “DO”).
3. Label each interjection (“Inj”), each example of Direct Address (“DirA”), and every noun used as an adverb (“NuA”). [As appropriate]
Probable Time Required: For most students, these should require only one or two simple exercises.
Ex. 1 - Nouns Used as Adverbs—From the Writing of Third and Seventh Graders
1. One day [NuA] my dad was cooking and splashed grease (DO) up {on his hand}. |
2. I stayed three days [NuA] {after Christmas}. |
“After Christmas” can be explained as an adverb to “stayed” and/or as an adjective to “days.”
3. Then we would come home [NuA] and watch some basketball (DO). |
4. I was going to try to escape that night [NuA]. |
Later students will learn that “to escape” is a verbal (an infinitive) that functions as the direct object of “was going to try.”
5. We walked a mile [NuA] {down the road}. |
6. That happened years [NuA] ago. |
This is a common idiomatic construction. “Years” can be explained as functioning as an adverb that modifies “ago,” or “ago” can be considered as an adverb that modifies “years.” Combined, they function as an adverb to “happened.”
7. She really likes her teacher (DO) a whole lot [NuA]! |
8. Cathy has been {to Florida} two times [NuA] {in her life}! |
Some people will explain “in her life” as an adjective to “times,” and others will see it as an an adverb to “has been.”
9. Some [NuA] {of the time} she would even take us (DO) {to her house}. |
10. She weighs 120 pounds [NuA]. |
|A Difference |[pic] |Interjections—Special Notes for Teachers |
|of Opinion | | |
|1896 | | |
|by | | |
|Sir Lawrence | | |
|Alma-Tadema | | |
|(1836-1912) | | |
“Simple” Interjections
Most, if not all grammar textbooks focus on the definitions of words. They do not really examine sentences. Thus, in most such books you will find a definition of “interjection” similar to that in The Modern Writer’s Handbook by Frank O’Hare and Edward A. Kline (N.Y.: Macmillan, third edition, 1993):
“A word that expresses emotion and has no grammatical connection
to the sentence in which it appears.” (627)
There are two basic problems with such definitions. First, the books rarely make clear (or agree on) what words can function as interjections. Second, they overlook the fact that some of the “words” included in the examples are not single words. They are phrases, and, in some cases, complete sentences.
The Modern Writer’s Handbook gives only a few examples, all of which are single words. So, to get a better perspective, we might consider an older text, The New College Grammar, by Mason Long (N.Y. The Ronald Press, 1935). I chose this text because it neatly addresses “Seven Parts of Speech [That Can Be] Used as Interjections” (321).
|1. Nouns: |Nonsense! Goodness! |
|2. Pronouns: |I! Who! |
|3. Adjectives |Good! Fine! |
|4. Verbs: |See! Halt! |
| Infinitives: |To think! To yield! |
|5. Adverbs |Well! Never! |
|6. Prepositions: |In! Beyond! |
|7. Conjunctions: |If! But! |
My point here is simply to suggest that the grammarians disagree among themselves, and there is no clarity, if we look as interjections as single words, as to which words can be and which cannot.
I would suggest that the problem arises because the textbooks focus on the “words.” They usually state that interjections are not connected to the rest of the sentence, but, since they never teach students how to see those connections in the first place, the books simply slide past this part of the definition. If we want to look at interjections as words, then I would suggest that any word can function as an interjection.
Imagine a conversation between a man and a woman. He says, “You should be happy!” She responds, “Happy! What have you done to make me happy?” Is she not using “Happy!” as an interjection? The essence of an interjection is not so much the “word” or the expression of emotion. (Sentences can express emotion without including interjections. The essence of an interjection is that the word (or phrase, or sentence) is not syntactically connected to the other words in the sentence. It is, in fact, a word or construction that is “thrown into” the sentence structure.
Although they usually define interjection as a “word,” the examples that many textbooks give include phrases and even sentences. Long (above) includes “See!” and “Halt!” as examples of verbs that can function as interjections, but both of those verbs can also be seen as complete sentences. Grammarians love to categorize, and Long was no exception. He followed his basic definition with “Seven Classes of Interjections According to Sense” (322-3). More important than his categories are his examples, for he includes several phrases: “Woe is me!” “All Hail!” “Well done!” “Good gracious!” “Good Heavens!” “Fie on you!” and “Can it Be!” He also includes a prepositional phrase -- “For shame!”
It is, I would suggest, silly to try to make students memorize a list of words that can function as interjections. A few examples will help them, of course, but once they get the idea, most students will easily recognize the interjections in:
“Oh, fish feathers!” said Stuart. “Size has nothing to do with it.”
From this perspective, interjections are simply words (or other constructions) that do not chunk to (modify) another word or construction within a sentence.
“Within” is purposefully bold, because once we realize that constructions themselves can function as interjections, another question arises. Many prepositional phrases, for example, do not modify a word or construction within a sentence, they modify the entire sentence:
They were, of course, late.
In truth, I don’t know where he went.
“Of course” and “in truth” could be explained as adverbial modifiers of the verbs in these sentences, but as such, they really modify the entire sentence. In essence, they interject the writer’s or speaker’s attitude toward what the sentence states.
Most linguists prefer the name “sentence modifiers” for phrases, clauses, and other constructions that function in this way. The KISS objective, of course, is to keep things simple, and thus it makes more sense simply to extend the traditional concept of “interjection” to prepositional phrases, clauses, infinitives, or any other constructions that function as “sentence modifiers.” The linguists, after all, call them “sentence modifiers” because they are “thrown into” the sentence in the same way that interjections are.
“Advanced” Interjections
If we agree that prepositional phrases (and even sentences) can function as interjections, we can simplify and clarify some advanced questions that many grammar textbooks never even deal with. These are explained in the Master Books for KISS Level 3.2.3 - Interjection? Or Direct Object? and KISS Level 3.2.4 - “Tag” and Other Questions about Clauses.
Ex. 2 - Interjections—from the Writing of Third Graders
1. Oh [Inj], I am going to go {to the new mall}this week [NuA] {for new clothes}. |
2. Ouch! [Inj] That hurt.|
3. Oh [Inj], I almost forgot lunch (DO). |
4. Hey [Inj], what (DO) are you doing?|
Note how close "Hey" is to Direct Address.
5. Well [Inj], my friends and I were {in different groups} {for the daily schedule}.|
6. Then I had to take care (DO) {of Mack}. | Boy!! [Inj] Was he heavy (PA). |
7. GOSH! [Inj] I hope [DO he and I do go together].|
8. Whoo! [Inj] I thought [DO we were going to get hurt (PA)]. |
9. Well [Inj], I guess [DO I should tell some (DO) {of the bad things}].|
10. Hello! [Inj] *You* Let me tell you (IO) {about my family}. |
“Me” is the subject, and “you” is the indirect object of the infinitive “tell.” The infinitive phrase functions as the direct object of “Let.”
Ex. 3 - Punctuating Interjections [Skip?]
Note: Some of the sentences in this exercise have been adapted by eliminating advanced constructions and by deleting the subject/verb patterns like “said Stuart” in the following:
“Well then,” said Stuart, “I’ll catch the sloop broad on,
and rake her with fire from my forward gun.”
These S/V patterns raise advanced questions about clauses that would simply confuse students who have not even started to learn about clauses. For more on this, see KISS Level 3.2.3 - Interjection? Or Direct Object?
1. "Oh [Inj], all right, [#1]" said George. |
2. "Bravo! [Inj]" [ [#2] cried the man], "and *may* good luck go {with you}!" |
3. [DO "Yes [Inj], that's true (PA),"] Stuart agreed. |
4. "Oh [Inj], oh [Inj]," yelled Stuart. |
5. "Help! [Inj] It's dark (PA) {in here}." |
6. [DO "Hey [Inj], *You* watch out [#3] !"] yelled Dr. Carey. |
7. "Pew! [Inj] you smell awful (PA), Stuart [DirA]." |
8. "Well, [Inj] I've got to be getting along [#4]." |
9. [DO "There [#5] , it worked pretty well,"] said Stuart. |
10. "Goodness me [Inj], I didn't know [DO you had skates hidden [#6] {in your shirt}]." |
Notes
1. The easiest way to explain “all right” is simply to consider it an interjection. If one wants to be more technical, one could explain it as an ellipsed clause—“*Everything is* all right.” The quotation is, of course, the direct object of “said.”
2. KISS considers this clause as an interjection. See KISS Level 3.2.3 - Interjection? Or Direct Object? Alternatively, it could be considered the main subject and verb. That would make the quotation the direct object of “cried.” (I’ve kept this one because of the punctuation.)
3. Many people may justifiably see “Watch out” as an interjection.
4. “To get along,” as used here, is idiomatic for “Have got to be going.”
5. As used here, “There” does not refer to a place. Thus it functions as an interjection, as in “There, there, now.”
6. At this KISS Level, students should be able to identify both “didn’t know” and “had” as finite verbs. “Hidden” may give them trouble. At KISS Level 4, “hidden” is explained as a verbal (gerundive) that modifies “skates”—the direct object of “had.” At KISS Level 5.8, some people may prefer to see “skates hidden” as a noun absolute that functions as the direct object of “had.”
