12
Teachers’ Guide and Analysis Keys
for
The Third “Ideal” KISS Grammar Book
Unit 8 - The Logic of Modifiers
The Logic of Adjectives and Adverbs (KISS Level 1.2, Ex. 11) 2
Ex. 1 - Adapted from “Wonderwings” [AK] 2
Ex. 2 - The Logic of Adjectives and Adverbs (“The Lost Spindle”) [AK] 4
Notes for Teachers on the Logic of Prepositional Phrases 4
Ex. 3 - From My Book of Favorite Fairy Tales [AK] 5
Ex. 4 - The Logic of Prepositional Phrases (“The Lost Spindle”) [AK] 5
Ex. 5 – Just for Fun: Tom Swifties (#1) [AK] 6
Reading, Writing, Vocabulary & Style 7
Ex. 6 The Suffixes “-er” and “-or” [AK] 7
Ex. 7 – Adding Modifiers (“The Lost Spindle”) [AK] 7
Ex. 8. – Branching from “The Lost Spindle” [AK] 9
Ex. 9.–Combining and De-combining “The Lost Spindle” [AK] 9
Ex. 10 – Punctuation: The Opening of “The Lost Spindle” [AK] 11
Ex. 11 - Writing topics (“The Lost Spindle”) 12
For more information about the KISS Grammar “Ideal” books, go to:
http://kissgrammar.org/Ideal_Sequence/index.html
© Ed Vavra 12/16/2016
The Logic of Adjectives and Adverbs (KISS Level 1.2, Ex. 11)
Ex. 1 - Adapted from “Wonderwings” [AK]
Word / Function / Question / Logic1. so / Adv to “early” / How much? / Degree
2. early / Adv to “getting up” / When? / Time
3. The / Adj to “fairies” / Which? / Identity
4. older / Adj to “fairies” / Which? What kind of? / Identity
5. neatly / Adv to “early” / How? / Manner
6. their / Adj to “hair” / Whose? / Identity
7. fine / Adj to “hair” / What kind of? / Identity
8. Presently / Adv to “was awakened” / When? / Time
9. sweetest / Adj to “singing” / What kind of? / Identity
10. ever / Adv to “had heard” / How often? / Degree
11. too / Adv to “late” / How much? / Degree
12. late / Adv to “am” / When? / Time
13. Then / Adv to “ran” / When? / Time
14. out / Adv to “ran” / Where? In what direction? / Space
15. all / Adj to “fairies” / How many? / Identity
16. nearer / Adv to “crept” / Where? In what direction? / Space
17. tenderly / Adv to “took” / How? / Manner
18. fairy’s / Adj to “hand” / Whose? / Identity
19. Below / Adv to “sat” / Where? / Space
20. dreary / Adj to “room” / What kind of? / Identity
Alternatively, “all” can be considered an adverb (of degree) that means “completely” and modifies the following phrase (“in a group”).
Analysis Key
Note that unlike most of the analysis keys, in this one the adjectives and adverbs within prepositional phrases are color coded as individual words.
1. Why is everybody getting up [#1] so [1] early [2] ? |
2. The [3] older [4] fairies were dressing themselves (DO) neatly [5] and brushing their [6] long fine [7] hair (DO). |
3. Presently [8] she was awakened (P) {by the sound} {of the sweetest [9] singing} [Adj. to "singing" she had ever [10] heard]. |
4. I hope [DO I am not too [11] late [12] ]. |
5. Then [13] she ran out [14] {into the garden}. |
6. The older fairies stood all [15] {in a group}. |
7. Poppypink crept nearer [16] {to the beautiful fairy}. |
8. Wonderwings tenderly [17] took the little fairy's [18] hand (DO). |
9. Below [19], a crippled child sat {among rags} {in a dark corner} {of a dreary [20] room}. |
Note
1. Alternatively, “up” can be described as an adverb.
Ex. 2 - The Logic of Adjectives and Adverbs (“The Lost Spindle”) [AK]
Word / Function / Question / Logic1. Two / Adj. to “girls” / How many? / Identity
2. little / Adj. to “girls” / What kind of? / Identity
3. once / Adv. to “lived” / When? / Time
4. here / Adv. to “lived” / Where? / Space
5. their / Adj. to “aunt” / Whose? / Identity
6. The / Adj. to “girl” / Which? / Identity
7. good / Adj. to “girl” / What kind of? / Identity
8. always / Adv. to “was” / How often? / Degree
9. some / Adj. to “work” / How much? / Identity
10. useful / Adj. to “work” / What kind of? / Identity
11. so / Adv. to “much” / How much? / Degree
12. much / Adv. to “spun” [N1] / How much? / Degree
13. her / Adj. to “fingers” / Whose? / Identity
14. very / Adv. to “tired” / How much? / Degree
15. a / Adj. to “thing” / Which? or “How many? / Identity
16. wonderful / Adj. to “thing” / What kind of? / Identity
17. not / Adv. to “shall burn” / How much? / Degree
18. kind / Adj. to “face” / What kind of? / Identity
19. very / Adv. to “bright” / How much? / Degree
20. bright / Adj. to “eyes” / What kind of? / Identity
N1. “Much” can also be explained as a noun that functions either as the direct object of “spun” or as a Noun Used as an Adverb.
