Language and Grammar: Summarize

Group Share Work in a group. Take turns summarizing different sections of the selection. Identify and tell just the main ideas and important information, using your own words. Use participles as adjectives in some of your sentences.

The U.S. Constitution is the shortest written constitution of any government in the world today. A few chosen people wrote the Constitution.

Writing and Grammar: Write to Add Details to Sentences

Study the Models When you write about a famous person or event, be sure to add descriptive details and interest to your sentences. Combine ideas to create smoother, richer sentences.

Ok

The writer looked at the tip of his quill pen. It was broken. He had been writing all night. He rubbed his eyes. He was tired. Then he listened to the rain hitting the roof. The rain was pouring. He realized the importance of his work. He was smiling. He grabbed a new quill pen and continued to write. The words were powerful. They were written.

This writing is choppy and does not add descriptive details smoothly to the sentences.

Better

The writer looked at the tip of his broken quill pen. He had been writing all night. Tired, he rubbed his eyes. Then he listened to the pouring rain hitting the roof. Smiling, he realized the importance of his work. He grabbed a new quill pen and continued to write. The written words were powerful.

This writer adds descriptive details and combines ideas to make sentences less choppy.

Illustration of the pen icon WRITE ON YOUR OWN Choose a famous document that you have read about. Describe what you know about it. Add details and avoid choppy sentences.

REMEMBER

Verb forms change depending on how they are used.

PresentPresent ParticiplePastPast Participle
impressimpressingimpressedimpressed
writewritingwrotewritten