Beautiful Weather!

         

          The past couple of days have been such a tease!  The weather has been getting warmer, which means summer will eventually be here!  Of course, spring comes first, but I anticipate the summertime all year long.
          Summer is my favorite season.  I love going to the beach.  I also enjoy lounging outside in the pool in my backyard.  My son loves the pool, so we usually spend most of our time there.  I love to spend the summer outdoors because of the beautiful weather.  I feel that there are many more things to do when there's nice weather.  You can ride a bike, play sports, take a walk, go to a park, or just relax.  There are so many fun things associated with summer, and the best of all is ice cream!  What is your favorite season?


Vocabulary:

 

Summer

Pool

1. Tease (transitive verb): To bring a little of something that you may want, but not enough to satisfy.  (For example, to tease with a small piece of chocolate, and want more)
2. Summer (noun): One of the four seasons; the season where it is usually very hot (over 80 degrees) and sunny. Summer is during the months of June, July, and August.

Spring

3. Spring (noun): Another one of the four seasons; the season where it is usually rainy and warm (around 60-75 degrees).  Spring is during the months of March, April, and May.
4. Anticipate (verb): to wait for something that is expected.

Beach

5. Beach (noun): a place that many people visit during the summer; it is outside where there is sand and the ocean.

An example of someone lounging

Boy riding a bike

6. Lounge (verb): to sit comfortably, recline.
7. Pool (noun): a small area of water, that is inside something that holds the water.  It is usually in someone's backyard.
8. Bike (noun): a machine that has two wheels and is moved by a person's feet.  People usually ride bikes for fun, or for exercise.
9. Sports (plural noun): activities played for fun, that involve physical and skill qualities.  Examples: Basketball, hockey, football, lacrosse, gymnastics, golf, ice skating, etc.
10. Associated (verb): Connected with something else in a way.

Sports

Vocabulary Cloze Exercise (Correct/Incorrect): Choose if the underlined word in the sentence is correct or incorrect.  If the sentence is correct, write correct in the blank.  If the sentence is incorrect, write the correct word in the blank.

1. __________ I went to the sports and played in the sand.

2. __________ The boy rode his bike down the block.

3. __________ I like to play associated like gymnastics and bowling.

4. __________ The months of summer are March, April, and May.

5. __________ During the summer, it is very hot.

6. __________ I am anticipating the day I graduate from school.

7. __________ When I tease outside on the porch, I read a book and relax.

8. __________ She always tries to associate the girl who sits next to her, and it isn't nice.

9. __________ Apples are associated with bananas because they are both fruit.

10. _________ I can swim in the tease during the summer, because it is in my backyard.



Grammar Point (Adjectives):

Adjectives are describing words that modify nouns.  They tell the noun what color, what size, what kind, and how many.  Adjectives give a clearer picture of what is being described.  For example, if I told you that I saw a monster, you would not know what it looked like.  But if I told you the monster was big, lumpy, scary, green, and had three eyes, you would get a much clearer picture in your head.

Color: Green monster - green is the adjective describing the color of the monster, which is the noun.
Size: Big monster - big is the adjective describing the size of the monster, which is the noun.
What kind: Scary monster - scary is the adjective describing the kind of monster, which is the noun.
How many: three eyes - the monster has three eyes, which is how many eyes the monster has.  It is still describing the monster, which is the noun.

For more information about adjectives, click here.
For practice with adjectives, click here.

 

Grammar Cloze Exercise:

  Choose your favorite season.  Write about what happens and what you like to do during that season.  Make sure to include at least 5 descriptive adjectives within your writing, when describing the season.

 

Fun Zone

         

          Last weekend, my boyfriend and I brought our son to Fun Zone in Farmingdale.  Fun Zone is an indoor place, combined with arcade games, a few rides, food, bowling, mini golf, a bouncy castle, and more.  My son has been asking to go, because my stepfather took him there a while ago, and he wanted to go there again.  He was especially excited about the bouncy castle. 
          When we got there, I noticed that most of the rides weren't even in service.  They looked as though they were completely understaffed.  My son asked about the bouncy castle, and it took a while to even find someone to help us get to it.  Most of the employees were hanging around the redemption center (where you cash in your tickets for prizes).  It looked very unprofessional.  But anyway, he was able to play, and he had the whole castle to himself.  He had a blast!  The best part was it was only five dollars for a whole hour!
          Everything else was pretty horrible, considering most games didn't work.  I used to manage an arcade, so it was very difficult for me to see how unorganized, unprofessional, and run-down this place was.  Although the place was not that great, my son was happy.  And that is all that matters! 


Vocabulary:

1. Arcade Game (noun): a coin-operated machine that is used for entertainment. (Newer arcade games can be operated with cards).

Arcade Game

2. Ride (noun): a machine that people can go in, that moves around in some way.  It is usually operated by an employee, and it is for fun.

Example of a ride - Roller Coaster

3. Bowling (noun): a sport, where the player tries to knock down ten pins with a heavy ball (bowling ball).

Bowling

Mini Golf

4. Mini golf (noun): a sport, where the player tries to get the ball (golf ball) into a hole with the use of a golf club.
5. Bouncy Castle (noun): a big, air-filled structure, in the shape of a castle.  Since there is a lot of air inside, the kids can jump inside and bounce.

Bouncy Castle

6. Understaff (verb): not enough workers for a business to run correctly.

Redemption Center

7. Redemption Center (noun): a place where tickets that are won from arcade games can be turned in, and the person can get a prize, depending on the amount of tickets they have won.
8. Unprofessional (adjective): not meeting standards of a job, or sloppy.

Examples of Unprofessional Attire

9. Horrible (adjective): unpleasant, not good.
10. Manage (transitive verb): to be responsible for, a supervisory position in a job.
**In service means working at the moment.  The rides were not in service, because they were not working at the moment.


Vocabulary Cloze Exercise (Match the word with the correct definition.):

1. _____Redemption Center                a. To be responsible for employees and important job tasks
2. _____Bouncy Castle                       b.  An example of this would be a roller coaster
3. _____Manage                                 c. A machine that is operated with a coin or card to play a game
4. _____Mini golf                               d. To have a limited amount of workers
5. _____Unprofessional                      e. Unpleasant
6. _____Arcade game                        f. A sport that consists of a heavy ball and ten pins
7. _____Understaff                            g. A big structure filled with air that children can bounce on
8. _____Bowling                                h. A sport where the goal is to get the ball into the hole
9. _____Ride                                     i. The place where tickets can be cashed in for prizes
10.____Horrible                                j. sloppy


Grammar Point (Subjective Pronouns):
          A pronoun replaces the name of someone or something, with the use of words such as: he, she, it, you, we, and they.  For example, look at this sentence: Laura loves apples.  We could replace "Laura" with "she".  She loves apples.  "She" replaces a girl, while "he" would replace a boy.  This makes sentences less repetitive (using the same word over and over again).
          A subjective pronoun indicates that the pronoun is acting as the subject in the sentence.  For example, I wrote: He was especially excited about the bouncy castle.  "He" is the subject, which could be replaced with "my son".

For more help on pronouns, check out this website.


Grammar Cloze Exercise:

          I gave you an example of a subjective pronoun within my blog entry.  Find the rest of the subjective pronouns.  Then, write a short story, making sure to include at least 3 different kinds of subjective pronouns.  (He, she, we, they, it, you)


For more practice with subjective pronouns, click here. 
 

A Great Place to Dine

One of the dining rooms in George Martin's Strip Steak Restaurant

      

          I am a big fan of food, and an even bigger fan of eating!  I never really found a place where I was thrilled with their steak, until I found George Martin's Strip Steak Restaurant.  This restaurant is located in Great River (Long Island).  The first time that I went there, I was very surprised that this restaurant was located in the middle of a residential area.  I have been to Strip Steak for a couple occasions, and every time I was impressed.  This restaurant gives a "cozy" feeling when you walk inside.  It does not seem like a very big place, and there are three rooms.  Since the whole restaurant isn't just one big room, it gives that cozy feeling, almost like you are at home. 
          Every time I visit Strip Steak, I always order the Filet Mignon, because that is my absolute favorite!  The last time I had the chance to go to this restaurant was the beginning of this month, for my boyfriend's birthday.  He ordered the Strip Steak.  We ordered Chili Pop Shrimp for an appetizer, which is battered shrimp in a sweet and spicy chili sauce.  We shared the Baked Macaroni and Cheese and Hand-cut French Fries for our sides.  One of my favorite sides from this restaurant is the pan toasted green beans, made with bacon and blue cheese.  After we finished our dinner, we were so full that we couldn't eat dessert.  The best dessert that Strip Steak offers is the Hot Apple "Turnover", which is created with Granny Smith apples, golden raisins, cranberries, streusel, cinnamon ice cream, and whipped cream.  It is delicious!
          I have never been disappointed with this restaurant.  The food is to die for and the service is amazing.  In fact, for my birthday, my friends had to wait a couple of minutes for the table before I got there (it was a surprise), and they were offered a round of free drinks because they had to wait.  The only negative aspect about this restaurant is that it can be a little pricey, but it is well worth the money!  Next time you plan on having a nice dinner, try this restaurant!