Notes for Teachers on the Logic of Prepositional Phrases
You can use these exercises for the logic, as well as for the functions, of prepositional phrases. I have included below suggestions for answers. Remember that there are numerous, different ways to see what questions phrases answer. The point is that the logic of almost every phrase can be explained in terms of the questions on the instructional materials. And those questions cover a nice range of logical relationships. Discussions of differences help us understand how other people think.
When a student offers an explanation that differs from mine, I have the students discuss it, and then vote. The class members can then see for themselves how many people agree or disagree.
Ex. 3 - From My Book of Favorite Fairy Tales [AK]
Phrase / Function / Question / Logic1. in the evening / Adv. to “went” / When? / Time
2. of the land / Adj. to “king” / Which? / Identity
3. to her bedside / Adv. to “called” / Where? / Space
4. by the hand / Adv. to “took” / How? / Manner
5. with . . . else / Adv. to “danced” / With whom? / Manner
6. of hazel / Adj. to “sprig” / What kind of? / Identity
7. against him / Adv. to “brushed” / Where? / Space
8. through the woods / Adv. to “had walked” / Where / Space
9. for two hours / Adv. to “had walked” / How long? / Time
10. from heaven / Adv. to “looked” / From where? / Space
11. over you / Adv. to “watch” / Where? / Space
12. of the flowers / Adj. to “names” / Whose names? / Identity
13. At last / Adv. to “closed” / When? / Time
14. from weariness / Adv. to “closed” / Why? / Cause
15. to the brook / Adv. to “went” / Where? / Space
16. for dinner / Adv. to “catch” [N1] / For what purpose? / Cause
17. to the house / Adv. to “ran” / Where? / Space
18. of . . . grandmother / Adj. to “house” / Whose? / Identity
19. by herself / Adv. to “roved” / With whom? / Manner
20. at . . . chambers / Adv. to “poked” / Where? / Space
N1. Alternatively, “for dinner” can be explained as an adjective to “fish.”
Ex. 4 - The Logic of Prepositional Phrases (“The Lost Spindle”) [AK]
Phrase / Function / Question / Logic1. with . . . work / Adv. to “busy” / With what? / Manner
2. from morning / Adv. to “did” / When? / Time
3. upon . . . bed / Adv. to “fell” / Where? / Space
4. of grass / Adj. to “bed” / What kind of? / Identity
5. in . . . meadow / Adj. to “grass” [N1] / What grass? / Identity
6. with all kinds / Adv. to “bright” / With what? / Manner
7. of . . .flowers / Adj. to “kinds” / What kinds? / Identity
8. to . . . river / Adv. to “led” / Where? / Space
9. to an oven / Adv. to “came” / Where? / Space
10. by the side / Adj. to “oven” / Which? / Identity
11. of the road / Adj. to “side” / Which? / Identity
12. After . . . time / Adv. to “came” / When? / Time
13. to . . . house / Adv. to “came” / Where? / Space
14. with . . . vines / Adj. to “house” / What kind of? / Identity
15. over it / Adv. to “growing” / Where? / Space
16. out of the door / Adv. to “was going” / Where / Space
17. of . . . dollars / Adj. to “hundreds” / What kind of? / Identity
18. upon her / Adv. to “fell” / Where? / Space
19. of the dollars / Adj. to “Many” / Many what? / Identity
20. to her / Adv. to “stuck” / Where? / Space
N1. “In a green meadow” sounds like it would be adverbial, and in a simple sentence it would be: She fell (upon a soft bed) (of grass). The grass was (in a green meadow). But when the two sentences are combined, the “in a green meadow” chunks to “grass,” and thus functions as an adjective.
