Language handbook additional practice in grammar, usage, and mechanics grade 8

TX_L08LH_01 6/1/09 6:09 PM Page 1 NAME Language Handbook CLASS DATE 1 The Parts of Speech WORKSHEET 1 Identifying Nouns Exercise A Draw a line under each noun in the following paragraph. Do not underline pronouns. You will find twenty-five nouns. EXAMPLE [1] Perhaps the most surprising thing about the inventor Thomas Edison is that he never seemed to need any sleep. [1] Most people need eight to ten hours of sleep nightly. [2] Edison, however, was able to sleep much less and still work efficiently. [3] As a young man he began the schedule he continued for his entire life. [4] At night he earned his living. [5] During the day he read and studied. [6] He filled huge notebooks with notes on the books he read and the experiments he made. [7] Four hours of sleep was all he needed. [8] He had great powers of concentration. [9] When he was working on a project, he might go for days with hardly any rest. [10] His definition of genius was “one percent inspiration and ninetynine percent perspiration.” Exercise B Underline each noun in the following sentences. Capitalize any proper noun that you find by drawing a line through the first lowercase letter and writing the capital letter above it. EXAMPLE A O 1. This river flows into the atlantic ocean. 1. Chinua achebe is a writer from nigeria. © Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company 2. The nobel peace prize went to mother teresa for that year. 3. On tuesday margaret left for a new job in japan. 4. The team won a gold medal in hockey at the olympics. 5. The dark-haired girl is a student visiting from colombia. 6. To play baseball, ellen needs a mitt and some spiked shoes. 7. Some new earrings are what debbie wants for her birthday. 8. Armand wants to be a chef like his brother-in-law. 9. Four of the largest ethnic groups in nigeria are the ibo, hausa, fulani, and yoruba. 10. Our family visited the empire state building in new york city. The Parts of Speech 1 TX_L08LH_01 6/2/09 9:47 AM Page 2 NAME Language Handbook CLASS 1 The Parts of Speech Identifying and Using Pronouns WORKSHEET 2 Exercise A DATE Underline each pronoun in the following sentences. EXAMPLE 1. There are numerous breeds of dogs, and the American Kennel Club lists many of them. 1. My friend Connie is proud of her cocker spaniel, which she herself found at an animal shelter. 2. Usually cocker spaniels grow to about thirteen inches tall, but this is actually a somewhat smaller dog. 3. Which would adapt itself better to city living, a small dog or a big one? 4. Estrella has a malamute that everyone admires. 5. Who gave it to her? Exercise B Write a pronoun or a pair of pronouns on each of the lines in the following paragraph. You may use the same pronoun more than once. EXAMPLE [1] Not everyone knows that the Dracula legend is partly based on fact. [1] __________ think that the legend of Dracula is fiction. Actually [2] __________ is based on several old tales that tell of a fifteenth-century Romanian warrior [3] __________ was known for [4] __________ ruthlessness. [5] __________ was called “Vlad the Impaler,” because some people say that [6] __________ impaled [7] __________ enemies on stakes. [8] __________ was also known as Dracula, or “Son of the Dragon,” because [9] __________ [11] __________ else was as ruthless with [12] __________ prisoners as Vlad was. [13] __________ say that often Vlad kept [14] __________ locked up in [15] __________ castle. [16] __________ had they done to deserve such a fate? Of course, tellers of legends often exaggerate a person’s deeds. [17] __________ make the person appear better or worse than [18] __________ really was. [19] __________ enjoy frightening [20] __________ with tales of terror. Several years ago, a tomb that might have belonged to Vlad [21] __________ was discovered by archaeologists. When [22] __________ opened the coffin that they suspected was [23] __________, the archaeologists found that [24] __________ was empty. Could he have changed [25] __________ into a bat like the legendary Dracula and flown away? 2 Language Handbook © Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company father was called Vlad Dracul, or “Vlad the Dragon.” [10] __________ say that TX_L08LH_01 6/1/09 6:09 PM Page 3 NAME Language Handbook CLASS DATE 1 The Parts of Speech WORKSHEET 3 Identifying Adjectives Exercise A Underline each of the adjectives in the following sentences. Do not include adjectives in book and story titles. Do not include the articles a, an, and the. EXAMPLE 1. Washington Irving was one of the first American writers who won an international reputation. 1. Even as a young man, he had a whimsical spirit. 2. In his humorous book The Sketch Book, he says he “made many tours of discovery into foreign parts and unknown regions” of his native city. 3. A History of New York, his first book, was popular and successful. 4. His quaint tales of life in the rural valleys near the Hudson River are delightful even today. 5. Most students have heard of “Rip Van Winkle” and “The Legend of Sleepy Hollow.” 6. These stories contain supernatural events. 7. Irving spent many pleasant years in England and Spain. 8. In Spain he wrote about Moorish legends. 9. When he returned to this country, he built a comfortable house that he called “Sunnyside,” near Tarrytown, New York. 10. He spent the rest of his long life there, devoting himself to literary matters. Exercise B In the following paragraph, underline each adjective and draw an arrow to the word it modifies. Do not include the articles a, an, and the. © Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company EXAMPLE [1] Our writing teacher gave our class a special assignment. [1] We are supposed to research haiku, which is a unique form of Japanese poetry. [2] A haiku is a short poem that expresses strong emotion or a vivid image in a few words. [3] After we have read English translations of several Japanese poems, our teacher wants us to pick our favorite poet and write a brief report. [4] Our reports must be accurate, and we will have to spend two hours in the library. [5] We don’t mind, because all of us think the library is a great place for studying. [6] I am eager to start working on my subject, the famous poet Taniguchi Buson. [7] I think his poetry is wonderful. [8] The librarian can give me excellent tips on which poetry books I should research. [9] My teacher says her favorite Japanese poet is Kobayashi Issa. [10] My best friend Felicia agrees that these poets are masters. The Parts of Speech 3 TX_L08LH_01 6/2/09 9:47 AM Page 4 NAME Language Handbook CLASS DATE 1 The Parts of Speech Identifying and Using Action and Helping Verbs WORKSHEET 4 Exercise A Underline the verbs in each of the following sentences. Be sure to include helping verbs. EXAMPLE 1. Our football team might well win nearly every game this season. 