Page 125 - SpringBoard_ELD_Grade8_Flipbook

language
resources
Contractions
A contraction is two words (usually one is a verb) combined to make one word. An apostrophe takes the place of the missing letters. You can combine a pronoun and a verb to create a contraction.
Contraction
Meaning
we’ve
we have
I’ll
I will
she’s
she is
I’d
I had, I would
they’re
they are
what’s
what has, what is
Excerpt from The Boy in the Striped Pajamas
Question
Answer
“Before we came here I lived with my mother and father and my brother Josef in a small flat above the store where Papa makes his watches.” (paragraph 2)
Who is Shmuel talking about when he says, “we”?
“They took it from me,” said Shmuel. (paragraph 4)
Who is “they”?
“Yes, but they’re different aren’t they,” said Shmuel. (paragraph 10)
What is “they’re” and “they” referring to?
“That happened to me too!” said Bruno, delighted that he wasn’t the only boy who’d been forced to move.” (paragraph 16)
Who is “he” in this sentence?
“And there was no air to breathe. And it smelled awful.” (paragraph 24)
What is “it” referring to?
aCTiViTY 1.5
HEW
how english Works: Pronoun antecedents
Learning Targets
• Apply understanding of how pronouns refer back to nouns in text and how pronoun antecedents make the text more cohesive.
• Analyze and evaluate how writers use language to explain characters and support ideas.
Pronoun Antecedents
In this excerpt from The Boy in the Striped Pajamas, the dialogue is between two boys. The author uses pronouns, such as he, to take the place of a noun so the character’s name isn’t used over and over. Because both characters in the excerpt are boys, it is important to understand who is speaking and who is being spoken about.
Language Resources: Pronoun Antecedents
pronoun: takes the place of a noun. Examples include I, he, she, it, we, us, they
antecedent: the object or person to which the pronoun refers. The antecedent tells you who is speaking or who is being spoken about. The author uses dialogue or context to help you identify the correct antecedent.
Skim through the excerpt from The Boy in the Striped Pajamas. Look for pronouns, including those used to form contractions, and try to determine their antecedents. At times, you may need to read further than the cited paragraph to know the antecedent. The location of the text is noted for you. Refer back to the text as needed. Answer the questions by recording your responses in the chart below. Use the Language Resources charts for support.
102 SpringBoard® English Language Development grade 8
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