Ex. 4.a. - Direct Address
1. Tom [DirA], where are you going? |
2. Can I have a cookie (DO), mother [DirA]? |
3. Sam [DirA], *you* stop that (DO)! |
4. Uncle Bill [DirA], are you going {to the store}? |
Although the California DoE considers "Bill" to be an appositive to "Uncle," a better explanation is to consider "Uncle" an adjective to "Bill."
5. How many mice (DO) have you caught today, Cat [DirA]? |
6. Silly person [DirA], what (DO) were you thinking? |
7. Oh [Inj], children [DirA], my strength is coming back {to me}. |
8. Oh [Inj], Aslan [DirA], *you* don't go {near the river}! |
9. Here we are, Mrs. Beaver [DirA]! |
10. But how could it be true (PA), Sir [DirA]? |
Ex. 4.b. - “Rain, Rain, Go away”
Rain [DirA], rain [DirA], *you* go away, |
*You* Come again another day [NuA]; |
Little Johnny wants to play [#1]. |
Note
1. “To play” is an infinitive that functions as the direct object of “wants.” At this KISS Level, however, the important thing is that students not mark it as a prepositional phrase. At this level, I would also simply accept it as a part of the finite verb.
Ex. 4.c. - “Little Boy Blue” [Skip?]
Little Boy Blue [#1], *You* come blow [#2] your horn (DO), |
The sheep's {in the meadow}, | the cow's {in the corn}. |
Where is the boy [Adj. to "boy" that looks after [#3] the sheep (DO)]? |
He's {under the hay-cock}, fast asleep. |
Notes
1. Direct Address. (I’m considering “Blue” as part of his name. Otherwise, it can be explained as a post-positioned adjective.
2. “Come” is not normally a helping verb, so if students asked about it, I would suggest that there is an implied “and” in the line—“come and blow.”
3. “Looks after” means “tends,” so the “after” can be considered as part of the verb. Because many third graders might have trouble seeing that, I would also accept “looks” as the finite verb and “after the sheep” as a prepositional phrase, even though that is not a good explanation.
Ex. 5 - The Punctuation of Direct Address [Skip?]
1. *You* Stand {in line}, boys [DirA]. |
2. You understand, Charles [DirA], [DO that the car must be here {by noon}]. |
3. Are you driving, Ruth [DirA]? |
4. Boys [DirA] and girls [DirA], you have done well. |
5. Little boy [DirA], why are you crying? |
6. I have complied {with your commands}, Your Majesty [DirA]. |
7. My son [DirA], your future is {in your own hands}. |
8. Now [Inj], Joe [DirA], *you* show us (IO) how to build a fire [#1]. |
9. Will you put my money (DO) {in the bank}, Father [DirA]? |
10. I will deposit it (DO) {for you} today, Mary [DirA]. |
Note
1. “Fire” is the direct object of the infinitive “to build” which functions as an adjective to “how,” which functions as the direct object of “show.”
Ex. 6 - Based on The Tale of Samuel Whiskers
1. Oh [Inj], dear me [Inj], Cousin Ribby [DirA] -- now Moppet and Mittens are gone [#1]! |
2. We had them (DO) {for dinner} last Saturday [NuA]. |
In the context of the story, the pun in this relies on the principle of ellipsis. “We had them” can mean “We had them as guests,” but in the story, of course, it means “We ate them.”
3. Which way [NuA] did she go, Moppet [DirA] ? |
4. Some {of the walls} were four feet [NuA] thick (PA). |
5. He had lived all his life [NuA] [#2] {in the house}. |
6. The rolling-pin went roly-poly [NuA] , roly [NuA] ; roly [NuA] , poly [NuA] , roly [NuA] . | [#3]
7. You did not fetch enough dough (DO), Anna Maria [DirA]. |
8. All {at once} he fell head [NuA] {over heels} {in the dark}, {down a hole}, and landed {on a heap} {of very dirty rags}. |
Notes
1. This is another of those unusual cases that traditional grammar books rarely, if ever, discuss. Most grammarians would probably consider “are gone” as the finite verb, but I would also accept “gone” as a predicate adjective.
2. Some people may prefer to explain expressions such as “all his life” by assuming an ellipsed preposition—“all *of* is life.” This option makes “all” a pronoun that functions as a Noun Used as an Adverb.
3. My thinking is based on comparisons to “It went thump.” and “It went bang.” in which “thump” and “bang:” are nouns used as adverbs. Many people, however, may justifiably see “roly” and “poly” as simple adverbs.
Exercise # 7 Treasure Hunts and/or Recipe Rosters [Skip?]
Appendix
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 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 red 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]
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).
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 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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