The most consistent problem my students struggle with is grammar. Apparently it is a mythical beast that isn’t showing up in school curriculums anymore.
I’ve been searching around to find appropriate material to fill in the gap. Erica Meltzer’s The Ultimate Guide to SAT Grammar is terrific and highly recommended. But I was also looking for free resources that could painlessly deliver lessons to teenagers.
And I think I’ve found it. Grammar Bytes – with a tagline of “Grammar instruction with attitude” – has a plethora of free worksheets and handouts on all things grammar. Here are some of my favorites:
- Parallel Structure rules and exercises
- Improper Modifier rules and exercises
- Pronoun Agreement exercises
- Subject-Verb agreement exercises
- Complete sentences*: rules for fixing fragments (and a great tip on how to recognize one) and exercises and rules for fixing run-on sentences and exercises
*You don’t need to know the technical terms like subordinate clauses and infinitive phrases. But you do need to be able to recognize a sentence that isn’t complete and how to fix it.
I wish Matt Inman over at The Oatmeal would write a grammar book. His poster on How to use semicolons is priceless.
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