Language and Grammar: Give Commands

Pair Talk Imagine your partner is a visitor to your neighborhood. Describe some interesting places to visit. Tell your partner how to get to the places and what to do. Use commands. Switch roles.

Try the Thai Garden. Go to 8th Street and turn right. Get there early!

Writing and Grammar: Write About a Special Event

Study the Models When you write about a special event, use a variety of sentence types. Include statements, questions, exclamations, and commands to communicate your ideas and engage your readers.

Just Ok

The International Parade in our neighborhood is a lot of fun. I like to go and see the costumes. Some of my friends are always in the parade. Ahmet wears traditional Turkish clothing. Nestor and Cande are in the Caribbean band. Shivaani dresses as an Indian dancer.

This writer only uses statements. The reader thinks: “The topic is interesting, but the writer presents it in a boring way.”

Better

Have you ever been to a Cinco de Mayo celebration? It’s really fun. Dancers wear colorful Mexican costumes. They swirl to the beat of lively folk music. There are games and good things to eat. There’s even a jalapeño-eating contest! So mark next May 5 on your calendar. Come and join the fun!

This writer uses a variety of sentences. The text is more interesting.

Revise It Look back at the JUST OK passage. Work with a partner to improve it. Use a variety of sentences.

Illustration of a pen icon. Write On Your Own Imagine you are at a special event or celebration in your community. Write a description of it. Be sure to include different kinds of sentences.

    Remember

  • • A statement ends with a period (.).

  • • A question ends with a question mark (?).

  • • An exclamation ends with an exclamation point(!).

  • • A command ends with a period (.) or an exclamation point (!).