Grammar Terms: Modal Verbs and Clauses
Know and use Year 5 grammar terminology accurately when discussing reading and writing: modal verb, relative pronoun, relative clause, parenthesis, bracket, dash, cohesion, ambiguity
What a learner can do afterwards
- Label a relative clause in a sentence and identify the relative pronoun that introduces it, using correct terminology
- Explain why a pair of brackets or dashes creates a parenthesis and describe its function using the term 'parenthesis'
- Use the terms 'modal verb', 'cohesion', and 'ambiguity' when discussing how a writer has achieved particular effects in a text
The lesson
You already know that a pronoun can stand in for a noun. A relative pronoun does that too, but it also starts a relative clause: a group of words that adds extra information about a noun. The relative pronouns are who, which, that, whose, and where.
In 'The teacher who marked our tests is kind,' the relative clause is 'who marked our tests.' It starts with the relative pronoun 'who' and tells us more about 'the teacher.'
Writers can drop extra information into the middle of a sentence using a parenthesis. A parenthesis sits inside a pair of brackets ( ) or a pair of dashes, like this: 'The trophy -- dusty after years in the attic -- gleamed in the light.' Take the parenthesis out and the sentence still makes complete sense.
In 'My uncle (who lives in Leeds) is visiting today,' the brackets mark the parenthesis 'who lives in Leeds.' Remove it and 'My uncle is visiting today' still works.
Modal verbs such as can, might, should, and must show how certain or how necessary something is. Clear pronouns and well-chosen modal verbs give your writing cohesion, so ideas flow together. When a reader cannot tell what a word refers to, that is ambiguity, and strong writers avoid it.
A relative clause starts with a relative pronoun, a parenthesis sits inside brackets or dashes, and careful modal verbs and clear pronouns keep writing cohesive instead of ambiguous.
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8 questions wait behind this lesson, each with its answer explained. Every answer feeds the sky: stars light as they are learned, and dim when it is time to come back.