The Secret to Teaching Grammar (Without the Stress!)

Does the word grammar send a shiver through your classroom? 

If your students groan the moment you mention verbs, clauses, or subject-verb agreement, you’re not alone. Many teachers—whether they’re new to the classroom or seasoned educators—have faced the same challenge: how do you make grammar understandable, approachable, and maybe even enjoyable?

The good news is that it doesn’t have to be hard.

Why Grammar Feels So Complicated

Traditional English textbooks can be overwhelming. Endless lists of rules, confusing terminology, and too few practical applications often leave both teachers and students frustrated.

• ESL students may see grammar as a complete mystery.
• Special needs learners often need clearer, more concrete methods of instruction.
• Even strong students can get lost in the rules and exceptions.

If you’ve ever felt like your textbook simply wasn’t enough to help your students “get it,” you’re not alone—and there’s a simpler way.

Follow my simple steps plan and watch your students thrive.

Begin with a review of the parts of speech, but do not dwell on it. The important thing for students to learn is how a preposition, noun, or verb, etc. functions in a sentence. 

My method of teaching grammar focuses on how a word, phrase, or clause functions in a sentence. Then, I teach each sentence element in a specific sequence and concentrate on repetition and practice. Learning grammar becomes easy and enjoyable. 

I am going to share the sequence with you, so you can start making teaching grammar less stressful.

The sequence is as follows:

1. Find the prepositional phrases.

2. Find the verb and decide if it is action or linking.

3. Find the subject.

4. Find the complements. (Direct Object, Indirect Object, Objective Complement, Predicate Nominative, Predicate Adjective)

5. Find the modifiers. (Adjective and Adverb)

6. Find the phrases and identify them. (Participial, Gerund, Infinitive, Appositive)

7. Find the clauses and identify them by type. (Independent, Adjective, Adverb, Noun)

8.  Classify the sentences as simple, compound, complex, or compound/complex.

If you follow the eight steps in the sequence I listed, your students will be successful

Of course, you can do this on your own and prepare the lessons and the practice exercises and tests, or you can let me help you. I wrote my own grammar program when I started teaching, and I used it for my entire teaching career. Since then, thousands of other teachers have used it too.

Try the Simple Steps to Sentence Sense Step-by-Step Approach That Works.

The Simple Steps to Sentence Sense grammar workbooks were designed to take the stress out of teaching grammar—for teachers and students alike. You don’t need an advanced degree in linguistics, or even prior grammar-teaching experience, to use it successfully. Everything is laid out for you. A High School, Middle School, and Elementary Edition are available in my TPT store and on Amazon.com.

What makes this program different? It’s built around the Sentence Analysis Map (S.A.M.), a unique tool that helps students break down sentences into manageable steps. With just eight simple steps, students learn to identify subjects, verbs, and everything else that makes a sentence work.

Even better, every step connects directly to writing. The workbook includes Writing Connection Pages, so students can immediately apply what they’ve learned in their own sentences and essays. This isn’t just grammar for grammar’s sake—it’s grammar that improves writing skills.

What’s Inside the Workbook?

When you open the workbook, you’ll find everything you need to run stress-free lessons:

• Sentence Analysis Map (S.A.M.)
• Teacher notes and lessons
• Projection masters for class instruction
• Group and individual practice exercises
• Writing connection pages
• Tests and quizzes
• All the answers included

Why Teachers Love It

Here’s what other teachers have shared:

      ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️ “This resource has been a huge help for me and my students! The formulaic approach to tackling English grammar has increased learner confidence for all of my students. Thank you!”

       ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️ “Wonderful product. My students were actually excited about doing grammar.”

    Imagine hearing that about grammar lessons in your classroom!

If You Would like to try a free lesson, click here.

Thanks for reading. I hope your new school year is your best one yet!
Charlene 

Below are some interesting blog posts your can read from The Best of Teacher Entrepreneurs Marketing Cooperative. If you are interested in becoming a member to promote your teaching materials click here.

You are invited to the Inlinkz link party!

Click here to enter

Struggling with Teaching Sentence Structure? Help is Here.

Are your students finding it difficult to analyze English sentences? Whether they're just beginning to learn the language or studying a foreign language that requires a solid grasp of English grammar, understanding sentence structure is essential.

That’s where I come in.

With over 30 years of classroom experience and a lifelong passion for grammar, I’ve created a straightforward, engaging way to master the art of sentence construction. In my Simple Steps to Sentence Sense video series, I walk learners through eight clear, manageable steps to understanding sentence structure. 

Each video is paired with a practice exercise and an answer key, making it easy to learn and review at your own pace.

These videos are short and easy to understand. You can use them with students who enroll late in the year, with students who need tutoring, or you can play each video for your class, sit back, and let me explain each of the eight steps as an introduction to the actual unit from the Simple Steps to Sentence Sense eBooks and resources.

