The Sentence Sleuth

Worksheet Description

This worksheet is a straightforward exercise in which students act as sentence sleuths to determine whether each sentence contains a zeugma. It provides a definition of zeugma at the top of the page, explaining that it’s a figure of speech where a word, typically a verb or an adjective, applies to more than one noun, merging different concepts. The directions are simple – read each sentence provided and decide if it contains a zeugma, then mark ‘YES’ or ‘NO’ accordingly. Through this process, students engage with each sentence critically, analyzing how words can be used to add depth and complexity to language.

The educational goal of this worksheet is to teach students how to identify the literary device of zeugma in various sentence structures. It encourages students to pay close attention to how verbs or adjectives can work with multiple objects in a sentence to create a unified meaning. The activity sharpens analytical thinking by requiring students to discern whether the sentences follow the rules of zeugma. Additionally, it enhances their comprehension of how effective language manipulation can enhance creativity and impact in writing.