George Martin's Strip Steak's Website


Vocabulary:

1. Thrilled (verb) - experienced a large spark of excitement.

Residential Area

2. Residential (adjective) - occupied by residents;  meaning: people who live there. (A residential area is an area where there are only houses, not buildings, offices, etc.)
3. Impress (transitive verb) - to affect deeply, to gain interest of something.
4. Cozy (adjective) - description of something that feels warm, intimate, close, and a feeling of comfort.

Filet Mignon

5. Filet Mignon (noun) - thick slice of beef cut from the narrow end of a beef tenderloin.
6. Appetizer (noun) - food that is normally served before the meal, and in a smaller portion size.
7. Sides (noun) - food items that are with the main dish, such as a vegetable or potato.

Desserts (not from Strip Steak)

8. Dessert (noun) - a treat that is served at the end of a meal, usually like cake, cookies, fruit, pudding, ice cream, etc.
9.  Disappoint (verb) - to fail to meet the wishes or expectations of something.

**A big fan refers to someone who really likes something, or an admirer of something.
**To die for is usually a phrase that is commonly used for someone to explain that something is so good, that it is worth dying for.

My birthday dinner at Strip Steak with my boyfriend, friends, and sister

Vocabulary Cloze Exercise:

Grammar Point - Capitalization: 
  
          As you read my blog, you will notice that the name of the restaurant that I went to is capitalized.  That is because it is a proper noun, and a specific place.  A specific place would be somewhere like Belmont Park.  It is not just any park, it is a specific one.  If I just said that I went to a restaurant, I wouldn't capitalize it because it is a general place, without a specific name.
           I also capitalized the names of the foods that were ordered, because they are the specific names of the items listed on the menu.  If I said that I wanted to order a filet mignon, I wouldn't normally capitalize it.  But since the menu treats it as their specific name for their dish, the words get capitalized.  For example, I once tried making a pizza-like dish with my crock pot, but it ended up turning out a different way than I had expected.  I ended up using it as a meat sauce, which I thought was actually very good.  I named the dish "Mommy Messed Up", so it gets capitalized because it is my specific dish!
           There are many other reasons to capitalize certain words, but we will focus on these today:
Specific places
Specific dishes

For help, refer to these rules.

Grammar Exercise:
 Highlight the words that should be capitalized.

park                    belmont park                       supermarket                       banana


walgreens           starbucks                              ragu sauce                           chiquita banana


pharmacy           store                                      kleenex                                greece


guatemala          gym                                        chuck e. cheese's                gas station             

         

Technology

       

          Now that we live in a world of technology, sometimes we tend to depend on it a little too much.  I often have arguments with my friend about the use of my planner.  He always asks me why I still use a paper planner instead of entering my information into my phone, where it will always be easily accessible.  Although I do appreciate many things that technology has contributed to, I will always stick to my paper planner.  I feel that it is easier to see my plans for the whole month right in front of me, rather than looking it up on my phone.  On my phone, I am not able to see the whole month's schedule on one screen.  I also fear that technology will fail, which will make me lose all of my information.  What happens if I end up losing my phone?  That will result in a loss of all of my important information.  I could lose my planner too, but I just feel more comfortable with the planner.
          The use of cell phones is also an example of technology that we sometimes depend on a little too much.  It is good to have with you when you are alone, because if you get stuck somewhere, you will be able to call someone for help.  There are not many pay phones around anymore, so if you do not have a cell phone, it could be a problem.  But going out to dinner, taking a walk, going to the park, and other activities usually involve using a cell phone at the same time.  Albert Einstein once said, "I fear the day when the technology overlaps with our humanity.  The world will only have a generation of idiots".  Is technology hindering our society or is it providing more opportunities for our futures?  Should we welcome new technology with open arms?  What do you think?

