Reach All Readers [Listen again] A lively discussion about syntax, grammar, and punctuation - with Lyn Stone
Dec 22, 2025
Lyn Stone, linguist, author, and school coach specializing in literacy and morphology, chats about grammar, syntax, and punctuation. She explains teaching word function in context and personifying parts of speech to engage learners. Practical strategies include anchor sentences, sentence marking, clause vs phrase distinctions, and how punctuation and morphemes change with use.
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Teach Determiners, Not Just Articles
- Teach determiners as a single category that herald nouns, not just as articles a/the.
- Group quantifiers, demonstratives, and number words with determiners because they share behavior with nouns.
Demonstrate Verb Functions
- Show verbs doing 'be, do, have' with the same verb used in different contexts to reveal function changes.
- Use repeated characters (e.g., Richard the pug) to contrast doing verbs and being verbs for clarity.
Clarify Phrases Versus Clauses
- Teach phrases before clauses by ensuring students know parts of speech and roles first.
- Define a phrase as lacking both subject and verb; define a clause as containing a subject and a verb.
