Subjects and Verbs
The subject tells you who or what does something or exists.
EX: Billy Ray jumped over the black Buick. Billy Ray = subject
Dennis’s mailbox needs a new coat of paint. Mailbox = subject

Circle the subject in each of the following sentences.
1 Dr. Leon Rappoport studies the fear factor in movies.
2 Humans have always liked to explore their feelings of fear and anxiety, according to Rappoport.
3 Frightening movies allow them to master those emotions and work through them.
4 Other psychologists aggress.
5 People like to be scared in the absence of any real danger.
6 Horror films and stories provide opportunities for such experiences.
7 Also, some moviegoers like to explore their uncivilized, antisocial nature in safe settings.
8 Many teenagers, in particular, need to test their tolerance for threatening situations.
9 In addition, parents often declare horror movies inappropriate.
10 Therefore, adolescents want to see this forbidden entertainment more than ever.

The verb tells you the action or state of being of the subject.
EX: The suburban mansion burned to the ground in only an hour. Burned = verb
Simone’s chocolate cake is more delicious than anything. Is = verb

Circle the verb in each of the following sentences.
1. Mr. McKey removes the bugs from house plants.
2.People dislike the feeling of having insects crawling around their homes, according to McKey.
3. Insecticides allow them to relieve their fears and live in peace.
4. Other exterminators have the same opinion.
5. Most people like to feel clean in their own homes.
6. Exterminators provide the feeling of cleanliness.
7. Also, some exterminators explore their hidden love of insects in their work.
8. Often teenage boys feel a fascination toward creepy crawly insects.
9. Teenage girls declare their revulsion for the little pests.
10. Therefore, boys rescue girls whenever a bug or spider is near.
 

10 basic rules for QUOTATION MARK usage

1. Use a set of quotation marks to enclose each direct quotation included in your writing.
Mr. and Mrs. Allen, owners of a 300-acre farm, said, “We refuse to use that pesticide because it might pollute the nearby wells.”
2. Use a capital letter with the first word of a direct quotation of a whole sentence. Do not use a capital letter with the first word of a direct quotation of part of a sentence.
Mr. and Mrs. Allen stated that they “refuse to use that pesticide” because of possible water pollution.
3. If the quotation is interrupted and then continues in your sentence, do not capitalize the second part of the quotation.
“He likes to talk about football,” she said, “especially when the Super Bowl is coming up.”
4. Commas and periods always go inside the quotation marks.
I know you are fond of the story “Children of the Corn,” but is it an appropriate subject for your essay?
“At last,” said the old woman, “I can say I am truly happy.”
5. Semicolons and colons always go outside the quotation marks.
She never liked the poem “Dover Beach”; in fact, it was her least favorite piece of Victorian literature.
He clearly states his opinion in the article “Of Human Bondage”: he believes that television has enslaved and diminished an entire generation.
6. Question marks, exclamation points, and dashes go inside quotation marks when they are part of the quotation, and outside when they are not.
Where is your copy of “The Raven”?
“How cold is it outside?” my mother asked.
7. Place quotation marks around the titles of short stories.
I read the story “White Knight at the Battlefield” to him already.
8. Place quotation marks around titles of poems.
Your poem “The Wave” made me cries.
9. Place quotation marks around titles of songs, articles, and chapters.
My favorite song is “The Yellow Submarine.”
That article “Why You Should Bring Your Own Lunch” was about unhealthy lunches.
The chapter “The Encounter with the Teacher” was quite funny.
10. Use single quotation marks (only one quotation mark) around a quote that is in another quote.
I said, “Mrs. Redwood, the article ‘Save the Environment’ was very interesting to read.”

These sentences can be given to students to help them practice applying quotation marks.

