Say What You Mean and Mean What You Say

Paragraph Pundits

100

Which sentences do not belong in this paragraph? On Maayan’s first day at her new school she noticed groups of students gathering in the atrium. It seemed that everyone but Maayan was laughing and talking together in groups of friends. Maayan walked over to the “Bet” and sat down. She thought about how much she missed her friends at her old school. Her old school in Seattle was a beautiful old mansion on a large estate. The school was mostly made up of Sephardic Jews so she learned to daven the Sephardic nusach even though she was Ashkenazi. Maayan’s mom suggested she bring a big box of markers and some drawing paper to school the next day. Perhaps she could offer to share her markers and paper with the other girls. On the second day of school Maayan sat by the “Bet” and colored. Within minutes 3 girls approached her and asked if they could color too. After only a few days, Maayan was able to make a whole group of new friends and was never lonely before school again. One of her beautiful pictures was of a day at the beach during her summer vacation.

Her old school in Seattle was a beautiful old mansion on a large estate. The school was mostly made up of Sephardic Jews so she learned to daven the Sephardic nusach even though she was Ashkenazi. One of her beautiful pictures was of a day at the beach during her summer vacation.

200

Here is a mixed up paragraph. Which sentence should be the topic sentence? Which sentences are the details? Which sentence is the best concluding sentence? In clear water sharks can see their prey from about fifty feet away. Sharks have a number of “tools that help them find food. Sharks have exceptional abilities with four out of the five of our “human” senses, enabling them to find food more easily than most fish. Sharks have a keen ability to hear and often find food using that sense. Sharks can smell blood from almost 2,000 yards away. Sharks have a special system of channels in their skin that helps them feel the vibrations of a struggling swimmer.

TS - Sharks have a number of “tools that help them find food. 1. In clear water sharks can see their prey from about fifty feet away. 2. Sharks have a keen ability to hear and often find food using that sense. 3. Sharks can smell blood from almost 2,000 yards away. 4. Sharks have a special system of channels in their skin that helps them feel the vibrations of a struggling swimmer. CS: Sharks have exceptional abilities with four out of the five of our “human” senses, enabling them to find food more easily than most fish.

300

Here is a paragraph with only details about the Nobel Prize. What would be a good topic sentence for them? Alfred Nobel invented dynamite to help builders blast away obstacles so they could build new structures. However, it was not long before dynamite was used for war. As a result, Nobel felt very guilty about his new invention. Since he was a rich man, he decided to set up a 9 million dollar fund to reward people who improve human life. Nobel prizes are awarded in 6 fields including peace, medicine, and chemistry.

Alfred Nobel wanted to have a positive impact on the world instead of a negative one.

Sentence Sense and Nonsense

100

Fix this sentence: Uncle Henry died, he left all his money to his dogs that were a poodle and a scotch terrier and a German Shepherd,that someone would be willing to take care of them.

When Uncle Henry died, he left all his money to his poodle, scotch terrier and German Shepherd so that someone would be willing to take care of them.

200

Fix this sentence: Before we changed the clocks the sunlight woke Sam up early so the sun was shining brightly when it rose so early in the morning.

Before we changed the clocks, the sunlight woke Sam up early because it was shining so brightly as it rose.

300

Next week, during the winter vacation,the hockey team are going on a trip to Canada to play hockey there because it is vacation and they are going skiing too.

Next week during the winter vacation, the hockey team is going on a trip to Canada where they will play hockey and go skiing.

Horse and Cart

100

Read the sentence and identify the part that tells the cause, and the part that tells the effect in each one: We go indoors during a thunderstorm because we might get struck by lightning. Due to the fact that light travels so fast, we are able to see lightning as soon as it flashes. The crashing sound of thunder is is due to the lightning. Many buildings have a lightning rod so they do not catch fire when being struck by lightning. Since it is so tall, the Empire State Building is struck by lightning dozens of times each year. You can tell how close a thunderstorm is by how much time passes between seeing the lightning and hearing the thunder.

cause:we might get struck by lightning. effect: we go indoors during a thunderstorm cause: light travels so fast effect: we are able to see lightning as soon as it flashes. cause:it is so tall effect:the Empire State Building is struck by lightning dozens of times each year. cause:how much time passes between seeing the lightning and hearing the thunder effect: You can tell how close a thunderstorm is

200

One of the events in this short paragraph caused all the other facts. Restructure this paragraph with the cause first, and then the effects of that cause. You are not allowed to use the word “and”! Anne had a sleepless night and her leg hurt so much. Her leg was put in a cast and this was uncomfortable. Anne was disappointed and she was not able to skate for 6 weeks and she broke her leg when she fell off the top stair.

Anne broke her leg when she fell off the top stair. Her leg was put in a cast, making her very uncomfortable. Anne's leg hurt so much. As a result, she had a sleepless night. Anne was disappointed that she was not able to skate for 6 weeks.

