Image of people gathered at a light festival during the night
Sanjay Kanojia/AFP via Getty Images (Diwali)
Grammar,

Festival of Lights

What happens during India’s biggest and brightest holiday, Diwali?

From the October 2024 Issue

Learning Objective: to identify when to use is and are

Featured Skill: Grammar, Usage, and Mechanics,
Common Core Standards
  • Anchor Standards
    L.3
  • Grade 6
    L.6.3
  • Grade 7
    L.7.3
  • Grade 8
    L.8.3
TEKS Standards
  • Grades 6, 7, 8
    2b, 10c, 10d (ix)

Presentation View
See Student View

Directions:

Read the hint below. Then read the blurbs that follow. Pick the correct word in each bolded word pair.

Is or Are?

If the subject is singular, use is.

The dog is barking. The crowd is loud.


If the subject is plural, use are.

The dogs are barking. Lola and Rob are in eighth grade.

Euan Cherry/Getty Images

Welcoming the New Year

This fall, more than 1 billion people in India and around the globe will celebrate Diwali (dee-WAH-lee). Spanning five festive days, Diwali marks the start of the Hindu new year and is/are a major holiday in the Hindu religion. Diwali is/are an important holiday in several other religions as well. 

 

 

Shutterstock.com

Spreading Light

During Diwali—also known as the Festival of Lights—homes, businesses, and public spaces is/are decorated with small clay oil lamps called diyas (DEE-yahs). These lights symbolize two major themes of Diwali: the triumph of light over darkness and the triumph of good over evil.

Some believe diyas guide the Hindu goddess of wealth, Lakshmi, into people’s homes so that she can provide prosperity in the new year. Others believe diyas guide the Hindu heroes Rama and his wife, Sita, back home from the forest, where they had been banished. For all, the lights is/are used to bring light and happiness into homes. Many families also donate to people in need as a way of spreading good fortune.

Sanjay Kanojia/AFP via Getty Images

Sweet Traditions

This year, Diwali begins on October 29. (The timing changes from year to year according to the Hindu lunar calendar.) On the first two days of Diwali, many people clean their homes to remove negativity and make room for positivity in the new year. 

The third day is the main day of the festival. People enjoy sweet treats, light fireworks and diyas, and attend celebrations. The crowd in this photo, for example, is/are enjoying a laser light show. The final days of Diwali is/are for visiting family and friends and giving gifts. 

 

This article was originally published in the October 2024 issue.

video (1)
Activities (3)
Skill-Building Activities
Answer Key (1)
video (1)
Activities (3)
Skill-Building Activities
Answer Key (1)
Step-by-Step Lesson Plan

Close Reading, Critical Thinking, Skill Building

Download the Printable Version
Table of Contents

1. Prepare to Read

(5 minutes)

Watch the Video

Show students Grammar Hack: Is or Are?, a short animated video with tips for how to keep these words straight.

Set a Purpose for Reading

Direct students’ attention to the hint box and directions on page 2 or at the top of the digital story page. Read each aloud.

2. Read and Discuss

(10 minutes)

Have students read the three boxes of text independently or with a partner, circling the correct word in each bolded word pair. Optionally, share the interactive version of this activity, which has dropdown menus. Then discuss the answers.

In your Resources tab, find an anchor chart and a skill-reinforcement activity called Subject-Verb Agreement. This resource is also available as a Google Slideshow for projecting.

3. Write

(45 minutes)

Have students practice using this grammar skill in context using “Festival of Lights” as a model. Working in pairs, students should research and write three short blurbs about a holiday of their choosing. Each blurb should include at least one is/are pair (or any singular/plural verb pair) from which to select the correct answer. Students should also create an answer key. Have students exchange blurbs and complete each other’s activities.


Text-to-Speech