John said, That's my coat.
Jack said, I have a coat like yours.
Is the pizza here? asked Hillary.
I love extra cheese, said Jamie.
Grandmother asked, Did you plant beans, peppers, and melons in your garden?
No, I only planted beans and melons, answered Ashley.
William exclaimed, I can't believe we're finally here!
This beach, said Dad, is more beautiful than ever.
The lost scouts screamed, How will we ever get out of here?
Help! shouted the scoutmaster. We can't find our way out of this cave!
Mary is trying hard in school this semester, her father said.
No, the taxi driver said curtly, I cannot get you to the airport in fifteen minutes.
I believe, Jack remarked, that the best time of year to visit Europe is in the spring. At least that's what I read in a book entitled Guide to Europe.
My French professor told me that my accent is abominable.
She asked, Is Time a magazine you read regularly?
Flannery O'Connor probably got the title of one of her stories from the words of the old popular song, A Good Man Is Hard to Find.
When did Roosevelt say, We have nothing to fear but fear itself?
It seems to me that hip and cool are words that are going out of style.
Yesterday, John said, This afternoon I'll bring back your book Conflict in the Middle East; however, he did not return it.
Can you believe, Dot asked me, that it has been almost five years since we've seen each other?
A Perfect Day for Bananafish is, I believe, J. D. Salinger's best short story.
Certainly, Mr. Martin said, I shall explain the whole situation to him. I know that he will understand.

Vantage Point
This week you’ll get to write your story 3 times. You should focus on point of view. You will write each story once from 1st person point of view, once from 3rd person omniscient, and once from objective point of view. Each story should be 1/3 of a page long with NO SPACES between each story. In the end, your story will be a full page long.

1st person point of view-- One of the characters tells the story.
It was a dark night when I walked through the meadow to the sleeping house. I knew that something eventful would happen to me tonight. I could see Star above me in the window. She had a funny look on her face. Suddenly I saw a shadow of someone else rise behind her.
3rd person omniscient-- The story is told in the third person by a narrator whose knowledge is unlimited.
It was a dark night when Jack walked through the meadow to Star’s sleeping house. He knew that something eventful would happen to him. Star watched him anxiously as he approached her trap. She anticipated his surprise as the steel jaws clamped on his leg. She couldn’t have guessed that Mork was sneaking up behind her.
Objective-- The narrator is like a camera that can only record what is seen and heard. The narrator can’t comment, interpret, or enter a character’s mind.
It was a dark night when Jack walked through the meadow to Star’s sleeping
house. He walked as if in anticipation. Star watched him from the window. She kept returning her gaze to a specific spot in the meadow as if she knew something was there. Behind her Mork sneakily entered the room.

Your story should be no longer than one typed, double spaced page.

You can write about whatever topic you want. Just remember to include point of view.

What kind of point of view is in your story? 

The ant tugged over the snow a piece of corn he had stored up last summer, perspiring in spite of the cold. A grasshopper, his feelers twitching and with a tic in his left hind leg, looked on for some time. Finally he asked, “Please, friend ant, may I have a bite of your corn?” The ant looked the grasshopper up and down. “What were you doing all last summer?” he snapped. “I sang from dawn till dark,” replied the grasshopper, not changing his tone. “Well,” said the ant, and a faint smile crept into his face, “since you sang all summer, you can dance all winter.” HE WHO IDLES WHEN HE’S YOUNG WILL HAVE NOTHING WHEN HE’S OLD.
Weary in every limb, the ant tugged over the snow a piece of corn he had stored up last summer. It would taste mighty good at dinner tonight. A grasshopper, cold and hungry, looked on. Finally he could bear it no longer. “Please, friend ant, may I have a bite of corn?” “What were you doing all last summer?” asked the ant. He knew the grasshopper’s kind. “I sang from dawn till dark,” replied the grasshopper, happily unaware of what was coming next. “Well,” said the ant, hardly bothering to conceal his contempt, “since you sang all summer, you can dance all winter.” HE WHO IDLES WHEN HE’S YOUNG WILL HAVE NOTHING WHEN HE’S OLD.
Cold and hungry, I watched the ant tugging over the snow a piece of corn he had stored up last summer. My feelers twitched and I was conscious of a tic in my left hind leg. Finally I could bear it no longer. “Please, friend ant,” I asked, “may I have a bite of your corn?” He looked me up and down. “What were you doing all last summer?” he asked, rather too smugly it seemed to me. “I sang from dawn till dark,” I said innocently, remembering the happy times. “Well,” he said, with a priggish sneer, “since you sang all summer, you can dance all winter.”HE WHO IDLES WHEN HE’S YOUNG WILL HAVE NOTHING WHEN HE’S OLD.
 

