4th grade grammar

Example

Which word is an adverb? Please put the vase down carefully.

1. An adverb modifies a verb (or an adjective or another adverb).
2. So the answer is: carefully

Answer: carefully

Example

Which sentence begins with a fronted adverbial? • The cat crept upstairs. • The cat crept upstairs without a sound. • The cat crept without a sound upstairs. • Without a sound, the cat crept upstairs.

1. A fronted adverbial is a word or phrase at the front of a sentence that tells how, when or where. It is followed by a comma.
2. So the answer is: Without a sound, the cat crept upstairs.

Answer: Without a sound, the cat crept upstairs.

Example

Choose the correct word. I think that bike is ___ (belongs to him).

1. Possessive determiners (my, your, his, her, its, our, their) go before a noun; possessive pronouns (mine, yours, his, hers, ours, theirs) stand alone. None of them has an apostrophe.
2. Put it back into the sentence and read it aloud: "I think that bike is his."
3. So the answer is: his

Answer: his

Example

Which group of words is the longest expanded noun phrase in the sentence? I read a scary book about ghosts.

1. An expanded noun phrase is a noun with extra detail: adjectives before it and/or a prepositional phrase after it.
2. So the answer is: a scary book about ghosts

Answer: a scary book about ghosts

Example

Choose the Standard English form. They ___ to the cinema last night.

1. In Standard English the verb agrees with its subject and uses the correct past form.
2. This verb is irregular; the simple past is a special form.
3. Put it back into the sentence and read it aloud: "They went to the cinema last night."
4. So the answer is: went

Answer: went

Example

Choose the relative pronoun. The girl ___ won the race is my friend.

1. Relative pronouns start a clause that tells us more about a noun.
2. It refers to a person, so we use 'who'.
3. Put it back into the sentence and read it aloud: "The girl who won the race is my friend."
4. So the answer is: who

Answer: who

Example

Which progressive tense is used? I am writing a story about a dragon.

1. Progressive tenses show an action that is, was or will be going on for a while.
2. So the answer is: present progressive

Answer: present progressive

Example

Which noun phrase has the adjectives in the natural order?

1. Adjectives usually go in this order: opinion, size, age, shape, colour, origin, material, purpose, then the noun.
2. So the answer is: a tiny green frog

Answer: a tiny green frog

Example

Which group of words is a prepositional phrase? The book on the top shelf is mine.

1. A prepositional phrase is a preposition + a noun phrase: under + the warm blanket.
2. So the answer is: on the top shelf

Answer: on the top shelf

Example

Choose the correct word. Don't forget ___ helmet.

1. The apostrophe shows missing letters: it's = it is, you're = you are, who's = who is. its, your and whose show belonging.
2. Put it back into the sentence and read it aloud: "Don't forget your helmet."
3. So the answer is: your

Answer: your

Example

Grandpa and Dad fixed the shed, and then he made tea. Why is this sentence unclear?

1. A pronoun is unclear when it could refer to more than one noun. Use the noun instead.
2. So the answer is: We can't tell who made the tea.

Answer: We can't tell who made the tea.

Example

Which word is the HELPING verb? We must leave at eight.

1. A helping (auxiliary) verb works with the main verb to show time, possibility or need. Common ones: is, are, was, were, have, has, had, do, does, will, can, could, should, might, must.
2. So the answer is: must

Answer: must

Example

The puppy chased the ball. Is "chased" an action verb or a linking verb here?

1. An action verb shows what the subject does. A linking verb joins the subject to a word that describes it (is, seems, becomes, looks, feels).
2. So the answer is: action verb

Answer: action verb