Each one of my children enjoyed grammar when it all it meant was identifying nouns and verbs or subjects and predicates, but once we reached adverbs and adjectives their enthusiasm often dwindled. Eventually, I discovered that their lack of enthusiasm was more about confusion than it was about their dislike for a subject. Children like to work at subjects in which they feel confident. If they don’t feel confident about a topic, they often loose interest or they want to avoid the subject altogether.
I think one of the biggest problems with grammar education is that the concepts of adverbs and adjectives are taught in isolation, and are not compared and contrasted. The neural connections, therefore, are not very strong and confusion is bound to happen. I decided to help my children differentiate these tricky parts of speech by using a Venn diagram. I feel that spending time analyzing the concepts of adjectives and adverbs for their similarities and differences, has helped my children and I become more confident with grammar.
You can do this no matter what curriculum you use. Our program of choice is Winston Grammar and we love its systematic nature. The hands on component and continual review has made Winston Grammar a staple in our home education process. That said, I discovered that having my children create a Venn diagram shored up my children’s understanding of adjectives and adverbs and stopped confusion in its tracks.
Step One: Teach Adjectives and practice identifying them. Use games or fun activities whenever possible.
Adjectives describe or modify nouns. Adjectives answer the questions:
Which?
What kind of?
How many?
How much?
Step Two: Teach Adverbs and practice identifying them.
Adverbs are words that describe verbs, adjectives or other adverbs.
Adverbs answer the questions:
When?
Where?
Why?
How?
To what extent?
Common adverbs: very, not, here, there, too, ever, never, always and (where). Not is found in contractions, so make sure your student doesn’t miss it.
Step Three: Compare Adjectives and Adverbs using a Venn Diagram. This diagram will become their personal study tool. The key is having the student build the Venn Diagram themselves. Make a poster to hang on the wall. If your child can write legibly and small, then print a blank Venn diagram from here. If they are an older student, then send them to PicMonkey to create one themselves. Don’t do the exercise for them, but require your children to think it through. Help them build the diagram one step at a time, after you have reviewed the facts. Ask your children the following questions as they build their diagram:
1. What do both parts of speech do? (Describe or modify)
2. What part of speech does an adjective describe? (nouns)
Give three examples of words that function as adjectives.
3. What questions do adjectives answer? Record them on the Venn Diagram.
4. What parts of speech does an adverb describe? (Verbs, other adverbs and adjectives)
Give a few examples of words that function as adverbs. (-ly words like quickly and slowly, but also words such as very, never, always, not, too, also, there, here, where)
5. What questions do adverbs answer? Record them on the Venn Diagram.
Step Four: Play Mad Libs! The fun will reinforce the understanding!
Recommended:
Winston Grammar Basic Complete Set
The Winston Grammar Program Advanced Level
Up, Up and Away (World of Language) A Book About Adverbs
Many Luscious Lollipops: A Book About Adjectives (Explore!)
So grateful for grace,
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