Check out this article about technology! Funny but true!!


Vocabulary:

Example of technology - computer

1. Technology (noun) - the use of science to invent new things.  

Example of technology - GPS (helps give directions when you need to know how to get somewhere)

Argument

2. Argument (noun) - a disagreement in conversation.

Planner

3. Planner (noun) - a book where plans or important things are written.  Most planners include a calendar inside.
4. Accessible (adjective)  - able to be easily reached or found.
5. Schedule (noun) - a plan of things that will be or need to be done.

Example of a screen - this is a TV screen

6. Screen (noun) - flat part of a computer monitor, phone, or other device that is where you can see the images, writing, or pictures.

Different kinds of cell phones

7. Cell (or cellular) phone (noun) - a phone that can be used wherever the person may be, not only at home.

Pay phone

8. Pay phone (noun) - a phone placed outside where anyone can use it by placing coins in the slot to pay for their phone call.
9. Overlap (verb) - to cover part of something.

These are two leaves overlapping in the middle

10. Humanity (noun) - state of being human.










Vocabulary Cloze Exercise:
Using the words above, write the word that best fits the blanks in the sentences.

1. John asked, "Did you see a  _______  ____________ nearby?  I need to make a phone call."
2. My friend and I got into an _______________ about where we were going to eat.
3. "I need my ______________ so I can see if I have anything important in my schedule for the month," she said.
4. Phones, computers, printers, cameras, cars, and Smart Boards are all examples of _______________.
5. When creating a Venn Diagram, the two circles need to _________________ in the middle.
6. I need a place where computers are _________________, because I need to be able to do my work.
7. Laura asked, "Can we go out to lunch tomorrow afternoon?"  I replied, "I am not sure, I have to check my _______________."
8. These discoveries will benefit all of _____________, not just the people in this town.
9. He always remembers to carry his _________   _________  with him when he leaves his house.
10. If the TV ____________ goes black, you may need to get it fixed.


Grammar Point (Direct Objects):

A direct object can be the nouns, pronouns, phrases, or clauses that receive the action of the verb.  To figure out the direct object, you can ask yourself whom or what was acted on the verb.  In this blog, there are many direct objects.  For example, look at the sentence, "I often have arguments with my friend about the use of my planner."
Subject: I
Verb: often have
Ask yourself...I often have what?  Arguments!
Arguments would be the direct object.

This site explains direct object in more detail.


Grammar Cloze Exercise:

Pick another sentence in my blog and see if you can break it down to find the direct object.  If you have trouble, refer to the website above for help.  Here are some more to practice (underline the direct object in each sentence):
I will do the first one:

1. The dog drank some water.
(dog is the subject, drank is the verb) (What is the dog drinking?  Water!)

2. The speaker read his speech to the crowd.
3. The girl played the piano nicely.
4. Brian called his teammates to the field.
5. She watched the show.
6. He walked to the park.
7. The cat chased the mouse.
8. The car started.
9. The pilot flew the plane.
10. The boy caught the ball.

Party Time!

        
          I never realized how much work is put into creating a party.  I am deciding to throw a party for my boyfriend, because he is turning 30.  I don't want to spend a lot of money renting a hall or fancy place, so I will decide to just have it at our house.  This is my first time in charge of everything for a party, so I never realized how much was involved with the whole ordeal.  I have to make sure we have food, so his sister-in-law will be making ziti, and I am ordering sandwiches and salads.  I ordered a cake from Cold Stone Creamery, but I will make cupcakes as well.  The cake I am ordering is cookie dough flavored, which sounds appetizing!  I also will be making chocolate covered things like strawberries, pretzels and Oreos.  Of course, I will have chips, snacks, and drinks too.  Along with all of the food and drinks that are involved, I have to make sure the house is spotless and decorate too.
          Everyone was already invited, and I have just about everything I need for his party.  Unfortunately, my son won't be able to be there, which he is a little upset about.  He will be at his father's house for the weekend.  The party is on Saturday, so I hope that everything goes smoothly.  I'm very excited to see the how it goes!


