Syntax Surgery: Suggested Procedure

Note: Use the same sentence for 2-5 days; divide the following steps where necessary.
1.
2.
3.

Display sentences out of order. Read, explain unknown vocabulary.

Categorize words under parts of speech.
Think aloud to construct sentence with students. Discuss the relationships between
the parts of speech and punctuation. Discuss the meaning and parts of the
sentence.
4.
Pass out the sentence to students.
5.
Teach a focus skill/mini lesson (ie: prepositions, pronouns, etc) and shuffle
accordingly.
6.
Make additional shuffles. Some ideas:
shrink the sentence (take out details)
expand the sentence (add details, or a why/when/how/where)
change the tense (past/present/future or progressive vs. simple)
add a modal (might/must/may/could/would/should), change the sentence
structure if necessary, and define the new meaning
make new sentences with a limited number of words
make the subject singular or plural (and change the verb accordingly)
change the form (declarative/negative/interrogative)
reverse the form (finisher + subject + verb)
7.
Return to the original sentence: write its declarative, negative, and interrogative
forms.
8.
If appropriate, each student glues one version of the sentence and illustrates.
9.
As a class, identify parts of speech (from original version) and post on grammar
wall.

Additional Extensions for Syntax Surgery

For Beginning and Early Intermediate Students
Students identify and remove all nouns.

Students identify and remove all verbs.

Student, with a partner, deal the cards and form the sentences one card at a time.

Students remove all words not critical to central meaning.

Students change subject of sentence to he/she, her/his.

Students generate words that rhyme for words in the sentence.

For Intermediate Students
Students change the position of the sentences subject.
Students generate synonyms for key words in the sentence.
Students classify all words of the sentence according to parts of speech.
Students add descriptive words to sentence.
Use key sentences from a content areas chapter to help students review.
Students generate antonyms for key words in the sentence.

For Early Advanced and Advanced Students

One student holds all the cards to the sentence. One at a time, student deals
the words to the other student. Those students must put the words in correct
syntactic order until the sentence is completed.
In a group of four, divide up all the words from four sentences. Students take
turns putting down either the first word of a sentence, or the word that follows.
Students remove one word at a time and identify its part of speech.