NEW BLOG

There is a new blog site for this blog: English Skills Blog. It has all of the old features plus a lot of new ones. Check it out!

Tuesday, December 25, 2007

A CINQUAIN POEM

A cinquain poem is a five-line poem that is diamond-shaped. Start with a theme word (noun) and then use the pattern 1 noun, 2 adjectives, 3 gerunds, 1 full sentence, and finally a synonym for the first noun.
Here is an example starting with the theme word SNOW
.....................Snow.........................
.................Cold, white...................
......Falling, freezing, numbing....
.......It chills fingers and toes......
.....................Ice............................


Instructions: Write a cinquain poem based on one of the three following themes:
CHRISTMAS, HANUKKAH, SANTA CLAUSE, REINDEER, MENORAH or NEW YEAR.

AN ACROSTIC

In an acrostic, you start with a theme word and use each letter of that word to start another word or phrase that describes the theme word. The acrostic below is based on the theme word SNOW.
Instructions: Write an acrostic based on one of the following themes :
CHRISTMAS, HANUKKAH, REINDEER, SANTA CLAUS, MENORAH, or NEW YEAR.
S Slippery
N Numbing
O Obliterating
W Wintery

Monday, December 10, 2007

THE PASSIVE, Dec. 10th

Change an active voice sentence to the passive voice, or change a passive voice sentence to the active voice.

When the snow fell heavily, the sidewalk was shovelled twice a day.

Last week's question proved to be very difficult; you needed to add a subject to the sentence.
No one was discovered in the burned out building.
For example: (Someone/Firemen/Police) didn't discover anyone in the burned out building. This sentence is an example of why the passive is sometimes useful.

Postings will be saved in the archives (see sidebar).

EXAM PRACTICE, Dec. 10th

The following question is similar to the one in part 3 of the Engl 140 final exam. There are many possible answers. Write a sentence using the vocabulary and grammar indicated.

Add an adverb clause of time:

... I have many outdoor activities planned...



There are many possible correct answers. Correct answers will be available in the blog archive.

Saturday, December 1, 2007

THE PASSIVE, Dec. 1st

Change an active voice sentence to the passive voice, or change a passive voice sentence to the active voice.

The exercise was completed online by the technologically aware students.

Last week's question proved to be very difficult; you needed to add a subject to the sentence.
No one was discovered in the burned out building.
For example: (Someone/Firemen/Police) didn't discover anyone in the burned out building. This sentence is an example of why the passive is sometimes useful.

Postings will be saved in the archives (see sidebar).

EXAM PRACTICE, Dec. 1st

The following question is similar to the one in part 3 of the Engl 140 final exam. There are many possible answers. Write a sentence using the vocabulary and grammar indicated.

Add an adverb clause of time:

... the roads quickly became slippery...


There are many possible correct answers. Correct answers will be available in the blog archive.