Vocabulary:

1. Party (noun) - a social gathering, sometimes for a special occasion.  For example: birthday, holiday, graduation.

Party (birthday)

2. Rent (intransitive verb) - the use of property temporarily (only for a certain amount of time)  in exchange for money.

Hall

3. Hall (noun) - a large building or place used for things such as parties or events.
 4. Fancy (adjective) - not plain, rich-looking.
5. Involve (transitive verb) - to require, include
6. Ordeal (noun) - difficult experience.
7. Appetizing (adjective) - good taste or smell, makes people want to eat it, scrumptious, yummy.
8. Spotless (adjective) - perfectly clean.
9. Invite (verb) - to ask to go somewhere or do something.
*Throw a party means to create a party or put a party together, usually for someone.

Cold Stone Creamery's Cookie Dough Ice Cream Cake

Vocabulary Cloze Exercise (answer the questions using the vocabulary words listed above):

1. Where can you have a party that will be large enough for a lot of people? ____________________
2. What do you call something that is perfectly clean? ________________________
3. If you want to use property only for a certain amount of time, what can you do? _______________
4. If you ask someone to come to a party, you will ________________ them.
5. What is a big social gathering, usually for birthdays or special occasions? ___________________
6. If something smells and looks good to eat, it is __________________________.
7. What is the opposite of plain? ___________________
8. I did not know how much was going to be ________________ed with the whole ______________.



Grammar Point (future verb tense):

          This blog features some examples of future verb tenses.  As a reminder, a verb is an "action" word, that tells what something or someone is doing.  When learning about verb tenses, there are four different types: simple, progressive, perfect, and perfect progressive.  Today we will focus on simple future verb tenses.  A future verb tense is a verb form that marks an event that has not happened yet, but is expected to happen in the future.  A simple future verb tense follows this pattern: subject + auxiliary verb + main verb.  To make this clearer, let me give you an example.

Nancy will make cupcakes.
Nancy = subject
will = auxiliary verb
make = main verb

This means, Nancy did not make the cupcakes, but she will be in the future.
"Will" is a common auxiliary verb that is used in the future tense.

For more practice with future verb tenses, visit this page.


Grammar Exercise:

          Find all of the simple future verb tenses that are listed within the blog entry.  After doing so, write a short paragraph focusing on things you will be doing.  Make sure to keep your writing in the simple future verb tense.





         



 
 

 

Harlem Shake

         

          YouTube has been the source of many overnight sensations throughout the recent past years.  I think it is amazing how quickly a video can go viral once it is posted for everyone to see.  Psy's famous dance video, for example, gained millions of views within the first week.  The Harlem Shake videos are currently one of the most recent video explosions on YouTube.  A group of boys decided to create a funny video to go along with a part of the song "Harlem Shake" by American DJ and producer, Baauer.  It became a huge hit, with millions of views within a couple of days.  Now, people are mimicking the video by making their own. 
          The Harlem Shake videos have totaled to over 30 million views altogether.  In the videos, it usually begins with one person dancing, usually wearing a mask or something to cover their face.  While the one person is dancing, the other people featured in the video are doing regular everyday things, as if nothing was irregular about their day.  After a certain part of the song clip, everyone in the video is doing something funny, usually also wearing some type of costume.  There are people who feature their videos in offices, retirement homes, underwater, with motorcycles, parking lots, schools, and much more.  In fact, Molloy College created one also!  There are even some videos that feature people in the marines and army doing this dance.
          Along with these videos, of course, there are many people who do not like them.  I have seen numerous videos of people from Harlem that find the videos to be insulting, because they are portraying the "Harlem Shake" dance the wrong way.  My opinion about this situation is that you cannot please everyone, and sometimes I feel that people take things to seriously.  I don't believe that the boys who began this dance craze meant to offend anyone while making their video.
          I find this internet explosion to be hilarious, especially because everyone is making a different video to the same song, with the same concept.  My favorite (posted below) is when a news station participates in this outbreak of Harlem Shake videos.  I hope you get a good laugh!

