A Level Grammar 1

Capitalize the first word, last word, and important words. What don’t you capitalize? (YOU CAN CAPITALIZE EVERYTHING ELSE)

Don’t capitalize a, an, the, or short prepositions (in, on, at, for) unless they’re first or last.

Rule 6: Capitalize the first letter of the first word in a direct quotation.

Lyle asked, “Where’s my comb?” “In the drawer”

Rule 7: Capitalize Mothers, Dad, and other titles when they serve as a replacement for the person’s name.  Also capitalize the title if it appears with a name.

Grandpa Smith, remember matching names are capitalized

Rule 13: Capitalize historical events, periods of time, and historical documents.

Battle of Waterloo only nouns

Rule 14: Capitalize names of holidays, and special days.

Fourth of July but not like of n stuff

Rule 15: Capitalize a proper adjective but not the noun it modifies unless the noun is part of a what?

A title. Like a Columbus Day parade

Rule 16: Capitalize brand names but not the product(s).

Like Kleenex tissues NOT the product

Rule 18: Capitalize languages.

Like Spanish or Japanese

Rule 19: Capitalize races and ethnic groups.

like Asians and African Americans

Rule 20: Capitalize North, South, East, West, Northeast, Northwest, Southeast, and Southwest when?

they refer to a region of the country or world. specifics

Rule 23: Capitalize Political Parties and their members.

Republican Party all letters that are in

Rule 24: Capitalize the first letter only in most hyphenated words that begin a sentence.

Twenty-two ducks used that pond.

Not the after hyphon

Rule 25: Capitalize “???” when it refers to the leader of the United States.

President

Rule 26: Capitalize a specific, well-known area or event.

Such as Boston Tea Party like places in history

Rule 27: Capitalize the first word of the greeting and closing of a letter. My dearest Friend,

Only First word and NOUNS

Do not capitalize north, south, east, west, northeast, northwest, southeast, and southwest when they what? Only capitalize during proper nouns and ethnicities.

When they are used as referring to basic directions

Do not capitalize school subjects unless? Chemistry 100

they state a language or they are numbered.

Do not capitalize seasons of the year unless it is in a title.

like the Fall Festival or Spring Sing

Do not capitalize foods, games, trees, musical instruments, animals, diseases, and plants.

Chinese checkers

How to fix independent and dependent clause runons?

Example: This cookie tastes good I like that one better.

Use a period, semicolon, or a comma + appropriate conjunction between independent clauses. Or change one independent clause into a dependent clause.

Has a subject + verb and expresses a complete thought.

Can stand alone as a sentence.

Example: I have a record player.

Independent Clause

Has subject + verb but does NOT express a complete thought.Cannot stand alone; becomes a fragment if left alone.

Example: When you return from the game

Dependent Clause

A dependent clause without an independent clause.

Example: Whenever I am lonely.

because the power went out

typically a response

Unattached Dependent Clause is a fragment

Has only subject or only verb.

Examples:

• The conductor during the performance. (missing verb)

• Drew several pictures for us. (missing subject)

Fragment: Missing Verb or Subject

Just a phrase, not a clause.

Examples:

• Tomorrow

• In the bottom drawer

Fragment: No Subject AND No Verb

Subject is understood (“You”).

Examples:

• (You) Go!

Commands Are NOT Fragments

Two complete sentences with no punctuation.

Example:
This cookie tastes good I like that one better

Run‑On: Two Independent Clauses Stuck Together

Two independent clauses joined only by a comma.

Example:
My friend is Annie, she lives next door

Run‑On: Comma Splice

Clauses chained endlessly with “and,” “but,” etc

Example essence:
We went to the store and bought bananas and talked to our neighbor and made cake and went jogging…

Run‑On: Too Many Conjunctions

Multiple sentences mashed together with commas.

Example essence: With winter approaching, I get anxious about skiing, sledding is fun too, I like to ice skate…

Run‑On: Too Many Commas