Texas Essential Knowledge and Skills (TEKS):
6.10.D
(D) edit drafts using standard English conventions, including:
complete complex sentences with subject-verb agreement and avoidance of splices, run-ons, and fragments;
consistent, appropriate use of verb tenses;
conjunctive adverbs;
prepositions and prepositional phrases and their influence on subject-verb agreement;
pronouns, including relative;
subordinating conjunctions to form complex sentences and correlative conjunctions such as either/or and neither/nor;
capitalization of proper nouns, including abbreviations, initials, acronyms, and organizations;
punctuation marks, including commas in complex sentences, transitions, and introductory elements; and
correct spelling, including commonly confused terms such as its/it's, affect/effect, there/their/they're, and to/two/too;
6th Grade Writing - Prepositions Lesson
Prepositions are words used describe a relationship between other words in a clause or sentence.
Prepositional phrases are groups of words that begin with a preposition and end with an object of the preposition. Any modifying words between a preposition and its object are also included.
Prepositional phrases usually act as adjectives or adverbs in a sentence to provide more information about different words.
Example:
It is important to use appropriate prepositions in a sentence. Different prepositions are used to convey different meanings.
Example:
The man walked into the lamp post because he was distracted by an ice cream truck.
The placement of prepositional phrases in a sentence can also be important. While some prepositional phrases can be easily moved, others need to stay in a specific order and place.
Example:
The weather was a constant deluge of rain over the long weekend.
Example:
INCORRECT: The red-nosed clown handed a balloon on the train platformto the girl.
PREPOSITIONAL PHRASES & SUBJECT-VERB AGREEMENT
In a clause or sentence, the subject and verb must agree in number. Be careful not to confuse an object of the preposition for the subject of a sentence.
If you are unsure about the subject of a sentence, first remove any prepositional phrases.
Example:
The magicianswait to audition for the television program.
Indefinite pronouns refer to non-specific people, places, and things. Some indefinite pronouns are always singular, some are always plural, and some are both.
Example:
Everything in the classrooms was removed during the summer break.
Example:
Few of the original books remain in pristine condition.
Example:
Some of the pizza from last night is in the freezer.
Some of the pizza slices from last night are in the freezer.
For indefinite pronouns that can be singular OR plural, the object of the preposition can be used to check which one it is.