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B. Foundations of Language · Foundations: Grammar, Sentences and Punctuation

Foundations: Grammar, Sentences and Punctuation: Unit Review

A3.1 B3.1 B3.2 B3.3About 40 minutes
Learning goals
  • I can build precise complex sentences, vary my sentences and write concisely with clear cohesive ties.
  • I can use perfect tenses, conditionals and the subjunctive, and make subjects, verbs and pronouns agree.
  • I can choose pronoun case and precise usage in formal writing.
  • I can use commas, apostrophes, hyphens, capitals, quotation marks and parentheses to make meaning clear.

Words to know

subordinating conjunction
A connector that starts a dependent clause and names a relationship: although, unless, so that.
cohesive tie
A word or phrase that links parts of a text: a pronoun, repeated key word, synonym or transition.
past perfect
had + past participle, for the earlier of two past events.
subjunctive
The verb form for wishes, imaginary situations and formal requests: If I were..., ...that he be on time.
non-essential
Extra information set off with commas.
compound adjective
Words joined (often with a hyphen) to describe a noun: a well-known artist.

Let's review!

In this unit you built complex sentences that connect ideas precisely, varied your sentences for emphasis, cut wordiness, held paragraphs together with cohesive ties, used perfect tenses and conditional and subjunctive verbs, made subjects, verbs and pronouns agree, chose pronoun case and precise usage, and refined commas, apostrophes, hyphens, capitals and research punctuation.

This review has a few questions from every lesson. Try each one, then press Show answer to check. If a part feels tricky, go back to that lesson for more practice.

Grade 8 FoundationsB3.1 Sentences• precise connectors• variety and emphasis• concise sentences• cohesive tiesB3.2 Grammar• tenses and timelines• mood and conditionals• agreement• pronoun case• precise usageB3.3 Punctuation• essential commas• apostrophes• hyphens and capitals• titles and quotations
The unit in one picture: building sentences (B3.1), choosing the right grammar (B3.2) and punctuating for meaning (B3.3).

Complex Sentences That Connect Ideas Precisely

1

Choose the best connector: (Because / Although / Unless) the roads were icy, the buses ran on time.

2

Combine so that finishing the race is the main idea: Maya's ankle was sore. She finished the race.

3

Name the relationship: We left early so that we could get a parking spot.

4

Add a comma if needed: Unless you hurry you'll miss the bus.

Sentence Variety and Emphasis: Openings, Length and Order

1

Rewrite with a participial-phrase opener: Sam grabbed his skates and ran to the rink.

2

Cumulative or periodic? After a long winter, three snowstorms and one ice storm, spring finally arrived.

3

Why might a writer follow three long sentences with Nobody moved.?

Clear and Concise: Cutting Wordiness and Fixing Sentence Boundaries

1

Make concise: Due to the fact that the gym was being painted, the assembly was held outside.

2

Cut the redundancy: Please repeat that again.

3

Fix the comma splice: The store was closed, we went home.

4

Free the buried verb: We made a decision to leave.

Cohesive Ties: Linking Sentences and Paragraphs

1

Name the tie: I forgot my pencil, so I borrowed one.

2

Fix the vague This: The town added bike lanes and lowered the speed limit. This made cycling safer.

3

Fix the unclear pronoun: When Ava called Mia, she was upset.

Verb Tenses for Accurate Timelines: Perfect and Progressive

1

Choose: By the time we arrived, the movie (started / had started). (It started before we arrived.)

2

Fix: I have finished my project last night.

3

Write in the literary present: In the story, the girl found a key.

Verb Mood: Conditionals and the Subjunctive

1

Fix: If I would have known, I would have helped.

2

Choose: If I (was / were) a bird, I would fly south for the winter.

3

Choose: The doctor recommends that she (drink / drinks) more water.

4

Fix the mood shift: Mix the batter. You should then pour it into the pan.

Agreement in Tricky Sentences

1

Choose: The basket of mittens (is / are) by the door.

2

Choose: Neither the teacher nor the students (was / were) ready.