There are many more "Harlem Shake" videos to choose from.  Go to YouTube and type "Harlem Shake" in the search box.
Click here to watch Molloy College's Harlem Shake Video


Vocabulary:

1. Sensation (noun) - widespread public excitement
2. Explosion (noun) - a fast or rapid increase
3. Mimic (verb) - to copy, imitate
4. Irregular (adjective) - not normal, not following the same method
5. Insult (verb) - to treat with rudeness
6. Portray (verb) - to represent or make a likeness of something
7. Opinion (noun) - a personal view or belief
8. Offend (verb) - to hurt feelings, annoy
9. Hilarious (adjective) - extremely funny
10. Concept (noun) - a general idea

The term "go viral" means to become extremely popular on the internet within a short amount of time.


Vocabulary Cloze Exercise (Fill in the Blanks):

          The Harlem Shake videos have become an overnight ________________!  So many people have tried to _____________ (copy) the first video by making their own.  The ______________(increase) of Harlem Shake videos came very quickly.  They each tried to ___________ (represent) the first Harlem Shake video.  People look like they are not doing anything ____________(not regular) in the video, until the second part of the song clip. These videos did not mean to ____________ (hurt feelings) anyone.  Some people think that they were ___________ing (treating with rudeness) the people from Harlem by doing the dance the wrong way.  My ________ (belief) is that the videos were ___________ (funny).  I loved the whole __________ (idea).  


Grammar Point - Count and Noncount Nouns:

          The definition of a noun is a person, place, thing, idea, or a process that has been nominalized (has become a noun).  A count noun consists of singular and plural nouns that are countable.  For example, phone/phones, day/days, notebook/notebooks, thought/thoughts, and foot/feet are all countable nouns.  They can be preceded by a or an, and also by a number.  Noncount nouns (also called mass nouns) are nouns that cannot be counted as a whole.  They do not have a plural form, and cannot be preceded by a or an, or a number.  For instance, love, hate, rice, milk, and information cannot be counted.  Rice would be able to be counted if you were counting each grain of rice, but rice as a whole would not be able to be counted.  There are always exceptions to the rule, and some nouns can be both count and noncount, such as time. 
          
For more help on count and noncount nouns, click here.


 Grammar Activity:

           This blog includes many examples of count and noncount nouns.  Fold a piece of paper in half, and label one side "Count Nouns" and the other side "Noncount Nouns".  Reread this blog entry, and for every noun you find, write the noun in the correct category on your paper. 


For more practice, try this game!








 

Origami Owl

Origami Owl Necklaces

           My cousin introduced me to another great gift idea, Origami Owl.  This company sells a newer version of a locket necklace.  The customer can choose from a variety of lockets, and then a chain for the necklace part of it.  After you pick the chain and locket, you can choose what kind of charms you would like.  The charms you can pick from are arranged by category.  You can choose from categories such as celebrations, love, animals, food, birthstones, and much more.  The charms actually go inside the locket, which is transparent.  There is also an option to buy plates, which are placed in the back of the locket.  The plates consist of words such as "family", "believe", and "mom".  You can buy a large plate and a smaller plate to create a more "layered" look.  When you are finished, you can also find dangles to add to the necklace.
          This is such a nice gift idea for any female who loves jewelry.  Many women, such as myself,  have the Pandora bracelets, where they show off their collected charms.  I think this is another way to collect meaningful charms, and they are so pretty!  I like that everyone's necklace is unique, and it could represent the person wearing it.  My cousin had an army charm (her husband is in the army), a mom charm, a candy cane (for Christmas), and other things inside.  This is such a thoughtful gift!

Origami Owl's Website

Vocabulary:

1. Introduce (transitive verb) - to bring to a knowledge of something, to bring in for the first time
2. Locket (noun) - a small case (usually of a metal) that has a space for a small special item or picture
3. Charm (noun) - a small item worn on a bracelet or chain
4. Arrange (transitive verb) - to place in a certain order
5. Category (noun) - a section that something would be arranged into
6. Transparent (adjective) - see-through, clear
7. Option (noun) - the right to choose
8. Consist (intransitive verb) - include, make up with
9. Unique (adjective) - different
10. Represent (verb) - stand for, to serve as a sign or a symbol of something



Cloze Exercise (Crossword Puzzle)

Grammar Point:

Commas are used in everyday writing, although we can sometimes get confused about when to use them in our sentences.  This can be especially confusing to the English language learner.  In this blog entry, I used commas for two different reasons.  For example, look at the sentence, "My cousin introduced me to another great gift idea, Origami Owl."  I used the comma after the word "idea" to create a pause in the reading.  I was introducing Origami Owl, and we sometimes use commas to create a short pause while you are reading.  Now look at this sentence: "You can choose from categories such as celebrations, love, animals, food, birthstones, and much more."  When listing more than two things, we usually use commas to separate the items.  There are other ways to use commas, but these are the reasons why I used them in my writing.

