Hi Joshua,

Thanks for sharing these ideas--I'm sure I'll be borrowing from them. :)

Beth

>>> "Joshua D. Hill" <[log in to unmask]> 09/08/10 3:30 PM >>>

In response to questions about the "riddles and puzzles" I use in my advanced grammar class, here are a few examples:
- I give groups of students two sets of ten sentences (20 slips of paper).  One set is in the ten sentence patterns and is numbered accordingly.  The other set is unnumbered.  Before these college students get any instruction about sentence/clause patterns, I have them match the "like" sentences and then try to come up with a formula that explains the likenesses between each pair of matched sentences.  Usually, working together, 3/4 of the students are able to come up with the ten sentence patterns on their own (from the given examples).
- I repeat this exercise with the ten sentence patterns represented in relative and subordinate clauses (pulled out of their contexts).  This reinforced the sentence patterns while introducing the common link between different types of clauses.  I usually put a relative clause and a subordinate clause together in the same sentence pattern.
- Some years ago, I created a Grammar Game which is modeled roughly on "Go Fish."  A game can be played by 2-4 pairs of students.  Each team draws ten random pieces from the bag.  These pieces include an assortment of noun phrases, verb phrases, whole clauses, different kinds of phrases, conjunctions, adverbs, etc.  Each team is also given a card that describes the type of sentence they should attempt to build (e.g. "Compound Pattern VII + Pattern III, with one participle phrase).  A point value is on the card, corresponding roughly to the difficulty (probability) of putting together that particular construction.  To play, each team asks another team for a specific piece (e.g. "Do you have any "be" verbs?").  If no, then the asking team draws from the bag.  If yes, the asking team gets the piece, and the "robbed" team draws from the bag.  After five times around, if at least one team has accomplished its sentence, then the team(s) submit their boards for inspection by the rest.  Add-ons over and above the prescribed sentence have set values that can be added to the value already set by the team's card.
- Though not so much a puzzle, it's also a helpful generative exercise to give students a list of regular and phrasal prepositions, then have them create (in teams) the longest version of "There's a hole in the bottom of the sea" that they can.  Then make them sing it.
- for participle phrases, I show them a picture that suggests a number of actions.  First, I ask them to make a list of the actions that can be said to be occurring in the picture.  Then we turn those verbs into participles.  Then we arrange participles under their corresponding nouns and add detail onto the tails of the participles.  The result is a participle phrase poem describing the picture.  Again, a more generative exercise.
- for restrictive and non-restrictive elements, give the students a paragraph with several modifiers underlined or highlighted.  Have them cover those modifiers with strips of paper and read the sentences (and paragraph).  If the result is general hilarity, because cutting out the modifier changed the meaning of the sentence, then the modifier was probably restrictive and needs no commas.  If no hilarity, have them put commas.  (E.g. "Dogs who are neutered tend to get fat").  For a physical exercise, have them squat to read the non-restrictive modifiers and stand while reading the rest of the sentence (while following that intonation pattern also with their voices).

Some of these things would not be appropriate (in my opinion) for younger students, or students who need to use Standard Edited English more than they need to be able to talk about it.  I pity the K-12 student who is trained to use "seven of the ten different sentence patterns" in each paragraph he writes, as was one poor soul who took my college composition course years ago.

Just a few things I've tried over the last few years.

Joshua Hill


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