Ex. 5 – Just for Fun: Tom Swifties (#1) [AK]
1. [DO “I've been feeding the crocodile (DO),”] said Tom offhandedly. |
2. [DO “Boy [Inj], that’s an ugly hippopotamus (PN)!”] said Tom hypocritically. |
3. [DO “Your Honour [DirA], you’re crazy (PA)!”] said Tom judgmentally. |
4. [DO “Oops! [Inj] There goes my hat!”] said Tom {off the top} {of his head}. |
5. [DO “Hey, [Inj] you’re {on my foot}!”] said Tom standoffishly. |
6. [DO “I do too have Jedi powers (DO) !”] Tom said forcefully. |
7. [DO “I visit my parents (DO) every Sunday [NuA],”] said Tom weakly. |
8. [DO “I’m still looking {for my beagle},”] Tom said doggedly. |
9. [DO “*You* Stop, horse! [DirA] ] [DO *You* Stop!”] cried Tom woefully. |
Reading, Writing, Vocabulary & Style
Ex. 6 The Suffixes “-er” and “-or” [AK]
This exercise addresses either a very simple or an extremely complex question. The general concept is simple, but when to use “-er” and when to use “-or” is very complicated—unless you want to have student memorize a long list of “or” words, most of which they will never use. I’ve found some inaccurate suggestions on the web, but there seems to be general agreement that words derived from Latin tend to take “-or” and the rest tend to take “-er.” That’s not helpful for our students because they are not familiar with Latin.
English words suffixed with –er: https://en.wiktionary.org/wiki/Category:English_words_suffixed_with_-er
English words suffixed with –or: https://en.wiktionary.org/wiki/Category:English_words_suffixed_with_-or
Root / Use “-er” / Root / Use “-or”1 / farm / farmer / collect / collector
2 / move / mover / sail / sailor
3 / drive / driver / imitate / imitator
4 / win / winner / conduct / conductor
5 / dust / duster / visit / visitor
6 / bake / baker / narrate / narrator
7 / engine / engineer / direct / director
8 / help / helper / instruct / instructor
9 / own / owner / refrigerate / refrigerator
10 / lead / leader / object / objector
Ex. 7 – Adding Modifiers (“The Lost Spindle”) [AK]
The original is:
At last the Idle Girl came to the little house with the wild vines growing over it. “Oh, I am so tired!” she said.
She was not afraid of Mother Frost’s big teeth, for she had already heard about them.
“Come in,” said Mother Frost. “Come in. Stay with me awhile, and I will give you all you deserve.”
The Idle Girl went in and sat down in Mother Frost’s easy chair.
When night came, Mother Frost said, “Now you may help me shake my feather bed.”
“Oh, dear!” said the Idle Girl, “I am so tired! I wish you would let the bed alone till tomorrow.”
So the good woman did not shake her bed that night. The frost did not fly, and the snow did not fall.
FYI
{At last} the Idle Girl came {to the little house} {with the wild vines} growing [V Give, Adj. to “vines”] {over it}. | [DO “Oh [Inj], I am so tired [V Give, PA]!”] she said. |
She was not afraid (PA) {of Mother Frost’s big teeth}, [Adv. to “not” [#1] for she had already heard {about them}]. |
[DO “*You* Come in,”] said Mother Frost. | “*You* Come in. | *You* Stay {with me} awhile, | and I will give you (IO) all (DO) [Adj. to “all” you deserve].” |
The Idle Girl went in and sat down {in Mother Frost’s easy chair}. |
[Adv. to “said” When night came,] Mother Frost said, [DO “Now you may help me [S] shake [V Inf, DO [#2]] my feather bed (DO).”] |
“Oh [Inj], dear! [Inj]” [Inj. [#3] said the Idle Girl], “I am so tired [V Give, PA]! | I wish [DO you would let the bed (DO) alone [#4] {till tomorrow}].” |
So the good woman did not shake her bed (DO) that night [NuA]. | The frost did not fly, | and the snow did not fall. |
Notes
1. Some grammars claim that “for” is a coordinating conjunction. In KISS, it can be coordinating or subordinating. See. “ So’ and ‘For’ as Conjunctions.”
2. “Me” is both the indirect object of “may help” and the subject of the infinitive “shake.” The infinitive phrase is the direct object of “may help.”
3. Because the “said” clause is within a clause and the comma after “Girl” does not end a main clause, KISS treats the “said” clause as an interjection. See: “KISS Level 3.2.3 - Interjection? Or Direct Object?”
4. “Alone” can simply be considered an adverb to “would let,” or it can be considered as a predicate adjective in an ellipsed prepositional phrase—“let the bed *to be* alone.” This view makes the ellipsed infinitive (phrase) the direct object and “bed” the subject of the infinitive.
Ex. 8. – Branching from “The Lost Spindle” [AK]
Remember that the main purpose of these exercises is to have students understand that parts of sentences can be moved. In the text, all of these are right-branching. [These are rough estimates without consideration of context. The higher the number, the more normal the position would probably be. Low numbers suggest that that position would break the norm and thus be emphatic.]
1. With some useful work she was always busy. [L 3]
She was always busy with some useful work. [R 5]
She with some useful work was always busy. [M 2]
2. The spindle fell, down, down, into the deep well. [R 7]
The spindle down, down, into the deep well fell. [M 1]