For more information on commas, click here.

Grammar help exclusively for commas used in lists

Grammar

Exercise:

Write a paragraph about taking a trip or vacation to wherever you may choose.  In your paragraph, be sure to include a list of what you will pack in your suitcase.  Also, include a list of what you are planning to do when you get there.  Be sure to include the proper use of commas while writing about your trip.

White Manna Hamburgers

 

My boyfriend, my son, and I had a couple of eventful things to do this weekend.  My boyfriend's parents came from Puerto Rico, so we picked them up at the airport.  They live in Puerto Rico, but they have a wedding to attend, so they are able to visit for about a week.  After picking them up from the airport, we went to New Jersey because his father had to get fitted for his tuxedo.  We decided to eat dinner at White Manna Hamburgers in Hackensack, New Jersey.  We have seen this place on a TV show, Diners, Drive-ins, and Dives featuring Guy Fieri on the Food Network Channel.  People said they loved their burgers because they were made from fresh ground beef that they have delivered every morning.  My boyfriend absolutely loves burgers, so he was dying to eat there.

The place smelled so good as we pulled into the parking lot.  It was very small and crowded.  We waited an extended amount of time for our burgers.  I noticed that there were only three workers: one working the grill, one making the drinks, and one in charge of the fries.  My son was getting very impatient as we waited for our food.  We were served our fries first, but they were not as hot as they should have been.  After that, they gave us our sodas, and finally, our burgers.  The burgers were small, like the ones from White Castle.  They had cheese and onions on them, and I asked if they could put pickles on the side.  They were scrumptious, except I did not like the potato rolls.  Overall, I thought they were alright, but I would not go out of my way to eat there again.  We also realized the next day that our coats all smelled like burgers and onions, so we had to put them all in the laundry as well!  I think Guy Fieri made the place a bit overrated.

After eating dinner, we all came home and spent the rest of the night conversing with the family.  It was a pleasant weekend and I am happy that we were all able to spend quality time with each other.

Click here to learn about the TV show, Diners, Drive-ins and Dives!

Guy Fieri

Vocabulary:

1. eventful (adjective) - momentous, full of events or happenings
2. attend (verb) - go to, to be present
3. feature (verb) - to play an important part, show
4. extended (adjective) - drawn out in length, especially in time; extra long
5. impatient (adjective) - restless, not wanting to wait
6. scrumptious (adjective) - delicious
7. overrate (transitive verb) - to estimate too highly
8. converse (intransitive verb) - to talk
9. pleasant (adjective) - delightful, nice

*The term "get fitted" refers to when someone gets measurements taken in order to get the clothing to fit as close to perfect as possible.


Cloze Exercise (Multiple Choice - Choose the correct answer to fill in the blank.)

1.   We had a very _________________ night.  We were able to do a lot of different things.
     a) eventness     b) scrumptious     c) eventful     d) attend

2.  Can you _______________ my birthday party next week?
     a) attend     b) overrate     c) attended     d) converse

3.  The late night television show will _____________ some of the funniest comedians.
     a) pleasant     b) feature     c) pleasantful     d) features

4.  During the football game, the time was _________________ because the score was tied.
     a) extended     b) extend     c) eventful     d) conversing

5.  I was very ___________ while waiting for my mail to arrive.
     a) pleasant     b) impatient     c) impatientness     d) extend

6.  Our fudge brownie dessert was ____________!
     a) featuring     b) extended     c) scrumptious     d) scrumptiously

7.  The Super Bowl is extremely _______________.
     a) overrating     b) scrumptious     c) pleasant     d) overrated

8.  We _____________ for a little while before we went to work.
     a) conversing     b) converse     c) feature     d) conversed

9.  The candle had a ___________  flowery scent.
     a) pleasant     b) featuring     c) converse     d) pleasanted


Grammar Point:

The sentence, "We have seen this place on a TV show, Diners, Drive-ins, and Dives featuring Guy Fieri on the Food Network Channel" displays the use of present perfect tense.  Present perfect tense is used to say an action that happened at an unspecified time before now.  You can only use this tense when using a general expression such as: never, once, many times or already.  It is used when you do not know the exact time the event happened.  Present perfect tense usually is associated with experiences, changes over time, accomplishments, something that is not completed yet, or something that has happened multiple times. 
The form is has/have + past participle.
Examples:  You have seen that movie many times.
                 Have you seen that movie many times?
                 You have not seen that movie many times.