3

Choose: Each of the dogs (has / have) a collar.

4

Fix: There's three reasons.

Pronoun Case: I or Me, Who or Whom, We or Us

1

Choose: The coach chose Lee and (I / me).

2

Choose: (Who / Whom) did you call?

3

Choose: (We / Us) Grade 8s are leading the assembly.

Precise Usage: Adjective or Adverb, Fewer or Less, Lie or Lay

1

Choose: I feel (bad / badly) about the mix-up.

2

Choose: (Fewer / Less) students came this year.

3

Choose: Yesterday I (lay / laid) in the hammock.

Cover the clause or phrase.Do you still knowwhich one is meant?YesNoExtra: set it off with commasEssential: no commasMy dog, Biscuit, who is twelve,still loves the snow. (one dog)The library books that are overduemust be returned.
The removal test from the commas lesson as a flowchart. Use it on the next set of questions.

Commas for Essential and Non-Essential Information

1

Add commas if needed: My dog Biscuit who is twelve still loves the snow. (I have one dog.)

2

Add commas if needed: The library books that are overdue must be returned.

3

Comma or not? a cold windy day

Apostrophes, Hyphens and Capital Letters: The Fine Points

1

Write the possessive: the jerseys that belong to the players.

2

Hyphen or not? a two hour drive

3

Fix the capitals: We visited lake Huron last Summer with my Uncle.

4

Fix: The Lee's dog chased it's tail.

Punctuation for Readers and Researchers: Titles, Quotations and Parentheses

1

Italics or quotation marks: a poem in a collection; the collection itself.

2

Punctuate: the coach yelled great job

3

Fix: The article calls the plan, "a smart idea".

Just for fun

Grammar powers unlocked: you can now save Grandma with one comma, banish would of forever and choose whom without blinking. Please use these powers only for good.

How to use this review

  • Do two or three sections a day instead of all at once.
  • Say your reasoning aloud: "It's whom because the answer would be him."
  • Mark any question you missed. Go back to that lesson and do its More practice questions.
  • Finish with the quiz below. Then pick one piece of your own writing (from any subject) and revise three sentences using tools from this unit.
Check your understanding

Quiz

1.

Which sentence is logical?

2.

Which sentence is periodic?

3.

Which is the most concise?

4.

In The town closed the pool. This upset families, the best revision of This is...

5.

When I got home, my sister ___ dinner. (She finished before I arrived.)

6.

Which is correct in formal writing?

7.

Everyone in the stands ___ cheering.

8.

The teacher thanked Omar and ___.

9.

Which sentence means all the cookies had chocolate chips?

10.

Which is punctuated correctly?

For parents and teachers

How to use the review: have your child try each section, say their reasoning aloud, then check. Use mistakes to decide which lesson to revisit:

  • Because/although mix-ups, or the main idea buried in a dependent clause → Complex Sentences That Connect Ideas Precisely.
  • Every sentence starting the same way, or confusing cumulative and periodic sentences → Sentence Variety and Emphasis.
  • Padded sentences, comma splices or run-ons → Clear and Concise.
  • Vague this or it, or paragraphs that jump → Cohesive Ties.
  • have went, I have seen it yesterday, or past tense in a book response → Verb Tenses for Accurate Timelines.
  • If I would have, would of, or If I was in formal writing → Verb Mood: Conditionals and the Subjunctive.
  • Verbs agreeing with the wrong noun, There's three..., each... have → Agreement in Tricky Sentences.
  • between you and I, who/whom or myself errors → Pronoun Case.
  • good/well, less/fewer, lie/lay, double negatives → Precise Usage.
  • Missing second commas, commas around essential clauses → Commas for Essential and Non-Essential Information.
  • Apostrophes in plurals, missing hyphens, capitals on seasons or subjects → Apostrophes, Hyphens and Capital Letters.
  • Titles formatted wrongly, periods outside quotation marks, commas before blended quotations → Punctuation for Readers and Researchers.

Most of all, encourage your child to use one tool from this unit in real writing every week, in any subject.