GRAMMAR

SKILLS
Grades 6–8
by Rosemary Allen
Published by World Teachers Press®
 Contents
Contents ................................................................................... 4-5 Using verb tenses in reports:
Teachers Notes ..................................................................... 6-7 the present ................................................................................. 29
Using verb tenses: Verb tenses:
the past perfect .......................................................................... 8 the present tense ................................................................... 30
More about the past perfect tense................................. 9 Writing present (simple) sentences ............................ 31
Using adverbs with present (simple) tense ............. 32
Using punctuation:
review ........................................................................................... 10 Verb tenses:
Commas, dashes and parentheses ............................... 11 the past tense ........................................................................... 33
More about parenthetical expressions ...................... 12 Past tense in narratives – 1 .............................................. 34
Past tense in narratives – 2 .............................................. 35
Using words:
homophones ............................................................................. 13 Verb tenses:
talking about the future – 1 ............................................. 36
Making use of words:
talking about the future – 2 ............................................. 37
linking words ............................................................................. 14
Direct and reported speech – 1 ................................... 38
Sentence structure ................................................................ 15
Direct and reported speech – 2 ................................... 39
Sentences: Direct and reported speech – 3 ................................... 40
clauses ........................................................................................... 16 Direct and reported speech – 4 ................................... 41
Sentences that have more than one clause ............ 17
Direct and reported speech:
Identifying the components of the clause ................ 18
tense changes ........................................................................... 42
Changing the order of sentences.................................. 19
Making sense:
Clause structure:
quotation marks ...................................................................... 43
the subject (noun groups) ................................................ 20
Making sense of conditionals ........................................... 44
More about noun groups .................................................. 21
Conditionals:
Clause components:
the first condition ................................................................... 45
nouns ............................................................................................. 22
the second condition ........................................................... 46
Clause structure: the third condition ................................................................. 47
verbs (action part) ................................................................. 23 Using conditionals in expositions .................................. 48
verbs ............................................................................................. 24
Describing characters:
Words: using adjectives ........................................................................ 49
using interesting verbs ......................................................... 25
Description:
Clause structure: tenses ............................................................................................ 50
the object (situation part) ................................................. 26 metaphor .................................................................................... 51
Situation components: similes ............................................................................................ 52
adverbial phrases .................................................................... 27 Making sense of words:
Making sense of verb tenses ............................................ 28 idioms – 1 ................................................................................... 53
idioms – 2 ................................................................................... 54

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 Contents
Grammar:
newspaper articles................................................................. 55 Relative clauses in science reports ............................... 84
Activities using relative pronouns and clauses ....... 85
Identifying:
Grammar through persuasive text – 1 ...................... 86
point of view – 1 .................................................................... 56
Grammar through persuasive text – 2 ...................... 87
point of view – 2 .................................................................... 57
Changing words into different parts of speech .... 88
Using active and passive voice ........................................ 58
More about active voice .................................................... 59
Teachers Notes and Answers .................. 89 – 96
More about passive voice ................................................. 60
Making nouns from other parts of speech .............. 61
Newspaper headlines .......................................................... 62
Exploring news articles ....................................................... 63
Verb tenses:
using verb tenses .................................................................... 64
making sense of perfect tense ........................................ 65
the present continuous ....................................................... 66
past continuous – 1 .............................................................. 67
past continuous – 2 .............................................................. 68
future continuous – 1 .......................................................... 69
future continuous – 2 .......................................................... 70
Identifying verb tenses – 1 ................................................ 71
Identifying verb tenses – 2 ................................................ 72
Auxiliaries:
identifying “helper” verbs ................................................... 73
Question marks:
using auxiliary verbs .............................................................. 74
Questioning activities ........................................................... 75
Writing Expositions:
shifts in tenses .......................................................................... 76
Sentences:
conjunctions .............................................................................. 77
Compound sentences and conjunctions .................. 78
Linking to make compound sentences ...................... 79
Types of pronouns ................................................................. 80
Relative and reflexive pronouns .................................... 81
Relative clauses and relative pronouns ...................... 82
Rules for relative clauses and relative pronouns .. 83

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5
 Sentence structure
1. Do you like sandwiches?
Yes No
did you know

You are probably asking, “What does this have to do with sentence structure?”
Well, in some ways sentences can be compared to sandwiches.
2. Can you think of one way a sentence can be compared to a sandwich?

Sandwiches have a basic structure and so do sentences. Sandwiches have components (ingredients)
did you know

that we choose to put in them. So do sentences. When we put the components into a sandwich, the
order we put them in does not always matter. The sandwich will look different, but mostly it will taste
the same. It’s the same with sentences — we can change the order of the components in a sentence
and, although the sentence may look different, the meaning often remains the same. We can also join
two sentences together, just like we can make a double-decker sandwich.

For example, when I want to make a ham and cheese sandwich, I first take the basic
structure of the sandwich, that is, two slices of bread. Then I add some ham, some slices
of cheese and some lettuce.
Notice that commas are placed between each item in the list, but I do not need a
comma before the word “and.”

3. Name some other components you might add to a ham and cheese sandwich.

4. Invent your own special double-decker sandwich by adding the components you choose to the
basic structure (the slices of bread). Write the directions in the space below.

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15
 Sentences: clauses
did you know

Sentences are like sandwiches; they too have a basic structure. Sentences are made up of clauses
(ideas, messages, thoughts). A clause is the basic structure that carries the message of the sentence. It
must contain a verb or a verb group. Sentences can be made up of a single clause (idea, message or
thought) or can be made by linking two or more clauses.
1. Find suitable verbs to complete these sentences.

(a) Jay football so he every night.

(b) Kate a letter to her friend.
(c) Brad the door as he outside.
2. Read this short narrative first and then we can look more closely at the clauses.

The Tree House

The children were on vacation for six weeks so they decided to build a tree house in the big, old
mulberry tree in the back field. Dad was recruited to help, timber was located, tools and ropes were
borrowed and nails were acquired from Dad’s collection in the shed. The children set to work
happily on their project.
The tree house took three weeks to complete. It was solid and roomy. Dad said it was the
superstar of the tree house world. However, there was still something missing and the children
were not completely happy with the result, so they went to Dad for some further advice.
“I know what the problem is,” he remarked, disappearing into the spare bedroom. He returned
a few minutes later with two pieces of material.
“You need curtains to make it feel like a home.” The children laughed. Dad was right. Now they
had a real home of their own, not just a tree house.
did you know

Most of the sentences in the narrative have more than one

clause (thought) in them. However, there are some sentences
that have only one clause.
The children set to work happily on their project.
The tree house took three weeks to complete.

3. Look at the text again. Find other examples of sentences with only one clause.

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