Unit 5: Grammar 3

Primary 4 Unit 5
Ruby’s Sunflower

Grammar 3

We are learning to (WALT):

• vary the way sentences are written.

Read the two versions of the
introduction of Ruby’s Sunflower.

Which version do you prefer?

What are the differences between the two versions?

Which do you prefer?

Version 1

Version 2

The school was organizing a
gardening contest. Ruby
heard about the contest.
She decided she wanted to
win. Ruby liked winning.
Last year, she had won a
prize for the best story. She
also won a green badge for
swimming.

The school was organizing a
gardening contest. As soon
as Ruby heard about the
contest, she decided she
wanted to win. Ruby liked
winning. Last year, she had
won a prize for the best
story and a green badge for
swimming.

Poll

Which version do you prefer?

• Version 1

• Version 2

Open Ended

Why do you prefer that version? Why?

Why do we combine sentences?

How do we join short sentences to

form long sentences?

Let’s look at some examples from Ruby’s Sunflower.

Example 1:
As soon as Ruby heard about the contest, she decided she
wanted to win.

Here are two separate sentences:

1.

Ruby heard about the contest.

2.

She decided she wanted to win.

How do we connect the two ideas/events?

1.

Find a link between the two ideas/events.

2.

Use a suitable conjunction to connect the two ideas/events.

Let’s look at some examples from Ruby’s Sunflower.

As soon as Ruby heard about the contest, she decided she wanted to win.

Main event

Supporting information

‘As soon as’ is used to state that something
will happen immediately after something
else has happened.

The supporting information provides
information about when Ruby decided she
wanted to win the contest.

Conjunction

The supporting information gives us more information about the main event.
They are connected using a conjunction.

Example 1:

Let’s look at some examples from Ruby’s Sunflower.

Example 2:

Ruby pushed the cane into the broken stem till only a small piece was
sticking out.

Main event

Supporting information

‘Till’ is a conjunction connecting an
action or event to a point in time.

The supporting information gives
additional information about how far
Ruby pushed the cane into the stem.

Conjunction

In these sentences, the conjunction shows how the

supporting information is connected to the main idea/event.

The conjunction should always be in front of the supporting information
so that readers know how the additional detail is linked to the main
event.

If the sentence starts with a conjunction, insert a comma after the
supporting information.

Conjunction

Supporting information

Main event

As soon as

Ruby heard about the contest

she decided she wanted to win.

Conjunction

Supporting information

As soon as

Ruby heard about the contest,

Main event

she decided she wanted to win

Main event

Conjunction

Supporting information

Ruby pushed the cane into the
broken stem

till

only a small piece was sticking
out.

Main event

Ruby pushed the cane into the
broken stem

Conjunction Supporting information

till

only a small piece was sticking
out.

Identify the main event in each sentence.

1.

Peter took a nap as he was tired.

2.

While I was doing my homework, the doorbell rang.

3.

I went to the supermarket because Mother needed some eggs.

4.

When the plane landed, all the passengers cheered.

Main event

Main event

Main event

Main event

Multiple Choice

Which of the following is the main event?

Ilman made himself some chicken noodles as he was feeling hungry.

• Ilman made himself some noodles.

• he was feeling hungry

Multiple Choice

Hizqeel went to the library because he wanted to borrow some books for his project.

• He wanted to borrow some books for his project

• Hizqeel went to the library

Multiple Choice

When the doorbell rang, I opened the door.

• The doorbell rang

• I opened the door

Multiple Choice

While Maya was doing her homework, her Mother asked her to eat her dinner.

• Her Mother asked her to eat her dinner.

• Maya was doing her homework

Let’s reflect on our learning.

Think about:

• Why do we write long and short sentences?

• How do we construct long sentences?

• vary the way sentences are written.

We have learnt to: