Grammar Rules

ARFS

Always Read Full Sentences

PTA

Predict The Answer

independent clause

Can stand alone as a sentence

Must:

-have a subject

-have a conjugated verb associated with that subject

-express a complete thought

dependent clause

Dependent Clause-Cannot stand alone as a sentence

-depends on being attached to an independent clause to form a sentence.

noun

person, place, thing

verb

action word

adjective

describes a noun

adverb

describes a verb — usually ends in “ly”

pronoun

any word that replaces a noun

commas

-Separate items in a list of three or more

Tom, Judi, Bob, and Mary went bowling.

-Separate two adjectives that describe the same noun

I enjoyed the warm, sunny day.

-Separate independent and dependent clauses

Typing quickly, I fnished my paper on time.

-Setting apart Non-Essential information within a sentence "Comma Sandwich"

Jeff, a lifeling baseball fan, is going to Yankee Stadium.

Your test when presented with a Comma Sandwich in a choice is to try the sentence without the dependent clause between the commas

-This rule also applies two dashes and open-and-closed parentheses

A comma by itself cannot separate two clauses of the same type.

Semi-Colon = Period = Comma-FANBOYS Combination

-each may be used to separate two independent clauses

Comma-FANBOYS Combination

FANBOYS-For, And, Nor, But, Or, Yet, So

-Coordinating Conjunctions. When paired with a leading comma, they separate two independent clauses.

semi colon ;

-Joins two independent clauses that are too closely related to write as separate sentences

It was the best of times; it was the worst of times.

-It may also be used to separate items in a complex list.

I enjoy many things, including sitting outside on a warm, sunny day; eating a well-prepared, delicious steak; and watching the Yankees humiliate the Red Sox on national television.

colon :

It must be preceded by an independent clause.

-if the choice fails this test, you can happily cross it out

-if the choice passes this test, and ONLY if it does, check for what follows.

What Can Follow A Colon?

-an explanation

-a definition

-a list

Three things may follow a colon: an explanation, a definition, and a list.

dash -

Used once? It follows the rules for the colon

Three things may follow a colon–an explanation, a definition, and a list.

Used twice? It follows the rules for the Comma Sandwich

Jeff–a lifeling baseball fan–is going to Yankee Stadium.

apostrophes ‘

Two Purposes:

1. Contractions

it is = it's

they are = they're

2. Possession

-May be singular or plural.

Whether it's regarded as singular or plural is entirely dependent

on the possessing noun.

Singular = 's

That car's tires are losing air.

Plural = s'

His car is parked in the teachers' lot.

it’s, its, its’

It's- It is

Its- possessive

Its'- Not a word in the English language

who’s, whose

Who's- who is

Whose- possessive

there, their, they’re

There-location

Their-possession

They're-contraction

then, than

Then-sequence, time When? Then!

Than- comparison The Giants are better than the Jets.

affect, effect

Affect-verb

Effect-noun

who, whom

Who-Subject

Who said that?

Whom-Object

To whom are you speaking?

If you are more comfortable with a preposition in front of the word, then it's "whom."

The same guideline applies to I vs. Me

I = subject

I threw the ball

Me = obejct

She threw the ball to me.

lie, lay

Napping? Lie down.

Napped already? You lay down last week.

Putting something down? Lay it on the floor.

Put it down earlier? You laid it on the floor yesterday.