1. The crowd arrives early for Latisha’s rendition of the national anthem. 2. Last week we played Burdick School. 3. Their halfback towers above the other players. 4. Our fullback ran the ball every time. 5. During one play he dodged around left end. 6. Our team did not block effectively, however. 7. Our girls’ soccer team will defend its title as the state’s best. 8. Sarah Chang has scored twenty-three goals in two seasons. 9. She and Lena often practice together. 10. Many of Lena’s friends have suggested Carrie as a new member of their team. On the line provided, supply a verb that will complete each sentence. In some sentences you will need to include a helping verb. Exercise B EXAMPLE 1. For many years the river has flooded every spring. 1. Last month our family ____________________ Hanukkah, a Jewish religious festival. 3. Rita ____________________ for Middletown at eight o’clock. 4. She ____________________ her destination by eleven-thirty tomorrow. 5. The fog ____________________ us many times on our way to school. 6. I ____________________ weather like this. 7. Marc ____________________ his teacher whether he could read a story by Isaac Bashevis Singer. 8. I ____________________ for a summer job in the spring. 9. I ____________________ this assignment soon. 10. From now on, I ____________________ more care with these small jobs. 4 Language Handbook © Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company 2. Hanukkah ____________________ eight days each year. TX_L08LH_01 6/1/09 6:09 PM Page 5 NAME Language Handbook CLASS DATE 1 The Parts of Speech WORKSHEET 5 Identifying Linking and Helping Verbs Exercise A Underline the linking verbs in the following sentences. Be sure to underline any helping verbs as well. EXAMPLE 1. Jimmy Carter, the thirty-ninth president of the United States, is from Georgia. 1. Atlanta is the capital of Georgia. 2. It has become an important center for trade and manufacturing. 3. The state’s forests are a major source of wealth. 4. Lumbering has been an important industry since the early days. 5. Cotton remains one of the most valuable farm products in Georgia. 6. Macon is considered a beautiful old city. 7. This city is the birthplace of Sidney Lanier. 8. Lanier became a well-known poet. 9. Carson McCullers was another native of Georgia. 10. The Heart Is a Lonely Hunter is one of her most popular novels. In the following sentences, underline each linking verb once. Underline each helping verb twice. Some linking verbs have helping verbs. Exercise B EXAMPLE 1. Gardening remains an important part of many cultures. 1. Bonsai, which means “planted in a tray” in Japanese, is the art of growing miniature trees in shallow pots. © Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company 2. Bonsai is also the name of a tree that is grown in this manner. 3. A tree will look ancient if the gardener controls its growth. 4. If you prune the tree’s roots and branches often, it becomes stunted. 5. The branches are made crooked by tying them with wire. 6. Eventually, the tree will appear twisted and windblown. 7. If you like a tree that smells nice, a pine tree or a cherry tree is a good choice. 8. Your choice of container is important, too. 9. It should be shallow earthenware and can be either plain or glazed. 10. Matsuo Basho’s haiku about bonsai, “On a Withered Branch,” has become well known. The Parts of Speech 5 TX_L08LH_01 6/2/09 9:47 AM Page 6 NAME Language Handbook CLASS DATE 1 The Parts of Speech Identifying and Using Adverbs WORKSHEET 6 Exercise A Underline the adverbs in each of the following sentences. Draw two lines under the word each adverb modifies. EXAMPLE 1. We went back to our books. 1. The temperature of the water at the fish hatchery seldom varies. 2. The water never freezes. 3. It comes from unusually large springs. 4. It is very clear water. 5. Vapor sometimes rises from warm water. 6. Yesterday I read an article on the literature of India. 7. Ancient Indian writers first produced hymns called Vedas in about 1500 B.C. 8. Indian literature then entered its classical period. 9. Writers of this period commonly wrote Sanskrit. 10. Writers still use the classical version of Sanskrit. Exercise B Write a suitable adverb on the line provided within each sentence, and underline the word it modifies. On the line provided at the beginning of the sentence, write the question the adverb answers: how? when? where? or to what extent? EXAMPLE how carefully 1. Nikki and Emilio their puppet show. made plans for _________ 1. They had __________ wanted to give a puppet show. _________ 3. Both __________ painted faces on the puppets. _________ 4. Nikki and Emilio __________ based their show on a Latin American folk tale about La Llorona. _________ 5. __________ had they heard of a figure so tragic as the weeping woman. _________ 6. __________ the day of the show arrived. _________ 7. They arranged their theater __________ on the lawn. _________ 8. The show went __________. _________ 9. The audience applauded __________. _________ 10. The two performers decided that they would create an even better show __________. 6 Language Handbook © Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company _________ 2. The two __________ built a puppet theater and made papier-mâché puppets.