What Writing Exercises to Use for Practicing Grammar
Taranindya asks, “What writing exercise can we use for practicing English grammar with a 9-year-old at home?” Here are some tips from Thomas.
Category: Creative Writing
How Can We Grow Our Children’s Writing Habits?
Taranindya asks, “How Can We Grow Our Children’s Writing Habits?” Here Thomas gives several key ways to foster enthusiasm for writing.
The Dots, Lines, and Squiggles of Punctuation
Punctuation can often seem intimidating. Everywhere we look, there appear to be different and contradictory rules about how we’re supposed to use all these dots, lines, and squiggles in our writing. But as Marie explains, punctuation is simply a tool to clarify meaning and prevent misunderstanding.
The Gift of the Present Tense
This month we wanted to talk about the hidden gift of the present tense and make a special announcement about our new PDF workbooks. Take a peek at her lesson on the present tense, then I’ll explain what I mean by the hidden gift of the present tense.
Gratitude and Grammar
What could be more surprising and helpful than talking about grammar and gratitude? We tend to think of grammar as dry and even lifeless, but properly taught, grammar can be an extraordinary and powerful tool for increasing awareness, unleashing creativity, and fostering true success. Take a peek at this month’s free videos to learn more!
The Power of Pronouns
Despite their humble appearance, pronouns are one of a writer’s most useful tools and can even unleash great comedy. To show you what I mean—and to prepare you for a fun activity with language—take a peek at this month’s free excerpts. Just so you know, you may find yourself laughing!
Grammar, Love, and Colloquial Language
As we embrace the new year, we wanted to share a helpful rule from Marie about colloquial language and good grammar. Although it makes a simple and easy-to-follow point, her rule also speaks to the love that lies behind all of Marie’s courses. We’d like to share it with you.
A Secret About Adjectives
As the year draws to a close, we wanted to offer two video excerpts on adjectives. How to describe the delights of the season vividly and memorably? That’s what both of our videos address. We also have a creative writing exercise and a holiday gift to share. Read on to learn more!
What Are Adverbs?
This month we wanted to offer two video excerpts on adverbs and a writing activity. The topic of adverbs can sometimes seem confusing, but as Marie points out, adverbs are simply words that describe verbs, adjectives, and other adverbs. And of these uses, the most important by far is describing verbs. You can see it in the word itself: ad-VERB!
Subjects, Predicates & Spooky Tales
As the leaves start to turn our thoughts often turn to the coziness of a fire and the warmth of our homes. It’s a great time for getting back to basics. This month we wanted to share how getting back to grammatical basics and understanding main subjects and main predicates can help us in our storytelling.
What Are Conjunctions?
This month we wanted to share a video excerpt from Marie about conjunctions, as well as a companion video from Thomas about clauses. Both videos are set on Marie’s favorite Eagle Rock and give a sense for how the sea and the natural world around Marie’s Cozy Beach Cottage form an important part of Marie’s lessons.
How Auxiliary or Helping Verbs Help
This month we wanted to share two video excerpts about auxiliary or helping verbs, and a special announcement about Complimentary Family Sub-Accounts. Although the term might seem intimidating, as Marie points out, auxiliary verbs are simply helping verbs. They help other verbs to do their job.
What are the Three Degrees of Comparison?
This month we wanted to share two video excerpts from The Basic Cozy Grammar Course on the three degrees of comparison and make two special announcements about several new features that make Cozy Grammar easier to use, even more interactive, and even more affordable. Read on to learn more!
Verbs of Action and a Writing Activity
This month we wanted to share two video excerpts about verbs from Lesson 7 of The Basic Cozy Grammar Course. In this first video excerpt, Marie introduces three things that verbs express—action, possession, and existence—and gives us four examples of verbs of action.
How to Remember Transitive and Intransitive Verbs
Here’s a handy trick from Marie for remembering the difference between transitive and intransitive verbs. This tip also doubles as a quick and easy introduction to the topic, so it’s helpful even to people who aren’t sure what transitive and intransitive verbs are in the first place. Watch this month’s excerpt to learn more.
What Makes Writing Interesting
One of the reasons Marie wanted to make The Basic Cozy Grammar Course was to show how grammar—the technique of speaking and writing—can enhance creativity. We wanted to start the New Year by sharing an excerpt from The Basic Cozy Grammar Course in which Marie shows how knowledge of grammar can help make our sentences more interesting.