Building with Diligence: English 4 Pupil Text
The Building with Diligence: English 4 Pupil Text includes 127 lessons divided into 11 chapters. This easy-to-use comprehensive, God-honoring text teaches key concepts of grammar, mechanics, and writing. It covers all of the basic parts of speech (except interjections).
The lessons include clear explanations and examples along with both oral and written work. Parents should make sure to do at least half of each lesson with the students orally, so the amount of writing does not become too much for the students.
Chapters 1-2 focus on understanding sentence structures and types. Chapters 3-8 and Chapter 10 focus on seven parts of speech—nouns, verbs, pronouns, adjectives, adverbs, prepositions, and conjunctions. Chapter 9 teaches about punctuation. Chapter 11 includes lessons on capitalization, the dictionary, synonyms, antonyms, and homonyms.
Interspersed throughout the book are 33 composition lessons. These lessons provide a steady progression through the skills necessary for writing, using the Bible as a theme throughout all the lessons. Lessons on diagramming, combining sentences, writing topic sentences, developing paragraphs, taking notes, report writing, story writing, writing book reports, giving directions, letter writing, and exploring poetry are included.
English 4 is scheduled as a one-year option in Preparing Hearts for His Glory. English 4 is also scheduled as an option for English in Creation to Christ and Resurrection to Reformation. It is divided over two years in those guides.
Note: Unless you have a strong background in grammar, the Teacher’s Manual is necessary at this level for the answer key and for additional help with the lessons.
Table of Contents
(Bold indicates oral and written composition lessons)
Chapter 1 – Subjects and Predicates
- 1. Getting Acquainted With Your English Book
- 2. Getting Organized
- 3. Learning About Sentences
- 4. Finding the Simple Predicate
- 5. Verb Phrases
- 6. Learning to Observe and Listen
- 7. Finding the Simple Subject
- 8. Pronouns and Noun Phrases
- 9. Diagramming Sentence Skeletons
- 10. Compound Subjects and Predicates
- 11. Diagramming Compound Subjects and Predicates
- 12. The Paragraph
- 13. Speaking Clearly
- 14. Chapter 1 Review
Chapter 2 – Kinds of Sentences
- 15. Sentence Fragments and Run-on Sentences
- 16. Statements: Sentences That Give Information
- 17. Diagramming Statements
- 18. Questions: Sentences That Ask for Information
- 19. Diagramming Questions
- 20. Combining Sentences
- 21. Commands: Sentences That Tell You to Do Something
- 22. Diagramming Commands
- 23. Exclamations: Sentences That Show Strong Feeling
- 24. Review of Sentences
- 25. Writing Sentences of Different Lengths
- 26. Chapter 2 Review
Chapter 3 – Nouns
- 27. What Is a Noun?
- 28. Common Nouns and Proper Nouns
- 29. Compound Nouns and Noun Phrases
- 30. Learning About Poetry
- 31. Singular Nouns and Plural Nouns
- 32. More Plural Nouns
- 33. Irregular Plural Nouns
- 34. Topic Sentences and Titles
- 35. Unity and Order
- 36. Chapter 3 Review
Chapter 4 – Verbs
- 37. Action Verbs
- 38. The Verb Be
- 39. Helping Verbs and Verb Phrases
- 40. Developing Paragraphs by Giving Examples
- 41. Verbs Show Tense
- 42. Agreement of Subjects and Verbs
- 43. Past Forms of Regular Verbs
- 44. Developing Paragraphs by Using Steps
- 45. Past Forms of Irregular Verbs
- 46. More About Irregular Verbs
- 47. Past Forms That Need Helpers
- 48. Writing Directions
- 49. Chapter 4 Review
Chapter 5 – Using Verbs Correctly
- 50. Action Verbs With Direct Objects
- 51. Action Verbs Without Direct Objects
- 52. Nouns After the Verb Be
- 53. Using Raise and Rise
- 54. Using Lay and Lie
- 55. Taking Notes for a Report
- 56. Using Set and Sit
- 57. Using Let and Leave
- 58. Contractions
- 59. Using Don’t and Doesn’t
- 60. Using Can, May, Teach, and Learn
- 61. Writing a Book Report
- 62. Choral Reading
- 63. Chapter 5 Review
Chapter 6 – Pronouns
- 64. Pronouns Stand for Nouns
- 65. Subject Pronouns
- 66. Object Pronouns
- 67. Pronouns in the Predicate
- 68. Writing a Story From a Picture
- 69. Using the Correct Pronoun
- 70. Possessive Pronouns
- 71. Plural Pronouns
- 72. Using Pronouns Correctly
- 73. This, That, These, and Those
- 74. The Parts and Form of a Friendly Letter
- 75. Addressing an Envelope
- 76. Chapter 6 Review
Chapter 7 – Adjectives
- 77. Adjectives
- 78. Possessive Nouns Used as Adjectives
- 79. Possessive Pronouns Used as Adjectives
- 80. Giving an Oral Book Report
- 81. Adjectives That Compare
- 82. Using Adjectives That Compare
- 83. Irregular Adjectives That Compare
- 84. Writing a Story
- 85. What to Write in a Friendly Letter
- 86. Chapter 7 Review
Chapter 8 – Adverbs
- 87. Adverbs
- 88. Adverbs in Sentences
- 89. Telling How to Do Something
- 90. Adverbs That Compare
- 91. Using Good and Well
- 92. Negative Words
- 93. Rhyme in Poetry
- 94. Rhythm in Poetry
- 95. Chapter 8 Review
Chapter 9 – Punctuation
- 96. End Punctuation
- 97. Abbreviations
- 98. Telling a Story
- 99. Commas
- 100. Commas in Addresses and Dates
- 101. Making Introductions
- 102. Direct and Indirect Quotations
- 103. Direct Quotations: Quotation Last
- 104. Direct Quotations: Quotation First
- 105. Conversation in Stories
- 106. Descriptive Words in Poetry
- 107. Chapter 9 Review
Chapter 10 – Prepositions and Conjunctions
- 108. Prepositions
- 109. Prepositional Phrases Used as Adjectives
- 110. Prepositional Phrases Used as Adverbs
- 111. Dividing a Longer Story Into Paragraphs
- 112. Diagramming Prepositional Phrases
- 113. Prepositions and Adverbs
- 114. Conjunctions
- 115. Parts of Speech Review
- 116. Writing a Story From a Poem
- 117. Chapter 10 Review
Chapter 11 – Capitalization and Dictionary Use
- 118. Capitalization
- 119. Capitalizing Names and Titles
- 120. Writing a Story About a Personal Experience
- 121. Using the Telephone
- 122. Using the Dictionary
- 123. Spellings and Meanings in the Dictionary
- 124. Synonyms, Antonyms, and Homonyms
- 125. Being Clear and Specific
- 126. Bible Poetry
- 127. Chapter 11 Review