• How to Use SAM (Sentence Analysis Map)
• Step 1 - Prepositional Phrases
• Step 2 - The Verb
• Step 3 - the Subject
• Step 4A - Action Verb Complements
• Step 4L - Linking Verb Complements
• Step 5 - Adjectives and Adverbs
• Step 6 - Finding Phrases (verbals, and appositives)
• Step 7 - Finding Clauses (adjective, adverb, and noun)

This program is perfect for students, children, or grandchildren who need a little extra support—and confidence—in writing and grammar.

If you're looking for a practical, proven way to strengthen sentence skills, this just might be the gentle push they need to succeed.

These videos complement all of my grammar eBooks and resources. You can find all the Simple Steps to Sentence Sense resources here.

The first video in the series is free. If you want to check it out, click here.

You always save 20% when purchasing a bundle. Click here to make the purchase that will save you hours of time.

Thanks for reading. I hope your new school year is your best one yet!

Charlene 

Here are some interesting blog posts from The Best of Teacher Entrepreneurs Marketing Cooperative. If you are interested in becoming a member to promote your teaching materials click here.

Video Lessons Make Teaching Grammar Easy

Have you noticed how many students are all about videos? My grandson can learn how to do anything he wishes by watching YouTube, and he prefers watching videos, although he also loves to read.

I’ve spent many hours throughout the summer creating instructional videos and practice worksheets to accompany my Simple Steps to Sentence Sense High School Grammar Book. They will also be helpful for teachers who use the Simple Steps to Sentence Sense Middle School Grammar Book.
 
My goal is to make the lessons and activities clearer for visual and auditory learners while also providing worksheets to encourage students to analyze sentences on their own. 

I also hope that watching these videos will help teachers prepare for each step before presenting it to their students. 

 
In the videos, I talk directly to the students and explain each step in the program. The videos include:

•  How to Use Sam (Sentence Analysis Map)
  
•  Step 1 – Finding the Prepositional Phrases
  
•  Step 2 – Finding the Verb
•  Step 3 – Finding the Subject
•  Step 4A – Finding the Action Verb Complements (Direct Object, Indirect Object, and Objective Complement)
• Step 4L – Finding the Linking Verb Complements (Predicate Nominative and Predicate Adjective)
•  Step 5 – Finding Adjectives and Adverbs 
  
•  Step 6 – Finding Phrases (Participial, Gerund, Infinitive, and Appositive)
  
•  Step 7 – Finding Clauses (Independent, Adjective, Adverb, and Noun)
  
• Step 8 – Classifying sentences (Simple, Compound, Complex, and Compound/Complex)
  

 
As I explain each step, I tell students the tips and tricks that I used with my own students. Even the most reluctant learner can understand and be successful when using my method of learning grammar. Learning grammar does not have to be difficult.
 
You can use the videos as an introduction before you start each step in the book or as a follow-up to be sure they have mastered each step before they move on to the next. If you are familiar with my grammar program, you know that it’s all about the sequence in which you teach sentence analysis. It’s easy if you follow the steps in order. Your students will make good grades and be successful. 
 
These videos are a valuable tool to use with students who enter your classroom late in the year and need to catch up with your class. They are also helpful for students who are absent and miss the class in which you presented the lesson. 
 
Here is a link to the (FREE to you) Step One Video: Finding Prepositional Phrases.

 
You can buy the videos individually as needed, or you can save 20% off the individual resources if you buy the bundle. You will find these videos here in my TpT store.

Thanks for reading,

Charlene

Below you will find some helpful and interesting blog posts from my teacher friends in The Best of Teacher Entrepreneurs Marking Cooperative. If you would like to join this helpful marketing cooperative, you can find more information here. 

You are invited to the Inlinkz link party!

Click here to enter

Teachers Helping Teachers with Distance Learning

In this stressful time, it is gratifying to know that many of the teacher-authors for TeachersPayTeachers.com are trying to do whatever they can to help teachers adjust to distance learning. Teachers who write for TpT are uploading quality resources daily that are helpful and easy to use. Many of the resources are FREE and most are low cost. You will find resources that will make your job easier and make distance learning successful for your students. I am homeschooling my grandson, and I will be doing it while he is at his house, and I am at mine. It will be different, but we will make it work. He's a great kid! We will be using Google Drive resources and BOOM cards. I am creating new ones whenever he needs to review a concept we have studied. He loves the instant feedback he gets from BOOM cards, and I love that they are self-grading. You can use Boom Cards with an unlimited number of students by using the Fast Play option, which is available in all Boom memberships, including the free one. If you want/need to track the progress of more than 5 students, then you'd have to have a paid BOOM membership. Right now, BOOM is giving teachers their Ultimate membership free through June 2020 because of COVID. Here's the link: https://wow.boomlearning.com/covid. Here are links to some of my resources that will work for distance learning. Whether you use these resources with your own children or the children in your virtual classroom, I hope you will find something useful. Free resources on TpT +++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++ Free Simple Steps to Sentence Sense Videos on YouTube Step 1: Prepositional Phrases Step 2: The Verb Step 3: the Subject Step 4A: Action Verb Complements Step 4L: Linking Verb Complements Step 5: Modifiers (adjectives and adverbs) Step 6: Phrases  Step 7: Clauses Step 8: Classifying Sentences +++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++ Resources under $5 Google Drive Digital Resources on TpT Digital BOOM Cards Link to My Store ++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++ I also send out a newsletter with tips and freebies. If you would like to subscribe, click here and receive a free lesson. Thanks for reading. I know we are experiencing frightening times, but I also know that we will make it through this and be stronger and wiser. If I can help you with any lessons, you can send me an email at charlenetess@yahoo.com. Best wishes, Here are some helpful blog posts from some of my teacher friends. You are invited to the Inlinkz link party! Click here to enter

