10th H DOL rules


10-1

  • Avoid beginning sentences with ‘there’

  • Use a comma to set off introductory (infinitive) phrases extraneous to the main clause

  • Use commas to set off interrupting non-essential phrases/clauses from the main sentences they appear in (including appositives)

  • Use a comma and coordinating conjunction (FANBOYS) to join two independent clauses

  • ‘I’ = subject; ‘me’ = object

  • Use a comma to set off an introductory word or phrase

  • Effect: (noun) the result or consequence; Affect: (verb) to influence or create an effect

  • Set off interrupting non-essential dependent clauses from the main clause

  • ‘of’: preposition (indicates relationship between nouns, including where), must be followed by a noun; have: helping verb—helps indicate tense of main verb (and must be followed by a main verb)

  • Use a comma to set off an intro phrase from the main clause

  • Neither-nor/Either-or

  • Set off intro subordinated clauses from the main clause with a comma


10-2

  • 1.)?

  • ‘who’ = subject; ‘whom’ = object (ex: Who kissed whom?)

  • Set off non-essential clauses from main clause with commas

  • Farther = distance; Further = (v) to increase or pursue / (adj) an increases amount

  • Underline/italicize titles of works that are published as a whole

  • Capitalize first and last words & all other words except articles (a, an, the) and prepositions (in, with, on, of, without)

  • Set off intro participial phrases from the main clause with a comma

  • Items in a list must follow parallel structure (same tense and/or syntax)

  • Use a conjunctive adverb as an intro word when transitioning between two independent clauses

  • Commas aren’t necessary when joining two actions performed by one subject


10-3

  • Avoid using passive voice (when the subject is acted upon) in 95% of cases

  • Adverbs describe (or modify) both verbs and adjectives + sometimes end in -ly

  • Avoid using adverbs that merely amplify (i.e.: really, very, truly)

  • Use colons o announce a list or idea you want to emphasize, BUT only use the, after an independent clause

  • No apostrophes in possessive pronouns (yours, ours, his, hers, its)


10-4 (not finished)

  • Place modifiers as close to the word they modify as possible

  • Use commas to set off names used in direct address

  • Use em dashes (—) to highlight material that interrupts the main clause (not to be confused with hyphens: ‘-‘)

  • Use hyphens to join compound words


Additional rules

  • Avoid unclear antecedents/subjects

  • Use commas to separate items in a list

  • Put punctuation inside quotation marks if it’s quoting spoken words


Usage rules

  • Effect: (noun) the result or consequence; Affect: (verb) to influence or create an effect

  • ‘I’ = subject; ‘me’ = object

  • Neither-nor/Either-or

  • ‘we’ = subject; ‘us’ = object

  • Use ‘who’ when referring to a person and ‘that’ or ‘which’ when referring to another type of noun

  • Spell out numbers under 100

  • The plurality of the subject of a sentence must match the plurality of the verb (subject + verb must agree)

  • ‘who’ = subject; ‘whom’ = object

  • Farther = distance; Further = (v) to increase or pursue / (adj) an increases amount

  • ‘whose’ = possessive; ‘who’s’ = who is