The naming part of a sentence tells who or what. The telling part does the rest of the work, and first graders usually underestimate how much of the sentence that is. This course teaches students to take the whole telling part, starting at the word that tells what happens and running to the end.
It also clears up an assumption that quietly blocks progress. Students learn early that a sentence tells what someone does, so a sentence like “The soup is hot.” throws them, because nothing is happening. They learn here that a telling part can tell what something is like as well as what it does, and that both count.
Written for Grade 1 students working on their own, with a parent, or in a classroom. Nothing is needed except a screen, and pencil and paper for the practice sections.
What you will learn
- Find the telling part of a sentence by asking what happens
- Take the whole telling part and not just the first word of it
- Recognize a telling part that tells what something is like
- Add a telling part to a group of words that is missing one
- Choose a telling part that makes sense with the naming part
A note for parents and teachers: predicate is the term students will meet in later grades. It is introduced here alongside the child-friendly label rather than in place of it.