I love spending time on the water. It might be a lake, a river, a pond, or a pool. Water is relaxing and refreshing which are both necessary in the summertime. With summer wrapping up, my extended time on the water is coming to an end. What I really like about summer water is the stillness. The wilderness spring run-offs are a memory and the water has settled into a calm existence. With this comes clarity. I love looking through the water to see what is beneath the surface. Calm, clear water reveals another world.
Clarity is necessary in writing. The use of pronouns adds variety, but if used incorrectly it can lead to ambiguity. The proper use of a pronoun will clarify to the reader what the writer is talking about. In other words, a clear writing piece reveals to the reader another world the writer is exploring.
In the following grammar exercise, students first need to understand agreement and whether to add –s or –es to word endings. Teachers should model at least the first two sentences and conduct a read aloud to share thinking with the class. The rest should be done as independent practice.
For each sentence, the teacher should use three index cards. On the first card, write the subject, on the second card, the correct verb form, and on the third card, write the phrase. Students can work independently or in groups. Teachers should create multiple sets of sentences for students or groups. Students can move the cards around to make appropriate sentences. This activity provides a quick visual assessment for the teacher and gives students a hands-on project. You can also download my Subject-Verb Agreement Game!
I've also created subject pronouns worksheets to review subject pronouns, pronoun antecedents, and present-tense verbs!