Teach Grammar the Easy Way

I hope by now,  if you are using one of my Simple Steps to Sentence Sense books to teach grammar and usage, you have discovered that students can be successful and make good grades and even enjoy learning. As the English Proverb states: "Nothing succeeds like success."

This post is an update on an older post, and many teachers tell me reading it was very helpful. I hope so. 

What a wonderful feeling it is to give students frequent chances to succeed and feel good about themselves! 

The way to achieve this is really simple. When you grade students’ group and individual papers, break each lesson into several components. (I always let them trade and grade except on tests.) 

For example, when you do Step 3: Finding the Subject, don’t just check for the subjects that students find in each sentence. That would only give students 20 answers at 5 points apiece and make it easy for them to get a low score.
Instead, count the prepositional phrase(s) in each sentence as one point, the verb phrase as one point, and the subject as one point. Voila! Now there are over 60 answers and students can miss several and still get a decent score. 

Of course, these tips work with any assignment you give your students whether or not it comes from one of my books. 

For each step, you can decide which parts of the sentence are the key parts. For example, when working on Step 4: Finding the Complements, the key is deciding if the verb is action or linking before looking for the complement. When grading each paper, be sure to count the verb and whether it is an action or a linking verb along with the complement as key elements in the score. 

Use the answer pages in the back of the book to count the number of elements you plan to score in each lesson and make your directions clear about which parts of the sentence students are to mark when scoring papers. This is another opportunity for the teacher to re-teach and emphasize that sentence analysis must be done in steps, and that the steps must be done in order. Skipping a step is a recipe for confusion and disaster. 

This method could get to be a bit too much of a hassle if the teacher had to do the math each time papers are graded and figure out the correct score for papers that have 63 answers, or 71 answers, etc. It could, but it won’t, if you download my Grading Scale Chart. You can print it on both sides of a sheet of paper, slip it into a plastic folder sleeve and take it with you anywhere. You can even give your students a copy if you so desire. 

I always just called out the answers out loud: minus 18 equals ? (or whatever). Then I asked the whole class to raise their hands as I called out the grades starting with 50 or below. When the student heard his/her grade, he/she was to put his/her hand down. At the end, the students with 99 or 100 still had their hands up and got a round of applause, but no one was embarrassed at having a low score. 

Simple Steps to Sentence Sense is an easy and enjoyable way to teach grammar. You can choose to print the exercises and tests and distribute them to your students, or your students can access them in Google Drive and Go Paperless! You will find the books HERE. You know you are successful when you hear students say, “This is fun.” Grammar? Fun? Well, all right! 

Click here for a series of free instructional videos that explain each step in detail.

Please tell your friends and colleagues about my book. (Hint: Simple Steps to Sentence Sense is also a useful tool for foreign language teachers to use, and it is really successful with special education and ESL students.) 

Thanks for reading,

Use the Active Voice

When writing simple sentences, learn to use verbs in the active voice as much as possible.

Although there are occasions when the passive voice is necessary, using it usually slows the sentence down. (Verbs in the passive voice use a form of "to be" as a helping verb (is, am, are, was, were, be, been, or being) in front of the past participle.

Examples: Kim was hit by Kerry. (This sentence is in the passive voice.) Kerry hit Kim. (This sentence is in the active voice.) 

To eliminate the passive voice: 
1) Remove the helping verb (is, am, are, was, were, be, been, or being.) 
2) Remove the preposition "by," if the sentence has one.
3) Flip/flop the ends of the sentence. (What you are really doing is switching the subject and the direct object.)

Here is an example of how to change a sentence in the passive voice to a sentence in the active voice.

The man was given an award by the service club.

1) Remove the form of "to be" used as a helping verb.The man was given an award by the service club.
2) Remove the preposition "by" (If it appears in the sentence.)The man was given an award by the service club.3) Flip/flop the ends of the sentence

Passive Voice - The man was given an award by the service club.” Active Voice - “The service club gave the man an award.”

Note: Be sure that you do not change the tense of the verb when you change it from passive voice to active voice.Both "was given" and "gave" are in the past tense.

Here's a product your students will enjoy. All About Verbs will help your students understand how to recognize and use verbs effectively. This product has 25 pages of instruction and 13 exercises.

Enjoy!