Enemies

One valuable element of creative writing is sensory detail. These are the details that are seen, heard, tasted, smelled, and felt (not emotions). Your primary grade for this essay will be decided by the amount and quality of sensory details you include.

Some examples of sensory detail:
Sight
The pale yellow of the light in the room calmed the squirming participants.
Her fat thigh squeezed through the narrow crack in the door.
The majestic mountain view inspired the dragging hikers.

Sound
Tinkling bells alerted the assassins to danger.
Murcio cooled in the symphony’s whispering melody.
Roaring through the streets, 007 escaped.

Taste
The Joads swallowed the bitter defeat and went home.
He planted a sweet kiss on her salty, sweaty forehead.
Palin read the letter that tasted to him like a bowl of sweet berries.

Smell
“Something’s rotten in the state of Denmark,” sniffed Hamlet.
Frederico smelled success as he flipped through the acrid bills.
After being away, the spicy scent of Mom’s perfume enveloped him.

Touch
He ran his hands through the cat’s silky mane.
A velvety silence rolled in as Georgina slept on the fluffy pillow.
A harsh thunder shook the desperate survivors to the core.

Your story should be no longer than one typed, double spaced page.

Your story should be based on your picture.

Your story should be about enemies.

Your story should include A LOT of QUALITY sensory detail.

Grade: _______________/50

In the year 2115, Paolo Lim, the Asian-Brazilian surfer, takes a ride down the rough and lumpy boardwalk to the chilly appointed meeting spot for the showdown of a lifetime. His sheer blue, wheeled surfboard coasts through the chilly breeze as adrenaline steadily increases the rate of his thundering heart.
Gray and mustard-colored toxins wash ashore the silent sands of the beach which smells of rotten eggs and rotting fish corpses. His nemesis awaits with 50 or more green-clad associates all wearing glittery protective helmets to guard from the filth suffocatingly drifting in from the turbulent sea. Lim wears only his smooth black wetsuit and rolls in on his aqua board. He’s sure this will be his last ride as he surveys the polluted but excellent waves.
Park, the American politician surfer, grasps his flaming orange and red board as his footsteps noisily crunch toward Lim. A knowing smirk lights across his face as he watches the unprotected enemy release his tiny board from the circular shackles of the wheels. Lim and Park meet—Lim somber, Park smiling.
Park’s associates outfit him with plastic-smelling protective gear from head to foot and a tiny sparkling air tank rides across his rubbery, green shoulders. Lim approaches the water and dips in his toe. An acerbic tingling rides up his foot and into his knee as the poisonous sea water attacks his youthful flesh. When Park is ready, the two surfers take to the water.
Each paddles in stride with the other as the burning flesh on Lim’s body begins to penetrate the ambiance. They arrive at the spot where waves have broken all morning and wait for the perfect one to roll in. Lim curls up on his board and examines the gory burns which now cover much of his body. Park smiles again because he knows that Lim won’t be able to compete.
Finally a magnificent wave curls up and both surfers paddle ferociously toward shore. They stand. They surf. They ride the tunnel. Each has the ride of a lifetime.
Five minutes later, Park’s associates arrive at the two washed-up bodies. Park lies still with a broken neck and Lim is unrecognizably covered with burned flesh from head to toe. Both are declared winners and both are undoubtedly losers.
 

