Bell Ringer Activity

•Please count how many errors you can find in the letter below. On your paper, write the incorrect word that I have used in my letter to the class. Next, write the correct word that I should have used. Let’s see how many you can get correct!

Deer class,Set down and let’s get started. You’re job is

two right a letter to me explaining how I’ve used incorrect grammar. Eye want to sea you find all of the troublesome words in this note eye have written to ewe, sew aye no who nose how to use correct grammar. You should also ad the correct word above the incorrect word. I will except youre activity when it is complete, than eye will grade it and ad up you’re points to see how many of ewe use grammar the write weigh.

Thank you,Mrs. Easter

CommonlyConfused Words

Today we will look at part ofSPI 0601.1.9 Recognize usage errors occurring within context (i.e., double negatives, troublesome words {to/too/two, their/there/they’re, its/it’s, sit/set, lie/lay, affect/effect, may/can, leave/let, teach/learn, accept/except, capitol/capital, principle/principal, between/among}).

Here’s what we are learning:

Commonly Confused WordsIn the English language their/there are some words that are spelled differently but sound exactly the same (e.g. too, to, and two), and there/their are some words that are spelled the same but are pronounced differently (e.g. read/read). Then/Than, their/there are those words that do not share the same spelling or pronunciation but are often confused. These are your/you’re commonly confused words and today we are going to begin working on making sure you can recognize and correct usage errors within context.

Introduction• Troublesome Words

▫ Its / It’s▫ Your / You’re▫ To / Two / Too▫ Whose/Who’s▫ There / Their / They’re

• Confusables▫ Where / Were/Wear▫ Then / Than▫ Except/Accept▫ Principle/Principal

What we are learning: Making sure you can recognize and correct usage errors within context.

Its and It’s•This is one of the most troublesome

pairs because the possessive pronoun ITS does not carry an apostrophe as in: The cat’s claws.

▫Since this is a possessive pronoun, it may help to think of the S in ITS as already belonging to the word.

•The apostrophe is used in the contraction IT’S (short for it is).

It’s common for the cat to lick its claws.

Your and You’re

Again, this is a case of a possessive

pronoun and

a contraction.

•YOUR shows that something belongs to

you.

•YOU’RE is short for You are.You’re wasting your time with this project.

To, Too, and Two •TO

▫preposition Walk to the car (toward)

▫infinitive indicator To skate

•TOO can mean also or indicate degree•TWO is the number following one

The two girls wanted to go to the skating rink too, but it was too late.

Who’s and Whose

•WHO’S▫always means “who is” or “who has”

Who’s your date for the dance? Who’s got my car keys?

•WHOSE▫Possessive pronoun: something that

belongs to “who” Whose dirty socks are on the floor?

Their , They’re, and There• THEIR: (possessive pronoun)

belonging to them•THEY’RE: (contraction) They are •THERE: (adverb) At or in that place

(primary def.)

They’re leaving their tired dog over there.

Where, Were, and Wear

Similarity in spelling and improper pronunciation often cause these to be

used incorrectly.

•WHERE : (pronounced w+air or hw+air) at or in what place.•WERE : (pronounced wur) past tense of

are•WEAR: (pronounced w+air)

Where were you hiding?

A Little Trick

HERE

HERE

HERE

If you confuse There / Their, Where / Were and Here/Hear – Remember that the words that have to do with place have the word HERE in them.

Think here

T

W

Then and Than•Than is a conjunction used in

comparisons•Then is an adverb denoting time.

Landon thought that he was much braver than the others. Then, he realized he wasn’t that brave after all!

Except and Accept▫Except: is a preposition meaning “but” or

“leaving out.” It can also be a verb to mean “to leave out”.Everyone was tall enough to ride, except for

Logan.

▫Accept: means “to receive”.Please accept this gift.

An easy way to remember the difference is that the “x” eliminates.

Principle and Principal

•Principle is a noun meaning a rule or code of conduct, a law or fact of nature.

•Principal may be used as either an adjective, meaning most important , or a noun., meaning someone in charge of a school or the amount of money that is put in a bank to earn interest.

•As an adjective:▫Vegetables are the principal ingredients in

this soup.As a noun:

Mrs. Jackson is the principal of Midway Middle School. OR

A portion of your payment goes to reduce the principal, and the rest covers interest.

Review: Remember the Difference?

• Homonyms▫ Its / It’s▫ Your / You’re▫ To / Two / Too▫ Whose/Who’s▫ There / Their / They’re

• Confusables▫ Where / Were/Wear▫ Then / Than▫ Except/Accept▫ Principle/Principal

▫ What we are learning: Making sure you can recognize and correct usage errors within context.

Next Step:

•In Class B, we will using our confusing words to create our own sentences and using pictures to illustrate how they are used. Examples may include the words we have already discussed or come up with some of your own…(dear/deer, bat/bat, etc.). Let’s look at some examples and then complete our Exit Ticket for Class A.