300

Restructure this paragraph to put the cause first and then the effects of that cause. Female rats can get pregnant up to 13 times a year, and give birth to as many as 22 babies each time. There are so many rats in the city, and it is impossible to get rid of all of them. This means each female rat can produce up to 286 babies a year.

Cause: Female rats can get pregnant up to 13 times a year, and give birth to as many as 22 babies each time. This means each female rat can produce up to 286 babies a year. Effect:There are so many rats in the city, and it is impossible to get rid of all of them.

Conjunction Junction

100

Use a conjunction, and divide into two sentences where necessary to prevent these run-on sentences: The chair moved mysteriously there was no doubt in my mind that it was the work of a ghost. Noa began her morning routine,it had not changed for sixty years. The teacher was trying to help Yair he doodled and daydreamed the whole period. The flowers will grow there the soil is rich it rains often. Our new puppy is cute I wish he would not bark so much. I am considering adopting a dog from the animal shelter I hear that you must be careful to find out whether or not the dog is good with kids.

The chair moved mysteriously, and there was no doubt in my mind that it was the work of a ghost. Noa began her morning routine, which had not changed for sixty years. The teacher was trying to help Yair, but he doodled and daydreamed the whole period. The flowers will grow there since the soil is rich because it rains often. Our new puppy is cute, but I wish he would not bark so much. I am considering adopting a dog from the animal shelter. However, I hear that you must be careful to find out whether or not the dog is good with kids.

200

Identify the incorrect conjunction and replace it with a correct one: The snow continued for a week but we were running out of food. The team lost several games and we were not discouraged. Jon rarely practices so he is our best drummer. The weather was warm and dry even though we ate dinner outside. She went to the party since she had to go late.

The snow continued for a week, so we were running out of food. The team lost several games, but we were not discouraged. Jon rarely practices, although he is our best drummer. The weather was warm and dry, so we ate dinner outside. She went to the party even though she had to go late.

300

Either start the sentence, or finish it so that the given phrase makes sense: that she lost last summer what they need to know although they did not expect it if they do not play the game whose family just moved here who keeps helping the group whenever my cell phone rings

will be decided by teacher.

Forbidden Words

100

What makes this paragraph poor? Find two different reasons and correct the paragraph to make improvements. Ariel’s parents were having the neighbors for dinner. His mother asked him to help set it. He got the dishes and went to the dining room, but when she noticed that he was carrying too many dishes at one time, she yelled at him to stop it. He got so spooked that he dropped the dishes and broke every last one.

Ariel's parents were having the neighbors for dinner so his mother asked him to help set the table. Ariel got the dishes and went to the dining room, but when his mom noticed that he was carrying too many at one time, she yelled at him to stop. Ariel got so spooked that he dropped the dishes and broke every last one.

200

What makes this paragraph poor? Find two different reasons and correct the paragraph to make improvements. Rodney bragged to his friends that he could find his way around anywhere. One day, though, as he was delivering a thing in a strange part of town, he got lost. Though he searched for half an hour, and even used Waze, he could not locate it. Finally he stopped to ask him directions. How silly he felt when he realized that he had passed the house several times.

Rodney bragged to his friends that he could find his way around anywhere. One day, though, as he was delivering pizza in a strange part of town, he got lost. Though he searched for half an hour, even using Waze, he could not locate the house. Finally he stopped to ask a man for directions. How silly he felt when he realized that he had passed the house several times.

300

This paragraph is confusing because there are too many pronouns, or the pronouns are wrong. Correct this paragraph by replacing pronouns with nouns. Being one can be a risky and stressful occupation. You never know who will get into your cab. You do not know if he is a safe person or a dangerous person. Many of them do not know English well, and they are not familiar with the city streets so they get lost. It is not fun to be one because they are always in a hurry to get to their destination, even when there is lots of traffic. If they are late and its not his fault but they don’t give him a tip in that situation.

Being a taxi driver can be a risky and stressful occupation. A driver never knows who will get into his cab. The cab driver does not know if the passenger is a safe person or a dangerous person. Many cabbies do not know English well, and they are not familiar with the city streets, so they get lost. It is not fun to drive a cab because clients are always in a hurry to get to their destination, even when there is lots of traffic. If passengers are late, its not the driver's fault, but even so, riders often don’t give their cabbie a tip in that situation.

400

Replace the word “get” with another word that fits the context in each sentence: I get what you mean. They went to the store to get food for the party. How did you get an “A” on that incredibly hard test? I will get their attention if I start my presentation with a joke. Get the books out of the cabinet. Joe is getting better and better due to hard work at basketball practice. Did you get that science chapter we had to read for homework?

I understand what you mean. They went to the store to buy food for the party. How did you receive an "A" on that incredibly hard test? I will capture their attention if I start my presentation with a joke. Fetch/Take the books out of the cabinet. Joe is playing better and better due to hard work at basketball practice. Did you understand that science chapter we had to read for homework?