Isn’t it Ironic?

It’s time to add some sophistication to your writing. You will now have the chance to splash some irony all over one of your stories. Your story should be the story of someone who is going to respond to one of the following personal ads.

Wanted: Single, white female. Must be able to carry on an intelligent conversation about space travel. Helpful if knows Calculus and physics. Meet me any day at 12:00 noon on bench at Smucker Park.

Wanted: Someone who can give a cost-efficient make over. Must know about eyebrows and facial hair. Must bring own make over supplies. Call at 928-555-3800 after 5:00 pm.

Wanted: Partner in crime. Must have at least one felony-worthy crime under belt. Must be willing to take big risk for big payoff. Come to JOES on 4th Ave. Code word: Oatmeal.

Wanted: Man with perfect physique for artist wanting to paint nudes. Must be young and patient. Pay is good. Stop by Artie’s Art Studio between 8 am and 3 pm.

You also need to include an example of one or more kinds of irony. Have a good time!

Verbal Irony: What is said is the opposite of what is meant. Sarcasm is a kind of verbal irony.
• “My ride just left. That’s great, just great.”
• “You’re wasting away to nothing,” she commented to the obese man.
Dramatic Irony: A difference between what a character says/does and what the reader knows to be true.
• Sophomores are so immature. John, now a junior, couldn’t stand to hang around them anymore. His mother reminded him to make good decisions and come home on time as he left for his night out. He took the minivan. It would be so great when he was grown up and finally bought a truck.
• The soldier finished painting the peace sign on the left side of the vehicle before climbing into the tank.
Situational Irony: A difference between how things look and how they really are. A difference between what happens and what should have happened.
• She slipped her robe and slippers on. She looked over at her sleeping husband. The cold of the night encouraged her back to the safety of her bed. She was just going to the bathroom. She loved being home for the sense of peace and safety it afforded her. She closed the door silently and turned on the light. She turned around to face a man dressed in all black and holding a knife.
• At the end of the police investigation they finally arrested the guilty party, Detective Ruiz.

Your story should be no longer than one typed, double spaced page.

What kind of irony is in your story?

Wanted: Caretaker for big cats. Must have experience with lions, tigers, cougars, or other big cats. Please call 928-555-3800 for more information.

When Sam saw the ad in the newspaper he knew he’d hit the jackpot with this one. His wounds were almost healed. The scars on his chest were still a deep red but at least he didn’t hurt that much anymore. He thought of revenge as he went to the kitchen for another peanut butter sandwich. He glanced at the famous picture that hung on the wall over the TV. Sam was front and center with his Cabela’s safari shirt and the background was lit up with the fiery orange and black of the tigers.
He picked up the phone and called 928-555-3800. An elderly, gruff voice answered. Sam brought up the ad, and a short, impersonal interview ensued. “I have a feeling the cat is going to love you,” encouraged the man before he hung up. That had been surprisingly easy. The man hadn’t even asked anything about his experience with big cats.
The next morning as he drove to the huge mansion he reminisced about his trip to the zoo just over 8 months ago. Sam and two of his friends had been throwing peanuts at the tigers. Suddenly one of the tigers jumped over the barricade out into the pedestrian walkway. He seized on one of Sam’s friends who was dead before he knew what had happened. In an attempt to rescue his friend, Sam had received a nasty swat across his chest which had cut to his ribs. The tiger pounced on him again and bit down on his shoulder. Suddenly the tiger went limp and he fell over, a large dart sticking out of his flank. It had taken six months to be well enough to leave his house on his own.
Sam noticed an elderly man just inside the gate to the mansion. He stopped his car. “Here will be fine. You can leave your car,” stated the old man. “You look perfect, so young and tender.” They walked down a small path and stopped in front of a cage housing a magnificent male lion. The old man unlocked the door and motioned for Sam to step inside. Sam naively did and the man locked the door again. “Have a nice lunch,” the old man invited the lion.