Grammar Guide

Grammar Guide

Sentences/ Independent clauses

1.Fragments: missing subject, missing verb

Examples:

After that

Since he 

2. Run-ons ( fused sentence, Comma splice)

Fanboys-for, and, nor, but, or, yet ,so 

3.Capitalization

 -The first and last word and important words in titles of literary or art works ( books, songs, short stories, poems, articles, movie titles, magazines, paintings, sculptures, etc.)

– The names and nicknames of people.

-People’s initials

-The days of the week and month of the year but not the seasons of the year

4.Punctuation

– use commas to separate words or phrases in a series

-Use a comma to set off two or more introductory prepositional phrases (prepositions-often give us more information about time, place, and movement: in, before, after, at, down, across, inside, out, outside, for, by, on, between, behind, under, around, against, near, through, throughout), when the prepositional phrase is very long (four words or more), or when a comma is needed to make the meaning clear. (In the late fall of 1991, Mr. Jordan was elected mayor. After her incredibly complicated and exhaustingly emotional day, the grieving woman cried herself to sleep.  On Friday, Freddy, Frank, and Frodo went to the movies. )

-Use a comma when writing a complex sentence in which the subordinate clause precedes the independent clause. Subordinate clauses will begin with subordinate conjunctions such as: after, although, as, as soon as, because, before, even though, except, if, since, so that, than, that,  though, unless, when, where, while, or until. (As soon as it stops raining, we will leave for the beach. We will leave for the beach as soon as it stops raining. )

Ex: When the clock hits 12:50, the show will start.

The show will start when the clock hits 12:50. 

Commonly Confused Words

-Its/It’s

Its: belonging to it

The bird will be hungry as soon as its food runs out 

It’s: contraction meaning it is

It’s not saturday yet.

-Ascent/Assent

Ascent:climb

As I made the ascent up the mountain I lost my shoe. 

Assent:agreement

I assented to the conditions

-Apart/ A part 

Apart: to be separated

I was apart from my dog for too long.

A part: to be joined with

I lost a part of my watch.