Simple (Sentence Structure)
Single independent clause (Neither Coordination nor Subordination!)
Compound (Sentence Structure)
Two or more independent clauses connected with a comma, coordinating conjunction, or semicolon (Coordination!)
Complex (Sentence Structure)
One independent clause and one dependent (subordinating) clause (Subordination!)
Compound-Complex (Sentence Structure)
Two or more independent clauses and one or more dependent (subordinating) clause (Both Coordination and Subordination!)
Coordination
Links two ideas of equal importance (Compound sentences)
Subordination
Highlights the importance of one idea over another (Complex sentences)
Thesis Statements
MUST state your claim and answer the prompt
Introductions
Provide audience with the necessary context to grasp the problem or issue the essay is addressing.
Content of a Body Paragraph
Claim, evidence, commentary, connection
Conclusions
Move the reader’s attention from what you argued to “so what?” or “why this argument matters.”
Commentary
Explains how your evidence supports the main idea and thesis
Qualifying an Argument
Looking for limits and tensions of an argument.
Concession
Recognition of a valid opposing viewpoint
Exigence
The situation that motivated the writer to take a stand or have an opinion.
SOAPS(Tone)
Speaker
Occasion
Audience
Purpose
Subject
(Tone)
Fragments
Sentence without a subject
Run-Ons
Two independent clauses incorrectly punctuated or without punctuation (can be fixed with a ;FANBOYS or subordinating or coordinating conjunction)
Faulty Parallelism
Writer uses unequal grammatical structures to express related ideas (look for lists, comparison words, correlative conjunctions)
Misplaced Modifiers
Modifiers that are placed too far from the word they are supposed to modify (look like they are describing something else in the sentence (usually something that does not make sense))
Dangling Modifers
Modifiers that seem to modify the wrong word or no word at all because the word it should modify was omitted from the sentence
Subject-Verb Agreement
Verbs must agree in number with subjects (Note: subject is considered singular when “each…and…” or “every…and…”)
Both Singular and Plural Pronouns
All
Any
Some
None
More
Most
Always Plural Pronouns
Much
Many
Few
Several
Both
Others
Pronoun-Antecedent Agreement
Pronoun and Antecedent must agree in both number and gender (Note: no need to determine gender if plural)
Nominative Case Pronouns
I, he, she, we, they, you, it, who
When a subject or predicate nominative
Objective Case Pronouns
me, him, her, us, them, you, it, whom
When a direct or indirect object, or when the object of a preposition
Possessive Case Pronouns
my, mine, her(s), his, our(s), their(s), your(s), its, whose
To show possession (NOTE: they do NOT have an apostrophe!)
Who vs. Whom
Who is the subject and is always followed by the verb (can be replaced with he/she)
Whom is the object of a sentence (can be replaces with him/her)
Elliptical
Implied words after than or as