For more examples, visit this website.


Grammar Exercise (Using the words in the parenthesis, complete the text below with the appropriate tenses.) :

1.  I (have, not) ____________ this much fun since I was a kid.
2.  She (have) ______________ seen this movie many times.
3.  Toni Morrison (have) _________________ written many great books.
4.  My car (have, not) _____________ been giving me any problems yet.
5.  Our school teams (have) ____________ won many awards.
6.  The company (have, only) ______________ six employees working today.
7.  Joseph (have, dream) _______________ of going on a vacation for many years.
8.  In the last few years, jobs (have, become) ________________ much harder to find.

For more practice, click the link.

A Great Gift

My Diamond Candle and my ring!

I have stumbled upon a great gift idea for the holidays or someone's birthday.  Too bad most of the big holidays have passed!  As I was browsing the internet, I saw a special kind of candle.  It is made by the company called Diamond Candles.  A teenage boy and his parents had a wonderful idea for making these special kinds of candles.  They make the candles themselves, and they are soy candles.  Soy candles are made from soybeans, and are said to be more natural than regular candles.  People have also said that soy candles last longer.  The reason these candles are special, is because each candle has a ring put inside of it.  The ring inside could be worth ten dollars to five thousand dollars.  In order to retrieve the ring inside the candle, you must be patient as you wait for the candle to burn long enough where you will be able to get it out.  After hearing about this candle, I decided that I had to try it out for myself.  I went onto the website, and chose the scent that I wanted to try.  I purchased the "Carnival Candy" candle to try it out, and it was pink in color.  I did not really like the smell, but I was still so excited to see what ring was inside.  Of course, I was impatient, so I dug the ring out.  I ended up with a very pretty ring, but you could definitely see that it was one of the cheaper ($10) rings.  I think this idea is such a nice gift for people, especially if you know someone who loves candles.  I enjoyed my candle, and I'm sure I will be buying many more!

 http://www.diamondcandles.com/ - Check out their website!


Vocabulary:

1. Stumbled (verb) - came unexpectedly or by chance
2. Browsing (verb) - looking over, skimming
3. Company (noun) - a bunch of people carrying out business
4. Special (adjective) - distinguished or known for an unusual quality
5. Natural (noun) - something made without human care, not with ingredients that were processed
6. Worth (intransitive verb) - value
7. Retrieve (verb) - to get and bring back
8. Patient (adjective) - waits without complaint
9. Scent (noun) - smell or odor
10. Purchased (verb) - bought

Matching Vocabulary Exercise - Use the words above to match the word with their synonym.

1. ____ Stumbled                           a. aroma, smell
2. ____ Browsing                           b. native, unprocessed
3. ____ Company                           c. bought, gained
4. ____ Special                               d. look upon
5. ____ Natural                               e. fetch
6. ____ Worth                                 f. come across, meet
7. ____ Retrieve                             g. quality
8. ____ Patient                               h. understanding, calm
9. ____ Scent                                  i. organization
10.____ Purchased                         j. particular, significant


Grammar Point with Exercise:
Complete sentences always contain a subject and a predicate.  A subject is what or whom the sentence is about.  A predicate tells about the subject.  A predicate always includes a verb (action word) as well.  For example, let's look at this sentence:  Casey walked to the park.  "Casey" would be the subject, because the sentence is about her.  "Walked to the park" would be the predicate because it tells about what Casey (the subject) did.

This site helps give a better understanding about subject and predicate.

More practice exercises

Grammar Exercise:
 Read the sentences.  Circle the subject in each sentence.  Underline the predicate in each sentence.

1. The astronaut landed on the moon.

2. Stacy went to the movies.

3. Austin created an excellent story.

4. The dog loved to go for walks.

5. He was running around the place.