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Grade 5 · lesson 3 of 4

Identify a word’s sentence job

Read the highlighted word in its sentence and identify what it connects, modifies or expresses.

About 18 minutes, plus any extended practice

Download the grade pack

Supplied materials

  • Paper and pencil, or a browser text area. All named people/events/records are fictional learning inputs.
  • Worked case: Time: complete before yesterday’s bell. Connector: and. Highlight: under in under the desk. Comma: After lunch, we read.
  • Primary check: Time: completed by now. Connector: because. Highlight: Wow! Comma: paper, pens and cards.

Learn the idea

Words function in sentences, not only word lists. Under shows a relation, Wow expresses feeling, and connects ideas and carefully describes an action.

Read the highlighted word in its sentence and identify what it connects, modifies or expresses.

Example to read or listen to: Time: complete before yesterday’s bell. Connector: and. Highlight: under in under the desk. Comma: After lunch, we read. The answer is preposition showing relation. The relevant input states: Highlight: under in under the desk. This fits preposition showing relation. Words function in sentences, not only word lists. Under shows a relation, Wow expresses feeling, and connects ideas and carefully describes an action. A familiar word may have another job in another sentence.

  1. Read or listen to the worked example. Say what the reading or writing task asks you to find. An adult can help with unfamiliar words.
  2. Read the highlighted word in its sentence and identify what it connects, modifies or expresses.
  3. Check the worked solution: preposition showing relation. The relevant input states: Highlight: under in under the desk. This fits preposition showing relation. Words function in sentences, not only word lists. Under shows a relation, Wow expresses feeling, and connects ideas and carefully describes an action. A familiar word may have another job in another sentence.
  4. Try the question and the practice questions. Point to the words that helped you choose before checking the feedback.
Worked example

See the method in action

Time: complete before yesterday’s bell. Connector: and. Highlight: under in under the desk. Comma: After lunch, we read. Solved: preposition showing relation. The relevant input states: Highlight: under in under the desk. This fits preposition showing relation. Words function in sentences, not only word lists. Under shows a relation, Wow expresses feeling, and connects ideas and carefully describes an action. A familiar word may have another job in another sentence. Read the highlighted word in its sentence and identify what it connects, modifies or expresses.

Your turn

Check your reasoning

Your answer is temporary and is not saved to an account. Download your current answer before leaving or reloading. Written work on paper or in another app stays in your own file.

Helpful tips
  • Check function in context.
  • A familiar word may have another job in another sentence.
Time: completed by now. Connector: because. Highlight: Wow! Comma: paper, pens and cards. Which job does the highlighted expression perform?

Feedback appears here after you check. This is practice, not a graded school assessment.

See the answer and explanation

interjection showing feeling

The relevant input states: Time: completed by now. Connector: because. Highlight: Wow! Comma: paper, pens and cards. This fits interjection showing feeling. Words function in sentences, not only word lists. Under shows a relation, Wow expresses feeling, and connects ideas and carefully describes an action. A familiar word may have another job in another sentence.

Take it further

Optional extra practice: Write: By yesterday’s bell, Jo had finished the poster. Rewrite for completion before tomorrow’s bell using will have finished. Add a sentence using either/or and one direct-address sentence with a comma. Explain each helper and comma. Practice this lesson’s skill as you complete the task. Use this idea to check your work: Words function in sentences, not only word lists. Under shows a relation, Wow expresses feeling, and connects ideas and carefully describes an action.

Nothing here is saved to an account or sent to a teacher. The answer download includes your current choice and any checked feedback. It does not include choices from the separate More practice section. Download that section separately.

More practice: try new cases

Choose an answer for each problem. Explain your method on paper, then use the feedback to decide what to revisit.

More practice: try new cases
1. Time: complete before tomorrow’s bell. Connector: either/or. Highlight: and in pens and cards. Comma: Jo, please wait. Which job does the highlighted expression perform?
Need a hint?
  • Check function in context.
  • A familiar word may have another job in another sentence.
2. Time: completed yesterday, simple past only. Connector: however. Highlight: carefully in fold carefully. Comma: It is ready, isn’t it? Which job does the highlighted expression perform?
Need a hint?
  • Check function in context.
  • A familiar word may have another job in another sentence.
3. Time: complete before last week’s show. Connector: either/or. Highlight: Wow! Comma: Lea, look here. Which job does the highlighted expression perform?
Need a hint?
  • Check function in context.
  • A familiar word may have another job in another sentence.

Your choices are temporary. Feedback appears after you check all the answers.

Nothing here is saved to an account or sent to a teacher. Keep your own notes or download them before leaving. The score describes these questions; it does not certify subject mastery.

Check the subject sources

These LifeStarter passages, scenarios and exercises are authored for this Academy with AI assistance and review. External resources keep their publishers’ terms. A grade label suggests a starting level; it does not establish alignment with your school’s complete requirements.