4th Grade Elementary School English Grammar Review 1/3

Today's lesson will review important grammar skills that you have been learning throughout the year, with the focus on four areas:

● Relative Pronouns: Words like "who," "whom," "whose," "which," and "that" relate parts of sentences.

● Prepositional Phrases: A group of words that begins with a preposition (e.g., in, on, at, by) that adds details about time, location, or manner.

● Modal Auxiliaries: Helping verbs such as "can," "may," "must," "might" that express ability, permission, or obligation.

● Progressive Tense: Verb forms that express ongoing actions (using "am/is/are" + verb-ing, such as "is running").

"Can you think of a sentence that uses a word like 'which' or 'because' to give extra information?"

1. Relative Pronouns

Definition: Relative pronouns connect a clause or phrase to a noun or pronoun. They help to

combine sentences and add detail.

● Examples:

○ "The boy who won the race is my friend."

○ "I saw a movie that was very funny."

Step-by-Step:

● Identify the two ideas that need combining.

● Select the correct relative pronoun (who for people, which/that for things).

● Combine the ideas ensuring the sentence remains clear.

Worked Example:

● Original sentences: "The girl is reading. The girl loves stories."

● Combined: "The girl who loves stories is reading."

● Note: "who" is used because the subject is a person.

2. Prepositional Phrases

Definition: A prepositional phrase begins with a preposition and ends with a noun or pronoun,

adding detail such as location or time.

● Examples:

○ "The cat is on the roof."

○ "She walked to the park."

Step-by-Step:

● Identify the preposition (e.g., on, in, under, by).

● Find the object of the preposition (nouns/pronouns).

● Combining them yields the complete phrase, which is inserted into the sentence to add

context.

Worked Example:

● Sentence: "The book is in the bag."

● Activity: Ask the student to point out the preposition ("in") and its object ("the bag").

3. Modal Auxiliaries

Definition: Modal auxiliaries are helping verbs that express ability, possibility, permission, or

obligation.

● Examples:

○ "I can ride a bike."

○ "You must finish your homework."

Step-by-Step:

● Select the appropriate modal based on the context.

● Remember that modals are followed by the base form of the verb.

● Discuss different possibilities (e.g., "might" vs. "can").

Worked Example:

● Sentence: "She may come to the party."

● Ask: What does "may" indicate? (Possibility or permission)

4. Progressive Tense

Definition: The progressive tense is used to indicate an ongoing action at a specific time. It is

formed by using the correct form of "to be" plus a verb ending in -ing.

● Examples:

○ "I am reading a book."

○ "They are playing in the park."

Step-by-Step:

● Identify the subject of the sentence.

● Choose the correct form of "to be" (am, is, are) to match the subject.

● Add the -ing form of the main verb to form the progressive tense.

Worked Example:

● Sentence: "He is running in the race."

● Ask: What makes "is running" different from "runs"?

Practical Examples

Relative Pronouns:

○ These are words that help us add detail by connecting a little extra piece of information back to a specific noun in the main sentence. Think of them as connecting words or a bridge 🌉.

The most common relative pronouns are:

• who (for people)

• which (for things/objects)

• that (for both people and things)

The job of a relative pronoun is simple: it relates a descriptive clause back to the noun it modifies.

---

 In your notebook, or on a piece of scrap paper, I want you to create one complete sentence using a relative pronoun.

You must:

1. Choose one of these pronouns: who, which, or that.

2. Use it to add extra, specific information about a noun in your sentence.

●Modal Auxiliaries:(Helping verbs)

○ Modal auxiliary verbs like "can" and "must" attach to a main verb to express the speaker's attitude or degree of certainty about an action. "Can" changes the meaning of a statement to express ability ("I can solve puzzles"), meaning the speaker has the skill to do it. Conversely, "must" changes the meaning to express necessity or strong obligation ("I must solve puzzles"), meaning the speaker is required to do it.

Example: "I can solve puzzles" vs. "I must solve puzzles."

○ Your turn to write two sentences, one with "can" and one with "must."

● Progressive Tense:

○ Progressive verbs (also called continuous verbs) describe actions that are ongoing or in progress at a specific time. They are always formed by combining two parts: A form of the verb "to be" (the auxiliary or helping verb).The present participle of the main verb (the base verb plus the suffix -ing).The basic formula is: 

subject + Form "to be" + (Base Verb +-ing)

1. Please convert the following sentence into the present progressive tense:

The children play outside.

2. Change this simple present sentence to show the action is happening right now:

My mother always bakes bread on Fridays.

3. Rewrite this sentence using the progressive form:

I read a book every night before bed.

● Prepositional Phrases:

○ A prepositional phrase is a group of words in a sentence that begins with a preposition and ends with a noun or pronoun, called the object of the preposition. The entire phrase functions as a single part of speech, usually modifying or describing other words in the sentence.

 1. Please read the short paragraph below and list all the prepositional phrases you can find.

The small, brown squirrel darted up the large oak tree and disappeared into a hollow branch. After a few minutes, it peeked out with a giant acorn clutched in its tiny paws. We watched it carefully from the window.