Be My Valentine Treats

First, I would like to wish all of you a very happy 2019. I hope your plans, hopes, and dreams all happen just as you wish.

It’s almost Valentine’s Day, and not everyone has a significant other. This is especially true of young students. Making cards that imply a romantic message sometimes does not appeal; however, almost everyone has a good friend or a relative they admire.

The days before Valentine’s Day can be an opportunity for students to write a friendly letter or thank you note to someone they appreciate.

Even in the era of texts and IM’s, the lost art of a handwritten note or letter is something they will need to learn how to do.

After modeling a well written friendly letter and thank you note, I would have each student write one of his/her own. I would visit the Dollar Store to find appropriate sheets of stationery and give one to each student on which he/she would write a final draft.

The emphasis, of course, was on friendship and/or admiration and not romantic love. My students loved the idea, and the project was very successful.

If you want to skip the trip to the store, you can download a sheet of Valentine’s Day stationery here and print it.

Some students have a problem with writing run-on sentences. It is hard to avoid them, when they don't really understand what they are. 

This is a free resource I created to help students practice avoiding run-ons in their writing. All the sentences in the exercise are associated with Valentine's Day. Get yours here.

Thanks for reading,

A group of talented teacher/authors who write for TpT have written blog posts with teaching ideas and resources just for you. 

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Beware of Creating Sweeping Generalizations

This is the third post in a series about the comparison of adjectives and adverbs. If you missed the first two posts, click here and here.

When using the superlative degree, it is important to avoid creating a sweeping generalization. A sweeping generalization creates a statement that is too broad. 

The superlative degree is created by adding est to some words, or adding the word most.
For example: happiest or most enjoyable

When you add est or use the word most, it is easy to create a sweeping statement that goes too far in its description.

Examples:

Sweeping Generalization: Benjamin Franklin was the most brilliant of all inventors.

Better: Benjamin Franklin was one of the most brilliant of all inventors.

Sweeping Generalization: Terry Bradshaw is the greatest of all quarterbacks in football history.
Better: Terry Bradshaw is considered by many to be one of the greatest quarterbacks in football history.

It's important not to get carried away with the superlative degree and say way more than you intended to say. Use qualifying words to make the superlative degree more acceptable.

Check back here often for more tips on grammar and usage.

Visit my store for more helpful lessons on grammar and usage. Many of them are free.

Thanks for reading,

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Avoid Comparing Adjectives That Are Absolute

This post is a continuation of the tips I discussed in my last post about avoiding errors in adjective and adverb comparisons. Click here if you missed it.

Today, we are going to take a look at adjectives that are absolute in their meaning, and they cannot be compared by using the comparative or superlative degree. Absolute adjectives stand alone.

Usually, when two things are being compared we use the comparative degree. When more than two things are being compared, we use the superlative degree. Sometimes, however, the meaning of an adjective is absolute, and it cannot be compared.

Some examples of absolute adjectives include: absolute, round, straight, square, perfect, and unique.

Incorrect: My score on the exam was more perfect than anyone else’s.
Correct: My score on the exam was perfect.

Probably the most abused of these words is the adjective unique.
By definition it means there is only one of its kind, so it cannot be compared to another.

Incorrect: Your story was more unique than mine.
Correct: Your story was unique.

A less frequently used definition of the word unique is unusual. If, when you use the word unique, you mean that something is unusual, it is all right to compare it. It would be better, however, to simply use the word unusual.

For more information on the comparison of adjectives and adverbs, check back here soon. My next post will be tips to help you avoid using sweeping generalizations when making comparisons.  A sweeping generalization creates a statement that is too broad.

I hope you are having your best school year ever!

Visit my store for more helpful lessons in grammar and usage. Many of the lessons are free. 

Thanks for reading,

Here are some blog posts you may enjoy reading.

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