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Pronouns: Relative, Reflexive, Interrogative
Gary, the grammar gorilla, graciously introduces viewers to a variety of pronouns and models how relative, reflexive, and interrogative pronouns operate in a sentence. This presentation is more complex than the other resources in the...
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The Preposition and Prepositional Phrase
Clarify what a preposition truly is. Prepositions come before some noun (object of the preposition) and together with that noun, to make prepositional phrases. The phrases work as adjectives or adverbs, more like a single word. Yossarian...
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English Grammar & Writing - Capitalization
Go over the basics of capitalization and when to use upper-case letters. A young woman with a whiteboard writes examples and explains. This is a good resource for ELL or ELD students due to its simplicity. One grammatical mistake is made...
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Gerunds and Gerund Phrases
The gerund is described as just like the present participle by Yossarian the Grammarian. Look for the -ing ending to discover where the gerund is in the sentence.
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Copulative Verbs and Subjective Complements
Copulative verbs, also known as linking verbs, "link" subjective complements and the original noun, basically renaming the noun. The copulative verb acts like an equal sign. Follow Yossarian the Grammarian as he explains several sentence...
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What a Verb Is, and What Verbs Aren't
How do you define a verb? A verb has a subject. It is not always accurate to just look for the action. Using a complex sentence written on a whiteboard, Yossarian the Grammarian points out the possible verbs that people see, and what the...
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Transitive Verbs and Direct Objects
Yossarian the Grammarian shows us that transitive verbs have a direct object, while intransitive verbs do not. Sentences are written out to illustrate his point.
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What Adjectives Are
Review the definition of an adjective. Adjectives modify nouns, and Yossarian the Grammarian shows the three questions adjectives answer: Which one? What kind of? and How many?
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Participial Phrases and Participles as Adjectives
Participles can be part of a verb phrase (participial phrase) or act as an adjective. Yossarian the Grammarian demonstrates how the verb "to wear" functions differently in various sentences.