My Family History

As the daughter of two Argentinian immigrants, my family's linguistic history is multi layered. Although both of my parents were born in Argentina, their families had vastly different origins. My mother's mother was also born in Argentina, but to Spanish born parents. Her father was from Italy. My father was the only member of his family not born in Peru. Both myself and my elder brother were born in the United States. This family history makes me the woman that I am today.

Vocabulary:
linguistic(adjective)- belonging to language
multi layered(adjective)- having two or more layers
vastly(adjective)- very great portion
origin(noun)- ancestry
elder(adjective)- older
history(noun)- past or continuous events

Fill in the blanks with the correct vocabulary word:
1. The rainbow cookie is ________________.
2. I come from an Argentinian ____________.
3. The ___________ man walked very slow.
4. My parents have a long ______________ together.
5. He had ____________ overestimated his resources.
6. My story was based on the _____________ background of my family.

Grammar Point: Conjunctions
Conjunctions are any member of a small class of words distinguished in many languages by their function as connectors between words, phrases, clauses, or sentences, as and, because, but, however.

Now you try it:
Write a minimum of five sentences using a conjunction (connection word). Remember to use different conjunctions.
ex) I wrote my paper today and handed it into the professor.

Not Feeling Well....

Tuesday mourning I woke up feeling achy and all congested. I felt fine Monday night; so I do not know where I got it from, but then again who does. I am a little upset because I missed my Tuesday and Wednesday classes, which means I am going to be behind a little. I also missed work and that stinks because my paycheck is not going to be what I would like it to be. Well today I am back at work and still feel weak, but I had to get out of bed because it makes me feel worse. Today I will catch up on all my work that I have missed this week and hopefully I will be back on track by Tuesday, which I am confident that I will.

Vocabulary:
achy(adjective)- when a part of your body hurts
congested(verb)- stuffy nose
paycheck(noun)- salary or wage given at the end of the week
weak(adjective)- not strong
worse(adjective)- bad
confident(adjective)- having strong belief

Fill in the blanks with the correct vocabulary word:
1. I did not work too many hours this week, so my _______________ is going to be low.
2. I got a cold and my back is _____________.
3. When I got up from bed my legs felt so ____________ that I almost collapsed.
4. My illness got ____________ throughout the week so I had to stay home.
5. I feel all ________________ from this cold.
6. I am ___________________ that I will pass my test.

Grammar Point: Adverbs
Adverbs can modify a verb, an adjective, another adverb, a phrase or a clause. They determine time, a place, a cause, or degree. They also answers the questions "how", "when", "where", and "how much". Adverbs also can end in "ly".

Now You Try it:
Add an adverb to the sentence.
1. The fish swims.
2. The cat chased the mouse.

Tonight!

I have not been out with my girlfriends in quite a while. So I am happy to say that tonight we will be meeting up for my girlfriend Melissa's birthday. I think of it this way, I am blessed to have such wonderful friends and I can not wait to see them tonight. We will all make sure Melissa has a great time tonight!

Vocabulary:
girlfriend(noun)- a female friend.
birthday(noun)- a day of a persons' birth.
blessed(adjective)- bringing happiness.
wonderful(adjective)- great/marvelous/excellent.
time(noun)- the moment.

Fill in the blanks with the correct vocabulary word:
1. My ______________ is August 20,1981.
2. I am ___________ to have such caring parents and friends.
3. This job is _______________ because I enjoy the people I work with.
4. This ____________ around I want to be the center of attention.
5. Me and my _________________ are going to get together to get something to eat and gossip.

Grammar Point: Adjectives
Adjectives modify a noun or a pronoun; it can end in able, ous, er, and est.

Now you try it:
Underline the adjective in the sentence. Remember adjectives modify nouns or pronouns!

1. That is a big building.
2. I met a very old man.
3. That's a very nice dress you a wearing.
4. That is a small house.
5. The water is crystal blue.

Happy that my Presentation is Over!

Last night I had a presentation on morphology. I find it to be so odd that I still get nervous about presenting, when I have done it so many times. Its weird, at first, I am fine and than when I get up to do it I rush through it. I feel like I go through it so fast that I do not even know what I said. Hopefully, one day I will stop rushing through my presentations and calm my nerves so that I could take my time.

Vocabulary:
presentation(noun)- a social introduction or performance
morphology(noun)- the study of word formation
odd(adjective)- a feeling of strangeness or unusual
nervous(adjective)- uneasy feeling
weird(adjective)- bizarre
hopefully(adverb)- if all goes well

Fill in the blanks with the correct vocabulary word:
1. ____________ I passed my test that I took last night.
2. When I went on the plane I was so ___________ because there was turbulence.
3. The ____________ strategy consists of breaking down words.
4. I saw a ___________ looking bug that I have never seen before.
5. I had to read an article and do a ____________ in front of the class.
6. My friends costume was ____________ because it had several arms.

Grammar Point: Verbs
Verbs express an action, state, or a relation between two things.

Now you try it:
Write a paragraph of what you did yesterday and underline the verbs, then write why you think its a verb.
ex) I drove to school yesterday. (drove: is a verb because it is an action)

Excited for Halloween!

The month of October has just started and that means that I have to start preparing my decorations for Halloween. I am so excited to get my friends and boyfriend to come over to decorate my house; I know it sounds corny, but I love any holiday that requires decorations. It's not only the decorating that I enjoy doing, but also pumpkin picking with my God daughter! I guess it gives me a sense of being young again.

Vocabulary:
decoration(noun)- a process of putting objects up for the holidays.
Halloween(noun)- a holiday that takes place during the evening of October 31st and children dress up in costumes to go from house to house to collect candy.
corny(adjective)- when something is not funny or old fashioned.
pumpkin picking(noun)- an event that takes place during the holiday season of Halloween when you pick pumpkins to take home.
require(verb)- to have need of.
excited(adjective)- an emotion of great happiness.

Fill in the blanks with the correct vocabulary word:
1. My friend told a ______________ joke that no one laughed at.
2. I am going to dress up as a witch for __________________.
3. During the holidays, I buy more ___________________ for the house.
4. One of the students' in the class _____________ more attention from the teacher because she does not understand.
5. During Halloween, I take my God daughter _____________________.
6. When my brother bought home the puppy, I was so _________________.

Grammar Point: Prepositions
Prepositions are linked to a verb an object.
Now you try it:
Underline the preposition in the sentence then write your own sentence with a preposition and underline it.

The leprechaun went over the rainbow to search for his gold.
____________________________________________________________________________________.